Moto News Wrap for March 28, 2017 by Darren Smart
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Latest News
- Aussies on the International Stage
- 2017 Motul MX Nationals season opener to host over 140 racers
- ADMCC Sprint Day a success
- Ando on NRGTV
- Yamaha Racing MX Nationals line-up
- Mega-Monster Kawasaki Team
- Bou Wins in France
- Indian Sweeps Atlanta Short Track
- Carglass-Honda Racing signs Dylan Walsh for EMX250
- Waters Forced Out of NZ Champs
- KTM Wins Transmoto 12-Hour
- 2017 Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship News
- Wil Hahn new Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha’s Assistant Team Manager
Race Reports
- AMA Supercross – Round 12 – Ford Field | Detroit, Michigan
- AMSOIL Arenacross Championship – Round 10 – Reno, NV
- NZ Motocross Championships – Round 4 – Taupo Motorcycle Club – Taupo.
- Night of the Jumps/FIM Freestyle MX World Championship – Round 4 – Krakow
- GNCC – Round 3 – Cannonball, Sparta, GA
- FIM World Enduro Championships – Round 1 and 2 – GP of Finland (Helsinki – Päijänne)
- Dutch Masters of Motocross – Round 1 – Oss, Netherlands
- Sonora Rally – Mexico
Aussies on the International Stage
As you go through the reports below we have plenty of Aussies contesting events all around the world. So keep an eye out for Matthew Phillips and Daniel Sanders in the World Enduro Championships, Mackenzie Tricker and Tayla Jones in the GNCC, Caleb Grothues and Jed Beaton in the Dutch Masters, Chad Reed in AMA Supercross, Dean Ferris, Luke Styke and Jesse Dobson in New Zealand Motocross Championships, Pat Bowden and Ryan Brown in the Night of Jumps.
2017 Motul MX Nationals season opener to host over 140 racers
More than 140 athletes are set to converge on the Wonthaggi Motocross track this Sunday with healthy entries confirmed for this weekend’s Motul MX Nationals season opener.
Three Championship classes, the Thor MX1, Motul MX2, Pirelli MXD and the Support class – the Yamaha Junior 125cc Cup make up the 142 strong competitors who will take to the track in, indicating that the series will be one of the most competitive seasons to date.
Motul MX Nationals Series Promoter Kevin Williams made comment today on the encouraging rider numbers, and says that fans of the sport have plenty of reason to head to Wonthaggi on Sunday to support Australia’s Motocross stars.
Kevin Williams
“With only a few days until the first races kick off for the year, we’re very excited to confirm that we have big numbers in all of our classes. Our premier Thor MX1 class has more than 30 riders lining up on Sunday, a number of which have the ability to win races, while we have in excess of 40 competitors in the Pirelli MXD class which really shows the strength of the sport from a grass roots level. We’ve been working very hard during the off-season to put together the Motul MX Nationals package for 2017, and fans can expect some world class racing when bikes line up on Sunday. With so many competitors taking to the track this weekend, the atmosphere is going to be fantastic, and we’re very excited to be kicking off the season with such healthy rider numbers across all classes.”
With five days remaining until gates drop for the first time in 2017, there are currently 42 entries for the Pirelli MXD class, 34 riders in Motul MX2, 31 competitors in Thor MX1 class and 33 athletes in the Yamaha Junior 125cc Cup.
2017 ADMCC Sprint Day a success
Report and images thanks to Marty Thompson
On Sunday March 26, the Alexandra and Districts Motorcycle Club (ADMCC) conducted their timed Sprints Day out at “Skyline Ridge” on UT Creek Road.
The ADMCC could not have timed the event any better, with some rain during the previous days and nights and some early fog cover, ensuring the tracks were mostly dust free all day, with some mud to keep the riders challenged.
Although the temps climbed into the high 20s as the day progressed, the tree cover and mountainous course ensured riders and spectators were not too warm. In fact it was just about perfect for all.
The weather may also have played a part in the massive turn out of entrants on the day. With the number of entrants approaching 100, judging by the number of bikes and riders in the pit area upon arrival.
Riders ranged from as young as four, through to veterans in their 50s… at least! The course comprised several enduro style loops, which took the riders approximately 7-10 minutes to complete. The loops varied in their degree of difficulty with both competitive and non competitive heats, so the day catered for riders of all abilities and all ages.
The start of each heat permitted one rider at a time to leave the start gate, seperated by about 30 seconds between starts. In the Junior class, Astin Gramlick took first place, with Brock Palling second and Jacob Kilby third.
The female Seniors class was taken out by Angela Scott, with Kate Burt doing a fantastic job to come home in second place.
The Seniors class was spectacular, with the more experienced riders charging hard. There was some brilliant passing moves, with riders having to pick their spots carefully on the tight and steep course in order to make a clean pass and have it stick.
Among the seniors, several were double jumping the log obstacles, travelling huge distances from launch to landing. Will Edwards on his KTM was one rider doubling the logs and making for exciting viewing for the spectators who were able to view the riders from literally the edge of the track. The Seniors Class was won by Anthony Venn with Zac Cunneed second, and Jake Henderson taking the final podium spot.
Ando on NRGTV
All of the racing action from the ten round Motul MX Nationals will be available to watch live online throughout the entire season and this year 14-time national champion Craig Anderson will join Aiden Williams and Joe Stevens as a presenter for the newly branded ‘MX Live’ on NRGTV.
Craig Anderson
“I’m really excited to be joining the MX Live crew. A few months ago Kevin Williams gave me a call and we had a chat about me possibly joining the live stream team for 2017, so it’s going to be a new challenge that’s for sure. Being a racer myself, and being involved in the sport for such a long time, I’ve been through most aspects of racing, I know the riders, and feel like that’s going to help bring something new to the broadcast. Being on the other end of the microphone is going to be a completely new thing for me so I’m a bit nervous, but I think that’s a good thing. I’ve always enjoyed that aspect of racing, and by being able to relate to the riders from a rider’s perspective is going to be awesome for the viewers.”
In addition to taking on the role of Presenter, Anderson will also serve as the Motul MX Nationals’ Championship Rider Liaison for 2017.
The first live broadcast of MX LIVE on NRGTV will take place at Round 1 of the 2017 Motul MX Nationals on Sunday April 2, from Wonthaggi in Victoria.
Yamaha Racing MX Nationals line-up announced
Yamaha Racing will have a huge presence at the 2017 MX Nationals featuring a massive rider line up spread across a wide variety of teams and divisions in their pursuit of championship glory.
After winning nearly all before them at the MX Nationals in 2016, Yamaha are out to replicate that success in 2017. Armed with the YZ450F, YZ250F and the YZ125, the ‘bLU cRU’ will be on the march come round one.
CDR Yamaha will again lead the charge in the premier MX1 division, and reigning MX1 champion, Dean Ferris will be the man to beat and heads into the championship prepared and ready to go.
He will be joined by Victorian, Dylan Long, who finished fifth in last years’ series but with the support of the CDR Yamaha team is out to improve in 2017.
Serco Yamaha will take on the MX2 duties with Jackson Richardson and Mitch Evans at the controls. Both riders come off 2016 championship success with Richardson taking the Australian Supercross Championship and Evans the winner of the MXD class last year.
Yamalube Yamaha head into 2017 with two new riders both are determined to make their mark in professional racing. Cooper Pozniak joins Yamaha and has put in the hard yards in the off season as he looks to improve on his third place finish in the MXD class in 2016 while Cody Dyce is rewarded with the MXD ride after a success career in juniors with the Yamaha Junior Racing program.
DPH Yamaha continues to go from strength to strength and for 2017 boasts Kade Mosig on the YZ450F and Wilson Todd taking on the MX2 class on a YZ250F.
