Moto Wrap | Long Track | EVT | LToN | SGP | MXGP | EMX | WMX | SMX

Moto News Weekly Wrap
September 10, 2024

What’s New:

• NSW Junior Track Champs coming up
• Geoff Ballard reflects on FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy
• Chad Reed returns as Australian Supercross ambassador
• Courtney Duncan continues as a Kawasaki ambassador
• 2024 FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy (EVT) Report
• 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship Final Four Report
• Germany wins 2024 FIM Long Track of Nations (LToN)
• Bartosz Zmarzlik wins FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga
• WMX Final Wrap from the MXGP of Turkiye
  • Charli Cannon Competes in Turkiye
• EMX250 Wrap from the MXGP of Turkiye
• 2024 MXGP of Turkiye – Round 18 Wrap
• 2024 SMX World Championship Play Off 1 Wrap
• 2024 Racing Calendars

2024 NSW Junior Track Championship this weekend

With Peter Baker

Some of Australia’s best junior motor cycle racers will converge on Coffs Harbour this weekend (September 14 and 15) for the 2024 Adventure Powersports & Outdoor New South Wales Junior Track Championship meeting.
The meetings was rained off back in July so the line-up of nearly 100 riders will certainly be fired up as they take to the track to vie for honours in eight championship classes and three support classes.

Fans should never be deterred from watching junior racing as the riders are not just ‘tomorrow’s stars’, many are already accomplished racers with a number of then also chalking up successes in other disciplines of the sport like speedway and road racing.

The quality of junior racing can often match what the seniors can turn on.

History suggests that many riders coming through the junior ranks could well be destined for higher honours even on the world stage – that in itself is one great aspect of watching junior racing – you never know where the riders you are watching will be in five, 10 or 15 years’ time.

The appeal of the meeting has drawn riders from the three states on the eastern seaboard with Queensland riders traveling from Ayr, Ipswich and the Gold Coast.

Victoria is represented by riders from the Albury-Wodonga club while clubs from all over New South Wales are represented.

The biggest representation by any club is not surprisingly the host Coffs Harbour Motorcycle Club which boasts many riders who travel from other country areas so they can be part of the highly regarded racing complex situated in Phil Hawthorn Drive, Coffs Harbour.

Club President Greg James said the club is deeply committed to fostering young talent. “Supporting and encouraging junior riders is fundamental to our mission, as we strive to create a safe and exhilarating environment where they can cultivate their skills and passion for the sport.”

Back in April many of the riders competing this weekend contested the New South WalesJunior Dirt Track Championship meeting at Kurri Kurri and there are three riders who will be out to reproduce their class wins from that meeting.

Braxsen Anderson will be out to repeat his two class wins in the 7-Under 9s classes while Lockie Duggan and Hugo Homes are also out to add to their success from April in the 9 – Under 13s, the age group that has attracted the biggest entry list for the weekend.

The 13 – Under 16s, which is the next group to head in to the senior ranks, is typical of most classes with a very evenly credentialed line-up where it is difficult to single out major chances.

This class will in particular will be a tri-state battle headed by Queensland brothers Bodie and Jake Paige, Victorian Jed Fyffe and northern NSW riders Jayden Holder, Max Earl and Nate Jaeger.

Among the non-championship support classes on the programme will be Flat Track classes for two age groups which will feature eight lap races.

Action fires up on Saturday morning with practice for all age divisions at 9am. Racing on Sunday will start at 9am. Fans can catch the action for 10 dollars for adults, with 10 – 15 year olds for five dollars.

Check out the juniors – you will not be disappointed.

Geoff Ballard reflects on FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy

They came from far and wide for this year’s FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy (EVT) in Camerino, Italy, with Australia’s Geoff Ballard (Maico) arguably one of the furthest travelled.

A man with five decades of racing motorcycles behind him, Ballard has a huge passion for all things two wheels and offroad, but vintage enduro is likely his true love.

Across his racing career, Ballard has raced twenty-six FIM 6DAYS and attended over thirty. And while this year’s FIM EVT will be only his third, he is excited by the direction it is heading.

Geoff Ballard

“I ride modern bikes, but I love vintage,” tells Ballard, relaxing with friends in the paddock. “They are special because it takes a huge amount of energy to prepare them to race an event like the FIM EVT. You have to be on top of your mechanical preparation, but also ready to accept that at any moment a part could fail. A kickstarter could snap as you start your first day. It’s difficult, but all of us here come from this era and have a passion for it. Adriana, my mechanic from my Maico days, said I had to come to Camerino, and he’s right! Already it feels very special. Keeping it separate from the FIM 6DAYS, and vintage only, adds to the purity of it. Aside from the racing, it’s great to catch up with old friends and teammates you may not see very often. There’s a definite camaraderie to proceedings, people helping each other out. Racing’s always been a part of my life, and an event like this makes it harder to stop than continue.”

The FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy wrapped up in Camerino, Italy over the weekend. See below for the event report.

Chad Reed returns as Australian Supercross ambassador

The 2024 Fox Australian Supercross Championship series will be further boosted with the latest inclusion of two-time world Supercross Champion, Chad Reed, returning to support the series as an ambassador.

The Australian supercross legend will be joined by his family, including 14-year-old son Tate, who will compete in all five championship rounds. The father-son duo will bring their on-track dynamic to life, with Chad coaching Tate, in what he sees as a unique junior racing series found only in Australia – the 85cc CR22 Cup.

Chad Reed

“I’m stoked to be involved again with the Australian Supercross Championship. Racing in Australia will always be close to my heart and it’s awesome to see supercross booming here again. Jumping from three to five rounds, sell-out crowds, the strength of the CR22 Cup/85cc class and innovation with partnerships like Supercars for the Adelaide round is pushing the sport to new levels and it’s being noticed. The return of the AUSX Open with guys like Jett, Hunter, and Cooper competing is massive. It’s always been a special one for me, I’ve competed several times, won in 2016 and the 2019 event was my last professional race in Australia. It’s an exciting time for supercross in Australia, so the family is stoked to be getting around the series this season.”

“After riding two rounds in Australia last year, we’ve had a big 2024 motocross season in the US where Tate participated in multiple events and gained more experience. The Australian series is unique to anywhere else in the world as they offer young riders in the 85cc & SX3 classes the chance to be part of an elite domestic series, it’s a great opportunity for him. These junior riders get to be part of a major event, in huge stadiums with 40,000+ crowds, global television audiences, riding the same tracks as their heroes. It’s hard to replicate that experience for a 14-year-old racing on a track where later a Lawrence or Webb will also ride. I’m a big fan of the aspirational moments it can offer along with the pressure and learnings that come with it. The junior talent in Australia is impressive so I know it’s going to be a competitive series for Tate.”

As an ambassador, Reed will also be involved in a once-in-a-lifetime competition for ticket purchasers at the Redcliffe and Wollongong rounds, launching Tuesday 10th September.

In a salute to the famous 22 race number, 22 attendees will have the chance to not only meet the Australian Supercross legend but win the ultimate trackside experience. The lucky winners will have their tickets upgraded, receive signed merchandise, guided track access for the 450 Main-Event as well as the podium to view the post-race trophy presentation alongside Chad Reed.

