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Moto News | Ruprecht tops EnduroGP D2 | Whale wins OKC Mile II

Team Australia now taking MXoN applications

In 2021 Montova, Italy will play host to the year’s edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN). Commencing on 26th September, Motorcycling Australia (MA) has called for all interested competitors to submit their applications to join Team Australia.

MXoN Multiple Kyle Webster JB MXON
Kyle Webster – Team Australia – 2019 MXoN

There are three classes available for riders to nominate for: MX1, MX2 and Open. Riders are advised that they can nominate for more than one class. Applications must be submitted by no later than COB Friday 16th July.

If you’re interested in being selected as part of the team grab the application form here (link).

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Zach Osborne out till 2022 for extended recovery

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team have confirmed that reigning 450MX Champion Zach Osborne will miss the remainder of the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in order to fully recover from an ongoing back injury.

Zach Osborne will now be out of action until 2022

Osborne, who sustained the back injury mid-way through the 2021 AMA Supercross Championship, worked hard to get himself ready for the opening round of the outdoor season but he unfortunately re-injured himself at the second round in Colorado. Upon further review with the team, Osborne made the tough decision to sit out the rest of the season to fully recover for 2022.

Zach Osborne

“I’m bummed to say the least. This injury has been a big setback with no clear path to 100% but I feel I’m on a good path now and I just need to give my body the time to heal itself. Myself, along with the team, made the decision to pull the plug and be ready for 2022. It was a tough decision in an already-trying year but I believe I can be back to 2020 form with this time away to heal up. Thanks to my team and fans for the support through this!”

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team will return to racing this Saturday, June 19 in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania.


Jonte Reynders dominates Bakers Beach Tasmanian Enduro

Sherco hotshot Jonte Reynders has completed an ideal build-up for the 2021 Hattah Desert Race by dominating the latest round of the Tasmanian enduro series at Bakers Beach, north-east of Launceston, on July 19.

The 24-year-old was a class above on his Pirelli Motul Sherco Racing Team 300 SE Factory two-stroke, easily winning the three-hour event ahead of great rivals Kyron Bacon and Seton Broomhall – even after an extra fuel stop!

Jonte Reynders

“I’m rapt with the result on a circuit that was quite difficult, but I made it a little hard for myself – just when I had a decent lead I made a silly mistake of refuelling when I didn’t need to. So I topped up the 300 Factory three times instead of two, which obviously cost me a fair bit of time. But I was able to regroup and take a strong win to extend my lead in the series.”

Jonte Reynders

Five rounds remain in the state title, but Reynders’ focus will now switch to the mainland for the Hattah Desert from July 2-4 where he will be one of the favourites in the open two-stroke class.

He’ll have some exalted guest company in the Pirelli Motul Sherco Racing Team: Ben Grabham – fresh from his two-stroke-winning heroics at the 2021 Finke Desert Race – on a 450 SEF Factory and Justin Carafa on a 500 SEF Factory.

Nathan Trigg, who lives just up the road from the Hattah epicentre at Ouyen, will also be looking to bounce back from his knee-twisting prologue crash at Finke, which put him out of the main game. Trigg rides a Mallee Motorcycles-backed 450 SEF Factory.

The circuit is 37km long, with the senior riders to complete eight laps.

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Daniel Sanders and GasGas ready for Silk Way Rally 2021

The 11th edition of the Silk Way Rally will get underway in less than one month. Setting off from Omsk (Russia), the second town of the Urals, on 1 July, the race will feature 10 varied and technical stages. Crossing Siberia before traversing Mongolia from West to East, the event passes through the famous Gobi Desert before reaching Ulaanbaatar on 11 July.

Silk Way Rally Stage barreda
Silk Way Rally 2019

A total of 5250 km, of which more than 2850 are against the clock, offering the perfect mix of technical difficulty, variety and scenic beauty. From the Altai Mountains to the capital of Mongolia via the Gobi Desert and the endless Mongolian steppes, the 2021 edition of the Silk Way Rally will be quite simply exceptional.

Two years after Sam Sunderland (KTM) in the bikes, who will be the new white tigers to go down in the Silk Way Rally history books at the end of this incredible journey in the land of Genghis Khan?

For its second edition with a bike category, the Silk Way Rally 2021 has once again attracted the major factory teams on what is one of the highlights of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. This second round will benefit from a 1.5 coefficient thanks to its status as a marathon event with over six days of racing.

Silk Way Rally Stage Sam Sunderland
Sam Sunderland – Silk Way Rally 2019

The titleholder, the British rider Sam Sunderland, Dakar winner in 2017, will defend the colours of Red Bull Ktm Factory Racing alongside his Austrian teammate Matthias Walkner.

Their sister team Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing will enter the Argentinian Luciano Benavides and their latest recruit, the American Skyler Howes, one of the revelations of the last Dakar.

Another rider to make a splash in Saudi Arabia with his fourth place, the Australian Daniel Sanders will have the honour of flying the flag for GasGas Factory Racing.

Daniel Sanders

Over at the Monster Yamaha Rallye Team, the Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren will be accompanied by another recent revelation, the Botswanan Ross Branch and ex-Supercross Champion, the American Andrew Short.

The Hero Motorsports team will be pinning their hopes on an eclectic trio of Portuguese rider Joaquim Rodriguez, the Argentinian Franco Caimi and the young German Sebastian Bühler.

The quad category is also back on this 11th Silk Way Rally and promises us a splendid duel between the ever young, five times world champion and ex-Dakar winner, the Pole Rafal Sonic and the Russian Alexander Maksimov, both riding Yamaha Raptor 700s.

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Herlings on form at Arnhem International

Jeffrey Herlings took the two moto wins over the weekend at the Arnhem International in Holland to claim the overall from Brian Bogers and Max Nagle, with Cyril Genot finishing fourth overall, just over the podium.

The event served as training for Herlings, between GP events, who admits he’s still working on his starts, with an aim to do better than in Russia.

Jeffrey Herlings

“I really enjoyed myself and it was a good training for the GP. Starts have to be better, but I can get a podium, and I will try and do better than I did in Russia.”

Herlings brought home 40-championship points in the MXGP opener last weekend, after finishing 4-2, and sits second overall in the standings, behind Tim Gajser, who won both races.


Dylan Ferrandis tops High Point ProMX

Images by Jeff Kardas

Following its first break of the 2021 season the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship returned to action with its East Coast debut from legendary High Point Raceway. The third round of the summer campaign marked the sport’s return to the famed Pennsylvania venue for the first time since 2019 with the GEICO Motorcycle High Point National, where the threat of rain loomed over the afternoon but never really materialised.

High Point 2021

In the 450 Class a hard-fought, consistent afternoon was enough to put Dylan Ferrandis atop the podium for the second time this season. In the 250 Class, Jalek Swoll extended the parity in the division and broke through with his first professional victory as Jett Lawrence increased his lead in the 250 Championship.

450 Moto1

Light precipitation was present when the gate dropped on the opening 450 Class moto, where Adam Cianciarulo prevailed with the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Chase Sexton and Christian Craig, who soon gave up the position to Ken Roczen, the championship leader. As Cianciarulo sprinted out to an early lead the Honda teammates engaged in a battle for second place.

450 Start

As the moto surpassed the 10-minute mark, the lead trio solidified their hold on those positions as Ferrandis gave chase from fourth. As the minutes continued to tick away the distance between the top three continued to shrink. Sexton soon closed in to within a couple bike lengths of Cianciarulo, but a mistake by Sexton not only caused the Honda rider to lose some ground, it forced Roczen into a mistake when he briefly went down and gave up third to Ferrandis.

Ferrandis and Roczen

With the threat defended, Cianciarulo gradually built a multi-second advantage over Sexton, who in turn built a comfortable margin over Ferrandis. As time ran out on the moto clock with just over three laps to go, Sexton tucked the front of his Honda and went down. As he looked to remount, both Ferrandis and Roczen were able to get by, which placed Sexton in fourth when he resumed.

Out front, Cianciarulo looked to close out his first moto win of the season with ease but was dealt with one last obstacle as a slower rider went down exiting the final corner. With nowhere to go, Cianciarulo ran over the downed motorcycle and fell over.

Adam Cianciarulo

He kept his Kawasaki running, got up, and pushed his bike across the finish line to win in unconventional fashion. Ferrandis followed five seconds behind in second as Roczen rounded out the podium in third. Sexton recovered to finish fourth as Aaron Plessinger completed the top five.

450 Moto 2

The deciding 450 Class moto kicked off as Justin Barcia emerged with the MotoSport.com Holeshot out of a gaggle of bikes. He was quickly passed by Plessinger for the early lead, while Eli Tomac and Cianciarulo followed through.

450 Start

Cianciarulo put the hammer down and made an aggressive push that carried him all the way around Plessinger and into the lead. He continued to ramp up the pace and established a multi-second advantage after just two laps. Behind him, Tomac’s first opportunity to run at the front of the field in 2021 saw him surge around Plessinger into second to put the Kawasaki riders at the top of the running order.

As the battle up front took shape the class’ title contenders made moves as well, as Ferrandis worked his way from fourth and Roczen from sixth. Both riders were urgent in their push and successfully moved into third and fourth, respectively. By the time they finished their early charge, the Kawasaki teammates were more than five seconds ahead. From there, Ferrandis and Roczen went head-to-head for third and traded the position before Ferrandis got the upper hand and asserted control of the spot.

Ken Roczen

Up front, Tomac closed onto Cianciarulo’s rear fender and a battle for the lead ensued. Tomac was able to get by, but Cianciarulo fought back and reclaimed the position. However, Tomac didn’t give up and kept the pressure on. The two came together, which pushed Cianciarulo out of a rut and allowed Tomac to move into the lead for the first time this season.

Once out front Tomac started to build an advantage over his teammate and was soon in control of the moto. As the moto surpassed the 20-minute mark Cianciarulo found himself under pressure from Ferrandis and Roczen in third and fourth. All three riders then duked it out for second and used every inch of the track in search of an advantage.

Dylan Ferrandis

As the crowd cheered them on, both Ferrandis and Roczen bullied their way around Cianciarulo, who dropped from second to fourth. That thrilling sequence also changed the battle in the overall classification, as Ferrandis moved into control of the afternoon.

For Tomac it was a dominant ride indicative of his three-year championship run. He stormed to his first moto win of the season by 3.2 seconds over Ferrandis, who was able to fend off Roczen for the entirety of the moto.

Although he missed out on a moto win, Ferrandis’ consistency was enough to vault him to the second overall victory of the season and his career via 2-2 moto finishes. Cianciarulo’s drop off the podium in the final moto relegated him to the runner-up spot by a single point (1-4), while Tomac made his first appearance on the podium this summer in third (6-1), which bumped Roczen (3-3) off the podium via tie-breaker.

Dylan Ferrandis – P1

What a race. I don’t know (what to say), I got a good start and was able to get by Ken (Roczen), which was good because he was so fast today. It was a war (after that). Ken kept pushing me and we were able to come to Adam (Cianciarulo). It was crazy how competitive it was with them. We were going so fast and the track was so difficult. It’s just amazing to get a win here today and get a hold of the red plate again.”

Dylan Ferrandis

Adam Cianciarulo – P2

“It sure feels good to get that first moto win under my belt. I thought I had a decent sized gap in the second moto, but Eli was flying and caught me a bit off-guard. Fair play to him and the others, they rode amazing. I’m stoked with how awesome my bike has been feeling lately. I honestly believe with a little more endurance, I can be a regular winner this season. Thanks to everyone at Monster Energy Kawasaki for giving me a great bike to ride and always supporting me. We have another break coming up, but I’m ready to build off of this and get back to racing.”

Adam Cianciarulo

Eli Tomac – P3

“This was a big one for us. I’ve been in a bit of slump these last two races, so to get a win and feel like myself on the bike again is huge. After I got off the gate in Moto 2 and saw I had a good jump, I knew it was going to be a good moto. I was able to catch Adam rather quickly and once I was in the clean air, I rode my own race and started pulling away. This was an exciting race, and I can’t wait to keep this momentum rolling into RedBud. Thanks again to the entire Monster Energy Kawasaki squad for all the hard work this weekend.”

Eli Tomac

Ken Roczen – P4

“Today started off really good. I felt comfortable on the track, but we had a slightly different bike setup so in the first moto it really beat me up. I wasn’t that comfortable out there so I really couldn’t do that much. I still rode okay, but it wasn’t the best and I ended up third. In the second moto I was pinched off and had a really bad start. We did some adjustments to the bike that helped me out and I charged forward hard in the first half of the race and ended up having a good battle with Dylan [Ferrandis]. I ended up with another third place for fourth overall, which is kind of weird, but in the end, I’m okay with it because we rode really well and charged hard. That’s all we can do.”

Aaron Plessinger – P6

“This weekend had some ups and downs. I was really happy with my riding in the first moto. I got a really bad start but had a really good flow going and came back to fifth place. I went into the second moto really confident and got an awesome start, but I couldn’t really find that flow that I had in the first moto, and I dropped back to eighth. The track was really tough. There were some spots that were dry and some spots that were soft. So it was definitely weird, but we have a weekend off and will get back to work and get ready for RedBud!”

Justin Barcia – P7

“It was a little bit of a tough day. I just didn’t jive with the track that much and I never felt super comfortable. I think we’ll go back to California and work on a few things and try to be a lot better for RedBud in two weeks. All we can do is keep level-headed and be better for the next race.”

Justin Barcia

Marvin Musquin – P8

“In the first moto, the start was decent but the riding was not good enough and the feeling was not good enough so we decided to go back to some old settings on the shock and it shows, it was definitely better in the second moto. I didn’t get a good start but I was able to fight back, attack and race hard to come back to seventh place, so that was a lot better. Overall, I’m obviously not happy because we’ve been working hard and it didn’t pay off for this weekend, so we need to keep going.”

Cooper Webb – P10

“It was a bit of a struggle today. I felt like I put up a good fight in the first moto and ended up seventh. In the second moto, I got tangled on the start and I ended up crashing three times coming through the pack, so that was pretty unfortunate. Now we’ve got a weekend off and all we can do is try to improve.”

Cooper Webb

Christian Craig – P11

“I didn’t have the best day at High Point. I seemed to struggle to find good lines and had a couple of crashes, but I was able to get through with some points. We’re going to go back to work and look forward to a better RedBud.”

With the win Ferrandis also reclaimed control of the red plate as 450 Class point leader for the second time this season. He currently has a slim three-point advantage over Roczen, while Plessinger, who finished sixth on the afternoon (5-8) maintained his hold on third, 30 points out of the lead.

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450 Results & Championship Standings

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto Wrap | Flat Track | GNCC | MX & SX | Hard Enduro


Over $8 million in contingency committed to 2021 Lucas Oil Pro MX

With a month remaining until the start of the 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, MX Sports Pro Racing has announced a record sum of manufacturer contingency support for the upcoming season. With the addition of American motocross’ seventh competing manufacturer, GASGAS, more than $8.3 million will be up for grabs for competitors over the course of the 12-round season.

2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship

Davey Coombs – Vice President of MX Sports Pro Racing

“With a record amount of contingency support and the expansion of our field of competing manufacturers, it’s an exciting time in American motocross as we prepare for a new season. In the face of an extremely challenging past year our manufacturers have doubled down on their commitment to the sport, which will only serve to benefit the hundreds of competitors that will line up on the gate this summer. Manufacturers play arguably the most important role in elevating the global impact of not only our championship, but off-road motorcycling as a whole, and they continue to serve as invaluable partners in the ongoing legacy of American motocross.”

The 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is anchored by the factory supported efforts of GASGAS, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha.

For GASGAS, the Spanish manufacturer that became an icon in motorcycle trials competition, its historic series debut will be spearheaded by the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS lineup of Justin Barcia in the 450 Class, along with Pierce Brown and Michael Mosiman in the 250 Class. GASGAS will become the 27th different manufacturer to contest the off-road motorcycle racing series.

2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship

The 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will once again consist of a 12-round schedule, beginning on Memorial Day Weekend with the season-opening Fox Raceway I National on May 29 from Southern California’s Fox Raceway.


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2021 AORC to broadcast on SBS on May 9

The Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore, (AORC) will make its historical TV debut with broadcast partner – SBS Australia – May 9, from 1.30-2.30pm.

The hour-long feature brings the racing action from the opening rounds of the 2021 AORC, held at Golden Beach, Victoria, straight into the lounge rooms of race fans around the country for the first time ever, showcasing the gruelling nature, triumphs, and challenges of the championship. Hosted by Kate Peck, renowned motorsport journalist and self-confessed ‘motorbike addict’, Peck joined the Golden Beach paddock to capture the ups and downs of the season’s opening races firsthand.

2021 AORC to broadcast on SBS on May 9

Dive into the behind-the-scenes stories of the AORC athletes with never-before-seen access, and watch the marquee rivalries of the championship unfold, pitting machine against machine and rider against rider in the fierce race for glory.

After the premiere, the AORC TV show will be available to view via the SBS on Demand Channel. Tune in on SBS from 1.30pm to 2.30pm, May 9, to be amongst the first to witness AORC in all its glory .


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Hard Enduro heads to Portugal for the Extreme XL Lagares

The wait is almost over, with just one week to go all roads lead to the inaugural round of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Extreme XL Lagares in Portugal.

Overcoming the restrictions of the ongoing Covid pandemic, the world’s best Hard Enduro athletes, together with a wealth of amateur and hobby riders, will compete for pride and glory across three demanding days of competition.

In a change to previous editions of Extreme XL Lagares due to public restrictions, the FIM World Championship category will compete in three events over two days with an Endurocross race and mountain time-trial Prologue on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s Main Race.

Non-championship riders will take to the Endurocross track on Friday, followed by the Saturday Prologue and join the World Championship competitors on the start line for Sunday’s action.

As the 2019 WESS Champion and 2020 Red Bull Romaniacs winner, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manual Lettenbichler naturally starts as one of the favourites for the top step of the podium. But despite previous podium results in Portugal, Lettenbichler has yet to truly master the rigorous rocks the region is famed for, so will 2021 be his year to triumph?

Sherco Factory Racing will be a formidable force this season, their sights very much set on success. In 2019 Mario Roman stole the show with a phenomenal ride to victory. Demonstrating a perfect mix of speed and technical ability, the Spaniard turned up the heat in the closing stages to win and will be aiming high again this year. Teammate Wade Young is a past winner of the race, in 2017, and finished as runner-up in 2019. A fan of the terrain, he’ll also be pushing for nothing less than victory too.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing boast a trio of Hard Enduro talent. Billy Bolt, Alfredo Gomez and Hard Enduro legend Graham Jarvis have all won in Portugal before, with Jarvis holding the all-time win record over Gomez. The potential for a podium-sweep can’t be ruled out with these guys.

Jonny Walker will make one of the most anticipated team debuts in Portugal with Vision Track Beta. After a decade on KTM machinery, Walker made a jump to Beta Motorcycles during the winter and Extreme XL Lagares will be his first serious outing in new colours. Vastly experienced and hungry to impress, Walker is an obvious threat for podium honours.

GASGAS Factory Racing debut their two-rider outfit of Taddy Blazusiak and Michael Walkner. A true mix of experience and youth, Blazusiak will come out swinging while Walkner is keen to demonstrate that he is a young talent to watch out for.

Trece Racing Society will be a new crew to keep an eye on as Pol Tarres rolls out on Yamaha machinery for the first time in Hard Enduro. The Spaniard’s ability on a bike knows no bounds and he’s excited to show what his Yamaha is capable of when the going gets tough.

Changing colours for 2021, TTR Squadra Corse field a three-rider team of Travis Teasdale, Kevin Gallas and Azzalini Alessandro on GASGAS machinery and will be a privateer force to be reckoned with among the factory outfits.

Jarvis Husqvarna Racing – managed by Graham Jarvis – is also a new team to watch for in 2021. The team’s five riders include Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev and Britain’s Will Hoare, Jonathan Richardson, Sam Winterburn and Grant Churchward. Featuring a real mix of raw, young talent under the guidance of Graham, expect fireworks!

Add in a wealth of youngsters like Israel’s Suff Sella, Russia’s David Leonov, Germany’s Tim Apolle and Leon Hentschel plus South Africa’s Matt Green who have all signed up, and the countdown is firmly on to round one in Portugal.

In keeping with strict government Covid guidelines, coronavirus testing facilities will be available on site. Competitors will also be able to take a test before returning home. Spectator attendance is not permitted.

The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship takes place at Extreme XL Lagares, Portugal on May 7-9.

FIM World Championship schedule

  • 6 May
    • 09:00 – 24:00: Technical and documental verifications. Covid Testing
    • 12:00 – 24:00 – Bikes in Parc Ferme
  • 8 May
    • 08.00 – 12.00: Endurocross
    • 16.00 – 18.00: Prologue
  • 9 May
    • 10.00: Main Race Start
    • 17.30: Podium

Amateur Class schedule

  • 6 May
    • 09:00 – 24:00: Technical and documental verifications. Covid Testing
    • 12:00 – 24:00 – Bikes in Parc Ferme
  • 7 May
    • 09.00 – 17.00: Endurocross
  • 8 May
    • 14.00 – 16.00: Prologue
  • 9 May
    • 10.00: Main Race Start
    • 17.00: Podium

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Jonny Walker talks to switch to Beta for Hard Enduro

The biggest off-season rider team switch unquestionably came from Jonny Walker. After almost a decade with KTM, he shocked the Hard Enduro world with his change to Beta machinery.

Putting together his own team during the winter months, Vision Track Beta came to life. In what is sure to be the biggest test of his career, Jonny’s performance at round one – next week’s Extreme XL Lagares – will tell Jonny, his competitors, and the wider audience if the move was a successful one.

Jonny Walker

But, if one thing is certain, it’s clear that when Jonny’s got a spring back in his step, he’s a ferociously fast and competitive Hard Enduro racer…

With the opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship nearly here, have all the pieces of the puzzle, the building of Vision Track Beta, come together?

Jonny Walker: “I think we’re there now with everything. As ready as we can be for round one. All the brands and partners I’ve spoken with have come onboard to support me. We’ve put a lot of testing in and plenty of track laps. I’d like to have done a couple more races, but it’s not been possible. I’m just looking forward to getting started now.”

Has building your own team been a challenging and enjoyable process?

“Yes! I’ve always raced for a factory team, so as a professional rider I’ve never really seen it from the other side. The factory life is an ‘arrive and race’ sort of thing, but now I’m more hands on. I’ve total say in what I’m doing and the products I’m using on my bike. I’ve enjoyed the process of speaking with companies and brands directly too. There’s been lots of phone calls, lots of emailing, but it’s come together really well.”

You won the Endurocross race at Extreme XL Lagares in 2019. It would be pretty cool if you could win it again, first time out on the Beta!

“Yeah, that would be cool, but being successful in the main event is the priority. I do enjoy the multi-race format aspect of Extreme XL Lagares though. If you can win an individual event, it gives good exposure. It would be awesome to put Beta on the top step of the podium and a great way to start off the weekend!”

Jonny Walker

Unfortunately, there is no city prologue in Porto this year. That must be a bit of a relief after taking a swim there in 2019! But in all seriousness, will you miss that part of race?

“Yes, it is a shame not to have the prologue in Porto this year, but understandable too. It’s super cool and not just a highlight of Extreme XL Lagares, but of our sport because it’s so unique. I think my mechanic is the most relieved about it not taking place this year. He can stop googling ‘how to waterproof a 2-stroke!’. Like everyone, I hope the city prologue will be back for 2022.”

Looking ahead to the entire season, what races will play to your strengths?

“There’s been a lot of changes this offseason and so naturally Extreme XL Lagares is the biggest test to see how things have come together. Once those round one nerves and jitters are out of the way and we’re up and racing, I’ll settle into it better. Red Bull Erzbergrodeo and Red Bull Romaniacs are big favourites for me. I’m looking forward to them.”

Is it good to finally have an FIM Hard Enduro World Championship to race for, a series that brings all the iconic races together?

“It’s cool to be under the FIM umbrella. Hard Enduro is such a big scene now, so it’s good to be properly recognised with every other motorcycle championship out there. But Hard Enduro is different too. It’s special, unique and successful because amateur and hobby riders are such a big part of what we do. We’re all in it together, if you know what I mean. That’s why it’s become so popular. So as long as that element remains unchanged – it doesn’t become too elite, the tracks stay as they are, and the atmosphere stays cool – then who knows how much bigger things will get!”

Jonny Walker

Past form shows you know how to race for a championship title – leading WESS in 2018 and third in 2019. What is the key to maintaining that sort of consistency across a full season?

“Trying to be at the sharp end of the results every time you race is key for sure. As a rider I feel like I’ve got a strong all-round skill set. My speed is good and I’ve been trying to improve on the technical side of my riding as this championship is 100 per cent Hard Enduro focused. The goal is to win the title and become world champion. That’s what I’d love to do and what I’m aiming for. I feel like we can do it too if everything goes well and we get a little bit of luck along the way.”


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Skyler Howes joins Husqvarna Factory Racing from 2021

Skyler Howes has signed to the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team for a three-year contract. The 29-year-old will first compete on Husqvarna machinery at the Sonora Rally in Mexico in early May, before lining up at round one of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – the Rally Kazakhstan – in June.

Skyler Howes joins Husqvarna Factory Racing

Born in California, Howes grew up competing off-road, specifically desert racing, before turning his hand to rally in 2018. Contesting the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2019, the American admits he underestimated the iconic event, and despite showing great pace on the tough terrain he was forced to retire after dislocating his shoulder. Exceptional rides in both the 2020 and 2021 races saw the Utah resident finish inside the top 10 and as leading privateer – the highlight being an impressive fifth overall at this year’s event.

Now, looking ahead to the 2021 season, Howes will compete in a number of local North American races before focusing on the full FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Although he has some experience racing world championship events having previously competed in Morocco, Skyler plans on using the 2021 season to build his pace and experience on the varied terrain he’ll experience at each of the six championship races, while getting up to speed on his FR 450 Rally machine.

Skyler Howes

Howes and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team’s first FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship outing will be the Rally Kazakhstan on June 7-13.

Skyler Howes

“I am so excited to have signed for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team – it is something I have worked hard my whole life for. I started riding when I was just three years old and have raced offroad my entire life. I have only been racing rally for the past three years, and in order to be able to compete in the Dakar this year I had to sell everything I owned. I raced the Dakar for the first time in 2019, in Peru, and I have to be honest, it was a huge wake-up call. In 2020, I was able to sort a ride and, despite losing some time through the event, I was able to finish inside the top-10 and as top privateer. For this year it was a struggle financially to get to the start, but I knew I was capable of a really good result – I finished fifth, and as top privateer once again. Thankfully, my result got the attention of the factory teams and now it’s a dream come true to sign for Husqvarna Motorcycles – they have one of the best structures and set-ups in the paddock. One of the biggest things for me is the fact that I can now concentrate on my training 100 percent and hopefully take my riding and results to the next level. The goal for this year is to take in the world championship rounds and get as much experience as possible before January next year where the aim is to go on to challenge for the Dakar podium.”

Skyler Howes

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Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP & MX2 teams break cover

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP & MX2 teams are looking fast and motivated as they set their sights on the first FIM Motocross World Championship gate-drop of the new season.

The team will line up with three popular names inside the premier class, MXGP. Jeremy Seewer will remain on the team for a third consecutive season (fourth with Yamaha) and will be joined under the awning by hot new recruits, Glenn Coldenhoff and Ben Watson.

Spearheading the outfit in 2021, five times silver medallist Seewer hopes to steer his YZ450FM to the top step of the podium.

Jeremy Seewer

“I’ve finished second in the world five times, two times in MX2, two times in MXGP and one time at the Junior World Championships and these are not bad stats, you know, but of course I want to win, and yes, I think I can! Usually, we race in 19 different countries and on different tracks, sand, hardpack, hot, cold, winter, summer, you know, so it’s such an open book. It just takes a lot, a lot, a lot and at the base, I think it’s hard work from everybody.”

Glenn Coldenhoff

“Yeah, I think there’s a lot of hard work, not only for myself, but I also think from the whole team. I think I was ready for a big change this year, which I actually did, and I really feel good already within the team. I feel like I have really good people around me, and the goal will always be to get the world title.”

While his teammates strive for more race and Grand Prix wins, 23-year-old rookie Ben Watson hopes to soak up their knowledge and experience as he gets set to get his feet wet.

Ben Watson

“For me it’s a really big opportunity, to join the Yamaha Factory MXGP team, and something I’m really grateful for because obviously the beginning of the season in MX2 last year, it wasn’t going really the way I wanted and the opportunities to show myself were coming less and less. Fortunately, at the end of the season I found myself and started to ride how I know I can, so it was definitely my time to take this step to the 450.”

Yamaha has a strong strategy to develop the next generation of MXGP champions from within its own ranks, and as Watson progresses up the Yamaha Racing pyramid, so too will young Yamaha stars Maxime Renaux and Thibault Benistant as they join title favourite Jago Geerts inside the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team for 2021.

Maxime Renaux

“It means a lot to me to become a Yamaha Factory Rider for the MX2 team. For sure, it was a goal. It’s the highest team in the MX2 class that we can have in Yamaha.”

It’s no secret that Yamaha is on the hunt for FIM Motocross World Championship glory as the riders aim to secure the MX2 Championship gold plate while defending Yamaha’s title as the MX2 Manufacturer of the Year.

Jago Geerts

“I will try to fight again for the world title. The benefits of staying in the same team for a couple years is you get to know the people very good and we made really some improvements with the bike this year, for sure suspension wise and setup of the bike… this year I really want to to get back on the top step of the podium. I want more moto wins, more GP wins, and to do better let’s say.”

Meanwhile, Benistant is enjoying the move from the GYTR kitted YZ250F to the fully-fledged Factory YZ250FM. The 18-year-old sets his sights on a promising rookie season.

Thibault Benistant

“Of course everything is a little bit different, the engine, suspension, everything is a little bit more strong and to be a rookie, I think I have a little bit less experience than the more older, but it’s similar because we have almost the same hours on the bike, just not in the same championship, in MX2 I won’t have pressure. I know what I need to do and I’m working for.”

The 2021 FIM Motocross MXGP and MX2 World Championships are expected to kick-off on the 13th of June in Orlyonok, Russia.


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Australian ProMX visits Canberra for Round 2

The 2021 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores swept into Canberra over the weekend, marking Round Two of the series, with the Thor MX1, Pirelli MX2 and Maxxis MX3 joined by the bLU cRU YZ65 Cup for the first time in 2021.

Luke Clout tops the Australian ProMX Round 2

The Thor MX1 class saw Luke Clout reign victorious, but Regan Duffy retains the red plate after a consistent performance for third overall, tied on 40-points with Hayden Mellross.

Regan Duffy now leads the Thor MX1 standings on 85-points, to Todd Waters on 78, with Hayden Mellross completing the top-three, a further five-points in arrears. Luke Clout and Kirk Gibbs sit fourth and fifth, with sixth placed Brett Metcalfe tied on points with Gibbs.

Regan Duffy retains the MX1 lead

Todd Waters

“It was an interesting day out there. I qualified well and had a good first race, but the track baked out before the back-to-back races and I struggled with that hard-pack. It was an easy track to throw it away on and, with everyone being so close, I didn’t want that to happen. I rode within my capabilities and I’m happy to walk away with the points today – it’s certainly a lot better than crashing and getting 10ths. We might have lost a few points in the championship, but we’ll go back, regroup and look forward to Gillman.”

Todd Waters

Kirk Gibbs

“I am not there yet; I need to improve in some areas, and we have a plan. We proved today that we can win which is an important positive.”

Brett Metcalfe

“If this is my worst round its ok but I cannot afford another repeat of this weekend. I crashed last week, and I did not have the strength I needed to ride at my best. It was frustrating but we will bounce back for Gilman.”

Brett Metcalfe

Jayden Rykers

“Today was definitely a step forward in comparison to the first round and we took a lot out of this one. We’ve made some changes with the bike to suit me more and they’ve worked, although I’d still like to be up toward the front further! All in all, we had a consistent day and it’s more to build from.”

Pirelli MX2

Kyle Webster was untouchable in the Pirelli MX2 class, adding another two wins to his tally and continuing his winning streak – now four from four for the season. Noah Ferguson was second overall, ahead of Jay Wilson.

Kyle Webster

As a result Webster now sits on 100-points, with Rhys Budd second on 69, and Jesse Dobson is third overall on 67-points, one-point ahead of Jay Wilson.

Kyle Webster

“Being from Western Australia, I am considered more of a sand specialist so in the off-season I focused on improving my hard-pack skills. The team has really been putting in, we have been to Gilman twice in the past few months and I like the track. Whilst I have a decent point’s lead I can’t afford to let up. Gilman will be really important for the team and I am focused on getting maximum points there.”

Jay Wilson

“Today was a step in the right direction for me but there is still a lot of work to be done. At least this weekend I was in the battle and competitive unlike Wonthaggi where I just stunk. There is still more speed to come and some fitness at the end of the motos but things are heading in the right direction and with a four weeks until round three in Adelaide, hopefully I can make another step forward. Thanks to the team for a big effort in the lead up to the round and I’m looking forward to get more work under my belt before Adelaide and getting back to where I belong.”

Rhys Budd

“Overall, I’m pretty happy with how I rode today and race at a speed that would put me inside the top five. On the hand other, I need to put two motos together at each round and get as many points as I can in every race. The sixth place was good and I felt had I been able to get passed the rider in front of me quicker, I may have been able to move further forward. Race two was ugly as I was ran over a few times and ended up with a bike on me in that first turn crash. But I raced all the way to the end and was able to salvage as many points as I can.”

Rhys Budd

Maxxis MX3

Blake Fox went two for two in the Maxxis MX3 class, retaining the standings lead, with Ben Novak second overall and Ryder Kingsford third.

The standings are a similar story but saw a slightly different order, with Fox on 97-points, with Kingsford second and Novak third.

Ben Novak

“Second overall for the day is awesome and it’s a positive step forward. I came into round 1 injured so we have been following a plan which is working. We have spent time at Gilman training and testing. Our bike is working great, and I believe another 4 weeks on the bike will prove invaluable.”

Ben Novak

bLU cRU YZ65 Cup

The early bLU cRU YZ65 Cup leader is Heath Davy, who took the win, but is tied on 47-points with Peter Wolfe.

bLU cRU YZ65 Cup – Heath Davy

Paddy Lewis was third overall and currently sits on 38-points, two ahead of Dejan Sankovic. The overall standings are the same as this was Round 1 of the YZ65 Cup.

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto Wrap | AFT | MXGP | EMX | MX | SoN

Moto News Weekly Wrap
October 20, 2020

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2020 AFT Finale Daytona I & II

Images by Scott Hunter

AFT SuperTwins – Daytona I

AFT SuperTwins title rivals Briar Bauman and Jared Mees opened the Main Event from first and second on the line. As they went elbow to elbow in an attempt to gain an early advantage over one another, their melee opened the door for Jarod Vanderkooi, Robinson and Robert Pearson to rush past.

AFT SuperTwins - Daytona I
AFT SuperTwins – Daytona I

Vanderkooi enjoyed a short-lived spell out front before giving way to Robinson, who then proved utterly dominant over the race’s final nine minutes despite racing with a broken right foot.

With Robinson long gone, Bauman and Mees frantically fought their way forward to collect as many points as possible ahead of the decisive Daytona II race.

Briar Bauman
Briar Bauman

Reigning champ Bauman ultimately proved more successful in those efforts. He dispatched Pearson for third with a hard pass with six laps remaining, and then spent the remainder of his race chasing down Vanderkooi. That relentless pursuit paid dividends with less than a minute remaining on the clock when he worked his way through to earn second place and the 20 points that came along with it.

Jarod Vanderkooi
Jarod Vanderkooi

Despite being passed by Bauman late, Vanderkooi equaled his best ever premier-class finish in third.

Mees shook free from Davis Fisher to reel in and sail past Pearson, moving into fourth position with four minutes remaining. However, Bauman and Vanderkooi were too far out in front, leaving him one spot off the box at the flag and with a considerably deeper hole to climb out of heading into Saturday’s rematch.

AFT SuperTwins - Daytona I Podium
AFT SuperTwins – Daytona I Podium

With just one race to go, Bauman leads Mees 294-280. That means even if Mees wins his next race, Bauman needs only to finish eighth or better to repeat as AFT SuperTwins Champion.

AFT SuperTwins Result
Pos Rider Bike Gap Points
1 Brandon Robinson Indian FTR750 35 Laps 25
2 Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 +2.36 20
3 Jarod Vanderkooi HD XG750R +3.715 17
4 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 +4.905 15
5 Sammy Halbert Indian FTR750 +10.598 14
6 Davis Fisher Indian FTR750 +10.824 13
7 Robert Pearson Indian FTR750 +11.177 12
8 JD Beach Yamaha MT-07 +12.207 11
9 Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 +12.477 10
10 Dan Bromley Indian FTR750 +17.186 9

AFT Singles – Daytona I

Chad Cose finally broke through in the season’s finale weekend to claim his first victory of 2020 in a hard-fought AFT Singles Main Event, a huge moment for his Wally Brown Racing effort, backed by factory Suzuki.

AFT Singles - Daytona I
AFT Singles – Daytona I

Cose twice beat Max Whale for the holeshot in the once red-flagged and restarted Main and never once gave up the position. That doesn’t mean he had it easy, however; Cose was pushed throughout with Whale and Henry Wiles both showing him a wheel at different times, including a final-lap attempt to steal away the win on the part of Wiles.

Also in the mix throughout was already crowned 2020 AFT Singles champion Dallas Daniels. Daniels was fighting an uphill battle starting from Row 3 as a result of a crash in the Semi, but he still managed to join the battle for the win. He ultimately finished fourth, falling just 0.749 seconds short of extending his six-race win streak to seven.

Henry Wiles
Henry Wiles

Meanwhile, Daniels’ teammate, Mikey Rush was forced to start from the back of the pack due to an opening-lap incident that saw him go down while running third. Still, he somehow managed to slash his way up from last place to take an impressive fifth on the little bullring circuit.

As a result, Rush retains a slim mathematical shot at a second consecutive championship runner-up finish; he now trails second-ranked Whale by 25 points with the final race left to decide the final order.

AFT Singles - Daytona I
AFT Singles Podium – Daytona I
AFT Singles Results
Pos Rider Bike Gap Points
1 Chad Cose Suzuki RMZ 450 22 Laps 25
2 Henry Wiles Honda CRF450R +0.27 20
3 Max Whale Kawasaki KX450F +0.491 17
4 Dallas Daniels Yamaha YZ450F +0.749 15
5 Michael Rush Yamaha YZ450F +2.968 14
6 Trent Lowe Honda CRF450R +3.244 13
7 Tanner Dean Honda CRF450R +4.253 12
8 Jacob Lehmann Honda CRF450R +5.571 11
9 Michael Inderbitzin Honda CRF450R +5.69 10
10 Jesse Janisch Husqvarna FC450 +7.061 9

AFT Production Twins – Daytona I

An historic AFT Production Twins Main Event saw Johnny Lewis claim Royal Enfield’s first-ever AFT victory and season-long dominator James Rispoli crowned the class’ champion.

AFT Production Twins
AFT Production Twins

Despite his underdog status on the upstart RE effort, DAYTONA Short Track genius Lewis controlled the evening in the AFT Production Twins. He escaped to an easy win in his Semi, qualified on pole and finished things off by going wire-to-wire in the Main Event.

Lewis fought back an early challenge from Ben Lowe, asserted at the front himself mid-race, and then successfully held off a desperate charge from Cory Texter in the race’s waning moments to secure the win.

Johnny Lewis
Johnny Lewis

Rispoli, meanwhile, sat a safe-yet-close fourth behind Lewis, Texter, and Lowe for almost the entire race. Even if Texter had beaten Lewis to the checkered flag, all he needed was a seventh to end the title fight early. Fourth was more than enough.

With the final race still to go, Rispoli has racked up seven wins, four runner-ups, two fourths, and a fifth en route to the 2020 AFT Production Twins throne. This championship marks the first for Harley-Davidson since the introduction of the XG750R, a pivotal moment for one of the iconic manufacturers.

AFT Production Twins Podium - Daytona I
AFT Production Twins Podium – Daytona I
AFT Production Twins Results
Pos Rider Bike Gap Points
1 Johnny Lewis Royal Enfield 650 21 Laps 25
2 Cory Texter Yamaha MT-07 +0.247 20
3 Ben Lowe Yamaha MT-07 +0.956 17
4 James Rispoli Harley-Davidson XG750R +1.21 15
5 Patrick Buchanan Kawasaki Ninja 650 +1.838 14
6 Cody Johncox Yamaha MT-07 +3.347 13
7 Jeremiah Duffy Kawasaki Ninja 650 +3.794 12
8 Shelby Miller Kawasaki Ninja 650 +5.322 11
9 Danny Eslick Kawasaki Ninja 650 +7.512 10
10 Jimmy McAllister Kawasaki Ninja 650 +13.768 9

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AFT SuperTwins – Daytona II

Even with an extended pandemic-imposed pause, the highly anticipated 2020 showdown between Bauman and multi-time series king Jared Mees proved more than worth the wait. The momentum swung back and forth on a nearly weekend-by-weekend basis, leaving both superstars still in control of their destiny heading into the weekend’s Daytona finale.

AFT SuperTwins - Daytona II
AFT SuperTwins – Daytona II

Bauman seized control of the title fight with a clutch runner-up finish on Friday, which seemingly made the final task before him relatively easy by his standards. All he needed to do at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night was score an eighth-place finish to cap off a title defense that saw him rack up six wins, four seconds, three thirds, and one seventh along the way.

However, the level of difficulty was ratcheted up significantly due to weather; rainy conditions forced multiple delays in the program, the Semis were cancelled, and the AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines Main was pushed to the front of the pack once conditions allowed to ensure the season’s premier-class champ was crowned before the night was out. The changes and unpredictability of the day could have easily thrown an admittedly stressed Bauman out of his rhythm.

