Australian Off-Road Championship confirm 2021 classes
2021 ProMX rider number applications open
Jay Wilson & Levi Rogers remain with Yamalube Yamaha for 2021
Toni Bou & Takahisa Fujinami return for 15th season with Repsol Honda Team
Ben Watson talks stepping up to MXGP for 2021
Jo Shimoda joins 2021 Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team
Hero MotoSports Team Rally announce 2021 Dakar line-up
Honda and Penrite dominate AMX MX Open
The AMX MX OPEN has been dominated by the Penrite Honda Team, with Brett Metcalfe taking the all new CRF450R to an impressive victory in the PRO 450 class, while Kyle Webster won the PRO 250 class, and Emma Milesevic took out the Women’s class win.
The victories marked the finish a successful seven-year relationship between Penrite and Honda.
Yarrive Konsky
“We have experienced great success during our relationship. Penrite has achieved double digit growth most years and we aided in the development of their products through our teams testing and winning results. Its an exciting time for motorcycle racing, the industry is up, there is a new promotor for the motocross championship, and we are maintaining our racing program in Australia, it’s disappointing to see Penrite take a different direction but I understand their position and appreciate their years of support. We won seven championships together which is a credit to everyone involved and I want to thank everyone at Penrite for their support.”
The team will announce its 2021 line-up later this month.
AMX MX Open – PRO 250 Results
Pos
Rider
Total
R1
R2
1
Kyle Webster
70
35
35
2
Rhys Budd
62
30
32
3
Jai Constantinou
62
32
30
4
Brodie Ellis
56
28
28
5
Liam Andrews
52
26
26
6
Hugh Roache
47
23
24
7
Ricky Chalmers
46
21
25
8
George Knight
44
22
22
9
Wilson Greiner-Daish
44
24
20
10
Jack O’Callaghan
43
25
18
11
Jordan Holt
41
20
21
12
Caleb Goullet
36
17
19
13
Shane Mason
34
18
16
14
Cooper Van Vilit
31
16
15
15
Royce Anell
23
–
23
AMX MX Open – PRO 450 Results
Pos
Rider
Total
R1
R2
1
Brett Metcalfe
70
35
35
2
Kirk Gibbs
60
28
32
3
Kyle Webster
60
30
30
4
Jai Walker
60
32
28
5
Joel Green
52
26
26
6
Levi McManus
50
25
25
7
Jake West
47
23
24
8
Bryce Ognenis
47
24
23
9
Caleb Goullet
22
22
–
10
Jackson Coulson
21
21
–
11
Ryan Perry
20
20
–
Van Beveren claims Hail Baja opener victory
Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team’s Adrien Van Beveren has won the opening Hail Baja – the first of two bajas to be held as part of the Hail Rally – following victory on both stages of the two-day event. Using the race as preparation for the upcoming Dakar Rally, the Frenchman enjoyed a trouble-free run through the competition, enjoying the tricky navigation found throughout both stages.
Comprising a short, two-day schedule and covering a total distance of 692 km, the first Hail Baja provided plenty of positive training for Adrien. Welcoming the challenge that lay ahead, and very much using the event to further familiarise himself with true desert terrain, he was the first rider to set off into the sand dunes surrounding Radifah on the opening stage.
Relying solely on his roadbook skills, Adrien confidently tackled the tricky navigation and with his pre-race training clearly paying dividends, the Frenchman delivered a mistake-free ride to claim the stage win.
Heading into the desert surrounding the city of Jubbah for day two, the 29-year-old initially navigated his way through a number of rocky sections before safely reaching the day’s sand dunes that formed a large part of the 347km stage. Going on to cross the finish line with a comfortable advantage, he secured the event’s overall victory and rounded out two days of enjoyable and constructive racing in style.
Confident with both his riding and the set-up of his Yamaha WR450F Rally, Van Beveren is now looking ahead to December 15 and the second leg of the Hail Rally. With a similar race format on offer, it will be his final competitive outing in desert conditions ahead of the Dakar Rally in January.
Adrien Van Beveren – Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team
“This race was such great training for the Dakar Rally. Despite being called a Baja, this was just the name for the event and it was a true rally, with tricky navigation. I’m really pleased with my decision to race as the terrain and navigation was just like what is expected at the Dakar. It was cold starting early in the mornings, close to zero, but I really enjoyed both stages once I got into them. I’m here for training and I felt great on my bike, so I’m really happy. I’m now looking forwards to Tuesday for the second rally here and to continue with my preparation ahead of Dakar.”
Australian Off-Road Championship confirm 2021 classes
The Yamaha Australian Off-Road Australian Championship, presented by MXStore, will see the return of 14 classes of competition for 2021. 2020 saw a record number of riders enter with expanded classes and in 2021 the highly competitive classes return with something for all types of riders, from Juniors to the world’s best off-road riders.
Returning for 2021 will be the Junior Girls 85cc to 200cc 2-stroke and 150cc to 250cc 4-stroke bikes for those aged 12 to under 16-years-old at all rounds. Plus the National Cup Classes – the 85cc 2-stroke and 150cc 4-stroke (SW) and Junior 65cc Cup – for those aged 9 to under 12-years-old.
Also returning in 2021 is the successful and competitive 2 Stroke Cup, while the EJ development class continues where under 18 riders can compare their times against the E1, E2, and E3 classes in the hope to step up later in the year or the following year.
Motorcycling Australia Off-Road Events Manager, Matthew Falvo, said the 2021 Australian Off-Road Championship was shaping up to be the best yet.
Matthew Falvo – Motorcycling Australia Off-Road Events Manager
“We are very excited for the 2021 season with 14 classes of competition returning, significant rider interest, and new venues for the Championship, we can’t wait to get the season under way. We saw last year the fantastic competition in our junior classes and we hope to continue to help them develop in 2021 and hopefully like our AORC and World Champion Daniel Sanders, they too can become future AORC and World ISDE Champions. Again, we will have significant support from key industry sponsors for the 2021 season to make our Championship even better. With new venues in 2021 as well as returning some old stomping grounds which are rider favourites, we believe next year will be even bigger and better.”
2021 AORC Classes
Senior Championship Classes
E1: 100cc to 200cc 2-Stroke and 150cc to 250cc 4-Stroke
E2: 220cc to 250cc 2-Stroke and 275cc to 450cc 4-Stroke
E3: 290cc to 500cc 2-Stroke and 475cc to 650cc 4-Stroke
EJ: All powers (Rider must be 18 years or under on 1 January 2021)
Veterans: All Powers (Rider must be 35+ years of age before 1 January 2021)
Masters: All Powers (Rider must be 45+ years of age before 1 January 2021)
Women: All Powers
Junior Championship Classes
J2 12 to under 15 years: 85cc 2-stroke & Up to 150cc 4-stroke
J3 13 to under 15 years: 125cc to 200cc 2-stroke & 200cc to 250cc 4-stroke
J4 15 years: 125cc to 200cc 2-stroke & 200cc to 250cc 4-stroke
JG (Girls) 12 to under 16 years: 85cc to 200cc 2-stroke and 150cc to 250cc 4-stroke
National Championship Classes
2T – 2 Stroke Cup – 125cc up to 250cc 2-Stroke (Feature at all rounds)
J1 9 to under 12 years: 85cc 2-stroke and 150cc 4-stroke (SW) (Feature at all rounds)
JJ 9 to under 12 years: 65cc (Feature at rounds 1, 2, 5 ,6, 7, 8, 9 & 10) (11& 12 TBC)
In the coming week the AORC has promised the announcement of a number of exciting developments for its classes in 2021.
2021 ProMX rider number applications open
The 2021 ProMX rider number applications have now opened and can be accessed here or from the team app in documents. The 2021 Rider Number List can be accessed here or can be downloaded from team app in documents. Riders need to read through these documents to reserve their race numbers and take the first step to be ready for the first gate drop.
In 2021 the main mode of communications to the riders and teams will be through the use the ProMX Team App. It’s as easy as downloading Team App and search ‘ProMX’!
Riders have been encouraged to pass on this information to any riders whom it may be relevant. Round 1 of the 201 ProMX championship will kick off in Wonthaggi, Victoria on April 11, 2021. You can find the full ProMX calendar below.
Jay Wilson & Levi Rogers remain with Yamalube Yamaha for 2021
Jay Wilson and Levi Rogers will again fly the flag for the Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team for the 2021 motocross and supercross season. The team runs all the inhouse Yamaha brands of Yamalube, GYTR, Yamaha Motor Insurance, Yamaha Motor Finance and bLU cRU at the forefront, combined with the use of brands like SCOTT, Just 1, Dunlop, DID, NGK and JT Sprockets from Yamaha Australia’s sister company, Ficeda Accessories, making it a true manufacturer based team.
The duo of Wilson and Rogers make a great contrast of youth and experience and with both riders contesting the MX2 and SX2 championships on the potent YZ250F, where they will be able to learn and bounce off each other in a positive fashion.
For Wilson, he will spearhead the team and continue the successful relationship that has seen him win several championships with Yamalube Yamaha Racing over the years. While he did consider a move to the 450cc class, Wilson is happy to remain on the YZ250F and with a majorly updated machine, he is excited to get stuck into pre-season testing and development.
Jay Wilson
“My goals heading into 2020 were to have a dominant year on the 250 and move to the 450 class for 2021 but with the year the racing world has had, I have just pushed everything back a season. My motivation is as strong as it’s ever been and I think I have yet to hit my peak as a rider in terms of both speed and fitness. I have found a real interest in off bike training which I didn’t always have and with Levi and Kota around last year, they were a good motivational tool for me as both of them are so enthusiastic about riding and racing, that it naturally rubs of on me. I feel fresh and ready to go and as always we have a great team that’s willing to do what it takes to get success. The goal is to win, and that’s what we are out to do.”
Alongside him will be 17 year old, rising talent, Levi Rogers. Rogers has come through Yamaha’s Junior Racing program and then moved to the team in 2020 to contest the MXD class. But with the MXD class altered for 2021, Rogers has made the leap into the deep MX2 field for the new season, but the extra competition holds no fears for him.
Levi Rogers
“Although we didn’t do any national racing in 2020, I was able to get some state based racing in where I was able to line up against a lot of the national MX2 riders at several events and experience how things roll. I battled with them at a few of the tracks that were on the national calendar over the last few years so it was a confidence boost that I wasn’t too far from them and I could learn from first hand racing experience. I took on what I needed to improve on, found areas that I was strong in and think that experience has assisted my in preparation for 2021. I’m willing to do the work and looking forward to taking as many things in from Jay and establishing myself as a solid MX2 competitor.”
The Queensland based team will start out the year contesting a couple of regional events as a tune-in for the commencement of the Pro MX.
Toni Bou & Takahisa Fujinami return for 15th season with Repsol Honda Team
Honda’s 2021 Repsol Honda Trial Team has now been revealed and will be represented by the returning duo of Toni Bou and Takahisa Fujinami, tackling a fifteenth season in top fight competition.
The two trial aces will once again defend Repsol Honda Team colours for a 15th consecutive year, during which time they have accrued over 200 podium finishes in the Trial World Championship and more than 120 victories. Of these, Toni Bou has an outdoor victory tally of 116, with 158 podiums and 14 outdoor titles. His total in the indoor discipline reads 66 trial victories and another 14 world titles.
The new season will also mark Takahisa Fujinami’s 26th season in elite competition. Since his world championship debut back in 1996, Fujigas has spent no less than 22 seasons in the top five, claiming the world championship title in 2004, as well as amounting 33 victories and 167 podium finishes.
Toni Bou
“Time flies very quickly. It’s the fifteenth season with the team and… it’s amazing! We have enjoyed 14 consecutive years with double titles and there’s really nothing else to say. We are living a dream and we must try to continue along this track even through these difficult times. Let’s hope that 2021 is characterized as a more normal year and that the COVID-19 vaccine will get rid of the problems. We’re just hoping to have a normal season.”
Takahisa Fujinami
“I am very happy to have been competing with Honda for 26 years and to continue one more season in the greatest team in the world. It couldn’t be any better for me. And alongside Toni Bou too! Over all these years we have worked on the bike to make the best motorcycle in the world and I can only add that he is the best team-mate I’ve ever had. It will be a new challenge in 2021, after a very strange year in 2020, which left a bitter taste in my mouth. I think that in a normal season I will be able to finish the year in a much better position.”
Ben Watson talks stepping up to MXGP for 2021
Ben Watson will enter the premier class with positive momentum after drawing the curtains on his MX2 career with two impressive Grand Prix wins in the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team in 2020,
Ben Watson
“My first year in the 450cc class could bring some huge surprises so I don’t want to make a real solid strategy as I could easily be led down the wrong path. I want to go into the new season with an open mind and take every opportunity during the winter to be better. My last season in MX2 couldn’t have been weirder. The Coronavirus pandemic struck after just two rounds, which meant I had to head home with no bike for over two months. It gave me a lot of time to recap and realise how much I wanted to be better. When the restart happened in Latvia, I was immediately better and then it just clicked in Lommel. I was able to ride exactly how I knew I could ride. I managed to finish the final six rounds with five podiums and two GP wins.”
Watson was one of only five MX2 Grand Prix winners in 2020, and as a result of his evident speed, skill and determination, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 star who has reached the 23-year age limit in MX2, was rewarded with a place on the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team for 2021.
Ben Watson
“When I crossed the line to take my first ever Grand Prix victory there were too many things going through my head actually to take in during that moment. It was quite a long time after the day had ended when it really settled in that I had won a GP and that dream of standing on the top step as a kid had become a reality.”
The MXGP class is the fastest and most competitive class in motocross. It will demand a different approach and another level of experience and skill. Towering at 183cm tall and weighing in at 78 kilograms, it is predicted that Watson will be better suited to the YZ450FM as opposed to the YZ250FM that he has raced for the past three seasons.
Ben Watson
“I do believe the YZ450FM will suit me and my style a lot more. Not many people have seen me ride the big bike, but a lot do say they think it will be better for me. I am heavy and tall for a 250, but I would say it is more about the way I ride a bike. I don’t like to be aggressive and sometimes on a 250 I do miss that aggression. I believe I will be able to make the 450 more suited to my riding style whereas with a 250 I just wanted as much power as they could give me.”
Watson can already see the advantage of having well-established MXGP riders Jeremy Seewer and Glenn Coldenhoff as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP teammates in 2021.
Ben Watson
“Jeremy and Glenn are two of the best teammates I could ask for. I am looking forward to getting started with both the guys as they seem to be open to riding and training together and just generally helping each other improve. They were both successful in MX2 and have continued that success into MXGP, so I think they can help me with the transition to the 450 and give their opinions on what they think I should or shouldn’t do entering this new challenge. I know I will enter the new season blind having never raced most of the MXGP riders before, but that is what makes this new chapter so exciting. I am going to gain so much experience and I look forward to developing in a lot of different ways.”
Jo Shimoda joins 2021 Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team
The decorated Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team adds depth to an already stacked roster with the addition of the 2020 Monster Energy Supercross ‘Rookie of the Year’ Jo Shimoda for the 2021 racing season. Shimoda joins long-time Team Green racer Austin Forkner along with Jordon Smith, Cameron McAdoo, and the most recent Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green amateur motocross graduate Seth Hammaker aboard their all-new 2021 KX250 motorcycles.
Jo Shimoda
“Honestly, I wasn’t too sure what next year would look like for me, but thanks to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and Mitch Payton, I couldn’t be more excited for next year,” said Shimoda. “It feels really good to be with such an iconic team like the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team and to know that they believe in my ability enough to give me a chance this year. I was able to test the all-new KX250 a couple of times and on my first day, I was over jumping everything because of how fast it was! I am just really thankful and excited for this opportunity and I plan to make the most of it.”
Shimoda and the 2021 Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki racing team are positioned for another championship campaign and have begun preparations for the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally announce 2021 Dakar line-up
Close on the heels of an exciting win at the BAJA Portalegre, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp, unveiled its plans for the Dakar Rally 2021.
Participating with a full strength three rider team, Hero MotoSports will take on the Dakar 2021 with the 2020 FIM Cross-Country BAJAs World Cup winner – Sebastian Buhler, 2019 Pan Africa Rally winner – Joaquim Rodrigues and ace Indian rider – CS Santosh.
Sebastian Buhler
“My first year with Hero MotoSports has been an exciting one. Though there weren’t many opportunities to race in 2020, I am glad that we are entering the Dakar Rally after two impressive runs in the recent months. We utilized the time away from racing in training on the new bike and that kept our energies high. For me personally, entering the Rally straight after the Baja win will help to stay focused. All I can say is that I am thrilled to be a part of the Hero MotoSports family and looking forward to the Dakar 2021 Rally.”
This will be the second official appearance for Sebastian in Hero colors at the Dakar, while it will be the fifth appearance for both JRod and Santosh.
Joaquim Rodrigues
“Dakar Rally will not be the same for me after the tragic experience of January 2020. It ha.s been a tough year for me and my family. However, the experience has taught me a lot – how to stay undeterred and resilient in the worst of situations and the team has also supported me a lot to keep me motivated and engaged. While we didn’t have much time to prepare this year, our testing sessions on the new bike and the recent runs at BAJA Portalegre and Andalucia Rally 2020 helped me overcome my fears and find the momentum as I made the comeback. It’s going to be a tough emotional battle for me but I’m ready to face it and take on the Dakar for one more time.”
CS Santosh
“This has been an exceptional year with limited races and opportunities to train, yet we are satisfied with the preparations that we underwent ahead of Dakar Rally. I have tried to make the most of the situation and used this time to train hard and help the team in the development of our new bike. The new bike offers great performance and maneuverability so I am really excited to ride it at the Dakar. The Dakar Rally is coming back with a new set of rules and routes, so it is going to be an interesting one this year and I am looking forward to it.”
The riders will take on the Dakar challenge on a new Hero 450 Rally bike, which now features a new 450cc engine and evolved chassis. The engine, developed especially for rally sport, offers improved top speed and acceleration. With an optimum weight balance, better rider ergonomics, more voluminous fuel-tank, improved suspension and cooling system, the new bike is built for juggling the dual roles of covering long strides at a heightened pace.
The Team will also be seen in a new Livery, sporting a futuristic “Barcode” inspired design, to showcase the team’s technical edge. In view of the ongoing pandemic, it was a comparatively shorter #RoadToDakar for the Team in 2020. Yet, the Team made its presence felt with an impressive comeback in competitive racing with the BAJA Portalegre and the Andalucia Rally. Gaining valuable race-experience, all three riders of the Team utilized these races to acquire some saddle time and proficiency, ahead of the Dakar 2021.
Wolfgang Fischer – Hero MotoSports Team Rally Team Manager
“This is an emotional return for us at Dakar after the tragic event earlier this year. We are determined to put on a good show. While we were away from racing for quite some time due to the pandemic, we utilised the time to develop the new bike and conduct thorough testing sessions with our riders, thus, keeping the team engaged and motivated in the most challenging times. We are excited for the next few weeks as we aim to sustain our momentum and garner good results this year. The new bike is performing well and the Team looks stunning in the new Livery.”
Danny McCanney joins Sherco Factory Racing Team
Britain’s Danny McCanney is joining the Sherco Factory Racing Team to compete in the next EnduroGP season. The Isle of Man rider will line up on a 300 SE and make his return to racing in the E3 category riding a two-stroke.
As an experienced rider, Danny will be the leader of a young and ambitious team, with Antoine Magain, Hamish Macdonald, Jack Edmondson and Enric Francisco joining him on the EnduroGP Team.
2021 Racing schedule
2021 AMA SX calendar
Date
Event
Venue
Location
E/W
Jan 16
Houston 1
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 19
Houston 2
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 23
Houston 3
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 30
Indianapolis 1
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb 2
Indianapolis 2
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb 6
Indianapolis 3
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb20
Glendale 1
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Feb 23
Glendale 2
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Feb 27
Glendale 3
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Mar 6
Daytona*
Daytona Int. Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL
East
Mar 13
Arlington 1
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Mar 16
Arlington 2
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Mar 20
Arlington 3
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Round 14
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 15
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 16
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 17
Salt Lake City
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Salt Lake City, UT
TBD
2021 Provisional MXGP Calendar
Rnd
Grand Prix
Date
1
MXGP of Oman, Muscat
Fri 2 Apr – Sat 3 Apr
2
MXGP of Italy, TBA
Sat 24 Apr – Sun 25 Apr
3
MXGP of Portugal, Agueda
Sat 8 May – Sun 9 May
4
MXGP of The Netherlands, Oss
Sat 22 May – Sun 23 May
5
MXGP of Germany, Teutschenthal
Sat 29 May – Sun 30 May
6
MXGP of Russia, Orlyonok
Sat 12 Jun – Sun 13 Jun
7
MXGP of Latvia, Kegums
Sat 19 Jun – Sun 20 Jun
8
MXGP of Jakarta (INA), Jakarta
Sat 3 Jul – Sun 4 Jul
9
MXGP of Indonesia, Semarang
Sat 10 Jul – Sun 11 Jul
10
MXGP of Czech Replublic, Loket
Sat 24 Jul – Sun 25 Jul
11
MXGP of Belgium, Lommel
Sat 31 Jul – Sun 1 Aug
12
MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla
Sat 7 Aug – Sun 8 Aug
13
MXGP of Finland, Iitti-KimiRing
Sat 21 Aug – Sun 22 Aug
14
MXGP of Igora Drive (RUS), Igora Drive
Sat 28 Aug – Sun 29 Aug
15
MXGP of Turkey, Afyonkarahisar
Sat 11 Sep – Sun 12 Sep
16
MXGP of China, TBA
Sat 18 Sep – Sun 19 Sep
17
MXGP of France, St Jean d’Angely
Sat 9 Oct – Sun 10 Oct
18
MXGP of Spain, intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos
Sat 16 Oct – Sun 17 Oct
19
TBA
Sat 30 Oct – Sun 31 Oct
20
MXGP of Patagonia Argentina, Neuquen
Sat 13 Nov – Sun 14 Nov
2021 Yamaha AORC presented by MXStore calendar
Round
Location
Date
Rounds 1 & 2
Nowra, NSW
March 27-28
Rounds 3 & 4
TBA, VIC
April 17-18
Rounds 5 & 6
Kyogle, NSW
July 17-18
Rounds 7 & 8
TBA, QLD
August 6-7
Rounds 9 & 10
Kingston SE, SA
September 18-19
Rounds 11 & 12
Omeo, VIC
October 16-17
2021 Australian Pro MX calendar
Rnd
Date
Location
1
Apr-11
Wonthaggi, Victoria
2
May-02
Canberra, ACT
3
May-30
Gilman, South Australia
4
Jun-27
Maitland, NSW
5
Jul-25
Wodonga, Victoria
6
Aug-08
TBC, Queensland
7/8
August 14-15
Coolum, Queensland
2021 Speedway GP Calendar
Date
Round
Location
Apr-24
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix
TBC
May-15
2021 PZM Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
PGE Narodowy
May-22
2021 German FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Bergring Arena
Jun-05
2021 Czech Republic FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Marketa Stadium
Jun-19
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix
TBC
Jul-17
2021 Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Principality Stadium
Jul-31
2021 Betard Wroclaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix OF POLAND
Olympic Stadium
Aug-14
2021 Swedish FIM Speedway Grand Prix
G&B Arena
Aug-28
2021 Russian FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Anatoly Stepanov Stadium
Sep-11
2021 Danish FIM Speedway Grand Prix Sponsored by ECCO
Vojens Speedway Center
Oct-02
2021 Torun FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
Marian Rose MotoArena
2021 Australian Senior Speedway Solo calendar
Round
Location
Date
Round 1
Gillman Speedway, SA
3 January, 2021
Round 2
Olympic Park, VIC
5 January, 2021
Round 3
Diamond Park, Albury Wodonga, VIC
7 January, 2021
Round 4
Loxford Park, NSW
9 January, 2021
Round 5
Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD
13 January, 2021
2021 Australian Speedway events
Championship
Location
Date
2021 Australian Under 21’s Speedway Championship
Gillman Speedway, SA
16 January, 2021
2021 Australian Junior Speedway Sidecar Championship
Pinjar Park, WA
3-4 April, 2021
2021 Australian Senior Speedway Sidecar Championship
Pinjar Park, WA
3-4 April, 2021
2021 Speedway FIM Oceania Speedway Championship
Gillman Speedway, SA
30 January, 2021
2021 Speedway FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship
Gillman Speedway, SA
17 April, 2021
2021 Provisional Australian Supercross dates
25 September – Further information TBA
9 October – Further information TBA
16 October – Further information TBA
23 October – Further information TBA
30 October – Further information TBA
6 November – Further information TBA
20 November – Further information TBA
27 November – Further information TBA
2021 Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) May 19-22 – Harvey, WA
2021 Enduro Australian Three Day Vintage Enduro (A3VE) 7-9 May – Blackwood, VIC
2021 Finke Desert Race 11-14 June – Northern Territory
2021 Hattah Desert Race 3-4 July – Hattah, Victoria
2021 Motocross Australian Classic Motocross Championship 9-11 July – Nowra, NSW
2021 Motocross Australian Post Classic Motocross 16-18 July – Nowra, NSW
2021 International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) 30 August – 4 September – Italy
Tim Coleman has conquered the 11th running of the Wildwood Rock Extreme Enduro in a new knockout format, specifically designed to meet Covid19 rules and restrictions.
The 2020 format was a new creation and riders had to work hard with a ruthless sprint format this year. With no rest between objects, arm pump was the main factor for rider error, particularly after a tough year with the lack of opportunity for many to train. The event was almost called off, however the limited number of allowed riders was very close to full, with racers keen to get back out there.
Each class had two heats on a longer course (1.5km) involving the well known prologue area and an added natural terrain section that provided further challenges. Riders could not afford to drop any time in either heats with times being combined and the fastest four moving into the final.
The final format was the man-made area or prologue course as it’s known bye many, with two laps providing some great chopping and changing in all classes to decide outright winners in each class.
Riding for the Motul Pirelli Sherco Off-Road Team Tim Coleman was here to impress, taking out the Gold Class win with a total time of 5m44s with clean wins in both heats leading up to the final. Callum Ceglinski put in a solid second, with the desert king Ben Grabham in third, making it a Sherco 1-2-3 finish.
Tim Coleman
“Wildwood was my first Hard Enduro and I’d never taken home the win, so it’s something I’ve really wanted to tick off my racing bucket-list. The field may have been slightly depleted, but there was still great competition there and I had to really have a crack to bring home the win. The new 2021 Sherco 300 SE Factory feels great honestly. It’s just so good for this type of racing, and having the full support of the Sherco Factory Team made a big difference on the day. I’m already excited for next year’s event.”
Silver class was won by Billy McCulloch (7m14s), ahead of Ian Derwent and Max Koczak. Bronze class was won by Ash Green, (10m02s), ahead of Michael Chapman and Nathan Xerri.
Being the first post-COVID Extreme Enduro to be held in Australia was a tough challenge and was only approved with easing of the rules one week before the event, as motorcycle riding was not deemed as a professional sport prior.
Under the changed guidelines Wildwood could operate with a total of 500 people in groups of 50, but keeping to the Covid19 Event checklist it was decided to not host any spectators for the event and instead live stream the event to the people at home.
Wildwood would normally operate over three hours with each rider doing a individual timed section of the course. In the 2020 edition it was a total different feel with riders parked apart and grouped in 20s to not over crowd the course with people. With further changes seen, each rider was able to bring one support person on the day to help them if needed. Temperature checks done on every person attending the event added yet another new twist to Wildwood.
With no injuries to any riders and most bikes going home with few battle scares the event was seen as a great success from all angles, particularly considering it was so close to being called off, after changing the date to the 29th of November.
The 2021 event date has been set for November 7, 2020, as part of the National Grassroots Hard Enduro Championship. Click the result images below for zoomed in view.
2020 Wildwood Rock Extreme Gold Class Results
2020 Wildwood Rock Extreme Silver Class Results
2020 Wildwood Rock Extreme Bronze Class Results
Price & Sanders ramp up Dakar prep
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Toby Price, Matthias Walkner and Sam Sunderland are beginning the final stages of their pre-Dakar Rally testing, as they ramp up preparations ahead of the iconic event’s start on January 2. Joined by KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders, who enters the upcoming Dakar as part of KTM’s junior rally program, the four KTM 450 Rally mounted riders are hard at work in Dubai as they count down the days to the gruelling 12-stage race.
With the 2021 Dakar Rally now just one month away, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing have their sights firmly set on battling for the number one position at the world’s toughest cross-country rally. In what has been a hugely disrupted year, which saw the team make only one competitive outing following the 2020 Dakar, Toby Price, Matthias Walkner and Sam Sunderland are all fully fit and keen to get racing at the 43rd edition of the event.
Looking for his third Dakar title, Toby Price will go into the race armed with the experience gained from the 2020 event and aiming to secure another strong result. Like all riders this year, Toby was forced to spend more time off the bike than he would have liked. However, after travelling to Europe towards the end of the summer, the Australian has committed to an intense schedule of training and preparation on the run up to Dakar and will remain in the Middle East testing on his KTM 450 Rally, in preparation for the challenge awaiting him.
Toby Price
“Obviously, it’s been a really tough year for everyone. With all the restrictions, we’ve not been able to race like we normally would. We’ve only managed to fit in one rally since the Dakar in January, which was great, but I think everyone is looking forward to getting back to some serious racing now. For me, I pretty much had to leave home for the last three months and won’t be heading back to Australia until after Dakar. My base is now in Dubai and I’ll spend Christmas there on the run up to the event. It’s great that we can get out into the dunes for testing but it’s still a big sacrifice to make, missing out on the regular family time over the holidays. For the last couple of months, the team have been testing hard, things have been going well and there’s certainly nothing better to build your fitness than time on the bike. We’ve been able to try out a lot of new things and I’m really happy with how the bike feels. At the end of the day, I know the KTM 450 RALLY is going to get me to the finish, the rest is up to me!”
2018 Dakar winner Matthias Walkner prides himself on his navigational skills and with the 2021 event promising a more technically demanding route, this should fall into the Austrian’s favor. Happy with recent improvements made to his KTM 450 Rally, Matthias feels he is on form both physically and mentally and is looking forward to another solid race in the desert.
Also back at full fitness, Sam Sunderland is known for his speed in the dunes and with the 2021 Dakar Rally expected to contain more deep sand than seen in this year’s event, Sam is confident of making the most of his skills.
Facing his first ever Dakar, KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders comes into the demanding race with only one cross-country rally under his belt. Joining the team in September, Sanders has endured an intense period of testing and training to get him up to speed with the skills required for success in the sport. Racing the Andalucia Rally just weeks after throwing his leg over a KTM 450 Rally for the first time, the 26-year-old put in an excellent performance including a win on the final stage. The Dakar is far more demanding however, but the young Australian racer knows the magnitude of the challenge ahead.
Daniel Sanders
“The year has been a crazy one for me for more reasons than one. When I got the call to come ride for the team it was really cool. I flew over to Europe with Toby and I think I’ve spent about five months here testing and learning the skills needed for rally racing. We raced the Andalucia Rally back in October, which was a real eye opener, but other than a couple of mistakes, I was really pleased with my pace and my navigation. Winning the final stage was great but I’m realistic about the Dakar – I know it’s another level completely. Testing has been going really well – every day I spend on the bike I feel more comfortable. I couldn’t wish for better people around me either, all three of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing guys have won a Dakar – Toby has won two – and Jordi (Viladoms) has been amazing getting me up to speed in such a short amount of time. I know I have a lot to learn, but that will come with racing a few more events. Right now, I’m fully focused on the big one in January.”
2021 Dakar Schedule
Stage
Date
Start > Finish
Total
Special
P
Saturday, January 2, 2021
Jeddah > Jeddah
11 km
11 km
1
Sunday, January 3, 2021
Jeddah > Bisha
622 km
277 km
2
Monday, January 4, 2021
Bisha > Wadi Al Dawasir
685 km
457 km
3
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Wadi Al Dawasir > Wadi Al Dawasir
630 km
403 km
4
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Wadi Al Dawasir > Riyadh
813 km
337 km
5
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Riyadh > Buraydah
625 km
419 km
6
Friday, January 8, 2021
Buraydah > Ha’il
655 km
485 km
Rest
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Ha’il (Rest Day)
–
–
7
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Ha’il > Sakaka
737 km
471 km
8
Monday, January 11, 2021
Sakaka > Neom
709 km
375 km
9
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Neom > Neom
579 km
465 km
10
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Neom > Al-Ula
583 km
342 km
11
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Al-Ula > Yanbu
557 km
511 km
12
Friday, January 15, 2021
Yanbu > Jeddah
452 km
225 km
Nathan Crawford returns to Australia to Serco Yamaha for 2021
After a season in Europe racing MXGP, Nathan Crawford has returned to Australia and will take up a seat on the Serco Yamaha team for the 2021 season. The 23 year-old, Brisbane resident, is back on Australian soil and already back in the saddle of a Yamaha YZ250F as his preparations begin for the 2021 Australian motocross and supercross championships.
He has returned after a 12 month stint in Europe where he had to grow up fast in his year contesting the MX2 (250cc) championship. Ultimately, injury and a desire to come home were the reasons for his return to Australia but he is still grateful for the international experience and racing at the highest levels.
Nathan Crawford
“Racing the world championships for a manufacturer supported team has always been a dream of mine and I’m glad I got to experience racing the best riders in the world firsthand. It was an amazing experience, and despite COVID, a year I will never forget. Travelling from country to country and racing on tracks that I had only ever seen on video or YouTube was awesome and I’m so glad I got to do it. I would love to have stayed longer, but a few things didn’t work out and I began looking at my options racing back here in Australia. Joining back up with the Serco Yamaha team is cool as we have a good working relationship from my time there in 2018 and 2019. The same mechanics are still there and not a lot has changed so it was nice to walk back into familiar surroundings and feel welcomed. It was much the same way stepping back onto the YZ250F. The bike feels so good and as a production bike, it is the best in the class. It’s great to be back. I feel motivated and determined to get my career back on track and I have unfinished business in the MX2 class, so I’m really looking forward to getting things started in 2021.”
The second rider on the Serco Yamaha Team will be announced in the coming days. Racing for the newly restructured ProMX championship gets under way on April 11 and will run eight rounds to a double header conclusion at Coolum in August. The Australian Supercross Championship is pencilled in to start in September with five rounds to make up the series.
Purvis & Larwood return with WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha for 2021
Two rising stars of ANZAC motocross racing, Maximus Purvis and Alex Larwood will return to the WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha Team for 2021, but with a slight twist. Both will make their debut in new classes for ’21 with Purvis making the leap to the MX1 (450cc) class while Larwood will step into the MX2 (250cc) class.
Purvis, the current New Zealand MX2 champ, is keen to return to Australia for the new season and 2021 marks his third year with the WBR Yamaha team. During the break in racing this year, Purvis was able spend time on the Yamaha YZ450F back in his NZ base and found the bike exactly to his liking.
When the discussion of 2021 came up, Max expressed a wish to race the YZ450F and the WBR Yamaha team were able to make that happen and support him in the same manner as previous years.
Maximus Purvis
“2021 needs to be a huge year for me and one that establishes me in Australian motocross. The move to the 450 class is one that excites me as I have been riding one in New Zealand for the last eight months and I feel really comfortable on the bike and suits the way I ride. I love the horsepower it generates and think that I’m now at the right size and age to step up and make a go of it. Being back with WBR Yamaha is also great. We have a great working relationship that has grown over the past few years and they are a good group of guys to go racing with. The dealership is also close to where I base myself while in Australia, so they are always available if I need anything. My first goal is to defend my New Zealand MX2 championship with JCR Yamaha and then head over to Australia in March to get set up and ready for the Pro MX championship starting in April.”
Continuing into his second year with WBR Yamaha, South Australia’s 17-year old-Alex Larwood will move into the MX2 class and is set to rattle the cages of the big names in the class. Larwood was slated to race the MXD (under 19) division in 2020 but with the cancellation of racing and also a change to the class structure in 2021, he will make the transition into the MX2 class.
Reports early in the 2020 season had Larwood down as superfast, but a broken leg halted that progress. He is now healed up and returning to full training in preparation for the new year and will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with when national racing gets under way in April.
Alex Larwood
“It’s great to be back with WBR Yamaha again and racing the MX2 class on the YZ250F. I had put in a lot of work at the start of 2020 and was feeling great on the bike but my leg injury kept me sidelined for a while and that has only made the motivation stronger. I’m looking forward to racing the MX2 class and going against the best guys in Australia. It will be a big step but I have been training with a lot of riders already in that class and feel comfortable riding with them. The leg is nearly 100% and I have a full program ready to go in the off season to ensure I hit round one in great shape. I can’t wait to get started.”
WBR Yamaha is a motorcycle dealer in the Victorian border town of Echuca. Ran by the Whitten family, the racing arm of the business has become a great promotional tool for WBR Yamaha and one that owner, Travis Whitten, is passionate about.
Travis Whitten
“Our whole family is into racing and as the business has grown, so has both our and Yamaha’s investment in racing with us. In 2021, we will be fielding two riders in the major classes and I’m confident in both the talent and determination of Maximus and Alex to succeed. The knowledge that we learn from racing can be feed directly back to our customers and we can provide them with real world information that can make the most of their purchase. 2021 is a step-up up for our race team and one that we are looking forward to and the season can’t get here soon enough so we can be back at the track and doing what we love with two riders determined to achieve their goals.”
MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 announce 2021 line-up
Yamaha Motor Europe and the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team have announced a three-rider line-up for the 2021 EMX125 Championship. The team has retained Dutch talent Ivano Van Erp and welcomed two new riders, Latvian Karlis Reisulis and Italian Ferruccio Zanchi.
As the 2017 Junior Motocross 65cc World Champion, Van Erp is already a recognised name in European motocross. The 15-year-old Dutchman joined the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team in 2020 and completed a positive first term inside the EMX125 class aboard a GYTR kitted YZ125 with three top-10 race finishes during the latter stages of the championship.
Reisulis made his EMX125 debut in 2020 at round five of the nine-round series, in Mantova, Italy. The 15-year-old finished seventh in both races for seventh overall and quickly established himself as one of the best performing rookies. Having scored a total of four top-10 race finishes during the five rounds he attended this year, Reisulis has proven he has potential for the future.
Completing the 2021 line-up, Zanchi will become Yamaha’s youngest Official motocross rider as he makes the step up from the 85cc class to the 125cc category. The 14-year-old will join van Erp and Reisulis on the EMX125 Championship gate, where all three riders will race GYTR kitted YZ125s throughout the 2021 season.
Loic Le Foll – MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 Team Owner
“I am very happy to announce our team for 2021. We have already spent a year with Ivano, and he is an exciting rider for the future. This year was a learning year. He showed good speed at the end of the year, which is positive as he looks to move up the standings next year. As for our two new kids, I am very happy to recruit Karlis and Feruccio because they had already caught our eye last year at the Junior Motocross World Championship in Arco Di Trento, inside the 85cc class. These boys are very young, very talented and very hardworking. 2021 will be the first year on a 125cc for Ferruccio and the second season on a 125cc for Karlis, who will aim for a big result. We are going to organize a lot of training sessions together because I am sure our three riders will upgrade each other.”
Thorsten Lentink – Yamaha Motor Europe MX Racing Coordinator
“At Yamaha Motor Europe, our aim for the 2021 season is to strengthen the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team, and the presence of the GYTR kitted YZ125 inside the EMX125 Championship. The EMX125 class makes up the bottom step of the Yamaha Racing pyramid alongside the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup and is one of the first steps to becoming a full-time professional racer. I am confident that we can make some good progress inside the series with our 2021 MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 rider selection. It is exciting to keep Ivano van Erp for another year. This year he entered the EMX125 championship as a rookie and has already shown some positive progress. Karlis Reisulis rode a few EMX125 races this year and had great speed for a rider that was new to the class. He immediately felt confident after his test on the Yamaha YZ125, and we think that both Ivano and Karlis will be upfront fighting for good championship points in 2021. As for Ferruccio, he is only 14 years old and has been on our radar since the 2019 Junior Motocross World Championship. At such a young age, he will have the time to adapt to the YZ125. Consistency will be his main priority in 2021.”
Brad Freeman renews with Beta until 2023
Beta has announced the renewal of rider Brad Freeman, who will continue his collaboration with the Beta Factory Team for three further years, until 2023.
The English champion owns a long series of consecutive successes in recent years, including five titles in the Enduro GP world championship, where he has shown great consistency of results, always competing for the title.
Brad and the Beta Factory Team will represent the colors of the Italian manufacturer on his Beta 300 RR 2T Factory in the Enduro GP World Championship, E3 category, where he defends the 2020 world title, as well as in the Italian Enduro Championship.
2021 Honda UK ‘Crendon Fastrack’ motocross team announced
Honda UK have announced they are back in British Motocross Championship action with a brand new title sponsor and will be known as Crendon Fastrack Honda. The squad, backed by one of the UK’s leading Timber Engineering companies Crendon, will be formed of British champion Tommy Searle and Jake Nicholls returning in the MX1 class, with Jay Hague joining the team for an MX2 championship assault. The team will contest the UK’s two highest-level series, the British championship and MX Nationals.
Derbyshire-based Searle stays with the squad for a second year, following his successful 2020 season when he won the only professional championship to run in the UK, the MX Nationals. For Nicholls, who narrowly missed clinching the British title by a handful of points in 2018 after an injury, it will be his fourth year with the squad. This time both men will be armed with the all-new 2021 Honda CRF450R and are two of the most experienced riders in the class.
Former British youth champion Hague, who lives in Durham, heads up the MX2 category on the Honda CRF250R. The 22-year-old has tested the Crendon Fastrack Honda and says he’s excited to join the most respected and highest-profile team in the UK.
The Crendon Fastrack Honda squad is run by triple world 500 champion Dave Thorpe.
Dave Thorpe
“Our goal is to be the dominant team in British championship racing and we have everything in place to achieve that. After personally testing the brand new Honda CRF450R, I know we have the best machinery. And our team of mechanics and technical partners will ensure they are the ultimate bikes on the track. With Tommy Searle and Jake Nicholls, we have not only the fastest but also two of the most experienced and professional riders in the MX1 class. And with Jay Hague in the MX2 class, it’s a real opportunity for him to really shine. It’s great to have the full backing of Crendon. And of course we still have backing from many of our long-time partners who make it possible for the team to operate at such a high level. I’m certain the Crendon Fastrack Honda team will be the team to beat in the UK.”
Albert Cabestany join GasGas TrialGP Team as manager
Experienced former Spanish and indoor World Champion is switching from competition to team management to lead GasGas’ 2021 factory trial team. Stepping away from full-time competition, defending Trial-E World Champion will now take charge of our factory trial team and guide them through both the X-Trial and TrialGP World Championships.
A rider with more than 20 years of international trial experience, Cabestany is not only hugely capable on a bike, he’s also incredibly knowledgeable off one. A consistent challenger for world championship honors, with no fewer than 85 outdoor and 90 indoor podium results to his credit, including 27 victories, it’s fair to say he’s been there, done it, and got a whole bunch of t-shirts!
Turning a page in his highly-successful career, Albert, who started his professional career riding for GasGas before returning to win two Trial-E World Championship titles in 2019 and 2020, will now start an exciting new chapter, leading from the front as he manages the GasGas Factory Racing Trial Team.
Focused on developing the team’s testing, training and competition program, the Spaniard will provide invaluable knowledge, experience and guidance, ensuring the team is perfectly prepared to take on the 2021 FIM X-Trial and TrialGP series.
Albert Cabestany – GASGAS Factory Racing Trial Team Manager
“After so many years competing in trial, this is the perfect next step for me. To be the GASGAS Factory Racing Trial Team Manager is such a unique and exciting opportunity, I’m really looking forward to working with our riders and doing all I can to continue the team’s success. For sure I’m going to give it my all and enjoy the experience. It’s an important team within the trial paddock, with high expectations, so I’m really excited about the future.”
Robert Jonas – VP Motorsports Offroad
“Trial remains hugely important to GASGAS, both from a production bike point of view and also from a motorsport perspective. This is why we are pleased to have appointed Albert Cabestany as our new trial team manager. Albert is hugely experienced when it comes to all things trial, and while he is best known as a successful competitor, he also has considerable testing and development experience. We believe he will inject the right mix of energy and focus into the team and push it forward in 2021, allowing our riders to perform at their very best.”
2021 Racing schedule
2021 AMA SX calendar
Date
Event
Venue
Location
E/W
Jan 16
Houston 1
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 19
Houston 2
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 23
Houston 3
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 30
Indianapolis 1
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb 2
Indianapolis 2
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb 6
Indianapolis 3
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb20
Glendale 1
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Feb 23
Glendale 2
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Feb 27
Glendale 3
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Mar 6
Daytona*
Daytona Int. Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL
East
Mar 13
Arlington 1
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Mar 16
Arlington 2
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Mar 20
Arlington 3
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Round 14
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 15
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 16
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 17
Salt Lake City
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Salt Lake City, UT
TBD
2021 Provisional MXGP Calendar
Rnd
Grand Prix
Date
1
MXGP of Oman, Muscat
Fri 2 Apr – Sat 3 Apr
2
MXGP of Italy, TBA
Sat 24 Apr – Sun 25 Apr
3
MXGP of Portugal, Agueda
Sat 8 May – Sun 9 May
4
MXGP of The Netherlands, Oss
Sat 22 May – Sun 23 May
5
MXGP of Germany, Teutschenthal
Sat 29 May – Sun 30 May
6
MXGP of Russia, Orlyonok
Sat 12 Jun – Sun 13 Jun
7
MXGP of Latvia, Kegums
Sat 19 Jun – Sun 20 Jun
8
MXGP of Jakarta (INA), Jakarta
Sat 3 Jul – Sun 4 Jul
9
MXGP of Indonesia, Semarang
Sat 10 Jul – Sun 11 Jul
10
MXGP of Czech Replublic, Loket
Sat 24 Jul – Sun 25 Jul
11
MXGP of Belgium, Lommel
Sat 31 Jul – Sun 1 Aug
12
MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla
Sat 7 Aug – Sun 8 Aug
13
MXGP of Finland, Iitti-KimiRing
Sat 21 Aug – Sun 22 Aug
14
MXGP of Igora Drive (RUS), Igora Drive
Sat 28 Aug – Sun 29 Aug
15
MXGP of Turkey, Afyonkarahisar
Sat 11 Sep – Sun 12 Sep
16
MXGP of China, TBA
Sat 18 Sep – Sun 19 Sep
17
MXGP of France, St Jean d’Angely
Sat 9 Oct – Sun 10 Oct
18
MXGP of Spain, intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos
Sat 16 Oct – Sun 17 Oct
19
TBA
Sat 30 Oct – Sun 31 Oct
20
MXGP of Patagonia Argentina, Neuquen
Sat 13 Nov – Sun 14 Nov
2021 Yamaha AORC presented by MXStore calendar
Round
Location
Date
Rounds 1 & 2
Nowra, NSW
March 27-28
Rounds 3 & 4
TBA, VIC
April 17-18
Rounds 5 & 6
Kyogle, NSW
July 17-18
Rounds 7 & 8
TBA, QLD
August 6-7
Rounds 9 & 10
Kingston SE, SA
September 18-19
Rounds 11 & 12
Omeo, VIC
October 16-17
2021 Australian Pro MX calendar
Rnd
Date
Location
1
Apr-11
Wonthaggi, Victoria
2
May-02
Canberra, ACT
3
May-30
Gilman, South Australia
4
Jun-27
Maitland, NSW
5
Jul-25
Wodonga, Victoria
6
Aug-08
TBC, Queensland
7/8
August 14-15
Coolum, Queensland
2021 Speedway GP Calendar
Date
Round
Location
Apr-24
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix
TBC
May-15
2021 PZM Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
PGE Narodowy
May-22
2021 German FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Bergring Arena
Jun-05
2021 Czech Republic FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Marketa Stadium
Jun-19
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix
TBC
Jul-17
2021 Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Principality Stadium
Jul-31
2021 Betard Wroclaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix OF POLAND
Olympic Stadium
Aug-14
2021 Swedish FIM Speedway Grand Prix
G&B Arena
Aug-28
2021 Russian FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Anatoly Stepanov Stadium
Sep-11
2021 Danish FIM Speedway Grand Prix Sponsored by ECCO
Vojens Speedway Center
Oct-02
2021 Torun FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
Marian Rose MotoArena
2021 Australian Senior Speedway Solo calendar
Round
Location
Date
Round 1
Gillman Speedway, SA
3 January, 2021
Round 2
Olympic Park, VIC
5 January, 2021
Round 3
Diamond Park, Albury Wodonga, VIC
7 January, 2021
Round 4
Loxford Park, NSW
9 January, 2021
Round 5
Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD
13 January, 2021
2021 Australian Speedway events
Championship
Location
Date
2021 Australian Under 21’s Speedway Championship
Gillman Speedway, SA
16 January, 2021
2021 Australian Junior Speedway Sidecar Championship
Pinjar Park, WA
3-4 April, 2021
2021 Australian Senior Speedway Sidecar Championship
Pinjar Park, WA
3-4 April, 2021
2021 Speedway FIM Oceania Speedway Championship
Gillman Speedway, SA
30 January, 2021
2021 Speedway FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship
Gillman Speedway, SA
17 April, 2021
2021 Provisional Australian Supercross dates
25 September – Further information TBA
9 October – Further information TBA
16 October – Further information TBA
23 October – Further information TBA
30 October – Further information TBA
6 November – Further information TBA
20 November – Further information TBA
27 November – Further information TBA
2021 Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) May 19-22 – Harvey, WA
2021 Enduro Australian Three Day Vintage Enduro (A3VE) 7-9 May – Blackwood, VIC
2021 Finke Desert Race 11-14 June – Northern Territory
2021 Hattah Desert Race 3-4 July – Hattah, Victoria
2021 Motocross Australian Classic Motocross Championship 9-11 July – Nowra, NSW
2021 Motocross Australian Post Classic Motocross 16-18 July – Nowra, NSW
2021 International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) 30 August – 4 September – Italy
The details of the 43rd edition of the Dakar to be held in Saudi Arabia this coming January, 2021, have been announced, with a route of 7,646 km starting and finishing in Jeddah. Including 4,767 km of special stages, the route is designed to allow the competitors to battle among themselves and to explore the Saudi deserts.
Despite the difficulties associated to the health crisis, a strong field of competitors have answered the call, with 321 vehicles on the entry list. In addition to the 108 motorbikes, 21 quads, 124 cars and SSVs and 42 trucks expected at the start, 26 vehicles have been entered for a regularity competition in the new “Dakar Classic” category, open to cars and trucks built prior to 2000.
After an introduction to the Saudi deserts, the 2021 Dakar competitors will receive an even more in-depth lesson in geography. The characteristics of the route as well as the new regulations introduced aim to reduce average speed, further improve safety conditions and highlight the sporting qualities of the competitors.
Specifically, the fight for the various titles at stake should put the top competitors, who are used to battling it out at the sharp end of the standings, in competition with each other. In the motorcycle category, Ricky Brabec and Honda put an end to a series of 18 consecutive victories for the Austrian firm KTM, which will return with an all-star line-up of riders to try to begin another Dakar winning streak.
While the Dakar participants will head into action on January 2nd with a short prologue (11 km) to determine the starting position of each competitor for the opening stage, they will have to go through several intermediate steps before then. A majority of the vehicles will be summoned to Marseille, December 1-3 to be loaded on to a cargo ship, direction Jeddah. The meeting on the shores of the Red Sea with the owners will take place on December 30th and 31st, while the technical and administrative checks will be conducted on January 1-2 in accordance with health protection regulations.
The longest special stage will take in 511 kilometres on the penultimate stage, while the longest overall stage will feature a total of 813 kilometres on day four. The shakedown, the curtain-raising prologue, the race-start on January 2 and the final finish will all take place in Jeddah. The twelve stages, scheduled from January 3 to 15, 2021, with a rest day in Ha’il, will make a trek counter-clockwise through the Saudi Arabian landscapes.
The race will feature one marathon stage following the rest day, where riders will be unable to receive mechanical assistance and will have to take extra care of their machines. Riders can look forward to a wide variety of complex stages, always a common feature at the Dakar.
