Moto News Wrap for July 11, 2017 by Darren Smart
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Latest News
- CHEAP Entry to 2017 Conondale Classic
- RIP Hakan Carlqvist and Don Newell
- Crash-Fest in America
- Exciting New R&D Centre in Germany for KTM
- Elliott Banks Brown Wins UK MX Nationals
- Caleb Ward on The Mend
- Jett Lawrence Busy in Europe
- Learn from the Pro’s at MXON Development Clinics
- MX Nationals head to Shepparton
- Kawasaki Racing Team Confirms Daniel Reardon for 2017 Australian Supercross Series
- Husqvarna extends contracts with Covington and Kjer-Olsen
- Desalle signs with Kawasaki until 2020
- Bou and Fujinami on top in the British TrialGP
- NSW Junior Motocross Championships Wraps up at ‘The Lakes’
- Rykers Dominates WA Motocross Championship
- AJMX Supp Regs Out Now & joined by FIM Oceania Junior Motocross Challenge
This Week’s Race Reports
- Rd10 – AMA Flat Track – Rolling Wheels Half-Mile – Elbridge, N.Y.
- Rd7 – AMA Motocross Nationals, Southwick, Massachusetts
- Rd 5 – Canadian Motocross Nationals – Courtland, Ontario
- Hattah Desert Race – Mildura, SA
- FIM Speedway World Cup Final – Lezno (Poland)
CHEAP Entry to 2017 Conondale Classic
The annual Conondale Classic is set to be bigger and better than ever with our Vet MXoN riders in Glenn Bell, James Deakin, Kirk Hutton and Craig Anderson on hand to hone their skills against the likes of Daryl King, Brad Williscroft, Dave Armstrong and a gaggle of hard charging punters around one of the best layouts in Australia.
Open to riders with motorcycles that are Pre 1995 and older, this is the ultimate FUN weekend but here’s the kicker! NGK, Wurth, Elf, Michelin, Spy, THOR, Maxima and Bolt have all offered prizes for the competitors while the first 100 entries received will go into the draw to win a MA senior 1 year licence worth $320.
There will be a ‘Best Whip’ contest at lunchtime over the famous ‘Drunks Hill’ with the winner getting a FREE set of THOR riding gear while in the 125GP class the first 5 placegetters (over the 4 rounds) will get a FREE set of Michelin Starcross 5 tyres.
With only 30 gates per class there are limited numbers get in early AND YOU can save $25.00 by entering before the 17th of July – DON’T MUCK ABOUT OR YOU WILL MISS OUT!!
Go to www.qvmx.com.au to download the entry forms.
RIP Hakan Carlqvist and Don Newell
Hakan Carlqvist and Don Newell didn’t even know each other but they had more in common than they would ever know – and the fact that they both decided to pass away in a matter of days from each other could well mean that there is a big race somewhere else that needed a couple of hard chargers in the pack.
You see, Hakan and Don were winners, they knew how to make their way to the front of the pack no matter how stiff the competition or how inadequate their machinery AND they were bloody top blokes to boot.
Find a person that would say a bad word to say against Hakan or Don and you will find poor judgement – sure, these two champions knew no bounds when it came to winning races but never was there a time where they showed disrespect to their fellow competitors or fans though stopping at a pub for a beer while winning and going on to win a GP was as close Hakan ever came to disrespecting his competition.
I will say no more than this – motorcycle racing would not be where it is today without the likes of Hakan Carlqvist and Don Newell – whether you knew them or not is not important here, but when you next pull on your helmet I want you to spare just a moment, look to the sky and know that there are two very special men no longer with us today….once noted, pull the throttle on, dump the clutch and launch into the best feeling on earth, because Hakan and Don would have it no other way……
Crash-fest in America
Leading up the Southwick round of the AMA Motocross Championship last weekend we saw Jason Anderson, Broc Tickle and Trey Canard pull out of the event due to injury.
Then at Southwick itself we saw a massive first turn crash in the opening 250 moto followed by Aaron Plessinger concussed after a severe crash before Adam Cianciarulo dumped Shane McElrath on his head then Marvin Musquin skied it out into the spectator area while coming second in the final moto of the day. See my report on Southwick below.
Exciting New R&D Centre in Germany for KTM
On July 5, 2017, the official opening ceremony for KTM’s new R&D Center took place in Rosenheim, Germany where the new site’s focus is on electronics development in the motorcycle segment – from ideas to preliminary development, prototype design, and the implementation of new processes right through to innovative concepts.
Systems that facilitate digital connectivity between the rider and motorcycle, and following on from that, interconnected vehicles for long-term accident prevention (“Connected motorcycles”) are developed there.
