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January 27, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for January 28, 2020

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

What happened this week

Roczen wins Glendale AMA SX triple-header
Forkner tops SX2 triple-header at Glendale Round 4
Mitch Evans second at Italian Motocross opener in Riola Sardo
Harwood & Purvis win Woodville GP
King of MX final qualifier confirmed for Dargle
Cessnock MX Club to host 2020 King of MX final
2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars Champs to Gillman March 21
Dylan Walsh to race NZ MX with Ben Townley Tours/Altherm JCR Yamaha
Luc Ackermann wins shortened 2019 FMX World Championsip
Petr Pilát renews FMX contract with KTM Factory Racing
2020 Championship Calendars
- 2020 AMA Motocross
- 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
- 2020 MXGP
- 2020 American Flat Track
- 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
- 2020 FIM Speedway GP Championship
- 2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship
- 2020 Australian Track Championship
- 2020 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC)
- 2020 FIM SuperEnduro Championship
- 2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West
- 2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship
- 2020 King of MX
- 2020 Australian Motocross National Championship Calendar

Roczen wins Glendale AMA SX triple-header

For the full 2020 AMA Supercross Round 4 report see:
2020 AMA Supercross Round Four – Glendale

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The first SX1 Main Event saw Tomac was all over Roczen by half distance, when he started to put his Kawasaki alongside the Honda. In the final laps though Roczen proved to have Tomac’s measure and pulled clear to take victory by two-seconds. Adam Cianciarulo rounded out the podium ahead of Malcolm Stewart and Jason Anderson. Aussie Chad Reed finished 18th.

450 Main Event 2 saw a restart following Justin Bogle going down so medical attention could be provided and from the re-start it was Ken Roczen taking the early advantage and stretching a lead by half distance. Cianciarulo and Tomac worked to close down the gap, with Cianciarulo going down, ending up in eighth when he remounted.

Adam Cianciarulo

Roczen was the eventual victor by seven-seconds over Tomac while Anderson rounded out the podium. Baggett got the better of Webb for fourth. Cianciarulo recovered to salvage a sixth place finish ahead of Brayton and Barcia. Chad Reed came home in 19th position.

In 450 Main Event 3 Ken Roczen once again had a five-second lead by half-race distance, this time ahead of Jason Anderson. Cianciarulo caught Webb and challenged for second, before going over the bars in the whoops, with Webb slightly caught up, allowing Tomac to slip into third. Ken Roczen was an untroubled victor, ahead of Anderson and Tomac.

Ken Roczen thus goes 1-1-1 for the overall victory ahead of Tomac and Anderson, the German extending his championship lead to eight points over Tomac.

Ken Roczen – P1

“I can’t believe we won all three main events! I think it’s the focus that we bring. Between my team and especially my mechanic, we just have a good regimen going into all the races. Every time we go down there for a gate drop, I just want to put maximum focus, put myself in a good position and make life a lot easier—and safer as well. We had some good battles with Eli [Tomac] in the first one, but I was stoked to pull it off. I got a decent start in the second one, and then we had to do a restart unfortunately. I grabbed that holeshot and rode a super-solid race and won. The first start for race three was not good, and me and Tomac were battling in like eighth or something. Then we had another restart, and I pulled the holeshot there and just rode a super-solid race. I had a good time tonight, and I’m really happy with how the team has been excelling and making changes to the bike. We’ve been working really well together, and the team spirit is high right now. Obviously, I’m beyond stoked and want to enjoy tonight and tomorrow, but then get back to work and keep 100% focus.”

Ken Roczen piling the pressure on Zach Osborne

Eli Tomac – P2

“These Triple Crown races are already crazy and then to add the two red flags, there was just a lot going on. We technically had five starts tonight and I didn’t exactly help myself on those, but I was able to make my way to the front and remain consistent with my finishes. Consistency really was the key tonight and the team worked their tails off to help me finish up on the podium. We still have some work to do but overall, we had a successful night and I’m glad we’re close in the point standings.”

Jason Anderson – P3

“All-in-all, I had a great night. I keep getting better as the season goes on, I feel like I keep racing better and better. It’s been a good night. The team is working hard and we’re ready to start charging and make some headway.”

Cooper Webb – P4

“It was a good day. It’s kind of crazy, we had a bunch of red flags so we ended up with a lot of starts tonight. I feel like I finally figured out my starts by the end and I was up front and able to run with the lead group but I just didn’t quite have it tonight. It was a good turnaround from the first Main Event but we’ve still got some stuff to work on and we’ll keep plugging away and try to improve this week before heading into Oakland.”

Justin Barcia – P5

“It was a difficult day right off the bat. The track changed as the night went on and I struggled with turning a little bit and in the whoops, but it was the starts that really hurt me. I had to fight a lot tonight to get up to where I was able to finish, but with such short races like this, it’s difficult. The track was very one-lined, and it was very difficult to pass. Triple crowns are gnarly. Everyone’s so fast. If you don’t get a good start it’s just difficult to put yourself in a good position. There were guys flying around everywhere tonight and crashing, so I’m glad to be getting out of here healthy. I’m a smarter, more mature rider than I have been in the past, so I’ll take what I can get tonight like I did last week. It’s only round four. We’re still in a decent spot and just need to keep plugging away.”

Justin Brayton – P6

“The night went pretty good, but I had a lot of bad starts for some reason. I really struggled with track position at the beginning of the race, and I came from the back pretty much all three races. I’m a little disappointed in that because I felt like with my lap times, a better track position could have given me a top-five finish. But to end up sixth is nothing to hang our heads for at all. It was a positive night, awesome to see Kenny get the win, and the team’s just jelling really well right now; everyone’s doing an amazing job, and I keep getting better and better every weekend. I hope to keep this momentum rolling and be in the top five next week.”

SX1 Round Overall

Pos.	Rider	M1	M2	M3	Overall
1	Ken Roczen	1	1	1	26
2	Eli Tomac	2	2	3	23
3	Jason Anderson	5	3	2	21
4	Cooper Webb	8	5	4	19
5	Justin Barcia	6	8	7	18
6	Justin Brayton	7	7	9	17
7	Malcolm Stewart	4	14	6	16
8	Adam Cianciarulo	3	6	17	15
9	Aaron Plessinger	11	9	8	14
10	Blake Baggett	12	4	14	13
11	Martin Davalos	10	16	5	12
12	Justin Hill	9	13	10	11
13	Dean Wilson	16	10	11	10
14	Vince Friese	13	12	12	9
15	Tyler Bowers	15	15	13	8
16	Ryan Breece	19	18	15	7
17	Chris Blose	17	17	18	6
18	Zach Osborne	22	11	22	5
19	Alex Ray	20	20	16	4
20	Chad Reed	18	19	19	3
21	Justin Bogle	14	22	21	2
22	Jerry Robin	21	21	20	1

SX1 Standings

Pos	Rider	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Ken Roczen	17	26	23	26	92
2	Eli Tomac	16	19	26	23	84
3	Justin Barcia	26	23	14	18	81
4	Jason Anderson	18	21	18	21	78
5	Cooper Webb	21	11	21	19	72
6	Adam Cianciarulo	23	16	17	15	71
7	Justin Brayton	15	15	16	17	63
8	Malcolm Stewart	14	17	15	16	62
9	Zach Osborne	9	18	19	10	56
10	Blake Baggett	19	14	9	13	55
11	Aaron Plessinger	11	13	8	14	46
12	Justin Hill	12	12	11	11	46
13	Vince Friese	13	9	12	8	42
14	Dean Wilson	10	10	13	9	42
15	Martin Davalos	8	1	10	12	31
16	Justin Bogle	7	8	7	2	24
17	Tyler Bowers	6		6	7	19
18	Chris Blose	3	5	4	5	17
19	Chad Reed	5	2	5	3	15
20	Alex Ray		4	2	4	10
21	Ryan Breece	0		3	6	9
22	Kyle Cunningham	0	7	0		7
23	Benny Bloss		6	1		7
24	Kyle Chisholm	4				4
25	James Decotis	1	3			4
26	Fredrik Noren	2				2
27	Jerry Robin	0			1	1

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Forkner tops SX2 triple-header at Glendale Round 4

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The opening 250 moto of this week’s triple crown format saw Championship leader Justin Cooper drop his bike on lap one and suffer damage to his levers that put him at the back of the field. Dylan Ferrandis meanwhile got the better of Michael Mosiman later in the race to move up to second place, while Austin Forkner had a commanding five-second lead with two-minutes remaining in the moto.

Fourth placed Craig chased Mosiman hard in the closing stages of the race and put a pass on the Husqvarna rider as they started the final lap, stealing third place which he then carried all the way to the flag. Forkner was the race winner over Ferrandis. Aaron Tanti was the highest finishing Aussie in ninth place while countrymen Luke Clout and Jay Wilson were 13th and 14th respectively.

In the second SX2 Main event Cooper looked on course to hold the lead, before losing the front and going down, with Drake inheriting the lead and Forkner up into second. Forkner then claimed the lead, with Ferrandis moving past Mosiman into third.

Forkner was the clear winner with a 3.5-second advantage over Ferrandis at the flag while Drake kept Mosiman at bay in order to clinch the final step on the rostrum.

Luke Clout looked set for a top ten finish but a fall on the final lap cost him that chance, he remounted to salvage 12th. Jay Wilson the top finishing Aussie in tenth while Aaron Tanti carded a 17th place finish.

The final SX2 Main Event saw Luke Clout as high as sixth but overhauled by Mosiman and Oldenburg in the closing laps to eventually finish eighth ahead of Alex Martin. Justin Cooper was the race winner from Dylan Ferrandis, while Austin Forkner was a distant third. That third place though was enough for Forkner to claim the round win over Ferrandis with Mosiman rounding out the overall podium.

Glendale 250 Podium – Forkner 1st – Ferrandis 2nd – Mosiman 3rd

Austin Forkner – P1

“I’ve been working on the whoops with the team all week because I’ve really been struggling there, so I was ready to race tonight. I’ve had to dig myself out of a hole after last weekend and now 10 points down isn’t too bad. I’ll just keep grinding, chipping away at those points and continue to dig out of this hole. Overall, it was a great night for the entire Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and we’re looking to keep it rolling.”

Austin Forkner

Dylan Ferrandis – P2

“I can’t say it was a bad day because it could’ve been much worse. I’m a little disappointed to miss the win. I feel like the bad starts cost me the win tonight, but the speed was there and I made a lot of passes. I was really stoked with my physical feeling because I was not tired at any point, my riding was really good and the bike was awesome. We just need to improve on the starts. I don’t understand why I’m struggling with the starts right now, but we are working with the team and have made some changes. Now we are three points from first place in the championship – that’s the big goal.”

Dylan Ferrandis

Mitchell Oldenburg – P6

“I got bad starts tonight and it hurt my overall chances. We have a lot of work ahead of us, I am still not 100 per cent following my crash at A1 but I am feeling stronger and I can’t wait to throw everything I have at it. I am excited to work with Buddy.”

Justin Cooper – P9

“It was a roller coaster night in Glendale. The track conditions were really tricky and traction was very hard to maintain. I was able to come back with the win in the third Main and hold onto the points lead. We’re going take the positives and learn from the mistakes and move on to next weekend and go for the win again.”

Justin Cooper

Luke Clout improved throughout the night, with Glendale marking his third top 10 overall in a row and he’s now moved to ninth in the championship. The team are impressed with his gutsy ride as he broke his toe on Friday during the press call.

Luke Clout – P10

“I am bummed I crashed on Friday and broke my toe. My foot was extremely sore, I can’t say it affected my riding but I was conscious of it. Another top 10 is good but I am not happy with these overalls. I know what I need to work on and I will continue to push forward, having Buddy will make a difference and everyone on team is working towards a common goal and I appreciate them.”

Luke Clout

SX2 Round Overall

Pos	Rider	M1	M2	M3	Overall
1	Austin Forkner	1	1	3	26
2	Dylan Ferrandis	2	2	2	23
3	Michael Mosiman	4	4	6	21
4	Brandon Hartranft	5	6	4	19
5	Jacob Hayes	6	5	5	18
6	Mitchell Oldenburg	7	7	7	17
7	Alex Martin	8	8	9	16
8	Derek Drake	10	3	13	15
9	Justin Cooper	17	9	1	14
10	Luke Clout	13	12	8	13
11	Carson Brown	11	13	11	12
12	Robbie Wageman	16	11	12	11
13	Martin Castelo	12	14	14	10
14	Killian Auberson	15	16	10	9
15	Jay Wilson	14	10	18	8
16	Aaron Tanti	9	17	17	7
17	Christian Craig	3	22	22	6
18	Michael Leib	19	15	15	5
19	Mitchell Falk	18	18	16	4
20	Cheyenne Harmon	20	19	19	3
21	Logan Karnow	22	20	20	2
22	Ludovic Macler	21	21	21	1

SX2 Standings

Pos	Rider	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Justin Cooper	26	23	23	14	86
2	Dylan Ferrandis	23	11	26	23	83
3	Brandon Hartranft	16	21	21	19	77
4	Austin Forkner	18	26	6	26	76
5	Alex Martin	13	19	18	16	66
6	Michael Mosiman	19	3	19	21	62
7	Jacob Hayes	12	17	15	18	62
8	Mitchell Oldenburg	7	15	16	17	55
9	Luke Clout	2	16	17	13	48
10	Derek Drake	15	13	5	15	48
11	Jett Lawrence	14	18	14		46
12	Carson Brown	8	14	11	12	45
13	Killian Auberson	9	8	13	9	39
14	Robbie Wageman	10	5	9	11	35
15	Christian Craig	21	1	1	6	29
16	Martin Castelo		12	7	10	29
17	Aaron Tanti	0	10	10	7	27
18	Jay Wilson	6		12	8	26
19	Michael Leib	11	6		5	22
20	Cameron Mcadoo	17				17
21	Logan Karnow	5	0	8	2	15
22	Derek Kelley	4	9			13
23	Mitchell Falk	1	7		4	12
24	Cheyenne Harmon		4	3	3	10
25	Ludovic Macler	0	2	4	1	7
26	Chris Howell	3				3
27	Lorenzo Camporese		0	2		2

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Mitch Evans second at Italian Motocross opener in Riola Sardo

The opening round of the Internazionali d’Italia Motocross has been held in Riola Sardo, kicking off the 2020 season with strong competition across the MX1, MX2 and Supercampione classes.

Tim Gajser

In the MX1 class Tim Gajser took a commanding lead which he held to the chequered flag, with Australian Mitch Evans the runner up in his 450 debut, posting a stellar performance, with Jeremy Seewer taking third overall.

Mitch Evans

“Good first race of the year in Riola! Always enjoy racing this track. I’m feeling at home back on the 450!”

Mitch Evans

In MX2 Jago Geerts was the top performer, leading home teammate Ben Watson, while Maxime Renaux completed the podium.

The Supercampione class combined the top twenty MX1 and MX2 riders and saw Tim Gajser take the win from Jeremy Seewer, while Arminas Jasikonis completed the top three.

Tim Gajser

“Great first race weekend of the year! We finish P1 in superfinal in a dominant fashion. Great preparation for the upcoming MXGP season.”

Tim Gajser won the Supercampione

MX1 Result

Gajser Tim(Slo)
Evans Mitchell (Aus)
Seewer Jeremy (Sui)
Desalle Clement (Bel)
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu)

MX2 Result

Geerts Jago (Bel)
Watson Ben (Gbr)
Renaux Maxime (Fra)
Guadagnini Mattia (Ita)
Edelbacher Roland (Aut)

Supercampione Result

Gajser Tim (Slo)
Seewer Jeremy (Sui)
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu)
Paulin Gautier (Fra)
Geerts Jago (Bel)

MX1 Standings

Gajser Tim(Slo) P.120
Evans Mitchell (Aus) P. 100
Seewer Jeremy (Sui) P. 80
Desalle Clement (Bel) P. 65
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu) P. 60

MX2 Standings

Geerts Jago (Bel) P. 120
Watson Ben (Gbr) P. 100
Renaux Maxime (Fra) P. 80
Guadagnini Mattia (Ita) P. 65
Edelbacher Roland (Aut) P. 65

Supercampione Standings

Gajser Tim (Slo) P. 120
Seewer Jeremy (Sui) P. 100
Jasikonis Arminas (Ltu) P. 80
Paulin Gautier (Fra) P. 65
Geerts Jago (Bel) P. 60

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Harwood & Purvis win Woodville GP

New Zealand’s 2020 Woodville Motocross GP saw Hamish Harwood and Maximum Purvis claim the MX1 and MX2 wins respectively ahead of the kick-off of the 2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship.

Maximus Purvis took the MX2 win

In the MX1 class it was Hamish Harwood battling it out with Australia’s Kirk Gibbs racing for Altherm JCR Yamaha, who was back racing for the first time since August and struggled with the slippery conditions at times.

A 2-2-1 result was enough to earn Gibbs the runner up position behind Harwood, while Ethan Martens completed the overall MX1 podium.

Kirk Gibbs

“In the first moto, I didn’t get off the line very well at all and had to come from pretty much dead last. I actually felt really comfortable on the bike, made some good progress on the leaders and then got into second. Then I got right onto the back of first for the last lap but just ran out of time. The track had been watered before the second race and he “struggled a little bit trying to push hard when the track was drying out. I got into second, then just as I got into the lead Hamish Harwood passed me. He could turn off a few things a little bit better than me until the track started to dry out towards the end of the race and then I got right back on him but couldn’t pass. I sat there for a little bit but started to inch up. He made a little mistake down the back and I got through and rode it home for a win. All in all, I felt very good and felt good on the bike. My starts can definitely be better and I’ve got to work on those this week and then I’ll come out swinging for round one,” Gibbs concludes.”

Kirk Gibbs

Maximus Purvis dominated in the MX2 class working his way into first position from fourth for the win, while claiming the holeshot in race two and creating a gap he held for the win. The third race saw Purvis claim third, which was enough to take the overall win from Wyatt Chase, with Josiah Natzske third overall.

MX1 Results

Hamish Harwood – 72
Kirk Gibbs – 69
Ethan Martens – 54
Cody Cooper – 51
Hadleigh Knight – 48

MX2 Results

Maximus Purvis – 70
Wyatt Chase – 67
Josiah Natzske – 56
Dylan Walsh – 52
James Scott – 46

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

King of MX final qualifier confirmed for Dargle

The sixth and final chance to qualify for the King of MX final will be held at Dargle on May 9-10, hosted by the Oakdale Junior Motorcycle Club, with the Dargle venue regarded by many as a true motocross track due to its natural terrain layout and heritage as a venue for premiere motocross events, including Mr Motocross, through the ’70s and ’80s.

King of MX

Gavin Hunt – Oakdale Junior Motorcycle Club President

“I’m really excited that the Oakdale committee has gotten behind this, and we as a club can be a part of the 2020 King of MX series and, even more so, to be able to take it to Dargle. To a lot of us, Dargle represents motocross in its most pure form: rider and machine battling each other as they race across the incredible terrain. As the last qualifier for the King of MX final, the event will offer the last seven Golden Tickets for each of the 18 championship classes. We’ll be encouraging all our members to get out there, race it and have some fun – and hopefully make it through.”

Dave Cooke – Motorcycling NSW CEO

“We’ve obviously been working behind the scenes to include Dargle in the 2020 King of MX calendar for some time, and, although it’s a delayed announcement, I think it’s worth the wait. Dargle is iconic in NSW. The track will lead to some great racing, and it’s a fitting way to close the qualifiers before the final. Thanks to our amazing partners, we have an enormous $62,000 prize pool this year, enabling it to be distributed across all the qualifiers, as well as continuing to reward our state champions at the final, along with our Prince, Princess, King and Queen.”

Jess Moore – King of MX

For more details on the schedule see below.

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Cessnock MX Club to host 2020 King of MX final

Hot on the announcement of the King of MX Qualifier Six location, we’ve found out who will be hosting the King of MX final. The Cessnock Club has put in a massive amount of work over summer to rebuild large parts of their track, redesigning it, making huge improvements to the safety and fun factor for riders, and, best of all, they now have 40 gates. What better way to christen it than to bring the final of the biggest motocross event in Australia to the club!

King of MX

Dave Cooke – MNSW CEO

“It’s always exciting to see our clubs put massive amounts of time and money into redeveloping their venues, and the work Cessnock has done over summer puts them in a position to become a host club for the King of MX final. Finding host venues for the final is actually very difficult, simply due to the size of the event. The King of MX has become so successful in its first two years it has actually outgrown some of our venues as we need so much space for competitors and spectators. With the work Cessnock has put in over summer, they are now capable of pulling this off for us. It also means the final will be well located for a whole lot of riders who will want a qualifying spot for their place on the gates, so they better all get their entries in for our regional qualifiers in Bega, Narrabri, Wagga Wagga and Bathurst to try and find a path to their Golden Ticket. If they wait for the last couple of qualifiers at Lakes and Dargle, they may just miss out, because those two events will be huge as well.”

With all seven event venues now announced, get in quick to secure your entry, earn a Golden Ticket and join us in Cessnock. For more information on the 2020 King of MX, head to www.kingofmx.com.au.

2020 King of MX Calendar

Qualifier 1 – February 15-16, Bega – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 2 – February 29-1 March, Narrabri – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 3 – March 14-15, Bathurst – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 4 – March 28-29, Wagga Wagga – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 5 – April 18-19, Lake Macquarie -Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 6 – May 9-10, Dargle – Top 7 qualify for final
Final – June 6-8, Cessnock

2020 Kings of MX Championship Classes

Nippers 4-u/7 years – Demonstration at Qualifiers Only
50cc Division 2 – 7-u/9 years
65cc 7-u/10 years
65cc 10-u/12 years
85cc 2st/150cc 4st 9-u/12 years {standard wheel}
85cc 2st /150cc 4st 12-u/14 years {standard & big wheel}
85cc 2st/150cc 4st 14-u/16 years {standard & big wheel}
85cc 2st/150cc 4st 12-u/16 years All Female {standard & big wheel}
100cc-150cc 2st & 200cc- 250cc 4st 13-u/16 years All Female (Princess of MX)
100cc-125cc 2st 13-u/16 years
128cc-150cc 2st & 200cc-250cc 4st 13-u/16 years (Prince of MX)
MXW All Powers
MX1 A-Grade 255cc-450cc 2st/4st
MX1 B-Grade 255cc-450cc 2st/4st
C Grade Open
MX2 A-Grade up to 250cc 2st/4st
MX2 B-Grade up to 250cc 2st/4st
C Grade Lites
+35 Vets All Powers

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars Champs to Gillman March 21

The Oceania regions best sidecar talent will descend on Gillman Speedway March 21 and roar into life for the 2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship, with MA CEO and FIM Oceania Vice President Peter Doyle announcing the event and also opening expressions of interest until 4.45pm Thursday, February 20, 2020.

Doyle said there was a very strong supporter base of speedway sidecars in Australia and he expected the competition to see the best of the best on display.

Peter Doyle

“We have a very strong history in Australia of producing some of the best sidecar talent in the world including 11-time Australian champion Darrin Treloar and rival Warren Monson. This Australian rivalry and the best of the best in the Oceania region will make the 2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship at Gillman Speedway a must see.”

The Championship is open to holders of current Motorcycling Australia Senior National Competition licence holders, and holders of an appropriate FIM International Licence, Insurance and Start Permission for their Federation.

2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars Champs to Gillman March 21

The event will be run over 20 heats and two finals with four riders in each heat and final
over four laps. Fans wanting to get along to the FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship on March 21, at Gillman Speedway, can do so when gates open at 4pm, practice at 5.30pm, and racing commences at 7.30pm.

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Dylan Walsh to race NZ MX with Ben Townley Tours/Altherm JCR Yamaha

Two of New Zealand’s motocross superpowers have joined forces to make a 2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship programme happen for top Kiwi rider Dylan Walsh.

Former international star Ben Townley will run Walsh in the four-round series through his Ben Townley Tours (BTT) business, with support from his equally-successful compatriot Josh Coppins, via his Altherm JCR Yamaha team.

Dylan Walsh to race NZ MX with Ben Townley Tours/Altherm JCR Yamaha

After his stand-out performance winning the 2019 British MX2 Championship, the collective New Zealand motocross community hoped Walsh would continue on the world stage flying the nation’s flag, who unfortunately didn’t get an opportunity to continue in the 2020 MX2 World Championship.

Ben Townley

“When Josh asked if I’d help him out, I jumped at it to be honest. I really believe that I can help Dylan tick a few boxes and get his entire package as a racer ready, so he can tackle an international racing programme again, as soon as next year. I’m really looking forward to the challenge!”

Josh Coppins – Yamaha Motor New Zealand’s Motorsport Manager

“I rate Dylan as a top 10 rider in MXGP for 2020 but when it finally became clear that an international ride wasn’t going to eventuate for him this season, unfortunately our Altherm JCR Yamaha team structure was complete. So, Ben and I pulled together to make this deal work. Dylan is fortunate to get this help from Ben, who is a world class coach and my Altherm JCR Yamaha team riders are also able to tap into his wealth of knowledge, so it’s a great opportunity all-round.”

Walsh debuted in his new team this weekend at the Woodville NZ GP where BTT will provide the race structure for him and he competes as a satellite rider to Altherm JCR Yamaha. He will strengthen Yamaha’s programme as he races alongside Altherm JCR Yamaha’s current MX2 rider Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis. Walsh will then contest the New Zealand Motocross Championship, which begins in Balclutha on February 1.

Having signed a deal with Serco Yamaha in Australia, Walsh will go on to race across the Tasman in both the Australian Motocross and Supercross Championships in MX2, after the New Zealand season.

Dylan Walsh

“I am super thankful that Josh and Ben put this programme together for me to race for Yamaha in New Zealand over the summer. I couldn’t have any two better people backing me and I’m just really excited to get it under way. I also really appreciate Ben and his family opening the door of their home for me to come and stay with them while I’m in New Zealand. Our goal is to definitely win the NZ MX2 championship and learn as much as I can from Ben and Josh, while building as a rider. Plus it’s a perfect preparation for the Australian championships.”

Dylan Walsh of the Woodville GP

“It was a rough start to the New Zealand racing, although it was good to learn the bike all weekend and make changes. The best race I had was the last moto, despite having a fall. I’ve got to take the positives from it and the fact I’ve got the bike set-up a lot better for next weekend.”

Dylan Walsh

Australian Kirk Gibbs returned to the Altherm JCR Yamaha team for the second consecutive year and will be looking to repeat his 2018 MX1 win in the 2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship. He joins the team’s Hamilton-based rider Kayne Lamont, who will also race in the top-tier motocross class.

2020 Altherm JCR Yamaha Race Schedule

Woodville NZ Grand Prix 2020 – 25th & 26th January

2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship

Round One – Balclutha, 1st February 2020
Round Two – Rotorua, 23rd February 2020
Round Three – Hawkes Bay, 1st March 2020
Round Four – Taupo, 15th March 2020

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Luc Ackermann wins shortened 2019 FMX World Championsip

Following the cancellation of the final round of the 2019 campaign, Luc Ackermann has been crowned the FIM FreeStyle Motocross World Champion in 2019, ending a run of five years of dominance for his great rival Maikel Melero in forceful fashion.

2020 FMX podium – Filip Podmol, Luc Ackermann, Adam Jones – Image by Oliver Franke

After taking the silver medal last year, the German leapfrogged the Spaniard in the ‘Night of the Jumps’ rankings by winning all but one round this time, and with the riders’ lowest score of the season written off from their final total he effectively ended the campaign with a maximum points-haul.

Just as they had done last season, Ackermann and Melero fought fiercely throughout the year, although this time the young German had added consistency to his impressive range of skills. After spectacular victories in front of vociferous home crowds in Berlin and Munich, Ackermann endured a disastrous first ever visit for the series to Lake Zurich, Switzerland, when he crashed heavily and missed out on the final.

Impressive Australian Paterson Bowden put together a strong challenge for the win in his breakout season but Melero’s experience told in the final and a first victory of the year kept him in title contention.

The decisive ‘Night of the Jumps’ came in August in Daqing, the fifth different Chinese city to be visited by the series in the past eight years.

Luc Ackermann – Image by Oliver Franke

Whilst Bowden unfortunately could not compete due to visa issues, Ackermann returned to his best with a sensational run despite dewy ramps in the final – landing his Front Flip, Flair, 360 Nac Nac and Surfer Tsunami Flip and finishing with a Double Backflip to secure the gold medal in style.

Pos	Rider	Nat.	Man.	Points
1	Luc ACKERMANN	GER	Husqvarna	120
2	Maikel MELERO	ESP	KTM	108
3	Paterson BOWDEN	AUS	Yamaha	74
4	Adam JONES	USA	Yamaha	68
5	Filip PODMOL	CZE	Yamaha	61
6	Kai HAASE	GER	Suzuki	53
7	Libor PODMOL	CZE	Husqvarna	42
8	Javier VILLEGAS	CHI	Suzuki	41
9	Robert ADELBERG	AUS	Yamaha	40
10	Hannes ACKERMANN	GER	KTM	38

Petr Pilát renews FMX contract with KTM Factory Racing

KTM Factory Racing will continue their association with leading Freestyle athlete Petr Pilát and will support the Czech rider for a fifteenth consecutive year for his 2020 campaign of events and appearances. The 29 year old will again benefit from latest spec two-stroke and four-stroke machinery from the factory for his training regime and calendar of international shows and competitions this season.

Pilát, who is one of the principal FMX names from the Czech Republic and is known for his style, determination and initiatives such as the Petr Pilát Junior Academy, will jump with 250 SX motorcycles and will maintain a link with KTM that began back in 2005.

Among a busy schedule, Pilát can be seen in the Arenacross series in the UK, Night of the Jumps, Masters of Dirt, Night of Freestyle, Goodwood Festival and appearances at the Austrian MotoGP round at Red Bull Ring and the MXGP Grand Prix of Czech Republic later in the summer.

Petr Pilát

“Another year of an epic association with KTM and I’m super-happy because I love the brand and the people at the factory. I’ve never had an issue with the bikes and they are perfect for what I need. 2019 wasn’t the best year for me even though I was really motivated. I had been working on two new tricks but then managed to break my foot and needed surgery. Unfortunately, I had an infection and a lot of pain. It meant another operation and four months of antibiotics, so I missed a lot of riding but managed to get back by the end of the year and finished 4th in the last round of the FIM World Championship in Bulgaria. Not a great result but after all I had been through it was a positive end. I’m fit and excited about 2020 and will start at the UK Arenacross series. Again, a big thanks to KTM and I’m really proud to be riding those orange bikes.”

Petr Pilát – Image KTM Racing
Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Moto News Weekly | Anaheim II | Dakar | X-Trial | SuperEnduro

January 20, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

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Strong Aussie showing at 2020 Dakar Rally

After Africa and South America, the most recent chapter of Dakar Rally history, in the Middle East opened, with the Monster Energy Honda Team taking a leading role, with Ricky Brabec taking an early lead and the eventual win by 16min-26s.

Runner up was Pablo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), with Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Team) completing the top three, as top Australian competitor.

Toby Price – P3

“I’m really happy with another podium at the Dakar – every time I’ve made it to the finish at this event I’ve got onto the podium. So far, I’m either a number one or a number three guy. The most important thing is to be here safely at the finish. Obviously, we came here to win, but it just wasn’t our year. Yeah, after 18 wins in a row it would have been nice to get a 19th, but I think KTM’s winning streak won’t be topped for a very long time. We’ll go away now, regroup and come back stronger for 2021 and take that number one plate back.”

Toby Price – 2020 Dakar Rally

Fellow Australian and privateer Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) came home in 13th, with a best stage finish of sixth.

Rodney Faggotter – P13

“Wow its done! Top 20’s most stages, with a career best of sixth in stage 10 for a career best of 13th overall. I had a solid two weeks and rode the most “in control” but also the best I have ever done. The riders in front of me are the best rally riders in the world and most of them full time athletes – I’m pumped to be near and amongst these guys! Two weeks flat out and it comes to a instant stop and now I try get to reflect and appreciate everyone’s support and messages. Instead of going through and saying last but not least – I want to call out to my awesome hot beautiful supportive wife and best friend. Love ya babe!!! Thank you. And my boys Matt and Nate for their support! It’s so hard on family back home following the race especially when you disappear off the charts due to helping at a accident/or a mechanical failure or even just technical timing glitches. Massive shout out to the Dragon Yamaha team and my awesome mechanic Quentin Brossier. He says only a few English words and I say none French – so we get along great! He worked overtime all through the night sometime triple checking and sorting everything and I never had a issue. Thanks bud! Big thank you to Yamaha Motor Australia and Yamaha Motor Finance, Yamaha Motor Insurance Australia without their commitment to assist me this year – I would not have been here full stop. And also a big thanks to fellow competitor Ben Young for helping me get to the start line. So many others that helped or have helped previously – that got me to this point that I so much appreciate. Thanks guys.”

Rodney Faggotter

New Zealand’s Phillip Wilson (Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team) was 53rd overall, with Ben Young (Duust Rally Team) coming home in 58th.

Trevor Wilson finished 76th, while Matthew Tisdall completed the 2020 Dakar Rally in 96th.

Pos.	Rider	Team	Time/Gap
1	RICKY BRABEC	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	40H 02′ 36”
2	PABLO QUINTANILLA	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	+ 00H 16′ 26”
3	TOBY PRICE	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 00H 24′ 06”
4	JOSE CORNEJO FLORIMO	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	+ 00H 31′ 43”
5	MATTHIAS WALKNER	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 00H 35′ 00”
6	LUCIANO BENAVIDES	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 00H 37′ 34”
7	JOAN BARREDA BORT	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	+ 00H 50′ 57”
8	FRANCO CAIMI	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	+ 01H 42′ 35”
9	SKYLER HOWES	KLYMCIW RACING	+ 02H 04′ 01”
10	ANDREW SHORT	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	+ 02H 10′ 40”
11	STEFAN SVITKO	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	+ 02H 13′ 32”
12	ADRIEN METGE	SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY	+ 02H 33′ 14”
13	RODNEY FAGGOTTER	YAMAHA MOTOR AUSTRALIA	+ 02H 54′ 22”
14	JAUME BETRIU	FN SPEED TEAM	+ 03H 31′ 58”
15	JAMIE MCCANNEY	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	+ 03H 42′ 24”
16	JUAN PEDRERO GARCIA	LS2 AVENTURA TOUAREG	+ 03H 45′ 33”
17	MACIEJ GIEMZA	ORLEN TEAM	+ 03H 51′ 42”
18	LAIA SANZ	GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM	+ 03H 58′ 16”
19	KEVIN BENAVIDES	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	+ 04H 02′ 31”
20	MAURIZIO GERINI	SOLARYS RACING	+ 04H 08′ 16”
21	ROSS BRANCH	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	+ 04H 23′ 20”
22	JACOPO CERUTTI	SOLARYS RACING	+ 04H 26′ 00”
23	MARTIN MICHEK	MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG)	+ 04H 30′ 41”
24	SEBASTIEN LAGUT	NOMADE RACING	+ 05H 21′ 45”
25	PAUL SPIERINGS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	+ 05H 50′ 43”
26	MILAN ENGEL	MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG)	+ 06H 03′ 09”
27	ANTONIO MAIO	YAMAHA FINO MOTOR RACING	+ 06H 15′ 21”
28	PATRICIO CABRERA	FN SPEED TEAM	+ 06H 49′ 18”
29	EMANUEL GYENES	AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM	+ 08H 02′ 31”
30	ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS	ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS	+ 08H 15′ 51”
31	FAUSTO MOTA	XRAIDS TEAM	+ 08H 42′ 54”
32	MARIO PATRAO	KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 08H 44′ 09”
33	OLIVIER PAIN	TEAM JOG – NOMADE RACING	+ 09H 06′ 45”
34	BENJAMIN MELOT	BENJAMIN MELOT	+ 09H 15′ 05”
35	LOIC MINAUDIER	TEAM ALL TRACKS	+ 09H 47′ 47”
36	FLORENT VAYSSADE	TEAM VAYSSADE FLORENT	+ 10H 36′ 10”
37	ANTHONY BOURSAUD	ANTHO MOTO SPORT – DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM	+ 10H 50′ 18”
38	PETR VLCEK	PETR VLCEK	+ 11H 48′ 57”
39	ROMAIN LELOUP	TEAM REPAR’STORES	+ 11H 57′ 56”
40	MYUNGGUL RYU	KLYMCIW RACING	+ 12H 37′ 50”
41	MIRJAM POL	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	+ 13H 35′ 03”
42	ZAKER YAKP	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	+ 14H 11′ 52”
43	CHARLIE HERBST	NOMADE RACING	+ 14H 15′ 15”
44	KRZYSZTOF JARMUZ	115MOTO	+ 14H 32′ 09”
45	PHILIPPE GENDRON	NOMADE RACING	+ 14H 49′ 16”
46	ENRIQUE GUZMÁN	XRAIDS TEAM	+ 14H 55′ 42”
47	PHILIPPE CAVELIUS	CAVELIUS TEAM	+ 15H 01′ 24”
48	NICOLAS BRABECK-LETMATHE	TEAM CASTEU	+ 15H 28′ 49”
49	ALESSANDRO BARBERO	ALESSANDRO BARBERO	+ 15H 31′ 58”
50	SIMON MARCIC	MARCIC	+ 15H 40′ 26”
….
53	PHILLIP WILSON	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	+ 16H 06′ 32”
58	BEN YOUNG	DUUST RALLY TEAM	+ 16H 53′ 51”
76	TREVOR COLIN WILSON	TREVOR WILSON	+ 21H 53′ 24”
96	MATTHEW TISDALL	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	+ 40H 24′ 27”

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Toni Bou wins X-Trial Round 3 in Budapest

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou burst back onto the 2020 trial scene, snatching a 65th career win in the indoor discipline, in the third points-scoring round of the X-Trial World Championship held in the Hungarian capital Budapest.