Instead he responded like a champion. Starting on the front row with Mees as a result of their qualifying performance, Bauman got away in third and glued himself to the rear wheel of his championship rival.

Brandon Robinson
Brandon Robinson

Meanwhile, Brandon Robinson proved invincible around the Short Track at Daytona for a second consecutive night. He assumed the lead on lap one and held the position through the checkered flag.

Mees did well to keep Robinson in his sights, clinging on in hopes of a win that would give him the best possible shot at the championship should Bauman make a critical mistake.

Jeffrey Carver Jr. ran in fourth deep into the contest, holding back a racy Sammy Halbert for a solid five minutes. Unable to find an opening, Halbert finally made one; he pushed up the inside of Carver to take over fourth, knocking his rival back to seventh in the process.

Halbert then reeled in the leaders, arriving within striking distance of Bauman and a potential podium finish just as the race entered its final two laps. Bauman saw what was happening and understood full well what could happen. Rather than risk getting similarly bumped down the order and out of the points lead, Bauman allowed Halbert by and then cruised to a title-clinching fourth-place finish.

Brandon Robinson

“This is amazing. Through the ups and downs we’ve had this season to come out of here with the DAYTONA double — there’s nothing better. This is insane. We’re going to be able to go into this offseason and get healthy and come out swinging in 2021. I’m ecstatic. Obviously, things went really, really well,” back-to-back champ Bauman said. “I was able to do what we came for and what we set out to do all season for Jess Garcia and the whole Garcia family — win the championship. Jess was with me every step of the way. It means a lot to me to be able to fulfill what I showed up to do. He was one of my best friends. It’s just an honor to win for him, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, and everyone else behind the team.”

vAFT SuperTwins - Daytona II
Brandon Robinson topped the AFT SuperTwins podium – Daytona II
AFT SuperTwins Result
Pos Rider Bike Gap Points
1 Brandon Robinson Indian FTR750 28 Laps 25
2 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 +1.658 20
3 Sammy Halbert Indian FTR750 +2.089 17
4 Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 +2.709 15
5 Dan Bromley Indian FTR750 +4.641 14
6 Robert Pearson Indian FTR750 +8.578 13
7 Jeffrey Carver Jr. Indian FTR750 +9.034 12
8 Jarod Vanderkooi Harley-Davidson XG750R +9.354 11
9 Dalton Gauthier Harley-Davidson XG750R +9.616 10
10 Brandon Price Indian FTR750 +11.191 9
SuperTwins Standings
Pos Rider Points Wins
1 Briar Bauman 309 6
2 Jared Mees 300 5
3 Sammy Halbert 239 1
4 Brandon Robinson 209 2
5 Bronson Bauman 181 0
6 Brandon Price 175 0
7 Jeffrey Carver Jr. 174 1
8 Davis Fisher 143 0
9 Jarod Vanderkooi 139 0
10 Robert Pearson 130 0
11 Dan Bromley 128 0
12 Dalton Gauthier 114 0
13 Bryan Smith 104 0
14 JD Beach 93 0
15 Jake Johnson 81 0
16 Jay Maloney 54 0
17 Larry Pegram 53 0
18 Kolby Carlile 50 0
19 Andrew Luker 42 0
20 Ryan Varnes 16 0
21 Morgen Mischler 6 0

AFT Singles – Daytona II

Henry Wiles demonstrated once again why he’s widely considered one of the greatest Short Track riders in the history of the sport, holding off Australian Max Whale (No. 18 Coondoo Cattle Co./Australian Road Services Kawasaki KX450F) and Trent Lowe to win an abbreviated AFT Singles Main Event.

Henry Wiles and Max Whale
Henry Wiles and Max Whale

Shortened to just four minutes plus two laps due to the numerous weather delays, Wiles shot out to the lead from the start, and protected the groove from there. Whale sought any way past Wiles but simply could not find one. Lowe closed in as well, but the experienced ST master ahead of them refused to give way.

Henry Wiles

“I was stoked to get that start. I told myself I can’t not win now. It was my race to win. Max kept me honest, and I could see Trent was in the picture too. I put in smooth, consistent laps. I’d go just a touch easy on some laps, and then I’d pick it up a little bit on some other laps. I tried to ride the best that I could so I didn’t give Max a good shot at poking it up on me. I’m stoked my wife and daughter came out for this – it means a lot to me.”

Despite losing to Wiles on the night, Whale’s runner-up result was enough to beat him for second in their championship fight (215-208).

Max Whale

“2020 AFT Season done and dusted! Stoked to go back to back podiums for the last two rounds at Daytona. I had the speed to win and wanted to win so bad. With experienced guys like Henry Wiles and Chad Cose it made it super hard to pass.  It’s a dream come true to be coming back to Oz with a second place in the national AFT series. This year hasn’t been easy, I didn’t realise how much Dad did for me and how much work went into prepping my bikes, driving, cooking, cleaning, washing and servicing RVs.  I cannot thank so many Americans enough in the flat track family for what they have done for me while I’ve been here solo, I’ll start with my weekend warriors! @bjbcrewdad @mattguenther61 @bjbcrew and Big Keith, they have been amazing wrenching for me on race days, legends. My close friends and families have been amazing @briarbauman @shaynatexter @bronsonbauman37 @jamesrispoli @corytexter @jarodvanderkooi20 Stan, Holly @_ekiss Don, Iris, Keith and Jill, words cannot not describe what these people have done for me. Also a big shout out to all my sponsors: Don’s Kawasaki, SHOWA suspension, @sharkleathers, Australian Road Services, @araiamericas, @sscycle, Coondoo Cattle Co, @spectrooils, Tri-R Distributing, @truturfrollers, @sercomotorsport, @ride100percent, @answeracing, @protaper, J & M Logging, @lskd, @vpfuelsaus, @kawasakiconnection, @engineice, @unifilteraustralia, Garage 36, Marty Blake, @mikebutlerracing, @briarbauman, @shaynatexter, Methanol Moonshine Apparel, Logan coombe, Bob Moir, Des and Rayna Morris.”

Henry Wiles and Max Whale
Henry Wiles and Max Whale

Mikey Rush set the fastest lap of the race en route to fourth with Andrew Luker completing the top five just behind.

2020 AFT Singles champ Dallas Daniels was forced to start from Row 4 with no Semi to improve his starting position. He made up a couple positions to end his title-winning season with a run to ninth. Sandwiched between his opening round failure to qualify for the Main and his ninth-placed finale, Daniels packed in a remarkable eighth wins, nine podiums and twelve top fives.

Henry Wiles topped the singles podium from Max Whale
Henry Wiles topped the singles podium from Max Whale and Trent Lowe
AFT Singles Results
Pos Rider Bike Gap Points
1 Henry Wiles Honda CRF450R 15 Laps 25
2 Max Whale Kawasaki KX450F +0.142 20
3 Trent Lowe Honda CRF450R +0.396 17
4 Michael Rush Yamaha YZ450F +1.282 15
5 Andrew Luker Yamaha YZ450F +3.097 14
6 Morgen Mischler KTM 450 SX-F +3.275 13
7 Jacob Lehmann Honda CRF450R +3.952 12
8 Tanner Dean Honda CRF450R +4.3 11
9 Dallas Daniels Yamaha YZ450F +4.845 10
10 Michael Inderbitzin Honda CRF450R +5.355 9
AFT Singles Standings
Pos Rider Points Wins
1 Dallas Daniels 283 8
2 Max Whale 215 1
3 Henry Wiles 208 2
4 Michael Rush 185 1
5 Trent Lowe 183 0
6 Morgen Mischler 178 0
7 Tanner Dean 160 0
8 Brandon Kitchen 154 1
9 Chad Cose 137 1
10 Michael Inderbitzin 124 0
11 Trevor Brunner 113 1
12 Shayna Texter 102 0
13 Cole Zabala 84 0
14 James Ott 79 0
15 Kevin Stollings 74 0
16 Andrew Luker 74 0
17 Cameron Smith 73 0
18 Aidan RoosEvans 61 0
19 Ryan Wells 58 0
20 Jacob Lehmann 56 0
21 Jesse Janisch 50 0
22 Dylan Bell 18 0
23 Wyatt Anderson 17 0
24 Tyler Raggio 14 0
25 Justin Jones 9 0
26 Blake Lomas 4 0

AFT Production Twins – Daytona II

2019 AFT Production Twins champion Cory Texter made the absolute most of his last chance to run the #1 plate before handing it over to the newly-crowned James Rispoli, logging a blowout victory in the final race of the 2020 Progressive American Flat Track season.

AFT Production Twins - Daytona II
AFT Production Twins – Daytona II

Rispoli crashed and found himself trapped under his motorcycle after coming together with Friday-winner Johnny Lewis in the race’s opening corner. That incident brought out a red flag and moved Rispoli from Row 1 to the back of the field.

Texter ripped into the lead off the line at the restart and proceeded to assemble a massive advantage en route to his fourth triumph of a hard-fought yet ultimately unsuccessful title defense.

Cory Texter

“It feels amazing. I’ve wanted to win in DAYTONA my whole life. I was actually the first rider to ever ride this racetrack back in 2010. I helped test it out for them, but I’ve always sucked here. So this is awesome. I feel competitive everywhere right now. I wish the season could keep going or start over right now.”

Cory Texter
Cory Texter

Lewis backed up Royal Enfield’s maiden Progressive AFT victory with its second-ever podium finish the very next night. Lewis was followed closely to the flag by third-place finisher Ben Lowe, while Ryan Varnes edged Patrick Buchanan as the two completed the top five.

Meanwhile, despite being faced with an extremely difficult track to overtake on and very little time in which to do it, Rispoli made his way up to finish his season with an impressive sixth-place finish. The result was actually the worst of an incredibly consistent campaign, which also included seven wins, four seconds, two fourths, and a fifth.

Cory Texter wins at Daytona II
Cory Texter wins at Daytona II, from Johnny Lewis and Ben Lowe
AFT Production Twins Results
Pos Rider Bike Gap Points
1 Cory Texter Yamaha MT-07 15 Laps 25
2 Johnny Lewis Royal Enfield 650 +3.13 20
3 Ben Lowe Yamaha MT-07 +3.556 17
4 Ryan Varnes Kawasaki Ninja 650 +4.306 15
5 Patrick Buchanan Kawasaki Ninja 650 +4.974 14
6 James Rispoli Harley-Davidson XG750R +5.36 13
7 Jeremiah Duffy Kawasaki Ninja 650 +6.487 12
8 Cody Johncox Yamaha MT-07 +7.359 11
9 Shelby Miller Kawasaki Ninja 650 +15.104 10
10 Jimmy McAllister Kawasaki Ninja 650 +17.243 9
11 Danny Eslick Kawasaki Ninja 650 +14 Laps 8
AFT Production Twins Standings
Pos Rider Points Wins
1 James Rispoli 313 7
2 Cory Texter 292 4
3 Ben Lowe 240 1
4 Ryan Varnes 214 2
5 Danny Eslick 197 0
6 Chad Cose 175 0
7 Jeremiah Duffy 161 0
8 Cody Johncox 133 0
9 Nick Armstrong 95 0
10 Patrick Buchanan 86 0
11 Johnny Lewis 75 1
12 Jimmy McAllister 73 0
13 Dylan Bell 60 0
14 Michael Inderbitzin 58 0
15 Brock Schwarzenbacher 52 0
16 Mitch Harvat 52 0
17 Garret Wilson 49 0
18 Hayden Gillim 45 0
19 Shelby Miller 32 0
20 Morgen Mischler 26 0
21 Scott Barrett 26 0
22 Jacob Lehmann 25 0
23 Ryan Wells 22 0
24 Jeremiah Alexander 22 0
25 Gary Ketchum 19 0
26 Kevin Stollings 9 0
27 Max Whale 9 0
28 Cameron Smith 6 0

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2020 MXGP of Flanders

The 2020 Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders saw epic action over the weekend, as the MXGP and MX2 riders took on the challenge of what is known as one of the toughest sand tracks in the world.

In MXGP Tim Gajser took to honours with a 2-1 result handing him the round win over Gautier Paulin, with Jorge Prado third overall. Antonio Cairoli was down in ninth meanwhile, allowing Gajser to extend his championship lead.

Gajser now sits on 488-points, to Cairoli’s 440, with Jorge Prado closes in on his fellow KTM teammate, with 429-points, the same number held by Jeremy Seewer. Aussie Mitch Evans falls to twelth in the standings with a broken wrist at the previous round requiring surgery during the week, with the rider absent as a result.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

“Already from the beginning I was feeling really good on the bike and on the track as well. In the first race I got a really good start, I was second and I managed to catch the leader and pass him. I was able to make a little gap and go ahead but I made a mistake and I lost the front. I crashed, this is when Gautier passed me. In the second race the start was not so good but after the first corner I was able to go second and then pass Prado, make a little gap and go ahead with the win of the race so I’m super happy about today.”

MXGP Results
Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 22 25 47
2 Paulin, Gautier FRA YAM 25 16 41
3 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 20 18 38
4 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 15 22 37
5 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 13 20 33
6 Bogers, Brian NED KTM 18 14 32
7 Van Horebeek, Jeremy BEL HON 16 11 27
8 Van doninck, Brent BEL HUS 11 13 24
9 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM 8 15 23
10 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 14 6 20
11 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 12 7 19
12 Desalle, Clement BEL KAW 10 8 18
13 Bobryshev, Evgeny RUS HUS 7 9 16
14 Vlaanderen, Calvin NED YAM 0 12 12
15 Monticelli, Ivo ITA GAS 0 10 10
16 Leok, Tanel EST HUS 5 5 10
17 Guillod, Valentin SUI HON 6 3 9
18 Petrov, Petar BUL KTM 9 0 9
19 Cervellin, Michele ITA YAM 4 4 8
20 Koch, Tom GER KTM 3 1 4
21 Sterry, Adam GBR KTM 0 2 2
22 Walsh, Dylan GBR HON 2 0 2
23 Rannikko, Rene FIN HUS 1 0 1
24 Toendel, Cornelius NOR HON 0 0 0
25 Kritikos, Manolis GRE KTM 0 0 0
26 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 0 0 0
27 Guryev, Artem RUS HON 0 0 0
28 Geens, Heikki BEL KTM 0 0 0
29 Webster, Kyle AUS HON 0 0 0
MXGP Standings
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 488
2 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 440
3 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 429
4 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 429
5 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 383
6 Coldenhoff, G. NED GAS 375
7 Paulin, G. FRA YAM 352
8 Desalle, C. BEL KAW 312
9 Herlings, J. NED KTM 263
10 Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 248
11 Van Horebeek, J. BEL HON 248
12 Evans, M. AUS HON 228
13 Bogers, Brian NED KTM 174
14 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 164
15 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 163
16 Jacobi, Henry GER YAM 134
17 Monticelli, I. ITA GAS 132
18 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 91
19 Lupino, A. ITA YAM 82
20 Cervellin, M. ITA YAM 81
21 Leok, Tanel EST HUS 51
22 Bobryshev, E. RUS HUS 49
23 Petrov, Petar BUL KTM 48
24 Paturel, B. FRA HON 45
25 Walsh, Dylan GBR HON 43
26 Guillod, V. SUI HON 38
27 Sterry, Adam GBR KTM 36
28 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 31
29 Van doninck, B. BEL HUS 29
30 Jonass, Pauls LAT HUS 26
31 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 21
32 Rauchenecker, P. AUT KTM 19
33 Sabulis, K. LAT KTM 18
34 Lapucci, N. ITA KTM 15
35 Covington, T. USA YAM 15
36 Kullas, Harri EST HON 11
37 van Berkel, L. NED HUS 9
38 Bernardini, S. ITA YAM 9
39 Koch, Tom GER KTM 6
40 Valentin, A. ESP HUS 4
41 Pichon, Z. FRA HON 2
42 Guryev, Artem RUS HON 2
43 Gole, Anton SWE HON 2
44 Rannikko, Rene FIN HUS 1

MX2

In MX2 Tom Vialle had a solid day to finish 2-2 in the races with that consistency enough to claim his sixth overall win of the 2020 campaign. Vialle was only a single point ahead of Jago Geerts, who took one of the MX2 wins, while his teammate Ben Watson was third overall and was the other MX2 winner, in a strong result for Yamaha.

Tom Vialle
Tom Vialle

“It has been a really good day for me. In the first race I was riding good, but Ben was pushing on the back and then he passed me. I tried to push but I did a little mistake and I crashed just before the last lap, but I still finished good so at least it was a good race for me. In the second race I was feeling really good on the track better than the first one. I pushed Jago and at the end I finished second. Winning the overall here is something really special for me because three years ago I was riding the European championship here and I finished really at the back. I’m really happy about that. We work a lot with the team, Joel, my family and it’s really nice to win.”

Jed Beaton went 7-7, for seventh overall and 28-championship points, while fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz was 18th, finishing 15th in Race 2.

Jed Beaton

“Not the greatest day but we’re here for two more rounds so it’s a solid start to the week. My starts weren’t great in both races, which didn’t help but we’ll be better on Wednesday. It took me a while to get going in race one, by around 20 minutes into the race I found my flow and felt really good, but it was too late to move forwards. Race two I felt good from the start and rode a smart race. I know what to expect for the next two, so we’ll be ready for them and I look forward to Wednesday.”

Jet Beaton
Jet Beaton

Vialle now sits on 569-points to Geerts 516, with Maxime Renaux and Beaton both tied on 407-points. Malkiewicz sits 16th, on 98-points.

MX2 Results
Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 22 22 44
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 18 25 43
3 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 25 16 41
4 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 20 15 35
5 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN HUS 16 18 34
6 Van De Moosdijk, Roan NED KAW 11 20 31
7 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 14 14 28
8 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 15 13 28
9 Fernandez, Ruben ESP YAM 12 11 23
10 Östlund, Alvin SWE HON 13 10 23
11 Rubini, Stephen FRA HON 9 8 17
12 Vaessen, Bas NED KTM 10 7 17
13 Renkens, Nathan BEL KTM 3 12 15
14 Forato, Alberto ITA HUS 4 9 13
15 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 5 5 10
16 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 8 0 8
17 Genot, Cyril BEL YAM 7 0 7
18 Malkiewicz, Bailey AUS HON 0 6 6
19 Horgmo, Kevin NOR KTM 6 0 6
20 Lesiardo, Morgan ITA HON 2 3 5
21 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 0 4 4
22 Dickinson, Ashton GBR KTM 0 2 2
23 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 0 1 1
24 Meier, Glen DEN YAM 1 0 1
MX2 Standings
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 569
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 516
3 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 407
4 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 407
5 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 381
6 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 357
7 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 355
8 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 287
9 Fernandez, R. ESP YAM 249
10 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 234
11 Rubini, S. FRA HON 193
12 Östlund, Alvin SWE HON 172
13 Forato, A. ITA HUS 150
14 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 118
15 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 112
16 Malkiewicz, B. AUS HON 98
17 Vaessen, Bas NED KTM 96
18 Crawford, N. AUS HON 91
19 Horgmo, Kevin NOR KTM 91
20 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 83
21 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 82
22 Lesiardo, M. ITA HON 77
23 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 73
24 Renkens, N. BEL KTM 69
25 Sikyna, R. SVK KTM 67
26 Guadagnini, M. ITA HUS 62
27 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 59
28 Genot, Cyril BEL YAM 56
29 Sydow, Jeremy GER GAS 35
30 Roosiorg, H. EST KTM 33
31 Sandner, M. AUT GAS 26
32 Harrison, M. USA KAW 22
33 Cenerelli, G. ITA HUS 21
34 Toriani, Enzo FRA HUS 21
35 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 16
36 Dickinson, A. GBR KTM 13
37 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 8
38 Nermann, J. EST HUS 8
39 Teresak, Jakub CZE KTM 8
40 Meier, Glen DEN YAM 6
41 Zonta, Filippo ITA KTM 6
42 Edelbacher, R. AUT HUS 5
43 Furbetta, J. ITA KTM 3
44 Spies, M. GER HUS 2
45 Haavisto, Jere FIN YAM 2

EMX250

As the gate dropped for the opening race of the day, all eyes were on the championship rivals Thibault Benistant and Mattia Guadagnini of Husqvarna Maddii Racing Junior, as Benistant grabbed the holeshot and led Marcel Conijn, Jorgen-Matthias Talviku and Gianluca Facchetti of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing.

EMX250 Start
EMX250 Start

Though Facchetti didn’t hold on to the position, as he crashed out and re-joined the race way down the order and eventually did not finish the opening heat.

Kay De Wolf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing had a good jump out of the gate, but a couple of corners later dropped it and as a result was way down the order in the beginning of the race.

Benistant, Conijn and Talviku led the opening laps, as Guadagnini fought his way up to fifth and set his sights on Tim Edberg who was just ahead. A few laps later and Edberg crashed out of fourth, which allowed Guadagnini and Hakon Fredriksen of Yamaha SM Action MC Migliori J1 Racing through.

Talviku then took second from Conijn, with Guadagnini doing the same not too long after, to move into the top three. Benistant then led the race by 6.560 seconds.

Knowing how vital every point is at this stage in the championship, Guadagnini continued to push forward as he squeezed past Talviku to take second.

Benistant then responded by setting the fastest lap of the race, a 2:06.072 as he extended his lead to 10.625 seconds. Though Guadagnini wasn’t going to give in easy, as he set his personal best lap of the race towards the end, taking three seconds out of the race leader.

The Italian then worked away at the gap, to shrink it even further, but with just 2 laps to go, made a mistake which was the deciding moment of the race. Eventually, Benistant went on to win the opening race, with Guadagnini finishing second and Fredriksen third.

EMX250 Race 1 Result
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Diff. First
1 Benistant, Thibault FRA Yamaha 00:00.0
2 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA Husqvarna +00:11.7
3 Fredriksen, Hakon NOR Yamaha +00:20.4
4 Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias EST Husqvarna +00:29.4
5 de Wolf, Kay NED Husqvarna +00:53.8
6 Boegh Damm, Bastian DEN KTM +00:55.8
7 Conijn, Marcel NED KTM +00:56.7
8 Elzinga, Rick NED KTM +01:18.9
9 Gerhardsson, Albin SWE Husqvarna +01:20.5
10 Goupillon, Pierre FRA Kawasaki +01:26.7

In the second EMX250 race it was Guadagnini who grabbed the holeshot from Talviku and Benistant. He didn’t hold on to the lead for long, as a small mistake cost him valuable positions and saw him drop down to 6th.

Thibault Benistant
Thibault Benistant

Talviku then led the race, with Benistant and Oriol Oliver second and third. Guadagnini though was making quick moves as he passed two riders in a single lap to get into 4th.

On lap 3, Benistant then took the lead from Talviku, with Guadagnini looking to do the same as he set the fastest lap of the race, to bring the gap down to 4 seconds between himself and the pair in front of him. Meanwhile De Wolf was edging closer to Oliver for fourth place.

Guadagnini then caught and passed Talviku, with the Estonian then losing two spots to De Wolf and Oliver. Back at the front though, Benistant had an impressive 14.617 second lead as 9 minutes plus 2 laps remained.

Guadagnini and De Wolf then battled amongst themselves, with the pair coming together at one point, with the factory Husqvarna rider going through on the Italian to steal 2nd place. And he didn’t hold on to it for long, as he crashed a couple of corners after the finish jump, which allowed Guadagnini back into P2.

With 3 laps to go, Benistant was already 32 seconds ahead, so the battle heated up behind him as De Wolf caught onto the rear wheel of Guadagnini once again. In the end, it was Benistant who was victorious, with Guadagnini holding on to second and De Wolf finishing third.

In terms of the podium, Benistant had the perfect day, taking two race wins as well as the overall victory, along with the red plate as he continues to lead the championship by 24 points over Guadagnini, who was second overall and Fredriksen getting his turn on the podium once again, as he took to the third step of the podium.

Thibault Benistant

“I’m really happy to win both races, it was my goal for today. I don’t think of the championship or winning, I took it race by race and give my best every time. I’m really happy to be back on top of the box. I feel really good for the last round, I have the speed and feeling, and everything is here so we will do the same.”

Mattia Guadagnini

“It was not so good. I had good speed but the first race I had a bad start and made my way to the front, then I was closing down the gap and I made a mistake, so I took second. In the second race, I had a great start and took the holeshot and then made a little mistake and tried to start as soon as possible and made my way to second position again and I was a little bit faster. Then I had a little problem with the goggles, and I had another crash. I tried my best and finished with two place races, but it was not what I was hoping for today.”

Mattia Guadagnini
Mattia Guadagnini
Hakon Fredriksen

“The day started pretty good. I had a decent start in the first race, I was like top ten and then worked my way to third and finished there. Then in the second race I got a bad start and crashed on the first lap, so I was dead last and then worked my way up to fourth place and I’m happy with that, just going to charge for the next one and hope for a win.”

EMX250 Race 2 Result
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Diff. First
1 Benistant, Thibault FRA Yamaha 00:00.0
2 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA Husqvarna +00:30.0
3 de Wolf, Kay NED Husqvarna +00:30.5
4 Fredriksen, Hakon NOR Yamaha +00:45.4
5 Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias EST Husqvarna +00:46.8
6 Conijn, Marcel NED KTM +00:55.9
7 Oliver, Oriol ESP KTM +00:57.1
8 Weckman, Emil FIN Honda +01:00.3
9 Guyon, Tom FRA KTM +01:06.7
10 Edberg, Tim SWE Yamaha +01:08.1
EMX250 Standings
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 376
2 Guadagnini, M. ITA HUS 352
3 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 272
4 Fredriksen, H. NOR YAM 253
5 Talviku, J. EST HUS 235
6 Edberg, Tim SWE YAM 212
7 Locurcio, L. VEN KAW 193
8 Guyon, Tom FRA KTM 173
9 Vettik, Meico EST KTM 137
10 Facchetti, G. ITA YAM 134

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EMX125

The opening race of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category saw Haakon Osterhagen of Creymert Racing who grab the holeshot, as he led RFME GasGas MX Junior Team’s David Braceras and Radek Vetrovsky from JD Gunnex KTM Racing Team.

David Braceras
David Braceras

It didn’t take long for Braceras to take the lead, as he passed Osterhagen on the opening lap. Meanwhile the championship leader, Andrea Bonacorsi of Fantic Racing was down in 20th.

Vetrovsky then had a big moment as he crashed out of third place. He did not re-join the race. Osterhagen then also crashed out, as he dropped from P2 to P10.

Braceras then held a nice 4 second gap to Florian Miot of KTM DIGA Junior Racing, with Rasmus Pedersen of W-Z Racing just behind in third at the time. Miot then started to close in on the race leader, as he brought the gap down to 1.5 seconds.

The pair needed to be careful as W-Z Racing’s Max Palsson made his way up into third and was all over the back of the two, which meant that there was no room for error. And Palsson continued to apply the pressure for a few laps until he managed to squeeze past Miot for P2.

The battle for second gave Braceras a big more breathing room as he was able to get his head down and focus. Towards the end of the race he had a 6.711 second lead to Miot, who was able to pass Palsson back and that’s how the top 3 remained until the chequered flag dropped.

EMX125 Race 1 Result
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Diff. First
1 Braceras, David ESP GASGAS 00:00.0
2 Miot, Florian FRA KTM +00:05.6
3 Palsson, Max SWE KTM +00:07.4
4 Vettik, Meico EST KTM +00:07.9
5 Farres, Guillem ESP GASGAS +00:13.9
6 Osterhagen, Haakon NOR KTM +00:14.7
7 Bonacorsi, Andrea ITA Fantic +00:15.5
8 Venhoda, Martin CZE KTM +00:21.7
9 Smulders, Scott NED Husqvarna +00:22.2
10 Karssemakers, Kay NED Yamaha +00:35.6

The start of the second race was a repeat of the first one as Osterhagen claimed another holeshot. He led Scott Smulders of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team, Farres and Cas Valk of TBS Conversions Racing Team who got a fantastic start.

Guillem Farres
Guillem Farres

Osterhagen immediately pulled a 4.7 second lead to the group, while race one winner, Braceras, was down in 6th on the opening lap. Bonacorsi got a much better start in the second heat as he was already up in 3rd place within the first few laps, as he passed Smulders and Valk.

Farres then took the lead from Osterhagen, as he set his best lap of the race, a 2:11.321, as Osterhagen made a small mistake but managed to keep it on two wheels. Bonacorsi though needed to work on the large gap between him and the top 2.

Further down the order, Braceras was coming under pressure from Palsson for P4, as Farres extended his lead to 9.539 seconds with 10 minutes plus 2 laps on the clock.

And Palsson was charging, as he passed Braceras, though the Spaniard responded immediately. The two then went at it for a little while longer, before Palsson was able to make the pass stick.

Miot then went after Braceras, though the GasGas rider was able to get back around the Frenchman a few laps later towards the end of the race. Meanwhile, Palsson continued his journey forward as he passed Bonacorsi for third place, which also got him on the podium.

In the end though it was Farres who took his first race win of the year, while Osterhagen crossed the line in second and Palsson finishing third.

The EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing saw Guillem Farres take his first overall win, while his teammate David Braceras finished second and Max Palsson third. In terms of the championship, Andrea Bonacorsi continues to lead the series with a steady 44-point advantage over Braceras, while Meico Vettik is a further 12 points down in third.

EMX125 Podium
EMX125 Podium – 2020 MXGP of Flanders
Guillem Farres

“Right now I still can’t believe it, but we did it, in first race I struggled a little bit because I didn’t get the start that I wanted and after I fought with Hakon. In the second race I was able to take a better start and I was second, I managed to pass Hakon, I went for the first position and I was first for all the whole race. I’m really happy about that. I’m feeling that I’m being more and more consistent race by race and also more confident is strange that Spanish guys are together on the podium here in Lommel.”

David Braceras

“I’m really happy. In the first race I was able to win. I took a good start and after I took the lead and I went until the end. In the second race I didn’t start really good because I was ninth or something like that then I pushed really hard in the first laps to re-group and be back in the first group and I was able to go fourth. After that I had a little bit of arm pump and I got passed by two riders and I was sixth. At the end I managed to be fifth and take the second place in the overall. I’m really happy for me, for the boys and for the team because we worked really hard to be on the top and now is the time.”

Max Palsson

“First race I did not get a good start and I was far away from the front and in addition I did also one mistake and I crashed. In the second race I messed up in the first corner and I had to re-group again, in the last lap I was able to pass David and get the 3rd place in the overall.”

Andrea Bonacorsi

“Yeah today it was a hard day for me but I still think about the championship and now I’m forty-four points in front so in the next races I want to be super focused and I want to win and be back on the podium. Now I’m ready for the next round.”

EMX125 Race 2 Result
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Diff. First
1 Farres, Guillem ESP GASGAS 00:00.0
2 Osterhagen, Haakon NOR KTM +00:08.2
3 Palsson, Max SWE KTM +00:14.6
4 Bonacorsi, Andrea ITA Fantic +00:19.9
5 Braceras, David ESP GASGAS +00:32.8
6 Miot, Florian FRA KTM +00:34.4
7 Valk, Cas NED KTM +00:36.7
8 Prugnieres, Quentin Marc FRA KTM +00:43.4
9 Karssemakers, Kay NED Yamaha +00:51.9
10 Rainio, Sampo FIN Husqvarna +00:52.8
EMX125 Standings
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Bonacorsi, A. ITA FAN 262
2 Braceras, D. ESP GAS 218
3 Vettik, Meico EST KTM 206
4 Palsson, Max SWE KTM 188
5 Razzini, P. ITA HUS 186
6 Farres, G. ESP GAS 173
7 Roncoli, A. ITA HUS 164
8 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 147
9 Prugnieres, Q. FRA KTM 141
10 Soulimani, S. FRA KTM 126

Russia win 2020 Speedway of Nations

Day 1 of the 2020 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final was cancelled due to heavy rain throughout the afternoon, the track has been deemed unsafe for racing for Friday, and as a result the Monster Energy SON world title was decided in a one-off meeting on Saturday, October 17.

Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov showed his steel to seal his country’s third straight Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations world title in Lublin on Saturday night. The Salavat-born star skippered Russia to glory in 2018 and 2019, and the world champions retained their title in a rain-curtailed Final in Lublin.

Racing was halted after 15 heats due to track conditions, but the scores were counted at the conclusion of race 14, when all seven countries had contested four heats apiece.

While Russia tied on 23 with hosts Poland, the defending champions got the gold medals after winning their head-to-head battle in heat eight, when Artem Laguta rounded Polish star Szymon Wozniak to seal a Russian 5-4 advantage.

That ride wasn’t the only decisive moment, as Sayfutdinov roared to the front in heat 13 to restrict Australia to a 5-4 race win. The Leszno star breathed in and squeezed through a seemingly impossible gap between Aussie captain Jason Doyle and the fast-approaching fence to take the lead.

It was a golden moment for Sayfutdinov, who scored 15 points, but he admits he didn’t have the best view of the action.

Emil Sayfutdinov

“I couldn’t see where I was going coming into the corner. The rain was coming into my goggles. There was a lot of material on the outside, but I got speed there and I just saw Doyle going straight to the fence. I found a little room and I passed him. I am really happy to have done it, stayed safe and got some good points.”

Emil Sayfutdinov wins 2020 Speedway of Nations
Emil Sayfutdinov, Artem Laguta and Evgenii Saidullin win 2020 Speedway of Nations

Russia hadn’t won a senior speedway world title – individual or team – prior to their 2018 Monster Energy SON win in Wroclaw. Now they are triple world champions and Sayfutdinov is elated to have written more racing history for his country.

Emil Sayfutdinov

“I know we didn’t continue with the whole meeting. But we are world champions, so we are really happy. That’s three times in a row! At the beginning of the meeting, track conditions were bad. But when they said ‘we need to go’, we were ready. We were focused on our points and concentrating on our starts. Everything was working and we are really happy to be world champions again. I hope speedway in Russia will grow up so quickly and we hope our federation and fans will support us, along with all the companies we have in Russia. Hopefully somebody can see us. We deserve that support and for us it is important.”

The Russians won their second world title in front of a passionate home crowd in Togliatti in 2019, but Sayfutdinov has made no secret of his desire for his national side to receive greater backing in their homeland. He hopes another Monster Energy SON win will boost the sport’s profile even further in Russia.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik starred on 15 points from a possible 16 for Poland as they fell agonisingly short of their first Monster Energy SON win.

They were forced to settle for silver for the second straight season in what was legendary coach Marek Cieslak’s last event as national boss following a career that saw him clinch seven FIM Speedway World Cup wins.

Denmark took third place on 19 points for their first world championship medal since they won SWC silver in 2015. They tied with Sweden, but claimed the last spot on the podium after winning their head-to-head battle in race 10.

Australia took fifth spot on 17, with Great Britain sixth on 12 and the Czech Republic seventh on 11.

2020 Monster Energy Speedway of Nations Final Result

  1. RUSSIA 23: 1 Emil Sayfutdinov 15, 2 Artem Laguta 8, 3 Evgenii Saidullin DNR.
  2. POLAND 23: 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik 15, 2 Szymon Wozniak 8, 3 Dominik Kubera DNR.
  3. DENMARK 19: 1 Leon Madsen 10, 2 Anders Thomsen 4, 3 Marcus Birkemose 5.
  4. SWEDEN 19: 1 Fredrik Lindgren 14, 2 Oliver Berntzon 5, 3 Alexander Woentin DNR.
  5. AUSTRALIA 17: 1 Jason Doyle 5, 2 Max Fricke 12, 3 Jaimon Lidsey 0.
  6. GREAT BRITAIN 12: 1 Robert Lambert 6, 2 Drew Kemp DNR, 3 Dan Bewley 6.
  7. CZECH REPUBLIC 11: 1 Vaclav Milik 11, 2 Eduard Krcmar 0, 3 Petr Chlupac 0.

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2020 Full Gas Sprint Enduro – Silver Hawk Plantation Round 6

Kailub Russell claimed the 2020 Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro title with a close victory at this weekend’s Silver Hawk Plantation Sprint Enduro, the series finale, held at the Silver Hawk Plantation in Buffalo, South Carolina. The title was Russell’s third Full Gas Sprint Enduro championship and second in a row.

Layne Michael gave Russell a good battle, and in fact, led the race by two seconds with two tests remaining. However, as he often does, Russell dug deep and made up the distance to take the overall win.

Kailub Russell

“It was good to get the overall win, but it was kind of strange how it worked out. I won one test on Saturday and I won the day, and then I won all but one today and almost lost. It was a tough weekend. I was a little unsure how Saturday was going to go because I was a little bit off and you don’t have to be off by much to be pretty slow here. But I rode better on Sunday, and that was enough.”

Kailub Russell – Image courtesy of sprintenduro.com

In all, Russell won six tests, one on Saturday and five on Sunday. However, two crashes in test four on Sunday cost him dearly as the North Carolina rider finished the test 12 seconds behind Michael, moving him into the lead.

Trailing Michael with two tests remaining, Russell made up 1.2 seconds in the Cross test and entered the final test just .8 seconds behind. The final test would be the decider and Russell finished strong, winning the final test by 3.3 seconds and taking the overall victory by 2.4 seconds.

Kailub Russell

“I came out swinging today and rode good. I had awesome times the first three tests and then test four I kind of threw it away and had a couple falls. My front brake lever fell down and I couldn’t get it back up. It was so far down I was having a hard time getting to it, so my timing was a little bit off. But I was able to pull it together and win the last couple tests. So five out of six on the day.”

Although Michael won five tests over the weekend, the race marked the second round in a row where he was in position to take the overall win, only to lose out in the final test.

Layne Michael

“It’s frustrating because he got me at the last one in the last test and got me on this one in the last test. But it was a good weekend, nonetheless. I fought hard. I was there all weekend and pretty consistent. One little mistake kind of cost me, but like I said, he had a big one that kind of put me back in it. All in all, a good weekend. Any time you’re batting with Kailub it’s good.”

Josh Strang won a Cross test and was rewarded with third overall. The Aussie off-roader only returned to racing the week before after missing several weeks due to a shoulder injury.

Josh Strang – Image courtesy of sprintenduro.com
Josh Strang

“I was a little off the pace. I almost didn’t come this weekend just because of my shoulder. I still have a little bit of pain. To do these things, you have to go at 100% to be competitive, and I just wasn’t comfortable going as hard as I would have liked. There were some sections where I noticed I was just kind of riding around instead of attacking the track. But overall, it was a good day.”

Strang’s teammate Lyndon Snodgrass has improved with each race and finished an impressive fourth overall, which was also good enough for first in the Pro 2 division.

Lyndon Snodgrass

“I haven’t done a Full Gas in a while so it was good to get back to one. I had a good run. I think I won every test but the first one on Saturday in my class. So it was a good run for me. I was mixing it up with the pro guys a little bit in some of the tests, so that was cool. I think they did a good job this weekend and I was happy to be here.”

Lyndon Snodgrass - Image courtesy of sprintenduro.com
Lyndon Snodgrass – Image courtesy of sprintenduro.com

Liam Draper was fourth in the Pro class and fifth overall.

Liam Draper

“On Saturday I started off kind of slow, but I figured out the Cross test a lot better this weekend than I have in previous rounds. It was close racing all weekend with me, Jordan Ashburn and Josh. Then Jordan had some problems. So, it was good. It was a good year. I had fun racing these.”

Jesse Ansley turned in his best finish of the year with a sixth overall and second in the Pro 2 class. The Florida rider has made big strides this year and his finish at the series finale was a good way to cap off the season.

Jesse Ansley

“I feel like I was really tight on Day One, I wasn’t on the bike all week and I think it showed on Saturday. I felt like I really shined in the woods test and I was sitting fifth overall going into the last Enduro test and then I just made a dumb mistake, which dropped me back to seventh overall for the day. I don’t know what I was thinking, I just went for a line that wasn’t there and ended up getting stuck between two trees and it must have cost me about 10 seconds. I gave up a little time on Saturday in the Cross test, so on Sunday, I just concentrated on that test and was able to pick up some time, which put me up into sixth overall and second in the Pro 2 class.”

Pennsylvanian Ben Nelko has been solid all year and finished seventh overall and third in the Pro 2 class this weekend. Nelko is backed by 760 Husqvarna.

Cole Mattison was the top-finishing Pro Am rider in eighth overall on a Husqvarna, and secured the Pro Am class championship with his class win. Ohio’s JoJo Cunningham topped the Lites A division with a solid ninth overall finish and also won the Lites A class series championship.

Dalton Seals was 10th overall on a Yamaha and second Pro Am rider, Brewer Cawley rounded out the Pro Am podium.

Johnny Girroir, who wrapped up the Pro 2 championship at the round before, skipped the race due to a sore knee. Meanwhile, Jordan Ashburn was turning in some solid rides in the Pro class, but suffered an unfortunate DNF on Sunday.

Rachel Archer won every test in the Women’s Pro class to take the overall win ahead of Samantha Fisher and Alli Phillips.

Rachel Archer

“Tayla (Jones) and Kenzie (Tricker) were out with knee injuries, so I didn’t have those two to contend with. All in all, it was a good weekend and I managed to win every test. I made a couple of silly mistakes today, just my suspension was a bit soft. In the last test I wadded my shoulder pretty good, so that’s a bit sore. But other than that, it was a fun track, a good day.”