Philipp Habsburg – Head of the KTM Research & Development
“As a premium manufacturer in the motorcycle segment, we place particular emphasis on the area of research & development. New products and the constant implementation of technical innovations enable us to meet the high expectations of our customers and open up new markets on a long-term basis. In 2016, KTM AG invested around 110 million euros in model development and the infrastructure of the Mattighofen and Munderfing sites and thus further strengthened and expanded the Austrian location. With the opening of the new KTM R&D Center in Rosenheim, we are continuing this trend in Germany.”
The new KTM R&D Center covers an area of 438 m2 and can accommodate up to 30 employees. It is part of the KTM R&D department in Mattighofen and also reports to this site.
An average of 487 members of staff are employed at the R&D department in Mattighofen and this number is always growing. The staff recruited for the Rosenheim site make up a completely new team. An important selection criterion for Rosenheim was the existence of a local higher education institution and the resulting availability of competent development engineers in the region. The KTM R&D Center in Rosenheim therefore has the best possible chance of recruiting additional experts and driving further growth.
Elliott Banks Brown Wins UK MX Nationals
Elliot Banks-Browne has ended the winning streak of championship leader Graeme Irwin at the latest round of the UK MX Nationals held at Sherwood last weekend but the win didn’t stop Irwin from extending his championship lead to a healthy 24 points with two rounds remaining.
Graeme Irwin
“I felt the track was a bit sketchy and didn’t want to take any chances but having said that I didn’t feel on top form today. I still increased my lead in the championship which is great but I’ve been sick for the last couple of weeks and on antibiotics and haven’t ridden so I suffered from arm-pump. Round six of the Maxxis is up next at Blaxhall next weekend and I’m confident I’ll be back to top form by then.”
Caleb Ward On The Mend
North Queensland motocross star Caleb Ward is on the mend after getting both of his knees operated on recently. Ward was in Europe racing the World MX2 Motocross Championship when it was decided to come home and get his knees sorted and get fit and ready for season 2018. All the best mate.
Jett Lawrence Busy in Europe
Aussie Jet Lawrence spent last weekend tripping around the Netherlands chasing serious competition and here is what he posted on FB: “Was fun racing at Lelystad on Saturday, went 1, 2 for 2nd overall, last moto was trying but just couldn’t get it done Good battle with Kayde Wolf . Then Sunday went to Eersel for another round of Dutch onk and went 1, 1 for 1st overall got some good race practice in.”
Learn from the Pro’s at MXON Development Clinics
Shepparton (VIC), Port Macquarie (NSW) and Queensland Moto Park will host three riding clinics where some of our best motocrossers will share their expertise with all proceeds from the Rider Development Clinics will to go towards funding the Australian MXON Team who will compete at the Motocross of Nations held in the United Kingdom on the 1st of October 2017.
The 2017 MXON Development Clinics will include:
- Introduction
- Free ride
- Specific skill training
- Talks by pro riders and experienced team members
- Free MXON Development Clinic t-shirt signed by the Pro’s
- Laps with the stars
- Demo rides by all pro riders
- Truck tour and detail on pre and post-race bike set-up
There will be an autograph session where the main competitors will sign jerseys, posters and more. The riders will also engage in a Q&A session with the general public!
How to apply: To reserve your spot download and email the application form to Mark Luksich at [email protected] or call on 0412 212 940.
MXON Development Clinics where and when
- Monday 17th July – Shepparton (VIC), Dean Ferris, Stephen Gall and Penrite CRF Honda Racing (the day after the MX Nationals Round)
- Monday 31st July – Port Macquarie (NSW) CDR Yamaha Race Team, Crankt Protein Honda Racing and Penrite CRF Honda Racing (the day after the MX Nationals Round).
- Monday 14th August – QMP (QLD) KTM Racing Team and Penrite CRF Honda Racing (the day after the MX Nationals Round). Cost: $165 per rider
- (All proceeds raised go towards funding our Australian chosen riders to represent the nation at MXON 2017 being held in the UK 1st October 2017).
- What else: Spots are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis.
MX Nationals head to Shepparton
After six action packed rounds, Shepparton in Victoria will have the opportunity to welcome the fastest motocross riders in Australia to town, when the seventh round of the Motul MX Nationals takes place in Shepparton this Sunday July 16.
Hundreds of athletes, as well as team and event personnel are set to roll in to the country Victorian venue for the third consecutive year this weekend, and with crunch time fast approaching in all championships, when bikes hit the track it will be time for riders to face off.
With just days until the championship heads to Shepparton, preparations for the events’ arrival are well underway, and today Series Promoter Kevin Williams shared that if you’re in for a weekend of adrenalin, then racing is the name of the game. Here’ five things that you need to watch this Sunday.
Concrete start – Ahhh, concrete starts. If there is one thing that divides a group of talented riders, it’s whether or not they have the ability to start on concrete. This weekend Shepparton will mark the only concrete start on the Motul MX Nationals calendar, and with most riders having limited access to a concrete pad to practice on, quite often starts are a roll of the dice on race day at the country Victorian venue. This weekend a jump off the gate is going to be more important than ever – combine the hard surface start with a right hand first turn and you have a challenge on your hands before the race has even begun… perfect for spectators, and a rider’s biggest obstacle.
