Moto News Wrap for December 6, 2016 by Darren Smart
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
This Week’s News Overview
- Reardon off to America
- 2017 Suzuki RM-Z250 Review – By Todd Jarratt
- Cody Doyce and Cooper Pozniak to Yamalube Yamaha Racing in 2017
- Rosco Holden opens Off-Road Museum
- 2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Calendar Complete
- 2017 Canadian Motocross Nationals Calendar Released
- MXGP-TV Christmas Offer
- Tickle and Bogle Confirmed for RCH Suzuki
- Brayton Signs with MotoConcepts
- Colton and Rauchenecker Sign with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
- Surratt and Bud Racing Part Ways
- Taddy Blazusiak Retires
- Nathan Crawford joins Kawasaki Australian MX/SX Factory Team
This Week’s Racing Overview
- Musquin Dominates Geneva Supercross
- Jarvis Wins Roof Over Africa
- Batchelor Wins Vic Speedway Solo Title
- Tungate Wins NSW Speedway Solo Title
- Pettis Wraps Up Future West Arenacross Series
Reardon off to America
Dan Reardon has been signed by Star Racing/Yamalube Yamaha to replace Colt Nichols who suffering a broken femur while testing in November.
Dan Reardon
“I’m excited to announce I’ll be racing with Star Racing Yamaha for the AMA Supercross West Coast series. Ever since making the return back to racing, I have wanted to be here, racing the best. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and I can’t wait till A1.”
Reardon is no stranger to racing in America and as long as he can get among the leaders in the early laps there is no doubt that DR122 can land top five finishes and even a podium during the season.
2017 Suzuki RM-Z250 Review – By Todd Jarratt
Todd Jarratt has just completed a full review of the 2017 Suzuki RM-Z250 for MCNews.com.au. You can find the full test here.
Cody Doyce and Cooper Pozniak to Yamalube Yamaha Racing in 2017
Two fresh new faces will form the 2017 Yamalube Yamaha Racing lineup with long time Yamaha Junior Racer Cody Dyce, joining top 2016 privateer Cooper Pozniak.
16-year-old Dyce from Victoria has been part of the Yamaha step up program where for the past five years he has come through the Yamaha Junior Racing team. Dyce has continued to develop under that program and won several national championships along the way and has earned his position on the Yamalube Yamaha Racing team.
He now looks forward to taking the next step in his career and into the professional ranks and knows that the hard work has just begun.
Cody Dyce
“I’m really excited and motivated for the coming season. I have finished with junior racing and I’m happy with what I have been able to achieve but now things get. Yamaha have been amazing to deal with and represent over the past five years and to join the Yamalube Yamaha team for my first year in senior racing is awesome. They have a great track record in winning championships and I hope to learn as much from them as possible and continue to develop as a racer.”
17-year-old Cooper Pozniak comes to the team after a break out 2016 season that saw the New South Welshman finish third in the MXD championship as a privateer travelling the country with his father.
It was a huge effort from Pozniak and it didn’t go unnoticed by the Yamalube Yamaha team who were quick to snap up the hard working rider for the 2017 season.
Cooper Pozniak
“It’s the goal of every rider to be on a factory supported team so to get the opportunity to ride for this team is pretty awesome. I see how the team works and present themselves and it’s a real honour to represent them in 2017. I haven’t spent much time on the YZ250F but its recent history in winning championships is impressive. It has dominated the MX2 and MXD classes for the past two seasons and I’m loving the bike already after just a couple of quick rides. I can’t wait to get started in 2017.”
Both riders will contest the MXD (u19) at the MX Nationals before stepping up to the SX2 division for the Australian Supercross Championship later in the year.
Rosco Holden opens Off-Road Museum
Saturday December 3 was an important day in the history of Australian Motorcycling, when industry mainstay, philanthropist and legend Rosco Holden, opened the brand new Motocross, Enduro & Dakar Museum in Horsham, Victoria, as well as announcing the ‘Holden on Tight Australian Junior Sportsman Spirit Award’ for the Australian Junior Titles for 2017 and beyond.
Rosco Holden
“It’s about giving everyone the opportunity to come and enjoy the displays of MX, Off-Road and Dakar memorabilia. It’s my personal collection, that I have been fortunate to accumulate over a long period of time, preserving our proud dirt history is paramount!
You can find the full feature here.
2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Calendar Complete
The 2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix calendar is complete with confirmation of October 28 as the date for the QBE Insurance Australian FIM Speedway Grand Prix.
The SGP series returns to the awesome Etihad Stadium for a third straight season. This year’s finale there saw Aussie icon Chris Holder blow the roof off with an unforgettable victory, while American great Greg Hancock clinched his fourth world title.