Toni Bou – X-Trial Championship Round 3 – Hungary

Budapest played host to round three of the FIM X-Trial World Championship where the spectators in the Laszlo Papp Arena were treated to a thrilling display from Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou.

Bou cruised through the opening qualifying round to claim a spot in the second knockout phase. The champion scored better than the other seven riders over the five-section preliminary phase.

Subsequently in the knockout phase, Bou again fared better than adversaries Gabriel Marcelli and Jaime Busto, earning himself a place in the Grand Final against Adam Raga.

Bou and Raga, both displaying top-level riding skills, faced off in the final over six sections, only to finish tied on points. The ‘run-off’ section failed to decide the winner, with both riders fiving the section. Eventually the victor was adjudicated to be Bou on merit of a count-back, the reigning champion having scored better in the second round. Bou now boasts a 15-point advantage over Adam Raga.

Toni Bou

“It was a really, really tough trial. Adam rode really well today. We were able to win the first round and also the second which proved decisive for the final run-off. I gave it everything in the final, but I wasn’t experiencing very good sensations, and I couldn’t find my balance, but I had enough aggression to keep fighting until the end, where I cleaned the two final sections while there was everything still to play for, so it all turned out fine in the end. I want to congratulate Adam because it will be really tough to beat him this year.”

Toni Bou tops the podium from Adam Raga and Gabriel Marcelli

Repsol Honda Team will be back to tackle the fourth round of the X-Trial World Championship on Sunday February 2 in Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi.

Results X Trial Budapest 2020

Pos.	Rider	Nat	Team	Points
1	BOU, Toni	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	20
2	RAGA, Adam	SPA	TRRS Factory Team	15
3	MARCELLI, Gabriel	SPA	RG Team	12
4	FAJARDO, Jeroni	SPA	Sherco Factory Team	9
5	CASALES, Jorge	SPA	Gas Gas Factory Team	6
6	BUSTO, Jaime	SPA	Vertigo Factory Team	4
7	GELABERT, Miquel	SPA	Vertigo Factory Team	2
8	BINCAZ, Benoit	FRA	Beta Factory Racing	1

X Trial Rider Standings

Pos	Rider	Nat.	Team	Points
1	BOU, Toni	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	60
2	RAGA, Adam	SPA	TRRS Factory Team	45
3	BUSTO, Jaime	SPA	Vertigo Factory Team	22
4	FAJARDO, Jeroni	SPA	Sherco Factory Team	21
5	GELABERT, Miquel	SPA	Vertigo Factory Team	20
6	MARCELLI, Gabriel	SPA	RG Team	18
7	CASALES, Jorge	SPA	Gas Gas Factory Team	12
8	BINCAZ, Benoit	FRA	Beta Factory Racing	7
9	MARTIN, Toby	GBR	Beta Factory Racing	1
10	TOULY, Kieran	FRA	Scorpa Factory	1

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Billy Bolt dominates Spanish SuperEnduro Round 3

Where Blazusiak dominated in Germany as Billy Bolt struggled, the young Husqvarna rider took his revenge during the third round of the season in Spain, setting the fastest time in the Akrapovic SuperPole and proceeded to take three victories in front of the passionate Spanish crowd – the maximum 63 points on the night! Having learned from his mistakes in Riesa, he completely dominated proceedings in A Coruña.

Billy Bolt

In the first race he quickly placed himself directly behind Taddy Blazusiak after the Pole took the holeshot. With a very slick track, conditions seemed to suit Bolt, who usually thrives when there’s a lack of grip.

From the second lap onwards, he lead the way in front of Blazusiak and Jonny Walker, with the latter finally seeming more comfortable and confident. The British Factory KTM rider finished in third, and Blazusiak was unable to hunt down Bolt, forced to settle for second behind the unstoppable kid from Newcastle.

Jonny Walker

In race two the riders have to face a ‘reverse grid’, but Bolt didn’t waste much time getting past early leaders Pol Tarres and Diogo Vieira. While Bolt made his escape, Blazusiak and Walker found themselves stuck in traffic, and despite Bolt suffering a fall he kept out of reach as he crossed the finish line and took the chequered flag.

Three laps from the end of the race, Blazusiak was only in eighth position, but his fighting spirit came to the fore and he battled back to an important fourth. Jonny Walker took second, and Alfredo Gomez third.

Alfredo Gomez

Determined not to let Bolt get too far ahead in the standings, the two KTM riders pulled off fantastic starts in the last race. Blazusiak was leading Walker while Bolt was further back. But on the second lap Blazusiak went down, letting Walker shoot past.

It seemed as if Taddy’s team-mate was finally on for a race win, but a mistake cost him near certain victory. In the end, no-one could stop Bolt as he charged through for his third victory of the evening. Jonny Walker and Taddy Blazusiak completed the top three in this final race.

Billy Bolt

“I’m made up by just how well tonight has gone. It’s the first time I’ve won all three races and taken the Superpole, so all in it’s gone about as perfect as it could have done. After my performance in Germany I wanted to come here and redeem myself. But to be honest, when I walked the course I didn’t expect it to suit me so well. However, as the night progressed I adapted to the changing terrain and conditions. You needed to muscle the bike around in places, but at the same time be calm and patient. I did my best to avoid mistakes and take the opportunities when they came to me. It worked, especially with race three – that felt perfect. Of course there’s still a long way to go in the championship, we’re far from over, but to take maximum points and get the leader’s red plate back is fantastic.”

Billy Bolt

Jonny Walker

“It’s been another good night and I feel like I’m showing that I’m making steps forward with each round. I’m delighted with second and another visit to the podium. On a tricky course I managed to get good starts and that made a big difference. I wasn’t always the fastest on the track, but I was consistently hitting my lines every lap, which was making things count. Looking at my results as a whole, I’ve improved each time. Fourth in Poland, third in Germany and now second tonight, that gives me a lot of confidence heading into the next round.”

Jonny Walker

Taddy Blazusiak

“The track was the real decider tonight. It either worked for you or it tripped you up. Unfortunately, for the majority of the time it got the better of me. I felt like after practice I had it figured out and in race one I managed to get it right. You needed to let it come to you – in a way ride slow to go faster. In race two things sort of came undone and I made too many strange mistakes. It was the same in race three, too. But I’m experienced enough not to dwell on it. There’s a lot of racing left to go in this championship and I’m looking forward to returning to the stadium in Budapest where I know I can show what I’m capable of.”

Taddy Blazusiak

Alfredo Gomez

“I made things difficult for myself when I crashed in the Superpole and ended up sixth. That meant I had a poor gate position and it was difficult to fight in the first corner. In race one I started seventh and recovered to fourth. I managed to capitalise on the reversed grid for race two and exited the second corner in fourth. I found my rhythm pretty quick and took third there. With fifth in race three I ended up fourth overall, but I showed in race two that with a decent start my pace was good.”

Alfredo Gomez

Billy Bolt now has 169 points in the standings, and takes over at the front of the championship by six-points ahead of Blazusiak. Walker is 33-points back, but not out of the title chase. Gomez is now fourth, 10 points from Walker.

Prestige Class Results – 2020 SuperEnduro Round 3
Prestige Overall Event Classification

Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 63 points
Jonny Walker (GBR), KTM, 49
Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 46
Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husqvarna, 39
Blake Gutzeit (RSA), Husqvarna, 29

Final 1

Billy Bolt
Taddy Blazusiak
Jonny Walker
Alfredo Gomez
Tim Apolle

Final 2

Billy Bolt
Jonny Walker
Alfredo Gomez
Taddy Blazusiak
Will Hoare

Final 3

Billy Bolt
Jonny Walker
Alfredo Gomez
Taddy Blazusiak
Alfredo Gomez
Blake Gutzeit

Provisional Classification

Billy Bolt 169 points
Taddy Blazusiak 163
Jonny Walker 136
Alfredo Gomez 126
Blake Gutzeit 89

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Juniors

America’s Ty Cullins, leader of the Junior category, experienced his worst evening since his debut in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. The TM rider didn’t finish in the top three during any of the races in A Coruña. The Californian fell foul of the many pitfalls in the Spanish arena. After several crashes, he failed to find the pace or the confidence to fight at the front.

Bulgarian KTM rider, Teodor Kabakchiev, was the big winner of the evening. After taking victory in race two, and a couple of second places, he took overall victory in Spain. The first race was won by Dominik Olszowy ahead of Kabakchiev and Leon Hentschel.

Kabakchiev took top honours in race two ahead of Milan Schmueser and Hentschel. And the German Sherco rider won the last race at the expense of Kabakchiev and France’s Adrien Jacon.

The Junior Championship therefore has a new leader in the form of Leon Hentschel, who now has 138 points, Cullins limits the damage by leaving A Coruña second in the rankings, five-points down. Following his excellent evening, Kabakchiev is now third on 125 points.

Junior Class Results – 2020 SuperEnduro Round 3
Final 1

Dominik Olszowy
Teodor Kabakchiev
Leon Hentschel
Raul Guimera
Adrien Jacon

Final 2

Teodor Kabakchiev
Milan Schmueser
Leon Hentschel
Adrien Jacon
Dominik Olszowy

Final 3

Milan Schmueser
Teodor KabakchievLeon Hentschel
Adrien Jacon
Alessandro Azzalini
Dominik Olszowy

Provisionnal classification

Leon Hentschel 138 points
Ty Cullins 133
Teodor Kabakchiev 125
Adrien Jacon 121
Milan Schmueser 76

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Aussies tackle 2020 Africa ECO Race

Australian Andrew Houlihan has finished 21st outright in the gruelling 2020 Africa ECO Race, with the 14 day off-road rally seeing riders struggle at times with demanding terrain, some stranded in the desert for up to 30 hours, and one stage cut short due to multiple serious crashes requiring evacuations by helicopter.

While the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia has captured plenty of attention in recent weeks, three Australians, Andrew Houlihan, Matt Sutherland and Peter Caldwell have been tackling an equally demanding event in Northern Africa.

Andrew Houlihan – 2020 Africa ECO Race Results

The Africa ECO Race is an annual rally raid that starts in Europe and retraces much of the path of the original Paris-Dakar rally, ending on the banks of the famous pink lake – Lac Rose – in Senegal.

This year’s event started under lights in Monaco on the 4th January. Competitors then travelled to the port of Savona in Italy to board a ferry which took them to Tangier in Morocco. From there they competed for 12 days racing over a distance of 6,500km through the mind-blowing landscapes of Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal. Each stage was between 300 to 750km.

Andrew Houlihan entered with no expectations other than to finish safely, and is no stranger to the challenges of off-road racing having won multiple motocross titles in Australia, but at the age of almost 50 he made his international debut in the Hellas Rally in Greece in 2018.

A major crash in that rally almost cost him his life, and after a long recovery he came back in 2019 to compete in four international rallies including the Hispania Rally in Spain (placing sixth in class) and the Rally du Maroc where he came eighth in the Enduro Cup category.

The 2020 Africa ECO Race was the next step on Andrew’s journey to his ultimate goal of competing in the 2021 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, and Andrew’s previous successes helped to gain sponsorship from Coca-Cola Energy.

The energy drink division of Coca-Cola, one of the most recognised and valuable brands in the world, has put their support behind Andrew, his teammate Mexican rider Juan Pablo Guillen and their Nomadas Adventure team.

A field of 74 motorbikes started this year’s rally, but the tough conditions took their toll on the riders and machines with only 61 rolling up to the start line for the final day.

Stage 8 was particularly hard on riders with many bikes still stranded in the Mauritanian sand dunes overnight. For many of those stranded the rescue mission would take up to 30 hours. Two days later tough conditions and multiple serious crashes caused the early termination of the 600km 10th stage.

Andrew’s 21st place in the 2020 Africa ECO Race is despite facing his own challenges during the event. A fuel pump failure in stage 2 cost him over an hour and a half while he siphoned fuel with his CamelBak from one fuel tank to the operational one, as well as ongoing hand cramps over the final three days.

Andrew Houlihan

“I had a couple of bad days and a few really good days. Very little sleep for 12 days and just enough food to keep going each day. We saw the best and the worst of Northern Africa and it was an emotional and physical roller coaster. Every day at some stage I would ask myself, why am I doing this. There were some serious accidents, riders stuck in the dunes for 24 hours, bikes and cars breaking down, crazy African desert dwellers to contend with and many new friendships made. I’m happy to finish in 21st position overall despite a couple of really bad days. It’s time to get home to Katie and the kids, add some more titanium pins and screws to my body, recover and get ready for the next race!”

Andrew Houlihan – 2020 Africa ECO Race Results

Fellow Australian Matt Sutherland who was born in Ballarat but now lives in Vancouver, was a late entry into the rally. He replaced a rider in Lyndon Poskitt’s Team Races 2 Places who had to withdraw due to illness. Matt finished the rally in seventh place.

Peter Caldwell (KTM) finished 36th after losing plenty of time in an early stage when he got lost in the sand dunes.

2020 Africa ECO Race Results

Pos.	Rider	Time
1	BOTTURI Alessandro	48:47:30
2	ULLEVALSETER Pal Anders	48:51:29
3	POSKITT Lyndon	49:39:26
4	LUCCI Paolo	49:43:02
5	BENKO Martin	54:11:17
6	CZACHOR Jacek	54:23:10
7	SUTHERLAND Matt	54:33:29
8	DABROWSKI Konrad	55:23:37
9	STASIACZEK Pawel	55:49:55
10	GRITTI Giovanni	56:24:33
11	JOHNSON Michael	56:57:37
12	LA CAVERA Blasco	58:12:42
13	MINELLI Gabriele	59:03:22
14	BARATIN Amaury	59:04:13
15	BERGLUND Anders	59:34:56
16	BOCOUM Mamadou	60:04:42
17	GUILLEN Juan Pablo	60:13:16
18	SAVELKOULS Stephan	60:25:05
19	MAESTRAMI Lorenzo	60:26:13
20	CRAISS Michael	60:44:27
21	HOULIHAN Andrew	61:00:12
22	LABINSKY Robert	65:38:23
23	CHATELIER Thibault	66:11:04
24	GöRLACH Fabian	67:11:20
25	EVANS Joey	68:20:50
26	ZATKO Jan	69:06:26
27	RAAFF Gregory	69:14:20
28	HULTQVIST Joakim	69:56:32
29	CONREAU Christophe	70:45:50
30	VAN DER WOUDEN Bram	71:27:22
31	ENOCHSSON Per	71:54:58
32	STROMAETHER Per	72:19:45
33	DORS Richard	76:19:50
34	LINES Edward	76:54:40
35	COMINARDI Davide	77:29:29
36	CALDWELL Peter	78:40:14

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Under-21’s Speedway heads to Undera

Australia’s best Under 21 Speedway riders converge on Undera this Saturday night for the 2020 Australian Under 21’s Speedway Championship, with a 16-rider field to tackle the tight technical Undera circuit, near Shepparton, from 5pm, January 25, 2020.

Motorcycling Australia Track Events Manager, Sam Redfern, said the 16-rider field were the best of the best and Australia’s future world champions including recent Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship competitors Jaimon Lidsey and Zach Cook who both put in strong performances against senior riders.

Jaimon Lidsey

Sam Redfern – Motorcycling Australia Track Events Manager

“This is a fantastic field of Australian talent for the Under 21’s Speedway Championship at Undera, with Jaimon Lidsey aiming for his third Under 21 title in a row. Undera recently held the successful senior national championship and fans should definitely expect spectacular action and racing this Saturday night. Junior speedway is in a very healthy state and these young guns have the talent to represent Australia on the world stage. I would certainly encourage speedway fans to get to Undera Speedway on January 25 for what will be a fantastic championship meet.”

Racing on the night kicks off with practice from 5pm, rider introduction at 7pm and racing from 7.30pm.

2020 Moto X Step Up returns to Adelaide

Following a successful Australian debut at the 2019 Superloop Adelaide 500, the Moto X Step Up competition will return for 2020, with the unique motocross competition attracting adrenalin-seekers from all over the world as competitors attempt to jump a bar as high as 55 feet.

An international rider line-up headlined by Australia’s own Jarryd McNeil will see some of the world’s best Moto X stars head to Adelaide to compete for the top prize.

McNeil, the reigning four-time Moto X Step Up X Games Gold Medallist (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) took out the inaugural Superloop Adelaide 500 crown in 2019 and is looking forward to returning to Adelaide to defend his title.

Jarryd McNeil

“It was awesome to win the first ever Moto X Step Up competition in Australia at last year’s Superloop Adelaide 500. It’s cool to see so many Aussie fans at the event, embracing Moto X Step Up and cheering us on. This year the field is just as competitive, if not more, with a number of international riders. I’m looking forward to the challenge that it brings and trying to retain my title.”

American Colby Raha who claimed bronze in the Moto X Step Up and gold in the Real Moto X Gold Medal at the 2019 X Games is McNeil’s main rival in the field and looking for redemption in 2020.

Colby Raha

“I’m stoked to head back to Australia and compete in the Step Up competition. It’s cool to see how big this sport has grown in Australia over the years and the level of riders coming from Down Under. The competition was close in 2019 and I’m ready to go again, the Aussies better watch their backs!”

The Czech Republic’s Filip Podmol will return to Adelaide after a successful Moto X debut at last year’s event clearing 36 feet, along with Italian Massimo Bianconcini who took out fifth place in the 2019 X Games Moto X Step Up competition, rounding out the field in what is set to be a thrilling spectacle for fans.

Similar to high jump, Moto X Step Up will see the bar increase in height, beginning at 30 feet and sometimes reaching 55 feet in order to secure eliminations. If a rider is unsuccessful in their two attempts they are eliminated. The winner is declared when one rider remains after multiple elimination stages over the four-day event, kicking off on February 20.

The Superloop Adelaide 500 will take place 20 February – 23 February, 2020. Tickets for the 2020 Superloop Adelaide 500 are now on sale. For more information on the event and Rose Rooftop visit: www.superloopadl500.com.au (link)

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2020 Empire Kawasaki riders announced

The direct collaboration between Kawasaki Motors Australia and Empire Kawasaki is entering into its second full season, with Tyson Cherry and Empire Motorsport to run the largest Kawasaki supported Motocross and Supercross racing effort in the 2020 Australian Motocross Nationals and Australian Supercross Championship.

Continuing on from 2019, Deakin Hellier will be competing on the Kawasaki KX250 in MXD and MX2 sharing, “Feeling super adamant on putting some good results on the board for the 2020 MX season, my bike this year is feeling awesome. The new 2020 KX250 has really blown me away this year excited to show my potential.”

Jayden Rykers, will be competing on the Kawasaki KX450 in MX1 adding, “I’m really happy to be joining the Empire Kawasaki team for 2020. I had a solid year last year and had the speed to run with the top riders and I’m looking to continue on with that form. I’ve spent some time on the test track on the new bike and I feel really comfortable on the bike, and think that as a whole, it suits my style better than my previous bike. This, paired with a better preseason will see me hunting the podium throughout the year.”

Team Manager, Tyson Cherry also commented on the year ahead, “2019 was an awesome year for us, learning a new bike and building a relationship with Kawasaki Australia, we are excited to continue our partnership with Kawasaki. Deakin and Jayden are both putting in a lot of work on and off the bike; we are all excited to get to round 1 and get the season underway.”

Kawasaki Motors Australia National Sales & Marketing Manager, Robert Walker is looking forward to a strong year for the Green Team, “We have established an great relationship with Empire Kawasaki. In 2020 we are looking forward to seeing the team on the podium and supporting the Kawasaki brand with some great results.”.

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Indian announce 2020 European Flat Track Series

Indian Motorcycle and the Dirt Track Riders Association (DTRA) have announce the race schedule for the 2020 Indian Motorcycle European Flat Track Series.

Following a successful inaugural series in 2019, Indian Motorcycle has worked with the DTRA to select events that ensure the ‘Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series’ championship is accessible and exciting for a wide range of rider abilities.

2020 Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series announced – Image by Tom Bing

Three classes will allow entries ranging from the thundering 750cc+ multi-cylinder ‘Hooligan’ road-based machines, such as Indian FTR 1200 and Scout, to the Open-entry ‘Pro Class’ dominated by lightweight DTX based machines and a growing Pre-1975 ‘Vintage Class’.

All classes cater for first-time amateur and Pro riders alike, with circuits catering for mixed ability, including fast ½-miles, tight short tracks and a TT, with a four round championship with the three best results to count.

2020 Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series

Round 1: 2nd-3rd May Hells Race, Holland – Light Shale Short-Track
Open to all Classes. Held at this well-established event at the Dirttrack Lelystad Stadium, this is a fantastic event to open the series.
Round 2: 6th-7th June Greenfield TT, United Kingdom – Dirt-Track TT Course
Open to Pro and Vintage classes only. Greenfield TT incorporates a spectacular jump section which is unsuitable for the Hooligan road-based machines, it also makes-up a round of the UK DTRA Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Nationals Series.
Round 3: 13th June – El Rollo at Wheels and Waves, San Sebastian, Spain – Dirt Short-Track
Open to all Classes. The El Rollo dirt-track race at Wheels and Waves is a massive event in the European motorcycle calendar.
Round 4: 18th-20th September Krowdrace, Parchim Germany – Shale 1/2 Mile
Open to all Classes. Run for the first time in 2019, Krowdrace is expanding in its second year and will be running at this excellent ½-mile venue.

Individual event prizes will be awarded on top of local event prizes as follows: Winner Pro – 200 Euros; Winner Hooligan – 150 Euros; Winner Vintage – 150 Euros.

The series is free to enter and prizes and benefits will be available only to registered riders. Registered riders will agree to abide by the rules of the series and the local rules and licence arrangements of each local race organisers. Registrations will open during January and close just before the first meeting. Full rules for the 2020 series will be found on the DTRA website and, of course, locally at each event. (Link to registration via DTRA: www.dirttrackriders.co.uk)

Indian Motorcycle will announce its 2020 team and rider lineup soon.

2020 Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series Poster

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Shayna Texter with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for another two years

KTM Motorsports have announced that 18-time AFT Singles winner Shayna Texter has signed a two-year contract extension with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team to compete in the American Flat Track Championship Singles class through the 2021 season.

Texter, a Pennsylvania native, will return aboard the KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition, a bike that led her to three AFT Singles Main Event wins last season. As a part of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team’s debut season in 2019, Texter has been an integral part of the brand’s testing and development in American Flat Track racing. Finishing seventh overall in the series last season, Texter will look to improve her standing and go after even more race-wins in 2020.

Shayna Texter

“It’s an honor to be continuing my relationship with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team. They have created a culture of winning that I am happy to be a part of. We learned so much together last season with the new team and we won three races together, but now we turn our attention toward 2020 with new goals that I look forward to accomplishing on a Red Bull KTM.”

Shayna Texter – Image by Scott Hunter

The 2020 American Flat Track Championship kicks off on March 14 in Daytona Beach, Florida. For more information on the American Flat Track Championship, please visit their website https://www.americanflattrack.com.

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2020 Championship Calendars

2020 AMA Motocross race schedule

May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN

2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar

Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

2020 MXGP Calendar

March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 7 – Russia, Orlyonok – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 14 – Latvia, Kegums – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 28 – Indonesia, Jakarta
July 5 – Indonesia, Palembang
July 26 – Czech Republic, Loket – (EMX65, EMX85, EMX 2t)
August 2 – Belgium, Lommel – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 16 – Sweden, Uddevalla – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 23 – Finland, Litti-KymiRing – (EMX125, EMX250, EMX 2t)
September 6 – Turkey, Afyonkarahisar – (EMX Open, WMX)
September 13 – China, (TBA) –
September 20 – Emilia Romagna, Imola – (EMX125, WMX)
September 27 – Motocross of Nations, France, Ernee

2020 American Flat Track

Round 1. March 14: Daytona 200 & TT – Daytona Speedway, FL
Round 2. March 28: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
Round 3. April 4: Charlotte Half-Mile – Charlotte Speedway, Concord, NC
Round 4. May 2: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
Round 5. May 9: So-Cal Half-Mile – Perris Speedway, Perris, CA
Round 6. May 16: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
Round 7. May 30: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
Round 8. June 13: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Speedway, Loudon, NH
Round 9. June 20: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK
Round 10. June 27: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
Round 11. July 4: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
Round 12. August 9: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
Round 13. August 11: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
Round 14. August 22: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
Round 15. September 5: Springfield Mile I – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 16. September 6: Springfield Mile II – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 17. September 12: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
Round 18. September 26: Meadowlands Mile* – Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ

2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway Calendar

Round 1, January 3 – Kurri Kurri Speedway, Loxford Park NSW
Round 2, January 6 – Diamond Park, Wodonga VIC
Round 3, January 7 – Undera Speedway, Echuca Road, Undera VIC
Round 4, January 9 – Olympic Park, Regina Street, Mildura VIC
Round 5, January 11 – Gillman Speedway, Wilkins Road, Gillman SA

2020 WESS Enduro World Championship Schedule

Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 8-10
Round 2: Trefle Lozerien AMV (France) May 21-23
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) June 10-14
Round 4: Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland ) June TBC
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 21-25
Round 6: Tennessee Knockout (USA) August 15-16
Round 7: Hawkstone Park Cross-Country (UK) September TBC
Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro (Spain) October TBC

2020 FIM Speedway GP Calendar

May 16 – PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland – Warsaw
May 30 – German SGP – Teterow
June 13 – Czech SGP – Prague
July 18 – Adrian Flux British SGP – Cardiff
July 25 – Swedish SGP – Hallstavik
August 1 – Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland – Wroclaw
August 15 – Scandinavian SGP – Malilla, Sweden
August 29 – Russian SGP – Togliatti
September 12 – Danish SGP sponsored by ECCO – Vojens
October 3 – Revline Torun SGP of Poland – Torun

2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship dates

April 11-12 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships
- Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD, North Brisbane Jnr Motorcycle Club
October 17-18 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
- Fairburn Park, ACT Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Track Championship dates

May 16-17 Australian Senior Track Championships
- Qurindi, Tamworth, NSW, Tamworth Motorcycle Club
September 26-27 Australian Junior Track Championships
- Gunnedah, NSW Gunnedah Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Off-Road Championship Calendar

Round 1 & 2: Toowoomba, QLD 22 – 23 February 2020
Round 3 & 4: Dungog, NSW 14 – 15 March 2020
Round 5 & 6: Nowra, NSW 18 – 19 April 2020
Round 7 & 8: SA 1 – 2 August 2020
Round 9 & 10: Omeo, VIC 19 – 20 September 2020
Round 11 & 12: Wynyard, TAS 17 –18 October 2020

2020 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Calendar

Round 1: December 7, 2019 – Krakow, Poland
Round 2: January 4 – Riesa, Germany
Round 3: January 18 – A Coruna, Spain
Round 4: February 1 – Budapest, Hungary
Round 5: March 14 – Lodz, Poland

2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West Calendar

2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East Series
- March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
- May 16-17: Madd Moose, Marquette, Mich.
- July 4-5: Tough Like RORR, Tamaqua, Pa.
- July 18-19: Fallen Timbers, Little Hocking, Ohio
- Aug. 1-2: Battle of the Goats, Taylorsville, N.C.
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road West Series
- Feb. 8: King of the Motos, Lucerne Valley, Calif.
- March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
- May 2-3: EnduroFest, Reno, Nev.
- June 6-7: Last Dog Standing, Devore, Calif.
- June 20-21: Stix and Stones, Kellogg, Idaho
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road Grand Championship
- Aug. 14-16: Trials Training Center, Sequatchie, Tenn.

2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship Calendar

Round 1 – June 13: Diedenbergen DE
Round 2 – July 26: Boves-Cuneo IT
Round 3 – September 5: Morizès FR
Round 4 – October 3: Pardubice CZ

2020 King of MX Calendar

Qualifier 1 – February 15-16, Bega – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 2 – February 29-1 March, Narrabri – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 3 – March 14-15, Bathurst – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 4 – March 28-29, Wagga Wagga – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 5 – April 18-19, Lake Macquarie -Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 6 – May 9-10, Sydney – Top 7 qualify for final
Final – June 6-8, Undisclosed Location

2020 Australian Motocross National Championship Calendar

Round 1 & 2 Horsham, Victoiria April 4/5
Round 3 Newry, Victoria May 3
Round 4 Gympie, Qld May 24
Round 5 Conondale, QLD June 28
Round 6 & 7 Maitland, NSW July 25/26
Round 8 & 9 Coolum, QLD August 22/23

Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Source: MCNews.com.au

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Moto News Wrap | Anaheim 1 SX | Riders talk Dakar Rally Stage 2

January 6, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for January 6, 2020

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What happened this week

Justin Barcia claims opening 450SX win at Anaheim 1
Justin Cooper tops 250SX – Jett Lawrence ninth
Riders talk Dakar Rally Stage 2
Woffinden swinging in WA – Speedway with Graeme Sidden
2020 Championship Calendars
- 2020 AMA Motocross
- 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
- 2020 MXGP
- 2020 American Flat Track
- 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
- 2020 FIM Speedway GP Championship
- 2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship
- 2020 Australian Track Championship
- 2020 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC)
- 2020 FIM SuperEnduro Championship
- 2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West
- 2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship
- 2020 King of MX
- 2020 Australian Motocross National Championship Calendar

Justin Barcia claims opening 450SX win at Anaheim 1

Justin Barcia proved unstoppable at Ahaneim 1, taking a clear win from Adam Cianciarulo, with a 5.646s lead, while Cooper Webb laid claim to the final podium position seven-seconds in arrears. Aussie Chad Reed came home in 18th.

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Vince Friese scored the holeshot from Justin Barcia and Justin Brayton while Adam Cianciarulo was in fourth. Barcia took the lead from Friese halfway through that opening lap. Justin Hill was fifth at the end of lap one, ahead of Cooper Webb and Ken Roczen.

AMA SX Rnd A Barcia Cianciarulo Multiple SX Rd Kardy — Justin Barcia & Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Hoppenworld

Barcia was getting away while Brayton was hanging on to second place while being chased by Cianciarulo, while Friese, Roczen and Webb tripped each other up in their desperate quests to work their way forward in what was a busy pack. Barcia though had clear air up front and a 2.7-second advantage with 16-minutes remaining. Jason Anderson was eighth and Tomac was in ninth place.

Cianciarulo then got the better of Brayton to move up to second place and immediately pulled away from the Honda man. Cooper Webb was in fourth and despite battling the flu was clear of Ken Roczen and Blake Baggett.

Barcia looked safe up front but then a mistake with 12-minutes remaining saw the Yamaha man throw it all away! A 2.5-second lead turned into a 1.5-second deficit to Cianciarulo after Barcia’s clash with the tough blocks lost him his advantage.

AMA SX Rnd A Webb SX Rd Kardy — Cooper Webb – Image by Hoppenworld

Cooper Webb started to pile the pressure on third placed Brayton and with eight-minutes remaining the defending champ made his move to take that third spot. Brayton then had his hands full fending off the advances of Roczen and Baggett.

Barcia then got the better of Cianciarulo after the Kawasaki man made a big mistake that could have ended very badly but he managed to recover and rejoin the track 1.4-seconds behind Barcia.

Brayton then went from fourth to seventh in one corner after he was gazumped by Roczen and Baggett before then being used as a berm by Jason Anderson which put Brayton momentarily on the floor. Tomac then relegated Brayton further down to eighth place just ahead of Malcolm Stewart and Vince Friese.

AMA SX Rnd A Brayton Tomac Multiple SX Rd Kardy — Justin Brayton & Eli Tomac – Image by Hoppenworld

Jason Anderson got the better of Roczen with two-minutes left to run to move up to fifth place. Up front Barica had a handy buffer over Cianciarulo who in turn had an even larger buffer over Cooper Webb. And that was how they finished, Barcia the winner of the A1 season opener, 450 debutante Cianciaurlo in second, while defending champ Cooper Webb rounded out the podium.

AMA SX Rnd A Podium Barcia Cianciarulo Webb SX Rd Kardy — 250SX Main Event Podium – Cianciarulo – Barcia – Webb – Image by Hoppenworld

Blake Baggett clinched fourth place with a handy buffer over Jason Anderson while Ken Roczen claimed 17-points for sixth. Eli Tomac took seventh ahead of Justin Brayton and Malcolm Stewart, while Vince Friese rounded out the top ten.

In his record breaking 250th main event start Chad Reed finished in 18th place.

Justin Barcia – P1

“It doesn’t get much better, honestly. We had a really nice day. I qualified alright. The Heat race was great, I got a great start and won. And the main event, wow, just unbelievable. I got another great start, led a lot of laps, but I made a mistake and got passed. I regrouped and got into the lead again and took the win. I’m feeling over the top right now. It’s phenomenal! It’s going to be a long season though. I just want to keep having a lot of fun and keep putting that bike on the podium.”

AMA SX Rnd A Barcia SX Rd Kardy — Justin Barcia – Image by Hoppenworld

Adam Cianciarulo – P2

“I fell in love with Supercross watching Anaheim 1back in 1999. Ever since then I’ve been dreaming about what I got to experience tonight. Everything from opening ceremonies to getting my first 450 podium. I was bummed we couldn’t capture the win, but regardless I am stoked on this result. It is a long season, I still have a lot to learn and build on from here, but I am already fired up to go racing next weekend in St. Louis.”

AMA SX Rnd A Cianciarulo SX Rd Kardy — Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Hoppenworld

Cooper Webb – P4

“It’s been a struggle today with the sickness but that’s what makes this sport so gnarly, you have to be able to go out on Saturday and perform despite how you’re feeling. I’m just pumped to be on the podium, I feel like I dug deep and pushed through it tonight and it’s a good start to the season for myself and the team.”

Jason Anderson – P5

“My weekend went pretty decent, in the Main Event, I started in the back and I had to make some passes to get into fifth-place. Once I got behind [Blake] Baggett and Cooper [Webb], that’s all she wrote.”

AMA SX Rnd A Anderson SX Rd Kardy — Jason Anderson – Image by Hoppenworld

Ken Roczen – P6

“Anaheim 1 started pretty good but the main event was definitely not the greatest. We were a little off on our bike setup, with it being way too stiff. That really showed in the main because of the way the track deteriorated so much. I didn’t feel like I was able to keep a good flow or attack the track the way I needed to. For sure this is not the position we wanted for the night, but it’s good to get the first race out of the way and leave healthy. We know what we need to work on for the upcoming race and have a plan in mind moving forward to implement those changes. Overall we’re not going to let this first race get us down, and I’m looking forward to St. Louis.”

AMA SX Rnd A Roczen Baggett Multiple SX Rd Kardy — Ken Roczen & Blake Baggett – Image by Hoppenworld

Eli Tomac – P7

“Man, the first race of the season is always an interesting one. The whole day is just chaotic. I started feeling a bit of a flow by the end of the last qualifying session today, but in both the heat race and main event tonight I got decent starts but got shuffled back in the first turn and the way the track broke down tonight it became very one-lined and difficult to make passes. The competition this year is deeper than ever, so we will regroup this week and come out swinging in St. Louis next weekend.”

