Moto News Weekly Wrap
March 20, 2018 – By Darren Smart
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Latest News
- Gibbs Takes Lead in NZ Champs
- Mastin Wins Cessnock King of MX
- Webb Injured
- Whale Penalised at Daytona
- Toni Bou Clinches a 12th X-Trial Title
- Jared Mees defends title at Daytona TT
- Koltakov heads into ISG final with 33-point lead
- FIM 1000cc Speedway Sidecar World Cup
- King & Queen of MX offered Equal Prize Purse
- Kyle Middleton dominates Perth X Trial 2018
Race Reports
- Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship – Round 1 and 2 – Päijänne, Finland
- AMA Supercross Championships – Round 11 – St Louis
- FIM World Motocross Championships – Round 2 – Valkenswaard
- AMA Arenacross Championship – Round 7 – Denver Coliseum, Colorado
- Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series – Round 3 – Washington, Georgia
- Canadian Triple Crown Championships – Rounds 2 – Calgary
Gibbs Takes Lead in NZ Champs
In pouring rain and atrocious conditions Aussie KTM pilot Kirk Gibbs has come out of the third round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships at Hawkes Bay with the overall round victory and more importantly the championship lead after rivals Kayne Lamont and Cody Cooper had less than stellar days.
Gibbs was the model of consistency with three second places for 66 points while Lamont won the opening moto before John Phillips won the second moto and Cooper storming to the final moto win BUT Cooper’s overall tally after the three motos only came to 53 points while Lamont only scored 51 handing Gibbs a handy six point lead over Lamont with one round remaining at Taupo this weekend.
In the MX2 class Hamish Harwood extended his championship points lead 49 after winning all three motos to all but close out the 2018 championship but in the 125cc class Max Purvis scored three more points than Mason Semmens so with one round remaining Purvis has a 15 point lead over Semmens.
Mastin Wins Cessnock King of MX
The Cessnock MCC hosted the 3rd round of the NSW King of MX series last weekend and it was 2017 Australian MX2 Champion Egan Mastin has won the MX1 class ahead of Joel Wightman, Kurt Wightman and Danny Anderson while in the MX2 class it was Dylan Wills who got the win over Mastin and Aaron Tanti.
Webb Injured
Monster Energy Factory Yamaha’s Cooper Webb missed round 11 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross following a crash in practice early last week.
According to a post on Webb’s Instagram account, he had a practice crash on Tuesday which resulted in a “shoulder injury/dislocation.” Webb said he rehabbed all week in an attempt to race this weekend, but that his shoulder wasn’t in “good enough” shape and it caused his crash in practice.
Below is his full post:
“Just want to give everyone a heads up. I had a practice crash on Tuesday resulting in a shoulder injury/dislocation due to a freak bike problem out of anyone’s hands. I rehabbed all week to try to race today in St. Louis. Unfortunately my shoulder isn’t good enough to race today which resulted in a Free Practice crash in practice 1. Extremely bummed but I will do everything in my power to be back as soon as I can. I’d like to thank all my sponsors and fans for understanding.”
Whale Penalised at Daytona
Young Queenslander Max Whale is back over in the States chasing his dream and just last weekend contested the AFT Pro Singles event at part of Daytona Speedweek and despite some encouraging races the Kawasaki pilot cost himself dearly after jumping the start of his Semi-final.
Here is what Max posted on social media:
‘First round of AFT Pro singles done and dusted. Qualified 12th out of 63 Pro Riders, which put me on the front row for my heat where I ran third. I was happy with a front row start for my semi but unfortunately got pinned for a jump start. That put me to the back of the grid, made my way back to 10th but needed 9th to make the main. Devastated because I felt good all day, but that’s racing, onto the next race’
Toni Bou Clinches a 12th X-Trial Title
Despite a fifth place finish in Paris, Toni Bou claimed his 12th X-Trial World Championship having triumphed in all the previous events this season in Vendée, Montpellier, Toulouse, Strasburg and Barcelona.
The current champion had to settle for the fifth position after completing two laps of the six-section course in the Accor Hotels Arena in Paris. In the first qualifying phase of his 81st indoor trial, the Montesa Cota 4RT rider performed a near perfect lap, picking up a mere three penalty points. In the semi-final phase, in which the best from each group of three makes the cut, Bou had difficulty getting going and was clearly being hampered by the injured vertebraue, being unable to perform as he had done in the first phase. With a final tally of 16 penalty points, Toni Bou finished in a notable fifth position in the final standings, after 27 days out of action due to the injured vertebrae.
Shortly before the start of the Paris X-Trial, the FIM announced that only one trial would remain before the close of the 2018 FIM World Championship. The final event is scheduled for March 29 in Budapest.
Jared Mees defends title at Daytona TT
Jared Mees repeated as champion of the Harley-Davidson TT at Daytona on Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway, in the first event for the 2018 American Flat Track season.
Mees, from Plantation, Florida, is also the reigning American Flat Track national champion. He rode an Indian Scout FTR750 to the victory, beating JD Beach (Yamaha FZ-07) by 0.462 seconds in the 25-lap race.
Jared Mees
“The last 10 days have just been wild, with a lot of work, a lot of testing, just getting prepared. To come out and win Daytona two years in a row is just huge. We put another Indian win out there [at Daytona] for Indian motorcycles.
Thursday’s action continued the 77th Bike Week At Daytona lineup of races at DIS and also marked the second-ever Daytona TT, an event contested on a unique 0.6-mile dirt-track layout built on top of the DIS tri-oval grass “ball field.” The course – featuring both left- and right-hand turns plus a mid-course jump – was designed by seven-time Daytona Flat Track champion Chris Carr.
Two classes of motorcycles competed: single-cylinder machines in the AFT Singles class and powerful twin-cylinder bikes in the headlining AFT Twins class.
The AFT Twins had three heats, won by Mees, Henry Wiles (Kawasaki Ninja 650) and Briar Bauman (Kawasaki Ninja 650). Semifinal races were won by Brad Baker (Indian Scout FTR750) and Mees.