Among the novelties to be included in the 2021 Dakar, will be the roadbook given out twenty minutes prior to the start in each of the stages. This differs from last year’s edition where the roadbooks were distributed in this manner on only half of the stages. An important change is the limitation of only six rear tyres for the entire rally, which will force riders to be far more cautious. There will be also a limit to the number of piston changes, as well as a ban on carrying out any mechanical repairs during the refuelling. Finally, the use of jackets with airbags will be mandatory for all motorcycle riders.
2021 Dakar Schedule
Stage
Date
Start > Finish
Total
Special
P
Saturday, January 2, 2021
Jeddah > Jeddah
11 km
11 km
1
Sunday, January 3, 2021
Jeddah > Bisha
622 km
277 km
2
Monday, January 4, 2021
Bisha > Wadi Al Dawasir
685 km
457 km
3
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Wadi Al Dawasir > Wadi Al Dawasir
630 km
403 km
4
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Wadi Al Dawasir > Riyadh
813 km
337 km
5
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Riyadh > Buraydah
625 km
419 km
6
Friday, January 8, 2021
Buraydah > Ha’il
655 km
485 km
Rest
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Ha’il (Rest Day)
–
–
7
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Ha’il > Sakaka
737 km
471 km
8
Monday, January 11, 2021
Sakaka > Neom
709 km
375 km
9
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Neom > Neom
579 km
465 km
10
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Neom > Al-Ula
583 km
342 km
11
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Al-Ula > Yanbu
557 km
511 km
12
Friday, January 15, 2021
Yanbu > Jeddah
452 km
225 km
2021 Dakar Motorcycle Entry List
Num.
Rider
Nat.
Team
1
Brabec Ricky
USA
Honda Monster Energy Honda Team 2021
2
Quintanilla Pablo
CHL
Husqvarna Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3
Price Toby
AUS
KTM Red Bull KTM Factory Team
4
Cornejo Florimo Jose Ignacio
CHL
Honda Monster Energy Honda Team 2021
5
Sunderland Sam
GBR
KTM Red Bull KTM Factory Team
6
Caimi FRAnco
ARG
Yamaha Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team
7
Short Andrew
USA
Yamaha Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team
9
Howes Skyler USA
KTM
Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team
11
Svitko Stefan
SVK
KTM Slovnaft Rally Team
12
De Soultrait Xavier
FRA
Husqvarna Ht Rally Raid Husqvarna Racing
15
Santolino Lorenzo
ESP
Sherco Tvs Sherco Tvs Rally Factory
17
Pedrero Garcia Juan
ESP
KTM Fn Speed – Rieju Team
18
Branch Ross
BWA
Yamaha Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team
19
Goncalves Dias
RUI
Jorge PRT Sherco Tvs Sherco Tvs Rally Factory
20
Tomiczek Adam
POL
Husqvarna Orlen Team
21
Sanders Daniel
AUS
KTM KTM Factory Team
22
Giemza Maciej
POL
Husqvarna Orlen Team
23
Jakes Ivan
SVK
KTM Jakes Dakar Team
24
Bühler Sebastian
DEU
Hero Hero Motosports Team Rally
25
Spierings Paul
NLD
Husqvarna Ht Rally Raid Husqvarna Racing
26
Engel Milan
CZE
KTM Moto Racing Group (Mrg)
27
Rodrigues Joaquim
PRT
Hero Hero Motosports Team Rally
29
Gyenes Emanuel
ROU
KTM Autonet Motorcycle Team
30
Gelazninkas Arunas
LTU
KTM Zigmas Dakar Team
31
Michek Martin
CZE
KTM Moto Racing Group (Mrg)
32
Schareina Tosha
ESP
KTM Fn Speed – KTM Team
33
Koitha Veettil Harith Noah
IND
Sherco Sherco Tvs Rally Factory
34
Patrao Mario
PRT
KTM Credit Agricola – Mario Patrao Motosport
35
Guillen Rivera Juan Pablo
MEX
KTM Nomadas Adventure
36
Brabec Jan
CZE
KTM Strojrent Racing
37
Pabiska David
CZE
KTM Jantar Team
39
Melot Benjamin
FRA
KTM Benjamin Melot
41
Yakp Zaker
CHN
KTM Wu Pu Da Hai Dao Dakar Rally Team
42
Van Beveren Adrien
FRA
Yamaha Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team
44
Sanz Laia
ESP
Gas Gas Gas Gas Factory Team
45
Min Zhang
CHN
KTM Wu Pu Da Hai Dao Dakar Rally Team
46
Marcic Simon
SVN
Husqvarna Marcic
47
Benavides Kevin
ARG
Honda Monster Energy Honda Team 2021
48
Doveze Mathieu
FRA
KTM Nomade Racing Assistance
50
C. S. Santosh
IND
Hero Hero Motosports Team Rally
51
Al-Lal Lahadil Rachid
ESP
KTM Melilla Sport Capital
52
Walkner Matthias
AUT
KTM Red Bull KTM Factory Team
53
Podmol Libor
CZE
Husqvarna Podmol Dakar Team
54
Chapeliere Camille
FRA
KTM Team Baines Rally
55
Hongyi Zhao
CHN
KTM Wu Pu Da Hai Dao Dakar Rally Team
56
Pacheco Giordano
COL
KTM Calidoso Racing Team
58
Iglesias Sanchez Eduardo
ESP
KTM Fn Speed – Team Monforte Rally
59
Interno Tiziano
ITA
Beta Rally Pov
60
Darques Stéphane
FRA
Yamaha M.O.R.Al
61
Dubois Norbert
FRA
KTM Aventure Moto 61
62
Houlihan Andrew Joseph
AUS
KTM Nomadas Adventure
63
Dabrowski Konrad
POL
KTM Duust Rally Team
65
Picco FRAnco
ITA
Husqvarna Team FRAnco Picco
66
Bouchet Pascal
FRA
KTM Team Baines Rally
67
Lhotsky Rudolf
CZE
Husqvarna Jantar Team
68
Mccanney Jamie
GBR
Yamaha Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team
69
Roelants Walter
BEL
Husqvarna Ht Rally Raid Husqvarna Racing
70
Alghuneim Mishal
SAU
KTM Mishal Alghuneim
71
Farhan Salman Mohamed Humood Farhan
BHR
Husqvarna Ht Rally Raid Husqvarna Racing
72
Rauber Pascal
FRA
KTM Team 2rm
73
Jaffar Mohammed
KWT
KTM Duust Rally Team
74
Betriu Jaume
ESP
KTM Fn Speed – KTM Team
76
Krejci Roman
CZE
KTM Bo!Beton Team
77
Benavides Luciano
ARG
Husqvarna Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
78
Zacchetti Cesare
ITA
KTM Cesare Zacchetti
79
Baratin Amaury
FRA
KTM Horizon Moto 95
80
Burgess Michael
AUS
KTM Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team
81
Vlcak Erik
SVK
Husqvarna Slovnaft Rally Team
82
Raorane Ashish
IND
KTM Ashish Raorane
83
Chavez David
PER
KTM Club Aventura Touareg
84
Hawker Neil
GBR
Husqvarna Neil Hawker
85
Azinhais Alexandre
PRT
KTM Club Aventura Touareg
86
Herbst Charlie
FRA
KTM Team Charlie Herbst
87
Mena Oriol
ESP
Rieju Fn Speed – Rieju Team
88
Barreda Bort Joan
ESP
Honda Monster Energy Honda Team 2021
89
Saghmeister Gabor
SRB
KTM Saghmeister Team
90
Catanese FRAncesco
ITA
Yamaha Tuttogru
92
Martinez Eric
FRA
Husqvarna Eric Martinez
93
Lorenzo Piolini
ITA
KTM Caravanserraglio Rally Racing Team
94
Susset Olivier
FRA
Husqvarna Xtreme Garage
95
Flick Xavier
FRA
Husqvarna Xtrem Racing
96
Albero Puig Daniel
ESP
KTM Team Un Diabetico En El Dakar
97
Benko Martin
SVK
KTM Norwit Racing
98
Garcia Sara
ESP
Yamaha Pont Grup Yamaha
99
Vega Puerta Javier
ESP
Yamaha Pont Grup Yamaha
100
Rossat Audrey
FRA
KTM Rossat Audrey
101
Knight David
GBR
Husqvarna Ht Rally Raid Husqvarna Racing
102
Jugla Sara
FRA
KTM Team Baines Rally
104
Altoaimi Fawaz
SAU
Yamaha Fawaz Racing
105
Dominguez Fernando
ESP
KTM Club Aventura Touareg
107
Stigliano Giovanni
ITA
Yamaha Team Jbrally
108
Calmet Marc
ESP
KTM Fn Speed – Rieju Team
110
Bartoszek Jacek
POL
KTM Duust Rally Team
111
Cherpin Pierre
FRA
Husqvarna Pierre Cherpin
112
Campdera Juan
ESP
KTM Juan Campdera
114
Carbonell Mendez Eladio
ESP
KTM Pikaeras Team
115
Harmsen Olaf
NLD
KTM Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team
116
Blandin Erick
FRA
KTM Team Baines Rally
117
Alexander James
BWA
Yamaha The Kalahari Madala
118
Bispo Alexandre
ESP
KTM Expresso Racing
120
Trejos Jhon
COL
KTM Jhon Trejos
121
Barthelemy Guillaume
FRA
KTM Team Rs Concept
123
Pedemonte Angelo
ITA
KTM Pedemonte Angelo
125
Barlerin Frédéric
FRA
KTM Rallye Fred
126
Llanos Diego Gamaliel
ESP
KTM Diego Gamaliel Llanos
127
Jobard Willy
FRA
Garnati Garnati Racing
133
Davide Cominardi
ITA
Honda Cominardi
142
Gerini Maurizio
ITA
Husqvarna Solarys Racing
Aussie Max Whale talks American Flat Track 2020
AmericanFlatTrack.com has done a great feature on young Queenslander Max Whale, who has been over in America this year competing the American Flat Track championship in the Singles class, finishing the season in second-place overall, as well as capturing nine-points in the Production class in Springfield. Here’s a look at what they had to say about the Aussie talent:
When the 2020 Progressive American Flat Track season finally revved into action on a mid-July evening at Volusia Speedway Park, months of anticipation and prediction were replaced by actual results. That opener provided an initial – if not entirely accurate – insight into how a handful of closely tracked storylines might actually play out.
The early returns suggested that the AFT Singles class’ ex-premier class invaders, Henry Wiles, Mikey Rush and Chad Cose, were indeed well positioned to upend a class more often thought of as a springboard for up and comers. And while all three were factors in ‘20, they failed to steamroll the competition as some had feared.
It also created some major worries that the much-hyped Dallas Daniels would take a step back after impressing so mightily in his abbreviated ‘19 rookie campaign (he most certainly did not). But the story of that opening evening was Max Whale, a perennial “star of the future,” who emphatically scrubbed away that “of the future” disclaimer with an all-day, out-and-out drubbing of his rivals en route to a maiden AFT victory.
As the season took its final shape, Daniels grabbed back the spotlight. He rebounded from his opening night disaster to ultimately reign over the class in a commanding, eight-win title fight blowout.
However, the continued rise of Whale was arguably the category’s B plot. His ascension since first arriving on the scene has been truly meteoric. The 19-year-old Australian turned a 14th-ranked 2018 rookie campaign into a ninth-ranked, one-podium 2019 sophomore season. He made an even bigger leap in 2020, securing championship runner-up status on the strength of five podiums highlighted by the aforementioned victory.
Max Whale
“This season was a dream come true. It went perfect, pretty much — I was consistent. Five podiums was my goal coming into the year, and I did it. I’m pumped on that. And to finish second in the championship was crazy. It was awesome. I am still lost for words… It’s hard to explain. Getting that first win on the opening night was incredible. It was honestly hard to believe. It took a couple days for it to sink in. The whole day was perfect. I think I qualified second, I won the Semi, and then won the Main. It was awesome. I just wish my parents were here to see it.”
That wish went deeper than simply wishing they could have shared in his breakthrough success. While the pandemic was (and very much remains) catastrophically disruptive for everyone, Whale was presented with even greater challenges than the average dirt track pro as a result.
The teenager was stripped of the support system he’d relied on his entire professional career when he was forced to live and travel and compete while effectively trapped on his own inside the United States with his father, Brett Whale, on the outside looking in from Australia.
Previously, the two had travelled the country together in a used RV and trailer that served as their living quarters and workshop. His absence robbed Max of both emotional support and very practical help.
Max Whale
“In past years, my dad was with me for the whole season. Leading in I knew it was going to be tough with him going back home due to COVID. And you know, I didn’t realize just how much he did – from prepping my bikes, driving and servicing the RV, cooking and cleaning – until he was gone. He went home in March and then DAYTONA got cancelled. I had to stay here by myself. It was a big reality check.”
Thrown into the deep end, Whale, appropriately enough, swam rather than sunk. He was taken under the wing of the larger Pennsylvania-based AFT community and, with their help, he thrived.
Max Whale
“You know, I wouldn’t change it. It turned out good. When my dad first left, I was in Pennsylvania for a couple of months. And then for the whole year, PA was kind of my base. I had some awesome people who helped me out — Briar (Bauman) and Shayna (Texter) helped me out a crazy amount. Everyone at Don’s Kawasaki and so many others too. There were just so many awesome people I could turn to. If I needed anything, I could always message them and they helped me out straight away. I’m so lucky to have that and I cannot thank those guys enough.”
It proved to be a relatively painless and seamless adaptation, considering the circumstances. But adapting has been the norm since Whale first turned pro. Dirt track racing is a considerably different beast in Australia compared with America, from types and sizes of tires to brake set-ups to track surfaces and layouts.
While three years of experience as an AFT Singles ace have Whale now feeling even more at home when racing in the States than he does when he returns to his Down Under roots, the 2017 Australian Junior Track Champion claims his meteoric year-on-year rise in Progressive AFT is more down to an improved mental game than any other factor.
Max Whale
“I feel like my improvement is mainly down to confidence. My bikes were better this year than they had been previously, but a lot of it was just confidence. After I got that win in Volusia, it really made me understand that I could do it. I found myself qualifying better every round — a lot better than I did last year. I just went in with a different mindset and it ended up paying off.”
Whale is not ready to confirm his exact 2021 plans just yet with an announcement likely coming early next year. He did admit, however, that he will be back in the AFT Singles class for a fourth attempt at the title. After going from 14th to 9th to runner-up, only one final landing spot will be considered a continuation of that upward trajectory. Some might say the bad news on that front is that he’ll have to go through Dallas Daniels to do it, as the dominant champion is set to defend his crown in ‘21.
Whale doesn’t see it that way, preferring to view Daniels as the ultimate measuring stick rather than an impenetrable wall blocking his path, sharing “That’s good news for me. I want to win with everything in it. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
2020 AFT Singles Overall Standings
Pos.
Rider
Overall Points
1
Dallas Daniels
283
2
Max Whale
215
3
Henry Wiles
208
4
Michael Rush
185
5
Trent Lowe
183
6
Morgen Mischler
178
7
Tanner Dean
160
8
Brandon Kitchen
154
9
Chad Cose
137
10
Michael Inderbitzin
124
11
Trevor Brunner
113
12
Shayna Texter
102
13
Cole Zabala
84
14
James Ott
79
15
Kevin Stollings
74
16
Andrew Luker
74
17
Cameron Smith
73
18
Aidan RoosEvans
61
19
Ryan Wells
58
20
Jacob Lehmann
56
21
Jesse Janisch
50
22
Dylan Bell
18
23
Wyatt Anderson
17
24
Tyler Raggio
14
25
Justin Jones
9
26
Blake Lomas
4
AMX takes naming rights to the MXOpen at Wonthaggi
The MXOpen will take place this side of Christmas thanks to AMX, the Dandenong Motocross Club and other leading industry partners and local businesses. Entries are available online at www.ridernet.com.au.
$15,000 in Prizemoney headlines the one-day motocross spectacular. Penrite Honda, Empire Kawasaki, SP Motorsports Suzuki riders will compete against the best riders in Victoria in a winner takes all one round open. Yarrive Konsky has been working with the Dandenong Motocross Club to facilitate the AMX MXOpen.
On December 13th an all star line up of riders and teams will take to the track in an effort to win prizemoney, prizes and bragging rights going into Christmas. The Dandenong Motocross Clubs president understands the need for racing and wanted to see competition happen this side of the New Year.
Yarrive Konsky
“We are starving for racing; it’s been 8 months without competition in Victoria and riders, sponsors, teams and clubs are hungry for competition. I wanted to see racing happening this side of Christmas and I appreciate the Dandenong Motocross Clubs enthusiasm towards making this possible. We have members we want to support, an industry we need to support, and we love racing that is why we are behind this event. Our club is made up of passionate people and we are excited to see racing resume.”
“We are getting behind this event. Yarrive, the DMCC and Motorcycling Victoria share the same passion for competition. We know that some of our members want to get back to racing and we have offered our full support to Yarrive and the DMCC.”
2020 MXOpen Details
Sunday 13th December
Wonthaggi Motocross Track – Dandenong Motorcycle Club
220 W Area Rd, Wonthaggi VIC 3995
Gates open 5:45am
Practice commences: 8:00am
MXOpen Classes
C-grade 450 4-stroke
SNR Womens
125cc and 128 – 150cc 2 Stroke 13 – Under 16
200 – 250cc 4 Stroke 13 – Under 16
Pro Lite 250cc 4-stroke (A and B classes scored separately)
65cc 9-U12
65cc – 7 -U11
85 2stk & 150cc 4stk Std & BW – 11-U15
Pro Open 450cc 4-stroke (A and B classes scored separately)
DIV 2 50cc
Vets 30 + 35+ 40+ 45+
C-grade 250
2-stroke pre 90, pre 2000 and open – (Classes scored separately)
2020 Heaven M/C Club VMX Final – Memorial Weekend
The Heaven Motorcycle Club, NSW’s primary Vintage Motocross Club, held the only actual NSW VMX Race meeting for 2020 at the Lakes motocross track at Awaba over the November 21-22 Memorial Weekend recently. With COVID wreaking havoc with a schedule originally slated for a seven round season, numerous cancellations and attempts to reschedule eventually yielded a single round championship, wrapped up with two races per class.
Peter Martin took part in the vintage motocross event, racing in two classes and sent us his version of events, which we’re happy to share with you here:
Thank you Heaven, one round, two races per class and big fields
With Peter Martin
The Heaven VMX Committee worked hard to make it possible to have a single round Championship. Thank you Heaven, one round, two races per class and big fields saw everyone welcome the opportunity to go racing.
The Lakes meeting was the Heaven VMX Championship for 2020, not a series, just two races in each class to decide who would take home the coveted Trophies. I was entered in the Pre-1990 class (all capacities) on the 1989 Honda CR250RK and the Evolution class (all capacities) on the 1979 Honda CR250RZ, I was also invited to race in the President’s Cup Invitational, a 15 minute +1 Lap Moto (all ages and capacities of bike).
With two four-lap class races and one moto length invitational each day I considered the racing physically doable, so Saturday I did two short practices on each bike and then headed out for the first Pre-1990 all in on the 1989 bike. A crowded and talented grid of 40 riders were keen to go racing. I when I glanced down the field there was #100 of Craig Anderson, five-times Australian Motocross Champion. Surely I am in the wrong place I thought, but it’s too late to pull out now.
I got a reasonable start to about mid field, then the talent started to work up their speed ahead and a few more got by me, then a few more. I settled down and started passing riders, while my position was helped by a few riders enthusiastically throwing themselves and their bikes over the top of berms and into tyre walls – it was carnage fuelled by wonderful enthusiasm.
I had two races to recover with just enough time to wipe my face, take a drink and get back up to the start line in time for the Evo all in race on the 1979 bike. I got a great start, running fourth into turn 2 and then slowed too early for the entry. Whoosh I dropped around five places, so it was head down and I started passing a few, working my way up through the field.
The Presidents Cup was to be the last race of the day and the decision was made to transfer the Presidents Cup to be the first and last race on Sunday. That would mean I had a 15 minute +1 Lap Moto and two 4 lap races back to back, then a long break to the last President’s Cup Moto at the end of the day.
Saturday night was Heaven’s AGM and Jo Gillan provided a glorious roast chicken meal, then it was off to sleep early. All night my leg muscles played tag on who would cramp next, which meant frequently getting up to stretch or walk off cramps, then back to bed so a squadron of mozzies could continue their attempts to terrorise me and drag me out the door. After a restless night Sunday dawned. It was overcast and a little cooler (at first), I did two laps to warm up and got ready for the first President’s Cup Moto.
It was another packed grid of 40 riders. I got off the start-line well to be about fifth heading into turn two and… ended up 12th heading out of turn two. So once again I picked up the pace and started passing riders – I just kept chasing and moving forward. After seven or eight laps the checkered flag saw me reasonably well placed around 10th.
I got back to my pit and thought, I can not go straight out to the second Pre-1990 race. I had prepared a bag of ice in a wet towel and poured cold water over my head to bring my temperature down, there was a short delay and repeated announcements of the start of the Pre-1990, so I put my helmet, gloves and goggles back on. By the time I got to the line I had given the field half a lap start, I just put my head down and raced, pushed, rode as best I could passing those I could to the finish.
I had two races to recover before the final Evo race on the 1979 bike. Again a great start and again giving up too many positions in turn two. I remember nothing of this race, what else happened and the results are a mystery, I just survived.
It was a long wait for the final President’s Cup Moto and it was very hot, I packed up what I could and attempted to keep my body moving and my temperature down. After an eternity, the call came and I lined up for the final race of the day. Again a great start was followed by giving up too many positions leaving turn two. I rode, pushing where I had an advantage and surviving where I was too weak to push.
There were a few riders inserting themselves into the scrub and tyre walls which made it possible to pick up more places. Basically it was survival of the most determined. On the last lap Mark Tompkin attempted a pass, I looked at it and thought I can stop you and then thought, but I won’t. The same for the next corner, I got inside him and thought I can stop you but I had no fight left and just rode to finish the race.
Final results saw me 12th overall in the Pre-1990 category, ninth in the Evolution and 10th overall in the President’s Cup Invitational. My results are far from what I am capable of yet better than I expected. I am in the process of changing my whole motocross riding style for better results on the Supercross type tracks Heaven go to, so being around the top 10 overall in all three classes considering the competition is actually a pretty good result.
I take away so much from this meeting however. My starts are consistently good and I slow too much and brake too early into the first real turn. My riding ‘style’ is evolving, yet there is a long way to go before I am competitive. Compared to before, I have improved my speed on some parts of the track and I am slower on other parts. The real victory is that my body is not as beaten and damaged as it was before. It is not that I am not hurting, I am hurting much less and my body is not taking as long to recover. I am even starting to enjoy riding again. For these reasons I consider this a victory.
A big thanks to the Heaven committee and all the Heaven members who make VMX Racing so much fun. A big thank you to the volunteers who make it possible for us to ride. Thank you to David Middleton (Excel Tint) who helped to revise and set up the suspension which has provided a significant improvement in comfort. Thank you to all the wonderful, patient people who support my racing. Race Images from Matty Baker Images, thank you for the great photos.
We’ve reached out to Heaven M/C Club and will add full results shortly.
Yamaha celebrate 2020 MX2 manufacturers title
Yamaha Motor Europe have celebrated the success of its 2020 racing strategy as the MX2 Manufacturer of the Year thanks to the YZ250F and the skill and determination of riders Jago Geerts, Ben Watson and Maxime Renaux, all three of whom visited the top step of the podium over the course of the season.
This achievement marks Yamaha’s third manufacturers crown since the class was reinvented as MX2 in 2004, with the first title coming in 2005 and the second following two years later in 2007.
Spearheaded by the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, which was reintroduced in 2020 after a five-year hiatus, and strengthened by the addition of the SM Action M.C. Migliori Yamaha Supported Team, Yamaha celebrated 18 race wins, 23 podium finishes and nine Grand Prix wins on its way to the 2020 MX2 Manufacturers title.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Jago Geerts led 156 laps, won 14 races and celebrated 12 podium finishes, of which six were Grand Prix wins to claim MX2’s silver medal with 679-points.
Simultaneously, SM Action M.C. Migliori Yamaha’s Maxime Renaux ended the season 98-points further adrift in third position after taking his very first race and Grand Prix win in Faenza, Italy. Renaux also led 30-laps and mounted the podium on no fewer than five occasions.
Bolstering Yamaha’s achievements in 2020, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Ben Watson led 37-laps on his way to two race wins, which were followed by two Grand Prix victories. Watson claimed six podium finishes on his way to fifth overall in the final MX2 World Championship standings.
While Renaux’s achievements had already confirmed the competitiveness of the ‘non-Factory’ YZ250F, the strength of the world-beating motorcycle was further affirmed by Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250’s Thibault Benistant, who took his YZ250F to the top of the EMX250 Championship in just his second season in the class.
Just three days after he was crowned champion, Benistant signed on to race the next three MX2 Grands Prix. Racing his EMX250 Championship winning YZ250F, the 18-year-old debutant impressed with two top-three race finishes and a top-five overall finish in his third-ever Grand Prix.
Proving the dominance of the YZ250F across the board, Yamaha also won its fifth WMX Manufacturer’s title thanks to the combined efforts of Nancy van de Ven and Larissa Papenmeier. Throughout the five rounds of the WMX World Championship, van de Ven won three races and mounted the podium four times to finish as the 2020 series runner-up. Papenmeier joined her counterpart on the podium and collected the bronze medal with two Grand Prix wins, one race win and four podium finishes.
Reinforcing Yamaha’s strategy to develop the next generation of MXGP champions from within their own ranks, Watson, Renaux and Benistant will all progress up the Yamaha Racing pyramid in 2021. Watson will join highly experienced 450cc riders Jeremy Seewer and Glenn Coldenhoff under the awning of the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team to contest his first season aboard a works Yamaha YZ450F. Renaux and Benistant will join Geerts inside the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, forming a potent line-up for Yamaha as it looks to defend the MX2 Manufacturers crown and challenge once again for the riders title in 2021.
2020 MX2 Manufacturer Standings
Pos
Manufacturer
Total
1
Yamaha
810
2
KTM
786
3
Husqvarna
655
4
Kawasaki
561
5
Honda
411
6
GASGAS
343
2020 MX2 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
759
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
679
3
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
581
4
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
564
5
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
551
6
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
540
7
Van De Moosdijk, R.
NED
KAW
466
8
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
365
9
Fernandez, R.
ESP
YAM
343
10
Rubini, S.
FRA
HON
279
11
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
263
12
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
248
13
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
234
14
Malkiewicz, B.
AUS
HON
164
15
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
163
16
Forato, A.
ITA
HUS
156
17
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
HON
143
18
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
137
19
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
118
20
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
115
21
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
112
22
Renkens, N.
BEL
KTM
103
23
Crawford, N.
AUS
HON
91
24
Benistant, T.
FRA
YAM
90
25
Genot, Cyril
BEL
YAM
85
26
Hofer, Rene
AUT
KTM
73
27
Sikyna, R.
SVK
KTM
72
28
Sandner, M.
AUT
GAS
67
29
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
HUS
62
30
Laengenfelder, S.
GER
GAS
59
31
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
45
32
Sydow, Jeremy
GER
GAS
35
33
Roosiorg, H.
EST
KTM
33
34
Harrison, M.
USA
KAW
22
35
Todd, Wilson
AUS
KAW
21
36
Cenerelli, G.
ITA
HUS
21
37
Toriani, Enzo
FRA
HUS
21
38
Nermann, J.
EST
HUS
17
39
Dickinson, A.
GBR
KTM
15
40
Meier, Glen
DEN
YAM
13
41
Teresak, Jakub
CZE
KTM
13
42
Zonta, Filippo
ITA
KTM
6
43
Edelbacher, R.
AUT
HUS
5
44
Furbetta, J.
ITA
KTM
3
45
Spies, M.
GER
HUS
2
46
Haavisto, Jere
FIN
YAM
2
Tom Pagès prepares for 2021 Enduropale du Touquet challenge
Tom Pagès will spend the next two months preparing for the world’s biggest beach race as the French freestyle motocross star takes on a daunting new endurance challenge at the Enduropale du Touquet event in January.
Pagès has gone from practising in his own back yard in France, to competing with the best riders in the world and progressing the sport through his series of never-been-done tricks. The 35-year-old has picked up numerous titles over the years with the multiple X-Games and Red Bull X-Fighters winner now eager to test himself further.
The Enduropale du Touquet covers over 13km of sand in northern France and is the inspiration for the famous Dakar Rally after wowing fans since the inaugural edition way back in 1975. The first event attracted 286 competitors with over 1,000 professional and amateur enduro riders are expected in 2021 to tackle waves, chicanes and velodrome-style turns with the final ranking established according to the most completed laps after three tough hours of racing.
Tom Pagès
“I have to catch up 15 years of experience on the most experienced riders. I need to get used to riding with a new type of neoprene gloves, which change my feelings on the throttle. Also a camel bag in my back because we need a lot of water throughout the race: hydration is key and, if you are thirsty, it’s already too late and you are in danger. Looking for new challenges is the key to longevity, even more in individual sports. I have learned from my mistakes in the past 14 years and I want to optimise my abilities to bring them into this new discipline. This new challenge also allows me to open my mind and to bring fresh air into my FMX career in which the mental workload is high. This short break in freestyle motocross already made me think of new tricks and new projects around FMX for the next two to three years. In the meantime, I focus on my next objectives: strengthen my physical preparation, be at the start of Enduropale 2021 and aim for the top of the board, even though I am aware of the difficulty. Winning is unimaginable but, maybe, not impossible!”
Jonny Walker and KTM part ways after eight seasons
KTM have thanked enduro racer Jonny Walker for his achievements with the brand over the past eight seasons as his contract concludes with the Austrian manufacturer. KTM confirmed the departure of Jonny Walker from the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team by mutual agreement. Due to re-structuring within the team, linked to changes that have been made to the enduro program over the past few seasons, KTM has been unable to retain Jonny’s services for 2021.
Jonny began his hard enduro campaign aboard KTM machinery in 2010 following a successful career in trials. As a then 19-year-old, he worked his way up the enduro ranks before signing his first official agreement with KTM in 2011. Soon after Walker graduated into the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, in 2012. Walker won the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble title that year, which he went on to successfully defend in 2013.
In 2015 Jonny took his riding to the next level, cementing his place as one of extreme enduro’s best following winning riders at The Tough One, Red Bull Romaniacs, Red Bull Hare Scramble, Hell’s Gate and Red Bull 111 Megawatt. Despite a number of injuries, which resulted in time off a bike during the following few years, the likeable Brit went on to claim podium finishes in further extreme enduros and WESS Championship events.
KTM thanked Jonny for everything he has achieved together with KTM and the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team over the years, including his extreme enduro and FIM SuperEnduro World Championship successes, wishing him all the best for his future.
Fabio Farioli – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
“Firstly, we’d like to say a big thank you to Jonny for everything he has achieved with KTM Factory Racing. We had some good times over the years and some incredible results – including wins at some of the toughest events on the hard enduro calendar as well as in the SuperEnduro World Championship. He has been an important part of our team and has been integral to our ongoing success. Despite our best efforts we were unable to negotiate a deal to keep Jonny on the team. We wish him all the very best for the future.”
Arminas Jasikonis recovery update
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Arminas Jasikonis is very much on the mend after the Lithuanian rider crashed at the Mantova round of the FIM Motocross World Championship and suffered a serious head injury. Jasikonis has been making small steps forward and looking at coming back to racing in 2021.
Antti Pyrhonen – Team Manager Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory MXGP team
“AJ is basically recovering really well. It was a very serious accident, and he was in a severe condition after the crash in Mantova. He had heavy impact to the head, and he was due to that two and a half days in a medical coma. When he woke up on Tuesday afternoon, he did a very good recovery, an unbelievable recovery actually. He could leave the hospital after a week and then he could travel back to Lithuanian and he didn’t need to go back to hospital or any recovery centre. He moved back home and was living with his girlfriend and doing some physical training and he can now drive his car.”
As for Arminas himself, as he resides in his home with his girlfriend, he can see improvements and is being as patient as possible in letting his body improve slowly as his brain starts to remember things as he comes back to full recovery.
Arminas Jasikonis
“There are days when it’s worse. There are days when it’s better, but not bad at all compared to the first days after an incident. I still feel shoulder pain, but I’ve been working on that and since two weeks ago, I started driving a car. Everything happens gradually, I’m on my way forward, but you can’t overdo it. There’s a lot of desire for me, but I can’t do it all at once because I don’t know how the brain will accept it. I started running, the balance is good. In Finland, the medical profession will look at how far I have moved forward. The plan is to come back, it really is, but I can’t promise it. I’d like to be back in half a year. I just slept and woke up. I’m almost unscathed, just a little bit of a shoulder pain at the moment, but I’m working on it now.”
MA announce 2021 National Championships Calendar
Motorcycling Australia (MA) have released the 2021 National Championships Calendar of events across a variety of disciplines including Australian and International Championships.
Included in the 2021 National Calendar are all MA sanctioned disciplines including the Australian Superbike Championship, Australian Off-Road Championship, ProMX Championship, Australian Junior, Senior and Sidecar Speedway Championships, Australian Supercross Championships, Australian Junior Motocross Championships, Australian Four Day Enduro, Australian Junior and Senior Track Championships, Australian Trials and X-Trials Championships, Classic and Post Classic Dirt Track & Motocross Championships, Australian ATV MX Championships and much more.
The calendar also includes internationally recognised events such as the MotoGP, FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, Oceania Junior Cup, FIM Oceania Speedway and Sidecar Championships, Finke and Hattah Desert Races, as well as Australian Three Day Vintage Enduro (A3VE).
Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship unveil 2021 calendar
The AORC Management Team have revealed the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), presented by MXStore 2021 Calendar. The Calendar will feature 12 action packed rounds across six tantalising venues in 2021, visiting four states across the country as the championship kicks back into gear.
The 2021 AORC will continue the double-header format, kicking off the season at Nowra, NSW, on March 27 and 28 for Rounds 1 and 2. Nowra was set to run in 2020 and we know it is now more than ready to provide sensational racing and will be a Championship highlight to start off the year in style.
Rounds 3 and 4 on April 17 and 18, will be held in Victoria at a yet to be finalised venue. For the fourth time in six years, the Championship then returns to the picturesque Kyogle, NSW, for rounds 5 and 6 on July 17 and 18, before heading north to Queensland for a yet to be determined venue for Rounds 7 and 8 on August 6 and 7.
AORC returns to the sand of Kingston SE, South Australia, on September 18 and 19 for the penultimate weekend as the venue plays host to Rounds 9 and 10.
The Championship Grand Finale Rounds 11 and 12 is set to take place at Omeo, Victoria on October 16 and 17. This Championship finished spectacularly in 2018 and in 2021 it will do the same as the AORC will be able to crown all of its champions.
With all 14 Championship classes set to continue in 2021 there will be something for all types of riders, from the smallest of Juniors to the World’s best off-road riders. Keep your eyes peeled as we reveal the classes in the coming weeks.
Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO
“The AORC management team have worked together to bring the championship back in 2021, we are sure both riders and fans are eager to get back to the track in the new year for some sensational racing. With large fields expected across all classes, so many different opportunities to go racing and with the backing of all our industry partners and host clubs we can’t wait to get the show back on the road to the see the world best riders go head to head out in the bush.”
AORC can also reveal the championship will return to Tasmania in 2022.
Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship & ProMX to collide in Queensland in 2021
Motorcycle fans will get the best of both worlds in 2021, with a three-day two-wheel extravaganza announced to feature both the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) presented by MXStore, and the ProMX Championship, at Queensland Moto Park (QMP) from August 6-8, 2021.
The three-day weekend will feature rounds 7 and 8 of the AORC (August 6-7) and round 6 of the ProMX Championship (August 8). With large fields across all classes, this will be a tantalising event not to be missed for two-wheel fans.
In what is a first for the sport with two of the largest disciplines in AORC and PromMX coming together as one, Queensland Moto Park is set to be a spectacular venue for what will be an iconic event.
With all 14 AORC Championship classes and MX1, MX2, and MX3 ProMX Championship classes competing, there will be plenty of action from the smallest juniors to the World’s best riders for the fans to watch.
Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO
“Motorcycling Australia is ecstatic to announce the final pieces of both the AORC and ProMX Championship calendars for 2021. This event will be the ultimate off-road and motocross weekend and must attend event in 2021 for Australian off-road and motocross fans. Significant work by both the AORC and ProMX Management Teams have secured this sensational event at QMP which will provide spectacular racing from Australia’s best enduro and motocross riders.”
Kim Rowcliffe – Motorcycling Queensland General Manager
“We are very excited to be able to host the first event with two major Australian Championships events running alongside one another in the AORC and the ProMX and we have a venue here at Queensland Moto Park that will set up a perfect three days. We know fans will be salivating at the chance to get to Queensland Moto Park for an ultimate weekend of action and we can’t wait to see them there.”
Further event details, race schedules and ticketing will be announced over the coming months.
Rohan Tungate joins Slangerup SGP team for 2021
Former Australian champion Rohan Tungate is set to race for Danish team Slangerup in 2021 – putting his Peterborough future in serious doubt. The Kurri Kurri-born star has been unveiled by Polish First Division club Tarnow and Swedish side Lejonen as part of their sides for next year.
With riders competing in Poland’s second tier now limited to racing in just two other national leagues, this would appear to rule Tungate out of a return to the East of England Showground, where he was due to race in 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic cancelled the British league season.
Rohan Tungate
“I’m really happy to stay in Slangerup and was really looking forward to racing and fighting for the team in 2020, but unfortunately it couldn’t happen because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The team looks strong, and with a skilled team leader, I’m sure we’re going to have a fun and successful season. I can’t wait to get into action and see a lot of fans on the terraces.”
Tungate teams up with the likes of Andreas Lyager, Dawid Lampart, Jonas Seifert-Salk, Daniel Henderson and Emil Portner at the club. They are yet to name an A rider to spearhead the side, with former SGP star Mikkel Michelsen usually a regular in their colours.
The loss of Tungate would be another blow to the British leagues, with more top riders expected to be forced out by the Polish restrictions, which limit PGE Ekstraliga riders to competing in just one other league.
2021 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing AMA Teams revealed
With “off-season” preparations underway for the 2021 race season, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team has announced its three-rider line-up alongside a press event held today at the company’s North American test track facility “RD Field” in Southern California.
Featuring two of the sport’s top contenders – Marvin Musquin and Cooper Webb – in the 450 cc division, the team is also proud to welcome rising star Maximus Vohland to its in-house 250 cc effort as the orange bleeder is set to make his professional debut in 2021.
450SX/MX
Marvin Musquin, a decade-long veteran of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, will return to the 450 cc lineup in 2021 as he dives into the upcoming AMA Supercross Championship with vengeance after missing last year’s series due to a major knee injury.
Missing nearly one-year of racing in total, the French rider returned to the dirt for the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, where he eased his way back into action with a series of promising performances to claim fourth overall in the series. Musquin will continue to put in the work during the offseason to come back even stronger and ready to contest the 450SX title aboard the KTM 450 SX-Factory Edition come January.
Webb, the 2019 450SX Champion, followed up his ground-breaking year with a strong title defense last season as he brought the 2020 championship down to the final race, ultimately finishing runner-up with four race-wins and nine podiums. An ongoing back injury kept him sidelined for this past AMA Pro Motocross Championship but the North Carolina native has been hard at work and is ready to do battle in 2021. On the heels of inking another two-year deal with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, Webb will look to return the number one plate to his KTM 450 SX-Factory Edition for the next two seasons.
Ian Harrison – Team Manager
“We are very confident in Marvin and Cooper for the 2021 season. Marvin has been with KTM North America for a decade now and has always competed at the highest level. Having missed the 2020 season, he is eager to get back to racing SX and being healthy is a big part of the puzzle. We plan to start testing this week to fine tune our 2021 machine – we have a few new components to test and work with that should help Marvin improve his bike setup. We are looking forward to what Marvin can do in 2021, him being with long-time mechanic Frank Latham puts him in good hands. Cooper has a lot of experience coming into 2021 and we are very excited to see how things progress now that he has been with us for two years. Along with his mechanic, Carlos Rivera, I feel we are all at a point where we understand each other’s strengths and that leads to better bike setup and race day changes. Cooper also has a clean bill of health, so we are confident that he will be ready to keep the momentum rolling into 2021.”
250SX/MX
For the first time since 2015, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team will bring its 250 cc effort back in-house with a one-rider lineup in 2021. Maximus Vohland, a Northern California native with strong motocross heritage in his blood, comes in with many years under the guidance of KTM’s Orange Brigade Amateur Motocross program. The five-time Loretta Lynn’s AMA National Champion, and most recently crowned 2019 AMA Youth Rider of the Year, has proven his merit at the highest level of amateur racing where he now begins the next chapter with his professional supercross debut aboard the KTM 250 SX-F.
Ian Harrison – Team Manager
“Max has had a long and successful journey as an amateur with KTM and we are happy to be involved in the start of his young career. I met him years ago and have seen his progress through the amateur ranks – he is young but has a lot of potential. Time will tell how he manages the ups and downs of professional racing and we will be here to help support him in every way we can. Our goal is to have Max and KTM up front.”
The 2021 AMA Supercross Championship is set to kick off on Saturday, January 16 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Mattia Guadagnini joins KTM MX2 efforts
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will field three racers in the MX2 category of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship after signing Italian Mattia Guadagnini for next season.
Mattia Guadagnini
“For me this is a dream come true to join the KTM family, especially the De Carli team as I grew up watching Tony’s races. I always said ‘one day I want to be there also and fight in the world championship’ so the day has come and I’m so happy. I like how they work as a big family, spending lots of time together. Also having Tony and Jorge as direct teammates will be awesome. I can learn a lot and I think I have all I need to work on my goals for the future!”
Guadagnini is the 2020 EMX250 European Championship runner-up after owning nine motos in his first season on a 250cc four-stroke machine. He adds the silver medal to the gold he won in 2019 as the FIM World and EMX125 #1 for what was his first major step onto the international stage.
Guadagnini will slot into Claudio de Carli’s side of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing set-up where he will join the training program around Tony Cairoli and Jorge Prado and their Roman base. The Grand Prix rookie can count MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle and Rene Hofer as teammates in MX2 next year.
Red Bull KTM will continue to field Cairoli, Jeffrey Herlings and Prado on the KTM 450 SX-Fs in the MXGP division.
Claudio De Carli
“Mattia is one of the most interesting young riders in international motocross, he has already reached important milestones and he must continue in his growth to fight with the best riders in the world championship. We are happy to have him in our team and, as always, we will try to give him the best from a technical and training point of view. He gives me the impression of a boy with solid principles and great motivation and I want him to face this first year with us by working with his teammates, without pressure and with the aim of improving in every aspect in his first full season of MX2.”
2021 Racing schedule
2021 AMA SX calendar
Date
Event
Venue
Location
E/W
Jan 16
Houston 1
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 19
Houston 2
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 23
Houston 3
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX
East
Jan 30
Indianapolis 1
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb 2
Indianapolis 2
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb 6
Indianapolis 3
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
East
Feb20
Glendale 1
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Feb 23
Glendale 2
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Feb 27
Glendale 3
State Farm Stadium
Glendale, AZ
West
Mar 6
Daytona*
Daytona Int. Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL
East
Mar 13
Arlington 1
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Mar 16
Arlington 2
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Mar 20
Arlington 3
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
West
Round 14
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 15
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 16
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Round 17
Salt Lake City
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Salt Lake City, UT
TBD
2021 Provisional MXGP Calendar
Rnd
Grand Prix
Date
1
MXGP of Oman, Muscat
Fri 2 Apr – Sat 3 Apr
2
MXGP of Italy, TBA
Sat 24 Apr – Sun 25 Apr
3
MXGP of Portugal, Agueda
Sat 8 May – Sun 9 May
4
MXGP of The Netherlands, Oss
Sat 22 May – Sun 23 May
5
MXGP of Germany, Teutschenthal
Sat 29 May – Sun 30 May
6
MXGP of Russia, Orlyonok
Sat 12 Jun – Sun 13 Jun
7
MXGP of Latvia, Kegums
Sat 19 Jun – Sun 20 Jun
8
MXGP of Jakarta (INA), Jakarta
Sat 3 Jul – Sun 4 Jul
9
MXGP of Indonesia, Semarang
Sat 10 Jul – Sun 11 Jul
10
MXGP of Czech Replublic, Loket
Sat 24 Jul – Sun 25 Jul
11
MXGP of Belgium, Lommel
Sat 31 Jul – Sun 1 Aug
12
MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla
Sat 7 Aug – Sun 8 Aug
13
MXGP of Finland, Iitti-KimiRing
Sat 21 Aug – Sun 22 Aug
14
MXGP of Igora Drive (RUS), Igora Drive
Sat 28 Aug – Sun 29 Aug
15
MXGP of Turkey, Afyonkarahisar
Sat 11 Sep – Sun 12 Sep
16
MXGP of China, TBA
Sat 18 Sep – Sun 19 Sep
17
MXGP of France, St Jean d’Angely
Sat 9 Oct – Sun 10 Oct
18
MXGP of Spain, intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos
Sat 16 Oct – Sun 17 Oct
19
TBA
Sat 30 Oct – Sun 31 Oct
20
MXGP of Patagonia Argentina, Neuquen
Sat 13 Nov – Sun 14 Nov
2021 Australian Pro MX calendar
Rnd
Date
Location
1
Apr-11
Wonthaggi, Victoria
2
May-02
Canberra, ACT
3
May-30
Gilman, South Australia
4
Jun-27
Maitland, NSW
5
Jul-25
Wodonga, Victoria
6
Aug-08
TBC, Queensland
7/8
August 14-15
Coolum, Queensland
2021 Speedway GP Calendar
Date
Round
Location
Apr-24
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix
TBC
May-15
2021 PZM Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
PGE Narodowy
May-22
2021 German FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Bergring Arena
Jun-05
2021 Czech Republic FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Marketa Stadium
Jun-19
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix
TBC
Jul-17
2021 Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Principality Stadium
Jul-31
2021 Betard Wroclaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix OF POLAND
Olympic Stadium
Aug-14
2021 Swedish FIM Speedway Grand Prix
G&B Arena
Aug-28
2021 Russian FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Anatoly Stepanov Stadium
Sep-11
2021 Danish FIM Speedway Grand Prix Sponsored by ECCO
Casey Stoner Cup kicks off this weekend at Loxford Park
Kurri Kurri Junior Motor Cycle Club will again honour its former member Casey Stoner who went on to become MotoGP world champion at Loxford Park Raceway, situated in Dickson Road, Loxford, (Kurri Kurri, New South Wales) this Saturday, November 21.
The Tradecore Industries Casey Stoner Cup dirt track meeting has been staged for over a decade and already has an impressive list of previous winners.
A classy line-up of riders in both senior and junior classes will be keen to get in to action this Saturday after months of inactivity. Practice gets underway at 8.30am with the Cup finals wrapping up the programme in the afternoon. For fans it is a cheap day out on Saturday with just a $5.00 per car entry fee with full canteen facilities available.
While Australian Championship racing for track and dirt track all fell victim to COVID and its restrictions, New South Wales has been able to get this discipline of the sport up and running this month. This Saturday’s meeting comes in between several state championship meetings.
Kempsey hosted the senior and junior dirt track titles, along with the Akubra Classic events before Quirindi Showground hosted motorcycle racing for the first time when it hosted the senior track titles. The Junior Track title at Tamworth is still to come on November 28.
Yamaha Junior Racing display strong talent in Tas, NSW & WA
Despite it being late in the year, Yamaha Junior Racing continues to bring the heat and enthusiasm to each event and again achieved significant results as racing winds down for the season. The racing continues around the national with state based events in Western Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales all taking centre stage in recent weeks.
Western Australia
The final round of the Western Australian Motocross Championship ripped through the coastal town of Bunbury with good numbers in attendance and all desperate to finish their season on a positive note. The YJR crew were in full force with Jake Rumens back from injury and joining Jake Turner while Yamaha support rider, Deegan Fort, was also on hand and all three ready to grab some silverware.
Rumens return to the track was a successful one taking a second place finish in the 12-15 years 85cc class on the back of his 2-1-2 results for the day. It was a good return to form for Rumens, who had been sidelined with a hand/ wrist injury and missed a round leaving him out of contention for the series.
Jake Turner was right in the middle of a championship fight in both the 13-15 years 125 and 250cc classes. He had consistently been on the podium at the previous rounds and wanted a round win before the year was out.
In the 250cc class, Jake charged to a third place finish for the round and as a result, locked up third for the championship. He raced strongly at Bunbury to finish with 3-3-3 results and keep his consistency intact. He could only manage a fourth place result on the day in the 13-15 years 125cc class, but still managed to take third in the championship, making it a dual championship podium for Turner.
He then turned senior the next day and instantly went into the MX2 ranks and showed he wasn’t there to make up the numbers. He led two and out the three races and only a crash in race two kept him from a round podium in his first senior outing.
But the star of the YJR show in WA was Deegan Fort. The young gun charged his way to victory in the 7-9 years 65cc class in both the day and the championship, adding another championship to the quickly expanding YZ65 list of achievements.
WA Round Results 7-9 years 65cc
Deegan Fort – 102 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
Nate Tomerini – 93
Ollie Birkitt – 90
12-15 years 85cc
Deacon Paice – 102
Jake Rumens – 99 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
Patrick Butler – 90
13-15 years 250cc
Kayden Minear – 105
Brock Flynn -94
Jake Turner – 90 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
13-15 years 125cc
Brock Flynn – 105
Kayden Minear – 96
Dylan Walsh – 85
Jake Turner – 84 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
WA Championship Standings 7-9 years 65cc
Deegan Fort – 284 (Yamaha YZ65)
Ollie Birkitt – 277
Nate Tomerini – 273
13-15 years 250cc
Kayden Minear – 295
Brock Flynn – 285
Jake Turner – 270 (Yamaha YZ250F)
13-15 years 125cc
Brock Flynn – 265
Kayden Minear – 253
Jake Turner – 234 (Yamaha YZ125)
Tasmania
The penultimate round of the Tasmania Motocross Championship was conducted over the weekend at the Penguin Circuit with Jay Jennings and Angus Pearce in action. Jennings is in championship contention in his 65 and 85cc classes and was desperate for a good round, while Pearce is getting back to his best form and determined to climb back on top of the podium.
Jennings indeed showed plenty of spirit as he took the round win in the 9-11 years 85ccc class. He finished with two race wins and a second to claim the day and claw back a few points on his rival, Cooper Ford.
The tables were turned in the 65cc class, with Ford taking the win on the day and Jennings in tow. Jennings sits in second place in both divisions and will need to pull out all the stops at the final round to win the either championship in 2020.
In the 12-15 years 125cc class, it was all Angus Pearce as he showed a clean pair of heels all day to take three wins from three starts and be the dominant rider in the class. Unfortunately, he still a way back in the championship points after missing rounds due to injury but his goal is to continue to win races as the season draws to a close.
Tasmania MX Round Results 10-12 years 65
Cooper Ford – 105
Jay Jennings – 96 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
Angus Barber – 30
9-11 years 85cc
Jay Jennings – 102 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
Cooper Ford – 97
Jed Grey – 92
13-15 years 125cc
Angus Pearce – 105 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
Zack Buxton – 94
Will Schuuring – 92
Tasmanian Championship Standings 10-12 years 65cc
Cooper Ford – 516
Jay Jennings – 489 (Yamaha YZ65)
Angus Barber – 376
9-11 years 85cc
Cooper Ford – 514
Jay Jennings – 483 (Yamaha YZ85)
Luca Wright – 403
New South Wales
The popular East Coast Motocross Series was concluded over the weekend with good rider numbers turning up for the final round in Wollongong. Yamaha Junior Racing were well represented with the Kingsford brothers back in action and out to make every post a winner.
The day got off to a rough start for Ryder Kingsford when he had a huge fall during practice that saw both himself and his bike cartwheeling down the track. After laying motionless on the side of the track, Ryder was able to get to his feet, dust himself off and prepare for the first of his six races for the day.
The talented 14 year old shrugged off the crash and went on a rampage. He took the perfect three wins from three starts in the 13-15 years 250cc class and backed that up with 1-2-2 results in the 13-15 years 125cc division to win both classes on the day in an outstanding effort.
The dominant performance at the final round lifted Kingsford to second in the final standings on his YZ125 and third on his YZ250F.