AMA SX Rnd A Tomac Webb Multiple SX Rd Kardy — Eli Tomac – Image by Hoppenworld

450SX Main Event – 2020 Anaheim 1

Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	Justin Barcia	Yamaha YZ450F	22 Laps
2	Adam Cianciarulo	Kawasaki KX450	+05.646
3	Cooper Webb	KTM 450SX-F Factory Edi	+12.693
4	Blake Baggett	KTM 450SX-F FE	+14.216
5	Jason Anderson	Husqvarna FC450 Factory	+18.187
6	Ken Roczen	Honda CRF450R Works E	+22.127
7	Eli Tomac	Kawasaki KX450	+23.789
8	Justin Brayton	Honda CRF450R	+26.191
9	Malcolm Stewart	Honda CRF450R	+27.043
10	Vince Friese	Honda CRF450R	+32.922

450SX Standings – After Round 1

Pos	Rider	R1	Total
1	Justin Barcia	26	26
2	Adam Cianciarulo	23	23
3	Cooper Webb	21	21
4	Blake Baggett	19	19
5	Jason Anderson	18	18
6	Ken Roczen	17	17
7	Eli Tomac	16	16
8	Justin Brayton	15	15
9	Malcolm Stewart	14	14
10	Vince Friese	13	13
11	Justin Hill	12	12
12	Aaron Plessinger	11	11
13	Dean Wilson	10	10
14	Zach Osborne	9	9
15	Martin Davalos	8	8
16	Justin Bogle	7	7
17	Tyler Bowers	6	6
18	Chad Reed	5	5
19	Kyle Chisholm	4	4
20	Chris Blose	3	3
21	Fredrik Noren	2	2
22	James Decotis	1	1

Justin Cooper tops 250SX – Jett Lawrence ninth

Justin Cooper led a Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 1-2 in the 250SX Main Event, with team mate Dylan Ferrandis runner up, and Christian Craig bringing his Honda home into the final podium position. For Aussie Jet Lawrence, Anaheim 1 also proved a strong debut, riding to ninth, 45.924-seconds off leading pace.

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When the 250SX Main Event kicked off, Austin Forkner got a great run off the line but it was Justin Cooper out front ahead of Forkner, Christian Craig and Mitchell Oldenburg in the 250SX final. Luke Clout was in eighth place at the end of the opening lap while young countryman Jett Lawrence was running 11th in his first ever senior main event on American soil.

AMA SX Rnd A Forkner Cooper Multiple SX Rd Kardy — Austin Forkner & Justin Cooper – Image by Hoppenworld

Michael Mosiman and Dylan Ferrandis pushed OIdenburg back to sixth place. Jett Lawrence got up to ninth place behind Clout but then dropped five positions after making a mistake that relegated him all the way back to 14th with ten-minutes remaining.

Forkner worked his way through to the lead after pushing Cooper back to second place, while with five-minutes remaining Dylan Ferrandis was in third place ahead of Christian Craig and Michael Mosiman. Luke Clout was now out of the race but Jett Lawrence had recovered from his stumble and was back up to ninth place.

AMA SX Rnd A Ferrandis Craig Multiple SX Rd Kardy — Dylan Ferrandis & Christian Craig – Image by Hoppenworld

Forkner then made a mistake while under pressure from Cooper and ran into the tough blocks and then cut the track when he remounted. Ferrandis pushed Forkner further back to third place but it was also expected that Forkner would also be given some sort of penalty for cutting the track which would push him even further down the order…

Justin Cooper went on to take a clear victory over Dylan Ferrandis while Austin Forker finished in third place at the flag ahead of Christian Craig and Michael Mosiman. Ultimately though Forkner was relegated to fifth place for cutting the track after his crash, which promoted Christian Craig on to the podium and Mosiman to fourth.

Jett Lawrence finished his maiden AMA Supercross event with a ninth place finish, crossing the line 46-seconds behind the race winner. Countryman Jay Wilson finished 17th while Luke Clout went out early in the race.

Justin Cooper – P1

“It’s indescribable. Everyone says that about their first win, but it honestly it is. I felt like I needed to pinch myself after I went over the finish line. Looking up into the crowd and all the lights and realizing what I had just accomplished – my first win at Anaheim — it’s unreal! I can’t wait to go home and sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow. I really don’t want this feeling to end.”

AMA SX Rnd A Cooper SX Rd Kardy — Justin Cooper – Image by Hoppenworld

Dylan Ferrandis – P2

“The day was good as a whole, I just got a bad start in the Main. I came back pretty strong, but I’m a little bit disappointed because I think I should have finished a little bit closer than I did. I was riding a little bit tight today. It’s the first one of the year, a lot of pressure, a lot going on. Everyone wants to win the first one. But it’s good. Last year, I finished second and went on to win the championship. So no problem, we’ll move on to next weekend.”

AMA SX Rnd A Ferrandis SX Rd Kardy — Dylan Ferrandis – Image by Hoppenworld

Michael Mosiman – P4

“It was good to come out of here with a top-five result but I’m not super stoked on how I rode. It’s comforting, though, because I know I’ve got a whole lot more in the tank.”

AMA SX Rnd Anaheim Mosiman SX Rd Kardy — Michael Mosiman – Image by Hoppenworld

Austin Forkner – P5

“It was a split-second decision to be as safe as possible,” said Forkner. “That’s what they always tell us to rejoin safely and with me pointed backward and slightly left, I thought that after the next rider went by I would be fine. I didn’t gain any position by doing what I did. It’s a bummer they (the officials) didn’t feel the same way. After knowing I was able to put a good pace out front, I’m more fired up than ever to get back out there next weekend.”

Cameron McAdoo – P6

“After so much preparation, it’s nice to finally get on the track and get a finish under my belt,” said McAdoo. “We took away a lot of good from this round that I’m hoping we can work on this week to go after an even better result. I would love to be challenging for the podium and proving to these guys that I am able to run up front.”

Jett Lawrence – P9

“My first A1 is in the books.I did some good things out there and learnt a lot. Look forward to St Louis where I’ll be 100% healthy so no excuses next weekend.”

AMA SX Rnd A Jett Lawrence Multiple SX Rd Kardy — Jett Lawrence – Image by Hoppenworld

Mitchell Oldenburg – P16

“It was a tough night for me so I am looking forward to being better for the next round, I know what I need to work on before St Louis. The team are great and the bike feels good so we are on track for stronger results. After the Heat I felt sore because I had a couple of crashes but mentally I’m in a really good spot so as much as I am disappointed in tonight’s result, I need to keep in mind that its only race 1 of 10, I have a bit of time for redemption.” Oldenburg added.

AMA SX Rnd A Oldenburg SX Rd Kardy — Mitchell Oldenburg – Image by Hoppenworld

Jay Wilson – P17

“I dreamt about being in heat one at A1 for as long as I can remember. Last night I got to make that dream a reality and sit on the start gates for the opening ceremony before going racing at the biggest race of my career so far. I’d be lying if I say the nerves didn’t get the better of me. Seventh in the heat and 17th in the main. I rode tight, I was learning and processing the whole night, and just a week earlier we weren’t sure if we would be there after practice crash, but we’ve got the first one out of the way, and now I’m excited to see what we can do.”

AMA SX Rnd A Jay Wilson Privateers SX Rd Kardy — Jay Wilson – Image by Hoppenworld

Luke Clout – P21

“My riding was good for most of the day but I am just so bummed, I was sitting in 8th and pushing hard but I made a mistake and it cost me really big. I’m a bit banged up but there are a lot of positives to take away from the night, its been good to see where I’m at over here against some of these guys and I know I will only get better from here. I havant had too much time on the 250 and the whoops were a challenge for me tonight but I will keep grinding, I’ve only been back on the 250 for 3-4 weeks and its been about 4 years since I’ve been on one so its an adjustment. Only upwards from here.”

AMA SX Rnd A Luke Clout SX Rd Kardy — Luke Clout – Image by Hoppenworld

250SX Main Event – 2020 Anaheim 1

Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	Justin Cooper	Yamaha YZ250F	17 Laps
2	Dylan Ferrandis	Yamaha YZ250F	+02.450
3	Christian Craig	Honda CRF250R	+13.581
4	Michael Mosiman	Husqvarna FC250	+15.251
5	Austin Forkner	Kawasaki KX250	+15.251
6	Cameron Mcadoo	Kawasaki KX250	+21.244
7	Brandon Hartranft	KTM 250SX-F Factory Edi	+35.905
8	Derek Drake	KTM 250SX-F Factory Edi	+36.589
9	Jett Lawrence	Honda CRF250R	+45.924
10	Alex Martin	Suzuki RMZ250	+55.420

250SX Standings – After Round 1

Pos	Rider	R1	Total
1	Justin Cooper	26	26
2	Dylan Ferrandis	23	23
3	Christian Craig	21	21
4	Michael Mosiman	19	19
5	Austin Forkner	18	18
6	Cameron Mcadoo	17	17
7	Brandon Hartranft	16	16
8	Derek Drake	15	15
9	Jett Lawrence	14	14
10	Alex Martin	14	13
11	Jacob Hayes	12	12
12	Michael Leib	11	11
13	Robbie Wageman	10	10
14	Killian Auberson	9	9
15	Carson Brown	8	8
16	Mitchell Oldenburg	7	7
17	Jay Wilson	6	6
18	Logan Karnow	5	5
19	Derek Kelley	4	4
20	Chris Howell	3	3
21	Luke Clout	2	2
22	Mitchell Falk	1	1

Riders talk Dakar Rally Stage 2

Stage two at the 2020 Dakar Rally presented riders with several new challenges with the introduction of pre-coloured road books and limited time to work on bikes, following an opening Stage which led competitors from Jeddah up the coast to Al Wajh with a 319 km timed special seeing Toby Price taking an initial lead.

Stage 2 saw Sam Sunderland take control of the overall Dakar lead with a 367-kilometre special, but it was Botswana’s Ross Branch who took the stage win.

As the fifth rider to enter the day’s 367-kilometre special, Sam Sunderland was able to maximise his advantage and push right from the start. The 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion was able to improve his position throughout that stage to ultimately post the second-fastest time. Sam now enjoys a lead of just over one minute in the provisional overall standings.

Sam Sunderland

“It was a really tough day today and it felt very long. There was a huge mix of terrain with high speed tracks and then slower technical sections. In and out of the canyons there were a lot of lines visible and that made navigation more of a challenge. I made a couple of mistakes, but I think everyone did out there today. All-in-all though I had a good run, just trying to stick to a steady rhythm and build up my pace as the race goes on.”

Quintanilla also excelled on the extremely challenging stage two of the 2020 Dakar Rally to finish in third place. In doing so, the Chilean rider moved himself up to second in the provisional overall standings.

Pablo Quintanilla

“I’m really pleased with my day today. Navigation was challenging all through the special but I didn’t make too many mistakes. I enjoyed the mix of terrain today, a lot of it was very similar to back home in Chile and so I felt comfortable on the bike. Toward the end of the stage I decided to play a little strategy and try to improve my position for tomorrow. I think it will work well and I’m looking forward to the stage.”

Luciano Benavides in only his third Dakar, placed fifth on the day’s special to elevate himself to seventh in the overall standings. With a strong start position for stage three, Benavides is confident of another good result.

Luciano Benavides

“It’s been a good day for me – I finished inside the top five and I’m really happy with my rhythm here in Saudi. I enjoyed the stage today but came very close to crashing at one point. Luckily, I was able to stay on and from there I decided to bring the bike home safely and make sure it is good for tomorrow.”

Kevin Benavides stood out in Stage 2’s special and replicated his fourth final place to move up into third overall position in the rally, some ninety seconds behind the leader.

Kevin Benavides

“Today was a very good stage for me, even better than yesterday’s. I started in fourth position and at kilometre 140 I reached the other riders in front and I went out in front and opened the track. For me there were good feelings, I navigated fairly easily for quite some time. Ricky finally overtook me but I think I did a very good job finishing in fourth position. Above all today we were able to take care of the motorcycle that was something important and it is in perfect shape for tomorrow’s stage.”

Another fast-paced rider was Joan Barreda, who might have even won the stage had it not been for a minor fall when he was looking at the roadbook notes. The Spaniard finished sixth on the day and eighth overall in the rally.

Joan Barreda

“Today it went well during the first part of the stage; I had a good pace and was close to Quintanilla. Around kilometre 200 I fell while looking at the roadbook. I hit a rock and fell, not very hard, but enough to distract me a little. Right after, in the canyon area, I took a mistaken track and got a bit lost, but I was quickly been able to recover from it. In the end I was able to manage the stage quite well as today is the Super Marathon stage and I did not want to push too hard. Luckily the bike is perfect so we’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”

Matthias Walkner was able to navigate the technically demanding route, making the minimum of errors to complete the stage in a solid eighth place. Now lying an excellent fourth overall, the Austrian rider will enjoy an advantageous start position for the second half of the Super Marathon stage.

Matthias Walkner

“I had quite a good day today – the navigation was tough but I was able to push on from the start and at about 45 kilometres I was able to catch Toby. From there I opened the piste to the halfway point. We then rode in a group of four until the finish, which can be tricky as the dust from any riders in front makes it difficult to see stones and rocks hidden in the soft sand. Thankfully I was able to look after the bike and it’s all ready to go for tomorrow.”

Xavier de Soultrait initially improved from his 13th place starting position, working his way up to ninth by the first waypoint he then struggled with dust and sensibly opted not to take any unnecessary risks, maintaining that position.

Xavier De Soultrait

I had a lot of dust during the first 150-160 kilometres, so it was a balance between riding safely and also trying to overtake. Finally, when I managed to get ahead I could increase my speed and things went well. My goal is to be around the top 10 for the first four days or so, so things are ok for me. It looks like tomorrow the navigation will be a little easier, we will see. Everything is good with my bike, so I just hope I can have a clear day tomorrow with not too much dust.”

American Ricky Brabec, also managed the situation skilfully and, in spite of having to start the day from second position, was able to post eleventh final place which leaves the rider in fifth position overall some four minutes shy of the overall leader.

Ricky Brabec

“The day was good. We knew coming into it that we were going to lose a bit of time. We started up front. It wasn’t too tricky. Up front you have a lot more focus. I lost the way a bit about kilometre 50. We all grouped up and tried to be smart and manage our motorcycles. We have the Super Marathon tonight. It’s not key to wreck your motorcycle as you have no mechanics and no assistance. I’m looking forward to day three. The team’s good and all the bikes are in one piece. We’ll keep pushing. The bikes are really good. Motorcycles don’t really carry any tools or parts, so the only thing we can do is either adjust the lever or zip-tie some things together. Other than that even if you wreck the motorcycles, you have to deal with it. We are very fortunate that all the riders have nice motorcycles for day three. So that’s a plus for Honda.”

Winner of the first day, Toby Price had the unenviable task of opening stage two. That, combined with the limited time to acquaint himself with the road book, made navigating the stage extremely tricky from the front of the pack. Despite the disadvantages, the reigning champion put in a good ride to 15th place and now lies ninth in the provisional overall standings.

Toby Price

“Today was always going to be tough, leading out from the start without having had much time to read the road book. The stage went ok, I lost some time to the others but the most important thing is I looked after my bike and the tyres so should be in good shape to close down on the leaders again tomorrow. There’s still a long, long way to go, but the bike is working great, things are looking good and I’m happy.”

Fellow Australian Rodney Faggotter proved consistent, following up his Stage 1 19th placing, with a strong 16th in Stage 2, claiming 17th overall.

Rodney Faggotter

“17th quickest today. Saw a couple crashed riders today and some other riders that had started in front of me were with them – so I will possibly slip down from 17th position depending on what time they are given nack for stopping – but all good! Solid day. Had dust for about 200klms then led out in front of my group which means a lot of navigation but no dust! The riding here is so diverse and so far.. fun!”

Other Australians included Ben Young finishing 92nd in Stage 2, Trevor Collin Wilson 111th, and Matthew Tisdall 131st.

2020 Dakar Rally – Stage 2 Provisional Results

Pos	Rider	Team	Time/Gap
1	Ross Branch	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	03H 39′ 10
2	Sam Sunderland	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 00H 01′ 24
3	Pablo Quintanilla	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	+ 00H 02′ 21
4	Kevin Benavides	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	+ 00H 03′ 40
5	Luciano Benavides	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 00H 03′ 44
6	Joan Barreda Bort	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	+ 00H 04′ 57
7	Jose Ignacio C F	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	+ 00H 04′ 58
8	Matthias Walkner	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 00H 05′ 59
9	Xavier De Soultrait	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	+ 00H 06′ 08
10	Andrew Short	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	+ 00H 07′ 00
11	Ricky Brabec	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020	+ 00H 08′ 45
12	Paulo Gonçalves	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	+ 00H 09′ 32
13	Adrien Van Beveren	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	+ 00H 09′ 48
14	Franco Caimi	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	+ 00H 09′ 50
15	Toby Price	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	+ 00H 12′ 13
16	Rodney Faggotter	YAMAHA MOTOR AUSTRALIA	+ 00H 17′ 17
17	Lorenzo Santolino	SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY	+ 00H 18′ 25
18	Adrien Metge	SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY	+ 00H 18′ 32
19	Antonio Maio	YAMAHA FINO MOTOR RACING	+ 00H 19′ 30
20	Juan Pedrero Garcia	LS2 AVENTURA TOUAREG	+ 00H 19′ 49

Dakar Overall Standings – After Stage 2

Pos.	Rider	Time/Gap
1	Sam Sunderland	07h 05′ 22”
2	Pablo Quintanilla	+ 00h 01′ 18”
3	Kevin Benavides	+ 00h 01′ 32”
4	Matthias Walkner	+ 00h 02′ 00”
5	Ricky Brabec	+ 00h 04′ 11”
6	Ross Branch	+ 00h 04′ 19”
7	Luciano Benavides	+ 00h 06′ 01”
8	Joan Barreda Bort	+ 00h 06′ 09”
9	Toby Price	+ 00h 07′ 34”
10	Andrew Short	+ 00h 09′ 24”
11	Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo	+ 00h 09′ 34”
12	Xavier De Soultrait	+ 00h 10′ 11”
13	Adrien Van Beveren	+ 00h 13′ 01”
14	Paulo Gonçalves	+ 00h 13′ 10”
15	Franco Caimi	+ 00h 19′ 14”
16	Skyler Howes	+ 00h 20′ 52”
17	Adrien Metge	+ 00h 24′ 55”
18	Stefan Svitko	+ 00h 26′ 43”
19	Rodney Faggotter	+ 00h 36′ 32”
20	Johnny Aubert	+ 00h 37′ 17”

Woffinden swinging in WA

With Graeme Sidden

A big shout out went to Popular WA sidecar passenger, Jamie Thomson who received some unfortunate injuries when he fell from Chad Harvey’s sidecar during the preliminary heats of the Jeff Gittus Memorial Sidecar event on Saturday evening at Perth’s Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway. Jamie suffered a broken wrist and is waiting to undergo shoulder surgery after his untimely fall.

Cam Heeps being interviewed by Grant Woodhams

Another sidecar passenger in young Jesse Thomas also took a ride on the wild side with defending Champion Reece Liptrott when they backed their outfit into turn three and flipped it during a desperate attempt to go underneath the ultimate victors Darren Nash and Ash Brown. I have no official report on Jesse Thomas injuries and outcome, only to say he was very ginger walking from the venue after the meeting.

The very experienced and talented Trent Headland with Tai Woffinden on the back did a stirling job to avoid the stricken outfit and prostate riders on the track. They were rewarded for their efforts finishing up in second spot for the night.

Sidecar podium for the EUROCARS sponsored Jeff Gittus Memorial Sidecar Classic Nash Brown winners Headland Woffinden ndand Mitchell Cornwall — Sidecar podium for the EUROCARS sponsored Jeff Gittus Memorial Sidecar Classic – Winners Nash & Brown, Headland & Woffinden second, and Mitchell & Cornwall third

Three times world solo Champion, Tai Woffinden looked right at home on the back of the Headland outfit and was all smiles as usual on the podium during the trophy presentations.

Racing was fast and furious all evening long in both sidecars and solos where the Darren Nash/Ash Brown combination came out on top in the prestigious Gittus event and WA’s International solo sensation Cam Heeps, fresh home from a very successful English season recorded a fine win in the solo final from another WA Champion, Dan Winchester, UK’s Leon Flint and under 19 British Champion Drew Kemp rounding out fourth place after doing it the hard way winning the B final to make the final four.

Nash and Brown with happy sidecar builder and former sidecar star Tony Shield

2020 Championship Calendars

2020 AMA Motocross race schedule

May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN

2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar

Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

2020 MXGP Calendar

March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 7 – Russia, Orlyonok – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 14 – Latvia, Kegums – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 28 – Indonesia, Jakarta
July 5 – Indonesia, Palembang
July 26 – Czech Republic, Loket – (EMX65, EMX85, EMX 2t)
August 2 – Belgium, Lommel – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 16 – Sweden, Uddevalla – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 23 – Finland, Litti-KymiRing – (EMX125, EMX250, EMX 2t)
September 6 – Turkey, Afyonkarahisar – (EMX Open, WMX)
September 13 – China, (TBA) –
September 20 – Emilia Romagna, Imola – (EMX125, WMX)
September 27 – Motocross of Nations, France, Ernee

2020 American Flat Track

Round 1. March 14: Daytona 200 & TT – Daytona Speedway, FL
Round 2. March 28: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
Round 3. April 4: Charlotte Half-Mile – Charlotte Speedway, Concord, NC
Round 4. May 2: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
Round 5. May 9: So-Cal Half-Mile – Perris Speedway, Perris, CA
Round 6. May 16: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
Round 7. May 30: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
Round 8. June 13: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Speedway, Loudon, NH
Round 9. June 20: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK
Round 10. June 27: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
Round 11. July 4: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
Round 12. August 9: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
Round 13. August 11: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
Round 14. August 22: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
Round 15. September 5: Springfield Mile I – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 16. September 6: Springfield Mile II – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 17. September 12: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
Round 18. September 26: Meadowlands Mile* – Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ

2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway Calendar

Round 1, January 3 – Kurri Kurri Speedway, Loxford Park NSW
Round 2, January 6 – Diamond Park, Wodonga VIC
Round 3, January 7 – Undera Speedway, Echuca Road, Undera VIC
Round 4, January 9 – Olympic Park, Regina Street, Mildura VIC
Round 5, January 11 – Gillman Speedway, Wilkins Road, Gillman SA

2020 WESS Enduro World Championship Schedule

Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 8-10
Round 2: Trefle Lozerien AMV (France) May 21-23
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) June 10-14
Round 4: Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland ) June TBC
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 21-25
Round 6: Tennessee Knockout (USA) August 15-16
Round 7: Hawkstone Park Cross-Country (UK) September TBC
Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro (Spain) October TBC

2020 FIM Speedway GP Calendar

May 16 – PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland – Warsaw
May 30 – German SGP – Teterow
June 13 – Czech SGP – Prague
July 18 – Adrian Flux British SGP – Cardiff
July 25 – Swedish SGP – Hallstavik
August 1 – Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland – Wroclaw
August 15 – Scandinavian SGP – Malilla, Sweden
August 29 – Russian SGP – Togliatti
September 12 – Danish SGP sponsored by ECCO – Vojens
October 3 – Revline Torun SGP of Poland – Torun

2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship dates

April 11-12 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships
- Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD, North Brisbane Jnr Motorcycle Club
October 17-18 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
- Fairburn Park, ACT Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Track Championship dates

May 16-17 Australian Senior Track Championships
- Qurindi, Tamworth, NSW, Tamworth Motorcycle Club
September 26-27 Australian Junior Track Championships
- Gunnedah, NSW Gunnedah Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Off-Road Championship Calendar

Round 1 & 2: Toowoomba, QLD 22 – 23 February 2020
Round 3 & 4: Dungog, NSW 14 – 15 March 2020
Round 5 & 6: Nowra, NSW 18 – 19 April 2020
Round 7 & 8: SA 1 – 2 August 2020
Round 9 & 10: Omeo, VIC 19 – 20 September 2020
Round 11 & 12: Wynyard, TAS 17 –18 October 2020

2020 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Calendar

Round 1: December 7, 2019 – Krakow, Poland
Round 2: January 4 – Riesa, Germany
Round 3: January 18 – A Coruna, Spain
Round 4: February 1 – Budapest, Hungary
Round 5: March 14 – Lodz, Poland

2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West Calendar

2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East Series
- March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
- May 16-17: Madd Moose, Marquette, Mich.
- July 4-5: Tough Like RORR, Tamaqua, Pa.
- July 18-19: Fallen Timbers, Little Hocking, Ohio
- Aug. 1-2: Battle of the Goats, Taylorsville, N.C.
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road West Series
- Feb. 8: King of the Motos, Lucerne Valley, Calif.
- March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
- May 2-3: EnduroFest, Reno, Nev.
- June 6-7: Last Dog Standing, Devore, Calif.
- June 20-21: Stix and Stones, Kellogg, Idaho
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road Grand Championship
- Aug. 14-16: Trials Training Center, Sequatchie, Tenn.

2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship Calendar

Round 1 – June 13: Diedenbergen DE
Round 2 – July 26: Boves-Cuneo IT
Round 3 – September 5: Morizès FR
Round 4 – October 3: Pardubice CZ

2020 King of MX Calendar

Qualifier 1 – February 15-16, Bega – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 2 – February 29-1 March, Narrabri – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 3 – March 14-15, Bathurst – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 4 – March 28-29, Wagga Wagga – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 5 – April 18-19, Lake Macquarie -Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 6 – May 9-10, Sydney – Top 7 qualify for final
Final – June 6-8, Undisclosed Location

2020 Australian Motocross National Championship Calendar

Round 1 & 2 Horsham, Victoiria April 4/5
Round 3 Newry, Victoria May 3
Round 4 Gympie, Qld May 24
Round 5 Conondale, QLD June 28
Round 6 & 7 Maitland, NSW July 25/26
Round 8 & 9 Coolum, QLD August 22/23

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Moto News Wrap | Beach Racing | KTM Juniors | AORC | AFT

December 16, 2019 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for December 17, 2019

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What happened this week

Nathan Watson retains French Beach Racing lead at Hossegor
KTM Junior Supercross represent at S-X Open & Aus-X Open
Tasmania secures 2020 AORC final rounds
2020 Yamaha supported AORC riders announced
AORC announce four junior summer coaching clinics
Rogers & Wilson with Yamalube Yamaha Racing for 2020
12 rider 2020 GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing line-up announced
FIM Speedway Training Camp fosters young talent
Alfredo Gómez to continue with Husqvarana into 2021
Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles head for Dakar
Henry Wiles to compete 2020 AFT Singles with Honda
Estenson Racing announce Yamaha supported 2020 AFT Team
Jorge Prado recovering from surgery for fractured femur
Yamaha announces 2020 YXZ1000R European Cup
2020 Championship Calendars
- 2020 AMA Motocross
- 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
- 2020 MXGP
- 2020 American Flat Track
- 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
- 2020 FIM Speedway GP Championship
- 2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship
- 2020 Australian Track Championship
- 2020 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC)
- 2020 FIM SuperEnduro Championship
- 2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West
- 2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship

Watson retains French Beach Racing lead at Hossegor

Round five of the Championnat de France des Sables (CFS) saw competitors take to the Hossegor shoreline on the south east coast of France. A combination of unsettled weather and high tides ensured challenging conditions for all, with event organisers drastically modifying and shortening the original course layout to ensure racing could proceed.

Arriving at round five in confident spirits following victory at round four last weekend, championship leader Nathan Watson had his sights set on capturing his third consecutive win. Frustratingly, a crash in the first corner immediately put the KTM 450 SX-F mounted rider on the back foot.

Nathan Watson French Beach Racing Hossegor — Nathan Watson – 2019 French Beach Racing

Ending the opening lap of the two-hour race in 38th it was clear Nathan had a lot of work to do to keep his win streak alive. Rapidly cutting his way through the field, the Brit incredibly completed lap two inside the top 15. Visibly one of the fastest riders on a very busy track, he continued to work his way forward.

With race leader Todd Kellett pitting on lap nine, Nathan put his KTM out front as he looked to gain as much ground as possible. Colliding with a fallen rider shortly afterwards resulted in Watson’s bike becoming momentarily entangled with another machine. Regrouping, Nathan’s lead was lost and despite his best efforts in the closing stages he had to settle for a hard-fought runner-up result.

Nathan Watson

“In what was a difficult race I’ll take second place today and keep hold of my championship red plate. Coming into this race off the back of two wins I really wanted to keep that momentum going but unfortunately it didn’t happen. With the weather conditions, and organisers needing to change the track due to high tides, things were a lot more unpredictable today than they usually are. I got off to a good start, but when Camille crashed in the first corner I crashed into him and went down, too. With the tight track, coming from the back of the pack wasn’t ideal. I recovered well to briefly lead, but then hit a back marker and got my bike tangled with his and lost more time, so the chance of victory slipped away. But with the red plate still in my hands I’ll work on a few things during the Christmas break and look to get back on the top step of the podium next time out.”

For teammate Camille Chapeliere, a crash off the start dampened his hopes of securing another top-three result. Remounting outside the top 40, the Frenchman bravely fought his way forward. Showing his speed where possible, but opting not to push too hard and risk crashing, he steadily collected more positions as the race wore on. Holding fifth on lap 22 of 24, Camille put all he had into the final two laps to claim fourth and with it maintain his top-three championship position.

Camille Chapeliere

“It was a complicated day out there to say the least. The shortened course made it difficult in many places because there were so many riders on the track. A crash at the start was definitely not the best, but I fought as hard as I could to recover. Making overtakes was risky at times, but I tried to balance those risks and recover as smoothly as possible. I feel like I did that and showed my speed towards the end of the race. Finishing fourth maintains my position of third in the championship.”

The Championnat de France des Sables continues with round six at Grayan-et-L’Hopital on 11-12 January 2020.

Championnat de France des Sables Round 5 – Hossegor

Pos.	Rider	Nat.	Man.	Gap
1	Todd Kellett	GBR	Yamaha	03:06.0
2	Nathan Watson	GBR	KTM	52.71
3	Yentel Martens	BEL	Honda	+5:35.120
4	Camille Chapeliere	FRA	KTM	+6:59.930
5	Jeremy Van Horebeek	BEL	Honda	23 laps

Championship Standings – Championnat de France des Sables 2019

Pos.	Rider	Nat.	Man.	Points
1	Nathan Watson	GBR	KTM	570pts
2	Todd Kellett	GBR	Yamaha	510pts
3	Camille Chapeliere	FRA	KTM	441pts
4	Jeremy Hauquier	FRA	KTM	373pts
5	Stephane Watel	FRA	Honda	365pts

KTM Junior Supercross represent at S-X Open & Aus-X Open

KTM Junior Supercross took centre-stage in the 2019 S-X Open Auckland and AUS-X Open Melbourne events as a total of 30 capable seven- and eight-year-old riders took to the stadiums aboard KTM 50 SX machinery.

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The S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship features a round each in New Zealand and Australia, with 10 KTM Junior Supercross challengers participating in NZ and 20 in Australia, lining up on the very same supercross circuit during the day and night programs that the professional racers do battle on.

fm s x open auckland — KTM Junior Supercross

Riding a fleet of KTM 50 SX race bikes dressed in KTM Junior Supercross graphics by Kustom MX, fitted with KTM PowerParts supplied by FMF Racing and Nihilo Concepts, the riders of the KTM Junior Supercross thrilled spectators as they negotiated the highly-technical tracks in truly impressive fashion.

S-X Open Auckland at Mt. Smart Stadium featured Levi McMaster, Kase Shuttleworth and Jayden Bryan on the podium, before fans at Marvel Stadium for AUS-X Open Melbourne witnessed Ollie Birkitt take victory over Nate Perrett and Jake Single.

fm aus x open melbourne — KTM Junior Supercross Podium – Aus-X Open Melbourne

Each rider and their families enjoyed a full factory VIP experience as part of the KTM Junior Supercross entry, while participants were featured in rider signings, mentored by KTM professional racers including Hamish Harwood in Auckland, as well Daniel Milner and Lyndon Snodgrass in Melbourne. They also met a selection of their heroes throughout the fun-filled events.

Kyle Blunden – Event Coordinator, KTM Australia – New Zealand

“The KTM Junior Supercross is a program we are proud to host at the Oceania Supercross Series. With the assistance of the team at AME and all of our partners who have jumped on board with KTM Junior Supercross in 2019, we are able to give the riders and their mechanic a true factory experience for a day. Witnessing the smiles and the connection between the riders and their parents ignited by the sport of supercross is just awesome. The crowd love it and we hope to continue bringing KTM Junior Supercross to these events for many years to come.”

Tasmania secures 2020 AORC final rounds

In a major coup, Tasmania has secured the 2020 final rounds of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, now to be held in Wynyard, Tasmania on October 17 and 18, 2020 – for the first time in the AORC’s 14-year history.

The AORC kick starts the 2020 season in Queensland before heading to New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and then the grand final last two rounds in Tasmania.

Daniel Milner AORC Hedley — Daniel Milner – 2019 AORC

Motorcycling Australia Off-Road Events Manager, Matthew Falvo said the 2020 Yamaha AORC was shaping up to be the best year yet.

Matthew Falvo – Motorcycling Australia Off-Road Events Manager

“We are very pleased with the enthusiasm, excitement and support Tasmania has shown in securing the final rounds of our growing championship. We are hopeful this partnership will deliver a long-lasting championship presence. With new exciting venues in the 2020 AORC we are sure to again field upwards of 200 plus riders for each event in every state, we are sure the championship can only grow further.”

The 2020 Championship will continue to use a double-header format, which will see six weekends make up twelve rounds of the AORC for 2020. All riders who compete in each of the 10 AORC rounds prior to Tasmania will be eligible for a free entry to the Tasmanian rounds. This includes 85cc and 65cc classes for six rounds.

AORC Hedley Daniel Sanders — Daniel Sanders – 2019 AORC

Further information on how to book on the Spirit of Tasmania via the AORC Championship can be found here (link).

The AORC has also announced that the Championship will feature a massive 15 classes of competition, with new junior classes, the return of the 2 Stroke Cup, and the Vintage class to feature at the Dungog, NSW round. The new look expanded competition will include sprint, cross country and enduro formats.

The 2 Stroke (2T) Cup has proved a success over the past two years and it will feature at all 12 rounds in 2020. With significant interest, the new and improved 2T Cup will also again cater to bikes ranging from 125cc up to 250cc.

Yamaha Active Yamalube Racing AORC Luke — Luke Styke – 2019 AORC

The AORC have expanded competition including introducing two new classes – Junior Girls 85cc to 200cc 2-stroke and 150cc to 250cc 4-stroke bikes for those aged 12-15-years-old at all rounds, and a National Cup Class – Junior 65cc Cup – and the 85cc 2-stroke and 150cc 4-stroke (SW) for those aged 9-12-years-old.

E1, E2 and E3 classes are the AORC Senior Premier classes which have produced several world champions in recent years including this year’s World ISDE and current AORC Champion, Daniel Sanders.

The EJ development class will continue after last year’s success 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.

2020 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 2020)
- Veterans: All Powers (Rider must be 35+ years of age before 1 January 2020)
- Masters: All Powers (Rider must be 45+ years of age before 1 January 2020)
- Women: All Powers
Junior Championship Classes
- J2 12 to 15 years: 85cc 2-stroke & Up to 150cc 4-stroke
- J3 13 to 14 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) 12-15 years: 85cc to 200cc 2-stroke and 150cc to 250cc 4-stroke
  - With six junior classes, no person who is under the age of 16 years may compete in other junior competition. A rider’s age on 1st January will determine their age for competition purposes for that year.
National Championship Classes
- 2 Stroke Cup – 2T – 125cc up to 250cc 2-Stroke
- Vintage: Evo Pre-86 (At rounds 3 & 4)
- J1 9-12 years: 85cc 2-stroke and 150cc 4-stroke (SW) (At rounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 & 12)
- JJ 9-12 years: 65cc (At rounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 & 12)

2020 Australian Off-Road Championship Calendar

Round 1 & 2: Toowoomba, QLD 22 – 23 February 2020
Round 3 & 4: Dungog, NSW 14 – 15 March 2020
Round 5 & 6: Nowra, NSW 18 – 19 April 2020
Round 7 & 8: SA 1 – 2 August 2020
Round 9 & 10: Omeo, VIC 19 – 20 September 2020
Round 11 & 12: Wynyard, TAS 17 –18 October 2020

2020 Yamaha supported AORC riders announced

Two familiar faces will front the Yamaha Active8 Yamalube Racing team for 2020, with Luke Styke and Josh Green taking the reins of the teams’ race bikes for another season of the Australian Off Road Championship and the Australian Four Day Enduro.

