Moto News Wrap for May 16, 2017 by Darren Smart

Moto News Wrap for May 16, 2017 by Darren Smart

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Latest News

• AMA Motocross Kicks Off with On-Demand Coverage
• Chad Reed Confirmed For 2017 AUS-X OPEN
• Jess Gardiner dominates French Enduro Round 2
• MX Nationals Hit Horsham This Weekend
• Hunter & Jett Lawrence at MX Masters of Germany
• Osborne Fined $7500
• Gajser Set for Germany
• 2017 WA MX Championships – Round 2 – Maylands
• Sunshine State MX Series – Round 5 – Tivoli
• Toni Bou claims victory in the Spanish TrialGP
• Indian Dominate the Arizona Mile
• Husqvarna Dominate Three-Day Enduro

This Week’s Race Reports

• AORC – Rounds 5-6 – Gympie, Qld
• British Motocross Championship – Round 4 – Hawkstone Park
• ADAC German MX Masters Championship – Round 3 – Molln
• Dutch Masters of Motocross 2017 – Round 3 – Emmen
• FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland – Round 2 – Warsaw
• Merzouga Rally  – Morocco

AMA Motocross Kicks Off with On-Demand Coverage

The 2017 AMA Motocross Championships kick off this weekend with the Hangtown National and the great news is that Aussie fans that don’t have Pay TV will be able to watch the action live online with the introduction of exclusive on-demand access from NBC Sports Gold.

For just $49.99 racing fans all over the world will receive the “Pro Motocross Pass,” featuring direct-to-consumer live streaming with no commercials and the ability to witness timed qualifying and both sets of motos as they happen, in addition to full event replays from both the 2015 and 2016 seasons. That works out to just over $4 per round over the course of the season, with access to more live coverage and additional content than ever before.

Davey Coombs – President MX Sports Pro Racing 

“Now our fans both domestically and internationally will be able to watch all the action unfold from the comfort of any television, mobile device, or streaming platform. While it is bittersweet to depart with the complementary live streaming we’ve enjoyed hosting on ProMotocross.com, the price point and the amount of content that is available with the ‘Pro Motocross Pass’ is truly incredible. It’s without a doubt the best deal of its kind for the sport as a whole.”

In the 450 class we still don’t know whether Ryan Dungey will front up to the gate but Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb, Marvin Musquin, Jason Anderson, Cole Seely, Davi Millsaps, Justin Barcia, Weston Peick, Blake Baggett, Broc Tickle, Josh Grant, Christian Craig, Dean Wilson and Justin Bogle will definitely be looking to make a statement at the opening round then hopefully carry the momentum throughout the 12 round series.

The 250 class is going to an absolute clanger with Alex Martin, Jeremy Martin, Zach Osborne, Joey Savatgy, Adam Cianciarulo, Justin Hill, Shane McElrath, Aaron Plessinger, Martin Davalos, Jimmy Decotis, Austin Forkner, RJ Hampshire, Cameron McAdoo, Scott Champion, Jordon Smith, Dylan Ferrandis and Hayden Mellross all fit and ready to do battle.

2017 AMA Motocross Championship Calendar

• Rd1: May 20, 2017 – Hangtown Motocross Classic, Sacramento, CA
• Rd2: May 27, 2017 – Glen Helen National, San Bernardino, CA
• Rd3: June 3, 2017 – Thunder Valley National, Lakewood, CO
• Rd4: June 17, 2017 – High Point National, Mt. Morris, PA
• Rd5: June 24, 2017 – Tennessee National, Blountville, TN.
• Rd6: July 1, 2017 – RedBud National, Buchanan, MI
• Rd7: July 8, 2017 – Southwick National, Southwick, MA
• Rd8: July 22, 2017 – Spring Creek National, Millville, MN
• Rd9: July 29, 2017 – Washougal National, Washougal, WA
• Rd10: August 12, 2017 – Unadilla National, New Berlin, NY
• Rd11: August 19, 2017 – Budds Creek National, Mechanicsville, MD
• Rd12: August 26, 2017 – Indiana National, Crawfordsville, IN

Chad Reed Confirmed For 2017 AUS-X OPEN

Chad Reed has confirmed that he will compete in the AUS-X Open Supercross event this November 11 and 12, inside Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena and the big news is that this could well be the final race for the superstar.

At 35 years old, Reed is now the oldest competitor on the international Supercross scene and without a signed contract for 2018, many speculate that the AUS-X Open Sydney could be his last ever Supercross race.

Ironically, Qudos Bank Arena is the very same venue where Reed propelled his name into the global limelight 16 years ago, when he edged out young American phenom – Travis Pastrana, for the win.

Following 17 years of professional racing, Reed entertains that Sydney could well be the final race of his hall-of-fame career; good reason not to miss the opportunity to see him in person.

