Moto News Wrap for March 14, 2017 by Darren Smart

Moto News Wrap for March 14, 2017 by Darren Smart

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Latest News:

• 2017 Australian MX Nationals News
• Jess Gardiner heads to Europe full time
• Coombs and Luongo Kiss and Make-Up
• Rutledge and Allan Backed by Kawasaki in 2017
• Jimmy Albertson Hospitalised after Daytona Crash
• Enduro del Segre 2017 crash reel

Race Reports:

• AMA Supercross – Round 10 – Daytona
• Amsoil Arenacross – Round 9 – New Orleans
• New Zealand Motocross Championships – Round 3 – Manawatu
• Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC – Round 2 of 13 – Palatka, Florida
• X-Trial 2017 – Round 2 – Wiener Neustadt’s Arena Nova, Austria
• British MX Nationals – Round 1
• Mountain Man Motocross – Echo Valley, Toowoomba
• Astana Expo Team Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship
• NSW Dirt Track Championships – Balcary Park, Gunnedah
• ADMCC Timed Sprint Day

2017 Australian MX Nationals News

We are just a few weeks away from the opening round of the Australian MX Nationals and there has been plenty of news coming out lately including the announcement of three themed rounds and series promoter Kevin Williams explained why the themed rounds are so important to the championship. 

Kevin Williams

“Every year we aim to incorporate themed rounds into the series – fans simply love seeing something a bit different to what they’re used to, and quite often it’s all for a fantastic cause,” Williams explained. “The retro round is a lot of fun because it allows us all to reminisce on what were some wonderful racing years of the past, and since we have held retro rounds, we’ve seen some great throwbacks which I’m sure we’ll see this year too. The Pink Ribbon Round and Military Appreciation Round are really about giving back, and doing something special for the wider community. We have a unique platform with the Motul MX Nationals where we can raise awareness and gain significant media exposure, so I hope we can do that again in 2017.”

2017 Motul MX Nationals Themed Rounds

• Round 5 – Murray Bridge – 28 May 2017 – Retro Round
• Round 6 – Nowra – 2 July 2017 – Military Appreciation Round
• Round 10 – Coolum – 19 & 20 August 2017 – Pink Ribbon Round 

In other new, the Motul MX Nationals has confirmed that Steve Cramer Products is the most recent company to join forces with the championship, with 6D Helmets named as the ‘Motul MX Nationals Official Helmet for 2017’.

Steve Cramer Products, which is a major distributor of Bicycle, Automotive and of course Motorcycling products, has had a long and rich history within motorcycle sport in Australia, and this year has taken up the official helmet rights with their revolutionary 6D Helmet.

Steve Cramer Product’s Nationals Sales and Marketing Manager Trent Cramer today spoke of how the partnership came about, and why the Motul MX Nationals and 6D Helmets are the perfect fit for 2017.

Trent Cramer

“We decided towards the end of last year that we were going to partner with an off-road motorcycle championship in 2017 with our 6D Helmets brand, but were unsure exactly which one. We contacted Kevin Williams and explained what we were trying to achieve and spoke about what the MX Nationals had to offer us as an official helmet partner. Once we learnt of what WEM has planned for the MX Nationals in 2017 we threw our support behind the championship.”

And finally, the season opener at Wonthaggi on April 2 will play host to the first round of racing for the 125cc class and with just three weeks remaining until gates drop, Series Promoter Kevin Williams has encouraged competitors to get their entries in.

Kevin Williams

“We are just a few weeks away from kicking off the season in Victoria, and already we are getting some great interest for our junior support classes. Last year we introduced new classes which were in line with what the FIM offer at the World Championships which initially we were wary about, but they were very well received and we’re hoping that we can fill the gates again with our support classes this season. In 2018, the FIM Junior World Motocross Championships will be held in Australia so both the 125cc and 250cc support classes are a great training ground for those hoping to be a part of Team Australia, so we’re encouraging all competitors to get their entries in ASAP in order to secure their spots at the Motul MX Nationals.”

2017 Motul MX Nationals Junior Support Class Rounds:

• Round 1 – Wonthaggi – April 2 – 125cc Juniors
• Round 2 – Appin – April 23 – 250cc Juniors
• Round 4 – Horsham – May 21 – 250cc Juniors
• Round 5 – Murray Bridge – May 28 – 125cc Juniors
• Round 6 – Nowra – July 2 – 85cc Cup 9-U12 Years
• Round 9 – Toowoomba – August 13 – 250cc Juniors

Jess Gardiner heads to Europe full time

Twenty-three-old Jess Gardiner will depart the Australian shores for 2017 to compete in this year’s FIM European Enduro Championship as well as the Championnat de France d’enduro, or in English, French Enduro Championship.

Gardiner, has previously competed in a handful of French Enduro rounds, which was in 2013 and 2014, which saw her winning every race.

Jess Gardiner

“I’m super excited to be heading back to Europe again to race in both series. It’s a taken a bit of time and a lot of hours to make this whole project fall into place, but finally its official and now I can start focusing on trying to get the best results as possible when both championships get underway. I’m really grateful for all the great support from my sponsors who have stayed on aboard and looking forward to working with all my new sponsors throughout the year.”

Just like in 2016, Gardiner will again race a Yamaha WR250F machine, but as a privateer rider. The former three times Australian Off-Road Champion will have backing from Yamaha Motor Australia as her major sponsor.

A small part will come from Yamaha Motor Europe and Philip Motos Saint Etienne, as a one year deal to see how things pan out for the 2017 season, and on top of that, 95 per cent of her sponsors have stayed on board, with a whole new rang of sponsors coming on board as well. 

Gardiner, who turns twenty-four in March will also contest the opening round of the Women’s FIM World Enduro Championship, which will be held on 21-23 April at Puerto Lumbreras in Spain.

