Portimao WorldSBK test timesheets topped by Razgatlioglu
Section: Competition
Redding and Baz a fraction of the Turkish ace in Portugal.
Image: Supplied.
Heading to Phillip Island as the man to beat, Toprak Razgatlioglu piped Scott Redding on the final day of 2020 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) testing from Portimao.
Despite numerous incidents bringing out several red flags, nothing and nobody could stop Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha) from hitting the top of the standings in Portugal, with Yamaha’s new recruit the man to beat heading to Australia.
Beavering away frantically in the last testing day before jetting off to Phillip Island in Australia, it was Pata Yamaha who featured prominently on the final day. Toprak Razgatlioglu was on top at lunch as he worked his way towards a better front end set up, whilst also adapting his style towards the 2020 R1 Yamaha. He set quick laps on both of his bikes to finishing top overall, whilst teammate Michael van der Mark was also right up at the sharp end too, placing fourth and looking to conserve tyre life more ahead of Phillip Island.
Having led the way on day one at Portimao, Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) placed at the front again, saving his pace until the final ten minutes to initially deny Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) top spot, before being pipped himself by Turkish star Razgatlioglu. Redding focussed on tyre life and especially grip, with Portimao offering the perfect opportunity to do so ahead of the equally as fast Phillip Island, with the Brit second overall. Teammate Chaz Davies was outside of the top ten in the later afternoon, eventually ending in fifth after a late charge.
At Jerez, he was quick but Baz was a stand-out performer at Portimao, proving that the wet weather in the south of Spain was absolutely no fluke. The 26-year-old was right on the money in Portugal and continued his back-to-back testing with the 2019 and 2020 Yamahas. He was third at the end of testing, with fellow Independent Yamaha riders Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) and his teammate Garrett Gerloff impressing in ninth and 10th respectively.
There were more positives for Team HRC, who continued their work, keeping their cards close to their chest throughout Portuguese testing. Leon Haslam once again led the charge from the Japanese manufacturer, setting a faster lap time than he managed throughout racing action at Portimao to go sixth. Alvaro Bautista was less prominent and was down in 15th place ahead of the trip to Australia in a few weeks’ time.
German manufacturer BMW were inside the top five at Portimao on the second day, with Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) enjoying plenty of positives at Portimao. Sykes was relentless and was continuing to focus on set-up, whilst Laverty enjoyed an incident-free day on day two. Sykes was seventh, whilst Laverty concluded his action in eighth.
Outside of the top 10, there were plenty of positives carried forward for Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) in 11th, whilst Leandro Mercado (Motocorsa Racing) was 12th. Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 13th ahead of Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance), whilst Sandro Cortese (Barni Racing Team) was 16th, having suffered a crash at Turn 7 this morning.
As tipped last week, Ducati has debuted two new Scrambler 1100 Pros that finally dispense with the ugly looping brake cable.
There are two models, the Sport having fully adjustable Öhlins suspension. (Full tech specs at the end of the article.)
Here they are in action in Miami. (We’re a bit concerned the female’s ride doesn’t have the Öhlins setup!)
New Pros
1100 Sport Pro
The neater cabling on the Pros is a welcome addition as is the Icon-style short rear fender and remote mudguard/plate holder.
Current 1100 Scrambler with looping cable
That looping cable was originally designed to be reminiscent of their original 1970s Scrambler 450 with high and wide off-road bars.
1972 Ducati Scrambler 450
Now, the bars are black, narrower and shorter, with the Sport edition getting low-slung flat bars and Café Racer-style bar-end mirrors.
1100 Pro
The other major change is the twin-stacked right-side mufflers. We can see the Sport edition up close and it looks great with a brushed titanium-look finish.
Sport cans
We don’t get a close-up look at the 1100 Pro cans which seem to have an aluminium finish.
Scrambler 1100 Pro comes in two-tone “Ocean Drive” (silver with an orange pinstripe) and black steel trellis frame and rear aluminium subframe.
Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro features matt black paint with black gloss “1100” on the tank.
LCD instruments and other details, dimensions and tech secs seem to be the same as the current 1100 models.
The bikes will be available at the end of March in most markets and “very late in the year” in Australia with pricing released closer to the date.
Current 1100 Scrambler prices range from $19,790 to $22,990 for the Sport edition with Öhlins suspension.
Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro and Sport Pro
Engine:
Engine: 1079cc, L-Twin, Desmodromic distribution, 2 valves per cylinder, air cooled
Riding Modes, Power Mode, Ducati Safety Pack (Cornering ABS + DTC), RbW, LED light-guide, LED rear light with diffusion-light, LCD instruments with gear and fuel level indications, Steel tank with interchangeable aluminium side panels, Machine-finished aluminium belt covers, Under-seat storage compartment with USB socket
The first SX1 Main Event saw Tomac was all over Roczen by half distance, when he started to put his Kawasaki alongside the Honda. In the final laps though Roczen proved to have Tomac’s measure and pulled clear to take victory by two-seconds. Adam Cianciarulo rounded out the podium ahead of Malcolm Stewart and Jason Anderson. Aussie Chad Reed finished 18th.
450 Main Event 2 saw a restart following Justin Bogle going down so medical attention could be provided and from the re-start it was Ken Roczen taking the early advantage and stretching a lead by half distance. Cianciarulo and Tomac worked to close down the gap, with Cianciarulo going down, ending up in eighth when he remounted.
