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Moto News Weekly Wrap
March 23, 2021

What’s New:

• Sunshine State MX Round Two – Kingaroy
• Dean Ferris announces professional MX retirement
• Hayden Mellross dominates Gippy MX Series Round 1
• Inaugural ProMX set to kick off at Wonthaggi
• Hamish Harwood extends NZ MX lead in Pukekohe
• 2021 Trackmasters postponed
• GYTR YJR tastes success as MX kicks off across Australia
• 2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars to fire into action
• Italian Speedway GP cancelled
• AORC opening rounds in NSW postponed due to weather
• Mohammed Al-Balooshi wins Jordan Baja
• Herlings, Vialle, Hoffer set for MXGP 2021
• Triumph and tragedy at OZVMX Resto Expo 2021
• 2021 Racing Calendars
  • 2021 Provisional MXGP
  • 2021 Yamaha AORC presented by MXStore
  • 2021 Australian Penrite ProMX
  • 2021 Speedway GP
  • 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship
  • 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies
  • 2021 AMA Supercross
  • 2021 GNCC
  • 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross
  • 2021 Progressive American Flat Track
  • 2021 New Zealand Motocross
  • 2021 New Zealand Cross-Country
  • 2021 New Zealand Enduro
  • 2021 Australian Supercross (provisional)
  • And more…

Sunshine State MX
Round Two – Kingaroy

By Michael Williams

The second round of the Sunshine state motocross series rolled into Kingaroy last weekend and the talk of the track was the return of the #102 Matt Moss, who had made the trip up north to continue his pre-season training.

It was short lived though as only three laps in first practice saw Matt down and out with a twisted bike and a lack of spare parts or bikes for that matter to get him back on the track, thus it was an early weekend for the former champion.

Twin brother Jake had a better weekend finishing 4th overall with 8-3-3 moto scores. I spoke to Jake about his weekend, “Yeah it’s getting better, just have to remember how to race again after so long away from the track, and actually finish the race,” he shared. Keep an eye on the #103 he is keeping under the radar but the results and confidence are building.

Luke Reardon made a return to the series and for a dude who doesn’t race anymore nor really train, the first moto saw him come out flying and lead for the first 10 minutes in convincing fashion that was until the reality of not training set in.

I asked Luke how he felt that first moto, “I just went for it in the opening moto, the rain and me pulling all my tear-offs while leading wasn’t my best move. And I knew if I got passed, I would be done so once Gibbsy got me I got filled in and couldn’t see a thing and that was me, I led for five laps so I can’t complain, especially against those boys who are only weeks away from lining up for the nationals.”

The winner of the MX1 class and the story of the weekend was Lochie Latimer who rode the wheels off in every race, with 4-2-1 moto scores. Before the final gate drop of the MX1 Class, it was down to a single point between himself and Jai walker. Gate dropped and then Lochie was gone and that’s all she wrote with a moto win and probably one of the greatest fender slaps the Kingaroy crowd has seen.

I asked Lochie how he was feeling after the weekend win, “The weekend was good for me coming away with my first win for the year, was great to be on the podium considering how round one went for me. I had a really bad chest infection and wasn’t able to ride to my full potential. Definitely felt good to bounce back with the win and gain some momentum going into the rest of the season.”

Rhys Budd was one of many MX2 riders that decided to stay the second day and mix it up with the MX1 Class. Budd scored second overall amongst the big boys on his 250 and is one of those riders who are under the radar a little but needs to be strongly considered in the talks of who is a contender for the ProMX MX2 Title this year.

“Finishing 2nd overall in the MX1 Class is a big confidence booster for me heading into round 1 of Aus Pro, I am Ready to Mix it up with the countries best in a few weeks time,” said Budd.

Jai walker rounded out the podium in third and continues to stay in the hunt for the Sunny State title and building his confidence towards his 450 debut in the upcoming weeks.

Jai was in contention to win the overall for the weekend however the last moto just didn’t go his way. Kingaroy is very start dependent and if you are not at the pointy end of the pack it is easy to get stuck.

The MX2 class lost a bit of depth with the Serco Yamaha boys electing to not ride and focus on the opening round of the Australian Motocross Championships at Wonthaggi next month.

