Moto News Weekly Wrap
January 17, 2023
What’s New:
- World Supercross Championship expands in 2023
- Brodie Connolly joins Honda Racing Australia
- Austin Forkner out for rest of AMA SX season
- Toby Price narrowly misses Dakar victory – Sanders seventh
- 2023 Australian Solo Speedway wraps up in North Brisbane
- 2023 Racing Calendars
World Supercross Championship expands in 2023
The Australian-run FIM World Supercross Championship has bolstered its search for global sponsors with the appointment of top international agencies – Dentsu Sports Europe/Asia and TGI Sport to represent it.
The Series will expand to six rounds across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia starting mid-2023.
TGI Sport will manage sponsorship acquisition for both WSX French and German Grand Prix events, while Dentsu Sports Europe/Dentsu Sports Asia will represent the WSX British & Asian Grand Prix events, with both agencies also supporting on global WSX Championship partnership opportunities.
Tomohiro Nakano- CEO of Dentsu Sports Europe
“We are thrilled to be aligning with SX Global on such an exciting new project within the world of Supercross. With each event showcasing an incredible spectacle of world class racing and entertainment, our teams in the UK and Asia along with our global network will work closely together to introduce partners to the engaged and passionate audience that WSX delivers.”
Martin Jolly- Global CEO, TGI Sport
“TGI are delighted to be formally associated with WSX globally with a specific focus on the German and French markets. The Championship is attractive to brands wishing to associate with a younger audience as it provides a unique mix of world class sport and entertainment. The appeal to Millennials, Gen Y and Gen Z is assured given the combination of popular music artists and credible action packed supercross racing.”
The independent team ownership model, similar to F1 and NASCAR, sees the 10 official and exclusive WSX Teams each fielding 2 x riders in both the WSX (450cc) and SX2 (250cc) Classes and their headquarters span across France, USA, Italy and Australia.
The Opening Round of the WSX Championship will take place in the UK, at Villa Park, Birmingham on July 1st.
The Championship will then cross the channel to France for round two on July 22nd at Groupama Stadium in Lyon-Décines.
The series will make its way into South-East Asia on September 30th, before heading to Dusseldorf, Germany on October 14th at Merkur Spiel Arena.
On October 28th, WSX will be in Canada at BC Place in Vancouver and, once again, the Grand Finale will take place in Melbourne, Australia at Marvel Stadium, on Nov. 24th and 25th.
Brodie Connolly joins Honda Racing Australia
Honda Racing Australia have confirmed that 19-year-old Brodie Connolly will race for Team HRC Australia in the MX2 division in the upcoming domestic series. Connolly hails from New Zealand and has shown his class on many occasions in different locations around the world.
The Brodie Connolly signing completes the Honda Racing Australia line-up for the new season. Connolly is set to sit alongside Terrafirma Equipment Sales Team HRC Wilson Todd in the MX2 class, whilst Jed Beaton and Kyle Webster will be in MX1. Emma Milesevic and Tahlia O’Hare will race in MXW, as confirmed previously. The new season starts in Wonthaggi on March 05.
Brodie Connolly
“To get an opportunity with a team as successful as this is truly an honour and something that I aim to make the most of. I’m excited about the potential that the CRF250R has and truly cannot wait to hit the racetrack! I have watched the success this team has had with four 250 championships in a row across supercross and motocross. I want to thank everyone involved.”
Austin Forkner out for rest of AMA SX season
Austin Forkner will be sidelined for the remainder of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship following a collision at Anaheim 1 on January 7.
Forkner was on track to battle for the 250SX Western Regional Championship when a collision during the start of the Main Event at Anaheim 1, resulted in an injury to his right knee. After consultation with medical professionals, it was determined that the injury will force an early conclusion to Forkner’s 2023 Monster Energy Supercross efforts.
