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Moto News Weekly Wrap
July 2, 2024

What’s New:

• Tai Woffinden injury update
• More Aussie SX rounds for 2024
• 2024 FIM Vintage MX World Cup cancelled
• NSW Junior Track Championship next weekend
• AHEC Round Three ‘Dog & Bone Extreme’ Wrap
• FIM Speedway of Nations (SON) squads revealed
• FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow Report
• SGP3 World Championship Report
• MXGP of West Nusa Tenggara Wrap
• AMA Pro MX Southwick National Wrap
• AFT Round 9 – Lima Half-Mile Report
• 2024 Racing Calendars

Tai Woffinden undergoes surgery after crash in Poland

“First of all I would like to thank Dr. Domanasiewicz for returning from a seminar in Holland to perform this complex surgery on my elbow and the rest of the team at the Provincial Specialist Hospital at ul. Kamieński. I would like to thank all the staff members at Sparta Wroclaw that have helped to get this organised!

“I have broken my elbow into 4 pieces and again i was knocked out cold, so I also have a concussion to deal with.

“I am unsure what the recover time will be right now. You wouldn’t think a broken elbow would be so serious. I am forbidden to put any weight on the limb, and failure to follow the recommendations and riding a motorcycle may result in bone non-union and the need for surgery and implantation of an elbow prosthesis. Which would be career ending!

“Thank you to my team for their support in this frustrating time, Raf, Marcin, Jake, John, Pete & Faye big love! Thanks for all the messages across the socials i really do appreciate it. I will do everything possible to speed up the recovery process and get back doing what i love.

“I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to the following people that keep my dream alive, their support means so much to me and without them it wouldn’t be possible.”

Superstar Lawrence brothers to race Aussie Supercross finale

Supercross superstars Jett and Hunter Lawrence are helping to bring their favourite Australian event, the AUSX Open, back to Marvel Stadium on November 30.

In addition to being instrumental in the event’s comeback, the duo is set for a heroes’ homecoming with their long-awaited return to racing in their home country after five years of international racing success in Europe and the USA.  Click here for more details.

Second Australian Supercross round added for Queensland

The Fox Australian Supercross Championship has announced an additional round will be added to the 2024 calendar, with a second twilight family friendly event on Sunday 13 October at Kayo Stadium in the City of Moreton Bay, extending the series to five championship rounds.

2024 Fox Australian Supercross Championship revised calendar

• Round 1 – Saturday 12th October, Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe QLD
• Round 2 – Sunday 13th October, Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe QLD
• Round 3 – Saturday 2nd November, WIN Stadium in Wollongong NSW
• Round 4 – 15 to 17th November, VAILO Adelaide 500 in Adelaide SA
• Round 5 – Saturday 30th November, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, VIC

2024 FIM Vintage MX World Cup cancelled

It has been announced that the 2024 FIM Vintage Motocross World Cup, which was scheduled to be held at the Foxhill circuit in Great Britain over the weekend of 13-14 July, has been cancelled, although no meaningful explanation has been provided at this time.

NSW Junior Track Championship next weekend!

With Peter Baker

Some of Australia’s best junior motor cycle racers will converge on Coffs Harbour this weekend (July 6 and 7) for the 2024 Adventure Powersports & Outdoor New South Wales Junior Track Championship meeting. Over 100 riders have entered to vie for honours in eight championship classes and five support classes.

Fans should never be deterred from watching junior racing as the riders are not just ‘tomorrow’s stars’, many are already accomplished racers – as evidenced by the quality of recent racing – and many could well be destined for higher honours even on the world stage.

That is one great aspect of watching junior racing – you never know where the riders you are watching will be in five, 10 or 15 years’ time.

The appeal of the meeting has drawn riders from the three states on the eastern seaboard with Queensland riders traveling from Ayr, Ipswich and the Gold Coast.

Victoria is represented by riders from the Albury-Wodonga club while 12 clubs from across New South Wales will have riders there.

The biggest representation by any club is not surprisingly the host Coffs Harbour Motorcycle Club which boasts many riders who travel from other country areas so they can be part of the highly regarded racing complex situated in Phil Hawthorn Drive, Coffs Harbour.

Back in April many of the riders competing this weekend contested the New South Wales Junior Dirt Track Championship meeting at Kurri Kurri and there are three riders who will be out to reproduce their class wins from that meeting.

Braxsen Anderson will be out to repeat his two class wins in the 7-Under 9s classes while Lockie Duggan and Hugo Homes are also out to add to their success from April in the 9 – Under 13s.

Others among the entry list have also had championship successes which should ensure close competition for honours in all age groups.

The 9 – Under 13s classes have drawn the biggest entry list necessitating three and four heats over four laps per round in the two classes before a six-lap final.

The 13 – Under 16s, which is the next group to head in to the senior ranks, is typical of most classes with a very evenly credentialed line-up where it is difficult to single out major chances.

Among the non-championship support classes on the programme will be Flat Track classes for two age groups as preparation for the upcoming Australian Flat Track Nationals series. Those races will be over eight laps.

Action fires up on Saturday morning with practice for all age divisions after the Riders’ Briefing at 9am. Fans can catch the action for 10 dollars for adults, with 15 year olds and younger for five dollars.

2024 AHEC Round Three ‘Dog & Bone Extreme’ Wrap

The Australian Hard Enduro Round Three was held over the weekend and dubbed the ‘Dog and Bone Extreme’, in mild dry conditions just north of Tenterfield in NSW, with riders competing a 45 min prologue on Saturday and more technical course on Sunday for more points.

Ruben Chadwick took the Saturday win ahead of Wade Ibrahim and Anthony Solar, but it was Solar who had the last laugh with victory on Sunday enough to clinch a narrow overall win, on 710-points in total, Ibrahim second on 675 and Chadwick just five points off second on 670.