The 15-lap AFT Singles main event was won by Dan Bromley of Warrington, Pennsylvania on a KTM 450 SX-F, with Bromley avoiding two early incidents that took several riders out of the race. Earlier, Singles heats were won by Ferran Cardus (Honda CRF450R), Kolby Carlile (Yamaha YZ450F) and Jake Lewis (Suzuki RMZ 450). Lewis followed up with a semifinal victory; the second Singles semi was won by Cardus.
Koltakov heads into ISG final with 33-point lead
While mathematically possible for Koltakov to be caught, it would require a major turn of events for this to happen as, with nearest rival Daniil Ivanov failing to reach the final, Koltakov has an overall lead of 33 points going into the last round.
The final itself was a tense affair and had to be restarted after Martin Haarahiltunen had fallen. He appeared to hit a rut whist attempting to overtake Dinar Valeev for third place and although uninjured, was disqualified. In the restart Koltakov from the favoured inside gate quickly took the lead and took a clear victory ahead of Dmitri Khomitsevich with Valeev trailing in third place.
Johann Weber, had by far his most successful round of the season and was the only German to make the cut after the qualifying races. The four remaining Germans failed to give the to home fans something to cheer about as they only scored two points between them. Gunther Bauer crashed heavily in his first race and withdrew from the meeting and neither Wild Card Pletschacher nor reserves Niedermaier and Mayerbuchler were able to make any impression.
Franz Zorn and Harald Simon both reached the semi-finals along with Weber and Ivanov whose surprise elimination saw his remaining title hopes effectively disappear. Haarahiltunen apart, the Swedes were not at their best and with Ledström still feeling the effects of his Berlin crash a further fall in Heat 6 saw him withdraw from his last race to complete a forgettable weekend.
FIM 1000cc Speedway Sidecar World Cup Preview
The 2018 FIM 1000cc Speedway Sidecar World Cup and FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship is fast approaching and its set to be an extravaganza. Speedway sidecar champions from all over the globe will be in attendance and now marks a great time to analyse who will be in contention for victory on March 31 – April 1 (Easter Weekend) at Gillman Speedway!
Teams from around the world include Great Britain, New Zealand, USA, France and of course Australia! The best of the best from these countries will compete for the coveted world title. These hotly contested events serve as an international battle ground where every inch of dirt is fought for tooth and nail.
All eyes will be on reigning World Cup and Oceania Champions, Warren Monson / Andrew Summerhayes who won the 2017 FIM Speedway Sidecar 1000cc World Cup and the 2017 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship at Gillman Speedway. It was a fairytale victory last time out for the duo and it will be fascinating to see how they fare next week!
Fellow Aussies, Darrin Treloar / Jesse Headland are multi time FIM and Australian Champions and will be right in contention for another victory! The duo was amongst the favorites in 2017, but suffered a number of technical issues that cost them points in the Oceania event. They will be out to redeem themselves for this year’s incarnation.
Current Australian Champions Trent Headland / Darryl Whetsone can’t be discounted. They will be out to turn their local success into a World Cup victory.
It will be fascinating to see how the USA’s best Joseph Jones / Thomas Summers fare. 14-time National Champion sidecar speedway racer, Jones has made a name for himself in his home country and now set his sights on the World Championship title in Australia. Look out for this pair, as they fly the red, white and blue at Gillman.
Another significant contender will be Mark Cossar / Carl Blyth, the current British Champions will also be desperate to claim the cup.
With several nationalities competing, it’s going to be an exciting worldwide sensation on April 1 for the 2018 FIM 1000cc Speedway Sidecar World Cup and March 31 for the FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship.
King & Queen of MX offered Equal Prize Purse
Motorcycling NSW has confirmed that not only will a Queen of MX be crowned alongside the Bikebiz King of MX, but that the fastest women on two wheels will also be racing for a winner takes all, $10,000 prize purse at the NSW State Titles Final in Coonabarabran!
Queen of MX
The top 40 senior women will compete in a 10 minute, winner takes all, All Powers race at the iconic Goanna Tracks complex with $10,000 up for grabs. Quite simply, this is the biggest race in Australia for women on two wheels – The Queen of MX!
King, Prince and Princess of MX
The King of MX feature race is the richest motocross race in Australia, and will consist of the top senior racers from every class, so everyone from the pros right through to the C-Graders and Vets who get through will be in with a chance to take home the $10,000 prize, and at only 10 minutes everyone has a chance at taking home the crown!
For the up and coming generation (under 16), the top riders of each class will be pitted against each other in their own sprint race to determine the Prince and Princess of MX.
Bikebiz King of MX NSW State
- Qualifier 1 March 3-4 Sydney Region (Clarence)
- Qualifier 2 March 10-11 South Coast (Nowra)
- Qualifier 3 March 17-18 Hunter (Cessnock)
- Qualifier 4 April 21-22 Riverina (Young)
- Qualifier 5 May 5-6 Central West (Dubbo)
- Qualifier 6 May 12-13 North Coast (Moree)
- FINAL June Long Weekend 9-10-11 Goanna Tracks Coonabarabran
Kyle Middleton dominates Perth X Trial 2018
Kyle Middlteton (NSW), took out the Perth round of the X Trial Australian Championship on Sunday, surviving the hardest course ever put together. Middleton rode incredibly well on a day thats saw some massive crashes, to hold out Tasmania’s Chris Bayles and South
Australian young gun, Connor Hogan.
Kyle dominated the qualifying round dropping only 4 points to head off Bayles who had a solid ride on 10 points. Young South Australian star Connor Hogan, qualified with a solid ride on 19 points. Whilst the 4th and last place went to Colin Zarczynski (NSW) on a count back, after a 3 way tie, with his brother Kevin and Neil Price (WA). They all tied on 21 points a piece.
In the Final, Middleton got through the Road Barrier section for 3 points while all
others dropped 5’s. He then extended the early lead on the skip bins in Section 2
when he had an incredible ride going “clean” (0 points). Chris Bayles fought back on
the biggest section of the day, the Titan Australia tyres, 3m up he floated through for
only 1 point, whilst Middleton took a conservative 3. But it was too little, too late. As
no rider got through the last two sections, Middleton took out the final on 19 points,
five clear of Bayles on 24 points and Connor Hogan snuck onto the podium on 29
points.
