Tag Archives: WESS

FIM Hard Enduro readying for Italian re-start after coitus interruptus

2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship

Following the challenging circumstances that unfortunately plagued the opening round of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at Extreme XL Lagares and then led to the subsequent cancellation of this year’s Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, the series is ready to bounce back strongly after this unprecedented double-disappointment.

With this chapter now closed, the FIM and WESS GmbH are now looking forward to the re-start of this year’s series, and to having the opportunity to deliver a diverse and exciting mix of events over the remainder of the season.

The next six events will ensure that the inaugural series is remembered for all the right reasons, whilst also being worthy of crowning the first ever FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. Next up, and re-starting the series, is the new Abestone Hard Enduro in Italy, which will welcome competitors to one of the most picturesque parts of the world.

Winfried Kerschhaggl
FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Series Manager

Overcoming challenges is what enduro sport is all about. As much as everyone was looking forward to Extreme XL Lagares, an event that in any normal year would have given us an incredible start to the series, the situation is what it is. Disappointing and frustrating for all those involved, we have to move on and focus on the many positives that lie ahead for the series. Of course, the cancellation of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo is also a huge loss, but this too cannot be changed, and again we must look forward. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship has six outstanding events remaining, and while we might have to wait a little while before we go racing again, in mixing well-established favourites with exciting new races, the series will unquestionably meet the expectations of the riders, media and Hard Enduro fans. We want to thank the riders for their understanding and are offering all organisers our full support.”

The Italian event will be followed by the established line up of: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, Red Bull TKO – USA, Hero Challenge – Poland (successor to Megawatt), Hixpania – Spain and finally GetzenRodeo – Germany.

John Collins
FIM Enduro Commission Director

There was so much excitement and anticipation regarding this brand new FIM World Championship, so it was deeply disappointing due to circumstances beyond control of all involved that the start of the series has not gone to plan and has not allowed championship points to be awarded from the opening event. That said, collectively we are all ready to work hard and to move on and to ensure that the next six events that will now define the first edition of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will be a great success and will put this series firmly on the map. On behalf of the FIM I would like to thank our promoter and all the key stakeholders, including the riders, manufacturers, teams and sponsors for their kind understanding and continued support.”

2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship calendar

  • Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares – Portugal, May 7/8/9 No Points Awarded
  • Round 2: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo – Austria, June 3/4/5/6 Cancelled
  • Round 3: Abestone Hard Enduro – Italy, July 10/11
  • Round 4: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, July 27/28/29/30/31
  • Round 5: Red Bull TKO – USA, August 13/14/15
  • Round 6: HERO Challenge – Poland, September 11/12
  • Round 7: Hixpania Hard Enduro – Spain, October 1/2/3
  • Round 8: GetzenRodeo – Germany, October 29/30

Source: MCNews.com.au

WESS becomes FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in 2021

2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship


The World Enduro Super Series (WESS) will become the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in 2021, after joining forces with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), in a move aimed at boosting the Hard Enduro profile worldwide.

WESS Rnd Extreme XL Lagares Sun Manuel Lettenbichler FM
Extreme XL Lagares – Manuel Lettenbichler

In a natural evolution of the series, the focus will now solely be on Hard Enduro – the many different enduro event types that sit outside of the ‘traditional’ timecard enduro format – as the series transitions to become the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.

With eight rounds proposed for 2021, the series will feature the most iconic Hard Enduro races in Europe while also travelling to the USA for the Red Bull Tennessee Knockout (TKO), to form a true world championship.

WESS Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble Rnd Taddy Blazusiak
Taddy Blazusiak – 2019 Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble

Remaining focused on the WESS Championship’s founding principles, this new world championship will welcome riders of all abilities with events that remain as simple and enjoyable as possible, for all. Amateur riders will remain an integral part of all events where they will continue to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with the Pros.

The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will integrate seamlessly into all events, with Pros now set to receive the reward and official recognition they deserve, by way of an officially sanctioned FIM title. Each event will feature one podium and one set of results with only the Pros going after the world title, and needing an FIM licence.

Red Bull Romaniacs – Mario Roman

For the fans, there will be even more live Hard Enduro coverage to look forward to in 2021. Up to three events are planned to be broadcasted live, free to view on Red Bull TV, showcasing iconic events Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, Hixpania Hard Enduro and GetzenRodeo. Furthermore, the championship’s exclusive media partner Red Bull Media House will continue to deliver coverage of all eight rounds.

With plans now firmly in place for an exciting 2021 season, all eyes look towards the opening round of the inaugural FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, which takes place at Extreme XL Lagares in Portugal on May 7-9.

WESS GetzenRodeo Start FM
GetzenRodeo – Image by Future7Media

Winfried Kerschhaggl – Series manager FIM Hard Enduro World Championship

“This is a very exciting time for us and our sport. Following an incredibly busy three years, building and shaping WESS, we’re ready to take the next step as the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. This has only been possible because of the continued support of our valued partners KTM Group and Red Bull Media House, who helped us gain the recognition of the FIM. The FIM will provide independent technical and sporting regulations for all Pro Riders, which will allow all manufacturers and professional athletes to participate under neutral, independent governance, while also awarding an FIM World Championship title – the highest recognised accolade within motorcycle sport. Importantly, we have been able to secure the continued integration of amateurs in all races. All amateur riders will compete following respective event regulations. With the full support of the FIM we look forward to further celebrating the world’s best Hard Enduro riders, while also supporting and recognising the efforts and ambitions of our amateur heroes. Together with the FIM we move into 2021 with confidence and enthusiasm and look forward to ongoing exciting racing.”


FIM Hard Enduro World Championship 2021 (Provisional)

Round Event Date Location
Round 1 Extreme XL Lagares May 7-9 Portugal
Round 2 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo June 3-6 Austria
Round 3 TBD July 10/11 Italy
Round 4 Red Bull Romaniacs July 27-31 Romania
Round 5 Red Bull TKO August 14/15 USA
Round 6 TBD September 18/19 Poland
Round 7 Hixpania Hard Enduro October 1-3 Spain
Round 8 GetzenRodeo October 30/31 Germany

Source: MCNews.com.au

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

Moto News Weekly for December 17, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

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

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.”

Camille Chapeliere French Beach Racing Hossegor
Camille Chapeliere – 2019 French Beach Racing

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

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

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.

fm s x open auckland
KTM Junior Supercross Podium – S-X Open Auckland

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.

fm aus x open melbourne
KTM Junior Supercross Podium
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.”

fm aus x open melbourne
KTM Junior Supercross Podium – S-X Open Auckland

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

Luke STYKE YAMAHA FIM ISDE ImageDarioAgrati
Luke Styke at the 2019 ISDE – Image by Dario Agrati

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.”

AORC Rnd Coonalpyn Josh Green
Josh Green – Round 7, Broken Hill – 2019 AORC – Image by John Pearson

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/

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

R Broadford MX Nationals M Levi Rogers
Levi Rogers – MX Nationals Round 3, Broadford, 2019

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.”

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles head for Dakar ps
Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles head for Dakar

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.

Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles head for Dakar ps
Monster Energy Honda Team

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.

Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles head for Dakar ps
Monster Energy Honda Team vehicles head for Dakar

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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

Henry Wiles Photo Todd Boone
Henry Wiles – Photo by Todd Boone

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.”

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Twins JD Beach ERV
JD Beach – AFT Twins Main Event – 2019 Peoria TT – Image Scott Hunter

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.”

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

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.”

AFT Rnd Minnesota Mile Singles Mikey Rush ERV
Mikey Rush – 2019 AFT Singles – Minnesota Mile- Image Scott Hunter

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.”

AFT Peoria TT Rnd Singles Dallas Daniels ERV
Dallas Daniels – Image by Scott Hunter
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Source: MCNews.com.au

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

Moto News Weekly for December 3, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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
 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne WilsonQualB
Jay Wilson – Image by AM

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.”

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne RichieEvansFinal
Richie Evans – Image by AM

 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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

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.

 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan

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
 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Source: MCNews.com.au

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

Moto News Weekly for November 26, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

AMA MX Jett Lawrence Pits JK MX BuddsCreek
Jett Lawrence – Image by Hoppenworld

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.

Aus-X Open
Aus-X Open

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

  1. Wade Young – ZAF – 1:58.04
  2. 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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | ISDE | X-Trial | AFT Calendar

Moto News Weekly for November 19, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

What happened this week

  • Australian Junior Trophy Team take the 2020 ISDE crown
  • Toni Bou wins 2020 X-Trial opener in Réunion
  • Aussie Supecross hits NZ
  • American Flat Track announces 2020 calendar
  • 2020 Championship Calendars
    • 2020 AMA Motocross
    • 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
    • 2020 MXGP
    • 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
    • 2020 FIM Speedway GP
    • 2020 Australian Dirt Track
    • 2020 Australian Track

Australian Junior Trophy Team take the 2020 ISDE crown

For the full report see:
USA win ISDE 2019 | Australia win Junior | Sanders #1 outright

The RecoveR8 Australian Junior Trophy Team were crowned ISDE World Champions at the 94th running of the FIM International Six Day Enduro.

Daniel SANDERS HUSQVARNA FIM ISDE ImageByDarioAgrati
Daniel Sanders – Image Dario Agrati

Lyndon Snodgrass enjoyed a standout week with fourth in E1 for the 2019 ISDE and seventh outright for the event across all categories.

Lyndon Snodgrass

“We are Junior World Trophy Champions this year! I’m already loosing my voice as we have been celebrating after a massive week. Thanks to my team mates Fraser Higlett and Machael Driscoll and to everyone involved in getting us here and making this win happen. It feels great!”

ISDE Day ImageDarioAgrati Junior Driscoll Higlett Snodgrass
Australian won the Junior category – Image Dario Agrati

Fraser Higlett put himself on the international map with fourth in E2 for the ISDE, and tenth outright overall across all categories.

Michael Driscoll further underlined the strength of the Aussie Junior squad by finishing ISDE 2019 as the 16th fastest rider of the event across all categories, ahead of plenty of well-known regulars on the senior stage of World Enduro.

Michael Driscoll

“We had an awesome week in Portugal and to be a part of the win with the Junior Team is amazing. “It still seems unreal to think myself, Fraser Higlett and Lyndon Snodgrass are world champions,” said an excited Driscoll. To win something like this, everything and everyone plays a part and the WR450F was just perfect for the conditions. In fact, the more I rode it the more comfortable I felt, and I got faster as the week went on. Apart from replacing a couple of levers from my crashes, we just poured fuel in it every day and kept on riding. Thanks to Yamaha and my Yamaha Active8 Yamalube Team for building me a bullet proof bike and to everyone at MA for their assistance and guidance throughout the event.”

Michael DRISCOLL KTM FIM ISDE ImageDarioAgrati
Michael Driscoll – Image by Dario Agrati

The Australian Senior World Trophy Team ultimately finished second to the USA in the ISDE World Trophy standings.

Daniel SANDERS HUSQVARNA FIM ISDE ImageByDarioAgrati
Daniel Sanders was the fastest overall rider outright of ISDE 2019 – Image by Dario Agrati

Daniel Sanders was the stand-out rider across the entirety of ISDE 2019 winning the majority of the special tests and days out-right to end the event as the fastest individual overall on his Husqvarna FE 501.

ISDE Day ImageDarioAgrati Sanders
Daniel Sanders – Image by Dario Agrati
Daniel Sanders

” It has been a hectic week here at the ISDE and we gave it our all as a team. Although we didn’t reclaim the World Trophy, we can be proud of second place and there’s always next year to come out swinging! I am so happy to claim the individual outright ISDE Championship, it’s been a big year for me and I’m now looking forward to some off season down time before a big 2020″.

ISDE Day ImageDarioAgrati Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders – Image by Dario Agrati

Both Josh Green and Luke Styke put in some great performances with Styke finishing fourth in E1, and ninth outright for the event as a whole while Josh Green was 12th outright.

Luke Styke

“This is my first ISDE and I have to say it was one of the most challenging things I have done. The course was first class with a huge variety of terrain and conditions as we went from mud to dust and back again and from roads to sand, this ISDE had everything. Fortunately, one thing I didn’t have to worry about was the durability of my bike. I might have crashed and bent a radiator or two during the week and its probably not in show room condition and ready for sale but mechanically it was rock solid and performance wise, we led the way for Yamaha so it’s a real credit to the team and the production bike to last through such tough conditions. As a team, we busted our butts all week and in the end we just weren’t good enough. But we gave it our all and we all leave Portugal with our heads held high,” Styke ends.

Luke STYKE YAMAHA FIM ISDE ImageDarioAgrati
Luke Styke – Image by Dario Agrati

In the Women’s Trophy, Jessica Gardiner was the sole team member remaining on day six. With the teams unbeaten run of six straight ISDE Championships coming to an end with the retirement of Makenzie Tricker and Tayla Jones earlier in the event, Gardiner soldiered on for individual results, finishing fourth outright in the Womens World Trophy.

Jessica Gardiner

“I think this my ninth ISDE now and this years event in Portugal has been a tough week for the team, but I was happy with my individual performance. I felt the best I have all year spending a month training in France in the lead up to this event. I’m stoked to finish fourth overall individually in the womens category, it’s been fun and it’s a shame the Aussie girls couldn’t finish on the podium this year. I’m proud of all the girls for their efforts and we will be back next year fighting!”

Jessica GARDINER YAMAHA FIM ISDE ImageByDarioAgrati
Jessica Gardiner – Image Dario Agrati

2019 ISDE Top 10 Overall

  1. Daniel Sanders Husqvarna Australia
  2. Josep Garcia KTM Spain +53.23s
  3. Taylor Robert KTM USA +4min22.34s
  4. Kailub Russell KTM USA +6min02.99s
  5. Daniel McCanney TM GBR +7min30.46s
  6. Ryan Sipes KTM USA +7min31.50s
  7. Lyndon Snodgrass KTM Australia +8min10.41s
  8. Davide Guarneri Honda Italy +8min11.69s
  9. Luke Styke Yamaha Australia +8min35.26s
  10. Fraser Higlett Husqvarna Australia +10min03.39s
  11. Steward Baylor KTM USA +10min25.82s
  12. Joshua Green Yamaha Australia +10min39.46s
  13. Rudy Moroni KTM Italy +10min44.00s
  14. Grant Baylor KTM USA +10min53.91s
  15. Eero Remes Yamaha Finland +10min58.24s
  16. Michael Driscoll Yamaha Australia +12min00.91s
  17. Antoine Magain KTM Belgium +12min03.82s
  18. Thomas Oldrati Honda Italy +12min13.94s
  19. Ben Kelley KTM USA +12min20.34s
  20. Roni Kytonen Husqvarna Finland +13min29.92s
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

2019 ISDE Video Highlights Day Six

Full ISDE Results By Trophy and by Class Here (Link)


Toni Bou wins 2020 X-Trial opener in Réunion

Toni Bou has continued his cracking form in Réunion, where the crowd at the curtain-raising event of the new season witnessed a dazzling performance in the Stade Jean Ivoula, in Saint Denis, capital of Réunion.