Noah Ferguson made his return to racing on his Factory Gas Gas machine and rode well to finish second overall in MX2 ahead of Rhys Budd. Jay Wilson took top honours in MX2 after carding 3-3-1 scores.

Sunshine State MX Round Two Results

Dean Ferris announces professional MX retirement

Dean Ferris has shared an emotional announcement on Instagram, announcing his retirement from professional motocross.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dean Ferris (@ferriswheel111)

Hayden Mellross dominates Gippy MX Series Round 1

Ahead of the 2021 Australia Penrite ProMX season kicking off in Wonthaggi, we saw the Gippsland MX Series kick off with round one at the same venue, with Hayden Mellross topping the MX1

The round ran over Saturday and Sunday, with classes getting three races each, with 75 potentional championship points up for grabs.

In the MX1 Regan Duffy would be a force to be reckoned with, however a bike malfunction in the first moto meant no points recorded, which was an unrecoverable blow. Duffy ended the weekend fourth in the MX1 class as a result.

Regan Duffy

“It was a bloody good day at Wonthaggi for the first round of the Gippsland titles. While leading the first 450 moto I had a bike malfunction and had to finish early which wasn’t ideal. After that Chris Townsend and Evren Townsend lent me their stock 250 and I raced the rest of the day on that! I managed to win the next two 450 races. For some reason I didn’t go great in the first two 250 motos but the final moto I got a good start and won convincingly! Thanks to the boys for the bike and @jessiiicaarose for sorting out my gear and food. A shoutout to my awesome sponsors.”

Hayden Mellross took top honours, claiming the opening moto win and two second places in races two and three for a 69-points in total, proving consistency is key.

Jai Constantinou was second overall on 60-points, and went 3-3-3 for the weekend. Four-points behind on 56 was Connor Tierney, completing the top three with a 2-4-5 result. Joben Baldwin completed the top five, after Duffy.

In the B-Grade MX1, Harrison Finlay-Smith took the win from Patrick Lloyd and Jacob Dole. The C-Grade saw Jake McMillan claim a perfect 75-points, ahead of Ryan Floate and Nicholas Battle.

MX2

There was tough competition in the MX2, with Alex Larwood taking the round win on 69-points, with a 1-2-2 result, ahead of Jai Constantinou (67-points, 2-1-3), while Regan Duffy made another appearance in third on 65-points.

Duffy was fourth in race one, before getting into the swing of things in race two to take third and winning the final MX2 race of the weekend. Thynan Kean and Hugh McKay completed the top five on 51 and 48-points respectively.

Kalam Orchard took home a perfect 75-points in the MX2 B-Grade ahead of Boyd Hocking and Blake Bardel. In the C-Grade it was Max Royle topping the weekend, from Matthew Hammond and Murray Spark.

Juniors

Ryder Kingsford had a great weekend in the Junior Lites, taking all three moto wins for 75-points, with Kallam Dyce and Patrick martin separated by just two points on 64 and 62-points respectively. Dyce took second with a 2-3-2 result to Martin’s 3-2-3.

Alister Lewis won the Vets 30-U40s class from Hayden Joyve and Joshua Milzz, with David Martin topping the Vets 40-U50s from Kenneth Royle and Adam Harland. The Vets 50+ was won by Denis Caey, with James Graham just three-points behind, while Michael Sharp completed the top three.

In the Women’s Open, Madison Brown (1-1-2) won from Madison Healey (2-2-1), with Montana Bardel completing the top three (3-4-4).

Inaugural ProMX set to kick off at Wonthaggi

The inaugural 2021 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores, fires into action at Wonthaggi Motocross Track, 220 W Area Road, Wonthaggi, April 11.

It has been more than a year since Australia’s best motocross riders have competed on the national stage, and they are chomping at the bit to hit the track and get racing in Wonthaggi.

With new teams and riders, and four exciting classes kicking off the 2021 Championship at Wonthaggi, fans are in for a real treat.

Fans trackside at Wonthaggi will get front row seats to all the on-track thrills, spills, dirt flying action from the Thor MX1, Pirelli MX2, and MAXXIS MX3 classes and support class – 125 2-Stroke Cup.

