Moto News | East Coast MX | Volusia Half-Mile | GNCC

Moto News Weekly Wrap
March 16, 2021

What’s New:

• Matt Moss dominant at East Coast MX opener in Canberra
• Brandon Robinson wins AFT season opener – Volusia Half-Mile I
• Jared Mees dominates Volusia Half-Mile II
• Josh Toth wins The General GNCC
• Romain Febvre claims MX1 & International Italian MX titles
• Trackmasters revive Troth Family Golden Helmet trophy
• Repsol and Honda renew Trial alliance
• Jordan hosts FIM Bajas World Cup this weekend
• FIM Cross-Country Rallies hold Rally safety meeting
• Webb wins Texas Supercross Round 10
• Hunter Lawrence second in Texas 250SX
• 2021 Racing Calendars
  • 2021 Provisional MXGP
  • 2021 Yamaha AORC presented by MXStore
  • 2021 Australian Penrite ProMX
  • 2021 Speedway GP
  • 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship
  • 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies
  • 2021 AMA Supercross
  • 2021 GNCC
  • 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross
  • 2021 Progressive American Flat Track
  • 2021 New Zealand Motocross
  • 2021 New Zealand Cross-Country
  • 2021 New Zealand Enduro
  • 2021 Australian Supercross (provisional)
  • And more…

Matt Moss dominant at East Coast MX opener in Canberra

With the original Round 1 of the East Coast Motocross championship in Maitland cancelled, we saw the season kick off in Canberra at Fairbairn Park over the weekend instead. Matt Moss proved a force to be reckoned with over the weekend, and while the race wins were shared between Moss, Clout and Gibbs, he proved the most consistent rider of the weekend in the races awarding points, to take the overall.

Moss dominated race one, with Clout and Mellross in the mix, but unable to close him down. Race two saw Gibbs take the win, relegating Moss to second, with Luke Clout third.

Race three saw the whole field disqualified after riders failed to slow down for vigorously waved yellow flags, with parents of the downed rider left livid. Clout won the race from Moss, however the disqualification left no riders earning points.

Clout won the final Open race of the weekend, with Kyle Webster taking second place, Gibbs third and Moss just outside the top three in fourth.

The East Coast MX Open standings now see Moss in the lead on 95-points, to Clout on 91, with Gibbs only two-points in arrears on 89. Rhys Budd (77) and Regan Duffy (76) completed the top five.

Kyle Webster’s performance was particularly impressive on a 250, with a best of second in the final race, and fourth in race two, however a DNF in race one impacted his points-tally. Rhys Budd also impressively took fourth overall on his 250 going 3-7-8.

Seth Burchell took the Junior 250 Lites win, going 1-2-1 for 102-points, with Dennis Byron (2-3-2, 94) and Connor Towill (3-1-8, 88) second and third respectively.

Travis Olander (4-2-1) won the Junior 125 Lites, tying on 95-points with Byron Dennis (3-1-3), Liam Jackson was third on 84-points going 2-7-4.

The 12-15 85cc class saw Kayd Kingsford take the win with a 3-11 and 100-points, to Jack Devesons 2-2-2 and 96-points. Ky Woods was only a single-point off second, going 1-3-3.

Luke Sullivan won the Over 40 Vets from Andrew Stiles, both riders on 125-points. Sullivan recording a 3-3-3-1 scorecard, to Stiles’s 2-1-4-3. Matt Kehlet was third on 122-points, with an eleventh placing in the second race disrupting his push for the win. He went 1-11-1-2.

30-39 Veterans saw Dwayne Stadhaus go 1-1-1-1 for 140-points, with Aaron Parker second with a 2-2-2-2 score and 128-points. Colby Campbell was third on 116-points, running 3-3-4-4.

Madi Healey dominated the Senior Womens, taking a perfect 140-points, with Jessica Gardiner going 2-2-2-2 for 128. Tanesha Harnett was third overall on 118-points.

Wibley and Yeoman top NZ Cross-Country Round 2

Images by Charlotte Galpin Photography

Yamaha rider Paul Whibley has struck back at the 2021 New Zealand Cross-country Championship’s second round to take the Senior class win and even up the points standings.  Taikorea’s Whibley, who is also the PWR Yamaha Team Manager, nailed his Le Mans-style running start at the track near Dannevirke on Sunday.

While his rivals Brandon Given and Reece Lister had set a fast pace early on over the 20-minute laps, Whibley started to reel them in by the fuel stop.

Paul Whibley

“I got off to a much better start this time and was running with the lead pack on lap one. The track was a little hard to follow on the first lap in places, so the lead got shuffled a few times. At one point I was in the lead then dropped back to fifth with one wrong turn. By the second lap it all settled down and I was running third for the first half of the race. I took the lead as we exited the pits and made the most of the open track to put in a couple good laps. By the finish I think I had over 3 minutes lead on YZ450F-rider Tommy Watts who had moved up to second.”

The overall victory on his YZ250FX also saw him claim first in class (4 Stroke Under) and tied on 50 points with Napier-based Watts, who leads the 4 Stroke Over class.

The third PWR Yamaha team rider Whanganui’s Seth Reardon had a tough day on his YZ450FX. He managed to get back on the bike quickly, although a hurt wrist meant he had to ride smart the rest of the race.

