Moto News | Junior MX World Champs | Track | TrialGP | Enduro | MX

Moto News Weekly Wrap
July 16, 2024

What’s New:

• Young Kiwi wins World 85 cc crown
• Kyron Bacon wins in Slovakia
• SA 24 Hour Trial
• 2024 Junior Motocross World Championships
• 2024 EnduroGP of Slovakia
• Honda heritage liveries for Toowoomba
• FIM Long Track finals
• TrialGP of Belgium
• Spring Creek AMA Pro MX
• FIM Speedway of Nations Report
• FIM Team Speedway U21 World Championship Report
• 2024 Racing Calendars

Young Kiwi wins World 85 cc crown

Tauranga teenager and Yamaha ambassador Levi Townley (14) has etched his name in the history books, becoming the first Kiwi rider to claim a world junior motocross title after winning the 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship 85cc class in The Netherlands overnight.

Townley’s incredible achievement was made on his debut attempt riding in the deep Dutch sand of the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde, with the decision to compete only made eight short weeks ago.

As he drove back to his accommodation last night after the race – with his father Ben Townley (former supercross and motorcross star) and his younger brother Jaggar, who also raced in the 85cc class – the magnitude of his victory was still sinking in.

“It was an amazing weekend for me. I wasn’t expecting it. I was expecting to go and learn as much as I could,” Levi says.

In moto one, Austrian Moritz Ernecker took the holeshot and held the early lead from Levi and French rider Sleny Goyer, before Finland’s Viktor Leppälä moved into contention. On lap five, Ernecker lost the frontrunner position, giving Levi a lead which he would not relinquish.

Race two saw a clean holeshot for Estonian Lucas Leok, who could not be caught as he created an early gap and claimed a solid 12-second victory by the flag. The battle raged behind him as the Dane Casey Karstrom put his Yamaha into second initially, before local ace Dex van den Broek completed his charge from outside the top five to claim second in the race, but Levi battled past Brit Finley Pickering, Austrian Ricardo Bauer, and finally Karstrom to take third place.

It was enough to keep Leok back in the points and for Levi to lay claim to the first ever World Junior Motocross Championship for New Zealand.

Levi’s father Ben, who won the World MX2 Championship title 20 years ago in 2004, says they made the decision for Levi to race in the world champs two months earlier and started preparing in New Zealand for the vastly different racing conditions over in Holland.

“The track that Levi raced on is a deep sand track and we don’t have anything like that in New Zealand. We spent a few days down in the Manawatu at PWR Yamaha Team Manager Paul Whibley’s track,” Ben says.

“Levi had support from Tauranga Boys College for some extra time off and ramped up his physical training. The world champ motos are more than twice the distance of New Zealand motos.”

His Yamaha YZ85’s engine was fine-tuned in Europe to cope with the intense heat generated by the strenuous riding conditions.

“In a nutshell, to come and compete from New Zealand and to go and have a crack at the biggest junior competition in the world, especially in Holland, in the sand, is no easy feat whatsoever. It’s very unusual for Kiwis to come over and compete well in those conditions, and especially to be competitive for a one-off event,” Ben explains.

Ben, Levi and his brother Jaggar (12), who also decided to come over to compete in the 85cc class to get some top-level experience, arrived in Europe three weeks ago but the build-up did not go to plan.

“Levi got injured a few days after we arrived and didn’t ride for a whole week. We thought he broke his wrist, but although it turned out to be bone bruising, he didn’t get anywhere near the preparation we anticipated he would get,” Ben says.

Thankfully all the training in New Zealand in the weeks preceding the world championships and indeed the years spent making his way through Yamaha’s bLUcRU programme, paid off.

“The major component was the programme we’ve been involved with Josh Coppins and Yamaha in New Zealand. We’ve been chipping away for a number of years now and Levi and Jaggar have benefited from this programme an immense amount. It has allowed them to progress to the riders they are now,” Ben says.

After qualifying 11th on Saturday, Jaggar finished 22-23 out of 40 starters respectively, in his two, 25-minute motos.

Ben says the whole experience of racing on the world stage was a huge testament to the boys.

“To rise up and up and up and soak in the experience and progress, it feels a little bit surreal. I always felt that the boys’ level of rising is at the pinnacle but until you get into the environment where they able to test themselves and go up against the world’s best, you don’t know. It was very satisfying to see them in that position and for Levi to achieve being the world champion.”

Coppins says the result is huge for the Townley family, Yamaha and Josh Coppins Racing, “because Levi is the first rider to come all the way through the bLUcRU programme. He started with us around 2018 when Yamaha bought out the YZ65. He did all the YZ65 Cup races which was an initiative of Yamaha’s to help develop international pathways for the young riders. Levi came through that, winning multiple New Zealand championships along the way.

“We had a vision under Taka san, who was the GM of Yamaha Australia, and he wanted to create a pathway for world champions. He has since moved back to Yamaha Japan, but this was his vision and to see it finally happen under Yamaha New Zealand’s current GM Alan Petrie, is pretty cool.”

Petrie says the whole team at Yamaha New Zealand is “very proud” of Levi’s victory and credited it to his talent, the brand’s input and also his family’s unwavering support.

“It’s incredibly special and a wonderful achievement for this young man and his mum and dad. He has shown that it is possible to live in rural New Zealand and via the pathway of Yamaha’s bLUcRU programme, to become number one in the world.”

Coppins promises this is only the start of what the Townley brothers have in store.

“I could see that Levi was going to be successful early on. His younger brother Jaggar was amazing as well, especially being super young. He has a minimum of two more years in that 85cc class.”

Coppins thanked everyone involved with supporting the Townley boys’ campaign.

“There’s been a lot of people helping from the Yamaha side of it and others from the Townley side as well. Motorsport Manager Scott Bishop from Yamaha Australia was involved, along with Thorsten Lentink from Yamaha Europe and Belgium’s Kemea Factory MX1 motocross team were very helpful, plus a while lot of connections from Ben and myself,” Coppins says.

“I’m super happy for Levi and Ben and to see it come full circle in such a short time from father to son winning a world championship. We appreciate the effort and Yamaha brand representation from the Townley family and we look forward to being part of the next chapter of their journey. Things will start to speed up from here for Levi and Jaggar!” Coppins predicts.

The Townleys will move their focus closer to home for the Australian Supercross CR22 85 Cup, before heading further afield again to compete in the Motocross of Nations’ YZ85 Cup class at Matterley Basin in England in September.

Further Junior GP World Championship coverage further down this page

Kyron Bacon wins in Slovakia

Kyron Bacon is on his way back to Australia after a super successful four-week trip in Europe where he contested four rounds of the World Enduro Championship as well as a national event in Sweden.

The trip finished on an extremely high note with Bacon winning both rounds of the Slovakian GP in the Junior division. The junior category is for riders under the age of twenty-three and then broken up into Junior 1 – 250cc and Junior 2- 450cc. Bacon won Junior 1 both days and was also Outright Junior winner on both days.

It was a sensational performance and highlights the level of rider Bacon is. It goes with his podium result In Italy a couple of weeks ago as he continues to turn heads in Europe. In the four rounds he has contested, Bacon has climbed his way to eighth in the rankings.

Kyron Bacon

“It’s been such a cool trip and I have had an awesome time riding and racing here in Europe. Joakim Johansson has been such a big help and we have formed a great relationship with him over the years. Last year was my first time doing this, so it was good to come back this year and improve the results is cool. But its now time to refocus on the AORC and get back to Australia.”

More EnduroGP coverage further down this page

Riley Graham tops all WR450F podium at S.A. 24 Hour

Yamaha WR450F riders filled the podium at the long running and prestigious SA 24Hour Event in South Australia. In fact, WR450F riders took five of the top six placings.

This year it was the evergreen Riley Graham taking the win ahead of Cooper Sheidow in second and Sean Throupe in third.