Passionate dirt bike fans young and old here at home and around the world will also be able to log-on to www.auspromx.com.au to watch up to 7 hours of ProMX TV Live Stream race day action, ensuring they don’t miss a second of the MX1, MX2, MX3 race action including at selected rounds Championship classes, Veterans, Women’s, and support class 125 2-Stroke Cup.

Tickets are selling fast – available online only – and are limited due to COVID-19 restrictions, so fans are encouraged to purchase tickets now at www.auspromx.com.au for round 1 of the 2021 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores, kicking off at Wonthaggi, Victoria, April 11.

Hamish Harwood extends NZ MX lead in Pukekohe

With Andy McGechan

The 2021 New Zealand Motocross Championships are now charging towards a thrilling final showdown in Taupo next weekend following a cliff-hanger penultimate round at Pukekohe on Saturday.

There were different race leaders and fresh winners in several of the bike divisions at Pukekohe on Saturday, but the more surprises that popped up, the more things really stayed about the same.

West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood extended his lead in the premier MX1 class and Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis did likewise in the MX2 (250cc) class, although the lead did dramatically change hands in the smallest bike group, the MX125 class, for 125cc bike riders.

The MX1 class was notable in that multi-time former MX1 champion Cody Cooper celebrated his first win of the campaign on Saturday, but then also, in the final race of the day, he suffered a rare bike problem, an electrical issue forcing the Mount Maunganui man to drop out of the close battle for the lead in that race.

This glitch was quickly rectified and his charge back through the pack was inspirational, but ultimately cost him dearly too and, after finishing an unaccustomed fifth in that fateful race, he is now a huge 23 points adrift of Harwood with just three races at Taupo left now to complete the series.

Taupo’s Wyatt Chase and Hamilton’s Kayne Lamont are ranked third and fourth respectively after Saturday and should also be among the favourites to shine at Taupo next weekend.

In the MX2 class, Purvis suffered his first setback of the series at Pukekohe. Unbeaten in this class after two rounds of the championship, he was twice forced to accept runner-up spot as Oparau’s James Scott turned up the wick on Saturday.

However, that may turn out to be little more than a judder bar on his way to successfully defending his MX2 crown. Purvis heads to Taupo with a massive 40-point advantage over second-ranked Scott.

It was a furious dog-fight in the MX125 class at Pukekohe, with the series leader at the start of the day, Tauranga’s Madoc Dixon, dropping down to third in the standings, while Silverdale’s Hayden Smith came on strong on Saturday to take over the championship lead. Clevedon’s Cobie Bourke was also outstanding at Pukekohe and, instead of sharing the No.2 position, he now holds it on his own.

This remains the tightest class, with just 15 points to separate this top three.

Ray Broad – Motorcycling New Zealand Motocross Commissioner

“Perhaps we are seeing a changing of the guard in the MX1 class. We have some exciting new talent coming through in this premier class, riders such as Te Puke’s Tyler Steiner, Dunedin’s Campbell King, Taupo’s Hadleigh Knight and Napier’s Tommy Watts impressing at Pukekohe. Maximus Purvis is looking good for a successful defence of his MX2 crown and he’ll be off to race in Australia after the Taupo event… we wish him well for that. The 125cc class is still wide open and these guys have been putting on a great show, which we are sure will carry on at Taupo.”

The series wraps up with the fourth and final round at Taupo’s Digger McEwen Motocross Park this coming weekend, Sunday, March 28.

The New Zealand Motocross Championships are supported by Aon Insurance, Kawasaki New Zealand, Pirelli tyres and Fox apparel.

2021 Trackmasters postponed

The Hunter Motor Cycle Club has postponed the annual Trackmasters meeting which was scheduled for this weekend (March 27-28).

The heavy rain which had already fallen and the forecast of more to come would have left officials with no time to prepare the track – and that is IF it stops raining!

Almost 100 riders had entered, all thankfully receiving plenty of notice about the postponement. Hunter MCC will try to find a new date for the meeting later in the year.

GYTR YJR tastes success as MX kicks off across Australia

The weekend saw racing kick into gear for the season with events in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia that had the YJR riders out in full force.

Round two of the ever popular Sunshine State Motocross Series launched to life at the Kingaroy circuit, two hours west of Brisbane. The recent rain had everyone nervous but the weekend shaped up well and the track held up all weekend with next to no rain falling.