Seth Reardon

“I got off to a good start and got up to fourth position. Then on lap two I hit a post and went down pretty hard. I had to settle for 7th overall for the day and 5th in the 4 Stroke Over class. I’ve got some things to work on before the next round but I will be ready. Well done to my teammates Paul and Wil for their wins.”

The four-round series is now at the halfway mark, making for an epic South Island showdown as the riders head to the Mainland for back-to-back rounds in Gore and Mosgiel on April 17 and 18, respectively. Where it gets really interesting is that points from the best three results only will count towards the championship titles. Riders can discard their worst result.

Juniors

Taupo youngster Wil Yeoman is in an enviable position, adding another Junior win to his points tally on Sunday. Leading the 4 Stroke Over class on his Yamaha YZ250FX, 15-year-old Yeoman had a 90-minute race-long battle with Luke Brown and for almost the entire distance the two were only a bike length apart.

He credited his Michelin tyres and mousses for performing well on the hard-packed, fast terrain and thanked the Hawkes Bay Club for setting up the track.
With two wins from two starts now, Yeoman has a comfortable six-point lead in the junior grade over Brown.

Wil Yeoman

“The Yamaha YZ250FX started great off the line giving me the holeshot. I was pushed hard by Luke for the whole race and it was intense racing, as we put in matching lap times.”

PWR Yamaha protege Charlotte Russ had another dominant day on her YZ125, taking her second consecutive win in the women’s class.

Brandon Robinson wins AFT season opener – Volusia Half-Mile I

Images by Scott Hunter

Brandon Robinson delivered the opening salvo of the 2021 Progressive American Flat Track season with a victorious performance in Friday evening’s Volusia Half-Mile I at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida.

The lights-to-flag triumph was actually Robinson’s third consecutive SuperTwins win dating back to his sweep of last year’s doubleheader finale. It also came at the conclusion of a dominant opener in which he walked away with his Semi and earned $5000 by dominating the four-lap Mission SuperTwins #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.

Brandon Robinson

“The way 2020 ended was huge for me confidence-wise, just knowing I was injured for pretty much the entire season and still able to come out on top. I went this past offseason a little bit more motivated, feeling like this is the time for me. It’s now or never. The whole Mission Roof Systems team put in so much effort, and my mechanic Ben Evans had me dialed in all night. It was pretty much effortless; I was just having a lot of fun riding out there and hitting my marks.”

While Robinson was effectively perfect on the day, he’ll have to share the accolades with a resurgent JD Beach, who was nearly as good and even more surprising in his performance. After struggling mightily throughout the 2020 season, Beach won his Semi, came home second in the night’s new #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and pressured Robinson from close behind during the entirety of the 10-minute-plus-two-lap Main Event.

The turnaround for Beach and the entire Estenson crew was nothing short of astonishing after the talented and determined pilot managed a best result of just eighth a year ago.

JD Beach

“This feels amazing. First off, I have to thank this whole Estenson Monster team; they have been working hard. Second, I have to thank my family and friends back home. The last year has been hard on them. When I don’t do good racing, I take that home with me, and I know I’ve been hard to put up with. I have to thank everyone in my corner who continued to believe in me. They all just kept pushing me and I kept digging. To come away with a second and be that close to Brandon was just amazing.”

Meanwhile, title favorites Jared Mees and Briar Bauman came away with third- and fourth-place points. Mees struggled to maintain the pace of Robinson and Beach early and found himself displaced to fourth by Sammy Halbert just after half-distance. Mees countered and at last found his groove, throwing down several blistering laps late to close back to within a second of the win at the checkered flag. Bauman took full advantage of Mees’ aggressive pass of Halbert; he drew in tight and ultimately snatched away fourth for himself, albeit nearly five seconds off the win.

Halbert held on for fifth, with Beach’s teammate, Kolby Carlile, underlining the incredible offseason development work put in by the Estenson squad by finishing in sixth after registering a top result of 13th during his 2020 rookie campaign. Bronson Bauman took seventh, followed by Jarod Vanderkooi, Robert Pearson, and Davis Fisher.

AFT Singles

Shayna Texter-Bauman gave herself just about the best birthday present imaginable by earning her first AFT Singles victory in more than a season. Even better, she did so in the face of the best efforts of reigning class champion Dallas Daniels, who did everything in his power just to track Texter down and shadow her to the checkered flag by 0.131 seconds.

In the end, Texter never saw so much as a front wheel of an opponent in the once red-flagged-and-restarted Main to up her history-leading tally of AFT Singles victories to 18.

Shayna Texter-Bauman

“Man, what a big win for me, I can’t thank my entire Red Bull KTM team enough for sticking behind me. Last year was a little bit of a challenging season for us — we just kinda kept swimming in the deep end. But we never gave up, and they never lost faith in me. I don’t know what those critics are going to say on Facebook next because I think I’ve proved I can ride a motorcycle. And it feels great to be up here. What could be a better way to the start off the year than with a win on my birthday?”

Daniels’ Estenson Racing teammate, Mikey Rush, completed a 2-3 for the squad by coming out on top of an intense five-rider scrap for the final spot on the box. Max Whale, who won the opener here a year ago, took a close fourth, followed in tight succession by Tanner Dean, Brandon Kitchen, and Morgen Mischler.

Max Whale

“Good first run with the new team! P4 on the night, Was on pole for the main but couldn’t put it together. Huge thanks goes to my team and sponsors.”

AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines

The very first Main Event of the ‘21 Progressive AFT season set the bar sky high for the year ahead. No less than three riders held first position on the race’s final lap of the AFT Production Twins Main with an opportunistic Chad Cose ultimately sneaking away with a shocking victory.

Cose led for the opening seven minutes plus of the eight minute + two lap Main before Dan Bromley made his move. The ex-premier class contender dove underneath to claim the lead and quickly worked a bit of separation in what very much felt like the race’s decisive maneuver at the time.

However, 2019 class champ Cory Texter had other ideas. Texter, who started deep in the field with the last pick of the third row, spent almost the entire affair clawing his way up the order and slowly working into contention of what was previously a two-man fight.

Texter swept by Cose with one lap remaining and then overhauled Bromley on the last lap. Unwilling to give up the win that easily, Bromley immediately retaliated. The two made contact with less than a half-lap remaining, opening the door for Cose to power his way by both and claim the checkered flag at the last moment.

Chad Cose

“It’s never luck at this level, you’ve got to have the ability to do it. I felt great all day; there’s a couple things I felt we could have changed, but all in all (I’m happy). These guys were as hungry as I was — I think you could tell by the aggression that we all had out there. This is what you have to do to win races. I was a little disappointed they got by – I made a couple mistakes – but luckily I was there to capitalize in the end. I think any one of us three could have won. I’m just glad we put on a show for the fans.”

Dalton Gauthier came home a distant fourth after battling for the lead in the race’s early stages, while an impressive Cameron Smith rounded out the top five, adding to the evidence that the class could have something of an altered flavour in 2021.

Jared Mees dominates Volusia Half-Mile II

Images by Scott Hunter

While defending SuperTwins champ Briar Bauman upped his speed at Volusia Speedway Park significantly overnight, even he had nothing for a confident and on-form Jared Mees for the Volusia Half-Mile II.

Bauman took the holeshot and immediately transformed the premier class Main Event into a two-man affair with archrival Mees, just as they’ve done so many times in the past. But almost as soon as Mees worked his way into the lead with more than seven minutes remaining on the clock, it was readily apparent that he was in a class of his own; Mees quickly shook free and piled up a substantial advantage on runner-up Bauman, cruising to the checkered flag with more than two seconds in hand.

Jared Mees

“I grew up racing here on 60s and 80s with my dad coming here for the Southeastern Nationals back in the day. I’ve always come here as a pro and raced the Steve Nace All-Star warm-up race as well. Never would I have thought last year this place would be a National, and man, I think it was a really big hit. It was awesome to see fans in the stands again.”

Third-place finisher Sammy Halbert was the only other rider in the field who managed to stay within ten seconds of the victory. Jarod Vanderkooi seemed to have fourth-place all but sewn up. However, intermittent mechanical issues dropped him several positions down the order, elevating what had been a three-way dogfight for fifth featuring Brandon Price, Bronson Bauman and Brandon Robinson.

Vanderkooi was able to return to full song and subsequently tracked that crew back down as all four were in with a shot at fourth over the race’s final two laps. Price ultimately held on for the position, while Friday winner Robinson dropped the younger Bauman to sixth, who in turn finished fractionally ahead of an unlucky Vanderkooi. Davis Fisher ended up eighth while Friday heroes JD Beach and Kolby Carlile completed the top ten.

JD Beach

“Today’s race was tough. We really chased the track and the bike setup all day long. We just seemed to be on our back foot all day. Going into the main, we put the setup back to what we knew worked last night. When I had a clear track, we could click off some good lap times, but for some reason, the setup we had made it hard to make passes. We learned a lot tonight and still have positives to take away from it, so we’ll move forward.”

AFT Singles

Shayna Texter-Bauman remains undefeated since adding the hyphen to her name following Saturday’s jaw-dropping AFT Singles Main Event. Texter-Bauman kept a close pack of six and seven riders corralled behind her for the bulk of the race. But that neat and tidy order was thrown out the window when all of her contenders seemingly went for broke at once with three minutes remaining on the clock.

Trent Lowe ran second early but was shuffled back once the pressure intensified. Mikey Rush and Morgen Mischler then threw several haymakers from second and third with Rush eventually taking over the lead. Defending class champ Dallas Daniels made his presence felt as well, executing moves on both Mischler and Texter-Bauman before getting passed back to fourth.

After Texter-Bauman appeared vulnerable to outside passes, she turned the tables by alternating a more defensive higher line with an ultra-low line that allowed her to reclaim those lost positions. Once back in front, she held Rush at bay over the race’s final two laps to secure her second checkered flag in as many nights.

Shayna Texter-Bauman

“It’s just unreal, what a race that was with Mikey, Morgen, and Dallas… When those guys started passing me on the outside, I kind of moved my line up a little bit and went back to work. It’s so nice racing with these guys — we can race clean and hard. What a weekend this was! It’s insane.”

Mikey Rush

“I’m happy to be on the podium two nights in a row at Volusia. The team worked excellent all day and really all weekend. My bike was awesome. The track was pretty challenging. The groove was glazed over and really slippery compared to last night. I’m really happy with how we started the season. I’m looking forward to having a good year and having a lot of fun with the team.”

