Moto News Wrap for March 21, 2017 by Darren Smart
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Latest News
- Phillips Kicks off his EnduroGP title defence this Weekend
- Husqvarna’s Domestic Racing Teams
- Caleb Ward Sits Out Argentina
- Gippsland Motocross at Wonthaggi
- Ralston Wins NSW Off-Road Championships
- Jett Lawrence wins two Moto in Dutch ONK Championship at Axel
Race Reports
- AMA Supercross – Round 11 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- AMSOIL Arenacross Championship – Round 10 – Portland, OR
- FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 4 – France (Albi)
- FIM World Motocross Championships – Round 3 – Patagonia, Argentina
- Airoh Helmets Sunshine State Series – Round 2 – Hervey Bay
- AMA Flat Track – Round 1 – Daytona International Speedway, Fla.
Phillips Kicks off his EnduroGP title defence this Weekend
The opening round of the 2017 EnduroGP season kicks off with the GP of Finland this weekend and all eyes are on Aussie hero Matthew Phillips to see if the Sherco rider can keep his competition at bay right from the start of the nine-round series which now has only two championship classes.
- EnduroGP: Over 250cc – 2 or 4 stroke. No age limit and no entry limit
- Enduro2: Up to 250cc Moto – 2 or 4 stroke. No age limit and no entry limit
The Reigning Champion
Matthew Phillips (AUS – Sherco): Very consistent last year, the very first EnduroGP World Champion in history impressed by quickly mastering his Sherco Factory bike. For 2017, the objective will be simple; to defend his title at all costs despite some incredibly strong competition! While we don’t know how the Tasmanian will fare in the rain and snow in Finland, his grit and determination will no doubt put Phillips in contention throughout the nine Grand Prix that will make up this season!
Contenders for the Crown
Daniel Sanders (AUS – KTM): KTM doesn’t make these decisions lightly but they have hired Daniel “Chucky” Sanders to make the leap into EnduroGP in the E2 class on a KTM250EXC two-stroke and you can bet that the 2016 AORC champion and multi A4DE winner will be on a gas from the get-go. Sander has competed against and beaten most of the front runners in this series during his successful ISDE campaigns so don’t be surprised if we see the smiling Aussie at the top of the podium at some stage during his rookie season.
Mathias Bellino (F – Husqvarna): In spite of a couple of poor results in Portugal and Greece at the beginning of 2016, the 2015 E3 World Champion still finished runner-up in EnduroGP last year. Although he previously struggled in difficult weather conditions, the French rider has worked hard on this during the winter at home, and in Finland. Back on the 300, BELLINO will have no other goal than the supreme title!
Steve Holcombe (GB – Beta): E3 World Champion and 3rd in EnduroGP for his first season in Senior, the Brit was extremely impressive in 2016. This new season should be a year of confirmation for the ever-smiling Beta rider who will aim to enjoy every moment on his 300RR 2-stroke. Even if he is not the type to announce that he is aiming for the title, EnduroGP followers know very well that his talent and his technique will allow him to fight at the very top and becoming a serious challenger!
Nathan Watson (GB – KTM): 2016 ‘Rookie of the Year’, WATSON finished in the Top 5 in EnduroGP for his first year in Enduro after coming from Motocross. He has already been on winning form this year when he took the overall victory at the opening round of the Italian Championship – the race was held on his favourite terrain, sand! And was also run in the same format as the forthcoming British GP (Enduro Sprint Saturday + GNCC Sunday). The happy-go-lucky blond is a quick learner, especially with the guidance of Christophe MEYER, and WATSON is already established as one of the great favorites for the world crown!
Loïc Larrieu (F – Yamaha): For his first season with Yamaha, LARRIEU achieved excellent results with no fewer than 5 podiums in the EnduroGP category, 3rd place in E2, and a title in the French Championship. For 2017, Marc BOURGEOIS and his Outsider Yamaha team will rely heavily on the talented rider from Southern France. With his Factory Yamaha bike, he has all the potential and everything he needs to fight at the front…
Christophe Nambotin (F – KTM): While 2016 was a nightmare season due to a spate of injuries, it is difficult not to see NAMBOT ‘as one of the favorites of the EnduroGP category… firstly because he has finally returned to 100% fitness, and secondly because he is back on the bike that brought him to his first two world titles: the 300 EXC 2-stroke! At 33 years old, the KTM rider still has the knack and the technique to fight at the top… It remains to be seen whether he can regain the right rhythm after two seasons ruined by injuries.
The Long Shots
Alex Salvini (I – Beta): In 2016, his very first season with Beta, the 2013 E2 World Champion could not do better than 9th in the premier category with a single podium in EnduroGP in Gordexola, Spain. For 2017, “SALVO” will have to push hard if he wants to aim for the Top 3 but we know the rider from Bologna has fierce determination. He will always switch the 450 Beta 4-stroke for the 350 4-stroke of the same brand.
Antoine Basset (F – Gas Gas): After an incredible 2016 season as a privateer, where he finished in the Top 10 of EnduroGP, the Frenchman finally found a Factory team with a return to Gas Gas. Unfortunately, Basset will miss the early part of the season due to a nasty knee injury. In any case, when he returns to business, Gas Gas Factory rider will likely dice it up with some of the favourites.
Giacomo Redondi (I – Honda): The 2016 World Junior Champion comes out of an almost perfect year (15 wins out of 16 possible) and decided to come directly into EnduroGP to rub shoulders with the best in the world. Riding with his Honda CRF 450 4-stroke he could well surprise a few people and may even find himself on the podium alongside old rivals such as Matthew Phillips and Loïc Larrieu…
Cristobal Guerrero (E – Yamaha): The very first Enduro Junior World Champion will stay with Yamaha for 2017, but has decided to change teams… he will now run alongside his brother Victor on the Yamaha Spain Pont Grup team. At 33 years old, the Andalucian will likely only ride for a couple more seasons, but he will be giving 2017 his best shot.