Kayd Kingsford is back on track after a broken wrist and still returning to top speed but made good improvements since the last round. He finished fourth on the day in the hotly contested 12-15 years 85cc class with 5-4-4 results and closed the gap on the riders at the front of the field.
In the senior divisions, Rhys Budd took the win the 250cc Pro division for both the round and the championship. He dominated the day to win all four motos in that class and back that up with a third place finish for the round in the Pro Open group. That was enough to make it two series victories for the Sydney based rider.
East Coast MX – Round Five 13-15 years 250cc
Ryder Kingsford – 105 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
Rory Fairbrother – 88
Connor Rossandich – 80
13-15 years 125cc
Ryder Kingsford – 99 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
Hunter Collins – 98
Connor Towill – 90
12-15 years 85cc
Jyle Campbell – 102
Mason Hills – 95
Koby Hantis – 92
Kayd Kingsford – 82 (Yamaha Junior Racing)
East Coast MX Final Series Standings 13-15 years 250cc
Connor Rossandich – 439
Rory Fairbrother – 388
Ryder Kingsford – 367 (Yamaha YZ250F)
13-15 years 125cc
Connor Rossandich – 430
Ryder Kingsford – 386 (Yamaha YZ125)
Hunter Collins – 372
SX4 confirms Cody Cooper as first signing
SX4 is a new format of Motocross launched by NZ motocross star, Ben Townley, combining four riders, four laps, four corners and four obstacles into two-minutes of action-packed racing, with tickets now on sale via Eventbrite. Now Cody Cooper, nine-time NZ MX1 motocross champion, has officially confirmed he will be the first signing for the inaugural SX4 event set to be staged in Taupo on 9 January 2021.
Cody Cooper
“What Ben has created will not only have fans on the edge of the seat, but, it will change the future of our sport for the better. I’m just stoked to get involved to help bring the event to life! The tightness of the track combined with quick fire racing gives spectators an experience they haven’t seen before in our sport. It was great to race alongside some of the best in the business over Labour Weekend and I can’t wait to take them to the slaughter in the New Year.”
Cody Cooper was one of riders that competed in the SX4 demo event over Labour Weekend at MXFest. The inaugural event will see 12 of NZ’s top riders compete of 15 races in a two-hour window on 9 January 2021 at Digger McEwan Motorsport Park, Taupo. Individuals will compete for prize money. A Manufacturers Championship is also in development and will be another NZ first in the sport of motocross.
For more information and to buy tickets head to www.sx4.co.nz.
Duncan and Archer to headline KawiGirls Kings & Queens MX event
The inaugural Kawasaki KawiGirls Kings & Queens Motocross event will see double Women’s World MXChampion Courtney Duncan and GNCC WXC Championship (GNCC) runner-up Rachael Archer headlining the event. The December 12 meet celebrates New Zealand’s motocross women and the country’s top female riders will ensure the racing at the Rotorua Motorcycle Club is action-packed.
Courtney Duncan
“It’s awesome to see so many girls riding. When I started racing there were very few girls in the sport. It has been cool for me to show that you can be a girl but still be successful in motocross.”
They include Hamilton riders KawiGirls ambassador Mikayla Rowe, who was fifth in the 2020 New Zealand Women’s Motocross Championship and second at the TT Nationals, plus current national women’s motocross champion Amie Roberts.
A foot injury sustained in her final GNCC round also won’t stop Archer turning up to race in December.
Rachael Archer
“I’ve flown home and will be spending the next two weeks in isolation, so by the time that’s done I’m hoping my foot will be all healed, as that will be six weeks since breaking it. Yamaha will give me a brand new 2021 YZ250FX to train on, so I’ll be riding that at the KawiGirls event.”
Eight-round ProMX Championship slated for 2021
Australia’s 2021 national motocross season is ready to fire into action with the announcement the 2021 ProMX Championship will see eight rounds of jam-packed action across seven weekends, launching a new era for the Australian Motocross Championship.
The ProMX Management Team have announce the 2021 ProMX Championship will explode into action April 11th and running through until mid-August. ProMX, the new name of the Australian Motocross Championship will see Australia’s best motocross riders go head to head as they battle to take victory as the 2021 Champion.
Race fans in attendance trackside will see Australia’s fastest riders on dirt compete and fight it out in MX1, MX2, the newly created MX3 and MXW class along with a host of exciting support classes for the 2021 ProMX Championship.
Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO
“There has been significant work undertaken by the ProMX Management Team over many months to secure the right locations and venues, to create the best possible ProMX Championship calendar for 2021. Locking in the 2021 Calendar is a critical step forward in the preparation for a not to be missed ProMX Championship. We know teams are eager to go racing, and motocross fans are eager to see the fierce action on track that the ProMX Championship will deliver.”
As the final preparations take place The ProMX Management Team are busily working to create new event formats and schedules and are on track to announce the calendar at the end of next week. ProMX has worked with industry partners and host clubs and all look forward to go racing in 2021.
Nominations open For Gillman Speedway two-day extravaganza
Motorcycling Australia (MA) are pleased to announce that nominations are now open for FIM Oceania Speedway Championship, Australian Speedway U21 Championship, and Australian Speedway U16 250cc Championship, to be held at Gillman Speedway, South Australia between, January 29 and 30.
This two-day speedway extravaganza is guaranteed to showcase the best speedway riders in the Oceania region as well as Australia’s future champions.
The highest placed Australian rider in the FIM Oceania Speedway Championship on Saturday, January 30, will gain automatic entry into the 2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship.
Last won by Australian ace Jack Holder who had a blistering year in Europe this year, this championship is destined to provide close handlebar to handlebar action for race fans.
The Australian Under 16 250cc Championship, to be held on Friday, January 29, will also be the qualifier for the 2021 FIM Speedway Youth World Championship to be held in Cloppenburg, Germany, on July 23 and 24, 2021.
There is expected to be some fierce competition in this class with the growing numbers of junior riders coming through.
The Australian Speedway Under21 Championship to be held on Friday January 29, 2021, will also have spectators on the edge of their seats to see if it can produce another World Champion.
Current Australian Under 21 Champion Jaimon Lidsey, went on to win the World Under21 Speedway Championship title earlier this year.
The provisional 2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix and Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations calendars have been released. Next year’s SGP world individual champion is set to be crowned over 11 rounds, across at least seven different countries, including Russia which is staging its first-ever SGP event.
Next season also marks the 20th Adrian Flux British SGP at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Prague’s Marketa Stadium will extend its run as the longest-serving SGP venue when it stages the Czech SGP on June 5 – the 26th SGP round to take place in the Czech capital which first hosted the event in 1997.
The Monster Energy SON returns on September 17 and 18, in Latvia, where the top three countries in each event will qualify for the Final. The 2021 calendars are subject to change due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Paul Bellamy – Senior Vice President of Motorsports Events at IMG
“We are hopeful we will deliver an unforgettable year of world championship action after what has been a tough 2020 for everyone. Given that restrictions continue to change, the 2021 calendars remain subject to alteration. But despite all the challenges we faced, we were still able to stage some fantastic speedway this season and whatever 2021 brings, we are determined to bring our fans around the world more incredible racing. We look forward to returning to the nations that were unable to stage racing this year and I am particularly pleased to see Togliatti host SGP action for the first time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made our 2020 events possible, including our partners at the FIM. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2021.”
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix calendar
April 24 – TBA
May 15 – PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland (Warsaw, Poland)
May 22 – German SGP (Teterow, Germany)
June 5 – Czech Republic SGP (Prague, Czech Republic)
June 19 – TBA
July 17 – Adrian Flux British SGP (Cardiff, GB)
July 31 – Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland (Wroclaw, Poland)
August 14 – Swedish SGP (Malilla, Sweden)
August 28 – Russian SGP (Togliatti, Russia)
September 11 – Danish SGP sponsored by Ecco (Vojens, Denmark)
October 2 – Torun SGP of Poland (Torun, Poland)
2021 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations calendar
September 17 – Semi-Final 1 (Daugavpils, Latvia)
September 18 – Semi-Final 2 (Daugavpils, Latvia)
October 16 – Final Day 1 (Manchester, GB)
October 17 – Final Day 2 (Manchester, GB)
Yamaha Europe 2021 EMX250 line-up confirmed
Yamaha Motor Europe and the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 Team have confirmed a three-rider line-up for the 2021 EMX250 Championship. The team have retained 15-year-old Dutch talent Dave Kooiker and welcomed two new riders, reigning EMX125 Champion Andrea Bonacorsi and EMX250 podium finisher Jeremy Sydow, to the team.
Already a proven talent following his EMX125 title success, Bonacorsi in an exciting addition to the highly acclaimed Dutch team. The 17-year-old Italian celebrated seven EMX125 race wins, four overall victories and five podium finishes on his way to the 2020 EMX125 crown and will enter his first EMX250 season as a rider to watch.
Completing Yamaha’s bid for EMX250 success, Sydow celebrated an EMX250 podium finish on his way to sixth overall in the 2019 EMX250 Championship. Following a successful year inside the EMX250 class where he proved he was a top-three contender, the 20-year-old made the jump up to MX2 and instantly impressed with a top-10 race finish at the Grand Prix of Italy, in Imola. After a 2020 season hampered by health issues, Sydow will return to the EMX250 Championship next season, determined to fight for a top-three finish in the series standings.
All three riders will be racing a GYTR kitted YZ250F. The 2021 EMX250 Championship is provisionally scheduled to take place over 10 rounds and is set to start in Agueda, Portugal on May 8th.
Wim Hutten – Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 Team Owner
“This year was fantastic. We are very happy that we have become European Champions in the EMX250 class. It was our goal and we made it happen! I would like to thank Yamaha and my entire team for this. We have needed each other to achieve this. Teamwork makes the dreamwork! Going into next year we will continue with Dave Kooiker. He is only 15 years old, but we expect a lot from him in the future. He is a very talented rider. We are also happy that we have contracted Italian rider Andrea Bonacorsi for next season. This year he became European Champion in the EMX125 class, and we think he could be a surprise inside the EMX250 Championship. As the third rider, we welcome the German Jeremy Sydow to our team. He is an experienced rider on the bike. We think we have a nice mix of riders with him. Our goal remains the same, we want to become European champions in the EMX250 class again. We are looking forward to 2021!”
Thorsten Lentink – Yamaha Motor Europe MX Racing Coordinator
“We are very happy with the rider selection for next year. Hutten Metaal have already proven they are a very professional and serious team, which is really important for Yamaha to have a solid base to our Yamaha Racing pyramid, that is used to promote and develop the next generation of racing talent in a safe and professional manner. Our pyramid structure has already proven to be successful with the success of Thibault Benistant securing both the EMX125 title and this year’s EMX250 title within our Official Yamaha teams. With that said, we believe in the Hutten Metaal team and we are really looking forward to continuing with them in 2021 with a new line up. Starting with Dave Kooiker, Dave is young talent and has already shown that he is very capable, although he is very young, and we understand that this will take time to develop. This will be the same for the newly crowned EMX125 Champion Andrea Bonacorsi. Andrea will also need some time to adapt to the bigger bike, the 250cc, and for the two young riders Dave and Andrea our main goal will be consistency. Our German rider Jeremy Sydow has already shown some good things on the 250cc and is already experienced, so we hope that he can follow the same path as our 2020 EMX250 Champion Thibault. It is an exciting line up, and we look forward to adding to the Yamaha story in 2021.”
FIM World Under 21 Speedway Champion Jaimon Lidsey returns to Oz
Recently crowned FIM World Under 21 Speedway Champion Jaimon Lidsey, has returned home from Europe to celebrate a phenomenal speedway season. Lidsey is currently in hotel quarantine and when released it will be the first time he has seen his son Eddie, born earlier this year, and will get to celebrate his World Championship win with family and friends in his home town of Red Cliffs, Victoria.
Jaimon Lidsey
“To be back in Australia is a relief as it looked like I would not be able to get back into Australia with what’s going on (COVID-19). Eddie is definitely the best highlight of my year. I’m still in the hotel at the moment and the weeks have been going slow and I’m very keen to go home and see him and my partner. Winning the World Under 21 Championship was definitely a highlight. I dreamt of it and worked hard over the years, so deep down I expected it within myself. I rode well this year and luck was on my side that night. I didn’t feel like I had won a World title until a few days later with people messaging me and when I looked back on the replay it sunk in. Now I know I’m a World Champion so it’s a pretty good feeling. Having that on your resume can’t get much better, it gives you a bit more negotiating power, but you can’t expect everything from it. I still have to race hard next year, and I haven’t finished yet, I still have more goals I want to achieve and want to keep improving.”
Lidsey, his partner and son, will relocate to Poland next year where he will again ride for Unia Leszno as well as Vastervik in Sweden. While his off-season will be spent with son Eddie and family, Lidsey will still keep fit in preparation for 2021 with plenty of cycling and practice days at Mildura Speedway as well as some events in January. Lidsey puts a large part of his success to the people that have helped him over many years.
Jaimon Lidsey
“I want to be fit for next year and ready to race, so I will keep training and maybe have a little holiday some time. I want to keep improving and not go backwards. I’ve got good equipment around me, under me and good people by my side, good mechanics and it’s all down to me at the end of the day. As long as I feel good, I know I can keep improving and race as much as I can… There is so many people I want to thank, from people that have helped back when I was a junior to those that help me now, my mum and dad, my grandparents, uncle and auntie, my partner and son for supporting me all the way. I want to thank everyone for waking up to watch every meeting, and particularly my family who didn’t miss a meeting this year. Everyone that has sponsored me over the years to help me win this World Championship title, I can’t thank them enough.”
MA release 2020-2023 “whole of motorcycling” strategic plan
Earlier this year the Motorcycling Australia (MA) Alliance set about developing the 2020-2023 “whole of motorcycling” strategic plan – “MOTORCYCLING UNLEASHED”, which was released earlier this month.
The strategic plan outlines the future direction of the MA Alliance by building on the significant achievements of the motorcycling community throughout the last five years. Due to the improved systems and processes adopted, the MA Alliance is in a sound collective financial position. Their strong financial position coupled with the growing popularity of recreational motorcycling offers the MA Alliance a solid platform from which to grow motorcycling into the future.
The strategic priorities that were identified in the strategic plan include
One-Motorcycling – Consolidating national systems has been identified as the first strategic priority for the future. Following a positive cost benefit analysis, the adoption (of where it makes sense) of licensing, national finance, human resource, legal, commercial and communications processes and procedures will ensure efficiency across the MA Alliance whilst creating a united Motorcycling Australia Alliance brand to communicate and engage through.
Connecting Communities with Motorcycling – The MA Alliance identified the second strategic priority to significantly grow the number and diversity of people enjoying and benefitting from regular motorcycling experiences, either as participants, volunteers, or via the myriad of other engagement opportunities that motorcycling offers.
Performance Pathways – The further development of performance pathways was identified as the third strategic priority by the MA Alliance, to ensure that Australia continues to produce and support elite athletes.
The strategic plan will be delivered by working as one motorcycling community and by effectively fulfilling respective roles and responsibilities. Over the next three years, the MA Alliance will be using a range of internal and external measurements to ensure the monitoring and progress.
The MA Alliance will also measure the satisfaction levels across a range of areas, including membership, education, events, club support, and other service areas. This monitoring will ensure members, participants, volunteers, and workforce are well supported and are being provided value.
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser has won his fourth world motocross championship in just six years, after winning this year’s 2020 MXGP title. Crowned at the Trentino circuit in Italy, home to many great memories for the Slovenian rider, Gajser wrapped up the title with three motos left to go in another season of fast, controlled riding. This title now moves him to the top of the list of HRC world champions, one clear of greats like Dave Thorpe, Eric Geboers, Georges Jobe and Andre Malherbe and it confirms his place as one of the best ever riders in motocross history.
Tim Gajser
“It feels unbelievable to be world champion for a fourth time. Winning one time is amazing, but four times, I’m just speechless. It was a weird season with the COVID-19 and then the break between the rounds two and three, but in the end, everything came together and we won another title! Racing today was very nice, in the first race, I didn’t have the best start but I was still able to come through the field and finish second and that meant that if I could win race two, I would take the overall. In the second moto I grabbed the holeshot and then had a really good battle with Romain all the way to the chequered flag. We were pushing the whole time so I’m super happy to win this title and the overall on the same day. A big thanks to the whole of Team HRC, there are a lot of people who are involved who couldn’t be here today so a big thank you to all of them and to everyone who has supported me all year long. It is a privilege to ride for this team and I appreciate every single person who has helped me. Thank you!”
In what has been a difficult season due to the global pandemic, the #243 has consistently shown he is the fastest rider on the track, winning 13 races and 4 overalls (before the MXGP of Pietramurata) on his way to this historic moment. Starting off the year back in March with moto wins at Matterley Basin, UK and Valkenswaard, Netherlands, Gajser immediately showed that he was a threat for victories on whatever surface they rode on, and that form continued when he won the first race back after the restart in Kegums, Latvia.
With the new one-day format in place, qualification was just a 25-minute timed session after 20 minutes of free practice and while other riders struggled to adapt, Gajser again showed the speed of the new Honda CRF450RW by getting first gate pick at six out of the next 10 rounds, and inside the top three in nine of them. Good gate picks led to good starts and holeshots and it also meant the Honda rider has led more laps, and has led in more races than any other rider in the field.
While race wins were coming often, an overall remained elusive and it wasn’t until round 11 when Gajser was able to put in two strong motos and get onto the top step of the podium at the MXGP of Europe in Mantova, Italy. It was nothing more than he deserved and it allowed him to cement his position at the top of the class, after first getting the red plate at round nine. Since that moment, he has gone from strength to strength, podiuming in 12 straight races and extending his lead to over 70 points. This was highlighted at the triple-header in Belgium where Gajser won two of the three overalls, picking up an incredible 142 out of 150 points in the deep sand of Lommel, known as the toughest race on the motocross calendar.
From Lommel, it was back to Italy for the season-finale three rounds in Trentino, the venue where Gajser won his first ever world championship overall in 2015 and also where his 2019 campaign was kick-started after an epic encounter that ended with him going one-one, sparking amazing scenes of celebration. Unfortunately, fans weren’t allowed to witness this years’ success but the outpouring of support from the around the world has been immense and shows just what a popular figure ‘Tiga243’ is within the motocross community and beyond. With one round left, there is still chance for him to add to his amazing statistics but for now, Gajser is celebrating his amazing achievement of winning his fourth world championship title.
See below for the final MXGP report and standings.
Tom Vialle clinches MX2 title at mid-week MXGP
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle was crowned 2020 FIM MX2 Motocross World Champion after winning the first moto aboard his KTM 250 SX-F at the MXGP of Pietramurata in Arco di Trento, Italy today, Wednesday November 4, with three races remaining for the season.
Tom Vialle – FIM MX2 Motocross World Champion
“I’m so happy but there have been a lot of emotions today. I was a bit angry with the verdict (in qualifying) this morning but to make the holeshot and lead the first moto was fantastic. I was almost crying on the last lap. There was so much emotion. It was really special. Crazy. In the second moto we had some bad luck, but the important thing is that we achieved our goal. I want to say a big thanks to the whole team and everybody who worked together to make this happen. It was tiring to have a lot of races so close together and also keep the concentration through the training. I think we did it pretty good.”
Vialle continues a rich MX2 history for KTM as the ninth rider to win a championship title in the lower capacity class aboard a KTM 250 SX-F. The Frenchman, who came into the penultimate round of 2020 with a sizeable points lead, took a dominant win in the opening moto at the picturesque Italian track to secure an emotional first world title.
In only his second term racing at Grand Prix level, 20-year-old Vialle has demonstrated incredible talent and maturity in his approach throughout the 18-round championship. In a year of difficulties due to the global pandemic, Vialle’s strong start to 2020 was halted when MXGP racing was abruptly paused after just two rounds back in early March.
The Frenchman returned for round three in Kegums, Latvia in August to win his second Grand Prix of the season, ahead of an intense schedule of races in the weeks following. The KTM star battled hard with the MX2 competition, scoring consistently strong results to earn a comfortable lead thanks to his seven Grand Prix overall victories heading into the final triple-header of the year.
With 13 moto wins and 13 podiums so far this season, Vialle sensationally put his name in the history books by clinching the 2020 MX2 World Championship title to add to KTM’s outstanding success tally. The Frenchman’s victory confirms KTM’s fifth consecutive title in the category, with 13 championship victories in 17 years of MX2 competition for the Austrian manufacturer.
Dirk Gruebel – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
“Tom showed his potential in his first year with us in 2019. There was real progression, but then over the winter he made another big step to be a title contender and world champion. He didn’t look back. He doesn’t get nervous. He had real competition, but Tom finished every race in a good spot, mainly in the top five, mostly in the top three. That’s the key to being world champion and now we are here celebrating. Hats-off to him and his family, it’s unbelievable. We are known for having a fast 250 – also a 450! – but I still think we have the benchmark in MX2 for everybody and Tom is another rider who knows how to make starts with it. It’s a really good motorcycle and we’ve been winning since 2004 with that concept. Tom being the ninth world champion shows its quality.”
2020 MXGP Awards
2020 MXGP of Garda Trentino – Round 18
As the races of the MXGP of Garda Trentino finished for the day, it concluded an intense season of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, which saw Champions decided a round early, when Team HRC’s Tim Gajser claimed his fourth World Title in MXGP and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle secured his very first Championship in MX2.
For the final round this shifted the focus onto who would finish the season off with a medal alongside the two victors, with Tim Gajser also presented with the MXGP Trophy, wrapped with plagues which are engraved with all the world champions’ names from 1957 until now in the main class.
Tim Gajser took the overall round win, narrowly beating Romain Febvre on account of a final race victory, with both riders taking a win and a runner up position a-piece. Gautier Paulin took the final podium position, from Jeremy Seewer, both on 38-points and with identical results, but Paulin the better performer in the final race.
Tim Gajser
“Today, my goal was just to go out there and have fun and we did that, winning the last overall of the year and it couldn’t have gone better. I want to say a huge thank you to all my team who have worked so hard and put in so much effort. In March, we did two GPs in Matterley and Valkenswaard and they went well, but then we had a long break and when we returned, I wasn’t feeling good, I was struggling. Now, the second half of the season I found good speed, I was consistent, and I was able to win the title.”
Second and third in the MXGP championship were also still up for grabs, with Jeremy Seewer claiming the silver medal on the day with the addition of 38-championship points to his name. Tony Cairoli had a mixed weekend, with sixth in Race 1, but no points in Race 2. It was enough for the bronze medal however.
Romain Febvre was fourth overall, followed by Gautier Paulin. Jorge Prado was sixth, Clement Desalle seventh, Glenn Coldenhoff eighth, and Jeremy Van Horebeek and Brian Bogers ninth and 10th respectively. Despite still being out injured Mitch Evans finished the season in 14th.
Clément Desalle retires
Clement Desalle has been a benchmark in MXGP for the last fifteen years but the GP of Garda-Trentino this weekend will mark the end of his outstanding career. With twenty-three GP wins, thirty-five moto wins and eighty-two GP podiums, the thirty-one-year-old has been one of the most successful riders of his era. He never claimed the ultimate prize of an individual world title but he ended in the top three of the premier off-road world series no less than six times and won Gold with Team Belgium at the 2013 Motocross of Nations.
When Clement joined the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team in 2016 he was one of the elite riders capable of winning GPs and challenging for the title. For five full seasons he put all his energy to help the team to perform to the highest level and provided the best advice to the factory in order to be ever more competitive.
Despite several injuries during these five seasons Clément gave the team excellent results with four GP wins, eighteen podiums and an MXGP world championship bronze medal in 2018. The thirty-one-year-old Belgian from La Louvière, between Mons and Charleroi near the French frontier in the south of the country, officially announced last month that he would retire following the final GP of the current season, his fifteenth as a professional rider; that moment arrives this weekend with the MXGP of Garda Trentino at the dramatic Pietramurata track where he celebrated victory in 2014 and has already recorded his most recent GP moto victory just one week ago. Kawasaki thanks Clément for his commitment to the Green family throughout the past five seasons and wishes him all the best for the future in both his professional career and private life.
Clément Desalle
”I always had a good relationship with François (Lemariey) who was my mechanic earlier in my career; when I signed for Kawasaki I was delighted to work with him again. It has always been really important for me to be happy in my working environment and to have a good feeling with the people around me. I’m really proud with the job we’ve done together. Of course I would have liked to have offered Kawasaki yet more race wins, more podiums, more GP wins and even a world title as I’ve been working for this all my life. After Latvia I started to ask myself questions about my future and made a decision; just before Spain I was sure of my decision and announced that I would retire at the end of this season. I will miss racing of course, but I have a big passion for motocross and for sure I will still ride bikes.”
2020 MXGP of Garda Trentino
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
22
25
47
2
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
25
22
47
3
Paulin, Gautier
FRA
YAM
18
20
38
4
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
20
18
38
5
Desalle, Clement
BEL
KAW
14
14
28
6
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
16
12
28
7
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
10
13
23
8
Bobryshev, Evgeny
RUS
HUS
12
11
23
9
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
0
16
16
10
Van doninck, Brent
BEL
YAM
0
15
15
11
Cervellin, Michele
ITA
YAM
8
7
15
12
Cairoli, Antonio
ITA
KTM
15
0
15
13
Monticelli, Ivo
ITA
GAS
4
9
13
14
Bernardini, Samuele
ITA
YAM
7
6
13
15
Paturel, Benoit
FRA
HON
13
0
13
16
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
6
5
11
17
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
9
2
11
18
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
HON
11
0
11
19
Lupino, Alessandro
ITA
YAM
0
10
10
20
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
2
8
10
21
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
3
3
6
22
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
1
4
5
23
Valentin, Ander
ESP
HUS
5
0
5
24
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
0
1
1
2020 MXGP Final Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
720
2
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
618
3
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
599
4
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
572
5
Paulin, G.
FRA
YAM
505
6
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
476
7
Desalle, C.
BEL
KAW
466
8
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
GAS
375
9
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
HON
316
10
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
298
11
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
271
12
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
263
13
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
248
14
Evans, M.
AUS
HON
228
15
Monticelli, I.
ITA
GAS
219
16
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
206
17
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
184
18
Lupino, A.
ITA
YAM
150
19
Jacobi, Henry
GER
YAM
134
20
Cervellin, M.
ITA
YAM
130
21
Van doninck, B.
BEL
YAM
110
22
Bobryshev, E.
RUS
HUS
107
23
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
94
24
Guillod, V.
SUI
HON
88
25
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
82
26
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
81
27
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
76
28
Paturel, B.
FRA
HON
67
29
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
36
30
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
31
MX2
In MX2 Tom Vialle was already crowned champion and Jago Geerts had cemented his place as runner up, with the final championship podium position between Maxime Renaux and Australian Jed Beaton.
While Ben Watson won the MX2 round overall from Tom Vialle and Maxime Renaux, Jed Beaton finished fourth, four-points behind Renaux. Unfortunately for Beaton that left him in fourth overall – an amazing result nevertheless, while Renaux’s 581 championship points was enough to claim the bronze.
Ben Watson
“I really want to congratulate the whole team. They work really hard and it’s really nice for me and Jago to give them a 1-2 on the podium. It is a little bit difficult to pass out there, but I have been feeling really good on the bike. I had a mediocre start in the first race, but I came through good and then in the second one, I took a good start and it’s always a nice race when you can battle with your teammate up front. I finished second, but I am really happy with second overall.”
Overall Beaton enjoyed a highly positive year in 2020. Showing race-winning speed throughout the season, he came agonisingly close to a maiden overall win at the penultimate round. Proving to be a capable racer on any surface, the 22-year-old claimed three overall podium finishes, along with nine moto podiums and was the first rider in the standings to score points in every race. A memorable season with many career milestones reached.
Jed Beaton
“Well that’s a wrap for this season, been a pretty good year, had some up’s and down’s but out of anything we can pull all the positives out of this season and work on the important things for next season, just want to start by saying a huge thank you to all the team and sponsors that are apart of the team @nestaan_mx, my girlfriend @holly_forsyth for bending over backwards for me and helping out always! Everyone from back at the factory for providing us with the best equipment! Everyone definitely plays their own part and if I was to thank everyone I’d have to write a novel… but you know who you are.. Ending up fourth in the championship which was a little disappointing for me, but it is what it is, we are healthy and got through the season. Thanks so much, we will be back next year for more. Also to Thomas thanks for being a great team mate, was an awesome few years, best of luck with the big boys.”
Bailey Mailkiewicz finished 15th in Race 1, improving to ninth in Race 2, and was 11th overall for the weekend, claiming 18-championship points. This saw him finish the 2020 season in 14th overall.
MX2 MXGP of Garda Trentino 2020 results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
20
25
45
2
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
25
16
41
3
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
22
18
40
4
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
14
22
36
5
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
15
20
35
6
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
13
14
27
7
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
8
15
23
8
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
9
13
22
9
Lesiardo, Morgan
ITA
HON
10
11
21
10
Rubini, Stephen
FRA
HON
16
4
20
11
Malkiewicz, Bailey
AUS
HON
6
12
18
12
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
18
0
18
13
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
7
7
14
14
Van De Moosdijk, Roan
NED
KAW
12
0
12
15
Fernandez, Ruben
ESP
YAM
11
0
11
16
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
0
10
10
17
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
1
9
10
18
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
4
6
10
19
Todd, Wilson
AUS
KAW
0
8
8
20
Sandner, Michael
AUT
GAS
2
5
7
21
Teresak, Jakub
CZE
KTM
3
2
5
22
Renkens, Nathan
BEL
KTM
5
0
5
23
Meier, Glen
DEN
YAM
0
3
3
24
Nermann, Johannes
EST
HUS
0
1
1
2020 MX2 Final Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
759
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
679
3
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
581
4
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
564
5
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
551
6
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
540
7
Van De Moosdijk, R.
NED
KAW
466
8
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
365
9
Fernandez, R.
ESP
YAM
343
10
Rubini, S.
FRA
HON
279
11
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
263
12
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
248
13
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
234
14
Malkiewicz, B.
AUS
HON
164
15
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
163
16
Forato, A.
ITA
HUS
156
17
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
HON
143
18
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
137
19
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
118
20
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
115
21
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
112
22
Renkens, N.
BEL
KTM
103
23
Crawford, N.
AUS
HON
91
24
Benistant, T.
FRA
YAM
90
25
Genot, Cyril
BEL
YAM
85
26
Hofer, Rene
AUT
KTM
73
27
Sikyna, R.
SVK
KTM
72
28
Sandner, M.
AUT
GAS
67
29
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
HUS
62
30
Laengenfelder, S.
GER
GAS
59
EMX Open
EMX Open action saw Karel Kutsar become the very first European Champion in the brand-new category, as he claimed his maiden EMX title. It was a tough day for the Estonian, who rode tight all day to place 5th and 10th in the races, to miss out on the podium. Though this didn’t matter, as he took to the podium anyways, to pick up his championship winning gold plate and medal.
Karel Kutsar
“It felt a bit impossible and now, I am a champion. Maybe when I get home, I will understand what this means but it feels really good to be a champion. I felt the pressure a little bit today, I tried to not to make mistakes and finally I did it and I get the title.”
Entering today’s races, Kim Savaste was the main championship rival, but unfortunately, we did not see the rider from Finland line-up for the races, due to an injury this morning. With no points scored, this pushed Savaste down to third in the standings, while Toms Macuks moved into the silver medal scoring position.
Macuks had two strong races, finishing second and third, despite a small get-off in the second heat that lost him a position or two. These results also handed the Latvian his fifth podium of the season, which was a positive way to end the season.
While Kutsar claimed the title, it was Jimmy Clochet who stood on the top step of the podium, after a race win in the opening heat and a second in race two. Clochet had a much tougher second heat, after getting another good start, the Frenchman had an off on one of the corners, then fought back to second, to crash in the same spot once again. He could only manage to fight back to P2, while Cornelius Tøndel of JWR Honda took the race win in the second heat.
Jimmy Clochet
“I had good feeling all day. In the second race I took the holeshot and crashed two times in the same corner, so yeah that was a difficult race, but I pushed really hard to come back to second for another overall. It was a difficult second race but I’m happy about it and happy about the overall.”
Finishing the day second overall was Macuks, while Martin Michek was the third rider to make it onto the box. It was Michek’s first visit to the EMX Open podium this season, and it was a 4th in race one and a 5th in race two that helped him on his way to a trophy scoring overall.
Looking back on the first season of the all-new EMX Open, things started in Latvia, for the first triple header of the season. That time around it was Macuks who was victorious on home soil, as he won both races and became the early championship leader. Though this didn’t last long, as during the second round he didn’t score any points, as Savaste and Kutsar took a race win each, though it was Kutsar who was the overall winner.
The Estonian then became the new series leader by the second round, and he held on to the red plate until today’s final round when he swapped the red plate for a gold one. He held on to the red plate through his consistent results, as the champion ended the season with 4 podiums, 2 race wins and one overall victory. In terms of overall victories, Macuks and Clochet were the most successful riders, with two overall victories each, while Kutsar and Savaste were on one each, as they took to the top of the box during the round of Riga and Kegums.
EMX Open Overall
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Clochet, Jimmy
FRA
KAW
25
22
47
2
Macuks, Toms
LAT
KTM
22
20
42
3
Michek, Martin
CZE
KTM
18
16
34
4
De Bortoli, Davide
ITA
HON
12
18
30
5
Thornhill , Dan
GBR
HON
15
15
30
6
Ekerold, Stefan
GER
SUZ
13
14
27
7
Kutsar, Karel
EST
KTM
16
11
27
8
Toendel, Cornelius
NOR
HON
0
25
25
9
Michalec, Petr
CZE
HON
11
10
21
10
Jazdauskas, Domantas
LTU
HUS
7
13
20
11
Adamson, John
GBR
KTM
20
0
20
12
Bartos, Petr
CZE
KTM
8
9
17
13
Maylin, Brice
FRA
KAW
9
7
16
14
Rathousky, Petr
CZE
KTM
14
1
15
15
Bolink, Mike
NED
KTM
6
8
14
16
Windt, Rob
NED
KTM
10
4
14
17
Gryning, Mathias
DEN
YAM
0
12
12
18
Malin, Wiljam
FIN
HUS
4
5
9
19
Tornau, Fynn-Niklas
GER
KTM
5
3
8
20
Haberland, Paul
GER
HON
0
6
6
21
Wedage, Damian
NED
KTM
3
2
5
22
Vetrovsky, Radek
CZE
KTM
2
0
2
23
Pletka, Libor
CZE
KTM
1
0
1
EMX Open Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Kutsar, Karel
EST
KTM
230
2
Macuks, Toms
LAT
KTM
216
3
Savaste, Kim
FIN
KTM
192
4
Ekerold, S.
GER
SUZ
161
5
Toendel, C.
NOR
HON
134
6
Clochet, Jimmy
FRA
KAW
130
7
Jazdauskas, D.
LTU
HUS
113
8
De Bortoli, D.
ITA
HON
101
9
Sihvonen, Miro
FIN
HUS
101
10
Lusbo, Andero
EST
HUS
93
11
Michek, Martin
CZE
KTM
87
12
Matikainen, J.
FIN
HUS
83
13
Thornhill , D.
GBR
HON
77
14
Kalejs, Karlis
LAT
HUS
75
15
Smets, Greg
BEL
KTM
67
16
Adamson, John
GBR
KTM
64
17
Ubach, Simeo
ESP
HUS
60
18
Gryning, M.
DEN
YAM
58
19
Bolink, Mike
NED
KTM
58
20
Sjoholm, Mads
DEN
KTM
57
EMX2T
The EMX2t races saw Nicholas Lapucci of Fantic Racing dominated the races once again, as he was victorious in both heats with quite an impressive margin, over the newly crowned 2020 EMX2t Presented by FMF Racing Champion, Brad Anderson.
Nicholas Lapucci
“It was another perfect day for me, I’m really happy about my riding and the bike. The team did an incredible job. We came here without knowing anything and at the end we got the best results for me and for Fantic as well. We took four victories and for that I want to say thanks to everybody that helped me getting these incredible results.”
With two second place finishes, Anderson ended the season with his fifth podium of the series. While, JK Yamaha Racing’s Manuel Iacopi was the third rider on the podium today, with some nice battles in the races with Anderson, which saw him finish 4th and 3rd in heats one and two.
Brad Anderson
“It’s been great. The worst position this season was second place and I’ve been really consistent, I’ve had a good fight behind me. As I said, I struggled a little bit on this track, but Nicholas [Lapucci] was going really well, but I was happy to finish with two second places and finish the season off. The races were pretty tough. I didn’t get the best starts, I struggled to get past one rider and then me and Manuel had a good battle, then I made a move and he caught back up, it was a good little battle, but as I said I’m just please to finish second overall and take this championship.”
With Anderson securing his third EMX title at the previous round of Pietramurata, this shifted the focus onto who would occupy second and third in the championship standings. Two fifth place finishes, were enough for Federico Tuani to claim the silver medal, after races that saw him battle with Kade Tinkler-Walker and his teammate, Eugenio Barbaglia. Tuani completed the season with three podiums, with his best result in Faenza during the opening round of the championship, where he finished second overall.
Though it was the fight for the third spot that was the main focus in the second race, as there was nothing in between Walker and Loris Freidig. Walker rode a strong race and had some nice battles to claim 5th, while Freidig had a much tougher time and only finished the race in 13th. Eventually, Walker secured third in the standings with a seven-point advantage over the Swiss.
Looking back on the season, Anderson dominated the first three rounds in Faenza, as he took 5 race wins and 3 overall victories. His lowest point scoring results came here in Pietramurata, as he finished the two rounds second overall, behind Lapucci, who dominated the last two stages of the championship, winning all 4 races. Apart from Anderson and Lapucci, the only other rider, to win a race, during the 2020 campaign, was Freidig, who was victorious during the first race at the round of Italy.
EMX2T Overall
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Lapucci, Nicholas
ITA
FAN
25
25
50
2
Anderson, Brad
GBR
KTM
22
22
44
3
Iacopi, Manuel
ITA
YAM
18
20
38
4
Tinkler-Walker, Kade
CAN
SUZ
20
15
35
5
Barbaglia, Eugenio
ITA
HUS
14
18
32
6
Tuani, Federico
ITA
HUS
16
16
32
7
Alberio, Emanuele
ITA
KTM
13
14
27
8
Ermini, Paolo
ITA
HUS
11
13
24
9
Michelis, Martin
EST
KTM
12
11
23
10
Freidig, Loris
SUI
YAM
15
8
23
11
Tamai, Mario
ITA
KTM
10
12
22
12
Christensen, Nikolaj Skovgaard
DEN
KTM
6
10
16
13
Lolli, Marco
ITA
YAM
7
7
14
14
Zenato, Sebastian
ITA
HUS
8
6
14
15
Bicalho, Rodolfo
BRA
KTM
4
9
13
16
Salina, Pietro
ITA
HUS
5
4
9
17
Nedved, Jonas
CZE
KTM
9
0
9
18
Putnam, Charlie
GBR
HUS
3
5
8
19
Ongley, Aaron
GBR
KTM
2
3
5
20
Haas, Thomas
GER
HUS
0
2
2
21
Aabroe, Mikkel
DEN
YAM
0
1
1
22
Williams, Aidan
GBR
KTM
1
0
1
EMX2T Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Anderson, Brad
GBR
KTM
235
2
Tuani, F.
ITA
HUS
167
3
Tinkler-Walker, K.
CAN
SUZ
154
4
Freidig, Loris
SUI
YAM
147
5
Barbaglia, E.
ITA
HUS
143
6
Iacopi, Manuel
ITA
YAM
140
7
Tamai, Mario
ITA
KTM
131
8
Alberio, E.
ITA
KTM
131
9
Lolli, Marco
ITA
YAM
117
10
Michelis, M.
EST
KTM
105
11
Lapucci, N.
ITA
FAN
100
12
Christensen, N.
DEN
KTM
90
13
Nedved, Jonas
CZE
KTM
84
14
Ermini, Paolo
ITA
HUS
73
15
Zenato, S.
ITA
HUS
70
16
Deghi, G.
ITA
KTM
56
17
Haas, Thomas
GER
HUS
47
18
Williams, A.
GBR
KTM
44
19
Bicalho, R.
BRA
KTM
26
20
Rampoldi, J.
ITA
KTM
26
21
Maiolani, G.
ITA
HUS
17
22
Putnam, C.
GBR
HUS
17
23
Salina, Pietro
ITA
HUS
16
24
Piazza, M.
ITA
KTM
16
25
Marques, A.
POR
HUS
11
26
Bonetta, A.
ITA
YAM
8
27
Gwyther, K.
GBR
KTM
7
28
Ongley, Aaron
GBR
KTM
7
29
Aabroe, Mikkel
DEN
YAM
1
2020 EnduroGP of Portugal
Day 1
The first day of the Acerbis GP of Portugal saw three special tests perfectly carved out by Moto Clube Marco, drier weather than expected, and riders all keen to do battle after more than a month and a half of break – everything was in place to have a hell of a day of racing!
While Brad Freeman started out very strong and took the lead on the first lap his great rival Steve Holcombe was closing in. The dark horse of weekend, the returning Josep Garcia was also pushing hard, ready to jump on the slightest mistake from the defending champion. The second lap went in favour of Holcombe who took the lead in the category by 2.96 seconds from Freeman.
The third lap got extremely intense as the result came down to the very last special test! Indeed Freeman had dominated the morning head and shoulders over his rivals, but he set off into the last Technomousse Xtreme Test with just a 2.17 second advantage. However, his Factory Beta team-mate and compatriot threw everything into this final special and finally won the day by 1.76 seconds, to the detriment and disappointment of Freeman.
For his part, Garcia made some mistakes on the second lap, and the Spaniard had to settle for an excellent podium finish on his return to EGP after three years of absence. In any case, there is no doubt that the 2017 E2 World Champion has everything he needs to come and fight for victory with the two Brits.
Andrea Verona never really had to worry about defending his comfortable fourth position overall and he was able to continue gaining valuable experience in first season in Senior, while keeping an eye on the top three. Finally, Antoine Magain is certainly one of the riders of the day as he came up from 14th on the first special, and headed straight for the top five with test times at the same level as Freeman and Holcombe.
As for Enduro 1, with his new victory coupled with the third place of his rival Thomas Oldrati, Verona now has a seven-point lead overall. The Factory TM rider, in addition to his own excellent performance, can also thank the good pace of Antoine Magain who got between the two Italians. Eero Remes and the local Diogo Ventura completed the top five.
In Enduro 2, Steve Holcombe therefore remains undefeated despite the presence of Josep Garcia who finished second on his EnduroGP comeback. Danny McCanney completed the top three, to the detriment of reigning E2 Champion Loïc Larrieu and Matteo Cavallo.
Like Holcombe in E2, Freeman also remains at the top of his E3 class. He dominated his category, more than one and half minutes ahead of runner-up Jaume Betriu. Antoine Basset completed the podium ahead of his compatriot David Abgrall, and Rudy Moroni closed the day in fifth.
In the often hotly-contested Junior class, we didn’t have to wait long for the first moment of drama. Provisional title leader Théo Espinasse was forced to retire from the start due to a spark plug problem. The task of regaining control of the standings will be very difficult even if the Frenchman will be able to start tomorrow morning. Even more so due to the fact that his teammate at Sherco Factory and title rival, Hamish Macdonald won the day after a magnificent Southern Hemisphere duel with Wil Ruprecht.
The Kiwi has therefore seized the title leadership in Junior with only three days of racing to go. Behind him, it was Finland’s Roni Kytonen who snatched the last step of the podium after a nice comeback following a big mistake in the first Technomousse Xtreme Test of the day. Chile’s Ruy Barbosa took fourth place by 7 seconds ahead of the Czech Republic’s Krystof Kouble!
In J1, Roni Kytonen won once again, and consolidates his position as leader, ahead of Ruy Barbosa and Antoine Criq, who took a great podium. While in J2 Macdonald naturally takes the lead while winning the day ahead of Ruprecht and Kouble.
As for the exciting Youth 125cc class, for a long time it seemed Sergio Navarro could win the day but that was without counting on the sensation of the season, Jed Etchells. The Fantic D’Arpa Racing rider took his fourth victory of the season, more than 30 seconds ahead of his Spanish rival. Italy’s Claudio Spanu completed the podium ahead of Harry Edmondson. Hermanni Haljala completed the top five.
Finally, in the Champion Lubricants Enduro Open World Cup, Gonçalo Reis remains undefeated in Open 2-Stroke class as he wins the day ahead of compatriot Gonçalo Sobrosa and the Czech rider Robert Friedrich. In battle of the Belgians, Damiaens Diegter got the better of Mathias Van Hoof in Open 4-Stroke. They were joined on the podium by Jorge Paradelo. Alessio Paoli meanwhile took a third straight victory in the Open Senior class ahead of David Martinez and Duccio Graziani.
Day 2
‘The toughest weekend of the season…’ This is how many riders summed up the second day at the Acerbis Grand Prix of Portugal. Pouring rain was the theme of Sunday in Marco de Canaveses, but we still saw 99 protagonists take to the start line, ensuring a spectacular day of racing which saw a new winner in the EnduroGP class…
After three years of absence Josep Garcia made a great comeback on Saturday when he took 3rd overall, but on Sunday he brilliantly won the EnduroGP category by more than 15 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Brad Freeman! Matching the pace of the British duo of Freeman – Holcombe from the first lap, the Spaniard increased his speed on the second lap, which allowed him to take advantage of the various errors of the two Beta Factory riders to build a gap of more than 20 seconds! Determined to give everything to get back to the top step of the EnduroGP podium, Garcia then managed his lead to secure an excellent victory!
Josep Garcia
“It’s been three years since I last raced in EnduroGP, so I was really motivated to do well this weekend. It has been a really difficult GP, but also great to be back racing and of course to come away with good results. Day one was going really well, it was very close between myself, Brad and Steve, but I took myself out of the battle with a big mistake on the final extreme test. Even with the mistake I was pleased with my results and riding during the day. Today, day two, my plan was to push hard like I did on day one, but to not make any mistakes. I fell on the first enduro test, so things didn’t go exactly to plan, but I kept pushing. In the second lap I managed to open up a small advantage so in the final few special tests I didn’t push too hard. This was a difficult race, but my experience in extreme races really helped me. I’m looking forward to the next GP now, next weekend.”
Demoted by the Factory KTM rider, Freeman had to accept the 17 points given for second place and therefore take two points over his season-long rival, Steve Holcombe. There’s still all to play for between the two British team-mates. Behind the ‘untouchable’ trio, Thomas Oldrati got the better of his great rival for the E1 title, Andrea Verona who brings up the rear of the top five in EnduroGP.
Brad Freeman
“I’m so disillusioned again today! Really disappointed! I felt good here and I think I’m setting good test times but unfortunately each time I am beaten… I still took a few points from Steve and everything is still under control, but it’s annoying not to win!”
In Enduro 1, after dropping five-points yesterday in the race for the title, Thomas Oldrati gains three points back today from his compatriot Andrea Verona, with the TM rider placing second on the day. The Honda RedMoto rider is now only four points behind in the standing and everything remains very uncertain in the small-displacement category. Antoine Magain takes a third podium this season ahead of Davide Soreca and the local man Diogo Ventura.
Thomas Oldrati
“I never really managed to keep in touch with Andrea yesterday and lost a lot of points there so I was keen to make up for it today. Not easy when Andrea was very fast all weekend! I’m 4 points behind, and that’s okay! The goal is just for next weekend, always finishing ahead of my rival.”
In E2, Steve Holcombe was toppled! It was the man of the day, Josep Garcia, who brought the Brit down from the top step of the podium. The Beta Factory rider had to settle for the runner-up position this time around. As on the previous day, it was Danny McCanney who completed the podium ahead of Joe Wootton and Loïc Larrieu.
Steve Holcombe
“It’s been a big fight this weekend, so to come away with a win and keep the championship alive with one round to go is great. Weather conditions played a big part with a lot of heavy rain chewing up the course. You really needed to nail your line choices as things seemed to change each lap. On Saturday I started too safe but got into the swing of things after lap one. It was down to the wire on the final lap and with a strong extreme test I got the win. I started out today fastest in the first special test but opening some of the later tests as conditions worsened worked against me. But that’s how racing goes sometimes. With one round left I’m in a strong position with a seven-point lead in EnduroGP and 25 in Enduro 2. Fingers crossed things will work out well next weekend and I can end the year with a world title.”
Over in the big class, E3, we saw the sixth win in a row for Brad Freeman who remains on stunning form. To give you an idea of his E3 domination, he relegated today’s second place finish, Jaume Betriu by 1 minute and 54 seconds. Third place, Antoine Basset, was more than 3 minutes back! Rudy Moroni and David Abrall completed the top five.
In the under 23 category, we thought we were on course to see a new winner in the class that has so far been ruled by Sherco Factory duo Espinasse – Macdonald this season. Indeed, flying Finn Roni Kytonen was on fire from the start of the day onwards, building a huge lead over his rivals. Unfortunately, on the penultimate test of the day, his bike was playing up and the Finn lost more than 11 minutes, waving goodbye to his victory chance.
But one man’s loss is another man’s gain, and it was Hamish Macdonald who took full advantage of the Finn’s misfortune by taking his third victory in a row. The New Zealander now has a 19 point lead in the standings, over his team-mate Théo Espinasse who finished second today. Wil Ruprecht had to settle for third position while Bruno Crivilin took a nice fourth place in Junior overall. Beta Boano rider Matteo Pavoni completed the top five.
Hamish Macdonald
“I was clearly not the fastest rider today. Roni was impressive and I’m disappointed for him that he had this mechanical problem. But that’s part of the racing and I won’t regret having the win. I’m now 19 points ahead, which is really good. Now I have to give everything without panicking to get the title next Saturday!”
In J1, Kutonen’s setbacks benefitted the Bruno Crivilin who enters the history books of the FIM Borilli Enduro World Championship by becoming the first Brazilian rider to win! He won ahead of Ruy Barbosa and Lorenzo Macoritto while in J2, Macdonald won ahead of Espinasse and Ruprecht.
In the Youth 125cc class, there was a fifth consecutive victory for Fantic D’Arpa Racing rider Jed Etchells. This time around, the Manxman had to work hard to see off the attacks from Sergio Navarro. The Spaniard finished just 16 seconds behind the big favourite for the title. Once again, it was Claudio Spanu who took third position and once again, it was Harry Edmondson who finished just off the podium in fourth. Another Fantic rider, Hugo Svard was fifth.
Finally, in the Champion Lubricants Enduro Open World Cup, Gonçalo Reis remains undefeated in Open 2-Stroke. He won the day with an advantage of 1 minute and 38 seconds over Arvid Modin and 2 minutes over Robert Friedrich. As for Open 4-Stroke, Damiaens Diegter was given a penalty on Saturday and had to hand the victory over to his rival and compatriot, Mathias Van Hoff. But the KTM rider made up for it on Sunday and the two men are now tied on points again. Jorge Paradelo, once again completes the podium. In Open Senior Enduro legend Alessio Paoli won again ahead of David Martinez and Duccio Graziani.
What a tough weekend for the riders! And to think that we have to do it all again next weekend, once again in Marco de Canaveses for the season finale of the FIM Borilli Enduro World Championship!