FIM X Trial World Championship Bou
Toni Bou

Bou becomes the provisional leader in the 2020 championship standings, after he made his maiden outing count in the venue in spectacular style.

In the first qualifying phase, with competitors facing five sections, Bou was already looking leagues ahead of his adversaries with just six marks on the scorecard.

FIM X Trial World Championship Bou
Toni Bou

In the second, with only the winner of each group making the cut for the final, the champion again lapped with a mere six penalty marks.

In the final, up against one of his toughest rivals Adam Raga, Bou scored 10 marks compared to the 16 collected by Raga.

FIM X Trial World Championship Bou
Toni Bou

Repsol Honda Team and Toni Bou will get little rest as the second season event is scheduled to be held in French city of Rennes this coming weekend.

FIM X Trial World Championship Bou Raga Bustou
Results: X-Trial Reunion Island 2020
Toni Bou, Montesa/Spain, (10 – Final)
Adam Raga, TRS/Spain, (17 – Final)
Jaime Busto, Vertigo/Spain, (2 – Runners-up Final)
Toni Bou

“I am very happy to start off winning. For us it was really important. Today I felt at ease with my riding, and I had a very good first round. I am also very happy too, as this is the first time that I have participated here, with some very technical areas. I want to congratulate the organizer for the marked sections. Now it’s time to think about next week, as in this championship it is very easy to not get through to the semi-finals or the other round for that matter, as everything is really tight. It is very important to come away from this first trial with these twenty points.”

FIM X Trial World Championship Bou
Toni Bou
Results: X-Trial Reunion Island 2020
  1. Toni Bou, Montesa/Spain, (10 – Final)
  2. Adam Raga, TRS/Spain, (17 – Final)
  3. Jaime Busto, Vertigo/Spain, (2 – Runners-up Final)
  4. Miquel Gelabert, Vertigo/Spain, (5 – Runners-up Final)
  5. Jorge Casales, GasGas/Spain, (12 – Round 2)
  6. Gabriel Marcelli, Montesa/Spain, (25 – Round 2)
  7. Benoit Bincaz, Beta/France, (17 – Round 1)
  8. Kieran Touly, Scorpa/France, (25 – Round 1)

X-Trial World Champs Round One Video Highlights


Championship Standings: X-Trial World Championship 2020
  1. Toni Bou, Montesa/Spain, 20 points
  2. Adam Raga, TRS/Spain, 15
  3. Jaime Busto, Vertigo/Spain, 12
  4. Miquel Gelabery, Vertigo/Spain 9
  5. Jorge Casales, GasGas/Spain, 6
  6. Marcelli Gabriel, Montesa/Spain, 4
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Aussie Supercross hits NZ

2019 Monster Energy S-X Open Auckland Video Highlights


Fans were treated to an action-packed show that saw the event reach it’s climax when 2018 World Supercross Champion Jason Anderson took the top honours in the premier SX1 Class, and subsequently assumes the points lead in the S-X Open FIM Oceania Supercross Championship.

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

Jason Anderson didn’t have it easy however, with a stiff challenge from new Australian Championship points leader Luke Clout, who stood on the podium in P2 with a victory in race two of the Triple Crown format, along with South Australian legend Brett Metcalfe, who took third overall.

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

“I’m stoked to grab the win here in Auckland, the racing was super intense tonight. It’s always a blast to come over here and race in front of these fans – I’ll look to keep the ball rolling come Melbourne,” commented Anderson.

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

For Clout, a second place to the 2018 World Champion was as good as a win, as he states that he’s ‘back’ after a few turbulent years of supercross and motocross competition.

“I said to my brother this week; I’m back. There’s a lot of stuff behind the scenes that people haven’t seen, and for a while there I didn’t really even want to ride a dirt bike. I’ve got that passion back, and my eyes are back on the United States,” commented Clout.

Australian Supercross AUS X Auckland ImgeAM CloutWinB
Luke Clout – Image by AM

The racing in the quarter-litre SX2 category was electrifying, with Australian SX2 Supercross point’s leader Josh Osby taking the top spot, posting the most consistent result through the Triple Crown format. Penrite Honda’s Chris Blose claimed second, with Australian Aaron Tanti rounding out the podium.

“It feels so good to extend my points lead. The crowd here was insane tonight; every time they went nuts, I wanted to know what was happening! I’m keen to get back to work and look to wrap up the Australian Championship in Melbourne,” commented Osby.

Australian Supercross AUS X Auckland ImgeAM OsbyHappy
Josh Osby – Image by AM

In his last FMX competition ever, New Zealand native Levi Sherwood catapulted himself into the Auckland night sky with a double backflip, and subsequently edged Blake ‘Bilko’ Williams for the gold medal, in a fitting end to his Freestyle Motocross career in what was an amazing Freestyle Best-Trick contest.

“This means so much to me. To call time in front of my home fans, and to get the gold; I’m speechless. Thank you for the support over the years, it’s been a dream come true,” commented Sherwood.

The ANAZAC vs. USA saw the stars and stripes come out on top when Ricky Carmichael took down Ben Townley in the final race, after Cody Cooper beat Jason Anderson, and Luke Clout topped Joey Savatgy.

The next round will take place in Melbourne’s iconic Marvel Stadium on November 30 for the first time ever, where champions in each category will be crowned, in front of over 35,000 fans, in what promises to be the largest ever Supercross event in history in the Oceania region.

Supercross Full Report and Results Here (Link)

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

American Flat Track announces 2020 calendar

American Flat Track has announced the 18-event schedule for the 2020 season, which once again features coast-to-coast action, kicking off at the legendary Daytona International Speedway on March 14 with an epic season opener with the Daytona 200 & Daytona TT Doubleheader. It all comes to a close after 18-rounds with the Meadowlands Mile* finale in September at the most spectacular venue of the season: Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.

There are two fan favorite events returning to the schedule and one event revamped for a thrilling new experience. The returning venues is the Half-Mile at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. and the famed OKC Mile.

Additionally, the fastest Mile in the world – the Springfield Mile – will run back-to-back as a doubleheader, making for a Labor Day weekend event unlike any other.

Michael Lock – CEO of American Flat Track

“AFT is coming off the back of a record-breaking season and we have planned the 2020 schedule to push things to the next level and return to the best tracks in the country. We are delighted to be restoring the series to OKC and Charlotte and to amplify the thrilling action of Springfield Mile with a fall doubleheader.”

2020 American Flat Track Schedule

  • 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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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 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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | GetzenRodeo | SX | ISDE | Dirt Track

Moto News Weekly for November 5, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

What happened this week

  • Lettenbichler wins 2019 GetzenRodeo & claims 2019 WESS title
  • Gunter, Gall, Dack & Marmont all set for ASX Round 3 in Wollongong
  • Tommy Searle announces GP racing retirement
  • 2019 ISDE & Enduro Vintage Trophy set to kick off in Portimao
  • 2020 Australian Dirt Track & Track Championships announced
  • 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Calendar Update
  • Speedway GP scoring & qualification revamped for 2020
  • 2020 Speedway Grand Prix calendar announced
  • 2020 Championship Calendars
    • 2020 AMA Motocross
    • 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
    • 2020 MXGP
    • 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway

Lettenbichler wins 2019 GetzenRodeo & WESS title

Manuel Lettenbichler became 2019 Ultimate Enduro World Champion with a winning ride at the final round of the World Enduro Super Series, the GetzenRodeo in Germany over the weekend.

WESS GetzenRodeo Podium FM
2019 Overall Podium – 1) Manuel Lettenbichler, 2) Alfredo Gomez, 3) Jonny Walker – Image by Future7Media

In what was a fairy tale outing for the home favourite, Lettenbichler delivered a riding masterclass in front of thousands of passionate Enduro fans to win both the morning GetzenRace qualifier and afternoon GetzenChamp race, clinching the world title in emphatic style.

Putting in an incredible final charge in the closing moments of the GetzenChamp race, Alfredo Gomez secured second to jump from fourth to runner-up in the final series standings. A sixth-place finish on the day saw Jonny Walker slip to third in the championship.

WESS GetzenRodeo Start FM
2019 GetzenRodeo – Image by Future7Media

Entering the eighth and final round of the 2019 World Enduro Super Series as champion elect, Lettenbichler didn’t put a foot wrong all day. Taking control of the two-hour morning qualifier on lap one, he controlled his pace at the head of the 60-strong field of world-class Enduro riders.

WESS GetzenRodeo Atmos FM
2019 GetzenRodeo – Image by Future7Media

Going on to win the GetzenRace over Taddy Blazusiak and Walker set the tone for what was to follow in the all-important 80-minute plus one-lap GetzenChamp finale. With Gomez, Graham Jarvis, Billy Bolt and Mario Roman close behind, the outcome of the afternoon battle seemed too close to call.

WESS GetzenRodeo Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
2019 GetzenRodeo

The 20 qualified riders blasted off the start line at 2.00pm sharp for what would become a gruelling battle. Lettenbichler wasted no time in establishing himself at the front and took the lead early on lap one. Behind him Gomez, Blazusiak, Walker and Jarvis all fought for position.

WESS GetzenRodeo crowd FM
2019 GetzenRodeo – Image by Future7Media

As the laps continued Lettenbichler appeared to pull clear of the field, but not from Blazusiak, with the Polish star picking up his pace during the final 30 minutes. Riding right up to Lettenbichler’s rear wheel entering the final lap, it set up a showstopper of an ending.

WESS GetzenRodeo Spectators FM
2019 GetzenRodeo – Image by Future7Media

Going for Gold, Blazusiak briefly took the lead but then crashed, giving Lettenbichler the breathing room he needed entering the final Red Bull X-Loop. With Lettenbichler riding clear to claim victory and become world champion, drama then struck Blazusiak when his bike stopped.

WESS GetzenRodeo Gomez FM
2019 GetzenRodeo – Image by Future7Media
Manuel Lettenbichler – 2019 Ultimate Enduro World Champion

“I’m over the moon, I can’t describe it. To be honest I nearly cried on the podium. It was such a long, tough race today and it’s been such a long season. To finish the year with a first place in front of my home fans would have been amazing, but to win the championship as well is unbelievable. I’m on top of the world right now. My plan for today in both races was to get away well and try to control the race from the front. I was a little nervous in this morning’s race but thankfully it all went to plan. I was honestly exhausted in this afternoon’s race – I couldn’t have given any more. When Taddy passed me, I knew I had to dig deep and carry on and thankfully I managed to get past him again and make it to the finish. The fans have been amazing too – I hope they enjoyed the race as much as I did.”

WESS GetzenRodeo Lettenbichler FM
Manuel Lettenbichler – Image by Future7Media

Capitalising on Blazusiak’s misfortune, Gomez incredibly worked his way past and into second – a move which ultimately sees him jump to second in the championship. With the top three decided, it was Bolt who ended his day in fourth, with Pol Tarres claiming his best result of the 2019 series with fifth.

Alfredo Gomez

“I’m very happy for myself and the team. I feel a little sorry for Taddy, but I actually damaged my bike on lap two and that meant I had a disadvantage for the rest of the race. I had a few crashes, but I think the race was tough on everyone – it’s so physical and the terrain is so technical, there is no time to rest at all. That and the fact that everyone else is pushing as hard as they can makes it really, really tough. I’m really pleased with my result and so happy with second in the championship – it’s what we were aiming for and it makes all the hard work worth it.”

WESS GetzenRodeo Alfredo Gomez
Alfredo Gomez
Taddy Blazusiak

“I’ve enjoyed the race and rode my heart out, only to lose out just at the end. It’s racing I know, but it seems I get a little more bad luck than others. I’m pleased with how I rode – the race was a little up and down but to catch Mani near the end and take the lead was fantastic. I was really pushing as hard as I could because I knew what I had to do to get second in the championship, unfortunately it just wasn’t to be. I have to be proud – I’ve not given up all year and that is the main thing.”

WESS GetzenRodeo Taddy Blazusiak
Taddy Blazusiak

With Walker unable to break inside the top-five with a sixth-place result, and with Gomez placing second, it meant the Brit would slip to third overall in the final standings. Jarvis pushed on to take seventh, with Sherco’s Mario Roman eighth.

Jonny Walker

“It was a really tough race today, I enjoyed it, but I’m a little disappointed not to get second in the championship. I had a good ride this morning, I just stayed consistent and tried to conserve some energy. This afternoon I really tried my best but it wasn’t quite good enough. Nevertheless, if you’d offered me third overall at the start of the year I would have taken it. I have struggled all year in the extreme stuff, but I know what I need to work on, and with a good winter to get back to 100 per cent, the plan is to come back next year and attack right from the start of the season.”

WESS GetzenRodeo Jonny Walker
Jonny Walker

Sweden’s Eddie Karlsson impressed by bringing his Sherco home in ninth, while Norway’s Ib Anderson completed the top-10 for Gas Gas.

With the 2019 season complete, the eight-round 2020 WESS Enduro World Championship begins with Extreme XL Lagares in Portugal on May 8-10.

World Enduro Super Series result from GetzenRodeo

  1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 10 laps 1:52:29.720
  2. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 10 laps 2:01:32.662
  3. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 9 laps 1:35:24.393
  4. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 8 laps 1:40:49.789
  5. Pol Tarres (Husqvarna – ESP) 7 laps 1:36:36.490
  6. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 7 laps 1:38:07.331
  7. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 7 laps 1:46:21.162
  8. Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 6 laps 1:45:55.845
  9. Eddie Karlsson (Sherco – SWE) 5 laps 1:36:54.766
  10. Ib Anderson (Gas Gas – NOR) 4 laps 1:46:32.079

2019 World Enduro Super Series final standings

  1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 6110pts
  2. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 4884
  3. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 4810
  4. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 4620
  5. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 4450
  6. Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 4165
  7. Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 4136
  8. Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 3560
  9. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 3415
  10. Pol Tarres (Husqvarna – ESP) 3130
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Gunter, Gall, Dack & Marmont all set for Australian SX Round 3

Supercross fans at the Yamaha Round 3 of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship in Wollongong are set to enjoy the ultimate dose of Supercross nostalgia, with a second-to-none line up of supercross and motocross legends on November 9.