Sheidow took control of the race in the early going and into the night but struck trouble in the darkness of the SA wilderness when he collided with a kangaroo and went down. Graham was hot on his heels and capitalised on the unfortunate situation with Sheidow and was never headed.

Graham took his third win of the SA24 Hour with a combination of joy and tiredness.

Riley Graham

“This event is always tough, and you need so many things to go your way in such a long race. This year I got a bit of luck when Cooper had his issues with the wildlife and my bike didn’t not need a spanner on it from start to finish. Every stop was just fuel, both for the WR and myself and we just kept rolling along. I don’t even recall adjusting the chain. Thank you to event organisers on such a unique race as well as the Pitman’s Yamaha crew for doing an amazing job with the bike and lighting. Let’s come back and make it four next year.”

Honda heritage liveries for Toowoomba

Seventy years ago, Soichiro Honda proclaimed that Honda would enter international racing. By 1959, they competed in the Isle of Man, and sixty years ago, they debuted in Formula 1 and won. Soichiro Honda’s passion for victory transformed a small company into a racing giant. Below are some milestones Honda Racing has achieved over the past 70 years, many featuring some Australians behind the handlebars, many that we are proud to celebrate.

Factory Honda Racing Australia is celebrating many of Honda’s successes at Round 6 of the Australian Motocross Championship through the collaboration of SKDA and Team Director Yarrive Konsky’s creative vision.

Charli Cannon, who leads the Women’s Championship, will be racing with Casey Stoner’s Australian-themed graphic, which he used upon his return to Honda. The RCV 212V took him to his second championship in 2011. Charli, the SCT Logistics Honda rider, is proud to sport the Australian-themed graphic and is well aware of Casey’s prowess in MotoGP. “I was so excited when Yarrive told me which Honda rider my graphics would represent. Casey even follows me on social media, which makes this extra cool. The kit looks amazing, and upon his return to Honda, he won the championship. I can’t wait to go racing and I hope to win Honda and our team sponsors a women’s championship this year,” said Charli Cannon.

Current MX2 points leader Brodie Connolly will ride a Chad Reed-inspired replica bike. Chad’s choice of motorcycle when starting his own team was Honda, and his success was outstanding, only marred by injury. His return to winning and leading championships again showed how incredibly talented Reed was. Chad was one of the pioneer’s, creating pathways for other Australians to be taken seriously worldwide. “This is epic. Reed was one of the best riders ever to compete in motocross and supercross. His style on and off the bike changed trends. The bike looks amazing with Polyflor on it. I like the track in Toowoomba and am ready to get back to racing, some of these breaks are a little to long for my liking, so I can’t wait to race,” said Connolly.

Noah Ferguson is ready for redemption aboard his Michael Byrne-inspired Rockstar Honda graphic. Ferguson, the Boost Mobile Honda rider and fellow Queenslander who sits third in the championship, wants to return to winning. Byrner a Queenslander, carved a commendable career overseas, now managing the Australian MX of Nations team and testing for Honda Japan while helping train the Lawrences and Hymas. Byrner returned to Australia to do a one-off Supercross in 2009 and rode for Factory Honda under Yarrive Konsky’s direction. Ferguson is familiar with Byrner’s achievements and hopes to honour this opportunity. “Byrner was and still is a legend on a bike. He was one of the best Australian riders to make a career overseas. I hope I can follow in his footsteps,” said Ferguson.

South Australian Alex Larwood will run a fellow South Australian’s replica graphics. Brett Metcalfe’s successes in America are well noted. His time on a Honda included a runner-up finish in the AMA 450 Motocross Championship in 2010. Larwood and his family have always looked up to Metcalfe. Larwood, the winner of the last round, hopes to carry the momentum into Round 6 in Toowoomba. “Metty is a legend, and he achieved some of his best results during his time at Geico Honda. To run his replica graphics is an honour; my family and I have always looked up to him and I hope to do him and the team proud in Toowoomba,” said Larwood.

Jake Cannon, the team’s MX3 rider, is returning from a successful debut in America. Cannon will run a Jeff Leisk-inspired graphic. The highly decorated World runner-up 500cc champion is Australia’s OG, having been the first to open doors for all other Australians to be taken seriously overseas. Leisk’s greatest racing achievements were all on Hondas, and young Cannon’s goals are to race overseas. “Jeff Leisk went overseas when he was young and achieved so much. I hope I can do the same and more,” said Cannon.

Two additional graphic kits have been created, but only one will be raced as Wilson Todd is still recovering from an injury sustained earlier in the year.

Current MX1 points leader Boost Mobile’s Honda rider, Kyle Webster, will compete with a 2004-2005 Honda Racing F1-inspired graphic. Honda finished 2nd in the constructor’s championship in 2004. Kyle is well aware of Honda’s success in F1, seeing HRC logos on the Red Bull cars. “Honda’s participation in most forms of motorsport is well known, and their efforts to win are clear. They have been so dominant in F1 for many years. I like the clean look of my kit. I have been racing Hondas for almost a decade, and representing this iconic brand is something I am most proud of,” said Webster.

The final graphic kit represents Mick Doohan’s RCV213V. Mick won six championships with Honda and continues to promote the brand. It’s fitting that it’s 30 years since he won the championship adorning the graphics we have replicated. Team Director Yarrive Konsky says he will ride with these graphics later in the season, as he and his father used to stay up to watch Mick race; it was something they enjoyed together. “Mick is Honda in my eyes and was also in my father’s eyes. We stayed up cheering him on; we can’t forget how amazing he was, truly one of the best ever to race a motorcycle. All the graphics we are running have real significance – Honda is committed to excellence and hasn’t shied away from competition challenges. We are proud to showcase a small part of their enormous and successful history in racing,” concluded Konsky.

The Factory Honda Team will be competing in Round 6 of the Australian Motocross Championship on the 21st of July in Toowoomba, Queensland.

2024 Junior Motocross World Championships

Images by MXGP

The 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Champions and World Cup Winner have been crowned at the conclusion of racing on the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde in the heart of the Netherlands, with Champions from as far afield as Hungary and New Zealand, but the home crowd also had one of their own claim a winner’s trophy on the podium.

Hosted at Kamperweg Heerde, a 1750m scenic but ultra-technical woodland sand circuit, the FIM Junior World Championship event is a one-weekend-only affair and serves as the ultimate showcase for future stars of motocross.

Fantic Factory Racing EMX125 rider Noel Zanocz continued his fantastic year with the World Junior 125cc title in his pocket after a stunning display of riding in the sand. The Hungarian also leads the EMX125 Championship at the time of writing.

New Zealander Levi Townley justified the long journey with a stunning overall win to add another FIM Gold Medal to the family collection as father Ben watched on proudly.

Levi Townley

“It was an amazing weekend for me. I wasn’t expecting it. I was expecting to go and learn as much as I could. I got a really good start in the first race and came around second and ended up leading by halfway and won that moto. So that set the day up and the weekend really well to win. I didn’t get the best start in the second moto then I rode pretty good and came from outside the top ten to third and that was enough to win the world championship. That was pretty cool when I crossed the line!”

Finally, the home crowd cheered the success of young charger Kash van Hamond, who used his skills in the sand to claim the 65cc World Cup.

It was also joy for the local supporters in the Nations standings, as Team Netherlands claimed the overall team victory, going one better than last season, ahead of Team France in second and Team Great Britain in third.

125cc Junior World Championship

The 125cc class was a hot one, with the top 10 of this year’s EMX125 Championship Presented by FMF Racing present alongside top racers from all the other continents, but it was Sweden’s Sandor Sols who claimed the first race holeshot on his GASGAS ahead of local ace Dean Gregoire.

Then Fantic Factory Racing EMX125 pilot Simone Mancini dispelled the rumours that young Italians can’t ride sand by taking the lead on the opening circulation. Jayson van Drunen, son of 1990s star Marcel and no relation to WMX star Lotte, was battling with Dutchman Gyan Doensen in the top five, but Zanocz was on a mission and charged through to take second by the end of lap three. With a clear track to chase his teammate, he set the fastest time of the whole race on lap four, and dived past Mancini for the lead on lap six.