Rachel Archer - Image courtesy of sprintenduro.com
Rachel Archer – Image courtesy of sprintenduro.com

Round 6 Overall Results

Pos. Rider Class Time
1 Kailub Russell Pro (1) 37:15.8
2 Layne Michael Pro (2) 37:18.2
3 Joshua Strang Pro (3) 38:15.5
4 Lyndon Snodgrass Pro 2 (1) 38:27.1
5 Liam Draper Pro (4) 39:03.0
6 Jesse Ansley Pro 2 (2) 40:06.0
7 Ben Nelko Pro 2 (3) 41:48.2
8 Cole Mattison Pro-Am (1) 42:23.9
9 Joseph Cunningham Lites A (1) 43:10.6
10 Dalton Seals Pro-Am (2) 44:10.7
11 Brewer Cawley Pro-Am (3) 44:14.6
12 Andrew Matusek Open A (1) 44:24.2
13 RJ Cook Pro 2 (4) 44:36.8
14 Michael Delosa Pro-Am (4) 44:40.2
15 Zachary Nash Pro-Am (5) 44:46.8
16 Tyler Palmer Lites A (2) 46:18.8
17 Joshua Guffey Lites A (3) 46:30.0
18 Henry Symanski Pro-Am (6) 46:46.4
19 Garyson Smith Open B (1) 47:03.8
20 Billy Schlag Pro-Am (7) 47:20.0
21 Dylan Dela Cruz Pro-Am (8) 47:35.5
22 Hans Neel Open A (2) 47:37.1
23 Grady Faint Lites A (4) 47:39.6
24 Robby Norwood Vet A 30+ (1) 47:48.8
25 Canon Kuneff Lites A (5) 47:58.9
26 Sam Forrester Pro-Am (9) 48:00.9
27 Cade Henderson Juniors A/B 12-17 (1) 48:06.0
28 Bolton Beroth Lites A (6) 48:42.4
29 Andrew Tsakanikas Vet A 30+ (2) 49:18.7
30 Rachael Archer Women’s Pro (1) 49:36.5

Pro Overall Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Kailub Russell 315
2 Layne Michael 254
3 Joshua Strang 191
4 Liam Draper 191
5 Jordan Ashburn 187
6 Steward Baylor 53
7 Ricky Russell 46
8 Tyler McSwain 44
9 Craig Delong 31
11 Cory Buttrick 30
10 Benjamin Herrera 30

Pro 2 Overall Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Johnny Girroir 265
2 Jesse Ansley 242
3 Ben Nelko 223
4 RJ Cook 181
5 lyndon snodgrass 149
6 Michael McLean 105
7 Ruy Barbosa 75
8 Samuel Evans 41
9 Ben Parsons 32
10 Will Riordan 32

2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship postponed

Motorcycling Australia, in conjunction with the MA Track Commission and key stakeholders have advised of the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship which was schedule for January 3rd – 13th 2021, issuing the following statement:

Whilst we are disappointed that the 2021 Australian Championship has had to be postponed, we believe it is in the best interest of the sport. With so much uncertainty around the national and international borders, and with a lot of our riders currently overseas we had to make a decision as early as possible.

Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the Track Commission are now concentrating on delivering a strong and successful condensed 2021 Championship in the latter part of 2021 pending Government restrictions around Covid-19. MA sincerely thank all stakeholders, clubs, and riders for their support and understanding.

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 Yamaha rake in the State championship titles

The past two weeks and have again proven successful for Yamaha Racing in Australia with multi race and championship wins across two states, as the 2020 continues to unfold.

QLD Women’s and Vets

The central Queensland mining town of Gladstone hosted the 2020 Queensland Women’s and Vets Championship over the weekend and the warm, humid conditions made for a challenging event for the large contingent of riders on hand.

In the junior girls, it was all eyes on Charli Cannon as she was clearly the one to beat having recently finished third racing the boys at the state championship in Hervey Bay. But a hand injury slowed her progress and she had done no riding for a month leading up to the event so there were some questions marks about her fitness in the days prior.

But it mattered little, as she went on to dominate the day and claim the win in the 13-U16 years 85cc and the 13-U16 years Lites class, taking all six race wins. Cannon had not been on an 85 all year, but a last minute call to jump on her brother Jakes’s practice bike, paid dividends and she was able to walk away with the win and add more championships to her already impressive resume.

Charli Cannon

“My lead up to this race wasn’t good as I fell a while ago and the handlebar drove into my hand and caused some internal damage. I wasn’t able to ride but I tried to keep up my off bike training as much as I could and I was able to get through the weekend with no problems. It was fun to get back on the 85 again, although I’m too big for it now. It kept me on the track and Dad busy in the pits all weekend and winning made it worth the effort. Thank you to Mum and Dad for their help again and also to Yamaha as well as the rest of my sponsors. We had a fun weekend in Gladstone and winning the state championship was another goal I wanted to achieve this year.”

Charli Cannon
Charli Cannon

In the Senior Women’s, it was Taylah McCutchen taking the win and like Cannon, dominated her division with three race wins from three starts. McCutchen, not only just turned senior after her 16th birthday but also just swapped over to Yamaha, is loving her YZ250F and it clearly showed on the weekend.

The win at Gladstone comes on the back of her first senior appearance at couple of weeks ago at the King of Capricorn event where she won the MX2 Support class against a field full of men.

Taylah McCutchen

“I put in a lot of effort over the last few weeks to prepare for this race so it’s awesome that it paid off and I was able to win the Queensland championship. The change to Yamaha has been good for me and I feel really comfortable on the YZ250F and its an awesome bike to ride. Thank you to the club and the organisers for running the event, my family who support me 100% as well as the Yamalube Yamaha Team who assisted me with some parts in the lead up to this race.”

Yamaha also won the 55 and Over Vets with YZ450F mounted Mal Dalton taking out the state championship with three race wins.

Queensland Women & Vets Results

12-U16 years 85cc
  1. Charli Cannon – 105 (Yamaha YZ85)
  2. Darci Whalley – 94
  3. Madi Simpson – 92
12-U16 years Lites
  1. Charli Cannon – 105 (Yamaha YZ250F)
  2. Darci Whaley – 96
  3. Holly Van der Boor – 88
Senior Women
  1. Taylah McCutchen – 105 (Yamaha YZ250F)
  2. Tahlia Drew – 96
  3. Alysha Goullet – 84
Men’s 55 and Over Vets
  1. Mal Dalton – 105 (Yamaha YZ450F)
  2. Bruce Lowth – 96
  3. Anthony Clarke – 88

Coffs Harbour Transmoto

An all Yamaha team of Josh Green, Michael Driscoll, Blake Hollis and Dean Wattus took the overall teams’ victory at the Transmoto 8 hour event in Coffs Harbour. The recent dry spell left the course a little dusty, but the fast and free flowing layout kept riders happy and the Off Road Advantage Team dominated the day. Mounted on a range of Yamaha machinery, the awesome foursome enjoyed the weekend and the laid back nature of the event.

Josh Green
Josh Green

In addition to the team winning, Josh Green won individual honours as well as taking fastest lap on the day.

Yamaha Junior Racing

The Hutton brothers made it a 1-2 finish at the recent Queensland Off Road Championships. Competing in the 7-11 years 65, Harley Hutton took the final round victory and in turn secured the state championship while younger brother Drake slotted in behind him for second.

Harley Hutton
Harley Hutton

Sons of enduro royalty, Kirk Hutton, both boys are on their way to emulating Dad’s career and the YZ65 has been the perfect bike to kick kickstart their careers. They are now about 20 state championships behind Dad, but they have plenty of time and talent on their side.

Speaking of brothers, Ryder and Kayd Kingsford were back in action at the Nowra round of the East Coast Motocross Series in New South Wales. Ryder proved ultra-fast on his YZ250F, winning the opening two motos but a flat rear tyre in the final leg kept him from the podium while he battled hard in the 125cc division to finish fourth with 4-3-3 results.

Kayd had just returned from a broken wrist and not yet back up to full speed and fitness. He took 4-8-6 results in the 12-15 years 85cc class to finish fifth on the day but will be better for the hit-out and looking to get back on the podium at the next event.

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Yamaha Announces 2021 Supercross and Motocross Teams

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), has announced a three-year partnership with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team to field their campaign in both the 450 and 250 classes of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships. The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 team will be spearheaded by Aaron Plessinger and newly-crowned 2020 250SX and 250MX champion Dylan Ferrandis, while the 250 team has signed two-time 250 MX Champion Jeremy Martin and Christian Craig to join returning riders Colt Nichols, Justin Cooper and Jarrett Frye.

A long-time partner in the 250 support class and amateur ranks, the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team has had a history of success with 11 titles in the professional championships and multiple Amateur National titles. The team will now add the 450 premier class to its tent to provide a consistent program for riders advancing through the SX/MX racing ranks. Together, Star and Yamaha will continue to work towards the goal of winning championships. Along with key sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive full support from Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA.

Aaron Plessinger – Image by Hoppenworld

Plessinger returns with Yamaha for his third season in the 450 class. Two of the titles added to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s tally were earned by Plessinger in 2018 – the 250SX West and 250MX Championship. The Ohio native has shown promise in his first two years in the premier class, but unfortunately has had injuries that have sidelined him for a good part of both championships in 2019 and the 2020 Pro Motocross season. As Plessinger returns to the team, he looks to build on his progress and come out swinging in 2021.

Aaron Plessinger – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team

“I’m really excited for next season with Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing. I really had a good run with the team in 2018 with the 250 Supercross and Motocross title. I love the team over there. I love the people on the team. I think we work really well together. The last two years haven’t been too good for me with some injuries and bad luck. I’m looking forward to getting back to my winning ways and having a good time doing it. Going into 2021, I couldn’t be more confident. With this team going in behind me I think we can do extraordinary things next year.“

Making his 450-debut next year, Ferrandis looks to keep his momentum rolling with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team as he transitions to the premier class. After a great 2019 season with the 250SX West Championship and runner-up finish in the Pro Motocross 250 class, the Frenchman was on fire in 2020. He won both the 250SX West and 250MX Championship, scoring three supercross wins as well as eight moto wins and three overall victories in motocross. Jeremy Coker will be the team manager for the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 squad.

Dylan Ferrandis – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team

“It’s been a dream of mine to fight for a championship in the 450 class in the U.S. I’m so happy to be able to do that with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha team. I feel at home there. I’m still feeling in paradise with two championships this year, but we will get back to work to fight next season.”

Dylan Ferrandis – Image by Jeff Kardy

Fresh off a stellar 2020 season, Martin returns to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s 250 team to fight for the crown. Earning back-to-back titles in the Pro Motocross 250MX Championship in 2014 and 2015, Martin is eager to seal the deal in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and continue to add to an already accomplished 250 class career.

Jeremy Martin – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity this late in the year to get back on the Yamaha for next year moving forward into 2021 with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. I’ve won two championships with them in the past so I’m excited to pick up where I left off and end my 250 career with a bang!”

Jeremy Martin moves to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team – Image by Jeff Kardy

Craig also joins Star Racing’s powerhouse 250 line-up in 2021. The Californian has challenged for top honors on multiple occasions and was in the fight for the 250SX West Championship before being sidelined with an injury early in the season. Craig looks to fight for top honors in 2021 with the Monster Energy Star Racing squad.

Christian Craig – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team

“Moving to the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team is quite a big deal for me. Bobby (Reagan) has talked to me every year the past few years to get me over here but the timing didn’t feel right. Finally this year, I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone if I wanted to take my career to the next level. Their whole program has a lot of structure, which is something that has always benefited me and helped my confidence. I’m extremely grateful to start the next chapter in my career with these guys and look forward to putting in the results I know I’m capable of.”

Christian Craig
Christian Craig joins the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team

Nichols returns for his fifth season with the team. The Oklahoman hit the ground running in 2019 with his first 250SX win at Anaheim I and went on to score multiple podiums to finish third in the championship. Unfortunately, injuries have kept him out of most of this year, but now that he is close to full fitness, Nichols aims for the crown in 2021.

Cooper also returns with the team for 2021. Since his first full season with the team in 2019, the New Yorker has impressed. He finished second overall in the 250SX East Championship with six podiums and went on to take his first overall win in Florida, ending the year third in the Pro Motocross 250MX Championship. Cooper carried that momentum over to 2020, scoring his first Supercross win at Anaheim I and finishing second in the 250SX West Championship. After coming back from a preseason injury, Cooper made a late season charge in the Pro Motocross Championship returning to the top of the podium at Thunder Valley to finish fifth in the standings.

Stepping up to the professional ranks at Round 6 of the Pro Motocross Championship was one of Star’s top amateur riders, Frye. The 19-year-old impressed with solid results, including a best result of sixth overall at the final race of the season.

Lead by team manager Wil Hahn, the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 team has more top up-and-coming riders lying in wait: Nate Thrasher, Matt LeBlanc and Nick Romano. Thrasher, who recently joined the team had a good showing at the final two rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season. Both LeBlanc and Romano have multiple Amateur Nationals and show a lot of promise for the future. All three riders full-time professional debut is yet to be determined.

Jim Roach – Yamaha Racing Department Manager for YMUS

“The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team has had a tremendous amount of success over the years with both their Amateur and 250 Supercross and Motocross programs. Beginning in 2021, the Yamaha 450 program in both championships will transition to the Monster Energy Star Yamaha team, as well. The overall goal is to continue the success that the team has had, and to work toward winning 450 Championships. Having the Amateur, 250, and 450 Supercross and Motocross programs with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team also ensures a smooth transition for riders stepping through the program. It is an exciting time for Yamaha, and we look forward to the upcoming racing season!”

Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team Manager

“I have worked for Star Racing for six seasons and will be going on my seventh full season of racing with the team. For the last five years, I was the Engine Technician and have been a part of a total of 10 championships wins. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to step up and manage the 450 program and look to take Dylan and Aaron to the top step of the podium throughout the seasons ahead.”

Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team Manager

“Coming off of two championship wins this season, I’m really looking forward to next season with the goal of carrying that success forward into 2021. We have a great lineup with Colt, Justin and Jarret returning, some great additions with Jeremy and Christian, and a bright future with Nate, Matt and Nick. I can’t wait for the new year!”

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Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Race Team Announces 2021 Roster

The upcoming 2021 racing season marks 28 years of winning for Kawasaki and Pro Circuit. The successful Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki boasts an impressive resume including the most combined supercross/motocross wins in the 125/250 class at 29 championships, including the 2019 AMA Pro Motocross championship achieved by Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo.

Austin Forkner

Returning to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team for 2021 aboard their all-new 2021 KX250 motorcycles is long-time Team Green racer Austin Forkner along with Jordon Smith and Cameron McAdoo. The trio welcomes, Seth Hammaker, as he graduates from the Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green amateur race program.

Mitch Payton – Pro Circuit Owner

“We have a great team returning for the 2021 season combined with an all-new KX250 motorcycle. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with our solid group of guys and Hammaker joining the crew. There is a lot of talent between our four riders, and we will provide all the necessary tools to help each of them reach their full potential. The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team has high expectations to put Kawasaki and Pro Circuit on top of the podium.”

Forkner will enter the new season as the most experienced rider on the team. The 12-time 250 class race winner has high hopes of capturing multiple championships after his successful 2019 and 2020 seasons were cut short due to injury. 2020 brought the fresh face of Smith who earned three top-5 finishes out of the four rounds he competed in before withdrawing early due to injury.

AMA SX Rnd Tampa Smith SX TPA Kardy
Jordon Smith

McAdoo returned in 2020 to the brand that he found great success with throughout his amateur career, achieving career-bests in both supercross and motocross series, and looks to keep that momentum going into next season. Making his professional debut, Hammaker is set to join the team for both series at the beginning of the 2021 season.

The 2021 Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki racing team is positioned for another championship campaign and awaits the announcement of the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM Championship and AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto Wrap | AFT | MXGP | TrialGP | GNCC | Speedway

Moto News Weekly Wrap
September 15, 2020

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Williams Grove Half-Mile I

Images by Scott Hunter

Briar Bauman showed just what an American Flat Track Grand National Championship at the peak of his powers is capable of in Friday evening’s Williams Grove Half-Mile I. Bauman flat-out crushed the opposition in a AFT SuperTwins Main Event, which the race’s runner-up accurately described as “demoralizing” while accepting his second-place trophy. The result did not come as much of a shock – it was the third year running Bauman proved his superiority at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Williams Grove Half-Mile I - SuperTwins
Williams Grove Half-Mile I – AFT SuperTwins

Championship rival Jared Mees stole the holeshot and led for about two corners before giving way to Bauman at the front. The race for the win was effectively over at that point; Bauman was more than a second out in front with 11 minutes remaining on the clock and worked that advantage up to more than six seconds before cruising to an easy 4.347-second margin of victory.

The aforementioned runner-up was not Mees, however. It was Brandon Robinson, who picked up his second-consecutive second place. Robinson swapped positions early with Mees, Jake Johnson, and Bronson Bauman before breaking free from that fight with a good nine minutes to go. Bronson put in a late charge, first dispatching of Johnson and then overhauling Mees to earn his first podium result of 2020.

Williams Grove Half-Mile I - AFT SuperTwins
Williams Grove Half-Mile I – AFT SuperTwins

The slowing Mees managed to outlast a charging Dan Bromley, who registered an inspired ride to sixth in front of his home fans. After running in podium contention early, the out-from-retirement Johnson ultimately lost out to Sammy Halbert late but still managed to pick up a strong seventh place in his first ride of the year.

Williams Grove Half-Mile I - SuperTwins
Williams Grove Half-Mile I – AFT SuperTwins podium – 1. Briar Bauman, 2. Brandon Robinson, 3. Bronson Bauman

Bauman’s dominant win combined with Mees’ first non-podium of the year tightened up their title fight. Mees continues to lead, but only by three points (147-144) with another race at Williams Grove coming tomorrow. Halbert and Robinson are even in points at 108.

Pos Rider Man. Gap
1 Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 30 Laps
2 Brandon Robinson Indian FTR750 4.347
3 Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 7.311
4 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 8.904
5 Dan Bromley Indian FTR750 9.836
6 Sammy Halbert Indian FTR750 10.085
7 Jake Johnson Indian FTR750 11.276
8 Larry Pegram Indian FTR750 15.932
9 Jarod Vanderkooi Harley-Davidson XG750R 16.056
10 Bryan Smith Harley-Davidson XG750R 16.348

AFT Singles

2019 AFT Singles championship runner-up Mikey Rush finally broke through to claim his first Main Event victory of 2020. It didn’t come easily, as he had to defeat his second-ranked teammate, Dallas Daniels and 2016 GNC2 champ Ryan Wells to make it happen.

Williams Grove Half-Mile I - AFT Singles
Williams Grove Half-Mile I – AFT Singles

Rising star Daniels was ahead of the field early, running away at the front as a huge pack ran as many as four-wide while battling over second position. Once some order emerged from the chaos, Wells, Rush, and Morgen Mischler worked together to claw their way back up to Daniels.

By half-distance, Wells was the man on the move and Daniels looked in danger of fading back to the second group. Wells moved into first and promptly ripped open a half-second of padding before Rush stepped up to the challenge and made it a two-way race for the win with one minute to go.

Rush dove under Wells at that point, only to have his opponent square him back up. Undeterred, Rush executed a second overtake and made the position change stick for good as the race went into its final two laps.

Behind, Daniels not only regrouped, he sprinted back up to Wells and powered past him while exiting Turn 2 on the final lap. The Estenson Racing 1-2 marked its second double podium finish of the season. Wells took his first podium of the ‘20 in third, with Mischler taking a close fourth. Volusia Half-Mile winner Max Whale – who was just out of touch of the lead group throughout — completed the top five.

Meanwhile, title leader Henry Wiles suffered through a difficult day. He failed to advance through his Semi and was forced to burn his provisional just to line up for the Main. He then finished 14th, allowing Daniels, Whale, and Rush to gobble up the majority of his hard-earned championship advantage.

Williams Grove Half-Mile I - AFT Singles
Williams Grove Half-Mile I – AFT Singles Podium – 1. Michael Rush, 2. Dallas Daniels, 3. Ryan Wells

Wiles still leads, albeit by just five points over Daniels (113-108). Whale (102) and Rush (99) are in position to strike in third and fourth, respectively.

Pos Rider Man. Gap
1 Michael Rush Yamaha YZ450F 20 Laps
2 Dallas Daniels Yamaha YZ450F 0.818
3 Ryan Wells KTM 450 SX-F 1.166
4 Morgen Mischler KTM 450 SX-F 1.294
5 Max Whale Kawasaki KX450F 1.704
6 Kevin Stollings Honda CRF450R 3.023
7 Trevor Brunner Honda CRF450R 3.193
8 Trent Lowe Honda CRF450R 5.726
9 Tanner Dean Honda CRF450R 7.218
10 Chad Cose Suzuki RMZ 450 9.129

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AFT Production Twins

James Rispoli continued his recent tear, scoring his third AFT Production Twins victory in the class’ most recent four Main Events. “The Rocket” tracked down reigning champion Cory Texter early and the two spent the next several minutes determining who had the superior line around Williams Grove Speedway.

Williams Grove Half-Mile I - AFT Production Twins
Williams Grove Half-Mile I – AFT Production Twins

Texter appeared to have the early advantage running down low, but Rispoli’s high line got progressively stronger as the race developed. With around three minutes remaining on the clock, there was no longer a debate concerning who found the fast way around; Rispoli blasted away at the front and furthered his standing as the championship favorite.

Ryan Varnes not only made up for a less-than-ideal start, he managed to overcome a mid-race encounter with the wall to take the final spot on the box.

Varnes reeled in Indy Mile winner Ben Lowe and the two then engaged in a scrap for third position. With around four minutes remaining, Lowe ran up the inside of Varnes and the ‘19 class runner-up actually impacted the fence in the melee. Varnes somehow managed to remain upright, maintained his composure, ran Lowe back down, and beat him to the flag in the end.

Williams Grove Half-Mile I - AFT Production Twins Podium
Williams Grove Half-Mile I – AFT Production Twins Podium – 1. James Rispoli, 2. Core Texter, 3. Ryan Varnes

Rispoli’s fellow multinational championship-winning roadracer, Danny Eslick, rounded out the top five. Also of note was Johnny Lewis, who gave Royal Enfield a flat track debut to be proud of, finishing an impressive sixth in the Twins FT’s maiden AFT Main Event.

Royal Enfield American Flat Track Production Twin
Pos Rider Man. Gap
1 James Rispoli Harley-Davidson XG750R 20 Laps
2 Cory Texter Yamaha MT-07 2.794
3 Ryan Varnes Kawasaki Ninja 650 7.443
4 Ben Lowe Yamaha MT-07 7.577
5 Danny Eslick Kawasaki Ninja 650 10.253
6 Johnny Lewis Royal Enfield 650 10.806
7 Nick Armstrong Yamaha MT-07 15.096
8 Jeremiah Duffy Kawasaki Ninja 650 18.474
9 Cody Johncox Yamaha MT-07 21.492
10 Mitch Harvat Kawasaki Ninja 650 27.324

Williams Grove Half-Mile II

Images by Scott Hunter

If possible, Briar Bauman was even more dominant on Saturday night as he completed his second double victory of the 2020 American Flat Track season at the Williams Grove Half-Mile II and did so with authority. It took Bauman all of two corners to seize control of Friday’s AFT SuperTwins Main Event; he didn’t even need that many second time around. Bauman translated the holeshot into a one-sided, 5.544-second beatdown.

Sammy Halbert was the only rider who could even hope to cling to Bauman wake in the race’s opening stages. Doing so successfully pulled Halbert clear of the rest of the field but that early advantage only delayed the inevitable. Jeffrey Carver Jr. overhauled Halbert with four minutes remaining before shaking free to take the runner-up position by more than two seconds.

Halbert later found himself under assault by Jared Mees, who chased him down in time for a two-lap podium showdown as the clock showed 0:00. Mees slid into third with a tight pass with just over a lap-and-a-half remaining, but Halbert set him up for a last corner counterattack. Those plans, however, were foiled by the unfortunate positioning of some slower riders, allowing Mees to capture third at the checkered flag by 0.078 seconds.

Home-state hero Dan Bromley rounded out his best weekend yet since rejoining the premier class, backing up Friday’s fifth with an identical result on Saturday night.

Bauman’s win pushes him back ahead of Mees in his quest to repeat as Grand National Champion as the season officially reaches its midpoint. Bauman will carry a slim five-point advantage (169-164) into what promises to be an epic four-weekend, eight-race stretch run to the throne.

Pos Rider Man. Gap
1 Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 30 Laps
2 Jeffrey Carver Jr. Indian FTR750 5.544
3 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 7.895
4 Sammy Halbert Indian FTR750 7.973
5 Dan Bromley Indian FTR750 9.618
6 Davis Fisher Indian FTR750 12.713
7 Brandon Price Indian FTR750 14.42
8 Jake Johnson Indian FTR750 15.796
9 Dalton Gauthier Harley-Davidson XG750R 16.581
10 Larry Pegram Indian FTR750 17.13

AFT SuperTwins Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Briar Bauman 169
2 Jared Mees 164
3 Sammy Halbert 123
4 Brandon Robinson 116
5 Bronson Bauman 101
6 Davis Fisher 92
7 Brandon Price 89
8 Jeffrey Carver Jr. 87
9 Bryan Smith 73
10 Dan Bromley 69

AFT Singles

The AFT Singles Main Event served as a showcase for the sport’s future stars as Dallas Daniels earned a close victory over fellow second-year pro Trent Lowe. Daniels blasted off to the lead at the start and never saw as much as a wheel from a rival throughout the eight-minute (plus two lap) Main.

Williams Grove Half-Mile II - AFT Singles
Williams Grove Half-Mile II – AFT Singles

However, Lowe was right there throughout, primed to capitalize on any mistake. Unfortunately for Lowe, that mistake never came. Still, it was a breakout performance for Lowe, who boasted a pair of fifth-place finishes as his personal bests prior to Saturday’s runner-up ride. Daniels’ third win of the season not only elevates him into the championship lead, it also hands him a relatively healthy 14-point advantage.

Tanner Dean engaged in an extended scrap for third with Morgen Mischler before breaking loose to claim the final spot on the box all by his lonesome. Mischler dropped a couple more positions before it was all over with Kevin Stollings finishing fourth and highly touted rookie Trevor Brunner rounding out the top five.

Williams Grove Half-Mile II - AFT Singles Podium
Williams Grove Half-Mile II – AFT Singles Podium – 1. Dallas Daniels, 2. Trent Lowe, 3. Tanner Dean
Pos Rider Man. Gap
1 Dallas Daniels Yamaha YZ450F 21 Laps
2 Trent Lowe Honda CRF450R 0.52
3 Tanner Dean Honda CRF450R 3.2
4 Kevin Stollings Honda CRF450R 3.845
5 Trevor Brunner Honda CRF450R 5.174
6 Morgen Mischler KTM 450 SX-F 5.232
7 Max Whale Kawasaki KX450F 6.375
8 Michael Rush Yamaha YZ450F 7.097
9 Wyatt Anderson KTM 450 SX-F 7.387
10 Brandon Kitchen KTM 450 SX-F 8.71

AFT Singles Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Dallas Daniels 133
2 Henry Wiles 119
3 Max Whale 114
4 Michael Rush 110
5 Brandon Kitchen 90
6 Trent Lowe 87
7 Trevor Brunner 76
8 Tanner Dean 74
9 Shayna Texter 73
10 Chad Cose 71

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AFT Production Twins

James Rispoli continued his steamroller act on Saturday night, claiming his fourth win in the last five AFT Production Twins Main Events, and he did so in almost drama-free fashion, going nearly unchallenged in his green light to checkered flag victory.

Williams Grove Half-Mile II - AFT Production Twins
Williams Grove Half-Mile II – AFT Production Twins

Rispoli and reigning AFT Production Twins champion Cory Texter briefly reenacted last night’s high-line/low-line comparo, but within a matter of laps, “the Rocket” was working his way out of reach and to a lopsided victory. Rispoli’s 2.642-second victory increases his championship lead to an imposing 30 points at the season’s halfway point.

Other than a mid-race pass for third by Ryan Varnes over Ben Lowe, the race inside the top five was rather processional… until the very final two corners that is. Varnes slowly closed down on Texter over the Main’s final three minutes and worked his way into position to dive underneath his potential prey just as the two entered Turn 3 for the last time. However, they arrived there alongside a pair of lappers who were embroiled in their battle for position, adding another layer of complexity to the attempted maneuver.

Texter got the better of the fray, reclaiming the position as they exited 4 and holding on to grab second in the sprint to the checkered flag by 0.058 seconds. Lowe cruised to fourth a couple seconds back. Chad Cose rode a lonely race in fifth for the bulk of the Main, only to get some unwelcome company late from Jeremiah Duffy. Duffy got the better of Cose in the end, stealing fifth position by 0.111 seconds.

Williams Grove Half-Mile II - AFT Production Twins
Williams Grove Half-Mile II – AFT Production Twins

Johnny Lewis continued to demonstrate the potential of the Royal Enfield’s developing new racebike; he raced his way forward to seventh after starting from last position due to being black flagged in his semi.

Royal Enfield American Flat Track Production Twin
Pos Rider Man. Gap
1 James Rispoli Harley-Davidson XG750R 21 Laps
2 Cory Texter Yamaha MT-07 2.642
3 Ryan Varnes Kawasaki Ninja 650 2.701
4 Ben Lowe Yamaha MT-07 4.909
5 Jeremiah Duffy Kawasaki Ninja 650 9.575
6 Chad Cose Harley-Davidson XG750R 9.686
7 Johnny Lewis Royal Enfield 650 13.94
8 Nick Armstrong Yamaha MT-07 14.131
9 Danny Eslick Kawasaki Ninja 650 15.879
10 Cody Johncox Yamaha MT-07 22.358

AFT Production Twins Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 James Rispoli 174
2 Cory Texter 144
3 Ben Lowe 135
4 Ryan Varnes 134
5 Danny Eslick 107
6 Chad Cose 87
7 Jeremiah Duffy 86
8 Nick Armstrong 75
9 Cody Johncox 61
10 Hayden Gillim 45

MXGP

The FIM Motocross World Championship completed its triple header and Round 8 in Faenza with the MXGP of Emilia Romagna, with Antonio Cairoli riding two consistent races to take his 91st Grand Prix victory in front of a cheering crowd of Italian fans, while claiming the MXGP Red Plate.

Mitchell Evans was the lone Australian rider competing in the MXGP class, fighting his way to fourth in Race 1, but having to settle for eighth in Race 2 after expending so much energy in the first moto. The result sees Evans 11th in the standings, although there’s a 41-point gap to reach the top 10 to overcome at this stage.

Mitch Evans

“I had another good day again and we’re still improving with sixth overall today. It’s been better each time so I’m happy with that. The first moto I didn’t get that great of a start and pushed really hard to come back to fourth so it was a good moto but I pretty much used all of my energy in that one. In the second moto I had a really good start, almost grabbing the holeshot but I had nothing left in the tank so it was just survival mode after that, with me holding on as best I could. I’m happy that I was still able to keep improving and stay healthy and be moving onto the next GP in a couple of weeks at a track I really like.”

Mitch Evans
Mitch Evans
Pos Rider Nat. Bike Race 1 Race 2 Total
1 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM 22 22 44
2 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 16 25 41
3 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 25 15 40
4 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 20 18 38
5 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 11 20 31
6 Evans, Mitchell AUS HON 18 13 31
7 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED GAS 13 16 29
8 Desalle, Clement BEL KAW 12 14 26
9 Lupino, Alessandro ITA YAM 14 11 25
10 Jasikonis, Arminas LTU HUS 15 8 23
11 Paulin, Gautier FRA YAM 10 12 22
12 Van Horebeek, Jeremy BEL HON 9 10 19
13 Vlaanderen, Calvin NED YAM 7 9 16
14 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 8 7 15
15 Jacobi, Henry GER YAM 5 4 9

MXGP Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 285
2 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 278
3 Herlings, J. NED KTM 263
4 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 255
5 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 237
6 Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 233
7 Coldenhoff, G. NED GAS 233
8 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 203
9 Paulin, G. FRA YAM 201
10 Desalle, C. BEL KAW 194
11 Evans, M. AUS HON 153
12 Van Horebeek, J. BEL HON 141
13 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 91
14 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 80
15 Cervellin, M. ITA YAM 73
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MX2

In MX2 Tom Vialle secured his second consecutive GP win, while the leading Aussie riders was Jed Beaton, taking fourth in Race 1, just 0.7s off the final podium position, while Race 2 saw Beaton improve to third, for third overall for the MXGP of Emilia Romagna. He now sits fourth overall in the MX2 standings, 12-points off third placed Maxime Renaux.

Jed Beaton

“It feels great. It’s been a long time coming and it’s great to finally get the monkey off my back and have a great first moto. My starts weren’t the best today but I made it work, especially in the second moto. I’m really happy to finally get onto the podium this season for myself and the team. It’s extra special because it’s my first podium result for Husqvarna. I’ve had a few second-place finishes, but the first moto has let me down so it’s great to turn it around and get on the podium with two good results. My riding was good today. My bike was great so thanks to the team and we’ll build on this ahead of Mantova.”

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

Fellow Aussie Nathan Crawford had a strong weekend, claiming 11th in Race 1, with a challenging Race 2 seeing him settle for 14th, for 11th overall for the round. He now sits 14th in the MX2 standings as a result of the 17-points collected at Round 8.

Bailey Malkiewicz was just off Crawford in Race 1, coming home in 12th, while in Race 2 he claimed 21st, bringing home nine championship points and sitting 17th overall for the GP. Malkiewicz now sits 24th in the MX2 standings.

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Race 1 Race 2 Total
1 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 22 25 47
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 25 22 47
3 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 18 20 38
4 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN HUS 20 15 35
5 Van De Moosdijk, Roan NED KAW 15 18 33
6 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 14 16 30
7 Fernandez, Ruben ESP YAM 12 14 26
8 Rubini, Stephen FRA HON 13 13 26
9 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 11 12 23
10 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 16 5 21
11 Crawford, Nathan AUS HON 10 7 17
12 Lesiardo, Morgan ITA KTM 6 9 15
13 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 4 10 14
14 Östlund, Alvin SWE HON 8 6 14
15 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 5 8 13
16 Horgmo, Kevin NOR KTM 0 11 11
17 Malkiewicz, Bailey AUS HON 9 0 9

MX2 Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 354
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 333
3 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 259
4 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 247
5 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 210
6 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 191
7 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 188
8 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 182
9 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 162
10 Fernandez, R. ESP YAM 156
11 Rubini, S. FRA HON 118
12 Östlund, Alvin SWE HON 112
13 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 105
14 Crawford, N. AUS HON 86
15 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 73
16 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 68
17 Forato, A. ITA HUS 66
18 Guadagnini, M. ITA HUS 62
19 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 62
20 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 59
21 Sikyna, R. SVK KTM 52
22 Lesiardo, M. ITA KTM 46
23 Genot, Cyril BEL YAM 43
24 Malkiewicz, B. AUS HON 43

2020 TrialGP Rounds 3 & 4 – Spain

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou claimed the top honours with a fine ride in Pobladura de las Regueras, León, the third round of the TrialGP World Championship. The third round of the elite trial competition proved to be a tough course, not least due to the official observers who were often overly-strict in scoring the ten sections which riders had to complete over the three laps.

Toni Bou
Toni Bou

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou, rode a rags-to-riches trial, starting poorly, later dominating and finally finishing to be crowned winner atop the podium. Toni did not get off to the best of starts, picking up seventeen marks on the first lap, but was able to bounce back with eight points on lap two and just three on the third.

Wanting to make a strong start to the opening day, Jorge Casales completed the first lap with the sixth best score and 34 marks lost. Improving to 31 marks lost on lap two, an issue with his bike during lap three resulted in the Spaniard collecting maximum scores of five in each of the 10 sections, ending the day in 10th overall.

Jorge Casales
Jorge Casales

Toni Bou once again claimed the top honours on day two of the trial in Pobladura de las Regueras, León, taking his season victory tally to three and increasing his lead in the overall standings to a ten-point advantage.

Differing from yesterday’s trial, the route for the second day of the Spanish TrialGP proved to be much tougher with certain sections virtually impossible to overcome. As a consequence, the trial produced a fairly even result in the final table.

The demanding sections, coupled with the physical issues in the rider’s arms, saw Toni move up and down positions over the first lap, but by the second and third he was able to take command of the trial to eventually claim a third victory of the season. The result allows the current champion to stretch the gap at the top of the championship general standings where the trial star now holds a ten-point advantage over the nearest second place rival.

Toni Bou
Toni Bou

Despite some impressive riding during the early part of day two, a significant crash held Casales back on the second day of competition. Collecting 27 marks at the end of his first lap to ensure he was well in contention for a strong end-of-day result, on lap two he dropped just 17 marks, only two more than eventual day winner Toni Bou. Frustratingly, it wasn’t to be for Casales who was unable to ride at his best throughout lap three following his lap-two crash. Bravely riding on, he completed the lap for 31 marks lost, ending his day in eighth yet having performed much better than his final result suggests.

The next Trial World Championship event will be held next week in the town of Sant Julià de Lória, in Andorra.

Toni Bou

“Today has been a very positive day as it was very hard and we all made quite a few mistakes. It has been a difficult day, not only because of the discomfort in my arm, but also because I didn’t feel quite right on the bike. The trial was very close, but we struggled to get a very important victory in the championship. We will try to arrive in the best possible shape for the trial in Andorra.”

Toni Bou topped the podium from
Toni Bou topped the podium from Adam Raga and Gabriel Marcelli
Jorge Casales

“It’s clear that this wasn’t my best weekend, and certainly not the results we were hoping for. Things started ok on day one – I felt good and things were going ok, but around midday I had some issues with my bike. I tried to fix it, but we couldn’t make the changes we needed to, so the day didn’t end well. Everyone in the team put that behind us for day two and I honestly felt great during the first and second laps. Frustratingly, I had a big crash in section five, which was one of the toughest sections of the event. I hurt my leg when I crashed, which made the next one-and-a-half laps really tough. I had some other misfortune towards the end of the day as well, which added another five marks to my score, so all-in-all not the event I had hoped for. I’ll be working hard to come back strong next weekend in Andorra.”

Round 3 Results

Pos. Rider Nation Team Constr. Points
1 BOU Toni SPA Repsol Honda Team Montesa 28
2 BUSTO Jaime SPA Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo 49
3 RAGA Adam SPA TRRS Factory Team TRRS 57
4 MARCELLI Gabriel SPA RG Team Montesa 68
5 GELABERT Miquel SPA Gas Gas Gas Gas 69
6 FAJARDO Jeroni SPA Sherco Factory Team Sherco 69
7 DABILL James GBR Beta Factory Racing Beta 70
8 FUJINAMI Takahisa JPN Repsol Honda Team Montesa 86
9 PEACE Dan GBR Sherco Factory Team Sherco 93
10 CASALES Jorge SPA Gas Gas Factory Team Gas Gas 115
11 PRICE Jack GBR Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo 136
12 BINCAZ Benoit FRA Beta Factory Racing Beta 147

Round 4 Results

Pos. Rider Nation Team Constructor Points
1 BOU Toni SPA Repsol Honda Team Montesa 48
2 RAGA Adam SPA TRRS Factory Team TRRS 56
3 MARCELLI Gabriel SPA RG Team Montesa 62
4 BINCAZ Benoit FRA Beta Factory Racing Beta 66
5 GELABERT Miquel SPA Gas Gas Gas Gas 68
6 BUSTO Jaime SPA Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo 69
7 DABILL James GBR Beta Factory Racing Beta 69
8 CASALES Jorge SPA Gas Gas Factory Team Gas Gas 75
9 FUJINAMI Takahisa JPN Repsol Honda Team Montesa 77
10 PEACE Dan GBR Sherco Factory Team Sherco 78
11 PRICE Jack GBR Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo 150

2020 TrialGP Standings

Pos. Rider Nation Points
1 BOU Toni SPA 55
2 BUSTO Jaime SPA 51
3 RAGA Adam SPA 48
4 FAJARDO Jeroni SPA 38
5 GELABERT Miquel SPA 28
6 FUJINAMI Takahisa JPN 28
7 CASALES Jorge SPA 28
8 MARCELLI Gabriel SPA 23
9 DABILL James GBR 21
10 BINCAZ Benoit FRA 21

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Enea Gorzow FIM Speedway Grand Prix Round 3

World champion Bartosz Zmarzlik admitted “I feel at my best” in Gorzow after celebrating victory in Enea Gorzow FIM Speedway Grand Prix Round 3 on Friday. The 26-year-old saw off an incredible last-lap challenge from Aussie icon Jason Doyle to win his home event for the second time in his career.

Zmarzlik famously topped the 2014 Gorzow SGP podium as a wild card – becoming the youngest-ever SGP winner at 19 years and 140 days old.

Now he’s very much the King of the Edward Jancarz Stadium and won six of his seven races on his way to a maximum 20 World Championship points, which puts him on 48 overall – just one behind series leader Maciej Janowski.

Bartosz Zmarzlik

“This is an unbelievable night. Everything is working so well and a big thank you to my team and all the fans. You are the best! I live in Gorzow and I feel at my best here. I am very happy because it’s the second time I have won a GP in Gorzow. Winning a GP in Gorzow is a little bit different to other rounds because this is my home track and these are my home people. I live my whole life here. It has been really nice and I am really happy with everything today. Everything worked really nicely. It was a very big feeling for four laps in the final with Jason Doyle. He kept going after me all the time – right to the last corner. I am happy I won. But I must go home and get a good sleep. Tomorrow is a new day and everyone starts again.”

Bartosz Zmarzlik
Bartosz Zmarzlik

Former world champion Jason Doyle piled the pressure on Zmarzlik in a breathtaking last lap in the final, dive-bombing the local hero on the last corner. Zmarzlik held his nerve and maintained his momentum to top the podium, but 18 championship points sees Doyle rocket from 15th place in the standings prior to the meeting up to seventh on 26.

After scoring eight points combined in the opening two rounds and enduring an up-and-down season in Poland’s PGE Ekstraliga, Czestochowa star Doyle paid tribute to those who helped him bounced back.

Jason Doyle

“It has been a tough year, but I have worked really hard – and not just myself. My mechanics and family have done a lot behind the scenes when times have been tough; these are things you don’t always see. There are a lot of good people in my corner and I want to say thanks to them now. This is a step in the right direction and it’s always nice to be on the podium at any GP.”

Third-placed Fredrik Lindgren reached his third SGP final in as many rounds and is determined to keep that run going in a season when the biggest rewards go to riders who make it into the rostrum race.