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Jess Gardiner

“I’ll do the opening round of the World Championship and see what happens after that in regards to the budget side of things. I would like to be able to do the whole series, but as the championship rounds are a long way from each other, it will be hard to be able to do them all. But we’ll see what happens.”

Gardiner, who will base herself in south of France near Avignon, will also race the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE), which will this be raced in Brive la Gaillarde, France from August 28th through to September 2, as well as the Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE).

Gardiner explained that it’s been a goal of hers to be the best that she can be, which is why she is going to try and take on the best business in Europe and France.

“One way to prove that I have what it takes to be the best is to have a crack at this full time. My full time job, JK Williams have been super supportive and they are allowing me the six months off to go to Europe and contest these series and have a full go at trying to win these championships. I’m very excited for it, and really looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead in the coming months.”

Gardiner’s goal is to win the both the FIM European Enduro Championship and the Championnat de France d’enduro, while she is eyeing off a top three championship overall championship position in the FIM World Enduro Championship – if she competes in the full season.

Gardiner flies out of Sydney on March 26  to head to Europe to begin her quest for supremacy.

2017 European Enduro Championship Calendar

• Round 1: April 8/9 Gouveia, Portugal
• Round 2: July 8/9 Paikuse, Estonia
• Round 3: August 5/6 Burg, Germany
• Round 4: September 15-17 Gelnica, Slovakia

2017 Championnat de France d’enduro Calendar

• Round 1: April 15/16, Le Luc
• Round 2: 13/14 May, Gacé
• Round 3: 29/30 July, Bar-Sur-Seine
• Round 4: 16/17 September, Requista

Coombs and Luongo Kiss and Make-Up

Davey Coombs of MXSports (the promoter of the AMA Motocross Championships, Loretta Lynns and GNCC) and Giuseppe Luongo of Youthstream (the promoter of the World Motocross Championships and the European Motocross Championship) have had a strained relationship for as long as anyone can remember but it looks like they have kissed and made up.

You wouldn’t call it a feud but the rivalry between the American and European motocross promoters has been to the detriment of the sport but that is all in the past. This week we have seen Coombs and Luongo releasing information about the two combining to promote the 2017 USGP which is proposed for Gatorback Park in Florida before looking to run the USGP and the Motocross of Nations in 2018.

Believe me, this could change the face of motocross forever, if, the relationship continues to blossom.

Rutledge and Allan Backed by Kawasaki in 2017

Australian Women’s Motocross and Supercross champion, Meghan Rutledge and Off-Road expert Lachlan Allan will be aboard the KX250F throughout the 2017 season.

Meghan Rutledge will enter her sixth consecutive year of being supported by Kawasaki Motors Australia and has set her sights on the Australian Women’s Motocross Championship, the Finke and Hattah Desert Races while continuing to coach rising Australian off-road superstars. Meghan is also being backed by Southern Highlands Motorcycle Centre this year.

Meghan Rutledge

“I’m really excited to be supported by Kawasaki again. Obviously, it’s been a long relationship and to continue that and have the support means a lot.”

Lachlan Allan is the newest member to Kawasaki’s senior off-road supported rider arsenal. The 17-year-old Motorcycle Technician from Gympie, QLD will take on the Australian Off-Road Championship on a Gympie Motorcycles prepared KX250F.

Lachlan Allan

“My KX250F is awesome, it’s so good to ride and it handles amazingly. The power delivery is so smooth. I have been cycling, going to the gym and keeping up my cardio fitness when I am away from training on the bike and I’m trying to eat well, so I’m feeling good for this year’s series.”

Jimmy Albertson Hospitalised after Daytona Crash

Jimmy Albertson sustained several injuries at round 10 of Monster Energy Supercross in Daytona on Saturday and is still in a local hospital, according to his wife, Georgia.

In qualifying on Saturday, Albertson had a bad crash and sustained compressions and fractures to some thoracic vertebrae, an epidural hematoma, broken/displaced sternum, clot in his chest, lung contusions, and a broken hand. Georgia Lindsay is keeping everyone up to date on her Twitter feed.

Enduro del Segre 2017 crash reel

Check out the amazing action from the Enduro del Segre 2017 in this video: Mud Party Carnage by Jaume Soler.

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Smarty’s Race Reports:

AMA Supercross – Round 10 – Daytona

Kawasaki pilots Eli Tomac and Adam Cianciarulo have won the 450cc and 250cc main events respectively at the Daytona Supercross last weekend which was round 10 of the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

450SX Main Event

Jeremy Martin made his 450-class debut at Daytona as the fill-in rider for Ken Roczen at Team Honda HRC and it was Martin who grabbed the surprise holeshot ahead of Tomac, Justin Brayton, Chad Reed, Jake Weimer, Cole Seely and Mike Alessi while Jason Anderson, Ryan Dungey and Blake Bagget are sitting in 12, 17^th and 22^nd at this stage.

Martin continued to surprise everyone by not only holding Tomac at bay but by lap five the Honda pilot had pulled away from Tomac while Brayton continued to hold Reed at bay as Jason Anderson joined the battle for a top five position.

[youtube id=”qCivVnrEvnU” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Reed crashed hard mid race but jumped straight back on his Yamaha but a podium was long gone but he did to see the flying Jason Anderson come by and soon after Ryan Dungey made his way into sixth position.

Tomac finally got by Martin for the lead as Anderson slipped by Brayton for third place then Seely also made his way by Brayton for fourth and that is the position that held everyone’s attention with Tomac, Martin and Anderson well and truly cementing in their positions but it was Seely who had Dungey coming up to his rear guard.

With one lap to go Dungey was all over Seely and the two riders went toe-to-toe with Dungey making the pass and scoring fourth place with just a corner to go and earning one more championship point.