Australian Supercross Rnd Brisbane Osby
Round 3 of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship next heads to Wollongong – Brisbane Round 1 pictured

The legends featured will be headlined by Illawarra local and Australian dirt bike champions Anthony Gunter (three-time Mr Motocross), Jay Marmont (eight-time Australian Champion) Ryan Marmont (four-time Australian Champion) and accompanied by motocross and supercross royalty Craig Dack, Stephen Gall and one of Australia’s most recent Champions Dean Ferris (three-time Motocross Champion), making it five decades worth of Champions (70, 80, 90, 00, ’10s) .

Often referred to as the golden era, the Mr Motocross titles were the most coveted prize on offer and between the names above have collected 11 of the 16 titles. (Dack four, Gall four, and Gunter three).

Anthony Gunter

“I will be riding my 1979 Mr Motocross bike, I look forward to being on the grid next to so many respected riders, Gally and I had incredible rivalries and to be next to him on Nov 9 in WIN Stadium will be something special. It’s great to see Supercross back in the Illawarra and I hope everyone comes to enjoy the atmosphere.”

Phil Lovett and Anthony Gunter
Phil Lovett and Anthony Gunter

The third round of the Australian Supercross Championship promises to be a spectacle both on and off the track and the addition of the Legends Parade is another great way for fans to enjoy a trip down Supercross/Motocross memory lane.

Stephen Gall

“Anthony and I were at the very start of Supercross in Australia, I retired from racing in 1990 but have been actively involved since. To see the sport continue to evolve is great to see. To be at the gates and look left and right to see riders from my era and more recent will be something special.”

Classic Dirt 2016 - Stephen Gall will always be Australia's G.OA.T. - Image by Greg Smith
Stephen Gall

CDR Owner and champion Craig Dack is equally as pumped to line up next to his old foe and put on a show for the fans on November 9.

Craig Dack

“To line up alongside some of the guys from my era not to mention some of my former CDR Yamaha team racers over the past 26-years will be such a special occasion. Geelong’s appreciation laps in 2018 was such a great thrill for us riders and the fans and I hope to see thousands of Wollongong’s fans enjoy it just as much.”

mx nationals coolum round mx cdr dacka ImageScottYa
CDR Yamaha’s Craig Dack

Final release tickets have just been made available starting at $30 for Children and $40 for Adults. The Australian Supercross Championship is supported and sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia (MA).

Yamaha Round 3 of the Australian Supercross Championship is proudly supported by Dunlop, MotorEx, Destination Wollongong, Westrac, 100%, Honda, M2R Helmets, Kawasaki, Fly Racing, Suzuki, UniFilter & Australian Motorcycle Festival.

Tickets to Yamaha Round 3 of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship WIN Stadium, Wollongong, on November 9 are on sale now via the www.ticketmaster.com.au website.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Tommy Searle announces retirement from GP racing

Tommy Searle, long-time member of the Green family, has decided to retire from the FIM Motocross World Championships where he has been a leading player of the series for more than a decade.

MXGP Italy Rnd Imola Searle GP SL
Tommy Searle – 2019 MXGP of Italy, Imola

Having first ridden round the family garden at the tender age of two Tommy’s natural talent was evident at an early age and he and his parents jumped at the opportunity to join Kawasaki’s prestigious Team Green youth squad when he was old enough to move to the 85cc class.

A five-times UK youth champion the English teenager was enrolled into the official Molson Kawasaki MX2 World Championship team for the 2005 British GP at Matchams Park and responded eight days before his sixteenth birthday with a typically gutsy and enthusiastic ride, twice recovering from falls to score championship points in both motos and send a signal to the world that he would play a significant role in the sport throughout the years to come.

MXGP Bulgaria Rnd Searle GP SL
Tommy Searle

The following year he already finished eighth in his first full GP campaign with his first trip to the podium in Sweden and was runner-up in the world in each of the two following seasons before heading for America for two years.

Returning to Europe in 2011 with Team Monster Energy CLS Kawasaki he immediately revived his World title challenge, adding two more series medals, eight GP victories and twenty-six podiums to his CV over the next two years to close his MX2 career with his third series silver medal and a heart-pounding double-victory in front of his adoring home-country fans at Matterley Basin.

With fourteen career GP wins Tommy is Britain’s most successful GP rider in the MX2 class and ranks third in total victories across all classes to multiple world champions David Thorpe and Jeff Smith. His MXGP career was unfortunately interrupted by injuries but he remained a top-ten runner throughout the subsequent seven years and he played a significant role in consecutive Motocross of Nations podiums for Great Britain in 2017 and 2018.

MXGP Bulgaria Rnd Searle GP SL
Tommy Searle

A Green warrior to the core Tommy assisted the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team with competition development and further top-ten finishes during the closing stages of the 2019 campaign and signed off his Kawasaki career in style with the British national MX1 title. Recently a proud father to Alfie James together with wife Sophia, Tommy’s future racing focus will be the British motocross series.

Kawasaki thanked Searle for his commitment to the Green family throughout the past two decades and wished him all the best for the future in both his professional career and private life.

Tommy Searle

“After almost fifteen years racing at the top level – twelve full years in the world championship and two in America – my focus next year will just be racing in the UK. As a kid I never knew it was possible to achieve what I’ve done – it seems one minute I was racing schoolboy motocross with the family, the next I was on the GP podium at 16 years old, racing against the best in the world. Now in the blink of an eye I’m retiring from the GPs. I’ve had so many good memories of travelling around the world – I’ve lived the dream and have had the privilege to work with and race a lot of great people along the way. I never managed to win a world championship but I came close a couple of times and overall I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved with fourteen GP wins and podiums in the US as a young gun. I’ll always be grateful to everyone who has supported me along the way. I want to say a massive thanks to the fans who have cheered me on – hopefully I gave you a few good memories over the years too – and of course a huge thank you to Kawasaki Motors Europe and Team Green UK for the past years working together! You have been a massive part of my career; cheers Steve Guttridge and Ross Burridge for the support and good times!”

MXGP Rnd Indonesia Searle
Tommy Searle
 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

2019 ISDE & Enduro Vintage Trophy set to kick off in Portimao

In little over a week more than five hundred riders from twenty-six nations will compete in the 2019 FIM International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) to be held in Portimao, Portugal from 11-16 November. This will mark the 94th edition of this huge and historic event, which remains the oldest competition in the FIM calendar.

ISDE Womens Day ImageJohnPearson
ISDE 2018 – Image John Pearson

Defending champions Australia, both in the World Trophy and Women’s World Trophy classes headline an entry packed with professional and amateur riders from as far afield as Canada and Japan, and with a strong showing from European countries such as France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, not forgetting the participants from Argentina, Mexico and Guatemala.

This year’s ISDE will again include the fourth edition of the FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy also. First introduced at the ISDE in Spain back in 2016, the competition for enduro bikes from yesteryear has also enjoyed growing support with over one hundred and twenty riders from nine countries included on the 2019 entry list.

ISDE Australian Team announced
The 2019 ISDE Australian Team has already been announced, check out the rider entries for a full list via the links below

With a combined entry just shy of six hundred and fifty riders the 2019 ISDE in Portugal is set to be another important chapter in the rich heritage of this unique event.

Check out the full 2019 International Six Day Enduro entry list here (link).

Check out the full 2019 Enduro Vintage Trophy entry list here (link).

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

2020 WESS calendar and rename announced

From the start of 2020, the World Enduro Super Series will be officially known as the WESS Enduro World Championship, with WESS Promotion GmbH also announcing the championship schedule for 2020. Featuring eight rounds and extending into the United States, the WESS Enduro World Championship is set to grow in stature and popularity in 2020.

WESS Hawkstone Park XC Start FM
The WESS gets a name update for 2020 – 2019 Hawkstone Park Cross-Country – Image by Future7Media

Now entering its third season, the WESS Enduro World Championship continues to thrive, strengthening its vision of a series that encompasses all Enduro formats while providing a global platform for both professional and privateer riders to compete together.

For 2020 the championship retains many of its world-renowned favourites from seasons one and two and includes the welcomed return of the popular Red Bull 111 Megawatt event in Poland. Breaking new ground, the championship heads to the United States and the well-established Tennessee Knockout.

WESS Megawatt Poland Rnd field
111 Megawatt 2018

Ensuring a varied and challenging start to the new season, established events Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) and Trefle Lozerien AMV (France) will see racing commence in May.

During the month of June, Austria’s iconic Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble will host round three, while Red Bull 111 Megawatt makes a welcome return to the WESS Enduro World Championship for round four.

Romania’s Red Bull Romaniacs will spectacularly kickstart the second half of the season in late July for round five. Then venturing outside of Europe for the first time and cementing itself as a true world championship, the United States’ most-prestigious Hard Enduro – Tennessee Knockout – will be eagerly anticipated on August 15-16.

Red Bull Romaniacs Final Final Climb
Red Bull Romaniacs

Switching gears to Cross-Country racing, the fabled Hawkstone Park in Great Britain will mark the penultimate round of the series in September with the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country. Following its well-received addition to the 2019 series, Spain’s Hixpania Hard Enduro takes the honour of hosting an October championship finale in what’s sure to become a thrilling crowning of the Ultimate Enduro World Champion 2020.

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
 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

2020 Australian Dirt Track & Track Championships announced

Motorcycling Australia has announced the release of the 2020 Australian Dirt Track and Track calendar ahead of the highly anticipated season.

Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships Somersby Bailey ImgDaveLamont
2019 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships – Image by Dave Lamont

The four 2020 Australian Dirt Track and Track Championships will each be run at a different venues across three states and territories: Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

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 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
 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Calendar Update

Following a request from the Kurri Kurri Speedway Club, Motorcycling Australia (MA) have announced the following date change for 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championships.

Australian Senior Solo Speedway
The Australian Senior Solo Speedway – Image by Judy McKay

Due to unforeseen circumstances the initial qualifying/round scheduled for the January 2-3 at Kurri Kurri Speedway (NSW) has been changed to January 3-4, 2020.

MA advises that no other changes have been made to the Speedway calendar and thanked rider’s for their patience and understanding regarding this change of date.

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

Speedway GP scoring & qualification revamped for 2020

The stakes will be even higher in FIM Speedway Grand Prix finals after the SGP Commission confirmed changes to the scoring and qualification system from 2020. Riders will be awarded championship points according to their finishing position in the SGP meetings, rather than how many points they score in each heat.

SGP Calendar Announced
2020 Speedway GP points revamped announced

The system will see every rider who qualifies for the semi-final guaranteed at least nine championship points, with riders who fall short receiving eight or less on a sliding scale.

The winner of an SGP event will earn 20 championship points, with the runner-up 18, the third-placed rider 16 and the rider in fourth 14 points.

Director of the FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) Armando Castagna explains the new system will add value to the championships by rewarding riders who reach finals and win rounds more regularly, ensuring an even more thrilling climax to SGP events.

Armando Castagna – FIM Track Racing Commission

“The main thinking for us is to harmonise our championship scoring system with other big sports events so that the winner always comes away with the most points, which will help attract and retain a wider audience for our sport.”

Phil Morris – SGP Race Director

“We want to reward those riders who get into the finals. Riders in the semi-finals will be giving their absolute all to get through as there is the potential to score an extra eight championship points. That’s a big swing and ensures there’s everything to race for when we reach that stage of the night, all building to a huge crescendo.”

Points scored by riders in their five heats will still be used to determine the eight riders who reach the semi-finals. The third-placed riders in the semi-finals will then be ranked ahead of the riders who finish fourth.

Smolinski leads SGP substitute rider line up
2019 Speedway GP

Of the two third-placed semi-final riders, the one who finished highest after the heats will be ranked fifth and receive 12 championship points, while the other will be ranked sixth and earn 11 championship points – with the existing countback system used to resolve any ties if riders finished level.

Likewise, the fourth-placed semi-final rider who scores highest in the heats will be ranked seventh, receiving 10 championship points, and the other fourth finisher will finish eighth and earn nine.

Meanwhile those who fall short of the top eight will be ranked according to the points they scored over 20 heats, again with the existing countback system used to decide any ties if riders finish level on points. Their overall finishing position in the meeting will determine how many championship points they are allocated on a sliding scale, with the rider ranked ninth scoring eight championship points and the rider in 16th spot earning one.

In another change for 2020, only the top six riders in the SGP World Championship will be guaranteed a place in the following season’s series – down from the eight automatic qualification places allocated this year.

SGP Sweden Hallstavik
Speedway GP of Sweden 2019

The top three from the GP Challenge will still qualify for the following season, while the winner of the Speedway European Championship series will also be guaranteed a spot in the SGP World Championship.

The line-up will be completed by five permanent wild cards, which will be selected by the SGP Commission.

FIM Speedway GP Qualification places

  • Top six in SGP World Championship standings
  • Top three at the GP Challenge
  • Winner of the Speedway European Championship
  • Five permanent wild cards selected by the SGP Commission
SGP scoring update
Speedway GP will boast a new point and qualification system in 2020

FIM Speedway GP Championship Points Awarded

1st: 20 points; 2nd: 18; 3rd: 16; 4th: 14; 5th: 12; 6th: 11; 7th: 10; 8th: 9; 9th: 8; 10th: 7; 11th: 6; 12th: 5; 13th: 4; 14th: 3; 15th: 2; 16th: 1; 17th: 0; 18th: 0;

 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

2020 Speedway Grand Prix calendar announced

The FIM Speedway Grand Prix series heads for Russia next year as Togliatti joins nine returning venues on the 2020 SGP World Championship calendar.

Following the city’s successful Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Finals last July, the sport’s individual World Championship heads to the Anatoly Stepanov Stadium – one of the world’s finest purpose-built track-racing venues – on August 29, 2020.

SGP Calendar Announced
2020 Speedway Grand Prix calendar announced

Russian stars Emil Sayfutdinov, Artem Laguta and Gleb Chugunov retained the country’s world team title on home shale last summer and now riders will go for individual glory in one of the biggest speedway meetings ever staged in Russia.

The SGP 2020 series launches with the PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland on May 16 at PGE Narodowy, with tickets already selling rapidly for Poland’s biggest speedway event.

That prestigious night of racing is followed by an historic German SGP in Teterow on May 30 as the Bergring Arena celebrates its 100th event and 90 years of racing at the venue with a must-see SGP and longtrack double-header weekend.