2024 Australian Supercross calendar

• Round One – October 12 – Redcliffe, QLD
• Round Two – October 13 – Redcliffe, QLD
• Round Three – November 2 – Wollongong NSW
• Round Four – November 15-17 – Adelaide, SA
• Round Five – November 30 – Melbourne, VIC

Courtney Duncan continues as a Kawasaki ambassador

Four-time WMX World Champion Courtney Duncan has re-signed as a brand ambassador with Kawasaki. With almost one decade of WMX competition under her belt, Duncan brings a wealth of racing knowledge to Kawasaki’s racing endeavours in New Zealand and Australia.

First signing with Kawasaki in 2019, all four of Duncan’s WMX titles have been aboard a KX250. Most recently, Courtney was crowned 2023 WMX Motocross World Champion after winning four out of the seven events throughout the year.

Following the conclusion of the WMX season in Europe, Courtney will return home to attend various events across New Zealand and Australia.

Courtney Duncan

“Obviously I’ve been with Kawasaki for a long time, and the support has always been great. With that being said it’s nice to continue my relationship with Kawasaki NZ throughout the 2024 season and I look forward to being trackside with them when I’m back home after my WMX season.”

2024 FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy (EVT) Report

The 2024 FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy (EVT) drew to an exciting close with Italy crowned champions of the FIM Vintage Veterans Trophy Team competition in Camerino, Italy.

Ensuring a week to remember on home soil, the trio of Enrico Tortoli (KTM), Tullio Pellegrinelli (Puch Frigeri) and Giorgio Grasso (Kramer) secured Italy’s third consecutive victory in the event. France and the Czech Republic completed the overall podium in second and third respectively.

With the end of the FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy (EVT) in sight for the four-hundred-plus competitors, day four took riders from Camerino to the San Pacifico International Crossodrome in nearby San Severino Marche for the traditional final special test. Held on the international-standard motocross course, it ensured an exciting and beautiful end to what had already been an exceptional week of racing at the FIM EVT.

Italy win third consecutive FIM Vintage Veterans Trophy

The opening day of the EVT had seen the United States take the overall lead, when 400 competitors from 16 nations rolled out for the acceleration test, as well as covering a 20 km loop.

The United States trio of Billy Burns (Can AM), Marc Grossman (Yamaha) and Fred Hoess (Husqvarna), with host Italy three points behind, followed by Spain, United Kingdom and Austria. Germany’s Bert Von Zitzewitz topped the acceleration test on his Maico 490.

Day two would see the tide turn, as Italy took over the lead, despite France taking an early lead over Germany after the first test, with the US dropping to fourth.

Italy took control after special test three and after 150 km and six special tests would end the day as winners, Germany runner-up and France third, closely trailed by the Czech Republic, then Portugal.

That Italian lead would only be extended on day three, despite France taking an early lead in the first special test, Germany and Switzerland rounding out the top three and Italy fourth.

Italy was back in control by the end of the second special however, and would eventually finish the day with a 100 point buffer. Germany’s Uwe Weber suffered an engine failure, knocking the team out of contention, with France promoted to second and Czech Republic into third.

By day four, with a comfortable lead in the FIM Vintage Veterans Trophy Team competition, Italy had a virtual grasp on successfully defending their crown entering the final day of racing. However, knowing the unpredictable nature of vintage enduro, they were careful not to become complacent in their efforts to reach the finish line.

Throughout the day, riders lined up to tackle the San Pacifico International Crossodrome. Putting on a show for their home crowd, Italy rode clear to claim victory on the fourth and final day, and with it, secure their third consecutive FIM Vintage Veterans Trophy Team win.

Giorgio Grasso (Italy – Kramer)

“It was a beautiful race. It went great today, and we couldn’t have asked for a better result. Today we went fast, but carefully, and had a little luck on our side too. This victory is a great team effort. Everyone around us worked hard to ensure riders and bikes made it through each day. Overall, it’s been super positive, and a great result on home soil. We will celebrate tonight.”

While Italy rode clear to the overall win, the fight for the remainder of the podium was closely fought out on day four. An incredibly strong ride for second, saw the Czech Republic close in on rivals France for the runner-up result. However, despite placing fourth today behind the United States in third, France had enough in hand to secure the silver medal position.

Although only falling just forty-one points short of beating France, the Czech Republic could still be pleased with their efforts in this year’s FIM EVT for third overall.

Cementing a consistent and solid race with sixth today, Portugal ended the competition in fourth overall. In what proved a tight battle to the end, the United Kingdom managed to hold off Switzerland by sixty-eight points to complete the top five nations in this year’s FIM Vintage Veterans Trophy Team.

FIM Vintage Silver Vase Team podium sweep for Italy

The outcome of the FIM Vintage Silver Vase Team category came down to the wire on day four. An outstanding ride by MC Manzano 3 saw them take today’s win to overhaul close rivals Pantera 1 and secure the overall victory. With Pantera 1 forced to settle for the runner-up result, GS Sorci Verdi B took third, ensuring an Italian lockout of the FIM Vintage Silver Vase Team podium.

After four tough and demanding days of racing, Italy also created an additional piece of history by becoming the first nation to complete the FIM Vintage Women’s Club Team.

The FIM Vintage Club Team saw Team Cardel France take victory over Team LMO Aoffcial.IT in second, with Germany Club 1 Kramer in third.

Stéphane Peterhansel ends FIM EVT as outright winner

The final special test saw Germany’s Bert Von Zitzewitz (Maico) take the outright victory today. The United States’ Fred Hoess (Husqvarna) challenged Von Zitzewitz all the way, finishing just over one point behind the German in second, with Italy’s Mauro Uslenghi (Puch) third.

Placing fourth on the final special test, France’s Stéphane Peterhansel did enough to win the outright classification in this year’s FIM EVT. Italy’s Giorgio Grasso (Kramer) was second overall, with his fellow countryman and teammate, Tullio Pellegrinelli (Puch Frigeri), third. Von Zitzewitz ended his week in fourth, with Mario Graziani (Maico) beating Hoess by an incredible 0.06 points to round out the top five in fifth.

After what has been a fantastic week of vintage enduro in Camerino, Italy, FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy competitors and fans can now look forward to the 2025 edition of the race in Kielce, Poland.

2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship Final Four Report

Unbeaten and unbeatable, Matteo Boncinelli (Beta) dominated the fourth Final of the 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship at Morizès in France, but a rock-solid second place behind the Italian in the Grand Final saw America’s Sammy Halbert extend his series lead.

With the racing taking place under a clear blue sky, conditions were ideal and Boncinelli – who won at the venue in 2022 – was clearly revelling in them as he set the pace from the first Heat of the afternoon on the immaculately prepared oval that, at five-hundred-and-thirty metres, is the longest track on the 2024 calendar.

After streaking to victory in his opening Heat from the Czech Republic’s defending champion Ervin Krajčovič (KTM), Boncinelli was joined at the top of the leaderboard following the first block of racing by his compatriot Kevin Corradetti (GASGAS) who led Britain’s Tim Neave (Yamaha) home and Halbert who handed an early defeat to round one winner Lasse Kurvinen (KTM) from Finland.

