Moto News Wrap for December 22 – by Darren Smart
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Australasian News
Australian Teams Taking Shape
With Dan Reardon, Dean Ferris, Todd Waters, Matt Moss, Luke Styke, Kirk Gibbs, Luke Wilson, Caleb Ward and co locked and loaded, here are the latest developments as far as the local motocross and supercross race teams go:
Team Honda Racing: The Paul Free managed Team Honda Racing will see Jay Wilson and Dylan Long lining up to race a Honda CRF450R in both the Australian MX Nationals and the Australian Supercross Series.
“Having wrapped up the motorcross title in MX2 class this year, MX1 was always going to be my next step.” Wilson commented. “It’s the premiere class and I believe it is very important to push myself as a rider so I am very excited to be going racing with Honda and the newly formed team in 2016.”
“I am super excited to be joining Team Honda Racing heading into 2016 and can’t wait to get started.” Long said. “I have seen the success the road team has already achieved over the years and to have Pip Harrison onboard with the off-road side of things is really exciting.
SD3 Husqvarna: Jacob Wright, Luke Arbon and Kaleb Barham will be part of an expanded SD3 Husqvarna team for season 2016. “I’m really excited, it’s a new bike and a new team and everyone in the team is really enthusiastic about their job,” said Wright. “It’s going to be a good atmosphere to be involved with at the races. I didn’t have the best of years this year – I didn’t really get to do any racing because I had a knee injury, so I’m on the charge back to the top. Physically I’m ready to go. I’m 100% back and healthy and ready to storm 2016.”
NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki: Mat Moss (MX1), Kade Mosig (MX1) and Jake Moss (MX2) have officially been named as Factory Kawasaki riders in the NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki racing team for the 2016 Motocross and Supercross Championships.
“I definitely believe that I could have won a title this year.” Mosig commented. “I had really good preseason training leading into both the Motocross and Supercross so I was feeling confident. I stayed consistent and came home strong without injuries. Having two full seasons under my belt is assuring because knowing my performance and results this year, I don’t need to change much, I just need to keep working on it to get to that top step.”
“I’m feeling amazing after a pretty bad year.” Said Jake Moss who is committed to take on the young guns of the MX2 class. “I’m still not at 100% though and I have only just starting riding again. I’m just taking it one step at a time right now and not rushing into it with a bit of coaching and starting to do some motos to build up my health and fitness again.”
2016 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championships
Kicking off with the opening round on January 1-2 in Kurri Kurri, NSW, the four round 2016 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship will see 2013 winner Troy Batchelor, 2015 runner-up Sam Masters and three-time Australian Under-21 Solo Speedway champion Max Fricke go toe-to-toe with an exciting blend of established and up-and-coming local stars in Josh Grajczonek, Justin Sedgmen and Nick Morris.
2016 Calendar
- Rd 1: Jan 1-2 – Kurri Kurri, NSW
- Rd 2: Jan 6 – Undera – VIC
- Rd 3: Jan 8 – Gillman Speedway – SA
- Rd 4: Jan 10 – Mildura – VIC
Triple Crown of Vintage Motocross
The Brisbane Motorcycle Club will utilise their state-of-the-art Harrisville facility to host the Triple Crown of Vintage Motocross with the first event in the series being the Queensland Classic & Post Classic Championships on April 23/24 before the National Classic Motocross Championships held over the weekend of June 18/19 then the National Post Classic Motocross Championships on July 23/24.
These events are a must for any rider with a lust for tank slapping on old dirt bikes….
Sunshine State Motocross Championships Calendar
The Sunshine State Motocross Championships has been the breeding grounds for the likes of Michael Byrne, Mick Cook, Sharky McFarlane, Todd Waters, Jacob Wright and Daniel Reardon to name a few and 2016 is looking like another cracker of a year for the up and coming moto heads – here is the calendar for 2016.
Round Schedule
- Rd 1 – Hervey Bay, March 12 – 13
- Rd 2 – Tivoli, April 9 – 10
- Rd 3 – Bundaberg, May 7 – 8
- Rd 4 – Coolum, June 4 – 5
- Rd 5 – Chinchilla, July 2 – 3
- Rd 6 – Toowoomba, July 23 – 24
These events are a must for any rider with a lust for tank slapping on new dirt bikes….
Aussie Vacation for Speedway World Champion
Dual World Speedway Champion Tai Woffinden, who grew up in Perth, is spending the off-season in Australia and posted this on his Instagram leading up to Xmas: “Hey guys, just wanted to give you a quick update of what I’m up to! I’m in Aussie again now but the hard work has already started and I’m training every day to make sure I’m fitter than I’ve ever been. The boys are working hard back in Europe to make sure we’ve got the best set up and I know they’ll do an awesome job. It’s good to chill out, get some sun and catch up with some mates while I’m here but I’m working every day to make sure I’m 100% ready for when the season starts. Hope everyone has a great Christmas and thanks for being the best fans in the world.”
Mountain Man Motocross Wins ‘Event of the Year’
The annual Motorcycling Queensland awards night was held recently and the 40th anniversary of the Mountain Man Motocross was awarded Event of the Year with Bryan Flemming accepting the trophy on behalf of all involved.
“So awesome that Mountain Man Motocross was voted ‘Event of the Year’. Everyone from the workers, riders, spectators, sponsors, media that has been part of this amazing event over the past 40 years can share the thanks for elevating this event to the level of success it has gained. Cheers Flyan Bryan”
American News
Chad and ‘The Burner’
Looking through Chad Reed and Michael Byrne’s social media you get a sense that their long term friendship has evolved into an alliance that will propel them into the heat of battle for the 2016 AMA Supercross Championships.