Tomac finished well ahead of Martin while Jason Anderson rounded out the top three with Dungey, Seely, Reed and Blake Baggett – that’s right, 22^nd to 7^th for Baggett which is just as impressive as Dungey’s 17^th to 4^th effort. Josh Grant, Justin Brayton and Mike Alessi rounded out the top ten.

Eli Tomac

“I went around the first turn there and wasn’t in a really good spot. Tucked the inside and Jeremy came ripping around the outside. I honestly couldn’t believe who it was because I knew how far out he was. So after that we went at it for those first 10 laps. Jeremy was running a pretty fast pace. I kind of had to back off and kind of relax for a minute, and then try to make another run at it. Once we were able to get by that it was all about just maintaining a smooth, clean race.”

Jeremy Martin

“Honestly I was surprised that I qualified good. These guys are really fast and they’ve had a lot of experience. I just had a good feeling today. That new Honda is an amazing bike. Today was my eighth day on the bike and I’ve really enjoyed it and working with the whole Factory Honda team. The bike’s good. I had 18th gate pick and I was on the outside. I knew I had to do something, so I threw it into the first turn on the outside and I mono-railed the crap out of that berm. Just tried to do my best and the green machine over here on the right, it was coming.”

Jason Anderson

“Next to me I had Marv [Marvin Musquin] and on the other side I had Dunge [Ryan Dungey] and Marv hit the gate. I kind of flinched a little bit and kind of got messed up. Through the first corner I was on the inside so I was able to tuck around and then just kind of hold it wide open. It was like left, left, left, so I was able to stay inside. I still was maybe eighth going around the first lap. Then just started working my way up and was able to get up to the third spot, but then I was in no-man’s land. But I was able to stay there and get a podium. It’s cool to be back up here but at the same time I need to put myself in better situations.”

Dungey still leads the points on 214 points, 17 ahead of Tomac with seven rounds remaining so the championship is well and truly alive.

450SX Main Event

1. Eli Tomac (Kaw)
2. Jeremy Martin (Hon)
3. Jason Anderson (Hus)
4. Ryan Dungey (KTM)
5. Cole Seely (Hon)
6. Chad Reed (Yam)
7. Blake Baggett (KTM)
8. Josh Grant (Kaw)
9. Justin Brayton (Hon)
10. Mike Alessi (Hon)
11. Justin Barcia (Suz)
12. Davi Millsaps (KTM)
13. Dean Wilson (Hus)
14. Broc Tickle (Suz)
15. Marvin Musquin (KTM)
16. Malcolm Stewart (Suz)
17. Jake Weimer (Suz)
18. Kyle Chisholm (Hon)
19. Vince Friese (Hon)
20. Nick Schmidt (Suz)
21. A.J. Catanzaro (Kaw)
22. Scott Champion (Yam)

AMA 450SX Points (after 11 of 17 events)

1. Ryan Dungey – 214
2. Eli Tomac – 197
3. Cole Seely – 169
4. Marvin Musquin – 163
5. Jason Anderson – 143
6. Davi Millsaps – 121
7. Chad Reed – 116
8. Blake Baggett – 113
9. Dean Wilson – 105
10. Broc Tickle – 103

East Coast 250SX Main Event

[youtube id=”qAvtYS8lnZo” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Adam Cianciarulo scored the holeshot ahead of his teammate Joey Savatgy and that is the way the two Pro-Circuit Kawasaki riders stayed throughout the main event with Cianciarulo’s claiming victory by four seconds over Savatgy while Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis scored his first AMA supercross podium.

Points leader Zach Osborne started the race outside the top five but quickly made his way up to third before going down in the sand section but the Husqvarna rider quickly remounted and battled all the way back to fifth so Osbourne holds a six-point lead over Savatgy, with Cianciarulo third and just nine points back.

Adam Cianciarulo

“It’s just surreal. Growing up here, it was the first supercross race I ever went to. I didn’t even have any idea really about the sport or anything. It was just kind of one of those family deals. Three or four years old back when it was a night race still watching RC, MC back in the day… just kind of where I fell in love with the sport. Getting close to winning here when I was here my first time in 2014 and then just kind of going through everything I’ve gone through since then, to get back here and to win my first one in three years in front of my home crowd, it was unbelievable.”

Zach Osborne

“You can’t win them all. Definitely a strange track. I feel like there wasn’t a whole lot of passing options for us, especially on the 250. I felt kind of stuck where I was. I got up into fourth there on the second or third lap and fell over in the sand, and then went back to like 10th. Made it hard work for myself. There at the end I felt like I really should have gotten third, but it is what it is. There’s no turning back now. I still have the championship lead. As I said on the podium earlier, I’m still kind of learning this whole deal as it comes to me because I’ve never been in this position in America. I won a British Championship and all that stuff, but it’s a little bit different in terms of magnitude. So I’m just trying to take it day by day. When I fell down I freaked out a little bit. I don’t want to submit any points and lose any ground, but at the same time I just need to sort of focus on myself and keep plugging away at it.”

250 East Main Event

1. Adam Cianciarulo (Kaw)
2. Joey Savatgy (Kaw)
3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yam)
4. Jordon Smith (KTM)
5. Zach Osborne (Hus)
6. Lorenzo Locurcio (Yam)
7. Kyle Cunningham (Suz)
8. Alex Martin (KTM)
9. Luke Renzland (Yam)
10. Dakota Alix (KTM)
11. Gannon Audette (Kaw)
12. Anthony Rodriguez (Yam)
13. Cole Thompson (KTM)
14. Christian Craig (Hon)
15. Jesse Wentland (Hon)
16. Fredrik Noren (Hon)
17. Josh Cartwright (Yam)
18. Tony Archer (Hon)
19. Jerry Robin (Yam)
20. Dylan Merriam (Yam)
21. Kyle Swanson (Kaw)
22. Mitchell Harrison (Yam)

AMA 250 East Points (after 4 of 9 events)

1. Zach Osborne – 86
2. Joey Savatgy – 80
3. Adam Cianciarulo – 77
4. Jordon Smith – 70
5. Dylan Ferrandis – 54
6. Colt Nichols – 49
7. Luke Renzland – 43
8. Alex Martin – 42
9. Kyle Peters – 37
10. Christian Craig – 36

The 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series will now travel to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, for round 11 of the championship next Saturday, 18 March.