The action switches to Prague on June 13 as the Czech SGP returns to Marketa Stadium for a 24th straight year – extending the picturesque capital city’s record as the longest-serving SGP host.

After a month’s break the World Championship then resumes with a breathless few weeks, starting with one of the sport’s flagship events – the Adrian Flux British SGP at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on July 18. With the SGP series celebrating its 20th season of racing in the Welsh capital, fans can expect this year’s event to be bigger and better than ever.

Attention switches to Hallstavik just a week later as the Credentia Arena hosts the Swedish SGP on July 25.

FIM Speedway World Championship Boll Warsaw Poland
2019 SGP of Poland

The summers hots up in Poland when the Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland returns to the storied Olympic Stadium on August 1 – a year on from staging what many have claimed was one of the all-time great SGP meetings, which saw Bartosz Zmarzlik top the podium on his way to the world title.

Another of the sport’s finest race tracks follows on August 15 as the Scandinavian SGP heads to Malilla.

Two weeks after the first-ever Russian SGP on August 29, Vojens Speedway Center plays host to the Danish SGP sponsored by ECCO on September 12 – the penultimate round of the season.

The action concludes with the Revline Torun SGP at the iconic Marian Rose Motoarena on October 3 as fans flock from all over the world to see the 2020 world champion crowned.

The calendar for the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations will be announced in due course.

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
 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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 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
 
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Source: MCNews.com.au

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

Moto News Weekly for October 8, 2019

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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

  1. Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 45:49.650
  2. Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 46:29.920
  3. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 46:45.240
  4. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 47:02.870
  5. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 47:45.830
  6. Kirian Mirabet (Honda – ESP) 47:49.840
  7. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha – ESP) 47:54.760
  8. Jaume Betriu (KTM – ESP) 48:01.460
  9. Bernat Cortes (KTM – ESP) 48:15.280
  10. 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.”

WESS Rnd BR Enduro Solsona Alfredo Gomez
Alfredo Gomez – 2019 WESS Round 7, BR2 Enduro Solsona

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

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

WESS Championship Standings (after Round 7 of 8)

  1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 5110 points
  2. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 4240
  3. Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 4165
  4. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 4034
  5. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 3920
  6. Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 3881
  7. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 3850
  8. Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 3070
  9. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 2725
  10. 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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

Red Bull Straight Rhythm Ken Roczen
Ken Roczen
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.”

Red Bull Straight Rhythm Ken Roczen Brandon Hartranft Josh Hansen imgGarthMilan RBCP
Ken Roczen topped the 250 class from Brandon Hartranft and Josh Hansen – Image by Garth Milan/RedBullContentPool
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

  1. Tyler Bowers
  2. Travis Pastrana

250 Class Results

  1. Ken Roczen
  2. Brandon Hartranft
  3. Josh Hansen

125 Class Results

  1. Joey Crown
  2. Michael Leib
  3. AJ Catanzaro
Red Bull Straight Rhythm Travis Pastrana Tyler Bowers imgChristianPondella RBCP
Travis Pastrana & Tyler Bowers – Image by Christian Pondella/RedBullContentPool
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

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

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

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

Rally du Maroc 2019 after 3 of 5 stages

  1. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 11:57:39
  2. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 12:01:45 +4:06
  3. Franco Caimi (ARG), Yamaha, 12:04:19 +6:40
  4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Husqvarna, 12:04:20 +6:41
  5. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 12:05:31 +7:52
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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

  1. Jarred Brook
  2. Kayden Downing
  3. Daniel Wicks

Pro 250

  1. James Chapman
  2. Angus Hutchinson
  3. Harrison Ryan

MX Open

  1. Jarred Brook
  2. Damien Koppe
  3. Kayden Downing

Pro Open

  1. Jarred Brook
  2. Kayden Downing
  3. Daniel Wicks

Under 19s

  1. Harrison Ryan
  2. Angus Hutchinson
  3. Jake Farnsworth

Womens

  1. Briony Hendrickson
  2. Brooke Goulding
  3. Tayla Street
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

KTM AJMX
2019 KTM AJMX – Image by Aaryn Minerds

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

  1. Brad West – 185
  2. Jackson Camilleri – 169
  3. 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

  1. Cooper Ford – 97
  2. Cooper Downing – 91
  3. 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

  1. Charli Cannon – 210
  2. Taylor Thompson – 184
  3. 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

  1. Kayden Minear – 95
  2. Liam Owens – 95
  3. 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

  1. Charli Cannon – 210
  2. Taylor Thomson – 186
  3. 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

  1. Blake Fox – 191
  2. Levi Rogers – 187
  3. 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

  1. Ryder Kingsford – 90
  2. Connor Towill – 90
  3. 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

  1. Ben Novak – 201
  2. Hunter Collins – 199
  3. Zachary Watson – 176
KTM AJMX U
2019 KTM AJMX – Image by Aaryn Minerds

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

  1. Kayden Minear – 202
  2. Ky Woods – 189
  3. 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

  1. Liam Atkinson – 92
  2. Brock Flynn – 84
  3. 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

  1. Mason Brown – 210
  2. Deegan Fort – 176
  3. 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

  1. Alex Larwood – 210
  2. Blake Fox – 190
  3. 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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

SpeedwayGP permanent wild cards announced
2020 Speedway Grand Prix wildcards

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)

  1. Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland)
  2. Leon Madsen (Denmark)
  3. Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia)
  4. Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)
  5. Martin Vaculik (Slovakia)
  6. Maciej Janowski (Poland)
  7. Jason Doyle (Australia)
  8. Patryk Dudek (Poland)
  9. Matej Zagar (Slovenia)
  10. Niels-Kristian Iversen (Denmark)
  11. Artem Laguta (Russia)
  12. Antonio Lindback (Sweden)
  13. Tai Woffinden (Great Britain)
  14. Max Fricke (Australia)
  15. Greg Hancock (USA)
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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

  1. Martin Smolinski (Germany)
  2. Mikkel Michelsen (Denmark)
  3. Bartosz Smektala (Poland)
  4. Anders Thomsen (Denmark)
  5. Pontus Aspgren (Sweden)
  6. Dimitri Berge (France)
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

MX Nationals Coolum Ikap MX Justin Rodbell
Justin Rodbell – Image by iKapture

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.

HRC MXoN hondaproracing @shotbybavo
Tim Gajser – Image by Bavo

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
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.”

Meghan Rutledge Kawasaki ambassador
Meghan Rutledge – Image courtesy of Kawasaki

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.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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.

Romain Febvre joins Monster Energy KRT for
Romain Febvre joins Monster Energy KRT for 2020

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.”

Romain Febvre joins Monster Energy KRT for
Romain Febvre
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
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.”

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

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 Haarup joins FH Kawasaki for
Mikkel Haarup joins Team F&H Kawasaki in 2020

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.”

Mikkel Haarup joins FH Kawasaki for
Mikkel Haarup
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Source: MCNews.com.au

Blazusiak tops 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs Prologue

2019 Red Bull Romaniacs

Prologue – Sibiu, Romania


The 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs Prologue has been run and won, with Taddy Blazusiak taking top honours in the latest installment of the World Enduro Super Series, after a flying start.

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Start
2019 Red Bull Romaniacs
– Prologue

The rider led home a strong field of Gold Class riders to take victory on the streets of Sibiu. He was joined on the podium by teammate Jonny Walker and Pol Tarres.

After much anticipation the fifth round of the World Enduro Super Series got underway in Sibiu, Romania, marking the 16th edition of Red Bull Romaniacs. Thousands of spectators gathered on the city streets to watch the world’s best Enduro riders, from up to 50 nations, do battle. As the feature race of the day, the bumper-entry Gold Class saw 38 riders take to the start line for the 10-minute plus one lap race.

Poland’s Taddy Blazusiak was eager to show his speed and quickly grabbed the holeshot. Riding both aggressively and confidently on the tough and technical course, Blazusiak controlled the lead for the majority of the race. Fending off early challenges from Wade Young, he managed to pull clear and claim victory.

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Pol Tarres
Pol Tarres – 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs
Prologue

Behind Blazusiak the fight for the remainder of the podium places was intense. As Young made mistakes and slipped backwards, Walker and Tarres came to the fore. Tarres momentarily took up second over Walker, but a mistake on the log beam allowed Walker back in front to eventually place second.

Despite his mistake, Tarres delivered one of his most impressive performances of the series so far to secure the final step of the podium in third. Alfredo Gomez rode a quiet race for fourth, with teammate Bolt in fifth.

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Podium
Taddy Blazusiak topped the Gold Class podium from Walker and Tarres – 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs
Prologu
Taddy Blazusiak

“I had a great start – Billy Bolt was to the side of me and riding aggressive, but I thought to myself I’m not having any of it. I got my head down and charged for a few laps, but then I made a little mistake. Luckily, I had a good gap to the guys behind so was able to stay in front. From then on I rode defensive lines and just took it steady. It feels great to get the win, although it doesn’t mean that much in terms of the whole event, however it’s still a good feeling to win here in front of the crowds.”

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Taddy Blazusiak IMGPredrag Vuckovic Red Bull Content Pool
Taddy Blazusiak – 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs
Prologue – Image by Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
Jonny Walker

“I had a bit of a nightmare in the qualifying – it went ok but it just wasn’t fast enough for the front row, so that was a bit of a disadvantage at the start of the final. I’m happy with second – I could see Taddy but just couldn’t gain on him. My momentum is building gradually as this season goes on. I’m feeling confident going into this one. We’ve made a few changes to the bike over the break and I’m positive we can turn things around here in Romania.”

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Jonny Walker IMGPredrag Vuckovic Red Bull Content Pool
Jonny Walker – 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs
Prologue – Image by Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
Pol Tarres

“This morning I had a super good feeling with the track and the bike and I knew I would be able to push in the final. In the end it all went well. I had a good battle with Jonny throughout the race, but eventually he got second and I got third. But I’m super happy to be on the podium here at Red Bull Romaniacs – it’s one of the toughest races in the world. The result means I have to start first tomorrow, but my plan is push as hard as I can and hopefully stay with Jonny and Taddy if they come past me.”

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Pol Tarres FM
Pol Tarres – 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs – Image by Future7Media

Red Bull Romaniacs, Prologue – Gold Class

  1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 10:48.266
  2. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) +12.002
  3. Pol Tarres (Husqvarna – ESP) +14.249
  4. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 25:746
  5. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) +29.999
  6. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) +30.752
  7. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) +34.250
  8. Wade Young (Sherco – RSA) +35.499
  9. Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) +1:07.501

McCarthy tops Silver – Brent Brady wins Bronze

In the Silver class it was a win for USA’s Dustin McCarthy. The American rode to victory over Finland’s Aleksi Vilkko with Britain’s Stefan Simpson in third.

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Bronze Class
Bronze riders – 2019 Red Bull Romaniacs
Prologue

The Bronze class saw Australia’s Brent Brady take a confident win over Brazil’s Marco Faria, with the Netherland’s Robin Holtmeulen third.

Dustin McCarthy – Silver winner

“I had no idea I was in the lead – I knew I was close, but I didn’t realise I was winning. I was going as fast as I could out there, but also trying to conserve to make it through the race. I was getting pretty tired at the end, that’s for sure. I’m super stoked to be here – Red Bull Romaniacs is my favourite event of the year, so to win the Silver Prologue feels great.”

Brent Brady – Bronze winner

“I’m exhausted! That was awesome though. I had a blast out there fighting for the win. The rock garden was the hardest section but everything else was manageable for us in Bronze so the battles were really fun. It’s awesome to win – here’s to a good week ahead.”

Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue Bronze Podium FM
Aussie Brent Brady claimed the Bronze Class Prologue win -Image by Future7Media

Red Bull Romaniacs now moves into the surrounding Carpathian Mountains for Off Road Day 1.

Red Bull Romaniacs, Prologue – Silver Class

  1. Dustin McCarthy (USA) 5 laps, 9:32.387
  2. Aleksi Vilkko (FIN) 9:36.133
  3. Stefan Simpson (GB) 9:40.130
  4. Sam Winterburn (GB) 9:57.833
  5. Fabien Poirot (FRA) 10:16.637…

Red Bull Romaniacs, Prologue – Bronze Class

  1. Brent Brady (AUS) 4 laps, 9:48,877
  2. Marco Faria (BRA) 10:16.627
  3. Robin Holtmeulen (NLD) 11:13.127
  4. Alexander De Haan (NLD) 12:06.880
  5. Ole-Johnny Skoien (NOR) 12:18.130…
Red Bull Romaniacs WESS Rnd Prologue crowds
2019 Red Bull Romaniacs
Prologue

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 5-6
  • Round 8: GetzenRodeo (Germany) November 2

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | EnduroGP | MXGP | EMX | GNCC | WESS

The LATEST News

  • Gajser & Prado Dominate Teutschenthal
  • German EMX Won by Rubini & Guyon
  • GNCC of West Virginia Falls to Kailub Russell
  • Waters and Wilson Storm Gympie MX National
  • Musquin & Cooper Win in Florida
  • McCanney and Salvini Share EnduroGP Wins
  • Jarvis Wins Hixpania Hard Enduro
  • Toni Bou Continues Win Streak in the Netherlands
  • Cairoli and Herlings Injured
  • Connor Guillot wins R&D Husky TC65
  • Australian Supercross Kicks off in Brisbane
  • RC V BT at New Zealand SX Open
  • Max Fricke gets Norrbil Swedish SGP Call Up

Gajser & Prado dominate Teutschenthal

Teutschenthal in Germany hosted Round 10 of the FIM World Motocross Championship and it was the two championship leaders in Tim Gajser and Jorge Prado who won all motos in the MXGP and MX2 classes respectively.

MXGP Germany Rnd Kjer Olsen JPA
MXGP of Germany 2019 – Image by Juan Pablo Acevedo

MXGP Report

The Teutschenthal circuit was incredibly rough this year with deep ruts throughout the hard packed and undulating circuit but Gajser made it all look easy on his factory Honda to take the opening moto win from four Yamaha riders in Arnaud Tonus, Jeremy Seewer, Romain Febvre and Gautier Paulin before blitzing the second moto ahead of Pauls Jonass, Tonus, Paulin and Max Anstie.

MXGP Germany Rnd Gajser bybavo
Tim Gajser – Image by Bavo – MXGP of Germany 2019

With another 1-1 performance, Gajser extended his series points lead over the absent Antonio Cairoli to 83 while second overall went to Tonus with 2-3 moto results ahead of his teammate Gautier Paulin with 5-4 scores.

