Moto News Wrap for May 23, 2017 by Darren Smart
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Latest News
- The real reason why Ryan Dungey retired
- AORC Rounds 1 & 2 at Dungog cancelled
- Lawrence second in Germany
- Carmichael V Anderson V Reed at AUS-X Open
- 5-Man Rockstar Husqvarna Team for AMA Motocross
- Two Kiwis run top 20 at Hangtown
- Ferrandis injured at Hangtown
- Jordan Smith sits out Hangtown
- Dunlop continues double-class dominance in Horsham
- Metcalfe sits out Horsham
This Week’s Race Reports
- Rd 8 – MXGP – Teutschenthal, Germany – Incl. EMX150, EMX300
- Rd 6 – GNCC, Peru, Indiana
- Rd 5 – AMA Flat Track – Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo Fairgrounds, Calif.
- Rd 4 – Australian Motocross Championship – Horsham, VIC
- Rd 1 – AMA Motocross Nationals – Sacramento, California
The real reason why Ryan Dungey retired
During his speech that announced what many believe is the premature end to an incredible career, Ryan Dungey talked about racing at a professional level as being ‘in a relationship’ and as we all know a relationship needs understanding from both parties, while we all shy from and react to bad experiences.
And as far as bad experiences go Dungey has copped more than his fair share of negative criticism from the very start of his professional career. If he lost he was a choker, if he won it was because someone who was favoured to win was either crashing out or having a bad run.
Despite his incredible consistency Dungey couldn’t take a break from the over-critical press or the general public who often blasted Dungey for his conservative approach when it came to passing other riders.
So, after winning an amazing 12 AMA Supercross and Motocross Championships, Dungey has ended his relationship with a sport that never seemed satisfied with his performances.
For my mind, Dungey walks away the winner while we miss out on a racer who still had plenty to offer – thankfully I predict that we will see Ryan back in the paddock replacing Roger DeCoster as the KTM team manager in the coming years.
AORC Rounds 1 & 2 at Dungog cancelled
Motorcycling Australia (MA) has announced that the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) Rounds 1 & 2 at Dungog, New South Wales, originally postponed due to extreme weather events, have now been canceled for the 2017 season.
Working in consultation with key stakeholders involved in the running and organising of the Yamaha AORC, as well multiple Australian Championship disciplines, it has been determined that Rounds 1 & 2 will not go ahead at any stage in 2017.
The decision has been made to ensure the least disruption and impact for riders and teams competing in other Off-Road events both domestically and internationally.
MA Statement:
“While we understand there may be frustrations surrounding the collaborative decision to cancel the event, MA and the AORC have explored all available possibilities in relation rescheduling Rounds 1 & 2 in 2017. Both MA and the Yamaha AORC appreciate competitor and team patience and understanding in this matter, and otherwise look forward to seeing you at AORC Rounds 7 & 8 at Renmark, SA on 24-25 June 2017.”
Lawrence second in Germany
YEEHAA!! Hunter Lawrence has found his MOJO with sensational 4-3 moto finishes for second outright behind teammate Jeremy Seewer in the MX2 class at the eighth round of the World Motocross Championships held in Germany last weekend.
Stefan Everts – Team General Manager
“Having Jeremy win the overall and Hunter finishing second was a dream weekend, to get first-and-second for Suzuki is something worth celebrating. It certainly wasn’t an easy victory and both riders worked extremely hard for the results, so both did absolutely fantastic.”
Thanks to the healthy points hall in Germany Lawrence has moved into 10th overall in the championships.
Carmichael V Reed V Anderson at AUS-X Open
Amid the promise of more to come, Ricky Carmichael has been the latest high profile signing to join Chad Reed and Jason Anderson for the third annual AUS-X Open inside the Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney this November 11 & 12. Carmichael, who won 12 Championships in the premier 450cc Class across his hall-of-fame career, will return to Australia for the first time since 2015.
Ricky Carmichael
“I’m beyond excited to return down under for the AUS-X Open in 2017! When I came down for the 2015 event, I didn’t quite know what to expect initially, however during and after the event I was absolutely blown away by how much fun it was – plus how professional the event was carried out. Returning in 2017 was a very easy decision – I love Australia, the fans are amazing, plus with the addition of Chad and Jason – I’m just as excited as a fan to see this battle unfold – if you are a supercross fan from wherever in the world, you won’t want to miss this!”
Jason Anderson
“I’m super psyched to be heading to Australia in November and throwing down at the AUS-X Open! It’s always been a race that I’ve kept a close eye on – the last two years have seen some intense racing, and I’m excited to be adding to the amazing legacy that the event has already created. To race Chad in his home country will be awesome. He’s a legend around the world and has had an amazing career. I have a huge amount of respect for him. We get along really well off the track, but we’re both competitors, both want to win and will do anything to do so – even if it means a bit of aggressive riding. I actually won’t be racing him again until we line up in Sydney, so who knows what will happen – fans will definitely get their money’s worth!”
Event Co-Founder and Director – Adam Bailey, said the addition of Carmichael will create an atmosphere that’ll be completely new to Australian motorsport, as the Greatest of All Time makes his presence felt in Sydney.
Adam Bailey
“Having Ricky on board for 2017 is absolutely incredible, what he brought to the event in 2015 as a whole was insane – the fans loved him and he truly reciprocated that, by giving each and every single person the time of day like no other – there’s no doubt he’s a legend both on and off the motorcycle. It’s certainly been a big week of announcements, but truthfully we’re just getting warmed up, we’re pumped to drop some bombshells in the very near future – watch this space.”
Further announcements regarding athlete line up, revised ticket pricing and much more are expected to follow in the coming days.
5-Man Rockstar Husqvarna Team for AMA Motocross
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing announced in the lead up to the opening round of the AMA Motocross Championship at Hangtown that they will field a five rider line-up with veteran Martin Davalos moving to the 450 Class alongside Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson while Zach Osborne will be joined in the 250 class by Rookie Michael Mosiman who was part of the team’s amateur program.
Team manager Bobby Hewitt said that Mosiman will be the first of three amateurs to make their pro debut at Hangtown each season.
Bobby Hewitt
“I’m excited to see Mosiman make his pro introduction at Hangtown this season. Mosiman will be the first of three amateurs we have in our amateur program that will make their pro debut at Hangtown each season. With the addition of Mosiman in the 250 Class this season it allows me the flexibility I need to evaluate more experienced 250 riders on the team in the premier 450 Class. Martin racing in the 450 Class is equally as exciting for the team. We have worked together for many years and I know how important this opportunity is for him. I personally believe Martin is going to surprise some people with his speed and do very well this season on the bigger bike.”
After the dust settles at Hangtown Wilson was the best placed 450 rider for the team with a solid fourth overall with 10-4 finishes but Anderson was forced out of the opening moto with a bloodied eyes before returning for 12th in the second moto for 13th overall while Davalos went 15-13 for fourteenth overall. Osborne won both 250 motos for the overall while Mosiman went 12-14 for 14th overall on debut.
Two Kiwis run top 20 at Hangtown
The Kiwi duo of Cody Cooper and Rhys Carter have made the trek across to the US of A to take on America’s best at the opening round of the AMA Motocross Championships held at Hangtown last weekend and after two hard fought motos Cooper and Carter earned top 20 overall finishes in the 450 class.
To start with there were 60 plus hopefuls looking to qualify for the top 40 positions and Cooper scored the 15th fastest time while Carter manager 26th fastest before Cooper started right among the front of the pack in the opening moto to end the race in 14th place, just four places ahead of Carter who started a lot further back.
In the second moto Cooper scored a DNF after an early fall but Carter once again recovered from a poor start for a 17th place finish which was good enough for a 17th place overall, one place ahead of Cooper. Look for the Kiwis at the second round this weekend.
