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Moto News Weekly Wrap
August 15, 2023

What’s New:

• 2023 Australian Senior Track Championship Report
• Australian Hard Enduro Championship – Hillstorm Challenge
• Reynders tops Deloraine Grass Track 2023
• Joshua Green wins NSW Off Road Championships Appin
• Wilksch & Pretscherer claim Black Range Enduro wins
• Simpson unstoppable in Dandenong MCC Off Road Club Championship
• Dan Bewley crowned British Speedway Champ 2023
• Yamaha celebrate 30th Anniversary of Craig Dack Racing
• Husqvarna Hard Adventure Enduro set for October 20-22
• Plessinger extends KTM contract to 2024 SMX season
• Jonny Walker heads to AXFest on 15-17 September
• World’s top amateurs to duke it out at SMX Final
• Stefan Svitko wins Hungarian Baja
• EMX125 & EMX250 at MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla
• 2023 MXGP Round 15 – MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla
• 2023 AFT Championship – Castle Rock TT
• 2023 Penrite ProMX Round Seven – QMP
• 2023 AMA Pro MX Round Nine – Unadilla, New Berlin, NY
• 2023 Speedway GP World Championship – Round Seven
• 2023 FIM Speedway of Nations Under-21 World Championship
• 2023 Racing Calendars

2023 Australian Senior Track Championship Report

With Peter Baker

The Hunter Motorcycle Club Honours hosted the 2023 Australian Senior Track Championship meeting at their Barleigh Ranch track last weekend (August 12/13).

Two days of exciting action culminated with the finals of the classes with bigger entry lists, while those classes decided over five point-scoring rounds still had plenty to be resolved in their final rounds.

The massive entry list for the MX Open and Pro 450 classes sorted out the top ten riders to progress direct to the decider, while the next ten in line had to do battle in a cut-throat repechage.

The outcome of the MX Open final backed up the form from the heats with host club rider Harrison Ryan winning the final from Daniel Wicks after both had been unbeaten in their heats, while Queenslander Cyshan Weale was third.

In the Pro 450 class there was a similar look to the final qualifiers. Cyshan Weale was the only unbeaten rider in the heats and then won the final, again Daniel Wicks having to settle for second with Grant Charnock finishing third after Harrison Ryan made a poor start and battled to finish sixth.

The bare results do not do justice to the performances of a number of others with the like of the more experienced campaigners like Jordan Dall from Gunnedah and Tom Yarnold from Cessnock to younger brigade like teenager Lucas Quinn who travelled from Townsville as well as Hunter area riders Connor Ryan, Luke Bush and Cody Lewis all qualifying for both of those finals which in itself was no easy feat.

Several withdrawals from the Pro 250 class included the 2022 champion Cody Lewis who had sold his machine and those withdrawals meant this class was decided over five rounds which provided several significant features.

Firstly Grant Charnock dominated winning all rounds, including a charge through the field in one, while the minor placings were only resolved at the end with Adelaide teenager Kyle Machin making his trip worthwhile when he claimed second ahead of Bathurst teenager Jett Carter who was riding in his first senior meeting.

North Brisbane rider Briony Hendrickson emulated Charnock by winning all rounds of the Pro Open Womens class with Victorians completing the rostrum.

Consistency gave Kelsey Jensen second ahead of defending champion Tayla Street who did well to claim third after a fall in one outing.

Jarred Marko / Shaun Fuller claimed their biggest success with an emphatic victory in the final of the Up to 1100cc Sidecar class.

Although unbeaten in the heats Corey Forde /Darren Fraudenstein managed only third in the final as Jim Jobling / Tom Northey overcome earlier mechanical problems to claim second.

The ATV Open final produced a fitting finale to the two days of racing when equal top qualifier Matthew Griffiths was a clear last over 50 metres before storming through to take the honours ahead of brother Joshua Griffiths and Queenslander John Sherlock.

Benjamin Gordon (Over 35s) and Joshua Griffiths (ATV 450cc) won the senior support classes while junior winners were Thoren Openshaw, Hugo Holmes and local Cohen McCosker.

2023 Australian Senior Track Championship Results

Australian Hard Enduro Championship
Hillstorm Challenge

After an extremely dusty start on Saturday for the fourth round of the Australian Hard Enduro Championship at Hillston, NSW, the weather gods helped out come Sunday morning with a shower to help quell the dust for the main Hillstorm Challenge race day.

Ruben Chadwick may have been fastest on Saturday but come Sunday Wade Ibrahim pipped Chadwick for the win, and with it, overall top honours for the round while Anthony Solar finished third.

In the Gold 45+ class we saw Craig Byrne take the overall, ahead of Travis Selwyn and Brett Barrett, while Brandan Buchman topped the Silver class, and Glenn Wilkinson was the winner in the Silver 45+.

Ebony Nielsen beat Cheyenne Jones to the Silver Women’s win, and Cassandra McRae took out the Bronze Women’s class.

Reece Findlay and Stephen Matheson took the Bronze and Bronze 45+ wins.

The final round will be held on the weekend of September 16-17 with the Goldfields Extreme event being staged out of Bathurst.