Chad Reed

“Currently, I don’t have a contract for the 2018 season. My intention is to continue racing, but if it’s not meant to be, I couldn’t think a better place to end my career than the AUS-X Open amongst my friends, family and fans. The Qudos Bank Arena holds so many fond memories for me. Racing indoors in Sydney Olympic Park reminds me of where my career began before heading overseas full time. To have been involved with the AUS-X Open since its inception has been an honour. The energy from the fans, the atmosphere, everything about it is unlike anything I’ve experienced. It’s an event I take very seriously and put a lot of pressure on myself to win. Second place isn’t an option and 2017 will be no different.”

Reed has managed to win the majority of his AUS-X Open racing encounters in both 2015 and 2016, battling some of the sport’s greatest names including Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Villopoto, Cooper Webb, Justin Brayton and more in some of the best racing action ever witnessed outside of the USA.

Of the four AUS-X Open finals contested so far, Reed has won three and narrowly missed out on the clean sweep when he finished second to AMA Supercross prodigy Cooper Webb on Sunday in 2015.

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Event Director – Adam Bailey, heralded Chad’s support of the AUS-X Open as a true testament to his commitment to the sport that has taken him from nearby Kurri Kurri, NSW to packed stadiums around the world.

Adam Bailey – AUS-X Open Event Director

“Chad is without a doubt a hero, not only to Supercross fans, but sports fans everywhere. What he has achieved and continues to achieve on the global stage, is nothing short of staggering,” Bailey said. “The fact that he’s supported the AUS-X Open since day one and has agreed to come back again this year to once again entertain thousands of fans in Sydney, is something that we are eternally grateful for. After two world championships, 44 world supercross race wins and 17 years of paving the way for young Australians, IF the AUS-X Open were to be Chad’s final race, there’s no doubt that we will roll out the red carpet and ensure he receives a send-off that he and his legion of fans will NEVER forget!”

The AUS-X Open is the only event of its kind in Australia, where Supercross and Freestyle Motocross gladiators from around the globe come to compete for supremacy on Australian soil. In 2016, the event attracted over 26,000 fans across the two days and collectively reached millions of eyeballs worldwide courtesy of a comprehensive social media and television broadcast.

The sport of Supercross continues to rise rapidly towards mainstream interest, as millennials opt for the high energy, high stake and unpredictable nature of action sports.

Each Saturday night of the AUS-X Open sold out within days in both 2015 & 2016, and last year’s Sunday event almost reached capacity meaning fans are urged to sign up to the AUS-X Open pre-sale registration to avoid disappointment.

Further announcements regarding the athlete line up, revised ticket pricing and more are still to come. Signing up to the pre-sale ensures first preference of ALL seating on both nights of competition.

Jess Gardiner dominates French Enduro Round 2

It was another successful weekend for Australia’s Jess Gardiner at round two of the Championnat de France d’enduro, which saw the 24-year-old taking race victories on both days in Gacé in north-western France.

Despite challenging conditions, Gardiner managed to finish inside the top three in all six of her heats during the day. Gardiner managed to top the time sheets in the third and final heat, but admitted at the conclusion of the day that she did struggle.

In fact, Gardiner went into the final heat of the day in third place overall in the standings. Gardiner explained that she gave it everything she could in the final test and managed to beat her nearest rival, Samantha Tichet by 13.891 seconds.

On the second day of competition with overnight rain, Gardiner was simply in a class of her own as she took an imperious victory taking out all six tests and winning with a total time of 36min17.024, 54.435 seconds ahead of Tichet.

Jess Gardiner

“Today was a bit better, the second test was a bit of challenge as it started pouring with rain making the track extremely slippery. However, the Michelin tyres proved once again they are best when it comes to riding in the dry or the wet which showed today as the team and I managed to hang on for the win in that test and the other five as well. Overall it’s been a great day. It’s a great way to reward the Rider Camp Yamaha team with these race wins this weekend. Everyone in the team are working extremely hard and providing me a fantastic Yamaha WR250F to go and race with, which just makes my job so much easier. So, a big thankyou to them and everyone else who continues to support me along the way.”

With another clean sweep and taking away twenty points each day, it now sees Gardiner extending her championship lead over Tichet from six to twelve points.

Round three of the Championnat de France d’enduro now heads to Bar-sur-Seine, a French commune in the Aube department in the Grand Est region of north-central France, which will take place on the last weekend of July.

The next event for Gardiner will be the Trèfle Lozérien AMV, on the first weekend of June, before she turns her attention to the second round of the Women’s FIM Enduro GP World Championship in Parádfürdó in Hungary on 23-25 June.

For the meantime, Gardiner will travel 100km south to the famous Le Mans circuit for next weekend’s fifth round of the MotoGP World Championship as a guest of Dorna Sports.

Championnat de France d’enduro Championship Top 5 – After Round 2

1. Jess Gardiner – 80
2. Samantha Tichet – 68
3. Juliette Berrez – 60
4. Valerie Roche – 50
5. Justine Martel – 46

MX Nationals Hit Horsham This Weekend

Round five of the Australian MX Nationals heads to the Victorian town of Horsham this weekend with Yamaha riders leading the three major championship classes.

As well as Australia’s biggest motocross stars heading to Horsham, Western Victorians will have the rare opportunity to mingle with the athletes, at the official beyondblue fundraising barbeque on Saturday afternoon at the track.