Ferrandis injured at Hangtown
Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis announced on social media that he sustained a concussion after crashing while coming fourth in a first moto at the opening round of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross at Hangtown. He did not line up for the second 250 moto.
Ferrandis’ status for Glen Helen this weekend has yet to be determined. ‘Not the best way I wanted to start the championship but glad I’m ok nothing broken just a small concussion will rest and see doctor next week and hope to be back for the next round’
Jordan Smith Sits Out Hangtown
Despite riding press day for Hangtown, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM’s Jordon Smith missed the opening round of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship due to a back injury sustained in a high speed crash at the final round of Monster Energy Supercross in Las Vegas.
Dunlop continues double-class dominance in Horsham
Dunlop continued its unbeaten run of double-class wins at a soggy fourth round of the 2017 MX Nationals at Horsham, Victoria, on Sunday, including a clean-sweep of the podium positions in the premier MX1 class.
CDR Yamaha’s defending MX Nationals champion Dean Ferris was again in a league of his own around the mud-soaked circuit, leading both MX1 races from start to finish and enjoying comfortable leads throughout. Behind the red plate-holding Ferris saw KTM Motocross Racing team-mates Kirk Gibbs and Luke Styke, who finished the day second and third respectively.
After a fifth in his first outing, 2015 champion Gibbs rode to an improved second in the final race to take the runner-up position, while Styke showed his ability to master the difficult conditions with a solid 3-4 result from his two motos. DPH Motorsport Yamaha’s Kade Mosig had a frustrating day on the track, but still finished the day fifth overall to remain in contention for the title.
In the MX2 class, Mosig’s DPH Motorsport Yamaha team-mate Wilson Todd put on a mud-riding clinic as he crushed the competition by more than two minutes in the opening race, lapping up to second place in the process.
Amid drying conditions Todd again took control from the outset in the second MX2 race, finishing 22 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. As a result of his dominant performance, Todd regained the championship-leading red plate from Serco Yamaha rookie Mitch Evans, who finished the day in fifth overall.
In the MXD class, Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Cody Dyce won the second race on his way to second overall, while his team-mate Cooper Pozniak claimed fourth overall.
Sebastian Mincone – Dunlop national motorcycle manager
“It has been a great beginning to the MX Nationals season and Horsham, despite the difficult conditions, was another very successful weekend for Dunlop teams. Congratulations to all and we now look forward to Murray Bridge.”
The 2017 MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, will continue with round five at Murray Bridge, South Australia, on Sunday, 28 May. Head to www.mxnationals.com.au for further details on the series.
Metcalfe Sits Out Horsham
Brett Metcalfe was as at Horsham for the fourth round of the Australian MX Nationals but the Husqvarna rider wasn’t on board the motorcycle thanks to an issue that will come to light in the coming weeks – hopefully Metty can be back in action this weekend at his local round in South Australia.
Smarty’s Race Reports
Rd 8 – FIM World Motocross Championships – Teutschenthal, Germany
Antonio Cairoli and Jeremy Seewer have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at the challenging Teutschenthal circuit in Germany that hosted the eighth round of the FIM World Motocross Championships last weekend.
MX1 Race Report: Antonio Cairoli notches up 80th career GP win in Germany
The MXGP of Germany concluded on the technical Teutschenthal surface providing plenty of ruts and surface challenges that veteran Antonio Cairoli mastered to take his took his 80th career GP overall
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To start both races Cairoli took the FOX Holeshot but in the first half of race one he lost the lead to Jeffrey Herlings after struggling to find the fast lines and he finished second. Cairoli knew coming into race two if he could win the race then the overall was his and that is exactly what he did finishing nearly 6 seconds ahead of second place.
Antonio Cairoli
“I got really good starts today and this is what we have been working on. I’m really happy with the GP win and also extending the points lead this is very good. It’s a very special track for me I’m very happy to race here in Germany and Teutschenthal is one of my favourite hard pack tracks, it is similar soil to the track I train on. I’m already looking forward to the next GP in France there is always so many fans and it’s a nice track.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, came out with a bang in race one as he passed Cairoli early and led through to the chequered flag. Herlings season is starting to come around but one thing that plagued him early this year was his starts and in race two a start outside the top five hindered him once again. Making his way forward and into second took much longer in race two and Herlings was unable to close the gap Cairoli had built.
Jeffrey Herlings
“In the first race I was in second pretty quick but in the second one I was around 10th on the first turn and had to work my up to second, I burned too much energy. He (Cairoli) is the eight-time champ for a reason, he’s a great rider and I just couldn’t close the gap.”
Another rider who challenged Herlings in Teutschenthal was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin. Paulin fought for position with Herlings in both races but in race two put in a late charge to catch the #84 but by the end it was too little too late for Paulin. Two third place finishes placed the Frenchman back on the podium before heading to his home GP next weekend.
Gautier Paulin
“Third and third today is consistent but we didn’t put everything together so we need to keep working to get better.”
Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle had another good weekend of racing as he went 4-4, placing fourth overall and scoring 36 championship points. The number 25 is also fourth in the championship standings coming out of Germany and into France.
Clement Desalle
“I have to say they did a good job with the track this weekend. I had some good starts which was really positive. I had a good rhythm and was just disappointed in the first moto that I couldn’t pass [Gautier] Paulin. A key mistake broke my flow in the second moto. It wasn’t such a nice race and two-three bad lines made the difference; I was pretty bad in one corner and lost a lot of time. Anyway, I hope to do better next weekend. We are analysing all the time, and each week we are looking where we can be better; even just a small detail can make the difference for the podium.”
Behind Desalle was the second French rider in the top five, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre who has struggled so far this season but triumphed this weekend comparatively with 7-5 finishes. Febvre showed speed both days qualifying fifth and battling with team mate Jeremy Van Horebeek among others.
Van Horebeek who is fifth in the championship standings finished fifth in race one and he was in the same position in race two until he fell picking himself up 20th and finishing 15th for 10th overall.
Team HRC rider Tim Gajser showed some serious determination and toughness fighting through pain today. The 20 year old Slovenian’s qualifying crash aggravated his already sore body. With the championship in mind Gajser pushed his way to 11th overall with 12-10 finishes.
Tim Gajser
“This has been a tough weekend. Thinking about it, it has probably been one of the toughest weekends I have ever had.”
German rider, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl, was motivated by his home GP fans and after a 10th in race one the hometown hero improved his start and finished 8th in race two for 8th overall.
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:19.364
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.872
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:23.634
- Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:25.211
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:29.976
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:34.390
- Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:39.939
- Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:46.754
- Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:47.075
- Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:57.503.
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:28.768
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:05.978
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:09.350
- Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:14.689
- Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:21.857
- Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:26.104
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:38.006
- Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:42.990
- Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki), +1:04.821
- Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +1:10.288.
MXGP Overall Top Ten
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 p.
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 40 p.
- Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 36 p.
- Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 30 p.
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 29 p.
- Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 28 p.
- Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 24 p.
- Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, SUZ), 22 p.
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 22 p.
MXGP Championship Top Ten
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 305 points
- Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 261 p.
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 260 p.
- Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 246 p.
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 226 p.
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 221 p.
- Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 214 p.
- Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 177 p.
- Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 163 p.
- Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 153 p
MX2 Race Report: Seewer and Lawrence give Suzuki World MX2 team a 1-2 in Germany
Jeremy Seewer and Hunter Lawrence finished first and second at the MXGP of Germany to round-off a dream weekend for the Suzuki World MX2 team.
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For Seewer it was his second overall of his career, and one made even sweeter by doing it in front of a lot of his fans, as well as a large contingent of Suzuki Germany, including President Tomoyo Sekiguchi.
It was also a great achievement for Hunter Lawrence to join his team mate on the podium at round eight of the series, as he took a massive stride forward in his fledgling MX2 career. The young Australian moved forward through the field in both motos and was delighted to land his first ever podium spot.