Adam Cianciarulo
Roczen was the eventual victor by seven-seconds over Tomac while Anderson rounded out the podium. Baggett got the better of Webb for fourth. Cianciarulo recovered to salvage a sixth place finish ahead of Brayton and Barcia. Chad Reed came home in 19th position.
In 450 Main Event 3 Ken Roczen once again had a five-second lead by half-race distance, this time ahead of Jason Anderson. Cianciarulo caught Webb and challenged for second, before going over the bars in the whoops, with Webb slightly caught up, allowing Tomac to slip into third. Ken Roczen was an untroubled victor, ahead of Anderson and Tomac.
Ken Roczen thus goes 1-1-1 for the overall victory ahead of Tomac and Anderson, the German extending his championship lead to eight points over Tomac.
Ken Roczen – P1
“I can’t believe we won all three main events! I think it’s the focus that we bring. Between my team and especially my mechanic, we just have a good regimen going into all the races. Every time we go down there for a gate drop, I just want to put maximum focus, put myself in a good position and make life a lot easier—and safer as well. We had some good battles with Eli [Tomac] in the first one, but I was stoked to pull it off. I got a decent start in the second one, and then we had to do a restart unfortunately. I grabbed that holeshot and rode a super-solid race and won. The first start for race three was not good, and me and Tomac were battling in like eighth or something. Then we had another restart, and I pulled the holeshot there and just rode a super-solid race. I had a good time tonight, and I’m really happy with how the team has been excelling and making changes to the bike. We’ve been working really well together, and the team spirit is high right now. Obviously, I’m beyond stoked and want to enjoy tonight and tomorrow, but then get back to work and keep 100% focus.”
Ken Roczen piling the pressure on Zach Osborne
Eli Tomac – P2
“These Triple Crown races are already crazy and then to add the two red flags, there was just a lot going on. We technically had five starts tonight and I didn’t exactly help myself on those, but I was able to make my way to the front and remain consistent with my finishes. Consistency really was the key tonight and the team worked their tails off to help me finish up on the podium. We still have some work to do but overall, we had a successful night and I’m glad we’re close in the point standings.”
Jason Anderson – P3
“All-in-all, I had a great night. I keep getting better as the season goes on, I feel like I keep racing better and better. It’s been a good night. The team is working hard and we’re ready to start charging and make some headway.”
Cooper Webb – P4
“It was a good day. It’s kind of crazy, we had a bunch of red flags so we ended up with a lot of starts tonight. I feel like I finally figured out my starts by the end and I was up front and able to run with the lead group but I just didn’t quite have it tonight. It was a good turnaround from the first Main Event but we’ve still got some stuff to work on and we’ll keep plugging away and try to improve this week before heading into Oakland.”
Justin Barcia – P5
“It was a difficult day right off the bat. The track changed as the night went on and I struggled with turning a little bit and in the whoops, but it was the starts that really hurt me. I had to fight a lot tonight to get up to where I was able to finish, but with such short races like this, it’s difficult. The track was very one-lined, and it was very difficult to pass. Triple crowns are gnarly. Everyone’s so fast. If you don’t get a good start it’s just difficult to put yourself in a good position. There were guys flying around everywhere tonight and crashing, so I’m glad to be getting out of here healthy. I’m a smarter, more mature rider than I have been in the past, so I’ll take what I can get tonight like I did last week. It’s only round four. We’re still in a decent spot and just need to keep plugging away.”
Justin Brayton – P6
“The night went pretty good, but I had a lot of bad starts for some reason. I really struggled with track position at the beginning of the race, and I came from the back pretty much all three races. I’m a little disappointed in that because I felt like with my lap times, a better track position could have given me a top-five finish. But to end up sixth is nothing to hang our heads for at all. It was a positive night, awesome to see Kenny get the win, and the team’s just jelling really well right now; everyone’s doing an amazing job, and I keep getting better and better every weekend. I hope to keep this momentum rolling and be in the top five next week.”
SX1 Round Overall
Pos.
Rider
M1
M2
M3
Overall
1
Ken Roczen
1
1
1
26
2
Eli Tomac
2
2
3
23
3
Jason Anderson
5
3
2
21
4
Cooper Webb
8
5
4
19
5
Justin Barcia
6
8
7
18
6
Justin Brayton
7
7
9
17
7
Malcolm Stewart
4
14
6
16
8
Adam Cianciarulo
3
6
17
15
9
Aaron Plessinger
11
9
8
14
10
Blake Baggett
12
4
14
13
11
Martin Davalos
10
16
5
12
12
Justin Hill
9
13
10
11
13
Dean Wilson
16
10
11
10
14
Vince Friese
13
12
12
9
15
Tyler Bowers
15
15
13
8
16
Ryan Breece
19
18
15
7
17
Chris Blose
17
17
18
6
18
Zach Osborne
22
11
22
5
19
Alex Ray
20
20
16
4
20
Chad Reed
18
19
19
3
21
Justin Bogle
14
22
21
2
22
Jerry Robin
21
21
20
1
SX1 Standings
Pos
Rider
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
1
Ken Roczen
17
26
23
26
92
2
Eli Tomac
16
19
26
23
84
3
Justin Barcia
26
23
14
18
81
4
Jason Anderson
18
21
18
21
78
5
Cooper Webb
21
11
21
19
72
6
Adam Cianciarulo
23
16
17
15
71
7
Justin Brayton
15
15
16
17
63
8
Malcolm Stewart
14
17
15
16
62
9
Zach Osborne
9
18
19
10
56
10
Blake Baggett
19
14
9
13
55
11
Aaron Plessinger
11
13
8
14
46
12
Justin Hill
12
12
11
11
46
13
Vince Friese
13
9
12
8
42
14
Dean Wilson
10
10
13
9
42
15
Martin Davalos
8
1
10
12
31
16
Justin Bogle
7
8
7
2
24
17
Tyler Bowers
6
6
7
19
18
Chris Blose
3
5
4
5
17
19
Chad Reed
5
2
5
3
15
20
Alex Ray
4
2
4
10
21
Ryan Breece
0
3
6
9
22
Kyle Cunningham
0
7
0
7
23
Benny Bloss
6
1
7
24
Kyle Chisholm
4
4
25
James Decotis
1
3
4
26
Fredrik Noren
2
2
27
Jerry Robin
0
1
1
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Forkner tops SX2 triple-header at Glendale Round 4
The opening 250 moto of this week’s triple crown format saw Championship leader Justin Cooper drop his bike on lap one and suffer damage to his levers that put him at the back of the field. Dylan Ferrandis meanwhile got the better of Michael Mosiman later in the race to move up to second place, while Austin Forkner had a commanding five-second lead with two-minutes remaining in the moto.