Austin Forkner
“I felt great going into this year and was ready to challenge for the championship. I think my qualifying and heat race speed proved that the preparation from the whole team was on par to win races. Unfortunately, I was involved in a racing incident during the start of the Main Event and injured my knee. This is definitely a frustrating situation, but I’m extremely motivated to focus on my recovery and I will get back to work with the team.”
Toby Price narrowly misses Dakar victory – Sanders seventh
The 2023 Dakar Rally chequered flag fell on Sunday after 5,000 kilometres against the clock with 14 stages across Saudi Arabia, from the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf via the Empty Quarter desert.
This year’s race was not decided until the final few kilometres with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Benavides won his second of the four Dakar editions hosted by Saudi Arabia.
Going into the 14th and final stage on Sunday it was Benavides’ Australian team-mate Price who led by 12 seconds, however Price could not match the pace of the charging 34-year-old Argentinian after missing three checkpoints and crossed the line in second place while American Skyler Howes took third place for Husqvarna.
Toby Price
“We’ve come away from the Dakar Rally with 2nd outright. To be honest, I am disappointed, we’ve come so damn far and to fall short by such a small margin is a tough one to swallow. However, full credit to Kevin, he rode a crazy solid race and I’m really proud of the entire KTM Factory Racing Team’s effort, this Dakar has been huge! All in all I am returning home in one piece with a trophy and 2023 is definitely starting better than what 2022 did. Huge thank you to my team, sponsors and most importantly my family! Time to soak it all in, thanks again!”
Australian Daniel Sanders of Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing finished seventh overall. Sanders led the rally during the first week before a bout of gastro poisoned his efforts. The Victorian also had to deal not with another thorn in his side, but a large thorn stuck in his arm for days causing him a great deal of pain. Another Dakar tale of ‘what could have been’…
Daniel Sanders
“Dakar is finally over! Seventh overall in the bikes and fourth in the final stage after a 3 min speed penalty… A roller coaster race as always starting the race with no preparation at all. Five days on a new rally bike, three days of road-books and two days testing in December is all I had to get ready for the hardest race in the world. I went into this Dakar not knowing what to expect, I wasn’t even sure if I was even going to be on the start line after struggling so much to ride through the pain in my elbow, it was only 70% healed. No facial incidents this year which was good but we had a 20mm thorn/needle in my arm muscle for 10 days, food poisoning/stomach bug for two days really bad, not being able to consume food and no energy. I believe I went into the race 20% prepared and everyone around knew how unprepared I was. Now I’m looking back at the last 14 days and I seriously don’t know how I finished everyday, I’m proud of what I’ve done in my circumstances and I believe I’ve showed a lot of people who I am and what I can do when I put my mind to it. We survived and conquered the 2023 Dakar and I’m looking forward to next years event prepared and ready for battle. Thank you to my Team, Sponsors, Family, Friends and Supporters I couldn’t have done it without you all. We never gave up!”
See the full Stage 14 round-up and results here:
Dakar Stage 14 (Final) Riders reflect on Dakar 2023
2023 Dakar Rally Final RallyGP Rankings
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time/Gap |
| 1 | KEVIN BENAVIDES | RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING | 44H 27′ 20” |
| 2 | TOBY PRICE | RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING | + 00H 00′ 43” |
| 3 | SKYLER HOWES | HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING | + 00H 05′ 04” |
| 4 | PABLO QUINTANILLA | MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM | + 00H 19′ 02” |
| 5 | ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN | MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM | + 00H 20′ 30” |
| 6 | LUCIANO BENAVIDES | HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING | + 00H 22′ 42” |
| 7 | DANIEL SANDERS | RED BULL GASGAS FACTORY RACING | + 00H 25′ 57” |
| 8 | JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO | MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM | + 00H 51′ 21” |
| 9 | LORENZO SANTOLINO | SHERCO FACTORY | + 01H 17′ 53” |
| 10 | FRANCO CAIMI | HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY | + 01H 38′ 04” |
| 11 | MARTIN MICHEK | ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP | + 01H 42′ 24” |
| 12 | STEFAN SVITKO | SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM | + 01H 50′ 42” |
| 13 | TOSHA SCHAREINA | BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM | + 01H 54′ 46” |
| 14 | SEBASTIAN BÜHLER | HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY | + 04H 15′ 13” |
| 15 | JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA | TEAM LS2 SHAD | + 04H 29′ 11” |
| 16 | ROSS BRANCH | HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY | + 06H 59′ 13” |
| 17 | MOHAMMED BALOOSHI | MX RIDE DUBAI | + 09H 54′ 18” |
Stage 14 Highlights Video
2023 Australian Solo Speedway wraps up in North Brisbane
For the full report see:
Fiery finale caps off 2023 Australian Solo Speedway Championships
Wednesday night saw the 2023 Australian Speedway Championships come down to the series final staged at North Brisbane, with Jack Holder, Max Fricke, Ryan Douglas and Rohan Tungate the top contenders.