Tickets for the 2017 QBE Insurance Australian SGP will go on sale via www.ticketmaster.com.au at 1pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on December 9.
2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Calendar
- April 29: Slovenian FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Krsko)
- May 13: Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland (Warsaw)
- May 27: Latvian FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Daugavpils)
- June 10: Czech Republic FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Prague)
- June 24: Kjærgaard Danish FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Horsens)
- July 22: Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Cardiff)
- August 12: Swedish FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Malilla)
- August 26: Gorzow FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland (Gorzow)
- September 9: German FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Teterow)
- September 23: Stockholm FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Stockholm)
- October 7: Torun FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland (Torun)
- October 28: QBE Insurance Australian FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Melbourne)
2017 Canadian Motocross Nationals Calendar Released
This series has become a hot-bed of activity over the last few seasons with the likes of Davi Millsaps, Brett Metcalfe, Matt Goerke and Mike Alessi heading to Canada to give the locals a hard time and 2017 is expected to be no different – here is what the 2017 Canadian MX Nationals calendar looks like.
2017 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals – Series Schedule
- Sunday, June 4 Whispering Pines Raceway, Kamloops, British Columbia
- Sunday, June 11 Blackwater MX Track, Prince George, British Columbia
- Sunday, June 18 Wild Rose MX Park, Calgary, Alberta
- Sunday, June 25 Moto Valley Raceway, Regina, Saskatchewan
- Sunday, July 9 Gopher Dunes, Courtland, Ontario
- Sunday, July 16 Motocross Ulverton, Ulverton, Quebec
- Sunday, July 23 Pleasant Valley Raceway, Truro, Nova Scotia
- Sunday, July 30 Riverglade MX Park, Moncton, New Brunswick
- Sunday, August 6 Motocross Deschambault, Deschambault, Quebec
- Sunday, August 13 RJ Motosport Park, Barrie, Ontario
MXGP-TV Christmas offer
To celebrate Christmas MXGP-TV wants to offer a 25% discount for the 2017 FIM Motocross World Championship season package, which includes Saturday and Sunday racing LIVE!
This means you can watch the MXGP & MX2 Qualifying races as well as all races and rounds of the European Championships and FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship on www.MXGP-TV.com.
Also included in the Season Package is the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at Matterley Basin, Winchester, United Kingdom.
Now it is the best time to buy, and with Christmas right around the corner, why not give your friends and family MXGP-TV access for 2017?
Tickle and Bogle confirmed for RCH Suzuki
After rumours of the team closing down came close to becoming a reality, RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing have committed to the 2017 season and have signed Broc Tickle and Justin Bogle for the AMA Supercross and Motocross Championships with full factory support from Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI).
Tickle has been with the RCH team since its inception and has the ability to return top five results in motocross and supercross while Bogle managed one top-five and six top-ten finishes during his rookie 450 class Supercross season in 2016.
Kerry Graeber – Vice President, MC/ATV Sales and Marketing for SMAI
“Combining the strengths of RCH, Yoshimura and Suzuki into a single factory racing effort has been rewarding, and with Broc returning and Justin joining the Suzuki family, we are eager for the 2017 season to begin.”
Ricky Carmichael – RCH Racing co-founder
“Broc has been with RCH since 2013, he’s one of the sport’s most respected veterans and one of those guys who gets better every year. We’re really happy to keep Broc in the mix at RCH and to bring him along with us as part of our Suzuki Factory effort. Justin won a championship in the 250 class and has shown great promise on a 450. We’re excited to see how quickly he meshes with Broc, the team, and our championship-winning Suzuki RM-Z450.”
Carey Hart – RCH Racing co-founder
“After winning the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship this summer, we’re chomping at the bit to get back racing, we have been working alongside Suzuki and Yoshimura to refine this new program for 2017. We are excited to have Broc back and to be able to bring a rider of Justin’s calibre on board.”
RCH/ Yoshimura/ Suzuki Factory Racing will be led by Team Manager Kyle Bentley and will make its 2017 debut on January 7th at the Monster Energy Supercross season opener in Anaheim, California.
Brayton signs with MotoConcepts
MotoConcepts Racing has added 2016 Australian Supercross Champion Justin Brayton to the 450 squad alongside Mike Alessi and Vince Friese while rookie pro Cameron McAdoo, who recently won the Monster Energy Cup Amateur All-Star event, will join the team to contest the 250SX East Region series.
Because of the limited time to test and develop their race bikes Brayton will have access to the 2017 Honda CRF450R with factory parts from Honda America while Alessi and Friese will be riding the 2016 CRF450R which they run last season.