Styke continues his climb up the off road ladder and since his transition from motocross, he has been nothing short of a revelation. In the two year period racing off road, he has already racked up two AORC championship victories, a A4DE victory and now a gold medal at the International Six day Enduro recently in Portugal.

Luke Styke

“I’m more motivated than ever coming into the 2020 season, I made a few changes to my lifestyle by returning back down to Nowra and feel it’s a better environment for my riding and also closer to family to make life easier. There is so much riding area around here and a more off road based riding program is the only way I can improve my skills and close the gap on Sanders and Milner. Both of those guys are world class and are a fair bit ahead of the rest of us, but my goal is to bridge that gap in 2020 and be in contention for Outright wins as well as class victories. Its also good to be back with the same team again for next season. We all have a great working relationship, and everyone works hard to achieve the best results possible. Both the team and Yamaha have been good to me throughout my racing career and I like the fact we have been able to continue our working relationship and get stronger with each passing season.”

Josh Green is back for his ninth season with Yamaha Active8 Yamalube Racing which must break some form of racing relationship record in Australian Off Road. Green finished second in the 2019 AORC in the premier E2 category and was consistently in the top five outright.

Josh Green

“The older I have got, the more I have started to enjoy the things that used to frustrate me when I was younger, like most teenagers, I didn’t care a lot for testing and developing the bike and just wanted to ride it and not focus on training. Now, I like being able to improve the bike and I find the off bike training rewarding and get a lot from it and that’s what has kept my motivation strong over the years as I find new ways to enjoy different aspects of what we do. And nine years with the one team is pretty cool. I like the loyalty from both sides and the fact we are able to keep the relationship going over such a long period of time. Nine years travelling with AJ could break a lesser man, but you have to take the good with the bad in this job.”

Under the Yamaha off road umbrella will also be a new team, Yamaha bLU Cru Off Road Racing carrying the same sponsors and the same professional personnel behind the scenes, that will house two young prospects in off road racing, Michael Driscoll competing E2, and Blake Hollis in the EJ category.

Carrying the same sponsors and the same professional personnel behind the scenes, Yamaha bLU cRU Off Road Racing will roar to life in 2020. Featuring Michael Driscoll in the E2 (450cc) division after a standout performance at the ISDE and Blake Hollis, fresh out of the junior ranks in EJ (under 19) ranks.

AORC announce four junior summer coaching clinics

Motorcycling Australia and the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship have announced four junior summer coaching clinics with Australia’s world champion riders offering expert advice and coaching in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland in January and February, 2020.

The 2020 AORC Junior Coaching Days clinics will be held on January 18 and 19 in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, January 25 in Stroud, NSW, and February 8 at Toowoomba, Queensland and led by world champion riders including 2020 World ISDE and AORC Champion Daniel Sanders, Daniel Milner, Lyndon Snodgrass, Fraser Higlett, Kirk Hutton, Joshua Green, Michael Driscoll and Jessica Gardiner.

The clinics are for junior riders aged 9-15, with all proceeds going toward funding the 2020 FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) Australian team who head off to Italy in August.

Matthew Falvo – Motorcycling Australia Off-road Events Manager

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Australian junior riders to learn from the world’s best off-road riders in their own backyards. These clinics will help riders build confidence, increase their skill level and learn new tricks on how to get the most out of themselves and their bike. Whether you want to prepare for a race or improve your dirt bike techniques these coaching clinics are vital and spots will fill quickly.”

Riders wanting to register for the clinics need to register at https://www.aorc.org.au/competitor/

Rogers & Wilson with Yamalube Yamaha Racing for 2020

Yamaha Racing has announced that 16-year-old Levi Rogers will move from junior racing to the pro level. Rogers, a long time team member of the Yamaha Junior Racing program, will make the big step up to senior racing in 2020, having won a shed full of trophies in his junior days, including multiple state championships and podiums at national events.

Levi Rogers

“I was pretty excited when the Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team came to me and offered me a ride for 2020. I guess one of the benefits of being with Yamaha Junior Racing is that if you get the results in juniors, then the next door opens with Yamaha into MXD and this is a great opportunity for me on such a good team. I know everyone on the team and have worked with them before when I did the MXR races at the MX Nationals for the last two years, so it’s not a new environment. I also have Jay as a team-mate, and I can talk things over with him as he has so much knowledge and experience at this level. For the last 12 months I have watched the senior races closely and I can’t wait to be apart of them now. Yamaha Junior Racing was awesome for me and I had six successful years with them but now its time to take the next step in my career and give it all I have.”

Back for his third year at Yamalube Yamaha Racing will be Jay Wilson. Since returning to Australia and to the Yamalube Team, Wilson has been a model of consistency over the past two years and finishing inside to top five of every championship he has entered, highlighted with the 2018 SX2 Australian Championship.

He will start the year racing the opening rounds of the AMA West Coast 250cc Supercross Championship before returning home in February to prepare for the MX Nationals. From there he will be out to win back both the MX Nationals and Australian Supercross Championships.

Jay Wilson

“I’m lucky to be surrounded by a great team and work with a great company like Yamaha that I don’t even look else where at the end of each year. We have not only a successful working relationship but a good friendship off the track and the results show we do the work. 2019 was a consistent year for the most part and reasonably successful but no championships. I’m still motivated to win championships and that’s what I will be striving for in 2020. I’m in the prime of my career and wanting to keep improving every year with my racing and my technique. Its also exciting to have Levi with us next year. He is a quite kid and doesn’t say too much but I know he listens, and it will be great to be able to help and guide him at each round. His speed is good, and I think he can do well if he keeps working hard.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne WilsonQualB — Jay Wilson – Image by AM

With the WBR Yamaha Team and the Yamalube Yamaha Team now announced, Yamaha’s MX Development Manager, Scott Bishop, explains why there has been a slight tweak in structure to each program for 2020.

Scott Bishop – Yamaha MX Development Manager

“We had two talented riders in Alex and Levi coming out of juniors and its important we keep a hold of hard working and successful young riders. In the past, both riders would have gone to the dedicated MXD team, WBR Yamaha, but we believed it would be of more benefit to place the riders to the teams nearest them and also with a more experience team mate so they can understand what it takes to succeed at the next level. Alex is based in Adelaide and Levi is from Blackwater in Central Queensland so for one team to handle the logistics of a rider living so far away would be difficult. With Alex teaming up with WBR, who are in Echuca, Victoria and Levi with Yamalube Yamaha, based in Brisbane, both riders will get the same level of support but be able to work closely with the team both in terms of an off track relationship as well as maintaining practice bikes and equipment. Its our endeavour that both Alex and Levi continue their long and successful relationship with Yamaha and wish them well as they embark on their professional careers.”

12 rider 2020 GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing line-up announced

12 riders will fly the GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing flag in season 2020, as the only truly national based junior motocross development program continues to forge ahead after a stunning 2019 season, that saw the team claim 16 state championships and four national championships.

SA MX Wil Carpenter — Wil Carpenter – 2019 South Australian Motocross Championship

Each state will have two riders in full GYTR YJR colours, making a total of 12 riders. In addition, Yamaha will continue to assist its dealer network with supported riders to make a huge Yamaha presence at all junior events across the country.

To assist in fast tracking rider development, each state has its own manager / coach in place that can help guide young riders both on and off the track at every event.

The team of 2020 is Jake Turner, Ryder Kingsford and Jackson Camilleri mounted on the YZ125 and YZ250F. Angus Pearce, Wil Carpenter, Kayd Kingsford, Jake Cannon, Jake Rumens and Patrick Martin on the YZ85 and transition to the YZ125, while Jobe Dunne, Jay Jennings and Ryder Woodrow will handle the YZ65 and YZ85 small wheel classes.

AJMX Yamaha Racing Ryder ajmx xpx — Ryder Kingsford

In addition, Yamaha will also support via its dealer network and the bLU cRU program Heath Davy, Peter Wolfe (Team Moto), Deegan Fort (Fivestar Motorcycles), Jesse Holding (Mareeba Yamaha), Zac Watson (Suncity), Seth Carpenter (Coast Yamaha), Koby Hantis (Great Southern Motorcycles), Seth Burchell (Excite Motorsports) as well as multi time national girls champion, Charli Cannon.

For many riders the season will get under way in January and with the Australian Junior Nationals now moved to the first week of July, the racing will gather momentum quickly.

GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing 2020 line-up

WA: Jake Turner and Jake Rumens
SA: Wil Carpenter and Ryder Woodrow
TAS: Angus Pearce and Jay Jennings
VIC: Patrick Martin and Jobe Dunne
NSW: Ryder Kingsford and Kayd Kingsford
QLD: Jackson Camilleri and Jake Cannon

FIM Speedway Training Camp fosters young talent

The FIM Speedway Training Camp at Gillman Speedway Stadium in Adelaide, has been lauded a success, giving future Australian stars the training and mentoring to take their riding to the next level.

The training camp was hosted by Motorcycling Australia (MA), the FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) and FIM Oceania, and saw 17 of Australia’s best young speedway talent receive specialised training. The expert team of coaches included FIM Track Racing Commission Director, Armando Castagna, SGP Race Director, Phil Morris, both former riders, and Australian Speedway legend and former SGP rider, Leigh Adams.

The training camp included on-track riding sessions focussing on rider technique, body positioning, race starts and improving key fundamentals of speedway racing, as well as classroom seminars covering exercise and nutrition, media training, bike preparation, bike maintenance, FIM license and insurance systems, anti-doping education inclusive of the FIM Ride True awareness.

Armando Castagna – FIM Track Racing Commission Director

“It has been one of the best ever training camps that the Track Racing Commission has conductedWorking together Motorcycling Australia (MA) and FIM Oceania (FIMO) was a great partnership and the event was well conducted with Gillman Speedway providing a good track. The level of some of these young riders is already extremely good but over each day we could see the riders improving in many areas.”

Alfredo Gómez to continue with Husqvarana into 2021

Alfredo Gómez will continue with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing through to the end of the 2021 season, having claimed second in the 2019 WESS Enduro World Championship, with the Spaniard to target the world championship title next year.

A key member of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, Gómez was a regular front-runner in all eight rounds of the WESS championship with the TE 300i mounted rider consistently battling for race wins and podium results.

FIM SuperEnduro Round Alfredo Gomez Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing — Alfredo Gomez

Securing three second-place finishes, while coming agonisingly close to winning the Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye, Gómez proved his consistency and speed with a total of seven top-10 results in the mixed-discipline series.

In 2018, the Spaniard suffered a serious leg injury during pre-season training, which ultimately derailed his championship aspirations. Fighting to regain his fitness and return to racing, he proved his unwavering determination to succeed by reaffirming his position as one of the world’s best enduro riders during 2019.

With the support of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing and with a clean bill of health and fitness Alfredo Gomez will look to battle for the coveted world title during the next two years.

Alfredo Gómez

“I’m really happy to continue with Husqvarna Motorcycles for another two years. We’ve grown together a lot during the last few years and I have a really strong and enjoyable relationship with everyone in the team – in a way it has become like an extended part of my family. I’m really proud of what we achieved during 2019 by finishing second overall in the WESS Enduro World Championship and always fighting for the victory. When I seriously injured my leg, they stood by me. There was never any pressure to return to the bike early, they just wanted me to get better. I feel like that was when our bond became even tighter than it already was. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead during these next two years and in particular 2020. We’ve shown ourselves as title contenders with the TE 300i and for certain our goal is to become world champions together.”

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

Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles head for Dakar

The Rally Dakar organisers, ASO, have overseen several days of verifications prior to the shipment of all European vehicles due to take part in the forthcoming edition of the rally in Saudi Arabia. The Monster Energy Honda vehicles successfully made it through the checks and are now bound for Jeddah.

It was a calm yet cool, sunny day that accompanied the administrative and technical scrutineering at the Paul Ricard Circuit in Le Castellet near Marseille, France as the Monster Energy Honda Team overcame the first hurdle on their way to participation in the 2020 edition of the Dakar Rally.

After providing all the necessary vehicle documentation and managing their transportation and entry into the new country, the ten Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles and motorcycles were subjected to a technical shakedown, where they were thoroughly checked, for, among other things, the vehicles’ key mandatory safety elements. Once these had been approved, the equipment was then given the all-clear to display the officially accredited decals required to participate in the race.

With the vehicles loaded onto the ship, they embarked, destined for the port of Jeddah, on a journey that goes, first, across the Mediterranean to Port Said, in Egypt, and from there, through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea before reaching the final destination at the Saudi Arabian port, where the vehicles will be collected on January 2.

Henry Wiles to compete 2020 AFT Singles with Honda

American Honda Motor Co. and Richie Morris Racing have signaled their intention to make an all-out assault on the AFT Singles championship with the signing of Henry Wiles to contest the 2020 American Flat Track season aboard a Honda CRF450R.

After returning to the scene following more than 25 years away and coming within six points of claiming the AFT Singles title in 2019, American Honda is set to increase their involvement and support of RMR for the upcoming season.

Richie Morris – Owner of Richie Morris Racing

“It’s an honor to have American Honda back with RMR in an even larger capacity in 2020. I’m so excited that this partnership includes the recruitment of Henry Wiles. In my opinion, Henry is one of the best flat track pros to ever swing a leg over a 450; RMR is proud to have him. We’re certain that he’s the right man to bring home the championship in 2020.”

“King Henry” is arguably one of the most accomplished Singles riders in the history of the sport. He was crowned GNC1 Singles Champion in 2009 and 2010, and boasts 26 career premier-class victories aboard four-stroke singles, including a string of 14 straight at the legendary Peoria TT. In fact, from 2009 to 2016 (the final year singles were included in the premier category), he won half (19 of 38) of the races he started on single-cylinder equipment.

Wiles is AFT’s all-time winningest TT rider with 19 victories in the discipline and stands equal with Chris Carr at the top of the order in Short Track wins at nine. He ranks 11th in career American Flat Track wins at 30, and in 2018 he finished as the AFT Twins championship runner-up with six podiums and 13 top-fives.

Henry Wiles

“Richie gave me a call and was talking about going and winning a 450 championship. It’s absolutely exciting to be associated with American Honda, and I’m walking on to a good team that already has some things sorted out. That’s going to be good for me… and I think it’s going to be bad for everybody else. Richie was very up front with me about what the goal is. They’ve got everything in place, and Richie has won championships before. He’s a team owner who knows how to put the right people in place to do just that.”

Wiles will team with returning RMR rider Cole Zabala, who registered five top-10 finishes in AFT Singles action a year ago with RMR.

Estenson Racing announce Yamaha supported 2020 AFT Team

Yamaha Motor Corporation USA (YMUS) has announce support for Estenson Racing’s effort in American Flat Track for the 2020 season. The team has signed a multi-year deal with JD Beach, who will lead the campaign in the all-new SuperTwins class, while Kolby Carlile, the 2017 AFT Singles Champion, steps up to the premier class alongside Beach aboard the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT. The team has also signed Mikey Rush for a two-pronged threat in the AFT Singles class with young phenom Dallas Daniels.

Returning for his second year with Estenson Racing, 2020 will be JD Beach’s first full-season in American Flat Track. With multiple road race titles on his resume, the Owensboro, Kentucky, resident has his sights set on a SuperTwins crown. He pulled double duty with the team in 2019, competing in the premier classes of both AFT and MotoAmerica.

The racer made history with his first AFT Grand National win at the Super TT in Arizona, which was also the first victory for a Yamaha Twin since 1981. Beach then backed it up the following weekend at Virginia International Raceway with his first MotoAmerica Superbike win, becoming the first rider to top the podium during the same season in the premier class of both disciplines since Nicky Hayden in 2002. He ended the year in AFT with two wins and three podiums.

JD Beach

“I’m really looking forward to being back with the Estenson Racing crew. I think we kind of got started on our back foot last season. We were hoping for more, but we still managed a few wins, and within the Twins team a few podiums. I think the changes to the team and the new personnel are going to help a lot. We’re all putting in a lot of work this winter to come out next season swinging. I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

Kolby Carlile made the transition to the Twins ranks last season, competing both in the new AFT Production Twins class and AFT Twins. He had a solid rookie year in spite of injury and made a late-season charge for the Production Twins title, ultimately ending the year third in the Production championship with two wins and six podiums.

Kolby Carlile

“2020 is going to be an awesome year for me. I learned a lot last year racing the Twin in the Production Twins class and winning a few rounds. This year I’ll be racing in the new AFT SuperTwins class full-time on the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07. The guys I’ll be racing against week in and week out are the fastest guys in the world and I feel like I’ve always benefited from racing the best there is. The team also has some new members that are going to be huge additions in the development of the bike. Going into the new year, I’ve been taking a few months away from racing to allow me to focus on getting my knee in better condition. The races are a bit longer this year for me, and the intensity is up from what I have raced before, so being in top physical condition is important. I have an awesome teammate in JD Beach. I’ve grown up learning from him and I don’t plan on stopping now. I look forward to doing my best to improve the bike, the team, and myself in 2020.”

The newest member of the team, Mikey Rush, jumped straight into the premier class of AFT in 2009 and scored his first win in 2013 at the Daytona Short Track. After some tough years in the privateer ranks, he made the move to the AFT Singles class and had a standout season in 2019, finishing second in the championship with four wins and seven podiums. The Californian now looks to bring home the title in 2020 aboard the Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F.

Mikey Rush

“I’m really excited to have this opportunity with Estenson Racing. Tim is a great guy and their whole program is very professional. I’m looking forward to working with them next season and am ready to go racing and fight for the AFT Singles Championship.”

Returning with the team is 2019 AFT Singles Rookie of the Year, Dallas Daniels. The 16-year-old turned heads last season with a dominant debut win at the Peoria TT. He then went on to back it up with two more podiums to finish the year just outside the top 10, despite only turning pro mid-season. Daniels looks to build on his progress in his first full-year of AFT competition.

Dallas Daniels

“I’m super excited to start my first full year in American Flat Track with Estenson Racing. I’ve been training hard and preparing for 2020. I’m really looking forward to getting things started in Daytona. I can’t wait for the season.”

Jorge Prado recovering from surgery for fractured femur

Red Bull KTM’s Jorge Prado is recovering from an operation in Italy to fix a fracture to his left femur, which the eighteen-year-old suffered while training at the Malagrotta circuit near Rome on Thursday.

Prado is stepping into the premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2020 after claiming the last two MX2 titles, and was circulating his usual practice facility with teammate Tony Cairoli when he lost control approaching a jump.

MXGP Rnd China Shanghai Jorge Prado — Jorge Prado

The Spaniard was transferred to the European Hospital where he immediately underwent a corrective procedure performed by Dr Massimiliano Nannerini to insert a pin into the femur bone. He is expected to leave the ward in two days if initial signs are positive and start rehabilitation to make his MXGP debut as early as possible next season.

Claudio De Carli – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager

“This is bad news and we feel so sorry for Jorge. Things had been going well and he was just two laps away from the end of the training session. It was raining at Malagrotta and you need to have a good control of the bike to make one of the biggest jumps on the track. Jorge could not grip the plastic well, his foot slipped off the footpeg on the ramp and he crashed over the jump. He had surgery yesterday evening by a fantastic doctor that we know and trust and now we have to wait a few days to see if everything is correct before he can leave the hospital. It is a setback to our preparation but the important thing is that Jorge heals well and then can think again about his first season in the MXGP class.”

Yamaha announces 2020 YXZ1000R European Cup

Yamaha Motor Europe has announced the 2020 edition of the YXZ1000R European Cup, set to feature another thrilling year of Yamaha’s sports Side-by-Side vehicles in national championships, culminating in a season-ending SuperFinale.

Following the great success of the 2019 SuperFinale, the event in October 2020 will return to the amazing locations of the Baja Portalegre – Portugal. The Stock winner of the European Cup SuperFinale will receive a brand-new YXZ1000R.

YXZR European Cup — 2020 YXZ1000R European Cup

In a new initiative, the 2020 Cup will also field Wildcard entries in the SuperFinale. The top finishing YXZ1000R in the Stock category, in both the 2020 Merzouga Rally – Morocco and Baja Aragon – Spain, will automatically qualify for the SuperFinale, joining the qualifiers from the National Cups.

A new program running parallel to the official YXZ1000R European Cup will be the YXZ1000R Challenge, an overall ranking for racers competing outside of the Cup regardless of their racing preparation type. The YXZ1000R Challenge winner will receive a free entry to the Baja Aragon 2021.

Detailed rules and regulations of the 2020 YXZ1000R European Cup will be available on Yamaha-racing.com soon.

2020 Championship Calendars

2020 AMA Motocross race schedule

May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN

2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar

Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

2020 MXGP Calendar

March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 7 – Russia, Orlyonok – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 14 – Latvia, Kegums – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 28 – Indonesia, Jakarta
July 5 – Indonesia, Palembang
July 26 – Czech Republic, Loket – (EMX65, EMX85, EMX 2t)
August 2 – Belgium, Lommel – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 16 – Sweden, Uddevalla – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 23 – Finland, Litti-KymiRing – (EMX125, EMX250, EMX 2t)
September 6 – Turkey, Afyonkarahisar – (EMX Open, WMX)
September 13 – China, (TBA) –
September 20 – Emilia Romagna, Imola – (EMX125, WMX)
September 27 – Motocross of Nations, France, Ernee

2020 American Flat Track

Round 1. March 14: Daytona 200 & TT – Daytona Speedway, FL
Round 2. March 28: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
Round 3. April 4: Charlotte Half-Mile – Charlotte Speedway, Concord, NC
Round 4. May 2: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
Round 5. May 9: So-Cal Half-Mile – Perris Speedway, Perris, CA
Round 6. May 16: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
Round 7. May 30: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
Round 8. June 13: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Speedway, Loudon, NH
Round 9. June 20: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK
Round 10. June 27: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
Round 11. July 4: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
Round 12. August 9: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
Round 13. August 11: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
Round 14. August 22: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
Round 15. September 5: Springfield Mile I – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 16. September 6: Springfield Mile II – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 17. September 12: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
Round 18. September 26: Meadowlands Mile* – Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ

2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway Calendar

Round 1, January 3 – Kurri Kurri Speedway, Loxford Park NSW
Round 2, January 6 – Diamond Park, Wodonga VIC
Round 3, January 7 – Undera Speedway, Echuca Road, Undera VIC
Round 4, January 9 – Olympic Park, Regina Street, Mildura VIC
Round 5, January 11 – Gillman Speedway, Wilkins Road, Gillman SA

2020 WESS Enduro World Championship Schedule

Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 8-10
Round 2: Trefle Lozerien AMV (France) May 21-23
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) June 10-14
Round 4: Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland ) June TBC
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 21-25
Round 6: Tennessee Knockout (USA) August 15-16
Round 7: Hawkstone Park Cross-Country (UK) September TBC
Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro (Spain) October TBC

2020 FIM Speedway GP Calendar

May 16 – PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland – Warsaw
May 30 – German SGP – Teterow
June 13 – Czech SGP – Prague
July 18 – Adrian Flux British SGP – Cardiff
July 25 – Swedish SGP – Hallstavik
August 1 – Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland – Wroclaw
August 15 – Scandinavian SGP – Malilla, Sweden
August 29 – Russian SGP – Togliatti
September 12 – Danish SGP sponsored by ECCO – Vojens
October 3 – Revline Torun SGP of Poland – Torun

2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship dates

April 11-12 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships
- Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD, North Brisbane Jnr Motorcycle Club
October 17-18 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
- Fairburn Park, ACT Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Track Championship dates

May 16-17 Australian Senior Track Championships
- Qurindi, Tamworth, NSW, Tamworth Motorcycle Club
September 26-27 Australian Junior Track Championships
- Gunnedah, NSW Gunnedah Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Off-Road Championship Calendar

Round 1 & 2: Toowoomba, QLD 22 – 23 February 2020
Round 3 & 4: Dungog, NSW 14 – 15 March 2020
Round 5 & 6: Nowra, NSW 18 – 19 April 2020
Round 7 & 8: SA 1 – 2 August 2020
Round 9 & 10: Omeo, VIC 19 – 20 September 2020
Round 11 & 12: Wynyard, TAS 17 –18 October 2020

2020 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Calendar

Round 1: December 7, 2019 – Krakow, Poland
Round 2: January 4 – Riesa, Germany
Round 3: January 18 – A Coruna, Spain
Round 4: February 1 – Budapest, Hungary
Round 5: March 14 – Lodz, Poland

2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West Calendar

2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East Series
- March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
- May 16-17: Madd Moose, Marquette, Mich.
- July 4-5: Tough Like RORR, Tamaqua, Pa.
- July 18-19: Fallen Timbers, Little Hocking, Ohio
- Aug. 1-2: Battle of the Goats, Taylorsville, N.C.
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road West Series
- Feb. 8: King of the Motos, Lucerne Valley, Calif.
- March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
- May 2-3: EnduroFest, Reno, Nev.
- June 6-7: Last Dog Standing, Devore, Calif.
- June 20-21: Stix and Stones, Kellogg, Idaho
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road Grand Championship
- Aug. 14-16: Trials Training Center, Sequatchie, Tenn.

2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship Calendar

Round 1 – June 13: Diedenbergen DE
Round 2 – July 26: Boves-Cuneo IT
Round 3 – September 5: Morizès FR
Round 4 – October 3: Pardubice CZ

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Moto News Wrap | Weekly recap from the dirty side of motorcycling

December 3, 2019 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for December 3, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

What happened this week

Tai Woffinden to race in Perth this weekend
Rossi and Marini win 100km dei Campioni
Anderson, Brayton, Blose crowned at Aus-X Open in Melbourne
CDR Yamaha’s Clout & Reardon go 2-3 in SX1
Josh Osby claims SX2 runner-up for Raceline KTM Thor
Jay Wilson closes out SX2 season in fourth at Marvel Stadium
Dunlop the tyre of choice for Supercross winners
Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450 sold for $18,000
FIM versus WESS stalemate continues
FIM and FIA fail to reach agreements over SSV racing
Discovery/Eurosport named FIM Speedway GP promoters
Full 2020 AORC calendar announced
2020 Championship Calendars
- 2020 AMA Motocross
- 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
- 2020 MXGP
- 2020 American Flat Track
- 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
- 2020 FIM Speedway GP
- 2020 Australian Dirt Track
- 2020 Australian Track

Tai Woffinden racing in Perth

Graeme Sinden has informed us that two-times British Champion, three-times World Champion, twice winner of The Rob Woffinden Classic and current Western Australian Speedway Solo Champion Tai Woffinden is in town and booked to race at the fabulous Perth Motorplex on Saturday 7th December.

Tai Woffinden in action ImgWarwickHemy — Tai Woffinden – Image by Warwick Hemy

Tai Woffinden will also race the following week at the Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway in Neerubup the following Saturday night for the running of the Rob Woffinden Classic. He has previously won the title twice and is the defending RWC Champion.

Joining Tai Woffinden at Perth Motorplex will be three other British riders who together form a British Team who will contest a series of events against a strong West Australian side.

Team GB

Jack Smith, son of former British Champ, Andy Smith.
Leon Flint, the 16 year old Berwick Bandits flyer
Drew Kemp 2019 British under 19 CHAMPION.

Headlining the Team WA will be former International rider, Frank Smart, the in form Dan Winchester and Matt Marson.

Tai is down under in the Southern hemisphere for some R & R to recover from a bruising European season and his World Grand Prix commitments. He will head back to the UK in the new year, however while in Perth he gives of his time to perform in a couple of shows for his WA fans.

2017-FIM-SpeedwayGP-Melbourne-CRWimage-Britains-Tai-Woffinden-takes-the-bronze — Tai Woffinden – Image Colin Rosewarne

Tai set the Pinjar Park track on fire last January winning the RWC and the WA State Championship and was responsible for some of the largest crowds the new track has seen in its relatively short existence.

This is a great opportunity to see Tai Woffinden and his fellow British team mates perform, an opportunity we don’t get to see often in Perth, and I urge you not to miss either of these two huge speedway meetings.

Valentino Rossi and Luca Marini win 100km dei Campioni

Brothers claim victory ahead of Franco Morbidelli and Andrea Migno in the sixth edition of the event held at Rossi’s VR46 Ranch while despite suffering falls on the unfamiliar surface American duo JD Beach and Sammy Halbert rounded out the podium.

The race started in ‘endurance’ style with riders running towards their bikes. Elia Bartolini entered the first corner ahead of the group followed by Rossi, Migno and Stefano Manzi.

The first laps of the race stages some thrilling moments, Manzi crashed and Rossi managed to overtake Bartolini. During the first bike swap Marini, teaming up with his brother Valentino, gained the head of the group chased by Morbidelli and Lorenzo Baldassarri.

During the fifty laps of the race with riders swapping bikes every five laps, exciting head to head battles are staged.

Marini’s bike stopped and Morbidelli took advantage of Luca’s mistake to gain the lead of the race. On the other hand, some grip issues for Bartolini allow American pairing JD Beach and Sammy Halbert to comeback to fight for third position.

In the last few laps of the race, Rossi succeeded in his attempt to reduce the gap with Migno, getting very close to the Academy rider and setting the last laps of the most exciting edition of the 100km dei Campioni on fire.

The last bike swap marks the beginning of the last five laps which decide the podium positions. Marini took the chequered flag first followed by Morbidelli a few tenths behind and JD Beach fighting with Baldassari until the last corners.

Morbidelli made a mistake and a cone got stuck into his bike. This allowed Marini to overtake Franco and gain the lead of the race which he manages to keep util the finish line winning the 100km dei Campioni together with his brother Rossi. Second place went to Morbidelli and Migno following six seconds behind. The American pair of Beach and Halbert gained the third step of the podium ahead of Bartolini and Baldassarri with a gap of just over a second.

Fifth position went the way of Mattia Pasini and Stefano Manzi, sixth was claimed by Celestino Vietti and Marco Bezzecchi.

Aussie SX season concluded in Melbourne

For the full Aus-X Open report see:
Massive blow by blow recap of Australian SX finale (link)

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne SXHeatstartD — 2019 Aus-X Open – Image by AM

The Monster Energy AUS-X Open rocked Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium over the weekend as American Jason Anderson claimed the prestigious S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship, while Justin Brayton and Chris Blose claimed the Australian Supercross SX1 and SX2 Championships respectively.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne Anderson heat — Jason Anderson – Image by AM

An on-form Luke Clout started off the night in perfect fashion, as he laid down the fastest lap in Superpole, clocking faster than Anderson, Brayton and Chad Reed to name a few.

When the SX1 Finals kicked off Justin Brayton made a positive start to claim the first win of the night, as his title rival Clout ran into dramas, going down multiple times and finishing well down the order.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne BraytonRaceC — Justin Brayton – Image by AM

Anderson claimed the race two victory over Brayton, and put in a repeat performance in the third final, earning the S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship title, while Brayton claimed the Australian Supercross SX1 Championship.

Justin Brayton – SX1 Champion

“I’m stoked I got the win – the last few weeks have been so tough, so to get this championship means a lot. I love this country, thank you so much for welcoming me, and I hope that I’ve done your country proud coming over here and winning four straight.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne BraytonCelebrate — Justin Brayton – Image by AM

For Anderson, claiming the FIM Oceania Championship is a big tick off the list.

Jason Anderson – FIM Oceania Champion

“This title is sweet, it’s rad I was able to get it done. The track was slick, racing was tight, but my Rockstar Husky was locked in. Thanks to all the AME boys for putting this on. I love coming Down Under, and really plan on doing it for sometime to come.”

Australian Supercross AUS X Auckland ImgeAM AndersonPodiumMonster — Jason Anderson – Image by AM

2019 Australian Supercross SX1 Standings

Pos	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	PTS
1	Justin BRAYTON	25	25	20	18	25	113
2	Luke CLOUT	20	22	25	22	14	103
3	Daniel REARDON	22	20	22	16	15	95
4	Brett METCALFE	18	18	16	20	18	90
5	Dylan LONG	16	11	15	13	12	67
6	Richie EVANS	13	16	10	8	13	60
7	Joel WIGHTMAN	10	15	9	9	11	54
8	Josh HILL			18	15	20	53
9	Todd WATERS	15	13	12	7	4	51
10	Jason ANDERSON				25	22	47
11	Jayden RYKERS	12	10	8	5	7	42
12	Lawson BOPPING	14		13	11	3	41
13	Jackson RICHARDSON		12	1	14	9	36
14	Cody DYCE	5	5	14	4	5	33
15	Dylan WOOD	8	6	6	3	6	29
16	Jesse DOBSON	7	14	7			28
17	Henry MILLER			11	12		23
18	Gradie FEATHERSTONE	11	7	2		2	22
19	Justin CARAFA		9	4		8	21
20	Caleb WARD	9	8				17
21	Chad REED					16	16
22	Jesse MADDEN			5		10	15
23	Joey SAVATGY				10		10
24	Lochie LATIMER	6	4				10
25	Cody COOPER				6		6
26	Blake COBBIN	4					4
27	Jamie HARVEY			3			3
28	Joel CIGLIANO		3				3
29	Jono KRUSIC					1	1

SX2

The SX2 Class was once again full of insane racing, with the Triple Crown offering up some incredible action that resulted in Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg taking the overall victory. In P4 was Australian prodigy Jett Lawrence, who claimed two Knobby Holeshots, as he demonstrated why he has secured a long-term contract with Geico Honda.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne SXFinalStartV — 2019 Aus-X Open – Image by AM

The star of the show however in SX2 was American Chris Blose; as he brought home the 2019 Australian Supercross SX2 Championship.

Chris Blose – SX2 Champion

“Oh man; I can’t explain this. I’m so pumped, the Penrite Honda team worked so hard for this, I did too, and we walk out of here with a number one plate. Thanks to everyone involved, it’s a dream come true to be crowned champion.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne Blose CelebrateFam — Chris Blose – Image by AM

Collingwood F.C superstar Jordan De Goey took out the Yamaha Celebrity Challenge, as he put his previous motocross skills to the test and eventually stretched his lead to five seconds in the two-lap affair. His AFL rival, Jack Riewoldt, finished in second to last, with 2019 Supercars Champion Scott McLaughlin claiming the wooden spoon.

The Polyflor International showdown was taken out by the Australian Team, with Dan Reardon, Luke Clout and Chad Reed taking out the USA trio of Jason Anderson, Josh Hill and Ricky Carmichael.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne ReedAnnouncement — Chad Reed – Image by AM

The Monster Energy Best Trick contest saw Melbourne young gun Jayo Archer stomp his first ever Double Backflip in competition, and subsequently, the crowd decided he deserved the gold by popular demand. For Boost Mobile Best Whip, Tyler Wakeford beat some heavy hitters to take gold.

That’s a wrap for supercross action in the Southern Hemisphere for 2019, with 2020 already in the works to become bigger and better than ever, as riders continue to strive for supercross stardom.

2019 Australian Supercross SX2 Standings

Pos	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	PTS
1	Chris BLOSE	20	16	25	22	22	105
2	Joshua OSBY	18	22	22	25	14	101
3	Mitchell OLDENBURG	13	25	20	16	25	99
4	Jay WILSON	16	18	15	18	20	87
5	Aaron TANTI	22	20	18	20	4	84
6	Connor TIERNEY		14	14	15	15	58
7	Regan DUFFY		15	12	14	16	57
8	Bradley TAFT	15	12	13	5	12	57
9	Dylan WILLS	12	10	16	12		50
10	Rhys BUDD		11	8	8	13	40
11	Geran STAPLETON		9	7	11	11	38
12	Ricky LATIMER	8	8	9	10	1	36
13	Tomas RAVENHORST		13	10		9	32
14	Morgan FOGARTY	9		3	9	8	29
15	Kyle WEBSTER	11		11		6	28
16	Jayce COSFORD	10	6	4	6		26
17	Jacob HAYES	25					25
18	Darian SANAYEI				13	10	23
19	Kaleb BARHAM	7	7	5		2	21
20	Jett LAWRENCE					18	18
21	Hugh McKAY	6			7	5	18
22	Wilson TODD	14					14
23	Jaxon HADLOW			6		7	13
24	Jack KUKAS	5	4				9
25	Chandler BURNS		5				5
26	Madison LATTA				4		4
27	Alex LARWOOD					3	3
28	McKenzie O’BREE			2			2
29	Caleb GOULLET			1			1

CDR Yamaha’s Clout & Reardon go 2-3 in SX1

US guest Josh Hill made his first trip to the podium in 2019 taking a third place over the weekend at the Aus-X Open, while Luke Clout and Dan Reardon claimed the two – three finish in the premier SX1 championship despite a challenging final round.

