Springfield Mile I rescheduled for August 31, 2019
Jesse Janisch claimed top honours in the standings at the Springfield TT, taking the main event win from Rush and Bromley, with Aussie Max Whale seventh overall. The Springfield Mile I event meanwhile was postponed due to weather.
Janisch appeared to be facing an uphill climb to keep his perfect 2019 TT win streak alive heading into the 15-lap Main Event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds due to the impressive pace of scrub-jumping two-wheeled legend Ryan Sipes.
AFT Springfield TT 2019 – Singles
And in fact, Sipes stole the holeshot from pole and threatened to pull an immediate gap. However, the ISDE superstar threw away a likely victory on lap 3, allowing the rear end to get around on him mid-corner and he fell to the dirt.
Janisch gladly picked up the reins and registered a series of flawless laps at the front. The result wasn’t without any addition drama through, as a hard-charging Mikey Rush kept him honest all the way to the checkered flag.
Earlier, Rush worked overtime to find a way past last year’s Springfield TT winner Dan Bromley. Once through, he slashed into Janisch’s advantage but failed to get close enough for even a Hail Mary attempt on the final lap.
AFT Springfield TT 2019 – Michael Rush
The win was Janisch’s third in three TTs this season and his fourth TT win in a row dating back to last year’s Peoria TT. His big night was made even more monumental due to the misfortune of title rival Dalton Gauthier.
Gauthier entered the event as the AFT Singles’ points leader, but was unable to advance past the heat races after being assessed a 10-second penalty for twice jumping the start. As a result, Janisch now leads Gauthier 111-96 following 6 of 18 rounds. Additionally, Rush and Bromley have also moved into striking distance with 91 and 90 points, respectively.
Jesse Janisch
“Getting the win was absolutely awesome, it was unfortunate for Ryan, I think he definitely had some speed on us today, but I’m certainly going to take it. The Roof Systems of Dallas, Texas team has been awesome this year; I think my results speak volume for how great the team has been and how much they’ve propelled me forward.”
AFT Springfield TT 2019 – Jesse Janisch on the podium
Mikey Rush
“I had a fun time doing that race, but I wish it was a few laps longer, for sure. It took my awhile to get by Dan. We had a nice, clean race. When I got by him, I put my head down and tried to put in smooth laps and hit my marks. I realized I was catching (Janisch), but I knew I was going to run out of laps. But I kept charging and charging. My team works their tails off for me. I’ll continue to keep chipping forward, and hopefully I’ll get that win soon.”
Dan Bromley
“I was over-riding a little bit. I tried pushing in the corners and got on the gas a little too soon and it would upset the bike a little bit and I’d pretty much lose my drives. Jesse and Mikey rode one heck of a race.”
AFT Springfield TT 2019 – Mikey Rush and Dan Bromley shared the podium with Janisch
Spanish flat track star Ferran Cardús got the better of a hyper-aggressive Chad Cose in a tight duel for fourth. Meanwhile, Cole Zabala picked up sixth ahead of Max Whale, Andrew Luker, Michael Inderbitzin, and Ben Lowe who rounded out the top ten.
AFT Springfield TT 2019 – Aussie Max Whale
2016 class champ Ryan Wells fought his way back from an early crash to finish 11th, one position ahead of Sipes.
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The LATEST News
Cairoli & Prado dominate MXGP of Lombardia
Kras & Guadagnini win 2-Stroke classes in Lombardia
Roman wins WESS of Portugal
Great Britain & Australia Bound for Speedway of Nations Final
Robinson wins SoCal AFT Half Mile
Euro Flat Track kicks off
Sipes wins Hawaiian Supercross
Ferris and Waters set for Hangtown
Broc Tickle back in 2020
Manjimup to welcome Clout and Gibbs
X Trial Australian Championship returns for 2019
Weekly update on our Aussies abroad
Cairoli & Prado dominate MXGP of Lombardia
Mantova in Italy hosted the 5th round of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship last weekend with the MXGP of Lombardia being completely dominated by Antonio Cairoli and Jorge Prado in the MXGP and MX2 categories respectively.
MXGP took to Lombardia for Round 5
MXGP Report
On a track that was full of sloppy mud it was smooth sailing for Cairoli who recorded the perfect weekend leading 42 laps over the weekend to take wins in the qualifying race on Saturday and both points scoring motos on Sunday for his fourth Matova GP win this time ahead if Pauls Jonass, Gautier Paulin, Clement Desalle, and Glen Coldenhoff.
Antonio Cairoli
“It is very nice to be again in Italy, despite the weather there were a lot of people today, so I am very thankful they keep coming and keep cheering. I am really happy of course, thanks to all the team for their hard work again and I am looking forward to next week in Portugal which is another track that I really like.”
Antonio Cairoli – MXGP of Lombardia 2019
Pauls Jonass
“It feels really good to be back here and especially with the MXGP guys. It has been a tough winter and a tough few months but it feels really great to be up here. We still need to keep working hard because I’m far off from my best shape but we will keep working and hopefully I can be back on the podium again soon.”
Pauls Jonass – MXGP of Lombardia 2019
Gautier Paulin
“When the track is really rough like this you can gain a lot of points but you can also lose them. I am pretty happy, after the break we made a big step with the bike, I really feel good. Today wasn’t the result I expected but I am on the box so it is always a pleasure for my team and myself. There will be good GP’s coming and I can’t wait to get behind the gate again.”
Gautier Paulin – MXGP of Lombardia 2019
MXGP of Mantova 2019 Results
MXGP Race 1
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 36:48.024
Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:10.064
Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:21.379
Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), +0:27.299
Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:39.542
Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:49.512
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:52.425
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:57.535
Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:03.646
Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +1:10.362
MXGP Race 2
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:37.572
Brian Bogers (NED, Honda), +0:07.068
Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:11.327
Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:15.790
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:15.887
Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:17.780
Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:47.849
Benoit Paturel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:51.229
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:54.290
Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:11.509
MXGP Round Overall
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points
Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 42
Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 33
Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 30
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 29
Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 26
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 26
Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 26
Brian Bogers (NED, HON), 23
Benoit Paturel (FRA, KAW), 19
MXGP Standings
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 241 points
Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 201
Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 175
Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 146
Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 142
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 124
Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 118
Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 109
Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 100
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 94
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MX2 Report
Prado took his fourth GP win over championship leader Thomas Kjer Olsen, Davey Pootjes and Aussie Mitch Evans but he win from Prado was not enough to take over the red plate from Olsen but the gap now drops from the previous 20 points to only 7.
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Lombardia 2019
Evans rode solid in the tough conditions for 8-6 moto results to now sit eighth in the championship points while Jed Beaton scored a sensational third in the opening moto and was running in sixth in the second moto until a crash put him back to an eventual 17th for seventh overall to now be 12th in the championship points.
Jorge Prado
“It is great to come back, get on the podium, and winning the GP was very important for me, especially for my confidence after a month off. Today it was important to get a good start, I failed at that yesterday but today I got really good starts which were key to the race. It is very tough to not make mistakes, get good starts every time, and don’t crash, I just need to keep concentration to lead.”
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Lombardia 2019
Thomas Kjer Olsen
“Overall it was a great weekend for me, in the first race I had that problem on the start where I was down for a bit, I was pretty far behind but I was able to make up some spots in the first laps and get into to a good position pretty quick I worked into the top ten and even got into 6th. So, after being down it was pretty good for me, I even stopped to change my goggles. Overall I felt like I was riding good this weekend.
Thomas Kjer Olsen – MXGP of Lombardia 2019
Davy Pootjes
“It is really good and I am really happy because it has been tough. This podium should have happened maybe 4 years ago but because of crashes, injuries, and some bad luck it didn’t happen. Last winter, together with DIGA Procross, we made a plan, worked really hard, and it payed off. I feel this is the place where I should be and I am not done yet.”
MX2 of Mantova 2019 Results
MX2 Race 1
Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 35:18.651
Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:05.836
Jed Beaton (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:26.496
Davy Pootjes (NED, Husqvarna), +0:40.315
Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), +1:05.236
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +1:12.915
Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), +1:37.577
Mitchell Evans (AUS, Honda), +1:47.716
Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, KTM), +1:50.638
Richard Sikyna (SVK, KTM), +1:51.878
MX2 Race 2
Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 36:52.290
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:08.779
Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:36.069
Davy Pootjes (NED, Husqvarna), +0:52.541
Dylan Walsh (NZL, Husqvarna), +0:58.348
Mitchell Evans (AUS, Honda), +1:01.889
Mathys Boisrame (FRA, Honda), +1:11.299
Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:13.390
Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), +1:17.228
Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +1:19.630
MX2 Round Overall
Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 50 points
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 37
Davy Pootjes (NED, HUS), 36
Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 28
Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), 26
Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 25
Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 24
Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), 22
Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 20
Mathys Boisrame (FRA, HON), 20
MX2 Standings
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 207 points
Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 200
Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 157
Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 150
Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 145
Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 141
Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 122
Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 117
Davy Pootjes (NED, HUS), 112
Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 105
Kras & Guadagnini Win 2-Stroke Classes in Lombardia
Europe’s Two-Stroke categories of EMX2T and EMX125 were on hand at Lombardia last weekend with two days of racing action won by Mike Kras (EMX2T) and Mattia Guadagnini (EMX125).
EMX125 Report
Guadagnini’s veteran like performance saw him take both race wins and as a result the overall ahead of Simon Laegenefelder (2-7) and Eddie Jay Wade (12-2) results. Guadagnini’s points lead is now 35 as the class takes one week off before returning alongside the MXGP of France at Saint Jean d’Angely.
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EMX2T Report
Kras won the opening moto from the Pommie pairing of Todd Kellett and Brad Todd then in the second moto championship leader Brad Anderson took the win from Kras and Erik Williams so Anderson continues to lead the championship by 14 points over Kras.
Mike Kras
EMX2T Results
EMX2T Race 1 Top Ten
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 30:20.257
Todd Kellett (GBR, Yamaha), +0:04.771
Brad Todd (GBR, Yamaha), +0:12.084
Mario Tamai (ITA, KTM), +0:13.931
Andero Lusbo (EST, Husqvarna), +0:21.327
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), +0:26.705
Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:39.726
Ben Putnam (GBR, Yamaha), +0:43.108
Johannes Klein (AUT, KTM), +0:44.718
Erik Hugyecz (HUN, KTM), +0:45.229
EMX2T Race 2 Top Ten
Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 30:21.942
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), +0:31.382
Erik Willems (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:36.552
Brad Todd (GBR, Yamaha), +0:57.783
Vaclav Kovar (CZE, Gas Gas), +1:05.100
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), +1:06.501
Emanuele Alberio (ITA, Husqvarna), +1:09.430
Johannes Klein (AUT, KTM), +1:38.804
Marco Paganini (ITA, Husqvarna), +1:47.383
Marco Lolli (ITA, Yamaha), +2:10.543.
EMX2T Overall Top Ten
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 47 points
Brad Todd (GBR, YAM), 38
Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 33
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), 30
Erik Willems (BEL, HUS), 26
Mario Tamai (ITA, KTM), 26
Vaclav Kovar (CZE, GAS), 25
Johannes Klein (AUT, KTM), 25
Todd Kellett (GBR, YAM), 25
Andrea Vendruscolo (ITA, YAM), 20
EMX2T Championship Top Ten
Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 83 points
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 69
Vaclav Kovar (CZE, GAS), 67
Todd Kellett (GBR, YAM), 58
Brad Todd (GBR, YAM), 58
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), 50
Andero Lusbo (EST, HUS), 46
Andrea Gorini (SMR, YAM), 42
Ben Putnam (GBR, YAM), 39
Marco Lolli (ITA, YAM), 39
Roman Wins WESS of Portugal
Spain’s Mario Roman has claimed victory over Wade Young and Manuel Lettenbichler at round one of the 2019 World Enduro Super Series – the Toyota Porto Extreme XL Lagares, in Portugal.
Extreme XL Lagares – Saturday Urban Enduro
Following two days of action-packed Endurocross and City Prologue racing, the stage was set for Sunday’s Hard Enduro feature race with 300 competitors taking on the two laps of the demanding course.
Extreme XL Lagares – Sunday
Alfredo Gomez and Taddy Blazusiak led the field away but Lettenbichler soon moved into the lead and opened up a five-minute advantage over Young with Billy Bolt, Jonny Walker, Graham Jarvis and Roman all in tow.
Extreme XL Lagares – Sunday
Heading out for lap two, Lettenbichler was now six minutes clear and looking strong but Roman and Young had other ideas and impressively upped their pace in the deteriorating conditions and it wasn’t long Roman put his Sherco in front and, in charging all the way to the finish, claimed a memorable victory and the opening win of the WESS season. Young finished four minutes behind as runner-up.
Mario Roman
“I feel amazing, it’s so good to get the win, in 2016 I finished about a minute behind Alfredo and then two years in a row I had mechanical issues with my bike, but I always believed in myself and knew I could do it this year. On the first lap I was lying fifth or sixth and I couldn’t see the top two guys, but as the race went on, I started to feel stronger and was able to push 100% and pass the others one-by-one. The track was so much more difficult on the second lap and I knew I would be able to make up time on those tricky sections.”
Mario Roman claims the WESS 2019 Round 1 win at the Extreme XL Lagares
Wade Young
“It feels great to get second today. At one point I was down in sixth and I was lacking some confidence after struggling in one of the rivers – that spent a lot of my energy. I came back strong though and towards the end people were starting to get tired and I was able to dig a little deeper and keep going.”
Extreme XL Lagares – Wade Young
Jarvis initially looked to have snatched third from Lettenbichler on corrected time, but the German was awarded time he lost on lap one due to a track marking error and finished on the podium. With Jarvis content in fourth, Bolt completed the top five, while Walker rounded out the top six.
Manuel Lettenbichler
“I am so happy with my result and overall I had a really good race, I didn’t realise at first the gap to the others was so big. I tried to stick to the same pace on the second lap, but Mario and Wade must have been flying. I think they probably pushed each other on the difficult stuff and were able to maintain a good speed when it got really tough. Graham also caught me at a few places, but I was able to stay ahead. I had to stop to move a bridge on the first lap so that cost me some time, but thankfully they have awarded that back to me and I have come away with third. It would have been nice to get the win, especially after leading for over half of the race. But whatever the result, I am happy with my riding and it’s been a good start to this year’s WESS championship.”
Extreme XL Lagares – Manuel Lettenbichler
The World Enduro Super Series continues with round two, the Trèfle Lozérien AMV in France, next weekend, May 17-19.
Results – Round 1: Toyota Porto Extreme XL Lagares
Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 4:01:43.21
Wade Young (Sherco – RSA) 4:05:59.04 +4:15.83
Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 4:07:09.68 +5:26.47
Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 4:07:16.12 +5:32.91
Jonathan Richardson (Husqvarna – GB) 5:11:22.83 +1:09:39.70
2019 World Enduro Super Series Standings (after round 1)
Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 1000 points
Wade Young (Sherco – RSA) 850 pts
Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 770 pts
Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GBR) 690 pts
Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 610 pts
Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 570 pts
Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 530 pts
Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 490 pts
Travis Teasdale (KTM – RSA) 460 pts
Jonathan Richardson (Husqvarna – GB) 430 pts
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Great Britain & Australia bound for Speedway of Nations Final
The Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2 was held in Manchester last Saturday night and it was England with 26 points who triumphed over Australia and Denmark so all three teams have secured their places at the Finals in Togliatti, Russia on July 20 and 21.