Fourth placed Craig chased Mosiman hard in the closing stages of the race and put a pass on the Husqvarna rider as they started the final lap, stealing third place which he then carried all the way to the flag. Forkner was the race winner over Ferrandis. Aaron Tanti was the highest finishing Aussie in ninth place while countrymen Luke Clout and Jay Wilson were 13th and 14th respectively.
In the second SX2 Main event Cooper looked on course to hold the lead, before losing the front and going down, with Drake inheriting the lead and Forkner up into second. Forkner then claimed the lead, with Ferrandis moving past Mosiman into third.
Forkner was the clear winner with a 3.5-second advantage over Ferrandis at the flag while Drake kept Mosiman at bay in order to clinch the final step on the rostrum.
Luke Clout looked set for a top ten finish but a fall on the final lap cost him that chance, he remounted to salvage 12th. Jay Wilson the top finishing Aussie in tenth while Aaron Tanti carded a 17th place finish.
The final SX2 Main Event saw Luke Clout as high as sixth but overhauled by Mosiman and Oldenburg in the closing laps to eventually finish eighth ahead of Alex Martin. Justin Cooper was the race winner from Dylan Ferrandis, while Austin Forkner was a distant third. That third place though was enough for Forkner to claim the round win over Ferrandis with Mosiman rounding out the overall podium.
“I’ve been working on the whoops with the team all week because I’ve really been struggling there, so I was ready to race tonight. I’ve had to dig myself out of a hole after last weekend and now 10 points down isn’t too bad. I’ll just keep grinding, chipping away at those points and continue to dig out of this hole. Overall, it was a great night for the entire Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and we’re looking to keep it rolling.”
Austin Forkner
Dylan Ferrandis – P2
“I can’t say it was a bad day because it could’ve been much worse. I’m a little disappointed to miss the win. I feel like the bad starts cost me the win tonight, but the speed was there and I made a lot of passes. I was really stoked with my physical feeling because I was not tired at any point, my riding was really good and the bike was awesome. We just need to improve on the starts. I don’t understand why I’m struggling with the starts right now, but we are working with the team and have made some changes. Now we are three points from first place in the championship – that’s the big goal.”
Dylan Ferrandis
Mitchell Oldenburg – P6
“I got bad starts tonight and it hurt my overall chances. We have a lot of work ahead of us, I am still not 100 per cent following my crash at A1 but I am feeling stronger and I can’t wait to throw everything I have at it. I am excited to work with Buddy.”
Justin Cooper – P9
“It was a roller coaster night in Glendale. The track conditions were really tricky and traction was very hard to maintain. I was able to come back with the win in the third Main and hold onto the points lead. We’re going take the positives and learn from the mistakes and move on to next weekend and go for the win again.”
Justin Cooper
Luke Clout improved throughout the night, with Glendale marking his third top 10 overall in a row and he’s now moved to ninth in the championship. The team are impressed with his gutsy ride as he broke his toe on Friday during the press call.
Luke Clout – P10
“I am bummed I crashed on Friday and broke my toe. My foot was extremely sore, I can’t say it affected my riding but I was conscious of it. Another top 10 is good but I am not happy with these overalls. I know what I need to work on and I will continue to push forward, having Buddy will make a difference and everyone on team is working towards a common goal and I appreciate them.”