2017 EnduroGP Calendar
- Round 1: 25/26 March: GP of Finland (Helsinki – Päijänne) *
- Round 2: 21/23 April: GP of Spain (Puerto Lumbreras) – Women Class
- Round 3: 26/28 May: GP of Italy (Spoleto) – Women Class
- Round 4: 16/18 June: GP of Hungary (Parádfürdó) – Women Class
- Round 5: 23/25 June: GP of Slovakia (Puchov)
- Round 6: 21/23 July: GP of Mexico (Valle del Bravo) TBC
- Round 7: 23/24 September: GP of United Kingdom (Hawkstone Park) **
- Round 8: 29 Sept / 1 Oct: GP of France (Place TBA) – Women Class
- Round 9: 20/22 October: GP of Germany (Zschoppau)
- Dates Reserved: April 29/30 and October 7/8
- *Enduro en Conditions hivernales
- **Enduro Sprint Saturday / GNCC Sunday
Husqvarna Australia Committed to Local Racers
Husqvarna Australia has announced 21 Factory Support rides for season 2017, across motocross and junior motocross, off-road, desert and dirt track disciplines, as well as the host of dealers in the Husqvarna Dealer Support program who have agreed to provide the critical developmental pathway as riders pursue their dreams of a factory ride.
In addition to the high-profile SD3 team of Brett Metcalfe, Luke Arbon and Kaleb Barham (Full Throttle Motorcycles) announced earlier, the brand will field two factory-supported FC350 riders in the premier class, Zak Small (Mega Motorcycles) and Kurt Gow (Nowra Motorcycles).
Dylan Wills (Synep Racing) will join Arbon in MX2, while Husqvarna’s commitment to MXD will again be strong, with Barham joined by Riley Dukes (R&D Husqvarna), Jy Roberts (Robertson’s MC Dubbo) and Justin Hart (MPE).
Husqvarna’s Factory Junior Squad will be coordinated by former Queensland professional Nathan Crawford, and see Bailey Malkiewicz (Moto GC), Reid Taylor (Rock MC), Zachary Watson (JR’s MC) and Tye Jones (Redline Motorsport) share duties across their individual state as well as national level motocross events.
Husqvarna’s reputation as one of the big hitters and improvers in AORC and Enduro-X looks safe in the hands of factory riders like Lachlan Stanford and Broc Grabham, while extreme enduro specialist Mitch Harper (Moto GC) and 17-year-old rising star Fraser Higlett will add even more firepower and excitement to the line-up.
South Australian Ivan Long will take on the desert racing on his Husqvarna FC450, while 50-year-old dirt track legend Paul Caslick will oversee Max Croker and Billy Van Eerde.
Jon Hafey – HQVA National Brand Manager
“The brand with the longest history and richest tradition in off-road motorcycling prides itself on identifying and nurturing Australian young talent – and a couple of talents who are less young – and 2017 looks like being our best season yet across all disciplines. Our off-road squad drips quality and potential, our motocross line-up provides depth of representation across all three classes, our dirt trackers are wiser, stronger and faster, and we’ll have a dedicated desert racer for the first time. I can’t wait to see it all unfold! Our program is also a credit to the host of dealers who have seized the opportunity to participate in the Husqvarna Dealer Support program as a platform for their business.”
Husqvarna Factory and Factory Support Racers 2017
Motocross
- Brett Metcalfe (SA) MX1-SX1 FC450
- Zak Small (Qld) MX1-SX1 FC350
- Kurt Gow (NSW) MX1-SX1 FC350
- Luke Arbon (SA) MX2-SX2 FC250
- Dylan Wills (NSW) MX2-SX2 FC250
- Kaleb Barham (Qld) MXD-SXD FC250
- Riley Dukes (NSW) MXD-SXD FC250
- Jy Roberts (NSW) MXD-SXD FC250
- Justin Hart (Qld) MXD-SXD TC250
Junior
- Bailey Malkiewicz (VIC) Jr MX-SX TC125/FC250
- Reid Taylor (NSW) Jr MX-SX TC85/TC125
- Zachary Watson (QLD) Jr MX-SX TC85
- Tye Jones (VIC) Jr MX-SX TC85/TC125
Off-Road
- Lachlan Stanford (QLD) Off-Road FE501
- Broc Grabham (NSW) Off-Road FE450
- Fraser Higlett (Qld) Off-Road FE250
- Mitch Harper (Vic) Off Road TX300
Desert
- Ivan Long (SA) Desert FE450
Dirt Track
- Paul Caslick (NSW) Dirt Track FC450
- Max Croker (NSW) Dirt Track FC450
- Billy Van Eerde (NSW) Dirt Track FC250/TC125
Jett Lawrence wins two Moto in Dutch ONK Championship at Axel
Jett Lawrence, brother of Hunter Lawrence who was competing in the MXGP round in Argentina over the weekend, competed in the ONK Dutch Championship opening Round held at Axel, where he took two wins in his Motos, after qualifying first.
Jett Lawrence – on Instagram
“Had a good weekend at the ONK round at Axel, where I qualified first out of both groups and won both Motos. I still need to improve my starts but happy with my speed in the Motos, so will keep working to improve before the next race. It was cool to hang out with the Everts family, as Dad was in Argentina with Hunter. Big thanks to Xavier and @riccoeverts for being our mechanics, to Papa Harry for his support and of course to @kellytureluren for being my second mum.”
Caleb Ward Sits Out Argentina
After qualifying a credible 20th place on his Husqvarna in the MX2 class at round 3 of the FIM World Motocross Championship in Argentina, Queenslander Caleb Ward crashed hard during Saturday’s qualifying race.