Luke Clout carried the championship leader’s red plate into the final round with a slender one point lead over Justin Brayton. Clout looked on point all day posting the fastest laps in qualifying and in Superpole, but when the three back to back main events rolled on, his luck deserted him. He took a 10-3-7 result, crashing in the first and last race.

Luke Clout

“Look, it’s a bit of a disappointing way to finish the championship but overall, I still see it as a very positive series for me and one that I made gains on as a rider. Myself and the team put in a lot of work both in the lead up and during the championship and it was rewarded with good results all the way through and a second championship behind Justin is still something both the team and myself can be very proud of. Thank you to Craig and everyone on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team as well as my brother Aaron for the amazing job they do. And to race in this venue tonight, in front of so many people is such a huge moment for our sport. Walking out for race one and seeing the crowd and venue gave me chills.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne CLoutrace — Luke Clout – Image by AM

Dan Reardon finished up third in the SX1 championship after another solid season, matching his 2018 result, and was sixth overall for Round 5 with a consistent 5-5-7 result. A crash in his heat race, left him a little battered and bruised, while he had to transfer through to the main event via the LCQ but once on the start line it was business as usual for the Queenslander.

Dan Reardon

“I made things difficult for myself when I crashed in the heat race. Instead of having an early pick of the start gate with a direct transfer spot, I had 17th pick of the gate and as a result wasn’t in a good position in the first turn on every start. I would love to have done better here tonight as it was a big stage for our sport in a venue like this and with the biggest crowd we have had for supercross, but still happy to finish third in the championship and be racing at this level. Last year I finished the season with an injury in Auckland that took months to rehab. It took a lot of work to come back and get full strength back in my foot and ankle, but I am glad I did it as I still love racing supercross. It was also great to hook up with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team again and re-ignite a successful working relationship. We won in 2015 and here we are four years later still going for championships.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne ReardonFinal — Dan Reardon – Image by AM

With his three race stint here in Australia as a guest of Monster Energy and CDR Yamaha, Josh Hill broke through for his first podium in 2019, charging to a 3-4-2 result in a hectic night of racing. He was up the front in all thee races and challenging the likes of Justin Brayton and Jason Anderson. In only three round appearances, Hill made his way to eighth overall in the championship.

Josh Hill

“I had such a great time here in Australia and can’t thank everyone from Monster and Yamaha for their support and enthusiasm in having my race down here. Everything about this trip has been so much fun and if the opportunity comes up again I would love to do it as my time here as been amazing. “It was also good to get on the podium at the biggest race of the season and reward the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team. We have been close at the other two rounds and I was desperate to give them some decent results for everything they have done. I hope to come back next year and do a full supercross season as I can see the sport is growing here. I can see why Justin does it every year, you Aussie people are cool, so hopefully we can work out a deal that will enable me to do it again as I think I have more to give in racing and enjoy my time here so much.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne HillRaceB — Josh Hill and Justin Brayton – Image by AM

Josh Osby claims SX2 runner-up for Raceline KTM Thor

The Aus-X Open started well for Osby, who qualified as the fastest rider of the day’s timed qualifying sessions and went into the nights heat race feeling confident. The night took a turn for the worse in the very first lap of the heat race however, as Osby was landed on by another rider at the conclusion of lap one, hitting the ground hard.

Making the direct transfer to the main, he went on to claim a 5-7-12, despite a penalty in race two and a ruptured oil filler cap in race three. The result left him seventh overall for the round, and relegated Osby to runner-up in the SX2 championship.

Josh Osby

“Tonight was one of the hardest nights of my career. I put myself in good positions like I have all season, but unfortunately it just didn’t work out. It seemed like nothing went my way from the beginning of the heat race on and although we tried, it wasn’t meant to be this time around. I want to thank the entire team, we came so close and they gave me everything I needed to get the job done. But that’s racing and hopefully I’ll be back for redemption next year.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne OsbySmoke — Josh Osby smoking due to damage to an oil filler cap – Image by AM

In a fantastic showing rookie Regan Duffy finished a very impressive fifth overall with 9-5-6 results respectively in the three SX2 main events. A fifth overall culminates a fantastic rookie Supercross season, leading to seventh overall in the SX2 Championship standings.

Regan Duffy

“Tonight was intense for me, the track here at Marvel Stadium was unreal. I had to figure out a few rhythm sections after the days timed sessions, but we worked it out for the main events and it made a big difference come race time. I had some close calls out there tonight, the racing was incredible to be a part of and I had a great time. I can’t thank the team and everyone in my corner enough, 2019 has been a solid start to my Professional career.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne DuffyRace — Regan Duffy – Image by AM

In an unfortunate incident, SX1 rider Henry Miller would crash in the timed qualifying session during the day and be forced to retire from the event with minor injuries, following a collision with another rider.

Jay Wilson closes out SX2 season in fourth at Marvel Stadium

Jay Wilson, defending SX2 champion, has had a frustrating 2019 season just missing the podium at the opening four rounds, despite winning races and being in contention throughout. But he put all that behind him over the weekend, where the Triple Crown format was again is use, with Wilson carding a 3-2-3 result to take third on the night and move to fourth in the final championship standings.

Jay Wilson

“Tonight my mentality was that I had nothing to lose. I was fifth coming into the final round and even if I had a shocker, it wouldn’t have done much for the overall result, so I just laid it all on the line and see what happened. I didn’t get great starts all night and that was my fault, my reaction time at the gate was terrible but I managed to make some passes only to get near the front but run out of time. But, I feel pretty good with how I raced tonight and just wished I had of taken that mentality in from round one. The team did a great job as always and the bike was perfect. The Yamalube Yamaha Racing team put in a big effort and it was frustrating not to be able to get them on the podium until now in this series. Thanks to my mechanic, Mike Ward, his dedication and passion is unrivalled and while we didn’t get the championship back, we gave it a good shake.”

The Aus-X Open also saw Richie Evans complete his first series in supercross, claiming sixth overall in the SX1 championship. The north Queenslander had only competed in a few supercross events prior to the 2019 season and never on a 450, making sixth place a worthy achievement, alongside taking eighth overall for the round with a 6-9-8 result.

Richie Evans

“Sometimes I look at who is alongside me on the start line and think its pretty amazing that I am on the same track as them. I started next to Jason Anderson in all six main events in Auckland and Melbourne- the guy was the 2018 world champion, and I’m just a dude riding a dirt bike from Cairns. I think he must be over me as I got a few starts on him as well. But its been a good supercross series for me. I came in injured at round one, got a top five in Adelaide, had a couple of tough races in Wollongong and Auckland before finishing strongly here in Melbourne. The team have been great and having Michael work with me has been good as he has so much experience. Thank you to everyone on the team and I have had a great time racing supercross.”

Dunlop the tyre of choice for Supercross winners

In front of 35,000 race fans, Dunlop racers took a clean sweep of not only the final-round podium, but also the championship. The Dunlop Geomax MX33 pattern once again proved to be the tyre of choice inside Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, taking the win in every SX1 track outing.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne BraytonRoundpodium — Justin Brayton – Image by AM

Justin Brayton opened the night with the win in heat one, while Jason Anderson took the top spot in heat two. Superpole saw Clout set the fastest lap, before the triple-crown race format saw the SX1 class line up for three eight-lap races.

It was Brayton’s consistent 1-2-3 results that earned the overall win, ahead of Anderson’s 7-1-1 and Josh Hill’s 3-4-2 to round out the podium, and it was a 2019 Australian Supercross Championship podium lockout with all riders choosing to race with Dunlop.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne AndersonIntro — Jason Anderson – Image by AM

In the SX2 class Yamalube Yamaha’s Jay Wilson took third for the night, securing fourth in the championship. Title contender Aaron Tanti, went down hard, earning just four points for the round and settling for fifth overall in the championship. All eyes were on 16-year-old Jett Lawrence as he made his supercross debut, taking a 4-3-2 race results for fourth in the round, and showing many why he is not just a future star of the sport, but a star already.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne WilsonFinal — Jay Wilson – Image by AM

Robbie Bugden – Dunlop Motorsport Manager

“Just like that, the Australian Supercross Championship is over. What an amazing atmosphere, with 35,000 people watching a world-class field on a world-class track. I’m obviously ecstatic about not only securing the round and championship win in SX1, but to lock out the podium is just amazing, and a credit to both the riders and the Geomax product range. Congratulations to Justin Brayton on his fourth SX1 championship, but also to CDR Yamaha Monster Energy for securing second and third overall with Luke (Clout) and Dan (Reardon), along with Josh Hill taking eighth after missing the first two rounds! It was great to watch Jay Wilson take it to the Americans all night in SX2. He’s a class rider and it’s great to see him up front, once more showing that consistency gets you everywhere. 2019 has been a year of change, but also a great year. We’re proud to work with some incredible teams and riders, and supporting the sport in so many ways, and I’m really looking forward to what 2020 has in store.”

Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450 sold for $18,000!

Suzuki Australia recently announced the opportunity to own the RM-Z450 ridden by Ricky Carmichael at the 2019 SX-Open Supercross event just run in Melbourne, with the bike passing reserve and selling for $18,000, with all proceeds past the reserve going to the Starlight Foundation.

Ricky Carmichael RM Z Image — Ricky Carmichael’s SX-Open RM-Z450

Ricky Carmichael’s one-off 2019 Suzuki RM-Z450 featured the following modifications from standard.

Yoshimura RS-4 full titanium exhaust system
Hinson complete clutch assembly and factory Suzuki clutch cover
Unique to SX-Open event custom RC graphics kit
ODI Ricky Carmichael signature handlebars and lock-on grips
DID gold race chain
Personally signed by the G.O.A.T himself
A set of FOX riding gear as worn by Ricky Carmichael at the SX-Open event=

Carmichael, the most successful AMA motocross racer of all-time is a seven time AMA Motocross premier class champion and five time AMA Supercross Champion. His unrivalled successes in the sport of motocross have given him the nickname ‘The G.O.A.T’ by his peers; standing for the Greatest of All Time.

FIM versus WESS stalemate continues

Talks have been taking place since the beginning of the year as the FIM have sought to bring WESS under their umbrella.

The FIM have made statements such as, “The FIM will not be flexible in environmental rules, safety conditions, protection of our riders and controlling the sport.” Using such statements to indicate that competitors are at more risk in non FIM events due to riders not being covered under the FIM insurance scheme while competing in WESS events.

WESS GetzenRodeo Start FM — 2019 GetzenRodeo – Image by Future7Media

For their part WESS organisers seem determined to go their own way. The WESS was set-up largely by Red Bull and KTM/Husqarna immediately joined the competition and had their star contracted riders concentrate on the WESS series.

From the outside looking in, WESS certainly seems to be much more professional than World Enduro/Enduro GP. The media and promotion efforts surrounding WESS make EnduroGP look very amateur indeed.

This week the FIM stated that; “The FIM stays firm with regards to environmental rules, safety conditions, protection of riders and controlling the sport. A new meeting will take place in February 2020, where all parties hope to reach an agreement.”

“Two different tenders were launched: one for the promotion of the FIM Enduro World Championship 2021-2030 and another for a new FIM Enduro Extreme World Cup 2020-2029, with the objective of bringing together the Enduro family. The FIM hopes to receive interesting offers.

FIM and FIA fail to reach agreements over SSV racing

SSV (Side by Side Vehicles): Despite their best efforts, an agreement was not possible between the FIM and the FIA on the matter of SSV Classes. The FIM will proceed with its own production category of light vehicles.

Discovery/Eurosport named FIM Speedway GP promoters

Speedway: A tender was launched during the third trimester of 2019 for the promotion of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship for 2022-2031.

FIM Speedway World Championship Boll Warsaw Poland — 2019 SGP of Poland

Various offers were submitted to the FIM Board of Directors, who chose after much consideration to sign with Discovery / Eurosport Events as their proposal was the most interesting and innovative from a sports, development and TV coverage point of view. The FIM would like to thank BSI for its dedication and hard work and hopes to collaborate with them again in the future.

Kiwi world champs receive medals at FIM Awards in Monaco

In an historic first for Motorcycling New Zealand (MNZ), two Kiwi world champion riders Courtney Duncan and Hamish MacDonald were officially presented with their 2019 FIM World Championship medals at a glittering ceremony in Monaco, on Sunday night.

Since MNZ became affiliated with the FIM in 1986, New Zealand has never had two riders win world championship events in a single season.

Dunedin-based 23-year-old Duncan (Kawasaki) dominantly won the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship in 2019, after three years of near misses, since bursting onto the scene as a race-winning rookie in 2016.

While 20-year-old MacDonald (Sherco), of Christchurch, claimed the FIM 125cc Youth Enduro World Championship – New Zealand’s first title in the discipline, thanks to an impressive second season at this level.

Duncan says it was “definately a proud moment receiving my world championship medal among all the other winners.”

Her victorious season started with a win in the opening moto of the season at Valkenswaard, The Netherlands. Although she slipped to fourth in the second moto and allowed Dutch rider Nancy van der Ven (Yamaha) to claim the top spot, that would prove to be the only moment she would let her guard down all season.

Consecutive doubles in Portugal, the Czech Republic and Italy, set up a title shot at the final round in Turkey, where she wasted no time in wrapping things up with a dominant 12-second victory in the first moto. Duncan signed-off her 2019 assault with a second race win, making it nine from ten for the season, as she followed in the footsteps of fellow Kiwi Katherine Oberlin-Brown (nee Prumm), who won the Women’s World Cup in 2006 and 2007, before the class was elevated to FIM World Motocross Championship status.

MacDonald showed the world how it was done this year too, by scoring a podium in every single race that he finished in the seven-round season. The first Kiwi rider to compete at world level in over fifteen years, he also showed no shortage of grit and determination to come back after breaking his shoulder at the third round in Spain, where he missed out on the points completely after back-to-back double victories in Germany and Portugal.

His only other no-score after that was on the second day in Italy and despite having conceded the championship lead to Italy’s Claudio Spanu (Husqvarna), MacDonald gradually fought back to make sure of the title with a pair of third places at the final round in Ambert, France.

He and Duncan were treated to all the super-star treatment in Monaco – complete with a helicopter transfer into Monte Carlo and Duncan was dressed for the awards night by Kiwi fashion label Company of Strangers, from her hometown of Dunedin.

“It was a huge honour to be representing New Zealand at these awards and to have Hamish alongside – another Kiwi – is pretty special for our country. I will enjoy this moment before I get back to work towards next season,” Duncan says.

MacDonald was blown away by the hillside district of Monte Carlo, describing it as “amazing and so beautiful.”

“It was great to represent New Zealand on a world stage – not just myself too which is pretty crazy because New Zealand has never had two world champion riders in one year!” Hamish says.

Hamish MacDonald World Enduro Champion — Canterbury’s Hamish MacDonald celebrates wining the FIM 125cc Youth Enduro World Championship and becoming the first New Zealander to become victorious in this discipline – Image by MAastorgne Photography and Dario Agrati

Like Duncan, he will start increasing his hours on the bike and cross-training, as he prepares for the up-coming season, where he moves up to the junior enduro category.

“It will be tough, but I like a challenge and I’m excited to see what it brings, and hopefully I can come back to Monaco next year! Summer will be hard training for me. I don’t know if I’ll race any events in New Zealand yet. I’ll also be doing lots of riding, running and cycling preparing for my return back to Europe in January 2020.” MacDonald says.

Duncan also heads back to Europe around the same time, as her first round is in Britain at the end of February, where she will begin her title defence.

“I’ll start to build for the season when I’m return to New Zealand at the end of the week. It’ll be another big year, which I’m looking forward to.” Duncan says.

Courtney Duncan and Hamish MacDonald at FIM Awards — Kiwi riders Courtney Duncan and Hamish MacDonald with their world championship medals at the glittering Monte-Carlo-hosted FIM Awards ceremony on Sunday

2020 AORC round 1-3 locations announced

The Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) have released race weekend locations for the first six of 12 rounds of the 2020 national championship series.

The AORC kick starts the 2020 season off returning to Toowoomba featuring a new Cooby Dam venue for rounds 1 and 2 on February 22 and 23.

AORC Rounds 1 & 2 at Toowoomba with John Pearson — 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2, Toowoomba – Image by John Pearson Media

The championship then heads south to Dungog, NSW on March 14 and 15 for rounds 3 and 4 and a new venue at Nowra for rounds 5 and 6 on April 18 and 19.

The 2020 Championship will continue to use a double-header format, which will see six weekends make up twelve rounds of the AORC for 2020.

Matthew Falvo – Motorcycling Australia Off-Road Events Manager

“With the recently crowned World Champion Junior Team and overall second placed Australian ISDE team returning for action in 2020, we will have the best riders in the world competing in the Yamaha AORC. We are very excited for the 2020 Yamaha AORC to be returning to Toowoomba, Dungog and Nowra, where we have held successful events in the past. With new exciting venues in the 2020 AORC we are sure to again field upwards of 200 plus riders for each event in every state.”

AORC Rnd Toowoomba Daniel Milner F — Daniel Milner – 2019 AORC

AORC reveal the second half of the year’s locations for the twelve round 2020 championship once relevant planning approvals have been met.

2020 Australian Off-Road Championship Calendar

Round 1 & 2: Toowoomba, QLD – 22–23 February 2020
Round 3 & 4: Dungog, NSW – 14–15 March 2020
Round 5 & 6: Nowra, NSW – 18–19 April 2020
Round 7 & 8: SA – 1–2 August 2020
Round 9 & 10: VIC – 19–20 September 2020
Round 11 & 12: TBC – 17–18 October 2020

2020 Championship Calendars

2020 AMA Motocross race schedule

May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN

2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar

Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

2020 MXGP Calendar

March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 7 – Russia, Orlyonok – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 14 – Latvia, Kegums – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 28 – Indonesia, Jakarta
July 5 – Indonesia, Palembang
July 26 – Czech Republic, Loket – (EMX65, EMX85, EMX 2t)
August 2 – Belgium, Lommel – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 16 – Sweden, Uddevalla – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 23 – Finland, Litti-KymiRing – (EMX125, EMX250, EMX 2t)
September 6 – Turkey, Afyonkarahisar – (EMX Open, WMX)
September 13 – China, (TBA) –
September 20 – Emilia Romagna, Imola – (EMX125, WMX)
September 27 – Motocross of Nations, France, Ernee

2020 American Flat Track

Round 1. March 14: Daytona 200 & TT – Daytona Speedway, FL
Round 2. March 28: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
Round 3. April 4: Charlotte Half-Mile – Charlotte Speedway, Concord, NC
Round 4. May 2: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
Round 5. May 9: So-Cal Half-Mile – Perris Speedway, Perris, CA
Round 6. May 16: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
Round 7. May 30: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
Round 8. June 13: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Speedway, Loudon, NH
Round 9. June 20: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK
Round 10. June 27: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
Round 11. July 4: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
Round 12. August 9: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
Round 13. August 11: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
Round 14. August 22: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
Round 15. September 5: Springfield Mile I – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 16. September 6: Springfield Mile II – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 17. September 12: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
Round 18. September 26: Meadowlands Mile* – Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ

2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway Calendar

Round 1, January 3 – Kurri Kurri Speedway, Loxford Park NSW
Round 2, January 6 – Diamond Park, Wodonga VIC
Round 3, January 7 – Undera Speedway, Echuca Road, Undera VIC
Round 4, January 9 – Olympic Park, Regina Street, Mildura VIC
Round 5, January 11 – Gillman Speedway, Wilkins Road, Gillman SA

2020 WESS Enduro World Championship Schedule

Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 8-10
Round 2: Trefle Lozerien AMV (France) May 21-23
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) June 10-14
Round 4: Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland ) June TBC
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 21-25
Round 6: Tennessee Knockout (USA) August 15-16
Round 7: Hawkstone Park Cross-Country (UK) September TBC
Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro (Spain) October TBC

2020 FIM Speedway GP Calendar

May 16 – PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland – Warsaw
May 30 – German SGP – Teterow
June 13 – Czech SGP – Prague
July 18 – Adrian Flux British SGP – Cardiff
July 25 – Swedish SGP – Hallstavik
August 1 – Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland – Wroclaw
August 15 – Scandinavian SGP – Malilla, Sweden
August 29 – Russian SGP – Togliatti
September 12 – Danish SGP sponsored by ECCO – Vojens
October 3 – Revline Torun SGP of Poland – Torun

2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship dates

April 11-12 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships
- Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD, North Brisbane Jnr Motorcycle Club
October 17-18 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
- Fairburn Park, ACT Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Track Championship dates

May 16-17 Australian Senior Track Championships
- Qurindi, Tamworth, NSW, Tamworth Motorcycle Club
September 26-27 Australian Junior Track Championships
- Gunnedah, NSW Gunnedah Motorcycle Club

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Moto News Weekly | Jett Lawrence to AUS-X | X-Trial | Enduro

November 25, 2019 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for November 26, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

What happened this week

Jett Lawrence set for his professional SX debut
Toni Bou claims French X-Trial Round 2 victory
Jack Holder crowned 2019 Oceania Speedway Champion at Gillman
Wade Young wins 2019 Uncle Hard Enduro in South Borneo
Harley announce massive 2020 AFT contingency program
2020 Championship Calendars
- 2020 AMA Motocross
- 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
- 2020 MXGP
- 2020 American Flat Track
- 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
- 2020 FIM Speedway GP
- 2020 Australian Dirt Track
- 2020 Australian Track

Jett Lawrence set for his professional SX debut

Australian sensation Jett Lawrence will make his professional supercross debut with Honda Racing Australia at the Monster Energy AUS-X Open event this coming weekend at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.

Monster Energy Cup Lawrence Jett Futures JK MEC CoverA — Jett Lawrence – Monster Energy Cup 2019 – Image by Hoppenworld

The Queensland native currently lives in the USA, but is heading back to Melbourne to race his first-ever professional career and international Supercross race onboard a Honda CRF250R.

Since landing in the United States in early 2018, Lawrence has been unstoppable, racking up a multitude of prestigious amateur championships, which have subsequently made him the hottest property on the market. The 16-year-old recently signed a long-term contract to ride under the powerhouse Geico Honda squad in the 2020 World 250cc SX2 Supercross (West Coast AMA) Championship.

Jett Lawrence

“I’m really excited to be making my pro debut in Melbourne. I’ve had my eye on these events for a while now and they’ve progressively grown into something that’s world-class. Being a proud Australian makes it pretty cool that I’ll debut there, in front of friends, family and a lot of riders I grew up with too. Winning Monster Cup was a real confidence booster for me, especially on a Supercross track. I definitely think more gate drops and just being in that race environment will help me heaps as I get ready for 2020.”

Lawrence will ride under the awning of the ‘Ride Red’ Honda Racing program, backed by Honda Genuine. General Manager of Honda Motorcycles, Tony Hinton is looking forward to seeing Lawrence in action sharing, “We are really pleased to have Jett under our wing for this final round. He has certainly made a name for himself overseas, so it will be fantastic for local fans to see him race on home soil. We hope for strong results and know he will do the CRF250R proud!”

The addition of Lawrence will add to an already stacked international SX2 division, with existing riders involved in a ferocious title fight that’ll come down to the wire at the Australian Supercross Championship finale.

Monster Energy Cup Futures Jett Lawrence JK MEC — Jett Lawerence – Image by Hoppenworld

During New Zealand’s press conference, two-time World Champion Chad Reed indicated that this could very likely be his final race as a professional athlete in Australia, which makes Melbourne a landmark event for Australian Supercross fans, with one legend potentially retiring and a future star being born.

Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium will also feature the Monster Energy Best-Trick Freestyle Motocross contest set to feature some of the world’s most insane stunts, with the legendary Josh Sheehan as the headliner. Best Whip will be back again, along with the Yamaha Celebrity challenge as some of Australia’s highest profiled stars do battle on track, including Jack Riewoldt, Jordan De Goey, Scott McLaughlin and many more celebrities.

Tickets can be secured from www.ticketmaster.com.au (link) with new tickets released from just $39.95! The Monster Energy AUS-X Open doubles as the fifth and final round of the Australian Supercross Championship, and Grand Final of the FIM Oceania Supercross Championship.

SX1 Standings

Pos	Name	R1	R3	R3	R4	PTS
1	Luke CLOUT	20	22	25	22	89
2	Justin BRAYTON	25	25	20	18	88
3	Daniel REARDON	22	20	22	16	80
4	Brett METCALFE	18	18	16	20	72
5	Dylan LONG	16	11	15	13	55
6	Richie EVANS	13	16	10	8	47
7	Todd WATERS	15	13	12	7	47
8	Joel WIGHTMAN	10	15	9	9	43
9	Lawson BOPPING	14		13	11	38
10	Jayden RYKERS	12	10	8	5	35
11	Josh HILL			18	15	33
12	Cody DYCE	5	5	14	4	28
13	Jesse DOBSON	7	14	7		28
14	Jackson RICHARDSON		12	1	14	27
15	Jason ANDERSON				25	25
16	Henry MILLER			11	12	23
17	Dylan WOOD	8	6	6	3	23
18	Gradie FEATHERSTONE	11	7	2		20
19	Caleb WARD	9	8			17
20	Justin CARAFA		9	4		13
21	Joey SAVATGY				10	10
22	Lochie LATIMER	6	4			10
23	Cody COOPER				6	6
24	Jesse MADDEN			5		5
25	Blake COBBIN	4				4
26	Jamie HARVEY			3		3
27	Joel CIGLIANO		3			3
28	Chad REED				2	2

SX2 Standings

Pos	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	PTS
1	Joshua OSBY	18	22	22	25	87
2	Chris BLOSE	20	16	25	22	83
3	Aaron TANTI	22	20	18	20	80
4	Mitchell OLDENBURG	13	25	20	16	74
5	Jay WILSON	16	18	15	18	67
6	Dylan WILLS	12	10	16	12	50
7	Bradley TAFT	15	12	13	5	45
8	Connor TIERNEY		14	14	15	43
9	Regan DUFFY		15	12	14	41
10	Ricky LATIMER	8	8	9	10	35
11	Geran STAPLETON		9	7	11	27
12	Rhys BUDD		11	8	8	27
13	Jayce COSFORD	10	6	4	6	26
14	Kyle WEBSTER	11		11	3	25
15	Jacob HAYES	25				25
16	Tomas RAVENHORST		13	10		23
17	Morgan FOGARTY	9		3	9	21
18	Kaleb BARHAM	7	7	5		19
19	Wilson TODD	14				14
20	Darian SANAYEI				13	13
21	Hugh McKAY	6			7	13
22	Jack KUKAS	5	4			9
23	Jaxson HADLOW			6		6
24	Chandler BURNS		5			5
25	Madison LATTA				4	4
26	McKenzie O’BREE			2		2
27	Caleb GOULLET			1		1

Toni Bou claims French X-Trial Round 2 victory

The second round of the X-Trial World Championship got underway at the brand new Glaz Arena in Rennes, France, with Repsol Honda Team ace Toni Bou dominating throughout to claim a second 2020 indoor season victory.

X Trial France Rnd Toni Bou ps — Toni Bou – 2020 X-Trial, Round 2, France

Toni Bou did not disappoint the French crowd, turning out a fine display of riding prowess in front of the Rennes spectators in Brittany. The Repsol Honda Team rider made it through the first five sections of the heats as the superior rider, picking up just four marks.

In the second round, with the top rider from each group qualifying directly for the final, Bou has once again gave a masterful showing, collecting 7 marks in the process.

The grand finale saw Toni Bou overcome the six sections with a total of 15 points ahead of the 27 accrued by arch-rival Adam Raga, to seal a second season victory.

Repsol Honda Team will now enjoy a almost two-month break ahead of the third X-Trial World Championship season date which will not be held until January 19, 2020 in Budapest. Bou will arrive as clear leader in the contest on 40 points, 10 more than the nearest second-place rival.

Toni Bou

“Today I did not start the first round very well; the points were fine, but I didn’t feel right with the riding sensations. I didn’t feel comfortable and it took me a while to get into the sections. We will have to work so that in the coming trials we won’t experience these feelings, since it is very easy to get knocked out in the eliminations. In the end, I was able to enjoy myself more in the second round and the final to take the victory. I want to congratulate the organizer of the event, who set up a very tough trial, where I think the spectators really enjoyed it. Now there will be a break before the third trial in Budapest so it is very important to take the leadership here.”

X-Trial Rennes Round 2 Results

Pos.	Rider	Nat.	Team	Con.	P.
1	BOU Toni	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Montesa	20
2	RAGA Adam	SPA	TRRS Factory Team	TRRS	15
3	FAJARDO Jeroni	SPA	Sherco Factory Team	Sherco	12
4	GELABERT Miquel	SPA	Vertigo Factory Team	Vertigo	9
5	BUSTO Jaime	SPA	Vertigo Factory Team	Vertigo	6
6	BINCAZ Benoit	FRA	Beta Factory Racing	Beta	4
7	MARCELLI Gabriel	SPA	RG Team	Montesa	2
8	MARTIN Toby	GBR	Beta Factory Racing	Beta	1

2020 X-Trial Rider Standings

Pos.	Rider	Nat.	Points
1	BOU Toni	SPA	40
2	RAGA Adam	SPA	30
3	GELABERT Miquel	SPA	18
4	BUSTO Jaime	SPA	18
5	FAJARDO Jeroni	SPA	12
6	CASALES Jorge	SPA	6
7	BINCAZ Benoit	FRA	6
8	MARCELLI Gabriel	SPA	6
9	MARTIN Toby	GBR	1
10	TOULY Kieran	FRA	1

Holder crowned 2019 Oceania Speedway Champion at Gillman

New South Welshman Jack Holder has taken out the inaugural FIM Oceania Speedway Championship at Gillman in South Australia, dominating the seven-race event, only dropping one point finishing ahead of under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey, British rider Dan Bewley and Australian junior international Jordan Stewart.

Holder scored 14 points, and recorded the fastest time of the night, in the heats, passed his biggest challenger, Jaimon Lidsey, to win his semi-final, and then won the final relatively comfortably in a dominating performance.

Holder’s only loss on the night was to Lidsey in their fourth heat, but by that time Holder had already qualified for the semi-finals, and therefore did not need to take any risks to try to pass Lidsey, highlighting one of the obvious flaws with the FIM format used for the meeting, where there is no reward, apart from choice of gate positions, for finishing on, or near, the top of the scorecard.

Second and third, in both the heat points and the final were Lidsey and English rider Dan Bewley, with the other finalist, Jordan Stewart, a non-finisher after he fell on the first lap.

Holder was ecstatic finishing on the top step and believes the new event formula has the support of riders. Holder said he believed European riders currently going through their winter break could see the FIM Oceania Speedway Championship as an opportunity to race.

Jack Holder

“The format and event was great, and similar to events in Europe. Hopefully it (FIM Oceania Speedway Championship) will help us push to gain GP qualifiers. It’s cold over there at the moment with no racing so they may want to come and enjoy the Australian summer and sunshine but to also remain competitive before returning to the European season.”

FIM Oceania Speedway Solo Championship podium Gillman — a

FIM Oceania Vice President, Peter Doyle, said the FIM Oceania Speedway Championship showcased the international talent that Australia produces each year.

Peter Doyle – FIM Oceania Vice President

“We have a wealth of speedway talent and this inaugural FIM Oceania Speedway Championship will hopefully open up other avenues for upcoming Australian speedway stars to make their mark on the international stage. With the establishment of this championship we are continuing to support the growth of speedway here in Australia and promoting our international riders.”

2019 Oceania Speedway Championship results

SF1 – Holder (B), Lidsey (R), Cook (W), Wright (Y), 55.357 (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th highest scorers)
SF2 – Bewley (R), Stewart (B), Sedgmen (Y), Medson (W), 57.301 (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th highest scorers)
Final – Holder (R), Lidsey (W), Bewley (B), Stewart (Y-fell), 56.254 (1st and 2nd from the two semi-finals)

Wade Young wins 2019 Uncle Hard Enduro in South Borneo

The 2019 Uncle Hard Enduro held in South Borneo, Indonesia has presented an incredibly tough challenge that ultimately saw just two riders complete the race over the weekend, with Sherco’s Wade Young on blistering form to take the win in front of Graham Jarvis.

Wade Young

“It was a tough day out at the Uncle Hard Enduro. There was only two finishers as there was a big downpour of rain just before the start which made things interesting.”

Uncle Hard Enduro South Borneo — Wade Young – 2019 Uncle Hard Enduro

Young’s victory at the Uncle Hard Enduro follows his dominant performance at Wildwood Rock Extreme in Australia just a few weeks ago. Young will now head home to South Africa where he will finalise his preparations for the 2019 Roof of Africa.

Young is the defending Roof of Africa champion and is gunning for his fifth Roof of Africa win. Held in the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Roof as it is commonly called, is an event steeped in history dating back to 1967 with legendary winners such as Graham Jarvis, Alfie Cox, Chris Birch and of, course, Wade Young. Labelled, the Mother of Hard Enduro, the 2019 Motul Roof of Africa begins on December 4, 2019.

2019 Uncle Hard Enduro results

Wade Young – ZAF – 1:58.04
Graham Jarvis – GBR – 2:13:25

Harley announce massive 2020 AFT contingency program

Harley-Davidson have announced a major increase in their support of American Flat Track’s AFT Production Twins class. For the first time ever, authorised Harley-Davidson dealerships will now have the race-proven XG750R available for purchase, ensuring that more competitors will field these race-winning machines during the 2020 American Flat Track season.

AFT Springfield Mile II Prod Gauthier ERV — Dalton Gauthier – 2019 AFT Twins, Springfield Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

To support the racing efforts of Harley-Davidson-mounted riders in the class, the Milwaukee-based marque has also posted a $250,000 contingency package.

Jon Bekefy – GM of Brand Marketing for Harley-Davidson

“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Harley-Davidson XR750 next season, this expanded pledge of support shows our lasting commitment to the sport of flat track. Harley-Davidson dealerships fielding the XG750R will provide an opportunity for our community to rally behind this great American sport.”

Harley-Davidson has been synonymous with flat track racing since the inception of the sport. Throughout the golden era of pro flat track, powerhouse Harley-Davidson dealerships from around the country scored hundreds of wins aboard the legendary XR750.

James Rispoli AFT Production Twins Lima Half Mile — James Rispoli – Lima Half Mile 2019 – Image by Scott Hunter

Moments of brilliance during the 2019 AFT Production Twins season hearkened back to that golden era, as Dalton Gauthier and James Rispoli made consistent podium appearances and scored two wins aboard a privateer XG750R backed by Black Hills Harley-Davidson.

With $7,500 awarded to XG750R riders for each AFT Production Twins race win plus a $25,000 championship bonus on the line, the contingency package offered by Harley-Davidson is sure to heat up the on-track action next season.

A total of $15,000 will be up for grabs to XG750R riders at each AFT Production Twins round in 2020, broken down as follows, by place:

First: $7,500; Second: $3,000; Third: $1,000; Fourth: $800; Fifth: $700; Sixth: $600; Seventh: $500; Eighth: $400; Ninth: $300; Tenth: $200.

AFT Meadowlands Mile Prod Twins James Rispoli Ryan Varnes ERV — James Rispoli & Ryan Varnes – 2019 AFT – Meadowlands Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

The XG750R is available for purchase for $35,999 and deliveries will begin immediately. Supply is limited and priority will be given to dealerships, with the availability of the XG750R and Harley-Davidson’s contingency setting the stage for a renaissance movement of dealer-backed privateers contesting for AFT championships in 2020.