Despite the third place result, Chadwick still holds the overall lead, narrowly, on 2120 points to Solar’s 2080, with Ibrahim on 1945 in third.

Ruben Chadwick – P3

“I’m happy to come away with the win in the prologue, but it was disappointing not to finish higher up in the main race. The tracks were pretty brutal, with tough racing between the three of us throughout the day. Thanks to my sponsors for the support. On to the next and final round in Hillston!”

AHEC Round 3 Gold Results

2024 FIM Speedway of Nations (SON) squads revealed

The competition last visited the National Speedway Stadium in October 2021, when GB stars Robert Lambert, Dan Bewley and Tom Brennan defied the loss of three-time Speedway GP world champion Tai Woffinden to injury to end the nation’s 32-year wait for a world team championship.

Featuring 15 countries, the FIM SON joins the calendar in place of the Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup, which was staged in Polish city Wroclaw last summer, culminating in a Final for the ages, won by Poland ahead of Great Britain, Denmark and Australia.

FIM SON is speedway’s ultimate test of team riding – a pairs-style event that brings the sport’s biggest stars together to compete for their countries in a bid to be crowned world team champions for 2024.

As host nation, Great Britain is seeded straight through to the Final on Saturday, July 13, and FIM Speedway Grand Prix stars Robert Lambert, Dan Bewley and triple SGP world champion Tai Woffinden are among the riders bidding to fly the Union flag in Manchester. They are joined in the squad by 2021 FIM SON gold medallist Tom Brennan and 2021 British champion Adam Ellis.

Battling to join them in the Final are the 14 semi-finalists, with Poland lining up in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, July 9, taking on 2022 bronze medallists Sweden, former finalists Finland, France and Germany, with Italy and Ukraine completing the line-up.

Australia won the 2022 FIM SON gold medals at iconic Danish venue Vojens, ending a 20-year wait for a world team title, dating back to their 2002 FIM Speedway World Cup win at British track Peterborough. They compete in Semi-Final 2 on Wednesday, July 10, meeting 2020 and 2021 bronze medallists Denmark, former finalists Czech Republic and Latvia, with USA, Slovenia, and Norway also in action.

The top two nations in each Semi-Final gain automatic Final qualification, with the third and fourth-placed countries competing in a Final Qualifier for one last spot in the Saturday showdown.

National bosses can name a squad of up to five riders, which must be reduced to two starters at No.1 and No.2 and a reserve at No.3, who can replace a teammate at any time.

Australia launches their FIM SON title defence in Semi-Final 2, with Jack Holder and Max Fricke named in the squad and bidding to repeat their heroics from the 2022 Final in Vojens, Denmark. They are joined in team manager Mark Lemon’s line-up by two Belle Vue riders – former World Under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey and former Australian champion Brady Kurtz. Leicester and Dackarna racer Ryan Douglas completes the squad.

SON2

An epic week of action in Manchester also features FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 on Friday, July 12. For the first time in its history, the sport’s team under-21 world championship event features eight countries competing over a marathon 28 heats for SON2 gold. The highest scoring nation after 28 races will be crowned champion.

The Aussies complete the field for SON2, led by 2023 SGP2 star Keynan Rew, plus James Pearson, Michael West, Tate Zischke and Harrison Ryan.

2024 FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS SQUADS
SEMI-FINAL 1 – TUESDAY, JULY 9

• Team A – FRANCE
  • 1. David Bellego ©
  • 2. Steven Goret
  • 3. Mathias Trésarrieu
  • 4. Tino Bouin
  • 5. Jordan Dubernard
  • Team manager: Laurent Sambarrey
• Team B – POLAND
  • 1. Patryk Dudek
  • 2. Maciej Janowski
  • 3. Dominik Kubera
  • 4. Piotr Pawlicki
  • 5. Bartosz Zmarzlik ©
  • Team manager: Rafal Dobrucki
• Team C – ITALY
  • 1. Paco Castagna ©
  • 2. Nicolas Covatti
  • 3. Nicolas Vicentin
  • 4. Matteo Boncinelli
  • Team manager: Alessandro Dalla Valle
• Team D – UKRAINE
  • 1. Andryi Karpov ©
  • 2. Marko Levishyn
  • 3. Stanislav Melnychuk
  • 4. Nazar Parnitskyi
  • 5. Stanislav Ohorodnik
  • Team manager: TBA
• Team E – GERMANY
  • 1. Kai Huckenbeck ©
  • 2. Erik Riss
  • 3. Kevin Wölbert
  • 4. Norick Blödorn
  • 5. Valentin Grobauer
  • Team manager: Mathias Bartz
• Team F – SWEDEN
  • 1. Fredrik Lindgren ©
  • 2. Jacob Thorssell
  • 3. Oliver Berntzon
  • 4. Kim Nilsson
  • 5. Timo Lahti
  • Team manager: Morgan Andersson
• Team G – FINLAND
  • 1. Jesse Mustonen ©
  • 2. Antti Vuolas
  • 3. Tero Aarnio
  • 4. Niclas Säyriö
  • 5. Otto Raak
  • Team manager: Aki-Pekka Mustonen