Luke Clout
SX2 Round Overall
Pos
Rider
M1
M2
M3
Overall
1
Austin Forkner
1
1
3
26
2
Dylan Ferrandis
2
2
2
23
3
Michael Mosiman
4
4
6
21
4
Brandon Hartranft
5
6
4
19
5
Jacob Hayes
6
5
5
18
6
Mitchell Oldenburg
7
7
7
17
7
Alex Martin
8
8
9
16
8
Derek Drake
10
3
13
15
9
Justin Cooper
17
9
1
14
10
Luke Clout
13
12
8
13
11
Carson Brown
11
13
11
12
12
Robbie Wageman
16
11
12
11
13
Martin Castelo
12
14
14
10
14
Killian Auberson
15
16
10
9
15
Jay Wilson
14
10
18
8
16
Aaron Tanti
9
17
17
7
17
Christian Craig
3
22
22
6
18
Michael Leib
19
15
15
5
19
Mitchell Falk
18
18
16
4
20
Cheyenne Harmon
20
19
19
3
21
Logan Karnow
22
20
20
2
22
Ludovic Macler
21
21
21
1
SX2 Standings
Pos
Rider
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
1
Justin Cooper
26
23
23
14
86
2
Dylan Ferrandis
23
11
26
23
83
3
Brandon Hartranft
16
21
21
19
77
4
Austin Forkner
18
26
6
26
76
5
Alex Martin
13
19
18
16
66
6
Michael Mosiman
19
3
19
21
62
7
Jacob Hayes
12
17
15
18
62
8
Mitchell Oldenburg
7
15
16
17
55
9
Luke Clout
2
16
17
13
48
10
Derek Drake
15
13
5
15
48
11
Jett Lawrence
14
18
14
46
12
Carson Brown
8
14
11
12
45
13
Killian Auberson
9
8
13
9
39
14
Robbie Wageman
10
5
9
11
35
15
Christian Craig
21
1
1
6
29
16
Martin Castelo
12
7
10
29
17
Aaron Tanti
0
10
10
7
27
18
Jay Wilson
6
12
8
26
19
Michael Leib
11
6
5
22
20
Cameron Mcadoo
17
17
21
Logan Karnow
5
0
8
2
15
22
Derek Kelley
4
9
13
23
Mitchell Falk
1
7
4
12
24
Cheyenne Harmon
4
3
3
10
25
Ludovic Macler
0
2
4
1
7
26
Chris Howell
3
3
27
Lorenzo Camporese
0
2
2
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Mitch Evans second at Italian Motocross opener in Riola Sardo
The opening round of the Internazionali d’Italia Motocross has been held in Riola Sardo, kicking off the 2020 season with strong competition across the MX1, MX2 and Supercampione classes.
Tim Gajser
In the MX1 class Tim Gajser took a commanding lead which he held to the chequered flag, with Australian Mitch Evans the runner up in his 450 debut, posting a stellar performance, with Jeremy Seewer taking third overall.
Mitch Evans
“Good first race of the year in Riola! Always enjoy racing this track. I’m feeling at home back on the 450!”
Mitch Evans
In MX2 Jago Geerts was the top performer, leading home teammate Ben Watson, while Maxime Renaux completed the podium.
The Supercampione class combined the top twenty MX1 and MX2 riders and saw Tim Gajser take the win from Jeremy Seewer, while Arminas Jasikonis completed the top three.
Tim Gajser
“Great first race weekend of the year! We finish P1 in superfinal in a dominant fashion. Great preparation for the upcoming MXGP season.”
Tim Gajser won the Supercampione
MX1 Result
Gajser Tim(Slo)
Evans Mitchell (Aus)
Seewer Jeremy (Sui)
Desalle Clement (Bel)
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu)
MX2 Result
Geerts Jago (Bel)
Watson Ben (Gbr)
Renaux Maxime (Fra)
Guadagnini Mattia (Ita)
Edelbacher Roland (Aut)
Supercampione Result
Gajser Tim (Slo)
Seewer Jeremy (Sui)
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu)
Paulin Gautier (Fra)
Geerts Jago (Bel)
MX1 Standings
Gajser Tim(Slo) P.120
Evans Mitchell (Aus) P. 100
Seewer Jeremy (Sui) P. 80
Desalle Clement (Bel) P. 65
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu) P. 60
MX2 Standings
Geerts Jago (Bel) P. 120
Watson Ben (Gbr) P. 100
Renaux Maxime (Fra) P. 80
Guadagnini Mattia (Ita) P. 65
Edelbacher Roland (Aut) P. 65
Supercampione Standings
Gajser Tim (Slo) P. 120
Seewer Jeremy (Sui) P. 100
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu) P. 80
Paulin Gautier (Fra) P. 65
Geerts Jago (Bel) P. 60
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Harwood & Purvis win Woodville GP
New Zealand’s 2020 Woodville Motocross GP saw Hamish Harwood and Maximum Purvis claim the MX1 and MX2 wins respectively ahead of the kick-off of the 2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship.
Maximus Purvis took the MX2 win
In the MX1 class it was Hamish Harwood battling it out with Australia’s Kirk Gibbs racing for Altherm JCR Yamaha, who was back racing for the first time since August and struggled with the slippery conditions at times.
A 2-2-1 result was enough to earn Gibbs the runner up position behind Harwood, while Ethan Martens completed the overall MX1 podium.
Kirk Gibbs
“In the first moto, I didn’t get off the line very well at all and had to come from pretty much dead last. I actually felt really comfortable on the bike, made some good progress on the leaders and then got into second. Then I got right onto the back of first for the last lap but just ran out of time. The track had been watered before the second race and he “struggled a little bit trying to push hard when the track was drying out. I got into second, then just as I got into the lead Hamish Harwood passed me. He could turn off a few things a little bit better than me until the track started to dry out towards the end of the race and then I got right back on him but couldn’t pass. I sat there for a little bit but started to inch up. He made a little mistake down the back and I got through and rode it home for a win. All in all, I felt very good and felt good on the bike. My starts can definitely be better and I’ve got to work on those this week and then I’ll come out swinging for round one,” Gibbs concludes.”
Kirk Gibbs
Maximus Purvis dominated in the MX2 class working his way into first position from fourth for the win, while claiming the holeshot in race two and creating a gap he held for the win. The third race saw Purvis claim third, which was enough to take the overall win from Wyatt Chase, with Josiah Natzske third overall.