Enea Gorzow SGP Round 3 Points

Pos. Rider Points
1 Bartosz Zmarzlik 20
2 Jason Doyle 18
3 Fredrik Lindgren 16
4 Leon Madsen 14
5 Martin Vaculik 12
6 Tai Woffinden 11
7 Maciej Janowski 10
8 Matej Zagar 9
9 Artem Laguta 8
10 Emil Sayfutdinov 7
11 Niels-Kristian Iversen 6
12 Mikkel Michelsen 5
13 Max Fricke 4
14 Anders Thomsen 3
15 Patryk Dudek 2
16 Antonio Lindback 1
17 Wiktor Jasinski 0
18 Rafal Karczmarz 0

Enea Gorzow FIM Speedway Grand Prix Round 4

New FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship leader Fredrik Lindgren admitted his Enea Gorzow SGP round-four win was, “a burden lifted from my shoulders.”

The Swedish icon topped the podium after overhauling Jason Doyle to win the final with a jaw-dropping opening lap and a half at the Edward Jancarz Stadium. The Aussie was later pipped to second place by Danish star Leon Madsen on the run to the line.

1. Fredrik Lindgren 2. Leon Madsen 3. Jason Doyle 
1. Fredrik Lindgren 2. Leon Madsen 3. Jason Doyle

This completed a Czestochowa one-two-three, but the night belonged to Lindgren, who reached his fourth straight final of 2020 to charge into a seven-point lead at the top of the standings. Despite impressing with two third places and a fourth going into tonight’s event, Lindgren admits he was determined to end his wait for a win.

Fredrik Lindgren

“This was a bit of a burden lifted from my shoulders tonight – to be able to finally get a win when I have been in three finals and not been able to execute it. It feels really good. I am super happy – so, so happy! You don’t want to be the guy who makes it to the final and never wins. It’s a relief to be able to do it. I have that burden off my back now and I can keep the focus for next weekend.”

Lindgren was taken wider and wider by Doyle as they battled over the lead going into lap two, before producing a majestic cutback to dive under the Aussie for the lead. Madsen’s second place fires him up to fifth in the World Championship on 50 points – 16 short of leader Lindgren.

Third-placed Doyle produced his second SGP podium finish in 24 hours after also racing to second spot on Friday. Having started the weekend with just eight championship points to his name, Doyle now has 42 and is delighted with a turnaround that has seen him climb from 15th to seventh in just two rounds.

Jason Doyle

“It was an unbelievable weekend for me in Gorzow. Two podiums get me back up into a good position for the next two rounds in Prague and also Torun. We are working hard. It’s a tough year, but we are getting there in the end and we also have some speed, so I’m happy.”

Next up is the third SGP 2020 double-header in Czech capital Prague this weekend. Visit Czech Republic SGP round five takes place on Friday, before Marketa Stadium hosts Aztorin SGP round six on Saturday night.

Enea Gorzow SGP Round 4 Points

Pos. Rider Points
1 Fredrik Lindgren  20
2 Leon Madsen  18
3 Jason Doyle  16
4  Emil Sayfutdinov  14
5  Bartosz Zmarzlik  12
6  Martin Vaculik  11
7  Tai Woffinden  10
8  Maciej Janowski 9
9  Max Fricke  8
10  Anders Thomsen  7
11  Matej Zagar  6
12  Artem Laguta  5
13  Niels-Kristian Iversen  4
14  Antonio Lindback  3
15  Mikkel Michelsen  2
16  Patryk Dudek  1
17  Rafal Karczmarz  0
18  Wiktor Jasinski  0

Speedway GP Standings

Pos. Rider Points
1 Fredrik Lindgren  66
2 Bartosz Zmarzlik  59
3 Maciej Janowski  57
4 Tai Woffinden  53
5 Leon Madsen  50
6 Artem Laguta  45
7 Jason Doyle  42
8 Emil Sayfutdinov  36
9 Martin Vaculik  35
10 Matej Zagar  27
11 Niels-Kristian Iversen  24
12 Max Fricke  24
13 Mikkel Michelsen  18
14 Patryk Dudek  16
15 Gleb Chugunov  16
16 Anders Thomsen  10
17 Antonio Lindback  6

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Women’s World Motocross Champ Duncan returns to Europe to continue title defence

The long wait is over and New Zealand’s Courtney Duncan has packed her bags and returned to Europe this week to continue her Women’s Motocross World Championship (WMX) title defence.

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan

She has been home in Dunedin since March, flying back after the second WMX round in The Netherlands, with a five-point lead over her closest rival. Since then the MXGP calendar has been affected by Covid-19 and 24-year old Duncan has been waiting on a green light for the women’s racing to resume.

Her final three rounds are all scheduled to take place in Italy. The first two meetings on September 27 (MXGP Lombardia) and September 30 (MXGP of Città di Mantova), which are both held on the hard sand Mantova track, are following the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship’s new racing format of mid-week races.

Duncan will remain in Europe and train towards the final Italian round – the MXGP of Trentino on November 1 – where she is targeting her name being re-engraved on the winner’s trophy for 2020.

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan – Image courtesy of MXGP

She flew to England to re-join her Kawasaki Dixon Racing Team at their Portsmouth base. Her self-isolation time will be happily spent getting straight onto her new 2021 Kawasaki KX250F and turning out some test laps at the team’s track.

Duncan was even able to enter a national race meeting for the first time in three years, competing at the King of Central in Cromwell in July. Easily winning her four races against both the MX2 men and in the women’s class, the race-pace outings gave her the edge she needed to head back into battle mode.

Courtney Duncan

“I’d be lying if I said I was happy with just one world championship. I want another one and that’s what I’m aiming towards. I want to go over there and ride to the best of my ability. I’ll be putting myself in good positions to score some strong finishes and the rest will come. Kawasaki have bought out a whole new bike. It will be cool to go over there a few weeks early and get comfortable on it. Everything happens for a reason. I’m excited for the new schedule. To be honest, I’ve just enjoyed being home training back in New Zealand and I made the most of the local tracks. There’s nothing like racing itself and getting behind the gate a few times. You learn different things in racing that you don’t pick up in practise. Even though this was a local event, it still got my adrenaline pumping and gave me an appetite for what I’ve got coming up in Italy. Thanks to my supporters and sponsors for everything you do for me. I’ll do my best to bring the world number one title back home to New Zealand for you all again come November.”

MXGP Rnd Netherlands Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan – Image courtesy of MXGP

2020 Women’s Motocross World Championship points

Pos. Rider Nat. Man. Points
1 Duncan, Courtney. NZL KAW 90
2 Papenmeier, Larissa. GER YAM 85
3 Fontanesi, Kiara. ITA KTM 80
4 Van De Ven, Nancy. NED YAM 78
5 Valk, Lynn NED YAM 66

Revised Women’s Motocross World Championship calendar

  • September 27 – MXGP Lombardia, Mantova circuit, Italy
  • September 30 – MXGP of Città di Mantova, Mantova circuit, Italy
  • November 1 – MXGP of Trentino, Pietramurata, Italy

2021 Pilot Air Compressors A4DE Update

The organising committee of the 2021 Pilot Air Australian Four Day Enduro in Harvey, Western Australia are busy with the preparations for the event which is planned to run from May 19 – 22.

The top Masters riders about to head off on Day 3
The A4DE back in 2018 – Image by Jeff Mawston

Despite the impact of the Corona Virus pandemic and its consequences on the motorcycle events calendar, the committee has made great progress towards running a memorable four-day event with planning proceeding with optimism and a positive attitude.

Collin Jennings of the Trail and Enduro Motorcycle Club of WA Inc said excellent cooperation from the Shire of Harvey and the Parks and Wildlife Services, who are the guardians of the land that will be used, has ensured the club can plan interesting and enjoyable trails.

Despite COVID-19 and a number of current State border closures, the 2021 Pilot Air A4DE committee will continue planning for a successful event. The 2021 Pilot Air A4DE committee plan to make a decision in mid-February.

In the meantime, the Committee wishes to advise prospective competitors and supporters to ensure accommodation bookings can be refundable and flights are booked after entries open.

Collin Jennings – Trail and Enduro Motorcycle Club of WA

“Each of the first three days will be held in a different area and the fourth day will have a short one-hour trail section culminating in the spectacular final natural terrain motocross heats. At this time, it is impossible for us to make an informed decision about the effect of COVID-19 restrictions on the viability of the Australian Championship event. We hope to have confirmation of border restrictions being lifted before February when entries will open. We’d like to thank competitors and families for their understanding at this unprecedented time and will ensure that if State Government regulations change, we will keep competitors and fans up to date.”

Matthew Falvo – Motorcycling Australia’s Event Manager

“We are very pleased to see the work that is going on behind the scenes by the committee for the 2021 A4DE as we know the enormous effort it takes to make the event so great. We are very excited that we can build on the successes of previous A4DE events and look forward to 2021.”

The 2021 Pilot Air Compressors committee this week launched the new event website www.pilotaircompressorsa4de.com is now live with all updates. If you require further information please email [email protected]

2021 Pilot Air Compressors A4DE

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Clout returns to racing at the East Coast Motocross Championship

Luke Clout returned to Australia following his first full season in America to prepare for the Australian Supercross Championship, unfortunately due to the coronavirus schedules have changed and now Clout has turned his attention to the Australian Motocross Championship which is set to run later in the year.

Luke Clout

“It’s disappointing that Australia Supercross has been postponed but I am looking forward to racing again this weekend in preparation for the motocross championship. “The experience was priceless, and I learnt a lot. Leading some laps was something I will never forget. Everything I learnt will help and I can’t wait to get back behind the gate this weekend.”

Luke Clout had an amazing first season in America with Penrite Honda, he finished as high as fifth and led some of the world’s best supercross racers on his way to eighth overall.

Penrite Honda have now committed to the East Coast Motocross Championship starting with Round 3, which ran this past weekend in Maitland. Team director Yarrive Konksy believes racing locally will help Luke prepare for the Australian Motocross Championships.

Luke Clout’s first outing with the East Coast Motocross Championship saw the Penrite Honda rider claim three race wins over the September 12-13 round, as well as the overall win, marking Clout’s first race on Honda’s CRF450R, after racing a 250 in his overseas competition.

Luke Clout

“It was great, I love racing. I also go to connect with my roots, my parents were there and there were riders of all ages and classes competing. I enjoyed being amongst it. It was also good to use the weekend for testing. Nothing beats racing. The 450 is different and you need to ride it differently. I am glad I am getting some racing in ahead of the nationals. We are really close with bike setup; I learnt a little over the weekend as the track got rougher and we will make some minor changes ahead of the next round.”

Luke Clout – Penrite Honda

GNCC Round Nine

The Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, continued Sunday, September 13, as the motorcycles took to the woods of West Virginia. Round 9, the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mountaineer, took place at Summit Bechtel Reserve in Beckley, WV. Cloudy conditions made for a great weekend of racing, even with some showers taking place on Sunday afternoon’s Pro race.

In the XC1 Open Pro class it was FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell racing off the line first to grab the All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot award. However, as the pack of riders headed into the woods, Russell would make a mistake and be forced to fight through the pack of riders early in the race. Russell’s teammate, FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley would capitalize and move into the lead for the opening lap.

FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell grabbed the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot award. Photo: Ken Hill

Making his return to racing aboard a new team for the event was AmPro Yamaha’s Steward Baylor Jr. As the lead pack of racers came through timing and scoring on lap one, Baylor found himself sitting 5.5 seconds behind Kelley. Throughout the course of lap two, Kelley and Baylor would engage in a battle with Baylor taking over the top spot as they came through just 1.9 seconds apart. Russell had made his way into the number three spot, but found himself 53 second behind the lead duo.

As the race wore on Baylor Jr. would put his head down and push to put a sizeable gap between himself and Kelley. With the fans cheering him on throughout all six laps, Baylor Jr. would come through to take his first overall win of the season with over a minute lead. Kelley, who tangled with some lappers, would manage to hold onto second overall with Russell rounding out the top three overall at this year’s Mountaineer GNCC.

AmPro Yamaha’s Steward Baylor Jr. clinched his first overall win of the season aboard his new team in West Virginia. Photo: Ken Hill

FactoryONE Sherco’s Grant Baylor steadily moved up through the pack after a seventh place start to the day. Baylor found himself running in the third place position at the halfway point in the race, but would be unable to hold off a charging Russell. As the checkered flag flew Baylor would check-in with a fourth overall on the day.

Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Jordan Ashburn found himself sitting just outside the top five as the race began. Ashburn would put his head down and push making the pass for fifth on lap two, however, he would soon find himself back in sixth. As the white flag flew Ashburn knew he only had one more lap to make the pass stick, and he would do just that crossing the finish line fifth overall.

FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley claimed the second overall spot at round nine. Photo: Ken Hill

After missing the last two rounds before GNCC’s summer break, AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Michael made his return to racing in his home state of West Virginia. Michael had a mid-pack start to the day, but would work his way up to fourth for the second and third laps. Michael put up quite a fight for a top five finishing position, only missing out by 20 seconds behind Ashburn.

Phoenix Honda Racing’s Andrew Delong had a great start, and as he came through timing and scoring he would find himself fourth overall. However, as Delong made his way through the second lap and then third laps he would have to take make a long pit stop. Delong’s team worked feverishly to fix the mechanical issue with his bike, and he would head back out into the race still running in that eighth place position. By the time the checkered flag flew Delong had worked his way to seventh in the XC1 Open Pro class.

FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Josh Toth was running a good race as he registered in third on the opening lap. However, a small mistake in the woods happened to reaggravate his knee from a practice incident a couple of weeks ago. With rain showers presenting themselves and the tough conditions, Toth made the difficult decision to pull out of the race after three laps of racing.

In the XC2 250 Pro class it was Trail Jesters KTM’s Jonathan Girroir taking his fourth class win of the season. Girroir was off to a great start and would come through on the opening lap in the first place position. Girroir would find himself up into the third overall position based off of his adjusted time. However, as the race worse on Girroir found a good flow and did not want to make a mistake to jeopardize his XC2 class win. Girroir would come through to take the win with a 13 second gap back to second place.

Tely Energy Racing/KTM’s Liam Draper made his way onto the XC2 class podium with a second place finish in West Virginia. Draper had started off his day running in the fourth place position, but would steadily work his way through the pack. When the white flag came out, Draper would make a last lap charge to ensure his second place finish.

Rounding out the XC2 top three finishers was AmPro Yamaha/St. Lawrence Radiology’s Mike Witkowski. Witkowski would have his work cut out for himself throughout the race, as he would find himself back in the fifth place position at one point in the race. Witkowski found himself third as the white flag was flying, and he would hold onto that position until the checkered flag flew.

Australian Lyndon Snodgrass finished eighth in the XC2 category.

Raines Riding University/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Jason Raines would battle throughout the duration of the race with Moose Racing/Carolina KTM/XC Gear’s Zack Hayes for the FMF XC3 125cc Pro-Am class win. Raines and Hayes would swap the lead position multiple times throughout the three-hour race; however it would be Raines making a last lap pass to take the win. Hayes would finish out the day with a second in the class, with FXR/KTM’s Jason Lipscomb making his way up to third in the class.

AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer earned her second WXC class win of the season. Photo: Ken Hill

AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer battled throughout the 10 a.m. race to take her second WXC class win of the season. Archer made her way into the lead position early in the race, but would face a battle with Beta USA’s Rachel Gutish on the second lap of racing. Gutish, who grabbed the $100 Trail Jesters WXC Holeshot award, was eager to battle at the front of the pack. Archer would make the pass back around Gutish to retake the lead as the white flag came out. When the checkered flag flew after four laps of racing, Archer would cross the finish line a minute ahead of her competition. Gutish would come through to hold onto second place at round nine. BABS Racing Yamaha/Maxxis’ Becca Sheets maintained her third place position throughout the duration of the two-hour race. Sheets remains in the WXC points lead after nine rounds of racing are complete.

Mountaineer Results and Points Standings – Beckley, West Virginia
GNCC Round 9 of 13 – Sunday, September 13, 2020

XC1 Pro Event Results

  1. Steward Baylor Jr. (YAM)
  2. Benjamin Kelley (KTM)
  3. Kailub Russell (KTM)
  4. Grant Baylor (SHR)
  5. Jordan Ashburn (KAW)
  6. Layne Michael (YAM)
  7. Andrew Delong (HON)
  8. Joshua Toth (KTM)

Overall National Championship Standings

  1. Kailub Russell (256)
  2. Josh Strang (193)
  3. Jordan Ashburn (143)
  4. Craig DeLong (133)
  5. Michael Witkowski (123)
  6. Jonathan Girroir (121)
  7. Grant Baylor (103)
  8. Cody Barnes (91)
  9. Liam Draper (83)
  10. Benjamin Kelley (82)
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mountaineer GNCC Overall Winner: Steward Baylor.
Photo: Ken Hill

XC2 250 Pro Event Results

  1. Jonathan Girroir (KTM)
  2. Liam Draper (KTM)
  3. Michael Witkowski (YAM)
  4. Craig Delong (HQV)
  5. Ryder Lafferty (HQV)
  6. Cody Barnes (BET)
  7. Thorn Devlin (BET)
  8. Lyndon Snodgrass (KAW)
  9. Jonathan Johnson (HON)
  10. Samuel Evans (KTM)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings

  1. Craig DeLong (224)
  2. Jonathan Girroir (224)
  3. Michael Witkowski (209)
  4. Cody Barnes (154)
  5. Liam Draper (143)
  6. Thorn Devlin (121)
  7. Ryder Lafferty (105)
  8. Jonathan Johnson (101)
  9. Benjamin Nelko (82)
  10. Simon Johnson (79)

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Kirk Gibbs readying for King of Capricorn Cup

It’s been a long break between races for CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team rider Kirk Gibbs, but he is set and ready to compete at The King of Capricorn Cup in Rockhampton at the start of October.

Way back in February, Gibbs won the New Zealand Motocross Championships for the second time and was in good form leading up to the start of the Australian racing season. But with the delays in the season due to the Covid pandemic and then a wrist injury sustained in July, Gibbs hasn’t been behind the gate for over six months.

Racing returned to Queensland in July and as Gibbs prepared for a string of events, he fell and broke his wrist just days prior to the MX Farm round of the Sunshine State Series. After six weeks on the sidelines, he was given the all-clear to resume riding and the Rockhampton event is to be his first race back and first race on Australian soil in 2020.

Kirk Gibbs

“2020 has been a strange year for everyone and to think this will be my first race of the year when its usually the end of our season is odd. It was disappointing that the national season was delayed and then my injury prior to the state races starting just compounded my frustration. I have missed racing and so keen to get back on track and get some racing in. It’s been hard work watching all the Queensland based riders racing up here and not being a part of it as we have been fortunate to keep racing when other states couldn’t. It’s great that Rockhampton have been able to organise this event and it’s given me something to work towards as I regain full speed and fitness. The $20K in prizemoney also means there is a bit on the line and things will be intense on the track, so I can’t wait.”

MX Nationals Moree Kirk Gibbs
Kirk Gibbs

The King of Capricorn will be held the weekend of October 3- 4 and include a wide range of races catering for everyone from juniors through to professionals. The Six Mile circuit is a popular one with the riders and the local community has relied behind the event and with $20,000 prize money on offer, it will also be one of the biggest events of the season.

Craig Dack – CDR Yamaha

“We are happy to support Kirk at this event and will put things in place around him to ensure he is in good hands. With the team based in Victoria, we are unable to attend due to the border restrictions, but we are desperate to do what we can to get our riders on track and races events like this where the state regulations allow. Kirk has been back on the bike for just over a week and with a couple of weeks before the event, he will be able to increase his fitness base and riding volume in the coming weeks. It will also his first hit out on the 2020 YZ450F race bike, so we are hoping for a positive few weeks and a good result in Rockhampton.”


AORC Events Calendar Update

The Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) presented by MXstore is closely monitoring the health crisis developments and the effects COVID-19 are having on state borders restrictions and the potential impacts this may have on the current 2020 championship remaining date.

The up coming Round 11 & 12 of AORC, scheduled to be held on 14-15 November are currently under review. The final decision regarding this event will be announced no later than 9th of October 2020. Should further information be available at an earlier date, this will be communicated.

Matthew Falvo – Motorcycling Australia’s Event Manager

“We are working together with all our key stakeholders to get the final rounds up and running to have one last shot to go racing. From the outset we have remained committed to racing and this is still our aim. We understand the effects the current situation is having on all parties involved in the championship and we thank them all from our host clubs, riders, officials, in addition to our loyal sponsors for their patience and understanding in this difficult time.”

AORC can confirm that if it becomes clear that the event is not able to go ahead there will no further adjustments made to the remaining date.


AMA Supermoto National Championship scheduled for Nov. 7-8
Two-day competition to determine winners of AMA National No. 1 plates

The 2020 AMA Supermoto National Championship features two days of competition in November in Tucson, Ariz., to determine who receives the coveted AMA National No. 1 plate in five classes.

Originally scheduled as a six-event series, this national championship, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association, will consist of four points-earning races. The format includes two races per day Nov. 7-8. Each race offers points toward the overall championship. The six scheduled events were cancelled due to restrictions put in place by government officials during the coronavirus pandemic.

The series is run by the AMA promoter, DRT Racing. Classes include Open, Lites, National Amateur, Sportsman MX and Kids.


Baja TT do Pinhal postponed

The Baja TT do Pinhal, scheduled for September 12-13 has had to be cancelled due to the extension of the fire risk alert situation put in place by the local authorities in Portugal. This opening round of the FIM Bajas World Cup was to mark the return to off-road motorcycle competition after the interruption caused by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

After consultation with the teams, riders and all stakeholders involved and with the agreement of the local authorities, the FIM, the motorcycling federation of Portugal, and the local organiser Escuderia Castelo Branco have decided to postpone the event to September 19-20, 2020.


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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | Freeman claims EnduroGP title | TdN | GNCC

Moto News Weekly for October 1, 2019

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What happened this week

  • Brad Freeman ties up EnduroGP title in France
  • Hamish MacDonald claims first Kiwi Endurance World Title
  • Australia goes one better at 2019 TdN in Ibiza
  • 2019 Australian Junior Dirt Track run at Somersby over weekend
  • Thad Duvall claims 2019 Mason-Dixon GNCC Overall Win
  • Jared Mees tops AFT season finale
  • Netherlands claims MXoN win from Belgium and Great Britain
  • 2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale wraps up
  • Cross-Countries Rally head to Rallye du Maroc
  • Road Racer Jessopp tries WESS at Hawkstone Park XC
  • 2019 KTM AJMX Interstate Challenge Teams Announced
  • 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule
  • Rene Hofer join Red Bull KTM MX2 effort full-time in 2020
  • Mathys Boisrame joins F&H Kawasaki
  • KTM takes over Gas Gas

Brad Freeman ties up EnduroGP title in France
Saturday Report

Saturday of the last weekend of EnduroGP competition in 2019 saw the tests of the GP of France challenge many of the riders, however quadruple World Champion Steve Holcombe got the job done and won the E3 category and with this new success, now boasts an impressive five titles in his young career.

EnduroGP France Brad FreemanimgEGP
Brad Freeman – Image by EnduroGP

Brad Freeman continued his momentum, the 2019 E1 World Champion offered up a repeat performance of the incredible pace he had in the Czech Republic. Highly focused and dominating the day, the Beta Boano rider finished as the best performer of the day by winning five tests.

Danny McCanney once again makes it an all British podium by accompanying the Beta pair on the podium. The TM rider won four tests today, a impressive feat against the likes of Freeman and Holcombe, as well as a charged up French contingent.

The first non-Brit is France’s Loïc Larrieu who, in front of his supporters, had a great day during which he won two tests. Alex Salvini put in a lot of effort and finished in the Top 5. The Italian suffered in the extremely demanding transfers of the Livradois lap.

EnduroGP France Loic Larrieu
Loïc Larrieu

In E1, there was no change as McCanney signed off on a new success in the class. He was ahead of a surprising Andrea Verona and another Italian joins them on the podium, Thomas Oldrati.

The fight in the E2 category was superb all day. It was Loïc Larrieu who snatched the victory at the expense of Alex Salvini. The two men fought blow for blow. But Larrieu, probably boosted by the many French fans, found the strength to win and separate himself and Salvini by just one point.

EnduroGP France Alex Salvini
Alex Salvini

Steve Holcombe did it, taking a new world title in the E3 category! His fifth in four years of Senior competitions. The Brit knew he could ‘save’ his very tough season with this success and have a reason to smile. Very emotional when he arrived back into the paddock, Holcombe dedicated his latest title to his team and all his relatives. Joining Holcombe on the podium were his season long rival, Danny McCanney and France’s ever-improving David Abgrall.

Steve Holcombe

“It’s amazing to win another world title. This is certainly a memorable one. It’s been a challenging season for me, so to finally collect the Enduro 3 World Championship is a huge relief. From dominating the opening round to coming extremely close to having the Epstein Bar Virus put an end to my season mid-way through the series, honestly, it’s been such a strange year. My goal was to defend my EnduroGP title, which I still have a mathematical chance of doing, but winning another Enduro 3 title after everything that’s happened is something I’m incredibly proud of. I have to say a huge thanks to my team, all my sponsors, my family and everyone who’s worked with me this season, helping me battle through some difficult moments. World title number five certainly wasn’t an easy one to win but it’s a special one.”

Steve Holcombe FM France EnduroGP Rnd
Steve Holcombe – Image by Future7Media

In the Junior category, Wil Ruprecht won despite the Epstein Barr virus that continues to wreak havoc with his health. The Australian has drawn on all his resources to get this second win in 2019.

It’s a great reward for him and Joakim Johansson’s team. Theo Espinasse was just over a second and a half behind the Australian, having provided a spectacular race as usual. The young Brit Dan Mundell accompanied these two on the podium, bringing more silverware to Sherco Factory.

The Junior 1 podium was identical to that of Junior Overall, with Ruprecht leading Espinasse and Mundell. In J2, Ruy Barbosa won ahead of Till De Clerco and Emanuele Facchetti. But a nod goes to Enric Francisco who, despite a big crash which left him battered and bruised, won the World J2 title, triggering euphoric celebrations for his team and manager, Ivan Cervantes.

Hamish Macdonald made a whole nation proud by becoming the first World Enduro Champion from New Zealand. The Sherco rider won the title after a very complicated season after Macdonald broke his collarbone in Spain. He pushed hard to recover and return to the top of the category. This title augurs really well for the Kiwi, who hasn’t yet realised the full extent of his success.

Hamish Macdonald

“I can not find the words, this title is just incredible! The season was very tricky when I broke my collarbone, and my rivals have pushed. All I can say is thank you to my team and my family, but also to the Edmondson family for welcoming me and taking care of me away from home all year. I still haven’t taken in what’s happening, but I can promise you that we’re going to celebrate tonight!”

On the first day of action, home favourite Nathan Bererd won in front of Sergio Navarro by less than a second! Macdonald climbed onto the final step of the podium in the Youth category.

The Enduro Woman Cup is back! For the second consecutive year, the best girls on the planet come to battle to win the Women’s World Cup at the final round of the season. And defending champion Sanna Karkkainen has a lot of work to do if she wants to retain her crown.

Jane Daniels surged to success by winning on Saturday. The Brit is ahead of Karkkainen and the Spanish rider Mireia Badia. Daniels is extremely motivated after the big disappointment she suffered in 2018, when she had to give up her title hopes after breaking her collarbone early in the weekend. Jane left no chances to her rivals, winning five out of the six tests.

The riders in the Champion Lubricants Enduro Open World Cup also fought it out on the tough terrain, chasing the best riders in the world. In Open 2-Stroke, after his absence in the Czech Republic, Gonçalo Reis has come back with a win. He won in front of Benet Gomez and a quick Jack Cadwallader.

In Open 4-Stroke, Belgium’s Mathias Van Hoof had announced he was hoping to take the top step on French soil – and he managed it! He took victory over Robert Riedel and Dylan Levesque. In the absence of the giant from the Isle of Man, David Knight, it was Andrea Belotti turn to win. The Italian had this first win of the year in Open Senior ahead of Enrique Gonzalez Vega and Patrik Andersson.

EnduroGP France Podio E Day
2019 EnduroGP of France – E3 Podium Saturday

2019 EnduroGP of France – Saturday Overall

  1. Brad FREEMAN United Kingdom 1:08:22.13
  2. Steve HOLCOMBE United Kingdom +19.86
  3. Daniel MCCANNEY United Kingdom +23.01
  4. Loïc LARRIEU France +36.69
  5. Alex SALVINI Italy +1:06.89
  6. Thomas OLDRATI Italy +1:18.78
  7. Giacomo REDONDI Italy +1:34.81
  8. Matteo CAVALLO Italy +1:37.44
  9. Joseph WOOTTON United Kingdom +1:39.40
  10. Antoine BASSET France +1:48.12
  11. Benjamin HERRERA Chile +2:05.48
  12. David ABGRALL France +2:11.83
  13. Antoine MEO France +2:17.26
  14. Christophe CHARLIER France +2:24.00
  15. Kirian MIRABET Spain +2:49.10
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Sunday Report

In an incredible end to the 2019 EnduroGP season, Sunday saw the supreme title of EnduroGP – overall Champion – still to be decided, with Brad Freeman giving it his all. And at the tender age of 23 he has taken the first EnduroGP title of his career. This incredible day in the sport also saw the world E2 crown awarded, as well as the Women’s World Cup.

EnduroGP France Thomas Oldrati
Thomas Oldrati

Brad Freeman continued to fly the Union Jack high. He is also the first rider to end Steve Holcombe’s reign. The Beta Boano rider broke his collarbone at the GP of Greece and had to ride in searing in pain to conquer the title. In addition to his E1 crowns in 2018 and 2019, and his Junior crown in 2017, Freeman now adds a fourth star to his list. All this bodes well for the future of the incredibly talented young rider.

Brad Freeman

“That’s it! We did it! I do not have a lot of words to describe what I’m feeling. This season was so complicated and tough, I can tell you that it took a lot of will to fulfil this dream. I am EnduroGP World Champion and it feels great!”

EnduroGP France Brad Freeman imgEGP
Brad Freeman

And what a performance from Loïc Larrieu today! Encouraged and boosted by the French fans, he attacked all day on Sunday, winning no fewer than six tests. The TM rider intelligently built up his lead and kept an eye on his opponent’s pace, upping his pace only when needed. Larrieu took his first world title, in E2, on home soil – what better way to do it?

Larrieu also owes his performance to an exceptional Alex Salvini, who pushed him to his absolute limits. The Italian made very few mistakes, and finished second overall in a Grand Prix that could easily have turned in his favour.

Loic Larrieu

“To win this title in front of the French public is something really special. This title represents a lot for me. I want to thank the entire TM Racing team, my entourage and my partners. It’s a great reward after a year that was difficult with a new constructor and little preparation. It’s just perfect, it’s my year.”

EnduroGP France Loic Larrieu
Loïc Larrieu

Steve Holcombe also fought gallantly all day. Freshly crowned in the E3 class, Steve promised to throw everything into the ring to try and beat Freeman, but this year it simply wasn’t enough. He finished third in this last GP of a difficult season.

Brad Freeman was fourth overall, doing ‘just enough’. Meanwhile, 2018 Junior World Champion Matteo Cavallo impressed everyone in his first Senior season, taking another Top 5 spot overall.

EnduroGP France Loic Larrieu
Loïc Larrieu

The E2 class was extremely exciting on this second day of racing in France. Loïc Larrieu became World Champion for the first time in his career, and in impressive fashion. Mastering the French terrain, he admitted he had to push all day. Alex Salvini was a fantastic rival for Larrieu , he always gives his all and fights with aggression and finesse. But the Italian once again had to swallow the heartbreak of losing out on the last day of the year. Behind this pair on the E2 podium was an ever-improving Joe Wootton.

Alex Salvini

“I got beaten again at the last race of the year, but this time it was nothing like what happened in 2018. This year the fight was really beautiful with Loic, and even though I am very disappointed not to be champion, I realised what I am capable of. This year was tough but I am happy to have managed to run my own team – we will come back even stronger.”

EnduroGP France Alex Salvini
Alex Salvini

In E1, Freeman won at the expense of Cavallo and Davide Guarneri.
Meanwhile, Steve Holcombe won the last E3 race of the year in front of his super-consistent compatriot, Danny McCanney and the legendary champion Christophe Nambotin, who has just taken part in his last GP.

Steve Holcombe FM France EnduroGP RndTheo Espinasse ended his 2019 season like a cannonball. The Sherco rider pocketed another win following his success in Uhlirske Janovice two weeks ago. He took Sunday’s victory ahead of Ruy Barbosa and a quick Dan Mundell. Espinasse also won the J1 class in front of Mundell and Antoine Magain. While J2 went to Barbosa, in front of wildcard Jed Etchells and Léo Le Quere.

In Youth 125, Sergio Navarro won in the last round against Nathan Bererd by a second and a half. 2019 EY Champion Hamish Macdonald closed out the podium positions.

Shy and quiet off the bike, Britain’s Jane Daniels is absolutely ferocious on the tests. After a flawless weekend, she wins the Enduro Women’s World Cup. As modest as talented, Daniels was finally able to claim a title that has eluded her in the past due to misfortune or bad luck. In 2019, she proved she is the fastest woman in the world on an enduro machine. 2018 champion Sanna Karkkainen didn’t have an answer for Daniels this weekend. Third on this world podium was Spain’s Mireia Badia.

Jane Daniels

“At last I have won this title that I have been waiting for so long! I am really happy and I am very proud to bring this trophy home with me!”

In the Champion Lubricants Enduro Open World Cup, the 2019 season has been a great success. The category gave a chance for a large number of riders who dreamed of rubbing shoulders with the best in the world, on the same course! It is mission accomplished for the first year of the Open Cup!

For this last round of the season in Open 4-Stroke we saw the same winner as Saturday – Belgium’s Mathias Van Hoof on his Beta. He took victory ahead of Robert Riedel and Dylan Levesque. In the Open 2-Stroke Gonçalo Reis concluded a brilliant season with another win. He was accompanied on the final podium of the year by Gomez Benet and Jorge Paradelo Rodriguez. In the Senior category, Andrea Belotti doubled up and won for the second time this weekend. The same duo as Saturday; Enrique Gonzalez Vega and Patrik Andersson accompanied him on the podium.

EnduroGP France Podio E Day
2019 EnduroGP of France – E3 Podium Sunday

The Grand Prix of France brilliantly concluded an EnduroGP season that was in every respect remarkable. Given the level of competition, excitement, and unpredictability shown this year, all eyes are already on 2020!

2019 EnduroGP of France – Sunday Overall

  1. Loïc LARRIEU France 1:05:47.21
  2. Alex SALVINI Italy +8.07
  3. Steve HOLCOMBE United Kingdom +22.33
  4. Brad FREEMAN United Kingdom +28.58
  5. Matteo CAVALLO Italy +42.42
  6. Daniel MCCANNEY United Kingdom +49.69
  7. Joseph WOOTTON United Kingdom +57.36
  8. Antoine BASSET France +1:48.98
  9. Davide GUARNERI Italy +1:57.15
  10. Benjamin HERRERA Chile +2:04.72
  11. Christophe NAMBOTIN France +2:13.23
  12. Christophe CHARLIER France +2:21.31
  13. Hugo BLANJOUE France +2:21.43
  14. Thomas OLDRATI Italy +2:23.34
  15. David ABGRALL France +2:30.89
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Hamish Macdonald claims first Kiwi Endurance World Title

Canterbury’s Hamish MacDonald has become the first New Zealand rider to win a World Enduro Championship. Originally from West Melton, MacDonald (20) was crowned the FIM 125cc Youth Enduro World Champion at the final round in Ambert, France over the weekend.

The victory was made even sweeter, after a tough season where the Sherco rider broke both the scapula bone in his shoulder and his clavicle, at May’s third round in Spain. He fought back hard to recover and return to the top of the category.

Hamish Macdonald

“I cannot find the words, this title is just incredible! The season was very tricky when I broke my collarbone, and my rivals have pushed. All I can say is thank you to my team and my family, but also to the Edmondson family for welcoming me and taking care of me away from home all year. I still haven’t taken in what’s happening, but I can promise you that we’re going to celebrate tonight!”

Hamish MacDonald World Enduro Champion
Hamish Macdonald – Image by Mastorgne Photography and Dario Agrati

He joined the Enduro GP last year after what had been a long time since a New Zealander took on the sport’s special tests. The last Kiwi to race in this series was Pahiatua’s Paul Whibley back in 2003. The tough enduro discipline is run on extended cross-country and off-road courses, featuring many different obstacles and challenges.

Already a multi-New Zealand Enduro Champion, MacDonald rides a Sherco with the support of Fabrizio Azzalin and his team Sherco CH Racing.

Motorcycling New Zealand’s General Manager Virginia Henderson says its been a golden few weeks for the country’s riders, with the sport producing two world champions within a month. Otago’s Courtney Duncan won the Women’s World Motocross Championship in September.


Australia goes one better at 2019 TdN in Ibiza

Team Australia arrived in Spain a week early this year ahead of the TdN assisting in their preparation for this year’s event. All riders (apart from Kristie McKinnon) riding in the final round of the FIM Trial GP before a week of training helping Australia to go into Ibiza strong with the added benefit of the terrain suiting our riders. The backdrop of this year’s TdN was spectacular, with sections right on the ocean across some concrete blocks along with a few other man-made sections.

FIM Trial Des Nations TdN Team Australia imgPepSegalesFIM
Team Australia – 2019 Trials des Nations – Image by Pep Segales/FIM

2019 marks the 26th year that Team Australia have competed in the TdN men’s category and the 26th consecutive year, with Kyle Middleton having represented Australia 11-times, and joining Chris Bayles and Connor Hogan as a team for the fourth time.

Kristie McKinnon has also represented Australia 11-times, holding the record for Australian female trials riders, with Australia competing in the Women’s category for the 13th time in 2019, with McKinnon joined by Jenna Lupo and Lillie Yiatrou, who team up for the first time.

Kyle Middleton and Connor Hogan rode the qualification round for the men, finishing in an impressive fourth place, while Kristie McKinnon and Lillie Yiatrou rode for the Women qualifying in seventh.

FIM Trial Des Nations TdN Team Australia imgPepSegalesFIM
Team Australia – 2019 Trials des Nations – Image by Pep Segales/FIM

After a hard day of riding, the men’s team of Kyle Middleton, Chris Bayles and Connor Hogan finished an impressive fifth place with a total of 18-points in the hotly-contested International Trophy after Germany took the win with a commanding victory over Sweden.

The women’s team of Kristie McKinnon, Lillie Yiatrou and Jenna Lupo scored 101-points to finish a place higher than 2018 in 7th with Spain taking the win ahead of Britain.

Kyle Middleton

“Our team was awesome, aside from probably two sections we were right there which leaves me wishing we could have had another shot at it. Also a special thanks for all the supporters and sponsors who helped get us here, including S3 Parts, GRO, Hebo and The Hell Team.”

With both teams happy with the improvements the focus is now on for the 2020 FIM Trial des Nation.

FIM Trial Des Nations TdN Team Australia imgPepSegalesFIM
Team Australia – 2019 Trials des Nations – Image by Pep Segales/FIM

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou once again led the Spanish team alongside compatriots Adam Raga and Jeroni Fajardo. Accruing a mere four penalty marks, the Spanish team dominated throughout the fifteen sections in Ibiza to clinch the 2019 Trial des Nations championship title. The victory represents a 26th national win, the 16th on the spin.

Toni Bou

“Today was an easy trial, where there was a lot of adherence in the sections, and we knew that we would have a tough job to make a difference. Finally, we rode a very intelligent trial – very good technically. We picked up two marks, both in section nine on each lap, where it was very easy to five. We cleaned the rest of the sections, so between the three of us we form a great team. Riding with them is always an honour. Congratulations to the organization for the trial.”

trialgp tdn men Spain
Toni Bou – 2019 Trials des Nations – Image by Pep Segales/FIM

2019 International Trophy Results

  1. Germany – 1
  2. Sweden – 7
  3. United States – 8
  4. Austria – 11
  5. Australia – 18
  6. Czech Republic – 19
  7. Belgium – 30
  8. Switzerland – 48
  9. Ireland – 55
  10. Andorra – 119

2019 Trial des Nations Championship

  1. Spain – 4
  2. Japan – 19
  3. France – 24
  4. Great Britain – 27
  5. Italy – 45
  6. Norway – 95
trialgp tdn podiums ps
2019 Trial des Nations championship podium

2019 Women’s Trials Des Nations Result

  1. Spain – 3
  2. Great Britain – 10
  3. Norway – 18
  4. Germany – 22
  5. United States – 26
  6. France – 33
  7. Australia – 101
  8. Portugal – 147
  9. Switzerland – 287
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2019 Australian Junior Dirt Track run at Somersby over weekend

Only two riders were able to win more than one championship class over two days of exciting racing at the 2019 Honda Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships at the Allen Park track at Somersby on the weekend. Thirteen classes produced 11 different winners, and a string of other place-getters who all helped confirm that the future of the sport is in good hands.

Albury Wodonga rider Archie McDonald won both of the classes for the 11 to Under 13 years classes which is currently the most ‘red-hot’ of all the age brackets.

The always highly competitive 13 to Under 16 years classes produced the other dual winner in Forbes rider Tom Drane who was denied a third win in the last of the weekend’s final. After finishing runner-up in three other classes Gold Coast rider Seth Qualischefski finally got the better of Drane to add a win to his medal haul.

Qualischefski was a tireless performer on the weekend being one of a few riders to contest four classes, which in total meant he rode 84 laps of racing. There were also three other Gold Coast riders who claimed a championship class win.

Ashleigh Adamson took out the Girls class beating Ava Faulkhead from Mildura and Molly Fairey from Cobar to produce a very geographically diverse rostrum. Sympathy goes to Anika Loftus though from Brisbane won the first three rounds before she was injured.

The other Gold Coast successes went to Rory McQualter who added two third placings to his win, and Viv Muddle who placed third as he strived to make it a double.

Two other class winners also added to their medal haul with Cowra rider Noah Grabham adding two seconds to his win, while Kempsey’s Jayden Holder scored one third place.