1. Gold
   1. Wade Ibrahim
   2. Ruben Chadwick
   3. Anthony Solar
2. Gold 45+
   1. Craig Byrne
   2. Travis Selwyn
   3. Brett Barrett
3. Silver
   1. Brandan Buckman
   2. Daniel Lewis
   3. Aled Davies
4. Silver 45+
   1. Glenn Wilkinson
   2. Chris Dunlea
   3. Shane Bowden
5. Silver Women’s
   1. Ebony Nielsen
   2. Cheyenne Jones
6. Bronze
   1. Reece Findlay
   2. Mackenzie Hall
   3. James Webb
7. Bronze 45+
   1. Stephen Matheson
   2. Graham Groeneveld
   3. Matt Green
8. Bronze Womens
   1. Cassandra McRae
   2. Emily Haeusler
   3. Bianca Higgins

Reynders tops Deloraine Grass Track 2023

Jonte Reynders took out the 2023 Deloraine Grass Track event in Tasmania to be crowned King of the Paddock over the weekend ahead of Kyron Bacon. In the Pro Light contest though Kyron Bacon came out on top.

Joshua Green wins NSW Off Road Championships Appin

Joshua Green took out the Senior Sprint overall on the weekend at Harris Park ahead of William Dennett and junior category competitor Jett Yarnold.

NSW Off-Road Championship Appin Top 10

Wilksch & Pretscherer claim Black Range Enduro wins

Andy Wilksch and Samuel Pretscherer took top honours west of the Grampians over the weekend in the Black Range Enduro Pony Express category for Seniors.

Harrison Baker topped the Ironman class ahead of Ben Cardenas and Todd Grech in the event staged by the Horsham Motorcycle Club.

Black Range Enduro Senior Top 10

Simpson unstoppable in Dandenong MCC Off Road Club Championship

Jack Simpson took out the overall Senior contest run over a Cross Country format at Briagalong over the weekend in what was round six of the Dandenong MCC Off Road Club Championships.

Kallam Dyce finished second outright ahead of Thomas Anderson and Bradley Hermans.

Dan Bewley crowned British Speedway Champ 2023

Speedway GP star Dan Bewley retained his British Championship, as runner-up Steve Worrall secured a dream ticket to the Principality Stadium as FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain wild card on September 2 in Cardiff.

Bewley defied a rain-soaked track in Manchester to make it back-to-back British titles as he won the final ahead of Worrall and Ben Barker. Richard Lawson was disqualified after crashing on the third lap of the race.

With Bewley already guaranteed a spot in Cardiff as a full-time Speedway GP star, the wild card for Britain’s biggest indoor motorsport event passes to Worrall, who races for Wolverhampton in the Sports Insure Premiership, Poole in the Cab Direct Championship and Latvian club Daugavpils in the Polish Second Division.

Worrall finished second in the 2017 British Final, just missing out on the Cardiff wild card that year. His progress in the sport was then hampered by a broken leg suffered in 2018.

But he’s well and truly back among British speedway’s frontrunners as he joins 2022 Cardiff winner Bewley, triple Speedway GP world champion Tai Woffinden and former European champion Robert Lambert in the Welsh capital.

Yamaha celebrate 30th Anniversary of Craig Dack Racing

Yamaha Motor Australia enjoyed a double celebration with the 50th anniversary of the YZ range and the 30th anniversary of Craig Dack Racing. Former, riders, team members and media came together under the CDR Yamaha Team awning to commemorate the occasion.

Craig Dack

“I would like to thank everyone involved in making this a special day for me. It’s nice to get the recognition for the past 30 years and so good to see so many people here to be a part of it. It’s been a rewarding 30 years and I still get a lot of satisfaction from what I do every day and enjoy being surrounded and working with a group of dedicated, determined, and focused people. Thanks to everyone who has been a part of the CDR journey and look forward to continuing the very successful journey we started all the way back in 1993.”

For the full article see:
Yamaha celebrate 30th Anniversary of Craig Dack Racing

New Zealand
Husqvarna Hard Adventure Enduro set for October 20-22

The seventh annual running of the Husqvarna Hard Adventure Enduro or HHAE will bring together New Zealand’s best dirt bike riders, this coming Labour Weekend (October 20-22).

The event runs a similar format to the Red Bull Romaniacs, with the last man standing the victor, and designed to be difficult, putting a New Zealand bent on the idea, with the country’s unique terrain and challenges.

The event kicks off on Friday October 20 with sign-in and then motorcycle and equipment scrutineering from 3pm.

Things kick off in the SATCO logging attachments yard in central Tokoroa at 5 pm on Friday with an arena-style “prologue”, riders tackling a man-made course to determine qualification and their starting positions in the Kinleith Forest the following day.

There is a grade for riders of all abilities, riders nominating themselves as either Iron class, Bronze, Silver or Gold.

Finally, when the bike engines are switched off, or the riders cry “enough”, late on Sunday afternoon (October 22), the “last man standing” will have earned every accolade that could be heaped.

Entries for the 2023 edition open on September 1, but competitors should be aware that rider entry numbers will quickly reach the prescribed 120, so the advice is to get signed on quickly.