MX1 Results
Hamish Harwood – 72
Kirk Gibbs – 69
Ethan Martens – 54
Cody Cooper – 51
Hadleigh Knight – 48
MX2 Results
Maximus Purvis – 70
Wyatt Chase – 67
Josiah Natzske – 56
Dylan Walsh – 52
James Scott – 46
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King of MX final qualifier confirmed for Dargle
The sixth and final chance to qualify for the King of MX final will be held at Dargle on May 9-10, hosted by the Oakdale Junior Motorcycle Club, with the Dargle venue regarded by many as a true motocross track due to its natural terrain layout and heritage as a venue for premiere motocross events, including Mr Motocross, through the ’70s and ’80s.
King of MX
Gavin Hunt – Oakdale Junior Motorcycle Club President
“I’m really excited that the Oakdale committee has gotten behind this, and we as a club can be a part of the 2020 King of MX series and, even more so, to be able to take it to Dargle. To a lot of us, Dargle represents motocross in its most pure form: rider and machine battling each other as they race across the incredible terrain. As the last qualifier for the King of MX final, the event will offer the last seven Golden Tickets for each of the 18 championship classes. We’ll be encouraging all our members to get out there, race it and have some fun – and hopefully make it through.”
Dave Cooke – Motorcycling NSW CEO
“We’ve obviously been working behind the scenes to include Dargle in the 2020 King of MX calendar for some time, and, although it’s a delayed announcement, I think it’s worth the wait. Dargle is iconic in NSW. The track will lead to some great racing, and it’s a fitting way to close the qualifiers before the final. Thanks to our amazing partners, we have an enormous $62,000 prize pool this year, enabling it to be distributed across all the qualifiers, as well as continuing to reward our state champions at the final, along with our Prince, Princess, King and Queen.”
Jess Moore – King of MX
For more details on the schedule see below.
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Cessnock MX Club to host 2020 King of MX final
Hot on the announcement of the King of MX Qualifier Six location, we’ve found out who will be hosting the King of MX final. The Cessnock Club has put in a massive amount of work over summer to rebuild large parts of their track, redesigning it, making huge improvements to the safety and fun factor for riders, and, best of all, they now have 40 gates. What better way to christen it than to bring the final of the biggest motocross event in Australia to the club!
King of MX
Dave Cooke – MNSW CEO
“It’s always exciting to see our clubs put massive amounts of time and money into redeveloping their venues, and the work Cessnock has done over summer puts them in a position to become a host club for the King of MX final. Finding host venues for the final is actually very difficult, simply due to the size of the event. The King of MX has become so successful in its first two years it has actually outgrown some of our venues as we need so much space for competitors and spectators. With the work Cessnock has put in over summer, they are now capable of pulling this off for us. It also means the final will be well located for a whole lot of riders who will want a qualifying spot for their place on the gates, so they better all get their entries in for our regional qualifiers in Bega, Narrabri, Wagga Wagga and Bathurst to try and find a path to their Golden Ticket. If they wait for the last couple of qualifiers at Lakes and Dargle, they may just miss out, because those two events will be huge as well.”
With all seven event venues now announced, get in quick to secure your entry, earn a Golden Ticket and join us in Cessnock. For more information on the 2020 King of MX, head to www.kingofmx.com.au.
2020 King of MX Calendar
Qualifier 1 – February 15-16, Bega – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 2 – February 29-1 March, Narrabri – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 3 – March 14-15, Bathurst – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 4 – March 28-29, Wagga Wagga – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 5 – April 18-19, Lake Macquarie -Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 6 – May 9-10, Dargle – Top 7 qualify for final
Final – June 6-8, Cessnock
2020 Kings of MX Championship Classes
Nippers 4-u/7 years – Demonstration at Qualifiers Only
50cc Division 2 – 7-u/9 years
65cc 7-u/10 years
65cc 10-u/12 years
85cc 2st/150cc 4st 9-u/12 years {standard wheel}
85cc 2st /150cc 4st 12-u/14 years {standard & big wheel}
85cc 2st/150cc 4st 14-u/16 years {standard & big wheel}
85cc 2st/150cc 4st 12-u/16 years All Female {standard & big wheel}
100cc-150cc 2st & 200cc- 250cc 4st 13-u/16 years All Female (Princess of MX)
100cc-125cc 2st 13-u/16 years
128cc-150cc 2st & 200cc-250cc 4st 13-u/16 years (Prince of MX)
MXW All Powers
MX1 A-Grade 255cc-450cc 2st/4st
MX1 B-Grade 255cc-450cc 2st/4st
C Grade Open
MX2 A-Grade up to 250cc 2st/4st
MX2 B-Grade up to 250cc 2st/4st
C Grade Lites
+35 Vets All Powers
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2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars Champs to Gillman March 21
The Oceania regions best sidecar talent will descend on Gillman Speedway March 21 and roar into life for the 2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship, with MA CEO and FIM Oceania Vice President Peter Doyle announcing the event and also opening expressions of interest until 4.45pm Thursday, February 20, 2020.
Doyle said there was a very strong supporter base of speedway sidecars in Australia and he expected the competition to see the best of the best on display.
Peter Doyle
“We have a very strong history in Australia of producing some of the best sidecar talent in the world including 11-time Australian champion Darrin Treloar and rival Warren Monson. This Australian rivalry and the best of the best in the Oceania region will make the 2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship at Gillman Speedway a must see.”