Kyle Middlteton
“Once again X Trial proved to be a real challenge for me, with its short, intense
format and head to head style of competition. I am happy with my Performance but
it was far from perfect.” said Middleton the eternal perfectionist. ”I think i managed to
handle the difficulty better than last year. The sections were harder than last year,
which made for some pretty unpredictable and tight competition which I really
enjoyed. Cant wait for the next one.”
Smarty’s Race Reports
Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship
Round 1 and 2 – Päijänne, Finland
Round one and two of the 2018 Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship got underway last weekend in deep snow and freezing conditions at Vierumäki in Finalnd but that didn’t discourage the 180 riders contesting the Grand Prix of Finland.
Enduro GP – Round 1
In conditions that need experience above all else, the Finnish riders dominated the top five of the Enduro GP class with Aleksi JUKOLA taking first blood for the 2018 season ahead of Toni Eriksson, Mika Tamminen, Eero Reme and Henri Himmanen.
Enduro GP – Round 1 Top 5
- Aleksi JUKOLA – Finland
- Toni ERIKSSON – Finland
- Mika TAMMINEN – Finland
- Eero REMES – Finland
- Henri HIMMANEN – Finland
Enduro GP – Round 2
TM factory rider Eero Remes blitzed the field at Round 2 of the championship this time ahead of Eemil Pohjola, Aleksi Jukola, Toni Eriksson and Henry Olenius with Jukola taking a narrow lead in the championship while Brit Steve Holcombe was the first of the non-Finnish riders.
Steve Holcombe
“It’s been such a tough weekend of racing here in Finland, but it’s gone really well for me. Day one was just brutal. I think everyone expected the Finnish riders to be a level above everyone else and they showed just how strong they are in these conditions. Hats off to them. In a few of the tests I let some of the Finns overtake me in the hope that I could learn their lines and follow them, but I had no chance – they were just too fast. But I’m happy with the way I rode, all things considered. Finishing as the highest placed non-Finnish rider on both days is great. It was about trying to minimise mistakes this weekend, ride within myself and generally try and be smart and make the best start to the championship as I could. I feel like I did that and got some good points, so I’m pleased with the way everything’s gone.”
Enduro GP – Round 2 Top 5
- Eero REMES – Finland
- Eemil POHJOLA – Finland
- Aleksi JUKOLA – Finland
- Toni ERIKSSON – Finland
- Henry OLENIUS – Finland
E2 – Round 1
TM’s Eero Remes had to fight hard in the E2 class against another Finn, Matti Oikari, while the Italian duo of Alex Salvini and Deny Philippearts fought a superb battle throughout the day for the crucial points of the final podium position.
Salvini took 3rd and confirmed his excellent form and his very promising start to the season but a special mention to the remarkable Deny Philippearts who scored a brilliant 4th place result, his best since his debut in the World Championship 8 years ago.
Credit must also go to another E2 rider, Joshua Gotts who also performed excellently to grab his best World Championship result; 5th place. These dark horses proved to be outstanding in the category, where Phillips 6th, Larrieu 7th, Oldarti 8th and Charlier 10th, all struggled in the immense cold and deep snow!
E2 – Round 1 Top 6
- Eero Remes
- Matti Oikari Matti
- Alex Salvini
- Deny Philippaerts
- Joshua Gotts
- Matthew Phillips
E2 – Round 2
Eero Remes was unstoppable not only in EnduroGP but also in E2. For his debut in this medium-sized capacity class, the protégé of Luca Cherubini, was more than comfortable on this snowy terrain and took the advantage over his most serious rivals. But he had to keep an eye on the very quick and determined Alex Salvini who again upped his game on the final day to take a solid second place.
Eero Remes
“I am very satisfied with this Grand Prix. It’s a very special race and my goal was to take advantage of my knowledge and experience and get to Spain with a good lead… Mission accomplished! Leader of E2 and second in EnduroGP, I had hoped for this and it augurs well for the future!”
Alex Salvini was happy with his results considering the conditions.
Alex Salvini
“What a weekend of racing… couldn’t ask for a better result in this extremely difficult condition! P3 and P2 for a Second Overall in E2 Class is the best way to start this new Enduro GP season!” Salvini said. “Thanks so much to my Team Jolly Racing for the great work and the perfect bike that they give me!”
Salvini is sure to be one of the favourites for the 2018 title and his return to Team Jolly Zanardo looks to have been very beneficial while Australian Matthew Phillips was desperate to improve after a dismal Day 1 after the Tasmanian admitted to having suffered a lot in the conditions but the Sherco factory rider snatched his first podium of the year after finding the determination to push on and put his troubles behind him.
Matthew Phillips
“I had one of the hardest days of my career yesterday… I got really cold in the morning and it drained all my energy. Today, I am a lot happier even if I didn’t have the best settings for this race but as and when, we found terrain where I felt more comfortable. I’m already looking forward to Spain!”
Suffering over both days, Loïc Larrieu tried hard on the run to Helsinki and limited the damage by finishing 4th in front of a very solid Thomas Oldarati and a consistent Deny Philippaerts – who was again in the spotlight with an excellent 6th place, in front of a brave Christophe Charlier.
E2 – Round 2 Top 6
- Eero Remes
- Alex Salvini
- Matthew Phillips Matthew
- Loic Larrieu Loic
- Thomas Oldrati
- Deny Philippaerts
E1 – Round 1
After the retirement of Eemil Pohjola, it was Jamie McCanney who was top man in the E1 category, despite the superb performance of his compatriot Brad Freeman! The factory Yamaha Outsiders rider offered up a splendid and unexpected victory on the first day of this “fearsome” Päijänne GP.
The Manxman held off charges from local rider Jussi Arvaja, who finished 2nd, and Freeman who ‘scratched’ the last two night specials against the Finnish talent! Antoine Basset returning to the Grand Prix paddock after a serious knee injury that sidelined him for more than a season, proved he is as strong and courageous as ever, performing well among a talented pack of Finns.