With the Motul MX Nationals forming an all new partnership with mental health organisation beyondblue for 2017, Horsham will become the first town to host a rider meet and greet, all in a bid to raise funds.

Dean Ferris (MX1), Mitchell Evans (MX2) and Cody Dyce (MXD) lead their respective class and will look to take advantage of a circuit that has been carefully groomed to offer the best possible racing conditions.

Kenny Watts – Horsham Motorcycle Club President

“This year we’ve worked with the team at Elite Tracks again to get the venue ready for Sunday – those guys have worked their magic and the track is looking fantastic. We have incorporated some more of our mulch which has been kindly donated by the council, so the surface is in great condition and the track has been completely groomed and reshaped by our professional track builders, so riders should be very happy with what they will be racing on in Horsham this weekend.”

Kevin Williams – Promoter

“Horsham is an important venue for us – this is the third consecutive year that we have visited the Victorian track, and the town is full of motocross enthusiasts who really get behind the event. We have had great support from the local Horsham Rural City Council as well as the Horsham Motorcycle Club to make round four a great success, so we’re very excited to be heading back to Western Victoria this Sunday.”

Kevin Williams

“This weekend we will be holding a special fundraising barbeque at the track on Saturday at 4:30pm, where the locals are invited to come and meet the stars, and have something to eat all for a good cause, beyondblue will have their staff and volunteers on the ground answering questions, and we will also have our riders meeting their fans, all for a gold coin donation and a barbeque. This is a fantastic cause, so we really encourage locals to get out to the track and support the meet and greet on Saturday, and then head out again on Sunday for a mega day of racing.”

Thor MX1 Championship Standings after Round 4

1. Dean Ferris – 216 points
2. Kirk Gibbs – 185 points
3. Kade Mosig – 170 points
4. Todd Waters – 166 points
5. Luke Styke – 157 points
6. Nathan Crawford – 149 points
7. Luke Clout – 141 points
8. Kyle Peters – 134 points
9. Aleksandr Tonkov – 126 points
10. Brett Metcalfe – 109 points

Motul MX2 Championship Standings after Round 4

1. Mitchell Evans – 196 points
2. Wilson Todd – 187 points
3. Jackson Richardson – 178 points
4. Egan Mastin – 171 points
5. Kyle Webster – 150 points
6. Hamish Harwood – 149 points
7. Jayden Rykers – 145 points
8. Dylan Wills – 137 points
9. Richie Evans – 136 points
10. Aaron Tanti – 136 points

Pirelli MXD Championship Standings after Round 4

1. Cody Dyce – 186 points
2. Jy Roberts – 165 points
3. Morgan Fogarty – 164 points
4. Isaac Ferguson – 150 points
5. Cooper Pozniak – 146 points
6. Kaleb Barham – 146 points
7. Benjamin Broad – 135 points
8. Jai Constantinou – 125 points
9. Hugh McKay – 123 points
10. Brodie Ellis – 112 points

Lawrence 2^nd at MX Masters of Germany

Round three of the MX Masters of Germany was held at Molln last weekend and Aussie hard charger Hunter Lawrence managed an incredible second place to his Suzuki teammate Jeremy Seewer but well ahead of the much touted trio of Henry Jacobi, Denn Ullrich and Jens Getteman.

This performance will give Hunter Lawrence some confidence going into the MXGP of Germany this weekend.

Hunter Lawrence

“My starts weren’t the best in both motos, but what can you do against the 450s? The races were great though. I had a good speed and moved up to second place on both occasions. The starts really held me back, but finishing runner-up twice is an achievement, I guess.”

ADAC MX Junior Cup

Things were extremely exciting in the ADAC MX Junior Cup. Australian Jett Lawrence (13, Team Suzuki World MX2) appeared to be having the race of his life in this third ADAC MX Masters meeting in northern Germany as he secured victory on the day in the junior class with two race wins.

Jett Lawrence

“Had a fun weekend at the ADAC in Molln Germany, I won both motos for first overall. Pretty stoked to finally get a decent top three start in the second Moto, which made my race so much easier instead of coming from like 20-something. I am happy to move up to third in championship but gonna be hard work to catch the other boys as we are down two motos (DNF) due to bike issues and missing prestart but we will keep working.”

MX Masters Overall

1. Jeremy Seewer
2. Hunter Lawrence
3. Henry Jacobi
4. Denn Ullrich
5. Jens Getteman

MX Masters Championship Standings

1. Dennis Ullrich – 128
2. Jens Getteman – 104
3. Hunter Lawrence – 88
4. Brian Hsu – 80
5. Henry Jacobi – 79

Osborne Fined $7500

In the 250SX East / West Shootout at the 2017 Las Vegas SX, Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne made a very aggressive pass for 7th on Joey Savatgy to claim the 2017 Eastern Regional 250SX Championship but the AMA Race Director has fined Osborne $7500.00 after a protest was filed by Savatgy’s Monster Energy/Pro-Circuit Kawasaki team.