Boncinelli made it win number two ahead of Corradetti and he was joined on maximum points following the second block by Halbert who nailed a tapes-to-flag win from Krajčovič as Kurvinen claimed his first win of the programme to stay firmly in contention.

Leading home French rider Sébastien Jeanpierre (Kawasaki) to make it three from three as Halbert dropped a point to Kurvinen and Corradetti picked up another win gave Boncinelli the outright lead heading into the fourth and final block of Heats, but a crash and subsequent disqualification dropped Krajčovič to tenth and put him on the back foot.

With the top ten gaining an automatic place in the Grand Final and the next ten going through to the Last Chance Heat to decide the remaining two riders for the main race of the afternoon, the atmosphere was electric for the deciding block.

Staying cool and collected, Boncinelli maintained his one-hundred per cent record when he led home Corradetti as Halbert and Krajčovič both won to book their places in the Grand Final alongside Kurvinen, Neave, Corradetti, Britain’s Jack Bell (Honda), Jeanpierre, Germany’s Markus Jell (KTM) and Dutchman Menno Van Meer (Honda).

Forced to contest the LCH, Spain’s Gerard Bailo (Zaeta) – champion in 2022 – needed a late pass on Argentinian racer Santiago Arangio (KTM) for second behind Giacomo Bossetti (GASGAS) to progress, but the pair had to take the final picks for starting position which put them on the back row and at a major disadvantage.

When the tapes went up on the twelve-lap Grand Final it was Boncinelli, starting one position out from the inside on the front row, who powered into an immediate lead and after fighting off Kurvinen around the first turn the Italian, last year’s bronze medallist, simply checked out.

With the leader pulling clear, focus shifted to the intense four-way battle for second between Corradetti, Halbert, Kurvinen and Krajčovič. The experienced American locked onto Corradetti’s rear wheel and took second by cutting up the inside when the Italian drifted wide in a turn before Krajčovič booked his place on the podium with a brave pass around the outside of Corradetti on the run-in to the line.

The 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship now travels to Pardubice in the Czech Republic for the penultimate Final of the year on Saturday 5 October with Halbert ten points clear of Krajčovič who in turn is twelve points ahead of third-placed Neave who was sixth in Morizès.

2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship Final Four Results

Germany wins 2024 FIM Long Track of Nations (LToN)

The German trio of Lukas Fienhage, Erik Riss and Max Dilger rewrote the record books on Saturday night at Morizès in the south-west of France when they steered their country to a tenth victory in the FIM Long Track of Nations (LToN).

Even without reigning FIM Long Track World Champion and current series leader Martin Smolinski the Germans seized control with Fienhage producing the best individual score of the night, dropping just one point across his six Heat races when he finished second behind Riss as Dilger ensured he was on hand to sweep up as many points as possible behind his dominant team-mates.

Taking place under floodlights on the super-fast five-hundred-and-thirty-metre oval, it was the host nation represented by the father and son pairing of Stéphane and Mathias Trésarrieu and 2019 individual world champion Dimitri Bergé who drew first blood. Going up against Finland’s Henri Ahlbom, Tero Aarnio and Jesse Mustonen, the French scored nine points to win by three before pre-event favourites Germany and Great Britain went head-to-head with Germany only denied a maximum score by Chris Harris who caught and passed Dilger for third.

Selection problems meant that the Netherlands were only fielding Mika Meijer from the team that won at Roden last year, but Henry van der Steen and Rene van Weele provided strong back up as the Dutch got off to a solid start when they defeated Denmark by a point.

The Czech Republic then had the misfortune to get their title effort under way against a rampant German team and the resulting eleven-four scorecard in Germany’s favour – with Fienhage again winning from Riss with Dilger fourth behind Hynek Stichauer – was a clear indication of form.

Great Britain then hauled themselves back into contention when Harris and Zach Wajtknecht went one-two to defeat Finland before France beat the Netherlands by eleven points to four and were only denied a maximum by Meijer who took third ahead of Jordan Dubernard.

After two blocks Germany led on twenty-two from France on twenty and Great Britain on thirteen, one ahead of the Dutch and Finnish.

With the top two teams after the Heat stages contesting the Grand Final to decide the gold and silver medals, tensions were running high – although it was all smiles in the German camp following their maximum points haul over the Finns in the third block of racing. After inflicting a heavy ten-five defeat on Great Britain, France kept the pressure on four points behind with the British on eighteen, three ahead of the Czech Republic who beat Denmark by eleven points to four.

Following a mechanical DNF against France, Wajtknecht was back on top against the Czechs and with Harris second and Andrew Appleton – in his eleventh LToN appearance – fourth, Great Britain claimed a forceful eleven to three victory as Germany dispatched the Dutch by eleven to four and the Danes, led by Kenneth Kruse Hansen, took a one-point win over Finland.

With three blocks left, Germany looked assured of a place in the Grand Final with the battle for the remaining place boiling down to a fierce fight with France, Great Britain, Finland and Denmark all in contention.

Germany then dominated against France by eleven to four to increase their advantage, with French hopes appearing to literally go up in flames when Mathias Trésarrieu’s bike caught fire behind the tapes and he was forced out of the race.

Following draws between the Netherlands and Czech Republic and Great Britain and Denmark, Finland added to the Dutch team’s troubles with a maximum twelve-three victory, a result Germany matched against Denmark as the French beat the Czech Republic.

With just three Heats left to decide the finalists, Germany led on sixty-eight from France on forty-three and Great Britain on thirty-six, two ahead of Finland.

Great Britain’s hopes of making the Grand Final were effectively ended in their concluding Heat when they defeated the Dutch by ten to five, allowing the French to cruise through in second after they beat Denmark by the same score.

Riss then gave Germany an early lead in the Grand Final and even when Bergé burst through to take the lead and the race win, Riss, Fienhage and Dilger – in second, third and fourth – ensured that the 2024 FIM Long Track of Nations title was heading back to Germany by nine points to six.

Bronze for the second consecutive year went to Great Britain who took the position on a tie-break after Finland had drawn level with them with a maximum score against the Czech Republic in their final Heat.

With the LToN consigned to the history books for another year, attention now shifts to Vechta in Germany on 14 September for the fourth and penultimate round of the 2024 FIM Long Track World Championship.

Bartosz Zmarzlik wins FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga

Zmarzlik triumphed in the FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga, seeing off title rival Fredrik Lindgren of Sweden, who was second, with Great Britain star Dan Bewley third and Australia’s Max Fricke placed fourth.

The Lublin and Lejonen star is now 17 points clear of Lindgren at the top of the Speedway GP World Championship. He could seal his fifth gold medal if he leaves next Saturday’s penultimate round – the FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens – leading the standings by 21 points or more.

But having extended his all-time record tally of Speedway GP wins to 25 as he reigned in Riga for a second straight season, Zmarzlik insists his historic trophy collection means there is no extra weight on his shoulders as he makes the trip to Vojens Speedway Center for another date with destiny.