Kobe Drew continued to be the man to beat and took five race wins out of the six contested over the weekend. Drew won all three races on his YZ250F and handled the rutted surface well. He also took the win in the 13-15 years 125cc class with 1-4-1 results and now has a comfortable lead in both classes at the completion of two rounds.

Team mate, Jake Cannon also wanted some of the podium action and went straight to the top of the box in the 12-15 years 85cc class,. Cannon won races one and two and was on track for a clean sweep when he fell in the third. He finished with 1-1-4 results but still enough to take the round victory.

He also stepped onto the podium for the first time in the 125cc division. He finished with 4-3-6 results and showed good speed to mix it with the more established riders in the 125cc class to claim third for the round. He now leads the 85cc class and holds down third in the 125cc division making it a team 1-3.

The Tasmanian Motocross Championships got under way with the Tasmania crew at full strength as both Angus Pearce and Jay Jennings suited up for the first time this season.

Pearce took control of the 13-15 years Lites class winning all three races and making the perfect start to his championship effort. It was also the first time Angus had raced the 250cc machine and he adapted instantly to the new bike.

Jay Jennings made it a winning weekend for the team as he took the win in the 10-12 years 65cc and also the 9-11 years 85cc. He won all three races on the 85 and was on track for the same on the 65 but racing was suspended as conditions were dusty as the final round of motos were about to get under way.

The sand gropers got their first hit out of the year at the Best in the West event held at Bunbury each year. The event always proves to be a great lead in for the season proper and the WA team took full advantage of the track time.

Jake Rumens started the season in great fashion taking the win in impressive circumstances in the 12 15 years 85cc class. He won all three races and powered his YZ85 into the lead with authority.

Making his debut for GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing was Deegan Fort. After stepping up from a support ride in 2020, Fort made a good fist of things in his first majoring out for the team taking second place in the 65cc class and a third place finish in the 85cc division.

Victoria had two regional events on over the weekend with the opening round of the Northern Region Motocross Series at Alpine, while the Wonthaggi circuit hosted a round of the Gippsland series.

Jobe Dunne flew the flag for the team at the Alpine, taking the win in the 9-11 years 85cc class. Dunne was a step above his competition and is primed for a big year.

At Wonthaggi, Ryder Kingsford and Pat Martin were on hand for the bLU cRU and did a great job. Kingsford put in another commanding performance to take victory in the Junior Lites class, winning each moto contested, while Pat Martin made it a team 1-3 as he slotted into third place with 3-2-3 results on the weekend.

2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecars to fire into action

Rider entries have now been confirmed for what will be a spectacular FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship, at Gillman Speedway, South Australia, April 17.

As in previous years, the 2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship has attracted the best speedway sidecar riders, who will put on a spectacular show for speedway fans.

Peter Doyle – FIM Oceania President

“The FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship battle countdown is on and we know riders and passengers have been waiting a long time to hit the track and get racing. With strong rivalry amongst riders there will be plenty of on track action for speedway fans to soak up at Gillman Speedway.”

Gillman Speedway President, Ivan Golding said the speedway team had been busy working to ensure the Championship would be spectacular.

Ivan Golding – Gillman Speedway President

“COVID-19 may have cancelled last year’s Championship, but we are ready to go racing and can’t wait to greet riders and fans on April 17. Speedway fans are guaranteed to see the best of the best fight handlebar-to-handlebar to be crowned the 2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Champion.”

Fans can get trackside from 4pm, with practice scheduled for 5.30pm-6.30pm and racing commencing at 7.30pm.

2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship Line-up

• Darrin Treloar / Blake Cox
• Rick Stephens / Nick O’Brien
• Kane Golding / Isaac Amos
• Mick Headland / Brenton Kerr
• Shane Rudloff / Scott Morris
• Mark Mitchell / Tony Carter
• Mark Plaisted / Ben Pitt
• Kym Menadue / Eric Melton
• Dean Hobbs / Daniel Low
• Bayley Ogilvie / Denny Cox
• Byren Gates / Mick O’Loughlin
• Brian Silvy / Damien Egan
• Warren Monson / Andrew Summerhayes
• Damien Niesche / Mitchell Spear
• Aaron Silvy / Jaron Silvy
• Dave Bottrell / Darcy Risstrom

Reserves:

• R1: Klae Hobbs / Stephen Saunders
• R2: Connor Curran / Ronald Curran
• R3: Clint Mayes / Sean Colby

Italian Speedway GP cancelled

Due to the ongoing impacts of Covid-19 in Italy, the FIM, BSI, FMI and Moto Club Olimpia have decided to cancel the 2021 Italian FIM Speedway Grand Prix, scheduled to take place at the Olimpia Stadium on April 24, 2021.