It was said that Osborne was in violation of the rule Appendix A.2.c.17. The AMA rule reads, “Riding on or off the track at any time in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of other riders, officials or the public.”

It was determined that the pass was aggressive in nature and per the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross an FIM World Championship rulebook, the current action in Las Vegas caused a fine of $7,500.00 to be issued.

The protesting party did not agree with the severity of the penalty and chose to appeal the Race Director’s decision. An appeal hearing was then convened and all evidence presented by both parties were reviewed.

It was determined by the appeals panel that the penalty was justified. The decision of the Race Director was confirmed and the decision of the appeals panel is final. No further appeal is possible.

Gajser Set for Germany

After a huge crash during the second MXGP race at the Latvian MXGP Tim Gajser was checked out by the medical staff at the track and then flew home to undergo further checks by his doctor at home in Slovenia.

HRC Honda team statement

“From the examination, we are pleased to say that he has not sustained any injuries from the crash other than bruising which is still very sore. Gajser is now back in Slovenia where he is resting and recovering and he has confirmed that he will be back to race in Germany this week.”

Gajser lost the red plate and points lead in Latvia and will head to Germany with the hope of closing the 17 point deficit he has to championship leader Antonio Cairoli.

2017 WA MX Championships – Round 2 – Maylands

The second round of the WA Motocross Championships was held at Maylands last weekend and it was Dean Porter who won the MX1 class ahead of Michael Mahon and Chris Ruttico while David Birch won the MX2 class ahead of Josh Adams and Daniel Pajewski.

MX1 Overall

1. Dean Porter – 1-1- 1
2. Michael Mahon – 2-2- 2
3. Chris Ruttico – 3-3- 5

MX2 Overall

1. David Birch – 1-1- 1
2. Josh Adams – 2-2- 2
3. Daniel Pajewski – 4-3-3

Sunshine State MX Series – Round 5 – Tivoli

KTM factory rider Luke Styke has won the MX1 class at the fifth round of the Sunshine State Motocross Series held at Tivoli Raceway last weekend while Ricky Latimer managed to win the a very competitive MX2 class.

Styke got the nod over Jesse Dobson and Zak Small on a rut infested hard packed track and Latimer battled hard all day to narrowly beat young Daniel Livsey and Kaleb Barham.

MX1 Overall

1. Luke STYKE
2. Jesse DOBSON
3. Zak SMALL
4. Brenden HARRISON
5. Darcy JONES

MX2 Overall

1. Ricky LATIMER
2. Daniel LIVSEY
3. Kaleb BARHAM
4. Lochie LATIMER
5. Bailey COXON
6. Wyatt CHASE
7. Josh KILVINGTON

Toni Bou claims victory in the Spanish TrialGP

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou started the Trial Outdoor World Championship in the best way possible with a convincing triumph in Camprodón last weekend.

After a fine start on Saturday during the qualifying round, conditions took a turn for the worst later with storms blowing up after the initial phase had finished. Riders awoke on Sunday to a splendid sunny day, before a radical change took hold, with torrential downpours and even hail. The result was fifteen sectors now far harder than had been previously expected.

Toni Bou rose to the occasion, clinching a 90th world championship outdoor win. The tougher the hazards, the better the Repsol Honda Team ace performed to finish the day with a considerable advantage over closest rival Adam Raga.

Bou finished with a twelve point gap, which lowered his first lap score by ten marks over the nearest second place rival. The champion, aboard the Montesa Cota 4RT, becomes the first leader in the new season.

Toni Bou

“The first trial of the year was a complicated one with a lot of nerves and pressure. This place is a paradise for trial, but it’s not really the type that suits me best as I find it tough with all the mud. But I think I got through it pretty well. It was a hard event and I think the rain made it more difficult but I’m very pleased about the victory as it has been a great way to start the season. Adam is pushing as hard as always – he’s a really tough rival and I think that it will be a hard season for all of us.”

Results TrialGP 2017 Camprodon, Spain

1. Toni BOU – 46
2. Adam RAGA – 58
3. Albert CABESTANY – 72
4. Jeroni FAJARDO – 84
5. Takahisa FUJINAMI – 85

Indian Dominate the Arizona Mile

The Indian Wrecking Crew of Bryan Smith, Brad Baker and Jarred Mees once again lived up to its reputation by going 1-2-3 at the fourth round of the 2017 American Flat Track Championship at the Arizona Mile last weekend.

[youtube id=”X-PAGlT4c_E” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Smith drew upon every last ounce of his trademark Mile magic to position his Indian Scout FTR 750 ahead of the identical machine of Brad Baker at the chequered flag by a scant 0.057 seconds.

The cagey performance was the 20th Mile victory of Smith’s career, good enough to rank fifth most in American Flat Track history. It was also his 28th overall AFT Twins win, which ties him with fellow Michigan natives Bart Markel and Henry Wiles for tenth on the all-time order. 