Proformance Yamaha will continue with a three rider line up for 2017 with a couple of new faces joining the team. Aaron Tanti and Connor Tierney will compete in the MX2 class and both have the speed to contend for race wins. Tasmanian, Hugh Mackay, will represent the team in the MXD class.
The Rookies Cup will be left in the hands of the GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing riders as they compete as selected rounds on board both the YZ125 and YZ250F. The GYTR YJR riders will be at five of the 10 MX National rounds as they look to develop their skills and talent before moving into senior racing divisions. Mat Fabry, Liam Andrews, Jack Kukas, Levi Rogers, Thomas and Alex Larwood will all make appearances through the series and make their presence felt.
The MX Nationals gets under way on April 2 at the Wonthaggi circuit in Victoria. Visit www.mxnationals.com.au for more information.
2017 Yamaha MX Team and Rider Line Up
- CDR Yamaha: Dean Ferris (MX1) and Dylan Long (MX1)
- Serco Yamaha: Jackson Richardson (MX2) and Mitch Evans (MX2)
- Yamalube Yamaha Racing: Cooper Pozniak (MXD) and Cody Dyce (MXD)
- DPH Yamaha: Kade Mosig (MX1) and Wilson Todd (Mx2)
- Proformance Yamaha: Aaron Tanti (MX2), Connor Tierney (MX2) and Hugh Mackay (MXD)
- GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing: Mat Fabry, Liam Andrews, Jack Kukas, Levi Rogers, Thomas Larwood, Alex Larwood
Mega-Monster Kawasaki Team
MEGA Bulk Fuels and Monster Energy affirm their support of the Australian Kawasaki factory motocross and supercross racing team as primary sponsors in 2017.
Troy Carroll, Team Manager and Australian motocross racing legend welcomed the addition of MEGA Bulk Fuels and reaffirmed the team’s partnership with Monster Energy.
Troy Carroll
“The team is grateful for the continued support from the majority of our sponsors after a trying year in 2016 and we are pleased to announce that in 2017 the team will be named MEGA Bulk Fuels Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team. We welcome a new naming rights sponsor, MEGA Bulk Fuels this year. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with and we believe that the company has a very bright future in Australia so we are proud to be associated with their organisation. Monster Energy are again providing immense support and our strong history with this brand speaks for its self, so we couldn’t be happier with the continued partnership in 2017. We also couldn’t be happier with the association and support that we will receive from Hitachi Power Tools Australia, NGK, Rockwell Watches, Link International and Momentum Energy moving forward into this year’s racing season.”
Terry Knight – National Motorsport Manager for MEGA Bulk Fuels
“MEGA Ltd. are delighted to align Australia’s newest bulk fuel company with a highly successful, respected and recognisable brand such as Kawasaki through the factory motocross and supercross racing team. A huge number of Australians support passionately and/or participate in a myriad of motorsport disciplines, and they are very loyal brand supporters. We’re confident that our brand will become synonymous and popular with the motorsport public for years to come and we look forward to this new partnership with Kawasaki and the Australian factory team with great enthusiasm. Our growth strategy over the next 3 years includes providing other bulk petroleum products, smaller storage solutions and a roll-out of MEGA branded service stations.”
Scott Tabe-Lewis – Marketing Director Oceania for Monster Energy
“Monster Energy are excited to once again continue our long term partnership with Kawasaki and the factory Australian motocross racing team. We have had great success with the team over the last number of years and we are excited with the new line-up and the KX450F so we have no doubt that our riders will be standing on the podium many times in 2017.”
The MEGA Bulk Fuels Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team will launch their assault on the 2017 MX Nationals series at the first round in Wonthaggi, Victoria on 2nd April.
Bou Wins in France
Toni Bou has won the third and penultimate round of the FIM X-Trial World Championships held in Marseille, France last weekend and in doing so closes in on his 11th title.
Bou worked hard to secure a vital win ahead of Adam Raga and Albert Cabestny, that leaves him on the cusp of another world title.
Toni Bou
“We suffered a lot today. In the qualifying we finished third and I had to win the races to be able to start out last in the final. I came out very focused and in the second section I was able to gain an advantage over the rivals that turned out to be decisive. There was no room for mistakes and luckily I was able to win before the trial ended and the five-point penalty in the final section didn’t amount to anything. We can’t make any mistakes in trials with so few sections. Now there is just Nice left where we will have to stay focused to pick up the eleventh title.”
The fourth and final trial of the FIM X-Trial World Championship takes place in Nice next Friday, 31st March. Toni Bou needs five points to seal the title and a fifth overall place should be enough to secure an eleventh title in the discipline.
Indian Sweeps Atlanta Short Track
One week after giving Indian Motorcycles its historic first victory in American Flat Track competition at Daytona International Speedway, Jared Mees made it two in a row last weekend with his win at the Atlanta Short Track presented by Indian Motorcycle.
In front of a near-capacity crowd at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock the three-time Grand National Champion was able to take the win ahead of his Indian Racing team mates Brad Baker and Bryan Smith.
Carglass-Honda Racing signs Dylan Walsh for EMX250
Carglass-Honda Racing has signed 19-year-old Dylan Walsh to compete in the nine-round European 250 Motocross Championship aboard the Honda CRF250.
The British-born racer finished second in the MX2 class at the 2017 New Zealand Motocross Championship and is keen to build on his solid start to the season.
Dylan Walsh
“I am really excited to announce that I’m riding for Carglass-Honda in the EMX250 class, they have a good bike and a good team. I can’t thank them enough for this opportunity and I’m ready to get the season started with them! I’ve always wanted to race in Europe so I’m pumped to be heading over!”
Patrick Claessens – Team Manager
“I am very happy to have signed Dylan Walsh. Dylan is doing very well in the New Zealand Championship at the moment and we are looking forward to seeing him in the European races on his Honda CRF250. Together with the team, Dylan will work hard to be in the battle at the front of the races. Dylan’s first race here in Europe will be in Harfsen (9 April) and one week later the EMX250 championship will start in Arco.”
Gordon Crockard – Honda Motor Europe Off-Road Manager
“It is fantastic that Honda have secured Dylan Walsh to ride their CRF250 in this year’s EMX250 Championship. The CarGlass/GivingBack Honda Racing Team are young, motivated, and ready to win. Just the perfect environment for Dylan to be in as I believe he is made of the same ingredients. I don’t expect that anyone who travels all the way from the other side of the world in New Zealand will give anything other than all they’ve got.”
Waters forced out of NZ Champs
Australian Todd Waters has suffered from food poisoning and was forced to miss the final round of the 2017 New Zealand Motocross Championships.
Todd Waters
“I tried to ride on Saturday but just had no energy and hadn’t been able to eat anything so we just pulled out so I could preserve myself for the upcoming MX Nationals. It wasn’t a good round for us but in the big picture we are shooting for the Australian championship so if that means choosing health over a smaller race then that’s what we did.”
KTM Wins Transmoto 12-Hour
The 2017 Transmoto 12-Hour was held at Batemans Bay, NSW last weekend with some of the best off-road riders in Australia on hand to compete in the teams event but once the dust settled it was the KTM Off-Road team of Daniel Milner, Glenn Kearney, Lyndon Snodgrass and Harrison Norton who took out the overall win while the Country Maddogs won the Team-Of-Four Mixed class and Kye Anderson won the Ironman class.