The Championship is open to holders of current Motorcycling Australia Senior National Competition licence holders, and holders of an appropriate FIM International Licence, Insurance and Start Permission for their Federation.
2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars Champs to Gillman March 21
The event will be run over 20 heats and two finals with four riders in each heat and final over four laps. Fans wanting to get along to the FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship on March 21, at Gillman Speedway, can do so when gates open at 4pm, practice at 5.30pm, and racing commences at 7.30pm.
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Dylan Walsh to race NZ MX with Ben Townley Tours/Altherm JCR Yamaha
Two of New Zealand’s motocross superpowers have joined forces to make a 2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship programme happen for top Kiwi rider Dylan Walsh.
Former international star Ben Townley will run Walsh in the four-round series through his Ben Townley Tours (BTT) business, with support from his equally-successful compatriot Josh Coppins, via his Altherm JCR Yamaha team.
Dylan Walsh to race NZ MX with Ben Townley Tours/Altherm JCR Yamaha
After his stand-out performance winning the 2019 British MX2 Championship, the collective New Zealand motocross community hoped Walsh would continue on the world stage flying the nation’s flag, who unfortunately didn’t get an opportunity to continue in the 2020 MX2 World Championship.
Ben Townley
“When Josh asked if I’d help him out, I jumped at it to be honest. I really believe that I can help Dylan tick a few boxes and get his entire package as a racer ready, so he can tackle an international racing programme again, as soon as next year. I’m really looking forward to the challenge!”
Josh Coppins – Yamaha Motor New Zealand’s Motorsport Manager
“I rate Dylan as a top 10 rider in MXGP for 2020 but when it finally became clear that an international ride wasn’t going to eventuate for him this season, unfortunately our Altherm JCR Yamaha team structure was complete. So, Ben and I pulled together to make this deal work. Dylan is fortunate to get this help from Ben, who is a world class coach and my Altherm JCR Yamaha team riders are also able to tap into his wealth of knowledge, so it’s a great opportunity all-round.”
Walsh debuted in his new team this weekend at the Woodville NZ GP where BTT will provide the race structure for him and he competes as a satellite rider to Altherm JCR Yamaha. He will strengthen Yamaha’s programme as he races alongside Altherm JCR Yamaha’s current MX2 rider Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis. Walsh will then contest the New Zealand Motocross Championship, which begins in Balclutha on February 1.
Having signed a deal with Serco Yamaha in Australia, Walsh will go on to race across the Tasman in both the Australian Motocross and Supercross Championships in MX2, after the New Zealand season.
Dylan Walsh
“I am super thankful that Josh and Ben put this programme together for me to race for Yamaha in New Zealand over the summer. I couldn’t have any two better people backing me and I’m just really excited to get it under way. I also really appreciate Ben and his family opening the door of their home for me to come and stay with them while I’m in New Zealand. Our goal is to definitely win the NZ MX2 championship and learn as much as I can from Ben and Josh, while building as a rider. Plus it’s a perfect preparation for the Australian championships.”
Dylan Walsh of the Woodville GP
“It was a rough start to the New Zealand racing, although it was good to learn the bike all weekend and make changes. The best race I had was the last moto, despite having a fall. I’ve got to take the positives from it and the fact I’ve got the bike set-up a lot better for next weekend.”
Dylan Walsh
Australian Kirk Gibbs returned to the Altherm JCR Yamaha team for the second consecutive year and will be looking to repeat his 2018 MX1 win in the 2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship. He joins the team’s Hamilton-based rider Kayne Lamont, who will also race in the top-tier motocross class.
2020 Altherm JCR Yamaha Race Schedule
Woodville NZ Grand Prix 2020 – 25th & 26th January
2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship
Round One – Balclutha, 1st February 2020
Round Two – Rotorua, 23rd February 2020
Round Three – Hawkes Bay, 1st March 2020
Round Four – Taupo, 15th March 2020
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Luc Ackermann wins shortened 2019 FMX World Championsip
Following the cancellation of the final round of the 2019 campaign, Luc Ackermann has been crowned the FIM FreeStyle Motocross World Champion in 2019, ending a run of five years of dominance for his great rival Maikel Melero in forceful fashion.
2020 FMX podium – Filip Podmol, Luc Ackermann, Adam Jones – Image by Oliver Franke
After taking the silver medal last year, the German leapfrogged the Spaniard in the ‘Night of the Jumps’ rankings by winning all but one round this time, and with the riders’ lowest score of the season written off from their final total he effectively ended the campaign with a maximum points-haul.
Just as they had done last season, Ackermann and Melero fought fiercely throughout the year, although this time the young German had added consistency to his impressive range of skills. After spectacular victories in front of vociferous home crowds in Berlin and Munich, Ackermann endured a disastrous first ever visit for the series to Lake Zurich, Switzerland, when he crashed heavily and missed out on the final.
Impressive Australian Paterson Bowden put together a strong challenge for the win in his breakout season but Melero’s experience told in the final and a first victory of the year kept him in title contention.
The decisive ‘Night of the Jumps’ came in August in Daqing, the fifth different Chinese city to be visited by the series in the past eight years.
Luc Ackermann – Image by Oliver Franke
Whilst Bowden unfortunately could not compete due to visa issues, Ackermann returned to his best with a sensational run despite dewy ramps in the final – landing his Front Flip, Flair, 360 Nac Nac and Surfer Tsunami Flip and finishing with a Double Backflip to secure the gold medal in style.