He was unable to compete in the two GP races after it was decided to allow the subsequent injuries to heal and not risk further damage. The MXGP of Leon is scheduled for April the 2nd so let’s hope that Caleb is fit and ready to go by then.
Ward – posted on social media
“The MXGP of Argentina wasn’t great for me… I hit a massive kicker on the take-off of this jump in the qualifying race and nose-dived really badly and was going to land head first so hit the eject button and jumped over the bars – pretty damn scary! I managed to walk away from it but and rode warm-up this morning but decided not to race. I couldn’t hold onto the bike properly and was very risky with the track being so fast and quite rough. Sorry to let everyone down but I’ll do what I can to be back as strong as possible.”
Gippsland Motocross at Wonthaggi
The second round of the Gippsland Motocross series was held at Wonthaggi last weekend and it was Kyle Webster who won the A Grade Lites class ahead of Wilson Todd, Cody Dyce, Jack Simpson and Morgan Fogarty.
In the A Grade Open class Kade Mosig took out the win over Daniel Banks, Cameron Taylor, Angus Gelly and Brodie Sims.
Ralston Wins NSW Off-Road Championships
Former professional motocross rider Beau Ralston has taken his Yamaha YZ300X to outright victory at the opening two rounds of the NSW Off-Road Championships which was held at Rutherford last weekend.
Josh Green overcame a couple of flat tyres to come home in second place ahead of Lachlan Stanford, Broc Grabham and Scott Keegan. Rounds 3 and 4 will be held at Dungog over the weekend of April 8 and 9.
Smarty’s Race Reports
AMA Supercross – Round 11 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
Eli Tomac and Zach Osborne has won the 450cc and 250cc main events respectively when the Monster Energy AMA Supercross made its annual visit to “Circle City” on Saturday night with the 11th round of the 2017 season.
A crowd of 60,216 was on hand inside Lucas Oil Stadium and cheered on Tomac to his third straight 450SX Class victory, and his sixth win of the season while the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship leader Osborne raced to his third win in four races to add to his points lead.
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450SX Class Main Event
The 450SX Class Main Event began with Blake Baggett racing to the holeshot over Tomac, Ryan Dungey and the fastest qualifier Marvin Musquin. Dungey seized the opportunity to move past his championship rival, Tomac, for second on the opening lap, but the Kawasaki rider responded a short time later to reclaim the second place position.
Tomac quickly applied pressure on Baggett for the lead, and took over the top spot on lap two. Dungey didn’t waste any time following through and moved into second not long after. The championship’s top two riders were separated by less than a second for several laps until Dungey bobbled in the whoops, allowing Tomac to pull out to an advantage of a couple seconds.
The leaders opened a large gap over Baggett in third at the halfway point leaving the KTM rider to fend off Musquin for the final podium spot. On lap eleven Baggett crashed out of third, handing the spot to Musquin before remounting in fourth.
The Frenchman then set his sights on his teammate in second, inching closer lap by lap. Soon the KTM duo was separated by mere bike lengths, which allowed Musquin to apply pressure on Dungey. They battled over the course of a couple laps before Musquin successfully made the pass on lap nineteen.
Tomac went unchallenged over the final portion of the race and crossed the finish line 5.8 seconds ahead of Musquin for his ninth career win. He became just the fourth different winner in nine races inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Dungey followed in a distant third, ending a three-year reign in Indianapolis.
Eli Tomac
“This [season] is everything you could ever dream of, other than winning the championship. Right now we’re winning races, so it’s pretty cool. I don’t know what to say, we’re rolling right now. This is good for us. We’re doing what we need to do, but we’ve got to keep doing it.”
Tomac closed his deficit to Dungey in the 450SX Class standings to just 12 points with six races remaining. Musquin moved into a tie with Cole Seely for third, 49 points behind Dungey.
Ryan Dungey
“It was a little rough for us today. It’s just how it goes, and I can’t really explain why other times are harder than not . We did our best tonight. In the Main Event we had the insight gate, and I was able to get out good and be right up front with [the leaders]. I was able to put pressure on Eli [Tomac] for a bit, and then I just fell off the pace. It’s plain and simple. I gave it my all.”
450SX Class Results
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
- Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM
- Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda
- Davi Millsaps, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
- Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Suzuki
450SX Class Championship Standings
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 234
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 222
- Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 185
- Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 185
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 155
- Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., KTM – 136
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 131
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 130
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 116
- Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna – 115
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event
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The Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event saw Joey Savatgy grab the holeshot over Osborne and Dakota Alix. Both Savatgy and Osborne were able to assert themselves out front, but Alix dropped a couple positions to the flying duo of Alex Martin and Jordon Smith.
After showing his wheel to Savatgy on the inside of several corners over the course of a handful of laps, Osborne pulled the trigger on lap nine coming out of the whoops and dove inside Savtagy, making contact and moving into the lead. From there he was able to open a gap of over a second as the leaders approached lapped riders.
Behind the top two Martin and Smith continued their battle for third, pacing one another throughout the race. On lap eleven Martin lost control of his KTM entering a corner and was launched off the bike, forcing Smith to stop and make his way around the downed motorcycle. Smith lost valuable time to the leaders, but took over third while Martin remounted his bike in fourth.
Osborne was able to maintain his advantage over Savatgy throughout the remainder of the race and opened up an even larger gap on the final lap, taking the win by 2.2 seconds ahead of Savatgy, who recorded his second straight runner-up finish. Smith followed in third.
Zach Osborne
“I felt like half the track Joey [Savatgy] was way better than me, and on the other half I had a little advantage. We were tit for tat. Even after I passed [Joey] he was right there the whole time. It was a great race. I wasn’t able to hit [all the obstacles] in the fastest way, so I had to bide my time [before making the pass].”
