Moto News Wrap for March 7, 2017 by Darren Smart

Moto News Wrap for March 7, 2017 by Darren Smart

Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

Latest News:

• Woman’s Week Coaching Day huge success
• Webb Misses Toronto with shoulder onjury
• Hampshire breaks leg
• Tayla Jones takes the win at Big Buck Farm GNCC Opener
• XC3 Class debuts at Big Buck GNCC
• Jett Lawrence wins at Dutch Championship
• Miles Davis doing Finke on BMW R 1200 GS
• Dmitry closes in on FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators Championship

Race Reports:

• AMA Supercross – Rd 9 – Rogers Centre – Toronto, Canada
• Amsoil Arenacross Championship – Round 8 – Southaven, MS
• FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship – Round 1 – Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia
• FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 3 – Euskadi (Bilbao)
• GNCC – Round 1 – Big Buck, Union, SC
• Clipsal 500 Super Enduro-X – Adelaide, SA
• Golden Wheel Classic – Kalgoorlie, WA

Woman’s Week Coaching Day HUGE Success

The second annual Woman’s Week Coaching Day was held last weekend at Queensland Vintage Motocross’s awesome facility near Beaudesert and with 60 plus women turning up to be coached by our World Champions Jess Gardner and Jemma Wilson you have all the makings of a sensational event.

The coveted coach Rod Jenner overseeing proceedings, Gardner and Wilson were joined by fellow female off-road stars in Tamara Gray and Tania Millard to help with the coaching while Barry Surawski, Craig Wills, Connor Rice and I were also on deck to offer a helping hand throughout the day.

All aspects of off-road riding were covered and the 60 plus women who were on hand to be coached not only improved their riding abilities no end, they also had a sensational day making new friendships along the way.

Webb Misses Toronto with Shoulder Injury

A shoulder injury sustained in a heat race crash in Minneapolis has forced Cooper Webb to miss a second consecutive race. Keith McCarty, motorsports racing division manager for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., announced that Webb will miss Toronto this weekend.

MRIs last week revealed that Webb avoided any major breaks, separations, or dislocations in his shoulder, but that he did incur some deep bruising.

Cooper Webb

“I was really hoping that I could race in Toronto, but my shoulder is still really sore, and I need to give it a little more time before I can return. I’m doing everything I can to recover—listening to my trainer and rehabbing—and I hope to return to the track soon.”

Hampshire Breaks Leg

Geico Honda rider RJ Hampshire will miss the remainder of the Monster Energy Supercross 250SX East Region after coming up short on a jump at the Toronto round and breaking his leg.

RJ Hampshire – On Instagram

“Toronto did not end well for our @rjhampshire. On the last lap of the main, he came up short on the rhythm section & went down. Not knowing exactly what had happened to his leg/ankle, he quickly got up and finished the race in 14th. Today he found out he fractured his lower tib & fib. Luckily, this shouldn’t require surgery and he should be good to go for outdoors. Get well soon RJ.”

Hampshire now joins team-mate Chase Sexton, who also broke his leg, on the sidelines. Christian Craig continues on with them team, although he has also suffered injury, a concussion, and missed Atlanta.

Tayla Jones takes the Win at Big Buck Farm GNCC Opener

Australian girls Tayla Jones and MacKenzie Tricker have finished first and third respectively at the opening round of the 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) held at the Big Buck farm last weekend.

Jones, a multi ISDE gold medallist grabbed the early lead but the defending champion Becca Sheets kept her honest right to the finish line while Tricker put all of her motocross skills to good use to hold onto third. It is going to be a great battle between these three girls this season.

Tayla Jones

“Not complaining with my start to the GNCC season! Stoked to come away with the win today not only for myself but the whole team. I started off great with a holeshot on my @husqvarna_usa 250 FC and ended up sliding out on the third corner which made my race harder then it should’ve been. Track got beat and rough by the end but my @aeopowersports suspension was perfect all day! Can’t wait for next weekend.”

XC3 Class Debuts at Big Buck GNCC

The new XC3 class made its debut at the Big Buck GNCC last weekend and it was red-hot Brit Jack Edmonson who took his Husqvarna 125 to victory over Jason Thomas and former GNCC XC1 title holder and long retired Kiwi Paul Whibley who is in the States as a rider trainer for the Yamaha Off-Road team.

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XC3 Championship Standings

1. Jack Edmondson – 30
2. Jason Thomas – 25
3. Paul Whibley – 21
4. Mark Heresco JR – 18
5. Hunter Neuwirth – 16

Jett Lawrence Wins at Dutch Championship

While his brother Hunter was battling the mud at the Indonesian GP, Jet Lawrence kicked off his 2017 season with a win at the opening round of the Dutch Motocross Championship last weekend AND he got to hang out with Liam Everts, the son of Stefan.

Jet Lawrence

“Had a play in the sand at the first round of the ONK Dutch championship at Heerde on Saturday . Qualified 1st and won moto 1 and moto 2 for 1st overall. Not without a few mistakes, crashes and bad starts so hoping to fix that before my next race. These races are crazy how many riders turn up its awesome and big thanks to Kevin Guilloux for being my mechanic for the day, Kelly Everts and my bro Liam for taking us and of course a huge thanks to my Suzuki family and everyone who supports us.”

Miles Davis doing Finke on R 1200 GS

There is probably a reason why no-one else has done it before but Miles Davis is set to compete at the 2017 Finke Desert Race on the BMW R 1200 GS – here is what Miles wrote on his FB page after spending time testing in the desert.

Miles Davis

‘ I just got back from a couple of days at Alice Springs pre running the famous Finke Desert Race track. The plan is to race in June on the new R 1200 GS Rallye X, it won’t be easy but after the pre run I am confident that I can finish before the cut off time. On Saturday I rode the course in both directions, 226km each way, the course was very rough in places from the heavy rains earlier this summer but we got through pretty well. In general the bike performed really well, now we know a few tips on how to set the bike up for the race. After the race we will be taking a small group of BMW Safari customers across the Simpson Desert, another ambitious challenge. Really looking forward to June!’

Dmitry closes in on FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators Championship

Dmitry Koltakov is entitled to feel that he has one hand on this year’s World Championship trophy. He was again the winner as Day 2 of the event in Berlin produced a similar set of results as on the previous evening.