Plessinger extends KTM contract to 2024 SMX season

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Aaron Plessinger have extended their partnership into the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season, aiming to further establish themselves in title contention.

The 27-year-old will be back in orange for his third-straight year onboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, continuing in the AMA Supercross Championship and Pro Motocross Championship, as well as the three-race SMX Finals series.

Aaron Plessinger

“I just want to give a shoutout to all the fans who have supported me throughout the year and an even bigger shoutout to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for believing in me and we’re onto another year!”

Jonny Walker heads to AXFest on 15-17 September

BETA Factory rider, former SuperEnduro World Champion and current Red Bull Athlete, Jonny Walker will soon add taking on Billy Bolt at AXFest to his long list of accomplishments, when he heads to AXFest on 15-17 September.

That’s a line up some of the best athletes from the bike world, who will join Jonny, including current Arenacross UK Champion Tommy Searle, triple British Motocross Champion Conrad Mewes, and multiple Enduro World Champion Billy Bolt!

World’s top amateurs to duke it out at SMX Final

On the heels of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, the SuperMotocross League have announced that three different classes of amateurs will be featured in the upcoming SuperMotocross World Championship Finals.

The 65 World All-Stars Class (ages 7-11) will compete at zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. on Saturday, September 9.

The Supermini World All-Stars (ages 12-16) will compete at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. on Saturday, September 16 and the 250 World All-Stars (ages 14+) will compete at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday, September 23.

Each class will front a full 22 athlete starting gate and competitors will be hand selected from around the world by each Original Equipment Manufacturer (GASGAS, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Cobra), competing in the SMX World Championship.

Stefan Svitko wins Hungarian Baja

On the strength of his two previous victories at the Hungarian Baja, Stefan Svitko (KTM) once again demonstrated how much he loves the Hungarian tracks by winning the Prologue and then the two special stages on the first day.

Following his day one performance, the Slovak took a useful 10-minute lead over Jan Brabec (KTM) and David Megre (Kawasaki), who were second and third respectively.

Svitko gave his opponents no chance on Saturday and claimed the other two stage victories to finish on the top step of the podium. Jan Brabec finished second after making two small off-track excursions on the first day which cost him some time.

Third overall was David Megre, who finished over four minutes behind Brabec.

Overall Results Bikes

1. Stefan Svitko 5hr 48min 49sec
2. Jan Brabec @ 15min 45sec
3. David Megre @ 20min 29sec
4. Pedro Bianchi Prata @ 39min 12sec
5. Mohammed Al-Balooshi @ 46min 54sec

EMX125 & EMX250 at MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla

The MXGP of Sweden also welcomed the EMX125 and EMX250 classes, which delivered intense racing and battles over the whole weekend in both categories. It was especially challenging on Sunday for the riders with the rain coming in play, as it did for the MXGP and MX2 racers.

In EMX250, Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Cas Valk got the perfect win with a 1-1 I front of Red Plate Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing Team’s Andrea Bonacorsi who stayed solid to go 2-2 while BT Racing Team’s Kay Karssemakers fought hard to get on the third step of the podium.

Cas Valk

“What to say! It was just the perfect weekend. P1 in every session and two race wins. I’m extremely happy to win again. It was a bit up and down after I won in Spain and it was not easy but I worked hard during the last weeks to do what I know I can do and I’m looking forward for the next rounds.”

EMX250 – Overall Top 10 Classification

EMX250 – Championship Top 10 Classification

EMX125

In EMX125 presented by FMF Racing, MJC Yamaha Official EMX125’s Janis Martin Reisulis continued his winning streak with his 3d win in a row.

737 Performers GASGAS’s Mathis Valin went 2-2 to keep a chance of Title victory on the last round. Kasimir Hidersson completed the podium to get a good back-to-back podium.

Janis Reisulis

“This was such a fun round and it is one of my favourite tracks in Europe. I’m not sure what happened in the last lap of the second race as I got from third to first but I managed to get that win. I also managed to be good mentally because it was hard before as I always thought about the Championship. But it is much better now with a smooth riding and two race wins. I’m super happy about the weekend.”

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Overall Top 10 Classification

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Championship Top 10 Classification

2023 MXGP Round 15 – MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla

For the full report and results see:
Seewer & Langenfelder top MXGP of Sweden

Round 15 of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship took place in Uddevalla, Sweden over the weekend, where changing weather conditions added to the challenges faced by competitors.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer finally got back on top of the MXGP podium for the second time this season. Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre who dropped his winning streak but still claimed second place while rounding out the podium was the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado who won one race to keep a cushion at the lead in the Championship Standings.

In MX2, Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Simon Laengenfelder won his second Grand Prix, extending his podium streak to five in a row. A solid second was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Liam Everts who took a back-to-back podium in front of team-mate Andrea Adamo who had to fight hard for the third step.

Mitch Evans launched his KX450-SR out of the outside gate in the first moto to hold down sixth place for half the race; small errors started to creep into his riding as the race continued and he eventually slipped back to ninth suffering with arm pump.