Bryan Smith

“It was a little bit of strategy, I just sat on Brad’s rear tire, and luckily it worked out where I got by him with two to go. I went on by him and had just enough where I was a little bit better, mostly off of (Turn) 2. It’s pretty cool at 28 wins that I tied Bark Markel, the original godfather of the Michigan Mafia,” Smith said. “And it’s pretty special for me to be, I believe, the only rider to win a Mile on three different brands and tie his record. Hopefully next weekend I can break it.”

Brad Baker

“I wanted that win so dang bad. I don’t think I’ve wanted a win more in my life. This type of track is one I typically struggle at – one that’s dry, slick, one-lined – where you kind of have to go slow to go fast and ride with a lot of discipline. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed and angry. But they call Bryan the ‘Master of the Miles’ and he’s great at this. This is definitely a heartbreaker because I was the guy to beat all day. We’re on identical equipment so it’s not like I had any more horsepower than him or he had any more horsepower than me. It was all about who was the best rider, and today, Bryan proved his experience and craft on the Miles.”

Despite struggling with shifter issues, Mees managed to keep Smith and Baker honest throughout and finished just over a half-second back of the win.

Jarred Mees

“It was good for Indian Motorcycle, but we just didn’t quite have it today. Honestly, we were third place all day… I was pretty much a sitting duck in third; we couldn’t really do anything. I was just grateful to get it into gear really quick off the line and kind of latch onto these guys. Brad had a helluva pace early on, but hats off to Bryan – he just put in a veteran move in on that last lap and a half and made it happen. I feel like Brad was probably the fastest, but Bryan out-schooled him.”

As the American Flat Track Championship continues with the second of its run of four Miles in four weeks with the Sacramento Mile this weekend, Smith and Mees are at the top of the championship with 87 points apiece.

Husqvarna Dominate Three-Day Enduro

Husqvarna’s Thad DuVall and Tayla Jones have won the Overall and Female classes respectively at the challenging Kenda Full Gas Three-Day Enduro held in Greeneville, Tennessee last weekend.

DuVall came away with the overall win in a race that acted as a round of the Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series and the final round of the 2017 AMA ISDE Qualifier Series. Trying to replicate the ISDE as much as possible, this event featured a final MX test, and the competitors were required to make on-the-clock tire changes.

Intermittent rain made things an extra challenge for the riders, but DuVall dominated the race, taking the win over Cory Buttrick (KTM), Josh Toth (Yamaha), Russell Bobbitt (KTM) and Josh Strang (Husqvarna).

Ryan Sipes (Husqvarna) gave DuVall a battle for much of the week before a couple of falls and a mechanical issue in the tests on the final day stalled his effort. Sipes, a former professional motocross capped off the race with a win in the MX test.

In the Women’s division, KR4 Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones took the win ahead of the KTM duo of Kacy Martinez and Becca Sheets. Jones is no mug when it comes to the multi-day discipline and has led Team Australia to four-straight ISDE Women’s Trophy Team victories in addition to winning the Women’s overall individual award twice.

Smarty’s Race Reports:

AORC – Rounds 5-6 – Gympie, Qld

KTM’s Daniel Milner scored back to back wins at rounds 5 and 6 of the Australian Off-Road Championship held at Miva, near Gympie in Queensland last weekend.

On Saturday, Milner fended off the challenge of Josh Green and former motocross star Jack Simpson while Sunday’s victory came ahead of Green and Lachlan Stanford.

The performance extends Milner’s lead in both the Outright and E2 categories.

Daniel Milner

“The first day was really good; it was nice and relaxing and easy, just making sure I could get every line right. And then today was a bit more motocross-friendly so the moto guys came out swinging. It’s the first time this year I’ve been beaten in a test. Simmo and Greeny were on my hammer all day but I pushed as hard as I could and came away with the win. I’m really hungry this year and really enjoying working with a new team. I put in a massive off season on and off the bike and I’m very excited with the start we’ve got. With the bike we had everything today; we had rooty, rocky, sandy, plenty of rocks and the rest of it. It was really technical and for my setup to swallow all of those conditions with ease, I’ve definitely got it to where I like it in a very short time.”

Green was unable to match the fast pace set by Milner but is determined to work even harder to bridge the gap.

Josh Green

“I was pretty happy with how things went on the weekend as the bike, the course and the team were in fine form. Daniel is riding really well at the moment and was just a bit above us on the weekend but we need to keep pushing to close the gap between us and make a good fight for the 2017 championship. We still have a long way to go and while he is in front now, there is a lot of racing to go and I need to keep the pressure on him.”

Teenager Lyndon Snodgrass finished the weekend with 6 – 4 outright scores, and took part in a mighty tussle with seasoned campaigner Lachlan Stanford for E3 class supremacy, putting the KTM 300 EXC into second place on both days.

Lyndon Snodgrass

“The tracks were awesome today so it was good to be tearing it up out there. With sixth yesterday and fourth today, it’s been the best Queensland round I’ve ever had. Me and Lachy had another big battle again but he ended up getting me in the end. It was a little bit hard at the beginning of the day picking lines on the two stroke, but once I got it sorted I was really enjoying it. In the deep ruts and in and out of the trees, it was pretty awesome.”