Dropping only one point throughout and including three wins over challenger Igor Kononov he now stands a clear eight points ahead with only one two-day final remaining.

Kononov had seemed to be in good form but finishing third in 34 behind Koltakov and Dinar Valeev meant that he would face Koltakov again in both the semi final and final. The three points he missed as a result places him further behind the leader with his hopes of a gold medal seemingly slipping away.

Dmitry Khomitsevich improved on his first day result and was the only man to beat Koltakov. He now sits comfortably in third place overall but with only an outside chance of retaining his title.

Franky Zorn was as usual in the thick of the action but drawn against Koltakov and Kononov in his semi final proved to be too great a challenge and he failed to make his second final of the event. Harald Simon was feeling the effects of a knee injury he picked up on Saturday and withdrew from his last two races.

Again there was little joy for the home fans with Günther Bauer the only German to reach the semi final stage although Max Niedermaier was close until falling in his last ride. Hans Weber managed only two points whilst Luca Bauer failed to score.

The Swedes were again led by Stefan Svensson whose eight points kept him in seventh position overall but neither Ove Ledström nor Svensson junior were consistent enough to match his score.

2017 FIM Ice Speedway Gladiator standings after Rnd 4

1. Dmitri Kolkatov (Russia) – 146
2. Igor Kononov (Russia) – 138
3. Dmitri Khomitsevich (Russia) – 122
4. Dinar Valeev (Russia) – 109
5. Franz Zorn (Austria) – 85
6. Daniil Ivanov (Russia) – 79
7. Stefan Svensson (Sweden) – 59
8. Günther Bauer (Germany) – 56

Smarty’s Race Reports:

AMA Supercross – Rd 9 – Rogers Centre – Toronto, Canada

Monster Energy AMA Supercross made its annual visit north of the border last weekend and the crowd of 49,020 fans got to watch Eli Tomac win his fourth 450SX Class race of the season while Zach Osborne claimed his second straight win in the Eastern Regional 250SX class.

 450SX Final

Blake Baggett emerged from the crowded first corner with the holeshot ahead of Tomac and Broc Tickle with championship leader Ryan Dungey was well outside the top 10 before working his way up to ninth by the completion of the opening lap. Chad Reed was sitting in sixth at this stage.

Tomac was in the lead at the end of the first rhythm section and with a clear track ahead of him the Kawasaki pilot started to pull away from the field and his lead extended even further when Baggett crashed on lap four, giving up second to Tickle and third to Davi Millsaps.

Baggett remounted in fourth just ahead of Chad Reed and Dungey who was on a mission after his poor start. Baggett passed Millsaps for third and not long after that Dungey took over control of fourth and set his sights on Baggett in third.

With Tomac more than 10 seconds ahead of the field, Dungey moved into podium position past Baggett on Lap 11 before making the pass on Tickle on Lap 16.

But Tomac went unchallenged en route to taking the win some 14.2 seconds ahead of Dungey while Tickle held on for third ahead of Reed, Baggett, Cole Seely, Millsaps, Dean Wilson, Justin Barcia and Justin Brayton.

Eli Tomac

“The track was gnarly. It really broke down, so it was important to be consistent and ride smart. The long start let the Kawasaki open up and put us in a good position out of the gate, which was key. We had a good time here [in Toronto] and we’ll see what we can do [moving forward in the championship]. We have eight rounds left with a lot of good tracks ahead. I’ll just keep hammering.”

Dungey’s impressive come-from-behind effort was crucial to his lead in the championship standings, which now sits at 24 points over Tomac, who moved into second after Dungey’s Red Bull KTM teammate Marvin Musquin fell to third following a 13th-place finish and sits 39 points out of the lead.

Ryan Dungey

“It was a very bad start. I got out [of the gate] and just spun [the tire]. I needed a good jump [to contend], but it didn’t happen. I tried to pick off as many guys as I could and did that one by one. To be in second place [after all that] I can’t be mad at all. I didn’t think I’d get there with the way things started. Eli [Tomac] was there. He was out front and made it happen. We need to make it tougher on him. We’ll work on our starts and come back fighting next weekend.”

Broc Tickle

“I just needed to put in the laps that I needed to, the track was tough tonight, it was all about hitting your lines and jumping the jumps, staying smooth and not panicking, Ryan got by towards the end that kind of helped me because I was getting a little tight.”

450SX Class Results

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
3. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
4. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha
5. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM
6. Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda
7. Davi Millsaps, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM
8. Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
9. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Suzuki
10. Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., Honda

450SX Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 196
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 172
3. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 157
4. Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 153
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 123
6. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., KTM – 112
7. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 101
8. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 99
9. Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna – 97
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 96

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event

The Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event began with French import Dylan Ferrandis grabbing the first holeshot of his U.S. career ahead of Joey Savatgy and Osborne through the first turn.

Savatgy began his attack for the lead almost immediately and was able to get by Ferrandis, only to have the Frenchman blitz the whoops to take back the lead.

However the Kawasaki rider passed for the lead a second time on lap one but again lost the top spot in the very next left hand corner when Ferrandis slid up the inside the t-boned Savatgy out of the way.

The battle out front allowed the top five riders in the race to all sit within bike lengths of one another, with Osborne, Adam Cianciarulo and Colt Nichols shadowing the leading duo.

Savatgy successfully made the pass and opened a slight gap at the beginning of the fifth lap. A short time later, Osborne moved past Ferrandis into second and set his sights on the lead just before Ferrandis’ night turned sour when the Yamaha rider went down while running third, allowing Cianciarulo to move into podium position.

On the following lap, Osborne took advantage of a bobble by Savatgy to assume the lead just before the finish. He proceeded to set the fastest lap of the main event and established a comfortable lead he would continue to extend. While running second, Savatgy crashed after misjudging a jump on Lap 14.

That misfortune allowed Cianciarulo to move into second, while GEICO Honda’s Christian Craig slotted into third after misfortune befell Nichols. Savatgy remounted in fifth.

Osborne built his lead to over 10 seconds in the closing stages and cruised to his second straight win, this time by 9.1 seconds ahead of Cianciarulo, who made his first trip to the podium since his rookie 2014 season.