American Flat Track will kick off its highly-anticipated 2020 season with the first-ever Saturday of Speed featuring the DAYTONA 200 and DAYTONA TT Doubleheader at Daytona International Speedway. It all kicks off at the peak of Daytona Bike Week on Saturday, March 14, 2020. You can check out the full calendar below:

2020 Championship Calendars

2020 AMA Motocross race schedule

May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN

2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar

Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

2020 MXGP Calendar

March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 7 – Russia, Orlyonok – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 14 – Latvia, Kegums – (EMX250, EMX Open)
June 28 – Indonesia, Jakarta
July 5 – Indonesia, Palembang
July 26 – Czech Republic, Loket – (EMX65, EMX85, EMX 2t)
August 2 – Belgium, Lommel – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 16 – Sweden, Uddevalla – (EMX125, EMX250)
August 23 – Finland, Litti-KymiRing – (EMX125, EMX250, EMX 2t)
September 6 – Turkey, Afyonkarahisar – (EMX Open, WMX)
September 13 – China, (TBA) –
September 20 – Emilia Romagna, Imola – (EMX125, WMX)
September 27 – Motocross of Nations, France, Ernee

2020 American Flat Track

Round 1. March 14: Daytona 200 & TT – Daytona Speedway, FL
Round 2. March 28: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
Round 3. April 4: Charlotte Half-Mile – Charlotte Speedway, Concord, NC
Round 4. May 2: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
Round 5. May 9: So-Cal Half-Mile – Perris Speedway, Perris, CA
Round 6. May 16: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
Round 7. May 30: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
Round 8. June 13: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Speedway, Loudon, NH
Round 9. June 20: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK
Round 10. June 27: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
Round 11. July 4: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
Round 12. August 9: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
Round 13. August 11: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
Round 14. August 22: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
Round 15. September 5: Springfield Mile I – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 16. September 6: Springfield Mile II – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
Round 17. September 12: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
Round 18. September 26: Meadowlands Mile* – Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ

2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway Calendar

Round 1, January 3 – Kurri Kurri Speedway, Loxford Park NSW
Round 2, January 6 – Diamond Park, Wodonga VIC
Round 3, January 7 – Undera Speedway, Echuca Road, Undera VIC
Round 4, January 9 – Olympic Park, Regina Street, Mildura VIC
Round 5, January 11 – Gillman Speedway, Wilkins Road, Gillman SA

2020 WESS Enduro World Championship Schedule

Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 8-10
Round 2: Trefle Lozerien AMV (France) May 21-23
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) June 10-14
Round 4: Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland ) June TBC
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 21-25
Round 6: Tennessee Knockout (USA) August 15-16
Round 7: Hawkstone Park Cross-Country (UK) September TBC
Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro (Spain) October TBC

2020 FIM Speedway GP Calendar

May 16 – PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland – Warsaw
May 30 – German SGP – Teterow
June 13 – Czech SGP – Prague
July 18 – Adrian Flux British SGP – Cardiff
July 25 – Swedish SGP – Hallstavik
August 1 – Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland – Wroclaw
August 15 – Scandinavian SGP – Malilla, Sweden
August 29 – Russian SGP – Togliatti
September 12 – Danish SGP sponsored by ECCO – Vojens
October 3 – Revline Torun SGP of Poland – Torun

2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship dates

April 11-12 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships
- Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD, North Brisbane Jnr Motorcycle Club
October 17-18 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
- Fairburn Park, ACT Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Track Championship dates

May 16-17 Australian Senior Track Championships
- Qurindi, Tamworth, NSW, Tamworth Motorcycle Club
September 26-27 Australian Junior Track Championships
- Gunnedah, NSW Gunnedah Motorcycle Club

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Moto News Weekly | Beach Racing | GNCC | ISDE

October 28, 2019 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for October 29, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

What happened this week

Watson wins French Beach Race Loon-Plage Round 2
2019 Grand National Cross Country season wraps up at Ironman
RecoveR8 Australian ISDE team line-up updated
What to expect for 2020 AMA SX season after Monster Cup
2020 Championship Calendars
- 2020 AMA Motocross
- 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
- 2020 MXGP
- 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway

Watson wins French Beach Race Loon-Plage Round 2

Nathan Watson secured victory at round two of the Championnat de France des Sables at Loon-Plage with the win moving the defending French Beach Race Champion to the top of the provisional series standings. Teammate Camille Chapeliere delivered a much-improved performance over his round one result, taking a strong fourth, while Jeffrey Dewulf and Milko Potisek completed the top three, mirroring their positions in the standings.

Nathan Watson Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Loon Plage Beach Race — Nathan Watson

The Championnat de France des Sables moved north to Loon-Place, near Dunkirk, for round two, returning to a traditional beach race format, and the fight for victory was played out over a gruelling two-and-a-half-hour race.

Placing as runner-up at round one following a couple of mistakes, Nathan Watson was looking forward to the longer race distance and the chance to show both his pace and endurance. Starting 11th, during the opening six laps he calmly worked his way into the top five while maintaining sight of the leaders.

Taking the race lead on lap 17 of 25, Nathan then dropped to third following his final pit stop. Battling back to second and feeling strong while doing so, he again regained control of the race lead with two laps remaining. Upping his pace, with conditions at their worst he pulled clear of his rivals to secure a 26-second margin of victory.

Camille Chapeliere Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Loon Plage Beach Race — Camille Chapeliere

Nathan Watson

“Taking the win and with it the championship leader’s red plate has made for a great day at Loon-Plage. I was looking forward to returning to the longer, more traditional style beach race after the shorter, multi-race format at round one. I feel that’s where I’m best and can keep pushing throughout the race. Unfortunately, my start wasn’t the best, but I knew if I kept the leaders in sight then the race would come to me. The sunshine actually made things tricky with shadows on the bumps and holes, so I tried to settle into the first hour and then work my way forward. With two laps to go I felt strong and attacked hard to put myself into the lead and pull clear for the win. Overall, I’m chuffed with that ride because my shoulder still isn’t 100 per cent and there’s a few more things we’d like to improve on the bike. I’ve got the final round of the World Enduro Super Series next weekend and after that I’ll fully concentrate on improving more.”

The Championnat de France des Sables continues with round three at Magesq on November 16-17.

Championnat de France des Sables Round 2 – Loon-Plage

Nathan Watson (GBR), KTM, 25 laps 2:31:54.730
Jeffrey Dewulf (FRA), KTM, 25 laps 2:32:21.320 +26.590
Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha, 25 laps 2:32:39.880 +45.150
Camille Chapeliere (FRA), KTM, 25 laps 2:37:25.260 +5:30.530
Todd Kellett (GBR), Yamaha, 25 laps 2:37:57.710 +6:02.980

Championship Standings (After round 2)

Nathan Watson (GBR), KTM, 285pts
Jeffrey Dewulf (FRA), KTM, 260pts
Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha, 235pts
Todd Kellett (GBR), Yamaha, 225pts
Camille Chapeliere (FRA), KTM, 201pts

2019 Grand National Cross Country season wraps up at Ironman

The 2019 Grand National Cross Country Series officially came to an end after Sunday’s motorcycle racing at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where tricky, muddy conditions proved a challenge, adding slick sections in spots throughout the day.

GNCC Ironman XC Holeshot Award KH — XC1 Holeshot – Image by Ken Hill

The conditions wouldn’t stop Ben Kelley from making his way through the pack after an almost dead last start off the line. Kelley would come through on the first lap already sitting third overall. Kelley would consistently get faster each lap, and by the time he came through on lap number two he would be sitting first overall.

Kelley was not looking back as he maintained those fast lap times until the chequered flag flew. Kelley has now earned two overall and XC1 Open Pro class wins in a row, and moved into the third place position in the National Championship points standings for the year.

GNCC Ironman Ben Kelley XC KH — Ben Kelly – Image by Ken Hill

Trevor Bollinger maneuvered his way through the pack after a fifth place start to the day to come through second overall and land his fifth podium finish of the season. Coming back from a mid-pack start to round out the overall podium at the season finale was Steward Baylor Jr. After running sixth and fifth for majority of the day, Baylor Jr. was able to capitalise on the last lap and take third overall to end his season.

GNCC Ironman Trevor Bollinger KH — Trevor Bollinger – Image by Ken Hill

Grant Baylor steadily worked his way up through the pack, moving his way up to fourth overall as the checkered flag flew. Josh Strang would derail his chain on the first lap, and have to battle back for his seventh overall on the day.

GNCC Ironman Trevor Bollinger Ben Kelley Steward Baylor Jr Podium KH — Trevor Bollinger, Ben Kelley, Steward Baylor Jr. – Image by Ken Hill

XC2 250 Pro

In the XC2 250 Pro class it was Craig Delong coming away with second-straight win the class, while also coming through eighth overall in Indiana. Delong would battle throughout the day swapping positions multiple times, but ultimately coming away with another win. Delong holds onto second in the XC2 class points standings for the year.

GNCC Ironman Craig Delong KH — Craig Delong – Image by Ken Hill

Liam Draper earned another podium finish at the season finale, and holds onto fifth in the year end points standings. Draper put up a fight for the lead position and for his podium position throughout the duration of the race. Draper would hold off his fellow competitors though and take the second place finish by a couple minutes.

Jonathan Johnson landed himself the final podium position to end the year, with only a couple hours on a brand-new bike. This was Johnson’s first-ever XC2 podium finish, which helped him secure his eighth place finish in the class standings.

FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am

Chase Colville earned his first FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class win of the season after a handful of podium finishes throughout the year. Colville sits third in the points standings. Nathan Ferderer and Logan Kittock rounded out the class podium with a second and third.

GNCC Ironman Simon Johnson KH — Simon Johnson – Image by Ken Hill

Taking home the top amateur honors at the season finale was Simon Johnson. Johnson clinched his class championship, while also announcing he would move to the XC2 class for the 2020 season. Ryder LeBlond came through to earn second overall and second in the 250 A class. After earning the youth overall championship earlier in the season Joseph Cunningham made his way to the top amateur podium to end the 2019 season.

WXC

MacKenzie Tricker came through to earn the WXC class win at the conclusion of Sunday’s morning race at the Ironman GNCC. Rachael Archer would come through to finish second with Becca Sheets rounding out the final WXC podium of the season.

Tayla Jones

“If anyone told me as I was packing my bags three-years ago to move to the other side of the world, and that in three years time I’d have three GNCC championships I would’ve laughed. It was the dream for sure but for it to now be a reality is incredible. This year was definitely the toughest, and I am beyond grateful for all of the support of my team, family and friends who stuck behind me the whole way.”

However, attention would be turned towards Tayla Jones as she clinched her third WXC National Championship after a hard-fought battle all year long.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Moto News Weekly | Garcia tops WESS Round 7 | Rally | AJMX | SGP

October 8, 2019 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for October 8, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

What happened this week

Garcia leads KTM BR2 Enduro Solsona 1-2-3
Roczen wins 2019 Straight Rhythm on McGrath’s 2006 CR250R
Toby Price leads Rally du Maroc at half-way point
Jarred Brook dominates Barleigh Ranch Senior Dirt Track
2019 KTM AJMX Champions crowned
Gow-Smith wins 2019 Holden On Tight Sportsman Spirit Award
Jason Doyle claims 2019 Golden Helmet title in Pardubice
2020 SpeedwayGP permanent wild cards announced
Smolinski leads 2020 SGP substitute rider line-up
2019 Australian SX Championship shaping up to be a belter
Justin Rodbell out for Australian Supercross
Team HRC & Gajser lead the way at MXGP Awards Ceremony
Meghan Rutledge to become Kawasaki ambassador in 2020
bLU cRU Masterclass riders announced
Romain Febvre joins Monster Energy KRT for 2020
Monster and KRT renew MXGP partnership
Mikkel Haarup joins F&H Kawasaki for 2020

Garcia leads KTM BR2 Enduro Solsona 1-2-3

Following Friday night’s action-packed Super Test in Solsona, Saturday saw the 350-strong entry set out on what would prove to be a long and physical day of racing to kick off the 2019 BR2 Enduro Solsona, in the first of two full days of racing.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Podium — KTM 1-2-3: 1) Josep Garcia, 2) Nathan Watson, 3) Jonny Walker – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Josep Garcia took an early lead at Round 7 of the World Enduro Super Series with victory on Day 1 of the BR2 Enduro Solsona in Spain. Delivering a masterclass in Classic Enduro racing, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider ended the opening day of competition with a healthy 40-second advantage over teammates Nathan Watson and Jonny Walker. In what proved to be a top-five clean sweep for KTM, Manuel Lettenbichler and Taddy Blazusiak placed fourth and fifth respectively.

Garcia followed up on Sunday, delivering a home win for Round 7 of the World Enduro Super Series. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider proved uncatchable as he led home Britain’s Nathan Watson and Jonny Walker in second and third respectively.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Super Test FM — Friday’s Super Test – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona – Image by Future7Media

Championship leader Manuel Lettenbichler kept his advantage in the standings with fourth, moving a step closer to becoming the 2019 Ultimate Enduro World Champion. Yamaha’s Cristobal Guerrero also rode an incredible final lap to snatch fifth from Taddy Blazusiak and deny KTM a clean sweep of the top-five.

Day 1 – BR2 Enduro Solsona

A lengthy liaison on Day 1 took competitors from Solsona to nearby Bassella, where they faced the Cross Test, Extreme Test and Enduro Test at the Bassella Experience centre. They then returned to Solsona to complete the loop. A second lap of the course – ending with an additional Super Test – ensured many tired and weary bodies on Saturday evening.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Start FM — The Start saw 350 riders lining up – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona – Image by Future7Media

Determined to maximise his Classic Enduro skills, Garcia quickly got down to business on Saturday after a mixed-outing in Friday’s Super Test. Quickest on the opening Enduro Test and then again on the Cross Test, he ended lap one leading. Building on his advantage during the final lap, he returned to Solsona as the provisional overnight leader.

Behind him, Watson gave chase. Pushing hard, but not quite able to consistently match the Spaniard’s pace in the Enduro or Cross Test, he had to be content with ending Day 1 in second position.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Nathan Watson — Nathan Watson – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Winning Friday’s Super Test, Walker showed he’s up to speed in the Classic Enduro discipline. Boosted by some of the fastest times in the technical Extreme Test, he sat in third after Saturday.

For championship leader Lettenbichler the opening day of racing went better than expected. Enjoying an exciting battle with Blazusiak and Walker, while setting some impressive test times, the German will look to hold off Blazusiak in the battle for fourth and maintain the pressure on Walker.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Obstacles FM — 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Ending just four seconds behind Blazusiak, Honda’s Kirian Mirabet was just outside the top five, in sixth, after showing more speed on the Cross Test.

Yamaha’s Cristobal Guerrero had a difficult start to his day when a crash cost him valuable time on lap one. Regrouping, he worked his way back up the leader board to place seventh, but is less than 10 seconds behind Blazusiak.

Round 7 – Enduro Solsona, Day 1 Results

Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 45:49.650
Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 46:29.920
Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 46:45.240
Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 47:02.870
Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 47:45.830
Kirian Mirabet (Honda – ESP) 47:49.840
Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha – ESP) 47:54.760
Jaume Betriu (KTM – ESP) 48:01.460
Bernat Cortes (KTM – ESP) 48:15.280
Tosha Schareina (Husqvarna – ESP) 48:24.220…

Day 2 – BR2 Enduro Solsona

Building on his winning momentum from Saturday, local Garcia locked his sights on victory at Round 7. Starting out with a 45-second advantage over teammate Watson, he pushed hard from the off. Maximising his time on the Cross Test and Enduro Test, while limiting the damage on the technical Extreme Test, he controlled his lead to secure the top step of the podium.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Garcia FM — Josep Garcia – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona – Image by Future7Media

With a sizeable deficit to Garcia, Watson always knew overhauling his teammate in Spain was going to be a tall ask. Keeping the Spaniard honest throughout, he cemented himself as the runner-up to ensure his second podium result in as many races.

Clearly demonstrating his Classic Enduro speed matches his Hard Enduro talents, Walker looked both fast and comfortable in the dry and dusty Solsona conditions as he battled for third. With time in hand over Lettenbichler in fourth, he maintained his third position.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Husqvarna FM — 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona – Image by Future7Media

Entering BR2 Enduro Solsona, championship leader Lettenbichler initially hoped for a top-10 result among the many Spanish Classic Enduro specialists. But also proving that he’s adept in the special tests, the German held on to a strong fourth position.

The battle for fifth was a close affair between Guerrero and Blazusiak. The Polish rider held fifth overnight and was determined to sign out with a top-five result. A crash on lap one of Saturday saw Guerrero fight his way back into contention.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona FM — 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona – Image by Future7Media

Starting Sunday in sixth, he gained time on Blazusiak in the Enduro and Cross test, but lost time on the Extreme test. Putting everything into the final Super Test he managed to overthrow the KTM rider, beating him by eight seconds.

Honda’s Kirian Mirabet edged out Jaume Betriu by just one second to take seventh, while Marzal Schareina and Ramon Quer rounded out the top-10.

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Alfredo Gomez — Alfredo Gomez finished 12th – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Josep Garcia – P1

“It felt really good to take the win here at home in front of all my friends and family. I couldn’t have asked for more really. Yesterday I had a couple of crashes but today went perfectly. I had to take a lot of care in the final Supertest, I knew I had some seconds to spare, but Nathan has been so close all weekend and also the extreme guys have been really quick here too. I felt a little extra pressure coming here for my home event, but that only motivated me even more to win. Overall it’s been the perfect weekend.”

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Josep Garcia — Josep Garcia – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Nathan Watson – P2

“I’m happy with second – Josep was on fire here in Spain and really pushed hard, especially on that first lap yesterday. It’s been a really hectic few weeks for me and I didn’t really come into this race at 100 percent, so to pick up second and more WESS points is a good weekend. With all the travel and non-stop races, things have been tough. The Motocross of Nations was really tiring both mentally and physically, I also hurt my shoulder there a little. Overall, it’s been an amazing couple of weeks, and I couldn’t have hoped for better results to be honest. I definitely need a week’s rest now, that’s for certain.”

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Nathan Watson FM — Nathan Watson – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona – Image by Future7Media

Jonny Walker – P3

“It’s been a good race here in Spain, I’m really happy to get on the podium again. I had quite a steady start to the year, partly from coming back after my fall and not being quite at 100 percent. I’m starting to feel like I am getting back into a groove again but I’m still nowhere near where I want to be. The race started well with a win in the Supertest and then I’m really pleased with how I rode on both Saturday and Sunday – I was on top of the extreme test and not too far away on the others considering the opposition. The plan now is to get a good result at GetzenRodeo and hopefully come away with second in the championship.”

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Jonny Walker — Jonny Walker – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Manuel Lettenbichler – P4

“I feel so pleased right now. I came here with no expectations at all, even though I was feeling quite confident after Hawkstone. I thought top-10 would be a good result, so to finish fourth feels amazing.”

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Lettenbichler FM — Manuel Lettenbichler – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona – Image by Future7Media

Cristobal Guerrero – P5

“Today I found my rhythm and was able to get fifth position. Luckily, I had a good final Super Test – I got a good start and was able to get in behind Josep. Thankfully that was enough to overtake Taddy for fifth place overall. I think having WESS here in Spain has been good for both the Spanish championship and WESS. It’s good to see a lot of different riders racing and it’s a very different race for the WESS championship too with a lot of variety between all the test. It’s been a great weekend and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Cristobal Guerrero FM — Cristobal Guerrero – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Taddy Blazusiak – P6

“It’s been a tough weekend, and a shame not to get fifth, but considering the preparation I’ve been able to do for this race I should be happy. You can’t prepare for everything, there just isn’t enough time and here I was getting faster each lap as I settled into the type of riding, which shouldn’t be the case. The good thing is, things started to click towards the end, but it was just too little, too late to challenge for the podium. I’m feeling good which is the main thing, so it’s off to America for the next two Endurocross rounds soon, then back to Europe for GetzenRodeo.”

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Taddy Blazusiak — Taddy Blazusiak – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

Alfredo Gomez – P12

“Overall I’m really happy with how the weekend has gone. Yesterday wasn’t so good but I was able to find a good rhythm to finish 10th today and secure 12th overall for the event, which I’m really pleased about. I made a mistake yesterday and had a small crash and then today I missed my line in a test which cost me some more time. Coming from a Hard Enduro background I found myself losing out to some of the other riders on the faster tests, so I need to work on that. However, I was very strong on the extreme test. I’m looking forward to GetzenRodeo now. I had a really good battle there last year, so I want to finish the season with a win.”

The 2019 World Enduro Super Series concludes with the eighth and final round at Germany’s GetzenRodeo on Saturday November 2.

Round 7 – Enduro Solsona, Day 2 Results

Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 1:26:16.000
Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 1:27:06.700
Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 1:28:42.870
Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 1:29:11.100
Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha – ESP) 1:30:08.760
Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 1:30:17.120
Kirian Mirabet (Honda – ESP) 1:30:51.560
Jaume Betriu (KTM – ESP) 1:30:52.040
Marzal Schareina (Husqvarna – ESP) 1:31:05.790
Ramon Quer (Husqvarna – ESP) 1:31:35.700…

WESS Championship Standings (after Round 7 of 8)

Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 5110 points
Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 4240
Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 4165
Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 4034
Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 3920
Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 3881
Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 3850
Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 3070
Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 2725
Pol Tarres (Husqvarna – ESP) 2520

2019 World Enduro Super Series Calendar

Round 1: Toyota Porto Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 10-12
Round 2: Trèfle Lozérien AMV (France) May 17-19
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) May 30-June 2
Round 4: Hixpania Hard Enduro (Spain) June 21-23
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 30-August 3
Round 6: Hawkstone Park Cross Country (United Kingdom) September 21-22
Round 7: BR2 Enduro Solsona (Spain) October 4-6
Round 8: GetzenRodeo (Germany) November 2

Roczen wins 2019 Straight Rhythm on McGrath’s 2006 CR250R

The sixth running of the Red Bull Straight Rhythm saw a commemoration of two-stroke racers, with participants donning vintage-inspired gear to truly get into the spirit on an ‘un-wound’ track across three classes.

Red Bull Straight Rhythm Enzo Lopes Josh Hansen imgChristianPondella RBCP — Enzo Lopes & Josh Hansen – Image by Christian Pondella/RedBullContentPool

Split into 250cc, 125cc and a special 500cc exhibition race, the main two classes saw a best-of-three format with a single elimination bracket.

Red Bull Straight Rhythm Michael Leib Joey Crown imgChrisTedesco RBCP — Michael Leib & Joey Crown – Image by Chris Tedesco/RedBullContentPool

In his first appearance at the event since 2015, Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen had an exciting day at the 2019 Red Bull Straight Rhythm in Pomona, California, taking home the 250cc title after winning every matchup and going undefeated on the day. The unique two-stroke only-format saw Roczen pay homage to Jeremy McGrath, as he rode “The King’s” factory 2006 CR250R while wearing a retro kit inspired by McGrath’s 1996 gear.

Red Bull Straight Rhythm Ken Roczen — Ken Roczen

After qualifying second-fastest in practice, Roczen’s first matchup of the evening was against Tevin Tapia, which he won with ease. Advancing in the bracket, he then went head-to-head with Ryan Sipes, who once again was no match for the German. Roczen finally faced his first real challenge in Josh Hanson, in the semifinals, and despite an incredibly close race, Roczen continued his undefeated run, moving into the finals. In the final matchup, Roczen took on Brandon Hartranft, who fought hard but ultimately couldn’t overtake the Honda rider.

Ken Roczen

“I’m so stoked! I had such a blast and am so excited to come away with the win tonight. I’ve never raced a two-stroke before so to be able to ride Jeremy McGrath’s actual bike from 2006 and get the win is awesome. Nothing but good vibes and hopefully this translates into many more for the season to come. I have to give it up to the entire team, who put so much work into this whole event. It was always supposed to be super-fun but I know it was also a lot of work, so I have to thank the guys.”

Jeremy McGrath (Instagram)

“Congrats Ken Roczen on the win at Straight Rhythm. I think I recognize that sick gear you were wearing tonight. Thanks for the tribute! I am guessing my old bike ran pretty good to huh?”

In the 125cc class, Joey Crown lived up to his name, racing his way to the top step of the podium. In the most anticipated and exciting match of the night, Tyler Bowers edged out Travis Pastrana in the Maxxis 500cc Showdown.

Red Bull Straight Rhythm Ryan Sipes Ryan Morais imgChrisTedesco RBCP — Ryan Sipes & Ryan Morais – Image by Chris Tedesco/RedBullContentPool

500cc Showdown

Tyler Bowers
Travis Pastrana

250 Class Results

Ken Roczen
Brandon Hartranft
Josh Hansen

125 Class Results

Joey Crown
Michael Leib
AJ Catanzaro

Red Bull Straight Rhythm Travis Pastrana Tyler Bowers imgChristianPondella RBCP — Travis Pastrana & Tyler Bowers – Image by Christian Pondella/RedBullContentPool

Toby Price leads Rally du Maroc at half-way point

Marking the second half of the rally’s marathon stage, Day 3 of the Rally du Maroc was set to be the longest of the event. However, organisers cancelled the third part of the timed special for safety reasons, taking the day’s results from the end of the second special.

Toby Price KTM RALLY Rally du Maroc — Toby Price – 2019 Rally du Maroc

With riders only receiving their road books 15 minutes prior to entering the stage – a first for the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – ultimate navigation skills would prove critical to success on the demanding desert stage.

Following his tough Day 2, where issues with the road book ended up costing him valuable minutes, Toby Price knew he had to attack stage three to stay competitive in the overall standings. As the ninth rider to take to the special, the reigning Dakar Champion immediately set about chasing down the riders ahead. Unfortunately, with the stage cut short, the Australian was unable to maximise his advantage, but was still able to win the stage and move himself up to the top of the provisional overall standings.

Toby Price

“The stage went well for me today. There were a couple of sections that were quite tricky and I didn’t quite catch them at the right point to make up time on the guys in front. Even so, we were able to close the gap a little and I felt good all day. The roles will be reversed again for tomorrow so the other guys will be chasing us down again but that’s just rallying. It’s a shame they cancelled the last part of the stage because I think we could have made up even more time but that’s the way it is sometimes. A disadvantage for you might be an advantage for someone else. But we completed the marathon stage safely, so let’s see what tomorrow brings.”

Also losing time on the previous stage, Matthias Walkner also put in a superb performance on Day 3 to claim runner-up for the stage and elevate himself to second in the rally standings. Happy with how he rode on the sandy, two-part timed special, Matthias managed his tyres perfectly, bringing his KTM 450 RALLY home just one minute and 55 seconds behind his teammate.

Matthias Walker

“I think today was the first day that I really enjoyed the riding. It was tough because the tyres had already ridden a lot of kilometres yesterday and toward the very end of the stage today, I could really feel that they were worn. I know I made some mistakes with my navigation and I thought it would have cost me a lot of time, so I was quite surprised to find out I had finished second. Hopefully I can continue like this and finish the year with a good result here in Morocco.”

Matthias Walkner KTM RALLY Rally du Maroc — Matthias Walkner – 2019 Rally du Maroc

Stage 3 Rally du Maroc 2019

Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 3:00:33
Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 3:02:28 +1:55
Franco Caimi (FRA), Yamaha, 3:02:54 +2:21
Johnny Aubert (FRA), Sherco, 3:04:34 +4:01
Ignacio Cornejo (CHI), Honda, 3:04:49 +4:16

Rally du Maroc 2019 after 3 of 5 stages

Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 11:57:39
Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 12:01:45 +4:06
Franco Caimi (ARG), Yamaha, 12:04:19 +6:40
Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Husqvarna, 12:04:20 +6:41
Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 12:05:31 +7:52

Jarred Brook dominates Barleigh Ranch Senior Dirt Track

Jarred Brook stamped his dominance on the Barleigh Ranch round of the 2019 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship over the weekend, winning the MX Open, Pro 450 and Pro Open classes, winning ten of his 12 heats in the running.

Jarred Brook

“Amazing weekend down at Barleigh Ranch Raceway for the 2019 Australian Dirt Track Championships. Absolutely stoked to come away with winning the Pro Open, Mx Open and Pro 450. I am also extremely honoured to win the Duke of Edinburgh award and to be presented with the Rod Allen and The Begley Family memorial Trophy’s. I cannot thank my little team enough for all of their help and a support over the weekend. Dad and Tom Laycock worked their butts off all weekend. Thank you to the Reay family for all of their support and help through out the weekend as well.”

In the 250 Pro class it was James Chapman who took top honours, while Briony Henrickson topped the Women’s class. Harrison Ryan was the top Under 19s performer, while the Support classes were won by Jason Griffin, Lachlan Russell, Cameron Dunker and Max Berry.

Pro 450

Jarred Brook
Kayden Downing
Daniel Wicks

Pro 250

James Chapman
Angus Hutchinson
Harrison Ryan

MX Open

Jarred Brook
Damien Koppe
Kayden Downing

Pro Open

Jarred Brook
Kayden Downing
Daniel Wicks

Under 19s

Harrison Ryan
Angus Hutchinson
Jake Farnsworth

Womens

Briony Hendrickson
Brooke Goulding
Tayla Street

2019 KTM AJMX Champions crowned

The Championship decider of the KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship (AJMX) was held at the Motocross Riders Association in South Australia and saw plenty of thrills, battles and celebrations as 12 national titles were decided in an incredible day of racing.

The Motocross Riders Association club in Gillman was blessed with exceptional weather conditions all week and the track produced top notch racing, while the Motocross Riders Association, officials and volunteers were commended on the professionalism and efficiency in which the week-long event was conducted, and the daily track preparation and maintenance ensured the safety of all competitors.

128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st – 13-U15

The first 2019 AJMX Champion of the day crowned was Queenslander, Brad West who sealed the title when he took the chequered flag in the first race of the day and the sixth final of the 128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st – 13-U15 class.

With what was once again the Banana Bender Show, West charged to victory beating rival and fellow Queenslanders Deegan Mancinelle coming through with a close second and Jackson Camilleri rounding off the top three for the last final for this class.

128-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st – 13-U15 Top 3

Brad West – 185
Jackson Camilleri – 169
Ryan Alexansderson – 166

65cc 7-U10

The third and final race for the 65cc 7-U10 class was won by Queensland’s “Mr Consistency” Cooper Downing with an impressive fast lap time of 2:14.508. Fellow Queenslander Peter Wolfe came second and local rider Cooper Ford (TAS) crossed the line with a strong third, to seal the championship win.

65cc 7-U10 Top 3

Cooper Ford – 97
Cooper Downing – 91
Lachlan Allen – 82

100-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st– 13-U16 Girls

Queenslander, Charli Cannon has dominated this class and the final moto to take the Junior Lites – 13-U16 Girls Championship in fine style. The massive 210-points Cannon clocked up was more than enough to seal the deal and she won the final race by over five-seconds. Cannon was followed by Victorian Madison Healey for second and Taylah McCutcheson rounded up the top three for their final race.

100-150cc 2st/200-250cc 4st– 13-U16 Girls Top 3

Charli Cannon – 210
Taylor Thompson – 184
Madison Healey – 180

85cc 2st/150cc 4st – 9-U12

The third final and probably the most hotly contested class of the KTM AJMX saw New South Welshman Hixson McInnes prove to be the surprise package in the third final of the 85cc 2st/1500 4st 9-U12 class.

Not only did Hixon have the fastest lap time of 1:56.285 but he also took the win over Queenslander Jet Alsop in second and West Australian Kayden Minear who took third place for the final and the overall win of the championship.

85cc 2st/150cc 4st – 9-U12 Top 3

Kayden Minear – 95
Liam Owens – 95
Jet Alsop – 88

85cc 2st– 150cc 4st 12-U16 Girls

Charli Cannon from Queensland made it a clean sweep once again in the Mini Lites BW 12-U16 Girls final to grasp the title, completing the week with a dominant 18-second victory. Taylor Thomson from New South Wales pulled through for another consistent runner-up placing ahead of Queenslander Taylah McCutcheon.

85cc 2st– 150cc 4st 12-U16 Girls Top 3

Charli Cannon – 210
Taylor Thomson – 186
Taylah McCrutcheon – 186

100-125cc – 2st 15yo

New South Welshman Blake Fox has sealed the 125cc – 15yo championship, despite coming third in the final moto and winning one final. It was Queenslander Levi Rogers who took victory in the sixth final, followed by local champion Alex Larwood who had the fastest lap time of 1:45.589 and Blake Fox (NSW) followed him eight-seconds later to take third.

100-125cc – 2st 15yo Top 3

Blake Fox – 191
Levi Rogers – 187
Alex Larwood – 177

KTM AJMX U — 2019 KTM AJMX – Image by Aaryn Minerds

85cc 2st/150cc 4st– 12-U14

The championship battle for the Mini Lites BW – 12-U14 could not have been any closer, with the only 3 points between the top three! Ryder Kingsford was awarded the championship on countback, after finishing fourth in the final race.

It was New South Welshman Byron Dennis stormed home to take the chequered flag in the final race for this class, with a fastest lap time of 1:53.500, Queenslander Branden Plath crossed the line under 2 seconds later to take second and Cody Kilpatrick from New South Wales rounded up the top three.

85cc 2st/150cc 4st– 12-U14 Top 3

Ryder Kingsford – 90
Connor Towill – 90
Byron Dennis – 87

85cc 2st/150cc 4st – 14-U16

New South Welshman, Benny Novak has once again sealed the Mini Lites BW – 14-U16 championship with his first-place finish in the final moto securing 201 points overall to retain the title for 2019.

Fellow state counterpart Hunter Collins secured runner up in the championship by coming second in the final moto with the fastest lap time of 1:51.684 and Queenslander Jake Kowal crossed the line in third.

85cc 2st/150cc 4st – 14-U16 Top 3

Ben Novak – 201
Hunter Collins – 199
Zachary Watson – 176

65cc – 10-U12

West Australian Kayden Minear made it two championship wins at Gillman with victory in the 65cc – 10-U12 category. His first place and fastest lap time of 2:02.221 in the final moto was enough to guarantee the title.

New South Welshman Jack Deveson crossed the line closely behind for second and fellow state counterpart Ky Woods rounded up the top three in their final race of the day, placing him second on the championship podium.

65cc – 10-U12 Top 3

Kayden Minear – 202
Ky Woods – 189
Jake Cannon – 168

100-125cc 2st – 13-U15

West Australian Liam Atkinson sealed the title with a solid second-place finish in the final moto. Queenslander Ryan Alexanderson took a three-second margin win over Atkinson and New South Welshman Hunter Collins came in third with the fastest lap time of 1:51.977 in their last race of the championship.

100-125cc 2st – 13-U15 Top 3

Liam Atkinson – 92
Brock Flynn – 84
Jack Mather – 83

50cc Division 2 – 7-U9

It was all the sandgroper’s way as Mason Brown (WA) took a sensational victory in the final moto of the 50cc class to earn himself a championship win, while Deegan Fort (WA) crossed the line three-seconds later second making him runner up for the championship in his first national event.

West Australian Brian Gyles had the fastest lap time of 2:24.483 which saw him third over the line for their last race of a very long week for this group of little Aussie troopers!

50cc Division 2 – 7-U9 Top 3

Mason Brown – 210
Deegan Fort – 176
Kyle Harvey – 171

128-150cc 2st/200-250 4st 15yo

Taking his second podium of the day, local hero Alex Larwood took the championship in style with the final chequered flag and the fastest lap time of 1:46.880 in the last moto of both the day and the 2019 KTM AJMX Championships.

New South Welshman, Blake Fox pulled through for second in the race making him runner up for the championship ahead of fellow state counterpart Cameron Torpy rounding of the top three for the final race of the 2019 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championships!

128-150cc 2st/200-250 4st 15yo Top 3

Alex Larwood – 210
Blake Fox – 190
Cameron Torpy – 157

2019 KTM 2019 Interstate Challenge Cup

Earlier this week each state chose a team of eight riders from four different classes to compete for the Interstate Challenge Cup and each of those competitors was scored within their own class.

At the end of the event, the state with the highest point scoring six team members had their final placings re-scored for an overall score. The state with the highest overall team score is the winner.

Queensland were the winners this year on 199 points, the runner up state for 2019 is New South Wales on 196 points, third place was Western Australia on 193 points, followed by Tasmania 189 points, Victoria 182, South Australia 174 and Northern Territory on 132 points.

Gow-Smith wins 2019 Holden On Tight Sportsman Spirit Award

On Saturday the 5th of October the Motocross Riders Association Club proudly hosted the presentation night of the 2019 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championships at the Port Adelaide Football Club.

During the proceedings the prestigious Holden On Tight Sportsman Spirit Award winner was announced and presented in front of a packed house of over 300 guests by Holden On Tight Organisations founder, Rosco Holden.

Taj Gow Smith Holden On Tight Sportsman Spirit Award — Taj Gow-Smith wins 2019 Holden On Tight Sportsman Spirit Award

In 2017 the Holden On Tight Organisation created the “Holden On Tight Spirit Award” as part of the KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championships. The “Spirit Award” is exactly that, it can be a selfless act to help a fellow competitor, one of true grit or continuing to compete through adversity of injury or so much more that can make someone a contender.

Rosco, who attended the week-long event, opened his speech congratulating the South Australian Motocross Riders Association President Anthony Slade and his tireless hardworking team of officials, medical staff, corner stewards and volunteers.