SEMI-FINAL 2 – WEDNESDAY, JULY 10

• Team A – CZECH REPUBLIC
  • 1. Jan Kvech
  • 2. Vaclav Milik ©
  • 3. Adam Bednar
  • 4. Daniel Klima
  • 5. Eduard Krcmar
  • Team manager: Ezven Erban
• Team B – AUSTRALIA
  • 1. Ryan Douglas
  • 2. Max Fricke
  • 3. Jack Holder ©
  • 4. Brady Kurtz
  • 5. Jaimon Lidsey
  • Team manager: Mark Lemon
• Team C – NORWAY
  • 1. Mathias Pollestad ©
  • 2. Glenn Moi
  • 3. Truls Kamhaug
  • 4. Lasse Madland Fredriksen
  • 5. Magnus Klipper
  • Team manager: Kenneth Klipper Smith
• Team D – SLOVENIA
  • 1. Anze Grmek
  • 2. Matic Ivacic ©
  • 3. Denis Stojs
  • Team manager: Gregor Arnsek
• Team E – USA
  • 1. Alex Martin
  • 2. Broc Nicol
  • 3. Gino Manzares ©
  • 4. Luke Becker
  • 5. Slater Lightcap
  • Team manager: Steve Evans
• Team F – DENMARK
  • 1. Mikkel Michelsen ©
  • 2. Anders Thomsen
  • 3. Rasmus Jensen
  • 4. Mads Hansen
  • 5. Andreas Lyager
  • Team manager: Nicki Pedersen
• Team G – LATVIA
  • 1. Andzejs Lebedevs ©
  • 2. Daniils Kolodinskis
  • 3. Francis Gusts
  • 4. Jevgenijs Kostigovs
  • 5. Olegs Mihailovs
  • Team manager: Vladimir Ribnikovs

FIM SON FINAL – SATURDAY, JULY 13

• GREAT BRITAIN
  • 1. Dan Bewley
  • 2. Tom Brennan
  • 3. Adam Ellis
  • 4. Robert Lambert
  • 5. Tai Woffinden ©
  • Team managers: Simon Stead and Oliver Allen

FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS – SON2 – FRIDAY, JULY 12

• Team A – POLAND
  • 1. Bartosz Banbor
  • 2. Jakub Krawczyk
  • 3. Oskar Paluch
  • 4. Wiktor Przyjemski ©
  • 5. Sebastian Szostak
  • Team manager: Rafal Dobrucki
• Team B – GERMANY
  • 1. Norick Blödorn ©
  • 2. Jonny Wynant
  • 3. Patrick Hyjek
  • 4. Ben Iken
  • 5. Marlon Hegener
  • Team manager: Sascha Dörner
• Team C – GREAT BRITAIN
  • 1. Leon Flint ©
  • 2. Daniel Thompson
  • 3. Samuel Hagon
  • 4. Ashton Boughen
  • 5. Joe Thompson
  • Team manager: Neil Vatcher
• Team D – LATVIA
  • 1. Francis Gusts ©
  • 2. Nikita Kaulins
  • 3. Artjoms Juhno
  • Team manager: Vladimirs Ribnikovs
• Team E – CZECH REPUBLIC
  • 1. Adam Bubba Bednar ©
  • 2. Jan Jenicek
  • 3. Matous Kamenik
  • 4. Jaroslav Vanicek
  • 5. Bruno Belan
  • Team manager: Evzen Erban
• Team F – SWEDEN
  • 1. Casper Henriksson ©
  • 2. Philip Hellström-Bängs
  • 3. Noel Wahlquist
  • 4. Rasmus Karlsson
  • 5. Sammy Van Dyck
  • Team manager: Alexander Edberg
• Team G – AUSTRALIA
  • 1. James Pearson
  • 2. Keynan Rew ©
  • 3. Harrison Ryan
  • 4. Michael West
  • 5. Tate Zischke
  • Team manager: Mark Lemon
• Team H – DENMARK
  • 1. Jesper Knudsen ©
  • 2. Bastian Pedersen
  • 3. William Drejer
  • 4. Villads Nagel
  • 5. Mikkel Andersen
  • Team managers: Nicki Pedersen / Hans Andersen

FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow Report

Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren admits he relished being the hunter rather than the hunted as he pulled off a sensational pass on Polish hero Bartosz Zmarzlik to win a dramatic ISS FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow final on Saturday.

The Swede collected his second victory at the iconic Edward Jancarz Stadium, following up his win in 2020 round four, beating Zmarzlik to top spot on the podium, with Danish duo Mikkel Michelsen and Leon Madsen placed third and fourth respectively.

Lindgren and Zmarzlik finished top of the heat score chart on 12 race points apiece and, after both taking second spot in their semi-finals, former Stal Gorzow rider Zmarzlik made a sublime start to hit the front in the final.

But Fast Freddie found the speed when it mattered most, getting the better of the four-time Speedway GP world champion with a breathtaking swoop going into the final lap on the track where Zmarzlik transformed from raw rookie into living speedway legend.

Zmarzlik’s second place still gives him a 27-point advantage at the top of the Speedway GP World Championship with five rounds to race, starting with the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff on August 17.

But victory belonged to Lindgren in front of a 15,000-plus crowd in a city that lives and breathes speedway. The Swedish champion performed a rare feat in passing Zmarzlik in an FIM Gorzow Speedway GP final. But he admits it’s sometimes easier to do the chasing than defend a lead and was elated with his first SGP win since he topped the podium at the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw in May 2023.

Fredrik Lindgren

“When it came to the final, I was just sending it really. I found myself on the dirt line and sometimes it’s easier to be in second position than first because you can go in deep, and you don’t have to worry about what’s happening behind you. I was just sending it and trying to race as hard and fast as I could. Obviously I feel great to finally be back on the top step of the podium as a Speedway GP winner again. That feels absolutely amazing. This was a rollercoaster of a day. I was 15th – second to last – in qualification. We were scratching our heads a bit. Then I started heat one on an overwatered track. I was filled in with a lot of dirt and water. I was riding blind for most of that heat. I just kept fighting all the way through the first couple of heats. But I felt I had good speed in my bike and I was making good decisions. I am happy I was able to pull it off in the final.”

Lindgren’s victory leaves him fourth in the Speedway GP World Championship on 72 points – level with Great Britain’s Robert Lambert, who dropped from second to fifth as he exited with just three championship points.