Jamie McCanney
“If I had been told that I was going to start the season in Finland with a win in my class…I would never have believed it! Of course, if Pohjola hadn’t had a mechanical issue, I wouldn’t be on the top step of the podium, but as we often say; to finish first, first you have to finish! In any case, it feels good to start the season like this even if I’m feeling tired!”
E1 – Round 1 Top 5
- Jamie McCanney
- Jussi Arvaja
- Brad Freeman
- Kalle Järvinen
- Leino Jiri
E1 – Round 2
It was full gas in E1 where Jamie McCanney couldn’t replicate his Day 1 victory, the Manxman finishing 5th. He nevertheless takes charge of the small capacity class with his Yamaha WR250, holding a small margin over an amazingly strong Brad Freeman. The Brit impressed, not only with his speed but with his good humour as he took on the challenge of the Senior class.
Jamie McCanney
“It was a good weekend of racing here in Finland and I’m really happy to start the season with a win.Day one went surprisingly well for us and I managed to get the victory. I’ve trained a lot in winter conditions and I was able to get a good pace during the day. Arriving in Finland a week ago, we also had the chance to set up my Yamaha really well for these extreme racing conditions. To be honest I preferred the conditions on day one, as we had our bike set up for these exact conditions. On day two I felt the effects of a long and tiring day one – it was really tough. Despite not feeling perfect on day two I dug deep and did my best for a top five result. Our eyes are set on the following GP in Spain now. We will do some more testing with the team in between and the goal is to come out swinging in Spain.”
Third today, the 2017 Junior World Champion was unable to hold back the two Finns; Eemil Pohjola and Henry Olenius, who were on fire in the snowy conditions. A great consolation for these two riders after their disappointments on Saturday and a great victory for the Gas Gas rider Eemil Pohjola, who we will happily find for the entirety of the season in the factory Gas Gas team managed by Giovanni Sala.
E1 – Round 2 Top 5
- Eemil Pohjola
- Henry Olenius
- Bradley Freeman
- Jiri Leino
- Jamie McCanney
E3 – Round 1
Beta’s Steve Holcombe honoured his Number 1 plate! He was indeed the best of the “foreigners” in Enduro 3, thanks to his smooth riding which was perfect for the hellish conditions. The 2017 EnduroGP World Champion secured a brilliant 5th place against local riders Jukola, Ericsson and Tamminen who were impregnable today. The factory Beta rider scored important points for the rest of the season even though Gas Gas factory’s Danny McCanney and Christophe Nambotin also performed well, finishing 7th and 8th respectively.
The first day of the “great Finnish adventure” that is the Päijänne GP kept all its promises while also offering some nice surprises… including the victory in EnduroGP (scratch) of KTM Finland rider, Aleksi Jukola, despite the withdrawal of the Austrian brand from the World Enduro Championship for “marketing” and “economical” reasons.
E3 – Round 1 Top 5
- Aleksi Jukola
- Toni Eriksson
- Mika Tamminen
- Henri Himmanen
- Steve Holcombe
E3 – Round 2
Although less impressive than the first day, Aleksi Jukola shone again in front of his home crowd and won the E3 class ahead of Tony Eriksson (SF – KTM). But Steve Holecombe still appeared to be very comfortable in these race conditions, taking 6th in EnduroGP, and earning his first podium of the year in E3.
The Brit’s smooth and precise riding style worked wonders in the Scandinavian snow and he therefore gained valuable points for the rest of the season. He has proven that he is still the man to beat whether in Enduro3 or Enduro GP.
Steve Holecombe
“I came here after a lot of hard work and preparation…so I’m quite satisfied with my result!” Holecombe declared. “I’m looking forward to the Spanish Grand Prix and being back on special tests that are more suited to me…”
There was a nice end to the weekend in E3 for the factory Gas Gas rider Danny McCanney who held on tight for 4th place in a battle with Marko Tarkkala, who still has a lot of pace despite retiring from World Enduro several years ago.
E3 – Round 2 Top 5
- Aleksi Jukola
- Toni Eriksson
- Steve Holcombe
- Henri Himmanen
- Daniel McCanney
Having suffered the tricky tests and the freezing cold, the stars of World Enduro will now be able to recover from this gruelling 83rd edition of Päijänne with 6 weeks of rest before heading to Spain for the second Grand Prix of the season in Santiago de Compostela (28 and 29 April).
AMA Supercross Championships – Round 11 – St Louis
53000 fans turned up when round 11 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship returned to St. Louis and it was Eli Tomac and Zach Osborne who ran away with the 450 and 250 man events respectively.
450 Report
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac left the St. Patrick’s Day field green with envy leading from the start in the 450SX Main Event to capture his fifth win of the season. Tomac led all 27 laps and finished over 20 seconds ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson in second.
Eli Tomac
“From the start of the day, I just felt like I was on. There’s days where you’re just on. I felt awesome all day. I left my motorcycle alone tonight, went out there, pulled the holeshot and ran away with it…These are the nights we like.”
Anderson’s second place finish extended his championship lead to 42 points over Marvin Musquin who rode to a solid third ahead of Justin Brayton who started seventh and worked his way up to fourth by the checkers.
Jason Anderson
“Tonight, I started out second right behind Eli and he had some of those sections, like that triple in the back and stuff like that that he was nailing every lap. He was nailing that quad and turn and three over. I honestly just didn’t have it in me. I felt like if I kept trying to do some of those lines, that it could bite me. This is one of those times to where sometimes you have to swallow your pride a little bit. But at the same time, Eli was just savage. He was crushing us. Hopefully come back next weekend and battle for that win again.”
Marvin Musquin
“The track was definitely tough during the main. The whoops were really chewed out and we were able to jump through it. The rest was pretty rutted and some kickers out there. It’s good to be safe after a main like that and a track like that. I’m glad I’m here and third on the podium.”
Chad Reed was hovering just outside the top ten until Tyler Bowers put a block pass on the Aussie that left him on the ground and forced to end the night in 22nd place.