Amsoil Arenacross – Round 9 – New Orleans

Daniel Herrlein has captured his first 250AX Class overall win of his career at round nine of the Arenacross Series held in New Orleans last weekend while in the Eastern Regional AX Lites Class, Jacob Williamson managed to stay ahead of a heated battle to take the win.

250AX Main Events

When the opening Main Event got underway it was Faith who put his Kawasaki out front early over Herrlein and Jace Owen. The clear track allowed Faith to sprint out to a healthy multiple-second lead after just one lap, with Owen passing Herrlein to move into second. From there the lead group stabilized, with Faith maintaining his margin of about three seconds.

The defending 250AX Class Champion appeared to be on his way to his sixth Main Event win of the season but disaster struck on Lap 11 when Faith lost control of his bike in the rhythm section and crashed out of the lead. The misfortune handed control of the Main Event to Owen, who sat comfortably ahead of Herrlein in second and his Ben Lamay in third.

With a championship leading 13th Main Event win within reach, Owen also made a crucial mistake and crashed in the whoops on Lap 13. That opened the door for Herrlein to move out front, with Lamay moving into second. Owen was able to get back on his bike quickly and re-entered in third.

Herrlein maintained his hold on the lead to take a surprise Main Event win, the first of his 250AX Class career. He crossed the line 3.7 seconds ahead of Lamay, while Owen soldiered home to finish third. Cody VanBuskirk was fourth, with Travis Sewell fifth. Faith re-entered the race in 11th following his crash, losing a lap to the leader, and stayed there through the finish.

When the gate dropped on the second 250AX Class Main Event it was Sewell who put himself out front ahead of Lamay and Blose, while Owen settled into fourth, Herrlein fifth, and Faith sixth. Blose was able to make the pass on Lamay for second on Lap 2, while Herrlein moved past Owen for fourth. A handful of laps later Owen dropped out of the top five after getting tangled with a lapped rider, giving up two positions to Faith and Josh Osby.

Herrlein was in control of his own destiny as the race passed the halfway point and successfully moved into podium position on Lap 9 with a pass on Lamay. One lap later Blose crashed out of contention while running second, giving the runner-up spot to Herrlein and third to Lamay. Blose dropped all the way to 10th.

Sewell went unchallenged en route to his first Main Event win of the season, taking the checkered flag 6.4 seconds ahead of Herrlein and lapping all the way up to fifth place. Lamay followed in third, with Faith fourth and Osby fifth. Owen finished sixth.

When the overall results were tallied, Herrlein’s impressive 1-2 results were more than enough to give him a breakthrough win. Lamay grabbed the runner-up spot (2-3), while Sewell’s second Main Event win gave him the final spot on the podium in third (5-1). Owen was fourth (3-6), his worst outing of the season, while Osby finished fifth (6-5).

With the Race to the Championship set to get underway, the 250AX Class standings were reset with Owen earning the top seed on the heels of 12 Main Event wins and seven overall victories. Faith will begin the Race to the Championship in second, just one point out of the lead.

Goerke (3rd) and Blose (4th) will sit two points back of Owen, while Lamay (5th) and Gared Steinke (6th) sit three points behind. Herrlein (7th) and Sewell (8th) are four points out of the lead, while Woodstock KTM’s Cody VanBuskirk (9th) and Osby (10th) round out the Race to the Championship field, five points behind Owen.

250AX Class Results – Main Event 1

1. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM
2. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda
3. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda
4. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM
5. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki
6. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki
7. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
8. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha
9. Cade Autenrieth, Hemet, Calif., Yamaha
10. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM

250AX Class Results – Main Event 2

1. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki
2. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM
3. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda
4. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki
5. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki
6. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda
7. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
8. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
9. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM
10. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha

250AX Class Overall Results (Main Event Results)

1. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (1-2)
2. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (2-3)
3. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (5-1)
4. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (3-6)
5. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki (6-5)
6. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (4-9)
7. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (11-4)
8. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM (7-7)
9. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (8-10)
10. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM (10-8)

 RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)

1. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (2 points)
2. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (1 point)
3. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (1 point)
4. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1 point)
5. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (1 point)
6. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki (1 point)
7. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (1 point)
8. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (1 point)

Race to the Championship Standings

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda – 6 (12 Main Event Wins)
2. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki – 5 (5 Main Event Wins)
3. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha – 4 (1 Main Event Win)
4. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha – 4 (1 Main Event Win)
5. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda – 3 (1 Main Event Win)
6. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki – 3
7. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM – 2 (1 Main Event Win)
8. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki – 2 (1 Main Event Win)
9. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM – 1
10. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki – 1

Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Main Event

With a title on the line, the 15-lap Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Main Event began with Hunter Sayles grabbing the early lead, followed by Williamson and Scott Zont. Cooper, the championship leader, found himself mired back in ninth and in need of gaining several positions if he hoped to clinch the title.

While Williamson looked to hunt down Sayles for the lead out front, Cooper was able to jump up to seventh after Lap 1, but then dropped to 10th on the following lap. After patiently waiting for his opportunity to make a pass for the lead, Williamson successfully took control of the Main Event on Lap 4 and proceeded to check out on the field. From there all eyes were on Cooper to see if he would be able to make enough passes to clinch the title.

As Williamson’s lead grew to double digits, Cooper was going to work, methodically making critical passes over the second half of the Main Event. He broke into the top five on Lap 12 and needed only to pass his main championship rival, Isaac Teasdale, for fourth to become champion.