EnduroGP Standings
Rank
Rider
Nat
Bike
Total
1
HOLCOMBE Steve
GBR
Beta
112
2
FREEMAN Bradley
GBR
Beta
105
3
VERONA Andrea
ITA
TM
76
4
OLDRATI Thomas
ITA
Honda
69
5
LARRIEU Loic
FRA
TM
66
6
BETRIU AMENGOL Jaume
ESP
KTM
52
7
McCANNEY Daniel
GBR
Honda
49
8
MAGAIN Antoine
BEL
Sherco
39
9
GARCIA Josep
ESP
KTM
35
10
CAVALLO Matteo
ITA
Sherco
32
E1
Rank
Rider
Nat
Bike
Total
1
VERONA Andrea
ITA
TM
111
2
OLDRATI Thomas
ITA
Honda
107
3
MAGAIN Antoine
BEL
Sherco
84
4
REMES Eero
FIN
Yamaha
54
5
SORECA Davide
ITA
Beta
50
6
CHARLIER Christophe
FRA
Beta
41
7
SNOW Alexander
GBR
Honda
37
8
BURUD Kevin
NOR
Yamaha
35
9
TARROUX Jeremy
FRA
Sherco
30
10
ALUN Richard
SWE
Sherco
27
E2
Rank
Rider
Nat
Bike
Total
1
HOLCOMBE Steve
GBR
Beta
117
2
LARRIEU Loic
FRA
TM
92
3
McCANNEY Daniel
GBR
Honda
86
4
CAVALLO Matteo
ITA
Sherco
71
5
WOOTTON Joe
GBR
Husqvarna
57
6
VIAL Max
FRA
Husqvarna
48
7
GESLIN Anthony
FRA
Beta
46
8
GARCIA Josep
ESP
KTM
37
9
BLANJOUE Hugo
FRA
Honda
28
10
HUEBNER Edward
DEU
KTM
26
E3
Rank
Rider
Nat
Bike
Total
1
FREEMAN Bradley
GBR
Beta
120
2
BETRIU AMENGOL Jaume
ESP
KTM
100
3
BASSET Antoine
FRA
Beta
80
4
ABGRALL David
FRA
Beta
63
5
GUERRERO RUIZ Cristobal
ESP
Beta
53
6
GUARNERI Davide
ITA
TM
46
7
SANS SORIA Marc
ESP
KTM
45
8
MORONI Rudy
ITA
KTM
45
9
FRANCISCO Enric
ESP
Sherco
40
10
PASSET Thibaut
FRA
Beta
30
Junior
Rank
Rider
Nat
Bike
Total
1
MACDONALD Hamish
NZL
Sherco
111
2
ESPINASSE Theophile
FRA
Sherco
92
3
RUPRECHT Wil
AUS
Beta
72
4
PAVONI Matteo
ITA
Beta
68
5
KYTONEN Roni
FIN
Honda
65
6
BARBOSA Ruy
CHL
Husqvarna
62
7
CRIVILIN Bruno
BRA
Honda
49
8
MACORITTO Lorenzo
ITA
Beta
41
9
CORTES Bernat
ESP
KTM
30
10
CRIQ Antoine
FRA
Sherco
29
Cheyne Boyd GoFundMe raises $25K in 24 hours
A fundraiser has been launched by motocross rider Mick Sinclair for the injured Cheyne Boyd, and raised $25k in the first 24 hours. Boyd has a long road to recovery ahead of him, with Sinclair also sharing that Park4 MX has been heavily impacted by coronavirus restrictions in Victoria.
Mick Sinclair
“The accident will require Cheyne to remain in hospital for several weeks, possibly up to eight and the road to recovery will be long and arduous, to make things worse his business, Park4 MX has been plagued by the coronavirus restrictions in Melbourne, Victoria. Cheyne and his wife have three loving young children and have patiently been waiting for restrictions to be lifted. Unfortunately, Cheyne will not be able to work or operate machines for months and is already under enormous duress because of his business being uncontrollably closed.”
Portalegre brought good fortune to Sebastian Bühler (Hero) for the third successive season, as he claimed victory over team-mate Joachim Rodrigues and third-placed Micael Simão (KTM). Unfortunately, incessant rain and intense flooding hit the Portuguese region and forced the organisation to shorten the third stage from 300km to 79km.
The Baja Portalegre 500 rounded off a very unusual 2020 season decimated by Covid-19. With German rider Bühler (Hero) winning the race and also claiming the FIM Cross-Country Bajas World Cup title from Micael Simão ( KTM) and Maciej Giemza (Husqvarna).
Sebastien Bühler
“Yesterday, it was a difficult stage because we crossed it in the rain. Having said that, I was able to increase the gap to my rivals, so it was a positive day. Unfortunately, today, we were only able to run a very small special of 79km instead of the planned 300km. It is frustrating but the organisation made this decision for our safety. I am obviously happy to win this event once again and it is a great satisfaction to win the FIM Baja World Cup title with Hero.”
Victory fell to Janaina Souza (Honda) in the women’s category. She finished ahead of Rosa Romero (KTM) and Sara Garcia (Yamaha).
In Juniors, Maciej Giemza (Husqvarna) secured victory laurels and the title, the Polish rider finishing in front of the Chilean Tomas de Gavardo (KTM) – who has learned a lot in the last two Baja seasons – and Konrad Dabrowski (KTM), who has also been learning Baja basics.
Pedro Bianchi Prata (Honda) won the Veteran Trophy in the FIM Bajas World Cup.
Overall Rankings after Stage 2
Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, 1h 55m 16s
Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, +1m 14s
Bruno Santos, Team Can-Am Off Road, +5m 16s
Salvador Vargas, JB Racing, +8m 47s
David Megre, Vitoria Fc, +9m 27s
2020 FIM Cross-Country BAJAs World Cup Standings
Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally – 50 Points
Micael Simao, KTM Exc F 450 – 29 Points
Maciek Giemza, Husqvarna Fe 450 – 29 Points
Tomas De Gavardo, KTM Exc F – 22 Points
Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally – 20 Points
Silk Way Rally scheduled for 2021
The 11th edition of the Silk Way Rally (from 1 to 11 July 2021) offers a brand-new route across three countries and a return to Mongolia, with 10 stages covering approximately 5,000 kilometres in total. Mongolia is back in the route for 2021 and competitors will cross Russian and Mongolian Altai, before finishing in China and the crossing of the Gobi Desert.
The start will be held in Omsk (Russia, Siberia) on 1 July 2021. The rally will take the competitors across the countryside of the South-West of Siberia then West to East across the Russian and Mongolian Altai region, before a Chinese final in the Gobi Desert, with a finish in Urumqi on 11 July, after covering 5000 kilometres, of which approximately half will be selective sector.
Vladimir Chagin – Director of the Silk Way Rally
“The events of the last months have had a profound effect on the world, that of sport and motorsport in particular. Nevertheless, the Silk Way Rally team has been active throughout this difficult year and continue to be so, in order to be ready for the coming edition. Next July, the Silk Way Rally competitors will discover completely new regions over a route that has never been used before: The South-West of Siberia, the Altai region with its untouched nature and it’s breath-taking scenery, Mongolia once again but in a different area to that of the previous edition, and of course the Gobi Desert – an indispensable part of the Silk Way Rally, eagerly anticipated by every competitor.”
2021 Silk Way Rally Programme
October, 2020 presentation of the host regions and race categories
15 of February, 2021 opening of registration for competitors
01 of April, 2021 opening of accreditation for media
April – May general reconnaissance – preparation of the final route
01 of June, 2021 closure of the entries
30 of June _ 01 of July, 2021 administrative checks and scrutineering, Omsk, Russia
01 of July, 2021 start ceremony, Omsk, Russia
02-11 of July, 2021 race: 10 legs in Russia, Mongolia, China
11 of July, 2021 finish podium in Urumqi, China
2020 GNCC Buckwheat 100
The 2020 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, finished out its season on Sunday, November 8, 2020 with the inaugural AMSOIL Buckwheat 100 event in Newburg, West Virginia. With unseasonal weather throughout the entire weekend, temperatures in the high 70’s helped heat up the season finale of racing.
After three-hours of intense racing at the GNCC season finale it would be AmPro Yamaha’s Steward Baylor Jr. standing atop the podium for his fourth overall win of the season. Baylor would battle throughout the day and he would ultimately cross the finish line second, however, Ben Kelley, who crossed the finish line first, was given a one position penalty placing him second overall.
Kelley would work his way back from a fourth place start on the opening lap, moving into third and then second before battling for the lead position. Baylor and Kelley would continue to engage in a heated battle all the way to the checkered flag.
Jordan Ashburn got a great jump off the line grabbing the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 holeshot award. Ashburn would lead the pack of XC1 Open Pro riders into the woods, and he would continue to lead the race for the first two laps of racing. Ashburn would then fall back to third overall, but he would push for the remainder of the race to hold onto that final podium position.
Earning fourth overall on the day was Grant Baylor. When the green flag flew, Baylor found himself towards the back of the pack but would battle throughout the day to make his way up front. Baylor physically crossed the finish line in fifth, but after a penalty to a fellow XC1 competitor he would be credited with fourth at the final race of the 2020 GNCC season.
Rounding out the top five overall finishers was Layne Michael. After working his way up to fourth from a seventh place start to the day, an on track incident would move him back to fifth overall. This is Michael’s third-straight fifth place finish overall. Michael remains seventh in the points standings for the XC1 Open Pro class.
Three riders will be credited with eighth place finishes after reviewing and assessing penalties on the day. Andrew Delong was having a good race running sixth as the checkered flag flew, however Delong was penalized two positions for two separate on-track occurrences. Thad Duvall found himself running in second during the first part of the race, though as he came around on lap four, he would find himself running ninth. Duvall put his head down and pushed making some necessary passes but would ultimately be one of the three riders credited with an eighth place finish after crossing the line in seventh.
As the checkered flag waved, Josh Strang physically crossed the finish line ninth overall but would be credited with an eighth place finish on the day. As the two lap board came out Strang found himself running fourth, but on that lap, he would have to make a longer-than-normal pit stop as he had found that his rear brake line had burst.
Josh Strang
“Not all to plan yesterday, I had a rock come up with 2 laps to go and bust my rear brake line. I enjoyed the new track, a little slippery and rocky but enjoyable! Thanks to the boys for getting me back out to finish off the year! At the beginning of the GNCC season I felt ready but was unsure of where I stood. I’m getting older and the guys are getting faster. I ended up second in the series with nine podiums that included two wins. I had an absolute blast racing this year, maybe the most enjoyable to date, and I was more competitive than I had been in the past. A massive shoutout to @teambabbitts & @racekawasaki for the support they have thrown into this program! The bikes truly are awesome and I believe we have shown that they are super competitive in off-road racing! Thanks to @maurer44 for having my bikes ready every weekend and @faroffroad & @dennybartz making the show run effortlessly… @mrs.cameronstrang and Maverick also for the endless support! I’m excited for a break but will be excited for the 2021 season when it’s time thanks to everyone for the support it’s been a good one.”
Trevor Bollinger made his return to the GNCC Racing circuit after missing the season due to a knee injury. Bollinger was off to a good start as he ran inside the top five for the first part of the race. As the checkered flag flew Bollinger would be credited with a ninth place finish on the day, after a one position penalty was assessed. Rounding out the top 10 in the XC1 Open Pro class was Evan Earl. Earl had a consistent race running inside the XC1 top 10 for the duration of the three-hour race.
Coming into the final round the XC2 250 Pro National Championship was still up for grabs. The battle for the championship was between Craig Delong and Michael Witkowski, with 11 points separating them. As the race got underway it was Sam Evans grabbing the $100 Hot Cams XC2 holeshot award, but it would soon be Witkowski taking over the lead.
Delong would work his way back from a fourth place start to the day to overtake second place with three laps remaining the in the race. As the checkered flag came out it would be Witkowski physically crossing the finish line first, but after a one position penalty he would officially place second in the XC2 class for the day. Delong would come through physically second, enough to earn the XC2 National Championship, but after Witkowski’s penalty he would be credited with the XC2 class win as well as earning his first-ever XC2 National Championship.
Cody Barnes came through to round out the XC2 class podium after falling back to fifth at one point in the race. Barnes would make the necessary moves through the pack to make his way back to the podium as the checkered flag waved. Barnes finishes out the year fourth in the points standings.
In the FMF XC3 125cc Pro-Am class it was National Champion, Zack Hayes taking his seventh win of the season after leading all seven laps of racing at the AMSOIL Buckwheat 100 GNCC. Max Fernandez came through to take second in the FMF XC3 class, followed by Michael Delosa rounding out the top three. Fernandez made the jump to the XC3 class after securing second overall in the 150 A points standings.
Coming through to clinch her first-ever WXC win was Rachel Gutish. After grabbing the $100 Trail Jesters WXC holeshot award, Gutish put her head down to place a gap over the rest of the WXC field. Gutish would come through timing and scoring with the lead position on all four laps, taking the win by 39 seconds.
After starting out the day third in WXC, Becca Sheets made the pass for second and set her sights on Gutish. Sheets would ultimately run out of time and cross the line second on the day at the 2020 GNCC season finale. Korie Steede battled back after falling to fourth at one point in the race to round out the WXC top three in West Virginia.
In the 8 a.m. youth race it was Cole Forbes taking his second-straight youth overall win and YXC1 class win of the season. Chase Landers and Nicholas Defeo rounded out the top three overall finishers, and the top two in the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class. Wyatt Marshall and Dylan Sharpe finished second and third in the YXC1 class, with Matthew Hallenbeck taking third in the YXC2 class. Peyton Feather came through to take seventh overall and the 85cc (12-13) class win, with Rivers Morris and Colton Shields rounding out the top three in the class.
Due to health concerns arising from the COVID crisis, series organiser Racer Productions cancelled the traditional season-ending awards banquets set for December 12th (ATV) and 13th (Bikes), which hosts well over 700 guests each night. In their stead, the first-ever online GNCC Virtual Awards Ceremonies was announced.
Buckwheat 100 Bike PM Results – Top 25
Place
Racer
Class
Brand
Elapsed
1
STEWARD BAYLOR JR
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
YAM
03:01:21.298
2
BENJAMIN M KELLEY
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
KTM
03:01:21.810
3
JORDAN ASHBURN
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
KAW
03:04:30.291
4
GRANT BAYLOR
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
SHR
03:07:44.977
5
LAYNE MICHAEL
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
YAM
03:07:45.719
6
CRAIG B DELONG
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
HQV
03:10:45.491
7
MICHAEL WITKOWSKI
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
YAM
03:10:46.350
8
ANDREW R DELONG
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
HON
03:11:46.511
9
CODY J BARNES
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
BET
03:10:49.458
10
JONATHAN T JOHNSON
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
HON
03:10:55.750
12
THADDEUS DUVALL
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
HQV
03:11:42.998
12
RYDER LAFFERTY
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
HQV
03:14:06.640
13
TREVOR BOLLINGER
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
HQV
03:14:59.450
14
JOSH V STRANG
01. XC1 Open Pro – Bike
KAW
03:14:58.257
15
JESSE ANSLEY
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
KTM
03:16:33.539
16
TRISTON LANDRUM
05. 250 A – Bike
YAM
03:19:01.817
17
BENJAMIN NELKO
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
HQV
03:19:09.235
18
SAMUEL EVANS
02. XC2 250 Pro – Bike
KTM
03:20:14.979
19
BRAYDEN NOLETTE
05. 250 A – Bike
KTM
03:21:10.036
20
WILL SIEVENPIPER
04. Open A – Bike
KTM
03:21:12.617
21
CHASE HAYES
04. Open A – Bike
KTM
03:22:17.059
22
ZACK HAYES
03. FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am – Bike
KTM
03:22:32.099
23
DAKODA DEVORE
05. 250 A – Bike
KTM
03:23:57.492
24
COLE WHITMER
07. 4-Stroke A Lites – Bike
HQV
03:24:01.319
25
MAX FERNANDEZ
03. FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am – Bike
BET
03:24:56.19625
XC1 Pro Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Kailub Russell
295
2
Josh Strang
253
3
Jordan Ashburn
206
4
Steward Baylor Jr.
188
5
Craig Delong
186
6
Benjamin Kelley
178
7
Michael Witkowski
175
8
Grant Baylor
170
9
Jonathan Girroir
146
10
Cody Barnes
134
XC2 250 Pro Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Craig Delong
316
2
Michael Witkowski
304
3
Jonathan Girroir
280
4
Cody Barnes
229
5
Liam Draper
204
6
Jonathan Johnson
158
7
Ryder Lafferty
150
8
Thorn Devlin
145
9
Benjamin Nelko
125
10
Jesse Ansley
118
Buckwheat 100 Bike AM Results – Top 25
Place
Racer
Class
Brand
Elapsed
1
CAMERON SISK
43. Sportsman A – Bike
HQV
01:56:14.930
2
TYLER J SORIANO
43. Sportsman A – Bike
HON
01:57:16.879
3
DESHAUN HORTON
43. Sportsman A – Bike
KTM
01:59:03.619
4
RACHEL GUTISH
17. WXC – Bike
BET
01:59:16.759
5
BECCA N SHEETS
17. WXC – Bike
YAM
01:59:56.339
6
GREGORY V FUNK
43. Sportsman A – Bike
KAW
02:00:22.350
7
NICK SMITH
43. Sportsman A – Bike
YAM
02:01:43.316
8
CONNER KEEGAN
43. Sportsman A – Bike
HQV
02:02:41.179
9
KORIE STEEDE
17. WXC – Bike
TM
02:03:34.658
10
GARY FRIDLEY
43. Sportsman A – Bike
YAM
02:04:26.130
11
BILL J ATKINSON
18. Super Senior A (45+) – Bike
KTM
02:04:53.299
12
DACOTA J ABBOTT
43. Sportsman A – Bike
BET
02:04:55.377
13
BROOKE COSNER
17. WXC – Bike
SHR
02:05:42.330
14
ZACHARY KROPP
43. Sportsman A – Bike
KTM
02:05:52.398
15
COLE ROBBINS
43. Sportsman A – Bike
YAM
02:05:54.413
16
PAYDON E SIMMONS
44. Sportsman B – Bike
KTM
02:06:20.459
17
AARON STUTER
43. Sportsman A – Bike
KTM
02:06:33.015
18
ANTHONY OPLINGER
44. Sportsman B – Bike
HQV
02:06:43.490
19
SCOTT PHELPS
18. Super Senior A (45+) – Bike
YAM
02:06:43.540
20
JOHN HAWKINS
44. Sportsman B – Bike
KTM
02:07:19.318
21
AUSTIN P ZINK
43. Sportsman A – Bike
KAW
02:07:44.331
22
JASON KEY
43. Sportsman A – Bike
YAM
02:08:09.138
23
JUSTIN L MURPHY
43. Sportsman A – Bike
HQV
02:08:11.219
24
RANDALL ERVIN
43. Sportsman A – Bike
YAM
02:08:52.558
25
DJ WOLFORD
44. Sportsman B – Bike
HON
02:09:04.570
2020 WX MX State Championship – Round 3
Regan Duffy swept the MX1 and MX2 championships at Bunbury over the weekend, winning all three races in each classes in perfect form.
In MX1, Duffy won the round from Charlie Creech and Josh Adams, while the championship standings saw him win with 315-points, to John Darroch on 259, while Creech was third overall on 257, three-points ahead of Josh Adams.
In MX2 Duffy took the win from Brock Flynn and Josh Adams, with only two-points separating Flynn and Adams. Duffy won the MX2 title on 315-points, with Adams second overall on 274. Conan Forrester completed the podium on 243 points.
MXGP rolled into Pietramurata over the weekend for the 2020 MXGP of Trentino, the first of the final three rounds to be held in Italy, with plenty of surprises in store, including a new race winner in the MXGP class.
Antonio Cairoli claimed his 92nd GP victory on home soil, while championship rival, Tim Gajser, was forced to settle for second, after taking a comfortable race win in the first heat but struggling to get a good start in the second race which made things tough. But it was Clement Desalle of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team who was the man of the day, as he made his first podium appearance since the MXGP of the Netherlands in 2019. The Belgian took an incredible race win in the second race, to confirm his spot in third on the box.
Antonio Cairoli – P1
“I’m really happy to win the overall and to ride with Clement in the second moto; it was like a few years ago when we used to fight for the title! We were riding fast today. It’s always good to win in Italy but it’s not the same without any public so thanks to all those who were supporting from home. We’ll try to do our best for the rest of the championship. Tim is far ahead but we’ll try to enjoy the last two races and see what happens.”
Gajser (626) currently leads the MXGP standings from Cairoli (553) and Jeremy Seewer (535), with Romain Febvre fourth on 487, and Jorge Prado fifth on 476.
2020 MXGP of Trentino Overall
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Cairoli, Antonio
ITA
KTM
22
22
44
2
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
25
18
43
3
Desalle, Clement
BEL
KAW
15
25
40
4
Paulin, Gautier
FRA
YAM
18
20
38
5
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
20
16
36
6
Lupino, Alessandro
ITA
YAM
14
14
28
7
Monticelli, Ivo
ITA
GAS
12
13
25
8
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
16
8
24
9
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
7
15
22
10
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
13
9
22
11
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
9
12
21
12
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
BEL
HON
8
10
18
13
Van doninck, Brent
BEL
YAM
5
11
16
14
Cervellin, Michele
ITA
YAM
10
6
16
15
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
HON
11
2
13
16
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
6
4
10
17
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
4
5
9
18
Pichon, Zachary
FRA
HON
1
7
8
19
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
0
3
3
20
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
2
1
3
21
Bernardini, Samuele
ITA
YAM
3
0
3
2020 MXGP Standings – Top 20
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
626
2
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
553
3
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
535
4
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
487
5
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
476
6
Paulin, G.
FRA
YAM
441
7
Desalle, C.
BEL
KAW
402
8
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
GAS
375
9
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
HON
307
10
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
263
11
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
254
12
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
248
13
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
234
14
Evans, M.
AUS
HON
228
15
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
206
16
Monticelli, I.
ITA
GAS
186
17
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
146
18
Jacobi, Henry
GER
YAM
134
19
Lupino, A.
ITA
YAM
110
20
Cervellin, M.
ITA
YAM
100
MX2
In MX2, Jago Geerts made his return to the top step of the podium, following some tough races during his home rounds in Lommel. Geerts took a fourth in race one, and a race win in the second heat which gave him the advantage for the overall.
Jago Geerts – P1
“I’m really happy with how the day went. In the first heat I made a small mistake, but I still finished fourth and then in the second race I was feeling really good on the track. I think the championship is far away, but I don’t think about it, I just want to finish the season strong and we will see and focus on next year.”
Joining him was Thomas Kjer Olsen, who proved that he has the speed to win races in Pietramurata, as he claimed the victory in the opening heat and then a fourth in race two, for second overall on the day. The last rider to take to the podium was the championship leader, Tom Vialle who finished the races second and third, after a couple of small mistakes, including the crash in the second heat, which cost him the race win.
Australian Beaton held strong to claim a solid third place in moto one after an impressive turn of speed during the early stages of the race. Coming together with another rider in the first turn resulted in a poor start for Beaton in race two, and he had to fight back into 10th by the end of lap two, before advancing to eighth by the halfway stage of the race. Unfortunate to lose a position in the closing stages of the moto, Jed’s ninth-place finish rewarded him with fourth overall.
Jed Beaton – P4
“It’s been a decent day for me. Overall, I feel really good on the bike, it was just a shame that I clipped someone at the start of race two. I felt great in race one, really comfortable and was on the pace, but third was the best that I could do in that one. I was looking forward to another good result in race two but it wasn’t to be. Two more rounds here though and I’m ready to get in the battle again.”
Fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz had a mixed weekend, with a strong Race 1 result, finishing in 12th for nine championship points, however 24th in Race 2 meant he had to settle for 18th overall.
Vialle now leads the MX2 standings on 693, with Geerts on 620 and Maxime Renaux third on 505. Thomas Kjer Olsen is fourth, a point ahead of teammate Jed Beaton, the duo on 489 and 488 respectively. Malkiewicz now holds 16th.
MX2 Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
18
25
43
2
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
25
18
43
3
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
22
20
42
4
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
20
12
32
5
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
13
16
29
6
Benistant, Thibault
FRA
YAM
6
22
28
7
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
14
14
28
8
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
11
15
26
9
Van De Moosdijk, Roan
NED
KAW
12
13
25
10
Fernandez, Ruben
ESP
YAM
16
9
25
11
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
15
5
20
12
Sandner, Michael
AUT
GAS
7
8
15
13
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
3
11
14
14
Lesiardo, Morgan
ITA
HON
10
4
14
15
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
2
10
12
16
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
5
6
11
17
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
8
3
11
18
Malkiewicz, Bailey
AUS
HON
9
0
9
19
Rubini, Stephen
FRA
HON
0
7
7
20
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
4
2
6
21
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
0
1
1
22
Sikyna, Richard
SVK
KTM
1
0
1
MX2 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
693
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
620
3
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
505
4
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
489
5
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
488
6
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
466
7
Van De Moosdijk, R.
NED
KAW
442
8
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
327
9
Fernandez, R.
ESP
YAM
304
10
Rubini, S.
FRA
HON
235
11
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
234
12
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
221
13
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
207
14
Forato, A.
ITA
HUS
156
15
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
148
16
Malkiewicz, B.
AUS
HON
128
17
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
118
18
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
118
19
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
HON
104
20
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
99
21
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
98
22
Renkens, N.
BEL
KTM
97
23
Crawford, N.
AUS
HON
91
EMX Open
The EMX Open Championship made its much-awaited return in Italy for the round of Trentino, which is the fourth instalment of this year’s series. Action saw a brand-new winner in the category, as Frenchman, Jimmy Clochet took two strong race wins, on his wildcard appearance, to claim his first ever European podium as he placed first overall.
Joining him on the podium was Italian rider, Davide De Bortoli who had two solid second place finishes, ahead of Toms Macuks who made his third podium appearance of the year for third overall, following two fourths’ in the races.
Race 1
The opening race saw Dan Thornhill of Cab Screens Deos Group Honda take the holeshot, though Clochet wasted no time to get around the early leader, to move into the top spot. The Frenchman then checked out of the race, as he pulled a comfortable lead early on, which he maintained until the chequered flag.
Though in the early stages of the race Thornhill came under pressure from De Bortoli and eventually Macuks, with the pair getting around the Brit, before he dropped down a further few positions to finish 7th.
Clochet led every lap of the race, with De Bortoli behind him. Though it was the battle behind them that was heating up as Cornelius Toendel of JWR Racing pushed for his best result of the season, as he was eventually able to pass Macuks for third.
Championship leader, Karel Kutsar had a tough race, as he started down in and around 16th position, to eventually pull his way through to 9th, for vital championship points.
Race 2
The second race saw Clochet out in the lead once again, as he claimed the holeshot that time around. De Bortoli got another good start and so did Kutsar who was in third. In terms of the top three riders, there was no change in positions as the three maintained their spots and that’s how they would eventually finish.
Martin Michek, Mike Bolink and Macuks were having a close battle for 3rd, though by the third lap, Macuks was able to pass both riders to get himself into fourth, where he also finished the race.
Domantas Jazdauskas was also pushing for the top 5, as he challenged inside the top 10, though he made a mistake, which caused him to crash out of 8th and finish the race in 15th.
Meanwhile, Toendel was on a charge in race two after starting the race in the top 15. He fought to make some passes on Stefan Ekerold, Jazdauskas and Kim Savaste of 137 KTM Motorsport, along with others, to finish the race in 6th, with Michek finishing just ahead of him in 5th.
In terms of the championship, despite missing out on a podium spot, Kutsar still leads in the standings by 12 points, with Savaste second, finishing 6th overall today, and Macuks third, a further 21 points behind.
There are now two rounds remaining of the EMX Open championship, with still plenty of points up for grabs, which will make for some interesting races as we reach the closing stages of the opening year of the brand-new series.
Jimmy Clochet
“Today was a really good day for me, before, the last year I was riding in the EMX250 with Bud Racing team, this year I got this news challenge and I jump on the EMXOpen class. I was feeling really good with the track and with the bike and I got two really good starts, so I’m really happy about my day and I’m ready for the next round.”
Davide De Bortoli
“I’m really happy to be here and for my first podium in the European Championship. Today I was feeling really good with my bike. I wanted to race in Latvia, but I got injured just some days before. Today I did my best and now I’m looking forward the next races here in Pietramurata.”
Toms Mackus
“I’m happy about the podium but the race wasn’t the best and not what I was expecting because I did bad start and I crashed. I’m ready for the next races and I’m really looking forward to get a good result on the next one.”
Karel Kutsar
“The most important thing is the Championship. In the first race I was quite nervous, so I did two little mistakes in the first corners of the first lap and because of that I lost many positions. Anyway, I tried to do my best and I finished 9th. In the second race, I took a better start and I tried to ride good and safe, finally I got a good result. Now I’m ready for the next race.”
EMX Open Overall – Trentino
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Clochet, Jimmy
FRA
KAW
25
25
50
2
De Bortoli, Davide
ITA
HON
22
22
44
3
Macuks, Toms
LAT
KTM
18
18
36
4
Toendel, Cornelius
NOR
HON
20
15
35
5
Kutsar, Karel
EST
KTM
12
20
32
6
Savaste, Kim
FIN
KTM
16
13
29
7
Michek, Martin
CZE
KTM
10
16
26
8
Ekerold, Stefan
GER
SUZ
11
14
25
9
Gryning, Mathias
DEN
YAM
13
10
23
10
Thornhill , Dan
GBR
HON
14
9
23
11
Bolink, Mike
NED
KTM
6
11
17
12
Sjoholm, Mads
DEN
KTM
4
12
16
13
Bartos, Petr
CZE
KTM
8
7
15
14
Adamson, John
GBR
KTM
15
0
15
15
Rathousky, Petr
CZE
KTM
7
3
10
16
Windt, Rob
NED
KTM
9
0
9
17
Haberland, Paul
GER
HON
0
8
8
18
Michalec, Petr
CZE
HON
3
5
8
19
Ubach, Simeo
ESP
HUS
5
2
7
20
Jazdauskas, Domantas
LTU
HUS
0
6
6
21
Malin, Wiljam
FIN
HUS
2
4
6
22
Wedage, Damian
NED
KTM
0
1
1
23
Tornau, Fynn-Niklas
GER
KTM
1
0
1
24
Pletka, Libor
CZE
KTM
0
0
0
25
Rossi, Andrea
ITA
KTM
0
0
0
EMX Open Standings – Top 15
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Kutsar, Karel
EST
KTM
163
2
Savaste, Kim
FIN
KTM
151
3
Macuks, Toms
LAT
KTM
130
4
Ekerold, S.
GER
SUZ
118
5
Sihvonen, Miro
FIN
HUS
101
6
Lusbo, Andero
EST
HUS
93
7
Matikainen, J.
FIN
HUS
83
8
Kalejs, Karlis
LAT
HUS
75
9
Toendel, C.
NOR
HON
73
10
Jazdauskas, D.
LTU
HUS
73
11
Smets, Greg
BEL
KTM
67
12
Ubach, Simeo
ESP
HUS
58
13
Dixon, Nathan
GBR
HUS
54
14
Clochet, Jimmy
FRA
KAW
50
15
De Bortoli, D.
ITA
HON
44
WMX
New Zealander, Courtney Duncan of DRT Kawasaki has made history once again, as she claimed her second world title in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship at the final here in Pietramurata, Italy.
Courtney Duncan
“It’s just an unbelievable feeling right now! I dreamt of these days when I was a kid; I’ve worked fifteen years of my life for moments like this. This year has been so full of uncertainties with Covid and our own challenges. Like the crash in Mantova when I got back to my bike and the bars were snapped; it felt as though the championship was gone in the blink-of-an-eye and I’m so proud how we fought back, stayed positive and confident to come out on top for a second year. Massive thanks to the entire team – you can’t do it alone – but we got it done.
There was so much pressure on each of us coming to the final round with the points so close; it was a matter of winner-takes-all and you have to rise to the occasion. I actually got more excited by the situation. These are the moments that count; I stood up and rose today and that’s why I’m champion. I fell down at the start of the first race but thankfully some more went down at turn two; I just never gave up, put it behind me and concentated on pulling back as many places as I could. Potentially I got a few gifts, particularly when Larissa fell on the last lap, but I gotta thank my crew for keeping me posted; I’m proud of the way I stayed composed and I was just in my zone all race. Such a crazy race and it put me in the right position before race two. I knew the points so I didn’t need to take any risks. I stayed out of the chaos and tried to stay focused through the last laps but I don’t want to take it away from the girls in front who were riding so good; I let it play out in front of me and took the overall today and the championship. It was so close in the end. We were all put under-the-pump knowing it was tight coming to the final round but thankfully I got that moto win in race one and that made the difference. I just want to enjoy this one this evening but 100% sure I want to make it a three-piece with Kawasaki next year!“
The WMX championship came down to the final race, as four riders were all in contention of grabbing the title. With just 10 points separating Nancy Van de Ven of Ghidinelli Racing, who led the championship coming into the round of Trentino, Duncan, MXFonta Syneco’s Kiara Fontanesi and Larissa Papenmeier of Yamaha Racing 423, the action today was next level, as each one of the riders gave it their all for the chance to take home the gold plate.
Race 1
And there was plenty of drama in the races, starting with the opening heat which saw Duncan, Van De Ven and Fontanesi go down in the start, while Papenmeier grabbed the holeshot and led the way comfortably.
Duncan though was not looking to waste any time, as she pushed hard throughout the race, making some very quick passes, which saw her move into the top three on the fourth lap of the race. Meanwhile, Van De Ven and Fontanesi were also making good progress and were pushing inside the top 10.
The top 4 ladies didn’t let off, as they each pushed for vital championship points, though the closing stages of the race saw more drama and this time it was for the race leader, Papenmeier, who had a nice 10 second gap to Duncan in second, but a small mistake which resulted in a crash, in the corner before the finish jump, allowed the Kiwi to close in on Papenmeier and eventually pass her for the win.
Papenmeier held on to second, with JK Racing Yamaha’s Lynn Valk having a fantastic ride to finish third ahead of Shana Van der Vlist and Van de Ven having to settle for fifth.
Race 2
The second race was the last opportunity for Duncan, Van De Ven, Papenmeier and Fontanesi to do something about the outcome of this championship. And for Van De Ven it was a complete turnaround of the opening heat, as she took the holeshot and led every lap of the race from start to flag. While she led the way, the battle was heating up behind her, as Fontanesi, Van der Vlist, Duncan and Papenmeier battle it out for top scoring positions.
All eyes were focused on the nice battle between Fontanesi and Duncan which carried on for 6 laps, before the Italian was eventually able to find her way through on the DRT Kawasaki rider. The pair then pushed their way onto the back of the race leader, though Van De Ven was able to handle the pressure and take the race win, but it was not enough for her to secure the title this time around. Fontanesi crossed the line to finish the race second, while Duncan was third.
By the end of the race, both Van De Ven and Duncan were tied on 207 points, with the championship being decided on race wins and it was those 5 race wins, in Matterley Basin, Mantova and Trentino today, which helped Duncan secure the gold plate for the second year in a row. Van De Ven was forced to settle for a silver medal this season, as she finished the year with her second race win and a fourth podium finish. While Papenmeier secured bronze with two overall victories in Valkenswaard and Mantova and four podiums this season.
The podium today was exactly the same as the championship standings, with Duncan celebrating her title on the top step of the podium, with Van De Ven second and Papenmeier finishing third on the box.
Nancy Van De Ven
“The crash in the first race and mistakes in the beginning of the year made it really hard for me and what can I say, what’s worse than getting second in the championship with the same points”.
Larissa Papenmeier
“It was really close, anyone of us four could be world champion, so you had to fight until the last minute. I had a good first heat, unfortunately I tipped over, but it was my own mistake and I finished second. Nothing was lost by then, but my second heat wasn’t that good. The others were better, Courtney for sure deserved it, I think if she stays on the bike, she’s fastest on the track so she deserved it for sure. Congratulations to her. Being third overall in the world championship is not bad, for sure I’m fighting for first but I’m not giving up yet.”
WMX Overall – Trentino 2020
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Duncan, Courtney
NZL
KAW
25
20
45
2
Van De Ven, Nancy
NED
YAM
16
25
41
3
Papenmeier, Larissa
GER
YAM
22
18
40
4
Fontanesi, Kiara
ITA
KTM
15
22
37
5
Valk, Lynn
NED
YAM
20
16
36
6
van der Vlist, Shana
NED
KTM
18
15
33
7
Andersen, Sara
DEN
KTM
14
14
28
8
Astudillo, Jamie
USA
KTM
13
13
26
9
Nocera, Francesca
ITA
YAM
11
12
23
10
Keller, Sandra
SUI
KTM
12
9
21
11
Jakobsen, Malou
DEN
KTM
8
11
19
12
Borchers, Anne
GER
SUZ
9
8
17
13
O’Hare, Tahlia Jade
AUS
KTM
6
10
16
14
Germond, Virginie
SUI
KTM
7
5
12
15
Kapsamer , Elena
AUT
KTM
10
0
10
16
Viaud, Camille
FRA
YAM
3
6
9
17
Irmgartz, Kim
GER
HON
5
4
9
18
Berry, Avrie
USA
KTM
0
7
7
19
Hoppe, Fiona
GER
HUS
4
1
5
20
Reitze, Alicia
GER
YAM
1
3
4
21
Lehmann, Janina
GER
YAM
0
2
2
22
Galvagno, Elisa
ITA
YAM
2
0
2
WMX Final Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Duncan, C.
NZL
KAW
207
2
Van De Ven, N.
NED
YAM
207
3
Papenmeier, L.
GER
YAM
200
4
Fontanesi, K.
ITA
KTM
193
5
Valk, Lynn
NED
YAM
164
6
van der Vlist, S.
NED
KTM
135
7
Andersen, Sara
DEN
KTM
121
8
Dam, Line
DEN
YAM
114
9
Borchers, Anne
GER
SUZ
94
10
O’Hare, T.
AUS
KTM
91
11
Astudillo, J.
USA
KTM
77
12
Jakobsen, M.
DEN
KTM
54
13
Nocera, F.
ITA
YAM
49
14
Verstappen, A.
BEL
KAW
46
15
Martinez, M.
FRA
KTM
39
Lettenbichler wins 2020 Red Bull Romaniacs
Rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 17th edition of Red Bull Romaniacs included the added challenge of the changeable autumnal weather conditions in the Carpathian Mountains.
With the traditional Prologue event on the streets of host city Sibiu cancelled, riders first faced a relatively short, time trial qualification stage to determine the opening day’s start order. Manuel Lettenbichler, making his international race debut for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, finished fifth-fastest, granting him an advantageous start position for Offroad Day 1.
Dry conditions greeted riders early in the morning for the first full day of offroad racing, but it was obvious right from the off that the organizers had plenty in store for the Gold Class competitors. Named ‘Vertical Madness’ for 2020, the race lived up to its name, delivering technically demanding, steep climbs and with a no-help rule for this year, riders had to fight their way to the top unaided.
Second on day one, Lettenbichler finished 41 seconds behind the leader but enjoyed an advantage of over three minutes over the third-placed rider. The top two, Lettenbichler and experienced extreme racer Graham Jarvis, would battle this way for the three remaining days. Victory on day two went to the Red Bull KTM rider who gapped his main rival by close to three minutes, giving him a two-minute advantage going into the third stage.
With Lettenbichler taking his KTM 300 EXC TPI to second on Offroad Day 3, the top two went into the final day separated by just 25 seconds following over 16 hours of racing. With conditions worsening and the already slippery hills made more treacherous following light rain, riders found Offroad Day 4 to be one of the toughest.
Putting in a champion’s performance, Lettenbichler did exactly what he needed to do on the final day and kept Jarvis behind him. Successfully completing the last stage of the event as third-fastest, Lettenbichler secured the win by close to two-and-a-half minutes. The result gives the 2019 WESS Champion back-to-back victories at Red Bull Romaniacs and confirms the 22-year-old as one of the top riders of the sport.
Manuel Lettenbichler – P1
“I’m over the moon, it really is amazing. It’s been such a tough year for everyone and it’s cool to get another win here at Romaniacs. I started well but couldn’t believe how fast Graham was going – he was riding so good over the whole four days so congratulations to him. We were riding together a lot over the event and that really kept me motivated. I’m stoked to come away with another win. It was hard coming into the race to know how you would fair compared to the other guys as there has been so little racing this year and you don’t know how you are skill or fitness-wise. I’m super happy to take the win!”
Fighting all the way to the finish, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Graham Jarvis narrowly finished as runner-up at Romaniacs 2020. Joining him on the podium, teammate Alfredo Gomez charged ahead on the final day of racing to secure third overall.
Graham Jarvis – P2
“It’s been different to race here in October, but it’s worked good. I felt like I was riding really strong all week, but today Mani just had the edge. Starting out the week with a win was perfect and put me into a strong position. I knew the other guys would be pushing hard too, so I tried to play the long game and wait for another attack. I won the penultimate day but only by enough to give me a 25-second lead. With one crash early on, that advantage was quickly gone. Overall, I’ve a lot to be happy about, but I guess I’ll have to wait a little bit longer for a seventh win.”
Alfredo Gomez – P3
“I’m delighted to come back strong for third. After a bad start to my week I rode each day never giving up. Experience has taught me that everything can happen in this race and the most important thing you can do is be patient. I stuck to that and chipped away. I had a great ride yesterday and knew it was all-or-nothing today. I gave it my best and got third. I’m happy with that.”
Top Australian was Shane Moss in the Silver category, racing to sixth in his class, with a total time of 23h27m37s, 4h11m11s behind silver winner Peter Weiss.
2020 Red Bull Romaniacs Gold Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Total
Gap
1
Manuel Lettenbichler
DEU
20h27m11s
+0s
2
Graham Jarvis
GBR
20h29m37s
+2m26s
3
Alfredo Gomez Cantero
ESP
20h41m20s
+14m9s
4
Wade Young
ZAF
20h41m33s
+14m22s
5
Billy Bolt
GBR
20h58m29s
+31m18s
6
Mario Roman
ESP
22h11m39s
+1h44m28s
7
Michael Walkner
AUT
23h15m1s
+2h47m50s
8
Teodor Kabakchiev
BGR
24h57m25s
+4h30m14s
9
Michele Bosi
ITA
26h39m11s
+6h12m
10
Sonny Goggia
ITA
27h14m24s
+6h47m13s
11
Rienk Tuinstra
NLD
28h48m32s
+8h21m21s
12
Suff Sella
ISR
32h19m2s
+11h51m51s
13
Sandra Gomez Cantero
ESP
52h21m7s
+31h53m56s
14
Vasiu Nicolae
ROU
52h29m36s
+32h2m25s
2020 Red Bull Romaniacs Silver Results
Pos
Rider
Nat
Time
Gap
1
Peter Weiss
DNK
19h16m26s
+0s
2
Poirot Fabien
FRA
19h30m29s
+14m3s
3
Joe Deakin
GBR
20h57m13s
+1h40m47s
4
Guillot Yoann
FRA
21h11m34s
+1h55m8s
5
Tim Apolle
DEU
22h1m9s
+2h44m43s
6
Shane Moss
AUS
23h27m37s
+4h11m11s
7
Alex Tara
ROU
23h34m37s
+4h18m11s
8
Victor Shpalov
RUS
27h5m34s
+7h49m8s
9
Bayram Uysal
TUR
28h15m49s
+8h59m23s
10
Oleksiy Dobychin
UKR
29h50m38s
+10h34m12s
Steve Holcombe wins 2020 Italian Enduro Championship
Beta Factory Racing’s Steve Holcombe has won this year’s Italian Enduro Championship delivering a debut national title for the Italian manufacturer on their Beta RR Racing 4T 350.
Arriving to the final round of the Italian Enduro Championship in Arma di Taggia as series leader, Holcombe looked to clinch the title in what’s been a challenging pandemic hit year. Knowing he held a comfortable points gap over his nearest competitor Thomas Oldrati, Holcombe put his energy into racing for the championship, while remaining safe ahead of the EnduroGP double header.
Taking his time to adjust to the conditions on Saturday, Steve steadily worked his way up the leaderboard to finish a strong second behind teammate Brad Freeman. On day two, a small crash on the extreme test set him back. And with one less lap to ride than the previous day, he had to push hard to get back to sixth in order to seal the title. With the Italian Enduro Championship secured, Steve hands Beta Motorcycles their first national crown with their RR Racing 4T 350.
Steve now looks forward to defending his Enduro World Championship lead at the final two rounds in Portugal, beginning next weekend on November 7-8.
Steve Holcombe
“I’m made up to win the Italian Enduro Championship again. I know how much this means to Beta because it’s their national series and it’s become important to me on a personal and professional level, too. The focus for this weekend was to lock up the title as safely and cleanly as possible knowing that the final two rounds of EnduroGP are just days ahead. It can be hard to find that balance, instead of just racing to win, so there were a few mistakes this weekend. Thankfully, it all came good. I’m delighted to have won this championship back and doing it on the 350 four-stroke for the first time is the icing on the cake!”
2020 Italian Enduro Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Man.
Points
1
Steve Holcombe
Beta
121
2
Thomas Oldrati
Honda
119
3
Brad Freeman
Honda
115
4
Andrea Verona
TM
95
5
Joe Wootton
Husqvarna
79
Cheyne Boyd injury update
Cheyne Boyd has shared the following injury update on his Instagram page, after a life-threatening crash saw him rushed to hospital:
“So here is my progression update, 11 days ago I had a crash . I was rushed to emergency, life saving surgery to repair the artery I had ruptured next to my heart. I was internally bleeding to death, and needed 21 bags of blood. From there I was placed in an induced coma before another surgery on Saturday to fuse my spine after I fractured my thoracic and dislocated my lumbar spine. Thankfully both these surgeries were successful, and I am able to walk, talk and use my arms. I am beyond grateful for the ambulance and medical staff at The Royal Melbourne hospital that saved my life. I also have 17 broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis as well as collapsed lungs and fractured C4 and C5 vertebrae. Thankyou to everyone who has sent well wishes and thoughts and prayers, to myself and Caitlin and the kids. Thankyou to my friends, who have been such an amazing support system and really rallied around myself and my family when we needed them most. Thankyou to Caitlin, who I without a doubt, scared the most and is my biggest motivation, along with our kids, Brooklyn, Billie and Boston. I am busy making plans to reopen Park4MX so please sit tight and wait for further announcements. Thank you.”
Motorcycling Australia welcome AMG Group
Motorcycling Australia (MA) have welcomed new industry body Australian Motocross Group (AMG) to the fold, with the two organisations to work closely and form part of the ProMX Management Team to help grow motocross in Australia.
AMG was recently launched by long time team owner and MA Motocross Commissioner Mark Luksich, Craig Dack MX legend and CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team owner, Gavin Eales from Serco Motorsport and Yarrive Konsky from Penrite Honda Racing. AMG will be a part of the seven member ProMX Management Team that will drive the strategic planning of ProMX for 2021 and beyond.
MA CEO Peter Doyle said the inclusion of AMG into the ProMX Management Team was a key step in ensuring industry, professional and privateer riders and teams have a voice and are represented, giving all parties a channel of communication direct to the sport’s national controlling body.
Peter Doyle – MA CEO
“It’s great to have industry and teams represented as part of our management team to ensure we can collectively and collaboratively grow the sport of motocross in Australia, and with representation from AMG we have that wealth of knowledge and experience to draw upon. With the right support from industry, partners and sponsors we hope to be able to showcase the ProMX championship to a wider Australian and international audience through various media channels.”
Planning is well underway with a calendar set to be announced in November.
Dubai International Baja cancelled
Despite the best efforts of all parties involved and due to ongoing health concerns and associated restrictions in light of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the FIM, the Emirates Motorsport Organisation (EMSO) and the Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) have regretfully announced the cancellation of the Dubai International Baja that was rescheduled to take place on 26-28 November.
The second and last event of the 2020 season will take place in Portalegre, Portugal on 05-07 November.
Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing sign Malcolm Stewart
Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing have announced the addition of Malcolm Stewart to their 450 team for the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The 2016 250SX East Champion will line up alongside the 2018 250SX West Champion, Aaron Plessinger, and the back-to-back 250SX West Champion, Dylan Ferrandis, for a three-pronged threat in the highly competitive premier class.
Stewart is fresh off his best season in the 450 class. The Florida rider really started hitting his stride in the seven-race run in Salt Lake City, finishing fourth at the season finale to end the year seventh in the standings. Stewart looks to build on that momentum next season with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team.
Malcolm Stewart – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
“I’m really excited to join the team. I’ve known a lot of the guys before, when I was around the team back in 2011. Gareth Swanepoel is my trainer and he works with their guys, plus I have a few buddies there. So, it isn’t a big change for me. It just kind of adds another piece to the puzzle. I’m definitely happy. The team has had a lot of success and has dominated the 250 class. They have a phenomenal setup and to be a part of their first year in the 450 class, it makes it more exciting for all of us. I feel like we have some good heavy hitters. Myself, Dylan Ferrandis, and Aaron Plessinger, every single one of us has won a 250 title. It should be a really good year. It’s only Supercross right now, but hopefully it goes well, and we can turn it into something in the future.”
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team Manager
“Adding Malcolm to our already great line up excites me that much more for this upcoming season. He is an amazing rider, especially when it comes to the whoops. I can’t wait to see him on the track.”
GasGas Factory Racing sign Pauls Jonas, Brian Bogers, Isak Gifting
Hard-charging former MX2 World Champion Pauls Jonass will team up with the highly-capable Brian Bogers to complete Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s all-new MXGP rider line-up for 2020. Pauls will be the ideal match for the MC 450F as the Latvian looks forward to re-establishing himself as one of the world’s best. Delivering a strong run of results during 2020, Dutchman Bogers is also ready to mix it up with the heavy hitters of the MXGP class.
A proven MXGP racer, Jonass entered the grand prix scene in 2014, rapidly progressing to become MX2 World Champion just three years later. Placing as runner-up in 2018, the Latvian then moved to the MXGP class for the following season. In his debut 450cc campaign he was quick to find success, securing three overall podium visits and an impressive sixth place in the final standings.
2020 was set to be Jonass’ breakout year but an untimely training crash ended his season early. Following months of rehabilitation and with his desire for success stronger than ever, he’s now back to full fitness, ready to bang bars and fight for podiums when the gate drops for the start of the 2021 season.
Pauls Jonass
“I’m really excited for my future with GASGAS. I have to thank the Standing Construct team for believing in me while I have been injured but I will be back to 100% and then I can start testing with the team. It’s an exciting time for me and my rehabilitation is going very well. I’m looking forward to a great future together with GASGAS and I look forward to achieving some great results when the 2021 season starts.”
Competing alongside Jonass, Brian Bogers also joins Standing Construct GASGAS Factory Racing for 2021. Currently ranked 12th in the 2020 MXGP World Championship, the Dutchman has been a constant threat for top-five results during recent GPs. Aiming for the top-10 in the final MXGP standings, Bogers, like his new teammate, will soon head into the off-season focused on testing and preparation ahead of the new MXGP season.
Brian Bogers
“It’s a great feeling to be on the Standing Construct GASGAS team for 2021. I’m really looking forward to next season as I know the team is very professional and the bike is great. They have had impressive results over recent years, so it gives me a lot of confidence. It’s an exciting opportunity. I’ve had a strong season in 2020 and I’m ready for the next step with GASGAS in 2021.”
Tim Mathys – Standing Construct GASGAS Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager
“We’re excited to have two very capable riders for 2021, that give us an exciting all-new line-up. As a former MX2 World Champion, Pauls Jonass has already achieved great results in MXGP and has proved to be a rider with top-three potential. I am convinced that with the approach we have already used in our team, we can get the very best out of him. He is hugely motivated, and I believe that we can push him to an even higher level, just like we have done with many riders in the past. Our second rider, Brian Bogers, has matured a lot during the past season. He has proven during the last races, with 10 top-10 finishes in a row, that he is ready to have a breakthrough in the MXGP class. He is physically and mentally stronger and ready to compete with the big boys. Both Pauls and Brian are still young, so we will have a young, robust team that we can work closely with. Together with GASGAS Factory Racing we are confident in their abilities, and as a team we look forward to great results from both riders next season.”
GasGas also welcomed Isak Gifting, with the young Swede to remain in red and take on his first full season of MX2 competition following his sensational performances as a stand-in rider during recent GPs. Joining the DIGA Procross GASGAS Factory Racing team for 2021, Isak will compete alongside the returning Simon Langenfelder with both racing on our proven MC 250F.
Isak Gifting
“It’s an amazing feeling to continue with the DIGA Procross GASGAS team in 2021 as a full factory rider. Riding Grands Prix has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy and now I’ve made it. Racing for a factory team, it’s just unbelievable. The bike is fantastic and having a solid team around me with a great manager, mechanics and a trainer gives me a lot of confidence. I have a great feeling going into 2021. I can’t wait to have a full winter of testing with the team and I’m sure that together we can achieve some great results.”
Simon Langenfelder will return to the team for 2021, his second term of MX2 World Championship action. Having shown flashes of speed throughout this season before an untimely leg injury, the young German is fully focused on his recovery and looking ahead to prepare for the new season.