Asked if he felt under any added pressure after seeing a 27-point advantage eroded to 15 over the previous two rounds, Zmarzlik replied: “Really, how is there pressure? I am really not thinking, ‘I must’, only ‘I can.’ I am still young, and I love racing. I do the best I can all the time. Sometimes I get good results; sometimes not. But I still always want to fight, and I have four titles already. I am very happy about this because I am 29 and I have won a lot of medals. I love seeing on Instagram how many rounds I have won.”

Zmarzlik crashed with Danish rival Mikkel Michelsen in their opening race, heat four – an incident which saw the European champion withdraw from the event, before being taken to hospital for further checks.

The Pole finished third in the re-run but hit back with a win in his second outing, before running a last place in heat 10. Five points from his remaining heats saw Zmarzlik into the semis and he followed Lindgren home in semi-final one to reach the last four.

Having been forced to battle for his victory, Zmarzlik was delighted to turn his night around, “I am feeling amazing now. The start of the meeting was really hard because I wasn’t feeling perfect in my body. I am happy, though, because I was really focused today. I wanted to do it, and I am really happy because the last rounds were not so easy for me. It’s a nice feeling to be the winner again.”

In the meantime, Zmarzlik takes his title fight to Vojens next Saturday. Asked about the prospect of sealing title No.5 at the legendary venue, Zmarzlik knows he isn’t the only rider with big ambitions for Denmark’s biggest speedway event sharing, “Everyone will 100 percent want to win the GP. I also want to do a good job and stay in front.”

Runner-up Lindgren insists he will push Zmarzlik as hard as he can in Vojens as he bids to take the Speedway GP World Championship race to the final round – the DeWalt FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun on September 28.

Lindgren

“For me, it would be a positive if I can do that. But I don’t really think about it that way. I am going to go out and do the best I can do. Whatever happens, happens. Overall, it was a good night in Riga. I started off very well. I had plenty of speed in my bike and I was making good starts. Then something happened midway through the meeting and the track changed a bit. I had a long pause between my fourth race and last heat. In my last main heat, it was terrible. I was last. Riding the bike was like a rodeo ride. It was not nice. We had to make some big changes before the semi-final, which paid off and we made it to the final. I would have been able to win it, but Bartek [Zmarzlik] rode a superb heat in the final and I had to settle for second place. Overall, it was pretty good. But I have to chase being the best of the rest, I guess.”

Third-placed Bewley is pleased to have reached his fifth Speedway GP final – even if it was the first time he missed out on the victory after incredible four SGP finals and four wins.

Bewley

“Bartek [Zmarzlik] has 25 wins, and Freddie is pretty high up on the total win list too with seven. Obviously, they have won a few GPs, but the reason they are so high up the standings is that even when they are not winning, they are in the final. I just want to be up there more consistently. If the win is there, you take it, but if not, you have to remember I have a lot more points than I would have got, had I missed the final.”

FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga Results

Standings after the Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga

WMX Final Wrap from the MXGP of Turkiye

The final round of the 2024 FIM Women’s World Motocross Championship season in Afyon, Turkiye delivered a thrilling conclusion to a fiercely contested championship battle, with only 17 points separating championship leader Lotte van Drunen from her closest rival, Daniela Guillen heading into the weekend.

Under hot and dry conditions, the Afyon circuit presents a unique challenge, with its varying elevations playing a significant role in the bike setup and rider’s adaptation. As the riders navigate the undulating terrain, their ability to handle the changing conditions and maintain control was critical.

And at this game Lotte Van Drunen kept her cool and with the fifth place overall secured the FIM WMX World Champion for the first time of her career at only 17 years old.

Aussie Charli Cannon competes in Turkiye

Charli Cannon and Matt Hunt, one of Honda Australia’s top technicians, flew to Europe two weeks prior to the race to test, train, and prepare.

Charli Cannon

“We had my suspension, bars, and other parts that made the bike feel like home. The Honda 250 is already competitive, so I knew I had the equipment. What I lacked was the race time against these girls. Back home, the competition isn’t the same, and I realized that once the racing started,”

Racing inside the top three in both motos, Charli demonstrated her pace.

“Race 1 was tough, I won’t lie. I was out of my comfort zone. The pace is fast—much faster than back home. But I took the positives, reviewed the race footage, studied the track, and knew race 2 would be better. I was aiming for more than a distant fifth.”

In Race 2, she held third for 75% of the race, closing in on the leaders multiple times. With just five minutes remaining, she slipped back to 4th, being passed by last year’s World Champion. She secured fourth overall with a 5-4 finish—a remarkable achievement against the world’s best female riders.

“There’s so many positives to take from this weekend. In Race 2, I felt more comfortable at that pace. I caught the leaders a few times and learned what I need to adjust. I’m eager for more opportunities in Europe next year. I can’t thank everyone enough for making this happen.”

WMX Race One

Racing began with a fantastic start from Kiara Fontanesi, while Daniela Guillen emerged in third place just ahead of Charli Cannon. Duncan quickly surged to the front, taking the lead early on. Lotte Van Drunen started in fifth but wasted no time in challenging Cannon, who initially held fourth. On the opening lap, Van Drunen overtook the Australian rider, but Cannon fought back to reclaim fourth temporarily before Van Drunen secured the position once again.

At the front, Duncan established a commanding lead, pulling away with an eight-second gap over Fontanesi by lap 4. Behind them, Guillen nearly jeopardised her race with an aggressive lunge to pass Fontanesi on the inside, coming close to a crash but managing to stay upright. Though her move was unsuccessful, Guillen continued her charge for second place.

Meanwhile, Van Drunen found herself in a battle of her own, maintaining fourth position after a tussle with both Cannon and Larissa Papenmeier, and settled four seconds behind the leading trio. Lynn Valk did not the race she would have dreamt of finding herself in ninth position, her bike letting her down and she had to retire mid-race losing serious ground in the championship – losing her third position to Fontanesi.

On lap 7 of 11, Guillen made a decisive move, finally overtaking Fontanesi for second place, gaining two crucial points in her battle with Van Drunen for the Championship. However, Fontanesi remained relentless, staying right on Guillen’s back wheel, refusing to let her pull away. Knowing that every point could be vital with just one race left in the championship, Fontanesi continued to push hard, putting pressure on Guillen to hold onto the second position.

Despite the intensity of the battle, Van Drunen kept her composure, holding onto fourth throughout the race, fully aware that with 13 points she needed just eight more points in Race 2 to secure her first-ever WMX World Championship title.

At the front, Duncan delivered a masterclass performance, displaying total control from start to finish. She clinched another victory on a track she clearly loves, having won four of the five editions in Afyon.

WMX Race Two

In Race 2, the stage was set for an intense and dramatic conclusion to what has been an unforgettable season. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and all eyes were on Van Drunen and Guillen as they battled for the ultimate glory on this cooler day.

The start seemed to be all good for Van Drunen as she jumped out of the gate at the top but probably caused by the understandable nerves of the moment retrograded to fifth in the first corners, while six-time World Champion Fontanesi took a commanding lead in front of Guillen and Cannon who was only competing in her first WMX round of the year but showed great pace.

Cannon was on the chase of Guillen straight away while Duncan found herself in fourth with Danee Gelissen trailing and eventually finishing eighth.