Rosco Holden

“I’m proud to say my Holden On Tight Organisation is in its 4th year unofficially, and 3rd year officially, for contributing prize money sponsorship for every class for the KTM AJMX championships. The thing that impresses me each year is the commitment that all have shown in preparing all year and attend this event. The top three place getters will get their rewards, but the winners are all of you that have taken on this annual September School Holiday Dirt Challenge. But it’s not all about winning far from it, hence why in 2017 I created the Holden On Tight Spirit Award. This year’s remarkable standouts were #6 Patrick Butler in the 65cc 10-12 class who stopped and helped get #213 Cohen Guatt get his leg out from his wheel and the start line dummy grid dynamic duo of Josh and Billy who did an awesome, yet thankless job all week. There was also the fearless young Jack Ellingham who rides for Josh Coppins in New Zealand, Jack who rode in the 65cc 7-9 yr. class, got 3rd degree tyre burns to the side of his wrist and bravely continued on and still racing all week…”

KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championships Trophies — 2019 KTM AJMX Trophies

There were many contenders, including Tasmania’s #77 Jordan Hingston who also helped Northern Territory rider #174 Clayton Bogucki get out from under his bike during a race.

During the very first practice session for the 2019 KTM AJMX, newly crowned champion, Brad West was badly trapped under his bike at the first corner with no-one around to help.

Taj Gow-Smith was about to leave the start line for his practice when he saw Brad. Taj instantly raced down to turn one and threw his bike down on the ground and helped him. Brad fortunately wasn’t hurt and by Taj lifting his bike off him he was able to get back on his way and finish his all-important practice session. Gow-Smith earnt the 2019 Holden On Tight Sportsman Spirit Award for his selfless act.

Jason Doyle claims 2019 Golden Helmet title in Pardubice

Aussie ace Jason Doyle celebrated retaining his FIM Speedway Grand Prix status by winning the iconic Golden Helmet in Pardubice for the second straight season on Sunday.

Doyle triumphed over former European champion Andzejs Lebedevs, Patryk Dudek, Max Fricke, Antonio Lindback and Jack Holder in the final on the giant Czech track, which features six-rider races.

Jason Doyle

“What a way to celebrate my birthday weekend!! Qualified for 2020 SGP series with seventh in the world and then on my birthday won the Golden Helmet! The biggest individual meeting of the season! So happy! Thank you for all the nice messages over the weekend! Bring on 2020!”

Only SGP wild card Antonio Lindback defeated Doyle at the quarter final stages, before he stormed through his semi group and triumphed in the decider.

It capped a strong weekend for the Newcastle-born racer who secured seventh spot in the World Championship on Saturday night to retain his record of qualifying for the SGP series without the aid of a wild card every year since his debut in 2015.

Slovak star Martin Vaculik won the consolation final ahead of Matej Zagar, Chris Holder, Viktor Kulakov, Vaclav Milik and Tero Aarnio.

2020 SpeedwayGP permanent wild cards announced

Former FIM Speedway Grand Prix world champions Greg Hancock and Tai Woffinden are back for 2020 after the SGP Commission confirmed next year’s four permanent wild cards.

Two men with seven world titles between them are joined by Russian racer Artem Laguta and Swedish star Antonio Lindback in receiving invites to compete in the SGP World Championship.

SpeedwayGP permanent wild cards announced — 2020 Speedway Grand Prix wildcards have been announced!

Hancock is set for an historic return to speedway in a year, which will see him become the first 50-year-old to compete in the SGP series, when he celebrates his half-century on June 3, 2020.

The four-time world champion is taking a break from the sport this year to support wife Jennie as she undergoes breast cancer treatment, but he has made no secret of his desire to continue battling it out with the world’s best.

Great Britain hero Woffinden, who became the nation’s first triple world champion last year, is back after a tough season, which saw him sidelined for two months with a broken TH4 vertebra sustained in a PGE Ekstraliga crash in Lublin on June 7.

Woffinden was 13th in this season’s standings – the first time he has finished outside the world’s top four since he rejoined the series in 2013.

Laguta claimed 11th place in the SGP series, but still ended 2019 a world champion after racing to Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations glory with Emil Sayfutdinov at Russian track Togliatti in July.

And Lindback returns to the SGP stage after finishing 12th this season. The Swedish international is a two-time FIM Speedway World Cup winner and has three SGP victories and two Swedish Championships to his name.

The top eight riders in this year’s SGP World Championship – Bartosz Zmarzlik, Leon Madsen, Emil Sayfutdinov, Fredrik Lindgren, Martin Vaculik, Maciej Janowski, Jason Doyle and Patryk Dudek – qualify automatically for SGP 2020.

The line-up is completed by the top three riders from the GP Challenge in Gorican, Croatia on August 24 – winner Matej Zagar, runner-up Niels-Kristian Iversen and third-placed Max Fricke. The substitute riders for the 2020 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series will be confirmed soon.

2020 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Ride Line-Up
(in FIM ranking order with rider numbers to be confirmed in due course)

Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland)
Leon Madsen (Denmark)
Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia)
Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)
Martin Vaculik (Slovakia)
Maciej Janowski (Poland)
Jason Doyle (Australia)
Patryk Dudek (Poland)
Matej Zagar (Slovenia)
Niels-Kristian Iversen (Denmark)
Artem Laguta (Russia)
Antonio Lindback (Sweden)
Tai Woffinden (Great Britain)
Max Fricke (Australia)
Greg Hancock (USA)

Smolinski leads 2020 SGP substitute rider line-up

German ace Martin Smolinski will serve as the 2020 FIM Speedway Grand Prix first substitute rider as the full SGP 2020 line-up is confirmed.

The 2018 FIM World Longtrack champion heads the list of substitute stars and will be called into SGP 2020 events if any of the 15 permanent riders are forced out of action for any reason such as injury or illness.

Smolinski famously won the 2014 New Zealand SGP on his full World Championship debut at Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium.

Smolinski leads SGP substitute rider line up — Smolinski will lead the 2020 SGP substitute rider line-up

The charismatic Munich-born man has also played a pivotal role in helping Germany reach two straight Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Finals – the country’s first world team finals of the 21st century.

He’s joined on the substitutes list by second stand-in Mikkel Michelsen of Denmark – the new European champion having won a run-off with Russia’s Grigory Laguta at the final round in Chorzow last month.

Last year’s FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship winner Bartosz Smektala of Poland is the third reserve, with Denmark’s Anders Thomsen – who finished fifth in his first-ever GP Challenge in August – the fourth substitute.

Swedish racer Pontus Aspgren suffered cruel luck in his quest for SGP qualification at the GP Challenge with an engine failure in his final ride. He will be the fifth reserve for SGP 2020.

The list is completed by French star Dimitri Berge – the new FIM World Longtrack champion and a Speedway of Nations star for his country in 2018 and 2019.

2020 SGP Substitute Riders

Martin Smolinski (Germany)
Mikkel Michelsen (Denmark)
Bartosz Smektala (Poland)
Anders Thomsen (Denmark)
Pontus Aspgren (Sweden)
Dimitri Berge (France)

2019 Australian SX Championship shaping up to be a belter

The 2019 Australian Supercross Championship is shaping up to be one of the most competitive seasons in history, with a host of decorated international talent preparing to face off against the best Australia has to offer, and take the coveted SX1 and SX2 Championships to foreign lands.

Australian Supercross Geeling TBG SX Start — Australian Supercross 2018 – Image by TBG

Leading the charge and looking to secure his fourth consecutive Australian championship will be Penrite Honda’s Justin Brayton, who has recently signed a deal with the HRC corporation for his World Championship campaign in 2020, and will come with additional parts for his Honda machine which is an ominous sign for the competition. The American is known as one of the world’s best supercross riders, having made his debut in 2004 and progressively making his way into the top echelon of the sport, and has his sights locked on another title.

Justin Brayton

“The aim is to defend (my championship), and add a fourth to the belt. I’m under no illusion that it’ll be an easy defence though, with a lot of good guys putting that target on my back and wanting the SX1 Championship. I’m expecting a few guys to step up and make it difficult, however, I’m confident in my preparation and believe that I can get the job done.”

AMA Supercross FInal Brayton JK SX Vegas — Justin Brayton – Image by Hoppenworld

Team USA will have a presence in the SX2 ranks too, with Mitchell Oldenburg and Chris Blose as the sister Penrite Honda’s of Brayton, albeit both in the small-bore division. Bradley Taft (Empire Motorsports Kawasaki), Jacob Hayes (Serco Yamaha) and Josh Osby (Raceline KTM Thor) will all return for their second season in Australia and will no doubt be after the championship.

Mitchell Oldenburg

“I’ve watched the Australian Supercross Championship expand over the last couple seasons, and was pretty eager to be involved. I’m super thankful for the opportunity to come and race with Penrite Honda – it’s going to be awesome to spend the summer in Australia and go after an international championship.”

AMA MX Oldenburg JK MX BuddsCreek — Mitch Oldenburg – Image by Hoppenworld

The Australian Supercross Championship will span five rounds in 2019, with Brisbane Entertainment Centre playing host for the opener on October 12. The series then heads to South Australia the next weekend, followed by Wollongong on the 9th of November. The series will then cross the pond to New Zealand on the 16th, before concluding in Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on November 30.

Tickets for Round 1 (Brisbane Entertainment Centre) are available from just $45 at www.ticketek.com.au.

2019 Australian Supercross Calendar

Round 1 – Queesland, October 12, 2019
Round 2 – South Australia, October 19, 2019
Round 3 – Wollongong, NSW, November 9, 2019
Round 4 – Auckland, NZ, November 16, 2019
Round 5 – Melbourne, VIC, November 30, 2019

Justin Rodbell out for Australian Supercross

Justin Rodbell has apologised to the Raceline KTM Thor Team, after being unable to compete in the up-coming Australian Supercross Championship due to being in Australia on a vacation visa, which does not allow him to work as a professional racer. Here’s what he had to say:

Justin Rodbell

“I would like to apologise to the whole Raceline KTM Thor Team for not being able to compete in the Australian Supercross championship. This is completely my fault, I take full responsibility for not being over there on the correct visa. Sucks my trip to Australia has ended this way, I met so many rad people during my stay in AUS. I’d also like to thank @dvlanwood @markwood25 @ksf_racing for taking me in and giving me a place to live. As for what’s next for me I honestly couldn’t tell you. Sorry @cwktm250 for causing you all this stress, thanks for the opportunity. Basically what happened was I got paid on a vacation visa and I needed to be on a professional sporting visa.”

Team HRC & Gajser lead the way at MXGP Awards Ceremony

Taking place on Saturday night at the 2019 Motocross of Nations, Team HRC, Honda and Tim Gajser wrapped up four different awards as they were recognised for what was an excellent MXGP campaign.

HRC MXoN hondaproracing @shotbybavo — Tim Gajser cleaned up at the MXGP awards – Image by Bavo

Winning nine overalls during the course of the season in Trentino, Portugal, France, Russia, Latvia, Germany, Indonesia (twice) and Belgium, Gajser proved that it didn’t matter what the conditions were as he took victories in a whole host of terrain and surfaces. This not only helped him win the MXGP title by 202-points but it also meant that Honda took the manufacturers classification by 22-points.

In addition to race wins and overalls, Gajser also posted the most fastest laps during the season, to further prove just how dominant he was in the competitive MXGP class. While this ceremony celebrated the 2019 season as a whole, the Slovenian rider wasn’t done collecting awards as he took a moto victory and MXGP class overall at the Motocross of Nations, the first for his country.

He also collected two holeshot awards from his two races, showing the power of the Honda CRF450RW once again in the wet, sandy conditions of Assen. Team HRC MX2 rider Calvin Vlaanderen also put in a fine performance on Sunday as he helped the Netherlands win their first ever Chamberlain Trophy, in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

Tim Gajser will now prepare himself for a completely new challenge as he goes to Las Vegas in order to compete in the Monster Energy Cup on October 19th.

2019 MXGP Awards

MXGP Manufacturer World Champion: Honda
MXGP Winning Team: Team HRC
Tag Heuer Best Lap Challenge MXGP: Tim Gajser
MXGP World Champion: Tim Gajser

Meghan Rutledge to become Kawasaki ambassador in 2020

Kawasaki Motors Australia has announced Meghan Rutledge will continue working with them heading into 2020 as an Ambassador and in a coaching role. Rutledge has been supported by Kawasaki for over 10 years and in 2020 has announced she will be stepping away from motocross racing to focus on career and personal growth.

Meghan Rutledge

“After an incredible 2019 season, that included taking out back-to-back National Women’s Motocross and Queen of MX Titles, 2020 holds new opportunities to grow outside of motocross competition. I will be stepping away from competitive racing and focusing on my career with coaching and personal training. Motocross is in my blood, I will continue to ride for fun, be a coach and mentor the next generation. I am excited for what 2020 has in store for me and thrilled to still be working closely with all my current sponsors as an ambassador. I would like to take the opportunity to thank my sponsors for the support over many years. Sponsorship support has enabled me to win eight Championship Titles in the past two years.”

Meg Rutledge has won a trophy room full of Championships in her racing career and Kawasaki will continue to support Meg in an Ambassador and Coaching role.

“I’m eager to focus on my future with my amazing supportive partner Aaron. My job as a personal trainer will work in with motocross coaching and we will take some time to enjoy life. I have put my life into racing and training nearly every weekend for the past 10 years and I never really had any down time, as much as I love racing it’s time to expand my focus. I really appreciate the support from all my fans and sponsors and I look forward what lays ahead.”

MXGP Rnd Netherlands Rutledge — Meghan Rutledge

Meghan’s sponsors include: Kawasaki Motors Australia, Shock Treatment, EastCoast Supplements Mudgee, Fly Racing, Kwala Racing, Ross McWatters, Willmax Graphics, Strike Seats, Asterisk Australia, Sidi Sport, McLeod Accessories, Rockwell Watches Australia, Motocross Products #, Rip it performance, Fist Handwear, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyres Australia, Giant Mudgee, SCOTT Motosports, Unifilter Australia.

bLU cRU Masterclass riders announced

Following an enthralling weekend of racing in the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in Assen, the line-up of young Yamaha riders picked to take part in the bLU cRU Masterclass in November has been announced.

Featuring the top three finishers in the YZ65, YZ85 and YZ125 SuperFinale classes respectively, the Masterclass will also include two carefully selected wildcard riders from each class, chosen on the basis of their talent, attitude and potential demonstrated at the SuperFinale.

YZ bLU cRU SuperFinale — 2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale

The YZ65 Masterclass category for the youngest riders consists of podium finishers #724 Jëkabs Kubulins from Latvia, #292 Freddie Bartlett from Sweden, and #80 Frederik Stampe from Denmark in first, second and third respectively. The three will be joined by wildcards #484 Dex Kooiker from the Netherlands, and #517 Niccolo Mannini from Italy.

The YZ85 top three of #910 Olle Mårtensson from Sweden, #567 Levi Schrik of the Netherlands and #78 Adrian Bølviken from Norway will be joined by #15 Sven Borger of the Netherlands and #11 Zoltan Ordog from Romania.

Featuring the oldest YZ bLU cRU riders, the YZ125 Masterclass line-up includes top three #601 Mairis Pumpurs from Latvia, #252 Raul Sanchez of Spain and #579 Bobby Bruce from Great Britain, who will be joined by #96 Victor Alonso Rodilla from Spain and #397 Simon Depoers from France.

Representing ten European nations, the YZ bLU cRU riders will meet again in Spain on 18-20 November where, together with their road-racing bLU cRU counterparts, they will receive expert motocross tutelage from bLU cRU ambassadors and Yamaha MXGP riders Jeremy Seewer and Gautier Paulin. From the Masterclass, one lucky YZ rider will receive the top prize of direct Yamaha support in their 2020 European Championship.

The Masterclass also serves as the deciding round of the 2019 YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup, with one overall winner from each class chosen. The top YZ125 bLU cRU rider will win a place on the MJC Yamaha EMX125 team, while the top YZ65 and YZ85 riders will receive support from Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. for the 2020 season.

Romain Febvre joins Monster Energy KRT for 2020

The Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team has announce that Romain Febvre has joined the squad on a multiple year deal for the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship. Next season KRT will line up two of the most successful and experienced riders in the series as the Frenchman joins Clément Desalle to compete on the KX450 Kawasaki.

Crowned world champion in 2015 during his rookie season Febvre, who will turn 28 in December, has raced to podium results every year since he joined the MXGP category; despite missing a third of the 2018 season due to injuries he claimed five GP podiums with a double-victory in the Czech Republic, won four motos, took four pole-positions, led ninety laps of racing and posted the fastest lap five times.

With his long racing experience he will form a perfect twin-spearhead alongside Desalle; the Belgian will enter his fifth season with the team and has formed a perfect relationship with both the bike and the team staff who are more excited than ever to start working with both riders.

Clement has now recovered from his injury and will start testing soon, while Romain still needs to wait a few more weeks to recover from the broken leg he sustained during the Swedish round of the World Championship when he was racing for another podium result.

Romain Febvre

“We turn to a new page but the book is still open and there is a new adventure on the horizon! I’m very happy with this choice; it’s never easy to change after five years on the same team but I’m sure this is the best moment to do it. My injury late this season will delay my first days with the team, but I will be even more motivated later this winter when I can get back on a bike again! Everyone in the team is highly motivated and I’m impatient to be with them and on the bike. As far as my injury is concerned it’s taking a long time of course but everything is going as planned by the medical staff; I will soon have the first examination six weeks after surgery; we’ll see how it is with the femur and we’ll be able to make our plans for the rehabilitation. I will take a longer winter break than usual but patience is the only option and I don’t want to endanger any stage so I will be able to start testing in good conditions and to open this new chapter of my career on a good basis. The team is 100% behind me; they have a strong experience of racing and I’m sure we’ll achieve great things together.”

Thierry Chizat Suzzoni – KRT Team Owner

“We are very happy to welcome Romain to the team alongside Clément; both have a lot of experience and I’m convinced that they will join forces to cooperate and get the best from our Kawasaki; it’s a great bike which both of them will want to put on the podium. We know that Romain always gives 100% and we confidently expect that both he and Clément will put the bike in the leading pack. It gives us great satisfaction to see one of this season’s GP winners so enthusiastic to join us. We are confident that the new KX450, which we have developed so meticulously since the end of last year, has a huge potential. It’s a winning bike and we now have two GP winners on the team to show that to the world.”

Monster and KRT renew MXGP partnership

Long time partners in the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship, Monster Energy and the Kawasaki Racing Team have renewed their partnership and will continue their successful association.

Joining the Kawasaki Racing Team in 2014 as title sponsor of the factory squad, Monster Energy has always been the main partner of the team and even as the 2019 season was not the best due to rider injuries the American company renewed the contract for the future. Both Romain Febvre and Clément Desalle are long time Monster athletes, and they achieved great results during the past seasons with fifteen Grand Prix wins and thirty heat wins. They will be team mates for the first time in their career next season, joining their experience and efforts to offer the best results to the team in the premier class.

Mitch Covington – Monster Energy Vice President of Sport Marketing

“We’re excited to go again with our long-term partner KRT. It’s been a difficult year with injuries, but it happens. Unfortunately it’s part of the sport when you have riders who are passionate about the sport and really do what it takes to win so sometimes you’re going to have injuries and accidents; we’ve been in the sport a long time and we understand that. We hope for an injury-free season next year. We’re really excited for Romain to stay in the Monster family; moving over from one Monster team to another should be a really smooth transition. Romain has been a champion for our brand for a long time now and we’re wishing him the best in his new team. It’s a very strong team with Romain and Clement. We have two of the most-experienced riders in the series; they are both very fast and we have high expectations from both.”

Monster and KRT renew MXGP partnership for 2020

Thierry Chizat Suzzoni – KRT team Owner

“Since 2014 we’re working in collaboration with Monster Energy and we are very pleased to continue with such a renowned partner who has a very strong image in motorsports. It’s a very long time partner who follow us with great loyalty even in difficult period such as like we had this season. We are currently working to prepare next season with both Clément and Romain who are Monster athletes since many years; every day we work to be ready for 2020, and we expect a great season.”

Mikkel Haarup joins F&H Kawasaki for 2020

Team F&H Kawasaki will line up an ambitious young trio next year in the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship as Mikkel Haarup joins Roan van de Moosdijk and Mathys Boisrame in the Dutch team.

Mikkel, just eighteen years old, will contest the MX2 World Championship alongside nineteen-year-old Roan van de Moosdijk from the Netherlands and twenty-one-year-old Mathys Boisrame from France.

The multi-national squad will be one of the youngest team line-ups in the World Championship; the F&H Kawasaki team will focus exclusively on the MX2 class next season after their successful 2019 campaign.

All three riders will be trained by Marc de Reuver and they will also contest the Dutch Masters in which they will defend the MX2 title which the F&H team secured this year with Henry Jacobi.

Mikkel Haarup

“I believe joining F&H is going to be a really good move for me; it’s a step forward after four years with my previous team. I feel Kawasaki is very supportive and they will do a good job to help me develop in the future. The team has already done really well the past few years and they work really hard to be even better. Their goal is just like mine … to win the championship; it’s nice to have a team whose main focus is the same. It will be very good for both of us, developing our relationship and achieving results together. Of course it’s a step higher to race the MX2 GPs and the intensity is even higher, but I think everyone can see by the results Roan put in at the end of the season that the speed in the European is also really quick. I already rode a few GPs this year so I think I’m well-prepared to be ready for next year. It’s going to be interested to work with Marc de Reuver; he’s clearly a good trainer and I’m looking forward to working with him. It’s going to be interesting for sure and you see that every rider he has worked with has progressed.”

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

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

October 1, 2019 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for October 1, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

What happened this week

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

Brad Freeman ties up EnduroGP title in France
Saturday Report

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

EnduroGP France Brad FreemanimgEGP — Brad Freeman – Image by EnduroGP

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

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

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

EnduroGP France Loic Larrieu — Loïc Larrieu

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

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

EnduroGP France Alex Salvini — Alex Salvini

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

Steve Holcombe

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

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

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

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

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

Hamish Macdonald

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2019 EnduroGP of France – Saturday Overall

Brad FREEMAN United Kingdom 1:08:22.13
Steve HOLCOMBE United Kingdom +19.86
Daniel MCCANNEY United Kingdom +23.01
Loïc LARRIEU France +36.69
Alex SALVINI Italy +1:06.89
Thomas OLDRATI Italy +1:18.78
Giacomo REDONDI Italy +1:34.81
Matteo CAVALLO Italy +1:37.44
Joseph WOOTTON United Kingdom +1:39.40
Antoine BASSET France +1:48.12
Benjamin HERRERA Chile +2:05.48
David ABGRALL France +2:11.83
Antoine MEO France +2:17.26
Christophe CHARLIER France +2:24.00
Kirian MIRABET Spain +2:49.10

Sunday Report

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

EnduroGP France Thomas Oldrati — Thomas Oldrati

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

Brad Freeman

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

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

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

Loic Larrieu

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

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

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

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

Alex Salvini

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

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

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

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

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

Jane Daniels

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

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

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

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

2019 EnduroGP of France – Sunday Overall

Loïc LARRIEU France 1:05:47.21
Alex SALVINI Italy +8.07
Steve HOLCOMBE United Kingdom +22.33
Brad FREEMAN United Kingdom +28.58
Matteo CAVALLO Italy +42.42
Daniel MCCANNEY United Kingdom +49.69
Joseph WOOTTON United Kingdom +57.36
Antoine BASSET France +1:48.98
Davide GUARNERI Italy +1:57.15
Benjamin HERRERA Chile +2:04.72
Christophe NAMBOTIN France +2:13.23
Christophe CHARLIER France +2:21.31
Hugo BLANJOUE France +2:21.43
Thomas OLDRATI Italy +2:23.34
David ABGRALL France +2:30.89

Hamish Macdonald claims first Kiwi Endurance World Title

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

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

Hamish Macdonald

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

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

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

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

Australia goes one better at 2019 TdN in Ibiza

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kyle Middleton

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

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

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

Toni Bou

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

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

2019 International Trophy Results

Germany – 1
Sweden – 7
United States – 8
Austria – 11
Australia – 18
Czech Republic – 19
Belgium – 30
Switzerland – 48
Ireland – 55
Andorra – 119

2019 Trial des Nations Championship

Spain – 4
Japan – 19
France – 24
Great Britain – 27
Italy – 45
Norway – 95

trialgp tdn podiums ps — 2019 Trial des Nations championship podium

2019 Women’s Trials Des Nations Result

Spain – 3
Great Britain – 10
Norway – 18
Germany – 22
United States – 26
France – 33
Australia – 101
Portugal – 147
Switzerland – 287

2019 Australian Junior Dirt Track run at Somersby over weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Australian Junior Dirt Track Results — 2019 Australian Junior Dirt Track

Thad Duvall claims 2019 Mason-Dixon GNCC Overall Win

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tayla Jones

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

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

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

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

XC1 Pro Event Results

Thad Duvall (HQV)
Ricky Russell (YAM)
Trevor Bollinger (HQV)
Andrew Delong (HON)
Layne Michael (HQV)
Kailub Russell (KTM)
Josh Toth (KTM)
Benjamin Kelley (KTM)
Chris Venditti (KAW)
Takanori Nakajima (YAM)

Overall National Championship Standings

Kailub Russell (295)
Thad Duvall (258)
Steward Baylor Jr. (198)
Ben Kelley (166)
Trevor Bollinger (162)
Ricky Russell (123)
Andrew Delong (121)
Josh Strang (103)
Jordan Ashburn (113)
Josh Toth (107)

XC2 250 Pro Event Results

Liam Draper (KTM)
Craig Delong (HQV)
Evan Smith (HQV)
Austin Lee (HON)
Zach Hayes (KTM)
Ben Parsons (HQV)
Jesse Groemm (KTM)
Dylan Yearbury (YAM)
Samuel Evans (KTM)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings

Benjamin Kelley (300)
Michael Witkowski (189)
Craig Delong (188)
Evan Smith (183)
Liam Draper (172)
Austin Lee (164)
Ryder Lafferty (145)
Jonathan Johnson (137)
Alex Teagarden (123)
Ben Parsons (113)

Jared Mees tops AFT season finale

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

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

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

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

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

2019 AFT Twins Standings

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

2019 AFT Singles Standings

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

2019 AFT Production Twins Standings

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

Netherlands claims MXoN win from Belgium and Great Britain

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

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

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

2019 Motocross of Nations Classification

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

2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale wraps up

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

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

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

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

2019 YZ125 bLU cRU SuperFinale Top 10

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

Cross-Countries Rally head to Rallye du Maroc

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

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

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

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

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

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

Road racer Jessopp tries WESS at Hawkstone Park XC

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

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

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

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

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

Martin Jessopp

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

World Enduro Super Series – 2019 Calendar

Round 7: BR2 Enduro Solsona (Spain) October 4-6
Round 8: GetzenRodeo (Germany) November 2

2019 KTM AJMX Interstate Challenge Teams announced

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

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

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

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

2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule

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

Rene Hofer join Red Bull KTM MX2 effort full-time in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

Rene Hofer

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

Mathys Boisrame joins F&H Kawasaki

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

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

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

Mathys Boisrame

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

Kawasaki MATHYS FH PH — Mathys Boisrame joins F&H Kawasaki

Nathalie Fase – F&H Kawasaki Team Manager

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

KTM takes over Gas Gas

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

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

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

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Moto News Weekly | AFT | SGP | AORC | MXoN | SX

September 3, 2019 mcnews Leave a comment

Moto News Weekly for September 3, 2019

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What happened this week

Mees tops Springfield Mile I shootout
Mees does the double with Springfield Mile II victory
Gauthier dominates Springfield Short Track in AFT Singles
Gauthier tops Production Twins at Springfield Mile I
Luke Styke leads Yamaha AORC efforts at Coonalpyn
Janowski claims Teterow SGP win in Germany
Australian MXoN Team announced for Assen
Sultans Of Slide NSW Flat Track Cup classes announced
Australian Supercross Vic & Qld coaching days
KTM Junior Supercross joins S-X Open events
Mitchell Harrison to Bud Racing Kawasaki in 2020
Josh Hill to join CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team
Hutten Metaal Yamaha to run official EMX250 team until 2023
Empire Kawasaki announce 2019 Australian SX line-up

Jared Mees tops Springfield Mile I shootout

Defending AFT Twins Champion Jared Mees made it three for three in Mile competition in the 2019 American Flat Track competition with a last-corner victory in Saturday’s Springfield Mile I. Mees and 2018 Springfield Mile I winner Jeffrey Carver Jr. transformed the race into a two-rider duel for the win from the start.

AFT Twins Springfield Mile Mees ERV — Jared Mees – 2019 AFT Twins, Springfield Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

Carver seemed content to plant himself on the rear wheel of Mees over the opening half of the AFT Twins Main Event. However, the home-state hero brought the fans lining the grandstands to their feet by driving underneath the defending champ on lap 13.

Mees regrouped and re-assumed his position at the front in short order. Carver made two more attempts to wrestle away the lead, and it appeared he finally succeeded for good when he powered by with three laps remaining. However, Mees ducked under Carver entering Turn 3 on the final lap, only to see Carver slide back up the inside as they worked through Turn 4.

AFT Twins Springfield Mile Jeffrey Carver Jr ERV — Jeffrey Carver Jr – 2019 AFT Twins, Springfield Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

Mees was ready for the move, and perfectly positioned himself for the decisive sprint to the flag; he stole the advantage back on exit and held it to the flag by 0.239 seconds.

Championship leader Briar Bauman was forced to use a provisional start to advance into the Main Event after suffering a mechanical issue in his Semi. Despite starting from dead last, Bauman somehow carved his way into seventh by the conclusion of lap 1 and established himself as one of five riders embroiled in a race-long battle for the final spot on the podium. Bauman ultimately won that battle, finishing in third 0.122 seconds ahead of brother/teammate Bronson Bauman. Bauman now holds a 30-point advantage over Mees (260-230) with four races remaining.

AFT Twins 2019 Springfield Mile I – Top 10

Jared Mees Indian – FTR750 0:35.746
Jeffrey Carver – Jr. Indian FTR750 +0.239
Briar Bauman – Indian FTR750 +1.878
Bronson Bauman – Indian FTR750 +2.000
Bryan Smith – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +2.016
Stephen Vanderkuur – Indian FTR750 +2.109
Brandon Robinson – Indian FTR750 +2.293
Davis Fisher – Indian FTR750 +2.455
Brandon Price – Indian FTR750 +2.709
Jarod Vanderkooi – HD XG750R Rev X +3.068

Mees does the double with Springfield Mile II victory

Monday’s Springfield Mile II at the Illinois State Fairgrounds proved worth the wait, delivering the most jaw-dropping AFT Twins Main Event of the 2019 American Flat Track season. Following an epic 25 miles that saw ten riders in contention for the victory even as they dove into the race’s final corner, multi-time defending AFT Twins Champion Jared Mees worked his magic yet again to win out in the last-lap dash to the checkered flag. Making the achievement all the more impressive, Mees did so after starting in last position from Row 4.

AFT Twins Springfield Mile II Mees Bronson Bauman ERV — Jared Mees – 2019 AFT Twins – Springfield Mile II – Image by Scott Hunter

The champ turned in his one provisional start card of the season to advance to the Main after encountering bike issues in his Semi. However, he managed to slipstream his way forward over the race’s opening third, joining the mammoth front group by lap 10. He was dueling for the lead a lap later – a duel that wouldn’t end until the final stripe. In the end, Mees outlasted title rival Briar Bauman by a scant 0.083 seconds.

AFT Twins Springfield Mile II Bronson Bauman Mees ERV — Bronson Bauman – 2019 AFT Twins – Springfield Mile II – Image by Scott Hunter

The triumph was the 14th Mile win of Mees’ illustrious career, tying him with the legendary Jay Springsteen for sixth all-time on the big tracks. It also brought him within a single race of Bauman in the evolving 2019 AFT Twins championship race, as he’s now just 25 points back (280-255) heading into the season’s final three races.

Jared Mees

“It was good to come off the back row and put my name on the list with the guys who have done that. It’s more emotional doing it this way on the back-up bike and working my way up. The Indian Motorcycle ran so phenomenal for me. My whole crew worked so hard; when that bike broke we were switching wheels, and shocks, and offsets to try to duplicate what we were running on the main bike. We got it done, and it feels amazing.”

AFT Twins Springfield Mile II Mees ERV — Jared Mees – 2019 AFT Twins – Springfield Mile II – Image by Scott Hunter

Bronson Bauman came through in third to lock out the podium for the Indian Wrecking Crew for the first time in 2019. While the day ultimately belonged to Mees and Indian, a huge number of riders played starring roles with the entire top ten finishing within 0.653 seconds of the win.

Rookie Brandon Price made a late-bid for the victory, and was one of five riders who slid into Turn 3 on lap 25, side-by-side, vying for the lead. He ended up an impressive fourth, fractionally ahead of Brandon Robinson.

AFT Twins Springfield Mile II Podium FA — AFT Twins Podium – 2019 AFT Twins – Springfield Mile II – Image by Scott Hunter

AFT Twins 2019 Springfield Mile II – Top 10

Jared Mees – Indian FTR750 0:35.263
Briar Bauman – Indian FTR750 +0.083
Bronson Bauman – Indian FTR750 +0.149
Brandon Price – Indian FTR750 +0.169
Brandon Robinson – Indian FTR750 +0.254
Sammy Halbert – HD XG750R Rev X +0.275
Henry Wiles – Indian FTR750 +0.398
Jarod Vanderkooi – HD XG750R Rev X +0.443
Davis Fisher – Indian FTR750 +0.516
Jeffrey Carver Jr. – Indian FTR750 +0.653

AFT Twins Standings

Briar Bauman 280
Jared Mees 255
Bronson Bauman 215
Jeffrey Carver Jr. 184
Brandon Robinson 170
Jarod Vanderkooi 166
Henry Wiles 145
Robert Pearson 135
Sammy Halbert 133
Jake Johnson 128

Gauthier dominates Springfield Short Track in AFT Singles

Championship hopeful Dalton Gauthier scored a critical victory in Friday night’s Springfield Short Track to claim sole possession of the AFT Singles points lead. The action at the Illinois State Fairgrounds was every bit as tense and frenetic as one would expect an Roof Systems AFT Singles Short Track showdown to be.

AFT Singles Springfield ST Start ERV — 2019 AFT Singles, Springfield Single Track – Image by Scott Hunter

In the midst of a tight title fight with just three additional races remaining on the 2019 American Flat Track calendar, and serving as a microcosm of the season to date, while a handful of riders enjoyed their moments in the spotlight. Ultimately it all came down to Gauthier and reigning class champion Dan Bromley.

Former AFT Twins standout Chad Cose stormed to the holeshot and threatened to break free of the chaos before anyone else had an opportunity to react. However, Gauthier rolled forward on the momentum he had built up all day long when he ran quickest in both qualifying sessions and ripped to heat and semi victories.

AFT Singles Springfield ST Gauthier ERV — Dalton Gauthier – 2019 AFT Singles, Springfield Single Track – Image by Scott Hunter

Gauthier first slashed ahead of Spanish dirt track hero Ferran Cardús to move into third and then ran up the inside of Bromley to take over second on lap 7. By lap 10, he was hounding Cose inside and outside, applying heavy pressure wherever possible in hopes of prompting a mistake.

That mistake came on lap 13. Gauthier squared up Cose and the two very nearly came together on the short straight as Gauthier slid ahead into first. Once clear, the new leader was able to call on his superior pace to pull open just enough of a gap to negate the possibility of a potential last-lap Hail Mary.

AFT Singles Springfield ST ERV — Dallas Daniels – 2019 AFT Singles, Springfield Single Track – Image by Scott Hunter

Title rival Bromley was going in the opposite direction, dropping down to fourth after he was also overhauled by Peoria TT winner Dallas Daniels. 16-year-old prodigy Daniels had earned the pole but was shuffled back to seventh early. Undeterred, he clawed his way through the fray, not only edging ahead of Bromley but lining up Cose for the runner-up position.

Desperate to minimize the championship damage done by another Gauthier victory, Bromley turned in a clutch sequence of his own. With time running out, the defending champ dove up the inside of Daniels and Cose in two consecutive corners to leap up from fourth to second in one short lap. From there he held on to the checkered flag to remain within five points of Gauthier for the Singles championship lead (241-236).

Dalton Gauthier

“It’s huge. Coming into these last few races, it’s anyone’s game. I’m trying to get in front of Dan as much as I can, but he’s running strong. We’re having fun. Chad rode a really great race. It took me a few laps to catch him, but he was riding defensively. I just waited. I knew I had a few laps to go so I just waited for the mistake. He made one, and we got pretty close, but it was clean racing.”