FIM Speedway of Nations – Image by Haggis Hartman
It was an impressive night for GB as triple world champion Tai Woffinden (12), Craig Cook (8) and Robert Lambert (6) all piled up the points while Australia booked the second automatic qualification berth after finishing level on 22 points with Denmark, but out-ranking their rivals after Chris Holder and Max Fricke finished second and third behind Danish rider Leon Madsen when the teams met in heat 18.
Max Fricke and Chris Holder – Image by Haggis Hartman
Holder scored two points from his opening two rides, but hit back with a win and two seconds.
Chris Holder
“It wasn’t too bad. It was a tough night and it’s a tough place here – everybody can be fast here. It’s a big, wide-open track. The bike setup is pretty much everything. My first couple were terrible, but once we got it working well, it got better. Me and Max had a couple of good races. The name of the game was just to get through in the top two. We didn’t want to be in the knock-out heats. We managed to sneak in, so we’re happy with that.”
Chris Holder – Image by Haggis Hartman
Denmark were forced to beat France in the final knock-out heat to earn their spot in Russia on a night plagued by bad luck.
Niels-Kristian Iversen
“We did it the hard way, it was difficult. We did have some bad luck and it cost us some points. I believe we could have won the meeting if things had gone our way in a few races. But we qualified and that’s the main thing. We really wanted to avoid the knock-out race at the end because you never know what’s going to happen in these races. We felt confident we were going to do it, but it is a little bit nerve-wracking. We had to do it the hard way, but we are through.”
Great Britain, Australia and Denmark are joined in the Finals by hosts Russia as well as Race Off 1 winners Sweden, Poland and Germany.
FIM Speedway of Nations – Image by Haggis Hartman
The next World Championships action sees the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series launch with the Boll Warsaw SGP of Poland this Saturday.
Race-Off 2 Results
GREAT BRITAIN 26
Tai Woffinden 12, Craig Cook 8, Robert Lambert 6.
AUSTRALIA 22
Chris Holder 9, Max Fricke 12, Jaimon Lidsey 1.
DENMARK 22
Niels-Kristian Iversen 15, Leon Madsen 5, Frederik Jakobsen 2.
FRANCE 16
David Bellego 10, Dimitri Berge 6, Gaetan Stella 0.
American Flat Track ace Brandon Robinson put together a flawless performance to win last Saturday night’s Vance & Hines So-Cal Half-Mile at the Southern California Fairgrounds in Perris, Calif.
AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
Robinson controlled the once stopped and restarted Main Event from race’s opening lap and by taking victory he became the first AFT Twins rider to claim more than one victory in 2019.
Brandon Robinson
“They all feel amazing. It’s great to be up here. Any time you’re on the box is good, but winning… this is what it’s all about. This is what we put in all the hard work for. My team busted their butts. My team owner, Jerry Kennedy, gives us everything we need to win. My crew chief, Brent Armbruster — the guy is amazing. We make a lot of decisions together, but there are some times he bails me out and gets the bike right. Man, he hit the nail on the head again tonight. This one is for my team.”
AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
After holding off Sammy Halbert for the first part of the race Robinson took the win by nearly two seconds over championship leader Briar Bauman and Halbert who in turn got the nod over fellow Harley rider Jarod Vanderkooi and defending champion Jared Mees.
AFT Twins Podium 1) Robinson, 2) Bauman, 3) Halbert – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Twins Main Event – So-Cal Half-Mile
Brandon Robinson Indian FTR750 0:21.040
Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 +1.833
Sammy Halbert Harley-Davidson XG750R +3.646
Jarod Vanderkooi Harley-Davidson XG750R +4.031
Jared Mees Indian FTR750 +4.280
Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 +5.993
Brandon Price Indian FTR750 +9.720
Davis Fisher Indian FTR750 +10.050
Robert Pearson Indian FTR750 +10.622
Larry Pegram Indian FTR750 +12.028
AFT Twins Standings
Briar Bauman 102
Brandon Robinson 89
Jared Mees 78
Jarod Vanderkooi 66
Sammy Halbert 61
Henry Wiles 53
Jeffrey Carver Jr. 51
Larry Pegram 51
Bronson Bauman 50
Robert Pearson 45
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AFT Singles Report
Ryan Wells backed up his first podium of the season at the Arizona Super TT with his first win of the year in a virtual wire-to-wire triumph at the So-Cal Half-Mile ahead of podium first timer Michael Inderbitzin and championship leader Dalton Gauthier
Ryan Wells – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
Ryan Wells
“TTs have never been my super strong suit so I knew getting a podium (at the Arizona Super TT), we had worked out the bugs that needed to be worked out. The Yamaha was awesome. It was huge for me to come in here and get the win. To lead all 15 laps… it was a long race for me mentally. It felt awesome to lead some laps and come out with the win. I can’t say enough about the whole Estenson racing family. That pit over there is literally a family. The camaraderie is awesome and I couldn’t get a win for a better group.”
Ryan Wells topped the AFT Singles podium – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Singles Main Event – So-Cal Half-Mile
Ryan Wells Yamaha YZ450F 0:21.367
Michael Inderbitzin Honda CRF450R +0.406
Dalton Gauthier Husqvarna FC450 +1.315
Dan Bromley KTM 450 SX-F +2.085
Jesse Janisch +Yamaha YZ450F +2.332
AFT Singles Standings
Dalton Gauthier 96
Jesse Janisch 86
Dan Bromley 73
Mikey Rush 71
Ryan Wells 56
Euro Flat Track Kicks Off
The Indian Motorcycle European Flat Track series, presented by the Dirt Track Riders Association (DTRA), kicked off at the Hells Race, Lelystad Stadium on Sunday May 5. Dirttrack Lelystad in Holland hosted the first ever running during the amazingly popular annual Hells Race meeting.
Over 150 riders raced classes including Hooligan, Vintage, Pro, Amateur, Newbie and Minibike. The program was action packed with some fantastic racing around Holland’s premier short track venue.
The Hooligan class battle did not disappoint at Hells Race. Racing was fast and tough on the soft light shale surface. The big bikes were hard to handle on the tight and deep short track, and rain during the afternoon made the racing really tricky.
It was Gary Birtwistle who skilfully lead the final from beginning to end. After a poor start Max Hunt managed to race to a very well deserved second place. Leah Tokelove, who raced superbly in her heats on the Indian Scout took a well-earned third place on the podium, giving the UK first, second and third positions.
Hooligan Class
Gary Birtwistle – UK
Max Hunt – UK
Leah Tokelove – UK
Jonathan Falkman – Sweden
James Smith – UK
All three championship classes provided some amazing action and with riders from nine countries, the event had a truly international feel. The Pro Class was packed with Europe’s top dirt track riders, with a large showing from the UK, coupled with a strong field of other top riders from the Spain, Netherlands, Italy and Poland. The heats provided really tight racing. It was Ferran Sastre who was the only rider to win all his heats and took first pick for the Pro Final.
Sastre had some very strong competition from Maikel Dijkstra who was fresh from training with Moto Anatomy’s Johnny Lewis and was showing some excellent pace on his home track. Both Toby Hales (Greenfield Dirttrack) and Gerard Bailo (Greenfield Dirttrack) flew in from riding Copa Rodi in Spain the day before.
Franc Sala was also racing well and taking heat wins. In the Pro final it was Ferran Sastre who raced with superb skill to win, with Maikel Dijkstra taking a very close second and Sala third giving the Spanish riders a strong presence on the podium.
Pro Class
Ferran Sastre – Spain
Maikel Dijkstra – Netherlands
Franc Sala – Spain
Toby Hales – UK
Gerard Bailo – Spain
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The vintage Class had a massive entry with some really close racing on some of Europe’s most beautiful vintage machines. German rider Martin Huning was on fire in all his heats and won the finaI. In second place was DTRA Race Director Anthony Brown who was very strong in all his heats. And in third place was Swiss rider Michel Colaizzi.
Vintage
Martin Huning – Germany
Anthony Brown – UK
Michel Colaizzi – Switzerland
Sean Kelly – UK
Christophe Canitrot – France
Krazy Horse’s Hooligan Team return to continue their UK DTRA flat track championship attack with the Indian Scout at MCN’s Festival of Motorcycling, Peterborough Arena, on May 18th and 19th – Join the event and experience the spectacle of Flat Track racing alongside live demo ride opportunities, see the entire Indian Motorcycle range on display and enjoy all the festival has to offer.
2019 Hooligan Championship Dates
May 17/19 – MCN Festival, Peterborough Showground, UK
June 15 – El Rollo, Wheels & Waves, ESP – European Championship
August 9/10 – DIRTQUAKE, Arlington Stadium, Sussex, UK
September 21/22 – Greenfield Oval, Alford, UK – European Championship
Sipes Wins Hawaiian Supercross
Aloha Stadium hosted the first Supercross event in Hawaii in several years and it was former ISDE winner and multi-talented Ryan Sipes who came away with a surprise win over multi-Australian Supercross Champion Justin Brayton and multi-Arenacross Champion Tyler Bowers.
Ryan Sipes claims the Hawaiin Supercross win from Justin Brayton and Tyler Bowers
The event used a three-moto format and Sipes dominated the overall standings with 1-1-1 moto finishes ahead of Brayton, who finished second overall with 3-2-2 moto scores while Tyler Bowers rounded out the podium with 4-5-4 moto results.
Hawaiian Supercross Results 2019 450SX
Ryan Sipes: 1-1-1
Justin Brayton: 3-2-2
Tyler Bowers: 4-5-4
Mike Alessi: 7-4-3
Austin Politelli: 2-3-12
Ben LaMay: 6-9-6
Josh Hill: 8-8-7
Alex Ray: 11-6-8
Jimmy Decotis: 5-13-11
Kyle Chisholm: 13-7-5
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Broc Tickle Back in 2020
FIM have finally given their verdict on American racer Broc Tickle, who was suspended from the sport due to a report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Cologne indicating an adverse analytical finding of 5-methylhexan-2-amine, a specified substance under Section 6 (Stimulants) of the 2018 FIM Prohibited List, in a urine sample collected from him at the San Diego round of supercross.
Broc Tickle in 2018
Tickle had this to say on social media: “Finally got official sentencing from CDI panel and FIM, bummed I won’t be railing some corners this summer in Pro Motocross. I’ll be back 2/10/2020.”
Three Aussies Set for Hangtown
There will be three Aussies at the opening round of the AMA Motocross championship which will be held at Hangtown this weekend with Hunter Lawrence in the 250 class for Geico Honda being joined by Dean Ferris on the Factory Yamaha team and Todd Waters running a privateer Husqvarna.
Hunter Lawrence
Moto News reported last week that Waters flew straight to America after winning the 5th round of the Australian MX Nationals at Murray Bridge with friends and family helping to contest the first three rounds of the series on a production FC450 Husqvarna.
Todd Waters
“With a seven-week break in the calendar, I’ve decided the best training I can do is to race, so I’ll head to the US this week with a small entourage of family and friends to line up as a privateer at the first three rounds of the AMA Outdoors.”
Todd Waters
Ferris on the other hand got the call from Yamaha to fill in for the injured Aaron Plessinger with the Monster Energy Yamaha team alongside Justin Barcia.
Dean Ferris
“I’m super excited about this opportunity to race with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Team. I’ve won a lot of races on the YZ450F, so it’s a perfect fit for me to start my campaign in America. I’m looking forward to getting the outdoor season rolling in Hangtown next weekend!”
Dean Ferris
As for Lawrence, the former GP front runner was injured right before the supercross season and has spent the last 17 weeks getting ready for Hangtown to look for the young hard charger to be at the pointy end for the opening round and beyond.
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Manjimup to Welcome Clout and Gibbs
CDR Monster Energy Yamaha Team members Kirk Gibbs and Luke Clout are set to make the trip across the Nullarbor to take on the best in the West at Australia’s most prestigious single motocross event, the Manjimup 15000 on the 1st and 2nd of June. Kirk Gibbs is a past champion of the event and longing to have his name added to the trophy one more time.
Kirk Gibbs
“I have done Manjimup a few times over the years and it is an event that every motocross racer should do. It’s an amazing track to ride that offers challenges in its layout, its terrain and its physical demands. The atmosphere at the venue is also nothing like we experience back on the East Coast. There is always a big crowd on hand that line the entire track and make plenty of noise as they watch the races. They are motocross people who know about the sport and are enthusiastic to cheer on their favourite rider. My shoulder should be good to go and I’m looking forward to heading back to Manjimup and catching up with all the WA fans.”
Kirk Gibbs
For Luke Clout, 2019 will mark his first appearance at the event and the has the current MX Nationals points leader exciting about the prospect of racing on the famous Manjimup circuit and experience the race for the first time.
Luke Clout
“I have heard so many good things about Manjimup and it’s awesome to know I will finally be taking the trip over to contest the event. Dacka has told me so many stories about his time racing Manjimup and I hope my time there is half as exciting as his. And I’m not sure if I can bare another story about riding a 500cc two stroke on a track rough enough to swallow an ocean-liner. I have seen the track on video and watched some races there and it looks like such a fun track to ride. The schedule looks hectic with six motos during the day but that’s fine with me and I can’t wait to get behind the gate and race Kirk as well as all the WA riders.”
Luke Clout
X Trial Australian Championship returns for 2019
The 2019 X Trial Australian Championship contenders will compete in Perth and Wollongong in back-to-back weekends kicking off on WA on the 20th of July.
X Trial Australian Championship returns for 2019
X Trial features the best eight riders that get an invitation to test themselves through 5 difficult sections each weekends which will offer spectators 3 hours of entertainment.
Eight riders start the qualifying round and four progress to the final, to be crowned the X Trial Australian Champion!
X Trial Australian Championship
Round 1
Perth – Saturday July 20th, HBF Stadium, Mount Claremont WA
Gates open at 6pm – Main Event 6:30pm Start
Round 2
Wollongong – Saturday July 27th, WIN Ent Centre, Wollongong, NSW
Gates open at 6pm – Main Event 6:30pm Start
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Weekly Up-Date on Our Aussies Abroad
Jed Beaton – Rockstar Husqvarna
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 12th after Round 5 of 17 Notes: Jed was on fire at the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy last weekend with a third in the opening moto before crashing out of 6th late in moto two in horrendously wet conditions to finish 17th for 7th overall – Jed has moved from 13th to 12th in the championship points.
Jed Beaton
Mitch Evans – 114 Honda
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 8th after Round 5 of 17 Notes: Mitch had a solid weekend at the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy last weekend with a 3rd in Saturday’s Qualifying race before going 8-6 on Sunday for 6th outright to maintain his 8th in the championship points – Evans was involved in a first corner crash in the opening moto so to claw his way back to 8th in the conditions shows his talent.
Mitch Evans
Tayla Jones – Rockstar/Husqvarna/Moose Racing/Shaw Wines
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 1st after Round 5 of 13 Notes: Tayla won the latest round in Indianapolis on May 5 and has extended her points lead in the WXC class to 11 over second placed Becca Sheets.