The Swede is also just five points behind second-placed Aussie ace Jack Holder, who has 77 overall after being disqualified from semi-final one when he fell during an intense battle with Madsen.  Countryman Max Fricke bagged five-points in Poland.

With another 100 championship points still up for grabs, 2023 silver medallist Lindgren isn’t looking too far ahead as he bids to finish on the podium for a second straight season.

Runner-up Zmarzlik revelled in the atmosphere created by a partisan Polish crowd on the track he called home from 2011 until 2022. And he was content with second spot, despite Lindgren denying him what would have been a record-extending 25th Speedway GP win.

European champion Michelsen was pleased to hit form when it mattered most as he made his second podium of the season, taking third place and 16 championship points to move up to third in the standings on 75.

The Speedway GP series now takes a break as all eyes turn to Manchester for the FIM Speedway of Nations from July 9-13, as 15 national teams bid to be crowned 2024 world champions in the ultimate test of team riding.

2024 FIM Speedway GP World Championship Results
Round Six – FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow

2024 FIM Speedway GP World Championship Points after Round Six

2024 SGP3 World Championship Report

Polish sensation Maksymilian Pawelczak lifted the FIM Speedway Youth World Championship for the sport’s 250cc under-16 stars thanks to some super fast starts, leaving his rivals trailing from the tapes to win all five of his rides at Edward Jancarz Stadium.

Even after winning his opening four heats, Bydgoszcz rider Pawelczak still had to deliver the goods in the night’s final race as he faced off with Australian rival Beau Bailey in heat 20. But Pawelczak showed nerves of steel to get the better of the New South Wales star as the Pole improved on the SGP3 silver medal he won at Swedish venue Malilla in 2023.

Bailey secured silver on 13 points, with Great Britain’s William Cairns bagging the bronze medal on 12.

All eyes were on Pawelczak as Poland’s greatest gold-medal hope, especially after he won his Semi-Final with a 15-point maximum in Teterow, Germany last Saturday. But the teenager admits he thrived on the pressure of delivering Poland’s first FIM Speedway Youth World Championship win since Gorzow racer Oskar Paluch topped the podium in 2021.

Maksymilian Pawelczak

“I like to race, and I like to have some pressure on me. That’s what I love. Winning in my home country is an awesome feeling. I am speechless. We did everything we could in the pits, and it was 100 percent. I am very happy about it. Last year, I got second place and this year I knew I had to get gold. I have always wanted to be a world champion and I made my dream come true. We have been working very hard on the starts and, as you can see, it worked out. I am very happy about that. We tried to get the best setup that we could, and we made it.”

Pawelczak now has his sights set on climbing the SGP pyramid, with SGP2 – the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship – his next step as he graduates up to 500cc competition.

Runner-up Bailey was pleased to see a year of hard work pay off as he improved on ninth place in the 2023 FIM SGP3 Final – Malilla.

Beau Bailey

“It’s a better result than last year – a silver medal. Since the 2023 Final, I have mainly been practising my starting and trying to work on the setup for the slicker tracks. But focusing on the gating was the main thing. I still have a little longer before I am on the 500cc bikes, but we’ll see how we go next year. I might come back into SGP3. Let’s see.”

Bailey would start among the frontrunners if he returned, but third-placed Cairns now joins Pawelczak in moving on to the 500cc bikes, as he celebrates his 15th birthday on Saturday.

After second place in his opening heat and a third in the crucial heat 10, which pitted him against Pawelczak, Cairns was pleased to fight back for a bronze medal. He sealed it with a crucial win in his final race, heat 17, which saw him crash after an epic battle with Elias Jamil Jensen, with the Dane disqualified and Cairns awarded the three points.

William Cairns

“I rode really well. The starts just weren’t working for me. I got T-boned in my last race, which is always fun after coming from the back. In the first heat, I just didn’t have the speed, so we dropped a sprocket and then I managed to get out of the starts better and find the speed. That gave me a confidence boost, and I just had to keep cool and try not to lose my head. We kept on pushing and it worked out well.”

Cairns is set to sign for an undisclosed club in Britain’s WSRA National Development League – his first step into 500cc senior competition. His father Paul owns the Leicester Lions – a Rowe Motor Oil Premiership club with a second team in the NDL. But Cairns says his next move will be revealed soon.

William Cairns

“I ride a 500cc bike at home and I can enter the National League tomorrow. That will be fun. I can’t really say too much yet. I have a contract somewhere, but I can’t disclose where that is now. My dad recently bought Leicester, so he is definitely keen to get me there. But I have had multiple clubs ask me to ride and I picked the club which I felt was right for me.”

The second Aussie in the final, Jordy Loftus (Team Loftus Racing), finished 13th in what was a massive learning curve for the 15-year-old Queenslander.

The world-championship action continues in Gorzow on Saturday night with the ISS FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow, as four-time Speedway GP world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik returns to the venue where he transformed from raw rookie into a living speedway legend.

SGP3 2024 Results

2024 MXGP of West Nusa Tenggara Wrap

See the full report and results here:
Prado & Herlings share MXGP of West Nusa Tenggara glory

The 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship reached the MXGP of West Nusa Tenggara at the Selaparang circuit on the island of Lombok on the weekend, where relentless heat and humidity added to the challenge. Reigning Champion Jorge Prado took the Grand Prix win, despite tying on points with Jeffrey Herling.

In the MX2 class red plate holder Kay de Wolf won both races for the first time this season, further extending his advantage at the top of the table.

MXGP Overall

The results mean that from 34 points at the start of the weekend, Gajser’s series lead has been cut down to just 22 to Prado. Herlings is also closer to the lead, now just 58 points behind the Slovenian, having earnt equal points to Prado on 47 for the round.