By the final lap Holder had a good lead, taking time for a sneak peek back as he blasted through T4. Positions didn’t change as they rounded towards the chequered flag. Holder had time to raise his hand in a sign of victory as he exited T4. Congratulations to Jack Holder, our 2023 Australian Solo Speedway Champion.
Second overall after four rounds was Jason Doyle, followed by Max Fricke, and Rohan Tungate.
2023 Australian Solo Speedway Championship Points
(Final)
| Pos | Rider | Total | Rnd1 Gillman | Rnd2 Albury | Rnd3 Kurri Kurri | Rnd4 N. Brisbane |
| 1 | Jack Holder | 63 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 16 |
| 2 | Jason Doyle | 61 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 11 |
| 3 | Max Fricke | 53 | 11 | 17 | 8 | 17 |
| 4 | Rohan Tungate | 51 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 13 |
| 5 | Brady Kurtz | 45 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| 6 | Josh Pickering | 39 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 8 |
| 7 | Justin Sedgmen | 38 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| 8 | Chris Holder | 37 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| 9 | Zach Cook | 28 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| 10 | Zane Keleher | 22 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| 11 | James Pearson | 16 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 12 | Zaine Kennedy | 14 | – | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 13 | Ryan Douglas (WC) | 12 | – | – | – | 12 |
| 14 | Sam Masters | 8 | 8 | – | – | – |
| 15 | Ben Cook | 8 | 8 | – | – | – |
| 16 | Patrick Hamilton | 7 | – | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 17 | Jye Etheridge (WC) | 5 | – | – | 5 | – |
| 18 | Cooper Riordan | 4 | – | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Fraser Bowes | 3 | 3 | – | – | – |
| 20 | Brayden McGuinness | 2 | 2 | – | – | – |
| 21 | Michael West | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | Maurice Brown (WC) | 0 | – | 0 | – | – |
| 23 | Jake Turner (R) | 0 | 0 | – | – | – |
| 24 | Liam May (R) | 0 | 0 | – | – | – |
| 25 | Kane Lawrence | 0 | – | – | 0 | – |
| 26 | Harrison Ryan | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
| 27 | Jacob Hook (R) | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
2023 Racing schedule
2023 MXGP Calendar
| Date | GP | Venue | Additional Classes |
| 12 March | Patagonia Argentina | Villa la Angostura | – |
| 26 March | MXGP of Sardegna (ITA) | Riola Sardo | – |
| 10 April | MXGP of Switzerland | Frauenfeld | WMX & EMX125 |
| 16 April | MXGP of Trentino (ITA) | Pietramurata | EMX125 & EMX250 |
| 30 April | MXGP of Portugal | Agueda | EMX125 & EMX250 |
| 7 May | MXGP of Spain | Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos | WMX & EMX250 |
| 21 May | MXGP of France | Villars sous Ecot | WMX & EMX125 |
| 04 June | MXGP of Latvia | Kegums | EMX125 & EMX250 |
| 11 June | Liqui Moly MXGP Germany | Teutschenthal | EMX125 & EMX250 |
| 25 June | MXGP of Sumbawa (INA) | Sumbawa | – |
| 02 July | MXGP of Lombok (INA) | Lombok | – |