Team-Of-Four (Men’s)
- KTM Offroad (Daniel Milner, Glenn Kearney, Lyndon Snodgrass, Harrison Norton)
- Unifilter Australia (Geoff Braico, Mike Thorncroft, Scott Keegan, Brad Hardaker)
- HQVA Offroad (Christian Horwood, Lachlan Stanford, Codie Mackie, Damien Smith)
Team-Of-Four (Mixed)
- Country Maddogs (Sean Cox, Greg Prisk, Kate Norman, James Standford)
Ironman
- Kye Anderson
- Chris Warwick
- Michael Spiteri
2017 Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship News
Motorcycling Australia has announced the draw of the 2017 Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship selected rider entry list ahead of the single round event set to showcase Australia’s best Speedway Sidecar competitors to take place April 15-16 at Gillman Speedway, South Australia.
The highly anticipated event is set to kick off on the Easter long weekend Saturday April 15th and Sunday 16th at the highly regarded Gillman Speedway track. The timing of the event ensures fantastic crowd numbers and a great family atmosphere, adding to the overall spectacle of amazing Speedway action.
Announced in the selected rider draw are seeded Australian Champions include; Russell Mitchell, Justin Plaisted and Darrin Treloar. Qualifying past champion Mark Mitchell will duke it out against plenty of Speedway Sidecar hopefuls.
Aussie Sidecar Champion and current second seeded rider, Trent Headland shared his excitement of the upcoming and the announcement of the selected rider list and the event itself.
Trent Headland
“Our team is feeling good as we are all working hard together and in 2017 it’s the big events we’re looking forward to most. We had a bit of a mishap last week and I have a laceration on my knuckle where the nosecone cut in – just the usual bumps and bruises but the bike is not injured and neither are we! We are really pumped for the rounds ahead! The hardest competition out there at the moment is Darren Treloar, he is nearly impossible to beat right now. Tyler Moon is a new comer that is one to watch for and could be a bit of a dark horse, Both Plaisted’s and Mark Mitchell is fast around Gillman. There are at least eight guys that could definitely win it this year, and we are just going to have to stay focused to be in with a chance.”
Seeded Riders
- Brodie Cohan/Damian Egan
- Arron Hartwig/Teagan Hartwig
- Trent Headland/Daryl Whetstone
- Rick Howse/Adam Commons
- Russell Mitchell/Andy Gajek
- Warren Monson/Andrew Summerhayes
- Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell
- Justin Plaisted/Simon Cohrs
- Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox
Qualifying Riders
- Dylan Blain/Mitch Duncan
- Grant Bond/Glenn Cox
- Hayden Bond/Brady Cox
- Dave Bottrell/Chris Bottrell
- Andrew Buchanan/Denny Cox
- Byren Gates/Michael O’loughlin
- Hamish Golding/Bayley Ogilvie
- Neale Hancock/Brendan Johnson
- Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr
- Clint Mayes/Sean Coleby
- Kym Menadue/Eric Melton
- Mark Mitchell/Sam Harrison
- Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear
- Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt
- Daniel Puddy/Luke Puddy
- Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris
- Dean Hobbs (Reserve 1)/Justin Richards
- Tim Bichard (Reserve 2)/Brenton Marsh
Wil Hahn new Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha’s Assistant Team Manager
Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha have announced that Wil Hahn will step into the new role of Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha’s assistant team manager. Wil, who retired from a successful professional racing career at the end of 2016, will add great value to the team through his knowledge and experience in the industry.
Brad Hoffman – Star’s team manager
“To keep up the team’s competitive edge, we realized that there was a need for an assistant team manager. Wil Hahn was an ideal candidate for the job. In addition to his racing experience, Wil has also gained a reputation for his work ethic and likeable personality.”
Hahn will take on the role with immediate effect and will attend the next supercross race, St.Louis, in his newly appointed position. Wil will assist Brad Hoffman in the running of the racing team as well as assist with the development of the team’s amateur program.
Smarty’s Race Reports:
AMA Supercross – Round 12 – Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Monster Energy AMA Supercross took over Ford Field for its 12th round of the 2017 season and 46,324 fans witnessed Eli Tomac take the 450SX main event to move to just seven points back of reigning champion Ryan Dungey while the Eastern Regional 250SX Class race saw Jordon Smith take his first career victory on the final lap.
450 Main Event:
Marvin Musquin grabbed the holeshot ahead of Tomac and Davi Millsaps close while Chad Reed was left lying on the ground after a first corner crash and championship point’s leader Dungey came around the opening lap in seventh.
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It only took three laps for Tomac to make his move on the Musquin and start his charge to pull away from the pack. Musquin did his best to put up a fight, but the Kawasaki rider quickly put seconds on second place.
While Tomac was lengthening his lead out front, Dungey was busy making up as many points as possible, moving into fifth on Lap 3. He quickly got by Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Grant for fourth, but it took more time to get by Millsaps, making his move for the final podium spot on Lap 21.
Tomac would cross the finish line 8.4 seconds ahead of Musquin, who was just two seconds ahead of his teammate Dungey.
Eli Tomac
“I’m putting myself in a good position in the main event. I didn’t do that in the heat race, but got my act together for the main and was able to capitalize. I felt very fortunate for having that ninth gate pick. I just felt good and comfortable. This is what we wanted tonight on this sketchy surface and I was able to attack it. It was another really good night of racing.”
Prior to the start of Tomac’s win-streak, he faced a 27-point deficit to Dungey. Tomac’s fourth-straight win and seventh victory this season places him only seven points back of the championship lead with five races remaining. Musquin gained solo hold of third in the standings, sitting 47 points behind Dungey.
Marvin Musquin – to RacerX
“First, to get the holeshot tonight really helped me a lot. I was hoping obviously to get a good start, like every race. But tonight it was really, really important. Then I was second and Davi was really quick tonight, especially in the whoops and on and off that dragon’s back. I was a little bit off, but I was just trying to be consistent and trying to stay in second place. That was the goal tonight. I don’t know if I got better, but maybe I was a little bit tight, riding tight. The track was so slick and I was not comfortable. But at one point I gapped Davi and it was a little bit easier on me, less pressure. I was just trying to keep going and be consistent and stay second.”
Ryan Dungey
“I think the hardest thing is where we’ve been during the first lap over the past few races. I can’t do anything back there. Eli is out front and I’m not able to do anything. But we did charge hard for third. We have to put ourselves in a better position at the start but we’ll work through it. We need to start turning it up here over the next few races.”
Chad Reed was forced out of the race and now sits 8th in the championship.
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
- Davi Millsaps, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
- Josh Grant, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki
- Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
- Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda
450SX Class Championship Standings
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 254
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 247
- Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 207
- Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 196
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 170
- Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., KTM – 152
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 149
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 131
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 130
- Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna – 127
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event
The Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event started with Adam Cianciarulo grabbing the holeshot, but a pileup behind him collected entering point’s leader Osborne. As the opening lap commenced, it was Cianciarulo, Dylan Ferrandis, Savatgy, and Smith all together in the hunt for the lead.
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The riders were barely around their first lap when Ferrandis got by Cianciarulo, and then on Lap 2 Savatgy pulled into the lead with Cianciarulo in tow. On Lap 3, Cianciarulo went down and Ferrandis and Smith raced by, but the Kawasaki rider was able to remount in fourth. On Lap 5 while leading, Savatgy surrendered the lead to Ferrandis after going down.
The Frenchman Yamaha rider would chalk up another eight laps in the lead before the duo of Smith and Savatgy over took him for the top two spots, respectively, on Lap 13. With championship implications for both riders, Smith and Savatgy duked it out with Savatgy entering the final lap with the lead. Just a few corners after receiving the white flag, Smith sped by Savatgy and was able to hold on to receive the chequered flag and celebrate his first career victory.
As Smith took his spot on top of the podium and Savatgy second, remarkably Cianciarulo came from several seconds back to secure the final podium position in third after passing Ferrandis with two laps to go.