Tayla Jones competing the 2019 GNCC – Image by Ken Hill
Caleb Grothues – SDM Corse Yamaha
Championship: EMX250 Current Standings: 16th after Round 2 of 8 Notes: The former Australian and World Junior Motocross Champion rode well at the opening round but was forced to sit out the second round due to injury but the West Aussie should be back for the next round in France on the 26th of May.
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Hunter Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: AMA Motocross Championship Current Standings: TBA Notes: Hunter was looking sharp heading into the supercross championship before he crashed right before the opening round so he is now healed and by all accounts 100% ready for the outdoors which kicks off at Hangtown on May 18.
Hunter Lawrence – Hoppenworld Image
Jett Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: TBA Current Standings: TBA Notes: Jett joined the Geico Honda amateur program for 2019 and to date he has raced a handful of events like the Mini-Os etc – as soon as he races and there are results it will be right here.
Jett Lawrence
Tahlia ‘TJ’ O’Hare – KTM DIGA Racing Team
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 13th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Tahlia’s initiation into the world motocross scene was at the toughest track on the circuit in Valkenswaard but she managed to get through with a solid 13th but look for TJ to move up the points standings at the second round in Portugal on May 19.
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Chad Reed – JGR Suzuki
Championship: AMA Supercross Current Standing: 15th after Round 17 of 17 Notes: Chad was part of a multi bike crash at Seattle when he was sitting 7th in the championship and after the series was completed the Aussie still ended up 15th in the points – we now hold out hopes that Chad will line up for the AMA Motocross Championships.
Chad Reed – Image by Hoppenworld
Wil Ruprecht – Johansson MPE Yamaha
Championship: EnduroGP – Junior Class Current Standing: 2nd after Round 2 of 7. Notes: Wil once again proved his world class riding ability at Valpaços in Portugal last weekend with a 2nd and a 4th over the two days of competition where some of the veterans of the sport declared it one of the toughest events in recent history.
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 8th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Meghan sat out the World Championships for four years and her first round was marred with some minor mistakes but there was no mistaking her speed so look for Meghan to have a much better round in Portugal on the 19th of May.
Championship: GNCC / AMA Enduro Current Standing: 6th after Round 5 of 13 Notes: Josh ended the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis in a disappointing 13th outright but he still sits 6th overall in the series with 8 rounds remaining.
Josh Strang
Mackenzie Tricker – KTM/MEPMX/Fly Racing
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 3rd after Round 5 of 13 Notes: Mackenzie ended the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis in 9th place which is her poorest performance in years but she still sits third in points with 8 rounds remaining and my bet is still for the former motocross champion to pull off a win this season.
Mackenzie Tricker – Image by Dario Agrati
Max Whale – Weirbach Racing Kawasaki
Championship: AFT Singles Current Standings: 14th after Round 5 of 18 Notes: Max narrowly missed out on going to the final at the SoCal Half Mile on the 11th of May after scoring 12th in his Semi final so he has dropped to 14th in points but there are still 13 rounds to go.
Max Whale at TareeSmarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
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The LATEST News
Arizona AFT Super TT falls to JD Beach
Webb and Sexton Top the Podium at East Rutherford SX
Upton Wins Gascoyne Dash
Doyle headlines FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2
Murray Bridge Double Header This Weekend
Victoria, ACT and WA Host Championship Rounds
Weekly Up-Date on Our Aussies Abroad
Arizona AFT Super TT falls to JD Beach
Yamaha MT-07 rider JD Beach pulled off an improbable come-from-behind victory to claim his first-career American Flat Track premier class win in last Saturday night’s thrilling Super TT at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona.
AFT Twins head to the Arizona Super TT – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Twins Report
Throughout the day it was the points leader Briar Bauman on his Indian who logged the fastest laps around the twisting and undulating Super TT circuit and he appeared well on his way to a seemingly effortless victory deep into the 25-lap Main Event but the determined Beach slowly reeled his quarry in and finally positioned himself to attack with just two laps remaining.
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
Beach, a multi-time national road racing champion made his move up the inside entering Turn 2 and pulled clear from there to at last complete the long-awaited breakthrough win ahead of Bauman and the defending champion Jared Mees (Indian) whom in turn got the nod over the Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Indian) and Jake Johnson (MT-07).
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
JD Beach
“It’s amazing. This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. We’ve been close before but never quite got it. To ride the race that I did — to be back from Briar like that and catch him and pass him with two to go — was awesome. I’ve just got to thank the whole team. We’ve definitely had our highs and lows this year so far. They’ve worked so hard. It’s a great feeling, but we’ve still got a lot of rounds to go and a lot of work to do. We’ll have some fun tonight and get back to work tomorrow.”
JD Beach – Image by Scott Hunter
Bauman could take solace in the fact that he continued his perfect podium record on the season and extended his title lead to 18 points after four rounds.
Briar Bauman
“I had nothing for him. He came by me like I was tied to a tree… The bike was great all night. I thought I was in a pretty good position. I got the start and did everything right. The only problem is JD Beach came, so here we are in second.”
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins Main Event
JD Beach Yamaha MT-07
Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 +2.244
Jared Mees Indian FTR750 +19.026
Jeffrey Carver Jr. Indian FTR750 +23.610
Jake Johnson Yamaha MT-07 +23.907
Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 +35.266
Kayl Kolkman Yamaha MT-07 +35.896
Brandon Robinson Indian FTR750 +36.052
Sammy Halbert Harley-Davidson XG750R +40.515
Larry Pegram Indian FTR750 +1 Lap
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Twin Standings
Briar Bauman 82
Jared Mees 64
Brandon Robinson 64
Henry Wiles 51
Jarod Vanderkooi 51
Jeffrey Carver Jr. 44
Sammy Halbert 44
Jake Johnson 43
Larry Pegram 42
Bronson Bauman 37
Jared Mees – 2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Singles Report
TT specialist Jesse Janisch and his Yamaha YZ450 upped his AFT Singles win streak to three with a wire-to-wire victory in Saturday night’s undercard Main Event over Dalton Gauthier and Ryan Wells.
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
Janisch found himself under heavy pressure throughout the Main Event courtesy of points leader Dalton Gauthier who threw everything he had into one final strike at the chequered flag, pulling alongside Janisch as they two exited the race’s last corner and powered up the decisive jump with Janisch holding on by a scant 0.105 seconds at the line.
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
Jesse Janisch
“This race was so much about the start. These guys were flying all day… I just tried running clean laps. Roof Systems Dallas TX got me off to a great start, and I was trying to watch the monitor and I saw Dalton right on me. But they kept going to a different battle, and I wanted to see where Dalton was at! He was really coming on that last lap.”
Jesse Janisch – Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
2016 AFT Singles champion Ryan Wells came home third ahead of Mikey Rush and Dan Bromley while Aussie Max Whale who was still feeling the effects of last weekend’s crash struggled home to 16th but he maintains a top ten position in the points.
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles Main Event
Jesse Janisch Yamaha YZ450F
Dalton Gauthier Husqvarna FC450 +0.105
Ryan Wells Yamaha YZ450F +3.324
Mikey Rush Honda CRF450R +5.822
Dan Bromley KTM 450 SX-F +6.227
Chad Cose Honda CRF450R +10.395
Cole Frederickson Honda CRF450R +10.922
Andrew Luker Kawasaki KX450F +11.236
Ben Lowe Honda CRF450R +13.251
Jacob Lehmann Honda CRF450R +13.829
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Singles Standings
Dalton Gauthier 79
Jesse Janisch 72
Mikey Rush 63
Dan Bromley 58
Morgen Mischler 40
Oliver Brindley 38
Shayna Texter 35
Chad Cose 34
Ryan Wells 31
Max Whale 25
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Webb and Sexton Top the Podium at East Rutherford SX
On a jump infested and highly technical layout Cooper Webb has managed to win an action packed 450 main event to extend his championship lead, while Chase Sexton took over as the 250 East Coast class championship leader after winning his first main for the year.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
450SX Report
While his teammate Marvin Musquin was avoiding being run over after crashing in the first corner, Webb grabbed the holeshot from Zach Osborne and Eli Tomac, but before the opening lap was complete Tomac had moved to second and was right on the rear wheel of Webb.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by HoppenworldAMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
After a few attempts Eli was finally able to get to the lead and reminiscent to his Vegas performance in 2017 Tomac was looking to unsettle Webb as he slowed in several sections before cutting down to a tighter line through some of the corners but the Kawasaki rider finally cleared his thoughts to establish a small lead.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
In fact, it looked like Eli would pull away for the win until he got cross rutted and went down in the whoops to drop back to fourth behind Webb, Osborne and Blake Baggett. Osborne caught up to Webb to make the pass for the lead so it this stage Zach led ahead of Webb, Baggett and a fast closing Tomac but then Baggett crashed and Osborne rode straight up a right hand berm which gave the lead back to Webb.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
The atmosphere was electric as Tomac caught all the way up to Webb but an identical crash in the whoops dropped him back to third and that is the way they stayed to the line with Webb winning over Osborne, Tomac and Baggett.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
With one race left, Web has a 23-point lead over Tomac while Musquin, who came into the race as the only other rider besides Tomac within striking distance of his teammate salvaged a fifth after his crash to now trails Webb by 31 points so he is no longer in championship contention.
Cooper Webb
“The win is a great momentum booster for me. Having another win for me and the team that works so hard is awesome, but anything can happen, as we saw tonight, but it is nice to come in with a bigger lead. I felt like crap all day and all week, so to be out here at all was great, the goal was a top five, so to come away with a win was incredible.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Zach Osborne
“It’s been a long gruelling road to get back, I felt great in the off season, had a really good bike and one tiny mistake took me out of the first six rounds but it is finally coming back to me, we completely changed the bike in the off week and I felt a lot more comfortable in the whoops. In the main event I got off to a good start and after getting beaten up in the past I decided to just send it which I did for a couple of laps then made the pass for the lead – it was a really good race for me.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Eli Tomac
“I had to have a chuckle about it, I mean, I did the exact thing twice (crash twice in the same spot), I mean, how do you even do that? We were going triple into the whoops and I was leaning a little too far to the right, got cross rutted and then went into the same tuff block, the same tip over, it’s like a replay. I could have got away with one of those but the second one really did me in.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
450SX Main Event Results
Cooper Webb
Zach Osborne
Eli Tomac
Blake Baggett
Marvin Musquin
Ken Roczen
Joey Savatgy
Joshua Grant
Cole Seely
Justin Hill
450SX Main Event Podium – AMA SX Round 16, 2019
450SX Points after 16 of 17 Rounds
Cooper Webb – 358
Eli Tomac – 335
Marvin Musquin – 327
Ken Roczen – 300
Blake Baggett – 274
Dean Wilson – 223
Joey Savatgy – 208
Cole Seely – 194
Justin Bogle – 158
Justin Barcia – 154
Chad Reed – 151
Justin Brayton – 151
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250 East Coast Report
After the injured championship leader Austin Forkner made his way to the main event with a far from convincing fourth place in his heat race it was Alex Martin who grabbed the early lead in the main event ahead of Martin Davalos, Sexton and Forkner.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Austin slammed by Sexton for third but he was soon in second behind his teammate Davalos after Martin slid out so it looked like things were going the way of Forkner BUT a flat landing before the wall jump caused him to re-aggravate his knee and take him out of the race.
When Austin pulled off, Sexton inherited second place and later he took over the lead from a struggling Davalos who would also surrender second and third to the Yamaha duo of Mitchell Oldenburg and Justin Cooper, so the win went to Sexton over Oldenburg, Cooper and Davalos.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
With just the final East/West shootout at Las Vegas to go next weekend Sexton has inherited/earned a nine-point lead over Cooper with Forkner a further 13-points back. The 250 West Coast series is similarly placed with Adam Cianciarulo holding an 8-point lead over Dylan Ferrandis heading into Vegas so the combined final is going to be very interesting indeed.
Chase Sexton
“We have made a lot of bike changes from the beginning of the season, it is pretty crazy when you compare what I was riding back then to now, it has made a big difference and I have just been trying to put in my laps but I felt really good out there tonight, it feels awesome to be fastest qualifier, win my heat then the main, it’s been a long time and it feels great.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Mitchell Oldenburg
“It has been a tough physically and mentally but everyone around me has believed in me so this feels great, I felt awesome tonight, comfortable and it’s been a long couple of years but we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Justin Cooper
“We struggled with suspension but we did our best and I felt really good in the heat where I got into second and started putting in my laps before I ended up jumping into the hay bales and it all went downhill from there because I didn’t feel myself in the main event but not taking any credit from these guys, they are riding awesome.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
250 East Coast Main Event Results
Chase Sexton
Mitchell Oldenburg
Justin Cooper
Martin Davalos
Brandon Hartranft
Kyle Peters
Alex Martin
Jordan Bailey
Lorenzo Locurcio
Anthony Rodriguez …22. Austin Forkner
250SX Main Event Podium – AMA SX Round 16, 2019
250 East Coast Points after 8 of 9 Rounds
Chase Sexton – 174
Justin Cooper – 165
Austin Forkner – 152
Martin Davalos – 134
Mitchell Oldenburg – 128
Alex Martin –121
Brandon Hartranft – 118
Kyle Peters – 115
Kyle Cunningham – 108
Jordon Bailey – 91
250 West Coast Points after 9 of 10 Rounds
Adam Cianciarulo – 208
Dylan Ferrandis – 200
Colt Nichols – 163
RJ Hampshire – 145
James Decotis – 128
Michael Mosiman – 128
Cameron McAdoo – 128
Shane McElrath – 123
Chris Blose – 119
Garrett Marchbanks – 100
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Upton wins Gascoyne Dash
Easter weekend saw defending champion Cody Upton win the Gascoyne Dash which has competitors racing from the WA coastal town of Carnarvon to the outback oasis of Gascoyne Junction and back.
Cody Upton wins the 2019 Gascoyne Dash
Upton lead a field of 32 bikes and 19 quads away for the Prologue but it was KTM rider James McCarthy, stopping the clock some 13 seconds ahead of fellow KTM Rider Thomas O’Connell, with the Yamaha of Alex Moore rounding out the outright podium while the leading quad was ATV MX convert, Luke Gaisford on his Honda.
The first day of the main event saw the field race east approximately 205 kilometres from coastal Carnarvon to the outback oasis of Gascoyne Junction and it was Upton who managed to take the win. The defending champ not only faced stiff opposition from his fellow competitors and the tough terrain on the race home, he would also have to overcome a broken left hand thanks to a rock thrown from a competitor’s bike on the run to Gascoyne Junction.
Luke Gaisford took the Quad win
While not able to match the pace that he set on day one, Upton was able to do just enough to lead the Moto field home ahead of McCarthy, Moore and O’Connell while Jye Schaap, Damon Meyer, Luke Thomson, Cameron Smart, Michael Lough and Andrew Somers rounded out the top ten.
Amongst the hotly contested quad category, ATV MX specialist Luke Gaisford powered home from the Junction to win his first desert enduro. Finishing 15th outright ahead of Blake Croonen and Colin Balshaw.