Jeremy Seewer
“I had such a good feeling all day, I had good starts on my RM-Z250 which allowed me to fight for the win, and that’s what I did in the first moto. I had good speed and made no mistakes which allowed me to catch-up and pass Pauls Jonass despite him having quite a good lead at the beginning. In the second race I had a battle early-on in with Jorge Prado Garcia and he made it difficult and I even lost a few positions after a mistake. I fought back though and got up to fourth and that was good enough to win the GP. Hunter, being second, makes it even more amazing for the whole team and it gives everyone such a boost. It’s a long season but to have moments like this is great for everyone.”
Hunter Lawrence was equally delighted with his performance, at a track that he really enjoys riding.
Hunter Lawrence
“It’s such an awesome feeling to go one and two for Suzuki and a great way to round off the weekend. In the first moto I was fourth and then second moto I was third so my best moto finishes and of course my first podium. I’m so happy and I can’t wait to ride next weekend now. We finally put all the pieces of the puzzle together and it’s just a nice refresher for everyone in the Suzuki World team who all work so hard. When I crossed the line I had no idea what the points situation was and I was actually a little disappointed because I felt I could have even finished higher, but when Jeremy crossed the line and Harry Everts came up to us and told us, it was really cool, a really special moment.”
Championship leader Pauls Jonass scored second in the opening moto and backed that up with a fifth in the second moto for third overall on the day but more importantly the KTM rider still has a 37 point lead in the championship.
Pauls Jonass
“I got two holeshots and led the first one until a tip-over. I lost a bit of confidence with the track and made some mistakes so to still finish second was really good. Teutschenthal is not my favourite track and doesn’t suit my style so well and I didn’t find the flow in that second moto. I tried to improve but was fighting the track a bit. Anyway third overall and only losing five points in the championship was not so bad. We’ll look forward to the next GP and getting those back.”
Thomas Covington crashed in the opening moto and could only manage a 14th place finish but the American bounced back to win the second moto.
Thomas Covington
“I’m really happy with the victory in moto two. We showed the speed was there this weekend and if we had a better result in moto one, we could have done even better in the overall. The GP started well for us. I got off to a good start in the qualifying moto and was leading it before a small crash dropped me to fifth. Taking advantage of my good gate pick I had a good start in moto one but soon after we got together in a corner with some other riders and I ended up on the ground. Quickly resuming the race I made many passes to cross the line in 14th. Things were a lot better in moto two. I got a good start and after spending some time behind Jonass I managed to find some good lines and pass him for the lead. The track was tough and it was really easy to make mistakes. Fortunately I kept it on two wheels and managed to get the win. We’re sixth now in the championship and our goal is to continue battling for race victories in every moto.”
Thomas Kjer-Olsen
“Once again we showed the speed is there and I’m really happy with where we’re at right now. If I manage to remain more consistent and avoid mistakes, I know everything is possible in the remainder of the championship. I had a good start in the opening moto and my speed was quite good. Right before the halfway mark I made some passes for third and then retained third until the end of the moto. My start was good in the second moto too. I was riding well in fourth place but lost the front in a deep rut and ended up crashing. Quickly re-entering the race I soon had a second fall that dropped me to 12th at the chequered flag. Overall, I’m happy with our race pace. The goal now is to keep working hard to eliminate mistakes. I’m already looking forward to the following round in France.”
MX2 Moto 1
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 33:54.226
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:02.337
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:03.596
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), +0:04.452
- Brian Hsu (GER, Husqvarna), +0:22.865
- Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:26.631
- Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:27.754
- Henry Jacobi (GER, Husqvarna), +0:28.026
- Darian Sanayei (USA, Kawasaki), +0:31.982
- Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:41.403
MX2 Moto 2
- Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), 34:26.321
- Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:02.124
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), +0:03.834
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), +0:07.585
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:26.607
- Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:29.456
- Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:30.650
- Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:30.732
- Darian Sanayei (USA, Kawasaki), +0:45.179
- Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:48.821
MX2 Overall
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 43 points
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), 38 p.
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 38 p.
- Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 32 p.
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 29 p.
- Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 28 p.
- Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 28 p.
- Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 26 p.
- Darian Sanayei (USA, KAW), 24 p.
- Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 22 p.
MX2 Points Standings
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 325 points
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 288 p.
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 264 p.
- Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 249 p.
- Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 220 p.
- Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 184 p.
- Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 175 p.
- Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 174 p.
- Darian Sanayei (USA, KAW), 142 p.
- Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 139 p.
- Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), 137 p.
EMX300 Race Report: Anderson wins Season Opener in Germany
Through two days of racing Brad Anderson proved he was the most prepared for the opening round of the EMX300 Championship by winning both races and taking the first red plate of the season.
In race one Brad Anderson good start and after a weekend ending mistake by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Yentel Martens, Anderson moved in the lead where he rode smooth and consistent winning the race by 19 seconds.
Behind Anderson was last year’s champion, Mike Kras. Kras passed his way up to second in race one and in race two had Kras third on lap one and he wasted no time as he moved into the lead on the following lap but he was passed by Anderson but was only 0.879 seconds behind at the finish.
Mike Kras
“Fitness is everything… in the beginning I could set a good pace… I’m just not a full-time rider anymore but I’m not ashamed because Brad Anderson is really fit and really fast. Finishing so close on the last lap was a good feeling.”
The #98 Husqvarna of Erik Willems was consistent finishing third in each race.
Erik Willems
“It was good, I didn’t make any huge mistakes and I got a good start that was the goal as it’s the first race. I’m on the podium and looking forward to the next one.”
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Race 1 Top Ten
1. Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 31:01.301; 2. Mike Kras (NED, KTM), +0:19.374; 3. Erik Willems (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:28.352; 4. Kenny Vandueren (BEL, KTM), +0:59.148; 5. Andero Lusbo (EST, Yamaha), +1:13.028; 6. Patrick Vos (NED, KTM), +1:21.358; 7. Alessio Della Mora (ITA, Husqvarna), +1:23.081; 8. Frantisek Smola (CZE, CZ), +1:36.925; 9. John Cuppen (NED, KTM), +1:44.669; 10. Mathias Plessers (BEL, KTM), +1:45.004.
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Race 2 Top Ten
1. Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 29:53.804; 2. Mike Kras (NED, KTM), +0:00.879; 3. Erik Willems (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:28.195; 4. Kenny Vandueren (BEL, KTM), +0:37.538; 5. Manuel Iacopi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:40.439; 6. James Dunn (GBR, Yamaha), +0:44.959; 7. Christopher Valente (SUI, KTM), +0:45.661; 8. Thomas Marini (SMR, Husqvarna), +0:46.443; 9. Andero Lusbo (EST, Yamaha), +0:52.705; 10. Stefan Hage (NED, KTM), +0:57.905.
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Overall Top Ten
1. Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 50 points; 2. Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 44 p.; 3. Erik Willems (BEL, HUS), 40 p.; 4. Kenny Vandueren (BEL, KTM), 36 p.; 5. Andero Lusbo (EST, YAM), 28 p.; 6. Manuel Iacopi (ITA, YAM), 25 p.; 7. James Dunn (GBR, YAM), 22 p.; 8. Alessio Della Mora (ITA, HUS), 22 p.; 9. Thomas Marini (SMR, HUS), 21 p.; 10. Christopher Valente (SUI, KTM), 17 p.
EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing Championship Top 10
1. Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 50 points; 2. Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 44 p.; 3. Erik Willems (BEL, HUS), 40 p.; 4. Kenny Vandueren (BEL, KTM), 36 p.; 5. Andero Lusbo (EST, YAM), 28 p.; 6. Manuel Iacopi (ITA, YAM), 25 p.; 7. James Dunn (GBR, YAM), 22 p.; 8. Alessio Della Mora (ITA, HUS), 22 p.; 9. Thomas Marini (SMR, HUS), 21 p.; 10. Christopher Valente (SUI, KTM), 17 p.