Entering point’s leader Osborne was forced to pit and get his front wheel replaced but the Husqvarna riders was able to return to the race, but ultimately finished 18th and relinquished the points lead to Savatgy.
Jordon Smith
“It was an unbelievable day. I had to go to the LCQ (Last Change Qualifier) and I won that. [In the main], I got a great start from the outside. I had to make a few passes and the track was really tough, which was causing people to make mistakes. I’m so thankful for so many people. It’s an amazing feeling [to win] and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Joey Savatgy – to RacerX
“I got off to a pretty good start. Adam and [Dylan] Ferrandis were going back and forth. I saw the opportunity and was able to get around those two. Actually didn’t know AC crashed, but had probably close to a little over a second, maybe a two-second lead and just dumb mistake. Crashed, got back up in third. We charged all the way to the end. The last two laps came down to the wire. Probably should have stayed tighter over the finish line, or set the pass up a little bit later on the lap. But all in all, got a lot of points tonight and got to keep it going.”
Adam Cianciarulo – to RacerX
“I think to say that I let one get away would almost be a little bit of a detriment to these guys up here, because everybody was flying tonight. I feel like in the beginning there I had a pretty good shot with a good start. I was able to get the first gate pick and there was only like one or two good gates out there, especially because the dirt behind the gate got pretty gnarly. I am bummed that I crashed, but at the same time, those guys are riding good. Just happy to get out of here on the podium.”
The shake-up of Osborne’s 18th-place finish propelled Savatgy into the Eastern Regional 250SX Championship lead with nine points over Detroit winner Smith. Osborne is third and 10 points back of Savatgy.
The 2017 Monster Energy Supercross season continues next Saturday, April 1, for the 13th round of the championship inside The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki
- Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha
- Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Suzuki
- Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha
- Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda
- Gannon Audette, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki
- Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
- Luke Renzland, Hewitt, N.J., Yamaha
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 124
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM – 115
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 114
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 113
- Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha – 86
- Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda – 65
- Luke Renzland, Hewitt, N.J., Yamaha – 61
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM – 60
- Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha – 58
- Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha – 52
AMSOIL Arenacross’ Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup – Round 3 – Reno, NV
After two nights of intense racing inside the Livestock Events Center in Reno, Nevada it was Gavin Faith and Hunter Sayles who lead the 250AX and Western Regional AX Lites Class points respectively as the AMSOIL Arenacross series heads to round four this weekend.
Faith made a clean sweep of the opening night, leading all 30 Main Event laps and giving the defending champion back-to-back overall wins to start the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup. Chris Blose posted a strong runner-up effort (2-2), while Gared Steinke rounded out the overall podium in third (3-4). Jace Owen narrowly missed the podium in fourth (5-3), with Daniel Herrlein completing the top five (4-5).
Night two saw an impressive performance by Owen who put a stop to Faith’s win streak and rebounded for his first victory in the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup. Faith scored valuable points with a runner-up effort (2-2), while Blose stood atop the final podium step in third (3-3). Herrlein was fourth (6-4), just ahead of Steinke (5-5).
Following back-to-back victories, Faith entered the night eight points ahead of Owen in the Ricky Carmichael Cup standings, but now controls the points by just seven points following Owen’s win. Blose sits in third, 11-points out of the championship lead.
Gavin Faith
“I feel like myself again. Friday went amazing and although we didn’t win Saturday, I got off to two great starts and lead laps. I’m pumped to have the red plate again going into Round 3.”
The Western Regional AX Lites Class Championship is a thriller with Hunter Sayles now leading the series on 86 points, just one point ahead of arch rival Ryan Breece while the aggressive Jared Lesher is just a handful of points back on 79.
The fourth round of the Race to the Ricky Carmichael Cup continues next Saturday, April 1st at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
250AX Class Overall Results (Night 1 Main Event Results)
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (1-1)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (2-2)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (3-4)
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (5-3)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (4-5)
- Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki (7-6)
- Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha (11-7)
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (10-8)
- Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM (9-9)
- Challen Tennant, Willis, Texas, Yamaha (6-14)
Night 1 RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (2 points)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (1 point)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (1 point)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (1 point)
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (1 point)
- Challen Tennant, Willis, Texas, Yamaha (1 point)
- Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha (1 point)
- Chris Howell, Spokane Valley, Wash., Husqvarna (1 point)
250AX Class Overall Results (Night 2 Main Event Results)
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1-1)
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (2-2)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (3-3)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (6-4)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (5-5)
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (7-6)
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (4-11)
- Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki (11-7)
- Chris Howell, Spokane Valley, Wash., Husqvarna (8-9)
- Kinser Endicott, Red Bluff, Calif., Yamaha (9-10)
Night 2 RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (2 points)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (1 point)
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (1 point)
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1 point)
- Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki (1 point)
- Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha (1 point)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (1 point)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (1 point)
Race to the Championship Standings after Round 3:
- Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki – 104 (8 Main Event Wins)
- Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda – 97 (15 Main Event Wins)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha – 93 (1 Main Event Win)
- Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM – 80 (1 Main Event Win)
- Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki – 79
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki – 60 (1 Main Event Win)
- Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM – 58
- Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha – 40 (1 Main Event Win)
- Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda – 22 (1 Main Event Win)
- Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki – 21
Western Regional AX Lites Class Night 1 Results:
- Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki
- Austin Walton, Sparks, Nev., Yamaha
- Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
- Connor Pearson, El Dorado, Calif., KTM
- Kinser Endicott, Red Bluff, Calif., Yamaha
- Jeramy Taylor, Canton, Ohio, KTM
- James Gardiner, Las Vegas, Nev., Yamaha
- Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
- Deegan Von Lossberg, Palmdale, Calif., Yamaha
- Willy Simons, Simi Valley, Calif., Yamaha
Western Regional AX Lites Class Night 2 Results
- Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
- Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki
- Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
- Hunter Hilton, Youngsville, La., Husqvarna
- Austin Walton, Sparks, Nev., Yamaha
- Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha
- Blaine Silveira, Lemoore, Calif., Honda
- Challen Tennant, Willis, Texas, Yamaha
- Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., Kawasaki
Western Regional AX Lites Class Championship Standings
- Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM – 86
- Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki – 85
- Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM – 79
- Hunter Hilton, Youngsville, La., Husqvarna – 51
- Austin Walton, Sparks, Nev., Yamaha – 34
- Jeramy Taylor, Canton, Ohio, KTM – 32
- Parker Fleming, Quinlan, Texas, Husqvarna – 31
- Kinser Endicott, Red Bluff, Calif., Yamaha – 26
- Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha – 23
- Dylan Bolinger, Corona, Calif., Yamaha – 22
NZ Motocross Championships – Round 4 – Taupo Motorcycle Club – Taupo
Local heroes Cody Cooper and Hamish Harwood have won the MX1 and MX2 championships respectively after winning their classes at the final round of the 2017 New Zealand Motocross Championships which was held at the famed Taupo motocross track last weekend.
There was no stopping Blue Wing Honda’s Cody Cooper as the defending champion dominated the opening two motos ahead of Dean Ferris and with just a five point lead going into the final moto the tension was palpable but when Ferris’ Yamaha wouldn’t start for moto three it took the pressure off Cooper who went on to win the third moto and the championship by a healthy 32 points.
This was Cooper’s fifth consecutive MX1 title and his eighth NZ national title.
Cody Cooper
“I guess I offered Dean a chance to win the title when I gave up a 13 point lead at Palmerston but I won all three races today and that is that.”
Rhys Carter, Kayne Lamont, Luke Styke and Jesse Dobson rounded out the top five on the day while Ben Townley managed a credible ninth place but the person who turned most heads was Darryll King who turned up on a Honda CR500 and managed 16th outright with the highlight of the day being an incredible eighth place in the final moto.