Tim Gajser

“I am very happy and I had a lot of fun. I made the races easier with the starts, because I took holeshots in both heats and today I couldn’t wait for Indonesia already. What I was missing in the first half of the season was the starts but now they’re better, the start was great in the first race. I took the FOX Holeshot and made a gap but made a mistake and I crashed, but then I managed to make a gap again and I looked forward to the second race. I am enjoying racing very much now. The weekend couldn’t have gone better.”

MXGP Germany Rnd Gajser bybavo
Tim Gajser – Image by Bavo – MXGP of Germany 2019
Arnaud Tonus

“First race was crazier even if I could finish second when I passed Seewer at the last lap, then in the second race I needed to push at the end to keep the third position but then also Gautier made the podium on the last lap passing Anstie, and this is super cool for the team and for the great job they do for us.”

MXGP Germany Rnd Arnaud Tonus
Arnaud Tonus – MXGP of Germany 2019
Gautier Paulin

“It has been a long time since my last podium, I had a crash in Portugal, not a lot of luck in France and in Latvia I needed to pick it up, but I was really tired about this crazy period, eventually now I’m back on the box and I am so thankful to be on the podium with Arnaud Tonus. We are back in the game.”

MXGP Germany Rnd Arnaud Tonus Gautier Paulin
Arnaud Tonus & Gautier Paulin – MXGP of Germany 2019

MXGP Championship Top 10

  1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 441 points
  2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 358
  3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 289
  4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 288
  5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 288
  6. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 249
  7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 225
  8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 220
  9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 219
  10. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 208
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

MX2 Report

Like Gajser, Prado proved too strong around the hard pack circuit of Teutschenthal with a win in the opening moto ahead of Tom Vialle, Henry Jacobi, Thomas Kjer Olsen, Bas Vaessen and Jed Beaton before taking a 14 second victory over Mathys Boisrame, Vialle, Kjer Olsen and Beaton in moto two.

MXGP Germany Rnd Kjer Olsen JPA
MXGP of Germany 2019 – Image by Juan Pablo Acevedo

So Prado again went 1-1 and took his ninth Grand Prix victory of the year while second overall was Vialle and third was Boisrame on his first MX2 Podium.

Jorge Prado

“I started the weekend a bit weak and didn’t have a good feeling, but today I turned it around and I felt better in the second race. It was a tough track but it was cool to race here. The second race was another great one for me. I felt very good compared to the first race, and I am very happy about it. Another 50 points and I’m very happy with the weekend.”

MXGP Germany Rnd Jorge Prado RA
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Germany 2019 – Image by Ray Archer
Tom Vialle

“This second place is good for me and for the whole team. I felt good all weekend. Training with Joel Smets has also helped me a lot.”

MXGP Germany Rnd Tom Vialle RA
Tom Vialle – MXGP of Germany 2019 – Image by Ray Archer
Mathys Boisrame

“It was incredible and I am very happy for my first podium. I have a good feeling with my bike. The feeling in the second race was very good and I am happy with my first podium. It is MX2 and not easy.”

MXGP Germany Rnd Mathys Boisrame
Mathys Boisrame – MXGP of Germany 2019

Heartbreak for Aussie Mitch Evans who was looking for a way around Kjer Olsen in the opening moto only to crash hard and was forced out of the rest of the weekend while Beaton ended up sixth overall on the day to now sit 11th in the points.

MXGP Germany Rnd Mitch Evans
A crash ended Mitch Evans’ weekend – MXGP of Germany 2019
Jed Beaton

“I’m really happy with the way things have gone this weekend. To get sixth overall is another very important step forwards. I felt like both races were pretty similar really, just with a fall in the first moto that cost me some places. I didn’t get the best of jumps from the start in either race, but I held a tight line around the first turn and made up some places. That put me around 10th and I just pushed hard from there. Falling in the first race cost me some places but overall I was pleased with my riding. Fifth in the second race was good – it’s been a while since I’ve been racing with the guys near the front so it’s just good to be back racing there. It’s a really positive way to the end the GP. To be hitting some good form mid-way through the season is great. I’m looking forward to the overseas races now, and hope I can build on today’s results.”

MXGP Germany Rnd Jed Beaton JPA
Jed Beaton – MXGP of Germany 2019 – Image by Juan Pablo Acevedo

MX2 Championship Classification Top 10

  1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 447 points
  2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 403
  3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 313
  4. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 284
  5. Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 283
  6. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 246
  7. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 226
  8. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 204
  9. Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), 185
  10. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 179
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

German EMX Won by Rubini & Guyon

Teutschenthal in Germany hosted the latest round of the EMX250 and EMX125 Championships and it was Stephan Rubini who won both 250 motos while Tom Guyon went 2-1 to win the 125 class.

MXGP Germany Rnd VAN DE MOOSDIJK GP PH
Roan Van de Moosdijk – MXGP of Germany 2019

In the championship points, it is Rubini who took the Red Plate with 251pts, followed by Alberto Forato with 241pts and Roan Van De Moosdijk with 238pts while the lone Aussie in this series in Caleb Grothues was disqualified from the event after riding his damaged Yamaha into the pit exit during qualifying.

EMX250 Overall Top 10

  1. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 50 points
  2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 44
  3. Alberto Forato (ITA, HUS), 40
  4. Jeremy Sydow (GER, HUS), 36
  5. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 29
  6. Raivo Dankers (NED, YAM), 25
  7. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, KTM), 25
  8. Josh Gilbert (GBR, HON), 25
  9. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 25
  10. Bastian Boegh Damm (DEN, KTM), 23 p.;

EMX250 Championship Top 10

  1. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 251 points
  2. Alberto Forato (ITA, HUS), 241
  3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 238
  4. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 167
  5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 137
  6. Giuseppe Tropepe (ITA, YAM), 133
  7. Josh Gilbert (GBR, HON), 111
  8. Jeremy Sydow (GER, HUS), 103
  9. Raivo Dankers (NED, YAM), 91
  10. Jimmy Clochet (FRA, KAW), 88

Despite Guyon’s victory it is Mattia Guadagnini who still leads the series points after finishing with 1-13 moto results so heading to the next round Guadagnini holds a 13 point lead over Guyon.

EMX125 Overall Classification

  1. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 47 points
  2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 40
  3. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 40
  4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 33
  5. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HUS), 31
  6. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 29
  7. Florian Miot (FRA, YAM), 29
  8. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 27
  9. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), 19
  10. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, KTM), 16

EMX125 Championship Classification

  1. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 218 points
  2. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 205
  3. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 149
  4. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HUS), 147
  5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 146
  6. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 132
  7. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 128
  8. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 93
  9. Guillem Farres Plaza (ESP, KTM), 87
  10. Eddie Jay Wade (GBR, KTM), 76
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

GNCC of West Virginia Falls to Kailub Russell

The Snowshoe GNCC in West Virginia hosted round eight of the 2019 Grand National Cross Country and it was once again Kailub Russell who came away with the win in the premier XC1 class while Ben Kelley remains undefeated in the XC2 class.

Russell extended his championship points lead to 48 with the XC1 class win over Steward Baylor, Ricky Russell, Jordan Ashburn, Grant Baylor, Cory Buttrick, Andrew Delong and Josh Strang.

GNCC West Virginia russell kailub KH
Kailub Russell – Image by Ken Hill

Kelly now holds an incredible 92 point lead in the XC2 class with the win over Craig DeLong and Kiwi Liam Draper while in the WMX class championship leader in Aussie Tayla Jones didn’t finish the event handing the win and points lead to Becca Sheets.

XC1 Open Pro – Bike – Class Results

  1. Kailub K Russell
  2. Steward Baylor Jr
  3. Ricky A Russell
  4. Jordan Ashburn
  5. Grant Baylor
  6. Cory Buttrick
  7. Andrew R Delong
  8. Josh V Strang
  9. Thaddeus Duvall

XC1 Open Pro – Bike – Class Points

  1. Kailub K Russell – 225
  2. Thaddeus Duvall – 177
  3. Steward Baylor Jr – 166
  4. Trevor Bollinger – 127
  5. Josh V Strang – 92

XC2 250 Pro – Bike – Class Results

  1. Benjamin M Kelley
  2. Craig B Delong
  3. Liam Draper
  4. Alex Teagarden
  5. Ryder Lafferty

XC2 250 Pro – Bike – Class Points

  1. Ben Kelley – 240
  2. Michael Witkowski – 148
  3. Evan Smith – 125
  4. Austin Lee – 121
  5. Craig B Delong – 113
  6. Liam Draper – 111

WXC – Bike – Class Results

  1. Becca N Sheets
  2. Rachael Archer
  3. Mackenzie Tricker
    Tayla Jones

WXC – Bike – Class Points

  1. Becca N Sheets – 215
  2. Tayla Jones – 183
  3. Mackenzie Tricker – 159
  4. Rachael Archer – 153
  5. Korie Steede – 118
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Waters and Wilson Storm Gympie MX National

The sprawling Queensland town of Gympie hosted Round 6 of the MX Nationals and it was Todd Waters and Jay Wilson who took the top honours in the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively.

MX Nationals Rnd Gympie MX Todd Waters Kirk Gibbs
Todd Waters being chased by Kirk Gibbs and Hayden Mellross

Thor MX1 Report

On a fast and flowing natural terrain circuit the MX1 riders were on fire blitzing their way around a circuit that offered a lot to the riders in the way of passing opportunities, but the opening moto was all Waters despite constant pressure from a fresh looking Brett Metcalfe and the pair hit the chequered flag well ahead of Kirk Gibbs and Luke Clout.

Moto two had a lot of passing early which saw championship leader Clout crashing hard but by mid moto it was a four-way battle with Waters, Gibbs, Hayden Mellross and Metcalfe freight-training through the gum trees that lined the circuit just as Clout slid his way into 10th place.

MX Nationals Rnd Gympie MX Todd Waters
Todd Waters

With a few laps to go Gibbs made the move past Waters into the lead and the two combatants went toe to toe right to the finish with Mellross and Metcalfe not far behind while Jesse Dobson, Dylan Long and Clout rounded out the top seven.

Waters 1-2 was enough to give him the overall round win while Gibbs’ 3-1 was good for second while Brett Metcalfe was third overall but as far as the championship points go Water has taken over the lead by 3 ahead of Clout and 5 ahead of Mellross.

Kirk Gibbs

“It was good to get things back on track and finish up with a good result here. More importantly, the way I rode was what mattered and to be able to pass all the guys at the head of the championship and take the moto win means more to me than finishing on the podium for the day. I just need to focus on the way I ride and doing my best laps and the results will continue to flow for the rest of the season. Thanks to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team who always put in 100% and its nice to reward everyone on the team and our supporters a podium this weekend.”

Brett Metcalfe

“I am so happy for everyone on the team. Everyone has been working hard and it paid off this weekend, it feels great to be back up there! It’s always reassuring when you get a good start and build a solid momentum as the day goes on. The break between rounds 5 and 6 has allowed my injury to heal so I am riding back to my potential. I battled back from a mediocre start and once I caught the lead group, it was tight and track condition made it difficult to pass anyone, the dust was intense so ultimately I took fourth. We have a couple of weeks to find some more pace and work on setup. I just want to win, simple as that and I can’t wait for Round 7 in Maitland.”

MX Nationals Rnd Gympie MX Podium
MX1 Round Points
Todd Waters 67
Kirk Gibbs 65
Brett Metcalfe 60
Luke Clout

“It wasn’t a great day and I didn’t ride my best, but I was able to salvage what I could and I’m still only three points from the lead in the championship. There are only five points between three of us in the championship and now it comes down to not making any mistakes and keep putting myself in good position to win races and rounds. Next round is at Maitland, a track that I have raced at a few times and enjoy riding so I will put this one behind me, focus forward for the next round and get things back on track there.”

Securing his first career Superpole and following it with 6-5 finishes for sixth overall, Jesse Dobson has once again shown that he is the fastest privateer in the MX1 (450cc) class.

Jesse Dobson

“I’m really happy to get back to the form I expect after Murray Bridge. I know that I have the speed, and the FC450 is an awesome bike right out of the box, so to take out Superpole was a great start to the day. I spent some time testing suspension with Paul Baericke, and I’ve been riding with Nathan Crawford a lot in the break, and it’s really helped me take another step forward. I didn’t get the starts I needed, especially in the second moto but I felt really good on track, and although it got more technical as the day went on, I was able to move forward in both races. The guys at MX Farm have done a great job, and the track is only going to get better, so thanks to WEM for getting us to such a great venue, and thanks to the crew at MPE Husqvarna, I’ll switch over to a brand new FC450 for the final four rounds of the year!”

MX Nationals Rnd Gympie MX Jesse Dobson
Jesse Dobson

MX1 – Raceline Superpole

  1. Jesse Dobson – 1:59.656
  2. Luke Clout +1:59.866
  3. Kirk Gibbs +2:00.924
  4. Brett Metcalfe +2:01.014
  5. Todd Waters +2:21.576

Thor MX1 Moto 1 – Top Ten

  1. Todd Waters 14 Laps Race Time: 29:25.020
  2. Brett Metcalfe +0.773
  3. Kirk Gibbs +23.767
  4. Luke Clout +24.851
  5. Hayden Mellross +37.623
  6. Jesse Dobson +47.614
  7. Caleb Ward +51.167
  8. Jayden Rykers +1:07.289
  9. Richie Evans +1:23.398
  10. Connor Tierney +1:29.192

Fastest Lap: Todd Waters – 2:03.970

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Thor MX1 Moto 1 – Top Ten

  1. Kirk Gibbs 14 Laps – Race Time: 29:55.384
  2. Todd Waters +0.679
  3. Hayden Mellross +1.855
  4. Brett Metcalfe +3.307
  5. Jesse Dobson +15.624
  6. Dylan Long +19.231
  7. Luke Clout +31.941
  8. Jayden Rykers +32.080
  9. Caleb Ward +45.700
  10. Richie Evans +1:02.154

Fastest Lap: Todd Waters – 2:05.823

MX1 Round 6 Overall Top Ten

  1. Todd Waters – 67
  2. Kirk Gibbs – 65
  3. Brett Metcalfe – 60
  4. Hayden Mellross – 56
  5. Luke Clout – 52
  6. Jesse Dobson – 51
  7. Jayden Rykers – 46
  8. Caleb Ward – 46
  9. Richie Evans – 43
  10. Dylan Long – 42

MX1 Championship Top Ten After Round 6

  1. Todd Waters – 332 Points
  2. Luke Clout – 329
  3. Hayden Mellross – 327
  4. Jayden Rykers – 253
  5. Justin Rodbell – 24
  6. Kirk Gibbs – 245
  7. Brett Metcalfe – 241
  8. Jesse Dobson – 227
  9. Richie Evans – 217
  10. Erki Kahro – 190

Motul MX2 Report

The MX2 class was looking like a Wilson Todd white-wash after the opening back-to-back motos where Todd won both despite serious attention from Jay Wilson in moto one and Nathan Crawford in moto two.