Behind them, Sols dropped back with a bike issue to finish 14th, but Spaniard Francisco Garcia put in a solid ride on his GASGAS into third on lap six, then chased down Mancini to break-up the Fantic 1-2 with a pass on the very last lap of the race.

Finn Kasimir Hindersson, one of the fastest qualifiers, also fought through to finish fourth, with current EMX125 Championship challenger Doensen ending his topsy-turvy race in fifth. Zanocz cruised to a 14-second victory to leave everyone else scratching their heads.

Super Swede Sols grabbed the holeshot again in race two, but would once more finish in 14th. Mancini grabbed the lead on lap two this time, but Zanocz was outside the top 15 and giving his opponents some hope. Gregoire and Van Drunen were again giving their home fans something to cheer for, but it was Doensen who climbed to second by the end of lap five.

Incredibly, by half-distance it was Hungarian Zanocz who had powered up to second place past his series rival, and set after Mancini. With Doensen staying solid in third ahead of Garcia, who also fought through from behind at the start, it meant that Zanocz was in the driving seat for the overall, but still put everything into catching his teammate, with a small mistake just interrupting his rhythm enough to give it to the Italian. Australia’s Ky Woods brought it home in 17th in race two for 21st overall and four points.

Local ace Dani Heitink claimed fifth ahead of Hindersson, but it was Zanocz who claimed the World Junior Championship with his 1-2 scoreline ahead of Mancini’s 3-1. Garcia completed the podium ahead of Doensen and Hindersson, with Brit Jamie Keith taking a good sixth overall with consistent 6-8 finishes.

Race 1 – Top 10 Classification

1. Noel Zanocz (HUN, Fantic), 29:49.124
2. Francisco Garcia (ESP, GASGAS), +0:14.004
3. Simone Mancini (ITA, Fantic), +0:14.516
4. Kasimir Hindersson (FIN, KTM), +0:33.012
5. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), +0:34.741
6. Jamie Keith (GBR, Yamaha), +0:38.474
7. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), +0:40.923
8. Maximilian Ernecker (AUT, GASGAS), +0:51.157
9. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, Yamaha), +0:51.577
10. Jayson van Drunen (NED, Yamaha), +0:54.839

Race 2 – Top 10 Classification

1. Simone Mancini (ITA, Fantic), 29:49.507
2. Noel Zanocz (HUN, Fantic), +0:08.647
3. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), +0:16.849
4. Francisco Garcia (ESP, GASGAS), +0:27.803
5. Dani Heitink (NED, Yamaha), +0:29.623
6. Kasimir Hindersson (FIN, KTM), +0:46.737
7. Tomass Saicans (LAT, GASGAS), +0:47.220
8. Jamie Keith (GBR, Yamaha), +1:03.043
9. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), +1:06.450
10. Cole McCullough (IRL, Fantic), +1:07.219
    17. Woods, Ky (AUS, GAS), +1:27.729

125cc Junior World Championship Top 10 Overall

1. Noel Zanocz (HUN, FAN), 47 points
2. Simone Mancini (ITA, FAN), 45 p.
3. Francisco Garcia (ESP, GAS), 40 p.
4. Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 36 p.
5. Kasimir Hindersson (FIN, KTM), 33 p.
6. Jamie Keith (GBR, YAM), 28 p.
7. Dani Heitink (NED, YAM), 25 p.
8. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), 22 p.
9. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, YAM), 22 p.
10. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), 22 p.
    21. Woods, Ky (AUS, GAS), 4p.

85cc FIM Junior World Championship

The 85cc class had taken the 40 starters from 108 entrants on Saturday, so it was always going to be a full and frantic circuit for the buzzing machines.

In race one, Austrian GASGAS pilot Moritz Ernecker took the holeshot and held the early lead from Levi Townley and France’s Sleny Goyer, before Finland’s Viktor Leppälä moved into contention on his KTM. On lap five, Ernecker threw away the lead, remounting in 16th and recovering to finish an eventual 8th.

This gave the elder of the two Townley brothers, Levi, a lead which he would not relinquish, as Goyer moved up to claim second with three laps to go, leaving Leppälä to hold off a charge from Estonian Lucas Leok. The USA’s Wyatt Duff claimed fifth ahead of another Estonian, Aston Allas, who put a last lap pass on France’s Kenzo Ferez. Australia’s Seth Thomas came home in 12th.

Race two saw a clean holeshot for Leok, and he simply would not be caught as he made an early gap and claimed a solid 12-second victory by the flag.

The battle raged behind him as the Dane Casey Karstrom put his Yamaha into second initially, before local ace Dex van den Broek completed his charge from outside the top five to claim second in the race, but Levi Townley battled past Brit Finley Pickering, Austrian Ricardo Bauer, and finally Karstrom to take third place, enough to keep Leok back in the points and claim the first ever World Junior Championship for New Zealand.

Van den Broek claimed third overall ahead of Goyer and Leppälä, with American Braxtyn Mes taking sixth overall by virtue of a stunning charge right from the back in race two. Seth Thomas once again finished 12th, for the same position in the overall.

Race 1 – Top 10 Classification

1. Levi Townley (NZL, Yamaha), 26:33.529
2. Sleny Goyer (FRA, GASGAS), +0:04.450
3. Viktor Leppälä (FIN, KTM), +0:09.557
4. Lucas Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +0:13.339
5. Wyatt Duff (USA, KTM), +0:44.444
6. Aston Allas (EST, Husqvarna), +0:54.249
7. Kenzo Ferez (FRA, KTM), +0:58.719
8. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, GASGAS), +1:00.647
9. Braxtyn Mes (USA, Husqvarna), +1:02.126
10. Dex van den Broek (NED, KTM), +1:04.576
11. Winther, Soren (DEN, KTM), +1:15.041
12. Thomas, Seth (AUS, KTM), +1:16.454

Race 2 – Top 10 Classification

1. Lucas Leok (EST, Husqvarna), 24:38.696
2. Dex van den Broek (NED, KTM), +0:12.125
3. Levi Townley (NZL, Yamaha), +0:17.549
4. Casey Karstrom (DEN, KTM), +0:23.599
5. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), +0:26.601
6. Braxtyn Mes (USA, Husqvarna), +0:27.429
7. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, GASGAS), +0:40.555
8. Finley Pickering (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:42.134
9. Aston Allas (EST, Husqvarna), +0:42.645
10. Viktor Leppälä (FIN, KTM), +0:43.433
11. Goyer, Sleny (FRA, GAS) +0:47.541
12. Thomas, Seth (AUS, KTM), +1:01.792

85cc Junior World Championship Top 10 Overall

1. Levi Townley (NZL, YAM), 45 points
2. Lucas Leok (EST, HUS), 43 p.
3. Dex van den Broek (NED, KTM), 33 p.
4. Sleny Goyer (FRA, GAS), 32 p.
5. Viktor Leppälä (FIN, KTM), 31 p.
6. Braxtyn Mes (USA, HUS), 27 p.
7. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, GAS), 27 p.
8. Aston Allas (EST, HUS), 27 p.
9. Casey Karstrom (DEN, KTM), 26 p.
10. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 23 p.
11. Wyatt Duff (USA, KTM), 23p.
12. Thomas, Seth (AUS, KTM), +18p.

65cc Junior World Cup

It was another New Zealander, Nico Verhoeven, who has been racing in the AMA recently, who claimed the first race holeshot in the 65cc class, and was never overtaken to win by nearly ten seconds.

Van Hamond fought from outside the top five to claim second in the race, ahead of Estonian Theo Kolts and a stunning charge from Great Britain’s Cohen Jagielski. Belgium’s Xen Temmerman took fifth ahead of fast-starting Frenchman Timoteï Cez. Australia’s Mason Ezergailis landed just outside the top-10 in 11th.