Jorge Prado – P1

“I mentioned before coming to Indonesia that my goal was to win here and every GP. It was disappointing about the result in Maggiora, but I was fully focused on coming back strong. We started the second half of the season well with this result. I felt good today on the bike, but it was physically demanding. Both races were different, but this one was particularly challenging due to the physical conditions. The heat was intense, and the track was extremely rough and sketchy. There was a lot of water put down after the break. I got caught a few times in mud holes, and my bike went sideways. However, I regrouped, controlled my pace, and managed to take the win. Now, let’s have a good weekend of training and rest to be ready for round two here in Indonesia!”

Jeffrey Herlings – P2

“It was a shame; it should have been a 1-1-1 for me today but I made a mistake. I crashed by myself and hurt a little bit my knee but we should be good for next week. In the end 1-1-2 over a weekend is pretty good too.“

Calvin Vlaanderen – P3

“I’m so happy! It’s been a long two years since I was on the podium, and it’s taken a lot of work and sacrifices to get back up here. So, I want to say a huge thanks to the whole team and everyone around me. I’ve been close to the podium a few times this year but today I felt really good. To really battle with the front guys though, I need better starts. With the team we’ve been working hard on them, and they’ve improved a lot, but I need to be getting holeshots or at least be in the top three. Overall, I’m super-stoked to be on the box and today has been great for my confidence.”

Tim Gajser – P4

“Things didn’t go my way today, on what was quite a difficult track. I couldn’t find a good rhythm in race one and just had to settle for third place. Race two started a lot better, including getting the holeshot but I ran a bit wide and let a couple of guys through. I then fought hard in the first few laps and got myself back into the lead, but a couple of mistakes and I ended up finishing fifth. It’s not where I want to be, but I had five days to recuperate and then we go again next weekend.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P7

“It felt good to lead in the second moto, but overall, it was a tough weekend. On Saturday, I had a big crash in the first lap of qualifying, which forced me to pit. I focused on finishing to avoid a bad starting position for Sunday. In race one, I had a decent start, managing to gain positions by cutting inside from the outside. I found my rhythm and climbed up to eighth. Unfortunately, on the last lap, my rear brake got stuck due to a stone or something similar, costing me two positions. It was frustrating because I gave my all throughout the race. In the second moto, I had a strong opening lap and moved up to fifth. I held sixth for most of the race until a small crash due to track conditions dropped me to seventh. This resulted in seventh place overall. I aim to improve next weekend and believe I have what it takes to stay in the top five in the upcoming races!”

Andrea Bonacorsi – P8

“Two good days for me this weekend. Yesterday I worked on finding my flow around the track and placed ninth in the Qualifying Race, so that wasn’t too bad. Today was really good, especially Race One. I started around sixth or seventh and then held sixth all race. Then, on the last lap, I passed Jeremy Seewer for fifth, so I was really happy with my performance. I had another good start in Race Two but lost some positions in the first turn. I was then running in eighth but then I had a small tip-over and lost a lot of places. It was really hot, and I did my best to regroup, but I ended up 12th. So, a bittersweet day let’s say. But I showed that if I start up front, then I can run up front, so that’s really positive, and I’m excited for next weekend.”

MXGP Round Overall

MXGP Championship Points – Top 20

MX2 Overall

It was to be Kay de Wolf’s day, collecting his first double win of the season, his first GP win for nearly three months and pushing his advantage in the Championship to a mammoth 65 points, meaning that he will definitely return to Europe with the red plate on his Nestaan Husqvarna.

Adamo was second on 42-points, Lucas Coenen third on 36, tied with Haarup, with Sacha another two-points in arrears in fifth.

De Wolf now sits on 532-points in total, Lucas Coenen on 467 and S. Laegenfelder third on 463.

The series will stay at Selaparang as the circuit gets worked on to run in the opposite direction for next week’s MXGP of Lombok.

Kay de Wolf – P1

“It was two different races but I made some good passes in the opening lap and felt very comfortable out on track. I’m very happy with the changes made with the team in-between the races. So I’m looking forward for next weekend!”

Andrea Adamo – P2

“It was a good weekend. I’m happy to be on the podium. It was two completely different races and the starts were really important and I didn’t really have the best starts. It was a bit more difficult to come back in the second race but I’m so happy with my speed my riding so let’s go the second one.”

Lucas Coenen – P3

“It wasn’t the best weekend. I was still learning the track and it’s not my ideal track as it’s hard to ride smoothly. Due to its characteristics, it’s probably more. You need to attack you cannot. Now I now the track so next week I’ll show my real speed. Let’s see how will be the new layout but next I’m going to show!”

Sacha Coenen – P5

“Not that good this weekend, but I was really happy with the first moto holeshot! I feel like I can make a good start from anywhere. I almost tipped over though and make my way back to the top five. Not the best but not the worst. I was riding really good in the second moto but with five-six laps to go I started to feel pretty bad and had to slow. 4th so then 5th overall. Not a disaster. We’ll keep our head-up for the next race.”

Liam Everts – P6

“Difficult weekend. I felt like I couldn’t put together two solid races. Not the best start in the first moto and I came back to 4th and in the second I think I was 4th or 5th but tucked the front because they had watered the track so much. It was as surprise. Not so happy with the results but we’ll keep working and come back next weekend.”

Simon Laengenfelder – P7

“The first weekend here in Lombok is over, and to be honest, it was a bit of a struggle. In the first race, I had a good start and was leading. I felt comfortable on the bike, but unfortunately, I had a small tip-over, and after that, things went downhill. I felt like I had expended all my energy, and the last 10 minutes were tough. I finished 6th. In the second race, the heavily watered track presented a challenge, but overall, I felt good. Despite a less than ideal start, I made some good passes. Towards the end, I lost a few positions and finished sixth again. Now it’s time to recover this week and analyze what we can improve for the next weekend.”