Justin Brayton
“I’m stoked to sign a contract with Smartop MotoConcepts Honda for a Supercross-only deal in 2017. I get the opportunity to ride the 2017 Honda CRF450, which I’m really excited about. I’m looking forward to being around some good people. You know, I think Mike Genova has been in it a long time and has been very successful doing it on his own. Now with Tony Alessi managing the program for the past few years, he’s really involved. Tony has the racer mindset. He gets the racing side, but also the technical side of the sport. I’ve only been a part of the team for a month or so, but there have been mornings where I’ll get a text message from Tony at 4 am on the west coast. He always lets me know what’s going on, which is really cool. It just shows how dedicated he is, and the team is, to doing well. Getting some support from Honda has been awesome, and I think everything on the team has stepped up to the next level. I’m looking forward to getting some good results for them.”
Mike Genova – MCR Team Owner
“Since the inception of our team in 2009, we have been doing this successfully on our own with minimal support. We have been competitive in both the 250 and 450 class, so now with the support and resources Honda brings to the table we will be an even stronger force. In a year where the available rider pool has more talent than ever before, we’re stoked about our rider lineup. These guys are consistent on and off the track and I have a great deal of respect and appreciation because of that.”
Colton and Rauchenecker sign with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
Defending SuperEnduro World Champion and recently crowned AMA EnduroCross Champion Colton Haaker will be joined by Pascal Rauchenecker in the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team for the 2016/17 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship that kicks off in Poland on December 10th.
Colton Haaker
“I truly am excited about getting back to racing in Europe and getting my SuperEnduro championship started. Winning the title last year was incredible. I was one of three riders gunning for that championship, the fact that it came down to the last corner of the last race of the series is something I’ll never forget. I learned so much during the championship last year. I started out off the radar a little but a lot has changed since then. Winning the US Endurocross title recently has been another important step in my career. I really feel good right now and I feel like I’m in a much better place starting this SuperEnduro championship. I know the competition and the tracks will be tough, but I’m excited for the challenge. Defending my championship title is what I’m focused on, I can’t wait to get over to Poland and kick things off.”
Pascal Rauchenecker
“Competing in the SuperEnduro World Championship is something I’m really excited about. It’s something that’s completely new to me. I know I don’t have any real SuperEnduro experience, but to be a part of the series is something I’m very happy about. I’ve followed SuperEnduro and Endurocross closely this year, and have trained as much as I could after the ISDE to be ready for the first race. There’s going to be so much for me to learn, but my goal is to improve at each race and just to do my best. It’s great having Colton as my team-mate. He’s the number one rider right now, so I know I can learn from him. The first race in Poland will be a very special event for me.”
The four-round 2016/2017 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship kicks off on December 10th, with the season opening GP of Poland taking place in Krakow’s Tauron Arena this weekend.
Calendar – 2016/2017 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship
- Round 1: 10 December: Grand Prix of Poland (Krakow)
- Round 2: 7 January: Grand Prix of Germany (Riesa)
- Round 3: 4 March: Grand Prix of Euskadi (Bilbao)
- Round 4: 18 March: Grand Prix of France (Albi)
Surratt and Bud Racing Part Ways
Bud Racing/Monster Energy Kawasaki and Ryan Surratt have parted ways just weeks prior to the opening round of Monster Energy Supercross.
Surratt, along with former-GEICO Honda rider Tristan Charboneau, were signed in October to compete in the 2017 250SX West Region as well as the FIM World Motocross Championship EMX250 Class for the French-based team.
According to a press release sent out by the team today, the team and Ryan have preferred to part ways to take different direction for both parties. Surratt, son of former pro racer Willie Surratt, was expected to make his pro debut at Anaheim 1 with the team.
The team has signed Michigan native Marshal Weltin to replace Surratt. Weltin turned pro at the Unadilla National in 2015 and rode as a privateer in 2016 with some help from Justin Barcia. Charboneau is still a member of the team and will make his debut at AMA Supercross Anaheim.
Bud Racing/Monster Energy Kawasaki 2017 Final line up:
- Tristan Charboneau: AMA SX 250 West, EMX250 Championship, French Elite 250
- Marshal Weltin: EMX250 Championship & French Elite 250
- Brian Moreau: EMX125 Championship, World Cup Junior & French Elite 250
- Kim Savaste: EMX250 Championship (only late in the season when back from Injury)
- Maxime Desprey: French Elite MX 450
Taddy Blazusiak retires
Red Bull KTM factory rider Taddy Blazusiak has announced that the opening round of the 2016-2017 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Krakow, Poland on December 10 will be his last as a professional racer. Krakow is Blazusiak’s home town.