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Doyle headlines FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2
World champions Tai Woffinden and Jason Doyle lead a stellar field for the FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2 in Manchester on May 11 as the squads and starting line-ups are confirmed.
2019 FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2
Reigning world #1 Woffinden captains the Lions on home shale in his first racing appearance in the UK since becoming the first Brit to win three world titles last October.
Meanwhile, 2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix winner Doyle leads the Australian challenge. The Brits and Aussies are up against Denmark, USA, Latvia, France and Finland with three places up for grabs in the Monster Energy SON Finals at Russian race track Togliatti on July 20 and 21.
Every nation had the chance to name a squad of up to five riders – three seniors and two under-21s, with two seniors and a junior starting in Manchester. Each under-21 must take at least one ride.
Doyle teams up with Belle Vue skipper Max Fricke, who gets the nod ahead of 2012 world champion Chris Holder to race on his SGB Premiership home track. Aussie Under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey serves as their junior rider, with Redcar rider Jordan Stewart the reserve under-21.
Jason Doyle at least year’s Melbourne Speedway GP – Image by Colin Rosewarne
The Finals field will also feature three nations who advance from Race Off 1 in Landshut, Germany on May 4, which sees Germany, Poland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Ukraine and Italy compete.
Race Off 2 Squads & Line-Ups (In Draw Order):
AUSTRALIA:
1 Jason Doyle (captain), 2 Max Fricke, U21 Jaimon Lidsey.
Also in squad: Chris Holder, Jordan Stewart (U21).
FINLAND:
1 Timo Lahti (captain), 2 Tero Aarnio, U21 Timi Salonen.
Also in squad: Jesse Mustonen, Niklas Sayrio (U21).
1 Niels-Kristian Iversen (captain), 2 Leon Madsen, U21 Frederik Jakobsen. Also in squad: Michael Jepsen Jensen, Patrick Hansen (U21).
GREAT BRITAIN:
1 Tai Woffinden (captain), 2 Craig Cook, U21 Robert Lambert.
Also in squad: Chris Harris, Daniel Bewley (U21).
FRANCE:
1 David Bellego (captain), 2 Dimitri Berge, U21 Gaetan Stella.
USA:
1 Austin Novratil, 2 Luke Becer (captain), U21 Broc Nicol.
Also in squad: Ricky Wells.
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Murray Bridge double header this weekend
This weekend will see the first of the two ‘double header’ rounds of the 2019 Australian MX Nationals with Murray Bridge putting together two days of racing that could well see major changes in the MX1, MX2 and MXD championship classes.
MX Nationals head to Murray Bridge for Rounds 4 & 5
MX Nationals Series Promoter Kevin Williams today expressed his gratitude for the Rural City of Murray Bridge and explained that the venue is well equipped to have a full two days racing and the club are ready to welcome thousands of motocross fans.
Kevin Williams
“I’m very thankful to the Rural City of Murray Brdge for there commitment and partnership in making this event happen with Murray Bridge hosting the first of this years double header rounds, the South Coast Club have been working around the clock to make sure everything is up to a double standard and the track is well equipped to handle two days of gruelling racing.”
In the MX1 class Hayden Mellross holds on to the championship points lead by a slender 5-points over Luke Clout who in turn has a 2-point gap to Kirk Gibbs who has the exact same gap back to Todd Waters so that is less than 10 points from first to fourth which means this weekend at Murray Bridge could well shake this championship up…..or will it?
The likes of Jay Wilson, Aaron Tanti, Kyle Webster and Nathan Crawford need to pull their fingers out and stop Wilson Todd from running away with this championship – and that is going to be difficult with Wilson looking to be in a class of his own during the last two rounds to now have a 28 point lead over Wilson.
Wilson Todd – MX Nationals Round 3, Broadford, 2019
MX2 – Championship Standings After Round 3
Wilson Todd – 170
Jay Wilson – 142
Aaron Tanti – 133
Kyle Webster – 126
Nathan Crawford – 122
Cooper Pozniak – 115
Dylan Wills – 113
Jye Dickson – 107
Riley Dukes – 103
Issac Ferguson – 93
The MXD class has been it’s usual action packed adventure for the youngsters and so far it has been Regan Duffy who has been the most consistent but Rhys Budd, Max Purvis and Mason Semmens have been on the winners pace while there are three or four other riders who are currently top ten in the points who have the speed to win motos.
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Victoria, ACT and WA Host Championship Rounds
The Yamaha BluCru 2-Stroke Nationals was held at Fairburn Park last weekend as was the VSMX at Swan Hill in Victoria and the WAMX Championships at the Coastal Motocross facility.
Jai Walker won the premier YMI All-Power class at Fairburn Park over Jake Cobbin and Connor Whitney while Blake Fox (Yamaha 125cc Jnr Cup), Ryder Kingsford (Yamaha 85cc Cup), Ky Woods (Raceline 65cc Cup) and Steven Bowen (Hallman Retro Cup) took out the support classes.
Jayden Rykers (Pictured at MXN) – Image by Scottya
On a day that fielded many national riders Jayden Rykers won the premier All Powers class at Swan Hill over Erki Kahro and Ryan Shadbolt while Mason Semmens got the win over Max Purvis is the MX2 class then we saw Lewis Stewart (MX1A), Justin Carafa (Over 30s), Mike Reefman (Over 40s) and James Graham (Over 50s) win the support classes.
Coastal hosted the opening round of the WAMX championship and it was Regan Duffy who took out the MX1 class over Charlie Creech and Josh Adams before Duffy also took out the MX2 class over Corben Weinert and Dylan Hennessey while Chris Bosnakis (Quads), Hannah Bagnall (Womens) and Jacob Whatley (Amateur) won the support classes.
Over in the junior ranks the class winners were Brock Flynn, Kayden Minear, Seth Manuel, Dylan Walsh, Mason Brown, Jaylee Rimbas and Jodh McQuade.
Weekly Up-Date on Our Aussies Abroad
Jed Beaton – Rockstar Husqvarna
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 13th after Round 4 of 17 Notes: Thanks to some niggling injuries Jed sat out the opening round but has scored solid points in the next three rounds while still nursing a few aches and pains – the four week break from rounds 4 to 5 will do him no harm. The next round will be the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy on the 12th of May.
Jed Beaton
Mitch Evans – 114 Honda
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 8th after Round 4 of 17 Notes: Mitch sensationally started the season with a podium finish but since then it has been a bit of a roller coaster with great speed let down by two mechanical DNFs. The next round will be the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy on the 12th of May.
Mitch Evans
Tayla Jones – Rockstar/Husqvarna/Moose Racing/Shaw Wines
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 1st after Round 4 of 13 Notes: Tayla has only lost one round so far this year and is looking as good as ever. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5
Tayla Jones competing the 2019 GNCC – Image by Ken Hill
Caleb Grothues – SDM Corse Yamaha
Championship: EMX250 Current Standings: 16th after Round 2 of 8 Notes: The former Australian and World Junior Motocross Champion rode well at the opening round but was forced to sit out the second round due to injury but the West Aussie should be back for the next round in France on the 26th of May.
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Hunter Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: AMA Motocross Championship Current Standings: TBA Notes: Hunter was looking sharp heading into the supercross championship before he crashed right before the opening round so he is now healed and by all accounts 100% ready for the outdoors which kicks off at Hangtown on May 18.
Hunter Lawrence – MXoN 2018
Jett Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: TBA Current Standings: TBA Notes: Jett joined the Geico Honda amateur program for 2019 and to date he has raced a handful of events like the Mini-Os etc – as soon as he races and there are results it will be right here.
Jett Lawrence
Tahlia ‘TJ’ O’Hare – KTM DIGA Racing Team
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 13th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Tahlia’s initiation into the world motocross scene was at the toughest track on the circuit in Valkenswaard but she managed to get through with a solid 13th but look for TJ to move up the points standings at the second round in Portugal on May 19.
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Chad Reed – JGR Suzuki
Championship: AMA Supercross Current Standing: 11th after Round 16 of 17 Notes: Chad was part of a multi bike crash at Seattle when he was sitting 7th in the championship and if a few things go his way Chad will be on the line at the final round of the championship at Vegas this weekend.
Chad Reed – Image by Hoppenworld
Wil Ruprecht – Johansson MPE Yamaha
Championship: EnduroGP – Junior Class Current Standing: 2nd after Round 1 of 7. Notes: Wil proved his worth at the opening round in Germany with a solid weekend on the only Yamaha in the field. The next round will be at Valpaços in Portugal on the 3rd and 4th of May.
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 8th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Meghan sat out the World Championships for four years and her first round was marred with some minor mistakes but there was no mistaking her speed so look for Meghan to have a much better round in Portugal on the 19th of May.
Championship: GNCC / AMA Enduro Current Standing: 6th after Round 4 of 13 Notes: New team for Josh and he is gaining confidence at every round – Josh sat in second place for the early part of round 4 before dropping to fifth overall. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5
Josh Strang – 2019 GNCC – Image by Ken Hill
Mackenzie Tricker – KTM/MEPMX/Fly Racing
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 3rd after Round 4 of 13 Notes: Mackenzie is not far off cracking a win at the GNCC level but the pace is red hot out front between Jones and Becca Sheets. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5.
Mackenzie Tricker (2018 ISDE) – Image by Dario Agrati
Max Whale – Weirbach Racing Kawasaki
Championship: AFT Singles Current Standings: 10th after Round 4 of 18 Notes: Max scored a disappointing 16th at the Super TT in Arizona last weekend thanks to still feeling the effects of the previous weekend’s big crash but he still sits 10th in the points with plenty of rounds left to prove his worth.
What was your first job? I was a truck driver for a construction company. Then I was working at a flooring store in Avon, Colorado, right down the road from where our offices are now. I was pretty bored.
So you quit and started making maps for motorcyclists? I was still working at the flooring store. I was moonlighting, taking off to ride these roads. I actually got fired from that job. I can’t blame the owner. But my heart just wasn’t in it. I was 30 years old, and I didn’t want to sell flooring. When I got fired, it was this moment: Now I’ve got to shit or get off the pot.
Sounds scary. We started in 2008, right as the economy was tanking. My wife owns a salon, and her income limped us along the first few years. When another business partner came in, Justin Bradshaw [who later launched the Rever app], we could afford to pay ourselves $1,000 a month. That was huge. I remember the first paycheck. We were so stoked! Because then it was more than a hobby. It became real.
And the product lets you get out and ride. Our patented rating system highlights the best roads in each state. We don’t fly roads; we don’t get in cars. We scout roads on motorcycles. In the beginning, I would [study] atlases, and if there was any undulation, I would highlight it, throw it in my tank bag and go. My dad helped start the company too. As a son, getting to drag my father around the country over hundreds of thousands of miles—that was a fantastic experience.
How much were you riding? Before we put out our first map, in 2010, we had ridden over 250,000 miles. I rode 55,000 miles the first year alone. Justin did 30,000 or 40,000. He was still painting houses at the time. It was a lot, managing our personal lives, our relationships with our wives, being gone all the time. That dance between not making any money and following a dream. People were like, “C’mon, are you serious? This is just an excuse to ride motorcycles around the country.”
There’s serious work involved. It’s not hard to be envious of this position. But [scouting] can be taxing. You’re focusing on trying to keep the motorcycle upright, but also collecting data, double-checking maps, communicating in the field. At the end of the day, you’re smoked. Like, “Wow, I never thought I could be this tired.”
Could you see yourself doing anything else now? No. I can’t. At this point, it’s less about the riding or revenue, and more about customers. Hearing people recount their experiences using our maps: “This is unbelievable. It’s changed our entire outlook on motorcycling.” That’s hugely rewarding, being able to say that our little map [helped] somebody on their motorcycle have an awesome time.
It’s like a Butler Map belongs to the motorcyclists. You just get to make the thing. Exactly. Early on, your output dictates the company singularly, because you are the company. Then, at some point, it stops being about you. It’s about this community. Within that community, the paradigm has shifted. The traditional motorcyclists in this country, they’re not as interested in working to ride anymore. They just want to go and have fun on a motorcycle.
Dr. Michele Zasa
Clinica Mobile is the official medical group of MotoGP and FIM World Superbike. At the races, emergency services like ambulances are provided by the local area. We have a facility that travels with the series in Europe, and we send equipment and personnel for overseas races. We are the trusted doctors and physical therapists of the riders. So, we bring continuity and consistency [to their care]. I was inspired to do emergency medicine by ER, the television show; after my residency, I decided that I didn’t want to work in a hospital full-time every day for my entire career. So, for me, the best part of this job is variety. [Outside of Italy], we are not in our country. We are not in our hospital. It can be challenging, and I get to look for those solutions. Finding them and hearing the gratitude from patients—the riders—is very rewarding. And since I’m working with all these local doctors from around the world, I see how they do their job, hear their tactics, and learn their secrets. It’s a job where you never stop learning, and you never get bored.
Janelle Kaz
Bridging the worlds of motorcycle travel and wildlife conservation is one of my all-time accomplishments. My background is in biology, and [my work] focuses on protecting ecosystems. Besides habitat destruction, the illegal wildlife trade is widespread. Animals are kidnapped from jungles, sold in markets, kept as pets, used as tourist attractions, or reduced to body parts for displays of status. These trafficking networks are closely connected to other illegal trades, like [unpermitted] logging and mining, arms, drugs, even human trafficking. Being alone and in far-off places is a compelling way to talk about conservation to those who otherwise might not listen. And living on a motorcycle is inexpensive and allows me the freedom and capability to reach far-flung sites and research stations. This is not just a job. No one pays me. I share stories and photos in exchange for money, which I then give back to the projects I visit. I have no children, no home, no dependents. I am a true motorcycle gypsy. This is my passion, my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Kerry Sano
I’m the only employee [at my shop], so I wear a lot of helmets. I’m the service writer, parts department, customer service, mechanic. It works because I really love everything about bikes—riding, touching, fixing, tuning. I get rewarded by taking something that wasn’t great and making it better. It’s pride, perhaps. And the learning is constant. At the end of the day, maintaining a strong reputation for quality work, reasonable turnaround time, and good value is crucial to success in the moto repair business. It’s also inextricably linked to staying healthy and happy. I push myself to be on top of my work, but also to [have a] balance with soul-fulfilling activities. I like being my own boss and being accountable. I like being able to take whatever jobs I want. I don’t know [if my job is] the best in the world, but it’s up there. Who doesn’t want to be a bad bitch? Mistress of my domain, and I ride motorcycles to boot!
Michael Lock
I’ve always seen racing as a great way of telling stories. You get the most interesting people in racing because it’s not a real job. You can’t fail to fall in love with it. I don’t care that I’m in a small office in Daytona Beach, because this is where the action happens. We have a small team, we never have enough time or enough money. But this is real, and that’s the coolest thing. We are building this sport. We’re building the careers of the riders, we’re delivering value for the teams and manufacturers. At some point, people will look back and say: “Wow, that was a golden era for flat-track racing.” And we did it. Plus, I get to go and work in places that are off the beaten path. I get to meet people who come from different backgrounds. That’s all part of the rich tapestry of life. I get up every morning and I’m plotting the future of a motorcycle sport. How cool is that?