The win allowed Osborne to pull out to a nine-point lead over Savatgy, while Adam Cianciarulo sits third, 18 points out of the lead following a fifth-place finish.
The 2017 Monster Energy Supercross season continues next Saturday, March 25, for the 12th round of the championship inside Detroit’s Ford Field.
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki
- Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda
- Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha
- Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha
- Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
- Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Suzuki
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 111
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 102
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 93
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM – 90
- Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha – 68
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM – 60
- Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda – 51
- Luke Renzland, Hewitt, N.J., Yamaha – 50
- Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 49
- Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha – 46
AMSOIL Arenacross Championship – Round 10 – Portland, Orlando
The battle for the 2017 title officially got underway on Saturday night as AMSOIL Arenacross’ kicked off.
Defending 250AX champion Gavin Faith made the first statement of the playoff-style title fight by taking a crucial overall victory in the opening round of the ‘Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup’ while in the Western Regional AX Lites Class Jared Lesher took his first win of the season in an eventful main event that helped vault him to the top of the championship standings.
250AX Race Report:
The fight to earn every championship point available in the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup kicked off with the Head 2 Head Challenge prior to the 250AX Class Main Events. In a hotly contested final pairing, Faith edged out championship rival Jace Owen for a crucial extra bonus point in the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup. The win would prove to pay big dividends for Faith at the end of the night.
When the first of two 250AX Class Main Events roared out of the gate, Owen put his Honda into the early lead ahead of Faith and Chris Blose. The lead trio settled into their respective positions and began laying down similar lap times, ultimately pulling away from the rest of the field.
Owen and Faith traded quicker lap times, keeping the distance between them right around a second for virtually the entire 15-lap Main Event. Blose kept pace as well, keeping both Owen and Faith in his sights throughout.
The Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup’s top seed, Owen, controlled the race until the final lap when he lost his rhythm entering the whoops, which ultimately slowed his momentum enough to allow Faith to surge past and steal the win by just over a half second. Blose followed with a strong third-place finish, with Daniel Herrlein fourth and Travis Sewell in fifth.
After having the first Main Event win slip away from him on the final lap, Owen came out determined in the second Main Event, putting his Honda out front ahead of Faith and Herrlein, with Blose in fourth. Owen set a torrid pace in the opening laps to establish a lead of more than a second, while Faith settled into second, knowing the overall win would be his if he maintained the position. Behind them Blose began to apply pressure on Herrlein for third and successfully made the pass at the halfway point.
The top three went unchanged over the second half of the Main Event, with Owen taking the win by 1.8 seconds over Faith in second. Blose rounded out the podium in third, with Herrlein fourth and Sewell fifth, duplicating their efforts from the first Main Event.
By virtue of his triumphant effort in the Head 2 Head Challenge, Faith (1-2) had the edge when the overall results were tallied, outscoring Owen (2-1) by a single point to take his third overall victory of the season. Blose’s 3-3 finishes landed him third overall, with Herrlein fourth (4-4) and Sewell fifth (5-5).
Owen and Faith now sit knotted atop the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup standings and 38 points apiece, and both riders will carry red number plates into the second round next weekend. Blose is third, five points behind the co-leaders.
250AX Class Results – Main Event 1
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM
- Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha
- Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda
- Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki
250AX Class Results – Main Event 2
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki
- Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM
- Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki
- Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
250AX Class Overall Results (Main Event Results)
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (1-2)
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (2-1)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (3-3)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (4-4)
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (5-5)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (6-6)
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (7-8)
- Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (9-7)
- Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha (8-12)
- Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM (12-10)
RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (2 points)
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1 point)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (1 point)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (1 point)
- Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (1 point)
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (1 point)
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (1 point)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (1 point)
Race to the Championship Standings
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda – 38 (13 Main Event Wins)
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki – 38 (6 Main Event Wins)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha – 33 (1 Main Event Win)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM – 29 (1 Main Event Win)
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki – 27 (1 Main Event Win)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki – 26
- Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda – 22 (1 Main Event Win)
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM – 21
- Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha – 18 (1 Main Event Win)
- Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki – 8
Western Regional AX Lites Class Main Event
The Western Regional AX Lites Class Main Event got underway with Kinser Endicott grabbing the holeshot over championship leader Ryan Breece and Lesher. The battle for the lead intensified on the opening laps, with Breece moving out front on lap two, bringing Lesher along with him into second and dropping Endicott to third.
Breece encountered misfortune while leading on Lap 5, crashing in the whoops but quickly recovering to reenter in third. That allowed Lesher to take control of the Main Event, with Endicott in second. Breece battled back to take second from Endicott on Lap 6 before the Yamaha rider lost even more positions on the ensuing lap to Woodstock KTM’s Hunter Sayles and Husqvarna rider Dylan Summerlin.
On Lap 8 Sayles and Breece engaged in a heated battle for second, making contact and forcing Sayles off the track and down to eighth place. That allowed Summerlin to move into third. The battle up front settled for several laps until Breece crashed out of second on Lap 12 and dropped to eighth. That gave second to Endicott, who patiently worked his way back to the front after losing positions early, and moved Sayles into third, rebounding from his off-track excursion just a handful of laps earlier. Sayles would get around Endicott for third on Lap 13.
Out front, Lesher kept his front end clean and stayed ahead of the trouble behind him to take an easy victory, crossing the finish line 10.3 seconds ahead of Sayles, who secured a hard-earned runner-up finish. Endicott parlayed his holeshot into a podium result in third.
The win vaulted Lesher from third in the Western Regional standings into a tie for the championship lead alongside Sayles. Breece fell from first to third, two points out of first.
AMSOIL Arenacross will continue the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup next Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25, from Reno, Nevada’s Livestock Events Center.