Riding Ruts – Over the past two years, one thing that we have seen consistently at Shepparton is ruts as deep as the rider’s themselves. Blink and you could lose one of the athletes in a turn, meaning if you can’t ride ruts, you’re in for one difficult weekend of racing. With the start proving to be the most important, ruts come a close second at Shepparton. Riders will need to pick their lines carefully on Sunday, because once you’re in a rut here there’s no getting out of it.
Gelling with the track – When you get to Shepparton you want to be at your peak because if there’s one track that you don’t want to have an ‘off day’ at, it’s at Round 7. With the circuit being one of the most technically challenging on the calendar, then throw in sub zero weather conditions, and Shepparton challenges riders who 99% of the time rarely put a foot wrong. To be successful this weekend, riders will need focus, they will need to be sharp and have the ability to make decisions quick. With upwards of ten lines per turn, options at Shepparton are a plenty, but in order to finish on top it will be efficient riding and decision making that will set the winners apart from the rest on Sunday.
Championship – With only three rounds remaining after this weekend’s Shepparton outing, it’s getting to crunch time in the MX1 and MX2 championship classes. Currently in the premier Thor MX1 class, Dean Ferris has a healthy 61-point lead, and if he plays his cards right within a few rounds he could quite possibly wrap up the title early, BUT have an off day and things could turn around very quickly, so the CDR Yamaha rider will be hoping to bring his ‘A Game’ to Shepparton on Sunday. Meanwhile in the Motul MX2 category things are just firing up. We have already seen multiple red plate holders, and with Wilson Todd currently leading by a slim 5 points from Mitchell Evans, neither rider will want to put a foot wrong this weekend. Finally, the Pirelli MXD category only has a single round remaining after this weekend, meaning this Sunday will set them up for their decider at Port Macquarie. Currently Jy Roberts holds the red plate with 12 points up his sleeve, but with Cody Dyce nipping at his heels, he too will be praying he turns up to Shepparton fully prepared and ready to make one final dash at the Under 19’s Championship.
Contracts – Finally, contracts. With the end of the season fast approaching, team mangers are looking at the time sheets closer than ever. By now, any ‘luck’ rider’s had relied on has worn off, and success is built Monday to Friday when they aren’t at the races, and one thing’s for sure, teams will notice. Round 7 is when the subject of ‘signing on’ gets well and truly thrown around – whether it’s staying put with the team they’re with, exploring options elsewhere, trying to land the first factory ride, or clutching at straws to retain a seat, this is one round where you put a foot wrong and things could change quickly, but put a foot right and the chequebook and dotted line for 2018 could quite possibly become a reality.
Round 7 of the 2017 Motul MX Nationals will take place at Shepparton in Victoria on Sunday July 16, with bikes on track from 8:00am.
Kawasaki Racing Team Confirms Daniel Reardon for 2017 Australian Supercross Series
Daniel Reardon has signed up with the MEGA Fuels Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team and will campaign his factory KX450F motorcycle in the Australian Supercross Championship this year.
The 2015 Australian Supercross Champion joins the team on the back of a supercross effort in the USA where he was up against some of the greatest riders in the world. This year the 31 year old from the Gold Coast, Queensland couldn’t be happier to be contending for a national title on home soil.
Daniel Reardon
“It’s nice to be back and to be part of a brand that I have had so much success with in the past. I’ve won four championships with Kawasaki and it’s been around ten years since Ive ridden a Kawasaki so it’s wonderful to be back and to be a part of that again,” said Reardon who won the Australian Motocross and Supercross championships in 2007 (450cc), the 2006 Australian Supercross championship (450cc) and the 2005 Australian Supercross championship (250cc). It was the right time for a change. I know Troy Carroll well and I know the team structure so I wanted to lock in something that I knew would work and that would be flexible. Troy has a strong team and I have my facility for training as well so we have a solid plan in place to be 100% prepared for the Supercross this year.”
Preparation will be the primary focus for the multiple championship title holder who was more than impressed by the team’s factory KX450F after his first shakedown session
Husqvarna extends contracts with Covington and Kjer-Olsen
Husqvarna Motorcycles have extended their agreements with MX2 class riders Thomas Kjer-Olsen and Thomas Covington. These new agreements see Kjer-Olsen remaining with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team until at least 2020 (an additional 3 years) while Covington will remain with the squad until the end of 2018.