The Australian was forced to make two early pit-stops for fresh goggles in the rain-affected second moto but bounced back to finish 17th. He has now moved up to 12th in the series standings.

Mitch Evans

“The bike is strong off the line so I knew I could still get a start from the outside and redeem myself for yesterday. I felt really good in the first moto in sixth but then mid-race I got really bad arm-pump. I don’t know why – I haven’t had that for a long time – but the bike was riding me. The second moto was just unfortunate because I was feeling good despite the weather but I had to stop for fresh googles twice in the conditions.”

2023 MXGP of Sweden Highlights

2023 AFT Championship – Castle Rock TT

The AFT Singles championship race got even closer after the Castle Rock TT over the weekend, Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) earning his second win of the 2023 season in a tense ride that saw him close in on the standings lead with just two races left to run.

Aussies Max Whale and Tom Drane didn’t make it onto the podium, despite being in the mix, but importantly for them series leader Kody Kopp finished lower down the order than the Aussie pairing to keep the championship alive.

Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) closed the 2023 Grand National Championship battle to a single point with a clutch victory in Saturday’s Castle Rock TT at Castle Rock Race Park in Washington.

For the full Castle Rock TT 2023 report see:
Whale & Drane miss podium at Castle Rock TT

2023 Penrite ProMX Round Seven – QMP

Queensland Moto Park played host to round seven of the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores, and Brisbane Motorcycles Yamaha rider Dean Ferris proved to be the class of the field in the Thor MX1 category.

KTM Racing Team’s Nathan Crawford outlasted the opposition in the Pirelli MX2 class, and GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing’s Jake Cannon took top honours in the MAXXIS MX3 class.

In the EZILIFT MXW Class, Taylor Thompson raced to the top spot to secure her first overall for the year.

The 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship resumes next weekend for the final round of the series at the iconic Coolum Pines MX circuit.

See the full report here:
Penultimate ProMX round at QMP sets scene for Coolum finale

Yamaha at QMP ProMX

Yamaha mounted motocross racers, Dean Ferris and Jake Cannon, took class victories at round seven of the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship, held under clear blue skies at Queensland Moto Park on the weekend.

Ferris dominated proceedings in the premier MX1 division while Jake Cannon did likewise in the MX3 class as both riders convincingly won their two motos on Sunday.

Dean Ferris

“It took me a bit to get going this morning as I worked to get the bike dialled in, but even though I didn’t get a great lap in Superpole, I felt like I had made progress with my settings, and I was good to go for the races. I got off to a great start and took a comfortable victory in the first moto. Race two was a lot more difficult as I made bonehead move on the first lap and went down while leading. I got up as quick as I could and then just tried to stay calm and get myself back into the race. Fortunately, I was able to make some quick passes, capitalise on some mistakes by the other riders and get to the front with a few laps to spare. So, a great day for me here and good to carry the red plate into the final round this weekend at Coolum.”

With Luke Clout sidelined with injury, Aaron Tanti was the lone ranger for this round as the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team team celebrated Yamaha’s 50th anniversary of the YZ range with special edition white bikes that were striking on the track, claiming fifth in race one, before a coolant leak ended his race two efforts.

Aaron Tanti

“A real up and down day for me with good speed in qualifying to take P1, then an average first race and I had a great second race going until I come together with a lapped rider. As I picked the bike up, I could see a puddle of coolant on the ground and knew making it to the finish would be tough. I did a couple of slow laps, but the team called me to prevent any further damage to the bike or having it overheat on the track. “It was a disappointing end to a challenging day.”

Serco Yamaha’s Rhys Budd finished in sixth place for the round in an off day for last year’s second placed rider. Budd just couldn’t find the speed to match it with the front group of riders and clearly frustrated at the end of each moto.

He finished with 6-5 results in the two motos and remains in fourth place in the championship with one round to come this weekend.

Rhys Budd

“Not a day that I’m happy with,” Budd begins. “I put in a lot of work during the week and this result isn’t what the team or I were expecting. We are better than that and the plan is now to bounce back at the final round and finish the year on a strong note.” Guest rider, Luke Reardon, also experienced a tough day. In his first race with the team, Reardon crashed heavily and was forced to withdraw from racing the second moto of the day.”

It was all hands-on deck as the Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team had a full squad of riders with Jayce Cosford and Kaleb Barham back from injury, while Charli Cannon was back in action as the women contested round three of their championship.

Cosford led the way for the team finishing in fifth for the day with 7-5 results. Despite not getting great starts, Cosford worked hard all the way to the finish line in the two, twenty-five-minute races to secure fifth overall, his best round finish for the season so far.

Jayce Cosford

“I just wanted to get a result I can build from and it’s good to be able to achieve that,” Cosford offered. “I have been off the bike for a while with a knee injury, so I’m happy to come back and put two solid motos together and finish in the top five for the round.”

Just behind him in seventh was teammate, Kaleb Barham. Barham ran towards the front all weekend and came home with 7-7 results for seventh overall. In race one his ran in fourth for over half the moto before dropping some positions late in the race while race two saw him in a race long dual with a pack of riders and they fought over positions five through nine.