Verhoeven again took the holeshot in race two, but Van Hamond had charged from outside the top ten to claim second by lap three, then dived past the New Zealander to take the lead.

Despite his efforts to fight for the World Cup overall victory, Nico lost positions to Germany’s Luca Nierychlo, who claimed second ahead of Kolts. Verhoeven had to settle for fourth, enough only for second overall behind popular local ace Van Hamond. Verhoeven’s AMA rival Jaydin Smart came through from an awful start to claim fifth, with his countryman Joseph Vicari claiming sixth in race two. Mason Ezergailis had a stronger race to eighth.

Overall though, it was Van Hamond who claimed the first 65cc title for a Dutch rider since Ivano van Erp in 2017, with Verhoeven and Kolts second and third.

Nierychlo took fourth overall from Vicari, with Jagielski recovering from a second race crash to finish 12th, good enough for sixth overall.

Race 1 – Top 10 Classification

1. Nico Verhoeven (NZL, KTM), 17:26.044
2. Kash Van Hamond (NED, GASGAS), +0:09.721
3. Theo Kolts (EST, GASGAS), +0:27.978
4. Cohen Jagielski (GBR, GASGAS), +0:28.925
5. Xen Temmerman (BEL, GASGAS), +0:41.681
6. Timoteï Cez (FRA, GASGAS), +0:43.354
7. Luca Nierychlo (GER, Husqvarna), +0:43.831
8. Willads Gordon (DEN, Yamaha), +0:45.015
9. Joseph Vicari (USA, KTM), +0:50.595
10. Roko Ivandic (CRO, KTM), +0:53.419
11. Mason Ezergailis (AUS, KTM), +1:07.695

Race 2 – Top 10 Classification

1. Kash Van Hamond (NED, GASGAS), 17:21.897
2. Luca Nierychlo (GER, Husqvarna), +0:01.304
3. Theo Kolts (EST, GASGAS), +0:33.625
4. Nico Verhoeven (NZL, KTM), +0:37.325
5. Jaydin Smart (USA, Yamaha), +0:40.392
6. Joseph Vicari (USA, KTM), +0:44.138
7. Austin Keller (USA, KTM), +1:00.291
8. Mason Ezergailis (AUS, KTM), +1:05.286
9. Mike Pijnen (NED, KTM), +1:10.993
10. Scott van den Boomen (NED, KTM), +1:14.090

65cc Junior World Cup Top 10 Overall

1. Kash Van Hamond (NED, GAS), 47 points
2. Nico Verhoeven (NZL, KTM), 43 p.
3. Theo Kolts (EST, GAS), 40 p.
4. Luca Nierychlo (GER, HUS), 36 p.
5. Joseph Vicari (USA, KTM), 27 p.
6. Cohen Jagielski (GBR, GAS), 27 p.
7. Timoteï Cez (FRA, GAS), 25 p.
8. Mason Ezergailis (AUS, KTM), 23 p.
9. Jaydin Smart (USA, YAM), 22 p.
10. Austin Keller (USA, KTM), 22 p

2024 Junior World Championship Nations Top 5

1. Netherlands 8p.
2. France 24p.
3. Great Britain 25p.
4. Estonia 29p.
5. USA 31p

2024 EnduroGP of Slovakia

In an exciting opening day of competition at round five of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship, GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona claiming his third victory of the season at the GP of Slovakia. Hot on the Italian’s heels was Beta Factory Racing’s Nathan Watson, with Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe in third. Tasmanian Kyron Bacon (Yamaha) secured a hard-fought win in the GALFER FIM Junior Enduro World Championship.

After another scorching day of racing on day two then saw Josep Garcia secure a commanding win, extending his championship points lead in the process. Brad Freeman put in an impressive ride in Gelnica to take second, followed by day one winner Andrea Verona in third. Kyron Bacon emerged victorious again on day two in the Juniors.

Day One

With Friday night’s AKRAPOVIC Super Test kicking off the action in Gelnica, where Brad Freeman emerged victorious, riders took to the start ramp on Saturday morning for a full day of racing at round five of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship.

Fired-up by his win on Friday evening, Freeman took to the first test of the day, the MAXXIS Enduro Test, and set the fastest time by nearly two seconds. The ACERBIS Cross Test was where Andrea Verona made his intentions clear and topped the timesheets to take an early lead.

The POLISPORT Extreme Test saw a new contender come into play. Steve Holcombe set the fastest time to end lap one in third. Verona retained his early lead, with Brad Freeman close behind in second thanks to his test one win.

Lap two saw even more incredibly close racing, with Verona clocking another test win early on. Fuelled by his stellar runner-up performance in the AKRAPOVIC Super Test the night before, Nathan Watson won the ACERBIS Cross Test, placing three seconds clear of teammate Freeman.

Samuele Bernardini put his head down on the POLISPORT Extreme Test to set the fastest time by over a second ahead of Nathan Watson, who clocked another impressive result. However, Verona proved that consistency is key, and after two laps had extended his overall lead to 12 seconds.

A two-way battle ensued on lap three between Andrea Verona and Nathan Watson, with the pair taking it in turns to claim test wins. Verona put in his best time of the day, six seconds clear of Watson on the MAXXIS Enduro Test. Matteo Pavoni wowed on the final test of the day, setting the fastest time ahead of countryman Bernardini and Theo Espinasse.

Unfortunately, hopes of securing maximum championship points today were distant for Josep Garcia, with the Spaniard finishing fourth overall after a series of time-consuming mistakes. Holding onto the championship lead by just three points after day one, he will be looking for redemption tomorrow. Brad Freeman completed the top five behind Garcia.

Finishing third in EnduroGP, Steve Holcombe comfortably topped the Enduro1 class with 11 seconds to spare ahead of second-placed Josep Garcia. Theo Espinasse rounded out the podium in third.

Mirroring the EnduroGP top two, Andrea Verona claimed his seventh consecutive Enduro2 victory of the season, with Nathan Watson in second. Securing his best result of the season so far, Wil Ruprecht managed the heat well to come home as third-fastest.

Brad Freeman extended his lead in Enduro3 with a commanding victory on day one. Hamish MacDonald finished second, beating Matteo Cavallo by 48 seconds.

Enduro Junior

In the GALFER FIM EnduroGP Junior Enduro World Championship, it was an intense two-way battle for first place. Ultimately, Kyron Bacon emerged victorious after a series of consistent top-two results throughout the day put the Tasmanian ahead by four seconds.

Championship leader Max Ahlin held the lead all day until the final test where Bacon just edged out the Swede for the top spot. The victory marks a debut Enduro Junior category win for Bacon.

Rounding out the top three was Thibault Giraudon, with Matej Skuta in fourth. Leo Joyon finished fifth on day one.

Enduro Youth

The super-competitive Enduro Youth class provided plenty of excitement at the POLISPORT GP of Slovakia. Championship leader Manuel Verzeroli extended his advantage further, enjoying his fourth win of the season after an impressive day. Romain Dagna put the pressure on Verzeroli all day, finishing just seven seconds behind the Italian on day one.

Just a further six seconds down on Dagna was Luca Colorio, proving how competitive the Enduro Youth category is. Fourth place went to current championship runner-up Alberto Elgari, with Pietro Scardina in fifth.

EnduroGP Results Round 5 – Day 1

1. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:06:07.03
2. Nathan Watson (Beta) 1:06:24.07
3. Steve Holcombe (Honda) 1:06:29.44
4. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:06:40.04
5. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:06:52.78
6. Wil Ruprecht (Sherco) 1:07:27.74
7. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:07:47.15
8. Theo Espinasse (Beta) 1:08:13.26
9. Samuele Bernardini (Honda) 1:08:16.67
10. Matteo Cavallo (TM Racing) 1:08:35.04

Day Two

Taking on the MAXXIS Enduro Test to start the day, it was Josep Garcia who came out swinging and set the tone for the day, going fastest by seven seconds over Brad Freeman. The Spaniard didn’t hold back, winning the first ACERBIS Cross Test too, building his lead from the off.