Taddy Blazusiak
“I have been thinking about this decision for a while now. I have always told myself that I will make that call when I feel the time is right. I’ve been racing around the world for a long time. I trained the best and hardest I could, and I raced for every race win and championship I entered like there is no tomorrow. I achieved more than I ever thought I could, and I’m grateful for all the great memories from all my years of racing. I want to say thank you to my family, especially to my brother Wojciech, for all the hard work and for being there for me from the beginning.
Thank you also to my team manager and friend Alex Doringer, and of course special thanks to the KTM CEO Mr. Stefan Pierer and KTM Motorsport Director Pit Beirer for the opportunity to chase my dreams. Thank you to all the people at KTM Factory Racing for the best bike out there, and naturally also a huge thank you to Red Bull and all my long-term sponsors. I’m grateful for all the fans around the world and thank you for your support – on to the next adventure.”
Stefan Pierer – CEO KTM Group
“It was clear to us right from the time Taddy took that impressive victory at Erzberg in 2007 that he was a very special and very talented rider. It was a privilege for us to have him riding for our factory team and he has been an amazing champion and ambassador for our brand. We thank him for all the exciting victories he delivered and we wish him all the best for his future.”
Pit Beirer – KTM Motorsports Director
“Taddy is not only a charismatic rider who is 100 percent committed when he’s on the bike, I can confirm that he was entering every single race like it is his last one. He has also been an outstanding role model for the next generation and made a great contribution to both Extreme Enduro and to SuperEnduro-AMA EnduroCross disciplines. His fire and commitment have never been in doubt and we thank him for all the excitement he’s given us.”
Nathan Crawford joins Kawasaki Australian MX/SX Factory Team
Kawasaki Motors have announced that Nathan Crawford has signed up with the Australian Kawasaki Racing Team and will compete aboard a factory KX450F in 2017.
The 19 year old Queenslander has established himself as a promising motocross and supercross talents in Australia. An untimely incident at the final round of the 2016 MX Nationals cost Nathan the MX2 class lead and left him having to settle with 3rd place in the series overall.
Nathan’s steady rise through the ranks now sees him take the ultimate step-up into the MX1 (450cc category) with the Kawasaki Racing Team.
Nathan Crawford
“I’m so pumped to be racing in the MX1 class with Kawasaki next year. It’s been a personal goal of mine to be on a factory team so to be on the Kawasaki team is a dream come true. I am young and have a lot to learn, but I feel I am ready and I want to get my feet wet in the 450cc class. Having the support of a factory team for the first time will be a huge benefit. Troy Carroll (Team Manager), sees something in me and I feel I can deliver.”
“I definitely think it is going to be one of the best teams in the competition next year. I’ve met the team mechanics and I’ve got an existing personal relationship with them so in that sense I’m not jumping into a new environment, but at the same time I know we will have a job to do and I am committed to keeping it professional and delivering the results. On top of developing my race craft this year, I learnt to keep my cool and take a smart approach. In the Australian Supercross Championship I was down in training because of my crash in the last MX Nationals round, so my results weren’t where I would have liked them to be but I love supercross and it will just be a matter of training and developing with the Kawasaki KX450F.”
Team Manager and Australian motocross legend, Troy Carroll, who has hired an experienced personal coach that will work closely with Nathan and the team, sees tremendous potential in Nathan.
Troy Carroll
“Nathan’s diligence in the MX2 class this year was exceptional and he has the right attitude so I think he will gel very well with the team. He is younger and I think he will be very receptive to our established team environment and the direction that we want to take, so I think he will be a great asset. Right now there are so few Australian riders to choose from in the MX1 class. We had to look at the next up and coming riders and Nathan was the perfect fit with his size and experience so we believe he is the best option for our team. We also want to do our part in supporting the development of Australian talent and giving local riders the opportunities they deserve. The goal for Nathan in 2017 will be development.”
Kawasaki Motors Australia have yet to announce Nathan’s teammate, however in the meantime Team Technician, Ben Dutton has been paired with Nathan and the gears have already begun turning in the lead-up to the first testing session later this week.
Smarty’s Race Reports
Musquin Dominates Geneva Supercross
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Marvin Musquin has topped AMA Supercross rivals Justin Barcia, Justin Brayton and Malcolm Stewart to earn victories in both nights of the Geneva Supercross in Switzerland last Friday and Saturday night.
Barcia pulled the holeshot on night one and it was during a heated battled between Barcia, Brayton and Stewart that Musquin was able to sneak up and take the lead while Saturday night saw Brayton hold Musquin at bay for the first half of the main event but there was no denying the KTM star.