450 Main Results
- Eli Tomac (Kaw)
- Jason Anderson (Hus)
- Marvin Musquin (KTM)
- Justin Brayton (Hon)
- Weston Peick (Suz)
- Blake Baggett (KTM)
- Broc Tickle (KTM)
- Dean Wilson (Hus)
- Christian Craig (Hon)
- Malcolm Stewart (Suz)
- Benny Bloss (KTM)
- Vince Friese (Hon)
- Kyle Cunningham (Suz)
- Tyler Bowers (Kaw)
- Kyle Chisholm (Yam)
- Cedric Soubreyas (Suz)
- Ben Lamay (Hon)
- Adam Enticknap (Hon)
- Dylan Merriam (Yam)
- Aj Catanzaro (Kaw)
- Scott Champion (Yam)
- Chad Reed (Hus)
450 Points after Round 11 of 17
- Jason Anderson –246
- Marvin Musquin –204
- Justin Brayton –189
- Eli Tomac -186
- Blake Baggett –181
- Weston Peick –171
- Broc Tickle –147
- Cooper Webb -146
- Cole Seely –124
- Justin Barcia -113
250 Report
In the 250SX Class Main Event, Zach Osborne grabbed the holeshot ahead of arch rival Austin Forkner who spectacularly jumped a huge quad on the first lap to take the lead.
Despite having Osborne on his tail the Kawasaki rider held the lead for 10 laps, until getting baulked with a lapper and going over the bars on the dragons back jump handing Osborne the lead and eventual win over Jeremy Martin who scored second place for the second weekend in a row.
Zach Osborne
“I got a really good start finally; that’s what I’ve been needing all year. It’s just been a matter of me going out there and executing my start, so tonight I did that in the Main Event finally…I’m just super happy to take this win here in St. Louis. It feels amazing. I love this dirt. This stadium is awesome and loud.”
Jeremy Martin
“These guys are good. I felt really good in practice and these guys were still faster than me. I just put my head down, and every time I go out there I just try to fight the boys.”
Daytona winner Jordon Smith put in a solid ride battling up from a ninth place start to finish third ahead of Kyle Peters in fourth with Forkner in fifth handing Osborne an eight point lead in the championship.
Jordon Smith
“I went down there in the second turn in the heat and was just really playing catchup for the rest of the night from there. With the tunnel being in between the starting gates, it was tough being on the outside. I was a really, really long ways out there. Didn’t get off to a very good start and just tried to salvage what I could.”
250 Main Results
- Zach Osborne (Hus)
- Jeremy Martin (Hon)
- Jordon Smith (KTM)
- Kyle Peters (Suz)
- Austin Forkner (Kaw)
- Brandon Hartranft (Yam)
- Luke Renzland (Yam)
- Michael Mosiman (Hus)
- Sean Cantrell (KTM)
- Thomas Ramette (Yam)
- Jacob Williamson (Hon)
- Zack Williams (KTM)
- Anthony Rodriguez (KTM)
- Joshua Cartwright (Yam)
- Cody Vanbuskirk (KTM)
- John Short (Yam)
- Ramyler Alves (Yam)
- Josh Osby (KTM)
- Nick Gaines (Yam)
- Drake Sizemore (Hon)
- Tanner Basso (Yam)
- Martin Davalos (Kaw)
250 East Coast Points after Round 4 of 9
- Zach Osborne (Hus) -115
- Austin Forkner (Kaw) -107
- Jordon Smith (KTM) -102
- Jeremy Martin (Hon) -93
- Luke Renzland (Yam) -71
- Kyle Peters (Suz) -70
- RJ Hampshire (Hon) -57
- Sean Cantrell (KTM) –56
- Colt Nichols (Yam) -54
- Martin Davalos (Kaw) -52
FIM World Motocross Championships – Round 2 – Valkenswaard
KTM riders Jeffrey Herlings and Pauls Jonnas have won the MXGP and MX2 classes respectively when round two of the FIM World Motocross Championship hit a wet and freezing cold Valkenswaard last weekend.
MXGP Report
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings came to Valkenswaard with his first ever red plate in MXGP and left it with his first ever points lead in the premier class. At the start of the weekend Herlings struggled when he fell in qualifying then rejoined the race in 35th position. Luckily for the “Bullet” he turned his weekend around on Sunday. Luckily for the “Bullet” he turned his weekend around on Sunday even with 19th gate pick.
When MXGP race 1 started Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli took the Fox Holeshot and led the way for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Jeremy Van Horebeek along with his Dutch Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Teammates Glenn Coldenhoff and Jeffrey Herlings.
After a quick pass on Coldenhoff, Herlings switched his focus over to the Belgian, Jeremy Van Horebeek. As Herlings chased Van Horebeek, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser was passed for 5th by the other Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP bike of Romain Febvre.
Gajser then threw away his goggles and soon after came under pressure from the pair of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders, Max Anstie and Gautier Paulin. Just after Anstie and Paulin made their way past Gajser, Jeffrey Herlings moved into the second spot.
Cairoli then started to lose time to Herlings as Anstie and Paulin passed Febvre. As Jeffrey inched closer to Cairoli the Italian lost balance in a rut and went down. From there Herlings took the lead and never looked back as Cairoli took second and Van Horebeek third.
Race 2 began with another Fox Holeshot from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli as Coldenhoff and Herlings chased. Cairoli then sprinted at the start of the race to grow a gap over Coldenhoff and Herlings. Herlings found his way around Coldenhoff on lap 3 and at nearly the same time race one’s 3rd place finisher, Van Horebeek, crashed out of the race but came away uninjured.
Herlings then started his charge to catch the distant Cairoli. Cairoli’s lead was near 13 seconds but dropped lap after lap, at one point Herlings gained 4 seconds in a single lap. As Herlings came closer Cairoli sensed the #84 looking back on several occasions. When the time finally came Herlings made the pass look easy as he out braked Cairoli into the turn just after the finish line. Cairoli tried to retaliate but would cross the checkered flag 3.8 seconds after Herlings.