Thomas Kjer-Olsen
“I’m over the moon to be continuing my career with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. I’ve been working really hard and the results we’ve been getting this year show we’re in a very good position. To remain with such a well-organised and professional team for another three ears, I strongly believe this will allow me to take my performances to an even higher level. I’ll continue doing my best for podium results and race victories this season and then the plan is to come back even stronger in 2018. Taking one step at a time my focus is to improve on my speed while staying as consistent as possible. If our goal for the current season has been the MX2 class podium, in 2018 I believe I could be a strong contender for the title.”
Thomas Covington
“I’m really excited to be staying with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team and Jacky Martens for another year. Things have been going quite well for us and I believe there is a very strong connection with each member of our team. Together with my teammate Thomas I think we will make a very strong team for the coming season. We’ve made some big improvements with the setup of the FC 250 recently and we will keep working on the small details. The results have started to show the hard work we’re all putting in and the goal is to keep that momentum going. If we keep doing what we do, trying to remain consistent, I believe there will be more race victories coming our way in the near future.”
Desalle signs with Kawasaki until 2020
Clement Desalle, winner of two rounds of the 2017 FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship, will continue his successful association with the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team for the 2018 and 2019 racing seasons.
Clement Desalle
“I’m really happy to continue working with Kawasaki as I enjoy my job and the work we do together; it’s good that we reached an agreement to continue working like that. It’s good to sign so early in the season, as at some stage you start thinking about your future, but now I can focus entirely on each race and each GP to get the best results for all of us. I’m also happy as we have worked hard for one and a half years to develop the bike, which is now really good, and we can stay focused on our common goal which is winning races.”
Bou and Fujinami on top in the British TrialGP
Toni Bou extended his championship lead in the TrialGP World Championship with a victory in Great Britain ahead of Repsol Honda teammate Takahisa Fujinami and arch rival Adam Raga.
Today’s fifth round triumph in Tong takes the Repsol Honda Team rider’s British tally to fifteen wins as the current champion edges further ahead in the world championship overall standings.
Toni Bou
“It was not my kind of terrain, but I was comfortable. In the end, a mistake put the pressure on me to win the trial. It was a very good trial, I think I did very well and, after what happened in Andorra, here we have made up some good points for the championship. We are going to the United States on a roll and will be hoping to get more results like these.”
NSW Junior Motocross Championships Wraps up at ‘The Lakes’
BCP Pro Circuit Honda Junior Development team-mates Rhys Budd and Tanesha Harnett along with GYTR rider Ryder Kingsford have taken out their respective NSW Junior MX State Championships after winning the final round at Lake Macquarie last weekend.
Rykers Dominates WA Motocross Championship
Jayden Rykers has won the MX1 and MX2 classes at the fourth round of the WA Motocross Championships held at Ulinga Park last weekend.
Rykers took out the MX1 class ahead of Michael Mahon and Dean Porter with Porter still leading the series while it was David Birch and Josh Adams who rounded out the podium in the MX2 class with Birch leading the championship.
AJMX Supp Regs out now & joined by FIM Oceania Junior Motocross Challenge
Motorcycling Australia (MA) have announced that the Supplementary Regulations have been released for the 2017 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship (KTM AJMX).
This year’s 2017 KTM AJMX will take place at the Horsham Motorcycle Club in Victoria (September 30 – October 6) where international hopefuls, defending champions and a deep pool of talent will test their skills over the week-long event.
Motorcycling Australia (MA) also announced that the FIM Oceania Junior Motocross Challenge will take place at the 2017 AJMX. The FIM Oceania Junior Motocross Challenge will showcase both Australia’s and New Zealand’s best up and coming junior motocross talent at the renowned event, with plenty of pride on the line.
Australia and New Zealand have enjoyed a long lasting comradery and rivalry over the years. Now two nations will once again come to a head at the AJMX.
Your copy of the Supplementary Regulations can be found by clicking here, alternatively you can find them by heading to the “Supp Regs” section of the MA website. Entries open 1st July at cloudentries.com.au and close at 8pm, on the 9th of September.
Horsham Motorcycle Club President Kenny Watts said the club was once again looking forward to hosting the AJMX after successfully accommodating the event in 2013.
Kenny Watts – Horsham Motorcycle Club President
“The KTM AJMX will provide an excellent opportunity for juniors to compete against the best talent within Australia and visiting international riders, at our venue. It’s also a major coup for the riders and teams to practice ahead of the World Motocross Titles in 2018. Having KTM as the major sponsor once again is fantastic and we recognise the support and assistance in promotion they provide. Improvements to the facilities include 30 wash bays, which really come in handy! We also have top-notch safety fencing and a state of the art in-field spectator area. Attendees can now clearly see all the obstacles on the track. We’ve listened to all the feedback to improve the overall experience. The Horsham Motorcycle Club is doing all it can for the riders, our sponsors and the club itself. If everyone says that we’ve raised the bar from the last time we held the event back in 2013, then we’ve done our job properly. We can’t wait for the KTM AJMX to kick off!”
