Moto News Weekly Wrap
October 20, 2020
2020 AFT Finale Daytona I & II
Images by Scott Hunter
AFT SuperTwins – Daytona I
AFT SuperTwins title rivals Briar Bauman and Jared Mees opened the Main Event from first and second on the line. As they went elbow to elbow in an attempt to gain an early advantage over one another, their melee opened the door for Jarod Vanderkooi, Robinson and Robert Pearson to rush past.
Vanderkooi enjoyed a short-lived spell out front before giving way to Robinson, who then proved utterly dominant over the race’s final nine minutes despite racing with a broken right foot.
With Robinson long gone, Bauman and Mees frantically fought their way forward to collect as many points as possible ahead of the decisive Daytona II race.
Reigning champ Bauman ultimately proved more successful in those efforts. He dispatched Pearson for third with a hard pass with six laps remaining, and then spent the remainder of his race chasing down Vanderkooi. That relentless pursuit paid dividends with less than a minute remaining on the clock when he worked his way through to earn second place and the 20 points that came along with it.
Despite being passed by Bauman late, Vanderkooi equaled his best ever premier-class finish in third.
Mees shook free from Davis Fisher to reel in and sail past Pearson, moving into fourth position with four minutes remaining. However, Bauman and Vanderkooi were too far out in front, leaving him one spot off the box at the flag and with a considerably deeper hole to climb out of heading into Saturday’s rematch.
With just one race to go, Bauman leads Mees 294-280. That means even if Mees wins his next race, Bauman needs only to finish eighth or better to repeat as AFT SuperTwins Champion.
AFT SuperTwins Result
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Gap | Points |
| 1 | Brandon Robinson | Indian FTR750 | 35 Laps | 25 |
| 2 | Briar Bauman | Indian FTR750 | +2.36 | 20 |
| 3 | Jarod Vanderkooi | HD XG750R | +3.715 | 17 |
| 4 | Jared Mees | Indian FTR750 | +4.905 | 15 |
| 5 | Sammy Halbert | Indian FTR750 | +10.598 | 14 |
| 6 | Davis Fisher | Indian FTR750 | +10.824 | 13 |
| 7 | Robert Pearson | Indian FTR750 | +11.177 | 12 |
| 8 | JD Beach | Yamaha MT-07 | +12.207 | 11 |
| 9 | Bronson Bauman | Indian FTR750 | +12.477 | 10 |
| 10 | Dan Bromley | Indian FTR750 | +17.186 | 9 |
AFT Singles – Daytona I
Chad Cose finally broke through in the season’s finale weekend to claim his first victory of 2020 in a hard-fought AFT Singles Main Event, a huge moment for his Wally Brown Racing effort, backed by factory Suzuki.
Cose twice beat Max Whale for the holeshot in the once red-flagged and restarted Main and never once gave up the position. That doesn’t mean he had it easy, however; Cose was pushed throughout with Whale and Henry Wiles both showing him a wheel at different times, including a final-lap attempt to steal away the win on the part of Wiles.
Also in the mix throughout was already crowned 2020 AFT Singles champion Dallas Daniels. Daniels was fighting an uphill battle starting from Row 3 as a result of a crash in the Semi, but he still managed to join the battle for the win. He ultimately finished fourth, falling just 0.749 seconds short of extending his six-race win streak to seven.
Meanwhile, Daniels’ teammate, Mikey Rush was forced to start from the back of the pack due to an opening-lap incident that saw him go down while running third. Still, he somehow managed to slash his way up from last place to take an impressive fifth on the little bullring circuit.
As a result, Rush retains a slim mathematical shot at a second consecutive championship runner-up finish; he now trails second-ranked Whale by 25 points with the final race left to decide the final order.
AFT Singles Results
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Gap | Points |
| 1 | Chad Cose | Suzuki RMZ 450 | 22 Laps | 25 |
| 2 | Henry Wiles | Honda CRF450R | +0.27 | 20 |
| 3 | Max Whale | Kawasaki KX450F | +0.491 | 17 |
| 4 | Dallas Daniels | Yamaha YZ450F | +0.749 | 15 |
| 5 | Michael Rush | Yamaha YZ450F | +2.968 | 14 |
| 6 | Trent Lowe | Honda CRF450R | +3.244 | 13 |
| 7 | Tanner Dean | Honda CRF450R | +4.253 | 12 |
| 8 | Jacob Lehmann | Honda CRF450R | +5.571 | 11 |
| 9 | Michael Inderbitzin | Honda CRF450R | +5.69 | 10 |
| 10 | Jesse Janisch | Husqvarna FC450 | +7.061 | 9 |
AFT Production Twins – Daytona I
An historic AFT Production Twins Main Event saw Johnny Lewis claim Royal Enfield’s first-ever AFT victory and season-long dominator James Rispoli crowned the class’ champion.
Despite his underdog status on the upstart RE effort, DAYTONA Short Track genius Lewis controlled the evening in the AFT Production Twins. He escaped to an easy win in his Semi, qualified on pole and finished things off by going wire-to-wire in the Main Event.
Lewis fought back an early challenge from Ben Lowe, asserted at the front himself mid-race, and then successfully held off a desperate charge from Cory Texter in the race’s waning moments to secure the win.
Rispoli, meanwhile, sat a safe-yet-close fourth behind Lewis, Texter, and Lowe for almost the entire race. Even if Texter had beaten Lewis to the checkered flag, all he needed was a seventh to end the title fight early. Fourth was more than enough.
With the final race still to go, Rispoli has racked up seven wins, four runner-ups, two fourths, and a fifth en route to the 2020 AFT Production Twins throne. This championship marks the first for Harley-Davidson since the introduction of the XG750R, a pivotal moment for one of the iconic manufacturers.
AFT Production Twins Results
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Gap | Points |
| 1 | Johnny Lewis | Royal Enfield 650 | 21 Laps | 25 |
| 2 | Cory Texter | Yamaha MT-07 | +0.247 | 20 |
| 3 | Ben Lowe | Yamaha MT-07 | +0.956 | 17 |
| 4 | James Rispoli | Harley-Davidson XG750R | +1.21 | 15 |
| 5 | Patrick Buchanan | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +1.838 | 14 |
| 6 | Cody Johncox | Yamaha MT-07 | +3.347 | 13 |
| 7 | Jeremiah Duffy | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +3.794 | 12 |
| 8 | Shelby Miller | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +5.322 | 11 |
| 9 | Danny Eslick | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +7.512 | 10 |
| 10 | Jimmy McAllister | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +13.768 | 9 |
AFT SuperTwins – Daytona II
Even with an extended pandemic-imposed pause, the highly anticipated 2020 showdown between Bauman and multi-time series king Jared Mees proved more than worth the wait. The momentum swung back and forth on a nearly weekend-by-weekend basis, leaving both superstars still in control of their destiny heading into the weekend’s Daytona finale.
Bauman seized control of the title fight with a clutch runner-up finish on Friday, which seemingly made the final task before him relatively easy by his standards. All he needed to do at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night was score an eighth-place finish to cap off a title defense that saw him rack up six wins, four seconds, three thirds, and one seventh along the way.
However, the level of difficulty was ratcheted up significantly due to weather; rainy conditions forced multiple delays in the program, the Semis were cancelled, and the AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines Main was pushed to the front of the pack once conditions allowed to ensure the season’s premier-class champ was crowned before the night was out. The changes and unpredictability of the day could have easily thrown an admittedly stressed Bauman out of his rhythm.
Instead he responded like a champion. Starting on the front row with Mees as a result of their qualifying performance, Bauman got away in third and glued himself to the rear wheel of his championship rival.
Meanwhile, Brandon Robinson proved invincible around the Short Track at Daytona for a second consecutive night. He assumed the lead on lap one and held the position through the checkered flag.
Mees did well to keep Robinson in his sights, clinging on in hopes of a win that would give him the best possible shot at the championship should Bauman make a critical mistake.
Jeffrey Carver Jr. ran in fourth deep into the contest, holding back a racy Sammy Halbert for a solid five minutes. Unable to find an opening, Halbert finally made one; he pushed up the inside of Carver to take over fourth, knocking his rival back to seventh in the process.
Halbert then reeled in the leaders, arriving within striking distance of Bauman and a potential podium finish just as the race entered its final two laps. Bauman saw what was happening and understood full well what could happen. Rather than risk getting similarly bumped down the order and out of the points lead, Bauman allowed Halbert by and then cruised to a title-clinching fourth-place finish.
Brandon Robinson
“This is amazing. Through the ups and downs we’ve had this season to come out of here with the DAYTONA double — there’s nothing better. This is insane. We’re going to be able to go into this offseason and get healthy and come out swinging in 2021. I’m ecstatic. Obviously, things went really, really well,” back-to-back champ Bauman said. “I was able to do what we came for and what we set out to do all season for Jess Garcia and the whole Garcia family — win the championship. Jess was with me every step of the way. It means a lot to me to be able to fulfill what I showed up to do. He was one of my best friends. It’s just an honor to win for him, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, and everyone else behind the team.”