In the MX2 class Harwood took two out of the three wins in the final round in the MX2 class to outpoint Dylan Walsh in the championship by 16 points while in the 125cc class it was Hayden Smith who won the title by five points over Kurtis Lilly with Hayden Wilkinson in third.
2017 New Zealand Motocross Championship Results:
MX1 – Total Points Round 4
- Cody Cooper – 75 Points
- Rhys Carter – 54
- Kayne Lamont – 54
- Luke Styke – 52
- Jesse Dobson – 48
- Dean Ferris – 42
- Brad Groombridge – 40
- Kieran Scheele – 37
- Ben Townley – 34
- Roydon White – 30
MX1 – Championship Final Points:
- Cody Cooper – 270 Points
- Dean Ferris – 238
- Rhys Carter – 210
- Luke Styke – 209
- Todd Waters – 179
- Kayne Lamont – 177
- Brad Groombridge – 158
- Kieran Scheele – 139
- Jesse Dobson – 131
- Roydon White – 122
MX2 – Total Points Round 4
- Hamish Harwood – 72 Points
- Dylan Walsh – 67
- Hadleigh Knight – 60
- Ethan Martens – 54
- Logan Blackburn – 43
- Kaleb Barham – 42
- Blake Gillard – 42
- Trent Collins – 41
- Benjamin Broad – 32
- Tony Cvitanovich – 31
MX2 – Championship Final Points:
- Hamish Harwood – 280 Points
- Dylan Walsh – 264
- Ethan Martens – 207
- Hadleigh Knight – 193
- Logan Blackburn – 177
- Kaleb Barham – 176
- Trent Collins – 161
- Benjamin Broad – 125
- Blake Gillard – 110
- Josh Tredinnick – 109
125cc 2 Stroke – Total Points Round 4
- Maximus Purvis – 70 Points
- Kurtis Lilly – 67
- Hayden Smith – 64
- Sam Greenlade – 51
- James Scott – 49
- Hayden Wilkinson – 47
- Dan Bell – 38
- Jordan Milsom – 36
- Joshua B-Palmer – 33
- Seton Head – 32
125cc 2-Stroke Championship Final Points
- Hayden Smith – 277 Points
- Kurtis Lilly – 272
- Hayden Wilkinson – 201
- Dan Bell – 181
- Jordan Milsom – 146
- Ryan Gwynn – 142
- Riley Campbell – 138
- Dave Hay – 112
- Joel Natzke – 111
- Joshua B-Palmer – 98
Night of the Jumps/FIM Freestyle MX World Championship – Round 4 – Krakow
The fourth round of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship took place on Saturday night in the Tauron Arena, Krakow, with over 10,000 spectators watching the huge Polish round of Night of the Jumps.
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With Petr Pilat unable to compete due to fracturing his foot before Krakow, Pilat’s young apprentice from the Czech Republic, Matej Cesak was able to fill in his place in the riders field to compete in his first ever Night of the Jumps competition. Cesak was able to allay all the normal jitters and nervousness before his first event to put together a safe and solid run, but he was unable to progress into the final
The Polish flag was represented by the local rider, Marcin Lukaszczyk. The Diverse rider has been pushing to make the final round of Night of the Jumps in Poland for many years. Despite increasing his level of tricks, it was still not enough for him to make it this time.
In the Freestyle contest, everyone was excited to see the comeback of Luc Ackermann and what he could deliver. After the Red Bull rider broke his Femur six months ago, he finally returned to the World Championships in Krakow. And he returned in serious style.
Landing his Egg Roll, Flair, Surfer Tsunami Flip and California Roll, the young German lifted the roof on the Tauron Arena and ending up in first place at the end of Qualifying.
Melero also landed his flair, which he boosted out of the quarter pipe, but didn’t bring the Body Varial while also making a mistake with his Cordova Flip. This combination resulted in the World Champion sitting in second for qualifying in front of his compatriot Dany Torres who brought his own Egg Roll.
Even Rinaldo didn’t bother bringing his body varials and finished in fourth before the final round. Filip Podmol on the other hand had a massive run and finishing with his California Roll, securing his first ever position in the Top 6 Final with Pat Bowden taking the last spot into the finals.
Filip’s older brother, Libor Podmol was lucky to even ride after surgery on his hand, but he took away 9th place points which could prove to be valuable in the World Championship season at the end of the year.
The best whip battle came down to a jump-off between Pat Bowden and Filip Podmol. The young Czech however was able to get the upper hand and turn his machine a little further inverted than the Australian and took the win in the end.
The Maxxis Highest Air competition didn’t disappoint, with Brice Izzo pushing Massimo Bianconcini to 8.50 metres. The Italian, Bianconcini, was able to make it over the 8.50 metre benchmark but the Frenchman was not able to get the height on both attempts. This resulted in Bianconcini winning another Maxxis Highest Air trophy and taking a five points advantage in the overall championship.
The Top 6 final was always about chasing down Luc’s incredible qualifying run. Pat Bowden landed his huge Hart and Double Hart Flips, while Filip Podmol landed a Hart Flip and California Roll. In the end, the Australian would overtake the Czech rider and take 5th overall. Dany Torres amazed the crowd with a Double Grab flip over the 11 metres superkicker while also utilising both quarter pipes for the Egg Roll and Flair. In the end, this was only enough for fourth place.
David Rinaldo also returned to competition after missing the two Berlin rounds with an illness, but made up for it by starting his run with a California Roll and finishing with a clean Double Hart Flip. The former World Champion from 2013 made his way back to the podium. Maikel Melero had to bring all of his big tricks to make sure he would get to the top of the podium including his California Roll, Nac Flair, Seat Grab Flip and more.
Especially when Luc Ackermann would be the last rider and he brought a run full of ‘Best Tricks’ such as the Nac 360, Surfer Tsunami Flip, Seat Grab Flip, Flair and California Roll. A small mistake on the landing cost the German the victory. Still, he was incredibly satisfied with the third place with his comeback and showed an impressive return to the World Championships after a 6 mounth hiatus.
With the third win in four World Championship rounds of 2017, Maikel Melero is expanding his lead in the overall ranking. Currently Melero is sitting on top with 76 points. His closest opponent is Libor Podmol in second with 55 points and Pat Bowden in third place with 54 points.
After the event in Poland, the first rounds of the World Championship have concluded until after summer when we return on October 28th with the World Championship rounds in Shenzhen, China. The next NIGHT of the JUMPs event will be on the 22nd of April, 2017 with the international event in the Olympiahalle, Munich.
Results Night of the Jumps – Final
- Maikel Melero – 440 Points
- David Rinaldo – 424 Points
- Luc Ackermann – 413 Points
- Dany Torres – 402 Points
- Pat Bowden – AUS – 377 Points
- Filip Podmol – 353 Points
Results Qualification
- Luc Ackermann – 362 Points
- Maikel Melero – 350 Points
- Dany Torres – 348 Points
- David Rinaldo – 347 Points
- Filip Podmol – 334 Points
- Pat Bowden – AUS – 333 Points
Results Best Whip Contest:
- Filip Podmol
- Pat Bowden – AUS
Maxxis Highest-Air:
- Massimo Bianconcini
- Brice Izzo
FIM Freestyle MX World Championship – Ranking (after 4th contest):
- Maikel Melero – 76 Points
- Libor Podmol – 55 Points
- Pat Bowden – AUS – 54 Points
- Dany Torres – 48 Points
- Petr Pilat – 39 Points
- Brice Izzo – 39 Points
- David Rinaldo – 35 Points
- Leonardo Fini – 35 Points
- Marc Pinyol – 26 Points
- Filip Podmol – 24 Points
- Luc Ackermann – 16 Points
- Remi Bizouard – 14 Points
- Kai Haase – 12 Points
- Ryan Brown – AUS – 10 Points
GNCC – Round 3 – Cannonball, Sparta, GA
The forecasted rain held off for round 3 of the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series and it was FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell who found himself back on top at the second annual Maxxis Cannonball GNCC held in Sparta, Georgia last weekend.