Smarty’s Race Reports:
Rd10 – AMA Flat Track – Rolling Wheels Half-Mile – Elbridge, N.Y.
American Flat Track was back in action following a two-week haitus for the Rolling Wheels Half-Mile presented by Old Carriage House Apartments, and last time out, at the Lima Half-Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle, Mees failed to make the Main Event – a race he promoted himself – after twice jumping the start during his Semi race.
Adding insult to injury, he lost his AFT Twins championship lead in the process to rival Bryan Smith (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750).
On Saturday night, in front of another packed house at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Mees took out all of those pent-up frustrations on the field. He obliterated all challengers aboard his No. 9 Indian Motorcycle Rogers Racing Scout FTR750 en route to claiming his fifth checkered flag of the 2017 campaign with a near five-second margin of victory.
Mees was forced to deal with rival Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Estenson Logistics Harley-Davidson XR750) on the race’s opening lap. The two banged bars as they jostled for the inside on Lap 1, with Halbert diving into the lead heading into Turn 3. Mees squared up the turn and slotted back underneath to reacquire the position by the completion of the first lap. The three-time Grand National Champion continually worked up his advantage from there, steadily stretching it out before finally taking the win with 4.918 seconds in hand.
The victory marks the 25th of Mees’ career. It also saw him complete an in-season Grand Slam with triumphs across all four disciplines (TT, Short Track, Mile and Half-Mile) in 2017, with eight races still remaining on the calendar.
Jared Mees
“(Lima’s) behind us. That was my mistake, my fault, and I needed to come back and do exactly this. I had two long weeks to think about my mistake. My team means the world to me. They never stop – just like me. We work extremely hard… you’ve definitely got to put in the hard work. We were good out of the box. From the first lap in practice to the last lap in the Main Event, I feel like we were the dominant guy and it showed.”
Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Estenson Logistics Harley-Davidson XR750) posted his second runner-up finish of the season, his last coming after a race-long battle with Mees at The Red Mile in Lexington last month.
Sammy Halbert
He said, “We put up a fight, but it only lasted a lap, unfortunately. Me and Jared were banging elbows before we even took off for the start. We were both trying to squeeze each other out. I got a great start, and that first lap was aggressive. I got him going into [Turn] 3, side-by-side, but he shot underneath me in [Turns] 3-4 and pushed me out pretty wide. I had to roll out of her to keep her off the fence. He was just going better than me today. I hung with him for quite a while but just didn’t have it when it came down to it.”
Brad Baker (No. 6 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750) picked up his seventh podium result of the year but had to work for it in the end. A seemingly lonely third was made considerably less when Baker was joined on his rear wheel by Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No. 23 Carver’s BBQ Kawasaki Ninja 650) late in the contest.
Carver had been forced to slice his way up from outside the top five, dispatching a number of the sport’s big names as he climbed the order. However, despite managing to close the distance on Baker, finding a way past proved too tall an order to accomplish before they took the checkered flag.
Brad Baker
“Any time you’re on the box it’s a good night. Typically, tracks like this are not ones I shine on. I did pretty poor here last year, so to get on the podium on the Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750 feels really good. I was in a race of my own for the most part. I tried to settle into third and pick off my laps, but Jeffrey caught up to me at the end and gave me a little bit of a fight. It was a good race. I’ve been consistently on the box this year, so that’s really good, but I still haven’t gotten a win yet. I’d really love to do that here one of these races.”
Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team XG750R) made it two Harleys inside the top five, edging Lima winner Briar Bauman (No. 14 Zanotti Racing Kawasaki Ninja 650) by 0.119 of a second for fifth.
Smith endured his worst finish of the season in seventh. He relinquished the points lead to Mees as a result, and now trails his rivals by eight points (202-194). After opening the year red hot with four wins, a second, and a third in the season’s first six races, Smith finds himself in something of a cold streak – at least by his lofty standards. In his last four outings, he’s tallied up results of fourth, third, sixth, and seventh.
Rd9 – GNCC – Wiseco – John Penton GNCC – Millfield, Ohio
The ninth round of the 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) took place with the 28th Annual Wiseco John Penton GNCC at the popular Sunday Creek Raceway in Millfield, Ohio and after a gruelling three-hour Grant Baylor found himself in the middle of the box for the first time in his career.
XC1
Russell Bobbitt found himself in the front early with Ricky Russell soon taking over the lead but it was Thad Duvall lead the way into the woods and before you could say ‘hill-climb’ Kailub Russell had worked his way into the lead after Duval crashed.
Duvall and K Russell continued to swap positions back-and-forth but it was Duvall who lead the way through the white flag. As fans lined the track watching the action unfold, Duvall bobbled in the same place K Russell went down earlier but managed to keep it up on two wheels. K Russell came out of the woods in first as they charged through the infamous mulch pile.
K Russell faced a mechanical issue in the exclusive Pro only ‘John Penton’ section of the track and he couldn’t get his bike started leaving Duvall with the lead while Grant Baylor passed for second just as K Russell got his bike running.