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Man.
Points
1
Luc ACKERMANN
GER
Husqvarna
120
2
Maikel MELERO
ESP
KTM
108
3
Paterson BOWDEN
AUS
Yamaha
74
4
Adam JONES
USA
Yamaha
68
5
Filip PODMOL
CZE
Yamaha
61
6
Kai HAASE
GER
Suzuki
53
7
Libor PODMOL
CZE
Husqvarna
42
8
Javier VILLEGAS
CHI
Suzuki
41
9
Robert ADELBERG
AUS
Yamaha
40
10
Hannes ACKERMANN
GER
KTM
38
Petr Pilát renews FMX contract with KTM Factory Racing
KTM Factory Racing will continue their association with leading Freestyle athlete Petr Pilát and will support the Czech rider for a fifteenth consecutive year for his 2020 campaign of events and appearances. The 29 year old will again benefit from latest spec two-stroke and four-stroke machinery from the factory for his training regime and calendar of international shows and competitions this season.
Pilát, who is one of the principal FMX names from the Czech Republic and is known for his style, determination and initiatives such as the Petr Pilát Junior Academy, will jump with 250 SX motorcycles and will maintain a link with KTM that began back in 2005.
Among a busy schedule, Pilát can be seen in the Arenacross series in the UK, Night of the Jumps, Masters of Dirt, Night of Freestyle, Goodwood Festival and appearances at the Austrian MotoGP round at Red Bull Ring and the MXGP Grand Prix of Czech Republic later in the summer.
Petr Pilát
“Another year of an epic association with KTM and I’m super-happy because I love the brand and the people at the factory. I’ve never had an issue with the bikes and they are perfect for what I need. 2019 wasn’t the best year for me even though I was really motivated. I had been working on two new tricks but then managed to break my foot and needed surgery. Unfortunately, I had an infection and a lot of pain. It meant another operation and four months of antibiotics, so I missed a lot of riding but managed to get back by the end of the year and finished 4th in the last round of the FIM World Championship in Bulgaria. Not a great result but after all I had been through it was a positive end. I’m fit and excited about 2020 and will start at the UK Arenacross series. Again, a big thanks to KTM and I’m really proud to be riding those orange bikes.”
New information arrived over the transom from the Land of Joy. The Ducati Scrambler family gets some new members, Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO and 1100 Sport PRO. Both PROs get updated graphics and new rear fender, while the Sport PRO gets Öhlins suspension and a new handlebar. Go take a look!
Revamped graphics, new exhaust and seat trim, shorter rear fender and low plate holder characterise the two new versions of the Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO
Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport PRO is enriched with an even more sporting heritage thanks to the new, narrower and shorter handlebar with Café Racer-style mirrors and Öhlins suspensions
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) 27 January 2020 – Even more fun and high performance, featuring an original design, the new Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO and 1100 Sport PRO are the ideal choice for those who want to ride a motorcycle with a 1079 cm³ engine with generous torque right from the bottom of the rev range, a 15-litre steel tank that, combined with the comfortable seat with the new coating, ensure even the longest rides are enjoyed in comfort.
The fun is guaranteed on the new Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO and Sport PRO, thanks to their iconic style and sense of freedom, together with agility and safety. Created for those who love to ride motorcycles even outside the city, perhaps also with a passenger, these new models are a further declination of the bike that identifies the Ducati Scrambler “Land Of Joy”.
The Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO stands out for its new two-tone “Ocean Drive” colour scheme, combined with a steel Trellis frame and rear aluminium subframe, both black. The aluminium covers are also black. A new right-side dual tailpipe and low-slung plate holder ensure distinctive rear-end styling and, together with the new livery, give the bike a coiled, compact look. Another hallmark is the framed headlight; inspired by the protective adhesive tape used back in the ‘70s, a black metal “X” has been incorporated inside the headlight: a detail that makes the bike instantly identifiable, even with the lights off.
The Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport PRO is the beefiest version in the Scrambler family. It features all the styling details of the PRO, but also a unique equipment set with Öhlins suspension, low-slung handlebars and Café Racer rear-view mirrors . The 1100 Sport PRO also features a Matt Black colour scheme, complemented by side panels sporting a painted 1100 logo.
The Ducati Scramblers 1100 PRO are also at the forefront of electronics. They are equipped with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), regulated specifically for these models, and ABS Cornering, which ensure safety on every bend. The three standard Riding Modes (Active, Journey and City) help even less experienced riders to find the right balance in the use of electronic components by choosing their riding style.
It has been so nice to get this extra day after Jerez, because we got really decent weather, the track was dry and we managed to put in a lot of laps. We were able to back-to-back some items that we were not sure about with the weight balance of the bike in Jerez. In the end we tried something on the front suspension and did some practice starts. The big positive is that I really enjoyed the track and the bike works really well here. I think it sets us up in a good frame of mind now. I feel fast and consistent and this positive test has prepared us to go to Australia, where we will start the new season. Thanks to the team for pulling out all the stops to get us a proper test day here because I know it was not in the plan. Next is the team launch where we get to be all excited about our new colours and then move on
2018 Moto2™ World Champion Bagnaia had a trickier maiden premier class campaign. The Australian GP was a turning point for the Italian though, finishing inches behind teammate Jack Miller to narrowly miss out on that illustrious first MotoGP™ rostrum. Unfortunately for Bagnaia, his season would end with a left wrist injury in Valencia, forcing him to miss the last race of 2019 and the 2020 pre-season tests in Valencia and Jerez. Thankfully, it seems Bagnaia will be raring to go in Sepang as he gets to grips with Ducati’s GP20, the same machinery used by Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and Miller. A potential factory Desmosedici seat will be up for grabs, so can it be Bagnaia who stakes a claim for it?