EMX150 Race Report: Adamo sweeps Germany
The CRF150R riders tackled a series of sighting laps, before taking to the line for their second and final race. All eyes were, of course, on Andrea Adamo and Luis Outeiro, as both riders were poised to duke it out for the first overall victory of the new season. Adamo put himself in the best position possible when the gates dropped, as he slid into the lead immediately and again attempted to establish an advantage.
Outeiro stalked his rival from the drop of the gate, but lost touch at around the halfway mark. The laps began to wind down and, at that point, Outeiro inched closer to the first position. Adamo showed wisdom beyond his years at the head of the field though, as he remained composed all the way to the chequered flag. That, of course, left him as the overall winner at the first round of the Honda 150 European Championship and with the red plate firmly in his grasp.
Outeiro again put in a valiant effort, but came up just short and had to settle for the runner-up position. The forty-four points that he acquired set him up well for the second round, the Grand Prix of Portugal, at the beginning of July. Anton Nordström-Graaf is in a similar position, as he recorded a brace of thirds across the weekend.
Lynn Valk improved on her position from the previous race, much to the delight of the Dutch fans who made the short trip across the border, as she claimed fourth and the same position in the overall classification. Peter Konig, the best-placed rider from Germany, took advantage of a mistake that Rasmus Moen made to steal fifth overall.
After applying the various skills that they have acquired since they joined the programme, the CRF150R riders will go away and refine their skillsets ahead of the second round that will take place at the Grand Prix of Portugal in a little over a month.
Andrea Adamo
“I have done a good race and been working hard. I am very happy. I won my first GP and it was spectacular! Thanks to my sponsors, my team and my family.”
Gordon Crockard – Honda Motor Europe Off-Road Manager
“I thought that the track conditions were a lot kinder for the boys and girl. Given the time that they had on the track yesterday, the enthusiasm was still really high today. It was good to see that the kids were still excited about getting out on track, as opposed to being nervous or intimidated. The results were very similar. Andrea Adamo rode brilliantly as he controlled the race and his nerves very well. He had some pressure from Luis Outeiro, who also did a great job to keep the bike on two wheels in second. We had one boy get injured, which was sad to see, but it is understandable. It was a very challenging track and obviously everyone is going as fast as they can. There is a long break now until the next race in Portugal, which gives the riders and mechanics time to make adjustments. They have learnt a lot from this experience; I am pretty sure that they will go away, think about everything and then come to Portugal better prepared for the competition. I look forward to it.”
Honda EMX150 Race 1 Top Ten
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, Honda), 25:38.208; 2. Luis Outeiro (POR, Honda), +0:04.427; 3. Anton Nordström Graaf (SWE, Honda), +0:21.060; 4. Rasmus Moen (SWE, Honda), +0:44.008; 5. Lynn Valk (NED, Honda), +1:00.252; 6. Nikolay Malinov (BUL, Honda), +1:00.695; 7. Peter Konig (GER, Honda), +1:02.296; 8. Kjeld Stuurman (NED, Honda), +1:14.156; 9. Verneri Aaltonen (FIN, Honda), +1:25.614; 10. Melwin Bengtson (SWE, Honda), +1:26.215.
Honda EMX150 Race 2 Top Ten
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, Honda), 24:25.798; 2. Luis Outeiro (POR, Honda), +0:04.946; 3. Anton Nordström Graaf (SWE, Honda), +0:58.508; 4. Lynn Valk (NED, Honda), +1:32.289; 5. Peter Konig (GER, Honda), +1:56.419; 6. Verneri Aaltonen (FIN, Honda), +2:00.352; 7. Magnus Vassgaard (NOR, Honda), +2:02.342; 8. Kjeld Stuurman (NED, Honda), +2:05.018; 9. Toa Kishi (JPN, Honda), +2:11.542; 10. Ryan Mawhinney (GBR, Honda), +2:12.801.
Honda EMX150 Overall Top Ten
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, HON), 50 points; 2. Luis Outeiro (POR, HON), 44 p.; 3. Anton Nordström Graaf (SWE, HON), 40 p.; 4. Lynn Valk (NED, HON), 34 p.; 5. Peter Konig (GER, HON), 30 p.; 6. Rasmus Moen (SWE, HON), 28 p.; 7. Verneri Aaltonen (FIN, HON), 27 p.; 8. Kjeld Stuurman (NED, HON), 26 p.; 9. Toa Kishi (JPN, HON), 20 p.; 10. Ryan Mawhinney (GBR, HON), 20 p.
Honda EMX150 Championship Top 10
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, HON), 50 points; 2. Luis Outeiro (POR, HON), 44 p.; 3. Anton Nordström Graaf (SWE, HON), 40 p.; 4. Lynn Valk (NED, HON), 34 p.; 5. Peter Konig (GER, HON), 30 p.; 6. Rasmus Moen (SWE, HON), 28 p.; 7. Verneri Aaltonen (FIN, HON), 27 p.; 8. Kjeld Stuurman (NED, HON), 26 p.; 9. Toa Kishi (JPN, HON), 20 p.; 10. Ryan Mawhinney (GBR, HON), 20 p.
Rd 5 – AMA Flat Track – Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo Fairgrounds, Calif.
The massive crowd of American Flat Track fans who flooded the Cal Expo Fairgrounds for the Harley-Davidson Sacramento Mile witnessed Bryan Smith and his fellow members of the Indian Wrecking Crew, Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle Rogers Racing Scout FTR750) and Brad Baker (No. 6 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750) taking the top three positions in the final.
And in doing so, the reigning Grand National Champion not only extended Indian’s 2017 win streak, he led the third Indian Motorcycle Racing podium sweep this season in AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines competition.
Almost immediately, the Indian-mounted teammate/rivals ripped away from the rest of the Main Event field. They then waged an intra-team battle that alternately required pace, patience, slipstreaming and strategy for practically the entirety of the 25-mile distance.
While all three took their turns at the front, Baker appeared to be in control, even pulling a small gap as he sailed past the white flag. However, that was only an illusion, as Smith leapt past Mees to slot into second on the final trip down the back straight, and then blasted past Baker once they hit the front straight to steal away the win as they raced to the chequered flag.
Mees followed in Smith’s wake to tow past Baker as well, transforming what had seemed a likely win for Baker into a third-place run in just fractions of a second.
Smith’s victory came by a minuscule 0.025-second margin over Mees, with Baker a further 0.05 seconds adrift in third. The win was Smith’s seventh in succession at the Sacramento Mile, and his third in a row this season.
Bryan Smith
“I played my cards just right. I sat back there, saved my tire, and went hard the last couple laps. That pace Brad set was pretty hard, and I didn’t know if the tires would hold up, so I just cruised back in third. I saw ‘five to go’ and wanted to inch up there. I led it there for a minute with three to go and knew I wanted to be back (in third). I was a sitting duck. So I waited to the last lap to make my move and fortunately drafted Brad. I’m so happy to get seven in a row in front of this great crowd in Sacramento. This place is definitely special to me.”
While he got pushed out of at least a share of the championship lead for the first time this season, Mees did manage to maintain his perfect 2017 podium streak with his runner-up result in Sacramento. And encouragingly, for the second consecutive weekend he showed the speed to push the likes of Smith and Baker right to the brink around a big track.
Jared Mees
“I’ve got to give a big shout out to my team. We were a little off in the Semi and Bryan really put it to us. In the Main Event, we turned things upside down, and we were able to be a player rather than just hanging on. It was a good race, and it’s great to get another Indian sweep with these guys. It stinks getting second, especially to a guy you’re battling in points, but it’s great for Indian Motorcycles. I’m honoured to be a part of it. You can’t complain about seconds and thirds – we’ll get some wins, that’s for sure.”