Dallas Daniels

“It was a little bit of a rough night. The day started better than yesterday, qualifying fifth, and I was able to start the Semi from the front row. I worked my way up to second and tried to pass for the lead and ran wide and finished third. So I had the first pick on the second row for the Main. I didn’t get off the line very well, and I was struggling to make some passes. I finally worked my way up to fourth and made the pass for third. I got passed back and was in a real heated battle with Morgen Mischler, Mikey, and Shayna (Texter-Bauman). About six laps to go, I tried to make a pass on Mischler, but it didn’t stick, and I lost a bit of ground. I started overriding it and ended up P4. I’m a little upset with myself, but we’re coming out of here with more points than we did last year. So we’re sitting pretty good in the championship, and it was encouraging to be up front all weekend long. I’m really looking forward to the Atlanta Super TT to show these guys what we’ve got.”

Mischler rounded out the podium, followed by AFT Singles title fighters Daniels, Henry Wiles, and Max Whale.

AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines

2019 AFT Production Twins champion Cory Texter managed to repeat his feat of a year ago, once again upgrading an opening-night third into a victory the following evening at Volusia Speedway Park. The opening lap teased a rematch of Friday’s last-lap epic featuring Texter, Chad Cose and Dan Bromley.

However, Texter was in no mood to leave the result to the chance of a final strike this time around, immediately gapping his rivals and never looking back. That relentless pace was no doubt aided by the fact that he wasn’t forced to fight his way from behind this time around, which allowed him to stamp his authority from the start rather than slash up through the field from Row 3.

Cory Texter

“That was awesome, I was so determined after kinda giving it away yesterday. I got to the track two hours earlier today, I was so fired up. I felt great all day… I had so many texts and calls yesterday for getting third. Everyone loved the race, so I’m glad we could put on a show today.”

The AFT Production Twins Main Event was relatively processional behind Texter as well; Friday winner Cose ended the race clear in second, followed by an equally lonely Bromley. Title hopefuls Ryan Varnes and Dalton Gauthier rounded out the top five.

2021 Volusia Half-Mile II Results

Josh Toth wins The General GNCC

The Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series completed round three of the 2021 season in Washington, Georgia at Aonia Pass MX with The Specialized General. Throughout the weekend the series saw 2,060 entries across Motorcycle, ATV and eMTB racing.

As the race got underway it was Jordan Ashburn jumping out to grab the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Open Pro Holeshot Award. But as the pack of eager racers made their way to timing and scoring on lap one it was Ricky Russell holding the early lead.

As they headed out for their second lap Steward Baylor was on a mission to get to the front. Baylor would put his head down and push from a seventh place start to take over the lead as they came through on lap two. Baylor would continue to push himself as he held the lead. As he made his way around for the white flag, Baylor had over a minute lead. Baylor remained focused and crossed the finish line after three-hours of racing to take his first overall win of the 2021 season.

Benjamin Kelley made his way into second after three laps of racing. Kelley would come through in fifth after lap one, but he soon made the necessary passes to put himself towards the front of the race. Kelley would be unable to reel in Baylor for the lead, but he did cross the second overall and take over the points lead as the series heads to South Carolina in two weeks.

Kelley’s teammate, Josh Toth earned his first overall podium finish of the year. After missing half of the 2020 season due to injuries, Toth has been training hard to return and be competitive at the front of the pack. Toth did not have the best start and would come through timing and scoring eighth on the opening lap. As the race wore on, Toth would find himself making his way through the pack and setting his sights on the podium.

Making a last lap pass to take fourth overall was Grant Baylor. Baylor was another rider making moves throughout the three-hour race as he came through on lap one in the ninth place position. Baylor, who held the points lead at after round one, remains in the hunt for the National Championship as he sits second.

After holding the early lead Russell said he just could not get in a comfortable groove throughout the race. At this event last year Russell would suffer a season-ending injury after battling for the lead on the last lap. Russell remained in the top five overall this year in Georgia, and he will look to continue on improving this year as he currently sits fifth overall in the points standings.

After grabbing the holeshot Ashburn continued to push for another podium finish. However, Ashburn would fall back to sixth in the XC1 Open Pro class but that wouldn’t stop him from making another run towards the front. Unfortunately, Ashburn would run out of time and cross the finish line sixth.

Josh Strang would find himself running in third by lap 3 of the race, but after suffering issues with his front brakes after an on track incident Strang would have to make a long pit stop to have them replaced. Strang would have to work his way back through the pack after that stop and would manage to cross the line seventh in the XC1 class and 9th overall on the day.

Earning his second-straight XC2 250 Pro class win was Jonathan Girroir. As the race began Girroir found himself right outside of a podium position, but he would begin to push and make his way into the lead by the second lap. Girroir would battle throughout the race swapping the lead position a couple of times. But when the checkered flag waved it was Girroir earning the class win, and he now sits in the XC2 points lead.

Craig Delong earned third in the XC2 class. DeLong would make his way up to another podium finish after starting the day in fifth. After moving into third on lap three, DeLong would hold onto his podium position crossing the line with almost a minute gap over fourth.

After running in second place in the XC2 class, AmPro Yamaha Michael Witkowski would continue to battle at the front of the pack for the duration of the race. However, an on track violation and penalty would be assessed and leave Witkowski with a fourth place finish on the day.

The $100 Hot Cams XC2 Holeshot Award would go to Christopher Venditti.