MX Nationals Rnd Gympie MX Wilson Todd
Wilson Todd

When the gates dropped on the third and final MX2 race of the day it was Joel Evans who grabbed the holeshot with Luke Reardon and Todd close behind but it all turned to poo early in the lap with Evans going down and taking his fellow Husqvarna rider in Todd down with him.

Jay Wilson soon took over the lead and would go on to take the moto win ahead of Crawford, Aaron Tanti, Kyle Webster and Todd so the overall goes to Wilson over Todd and Crawford but Todd keeps his championship points lead of 24 over Webster and 25 over Wilson.

Jay Wilson

“Wow, its just amazing how things work out, after the first two motos where I was over riding and crashing, I went into race three just looking to ride well and post a result I could be proud of. Winning the round was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t get a great start but made some passes early and managed to hit the lead. I just put down the best laps I could and managed to build a five second lead. It wasn’t until two laps to go that I saw my pitboard that had 1st = 1st that the overall become possible. It was my first moto win of the year. I was a bit fortunate to get the overall win, but I will take it and it just goes to show that you have to keep on plugging away, never give up, and anything can happen. Thanks to my team and my family for another massive effort and we can now look forward to the next round and keep the podium streak going.”

Webster then finished fourth in the afternoon’s final moto to take fifth overall on the day.

Kyle Webster

“Having had a great mid season break with excellent results at Manjimup (third) and the NSW MX titles (first) I was really keen to get back to the Nats. But I never really settled into the track at Gympie on the day and just had to make the most of it. I tried to find my mojo by moto three, and was happy to be able to keep second place in the championship standings. The next round will be important and I will be pushing hard to stay up the front.”

MX Nationals Rnd Gympie MX Podium
Gympie MX2 Round Points
Jay Wilson 61
Wilson Todd 61
Nathan Crawford 60

Pirelli MX2 – Timed Qualifying

  1. Wilson Todd 1:58.538
  2. Nathan Crawford 1:59.300
  3. Jay Wilson 1:59.491
  4. Aaron Tanti 2:00.394
  5. Kyle Webster 2:01.055
  6. Bailey Malkiewicz 2:02.047
  7. Isaac Ferguson 2:02.539
  8. Dylan Wills 2:03.321
  9. Tomas Ravenhorst 2:03.336
  10. Morgan Fogarty 2:04.256

Pirelli MX2 – Back to Back Race 1 Top Ten

  1. Wilson Todd 7 Laps – Race Time: 14:42.760
  2. Aaron Tanti +3.244
  3. Kyle Webster +8.533
  4. Nathan Crawford +16.917
  5. Bailey Malkiewicz +21.017
  6. Jay Wilson +21.830
  7. Dylan Wills +33.230
  8. Cooper Pozniak +40.975
  9. Joel Evans +42.885
  10. Isaac Ferguson +43.419

Fastest Lap: Wilson Todd – 2:03.718

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Pirelli MX2 – Back to Back Race 1 Top Ten

  1. Wilson Todd 7 Laps – Race Time: 14:49.408
  2. Kyle Webster +4.477
  3. Nathan Crawford +10.396
  4. Aaron Tanti +12.672
  5. Jay Wilson +13.589
  6. Dylan Wills +26.099
  7. Morgan Fogarty +27.054
  8. Isaac Ferguson +34.180
  9. Bailey Malkiewicz +35.273
  10. Cooper Pozniak +51.539

Fastest Lap: Wilson Todd – 2:04.020

Pirelli MX2 – Moto 2 – Top Ten

  1. Jay Wilson 9 Laps – Race Time: 19:20.620
  2. Nathan Crawford +1.057
  3. Aaron Tanti +3.006
  4. Kyle Webster +13.190
  5. Wilson Todd +33.362
  6. Dylan Wills +36.061
  7. Bailey Malkiewicz +40.524
  8. Morgan Fogarty +50.981
  9. Luke Reardon +56.701
  10. Ricky Latimer +1:02.519

Fastest Lap: Nathan Crawford – 2:06.677

MX2 Round 6 Overall Top Ten

  1. Jay Wilson – 61 Points
  2. Wilson Todd – 61
  3. Nathan Crawford – 60
  4. Aaron Tanti – 60
  5. Kyle Webster – 60
  6. Dylan Wills – 50
  7. Bailey Malkiewicz – 48
  8. Morgan Fogarty – 43
  9. Isaac Ferguson – 39
  10. Tomas Ravenhorst – 38

MX2 Championship Top Ten After Round 6

  1. Wilson Todd – 344 Points
  2. Kyle Webster – 320
  3. Jay Wilson – 319
  4. Nathan Crawford – 272
  5. Aaron Tanti – 272
  6. Dylan Wills – 256
  7. Bailey Malkiewicz – 246
  8. Ricky Latimer – 209
  9. Cooper Pozniak – 206
  10. Riley Dukes – 202

Pirelli MXD Report

As per usual the action in the MXD class was fast and furious but it was championship leader in Regan Duffy who came away with the overall ahead of his closest river Max Purvis while Noah Ferguson claimed his maiden MXD podium result finishing in 3rd for the round.

Duffy will take a 17 point lead over Purvis as the whole MX Nationals circus heads to Maitland on July 14.

Motul MXD – Timed Qualifying

  1. Regan Duffy – 2:02.150
  2. Noah Ferguson – 2:02.454
  3. Maximus Purvis – 2:02.454
  4. Rhys Budd – 2:02.951
  5. Mason Semmens – 2:03.794
  6. Brodie Ellis – 2:04.167
  7. Liam Walsh – 2:04.763
  8. Mason Rowe – 2:05.351
  9. Jai Walker – 2:05.455
  10. Jack Kukas – 2:05.848

Motul MXD – Moto 1

  1. Maximus Purvis – 9 Laps – Race Time: 19:13.299
  2. Regan Duffy +6.021
  3. Noah Ferguson +6.202
  4. Mason Semmens +7.232
  5. Jai Walker ++1 Lap
  6. Jayce Cosford +1 Lap
  7. Liam Walsh +1 Lap
  8. Mason Rowe +1 Lap
  9. Tye Jones +1 Lap
  10. Mackenzie O’Bree +1 Lap

Motul MXD – Moto 2

  1. Regan Duffy – 9 Laps – Race time: 19:31.740
  2. Maximus Purvis +3.326
  3. Mason Rowe +33.730
  4. Jayce Cosford +40.893
  5. Noah Ferguson +41.679
  6. Brodie Ellis +1 Lap
  7. Tye Jones +1 Lap
  8. Jai Walker +1 Lap
  9. Rhys Budd +1 Lap
  10. Liam Walsh +1 Lap

MX2 Round 6 Overall Top Ten

  1. Regan Duffy – 67 Points
  2. Maximus Purvis – 67
  3. Noah Ferguson – 56
  4. Mason Rowe – 54
  5. Jayce Cosford – 53
  6. Jai Walker – 49
  7. Tye Jones – 46
  8. Brodie Ellis – 45
  9. Liam Walsh – 44
  10. Mackenzie O’Bree – 41

MX1 Championship Top Ten After Round 6

  1. Regan Duffy – 356 Points
  2. Maximus Purvis – 339
  3. Rhys Budd – 293
  4. Brodie Ellis – 263
  5. Mason Rowe – 261
  6. Noah Ferguson – 253
  7. Jack Kukas – 233
  8. Jayce Cosford – 231
  9. Jai Walker – 230
  10. Liam Walsh – 223
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Musquin & Cooper win in Florida

The WW Ranch Motocross Park in Florida hosted the fifth round of the AMA Motocross Championship and on a tough and technical layout it was Marvin Musquin and Justin Cooper who came away with the overall wins in the 450 and 250 classes respectively.

AMAMX Rnd Florida Starts JK MX Florida
AMA Motocross Championship 2019 – Round 5 Florida

450 Report

Musquin was forced to come from just outside the top five to win the opening moto from Ken Roczen, Jason Anderson, Cooper Webb, Zach Osborne, Justin Barcia, Eli Tomac, Blake Baggett and Dean Ferris but the second moto was all Tomac with a wire-to-wire win ahead of Osborne, Musquin, Anderson, Webb, Barcia and Ferris.

AMA Pro Motocross Rnd Florida Musquin
Marvin Musquin

Musquin’s 1-3 scores carried him to the eighth overall win of his career and ends a six-race winless streak and despite his slow start to the afternoon, Tomac’s win in the final moto vaulted him to the runner-up spot in the overall classification (7-1), while Osborne’s late pass on Musquin landed him third (5-2).

Marvin Musquin

“I tried [to catch Tomac]. I knew I had the overall, but winning both motos is the best. I just kind of ran out of energy there at the end. I’m a little disappointed. I didn’t see Zach coming [from third], but it’s still good. I salvaged third place in the moto, and that was good enough to earn the overall.”

AMA Pro Motocross Rnd Florida Musquin Trophy
Marvin Musquin

Tomac leaves Florida with a six-point lead in the 450 Class standings over Roczen, who finished sixth (2-10). The win allowed Musquin to climb from fifth to third, 31 points out of the lead.

Eli Tomac

“The difference from Moto 1 to Moto 2 was the result of a bad start in the first one. Not sure what happened there. I got a much better Moto 2 start and had a better feel on the bike. I’m happy to get through the heat today. The sand was a serious challenge and it changes things up for us, but overall it was a good day.”

AMAMX Rnd Florida Tomac JK MX Florida
Eli Tomac

Dean Ferris continues to impress with two solid top-ten rides.

Dean Ferris

“Overall, I’m pretty happy with today, I got two really mediocre starts, which kind of made it hard for me, but I put in a big charge. Made a lot of passes in the first moto and was able to get to 10th. In the second moto, the start was a little better. I felt really strong all moto in spite of the heat. I think my big off-season in Australia training in the heat and getting ready for this outdoor championship really helped me today. So I’m really stoked that I could push through and pick up a couple more positions late in the moto because my fitness was strong. We made some improvements while testing throughout the week, as stuff turns out. I’m looking forward to Southwick; onward and upward.”

AMAMX Rnd Florida Ferris JK MX Florida
Dean Ferris

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

  1. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (1-3)
  2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (7-1)
  3. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (5-2)
  4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (3-4)
  5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (4-5)
  6. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (2-10)
  7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (6-6)
  8. Dean Ferris, Australia, Yamaha (10-7)
  9. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Honda (9-8)
  10. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (8-9)

450 Class Championship Standings

  1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 215 points
  2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda – 209 points
  3. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 184 points
  4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 182 points
  5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 182 points
  6. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 166 points
  7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 129 points
  8. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 117 points
  9. Dean Ferris, Australia, Yamaha – 114 points
  10. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM – 99 points
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

250 Class

The 250 class had plenty of action with Chase Sexton riding the wheels off his Honda to win the opening moto ahead of Justin Cooper, Michael Mossiman, Dylan Ferrandis, Adam Cianciarulo, RJ Hampshire, Alex Martin and Hunter Lawrence before Ferrandis earned the second moto win over Cooper, Cianciarulo, Lawrence, Mossiman and Martin as Sexton sat in the pits with heat exhaustion.

AMAMX Rnd Florida Cooper JK MX Florida
Justin Cooper

Cooper’s consistent 2-2 results were enough to give him the first professional win of his career, edging out Ferrandis (4-1) who in turn got the nod over Cianciarulo who saw his four-race win streak come to an end in third (5-3) while Lawrence showed plenty of pace to recover from less than stellar star to end up 5th overall.

Justin Cooper

“I won because I got out front, and that felt good. That Moto 2 was the longest moto of my life. I’m just so spent right now. To win in this heat really says something, and it feels great to finally get this the win off my back.”

AMAMX Rnd Florida Cooper JK MX Florida
Justin Cooper

Despite seeing his win streak come to an end, Cianciarulo still has a firm hold on the championship point lead, where he sits 18 points ahead of Cooper. Ferrandis is third, 35 points out of the lead.

Adam Cianciarulo

“I don’t want to take anything away from these guys. They were ripping all day and were just better than me. I just didn’t feel great today. I didn’t really gel with the track, and my body didn’t really feel great. I’m fortunate to have the start like I had with all those wins, and I’m happy to leave here with a podium when I wasn’t at my best.”

AMAMX Rnd Florida Cianciarulo JK MX Florida
Adam Cianciarulo

The 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will reach its halfway point next Saturday, June 29, with the MB Tractor & Equipment Southwick National from New England’s legendary The Wick 338.

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

  1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (2-2)
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (4-1)
  3. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (5-3)
  4. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna (3-5)
  5. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (8-4)
  6. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki (7-6)
  7. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha (9-7)
  8. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda (6-11)
  9. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, N.C., Yamaha (13-8)
  10. Jordan Bailey, Orlando, Fla., Husqvarna (10-12)

250 Class Championship Standings

  1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 222 points
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 204 points
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 187 points
  4. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 159 points
  5. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 152 points
  6. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna – 148 points
  7. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda – 142 points
  8. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda – 129 points
  9. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki – 116 points
  10. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM – 79 points
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

McCanney and Salvini share EnduroGP wins

Rovetta in Italy hosted the fifth round of the Enduro GP Championships and it was Daniel McCanney who scored the overall win on day 1 before Alex Salvini recovered from a poor result to win day two.

EnduroGP Italy Danny McCanney
Danny McCanney – EnduroGP 2019

The rain drenched opening day seemed not to worry McCanney who easily accounted for defending champion Steve Holcombe and the hard charging Matteo Cavallo but the second day saw sunshine which seemed to favour Salvini who stormed to the win over Loïc Larrieu, Antoine Basset, Holcombe and McCanney.

Championship leader Brad Freeman ended up with 7-10 results so his points lead is down to just 4 ahead of Holcombe but Freeman continues to have a healthy 37 point lead in the E1 class while Salvini and Holcombe continue to lead the E2 and E3 class championships respectively.

EnduroGP of Italy – Saturday

The weather had its say on Day 1 of competition at the fifth round of the FIM Maxxis Enduro World Championship. The legendary ‘Valli Bergamasche’ race is known for being tough and unpredictable, and this was certainly the case on Saturday as very violent storm swept through the Rovetta area all day long. This altered the race conditions drastically and EnduroGP’s competitors spent a hellish day between rain, mud, and thunderstorms.