After taking the win just two weeks ago, Russell kept the momentum rolling where he claimed the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award once the race was underway. Ryan Sipes didn’t let his injury from last race affect him where he ran right behind Russell off the start.
Thad Duvall was able to make the pass on Sipes before the first eight miles of the six-lap race was complete. Russell, Duvall and Sipes held a huge gap on the rest of the pack, including Jordan Ashburn who was in fourth. The top three may have had a large gap on the rest of the field, but Russell, Duvall and Sipes were wheel-to-wheel as they emerged out of the woods at the nine-mile marker.
SRT/KTM’s Steward Baylor, who held second place in point’s championship, was nowhere to be seen on the first lap. After struggling to get his bike fired up on the start, his competitors had a thirty second lead over him.
Sipes made quick work in the main field section to pass Duvall and take back second overall. Duvall continued to hang with Sipes, and made the pass again just before they checked through timing and scoring for the first time.
As the second lap wore on, Ashburn continued pushing himself in an attempt to catch the podium contenders, where he shaved off ten seconds. Meanwhile, Baylor worked his way into the top five.
Like the previous round, different pit strategies came into play for Russell and Duvall. As the second lap was coming to a close, Russell headed in for a splash of gas allowing Duvall to inch closer.
Halfway through the race Sipes would find himself dealing with wrist pain from his accident in Florida. Sipes decided to end his race early in hopes of letting his hand have a couple more weeks to heal before the Steele Creek GNCC. Baylor used Sipes’ misfortune to his benefit where he took over the third-place position on the third lap. Ashburn continued to keep Baylor honest throughout the remainder of the lap.
Thad Duvall
“With only one lap remaining, Duvall would take the lead for a few miles until making a costly mistake. “I threw away the win. I had a comfortable lead on Russell coming into the white flag. I crashed so hard I’m not even sure what happened.”
Russell took command of the lead again, but Duvall recovered to still maintain second. Without a front fender or number plate Duvall faced a whole new obstacle the last lap. Russell continued to push through the demanding course to take the win, with his competition, Duvall, recovering to still finish second overall.
Kailub Russell
“I had bad stomach cramps in South Carolina, and I got them again today. I don’t know if it’s what I’m taking in my drink bottles during the race or what. I felt okay other than my stomach cramping. I had a crash and Duvall got away, so I felt like I had just blown it right there. I caught up to Duvall and saw he was picking himself up, too. I suffered the entire last lap and I’m not really happy with today. We need to go back to the drawing board and make some changes.”
A small mistake cost Thad Duvall the win, but the runner-up pushed through the last lap without a front fender or number plate.
Even though he didn’t have sight of the leaders, Baylor continued to ride his own race and challenge himself where he would cross the checkered flag third after his impressive come-from-behind ride.
Ashburn finished just off the podium in fourth, which would score him his best finish of the year. JCR Honda’s Trevor Bollinger rebounded from his last race, with fifth overall. After suffering from some lingering injuries, Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Josh Strang rode a consistent race for seventh overall.
In the XC2 250 Pro Lites division, Sam Evans grabbed the holeshot but Josh Toth worked his way through the pack to earn his third straight win of the season. The Cannonball GNCC treated both Mike Witkowski and New Jersey’s Jesse Groemm well where they finished second and third respectively.
Coastal Racing’s Jack Edmondson had an exceptional race where he stood in the middle of the box once again in the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class. Edmondson’s charge throughout the race earned him tenth overall ahead of many of the XC1 and XC2 competitors. Jason Thomas and Kiwi Paul Whibley rounded out the class podium.
Aussie Tayla Jones saw her way to her third win of the season ahead of defending champion Becca Sheets while another Aussie in MacKenzie Tricker was third overall.
The 2017 AMSOIL GNCC Series resumes in two weeks, April 8 and 9, with the FMF Steele Creek GNCC in Morganton, North Carolina.
Maxxis Cannonball GNCC – Sparta, Georgia – Round 3 of 13
XC1 Open Pro Event Results:
- Kailub Russell (KTM)
- Thad Duvall (HSQ)
- Steward Baylor (KTM)
- Jordan Ashburn (YAM)
- Trevor Bollinger (HON)
- Josh Strang (HSQ)
- Ricky Russell (YAM)
- Grant Baylor (HSQ)
- Chris Bach (KTM)
- Cory Buttrick (KTM)
Overall National Championship Standings after 3 of 13 Rounds:
- Kailub Russell (85)
- Steward Baylor (72)
- Thad Duvall (50)
- Josh Toth (48)
- Ricky Russell (43)
- Chris Bach (38)
- Trevor Bollinger (32)
- Russell Bobbitt (31)
- Grant Baylor (30)
- Mike Witkowski (30)
XC2 250 Pro Event Results:
- Josh Toth (YAM)
- Michael Witkowski (KTM)
- Jesse Groemm (KTM)
- Zack Hayes (KTM)
- Trevor Barrett (YAM)
- Craig Delong (HSQ)
- Evan Smith (KTM)
- Austin Lee (HON)
- Layne Michael (HSQ)
- Brendan Riordan (YAM)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:
- Josh Toth (90)
- Craig Delong (61)
- Mike Witkowski (58)
- Layne Michael (58)
- Jesse Groemm (52)
- Zack Hayes (43)
- Austin Lee (41)
- Benjamin Kelley (36)
- Jesper Borjessen (30)
- Trevor Barrett (25)
XC3 125 Pro Event Results:
- Jack Edmondson
- Jason Thomas
- Paul Whibley
- Hunter Neurwirth
- Mark Heresco Jr.
XC3 Championship Standings:
- Jack Edmondson – 90
- Jason Thomas – 71
- Paul Whibley – 67
WXC Pro Event Results:
- Tayla Jones
- Becca Sheets
- Mackenzie Tricker
- Kendall LaFollette
- Rachel Gutish
WXC Championship Standings:
- Tayla Jones – 60
- Becca Sheet – 56
- Mackenzie Tricker – 55
FIM World Enduro Championships – Round 1 and 2 – GP of Finland (Helsinki – Päijänne)
The opening two rounds of the FIM World Enduro Championships was held amongst Finland’s freezing winter last weekend and it was local hero Antti Hellsten who has won the opening two rounds of the EnduroGP class ahead of countryman Marko Tarkkala.
Defending champion Matthew Phillips rounded out the podium but in the Enduro 2 class it was Eero Remes who took out the win ahead of Henric Stigell while Aussie Daniel Sanders scored a credible seventh overall in unfamiliar conditions.
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EnduroGP – Day One
At the top of the EnduroGP results it was Antti Hellsten (Husqvarna) who claimed the win, leading home a trio of Finnish riders. Well used to racing in winter conditions, Hellsten made a strong start to the day before improving during the afternoon.
Antti Hellsten
“I felt good all day but it was after the mid-day service that I upped my pace. I kind of re-started my day and found a little speed that I wasn’t able to find at the start. I pushed harder and got to the top of the results.”
Behind Hellsten was another former world championship regular – Marko Tarkkala (Husqvarna) who was making a one-off EnduroGP outing, he remained consistently fast throughout the day, enjoying being back in the world championship and racing at home.
Third in EnduroGP was Aleksi Jukola (KTM), while the top ranked non-Finn in EnduroGP was Matthew Phillips (Sherco). Despite a big crash three tests from home the Tasmanian kept himself ahead of his nearest challenger, Steve Holcombe (Beta).