After winning the E1 class on Saturday Jack Simpson looked set for a repeat performance on Sunday but the KTM support rider cut the course and was penalised five minutes for the infraction, which dropped him to third in class and 15th outright.

Jack Simpson

“Yesterday started off well, the track was not wet and sloppy for once, and I liked the layout so I just went out on my merry way and didn’t change a thing all day. It started well and ended well with my fifth outright podium and today I had my head down and arse up and in the very last sprint and there was a right hander where the bunting was down and there were six or seven lines that went through it. In an instant I thought, if it’s down, go through it, because everyone else will be – like in the past when I’ve had people randomly beat me by 18 seconds. But I did the wrong thing and I admit that. I’m not brought up to be a cheater or anything like that, I’d rather stick to my own track. But I’ll cop this on the chin and learn from it.”

Yamaha’s E1 class contender Wil Ruprecht started Saturday’s racing in fine form but that soon unravelled when he fell heavily on lap four leaving him dazed but to his credit Ruprecht re-joined the race and was able to claim third on the day then on Sunday he took a hard earned second place in class and as a result maintained his lead in the E1 championship.

Wil Ruprecht

“I felt great on the bike on Saturday morning but I made a mistake and went down pretty hard. My head hit the ground and it shook me up a bit so between laps I went to RACESAFE to get assessed and they were happy for me to continue but warned that another crash wouldn’t be good so I had to settle down. Fortunately I was able to get through the weekend and still get some reasonable results, so that’s the positive. I will take a few days off now and let me body settle before getting ready for the next rounds.”

For our full report see: Daniel Milner continues AORC domination at Miva

Enduro 1 after Round 6

1. Wil RUPRECHT – 92
2. Jack SIMPSON – 89
3. Scott KEEGAN – 87
4. Brad HARDAKER – 70
5. Baylee DAVIES – 66

Enduro 2 after Round 6

1. Daniel Milner – 100
2. Josh GREEN – 88
3. Graham GRAHAM – 75
4. Granquist GRANQUIST – 70
5. Broc Grabham – 67

Enduro 3 after Round 6

1. Lachlan STANFORD – 97
2. Lyndon SNODGRASS – 91
3. Tom MASON – 80
4. Jesse JESSE – 63
5. Beau RALSTON – 36

AORC heads to Renmark, South Australia

After the exciting rounds at Miva, its time to look towards Rounds 7 & 8 at Renmark in South Australia! The AORC management team would like to advise competitors that entries are Officially open and can be completed via clicking here.

Entries will close on Sunday 18th June 2017 at 5pm AEST. Rounds 7 & 8 will see competitors race in cross country on Saturday and a sprint format on Sunday, June 24-25.

Supplementary Regulations for the 2017 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship can be viewed by clicking here.

2017 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship Calendar

• Round 7 & 8: Renmark, SA 24 – 25 June 2017
• Round 9 & 10: Kyogle, NSW 22 – 23 July 2017
• Round 11 & 12: Omeo, VIC 5 – 6 August 2017
• (Round 1 & 2: Dungog, NSW – (Postponed TBA)

British Motocross Championship – Round 4 – Hawkstone Park

Graeme Irwin and Ben Watson have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at the fourth round of the British motocross Championship held at the famous Hawkstone Park last weekend.

MX1 Report

Irwin took his Honda to a double victory and it was the Irishman’s first overall victory in the class, earning him the MX1 red plate as the championship passes the halfway stage.

After setting the fastest time in qualifying on his CRF450R, Graeme was made to work for his win in the opening moto when he lost a handful of places in a physical first turn. In race two he took the holeshot and sealed the overall with a gate-to-flag victory.

Graeme Irwin

“That was a perfect day, it couldn’t have been any better apart from the fact that I got a bad start in the first race but other than that it was awesome. I qualified in pole, won both races, the bike was fantastic, I didn’t get stung by any bees – everything was sweet. The first moto I had to work really hard to get there. I didn’t have an easy race and got banged about but fought my way through and in the second race I got the holeshot and just checked out. A huge thanks to all my team and sponsors. Now I’m bringing the red plate home to Desertmartin. That’s going to be a proud moment for me.”

MX1 Round 4 Overall

1. Graeme Irwin – (1-1) 50
2. Steven Lenoir – (2-2) 44
3. Harri Kullas – (3-4) 38
4. Robert Davidson – 31
5. Jake Shipton – 30
6. Gert Krestinov – 28
7. Carlton Husband – 25
8. Jamie Law – 24
9. Dan Thornhill – 23
10. James Harrison – 22

MX1 Points after 4 Rounds

1. Graeme Irwin – 166
2. Steven Lenoir – 162
3. Gert Krestinov – 137
4. Brad Anderson – 117
5. Elliott Banks-Browne – 109
6. Jake Nicholls – 95
7. Jamie Law – 92
8. James Harrison – 88
9. Jake Shipton – 86
10. Harri Kullas 84

MX2 Report

KTM rider Watson won the opening moto comfortably but wasn’t able to hold Kiwi speedster Josiah Natzke at bay in the second moto but his overall win saw Watson extend his championship lead to 30 points over Harri Kullas who only managed 11^th outright on the day.