Paul Bellamy – Senior Vice President of Motorsports Events at IMG

“While we are disappointed we won’t be able to make our Grand Prix return to Italy this year, we know this is the best decision for our riders and the fans. We look forward to welcoming fans back to future events throughout the SGP season.”

AORC opening rounds in NSW postponed due to weather

Motorcycling Australia has advised that the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXStore Rounds 1 & 2 on March 27-28 at Nowra, New South Wales, has been postponed due to extreme weather.

In consultation with key AORC event organisers, Motorcycling Australia has made the joint decision that the AORC Rounds 1 & 2 will not go ahead. The Nowra area and surrounds have been and will continue to be affected by ongoing extreme weather events currently in place in New South Wales.

Presently, the tracks are un-rideable and road access to the event is in doubt in line with current weather predictions.

Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO

“Whilst we understand there may be frustrations surrounding the decision to postpone the event, Motorcycling Australia and Oyster Bay Motorcycle Club have the responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the AORC Rounds. We thank the AORC riders, our championship partners and fans for their understanding at this time, as these circumstances our outside of our control with the extreme weather conditions devastating New South Wales. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Competitors will be contacted regarding the issuing of refunds.”

Further information on the new dates will be announced at a later stage and Motorcycling Australia will keep competitors informed. The AORC will continue on schedule for Rounds 3 & 4 at Golden Beach, VIC on April 17-18, 2021.

Mohammed Al-Balooshi wins Jordan Baja

The second round of the FIM Bajas World Cup took place this weekend in Jordan through the beautiful Wadi Rum desert. Competitors covered a total of 859.37km, including 559.53km over three selective sections.

Mohammed Al-Balooshi (Husqvarna) won both legs, followed by his ‘pupil’, the Jordanian rider Abdullah Abu Aisheh (KTM), and the Saudi rider Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera.

Mohammed Al-Balooshi

“This year the Jordan Baja was much more difficult than it was two years ago. Yesterday, I had a little trouble navigating because I’m no longer used to riding without the arrows. I’m a little rusty. I’m also tired today. I guess I am still recovering from January’s Covid. Today, I rode with Abdullah (Abu Aisheh), but I took it easy most of the time. I’m happy that I won but if Abdullah hadn’t had an eight-minute penalty yesterday it would have been more difficult for me. I would have needed to attack more. That said, I also received three minutes of penalties yesterday for taking the start late and, if he had won, I would have been very proud of him because I am his coach and that would have meant that I had done a good job.”

Despite hefty penalties from arriving late at the start on the first day (eight minutes) and then missing a waypoint today (15 minutes), Abdullah Abu Aisheh finished second in his master’s tyre tracks.

Abdullah Abu Aisheh

“It was a difficult special stage, only stones and gravel, no dunes or sand, only four kilometres from the start of the special,” said Abu Aisheh. “Mohammed and I rode together. I didn’t crash and I finished second behind my trainer. It’s fantastic! I took an eight-minute penalty yesterday for being late for the selective section, but I’m learning.”

Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera (KTM) completed the podium from Amit Sadot (KTM) in fourth and fifth-placed Paulo Olivera (Husqvarna) won the veteran’s section.

2021 Jordan Baja Results

Herlings, Vialle, Hoffer set for MXGP 2021

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing completed their 2021 MXGP FIM World Championship unveil with Jeffrey Herlings, Tom Vialle and Rene Hofer displaying their race colors for the season ahead.

The 2021 Grand Prix season sits on the horizon but inches closer every day. The start date of May 23rd in Oss and the Dutch round opening the new racing campaign will see Jeffrey Herlings as one of the main contenders for the MXGP crown with fellow Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 450 SX-F riders Tony Cairoli and Jorge Prado.