With nothing confirmed as far as a factory ride, Reed and Byrne have been ripping through the race fuel at Chad’s supercross practice track each day before making their way to Chad’s garage to work on several half pulled apart Yamaha YZF450s…..this is home-grown, seat of your pants Aussie initiative…..go boys!
Baggett Out with Injury
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Blake Baggett was injured in a practice crash during testing in Corona, California and will miss the start of the 2016 Monster Energy/ AMA Supercross season next month.
Baggett was rushing through a whoop section at speed when he crashed and hit the ground hard. He suffered a number of injuries including a broken collarbone, broken ribs and broken scapula. He and his family are still discussing options with his doctors on how to move forward.
Baggett was the lone Yoshimura Suzuki pilot during most of the 2015 season with his team mate James Stewart out with either injury or a drug ban.
Euro Champ Takes on AMA Supercross
Talented Dutch rider Nick Kouwenberg will compete in the 2016 AMA Supercross 250SX West Region championship. With support from American Honda, Kouwenberg will take on the eight West Region rounds before the European motocross season starts in Valkenswaard at the end of March.
Russell Honoured
GNCC Champion Kailub Russell was honoured at the annual Racer Productions-hosted GNCC Awards Banquet at the Waterfront Place Hotel and Convention Center in Morgantown, West Virginia, where the FMF KTM Team rider received his 2015 number-one plate and trophy.
Euro News
Herlings, Jonass and Pootjes In For Hawkstone
Jeffrey Herlings, Pauls Jonass and Davy Pootjes of the factory Red Bull KTM Factory Team have signed to race the Be Wiser Hawkstone International on 7th February 2016. The list of GP stars heading to Hawkstone grows each week so it will be as good a shake down as any of the riders would wish for.
Guillod and Kemea for MXGP Class in 2016
After some difficulties with his previous team Valentin Guillod had been assurances by Yamaha that he would be with them in 2016 and now they have placed him on the Kemea team in the 450 GPs.
The official announcement read, “Kemea Yamaha Official MXGP Team will go into the new year with a MXGP-star added to its 2016 rider line-up. It is with great pleasure and anticipation that Yamaha Racing and the Kemea confirm that Valentin Guillod will represent them in the premier class of motocross aboard a Yamaha YZ450F.”
MXGP Calendar Changes
The Malaysian round of MXGP has been cancelled but Youthstream is pleased to announce that the ‘TBA’ round scheduled to take place on the 28th and 29th of May will be in Talavera de la Reina as the MXGP of Spain.
Please find here below the updated calendar.
- Rd1: 27 February (Sat) – QATAR – Losail
- Rd2: 6 March – THAILAND – Suphan, Buri
- Rd3: 28 March (Monday) – EUROPE – Valkenswaard
- Rd4: 10 April – PATAGONIA ARGENTINA – Neuquen
- Rd5: 17 April – MEXICO, Leon
- Rd6: 1 May – LATVIA – Kegums
- Rd7: 8 May – GERMANY – Teutschenthal
- Rd8: 15 May – TRENTINO – Pietramurata
- Rd9: 29 May – SPAIN – Talavera de la Reina
- Rd10: 5 June – FRANCE – St Jean d’Angély
- Rd11: 19 June – GREAT BRITAIN – Matterley Basin
- Rd12: 26 June – LOMBARDIA – ITALY, Mantova
- Rd13: 24 July – CZECH REPUBLIC – Loket
- Rd14: 31 July – BELGIUM – Lommel
- Rd15: 7 August – SWITZERLAND – Frauenfeld – Gachnang
- Rd16: 28 August – THE NETHERLANDS – Assen
- Rd17: 3 September (Sat) – AMERICAS – Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Rd18: 11 September – MONSTER ENERGY MXGP OF USA – Glen Helen
- MXoN: 25 September – Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations – ITALY – Maggiora
Langston Confirmed for VMXdN
VMXdN (Veteran Motocross de Nations) promoter Dave King has announced that 2000 World MX2 champion and former AMA Motocross champion Grant Langston has confirmed that he will race the event in 2016.
“We are delighted to announce that Grant Langston will be riding the 2016 VMXdN on a KX 500. Word spreads quickly these days. The news of Grant Langston riding the 2016 VMXdN has prompted two old rivals Marc de Reuver and Brian Jorgensen to come out of retirement and fire up a 2 stroke again.”
They Are ALL Doing It!
MotoGP Champions Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez along with Formula One race winner Daniel Ricciardo are all out busting motos on the motocross bikes in a bid to keep themselves sharp for their chosen sport during the off-season – in fact, these non-professional dirt bike riders have done more laps than ‘the fastest soil tester on the planet’ James Stewart over the last two seasons……
Last Weekend’s Racing
AX Tour – Round 3 – Agricenter International – Memphis, TN
Round three of the AX Tour was held recently and it was Jake McKinney who finally got to take the overall wins leaving championship leader Travis Sewell to only pick-up a minor place in the Clash for Cash.
- AX Pro Lites Overall: 1. Jake Mckinney. 2. Jesse Wentland. 3. Marcus Nilsen. 4. Heath Harrison. 5. Erik Utech.
- AX Pro Overall: 1. Dylan Rose. 2. Jake McKinney. 3. Martin Castelo. 4. Scott Zont. 5. Jansin Mccoy.
- Clash for Cash Overall: 1. Jesse Wentland. 2. Travis Sewell. 3. Daniel Herrlein. 4. Heath Harrison. 5. Joey Crown.