Simon Langenfelder
“I’m really looking forward to 2021. I was just starting to put together decent results this season before my crash in Faenza. It was a disappointing way to end the season. Fortunately, I have a great team around me, and I’m almost fully recovered so we can begin our preparation for the new season really soon. I’m excited for the future. I know the bike is good so being able to continue with the DIGA Procross GASGAS team is a great feeling.”
Justin Amian – DIGA Procross GASGAS Factory Racing Team Manager
“We’re really excited for the 2021 season with Isak joining the team alongside Simon. Since Isak joined us as a fill-in rider he’s done nothing but impress me and the rest of the team. His results speak for themselves. Continual progression and he’s really made the best of the opportunity that we gave him. He is incredibly strong-minded, a real fighter on the track and his fitness is incredible so it was an easy decision to have him join our team. We believe in him and he believes in us. We also know that Simon can deliver great results, as he started to show this year. His injury was really unfortunate, but we know that he is fully focused on his preparations for 2021. We look forward to a great off-season of testing ahead of next year and we’re excited for the future with Isak and Simon.”
GASGAS Factory Racing announce AMA SX & Pro Motocross line-up
GASGAS Motorcycles has announced the highly-anticipated Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team line-up, as they prepare to compete in both the 250cc and 450cc divisions of the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross Championships for the 2021 season and beyond.
Highlighting the team’s 450 effort is Justin Barcia, a seasoned front-runner who is looking to re-establish himself as a title contender in the premier class aboard the GASGAS MC 450F. In the 250 division, Pierce Brown will race aboard the MC 250F alongside teammate Michael Mosiman, who is eager to pick up where he left off last season as a 250 class front-runner.
Barcia will lead GASGAS Motorcycles into their very first year of American racing. After claiming back-to-back 250SX titles in 2011-2012, Justin will celebrate his ninth season of 450cc racing in 2021. Claiming victory in his second ever 450SX race, he’s since gone on to enjoy multiple victories and podium finishes both indoors and out. With a new team and bike for 2021, Barcia’s busy preparing himself for what he believes can be his best season yet.
Taking to the start line in the 250 division, Pierce Brown and Michael Mosiman are young racers that each recorded strong 250SX results in 2020. Looking to unlock their full potential, they’ll be aiming for the podium when the gate drops for round one.
Roger De Coster – Director of Motorsports in North America
“Appointing Troy Lee Designs as the official GASGAS Factory Racing team for supercross and motocross not only further strengthens our longstanding partnership with Troy and his team, it also starts an important new chapter for TLD in the 450 class and for GASGAS in America, which is a hugely important step for GASGAS Motorcycles. As an energetic, new brand we’re excited to establish the MC 450F and MC 250F when we get back to racing and the start of the 2021 supercross series. We look forward to providing the technical support and guidance needed to allow Justin, Pierce and Michael to perform at their very best in 2021 and wish everyone at Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing all the best for the new season ahead.”
Jett Lawrence awarded 2020 Marty Smith Rookie of the Year
The first honoree of the newly named “Marty Smith Rookie of the Year” was GEICO Honda’s Jett Lawrence. On a bittersweet afternoon for the influential race team at the Fox Raceway National, the Australian capped off a stellar first full season of Pro Motocross competition by breaking through with the first win of what looks to be a promising career, which also helped him earn fourth in the final standings.
The 17-year-old is the first Australian to earn the award and his victory, combined with the first career win for Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton in the 450 Class that same day, helped vault American Honda Motor Company to “Manufacturer of the Year”. The “Red Riders” amassed more points across both the 450 Class and 250 Class than any other OEM, wrapping up a banner afternoon and memorable season for the iconic Japanese brand.
2020 GNCC Yamaha Racing Ironman – Indiana
Round 12 of the 2020 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series concluded at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana on Sunday and coming through to take his second overall win of the season was Josh Strang.
Strang steadily made his way through the pack after starting in the third place position. After moving into second Strang would set his sights on the lead position, and he would battle throughout the fourth lap to take over the number one spot. Strang would continue to lead the last four laps of racing, but not without pressure from AmPro Yamaha’s Steward Baylor Jr.
Strang and Baylor Jr. continued to battle on the last lap, but after an incident on Ironman hill Baylor Jr. would find himself falling behind Strang as they came through the motocross track to take the checkered flag. Baylor Jr. held the lead for the first three laps of racing before Strang made the stick, but even after a crash on the hill he would remain 1.5 seconds ahead of third overall.
Ben Kelley worked his way up after running seventh on the opening laps
of racing. Kelley make the necessary passes to move up through the pack, and he would close the gap between him and Baylor Jr. as the white flag flew. Kelley moves into seventh overall in the points standings after missing the first half of the season.
Coming through to take fourth overall on the day was Kailub Russell. Russell found himself towards the front of the XC1 Open Pro riders at the beginning of the race but would make a mistake halfway through losing some valuable time with the leaders. Russell would continue to push on, ultimately coming through 7 seconds behind his teammate Kelley.
Another rider that found himself towards the front early on in the race was Layne Michael. On lap four, Michael came through timing and scoring holding onto third overall but as the race worse on he would find himself falling back two positions to take fifth overall on the day.
Grant Baylor was making moves throughout the duration of the race after coming through timing and scoring in eighth on the opening lap. Baylor would continue to push, as he made his way up to sixth overall after a hard-fought battle at this year’s Ironman event. Baylor continues to hold onto sixth in the XC1 Open Pro class standings.
Earning seventh on the day was Jordan Ashburn. After coming through fifth on lap one, Ashburn would have his work cut out for him as a hungry pack of riders were right behind him. Ashburn found himself as far back as eighth at one point in the race and would then move into seventh on the day continuing to stay in that position until the checkered flag flew.
Phoenix Honda Racing’s Andrew Delong made a last lap pass to move into eighth after running ninth for majority of the race. While Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thad Duvall suffered a crash on the fifth lap and found himself back to eighth after running up in fifth for the first half of the race. KLM Kawasaki’s Evan Earl rounded out the top 10 in the XC1 class after steadily holding onto that position throughout the race.
In the XC2 250 Pro class, it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig Delong jumping out to grab the $100 Hot Cams XC2 Holeshot Award. Delong would then fall back to fifth in the class but would soon find himself picking off riders to make the pass for the lead on lap five. Delong would hold onto lead taking his fourth win of the season and regaining the class points lead as the series heads into its last round of racing.
Lyndon Snodgrass held the early lead but would soon face a battle with Jonathan Girroir. As the duo battle, Girroir would make the pass for the lead and hold onto it for one lap. Unfortunately, Girroir would crash towards the end of race and end up eleventh in his class. Snodgrass would regroup and continue to battle for a podium finish. Snodgrass would again make a last lap pass to regain second, landing himself his first podium finish in the XC2 class.
Rounding out the XC2 class podium in third was Mike Witkowski. Witkowski would battle throughout the three-hour race at the front of the pack, but he would be unable to hold the lead. Witkowski moved into second on the last lap, but with Snodgrass hot on his heels he would be unable to hold him off. Witkowski came through to take third in his class, and now sits second in the points standings.
Taking the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class win was Jason Raines. Coming through to earn second was the newly-crowned XC3 National Champion, Zack Hayes. Rounding out the podium in third was Jason Lipscomb.
Earning the top amateur honors was Joseph Cunningham after finishing 18th overall and first in the 250 A class. Dakoda Devore and Nathan Rector rounded out the top amateur podium with their 20th and 21st overall finishes.
In the 10 a.m. race it was Rachael Archer coming through to earn her fifth overall win of the season. Archer would take the win, even after an incident with a lapper left her with a possible broken ankle. Rachel Gutish came through to take second in the WXC class followed by Becca Sheets, who rounded out the WXC podium.
A new winner emerged in the youth ranks with Cole Forbes taking the youth overall win and the YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class win. Davis came through to earn second overall and in the YXC1 class, with Lane Whitmer crossing the line third overall in the 8 a.m. youth morning race.
$5,000 was awarded to the Montgomery County Community Foundation with donations coming from Yamaha Racing, KTM North America, HBD Moto Grafix, and the GNCC Racing Nation as they contributed in purchasing Pink Ironman stickers and partaking in the Mullets for Mammies by Bottleneck Live contest.
XC1 Pro Event Results
Josh Strang (KAW)
Steward Baylor Jr. (YAM)
Benjamin Kelley (KTM)
Kailub Russell (KTM)
Layne Michael (YAM)
Grant Baylor (SHR)
Jordan Ashburn (KAW)
Andrew Delong (HON)
Thad Duvall (HQV)
Evan Earl (KAW)
Overall National Championship Standings
Kailub Russell (295)
Josh Strang (246)
Jordan Ashburn (185)
Craig Delong (171)
Michael Witkowski (161)
Steward Baylor Jr. (158)
Benjamin Kelley (153)
Grant Baylor (152)
Jonathan Girroir (146)
Cody Barnes (122)
XC2 250 Pro Event Results
Craig Delong (HQV)
Lyndon Snodgrass (KAW)
Michael Witkowski (YAM)
Liam Draper (KTM)
Cody Barnes (BET)
Ryder Lafferty (HQV)
Jonathan Johnson (HON)
Jesse Ansley (KTM)
Ben Parsons (HQV)
Samuel Evans (KTM)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings
Craig Delong (296)
Michael Witkowski (285)
Jonathan Girroir (280)
Cody Barnes (211)
Liam Draper (194)
Thorn Devlin (145)
Jonathan Johnson (141)
Ryder Lafferty (134)
Benjamin Nelko (111)
Jesse Ansley (103)
2020 MXGP of Lommel – Round 15
The weekend saw the running of the 2020 MXGP of Lommel, as the final round of the Belgian triple-header, with a new track layout introduced to up the ante in sectors three and four, upping the tempo of the races, while adding an additional challenge for riders.
In MXGP it was Tim Gajser claiming top honours, winning both races, with Romain Febvre runner up in both races for second overall. Jeremy Seewer completed the overall podium, going 4-3.
Tim Gajser extended his standings lead as a result, now leading Tony Cairoli by 74-points, 583 to 509. Jeremy Seewer sits third on 499-points, while Jorge Prado was unable to compete in MX2 after testing positive for COVID-19 and was in self-isolation. The rest of his Red Bull KTM team had returned negative test results, however he dropped to fourth. Mitch Evans, still out with injury, sits 13th in the standings as the top Aussie.
MXGP Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
25
25
50
2
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
22
22
44
3
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
18
20
38
4
Paulin, Gautier
FRA
YAM
16
18
34
5
Cairoli, Antonio
ITA
KTM
20
11
31
6
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
13
16
29
7
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
15
14
29
8
Desalle, Clement
BEL
KAW
11
15
26
9
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
14
12
26
10
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
BEL
HON
12
6
18
11
Vlaanderen, Calvin
NED
YAM
8
8
16
12
Van doninck, Brent
BEL
HUS
0
13
13
13
Bobryshev, Evgeny
RUS
HUS
3
10
13
14
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
4
9
13
15
Monticelli, Ivo
ITA
GAS
7
4
11
16
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
5
5
10
17
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
9
1
10
18
Watson, Nathan
GBR
HON
10
0
10
19
van der Vlist, Freek
NED
KTM
0
7
7
20
Potisek, Milko
FRA
YAM
6
0
6
21
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
HON
0
3
3
22
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
0
2
2
23
Ebben, Kay
NED
KTM
2
0
2
24
Rannikko, Rene
FIN
HUS
1
0
1
MXGP Standings – Top 30
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
583
2
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
509
3
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
499
4
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
476
5
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
465
6
Paulin, G.
FRA
YAM
403
7
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
GAS
375
8
Desalle, C.
BEL
KAW
362
9
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
HON
289
10
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
263
11
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
248
12
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
233
13
Evans, M.
AUS
HON
228
14
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
212
15
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
206
16
Monticelli, I.
ITA
GAS
161
17
Jacobi, Henry
GER
YAM
134
18
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
122
19
Cervellin, M.
ITA
YAM
84
20
Lupino, A.
ITA
YAM
82
21
Bobryshev, E.
RUS
HUS
75
22
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
72
23
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
67
24
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
66
25
Van doninck, B.
BEL
HUS
53
26
Guillod, V.
SUI
HON
52
27
Paturel, B.
FRA
HON
45
28
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
44
29
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
31
30
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
HUS
26
MX2
The MX2 class was hard fought with Ben Watson and Roan Van De Moosdijk sharing the wins, with just eight-points separating the top six. Watson came out on top adding a fourth place result to his win for the overall on 43-points. Van De Moosdijk had to settle for second on 40-points, with Maxime Renaux third, ahead of Thomas Kjer Olsen, GasGas’s Isak Gifting and Tom Vialle.
Jed Beaton was inside the top-10 in eighth, claiming 27 championship points. He had a consistent day, not getting the best jump from the start in race one, and moving up through the ranks throughout the race, before making the pass for seventh on lap 13, Jed then chased Roan Van De Moosdijk to the chequered flag to end his race in seventh.
Moto two saw a much better start for the FC 250 rider. Moving into ninth early in the race, Jed progressed into seventh at the halfway stage of the race as he found his rhythm around the demanding Lommel track. Losing just one position as the moto neared the end, he finished eighth.
Jed Beaton
“A disappointing day today. Not my greatest day of racing but I’m healthy, which is important with three rounds to go. I found my flow in both races but not until towards the end, which was frustrating. By then there was a big gap ahead of me in each race. Overall, I felt like my riding was good, it just took me a little while to get going. Looking forward to some hardpack next weekend in Italy.”
Bailey Malkiewicz took 13th overall for 12-points, racing to 16th in Race 1, and improving that result to 14th in Race 2.
In terms of the championship, Geerts has lost some ground on Vialle who now heads into the final three rounds with a 74-point advantage, with Renaux down in third with 476 points. Beaton now sits fourth on 456-points, with fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz 16th on 119.
The world series now heads to Pietramurata in the north Italian province of Trentino next weekend for the last of five triple-header GPs which will complete the eighteen-round series.
MX2 Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
25
18
43
2
Van De Moosdijk, Roan
NED
KAW
15
25
40
3
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
22
16
38
4
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
16
20
36
5
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
13
22
35
6
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
20
15
35
7
Benistant, Thibault
FRA
YAM
18
10
28
8
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
14
13
27
9
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
8
14
22
10
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
9
12
21
11
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
12
8
20
12
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
10
9
19
13
Malkiewicz, Bailey
AUS
HON
5
7
12
14
Renkens, Nathan
BEL
KTM
6
6
12
15
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
7
5
12
16
Rubini, Stephen
FRA
HON
0
11
11
17
Genot, Cyril
BEL
YAM
11
0
11
18
Lesiardo, Morgan
ITA
HON
4
4
8
19
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
2
3
5
20
Nermann, Johannes
EST
HUS
3
2
5
21
Meier, Glen
DEN
YAM
1
1
2
MX2 Standings – Top 30
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
651
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
577
3
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
476
4
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
456
5
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
446
6
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
440
7
Van De Moosdijk, R.
NED
KAW
417
8
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
307
9
Fernandez, R.
ESP
YAM
279
10
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
234
11
Rubini, S.
FRA
HON
228
12
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
215
13
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
179
14
Forato, A.
ITA
HUS
156
15
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
136
16
Malkiewicz, B.
AUS
HON
119
17
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
118
18
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
104
19
Renkens, N.
BEL
KTM
97
20
Crawford, N.
AUS
HON
91
21
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
HON
90
22
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
88
23
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
87
24
Genot, Cyril
BEL
YAM
85
25
Hofer, Rene
AUT
KTM
73
26
Sikyna, R.
SVK
KTM
67
27
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
HUS
62
28
Laengenfelder, S.
GER
GAS
59
29
Sydow, Jeremy
GER
GAS
35
30
Roosiorg, H.
EST
KTM
33
EMX125
Fantic Racing’s Andrea Bonacorsi secured the crown in the EMX125 class at the final round of the series in Lommel, as he became this year’s European Champion! The Italian entered today’s races with a 38-point advantage over David Braceras of RFME GasGas MX Junior Team and only needed to finish the races with a solid result in order to seal the deal. Bonacorsi finished the opening race of the day third, which was enough for him to claim the title in race one.
Andrea Bonacorsi
“It’s just amazing. I worked really hard for it [the title], with the team, with my family, with my trainer, the gold plate and European champion, so it’s amazing. For sure in Faenza, after the first win, then I had 6 race wins and I realised I could be champion.”
The Fantic Racing rider then had a much tougher second race after getting caught out in a first turn crash, which meant he had to start from way back and 11th was the best he could do. Unfortunately, he missed out on the podium, though the main focus was that he took home that all-important championship gold plate.
Despite a tough day, Braceras held enough of a gap to finish second in the championship with 282 points, ahead of Meico Vettik of TBS Conversions Racing Team who claimed the bronze medal after a solid day, which saw him also second overall on the podium.
EMX125 Race 1
The first race of the day saw WZ Racing’s Max Palsson lead the way as he was closely followed by Vettik and Scott Smulders of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team on the opening lap. Meanwhile, the then championship leader, Bonacorsi, was down in 9th.
Guillem Farres of RFME GasGas MX Junior Team then crashed out of 6th and was down outside the top 20, as Smulders dropped out of 3rd as well and re-joined the race in 12th.
Bonacorsi though was wasting no time as by the first full lap he was already in 4th, looking to charge for the leaders as he was keen to wrap up the title in the first heat.
Palsson then extended his race lead over Vettik to 2.002 in the early stages of the race, and the gap remained pretty tight until the end of the race, as the two battled closely together.
Bonacorsi came under fire from the Creymert Racing pilot Haakon Osterhagen for 4th, though he was able to defend his position, before going after Pietro Razzini for third a few laps later.
It was a tough race for Braceras who had to start the race from outside the top 30 and fight his way through. Eventually the Spaniard finished the race in 16th, not a result he would have wanted after his previous success here in Lommel over the last couple of rounds.
Osterhagen then lost a bit of ground as he was getting caught by Romeo Karu and Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC team, though he was able to maintain his position until the end of the race, while Karu made a mistake and finished in 15th.
On lap 9, Bonacorsi moved himself in 3rd, as Vettik gave it another go at passing Palsson though was not successful. He then gave it one last push on the final 3 laps as the gap was just 0.666 seconds, but Palsson was able to keep control and claim his first race win of the season.
EMX125 Race 2
The second race started with a little bit of drama in the first turn, which caught out a couple of riders including Karu and the new EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing champion, Bonacorsi. Though it was Van Erp who led the way, with Palsson in second and Valerio Lata of Marchetti Racing Team KTM in third.
Vettik started the second heat outside the top 5, though he was on a charge and quickly caught out to the group as he passed Braceras for 5th on lap two.
By lap 5 there was a change in the lead, as Van Erp crashed out, which allowed Palsson to make the most of this opportunity to go after another race win.
Farres was then on a charge as he had a nice battle with Quentin Prugnieres of BUD Racing Kawasaki. Eventually, the GasGas rider was able to find a way through into fourth on lap 7.
With 5 minutes and 2 laps to go, Palsson led the way by an impressive 11.960 seconds, as Osterhagen passed Nikita Kucherov for 7th and then went after Braceras. Not long after, the Norwegian burst down the inside of Braceras for 6th, as Kucherov was able to do the same, with the Spaniard getting pushed down to 8th and then 9th where he would eventually finish.
With 2 of laps to go, Florian Miot of KTM Diga Junior Racing was pushing hard to pass Farres for third, though got caught out in a crash and did not finish the race.
In the end it was Palsson who was the race winner, with Vettik second once again and Farres having a much stronger ride that time around to cross the line third.
With two race wins, Palsson claimed his first overall victory of the season as he took to the top step of the podium, while Vettik occupied second with two solid second place finishes in the races and Guillem Farres of RFME GasGas MX Junior Team made his 5th podium of the 2020 season as he took to third.
David Braceras
“Today I had a crash in the first race and then I was last, and then managed to get to seventeenth. In the second race, I started well but then wanted to stay safe because in the first race I lost a lot of points. I had a little problem with the goggles and wanted to stay safe and finish second in the championship. I’m happy with my position as I worked really hard with my team and my family and trainer, so I’m really happy and would like to thank everyone for all the support and now it’s time to prepare for the 250s”
Meico Vettik
“I’m really happy about the third place in the championship. I had some bad races and some good races, but I’m still happy about my season. Today I had good speed, in the second race I had a small problem with my goggles but still second, so I am happy. Thanks to all my supporters and friends.”
Max Palsson
“I’m super happy for the team and for myself as well. We work really hard. My starts were on point today and it made it a lot easier. The season as a whole though could have been a bit better, at the start of the year I wasn’t fully prepared, but I came back strong.”
Guillem Farres
“Overall it was a good day. In the first race I was around fourth in the first lap then I had a little crash and had to come from the back and finished sixth. In the second race, I had to start from ninth, made my way to third and in the last lap I was battling with Meico [Vettik] for second place but finally I could finish third.”
EMX125 Overall
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Palsson, Max
SWE
KTM
25
25
50
2
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
22
22
44
3
Farres, Guillem
ESP
GAS
15
20
35
4
Osterhagen, Haakon
NOR
KTM
16
16
32
5
Bonacorsi, Andrea
ITA
FAN
20
10
30
6
Van Erp, Ivano
NED
YAM
14
15
29
7
Prugnieres, Quentin Marc
FRA
KTM
7
18
25
8
Razzini, Pietro
ITA
HUS
18
6
24
9
Kucherov, Nikita
RUS
KTM
8
14
22
10
Reisulis, Karlis Alberts
LAT
KTM
4
13
17
11
Braceras, David
ESP
GAS
5
12
17
12
Karu, Romeo
EST
HUS
9
7
16
13
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
6
9
15
14
Rainio, Sampo
FIN
HUS
10
5
15
15
Miot, Florian
FRA
KTM
13
0
13
16
Smulders, Scott
NED
HUS
11
1
12
17
Soulimani, Saad
FRA
KTM
12
0
12
18
Cazal, Xavier
FRA
KTM
0
11
11
19
Valk, Cas
NED
KTM
2
8
10
20
Karssemakers, Kay
NED
YAM
0
4
4
21
Vetrovsky, Radek
CZE
KTM
0
3
3
22
Voxen Kleemann, William
DEN
HUS
3
0
3
23
Pedersen, Rasmus
DEN
KTM
0
2
2
24
Alonso Rodilla, Victor
ESP
YAM
1
0
1
EMX125 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Bonacorsi, A.
ITA
FAN
333
2
Braceras, D.
ESP
GAS
282
3
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
268
4
Palsson, Max
SWE
KTM
263
5
Razzini, P.
ITA
HUS
240
6
Farres, G.
ESP
GAS
211
7
Roncoli, A.
ITA
HUS
194
8
Prugnieres, Q.
FRA
KTM
186
9
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
171
10
Osterhagen, H.
NOR
KTM
167
11
Soulimani, S.
FRA
KTM
152
12
Miot, Florian
FRA
KTM
124
13
Brumann, Kevin
SUI
YAM
117
14
Smulders, S.
NED
HUS
92
15
Kucherov, N.
RUS
KTM
86
16
Reisulis, K.
LAT
KTM
81
17
Congost, G.
ESP
GAS
73
18
Everts, Liam
BEL
KTM
66
19
Valk, Cas
NED
KTM
66
20
Piller, C.
GER
KTM
64
21
Venhoda, M.
CZE
KTM
64
22
Van Erp, Ivano
NED
YAM
57
23
Pedersen, R.
DEN
KTM
56
24
Cazal, Xavier
FRA
KTM
53
25
Rossi, Andrea
ITA
KTM
51
26
Karssemakers, K.
NED
YAM
41
27
Rainio, Sampo
FIN
HUS
36
28
Russi, M.
ITA
KTM
34
29
Karu, Romeo
EST
HUS
33
30
Sanchez, Raul
ESP
YAM
30
2020 MX Fest – Digger McEwen Motocross Park.
It was a jam-packed schedule of three days racing in Taupo, as the country’s riders had their first competitive hit-out for the season at Digger McEwen Motocross Park for MX Fest 2020.
In the MX1 class Cody Cooper took the overall win, despite tying on points with Hamish Harwood, both on 91-points. Kayne Lamont was third on 78-points, with Rhys Carter fourth, and Campbell King fifth.
Kayne Lamont – P3
“The weekend’s racing was a great time for me. I rode very calm and in control, which I was happy with. I have two months of prep now before SummerCross, so I will try do as much as possible with bike time and continue testing parts to finalise my set-up for the summer.”
MX2 saw Josiah Natzke (93-points) take the overall win from Maximus Purvis (78), while Brodie Connolly was third (71). Seton Head and Jack Treloar completed the top five.
20-year-old defending MX2 national champion Maximus Purvis believed he “just lacked the fitness” to ride for the victories but vowed, “I’ll definitely be ready for SummerCross at the end of December.”
Darren Capill took the MX3 overall from Keleb Livesey and Ryan Denby, while Jayden McAloon and Caleb Franklin completed the top five.
2020 Taupo MX Fest Results MX1 Overall Top 10
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Cody Cooper
91
2
Hamish Harwood
91
3
Kayne Lamont
78
4
Rhys Carter
73
5
Campbell King
52
6
Hayden Smith
45
7
Brad Groombridge
45
8
Hadleigh Knight
44
9
Tommy Watts
39
10
Richard Horne
37
MX2 Overall Top 10
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Josiah Natzke
93
2
Maximus Purvis
78
3
Brodie Connolly
71
4
Seton Head
54
5
Jack Treloar
46
6
James Scott
42
7
Donovan Ward
39
8
Oliver Ayre
38
9
Logan Kerrisk
34
10
James Rountree
33
MX3 Overall Top 10
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Darren Capill
72
2
Kaleb Livesey
65
3
Ryan Denby
55
4
Jayden McAloon
54
5
Caleb Franklin
49
6
Marty Axtens
45
7
Ben Lawson
39
8
Tristan Hall
38
9
Shane Robinson
37
10
Ben Wright
29
Bereman wins inaugural Red Bull Imagination
American Tyler Bereman added another big win to his freeride motocross résumé when he edged out compatriot Colby Raha to claim the inaugural Red Bull Imagination competition around the rolling hills of Kansas.
Tyler Bereman
“Everyone keeps saying it was the most fun stuff that they’ve ever ridden, so this is a good place to start. Hopefully we can build on it and bring it back, inviting more people and showcasing what we do and why we do it. I’m just stoked to see where this thing takes us. Everyone keeps saying it was the most fun stuff that they’ve ever ridden, so this is a good place to start. Hopefully we can build on it and bring it back, inviting more people and showcasing what we do and why we do it. I’m just stoked to see where this thing takes us.”
The new event, from the mind of Bereman himself and brought to life by course designer Jason Baker of Dream Traxx, marked a major step forward for the sport. A host of the sport’s top riders – including Cole Seely, Tom Parsons, Vicki Golden, Ryan Sipes and Darryn Durham – braved the massive jumps to showcase their own personal riding style on the innovative course.
Carved into the Midwestern landscape just outside Fort Scott, the 18-acre course took a crew of five moving 50,000 cubic yards of dirt just 19 days to build, including 5 features such as berms, a shipping container and a quarterpipe with some jumps launching the riders 140 feet across and 55 feet up into the air.
Three days of session riding led to a competition, where each rider had two five-minute windows to showcase their talent in crafting the perfect line.
Legends of the sport Ronnie Renner, Jeremy ‘Twitch’ Stenberg, Robbie Maddison and Steve Haughelstine judged the contest from a tower overlooking the entire course and scored riders on creativity, technical ability and adapting features to showcase personal style.
Red Bull Imagination 2020 result
Tyler Bereman USA 97.0
Colby Raha USA 96.0
Cole Seely USA 90.5
Ryan Sipes USA 85.0
WORCS Round 7 – Blythe, CA
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team’s Taylor Robert extended his points lead in the 2020 World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) with a pair of solid 1-2 finishes at this weekend’s double-header serving as rounds six and seven of the nine-race series.
Austin Walton took the overall win for Round 7, with Taylor Robert runner up and Dante Oliveira claiming the final Pro MC podium position. Tyler Lynn led the Pro 2 Lights, in fifth overall, while Tallon Lafountaine was top Pro 2 rider in sixth.
Taylor Robert leads the Pro MC standings on 169-points, with closest competitor Oliveira on 142, while Austin Walton is third overall on 131.
WORCS Round 6 Pro MC Results
Place
Name
Overall Fin.
Elap. Time
1
TAYLOR ROBERT – KTM
1
01:22:45.647
2
DANTE OLIVEIRA – KTM
2
01:24:19.435
3
TREVOR STEWART – HON
3
01:26:07.313
4
JUSTIN SEEDS – YAM
4
1:26:56.248
5
ZACH BELL – KAW
5
01:27:42.882
6
TRAVIS DAMON – HON
9
01:30:13.596
7
COLE MARTINEZ – HON
10
01:31:36.940
8
GIACOMO REDONDI – HQV
12
01:22:55.532
9
AUSTIN WALTON – HQV
17
01:25:06.297
10
RYAN SURRATT – HQV
20
01:26:32.702
WORCS Round 7 MC Results
Pos
Name
Class
Cls Pos
Brand
Last Scan
1
AUSTIN WALTON
Pro (MC)
1st
HQV
21:16.5
2
TAYLOR ROBERT
Pro (MC)
2nd
KTM
21:58.2
3
DANTE OLIVEIRA
Pro (MC)
3rd
KTM
24:36.6
4
COLE MARTINEZ
Pro (MC)
4th
HON
24:42.4
5
TYLER LYNN
Pro 2 Lights (MC)
1st
YAM
28:31.0
6
TALLON LAFOUNTAINE
Pro 2 (MC)
1st
HON
28:08.2
7
TREVOR STEWART
Pro (MC)
5th
HON
27:41.9
8
TODD SIBELL
Pro 2 (MC)
2nd
KAW
29:10.3
9
TRAVIS DAMON
Pro (MC)
6th
HON
28:47.6
10
KAI AIELLO
Pro 2 (MC)
3rd
HQV
29:24.6
11
MASON A OTTERSBERG
Pro 2 (MC)
4th
YAM
29:33.8
12
ANGUS RIORDAN
Pro 2 Lights (MC)
2nd
KTM
21:18.7
13
JUSTIN SEEDS
Pro (MC)
7th
YAM
21:26.1
14
JAKE ALVAREZ
Pro 2 Lights (MC)
3rd
KAW
22:55.8
15
RYAN SURRATT
Pro (MC)
8th
HQV
22:06.3
16
MASON OLSON
Pro 2 (MC)
5th
KTM
24:33.9
17
PALMER KING
Pro 2 (MC)
6th
KTM
25:35.4
18
MATEO OLIVEIRA
Pro 2 (MC)
7th
KTM
26:11.9
19
JT BAKER
Pro 2 (MC)
8th
SHR
26:15.5
20
BRANDY RICHARDS
Pro 2 Lights (MC)
4th
KTM
27:55.3
21
CLAYTON HENGEVELD
Pro 2 (MC)
9th
KAW
29:49.9
22
MATT MAPLE
Pro 2 (MC)
10th
HON
21:33.2
23
HAYDEN FLOREZ
Pro 2 (MC)
11th
YAM
22:42.4
24
ZACHARY CRAMER
Pro 2 (MC)
12th
KTM
31:30.7
25
GIACOMO REDONDI
Pro (MC)
9th
HQV
21:39.4
26
KAITLYN JACOBS
Pro 2 Lights (MC)
5th
KTM
25:28.9
27
ZACH BELL
Pro (MC)
10th
KAW
39:17.7
28
THOMAS DUNN
Pro 2 Lights (MC)
6th
YAM
16:10.7
29
COLTON AECK
Pro 2 (MC)
13th
HQV
08:18.9
WORCS PRO MC Standings
Pos
Rider
Rnd6 Fin.
Rnd7 Fin.
Total
1
TAYLOR ROBERT
1
2
169
2
DANTE OLIVEIRA
2
3
142
3
AUSTIN WALTON
9
1
131
4
COLE MARTINEZ
7
4
117
5
TREVOR STEWART
3
5
109
6
JUSTIN SEEDS
4
7
102
7
RYAN SURRATT
10
8
94
8
TRAVIS DAMON
6
6
92
9
ZACH BELL
5
10
61
10
GIACOMO REDONDI
8
9
45
11
DALTON SHIREY
–
–
29
12
MITCH ANDERSON
–
–
23
13
BLAYNE THOMPSON
–
–
19
14
GARY SUTHERLIN
–
–
18
15
BROC SHOEMAKER
–
–
13
16
MIKE ALESSI
–
–
13
17
BRYCE SHONDECK
–
–
8
18
JACOB SMITH
–
–
7
19
CHRIS CONWAY
–
–
6
Riders prepared for 2020 Red Bull Romaniacs
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler is ready to race the 2020 edition of Red Bull Romaniacs. The grueling five-day event consists of a time trial qualification, followed by four long days of racing in the Romanian Hills. Based once again around the town of Sibiu, the hard enduro takes place from October 27 to 31.
Manuel Lettenbichler
“I’m feeling pretty good right now. I’ve been trying to get as much riding in as possible over the last couple of weeks as I wasn’t able to do too much after injuring my thumb, back in August. I’m really excited to just go back racing again, this year has been so mixed up, just the fact that we can do an event like Romaniacs is great. I won it last year and I want to do well this year, it’s just so difficult to know what to expect. Having not raced so much, it’s not easy to gauge where you are in terms of form compared to the other riders. The move to October hopefully won’t change things too much – it looks like it will stay dry and it will be cold early in the mornings, but it’s the same for everyone. I think we’re going to have a good race and I can’t wait to get into battle with the boys once again.”
Two-time winner of the event Jonny Walker will be unable to compete at the 2020 Red Bull Romaniacs due to an injury sustained to his elbow at a recent round of the British Extreme Enduro Championship. Although Jonny received surgery for the break, doctors have advised the 29-year-old not to return to competition as yet in order for the injury to heal. Also absent from this year’s Romaniacs, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia will instead contest the final two rounds of the Italian Enduro Championship.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team members Billy Bolt, Alfredo Gomez and Graham Jarvis have also safely arrived in Romania and are ready to contest the 2020 Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye, and the man undoubtedly looking to claim his first Romaniacs victory is Billy Bolt.
The reigning Superenduro World Champion has shown impressive form over the season, despite the pandemic-induced lack of events. Bolt won the first three races of the recent Sea to Sky extreme enduro in Turkey, only to lose out on the final day when a navigation error saw him lose valuable minutes to his rivals. The young Brit finished sixth at the 2019 running of Romaniacs, despite being less than 100 per cent fit.
Runner-up at the 2019 Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye, Alfredo Gomez will be looking to go one better in 2020 and claim his first ever win at the event. Showing incredible pace and stamina last year, Gomez became stronger as the enduro evolved to take his fight for the win right down to the final section – the infamous Gusterita Hillclimb. Frustratingly, losing out by just minutes, the experienced Spaniard knows what is required this year as he chases success at the world’s toughest hard enduro rallye.
Graham Jarvis comes into the 17th running of Romaniacs as a six-time winner of the race, hoping to make it seven victories in 2020. With the event moved to the autumn, the climate in the mountains will be tougher than ever – the early morning starts will be cold for all riders and with the possibility of extended rain, the steep tracks could prove to be hugely challenging. Jarvis hopes the demanding conditions will be in his favour as the Brit aims to climb onto the top step of the podium once again next Saturday.
Taddy Blazusiak meanwhile will make his first official outing as a GASGAS Factory Racing rider tomorrow, when the Polish star takes to the start of the Red Bull Romaniacs extreme enduro. Despite the multiple world champion signing for GASGAS Motorcycles back in July, the rescheduled running of the infamous hard enduro rallye marks Taddy’s first outdoor competition of 2020, and his first for GASGAS.
Taddy Blazusiak
“It’s really weird to have the first race of the year in October, it also looks like it might be the only one we’re doing, so we’re lucky in that respect. My plan is to go as hard as I can and get a good result. I’m really motivated to start with GASGAS – it’s my first race in the new colors and I’m definitely looking forward to it. The bike is working well, we’ve done a lot of work over the year and I’m happy with the whole package. Hopefully qualifying will go well tomorrow and I’ll earn a good start position, after that, we head into the hills and it’s already looking like it’s going to be a tough four days of racing.”
MX Sports Pro Racing Recognizes Contributions to 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
In the midst of a year filled with unpredictable challenges, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, completed a successful campaign, personifying the notion that great things can happen when the motocross industry rallies together, In celebration of the many individuals and organizations that helped make the 2020 season a reality MX Sports Pro Racing recognized several of the most significant contributions with a season-ending awards presentation after the Fox Raceway National.
Arguably the most important awards were handed out to the pair of newly crowned AMA National Champions, both of whom captured their first respective class titles. In the 450 Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne hoisted the Edison Dye Cup on the heels of four wins and six podium finishes. The Virginia native became the 25th different rider to earn a 450 Class title, and the 12th rider to earn championships across both of Pro Motocross’ competitive divisions. In addition to giving Husqvarna its first premier class title in the series, Osborne also cemented his own unique place in the record books as the oldest champion in the history of the sport at 31 years of age.
By virtue of Osborne’s exceptional season veteran technician Dave Feeney earned the “450 Class Champion Mechanic Wrench” while newly appointed team manager “Scuba” Steve Westfall commemorated his debut at the helm of the program with “Team Manager of the Year” accolades. The team’s semi driver, industry veteran Paul Delaurier, added to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s award haul as “Transport Driver of the Year.”
In the 250 Class, Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis erased decades of heartbreak for French riders by becoming the first racer from the nation to raise the Gary Jones Cup. Ferrandis’ journey to become a champion on U.S. soil had been steadily building since he made the move to compete in American motocross for the 2017 season. His championship-winning run was a result of unparalleled consistency in which he captured three wins and eight podium finishes in nine rounds. Ferrandis is the 32nd different rider to win the 250 Class title and ended his stay in the division by providing Star Racing with its fifth championship in seven seasons.
Ferrandis’ title meant his mechanic, Alex Campbell, was the recipient of the “250 Class Champion Mechanic Wrench.” Additionally, after yet another impressive season by the Bobby Regan owned team, Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing was also named “Team of the Year.” With Ferrandis leading the way, a trio of Star riders earned a top-five finish in the final 250 Class standings as Shane McElrath secured a pair of podium finishes en route to third in points and Justin Cooper grabbed a win and two podiums to finish fifth. The team also welcomed a pair of promising young talents to the professional ranks with Jarrett Frye and Nate Thrasher.
In addition to celebrating the season’s most notable contributors, MX Sports Pro Racing also paid tribute to members of the motocross family that passed away this year. Marty Smith, the sport’s first true superstar, and his wife, Nancy, tragically lost their lives in April, which sent shockwaves through the racing community. As a tribute to Smith, and a testament to his impact on American motocross, the aforementioned yearly rookie award was renamed in his honor. The community was also hit hard with the passing of longtime flagger and Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club member Mike Mars, who succumbed to COVID-19 just prior to the start of the 2020 season in August.
MX Sports Pro Racing also recognized the collection of race teams, manufacturers, and the hundreds of participants who committed to embark on the 2020 season, no matter what obstacles arose. Additionally, the championship would not have been possible without the unwavering support from the group of series partners and sponsors that made hosting a nine-round series feasible, notably the broadcast partners at NBC Sports Group and championship title sponsor Lucas Oil. Crucial support also came from Red Bull, WPS, FLY Racing, GEICO Motorcycle, MotoSport.com, FMF Racing, Thor, Parts Unlimited, KTM, Deltran Battery Tender, MX vs ATV All Out, 100%, Husqvarna, Dunlop, Guaranteed Rate, KMC Wheels, VP Racing Fuels, Alpinestars, GoPro, Vertex Pistons, Acerbis, and Road 2 Recovery.
2021 AMA Supercross and Motocross numbers announced
The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the professional competition numbers for pro-licensed riders competing in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship for the 2021 season.
Each rider uses the assigned professional number for competition. In addition, the current champion runs the No. 1 plate, instead of an assigned professional number, when competing in the class or region in which the No. 1 plate was earned.
When competing in a class other than the class in which the championship was earned, the rider must use the professional number assigned.
2021 Top 100 and Career Pro Numbers for AMA Supercross and Motocross * Career Numbers
1 — 450SX Eli Tomac 1 — 450MX Zach Osborne 1 — 250MX Dylan Ferrandis 1W Dylan Ferrandis 1E Chase Sexton 2* Cooper Webb 3* Eli Tomac 4* Blake Baggett 6* Jeremy Martin 7* Aaron Plessinger 9* Adam Cianciarulo 10* Justin Brayton 11* Kyle Chisholm 12* Shane McElrath 14* Dylan Ferrandis 15* Dean Wilson 16* Zach Osborne 17* Joey Savatgy 18 Jett Lawrence 19* Justin Bogle 20* Broc Tickle 21* Jason Anderson 22* Chad Reed 23* Chase Sexton 24* RJ Hampshire 25* Marvin Musquin 26* Alex Martin 27* Malcolm Stewart 28 Brandon Hartranft 29 Christian Craig 30 Jo Shimoda 31 Cameron McAdoo 32* Justin Cooper 33 Derek Drake 34 Max Anstie 35 Mitchell Harrison 36 Martin Davalos 37 Benny Bloss 38 Austin Forkner 39 Carson Mumford 40 Vince Friese 41 Hunter Lawrence 42 Michael Mosiman 43 Fredrik Noren 44 Tyler Bowers 45 Pierce Brown 46* Justin Hill 47 Jalek Swoll 48 Garrett Marchbanks 49 Mitchell Oldenburg 50 Enzo Lopes 51* Justin Barcia 52 Luke Clout 53 Jake Masterpool 54 Nick Gaines 55 John Short 56 Kyle Peters 57 Justin Rodbell 58 Jacob Hayes 59 Jarrett Frye 60 Chris Blose 61 Joey Crown 62 Mason Gonzales 63 Martin Castelo 64 Colt Nichols 65 Carson Brown 66 Jordan Bailey 67 Stilez Robertson 68 Jace Owen 69 Robbie Wageman 70 Henry Miller 71 Killian Auberson 72 Coty Schock 73 Derek Kelley 74 Mitchell Falk 75 Ty Masterpool 76 Grant Harlan 77 Jerry Robin 78 Kyle Cunningham 79 Isaac Teasdale 80 Jordon Smith 81 Justin Starling 82 Lorenzo Locurcio 83 Alex Ray 84 Josh Hill 85 Kevin Moranz 86 Darian Sanayei 87 Curren Thurman 88 Logan Karnow 89 Ryan Breece 90 Dilan Schwartz 91 Nate Thrasher 92 Chase Marquier 93 Hardy Munoz 94* Ken Roczen 95 Joshua Osby 96 Michael Leib 97 Ben LaMay 98 Justin Hoeft 99 Hunter Sayles
Ben Townley re-imagines motorsport with SX4
“I want fans to love our sport, I want our industry to grow, but most importantly I want our sport to be mainstream. SX4 will give us the platform to achieve this,” says motocross superstar Ben Townley as he launches
.
Inspired by Ben’s innovative knowledge of the sport, SX4 combines four riders, four laps, four corners and four obstacles into two-minutes of action-packed racing. The best of the best will compete under immense pressure and fans will witness more crashes and more high-octane action than in the traditional formats familiar to motocross fans.
“I am super stoked with how things are starting to come together for our first ever SX4 event. The industry have been super supportive of my ideas and I’m looking forward to seeing spectators share the love as we build towards 9 January,” said Ben Townley as he prepares the track for this weekend’s demonstration event.
Over the last few years a site at the Taupo Motorcycle Club has been a labour of love for Townley who has played an integral part in the development. The new track will be tested at a demonstration event this coming Labour Weekend as part of MXFest. The first standalone SX4 event is set to be staged at Digger McEwan Motocross Park, Taupo on 9 January 2021.
Nick Rowland, SX4’s Fan Engagement Director has enjoyed jumping into a sport that is followed with such passion sharing, “Putting fans first is our goal as we create a thrilling new spectacle. Whether it be at the event, through the innovative broadcast elements or the sheer intensity of the racing, SX4 is set to change the game globally for motorsport for years to come.”
The inaugural event will see 12 of NZ’s top riders compete of 15 races in a two-hour window on 9 January 2021 at Digger McEwan Motorsport Park, Taupo. Individuals will compete for prize money. A Manufacturers Championship is also in development and will be another NZ first in the sport of motocross.
For more information and to buy tickets head to www.sx4.co.nz.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team welcome Ben Watson for 2021
Yamaha Motor Europe have announced that Ben Watson will take an exciting step up the Yamaha Racing pyramid and will join the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team for the 2021 MXGP season. The 23-year-old from Nottinghamshire, England joined Yamaha and the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team in 2018, where he celebrated his first podium finish and ranked fourth in the FIM MX2 World Championship in his first term on the YZ250F, the British rider has made great progress.
Proving his potential, Watson bounced back from an injury struck 2019 season to add five more podium successes to his credit, including a first-ever Grand Prix win at this weekend’s MXGP of Lommel. Immediately after celebrating his victory on the podium, the young Brit was delighted to learn that he would be drafted in the Factory MXGP team, where he will campaign a YZ450FM in his rookie MXGP season.
Part of a strong strategy to develop the next generation of MXGP champions, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team will remain a three-rider line-up in 2021. Watson will join Jeremy Seewer as the Swiss rider enters his fourth year with Yamaha and third year as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory rider, while the rider who will fill the third and final slot in the team will be announced in the very near future.
Ben Watson – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP
“Firstly, I want to thank each and every member of staff in Kemea. The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team gave me everything and more every day for three years. I am so grateful to join the Factory MXGP team and stay with my Yamaha Family. It means so much to me and I cannot wait for this new challenge. I have been lucky enough to work closely and get to know Louis Vosters, Vitaliy Tonkov and some of the other Wilvo team members and I know I will be welcomed with open arms. I truly believe the YZ450FM will be a great bike for my riding style and I am really motivated to show everyone what I can do in MXGP. I know the category is at such a high level, so I am fortunate to join a team with a lot of experience, success and motivation. I really want to learn and show progression, it’s what I work towards every year and with the experience of my teammates in MXGP, I know I will be able to gain a lot of knowledge and continue my development. I am so excited to get started now and jump on this amazing bike to prepare for the new season.”
Thibault Benistant joins Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team for 2021
Yamaha Motor Europe have announced that Thibault Benistant will join the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team for the 2021 season. The recently crowned EMX250 Champion will race a YZ250FM in the FIM MX2 World Championship alongside Jago Geerts and Maxime Renaux.
Thibault Benistant
“I am really proud to move into the Yamaha Factory team. I have to thank Yamaha and Hans (Corvers) for making it happen, they have made it possible for me to enter my first year in MX2 with the best bike in the paddock. This is something I really look forward to and something I am really proud of.”
Working his way up the Yamaha Racing pyramid, Benistant has paved his way to the MX2 World Championship with titles in both EMX125 and EMX250. He won the EMX125 Championship in 2018 aboard a GYTR kitted YZ125 and was a contender for the EMX250 title the following year at his first attempt. During his rookie season, Benistant celebrated a podium finish at his home round in France and took his YZ250F to fifth overall.
Remaining on a GYTR kitted YZ250F in 2020, the 18-year-old from Avignon was drafted into the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team and moved to Holland in order to train close to the team’s base. Realising his obvious potential and proving that hard work pays dividends, Benistant celebrated eight EMX250 race wins, six round wins and seven podium finishes on his way to securing the 2020 EMX250 title.
As the freshly crowned European EMX250 Champion, Benistant will make his MX2 debut with the support of the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team in Lommel, Belgium on Sunday 25th October.
Alexandre Kowalski – Yamaha Motor Europe Off-Road Racing Manager
“Yamaha is really happy to have Thibault join the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team. Thibault is a pure product of Yamaha’s program and has a lot of potential. He has been with Yamaha for many years, since 2010. He entered the EMX125 class with Yamaha and our Official team, MJC Yamaha Official EMX125, where they nurtured him and helped him develop the foundation of a true champion. We have to thank MJC for that, and then he moved into the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team where they also did an incredible job in improving his strength and race craft on a GYTR kitted YZ250F. Yesterday Thibault took another step up the Yamaha Racing pyramid and was crowned European Champion in the EMX250 class, and now he has been signed to the Factory team. For us, Thibault is a perfect example of how a rider can develop and progress within the Yamaha Family, and we look forward to celebrating even more championships with him.”
Hans Corvers – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team Owner
“I am really happy to sign an 18-year-old talent like Thibault. He is still really young and is an exciting rider. We have had some good experience with French kids in the past, so it’s nice to another one along with Maxime (Renaux). We’ve been following Thibault for many years, even before he was EMX125 Champion and now he is EMX250 Champion, it is our goal to try to make him an MX2 Champion.”
2021 Under-21 And Junior Speedway Date Changes
Gillman Speedway, South Australia, will kick off two nights of action with the Australian Speedway Under 21 Championship and the FIM Oceania Speedway Championship to be held January 29 and 30, 2021, respectively.
Originally scheduled for January 16, The Australian Speedway Under 21 Championship now moves to January 29, giving speedway fans two sensational nights of back to back racing action at Gillman Speedway.
The Australian Under-21 Speedway Championship has been held since 1986, with Australian speedway stars Leigh Adams, Chris Holder and Max Fricke, jointly holding the record for most wins in the Australian Under-21 Championship with four wins each, and current Champion Jaimon Lidsey a three-time winner.
The FIM Oceania Speedway Championship brings the best of the best in the region to Gillman Speedway on January 30.
Due to COVID-19 the Australian Under 16s 125cc Solo and Teams Championship will be moved from the traditional January date and will now be held at Sidewinders, South Australia on September 25 and 26, 2021 to ensure all riders from each State are able to attend.
The Under 16s 125cc Solo and Teams Championship showcases our up and coming talent which usually delivers nail biting race action on track.
Dates for the Australian Under 16s 250cc Championship to be held at Gillman Speedway is yet to be confirmed due to current State border restrictions and further information will be provided as soon as possible.
All events are subject to State Government COVID-19 restrictions.
AFT SuperTwins title rivals Briar Bauman and Jared Mees opened the Main Event from first and second on the line. As they went elbow to elbow in an attempt to gain an early advantage over one another, their melee opened the door for Jarod Vanderkooi, Robinson and Robert Pearson to rush past.
Vanderkooi enjoyed a short-lived spell out front before giving way to Robinson, who then proved utterly dominant over the race’s final nine minutes despite racing with a broken right foot.
With Robinson long gone, Bauman and Mees frantically fought their way forward to collect as many points as possible ahead of the decisive Daytona II race.
Reigning champ Bauman ultimately proved more successful in those efforts. He dispatched Pearson for third with a hard pass with six laps remaining, and then spent the remainder of his race chasing down Vanderkooi. That relentless pursuit paid dividends with less than a minute remaining on the clock when he worked his way through to earn second place and the 20 points that came along with it.
Despite being passed by Bauman late, Vanderkooi equaled his best ever premier-class finish in third.
Mees shook free from Davis Fisher to reel in and sail past Pearson, moving into fourth position with four minutes remaining. However, Bauman and Vanderkooi were too far out in front, leaving him one spot off the box at the flag and with a considerably deeper hole to climb out of heading into Saturday’s rematch.
With just one race to go, Bauman leads Mees 294-280. That means even if Mees wins his next race, Bauman needs only to finish eighth or better to repeat as AFT SuperTwins Champion.
AFT SuperTwins Result
Pos
Rider
Bike
Gap
Points
1
Brandon Robinson
Indian FTR750
35 Laps
25
2
Briar Bauman
Indian FTR750
+2.36
20
3
Jarod Vanderkooi
HD XG750R
+3.715
17
4
Jared Mees
Indian FTR750
+4.905
15
5
Sammy Halbert
Indian FTR750
+10.598
14
6
Davis Fisher
Indian FTR750
+10.824
13
7
Robert Pearson
Indian FTR750
+11.177
12
8
JD Beach
Yamaha MT-07
+12.207
11
9
Bronson Bauman
Indian FTR750
+12.477
10
10
Dan Bromley
Indian FTR750
+17.186
9
AFT Singles – Daytona I
Chad Cose finally broke through in the season’s finale weekend to claim his first victory of 2020 in a hard-fought AFT Singles Main Event, a huge moment for his Wally Brown Racing effort, backed by factory Suzuki.