Matt Brady
I grew up in the Monterey area, so the track has always been my backyard. I’ve been coming here since 1974. We’d watch Kenny Roberts, who was just incredible. Seeing him leading the race, almost pulling a wheelie around the whole track—it was really something. And as teenagers, we’d hang on the fence, just wishing we could just get on the track somehow. Now I’ve done more laps around Laguna Seca than anybody in history—because I drive the track sweeper! I’m out at 6 a.m. because the track goes hot at 9 a.m. We need to clear everything: trash, debris, rubber from the tires, rocks from the gravel beds, GoPro cameras. I’ve found pistons. I’ve found a jellyfish. Sure, our crew watches [each racing incident] like, “Great, there goes another gravel bag,” or “Now we’re going to have to fix that tomorrow.” But it comes with the territory. It’s what this place is all about. The racetrack itself is iconic worldwide. I feel really privileged to have worked here all this time. I just love this place.
Justin Maxwell
I handle product management. That means I get to develop new bikes and ride them all around the world, meeting like-minded and passionate people along the way. As a motorcycle fanatic, it doesn’t get much better. It gives me [connections to] R&D, design, marketing, sales, customer service, and our global network of subsidiaries and importers. It’s very gratifying working with teams all over the world to develop the next line of products. I travel quite extensively, averaging 30 or 40 flights per year, which take me all around Europe, North America, Australia, Asia, and the occasional visit back [home] to South Africa. I can honestly say I only get bored when I’m on vacation. For me, it’s all about the satisfaction when it all comes together, seeing and riding the final product after years of development. I get to do my fair share of testing on prototypes. Still, nothing beats getting on the final product as it comes off the production line.
Steve Kuhns
In Defense of Keeping it a Hobby
Earlier this year, Alfredo “Fred” Juarez won Indian’s Scout Bobber Build-Off, a national competition for amateur builders. The mainstream recognition (and $10,000 grand prize) offered him an opportunity to break into the custom-bike industry. But the 35-year-old Texan, who works as a test engineer at NASA, ultimately decided to keep his day job.
“When I get home, I can just do,” he says. “I don’t have to ask for permission.”
Not that the idea of going pro hadn’t crossed his mind. Juarez always loved working with his hands; as a kid, he dreamed of building custom cars and motorcycles for a living. But a series of mentors encouraged him to pursue mechanical engineering and a more academic future. The Bobber Build-Off, the winner of which was determined by online fan voting, offered insight into what life would be like had he remained on his original path.
“Normally when I build things, I just do exactly what I want. This Indian competition was a little different for me,” he admits. “Knowing it was going to be judged by other motorcyclists kind of got me. I started thinking: I wonder what [the voters] would like? It was always in the back of my mind. And I can imagine applying that to—had this been my career—always having that stress of pleasing other people.” The experience was an affirmation of his current profession, and a reminder that sometimes labors of love are best taken at face value.
“I’ve found my niche in engineering, and I’m doing really well,” Juarez says. “At this point, building motorcycles is just about pleasing myself.” —Seth Richards
The Wrench
Keinosuke Sasaki, 45
You were born and raised in Japan. What did your parents do? My mom was a typist, and my dad was a chef. He had this little room for crafts, like silver jewelry and woodworking. He tinkered with bicycles and always had a motorcycle. But I don’t remember them pushing me to get a certain job, or saying, “You have to be this or do that.”
How did moving to America change your perception of work? I came here alone. No family, no backup. As an immigrant, I had to work harder, do the stuff nobody else wanted, because that was my opportunity to prove myself. I was young, didn’t know much, wanted to get out of my hometown. I romanticized the idea. It sounds cliché, but [that’s the appeal] of the American dream.
You made inroads with some iconic builders. Even though [we had] different languages and cultural backgrounds, there was a common core, a passion. That makes it easier to connect. If you meet a fabricator or machinist, anybody who takes pride in making things—sometimes they don’t have to complete a sentence. You just understand. But mentorship isn’t school. They’re not getting paid to teach. If you don’t have their trust, they don’t share or show you anything. You earn the trust. My first job was to take the trash out. I was not told to do this, and I was hired as a mechanic, but there is no janitor at this shop. So, I’m going to sweep the floors and put tools away and organize parts. There is no such thing as wasting time on the job. Maybe in sweeping the floor, you find [a tool or part] that’s been missing. This makes another job easier to complete.
What did you learn starting a shop? I don’t like the idea of having employees. That’s another job right there—managing them, not only operationally but financially. I am the owner of this business, and I clean the bathrooms. I’m down on my knees scrubbing the toilet. So, it became more of a “job.” But it’s my little shop. This is where I come to have “me time,” and I get to have it every day. There are no easy jobs around here. But at least they’re mine.
Do you have a routine? I’m up at 6:30 a.m., here by 8:30 a.m., and stay until 6 or 7 p.m. It’s the same start and end, but the work in between is always different. [It can be] service and repair, which is satisfying to me, fixing things, making a bike run better. Or customizing and fabrication. I make from scratch, turn an idea from my head into reality. It’s tangible, touchable, and that’s satisfying. When customers see it and love it, that’s additional satisfaction, makes me smile. These tasks, working on a motorcycle, making things—they make me happy. I feel real happiness. So, I don’t need a vacation. People tell me, “I need to get away.” Going away gives me anxiety.
The Pro Rider
Debbie Evans, 61
You raced as a teenager, then became a full-time stuntwoman in 1980. Did you ever have a job that didn’t involve motorcycling? I worked as a cashier at Petco. I was a delivery driver for a dental laboratory. That was in high school. I was sponsored by Yamaha, and teaching riding school on the weekends. I signed up for junior college, to get my general education credits and try to figure out what I wanted to do. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when a stunt coordinator called.
Are you still excited about going to work each day? I remember when I first went to work [in Hollywood], they just had me riding motorcycles. Then someone handed me a sword. They said, “OK, now we want you to jump off of this embankment and swing the sword at this motorcycle, like you’re going to take the rider off the bike.” And I looked at them and said, “You’re going to pay me to play?” That’s how I feel. Sometimes I pinch myself. I love to go to work. I’ve stayed really young because I love what I do. Even now, I’ll see people from high school and think, Man, do they look old…
Talk about your worst day at the office. Working on the movie Yes Man [in 2007], I was on a motor scooter doubling Zooey Deschanel. There was a stunt car, which was supposed to slide, but I saw it was coming in way too hot and way too deep. I was laying this scooter over, trying to get out of the way, but the car slid into me. The ball of my hip punched through my pelvis. I got knocked out, broke my hand, burns on my leg from the exhaust pipe. I spent 19 days in the hospital.
Do those moments make you reconsider what you’re doing? No. It makes me reconsider what others are doing.
But you bounced back. My goal was always to get back to work. When I finally got on set, after about a year, I had somebody on the hood of a car. I had to slam the brakes and pitch them into a camera without going too far or stopping short. I did it twice, like it was nothing. And I went, “I can’t quit. I love it. I can’t quit.”
How much of your identity is informed by your profession? What is Debbie Evans without motorcycles? I do other things. I have kids and grandkids. But if you took away my stunt work, I think I would feel lost. I love the challenge. I get to look and say, “OK, how am I gonna make this work?” I just love that aspect of figuring it all out. It’s funny, driving the kids around in a Nissan Pathfinder, of course I would never even consider sliding a corner. But I’m thinking, if they gave me the same exact vehicle on set, I would flip the switch. I could make it work.
Do you have the best job in the world? I feel like I have the best job in the world for me. Because not everybody can do the things I do. So, for them, another job might be the best job in the world. But this is something I was made to do.
I was born, and then I was on a motorcycle. That’s how I remember it anyway. I used to build ejection seat components and put shim kits together for brake-caliper spacers in my dad’s shop. I wouldn’t say it was child abuse, but I was definitely missing my Saturday morning cartoons. After growing up in the business, there’s nothing cooler you could end up doing. So, I took what I loved—racing, design, culture, art—and made that work in two wheels. I have a rule: If you want to get something done, pick up the fucking phone and make it happen. It took me a long time to learn that, but it works. And I couldn’t do just one thing; I have to continue [looking at] what’s next on a daily basis. That keeps me focused and working hard. Well, that and my kids. One is 2 years old, the other is 3 and a half. I’m taking care of things close to home right now. I wouldn’t change that for anything. Family comes first. But thank God I have a challenging job that I enjoy.
The Dream Doesn’t Always Last Forever (and that’s OK)
I’d seen plenty of bike cops, but never a motorcycle paramedic. Then I moved to England, and there they were: EMTs on high-end touring bikes, decked out with rescue livery and blue strobes and ozone-scratch antennas, rolling through town.
In my village, the head medic was something of a celebrity. Everybody called him “Flymo,” but his real name is Mark Hayes. Mid-40s, shaved head, built like an oak tree. I followed him on Twitter, along with the 8,000 other citizens; his feed was a steady drip of rescue helicopter selfies, gnarly accident scenes, offbeat memes, and shots of his kitted-out service bike at various cafes. He also went fishing on the weekends. Clearly, this guy had it made.
Did he ever. Mark’s day at the office went like this: Ride into the city center at 6:45 a.m., post up at a coffee shop, wait for a call. “When it comes, woah, it’s this buzz,” he told me. During a 12-hour shift, he might respond to a dozen incidents. “I get there first, and I’m immensely proud of that. I thrive on the pressure of working alone.”
Being on a motorcycle broke down barriers. He was an authority figure, but somehow more approachable, more engaged. More human. He seemed to know everybody, from the businessmen to the homeless, all by name. Occasionally, Mark would see someone that he’d resuscitated walking around town. Just knowing they were alive always brought a lump to his throat.
Not that every incident was so dire. Once, he arrived on the scene to find a troubled caller locked inside their own home. (They slid the keys through the letterbox; Mark charitably set them free.) Another time, the caller claimed to be in crisis but just wanted help putting their socks on. (“Not really an appropriate use of the emergency line.”)
I moved back to America years ago but still keep tabs on my former village. Recently, I heard the motorcycle paramedic unit had been shuttered. I called Mark, who confirmed the news. After nearly two decades as a bike EMT, he’s moved into an operations role for the local ambulance service. “You’ve got to embrace change, and my new position brings different sorts of challenges,” he said. “Of course, I miss being out there on two wheels. It was a passion. It gets in your blood.”
He still has the bike and the bizarre social media cult. And he has nothing but fond memories from his time working the best job in the world: “On a glorious sunny day, riding around, looking after the people in my community—there’s absolutely no feeling like it.” —Max Prince
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
The LATEST News
Kulas and Barr rip Hawkstone MX Nationals
Wageman wins World Two-Stroke Championships
Mees rebounds to win Texas Half Mile
Aussies abroad – weekly update
Ferris to Raceline KTM
Clement Desalle injury update
Dean Wilson joins the injured list
Supercross returns to Wollongong
Australian Motorcycle Festival also set for Wollongong
Smektala Scores Warsaw Wildcard
Paulo Goncalves joins Hero Motorsports
Dakar Rally moves to Saudi Arabia
Treloar crowned 11-time Australian Speedway Sidecar Champion
Kulas and Barr Rip Hawkstone MX Nationals
Hawkstone Park hosted the second round of the British MX Nationals and it was Harri Kulas who earned maximum points in the MX1 class while Martin Barr put in an identical performance in the MX2 class.
Hawkstone MX Nationals Podium – Image from MX Nationals UK FB page
Kulas won the opening MX1 moto from Gert Krestinov and Mel Pocock then Pocock and Lewis Tombs finished behind Kulas in the second moto so Kulas has opened up an 18-point lead over Pocock in the championship points.
MX1 – Hawkstone Round Top 10
Harri Kulas
Mel Pocock
Lewis Tombs
Gert Krestinov
Nathan Watson
Jake Shipton
Robbie Dowson
Ryan Houghton
Nathan Dixon
Stuart Edmonds
MX1 Points after Round 2
Harri Kulas – 100
Mel Pocock – 72
Gert Krestinov – 70
Ryan Houghton – 64
Lewis Tombs – 59
Barr comfortably won the opening MX2 moto from Josh Gilbert and Ashton Dickinson then backed that up with another win over Gilbert and Todd Kellet so after two rounds Barr has a six-point lead over Gilbert while the rest of the field are almost two motos in points behind.
MX12– Hawkestone Round Top 10
Martin Barr
Josh Gilbert
Todd Kellet
Ashton Dickinson
Glenn McCormick
Brad Anderson
Taylor Hammal
Liam Knight
Ben Franklin
Lewis Hall
MX2 Points after Round 2
Martin Barr – 97
Josh Gilbert – 91
Ben Franklin – 55
Glenn McCormick – 52
Carlton Husband – 49
Wageman Wins World Two-Stroke Championships
It is one of the most sought after ‘sub culture’ championships in the American motocross scene and this year is was second generation motocross rider and Glen Helen regular in Robbie Wageman who has taken out the premier Open Class at the annual World Two-Stroke Championships at Glen Helen Raceway.
Wageman overcame pre-race favourites and former champions in Mike Alessi, Zach Bell, Ryan Surrat, Carlen Gardner, Mike Brown and Tyler Bowers to take both moto wins
Open 2-Stroke Championship
Robbie Wageman 1-1
Carlen Gardner 3-1
Coty Schock 4-3
Mike Brown 5-5
Deegan Vonlossberg 7-8
Ryan Surratt 12-4
Josh Mosiman 6-12
Justin Hoeft 9-11
Dominic Desimone 11-10
Blayne Thompsom 16-6
RJ Wageman 10-14
Ricky Dietrich 20-7
Dennis Stapleton 17-13
Kai Aiello 15-15
Carson Carr 14-16
Tallon Lafountaine 22-9
Willy Simons 13-18
Keaton Ward 21-17
Tyler Bowers 2-DNF
Jakob Alvarez 23-DNF
125cc Pro Top 10
Justin Hoeft 1-1
Chis Plouffe 4-3
Colton Aeck 6-2
Alex Ray 7-4
Tyler Nicholson 8-5
Tim Weigand 9-6
Matt Cerami 10-8
Brian Begin 12-7
Ryan Wilson 13-10
Michael Blose 11-12
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Mees Rebounds to Win Texas Half Mile
Defending AFT Twins champion Jared Mees has bounced back from a difficult start to the 2019 season to deliver a vintage performance at the Texas Half-Mile at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, to score his first victory of the season.
Jared Mees
AFT Twins Report
Right from the start Mees found himself embroiled in a one-on-one shootout with his fellow Indian rider and championship leader Briar Bauman and the two immediately broke free from the pack and traded the lead back and forth multiple times with a series of slick overtaking moves.
#14 Briar Bauman leads the standings – #17 Henry Wiles is fourth
On lap 22 of 25 Mees pushed out just enough of a gap to breathe a bit easier over the race’s final circulations, claiming his 27th Half-Mile victory by 1.316-seconds over Bauman and Brandon Robinson to complete an all Indian podium while Sammy Halbert (HD) and Larry Pegram (Indian) rounded out the top five.