In the FMF XC3 class it was Jonathan Johnson earning his third-straight class win of the season. Johnson would make his way into the lead on the second lap after making some necessary passes stick on his fellow competitors. Chase Colville started off his day with the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award. Colville would continue to run at the front of the pack and cross the finish line second in his class. Russell Bobbitt returned to the GNCC scene for his home state race and rounded out the top three in the FMF XC3 class.

In the 10 a.m. race it was WXC rider, New Zealand’s Rachael Archer coming through to take the overall win and her second WXC class win of the season. When the race began though it was Becca Sheets earning the $100 Trail Jesters WXC holeshot award.

Sheets would hold the early lead, but she would soon be faced with a battle from Archer and the two would swap positions. Sheets would hold onto second, while Korie Steede landed herself a podium finish with third in the WXC class. Aussie Tayla Jones finished fifth and now sits fourth in the WCX standings.

The General AMSOIL Moto Hero went to Kentucky’s Chris Sumner. Chris has been racing GNCC for over 10 years, and is from Cadiz, Kentucky. Chris served in the Army; 4th infantry and 1st Special Forces Operations Detachment – Delta. Chris was nominated by 16 of his family and fellow competitors, including Ryan Sipes.

2021 The General GNCC Results

Romain Febvre claims MX1 & International Italian MX titles

Romain Febvre and the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team captured the first two titles of the European motocross season as the Frenchman raced to both the MX1 and International Italian titles.

The twenty-nine-year-old from Epinal in the Vosges region joined KRT team colleague Ivo Monticelli in a 1-2 start for Green in the MX1 race and the duo immediately distanced the field by four seconds before settling into a comfortable rhythm around the rapid Mantova raceway. Febvre took over the lead from his Italian teammate on the fifth of sixteen laps to race to an unchallenged victory and secure the MX1 series title.

Romain Febvre

“It was another good weekend with again two good starts. We have worked a lot on this point and we can see that we are strong compared to the other top riders who have also competed at these events in Italy; this is very positive. The speed is good and, although I still suffered a little with my forearms, I had less troubles during the SuperFinal; now we have some time in front of us to finalize this preparation. Everything is going really well in the team together with Ivo. He is a cool character and, even though we ride in the same category, there is no rivalry; we are working in harmony and it is super nice to work in these conditions with the entire team.”

Monticelli, still rebuilding his fitness after a winter operation, relinquished second two laps from the finish but remained best Italian in third. Febvre immediately moved to the front on the opening lap of the SuperFinal, resisting all challenges to eventually cruise home fourteen seconds ahead, sealing a dominant performance in the International Italian Championship with two victories and one second place in the three-race-series.

Monticelli, caught by surprise when the gate fell early, confirmed his growing confidence on the KX450-SR by charging through the pack from twelfth on the opening lap to again finish third; the performance lifted him to fourth – and best Italian – in the series.

Ivo Monticelli

“I already have such a good feeling with my Kawasaki even though I have only been on the bike for two months. We tried some more new settings this week and they worked well for me; I have an even better feeling than before and we saw this with second fastest time in practice this morning. The first start was really good with the holeshot! I always get arm pump in the winter months and Romain passed me, then Horebeek at the end. The gate dropped really early in the SuperFinal and I wasn’t ready. But I was happy with my speed; I started around fifteenth but I immediately found good speed. I tried to catch Jeremy for second at the end but I didn’t go over the limit. I am really enjoying working with the team; they help me a lot. My thanks to them. It was nice to see my family this weekend for the first time in four months, and now we return to Belgium to continue our training.“

Febvre won the Supercampione race from Jeremy Van Horebeek and Ivo Monticelli, with the same trio topping the standings. Febvre on 250-points, Van Horebeek on 165 and Monticelli third on 140.

In MX1, Febvre won from Van Horebeek and Monticelli in the final, however in the standings Glenn Coldenhoff was second, ahead of Van Horebeek, despite both being tied on 220-points. Febvre won on 235-points.

MX2

Roan van de Moosdijk of the F&H Racing Team landed pole position and took second place in the MX2 event, his 2021 race debut. The Dutch youngster emerged seventh from the tricky Mantova first turn but was soon fifth and, advancing one position per lap with the fastest lap times despite racing in traffic, had taken over second place within five laps.

The deficit from the opening two laps meant however that the race leader was already out-of-sight and, with no championship at stake, VDM settled into a comfortable rhythm to take the chequered flag second. He completed his opening race day of the season with a fifth-placed finish against the 450s in the SuperFinal.

Roan van de Moosdijk

“Today was our first race with the 2021 Kawasaki, and already in the timed practice session we could take the pole. My start was not good in the MX2 race, around tenth position; I soon came back to second but then I got some arm pump and couldn’t close the gap to the leader. In the SuperFinal I found good lines and came fifth against the 450s. I’m happy with the bike and the suspension worked well but we now need to improve the starts.”

Nichola Lapucci won the MX2 race on the day, from Roan Van De Moosdijk and Ramon Saviolo, with Lapucci also claiming the MX2 title with a 140-point gap to second placed Tim Edberg. Jago Geerts was third on 175-points, a further 25-points in arrears.

Trackmasters revive Troth Family Golden Helmet trophy

A motorcycle trophy with its origins going back to the 1960s is being revived and will be raced for at the annual Trackmasters meeting at the Barleigh Ranch Raceway, near Raymond Terrace on the weekend of March 27/28.