Marvin Musquin
“I am really happy with tonight. I wanted to get the victory and now I can move onto A1 and hopefully I can put in some good results in 2017.”
Justin Brayton went 3-2 for the two nights for second overall ahead of Malcolm Stewart who scored 2-3 results and Justin Barcia (4-4).
Justin Brayton
“I honestly think I had the win last night. I just had a little clutch malfunction with the last four laps or so, so I couldn’t skim the whoops, but no excuses. I didn’t have anything for Marvin tonight, either. I do feel like I would have had the win last night with four to go. Just was a little bit off. There’s been a lot on my plate with traveling, and I hadn’t rode supercross in three weeks. Traveling from Australia to the U.S. to here—it’s been a lot. So I’ve been pretty flat all weekend, but I’ve had fun. I love coming here to Geneva. You can’t take anything away from Marvin. He’s riding really good. Excited to get back to the States and start riding the 2017 and start testing with the team. It’s an exciting time right now.”
Malcolm Stewart
“It was a great weekend, I started off with yesterday, yesterday was good. Had some really good battles with Barcia, Musquin, and Brayton back and forth. I ended up getting second last night so that was good and came into tonight. I saw Marvin and Brayton was getting into it a little bit so I tried to catch up a little bit, but those guys were just a little bit better than me tonight. I felt like I wasn’t riding that well, but I didn’t want to crash either and just blow it all away. Barcia was coming and we kind of had some little battles here and there, but overall I can say I’m happy. I can say I’m happy when I get to go home and see my family.”
Friday Night Main Event:
- Marvin Musquin
- Malcolm Stewart
- Justin Brayton
- Justin Barcia
- Arnaud Tonus
- Cyrille Coulon
- Cedric Soubeyras
- Valentin Teillet
- Thomas Ramette
- Killian Auberson
Saturday Night Main Event:
- Marvin Musquin
- Justin Brayton
- Malcolm Stewart
- Justin Barcia
- Thomas Ramette
- Cedric Soubeyras
- Chris Martin
- Simon Mallet
- Killian Auberson
- Adrien Escoffier
Jarvis Wins Roof Over Africa
Graham Jarvis has managed to successfully defend his Roof of Africa title taking a decisive win at the 48th edition of South Africa’s prestigious annual extreme enduro event.
Jarvis has had a stellar 2016 season with wins at Erzberg, Romaniacs, Battle of the Vikings, GetzenRodeo and Ukupacha so to wrap up another win leading into the off-season is a cracker way for the Husqvarna star to head into 2017.
Graham Jarvis
“To end the season with another win is just great. To be fair this year the Roof was different to any other year I’ve raced it. It was just so difficult to get a gap on anybody so I ended up riding most of the race with Gomez. I guess that was a good thing for both of us, as we were helping each other in our navigation. I knew I couldn’t get a gap on Alfredo so I prepared myself for a sprint finish towards the end, making sure I had the energy at the end to go for it. We had a great setup throughout the weekend and my Husqvarna worked great despite the heat. The terrain is always loose at the Roof and lacks grip, so it’s always a difficult race to win. It’s been a fantastic season for me and I can’t thank Rockstar Energy Husqvarna enough for their support.”
Results – 2016 Roof of Africa
- Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 16:14:40
- Alfredo Gomez (KTM) 16:14:49
- Scott Bouverie (KTM) 16:21:56
- Travis Teasdale (KTM) 16:23:55
- Blake Gutzeit (Yamaha) 16:28:01
- Brett Swanepole (Yamaha) 16:53:25
Batchelor Wins Vic Speedway Solo Title
Troy Batchelor has spectacularly won the Victorian Speedway Solo Championship held at Broadford last weekend. Batchelor got the nod in the final against 2016 Under 21 World Speedway Champion Max Fricke who in turn had to fight off fellow young-guns Jordy Stewart and Ty Proctor.
Tungate Wins NSW Speedway Solo Title
Multi-talented Rohan Tungate has convincingly won the NSW Speedway Solo Championship held at Kurri Kurri last weekend ahead of Todd Kurtz, Just Segmen and Jake Allen.
Pettis Wraps Up Future West Arenacross Series
The seventh and final round of the Future West Arenacross Series was held in Chilliwack, British Columbia last Saturday night and it was Jess Pettis who wrapped up the Pro Open and the Pro Am Lites classes after a season long battle with arch rival Noah McConahy.
Pro Open Championship Standings:
- Jess Pettis – 161
- Noah McConahy – 148
- Ross Johnson – 126
Pro Am Lites Championship Standings:
- Jess Pettis – 157
- Noah McConahy – 136
- Chris Howell – 113