AFT SuperTwins Result
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Gap | Points |
| 1 | Brandon Robinson | Indian FTR750 | 28 Laps | 25 |
| 2 | Jared Mees | Indian FTR750 | +1.658 | 20 |
| 3 | Sammy Halbert | Indian FTR750 | +2.089 | 17 |
| 4 | Briar Bauman | Indian FTR750 | +2.709 | 15 |
| 5 | Dan Bromley | Indian FTR750 | +4.641 | 14 |
| 6 | Robert Pearson | Indian FTR750 | +8.578 | 13 |
| 7 | Jeffrey Carver Jr. | Indian FTR750 | +9.034 | 12 |
| 8 | Jarod Vanderkooi | Harley-Davidson XG750R | +9.354 | 11 |
| 9 | Dalton Gauthier | Harley-Davidson XG750R | +9.616 | 10 |
| 10 | Brandon Price | Indian FTR750 | +11.191 | 9 |
SuperTwins Standings
| Pos | Rider | Points | Wins |
| 1 | Briar Bauman | 309 | 6 |
| 2 | Jared Mees | 300 | 5 |
| 3 | Sammy Halbert | 239 | 1 |
| 4 | Brandon Robinson | 209 | 2 |
| 5 | Bronson Bauman | 181 | 0 |
| 6 | Brandon Price | 175 | 0 |
| 7 | Jeffrey Carver Jr. | 174 | 1 |
| 8 | Davis Fisher | 143 | 0 |
| 9 | Jarod Vanderkooi | 139 | 0 |
| 10 | Robert Pearson | 130 | 0 |
| 11 | Dan Bromley | 128 | 0 |
| 12 | Dalton Gauthier | 114 | 0 |
| 13 | Bryan Smith | 104 | 0 |
| 14 | JD Beach | 93 | 0 |
| 15 | Jake Johnson | 81 | 0 |
| 16 | Jay Maloney | 54 | 0 |
| 17 | Larry Pegram | 53 | 0 |
| 18 | Kolby Carlile | 50 | 0 |
| 19 | Andrew Luker | 42 | 0 |
| 20 | Ryan Varnes | 16 | 0 |
| 21 | Morgen Mischler | 6 | 0 |
AFT Singles – Daytona II
Henry Wiles demonstrated once again why he’s widely considered one of the greatest Short Track riders in the history of the sport, holding off Australian Max Whale (No. 18 Coondoo Cattle Co./Australian Road Services Kawasaki KX450F) and Trent Lowe to win an abbreviated AFT Singles Main Event.
Shortened to just four minutes plus two laps due to the numerous weather delays, Wiles shot out to the lead from the start, and protected the groove from there. Whale sought any way past Wiles but simply could not find one. Lowe closed in as well, but the experienced ST master ahead of them refused to give way.
Henry Wiles
“I was stoked to get that start. I told myself I can’t not win now. It was my race to win. Max kept me honest, and I could see Trent was in the picture too. I put in smooth, consistent laps. I’d go just a touch easy on some laps, and then I’d pick it up a little bit on some other laps. I tried to ride the best that I could so I didn’t give Max a good shot at poking it up on me. I’m stoked my wife and daughter came out for this – it means a lot to me.”
Despite losing to Wiles on the night, Whale’s runner-up result was enough to beat him for second in their championship fight (215-208).
Max Whale
“2020 AFT Season done and dusted! Stoked to go back to back podiums for the last two rounds at Daytona. I had the speed to win and wanted to win so bad. With experienced guys like Henry Wiles and Chad Cose it made it super hard to pass. It’s a dream come true to be coming back to Oz with a second place in the national AFT series. This year hasn’t been easy, I didn’t realise how much Dad did for me and how much work went into prepping my bikes, driving, cooking, cleaning, washing and servicing RVs. I cannot thank so many Americans enough in the flat track family for what they have done for me while I’ve been here solo, I’ll start with my weekend warriors! @bjbcrewdad @mattguenther61 @bjbcrew and Big Keith, they have been amazing wrenching for me on race days, legends. My close friends and families have been amazing @briarbauman @shaynatexter @bronsonbauman37 @jamesrispoli @corytexter @jarodvanderkooi20 Stan, Holly @_ekiss Don, Iris, Keith and Jill, words cannot not describe what these people have done for me. Also a big shout out to all my sponsors: Don’s Kawasaki, SHOWA suspension, @sharkleathers, Australian Road Services, @araiamericas, @sscycle, Coondoo Cattle Co, @spectrooils, Tri-R Distributing, @truturfrollers, @sercomotorsport, @ride100percent, @answeracing, @protaper, J & M Logging, @lskd, @vpfuelsaus, @kawasakiconnection, @engineice, @unifilteraustralia, Garage 36, Marty Blake, @mikebutlerracing, @briarbauman, @shaynatexter, Methanol Moonshine Apparel, Logan coombe, Bob Moir, Des and Rayna Morris.”
Mikey Rush set the fastest lap of the race en route to fourth with Andrew Luker completing the top five just behind.
2020 AFT Singles champ Dallas Daniels was forced to start from Row 4 with no Semi to improve his starting position. He made up a couple positions to end his title-winning season with a run to ninth. Sandwiched between his opening round failure to qualify for the Main and his ninth-placed finale, Daniels packed in a remarkable eighth wins, nine podiums and twelve top fives.
AFT Singles Results
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Gap | Points |
| 1 | Henry Wiles | Honda CRF450R | 15 Laps | 25 |
| 2 | Max Whale | Kawasaki KX450F | +0.142 | 20 |
| 3 | Trent Lowe | Honda CRF450R | +0.396 | 17 |
| 4 | Michael Rush | Yamaha YZ450F | +1.282 | 15 |
| 5 | Andrew Luker | Yamaha YZ450F | +3.097 | 14 |
| 6 | Morgen Mischler | KTM 450 SX-F | +3.275 | 13 |
| 7 | Jacob Lehmann | Honda CRF450R | +3.952 | 12 |
| 8 | Tanner Dean | Honda CRF450R | +4.3 | 11 |
| 9 | Dallas Daniels | Yamaha YZ450F | +4.845 | 10 |
| 10 | Michael Inderbitzin | Honda CRF450R | +5.355 | 9 |
AFT Singles Standings
| Pos | Rider | Points | Wins |
| 1 | Dallas Daniels | 283 | 8 |
| 2 | Max Whale | 215 | 1 |
| 3 | Henry Wiles | 208 | 2 |
| 4 | Michael Rush | 185 | 1 |
| 5 | Trent Lowe | 183 | 0 |
| 6 | Morgen Mischler | 178 | 0 |
| 7 | Tanner Dean | 160 | 0 |
| 8 | Brandon Kitchen | 154 | 1 |
| 9 | Chad Cose | 137 | 1 |
| 10 | Michael Inderbitzin | 124 | 0 |
| 11 | Trevor Brunner | 113 | 1 |
| 12 | Shayna Texter | 102 | 0 |
| 13 | Cole Zabala | 84 | 0 |
| 14 | James Ott | 79 | 0 |
| 15 | Kevin Stollings | 74 | 0 |
| 16 | Andrew Luker | 74 | 0 |
| 17 | Cameron Smith | 73 | 0 |
| 18 | Aidan RoosEvans | 61 | 0 |
| 19 | Ryan Wells | 58 | 0 |
| 20 | Jacob Lehmann | 56 | 0 |
| 21 | Jesse Janisch | 50 | 0 |
| 22 | Dylan Bell | 18 | 0 |
| 23 | Wyatt Anderson | 17 | 0 |
| 24 | Tyler Raggio | 14 | 0 |
| 25 | Justin Jones | 9 | 0 |
| 26 | Blake Lomas | 4 | 0 |
AFT Production Twins – Daytona II
2019 AFT Production Twins champion Cory Texter made the absolute most of his last chance to run the #1 plate before handing it over to the newly-crowned James Rispoli, logging a blowout victory in the final race of the 2020 Progressive American Flat Track season.
Rispoli crashed and found himself trapped under his motorcycle after coming together with Friday-winner Johnny Lewis in the race’s opening corner. That incident brought out a red flag and moved Rispoli from Row 1 to the back of the field.
Texter ripped into the lead off the line at the restart and proceeded to assemble a massive advantage en route to his fourth triumph of a hard-fought yet ultimately unsuccessful title defense.
Cory Texter
“It feels amazing. I’ve wanted to win in DAYTONA my whole life. I was actually the first rider to ever ride this racetrack back in 2010. I helped test it out for them, but I’ve always sucked here. So this is awesome. I feel competitive everywhere right now. I wish the season could keep going or start over right now.”
Lewis backed up Royal Enfield’s maiden Progressive AFT victory with its second-ever podium finish the very next night. Lewis was followed closely to the flag by third-place finisher Ben Lowe, while Ryan Varnes edged Patrick Buchanan as the two completed the top five.
Meanwhile, despite being faced with an extremely difficult track to overtake on and very little time in which to do it, Rispoli made his way up to finish his season with an impressive sixth-place finish. The result was actually the worst of an incredibly consistent campaign, which also included seven wins, four seconds, two fourths, and a fifth.