The Troth Family Golden Helmet was presented to the Wallsend Club in honour of the late Max Troth who was a very keen member of the club in the 1960s as well as being a prominent official for a number of years. The trophy is a helmet gold plated and it is encrusted with red and green stones on the crossed flags.

The Golden Helmet was originally raced for at the old Heddon Greta Raceway short circuit track until its conversion to a speedway. Thereafter the Helmet was awarded to the top rider in the Wallsend Motorcycle Club each year, until the amalgamation with the Raymond Terrace, Mayfield and Newcastle Speedway Riders Clubs created the present-day Hunter Motor Cycle Club.

After Pat Fernance was the inaugural winner other winners include many Australian champions in Chris Watson, Todd Wiltshire, Keith and Stephen Davies, George Watson and passenger Robert Anderson, Paul Caslick and Greg Primmer.

The Hunter MCC has decided to bring out this trophy after lying dormant for more than two decades, and the trophy will again be up for grabs at the annual Trackmasters meeting. Racing takes place on Saturday and Sunday and after the final of the Unlimited class on Sunday the first four riders plus another nominated by the club will do battle in a series of match races so a new name can be added to the already classy list of previous winners.

The nominated rider will firstly take on the fourth place-getter, with the winner then racing the third place-getter. And so on. Each will be a two lap match race with the winner of the last race being the newest name on the Golden Helmet.

Repsol and Honda renew Trial alliance

The liaison between Repsol and Honda in the Trial World Championship will extend until the end of 2022, taking the most successful partnership in the trial speciality to a total of 19 seasons together. The sporting and technological alliance between Repsol and Honda dates back to 2004 and has produced a tally of 36 world championship trophies, at the hands of Toni Bou, Takahisa Fujinami and Laia Sanz.

One of the most recognizable agreements in international motorsport, the Spanish energy company colours first adorned Japanese factory Honda livery in the world motorcycling championships in 1995, before moving into the trial discipline in 2004. That same season, the duo of Takahisa Fujinami and Dougie Lampkin took the title and runner-up spot, respectively, while Laia Sanz claimed the spoils in the female category. Since then, thanks to the arrival of Toni Bou to the team in 2007, Repsol Honda has claimed a total of 36 crowns – one of the most impressive feats ever attained in the history of the sport.

Additionally, the Repsol Technology Lab research centre has, over recent years, supplied the trial team with fuel each season. The gasoline – fully compliant with FIM standards – is formulated and manufactured in the Tech Lab’s Fuel Blending department, located in Móstoles (Madrid). Once the fuel is prepared in its 50-litres drums, it is sent to Honda for distribution at each event, using a logistics system that ensures, among other things, full traceability and confidentiality. Repsol usually manufactures some 1,500 litres of fuel and around 500 litres of oil a year for the trial team.

Jordan hosts FIM Bajas World Cup this weekend

The second round of the FIM Bajas World Cup takes place this weekend in Jordan with 559 competitive kilometres in a total route of 859km.

Jordan is located on the eastern bank of the Jordan River and is rich in monuments, temples, tombs and archaeological sites, including the famous Nabataean capital of Petra in the south of the country and in close proximity to the Baja’s base in Aqaba on the Red Sea.

Fifteen motorcycles and five quads will be at the start of the Jordan Baja, which will be held in the nearby deserts of Wadi Rum.

Mohammed Al-Balooshi was third at the Dubai International Baja last month and was the winner of the 2019 Jordan Baja. The Emirati starts as the top seed on a Husqvarna.

He will have to defend his title against the Jordanian riders Abdullah Abu Aisheh (KTM), Zaid Jaber (KTM) and Tal’at Al-Shishane (KTM) and the likes of Portugal’s Paulo Oliveira (Husqvarna) and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al-Muaikil.

Two female riders are also present and loyal to the FIM Bajas World Cup – Aishwarya Pissay (Husqvarna) and Sarah Khuraibet (Yamaha).

The Jordan Baja will take place under strict Covid-19 protocols and begins with the ceremonial start in Aqaba on Thursday, March 18th at 19.00hrs.

Competitors will then tackle two different selective sections of 210.72km and 112.99km on Friday, March 19th and an additional 236.06km through the desert north of Aqaba on Saturday, March 20th.

Jordan Baja Programme

• Tuesday, March 16th, 2021
  • 08:00 – 18:00: Service Park Open for Logistics Operations ONLY
• Wednesday, March 17th, 2021
  • 08:00 – 18:00: COVID-19 Protocol Start, NO ACCESS to event without Negative test result (48 hours validity) in the Service Park entrance, in Remote Service Zone entrance.
  • 08:00: Service Pak Operational
  • 16:45: Competitors Briefing – Service Park (briefing notes will be posted on Sportity)
• Thursday, March 18th, 2021
  • 09:00 – 13:00: Administrative Checks – Rally HQ
  • 09:30 – 14:00: Technical Checks/Sealing/Marking at Scrutineering venue
  • 15:00: First Jury Meeting – Rally HQ
  • 19:00: Jordan Baja Ceremonial Start – Aqaba City
• Friday, March 19th, 2021
  • 06:15: Issue Road book LEG 1/Sections 1 & 2 – Rally HQ Rally
  • 07:00: Start of LEG 1 – Aqaba Service Park
  • 18:07: Finish LEG 1
  • 19:30: Publication of the Start List for LEG 2
• Saturday, March 20th, 2021
  • 06:45: Issue Road book LEG 2/Sections 3 – Rally HQ Rally
  • 07:30: Start of LEG 2 – Aqaba Service Park
  • 12:45: Finish of LEG 2

FIM Cross-Country Rallies hold Rally safety meeting

Tuesday 9th March marked an important video meeting between representatives from the FIM, ASO, teams and manufacturers regarding safety and technical matters, and followed on from a similar meeting held in Lisbon last March. Those attending included Jorge Viegas, David Castera, Thierry Viardot and representatives of KTM, Yamaha, Hero, HRC Honda and HT Rally Raid to name a few.