Western Regional AX Lites Class Results
- Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
- Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
- Kinser Endicott, Red Bluff, Calif., Yamaha
- Hunter Hilton, Youngsville, La., Husqvarna
- Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha
- Miles Daniele, Clovis, Calif., KTM
- Jake Hogan, Acton, Calif., Yamaha
- Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki
- Parker Fleming, Quinlan, Texas, Husqvarna
- Austin Walton, Sparks, Nev., Yamaha
Western Regional AX Lites Class Championship Standings
- Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM – 56
- Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM – 56
- Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki – 54
- Hunter Hilton, Youngsville, La., Husqvarna – 32
- Dylan Bolinger, Corona, Calif., Yamaha – 22
- Parker Fleming, Quinlan, Texas, Husqvarna – 22
- Jeramy Taylor, Canton, Ohio, KTM – 19
- Kinser Endicott, Red Bluff, Calif., Yamaha – 14
- Miles Daniele, Clovis, Calif., KTM – 13
- Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha – 12
FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 4 – France (Albi)
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker has successfully defended his FIM SuperEnduro World Championship title, winning the 2017 series with a third-place overall result at the fourth and final event held in Albi, France.
Red Bull KTM Enduro Factory Racing team mates Alfredo Gomez and Jonny Walker brought their participation to a highly successful close by finishing first and second respectively.
Entering the championship decider with an 11-point advantage over his closest challenger Alfredo Gomez, Haaker did exactly what he needed to do to secure his second SuperEnduro title in two years. Riding notably better than he did at round three in Spain two weeks earlier, Colton rounded out his night with 2/2/3/ results to join Gomez and Jonny Walker on the podium.
Competing in his first ever SuperEnduro championship last year, Haaker won the title with a last-lap pass for the win in the final moto of the last race of the series.
Coming into the 2017 series as defending champion and having recently also secured the AMA EnduroCross title, Haaker placed a strong second overall at round one in Poland before enjoying a perfect night at round two in Germany with three final wins. At round three in Spain he finished third overall before wrapping up the title with a close third place result in France.
Colton Haakar
“It’s great to win the SuperEnduro title again, it’s been a very different championship to last year, as I felt like I started this series as favourite to win. I came out strong at the first two rounds, and managed to open up a little gap at the top of the points. I think Jonny and Alfredo worked really hard during the break after the first two rounds, but tonight I felt like things were pretty even between us all. Defending the SuperEnduro title was definitely something different, and quite possibly harder to do, but I’m just stoked to win the championship. I felt like I rode well tonight, but at the same time I knew the title was on the line. I’m stoked to have get two SuperEnduro titles in a row.”
For Alfredo Gomez the event ended with the Spaniard claiming his second consecutive overall win, having also topped the podium for the first time at round three in Spain two weeks earlier. Improving throughout the opening two rounds of the series, in France Gomez’ lightning fast starts on his KTM 300 EXC helped him to third in the opening final before claiming two wins to top the podium ahead of Jonny Walker and Colton Haaker.
Alfredo Gomez
“Tonight I got some great starts, twice getting the holeshot, and I just wanted to end the series as well as I could. I’m really pleased for myself and the team. As I’ve said before, for a rider that wasn’t originally planning to be a part of this championship we have done a pretty amazing job. From the first laps of the first race in Poland I have been competitive and to now get my second overall SuperEnduro event win is incredible. Honestly, I’m a little surprised at just how competitive I’ve been in each heat of each race. Amazingly, I don’t think I crashed in any of the finals all season, it’s been an amazing championship.”
Equally pleased with his night, Walker kept Gomez honest throughout the event despite a tough second final. The fastest rider during the one-lap SuperPole session, he then topped the opening final by 15 seconds on the KTM 350 EXC-F. Second in the night’s closing final saw Walker claim a well-deserved runner-up result, bringing his 2017 SuperEnduro campaign to a positive close.
Jonny Walker
“After getting the fastest time in the SuperPole and then winning the first final I really felt like I could get the overall win. The reverse start order second final was kind of my undoing – things just didn’t go as I hoped they would. I finished third, which wasn’t too bad, but I lost a few points that I needed at the end of the night. Track was good, nothing too technical but it made for close racing. I think the three of us – Colton, Alfredo and myself – all wanted to end the series with a strong result, so there was some great racing. Coming off my injury last year, I wasn’t quite on the pace I needed at the start of the series, but things have ended really well.”
Results SuperEnduro Albi 2017
- Alfredo Gomez (ESP), KTM, 55 points (3-1-1)
- Jonny Walker (GBR), KTM, 55 (1-3-2)
- Colton Haaker (USA), Husqvarna, 51 (2-2-3)
- Manuel Lettenbichler (GER), KTM, 37 (4-4-5)
- Mario Roman (ESP), Sherco, 30 (6-7-4)
Final Standings SuperEnduro 2017 after 4 of 4 rounds
- Colton Haaker, 216 points
- Alfredo Gomez, 209 points
- Jonny Walker, 201 points
- Mario Roman, 128 points
- Pascal Rauchenecker 101 points
FIM World Motocross Championships – Round 3 – Patagonia, Argentina
On a fast and technical layout, team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at round three of the 2017 FIM Motocross World Championships.
MX1 Race Report
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser came into Sunday in the pole position after qualifying first on Saturday. He kept true to his qualifying form and won race one ahead of Jeremy Van Horebeek and race two just over 5 seconds ahead of Evgeny Bobryshev. With his performance Gajser takes over the red plate heading into Leon, Mexico.
Tim Gajser
“I am really happy and it was actually a perfect weekend. I really enjoyed the track and I know I was riding well. The crowds here were good and it was nice to hear them cheering when I came past them on the last lap. They have made a few changes to the track this year which suited me. The season didn’t start in the best way but I have been working really hard and training back at home, I never stop working and it’s now paying off. We are just at the beginning of the season but I aim to ride consistent and get more podiums.”