Brad Freeman settled into a rhythm by the end of lap one, taking the win on the POLISPORT Extreme Test over Matteo Pavoni. However, it wasn’t enough to close the gap to Garcia, with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider already eight seconds ahead after the opening lap.

Lap two saw Garcia get another test win under his belt, but new contenders emerged soon after. Victory in the ACERBIS Cross Test went to Nathan Watson, day one’s EnduroGP runner up.

Slowly getting into the swing of things, Andrea Verona put in a series of top-three times before topping the timesheets on the POLISPORT Extreme Test on lap two. The Italian proved that consistency is key, his impressive results moving him up to second overall ahead of Freeman after two laps.

The three-way battle between Garcia, Freeman and Verona intensified on the final lap of the day, with all three securing a convincing test win each. Ultimately, Garcia came out on top, no doubt fuelled by his below par day one result, finishing with an 18-second lead overall. Less than half a second separated Brad Freeman and Andrea Verona, with the Brit just edging out the Italian to take second place.

After a test win and multiple top-three test results, Nathan Watson steered his Beta to a fourth-place finish, with countryman Steve Holcombe just two tenths of a second behind in fifth.

Not only topping the EnduroGP class, Josep Garcia also secured his sixth Enduro1 category win of the season, 30 seconds clear of second-placed Steve Holcombe. As on day one, Theo Espinasse completed the E1 podium in third place.

Andrea Verona marked his eighth consecutive victory in the Enduro2 class, extending his lead to a remarkable 45 points ahead of Nathan Watson, who finished second on day two. Rounding out the top three was Sherco rider Wil Ruprecht who had another impressive day, clocking the third fastest time on the ACERBIS Cross Test on lap two.

Alongside his EnduroGP podium finish, Brad Freeman added another Enduro3 win to his collection with one and a half minutes to spare over second-placed Hamish Macdonald. Despite struggling with an ongoing injury, the New Zealander has now clocked four runner-up E3 finishes in a row. Matteo Cavallo completed the top three.

Josep Garcia

“It feels good to get the win here on the second day. Saturday was tough for me, I felt good in myself, but was struggling to find a good rhythm on the mixed tests. A mistake early on cost me a few seconds and I wasn’t quite able to regain all the lost time. From the first test on Sunday, I knew things were going to be better. I changed my mentality overnight and came into day two feeling focused and positive. I was able to open up a gap on the first lap and maintained that advantage to the end. There was no time to relax – all the guys here were pushing really hard and the times were close. I’m pleased to take the win and now I’m looking forward to the next round in a few weeks’ time.”

Brad Freeman

“It’s been an up and down weekend for me with some really good test results, but a few too many mistakes too. I really tried my hardest today and I’m happy to be on the podium, but I know it will take that little bit extra if I want to top the EnduroGP class.”

Andrea Verona

“Overall it’s been a good weekend here in Slovakia. It was great to take my third overall win of the season on Saturday – I was riding really well and was able to push hard all day. On Sunday, I started off a little too calmly and paid for it on the first test. I knew I had to get a little more aggressive and on lap two, I was able to get back inside the top two overall. My pace was good, but everyone was riding really well here and I just missed out on second overall by half a second. It’s been a bit on an up and down day today, but a very positive weekend on the whole. I have made up a couple of points on the championship leader, so now I’m focused on giving it full gas for the last two rounds.”

Enduro Junior

Securing six test wins on day two, it was Kyron Bacon who topped the timesheets in the GALFER FIM Enduro Junior World Championship, taking his second victory of the weekend. Bacon battled with championship leader Max Ahlin all day, but ultimately it was the Tasmanian who came out on top, with Ahlin finishing second.

Third place was awarded to Kevin Cristino, followed by Matej Skuta and Leo Joyon, with just twelve seconds separating the three.

Kyron Bacon

“I’ve had a really good weekend! I started off strong this morning, made a few small mistakes but I have really enjoyed battling with Max [Ahlin] all weekend. I’m used to these conditions which I think played to my advantage, and it’s definitely a big confidence boost for me.”

Enduro Youth

Enduro Youth saw championship leader Manuel Verzeroli (KTM) extend his lead to an impressive 42 points with a win on day two at the POLISPORT GP of Slovakia. Hot on the Italian’s heels all day was Romain Dagna, who finished as runner-up, just eight seconds behind Verzeroli. An unfortunate injury for Alberto Elgari ruled the Italian out of the battle early on.

Rounding out the top three was Pietro Scardina, with Clement Clauzier placing fourth. Luca Colorio completed the top five.

Manuel Verzeroli

“I’m really happy to win again today because my lead in the Enduro Youth championship is even bigger now. The conditions here were hard but I really enjoyed them. I’m looking forward to the final two rounds of the season.”

With just two rounds left to contest, the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship continues in three weeks’ time with the ENduroGP of Wales in Rhayader on August 2-4.

EnduroGP Results Round 5 – Day 2

1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:03:46.40
2. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:04:04.91
3. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:04:05.91
4. Nathan Watson (Beta) 1:04:16.70
5. Steve Holcombe (Honda) 1:04:16.95
6. Wil Ruprecht (Sherco) 1:05:21.48
7. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:05:23.19
8. Matteo Cavallo (TM Racing) 1:05:31.35
9. Samuele Bernardini (Honda) 1:05:53.46
10. Theo Espinasse (Beta) 1:05:56.12…

EnduroGP Championship Standings (After round five)

1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 177pts
2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 169pts
3. Steve Holcombe (Honda) 154pts
4. Brad Freeman (Beta) 113pts
5. Nathan Watson (Beta) 110pts
6. Zach Pichon (Sherco) 73pts
7. Samuele Bernardini (Honda) 73pts
8. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 68pts
9. Matteo Cavallo (TM Racing) 60pts
10. Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna) 55pts

Fienhage wins FIM Long Track second final

Lukas Fienhage raced to a commanding victory on Saturday night as the second Final of the 2024 FIM Long Track World Championship staged under floodlights at Marmande in south-west France.

The 24-year-old German star, who won the title in 2020, was in good form all night and his Grand Final win from Great Britain’s Zach Wajtknecht and reigning champion Martin Smolinski was a reverse of the top-three finishing positions at May’s opening round in Herxheim, meaning all three riders are now tied at the top of the championship standings on 38-points apiece.

Fienhage and Wajtknecht both got off to winning starts in their opening Heat races along with Dave Meijerink from the Netherlands and the dynamic Dutchman then moved into the lead on his own when he defeated Fienhage and Smolinski in the second block of Heats after Wajtknecht dropped a point to 2021 champion Romano Hummel.

Meijerink maintained his momentum with victory in his third Heat ahead of home hero Mathias Trésarrieu, Smolinski and Wajtknecht, but Fienhage kept the pressure firmly on with his second victory of the night as British fan favourite Chris Harris moved into contention with his first win of the programme.

With two Heats left to decide the all-important top three riders who would get an automatic place in the Grand Final, 24-year-old Meijerink led on 12 points, one ahead of Fienhage and three clear of Wajtknecht and Harris with Smolinski and Dutch racer Mika Meijer tied for fifth on seven.

Meijerink extended his unbeaten run with victory in his fourth Heat, but a third win for Fienhage – who led home Wajtknecht, Smolinski and Harris – kept the gap to just a single point and set up a tense final block of Heats where the two leaders would meet for the first time that night.

It was Fienhage who came out on top, but Meijerink was only a bike length behind as they crossed the line and they both progressed to the Grand Final on 19 points each before Wajtknecht also booked his place with second behind Harris in his final Heat.