Craig grabbed his first podium finish of the season in third ahead of Nichols, Ferrandis, Savatgy, Jordon Smith, Kyle Peters, Greensboro, Cameron McAdoo and Anthony Rodriguez.

Zach Osborne

“The track was tough tonight, but I had a good feeling from the start of the day. I’m enjoying riding right now and I have the confidence to come out here and do well. It’s an amazing feeling, and the pressure is going to build week in and week out [as point’s leader]. To get my first win last weekend and back it up here [in Toronto] is awesome and ensures we avoid any sort of slump.”

Adam Cianciarulo

“For me it is just about time, getting laps under my belt, I have been riding not to lose and not to win, not riding to my capabilities. I wasn’t the greatest tonight, I didn’t ride to my potential but I will take it and hopefully turn it into a couple of wins.”

Christian Craig

“This is kinda like the first round for me. The first two round have been garbage, this is something to build off, Colt and Savatgy made mistakes but I’ll take it, I am happy to just get a race under my belt.”

Osborne added to his lead in the Eastern Regional standings, which stood at just two points entering the night, and now sits 12 points ahead of Savatgy, who finished sixth.

Jordon Smith, who finished seventh after a coming together with Ferrandis, sits in a tie for third with Cianciarulo, with both riders sitting 18 points out of the lead.

The 2017 Monster Energy Supercross season continues next Saturday, March 11, for the 10thround of the championship at legendary Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

 Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results

1. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna
2. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki
3. Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda
4. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha
5. Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha
6. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki
7. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM
8. Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Suzuki
9. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Honda
10. Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

1. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 70
2. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 58
3. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM – 52
4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 52
5. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 49
6. Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Suzuki – 37
7. RJ Hampshire, Brooksville, Fla., Honda – 36
8. Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha – 34
9. Luke Renzland, Hewitt, N.J., Yamaha – 31
10. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM – 29
11. Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda – 29

AMSOIL Arenacross Championship – Round 8 – Southaven, MS

The eighth round of the AMSOIL Arenacross was held over two nights inside the Landers Center at Southaven last weekend and it was Jace Owen who swept both nights in the 250SX class while Ryan Breece and Hunter Sayles shared main event wins in the Western Regional AX Lites Class.

Owen won both main events on Friday night ahead of Gavin Faith and Daniel Herrlein then repeated the performance on Saturday night this time ahead of Matt Goerke and Josh Osby and now, heading to the ninth round Own has a commanding 36 point lead in the series over Faith.

Things are a lot tight at the pointy end of the Western Regional AX Lites Class Championship with Breece leading the points on 45 while Sayles is in second on 41 points while young Jared Lesher sits in third on 40 points.

AMSOIL Arenacross will continue next Saturday, March 11, as it heads to New Orleans for the ninth round of the season inside the Smoothie King Center.

250AX Class Overall Results (Friday Main Event Results)

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1-1)
2. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (3-2)
3. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (2-4)
4. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (4-3)
5. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (5-5)
6. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha (6-6)
7. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (7-7)
8. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (8-8)
9. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki (9-10)
10. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (11-9)

250AX Class Overall Results (Saturday Main Event Results)

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1-1)
2. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha (2-4)
3. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki (5-2)
4. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (6-3)
5. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (4-6)
6. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (3-9)
7. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (7-7)
8. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (12-5)
9. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki (8-8)
10. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (9-10)

250AX Class Championship Standings

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda – 319 (12 Main Event Wins)
2. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki – 283 (5 Main Event Wins)
3. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha – 277 (1 Main Event Win)
4. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki – 241
5. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha – 236 (1 Main Event Win)
6. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda – 213 (1 Main Event Win)
7. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM – 208
8. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM – 149
9. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki – 144
10. Josh Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Kawasaki – 109

Western Regional AX Lites Class Results – Night 1

1. Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki
2. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ind., Kawasaki
3. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
4. Jerry Robin, Corcoran, Minn., Yamaha
5. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
6. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM
7. Nick Schnagl, Stillwater, Minn., Honda
8. Samuel Redman, Clarksville, Tenn., Kawasaki
9. Dylan Bolinger, Corona, Calif., Yamaha
10. Donny Brown, Hermitage, Tenn., Yamaha

Western Regional AX Lites Class Results – Night 2

1. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
2. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
3. Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki
4. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM
5. Samuel Redman, Clarksville, Tenn., Kawasaki
6. Nick Schnagl, Stillwater, Minn., Honda
7. Hunter Hilton, Youngsville, La., Husqvarna
8. Parker Fleming, Quinlan, Texas, Husqvarna
9. Jake Mckinney, Hamersville, Ohio, Kawasaki
10. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ind., Kawasaki

Western Regional AX Lites Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Breece, Athol, Idaho, Kawasaki – 45
2. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM – 41
3. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM – 40
4. Dylan Bolinger, Corona, Calif., Yamaha – 22
5. Jeramy Taylor, Canton, Ohio, KTM – 19
6. Hunter Hilton, Youngsville, La., Husqvarna – 19
7. Parker Fleming, Quinlan, Texas, Husqvarna – 14
8. Richard Jackson, Holdenville, Okla., KTM – 6
9. Brandon Marley, McEwen, Tenn., KTM – 4
10. Miles Daniele, Clovis, Calif., KTM – 2

FIM Motocross World Championship – Rd 2 – Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia

What a debacle! Youthstream schedules an MXGP round in the third wettest months on the Indonesian calendar and on the back of the two wettest months of the year. March averages 240mm of rain after December, and January hit 300mm plus so is it any wonder that the GP was a wash out?

So, due to the very predictable extreme weather conditions the MXGP of Indonesia was decided by one MX1 race which was won by Shaun Simpson.

In MX2 there was one and a half motos with Jeremy Seewer coming away with the GP win while Julien Leiber is now the points leader after last week’s GP winner Paul Jonnas scored just four points in the laughable conditions.

 MXGP Race Report:

Romain Febvre came away with the holeshot but like most of the riders in the race he had issues and would place 15th overall while defending champion Tim Gajser had a crack at getting to the from before finishing a respectable 6th place.