Along the familiar curves of Angeles Crest Highway, the CRF manages competence, but not necessarily breakneck speeds, extreme lean angles, or neck-bending acceleration. This is, after all, a dirt-focused motorcycle that happens to be street legal, not the other way around. But veering off the beaten path and exploring a fire trail opens up a whole new world, especially in the vastness of some 700,000 acres of wilderness. Suddenly the suspension, which seemed a bit soft on the road, is plush enough to soak up giant ruts and cracks in the earth. The engine, which felt somewhat anemic on pavement, now shreds the trail and shoots you forward as fast as you feel comfortable going—and sometimes, even faster. It’s dramatic, this shift from tarmac to trail, and exactly the kind of escape that shows you the transformative power motorcycling can hold.
James Stewart was the first rider into turn one as the opening 450 Main got underway but Zach Osborne emerged out the other side as the early race leader. Eli Tomac then moved up to second place and Ken Roczen into third.
Ken Roczen piling the pressure on Zach Osborne
Roczen then pushed his way past Tomac and was all over Osborne.
Osborne goes down
Osborne then went down, his pursuers only narrowly avoiding running him over.
Riders scramble to avoid the downed Osborne
Up front it was now game on with a Roczen versus Tomac battle. Adam Cianciarulo had kept his nose clean over the opening couple of laps and started closing in on Tomac but Eli responded and pulled away from Cianciarulo as the race progressed, staying close enough behind Roczen to maintain pressure on the German.
By half-race distance Tomac was all over Roczen and started to put his Kawasaki alongside the Honda.
In the final laps though Roczen proved to have Tomac’s measure and pulled clear to take victory by two-seconds.
Adam Cianciarulo rounded out the podium ahead of Malcolm Stewart and Jason Anderson. Chad Reed finished 18th.
450 Main 2
Cooper Webb had the inside line to turn one in the second bout but Adam Cianciarulo came in hard and skittled him out of the way, a punted Webb then took out Justin Bogle who then barged into Zach Osborne as the last link in that chain reaction that had been started by Cianciarulo.
AMA Supercross Round Four
Eli Tomac had emerged with the lead from Cianciarulo out of turn one but Roczen then wasted no time moving up to second place. Justin Bogle was down hurt which caused officials to stop the race so medical attention could be provided before the field came around to start lap two, a stricken Bogle still in the middle of the track.
From the re-start it was Ken Roczen with the early advantage over Webb, Plessinger, Cianciarulo and Tomac.
By the end of the second lap Roczen had a two-second advantage over Webb as Kawasaki team-mates Tomac and Cianciarulo pushed Plessinger back to fifth place, ahead of Jason Anderson and Blake Baggett.
Adam Cianciarulo
Cianciarulo and Tomac then worked their way past Webb to make it a Kawasaki 2-3 but by half-race distance Ken Roczen had a five-second lead. Cianciarulo then went down and had slipped to eighth by the time he was back up and running.
Jason Anderson got the better of Webb through the whoops to take third place before then coming under pressure from fellow KTM rider Blake Baggett.
Roczen the victor by seven-seconds over Tomac while Anderson rounded out the podium. Baggett got the better of Webb for fourth. Cianciarulo recovered to salvage a sixth place finish ahead of Brayton and Barcia. Chad Reed came home in 19th position.
450 Main 3
Martin Davalos took the early lead after what was a messy start for most of the front runners in the final 450 Moto.
Jason Anderson made short work of Davalos early on lap two, Cooper Webb was in third ahead of Blake Baggett. Ken Roczen, Eli Tomac and Adam Cianciarulo had been tripped up at turn one on the opening lap but were running in seventh and eighth while Chad Reed had been left on the deck in the melee. The red flag then came out after Chris Blose went down hard in the whoops, riders were sent back to the gates for a full re-start.
Ken Roczen scored the holeshot off the re-start ahead of Cooper Webb and Jason Anderson. Eli Tomac almost jumped onto the back of Zach Osborne’s Husqvarna on the opening lap and dropped the Kawasaki, rejoining the action down in 13th position.
It only Tomac a few minutes to work his way back up to sixth place and his next target was now Kawasaki team-mate Adam Cianciarulo.
Adam Cianciarulo
Ken Roczen had a five-second lead by half-race distance ahead of Jason Anderson, who had moved past Cooper Webb and up into second position.
Both Kawasaki riders worked their way past Davalos, Cianciarulo then caught Webb and started challenging the #1 KTM for third.Cianciarulo took that third place with two-minutes left on the race clock. 60-seconds later though Cianciarulo went down real hard over the bars in the whoops, and from then could only watch from the sidelines as riders filed by. Cooper Webb had got caught up a little on Cianciarulo’s bike which allowed Tomac to slip past and steal third place from the defending champion.
Ken Roczen the clear victor, untroubled all the way and cruised home on the final lap to a six-second victory over Anderson with Tomac rounding out the race podium.
Roczen thus goes 1-1-1 for the overall victory ahead of Tomac and Anderson and the German extending his championship lead to eight points over Tomac.
Current 1100 Scrambler with looping cable
1972 Ducati Scrambler 450
Sport cans