The next five riders – Harris, Trésarrieu, Smolinski, Meijer and series newcomer Steven Goret who was making a very impressive FIM World Championship debut on his home track – then lined up for the Last Chance Heat with only the top two transferring to the Grand Final.

On paper there were two clear favourites and Harris and Smolinski did not disappoint with the British rider taking the lead with an outside pass very similar to the move that gave him victory over the German in Marmande last season.

With the Heat scores wiped, the top five lined up for the Grand Final and it was Fienhage who reacted the fastest from the inside gate when the tapes went up to take an early lead with Meijerink clipping his rear wheel as he attempted to push his way to the front.

With a career-first podium at this level almost within his grasp, the Dutchman then suffered the heartbreak of a mechanical problem that forced him out, leaving Fienhage to claim a clear win from Wajtknecht and Smolinski with Harris, who also appeared to be struggling with a technical issue, limping across the line in fourth.

The result sets up a thrilling clash at Scheessel in Germany on 18 August for the third of this season’s five scheduled Finals.

Toni Bou wins TrialGP of Belgium

Toni Bou (Montesa) took another step towards an unprecedented 18th straight TrialGP title and Emma Bristow (Sherco) was back on top in TrialGP Women as the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship travelled to Belgium. In Trial2 Arnau Farré (Sherco) claimed his third win of the campaign while Euan Sim (Sherco) upset the formbook with victory in Trial3 and Sara Trentini (TRRS) came away with maximum points in the FIM Women’s Trial2 World Cup.

Returning to the facility at Comblain-au-Pont for the TrialGP of Belgium for the first time since 2022, the world’s leading Trial riders knew Sunday’s single day of competition would provide a suitably tough challenge, but torrential rain on Friday resulted in extremely testing conditions – especially on the second half of the course that was under tree cover and never really dried out.

Bou, of course, is in his element when the going gets tough and the Spanish superstar took the lead halfway around the opening lap before opening up an unassailable advantage, although the second half of the lap accounted for fourteen of the twenty marks he lost on observation. A single mark on time boosted Bou’s first-lap total to twenty-one which put him ten clear of his compatriot and closest challenger Jorge Casales (TRRS) who in turn was two ahead of Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) whose total included two time penalties.

It was Marcelli who set the pace on lap two as he powered his way through the sections based in and around a quarry and wooded hillside overlooking the town with the twenty-four-year-old Spaniard adding another seventeen to his score – one less than Bou – to make sure of second as Adam Raga (Sherco) completed the podium with a total of fifty-four.

Casales’ hopes of a podium finish disappeared on lap two when he picked up an additional twenty-six marks and he ended the day in fifth after Jaime Busto (GASGAS) pulled level on the final section of lap two before winning the tie-break for fourth.

Toni Bou – P1

“Today’s result is very good in general terms and we cannot ask for much more. Things are going very well for us this season, so I can only thank the team for all the work they have done to make all this possible. We head into the summer break with a very good feeling and with important points for the standings. We still have to finish the season off, but the truth is that we have had a very, very good first half.”

Gabriel Marcelli – P2

“I’m very happy and satisfied with how the day went today in Belgium. I was riding well, even though I felt the pressure for the overall standings, and we finished it off with a great second lap to finish on the podium in second position. It’s a good result which gives us peace of mind and extra motivation for what lies ahead. We have one race left in the Spanish Championship before the summer break, so we are looking forward to continuing in in the same way. Thank you to the team for a great job.”

Jaime Busto – P4

“I didn’t have the best start to the day, the first section was tough and I made a few too many mistakes. However, I had a much better second lap and managed to come home in fourth place with some important championship points. It’s not what we wanted but we will keep working hard and come back better next time.”

TrialGP of Belgium Results

TrialGP Standings

Women’s Trials

In her retirement season, British lioness Bristow recovered from the disappointment of finishing third on day two at the TrialGP of Germany with a commanding performance to make it four wins from five starts as she bids to sign off with her tenth title in eleven years.

Parting with just nine on her opening lap, Bristow led her Spanish rival Berta Abellan (Scorpa) and compatriot Alice Minta (Scorpa) by seven before her second lap total of ten plus one time penalty put the result beyond doubt.

Abellan – who won on day two in Germany – could not find an answer to Bristow’s brilliance, although her lap-two score of fourteen allowed her to break free of Minta who ended the day on thirty-five to equal her career-best finish at this level after taking third on a tie-break with Italy’s Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta). Great Britain’s Kaytlyn Adshead (TRRS) recorded her best finish of the season in fifth another five marks behind.

Heading into Comblain-au-Pont with the Trial2 series lead on the back of three consecutive wins, Britain’s Jack Peace (Sherco) produced another consistent performance, although he – along with the rest of the field – could not find an answer to Farré who was in fantastic form.

It was British rider Harry Hemingway (Beta) who held a narrow lead following the opening lap with his score of eleven giving him a two-mark advantage over his fellow countryman and defending champion Billy Green (Scorpa). However, while his rivals tried – and failed – to keep their second lap totals in single figures, Farré reeled off a score of just six that when added to his first-lap total of twelve plus three on time gave him a three-mark winning advantage.

Hemingway’s hopes of a first Trial2 win ended with a maximum on his second attempt at section ten, where Farré went clean on lap two, but he still finished three clear of Peace who now heads into the six-week summer break with an extended nineteen-point championship lead from Farré after Alex Canales (Sherco), who was second at the start of the day, struggled to eighth.

Following the first three rounds and six days of competition, defending Trial3 champion George Hemingway (Beta) was unbeaten, but his compatriot Sim – in just his first year of FIM World Championship competition – produced an incredible opening lap of seven to take an eight-mark lead at the halfway point from Norway’s Jonas Jorgensen (Beta) as Hemingway sat outside the top ten on twenty-two.

Adding another eleven to his score on lap two, Sim booked his place on the top step of the podium as Hemingway – who was riding with a suspected broken finger following a training crash on Saturday – staged an incredible comeback with his final total of twenty-nine giving him second on a tie-break from rising French star Romeo Piquet (Beta). The runners up spot was enough for Hemingway to clinch the Trial3 title for the second year in a row with one counting day still remaining in France.

Only seventh in the points table after a disappointing start to the FIM Women’s Trial2 World Cup in Germany, Trentini looked a different rider in Belgium and she ended the opening lap on ten, two ahead of last weekend’s double winner Martina Brandani (Sherco) as the Italian pair pulled clear.

Dropping her score to seven on lap two, Trentini ended the day four clear of Brandani with Spain’s Laia Pi (Beta) coming home third on thirty.

2024 Pro MX Round Seven
Spring Creek Wrap

See the full report and results here:
AMA Pro MX Spring Creek – An illustrated recap

The second half of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship got underway on Saturday with the series’ annual visit to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” and the dynamic layout of legendary Spring Creek MX Park. The FXR Spring Creek National Presented by Frescados Tortillas signified Round 7 of the summer campaign, where high humidity and temperatures in the mid-80’s gave way to late thunderstorms to present arguably the most challenging race conditions of the season.

In the 450 Class, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton further asserted his ascension to the top of the division with a second straight sweep of the motos, one week after he moved atop the championship standings.

In the 250 Class, a season already filled with memorable performances added another as Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen broke through for his first career Pro Motocross victory following a 1-1 effort.

450 Round

Sexton’s second straight 1-1 outing secured his third win of the season and the ninth victory of his career. Lawrence’s 2-2 performance placed him in the runner-up spot and continued the unblemished podium streak to open his 450 Class career, which now stands at seven. Cooper’s strong second moto landed him on the overall podium for the second time in the premier division in third (5-3), earning a tiebreaker over Plessinger.

Sexton’s back-to-back sweeps have now placed him 13 points ahead of Lawrence in the championship standings with four rounds remaining. Cooper remains third, 61 points behind Sexton.