Williamson was dominant en route to his second Main Event win of the Eastern Regional Championship, crossing the line 9.7 seconds ahead of Sayles, with Zont rounding out the podium. Cooper made a late charge on Teasdale for fourth, but came up just a couple feet short at the finish.

The victory by Williamson moved him from third to second in the Eastern Regional standings with one round remaining, 15 points behind Cooper. The fifth-place result by Cooper left him just one point shy of clinching his first professional title. Only he and Williamson will be eligible to claim the championship at the finale in Las Vegas on May 5.

AMSOIL Arenacross will kick off the highly-anticipated Race to the Championship next Saturday, March 18, from Portland, Oregon’s Moda Center. Six nights of racing will determine which rider walks away with the Ricky Carmichael Cup in Las Vegas on May 5.

 Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Results

1. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki
2. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
3. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ind., Kawasaki
4. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM
5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha
6. Nick Schnagl, Stillwater, Minn., Honda
7. Jeramy Taylor, Canton, Ohio, KTM
8. James Weeks, Fort Pierce, Fla., Yamaha
9. Jake McKinney, Hamersville, Ohio, Kawasaki
10. Jonah Locks, Dixon, Calif., Kawasaki

Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Championship Standings

1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 116 (3 Main Event Wins)
2. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki – 101 (2 Main Event Wins)
3. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM – 99
4. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., Kawasaki – 62
5. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM – 58 (2 Main Event Wins)
6. Brandon Gourley, Boonville, Ind., KTM – 52
7. Josiah Hempen, Argyle, Iowa, Yamaha – 31
8. Broc Gourley, Boonville, Ind., Suzuki – 30
9. Jayce Pennington, Walnut Hill, Ill., Yamaha – 28
10. Dylan Greer, Summerfield, Fla., Yamaha – 26

New Zealand Motocross Championships – Round 3 – Manawatu

Dean Ferris and Dylan Walsh have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at the third round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships held at the grueling Manawatu circuit last weekend.

The opening moto saw Kade Mosig reminding everyone that he can beat the best with a solid win ahead of Todd Waters, Ferris and Cooper but Ferris bounced back to take the second moto ahead of Waters, Luke Styke, Rhys Carter and Cooper then in the final moto with track as tough as it gets Ferris stormed to the win ahead of Cooper, Waters, Mosig, Styke and Carter.

Ferris now hold a one point lead over Cooper going into the final round at Taupo in two weeks’ time while Waters has put himself within reach just 17 points back from Ferris.

Cody Cooper

“I had a few issues to deal with today with some of my equipment. But I like the Taupo track and I’ll be aiming to put things right there. It will be all or nothing for me now in Taupo.”

Luke Styke

“It was definitely a step forward us here, the riding is getting better and the fitness is getting better. Qualifying went really good and we weren’t too far off the pace here. I got a bit of arm pump in the first moto and lost all my flow, and I just lack that bit of race craft at those times. In the second one I got a really good start and rode my own race with the top guys, and third was pretty good. Then in the last race I fought with the track and the bike a little bit. I just need to keep working with the track and be more creative when it gets rough. I felt fit all day – just need to keep working on the speed.”

In the MX2 category, Dylan Walsh won all three motos from championship leader Hamish Harwood and Hadleigh Knight, with Harwood taking an 11-point lead into the championship decider in a fortnight’s time.

MX1 Round Results

1. Dean Ferris – 70
2. Todd Waters – 64   
3. Cody Cooper – 56   
4. Luke Styke – 52       
5. Rhys Carter – 48     
6. Kade Mosig – 43     
7. Kayne Lamont – 43 
8. Brad Groombridge – 39     
9. Roydon White – 34
10. Kieran Scheele – 33          

MX1 Points after 3 of 4 Rounds

1. Dean Ferris – 196
2. Cody Cooper – 195
3. Todd Waters – 179
4. Luke Styke – 157
5. Rhys Carter – 156
6. Kayne Lamont – 123

MX2 Round Results

1. Dylan Walsh – 75    
2. Hamish Harwood – 66        
3. Hadleigh Knight – 60          
4. Trent Collins – 48   
5. Ethan Martens – 47
6. Logan Blackburn – 45
7. Blake Gillard – 41   
8. Benjamin Broad – 40          
9. Kaleb Barham – 38 
10. Tyler Steiner – 32 

MX2 Points after 3 of 4 Rounds

1. Hamish Harwood – 208
2. Dylan Walsh – 197
3. Ethan Martens – 153
4. Kaleb Barham – 134
5. Logan Blackburn – 134

Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC – Round 2 of 13 – Palatka, Florida

Palatka, Florida hosted the second round of the 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) at the Rodman Plantation last weekend and at the end of the rainy three-hour race it was Kailub Russell who stood atop of the podium of the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC.

While K Russell jumped out to grab the early lead and the XC1 Open Pro Holeshot Award, it was Ricky Russell who lead the way for majority of the first lap. Shortly after the race began, conditions took a turn for the worst when heavy rain started. Although rain was forecasted, in the minutes leading up to the start the skies were clear and temperatures were warm.

Trevor Bollinger had a late start after his chain fell off on the starting line. As the top five completed the first lap, they had a large gap on Tyler Medaglia who was sitting in the sixth-place position. R Russell continued to lead the way before he began to feel pressure from Ryan Sipes.

The second lap saw quite the shake-up where Thad Duvall took over second and Sipes fell back to fourth. Throughout the entirety of the race, different pit strategies were put to the test. When the race reached the halfway point, the top five riders pitted except for K Russell, where he managed to go from fourth to second in the short span of the VP Racing Fuels Pro Row. After avoiding the stop, K Russell made quick work to make the pass on Duvall.

Once the two-lap card was out Sipes was overseeing the final podium position, even after being stuck behind some lapped riders in the infamous Hog Waller mud hole. Even more bad luck would plaque Sipes later in the same lap when he came together with a lapped rider and went down.