When asked if he expects Saturday’s win to reopen the floodgates Mees said:
“That would be the goal — that is the goal — and we’d love to do that, but this year is tougher. The guys are better, and they’ve got their machines figured out better. I’ve got to dig down deeper. Last year, I basically got a good start, went by Briar when he was on the Kawasaki, and took off. This time, I had to wear the boy out. He rode so good. He was better than me in Turns 3 and 4 early in the race. I saw what he was doing and moved down to his line, and that allowed me to maintain a little bit of a gap.”
AFT Twins Round 3 Podium
AFT Twins Points after 3 of 18 Rounds
Briar Bauman – 62
Brandon Robinson – 53
Jared Mees – 47
Henry Wiles – 46.
Jarod Vanderkooi – 43
Sammy Halbert – 34
Larry Pegram – 33
Robert Pearson – 32
Jake Johnson – 29
Jeffrey Carver Jr. – 29
AFT Singles Report
KTM’s Shayna Texter has the most wins in the history of the AFT Singles and she added to the tally in Texas with a hard fought ride to victory over Mikey Rush and 16-year-old phenom James Ott who was making his professional debut.
The battle at the front went right to the final lap where Ott made one final lunge to overtake Rush as Rush did the same to Texter on the race’s final corner but in the end, their positions remained unchanged with Texter winning by a scant 0.129 seconds over Rush with Ott another 0.125 seconds back in third.
Shayna Texter
“It’s awesome to get the first win behind us. To give Red Bull KTM its first win in American Flat Track is awesome. Hats off to my partners… To be able to win in Roof Systems’ backyard is incredible.”
Last year’s Texas Half-Mile winner, Morgen Mischler finished fourth, followed by championship leader Dalton Gauthier in fifth while Aussie Max Whale went down hard in the first corner but is fit and ready for next weekend’s Super TT in Arizona.
AFT Singles Points after 3 of 18 Rounds
Dalton Gauthier – 59
Mikey Rush – 48
Jesse Janisch – 47
Dan Bromley – 44
Morgen Mischler – 40
Shayna Texter – 35
Oliver Brindley – 30
Max Whale – 22
Tristan Avery – 22
Michael Inderbitzin – 21
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Weekly Up-Date on Our Aussies Abroad
Jed Beaton – Rockstar Husqvarna
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 13th after Round 4 of 17 Notes: Thanks to some niggling injuries Jed sat out the opening round but has scored solid points in the next three rounds while still nursing a few aches and pains – the four week break from rounds 4 to 5 will do him no harm. The next round will be the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy on the 12th of May.
Mitch Evans – 114 Honda
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 8th after Round 4 of 17 Notes: Mitch sensationally started the season with a podium finish but since then it has been a bit of a roller coaster with great speed let down by two mechanical DNFs. The next round will be the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy on the 12th of May.
Mitch Evans
Tayla Jones – Rockstar/Husqvarna/Moose Racing/Shaw Wines
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 1st after Round 4 of 13 Notes: Tayla has only lost one round so far this year and is looking as good as ever. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5
Caleb Grothues – SDM Corse Yamaha
Championship: EMX250 Current Standings: 16th after Round 2 of 8 Notes: The former Australian and World Junior Motocross Champion rode well at the opening round but was forced to sit out the second round due to injury but the West Aussie should be back for the next round in France on the 26th of May.
Hunter Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: AMA Motocross Championship Current Standings: TBA Notes: Hunter was looking sharp heading into the supercross championship before he crashed right before the opening round so he is now healed and by all accounts 100 per cent ready for the outdoors which kicks off at Hangtown on May 18.
Hunter Lawrence
Jett Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: TBA Current Standings: TBA Notes: Jett joined the Geico Honda amateur program for 2019 and to date he has raced a handful of events like the Mini-Os etc – as soon as he races and there are results it will be right here.
Tahlia ‘TJ’ O’Hare – KTM DIGA Racing Team
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 13th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Tahlia’s initiation into the world motocross scene was at the toughest track on the circuit in Valkenswaard but she managed to get through with a solid 13th but look for TJ to move up the points standings at the second round in Portugal on May 19.
Chad Reed – JGR Suzuki
Championship: AMA Supercross Current Standing: 11th after Round 15 of 17 Notes: Chad was part of a multi bike crash at Seattle when he was sitting seventh in the championship and if a few things go his way Chad will be on the line at the final round of the championship at Vegas in two weekend’s time.
Chad Reed – Image by Hoppenworld
Wil Ruprecht – Johansson MPE Yamaha
Championship: EnduroGP – Junior Class Current Standing: 2nd after Round 1 of 7 Notes: Wil proved his worth at the opening round in Germany with a solid weekend on the only Yamaha in the field. The next round will be at Valpaços in Portugal on May 3-4.
Meghan Rutledge – Bud Racing Kawasaki
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 8th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Meghan sat out the World Championships for four years and her first round was marred with some minor mistakes but there was no mistaking her speed so look for Meghan to have a much better round in Portugal on the 19th of May.
Championship: GNCC / AMA Enduro Current Standing: 6th after Round 4 of 13 Notes: New team for Josh and he is gaining confidence at every round – Josh sat in second place for the early part of round 4 before dropping to fifth overall. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5
Mackenzie Tricker – KTM/MEPMX/Fly Racing
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 3rd after Round 4 of 13 Notes: Mackenzie is not far off cracking a win at the GNCC level but the pace is red hot out front between Jones and Becca Sheets. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5
Max Whale – Weirbach Racing Kawasaki
Championship: AFT Singles Current Standings: 8th after Round 3 of 18 Notes: Max scored 5th at the opening round before struggling to an 11th at round two but it got worse at the 3rd round with a crash in the first corner that could have ended with a season ending injury but the plucky Queenslander has already stated on Facebook that he made a mistake but will be back next weekend’s Super TT in Arizona.
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Ferris to Raceline KTM
Dean Ferris has signed to ride for Raceline KTM and will potentially line-up for the Murray Bridge double-header in two weekend’s time – this is what Dean wrote on his Facebook page:
‘Stoked to announce my partnership with RaceLine Performance and Recover8. Massive thanks to everyone involved in getting me hooked up, all Raceline partners included. If you are wondering what Recover8 is, it’s a sport supplement about to hit the Market. TOP STUFF! Looking forward to ripping on this KTM 450.’
Dean Ferris to Raceline KTM
As far as Dean’s aspirations to race in America go it appears that the Raceline KTM/Recovery8 relationship may play a part in achieving that goal – more news to come.
Clement Desalle Injury Up-Date
Just a few weeks after celebrating his first podium of the season at the Dutch GP, Kawasaki’s Clément Desalle is recovering well at home from a minor surgery on his right knee after barely surviving a tough GP of Trentino.
During his charge to second place in the opening moto at Valkenswaard the Belgian felt pain in his leg and after several examinations between the GPs of Valkenswaard and Pietramurata, Clément knew that the Italian race would be difficult as he was unable to train during the week and had some pain in his knee.
Clément Desalle
“The examinations revealed that the meniscus was affected, and that some little pieces of bones were broken so we scheduled surgery for Monday after the race. This round was really difficult due to the pain and the crash in the second race; immediately after I retired I left with my father for Dr Claes’ clinic where I had surgery early last Monday (April 9). As soon as my knee had deflated after surgery I could start this week to work on a daily basis with my physiotherapist, mainly in the swimming pool at the moment but I have also started some bicycle exercises. We expect to do even more later this week, and for sure I’m pretty lucky that there is a break in the championship at the moment. The plan is to spend a few hours on the bike before Mantova, and so far everything has gone as we could expect.”
Clement Desalle
One week after surgery, Clément has already started the recuperation process and has a further three weeks to recover before Mantova on May 11th and 12th.
Currently sixth in the MXGP standing after his DNF in the second race in Trentino, Clément will be back racing in Italy, while teammate Julien Lieber will enter a French championship round during this spring break of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
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Dean Wilson joins the injured list
Like many before him, Dean Wilson’s 2019 AMA Supercross Champion has ended prematurely after crashing out of the main event at Denver last weekend – here is what Dean wrote on Instagram:
Dean Wilson
“Such a massive gut punch on Saturday. Just as I was gaining good momentum riding well, feeling good and chasing my first win things turned in the blink of an eye. Started off Denver topping free practice then went on to qualify P1 in qualifier 1. Qualifier 2 didn’t get the cleanest laps but ended with a 4th. On to the main event I was running around 7th on lap 7 moving forward and as I came around for the rhythm section I tripled in and something freak happened causing the bike to nose dive after I tripled in and pile driving me into the ground. The tough part of this is I have been trying so hard this year to be back where I need to be trying to get a job for next year. It’s tough just hoping to have a ride each year. 2nd part is people saying, ‘Wilson’s hurt again, big surprise there’ when it was something that wasn’t my fault. It’s a tough pill to swallow. I injured my shoulder and got a contusion on my kidneys. Got MRI and good news is I dodged a bullet on my shoulder and I am just going to give it a few weeks of rest and therapy and see where we are at. Huge disappointment to end my SX season like this. Thanks to my whole team for everything and everybody checking in on me. I really appreciate it. I will be back.”
Dean Wilson
In just the 450-class alone Chad Reed, Justin Brayton, Malcolm Stewart, Justin Barcia, Aaron Plessinger, Vince Friese, Benny Bloss, AJ Catanzaro, Tyler Enticknap, Cole Martinez and Ronnie Stewart all missed rounds or were forced out of the series with crashes at the races while Justin Hill and Joey Savatgy are riding injured and hanging in there.
Supercross returns to Wollongong in 2019
Troy Bayliss Events have confirmed that the third round of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship will be held at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium on Saturday the 9th of November giving fans the opportunity to see Australia’s best racers take on some international riders on a full-size track while racing the exciting Triple Crown Format in both SX1 and SX2 premiere classes.
Three-time Superbike World Champion and Event Organiser Troy Bayliss said the stadium layout will be unique with a section of the track heading up onto the iconic hill.
Troy Bayliss
“In 2018, Troy Bayliss Events took the big step to put Supercross back into a stadium in Australia with Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium round, now Troy Bayliss Events is thrilled to be taking the NSW event back to an outdoor stadium. WIN Stadium is the perfect size with the crowd so close to the action and the location is second to none. I am really excited about the track layout. This event will be like no other with the track winding up onto the iconic hill. We would like to thank Destination Wollongong, Wollongong City Council, WIN Stadium and Yamaha for the support to allow Supercross to take place In Wollongong and within WIN Stadium. The Illawarra is rich with motorcycle champions and fans and we can’t wait until the gates drop on November 9.”
Troy Bayliss
Yamaha Motor Australia will be a major sponsor to Round 3 of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship. Wollongong’s WIN Stadium is the perfect venue to showcase our race teams as they battle for supremacy in the VictorYZone.
In addition, this round will host another YZ65 Cup event – the grassroots race series designed to give young guns their first taste of the big time by racing in front of their Supercross heroes and up to 20,000 fans.
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Australian Motorcycle Festival Also set for Wollongong
Troy Bayliss Events have also confirmed that the Australian Motorcycle Festival will take place right next door to WIN Stadium at Lang Park on the same weekend as the Australian Supercross Championship over the weekend of November 9 and 10.
Formally known as the Sydney Motorcycle Show, Australia’s largest Motorcycle Show is also set to expand with massive trade displays featuring motorcycles, scooters, ATV’s, SxS’s, trikes and jet skis as well as related products and services while visitors to the event will have the opportunity to test a huge range of motorcycles and jet-skis.
Mark Sleigh, General Manager, Destination Wollongong said the city is excited to host the Australian Supercross Championship and Motorcycle Festival in November.
Mark Sleigh – Destination Wollongong
“Wollongong makes for the perfect road trip with stunning coastline taking in Sea Cliff Bridge as well as the winding escarpment which will put all your motorcycle skills to the test. The combination of the Championship and the Motorcycle Festival make for the perfect weekend away so we encourage everyone to stay a little longer and enjoy the attractions, natural assets and cafes and bars on offer in Wollongong.”
Tickets will go on sale Monday 29th April via Ticketmaster with tickets starting from $30.00. A full line up of support classes and live entertainment will be released in the coming weeks.
Smektala Scores Warsaw Wildcard
FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion Bartosz Smektala is set to done the famous #16 race jacket for his full FIM Speedway Grand Prix debut after earning a wildcard for the opening round of the FIM Speedway World Championship at PGE Narodowy on May 18.
The 20-year-old was crowned World Under-21 champion last season after seeing off a huge challenge from 2017 champion Maksym Drabik before winning a second straight PGE Ekstraliga title with Leszno.
Bartosz Smektala
Smektala rode in his first SGP heat as a track reserve at the 2017 Nice Torun SGP of Poland, before serving as a stand-in rider again in Warsaw last year where he raced in heat 14 that night, finishing second to Chris Holder and beating eventual World Championship bronze medallist Fredrik Lindgren and Craig Cook.
The Srem-born racer represents Leszno once again in this year’s PGE Ekstraliga as well as Swedish Elitserien club Vastervik.
He’s joined in Warsaw by track reserves Dominik Kubera and Rafal Karczmarz, who line up at No.17 and No.18 respectively. Kubera races alongside Smektala with Leszno, while Karczmarz rides for Gorzow.
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Paulo Goncalves Joins Hero Motorsports
The Indian off-road team Hero Motorsports have confirmed that former Dakar runner up and 2015 FIM Cross-Country Champion Paulo Gonçalves will be joining the team as they continue their quest for Dakar glory.
Paulo Goncalves joins Hero Motorsports
Created in 2016, Hero Motorsport Rally Team has been gaining experience competing in some of the most demanding off-road races, especially the Dakar Rally where Hero Motorsports have finished inside the top-10 twice, and the best result came at the Merzouga Rally where they won.
Paulo Gonçalves has been racing for the factory Honda Dakar team but decided it was time to change and try new challenges.
Paulo Gonçalves
“From my side, I promise to give my everything to be ready and fit to be able to fight for the top positions for my team. Hero MotoSports has been doing a really good job in the last couple of seasons and this young team has shown, that it has the potential to win big. I would like to play my part in bringing these wins to the team. With lots of passion and emotions, my thanks again to the team and I am excited to begin.”
Paulo Goncalves
Wolfgang Fischer – Head of Hero MotoSports Team Rally
“We are very motivated by the entry of Paulo Gonçalves into our young set-up. To attract one of the most decorated and respected top rally athletes is a big boost for our team and an endorsement that we are being looked upon as one of the top teams in rally sport. His experience of numerous race victories and Dakar participation into our line-up will enable us to achieve the next level of competitiveness. We extend Paulo a very warm welcome and wish him a successful stint with Hero MotoSports Team Rally.”
The new Hero Motorsports Rally Team is now completed with Paulo Gonçalves joins his Portuguese compatriot Joaquim Rodrigues as well as CS Santosh and Oriol Mena.
The Hero Motorsports Rally Team is getting ready for the next race, the Silkway Rally, that will happen in July, covering some spectacular trails in Russia, Mongolia and China.