The heavy conditions of the track made passes tough and for up 7 of 10 laps not much movement happened. Only Valk went from 10th on the opening lap to sixth, showing that she had the pace to fight to the top.

Then Duncan made a great move on Cannon for third on lap 7. The pace of the Kiwi was great and she rushed to Guillen, Guillen responding as she increased her pace and edged away to find herself next to Fontanesi. Fontanesi then made a mistake with 1 lap to go which cost her the overall win as Guillen and Duncan passed her.

Cannon finished at a strong fourth and displayed great racing through the whole weekend with an impressive fourth overall.

Daniela Guillen’s 2-1 won the last round of the season and secured her Silver Medal on the Championship podium. Duncan also got on the podium in second with a 1-2 and finished fifth in the championship.

Despite a late mistake, Kiara Fontanesi managed to get the last podium step of the season to prove she is still fighting for the top spots. Thanks to her performance in Afyon she also clinched the Bronze Medal in the Champion.

But the hero of the day and the year was Lotte Van Drunen who did all she had to do to get the Gold Plate and the Gold Medal, becoming 2024 WMX World Champion.

Lotte Van Drunen – P1

“I can’t believe it. I’m still so young and we worked so hard for it and now to do it already is something incredible. I want to give a big thanks to my dad because he’s the man behind all this. And thanks to my mom, my brother, my friends and family, my team, my trainers, everybody supporting me. This is crazy! Dreams do come true. That’s what we can see now. It’s been quite a great season. I’ve had some bad results, but I’ve also had really good results. My starts were bad and also all shots. So, yeah, I think this could never have been better. I’m really proud of myself and everybody around me, because without them this would have never been possible.”

Daniela Guillen – P2

“First I want to say congratulations to Lotte. And yeah,, today was a good day for me because I won the race, so I finished very well the championships. Which is a good feeling, I had my rhythm and then I finished well. I want to say also thank you to my team for this year and my mum and my sister. Thank you.”

Kiara Fontanesi – P3

“Honestly, it would have been much better to win a GP, but it wasn’t this GP that would have changed my life. And important for me was to come back to the end for sure if I didn’t lose that much time in the last lap I couldn’t win and win the GP and it would have been amazing but really it wouldn’t change anything in the championship. So I’m just really happy it’s the first race I’m doing without my kids here so I just want to say ciao to them!”

WMX Round Overall

WMX Standings

EMX250 Wrap from the MXGP of Turkiye

The penultimate round of the EMX250 in Afyon in Turkiye was pivotal in the race for the Championship, with Championship leader Mathis Valin having an 11 points gap from Valerio Lata, the Turkish battle tilted towards the Frenchman who came out on top with a perfect 1-1 to insured a little bit more his chance to lift the trophy in the last round in Cozár, Spain. That leaves 31-points separating the top three at the final, with 21-points between Valin and Lata.

EMX250 Race One

Gavin Towers took the holesot just to see teammate Ivano Van Erp grab the lead, only to be overtaken by Mathis Valin who stormed to the front at the second turn.

Teammates Van Erp and Towers fought for the lead, colliding in the air with the American crashing and picking himself up in 13th. Van Erp stayed on two wheels and held second, Valerio Lata claiming third on the opening lap. With Cas Valk bhind in fourth the top four in the championship occupied the top four positions.

Valin led Van Erp by two seconds on the opening lap with Lata right behind putting pressure on the Yamaha rider. Valk did well to place himself fourth. Valin then pulled the fastest lap on lap two to create a four seconds gap with Van Erp holding off Lata.

On lap 5, Lata run up the inside and committed himself in the middle bank to pass Van Erp for second clocking his fastest lap in the aftermath. Meanwhile Towers who crashed on the opening lap was up to ninth. showing speed.

While Valin was edging away to a peaceful and controlled victory up to 10-seconds ahead, Lata had found his flow but wasn’t counting on Van Erp’s determination.

Van Erp charged back on lap 10 and reconquered second in one of the most intense battles of the season in EMX250. Lata wasn’t letting Valin get more points on him in the championship as they all count, and attacked Van Erp, finding a way passed the Dutch firecracker on lap 10 of 14.

The battle intensified to the point that we were not sure if both would finish on two wheels as both riders pushed to the absolute limits. Lata defensively and Van Erp trying everything possible. In the end Lata kept excellent composure and showed he could deal with immense pressure.

Valin comfortably won, Lata second position and Van Erp closing out the top three. Valk’s uneventful race assured him fourth place and a good chance at the podium. The comeback of the day was of course for the American Towers who managed to unbelievably snatch the fifth place off Saad Soulimani.

EMX250 Race Two

Max Werner took the holeshot in race two, followed by Van Erp and Valin. Van Erp was quickly on the attack, charging around the outside of Werner in the opening lap to take the lead. Valin followed in his wake for second.

Lata crashed in the first few corners, having been clipped and had a lot to do to not lose his second place standing in the championship to Valk who had a good start and was up to fourth in the opening lap. Towers was fifth and in a better position to charge up the field following his impressive comeback in race 1.

Leader Van Erp and Valin were split by two seconds on lap two, Lata up to eighth by lap three to gain precious points in the championship. Valk tried to push behind Werner, but the German held him off for a while, until Valk went through after a move up the inside. Werner was then under pressure from Towers, who quickly passed him for fourth. Lata had climbed to sixth after passing teammate Mads Fredsoe and Benjamin Garib.

On lap 8, Towers made a mistake and saw Lata and Werner pass him. Lata then passed Werner for fourth in what was a great comeback. Not much movement was happening at the top with Van Erp leading Valin by two seconds, Valk third. The championship top four once again the race top four at this stage.

Valin probably fancied his chance to win the race and get a 1-1 but Van Erp was solid. That all turned upside down for Van Erp with 3 laps to go when he stalled after a cross rut and Valin went flying by for the win and a perfect 1-1.

Van Erp finished second and had the consolation of second on the overall podium. Valk cruised to third but missed the podium by two point to Lata, who finished race two in fourth.

The American rider, Towers shone despite hardships and finished fifth overall, getting more and more involved in the fight for the top positions.

Mathis Valin

“It was really a good weekend. It’s been a long time since I do 1-1, so it was quite good. We worked a lot these last weeks to get there, so it was better this weekend. And we can see the work we do. Now we focus on the last round. We have the red plate, and we need the champion one now!”

EMX250 Overall Classification

EMX250 Championship – Top 10 Classification

2024 MXGP of Turkiye – Round 18 Wrap

Sunny weather welcomed the MXGP of Türkiye as Round 18 of the MXGP World Motocross Championships, where the ongoing battle for the MXGP title took another turn as Jorge Prado claimed the overall win, the 47th of his career reducing the points lead of Team HRC’s Tim Gajser to just 14 points.

After a disaster at the previous round, Lucas Coenen got back to his winning way, as a near-perfect weekend helped him to close in on his teammate Kay de Wolf and keep his Championship hopes alive, although a 44-point gap is a sizeable challenge.

MXGP Race One

The first race started explosively as Romain Febvre tangled with Herlings and Ruben Fernandez just out of the gate, tipping the Kawasaki Racing Team man upside-down just metres into the race.