AFT Production Twins Results
| Pos | Rider | Bike | Gap | Points |
| 1 | Cory Texter | Yamaha MT-07 | 15 Laps | 25 |
| 2 | Johnny Lewis | Royal Enfield 650 | +3.13 | 20 |
| 3 | Ben Lowe | Yamaha MT-07 | +3.556 | 17 |
| 4 | Ryan Varnes | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +4.306 | 15 |
| 5 | Patrick Buchanan | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +4.974 | 14 |
| 6 | James Rispoli | Harley-Davidson XG750R | +5.36 | 13 |
| 7 | Jeremiah Duffy | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +6.487 | 12 |
| 8 | Cody Johncox | Yamaha MT-07 | +7.359 | 11 |
| 9 | Shelby Miller | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +15.104 | 10 |
| 10 | Jimmy McAllister | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +17.243 | 9 |
| 11 | Danny Eslick | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | +14 Laps | 8 |
AFT Production Twins Standings
| Pos | Rider | Points | Wins |
| 1 | James Rispoli | 313 | 7 |
| 2 | Cory Texter | 292 | 4 |
| 3 | Ben Lowe | 240 | 1 |
| 4 | Ryan Varnes | 214 | 2 |
| 5 | Danny Eslick | 197 | 0 |
| 6 | Chad Cose | 175 | 0 |
| 7 | Jeremiah Duffy | 161 | 0 |
| 8 | Cody Johncox | 133 | 0 |
| 9 | Nick Armstrong | 95 | 0 |
| 10 | Patrick Buchanan | 86 | 0 |
| 11 | Johnny Lewis | 75 | 1 |
| 12 | Jimmy McAllister | 73 | 0 |
| 13 | Dylan Bell | 60 | 0 |
| 14 | Michael Inderbitzin | 58 | 0 |
| 15 | Brock Schwarzenbacher | 52 | 0 |
| 16 | Mitch Harvat | 52 | 0 |
| 17 | Garret Wilson | 49 | 0 |
| 18 | Hayden Gillim | 45 | 0 |
| 19 | Shelby Miller | 32 | 0 |
| 20 | Morgen Mischler | 26 | 0 |
| 21 | Scott Barrett | 26 | 0 |
| 22 | Jacob Lehmann | 25 | 0 |
| 23 | Ryan Wells | 22 | 0 |
| 24 | Jeremiah Alexander | 22 | 0 |
| 25 | Gary Ketchum | 19 | 0 |
| 26 | Kevin Stollings | 9 | 0 |
| 27 | Max Whale | 9 | 0 |
| 28 | Cameron Smith | 6 | 0 |
2020 MXGP of Flanders
The 2020 Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders saw epic action over the weekend, as the MXGP and MX2 riders took on the challenge of what is known as one of the toughest sand tracks in the world.
In MXGP Tim Gajser took to honours with a 2-1 result handing him the round win over Gautier Paulin, with Jorge Prado third overall. Antonio Cairoli was down in ninth meanwhile, allowing Gajser to extend his championship lead.
Gajser now sits on 488-points, to Cairoli’s 440, with Jorge Prado closes in on his fellow KTM teammate, with 429-points, the same number held by Jeremy Seewer. Aussie Mitch Evans falls to twelth in the standings with a broken wrist at the previous round requiring surgery during the week, with the rider absent as a result.
Tim Gajser
“Already from the beginning I was feeling really good on the bike and on the track as well. In the first race I got a really good start, I was second and I managed to catch the leader and pass him. I was able to make a little gap and go ahead but I made a mistake and I lost the front. I crashed, this is when Gautier passed me. In the second race the start was not so good but after the first corner I was able to go second and then pass Prado, make a little gap and go ahead with the win of the race so I’m super happy about today.”
MXGP Results
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | R1 | R2 | Total |
| 1 | Gajser, Tim | SLO | HON | 22 | 25 | 47 |
| 2 | Paulin, Gautier | FRA | YAM | 25 | 16 | 41 |
| 3 | Prado, Jorge | ESP | KTM | 20 | 18 | 38 |
| 4 | Febvre, Romain | FRA | KAW | 15 | 22 | 37 |
| 5 | Seewer, Jeremy | SUI | YAM | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| 6 | Bogers, Brian | NED | KTM | 18 | 14 | 32 |
| 7 | Van Horebeek, Jeremy | BEL | HON | 16 | 11 | 27 |
| 8 | Van doninck, Brent | BEL | HUS | 11 | 13 | 24 |
| 9 | Cairoli, Antonio | ITA | KTM | 8 | 15 | 23 |
| 10 | Tonus, Arnaud | SUI | YAM | 14 | 6 | 20 |
| 11 | Tixier, Jordi | FRA | KTM | 12 | 7 | 19 |
| 12 | Desalle, Clement | BEL | KAW | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| 13 | Bobryshev, Evgeny | RUS | HUS | 7 | 9 | 16 |
| 14 | Vlaanderen, Calvin | NED | YAM | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| 15 | Monticelli, Ivo | ITA | GAS | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| 16 | Leok, Tanel | EST | HUS | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 17 | Guillod, Valentin | SUI | HON | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| 18 | Petrov, Petar | BUL | KTM | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 19 | Cervellin, Michele | ITA | YAM | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 20 | Koch, Tom | GER | KTM | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 21 | Sterry, Adam | GBR | KTM | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 22 | Walsh, Dylan | GBR | HON | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Rannikko, Rene | FIN | HUS | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 24 | Toendel, Cornelius | NOR | HON | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Kritikos, Manolis | GRE | KTM | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Butron, Jose | ESP | KTM | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Guryev, Artem | RUS | HON | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Geens, Heikki | BEL | KTM | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Webster, Kyle | AUS | HON | 0 | 0 | 0 |
MXGP Standings
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Total |
| 1 | Gajser, Tim | SLO | HON | 488 |
| 2 | Cairoli, A. | ITA | KTM | 440 |
| 3 | Prado, Jorge | ESP | KTM | 429 |
| 4 | Seewer, Jeremy | SUI | YAM | 429 |
| 5 | Febvre, Romain | FRA | KAW | 383 |
| 6 | Coldenhoff, G. | NED | GAS | 375 |
| 7 | Paulin, G. | FRA | YAM | 352 |
| 8 | Desalle, C. | BEL | KAW | 312 |
| 9 | Herlings, J. | NED | KTM | 263 |
| 10 | Jasikonis, A. | LTU | HUS | 248 |
| 11 | Van Horebeek, J. | BEL | HON | 248 |
| 12 | Evans, M. | AUS | HON | 228 |
| 13 | Bogers, Brian | NED | KTM | 174 |
| 14 | Tixier, Jordi | FRA | KTM | 164 |
| 15 | Vlaanderen, C. | NED | YAM | 163 |
| 16 | Jacobi, Henry | GER | YAM | 134 |
| 17 | Monticelli, I. | ITA | GAS | 132 |
| 18 | Tonus, Arnaud | SUI | YAM | 91 |
| 19 | Lupino, A. | ITA | YAM | 82 |
| 20 | Cervellin, M. | ITA | YAM | 81 |
| 21 | Leok, Tanel | EST | HUS | 51 |
| 22 | Bobryshev, E. | RUS | HUS | 49 |
| 23 | Petrov, Petar | BUL | KTM | 48 |
| 24 | Paturel, B. | FRA | HON | 45 |
| 25 | Walsh, Dylan | GBR | HON | 43 |
| 26 | Guillod, V. | SUI | HON | 38 |
| 27 | Sterry, Adam | GBR | KTM | 36 |
| 28 | Simpson, Shaun | GBR | KTM | 31 |
| 29 | Van doninck, B. | BEL | HUS | 29 |
| 30 | Jonass, Pauls | LAT | HUS | 26 |
| 31 | Butron, Jose | ESP | KTM | 21 |
| 32 | Rauchenecker, P. | AUT | KTM | 19 |
| 33 | Sabulis, K. | LAT | KTM | 18 |
| 34 | Lapucci, N. | ITA | KTM | 15 |
| 35 | Covington, T. | USA | YAM | 15 |
| 36 | Kullas, Harri | EST | HON | 11 |
| 37 | van Berkel, L. | NED | HUS | 9 |
| 38 | Bernardini, S. | ITA | YAM | 9 |
| 39 | Koch, Tom | GER | KTM | 6 |
| 40 | Valentin, A. | ESP | HUS | 4 |
| 41 | Pichon, Z. | FRA | HON | 2 |
| 42 | Guryev, Artem | RUS | HON | 2 |
| 43 | Gole, Anton | SWE | HON | 2 |
| 44 | Rannikko, Rene | FIN | HUS | 1 |
MX2
In MX2 Tom Vialle had a solid day to finish 2-2 in the races with that consistency enough to claim his sixth overall win of the 2020 campaign. Vialle was only a single point ahead of Jago Geerts, who took one of the MX2 wins, while his teammate Ben Watson was third overall and was the other MX2 winner, in a strong result for Yamaha.