Dan Bromley

“I just used my size to my advantage. It was a heck of a race. Chad got out front, and whether he’s behind you or you’re behind him, you never know what he’s going to do. He ran a good race. He, Dalton, and Dallas were out front for most of the race. It’s a little bittersweet to be in second, but I’m happy to be back up here on the podium.”

Daniels secured his second consecutive podium, in third, in what was just his sixth-career AFT outing, while Cose ended up one spot off the box after leading the majority of the laps. Meanwhile, Mikey Rush kept his championship aspirations alive in fifth. While the bulk of the focus is understandably on Gauthier and Bromley, Rush remains very much in contention. He’s within striking distance – just 25 points back of the lead (216) – with a Half-Mile and two Miles left to decide the 2019 crown.

AFT Singles Springfield ST Podium FA — AFT Singles Podium – 2019 AFT Singles, Springfield Single Track – Image by Scott Hunter

AFT Singles 2019 Springfield ST Top 10

Dalton Gauthier – Husqvarna FC450 0:13.447
Dan Bromley – KTM 450 SX-F +0.857
Dallas Daniels – Yamaha YZ450F +1.475
Chad Cose – Suzuki RMZ 450 +2.304
Mikey Rush – Honda CRF450R +3.395
Brandon Kitchen – Honda CRF450R +4.009
Ryan Wells – Yamaha YZ450F +5.744
Oliver Brindley – Yamaha YZ450F +5.833
Ferran Cardus – Honda CRF450R +6.219
Jacob Lehmann – Honda CRF450R +7.548

2019 AFT Singles Standings

Dalton Gauthier 241
Dan Bromley 236
Mikey Rush 216
Jesse Janisch 180
Chad Cose 166
Shayna Texter 155
Ryan Wells 155
Morgen Mischler 125
Max Whale 107
Kevin Stollings 93

Gauthier tops Production Twins at Springfield Mile I

Fresh off his clutch victory in Friday night’s Springfield Short Track, Dalton Gauthier steamrolled the competition in Saturday’s AFT Production Twins Main Event at the Springfield Mile I. Gauthier’s arcing high lines may have allowed his rivals to keep him relatively contained during the opening stages of the 15-lap Main Event, but once he finally stretched open enough of an advantage to prevent his opponents from blocking his preferred path, those same lines made him simply unstoppable.

AFT Springfield Mile II Prod Carlile Rispoli ERV — Carlile & Rispoli – 2019 AFT Production Twins, Springfield Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

The triumph was not just his second of the weekend, it was also his second in succession in the AFT Production Twins class; he delivered the XG750R a second win in the first possible opportunity after scoring its historic maiden win last time out in the Sacramento Mile.

Dalton Gauthier

“I have to thank Jarod Vanderkooi for telling me to go there (to the high line) after the Semi, so shout out to him. After the second or third lap I went up there and I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s hooking up. So I stayed up there and tried to ride consistent laps and break away and that’s what happened. I have to thank everybody at Harley-Davidson, Black Hills Harley-Davidson, Vance & Hines and everyone else who has gotten this bike working this great. It’s been awesome, and I’m having a lot of fun.”

Kolby Carlile, who scored tonight’s holeshot, and Lima HM winner Chad Cose emerged from a multi-rider pack to battle for second place. The two actually managed to cut into Gauthier’s lead while waging their duel, which came down to the race’s final corner.

Carlile sailed past Cose to open the last lap, but Cose switched-up his opponent driving through Turns 3 and 4. However, the Estenson pilot managed a counter of his own while they streaked down the start/finish straight, nipping Cose by 0.101 seconds at the flag to finish as the race’s runner-up.

Second-ranked Ryan Varnes continued his consistent AFT Production Twins title campaign with his fifth top-five result of the year by taking fourth. Kevin Stollings was just 0.002 seconds back of Varnes to round out the top five.

Championship leader Cory Texter took the checkered flag in ninth. As a result, he now leads Varnes by just 22 points (133-111) with Carlile (100) and Gauthier (96) looking increasingly threatening in third and fourth, respectively.

AFT Production Twins 2019 Springfield Mile I – Top 10

Dalton Gauthier – HD XG750R 0:36.491
Kolby Carlile – Yamaha MT-07 +0.866
Chad Cose – Kawasaki Ninja 650 0.968
Ryan Varnes – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +2.584
Kevin Stollings – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +2.587
J.R. Addison – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +2.644
James Rispoli – HD XG750R Rev X +2.671
Cody Johncox – Yamaha MT-07 +6.769
Cory Texter – Yamaha MT-07 +8.399
Ryan Wells – Yamaha MT-07 +8.468

Carlile claims Production Twins Springfield Mile II win

Kolby Carlile materialised from the pack late to claim his first-career AFT Production Twins Main Event victory in dramatic fashion. All eyes had been on Dalton Gauthier, who was chasing a unique dual-class triple win on the weekend.

AFT Springfield Mile II Prod start FA — 2019 AFT Production Twins, Springfield Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

Like Mees in the premier class, Gauthier had to start on the back row, being forced to use a provisional start when his bike expired in his Semi. However, his form and momentum still made him feel all but unstoppable, as he powered from dead last to first place by the time the pack dove into Turn 1 for the second time.

He didn’t slow from there, opening up a 1.5-second advantage by the time the race was red flagged while working lap 10 of 15. On the restart, Gauthier went right back to work, steadily building another advantage on the pack. The only difference this time around was that teammate James Rispoli managed to hang onto the slipstream and use it to escape along with Gauthier.

AFT Springfield Mile II Prod Rispoli ERV — James Rispoli – 2019 AFT Production Twins, Springfield Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

With a 1-2 Black Hills Harley-Davidson seeming nearly assured, Gauthier raised his hand in disappointment with 3 laps to go, signaling another mechanical issue that spoiled his bid for the triple Springfield victory. Without the benefit of Gauthier’s draft, Rispoli found himself reeled back to the pack. Carlile caught him just in time to thunder by as they drove down the back straight for the final time.

Carlile tucked his head down and outpaced any potential counter moves, beating Rispoli to the line by 0.111 seconds.

Kolby Carlile

“I was confident the whole race; there was just so much traffic and I got sucked into it a little bit. I was letting those guys shake it out, but I knew I had the bike to win this thing. Dalton and James took off after the restart and I fell back again, but I knew my bike was strong enough to catch them. And that’s what we did. I just can’t thank my Estenson Racing crew enough… I broke my leg early in the year and I lost a round. I’m at a huge points deficit, but we’re trying to make it back. I’m finally feeling like myself again.”

AFT Springfield Mile II Prod Carlile ERV — Kolby Carlile – 2019 AFT Production Twins, Springfield Mile – Image by Scott Hunter

Cody Johncox was next in line in a pack of riders that saw five men take the checkered flag within 0.554 seconds of the win. He finished 0.082 seconds back of Rispoli to complete the podium. Cory Texter did well to limit the damage done by Carlile’s victory by finishing a strong fourth. Still, Texter’s advantage has now been reduced to 23 points (148-125) over Carlile with three races remaining.

AFT Springfield Mile II Prod podium FA — Production Twins podium – 2019 AFT Twins, Springfield Mile II – Image by Scott Hunter

AFT Production Twins 2019 Springfield Mile II – Top 10

Kolby Carlile – Yamaha MT-07 0:35.993
James Rispoli – Harley-Davidson XG750R Rev X +0.111
Cody Johncox – Yamaha MT-07 +0.194
Cory Texter – Yamaha MT-07 +0.332
Morgen Mischler – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +0.554
Ryan Varnes – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +1.205
Jordan Harris – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +1.818
Ben Lowe – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +5.587
Oliver Brindley – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +16.401
Chad Cose – Kawasaki Ninja 650 +1 Lap

2019 AFT Production Twins Standings

Cory Texter 148
Kolby Carlile 125
Ryan Varnes 124
Dalton Gauthier 102
J.R. Addison 96
James Rispoli 95
Chad Cose 94
Ben Lowe 81
Cody Johncox 80
Kevin Stollings 72

Luke Styke leads Yamaha AORC efforts at Coonalpyn

Perfect conditions greeted rider for Rounds 8 & 9 of the AORC Championship in Coonalpyn, while the layout provided challenges on both days. Saturday saw a sandy based loop that had competitors excited about the terrain while Sunday saw some rock beds and hard pack thrown into the mix to keep everyone on their toes.

Luke Styke increased his lead in the E1 (250cc) class after dominating the weekend in South Australia. Styke, who enjoys racing the softer terrain, won 10 out of the 13 special tests conducted over both days and was able to stretch his lead out to 16 points with two rounds remaining.

AORC Rnd Broken Hill Luke rdA — Luke Styke – Round 7, Broken Hill – 2019 AORC – Image by John Pearson

Styke and rival Lyndon Snodgrass traded wins on Saturday, but Styke came out all guns blazing on Sunday to win six of the seven tests and cement his place at the top of the E1 table. His raw speed captured him fourth outright on Saturday and one position better on Sunday in third.

Luke Styke

“After a couple of ordinary rounds for me, it was good to get back on top of things and ride the way I should. I struggled a bit at Kyogle and Broken Hill, but I felt good all weekend and I love riding in these kinds of conditions. The bike was strong all weekend and I had a clean run with no major issues, so I leave here healthy, fit and confident to keep the momentum going into the final two rounds. Thanks to the team for all the hard work and we will keep it going all the way to the end as anything can happen in this sport.”

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Luke AORC rd — Luke Styke

Josh Green maintains second place in the E2 (450cc) class after another consistent performance on the weekend in South Australia. Green finished second on both days behind class leader, Daniel Milner, and sits comfortably in second place in the series.

Green raced well on Saturday and was third outright but a few crashes on Sunday cost him valuable time on Sunday and while it dropped him a couple of positions in outright honours, it had no effect on the E2 class results.

Josh Green

“Nothing real exciting to report from me on the weekend. I felt I was riding pretty well all weekend, but not quite at the pace that Sanders and Milner were setting. I made a couple of mistakes on Sunday and fell off in two tests but fortunately both myself and the bike were unscathed. But I really liked the course layout and it was good to ride in dirt that offered plenty of traction and a good variety of high and low speed challenges. The team was on point again and we can now look forward to the final rounds in a couple of weekends.”

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Josh AORC Rd — Josh Green

It was a case of the good and the almost good for Michael Driscoll. Driscoll charged to an impressive third in class (E1) and sixth outright on Saturday as he kept his 250F on song through the day on the sandy course. He wasn’t quite able to recapture the same form on Sunday, dropping one spot to fourth in E1 and ninth in outright honours.

Michael Driscoll

“Saturday was good, and it was like riding the conditions I have around home with soft dirt and plenty of traction. I pushed hard all day and wanted to mix it with Luke and Lyndon as best I could in as many tests as I could. Sunday I was a bit off and didn’t flow as well. I made a few errors out there and cost me some time and just didn’t ride as well as what I did yesterday. I still sit fourth in class and just five points away from a series podium, so I will need a big finish at the final two rounds to get onto the championship podium.”

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Michael AORC rd — Michael Driscoll

Yamaha also had success in other classes with Kirk Hutton winning the Masters’ class on both days and also the series win as he now holds a 58 point lead going into the final two rounds. With only 50 points available, the former AORC champ can add another title to his belt after a successful year.

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Kirk AORC rd — Kirk Hutton

Jess Gardiner continues to lead the Women’s division after an up and down weekend in South Australia. Gardiner won on Saturday but was forced to settle for third place on Sunday in a rare off day. Gardiner still holds a comfortable 20 point lead going into the final weekend of the championship.

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Jess aorc rd — Jess Gardiner

The last two rounds of the AORC are set down for September 14 and 15 in Penshurst in Victoria. With class honours and podium positions still up for grabs, Yamaha riders will keep the pressure right until the final test has concluded.

AORC Round 8 – Outright

#	Rider	Time – Total
1	Daniel SANDERS	58:40.514
2	Daniel MILNER	59:30.788
3	Joshua GREEN	1:00:50.038
4	Luke STYKE	1:00:52.231
5	Lyndon SNODGRASS	1:01:00.940
6	Michael DRISCOLL	1:02:17.640
7	Riley GRAHAM	1:02:33.987
8	Fraser HIGLETT	1:02:55.789
9	Andrew WILKSCH	1:02:56.028
10	Jeremy CARPENTIER	1:03:40.107

AORC Round 9 – Outright

#	Rider	Time – Total
1	Daniel SANDERS	1:09:31.089
2	Daniel MILNER	1:10:59.206
3	Luke STYKE	1:12:31.488
4	Lyndon SNODGRASS	1:12:56.788
5	Joshua GREEN	1:13:21.455
6	Fraser HIGLETT	1:13:44.746
7	Jeremy CARPENTIER	1:14:50.294
8	Matthew PHILLIPS	1:14:51.763
9	Michael DRISCOLL	1:15:14.966
10	Andrew WILKSCH	1:15:33.329

E3 Standings – Top 5

#	Rider	Points
1	Daniel SANDERS	225
2	Andrew WILKSCH	168
3	Jesse LAWTON	162
4	Beau RALSTON	148
5	Matt MURRY	145

E2 Standings – Top 5

#	Rider	Points
1	Daniel MILNER	225
2	Joshua GREEN	198
3	Jeremy CARPENTIER	167
4	Brad HARDAKER	119
5	Harrison TEED	91

E1 Standings – Top 5

#	Rider	Points
1	Luke STYKE	212
2	Lyndon SNODGRASS	196
3	Fraser HIGLETT	181
4	Michael DRISCOLL	176
5	Lachlan ALLAN	137

EJ Standings – Top 5

#	Rider	Points
1	Kyron BACON	215
2	Joshua BRIERLEY	198
3	Korey MCMAHON	181
4	Cooper SHEIDOW	158
5	Nathan HOWE	147

Veterans Standings – Top 10

#	Rider	Total
1	Lee STEPHENS	215
2	Christopher THOMAS	172
3	Jason PEARCE	148
4	Luke ABLITT	127
5	Paul CHADWICK	114

Masters Standings – Top 10

#	Rider	Total
1	Kirk HUTTON	222
2	Peter RUDD	164
3	Craig TREASURE	144
4	Timothy MARTIN	128
5	Ian MCGILLIVRAY	110

Womens Standings – Top 10

#	Rider	Total
1	Jessica GARDINER	217
2	Emma MILESEVIC	192
3	Emelie KARLSSON	186
4	Danielle FOOT	154
5	Ebony NIELSEN	112

Janowski claims Teterow SGP win in Germany

Maciej Janowski launched his bid for a FIM World Speedway Championship medal on Saturday night winning the German FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Teterow.

Janowski, who was without a Grand Prix win in 13 months prior to round seven of the 2019 World Championship, made a jet-propelled start from gate two in the grand final to defeat Polish compatriot Bartosz Zmarzlik, Slovenian favourite Matej Zagar and in-form Dane Niels-Kristian Iversen.

Despite missing the opening round of this year’s series through injury, Janowski is only 11-points short of third placed Emil Sayfutdinov – and stands every chance of picking up his first World Championship medal in Torun, Poland, on October 5.

The 28-year-old Wroclaw star said hard work in the pits from his top team of mechanics inspired his lightning-fast start in the grand final, which ultimately saw him step to the top of the podium.

Maciej Janowski

“This is amazing, it’s always an amazing feeling when you win a Grand Prix. The whole meeting was very tough, we worked very hard during the meeting and I knew the final would be very hard with Bartosz Zmarzlik, Matej Zagar and Niels-Kristian Iversen involved. I felt very good from the start in the final, I made a perfect start and that helped me to win.”

German FIM Speedway Grand Prix Teterow — Maciej Janowski – 2019 German FIM Speedway Grand Prix, Teterow

World Championship contender Bartosz Zmarzlik was again in blistering form, registering 16-points on the night to join Leon Madsen at the top of the standings on 85-points with three rounds remaining.

After dropping only three points throughout his five qualifying rides, the Gorzow star finished second to Janowski in semi-final one before repeating that effort in the grand final.

Like Janowski, Zmarzlik paid tribute to his mechanics following round seven, and vowed to maintain his high levels of performance at next weekend’s ECCO Danish FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Vojens.

For Matej Zagar, a podium finish came as a welcome relief following a logistically challenging start to his weekend. A delayed flight forced the GP Challenge winner to start his journey to Teterow on a different plane, before arriving on the stroke of the start of free practice.

He topped the qualifying time sheet, before registering 15 points from his seven rides – placing him five points short of the top eight frame.

Following tonight’s result, Dane Leon Madsen surrendered his position as clear leader at the top of the World Championship standings. The Danish favourite finished behind Janowski and Zmarzlik in semi-final one, and dropped six points to his championship rival.

Elsewhere in the table, title hopefuls Emil Sayfutdinov and Fredrik Lindgren returned with a mixed bag of results from their qualifying rides – scoring 10 and nine points respectively.

But Martin Vaculik endured the most frustrating evening, registering just four points from five qualifying rides as the Slovak star dropped to fifth in the standings and is now 13 points short of the top pair. The series now moves to Vojens, Denmark, for Round 8 on Saturday, September 7.

SGP World Championship Standings

Bartosz Zmarzlik 85
Leon Madsen 85
Emil Sayfutdinov 78
Fredrik Lindgren 72
Martin Vaculik 72
Patryk Dudek 69
Maciej Janowski 67
Artem Laguta 58
Niels-Kristian Iversen 54
Matej Zagar 52
Janusz Kolodziej 50
Jason Doyle 48

Aztorin German SGP Scores

Maciej Janowski 16
Bartosz Zmarzlik 16
Matej Zagar 15
Niels-Kristian Iversen 13
Emil Sayfutdinov 10
Leon Madsen 10
Fredrik Lindgren 9
Patryk Dudek 8
Antonio Lindback 8
Artem Laguta 8
Tai Woffinden 8
Jason Doyle 6

Australian MXoN Team announced for Assen

Motorcycling Australia have announced the 2019 FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) team selected to represent Australia at Assen, in the Netherlands on 28-29 of September. Known as the ‘Olympics of Motocross’, the prestigious event will host 31 teams from around the world.

After a tough selection process, the MXoN Australian Team will be proudly represented by Mitch Evans (Honda), Dean Ferris (KTM) and Kyle Webster (Honda), with the trio earning the right to don the green and gold against the best motocross riders on the planet, with the MXstore coming on board as a naming-rights sponsor.

Amid a strong campaign on the elite MXGP circuit, Evans, a Cairns native, is confident the team will be hard to beat.

Mitch Evans

“I’m excited to get out there, represent my country and race the best in the world. I’m looking forward to everyone getting behind us and hopefully we can get a spot on the box because we’ve got a really strong team this year.”

Ferris, who is a three-time Australian Motocross champion and recently competed in the U.S, said representing his country was a highlight of his highly successful career.

Dean Ferris

“I’m super excited to be representing Australia at the Motocross of Nations this year in Assen. I’m really looking forward to racing alongside Mitch Evans and Kyle Webster, so it will be great to catch up with the boys.”

AMA MX Rnd Southwick Ferris JK MX Southwick — Dean Ferris – 2019 AMA Pro Motocross – Round Six – Southwick

Webster, who was the runner up in the 2019 MX Nationals Motul MX2 class, was shocked when told he’ll be heading to the Netherlands.

Kyle Webster

“Honestly, I’m stoked. I didn’t really expect to be picked for the team, but I’m wrapped to be able to head over to Assen. It’s my first time heading over to the MXoN, so I’m not sure what to really expect. Being the biggest motocross event in the world, I just can’t wait to be a part of it. Without a doubt, it’s the biggest thing in my career for sure, so I’m really excited. It’s awesome to have both Dean [Ferris] and Mitch [Evans] as my teammates.”

MX Nationals Rnd Coolum MX Webster Todd — Kyle Webster leads Wilson Todd at Coolum

Sultans Of Slide NSW Flat Track Cup classes announced

The question everyone has been asking is, “what classes are running at Sultans Of Slide?” And the answer is, there’s only eight. Four junior classes and four senior classes, and for the most part riders will choose one class, and they will bring one bike.

So you get the advantage of only having one bike to look after for the whole day. And as a bonus, you will get 56 laps of racing. You don’t normally get that even if you bring four bikes and ride multiple classes!

Sultans Of Slide NSW Flat Track Cup Preview — Sultans Of Slide – NSW Flat Track Cup

At each Sultans Of Slide event each class will get seven races, ranging in length from 4 to 15 laps, on two different track layouts, running a point score across the day to determine winners. No finals, no semis. Lots of ride time.

Juniors will choose between 50, 65, 85 and a Junior Lites class. Seniors will choose between an MX250 (2- and 4-strokes together), MX450, and up to 450 clubman class.

Seniors will also be able to cross-enter into the new “Open Multi” class if they have a bike to suit it, or they can ride the Open Multi class by itself if they prefer. They just need a multi-cylinder bike of any capacity, running on suitable wheels and tyres.

There’s only 18 entries per class, so when things up and the Supp regs are released, you will have to get in quick. Riders will also be starting on a grid with three rows. And sometimes there’ll be reverse grid races, just to mess with you.

With the classes now confirmed, stay tuned for details on when entries will open, exciting new partnerships and in excess of $10,000 plus a host of prizes.

2019 Sultans of Slide Classes
JUNIORS
(riders to choose one class only)

50cc Div 2 (7 to under 9)
65cc (8 to under 11)
85cc 2t & 150cc 4t (10 to under 14)
JUNIOR LITES up to 150cc 2t & 250cc 4t (13 to under 16)

SENIORS
(riders to choose one class only, unless riding in Open Multi, which may be entered in addition to any other class)

Clubman (MX Frame Up to 450cc 4T)
MX 250 (2 or 4 stroke up to 250cc)
MX 450 (4T 450cc or 2T 350cc)
Open Multi (Multi cylinder any capacity)

Australian Supercross Qld & Vic Coaching Days

Amateur and professional Supercross riders will have the chance to take part in several Supercross coaching and training days starting next week in both Victoria and Queensland.

Krusics Ride Park – Victoria

Kicking off next weekend (September 7-8) at Krusics Ride Park in Victoria, the venue will open the gates to their private Supercross tracks allowing riders of all skill levels the opportunity to attempt Supercross for the first time, or hone their skills in preparation for the upcoming Australian Supercross Championship season.

Krusics has two tracks on offer, one for intermediate riders with tamed down jumps and tabletops and another full-blown pro-level track, both professionally prepared for the weekend. Saturday will be dedicated to training on the intermediate track with Sunday’s riding focussed on the pro track.

Ex-professional Supercross athlete Cameron Taylor (Y-AIM) will be offering tutelage to all skill levels over the weekend and on both tracks, to ensure there’s the opportunity to learn regardless of current skill level. Taylor says the opportunity for riders to access an intermediate track, learn Supercross skills and build confidence before progressing to the full-scale track all in one weekend, is the perfect way to make the transition from Motocross to Supercross.

Cameron Taylor

“This is the first time in Australian Supercross history that I’m aware of, that riders have been given the opportunity to learn Supercross in a safe and controlled environment, by starting on a scaled-down track, positioned right next to a full-scale professional one. This will really give us the chance to ensure riders are feeling comfortable before transitioning to Supercross. There’s no better feeling than racing on a Supercross track in front of thousands of people. I really look forward to sharing my experiences with riders, to help them build their confidence and hopefully lead them to a career in Supercross racing in the future, or simply help them prepare for this year’s Australian Supercross Championship.”

Practice Day costs are $100 p/day and riders are required to have an AMA licence. Click here to join secure.motocross.asn.au/join-motocross (link). For coaching enquiries and bookings, contact Cam Taylor on 0417 332 457 or email [email protected].

Where: 26 Signboard Lane, DUTSON, Vic, 3851 (Krusics Ride Park)
When: Saturday 7th September 10am – 4pm
Sunday 8th September 10am-4pm
Cost: $100 p/day
Book now: 0477 303 606
https://m.facebook.com/krusicsridepark/

Toowoomba – Queensland

For riders in the South East Queensland region, Nathan Crawford (00 Standards Elite Rider Training) is holding a coaching and endorsement clinic also on Saturday September 7, on a private Supercross track near Toowoomba. For more details call or message Nathan on 0401 812 125.

Standards Elite Rider Training Facility — 00 Standars Elite Rider Training Facility – Toowoomba – Queensland

Practice day costs are $220 p/day and riders will need SX suspension and previous riding experience.

Increasing access to practice tracks and professional Supercross coaching has been a major focus for the revamped Australian Supercross Championship and series organisers say this is a crucial step towards the overall goal of increased participation and the development of young riders in the future.

Adam Bailey

“Access to safe practice facilities and professional coaching has been the number one limiting factor for Australian Supercross riders and their development, for as long as I can remember. In the past, riders that do not have their own private track and property or access to one, have often either tried to compete underprepared or just decided not to take the risk to do Supercross competition. We’re committed to making that transition to competing in the Australian Supercross Championship, more accessible and safer, for all Aussie riders now and into the future.”

Both coaches will be able available for Motorcycling Australia Supercross Endorsements over the weekend. More information on other locations including more tracks in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales will be announced in the near future.

00 Standards Elite Rider Training Facility open for coaching and endorsement September 7.

Where: Toowoomba (Kaleb Barham personal track)
*Further details via upon request.
When: 7th September 9am – 4pm
Cost: $220 p/day
Book now: 0401 812 125
*Riders will need SX suspension and previous riding experience.
*All other Ride Park Rules & Regulations apply.

KTM Junior Supercross joins S-X Open events

The KTM Junior Supercross initiative will once again take centre-stage at the high-profile 2019 S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship, set to be contested in Auckland, New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia this November.

KTM JNR SX AU — KTM Junior Supercross joins S-X Open in 2019

KTM Junior Supercross provides the opportunity of a lifetime for an incredibly fortunate group of youthful racers and their families. There will be 10 positions available for the S-X Open event to be held at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland on 16 November, while 20 places will be available for the AUS-X Open Melbourne event on 30 November for the first time ever.

Successful applicants will be treated to a full factory VIP experience, including a KTM 50 SX built by factory technicians to ride during the event. A KTM gift pack provided to each young rider will feature a full set of riding gear to keep, plus trophies will be awarded to podium finishers.

Aside from extensive off-track activities and enjoyment that will include mentorship from KTM’s professional racers and a special rider signing where kids can meet their heroes, the KTM Junior Supercross entrants will take a dedicated track walk, two practice sessions and a fun-filled exhibition event during the S-X Open program.

Entry criteria will apply, with both events open to KTM customers only with 12 months of racing results being taken into consideration. Every applicant’s latest school report card, weight and height requirements must also be met. Registrations for the 2019 KTM Junior Supercross events are open now, exclusively at www.ridektm.com.au (link).

KTM Jnr SX NZ — KTM Junior Supercross joins S-X Open in 2019

Jeff Leisk – General Manager KTM Australia

“To be involved in the sport at this level, young aspiring riders and their parents, will certainly enjoy the KTM Junior Supercross experience. We aim to make them virtually feel like factory riders for the event, to give them that experience on a real supercross track in front of huge crowds. It’s an incredible opportunity and inspires riders to go onto bigger things in the sport, much like Ryan Dungey and others who at one stage took part in the challenge. It’s a really inspirational experience and these events are genuinely world-class, so it’s a pleasure to continue our relationship with the event organisers, AME Management, because we really love what they are doing for supercross in the region. The fact that they even consider the KTM Junior Supercross to be one of the highlights of their events just goes to show that they have the right vision that’s inclusive of tomorrow’s superstars and, from my own perspective, I know what it was like to be a young kid and an aspiring racer. So, while I never got to do anything like this, I know how impressionable you are at that age and that’s why it’s really special to be involved and to be providing families with this type of opportunity.”

Mitchell Harrison to Bud Racing Kawasaki in 2020

Team Bud Racing Kawasaki have confirmed Mitchell Harrison for the 2020 MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship, after joining the team in April and starting to score regularly with top ten results since Germany.

Dedicated to his sport, the 21 years old American rider is currently seventeenth in the series and with a few more months of European experience will be a strong contender when the 2020 World Championship kicks off in of February 2020. He will also race the French Elite series.

Mitchell Harrison

“It’s been an amazing experience racing here, I came over here in April not knowing what to expect and the Bud Racing Team treated me like a family member and it’s cool to have another year with them and a chance to fill in on the podium with them, so very exited! Next year I will know most of the tracks and I will be more adapted to the bike, we already work on that between the races but now we’ll have a full winter to do that. The racing is amazing here, the tracks are unique, different than in the US but I like that.”

For team owner Stephane Dassé, giving another chance to Mitchell was one of his goal as everyone in the team enjoy working with him.

Stephane Dassé – Team Owner

“We’re happy to work with him next season, he came late in Europe and had to discover everything. He improves a lot through the season, has a good mentality and we think that after a good preparation during winter and some more European experience he will be able to get strong results. We’re happy to enter again the MX2 World Championship with him, and he will have two top level young team mates to compete and fight in front of the European EMX 250 & EMX 125 series and French championship; who will be announced very soon.”

Josh Hill to join CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team

Former AMA Supercross race winner, factory rider and freeride pioneer Josh Hill, will travel down under to contest the final three rounds of the Australian Supercross Championship for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, commencing November 9.

Hill will join Dan Reardon and Luke Clout on the team with his first engagement being round three of the of the Australian Supercross Championship in Wollongong.

Hill will be working double time at Wollongong as he not only chases success in the SX1 final alongside competing the ‘Speed and Style’ event where he can combine his world class speed with his aerial acrobatics against names like Cam Sinclair and a host of others in a spectacular night of action.

Then its onto rounds four and five of the championship where Hill will really be put to the test at the S-X Open in Auckland and in the final round, the Aus-X Open at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.

Josh Hill

“I cant wait to get down to Australia and line up at the final three rounds of the Australian Supercross Championship. I have always wanted to return to Australia after racing there a few years ago and when the opportunity came about through CDR Yamaha, Monster Energy and Fox Racing, I had to make it happen. And this isn’t a holiday for me as I know the level of racing in Australia is high and it’s my goal to come down there and bring home plenty of prizemoney with me. I have been working hard to get myself in shape and ready to go come November 9 at Wollongong. I’m still competitive and would like nothing more than to kick a little ass down there and beat not only the Aussies but also the other international riders competing.”

The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team will be bursting at the seems at the final three rounds with a star studded line up of the two best domestic supercross racers in Dan Reardon and Luke Clout and now with Josh Hill confirmed for the final three rounds, making for a huge month for team owner Craig Dack.

Craig Dack – CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team Owner

“Having Josh Hill join us for the final three rounds is a real coupe for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team as he is not only one of the most popular riders in the world but still fast and talented enough to make the championship exciting. His alignment with Yamaha in the US, Monster Energy and Fox Racing makes it a simple transition into the team and I’m sure he will be on the pace when the gates drop at round three. He has been super easy to deal with and his enthusiasm to come to Australia and race with us is over flowing down the phone with every conversation. Having Dan and Luke as the main stays of our team and the X factor in Josh Hill gives us a very strong team for this years Supercross Championship. All three riders will be mounted on the new 2020 YZ450F and our preparations have already begun. We look forward to a great championship and working with three talented and skilled riders.”

mx nationals coolum round mx cdr dacka ImageScottYa — CDR Yamaha’s Craig Dack

The five round Australian Supercross Championship starts on October 12 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

2019 ASX Calendar

Round 1 – October 12 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre (QLD)
Round 2 – October 19 – Gillman Speedway (SA)
Round 3 – November 9 – Wollongong (NSW)
Round 4 – November 16- Mt Smart Stadium Auckland (NZ / S-X Open Auckland)
Round 5 – November 30- Marvel Stadium Melbourne (VIC / AUS-X Open Melbourne)

Hutten Metaal Yamaha to run official EMX250 team until 2023

Yamaha Motor Europehave announced that Hutten Metaal Yamaha will operate as the official Yamaha EMX250 team for the next three years through 2023. The team based in Beerzerveld, The Netherlands, have already established themselves inside the MXGP and EMX250 paddocks as a Yamaha supported team this year.

Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX Team — Hutten Metaal Yamaha to run official EMX250 team until 2023

Heading into 2020, Hutten Metaal Yamaha will focus solely on the European EMX250 Championship as the official EMX250 team with riders Thibault Benistant, Raivo Dankers and Gianluca Facchetti, equipped with Yamaha’s GYTR kitted YZ250F machines.

Between the three riders that will make up the Hutten Metaal Yamaha EMX250 team in 2020, there are two Junior Motocross World Champions and an EMX125 Champion. Raivo Dankers was the Junior 85cc World Champion back in 2015, Gianluca Facchetti was the Junior 125cc World Champion in 2017, while Thibault Benistant was the first Official Yamaha rider to claim the coveted EMX125 crown onboard a GYTR kitted YZ125 back in 2018.

Yamaha Motor Europe also thanked the SDM Corse Yamaha team for their efforts over the past few years. The SDM Corse Yamaha team will remain inside the Yamaha family for the 2020 season, receiving support for an EMX250 rider and Ruben Fernandez who will contest the 2020 MX2 World Championship.

Empire Kawasaki announce 2019 Australian SX line-up

Empire Kawasaki are fuelled-up and ready to launch into the 2019 Australia Supercross Championship season, and have announced they will run a team of three riders across the two classes, with two SX1 riders on 2020 Kawasaki KX450 and one SX2 Rider on the 2020 Kawasaki KX250.

MX Nationals Rnd Coolum MX Dylan Long — Dylan Long will ride the new 2020 Kawasaki KX450

Dylan Long and Lawson Bopping will be piloting the SX1 machinery, while in SX2 American Supercross specialist Bradley Taft joins the team.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly for January 28, 2020

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

What happened this week

Roczen wins Glendale AMA SX triple-header

Ken Roczen – P1

Eli Tomac – P2

Jason Anderson – P3

Cooper Webb – P4

Justin Barcia – P5

Justin Brayton – P6

SX1 Round Overall

SX1 Standings

Forkner tops SX2 triple-header at Glendale Round 4

Austin Forkner – P1

Dylan Ferrandis – P2

Mitchell Oldenburg – P6

Justin Cooper – P9

Luke Clout – P10

SX2 Round Overall

SX2 Standings

Mitch Evans second at Italian Motocross opener in Riola Sardo

Mitch Evans

Tim Gajser

MX1 Result

MX2 Result

Supercampione Result

MX1 Standings

MX2 Standings

Supercampione Standings

Harwood & Purvis win Woodville GP

Kirk Gibbs

MX1 Results

MX2 Results

King of MX final qualifier confirmed for Dargle

Gavin Hunt – Oakdale Junior Motorcycle Club President

Dave Cooke – Motorcycling NSW CEO

Cessnock MX Club to host 2020 King of MX final

Dave Cooke – MNSW CEO

2020 King of MX Calendar

2020 Kings of MX Championship Classes

2020 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars Champs to Gillman March 21

Peter Doyle

Dylan Walsh to race NZ MX with Ben Townley Tours/Altherm JCR Yamaha

Ben Townley

Josh Coppins – Yamaha Motor New Zealand’s Motorsport Manager

Dylan Walsh

Dylan Walsh of the Woodville GP

2020 Altherm JCR Yamaha Race Schedule

2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship

Luc Ackermann wins shortened 2019 FMX World Championsip

Petr Pilát renews FMX contract with KTM Factory Racing

Petr Pilát

Strong Aussie showing at 2020 Dakar Rally

Toby Price – P3

Rodney Faggotter – P13

Toni Bou wins X-Trial Round 3 in Budapest

Toni Bou

Results X Trial Budapest 2020

X Trial Rider Standings

Billy Bolt dominates Spanish SuperEnduro Round 3

Billy Bolt

Jonny Walker

Taddy Blazusiak

Alfredo Gomez

Prestige Class Results – 2020 SuperEnduro Round 3Prestige Overall Event Classification

Final 1

Final 2

Final 3

Provisional Classification

Juniors

Junior Class Results – 2020 SuperEnduro Round 3Final 1

Final 2

Final 3

Provisionnal classification

Aussies tackle 2020 Africa ECO Race

Andrew Houlihan

2020 Africa ECO Race Results

Under-21’s Speedway heads to Undera

Sam Redfern – Motorcycling Australia Track Events Manager

2020 Moto X Step Up returns to Adelaide

Prestige Class Results – 2020 SuperEnduro Round 3
Prestige Overall Event Classification

Junior Class Results – 2020 SuperEnduro Round 3
Final 1