Unfortunately, when Sipes went down the front of his hip contacted the foot peg. Sipes immediately got back up and took off charging hard, but the brutality of the pain would be too much, and Sipes was forced to pull off the track and request help.

With the focus being on who was going to land a spot on the podium, Steward Baylor quietly worked his way through the pack to a top-five position on the fourth lap. Even with a few tip overs himself, Baylor took advantage of Sipes misfortune and slid into third with two laps remaining.

Duvall continued to hang right with the four-time GNCC champion, K Russell, where the pair battled wheel-to-wheel on the last lap. As they continued to push each other, they lost sight of Baylor in third. Russell would end up crossing the line victorious, a mere two seconds ahead of Duvall in second. Baylor held onto third, earning his second podium of the year.

Kailub Russell

“I was kicking myself for not putting roll-off goggles on in the beginning. I saw the clouds coming and I was optimistic, but it started pouring on the first lap. I just started pulling tear-offs left and right and then I couldn’t see because of the mud and water in my goggles. I fell over and made a few mistakes, and got passed by a few of the guys, but the rain helped keep the track intact.”

Chris Bach had his best ride of the season where he finished just off the podium in fourth. R Russell scored fifth overall for the second straight week. Russell Bobbitt battled a head cold to finish an impressive eighth overall.

Josh Toth extended his win stream to two-in-a-row in the XC2 250 Pro class with Craig Delong and Layne Michael rounded out the class podium while Brit Jack Edmondson  won the XC3 125 Pro class ahead of the flying Kiwi Paul Whibley and local gun Jason Thomas.

The 2017 AMSOIL GNCC Series resumes in two weeks, March 25 and 26, with the Second Annual Maxxis Cannonball GNCC in Sparta, Georgia.

XC1 Open Pro Event Results

1. Kailub Russell (KTM)
2. Thad Duvall (HSQ)
3. Steward Baylor (KTM)
4. Chris Bach (KTM)
5. Ricky Russell (YAM)
6. Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
7. Grant Baylor (HSQ)
8. Tyler Medaglia (HSQ)
9. Cory Buttrick (KTM)
10. Vance Francis (HON)

Overall National Championship Standings

1. Kailub Russell (55)
2. Steward Baylor Jr. (51)
3. Josh Toth (33)
4. Ricky Russell (31)
5. Chris Bach (30)
6. Russell Bobbitt (27)
7. Thad Duvall (25)
8. Layne Michael (25)
9. Craig Delong (24)
10. Ryan Sipes (21)

XC2 250 Pro Event Results

1. Josh Toth (YAM)
2. Craig Delong (HSQ)
3. Layne Michael (HSQ)
4. Jesse Groemm (KTM)
5. Drew Higgins (BET)
6. Michael Witkowski (KTM)
7. Zack Hayes (KTM)
8. Benjamin Kelley (KTM)
9. Austin Lee (HON)
10. Jesper Borjessen (HSQ)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings

1. Josh Toth (60)
2. Craig Delong (46)
3. Layne Michael (46)
4. Michael Witkowski (33)
5. Jesse Groemm (31)
6. Austin Lee (28)
7. Benjamin Kelley (28)
8. Zack Hayes (25)
9. Jesper Borjessen (20)
10. Samuel Evans (17)

XC3 125 Pro Event Standings

1. Jack Edmondson     
2. Paul Whibley          
3. Jason Thomas
4. Mark Heresco Jr
5. Dustin Gibson

XC3 125 Pro Series Standings

1. Jack Edmondson – 60
2. Paul Whibley – 46
3. Jason Thomas – 46
4. Mark Heresco Jr. – 36
5. Hunter Neuwirth – 31         

X-Trial 2017 – Round 2 – Wiener Neustadt’s Arena Nova, Austria

Toni Bou has claimed victory at round two of the X-Trial World Championship held in Austria last week and it was this triumph that moves Bou’s indoor wins to an impressive fifty.

Wiener Neustadt’s Arena Nova bore witness to a rampant Toni Bou who put on a fine display of the extreme technical qualities necessary to be number one in a discipline such as X-Trial. After commanding the qualifying round and scoring the least penalty marks of the eight participants, Bou went on to dominate the final, marking the difference over adversaries right from the first section.

Bou was well aware that the final would be far more complicated, requiring maximum attention from the very first moment. While his opponents were unable to scale the first hazard, the Montesa Cota 4RT rider seized the chance and made it through with a clean score-sheet.

The ten-point difference over the rest of the field and the twenty points for finishing in the trial’s top spot once again consolidate Bou’s leadership in the overall standings.

This was Toni Bou’s third win in Wiener Neustadt, the second so far this season and the fiftieth in international world championship events since his win count began back in 2006 in Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Toni Bou

“It all went very well. We knew that we couldn’t make any mistakes and we were very focused throughout the evening. I think that I could have done it even better as I made a couple of errors in the final: I could have really nailed it in section two, but on the other hand I got a three in a technical complicated part where I could have really wrapped it up. I’m very happy with the victory and we are moving ever closer to the championship objective. Next weekend we begin the Spanish Championship and after we can expect two finals. These will be two races where we can’t relax but I’m very happy with the way that the work is developing.”

The third event of the world championship is set to take place on Saturday March 25 in Marseille, France.

X-Trial Wiener Neustadt 2017

1. BOU, Toni – 20       
2. RAGA, Adam – 15   
3. CABESTANY, Albert – 12     
4. FAJARDO, Jeroni – 9           
5. DABILL, James – 6  
6. FUJINAMI, Takahisa – 4      
7. KADLEC, Franz – 2  
8. GUBIAN, Loris – 1               

Rider Standings

1. BOU, Toni – 40
2. RAGA, Adam – 30
3. CABESTANY, Albert – 21
4. FAJARDO, Jeroni – 21
5. DABILL, James – 8
6. FUJINAMI, Takahisa – 8     
7. BUSTO, Jaime – 6   
8. KADLEC, Franz – 3  
9. GUBIAN, Loris – 1   

British MX Nationals – Round 1 – Culham

Hitachi KTM UK riders Jake Nicholls and Ben Watson have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at the opening round of the British Motocross Championships, held at the Culham circuit last weekend.