Tom Vialle
“It has been a really good day for me. In the first race I was riding good, but Ben was pushing on the back and then he passed me. I tried to push but I did a little mistake and I crashed just before the last lap, but I still finished good so at least it was a good race for me. In the second race I was feeling really good on the track better than the first one. I pushed Jago and at the end I finished second. Winning the overall here is something really special for me because three years ago I was riding the European championship here and I finished really at the back. I’m really happy about that. We work a lot with the team, Joel, my family and it’s really nice to win.”
Jed Beaton went 7-7, for seventh overall and 28-championship points, while fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz was 18th, finishing 15th in Race 2.
Jed Beaton
“Not the greatest day but we’re here for two more rounds so it’s a solid start to the week. My starts weren’t great in both races, which didn’t help but we’ll be better on Wednesday. It took me a while to get going in race one, by around 20 minutes into the race I found my flow and felt really good, but it was too late to move forwards. Race two I felt good from the start and rode a smart race. I know what to expect for the next two, so we’ll be ready for them and I look forward to Wednesday.”
Vialle now sits on 569-points to Geerts 516, with Maxime Renaux and Beaton both tied on 407-points. Malkiewicz sits 16th, on 98-points.
MX2 Results
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | R1 | R2 | Total |
| 1 | Vialle, Tom | FRA | KTM | 22 | 22 | 44 |
| 2 | Geerts, Jago | BEL | YAM | 18 | 25 | 43 |
| 3 | Watson, Ben | GBR | YAM | 25 | 16 | 41 |
| 4 | Renaux, Maxime | FRA | YAM | 20 | 15 | 35 |
| 5 | Olsen, Thomas Kjer | DEN | HUS | 16 | 18 | 34 |
| 6 | Van De Moosdijk, Roan | NED | KAW | 11 | 20 | 31 |
| 7 | Beaton, Jed | AUS | HUS | 14 | 14 | 28 |
| 8 | Gifting, Isak | SWE | GAS | 15 | 13 | 28 |
| 9 | Fernandez, Ruben | ESP | YAM | 12 | 11 | 23 |
| 10 | Östlund, Alvin | SWE | HON | 13 | 10 | 23 |
| 11 | Rubini, Stephen | FRA | HON | 9 | 8 | 17 |
| 12 | Vaessen, Bas | NED | KTM | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| 13 | Renkens, Nathan | BEL | KTM | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| 14 | Forato, Alberto | ITA | HUS | 4 | 9 | 13 |
| 15 | Gilbert, Josh | GBR | HUS | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 16 | Mewse, Conrad | GBR | KTM | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 17 | Genot, Cyril | BEL | YAM | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 18 | Malkiewicz, Bailey | AUS | HON | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 19 | Horgmo, Kevin | NOR | KTM | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 20 | Lesiardo, Morgan | ITA | HON | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 21 | Pancar, Jan | SLO | KTM | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 22 | Dickinson, Ashton | GBR | KTM | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 23 | Polak, Petr | CZE | YAM | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 24 | Meier, Glen | DEN | YAM | 1 | 0 | 1 |
MX2 Standings
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Total |
| 1 | Vialle, Tom | FRA | KTM | 569 |
| 2 | Geerts, Jago | BEL | YAM | 516 |
| 3 | Renaux, Maxime | FRA | YAM | 407 |
| 4 | Beaton, Jed | AUS | HUS | 407 |
| 5 | Olsen, T. | DEN | HUS | 381 |
| 6 | Van De Moosdijk, R. | NED | KAW | 357 |
| 7 | Watson, Ben | GBR | YAM | 355 |
| 8 | Mewse, Conrad | GBR | KTM | 287 |
| 9 | Fernandez, R. | ESP | YAM | 249 |
| 10 | Boisrame, M. | FRA | KAW | 234 |
| 11 | Rubini, S. | FRA | HON | 193 |
| 12 | Östlund, Alvin | SWE | HON | 172 |
| 13 | Forato, A. | ITA | HUS | 150 |
| 14 | Haarup, Mikkel | DEN | KAW | 118 |
| 15 | Gifting, Isak | SWE | GAS | 112 |
| 16 | Malkiewicz, B. | AUS | HON | 98 |
| 17 | Vaessen, Bas | NED | KTM | 96 |
| 18 | Crawford, N. | AUS | HON | 91 |
| 19 | Horgmo, Kevin | NOR | KTM | 91 |
| 20 | Gilbert, Josh | GBR | HUS | 83 |
| 21 | Pancar, Jan | SLO | KTM | 82 |
| 22 | Lesiardo, M. | ITA | HON | 77 |
| 23 | Hofer, Rene | AUT | KTM | 73 |
| 24 | Renkens, N. | BEL | KTM | 69 |
| 25 | Sikyna, R. | SVK | KTM | 67 |
| 26 | Guadagnini, M. | ITA | HUS | 62 |
| 27 | Laengenfelder, S. | GER | GAS | 59 |
| 28 | Genot, Cyril | BEL | YAM | 56 |
| 29 | Sydow, Jeremy | GER | GAS | 35 |
| 30 | Roosiorg, H. | EST | KTM | 33 |
| 31 | Sandner, M. | AUT | GAS | 26 |
| 32 | Harrison, M. | USA | KAW | 22 |
| 33 | Cenerelli, G. | ITA | HUS | 21 |
| 34 | Toriani, Enzo | FRA | HUS | 21 |
| 35 | Polak, Petr | CZE | YAM | 16 |
| 36 | Dickinson, A. | GBR | KTM | 13 |
| 37 | Todd, Wilson | AUS | KAW | 8 |
| 38 | Nermann, J. | EST | HUS | 8 |
| 39 | Teresak, Jakub | CZE | KTM | 8 |
| 40 | Meier, Glen | DEN | YAM | 6 |
| 41 | Zonta, Filippo | ITA | KTM | 6 |
| 42 | Edelbacher, R. | AUT | HUS | 5 |
| 43 | Furbetta, J. | ITA | KTM | 3 |
| 44 | Spies, M. | GER | HUS | 2 |
| 45 | Haavisto, Jere | FIN | YAM | 2 |
EMX250
As the gate dropped for the opening race of the day, all eyes were on the championship rivals Thibault Benistant and Mattia Guadagnini of Husqvarna Maddii Racing Junior, as Benistant grabbed the holeshot and led Marcel Conijn, Jorgen-Matthias Talviku and Gianluca Facchetti of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing.
Though Facchetti didn’t hold on to the position, as he crashed out and re-joined the race way down the order and eventually did not finish the opening heat.
Kay De Wolf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing had a good jump out of the gate, but a couple of corners later dropped it and as a result was way down the order in the beginning of the race.
Benistant, Conijn and Talviku led the opening laps, as Guadagnini fought his way up to fifth and set his sights on Tim Edberg who was just ahead. A few laps later and Edberg crashed out of fourth, which allowed Guadagnini and Hakon Fredriksen of Yamaha SM Action MC Migliori J1 Racing through.
Talviku then took second from Conijn, with Guadagnini doing the same not too long after, to move into the top three. Benistant then led the race by 6.560 seconds.
Knowing how vital every point is at this stage in the championship, Guadagnini continued to push forward as he squeezed past Talviku to take second.
Benistant then responded by setting the fastest lap of the race, a 2:06.072 as he extended his lead to 10.625 seconds. Though Guadagnini wasn’t going to give in easy, as he set his personal best lap of the race towards the end, taking three seconds out of the race leader.
The Italian then worked away at the gap, to shrink it even further, but with just 2 laps to go, made a mistake which was the deciding moment of the race. Eventually, Benistant went on to win the opening race, with Guadagnini finishing second and Fredriksen third.
EMX250 Race 1 Result
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Diff. First |
| 1 | Benistant, Thibault | FRA | Yamaha | 00:00.0 |
| 2 | Guadagnini, Mattia | ITA | Husqvarna | +00:11.7 |
| 3 | Fredriksen, Hakon | NOR | Yamaha | +00:20.4 |
| 4 | Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias | EST | Husqvarna | +00:29.4 |
| 5 | de Wolf, Kay | NED | Husqvarna | +00:53.8 |
| 6 | Boegh Damm, Bastian | DEN | KTM | +00:55.8 |
| 7 | Conijn, Marcel | NED | KTM | +00:56.7 |
| 8 | Elzinga, Rick | NED | KTM | +01:18.9 |
| 9 | Gerhardsson, Albin | SWE | Husqvarna | +01:20.5 |
| 10 | Goupillon, Pierre | FRA | Kawasaki | +01:26.7 |
In the second EMX250 race it was Guadagnini who grabbed the holeshot from Talviku and Benistant. He didn’t hold on to the lead for long, as a small mistake cost him valuable positions and saw him drop down to 6th.
Talviku then led the race, with Benistant and Oriol Oliver second and third. Guadagnini though was making quick moves as he passed two riders in a single lap to get into 4th.
On lap 3, Benistant then took the lead from Talviku, with Guadagnini looking to do the same as he set the fastest lap of the race, to bring the gap down to 4 seconds between himself and the pair in front of him. Meanwhile De Wolf was edging closer to Oliver for fourth place.