| 16 July | MXGP of Czech Republic | Loket | EMX65 & EMX85 & EMX2T |
| 23 July | MXGP of Flanders (BEL) | Lommel | EMX250 & EMX Open |
| 30 July | MXGP of Finland | Hyvinkää | EMX125 & EMX250 |
| 13 August | MXGP of Sweden | Uddevalla | EMX125 & EMX250 |
| 20 August | MXGP of The Netherlands | Arnhem | WMX & EMX125 |
| 3 September | MXGP of Türkiye | Afyonkarahisar | WMX & EMX250 |
| 17 September | MXGP of Vietnam | Thanh Hoa | – |
| 01 October | MXGP of TBA | TBA | – |
| 15 October | MXGP of Great Britain | Matterley Basin | EMX125 & EMX250 |
| 22 October | Monster Energy FIM MXoN | France, Ernée | bLUcRU |
| 9 July | FIM Junior World Championship | Romania, Bucharest | – |
| 8 October | Motocross Of European Nations | TBA | – |
FIM SuperEnduro World Championships Calendar
| Date | Location | Nation |
| Sat 4 February 2023 | Budapest / Papp Laszlo SportArena | Hungary |
| Thu 2 March 2023 | Jerusalem / Pais Arena | Israel |
| Sat 18 March 2023 | Gliwice / Arena Gliwice | Poland |
2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship Calendar
| Date | Location | Country |
| 31 March-2 April | San Remo/Arma di Taggia | Italy |
| 5-7 May | Lalin | Spain |
| 26-28 May | Heinola | Finland |
| 1-3 June | Skövde | Sweden |
| 30 June-2 July | Gelnica | Slovakia |
| 29 Sept-1 Oct | Valpaços | Portugal |
| 6 -8 October | St Andre/Santiago do Cacem | Portugal |
2023 American Flat Track Calendar
| Round | Date | Race | Location |
| 1 | March 9 | Daytona Flat Track I | Daytona Beach, FL |
| 2 | March 10 | Daytona Flat Track II | Daytona Beach, FL |
| 3 | March 25 | Senoia Short Track | Senoia, GA |
| 4 | April 1 | Arizona Bike Week | TBA |
| 5 | April 22 | Devil’s Bowl Half Mile | Mesquite, TX |
| 6 | May 6 | Ventura Short Track | Ventura, CA |
| 7 | May 13 | Sacramento Mile | Sacramento, CA |
| 8 | May 27 | Red Mile | Lexington, KY |
| 10 | June 17 | Du Quoin Mile | Du Quoin, IL |
| 11 | June 24 | Line Half-Mile | Lina, OH |
| 12 | July 1 | West Virginia Half-Mile | Mineral Wells, WV |
| 13 | July 8 | Orange Country Half-Mile | Middletown, NY |
| 14 | July 22 | Bridgeport Half-Mile | Bridgeport, NJ |
| 15 | July 30 | Peoria TT | Peroia, IL |
| 16 | August 6 | Buffalo Chip TT | Sturgis, SO |
| 17 | August 12 | Castle Rock TT | Castle Rock, WA |
| 18 | September 2 | Springfield Mile I | Springfield, IL |
| 19 | September 3 | Springfield Mile II | Springfield, IL |
2023 FIM World Supercross Calendar
| Date | Venue, Stadium | Country |
| 01 July | Birmingham, Villa Park Stadium | Great Britain |
| 22 July | Lyon-Décines, Groupama Stadium | France |
| 30 September | Asian Grand Prix (TBA) | South-East Asia |
| 14 October | Dusseldorf, Merkus Spiel Arena | Germany |
| 28 October | Vancouver, BC Place Stadium | Canada |
| 24-25 November | Melbourne, Marvel Stadium | Australia |
| *TBA = To be announced | ||
2023 AMA SuperMotocross Calendar
2023 Penrite ProMX Championship calendar
| Round | Location | Date | Classes |
| Round 1 | WONTHAGGI, VIC | 5 March | MX1, MX2, MX3, MXW |
| Round 2 | APPIN, NSW | 19 March | MX1, MX2, MX3 |