Chase Sexton – P1

“These last two races, I really wanted to capitalize on, because in the past I’ve been sluggish in the middle of the season, so I have been focused on keeping the momentum going. I had a pretty good start in both motos, just got pushed wide in the second one, so had some work to do. Overall though, I had a really good flow, the track felt a lot better in that final moto for me, and I was able to put in some good laps. Thanks to the whole group behind me – this is fun, so let’s keep it going!”

Hunter Lawrence – P2

“I was [tired] and Chase [Sexton] has been riding unreal all day today. I tried to make it tough on him, but he was like a freight train. It’s been a tough day today and we’re working through it. It’s my job to give 100% and that’s what I did today.”

Justin Cooper – P3

“We put on a paddle tyre for Moto 2 and that made the difference [on the start]. I sprinted as hard as I could through halfway, but those guys got me. I settled down a bit and made another run at the end and was able to get close to Hunter [Lawrence]. We’ll take the podium and move forward.”

Aaron Plessinger – P4

“Millville started off really awesome. Moto 1, I got off to a great start and Chase went around me, then I kind of just stayed in third. Second moto, we got a mid-pack start and I was riding so good, but unfortunately, I lost the back-end around one of the corners and lost a few positions. I got back up and was on it again, before I kind of hit a wall there towards the end. I wish I could have caught those guys, one more position would have landed me on the podium because I was tied for third, but ended up fourth. It was a good weekend though, we’re coming out healthy, and I’m excited for Washougal.”

Jason Anderson – P5

“I felt great in the morning on my KX450SR and qualified first, which felt good heading into the motos. In Moto 1, I got a good jump out of the gate and thought I had more pace on the guys in front of me, but a few mistakes caused me to stay in that fourth spot all moto. In Moto 2, I had an even better jump out of the gate and maintained pressure on the top guys the entire race, but stayed consistent and finished just outside the Top 3. Overall, I am happy with the direction we are going and I am looking forward to more racing.”

Christian Craig – P7

“Today started off good with my best qualifying all season. All-in-all, I got better starts, was riding better all-round, and stayed off the ground. We put in two solid motos for my best finish of the season so far – I can’t be mad, but we’re always striving for more.”

Malcolm Stewart – P10

“I actually had fun today. First moto, I went down, but made a lot of passes for eighth and that was great. Second moto, not a terrible start, and then I got together with another rider. I put a hard charge on, went down again, and – I’ll be honest – I kind of gassed myself out at that point. It’s part of racing when you’re on the edge and getting going again. We’ll take what we got and learn, so I’m looking forward to getting back to Washougal next.”

450 Round Results – Top 20

450 Championship Points – Top 20

250 Round

Kitchen’s first career Pro Motocross victory came in emphatic fashion with a 1-1 performance and makes him the 94th different rider in history to capture a 250 Class victory. He’s also the third different rider to achieve that feat this season alone. Deegan’s resiliency paid off with a runner-up finish (3-4), while Cochran became the newest face on the overall podium in third (9-2).

Deegan’s ability to fend off what could have been a difficult afternoon in the points chase allowed him to see his championship advantage grow further, now 51 points clear of Kitchen, who made a huge move from fifth to second in the standings with the win. Vialle, who finished seventh (2-17), remains third, 54 points out of the lead.

Levi Kitchen – P1

“I finally made it happen! It has been a long time coming and ever since that third place moto finish in Redbud, it was game time. I focused solely on intensity throughout the week coming up to Spring Creek and everything fell into place. In both races, I made crucial early passes and managed to keep up with the leaders, which allowed me to capitalize on my opportunities. Overall, I’m pleased with my bike’s performance and my fitness level, also excited to head back to my hometown to put on a show in front of my friends and family.”

Haiden Deegan – P2

“Chance [Hymas] came down and tried to get the edge off the start, next thing I know I flipped over and had to kick my exhaust back into place. This was the time to show I got that dog in me. I sent that all the way to the end. P2 and I’m pretty stoked about that.”

Casey Cochran – P3

“I can’t explain the feelings right now. I got a great holeshot [in Moto 2] and got a good lead. I’m just shocked. I crossed the finish in second and I’m stoked that I got third overall. It’s just an unreal feeling.”

Ryder DiFrancesco – P6

“Millville was good. It started out rough, but got better throughout the day. We need to sort out the first motos, because the second motos have been good – I just need to put the two together. Washougal is next and one of my favorites, so I’m excited to go back west at this stage of the season.”

Tom Vialle – P7

“The first race was a fight, the whole moto, and I tried to push to the end – second was a good result. Unfortunately, the second moto was tough after I crashed, but we will keep pushing into Washougal next week.”

Ty Masterpool – P8

“Today was tough for me. I couldn’t find my groove in qualifying on this tough track. In Moto 1, I got a good jump out of the gate and tried to maintain my position, but I kept making little mistakes here and there. The track was brutal all day and then the thunderstorm rolled in and made the second moto even more challenging. I got another good jump out of the gate, but got caught in the first turn crash and had to start from way back. I stayed composed and made my way back up to 10th which I am proud of after being down on the ground for quite some time. Time to regroup and go for it next weekend. Thank you to the entire Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team for keeping everything dialed all weekend.”

Julien Beaumer – P10

“First moto, I was a little bit sluggish, couldn’t quite get back into that race pace that we’ve been doing, so it took me a minute to get going again. Moto 2, I had a bad start, but came through to eighth and was happy with our progress throughout the day. It’s really good to be back at the races and I’m ready for Washougal!”

Jo Shimoda – P13

“The first moto was pretty good. I made some good passes, but I made some wrong decisions around lappers. Unfortunately, moto 2 wasn’t as positive, but that’s racing—anything can happen. We’ll move past this and on to next weekend.”

Pierce Brown – P14

“It wasn’t a good day here at Millville for me, unfortunately. I haven’t been feeling like myself lately with some sicknesses, so we will have to figure that out, but we did what we could today in the end. Onto Washougal!”

Chance Hymas – P15

“It was not an ideal end to my weekend here in Millville. I ended up fifth in the first moto, just a little off the pace of the leaders. In the second moto, I got my leg run over off the start, and that was the end of my race. Thankfully, nothing’s broken, but my leg is a balloon right now. We’ll get it looked at this week and try to get healed up for Washougal.”

250 Round Results – Top 20

250 Championship Points – Top 20

2024 FIM Speedway of Nations

Great Britain captain Robert Lambert admits his track telepathy with Dan Bewley helped the Lions storm to an epic FIM Speedway of Nations world-title triumph in Manchester on Saturday evening.

GB’s dynamic duo got the weekend off to a golden start when they defeated Australia 7-2 in the Grand Final, with Bewley blazing under Roos pair Jack Holder and Brady Kurtz to join Lambert at the front and take the roof off the National Speedway Stadium.

A famous victory comes less than three years since Lambert and Bewley joined forces to end Britain’s 32-year wait for a world team title at the last FIM SON Final staged in Manchester in October 2021.

The Brits have now finished in the world’s top two for the last four seasons on the bounce and Lambert admits his on-track understanding with Bewley, who races for Manchester host club Belle Vue, made all the difference as they grabbed gold in the ultimate test of team riding.

Robert Lambert

“It’s an awesome feeling. We are world champions once again and I can’t believe we actually did it. Me and Dan have an unwritten language together on the track. He made some gaps where I could get through and vice versa. It all came down to the final. I made the start and got in front. I had faith in Dan to push through and not get the last place because he is absolutely incredible around here. All the fans were telling us at the autograph session that we were going to bring home the gold. You brush it off and try not to think about it because when you think about the end result, stuff doesn’t happen. We just took it race by race and I was happy that my bike was working from heat one. Today worked and everything paid off. We come away as world champions.”

The GB duo was pipped to top spot in the heat score chart by Australia, with the Roos securing automatic Grand Final qualification on 36 points, and the Lions scoring 35. This pitted them against third-placed Sweden, who recorded 27 points, in the Grand Final Qualifier.