The main topics of discussion centred around improving safety in FIM Cross-Country rallies, which resulted in the following decisions:

• Tyres: The number of rear tyres will be limited to one per race day except for the marathon stages where tyre change is prohibited. Teams entered in RallyGP must announce the brand and model of tyre when registering.
• Airbag jackets, airbag vests: These have been tested since 2020 and this process has produced good results. The FIM will continue to work in this area in order to reduce trauma in this discipline.
• Roadbook: The vocabulary of the road book will be re-studied in order to return to the use of traditional icons, in particular when signalling danger.
• Audible Alerts: The implementation of audible alerts for the announcement of danger levels 2 and 3 has been positive, and hence this systematic application will continue. The warning radius should be increased from 200 to 300 metres from the danger positions so that riders can anticipate their braking at high speed.
• Number of Sealed Pistons / Engine: For the RallyGP category, the engines will be sealed. A seal on the top of the engine and a seal on the bottom of the engine will be placed during preliminary scrutineering. During Rallies of 5 days of racing, no change of pistons or internal parts of the top of the engine will be allowed. During Marathon Rallies, the top of the engine can only be opened once to carry out repairs. If opened for a second time for Marathon rallies or for a first time for 5 days rallies, a 10 minutes penalty will be applied.
• Fuel Tank capacity: The total fuel capacity that is permitted to be carried in all tanks remains at 35 litres maximum and the required distance remains at 250km, however on fast and sandy stages, the organiser shall reduce this distance to 220km.
• Refuelling time: The time allotted for refuelling will be increased from 15 minutes to 20 minutes, in order to give a rest time and to allow the cartridges of Airbag vests to be changed (plus refuelling, water replenishment, roadbook calibration etc…) but no work on the bike is allowed.
• Maximum speed limitation: In 2023, the 150 Km/h speed limitation will be mandatory. The FIM will work with the manufacturers to electronically (GPS) limit the maximum speed in RallyGP to 150Km/h in 2022 (with an audible alert from 145Km/h).
• Limitation of digital screens on the tower or handlebars: Only digital screens provided by the organisation (GPS, TRIP, Roadbook etc…) will be allowed to be fitted on RallyGP motorcycles.
• Improvement of helmet standards: The FIM has already improved the helmet standards for circuit racing championships (FRHPhe-01), and by the end of 2021 the FIM aims to publish the specifications of the standard for off-road helmets. The second phase of the FHRP (FIM Homologation Racing Program) programme for competition helmets should come into effect within a few years (FRHPhe-02: 2025 target). While waiting for the FIM standard to become compulsory, the European ECE standard for helmets is evolving towards version 22.06. The current standard 22.05 is valid until 2023 at the latest.

Jorge Viegas – FIM President

“I would like to thank all the participants for this fruitful meeting. Although the 2020 season was shortened in the field because of the pandemic, we were still able to continue working on the regulations, equipments and solutions aimed at reducing the number and severity of accidents in rally. We are eager to test the adjustments at the start of this exciting season, as everyone involved can’t wait to get back to competition.”

Webb wins Texas Supercross Round 10

For the full report, videos and quotes see:
Hunter Lawrence on the podium in Texas | Video Highlights

Cooper Webb left Texas with a win at Round Three and returned to the state to win at Round 10 without any bona fide challenges from the other racers.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Dean Wilson grabbed the holeshot but Webb pushed his way past immediately and was never challenged.

Justin Barcia started outside the top three but within five minutes of the 20-minute plus one lap Main Event had worked into second place. Barcia shaved a bit of time off the three second deficit to Webb over the next five minutes, but as the race clock ticked to 10 minutes Webb began to stretch his lead back out.

On a track that proved difficult to gain time or make a pass, Jason Anderson was the rider on the move. After one lap he sat eighth, but on the sixteenth of what turned out to be a 28-lap Main Event, Anderson pushed past Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton and held the final podium spot to the checkers.

Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen, the points leader going into the race, was the victim of a bad starting gate pick after a heat race crash. A bad launch put Roczen in eleventh after one lap; he managed his way slowly through the pack to earn a sixth-place finish, which dropped him to second in the points.

The 2020 defending champion and the winner of the previous round, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac, had a night that paralleled Roczen’s but a few positions back. The No. 1 plate rider sat sixteenth on lap one and passed eight riders to finish eighth at the first of three Arlington events.

After a dominant ride Cooper Webb now leads the series on 223-points to Roczen’s 216. Eli Tomac is third on 190 points ahead of Justin Barcia on 176.

Cooper Webb – P1

“This is an incredible night. I got a bad start in the heat race but I made some passes and ended up third. In the Main Event, I got a great start and made my way into the lead early on and I led every lap. It’s awesome and it feels great to have these Texas fans here. It was a huge night and to get the red plate is great, I’m super grateful.”