With fellow competitor’s bikes stuck in the mud and littering the track, Simpson finished just over seven seconds ahead of Glenn Coldenhoff who finished five seconds ahead of Clement Desalle.

Desalle looked aggressive for the full race, holding off championship leader Antonio Cairoli who managed to finish 4th overall and will continue to hold the red plate.

Rui Goncalves, Kevin Strijbos, Gajser, Tanel Leok, Evgeny Bobryshev and Jeremy Van Horebeek paddled their way around the quagmire to round out the top ten.

Shaun Simpson

“Fantastic, but a little surreal. It was nice to get off to a good start. I didn’t go out on the sighting lap so I was a little unsure but I talked to the team manager, Louis, and he told me about some good lines so I had a good idea about where I needed to go. I started sixth or seventh and picked off a couple of guys and I knew that once I got past Tim Gajser for fifth that I could get to the front.”

Glenn Coldenhoff

“It was a great moto. I had a great start – thanks to the team for that because we changed a few things and now I’m really happy – and got into the lead. I rode easy but there was one part of the track that was really difficult; I got through it every lap and this was the key. I put all my energy in that one section. I’m really happy with second place and the team have done a great job; I have a lot of confidence in the bike and I’m looking forward to Argentina already.”

Clement Desalle

“Those were not normal conditions. I made the podium today but there is not too much to say. The start was so important and then everybody was just trying to get around. One place on the track was really bad and in the last three-four laps you just hoped that you would get through it. The whole situation was on the limit.”

Antonio Cairoli

“I’m really happy actually because the track was really difficult and it was easy to lose a lot of points. I didn’t have such a good start and managed to make some good passes while others got stuck. I ended up with fourth place which is good for the championship and we still have an eight point lead. We were happy that the Jury decided to stop the second race because the track was becoming very tricky and very dangerous. We’ll go home now, reset and do some training and tests to be ready for Argentina which is a track I really like and one of my favourites.”

Jeffrey Herlings

“It was a gamble and some riders won and some lost; it is pretty devastating to be in sixth-seventh position and to then get stuck. I’m already fifty points down in the championship but I still believe we can make it happen. It has been a tough start and we expected that because of my injury but the weather here meant it was out of my hands! We’ll have to take this and work from here. At least my hand was much better than last week. I hope I can finally be up front in Argentina and it is a track that suits me well. A podium there is realistic.”

Tim Gajser

“It was a bit of a mess this weekend to be honest. With all the mud and the rain, I am quite happy I have taken solid points from this weekend. The first race felt like it was a case of surviving the race it wasn’t ‘racing’. I felt like I was normal for the first 10-15 minutes, I was in second place and almost catching the leader and then I just suddenly destroyed myself and I am not really sure why or how it happened, I just didn’t feel my best. I just ride until the end to get points. Overall I am not actually that happy with the weekend and my results overall but sometimes the bad races are not so bad and we have a chance to have a break and get ready for a better race in Argentina.”

Jordi Tixier

“It was a very strange and tough weekend as the programme changed several times; for sure we knew that it would be complicated as before coming here we saw that it was the monsoon period in Indonesia. I was way outside on the gate as nobody told us that the free practice session would count for gate pick, but my start was not so bad and I made some good moves to advance to eighth; I can’t say that I had fun on the bike, but I had good lines except in the muddy section where I was blocked by other riders and lost a lot of time with five laps to go. After that I just focused on finishing the race; we know that it’s a lottery in these conditions and scoring points was important even if I can’t be happy with a twelfth place.”

Evgeny Bobryshev

“It was a very difficult weekend for me. Indonesia is not what I expected that it would be. I have had difficulties with the food, the heat and everything here and unfortunately on-top of that we had wet weather which has made the track really sticky with deep ruts. I have never ridden anything like this in all my career. It is normal here for it to rain though as it is the wet season. I made the best of the first race, I crashed twice and managed to get it to ninth. I was not riding well in the mud, I struggle with it and I am not one of the fastest. I am really pleased the FIM and Youthstream cancelled the second race because it would be dangerous for us to go out there. I have to say a big thanks to HRC and everyone who worked on everything over the weekend as it was a lot to take on in those conditions. I am happy to go back, have a break and get ready for Argentina.”

Kevin Strijbos

“It’s a shame that it’s been cancelled as from our side, we were here all week waiting for the GP and then they cancelled yesterday after free practice and then today after the first race. The first moto I just tried to stay on two wheels, I wasn’t riding great, a bit too tight, scared to make a mistake. Others were faster but they were getting stuck so I was doing ok. Then the last lap I got stuck in the mudhole and Rui Goncalves passed me for fifth so that’s disappointing as I felt I was good enough for that top-five. Some main guys lost a lot of points so that’s good for me in the championship; now I just need to go home, work on some weak points and get ready for Argentina.”

Romain Febvre

“I had some pain on my shoulder but I was still riding good, so to not finish because I was stuck, it’s even worse. I didn’t do the sighting lap to save the bike, so when I pulled the holeshot and didn’t jump the first jump many guys passed me, but I found my rhythm pretty fast, I just got stuck.”

Arminas Jasikonis

“I completely screwed up. I was running good, in like sixth place but that one mud place really messed me up each lap. I finished 16th or something so I’m really disappointed as I feel I could do so much better. My speed was good but that one part cost me everything. I was one of the fastest guys on the track and I was riding easy everywhere except that one place. I definitely feel that I can be there at the top, I just need to do it now,” commented the Lithuanian who is desperate to show his true skills in this stacked MXGP class.”

Gautier Paulin

“Overall, I’m satisfied with our results in Indonesia. The first and only moto we raced was more like a gamble and you had to remain focused and patient. The key for me was to keep going and not get stuck in the mud. Line choice was also crucial as in most places you could not tell how deep the ruts could be. I take my 13th place and move on. It is an OK result and I’m happy we’re now going back to Europe for some more training and testing with the team.”

Max Anstie

“We really did the best we could do at this GP. With so much rain over the last couple of days, the track was more like an enduro test. You had to remain 100% focused on avoiding the softer spots and keep your wheels moving at all times. It was more like a survival race for everybody and to get away with a 14th place result is not so bad. Now it’s on to the next overseas GP and we’re looking forward to some better luck in two weeks in Argentina.”