Baker was again left with a bitter taste in his mouth following an otherwise stellar performance, especially after practically tasting his first Scout FTR750-mounted victory.
Brad Baker
“I didn’t know if I was controlling the race, or if I was just the mouse getting chased. It turns out I was just the mouse getting chased. Great job to Jared and Bryan. It kind of sucks, getting second and third over and over again, especially at these Miles where I want to win so badly. Jared and Bryan just had a little bit better strategy there at the end. I led over the stripe so many times, I thought I might be able to get there on the last one. But I guess I just spun it up a little bit too much and let those guys squeak on by.”
Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Estenson Logistics Yamaha FZ-07) tracked down a quick-starting Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No. 23 Carver’s BBQ Kawasaki Ninja 650) and then proceeded to outduel him over the Main Event’s second half to snatch away fourth place by a narrow 0.050 seconds while the best place Harley Davidson rider was Brandon Robinson who finished a distant ninth place.
AFT Final Results
- Bryan Smith (Ind)
- Jared Mees (Ind)
- Brad Baker (Ind)
- Sammy Halbert (Yam)
- Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Kaw)
- Shawn Baer (KTM)
- Davis Fisher (Kaw)
- Jake Shoemaker (Kaw)
- Brandon Robinson (HD)
- Jarod Vanderkooi (Kaw)
- Mikey Rush (Yam)
- Cory Texter (Kaw)
- Nick Armstrong (Yam)
- Ryan Wells (Kaw)
- Austin Helmholz (Kaw)
- Kenny Coolbeth Jr. (HD)
- Chad Cose (Kaw)
- Briar Bauman (Kaw)
AFT Points
- Bryan Smith (112/3 wins)
- Jared Mees (107/2 wins)
- Sammy Halbert (72)
- Brad Baker (60)
- Jarod Vanderkooi (54)
- Jeffrey Carver Jr. (41)
- Jake Shoemaker (40)
- Jake Johnson (36)
- Davis Fisher (36)
- Mikey Rush (33)
Rd 6 – GNCC – Peru, Indiana
After several days of rainfall in Peru, Indiana the sixth round of the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) was held in extremely tough conditions but at the conclusion of the two-hour race it was Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Thad Duvall who took home his first overall win of the season.
XC1 Race Report
However, it would not be an easy task for Duvall as it was N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell who got the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award. R Russell led the first two laps, but would eventually fall back two positions ultimately earning his season best finish of third overall.
Duvall’s teammate, Josh Strang, was also off to a good start where he would work his way into his first 2nd place finish of the season while Chris Bach finished just off the podium with his second 4th overall finish in 2017.
After a favourable start behind R Russell, Beta USA’s Jordan Ashburn would find himself tangled in a power washer cord after a brief pit stop. Ashburn would fall back to 8th as he checked into timing and scoring on the first lap, but put on a hard charge eventually ended the day with a remarkable fifth overall.
FMF/KTM Factory Racing and defending GNCC National Champion, Kailub Russell found himself heading into the woods last off the start after falling in the second turn with another rider. K Russell and teammate, Russell Bobbitt, would finish the day out in the 8th and 9th place positions of the XC1 Pro class.
K Russell would finish 14th overall, while Bobbitt salvaged a 20th overall finish. SRT/KTM rider, and round 1 winner, Steward Baylor completed his first lap in the fourth place position. Unfortunately this was the only glimpse anyone caught of S Baylor, as his race ended after that first lap due to an illness.
XC2 Race Report
Zach Nolan got a quick jump off the second line earning himself the XC2 250 Pro $100 Hot Cams Holeshot Award. Nolan found himself in first overall as they came through timing and scoring on the first lap, but after four laps of intense racing would finish 6th overall. However, the West Virginia native Nolan would earn his first XC2 250 Pro class win of the season holding off Mike Witkwoski and Craig Delong who rounded out the podium. Current XC2 250 Pro points leader Josh Toth had an unfavourable start, but managed to salvage a 4th place class finish in the muddy conditions.
In the WXC class, Becca Sheets earned her first win of the season, while Mackenzie Tricker came in second and Rachel Gutish finished in the third place position.
The 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes next weekend, May 27 and 28, with the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio.
X-Factor GNCC – Peru, Indiana – Round 6 of 13
XC1 Open Pro Event Results
- Thad Duvall (HSQ)
- Josh Strang (HSQ)
- Ricky Russell (YAM)
- Chris Bach (HON)
- Jordan Ashburn (BET)
- Trevor Bollinger (HON)
- Grant Baylor (YAM)
- Kailub Russell (KTM)
- Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
- Scott Grills (HSQ)
*Overall National Championship Standings
- Kailub Russell (152)
- Thad Duvall (126)
- Steward Baylor (118)
- Ricky Russell (96)
- Josh Toth (85)
- Jordan Ashburn (72)
- Josh Strang (71)
- Trevor Bollinger (67)
- Grant Baylor (62)
- Mike Witkowski (58)
XC2 250 Pro Event Results (Provisional)
- Zach Nolan (KTM)
- Mike Witkowski (KTM)
- Craig Delong (HSQ)
- Josh Toth (YAM)
- Austin Lee (HON)
- Dylan Macritchie (KTM)
- Layne Michael (HSQ)
- Jesper Borjessen (HSQ)
- Sam Evans (KTM)
- Zack Hayes (KTM)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:
- Josh Toth (158)
- Craig Delong (122)
- Mike Witkowski (117)
- Layne Michael (106)
- Jesse Groemm (94)
- Austin Lee (84)
- Zack Hayes (78)
- Ben Kelley (71)
- Trevor Barrett (54)
- Sam Evans (53)
Rd 4 – Australian Motocross Championship – Horsham, VIC
After two solid days of rain turned the Horsham layout into a sloppy quagmire conditions for round four of the Australian Motocross Championship were as challenging as any race day can get but when it was all said and done Dean Ferris and Wilson Todd took out the overall in the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively while it was Ty Roberts and Bailey Malkiewicz who won the two support classes on the day.
MX1 Report: Four from Four from Ferris
GoPro Superpole: For the first time this season it wasn’t Ferris who collected the GoPro Superpole victory when Todd Waters managed a 2:10.510 lap time, awarding the Honda rider his first GoPro win and three championship points.
Moto 1: Ferris scored the holeshot and remained in the lead right to the finish despite some attention from Luke Clout mid moto while Styke also managed his best race finish so far in 2017, coming home in third.
DPH Motorsport’s Kade Mosig snatched back fourth in the later stages of the moto followed by Kirk Gibbs who slipped back to fifth. Waters, Aleksandr Tonkov, Hamish Harwood, Wilson Coolair Motul Factory Suzuki’s Kyle Peters, and Lachlan Davis (KTM) completed the top ten.
Moto 2: With the track drying but becoming a one-line affair Ferris once again dominated the race to finish well ahead of Gibbs, while Waters managed to hold on for third. Styke and Peters wrapped up race two in fourth and fifth places respectively, while Harwood, Mosig, Tonkov, Davis and Joel Green completed the top ten in race two.
However, the man of the moment was Ferris at the conclusion of racing today, his 1,1 race finishes rewarding him with his fourth consecutive round win at Horsham. Second on the podium was secured by Gibbs, while teammate Styke completed the Thor MX1 podium.
Dean Ferris
“The track was tough at Horsham, today was one of those days where you had to be smart and I’m glad that we were able to maximise our points. It was all about getting a good start, and I got two holeshots – I’m not sure if I’ve done that before but it really counted here. The team and I, we have made really good decisions at the right moments and that’s paying off – that’s what’s making the difference at the moment. You have to be the whole package – we’re four rounds in and I’m glad that I was able to rise to the occasion today. It’s what you need to do and overall I’m really happy.”