| Round 3 | WODONGA, VIC | 16 April | MX1, MX2, MX3, |
| Round 4 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Round 5 | GILLMAN, SA | 28 May | MX1, MX2, MX3, MXW |
| Round 6 | TOOWOOMBA, QLD | 25 June | MX1, MX2, MX3, |
| Round 7 | QLD MOTO PARK (QMP) | 13 August | MX1, MX2, MX3, MXW |
| Round 8 | COOLUM, QLD | 19-20 August | MX1, MX2, MX3, VETS, MXW |
GNCC 2023 Schedule
| Date | Event | Location |
| Feb 18-19 | Big Buck | Union, SC |
| Mar 4-5 | Wild Boar | Palatka, FL |
| Mar 11-12 | The General | Washington, GA |
| Apr 1-2 | Tiger Run | Bick Buck Farm, Union SC |
| Apr 15-16 | Camp Coker Bullet | Society Hill, SC |
| May 6-7 | Hoosier | Crawfordsville, IN |
| May 20-21 | The John Penton | Millfield, OH |
| Jun 3-4 | Mason-Dixon | Mt. Morris, PA |
| Jun 24-25 | Snowshoe | Snowshoe, WV |
| Sep 16-17 | The Mountaineer | Beckley, WV |
| Oct 7-8 | Buckwheat 100 | Newburg, WV |
| Oct 21-22 | Ironman | Crawfordsville, IN |
2023 Australian Dirt Track Calendar
| Date | Championship | Location |
| April 15-16 | Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships | Mike Hatcher MCC (QLD) |
| July 15-16 | Australian Junior Track Championships | Hunter MCC (Barleigh Ranch Circuit) (NSW) |
| October 7-8 | Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships | Albury-Wodonga MCC (Diamond Park) (VIC) |
| October 28-29 | Australian Senior Track Championships | Hunter MCC (Barleigh Ranch Circuit) (NSW) |
2023 FIM Long Track World Championship
| FIM Long Track World Championship | |||
| Date | Event | Venue | Country |
| 24 June | Challenge | La Réole | France |
| 18 May | Final | Herxheim | Germany |
| 17 June | Final | Ostrów | Poland |
| 13 July | Final | Marmande | France |
| 20 August | Final | Scheessel | Germany |
| 02 September | Final | Morizès | France |
| 17 September | Final | Mühldorf | Germany |
| FIM Long Track of Nations | |||
| 24 September | Final | Roden | The Netherlands |
| FIM Speedway Youth Gold Trophy | |||
| 08 July | Final | Holsted | Denmark |
| FIM Track Racing Youth Gold Trophy | |||
| 23 July | Final | Gdańsk | Poland |
2023 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup Calendar
| DATE | VENUE | COUNTRY |
| 13 May | Barcelona | Spain |
| 24 June | Crans-Montana* | Switzerland |
| 29 July | Vollore-Montagne | France |
| 09 September | TBA | USA |
| 28 October | Busan* | South Korea |
| 18 November | TBA | ASIA |
| *Subject to contract | ||
2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship calendar
| Round | Event | Date |
| Round 1 | Xross, Serbia | May 17/18/19/20 |
| Round 2 | Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, Austria | June 8/9/10/11 |
| Round 3 | Red Bull Abestone, Italy | July 7/8/9 |
| Round 4 | Red Bull Romaniacs, Romania | July 25/26/27/28/29 |
| Round 5 | Red Bull Outliers, Canada | August 26/27 |
| Round 6 | Roof of Africa, South Africa | September 28/29/30 |
| Round 7 | 24MX GetzenRodeo, Germany | November 3/4 |
Western Australia Hard Enduro Series Calendar
2023 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Calendar
| Circuit | Location | Date |