Cose twice beat Max Whale for the holeshot in the once red-flagged and restarted Main and never once gave up the position. That doesn’t mean he had it easy, however; Cose was pushed throughout with Whale and Henry Wiles both showing him a wheel at different times, including a final-lap attempt to steal away the win on the part of Wiles.
Also in the mix throughout was already crowned 2020 AFT Singles champion Dallas Daniels. Daniels was fighting an uphill battle starting from Row 3 as a result of a crash in the Semi, but he still managed to join the battle for the win. He ultimately finished fourth, falling just 0.749 seconds short of extending his six-race win streak to seven.
Meanwhile, Daniels’ teammate, Mikey Rush was forced to start from the back of the pack due to an opening-lap incident that saw him go down while running third. Still, he somehow managed to slash his way up from last place to take an impressive fifth on the little bullring circuit.
As a result, Rush retains a slim mathematical shot at a second consecutive championship runner-up finish; he now trails second-ranked Whale by 25 points with the final race left to decide the final order.
AFT Singles Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Gap
Points
1
Chad Cose
Suzuki RMZ 450
22 Laps
25
2
Henry Wiles
Honda CRF450R
+0.27
20
3
Max Whale
Kawasaki KX450F
+0.491
17
4
Dallas Daniels
Yamaha YZ450F
+0.749
15
5
Michael Rush
Yamaha YZ450F
+2.968
14
6
Trent Lowe
Honda CRF450R
+3.244
13
7
Tanner Dean
Honda CRF450R
+4.253
12
8
Jacob Lehmann
Honda CRF450R
+5.571
11
9
Michael Inderbitzin
Honda CRF450R
+5.69
10
10
Jesse Janisch
Husqvarna FC450
+7.061
9
AFT Production Twins – Daytona I
An historic AFT Production Twins Main Event saw Johnny Lewis claim Royal Enfield’s first-ever AFT victory and season-long dominator James Rispoli crowned the class’ champion.
Despite his underdog status on the upstart RE effort, DAYTONA Short Track genius Lewis controlled the evening in the AFT Production Twins. He escaped to an easy win in his Semi, qualified on pole and finished things off by going wire-to-wire in the Main Event.
Lewis fought back an early challenge from Ben Lowe, asserted at the front himself mid-race, and then successfully held off a desperate charge from Cory Texter in the race’s waning moments to secure the win.
Rispoli, meanwhile, sat a safe-yet-close fourth behind Lewis, Texter, and Lowe for almost the entire race. Even if Texter had beaten Lewis to the checkered flag, all he needed was a seventh to end the title fight early. Fourth was more than enough.
With the final race still to go, Rispoli has racked up seven wins, four runner-ups, two fourths, and a fifth en route to the 2020 AFT Production Twins throne. This championship marks the first for Harley-Davidson since the introduction of the XG750R, a pivotal moment for one of the iconic manufacturers.
AFT Production Twins Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Gap
Points
1
Johnny Lewis
Royal Enfield 650
21 Laps
25
2
Cory Texter
Yamaha MT-07
+0.247
20
3
Ben Lowe
Yamaha MT-07
+0.956
17
4
James Rispoli
Harley-Davidson XG750R
+1.21
15
5
Patrick Buchanan
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+1.838
14
6
Cody Johncox
Yamaha MT-07
+3.347
13
7
Jeremiah Duffy
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+3.794
12
8
Shelby Miller
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+5.322
11
9
Danny Eslick
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+7.512
10
10
Jimmy McAllister
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+13.768
9
AFT SuperTwins – Daytona II
Even with an extended pandemic-imposed pause, the highly anticipated 2020 showdown between Bauman and multi-time series king Jared Mees proved more than worth the wait. The momentum swung back and forth on a nearly weekend-by-weekend basis, leaving both superstars still in control of their destiny heading into the weekend’s Daytona finale.
Bauman seized control of the title fight with a clutch runner-up finish on Friday, which seemingly made the final task before him relatively easy by his standards. All he needed to do at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night was score an eighth-place finish to cap off a title defense that saw him rack up six wins, four seconds, three thirds, and one seventh along the way.
However, the level of difficulty was ratcheted up significantly due to weather; rainy conditions forced multiple delays in the program, the Semis were cancelled, and the AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines Main was pushed to the front of the pack once conditions allowed to ensure the season’s premier-class champ was crowned before the night was out. The changes and unpredictability of the day could have easily thrown an admittedly stressed Bauman out of his rhythm.
Instead he responded like a champion. Starting on the front row with Mees as a result of their qualifying performance, Bauman got away in third and glued himself to the rear wheel of his championship rival.
Meanwhile, Brandon Robinson proved invincible around the Short Track at Daytona for a second consecutive night. He assumed the lead on lap one and held the position through the checkered flag.
Mees did well to keep Robinson in his sights, clinging on in hopes of a win that would give him the best possible shot at the championship should Bauman make a critical mistake.
Jeffrey Carver Jr. ran in fourth deep into the contest, holding back a racy Sammy Halbert for a solid five minutes. Unable to find an opening, Halbert finally made one; he pushed up the inside of Carver to take over fourth, knocking his rival back to seventh in the process.
Halbert then reeled in the leaders, arriving within striking distance of Bauman and a potential podium finish just as the race entered its final two laps. Bauman saw what was happening and understood full well what could happen. Rather than risk getting similarly bumped down the order and out of the points lead, Bauman allowed Halbert by and then cruised to a title-clinching fourth-place finish.
Brandon Robinson
“This is amazing. Through the ups and downs we’ve had this season to come out of here with the DAYTONA double — there’s nothing better. This is insane. We’re going to be able to go into this offseason and get healthy and come out swinging in 2021. I’m ecstatic. Obviously, things went really, really well,” back-to-back champ Bauman said. “I was able to do what we came for and what we set out to do all season for Jess Garcia and the whole Garcia family — win the championship. Jess was with me every step of the way. It means a lot to me to be able to fulfill what I showed up to do. He was one of my best friends. It’s just an honor to win for him, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, and everyone else behind the team.”
AFT SuperTwins Result
Pos
Rider
Bike
Gap
Points
1
Brandon Robinson
Indian FTR750
28 Laps
25
2
Jared Mees
Indian FTR750
+1.658
20
3
Sammy Halbert
Indian FTR750
+2.089
17
4
Briar Bauman
Indian FTR750
+2.709
15
5
Dan Bromley
Indian FTR750
+4.641
14
6
Robert Pearson
Indian FTR750
+8.578
13
7
Jeffrey Carver Jr.
Indian FTR750
+9.034
12
8
Jarod Vanderkooi
Harley-Davidson XG750R
+9.354
11
9
Dalton Gauthier
Harley-Davidson XG750R
+9.616
10
10
Brandon Price
Indian FTR750
+11.191
9
SuperTwins Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
Wins
1
Briar Bauman
309
6
2
Jared Mees
300
5
3
Sammy Halbert
239
1
4
Brandon Robinson
209
2
5
Bronson Bauman
181
0
6
Brandon Price
175
0
7
Jeffrey Carver Jr.
174
1
8
Davis Fisher
143
0
9
Jarod Vanderkooi
139
0
10
Robert Pearson
130
0
11
Dan Bromley
128
0
12
Dalton Gauthier
114
0
13
Bryan Smith
104
0
14
JD Beach
93
0
15
Jake Johnson
81
0
16
Jay Maloney
54
0
17
Larry Pegram
53
0
18
Kolby Carlile
50
0
19
Andrew Luker
42
0
20
Ryan Varnes
16
0
21
Morgen Mischler
6
0
AFT Singles – Daytona II
Henry Wiles demonstrated once again why he’s widely considered one of the greatest Short Track riders in the history of the sport, holding off Australian Max Whale (No. 18 Coondoo Cattle Co./Australian Road Services Kawasaki KX450F) and Trent Lowe to win an abbreviated AFT Singles Main Event.
Shortened to just four minutes plus two laps due to the numerous weather delays, Wiles shot out to the lead from the start, and protected the groove from there. Whale sought any way past Wiles but simply could not find one. Lowe closed in as well, but the experienced ST master ahead of them refused to give way.
Henry Wiles
“I was stoked to get that start. I told myself I can’t not win now. It was my race to win. Max kept me honest, and I could see Trent was in the picture too. I put in smooth, consistent laps. I’d go just a touch easy on some laps, and then I’d pick it up a little bit on some other laps. I tried to ride the best that I could so I didn’t give Max a good shot at poking it up on me. I’m stoked my wife and daughter came out for this – it means a lot to me.”
Despite losing to Wiles on the night, Whale’s runner-up result was enough to beat him for second in their championship fight (215-208).
Max Whale
“2020 AFT Season done and dusted! Stoked to go back to back podiums for the last two rounds at Daytona. I had the speed to win and wanted to win so bad. With experienced guys like Henry Wiles and Chad Cose it made it super hard to pass. It’s a dream come true to be coming back to Oz with a second place in the national AFT series. This year hasn’t been easy, I didn’t realise how much Dad did for me and how much work went into prepping my bikes, driving, cooking, cleaning, washing and servicing RVs. I cannot thank so many Americans enough in the flat track family for what they have done for me while I’ve been here solo, I’ll start with my weekend warriors! @bjbcrewdad @mattguenther61 @bjbcrew and Big Keith, they have been amazing wrenching for me on race days, legends. My close friends and families have been amazing @briarbauman @shaynatexter @bronsonbauman37 @jamesrispoli @corytexter @jarodvanderkooi20 Stan, Holly @_ekiss Don, Iris, Keith and Jill, words cannot not describe what these people have done for me. Also a big shout out to all my sponsors: Don’s Kawasaki, SHOWA suspension, @sharkleathers, Australian Road Services, @araiamericas, @sscycle, Coondoo Cattle Co, @spectrooils, Tri-R Distributing, @truturfrollers, @sercomotorsport, @ride100percent, @answeracing, @protaper, J & M Logging, @lskd, @vpfuelsaus, @kawasakiconnection, @engineice, @unifilteraustralia, Garage 36, Marty Blake, @mikebutlerracing, @briarbauman, @shaynatexter, Methanol Moonshine Apparel, Logan coombe, Bob Moir, Des and Rayna Morris.”
Mikey Rush set the fastest lap of the race en route to fourth with Andrew Luker completing the top five just behind.
2020 AFT Singles champ Dallas Daniels was forced to start from Row 4 with no Semi to improve his starting position. He made up a couple positions to end his title-winning season with a run to ninth. Sandwiched between his opening round failure to qualify for the Main and his ninth-placed finale, Daniels packed in a remarkable eighth wins, nine podiums and twelve top fives.
AFT Singles Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Gap
Points
1
Henry Wiles
Honda CRF450R
15 Laps
25
2
Max Whale
Kawasaki KX450F
+0.142
20
3
Trent Lowe
Honda CRF450R
+0.396
17
4
Michael Rush
Yamaha YZ450F
+1.282
15
5
Andrew Luker
Yamaha YZ450F
+3.097
14
6
Morgen Mischler
KTM 450 SX-F
+3.275
13
7
Jacob Lehmann
Honda CRF450R
+3.952
12
8
Tanner Dean
Honda CRF450R
+4.3
11
9
Dallas Daniels
Yamaha YZ450F
+4.845
10
10
Michael Inderbitzin
Honda CRF450R
+5.355
9
AFT Singles Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
Wins
1
Dallas Daniels
283
8
2
Max Whale
215
1
3
Henry Wiles
208
2
4
Michael Rush
185
1
5
Trent Lowe
183
0
6
Morgen Mischler
178
0
7
Tanner Dean
160
0
8
Brandon Kitchen
154
1
9
Chad Cose
137
1
10
Michael Inderbitzin
124
0
11
Trevor Brunner
113
1
12
Shayna Texter
102
0
13
Cole Zabala
84
0
14
James Ott
79
0
15
Kevin Stollings
74
0
16
Andrew Luker
74
0
17
Cameron Smith
73
0
18
Aidan RoosEvans
61
0
19
Ryan Wells
58
0
20
Jacob Lehmann
56
0
21
Jesse Janisch
50
0
22
Dylan Bell
18
0
23
Wyatt Anderson
17
0
24
Tyler Raggio
14
0
25
Justin Jones
9
0
26
Blake Lomas
4
0
AFT Production Twins – Daytona II
2019 AFT Production Twins champion Cory Texter made the absolute most of his last chance to run the #1 plate before handing it over to the newly-crowned James Rispoli, logging a blowout victory in the final race of the 2020 Progressive American Flat Track season.
Rispoli crashed and found himself trapped under his motorcycle after coming together with Friday-winner Johnny Lewis in the race’s opening corner. That incident brought out a red flag and moved Rispoli from Row 1 to the back of the field.
Texter ripped into the lead off the line at the restart and proceeded to assemble a massive advantage en route to his fourth triumph of a hard-fought yet ultimately unsuccessful title defense.
Cory Texter
“It feels amazing. I’ve wanted to win in DAYTONA my whole life. I was actually the first rider to ever ride this racetrack back in 2010. I helped test it out for them, but I’ve always sucked here. So this is awesome. I feel competitive everywhere right now. I wish the season could keep going or start over right now.”
Lewis backed up Royal Enfield’s maiden Progressive AFT victory with its second-ever podium finish the very next night. Lewis was followed closely to the flag by third-place finisher Ben Lowe, while Ryan Varnes edged Patrick Buchanan as the two completed the top five.
Meanwhile, despite being faced with an extremely difficult track to overtake on and very little time in which to do it, Rispoli made his way up to finish his season with an impressive sixth-place finish. The result was actually the worst of an incredibly consistent campaign, which also included seven wins, four seconds, two fourths, and a fifth.
AFT Production Twins Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Gap
Points
1
Cory Texter
Yamaha MT-07
15 Laps
25
2
Johnny Lewis
Royal Enfield 650
+3.13
20
3
Ben Lowe
Yamaha MT-07
+3.556
17
4
Ryan Varnes
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+4.306
15
5
Patrick Buchanan
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+4.974
14
6
James Rispoli
Harley-Davidson XG750R
+5.36
13
7
Jeremiah Duffy
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+6.487
12
8
Cody Johncox
Yamaha MT-07
+7.359
11
9
Shelby Miller
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+15.104
10
10
Jimmy McAllister
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+17.243
9
11
Danny Eslick
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+14 Laps
8
AFT Production Twins Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
Wins
1
James Rispoli
313
7
2
Cory Texter
292
4
3
Ben Lowe
240
1
4
Ryan Varnes
214
2
5
Danny Eslick
197
0
6
Chad Cose
175
0
7
Jeremiah Duffy
161
0
8
Cody Johncox
133
0
9
Nick Armstrong
95
0
10
Patrick Buchanan
86
0
11
Johnny Lewis
75
1
12
Jimmy McAllister
73
0
13
Dylan Bell
60
0
14
Michael Inderbitzin
58
0
15
Brock Schwarzenbacher
52
0
16
Mitch Harvat
52
0
17
Garret Wilson
49
0
18
Hayden Gillim
45
0
19
Shelby Miller
32
0
20
Morgen Mischler
26
0
21
Scott Barrett
26
0
22
Jacob Lehmann
25
0
23
Ryan Wells
22
0
24
Jeremiah Alexander
22
0
25
Gary Ketchum
19
0
26
Kevin Stollings
9
0
27
Max Whale
9
0
28
Cameron Smith
6
0
2020 MXGP of Flanders
The 2020 Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders saw epic action over the weekend, as the MXGP and MX2 riders took on the challenge of what is known as one of the toughest sand tracks in the world.
In MXGP Tim Gajser took to honours with a 2-1 result handing him the round win over Gautier Paulin, with Jorge Prado third overall. Antonio Cairoli was down in ninth meanwhile, allowing Gajser to extend his championship lead.
Gajser now sits on 488-points, to Cairoli’s 440, with Jorge Prado closes in on his fellow KTM teammate, with 429-points, the same number held by Jeremy Seewer. Aussie Mitch Evans falls to twelth in the standings with a broken wrist at the previous round requiring surgery during the week, with the rider absent as a result.
Tim Gajser
“Already from the beginning I was feeling really good on the bike and on the track as well. In the first race I got a really good start, I was second and I managed to catch the leader and pass him. I was able to make a little gap and go ahead but I made a mistake and I lost the front. I crashed, this is when Gautier passed me. In the second race the start was not so good but after the first corner I was able to go second and then pass Prado, make a little gap and go ahead with the win of the race so I’m super happy about today.”
MXGP Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
22
25
47
2
Paulin, Gautier
FRA
YAM
25
16
41
3
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
20
18
38
4
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
15
22
37
5
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
13
20
33
6
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
18
14
32
7
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
BEL
HON
16
11
27
8
Van doninck, Brent
BEL
HUS
11
13
24
9
Cairoli, Antonio
ITA
KTM
8
15
23
10
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
14
6
20
11
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
12
7
19
12
Desalle, Clement
BEL
KAW
10
8
18
13
Bobryshev, Evgeny
RUS
HUS
7
9
16
14
Vlaanderen, Calvin
NED
YAM
0
12
12
15
Monticelli, Ivo
ITA
GAS
0
10
10
16
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
5
5
10
17
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
HON
6
3
9
18
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
9
0
9
19
Cervellin, Michele
ITA
YAM
4
4
8
20
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
3
1
4
21
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
0
2
2
22
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
2
0
2
23
Rannikko, Rene
FIN
HUS
1
0
1
24
Toendel, Cornelius
NOR
HON
0
0
0
25
Kritikos, Manolis
GRE
KTM
0
0
0
26
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
0
0
0
27
Guryev, Artem
RUS
HON
0
0
0
28
Geens, Heikki
BEL
KTM
0
0
0
29
Webster, Kyle
AUS
HON
0
0
0
MXGP Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
488
2
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
440
3
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
429
4
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
429
5
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
383
6
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
GAS
375
7
Paulin, G.
FRA
YAM
352
8
Desalle, C.
BEL
KAW
312
9
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
263
10
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
248
11
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
HON
248
12
Evans, M.
AUS
HON
228
13
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
174
14
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
164
15
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
163
16
Jacobi, Henry
GER
YAM
134
17
Monticelli, I.
ITA
GAS
132
18
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
91
19
Lupino, A.
ITA
YAM
82
20
Cervellin, M.
ITA
YAM
81
21
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
51
22
Bobryshev, E.
RUS
HUS
49
23
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
48
24
Paturel, B.
FRA
HON
45
25
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
43
26
Guillod, V.
SUI
HON
38
27
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
36
28
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
31
29
Van doninck, B.
BEL
HUS
29
30
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
HUS
26
31
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
21
32
Rauchenecker, P.
AUT
KTM
19
33
Sabulis, K.
LAT
KTM
18
34
Lapucci, N.
ITA
KTM
15
35
Covington, T.
USA
YAM
15
36
Kullas, Harri
EST
HON
11
37
van Berkel, L.
NED
HUS
9
38
Bernardini, S.
ITA
YAM
9
39
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
6
40
Valentin, A.
ESP
HUS
4
41
Pichon, Z.
FRA
HON
2
42
Guryev, Artem
RUS
HON
2
43
Gole, Anton
SWE
HON
2
44
Rannikko, Rene
FIN
HUS
1
MX2
In MX2 Tom Vialle had a solid day to finish 2-2 in the races with that consistency enough to claim his sixth overall win of the 2020 campaign. Vialle was only a single point ahead of Jago Geerts, who took one of the MX2 wins, while his teammate Ben Watson was third overall and was the other MX2 winner, in a strong result for Yamaha.
Tom Vialle
“It has been a really good day for me. In the first race I was riding good, but Ben was pushing on the back and then he passed me. I tried to push but I did a little mistake and I crashed just before the last lap, but I still finished good so at least it was a good race for me. In the second race I was feeling really good on the track better than the first one. I pushed Jago and at the end I finished second. Winning the overall here is something really special for me because three years ago I was riding the European championship here and I finished really at the back. I’m really happy about that. We work a lot with the team, Joel, my family and it’s really nice to win.”
Jed Beaton went 7-7, for seventh overall and 28-championship points, while fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz was 18th, finishing 15th in Race 2.
Jed Beaton
“Not the greatest day but we’re here for two more rounds so it’s a solid start to the week. My starts weren’t great in both races, which didn’t help but we’ll be better on Wednesday. It took me a while to get going in race one, by around 20 minutes into the race I found my flow and felt really good, but it was too late to move forwards. Race two I felt good from the start and rode a smart race. I know what to expect for the next two, so we’ll be ready for them and I look forward to Wednesday.”
Vialle now sits on 569-points to Geerts 516, with Maxime Renaux and Beaton both tied on 407-points. Malkiewicz sits 16th, on 98-points.
MX2 Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
22
22
44
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
18
25
43
3
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
25
16
41
4
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
20
15
35
5
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
16
18
34
6
Van De Moosdijk, Roan
NED
KAW
11
20
31
7
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
14
14
28
8
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
15
13
28
9
Fernandez, Ruben
ESP
YAM
12
11
23
10
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
13
10
23
11
Rubini, Stephen
FRA
HON
9
8
17
12
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
10
7
17
13
Renkens, Nathan
BEL
KTM
3
12
15
14
Forato, Alberto
ITA
HUS
4
9
13
15
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
5
5
10
16
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
8
0
8
17
Genot, Cyril
BEL
YAM
7
0
7
18
Malkiewicz, Bailey
AUS
HON
0
6
6
19
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
6
0
6
20
Lesiardo, Morgan
ITA
HON
2
3
5
21
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
0
4
4
22
Dickinson, Ashton
GBR
KTM
0
2
2
23
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
0
1
1
24
Meier, Glen
DEN
YAM
1
0
1
MX2 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
569
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
516
3
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
407
4
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
407
5
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
381
6
Van De Moosdijk, R.
NED
KAW
357
7
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
355
8
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
287
9
Fernandez, R.
ESP
YAM
249
10
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
234
11
Rubini, S.
FRA
HON
193
12
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
172
13
Forato, A.
ITA
HUS
150
14
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
118
15
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
112
16
Malkiewicz, B.
AUS
HON
98
17
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
96
18
Crawford, N.
AUS
HON
91
19
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
91
20
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
83
21
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
82
22
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
HON
77
23
Hofer, Rene
AUT
KTM
73
24
Renkens, N.
BEL
KTM
69
25
Sikyna, R.
SVK
KTM
67
26
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
HUS
62
27
Laengenfelder, S.
GER
GAS
59
28
Genot, Cyril
BEL
YAM
56
29
Sydow, Jeremy
GER
GAS
35
30
Roosiorg, H.
EST
KTM
33
31
Sandner, M.
AUT
GAS
26
32
Harrison, M.
USA
KAW
22
33
Cenerelli, G.
ITA
HUS
21
34
Toriani, Enzo
FRA
HUS
21
35
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
16
36
Dickinson, A.
GBR
KTM
13
37
Todd, Wilson
AUS
KAW
8
38
Nermann, J.
EST
HUS
8
39
Teresak, Jakub
CZE
KTM
8
40
Meier, Glen
DEN
YAM
6
41
Zonta, Filippo
ITA
KTM
6
42
Edelbacher, R.
AUT
HUS
5
43
Furbetta, J.
ITA
KTM
3
44
Spies, M.
GER
HUS
2
45
Haavisto, Jere
FIN
YAM
2
EMX250
As the gate dropped for the opening race of the day, all eyes were on the championship rivals Thibault Benistant and Mattia Guadagnini of Husqvarna Maddii Racing Junior, as Benistant grabbed the holeshot and led Marcel Conijn, Jorgen-Matthias Talviku and Gianluca Facchetti of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing.
Though Facchetti didn’t hold on to the position, as he crashed out and re-joined the race way down the order and eventually did not finish the opening heat.
Kay De Wolf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing had a good jump out of the gate, but a couple of corners later dropped it and as a result was way down the order in the beginning of the race.
Benistant, Conijn and Talviku led the opening laps, as Guadagnini fought his way up to fifth and set his sights on Tim Edberg who was just ahead. A few laps later and Edberg crashed out of fourth, which allowed Guadagnini and Hakon Fredriksen of Yamaha SM Action MC Migliori J1 Racing through.
Talviku then took second from Conijn, with Guadagnini doing the same not too long after, to move into the top three. Benistant then led the race by 6.560 seconds.
Knowing how vital every point is at this stage in the championship, Guadagnini continued to push forward as he squeezed past Talviku to take second.
Benistant then responded by setting the fastest lap of the race, a 2:06.072 as he extended his lead to 10.625 seconds. Though Guadagnini wasn’t going to give in easy, as he set his personal best lap of the race towards the end, taking three seconds out of the race leader.
The Italian then worked away at the gap, to shrink it even further, but with just 2 laps to go, made a mistake which was the deciding moment of the race. Eventually, Benistant went on to win the opening race, with Guadagnini finishing second and Fredriksen third.
EMX250 Race 1 Result
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Diff. First
1
Benistant, Thibault
FRA
Yamaha
00:00.0
2
Guadagnini, Mattia
ITA
Husqvarna
+00:11.7
3
Fredriksen, Hakon
NOR
Yamaha
+00:20.4
4
Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias
EST
Husqvarna
+00:29.4
5
de Wolf, Kay
NED
Husqvarna
+00:53.8
6
Boegh Damm, Bastian
DEN
KTM
+00:55.8
7
Conijn, Marcel
NED
KTM
+00:56.7
8
Elzinga, Rick
NED
KTM
+01:18.9
9
Gerhardsson, Albin
SWE
Husqvarna
+01:20.5
10
Goupillon, Pierre
FRA
Kawasaki
+01:26.7
In the second EMX250 race it was Guadagnini who grabbed the holeshot from Talviku and Benistant. He didn’t hold on to the lead for long, as a small mistake cost him valuable positions and saw him drop down to 6th.
Talviku then led the race, with Benistant and Oriol Oliver second and third. Guadagnini though was making quick moves as he passed two riders in a single lap to get into 4th.
On lap 3, Benistant then took the lead from Talviku, with Guadagnini looking to do the same as he set the fastest lap of the race, to bring the gap down to 4 seconds between himself and the pair in front of him. Meanwhile De Wolf was edging closer to Oliver for fourth place.
Guadagnini then caught and passed Talviku, with the Estonian then losing two spots to De Wolf and Oliver. Back at the front though, Benistant had an impressive 14.617 second lead as 9 minutes plus 2 laps remained.
Guadagnini and De Wolf then battled amongst themselves, with the pair coming together at one point, with the factory Husqvarna rider going through on the Italian to steal 2nd place. And he didn’t hold on to it for long, as he crashed a couple of corners after the finish jump, which allowed Guadagnini back into P2.
With 3 laps to go, Benistant was already 32 seconds ahead, so the battle heated up behind him as De Wolf caught onto the rear wheel of Guadagnini once again. In the end, it was Benistant who was victorious, with Guadagnini holding on to second and De Wolf finishing third.
In terms of the podium, Benistant had the perfect day, taking two race wins as well as the overall victory, along with the red plate as he continues to lead the championship by 24 points over Guadagnini, who was second overall and Fredriksen getting his turn on the podium once again, as he took to the third step of the podium.
Thibault Benistant
“I’m really happy to win both races, it was my goal for today. I don’t think of the championship or winning, I took it race by race and give my best every time. I’m really happy to be back on top of the box. I feel really good for the last round, I have the speed and feeling, and everything is here so we will do the same.”
Mattia Guadagnini
“It was not so good. I had good speed but the first race I had a bad start and made my way to the front, then I was closing down the gap and I made a mistake, so I took second. In the second race, I had a great start and took the holeshot and then made a little mistake and tried to start as soon as possible and made my way to second position again and I was a little bit faster. Then I had a little problem with the goggles, and I had another crash. I tried my best and finished with two place races, but it was not what I was hoping for today.”
Hakon Fredriksen
“The day started pretty good. I had a decent start in the first race, I was like top ten and then worked my way to third and finished there. Then in the second race I got a bad start and crashed on the first lap, so I was dead last and then worked my way up to fourth place and I’m happy with that, just going to charge for the next one and hope for a win.”
EMX250 Race 2 Result
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Diff. First
1
Benistant, Thibault
FRA
Yamaha
00:00.0
2
Guadagnini, Mattia
ITA
Husqvarna
+00:30.0
3
de Wolf, Kay
NED
Husqvarna
+00:30.5
4
Fredriksen, Hakon
NOR
Yamaha
+00:45.4
5
Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias
EST
Husqvarna
+00:46.8
6
Conijn, Marcel
NED
KTM
+00:55.9
7
Oliver, Oriol
ESP
KTM
+00:57.1
8
Weckman, Emil
FIN
Honda
+01:00.3
9
Guyon, Tom
FRA
KTM
+01:06.7
10
Edberg, Tim
SWE
Yamaha
+01:08.1
EMX250 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Benistant, T.
FRA
YAM
376
2
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
HUS
352
3
de Wolf, Kay
NED
HUS
272
4
Fredriksen, H.
NOR
YAM
253
5
Talviku, J.
EST
HUS
235
6
Edberg, Tim
SWE
YAM
212
7
Locurcio, L.
VEN
KAW
193
8
Guyon, Tom
FRA
KTM
173
9
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
137
10
Facchetti, G.
ITA
YAM
134
EMX125
The opening race of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category saw Haakon Osterhagen of Creymert Racing who grab the holeshot, as he led RFME GasGas MX Junior Team’s David Braceras and Radek Vetrovsky from JD Gunnex KTM Racing Team.
It didn’t take long for Braceras to take the lead, as he passed Osterhagen on the opening lap. Meanwhile the championship leader, Andrea Bonacorsi of Fantic Racing was down in 20th.
Vetrovsky then had a big moment as he crashed out of third place. He did not re-join the race. Osterhagen then also crashed out, as he dropped from P2 to P10.
Braceras then held a nice 4 second gap to Florian Miot of KTM DIGA Junior Racing, with Rasmus Pedersen of W-Z Racing just behind in third at the time. Miot then started to close in on the race leader, as he brought the gap down to 1.5 seconds.
The pair needed to be careful as W-Z Racing’s Max Palsson made his way up into third and was all over the back of the two, which meant that there was no room for error. And Palsson continued to apply the pressure for a few laps until he managed to squeeze past Miot for P2.
The battle for second gave Braceras a big more breathing room as he was able to get his head down and focus. Towards the end of the race he had a 6.711 second lead to Miot, who was able to pass Palsson back and that’s how the top 3 remained until the chequered flag dropped.
EMX125 Race 1 Result
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Diff. First
1
Braceras, David
ESP
GASGAS
00:00.0
2
Miot, Florian
FRA
KTM
+00:05.6
3
Palsson, Max
SWE
KTM
+00:07.4
4
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
+00:07.9
5
Farres, Guillem
ESP
GASGAS
+00:13.9
6
Osterhagen, Haakon
NOR
KTM
+00:14.7
7
Bonacorsi, Andrea
ITA
Fantic
+00:15.5
8
Venhoda, Martin
CZE
KTM
+00:21.7
9
Smulders, Scott
NED
Husqvarna
+00:22.2
10
Karssemakers, Kay
NED
Yamaha
+00:35.6
The start of the second race was a repeat of the first one as Osterhagen claimed another holeshot. He led Scott Smulders of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team, Farres and Cas Valk of TBS Conversions Racing Team who got a fantastic start.
Osterhagen immediately pulled a 4.7 second lead to the group, while race one winner, Braceras, was down in 6th on the opening lap. Bonacorsi got a much better start in the second heat as he was already up in 3rd place within the first few laps, as he passed Smulders and Valk.
Farres then took the lead from Osterhagen, as he set his best lap of the race, a 2:11.321, as Osterhagen made a small mistake but managed to keep it on two wheels. Bonacorsi though needed to work on the large gap between him and the top 2.
Further down the order, Braceras was coming under pressure from Palsson for P4, as Farres extended his lead to 9.539 seconds with 10 minutes plus 2 laps on the clock.
And Palsson was charging, as he passed Braceras, though the Spaniard responded immediately. The two then went at it for a little while longer, before Palsson was able to make the pass stick.
Miot then went after Braceras, though the GasGas rider was able to get back around the Frenchman a few laps later towards the end of the race. Meanwhile, Palsson continued his journey forward as he passed Bonacorsi for third place, which also got him on the podium.
In the end though it was Farres who took his first race win of the year, while Osterhagen crossed the line in second and Palsson finishing third.
The EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing saw Guillem Farres take his first overall win, while his teammate David Braceras finished second and Max Palsson third. In terms of the championship, Andrea Bonacorsi continues to lead the series with a steady 44-point advantage over Braceras, while Meico Vettik is a further 12 points down in third.
Guillem Farres
“Right now I still can’t believe it, but we did it, in first race I struggled a little bit because I didn’t get the start that I wanted and after I fought with Hakon. In the second race I was able to take a better start and I was second, I managed to pass Hakon, I went for the first position and I was first for all the whole race. I’m really happy about that. I’m feeling that I’m being more and more consistent race by race and also more confident is strange that Spanish guys are together on the podium here in Lommel.”
David Braceras
“I’m really happy. In the first race I was able to win. I took a good start and after I took the lead and I went until the end. In the second race I didn’t start really good because I was ninth or something like that then I pushed really hard in the first laps to re-group and be back in the first group and I was able to go fourth. After that I had a little bit of arm pump and I got passed by two riders and I was sixth. At the end I managed to be fifth and take the second place in the overall. I’m really happy for me, for the boys and for the team because we worked really hard to be on the top and now is the time.”
Max Palsson
“First race I did not get a good start and I was far away from the front and in addition I did also one mistake and I crashed. In the second race I messed up in the first corner and I had to re-group again, in the last lap I was able to pass David and get the 3rd place in the overall.”
Andrea Bonacorsi
“Yeah today it was a hard day for me but I still think about the championship and now I’m forty-four points in front so in the next races I want to be super focused and I want to win and be back on the podium. Now I’m ready for the next round.”
EMX125 Race 2 Result
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Diff. First
1
Farres, Guillem
ESP
GASGAS
00:00.0
2
Osterhagen, Haakon
NOR
KTM
+00:08.2
3
Palsson, Max
SWE
KTM
+00:14.6
4
Bonacorsi, Andrea
ITA
Fantic
+00:19.9
5
Braceras, David
ESP
GASGAS
+00:32.8
6
Miot, Florian
FRA
KTM
+00:34.4
7
Valk, Cas
NED
KTM
+00:36.7
8
Prugnieres, Quentin Marc
FRA
KTM
+00:43.4
9
Karssemakers, Kay
NED
Yamaha
+00:51.9
10
Rainio, Sampo
FIN
Husqvarna
+00:52.8
EMX125 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Bonacorsi, A.
ITA
FAN
262
2
Braceras, D.
ESP
GAS
218
3
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
206
4
Palsson, Max
SWE
KTM
188
5
Razzini, P.
ITA
HUS
186
6
Farres, G.
ESP
GAS
173
7
Roncoli, A.
ITA
HUS
164
8
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
147
9
Prugnieres, Q.
FRA
KTM
141
10
Soulimani, S.
FRA
KTM
126
Russia win 2020 Speedway of Nations
Day 1 of the 2020 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final was cancelled due to heavy rain throughout the afternoon, the track has been deemed unsafe for racing for Friday, and as a result the Monster Energy SON world title was decided in a one-off meeting on Saturday, October 17.
Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov showed his steel to seal his country’s third straight Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations world title in Lublin on Saturday night. The Salavat-born star skippered Russia to glory in 2018 and 2019, and the world champions retained their title in a rain-curtailed Final in Lublin.
Racing was halted after 15 heats due to track conditions, but the scores were counted at the conclusion of race 14, when all seven countries had contested four heats apiece.
While Russia tied on 23 with hosts Poland, the defending champions got the gold medals after winning their head-to-head battle in heat eight, when Artem Laguta rounded Polish star Szymon Wozniak to seal a Russian 5-4 advantage.
That ride wasn’t the only decisive moment, as Sayfutdinov roared to the front in heat 13 to restrict Australia to a 5-4 race win. The Leszno star breathed in and squeezed through a seemingly impossible gap between Aussie captain Jason Doyle and the fast-approaching fence to take the lead.
It was a golden moment for Sayfutdinov, who scored 15 points, but he admits he didn’t have the best view of the action.
Emil Sayfutdinov
“I couldn’t see where I was going coming into the corner. The rain was coming into my goggles. There was a lot of material on the outside, but I got speed there and I just saw Doyle going straight to the fence. I found a little room and I passed him. I am really happy to have done it, stayed safe and got some good points.”
Russia hadn’t won a senior speedway world title – individual or team – prior to their 2018 Monster Energy SON win in Wroclaw. Now they are triple world champions and Sayfutdinov is elated to have written more racing history for his country.
Emil Sayfutdinov
“I know we didn’t continue with the whole meeting. But we are world champions, so we are really happy. That’s three times in a row! At the beginning of the meeting, track conditions were bad. But when they said ‘we need to go’, we were ready. We were focused on our points and concentrating on our starts. Everything was working and we are really happy to be world champions again. I hope speedway in Russia will grow up so quickly and we hope our federation and fans will support us, along with all the companies we have in Russia. Hopefully somebody can see us. We deserve that support and for us it is important.”
The Russians won their second world title in front of a passionate home crowd in Togliatti in 2019, but Sayfutdinov has made no secret of his desire for his national side to receive greater backing in their homeland. He hopes another Monster Energy SON win will boost the sport’s profile even further in Russia.
FIM Speedway Grand Prix world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik starred on 15 points from a possible 16 for Poland as they fell agonisingly short of their first Monster Energy SON win.
They were forced to settle for silver for the second straight season in what was legendary coach Marek Cieslak’s last event as national boss following a career that saw him clinch seven FIM Speedway World Cup wins.
Denmark took third place on 19 points for their first world championship medal since they won SWC silver in 2015. They tied with Sweden, but claimed the last spot on the podium after winning their head-to-head battle in race 10.
Australia took fifth spot on 17, with Great Britain sixth on 12 and the Czech Republic seventh on 11.
2020 Monster Energy Speedway of Nations Final Result
RUSSIA 23: 1 Emil Sayfutdinov 15, 2 Artem Laguta 8, 3 Evgenii Saidullin DNR.
DENMARK 19: 1 Leon Madsen 10, 2 Anders Thomsen 4, 3 Marcus Birkemose 5.
SWEDEN 19: 1 Fredrik Lindgren 14, 2 Oliver Berntzon 5, 3 Alexander Woentin DNR.
AUSTRALIA 17: 1 Jason Doyle 5, 2 Max Fricke 12, 3 Jaimon Lidsey 0.
GREAT BRITAIN 12: 1 Robert Lambert 6, 2 Drew Kemp DNR, 3 Dan Bewley 6.
CZECH REPUBLIC 11: 1 Vaclav Milik 11, 2 Eduard Krcmar 0, 3 Petr Chlupac 0.
2020 Full Gas Sprint Enduro – Silver Hawk Plantation Round 6
Kailub Russell claimed the 2020 Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro title with a close victory at this weekend’s Silver Hawk Plantation Sprint Enduro, the series finale, held at the Silver Hawk Plantation in Buffalo, South Carolina. The title was Russell’s third Full Gas Sprint Enduro championship and second in a row.
Layne Michael gave Russell a good battle, and in fact, led the race by two seconds with two tests remaining. However, as he often does, Russell dug deep and made up the distance to take the overall win.
Kailub Russell
“It was good to get the overall win, but it was kind of strange how it worked out. I won one test on Saturday and I won the day, and then I won all but one today and almost lost. It was a tough weekend. I was a little unsure how Saturday was going to go because I was a little bit off and you don’t have to be off by much to be pretty slow here. But I rode better on Sunday, and that was enough.”
In all, Russell won six tests, one on Saturday and five on Sunday. However, two crashes in test four on Sunday cost him dearly as the North Carolina rider finished the test 12 seconds behind Michael, moving him into the lead.
Trailing Michael with two tests remaining, Russell made up 1.2 seconds in the Cross test and entered the final test just .8 seconds behind. The final test would be the decider and Russell finished strong, winning the final test by 3.3 seconds and taking the overall victory by 2.4 seconds.
Kailub Russell
“I came out swinging today and rode good. I had awesome times the first three tests and then test four I kind of threw it away and had a couple falls. My front brake lever fell down and I couldn’t get it back up. It was so far down I was having a hard time getting to it, so my timing was a little bit off. But I was able to pull it together and win the last couple tests. So five out of six on the day.”
Although Michael won five tests over the weekend, the race marked the second round in a row where he was in position to take the overall win, only to lose out in the final test.
Layne Michael
“It’s frustrating because he got me at the last one in the last test and got me on this one in the last test. But it was a good weekend, nonetheless. I fought hard. I was there all weekend and pretty consistent. One little mistake kind of cost me, but like I said, he had a big one that kind of put me back in it. All in all, a good weekend. Any time you’re batting with Kailub it’s good.”
Josh Strang won a Cross test and was rewarded with third overall. The Aussie off-roader only returned to racing the week before after missing several weeks due to a shoulder injury.
Josh Strang
“I was a little off the pace. I almost didn’t come this weekend just because of my shoulder. I still have a little bit of pain. To do these things, you have to go at 100% to be competitive, and I just wasn’t comfortable going as hard as I would have liked. There were some sections where I noticed I was just kind of riding around instead of attacking the track. But overall, it was a good day.”
Strang’s teammate Lyndon Snodgrass has improved with each race and finished an impressive fourth overall, which was also good enough for first in the Pro 2 division.
Lyndon Snodgrass
“I haven’t done a Full Gas in a while so it was good to get back to one. I had a good run. I think I won every test but the first one on Saturday in my class. So it was a good run for me. I was mixing it up with the pro guys a little bit in some of the tests, so that was cool. I think they did a good job this weekend and I was happy to be here.”
Liam Draper was fourth in the Pro class and fifth overall.
Liam Draper
“On Saturday I started off kind of slow, but I figured out the Cross test a lot better this weekend than I have in previous rounds. It was close racing all weekend with me, Jordan Ashburn and Josh. Then Jordan had some problems. So, it was good. It was a good year. I had fun racing these.”
Jesse Ansley turned in his best finish of the year with a sixth overall and second in the Pro 2 class. The Florida rider has made big strides this year and his finish at the series finale was a good way to cap off the season.
Jesse Ansley
“I feel like I was really tight on Day One, I wasn’t on the bike all week and I think it showed on Saturday. I felt like I really shined in the woods test and I was sitting fifth overall going into the last Enduro test and then I just made a dumb mistake, which dropped me back to seventh overall for the day. I don’t know what I was thinking, I just went for a line that wasn’t there and ended up getting stuck between two trees and it must have cost me about 10 seconds. I gave up a little time on Saturday in the Cross test, so on Sunday, I just concentrated on that test and was able to pick up some time, which put me up into sixth overall and second in the Pro 2 class.”
Pennsylvanian Ben Nelko has been solid all year and finished seventh overall and third in the Pro 2 class this weekend. Nelko is backed by 760 Husqvarna.
Cole Mattison was the top-finishing Pro Am rider in eighth overall on a Husqvarna, and secured the Pro Am class championship with his class win. Ohio’s JoJo Cunningham topped the Lites A division with a solid ninth overall finish and also won the Lites A class series championship.
Dalton Seals was 10th overall on a Yamaha and second Pro Am rider, Brewer Cawley rounded out the Pro Am podium.
Johnny Girroir, who wrapped up the Pro 2 championship at the round before, skipped the race due to a sore knee. Meanwhile, Jordan Ashburn was turning in some solid rides in the Pro class, but suffered an unfortunate DNF on Sunday.
Rachel Archer won every test in the Women’s Pro class to take the overall win ahead of Samantha Fisher and Alli Phillips.
Rachel Archer
“Tayla (Jones) and Kenzie (Tricker) were out with knee injuries, so I didn’t have those two to contend with. All in all, it was a good weekend and I managed to win every test. I made a couple of silly mistakes today, just my suspension was a bit soft. In the last test I wadded my shoulder pretty good, so that’s a bit sore. But other than that, it was a fun track, a good day.”
Round 6 Overall Results
Pos.
Rider
Class
Time
1
Kailub Russell
Pro (1)
37:15.8
2
Layne Michael
Pro (2)
37:18.2
3
Joshua Strang
Pro (3)
38:15.5
4
Lyndon Snodgrass
Pro 2 (1)
38:27.1
5
Liam Draper
Pro (4)
39:03.0
6
Jesse Ansley
Pro 2 (2)
40:06.0
7
Ben Nelko
Pro 2 (3)
41:48.2
8
Cole Mattison
Pro-Am (1)
42:23.9
9
Joseph Cunningham
Lites A (1)
43:10.6
10
Dalton Seals
Pro-Am (2)
44:10.7
11
Brewer Cawley
Pro-Am (3)
44:14.6
12
Andrew Matusek
Open A (1)
44:24.2
13
RJ Cook
Pro 2 (4)
44:36.8
14
Michael Delosa
Pro-Am (4)
44:40.2
15
Zachary Nash
Pro-Am (5)
44:46.8
16
Tyler Palmer
Lites A (2)
46:18.8
17
Joshua Guffey
Lites A (3)
46:30.0
18
Henry Symanski
Pro-Am (6)
46:46.4
19
Garyson Smith
Open B (1)
47:03.8
20
Billy Schlag
Pro-Am (7)
47:20.0
21
Dylan Dela Cruz
Pro-Am (8)
47:35.5
22
Hans Neel
Open A (2)
47:37.1
23
Grady Faint
Lites A (4)
47:39.6
24
Robby Norwood
Vet A 30+ (1)
47:48.8
25
Canon Kuneff
Lites A (5)
47:58.9
26
Sam Forrester
Pro-Am (9)
48:00.9
27
Cade Henderson
Juniors A/B 12-17 (1)
48:06.0
28
Bolton Beroth
Lites A (6)
48:42.4
29
Andrew Tsakanikas
Vet A 30+ (2)
49:18.7
30
Rachael Archer
Women’s Pro (1)
49:36.5
Pro Overall Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Kailub Russell
315
2
Layne Michael
254
3
Joshua Strang
191
4
Liam Draper
191
5
Jordan Ashburn
187
6
Steward Baylor
53
7
Ricky Russell
46
8
Tyler McSwain
44
9
Craig Delong
31
11
Cory Buttrick
30
10
Benjamin Herrera
30
Pro 2 Overall Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Johnny Girroir
265
2
Jesse Ansley
242
3
Ben Nelko
223
4
RJ Cook
181
5
lyndon snodgrass
149
6
Michael McLean
105
7
Ruy Barbosa
75
8
Samuel Evans
41
9
Ben Parsons
32
10
Will Riordan
32
2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship postponed
Motorcycling Australia, in conjunction with the MA Track Commission and key stakeholders have advised of the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship which was schedule for January 3rd – 13th 2021, issuing the following statement:
Whilst we are disappointed that the 2021 Australian Championship has had to be postponed, we believe it is in the best interest of the sport. With so much uncertainty around the national and international borders, and with a lot of our riders currently overseas we had to make a decision as early as possible.
Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the Track Commission are now concentrating on delivering a strong and successful condensed 2021 Championship in the latter part of 2021 pending Government restrictions around Covid-19. MA sincerely thank all stakeholders, clubs, and riders for their support and understanding.
Yamaha rake in the State championship titles
The past two weeks and have again proven successful for Yamaha Racing in Australia with multi race and championship wins across two states, as the 2020 continues to unfold.
QLD Women’s and Vets
The central Queensland mining town of Gladstone hosted the 2020 Queensland Women’s and Vets Championship over the weekend and the warm, humid conditions made for a challenging event for the large contingent of riders on hand.
In the junior girls, it was all eyes on Charli Cannon as she was clearly the one to beat having recently finished third racing the boys at the state championship in Hervey Bay. But a hand injury slowed her progress and she had done no riding for a month leading up to the event so there were some questions marks about her fitness in the days prior.
But it mattered little, as she went on to dominate the day and claim the win in the 13-U16 years 85cc and the 13-U16 years Lites class, taking all six race wins. Cannon had not been on an 85 all year, but a last minute call to jump on her brother Jakes’s practice bike, paid dividends and she was able to walk away with the win and add more championships to her already impressive resume.
Charli Cannon
“My lead up to this race wasn’t good as I fell a while ago and the handlebar drove into my hand and caused some internal damage. I wasn’t able to ride but I tried to keep up my off bike training as much as I could and I was able to get through the weekend with no problems. It was fun to get back on the 85 again, although I’m too big for it now. It kept me on the track and Dad busy in the pits all weekend and winning made it worth the effort. Thank you to Mum and Dad for their help again and also to Yamaha as well as the rest of my sponsors. We had a fun weekend in Gladstone and winning the state championship was another goal I wanted to achieve this year.”
In the Senior Women’s, it was Taylah McCutchen taking the win and like Cannon, dominated her division with three race wins from three starts. McCutchen, not only just turned senior after her 16th birthday but also just swapped over to Yamaha, is loving her YZ250F and it clearly showed on the weekend.
The win at Gladstone comes on the back of her first senior appearance at couple of weeks ago at the King of Capricorn event where she won the MX2 Support class against a field full of men.
Taylah McCutchen
“I put in a lot of effort over the last few weeks to prepare for this race so it’s awesome that it paid off and I was able to win the Queensland championship. The change to Yamaha has been good for me and I feel really comfortable on the YZ250F and its an awesome bike to ride. Thank you to the club and the organisers for running the event, my family who support me 100% as well as the Yamalube Yamaha Team who assisted me with some parts in the lead up to this race.”
Yamaha also won the 55 and Over Vets with YZ450F mounted Mal Dalton taking out the state championship with three race wins.
Queensland Women & Vets Results
12-U16 years 85cc
Charli Cannon – 105 (Yamaha YZ85)
Darci Whalley – 94
Madi Simpson – 92
12-U16 years Lites
Charli Cannon – 105 (Yamaha YZ250F)
Darci Whaley – 96
Holly Van der Boor – 88
Senior Women
Taylah McCutchen – 105 (Yamaha YZ250F)
Tahlia Drew – 96
Alysha Goullet – 84
Men’s 55 and Over Vets
Mal Dalton – 105 (Yamaha YZ450F)
Bruce Lowth – 96
Anthony Clarke – 88
Coffs Harbour Transmoto
An all Yamaha team of Josh Green, Michael Driscoll, Blake Hollis and Dean Wattus took the overall teams’ victory at the Transmoto 8 hour event in Coffs Harbour. The recent dry spell left the course a little dusty, but the fast and free flowing layout kept riders happy and the Off Road Advantage Team dominated the day. Mounted on a range of Yamaha machinery, the awesome foursome enjoyed the weekend and the laid back nature of the event.
In addition to the team winning, Josh Green won individual honours as well as taking fastest lap on the day.
Yamaha Junior Racing
The Hutton brothers made it a 1-2 finish at the recent Queensland Off Road Championships. Competing in the 7-11 years 65, Harley Hutton took the final round victory and in turn secured the state championship while younger brother Drake slotted in behind him for second.
Sons of enduro royalty, Kirk Hutton, both boys are on their way to emulating Dad’s career and the YZ65 has been the perfect bike to kick kickstart their careers. They are now about 20 state championships behind Dad, but they have plenty of time and talent on their side.
Speaking of brothers, Ryder and Kayd Kingsford were back in action at the Nowra round of the East Coast Motocross Series in New South Wales. Ryder proved ultra-fast on his YZ250F, winning the opening two motos but a flat rear tyre in the final leg kept him from the podium while he battled hard in the 125cc division to finish fourth with 4-3-3 results.
Kayd had just returned from a broken wrist and not yet back up to full speed and fitness. He took 4-8-6 results in the 12-15 years 85cc class to finish fifth on the day but will be better for the hit-out and looking to get back on the podium at the next event.
Yamaha Announces 2021 Supercross and Motocross Teams
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), has announced a three-year partnership with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team to field their campaign in both the 450 and 250 classes of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships. The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 team will be spearheaded by Aaron Plessinger and newly-crowned 2020 250SX and 250MX champion Dylan Ferrandis, while the 250 team has signed two-time 250 MX Champion Jeremy Martin and Christian Craig to join returning riders Colt Nichols, Justin Cooper and Jarrett Frye.
A long-time partner in the 250 support class and amateur ranks, the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team has had a history of success with 11 titles in the professional championships and multiple Amateur National titles. The team will now add the 450 premier class to its tent to provide a consistent program for riders advancing through the SX/MX racing ranks. Together, Star and Yamaha will continue to work towards the goal of winning championships. Along with key sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive full support from Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA.