Tom Drane will have to start making room for his brother Sam to build his trophy collection as Sam won his first ever Australian Championship.

The host club boasted one championship class winner in Lachlan Russell, a feat matched by the Kurri Kurri Junior Club thanks to a win by Thomas Bullen.

With such a classy line-up of talent assembled even qualifying for the finals in some classes was no easy feat, with some of the minor place-getters still left pleased with their efforts, including a number who gained their best ever results.

Special mention must be made of Kurri Kurri rider Cameron Dunker and Albury Wodonga rider Remmie Fyffe who were both dual place getters.

Riders travelled from as far afield as Townsville in the north, Cobar and Mildura in the west and Melbourne in the south with the much-travelled families praising the host club for its staging of the meeting.

Australian Junior Dirt Track Results
2019 Australian Junior Dirt Track
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Thad Duvall claims 2019 Mason-Dixon GNCC Overall Win

The second Annual Mason-Dixon GNCC concluded round 11 of the 2019 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series on Sunday, where dry, dusty and higher temperatures greeted the afternoon race, making it a rough course for many of the competitors.

Thad Duvall would manage to make it through the gruelling three-hour race, crossing the finish line 39 seconds ahead of the competition. With track conditions proving difficult for many other riders, Duvall and his team put in their best effort to keep pushing until the checkered flag came out. Duvall earned his fourth overall win of the season, and his second straight win at the Mason-Dixon GNCC in Pennsylvania.

GNCC Rnd Mason Dixon Mount Morris Thad Duvall KH
Thad Duvall – 2019 Mason-Dixon GNCC – Image by Ken Hill

Coming through second for the second race in a row was Ricky Russell. Throughout the day Russell would find himself battling it out with several different XC1 Open Pro riders, but he would manage to hold onto the second place position as the white flag came out indicating one more lap to go. Russell currently sits sixth in the points standings with two rounds remaining in the season.

With Kelley moving out of the XC2 250 Pro class, it was Liam Draper coming away with his first-ever XC2 class win. Drapers’ consistency paid off after starting out second in the class and making the move to first once when the two-lap card came out and then again on the last lap. Craig Delong came through second after battling his way to the front of the class ahead of Evan Smith.

GNCC Rnd Mason Dixon Mount Morris Liam Draper XC Pro class win KH
Liam Draper – 2019 Mason-Dixon GNCC – Image by Ken Hill

The FMF XC3 125cc Pro-Am class had a lot of changes of lead throughout the duration of the race. However, it would be Jake Froman coming out to earn his first-ever win. Jesse Ansley, who currently leads the class points, held the lead after grabbing the holeshot. Ansley would fight back for a second place finish with Chase Colville also battling back to round out the podium. Colville would hold the lead at one point in the race, but would suffer bike issues causing a long pit stop, to still fight back to third in the class.

Simon Johnson took home the top amateur honors with his 250 A class win and a 14th overall. Brody Johnson came through 15th overall and earned second in the 250 A class along with the amateur podium. Tristan Landrum came through third in the 250 A class, and 17th overall claiming the final spot on the amateur podium.

When the 10 a.m. race kicked off Tayla Jones grabbied the early lead. However, Becca Sheets made her way to the front of the pack, to make the pass for the first place position. Sheets and Jones would battle back and forth and after trouble on an uphill during the last lap, Jones made the pass on Sheets and came through to take the win.

GNCC Rnd Mason Dixon Mount Morris Tayla Jones KH
Tayla Jones – 2019 Mason-Dixon GNCC – Image by Ken Hill

Sheets finished second and Korie Steede battled forward to earn her place on the WXC podium for the first-time ever. Jones and Sheets made up the first two in the overall positions, but it would be Blayke Coler of the 125 B/C class working his way on adjusted time to the third overall position.

Tayla Jones

“Pumped to pull the holeshot on the weekend and brought home another GNCC Racing win. It was a tight race all day and with track conditions on the extremely dry side it made it really tough. Only two rounds to go for the season, ready to fight for it! Thank you to the @bauer651, the whole @rockstarhusky team and the Barnes’ for their help over the weekend and of course a huge shoutout to all of my awesome sponsors.”

As the 8 a.m. youth race took off it was Joseph Cunningham came through in the first place position, working towards earning the youth overall national championship. Nolette and Kuneff tried to apply the pressure up front, but would ultimately fall just short as Cunningham came through to the checkered flag first. Cunningham earned the Youth Overall National Championship, as Nolette took home second in the YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class and overall with Kuneff behind him in third.

GNCC Rnd Mason Dixon Mount Morris Joseph Cunningham KH
Joseph Cunningham – 2019 Mason-Dixon GNCC – Image by Ken Hill

In the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class it was Grant Davis coming through the pack to earn his ninth win of the season. Davis currently sits first in the points standings as the series heads into the last two rounds. Jack Joy came through to take second in the YXC2 class followed by Garyson Smith clinching third and the last spot on the class podium.

XC1 Pro Event Results

  1. Thad Duvall (HQV)
  2. Ricky Russell (YAM)
  3. Trevor Bollinger (HQV)
  4. Andrew Delong (HON)
  5. Layne Michael (HQV)
  6. Kailub Russell (KTM)
  7. Josh Toth (KTM)
  8. Benjamin Kelley (KTM)
  9. Chris Venditti (KAW)
  10. Takanori Nakajima (YAM)

Overall National Championship Standings

  1. Kailub Russell (295)
  2. Thad Duvall (258)
  3. Steward Baylor Jr. (198)
  4. Ben Kelley (166)
  5. Trevor Bollinger (162)
  6. Ricky Russell (123)
  7. Andrew Delong (121)
  8. Josh Strang (103)
  9. Jordan Ashburn (113)
  10. Josh Toth (107)

XC2 250 Pro Event Results

  1. Liam Draper (KTM)
  2. Craig Delong (HQV)
  3. Evan Smith (HQV)
  4. Austin Lee (HON)
  5. Zach Hayes (KTM)
  6. Ben Parsons (HQV)
  7. Jesse Groemm (KTM)
  8. Dylan Yearbury (YAM)
  9. Samuel Evans (KTM)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings

  1. Benjamin Kelley (300)
  2. Michael Witkowski (189)
  3. Craig Delong (188)
  4. Evan Smith (183)
  5. Liam Draper (172)
  6. Austin Lee (164)
  7. Ryder Lafferty (145)
  8. Jonathan Johnson (137)
  9. Alex Teagarden (123)
  10. Ben Parsons (113)
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Jared Mees tops AFT season finale

Jared Mees has topped AFT season finale in the Twins Main Event at the Meadowlands Mile, with Briar Bauman having already closed out the title in advance.

AFT Meadowlands Mile Twins Podium FA
Jared Mees topped the AFT Twins podium – 2019 AFT – Meadowlands Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

In the AFT Singles Dalton Gauthier claimed the championship win with a very safe 14th place finish, while Mikey Rush topped proceedings, with Australian Max Whale in eighth and ninth in the overall standings.

The AFT Production Twins Corey Texter took the title, despite a mechanical issue regulating him to 14th, with chief rival Kolby Carlile a DNF.

See the full report here:
Mees wraps up AFT season with Meadowlands Mile win

2019 AFT Twins Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Briar Bauman 326
2 Jared Mees 320
3 Bronson Bauman 251
4 Jeffrey Carver Jr. 223
5 Brandon Robinson 206
6 Jarod Vanderkooi 200
7 Henry Wiles 181
8 Robert Pearson 171
9 Davis Fisher 156
10 Sammy Halbert 156

2019 AFT Singles Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Dalton Gauthier 286
2 Mikey Rush 280
3 Dan Bromley 277
4 Ryan Wells 197
5 Chad Cose 190
6 Jesse Janisch 183
7 Shayna Texter 172
8 Morgen Mischler 171
9 Max Whale 143
10 Kevin Stollings 121

2019 AFT Production Twins Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Cory Texter 190
2 Ryan Varnes 182
3 Kolby Carlile 173
4 Dalton Gauthier 145
5 Chad Cose 139
6 James Rispoli 133
7 Cody Johncox 123
8 J.R. Addison 111
9 Ben Lowe 100
10 Kevin Stollings 90
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Netherlands claims MXoN win from Belgium and Great Britain

Team Netherands has taken the 2019 MXoN win, with Glenn Coldenhoff, Jeffrey Herlings and Calvin Vlaanderen proving unbeatable at Assen, with Team Belgium a distant second represented by Jeremy Van Horebeek, Kevin Strijbos and Jago Geerts, and Team Great Britain third with riders Shaun Simpson, Nathan Watson and Adam Sterry.

MXoN Herlings JK MXON
Jeffrey Herlings – Team Netherlands – 2019 MXoN – Image by Hoppenworld

See the full report here:
Dutch top sloppy home soil MXoN | Australia 15th due to mechanicals

2019 Motocross of Nations Classification

Pos Country Points
1 The Netherlands 18  
2 Belgium 47  
3 Great Britain 58  
4 Estonia 64  
5 France 68  
6 USA 68  
7 Germany 72  
8 Latvia 73  
9 Spain 73  
10 Denmark 77  
11 Switzerland 81  
12 Norway 87  
13 Slovenia 89  
14 Sweden 91  
15 Australia 93  
16 Italy 113  
17 Austria 122  
18 Ireland 150  
19 New Zealand 171  
20 Rep. of South Africa 151  

2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale wraps up

After two thrilling days riding on the international stage for the first time at the Motocross of Nations, the 2019 YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup came to an end on Sunday with the YZ125 race. YZ125 riders faced heavy rain and difficult conditions on Sunday at the TT Circuit Assen, contesting the last 2019 SuperFinale race after the YZ65 and YZ85 riders competed on Saturday.

YZ bLU cRU SuperFinale
2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale

As the gate dropped practice leader Mairis Pumpurs took the holeshot to establish a very strong lead. Behind him Bobby Bruce also built on his practice pace to take second, battling with Spanish rider #252 Raul Sanchez behind. As the track got more challenging every rider put their head down over the 20-minute race.

With Pumpurs sitting unchallenged in first place he took the victory nearly a minute clear, followed home by Sanchez, who battled past Bruce, in second and third respectively to complete the podium at the weekend’s most difficult and entertaining bLUcRU SuperFinale race.

For Pumpurs, Sanchez and Bruce, the bLU cRU Masterclass awaits in November in Spain, where they will be joined by two YZ125 wildcards as they further develop their riding skills under expert tutorials and guidance. From the Masterclass, one of the five YZ125 riders will then win a place with the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team for the 2020 EMX125 Championship.

YZ bLU cRU SuperFinale
2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale podium

2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale Top 10

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Gap
1 Pumpurs, Mairis LAT Yamaha 00:00.0
2 Sanchez, Raul ESP Yamaha 00:57.9
3 Bruce, Bobby GBR Yamaha 01:10.3
4 Razzini, Pietro ITA Yamaha 01:22.1
5 de Beer, Ryan NED Yamaha 01:29.4
6 Modin, Arvid SWE Yamaha 01:41.9
7 de Lange, Sem NED Yamaha 01:48.6
8 Gimm, Daniel ITA Yamaha 02:12.3
9 Sagmalis, Antonis GRE Yamaha 02:33.6
10 Depoers, Simon FRA Yamaha 1 lap
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Cross-Countries Rally head to Rallye du Maroc

This Friday the 20th edition of the Rallye du Maroc is due to get underway, representing the fourth and final test of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and the final competition ahead of the Dakar Rally.

Fez, one of Morocco’s imperial cities and the country’s cultural and religious centre, will host the forthcoming Rallye du Maroc, the fourth points-paying round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship.

Desafio Ruta Rally Toby Price
Toby Price won the Rallye du Maroc in 2018

Morocco has always been a land of rally raid. The story began in 1982 with the arrival of Paris-Agadir, the first rally raid to run in Morocco. The following year, the rally took the name of ‘Atlas Rally’ and became the flagship rally to the Rally Raids calendar. The Atlas
Rally saw the best drivers and teams in the discipline run.

The Atlas Rally, after having changed hands from the company Larivièr et to ASO, disappeared at the end of the 90’s. It was then reborn in 2000 as ‘Rallye du Maroc’, under the leadership of Cyril Neveu and Jean Christophe Pelletier. The rally immediately became the major Moroccan rally and welcomed again the elite of rally raid.

In 2007, the company NPO, organiser of the Rallye du Maroc, was sold to Emma and Stéphane Clair and became an event in the FIM World Championship and the FIA World Cup. After 10 years at the head of the event, NPO sold the Rallye du Maroc to the company ODC, led by David Castera.

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Road racer Jessopp tries WESS at Hawkstone Park XC

As well as bringing together many of the world’s best Enduro racers, all looking to be crowned Ultimate Enduro World Champion, the World Enduro Super Series also attracts athletes at the pinnacle of other two-wheeled sports – competitors looking to dip a toe in the WESS waters. Round six of the series, the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country, saw stars of mountain biking and road racing out in force all keen to wrestle the gruelling Shropshire sands.

Martin Jessopp Hawkstone Park Cross Country FM
Martin Jessopp – Image by Future7Media

During the two days of racing, mountain bike star Josh Bryceland, former mountain bike racer Rob Warner and Isle of Man TT racer Martin Jessopp lined up against some of the world’s best Enduro riders.

Better known for his accomplishments in road racing, Martin Jessopp is a two-time TT podium finisher having lapped the infamous circuit at over 131mph, along with winning the North West 200 three times.

At the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country he showed his talents carry across to dirt too, finishing Saturday’s Sprint Enduro third in Clubman 2T, before securing sixth in Sunday’s Original Fast Eddy Cross-Country.

Martin Jessopp

“I’ve been trying to spend more time riding Enduro, but I didn’t expect to do so well. I didn’t make too many mistakes and tried to save energy where I could. It’s been awesome to race alongside the Pro riders – in a way it’s kind of role reversal for me, which I enjoyed. It’s incredible to see how fast they can ride these conditions and hold their corner speed between the trees. A highlight was when Graham Jarvis came past and I tried to stick with him for a couple of corners before he disappeared!”

Martin Jessopp Hawkstone Park Cross Country FM
Martin Jessopp – Image by Future7Media

World Enduro Super Series – 2019 Calendar

  • Round 7: BR2 Enduro Solsona (Spain) October 4-6
  • Round 8: GetzenRodeo (Germany) November 2
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2019 KTM AJMX Interstate Challenge Teams announced

Motorcycling Australia have announced the riders who have been chosen to represent each of their states at the KTM AJMX Nationals in Gillman, South Australia this week.

These riders form part of the selection that is required for the Interstate Challenge Cup. That format is each state is to choose a team of eight riders from four different classes to compete for this cup. Eight out of the 13 team members must be named to the Race Secretary of the event by the end of practice.

AJMX Penguin Tas Atmos
AJMX 2018

Each of those competitors is then scored within their own class. At the end of the event, the team with the highest point scoring six team members from each state will have their final placings re-scored for an overall score. The state with the highest overall team score is the winner.

  • New South Wales
    • 2 Ky WOODS 65cc 10 – Under 12 Years
    • 22 Connor TOWILL 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std or BW 12 – Under 14 Years
    • 20 Ben NOVAK 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std or BW 14 – Under 16 Years
    • 264 Hunter COLLINS 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std or BW 14 – Under 16 Years
    • 254 Jack DEVESON 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std Wheel 9 – Under 12 Years
    • 294 Koby HANTIS 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std Wheel 9 – Under 12 Years
    • 2 Taylor THOMPSON 100-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 13 – Under 16 Years Girls
    • 25 Blake FOX 128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 15 Years
  • Tasmania
    • 756 Brodie FAULKNER 50cc Division 2 – 7 – Under 9 Years
    • 7 Jay JENNINGS 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
    • 75 Cooper FORD 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
    • 759 Brydie HINGSTON 85cc 2st/150cc 4st All Wheels 12 – U 16 Years Girls
    • 751 Angus PEARCE 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std or BW 12 – Under 14 Years
    • 757 Jett BURGESS-STEVENS 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std or BW 12 – Under 14 Years
    • 757 Jett BURGESS-STEVENS 100-125cc 2st 13 – Under 15 Years
    • 76 Evan LOCKWOOD 100-125cc 2st 15 Years
  • Northern Territory
    • 198 Rhys Gwynne 50cc Division 2 – 7 – Under 9 Years
    • 106 Mitchell Thorneycroft 85cc 9-U12 Years
    • 174 Clayton Bogucki 85cc 9-U12 Years
    • 100 Ryan Van Deventer 85cc 12-U14 Years
    • 100 Ryan Van Deventer 125cc 13-U15 Years
    • 141 Jayden O’Connor 125cc 13-U15 Years
    • 138 Thomas Bennett 125cc 15 Years
    • 521 Declan SMART 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
  • Western Australia
    • 68 Liam ATKINSON 100-125cc 2st 13 – Under 15 Years
    • 658 Mason BROWN 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
    • 60 Brock FLYNN 100-125cc 2st 13 – Under 15 Years
    • 602 Deegan FORT 50cc Division 2 – 7 – Under 9 Years
    • 66 Kayden MINEAR 65cc 10 – Under 12 Years
    • 66 Kayden MINEAR 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std Wheel 9 – Under 12 Years
    • 66 Jaylee RIMBAS 85cc 2st/150cc 4st All Wheels 12 – U 16 Years Girls
    • 65 Seth SHACKLETON 65cc 10 – Under 12 Years
  • South Australia
    • 5 Alex LARWOOD 100-125cc 2st 15 Years
    • 5 Wil CARPENTER 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std Wheel 9 – Under 12 Years
    • 51 Dakota COLLINS 85cc 2st/150cc 4st All Wheels 12 – U 16 Years Girls
    • 52 Taj GOW-SMITH 100-125cc 2st 13 – Under 15 Years
    • 53 Jai HAY 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
    • 5 Emma HAYLOCK 85cc 2st/150cc 4st All Wheels 12 – U 16 Years Girls
    • 5 Alex LARWOOD 128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 15 Years
    • 5 Levi ROSSI 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
  • Queensland
    • 46 Taylah MCCUTCHEON 85cc 2st/150cc 4st All Wheels 12 – U 16 Years Girls
    • 47 Ryan ALEXANDERSON 100-125cc 2st 13 – Under 15 Years
    • 42 Jet ALSOP 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std Wheel 9 – Under 12 Years
    • 494 Charli CANNON 100-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 13 – Under 16 Years Girls
    • 4 Cooper DOWNING 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
    • 46 Kobe DREW 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std or BW 12 – Under 14 Years
    • 401 Levi ROGERS 128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 15 Years
    • 45 Brad WEST 128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 13 – Under 15 Years
  • Victoria
    • 37 Kipp ADAMS 128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 15 Years
    • 32 Jobe DUNNE 65cc 7 – Under 10 Years
    • 352 Oscar FOX 65cc 10 – Under 12 Years
    • 370 Connor GUILLOT 50cc Division 2 – 7 – Under 9 Years
    • 32 Madison HEALEY 100-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 13 – Under 16 Years Girls
    • 38 Thynan KEAN 128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st 13 – Under 15 Years
    • 34 Jake SANDERSON 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std Wheel 9 – Under 12 Years
    • 39 Connar ADAMS 85cc 2st/150cc 4st Std or BW 14 – Under 16 Years
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2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule

The 12-round schedule for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing has been announced. The 49th season will once again visit 11 different states over the course of the summer, beginning with the legendary Hangtown Motocross Classic on May 16, and concluding with the Ironman National on August 29.

The most talented collection of riders on the planet will battle it out over the course of 24 motos across the 450 Class and 250 Class, pushing both their physical and mental limits in the most grueling conditions found in any motorsports championship. Their quest to capture the most coveted titles in motocross, the Edison Dye Cup (450 Class) and the Gary Jones Cup (250 Class), will bring these exceptional athletes to the most storied racetracks in the world, many of which boast legacies that span more than four decades.

AMA MX Rnd Starts JK MX Ironman
2019 Ironman National – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Round 12 – Image by Hoppenworld

With three consecutive 450 Class titles to his credit, reigning champion Eli Tomac will look to make even more history next summer, seeking to become one of just two riders to hoist the Edison Dye Cup for four straight seasons.

AMA MX Rnd Tomac JK MX Ironman
Eli Tomac – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Ironman National – Image by Hoppenworld

He’ll welcome a new challenger to that title defense under the Monster Energy Kawasaki tent, where newly crowned 250 Class Champion Adam Cianciarulo will step up onto the big bikes as a teammate to Tomac, joining the likes of a deep list of fellow contenders that includes Ken Roczen, Marvin Musquin, Jason Anderson, Zach Osborne, Cooper Webb and more.

AMA MX Rnd Cianciarulo JK MX Unadilla
Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Hoppenworld

With Cianciarulo’s departure from the 250 Class, the title vacancy opens the door for a wide-open battle to claim the Gary Jones Cup, where Jeremy Martin, the lone former champion in the division, will battle it out alongside a promising group of up and coming talent, led by teammates Dylan Ferrandis and Justin Cooper.

2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule

  • May 16 – Hangtown Classic Prairie City SVRA Rancho Cordova, Calif.
  • May 23 – Fox Raceway National Fox Raceway Pala, Calif.
  • May 30 – Thunder Valley National Thunder Valley Motocross Park Lakewood, Colo.
  • Jun 06 – Florida National WW Ranch Motocross Park Jacksonville, Fla.
  • Jun 20 – High Point National High Point Raceway Mt. Morris, Pa.
  • Jun 27 – Southwick National The Wick 338 Southwick, Mass.
  • Jul 04 – RedBud National RedBud MX Buchanan, Mich.
  • Jul 18 – Spring Creek National Spring Creek MX Park Millville, Minn.
  • Jul 25 – Washougal National Washougal MX Park Washougal, Wash.
  • Aug 15 – Unadilla National Unadilla MX New Berlin, N.Y.
  • Aug 22 – Budds Creek National Budds Creek Motocross Park Mechanicsville, Md.
  • Aug 29 – Ironman National Ironman Raceway Crawfordsville, Ind.
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Rene Hofer join Red Bull KTM MX2 effort full-time in 2020

Rene Hofer will join Red Bull KTM as a full-time Grand Prix rider in 2020. The 17 year old impressed with three wild-card MX2 appearances in 2019 in what was his first full year of competition with the KTM 250 SX-F. The Austrian will give KTM factory presence in the MX2 class alongside Tom Vialle next season with double world champion Jorge Prado joining the MXGP category with Tony Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings.

Rene Hofer Red Bull KTM MX
Rene Hofer joins Red Bull KTM MX2 full time in 2020

The teenager (who will turn 18 in the first days of 2020) is a former FIM Junior and European Champion and has risen through the ranks. He won EMX125 European Championship races in 2018 and was a contender for the title until a mid-season injury. Hofer claimed a podium finish and classified fourth in the EMX250 standings at his first attempt in 2019.

The rider from Linz joined the Grand Prix team for three appearances this summer; taking his first FIM world championship points in the Czech Republic and then scoring seventh place overall at the Grand Prix of Italy at Imola. He also represented Team Austria as one of the three best racers from his country for the 73rd Motocross of Nations at the TT Circuit Assen.

Hofer will be the first Austrian to represent the modern incarnation of Red Bull KTM, the first in MX2 and the third native in the factory team after Heinz Kinigadner and current VP of Offroad Robert Jonas.

Rene Hofer

“I’m super-excited. We’ve really worked for this over the last couple of years and my dreams are coming true right now. We were not sure if it would happen for 2020 but I showed some good speed in the second half of the season and also that I could compete in good positions in MX2. I felt confident in the class from the very first time, even if the weekend routine is pretty different from EMX. I’m so grateful to be able to have the chance to ride for the most successful team in the GP paddock and to have the best racing people around me as well as being able to learn from Tom. I’ve trained with him a few times now and he’s a really nice guy. He had an unbelievable rookie season and I think we can put in some solid preparation work over the winter to be ready for 2020. I turn 18 next year and I know I am ready for this step. For sure the result in Imola was very good but I will be hungry for more and I will bring in the very best effort from my side. I cannot forget to thank all the people who have helped me reach this stage of my career and who have helped shape me as a rider and as a human. I cannot wait to start work for 2020 but first I need to focus on this weekend!”

Rene Hofer Red Bull KTM MX
Rene Hofer joins Red Bull KTM MX2 full time in 2020

Mathys Boisrame joins F&H Kawasaki

Team F&H Kawasaki will line up the last two European champions in the 2020 FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship as 2018 champion Mathys Boisrame joins Roan van de Moosdijk in the Dutch team.

One of the youngest teams in the GP paddock, Team F&H Kawasaki has a short but already successful story as they have clinched MX2 GP podium results during each of the past two seasons as well as the 2019 European title.

Just a few years after its creation by Harry Fase, F&H has been involved in both the EMX250 and MX2 championships this season and it was the logical progression for the team’s European champion Roan van de Moosdijk to transfer to the MX2 World Championship. He will be joined in 2020 by Mathys Boisrame, the French youngster who recorded a top ten world ranking during his rookie MX2 GP campaign this season; the 2018 European champion, who turned twenty-one this summer, has shown great potential with numerous top ten results throughout the season and an overall podium in Germany. The team will line up three riders in the MX2 World Championship next year; the identity of the third exciting signing will be revealed soon.

Mathys Boisrame

“I’m really happy to finally join the F&H Kawasaki team as we already talked together last year after my European title. This year was a learning curve for me in the World Championship; I did my best with the material I had but for sure there’s a big step between the European and World Championship and I was so impressed when I did a test with the KX250 Kawasaki. The bike handles so well, is really powerful and the team is so professional that it didn’t take me long to know I wanted to sign with them. It will be a huge change for me as I will move to the team base in the Netherlands on November 1st; for sure it’s not easy to leave home but I know what I want. Being close to the team, working with Marc de Reuver and riding in the sand will bring me all the tools for us to succeed together.”

Kawasaki MATHYS FH PH
Mathys Boisrame joins F&H Kawasaki
Nathalie Fase – F&H Kawasaki Team Manager

“We had a great season winning the Dutch and European titles, finishing fifth and sixth in the World Championship and we are very happy to add Mathys Boisrame, the 2018 European Champion, to our team for the upcoming years! We look forward to the new season and hope to be able to push again for great podiums! All ingredients are in the house, so bring it on!”

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KTM takes over Gas Gas

As part of the deal with Gas Gas, KTM also secures a controlling stake in the Torrot electric motorcycles and bicycles business as part of the deal struck ith Black Toro Capital, the owners of both Gas Gas and Torrot.

This move further expands the KTM portfolio (Husqvarna, WP etc), which will in future, presumably due to its now much broader stake in even more brands, will be renamed to Pierer Mobility AG.

Gas Gas GG XC act
2019 Gas Gas XC 300

In this instance though it seems KTM have agreed to keep the Spanish Gas Gas plant in Girona for at least the next three years. Gas Gas was originally formed from the ashes of Bultaco when that brand went tits-up in the mid 1980s. Gas Gas merged with Ossa in 2014.

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Mees wraps up AFT season with Meadowlands Mile win

2019 American Flat Track

Meadowlands Mile – East Rutherford, New Jersey

Images by Scott Hunter

The 2019 American Flat Track season concluded at Saturday’s Meadowlands Mile in East Rutherford, New Jersey with the crowning of two new champions on the undercard, while AFT Twins saw Jared Mees claim the Main Event win.

AFT Meadowlands Mile Twins Jared Mees FA
Jared Mees wins 2019 Meadowlands Mile

Briar Bauman had already clinched the 2019 AFT Twins title, but the man he dethroned still had bragging rights in his sights. Jared Mees went wire-to-wire in the AFT Twins Main Event to complete a perfect sweep of the season’s six Miles and end the year with a class-leading eight victories, sitting six-points off the leader, with Bronson Bauman a distant third overall.

Dalton Gauthier claimed the AFT Singles championship title with 14th place playing it safe, with Mikey Rush taking the Main Event win and runner up in the standings, six-points behind Gauthier, with Bromley a further three-points back. Aussie Max Whale finished eighth and was ninth overall in the standings.

AFT Meadowlands Mile Prod Twins Corey Texter ERV
Corey Texter – 2019 AFT – Meadowlands Mile

The Production Twins class crowned Corey Texter champion despite mechanical issues seeing him finish 14th, after a strong start, with rival Kolby Carlile unable to finish after taking an early lead. Chad Cose took the Main Event win from Ryan Varnes and James Rispoli. The standings saw Texter champion from runner-up Varnes, while Kolby Carlile was regulated to third.


AFT Twins

Mees was pushed throughout the shortened Main Event by long-time rival Bryan Smith, who was desperate to extend his streak of scoring at least one Main Event victory per season dating all the way back to 2006. But while Smith closed on Mees late, he ultimately ran out of laps, coming up 0.766 seconds short at the checkered flag.

AFT Meadowlands Mile Twins Jared Mees ERV
Jared Mees – 2019 AFT – Meadowlands Mile
Jared Mees

“I want to give another big shout out to Indian Motorcycle. Those guys are a phenomenal group of people to work for and work with, and I enjoy every minute of it. It feels good to come in and win the last couple races and end the season strong, and also to go into the offseason with a little bit of homework to do.”

AFT Meadowlands Mile Twins Podium FA
Jared Mees topped the podium from Bryan Smith and Bronson Bauman – 2019 AFT – Meadowlands Mile

The runner-up result was Smith’s second in succession, finishing up an otherwise difficult year in strong fashion.

Behind the battle for the win, Bronson Bauman fought his way past the works Harley-Davidson of Brandon Robinson to not only claim the final spot on the podium, but also put the finishing touches on a championship 1-2-3 for the Indian Wrecking Crew. Henry Wiles edged Jeffrey Carver Jr. by a scant 0.008 to round out the top five.

AFT Meadowlands Mile Twins Jared Mees ERV
AFT Twins – 2019 AFT – Meadowlands Mile

2019 AFT Twins Results – Meadowlands Mile

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | Watson wins 2019 Hawkstone Cross-Country

Moto News Weekly for September 24, 2019

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What happened this week

  • Watson conquers 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country
  • Briar Bauman crowned AFT Twins Champ
  • Mikey Rush wins AFT Singles at Minnesota Mile
  • Kolby Carlile tops AFT Production Twins at Canterbury Park
  • Toni Bou sweeps 2019 TrialGP championship
  • 2019 AORC Wrap-Up
  • Leon Madsen claims British SGP win in Cardiff
  • Australian Junior Dirt Track heads to Somersby this weekend
  • Ben Kelley extends KTM contract
  • AMA announces 2020 rider numbers

Watson conquers 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country

Nathan Watson delivered the goods to claim a home win at round six of the World Enduro Super Series – Hawkstone Park Cross-Country in the UK. The rider showed his class on the physically demanding Shropshire course to take victory over Germany’s Manuel Lettenbichler and Jonny Walker.

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Start FM
2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country – Image by Future7Media

Saturday – Sprint Enduro

Britain’s Nathan Watson sprinted to victory on the opening day of racing at the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country. Delivering the goods on home soil, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider topped Saturday’s Sprint Enduro to claim pole position for Sunday’s Cross-Country race. Making it a 1-2 for KTM, teammate Josep Garcia – the 2018 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country winner – was second, with British wildcard entrant Alex Snow bringing his Gas Gas home in third on Saturday.

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Nathan Watson FM
Nathan Watson – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country – Image by Future7Media

Glorious weather greeted the 500-plus entry for the opening day of competition at round six of the WESS. Conditions were perfect for racing at the iconic venue with a two-stage Motocross and Enduro loop set to test competitors. The Enduro special test – ridden four times – weaved its way through the surrounding woodland, while the Motocross test – also ridden four times – saw riders blast their way around the famous, sandy motocross circuit.

At the head of the field Garcia was quick to lay down his marker. Despite riding with a recent hand injury, he showed no weakness on the bumpy Enduro test and led the way as they moved over to Motocross test.

Eager to close in on Garcia, Watson chipped away at the Spaniard’s lead to close the 10-second gap before increasing his own advantage to 10 seconds by the end of the day.

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Josep Garcia
Josep Garcia – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country – Image by Future7Media

With the leading duo breaking away from the chasing field, both Snow and Finland’s Romi Kytonen battled head-to-head for third. Snow held a slender four-second advantage at the end of the Enduro tests, but Kytonen fought back on the Motocross section. Closing the gap with each run, he came within one-tenth of a second of Snow for fourth.

The battle for top-five was equally fierce between Jonny Walker and championship leader Manuel Lettenbichler. Walker held the upper hand after the Enduro tests, but with Lettenbichler coming on strong in the Motocross portion, the duo went to the wire, with Walker just hanging on to take fifth.

Sunday – Cross-Country

Nathan Watson delivered the goods on Sunday of the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country. The rider showed his class on the physically demanding Shropshire course to take victory over Germany’s Manuel Lettenbichler and Jonny Walker. Placing as runner-up in Great Britain, Lettenbichler extends his lead in this year’s race to become the Ultimate Enduro World Champion.

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Nathan Watson FM
Nathan Watson claims 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media

Saturday’s glorious weather gave way to scattered showers, but it did little to dampen the race action, as riders blasted off the Hawkstone Park start line, it was Alex Snow who took the initial holeshot with Walker and the ensuring pack of riders close behind. There was immediate drama when both Watson and 2018 winner Josep Garcia were slow to start. Watson fared better than his teammate and was quickly mid pack, while Garcia had work to do after leaving the start in last position.

By the end of lap one, Walker was in the lead but Watson was up to second with Lettenbichler, Taddy Blazusiak and Snow chasing. Garcia was battling through the field and closing in on the top-10. A lap later and Watson was out front.

Exiting the mid-distance fuel stop of the two-hour and 30-minute race, Watson had increased his advantage to over one-minute from Lettenbichler and Walker. Controlling the pace for the second half of the race, he rode on to take a memorable win with Lettenbichler and Walker rounding out the podium.

Behind the top three, Blazusiak put in a strong charge in the closing stages to take fourth, with Garcia regrouping following his bad start to place fifth. Snow showed his pace for sixth, while Will Hoare impressed with seventh.

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WESS Hawkstone Park XC Graham Jarvis
Graham Jarvis – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media

The World Enduro Super Series continues with round seven in Spain for the BR2 Enduro Solsona on October 4-6.

Nathan Watson – P1

“I’m super-happy to win today. I felt a lot of pressure coming into this weekend because it seems everyone expected me to win. Obviously, I got second here last year, so I was extra-motivated this weekend. Winning the Sprint Enduro gave me some confidence for today, but then I got a bad start and was near last. I made some aggressive passes early on to fight my way back up to the front. Once I got into the lead I felt so comfortable and was able to control the pace. I’m feeling pretty confident now going into BR2 Enduro Solsona.”

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Nathan Watson
Nathan Watson – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media
Manuel Lettenbichler – P2

“I came into this round with no expectations at all, but the plan was to collect as many points as possible for the overall standings. I thought if I could do a little better than last year and get inside the top-five it would be amazing because there are so many fast guys out there. I got a really good start and managed to find a good rhythm, so the whole race went really well – I surprised myself a little. Although my result here gives me quite a confidence boost going into the next round, it’s going to be really different racing in Spain. I’ll give it my best as always and if we can get a good result it will be a boost heading to Getzenrodeo.”

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Manuel Lettenbichler FM
Manuel Lettenbichler – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media
Jonny Walker – P3

“It’s great to get a podium at my home race. I led the race for a little bit too, which was good. I knew the guys would be fast so it was always going to be tough to be right up there. I made a really good start and set about chasing down the leader, he had a crash which put me in front and from then on I just tried to get into a good rhythm rather than push too hard early on because I knew it was going to be a really tough race. I’m looking forward to Solsona now, we’ve got a two-week break to rest a little then hopefully come back strong in Spain and challenge for the podium again.”

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Jonny Walker
Jonny Walker – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media

Placing as runner-up in Great Britain, Lettenbichler extends his lead in this year’s race to become the Ultimate Enduro World Champion.

Taddy Blazusiak – P4

“I really enjoyed the race today. I’m a little disappointed not to have finished on the podium again but all-in-all the race went well. I tried to settle into things early on and my speed was good. Mani got past me but then I could see I was closing in on Jonny for third. I got within about 10 seconds but then made a mistake and lost everything I had gained. Towards the end I still felt strong enough to push again but after one lap, I really started to suffer with the blisters on my hand and decided to settle for fourth. The next round in Spain is like a second home race for me so I’m going to try an heal my hand over the next two weeks then head to Solsona and give it all I have.”

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Taddy Blazusiak
Taddy Blazusiak – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media
Josep Garcia – P5

“It was a really tough race for me today. I knew it would be hard coming into today so close after hurting my hand, but yesterday went really well and I felt quite confident. Unfortunately, I had trouble at the start and set off right at the back. It wasn’t too bad, but I knew I would have to push hard to make my way to the front. I made a few mistakes then and ended up crashing a few times, which knocked my confidence. Each time I felt comfortable to push again I ended up making another mistake. I’m not too happy with fifth but I’m looking forward to the next round in Spain now and hopefully come out of that one on top.”

Alfredo Gomez and Graham Jarvis both put in creditable rides at the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country to finish in eighth and ninth places respectively, and currently hold second and third in the overall WESS standings.

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Alfredo Gomez
Alfredo Gomez – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media
Alfredo Gomez – P8

“I tried my best today but had a few crashes, which knocked me back a little. The track became so rough and it was really tough to ride for over two hours. Overall, I’m happy with my performance – I got eighth, which is not bad and earned good points for the championship. I’m looking forward to the next one now.”

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Alfredo Gomez
Alfredo Gomez – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media
Graham Jarvis – P9

“I felt good today, I got an okay start and managed to get into a good rhythm. I was around 12th or 13th but got past a few riders ahead of me, so I’m pleased to equal my result from last year and get ninth. The fitness is there, which is the main thing. It can really wear you down out there so I’m happy with the result. It’s always good to race in England, too. It’s a shame it didn’t suit my style a little better, but I’m glad to get some good points in the bag.”

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Graham Jarvis
Graham Jarvis – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media

The World Enduro Super Series continues with Round 7 in Spain for the BR2 Enduro Solsona on October 4-6.

Results: Hawkstone Park Cross-Country 2019

  1. Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 14 laps, 2:30:41.111
  2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 2:33:19.480
  3. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 2:35:51.529
  4. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 2:36:36.306
  5. Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 2:39:09.380
  6. Alex Snow (Gas Gas – GB) 2:40:25.430
  7. Will Hoare (KTM – GB) 2:42:21.589
  8. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 13 laps, 2:32:03.308
  9. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 2:33:22.425
  10. Suff Sella (KTM – ISR) 2:34:13.143
WESS Hawkstone Park XC Nathan Watson Manuel Lettenbichler and Jonny Walker FM
Nathan Watson topped the podium from Manuel Lettenbichler and Jonny Walker – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country victory – Image by Future7Media

World Enduro Super Series 2019 standings (After round 6)

  1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 4420 points
  2. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 3920
  3. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 3654
  4. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 3470
  5. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 3280
  6. Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 3165
  7. Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 3070
  8. Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 3031
  9. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 2725
  10. Pol Tarres (Husqvarna – ESP) 2270
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Briar Bauman crowned AFT Twins Champ

American Flat Track crowned Briar Bauman the 2019 AFT Twins Champion following Saturday evening’s wild and intense Minnesota Mile at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Twins grid FA
2019 AFT Twins – Minnesota Mile Podium

Even though multi-time reigning champion Jared Mees did all he could by winning his seventh AFT Twins Main Event of the season in runaway fashion, both he and Bauman were well aware all Bauman needed to do to lock up the crown was finish on the podium — something he’d already accomplished 14 times in 16 attempts this season.

While he ultimately made it 15 to clinch the title, Bauman’s crowning achievement did not come without drama or adversity – not by a long shot. The first of Bauman’s obstacles came early, as he was involved in a high-speed crash in the early stages of the Main Event that also involved his brother, Bronson Bauman, Rookie of the Year Brandon Price, Stephen Vanderkuur and Sammy Halbert.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Twins Jared Mees ERV
Jared Mees – 2019 AFT Twins – Minnesota Mil

Bauman’s crew worked frantically during the stoppage to repair his heavily damaged machine, beating the odds and getting it back out for the restart. However, as a result of his crash, his path to the podium would have to begin from the back row as opposed to the front.

Immediately following the restart, a second red flag was issued due to another two-rider crash. The local curfew forced a 10-lap reduction in the Main for the third and final restart, which meant Bauman would only have 15 laps to feel out his rebuilt machine, master the tricky racing conditions, and fight his way forward past the world’s best dirt track racers.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Twins ERV
2019 AFT Twins – Minnesota Mile

Nevertheless, he did so with gusto, owning a bold, high line which he used to claw his way up to the fight for second that was being waged by Bryan Smith and Jeffrey Carver Jr.

In one final breathtaking moment, Bauman and Smith came together exiting Turn 4 for the final time. That clash allowed Smith to just beat him to the line for second, but in the end, third was good enough for Bauman to realize his lifelong ambitions.

Briar Bauman

“I don’t know if I can put words on this right now. I’ve dreamed of this my whole life. I used to have posters of Bryan and Jared hanging in my room growing up. And to win it… I can’t even put it into words. I don’t even know what else to say.”

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Twins Mees Briar Bauman ERV
Briar Bauman celebrated his victory with a lap on the back of Jared Mees’ bike

Mees showed his class by taking Bauman on his victory lap.

Jared Mees

“My goal was to win these last two races. Being 35 points down, it was really going to take some extremely bad luck for Briar — which almost happened to him. But he has a phenomenal team and they worked endlessly to get that bike put back together and back up front. I knew once he re-entered the race he was going to get third. Hats off to him and his team, and huge hats off to Indian Motorcycle for clinching their third championship. It’s hard to lose that #1 plate, especially after the domination we’ve had the last two years. But it went to the best guy this year, and I’m looking forward to next year to get it back.”