Four men shared the top spot over the course of the day, taking it in turns to lead. Matteo Cavallo, Thomas Oldrati, Steve Holcombe and Danny McCanney all had their time in the spotlight, but it was the Manxman who took the spoils at the end of the long and punishing day.

EnduroGP Italy Steve Holcombe
Steve Holcombe – EnduroGP 2019

The 2018 Junior World Champion, Cavallo took control of the race at the start of the day, leaving Thomas Oldrati in his wake, with the local rider overwhelmed by the presence of his many supporters. The two Italians were followed closely by a rider who loves these kind of conditions: the quadruple World Champion, Holcombe. The Brit seemed on great form despite his health woes.

The four protagonists had an absolutely fantastic battle over the three laps which made up today’s racing. The top position alternated between Cavallo and Oldrati, and then back to Holcombe. But it was Danny McCanney who put an end to this constant switch up when the factory Beta rider pipped his rivals by 6 thousandths of a second. His compatriot Holcombe had to settle for second, while Matteo Cavallo completed the top three overall. Oldrati finished 4th ahead of Loic Larrieu.

EnduroGP Italy Loic Larrieu
Loic Larrieu – EnduroGP 2019

Further down the leaderboard was EnduroGP points leader Brad Freeman who had to seriously grit his teeth all day and deal with immense pain. The young Brit limited the damage by finishing an amazing 7th. Also riding injured is Alex Salvini who took a valuable 9th place.

After his victory in last night’s Akrapovic SuperTest, Antoine Meo finished 11th on the day, more than a minute and a half down on the winner.

EnduroGP Italy Antoine Meo
Antoine Meo – EnduroGP 2019

In the E1 category, Matteo Cavallo took his first ever senior class win in front of his adoring fans. Thomas Oldrati and an ever impressive Brad Freeman rounded out the top three. In E2, Larrieu was able to overthrow Salvini and take an important victory ahead of Christophe Charlier and the ultra-consistent Benjamin Herrera.

Danny McCanney narrowed the gap in E3 title race, winning in front of Holcombe and David Abgrall.

EnduroGP Italy Danny McCanney
Danny McCanney – EnduroGP 2019

In Junior, TM Racing rider Andrea Verona took his eighth victory out of a possible 9. After a ‘blip’ on Day 2 in Greece where he ‘only’ finished 3rd, the Italian rider was back on top form. The weather conditions and the state of the tests did not prevent Verona from being dominant. He won by more than a minute ahead of Theo Espinasse. Britain’s Jack Edmondson completed the podium.

The J1 category was also taken by Verona, ahead of Espinasse and Roni Kytonen. In J2, we saw an excellent victory from Edmondson. Chile’s Ruy Barbosa and local man Emanuele Facchetti filled out the rest of the podium.

EnduroGP Italy podium junior day
Junior 1 – Day 1 Podium

In the 125cc Youth Cup, Matteo Pavoni took his second victory of the season, this time in front of his home fans. Hamish Macdonald, returning from injury made a great comeback with second place despite still suffering physically. Sardinia’s Claudio Spanu gave his all in the final test of the day to take a podium on Italian soil.

One race after David Knight took the Open Senior title, the Champion Lubricants Enduro Open World Cup saw another rider crowned. Portugal’s Goncalo Reis is 2019’s Open 2-Stroke winner. Joining him on the podium were Nico Ranbow and Benet Gomez.

Open 4-Stroke belonged to Robert Riedel’s today as he took a surprise win in front of Pietro Enrico Collovigh  and Tom Ellwood, who could only managed third with his Kawasaki.

David Knight kept his pace and took another win in the Senior category. Werner Muller and Duccio Graziani were second and third respectively.

Despite the party atmosphere reverberating around the hills of Rovetta and Clusone, a good night’s sleep will be in order for the exhausted riders. Day 1 at the ‘Valli Bergamasche’ tested everyone to their limits – especially those brave riders who are already injured. Sun is promised for Sunday, but whatever the weather, this  Acerbis Grand Prix of Italy 2019 will go down in history.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

EnduroGP of Italy – Sunday

After the incredibly violent storms on Day 1, it was a total turn around for Sunday, with hot weather and sunshine the order of the day. However, the race conditions on this second day of the Acerbis Grand Prix of Italy were still very tricky, with waterlogged tests still very slippery and rutted. Physically and emotionally drained after Saturday’s action, the riders still gave us an absolutely unforgettable race day

EnduroGP Italy Alex Salvini
Alex Salvini – EnduroGP 2019

Alex Salvini proved once again that he is still one of the top guns in Enduro, shrugging off the pain of his dislocated shoulder, ‘Rocky’ won his home GP in front a fervent crowd. This victory meant so much for the Honda rider, as he scored maximum points in E2 and EnduroGP. Feeling emotional at the finish line, Salvini collapsed, leaning on his ‘tifosi’ (home fans) for support. The rider from Bologna took victory by a considerable margin over his opponents – he was more than 42 seconds ahead of runner-up: Loïc Larrieu.

Loic Larrieu

“I’m a guy from the South, I’m not used to so much rain or being cold, especially in the summer! The day was really complicated, I started off badly but I managed to recover and I’m happy to win in E2, when I really thought that I was going to finish a long way down the order.”

EnduroGP Italy Loic Larrieu
Loic Larrieu – EnduroGP 2019

The factory TM rider seemed much more comfortable in the sun than in the rain, he won 5 tests today (4 Cross and 1 Enduro). In fact, he has been very consistent on all terrains since the start of the year, and despite losing out to Salvini, these latest good results should give him an extra boost before the final two rounds.

One of the most impressive performances of the day came from Antoine Basset. Riding well and with no real mistakes, Basset took 3rd step on the EnduroGP podium. He was in the Top 5 of every test on Sunday, and the Frenchman may well have turned a corner before the summer break.

Steve Holcombe was the first rider to take the reins on Sunday, leading at the end of the first lap. After relinquishing the lead, he managed to stay on the podium for most of the day, but in the end his virus got the better of him and Holcombe dropped down to fourth at the end of the day. However, he can be very satisfied and proud of his overall performance in recent weeks as his health has suffered.

EnduroGP Italy Steve Holcombe
Steve Holcombe – EnduroGP 2019

Danny McCanney had a contrasting Day 2, the overall winner on Saturday lost a full minute on the first test of the day when he hit a rock and the chain came off his TM Racing machine. This unfortunate moment cost him over one minute and he dropped to 21st place! He fought hard all day to finally finish an amazing fifth in the overall standings.

Danny McCanney

“I’m thrilled, this first EnduroGP win means lot to me. The day began badly – my chain came off in the first Extreme test, but when the rain started pouring down I felt very comfortable with the conditions. I am really happy with today’s result!”

EnduroGP Italy Danny McCanney
Danny McCanney – EnduroGP 2019

By just 4 points, Brad Freeman leaves Italy with the golden plate still affixed on the front of his Beta Boano bike. But without showing extreme courage and putting himself through excruciating pain, he would have certainly lost this lead.

Freeman finished 10th on Day 2, and even won the last run through the Technomousse Extreme Test. The Brit will go to Turin on Tuesday to undergo surgery for the fractured collarbone he has been suffering with since the Grand Prix of Greece. The summer break has come at just the right time for the brave Beta Boano rider.

Brad Freeman

“I feel very bad, I am in such a lot of pain. My condition got worse every turn and the last lap was really hard. I have to really mentally prepare for tomorrow’s race day.”

On this thrilling second day, there was a reshuffle in many of the classes and lots of epic battles too! Let’s take a look at each class…

In E1, Thomas Oldrati won in front of his home crowd. As a long standing regular rider in World Enduro, he has amassed a lot of fans, and they were happy to see him on the top step. Completing the podium were Rudy Moroni and Brad Freeman.

EnduroGP Italy Alex Salvini
Alex Salvini – EnduroGP 2019

The hero of the day in the Italian crowd’s hearts was Alex Salvini, who took a fantastic win as well as the lead of the E2 category. French duo Loic Larrieu and Antoine Basset rounded off the top three.

Amazingly, Steve Holcombe signed off another win in E3, at the expense of McCanney and Anthony Geslin.

Steve Holcombe

“The GP of Italy is always an incredible event and this year it was one of the best ever – the amount of people who came out to watch the race was incredible. The weather made it an interesting one, with one wet day and one dry day. I enjoyed it as much as I can the way my physical condition is at the moment. Overall, I’m really pleased with my results. Coming so close to winning on day one and then finishing second is a little frustrating, but still a great result all things considered. On Sunday the opening two laps were ok for me, but then I struggled during the third lap – in the rocky cross test and the enduro especially. But that’s what I expected. Being just four points from the lead of the EnduroGP championship is something I really wasn’t expecting, but with just two rounds of the championship remaining it means that everything is to play for. Now it’s all about rest and recovery the best I can. There’s a good break before the next round of the series so I’ll use that time to monitor where I’m at with the virus and do all I can to get back into the best shape.”

EnduroGP Rnd Italy Steve Holcombe
Steve Holcombe – EnduroGP of Italy 2019

The title appeared to belong to Andrea Verona from the start of the season as the flawless Italian rider dominated the first 5 Grand Prix of the year. Winning 9 out of 10 days of racing so far, the youngster kept the competitive Junior class at bay in all conditions and over all terrains. A little like his compatriot, Matteo Cavallo, did in 2018, Verona has proven that he will be a star of the future.

Matteo Cavallo

“What a day! I have not often experienced this type of racing conditions in Italy, it was crazy. But I’m so happy to take my first E1 win, and to have been running at the front of EnduroGP during the day. Now that I have tasted victory I want more! But for now I am very tired, I think i’ll go to bed immediately and only get up again tomorrow morning!”

Theo Espinasse saw the victory pass him by as he crashed in the last Maxxis Cross test of the day. Disappointed to miss out, Espinasse promises to win one by the end of 2019!

Although the Frenchman will have to fight with Enric Francisco, who has only one goal for the remainder of the season: to defeat “The Shark”, Andrea Verona. Third on Day 2, the Spaniard was satisfied to have been able to finish such a difficult GP on the podium.

Naturally, the J1 class was won by Andrea Verona, ahead of Espinasse. Belgium’s impressive Antoine Magain took the 3rd step on the podium. In J2, Enric Francisco took a strong victory, beating Ruy Barbosa and Jack Edmondson.

EnduroGP Italy Andrea Verona
Andrea Verona – EnduroGP 2019

In the Youth Cup 125cc category Claudio Spanu took his first World victory by just 0.4 of a second over the rider who had beaten him by 0.06 of a second in the Spanish GP: Matteo Pavoni! The podium was 100% Italian since Spanu and Pavoni were joined by an extremely promising Manolo Morettini. Is the future of Enduro going to be Italian?

In the Champion Lubes Enduro Open World Cup, the winners of the day are very similar to those of the day before! David Knight took another top step in the Senior class, ahead of Werner Muller and local man, Andrea Belotti. Goncalo Reis made his mark in Open 2-Stroke by winning both days of the Acerbis GP of Italy, ahead of Benet Gomez and Nico Ranbow. In the Open 4-Stroke class, Robert Riedel did the double. Thomas Elwood and Pietro Enrico Collovigh filled out the podium.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Once again the ‘Valli Bergamasche’ did not disappoint, not only living up to expectations – but exceeding them! This classic Italian event gave us two fantastic days of racing, and a wild party atmosphere! The huge crowds were thrilled by the stars of EnduroGP all weekend long.

Now it’s time for the riders and paddock personnel to have a well deserved rest…. EnduroGP be back in action on 14th and 15th of September for the Czech Republic Grand Prix in the Uhlirske Janovice region.

EnduroGP Rnd Italy Steve Holcombe Podium
EnduroGP Podium – EnduroGP of Italy 2019

Enduro GP – DAY 1

  1. Daniel MCCANNEY
  2. Steve HOLCOMBE
  3. Matteo CAVALLO
  4. Thomas OLDRATI
  5. Loïc LARRIEU
  6. Christophe CHARLIER
  7. Brad FREEMAN
  8. Benjamin HERRERA
  9. Alex SALVINI
  10. Antoine BASSET
  11. Antoine MEO

Enduro GP – Day 2

  1. Alex SALVINI
  2. Loïc LARRIEU
  3. Antoine BASSET
  4. Steve HOLCOMBE
  5. Daniel MCCANNEY
  6. Christophe CHARLIER
  7. Thomas OLDRATI
  8. Benjamin HERRERA
  9. Rudy MORONI
  10. Brad FREEMAN
EnduroGP Italy podium enduro gp day
Enduro GP – Day 2 Podium

Enduro GP – Championship Points

  1. Brad FREEMAN – 164
  2. Steve HOLCOMBE – 160
  3. Daniel MCCANNEY – 144
  4. Alex SALVINI – 96
  5. Loïc LARRIEU – 93

E1 Class – DAY 1

  1. Matteo CAVALLO – Italy
  2. Thomas OLDRATI – Italy
  3. Brad FREEMAN – United Kingdom
  4. Kirian MIRABET – Spain
  5. Rudy MORONI – Italy

E1 Class – DAY 2

  1. Thomas OLDRATI – Italy
  2. Rudy MORONI – Italy
  3. Brad FREEMAN – United Kingdom
  4. Kirian MIRABET – Spain
  5. Gianluca MARTINI – Italy
EnduroGP Italy podium e day
E1 – Day 2 Podium

E1 Class – Championship Points

  1. Brad FREEMAN – 190
  2. Thomas OLDRATI – 153
  3. Matteo CAVALLO – 142

E2 Class – DAY 1

  1. Loïc LARRIEU – France
  2. Christophe CHARLIER – France
  3. Benjamin HERRERA – Chile
  4. Alex SALVINI – Italy
  5. Antoine BASSET – France
  6. Antoine MEO – France

E2 Class – DAY 2

  1. Alex SALVINI – Italy
  2. Loïc LARRIEU – France
  3. Antoine BASSET – France
  4. Christophe CHARLIER – France
  5. Benjamin HERRERA – Chile
EnduroGP Italy podium e day
E2 – Day 2 Podium

E2 Class – Championship Points

  1. Alex SALVINI – 142
  2. Loïc LARRIEU – 141
  3. Christophe CHARLIER – 134

E3 Class – DAY 1

  1. Daniel MCCANNEY – United Kingdom
  2. Steve HOLCOMBE – United Kingdom
  3. David ABGRALL – France
  4. Anthony GESLIN – France
  5. PHILIPPAERTS – Italy

E3 Class – DAY 2

  1. Steve HOLCOMBE – United Kingdom
  2. Daniel MCCANNEY – United Kingdom
  3. Anthony GESLIN – France
  4. David ABGRALL – France
  5. Manuel MONNI – Italy
EnduroGP Italy podium e day
E3 – Day 2 Podium

E3 Class – Championship Points

  1. Steve HOLCOMBE – 191
  2. Daniel MCCANNEY -179
  3. Anthony GESLIN – 140
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Jarvis Wins Hixpania Hard Enduro

Spain’s Hixpania Hard Enduro was round four of the World Enduro Super Series and it was veteran Graham Jarvis who has claimed the overall win and his podium-topping ride also sees the Brit become the new leader in the race to become this year’s WESS champion.