Guadagnini then caught and passed Talviku, with the Estonian then losing two spots to De Wolf and Oliver. Back at the front though, Benistant had an impressive 14.617 second lead as 9 minutes plus 2 laps remained.
Guadagnini and De Wolf then battled amongst themselves, with the pair coming together at one point, with the factory Husqvarna rider going through on the Italian to steal 2nd place. And he didn’t hold on to it for long, as he crashed a couple of corners after the finish jump, which allowed Guadagnini back into P2.
With 3 laps to go, Benistant was already 32 seconds ahead, so the battle heated up behind him as De Wolf caught onto the rear wheel of Guadagnini once again. In the end, it was Benistant who was victorious, with Guadagnini holding on to second and De Wolf finishing third.
In terms of the podium, Benistant had the perfect day, taking two race wins as well as the overall victory, along with the red plate as he continues to lead the championship by 24 points over Guadagnini, who was second overall and Fredriksen getting his turn on the podium once again, as he took to the third step of the podium.
Thibault Benistant
“I’m really happy to win both races, it was my goal for today. I don’t think of the championship or winning, I took it race by race and give my best every time. I’m really happy to be back on top of the box. I feel really good for the last round, I have the speed and feeling, and everything is here so we will do the same.”
Mattia Guadagnini
“It was not so good. I had good speed but the first race I had a bad start and made my way to the front, then I was closing down the gap and I made a mistake, so I took second. In the second race, I had a great start and took the holeshot and then made a little mistake and tried to start as soon as possible and made my way to second position again and I was a little bit faster. Then I had a little problem with the goggles, and I had another crash. I tried my best and finished with two place races, but it was not what I was hoping for today.”
Hakon Fredriksen
“The day started pretty good. I had a decent start in the first race, I was like top ten and then worked my way to third and finished there. Then in the second race I got a bad start and crashed on the first lap, so I was dead last and then worked my way up to fourth place and I’m happy with that, just going to charge for the next one and hope for a win.”
EMX250 Race 2 Result
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Diff. First |
| 1 | Benistant, Thibault | FRA | Yamaha | 00:00.0 |
| 2 | Guadagnini, Mattia | ITA | Husqvarna | +00:30.0 |
| 3 | de Wolf, Kay | NED | Husqvarna | +00:30.5 |
| 4 | Fredriksen, Hakon | NOR | Yamaha | +00:45.4 |
| 5 | Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias | EST | Husqvarna | +00:46.8 |
| 6 | Conijn, Marcel | NED | KTM | +00:55.9 |
| 7 | Oliver, Oriol | ESP | KTM | +00:57.1 |
| 8 | Weckman, Emil | FIN | Honda | +01:00.3 |
| 9 | Guyon, Tom | FRA | KTM | +01:06.7 |
| 10 | Edberg, Tim | SWE | Yamaha | +01:08.1 |
EMX250 Standings
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Total |
| 1 | Benistant, T. | FRA | YAM | 376 |
| 2 | Guadagnini, M. | ITA | HUS | 352 |
| 3 | de Wolf, Kay | NED | HUS | 272 |
| 4 | Fredriksen, H. | NOR | YAM | 253 |
| 5 | Talviku, J. | EST | HUS | 235 |
| 6 | Edberg, Tim | SWE | YAM | 212 |
| 7 | Locurcio, L. | VEN | KAW | 193 |
| 8 | Guyon, Tom | FRA | KTM | 173 |
| 9 | Vettik, Meico | EST | KTM | 137 |
| 10 | Facchetti, G. | ITA | YAM | 134 |
EMX125
The opening race of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category saw Haakon Osterhagen of Creymert Racing who grab the holeshot, as he led RFME GasGas MX Junior Team’s David Braceras and Radek Vetrovsky from JD Gunnex KTM Racing Team.
It didn’t take long for Braceras to take the lead, as he passed Osterhagen on the opening lap. Meanwhile the championship leader, Andrea Bonacorsi of Fantic Racing was down in 20th.
Vetrovsky then had a big moment as he crashed out of third place. He did not re-join the race. Osterhagen then also crashed out, as he dropped from P2 to P10.
Braceras then held a nice 4 second gap to Florian Miot of KTM DIGA Junior Racing, with Rasmus Pedersen of W-Z Racing just behind in third at the time. Miot then started to close in on the race leader, as he brought the gap down to 1.5 seconds.
The pair needed to be careful as W-Z Racing’s Max Palsson made his way up into third and was all over the back of the two, which meant that there was no room for error. And Palsson continued to apply the pressure for a few laps until he managed to squeeze past Miot for P2.
The battle for second gave Braceras a big more breathing room as he was able to get his head down and focus. Towards the end of the race he had a 6.711 second lead to Miot, who was able to pass Palsson back and that’s how the top 3 remained until the chequered flag dropped.
EMX125 Race 1 Result
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Diff. First |
| 1 | Braceras, David | ESP | GASGAS | 00:00.0 |
| 2 | Miot, Florian | FRA | KTM | +00:05.6 |
| 3 | Palsson, Max | SWE | KTM | +00:07.4 |
| 4 | Vettik, Meico | EST | KTM | +00:07.9 |
| 5 | Farres, Guillem | ESP | GASGAS | +00:13.9 |
| 6 | Osterhagen, Haakon | NOR | KTM | +00:14.7 |
| 7 | Bonacorsi, Andrea | ITA | Fantic | +00:15.5 |
| 8 | Venhoda, Martin | CZE | KTM | +00:21.7 |
| 9 | Smulders, Scott | NED | Husqvarna | +00:22.2 |
| 10 | Karssemakers, Kay | NED | Yamaha | +00:35.6 |
The start of the second race was a repeat of the first one as Osterhagen claimed another holeshot. He led Scott Smulders of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team, Farres and Cas Valk of TBS Conversions Racing Team who got a fantastic start.
Osterhagen immediately pulled a 4.7 second lead to the group, while race one winner, Braceras, was down in 6th on the opening lap. Bonacorsi got a much better start in the second heat as he was already up in 3rd place within the first few laps, as he passed Smulders and Valk.
Farres then took the lead from Osterhagen, as he set his best lap of the race, a 2:11.321, as Osterhagen made a small mistake but managed to keep it on two wheels. Bonacorsi though needed to work on the large gap between him and the top 2.
Further down the order, Braceras was coming under pressure from Palsson for P4, as Farres extended his lead to 9.539 seconds with 10 minutes plus 2 laps on the clock.
And Palsson was charging, as he passed Braceras, though the Spaniard responded immediately. The two then went at it for a little while longer, before Palsson was able to make the pass stick.
Miot then went after Braceras, though the GasGas rider was able to get back around the Frenchman a few laps later towards the end of the race. Meanwhile, Palsson continued his journey forward as he passed Bonacorsi for third place, which also got him on the podium.
In the end though it was Farres who took his first race win of the year, while Osterhagen crossed the line in second and Palsson finishing third.
The EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing saw Guillem Farres take his first overall win, while his teammate David Braceras finished second and Max Palsson third. In terms of the championship, Andrea Bonacorsi continues to lead the series with a steady 44-point advantage over Braceras, while Meico Vettik is a further 12 points down in third.
Guillem Farres
“Right now I still can’t believe it, but we did it, in first race I struggled a little bit because I didn’t get the start that I wanted and after I fought with Hakon. In the second race I was able to take a better start and I was second, I managed to pass Hakon, I went for the first position and I was first for all the whole race. I’m really happy about that. I’m feeling that I’m being more and more consistent race by race and also more confident is strange that Spanish guys are together on the podium here in Lommel.”
David Braceras
“I’m really happy. In the first race I was able to win. I took a good start and after I took the lead and I went until the end. In the second race I didn’t start really good because I was ninth or something like that then I pushed really hard in the first laps to re-group and be back in the first group and I was able to go fourth. After that I had a little bit of arm pump and I got passed by two riders and I was sixth. At the end I managed to be fifth and take the second place in the overall. I’m really happy for me, for the boys and for the team because we worked really hard to be on the top and now is the time.”
Max Palsson
“First race I did not get a good start and I was far away from the front and in addition I did also one mistake and I crashed. In the second race I messed up in the first corner and I had to re-group again, in the last lap I was able to pass David and get the 3rd place in the overall.”
Andrea Bonacorsi
“Yeah today it was a hard day for me but I still think about the championship and now I’m forty-four points in front so in the next races I want to be super focused and I want to win and be back on the podium. Now I’m ready for the next round.”