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Dakar Rally Moves to Saudi Arabia
After 11 years of being based in South America, Dakar Rally organizers ASO have confirmed that the event will take place in Saudi Arabia beginning in 2020 and beyond.
The event was held solely in Peru earlier this year after the ASO was forced to hastily assemble a route in 2019 after the late withdrawal of Bolivia and Chile.
Dakar Rally Director – David Castera
“Looking back at my first memories of the Dakar and my first experiences as a competitor, I’ve always considered that this rally like no other carried a concept of discovery, a voyage into the unknown. By going to Saudi Arabia, it is, of course, that aspect that fascinates me. I’m convinced that such a feeling will be shared by all the riders, drivers and co-pilots. As the director of the event, it’s a massive challenge to be faced with a blank page with limitless possibilities. I’m already inspired and delighted to have to design a course in such a monumental geography, made for the most audacious itineraries. We are spoilt for choice. Sports, navigation, a will to surpass oneself: all these aspects will naturally be glorified on this territory made for rally-raids.”
More details regarding the event will be announced at a press conference on April 25 in Al-Qiddiya, near the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
As a point of interest, the Arabian desert is an area of 2,330,000 square kilometres, the fifth largest desert in the world, and the largest in Asia. At its centre is Ar-Rub’al-Khali (The Empty Quarter), one of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the world – GULP!
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Treloar crowned 11-time Australian Speedway Sidecar Champion
Treloar Pioneer Park Speedway, Queensland played host to a momentous occasion in Australian Speedway Sidecar history, with spectators and riders alike witnessing Darrin Treloar’s 11th claim to the Australian Senior Speedway Sidecar Championship and the retirement of Andrew Buchanan.
Australian Speedway Sidecar
Featuring in the Final was Monson/Summerhayes, Plaisted/Pitt, Harrison/McGrath and Treloar/Cox. With consecutive wins in the FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship and FIM 1000cc Speedway Sidecar World Cup under their belt, the dynamic duo that is Monson and Summerhayes were locked and loaded to blaze a trail into first place. After four exhilarating laps though, it was Treloar and Cox who stole the win, marking Treloar’s 11th Australian Speedway Sidecar title!
Darrin Treloar
“2019 marks my 11th Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship and honestly it hasn’t sunk in yet. Nothing beats my first Championship win back in 1993 up in Darwin of course, but this win is definitely something else. Coming into this weekend I try and keep fit with 3-4 days spent in the gym, plus heaps of work in the garage developing the bike. As the Championship marks the end of the season, we as competitors were well into the swing of things [keeping fit and staying motivated] with most of us having already competed in 10-15 events prior. Andrew is a great bloke who is a fantastic addition to the sport. This weekend was emotional of course as he announced he was hanging up the boots, but as always Andrew was extremely competitive and didn’t give an inch. So you had to fight hard to push ahead of him.”
2019 Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship Podium
Running in conjunction with the Seniors at Pioneer Park across the Easter long weekend was the 2019 Australian Junior Speedway Sidecar Championship.
Arriving at the Final, fans had the privilege of witnessing the clear emergence of superb Australian Speedway Sidecar talent, as all three squads became demons behind the handlebars. Coming out on top to claim the 2019 Australian Junior Speedway Sidecar Championship was the Fewster team, ahead of Curran/Kerss and Milner/Niesche in second and third place, respectively.
Australian Junior Speedway Sidecar Championship Podium
Western Australia (WA) locals, Jack and Adam Fewster have taken out their second Australian Junior Speedway Sidecar Championship title. As they land back on WA soil, Jack explained that “The weekend’s racing was really great! The racing was super tough which really pushed us to try as hard as we could to win. The practice day prior to racing really helped us keep cool and collected.”
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What Went Down Last Weekend?
Brook and Koppe win North Brisbane Cup
FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 1 – Krakow, Poland
French Beach Race Series – Round 4 – Ronde des Sables
Wade Young wins Roof of Africa
Faggotter ready for Dakar 2019
2019 WESS calendar announced
2019 AFT calendar announced
2019 GNCC calendar announced
2019 Sunshine State Series calendar announced
2019 Australian Speedway Senior Solo draw announced
Tanti joins Crawford at Serco
WBR Yamaha sign Purvis and Kukas for MXD
Argentina to kick-off 2019 MXGP season
Stefan Everts in hospital
Brook and Koppe Win North Brisbane Cup
MotoGP racer Jack Miller added some extra prestige into the annual North Brisbane Cup last Saturday afternoon and evening but it was the talented pairing of Damien Koppe and Jarrod Brook who took the overall win after winning both feature races.
Damien Koppe and Jarrod Brook who took the overall win
Some of our best speedway, dirt track, road race and enduro riders were on hand but the real pace setters were Damien Koppe, Jarred Brook, Max Whale, Jake Allen, Kayden Downing and Jack Miller – in fact, Miller has lost none of his dirt track speed after going down in turn one of the Pro Open teams event, before remounting and carving back to third place in time for the changeover to fellow Townsville terror Kayden Downing.
Despite the relatively tight confines of Mick Doohan Raceway – for a long track slider designed for a mile track – speedway pro Josh Grajczonek proved himself competitive throughout the event.
North Brisbane Cup Results
Damien Koppe, Jarrod Brook 9:21.380
Max Whale, Jake Allen 1.791
Jack Miller, Kayden Downing 13.700
Harrison Maxwell, Nick Hallas 25.592
Bailey Spencer, Ben Montgomery 26.068
Briony Hendrickson, Andy McLeisch 1 lap
Lachlan Stanford, Fraser Higlett 1 lap
Jay Southwell, Max Losch 2 laps
Daniel Perdikis, Trevor Velt 2 laps
1Ryan Douglas, Joshua Grajczonek 3 laps
Brooke Goulding, Blake Goulding 11 laps
Jack Miller made an appearance at the North Brisbane Cup
Damien Koppe, Jarrod Brook 9:22.703
Max Whale, Jake Allen 6.763
Bailey Spencer, Ben Montgomery 1 lap
Harrison Maxwell, Nick Hallas 1 lap
Lachlan Stanford, Fraser Higlett 1 lap
Benjamin Mclaughlin, Adam Bevan 1 lap
Andrew McLiesh, Grace Hudson 1 lap
Jay Southwell, Max Losch 2 laps
Brooke Goulding, Blake Goulding 2 laps
Daniel Perdikis, Trevor Velt 2 laps DNF Jack Miller, Kayden Downing Lap 19
FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Round 1 – Krakow, Poland
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Taddy Blazusiak has won the opening round of the 2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship held in Krakow, Poland while Cody Webb and Colton Haaker rounded out the podium
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Image by Future7Media
On a dry and fast track at the Tauron Arena in Krakow, Blazusiak delighted his home fans by taking the overall win at round one of the championship. It wasn’t plain sailing for the six-time champion however as an early fall in the third and final heat left him playing catch-up to the riders ahead.
With his KTM 350 EXC-F blasting off the line, Blazusiak secured the holeshot in heat one. The Polish rider was never challenged for the remainder of the race and after riding eight smooth and consistent laps crossed the line 15 seconds ahead of teammate Webb. Putting in a similar performance in the reverse-grid heat two, Taddy fought his way through the pack early on to win by over five seconds from the second-placed finisher Haaker.
Aiming to take the hat-trick, Taddy fell early in the third heat and was placed dead-last at the beginning of the opening lap. Charging hard, he got his head down and proceeded to pick off the riders ahead of him, ultimately battling his way through to fourth at the line – enough to claim the overall event win and with it the championship lead heading into round two in Germany.
“The whole event has been amazing. Race one went perfectly, I was able to get out in front and set my own pace to take the win. Race two was pretty much the same, I had quite a lot of pressure from the guys behind and made a couple of mistakes, but I was able to put in some fast lap times and break the challenge. In the last moto, I got a pretty good start but I got tangled up with some other riders over the first jumps and went down. I picked myself and the bike up and saw I was in last place so I took a couple of seconds to make sure everything was ok and set off again. I was pushing hard and able to overtake the guys in front quite well. I did make a mistake in one rut and washed the front again, luckily I didn’t lose too much time and was happy enough to take fourth. Championship-wise, I’m a little disappointed to lose a few points but I think we’ll all have challenging races over the season. To be leading going into round two feels great.”
The 2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round two in Riesa, Germany on January 5, 2019.
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French Beach Race Series – Round 4 – Ronde des Sables
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Nathan Watson has secured his second consecutive victory in the Championnat de France des Sables. Putting in a strong performance throughout the two-hour 30-minute beach race, Watson initially crossed the finish line in second, but was later awarded the overall win.
Yentel Martens – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
After his confidence-boosting victory at last weekend’s round three, Nathan Watson headed to round four with hopes of making it two wins in a row and after starting strongly, he battled with teammate Camille Chapeliere for the lead during the first half of the race before taking control.
Camille Chapeliere – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
However, despite pulling a sizeable advantage, Watson was unable to maintain his lead as the race conditions changed. With organisers cutting the event short due to an incoming tide, the Brit slipped back to second place at just the wrong moment in the race. Unable to regroup in time, Watson shadowed provisional winner Milko Potisek across the finish line for what he thought was a runner-up result. Later confirmed as the winner, Watson claimed his second consecutive beach race win.
Nathan Watson
“I’m disappointed to have physically just missed out on that race win but naturally pleased to be awarded the overall win. The race to the chequered flag itself was close and I was right behind him crossing the finish line. I had a good race and was leading with about a one-minute advantage. Then suddenly he came past me and I was shocked because I didn’t realise he was catching me so quick. I must have been riding too relaxed in traffic. He passed me on the last lap and I tried to regroup, but it was too late. With two tough rounds back-to-back and my victory at Red Bull Knock Out, I’ll take a bit of time to recover over the Christmas break and then work hard to prepare for the next round.”
Nathan Watson – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
Claiming the holeshot on his KTM 450 SX-F, Watson’s teammate Camille Chapeliere put in a series of blisteringly fast laps to hold firm at the front of the results and maintain the race lead during the first hour of racing. With lapped traffic hampering his vision, the Frenchman was forced to pit earlier than scheduled for a fresh pair of goggles. Despite his strong pace during the latter half of the race, Chapeliere was unable to catch the leaders and had to settle for third overall, but was later awarded second.
Camille Chapeliere
“After last weekend’s disappointment I was determined to return strong here. I worked a lot to be ready and I wanted to show my speed on the track. My first hour was good. I took the holeshot and lead for quite a while. I had a little issue with my goggles and was unable to hold that position as I needed to pit early for a fresh set. But overall it’s been a good race and now I will continue to work and be ready for the next round as we build towards Enduropale le Touquet.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Yentel Martens delivered a strong ride at round four of the French Beach Race series in Ronde des Sables, Hossegor-Capbreton to claim a confidence-boosting fourth-place result.
Yentel Martens – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
Yentel Martens
“Today was a positive step forward for me. After some bad luck last weekend and then picking up a small foot injury I was nervous about how things would go. Unfortunately, my start wasn’t the best and I was outside the top 20, so had a bit of work to do there. But my speed was good and I was able to make up the positions quite quickly. I caught up to Jeffrey Dewulf near the end but crashed and lost some time to him that I wasn’t able to recover. However, I’m happy with the progress. I know my speed is good enough to win now and as a team we are all working hard to make it happen.”
The Championnat de France des Sables continues with round five in Grayan on January 13, 2019.
Yentel Martens – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
Results – French Beach Race Series, Round 4
Nathan Watson, KTM, 25 laps 2:23:11.880
Camille Chapeliere, KTM, 2:26:59.150 +3:47.270
Jeffrey Dewulf, KTM, 2:28:59.550 +5:47.670
Yentel Martens, Husqvarna, 2:23:59.550 +1 lap
Daymond Martens, Honda, 2:24:01.590 +1 lap
Championship Standings (After Round 4)
Jeffrey Dewulf, KTM, 500 points
Milko Potisek, Yamaha, 500 pts
Nathan Watson, KTM, 435 pts
Maxime Sot, Yamaha, 397 pts
Yentel Martens, Husqvarna, 390 pts
Wade Young Wins Roof of Africa
Wade Young has topped off an incredible 2018 hard enduro racing season by winning the infamous Motul Roof of Africa in a total time of 14-hours and 47-minutes, a clear 23-minutes ahead of the second placed rider, Travis Teasdale.
It has been widely reported that the 2018 version of the Roof of Africa was one if the toughest with legendary racer and former Roof winner Alfie Cox reporting, “It was tough. It was not a walk in the park and people had to dig deep. Some blokes were on the bike for ten to eleven hours a day. But that is what the Roof of Africa is all about.”
Wade Young wins the 2018 Roof Of Africa – Image by www.trompievanderberg.co.za / www.zcmc.co.za
While the mountains of Lesotho proved unforgiving, Wade Young made short work of the competition with a 40-minute lead after a strenuous 8-hours and 28-minutes on the bike after the first day of racing. Young played it safe on day-two, relinquishing some of his lead but ensuring his fourth Roof of Africa title.
The Sherco Factory rider claimed a number of high-profile hard enduro events in 2018 with victory in the Sea to Sky, Romaniacs, Megawatt and Australia’s own Wildwood Rock Extreme.
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Faggotter Ready for Dakar 2019
Yamalube Yamaha Rally team riders Adrien Van Beveren, Xavier de Soultrait and Aussie Rodney Faggotter will be aboard the newest edition of the WR450F Rally works machine as they take on the 41st Dakar which will be for the first time contested exclusively in Peru.
Rod Faggotter
Playing a crucial role for the Yamalube Yamaha Rally team during the last two Dakar Rallies, Rodney Faggotter remains with the squad going into the 2019 edition of the event after an extremely consistent run that saw him finish 16th overall and the highest placed Yamaha rider at the 2018 Dakar Rally.
Rodney Faggotter
“I’m looking forward to the 2019 Dakar. I’ve been racing some Bajas and training hard back home in Australia these last few months. I feel strong physically and also mentally. In the beginning of December, we’ve spent a full week testing and training with the team in Morocco and that was a good morale booster for me. We have a great spirit within the team and I want to be there for my teammates if they need me. I want to have a good clean run and do my own race. This Dakar might seem shorter, but we all know it’s still going to be a long and demanding race. If it all goes well, I’m confident I can improve my overall result from last year and fight for a spot inside the top-10.”
Rodney Faggotter – Dakar 2018
Race Schedule – Dakar Rally 2019
Stage 1 | Jan 7 | Lima to Pisco | SS: 84km | Total: 331km
Stage 2 | Jan 8 | Pisco to San Juan de Marcona | SS: 342km | Total: 554km
Stage 3 | Jan 9 | San Juan de Marcona to Arequipa | SS: 331km | Total: 779km
Stage 4 | Jan 10 | Arequipa to Moquegua | SS: 352km | Total: 511km
Stage 5 | Jan 11 | Moquegua to Arequipa | SS: 345km | Total: 776km
Rest Day | Jan 12 | Arequipa
Stage 6 | Jan 13 | Arequipa to San Juan de Marcona | SS: 317km | Total: 839km
Stage 7 | Jan 14 | San Juan de Marcona, return| SS: 323km | Total: 387km
Stage 8 | Jan 15 | San Juan de Marcona to Pisco | SS: 361km | Total: 576km
Stage 9 | Jan 16 | Pisco to Pisco | SS: 313km | Total: 410km
Stage 10 | Jan 17 | Pisco to Lima | SS: 112km | Total: 358km
2019 WESS Calendar Announced
The World Enduro Super Series will be an eight-round championship for the 2019 season with two additional Classic Enduro events scheduled for the coming season, combined with established Hard Enduro favourites, plus the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country.