Kaleb Barham

“I would like to have been a little better, but I felt good on the bike and was able to run near the front. I got some arm pump late in the race but that was due to the lack of racing lately and hopefully I will be better for the run this weekend.”

It was a frustrating day for defending Women’s championship, Charli Cannon. Cannon comfortably took the race win in moto one but fell when challenging for the lead in race two.

She come together with another rider and the impact saw severe damage the front disc rotor and the brake calliper. The front wheel was unable to turn, and she didn’t finish the race.

She is now equal on points going into the final round but is determined to bounce back strongly at Coolum this weekend.

Charli Cannon

“I’m just angry. I don’t exactly recall what happened, but I know when I went to get going again, the front wheel was locked up and I couldn’t move, so my race was over. That my first DNF in years but I need to put it behind me and get on with winning races this weekend.”

It was the first weekend the WBR Yamaha team had both their original riders back on deck. Bailey Malkiewicz has recovered from a knee injury, while Ryder Kingsford is coming back from a foot issue.

Both riders came into the event a little under done but wanted to put their best foot forward as the ProMX season winds down. Kingsford was able to finish ninth for the day in the MX2 (250cc) class and Malkiewicz was 15th in the MX1 division.

GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing Jake Cannon continued his late season form surge to take another round win, this time with a commanding performance taking both race wins on the day and consolidating third place in the MX3 championship.

Cannon missed an earlier round due to injury, but has been a contending since getting back on the bike, winning four of the last six MX3 races.

In fourth place on the day was team mate, Kobe Drew. Drew has been finding form in recent rounds and while a round podium still eludes him, his speed and fitness is back where it needs to be after an injury riddled 2022 campaign. Koby Hantis snared a top five result, taking home fifth overall for the round.

KTM at QMP ProMX

A 1-1 scorecard saw KTM Racing Team rider Nathan Crawford perfect in Round Seven of the 2023 ProMX Championship at Queensland Moto Park, delivering a double moto victory in the MX2 category, as MX1 contender Kirk Gibbs rode to a consistent fifth-place finish.

After posting the third-fastest qualifying time, Crawford was up-front in the opening MX2 moto, stalking the leader before making a pass at the mid-way point. From there, it was smooth sailing, going on to capture the race win. A holeshot in the second moto saw Crawford power his KTM 250 SX-F to a wire-to-wire victory, which sealed the overall and keeps him in title contention with a single round remaining.

Nathan Crawford

“Today was solid – these types of rides are hard to come by. I got great starts in both motos and then captured the perfect 1-1, which was awesome. I can’t say enough about my starts today, the KTM and Dunlop combination just hooked up and made my day a whole lot easier, so I’m stoked to pick up a dual race win, and the goal is to just keep winning.”

Fresh off a training trip to the United States, MX2 newcomer Kayden Minear began his QMP day by charging to P4 in qualifying. A pair of mid-field starts made it difficult for the Western Australian teenager, as he battled to 14-11 moto scores for 12th overall, and maintains sixth place in the series standings.

Kayden Minear

“Finished the day here in QMP for round seven, which started really good with P4 in qualifying. A couple of bad starts made my racing really difficult as I was buried in the pack, but I really gave it my all both motos, and now I’m excited to hit the sand this weekend!”

MX1 mainstay Gibbs opened his day with the fourth-fastest qualifying time, before racing to seventh place in the opening moto. Achieving more comfort in the second outing, the KTM 450 SX-F rider rallied to a fourth-place result, which would be enough for fifth overall.

Gibbs’ fifth place at QMP sees him move into third place in the MX1 championship standings, as the series heads to the iconic Coolum Pines venue for the final round of the 2023 season this coming weekend.

Kirk Gibbs

“Bit of a rough day for me today! I qualified in fourth and then had two fairly average starts for me, which made it really difficult in the motos. Tightened up in the first moto pretty badly, however, second moto we made some great changes and I charged from about eighth into fourth place, and felt really good. So we just need to improve those first motos and we’ll be great.”

Honda at QMP ProMX

Factory Honda had a successful round seven of the Australian Motocross Championship with all six riders across three classes on the podium.

Boost Mobile Honda MX1 Riders Kyle Webster and Jed Beaton finished second and third respectively. Beaton sits second in the championship, 15-points adrift from first with one round remaining.

Jet Beaton

“The weekend was challenging for me, I qualified 1st and felt good when the track had moisture in it, it was a very different track come racing. I wasn’t settled and the track surfaces became tricky. The results aren’t what we wanted and I am disappointed but I am looking forward, towards the final round in Coolum this weekend.”

Kyle had another standout round, claiming second.

Kyle Webster

“I am bummed, I was leading moto 2, felt really comfortable but made some mistakes, including a small crash. I need to be better and we will work hard as a team to finish strong in the final round.”

MX2 points leader and regaining champion Wilson Todd rode conservatively to finish third on his Terrafirma Equipment Sales Honda CRF250R. Over the last 15 rounds, across two seasons the Queenslander has retained the red plate and this season has had its fair share of personal challenges. He heads into the final round with a 27 point lead.