EMX125 Race 2 Result
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Diff. First |
| 1 | Farres, Guillem | ESP | GASGAS | 00:00.0 |
| 2 | Osterhagen, Haakon | NOR | KTM | +00:08.2 |
| 3 | Palsson, Max | SWE | KTM | +00:14.6 |
| 4 | Bonacorsi, Andrea | ITA | Fantic | +00:19.9 |
| 5 | Braceras, David | ESP | GASGAS | +00:32.8 |
| 6 | Miot, Florian | FRA | KTM | +00:34.4 |
| 7 | Valk, Cas | NED | KTM | +00:36.7 |
| 8 | Prugnieres, Quentin Marc | FRA | KTM | +00:43.4 |
| 9 | Karssemakers, Kay | NED | Yamaha | +00:51.9 |
| 10 | Rainio, Sampo | FIN | Husqvarna | +00:52.8 |
EMX125 Standings
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Total |
| 1 | Bonacorsi, A. | ITA | FAN | 262 |
| 2 | Braceras, D. | ESP | GAS | 218 |
| 3 | Vettik, Meico | EST | KTM | 206 |
| 4 | Palsson, Max | SWE | KTM | 188 |
| 5 | Razzini, P. | ITA | HUS | 186 |
| 6 | Farres, G. | ESP | GAS | 173 |
| 7 | Roncoli, A. | ITA | HUS | 164 |
| 8 | Lata, Valerio | ITA | KTM | 147 |
| 9 | Prugnieres, Q. | FRA | KTM | 141 |
| 10 | Soulimani, S. | FRA | KTM | 126 |
Russia win 2020 Speedway of Nations
Day 1 of the 2020 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final was cancelled due to heavy rain throughout the afternoon, the track has been deemed unsafe for racing for Friday, and as a result the Monster Energy SON world title was decided in a one-off meeting on Saturday, October 17.
Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov showed his steel to seal his country’s third straight Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations world title in Lublin on Saturday night. The Salavat-born star skippered Russia to glory in 2018 and 2019, and the world champions retained their title in a rain-curtailed Final in Lublin.
Racing was halted after 15 heats due to track conditions, but the scores were counted at the conclusion of race 14, when all seven countries had contested four heats apiece.
While Russia tied on 23 with hosts Poland, the defending champions got the gold medals after winning their head-to-head battle in heat eight, when Artem Laguta rounded Polish star Szymon Wozniak to seal a Russian 5-4 advantage.
That ride wasn’t the only decisive moment, as Sayfutdinov roared to the front in heat 13 to restrict Australia to a 5-4 race win. The Leszno star breathed in and squeezed through a seemingly impossible gap between Aussie captain Jason Doyle and the fast-approaching fence to take the lead.
It was a golden moment for Sayfutdinov, who scored 15 points, but he admits he didn’t have the best view of the action.
Emil Sayfutdinov
“I couldn’t see where I was going coming into the corner. The rain was coming into my goggles. There was a lot of material on the outside, but I got speed there and I just saw Doyle going straight to the fence. I found a little room and I passed him. I am really happy to have done it, stayed safe and got some good points.”
Russia hadn’t won a senior speedway world title – individual or team – prior to their 2018 Monster Energy SON win in Wroclaw. Now they are triple world champions and Sayfutdinov is elated to have written more racing history for his country.
Emil Sayfutdinov
“I know we didn’t continue with the whole meeting. But we are world champions, so we are really happy. That’s three times in a row! At the beginning of the meeting, track conditions were bad. But when they said ‘we need to go’, we were ready. We were focused on our points and concentrating on our starts. Everything was working and we are really happy to be world champions again. I hope speedway in Russia will grow up so quickly and we hope our federation and fans will support us, along with all the companies we have in Russia. Hopefully somebody can see us. We deserve that support and for us it is important.”
The Russians won their second world title in front of a passionate home crowd in Togliatti in 2019, but Sayfutdinov has made no secret of his desire for his national side to receive greater backing in their homeland. He hopes another Monster Energy SON win will boost the sport’s profile even further in Russia.
FIM Speedway Grand Prix world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik starred on 15 points from a possible 16 for Poland as they fell agonisingly short of their first Monster Energy SON win.
They were forced to settle for silver for the second straight season in what was legendary coach Marek Cieslak’s last event as national boss following a career that saw him clinch seven FIM Speedway World Cup wins.
Denmark took third place on 19 points for their first world championship medal since they won SWC silver in 2015. They tied with Sweden, but claimed the last spot on the podium after winning their head-to-head battle in race 10.
Team Australia riders, Captain Jason Doyle, Max Fricke and Jaimon Lidsey flew the Australian flag proudly on track in Poland last weekend at the FIM Speedway of Nations in Poland, taking fifth on 17, with Great Britain sixth on 12 and the Czech Republic seventh on 11.
Max Fricke top scored for Team Australia scoring a heat win with 4, 3, 3, 2 points, Jason Doyle scored 2, 0, 3 points and young gun Jaimon Lidsey was unable to get on the scoreboard having only competed in one heat race before the event was cancelled due to rain.
While disappointing for the Australian’s they can be proud of the season each of the team riders have had in a year that won’t be forgotten having been impacted by COVID-19.
Max Fricke
“It’s always a great honour to put on the Team Australia suit. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted after the meeting was cut short due to bad weather. But thank you to everyone who helped make the SON possible.”
2020 Monster Energy Speedway of Nations Final Result
- RUSSIA 23: 1 Emil Sayfutdinov 15, 2 Artem Laguta 8, 3 Evgenii Saidullin DNR.
- POLAND 23: 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik 15, 2 Szymon Wozniak 8, 3 Dominik Kubera DNR.
- DENMARK 19: 1 Leon Madsen 10, 2 Anders Thomsen 4, 3 Marcus Birkemose 5.
- SWEDEN 19: 1 Fredrik Lindgren 14, 2 Oliver Berntzon 5, 3 Alexander Woentin DNR.
- AUSTRALIA 17: 1 Jason Doyle 5, 2 Max Fricke 12, 3 Jaimon Lidsey 0.
- GREAT BRITAIN 12: 1 Robert Lambert 6, 2 Drew Kemp DNR, 3 Dan Bewley 6.
- CZECH REPUBLIC 11: 1 Vaclav Milik 11, 2 Eduard Krcmar 0, 3 Petr Chlupac 0.
2020 Full Gas Sprint Enduro – Silver Hawk Plantation Round 6
Kailub Russell claimed the 2020 Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro title with a close victory at this weekend’s Silver Hawk Plantation Sprint Enduro, the series finale, held at the Silver Hawk Plantation in Buffalo, South Carolina. The title was Russell’s third Full Gas Sprint Enduro championship and second in a row.
Layne Michael gave Russell a good battle, and in fact, led the race by two seconds with two tests remaining. However, as he often does, Russell dug deep and made up the distance to take the overall win.
Kailub Russell
“It was good to get the overall win, but it was kind of strange how it worked out. I won one test on Saturday and I won the day, and then I won all but one today and almost lost. It was a tough weekend. I was a little unsure how Saturday was going to go because I was a little bit off and you don’t have to be off by much to be pretty slow here. But I rode better on Sunday, and that was enough.”
In all, Russell won six tests, one on Saturday and five on Sunday. However, two crashes in test four on Sunday cost him dearly as the North Carolina rider finished the test 12 seconds behind Michael, moving him into the lead.
Trailing Michael with two tests remaining, Russell made up 1.2 seconds in the Cross test and entered the final test just .8 seconds behind. The final test would be the decider and Russell finished strong, winning the final test by 3.3 seconds and taking the overall victory by 2.4 seconds.
Kailub Russell
“I came out swinging today and rode good. I had awesome times the first three tests and then test four I kind of threw it away and had a couple falls. My front brake lever fell down and I couldn’t get it back up. It was so far down I was having a hard time getting to it, so my timing was a little bit off. But I was able to pull it together and win the last couple tests. So five out of six on the day.”
Although Michael won five tests over the weekend, the race marked the second round in a row where he was in position to take the overall win, only to lose out in the final test.
Layne Michael
“It’s frustrating because he got me at the last one in the last test and got me on this one in the last test. But it was a good weekend, nonetheless. I fought hard. I was there all weekend and pretty consistent. One little mistake kind of cost me, but like I said, he had a big one that kind of put me back in it. All in all, a good weekend. Any time you’re batting with Kailub it’s good.”
Josh Strang won a Cross test and was rewarded with third overall. The Aussie off-roader only returned to racing the week before after missing several weeks due to a shoulder injury.
Josh Strang
“I was a little off the pace. I almost didn’t come this weekend just because of my shoulder. I still have a little bit of pain. To do these things, you have to go at 100% to be competitive, and I just wasn’t comfortable going as hard as I would have liked. There were some sections where I noticed I was just kind of riding around instead of attacking the track. But overall, it was a good day.”
Strang’s teammate Lyndon Snodgrass has improved with each race and finished an impressive fourth overall, which was also good enough for first in the Pro 2 division.
Lyndon Snodgrass
“I haven’t done a Full Gas in a while so it was good to get back to one. I had a good run. I think I won every test but the first one on Saturday in my class. So it was a good run for me. I was mixing it up with the pro guys a little bit in some of the tests, so that was cool. I think they did a good job this weekend and I was happy to be here.”
Liam Draper was fourth in the Pro class and fifth overall.
Liam Draper
“On Saturday I started off kind of slow, but I figured out the Cross test a lot better this weekend than I have in previous rounds. It was close racing all weekend with me, Jordan Ashburn and Josh. Then Jordan had some problems. So, it was good. It was a good year. I had fun racing these.”
Jesse Ansley turned in his best finish of the year with a sixth overall and second in the Pro 2 class. The Florida rider has made big strides this year and his finish at the series finale was a good way to cap off the season.