Teammate Jeremy Seewer rocketed across the Fox Holeshot line to claim his fifth award of the season, and a vital lead ahead of Gajser and Fernandez, as Maxime Renaux fought his way up to fourth.

Renaux moved forward past Fernandez, then Gajser saved a big mistake in a banked corner which let the Frenchman past into second. Prado had moved up to fourth at this point and began pressing his Championship rival, but the third rider in the Championship suffered what could be a vital blow to his title hopes.

That was Herlings, who had recovered to fifth after his tangle with Febvre but crashed all on his own at the end of the pit lane straight, being burnt by his own exhaust pipe in the process. The Dutchman looked to be in immediate pain and could only recover to tenth.

Seewer, sensing that none of the big three were close to attacking him, started to streak away at the front of the field, while Prado made a solid inside pass on Gajser to take third. He looked a dead cert to quickly blitz past Renaux, but the Yamaha man was having none of it. Gajser kept a watching brief in fourth as his teammate Fernandez was passed by Bonacorsi, putting in one of the best rides of his rookie season to finish fifth at the track where he clinched the EMX250 title last year.

Glenn Coldenhoff, riding in pain for Fantic Factory Racing after a big crash on Saturday, was riding well in seventh, keeping back the recovering Febvre, who passed Alberto Forato on lap nine. Fernandez frustratingly crashed at the start of the final lap, dropping from sixth to ninth, the last rider not to be caught by Herlings. His crash lifted Coldenhoff to a hard-earned sixth, Febvre seventh, and Forato eighth.

Try as he might, Prado could not get past Renaux, and even came under pressure from Gajser in the closing laps until the Slovenian stalled just before the two-lap board came out. The Spaniard finished third but was obviously not happy as he remonstrated to his pit crew after the chequered flag.

Renaux’s second place was his best since the second race at this track last year, but Seewer cruised to take his first race win for the Kawasaki Racing Team by over four seconds at the flag.

MXGP Race Two

A frustrated Prado had suffered with goggle problems from being behind Renaux for so long in race one, so there was only one thing for it in race two – a trademark Jorge Prado Fox Holeshot.

It was his fifteenth of the season and he now cannot be caught for the overall trophy in that competition this year. However, Gajser, Febvre and Herlings were right on his tail, with “The Bullet” working quickly past the Frenchman to make his charge on the leading pair.

Race two was a classic case of four of the best riders in the world pushing to the absolute limit, the Acerbis Fastest Lap Award passing between them several times before Prado put in the best of all on lap twelve. That was timed to counter an attack from Gajser, who in turn had just managed to shake off the attentions of Herlings.

The Slovenian hit neutral in a corner just as he was on the back wheel of the defending World Champion, and that was enough to halt his charge forward.

Most of the passing was being done further behind them. Bonacorsi, looking to match his fifth from race one, started in that position but the chasing pack of Coldenhoff, Seewer, and Forato caught him towards the final third of the race. Coldenhoff was able to move up to fifth, holding off an attack from Seewer, who had charged from outside of the top ten on the opening lap to salvage an overall podium finish.

Forato managed to get around Bonacorsi in a close battle to be top Italian in the race, which the Honda man won to finish seventh. Behind them, Jan Pancar completed an excellent weekend in ninth, with Mattia Guadagnini taking tenth.

Ultimately, no-one could catch Prado, who brought the GASGAS home for the second race win and the overall GP trophy. Gajser limited the damage by holding off Herlings for second, as the top three finished within four and a half seconds of each other, and Febvre stayed in a solid fourth, which was to be his position in the GP as well.

Renaux’s eleventh from a terrible start was enough to salvage fifth overall ahead of Herlings, Coldenhoff, Bonacorsi, and Forato, while Fernandez just did enough for tenth overall.

MXGP Overall

Herlings now sits 53 points off the top, meaning that he really needs a lot of luck to fall his way to be Champion this year.

The gap between red plate holder Gajser and Prado is now 14 points, meaning that if the Spaniard wins every race left in the final two rounds, then he will be Champion again no matter what. However, Motocross is rarely so simple.

Jorge Prado – P1

“I really needed this victory. I was so unlucky in the first moto, my pants opened on the first lap, and then in the last ten minutes the lens came off the frame of my goggles. It’s a shame to have so much bad luck when it was a moto think I could have made passes and gone for the win. Then I came back strong in the second moto with a strong start. I made a little mistake and Gajser passed me – but I reacted straight away to regain position. We gained more points this weekend, and that is the goal right now. Let’s go on to the last two rounds of the season – to make a last big push, and see how it ends!”

Tim Gajser – P2

“After winning the qualification race I was excited to go racing today, but I didn’t quite have the same feeling on the track today. What they did overnight didn’t really make the track better and it was very one-lined and I couldn’t make the pass in that second race. Still, I can’t be too disappointed as I’m still leading the championship with two rounds remaining and I’m confident I can get the job done. A big thanks to all the team for all their effort and we’ll keep building for China next weekend.”

Jeremy Seewer – P3

“With a start like that it always makes life easier. I’ve been feeling good all weekend but I even surprised myself today; those top-three have been so fast this year so to beat them was an achievement. I took the holeshot in race one and soon got a gap so I could relax and play with the track. I kept pushing for half the race, then I could move into cruise mode to control the race. My riding was good in the second race too but I got squeezed after the gate and had to ride through the pack. I almost caught Glenn, which would have given me P2 overall, but the most important success this weekend was that moto win; We’ve been working for this and the hard work finally paid off.”

Romain Febvre – P4

“At the start of the first race another rider hit me and I crashed in the start straight; I was dead-last and came back pretty well with a good speed, but on this track it’s so difficult to pass that I lost time just to come back in the top-ten. Then it was more difficult, even if my lap times were just one second slower than the leaders even while I was behind other riders. It’s a shame as I was sure that a good result was possible, and I used a lot of energy in this comeback. Second moto my start was good; I was immediately fourth and I was able to follow the leaders for the first ten minutes but then they made the gap.”

Maxime Renaux – P5

“It was a bittersweet day for me today. I had a very good first race to finish second, but then early on in Race Two I fell and my chance for a podium was gone. But overall, I’m happy about my weekend and finishing second in the first race is really positive. Now its onto China next weekend.”

Jeffrey Herlings – P6

“I believe Jorge, Tim and me were the fastest guys this weekend but they both finished on the podium and I crashed in the first moto and lost a lot of time, as well as burning my arm on the exhaust. In was in quite some pain. I had to come from last for P10. I managed to be good in the second moto but it was almost impossible to pass on this track. We just followed each other. No podium today. I’m looking forward to China. The season is coming to an end and two races to go. Realistically the championship is going to be very difficult but we’ll do what we can.”

Andrea Bonacorsi – P8

“I’ve had a really good weekend here in Turkey. I felt good on the bike and my riding was good, so it’s been quite decent. I had a great first race to finish fifth and then I was running fifth for a long time in Race Two until my footpeg hit a rock in a deep rut and it damaged it. I could still ride but not how I would have liked, so I dropped to eighth for eighth overall.”