Duvall won the race two and a half minutes ahead of Baylor but a protest was filed after the race against Duvall and he was docked one position for cutting the track. This decision vaulted Baylor to the top of the charts where he took his first-ever overall victory. Duvall and K Russell filled the overall podium on the adjusted results.
Thad Duvall
“We are going race by race, we aren’t worried about the championship. I didn’t feel like I was the fastest one out there, but I rode my own race. I really found out how good the KTM’s and Husqvarna’s are today. I dreaded the John Penton section all day, it just didn’t really flow for me. I made a huge mistake the first lap when I tried to jump a breaking bump and flew off into the trees. I figured after that it would be a long day.”
K Russell
“It’s been a bad few weeks, nothing is going right. I’ve blown a lot of points and it’s a tough pill to swallow. It was making stupid mistakes today. I finally felt like I was riding really well on the last three laps, and then I ran into some mechanical problems on the last lap. I felt good, and I was riding good. It’s not a lack of effort -Things just aren’t coming together like I’m used to.”
Chris Bach had his best finish of the season where he finished just off the podium in fourth, but unfortunately Bach was also docked a position for cutting the same section of the track as Duvall. Sipes was credited with fourth, with Bach in fifth. Bobbitt had one of his best races of the season in sixth. JCR Honda’s Trevor Bollinger finished eighth overall, and R Russell placed ninth.
Josh Strang had his first ride back from injury and managed a solid 10th in the XC1 class.
XC1 Open Pro Event Results
- Grant Baylor (HSQ)
- Thad Duvall (HSQ)
- Kailub Russell (KTM)
- Ryan Sipes (HSQ)
- Chris Bach (KTM)
- Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
- Trevor Bollinger (HON)
- Ricky Russell (YAM)
- Philippe Chaine (KTM)
- Josh Strang (HSQ)
Overall National Championship Standings
- Kailub Russell (205)
- Thad Duvall (202)
- Steward Baylor (152)
- Ricky Russell (147)
- Josh Toth (137)
- Grant Baylor (119)
- Trevor Bollinger (100)
- Jordan Ashburn (99)
- Josh Strang (89)
- Craig Delong (87)
XC2 250 Pro
In the XC2 250 Pro division, Harrison Helmick earned the holeshot but Layne McCormick took the early lead and continued leading until crossing the finish line one minute ahead of Josh Toth in second. Michael’s teammate, Craig Delong, made the class podium in third.
XC2 250 Pro Event Results
- Layne Michael (HSQ)
- Josh Toth (YAM)
- Craig Delong (HSQ)
- Benjamin Kelley (KTM)
- Mike Witkowski (KTM)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings
- Josh Toth (243)
- Craig Delong (186)
- Layne Michael (186)
- Mike Witkowski (159)
- Jesse Groemm (140)
WMX
Aussie Tayla Jones once again took out the WMX class ahead of Becca Sheets and another Aussie in McKenzie Tricker with Jones closing her point’s deficit to Sheets to just 10 while Tricker sits in third, some 16 points back.
AMSOIL GNCC Racing resumes in the fall, September 9 and 10, with the Parts Unlimited Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin, New York.
Rd7 – AMA Motocross Nationals, Southwick, Massachusetts
The seventh round of the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship was held at the famous Southwick circuit last weekend and it was championship leaders Eli Tomac and Zach Osbourne who won the 450 and 250 classes respectively to extend their championship leads with a week’s break in sight and with just five rounds remaining.
450 Class Report
Points leader Eli Tomac continued on his recent hot streak by putting his Monster Energy Kawasaki atop the podium for the third straight round, and fourth time this season, to extend his championship lead to 19 points over Blake Baggett.
The 1-1 effort by Tomac gave him his ninth career 450 Class overall win, and back-to-back wins in Southwick. Baggett, who fought through a thumb injury from a crash last weekend at RedBud, finished second overall (2-2), while Dean Wilson’s strong second moto was good enough to earn his first career 450 Class overall podium result (6-3).
Eli Tomac
“We only have one really good sand track of the year and that is here at Southwick. It seems most guys either love or hate this track, but I’m a big fan of it and enjoy coming here. I think we’re in a good spot points wise. We’re not really fighting anything on the motorcycle and it’s nice to head into the off weekend on a good note.”
Despite his misfortune of crashing twice and a 12th-place finish (4-38), Musquin moved into third in the standings and is 72-points out of the championship lead. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson entered the day third in points, but was unable to compete due to an injury suffered just days before the race and was shuffled back to fourth, just three points behind Musquin.
Blake Baggett
“I rode the best I could today with the injury [thumb] and salvaged points. This isn’t my favorite race of the year, so I was just looking forward to getting through it. I’m going to get an MRI on Monday and we will have to see what the results are. Worst case we will have to get a small operation and hope that it heals in time for Millville.”