Ferruccio Zanchi – P10

“Definitely a learning experience this weekend, with just being a completely different type of event than in Europe. I am happy to be here though and I’m happy with how I rode in that second moto, to fight hard and show a bit more of what I am capable of. I know that I need to get those sort of starts in every race and if I can do that, I can see that I’m getting closer and closer to finishing with the top guys.”

MX2 Round Overall

Pos	Rider	Bike	R1	R2	Points
1	K D Wolf	Hus	25	25	50
2	A Adamo	KTM	22	20	42
3	L Coenen	Hus	14	22	36
4	M Haarup	Tri	20	16	36
5	S Coenen	KTM	16	18	34
6	L Everts	KTM	18	14	32
7	S Laengenfelder	GAS	15	15	30
8	C Mc Lellan	Tri	13	12	25
9	R Elzinga	Yam	12	10	22
10	F Zanchi	Hon	7	13	20
11	Quentin M Prugnieres	Kaw	11	9	20
12	J Walvoort	Ktm	6	11	17
13	J Chambers	Kaw	10	7	17
14	Karlis A Reisulis	Yam	8	8	16
15	L Ambjörnson	Hus	4	5	9
16	K Karssemakers	Fan	9	0	9
17	D Alfarizi	Hon	2	6	8
18	J Wannalak	KTM	3	4	7
19	O Oliver	KTM	5	2	7
20	M Arsenio Algifari	Hon	1	3	4
21	Nakami V Makarim	KTM	0	1	1
22	D Braceras	Fan	0	0	0

MX2 Championship Standings

Pos	Rider	Bike	Points
1	K D Wolf	Hus	532
2	L Coenen	Hus	467
3	S Laengenfelder	GAS	463
4	L Everts	KTM	432
5	A Adamo	KTM	417
6	M Haarup	Tri	355
7	R Elzinga	Yam	322
8	S Coenen	KTM	312
9	T Benistant	Yam	226
10	Q Prugnieres	Kaw	217
11	F Zanchi	Hon	195
12	O Oliver	KTM	186
13	C Mc Lellan	Tri	153
14	J Chambers	Kaw	141
15	J Walvoort	KTM	134
16	M Rossi	GAS	122
17	K Karssemakers	Fan	107
18	D Braceras	Fan	91
19	A Bonacorsi	Yam	83
20	J Mikula	Ktm	75

2024 AMA Pro MX Southwick National Wrap

For the full report and results see:
AMA Pro MX Southwick National – An illustrated recap

After a week off, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship returned to action for the fifth round of the 2024 season with an annual visit to Western Massachusetts and the iconic sand track at The Wick 338. The 43rd running of the Crestview Construction Southwick National was greeted with overcast skies, cool temperatures, and a huge crowd of passionate fans, which set the stage for another memorable day of racing.

In the 450 Class, defending champion Jett Lawrence parlayed 1-2 moto scores into his fourth win of the season for Team Honda HRC, while the 250 Class saw Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan prevail with 1-2 finishes of his own and add to his point lead with his fourth win of the summer.

450 Round

Jett Lawrence’s consistency proved to be the difference maker in the overall classification as his 1-2 effort was enough to clinch his fourth victory of the season and the 15th of his career, which moved him into a tie with Jeremy McGrath for 10th on the all-time 450 Class wins list. Sexton’s impressive second moto triumph moved him into the runner-up spot (3-1), while Hunter Lawrence maintained his podium streak in third (2-3), which now sits at five races.

The podium finish for Hunter Lawrence allowed him to maintain his lead atop the championship standings, which now sits at just three points over Jett Lawrence and Sexton, who sit tied for second.

Aussie wildcard entrant Kyle Webster carded a hugely impressive top ten for the round on the back of 17-7 placings in the two motos. That 17th place in the opening moto came after an early crash left the Mobile X Honda rider dead last and forced him to battle his way up through the pack.

Jett Lawrence – P1

“Southwick wasn’t too bad. My legs got tired in the second moto, so we have to work on that for the rest of the season. Chase was riding strong; I tried going for it a couple times, but decided it was time to check up. I’m very happy to get out of here with the overall win. We just have to keep pushing.”

Chase Sexton – P2

“This track has never really been my absolute favourite for some reason, but I had to put that behind me after the first moto, because I didn’t want to over-ride the track or push past the limit. In the second moto, I finally started to get a good flow going towards the end, picking some different lines, and it all came together for me. I was able to kind of jump around the track and make it more fun – when you’re doing that you go faster. That was the whole thing for me today and we’re happy to leave here with a moto win this afternoon.”

Hunter Lawrence – P3

“Gnarly day at the ’Wick! I left it all out there today, and we have some good things to take away from this weekend. If you saw how many moments I had late in the second moto, it’s safe to say I was pushing and giving it my all! I came up a little short, but it’s a huge positive to leave here with the red plate after losing it here the last two years. Now we can keep getting better this week.”

Aaron Plessinger – P5

“Southwick could have gone better, but also could have been worse! I actually qualified fourth and was really good in practice, then I got a good start in the first moto, but stalled the bike coming down a hill and laid it down. I picked it back up, got some dirt in my goggles, and had to stop for new ones, so finished up 12th. Second moto, rebounded and rode a really, really good race for fourth. I almost caught the boys on the podium and I can’t ask for much more from that one! The first moto could have dictated the day, but it didn’t, and we’ll bounce back again for RedBud!”