Ruben Fernandez – P10

“Difficult day today, although I had some good speed in that first race before the crash, riding in sixth place until the very last lap. That was disappointing and I think that affected me a bit in race two but I kept fighting as much as I could and 10th overall is still okay and something I can build upon. Without that crash, it would have been a really good day, but even with it, I can take a lot of positives from the weekend and I am looking forward to China and seeing what I can do there and trying to finish this season strong.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P11

“This weekend was all about staying consistent and pushing through. In the first moto, I struggled a bit to break into the top 10 but managed a solid 12th place, earning important points. I knew I had to step it up in the second moto, and I was able to improve, finishing 10th. It’s not where I wanted to be, but I’m happy with the progress and points. Now, I’m looking forward to giving my all in China and finishing the season strong!”

MXGP Round Overall

MXGP Championship Points – Top 20

MX2 Race One

Ferruccio Zanchi claimed his first career GP Fox Holeshot Award in race one for Team HRC, however his lead was short-lived as Simon Laengenfelder found amazing drive into the second corner to take the lead, with Coenen hot on his heels.

Fastest man in Saturday’s Practice sessions, Mikkel Haarup, got up into third for Monster Energy Triumph Racing, but coming out of the fourth corner he hit the ground. Zanchi could not miss him and also went down, as did Haarup’s teammate Camden McLellan, but it was Championship leader Kay de Wolf who had a lucky escape, having to run off the track but staying upright to charge again towards the front.

Meanwhile, De Wolf’s teammate and Championship rival Coenen fired past Laengenfelder and tried to build a lead from there. RAM Qualifying Race winner Liam Everts was initially third, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 pairing of Thibault Benistant and Karlis Reisulis chasing him. Everts slid to the ground in the first corner at the start of lap three however, allowing the Yamaha riders to pass him.

Quentin Prugnieres was showing good speed for F & H Racing, and he put an aggressive pass on Everts to get into fifth. He then mounted the most impressive charge we’ve seen from him in MX2, passing both Yamaha riders in successive laps for third.

Everts came through with him, however, and suddenly powered past the Frenchman from Réunion Island to take back third at the halfway point of the race, the end of lap eight.

By this time De Wolf had charged up to fifth, bringing Everts’ teammate, a slow-starting Andrea Adamo with him, as Benistant crashed down the order. His teammate Rick Elzinga was rising into the top ten, but had to deal with the Triumph pairing of Haarup and McLellan, who were fighting back from their first lap crash, as well as fighting each other for much of the race.

At the front, Laengenfelder had surprised Coenen by passing him for the lead on lap seven, but the Belgian was far from done. Prugnieres fell just after being passed by Everts and dropped to an eventual tenth place finish.

Elzinga passed Reisulis to put the two Yamaha men eighth and ninth, behind the Triumphs of Haarup and McLellan, who got back to sixth and seventh respectively.

Everts, De Wolf, and Adamo held station to bring home third to fifth positions, but Coenen had a sting in the tail for Laengenfelder, as the pair swapped places several times.

The Belgian made the decisive move with two laps to go to take his 13th race win of the season and close the gap in the Championship to 47 points between the teammates.

MX2 Race Two

De Wolf and Coenen battled for the Fox Holeshot Award at the start of race two, the Belgian winning only his second holeshot of the season, but De Wolf grabbed the advantage into the second corner, and it looked set to be a duel between the Championship rivals.

However, a French fly got in the mix, as Prugnieres again showed audacity by passing several riders, including Coenen with a stunning move to take second by the end of the first full lap.

His pit board gave the instruction that he was already adhering to – “No Respect” for his more experienced competition. He held fast as Coenen twice tried to pass on the corner leading onto the start straight, but finally the Husqvarna man got through on lap six, quickly followed by Haarup.

Everts was the next rider along two laps later, and with a slightly aggressive move took fourth from the rookie. The retaliatory move in the next corner ended with Quentin being thrown from his bike, miraculously landing on his feet. He would eventually finish thirteenth, a scant reward for his early speed.

Laengenfelder had been pushed down the field on the opening lap and had to work back to fourth with a move on Everts through the waves. Behind them, Elzinga finished sixth ahead of Reisulis, with McLellan taking eighth, as he would do in the overall.

Adamo had suffered another terrible start but made a last lap move on Zanchi to claim ninth, and seventh overall, with his countryman finishing tenth in the race.

In the overall GP it was Benistant who claimed tenth with two eleventh places, behind Reisulis in ninth. The other Yamaha of Elzinga claimed sixth overall behind Haarup, and Laengenfelder’s pass on Everts was good enough to take the final step of the podium away from the Belgian.

After getting past Prugnieres, Coenen set about the near four-second gap to De Wolf and reeled his teammate in as his pit board read “Showtime” on lap eleven.

The red plate holder held on grimly to the lead, but finally with huge speed on the inside of the split-lane section, it was Lucas who took the advantage on the very last lap of the weekend. Kay spun sideways in a corner trying to take it back, and the race was done.

An ecstatic Lucas Coenen took his eighth career GP win, and seventh of the season, matching his teammate in both departments as they took a 1-2 on the overall podium.

MX2 Overall

The gap between Lucas Coenen and Kay de Wolf is still a significant 44 points, but the chances of De Wolf wrapping up the title in China now look slim, and in the MX2 class anything is possible. Simon Laengenfelder is a more distant third on 774 points to de Wolf’s 873 and Lucas’s 829. Next closest is Liam Everts on 727 and Mikkel Haarup on 624 for Triumph.

In both classes the fight is still very much on, and the paddock packs the flight cases to head to Shanghai for the penultimate round, The Oriental Beauty Valley MXGP of China next weekend.

Lucas Coenen – P1

“It was a good bounce back from Switzerland where I struggled a lot and made some mistakes. But today first race I almost did the same as second race, following the lines of Simon (Laengenfelder) and then Kay (de Wolf) in the second race, a bit later in the race but it worked well for me. Track was tough so I had to make my move and let’s sent it. I made my way up to P1 in the last lap, so that’s amazing to pass like that, Now we have still two rounds to go. We’ll have fun and we’ll go back to work.”

Kay de Wolf – P2

“It was a difficult weekend. I felt actually really good in RAM Qualifying and then something happened that could have been avoided. But yeah, today was a new day and I struggled a lot this morning in the first race as well. To pass, the track was really slippery in the beginning I turned it around amazingly and a good one for the big picture and I’m happy with it so yeah I’ll take it all in and go on to China now.”

Simon Laengenfelder – P3

“I have been feeling good all weekend here in Türkiye. The track changed a lot from Saturday to Sunday, but I enjoyed both conditions. It was really difficult to pass. The second moto, in particular, was tough to get that fourth position and keep it when you’re sandwiched between two riders. But we made it happen; third overall, which feels really good. We’re going to head to China happy and ready to fight for more!”

Liam Everts – P4

“A positive weekend. Winning the quali race was a good thing and then I was with the leaders in the first moto until I tucked the front. I worked my way back to P3: it was a good moto actually. In the second race I didn’t feel that comfortable in the beginning but then found a way to push later on. I just missed the podium so I’m a bit gutted about that. We need to work a bit more on the starts. If we can get that better then we’ll be on a very good way. We’ll have some fun in China.”