Jeremy Van Horebeek had his best results of the year finishing 2-3 for second overall. After a good pre-season Jeremy struggled in the first two rounds of the championship but he is now looking like a contender for wins.
Jeremy Van Horebeek
“I’ve regrouped, together with the team we made some changes to the bike and I finally feel like I am back and I am me. I am feeling really comfortable and I feel like I am ready to fight for race wins. The track was really nice, although in some places it was a bit sketchy but I want to take my hat off to the organization because they did a really good job, and also to my team and everyone around me.”
Meanwhile Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev, who was admittedly not feeling very well due to a virus, fought through pain and his 5-2 results gave him his first overall podium of the year. Bobryshev passed both Desalle and Van Horebeek in race two giving team HRC a 1-2 race finish and both riders on the overall podium.
Evgeny Bobryshev
“I have been sick after Indonesia and I haven’t done any training as I have been in bed recovering. Because of this I really didn’t expect to come here and be on the podium. I have been hoping I would get better every day, even yesterday in qualifying I had a pain in my stomach. Today went a lot better and I was feeling better in myself. The track was the kind of track that I really like which helped me. The team made good changes on the bike from this morning so I felt good on the bike which I thankful to the team for. I am pumped to be third overall.”
Gautier Paulin was in 8th on the first lap of race one and at times, he was in a three way battle with his Husqvarna teammates but he would lead the three with a 6th place at the finish. In race two he started one better in 5th on the first lap but would pass the early leader Clement Desalle for 4th which is where Paulin would finish receiving 4th overall on the weekend.
Gautier Paulin
“The feeling is great on my bike at the moment. We’ve made some good progress since the start of the season so the results are slowly coming our way. I know we can do even better and this is our goal for the following GPs. In the opening moto it took me a while to get a good race pace. I ended up sixth but I was really close to the top three. Then in the second moto I had a better start and found myself battling for second place. We had some great battles and I crossed the line in fourth for fourth overall at the GP. Everybody in our team are doing a great job and I’m really looking forward to the next GP. We are in the right position now to go fight for the top in our class and this is what we’re going to do in Mexico.”
Romain Febvre made his way forward as he started 11th in race one but made quick work and in one lap was 7th, he then continued to move ahead for a 4th place finish. In race two he had a similar start with a 10th but eventually moved into 5th until a fall cost him the position and left him to finish 8th for 5th overall.
Romain Febvre
“I feel good. The first moto I started really bad, maybe sixteen, and I came back to fourth. My speed was good. In the second race my speed was good, I felt as though I could have got back to second place but in one corner I started sliding with both wheels and I couldn’t keep the bike up and I crashed and lost some positions. I need to stay on two wheels and then everything will be okay.”
Clement Desalle looked good throughout weekend. The Belgian finished 3rd in race one, he then rocketed out of the gate in race two behind Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff and then lead the first 3 laps before falling back to 10th. His 3-10 finishes put him in 6th overall.
Clément Desalle
“My qualifying race was not easy as there was a crash at the start just in front of me and I had no place to go! I didn’t crash but I lost too much time, then during the race I made one mistake and finished fourteenth. My start in the first race was pretty good; I was third or fourth throughout the race and eventually finished third; it was a good race. The track changed a lot between the two races and, even though I got a very good start, I struggled with the track. I was second at the first corner and took over the lead at turn two to lead the race for several laps but I didn’t felt confident and took the decision to ride safe to finish the race.”
Antonio Cairoli was perhaps the one rider who had the hardest charge. Cairoli struggled on both starts and he was positioned as low as 22nd in race one before finishing 9th and 15th in race two before working his way to 5th. Cairoli showed the heart of a champion and recouped valuable points.
Antonio Cairoli
“The weekend was very difficult mainly because of the starts and also the riders were very close together on this track and you could not make the difference; you had to take some risks to pass the others. So I had to come from the back both times and made more mistakes and crashed again. From dead-last in the first moto I came back to ninth; which was OK and I couldn’t do more. In the second I crashed after three laps and went down outside the top twenty, to come back the way I did was very good. I am so disappointed because it should have been another 1-1. The championship is still so long so we have time to get back this lead.”
Max Nagl traditionally does well in Argentina and though it may not be the results he was hoping for his consistent top ten finishes landed him in 8th overall.
Max Nagl
“It feels good to see the speed is there to battle for the top. I feel that consistency was key this weekend. My riding was really good in both motos but I struggled a bit with my starts. Despite getting a good jump out of the gate, I didn’t manage to be inside the top five out of the first corner. But I stayed focused and made lots of passes in both motos. Especially in moto two I think I was 13th at the end of lap one but managed to cross the line in sixth place. Overall, I’m happy with the way things are going. The track in Argentina was kind of tricky and difficult so to get sixth overall is also a confidence booster for the coming races.”
The injured Jeffrey Herlings had his best result in MXGP thus far finishing 7th in race two and taking 9th overall. It is clear he is determined to improve and expects to do so in the following rounds.
Jeffrey Herlings
“With my wrist problem and hand injury it has been a tough road and this is perhaps the most demanding class in the world. This was the best weekend we had so far but it still wasn’t good enough so we’ll keep on working and getting better.”
After three rounds Gasjer leads the championship by 10 points over Cairoli who in turn has a 5 point lead over Desalle.