Carver – who scooped three holeshots on the night – finished fourth with Henry Wiles completing the top five.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Twins podium FA
2019 AFT Twins – Minnesota Mile Podium – 1) Jared Mees, 2) Bryan Smith, 3) Briar Bauman

AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Minnesota Mile Result

# Rider Bike Gap
1 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 15 Laps
2 Bryan Smith Kawasaki Ninja 650 2.931
3 Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 3.038
4 Jeffrey Carver Jr. Indian FTR750 3.73
5 Henry Wiles Indian FTR750 7.812
6 Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 12.78
7 Brandon Robinson HD XG750R Rev X 14.075
8 Jarod Vanderkooi HD XG750R Rev X 17.534
9 Robert Pearson Indian FTR750 20.662
10 Davis Fisher Indian FTR750 23.37

AFT Twins Standings

# Rider Points
1 Briar Bauman 322
2 Jared Mees 295
3 Bronson Bauman 234
4 Jeffrey Carver Jr. 210
5 Brandon Robinson 191
6 Jarod Vanderkooi 190
7 Henry Wiles 167
8 Robert Pearson 159
9 Sammy Halbert 153
10 Davis Fisher 148
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Mikey Rush wins AFT Singles at Minnesota Mile

Following 15 thrilling laps of AFT Singles action, Mikey Rush edged Ryan Wells by an impossibly close 0.004 seconds for victory at the checkered flag. Rush didn’t appear headed toward a photo finish on Saturday night when he opened up a 0.799-second lead on the opening lap. That only seemed even more obvious when he stretched that advantage out to more than 1.2 seconds a pair of laps later.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Singles Mikey Rush Ryan Wells ERV
Mikey Rush & Ryan Wells – 2019 AFT Singles – Minnesota Mile

However, ‘16 class champ Wells located a fast line that he used to successfully track Rush down, setting the stage for an incredible test of courage and tactics to determine the win between the two.

Wells looked to be exactly where he wanted to be on the final lap, lining Rush up for a drafting maneuver on the final straight. However, when he attempted to execute it, he managed to pull up alongside Rush but no further – running out of steam just a couple inches short of what he needed to beat his adversary to the stripe.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Singles Mikey Rush ERV
Mikey Rush – 2019 AFT Singles – Minnesota Mile

The narrow victory was Rush’s third win of the season and a satisfying consolation prize on the night he was officially eliminated from contention for the ’19 Roof Systems AFT Singles crown.

Mikey Rush

“Ryan showed me a killer line, and I stuck with it after he got by me. I made it work, and I knew my Honda was on point tonight – it runs like a champ. Big thanks to the whole team and everyone who supports us.”

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Singles Mikey Rush ERV
Mikey Rush – 2019 AFT Singles – Minnesota Mile

Championship leader Dalton Gauthiermoved a big step closer to winning that title by finishing in fourth, one position behind rookie standout Dallas Daniels.

Gauthier may have been a bit too eager to lock the title up a round early; the ultra-talented rider actually jumped the start and was sent from Row 1 to Row 4. All that did was add a bit more drama to Gauthier’s ongoing championship pursuit, as he ultimately overhauled chief rival Dan Bromley – and everyone else that stood in his way short of the podium finishers.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Singles Mikey Rush Ryan Wells ERV
Mikey Rush and Ryan Wells race to the finish line – 2019 AFT Singles – Minnesota Mile

Meanwhile, defending class champ Bromley finished the Main down in 10th, dropping him to 21 points back (281-260). As a result, Bromley’s hopes of a repeat are still alive – albeit barely – with one race to go.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Singles Podium FA
2019 AFT Singles – Minnesota Mile Podium – 1) Mikey Rush, 2) Ryan Wells, 3) Dallas Daniels

AFT Singles Main Event – 2019 Minnesota Mile Result

# Rider Bike Gap
1 Mikey Rush Honda CRF450R 15 Laps
2 Ryan Wells Yamaha YZ450F 0.004
3 Dallas Daniels Yamaha YZ450F 1.489
4 Dalton Gauthier Husqvarna FC450 1.584
5 Trent Lowe Honda CRF450R 2.224
6 Morgen Mischler KTM 450 SX-F 2.648
7 Max Whale Kawasaki KX450F 3.541
8 Chad Cose Suzuki RMZ 450 6.153
9 Brandon Kitchen Honda CRF450R 6.275
10 Dan Bromley KTM 450 SX-F 8.766

AFT Singles Standings

# Rider Points
1 Dalton Gauthier 281
2 Dan Bromley 260
3 Mikey Rush 255
4 Chad Cose 186
5 Jesse Janisch 183
6 Ryan Wells 177
7 Shayna Texter 169
8 Morgen Mischler 158
9 Max Whale 132
10 Kevin Stollings 109
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Kolby Carlile tops AFT Production Twins at Canterbury Park

Kolby Carlile made certain the AFT Production Twins championship fight would go down to the season finale with a clutch performance to score his second victory of the season.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Prod Twins ERV
2019 AFT Production Twins – Minnesota Mile

Chad Cose threatened to escape at the start, but Carlile put his head down and extracted the most from an evolving high line to systematically reel in Cose. On lap 8, Carlile finally drafted up alongside and dove up the inside of his quarry to snatch away the lead.

Cose attempted to return the favor a lap later but couldn’t quite make it stick. From there, he found himself on the back foot, as the two leaders’ battle stretched them more than a full straightaway out in front of the rest of the field.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Prod Twins Chad Cose Kolby Carlile ERV
Chad Cose and Kolby Carlile – 2019 AFT Production Twins – Minnesota Mile

Carlile shook free at the end to claim the checkered flag with a 2.195-second margin of victory. Cose had nearly seven seconds on third as their intense battle for the win pushed the two more than a full straightaway out in front of the remainder of the field.

Kolby Carlile

“I really couldn’t have gone any faster. I just can’t thank my team enough… and I can’t thank them any better than by coming out here and getting the win, so that’s what I did today.”

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Prod Twins Kolby Carlile ERV
Kolby Carlile – 2019 AFT Production Twins – Minnesota Mile

Cody Johncox picked up his second podium of the season in third, successfully outdueling title hopefuls Cory Texter and Ryan Varnes.

Varnes recovered from a rough start in which he nearly looped his Kawasaki coming off the line and plummeted back through the field at the start. With his title chances flashing before his eyes, Varnes quickly regrouped and somehow managed to weave all the way up to fourth and latch onto Johncox’s rear wheel in third.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Singles Dallas Daniels ERV
Dallas Daniels – 2019 AFT Production Twins – Minnesota Mile

However, a subsequent mishap dropped Varnes out of podium contention and all the way down to an eventual sixth-place result. Even more crucially, it allowed Texter to get back around him and finish in fourth, further extending the points differential separating the two.

In fact, Varnes’ sixth-place finish combined with Carlile’s triumph saw Carilie step forward and seize control of second place in the title chase heading into next weekend’s season finale. The new runner-up now trails championship leader Texter by 15 points (180-165) with Varnes still very much in the mix in third at 162.

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Prod Twins Podium FA
2019 AFT Production Twins – Minnesota Mile Podium – 1) Kolby Carlile, 2) Chad Cose, 3) Cody Johncox

AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Minnesota Mile Result

# Rider Bike Gap
1 Kolby Carlile Yamaha MT-07 15 Laps
2 Chad Cose Kawasaki Ninja 650 2.195
3 Cody Johncox Yamaha MT-07 8.951
4 Cory Texter Yamaha MT-07 9.877
5 Dalton Gauthier HD XG750R Rev X 11.687
6 Ryan Varnes Kawasaki Ninja 650 17.788
7 Morgen Mischler Kawasaki Ninja 650 23.708
8 Jeffery Lowery Kawasaki Ninja 650 31.563
9 Andrew Luker Kawasaki Ninja 650 57.467
10 Brock Schwarzenbacher Kawasaki Ninja 650 14 Laps

AFT Production Twins Standings

# Rider Points
1 Cory Texter 180
2 Kolby Carlile 165
3 Ryan Varnes 162
4 Dalton Gauthier 136
5 James Rispoli 116
6 Chad Cose 114
7 J.R. Addison 111
8 Cody Johncox 109
9 Ben Lowe 100
10 Kevin Stollings 90
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Toni Bou sweeps 2019 TrialGP championship

With seven wins out of seven events, Toni Bou closed out the 2019 TrialGP World Championship. The Repsol Honda Team rider claimed top honours in the Spanish TrialGP held in the Ciudad Deportiva of La Nucía, where Takahisa Fujinami took the third step of the podium.

TrialGP r TrialGP Toni Bou ps
Toni Bou – 2019 TrialGP – Spain

The final trial of the season was by no means easy. The steep areas and the lack of time to conclude the first lap proved a hindrance for riders. Toni Bou finished the day accruing the least marks, thus achieving a 14th consecutive victory in Trial World Championships and a 112th in elite competition. With the title already sealed in the previous outing in France, Bou has completed a full-house of wins in all the trials disputed this season.

TrialGP r TrialGP Takahisa Fujinami ps
Takahisa Fujinami – 2019 TrialGP – Spain

Takahisa Fujinami fought hard for a place on the podium in La Nucía with his endeavours finally paying dividends.

Toni Bou

“Having a perfect season and winning all races has been spectacular. After exceeding 100 wins, this was the challenge that I was lacking and I am very happy to have achieved it. In addition, I am also very happy to be able to tie with Jordi Tarrés on 14th consecutive victories. We always want more, so we hope to start next season continuing this good spell. Today’s trial was tough, the sections were very slippery and we had very little time, so we made a lot of mistakes. Luckily, everyone made mistakes but our opponents picked up more marks. I am very happy to be able to finish the season this way. Thank you very much to the whole team for making it possible.”

TrialGP r Podium ps
Toni Bou topped the podium from – 2019 TrialGP – Spain

2019 TrialGP of Spain Results

# Rider Nat. Points
1 BOU Toni SPA 160
2 RAGA Adam SPA 134
3 FUJINAMI Takahisa JPN 112
4 BUSTO Jaime SPA 96
5 CASALES Jorge SPA 81
6 DABILL James GBR 80
7 BINCAZ Benoit FRA 69
8 GELABERT Miquel SPA 66
9 KADLEC Franz GER 64
10 PRICE Jack GBR 49

2019 TrialGP Standings

# Rider Nat. Team Points
1 BOU Toni SPA Repsol Honda Team 36
2 RAGA Adam SPA TRRS Factory Team 43
3 FUJINAMI Takahisa JPN Repsol Honda Team 64
4 FAJARDO Jeroni SPA Gas Gas 65
5 BUSTO Jaime SPA Vertigo Factory Team 67
6 GELABERT Miquel SPA Sherco Factory Team 69
7 CASALES Jorge SPA Vertigo Factory Team 70
8 BINCAZ Benoit FRA Beta Factory Racing 83
9 DABILL James GBR Beta Factory Racing 89
10 PRICE Jack GBR Gas Gas 89
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2019 AORC Wrap-Up

After eleven rounds across six weekends the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) concluded last weekend at Hedley in Victoria. Here’s a look at the season that was…

E3

Its fair to say that Daniel Sanders simply dismantled his rivals this year in the E3 category. The 25-year-old was in a class of his own taking the round win in every race this year. Sanders’ stats in the E3 category continues to grow as he now has racked up 22 victories from a total of 35 round starts.

AORC Hedley Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders

This year’s championship marks Sanders’ fourth title in the AORC series. He now has taken out the 19 & Under Championship in 2014, E2 title in 2018 and the E3 championship this year and 2016.

Sanders’ nearest rival throughout the year was Andrew Wilksch, who was 63-points behind who managed to stand on the podium at every round, apart from round three.

The biggest upset for the year would have to be Beau Ralston, who injured himself. Ralston scored second place at the first six rounds of the year before his season was put on hold, so it’s a case of what could have been.

At the end of the championship, Ralston found himself in sixth place in the standings with 148-points to his name. Jesse Lawton was able to salvage third place in the championship and get back to finish in the championship and finish off his best season.

E2

Just like Sanders in the E3 class, Daniel Milner also made the season his own in the E2 class by romping to victory in every round this year. Josh Green tried everything he could to put up a fight to Milner but was unable to prevail and had to settle finishing second in all of the eleven rounds this year. Still, it was an improvement from last year as Green did finish third in 2018 with six second places and three third places.

Daniel Milner AORC Hedley
Daniel Milner

Jérémy Carpentier, who made the jump from E1 to E2 this year certainly put on a solid show in 2019. With seven visits to the podium this year and three top five finishes, it was enough to hand the Frenchman third place for the year finishing 37-points behind Green.

Brad Hardaker, who took out third place at round six, battled through injuries in the first part of the year and was still pretty consistent, which showed in his overall position for the year. At the end of the jigsaw puzzle Hardaker finished in fourth place, scoring 148-points for the year.

E1

Luke Styke has become the second rider in the sports history to win back-to-back championships in the E1 division. Styke, who now has 15 wins in the E1 class just held onto the championship win by 18-points, beating Lyndon Snodgrass, who last year finished second in the E2 championship.

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Luke AORC rd
Luke Styke

Fraser Higlett this year dropped from second to third in the overall standings. Unlike last year, his season has not exactly been consistent. Last year saw Higlett scoring two race wins, six seconds and two thirds, while this year he has only been able to win one round, which came at the fifth round, one second and five thirds. The third place in the championship went all the way down to the wire between Higlett and last year’s EJ champion, Michael Driscoll. Driscoll just missed out on third place by three points.

EJ

For 2019, Kyron Bacon leaped up to the EJ class after finishing second in last year’s J4 category. A total of seven round wins, two second places and third places saw the 17-year-old winning the title beating Josh Brierley, who again finished second in the EJ class for another year running, by 30-points.

AORC Hedley Kyron Bacon Team
Kyron Bacon

Last years J4 champion, Korey McMahon, round the EJ championship in third place, eight points off Brierley and along the way picked up three second places and seven second place finishes to his credit.

Women

Once again Jess Gardiner proved just to good for the field, racking up her fifth championship, which has not been done in the sports history in the Women’s class. Not only that, but the 26-year-old of course has scored over 2000 championship points and after the weekend just gone, she now has a total of 2,063 championship points to her name.

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Jess aorc rd
Jess Gardiner

While Gardiner might be the Queen at her game at the moment, Honda RideRed’s Emma Milesevic has proven to be a future star of the sport. After switching from motocross to AORC this year, the Victorian based rider came on strong from the word get go. Her first-round win came at Broken Hill and took out another win in South Australia at the ninth round of the championship. In total, nine podium finishes for the Honda rider who finished 28-points off from Gardiner.

Milesevic just hung onto second place in the championship tussle, beating Emelie Karlsson by just one slender point. What was looking like a winless year coming up for the Swedish rider, Karlsson broke through during Saturday’s cross-county event to win her fourteenth AORC round win, beating Milesevic and Gardiner.

Danielle Foot guided the #885V Motul Pirelli Sherco Off-Road machine to fourth place in the championship, which was also her first year in the AORC series.

Juniors

The J4 class was the closest finish out of all the championships in the AORC series. Mackenzie Johnson took out the championship by one point ahead of Blake Hollis. Round eight and nine which Hollis missed proved to be costly in the end. However, it is what it is…

AORC Rnd Toowoomba Blake Hollis
Blake Hollis – 2019 AORC

Riley McGillivray took out the J3 class by locking up ten round wins for the year. 44-points down on him was Kodi Stephens.

It was back-to-back championship wins for Billy Hargy in the J2 class, who finished 14-points ahead of Max Phillips and Campbell Hall who was 21-points down.

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Masters & Vets

Kirk Hutton won every round bar the final two rounds, purely because there was no need for him to roll up as he locked up the title the round before. This left Peter Rudd to finish second in the championship, but took out the final two rounds. It was really a two-horse race between the pair.

AORC Rnd Toowoomba Kirk Hutton
Kirk Hutton – 2019 AORC

Lee Stephens to had a great year. He took out a total of nine wins which handed him the title win over Chris Thomas and former 2017 Veterans champ Jason Perace.

This brings the 2019 AORC season to a close, proving that Australia’s Enduro talent is growing in leaps and bounds. Please stay tuned for further AORC updates as well as the 2020 calendar, which will be released in due course.


Leon Madsen claims British SGP win in Cardiff

British FIM Speedway Grand Prix winner Leon Madsen says completing a Warsaw and Cardiff golden double is an awesome feeling – whether or not he’s crowned world champion. The Dane topped the podium ahead of Emil Sayfutdinov, Bartosz Zmarzlik and Jason Doyle at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday.

Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix
2019 British FIM Speedway Grand Prix

Madsen was delighted to have won at both of the SGP series’ biggest venues in his first full World Championship season. He’s currently third in the standings on 109 points – nine behind series leader Zmarzlik, who has 118 going into the title-deciding REVLINE Torun SGP of Poland on October 5. Sayfutdinov is second on 111.

While Madsen knows claiming the sport’s biggest prize in a fortnight will be no easy task, he admits his Warsaw and Cardiff wins would represent a sweet consolation prize.

Leon Madsen

“I had a talk with my girlfriend at home before the meeting; I said ‘I might not be world champion this year, but wouldn’t it be nice to win the two biggest events on the calendar and finish off as No.1 in the Polish Ekstraliga rankings. At the moment, I am No.1 in the Polish rankings. I have won the two biggest events and I am very happy about that and proud as well. If I don’t win the championship, it’s kind of a plaster on the wound to win those two big events.”

Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix
2019 British FIM Speedway Grand Prix podium

Madsen is determined to finish of SGP 2019 with at least a medal to show for an impressive debut season, which has seen him defy a disc problem in his back and an ankle injury to pile up the points.

Sayfutdinov heads to Torun seven points short of Zmarzlik. While he was gutted not to overtake Madsen for victory in the Cardiff final, he was content with a healthy 17-point haul. And now he’s determined to hunt down Zmarzlik for top spot.

Third-placed Zmarzlik is 15 points away from guaranteeing the SGP 2019 world title – irrespective of what his rivals score in Torun. This target will decrease with every point dropped by Sayfutdinov and Madsen.

With Zmarzlik racing the title decider in his homeland, there’s no doubt the spotlight will shine brightest on him. But he admits he felt more pressure in Cardiff, where he has reached the final on all of his four visits.

Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix
2019 British FIM Speedway Grand Prix podium

SGP World Championship Standings

  1. Bartosz Zmarzlik 118
  2. Emil Sayfutdinov 111
  3. Leon Madsen 109
  4. Fredrik Lindgren 98
  5. Martin Vaculik 88
  6. Maciej Janowski 80
  7. Patryk Dudek 75
  8. Matej Zagar 74
  9. Jason Doyle 73
  10. Artem Laguta 69
    …16 Max Fricke

2019 British SGP Scores

  1. Leon Madsen 17
  2. Emil Sayfutdinov 17
  3. Bartosz Zmarzlik 15
  4. Jason Doyle 13
  5. Fredrik Lindgren 11
  6. Martin Vaculik 9
  7. Antonio Lindback 9
  8. Matej Zagar 9
  9. Maciej Janowski 7
  10. Artem Laguta 6

Australian Junior Dirt Track heads to Somersby this weekend

This weekend the Nation’s best junior motorcycle riders from across the country will invade the Central Coast to battle it out in the Australian Junior Dirt Track Championship for a two-day event on September 28-29 at Allen Park MVR Speedway, in Somersby, New South Wales.

Australian Junior Dirt Track Championship Somersby
Australian Junior Dirt Track heads to Somersby – Image by David Lamont

Although some riders may be young in age, they are much older in experience, skills and talent if the results shown at the recent Central Coast Cup event were any indication. With strong competition likely from Queenslanders, Riley Nauta, Nate Hicks, Steph Connors, Lenny and Henry Snell.

Flying the flag for Victoria is Cooper Antone, Jed Fyffe and Oli Bergic, while Sam and Tom Drane, Noah Grabham and Beau Bailey will try and do the Central West NSW proud.

Being just a few riders to beat if they want to be crowned champion. Forbes brothers Tom and Sam Drane along with Queenslander Riley Nauta have just returned from 6 weeks of competition racing long track in America.

Riders from seven through to sixteen will compete in their individual classes to hold the title of 2019 National champion. Several previous winners of this event have continued on to hold World Championships.

Australian Junior Dirt Track Championship Somersby
Australian Junior Dirt Track heads to Somersby – Image by David Lamont

The weekend entertainment will not only be provided by the high quality of the competitors but on the Sunday the crowd will be treated by a special appearance and demonstration ride by clinically blind Australian Ben Felten who is the current Guinness World Record and FIM record holder for the fastest land speed by a blind motorcycle rider.

Practice will commence at 9.30am followed by racing on the Saturday and racing opening from 9.30am on the Sunday. Entry fee of $10.00 per car will cover you for the two days of competition.


Ben Kelley extends KTM contract

KTM Motorsports is proud to announce the contract extension of recently-crowned back-to-back GNCC XC2 250 Pro Champion Ben Kelley, who will join the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team in 2020 to compete in the premier XC1 Open Pro class in the AMA Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series.

As a member of the KTM-Supported Trail Jesters KTM Racing Team since 2017, Kelley has spent a majority of his career with the KTM brand where he has achieved many great milestones as a young racer. Now a two-time GNCC XC2 Champion, Kelley remains undefeated in the current series as he continues to vie for a perfect season in 2019.

Ben Kelley

“I am really excited to be joining the FMF KTM Factory Racing team going into the 2020 season. I have high hopes for next year and look forward to moving up to the premier XC1 class in GNCC.”

GNCC Mason Dixon Ben Kelley KH
Ben Kelly – Image by Ken Hill
Antti Kallonen – FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Manager

“I’m very pleased to see Ben graduate from the Trail Jesters KTM Racing Team. We’ve been supporting him and the team for a few years now and this is the result of a great feeder program and now he’s ready to take on the premier class. Obviously, we’re looking for a very bright future for Ben as he’s already shown an enormous amount of potential in the XC2 class. Now he will be on a bigger bike in the premier class and our expectations are high, as are his, so we’re looking forward to the next three years and beyond.”

In addition to finishing out the last three rounds of the GNCC Series, the 23-year-old will go on to represent the U.S. Junior World Trophy Team on Nov. 11-16 at the 94th edition of the FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Portimao, Portugal.

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AMA announces 2020 rider numbers

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced the professional competition numbers for pro-licensed riders competing in AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, for the 2020 season.

AMA Supercross FInal Osborne Baggett Starts JK SX Vegas Cover
2019 AMA Supercross – Image by Hoppenworld

Each rider uses the assigned professional number for competition. In addition, the current champion runs the No. 1 plate, instead of an assigned professional number when competing in the class or region in which the No. 1 plate was earned. When competing in a class other than the class in which the championship was earned, the rider must use the professional number assigned.

2020 Top 100 & Career Pro Numbers for SX and MX

* Career Numbers – ** New Career Number for 2020

Rider # (Class) Rider
1 (450SX) Cooper Webb
1 (450 Class) Eli Tomac
1 (250 Class) Adam Cianciarulo
1W (250SX) Dylan Ferrandis
1E (250SX) Chase Sexton
2* Cooper Webb
3* Eli Tomac
4* Blake Baggett
6* Jeremy Martin
7* Aaron Plessinger
9** Adam Cianciarulo
10* Justin Brayton
11* Kyle Chisholm
12* Shane McElrath
13 Colt Nichols
14** Dylan Ferrandis
15* Dean Wilson
16* Zach Osborne
17* Joey Savatgy
18* Weston Peick
19* Justin Bogle
20* Broc Tickle
21* Jason Anderson
22* Chad Reed
23* Chase Sexton
24** R.J. Hampshire
25* Marvin Musquin
26* Alex Martin
27* Malcolm Stewart
28 Michael Mosiman
29 Cameron McAdoo
30 Brandon Hartranft
31 Fredrik Noren
32** Justin Cooper
33* Josh Grant
34 Tyler Bowers
35 Hunter Lawrence
36 Garrett Marchbanks
37 Martin Davalos
38 Kyle Peters
39 Jordan Bailey
40 Mitchell Oldenburg
41 Ty Masterpool
42 Ben Lamay
43 John Short
44 Kyle Cunningham
45 Jacob Hayes
46* Justin Hill
47 Lorenzo Locurcio
48 Henry Miller
49 Chris Blose
50 Benny Bloss
51* Justin Barcia
52 Austin Forkner
53 Jimmy Decotis
54 Jordon Smith
55 Martin Castelo
56 Justin Starling
57 Derek Drake
58 Sean Cantrell
59 Josh Osby
60 Mitchell Falk
61 Alex Ray
62 Christian Craig
63 Jess Pettis
64 Vince Friese
65 James Weeks
66 Enzo Lopes
67 Jerry Robin
68 Nick Gaines
69 Carlen Gardner
70 Dylan Merriam
71 Ryan Breece
72 Robbie Wageman
73 Chase Marquier
74 Mitchell Harrison
75 Coty Schock
76 Mike Alessi
77 Kevin Moranz
78 Jake Masterpool
79 Isaac Teasdale
80 Thomas Covington
81 Anthony Rodriguez
82 Cade Autenrieth
83 Jett Lawrence
84 Jo Shimoda
85 Cole Martinez
86 Josh Cartwright
87 Ramyller Alves
88 Logan Karnow
89 Marshal Weltin
90 Killian Auberson
91 Ryan Sipes
92 Austin Politelli
93 Blake Wharton
94* Ken Roczen
95 Carson Brown
96 Justin Thompson
97 Chris Howell
98 Bradley Lionnet
99 Brandan Leith
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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | MXGP | EMX | AMA MX | SGP

Moto News Weekly for August 27, 2019

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What happened this week

  • 2019 MXGP of Sweden wrap-up
  • Van De Moosdijk & Guadagnini claim EMX titles
  • 2019 AMA Ironman National MX Wrap
  • Matej Zagar tops Croatian FIM Speedway Grand Prix qualifier
  • Brook & Hendrickson dominate Australian Senior Track Championships
  • American Flat Track set for Springfield triple-header
  • Hunter Lawrence injured in training
  • Tasmania to host 2019 Australian Trial Championship
  • Romain Febvre breaks femur at Swedish GP
  • 2019 Sultans of Slide Announced – NSW Flat Track Cup

2019 MXGP of Sweden wrap-up

With sunshine and a large Swedish crowd in attendance at the beautifully prepared Uddevalla circuit, another sensational weekend of motocross was played out at the MXGP of Sweden.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla gajser uddevalla hondaproracing shotbybavo
2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla

For the full report see:
Jorge Prado crowned 2019 MX2 Champion in Sweden (link)

Glenn Coldenhoff won his second GP of the season in MXGP, with Tim Gajser having to settle for second, while Pauls Jonass completed the top three overall.

Glenn Coldenhoff took the Race 1 win from Romain Febvre by over a minute, while Tim Gajser completed the podium. Race 2 would see Gajser come back for the win, this time over Coldenhoff, with Pauls Jonass completing the top three.

Glenn Coldenhoff

“It was a tough weekend but I’m very satisfied. Jeffrey was in front of me in the beginning of the first race, and it is really difficult and Febvre was close at the end and I got a little nervous, but I kept it on for the win. I’m very happy about my riding now”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoof – 2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla
Tim Gajser

“I am really happy. The first race I made a mistake and a lost two places. The second race I was pushing Romain and then I thought five minutes before the end I had to pass him, and I took the lead and with one lap to go I was leading the GP, but congratulations to Glenn, he deserved it.”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla gajser uddevalla hondaproracing shotbybavo
Tim Gajser – 2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla
Pauls Jonass

“You know its been a while since I was on the box and we worked hard to get here. The starts are the key, and they are better now, but we still need to improve them. It feels good to be up front and thanks to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team and all my sponsors.”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Pauls Jonas PDA
Pauls Jonass – 2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla

MXGP Round Overall – Top 10

Pos Rider Race 1 Race 2 Total
1 Coldenhoff, Glenn 25 22 47
2 Gajser, Tim 20 25 45
3 Jonass, Pauls 18 20 38
4 Seewer, Jeremy 14 16 30
5 Van Horebeek, Jeremy 16 14 30
6 Paulin, Gautier 15 13 28
7 Tonus, Arnaud 9 15 24
8 Strijbos, Kevin 12 12 24
9 Searle, Tommy 13 11 24
10 Febvre, Romain 22 0 22

MXGP Standings after Sweden – Top 10

Pos Rider Total
1 Gajser, Tim 709
2 Seewer, Jeremy 511
3 Paulin, G. 468
4 Coldenhoff, G. 446
5 Tonus, Arnaud 443
6 Jasikonis, A. 397
7 Jonass, Pauls 390
8 Febvre, Romain 384
9 Van Horebeek, J. 377
10 Cairoli, A. 358
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MX2

In the opening MX2 moto on Sunday fans surrounding the tight, hardpack Uddevalla track witnessed a special FIM World Championship celebration as Prado obtained the points necessary to confirm his second #1 plate in the MX2 class. Prado ranks as the eighth different Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2 World Champion since the creation of the category in 2004; KTM has now claimed the MX2 titles 11 times from 16 seasons.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado – 2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla

With a lead of 145 points and just 100 left to win in the series Prado, who hails from Lugo in Spain, has been confirmed as only the third double-winning champion in the history of the MX2 division. The star has won 27 of the 32 motos contested so far this season, despite missing a round with injury and has scored 12 1-1 victories from 16 rounds.

In what was another memorable weekend, Prado’s MX2 teammate Tom Vialle scored his very first Grand Prix victory with a 2-2 scorecard aboard his KTM 250 SX-F. The FIM Motocross World championship now heads to Turkey and China for the last two rounds of the season.

Tom Vialle

“It is a fantastic weekend I took two holeshots and I got the round win. For sure it is fantastic the first race I pushed and lost a lot of energy and in the second race I took the holeshot and finished second and I won the overall. I did not expect that but it is a great feeling”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Tom Vialle KTM SX F Uddevalla
Tom Vialle – 2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla
Calvin Vlaanderen

“First race I didn’t’ feel really comfortable as I had a bad start but in the second race I rode well and the two guys in front made mistakes and I was able to get the race win. Thanks to the team and my family and girlfriend to support me.”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Vlaanderen bybavo
Calvin Vlaanderen – 2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla
Jorge Prado

“I have no words to explain this. This year has been a great season, winning every single round I rode except this one (laugh). Thanks to everyone who is there everyday with me and supporting me. Two World titles, if you think of it, it is incredible. The second race was one of the best races of the year for me, I came from the back to fourth place and I couldn’t use the clutch because the level was bent.”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Jorge Prado KTM SX F World Champion
Jorge Prado – 2019 MXGP of Sweden – Round 16 Uddevalla

MX2 Round Overall

Pos Rider R1 R2 Total
1 Vialle, Tom 22 22 44
2 Vlaanderen, Calvin 18 25 43
3 Prado, Jorge 25 18 43
4 Sterry, Adam 16 20 36
5 Renaux, Maxime 15 16 31
6 Olsen, Thomas Kjer 13 15 28
7 Evans, Mitchell 10 14 24
8 Walsh, Dylan 11 12 23
9 Boisrame, Mathys 14 9 23
10 Sanayei, Darian 12 10 22

MX2 Standings following Sweden

Pos Rider Total
1 Prado, Jorge 737
2 Olsen, T. 592
3 Geerts, Jago 467
4 Vialle, Tom 460
5 Jacobi, Henry 442
6 Sterry, Adam 356
7 Renaux, Maxime 340
8 Vlaanderen, C. 324
9 Watson, Ben 282
10 Boisrame, M. 278
11 Evans, M. 252
12 Beaton, Jed 250
20 Walsh, Dylan 137
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Van De Moosdijk & Guadagnini claim EMX titles

Uddevalla was the field where the final rounds of the EMX250 and EMX125 championships were decided as both titles went down to the wire as a handful of riders fought for victory. Run over Saturday and Sunday the racing was very unpredictable with both champions taking their titles without winning the overall or a race on the weekend.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla ËMX EMX Podium
Van De Moosdijk & Guadagnini claim the EMX titles in Sweden

In the EMX250 Championship it was Roan van de Moosdijk who took the championship with a solid third place overall in Sweden with 2-6 results. The overall winner in Sweden was Stephen Rubini with 3-2 and finishing second in the championship. Third overall in the championship was Alberto Forato who finished with 7-1 results for second overall for the weekend.

In the EMX125 it was Tom Guyon who won the final round with 2-1 results, but Mattia Guadagnini is the 2019 EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Champion. Guadagnini didn’t take too many risks throughout the two races and finished third overall with 3-3 on the weekend and it was enough to win the championship with a tally of 305 points, 13 points more than second placed rider Guyon.

EMX250

Mikkel Haarup won the opening race from Roan van de Moosdijk and Stephen Rubini in a rather uneventful affair for the race winner, but for Rubini it was a crash-fest as he had a bad start, then crashed a couple of times and lost points to Van De Moosdijk.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla EMX Start
EMX250 Start

Haarup led the whole EMX250 Race 1 while Bastian Boegh Damm started second and had the chance to maintain his position until a motivated Van De Moosdijk passed him on lap 12. Riding in third was the Swedish Isak Gifting while the battle for the Championship was back in 4th position among Van De Moosdijk, Rubini and Forato.

At the end of Race 1 Van De Moosdijk led the championship points by 13 points on Rubini while Forato finished race 1 in 7th but still in contention for the championship.

In the second EMX250 it was Jeremy Sydow who led from Rene Hofer, Bastian Boegh Damm, Pontus Jonsson and Ruben Fernandez, but the title contenders were back with Forato sixth, Rubini ninth and Van De Moosdijk 12th.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla hi VAN DE MOOSDIJK GP PH
Roan van de Moosdijk

Forato moved into the lead after a couple of laps, and Rubini was up to fourth, with Van De Moosdijk sixth. The championship contenders were all working their way to the front and after four laps the top five was Forato, Hofer, Sydow, Rubini and Fernandez.

Hofer crashed in lap eight but managed to keep the third place while Van De Moosdijk moved into fifth place. Rubini passed Hofer for second place and after nine laps race leader Forato was followed by Rubini, Hofer, Fernandez and Van De Moosdijk. Forato won the second race from Rubini and Hofer, with Van De Moosdijk back in sixth position that for the Dutch were enough to endure the EMX250 Title.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla hi VAN DE MOOSDIJK GP PH
Roan van de Moosdijk

Roan Van De Moosdijk won three rounds in 2019 and managed to hold the Red Plate for the first time this season in Lommel. He won the 2019 Edition of one of the most thrilling European Championships ever, the EMX250, 6 points ahead Stephan Rubini and 11 from Alberto Forato.

Roan Van De Moosdijk

It was a little stressful the last few days but I have had a good time the last couple of months and won a lot of races so I was confident going into this last round of the series. Of course I was a little nervous before the second race this morning, but I think that’s normal! My start was pretty good but in the second corner Haarup crashed and I had to stop and lost five or six places. Then I saw Rubini just one or two positions in front of me, so when he passed somebody I did the same. I controlled the race; I knew it was enough. In my mind I was thinking during the last few laps ‘just don’t crash, don’t make any mistake’ so I let one guy pass me back on the last lap to make sure nothing strange could happen to prevent me securing the title. I want to thank everyone around me – Kawasaki, my team, my sponsors, my family, my girlfriend. Now I will race the MX2 GPs in Turkey and China to prepare for next year as I didn’t race any overseas GPs yet. It will also be a good preparation if the Dutch federation finally select me for the MX of Nations; of course both overseas races are hard-pack and Assen is sand but I showed already what I can do in the sand.”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla hi VAN DE MOOSDIJK GP PH
Roan van de Moosdijk
Stephen Rubini

“Of course I am a little disappointed about the championship. I wanted to bring a second title for Honda, but I gave everything and I am happy with second overall. Looking forward to seeing you all next year in MX2.”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Stephen Rubini
Stephen Rubini
Alberto Forato

“I had a good start to the season with four wins and then I had little issues. Today I enjoyed a lot riding. I’m third overall in the championship and I’m happy with it even if I was hoping to be Champion”

EMX250 Overall Top Ten

# Rider R1 R2 Tot.
1 Rubini, Stephen 20 22 42
2 Forato, Alberto 14 25 39
3 Van De Moosdijk, Roan 22 15 37
4 Hofer, Rene 12 20 32
5 Gifting, Isak 16 16 32
6 Haarup, Mikkel 25 7 32
7 Fernandez, Ruben 13 18 31
8 Boegh Damm, Bastian 18 13 31
9 Sydow, Jeremy 10 14 24
10 Benistant, Thibault 15 9 24

EMX250 Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 325
2 Rubini, S. FRA HON 319
3 Forato, A. ITA HUS 314
4 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 227
5 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 161
6 Sydow, Jeremy GER HUS 155
7 Tropepe, G. ITA YAM 133
8 Gilbert, Josh GBR HON 127
9 Fernandez, R. ESP YAM 113
10 Elzinga, Rick NED YAM 104
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EMX125

Simon Laengenfelder opened the account for the EMX125, with a victory in the opening race, the German rider displayed good control, leading the race on lap one until the finish.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla EMX Tom Guyon
Tom Guyon

Mattia Guadagnini had a good start with the goal to keep his second position until the very end of the race, but the #27 of Team VRT’s and championship rival Tom Guyon was closing in putting pressure on Guadagnini. The Italian didn’t push too hard considering his 20 points lead and Guyon made it to pass him on lap four.

Going into the last couple of laps Laengenfelder led 12 seconds on Guyon with Guadagnini, Gwerder and Talviku round out the top five.

When the gate dropped at the second race of the EMX125 class it was Tom Guyon who controlled the race from lap one and took a comfortable victory ahead of Laengenfelder and Guadagnini.

Guyon and Laengenfelder pulling away out front while Guadagnini kept his comfortable third place that could ensure his Championship title. Kay de Wolf put pressure on Guadagnini as the Italian made a small mistake. Tom Guyon won race 2 and the overall victory in Uddevalla while Mattia Guadagnini has been crowned 2019 EMX125 champion.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla EMX Podium
EMX125 Podium – MXGP of Sweden
Mattia Guadagnini

“I am super happy, I can’t believe it. It is amazing, I don’t know what to say. I want to thank all the people who helped me. It was an amazing season, almost perfect. I had very good races and I just had to control the second race and have fun. I want to thank the team and my family and everyone who helped me.”

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla EMX Mattia Guadagnini
Mattia Guadagnini
Tom Guyon

“I am happy about my weekend, because I finished first, but I am a bit disappointed about my season as I could won the title but I finished second. But still, I am really happy about this season.

Simon Laengenfelder

“You could see I got better and better until the end. This was a good season for me in EMX125 and I am happy I now got some wins and I want to thank all my team and sponsors.”

EMX125 Overall Top Ten

# Rider R1 R2 Tot.
1 Guyon, Tom 22 25 47
2 Laengenfelder, Simon 25 22 47
3 Guadagnini, Mattia 20 20 40
4 de Wolf, Kay 15 18 33
5 Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias 16 16 32
6 Vettik, Meico 13 14 27
7 Everts, Liam 11 15 26
8 Nilsson, Samuel 10 10 20
9 Gwerder, Mike 18 0 18
10 Oliver, Oriol 14 0 14

EMX125 Standings

Pos. Rider Nat Bike Tot.
1 Guadagnini, M. ITA HUS 305
2 Guyon, Tom FRA KTM 292
3 Laengenfelder, S. GER KTM 222
4 Talviku, J. EST HUS 197
5 Gwerder, Mike SUI KTM 192
6 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 188
7 Oliver, Oriol ESP KTM 170
8 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 149
9 Farres, G. ESP KTM 112
10 Bonacorsi, A. ITA KTM 95

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2019 AMA Ironman National MX Wrap

A highly competitive and captivating 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship came to a thrilling conclusion just outside the racing mecca of Indianapolis, where the Ironman Raceway provided the setting for a showdown to capture the Gary Jones Cup in the 250 Class. Picture-perfect weather conditions and an energetic crowd created a stellar atmosphere for the fifth anniversary at Ironman, and the racing lived up to expectations.

AMA MX Rnd Starts JK MX Ironman
2019 Ironman National – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross –
Round 12

For the full report see:
Cianciarulo claims 250 title at 2019 Ironman National (link)

250

Adam Cianciarulo and Dylan Ferrandis entered the Ironman National separated by 30 points. The two most successful riders in the 250 Class were both on their game, with the Frenchman doing exactly what he needed to do by posting an impressive 1-1 outing. However, Cianciarulo responded to capture his first professional title and end his time in the class in the most memorable way possible.

AMA MX Cianciarulo Mosiman Multiple JK MX BuddsCreek
Adam Cianciarulo & Michael Mosiman – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Ironman National
Dylan Ferrandis

“I knew [winning today] wasn’t going to be enough to win the championship today. AC [Cianciarulo] rode great all season, and he deserved [the title]. He was too hard to beat. This was the best season of my career. We showed good things this year. We won races and we showed that next season everyone can look at me to possibly win the championship.”

AMA MX Rnd Ferrandis JK MX Ironman
Dylan Ferrandis – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Ironman National
Adam Cianciarulo

“It’s been a journey, for sure. Like I’ve said, when I was a kid I knew I’d be here [winning championships], but then things got taken from me and I didn’t know if I could anymore. I would have rather gone through what I went through to get to this point, because it made me a better human. I’ve learned so much about myself and I’ve had to grow. The [adversity] has catapulted me into doing something I didn’t think I could do, which is win this outdoor title. I’ll hold onto this forever. No one can ever take this from me.”

AMA MX Rnd Cianciarulo JK MX Ironman
Adam Cianciarulo – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Ironman National

250 Round Overall

# Rider R1-R2
1 Dylan Ferrandis 1 – 1
2 Justin Cooper 3 – 2
3 Adam Cianciarulo 2 – 4
4 Chase Sexton 4 – 3
5 Michael Mosiman 5 – 5
6 Alex Martin 6 – 8
7 R.J. Hampshire 9 – 6
8 Shane McElrath 8 – 9
9 Garrett Marchbanks 11 – 7
10 Cameron McAdoo 7 – 13
11  Ty Masterpool 10 – 12
12 Brandon Hartranft 15 – 11
13  Jett Lawrence 12 – 14

250 Standings

# Rider Points
1 Adam Cianciarulo 519
2 Dylan Ferrandis 499
3 Justin Cooper 461
4 R.J. Hampshire 337
5 Chase Sexton 316
6 Alex Martin 305
7 Colt Nichols 292
8 Michael Mosiman 290
9 Shane McElrath 285
10 Hunter Lawrence 252
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450

In the 450 Class, the “Big 3” of Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, and Marvin Musquin put on a show for the fans. All three riders showed why they’re amongst the best in the world, but it was the newly crowned champion aboard the Kawasaki who emerged triumphant, as Tomac capped off his historic three-peat with a sixth victory.