Despite Sweden’s world No.2 Fredrik Lindgren winning the race – Lambert’s only loss to an opponent all night – the Brits finished second and third to claim a 5-4 heat advantage.

Lambert admits the showdown with Sweden was even more tense than their title fight with the Aussies. He said: “It was hard not getting straight through to the Grand Final. We had more pressure in the semi than we did the final. Whatever way that went, we would have walked away with silver or gold. We knew we could do it. We stayed calm throughout the whole meeting and managed to get the gold back again.”

Lambert, Bewley and GB reserve rider Tom Brennan won gold together in Manchester, but it will be every Brit for himself in the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff at Principality Stadium on August 17.

Aussie skipper Jack Holder led his side to victory at the last FIM SON Final in Vojens, Denmark two years ago. He worked overtime in this year’s Grand Final to engineer a way through for partner Brady Kurtz, who impressed on his FIM SON debut this week. But the Roos fell just short of a second straight gold medal on a Manchester track that allowed Bewley to make one of the passes of the season to snatch gold for GB.

Jack Holder

“The whole meeting tonight was awesome. There was plenty of good racing and the crowd was loving it. It came down to that Grand Final and the Speedway of Nations is hard. You are trying to race your own race, but you are always looking behind. You are trying to slow it up and it’s quite hard to slow up a race when you are going that fast around this track. We did the best we could and that was enough for second. Brady was good. He has ridden here week in and week out for Belle Vue over the last couple of years. He did his job; everyone did their job. It wasn’t good enough, but fair play to Great Britain – they got the job done when it mattered. We will hopefully come back strong next year.”

Sweden bagged bronze for the second straight FIM SON and their captain Lindgren was delighted with his side’s performance over the week as double Swedish champion Jacob Thorssell starred alongside him.

Lindgren said: “When you are in the Grand Final Qualifier, you are fighting for it. But overall, we have done a really good job over these two meetings. We should be proud of the bronze medal we got. Jacob did a tremendous job alongside me. I am very happy.”

2024 FIM Speedway of Nations Final Scores

1. GREAT BRITAIN 35: 1 Robert Lambert 22, 2 Dan Bewley 13, 3 Tom Brennan DNR.
2. AUSTRALIA 36: 1 Jack Holder 20, 2 Max Fricke DNR, 3 Brady Kurtz 16.
3. SWEDEN 27: 1 Fredrik Lindgren 17, 2 Jacob Thorssell 10, 3 Oliver Berntzon DNR.
4. GERMANY 26: 1 Kai Huckenbeck 16, 2 Norick Blodorn 10, 3 Erik Riss DNR.
5. POLAND 24: 1 Dominik Kubera 13, 2 Bartosz Zmarzlik 11, 3 Patryk Dudek DNR.
6. DENMARK 21: 1 Mikkel Michelsen 8, 2 Anders Thomsen 5, 3 Rasmus Jensen 8.
7. LATVIA 20: 1 Andzejs Lebedevs 12, 2 Daniils Kolodinskis 6, 3 Jevgenijs Kostigovs 2.

GRAND FINAL QUALIFIER: Lindgren, Lambert, Bewley, Thorssell (GB wins 5-4)

GRAND FINAL: Lambert, Bewley, Holder, Kurtz (GB wins 7-2).

2024 FIM Speedway of Nations Results

2024 FIM Team Speedway U21 World Championship

Polish Under-21 captain Wiktor Przyjemski admits teamwork made Poland’s FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 dream work as they landed a sensational 17th FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship in Manchester on Friday.

Poland picked up their 11th straight gold medal on 41 points over an epic 28-heat showdown which saw Sweden pip Australia to the silver medals on countback after they tied on 38 points, with the Swedes winning the countries’ head-to-head battle 5-4 in heat 20.

Hosts Great Britain were also firmly in the medal mix, taking fourth place on 35 in one of the all-time great FIM Team Speedway Under-21 events, with Denmark fifth on 31, Germany sixth on 29, Czech Republic seventh on 21 and Latvia eighth on 17.

Poland produced a consistent performance throughout the heats on a wet Manchester track, which tested the sport’s top young riders in the early stages of the contest but delivered some epic action.

Bartosz Banbor scored 22-points with Przyjemski notching 19. The pair race together for Polish club Lublin, and skipper Przyjemski admits an understanding forged in the colours of the PGE Ekstraliga champions paid dividends for their country as he won his third SON2 gold medal in as many years.

Wiktor Przyjemski

“I am very happy we achieved another gold medal. That’s my third in a row. The team was completely different this year, and I have to say that working with Bartosz on the track was great. We know each other from our club in Lublin and we understand each other very well on the track. That’s why we put in such a good performance. We worked together perfectly. Maybe working together at our club on a daily basis helps a little bit, but there is something we have in our blood. When I raced with Mateusz Cierniak in SON2 last year, we also put in a good team performance. It is vital to look for your partner and it was great to team up with Bartek.”

Banbor was involved in one of the night’s most decisive moments after he crashed in heat nine as he battled Philip Hellström-Bängs. The Swede was disqualified, and Sweden fell just three points short of gold.

Philip Hellström-Bängs

“First of all, I want to say congratulations to Poland. But I think they had some luck in getting the gold. In my opinion, I was one bike length ahead coming off the straight. I was turning left, and I feel he was too. He touched me and then he laid it down. I don’t know what to say. I am so upset.  We had a strong team this year and a big chance for the gold medals. In my opinion, we should have had it. But we showed them we were really fast on this track and against these riders. I think we did pretty well.”

Banbor feels the referee made the correct call. He said: “On the corner before, I made a mistake and that’s when Casper Henriksson overtook me. He overtook me without going into me. When Philip went into me, I lost control of the bike. I think the decision was good. I was hit and I was not able to stay on the bike.”

Aussie racer Keynan Rew powered to a terrific 27 points from a possible 28 as his country bagged the bronze medals. With a display of blistering speed and electrifying gating, he was delighted to sign off his Aussie Under-21 career with a sublime display before moving into the senior ranks next year.

Keynan Rew

“I worked my butt off, and I am happy. I have been trying for years to get a medal with Australia, so I am happy that I have finally got one. I know it is only a bronze and we were so close to the gold. I did everything I could, and I am happy I got a bronze medal. I was making very good starts, which saved a lot of tear-offs. It was a lot easier up front.  I think it would have been a great meeting to watch at home or even in the stadium. The meeting was very tight, and the scores were going everywhere. Teams were all beating each other, and it kept it very close. It was a very exciting meeting.”

FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship
2024 SON2 Scores

1. POLAND 41: 1 Wiktor Przyjemski 19, 2 Bartosz Banbor 22, 3 Jakub Krawczyk DNR.
2. SWEDEN 38: 1 Casper Henriksson 15, 2 Philip Hellstrom-Bangs 23, 3 Rasmus Karlsson DNR.
3. AUSTRALIA 38: 1 Keynan Rew 27, 2 James Pearson 11, 3 Michael West DNR.
4. GREAT BRITAIN 35: 1 Leon Flint 22, 2 Dan Thompson 8, 3 Sam Hagon 5.
5. DENMARK 31: 1 Jesper Knudsen 0, 2 Bastian Pedersen 20, 3 Villads Nagel 11.
6. GERMANY 29: 1 Norick Blodorn 25, 2 Jonny Wynant 0, 3 Patrick Hyjek 4.
7. CZECH REPUBLIC 21: 1 Adam Bubba Bednar 14, 2 Jan Jenicek 5, 3 Matous Kamenik 2.
8. LATVIA 17: 1 Nikita Kaulins 7, 2 Artjoms Juhno 10.

2024 Racing schedule

2024 FIM EnduroGP Calendar

2024 MXGP Calendar (Provisional)

2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championships Provisional Calendar

2024 Monster Energy Supercross & Pro Motocross calendars

2024 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship calendar