Wilson Todd

“Third isn’t where I want to be but I am racing to win the championship. My health is getting a lot better, we have identified the problems and we are on the right path to correcting it, thanks to some amazing doctors and my family. The team have been patient and understanding. I will work hard and smart this coming weekend to win the championship.”

Polyflor Honda’s Brodie Connolly continues to impress in his first full rookie season in the MX2 class. He claimed second on the day and sits third overall in the championship.

Emma Milesevic and Tahlia O’Hare rode with heart and determination to claim second and third respectively in the Women’s class.

Emma Milesevic aboard her Harvey Norman Honda Racing CRF250R crashed in the first race and came from dead last and almost a minute behind the field to finish seventh. In the second race she pushed to second place which gave her third on the day. Her impressive comeback also set her up to be in equal 1st in points going into the final round this weekend.

Emma Milesevic

“My crash in race 1 on first lap could have been worse. So many emotions were going through my head as I was stuck under the bike. I rebounded and had one of the best races of my career. It’s been an up and down season but to be equal in points for first overall going into the final round is something the team and I are proud of.”

Tahlia O’Hare claimed her best overall finish for the year taking second aboard her Repco Honda Racing CRF250R. Tahlia is gunning for third overall in the championship and knows how important two good finishes are this coming weekend.

Husqvarna at QMP ProMX

The Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing team endured a tough day in the penultimate round of the 2023 Australian ProMX Championship at Queensland Moto Park, with team owner/rider Todd Waters injured in the opening MX1 moto.

After qualifying in ninth place, Waters onboard his 2023 Husqvarna FC 450 worked his way from eighth into a top-five position by the mid-way mark of race one, but he cross-rutted and crashed, breaking his collarbone in the impact.

The injury means Waters’ season has unfortunately come to a premature end and he’ll be unable to line up for the final round of the championship at Coolum next weekend.

Todd Waters

“Honestly, my fitness isn’t there and I’ve been struggling with it all year. I managed to make some good passes up to fifth place, but I cross-rutted and ended up on the ground. It wasn’t that big of a crash, but I’ve broken my collarbone, and unfortunately I won’t be able to line up at my favourite track – Coolum – next weekend. I’m devastated that my season has ended this way, but it’s part of racing.”

In the MX2 class, Blake Fox struggled with arm-pump and finding a flow around the hard-pack, rough QMP circuit. After qualifying in 19th, Fox started the opening moto in 18th, but found it difficult to come to terms with the track and finished 24th. It was a similar story in in the second outing, where he found himself in 15th place early on, but made a mistake and circulated to finish 23rd.

Blake Fox

“Today was one of the worst races of the year for me. I felt like I was just trying to survive out there. I got arm-pump in both motos and struggled to find lines that flowed, just found it difficult to find that speed and drive. It was also a lot hotter than I was expecting in the afternoon… It definitely wasn’t my best day, but I’m looking forward to racing my first national at Coolum next weekend. I’m lucky enough to have trained there a few times, so I’m looking forward to finishing the season strongly.”

MX3 saw title challenger Jack Mather fly the Raceline Husqvarna flag strongly with a podium performance aboard his 2023 Husqvarna FC 250. The talented teenager qualified second-fastest, then ran near the front of the pack for the entire opening race to score a rewarding second place.

In the second moto, Mather again launched off the gate and made a good move for the lead early on. It was short-lived as a lap later he was relegated back to P2, then lost another position on the final lap to finish the race in third. He remains second in the MX3 championship with one round remaining.

GasGas at QMP ProMX

GASGAS Racing Team rider Noah Ferguson took fourth place at Queensland Moto Park, racing his way through the MX2 field in both motos to notch 4-4 moto results.

Ferguson began his QMP race day by posting the second-fastest lap time in MX2 qualifying, finding comfort on his MC 250F from the moment he hit the track. Mid-field starts, however, marked hard-fought fourth-place finishes across each moto, as the highly-rated Queenslander sliced his way through the field in each moto to secure P4 overall.

With his fourth-place result, Ferguson sits fifth in the 2023 championship standings with one round remaining at Coolum this weekend.

Noah Ferguson

“I struggled with my starts today! All things considered, I’m happy given that I started outside the top 20 in each moto and charged my way up to fourth… I feel like that says a lot about my speed and fitness. Just disappointed in my starts, because I’d love to be up there from the beginning to see what I can do, but we’ll regroup and give things a good shot in Coolum.”

MX1 contender Regan Duffy experienced a more challenging day at QMP, beginning with setting the 14th-fastest time in qualifying. After running strongly in the opening encounter, he experienced a fall after coming together with another rider, and opted to sit out the second moto.

GASGAS-supported racer Byron Dennis continues to lead the MX3 class with one round remaining after finishing P2 on Sunday, while Taylor Thompson took a well-deserved MXW overall victory at QMP aboard her MC 250F.

Regan Duffy

“Not a lot to say about my day today, unfortunately. I felt good coming in having switched up my training program, and I felt we’d made good progress, but was just caught up in a bit of a freak incident in the first moto that kept me out for the remainder of the day. Disappointing, but we’ll keep on pushing.”