Jesse Ansley
“I feel like I was really tight on Day One, I wasn’t on the bike all week and I think it showed on Saturday. I felt like I really shined in the woods test and I was sitting fifth overall going into the last Enduro test and then I just made a dumb mistake, which dropped me back to seventh overall for the day. I don’t know what I was thinking, I just went for a line that wasn’t there and ended up getting stuck between two trees and it must have cost me about 10 seconds. I gave up a little time on Saturday in the Cross test, so on Sunday, I just concentrated on that test and was able to pick up some time, which put me up into sixth overall and second in the Pro 2 class.”
Pennsylvanian Ben Nelko has been solid all year and finished seventh overall and third in the Pro 2 class this weekend. Nelko is backed by 760 Husqvarna.
Cole Mattison was the top-finishing Pro Am rider in eighth overall on a Husqvarna, and secured the Pro Am class championship with his class win. Ohio’s JoJo Cunningham topped the Lites A division with a solid ninth overall finish and also won the Lites A class series championship.
Dalton Seals was 10th overall on a Yamaha and second Pro Am rider, Brewer Cawley rounded out the Pro Am podium.
Johnny Girroir, who wrapped up the Pro 2 championship at the round before, skipped the race due to a sore knee. Meanwhile, Jordan Ashburn was turning in some solid rides in the Pro class, but suffered an unfortunate DNF on Sunday.
Rachel Archer won every test in the Women’s Pro class to take the overall win ahead of Samantha Fisher and Alli Phillips.
Rachel Archer
“Tayla (Jones) and Kenzie (Tricker) were out with knee injuries, so I didn’t have those two to contend with. All in all, it was a good weekend and I managed to win every test. I made a couple of silly mistakes today, just my suspension was a bit soft. In the last test I wadded my shoulder pretty good, so that’s a bit sore. But other than that, it was a fun track, a good day.”
Round 6 Overall Results
| Pos. | Rider | Class | Time |
| 1 | Kailub Russell | Pro (1) | 37:15.8 |
| 2 | Layne Michael | Pro (2) | 37:18.2 |
| 3 | Joshua Strang | Pro (3) | 38:15.5 |
| 4 | Lyndon Snodgrass | Pro 2 (1) | 38:27.1 |
| 5 | Liam Draper | Pro (4) | 39:03.0 |
| 6 | Jesse Ansley | Pro 2 (2) | 40:06.0 |
| 7 | Ben Nelko | Pro 2 (3) | 41:48.2 |
| 8 | Cole Mattison | Pro-Am (1) | 42:23.9 |
| 9 | Joseph Cunningham | Lites A (1) | 43:10.6 |
| 10 | Dalton Seals | Pro-Am (2) | 44:10.7 |
| 11 | Brewer Cawley | Pro-Am (3) | 44:14.6 |
| 12 | Andrew Matusek | Open A (1) | 44:24.2 |
| 13 | RJ Cook | Pro 2 (4) | 44:36.8 |
| 14 | Michael Delosa | Pro-Am (4) | 44:40.2 |
| 15 | Zachary Nash | Pro-Am (5) | 44:46.8 |
| 16 | Tyler Palmer | Lites A (2) | 46:18.8 |
| 17 | Joshua Guffey | Lites A (3) | 46:30.0 |
| 18 | Henry Symanski | Pro-Am (6) | 46:46.4 |
| 19 | Garyson Smith | Open B (1) | 47:03.8 |
| 20 | Billy Schlag | Pro-Am (7) | 47:20.0 |
| 21 | Dylan Dela Cruz | Pro-Am (8) | 47:35.5 |
| 22 | Hans Neel | Open A (2) | 47:37.1 |
| 23 | Grady Faint | Lites A (4) | 47:39.6 |
| 24 | Robby Norwood | Vet A 30+ (1) | 47:48.8 |
| 25 | Canon Kuneff | Lites A (5) | 47:58.9 |
| 26 | Sam Forrester | Pro-Am (9) | 48:00.9 |
| 27 | Cade Henderson | Juniors A/B 12-17 (1) | 48:06.0 |
| 28 | Bolton Beroth | Lites A (6) | 48:42.4 |
| 29 | Andrew Tsakanikas | Vet A 30+ (2) | 49:18.7 |
| 30 | Rachael Archer | Women’s Pro (1) | 49:36.5 |
Pro Overall Standings
| Pos | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Kailub Russell | 315 |
| 2 | Layne Michael | 254 |
| 3 | Joshua Strang | 191 |
| 4 | Liam Draper | 191 |
| 5 | Jordan Ashburn | 187 |
| 6 | Steward Baylor | 53 |
| 7 | Ricky Russell | 46 |
| 8 | Tyler McSwain | 44 |
| 9 | Craig Delong | 31 |
| 11 | Cory Buttrick | 30 |
| 10 | Benjamin Herrera | 30 |
Pro 2 Overall Standings
| Pos | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Johnny Girroir | 265 |
| 2 | Jesse Ansley | 242 |
| 3 | Ben Nelko | 223 |
| 4 | RJ Cook | 181 |
| 5 | lyndon snodgrass | 149 |
| 6 | Michael McLean | 105 |
| 7 | Ruy Barbosa | 75 |
| 8 | Samuel Evans | 41 |
| 9 | Ben Parsons | 32 |
| 10 | Will Riordan | 32 |
2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship postponed
Motorcycling Australia, in conjunction with the MA Track Commission and key stakeholders have advised of the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship which was schedule for January 3rd – 13th 2021, issuing the following statement:
Whilst we are disappointed that the 2021 Australian Championship has had to be postponed, we believe it is in the best interest of the sport. With so much uncertainty around the national and international borders, and with a lot of our riders currently overseas we had to make a decision as early as possible.
Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the Track Commission are now concentrating on delivering a strong and successful condensed 2021 Championship in the latter part of 2021 pending Government restrictions around Covid-19. MA sincerely thank all stakeholders, clubs, and riders for their support and understanding.
Yamaha rake in the State championship titles
The past two weeks and have again proven successful for Yamaha Racing in Australia with multi race and championship wins across two states, as the 2020 continues to unfold.
QLD Women’s and Vets
The central Queensland mining town of Gladstone hosted the 2020 Queensland Women’s and Vets Championship over the weekend and the warm, humid conditions made for a challenging event for the large contingent of riders on hand.
In the junior girls, it was all eyes on Charli Cannon as she was clearly the one to beat having recently finished third racing the boys at the state championship in Hervey Bay. But a hand injury slowed her progress and she had done no riding for a month leading up to the event so there were some questions marks about her fitness in the days prior.
But it mattered little, as she went on to dominate the day and claim the win in the 13-U16 years 85cc and the 13-U16 years Lites class, taking all six race wins. Cannon had not been on an 85 all year, but a last minute call to jump on her brother Jakes’s practice bike, paid dividends and she was able to walk away with the win and add more championships to her already impressive resume.
Charli Cannon
“My lead up to this race wasn’t good as I fell a while ago and the handlebar drove into my hand and caused some internal damage. I wasn’t able to ride but I tried to keep up my off bike training as much as I could and I was able to get through the weekend with no problems. It was fun to get back on the 85 again, although I’m too big for it now. It kept me on the track and Dad busy in the pits all weekend and winning made it worth the effort. Thank you to Mum and Dad for their help again and also to Yamaha as well as the rest of my sponsors. We had a fun weekend in Gladstone and winning the state championship was another goal I wanted to achieve this year.”
In the Senior Women’s, it was Taylah McCutchen taking the win and like Cannon, dominated her division with three race wins from three starts. McCutchen, not only just turned senior after her 16th birthday but also just swapped over to Yamaha, is loving her YZ250F and it clearly showed on the weekend.
The win at Gladstone comes on the back of her first senior appearance at couple of weeks ago at the King of Capricorn event where she won the MX2 Support class against a field full of men.
Taylah McCutchen
“I put in a lot of effort over the last few weeks to prepare for this race so it’s awesome that it paid off and I was able to win the Queensland championship. The change to Yamaha has been good for me and I feel really comfortable on the YZ250F and its an awesome bike to ride. Thank you to the club and the organisers for running the event, my family who support me 100% as well as the Yamalube Yamaha Team who assisted me with some parts in the lead up to this race.”
Yamaha also won the 55 and Over Vets with YZ450F mounted Mal Dalton taking out the state championship with three race wins.
Queensland Women & Vets Results
12-U16 years 85cc
- Charli Cannon – 105 (Yamaha YZ85)
- Darci Whalley – 94
- Madi Simpson – 92
12-U16 years Lites
- Charli Cannon – 105 (Yamaha YZ250F)
- Darci Whaley – 96
- Holly Van der Boor – 88
Senior Women
- Taylah McCutchen – 105 (Yamaha YZ250F)
- Tahlia Drew – 96
- Alysha Goullet – 84
Men’s 55 and Over Vets
- Mal Dalton – 105 (Yamaha YZ450F)
- Bruce Lowth – 96
- Anthony Clarke – 88
Coffs Harbour Transmoto
An all Yamaha team of Josh Green, Michael Driscoll, Blake Hollis and Dean Wattus took the overall teams’ victory at the Transmoto 8 hour event in Coffs Harbour. The recent dry spell left the course a little dusty, but the fast and free flowing layout kept riders happy and the Off Road Advantage Team dominated the day. Mounted on a range of Yamaha machinery, the awesome foursome enjoyed the weekend and the laid back nature of the event.