Nicholls was the clear winner in both MX1 heats while Steve Lenoir, Graeme Irwin, Kritstian Whatley, Robert Davidson and Brad Anderson all battled for the remaining points with Irwin coming out of the pack in second place overall ahead of Lenoir and Anderson.

Watson was even more dominant to take the overall MX2 win and championship lead over Harri Kullas, Brad Todd, Martin Barr and Mel Pocock but the winner of the opening round rarely wins this championship so there is plenty of racing to go in this series.

MX1 championship standings

1. Jake Nicolls – 50
2. Graeme Irwin – 38
3. Steven Lenoir – 38
4. Brad Anderson – 36
5. Robert Davidson – 29
6. Ashley Wilde – 28
7. Kristian Whatley – 27
8. Jamie Law – 24
9. Gert Krestinov – 23
10. James Harrison – 20

MX2 championship standings

1. Ben Watson – 50
2. Harri Kullas – 35
3. Brad Todd – 32
4. Martin Barr – 29
5. Mel Pocock – 29
6. Jake Millward – 28
7. Lewis Tombs – 25
8. Josh Gilbert – 24
9. Tod Kellett – 22
10. Jordan Divall – 20

Mountain Man Motocross – Echo Valley, Toowoomba

There aren’t many trophies that have names like Peter Boyle, Anthony Gunter, Robert Bailey, Pelle Granquist, Stephen Gall, Jeff leisk, Craig Dack, Troy Carroll and Kade Mosig engraved into it so winning the Mountain Man Motocross ensures a rider their mark on motocross history and that is what Kirk Gibbs did last weekend.

The 2017 Mountain Man Motocross is the first major race for Gibbs who is returning from a serious injury and the KTM pilot put together three wins and a second place over the four-moto format and he now joins the exclusive and prestigious list of riders who have claimed the title of Mountain Man.

Mountain Man also marked the first competitive ride on a Honda CRF450R for Luke Clout and the former national champion managed to win the opening moto over Gibbs and Egan Mastin on the KTM250SX two-stroke but the final three motos were all Gibbs who raced from start to finish unchallenged.

Jackson Richardson was impressive all day and kicked off his 2017 season with Serco Yamaha with a solid third place overall on his YZ250F ahead of Zak Small, Richard Evans, Cody Dyce, Ricky Latimer, Darcy Jones, Egan Mastin and Bailey Coxon.

Kirk Gibbs – KTM450SX-F

“I felt pretty good today. I didn’t get the best start in the first one and had a battle with Luke Clout, then got two holeshots and won by a good amount. In the 30 moto I got another good start and just rode to the best of my ability and did what the track would let me. It got skatey and dry so they were pretty tough conditions, but I felt like myself again, which I’m happy about. It’s hard to say how I’ll match up with the guys I haven’t raced with yet, but I feel like everything’s on track. I feel confident in what I’m doing and where I’m at, and things are definitely rolling in the right direction.”

The 2017 Mountain Man Motocross was hosted by the Toowoomba Motocross Club and the two-day event saw a bonanza of support classes that put on some of the best racing one could see around one of Australia’s premier motocross tracks.

Isaac Ferguson, Calum Wastell, Jack Paterson, Peter Boyle, Kristian Sprenger, Darcy Kupfer, Jack Kukas and Lauren Jones all won their respective solo classes while David Mattock and Daniel Koppli won the Sidecarcross title over John Cooper/Jack Lees and Darren Ilka/Daniel Tyson.

Mountain Man Motocross Championship standings

1. Kirk Gibbs – 137
2. Luke Clout – 131
3. Jackson Richardson – 116
4. Zak Small – 101
5. Richard Evans – 101
6. Cody Dyce – 92
7. Ricky Latimer – 89
8. Darcy Jones – 86
9. Egan Mastin – 84
10. Bailey Coxon – 80

125cc Cup

1. Isaac Ferguson       
2. Ricky Latimer         
3. Kerrod Morrissey
4. Fraser Higlett         
5. Kyle Dalpastro

Pre 95

1. Jack Paterson         
2. Glen Poole  
3. Kazmond Walsh     
4. Cooper Gierke        
5. Darren Smart

Pre 90

1. Callum Wastell      
2. Kristian Sprenger   
3. Ashley Mason         
4. Linkon McKean      
5. Kevin Bradley         
6. Barry Olsen

Evo

1. Peter Boyle
2. Ashley Sprenge
3. Ojai Maguire

Pre 85

1. Kristian Sprenger   
2. Terry Groom
3. Ashley Mason
4. Andrew Bailey.
5. Andrew Williams

Pre 75

1. Jack Paterson         
2. Ojai Maguire         
3. Ashley Sprenger

Pre 78

1. Darcy Kupfer          
2. Allan Hughes          
3. Craig Robinson       
4. Terry Groom

Junior Mountain Man

1. Jack Kukas
2. Noah Ferguson       
3. Oliver Marchand   
4. Dylan Marchan
5. Cooper McNeilly

Women

1. Lauren Jones          
2. Hayley Miller         
3. Alana King
4. Paige Thompson
5. Jacqueline Joyce

Sidecars

1. David Mattock/Daniel Koppli        
2. John Cooper/Jack Lees       
3. Jeremy Paton/Dean Hartog           
4. David Rotheram/James Moses
5. Loki Lee/Ojai Maguire

Mini Lites

1. Noah Ferguson       
2. Jake Kowal 
3. Taylah McCutcheon           
4. Campbell O’Donnell
5. Ryley Fitzpatrick

Astana Expo Team Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship

The Russia trio of Khomitsevich, Kolkatov and Kononov have confirmed their superiority by racing through the whole Astana Expo Team Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship without dropping a single point.