Plessinger returns with Yamaha for his third season in the 450 class. Two of the titles added to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s tally were earned by Plessinger in 2018 – the 250SX West and 250MX Championship. The Ohio native has shown promise in his first two years in the premier class, but unfortunately has had injuries that have sidelined him for a good part of both championships in 2019 and the 2020 Pro Motocross season. As Plessinger returns to the team, he looks to build on his progress and come out swinging in 2021.
Aaron Plessinger – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team
“I’m really excited for next season with Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing. I really had a good run with the team in 2018 with the 250 Supercross and Motocross title. I love the team over there. I love the people on the team. I think we work really well together. The last two years haven’t been too good for me with some injuries and bad luck. I’m looking forward to getting back to my winning ways and having a good time doing it. Going into 2021, I couldn’t be more confident. With this team going in behind me I think we can do extraordinary things next year.“
Making his 450-debut next year, Ferrandis looks to keep his momentum rolling with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team as he transitions to the premier class. After a great 2019 season with the 250SX West Championship and runner-up finish in the Pro Motocross 250 class, the Frenchman was on fire in 2020. He won both the 250SX West and 250MX Championship, scoring three supercross wins as well as eight moto wins and three overall victories in motocross. Jeremy Coker will be the team manager for the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 squad.
Dylan Ferrandis – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team
“It’s been a dream of mine to fight for a championship in the 450 class in the U.S. I’m so happy to be able to do that with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha team. I feel at home there. I’m still feeling in paradise with two championships this year, but we will get back to work to fight next season.”
Fresh off a stellar 2020 season, Martin returns to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s 250 team to fight for the crown. Earning back-to-back titles in the Pro Motocross 250MX Championship in 2014 and 2015, Martin is eager to seal the deal in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and continue to add to an already accomplished 250 class career.
Jeremy Martin – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team
“I’m very excited to have the opportunity this late in the year to get back on the Yamaha for next year moving forward into 2021 with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. I’ve won two championships with them in the past so I’m excited to pick up where I left off and end my 250 career with a bang!”
Craig also joins Star Racing’s powerhouse 250 line-up in 2021. The Californian has challenged for top honors on multiple occasions and was in the fight for the 250SX West Championship before being sidelined with an injury early in the season. Craig looks to fight for top honors in 2021 with the Monster Energy Star Racing squad.
Christian Craig – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team
“Moving to the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team is quite a big deal for me. Bobby (Reagan) has talked to me every year the past few years to get me over here but the timing didn’t feel right. Finally this year, I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone if I wanted to take my career to the next level. Their whole program has a lot of structure, which is something that has always benefited me and helped my confidence. I’m extremely grateful to start the next chapter in my career with these guys and look forward to putting in the results I know I’m capable of.”
Nichols returns for his fifth season with the team. The Oklahoman hit the ground running in 2019 with his first 250SX win at Anaheim I and went on to score multiple podiums to finish third in the championship. Unfortunately, injuries have kept him out of most of this year, but now that he is close to full fitness, Nichols aims for the crown in 2021.
Cooper also returns with the team for 2021. Since his first full season with the team in 2019, the New Yorker has impressed. He finished second overall in the 250SX East Championship with six podiums and went on to take his first overall win in Florida, ending the year third in the Pro Motocross 250MX Championship. Cooper carried that momentum over to 2020, scoring his first Supercross win at Anaheim I and finishing second in the 250SX West Championship. After coming back from a preseason injury, Cooper made a late season charge in the Pro Motocross Championship returning to the top of the podium at Thunder Valley to finish fifth in the standings.
Stepping up to the professional ranks at Round 6 of the Pro Motocross Championship was one of Star’s top amateur riders, Frye. The 19-year-old impressed with solid results, including a best result of sixth overall at the final race of the season.
Lead by team manager Wil Hahn, the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 team has more top up-and-coming riders lying in wait: Nate Thrasher, Matt LeBlanc and Nick Romano. Thrasher, who recently joined the team had a good showing at the final two rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season. Both LeBlanc and Romano have multiple Amateur Nationals and show a lot of promise for the future. All three riders full-time professional debut is yet to be determined.
Jim Roach – Yamaha Racing Department Manager for YMUS
“The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team has had a tremendous amount of success over the years with both their Amateur and 250 Supercross and Motocross programs. Beginning in 2021, the Yamaha 450 program in both championships will transition to the Monster Energy Star Yamaha team, as well. The overall goal is to continue the success that the team has had, and to work toward winning 450 Championships. Having the Amateur, 250, and 450 Supercross and Motocross programs with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team also ensures a smooth transition for riders stepping through the program. It is an exciting time for Yamaha, and we look forward to the upcoming racing season!”
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team Manager
“I have worked for Star Racing for six seasons and will be going on my seventh full season of racing with the team. For the last five years, I was the Engine Technician and have been a part of a total of 10 championships wins. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to step up and manage the 450 program and look to take Dylan and Aaron to the top step of the podium throughout the seasons ahead.”
Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team Manager
“Coming off of two championship wins this season, I’m really looking forward to next season with the goal of carrying that success forward into 2021. We have a great lineup with Colt, Justin and Jarret returning, some great additions with Jeremy and Christian, and a bright future with Nate, Matt and Nick. I can’t wait for the new year!”
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Race Team Announces 2021 Roster
The upcoming 2021 racing season marks 28 years of winning for Kawasaki and Pro Circuit. The successful Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki boasts an impressive resume including the most combined supercross/motocross wins in the 125/250 class at 29 championships, including the 2019 AMA Pro Motocross championship achieved by Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo.
Returning to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team for 2021 aboard their all-new 2021 KX250 motorcycles is long-time Team Green racer Austin Forkner along with Jordon Smith and Cameron McAdoo. The trio welcomes, Seth Hammaker, as he graduates from the Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green amateur race program.
Mitch Payton – Pro Circuit Owner
“We have a great team returning for the 2021 season combined with an all-new KX250 motorcycle. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with our solid group of guys and Hammaker joining the crew. There is a lot of talent between our four riders, and we will provide all the necessary tools to help each of them reach their full potential. The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team has high expectations to put Kawasaki and Pro Circuit on top of the podium.”
Forkner will enter the new season as the most experienced rider on the team. The 12-time 250 class race winner has high hopes of capturing multiple championships after his successful 2019 and 2020 seasons were cut short due to injury. 2020 brought the fresh face of Smith who earned three top-5 finishes out of the four rounds he competed in before withdrawing early due to injury.
McAdoo returned in 2020 to the brand that he found great success with throughout his amateur career, achieving career-bests in both supercross and motocross series, and looks to keep that momentum going into next season. Making his professional debut, Hammaker is set to join the team for both series at the beginning of the 2021 season.
The 2021 Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki racing team is positioned for another championship campaign and awaits the announcement of the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM Championship and AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Jaimon Lidsey FIM Speedway Under-21 World Champion 2020 Torun SGP Round Seven
Almost four years to the day after he won the Under 21 Speedway World Championship, Mansfield’s Max Fricke admits he has realised “a childhood dream” after roaring to his first-ever FIM Speedway Grand Prix victory at FST Grupa Brokerska Torun SGP round seven on Friday.
Another Aussie also achieved a childhood dream overnight with Jaimon Lidsey being crowned FIM Speedway Under-21 World Champion.
Lidsey, 21-years-old from Red Cliffs, has had a sensational European season and was calculated in his heat races during the Under 21 World Championship event last night scoring 3,3,3,2,3,3,3 on his run to the final.
While expectations were high for other riders to take the title, the young Victorian with plenty of Aussie grit held the best for last dominating the Final from the drop of the gate to now join a long list of Australian World Speedway Champions.
In Poland Fricke topped the FIM Speedway GP podium ahead of title-chasing trio Maciej Janowski, Tai Woffinden and series leader Bartosz Zmarzlik. With the victory Fricke, 24, became the seventh Australian who can boast winning the elite SGP joining Jason Crump, Leigh Adams, Jason Doyle, Chris Holder, Ryan Sullivan and Darcy Ward.
Zmarzlik overcame a crash in heat five to reach the semi-finals. He now just needs to reach the final of the title-deciding round eight on Saturday night to become Poland’s first double world champion after registering 14 points, giving him an eight-point cushion over nearest rival Woffinden in second spot.
But the night belonged to Fricke, who raced to 10 points in his heats, before delivering one of the rides on the season to pass Janowski and Fredrik Lindgren in semi-final one. He then made a world-class start in the final to leave three of the sport’s finest trailing and crown the greatest victory of his career so far.
The Wroclaw racer says he realised a boyhood dream as he enjoyed the Australian national anthem atop the Torun podium.
Max Fricke
“It’s unbelievable. I think it will take a while for it to sink in. I have been to Torun before and watched GPs. To win a GP has been a childhood dream for almost as long as I can remember – since I started racing. To actually be here and get a Grand Prix win is great. I have had a tough start to this year, so to have a win is unbelievable. I was doing everything I could to stay in front. I could hear Magic behind me. I just picked up a little too much right at the end. But I managed to bring it across the line. It was great to be on the podium with Tai and Magic. They are both great friends and we obviously ride together in Wroclaw. It was a really cool podium and great to be up there with some good friends.”
Fricke nearly threw victory away when he lifted dramatically on the run to the line. He was delighted to lead a Wroclaw one-two-three on the rostrum.
Fricke wasn’t the only Aussie star to claim a huge international victory tonight. His former Belle Vue team mate Jaimon Lidsey was crowned FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship winner at Czech track Pardubice.
Runner-up Janowski was delighted to be back on the SGP rostrum for the third time this season. Third-placed Woffinden raced to his third podium finish on the bounce.
FIM Speedway Grand Prix Torun – Round 7 Results
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Max Fricke
20
2
Maciej Janowski
18
3
Tai Woffinden
16
4
Bartosz Zmarzlik
14
5
Emil Sayfutdinov
12
6
Fredrik Lindgren
11
7
Martin Vaculik
10
8
Leon Madsen
9
9
Artem Laguta
8
10
Jason Doyle
7
11
Matej Zagar
6
12
Jack Holder
5
13
Patryk Dudek
4
14
Mikkel Michelsen
3
15
Antonio Lindback
2
16
Niels-Kristian Iversen
1
2020 Torun SGP Round Eight
Polish hero Bartosz Zmarzlik was elated to join the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series’ elite club of back-to-back world champions after winning the FST Grupa Brokerska Torun SGP round eight on Saturday.
Zmarzlik was crowned Poland’s first-ever double world champion when he finished second in semi-final one – reaching the final he needed to put the sport’s biggest prize beyond Great Britain icon Tai Woffinden and Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren.
Woffinden won a run-off with Lindgren for the silver medal after the pair tied on 117-points, but the season belongs to Zmarzlik, who topped the standings on 133, winning four of this year’s eight rounds along the way.
He crowned an epic season with victory in Torun, seeing off fellow countryman Maciej Janowski, Artem Laguta and Lindgren in the final. Zmarzlik is only the third rider to retain the world title in the SGP era, following in the footsteps of SGP greats.
Bartosz Zmarzlik
“Now I have followed some big heroes in speedway in winning back-to-back titles – Tony Rickardsson and Nicki Pedersen. It’s a great feeling and I don’t know what to say now. I don’t believe it at this moment. Wow! For me it is an unbelievable night. For the second year, I am number one in the world, and that’s really nice. It was a really hard day for me mentally. After yesterday and the crash in my second race, I wasn’t feeling so good in my body. But what an amazing race I had in the semi-final! I am happy I am a two-time world champion. Last season I could not have dreamed of this result. But again I am number one and for me it is unbelievable. Wow! What a night for me and the Polish fans! It’s unbelievable. I won the final again and that’s so nice. I don’t know what to say now. I can’t believe it at this moment, but maybe soon I will take in what I have done today.”
World Championship runner-up Woffinden admitted 2020 has not been his year, but he was heartened to reach the SGP rostrum for the sixth time in eight seasons since he rejoined the series in 2013.
Tai Woffinden
“I am not on form. I have not been on form all year. It’s super frustrating. But on the flip side, when Tai Woffinden is out of form, I am still in the top three in the world. You have seen that over the years. When I am on form, I am world champion. I want to say a massive thanks to everyone at home for watching and supporting me. The fire is burning for next year – massively. You learn more by losing. When you win, you win. You don’t know how you did it. Many world champions can say the same thing. I have learned a lot – physically, mentally, nutritionally and with stuff on my bikes.”
Lindgren would have sealed the silver medal with a top-three finish on the night, but he suffered a mechanical failure at the start line in the final, forcing him into a run-off with Woffinden, which the Brit won.
The Orebro-born ace revealed a curburettor issue halted him at the cruellest of moments. But he takes heart from matching the bronze medal he achieved in 2018 and was pleased to mount a strong title challenge throughout 2020.
2020 Speedway of Nations heads to Lublin
While SGP 2020 has concluded, world championship racing returns in less than two weeks when the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final takes place in Lublin on October 16 and 17. Hosts Poland face world champions Russia, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain and the Czech Republic in the ultimate test of team riding.
The Final was switched from Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium due to increased Covid-19 control measures across the UK, with the venue now staging the 2021 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final.
This year’s title-decider is set to take place at one of the sport’s fastest-growing clubs. Motor Lublin staged Polish Second Division action as recently as 2017, before back-to-back promotions saw them join the PGE Ekstraliga for the first time in 2019.
FIM Speedway Grand Prix Torun – Round 8 Results
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Bartosz Zmarzlik
20
2
Maciej Janowski
18
3
Artem Laguta
16
4
Fredrik Lindgren
14
5
Tai Woffinden
12
6
Jason Doyle
11
7
Leon Madsen
10
8
Emil Sayfutdinov
9
9
Antonio Lindback
8
10
Jack Holder
7
11
Patryk Dudek
6
12
Martin Vaculik
5
13
Max Fricke
4
14
Matej Zagar
3
15
Mikkel Michelsen
2
16
Niels-Kristian Iversen
1
17
Viktor Trofymov
0
18
Igor Kopec-Sobczynski
DNR.
FIM Speedway Grand Prix Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Bartosz Zmarzlik
133
2
Tai Woffinden
117+3
3
Fredrik Lindgren
117+2
4
Maciej Janowski
107
5
Leon Madsen
89
6
Jason Doyle
87
7
Artem Laguta
84
8
Emil Sayfutdinov
81
9
Martin Vaculik
78
10
Max Fricke
64
11
Matej Zagar
46
12
Patryk Dudek
39
13
Niels-Kristian Iversen
32
14
Mikkel Michelsen
32
15
Antonio Lindback
22
16
Gleb Chugunov
16
17
Jack Holder
12
18
Anders Thomsen
10
19
Vaclav Milik
1
20
Eduard Krcmar
1
2020 Speedway GP Wild Cards Announced
FIM Speedway Grand Prix quartet Artem Laguta, Emil Sayfutdinov, Martin Vaculik and Max Fricke all return for SGP 2021, while Denmark’s Anders Thomsen joins the sport’s elite after next season’s permanent wild cards were revealed.
Thomsen takes his place in the full World Championship field for the first time after enjoying a stellar 2020 campaign, which culminated in him winning his first Danish Championship at Vojens last Wednesday.
Russia’s double Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations winner Laguta has also enjoyed a season to remember after topping the podium at the SGP opener in Wroclaw, before finishing third in last night’s FST Grupa Brokerska Torun SGP round eight to claim seventh spot in the final standings.
His international team mate Sayfutdinov finished eighth in this year’s championship, as well as topping the PGE Ekstraliga averages in Poland on 2.557 points per race – just ahead of Laguta in second, who recorded 2.479.
Slovakian star Vaculik secures a return after claiming ninth spot overall, reaching six out of eight semi-finals as well as enjoying a strong season for Zielona Gora.
Double Australian champion Fricke returns for his second full SGP season on the back of a sensational victory in Friday’s FST Grupa Brokerska Torun SGP round seven – the first win of his World Championship career in only his second final. He finished 10th in this season’s standings.
The wild-card selections are joined by this year’s top six – Poland’s first double world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik, Great Britain’s triple world champion Tai Woffinden, Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren, Polish ace Maciej Janowski, Danish racer Leon Madsen and Australia’s 2017 world champion Jason Doyle.
Great Britain shooting star Robert Lambert also earned automatic qualification after winning this year’s Speedway European Championship.
The line-up is completed by the top three from this year’s GP Challenge in Gorican – five-time SGP winner Matej Zagar, Swedish debutant Oliver Berntzon and former world No.2 Krzysztof Kasprzak. The list of SGP 2021 substitute riders will be revealed soon.
2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Line-Up (in FIM ranking order – rider numbers to be confirmed):
Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland)
Tai Woffinden (Great Britain)
Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)
Maciej Janowski (Poland)
Leon Madsen (Denmark)
Jason Doyle (Australia)
Artem Laguta (Russia)
Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia)
Martin Vaculik (Slovakia)
Max Fricke (Australia)
Matej Zagar (Slovenia)
Anders Thomsen (Denmark)
Oliver Berntzon (Sweden)
Krzysztof Kasprzak (Poland)
Robert Lambert (Great Britain)
Jaimon Lidsey nabs 2021 SGP reserve spot
Aleksandr Loktaev could become the first Ukrainian to appear in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series as he heads the list of SGP 2021 substitute stars.
The Lodz rider, currently seventh in the Polish First Division average charts on 2.111 points per race, stormed agonisingly close to SGP qualification at the GP Challenge in Gorican, Croatia on August 22.
Australian shooting star Jaimon Lidsey is next in line as the second substitute rider. He was crowned FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship winner in Pardubice on Friday night.
Polish young gun Dominik Kubera finished second in that meeting and is named as third substitute, while Latvia’s Olegs Mihailovs took third place and is named as fourth SGP reserve.
Great Britain racer Dan Bewley is named as SGP fifth substitute, with World Longtrack champion Lukas Fienhage of Germany sixth reserve and the Czech Republic’s Jan Kvech rounding off the list at No.7.
2020 SGP Substitutes
S1. Aleksandr Loktaev (Ukraine)
S2. Jaimon Lidsey (Australia)
S3. Dominik Kubera (Poland)
S4. Olegs Mihailovs (Latvia)
S5. Dan Bewley (Great Britain)
S6. Lukas Fienhage (Germany)
S7. Jan Kvech (Czech Republic)
Toby Price & Daniel Sanders all set for 2020 Andalucia Rally
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team of Toby Price, Sam Sunderland and Matthias Walkner are ready to take on the 2020 Andalucia Rally. In their first competitive rally since the Dakar back in January, the team will be joined in Spain by KTM Factory Racing’s newest signing Daniel Sanders, who will be making his debut rally appearance.
Held in the south of Spain from October 6 to 10, the Andalucia Rally will challenge riders over five demanding days of racing. A short Super Special Stage will decide the start order for the first full day of rallying, with the four main legs made up of looped stages based around the bivouac town of Villamartin. With the event covering a total of over 1,300 kilometers, competitors will face 1,030 km of timed specials, the longest of which being on stage three – a demanding 300-kilometre route covering the dry, rocky tracks to the east of Sevilla.
Following his podium result at the 2020 Dakar Rally, Toby Price returned home to Australia where he kept himself busy riding and working on bikes whenever possible. Now with racing starting up again with the Andalucia Rally, Price is keen to make the best use of the time on his KTM 450 RALLY and prepare for the 2021 Dakar Rally.
Toby Price
“It’s certainly been a tough time for everyone since January – the whole world has been turned upside down, but we’re doing the best we can considering. I’m really thankful that the organizers have managed to arrange this rally in Spain, and we get to go racing again. After all, it’s what we love to do! It’s been good to get back out on the bike with the team and now we just need to do our best in Andalucia and learn what we can before the big one next January.”
Making his first rally appearance for the KTM Factory Racing team, enduro star and outright ISDE winner Daniel Sanders is confident, yet fully aware of the challenge ahead of him. Undoubtedly fast offroad, as seen in his Australian desert racing successes, the 26-year-old will use the event to gain invaluable experience with the navigation required for top-level rally competition. Sanders travelled to Europe in September to spend time with KTM Rally Team Manager Jordi Viladoms and get up to speed with both his KTM 450 RALLY and essential road book techniques – he now has a chance to put that newly-found knowledge into practice.
Daniel Sanders
“I’m only a few weeks into my rally career and it’s a really different experience. It’s exciting though, I’m learning every day and I’ve been working on my road book skills a lot. Learning the bike is new for me as well, and I have to thank my team manager Jordi Viladoms for helping me fast-track my skills. It’s a new discipline and I’m taking it step-by-step and learning as safely as possible. We have a few days to go before the Andalucia Rally and I’m excited for it. Prior to that it’ll be some more roadbook work, and then race time! Hopefully it will go well, and I’ll qualify for the 2021 Dakar.”
2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion Sam Sunderland was forced to abandon his 2020 Dakar Rally campaign following a crash on stage five. After a short period of rehabilitation at his home in France, Sunderland quickly returned to full fitness and restarted his training. Now, with a couple of recent weeks testing under his belt, the 2017 Dakar winner is fully motivated to get back to competition.
Following his excellent fifth-place performance at the 2020 Dakar Rally, Matthias Walkner returned to Austria for the Covid-19 lockdown period. Maintaining a solid fitness regime, the 34-year-old was also able to get some invaluable riding time in the woods near his home. Now fully fit and eager to get racing again, the former motocross star is hoping for a strong race in Andalucia.
The Monster Energy Honda Team is back in action is also back in action, with current Dakar champion Ricky Brabec lining up alongside the current holder of the most Dakar stage wins, Joan Barreda. Both have reinforced their relationship with Honda this year and will join Kevin Benavides and Nacho Cornejo, the team that displayed such strength in the previous season.
Ricky Brabec
“It feels really good to be back and hanging out with the team and also to be with the rest of the rally racers. I’ve actually done a couple of races this year since the Dakar but it is really nice to be back riding a road book that will be Dakar spec against Dakar competitors to see where we line up. I don’t think anyone knows how it is going to be here but we’re just excited to be back together.”
The full Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team is also set for the Andalucia Rally 2020, with two new riders – American Andrew Short and Botswana’s Ross Branch, joining Adrien Van Beveren, Franco Caimi and Jamie McCanney.
The Andalucia Rally commences with the Super Special Stage on Tuesday October 6, followed by four days of racing with the stages covering a total of 1,354 kilometers, 1,030 of which are timed specials.
2020 Atlanta Short Track
Images by Scott Hunter
AFT SuperTwins
Jared Mees stood triumphant at the conclusion of the Atlanta Short Track in Woodstock, Georgia. The AFT SuperTwins Main Event got off to an appropriately hot start with Jeffrey Carver Jr. somehow storming into the lead from the second row. Carver’s turn at the front lasted just over a lap before he relinquished the position to Sammy Halbert.
After a few hectic laps, Halbert was joined at the front by Mees, and the two promptly teased a repeat of their epic 2017 shootout at the venue. At one point, Halbert’s line pushed Mees up into the hay bales as they traded haymakers for first and set the stage for more fireworks to come.
However, before the two could reserve the spotlight for themselves exclusively, reigning champion Briar Bauman inched his way up to join the party in third.
With seven minutes remaining, Mees sailed past Halbert to grab the lead, only to see Bauman dive under them both in the very next corner. Bauman then threatened to clear off for a fifth consecutive race as Mees and Halbert continued their melee for second.
With five minutes to go, Mees finally shook free of Halbert and chased his championship rival back down at the front. The two then engaged in a bar-to-bar war for the win, crossing lines and pulling off slidejobs with abandon.
The race came down to the final corner; Mees held on to the high line while Bauman attempted to square him up at the line. Mees won out by 0.308 seconds to snap Bauman’s four-race win streak.
Even after losing touch with the leaders, Halbert remained in fight mode, attempting to defend third from up-and-comers Brandon Price and Bronson Bauman.
In the end, the younger Bauman handed the Indian Wrecking Crew its first podium sweep of the season, finishing in third by 0.193 seconds over Halbert. Price rounded out the top five another second back.
POS
RIDER
BIKE
INTERVAL
1
Jared Mees
Indian FTR750
34 Laps
2
Briar Bauman
Indian FTR750
+0.308
3
Bronson Bauman
Indian FTR750
+5.141
4
Sammy Halbert
Indian FTR750
+5.334
5
Brandon Price
Indian FTR750
+6.357
6
Jake Johnson
Indian FTR750
+8.663
7
Brandon Robinson
Indian FTR750
+9.772
8
Robert Pearson
Indian FTR750
+9.875
9
Jarod Vanderkooi
HD XG750R
+9.931
10
Davis Fisher
Indian FTR750
+10.346
11
Dalton Gauthier
HD XG750R
+11.489
12
Jeffrey Carver Jr.
Indian FTR750
+12.035
13
Bryan Smith
HD XG750R
+12.381
14
Larry Pegram
Indian FTR750
+14.038
15
JD Beach
Yamaha MT-07
+14.496
16
Kolby Carlile
Yamaha MT-07
+14.63
17
Jay Maloney
Indian FTR750
+33 Laps
18
Dan Bromley
Indian FTR750
+6.44
2020 Atlanta Short Track – AFT Singles
The rolling Dallas Daniels racked up his fourth consecutive AFT Singles victory following an extremely entertaining duel with polesitter Morgen Mischler. Mischler ripped into the lead at the green light with only Daniels able to match his pace. Early in their showdown, Mischler took to his preferred high line, while Daniels went low, and the two practically rode side-by-side for several laps.
Their battle escalated from there, with several more laps of high-low maneuvers that saw them trade the lead back and forth repeatedly.
The third and final stage of their showdown saw Daniels at last grasp control. Mischler sought out a variety of lines in hopes of tracking Daniels back down but came up 0.482 short at the checkered flag.
Second-ranked Henry Wiles ran alone in third deep into the Main. However, he saw even more (increasingly crucial) points slip away when eventual third-place finisher Brandon Kitchen overhauled him with a minute remaining, and fourth-place finisher Trent Lowedid the same on the race’s final lap. Aussie Max Whale was just outside the top five in sixth.
POS
RIDER
BIKE
INTERVAL
1
Dallas Daniels
Yamaha YZ450F
21 Laps
2
Morgen Mischler
KTM 450 SX-F
+0.482
3
Brandon Kitchen
KTM 450 SX-F
+3.679
4
Trent Lowe
Honda CRF450R
+4.705
5
Henry Wiles
Honda CRF450R
+4.966
6
Max Whale
Kawasaki KX450F
+5.717
7
Tanner Dean
Honda CRF450R
+5.876
8
James Ott
KTM 450 SX-F
+6.06
9
Kevin Stollings
Honda CRF450R
+6.454
10
Michael Inderbitzin
Honda CRF450R
+6.464
11
Cameron Smith
Honda CRF450R
+7.422
12
Michael Rush
Yamaha YZ450F
+7.77
13
Aidan RoosEvans
KTM 450 SX-F
+7.91
14
Trevor Brunner
Honda CRF450R
+9.305
15
Cole Zabala
Honda CRF450R
+9.855
16
Tyler Raggio
Honda CRF450R
+11.566
17
Chad Cose
Suzuki RMZ 450
+12.586
2020 Atlanta Short Track – AFT Production Twins
At long last, defending AFT Production Twins champion Cory Texter brought the win streak of runaway title leader James Rispoli to a halt at five. Texter, who hadn’t won a race since the season’s opening weekend and had subsequently finished as runner-up to Rispoli on four occasions, was justifiably starving to return to the top of the box. It showed. Brilliant from the start, Texter accelerated into the lead from pole and pulled several bike lengths on the opening lap.
Once a second free out front, he switched his focus to simply maintaining that advantage. On rails and incredibly precise, Texter appeared comfortable weathering a late-race charge from Rispoli when a monkey wrench was thrown into his plans of cruising to a relatively easy victory.
Despite the potential setback of a late-race red flag, Texter simply powered off the line (again) and stretched out a one-second-plus advantage (again) to claim the checkered flag.
Rispoli, meanwhile, continued his march to the 2020 crown with his tenth top-two finish in eleven starts. Ryan Varnes and Ben Lowe finished third and fourth after running locked in that order for the entire affair. Danny Eslick rounded out the top five.
POS
RIDER
BIKE
INTERVAL
1
Cory Texter
Yamaha MT-07
21 Laps
2
James Rispoli
HD XG750R
+1.571
3
Ryan Varnes
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+2.343
4
Ben Lowe
Yamaha MT-07
+3.482
5
Danny Eslick
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+4.035
6
Chad Cose
HD XG750R
+4.767
7
Cody Johncox
Yamaha MT-07
+4.781
8
Mitch Harvat
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+5.8
9
Michael Inderbitzin
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+6.193
10
Brock Schwarzenbacher
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+6.922
11
Garret Wilson
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+8.666
12
Patrick Buchanan
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+14 Laps
13
Jeremiah Duffy
Kawasaki Ninja 650
DNS
14
Nick Armstrong
Yamaha MT-07
DNS
15
Jimmy McAllister
Kawasaki Ninja 650
DNS
2020 Atlanta Short Track II – Super Twins
Jared Mees doubled up at Dixie Speedway with a second barn-burning American Flat Track victory in Saturday night’s Atlanta Short Track. While Mees was forced to overcome his great rival, defending Grand National Champion Briar Bauman, to win on Friday night in Woodstock, Georgia, Saturday’s challenge came from a more unexpected source: young rising star Brandon Price.
Despite their contrasting résumé, that test proved no less stiff; the up-and-comer gave the masterful Mees all he could handle.
Price actually led the bulk of the race, deftly corralling a racey Mees behind him despite the multi-time series king’s repeated attempts to fight his way through. At one point, Mees’ overtaking maneuver sent him up into the wall, jamming the factory Indian rider’s footpeg into his own brake.
At that moment, it seemed like Price might power away to an easy win, but Mees regrouped, adjusted and mounted another assault. Their vast difference in experience didn’t factor in until after the countdown clocks hit zero, at which point Mees executed a tough-but-fair pass to lead the final two laps and win by 0.339 seconds.
Jared Mees
“Early on, I thought I could just settle in and get by, but I don’t know…(Price) was probably getting a little tense at the end because I was throwing everything I could at him. I threw him some bait in Turn 1 where I was acting like I was coming real high and just sliced across the middle and threw in a little block pass. It was a great race. I can’t say enough for my team. We’re going to just keep plugging one race at a time. We’re not out of this yet. We’re going to fight back as best we can and what the points are at the end is what they are.”
Meanwhile, title leader Bauman slashed his way forward from an early seventh to finish a lonely third some two-and-a-half seconds back. Sammy Halbert finished in fourth another second in arrears, with an injured Brandon Robinson registering a gritty ride to round out the top five.
Mees’ Atlanta double provided his title hopes a major boost; he now trails Bauman by just 12 points (256-244) with four races remaining to decide the 2020 AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines Championship.
POS
RIDER
BIKE
INTERVAL
1
Jared Mees
Indian FTR750
35 Laps
2
Brandon Price
Indian FTR750
+0.339
3
Briar Bauman
Indian FTR750
+2.774
4
Sammy Halbert
Indian FTR750
+3.727
5
Brandon Robinson
Indian FTR750
+4.473
6
Jarod Vanderkooi
HD XG750R
+6.775
7
Jeffrey Carver Jr.
Indian FTR750
+8.564
8
Robert Pearson
Indian FTR750
+9.39
9
Bryan Smith
HD XG750R
+10.186
10
Bronson Bauman
Indian FTR750
+10.271
11
Dan Bromley
Indian FTR750
+11.123
12
Jake Johnson
Indian FTR750
+11.208
13
Davis Fisher
Indian FTR750
+13.077
14
Dalton Gauthier
HD XG750R
+15.655
15
JD Beach
Yamaha MT-07
+16.435
16
Larry Pegram
Indian FTR750
+17.375
17
Jay Maloney
Indian FTR750
+18.349
18
Kolby Carlile
Yamaha MT-07
34 Laps
2020 AFT SuperTwins Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Briar Bauman
256
2
Jared Mees
244
3
Sammy Halbert
193
4
Bronson Bauman
153
5
Brandon Price
148
6
Brandon Robinson
143
7
Jeffrey Carver Jr.
131
8
Davis Fisher
119
9
Jarod Vanderkooi
108
10
Bryan Smith
94
11
Dan Bromley
93
12
Robert Pearson
91
13
Dalton Gauthier
90
14
JD Beach
68
15
Jake Johnson
62
16
Kolby Carlile
50
17
Larry Pegram
48
18
Jay Maloney
43
19
Andrew Luker
22
20
Ryan Varnes
16
21
Morgen Mischler
6
2020 Atlanta Short Track II – AFT Singles
AFT Singles title favorite Dallas Daniels out-dueled Morgen Mischler in an Atlanta Short Track rematch that may have been even more spectacular than their Friday epic.
Mischler and Daniels shook free from the pack in the early stages of the race and then set about resuming last night’s dogfight. In contrast to the previous round, however, Mischler maintained a slight advantage for almost the entire race, with Daniels trying out his lines and (apparently) biding his time just behind.
He finally struck with only a half lap remaining. The two actually made contact on the back straight with Daniels then forcing his way underneath as they dove into Turn 3 for the final time. Mischler attempted to square the corner back up and take advantage of a small slip on Daniels’ part, but came up just 0.090 seconds short at the flag.
Dallas Daniels
“I wasn’t holding back, I wasn’t trying to not show him what I was doing. That was literally all I had. It was kind of making me nervous; I was pretty much tapped out and I needed a mistake from him, which is what happened. Coming off of (Turn) 2, he spun up a little bit and we got together. I took that thing off into 3 harder than I did all day, just hoping it would stick and it did. It’s awesome.”
Aussie Max Whale won out in a similar shootout with super sophomore Brandon Kitchen to earn the final spot on the podium. Class legend Shayna Texter bounced back from a disappointing outing on Friday to complete the top five.
As a result of Daniels’ seventh win of the season, the 17-year-old prodigy now leads the championship by 70 points (233-163) over Wiles and Whale, while Rush has dropped to fourth with 151 points. Should Daniels up his current win streak to six next Friday night, he’ll be crowned the 2020 AFT Singles champion three races early.
Max Whale
“Stocked to be back on the podium again. Had a solid weekend at Atlanta double header. Friday ran P6 and Saturday P3. Had some great battles and pumped to. Come out equal second in the Championship. Once again I can’t thank my weekend worriers enough. I would be lost with out them @mattguenther61 , Keith Singleton and @bjbcrewdad. And a shout out to all my awesome sponsors.”
POS
RIDER
BIKE
INTERVAL
1
Dallas Daniels
Yamaha YZ450F
21 Laps
2
Morgen Mischler
KTM 450 SX-F
+0.09
3
Max Whale
Kawasaki KX450F
+1.962
4
Brandon Kitchen
KTM 450 SX-F
+1.99
5
Shayna Texter
KTM 450 SX-F
+4.177
6
Chad Cose
Suzuki RMZ 450
+4.656
7
Trent Lowe
Honda CRF450R
+5.065
8
Trevor Brunner
Honda CRF450R
+6.012
9
Aidan RoosEvans
KTM 450 SX-F
+6.229
10
Cole Zabala
Honda CRF450R
+7.111
11
Tanner Dean
Honda CRF450R
+7.444
12
Cameron Smith
Honda CRF450R
+8.301
13
James Ott
KTM 450 SX-F
+8.437
14
Kevin Stollings
Honda CRF450R
+8.849
15
Tyler Raggio
Honda CRF450R
+9.634
16
Michael Rush
Yamaha YZ450F
+10.806
17
Andrew Luker
Yamaha YZ450F
+10.985
2020 AFT Singles Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Dallas Daniels
233
2
Henry Wiles
163
3
Max Whale
163
4
Michael Rush
151
5
Morgen Mischler
139
6
Trent Lowe
139
7
Brandon Kitchen
138
8
Tanner Dean
124
9
Chad Cose
104
10
Trevor Brunner
103
11
Michael Inderbitzin
97
12
Shayna Texter
89
13
Cameron Smith
73
14
Kevin Stollings
71
15
Cole Zabala
65
16
Ryan Wells
58
17
James Ott
57
18
Andrew Luker
52
19
Aidan RoosEvans
48
20
Jesse Janisch
39
2020 Atlanta Short Track II – AFT Production Twins
Saturday’s AFT Production Twins Main saw 2020 championship leader James Rispoli outlast defending class champion Cory Texter in a race-long straight fight.
The two quickly separated from the field and raced side-by-side for virtually the entire six-minute plus two lap affair. Rispoli ran the high line while Texter controlled the low line, and rarely did either rider demonstrate a clear advantage in their battle.
Rispoli turned it on late, sliding just out in front as the clock showed 0:00, and that’s where he’d remain to the checkered flag.
The victory placed Rispoli right back up on top of the box just one day after Texter brought his five-race win streak to a conclusion.
James Rispoli
“Cory has been riding out of his shoes this weekend – just so well. I don’t know how you can’t love that racing, me and Cory just going back and forth the entire race. He committed to the low and I committed to the high every lap. He’d just give me a skosh of space. At the end of the day, we got just a little bit of breathing room and I hit the low line and brought it home.”
Once Ryan Varnes dropped from third due to a mechanical, Chad Cose assumed the position and spent the remainder of the race with his head down in pursuit of the Rispoli-Texter duel.
Clawing his way back from approximately two seconds back, Cose arrived right on their rear wheels just in time to see the two cross the stripe a few tenths ahead of him.
Danny Eslick won out in a multi-rider scrap for fourth, taking the checkered flag just ahead of Michael Inderbitzin and Ben Lowe.
Rispoli now leads by 48 points (269-221). That means if he gains just two more points on Texter next weekend, he’ll accomplish his stated goal of locking up the class championship ahead of the DAYTONA finale.
POS
RIDER
BIKE
INTERVAL
1
James Rispoli
HD XG750R
21 Laps
2
Cory Texter
Yamaha MT-07
+0.412
3
Chad Cose
HD XG750R
+0.612
4
Danny Eslick
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+4.803
5
Michael Inderbitzin
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+5.001
6
Ben Lowe
Yamaha MT-07
+5.789
7
Patrick Buchanan
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+6.958
8
Jeremiah Duffy
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+11.945
9
Cody Johncox
Yamaha MT-07
+13.153
10
Brock Schwarzenbacher
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+13.734
11
Mitch Harvat
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+15.608
12
Garret Wilson
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+19.819
13
Jimmy McAllister
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+12 Laps
14
Ryan Varnes
Kawasaki Ninja 650
+6 Laps
2020 AFT Production Twins Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
James Rispoli
269
2
Cory Texter
221
3
Ben Lowe
188
4
Ryan Varnes
185
5
Danny Eslick
164
6
Chad Cose
154
7
Jeremiah Duffy
129
8
Nick Armstrong
101
9
Cody Johncox
96
10
Jimmy McAllister
59
11
Michael Inderbitzin
58
12
Dylan Bell
53
13
Brock Schwarzenbacher
52
14
Mitch Harvat
51
15
Patrick Buchanan
50
16
Hayden Gillim
45
17
Garret Wilson
40
18
Johnny Lewis
29
19
Morgen Mischler
26
20
Scott Barrett
26
21
Jacob Lehmann
25
22
Ryan Wells
22
23
Gary Ketchum
13
24
Jeremiah Alexander
12
25
Kevin Stollings
9
26
Max Whale
9
2020 AFT Next Stop: Charlotte Half-Mile I & II
All three Progressive American Flat Track classes approach a critical juncture in their evolving championship battles as the series arrives at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway for this weekend’s Progressive Charlotte Half-Mile I & II on October 9-10.
The atmosphere for the season’s penultimate doubleheader is destined to be electric as Progressive AFT shares the spotlight with the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series, which will continue its playoff run at the venue in Charlotte, North Carolina, the following day.
Even if third-ranked Sammy Halbert retains a mathematical shot at the 2020 AFT SuperTwins crown, the season has proven to be a heavyweight title fight featuring reigning champ Briar Bauman and the record-breaking Jared Mees.
A mid-season string of wins put Bauman in the driver’s seat to retain the #1 plate, but Mees’ clutch double this past weekend in Atlanta has provided the former class king a clear path to reclaiming the throne. 12 points now separate the two at the top of the order, which means Mees would need to sweep the final four races to guarantee himself this year’s Grand National Championship.
Of course, if any riders in a field full of potential spoilers were able to get between Mees and Bauman, that could provide considerably more wiggle room. Among those most likely to do so are the aforementioned Halbert, who’s been fast all year long, Bryan Smith, who’s won two of the last three races in Charlotte, and Brandon Price, who narrowly missed out on claiming his maiden premier-class victory on a similar clay surface in the season’s most recent Main Event.
Meanwhile on the undercard, the dominant Dallas Daniels and James Rispoli are poised to lock up their respective AFT Singles and AFT Production Twins championships as early as this weekend.
Daniels has been unstoppable in a class that typically features a wide variety of winners and unpredictable outcomes. While the results from race to race have shuffled around behind him, the 17-year-old superstar has proven his superiority with seven wins in 12 races, including the last five in succession.
As a result, he’s assembled a massive 70-point margin over his nearest challengers, Henry Wiles and Max Whale. A win on Friday night would increase that margin to at least 75 points with three races remaining, clinching him the ‘20 AFT Singles championship.
Rispoli’s position is not quite that commanding, but he’s still well positioned to end the AFT Productions Twins championship ahead of the season finale. With a 48-point lead on defending class champion Cory Texter, Rispoli simply needs to outscore his rival by two points in Charlotte to bring their title fight to an early conclusion.
Considering that Rispoli has ripped off seven wins, four runner-ups, and one fifth-place in the season’s 12 races, it’s not too difficult to imagine that scenario playing out.
As always, spectator safety has been placed at a premium and Progressive AFT has worked closely with local health and government officials toward those ends. For more on the specific precautions being undertaken, please consult the Progressive AFT Events Health & Safety FAQ. Just 980 tickets have been made available for each night and are selling quickly as fans are eager to witness the final rounds of this knockout Progressive AFT Championship season.
2020 MXGP Round 11 – MXGP of Europe – Mantova
The MXGP of Europe concludes the 11th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, marking the second of the three Italian triple-headers this season, as three rounds have been held at Mantova across a 10-day period.
The MXGP of Europe saw Team HRC’s Tim Gajser make his return to the top step of the podium, as he took the overall win in MXGP for the first time this season.
Gajsers 1-2 result was enough to finish the round six-points ahead of Tony Cairoli, who went 5-1, with Glenn Coldenhoff third for the GP with a 2-5 result. Aussie Mitch Evans had a strong weekend, with a fourth place finish in the first race, with eighth in race 2, leaving him fifth overall.
The MXGP standings see Gajser in the lead from Cairoli, 399 to 388, with Jeremy Seewer third overall on 369-points. Mitchell Evans sits just outside the top 10, in eleventh, 14-points off Desalle.
Mitch Evans
“Today was a good day and a bit of a disappointing day too. In the first moto I got a good start, made a few passes and was in third for most of the race. I ended up fourth but it was still a good moto and I enjoyed running with the top guys. In moto two I didn’t get the best jump which made things difficult because it was still hard to pass, but I got back to eighth for fifth overall. This was the same as in Matterley Basin at the first GP of the year, so I’m pleased with that. I did really want that podium today but it didn’t quite happen but there are still seven more rounds to get it done and that’s what I’m focusing on when we head to Spain.”
2020 MXGP of Europe Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
25
22
47
2
Cairoli, Antonio
ITA
KTM
16
25
41
3
Coldenhoff, Glenn
NED
GAS
22
16
38
4
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
15
20
35
5
Evans, Mitchell
AUS
HON
18
13
31
6
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
11
18
29
7
Paulin, Gautier
FRA
YAM
14
14
28
8
Desalle, Clement
BEL
KAW
9
15
24
9
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
20
4
24
10
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
12
11
23
11
Monticelli, Ivo
ITA
GAS
13
10
23
12
Vlaanderen, Calvin
NED
YAM
10
12
22
13
Jacobi, Henry
GER
YAM
8
9
17
14
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
4
8
12
15
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
3
7
10
16
Lapucci, Nicholas
ITA
KTM
6
3
9
17
Petrov, Petar
BUL
KTM
2
5
7
18
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
BEL
HON
7
0
7
19
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
0
6
6
20
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
HON
5
1
6
21
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
1
2
3
22
Guryev, Artem
RUS
HON
0
0
0
23
Bernardini, Samuele
ITA
YAM
0
0
0
MXGP Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
399
2
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
388
3
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
369
4
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
341
5
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
GAS
341
6
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
304
7
Paulin, G.
FRA
YAM
285
8
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
263
9
Desalle, C.
BEL
KAW
262
10
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
248
11
Evans, M.
AUS
HON
228
12
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
HON
197
13
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
137
14
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
127
15
Jacobi, Henry
GER
YAM
118
16
Bogers, Brian
NED
KTM
116
17
Monticelli, I.
ITA
GAS
105
18
Lupino, A.
ITA
YAM
82
19
Cervellin, M.
ITA
YAM
73
20
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
71
21
Paturel, B.
FRA
HON
45
22
Walsh, Dylan
GBR
HON
41
23
Leok, Tanel
EST
HUS
41
24
Bobryshev, E.
RUS
HUS
33
25
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
31
MX2
Meanwhile in MX2, Jago Geerts also made a comeback to the top, as a second and a race win was enough to put him first on the podium, marking his fourth overall victory of the season.
Tom Vialle narrowly missed the round overall, also finishing the round on 47-points, which each rider taking a win and a second place each. Thomas Kjer Olsen was third overall, with Australian Jed Beaton sixth overall after two consistent fifth place finishes.
Vialle retains a sizeable lead in the MX2 standings, with Jago Geerts 46-points in arrears, while Beaton is third overall, with a seven-point lead over Maxime Renaux, while Olsen is a more distant fifth.
Jed Beaton
“Today wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I know I had the speed but just wasn’t able to get among the top guys. It certainly wasn’t the worst day but wasn’t the best either. I’m now back in third in the standings so I just need to work on starts, get up front early and try to get some more wins to finish the season off strong.”
2020 MXGP of Europe MX2 Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
22
25
47
2
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
25
22
47
3
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
18
18
36
4
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
15
20
35
5
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
20
15
35
6
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
16
16
32
7
Forato, Alberto
ITA
HUS
13
11
24
8
Fernandez, Ruben
ESP
YAM
12
10
22
9
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
7
13
20
10
Boisrame, Mathys
FRA
KAW
10
9
19
11
Malkiewicz, Bailey
AUS
HON
9
7
16
12
Van De Moosdijk, Roan
NED
KAW
0
14
14
13
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
14
0
14
14
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
0
12
12
15
Sandner, Michael
AUT
GAS
6
6
12
16
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
11
0
11
17
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
0
8
8
18
Lesiardo, Morgan
ITA
KTM
8
0
8
19
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
2
5
7
20
Toriani, Enzo
FRA
HUS
3
4
7
21
Sikyna, Richard
SVK
KTM
4
2
6
22
Meier, Glen
DEN
YAM
5
0
5
23
Zonta, Filippo
ITA
KTM
0
3
3
24
Dickinson, Ashton
GBR
KTM
1
1
2
MX2 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
478
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
432
3
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
348
4
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
341
5
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
311
6
Van De Moosdijk, R.
NED
KAW
293
7
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
287
8
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
252
9
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
234
10
Fernandez, R.
ESP
YAM
208
11
Rubini, S.
FRA
HON
150
12
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
HON
141
13
Forato, A.
ITA
HUS
119
14
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
118
15
Crawford, N.
AUS
HON
91
16
Malkiewicz, B.
AUS
HON
86
17
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
74
18
Hofer, Rene
AUT
KTM
73
19
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
73
20
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
KTM
70
21
Vaessen, Bas
NED
KTM
65
22
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
HUS
62
23
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
61
24
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
KTM
60
25
Laengenfelder, S.
GER
GAS
59
EMX250
In the opening EMX250 race, it was Marcel Conijn who led the way, with Guadagnini second and Tom Guyon of Team VRT Nordpesca Holland in third.
Guadagnini wasted no time to get around Conijn, as he passed him on the second lap of the race. It then didn’t take long for Guadagnini to get ahead and lead the race by 5.642 seconds. Meanwhile Hakon Fredriksen of Yamaha SM Action MC Migliori J1 Racing was looking to pass Guyon for fourth in the race.
Championship leader Thibault Benistant of the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing squad had a tough start to the race as he was forced to make his way back up from the back of the pack. He managed to get up to 14th and still had plenty of time to keep climbing up the field.
On lap 5 of the race, Pierre Goupillon of BUD Racing Kawasaki caught and passed Emil Weckman, the rider of Honda Racing Assomotor for 6th in the race.
Meanwhile Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay De Wolf crashed out twice in the first half of the race, eventually dropping down to 15th.
On lap 6, after several attempts, Fredriksen was finally able to pass Guyon and get up into 4th. While Talviku was battling with Conijn for 2nd place.
With 5 minutes and 2 laps to go the top 10 was comfortably led by Guadagnini, who was followed by Conijn, Talviku, Fredriksen, Guyon, Goupillon, Weckman, Tomass Sileika, Lorenzo Corti and Tim Edberg.
Talviku then moved into P2 past Conijn, though not long after crashed which allowed Conijn and Fredriksen back through. Fredriksen than crashed himself, though only losing one position to Talviku.
In the end it was Mattia Guadagnini who won the race by an impressive 17.882 margin, with Marcel Conijn and Hakon Fredriksen behind in P2 and P3.
In EMX250 race two, it was Talviku and BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Lorenzo Locurcio who led the way, meanwhile Guadagnini and Benistant were down in 4th and 5th.
Talviku was then getting caught by Locurcio, while Gianluca Facchetti of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing was sitting in 3rd place.
Guadagnini then made a mistake, which allowed Benistant through. Benistant was then the fastest rider on track as he went after his teammate to move into the top 3. Locurcio and Facchetti then crashed out of 2nd and 3rd, as Guadagnini forced his way past the championship leader, Benistant, to move into 2nd.
Keen to get another win, Guadagnini then went on to set the fastest lap of the race – a 1:59.301, which was immediately bettered by Benistant as he clocked a 1:58.597 as he put the hammer down to catch the Italian and go for the lead.
Guadagnini then became the new race leader, pushing Talviku to 2nd, with Benistant pushing the Estonian another position as he went through as well.
As the race progressed Guadagnini continued to lead the way with Benistant 2nd. Though the rider in P3, Talviku, started to come under pressure from Locurcio, with the BUD Racing Kawasaki rider eventually passing him for 3rd.
In the end it was Mattia Guadagnini who won the race, with Thibault Benistant in P2 and Locurcio in P3. On the podium it was Guadagnini who occupied the top step of the podium for the second time in a row, with Talviku 2nd overall and Fredriksen 3rd.
With three rounds left, Thibault Benistant leads the championship with 286 points, with Guadagnini 28 points down in second and De Wolf third.
EMX250 Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Guadagnini, Mattia
ITA
HUS
25
25
50
2
Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias
EST
HUS
18
18
36
3
Fredriksen, Hakon
NOR
YAM
20
16
36
4
Benistant, Thibault
FRA
YAM
13
22
35
5
Conijn, Marcel
NED
KTM
22
11
33
6
Guyon, Tom
FRA
KTM
16
15
31
7
Locurcio, Lorenzo
VEN
KAW
7
20
27
8
Edberg, Tim
SWE
YAM
12
10
22
9
Corti, Lorenzo
ITA
KTM
11
9
20
10
Boegh Damm, Bastian
DEN
KTM
6
13
19
11
de Wolf, Kay
NED
HUS
5
12
17
12
Goupillon, Pierre
FRA
KAW
15
0
15
13
Facchetti, Gianluca
ITA
YAM
0
14
14
14
Weckman, Emil
FIN
HON
14
0
14
15
Mc Lellan, Camden
RSA
HUS
9
2
11
16
Sileika, Tomass
LAT
KTM
10
0
10
17
Tuani, Federico
ITA
HUS
0
8
8
18
Lugana, Paolo
ITA
KTM
8
0
8
19
Gerhardsson, Albin
SWE
HUS
0
7
7
20
Lucas, Mario
ESP
KTM
0
6
6
21
Oliver, Oriol
ESP
KTM
0
5
5
22
Del Coco, Matteo
ITA
KTM
1
4
5
23
Van Essen, Twan
NED
KTM
2
3
5
24
Vesterinen, Matias
FIN
KTM
4
0
4
25
Louis, Axel
FRA
HON
3
0
3
26
Martinez, Yago
ESP
YAM
0
1
1
EMX250 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Benistant, T.