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten
- Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 35:25.581
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:07.150
- Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:10.968
- Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:12.239
- Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:14.082
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:15.046
- Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:18.326
- Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:19.268
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:20.011
- Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:31.372
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten
- Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 34:07.642
- Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:05.315
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:06.723
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:08.878
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:17.959
- Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:22.477
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:23.506
- Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:26.071
- Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:29.400
- Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:35.513
MXGP Overall Top Ten
- Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 50
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 42
- Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 38
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 33
- Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 31
- Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 31
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 28
- Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 28
- Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 23
- Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 23
MXGP Championship Top Ten
- Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 106 points
- Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 96
- Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 91
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 84
- Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 82
- Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 72
- Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 65
- Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 56
- Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM), 55
- Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 49
MX2 Race Report
Pauls Jonass took the second overall and 1-1 finish of his MX2 season in Patagonia Argentina today. The Latvian started well and by the finish of both races he separated himself from the rest of the field.
Pauls Jonass
“Indonesia was really disappointing for me because I had so much bad luck but here we made things right with a 1-1: I had a good feeling and great starts and was able to ride my own race without pushing too hard. I didn’t make any big mistakes and that was the goal. I took back some points on first place [in the championship] and I hope we can continue the season like this! Together with Jorge we had a few close calls, maybe too close for teammates! But it was racing, and to go 1-2 was awesome for the whole team and I’m also happy for Jorge and his first podium of the season.”
Jorge Prado Garcia had good starts taking both holeshots and battled with his teammate before losing ground, his 2-3 finish put him on the second spot of the overall podium.
Jorge Prado
“I am really happy with the day and actually the whole weekend considering that I had been sick for a week and couldn’t really train like I wanted coming here. So I was a bit tired today and I don’t know what happened but sometimes when I am not feeling so good I can still make good results! This is my best result yet and I’m happy I was able to fight from the beginning until the end. Pauls was just a little bit stronger than me but I showed good speed.”
Jeremy Seewer admittedly struggled with his race one start, from 8th on the first lap he moved his way up to 5th. In race two he started 3rd and he was able to make his way around Jorge Prado Garcia’s bike but it was not close enough to challenge Jonass. Jeremy took the 3rd overall but more notably the points lead and the red plate.
Jeremy Seewer
“I think the first moto could have been a lot better, but we did some changes for the second race and it worked out. I want to stay on the ground, not get hyped-up too much. We got the red plate and that’s a positive point for sure to be leader after three GP’s, but I think we have to look at weak points and work on them. It is an amazing feeling though to get the red plate for the first time in my life. It’s what I’ve been working for my whole career. First the overall in Indonesia and now the red plate here; just an amazing feeling. It’s strange because I had a bad GP in Qatar, a really good one in Indonesia of course and now again, average in that first moto, so to be points leader is pretty good, I just need to keep working.”
Benoit Paturel was impressive in race one and his 2nd place finish had him leading the points coming into race 2. His luck changed in race two though when his possibility of taking the red plate disappeared as he went down and his 9th place finish put him one spot off the overall podium for a 4th. Benoit now sits third in the championship standings.
Benoit Paturel
“The first race I was good, I didn’t get such a good start but I came back strong for second place. In the second race I touched another rider on the start and went off the track. I was completely last and I had to push to get back inside the top ten and then I fell again. I still came back for ninth which is still good points and these will be important at the end of the season.”
Darian Sanayei had the best weekend of his MX2 career. He qualified 3rd on Saturday and followed it with 6-4 finishes on Sunday. Sanayei was 2nd in race one before being passed by Paturel, he then slid out while trying to retaliate. The American showed some speed and looked to be a podium contender after his 5th overall.
Darian Sanayei
“I was pretty disappointed in Indonesia to be ill, and I wanted to come here and show my true speed. That’s what I did in qualifying with a third position; it’s just nice to be racing at the front! My jump out of the gate was not so great in the first moto but I had a good gate pick on the inside and was able to cut under a few guys to come of the first turn third; I pushed as hard as I could to take second position, but I fell as Paturel challenged me so I finished sixth. I was around seven at the start of the second race and passed a couple of guys including Lieber; it’s always a pretty cool feeling to pass the guy with the red plate! I couldn’t quite catch Prado for third, but with a sixth and a fourth positions I finished fifth in the GP which is my best result to date. There’s a lot of positives from this weekend, and we’ll keep working hard!”
Julien Lieber came into Patagonia Argentina with the red plate but he lost invaluable ground in the championship after going down and remounting in 31st position on lap two. He eventually passed 14 riders to finish 16 in race one but race two was a different story and he finished 5th. Lieber would end the weekend 10th overall and slip to 4th in the championship.
With Caleb Ward sitting out the event it was left to Hunter Lawrence and Jay Wilson to hold up the Aussie pride and while it wasn’t the perfect weekend for either rider Lawrence added to his points tally to finish the weekend with 13-18 results while Wilson finished just outside the points in both races.
Hunter Lawrence
“First race wasn’t the best start but I made some passes, then I crashed, made some more passes and then crashed again, ending up 13th. Then pretty much the same story in race two. I think my riding speed was good this weekend, but obviously I have things to work on. I need to go back to the drawing board and come back at Mexico hopefully a bit better.”
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 35:21.092
- Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:04.318
- Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:07.107
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:08.386
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:10.398
- Darian Sanayei (USA, Kawasaki), +0:24.237
- Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +0:27.793
- Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:33.721
- Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:35.480
- Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Kawasaki), +0:35.534
…13. Hunter Lawrence, Hunter (AUS MA Suzuki) +36:18.847
…21. Jay Wilson (AUS MA Yamaha) +36:53.055
MX2 Race 2 Top Ten
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 34:04.845
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:03.278
- Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:25.893
- Darian Sanayei (USA, Kawasaki), +0:29.301
- Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:34.137
- Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +0:36.225
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:40.989
- Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Kawasaki), +0:42.865
- Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:46.656
- Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:48.515
…18. Hunter Lawrence (AUS MA Suzuki) +35:23.017
…22. Jay Wilson (AUS MA Yamaha) +35:52.531.