Matthew Phillips
“I thought I’d been cold before, but today was the coldest I’ve ever been. It was tough being one of the first riders on the tests in the morning, there was no real line to follow, so at times I was a little all over the place. Generally, the day went well.”
Another rider who found it difficult being among the first riders onto the tests was Steve Holcombe (Beta). Placing fifth in EnduroGP – the first two-stroke rider home – Steve was forced to ride half of the day’s 10th special test with no front brake having bent his front brake disk on a rock.
Steve Holcombe
“It was just what I didn’t need as I was starting to feel good, but that’s how it goes some times. I think both Phillips and I struggled a little in the morning but then things improved for us both. I’m happy enough with my result – there was no way I was going to catch those flying Finns.”
Rounding out the top 10 in EnduroGP was Christophe Nambotin (KTM), Loic Larrieu (Yamaha), Nathan Watson (KTM), Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) and reigning Enduro Junior World Champion Giacomo Redondi (Honda), who crashed heavily on the penultimate test.
EnduroGP Race 1 Results:
- Antti Hellsten / Husq / FIN / 3:03’25.490
- Marko Tarkkala / Husq / FIN / 3:04’49.380
- Aleksi Jukola / KTM / FIN / 3:05’21.660
- Matthew Phillips / Sherco / AUS / 3:05’32.620
- Steve Holcombe / Beta / GBR / 3:06’50.930
- Christophe Nambotin / Husq / FRA / 3:07’16.890
- Loic Larrieu / Yamaha / FRA / 3:07’29.780
- Nathan Watson / KTM / GBR / 3:08’46.480
- Christophe Charlier / Husq / FRA / 3:08’55.350
- Giacomo Redondi / Honda / ITA / 3:09’15.600
- Henri Himmanen / Beta / FIN / 3:09’55.800
- Alex Salvini / Beta / ITA / 3:09’56.560
- Mika Barnes / KTM / FIN / 3:10’52.490
- Jussi Arvala / Sherco / FIN / 3:16’43.360
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EnduroGP – Day Two:
Antti Hellsten (Husqvarna) completed a perfect weekend with EnduroGP class victory on day two. Despite winning only four of the day’s 11 special tests the Finn did all that he needed to do in order to stay ahead of second place finisher Steve Holcombe (Beta).
With Steve upping his pace and pushing Hellsten much harder than he did on day one, the difference between the two riders was just 38 seconds at the end of close to two-and-a-half hours of special test racing.
Antti Hellsten
“I’ve really enjoyed competing in an important Finnish race, that’s also a world championship event. Today was good again, Steve was faster than on day one but I found a good rhythm and kept pushing. As much as I’d love to compete in more world championship races I think this is where I step away from the series, but I’ve enjoyed competing against Holcombe, Phillips and the world championship regulars.”
Keeping Hellsten honest throughout the opening day Holcombe, who finished in fifth behind Matt Phillips (Sherco) on day one, was able to turn the tables, taking second place on day two, with Matthew Phillips taking third.
Topping two tests Holcombe placed 21 seconds ahead of Phillips, who despite damaging his rear brake early in the day, nevertheless pushed hard to secure third overall.
Fourth in EnduroGP on day two, Nathan Watson was arguably more relieved than most riders to have finished both days. Crashing heavily while training at home in England, Nathan struggled during the opening day.But with his confidence improving throughout the second day he finished just 17 seconds behind Phillips.
Marko Tarkkala (Husqvarna) finished fifth and as the second-best Finn behind Hellsten. Giacomo Redondi (Honda) improved on his day one result to finish sixth with Aleksi Jukola (KTM), Loic Larrieu (Yamaha), Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) and Alex Salvini (Beta) rounding out the top 10.
EnduroGP Race 2 results
- Antti Hellsten / Husq / FIN / 2:14’22.630
- Steve Holcombe / Beta / GBR / 2:15’01.160
- Matthew Phillips / Sherco / AUS / 2:15’22.250
- Nathan Watson / KTM / GBR / 2:15’39.440
- Marko Tarkkala / Husq / FIN / 2:16’43.960
- Giacomo Redondi / Honda / ITA / 2:17’19.990
- Aleksi Jukola / KTM / FIN / 2:17’24.640
- Loic Larrieu / Yama / FRA / 2:17’27.680
- Christophe Charlier / Husq / FRA / 2:19’30.300
- Alex Salvini / Beta / ITA / 2:21’27.920
- Henri Himmanen / Beta / FIN / 2:21’41.810
- Mika Barnes / KTM / FIN / 2:23’29.640
- Deny Philippaerts / Beta / ITA / 2:25’07.560
- Juha Tirkkonen / KTM / FIN / 2:29’17.030
- Santeri Enjala / KTM / FIN / 2:29’55.460
Enduro GP Standings
- Antti Hellsten – 40
- Marko Tarkkala – 28
- Matthew Phillips – 28
- Steve Holcombe – 28
- Aleksi Jukola – 24
- Nathan Watson – 21
- Loic Larrieu – 17
- Giacomo Redondi – 16
- Christophe Charlier – 14
- Alex Salvini – 10
Enduro 2 – Day One:
With Remes running away with things in Enduro 2, Henric Stigell was the only rider to get close. Although nearly three minutes behind Remes after the three hours of special test action, Stigell was impressively fast throughout the day.
Pascal Rauchenecker (Husqvarna) was the fastest non-Finn in the Enduro 2 class, finishing third to deliver one of the event’s stand-out performances.
Roni Nikander (KTM) finished just under one-minute behind Rauchenecker with Josep Garcia (KTM) fifth ahead of his team-mate Daniel Sanders (KTM) and Danny McCanney (Husqvarna) and Jamie McCanney (Yamaha).
Enduro 2 Race 1 results:
- Eero Remes / TM / FIN / 3:00’58.230
- Henric Stigell / Husq / FIN / 3:03’48.630
- Pascal Rauchenecker / Husq / AUT / 3:05’57.790
- Roni Nikander / KTM / FIN / 3:06’47.830
- Josep Garcia / KTM / ESP / 3:06’56.620
- Daniel Sanders / KTM / AUS / 3:07’32.590
- Daniel McCanney / Husq / GBR / 3:08’08.860
- Jamie McCanney / Yama / GBR / 3:08’48.490
- Jiri Leino / Beta / FIN / 3:11’13.580
- Lorenzo Santolino / Sherco / ESP / 3:11’59.970
- Davide Guarneri / Honda / ITA / 3:12’42.300
- Manuel Monni / TM / ITA / 3:14’07.390
- Marcus Michelsson / KTM / FIN / 3:14’34.200
- Thomas Oldrati / KTM / ITA / 3:14’40.300
- Tommy Sjostrom / Yama / SWE / 3:15’24.840
Enduro 2 – Day Two:
Faced with a shorter day, that featured 11 special tests and took riders south towards the event’s finish on the outskirts of Helsinki, it was again Remes who set the pace others tried to match.
Topping the first nine tests in the Enduro 2 class to open up a sizeable lead, Remes eased his pace a little as the day neared its close but nevertheless still placed close to three minutes ahead of class runner-up Josep Garcia (KTM).
Eero Remes
“It was another good day for me. With the first day going so well I knew that if I rode the same way I would be able to be fast again. I felt good and everything worked out. It’s a great start to my championship and it’s been a great event. Winning in Finland is always special.”
Despite being off a bike for one month following a car accident prior to the GP of Finland, Josep Garcia (KTM) brought his first ever senior class outing to a very positive close with a strong second place result behind the flying Remes.