As a point of interest, John Dowd’s son Ryan scored 18-16 moto finishes for 18th outright.
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (1-1)
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (2-2)
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna (6-3)
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (3-6)
- Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Husqvarna (7-4)
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (5-5)
- Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda (10-7)
- Fredrik Noren, Lidkoping, Sweden, Honda (8-10)
- Henry Miller, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha (13-9)
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Suzuki (9-13)
450 Class Championship Standings
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 291
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 272
- Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM – 219
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 216
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna – 198
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Suzuki – 183
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 164
- Weston Peick, Menifee, Calif., Suzuki – 150
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 147
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 146
250 Class Report
The 2-1 scores by Osborne helped him capture his fifth career victory, and his better second moto finish prevailed in the tiebreaker with Dylan Ferrandis (1-2) while Alex Martin finished third overall (3-3) for the second consecutive week.
Zach Osborne
“It was another good day for me and I’m happy to finish on a strong note heading into the break, I caught a little bit of a break having Dylan [Ferrandis] as the guy up there battling with me. If it had been anyone else who is closer in points, I might have felt forced to push the issue a little bit more, especially in the first moto. The track was definitely deeper than last year, I thought it was really good and it got really whooped out today.”
Osborne continues to hold the red plate and control the championship standings with a 45-point lead over Alex Martin, who sits in second. Jeremy Martin used his fifth-place finish (4-6) to maintain third in the standings, trailing his brother by 14 points.
Alex Martin
“I’m generally pretty good in practice, but I just kind of felt like my bike setup was off all day. Despite searching for a comfortable setting, I was able to get off to two great starts and that is really key on a track like this that can sometimes funnel down to just one line. I knew that it was going to be a long and hot day, so I tried to pace myself a little bit, but the rain saved us and helped cool it down in the second moto. I’m excited to go racing at my home track in Millville [Minnesota] after the break.”
The 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will take a break from racing next weekend before returning to action on Saturday, July 22, for the eighth round of the season at Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, Minnesota.
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (2-1)
- Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (1-2)
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM (3-3)
- RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda (5-4)
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (4-6)
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (7-5)
- Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha (6-7)
- Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (9-8)
- Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha (8-10)
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (15-9)
250 Class Championship Standings
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 301
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM – 256
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 242
- Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 199
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 195
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 190
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 186
- Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki – 184
- Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha – 176
- Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 168
Rd 5 – Canadian Motocross Nationals – Courtland, Ontario
Mike Alessi and Shawn Maffenbeier have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at round five of the Canadian Motocross championships held at Gopher Dunes last weekend.
Alessi started the day with a third place in the opening moto behind Colton Facciotti and Matt Goerke but in the second moto Alessi blitzed the field with a start to finish win to take the overall ahead of Matt Goerke (2-3), Tyler Medaglia (5-2), Facciotti (1-8) and Christophe Pourcel (6-4).
Goerke now leads the championship by just nine points over Pourcel with Facciotti and Alessi 20 odd points back.
Maffenbeier’s 1-2 moto finishes earned the Yamaha pilot the round win ahead of Cole Thompson (3-1), Dylan Wright (2-4), Josh Osby (4-3) and Ryan Surratt (5-6) but Thompson continues to lead the series by 40 points over Osby and Maffenbeier.
Round 6 of the CMRC sanctioned Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan will take place next Sunday, July 16th at Motocross Bon-Conseil in Notre-Dame-du-Bon Conseil, Quebec
MX1 Round 5 – Gopher Dunes, Courtland, Ontario
- Mike Alessi (Kaw) 3-1
- Matt Goerke (Yam) 2-3
- Tyler Medaglia (Hon) 5-2
- Colton Facciotti (Hon) 1-8
- Christophe Pourcel (Hus) 6-4
- Tim Tremblay (Yam) 9-5
- Cade Clason (KTM) 7-7
- Jesse Wentland (Suz) 10-9
- Keylan Meston (Yam) 12-10
- Nathan Bles (Hon) 11-12
MX1 Point Standings 2017 after 5 Rounds
- Matt Goerke (Yam) 264
- Christophe Pourcel (Hus) 255
- Colton Facciotti (Hon) 233
- Mike Alessi (Kaw) 229
- Tyler Medaglia (Hon) 228
- Dillan Epstein (Kaw) 214
- Cade Clason (KTM) 175
- Kyle Chisholm (Hon) 171
- Tim Tremblay (Yam) 159
- Keylan Meston (Yam) 139
MX2 Round 5 – Gopher Dunes, Courtland, Ontario
- Shawn Maffenbeier (Yam) 1-2
- Cole Thompson (KTM) 3-1
- Dylan Wright (Hon) 2-4
- Josh Osby (KTM) 4-3
- Ryan Surratt (Kaw) 5-6
- Casey Keast (Yam) 7- 7
- Davey Fraser (Hus) 11-9
- Jeremy Pronovost (Yam) 10-11
- Drew Roberts (KTM) 13-13
- Christopher Fortier (Yam) 14-14
MX2 Point Standings 2017 after 5 Rounds
- Cole Thompson (KTM) 279
- Josh Osby (KTM) 239
- Shawn Maffenbeier (Yam) 239
- Ryan Surratt (Kaw) 210
- Dylan Wright (Hon) 193
- Casey Keast (Yam) 160
- Jacob Hayes (Kaw) 155
- Jess Pettis (Yam) 148
- Davey Fraser (Hus) 147
- Christopher Fortier (Yam) 147
Hattah Desert Race – Mildura, SA
After a race long duel, KTM’s Daniel Milner has won the iconic Hattah Desert Race ahead of teammates Daniel Sanders and Lyndon Snodgrass to extend the winning streak for the KTM500EXC-F to four in a row.