Justin Barcia – P7

“Today was an eventful day, a lot of stuff going on! I qualified P7, which was pretty good, and the motos were decent for where we’re at. I was sixth in Moto 1 and then had a first turn crash in the second moto, but made a hard charge to 11th. Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with some knee injuries since about the week before Salt Lake City, and I’ve been pushing through it. One knee has a torn/sprained MCL, and my other knee had bursitis, with a little bit of a tear in the meniscus – not too bad, nothing that requires surgery. Because of the swelling, two of my tendons finally let go at High Point, but the good thing is that technically they will just scar up and be fine. I haven’t been riding during the week at all, just been trying to race on the weekends for my fans and the crew, but it’s got to the point now that we have a really good bike, my riding is really good, and these knees are holding us back. We want to be better than fifth-to-eighth, so we are going to take some time off. I will still be able to train quite a bit, do PT on the knees, and see what we can do to get better. All in all, they just need some time to heal up, so the goal right now, I would say, is to come back for Unadilla. I won’t miss too many races if everything works out, which I believe it will, and then we’ll come back swinging!”

Kyle Webster – P10

“What an experience. I have a lot more to learn and improve on, and I am excited to get to work. There were some positives today, but the best thing to come out of racing my first race in America is realising we have a lot to improve on, including my riding, fitness, and the bike. Tenth overall is great but we need to be further up.  One thing is for sure: the intensity in the first five laps is something I haven’t experienced. I need to improve my sprint speed and stamina. It won’t happen overnight, but we now have something to work towards. I am looking forward to Redbud.”

Malcolm Stewart – P11

“I actually had a good time here at Southwick.  It’s been 11 years since I raced this race and the number one coolest thing for me today was the fans. Practice was good, I forgot how fast this track can be early on, and that’s important to get a good lap in. First moto was okay, got off to an okay start, and fought my way up to eighth. In the second one, my start was actually better than the first one, but we went down in the first corner and I was able to keep going for 16th. It obviously wasn’t the best ride we’ve had, but we’ll take this thing to RedBud and I’m excited for that… I’m going to give it everything I’ve got!”

Jason Anderson – P12

“There are a lot of positives to take away from this weekend. My KX450SR was feeling incredible the entire weekend and we have this bike feeling the best it ever has. I could not find my flow in the morning qualifying sessions, but it clicked in Moto 1. I got a good start and tried to hitch onto the lead pack, but settled into fourth the entire race. Moto 2 was a huge bummer for us. I got another good jump, but got squeezed and went down. I remounted and tried to find my flow, making it all the way to 11th, but another mistake caused me to go down. I ended up 12th overall on the day, but I am looking for more.”

Christian Craig – P14

“Southwick was tough, just struggled with the setting on this track in the morning, and then went in the wrong direction for the first moto.  In the second moto, we went back to my base settings, got a better start, felt more comfortable, and it was an improvement. Today wasn’t great overall, but my second moto finish in P8 was the best of the year so far. That was better, but there was still some inconsistency, so we’ll move onto RedBud and try to keep building.”

450 Round Results

450 Championship Points

250 Round

Deegan’s 1-2 finishes put him atop the overall standings for his fourth win of the season and the sixth win of his career, while Vialle’s late falter from first to third in the final moto relegated him to the runner-up spot (2-3). Shimoda’s Moto 2 triumph vaulted him onto the overall podium for the first time this season in third (9-1).

With another win to his credit Deegan added to his lead in the championship standings, which now sits at 42 points over Hymas, who finished fourth (3-5). Vialle is one additional point back in third, 43 behind Deegan.

Haiden Deegan – P1

“I look past those doubts [about riding in the sand]. I’m a motivated person and I’m willing to just put in the work. I was stalled out in third [in Moto 2], but then I saw those two guys [Shimoda and Vialle] and knew I had to dig deep at the end to try and make it happen. Tom went down and that’s what I needed for the [overall] win.”

Tom Vialle – P2

“I had a good first moto and when I got to second it was a big gap to the lead, but it was okay. In the second moto I was leading almost the whole race, before I got stuck a little bit with the lapped riders around three or four laps to go, so Jo [Shimoda] caught me really quick. I tried and really wanted to pass Jo again and fight for the win, but I crashed on the last lap – we were all pushing really hard, so it was a nice race anyway.”

Jo Shimoda – P3

“I crashed in the first moto and had to do a lot of work. I came out ok on the restart [in Moto 2] and just never gave up. Vialle was getting away from me, but I kept pushing. The last three laps were just insane, but I’m really happy to get the moto win.”

Chance Hymas – P4

“Good result for my first time at Southwick. My goal in qualifying was to be in the top 10, and I was right there with seventh. I was second off the start in the first moto and finished third. I had another great start in the second moto before the restart, but I was only seventh after the red flag. We’ll take a fourth overall and getting out of here healthy.”

Levi Kitchen – P7

“Today was a step in the right direction starting with qualifying, placing fourth in that. In the first moto, it started off pretty slow for me, but I quickly found my pace and ended up fourth. In Moto 2, I got a good jump out of the gate, but it was red flagged immediately. After the restart, I got the holeshot again, but quickly lost the tow up front. I pretty much had third place overall in the bag until a lapped rider took me out with about 10 minutes to go. Overall, we fought and I am making steps in the right direction. I appreciate my entire Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki team for all their help this weekend.”

Ty Masterpool – P8

“It was a really tough track today for us. In qualifying, it went okay and I placed fifth. My first moto was a really solid performance. I was able to charge all the way through and felt strong the entire way, but my start was not the best. During Moto 2, the track was super gnarly and I was pushing the entire race, but got tired towards the end and faded a bit. Next stop will be Redbud and we always have a good time there. I am excited to prove myself next weekend.”

Pierce Brown – P9

“In the first moto I struggled, but we made some changes for Moto 2, and I felt a lot better. Unfortunately, I fell on the first lap and had to come back from 40th to 12th, so my riding was there, but obviously it didn’t show on paper. We don’t get sand like this in California, so it is hard to prep properly for this race – we’ll move onto RedBud and keep charging.”