Rick Elzinga – P6

“Overall, the weekend was OK although Saturday was not so good. With the team I turned things around for today and felt better and better as the day went on. I had a poor start in the first race but came through to eighth so that was not too bad. Then in Race Two I had a great start, but in turn three, I got blocked off and dropped down the field. I managed to get back to sixth, which was good and I was happy with my riding, but I should have been closer to the front.”

Andrea Adamo – P7

“Not the best weekend. I compromised the GP a bit by not finding my speed on Saturday or getting my starts when the track was difficult for passing. The first moto was solid but the second one I lost a lot of time in the beginning. We will have another chance in China.”

Karlis Reisulis – P9

“My first race was going pretty good, battling with Thibault early on, but I seemed to lose my rhythm and that made the race quite tough. It was quite a difficult track to make passes on and in Race Two I moved from eighth to seventh and that was it although I did close in on Rick near the end so my fitness is good, but overall I should have been better today.”

Thibault Benistant – P10

“This weekend was quite difficult for me. I struggled with arm pump a lot and that meant I couldn’t ride like I know I can. The goal is to ride freely and enjoy the races, but unfortunately that didn’t happen this weekend.”

Ferruccio Zanchi – P14

“After yesterday I was very excited to ride today, but things didn’t quite go to plan. I did manage to get my first holeshot in the first moto so that was great and really good for the team because they work so hard and getting the holeshot shows that my Honda CRF250R is competitive. From there though, it didn’t go so well as another rider then crashed right in front of me and I had nowhere to go. I got back to 11th but then crashed near the end and finished 17th. Race two was better but I hoped to be higher than 10th but I’m determined to improve and put in two good final rounds of the season.”

MX2 Round Overall

MX2 Championship Standings

2024 SMX World Championship Play Off 1 Wrap

450SMX

Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence stamped his authority on Playoff 1 of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Finals, taking the overall win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Concord, North Carolina.

After missing most of the Pro Motocross season with a thumb injury, the defending SMX Champion showed he hasn’t lost speed or endurance with a thrilling battle for the final moto win and overall victory.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac dominated the first 450SMX moto on the high-speed, hybrid SuperMotocross track. He led most of the second moto but finished in the runner-up spot after a fierce battle with Lawrence.

SuperMotocross event results are determined by a combined two-moto score, so Tomac earned second overall with (1-2) moto finishes. It was brilliant to see the youngster go head to head with the seasoned legend that is Tomac.

The freshly-crowned AMA Pro Motocross champion, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton, was in the mix in both 20-minute plus one lap motos. Sexton had to settle for a third overall when the two leaders pulled away from him late in the final moto.

Jett Lawrence – P1

“I feel like I surprised myself more than anyone else today. Practice and qualifying went okay, but it’s a lot easier to put down one fast lap than it is to do an entire 20-minute moto. In both races, I felt like my lines and flow were really good, but I just had trouble staying close to the leader in the first one. Hopefully we can build off of this one and keep improving. Race intensity is a lot different than practice, so it was good to get some real gate drops under my belt.”

Eli Tomac – P2

“I felt really good. It was close. The rhythm section got me. [Jett] was better in the sand, too, but I felt like I kind of could have survived that. But that rhythm section, as soon as I started missing my big quad, and then I wasn’t able to actually do the over-over so well, [I lost time], so [I’m] trying to learn from it. Either way it was a really fun day, [and I] felt really good on the motorcycle. That was so cool just to be having that flow again… [when asked why he stopped jumping the quad in the track’s rhythm lane] On the step-on step-off, the landing of it just got a little bit deep in the bottom of the transition. And then I wasn’t comfortable to go off the ramp and really gas it. So, I was too conservative, I was playing it safe, and it cost me.”

Chase Sexton – P3

“We definitely have a lot to improve on. I felt a little bit like a re-run of Chicago last year, by trying super hard but I wasn’t really going that fast. So [I] gotta find some more comfort, but these guys are riding really well. They honestly just smoked me today, so gotta get better. We have two more rounds, the ones that really count, obviously this one is just single points, then double points and triple points, so just trying to improve and really capitalize in that last race.”

Hunter Lawrence – P4

“I’m happy to put a respectable run on the board and keep the points close to start the playoffs. A big thank-you to the team for the setup today, because I felt we were very prepared compared to where we were last year. I’m looking forward to getting better in Texas.”

450 Round Results

SMX 450 Standings

Concord 450 Highlights

250SMX

In the 250SMX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan delivered two impressive moto charges after mid-pack starts in both motos; Deegan took both 250SMX moto wins in convincing fashion to earn the 250SMX overall win, working his way past nearly all the top racers.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer led several laps in the first moto and battled up front in the second to score his first professional podium finish.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen pulled an early gap on the field in the second moto but had to settle for second place when Deegan caught and passed him in the final minutes of the race.

Haiden Deegan – P1

“Yeah, we gotta go back to work this week. When I get back, we’re working. Because even though I went 1-1 today there’s a lot of errors that were made and I’m not happy about it… But it was nice to win the first one, that was a good goal [to] check off the list.”

Julien Beaumer – P2

“Yeah, it’s very important leading those laps and getting good starts like that. It’s very important for confidence, and after that first moto I had a lot of confidence. I just made too many mistakes in those early laps [of the second moto], [then] got it going a little bit in the middle, and just [on] that last lap made another big mistake. But I was able to hold off Jo [Shimoda]; he’s riding great, and same with Haiden, they’re all riding great today, so I’m very excited to be up here and ready for Dallas.”

Levi Kitchen – P3

“You never know. It’s racing. I actually didn’t know I was that great at the beginning. I felt like I couldn’t actually get away. But it was a decent race. I’m happy to kind of bounce back after the first one. It’s a little emotional getting a holeshot and getting a red flag [after the first start of the opening moto]. If there’s one [event at which] to be a tick off, it would definitely be this one. We’ve got double points and then triple points, so [I’m] looking forward to the next two.”

Jo Shimoda – P4

“Overall, a solid day. I need some more pace to keep up front and battle for the win, but I’m excited about where we are so far. I’m positive going into the week, and I know we’ll be in a better place at the next round.”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Tom Vialle – the reigning AMA Supercross 250SX East Champion – qualified in eighth position and then raced to fourth in the first moto. A P7 result in the final outing placed him fifth overall, which was a solid way to commence his post-season, and he sits third in the SMX standings.

Tom Vialle – P5

“I went 4-7 today – my starts were really bad – so I finished fifth overall. I’m still third in the championship and we all know that the next couple of races are most important with double and triple points available, so we will come out swinging next week.”

250 Round Results

SMX 250 Standings

Concord 250 Highlights

SuperMotocross Playoff 2

SuperMotocross Playoff 2 pits the racers against one another next Saturday, September 14th, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The racing intensifies as the points payout doubles in Playoff 2.

Just seven days after that, the racers compete in the SuperMotocross World Championship on September 21st at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The final event pays triple-points for the overall results then pays out the huge prize of $1 Million for the top step of the 450 SMX Class and $500,000 for the 250 SMX Class.

2024 Racing schedule

2024 FIM EnduroGP Calendar

2024 MXGP Calendar (Provisional)

2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championships Provisional Calendar

2024 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship calendar