| Gillman Speedway | Gillman, SA | January 3, 2023 |
| Diamond Park | Albury Wodonga, VIC | January 7, 2023 |
| Loxford Park | Kurri Kurri, NSW | January 9, 2023 |
| North Brisbane Speedway | North Brisbane, QLD | January 11, 2023 |
2023 FIM Baja World Cup calendar
| Date | Venue | Country |
| 2-4 February | Saudi Baja- | Saudi Arabia |
| 16-18 March | Qatar International Baja | Qatar |
| 14-16 April | Baja TT | Dehesa Extremadura |
| 21-23 July | Baja Aragon | Spain |
| 10-12 August | Hungarian Baja | Hungary |
| September-October* TBC | Baja do Oeste | Portugal |
| 2-4 November | Jordan Baja | Jordan |
| December *TBC | Baja Dubai | UAE |
| *To be confirmed = TBC | ||
2023 Arenacross Tour Calendar
| Round | Date | Circuit | Location |
| Round 1 | January 20 | SSE Arena, Belfast | Northern Ireland |
| Round 2 | January 21 | SSE Arena, Belfast | Northern Ireland |
| Round 3 | January 28 | P&J Live, Aberdeen | Scotland |
| Round 4 | January 29 | P&J Live, Aberdeen | Scotland |
| Round 5 | February 4 | The Resorts World Arena, Birmingham NEC | England |
| Round 6 | February 18 | The OVO Arena, Wembley | England |
2023 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship Calendar
| 2023 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship | |||
| Date | Event | Venue | Country |
| 28 January | Qualifying round | Örnsköldsvik | Sweden |
| 18 – 19 March | Finals | Inzell | Germany |
| 01 – 02 April | Finals | Heerenveen* | The Netherlands |
| FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship – Qualifying Meetings | |||
| 27 May | Qualifying round | Zarnovica | Slovakia |
| 27 May | Qualifying round | Lonigo | Italy |
| 29 May | Qualifying round | Abensberg | Germany |
| 29 May | Qualifying round | Debrecen | Hungary |
| 19 August | Challenge | Gislaved | Sweden |
| FIM SGP2 World Championship – Qualifying Meetings | |||
| 20 May | Qualifying round | Pardubice | Czech Republic |
| 20 May | Qualifying round | Krsko | Slovenia |
| 20 May | Qualifying round | Vojens | Denmark |
| FIM SGP3 World Championship – Semi finals | |||
| 12 July | Semi final 1 | Västervik | Sweden |
| 12 July | Semi final 2 | Västervik | Sweden |
| FIM Flat Track World Championship | |||
| TBA | Final | TBA | TBA |
| 09 September | Final | Debrecen | Hungary |
| 16 September | Final | Boves | Italy |
| 23 September | Final | Pardubice | Czech Republic |
| 07 October | Final | Morizès | France |
2023 FIM Sidecar Motocross World Championship Provisional Calendar
| Date | Venue | Country |
| 26 March | Talavera de la Reina | Spain |
| 02 April | Alqueidao | Portugal |
| 07 May | Kramolin | Czech Republic |
| 14 May | Heerde | The Netherlands |
| 28 May | Brou | France |
| 11 June | Lange Motokeskus | Estonia |
| 18 June | Gdansk tbc | Poland |
| 25 June | Lommel | Belgium |
| 16 July | Strassbessenbach tbc | Germany |
| 22 July* | Red Brae | Northern Ireland |
| 30 July | Cusses Gorse | Great Britain |
| 20 August | Kaplice | Czech Republic |
| 17 September | Rudersberg | Germany |
| 01 October | Castelnau de Levis | France |