The 26-year old four-times #1 has been testing and training in Spain with current FIM MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle for company. The 20-year old Frenchman is bidding to become the fourth back-to-back title winner with the KTM 250 SX-F in the last eleven years. 19-year old Rene Hofer is also in southern Europe and the Austrian will tackle his second term in MX2 and will be flanked by MX2 rookie Mattia Guadagnini for 2021.

Triumph and tragedy at OZVMX Resto Expo 2021

By Rosco Holden

Kenneth Swan’s brilliant OZVMX Resto Expo at the picturesque Smith Family Dargle Turf Farm alongside the Hawksbury River. There was a massive turn out on the very hot and humid Saturday and somewhat different on Sunday after rain all night and still continuing and much cooler conditions, to finish of the judging.

Stephen Gall, brought hundreds of his old genuine memorabilia to raise money for Australian Team representing at this year’s Italian MXON. It was a frenzy to grab some rare nostalgia, Holden On Tight made sure they didn’t miss out for the museum as well, securing some awesome pieces – even purchasing a set of 92 Suzuka 8-Hour Doohan leathers and gloves, including Gardner gloves for $3550 for my mate in the US, who has arguably the world’s largest leather collection.

Since the first event in 2017 the quality of bikes being entered in the Show N’ Shine has increased dramatically, with bikes fortunately not lost and saved – some restored and some original, all staggering time pieces of two-wheel art. One thinking was the positive out of Covid 19, more time in the shed!

Rosco Holden, founder of Holden On Tight, had several pallets on a truck come from his partners ATF Mouldings and Norbert Mancusi Creative Fun in Melbourne, where they had just completed approximately 100 new pieces for the Holden On Tight Pop-Up Museum for the VMX event. It was a huge success with MX royalty dropping by, like Vince Tesoriero, Alan Tomkins, Anthony Gunter, Hans Applegren, Robby Scott and many more. The Marty and Nancy Smith Tribute was a fan favourite and the centre piece when you walked in to the marquee. It was a $5 dollar entry fee with all of the money Raised going to the Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation, headed by Barry and Lynne Clisdell.

After four years located at the Horsham Motorcycle Club, there has been a lot of speculation about the museum, its currently in secure storage and Holden shared, “I can assure you there are some exciting things in a couple of different camps, going on in the background and I’m excited about the future to display about 700 dirt history premium pieces to the public.”

It was 1 pm Tuesday finally leaving the venue after helping Swan and son Damo with the massive pack up museum and event Items, with a planned layover in Wollongong that night visiting old friends, Danny, and Courtney Apro and, Pete and Sharon Marmont. It was an early start for the 12-hour drive home and things went south when my trailer started swaying. By the time I could take action it broke away from the car and rolled and flipped, ended up on its side sliding down the middle of the Hume Highway just north of Wangaratta. All contents were spewed all over the middle of the road, smashing several Museum pieces that were going to be modified, and slightly damaging the Honda Z50.

It didn’t take long and good Sarmatians came to the rescue and helped clean up, one with a winch dragging the trailer to the side of the road, after everyone flipped it back the right way up. All the saveable contents were picked up and an initial quick investigation suggests the ball joint to the trailer had a stress fracture. Holden sharing that the trailer is a write-off, but he is sure St Patrick Day luck came into play with no other trucks or cars, or god forbid a motorcycle, anywhere near him at the time, as the result could have been a lot different.

You can check out some galleries on Facebook here: Holden On Tight Resto Expo Album & Holden On Tight Pop-up Museum

2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
Round 12 – AT&T Stadium – Texas

Images by Jeff Kardas

450

Eli Tomac started the night off well with victory in the opening 450 Heat ahead of Justin Barcia. Ken Roczen won his Heat from Chase Sexton and Jason Anderson while series leader Cooper Webb was fifth behind his KTM team-mate Marvin Musquin after a fall.

450 Main

Ken Roczen scored the holeshot in the Main but it was a close run affair with Cooper Webb on the inside and Justin Barcia on the outside as they rounded turn one.

Roczen continued to lead Webb until late in the race when he got the better of the Honda man and went on to make it three in a row at Arlington.

Barcia and Tomac went on to battle continuously throughout the majority of the Main but it was the Kawasaki man that took that final podium spot.