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser’s return to MXGP was a challenging one as he crashed twice in race 2, even so he managed to finish 9th overall.
Jeffrey Herlings
“We can back strong and we managed to win both races today. It is a little bit of a shame from yesterday that we didn’t have such a good start position but it’s ok. I’m looking forward to Red Sand next weekend, I have been there a lot during the winter so I kind of know the track!”
Antonio Cairoli
“The weekend was good, we knew that at this race we would struggle a little bit because it has been a long time since I’ve trained in Belgium or Holland. Jeffrey was very fast and we knew that on this track he would be, but we managed to finish on the podium and a second place is good for the championship.”
Finishing on the podium was Gautier Paulin who also took third overall after tying with Coldenhoff in points while Febvre scored his 2nd top 5 of the season.
Gautier Paulin
“We managed to have a good setup on the bike and I was really happy with the bike and I put myself in the right position. That’s the first podium of the season, we are working hard but the speed wasn’t there today so we need to continue because I want to battle with those guys.”
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:25.408
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:17.536
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:29.712
- Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:35.842
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:39.777
- Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:41.582;
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:41.778
- Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:00.045
- Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +1:07.341
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +1:15.242
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:46.875
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:03.882
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +1:06.699
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:09.303
- Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +1:15.542
- Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:17.843
- Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:46.947
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +1:54.337
- Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:56.307
- Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +1:57.072
MXGP Overall Top Ten
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 44
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 34
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 34
- Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 31
- Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 30
- Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 27
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 24
- Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 20
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 20
MXGP Championship Top Ten
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 97 points
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 91
- Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 67
- Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 65
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 64
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 55
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 54
- Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 45
- Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM), 39
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 38
MX2 Report
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass is showing everyone exactly why he was MX2 World Champion in 2017. Jonass admitted that he wasn’t riding or feeling his best but nevertheless the #1 took double race wins today.
Race 1 started with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bikes of Pauls Jonass and Jorge Prado at the front with a Fox Holeshot from Jonass. Behind the KTM’s was another Austrian made bike, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing #19 of Thomas Kjer Olsen.
Having a breakthrough performance was Kemea Yamaha Official MX Team’s Jago Geerts. Geerts who race the EMX250 championship last season ran 4th early in the race.
The local MX2 rider from the LRT KTM team, Davy Pootjes was followed by Honda 114 Motorsport’s Hunter Lawrence. Later when Lawrence tried to pass Pootjes on the outside he instead had the door closed and clipped the back of the KTM sending him to the dirt. Pootjes later dropped to 8th while Lawrence got back up to 6th just behind Hitachi KTM UK’s Conrad Mewse. Meanwhile Jonass took the win followed by Prado, Olsen, and Geerts.
Race 2 started just as did race one with a FOX Holeshot from Jonass just ahead of Prado and a Husqvarna. However this time the Husqvarna in 3rd belonged to the STC Racing Husqvarna rider Henri Jacobi. Jacobi ran in third for 8 laps before crashing and then pulling of the track.
Assuming third was again Olsen as Jorge Prado was doing everything he could to catch his teammate Jonass. Prado would gain time on Jonass one lap and the Jonass would reply with his own gains the next.
In 4th and 5th was Conrad Mewse and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Covington. Covington who won Saturday’s qualifying race finished 7th in race 1.
At the finish Jonass crossed the line only 0.38 seconds ahead of Prado while Olsen was another 37 seconds back in third.
Pauls Jonass
“It is nice to go 1-1 again, today both races went perfect, I got 2 FOX Holeshots and led every single lap which is pretty nice.”
Jorge Prado
“I felt great the whole weekend since free practice so it was fun to ride. I was riding good but I just could pass him (Jonass), we were pushing hard the whole race but I’m pretty happy with the first podium.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen
“I’m happy to be on the podium for the second week in a row. I am really satisfied with my riding and fitness right now.”
Hunter Lawrence ended the day with 6-6 moto finishes and still holds third in the championship while Jed Beaton ended the day 14th outright after 8-17 finishes to still hold 9th in the championships.
Hunter Lawrence
“It was a so-so weekend really, from my perspective. We got sixth from the qualification race but in the first moto I didn’t get a good start after being too aggressive with the clutch. I was around 16th to begin with but I was making passes and moving through the pack. Then I had a coming-together with another rider and dropped back down again. I pushed through to get sixth in the end and although I was disappointed to have only come sixth, I was happy with my riding and that I got close to the money points. In the second moto I got a really good jump out the gate, but I just couldn’t make it stick around the first bend. I just couldn’t get into my groove though and was struggling most of the moto. I gave it everything I had but I didn’t have anything for the guys up front this weekend. Next week is another round though and I’ll be giving it my all once again.”
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 35:38.265
- Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:09.342
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:16.508
- Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:22.579
- Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:25.932
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:42.179
- Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:49.290
- Jed Beaton (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:53.611
- Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +0:58.452
- Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:00.167
MX2 Race 2 Top Ten
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 35:35.397
- Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:00.381
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:37.477
- Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:39.263
- Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:46.360
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:47.057
- Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:51.600
- Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +1:05.208
- Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +1:08.867
- Darian Sanayei (USA, Kawasaki), +1:10.665
MX2 Overall Top Ten
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 50 points
- Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 44
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 40
- Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 34
- Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 30
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, HON), 30
- Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 26
- Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 25
- Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 24
- Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 18
MX2 Championship Top Ten
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 100 points
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 82
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, HON), 67
- Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 63
- Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 61
- Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 51
- Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 46
- Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 44
- Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 44
- Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, YAM), 42
EMX300 Report
Valkenswaard’s Eurocircuit has staged the opener of the 2018 European Motocross Championship with the EMX125 and EMX300 2-stroke classes both Presented by FMF Racing.
Belgian Greg Smets proved he had put in the effort over the off season to improve his riding when he took the lead early in Saturday’s race one from 2017 title contender, GL12 Racing’s Mike Kras. Kras tried to regroup and take the spot back from Smets but in the end was gapped by over 17 seconds.
Last year’s Champion running the number 1 plate on the Verde Substance KTM, Brad Anderson, started race one at the front of the field and moved into third past fellow Brit, GL12 Racing’s James Dunn. Finishing in 5th was Mathias Plessers after battling with Tom Meijer.