Ben Watson – to MXLarge

“I went out in the first race and came out around third in the first corner. I worked my way to the front and I think I finished about eight seconds at the end of the race. I didn’t push too hard, just did what I had to. I think Kullas had a bike problem, they had on the board. That was obviously a nice feeling, gives me a bit of a cushion in the points. Race two I didn’t have a good start at all. I was probably around 10th, and with the track not cutting up at all, everyone was a similar speed. I got up to second, so overall a good day and really good for the championships.”

MX2 Round 4 Overall

1. Ben Watson – (1-2) 47
2. Josiah Natzke – (5-1) 41
3. Martin Barr – (2-4) 40
4. Todd Kellett – 36
5. Michael Eccles – 28
6. Liam Knight – 28
7. Mel Pocock – 27
8. Jake Millward – 26
9. Josh Gilbert – 23
10. Josh Spinks – 21
11. Harri Kullas – 20

MX2 Points after 4 Rounds

1. Ben Watson – 182
2. Harri Kullas – 152
3. Martin Barr – 139
4. Mel Pocock – 126
5. Todd Kellett – 110
6. Josiah Natzke – 108
7. Josh Gilbert – 95
8. Lewis Tombs – 93
9. Michael Eccles – 85
10. Brad Todd – 80

Dutch Masters of Motocross – Round 3 – Emmen (Netherlands)

Jeffrey Herlings and Thomas Ker Olsen have won the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at round three of the Dutch Masters of Motocross held at Emman last weekend.

Herlings got the overall in the MX1 class ahead of Evgeny Bobryshev who went 3-2 over the two motos while Gautier Paulin, Max Anstie and Romain Febvre rounded out the top five.

Jeffrey Herlings

“The Dutch Masters is four rounds and we also have the 19 Grand Prix, so it’s a busy season. I like to ride the Masters so the Dutch public, who don’t get to watch me at the Grand Prix’s can see me racing live. It’s nice for them, but also nice for me.”

Olson won both MX1 motos ahead of fellow Husqvarna rider Thomas Covington while Brian Bogers, Jago Geerts and David Herbreteau rounded out the top five.

Thomas Ker Olson – to MXLarge

“The first moto, I didn’t get the best of starts, I was in around sixth place and worked my way up. Once I got into the lead I was just trying to pull away and get the best practice out of it as possible. I was able to do that and get some consistent lap times, and I am happy about that. The win was nice and I wanted to do the same for the second moto. I had won some first motos, but never won the second moto. In the second moto, I got a better start. Battled a little bit with Bogers and I went through, then Covington also went through. He tried to pass me and was pushing me for a bit, so it was a good battle for a bit there. The track got super rough, and I know I am pretty strong with my physical condition and I tried to hold Thomas off and I thought he was going through, but I held him off. He was riding good.”

Jed Beaton managed a solid 7^th place in the second moto after a disappointing DNF in the opening moto.

MX1 Overall

1. Jeffrey Herlings – (1-1) 50
2. Evgeny Bobryshev – (3-2) 42
3. Gautier Paulin – (2-4) 40
4. Max Anstie – (5-3) 36
5. Romain Febvre – (4-5) 34
6. Max Nagl – 30
7. Filip Bengtsson – 28
8. Yentel Martens – 25
9. Sven van der Mierden – 19
10. Micha-Boy de Waal – 19

MX1 Points after 3 Rounds

1. Jeffrey Herlings – 136
2. Gautier Paulin – 124
3. Max Anstie – 95
4. Filip Bengtsson – 86
5. Yentel Martens – 83

MX2 Overall

1. Thomas K Olson – (1-1) 50
2. Thomas Covington – (2-2) 44
3. Brian Bogers – (3-3) 40
4. Jago Geerts – 33
5. David Herbreteau – 31
6. Freek van der Vlist – 26
7. Ruben Fernandez Garcia – 25
8. Roy van Heugten – 25
9. Magne Klingsheim – 21
10. Rene de Jong – 20
11. Jed Beaton – (DNF-7) 14

MX2 Points after 3 Rounds

1. Thomas K Olson – 135
2. Brian Bogers – 129
3. Calvin Vlaanderen – 84
4. Jago Geerts – 81
5. Thomas Covington – 80
6. Freek van der Vlist – 77
7. David Herbreteau – 73
8. Jed Beaton – 59

FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland – Round 2 – Warsaw

Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren has won the FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Warsaw SGP in Poland ahead of home hero Maciej Janowski, Aussie ace Jason Doyle and Slovak star Martin Vaculik.

It’s Lindgren’s first victory since he won the Swedish SGP at Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadium on May 26, 2012 and he retains the FIM Speedway World Championship lead with Doyle moving into second place in the championship, just five points back.

Lindgren is in the form of his life and is elated to be back in the SGP winners’ circle.