Max Nagl

“It was a tough GP for all of us. I got a mediocre start in the first moto and found myself racing inside the top 10 for a few corners. Then I lost a few spots and had to battle hard to get back to 10th. The track was almost impossible to ride in some places. The ruts were so deep that our footpegs were getting stuck. Unfortunately, I got stuck in a very deep rut before the face of a jump and it was impossible to take my bike out and continue. It’s not been the best weekend for us but now we’re going back to Europe for a few days and our plan is to work even harder for the next GP in Argentina. I really like the track over in Patagonia so I will do my best to collect as many points as possible for the championship.”

MXGP Race 1

1. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha) / 36:06.712;
2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM) / +0:07.725;
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki) / +0:12.501;
4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM) / +0:39.427;
5. Rui Goncalves (POR, Husqvarna) / +0:43.580;
6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki) / +0:46.099;
7. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda) / +0:56.972;
8. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna) / +1:06.817;
9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda) / +1:14.269;
10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha) / +1:16.505

MXGP Overall

1. Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM) – 25
2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM) – 22
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW) – 20
4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM) – 18 
5. Rui Goncalves (POR, HUS) – 16
6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ) – 15
7. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON) – 14 
8. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS) – 13 
9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON) – 12 
10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM) – 11 

MXGP Championship standings

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM) – 68
2. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW) – 60
3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON) – 56
4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON) – 44
5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM) – 42
6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM) – 41
7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS) – 39
8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM) – 36
9. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM) – 34
10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ) – 34

MX2 Race Report

MX2 overall results were counted using both races and Suzuki World MX2 Team’s Jeremy Seewer ended up with the GP win by winning the opening race and finishing second behind TM Factory Racing’s Samuele Bernardini in the second moto.

Jeremy Seewer

“It’s just an awesome feeling to win. It was done in some strange circumstances, I couldn’t raise my hand up at the end of race two because it wasn’t definitely done with the red flag, but once I got back to the pits, I knew. First moto, I got a bad start and I was thinking back to Qatar, and how it can’t happen again, but the first turn because of my good gate-pick I could turn-up the inside and still come out fifth. Some guys were then flying past me and I thought maybe I was going too slow, but then the next lap, they’d get stuck. I just kept going, racing my own race and then suddenly on the pit board I saw I was in first. I just tried to finish it and that’s how it ended up. In mud races it isn’t about doing the fastest laps, it’s about surviving, you need to make your laps without mistakes because if you make a mistake, you are dead. I’m just happy though, we’ve come a long way to get here, and to get the win is massive.”

In the first race Bernardini finished 8th but the focus for him was the fact he had won his first MX2 race, the combination of both races put him into 2nd overall which was also his first GP podium.

Samuele Bernardini

“I am really happy winning the second race, and really excited by it!”

It was indeed a testing day for the riders of MX2 and the 3rd highest result for the second week in a row came from LRT KTM’s Julien Lieber, his performance gives him the MX2 points lead heading into the MXGP of Patagonia Argentina. Lieber has started his season well.

Julien Lieber

“I managed two good races, I was consistent, now that we have the red plate I will try to keep it as long as possible.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen finished 4th for the second week in a row. Last year’s EMX250 Champion is showing everyone he consistently has what it takes to compete in the MX2 class.

Thomas Kjer Olsen

“It was a good race for us. My speed was good despite tough track conditions. I got a mediocre start in the opening moto but I pushed hard to provisionally climb to fourth. It was so hard to get a decent rhythm in these conditions, unfortunately I pushed too hard and crashed two times. To finish sixth under these circumstances is hugely positive for me and the team. We’re still fourth overall in the championship standings and this season has still a long way to go. The speed is there so it’s up to us now to continue battling for the top three in the MX2 class.”

Last weekend’s MX2 GP winner Pauls Jonass had a dead-set shocker and only scored four points in Indonesia.

Pauls Jonass

“The race did not go as hoped or planned. I had so much bad luck. The track was not really well prepared and there were already cancellations on Saturday. I was leading the first moto almost the whole way until I hit a mud hole and just couldn’t get the bike out for a full lap. In the second moto a guy crashed in front of me and I ran over his bike. I started from last and came back to fourteenth again but then we had a problem. I made a mistake and couldn’t restart after that. I’m disappointed but it is only the second GP.”

As for the Aussies, we had Kyle Webster join Caleb Ward, Jay Wilson and Hunter Lawrence for the GP and it was the seventh by Ward in the opening moto that would be the highlight as the rest of our riders struggled in the mega tough conditions.

In the opening moto Lawrence ended the race in 24^th, Wilson 29^th and Webster 32^nd (none finished but that is the place given to them).

In the second moto Webster and Ward were awarded 29^th and 32^nd respectively while Jay Wilson scored his first GP point with a 20^th place finish and Lawrence managed a credible 16^th.

Hunter Lawrence

“Speed is good, but I’m not happy with the results although really, anything could have happened in those conditions. “The first moto I got a great start, fourth around the first turn but then I had a couple of crashes and the second one I got the bike stuck in a big bog-hole and I couldn’t get the bike out. They needed like four-or-five guys to get my bike out so I ended up outside the top 20. The second moto I again got a good start, right behind Jeremy, so a good day for the Suzuki’s off the start line. I then again had a couple of crashes before they red-flagged the race, so not great. Just happy to be coming home in one piece as it was like a minefield out there.”

Caleb Ward

“Up and down day at round 2 of the world championships here in Indonesia, 7th in the first moto which I was super happy about on such a tough track and unfortunately dnf moto 2, track in moto 2 was honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever ridden! Never in my life have I experienced mud like that but taking the positives out of the day and gained some confidence and will keep building.”

Lawrence managed to salvage 5 points for the round and now sits 17th in the championship on with 23 points while Ward sit 20^th in the championship on 14 points and Wilson is 30^th on one point.