Cooper Webb has now won three 450 Mains in a row, what is even more impressive is that he has won five out of the last six Mains, and has won half of the 12 rounds contested so far in this 17 round season.  Roczen’s second place keeps him within striking distance as only 15-points separate the duo at the top of the championship standings.

Cooper Webb

“I was just focusing on being consistent. I rode terrible in that heat race and didn’t like being put on the ground – that fired me up and got me going for the Main Event. To ride with Kenny that whole race and make a late charge was awesome, I felt really good out there. It’s incredible to get three here in Dallas, it’s unheard of for me. I’m pumped!”

Supercross now has a break for a few weeks before reconvening in Atlanta for a triple-header on April 11/14/18 before heading to Utah’s Salt Lake City for the penultimate round on April 25 head of the championship finale at the same venue on May 2.

Cooper Webb – P1

“I was just focusing on being consistent. I rode terrible in that heat race and didn’t like being put on the ground – that fired me up and got me going for the Main Event. To ride with Kenny that whole race and make a late charge was awesome, I felt really good out there. It’s incredible to get three here in Dallas, it’s unheard of for me. I’m pumped!”

Ken Roczen – P2

“We had a really good practice and I felt comfortable on the track. There were a lot of big rhythms and overall it was a much better supercross track. My heat race went well; I started in third and worked my way up to first, giving me a good gate pick. In the main event I got the holeshot, felt really good and led for most of the race, with most of the fast guys behind me. I’m guessing they were studying me, and Cooper made the pass happen. I tried to keep on his wheel all the way until the end, which is what I did, and we ended up in second. This finish was a lot better. The dream is still alive, and we have five races to go. I’ve been getting better and better, and I’m not going to give up. We’ll take a couple of weekends off and come back to Atlanta with hopes of continuing to improve through the end of the season.”

Eli Tomac – P3

“My KX450 was hooking up great all day. I know my speed is there and the bike is working great, I just need to work on cleaning up a few little things and making some passes stick earlier on in the race. I kept getting close to Cooper (Webb)’s rear wheel and just needed to make something happen. I am looking forward to having this two week break and get ready for Atlanta’s three races.”

Justin Barcia – P4

“This was one of the hardest fourth-place finishes I’ve ever gotten. I charged so hard and was so close to the podium, it was a little bit frustrating. It was definitely one of the more intense races I’ve ever had and with such an aggressive track, the top four of us were just on top of each other the whole race trying as hard as we could. All-in-all, it was a great race but I definitely wanted to be on the box. We’re going to be working hard going into Atlanta, wanting more – to be on the podium, up front and getting wins.”

Jason Anderson – P5

“It was kind of a mediocre night for me, nothing too crazy. I feel like today was my ‘slower’ day on the track, so I’m hoping that we can get a little bit better so we can be on the podium.”

Dean Wilson – P10

“My qualifier was pretty good and I felt really good on the bike. My end result is a little disappointing because I feel like I rode good earlier in the day but I just need to have better race craft. We’ll try again at Atlanta and just keep pushing to be better.”

Marvin Musquin – DNF

“Going through the sand section, I made a mistake and another rider behind me jumped and landed right behind me, hit me and I went down. I landed wrong on my hand and tweaked my wrist. With the pain and having no strength, I couldn’t keep going. I wanted to gain more riding out of it, considering I didn’t race Tuesday and even Saturday, but now we are going into a break so we’ll do our best to recover and get better for Atlanta.”

450 Results

450 Championship Standings

250

Cameron McAdoo won the opening 250 Heat from Jarrett Frye and Coty Schock while the second Heat was won by Justin Cooper ahead of Hunter Lawrence and Jalek Swoll.

250 Main

Justin Cooper scored the holeshot in the 250 Main and never looked back.

Hunter Lawrence was running well in third place and recorded the fastest lap of the Main but a miscued jump sent him long and he couldn’t get the Honda stopped in order to take the next turn.

Lawrence went over the barriers in what could have been a really ugly incident if not for the catch-net and was lucky to only lose two positions.

Cameron McAdoo put in a strong race to bag 23-points for second while both Seth Hammaker and Jalek Swoll were beneficiaries of Hunter’s mistake to take third and fourth respectively.