AMA MX Rnd Tomac JK MX Ironman
Eli Tomac – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Ironman National

It provided a fitting end to a season to remember for Kawasaki, which became the first manufacturer to sweep both class championships since 2011.

Eli Tomac

“Even though the title was clinched it was still a fun day. We came in here with the plan to do the same thing. The mindset was to attack,” said Tomac. “The first lap [in Moto 2] was chaos with Marv [Musquin’s crash] and then Kenny [Roczen] got by. He’s just so good in the early laps. I was able to stay on him and then got by. What a day and what a year.”

AMA MX Rnd Tomac JK MX Ironman
Eli Tomac – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Ironman National

450 Round Overall

# Rider R1-R2
1 Eli Tomac 3 – 1
2 Ken Roczen 2 – 3
3 Zach Osborne 5 – 2
4 Joey Savatgy 4 – 6
5 Justin Barcia 7 – 4
6 Jason Anderson 6 – 5
7 Dean Wilson 9 – 7
8 Benny Bloss 8 – 8
9 Marvin Musquin 1 – 40
10 Fredrik Noren 10 – 10

450 Standings

# Rider Points
1 Eli Tomac 521
2 Ken Roczen 463
3 Marvin Musquin 451
4 Jason Anderson 407
5 Zach Osborne 403
6 Cooper Webb 324
7 Justin Barcia 315
8 Fredrik Noren 240
9 Justin Bogle 222
10 Blake Baggett 175

Brook & Hendrickson dominate
Australian Senior Track Championships

Jarred Brook and Briony Hendrickson have proved why they’re two of the best track riders in the country with dominate performances at the 2019 Mildura Solar Australian Senior Track Championships.

Mildura Solar Australian Senior Track Championships
2019 Mildura Solar Australian Senior Track Championships – Image courtesy of Mildura Motorsport

With all eyes on Koorlong’s Jambaroo Park, Brook was too strong in the men’s events, defending his Pro 450cc and MX open crowns, while also adding the Pro Open trophy to his bulging trophy cabinet. In the women’s Pro Open competition, Hendrickson retained her title with a typically impressive display.

Marg Tegart from the Northwest Victoria Motorcycling club said the event was a huge success with over 1000 spectators cheering on the action at the two-day event.

Marg Tegar

“It was a really successful weekend for the club in our first attempt at holding the Australian Senior Track Championships. Everything ran like clockwork, and it was great to see the sidecar category return after a few years of being absent from the Championships.”

Pro Open Championship

  1. Jarred Brook (QLD)
  2. Ty Lynch (SA)
  3. Connor Ryan (NSW)

Pro Open Women Championship:

  1. Briony Hendrickson (QLD)
  2. Tayla Street (VIC)
  3. Brooke Goulding (QLD)

Pro 450cc Championship:

  1. Jarred Brook (QLD)
  2. Rowan Tegart (VIC)
  3. Connor Ryan (NSW)

MX Open Championship:

  1. Jarred Brook (QLD)
  2. Rowan Tegart (VIC)
  3. Daniel Wicks (NSW)

Pro 250cc Championship

  1. Bradley Burns (VIC)
  2. Ty Lynch (SA)
  3. Harrison Ryan (NSW)

Under 19’s Championship

  1. Harrison Ryan (NSW)
  2. Wade O’Keefe (NSW)
  3. Jake Farnsworth (NSW)

Sidecars Championship

  1. Brodie Gebhart / Rodney Gebhart (VIC)
  2. Kai Frame / Michael Vecchi (NSW)
  3. Justin Foot / Melissa Foot (VIC)

Matej Zagar tops Croatian FIM Speedway Grand Prix qualifier

Slovenian star Matej Zagar booked his place in SGP 2020 and admitted his GP Challenge victory in Gorican is “bigger than winning a GP.” Zagar topped the podium at the FIM Speedway Grand Prix qualification round in Croatia on Saturday and joins runner-up Niels-Kristian Iversen and third-placed Max Fricke in securing a World Championship place for next year.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix qualification Croatia
Croatian FIM Speedway Grand Prix Qualifier top three

Ljubljana-born Zagar beat Iversen in a run-off for first spot after they tied on 11 points. But the result still ensures both current SGP riders have guaranteed their place in the 2020 series, regardless of where they finish this term.

Fricke then joined them on the podium by winning a run-off with Slovak star Martin Vaculik for third after they finished level on 10. Vaculik is currently fourth in the World Championship and could still qualify for SGP 2020 by finishing inside this year’s top eight.

But victory on this night belonged to Zagar, who celebrated with the army of Slovenian fans who made the trek across the border to Croatia. This is his second GP Challenge win following his 2014 triumph in Lonigo, Italy. It’s also the second time he has booked his SGP spot in Gorican, having finished second in the 2012 GP Challenge there.

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Zagar is currently 12th in the World Championship on 37 points, while Iversen is 11th on 41. After an indifferent start to SGP 2019, he’s elated to have secured his place in the series for next year.

Matej Zagar

“These meetings are always tough – we’ve seen it before. I have managed to win two now in my career. I think this is bigger than winning a GP. If you win a GP, that doesn’t give you a qualifying place for next year. It just gives you victory in one meeting. Winning this is big for me. Like always, this is one of the toughest, most intense meetings of the year on all levels. You need to keep yourself together if you want to qualify; there is no room for mistakes. I’ve lost count how many times I have qualified through the Challenge, but it’s good. I am happy about it. It gives you less stress as you try to sort things out in the series for the last four GPs this year. It has been a tough year for me. I have struggled quite heavily on some occasions, but the last couple of weeks have been better. I feel better on the bike and I feel I have more speed. That’s starting to be reflected in my results.”

Fricke will make his full-time SGP debut in 2020, having served as this season’s second reserve, racing all but one of the opening six rounds to claim 13th spot in the standings on 36 points. The Aussie international says taking third spot in Croatia will see him fulfil a childhood dream.

Max Fricke

“I’m super excited. It has always been a goal to be in the Grand Prix series as a full-time rider. When I was a kid and I first started watching speedway, it was the GPs. So it’s pretty awesome to see myself in it for next year. Hopefully I can get some stuff together during the off-season and put together a strong outfit for next year.”

Croatia SGP Challenge Scores

  1. Matej Zagar 11+3
  2. Niels-Kristian Iversen 11+2
  3. Max Fricke 10+3
  4. Martin Vaculik 10+2
  5. Anders Thomsen 9
  6. Pontus Aspgren 9
  7. Jurica Pavlic 9
  8. Aleksandr Loktaev 9
  9. Kenneth Bjerre 8
  10. Martin Smolinski 7
  11. Craig Cook 6
  12. Peter Ljung 6
  13. Robert Lambert 5
  14. Mikkel Michelsen 5
  15. David Bellego 3
  16. Chris Harris 2
  17. Matic Ivacic DNR
  18. Norbert Magosi DNR

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American Flat Track set for Springfield triple-header

American Flat Track is set to unleash a dirt track racing extravaganza on the hallowed grounds of the Illinois State Fairgrounds in the form of a Springfield AFT tripleheader this upcoming Labor Day weekend in Springfield, Ill.

Friday night will see the running of the Springfield Short Track starring the AFT Singles before the AFT Twins and AFT Production Twins take center stage on the “World’s Fastest Mile” with Saturday’s Springfield Mile I and Sunday’s Springfield Mile II.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins Jared Mees ERV
Jared Mees – Image by Scott Hunter

AFT Twins title leader Briar Bauman comes into Springfield with freight train-like momentum and eyeing two opportunities to claim his first-career Mile victory. Doing so would not only cement both a career and season Grand Slam, it would also place that much more pressure on multi-time defending champion Jared Mees, who currently trails Bauman by 38 points with just five races remaining in which to make up that ground.

Mees was victorious at the two Miles run thus far in ‘19. He’ll likely need that trend to continue if he hopes to complete the championship threepeat with four of the final five remaining races on the calendar taking place on high-speed Miles. Considering that two of the four Miles are packed into one high-profile weekend, this year’s visit to Springfield has massive championship implications.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins Briar Bronson Bauman FA
Briar and Bronson Bauman – Image by Scott Hunter

The list of potential spoilers is long and decorated, right at the top of that list are Bryan Smith and Jeffrey Carver Jr. .

The savvy Smith has established himself as one of the greatest Mile competitors the sport has ever known, and his next Springfield Mile win will be his tenth in the iconic race. Home-state favorite Carver, meanwhile, aced all his competitors to score a hugely popular win at the venue last season.

AFT Twins Standings

1 Briar Bauman 243
2 Jared Mees 205
3 Bronson Bauman 183
4 Jeffrey Carver Jr. 155
5 Jarod Vanderkooi 146
6 Brandon Robinson 144
7 Henry Wiles 129
8 Jake Johnson 128
9 Robert Pearson 121
10 Sammy Halbert 115
11 JD Beach 104
12 Davis Fisher 101
13 Brandon Price 90
14 Bryan Smith 84
15 Larry Pegram 71
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AFT Singles

The AFT Singles title fight couldn’t be any closer with Dalton Gauthier and Dan Bromley equal at 216 points apiece. Both riders have put themselves in their respective positions by running up front consistently, no matter the style of track, but Friday’s Short Track showdown will truly be a matchup of strength versus strength.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Singles Dalton Gauthier ERV
Dalton Gauthier – Image by Scott Hunter

Gauthier has taken four short track wins during his career, including two of the three contested this season, while Bromley reigned supreme at the Springfield Short Track in both 2017 and 2018.

In the AFT Production Twins championship outlook, Cory Texter maintains a comfortable 27-point advantage. That said, he no longer has a stranglehold on the class in the way he enjoyed earlier this season.

After opening the year by stringing together three straight weekends in which he was the top qualifier, lap leader, and Main Event winner, Texter has seen three different riders — Chad Cose, Ryan Varnes and Dalton Gauthier – split the three available wins since.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Singles Don Bromley ERV
Dan Bromley

Texter could be primed to return to his winning ways, however, considering he’s shown to be strong enough at the Springfield Mile to podium there even in the premier class.

Not surprisingly, AFT’s Springfield tripleheader will serve as an unofficial celebration of the sport supported by a number of highly anticipated related activities. The on-track action in Springfield will actually kick off on Thursday, August 29, with AMA Amateur Short Track, Vintage National, and Astro Bultaco Invitational racing.

AFT Twins New York Short Track Singles Shayna Texter FA
Shayna Texter – Image by Scott Hunter

During Saturday’s Springfield Mile I, ‘97 and ‘99 Springfield Mile winner Kevin Atherton will serve as Grand Marshal. That same honor will go to legendary Harley (and Springfield event) t-shirt designer Ron “RK” Stratman during Sunday’s Springfield Mile II.

Rookies of ’79 – American Flat Track’s Official Charity – will play a big role during the weekend as well. The Class of ‘79 will host an afterparty following Saturday’s Mile in the Orr Building, while the proceeds of the “Gus Miller Ride the Mile” charity parade lap will go to the Class of ‘79 on Sunday.

Tickets for the Springfield ST, Springfield Mile I and Springfield II are on sale now at www.springfieldmile.org. All tickets purchased for the postponed May 26 Springfield Mile I will be honored for Saturday’s event.

AFT Singles Standings

1 Dalton Gauthier 216
2 Dan Bromley 216
3 Mikey Rush 202
4 Jesse Janisch 174
5 Shayna Texter 153
6 Chad Cose 151
7 Ryan Wells 143
8 Morgen Mischler 125
9 Max Whale 100
10 Kevin Stollings 93
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Hunter Lawrence injured in training

In a devastating blow for the 20-year-old Australian motocross star just as he was shining brightly after recently returning from injuries sustained earlier in the year, Hunter Lawrence has announced an injury during training.

The full extent of his injuries is currently unknown, but safe to say has put the brakes on the end of his current season. Here’s what he had to say on social media:

AMAMX Rnd RedBud Lawrence JK MX RedBud
Hunter Lawrence – RedBud National 2019 – AMA Motocross
Hunter Lawrence (Instagram)

“When it rains it pours… been a very rough past month, two days ago whilst training long story short, my foot hit the ground and twisted the wrong way, to say I’m gutted is an understatement, bit of a rock bottom moment for the year. I don’t doubt I will be back. Nothing but another little bump in our road to success, plan now is simple, rehabilitation and get back to 100%. Thank you to all of my supporters, sponsors and team, appreciate you guys so much. Not how we wanted to end the year, but hey.. sh#t happens I will be back.”

AMA MX SpringCreek Hunter Lawrence
2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Round Eight – Spring Creek – Hunter Lawrence

Tasmania to host 2019 Australian Trial Championship

Get set Tasmania, the 2019 Huon Aquaculture Australian Trial Championship is heading to the Apple Isle on the second weekend of October (12th and 13th), which will be a cracking two days of competition. All up, eighteen different championship classes will do battle at the spectacular Mt Joy property, thirty minutes’ drive from Launceston.

Tasmania Huon Aquaculture Australian Trial Championship
Tasmania to host 2019 Australian Trial Championship

The event will feature the newly established classes for: Trial 1, Trial 2, Trial 3 and Trial 4 replacing the Solo class, along with a class for Masters 35+ for Senior riders and a new Junior Women’s class. Trial 1, Trial 2 and Sidecar will do two laps with a total of 15 sections each day, all other classes will do three laps on the 15 sections. Meanwhile, the Mini Trial will do three laps on five special sections laid out.

On the opening day of competition on the Saturday, sections will open at 9:30am, while on Sunday it will be 9am sharp.

Senior Classes:

  • Trial 1
  • Trial 2
  • Trial 3
  • Trial 4
  • Sidecar
  • Classic
  • Twin – Shock
  • Youth 13 to Under 19
  • Masters 35+
  • Veteran 40 to 55
  • Veteran 55+
  • Women

Junior Classes:

  • Junior 7 to under 11 (Up to 85cc / 1.5kW)
  • 9 to under 13 (Up to 125cc / 10kW)
  • Junior Open 12 to under 16 (Up to 125cc / 10kW)
  • Junior Women 7 to under 11 (Up to 125cc / 10kW)
  • Junior Women 9 to under 13 (Up to 125cc / 10kW)
  • Junior Women 12 to under 16 (Up to 125cc / 10kW)

Entries are now open and close Friday, 27th of September. Late entries will be accepted up until 9PM Friday, 4th of October. All entries are to be done through Ridernet (link). Supplementary Regulations are available for download www.ma.org.au (link)

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Romain Febvre breaks femur at Swedish GP

Following a heavy fall in the final race at the 16th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Uddevalla, Sweden, Romain Febvre has suffered a broken left femur.

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

After finishing second position in the opening race, Febvre was chasing the Grand Prix victory in Race 2. The former World Champion took the holeshot onboard his YZ450FM and led the first 13-laps before high-siding over a single-jump after changing his line to pass a rider that was one lap down. He landed heavily on his left thigh and was immediately taken to the trackside Medical Centre for observation.

The doctors and paramedic’s onsite confirmed that his left Femur was broken and transferred him to Trollhättan hospital where he underwent an operation Monday 26th August, to have a rod surgically inserted into the bone for stability.

MXGP Sweden Rnd Uddevalla Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

Febvre will recover from the operation under the watchful eye of his surgeon at the Trollhättan hospital in Sweden until he is fit enough to travel back to his residence in Belgium. Sadly, the injury will rule the ‘461’ out of the final two MXGP rounds as well as the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations where he was hoping to take Team France to a sixth consecutive victory.

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2019 Sultans of Slide Announced – NSW Flat Track Cup

MNSW has announced that the 2019 NSW Flat Track Cup ‘Sultans Of Slide’ will see riders racing in one class, using one bike, over seven races, varying from four to 15 laps, on two different track layouts, on both oil and loose dirt, under sunshine and lights, at three different venues across NSW. Plus they’ll be running 19” wheels and Flat Track style tyres on everything from the junior lites and up, just like they use in the USA. And there’s in excess of $10,000 in the prize kitty.

With fresh, new ideas, that will hopefully revitalize the sport for those already in it, and attract a whole new generation of riders to come and join in, the NSW Flat Track Cup is looking to draw a crowd

For those who love the old Dirt Track format, don’t worry, nobody is taking it away. The new setup is all about trying something new, which can be added to the sport as an additional style of event for clubs to run, not as a replacement for good old-fashioned Dirt Track. Ultimately, the riders will decide what they want. MNSW will continue to seek out new products to offer the motorcycle racing community, to try new things, create new ideas to grow the sport.

2019 NSW Flat Track Cup Calendar

  • Round 1 – November 23, Wagga Wagga
  • Round 2 – November 30, Appin
  • Round 3 – December 7, Macleay
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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | AFT Peoria TT | AMA MX | MXGP | WMX | SGP

Moto News Weekly for August 20, 2019

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What happened this week

  • Briar Bauman wins 2019 Peoria TT
  • Dallas Daniels takes maiden AFT Singles win
  • Tomac & McElrath top Budds Creek National 2019
  • Tim Gajser clinches 2019 MXGP Championship title
  • Glenn Coldenhoff sweeps MXGP of Italy
  • Courtney Duncan takes double WMX win in Italy
  • Fredrik Lindgren tops Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand
  • Courtney Duncan extends Kawasaki and Bike It DRT contract into 2020
  • Arminas Jasikonis extends Husqvarna contract
  • 2020 Yamaha Factory MXGP effort announced

Briar Bauman wins 2019 Peoria TT

Briar Bauman took another big step toward claiming the 2019 AFT Twins championship by winning Saturday’s 73rd Peoria TT in Peoria, Ill. The victory was Bauman’s fourth triumph of the ‘19 American Flat Track season.

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AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

It also just so happened to be the first time any rider other than “the King of Peoria,” Henry Wiles had stood atop the premier-class podium here going all the way back to 2003.

Wiles, who had assembled a truly remarkable 14-race Peoria TT win streak coming into this year’s event, was forced to watch from the fences after undergoing surgery for an injury suffered less than two weeks ago at the Black Hills Half-Mile.

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AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

With Wiles out of the running, the race quickly took shape as a battle of brothers. Briar and younger brother Bronson Bauman appeared to be on a collision course in Turn 1 of the opening lap around the Peoria Motorcycle Club’s 5/8-mile TT track.

While they both made it through cleanly, that feeling of an imminent collision wouldn’t go away for the next 10 or so laps. The two went back and forth up front, ripping the lead away from one another multiple times before Briar finally muscled his way back into first in Turn 4 on lap nine.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins Briar Bronson Bauman ERV
Briar Bauman & Bronson Bauman – AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Bronson again looked to counter, but Briar strung together a few perfect corners to stretch open a small gap. He’d go on to build that advantage up to just over a second before first encountering lapped traffic on lap 13 of 25.

That padding allowed him to be aggressive as he cut his way forward, eventually lapping all the way up to eighth position and backing down to a 2.967-second margin of victory at the checkered flag.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins Roger Hayden ERV
Roger Hayden – AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT
Briar Bauman

“I was trying to just be as smooth as possible and not hit any of these holes and get too out of shape. It’s a bittersweet win… What could have happened between Henry and I? He owns this place, and I give a lot of respect to him. You don’t do something like that without being the greatest guy to ever race here. Hopefully next year we’re both healthy, and we can give the crowd a show.”

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins Briar Bauman ERV
Briar Bauman – AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Bronson Bauman cruised to second, taking the position with nearly five seconds in hand on third place. It was a different story for the final spot on the box, however. A titanic final lap showdown ultimately saw JD Beach storm past both Robert Pearson and defending champion Jared Mees in a desperate lunge to the stripe.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins Briar Bronson Bauman ERV
Briar Bauman & Bronson Bauman – AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Beach had spent nearly the entire race looking for a way around Mees for third before Pearson closed in and displaced him to fifth with a lap-and-a-half remaining. Illinois-native Pearson also attempted to get the better of Mees in a final corner attempt at a home-state podium, but Beach was perfectly positioned to take advantage of their clash.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins JD Beach ERV
JD Beach – AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Beach finished 0.049 seconds ahead of Pearson, who in turn bettered Mees by 0.034 seconds. It was a costly double demotion for Mees, who ran in third from the Main Event’s start until the final meters. As a result, he now trails Bauman by 38 points (243-205) with just five races in which to make up the deficit.

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AFT Twins Main Event Podium – 2019 Peoria TT

AFT Twins – 2019 Peoria TT Result

1 Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 0.000
2 Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 2.967
3 JD Beach Yamaha MT-07 7.670
4 Robert Pearson Indian FTR750 7.720
5 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 7.754
6 Jarod Vanderkooi HD XG750R Rev X 8.678
7 Jake Johnson Yamaha MT-07 11.07
8 Jeffrey Carver Jr. Indian FTR750 17.878
9 Sammy Halbert HD XG750R Rev X +1 lap
10 Kolby Carlile Yamaha MT-07 +1 lap

AFT Twins Standings

1 Briar Bauman 243
2 Jared Mees 205
3 Bronson Bauman 183
4 Jeffrey Carver Jr. 155
5 Jarod Vanderkooi 146
6 Brandon Robinson 144
7 Henry Wiles 129
8 Jake Johnson 128
9 Robert Pearson 121
10 Sammy Halbert 115
11 JD Beach 104
12 Davis Fisher 101
13 Brandon Price 90
14 Bryan Smith 84
15 Larry Pegram 71
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Dallas Daniels takes maiden AFT Singles win

16-year-old phenomenon Dallas Daniels earned his maiden American Flat Track victory, obliterating a AFT Singles field stacked with TT superstars in Saturday’s 15-lap Main Event.

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Dallas Daniels – AFT Singles Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Daniels got away in fifth but wasted no time in slashing his way through the decorated pack. He drove up the inside of three-time Peoria TT winner Jesse Janisch for third on lap 2, providing an early demonstration of just how serious the youngster’s challenge would be on this day.

Pre-race favorite Janisch responded the next time around, but Daniels immediately criss-crossed him and also overhauled offroad legend Ryan Sipes in one epic maneuver to take control of second. Daniels then proceeded to run down reigning class champion Dan Bromley and dive up the inside of him the next time into Turn 4 to take the lead on lap 4.

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AFT Singles Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Daniels raced off into the distance from that point forward, ultimately sealing his first-career AFT win in the same season he also claimed his first-career MotoAmerica victory.

Dallas Daniels

“The track was pretty treacherous and slick today, so it was really tough. I was just trying to find certain lines, and I think I found a few before the rest of the guys did. My bike was just working so good — it was perfect. I love my team and everything they’ve done for me, and also all the people who have helped get me to this point even before this year. I’ve been dreaming of this my whole life, and to do it so soon… We’re just going to keep going.”

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Singles Dallas Daniels FA
Dallas Daniels – AFT Singles Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Bromley held on for a solid second, which, when factored in with the sixth-place finish of Dalton Gauthier, sees the two riders sit equal atop the points chase (216-216) with just four races remaining to decide the 2019 AFT Singles crown.

Janisch was heading in the wrong direction midway through the Main, being passed by both James Rispoli and Jacob Lehmann. Despite sitting fifth with just a couple short laps remaining, Janisch dug deep. He fought his way back past ‘14 Peoria TT winner Lehmann, and then snuck past Rispoli – who was nursing a flat tire the last two laps – by a scant 0.003 seconds at the checkered to steal away the final spot on the podium.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Singles Dallas Daniels FA
Dallas Daniels – AFT Singles Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Rispoli was forced to accept fourth, followed by Lehmann in fifth and Gauthier in sixth. Buffalo Chip TT winner Sipes finished a further spot back in seventh.

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Singles Max Whale Chad Cose ERV
Max Whale and Chad Cose – AFT Singles Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

Aussie Max Whale came home in ninth, and currently holds the same position in the overall standings, with 100 championship points.

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Dallas Daniels on the podium – AFT Singles Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT

AFT Singles – 2019 Peoria TT Result

1 Dallas Daniels Yamaha YZ450F 0.000
2 Dan Bromley KTM 450 SX-F 2.124
3 Jesse Janisch Yamaha YZ450F 4.741
4 James Rispoli Honda CRF450R 4.745
5 Jacob Lehmann Honda CRF450R 4.893
6 Dalton Gauthier Husqvarna FC450 6.051
7 Ryan Sipes KTM 450 SX-F 6.636
8 Morgen Mischler Yamaha YZ450F 9.314
9 Max Whale Kawasaki KX450F 10.014
10 Mikey Rush Honda CRF450R 10.614

AFT Singles Standings

1 Dalton Gauthier 216
2 Dan Bromley 216
3 Mikey Rush 202
4 Jesse Janisch 174
5 Shayna Texter 153
6 Chad Cose 151
7 Ryan Wells 143
8 Morgen Mischler 125
9 Max Whale 100
10 Kevin Stollings 93
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Tomac & McElrath top Budds Creek National 2019

For the full report see:
Eli Tomac wins Budds Creek and takes third consecutive AMA MX Title (link)

The 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship made its annual visit to Southern Maryland for the 30th running of the Budds Creek National at the historic Budds Creek Motocross Park, with huge crowd filling the hillsides as they watched the racers face challenging conditions throughout the day.

450

It was all about Eli Tomac in the 450 Class, becoming just the fourth rider to clinch a third consecutive title. Tomac proved to be unstoppable en route to a dominant 1-1 performance for a class-leading fifth victory of the season.

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Eli Tomac – Budds Creek MX National 2019 – Image by Hoppenworld

The win marked the 22nd of his career and puts him in a tie with Ricky Johnson for fourth on the all-time 450 Class win list. Jason Anderson used an impressive second moto charge for second overall (4-2), while Marvin Musquin completed the podium in third (3-3).

AMA MX Podium Tomac Anderson Musquin JK MX BuddsCreek
Eli Tomac – Budds Creek MX National 2019 – Image by Hoppenworld
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
  1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (1-1)
  2. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (4-2)
  3. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (3-3)
  4. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (2-7)
  5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (5-4)
  6. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (6-5)
  7. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Husqvarna (8-6)
  8. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (9-9)
  9. Benny Bloss, Oak Grove, Mo., KTM (7-11)
  10. Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Honda (11-8)
450 Class Championship Standings
  1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 476
  2. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 426
  3. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda – 421
  4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 376
  5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 365
  6. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 324
  7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 283
  8. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Suzuki – 218
  9. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM – 210
  10. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 175
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250

In the 250 Class Shane McElrath was the surprise winner by sweeping both motos for the second overall victory of his career and first this season. Championship point leader Adam Cianciarulo’s 2-5 moto scores were good enough for second on the day, extending his lead to 30-points with just one round remaining.

AMA MX McElrath JK MX BuddsCreek
Shane McElrath – Budds Creek MX National 2019 – Image by Hoppenworld

Cianciarulo continues to lead Dylan Ferrandis in the standings, while Ferrandis suffered from poor starts and finished fourth (4-4), with Justin Cooper taking third overall with his 6-2 result.

AMA MX Trophy McElrathJK MX BuddsCreek
Shane McElrath – Budds Creek MX National 2019 – Image by Hoppenworld

Hunter Lawrence was just outside the top 10 overall for the weekend, after claiming a 10-12 result.

Hunter Lawrence (Instagram)

“All you keyboard warriors, I smoked @jettson49 in timed qualy and first moto despite getting caught up in first turn crash! So suck it, big bro still rules the castle, first race back and we went P2 and P4 in qualifying which was good! I was already faced with a tough day ahead after my time off so both motos being involved in the first turn crashes coming from pretty much last both motos wasn’t a great way to start my races, summary of today though, speed is good, working on fitness and strength I lost whilst being out for two and a bit weeks! Thanks to my boy @snyder_50 out here sweating his ring out, it was scorching today! And thank you team @fchonda and everyone else supporting us! We appreciate all of you!”

AMA MX Hunter Lawrence JK MX BuddsCreek
Hunter Lawrence – Budds Creek MX National 2019 – Image by Hoppenworld

Recently turned 16-years-old younger brother Jett raced to a 24-30 placing, for 26th overall.

Jett Lawrence (Instagram)

“Had my best qualifying so far with a ninth gate pick and was feeling good. First moto started off with not the best start and was able to come through to 15th and pulled off right before the finish line so I didn’t get any points with the amateur rule. Second moto started off with a pretty good start in 12th and made my way to fifth and was feeling good but then the heat started getting to me and was starting to feel a little light headed and not good round the 20 minute mark, 90% humidity and scorching heat was gnarly! Was really bummed about that cause I was in a really good spot and don’t worry @hunterlawrence this ain’t over bud.”

AMA MX Jett Lawrence Pits JK MX BuddsCreek
Jett Lawrence – Budds Creek MX National 2019 – Image by Hoppenworld

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

  1. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM (1-1)
  2. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (2-5)
  3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (6-2)
  4. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (4-4)
  5. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda (3-8)
  6. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, KTM (8-9)
  7. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (12-6)
  8. Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Yamaha (7-11)
  9. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki (18-3)
  10. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna (5-14)
    …12. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (10-13)
    …26. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (24-30)

250 Class Championship Standings

  1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 479
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 449
  3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 419
  4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda – 310
  5. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 292
  6. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 278
  7. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki – 277
  8. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM – 260
  9. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna – 258
  10. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda – 252
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Tim Gajser clinches 2019 MXGP Championship title

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser has won his third world motocross championship of his career (two-times MXGP, one time MX2) after dominating this 2019 MXGP season. Clinching the title with three and a half rounds still remaining, Gajser has been almost unbeatable at stages of the year, including going on a record-breaking seven round win-streak, which is now the longest in Honda’s illustrious history of Grand Prix motocross.

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Tim Gajser – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola

Starting the season off with solid results in Argentina, Great Britain and the Netherlands, Gajser’s campaign sparked into life after winning an enthralling battle at the MXGP of Trentino. On the tight track nestled in the Alpine region, the Slovenian rider was almost flawless as he fought for almost the entirety of both motos with the early-season leader, eventually coming out victorious with one-one results and ensuring the massive Slovenian fan contingent went home happy.

After a tough round in Mantova, the Honda CRF450RW then went on a run that saw him win overalls in Portugal, France, Russia, Latvia, Germany, Indonesia and Asia (also Indonesia), taking 12 moto wins out of a possible 14 and turning a 40 point deficit into 173 point lead. He powered his way to multiple holeshots and led almost 70% of the laps during that period and fully cemented his place as the man to beat in this 2019 world motocross championship.

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Tim Gajser – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola

Returning to Europe, he then backed up his title claim by riding to a controlled second place at the Czech GP, extending the point’s gap to 177 with five rounds left to race. A week after Loket, he won his eighth GP in nine rounds but taking victory at the toughest race on the calendar in the deep sand of Lommel, Belgium. This meant he only needed 13 points from the first MXGP moto (or 12 less than his nearest rival), a target he was able to achieve with ease, sparking wild celebrations at the famous racing circuit of Imola, Italy.

After his back-to-back titles in 2015 (MX2) and 2016 (MXGP), the #243 now joins a very select list of riders who have won three world championships on-board a Honda, with Andre Malherbe (1980, 1981, 1984), David Thorpe (1985, 1986, 1989), Georges Jobe (1987, 1991, 1992) and Eric Geboers (1987, 1988, 1990) the only other men to have achieved this feat.

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Tim Gajser – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola

He moved to joint-second in the all-time Honda wins list with 24 (after Lommel), sitting level with Stefan Everts (24) and Malherbe who has 27, and with four rounds still remaining (including Imola) there is still a possibility he can move to the top of the list, were he to win-out the rest of the season.

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Glenn Coldenhoff sweeps MXGP of Italy

For the full round report see:
Tim Gajser clinches 2019 MXGP title for Honda at Imola (link)

Tim Gajser may have celebrated the MXGP title win, but KTM’s Glenn Coldenhoff was celebrating his own GP win, having taken both race wins for a perfect 50-points, ahead of Jeremy Seewer and third placed Tim Gajser. Gautier Paulin narrowly missed the podium, on 38-points, the same as Gajser, but better placings ensured Gajser took the final step.

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoff – Image by Ray Archer

Gajser now holds the lead and title, however Jeremy Seewer sits second on 481-points, with Gautier Paulin on 440 and Arnaud Tonus on 419.

Glenn Coldenhoff

“I won a race and the overall in 2015, but now going 1-1 here it is amazing and I wish to thank my team. We had a tough time and a lot of negatives, but now I’m happy and my boss too. I won my first GP with him and also my third today. It means a lot. I never got 1-1 in the MXGP class and I want to thank everyone for helping me out.”

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoff – Image by Ray Archer
Jeremy Seewer

“I had two amazing races, I was consistend and I tried to make zero mistakes. The heat was brutal but we go one step higher every time. I want to thank the team, my fans and my girlfriend.”

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola
Tim Gajser

“It was crazy. I am super happy, and I couldn’t wish for a better season or a team around me. I didn’t sleep a lot last night but today is a big day and I tried to take this race the same as all the others. I was fast in the first race even if I didn’t have the best start but I got to second and tried to win the race, but I was quite nervous and I couldn’t. Second race was better. I’m really happy to finish on the podium and to get the 2019 MXGP Title. Also, I want to thank my family and my girlfriend, and all the fans who follow me.”

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Tim Gajser and the HRC team celebrate the MXGP title win – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola

MXGP Round Overall

# Rider R1 R2 Total
1 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED KTM 25 25 50
2 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 22 20 42
3 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 16 22 38
4 Paulin, Gautier FRA YAM 20 18 38
5 Jonass, Pauls LAT HUS 15 16 31
6 Searle, Tommy GBR KAW 13 14 27
7 Febvre, Romain FRA YAM 11 15 26
8 Lupino, Alessandro ITA KAW 12 12 24
9 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 18 5 23
10 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 9 13 22

MXGP Standings (Top 20)

# Rider Total
1 Gajser, Tim 664
2 Seewer, Jeremy 481
3 Paulin, G. 440
4 Tonus, Arnaud 419
5 Coldenhoff, G. 399
6 Jasikonis, A. 377
7 Febvre, Romain 362
8 Cairoli, A. 358
9 Jonass, Pauls 352
10 Van Horebeek, J. 347
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MX2

Jorge Prado’s domination of the MX2 category continued in Italy, with the KTM rider taking both race wins for 50-points, extending his championship lead to 130-points over Thomas Kjer Olsen. Olsen was runner up for the MX2 class going 2-2, with Maxime Renaux claiming the final podium position. Jago Geerts took fourth for the round, and currently sits third in the standings, 117-points behind Olsen.

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola
Jorge Prado

“It was an amazing day and yesterday it was very good. We are having a fantastic 2019 season. I’m very happy to get the win and next weekend will hopefully be a good one. I’m very happy to get two races wins and I am really excited. In the first race I got a good start, the first lap I was behind Darian and tried to pass and I made it. I just wanted to be safe out of this race and hopefully we can do the same in the second race.”

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola
Thomas Kjer Olsen

“It was an amazing comeback because Lommel was tough for me. We made some small changes to the bike and I want to thank the team for getting me comfortable. I showed I was back and could push the whole weekend. I want to thank all the people who always support me.”

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Thomas Kjer Olsen – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola
Maxime Renaux

“It is really special getting a podium finish. These last couple of years were though and I hope I’ll keep improving.”

MX2 Round Overall

# Rider R1 R2 Total
1 Prado, Jorge 25 25 50
2 Olsen, Thomas Kjer 22 22 44
3 Renaux, Maxime 20 18 38
4 Geerts, Jago 18 16 34
5 Vlaanderen, Calvin 13 20 33
6 Larranaga Olano, Iker 14 14 28
7 Hofer, Rene 15 10 25
8 Jacobi, Henry 8 15 23
9 Boisrame, Mathys 16 6 22
10 Östlund, Alvin 9 12 21

MX2 Standings

# Rider Points
1 Prado, Jorge 694
2 Olsen, T. 564
3 Geerts, Jago 447
4 Jacobi, Henry 422
5 Vialle, Tom 416
6 Sterry, Adam 320
7 Renaux, Maxime 309
8 Watson, Ben 282
9 Vlaanderen, C. 281
10 Boisrame, M. 255

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Courtney Duncan takes double WMX win in Italy

There’s no stopping Kiwi motocross sensation Courtney Duncan as she hones in on her first Women’s Motocross World Championship (WMX) title, after notching up her third double set of wins at the MXGP of Italy this weekend.

The Otago-born, Bike It Dixon Racing Team Kawasaki rider has extended her overall lead out to a huge 23-points, with only one round left to run early next month, claiming a 1-1 result. Second overall was Larissa Papenmeier with 2-2 scores and third Nancy Van De Ven with 3-4 scores.

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Courtney Duncan – 2019 MXGP of Italy

Duncan didn’t have it easy, as she fought tooth and nail for her two victories at the epic ‘Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari’ Italian circuit in Imola. After qualifying first – making her debut on the hard-pack slick track – she elbowed her way into the lead early in the hot race, where temperatures soared up over 30degC.

A small fall saw Duncan drop behind Nancy Van De Ven, before she caught and passed the Dutch woman mid-race, leaving her to eventually finish third behind German rider Larissa Papenmeier, who was second. Duncan showed her world-class pedigree, recovering to win by 8.2secs, while not putting undue pressure on herself.

She went out and hit repeat on the second race, notching up her seventh race win and third overall round victory in 2019, leaving her rivals to pick up the podium spots. Papenmeier was again runner-up and Belgium’s Amandine Verstappen was third.

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Courtney Duncan – 2019 MXGP of Italy
Courtney Duncan

“It was really difficult for me. The track changed a lot from qualifying to the first moto. It took a while to adapt to the conditions. I wasn’t willing to do anything more than I had to do to protect my championship lead. It’s a good weekend if you can extend your lead in the championship and get two wins. It didn’t come easy for me though. I found the track difficult. It was hard pack and slick, but they put a lot of water down, so I had to be careful not to make too many mistakes because it could catch me out. I didn’t get into that nice rhythm until about halfway through the races. It feels even better when you win like that. I’m in a good position heading into the final round in Turkey in three weeks’ time. The Kawasaki KX250 was super good. I’m really gelling with the bike – like I’ve said all season, its set up really nicely for me. Its good to put the green on top for sure!”

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola DUNCAN GP PH
Courtney Duncan – 2019 MXGP of Italy

Duncan will remain in Europe to train with the experienced British Kawasaki squad Bike It DRT, who she has been racing for this season.

WMX – Overall Top Ten

  1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 50 points
  2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 44
  3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 38
  4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, YAM), 35
  5. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 34
  6. Lynn Valk (NED, YAM), 30
  7. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 29
  8. Emelie Dahl (SWE, YAM), 23
  9. Sandra Karlsson (SWE, KAW), 23
  10. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, HUS), 20

WMX – Championship Top Ten

  1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 189 points
  2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 166
  3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 163
  4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, YAM), 135
  5. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 122
  6. Lynn Valk (NED, YAM), 120
  7. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 109
  8. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 82
  9. Line Dam (DEN, HON), 81
  10. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 65
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Fredrik Lindgren tops Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand

Swedish hero Fredrik Lindgren admits the energy generated by his home fans helped him defy a horror crash to top the Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand Prix podium in Malilla on Saturday. Lindgren triumphed in the final ahead of new World Championship leader Leon Madsen, Maciej Janowski and Artem Laguta, with Fast Freddie claiming his first SGP success on home shale since his Gothenburg victory in 2012.

Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Fredrik Lindgren topped the 2019 Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand

It was a moment to savour for Lindgren as the yellow and blue flags flew high at the G&B Arena. Despite sustaining a suspected right knee injury in heat six, Lindgren picked up the pace as the meeting progressed and admits the excitement in the stands only inspired him on the bike.

Fredrik Lindgren

“It’s always great to win, but it’s always extra nice to win in front of your home crowd. I could see the atmosphere building because I think the fans saw my form was picking up going into the semi. I think they had big hopes for the final, as I did, and I think everyone just went crazy as I crossed the line. I was focused all night, especially with the crowd – it helps me and gives me a lot of good energy. I know for a fact they wanted me to win, but I don’t feel any extra pressure. I just went out and performed for them. I enjoy it.”

Lindgren was forced to do it the hard way after being involved in an ugly three-rider spill in heat six, when Patryk Dudek ran out of room as he challenged Mikkel Michelsen for the lead.

Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand Prix
2019 Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand

Dudek bounced off the back-straight fence with his bike falling across the path of Lindgren and Max Fricke. Both men jumped the stricken machine motocross-style, barely missing Dudek and careered into the air fence.

Miraculously, all three riders walked away from the crash, but Lindgren is set to be assessed with concerns over his right knee. Lindgren is now fifth in the World Championship on 63 points – 12 behind leader Madsen, but just six adrift of Bartosz Zmarzlik in second.

Runner-up Madsen received a pain-killing injection in his ankle ahead of the meeting and admits it made all the difference as he racked up 14 points to go six points clear at the World Championship summit. The European champion, also defied shoulder and back problems to produce an extraordinary performance.

Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Fredrik Lindgren topped the 2019 Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand

Third-placed Janowski edged up to seventh in the standings with his 15-point haul. While he was somewhat disappointed not to top the box on his Swedish home track, he was content with a third straight double-figure return.

Next up is the German SGP in Teterow on August 31.

SGP World Championship Standings

  1. Leon Madsen 75
  2. Bartosz Zmarzlik 69
  3. Emil Sayfutdinov 68
  4. Martin Vaculik 68
  5. Fredrik Lindgren 63
  6. Patryk Dudek 61
  7. Maciej Janowski 51
  8. Artem Laguta 50
  9. Janusz Kolodziej 48
  10. Jason Doyle 42
  11. Niels-Kristian Iversen 41
  12. Matej Zagar 37
  13. Max Fricke 36
  14. Antonio Lindback 30
  15. Tai Woffinden 27
  16. Robert Lambert 24
  17. Bartosz Smektala 10
  18. Mikkel Michelsen 9
  19. Oliver Berntzon 7
  20. Vaclav Milik 4
  21. Maksym Drabik 4
  22. Matic Ivacic 2
  23. Jacob Thorssell 2.