Germany failed to consolidate their first day’s success despite the gallant efforts of veteran Günther Bauer who was beaten only by Zorn in a tense Heat 33, a result which saw the end of the home team’s silver medal hopes. The consolation was their first bronze medal for eight years.

Sweden could not improve on their day 1 position although Ove Ledström and Niclas Svensson both battled hard throughout the meeting. They needed a maximum score in their final race against the Germans but with Bauer on top form they could manage only to share the heat.

The Czech Republic podium chances fell away in a disastrous Heat 26 when both Klatovsky and Hutla were disqualified in separate incidents. They then allowed Sweden to take maximum points when they met in Heat 30 finishing in 5th Place on level points with Finland whose improved performance was not quite enough to overhaul the Czechs.

Inexperienced Switzerland though outclassed fought gamely throughout, finishing at the bottom of the pile.

Inzell – Final Scores

1. Russia – 60 – (Kononov 22, Koltakov 22, Khomitsevich 16)
2. Austria – 45 – (Zorn 30, Ebner 15)
3. Germany – 41 – (Bauer 28, Niedermaier12, Weber 1)
4. Sweden – 39 – (N.Svensson 20, Ledström 12, S.Svensson 7,)
5. Czech Republic – 25 – (Klatovsky 16, Hutla 5, Divis 4)
6. Finland – 25 – (Tani11, Aakko 8, Järf 6)
7. Switzerland – 14 – (Gartmann 7, Häring 6, Cavigelli 1)

NSW Dirt Track Championships – Balcary Park, Gunnedah

Paul Caslick has spectacularly won the NSW Dirt Track Championship that was held at Balcary Park, Gunnedah over the weekend.

Caslick fired his Husqvarna FC450 to victory in the MX Open final of the NSW Dirt Track Championship, leading home rising star Mackenzie Childs and pre-race favorite Michael Kirkness.

Having finished third in last year’s event, Caslick was certain he’d have the pace, and entered the event with a renewed hunger he attributes to a sharpened mental technique. However, he was forced to work around an injury, after he was punted from the bike in a botched overtake, the aftermath of which caused severe bruising to the glutes and hamstring.

Earlier, the nine-time Australian Champion and Team Manager of the Husqvarna Australia Dirt Track team pocketed the cash in the Over-35s category, and finished on the third step of the podium third place in the Pro 450cc NSW Championship.

Paul Caslick

“It’s a nice feeling to win this title.  It wasn’t given to me either. I came from behind in each race and was carrying an injury after Mick lost the front while coming up the inside knocked me off the bike harder than I have been in 42 years. We gated solidly in the MX Open final, and young Mackenzie Childs grabbed the lead and then we progressed into our own battle. I was pressuring a lot of riders in that last corner and I was pretty confident he’d make a mistake in that area. The gap opened up and I jammed the bike up the inside and we were across the line with the win.”

NSW Dirt Track Championships, Gunnedah

MX Open

1. P. Caslick
2. M. Childs
3. M. Kirkness

450 Pro

1. M. Kirkness
2. Jerrod Oram
3. P. Caslick

ADMCC Timed Sprint Day

Marty Thompson forwarded us this regional Victorian piece on the recently held members and guests open day for the ADMCC Timed Sprints.

The Alexandra and Districts Motorcycle Club held it’s members and guests open day on Saturday the 11th. There was a great turn out for the event, including lots of boys and girls in the Juniors who turned out for a dusty and warm, but hugely enjoyable open day.

The Motocross track was well subscribed for the entire day, despite the temps hitting the early 30’s. With riders of all skill levels and all ages out tearing up the freshly graded MX track.

The track is a combination of ease of use for the less experienced and younger riders, however when ridden at full throttle, turns into a very challenging track with lots of air time off a variety of jumps and some fantastic berms to rail and throw some serious roost.

As part of the day, Committee member Steve Roissetter spent the day mapping out a circuit for the upcoming Timed Sprints Day, which will be held on Sunday 26th March 2017.

There will be several enduro style loops, which will take approximately 7-10 minutes to complete each loop. The loops vary in their degree of difficulty, so the day will cater for riders of all abilities and ages.

To encourage newer riders to head out and have a go, there will be both Competition and Non-Competition formats. So if you are an experienced rider or a newer or novice rider, come along and bring a friend or friends with you to make it a fun day for all. Prizes will be awarded at a presentation at the end of the days riding.

The canteen will be open from 8.30am and caters hot drinks, cold drinks and snacks. A lunch break will be held around 12.30pm, with hamburgers, hotdogs and dim sims available, as well as other snacks all day long.

Entry is completely free for spectators. You don’t need to know anyone riding, just come along for an action packed day watching some talented riders doing things on motorcycles that mere mortals only dream of. Spectators are encouraged to come along to enjoy a great days action.

The tracks are easily accessible, with literal safe edge-of-track viewing from a lot of spots, as well as areas where you can watch considerable lengths of each loop, again, right on the edge of the track. 

Entry fees are very affordable for all, and even riders who have never raced or ridden at a club event can come along and obtain a Motorcycling Victoria Day Licence. Riders entry fees are as follows.

Competition Class

• Senior & Junior entry: $10.00
• One Day licence: $55.00 (for those that don’t have an MVLicence)
• Day Membership: $5.00 (for non ADMCC Members)

The track is located just a few kilometres from the town of Alexandra in Victoria, a short hour and a half drive from the Melbourne CBD, on a property called “Skyline Ridge” which is at the end of Todds Outlet Rd. Todds Outlet Rd is on the left just a few kilometres along UT Creek Rd on the outskirts of Alexandra.