Josep Garcia
“I’m very pleased with this result. With my time off a bike, with this being my first senior class race, with the conditions being so tough, it’s a great start to the series for me. I was a little unsure of how I would do, but now I will work hard to be even stronger for my home GP in Spain.”
Improving on his day one result Jamie McCanney (Yamaha) finished 26 seconds behind Stigell for fourth with Roni Nikander (KTM) and Daniel Sanders (KTM) rounding out the top six.
Daniel Sanders
“I always knew that this weekend was going to be a huge learning experience, and it was. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge, but the conditions have been really tough. With the team we did some great training but racing in the ice, mud, water and rocks is unlike anything I’ve done before. I rode as hard as I could on both days. I scored some good points so I’m pleased enough to come away from the event with two decent finishes.”
Jamie McCanney
“We’ve worked hard during the winter and there was lots of anticipation for this GP. We took a wise decision with the team to arrive in Finland a week earlier and managed to make some great improvements with the bikes and our riding in snow. In saying that, obviously local riders had a clear advantage in these conditions, but nevertheless we did our best on both days. Knowing it was going to be a long weekend I started day one more on the safe side, not taking too many risks. I started fine and got some top five times in some tests. But not having walked the tests beforehand it was hard to know where to push. I started pushing at the end of the day but my times were not improving. I decided to approach day two differently. It was a better day for sure and I was involved in a fight for the top three throughout the day, which is positive. Ending up fourth in these conditions shows the speed is there.”
Competing in his first ever EnduroGP race, Australian Sanders battled his way to the end of a challenging event in seventh overall for Enduro 2.
Enduro 2 Race 2 Results:
- Eero Remes / TM / FIN / 2:13’12.100
- Josep Garcia / KTM / ESP / 2:16’06.770
- Henric Stigell / Husq / FIN / 2:16’23.080
- Jamie McCanney / Yama / GBR / 2:16’48.490
- Roni Nikander / KTM / FIN / 2:17’27.650
- Daniel Sanders / KTM / AUS / 2:17’28.900
- Manuel Monni / TM / ITA / 2:19’57.170
- Pascal Rauchenecker / Husq / AUT / 2:20’02.330
- Jiri Leino / Beta / FIN / 2:20’27.800
- Lorenzo Santolino / Sherco / ESP / 2:21’02.960
- Davide Guarneri / Honda / ITA / 2:22’38.060
- Thomas Oldrati / KTM / ITA / 2:22’38.060
- Marcus Michelsson / KTM / FIN / 2:23’04.080
- Tommy Sjostrom / Yama / SWE / 2:23’42.110
- Jonathan Barragan / GasGas / ESP / 2:23’59.260
Enduro 2 Standings:
- Eero Remes – 40
- Henric Stigell – 32
- Josep Garcia – 28
- Roni Nikander – 24
- Pascal Rauchenecker – 23
- Jamie McCanney – 21
- Daniel Sanders – 20
- Jiri Leino – 14
- Manuel Monni – 13
- Lorenzo Santolino – 12
Dutch Masters of Motocross – Round 1 – Oss, Netherlands
Max Nagl and Brian Bogers have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at the opening round of the Dutch Masters of Motocross held at the treacherous Oss circuit in the Netherlands last weekend.
Nagl muscled his Husqvarna to a win in the opening moto ahead of his teammate Gautier Paulin but the German was relegated to second place in the final moto of the day after a ding-dong battle with KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings who went on to take the win ahead of the Husqvarna trio of Nagle, Paulin and Max Anstie.
Bogers scored two second places to earn the overall ahead of the MX2 World Championship points leader Jeremy Seewer who went 4-1 over the two motos while Calvin Vlaanderen (3-3), Thomas Kjer Olsen (1-6) and Miro Sihvonen (8-4) rounded out the top five.
Jed Beaton has his first outing in Europe and the 2016 Australian Motocross Champion adapted to the tough conditions quickly to earn 9-12 finishes for 12th outright, one position ahead of one of the hottest riders in Europe right now, Zach Pichon.
Former World Junior Motocross Champion and multi Australian Junior Motocross Champion Caleb Grothues was also on hand racing in Oss and the teenager managed 26-22 finishes in his first MX2 race in Europe on what is potentially the toughest track on the Euro circuit.
MX1 – Overall Finish:
- Max Nagl – 1-2
- Gautier Paulin – 2-3
- Jeffrey Herlings – 7-1
- Shaun Simpson – 3-5
- Max Anstie – 5-4
- Kevin Strijbos – 6-6
- Filip Bengtsson – 9-8
- Yentel Martens – 8-10
- Arminas Jasikonis – 13-7
- Damon Graulus – 12-9
MX1 Championship Standings:
- Max Nagl – 47
- Gautier Paulin – 42
- Jeffrey Herlings – 39
- Shaun Simpson – 36
- Max Anstie – 34
MX2 – Overall Finish:
- Brian Bogers – 2-2
- Jeremy Seewer – 4-1
- Calvin Vlaanderen – 3-3
- Thomas Kjer Olsen – 1-6
- Miro Sihvonen – 8-4
- Jago Geerts – 6-5
- Simone Furlotti – 7-7
- Freek van der Blist – 11-8
- Roan van de Moosdijk – 9-13
- David Herbreteau – 10-16
MX2 Championship Standings:
- Brian Bogers – 44
- Jeremy Seewer – 43
- Calvin Vlaanderen – 40
- Thomas Kjer Olsen – 40
- Miro Sihvonen – 31
Sonora Rally – Mexico
Monster Energy Honda Team’s American rider Ricky Brabec took the top honours in Mexico’s Sonora Rally, one of the Dakar Challenge races, where he dominated the four stages.
After making it through the tests and technical scrutineering, the Honda CRF450 RALLY emblazoned with the number three of Ricky Brabec, set off on a four-stage 1318 kilometre rally.
The first half of the rally was battled out between Punta Peñasco and Puerto Libertad, with various timed special stages of over three hundred kilometres apiece. Ricky Brabec commanded throughout each and every sector and was head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
The team, managed by Taichi Honda with the collaboration of American Honda and Johnny Campbell’s JCR Honda, then transferred to San Luís Río Colorado to dispute the final stretch of the rally, leaving the track behind as the race took to the dunes.
An outstanding Brabec shone throughout, opening the track and navigating at a cracking pace to wrap up the race with a substantial gap over rivals. Moreover, the rider was clearly feeling at ease back on the Honda CRF450 RALLY bike for the first time since the Dakar 2017 adventure, which saw Brabec retire shortly before the race finish.
Ricky Brabec
“It was my first time here at Sonora. The last few days were pretty challenging in the sand dunes. It was good practice for me to open every day. I think that with a full-year of training and doing this stuff will be good to prepare for the Dakar. The race was smooth for us and for the team. The roadbook was very technical, which was a good challenge. I don’t think that there were any injuries, so we are ready for the rest of the year.”
Taichi Honda – Monster Energy Honda Team Rally Project Leader
“The Sonora Rally has been a great test which means it has provided the team with a lot of good data, in this the first rally of the season that will culminate with the Dakar 2018. Ricky did a really good job, it’s a pity that Joan couldn’t be here. It has been very good training for Ricky; he navigated well and he had to work very hard to open the track everyday. Without doubt, it has been good preparation towards the next Dakar. The team will continue to work along this line.”
Monster Energy Honda Team is due to continue its programme with the participation of Portuguese rider Paulo Gonçalves and Argentinean Kevin Benavides in the first round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, set to take place in Abu Dhabi from 1st to 6th April.
Sonora Rally 2017 Results
- BRABEC Ricky – USA
- SAMUELS Mark – USA
- SHORT Andrew – USA
- PEARSON David – USA
- HATSWELL Rick – USA