Yank import Kyle Peter ended the day with 9-5 finishes, which he described as a step in the right direction.
Kyle Peters
“The weekend was a step in the right direction – a baby step, but it was positive none the less. In moto one I got quite a good jump out of the gate but I got caught up going in to the first turn and then ended up coming off a few times. Once you went down in moto one it was next to impossible to do anything – I could barely twist the throttle with all the mud I had in my gloves, but we survived the first moto. In the second race I had a bit of trouble off the start again but I managed to get back to fifth which was much better. I was happier with the way I rode in the second moto. At the moment I’m not where I want to be, especially with how many points I’m down, but I’m going out with the goal to win every race. I’ve been working to get my strength back after being sick and we are getting there – so we’ll keep working hard, keep pushing and I’m sure a win isn’t far away.”
Peters now sits in 6th position in the MX1 Championship standings with six rounds of racing remaining
Thor MX1 Round 4 Results
- Dean Ferris – 70 points
- Kirk Gibbs – 58 points
- Luke Styke – 58 points
- Todd Waters – 55 points
- Kade Mosig – 52 points
- Kyle Peters – 48 points
- Hamish Harwood – 48 points
- Aleksandr Tonkov – 47 points
- Lachlan Davis – 43 points
- Keiron Hall – 40 points
Thor MX1 Championship Standings
- Dean Ferris – 288 points
- Kirk Gibbs – 243 points
- Todd Waters – 224 points
- Kade Mosig – 223 points
- Luke Styke – 215 points
- Kyle Peters – 182 points
- Aleksandr Tonkov – 173 points
- Luke Clout – 173 points
- Nathan Crawford – 149 points
- Keiron Hall – 148 points
MX2 Race Report: Wilson Todd is Back on Top
DPH Motorsport’s Wilson Todd securing the Motul MX2 overall victory and the category’s red plate at Round 4 of the 2017 Motul MX Nationals in Western Victoria.
Moto 1: Todd’s patience and technique paid off in moto one, surviving the toughest conditions of the season to take the first race win at Horsham. Second in race one and the only rider not lapped by Todd was Harwood, followed by Webster in third. Red plate holder Evans wrapped up the opening moto in fourth, followed by Ricky Latimer in fifth. KSF Racing’s Wills, Tomas Ravenhorst, WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha’s Tanti, Lachlan Wilson and James Brown all completed the top ten.
Incredibly 16 riders registered a DNF in the first Motul MX2 class race, indicative of the conditions that competitors were forced to contend with.
Moto 2: When the chequered flag flew on the second moto it was Todd who crossed the line victorious by more than 22 seconds, while Ironman Harwood recorded his best result so far this season finishing in second, followed by privateer Latimer who also finished in a career best third in moto two.
CRF Honda Racing’s Webster and Serco Yamaha’s Richardson wrapped up the second race in fourth and fifth places respectively. Mastin, Wills, Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Rykers, Mitchell Evans, and Richie Evans all finished inside the top ten in moto two.
With 1,1 race results Todd was rewarded with the round four win as well as the red plate at Horsham this afternoon , second on the podium was Kiwi Harwood, while consistency paid off for Webster who’s 3,4 results handed him with third overall at Horsham.
Wilson Todd
“It’s awesome to get the championship lead back – I went out there today and I was consistent in the mud and these aren’t conditions that usually suit me so I’m pretty happy. I knew when I went out for qualifying that there was only one gate that I wanted and that was the inside, so I put in my best effort to get there and it paid off. Being on the podium is what we need the most, it’s really important. I got two awesome starts which made it easier – we kept the mud off the bike, got two wins, and the red plate so we couldn’t be happier.”
Motul MX2 Round 4 Results
- Wilson Todd – 70 points
- Hamish Harwood – 64 points
- Kyle Webster – 58 points
- Ricky Latimer – 56 points
- Mitchell Evans – 50 points
- Dylan Wills – 49 points
- Jackson Richardson – 46 points
- Egan Mastin – 44 points
- Aaron Tanti – 42 points
- Tomas Ravenhorst – 42 points
Motul MX2 Championship Standings
- Wilson Todd – 257 points
- Mitchell Evans – 246 points
- Jackson Richardson – 224 points
- Egan Mastin – 215 points
- Hamish Harwood – 213 points
- Kyle Webster – 208 points
- Dylan Wills – 186 points
- Aaron Tanti – 178 points
- Ricky Latimer – 168 points
- Jayden Rykers – 168 points
MXD Race Report: Jy Roberts Takes First Win
Tons of spectators watched on as the Pirelli MXD class took on gruelling track conditions at Round 4 of the Motul MX Nationals at Horsham today, with Husqvarna’s Jy Roberts concluding the event with a round win for the first time this season.
Moto 1: When the last lap board was finally displayed riders were nothing short of relieved, and with Roberts out in front, the Husqvarna rider simply had a single rotation left to collect a victory. And collect a win is exactly what Roberts did. Second place in race one was taken by Pozniak, while Chase was gifted third, thanks to a DNF from Wood.
Constantinou wrapped up the opening Pirelli MXD moto in fourth followed by Bulk Nutrients WBR Yamaha’s Hugh McKay who finished in fifth. Dyce, Tredinnick, Brodie Ellis, and Isaac Ferguson completed the top ten in race one for the Pirelli MXD class.
Moto 2: So when the chequered flag flew for the final time at Horsham this afternoon, it was no surprise to see Dyce cross the line victorious, second place was taken by race one winner Roberts, while Barham wrapped up his final moto in third. Yamaha backed McKay and Pelz crossed the line in fourth and fifth places respectively, followed by Ellis, Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Fogarty, Williams, Norton, and Wood who completed the Pirelli MXD top ten in moto two.
With 1,2 race results it was Roberts who secured the overall victory at the conclusion of todays racing for the first time this season, while red plate holder Dyce took in a solid haul of points taking second step on the Pirelli MXD podium. Third today was Bulk Nutrients WBR Yamaha Racing Team’s McKay after racing to 5,4 race results at Horsham.
Jy Roberts
“I’m stoked with how today went especially considering the track conditions here at Horsham. I went out there and put consistent laps down and managed to get 1,2 results for my first overall. I’ve had a couple of second place finishes this year so to get that round win feels awesome. Hopefully I can carry that momentum into Murray Bridge next weekend.”
Pirelli MXD Round 4 Results
- Jy Roberts – 67 points
- Cody Dyce – 60 points
- Hugh McKay – 54 points
- Cooper Pozniak – 51 points
- Brodie Ellis – 47 points
- Jai Constantinou – 45 points
- Sam Pelz – 44 points
- Jake Williams – 43 points
- Isaac Ferguson – 41 points
- Morgan Fogarty – 39 points
Pirelli MXD Championship Standings
- Cody Dyce – 246 points
- Jy Roberts – 232 points
- Morgan Fogarty – 203 points
- Cooper Pozniak – 197 points
- Isaac Ferguson – 191 points
- Hugh McKay – 177 points
- Kaleb Barham – 176 points
- Jai Constantinou – 170 points
- Brodie Ellis – 159 points
- Sam Pelz – 149 points
250cc Junior Class Race Report: Malkiewicz takes round win and red plate in Horsham
The Yamaha 250cc Junior Class returned to the Motul MX Nationals at Horsham yesterday, and once again the future champions showed the industry just what they’re capable of, contending with the first mud race of the season.
Race one took place immediately after the lunch break, and it was Duffy who carried his momentum from qualifying into the first race of the day. After getting the jump off the start, Duffy stretched out an impressive gap on second placed Rhys Budd (Honda), while Bova was only a short distance behind in third.
At the mid-way point in the moto, third fastest qualifier Malkiewicz charged through the pack to pass Bova for third, while Duffy and Budd continued to occupy the top two positons.