Fredrik Lindgren

“Right now I am just pumped with adrenaline. It’s so cool to ride in this stadium in front of all these people and perform like I did tonight. It’s something that we live to do. It’s what I like. I have been training so hard in the winter. I have so many good people behind me – all my sponsors and pit crew; everyone is helping me out. I’m so pleased to give back to them. I feel absolutely awesome. I have only won one GP before. This is so important for me.”

Runner-up Janowski was gutted to fall just short of becoming the first Pole to claim an historic Warsaw win.

Maciej Janowski

“When you finish in second position, you think ‘ah, so close!’ But Freddie was really good tonight. I tried my best.”

Third-placed Doyle was content with moving up to second in the overall standings after enjoying a perfect view of the battle for Warsaw victory.

Jason Doyle

“It’s nice to finally be on the podium after going all the way in Slovenia and not making it on to the rostrum. What a race! You get to the final and it’s no holds barred. What a great ride from Freddie and Magic. They were throwing everything at each other and I just had to sit back and watch the show. I’d just like to thank my team and all my sponsors for sticking by me when I had such a bad injury last year. It just shows hard work does pay off.”

For the second GP in a row Chris Holder was only able to score six points and at the time of writing the former World Champion is looking for answers and a way to change his fortune.

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Next up for the FIM Speedway Grand Prix stars is the Rietumu Bank Latvian SGP in Daugavpils on May 27.

Lotto Warsaw SGP of Poland Scores

1. Fredrik Lindgren 16
2. Maciej Janowski 16
3. Jason Doyle 15
4. Martin Vaculik 10
5. Tai Woffinden 13
6. Bartosz Zmarzlik 12
7. Patryk Dudek 9
8. Niels-Kristian Iversen 9
9. Piotr Pawlicki 7
10. Chris Holder 6
11. Emil Sayfutdinov 6
12. Antonio Lindback 6
13. Nicki Pedersen 5
14. Greg Hancock 4
15. Przemyslaw Pawlicki 3
16. Matej Zagar 1
17. Krystian Pieszczek DNR
18. Pawel Przedpelski DNR

World Championship Standings

1. Fredrik Lindgren 32
2. Jason Doyle 27
3. Martin Vaculik 26
4. Maciej Janowski 22
5. Patryk Dudek 22
6. Tai Woffinden 21
7. Bartosz Zmarzlik 18
8. Niels-Kristian Iversen 18
9. Emil Sayfutdinov 18
10. Greg Hancock 15
11. Piotr Pawlicki 14
12. Chris Holder 12
13. Matej Zagar 11
14. Antonio Lindback 8
15. Nicki Pedersen 8
16. Przemyslaw Pawlicki 3
17. Nick Skorja 1

Merzouga Rally – Morocco

Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team rider Xavier de Soultrait has won the final stage of the Afriquia Merzouga Rally to claim an emphatic overall victory at the 2017 edition of the event.

Wrapping up the rally in third overall his teammate Franco Caimi became the second of three Yamaha mounted riders to earn a spot inside the event’s top five.

With the sixth and final stage of the rally involving a massive motocross-styled start and 50km of dune riding, it didn’t take long for Xavier de Soultrait to take the lead. Staying fast despite navigation becoming more difficult as the stage went on, the WR450F Rally mounted rider reached the finish first to ensure a winning end to his week in Morocco.

Claiming the overall victory at the Merzouga Rally 2017, Xavier becomes the third Yamaha rider to claim top honours in the eight-year-long history of the event. With it being Xavier’s first major victory on African soil, it was also the perfect way for the Frenchman to end his debut event as part of the Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team.

Reaching the finish line of the stage less than a minute behind his Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team partner, Franco Caimi secured a strong third place in the rally’s overall standings. The second WR450F Rally mounted rider to earn a podium result in this year’s event, Franco demonstrated impressive speed during the six days of racing in Morocco.

Xavier de Soultrait

“To win this rally feels amazing, this is my first major victory in Africa and the best way to wrap up my first event as part of the team. I managed to improve my navigation and learn how to open the tracks while remaining fast. Being part of such a well-organised team was a great help too. I was really happy to see how motivated each person within the team was and that made me want to do even better. It was also the first time in my career I had to work with a teammate. Franco did a great job and I can truly say he’s been a great help. We raced this event as a team and I’m happy for him getting on the podium.”

Franco Caimi

“To secure a podium result in my first race aboard the WR450F Rally is really good. This week has been a huge learning experience for me. It was my first time in Morocco and I’m really happy with the way everything panned out. It was such a great pleasure getting to know all members of our team and working with them. Everyone is truly motivated to give their best. My plan is to continue working hard. We now have a solid base with the team and the bike and I’m looking forward to the upcoming events.”

Merzouga Rally 2017 – Final Overall Classification

1. Xavier de Soultrait (FRA), Yamaha, 14:54:36
2. Gerard Farres (ESP), KTM, 15:07:43, +13:07
3. Franco Caimi (ARG), Yamaha, 15:17:07, +22:31
4. Juan Pedrero (ESP), Sherco, 15:33:06, +38:30
5. Alessandro Botturi (ITA), Yamaha, 15:34:24, +39:48
6. Jacopo Cerutti (ITA), Husqvarna, 15:50:01, +55:25