With that victory Justin Cooper moves back into the series lead by two-points over Cameron McAdoo. Hunter Lawrence slips to third, six-points off the series lead.

Justin Cooper – P1

“It was a great night. It kind of gave me flashbacks to the first round in Orlando. I was first in every practice, won the heat race, and won the main. It was nice to get two holeshots tonight. We’ve been working to get back to that. It’s been a tough road this season with being on the ground and working my way from last in the main. I’ve had to fight for every position, so this was the kind of race I’ve been looking for. You can take it for granted when it comes so easy. I definitely showed myself what can happen at these last couple of races, so it was really good to have some clean air again, and it was nice to click off laps like I was at the practice track. I had a good flow and was just managing the gap the whole race. It feels good to be back on top and to leave with the red plate. I’m looking forward to the Atlanta rounds.”

Cameron McAdoo – P2

“It’s good to get a good result, but every point counts and we need to win. There are plenty of positives to take away from the race and we’ll take advantage of these two weeks off to come back out fighting for this championship in Atlanta.”

Seth Hammaler – P3

“It was a hectic first few laps and I was mostly just trying to find a good flow. It was a tough track and with all things considered, I’m happy that we were able to make it back on the podium. I’m looking forward to finishing out the season strong after our break.”

Hunter Lawrence – P5

“I had a bittersweet ending here in Dallas. It was a pretty good weekend, getting second in the heat race, but a bit of an unfortunate ending in the main. I was riding well in third, pushing and pushing, but I kept getting caught up with lappers. I felt like I was catching the guys just inch by inch, and I pushed myself but made a mistake. I landed on the far righthand side of the berm, where they built a little lip into it. It was a pretty harsh landing, as I’m sure the videos show, with me ending up in the net. I’m so thankful that the nets were there to save me and the bike so we could finish and bring it home in fifth. It was good considering what it could have been with the crash. Coming into Arlington, we were in fourth and 16 points down, but now we’re only six points behind. Having the red plate and then passing it on is a bit of a bummer, but we’re still in it. I’m looking forward to two weeks off now to regroup and come back swinging in Atlanta. I can’t thank the team and everyone enough!”

Nate Thrasher – P9

“It was a good night at Arlington 3 after a tough start to the day. In the first timed qualifying, I had a pretty big crash and hit my jaw pretty good. I thought I broke it. I finished up the session and just pushed through it to end up seventh. I missed the second qualifying and went to go get an x-ray at the hospital. We got back here probably 30 minutes before I had to go out. So we got dressed, got ready, took a little medicine, and then we went out and rode the best we could. Ninth was the best we had tonight, but we had the speed to be up there in the top five for sure. We have got to keep pushing and keep getting a little bit better on the weekend. We’ve got a three-week break, so the plan is to just get healthy and come back in Atlanta.”

Jarrett Fry – P10

“Arlington 3 was a better day for me. I qualified 10th and pulled the holeshot in the heat race. It was pretty cool to lead a lap and then finish second after some tough races. In the main, I didn’t get the start I needed. On the second lap, I had a big moment and almost went down, so I just tried to finish the best I could. I ended up 10th, which is not what I’m looking for, but it was a better day, so we’re going to go back to work and get ready for Atlanta.”

Supercross now has a break for a few weeks before reconvening in Atlanta for a triple-header on April 11/14/18 before heading to Utah’s Salt Lake City for the penultimate round on April 25 head of the championship finale at the same venue on May 2.

250SX Results

250 West Championship Points

2021 Racing schedule

2021 Provisional MXGP Calendar

2021 Yamaha AORC presented by MXStore calendar

2021 Australian Penrite ProMX calendar

2021 Speedway GP Calendar

2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (Provisional)

2021 Australian Speedway events

2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies calendar

2021 AMA Supercross calendar

2021 GNCC

2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship

2021 Progressive American Flat Track calendar

2021 New Zealand Motocross Championship

2021 New Zealand Cross-Country Championships

2021 New Zealand Enduro Championship

FIM Bajas World Cup 2021 (Provisional)

2021 Provisional Australian Supercross dates

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

2021 Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) Cancelled

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

2021 Finke Desert Race
11-14 June – Northern Territory

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

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

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

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

U.S. AMA West ISDE Qualifier Series

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

U.S. AMA East ISDE Qualifier Series

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