When riders received the last lap board there had been little change to positions at the front, and when the chequered flag flew it was KTM mounted Duffy who took the win. Malkiewicz managed to make the pass on Budd for second just before the finish line, relegating Budd to third at the conclusion of the moto. Bova, and Hayden Matterson finished in fourth and fifth places, while Callum McGlade, Connor McNamara, Liam Andrews, Tyler Darby and Noah Coad completed the top ten in race one.
In moto two, riders were forced to contend with some of the most difficult conditions of the day. With the track drying thanks to the sunny weather, and three championship classes taking to the track prior to the Yamaha 250cc Junior category’s final moto, the youngsters were dealt deep ruts and a tough track in their final race.
At the conclusion of the 15-minute moto, it was Malkiewicz who walked away with the final victory of the day followed by KTM’s Mason Semmens and Bova in second and third places respectively. Unfortunately, despite Duffy crossing the line first in the final moto, the KTM rider was docked three positions due to jumping under a yellow flag which placed him in fourth once positions had been adjusted.
Yamaha’s Jack Kukas wrapped up the final outing for the Yamaha 250cc Junior class in fifth, followed by Dante Hyam, Budd, Matterson, Darby and Caleb Clifton who completed the top ten.
With results from both motos combined, it was Malkiewicz’s 2-1 finishes that rewarded him with the top step of the podium and the championship lead yesterday, second at Horsham was Duffy, while Bova completed the Yamaha 250cc Junior class podium.
Bailey Malkiewicz
“I had a really good day at Horsham. I managed to qualify third and finish with 2,1 results which gave me the overall and the points lead heading into our last round. I stayed on the bike and rode smart – the track was a mud bath during qualifying and the first moto. The track was pretty good in the last race, but the sun was getting low and casting shadows in the ruts which made it hard to see, but we’re happy to come away with the win, and looking forward to the next round.”
Yamaha 250cc Junior Class Round Results
- Bailey Malkiewicz – 67 points
- Regan Duffy – 63 points
- John Bova – 58 points
- Rhys Budd – 54 points
- Hayden Matterson – 49 points
- Jack Kukas – 45 points
- Callum McGlade – 45 points
- Tyler Darby – 44 points
- Connor McNamara – 43 points
- Liam Andrews – 41 points
Yamaha 250cc Junior Class Championship Standings
- Bailey Malkiewicz– 127 points
- Regan Duffy – 120 points
- Rhys Budd – 114 points
- Mason Semmens – 102 points
- Jack Kukas – 98 points
- Hayden Matterson – 93 points
- Connor McNamara – 90 points
- John Bova – 88 points
- Tyler Darby – 81 points
- Callum McGlade – 71 points
MX Nationals head to South Australia for Round 5
The Australian Motocross Championship which is the stomping ground for the country’s fastest riders will head to the South Australian venue for the sixth consecutive year in just five days’ time, bringing with it hundreds of support staff, teams, and of course the athletes themselves.
With the winter mid-season break commencing directly after the fifth round this coming weekend, Kevin Williams, Motul MX Nationals Series Promoter has explained the importance of next Sunday’s South Australian event.
So if you’re up for a weekend of racing, make sure you’re trackside at Murray bridge on May 28, for Round 5 of the 2017 Motul MX Nationals. For more information on Round 5 of the Motul MX Nationals, head to the series’ official website, www.mxnationals.com.au
Rd 1 – AMA Motocross Nationals – Sacramento, California
Eli Tomac and Zach Osborne have won the 450cc and 250cc classes in dominating fashion at the opening round of the AMA Motocross Championships held on the rut infested circuit at Hangtown, California.
450 Race Report
The 450 Class began its first moto of the season with Team Honda HRC’s Christian Craig earning the Motosport.com Holeshot, ahead of Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin and Monster Energy/Yamalube/Chaparral/Yamaha Financial Services/Yamaha Factory Racing rookie Cooper Webb, last year’s 250 Class Champion. Tomac fought his way forward from a start of about seventh to conclude the opening lap in fourth.
As he neared the completion of the opening lap Craig crashed out of the lead, allowing Musquin to assume control of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto. As that unfolded Tomac surged into second, passing Webb in addition to Craig. From there the race became a two-rider battle. Musquin kept Tomac’s advances at bay for a couple laps, but the Kawasaki rider made an aggressive move at the start of Lap 3 and slipped by on the outside of his KTM counterpart. Musquin made a slight bobble shortly thereafter, which established a separation between the two that would continue to grow.
From there the attention focused on the battle for third between Webb and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Grant, who started fifth. Grant patiently waited for his opportunity to strike and did so on Lap 5. From there the top three remained unchanged through to the finish. Despite a small crash late in the moto that cost him over 10 seconds to Musquin, Tomac still took the win by 15.4 seconds.
Tomac had his work cut out for him in the second moto, which saw Grant take the Motosport.com Holeshot ahead of Musquin, RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Broc Tickle, and Autotrader/Monster Energy/Suzuki/JGRMX’s Justin Barcia. Tomac was outside the top 10 as the field entered the first turn, but managed to claw his way into eighth before the completion of the opening lap.
The holeshot allowed Grant to take advantage of the clear track and he set a strong early pace to open a gap on Musquin, while Barcia slotted into third. Behind them Tomac was able to make some early passes to break into the top five and then engaged in a battle with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Dean Wilson for fourth.
Tomac’s patience paid off on Lap 5 as he was able to make the pass on Wilson for fourth. Shortly thereafter he caught Barcia for third and put himself in podium position on the same lap.
With Grant in the lead, Musquin in second, and Tomac in third the battle for the overall win was still up for grabs, with Grant in control of his own destiny. After leading the first seven laps of the moto, Grant slowly started to lose ground to Musquin, who picked up his pace following Tomac’s move into third.
The lead duo battled for the lead briefly, but Musquin was able to make the pass on Lap 7 and put himself in position to win the overall. Tomac’s charge to the front wasn’t complete, and he quickly disposed of his teammate to move into second on Lap 9. He then closed in onto the rear fender of the leading KTM, producing an incredible battle for the lead that elicited roars from the crowd.
Musquin and Tomac jockeyed for the top spot for several laps, with the Frenchman able to counter every one of Tomac’s advances. The leaders continued to trade lines all over the track, coming within inches of making contact with one another on numerous occasions. On Lap 12 Tomac was able to take advantage of a slight bobble by Musquin and make another impressive outside pass.
Once in front Tomac quickly opened a lead, eventually crossing the finish line 8.7 seconds ahead of Musquin. Grant followed with a strong third-place effort.
With identical moto scores for the lead trio across both motos, Tomac (1-1), Musquin (2-2), and Grant (3-3) completed the overall podium in the same fashion.
Eli Tomac
“You never know what to expect, but I knew we were in a better position than the year before. Last year was a bit of a struggle but we knew we could get it done this year. By no means was it easy, there was some good battling, especially in that second moto. We were a little bit deeper in the pack in the second moto and the track just got gnarlier and gnarlier. It’s tough to take too much risk in some parts—this track just turns into a beast. I was trying to charge but not toss myself on the ground.”
Despite his fantastic performance, Tomac admitted there was a few moments in the second moto where he was worried he might not catch the leaders.
“I was a little bit worried, yeah. Early on, no, but once we got going I was like, ‘Man, I’m not making the passes I want to as soon as I want to.’ We were struggling a little bit more. Plus, the track broke down more. It was pretty gnarly. But I felt like I wasn’t taking huge risks. This place just gets super gnarly and it’s the first round coming off supercross. It beats your hands all to heck and your body too. It’s not a friendly one.”
Despite having a sizable lead in the second moto, Musquin said he knew Tomac was going to be on his rear wheel, and that he was happy to walk away with second overall.