2018 Gotland Grand National – WESS Round 7
The Extreme XL Lagares will once again open the season in Portugal, on May 10-12 before moving to France and the Classic Enduro at the Trèfle Lozérien AMV, then the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble, Red Bull Romaniacs, Hawkstone Park Cross-Country in the United Kingdom, the Solsona Enduro in Spain et and finally GetzenRodeo in Germany on November 2-3.
Winfried Kerschhaggl – WESS Series Manager
“Further broadening the mix of events in the championship, while sharpening the focus on true Enduro competitions has been our goal. Traditional Enduro is always close to our hearts, fuelling our passion for racing, and for that reason it has led to the addition of two Classic Enduro events being added to the calendar. Combined with some of our much-loved events from 2018, plus the welcomed addition of the GetzenRodeo, we are very much looking forward to the start of the new series and the battle to find the 2019 Ultimate Enduro Champion.”
WESS 2018 – Round 8 Red Bull Knock Out – Image by Future7Media
World Enduro Super Series – 2019 Schedule
Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 10-12
Round 2: Trèfle Lozérien AMV (France) May 17-19
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) May 30-June 2
Round 4: Classic Enduro (Italy) TBA
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 30-August 4
Round 6: Hawkstone Park Cross Country (United Kingdom) September 21-22
Round 7: Solsona Enduro (Spain) October 5-6
Round 8: GetzenRodeo (Germany) November 2-3
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2019 AFT Calendar Announced
American Flat Track has finalized its 2019 schedule and prepares to launch ticket sales in time for the holidays.
The 2019 running of the New York Short Track at Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, NY has been moved back one week to July 13, 2019. Race fans can plan on an entire weekend of excitement, as AFT Events will once again throw a pre-race kickoff party with food, live music, entertainment and rider meet & greet session.
American Flat Track 2019 calendar announced
AFT’s season finale returns to the Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment at the famed MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, NJ for a second running of the Meadowlands Mile. The race is set for September 28, 2019 – one week earlier than its 2018 date. This venue provided showstopping race action in 2018 and has already become one of the most highly-anticipated events of the upcoming season.
Cameron Gray, COO of AFT Events
“Now that we have finalized our 2019 schedule, we can hit the ground running. We’ve got new venues, freshly-built and redesigned racetracks and are planning some major improvements to overall fan experience for the coming season. AFT fans can look forward to the most exciting season of American Flat Track to date.”
AFT returns in 2019
American Flat Track will kick off its 2019 season with its bar-banging Daytona TT in appropriate fashion – during the wild Bike Week festivities in Daytona Beach. The 2019 Daytona TT happens Thursday, March 14 once again under the lights of the iconic Daytona International Speedway. Tickets will be available soon at https://www.americanflattrack.com.
2019 American Flat Track Schedule
March 14: Daytona TT – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
March 23: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
April 20: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
April 27: Wild Horse TT – Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Chandler, AZ
May 11: Perris Half-Mile – Perris Auto Speedway, Perris, CA
May 18: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
May 26: Springfield Mile I – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
(AFT Singles Springfield TT same weekend)
June 1: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
June 15: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Motor Sp., Loudon, New Hampshire
June 29: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
July 13: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
August 4: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
August 6: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
August 17: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
September 1: Springfield Mile II – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
(AFT Singles Springfield Short Track same weekend)
September 7: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Sp., Mechanicsburg, PA
September 21: Minnesota Mile – Canterbury Park, Shakopee, MN
September 28: Meadowlands Mile – Meadowlands R & E, East Rutherford, NJ
2019 GNCC Calendar Announced
Racer Productions, producer of the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, is pleased to announce the 2019 series schedule.
New for the 2019 season will be the expanded Micro (50cc) Racing program, while the eMTB racing will take place at eight rounds including an eMTB only race held on July 27 at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
2019 GNCC calendar announced – Image by Ken Hill
Jeff Russell – GNCC Trail Boss
“We’re excited to get the 2019 season rolling. With a great schedule of events on some of the best off-road courses the country has to offer, the upcoming season is shaping up to be one of the best yet. We have several facilities to consider for the fall TBA event. A lot of factors go into finding a venue to host a GNCC event and we hope to have an announcement on that round as soon as possible.”
The 2019 schedule welcomes back many of its most seasoned venues, including Camp Coker Bullet in Society Hill, South Carolina; X-Factor in Peru, Indiana; The John Penton in Millfield, Ohio; Tomahawk in Alpine, New York; West Virginia’s popular Snowshoe GNCC in Snowshoe, West Virginia; and the Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
The Queensland Motocross subcommittee is pleased to announce details of a freshly revamped 2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series, with four exciting venue additions from last year’s Airoh series.
2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series calendar announced
Since its inception as a B & C Grade series more than 25 years ago, the ‘Sunny States’ have made a consistent contribution to the development of Queensland’s racing stocks, and established a tradition as a proving ground for up-and-coming riders.
Averaging around 330 riders per round, the series contributes significantly to the ‘dirt bike economy’ that fuels small towns in South-East Queensland, while offering competitors the best prizemoney of any comparable series.
Next year’s incarnation will see a mix of trusted and true venues and exciting new locations, with the respected Suncoast Junior Motorcycle Club both raising and lowering the curtain on the series, boasting two rounds at its iconic Coolum track.
2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series calendar announced
In between though, riders will take a thrill ride of fresh racing challenges to grow their skills, re-visiting old favourites like a recently-updated Roma, Mundubbera, Kilcoy and Goondiwindi.
New series coordinator Rachelle Houterman is anything but a new face on the scene, and in taking over the reins from Jason Watson, will look to maintain what’s great about the series, but improve what she can.
She’ll again assume the role of Race Secretary for the series and will steer the ship overall with help from the Motocross Subcommittee, as well as the promoting clubs and series officials.
Rachelle Houterman – Race Secretary
“It’ll be a busy year for me and my helpers, but we have a lot of experience with all aspects of the series and we’re looking to continue to grow Queensland’s premier motocross series as well as trying to increase the payback to the clubs and open up more contingencies for juniors. Some riders may not have previously experienced a few of these tracks, but are sure to be in for a great time at venues that older riders still speak very highly of. Roma has had some exciting new changes as well, so there’ll be lots of opportunity for riders to learn new tracks and gain new skills. Kilcoy has also been missing from the series lately, but the Kilcoy Motorcycle Club has gained a huge following in recent years, so we’re happy to return this track to the calendar.”
The Motocross Subcommittee wishes to thank Jason Watson for all of his hard work over the past two years and wishes him all the best for his new endeavours. Jason remains a valued member of the MX Subcommittee.
2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series calendar announced
The series sponsor is expected to be announced very soon, and a host of sponsorship opportunities now exist with the Sunshine State MX Series. Please contact Rachelle direct on 0409 174 273 or email [email protected].
2019 Sunshine State Series Venues and Dates
Coolum 16/17 February
Roma 23/24 March
Mundubbera 6/7 April
Kilcoy 11/12 May
Goondiwindi 1/ 2 June
Coolum 15/16 June
Further information, Rachelle Houterman, Series Coordinator. Ph: 3281 2255 E: [email protected]
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2019 Australian Speedway Senior Solo draw announced
The 2019 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship kicks off bright and early on January 3rd 2019 at Gillman Speedway, South Australia, and the seeded and qualifying line-up is locked and loaded!
For the first time in three years, the Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship will run a Qualifier the day before Round 1, where 16 selected riders will battle it out for the remaining eight spots in the Championship.
2019 Australian Speedway Senior Solo draw announced
Gillman Speedway will play host to the first round of the Championship, setting the bar higher than the South Australian Summer temperature! Round 1 will commence with the Qualifier on Wednesday night, January 2nd, where each rider will vie for their spot in the available eight places remaining on Thursday night.
With no brakes, gears or fear, Thursday 3rd January is anticipated to be an absolute scorcher, as tensions continue to run high after a tough Qualifier the day prior. Speedway Commission Chair, Ivan Golding, reflected on the draw of seeded and qualifying riders for the 2019 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship.
Ivan Golding – Speedway Commission Chair
“This has been one of the strongest qualifiers we have experienced in quite some time! Yesterday’s draw was extremely tough, making our job even harder than in previous years. The depth of nominations received for the 2019 Championship are some of the best we have received, which has made the draw super tough. The quality of riders to pick from was very impressive, and we are no doubt locked in for a thrilling 2019 Championship!”
The field includes eight seeded riders, including the 2018 reigning Champion, Rohan Tungate, alongside the likes of Max Fricke, Chris Holder, Jack Holder and Jaimon Lidsey.
The full list of seeded riders in the 2019 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship are as follows:
The 16 riders selected for the Qualifier on January 2nd are as follows
At the close of Round 1, riders will move North to Mildura, Victoria for Round 2 on 5th January, followed by Round 3 on 7th January at Undera, Victoria. The penultimate round will be held on 9th January at Albury Wodonga, Victoria, with a close to the Championship at Kurri-Kurri, New South Wales on 12th January.
Tanti joins Crawford at Serco
Serco Yamaha will again be a force to be reckoned with next season after enlisting Nathan Crawford and Aaron Tanti to steer their YZ250F’s in the 2019 MX Nationals and Australian Supercross Championships.
Nathan Crawford
“I hate being off the bike and not riding and its driving me crazy but my motivation is as good as it’s ever been and I’m excited to be locked in with Serco and the opportunity to race the YZ250F again. I haven’t even ridden the 2019 bike, but it looks and sounds amazing and I know Serco Yamaha will give me the best bike in the class. I’m able to bare weight on my leg and start physio this week with a view to start riding again by late January. That still leaves me enough time to get myself bike fit and ready to go for the MX Nationals and I’m already looking forward to racing again.”
Nathan Crawford
Aaron Tanti
“Up until last year, I was juggling work with racing but for 2018 I was able to get myself in a position where I could ride and train full time and it instantly showed improvement in my results. The reward of the hard work and sacrifice came when Gavin approached me about racing for Serco in 2019. Now to have the support and structure of the Serco Yamaha team behind me and entering the new year feeling fit and refreshed, I am confident 2019 will be my best season yet as I feel there is still a lot of room for improvement in my riding and racing.
Aaron Tanti joins Crawford at Serco in 2019
“I spent a day on the bike earlier this week and I’m impressed with everything about it. We just ran through some basic things like bar bends to get me comfortable, stiffened up the fork a little and I was good to go. The Yamaha YZ250F feels awesome and that is just the production bike, I can’t wait to ride the full- blown race bike Serco will build for me. I’m proud to have achieved this ride with Serco Yamaha but I know the real work is about to come. But I will give it my all and aim to win as many races and championships as I can.”
Aaron Tanti
Round one of the MX Nationals takes place at Appin, west of Sydney on March 17.
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WBR Yamaha sign Purvis and Kukas for MXD
WBR Yamaha team will be out to match their 2018 success that saw them claim the top two spots in the MXD class at the MX Nationals, with Max Purvis and Jack Kukas lining up for 2019.
Max Purvis
“I have done two seasons in Australia now and I feel comfortable racing here now as I know the riders and how the events work. But, it’s also the first time I have had major support over here and its cool to be a part of the WBR Yamaha. I had to race against them in 2018 and I know how well prepared and organised they were so it’s exciting to now be on the same side as them. I won plenty of rounds last year, but I just wasn’t consistent enough in the rounds that I didn’t win so that’s an area I need to address this year. Championships are won on your bad days, so I need to find a way grind out a good result when things aren’t going my way and be consistent across all 10 rounds. I love racing in Australia and the MX Nationals is a great series. Doing the NZ Nationals, the MX Nationals and the Australian Supercross Championship will be a huge year for me, but I can’t wait to get started.”
Maximus Purvis with WBR Yamaha in 2019
Jack Kukas
“It’s awesome to be back here in Australia and on the WBR Yamaha team for the 2019 season. I have been a Yamaha rider all my life to so get the opportunity to ride for the official Yamaha MXD team is a bit of a dream come true. I have already spent a week down with the team in Echuca just getting settled on the bike and meeting everyone. Travis and Nathan are awesome to deal with and are so helpful in getting me comfortable on and off the bike. I can’t thank them enough for giving me this chance and I hope to repay them with some good results. The 2019 YZ250F is such a good bike and we have a great group of sponsors on board for next year so I’m going to give it my all and try and get another championship for Yamaha and the WBR team.”
Jack Kukas to 2019 WBR Yamaha team
The first time both riders will be on track together will be the opening round of the MX Nationals at Appin, west of Sydney, on March 17.
Argentina to kick-off 2019 MXGP season
Youthstream has revealed that the first round of the 2019 MXGP and MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship season will take place at the Patagonia-Argentina circuit of Neuquen on Sunday the 10th of March with bikes racing for the first time of the new season in Qualifying on Saturday.
MXGP 2019 kicks off in Argentina
MXGP’s return to Patagonia Argentina’s beautiful Neuquen circuit is exciting for the riders, fans, and industry members as amazing GPs have taken place at the venue since first hosting the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2015. Serving as the second round of 2017 and then the opening round of 2018 the previous years have resulted in stunning racing amongst the hillsides lined by thousands of South American motocross fans.
David Luongo – Vice President of Youthstream
“It is great news to be back in Argentina for the opening Grand Prix of the season. The circuit of Neuquen is for most of the riders, the most beautiful track of the championship and its location in the middle of Patagonia is breathtaking. We really want to thank David Eli from Mas Eventos along with the local and national authorities making this Grand Prix possible, we are sure that it will be a great success and will bring a lot of attention and exposure Argentina.”
Stefan Everts in hospital
Ten times World Champion Stefan Everts was hospitalized last week and remains at the University Hospital of Leuven in Belgium in an induced coma.
Stefan Everts
Everts participated in a charity event three weeks ago in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo to raise funds for the construction of schools in the area and contracted malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite.
During his legendary career, Everts won the record numbers of 101 Motocross Grands Prix and ten FIM world titles. After his career, he worked at KTM and then ran the Suzuki World MXGP team before Suzuki suspended its support for the FIM Motocross World Championships last year.
The moto world holds its combined breath waiting for Stefan to pull through and our hearts go out to the family.
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Over 150 riders raced classes including Hooligan, Vintage, Pro, Amateur, Newbie and Minibike. The program was action packed with some fantastic racing around Holland’s premier short track venue.
Sastre had some very strong competition from Maikel Dijkstra who was fresh from training with Moto Anatomy’s Johnny Lewis and was showing some excellent pace on his home track. Both Toby Hales (Greenfield Dirttrack) and Gerard Bailo (Greenfield Dirttrack) flew in from riding Copa Rodi in Spain the day before.
Pro Class
2019 Hooligan Championship Dates