2019 Scandinavian SGP Scores

  1. Fredrik Lindgren 16
  2. Leon Madsen 14
  3. Maciej Janowski 15
  4. Artem Laguta 16
  5. Mikkel Michelsen 9
  6. Martin Vaculik 9
  7. Bartosz Zmarzlik 8
  8. Matej Zagar 7
  9. Jason Doyle 7
  10. Niels-Kristian Iversen 7
  11. Emil Sayfutdinov 7
  12. Patryk Dudek 6
  13. Tai Woffinden 6
  14. Max Fricke 5
  15. Janusz Kolodziej 4
  16. Jacob Thorssell 2
  17. Kim Nilsson DNR
  18. Victor Palovaara DNR
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Duncan extends Kawasaki and Bike It DRT contract into 2020

Immediately after celebrating her third consecutive double-moto GP success at Imola Courtney Duncan extended her contract with Kawasaki Motors Europe and the Bike It DRT squad into the 2020 season.

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola DRT GP PH
Courtney Duncan extends her partnership with Bike It DRT into 2020 – 2019 MXGP of Italy

The 2019 season has been excellent so far for both Courtney and DRT manager Steve Dixon, who collected the podium honours at each of the last three rounds of the FIM World WMX Women’s Motocross Championship and have led the series since the Portuguese GP in May.

Victorious in every moto bar one at the opening round of the series, the twenty-three-year-old New Zealander quickly adapted to her new bike and team and is now close to her first-ever world title as she leads the series by twenty-three points headed for the final round in Turkey on September 7/8. Successfully racing the new 2020 KX250 to victory in the last two rounds, Courtney was so happy with her new environment that she has already extended her contract for the future.

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola DUNCAN GP PH
New Zealander Courtney Duncan has been blazing ahead in the WMX – 2019 MXGP of Italy
Courtney Duncan

“I’m very thankful and excited to announce that I have extended my contract with Kawasaki and DRT through 2020. I really feel at home with the team and feel the KX250 suits me perfectly. This is just the start and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can continue to achieve together in the future.”

Steve Guttridge (Kawasaki Europe Racing Manager)

“Courtney’s arrival this season at Kawasaki and within the DRT set-up was an instant success. She has gelled with both the KX250 and the team and we can see positive proof in her winning performances on the track so far this season. She is a pleasure to work with both on and off the track, so we are very happy that she has committed herself to continue to race with Kawasaki in the future.”

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Arminas Jasikonis extends Husqvarna contract

Husqvarna Motorcycles have announced that Arminas Jasikonis has signed a one-year extension to his current contract with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. This new agreement will see the Lithuanian continue to compete in the MXGP category through to the end of the 2020 season.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Arminas Jasikonis Action
Arminas Jasikonis

21-year-old Jasikonis signed to the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team at the end of 2018. Marking his third full year of competition in the premier MXGP class in 2019, the Husqvarna FC 450 mounted rider claimed a number of top-five race results including a third-place finish in the first moto at the GP of Lombardia.

Despite a number of small crashes hampering his progress, Arminas sits sixth overall in the FIM MXGP World Championship classification with four rounds left to race. Jasikonis will once again compete alongside Pauls Jonass in 2020, under the expert guidance of team manager Antti Pyrhönen.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Arminas Jasikonis
Arminas Jasikonis
Arminas Jasikonis

“It means so much to me to be given the opportunity to ride for such a great team. It feels great to know that the team believes in me and what I can achieve. Admittedly, 2019 has not been the best year for me, a few mistakes have affected my results, but I’m happy with my progress on the bike and I’m keen to deliver the results I know I’m capable of. For 2020, remaining with the same team takes a lot of pressure off – we already have a very good set-up for the races and a good atmosphere within the team. I’m really looking forward to continuing to improve and hopefully securing some top results.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing ARMINAS JASIKONIS
Arminas Jasikonis
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2020 Yamaha Factory MXGP effort announced

Following the announcement of Yamaha Motor Europe’s reformed Racing Strategy that will see the Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha MXGP and Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2 take on Factory status in 2020, it is with great pleasure that Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. can confirm that next seasons rider rostrum will consist of Jeremy Seewer, Gautier Paulin, Arnaud Tonus, Jago Geerts and Ben Watson.

Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha MXGP and Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX
2020 Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha MXGP and Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2 rider line-ups announced

Currently making up the top-four in the 2019 MXGP World Championship with four rounds remaining, Seewer, Paulin and Tonus have put in some outstanding performances this season where between them they have accumulated 14 podium finishes in as many rounds.

Seewer has enjoyed a second full season with Yamaha inside the premier class, where he has taken his YZ450FM to four podium finishes and is currently second position in the Championship Standings with a 37-points advantage over Paulin.

Jeremy Seewer – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP

“It feels really good to stay with Yamaha for another season, especially after what happened to me at the end of 2017, I really feel like Yamaha helped me out of that situation and gave me an opportunity to grow into the MXGP class, and also to grow with a Factory team again. I really enjoyed my time with the Rinaldi team where I had a really good relationship with everyone there and we’ve had a good season. Going into 2020, I am happy to remain on the Factory team even though the team will be different. It will be a new chapter and I look forward to building on it.”

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer

Paulin is currently third and has also accumulated four podium successes onboard his YZ450F, while teammate Tonus is 6-points further adrift in fourth position and has crested the podium on six occasions this season.

Gautier Paulin – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP

“Already this season, Yamaha and I have made some really big goals and have put together a big testing plan that we feel will get me back to the top. We have worked hard to have a good feeling on the motorcycle, which I have, and I am now third position in the championship. There have been many races where my Yamaha has been up front, and I have a lot of confidence in the brand and in my team. It feels really good to continue with Yamaha. One year moves quickly, and it is always a positive feeling to sign another year where we can improve the plan by making it stronger. Yamaha have put in a huge amount of effort to restructure the strategy for 2020, and I am very excited to move in this direction with them, and I am excited for what is yet to come.”

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Gautier Paulin
Gautier Paulin
Arnaud Tonus – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP

“It feels amazing to stay with Yamaha. We have been through a lot together, many highs, many lows. Yamaha supported me at my lowest, and this year we were rewarded with many good times and a lot of success too. I am so happy to continue with the team for another season. It feels like home to me. I feel it’s very important to have the Yamaha Family behind me, and with extra support in 2020 as a Factory team. This will mean we have access to even better material, and extra technical support which will help us evolve the bike further. I am super excited for the 2020 season!”

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Tonus
Arnaud Tonus

All three riders will make up the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team where they will line up on YZ450FM machinery determined to challenge the MXGP crown in 2020.

Strengthening Yamaha’s 2020 Strategy, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team has retained its strong contingent of MX2 riders for yet another season, Jago Geerts and Ben Watson.

Widely recognized as one of the most promising young talents in the world, Geerts is one of only three race winners this season. The 19-year-old is in his second full MX2 season and has managed to celebrate five podium finishes this year. He is currently 3-points from securing a place inside the top-three in the 2019 MX2 World Championship with four rounds remaining.

MXGP Rnd Czech Loket Jago Geerts
Jago Geerts

Fresh off a maiden podium in 2019, Watson has proven he still has what it takes to challenge the crown despite facing some adversity this season. The 22-year-old is currently seventh in the championship standings after suffering from a broken hand that required surgical repair.

Both riders are looking forward to the 2020 season where they aim to challenge a place on the top step of the podium on Yamaha’s cutting edge YZ250FM.

Jago Geerts – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2

“I am happy to sign with Yamaha for another season. I really look forward to 2020 where we will receive extra support from Yamaha as the Factory MX2 team, which will mean we will receive special material and added technical support. This will make a big difference in the development of the bike. I can’t wait to ride the Factory bike, and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve next season.”

MXGP Rnd Czech Loket Jago Geerts
Jago Geerts
Ben Watson – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2

“It’s great to sign a new contract with Yamaha for next season, and that they still believe in me. I have always dreamed of being a factory rider, and next year I will have the opportunity. I am already looking forward to 2020 where I hope to achieve what I know I am capable of achieving. Perhaps the most exciting thing about the new deal is that we will have Factory support and I look forward to developing the YZ250FM and taking the bike to the next level. I am really grateful for this opportunity, and I hope to make the most of it.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium WATSON MOTOCROSS GP B
Ben Watson
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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | Beach tops Buffalo Chip TT | MXGP | MXN

Moto News Weekly for August 6, 2019

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What happened this week

  • JD Beach wins 2019 Buffalo Chip TT
  • Ryan Sipes tops AFT Singles at Buffalo Chip TT
  • Gajser and Prado claim victory at 2019 MXGP of Belgium
  • Van De Moosdijk tops EMX at Lommel
  • Husqvarna’s Waters & Todd claim titles at Coolum MX Nationals
  • Bartosz Zmarzlik wins Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
  • Dan Reardon joins CDR Yamaha for 2019 Australian SX
  • Cole Seely announces retirement
  • Team Belgium for 2019 Motocross of Nations announced

JD Beach wins 2019 Buffalo Chip TT

JD Beach took an unexpected last-second victory at the 2019 Buffalo Chip TT at the American Flat Track premiere class showdown in Sturgis, with Jake Johnson seeming a clear winner until a mechanical issue on the final corner of the final lap wreaked havoc on his would-be victory.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Twins Start ERV
AFT Twins Start – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

TT standout Johnson grabbed the holeshot and quickly broke free at the front while a four-rider fight for second took shape involving Jarod Vanderkooi, Jared Mees, Bronson Bauman and Beach.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Twins Start ERV
And they are off! – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

Passing opportunities proved few and far between as the riders negotiated the purpose-built TT circuit on the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground that encircled “The Bar” and was pressed tight by thousands of fans on the fences. As a result, the top five could have easily been set from the opening lap if not for repeated drama.

First, Vanderkooi ran wide and quickly gave up three positions. An aggressive Beach then made his way by Bauman as well and immediately went about applying intense pressure on Mees for second.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Twins Jake Johnson ERV
Jake Johnson – AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

That pressure was so great, in fact, that Mees ultimately decided it was better to just hand the position over to Beach than invite trouble in an attempt to defend it, especially once he saw that championship rival Briar Bauman was destined to DNF after crashing further back in the field.

At that point, Mees’ calculated decision appeared likely only to open the door for an eventual Estenson 1-2, but Beach still wasn’t satisfied. He somehow reeled in teammate Johnson, arriving on his rear wheel just in time to take the white flag. However, Beach simply couldn’t find a way through and was all but ready to follow Johnson to the checkered flag when Johnson’s bike suffered a mechanical issue exiting the race’s very final corner.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Twins Johnson Beach ERV
JD Beach claims the win from Jake Johnson – AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

Beach promptly powered past, officially claiming the victory by 0.201 seconds. The win was the second of Beach’s AFT Twins career and his second straight on the tour’s run of TTs, having also won at the Arizona Super TT earlier this season.

JD Beach

“I’m heartbroken for Jake. He rode an amazing race. I came from like fifth and caught him, but we only had a lap to go. I was trying to find a way by him but there just wasn’t any room. Coming out of the last turn, I heard his bike blubber, so I knew I was hooked up and going. It’s awesome to get a win, but to get a win like that — especially with Jake because he’s such a good guy – it feels good but it doesn’t. I have to thank the whole crowd for coming out. This event is awesome. And I’ve got to thank the whole Estenson racing team. They’ve been working really hard. We’ve got a bike that can go right, and I think we’ve proved it. And we have another chance at the Peoria TT, so we’ll see what happens.”

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Twins JD Beach ERV
JD Beach – AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

Mees came home in third, slashing his title deficit from 26 to just 12 (173-161) to open the second half of the ‘19 title fight. Bronson Bauman finished fourth, followed by Vanderkooi in fifth.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Twins Twins Podium FA
Twins Main Event Podium – AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

Buffalo Chip TT – AFT Twins Main Event

# Rider Motorcycle Gap
1 JD Beach Yamaha MT-07 0.000
2 Jake Johnson Yamaha MT-07 0.201
3 Jared Mees Indian FTR750 8.754
4 Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 11.943
5 Jarod Vanderkooi HD XG750R Rev X 13.236
6 PJ Jacobsen Indian FTR750 14.809
7 Robert Pearson Indian FTR750 15.346
8 Jeffrey Carver Jr. Indian FTR750 15.987
9 Henry Wiles Indian FTR750 16.209
10 Kayl Kolkman Yamaha MT-07 27.252

AFT Twins Standings

# Rider Points
1 Briar Bauman 173
2 Jared Mees 161
3 Bronson Bauman 131
4 Henry Wiles 123
5 Jeffrey Carver Jr. 121
6 Brandon Robinson 119
7 Jarod Vanderkooi 107
8 Robert Pearson 104
9 Jake Johnson 99
10 Sammy Halbert 81
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Ryan Sipes tops AFT Singles at Buffalo Chip TT

For the second consecutive year, Ryan Sipes put on a masterclass of all-around riding ability at the Buffalo Chip TT with a convincing victory in the once-stopped and restarted AFT Singles Main Event.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Singles Start ERV
AFT Singles start – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

With right- and left-handers of varying radii and jumps to navigate, the TTs demand a somewhat different, expanded skillset compared to the other three AFT disciplines. It should be no surprise that the supremely versatile Sipes once again shone under the lights at the Buffalo Chip, as he showcased the talents that also made him a Supercross race winner and America’s first-ever ISDE overall winner.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Singles Ryan Sipes ERV
Ryan Sipes – AFT Singles – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

Sipes was in dominant form all day long, and effectively secured the win at the critically important start when he hammered into the lead off the line. His combination of superior speed and inch-perfect lines provided his opponents with precious little hope of defeating the Kentucky native on this night.

Ryan Sipes

“I wanted this one really bad. All I’ve thought about since I crashed at Springfield was I should have won there, and now I have to win here. And I did it, so I feel really good about it.”

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Singles Ryan Sipes ERV
Ryan Sipes – AFT Singles – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

AFT Singles points leader Dalton Gauthier was ecstatic to finish second. With series part-timer Sipes not in championship contention and key title rival Mikey Rush suffering another difficult outing, Gauthier’s podium performance opened up some breathing space at the top of the standings.

Defending champ Dan Bromley took over second in the championship chase with his sixth podium result of the season by finishing third. 2016 class champ Ryan Wells made an impressive charge on a track that was nearly impossible to pass on to arrive in fourth while top qualifier Chad Cose rounded out the top five.

AFT Bufallo Chip TT Singles podium FA
Ryan Sipes topped the AFT Singles podium- AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

Aussie Max Whale came home in the AFT Singles main event eighth on his Kawasaki KX450F, and currently sits ninth in the standings on 83-points.

Max Whale

“Had a blast at the Buffalo Chip TT. Ended the night with a solid P8. The track was unique, tight and hard to pass! Had to come from row 3. Plenty of bar bagging! Thanks to all my sponsors!”

AFT Buffalo Chip TT Max Whale
Max Whale – AFT Singles – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT

Buffalo Chip TT – AFT Singles Main Event

# Rider Bike Gap
1 Ryan Sipes KTM 450 SX-F 0.000
2 Dalton Gauthier Husqvarna FC450 2.141
3 Dan Bromley KTM 450 SX-F 3.272
4 Ryan Wells Yamaha YZ450F 7.56
5 Chad Cose Honda CRF450R 8.072
6 James Rispoli Yamaha YZ450F 8.369
7 Jesse Janisch Yamaha YZ450F 8.509
8 Max Whale Kawasaki KX450F 8.86
9 Jacob Lehmann Honda CRF450R 9.119
10 Andrew DiBrino Husqvarna FC450 9.866

AFT Singles Standings

# Rider Points
1 Dalton Gauthier 189
2 Dan Bromley 168
3 Mikey Rush 161
4 Jesse Janisch 150
5 Ryan Wells 126
6 Shayna Texter 108
7 Chad Cose 105
8 Morgen Mischler 90
9 Max Whale 83
10 Kevin Stollings 79
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Gajser and Prado claim victory at 2019 MXGP of Belgium

For the full 2019 MXGP of Belgium report see:
Tim Gajser extends his lead at the MXGP of Belgium (link)

Tim Gajser claimed the MXGP of Belgium victory over the weekend, with a 2-2 result netting 44-points and extending his championship lead, with Romain Febvre runner up on 43-points thanks to a 1-4 result. Glenn Coldenhoff claimed the final overall podium position with a consistent 3-3 result for 40-points.

MXGP Rnd Belgium Pirelli Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14

Following the MXGP of Belgium Gajser holds the championship lead by an all but insurmountable 187-points with four rounds to go, with second place sitting with Jeremy Seewer who took fourth overall over the weekend and now holds 439-points. That’s a 37-point lead over Gautier Paulin on 402. Arnaud Tonus is a close fourth with 396-points.

Tim Gajser

“I had fun today and it is weird saying that in the sand for me. I had two good races and I let Max pass because he was faster, then he made a mistake and I got him back, then he passed me again. They told me if I was second, I would have won the overall. I very happy with this GP win as I didn’t’ expect it. I expected a top five would be good and to win here is really special. We have worked in the sand in the winter and it really worked out. The track was rough, and it was easy to make a mistake. I will try and make a good start and see if I can stay with these guys, but if I can’t I will settle for the points. It is always mental, coming here in Lommel, we know the race will be tough, so deep and so bumpy and I did my best.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium Pirelli MX Gajser action
Tim Gajser – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Romain Febvre

“I used a lot of energy for the qualifying race. I wanted a good start gate. I was first in the first corner of the first race and then Tim passed me, and I passed him again. I was feeling comfortable but it was really tough. The first race was easier, and the second race I didn’t get the start I liked.. It was tough and it was hot. I struggled at the beginning of the first race a bit, then 10 minutes before the end I lost a bit my rhythm and I was super happy to have won the first race. In second race I ended fourth for a second overall. I couldn’t pass Van Horebeek and Coldenhoff and I lost my rhythm. I am a little bit disappointed. Today I felt better than yesterday, but I didn’t have so much energy at the end.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium Pirelli MX Febvre start Cover
Romain Febvre – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Glenn Coldenhoff

“It is great. Two weeks ago I didn’t feel good in the sand, but the team helped with a great bike and I give it to those guys. I am happy to be back up here and I enjoy it. The sand always suits me well, and it is easier than hard pack for me. Yesterday I felt good. I went into qualification to save energy for today’s race and maybe that was wrong, because I couldn’t find my rhythm and I struggled a bit. I pushed this morning and had that good feeling again pulling also the FOX Holeshot. I have to thank my boss and the whole team. We have been through difficult time, but we are back. The team has done an amazing job to have me comfortable in the sand.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium Pirelli MX Gajser Febvre Coldenhoff finish
Glenn Coldenhoff – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14

MXGP Round Overall

Pos Rider Total
1 Gajser, Tim 44
2 Febvre, Romain 43
3 Coldenhoff, Glenn 40
4 Seewer, Jeremy 34
5 Van Horebeek, Jeremy 29
6 Jasikonis, Arminas 28
7 Anstie, Max 25
8 Jonass, Pauls 24
9 Monticelli, Ivo 23
10 Paulin, Gautier 23

MXGP Standings

# Rider Points
1 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 626
2 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 439
3 Paulin, G. FRA YAM 402
4 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 396
5 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 358
6 Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 355
7 Coldenhoff, G. NED KTM 349
8 Febvre, Romain FRA YAM 336
9 Van Horebeek, J. BEL HON 329
10 Jonass, Pauls LAT HUS 321
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In MX2 Jorge Prado proved unstoppable with a 1-1 result and 50 championship points to the tally, with the runner up position proving a tight competition with Calvin Vlaanderen, Ben Watson and Tom Vialle all sitting on 36-points a-piece, with Vialle missing out on the podium and Vlaanderen runner up. Adam Sterry in fifth overall was a further point in arrears.

MXGP Rnd Belgium Pirelli MX Prado start
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14

Following Belgium Prado (644) holds a 124-point lead from Thomas Kjer Olsen (520), with Tom Vialle (416) a further 104-points back in third place. Jago Geerts sits fourth in the standings on 413-points, while Henry Jacobi completes the top five with 399-points.

Jorge Prado

“Normally it is a tough race even if I had a good flow the whole race. I was enjoying it and I was mentally prepared for this. We are closing in on the championship and looking for the next round. The first race was also good, the track is very rough, and you need to be careful with your energy and have energy for the second one. The second race was good, another FOX holeshot and that was my goal. The last lap I had more than 30 seconds lead and I tried to make it bigger, but I lost my hand and fell, lucky I got up quickly. Third GP win at Lommel, so I am happy.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium Pirelli MX Prado action
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Calvin Vlaanderen

“It feels good to be back, this is the goal to come on the podium. First race I wasn’t happy, put it down and came back. Didn’t expect to be on the podium as I started the second race with the goal to have fun. I was stoked when I saw I was on the podium. I think in Italy I need two good starts and two good races. Maybe on the hard-pack I can put a bit more pressure on Prado and try and fight at the front.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium Pirelli MX Vlaanderen podium
Calvin Vlaanderen – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Ben Watson

“I am gutted for my teammate. I come here not knowing what to expect as I decided to race just some days ago. I came here to one of the toughest Grand Prix of the year and got on the podium. I want to thank the team, my girlfriend, my family and everyone who has been a part of this. The last few weeks have been difficult, I had a lot of time to improve after Indonesia and I got a lot of physical training in as I wanted a good comeback race. I only rode Tuesday for the first time, and we decided to come, and it was a big shock to me and the whole team. My teammate Jago deserved the second spot on the podium.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium WATSON MOTOCROSS GP B
Ben Watson – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14

MX2 Round Overall

Pos Rider Total
1 Prado, Jorge 50
2 Vlaanderen, Calvin 36
3 Watson, Ben 36
4 Vialle, Tom 36
5 Sterry, Adam 35
6 Renaux, Maxime 29
7 Genot, Cyril 22
8 Östlund, Alvin 22
9 Jacobi, Henry 22
10 Geerts, Jago 22

MX2 Standings

# Rider Points
1 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 644
2 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 520
3 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 416
4 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 413
5 Jacobi, Henry GER KAW 399
6 Sterry, Adam GBR KAW 314
7 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 282
8 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 271
9 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 250
10 Vlaanderen, C. NED HON 248
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Van De Moosdijk tops EMX at Lommel

The EMX250 and EMX125 classes continued their championships stories in Lommel at the MXGP of Belgium, and once again it was the sand masters who came out with amazing skills around one of the toughest circuits in the World.

MXGP Rnd Belgium EMX Start
EMX250 start at Lommel

Roan van de Moosdijk is the king of the sand in the EMX250 class, going 1-1 and taking the points’ lead in the series standings heading to the next round in Sweden. The Dutchman was a level above his competition as he clocked lap times bunch of seconds quicker than the other EMX250 riders. Kevin Horgmo was second overall and Mikkel Haarup third.

In the EMX125 class it was Simon Laengenfelder who scored 2-1 results to win the overall, ahead of series leader Mattia Guadagnini and Tom Guyon. Guadagnini continues to lead the series by 20 points over Guyon.

EMX250

Kevin Horgmo was quickly into the lead in the opening EMX250 race, followed by Isak Gifting, Kay Ebben and Roan van de Moosdijk. Mikkel Haarup moved past van de Moosdijk on lap two, and championship front runners, Rene Hofer was back in seventh, Stephen Rubini was ninth and Alberto Forato way back in 14th. Van de Moosdijk moved into second place on lap three.

MXGP Rnd Belgium Alberto Forato
Alberto Forato

Van de Moosdijk moved into the lead on the fourth lap while Rubini was up to sixth position. After six laps the lead was 12 seconds between van de Moosdijk and Horgmo. Haarup moved into second on lap 10 and Rubini moved into fifth place. Van de Moosdijk won the Saturday’s race 1 from Haarup and Horgmo.

In the second EMX250 race it was Van De Moosdijk who led early from Horgmo, Raivo Dankers, Bastian Boegh Damm and Rene Hofer. Rubini was down in seventh place. After just one lap the lead was already more than five seconds as the Dutchman was showing off his sand skills. A lap later the lead was nearly 10 seconds.

Forato moved into second place when he passed Horgmo, and Rubini crashed and dropped to 10th place. Not a lot changed with Van De Moosdijk moved to 30 seconds ahead of Forato on lap eight, then came Horgmo, Dankers and Boegh. Rubini remained in 10th place.

With a 32 second lead Van de Moosdijk slipped over in a corner, but still had an easy lead when he got up and just to make matters even better for the leader, Rubini dropped out of the top ten and was in 13th.

Van De Moosdijk won race 2 from Forato and Horgmo and getting is double race win of the season and the Red Plate for the first time in his career. The Dutch rider got in the Belgian round in thirst position in the series and will head to Switzerland leading the series with 11 point over Rubini.

Roan Van De Moosdijk

“I didn’t know I had the points lead until the end of the race. The start today was good, and I controlled the races even if at the end I got tired. It’s been always a dream to have a red plate and now I have it, and close to home with all my family and friends here to see it. I want to thank my team and my trainer.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium Roan Van De Moosdijk
Roan Van De Moosdijk

EMX250 – Overall Top Ten

  1. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 50 points
  2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), 40
  3. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, HUS), 35
  4. Alberto Forato (ITA, HUS), 34
  5. Ken Bengtson (SWE, HUS), 31
  6. Jeremy Sydow (GER, HUS), 28
  7. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 28
  8. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 26
  9. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 23
  10. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, YAM), 20

EMX250 – Championship Top Ten

  1. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 288 points
  2. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 277
  3. Alberto Forato (ITA, HUS), 275
  4. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 195
  5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 137
  6. Giuseppe Tropepe (ITA, YAM), 133
  7. Jeremy Sydow (GER, HUS), 131
  8. Josh Gilbert (GBR, HON), 127
  9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), 99
  10. Raivo Dankers (NED, YAM), 97

EMX125

Joel Rizzi took the holeshot in the opening EMX 125 race but it was Mattia Guadagnini who took the lead quickly and just walked away from the field. Second was Simon Laengenfelder, and third Tom Guyon. Mike Gwerder finished in fifth and lost ground on the two front guys in the points race.

MXGP Rnd Belgium EMX Start
EMX125 start

The second EMX125 presented by FMF Racing race proved a surprise as Laengenfelder took the lead on Guadagnini and Guyon on lap 3. After five laps the lead was five seconds as the German rider showed amazing sand skills.

Rizzi was also looking good in fourth position ahead of fifth placed Kay De Wolf. Laengenfelder rode brilliant to remain in control and winning from Guadagnini and Guyon.

MXGP Rnd Belgium EMX Podium
EMX125 podium

Simon Laengenfelder won his first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing round of his career with his 2-1 and he stands third in the championship while Mattia Guadagnini keeps the red plate.

Simon Laengenfelder

“I had the holeshot and Guadagnini passed me then I passed him back. I am so happy with the victory. I want to thank my team. This is unbelievable.”

MXGP Rnd Belgium EMX Simon Laengenfelder
Simon Laengenfelder

EMX125 – Overall Top Ten

  1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 47 points
  2. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 47
  3. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 40
  4. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, KTM), 34
  5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 30
  6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), 26
  7. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 25
  8. Max Palsson (SWE, KTM), 24
  9. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 23
  10. Joel Rizzi (GBR, KTM), 23

EMX125 – Championship Top Ten

  1. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 265 points
  2. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 245
  3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 175
  4. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 174
  5. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HUS), 165
  6. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 156
  7. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 155
  8. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 123
  9. Guillem Farres (ESP, KTM), 101
  10. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, KTM), 95
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Husqvarna’s Waters & Todd claim titles at Coolum MX Nationals

For the full round reports see:
DPH Husqvarna do MX1/MX2 Championship double (Round 10 – Link)
Reports | Results| Images from Coolum MX Nationals Rnd 9 (Link)

DPH Husqvarna Factory Racing team racers Todd Waters and Wilson Todd dominated the final two rounds of the MX Nationals in Coolum, to win both the MX1 450cc and MX2 250cc National Motocross Championships, and become the only team to win both the MX1 and MX2 titles in the one MX Nationals season.

MX Nationals Coolum Ikap Todd Waters
Todd Waters – Image by iKapture

Todd Waters quickly secured the MX1 Superpole on Saturday, before going on to win all three MX1 races, while Wilson Todd took both MX2 wins and secured a dominant round nine display for DPH.

With Sunday hosting the tenth and final round of the MX Nationals on the very same track, Todd Waters once more secured Superpole before going on to win both 16-lap MX1 races and securing the MX1 Championship.

Wilson Todd took a 1-2 finish in the back-to-back format and a third in the final moto to also secure the MX2 overall and the 2019 MX2 Championship.

MX Nationals Coolum Ikap MX Wilson Todd
Wilson Todd – Image by iKapture
Todd Waters – 2019 Thor MX1 Champion

“I’ve wanted this for so long, and I’m pumped to be able to do it with such a great group around me. From personal sponsors that have been with me through my whole career, to new supporters, and the team at DPH, my family, and especially my Dad Steve. Having him behind me at every gate drop has been unreal and really helped to take the pressure off and just enjoy racing my bike. I’ve said it a lot this season, but I really love riding the FC450. DPH builds a family atmosphere where it’s easy to relax, focus and get the job done and that’s exactly what we did this weekend. I was confident coming into the weekend that I could wrap up the season, but I never expected to have a perfect finish with two superpoles and five race wins!”

MX Nationals Coolum Ikap MX Waters Dylan Wood
Todd Waters – Image by iKapture
Wilson Todd – 2019 MX2 Champion

“Everything came together for me this weekend. I’ve been comfortable leading the championship, but with such a small gap, and a double header weekend, anything could’ve happened. I didn’t get a great lap in qualifying, but I got out of the gates strong and was able to ride at a strong pace to take both race wins and increase my lead for the final day of racing. For Sunday, I wanted to win, but not at the sake of the championship, so I used my head, raced hard and took opportunities when they were there, without risking too much. I’m now a two-time MX2 champion, and really glad I could help DPH make history by taking both championships in the one season. Thank you to everyone that supports me and the whole team.”

MX Nationals Rnd Coolum Todd Crawford
Wilson Todd – Image by iKapture
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CDR Yamaha’s Luke Clout MX1 runner-up

Heading into the final two rounds over the weekend the premier MX1 championship rolled into Coolum on a knife’s edge with just two points separating the top two riders and with four points scoring motos on a track known to wreak havoc, where anything could have happened.

MX Nationals Coolum Ikap Start MX Clout Long
Luke Clout – Image by iKapture

But, fight as he may, Luke Clout wasn’t able to overcome rival Todd Waters and had to settle for fourth place in each round which more than secured second place in the championship on board his Yamaha YZ450F.

Clout stuck to his guns all weekend and went down swinging. He wanted to take the challenge right up to Waters but a crash proved costly and he was unable to make any headway into the championship lead.

Luke Clout

“I did everything I could all weekend and the boys in the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team really put in the hard yards but I wasn’t good enough today and Todd deserved his victory. I felt pretty good on the bike most of the weekend but I had a decent crash in the final race on Saturday afternoon which left me and my bike pretty battered. The team worked through the night to get it back into perfect shape and we gave it our all, but just couldn’t get it done. Congratulations to Todd and his team this year. I know he has wanted this for a long-time and he has been great to race with all season. For me it was a better result than last season which is good, and the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team have been amazing to work with. Finishing second has given me more motivation to work harder for next years championship and I will be back to give it 100%. Thank you to my team, my family and my girlfriend for their support this season, also to WEM and the series sponsors in making the MX Nationals happen. Time now for a few days off and then its back into it for Supercross and I can’t wait to get back in the stadiums again.”

MX Nationals Coolum Ikap MX Clout
Luke Clout – Image by iKapture

Strong Coolum result for Kawasaki’s Dylan Long

Dylan Long finished off the 2019 MX Nationals championship in spectacular fashion at Coolum, scoring dual MX1 podium results in the double-header series finals.

Saturday’s Round 9 marked Long’s first overall podium of the year after he qualified in sixth position and then powered to 3-7 results in the opening MX1 sprint races for a combined moto score of fourth. In the final outing, he charged to third, granting him a deserved third overall for round nine.

Round 10 was even more impressive for the popular Victorian talent, transferring through Super Pole to qualify in third. The first moto saw him one again ride to a top-three result in third place, before backing that form up with second in moto two. Those results saw him achieve back-to-back overall podiums, this time in P2 for round 10 to cap-off the series.

Dylan Long

“I’m really stoked for myself and the Empire Kawasaki team to finish the season with these podium finishes,” beamed an elated Long. “The goal was to get better and better at every round once I came back from injury and we did that. After finishing third yesterday, I knew I would have to back it up today and we managed to finish second, so we’re really happy. The track was gruelling this weekend and especially today, but Empire Kawasaki had my KX450 working so good in these conditions and I can’t thank them enough!”

MX Nationals Coolum Ikap Dylan Long
Dylan Long – Image by iKapture

2019 MX1 Championship Final Points

  1. Todd Waters 568
  2. Luke Clout 530
  3. Hayden Mellross 462
  4. Kirk Gibbs 435
  5. Brett Metcalfe 432
  6. Justin Rodbell 373
  7. Richie Evans 372
  8. Jesse Dobson 360
  9. Dylan Long 325
  10. Jayden Rykers 300

2019 MX2 Championship Final Points

  1. Wilson Todd 562
  2. Kyle Webster 536
  3. Jay Wilson 523
  4. Nathan Crawford 492
  5. Aaron Tanti 460
  6. Dylan Wills 394
  7. Bailey Malkiewicz 387
  8. Ricky Latimer 360
  9. Cooper Pozniak 345
  10. Morgan Fogarty 327
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Bartosz Zmarzlik wins Speedway Grand Prix of Poland

World No.2 Bartosz Zmarzlik raced to Betard Wroclaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland glory on Saturday night and declared the epic event “the best GP in history.”

FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland Bartosz Zmarzlik
2019 Speedway Grand Prix of Poland

The Polish icon raced to his second win of 2019 and the second of his career on home soil – five years on from his unforgettable 2014 Gorzow SGP triumph as a wild card, which saw him become the youngest SGP winner of all time at the age of 19.

Zmarzlik topped the podium ahead of Martin Vaculik and Leon Madsen, and now leads the World Championship standings on 61 points – level with Emil Sayfutdinov and Madsen, but ahead of his rivals by virtue of his FIM ranking.

It was an incredible night of action which saw passing aplenty as Wroclaw staged its first SGP event in 12 years in a sold-out Olympic Stadium.

Zmarzlik was delighted to take the win a huge 17-point haul, but admits he had to fight for it.

Bartosz Zmarzlik

“I think that was the best GP in history because there were so many riders changing places all night. It was nice speedway. I’m very happy because this is my first win in Poland away from my home track Gorzow. I am very happy because I scored good points and it was a good meeting. It was good work today. It wasn’t so easy at the start, but the last heats were the best.”

FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland Bartosz Zmarzlik
Bartosz Zmarzlik – Speedway Grand Prix of Poland

Zmarzlik is nicely placed in his quest to become Poland’s third world champion, following in the footsteps of his former Gorzow team mate and mentor Tomasz Gollob in 2010.

But he’s not taking anything for granted at the championship’s halfway stage, with five rounds still to race.

Next up is the Scandinavian SGP at Malilla’s G&B Arena on August 17. Zmarzlik triumphed there in 2016 and has been in extraordinary form in the Swedish Elitserien this season, leading the average charts on 2.900 per race – from a maximum of 3.000.

Vaculik was pleased to pick up his third SGP second place of the season and 15 valuable points. He’s now just two off top spot with 59, occupying fourth place. But the Slovak admits he’s determined to convert his next final appearance into a victory.

Third-placed Madsen produced a show reel of epic rides on his way to the final. While he admits his starts forced him to go on the offensive, he was pleased to have the pace to pull off some big moves to stay among the championship frontrunners.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland Bartosz Zmarzlik
Bartosz Zmarzlik tops the 2019 Speedway Grand Prix of Poland podium

Speedway GP World Championship Standings

  1. Bartosz Zmarzlik 61
  2. Emil Sayfutdinov 61
  3. Leon Madsen 61
  4. Martin Vaculik 59
  5. Patryk Dudek 55
  6. Fredrik Lindgren 47
  7. Janusz Kolodziej 44
  8. Maciej Janowski 36
  9. Jason Doyle 35
  10. Artem Laguta 34

Betard Wroclaw SGP Scores

  1. Bartosz Zmarzlik 17
  2. Martin Vaculik 15
  3. Leon Madsen 14
  4. Janusz Kolodziej 15
  5. Emil Sayfutdinov 14
  6. Maciej Janowski 12
  7. Patryk Dudek 8
  8. Antonio Lindback 7
  9. Artem Laguta 7
  10. Tai Woffinden 6
  11. Jason Doyle 5
  12. Fredrik Lindgren 5
  13. Maksym Drabik 4
  14. Max Fricke 4
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Dan Reardon joins CDR Yamaha for 2019 Australian SX

Former multi-time Australian Supercross champion, Dan Reardon, will re-unite with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship starting on October 12 in Brisbane.

AUS X Open Jason Anderson Podium
Dan Reardon on the podium for the SX1 Overall at the Aus-X Open in 2018
Jason Anderon 75
Dean Wilson 62
Daniel Reardon 60

Reardon, who finished third in the 2018 championship on board a YZ450F, has joined forces with the most powerful team in Australian motocross and supercross and already deep into his preparations for the coming season.

In a deal that sees Reardon combine the championship winning formula of the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, he has also been able to bring his own sponsors to the effort to create a unique and powerful team.

Dan Reardon

“It’s awesome to be back with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team and working with a great group of guys. We won the championship together in 2015 and I have built a close bond to CDR and Yamaha over the years. Last year I did my own program together with the help of Yamaha but the logistics of managing that and also preparing to race become more time consuming than I anticipated. It’s great to be back with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team again as I know that all the background work is taken care of and my sole focus is to win races and get the job done with no distractions. Craig has been great to work with in putting this deal together and we have been able to put together a deal that allows me to keep my global deals in place with companies like Fasthouse, DR Homes, Bell, Go Pro and Boost, but also take on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team sponsors, infrastructure and support. I’m excited to go racing again and really looking forward to a successful year and a great championship battle in 2019.”

Australian Supercross Geeling TBG Reardon
Dan Reardon – Image by TBG

The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team were on the look out for another rider for the 2019 supercross season as Kirk Gibbs is contracted for the MX Nationals only. After assessing all options, team owner Craig Dack, felt Reardon was the right man for the job and with previous success, Dack hopes to build on the already proven platform.

Craig Dack – CDR Yamaha Team Owner

“Dan is obviously a talented, highly skilled and well credentialled supercross rider who has had a long term relationship with Yamaha here in Australia and the US. On limited budget in 2018, he was able to put together an impressive season and now with the extra support and infrastructure the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team can provide, we hope to take it to the next level with Dan in 2019. He is already comfortable with the Yamaha YZ450F and well under way in his preparation for the series. We are happy to put this deal together with Dan and some of his partners that have been behind him in recent years and feel we have the riders and the team to challenge for the 2019 SX1 supercross championship.”

mx nationals coolum round mx cdr dacka ImageScottYa
CDR Yamaha’s Craig Dack

The opening round of the Australian Supercross Championship gets under way on Saturday October 12 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre before travelling through Adelaide, Wollongong and Auckland before the grand final at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on November 30.

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Cole Seely announces retirement

Team Honda HRC rider Cole Seely announced his retirement from professional racing after over a decade competing at the highest level in both the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross series. Seely has dedicated nearly his entire professional career to the Honda brand, riding for a Honda satellite team throughout most of his 250 tenure before spending five years aboard a factory CRF450R.

At 29, Seely has accomplished a number of milestones. After turning pro in 2009, he signed with the then-Honda-backed Troy Lee Designs team in 2010. During his five-year stint with that team, Seely captured five 250SX victories and finished runner-up in the 2014 250SX West title chase.

In 2015, he was awarded 450SX Rookie of the Year honors after finishing third overall in the AMA Supercross series, highlighted by his first 450cc victory, at the Houston Supercross. Seely also represented Team USA at the 2017 Motocross of Nations.

AMA Supercross FInal Seely JK SX Vegas
Cole Seely – Image by Hoppenworld

Over the past few seasons, Seely has been plagued by injuries, which contributed to his decision to retire.

Cole Seely

“These past two years have been very difficult. Last year’s injury was severe and very tough on me both mentally and physically. I fought hard to return this season, but it was much more challenging than I anticipated. Now with this recent shoulder injury, it’s just another setback. This decision definitely wasn’t easy, but I think it’s the right choice. I’m grateful for having been given the opportunity to do something I’ve loved since I was a kid and to make it into my career. I’m grateful for the support from my fans and many sponsors throughout the years. I’d especially like to thank Honda, who has been behind me for my entire career, supporting me through the ups and downs. I’m grateful to have been partnered with such a great brand. I’m looking forward to this next chapter and to seeing where the future takes me.”

AMA MX Rnd Seely JK MX Hangtown
Cole Seely – Image by Hoppenworld
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Team Belgium for 2019 Motocross of Nations announced

The MXGP of Belgium hosted the presentation of the Belgian team for the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. Presentation was held at the public area of the Lommel GP in front of a huge crowd of Belgian fans.

Team Belgium Manager Johan Boonen presented the 2019 Line up representing the Belgian colors in Assen on September the 28thand 29th.

MX of Nations Tam Belgium Announced BEL
Team Belgium for 2019 Motocross of Nations announced

Jeremy van Horebeek will lead the team riding the MXGP class, while Jago Geerts will compete the MX2 class and veteran Kevin Strijbos rounded up the Squad representing Belgium in the Open class.

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Source: MCNews.com.au