Justin Barcia – P2

“It was a good week leading up to this, I did a lot of testing and my team did a great job helping me get comfortable and feeling good again. Tonight was very special for us, our boss from Austria was here, so that’s super awesome to get second and make him proud in front of these Texas fans. The track was super challenging and I pushed hard and closed on Cooper a little but I just couldn’t make it happen, he rode really well. I’m looking forward to the next two rounds here, I’m going to push it hard and try to take another win.”

Jason Anderson – P3

“I’ve been following those guys all year and I want to be on the podium and want to start doing good, so I’m going for it and that’s all there is to it,” Anderson said. “We’re going to be firing every time we come out of that gate for the rest of the year. Let’s go!”

450SX Results

Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop

Hunter Lawrence second in Texas 250SX

The Western Regional 250SX Class served another surprising race as rookie Seth Hammaker launched off the line, grabbed the holeshot, and led every moment of his career-first victory ride.

It wasn’t easy, as Hammaker’s Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team-mate Jordon Smith applied the pressure from the start until a bobble that sent him temporarily off the track dropped him back to third.

Meanwhile, series leader Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo and Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Justin Cooper were back in the pack in eighth and ninth place respectively.

McAdoo and Cooper clawed their way forward, but progress through the pack was slow.

As Hammaker was composed in the lead, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence was just out of reach in second.

Just over four minutes into the 15-minute plus one lap race McAdoo had reached the rear wheel of team-mate Smith when Smith lost traction on a small jump and landed hard, putting him out of the battle.

Things stabilised until the final lap and a half when Cooper reached and then charged past McAdoo. McAdoo countered a corner later and darted back into third. On the second to last corner Cooper made a final pass attempt, slid out, and low-sided trying to cut under McAdoo.

Hammaker the clear victor and young Aussie Hunter Lawrence put in a great ride to second place and moves up to third place in the 250 West rankings on 58-points. Cameron McAdoo leads the series on 70-points ahead of Justin Cooper on 64-points.

The series races twice more inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Round 11 dropping the gate on Tuesday night and Round 12 returning next Saturday.

Seth Hammaker – P1

“That was the longest race of my life. I was just trying to think about hitting my lines clean and getting to the end. I’m so stoked on this. To start the season, my first goal was to get into the top five and I have felt like I’ve had the speed but circumstances kept me from hitting that goal. But now we checked off a win and it’s hard to not want more. Getting that start really helped and hopefully we can do it again on Tuesday.”

Hunter Lawrence – P2

“It was an awesome weekend here in Dallas, to kick off the first three of three races. We ended up on the box in second, and we’re very happy with that. We got an average start, made a few passes on that first lane, put ourselves in third and then picked off the next guy. To see the progress and how far I’ve come in the past few months is awesome, a huge confidence-booster and reassurance knowing where I belong. I’m stoked on the night and thank the team and everyone that’s been supportive.”

Cameron McAdoo – P3

“That was a hard fought one. I made a mistake on the start and I was buried. I was happy with parts of how I rode and not really happy with others. I got to third and couldn’t make anything happen beyond that. Everyone was riding really good, but super happy with the points lead. There is so much work that goes into being in this place and we won’t take a solid finish for granted.”

250SX Results

2021 Racing schedule

2021 Provisional MXGP Calendar

2021 Yamaha AORC presented by MXStore calendar

2021 Australian Penrite ProMX calendar

2021 Speedway GP Calendar

2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (Provisional)

2021 Australian Speedway events

2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies calendar

2021 AMA Supercross calendar

2021 GNCC

2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship

2021 Progressive American Flat Track calendar

2021 New Zealand Motocross Championship

2021 New Zealand Cross-Country Championships

2021 New Zealand Enduro Championship

FIM Bajas World Cup 2021 (Provisional)

2021 Provisional Australian Supercross dates

• 25 September – Further information TBA
• 9 October – Further information TBA
• 16 October – Further information TBA
• 23 October – Further information TBA
• 30 October – Further information TBA
• 6 November – Further information TBA
• 20 November – Further information TBA
• 27 November – Further information TBA

2021 Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) Cancelled

2021 Enduro Australian Three Day Vintage Enduro (A3VE)
7-9 May – Blackwood, VIC

2021 Finke Desert Race
11-14 June – Northern Territory

2021 Hattah Desert Race
3-4 July – Hattah, Victoria

2021 Motocross Australian Classic Motocross Championship
9-11 July – Nowra, NSW

2021 Motocross Australian Post Classic Motocross
16-18 July – Nowra, NSW

2021 International Six Day Enduro (ISDE)
30 August – 4 September – Italy

U.S. AMA West ISDE Qualifier Series

• March 20-21: Red Mountain, Calif., Desert MC and Prospectors MC, AMA District 37 Sprint Enduro
• April 17-18: Campwood, Ariz., Arizona Trail Riders, AMA AMRA
• May 22-23: Craig, Colo., Enduro Colorado, AMA RMEC

U.S. AMA East ISDE Qualifier Series

• May 1-2: Battle Creek Mich., BCMC, AMA Michigan Sprint Enduro
• May 7-8: Plantersville, Ala., Southern Enduro Riders Association
• May 29-30: Glen Daniel, W. Va., AMA Full Gas Sprint Enduro