In addition to the team winning, Josh Green won individual honours as well as taking fastest lap on the day.
Yamaha Junior Racing
The Hutton brothers made it a 1-2 finish at the recent Queensland Off Road Championships. Competing in the 7-11 years 65, Harley Hutton took the final round victory and in turn secured the state championship while younger brother Drake slotted in behind him for second.
Sons of enduro royalty, Kirk Hutton, both boys are on their way to emulating Dad’s career and the YZ65 has been the perfect bike to kick kickstart their careers. They are now about 20 state championships behind Dad, but they have plenty of time and talent on their side.
Speaking of brothers, Ryder and Kayd Kingsford were back in action at the Nowra round of the East Coast Motocross Series in New South Wales. Ryder proved ultra-fast on his YZ250F, winning the opening two motos but a flat rear tyre in the final leg kept him from the podium while he battled hard in the 125cc division to finish fourth with 4-3-3 results.
Kayd had just returned from a broken wrist and not yet back up to full speed and fitness. He took 4-8-6 results in the 12-15 years 85cc class to finish fifth on the day but will be better for the hit-out and looking to get back on the podium at the next event.
Yamaha Announces 2021 Supercross and Motocross Teams
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), has announced a three-year partnership with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team to field their campaign in both the 450 and 250 classes of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships. The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 team will be spearheaded by Aaron Plessinger and newly-crowned 2020 250SX and 250MX champion Dylan Ferrandis, while the 250 team has signed two-time 250 MX Champion Jeremy Martin and Christian Craig to join returning riders Colt Nichols, Justin Cooper and Jarrett Frye.
A long-time partner in the 250 support class and amateur ranks, the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team has had a history of success with 11 titles in the professional championships and multiple Amateur National titles. The team will now add the 450 premier class to its tent to provide a consistent program for riders advancing through the SX/MX racing ranks. Together, Star and Yamaha will continue to work towards the goal of winning championships. Along with key sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive full support from Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA.
Plessinger returns with Yamaha for his third season in the 450 class. Two of the titles added to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s tally were earned by Plessinger in 2018 – the 250SX West and 250MX Championship. The Ohio native has shown promise in his first two years in the premier class, but unfortunately has had injuries that have sidelined him for a good part of both championships in 2019 and the 2020 Pro Motocross season. As Plessinger returns to the team, he looks to build on his progress and come out swinging in 2021.
Aaron Plessinger – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team
“I’m really excited for next season with Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing. I really had a good run with the team in 2018 with the 250 Supercross and Motocross title. I love the team over there. I love the people on the team. I think we work really well together. The last two years haven’t been too good for me with some injuries and bad luck. I’m looking forward to getting back to my winning ways and having a good time doing it. Going into 2021, I couldn’t be more confident. With this team going in behind me I think we can do extraordinary things next year.“
Making his 450-debut next year, Ferrandis looks to keep his momentum rolling with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team as he transitions to the premier class. After a great 2019 season with the 250SX West Championship and runner-up finish in the Pro Motocross 250 class, the Frenchman was on fire in 2020. He won both the 250SX West and 250MX Championship, scoring three supercross wins as well as eight moto wins and three overall victories in motocross. Jeremy Coker will be the team manager for the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 squad.
Dylan Ferrandis – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team
“It’s been a dream of mine to fight for a championship in the 450 class in the U.S. I’m so happy to be able to do that with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha team. I feel at home there. I’m still feeling in paradise with two championships this year, but we will get back to work to fight next season.”
Fresh off a stellar 2020 season, Martin returns to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s 250 team to fight for the crown. Earning back-to-back titles in the Pro Motocross 250MX Championship in 2014 and 2015, Martin is eager to seal the deal in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and continue to add to an already accomplished 250 class career.
Jeremy Martin – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team
“I’m very excited to have the opportunity this late in the year to get back on the Yamaha for next year moving forward into 2021 with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. I’ve won two championships with them in the past so I’m excited to pick up where I left off and end my 250 career with a bang!”
Craig also joins Star Racing’s powerhouse 250 line-up in 2021. The Californian has challenged for top honors on multiple occasions and was in the fight for the 250SX West Championship before being sidelined with an injury early in the season. Craig looks to fight for top honors in 2021 with the Monster Energy Star Racing squad.
Christian Craig – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team
“Moving to the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team is quite a big deal for me. Bobby (Reagan) has talked to me every year the past few years to get me over here but the timing didn’t feel right. Finally this year, I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone if I wanted to take my career to the next level. Their whole program has a lot of structure, which is something that has always benefited me and helped my confidence. I’m extremely grateful to start the next chapter in my career with these guys and look forward to putting in the results I know I’m capable of.”
Nichols returns for his fifth season with the team. The Oklahoman hit the ground running in 2019 with his first 250SX win at Anaheim I and went on to score multiple podiums to finish third in the championship. Unfortunately, injuries have kept him out of most of this year, but now that he is close to full fitness, Nichols aims for the crown in 2021.
Cooper also returns with the team for 2021. Since his first full season with the team in 2019, the New Yorker has impressed. He finished second overall in the 250SX East Championship with six podiums and went on to take his first overall win in Florida, ending the year third in the Pro Motocross 250MX Championship. Cooper carried that momentum over to 2020, scoring his first Supercross win at Anaheim I and finishing second in the 250SX West Championship. After coming back from a preseason injury, Cooper made a late season charge in the Pro Motocross Championship returning to the top of the podium at Thunder Valley to finish fifth in the standings.
Stepping up to the professional ranks at Round 6 of the Pro Motocross Championship was one of Star’s top amateur riders, Frye. The 19-year-old impressed with solid results, including a best result of sixth overall at the final race of the season.
Lead by team manager Wil Hahn, the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 team has more top up-and-coming riders lying in wait: Nate Thrasher, Matt LeBlanc and Nick Romano. Thrasher, who recently joined the team had a good showing at the final two rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season. Both LeBlanc and Romano have multiple Amateur Nationals and show a lot of promise for the future. All three riders full-time professional debut is yet to be determined.
Jim Roach – Yamaha Racing Department Manager for YMUS
“The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team has had a tremendous amount of success over the years with both their Amateur and 250 Supercross and Motocross programs. Beginning in 2021, the Yamaha 450 program in both championships will transition to the Monster Energy Star Yamaha team, as well. The overall goal is to continue the success that the team has had, and to work toward winning 450 Championships. Having the Amateur, 250, and 450 Supercross and Motocross programs with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team also ensures a smooth transition for riders stepping through the program. It is an exciting time for Yamaha, and we look forward to the upcoming racing season!”
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team Manager
“I have worked for Star Racing for six seasons and will be going on my seventh full season of racing with the team. For the last five years, I was the Engine Technician and have been a part of a total of 10 championships wins. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to step up and manage the 450 program and look to take Dylan and Aaron to the top step of the podium throughout the seasons ahead.”
Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team Manager
“Coming off of two championship wins this season, I’m really looking forward to next season with the goal of carrying that success forward into 2021. We have a great lineup with Colt, Justin and Jarret returning, some great additions with Jeremy and Christian, and a bright future with Nate, Matt and Nick. I can’t wait for the new year!”
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Race Team Announces 2021 Roster
The upcoming 2021 racing season marks 28 years of winning for Kawasaki and Pro Circuit. The successful Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki boasts an impressive resume including the most combined supercross/motocross wins in the 125/250 class at 29 championships, including the 2019 AMA Pro Motocross championship achieved by Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo.
Returning to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team for 2021 aboard their all-new 2021 KX250 motorcycles is long-time Team Green racer Austin Forkner along with Jordon Smith and Cameron McAdoo. The trio welcomes, Seth Hammaker, as he graduates from the Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green amateur race program.
Mitch Payton – Pro Circuit Owner
“We have a great team returning for the 2021 season combined with an all-new KX250 motorcycle. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with our solid group of guys and Hammaker joining the crew. There is a lot of talent between our four riders, and we will provide all the necessary tools to help each of them reach their full potential. The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team has high expectations to put Kawasaki and Pro Circuit on top of the podium.”
Forkner will enter the new season as the most experienced rider on the team. The 12-time 250 class race winner has high hopes of capturing multiple championships after his successful 2019 and 2020 seasons were cut short due to injury. 2020 brought the fresh face of Smith who earned three top-5 finishes out of the four rounds he competed in before withdrawing early due to injury.
McAdoo returned in 2020 to the brand that he found great success with throughout his amateur career, achieving career-bests in both supercross and motocross series, and looks to keep that momentum going into next season. Making his professional debut, Hammaker is set to join the team for both series at the beginning of the 2021 season.
The 2021 Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki racing team is positioned for another championship campaign and awaits the announcement of the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM Championship and AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