Ryder DiFrancesco – P11

“Southwick was okay. It was an improvement from last year, I got a little bit better in the sand, but a mistake on the last lap cost me a couple of spots overall. It was a step in the right direction, we had two solid motos, and I’m ready for RedBud.”

Julien Beaumer – P24

“It was a tough first moto. I crashed in the first turn and then made a good comeback, but crashed late in the moto again and lost my goggles. In Moto 2, I made a bad start, then unfortunately got tagged by another rider as I went down, and was run over. I spent some time in the medical unit, but am happy to be healthy, so we will see the neurologist this week and see if we’re able to race next weekend.”

250 Round Results

250 Championship Points

2024 AFT Round 9 – Lima Half-Mile Report

Images courtesy of AFT, by Tim Lester

AFT Singles – Lima Half-Mile

Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Tom Drane held off a motivated Kody Kopp to win the AFT Singles Main Event at Lima this weekend, and while Chase Saathoff took the holeshot from pole, Drane cut up underneath him to snatch away the lead exiting Turn 2 on the opening lap.

Drane gapped the field by nearly one-and-a-half seconds by the time the race hit halfway, Kopp charging like a champion once he finally overhauled Saathoff to fix his sights on the Australian.

The Rick Ware Racing star proceeded to eat up tenths per lap, closing to within a quarter of a second as the two encountered thick swaths of lapped traffic with just over a minute remaining.

Just as Kopp was attempting to execute a decisive move, the two stormed past a downed rider and then negotiated another pack of slower traffic that kicked up a wave of pea gravel. Whether Kopp expected a red flag, simply lost out through the lappers, or some combination of the two, Drane took full advantage of the chaos to emerge with his grip on the race resecured.

The Estenson Racing ace sailed on to earn his third victory of the season by just under a half second, snapping Kopp’s three-race win streak in the process.

Tom Drane

“(Lima’s) definitely similar to what we race back home… To be able to get this win feels so good. I can’t thank my whole team enough for all the effort they’ve put in and all the training we’ve done so we can race so hard the whole race. I could feel Kody coming towards the end there, and I had to really put those last laps together.”

Sam Drane, Tom’s brother notably took second in the Pushin the Lima Cushion event in the 250 Am class.

Saathoff took a lonely third, but his sixth podium of the season wasn’t enough to prevent Drane from seizing control of second in the standings. Kopp still leads both challengers by a significant margin, 204-172-168.

The championship’s fourth- and fifth-ranked riders, Trent Lowe and James Ott, finished in those same positions on Saturday but only after chasing down promising rookie Evan Renshaw, who equaled his best-career Progressive AFT finish in sixth.

Aiden RoosEvans, Tyler Raggio, Travis Petton IV, and Logan Eisenhard rounded out the top ten.

AFT Singles Main Result – Lima Half-Mile

AFT Singles Standings – Top 20

Mission SuperTwins – Lima Half-Mile

Grand National Championship leader Dallas Daniels checked off another career goal with a peerless performance in this year’s edition of the Lima Half-Mile, Round 9 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing,

Despite lining up for Saturday’s Main Event as the only rider among the leading Mission AFT SuperTwins title contenders without a prior win at the Allen County Fairgrounds to his name – and despite Yamaha similarly being without a premier-class victory in the history of the fabled event in Lima, Ohio – Daniels was simply unstoppable from start to finish.

The Estenson Racing hero immediately leapt out into the lead and set about executing his escape. Ripping off a series of laps quicker than anyone had managed all day long, Daniels stretched out his advantage by big chunks over the race’s opening half.

With some three seconds separating him from Brandon Robinson and five from Jared Mees, Daniels was already deep into traffic by the race’s halfway point. Even after easing up late, he would go on to lap more than half the field before at last taking the checkered flag with nearly six-and-a-half seconds in hand.

Despite the one-sided nature of the win, there was still a fair amount of drama near the front. Reigning champion Mees reeled Robinson in from a couple seconds back, ultimately moving through with an inside-outside-inside maneuver as the clocks hit zero.

That development was actually to Daniels’ benefit – at least for the time being – as it allowed him to open his championship lead over second-ranked Robinson that much further. He now leads by 21-points over the Mission Roof Systems pilot (195-174) with the factory Indian ace two points further adrift in third (172).

Dallas Daniels

“When you’re a little kid, there are just certain tracks you dream of winning. As soon as I got on that twin, something clicked (here), but I just got nipped by some really great riders. It was a tough pill to swallow because both years I was fast… I just knew I had to get the job done tonight. I got a good start, and I just put my head down those first few laps, and the rest is history. We made a little bit of a change before the Main Event, and I was a little bit skeptical on it. But (my crew) sat me down and said they trusted it, and whatever they trust, I trust. Things were just clicking; I felt like I was on a cloud just riding. What a night.”

Last year’s Lima HM winner, Briar Bauman, got away in fourth but proved unable to match the torrid early pace at the front. Instead, he found himself fighting a losing battle in his attempt to keep Davis Fisher pinned behind him to hold the position to the end.

Brandon Price finished five seconds back of the Fisher-Bauman fight in sixth, followed by Jarod Vanderkooi and Dalton Gauthier, who was actually the final rider still on the lead lap despite taking eighth. Chad Cose and Cameron Smith completed the top ten.

Aussie Max Whale is yet to return to competition in the SuperTwins class, having broken his ankle in New York.

SuperTwins Main Result – Lima Half-Mile

SuperTwins Standings – Top 20

Progressive American Flat Track will conclude its month-long run of four consecutive races with the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, on Saturday, July 6.

2024 Racing schedule

2024 FIM EnduroGP Calendar

2024 MXGP Calendar (Provisional)

2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championships Provisional Calendar

2024 Monster Energy Supercross & Pro Motocross calendars

2024 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship calendar