Marvin Musqin
“I really wanted to be on the podium today, that was my goal. It’s not easy. You have two weeks coming into Hangtown and you don’t know where you’re at, really. You feel it in practice, but when you get on the racetrack it’s a different story. But I’m pretty happy with the bike and the team has been working really well. I’m happy to be second today. The track was really challenging, and like Eli said, you want to go faster, but it’s easy to make mistakes and you don’t want to crash. I was in a good position in that second moto, I knew where Eli was, but he was better than me all day. I knew he was going to be on my rear wheel. I tried my best, I tried to pass him back, and I think it was a good show for the crowd. With all the ruts I thought it was maybe a little sketchy, but I tried not to get too dirty or cross-jump or anything. I think it was a good battle. In the end he got me but I think two seconds is a good start.”
Tomac’s teammate, Josh Grant, also had a fantastic day, going 3-3 for third overall, leaving himself set to come into Glen Helen, arguably his best track, with a full head of steam.
Josh Grant
“I’ve had a lot of years coming here and struggling at the first race and not feeling comfortable or battling back from an injury. Coming off a good finish in supercross brought some new motivation and some fire to do well. I felt like I could, but I struggled all morning with the bike. I crashed on Thursday on press day too off the big jump [Fly 150] and I was lucky to walk away from that. I did the best I could to recover. My bike was not set up for today’s track. Going back to supercross my bike was in a really good spot, but here it was just all over the place. I’m excited [for Glen Helen]. I’ve done a lot of laps there. I like Glen Helen, it’s one of my favorite tracks and it’s not so much for some other people. I capitalize on that. As long as I can get some good starts, I know how I can ride there. I’m looking forward to it.”
Justin Barcia and Dean Wilson rebounded from less than desirable first motos to log top-five finishes in the second moto. Barcia crashed in the first, but started well in the second and maintained fourth for quite a while before a charging Dean Wilson, who’d also crashed in the first moto, took over the spot. Wilson was on it today, and if not for his crash in the first moto he may have been in the top five overall.
If you’re wondering why Wilson and Barcia both crashed in the first moto well it was caused by Jason Anderson who took some heavy-duty roost to the face, which opened up a cut above his eye and as Anderson was trying to get off the track he accidentally rode straight across the path of Wilson and Barcia.
450 Results
- Eli Tomac – 1 – 1
- Marvin Musquin – 2 – 2
- Josh Grant – 3 – 3
- Dean Wilson – 10 – 4
- Broc Tickle – 7 – 7
- Blake Baggett – 6 – 8
- Cooper Webb – 5 – 9
- Cole Seely – 4 – 12
- Justin Barcia – 11 – 5
- Justin Bogle – 8 – 10
- Weston Peick – 12 – 11
- Christian Craig – 9 – 14
- Jason Anderson – 0 – 12
- Martin Davalos – 15 – 13
- Fredrik Noren – 13 – 15
- Dakota Alix – 17 – 16
- Rhys Carter – 18 – 17
- Cody Cooper – 14 – 37
450 Class Championship Standings after 1 of 12 Rounds
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 50
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 44
- Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki – 40
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna – 29
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 28
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 28
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 28
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 27
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Suzuki – 26
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Suzuki – 24
250 Race Report
The opening 250 Class moto saw Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo claim the first Motosport.com Holeshot of the season, with Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Sean Cantrell slotting into second in his pro debut and Osborne settling in third.
Osborne applied pressure on the rookie on Lap 1 and moved into second, ultimately setting his sights on Cianciarulo for the lead. The lead pair swapped fast laps throughout the first portion of the 30-minutes-plus-two-laps moto before Osborne was able to eventually get around the Kawasaki and take control of the race. Behind them, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger fought his way around Cantrell to take over third.
Once in the lead Osborne was able to open a comfortable gap that he easily maintained throughout the remainder of the moto, which was further aided by lapped traffic. Plessinger applied pressure on Cianciarulo for several laps, but eventually both riders asserted themselves in the remaining podium spots.
Osborne took the third moto win of his career 5.3 seconds ahead of Cianciarulo, with Plessinger following in third.
With the overall win within reach, Osborne took control of Moto 2 immediately out of the gate, grabbing the Motosport.com Holeshot over the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of Joey Savatgy and Cianciarulo. Savtagy showed impressive early speed and was able to briefly lead the moto, but Osborne got back around on Lap 1 and never looked back. Cianciarulo gave up third place to Plessinger and would soon fall out of contention.
The rider to watch in the early stages was Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Alex Martin, who started fifth. Martin was able to surpass both Cianciarulo and Plessinger on Lap 2 and continued his push to the front by passing Savatgy for second on Lap 3, bringing Plessinger along with him into third.
Osborne remained in control of the moto throughout, but another rider was on a charge to the front. After starting seventh Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner stormed through the field and broke into podium position on Lap 7 after passing Plessinger. His determination continued and he was able to close in on Martin for second.
The KTM rider fended off Forkner for several laps, but gave up the spot on Lap 14 and dropped off the podium after losing another spot to his brother Jeremy, who rides for GEICO Honda, that same lap.
Jason Osborne
“Our goal today was to be in the top five, and if we could get on the podium, that would have been really good. So to come away with a 1-1 is great.”
When asked if the incident with Savatgy in Las Vegas, in which Osborne cleaned out Savatgy with two turns to go to take the title, crossed his mind when he found himself battling Savatgy for the lead in the second moto, Osborne admitted it had. “It did. I didn’t want to get into it,” Osborne explained. “I just wanted to go out and ride my race. I’m glad that he raced me clean.”
Despite fading slightly at the end of the second moto, Alex Martin said he was happy to walk away with second place.
Alex Martin
“I was proven on the Yamaha, and it feels good to get a podium right away on the KTM. I was off for a little bit with my injury, but was able to get in a pretty small block of training and I knew I wasn’t far off, if not the same, as last year coming in. All in all I’m happy to get second. I’m a little bummed I put on a little bit of a fade, its’ certainly not how I normally roll in the second moto. But those guys were charging pretty hard and I’ll take it. It’s a long season and my goal is to be as consistent as I can, chip away, and try to get better each weekend.”
Elsewhere, in the 250 Class, a few guys had days they’d rather forget. In fact, one of them might not actually remember. Dylan Ferrandis, who qualified second overall, was having an excellent race in the first moto, running as high as fourth before he crashed and hit his head pretty hard. The decision was made to pull him out of action for the rest of the day, and as of now there’s no word on his status for next week.
Jeremy Martin had a rough day too. After getting a lacklustre start he was making his way through the pack when all of a sudden his bike stopped running. Just like that, the two-time National Champ’s first moto of the season was ruined.
To his credit, he came back strong in the second moto, surging in the end to take third from his brother, Alex, and making a run on second place Austin Forkner. Martin wasn’t able to get Forkner, but third in the second moto is much better than a DNF in the first.
250 Results
- Zach Osborne – 1 – 1
- Alex Martin – 4 – 4
- Aaron Plessinger – 3 – 5
- Adam Cianciarulo – 2 – 8
- Austin Forkner – 11 – 2
- Colt Nichols – 5 – 6
- Joey Savatgy – 7 – 7
- Justin Hill – 8 – 9
- Mitchell Oldenburg – 6 – 12
- Mitchell Harrison – 9 – 11
- Jeremy Martin – 35 – 3
- Sean Cantrell – 10 – 13
- Shane Mcelrath – 16 – 10
- Michael Mosiman – 12 – 14
- Nick Gaines – 13 – 15
- Cameron McAdoo – 15 – 16
- Luke Renzland – 14 – 20
- Lorenzo Locurcio – 18 – 17
- Jerry Robin – 17 – 40
- Gustavo Souza – 34 – 18
250 Class Championship Standings after 1 of 12 Rounds
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 50
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM – 36
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 36
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 35
- Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki – 32
- Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 31
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 28
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki – 25
- Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM – 24
- Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha – 22