MX2 Race 1 Top Ten

1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), 35:29.684
2. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +0:07.978
3. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:29.340
4. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +0:40.388
5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:54.286
6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +1:29.332
7. Caleb Ward (AUS, Husqvarna), +1:31.598
8. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), +1:38.994
9. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), +1:44.642
10. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Kawasaki), +1:47.662

MX2 Race 2 Top Ten

1. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 18:54.086
2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +1:33.611
3. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:42.450
4. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +1:49.067
5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +1:57.128
6. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +2:30.596
7. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), +2:33.930
8. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +2:41.401
9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +3:07.204
10. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +4:49.844

MX2 Overall Top Ten

1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 47 points
2. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 38
3. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 38
4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 31
5. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 29
6. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 26
7.  Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 26
8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 26
9. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 20
10. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 15 p

MX2 Championship Top 10

1. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 78 points
2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 72
3. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 70
4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 67
5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 57
6. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 54
7. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 44
8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 40
9. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 39
10. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, KAW), 35

FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship – Round 1 – Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia

The FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship started this week with race one on Saturday and race two taking place on Sunday where Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Courtney Duncan took the first Red Plate of the season.

Nancy Van de Ven came out on a mission in the opening moto, making minimal errors and leaving her with a 1 minute and 24 second lead across the finish.

Nicky van Wordragen finished in a well-earned second position followed by Anne Borchers from Germany while Livia Lancelot and Kiara Fontanesi had issues and were looking to rebound Sunday and that is exactly what they did.

For Sunday’s race Duncan came out well prepared and it showed, she won the race and after her 5th place on race one she grabbed the overall and the red plate. However, she had a short fall on which she later commented.

Courtney Duncan

“My coach, Josh Coppins was by my side and guided me through it all day and we got the job done, I didn’t want to have a second, I really wanted to have a win here, so I charged back and got the win!”

Nicky Van Wordragen from the Netherlands rode consistent between the two days earning herself second overall. Shana van der Vlist was a top performer in race 1 finishing 4th, but her well-earned eighth in race two gave her the final spot on the podium.

German Anne Borchers was 3rd in race one but after a demanding race two she slid back one position in the overall classification finishing 4th.

Former champion Kiara Fontanesi had a few mistakes on day one but was determined on Sunday, she finished in a strong second place in race two putting herself 5th overall.

Last year’s World Champion, Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot had a strong showing in race 2 after problems in race one.

Lancelot responded to the challenge and came out 9th overall while Nancy Van de Ven finished 10th overall due to a disqualification on race 2. The disqualification was a result of outside assistance.

Aussie Maddy Brown was classed as 14th in race one after qualifying 8th fastest. The young Victorian was running fourth for most of the moto until she fried her clutch with 4 laps to go.

She was classed as 15th in the second race. Overall for the round she finished 16th with 13 points for the round.

WMX Race 1 Top Ten

1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 26:31.788
2. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, Yamaha), +1:24.993
3. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), -1 lap(s)
4. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s)
5. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), -1 lap(s)
6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), -1 lap(s)
7. Elaine MacEachern (GBR, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s)
8. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), -2 lap(s)
9. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), -2 lap(s)
10. Virginie Germond (SUI, Yamaha), -2 lap(s)

 WMX Race 2 Top Ten

1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), 26:20.636
2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:19.658
3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +3:47.043
4. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s)
5. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), -1 lap(s)
6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), -1 lap(s)
7. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), -1 lap(s)
8. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s)
9. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), -1 lap(s)
10. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), -1 lap(s)

WMX Overall Top 10

1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 41 points
2. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 40
3. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 31
4. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 31
5. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 30
6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 30
7. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), 28
8. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 27
9. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 26
10. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 25

The next round of the 2017 FIM Motocross World Championship will take place on March, the19th in Neuquen, Patagonia-Argentina.

FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 3 – Euskadi (Bilbao)

The third and penultimate round of the 2017 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Bilbao, Spain ended on a high for Red Bull KTM’s Alfredo Gomez as the Spaniard wrapped up his first ever overall SuperEnduro win.

Posting impressive results since the start of the series, Gomez did everything right in Bilbao to claim a well-deserved career first win and close to within 11 points of series leader Colton Haaker.

After a hectic night of racing Gomez was joined on the podium by teammate Jonny Walker in second and Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker third.

Alfredo Gomez

“I’ve worked so hard for so long to get this victory and to finally do it on home turf is amazing. It’s been a great night. Thank you to KTM, Red Bull, my family and everyone who’s made it possible. It feels so good to get my first ever overall SuperEnduro win. In the first heat I was so nervous of crashing I was maybe a little too cautious and didn’t try hard enough to overtake Jonny (Walker). I came close on the last lap but I just couldn’t make it happen. I got a great start in the second heat – from the second row I got into the lead very quickly. I pushed hard then to open up a gap and just tried to be consistent to the finish.”

With the gate dropping on the opening Prestige race, the action quickly heated up. Walker, Gomez and Haaker were all in close contention with each rider sharing the lead at least once. Mistakes dropped Haaker back to an eventual third as Walker and Gomez went at it for the win.

Gomez attacked at every opportunity but Walker — yet to win a heat race this season — was not going to let this one slip away. Hanging it out just that little bit more, he hung on to claim his first win of the 2017 series with Gomez second.

With the starting order reversed for race two it was Husqvarna’s Pascal Rauchenecker who led the opening lap, but Gomez had carved his way to the front and quickly took over. It was a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.

This time around Haaker rode it home for a steady second. The fight for third went down to the final corner between Walker and Mario Roman (S-Sherco) with Roman snatching it in the final metres, pushing Walker back to fourth.

With everything to play for in the final race, victory for either Walker or Gomez would mean the overall victory too. Both riders shot out to the front immediately as mistakes dropped Haaker out of play with the duo in third. Neck-and-neck the KTM riders fought for victory only for Gomez to finally come good in the end.

Also, enjoying a great night in Bilbao was Gomez’ team-mate Jonny Walker. Switching to a KTM 350 EXC-F Walker fired out of the blocks to top the qualifying Superpole before going on to win the night’s first final.

Fourth in the night’s reversed start order second final, Walker bounced back to challenge for the overall event win in the third final. Finishing second to Gomez he secured the overall runner-up result ensuring Red Bull KTM locked out the top two podium positions.