FRA
YAM
286
2
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
HUS
258
3
de Wolf, Kay
NED
HUS
198
4
Fredriksen, H.
NOR
YAM
188
5
Talviku, J.
EST
HUS
180
6
Edberg, Tim
SWE
YAM
174
7
Locurcio, L.
VEN
KAW
141
8
Guyon, Tom
FRA
KTM
137
9
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
137
10
Gifting, Isak
SWE
KTM
128
11
Boegh Damm, B.
DEN
KTM
110
12
Facchetti, G.
ITA
YAM
98
13
Conijn, Marcel
NED
KTM
94
14
Florian, Lion
GER
KTM
93
15
Everts, Liam
BEL
KTM
87
16
Spies, M.
GER
HUS
84
17
Sileika, T.
LAT
KTM
81
18
Mc Lellan, C.
RSA
HUS
72
19
Meier, Glen
DEN
YAM
54
20
Oliver, Oriol
ESP
KTM
49
EMX125
The first race of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing class, saw Raul Sanchez of Team Yamaha Ausio, who grabbed the holeshot. Meanwhile series leader, Andrea Bonacorsi of Fantic Racing was caught out in the first corner and have to fight through from the very back of the field.
Early on in the race, Pietro Razzini passed Karlis Alberts Reisulis for second, with Valerio Lata from Marchetti Racing Team KTM and ASA United Husqvarna Team’s Bobby Bruce, closely behind in fourth and fifth.
Razzini then got caught out by Reisulis, who fought back to move back into second, while also going after the race leader, Sanchez, straight away.
Bonacorsi then charged through from the back of the field as he got into the top 20. With 15 minutes plus 2 laps on the clock, Bonacorsi was up in 15th, though still with a long way to go.
There was drama at the front of the field, which Sanchez and Reisulis down, which allowed Bruce into the lead, as he was followed by Lata, Meico Vettik, Razzini and Cas Valk of TBS Conversions Racing Team.
Bruce then extended his lead to 4.576 seconds, as Vettik passed Lata for second. At the same time, Reisulis set the fastest lap of the race and was down in 7th.
It looked like Vettik stepped it up a gear, as the gap between him and the race leader, Bruce, came down to 2.7 seconds. Vettik then continued to charge after Bruce for the race win as less than a second separated the two.
Bruce then managed to pull the gap back to 1.777 seconds. Though that didn’t stop Vettik, who with 2 laps to go moved into the lead. Bruce then crashed out of P2, to eventually finish the race in 6th.
Meico Vettik was the race 1 winner, with Valerio Lata second and Max Palsson of WZ Racing having a strong ride to finish third.
In the second EMX125 race it was Valk with the holeshot, while Bonacorsi had another unlucky start to the race and was down in 35th.
Valk then led Lata, Palsson and Andrea Roncoli, though Lata was able to find a way through into the lead, and Palsson followed the Marchetti Racing KTM rider too, pushing Valk down to 3rd within a few corners.
Valk then lost another spot to Palsson and was down in P4. At the same time, Bonacorsi was making his way through the field to move into 25th, as Bruce fell out of 10th.
With 10 minutes plus 2 laps on the clock, Lata continued to lead, though Roncoli was the rider in 2nd place, 5.621 seconds down. Meanwhile Vettik was pushing to pass David Braceras of RFME GasGas MX Junior Team for 6th in the race.
Valk then rode into the pits with a bike issue, which forced the Dutch rider out of race two.
Further down the field Bonacorsi got himself back into points in 19th and he picked up a few more positions towards the end of the race to eventually finish in 10th.
With just a few laps to go, Palsson and Roncoli were locked in a battle for 2nd, with Roncoli going through into P2 towards the end.
Valerio Lata went on to take his first race win of the season, with Roncoli crossing the line 2nd and Palsson 3rd.
In terms of the overall, Lata took to the top step of the podium, with Vettik finishing 2nd and Palsson occupying the 3rd step of the podium. As it stands, Bonacrosi leads the championship by 33 points, with Razzini second and Vettik third. There are still four rounds of the championship left to go.
EMX125 Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
22
25
47
2
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
25
18
43
3
Palsson, Max
SWE
KTM
20
20
40
4
Roncoli, Andrea
ITA
HUS
12
22
34
5
Razzini, Pietro
ITA
HUS
16
13
29
6
Braceras, David
ESP
GAS
13
15
28
7
Reisulis, Karlis Alberts
LAT
KTM
14
14
28
8
Prugnieres, Quentin Marc
FRA
KTM
11
12
23
9
Bruce, Bobby
GBR
HUS
15
8
23
10
Bonacorsi, Andrea
ITA
FAN
9
11
20
11
Valk, Cas
NED
KTM
18
0
18
12
Soulimani, Saad
FRA
HUS
0
16
16
13
Brumann, Kevin
SUI
YAM
8
7
15
14
Viano, Andrea
ITA
HUS
3
10
13
15
Osterhagen, Haakon
NOR
KTM
6
5
11
16
Sanchez, Raul
ESP
YAM
10
0
10
17
Zampino, Davide
ITA
KTM
0
9
9
18
Kucherov, Nikita
RUS
KTM
2
6
8
19
Smulders, Scott
NED
HUS
5
2
7
20
Cazal, Xavier
FRA
KTM
7
0
7
21
Rossi, Andrea
ITA
KTM
0
4
4
22
Sella, Suff
ISR
KTM
1
3
4
23
Congost, Gerard
ESP
GAS
4
0
4
24
Zanchi, Ferruccio
ITA
HUS
0
1
1
EMX125 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Bonacorsi, A.
ITA
FAN
186
2
Razzini, P.
ITA
HUS
153
3
Vettik, Meico
EST
KTM
147
4
Braceras, D.
ESP
GAS
137
5
Farres, G.
ESP
GAS
132
6
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
120
7
Brumann, Kevin
SUI
YAM
117
8
Palsson, Max
SWE
KTM
116
9
Roncoli, A.
ITA
HUS
109
10
Prugnieres, Q.
FRA
KTM
95
11
Soulimani, S.
FRA
HUS
90
12
Everts, Liam
BEL
KTM
66
13
Piller, C.
GER
KTM
64
14
Congost, G.
ESP
GAS
62
15
Rossi, Andrea
ITA
KTM
51
16
Miot, Florian
FRA
KTM
44
17
Osterhagen, H.
NOR
KTM
43
18
Smulders, S.
NED
HUS
42
19
Cazal, Xavier
FRA
KTM
36
20
Russi, M.
ITA
KTM
34
2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Round Eight – Thunder Valley National Lakewood, CO, October 3rd, 2020
Images Jeff Kardas
As expected, the eighth and penultimate round of the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship was brimming with intensity as the title fights in both the 450 Class and 250 Class move one step closer to completion. Perfect conditions and the high altitude of Thunder Valley Motocross Park made for an action-packed afternoon of racing at the WPS/FLY Racing Thunder Valley National.
While his quest for a fourth consecutive 450 Class title has been filled with challenges, reigning three-time champion Eli Tomac always brings his best whenever he has the chance to race in front of the home Colorado crowd. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider entered the day on the verge of being mathematically eliminated from title contention, but he kept his hopes alive with a motivated performance that saw Tomac break a tie for the overall win with team-mate Adam Cianciarulo by capturing a second-moto victory that put him atop the results sheet.
In the 250 Class it was a long overdue triumph for Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Justin Cooper, who outlasted both championship contenders, teammate Dylan Ferrandis and GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin, to prevail with his first win of the season and the second win of his career. Aussie siblings Hunter and Jett Lawrence finished fifth and sixth respectively.
Thunder Valley Video Highlights
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will close out the 2020 season with its ninth and final round next weekend from Southern California’s Fox Raceway in Pala, just outside of San Diego.
450MX Moto 1
As the gate dropped on the first 450 Class moto of the afternoon it was Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo who emerged with his fifth MotoSport.com Holeshot with Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton right behind him as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne slotted into third. With a clear track Cianciarulo was able to quickly build a multi-second advantage that he then managed through the middle portion of the moto. Meanwhile, Sexton shed himself of Osborne to assert his hold of second.
As the second half of the moto wore on, Sexton was able to gain some ground on Cianciarulo and got to within less than two seconds of the lead. However, Cianciarulo responded and was able to restabilize the lead. With less than five minutes remaining Cianciarulo narrowly avoided a crash when he briefly lost control of his Kawasaki, which allowed Sexton to close within just a second-and-a-half. Once again Cianciarulo dug deep in response and was able to rebuild his lead to its largest margin. Behind the see-saw battle up front Tomac, who started sixth, was able to track down Osborne and make the pass for third.
Cianciarulo went wire-to-wire for his fourth moto win of the season, crossing the finish line 2.6 seconds ahead of Sexton with a hard-charging Tomac in third. Osborne followed in fourth, with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia completing the top five.
450MX Moto 1 Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Laps/Interval
1
Adam Cianciarulo
KAW KX450
16 Laps
2
Chase Sexton
HON CRF450R WE
+02.620
3
Eli Tomac
KAW KX450
+11.332
4
Zachary Osborne
HQV FC450 RE
+38.499
5
Justin Barcia
YAM YZ 450F
+42.680
6
Marvin Musquin
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+58.919
7
Christian Craig
HON CRF450R
+1:00.293
8
Blake Baggett
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+1:02.708
9
Max Anstie
SUZ RMZ 450
+1:06.140
10
Broc Tickle
YAM YZ 450F
+1:17.397
11
Fredrik Noren
SUZ RMZ 450
+1:19.575
12
Justin Bogle
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+1:20.829
13
Jake Masterpool
HQV FC450
+1:55.328
14
Benny Bloss
HQV FC450
+2:10.110
15
Ben LaMay
KTM 450 SX-F
15 Laps
16
Justin Rodbell
KAW KX 450F
+11.521
17
John Short
HON CRF450R
+12.262
18
Isaac Teasdale
SUZ RMZ 450
+26.397
19
Tyler Bowers
KAW KX 450F
+27.999
20
Grant Harlan
HON CRF450R WE
+30.647
21
Jeremy Smith
KAW KX450
+55.674
22
Scott Meshey
HQV FC450 RE
+56.973
23
Richard Taylor
YAM YZ 450F
+1:00.280
24
William Clason
KAW KX 450F
+1:16.872
25
McClellan Hile
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+1:24.526
26
Dalton Dyer
KAW KX 450F
+1:37.285
27
Connor Olson
HQV FC450 RE
+1:42.079
28
Matthew Hubert
KAW KX450
+1:43.211
29
Adam Enticknap
SUZ RMZ 450
+1:52.256
30
Jerry Lorenz III
YAM YZ 450F
+2:03.949
31
Cole Shondeck
HON CRF450R
+2:05.759
32
Tristan Lane
KTM 450 SX-F
+2:09.240
33
Nathen LaPorte
HON CRF450R
+2:10.498
34
Austin Root
HQV FC450
+2:29.080
35
Matthew Toth
HON CRF450R
14 Laps
36
Nick Schmidt
HQV FC450
+45.492
37
Carter Stephenson
YAM YZ 450F
13 Laps
38
Joseph Savatgy
SUZ RMZ 450
11 Laps
39
Alex Ray
KAW KX450
8 Laps
40
Felix Lopez
KTM 450 SX-F
DNS
450MX Moto 2
The 450 Class field made uphill charge once more to begin the final moto of the day and as the riders exited the first turn it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin who secured the MotoSport.com Holeshot over Cianciarulo, who quickly applied pressure and jumped into the lead, followed by Osborne into second.
Musquin continued to lose ground as Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Suzuki’s Max Anstie took over third and left Musquin to deal with Tomac in a battle for fourth. Tomac pounced and stormed past both Musquin and Anstie to go from fifth to third.
After a busy opening lap Cianciarulo was able to sprint away to a second-and-a-half advantage over Osborne, while Tomac gave chase from third. The top three ran within a couple seconds of one another and after several laps of trading momentum Tomac began to apply pressure on Osborne, successfully taking control of second a little more than 10 minutes into the moto. From there Tomac kept looking ahead and started to make the move on his teammate for the lead. With the home crowd cheering him on, Tomac made the pass happen and took control of the moto.
Once out front Tomac dropped the hammer and quickly gapped the rest of the field. Together, the Kawasaki tandem then pulled away from Osborne. The pace of the top three was so impressive that the leaders enjoyed more than a 10-second advantage over fourth halfway through the moto. With a handful of time left on the clock it appeared as though Tomac had the win in hand, but his place slowed as he appeared to deal with something on his motorcycle, which allowed Cianciarulo to close back in. Tomac’s slowing was brief and he regrouped to rebuild his advantage.
With Tomac back up to speed, managing a lead of about five seconds, Cianciarulo was forced to deal with some pressure from a late charge by Osborne from third. The championship rivals were within a few bike lengths of one another when Cianciarulo nearly crashed after his bike took off awkwardly on a jump. He kept his Kawasaki on two wheels, but it allowed Osborne to assume second. Just a few laps later Cianciarulo put in one final charge to catch and pass Osborne. Cianciarulo came to the inside on one of the track’s downhill sections but couldn’t get the bike slowed enough, causing slight contact between the two that sent Cianciarulo off the track momentarily. Out front Tomac finished strong to take his second moto win of the season by 8.9 seconds over Osborne, with Cianciarulo in third.
450MX Moto 2 Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Laps/Interval
1
Eli Tomac
KAW KX450
16 Laps
2
Zachary Osborne
HQV FC450 RE
+08.983
3
Adam Cianciarulo
KAW KX450
+11.557
4
Christian Craig
HON CRF450R
+41.064
5
Chase Sexton
HON CRF450R WE
+48.632
6
Max Anstie
SUZ RMZ 450
+56.261
7
Benny Bloss
HQV FC450
+1:27.126
8
Marvin Musquin
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+1:30.932
9
Justin Bogle
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+1:41.325
10
Jake Masterpool
HQV FC450
+1:55.970
11
Grant Harlan
HON CRF450R WE
+2:11.417
12
John Short
HON CRF450R
15 Laps
13
Fredrik Noren
SUZ RMZ 450
+23.154
14
Isaac Teasdale
SUZ RMZ 450
+32.247
15
Justin Rodbell
KAW KX 450F
+42.187
16
Ben LaMay
KTM 450 SX-F
+46.487
17
Jeremy Smith
KAW KX450
+53.472
18
Tyler Bowers
KAW KX 450F
+57.712
19
Richard Taylor
YAM YZ 450F
+1:06.907
20
Matthew Hubert
KAW KX450
+1:15.476
21
Austin Root
HQV FC450
+1:27.968
22
McClellan Hile
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+1:33.929
23
Tristan Lane
KTM 450 SX-F
+1:36.545
24
Adam Enticknap
SUZ RMZ 450
+1:43.775
25
Jerry Lorenz III
YAM YZ 450F
+1:51.747
26
Scott Meshey
HQV FC450 RE
+2:00.632
27
William Clason
KAW KX 450F
+2:12.927
28
Dalton Dyer
KAW KX 450F
+2:16.459
29
Connor Olson
HQV FC450 RE
+2:22.668
30
Jorge Rubalcava
HQV FC450 FE
+2:23.642
31
Nathen LaPorte
HON CRF450R
+2:39.957
32
Jeffrey Walker
KTM 450 SX-F FE
+2:44.658
33
Carter Stephenson
YAM YZ 450F
14 Laps
34
Dominic DeSimone
HON CRF450R
+10.538
35
Matthew Toth
HON CRF450R
+1:28.345
36
Cole Shondeck
HON CRF450R
+1:43.258
37
Justin Barcia
YAM YZ 450F
10 Laps
38
Nick Schmidt
HQV FC450
9 Laps
39
Broc Tickle
YAM YZ 450F
2 Laps
40
Alex Ray
KAW KX450
+18.206
450MX Overall
Tomac (3-1) and Cianciarulo (1-3) finished with identical moto scores, leaving them tied atop the overall classification. However, by virtue of his win in the final moto Tomac earned the tiebreaker to give him his second victory of the season and the 25th win of his career. It also signified the first 1-2 sweep for the Monster Energy Kawasaki duo. Osborne rounded out the overall podium in third (4-2).
“Such a cool day here in Colorado. So glad we were able to get back here this season,” expressed Tomac. “I finally had a race where I felt like myself. In the first moto I was out of touch (from the leaders) early on, but in the second moto I was much closer to the front. I had a bit of a clutch hang up, but it fixed itself. We really needed this. I’ve kind of been searching lately, so it feels good to have a day like this and get back on top.”
Osborne lost five points to Cianciarulo in the championship and will now enter the final round with a 24-point lead in the standings, looking to secure his first premier class title.
“In the first moto I got slammed by another rider in the second turn and my foot got jammed really bad. The more I went the more I could feel it,” explained Osborne. “I got it massaged before the second moto and then adrenaline carried me from there. I had a mid-race lull there in the second moto, but was able to finish strong and get a good result. I wasn’t in my comfort zone today so I did a little bit of point racing. We’ll look forward to next week.”
450MX Overall Results
Pos
Rider
M1
M2
Points
1
Eli Tomac
3
1
45
2
Adam Cianciarulo
1
3
45
3
Zachary Osborne
4
2
40
4
Chase Sexton
2
5
38
5
Christian Craig
7
4
32
6
Marvin Musquin
6
8
28
7
Max Anstie
9
6
27
8
Benny Bloss
14
7
21
9
Justin Bogle
12
9
21
10
Jake Masterpool
13
10
19
11
Fredrik Noren
11
13
18
12
Justin Barcia
5
37
16
13
Blake Baggett
8
13
14
John Short
17
12
13
15
Grant Harlan
20
11
11
16
Justin Rodbell
16
15
11
17
Ben LaMay
15
16
11
18
Broc Tickle
10
39
11
19
Isaac Teasdale
18
14
10
20
Tyler Bowers
19
18
5
21
Jeremy Smith
21
17
4
22
Richard Taylor
23
19
2
23
Matthew Hubert
28
20
1
24
McClellan Hile
25
22
0
25
Scott Meshey
22
26
0
26
William Clason
24
27
0
27
Adam Enticknap
29
24
0
28
Dalton Dyer
26
28
0
29
Austin Root
34
21
0
30
Tristan Lane
32
23
0
31
Jerry Lorenz III
30
25
0
32
Connor Olson
27
29
0
33
Nathen LaPorte
33
31
0
34
Cole Shondeck
31
36
0
35
Carter Stephenson
37
33
0
36
Matthew Toth
35
35
0
37
Nick Schmidt
36
38
0
38
Alex Ray
39
40
0
39
Jorge Rubalcava
30
0
40
Jeffrey Walker
32
0
41
Dominic DeSimone
34
0
42
Joseph Savatgy
38
0
43
Felix Lopez
40
0
450MX Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Zachary Osborne
325
2
Adam Cianciarulo
301
3
Marvin Musquin
283
4
Eli Tomac
278
5
Chase Sexton
245
6
Justin Barcia
234
7
Blake Baggett
232
8
Christian Craig
195
9
Max Anstie
166
10
Joseph Savatgy
147
11
Broc Tickle
145
12
Fredrik Noren
125
13
Dean Wilson
97
14
Justin Bogle
93
15
Jake Masterpool
82
16
Justin Rodbell
69
17
Benny Bloss
68
18
Henry Miller
59
19
Jason Anderson
58
20
John Short
34
21
Ben LaMay
32
22
Coty Schock
31
23
Cooper Webb
29
24
Grant Harlan
29
25
Isaac Teasdale
29
26
Tyler Bowers
28
27
Jeremy Smith
22
28
Justin Hoeft
17
29
Kyle Chisholm
15
30
Luke Renzland
11
31
Matthew Hubert
11
32
Chase Felong
8
33
Alex Ray
7
34
Tristan Lane
5
35
Felix Lopez
5
36
Robbie Wageman
4
37
Jeffrey Walker
4
38
McClellan Hile
3
39
Cory Carsten
3
40
Jared Lesher
3
41
Bryce Backaus
2
42
Richard Taylor
2
43
Dalton Dyer
0
44
Austin Root
0
45
Scott Meshey
0
46
Christopher Prebula
0
47
Tristan Lewis
0
48
Jerry Lorenz III
0
49
Carson Tickle
0
50
Bryce Hansen
0
51
Adam Enticknap
0
52
Vann Martin
0
250MX Moto 1
The opening moto of the 250 Class began with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Mitchell Harrison prevailing with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but he quickly gave way to the Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing teammates of Shane McElrath and Dylan Ferrandis. As the lead duo quickly built a gap over the field, the race soon turned into a breakaway for the Star Yamaha squad as Cooper moved into third.
With Cooper closing in, Ferrandis picked up the pace and put the pressure on McElrath for the lead, successfully making the pass about 10 minutes into the moto. Once out front the Frenchman was able to sprint away to a multi-second advantage. As Ferrandis continued to build on his lead the battle for second intensified between McElrath and Cooper just past the halfway point of the moto. Cooper soon made his way around his teammate and looked to chip away at the deficit to Ferrandis.
Out front Ferrandis was able to maintain a comfortable margin over Cooper the rest of the way to secure his eighth moto win of the season and his fifth consecutive checkered flag by 5.3 seconds over Cooper, with McElrath securing a 1-2-3 sweep for Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing. GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin followed in fourth, while his team-mate Hunter Lawrence rounded out the top five ahead of younger sibling Jett.
250MX Moto 1 Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Laps/Interval
1
Dylan Ferrandis
YAM YZ 250F
16 Laps
2
Justin Cooper
YAM YZ 250F
+05.390
3
Shane McElrath
YAM YZ 250F
+11.527
4
Jeremy Martin
HON CRF250R
+14.150
5
Hunter Lawrence
HON CRF250R
+20.856
6
Jett Lawrence
HON CRF250R
+31.921
7
Jo Shimoda
HON CRF250R
+32.542
8
Mitchell Harrison
KAW KX 250
+41.938
9
Jarrett Frye
YAM YZ 250F
+41.985
10
Dilan Schwartz
SUZ RMZ 250
+1:07.589
11
Nathanael Thrasher
YAM YZ 250F
+1:14.023
12
Alex Martin
SUZ RMZ 250
+1:15.346
13
Carson Mumford
HON CRF250R
+1:15.500
14
Mitchell Falk
YAM YZ 250F
+1:27.657
15
Preston Kilroy
SUZ RMZ 250
+1:29.160
16
Jerry Robin
HQV FC250
+1:29.845
17
Nick Gaines
YAM YZ 250F
+1:34.515
18
Derek Kelley
HQV FC250
+1:46.972
19
Joshua Varize
KTM 250 SX-F
+1:49.725
20
Derek Drake
KTM 250 SX-F FE
+1:53.364
21
Jesse Flock
HQV FC250
+1:56.676
22
Brandon Hartranft
KTM 250 SX-F FE
+2:00.813
23
Gared Steinke
KAW KX 250
15 Laps
24
Kevin Moranz
KTM 250 SX-F
+02.423
25
Gage Schehr
HQV FC250
+20.266
26
Curren Thurman
KTM 250 SX-F
+24.403
27
Zack Williams
KTM 250 SX-F
+40.008
28
Kai Aiello
HQV FC250
+49.110
29
Ezra Hastings
HQV FC250
+1:03.781
30
Blake Ashley
YAM YZ 250F
+1:04.517
31
Gerhard Matamoros
YAM YZ 250F
+1:08.912
32
Maxwell Sanford
YAM YZ 250F
+1:17.157
33
Wade Brommel
KAW KX 250
+2:04.870
34
Robert Fitch, Jr.
YAM YZ 250
+2:09.237
35
Cameron Mcadoo
KAW KX 250
14 Laps
36
Lane Shaw
KTM 250 SX-F
+3:46.806
37
Colton Eigenmann
SUZ RMZ 250
13 Laps
38
RJ Hampshire
HQV FC250
12 Laps
39
Mason Gonzales
YAM YZ 250F
8 Laps
40
Joseph Crown
YAM YZ 250F
+00.697
250MX Moto 2
As the field roared out the gate to start Moto 2 it was Cooper who came away with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, followed by his teammates Jarrett Frye and McElrath, with McElrath getting by Frye for second. Ferrandis started outside the top 10 while his primary championship rival, Martin, got by Frye for third. Martin didn’t stop there. He kept his push to the front going and made the pass on McElrath for second before attacking Cooper for the lead. As the battle for first took shape Ferrandis had worked his way to just outside the top five.
Cooper responded to the pressure and maintained his hold of the lead. Behind them Ferrandis encountered some misfortune when two riders ahead of him came together and forced the Yamaha off track and onto the ground. The point leader got back on his bike and reentered quickly, but had to make up a few lost positions from 10th place. Back up front, Martin closed back in on Cooper just past the halfway point of the moto. The lead duo again engaged in a spirited fight, where Cooper fended off virtually every one of Martin’s moves and successfully rebuilt his advantage after several laps of tight racing.
As time ran out on the moto the focus shifted to the battle for third, which turned into a three-rider fight between McElrath, Hunter Lawrence and Ferrandis, who successfully battled back from his early incident. Hunter Lawrence was aggressive in trying to keep Ferrandis at bay and it carried him by McElrath for third. Ferrandis followed through into fourth and then made an impressive pass on Hunter Lawrence to take control of third. Out front Cooper pulled out to a margin of more than five seconds and carried on to his first moto win of the season, followed by Martin in second and Ferrandis in third after a resilient ride.
Jett Lawrence finished the second moto in sixth place which gave him sixth for the round while older brother Hunter was fifth for the round.
250MX Moto 2 Results
Pos
Rider
Bike
Laps/Interval
1
Justin Cooper
YAM YZ 250F
16 Laps
2
Jeremy Martin
HON CRF250R
+03.166
3
Dylan Ferrandis
YAM YZ 250F
+12.795
4
Hunter Lawrence
HON CRF250R
+14.978
5
Shane McElrath
YAM YZ 250F
+17.331
6
Jett Lawrence
HON CRF250R
+39.731
7
Brandon Hartranft
KTM 250 SX-F FE
+51.384
8
Jo Shimoda
HON CRF250R
+54.471
9
Mitchell Harrison
KAW KX 250
+57.325
10
Jarrett Frye
YAM YZ 250F
+1:00.384
11
Carson Mumford
HON CRF250R
+1:00.944
12
Alex Martin
SUZ RMZ 250
+1:25.882
13
Joseph Crown
YAM YZ 250F
+1:34.994
14
Mitchell Falk
YAM YZ 250F
+1:43.012
15
Dilan Schwartz
SUZ RMZ 250
+1:45.414
16
Nathanael Thrasher
YAM YZ 250F
+1:48.808
17
Jesse Flock
HQV FC250
+2:03.602
18
Joshua Varize
KTM 250 SX-F
+2:10.642
19
Preston Kilroy
SUZ RMZ 250
15 Laps
20
Derek Kelley
HQV FC250
+11.434
21
Gared Steinke
KAW KX 250
+23.324
22
Gage Schehr
HQV FC250
+27.007
23
Zack Williams
KTM 250 SX-F
+27.728
24
Kai Aiello
HQV FC250
+41.802
25
Curren Thurman
KTM 250 SX-F
+45.667
26
Wade Brommel
KAW KX 250
+48.222
27
Ezra Hastings
HQV FC250
+54.630
28
Robert Fitch, Jr.
YAM YZ 250
+1:12.177
29
Maxwell Sanford
YAM YZ 250F
+1:27.879
30
Gerhard Matamoros
YAM YZ 250F
+1:36.260
31
Jake Pinhancos
KTM 250 SX-F
+1:55.462
32
Lane Shaw
KTM 250 SX-F
14 Laps
33
Otto Berton
KTM 250 SX-F
+17.809
34
Kevin Moranz
KTM 250 SX-F
8 Laps
35
Kyle Greeson
KTM 250 SX-F
7 Laps
36
Tyler Lowe
KTM 250 SX-F
+24.453
37
Jerry Robin
HQV FC250
5 Laps
38
Jacob Bork
YAM YZ 250F
2 Laps
39
Blake Ashley
YAM YZ 250F
DNF
40
Nick Gaines
YAM YZ 250F
DNS
250MX Overall
The second moto win was enough to put Cooper atop the overall classification (2-1) for his second career victory, where he became the fourth different 250 Class winner this season. Ferrandis’ spirited effort in Moto 2 allowed him to secure the runner-up spot (1-3), while Martin ended up third (4-2).
“A lot of pressure was on my shoulders, but I’m glad it’s off,” exclaimed Cooper. “There were only two rounds left (entering today) so it’s a good time to do it. Now I can go into next weekend feeling a lot more confident and look to finish out the season strong. I really enjoy this place. I get good vibes here. It just feels good to pull off a win.”
The come-from-behind effort by Ferrandis paid dividends in the 250 Class standings where he gained five points on Martin to carry a 18-point lead into the final round.
“I was in a bad position (in the second moto). I wanted to get as many points as possible, so I rode as hard as I could,” said Ferrandis. “I got a bad start and then I got caught up in an incident. There was nothing I could do. I just put my head down and gave it my all. We still were able to get on the podium so that’s good for the championship.”
250MX Overall Results
Pos
Rider
M1
M2
Points
1
Justin Cooper
2
1
47
2
Dylan Ferrandis
1
3
45
3
Jeremy Martin
4
2
40
4
Shane McElrath
3
5
36
5
Hunter Lawrence
5
4
34
6
Jett Lawrence
6
6
30
7
Jo Shimoda
7
8
27
8
Mitchell Harrison
8
9
25
9
Jarrett Frye
9
10
23
10
Carson Mumford
13
11
18
11
Alex Martin
12
12
18
12
Dilan Schwartz
10
15
17
13
Nathanael Thrasher
11
16
15
14
Brandon Hartranft
22
7
14
15
Mitchell Falk
14
14
14
16
Joseph Crown
40
13
8
17
Preston Kilroy
15
19
8
18
Joshua Varize
19
18
5
19
Jerry Robin
16
37
5
20
Jesse Flock
21
17
4
21
Derek Kelley
18
20
4
22
Nick Gaines
17
40
4
23
Gared Steinke
23
21
0
24
Derek Drake
20
1
25
Gage Schehr
25
22
0
26
Zack Williams
27
23
0
27
Curren Thurman
26
25
0
28
Kai Aiello
28
24
0
29
Ezra Hastings
29
27
0
30
Kevin Moranz
24
34
0
31
Wade Brommel
33
26
0
32
Maxwell Sanford
32
29
0
33
Gerhard Matamoros
31
30
0
34
Robert Fitch, Jr.
34
28
0
35
Lane Shaw
36
32
0
36
Blake Ashley
30
39
0
37
Jake Pinhancos
31
0
38
Otto Berton
33
0
39
Cameron Mcadoo
35
0
40
Kyle Greeson
35
0
41
Tyler Lowe
36
0
42
Colton Eigenmann
37
0
43
RJ Hampshire
38
0
44
Jacob Bork
38
0
45
Mason Gonzales
39
0
250MX Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Dylan Ferrandis
352
2
Jeremy Martin
334
3
Shane McElrath
254
4
Justin Cooper
251
5
Alex Martin
242
6
Jett Lawrence
230
7
RJ Hampshire
217
8
Cameron Mcadoo
165
9
Mitchell Harrison
163
10
Brandon Hartranft
148
11
Jo Shimoda
141
12
Carson Mumford
134
13
Hunter Lawrence
122
14
Derek Drake
107
15
Mason Gonzales
75
16
Stilez Robertson
70
17
Nick Gaines
62
18
Jarrett Frye
55
19
Ty Masterpool
54
20
Pierce Brown
36
21
Hardy Munoz
33
22
Jerry Robin
33
23
Joseph Crown
32
24
Darian Sanayei
24
25
Dilan Schwartz
22
26
Jalek Swoll
19
27
Derek Kelley
19
28
Lance Kobusch
18
29
Nathanael Thrasher
15
30
Ezra Hastings
14
31
Mitchell Falk
14
32
Joshua Varize
12
33
Jesse Flock
12
34
Gared Steinke
11
35
Austin Root
9
36
Preston Kilroy
8
37
Kevin Moranz
7
38
Zack Williams
6
39
Jordan Bailey
6
40
Maxwell Sanford
4
41
Mathias Jorgensen
4
42
Curren Thurman
2
43
Ryder Floyd
0
44
Colton Eigenmann
0
45
Chase Lorenz
0
46
Jace Kessler
0
47
Vincent Luhovey
0
48
Gage Schehr
0
49
Gerhard Matamoros
0
50
Carson Brown
0
51
Lane Shaw
0
52
Christopher Williams
0
Australian Motocross Championship
Motorcycling Australia have officially announced that the 2020 Australian Motocross Championship will not run, as continuing border restrictions related to COVID-19 create ongoing uncertainty, with the decision reached after consultations with teams, riders, clubs and stakeholders. See the full statement below:
Due to the ongoing uncertainty around State Government COVID-19 border restrictions, Motorcycling Australia (MA) after consultation with key stakeholders, have been forced to make the difficult decision to abandon any further attempts to conduct the 2020 Australian Motocross Championship.
MA reviewed the championship operations including the format and potential event dates, in consultation with industry, teams, riders and clubs to see if it was possible to run the championship during this COVID-19 period.
Despite significant work by MA over recent months in exploring all possible options to hold the Championship, the uncertainly around State Government COVID-19 border restrictions, has meant it is not possible to run the Championship in 2020.
MA sincerely thank all stakeholders, clubs, teams and riders for their support and patience, but this late in the year has proven too difficult to start the Championship without clear plans from State Government’s around State borders being reopened.
MA is now focusing all its efforts on delivering a successful 2021 Australian Motocross Championship.
Peter Doyle – MA CEO
“While the cancellation is disappointing for riders, teams, industry and fans, MA is already working hard to ensure that we have the best possible championship in 2021. The Australian Motocross Championship is the breeding ground of future superstars and will continue to showcase the best motocross action in the country.”
Mitchell Evans & Tim Gajser renew with HRC
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) have announced that it has renewed its contracts with Tim Gajser (24-years-old, Slovenia) and Mitchell Evans (21-years-old, Australia), for multiple years. Both riders are currently competing for Team HRC in the FIM Motocross World Championship Premier MXGP Class.
After becoming the FIM Motocross World Championship MX2 world champion in 2015, Tim Gajser joined Honda’s Team HRC factory team to compete in, and win the premier MXGP class. He won his second MXGP title in 2019, and is currently leading the 2020 championship, aiming for his second consecutive, and third total, title in the premier class.
Tim Gajser
“I’m super happy to extend my contract with Honda and Team HRC. I’ve been here for the past seven years and to me this team feels like a family so I’m really happy to stay. We will keep giving our best and we are all excited and ready to fight for the title every year and I believe this is the best place for me to be, especially on board the Honda CRF450RW. It is great to confirm this and continue our partnership that has already seen us become multi-time world champions.”
Mitchell Evans entered the FIM Motocross World Championship MX2 class in 2019, to finish an impressive 11th in his debut year. In 2020 he joined Team HRC to race in the MXGP class, and is currently ranked 11th.
Mitchell Evans
“I’m very happy to have the deal done and in place. It now allows me to focus on the rest of the season and putting in the best results possible. It also gives me a platform to build upon for the future, and I feel like we’ve built a good relationship already and I’m excited for that to continue. I want to keep improving and working with this team and riding the Honda CRF450RW and I feel Team HRC has proven itself as the best team for me to achieve my dreams of challenging for a world title.”
FIM & Eurosport Events partner to promote Speedway globally
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and Eurosport Events has agreed a long-term partnership which will see the Discovery-owned event management company promote FIM Speedway events including FIM Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway of Nations, Speedway U21 and Speedway Youth World Championships globally for the next 10 years. The new agreement will begin in 2022 and builds on the existing partnership between the organisations for the promotion of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) since 2015.
In an expanded role following a competitive tender to select the new global promoter of the sport, Eurosport Events will leverage its long-standing motorsport promotion expertise and the international scale of Discovery to develop the sport and grow Speedway around the world.
The partnership will seek to expand Speedway GP’s international calendar, extend the distribution of the sport on TV and digital platforms, launch Speedway into new territories and increase its audiences around the world.
Eurosport Events will oversee the full operational and commercial aspects of the sport including multi-platform rights management and distribution, broadcast production, sponsorship rights strategy and the full suite of marketing, brand and promotional activity. It will also work with local organisers on local promotion and maximising ticketing, hospitality and fan engagement activities.
Jorge Viegas – FIM President
“The FIM launched the tender process back in 2019 for the promotion of the FIM Speedway World Championships 2022-2031. Discovery and Eurosport Events has won the vote of the Board of Directors for its innovative proposal in terms of sport promotion and television coverage. The FIM is delighted to expand its collaboration with Discovery and Eurosport Events, who has been the promoter of the FIM Endurance World Championship since 2015. This new collaboration will provide increased media visibility of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship through Eurosport platforms and key third-party broadcasters. The FIM would like to thank BSI and OneSport who have made a significant contribution to the development of the Speedway over the past twenty years and to wish them every success in 2021 and for the remainder of this season.”
YME confirm Jago Geerts & Maxime Renaux till 2022
Yamaha Motor Europe has confirmed that Jago Geerts will remain with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team through 2022, and that the young Belgian will be joined on the gate of the 2021 and 2022 MX2 World Championships by young Frenchman Maxime Renaux.
Geerts made his MX2 debut with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team back in 2018. The combination of the young Belgian and the Yamaha YZ250F has been fruitful with the ‘193’ scoring his first-ever Grand Prix podium on his way to eighth overall in his rookie season. After one-year of learning and improvement at an elite level, Geerts was able secure the MX2 bronze medal with six more podium finishes in his second season.
Starting 2020 strong, the 19-year-old won his first ever Grand Prix at the opening round of the MX2 series in Matterley Basin, Great Britain. He has since turned 20-years-old and has gone on to win two more rounds, in Kegums, Latvia, and has extended his career podium count to 13.
As a long-time Yamaha rider, Renaux has already raced on the Hans Corvers led ‘Kemea Yamaha’ team in the past. It was back in 2015 where he celebrated three EMX125 wins onboard a GYTR kitted YZ125 and was crowned Junior 125cc World Champion in that same year. Since then, the team has taken on Factory status as the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Team and is solely focused on the FIM MX2 World Championship.
Renaux, now 20-years-old, has shown great promise since his MX2 debut in 2018 where he raced five rounds of the FIM MX2 World Championship as a wildcard rider. He completed his first full-term in MX2 in 2019 where he managed to steer his YZ250F to a maiden podium finish on his way to seventh overall in the final classification.
Nine rounds into the 2020 series, the ‘959’ has quickly established himself as a title threat. He is currently third in the MX2 World Championship standings and has already celebrated his first ever Grand Prix race and overall win, at the MXGP of Italy in Faenza one month ago.
Producing many notable performances since his MX2 debut, which includes four podium celebrations and eight top-three race finishes, Renaux shows signs of great promise and will be a strong challenger for the 2021 and 2022 MX2 crowns.
Jago Geerts – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Rider
“I’m really happy to sign with Yamaha for another two years. The last three years were really nice, and it’s really cool I have extended my contract. Everything works nicely within our team and we have had some really good races this year. I’m really happy with my bike, the Yamaha YZ250FM, so it’s good for me to stay with Yamaha for another two-years.”
Maxime Renaux – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Rider
“I’m really looking forward to moving up to the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory team for 2021 and 2022. It will be a new beginning for me and I’m ready to fight for the title during those next years. The team looks really motivated and so am I. I am already really looking forward to starting our winter program and to start testing and training ahead of 2021.”
Holcombe moves into Italian Enduro Championship lead
Beta Factory Racing’s Steve Holcombe has fought his way through an incredibly wet and wild penultimate stop of the Italian Enduro Championship to take control of the series’ overall points lead.
After two busy weekends of Enduro World Championship racing, Steve returned to Italian Enduro Championship duty in Darfo Boario for rounds five and six. Blighted by exceptionally heavy rain, riders faced a wet and wild opening day of competition before conditions thankfully dried a little for day two.
Opting not to take any unnecessary risks in the conditions, Steve maintained a comfortable pace on his Beta RR Racing 4T 350, finishing a strong second overall on day one. Greeted with drier weather on day two he opened his account with the fastest time in the day’s first special test. Losing some ground on the enduro test, he fought back in the latter stages of the day to secure third overall.
With a double podium result, Steve now moves into the overall championship lead with just the final two days of competition remaining, in Arma di Taggia at the end of October.
Steve Holcombe
“That was a tough weekend on the bike for sure. The weather was crazy on Saturday and I think that was the wettest I’ve ever been. Honestly, all credit to the organisers for keeping the racing going. The rain made it so challenging and it was very easy to make a mistake out there. I tried to play it a little safe and took second, then in drier conditions for Sunday I finished third. Beating Thomas Oldrati both times has helped me take the championship lead, which was always the end goal here. After three hectic weekends in a row I’m going to take a little bit of time to recover and then regroup for the final rounds of the Italian Championships and EnduroGP.”
Results – Italian Enduro Championship – Round 5
Brad Freeman (Beta) 35:50.37
Steve Holcombe (Beta) 36:31.48
Joe Wootton (Husqvarna) 36:36.63
Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 36:49.11
Matteo Cavallo (Sherco) 37:08.83
Results – Italian Enduro Championship – Round 6
Brad Freeman (Beta) 36:51.61
Andrea Verona (TM) 37:15.68
Steve Holcombe (Beta) 37:23.88
Joe Wootton (Husqvarna) 37:25.42
Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 37:35.79
Championship Standings (After Round 6)
Steve Holcombe (Beta) 94
Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 87
Brad Freeman (Beta) 75
Andrea Verona (TM) 69
Matteo Cavallo (Sherco) 61
Arminas Jasikonis wakes from medically induced coma
Husqvarna Motorcycles have reported positive news regarding Arminas Jasikonis’ condition following his crash at the MXGP of Lombardia.
Admitted to hospital in Cremona, Italy, on Sunday, September 27, Arminas woke from his medically induced coma on Wednesday, September 30 and was quickly able to recognise and talk with his family and the exceptional medical staff around him, both in Lithuanian and English. AJ can also move his body unaided, is in no pain and despite being understandably tired is thankfully over the worst of his injury and can soon start his rehabilitation.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing extended their thanks to all of the medical staff that have cared for AJ, and to those from around the world that expressed overwhelming support for him during the last few days.
Antti Pyrhönen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager
“Honestly, I have never been so happy to comment on one of my riders. To be able to say that AJ is ok, that he is going to be ok, it’s a kind of miracle. These last few days since his accident have been so, so emotionally draining for everyone close to AJ, and just the worst of times. When he woke, when we realised that he could talk, that he could move all of his arms and legs, that he was in no pain and had no other injuries, it’s still almost impossible to put into words how incredible that feeling was. Of course, AJ still has some way to go before he is fully recovered, and understandably he is still very tired, but the worst is now behind him and he can soon start his recovery. Again, I want to say a sincere thank you to every single person who had AJ in their thoughts during the last few days, to the overwhelming support and positivity we received from the MXGP paddock and the global motocross community. But especially I want to thank everyone at Husqvarna Motorcycles in Austria and the entire motorsports family there, to Robert Jonas and Heinz Kinigadner and also to our team owner Kimi, who immediately started organising many things behind the scenes. Everyone in the team is hugely thankful for this positive outcome and so, so relieved that AJ will be ok.”
Waters Wins Inaugural King of Capricorn
Todd Waters has been crowned the 2020 King of Capricorn after an impressive display of racing at the Six Mile circuit at Rockhampton. Waters, the current Australian Motocross champion, claimed the crown and the hefty prize money to go along with it, after a full weekend of on track action that saw Waters not only win the King of Capricorn feature event but also the MX1 (450cc) and MX2 (250cc) pro divisions as well.
The feature race saw the top 40 riders from the MX1 and MX2 classes race their way through a series of sprint races that saw the last seven riders from each race eliminated until the final 15 lined up and ready to unleash in a three lap frenzy.
The star studded field included Yamaha’s Kirk Gibbs, Aaron Tanti and Jay Wilson as well as young guns Jai Walker and Noah Ferguson, with all riders already under plenty of physical duress from racing all weekend.
From the drop of the gate, it was Walker who led the field and built a small gap on the stars behind him but he made a mistake at the half way point and that was all Waters needed to get to the front and take a popular victory in front of an enthusiastic crowded gathered at the Rockhampton track.
Todd Waters
“What an awesome event. Its so good to see so many riders turn up for a race like this and for me its special because it was a track I raced a lot as a kid growing up and to come back here now as a pro and not just win but also get to talk to the younger riders and spend time with them is something I hope they remember, just like I did as a kid. This is something our sport has not seen for a long time and I’m glad it proved to be so successful at the first attempt. I’m extremely proud to have won here and hopefully this is the start of plenty more events like this in the future. Thank you to the event organisers and sponsors for putting on such a cool race and hopefully events like this can continue as racing a dirt bike is fun and this weekend was awesome fun.”
Taking the Prince of Capricorn in the junior division was Mackay’s, Jackson Camilleri. Camilleri was on fire all weekend and like Waters, took victory in his 125 and 250cc classes over the weekend before going on to cap of a huge weekend for the teenager who celebrated his 16th birthday on Sunday, with an emphatic win in the junior feature event.
Jackson Camilleri
“It was good to get the win here and finish the season on a good note. I had an injury that saw me miss a few events earlier in the year and then I wasn’t prepared as I wanted to be for the state titles but it’s good to be back up front and winning again.”
Despite the 20K on offer across the weekend, the vibe of the event was fun and light-hearted with all the pro races taking time to work with the young riders. Each rider was assigned a class to mentor and encouragement prize packs were handed out to young riders by their heroes.
Jay Wilson
“With our national events cancelled due to COVID, to have this event was awesome for everyone in Queensland. All the riders got behind it with over 300 turning up and supporting the weekend and the prizemoney on offer made it the biggest for the 2020 season. The racing was serious but also a bit more relaxed than a national title and the club did a great job of running the event. The pro riders all got a kick out of working with the young guys and hopefully they now feel we are approachable and can talk to us about their riding any time. Hopefully it’s the first of this style event and we can do more like this in the future.”
With the dust now settled on a successful event, race secretary Debbie Dark can now reflect on the weekend.
Debbie Dark
“The event came about because plenty of enthusiastic people wanted to continue racing in Queensland. We were due to have the Australian Junior Motocross Championships the past week, but when they was cancelled, the club got together with supporters and we put the event on. It was great to see so many sponsors support it and not only raise money to host it, but also boast $20,000 in prizemoney. I also must thank the dedication of the people in our club who put in so much hard work as well those that helped me behind the scenes. The smile on the riders and their thanks at the end of the weekend made it all worth it.”
Round 2 of the 2020 WA MX Senior State Championship had wrapped up with Regan Duffy sweeping the MX1 and MX2 classes, while Chris Errey went 2-1-1 in Veterans for the round win. The Amateur Cup saw Jay White take the win, going 1-2-2, with Callum Bayliss second with a 2-1-3 result.
MX1 Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Total
R1
R2
R3
1
REGAN DUFFY
105
35
35
35
2
JOHN DARROCH
94
32
30
32
3
CHARLIE CREECH
86
30
28
28
4
JOSH ADAMS
84
28
26
30
5
CONNOR TIERNEY
83
25
32
26
6
STUEY WILMOT
74
24
25
25
7
LUKE FEW
67
20
24
23
8
ASH ROGERS
66
21
23
22
9
STEVEN POCOCK
61
19
21
21
10
ANTHONY HICKS
59
17
22
20
11
BRYNN CUTTS
53
16
19
18
12
DYLAN HEARD
51
23
11
17
13
BLAIR OUTRAM
47
14
17
16
14
CORBEN WEINERT
46
22
–
24
15
DANE CUTTS
43
13
16
14
16
MITCHELL WILHELM
42
12
15
15
17
JOE DI GIULIO
38
18
20
–
18
CHRISTIAN SILVESTRO
33
15
18
–
19
JACOB WHATELY
26
–
13
13
20
LUKE DAVIS
26
26
–
–
21
TAINE KINGS
23
11
12
–
22
BRENDON BAYLISS
19
–
–
19
23
SAM CLARKE
14
–
14
–
MX2 Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Total
R1
R2
R3
1
REGAN DUFFY
105
35
35
35
2
DANIEL PAJEWSKI
96
32
32
32
3
JOSH ADAMS
90
30
30
30
4
CONAN FORRESTER
82
26
28
28
5
CODY CHITTICK
74
25
23
26
6
SETH MANUEL
73
28
26
19
7
BRENDON BAYLISS
70
23
22
25
8
CHRISTIAN SILVESTRO
65
20
21
24
9
EVAN BROWNE
65
24
25
16
10
CHRISTOPHER WHEELER
57
18
18
21
11
TOM LILLY
57
19
20
18
12
SHAUN SNOW
52
16
19
17
13
JAYDEN MCFERRAN
50
14
16
20
14
REVONN NIEUWOUDT
47
–
24
23
15
HARRISON SMITH
45
15
15
15
16
BRAYDON BAYNES
44
13
17
14
17
BEN COOK
43
21
–
22
18
MATTHEW MARSON
36
11
12
13
19
SHANE MURRAY
36
22
14
–
20
MITCHELL KILLEEN
30
17
13
–
21
KARA CATS
12
12
–
–
22
ZAC SAFFIOTI
10
10
–
–
Veterans Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Total
R1
R2
R3
1
CHRIS ERREY
102
32
35
35
2
BEN SHINGLER
97
35
30
32
3
AARON CHIRCOP
90
28
32
30
4
TREVOR UNSTEAD
82
30
24
28
5
STEVE BARRINGTON
78
26
28
24
6
STUART MCFERRAN
74
23
26
25
7
AARON MAZZA
73
25
22
26
8
SCOTT KOSTIN
71
24
25
22
9
DIARMUID FITZPATRICK
66
20
23
23
10
MARC PAYNE
64
22
21
21
11
NATHAN WILLCOCKS
59
19
20
20
12
BRETT NEWBOULT
59
21
19
19
13
BEN MARTIN
53
17
18
18
14
CHRIS HALLETT
50
18
17
15
15
TIMOTHY WARR
46
15
14
17
16
JOHN GAILES
45
16
13
16
17
BENJI DAWSON
43
14
16
13
18
PETER FREIGHT
42
13
15
14
Amateur Cup Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Total
R1
R2
R3
1
JAY WHITE
99
35
32
32
2
CALLUM BAYLISS
97
32
35
30
3
FLETCHER STUBBS
89
28
26
35
4
DANIEL WRIGHT
74
25
28
21
5
DECLAN O’LEARY
74
24
30
20
6
CALLUM THOMSON
73
30
20
23
7
KACEY KINGS
69
22
22
25
8
CAMPBELL LEE
67
26
15
26
9
BEN TRELOAR
65
20
21
24
10
JACOB JONES
65
23
23
19
11
JOSHUA RASMUSSEN
62
21
19
22
12
KIRK SHIER
59
18
24
17
13
MASON COOPER
55
19
18
18
14
SCOTT BROWN
50
17
17
16
15
RICKY LADISZLAI
50
10
25
15
16
CLAYTON CLUNIE
42
14
–
28
17
RUBEN PLANT
40
16
12
12
18
WILLIAM JONES
39
12
14
13
19
HANNAH STEWART
30
–
16
14
20
SAM DAVIES
29
8
13
8
21
JEREMY RODGER
26
15
–
11
22
TAHLIA LANG
24
6
11
7
23
REECE LAWRENCE
22
13
–
9
24
JUDD THOMAS
22
7
9
6
25
RILEY LITTLEFAIR
19
9
–
10
26
ADAM PLANT
11
11
–
–
27
MAKALA EDWARDS
10
–
10
–
2020 Queensland Dirt Track Titles – Ayr MCC
The 2020 Queensland Dirt Track Titles saw Ayr MCC host the event over October 3 & 4, with Jarred Brook dominating the MX Open and Pro 450 classes across both days.
Jarred Brook
“That’s a wrap for the 2020 QLD Long Track and Dirt Track Titles. Thank you to Ayr Motorcycle Club Inc for running a great event. Thank you to my little team and sponsors for helping me come away with a win in the MX Open, second place in the Pro 450 for Long Track, then the double win for Dirt Track!”
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