Graham Jarvis

“What an event and it’s crazy to think I’m leading the WESS now. I’m not going to get too excited just yet though and my plan is to take each race as it comes. Romaniacs is going to be the game changer – hopefully I can at least finish it this year. It was a tough race today I was still tired from yesterday – it was fast but there were still some technical bits. I think everyone was really feeling it and I know I was on the limit today.”

WESS Hixpania Hard Enduro Graham Jarvis FM
Graham Jarvis – Hixpania Hard Enduro 2019
Mario Roman

“It feels amazing to take the win in the final race. I had such a tough time yesterday on the Cross-Country, crashing six times and bending my handlebars. Despite that I still pushed hard and managed to finish fourth. Today, I wasn’t thinking too much about points, I just wanted to take the win. Graham was really strong and all the others were right up there at the beginning. Halfway through I was thinking it’s not possible to keep going for another hour-and-a-half, but I kept going and we did it. I don’t know how many fans came out to watch the race and cheer on the riders, but to hear them all shouting my name made it possible to keep going and finish the race, so thank you very much to them.”

WESS Hixpania Hard Enduro Mitas Lost Roads Mario Roman FM
Mario Roman – Hixpania Hard Enduro 2019

Entering the final day of racing having won the previous two days, Alfredo Gomez was unable to respond to the attack by Jarvis. Admitting to struggling early on, he could only finish fifth for the runner-up result.

Alfredo Gomez

“I tried to push as hard as I could today, but just ran out of strength in the last half of the race – no power at all. All I could do was to keep on going, try not to crash and stay on the bike. It was great fun racing out there with all the home fans cheering. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring home the win for them but overall, I am happy with how the race has gone and I gave it my all. Congratulations to Graham, he did it again.”

WESS Hixpania Hard Enduro Alfredo Gomez FM
Alfredo Gomez – Hixpania Hard Enduro 2019

Putting in a strong ride on Sunday for fourth, Billy Bolt ended his weekend fourth overall while charging his way to third in Sunday’s Lost Roads, Manuel Lettenbichler completed the overall top five.

The World Enduro Super Series continues with round five at Red Bull Romaniacs in Romania on July 30 – August 3.

Hixpania Hard Enduro Overall

  1. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – ESP) 44 points
  2. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 44
  3. Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 43
  4. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 40
  5. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 36
  6. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 30
  7. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 29
  8. Pol Tarres (Husqvarna – ESP) 25
  9. Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 21
  10. Xavier Leon (Husqvarna – ESP) 19
WESS Hixpania Hard Enduro Podium FM
Top 3 1) Jarvis, 2) Gomez, 3) Roman – Hixpania Hard Enduro 2019

WESS Championship Standings (After Round 4 of 8)

  1. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna – GB) 2690 points
  2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM – GER) 2570
  3. Mario Roman (Sherco – ESP) 2540
  4. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna – ESP) 2314
  5. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna – GB) 2155
  6. Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 2125
  7. Jonny Walker (KTM – GB) 2090
  8. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM – POL) 1900
  9. Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 1631
  10. Travis Teasdale (KTM – RSA) 1610
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Toni Bou Continues Win Streak in the Netherlands

Zelhem in the Netherlands hosted the fourth round of the TrialGP World Championship and once again it was Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou who stormed to victory over Adam Raga and Jeroni Fajardo.

TrialGP Rnd Netherlands TrialGP Toni Bou ps
Toni Bou

The Zelhem course proved to be a demanding one where it was easy to make mistakes in overly-easy sections but Bou took control from the off-set and kept the field in check right until the very end where he earned top spot on the podium with just one penalty picked up on the first lap – five points for time – and an error-free second lap.

Repsol Honda Team get no rest for now, as next weekend, 29th and 30th of June, sees the fifth round of the TrialGP campaign in Belgium.

Toni Bou

“Today we were very clear that it was a day of endurance. At the start of the race, a small mistake would have put you behind, so we knew that it would be tough. We did as well as we could for such a trial. It was a pity about the time penalty on the first lap, since I had a good second lap with zero points. I am in a good moment of riding and physical fitness, so I am very happy. Also thanks to the team for all their work.”

TrialGP Rnd Netherlands TrialGP Toni Bou ps
Toni Bou

TrialGP of Netherlands 2019 Top 10

  1. BOU Toni
  2. RAGA Adam
  3. FAJARDO Jeroni
  4. FUJINAMI Takahisa
  5. BUSTO Jaime
  6. CASALES Jorge
  7. DABILL James
  8. KADLEC Franz
  9. BINCAZ Benoit
  10. RICE Jack
TrialGP Rnd Netherlands Podium TrialGP ps
TrialGP of Netherlands 2019 Podium – 1) Toni Bou, 2) Adam Raga, 3) Jeroni Fajardo

TrialGP Rider Standings

  1. BOU Toni – 80 – Repsol Honda Team
  2. RAGA Adam – 66 – TRRS Factory Team
  3. FUJINAMI Takahisa – 53 – Repsol Honda Team
  4. FAJARDO Jeroni – 50 – Gas Gas
  5. DABILL James – 42 – Beta Factory Racing
x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Cairoli and Herlings injured

Red Bull KTM rider Tony Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings were forced to sit out last weekend’s Grand Prix of Germany which was the tenth round of eighteen in the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship.

MXGP Latvia Rnd Tony Cairoli
Tony Cairoli

Herlings re-injured his right leg just prior to winning the first race at Kegums in Latvia last Sunday after which the Dutchman was forced to withdraw from the Grand Prix with a hairline fracture at the base of his tibia bone and underwent minor surgery to insert a small reparatory screw this week. The 24 year old will remain in a cast and airboot for almost two weeks before he can again go through the physio, rehab and training process to be back on his KTM 450 SX-F.

Cairoli fell in the second race last weekend and dislocated his right shoulder and despite initial scans being positive the joint continues to be painful so further examinations will take place in two weeks time to know the exact extent of the damage.

MXGP Latvia Rnd Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings – MXGP of Latvia 2019
Robert Jonas – VP of Offroad

“We had some amazing success in the last two years in the MXGP class and that has so much to do with our riders, our excellent team and all the support we have in place. Now we are experiencing the hard part of motocross but we know this is part of sport unfortunately. We don’t like it but we have to accept it and do our best to help Jeffrey and Tony get better and soon be in a position to be fighting at the front again.”


Connor Guillot wins R&D Husky TC65

Thanks to R&D Husky, 50cc 7 to under-9 racer Conner Guillot has won a brand-new Husqvarna TC65 at the 2019 The King of MX NSW State Motocross Championships.

Dave Cooke

“When you look at the 50cc seven to under nine class, it’s full of talented young racers learning their craft, with the older kids in the group usually also racing in the 65cc seven to under nine class as they progress. This means that it can be quite tough for the younger riders to win races, so we really wanted to give them something else to race for to reward their hard work, and Jeff (Mackin) from R&D Husky agreed. So, at the 2019 King of MX, any 50cc racer who qualified for the final, that didn’t have a 65cc endorsement, would be in the running to win a brand-new Husqvarna TC65, complete with custom King of MX graphics thanks to Tee N Cee.”

King of MX Husky TC winner imgMProductionsMotorcycling NSW has a relationship with the team at R&D for a long time, through their generous sponsorship of many state and club events. Not only was Connor the highest finishing racer in the 50cc seven to under nine State Championship without a 65cc endorsement, he raced to second overall in the class behind Kyle Harvey after scoring 2-1-3 results across the three championship races.


Australian Supercross kicks off in Brisbane

Troy Bayliss Events have announced that the opening round of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship will return to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on the 12th of October.

Australian Supercross Championship Gillman Speedway Brett Metcalfe
Australian Supercross Championship

Troy Bayliss Events surveyed a number of teams, manufacturers and riders, including three-time Australian Supercross Champion, America’s Justin Brayton in the quest to find an excellent venue for the Queensland round in 2019.

All parties unanimously touting Brisbane Entertainment Centre the best venue for bar-to-bar racing action and edge-of-your-seat entertainment for fans.

Troy Bayliss

“It’s been a great move for the series with many teams congratulating Troy Bayliss Events on its decision to go to such a quality venue. History shows indoor arenas create high levels of exciting and entertaining Supercross racing. Fans are treated to an experience like no other, the tracks are tight and produce incredible racing full of passes.”

Ducati Panigale VR Troy Bayliss
Troy Bayliss

Fans will be right on top of the action on October 12 with comfy seating and zero chance of weather issues, the night of action is set to be spectacular. Freestyle Motocross will also feature as one of many additions within the night’s program.

Bayliss suggested the move to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre will draw more international riders to Australian Supercross Championship teams.

Troy Bayliss

“Some manufacturers have already indicated more international talent will be competing in the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship due to the inclusion of the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. We want to make sure the series kicks off with a bang in 2019 and this venue will allow us to do that. The Supercross Masters era and more recently in Sydney, Supercross sold out arenas year-on-year and we expect the same in Brisbane. It’s one-night-only, we won’t be announcing another night closer to the event, the stadium holds 9500 fans and we have removed allocation for corporate and hospitality requirements so we expect the night to sell out well in advance.”

Round 1 in Brisbane will run a completely unique ‘Double Header’ format this year, with SX1 & SX2 classes contesting two main event finals, with points from each determining the round champion resulting in more racing for the fans.

Glyn Griffiths – Honda Australia Motorcycles.

“The Australian Supercross Championship reaches new markets and hits a diverse range of people which is what we need, we have been fortunate to win three championships in a row on the Honda CRF450R with Justin Brayton. We are excited with where Supercross is heading in Australia and look forward to Round 1 starting at Brisbane.”

Pre-sale tickets are available from 12 pm Tuesday 25 of June, and fans are urged to sign-up now at troybaylissevents.com to secure the best seats in the house. General Ticket Sales will be available from Wednesday 3 July and begin from as little as $40.00 through Ticketek.

Australian Supercross Penrite Honda Justin BraytonExclusive VIP packages will also be available to fans that include the full VIP experience, incredible gifts plus track walk, private meet and greets and of course, the closest seats to the action money can buy.

General public arriving between 4 – 5 pm can experience the free Pit Party outside the arena, giving all fans the opportunity to meet and greet the riders and teams. Gates Open at 5 pm and the Main Event is from 6 pm – 9 pm. For all latest Australian Supercross Championship news and updates go to www.australiansupercross.com.au.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

RC V BT at New Zealand SX Open

Ricky Carmichael and Ben Townley will go head-to-head for the first time ever on New Zealand soil at this year’s Monster Energy S-X Open at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on November 16.

This will be the first time that Carmichael and Townley have raced side-by-side since 2007 and they will be joining Chad Reed and Jason Anderson at the second NZ SX Open.

Ricky Carmichael

“I couldn’t be more excited to be racing in Auckland this November 16, it will be my first time ever racing there, and I’m excited to put on an epic show for the fans at Mt Smart Stadium. BT and I have raced together many times before, and he’s always been a tough guy to beat, and it’s been a long time since we’ve gone bar-to-bar. We raced plenty back in the day at the GOAT Farm, he was easy to beat then, and I reckon he’s gonna be easy to beat now, so I think I’m going to have to beat him in front of his home crowd in Auckland on November 16.”

Ricky Carmichael
Ricky Carmichael

Townley put in a fantastic showing at last year’s inaugural S-X Open Auckland, after taking down rival Ronnie Mac and his Internationals Team, to win the International Showdown feature race, capping off a huge win for Team ANZACs over the Internationals and plans to back it up again in 2019.

Ben Townley

“I’ve had plenty of battles with RC back in the day when I based myself out of his training facility in the US in 2006 and ’07. Ricky never let any cameras in the ‘GOAT Farm’ back then and was always so secretive about the place, truth be told he just didn’t want anyone to know how much I was beating him by in his own backyard! It’s going to be awesome to battle head-to-head against Ricky again and it’s a massive win for Kiwi sports fans that the GOAT is coming to New Zealand to put on a show for us at Mt Smart Stadium on November 16. He might be an old boy now but Ricky still has plenty of tricks in the bag so I’ll be training hard to ensure I take home the trophy for the ANZACs again!”

Ben Townley #8
Ben Townley #8

S-X Open Auckland will also form the fourth round of the Australian Supercross Championship, the first time an event in New Zealand will be a part of the Australian series, and will feature the Triple-Crown Final race format, with non-stop, high-intensity action that will have fans on the edge of their seats, for the entire duration of the event.

The S-X Open Auckland database pre-sale commences June 20 from 12pm NZST with public on-sale becoming available from June 26 12pm NZST via Ticketmaster, tickets start from $39.00*. Sign up for pre-sale at www.sxopen.com

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Max Fricke gets Norrbil Swedish SGP call up

Max Fricke will bid to put his Hallstavik home-track knowledge to good use after being called up for the Norrbil Swedish SGP on July 6. The SGP second reserve steps into the meeting in place of the absent Greg Hancock, who continues to care for wife Jennie, who is battling breast cancer in California.

Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Fricke ImageHaggisHartman
Max Fricke – Image by Haggis Hartman

The Australian joins Rospiggarna team mate Robert Lambert in the meeting, with the British champion already drafted in to cover for the injured Tai Woffinden.

The opportunity comes as a boost to Fricke after he topped the ANLAS Czech SGP scorechart in Prague on 12 points, before exiting at the semi-final stage.

Lambert has also taken his SGP chance with both hands, reaching the semis in both Warsaw and Krsko, before missing out on six points in Prague.

Both men will be keen to make the most of their local knowledge when they join their Rospiggarna colleague and SGP regular Jason Doyle in the field for one of Sweden’s biggest nights of racing.

x Dunlop Gen Web Banner
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Source: MCNews.com.au