Race 2 was the first race on the track on Sunday where we again saw Smets and Kras at the front of the action with Anderson and Dunn following while the #57 of Plessers crashed out of the second race during the first laps.
The real action was between the Belgian Smets and the Dutch rider Kras. A whole new day and different track conditions played into the favor of Kras as he was able to match the speed of Smets.
While Kras had the speed and battled with Smets lap after lap shifting positions back and forth the deciding factor would be a mistake by Kras as chased Smets. The mistake not only allowed Smets to secure his first ever overall win but also allowed Anderson into second overall.
Greg Smets
“I was actually hoping to at least finish one time on the podium this year, so I succeeded at that, but to start up with two race wins was beyond my imagination.”
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Race 1 Top Ten
- Greg Smets (BEL, KTM), 30:54.405
- Mike Kras (NED, KTM), +0:17.801
- Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), +0:50.762
- James Dunn (GBR, KTM), +1:10.515
- Mathias Plessers (BEL, KTM), +2:14.099
- Tom Meijer (NED, Yamaha), +2:14.359
- Daymond Martens (BEL, Yamaha), -1 lap(s)
- Nikolaj Skovgaard Christensen (DEN, KTM), -1 lap(s)
- Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s)
- Joshua van der Linden (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s)
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Race 2 Top Ten
- Greg Smets (BEL, KTM), 29:58.353
- . Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), +0:06.399
- Mike Kras (NED, KTM), +0:23.680
- James Dunn (GBR, KTM), +0:38.589
- Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), +0:39.120
- Andero Lusbo (EST, Husqvarna), +0:54.853
- Kay Ebben (NED, Yamaha), +1:00.172
- Joshua van der Linden (NED, Yamaha), +1:10.600
- Erik Willems (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:13.069
- Manuel Iacopi (ITA, Yamaha), +1:21.009
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Overall Top Ten
- Greg Smets (BEL, KTM), 50 points
- Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 42
- Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 42
- James Dunn (GBR, KTM), 36
- Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), 28
- Joshua van der Linden (NED, YAM), 24
- Andero Lusbo (EST, HUS), 23
- Nikolaj Skovgaard Christensen (DEN, KTM), 22
- Manuel Iacopi (ITA, YAM), 21
- Kay Ebben (NED, YAM), 18
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Championship Top Ten
- Greg Smets (BEL, KTM), 50 points
- Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 42
- Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 42
- James Dunn (GBR, KTM), 36
- Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), 28
- Joshua van der Linden (NED, YAM), 24
- Andero Lusbo (EST, HUS), 23
- Nikolaj Skovgaard Christensen (DEN, KTM), 22
- Manuel Iacopi (ITA, YAM), 21
- Kay Ebben (NED, YAM), 18
EMX125 Report
At the start of the weekend the 125cc class had 80 riders competing but that number would be narrowed to 40 for the races and only one would win.
That luck rider was KTM Junior Racing’s Rene Hofer as he became the first overall winner of the 2018 season and did so in complete control by winning both of the two races. Hofer not only won both races but held every lap in the process.
Hofer’s strongest competition came from KTM DIGA Junior Racing’s Emil Weckman in race 1 but the #11 of Hofer still won by over 8 seconds. Behind the front two was a close race for 3rd between F4E Racing KTM’s Mario Lucas Sanz and Filip Olsson.
Race two was another run away race for Hofer who topped Filip Olsson by nearly 30 seconds. Right behind Olsson at the finish of race 2 was JD 191 KTM Racing Team’s Petar Polak. Polak who failed to pass sound testing after race 1 finished the weekend in 6th overall.
Race 1 runner up, Emil Weckman, took 8th in race two for 4th overall behind Hofer, Olsen and Lucas Sanz.
Rene Hofer
“It was a perfect weekend, I got the fastest time in qualifying and won both starts. I took both hole shots which was definitely key and rode my own race so I’m happy about it.”
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Race 1 Top Ten
- Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 31:57.510
- Emil Weckman (FIN, KTM), +0:08.509
- Mario Lucas Sanz (ESP, KTM), +0:41.429
- Filip Olsson (SWE, Husqvarna), +0:43.912
- Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +1:01.345
- Brian van der Klij (NED, TM), +1:02.203
- Emilio Scuteri (ITA, KTM), +1:03.395
- Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), +1:07.323
- Lion Florian (GER, KTM), +1:31.405
- Raf Meuwissen (NED, KTM), +1:34.890
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Race 2 Top Ten
- Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 31:17.508
- Filip Olsson (SWE, Husqvarna), +0:29.812
- Petr Polak (CZE, KTM), +0:33.831
- Raivo Dankers (NED, KTM), +0:43.272
- Kjell Verbruggen (NED, KTM), +0:47.022
- . Mario Lucas Sanz (ESP, KTM), +0:51.069
- Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:52.204
- Emil Weckman (FIN, KTM), +0:53.120
- Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), +1:14.615
- Raf Meuwissen (NED, KTM), +1:24.343
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Overall Top Ten
- Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 50 points
- Filip Olsson (SWE, HUS), 40 p
- Mario Lucas Sanz (ESP, KTM), 35
- Emil Weckman (FIN, KTM), 35
- Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 30
- Petr Polak (CZE, KTM), 27
- Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 25
- Emilio Scuteri (ITA, KTM), 24
- Raf Meuwissen (NED, KTM), 22
- Raivo Dankers (NED, KTM), 18
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Championship Top Ten
- Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 50 points;
- Filip Olsson (SWE, HUS), 40 p.
- Mario Lucas Sanz (ESP, KTM),
- Emil Weckman (FIN, KTM), 35
- Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 30
- Petr Polak (CZE, KTM), 27
- Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 25
- Emilio Scuteri (ITA, KTM), 24
- Raf Meuwissen (NED, KTM), 22
- Raivo Dankers (NED, KTM), 18
Once the weekend wrapped up KTM had won all four classes at Valkenswaard which could well be a first in World Motocross Championship competition.