2023 AMA Pro MX Round Nine – Unadilla, New Berlin

The final three-round stretch run of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship got underway on Saturday from the hallowed grounds of Central New York’s iconic Unadilla MX.

A championship atmosphere was in the air at the Honda Unadilla National as Australian rising star Jett Lawrence entered with a chance to wrap up the 450 Class title in his first summer of premier class competition. When all was said and done, Lawrence extended his perfect season for his ninth straight 1-1 performance to clinch the Edison Dye Cup with two rounds remaining.

In the 250 Class, the elder brother, Hunter, made it the sixth sweep for the family and Team Honda HRC, which extended his championship point lead and moved him one step closer to a maiden title.

For the full report see:
Full round recap from AMA Pro MX Round Nine at Unadilla

And the run down on Jett Lawrence’s title:
Jett Lawrence crowned 2023 AMA Pro MX Champion

450 Round Overall

Jett Lawrence’s 17th and 18th moto wins of the season, and ninth straight overall victory, move him one step closer to a potential perfect season, with two rounds and four motos remaining.

Jett’s 18-moto win streak is now only bettered by Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, the only two riders to amass a perfect season in Pro Motocross history.

Jett Lawrence is the fifth different rider to capture the 450 Class crown in his first season in the division and becomes just the second Australian to hoist the Edison Dye Cup, joining Chad Reed.

With identical moto scores Sexton (3-2) and Ferrandis (2-3) finished tied for the runner-up spot, with the second-moto tiebreaker going to Sexton to give Honda HRC its fifth 1-2 finish of the season.

It’s the fourth consecutive second-place result for Sexton while Ferrandis’ third-place finish marked his sixth appearance on the overall podium this season.

Lawrence needed a 100-point margin to wrap up the title and now holds a 103-point advantage over Ferrandis, who took another step towards securing the runner-up spot in the final standings. Ferrandis is 35 points ahead of Plessinger in third, following the KTM rider’s fifth-place finish (5-5).

Jett Lawrence – P1

“I thought the track last year was fast, and I was amazed they were able to make it even faster this year. I appreciate them ripping it so deep and making it a normal Unadilla. Chase and Dylan [Ferrandis] were able to keep me on my toes all day, and I never felt like I was able to pull away. When I raced 250s, it was usually pretty easy to put a few good laps in and create a gap. Now, I have to work for it all moto. Overall, I had set a goal for myself to win the title in my rookie season, and I’m happy to get it done here.”

Chase Sexton – P2

“I felt like I had a great couple weeks of testing over the break, and I think it showed in the first moto. I was super comfortable all day and felt like I could seriously make a challenge. Obviously, I didn’t get the result I wanted, but it’s great to see us continue to make progress so late in the season. I’m excited to get back out there and compete again.”

Dylan Ferrandis – P3

“In some races when I’m not really feeling great, I’ll get the holeshot and then today when I’m feeling great, I don’t get the starts. I guess it’s just a lack of luck. It is what it is, and I have to come from behind. Still a good day for me. It was the first race of the season where I felt like myself.”

Aaron Plessinger – P5

“Unadilla started off rough with 18th in qualifying… I only got better from there and worked really hard for both of my fifth-place finishes today with my starts – especially in the second moto. I was happy with how I rode, as I almost chased down fourth in that one. More homework to do, I need to be stronger early and find comfort sooner in the day, so that’s what we’ll work on and finish the year off strong with two to go.”

Austin Forkner – P11

“The first moto was such a bummer because I felt so good all morning and really wanted to have a shot at a top five,” said Forkner. “The second moto was much more where I thought I should be and hopefully next weekend we can put two solid motos together.”

Carson Mumford – P12

“It was a tough one and it was easy to make mistakes that cost you, which happened to me in the first moto,” said Mumford. “I really felt good, so I’m not really happy with 12th, but I’m not going to take for granted any moment I have out here and give it my all.”

Justin Barcia – P19

“The day started off really well. I was really having a good time and was going into the first moto with a lot of good vibes and good feels. Unfortunately, I got in a first-turn pile-up, and damaged my bike pretty bad. I tried to do a few laps but I ended up crashing again and had to pull her in and go back to the semi. So that was a shame for the first moto, not really the race I wanted coming back. In the second moto I had the far outside gate pick. I got off to a good jump, but pretty much had nowhere to go in the tight Unadilla first corner so I was pretty buried. I was charging through the third corner and got in another little pile-up and ended up going down. It was an extremely tough moto. That was my first 30 minute moto in a long time. So it was a tough day, but all-in-all it was very nice to be back at the races. We know we’ve got a lot of work to do and knew that this would be a good test for the future Supermotocross stuff. So we’ll keep working and be back next week at Budds Creek.”

450 Round Results –  Top 15

250 Round Overall

Lawrence’s consistent 2-2 finishes were the defining element of his ability to finish atop the overall standings as he edged out Kitchen (1-4) by a single point. Cooper’s win in the second moto vaulted him up to the third and final spot on the overall podium (5-1).

Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings grew to 2- points with two rounds and four motos remaining.