MX2 Overall Top Ten
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 50 points
- Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 40
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 38
- Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 34
- Darian Sanayei (USA, KAW), 33
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 32
- Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 29
- Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, KAW), 24
- Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 22
- Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 21
…18. Hunter Lawrence, Hunter (AUS, SUZ), 11
…24. Jay Wilson (AUS YAM)
MX2 Championship Top Ten
- Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 110
- Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 107
- Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 104
- Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 99
- Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 99
- Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 73
- Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 70
- Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 67
- Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 62
- Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, KAW), 59
…16. Hunter Lawrence (AUS SUZ) 34
…22. Caleb Ward (AUS HUS) 14
…Jay Wilson (AUS YAM) 1
Airoh Helmets Sunshine State Series – Round 2 – Hervey Bay
Dean Ferris has returned from New Zealand to contest his first major event on Australian soil for the 2017 season at the second round of the Airoh Helmets Sunshine State Series held at Hervey Bay last weekend and the CDR Yamaha rider was on fire to take the overall win ahead of Kirk Gibbs and Zak Small.
The other star of the day was also on a Yamaha in Jack Kukas who won two classes on a day that saw the already treacherous track even harder with heavy rain fall the night before.
Jack Kukas
“I probably didn’t ride my best today as the track needed to be respected. The rain made it rutty as well as sandy and then there were plenty of soft spots that could almost sink your bike so you had to be really aware of what was going on. Still, it’s good to take both class wins and get through here safely. My bikes were great today so thanks to Yamaha Junior Racing and our team sponsors for the great support,” Kukas said.
Here are the results from both days of racing at Hervey Bay:
QMX1 Pro
- Dean FERRIS
- Kirk GIBBS
- Zak SMALL
- Joel RIZZO
- Jesse O’FARRELL
MX2 Pro
- Justin HART
- Ricky LATIMER
- Bailey COXON
- Kaleb BARHAM
- Josh KILVINGTON
Clubman MX1
- Kyle DALPASTRO
- Cohn EVANS
- Connor MCNEILLY
Clubman MX2 Lites Points
- Cody SCHAT
- Cohn EVANS
- Jed PARSONS
125-150 2 Stroke
- Kerrod MORRISSY
- Jacob DANK
- Andrew GIFFORD
Womens
- Chelsea CARTER
- Jamie SANDERS
- Taryn COX
Veterans
- Ben SCHODEL
- Travis REGELING
- Brett OBERTHUR
Junior Lites 15 Yrs 4 stroke
- Jack KUKAS
- Jayce COSFORD
- Connor MCNAMARA
Junior Lites 15 Yrs 2 stroke
- Jack KUKAS
- Connor MCNAMARA
- Navrin GROTHUES
Junior Lites 13-14 4 stroke
- Jake CUKA
- Levi ROGERS
- Cooper MCNEILLY
Junior Lites 13-14 2 stroke
- Ryan GAYLOR
- Noah FERGUSON
- Jai WALKER
MiniLites 12-13
- Deegan MANCINELLI
- Brad WEST
- Jackson CAMILLERI
MiniLites 9-11
- Jack MATHER
- Charli CANNON
- Kayden MINEAR
Junior 65 10-11
- Brenton WILSON
- Thomas WOOD
- Jesse HOLDING
Junior 65 7-9
- Billy WADWELL
- Jason WEST
- Joel FREIBERG
50cc Overall
- Heath FISHER
- Hayden DOWNIE
- Slade OBERHARDT
AMA Flat Track – Round 1 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona
History was made under the lights at Daytona International Speedway as the American Flat Track series entered its new era at the Harley-Davidson Daytona TT presented by Politis & Matovina. Jared Mees took home a dominant AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines win in to become the first rider to win an American Flat Track race on the Indian Motorcycle Scout FTR750.
The No. 9 Indian Motorcycle Rogers Racing FTR750 rider’s big win at the 2017 season opener also marked the first time that a rider won a TT on twin in nearly 34 years, when fellow National No. 9 rider Jay Springsteen won at the Peoria TT in 1983.
Jared Mees
“You don’t know how special it is to win the first Daytona TT on the Indian. I’m going to go down in the record books as the first to win on the Indian. I’m so excited just for my entire team and the hard work that everybody put in. It’s unbelievable what we all went through. Indian Motorcycle did an outstanding job.”
The win also marked a personal record as Mees’ first TT win. It also served as personal redemption as Mees gets his run at recapturing the No. 1 plate off to a good start.
Although it’s a new era for flat track, it was the usual suspects. Mees’ rival and fellow Indian Wrecking Crew rider Bryan Smith finished second on the No. 1 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate FTR750. Although it was not a win, the reigning champ was happy to leave Daytona right on Mees’ heels.
Bryan Smith
“There was a lot of pressure after this race. Like Jared said, it’s like, ‘oh yeah, we gotta race next weekend too.’ There was so much focus on this weekend and especially us having a new bike and a new team. So second place at a TT in Daytona. I’m happy.”
Joining the Indian Motorcycle duo on the podium was TT specialist Henry Wiles on the No. 17 DPW Racing Kawasaki Ninja 650.
Henry Wiles
“I actually had a pretty good run, considering we came from the second row. We built a pretty different bike for this race and I thought it would work good in the corners, kind of like it did. But like these guys said, there wasn’t much of a track so it was really hard to make up time on guys. Once everybody kind of got settled in, it was kind of tough to make up time anywhere. One place that I could make up time, because my bike was a little bit different, was kind of through the tight stuff here and going off into the first corner. I think once we got them stood up and down, I was lacking a little bit of traction but also a little bit of motor, so it was just hard to make up the straightaway advantage I’d give up to these guys, but it was a fun race for me.”
Jake Johnson had a bit of redemption himself, as the No. 5 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team XG750R rider was plagued with poor luck all day until when it counted, taking a fourth-place finish in the Main. Completing the top-five was Bronson Bauman on the No. 37 Rod Lake Kawasaki Ninja 650.