Daniel Milner
“The track was real tough here this year; it deteriorated really quick. The last time I did it back in 2012 there were nowhere near as many bikes, so it ended up getting real deep bumps that kicked you about. But it all ended up working out perfectly. We had to do an extra fuel stop compared to Chucky, but I just got on his tail and pretty much sat there until the last two laps when it was go time, and then put in a charge and came away with the win. I’m stoked with how I rode. I’d never won this event. I really enjoy it and I’ve kind of always wanted to, so I’m over the moon with it, and being a diabetic it’s probably the toughest race that I could do. The big 500 was so strong in the deep sand. It just sat up on top and had enough power that you could jump over some whoops and get through some stuff. I really enjoyed my day, and I’m looking forward to coming back next year – even though the race has only just finished!”
Running the 17-litre tank instead of the 12-litre run by his team mates, Sanders took the lead at the beginning of the second lap as most riders pitted for fuel, and led until the sixth lap when Milner passed for the lead but very soon after Sanders hit a lapped rider.
Daniel Sanders
“It’s good to be back, it’s such a massive event. It was a pretty rushed job for me, and the prep wasn’t sufficient, but I just wanted to be here and have a crack at it. I still had some jet lag coming from Greece and I just wasn’t fit enough to swing off it for four hours like me and Tye were last year. Doing enduros you don’t practise holding the heart rate at 170 for so long, so that was a bit different. Daniel and I had a good battle; I elected to run the big 17-litre tank where the boys were running the 12, so off the start Milner pulled away, but when he had to pit I took the lead and held it for the first six laps. Late in the race I just hit a lapper and knocked myself silly. He made a mistake and cut into me and I couldn’t go anywhere and I hit my head pretty hard. I couldn’t remember the track anymore, so I just kept cruising around and tried to keep the pace going and tried to finish. I’ve got a cranking headache now, but I want to come back again if I can do this properly. Second place is always more motivating than first!”
Lyndon Snodgrass had earlier Prologued seventh, but leapt out of the gates as the race began determined to redress the disadvantage of a poor start position. The Victorian blazed through to second place on the opening lap but he slipped to third during his first pit stop, but managed to stay there for the remainder of the race to record his best Hattah finish in eighth attendances.
Lyndon Snodgrass
“I’m stoked on this! The KTM 500 EXC-F is just a weapon, and definitely the bike for this race. This is my eighth Hattah, and definitely my best result. It was one of the roughest ones I’ve done – it was all deep ruts and square-edged holes. In the last few laps it was really hard – there were some deep holes out there! Hattah’s one of the hardest races on the calendar and it’s always flat out. It’s a fun environment and it’s a fun race. I had a poor prologue, so I knew what I had to do, and that was make passes early. I got up into second on the first lap, had a pit stop, and then was comfortably in third for the rest of the race. At one point I had a bit of a crash and Ivan Long came up on me, but then I put my head down and got the gap back up to a healthy one, and held that for the rest of the race.”
Hattah Top Ten Overall
- Daniel MILNER 4:12:08.368
- Daniel SANDERS 4:17:07.255
- Lyndon SNODGRASS 4:21:39.840
- Callum NORTON 4:24:03.773
- Ivan LONG 4:24:17.458
- Lachlan TERRY 4:29:18.605
- Nathan TRIGG 4:32:36.748
- Broc GRABHAM 4:35:07.097
- Josh MURTAGH 4:35:21.615
- Lachlan STANFORD 4:35:42.437
FIM Speedway World Cup Final – Lezno (Poland)
The much fancied Polish team have retained their Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup crown in Leszno last weekend and despite the weight of a nation on their shoulders, as they sought to lift the Ove Fundin Trophy for a record eighth time, the hosts thrived under pressure to win the Final on 50 points, seeing off Sweden who claimed silver on 42.
You can find the full report here: Australia misses Speedway final | Poland wins title (link)