AMA Arenacross Championship
Round 7 – Denver Coliseum, Colorado
After a month long break, the AMA Arenacross Championship returned to action for Round 7 at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colorado and it was Chris Blose who came away with a round win ahead of Gavin Faith who now leads the 250AX Rider Points Standings after former point’s leader Jacob Hayes failed to qualify to compete in the 250AX Main Events.
When the gate dropped for the first main event Faith came around the first turn in second place and instantly began applying relentless pressure on Blose and that is the way they stayed right to the finish with Garred Steinke third.
In Main Event 2, Faith got off to another great start and came around Turn 1 in third place. He wasted no time passing for second on lap eight and once again jumped right on the heels of the leader. When the halfway flags came out, Faith made the pass stick in the bowl turn at the end of the whoop section and began to sprint away with the lead. There was no catching the No. 1 Kawasaki of Faith in Main Event 2, as he went on to win his eighth main event of the season with over six seconds to spare.
Faith finished second overall, but overtook his teammate in the 250AX Rider Points Standings but the point standings will now be reset for the final five rounds and the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup will begin. Faith will run the red plate as point’s leader going into Round 8 in Nampa, ID.
Gavin Faith
“Tonight wasn’t easy, but we finished strong. The track tonight was a lot longer and rougher than usual. I got off to two great starts tonight and seriously left it all on the track, so I am pumped to leave here second overall and to take back the red plate.”
Jacob Hayes
“It was a tough night for me, after the restart in the heat race, I ended up in a crash that involved myself and a few other riders. I lined back up for the LCQ and after starting in the back row, I did what I could to get through the field, but ran out of time to make it into a transfer position. We’ll shake this weekend off and move on to Nampa.”
250AX Main Event
- Chris Blose 1-2
- Gavin Faith 2-1
- Daniel Herrlein 4-3
- Isaac Teasdale 6-4
- Kyle Bitterman 5-6
In the AX Lites Class, Round 1 of the AX Lites West Coast Championship kicked off with defending west coast champion, GFP Babbitt’s Online rider Ryan Breece leading wire to wire from gate drop to the checkered flag. Teammate, Isaac Teasdale, raced his KX250F through the competition to finish on the podium in second place.
Ryan Breece
“It was a great night in Denver, I got off to a great start and lead every lap with my teammate right behind me. My GPF Babbitt’s Online Kawasaki was on rails! Can’t wait for Round 2.”
AX Lites West Region Main Event
- Ryan Breece
- Isaac Teasdale
- Kevin Moranz
- Carson Brown
- Preston Taylor
Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series
Round 3 – Washington, Georgia
Round three of the 2018 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, an AMA National Championship took place in Washington, Georgia at Aonia Pass MX last weekend and it was once again the defending champion Kailub Russell who came away with the win.
A battle ensued all day long between Russell and Thad Duvall with Russell eventually crossing the line 2.4 seconds ahead of Duvall who in turn had Steward Baylor Jr close behind in third.
Russell got a good jump off the line, and earned himself the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot award, and as they headed into the woods Duvall had a small bobble in the third corner. Coming through on lap one, AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell found himself in the number one spot. After holding off the rest of the XC1 Pro class, misfortune struck the Yamaha rider and he was forced to retire for the remainder of the race.
Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Josh Strang had another impressive ride at The General. Even though Strang started mid-pack, he worked his way through the field and ran in the fourth place position during lap four. Strang ended up finishing the day out in the fifth place position, and he currently sits sixth overall in the National Championship points.
Running with the lead pack early, Jordan Ashburn had the best ride of his season so far and ended the day sixth place in the XC1 class and seventh overall while Layne Michael would continue his consistent season thus far to finish the day seventh in the XC1 class and eighth overall while Grant Baylor would round out the top ten overall.
In the XC2 PRO class it was Ben Kelley who took the win from Pascal Rauchenecker and Nick Davis while in the WXC class Aussie star Tayla Jones Tayla continued her winning form over Becca Sheets and Rachel Gutish.
The 2018 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes with the FMF Steele Creek GNCC on April 7 and 8, in Morganton, North Carolina.
The Maxxis General GNCC Washington, Georgia – Round 3 of 13 – Sunday, March 18
XC1 Open Pro Event Results
- Kailub Russell (KTM)
- Thad Duvall (HQV)
- Steward Baylor Jr (KTM)
- Trevor Bollinger (HON)
- Josh Strang (HQV)
- Jordan Ashburn (BET)
- Layne Michael (HQV)
- Grant Baylor (KTM)
- Jesse Groemm (KTM)
- Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
Overall National Championship Standings
- Kailub Russell (90 Points)
- Thad Duvall (71 Points)
- Steward Baylor Jr (67 Points)
- Trevor Bollinger (51 Points)
- Ben Kelley (47 Points)
- Josh Strang (44 Points)
- Layne Michael (40 Points)
- Pascal Rauchenecker (37 Points)
- Josh Toth (31 Points)
- Craig Delong (28 Points)
Canadian Triple Crown Championships – Rounds 2 – Calgary
Rounds two of the Rockstar Triple Crown Championship took place in Calgary last weekend and it was Shawn Maffenbeier who won the 250 Class over Dylan Wright and Brad Nauditt while in the 450 Class Cole Thompson took the win over Tyler Medaglia and Colton Facciotti with Josh Hill finishing eighth in his debut.
Maffenbeier now holds a five point lead over Wright while things are a lot tighter in the 450 class with Thompson just one point ahead of Facciotti.
Round 2 – 250 Class
- Shawn Maffenbeier KAW
- Dylan Wright HON
- Brad Nauditt HSK
- Ryan Lockhart KAW
- Wyatt Waddell HSK
- Jared Petruska HON
- Blake Osatchuk HSK
- Spencer Wilton KTM
- Marco Cannella YAM
- Joey Parkes YAM
Round 2 – 450 Class
- Cole Thompson
- Tyler Medaglia
- Colton Facciotti
- Dillan Epstein
- Matt Goerke
- Mike Brown
- Brad Nauditt
- Josh Hill
- Ryan Lockhart
- Keylan Meston