Cooper’s podium result moved him into second while Shimoda moved into third, 35 points out of the lead.

Deegan’s adversity-filled afternoon saw him drop from second, three points behind Lawrence, to fourth, 36 points out of the lead, after a 17th-place finish (38-10).

Hunter Lawrence – P1

“First of all, I want to congratulate my brother Jett on his championship. I’m super proud of him, and I can’t wait to see what he does in the future! Obviously, we had some good days off to let me heal and get ready for this final push. I know people will critique us for not emphasizing training during a break, but we just did what we know and trust. Sometimes it’s better to recharge than keep pushing the hammer down. I think it’s shown so far that we made the right decisions, so we’ll just have to go out there and prove it the rest of the season.”

Levi Kitchen – P2

“I’m glad I finally did [well] in the first moto today. I’ve usually done well in the second moto, so today it was nice to get it done in Moto 1. We got two good starts and made the most of the day, so I’m really happy with that.”

Justin Cooper – P3

“Sometimes you have to take some chances. We need to put ourselves in the best position each moto and do the best we can. We put ourselves out front to start the second moto and then managed the gap from there. I’m stoked on that.”

Jo Shimoda – P4

“I felt good with my riding all day, but couldn’t get the exact speed to make the passes to the front,” said Shimoda. “As the second race after the 450s, the ruts were even more crazy for us that second moto, and I tried to take advantage of that, but the other guys were good too. I am looking forward to keeping this speed up and hopefully, we can get a win before the end of the season.”

Maximus Vohland – P5

“I started the day well here qualifying in P7 – I’ve always liked Unadilla and I feel like it suits my style. I got off to a good start in moto one, inside the top five, and just felt like I had a good flow going. I tried to chase down Levi [Kitchen] for the lead, but ended with a couple mistakes and finished fourth. Second moto, rode well again, I just didn’t get off to a great start after the restart. Fought my way into sixth and then ran out of tear-offs, so that’s where my charge ended and finished the day with fifth overall.”

Tom Vialle – P6

“Unadilla is a tough track – it’s actually super-fast! There were a lot of ruts that were really long, which made for a unique challenge, and really, I just struggled with finding a flow all day, to be honest. Both motos, I didn’t ride how I’d have liked to, but we have another race next weekend and I’m excited to give it my all at Budds Creek.”

Jalek Swoll – P7

“Starts were okay. Moto one was okay. I came in with a sixth and felt like I had some more in the tank to ride a little better and get a little further up,” said Swoll. “In moto two I came together with another rider. I don’t feel like it was my fault and I felt like there was nowhere to go and was stuck in his bike for what felt like forever. From dead last I don’t know what I came back to…maybe 12th or 13th. It sucks. It feels like a lot of work is being put in but it doesn’t show. It’s all good. We’ll use the fire and try to come out firing at the next two rounds.”

Ryder DiFrancesco – P8

“It was great to get the holeshot in the second moto,” said DiFrancesco. “This track is really tough and there are so many things you have to think about when trying to attack this track. I’m really happy to be back in the top 10, and I think this could be what I need to really push these last few rounds.”

Pierce Brown – P10

“I had an all-right day, with tenth overall. I definitely want more. We struggled a little bit in both motos, just getting off the gate. I had to come from behind in both motos, especially the second one. In moto one I fell with a lap to go, so I lost some spots there. In moto two I had a charge. I made some pretty good passes with a couple laps to go to get myself in a better position. I’m happy, but I want more. We’re going to push to build for the rest of the season.”

250 Round Results – Top 15

2023 Speedway GP World Championship – Round Seven

Poland’s triple world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik insists he will focus on winning and not numbers after writing more history by equalling his mentor Tomasz Gollob’s tally of 22 FIM Speedway Grand Prix wins in Riga on Saturday.

Zmarzlik extended his Speedway GP World Championship lead to 22 points after he overhauled nearest rival Fredrik Lindgren to win the final of the OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga, with Slovakia’s Martin Vaculik third and Great Britain star Tai Woffinden placed fourth after he was disqualified from the final for moving at the start.

For the full report see:
Zmarzlik extends championship lead with victory in Latvia

2023 FIM Speedway of Nations Under-21 World Championship

Polish hero Mateusz Cierniak admits patience paid dividends after leading his country to a record-breaking 16th FIM Speedway of Nations Under-21 World Championship in Latvian capital Riga on Friday night.

The Poles won the DeWalt FIM SON2 event to lift sport’s junior team championship for the 10th straight season, with Cierniak leading partner Wiktor Przyjemski to a 7-2 victory over Danish duo Esben Hjerrild and Jesper Knudsen in the Grand Final.

Keynan Rew top scored for Australia, and was one of the top scorers for the event, but ultimately his score combined with James Pearson and Tate Zischke saw Team Australia finish fourth, two-points behind Latvia.

For the full report see:
Australia miss podium despite stellar performance from Keynan Rew

2023 Racing schedule

Revised 2023 MXGP Calendar (Remaining Rounds)

2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship Calendar

2023 American Flat Track Calendar

2023 FIM World Supercross Calendar