Jonny Walker

“I’ve really been riding a lot recently, and I felt good throughout the night here in Spain. I switched to the 350, which worked great, but in general I feel like I rode a lot better than at the earlier rounds. I got good starts, rode consistently and came away with a solid runner-up result. It came down to the final race between Alfredo Gomez and myself for the win, although it’s a little frustrating to get second overall I’m pleased. I landed on someone in the last race of the night, which kind of knocked me off my stride. After winning the first race I knew what I needed to do and I felt like another win was more than possible. It’s been a really good night. I can’t wait for the final in France now.”

Ending his night without a race win, Haaker still finished on the podium in third and maintains the overall point’s lead heading to the season finale in Albi, France on March 18th.

Colton Haaker

“It was a bit of a rough night for me. I did my best to salvage what I could but it certainly didn’t go the way I hoped it would. It’s hard to say exactly why things didn’t go so well for me – I’m normally fine on a more trials like track like this one. But third at the end of a not so great night isn’t too bad at all. I’m still leading the championship with one round to go. I’ll work hard during the next two weeks and be ready for the final in France.”

Putting in another solid performance, Roman brought his Sherco home in fourth overall. Returning to SuperEnduro action having missed Germany due to illness, KTM’s Manuel Lettenbichler completed the top five.

The FIM Maxxis SuperEnduro World Championship concludes with the fourth and final round of the season in Albi, France on March 18.

Results Prestige Class

Heat 1

1. Walker
2. Gomez
3. Haaker
4. Roman
5. Lettenbichler
6. Leon
7. Rauchenecker
8. Juan Bernabeu
9. Addesso
10. Salsench

Heat 2:

1. Gomez
2. Haaker
3. Roman
4. Walker
5. Lettenbichler
6. Leon
7. Rauchenecker
8. Juan Bernabeu
9. Addesso
10. Salsench

Heat 3:

1. Gomez
2. Walker
3. Haaker
4. Lettenbichler
5. Roman
6. Leon
7. Rauchenecker
8. Addesso
9. Bernabeu
10. Salsench

Superpole Powered By Akrapovic

1. Walker
2. Gomez
3. Haaker

Standings

1. Haaker – 165
2. Gomez – 154
3. Walker – 146
4. Roman – 98
5. Rauchenecker – 77
6. Lettenbichler – 62
7. Blazusiak – 58
8. Brown – 56
9. Salsench – 48
10. Uusna – 47

GNCC – Round 1 – Big Buck, Union, SC

The opening round of the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series took place at the Big Buck Farm in Union, South Carolina last weekend and it was Stewart Baylor who earned his first XC1 race win while Josh Toth won the XC2 class win.

XC1 Race Report

After a four-month hiatus, anticipation was at all-time high when the famed “10 seconds” was called and the green flag waved for the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC season opener. Josh Strang found himself in a favourable position where he jumped out to the quick lead and claimed the All Balls Racing $250 Holeshot Award.

Strang’s luck quickly ended halfway through the first lap, when his lingering ankle injury he sustained five months ago at the ISDE started to take a toll. While he wasn’t winning the race, Strang played a huge role in the event, where he stopped to help an injured XC2 racer. Strang ultimately decided to end his race early due to ankle not being fully healed.

Steward Baylor Jr. had full control of the race on the third lap, once Strang was out of the picture. However, he began to feel pressure from the defending champion Kailub Russell who had recovered from a mid-pack start and kept the momentum going to ultimately pass Baylor.

However, Baylor held on and stuck right with the four-time champion. While the two KTM riders battled it out for the lead, another fight was taking place behind them with Thad Duvall and Ryan Sipes also in the mix before the third lap was complete.

Just like his teammate, bad luck would strike Duvall when he stopped in the pits with a bent rotor. His new mechanic, Tanner Tremaine, and team members worked diligently to change out the back wheel and get him back on the race course as quickly as possible.

With a little less pressure, Sipes shifted his focus on Baylor and Russell. Sipes began to reel in the top two competitors, until lapped riders troubled his journey.

Ryan Sipes

“I started in sixth but I eventually caught up with Baylor and Russell and was right on their back wheels when the lappers got pretty bad. They were both riding really good and when I lost them it was hard to make up time.”

Russell worked his way around Baylor, but faced issued soon after when he came together with a lapped rider on the hill climb section.

Ricky Russell

“We had a pretty decent day. Baylor was riding really well, and he had the pressure on me. Right when I got into the lead, I ended up coming together with a lapped rider on the hill climb and Baylor was able to pull a lead. He put about 30 seconds on me and I could just never close the gap. I was trying and trying, but tops to him for being so fast today.”

When the two-lap card came out, Baylor maintained his focus. Russell attempted to close the gap, but Baylor continued to only get faster.

Once Baylor crossed the finish line, it was almost a minute and a half until Russell saw the checkered flag. After racing his own race, Sipes would end up finishing in the third overall position.

Steward Baylor Jr.

“I knew coming into this race that Russell and Duvall would be the guys to be with. I put myself in a position to ride with them. Once Russell made his mistake and I had a clear trail, I gave it everything I could to get a big lead knowing that every second counts because Russell is the fastest guy on the line. I just knew I couldn’t make a mistake and it feels great to pull off my first win not only at the season opener, but also in front of my friends and family.”

XC2 Race Report

XC2 250 Pro Rookie, Chris Venditti, had a stroke a beginner’s luck where he pulled the holeshot over the remaining 30 riders to earn the XC2 250 Pro Hot Cams Holeshot Award.

Venditti’s contusion on his leg would eventually play a role in his race and Josh Toth would capitalize on Venditti’s misfortune and take the overall win.

Coast Racing teammates, Layne Michael and Craig Delong, continued their success from last season where they rounded out the XC2 250 Pro podium.

Josh Toth

“I got off to a good start, and was able to work my way into the lead on the first lap. I knew Michael was right behind me so I just kept pushing and it paid off.”

The 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes in one week, March 11 and 12, in Palatka, Florida with the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC.

VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC – Union, South Carolina – Round 1 of 13

XC1 Open Pro Event Results

1. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM)
2. Kailub Russell (KTM)
3. Ryan Sipes (HSQ)
4. Trevor Bollinger (HON)
5. Ricky Russell (YAM)
6. Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
7. Chris Bach (KTM)
8. Grant Baylor (HSQ)
9. Jordan Ashburn (BET)
10. Cory Buttrick (KTM)

National Championship Standings

1. Steward Baylor Jr. (30)
2. Kailub Russell (25)
3. Ryan Sipes (21)
4. Josh Toth (18)
5. Trevor Bollinger (16)
6. Ricky Russell (15)
7. Russell Bobbitt (14)
8. Layne Michael (13)
9. Chris Bach (12)
10. Grant Baylor (11)

XC2 250 Pro Event Results

1. Josh Toth (YAM)
2. Layne Michael (HSQ)
3. Craig Delong (HSQ)
4. Michael Witkowski (KTM)
5. Austin Lee (HON)
6. Benjamin Kelley (KTM)
7. Chris Venditti (YAM)
8. Jesse Groemm (KTM)
9. Ryder Lafferty (KTM)
10. Zack Hayes (KTM)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings

1. Josh Toth (30)
2. Layne Michael (25)
3. Craig Delong (21)
4. Michael Witkowski (18)
5. Austin Lee (16)
6. Benjamin Kelley (15)
7. Chris Venditti (14)
8. Jesse Groemm (13)
9. Ryder Lafferty (12)
10. Zack Hayes (11)

Clipsal 500 Super Enduro-X – Adelaide, SA

Two-time AMA Endurocross Champion Cody Webb has dominated both days of the Clipsal 500 Super Enduro-X event which was held in conjunction with the opening round of the V8 Supercars in the streets of Adelaide last weekend.

Webb beat fellow Yanks Mike Brown and Kyle Redmond at Friday’s event then went on to beat Brown and former motocross super star Cheyne Boyd on Saturday.

Clipsal 500 Super Enduro-X Friday Overall Final Results

1. Cody Webb: KTM Australia – 50 Pts
2. Mike Brown: Husqvarna M/C, Rockstar Energy – 42 Pts
3. Kyle Redmond: Husqvarna Motorcycles – 42 Pts
4. Dylan Rees: First Class M/C, Ipone, EKS Goggles – 33 Pts
5. Cheyne Boyd: Park4MX, Yamaha – 32 Pts
6. Tye Simmonds: KTM Australia, Troy Lee Designs – 31 Pts
7. Andrew Wilksch: Sherco – 27 Pts
8. Robbie Marshall: Honda, Betta, NGK, Showtime – 24 Pts
9. Peter Boyle: Honda Racing, Penrite, Honda Genuine – 23 Pts
10. Jacob Smith: Cairns Coconut Resort, Honda Racing – 23 Pts
11. Ivan Long: Buttrose Earhtmoving, Schwarz Excavati – 22 Pts
12. Laia Sanz: KTM, Michelin, Motorex, Karcher, Akrap – 19 Pts
13. Adrian Harry: SA – 16 Pts
14. Riley Graham: Yamaha, Ficeda Acc, Ipone, Dunlop, AXO – 16 Pts
15. Shane Metcalfe: Y-AIM, Yamahalube, GYTR – 6 Pts

Clipsal 500 Super Enduro X Saturday Overall Final Results

1. Cody Webb: KTM Australia – 50 Pts
2. Mike Brown: Husqvarna M/C, Rockstar Energy – 44 Pts
3. Cheyne Boyd: Park4MX, Yamaha – 40 Pts
4. Kyle Redmond: Husqvarna Motorcycles – 34 Pts
5. Tye Simmonds: KTM Australia, Troy Lee Designs – 34 Pts
6. Ivan Long: Buttrose Earhtmoving, Schwarz Excavati – 28 Pts
7. Dylan Rees: First Class M/C, Ipone, EKS Goggles – 28 Pts
8. Jacob Smith: Cairns Coconut Resort, Honda Racing – 26 Pts
9. Andrew Wilksch: Sherco – 25 Pts
10. Robbie Marshall: Honda, Betta, NGK, Showtime – 23 Pts
11. Riley Graham: Yamaha, Ficeda Acc, Ipone, Dunlop, AXO – 19 Pts
12. Laia Sanz: KTM, Michelin, Motorex, Karcher, Akrap – 18 Pts
13. Adrian Harry: Beta – 14 Pts
14. Shane Metcalfe: Y-AIM, Yamahalube, GYTR – 9 Pts
15. Peter Boyle: Honda Racing, Penrite, Honda Genuine – 7 Pts

Golden Wheel Classic – Kalgoorlie, WA

Dean Porter has taken home a lion’s share of the trophies and prizemoney at the annual Golden Wheel classic held in Kalgoorlie last weekend.

[youtube id=”iWflc2lktu4″ width=”100%” height=”400″]

In searing heat Porter won the MX1 Pro class ahead of Michael Mahon and Charlie Creech before striking gold, literally, with a win in the Golden Wheel Classic ahead of Josh Adams and Mahon while it was Josh Adams who took out the MX2 Pro class ahead of David Birch and Dylan Sexton.

Porter, Adam and Mahon were presented with a gold nugget for their efforts in the Golden Wheel Classic….only in Western Australia!    

Senior Golden Wheel Classic Final

1. Dean Porter
2. Josh Adam
3. Michael Mahon
4. David Birch
5. Stevie Heilers
6. Charlie Creech
7. Chris Ruttico
8. Daniel Pajewski
9. Dylan Sexton
10. Brodie Lance

Pro Mx1

1. Dean Porter
2. Michael Mahon
3. Charlie Creech
4. Chris Ruttico
5. Stevie Heilers
6. Jarrad Hockley
7. Brett Norton
8. Billy Middleton
9. Brodie Lance
10. Robert Lovett

Pro Mx2

1. Josh Adams
2. David Birch
3. Dylan Sexton
4. Mitchell Outram
5. Kurt Oinn
6. Codey Rowe
7. Sam Baxter
8. Dylan Hennessey
9. Dale Doutch
10. Erhard Pajewski

100cc-125cc 2 Str 13-U16 Yrs

1. Seth Manuel
2. Kasey Cullen
3. Tahlia O’hare
4. Ryan Bradshaw
5. Regan Carter

128cc-150cc/200-250cc 13-U16 Yrs Final

1. Will Rush
2. Revonn Nieuwoudt
3. Tahlia O’hare
4. Taj Barnsby
5. Jordan Terriaca