Moto News Wrap for May 2, 2017 by Darren Smart
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- Dungey Leads with One Round to GO!!!
- Savatgy Penalised
- Musquin Stays Orange
- Jess Gardiner continues winning streak across Europe
- Mackie Screaming Towards Conondale
- Lawrence Second at ADAC German MX Masters
- Jay Wilson Heading Home
- GYTR Yamaha Storm through Roma
- Chris Warwick wins Kamfari on Sherco 450 SEF-R
- MX Nationals head to Conondale
This Week’s Race Reports
- AMA Supercross – Round 16 – MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, New Jersey
- British Motocross Championship – Round 3 = Canada Heights
- Slovenian FIM Speedway Grand Prix – Round 1 – Krsko
Dungey Leads with One Round to GO!!!
After 16 rounds of the AMA Supercross Championships there are just nine point separating the defending 450SX champion Ryan Dungey from Eli Tomac going into ‘Vegas’ this weekend. Tomac threw away the race and the championship lead in one left hand corner on a rut infested layout in New Jersey and to make matters worse Tomac couldn’t get around his teammate Josh Grant for seventh place and up front his arch rival in Dungey was handed the win and an extra three points by his teammate Marvin Musquin.
So with a nine point lead all Dungey has to do is finish in the top five in Vegas to win another title.
Savatgy Penalised
While running second in the 250SX East Region main event on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy crashed and fell into the next lane on the race track. Savatgy ended up getting on his bike and riding off through that next lane, instead of re-entering the track where he had crashed and in turn gained significant time with that move, so while he crossed the finish line in third, it seemed pretty certain that some sort of penalty was coming.
On Sunday afternoon, the AMA made the penalty official: Savatgy was pushed from third to eighth in the final official results, a five-position penalty. As a result, the 250SX East Region standings are incredibly close. They look like this:
- Jordon Smith 160
- Joey Savatgy 159
- Zach Osborne 159
As for the AMA’s decision, the details are outlined in a press release below:
On April 29, 2017, after the 250SX main event, a protest was filed with regards to an on track incident involving rider #17 Joey Savatgy. After a complete review of the incident, including video and eyewitness accounts, it was determined by the Race Director that rider #17 did exit the track and re-enter in a different location. In doing so, rider #17 did gain positions and an advantage while cutting a section of the race track.
This episode ended a crap weekend for Kawasaki who came into round 16 leading two championships and left trailing in both.
Musquin Stays Orange
The Red Bull KTM team announced an extension of Marvin Musquin’s 450 deal through the 2019 racing season, adding two more years to contract.
KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer
“I am extremely happy that we could re-sign Marvin for another two years as he has become a real friend and strong part of our KTM family,” said KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer. “We are together now since 2010 and it has been an outstanding relation. Together we reached World Championship titles, AMA titles and this year we could celebrate our first 450 Supercross win. I am really proud to say that Marvin is a true KTM family member for another two years.”
Musquin has certainly earned the deal, carding his first two career 450SX wins this season and running a strong third in the standings. He also won the 2015 250SX East Region Championship for the team, as well as a pair of MX2 Motocross World Championships.
It’s not a surprise to see Marvin back with the team, but many questions remain as to what the rest of the 2018 KTM line-up will look like. Musquin’s continued rise at least gives the team a strong anchor even of Ryan Dungey chooses not to return to racing, and if he does, the two can remain a potent pair of training and team partners for another season.
Marvin Musquin
“It’s a real pleasure to extend my contract with KTM. We’ve been through a lot together in the past nine years but we have also had great successes. I’m really excited to continue working on reaching my goals with their support,” said Musquin in a KTM press release.
Jess Gardiner continues winning streak across Europe
Aussie enduro superstar Jess Gardiner made her debut outing last weekend in the FIM Enduro European Championship at Gouveia in Portugal, which saw her stamping her authority on the championship by snaring overall wins on both days.
Gardiner was on fire throughout the first day of competition as she proved too good for the other twelve competitors out on track. The 24-year-old won every single test and took the overall win 3min13.51 clear of her nearest competitor.
On the second day of racing, she was yet again to good. Gardiner dismantled the field by storming to victory, this time the winning margin 1min12.39 clear of second place.
Gardiner will go into the second round of the FIM Enduro European Championship with a six point championship lead over Sweden’s Hanna Berzelius. Round two will take place on 8-9 July in Paikuse, Estonia,
Next stop for Gardiner – round two of the Championnat de France d’enduro on 13-14 May at Gacé in north-western France.
Mackie Revving Towards Conondale
Cody Mackie is the clear favourite to take out the 125cc Gold Cup support class at this weekend’s round of the MX Nationals being held at Conondale in the Hinterland of the Sunshine Coast.
Mackie raced the MX Nationals for a number of years before retiring in 2013 and is keen to get behind the gates again.
“Initially what motivated me to race the 125 class was just that I had time in my schedule. I don’t race professionally anymore so I sort of pick and choose my races these days, but this is definitely worth coming out of retirement for,” Mackie said. “I can still get that buzz from racing that I love. The 125 has nowhere near the power of a 450 so it’s nice and safe and it’s just a lot of fun. I remember when I first went senior, there was 120 of us on 125s. I came off being a good junior and then when I got into that class I ended up getting waxed, so for me racing this class at Conondale is about getting some sort of redemption on the guys who used to beat me.”
With a 125cc Gold Cup title up for grabs at the end of the season, Mackie has encouraged others to join in the fun, and called out a former rival who he’s hoping will line up alongside him for the challenge.
“I’m planning on doing all three rounds, and there’s definitely a few guys who I’d like to see out there having a crack with me. Guys like Cam Taylor who used to beat me back when I was racing,” Mackie said. “I’m not a kid anymore, I’ve grown up a bit since then so hopefully I can give a few of the guys a run for their money. Racing a 125 at Conondale is something that’s really going to be a lot of fun. I’ve rallied around to rev a few of my mates up to get out there, but I just hope it’s good racing for the fans and it can add another element to what’s already going to be a fun weekend at the Nationals.”
Hunter Lawrence Second at ADAC German MX Masters
The second round of the ADAC German MX Masters Championship was held in Jauer last weekend and it was defending champion Dennis Ulrich who won the day and extended his championship lead but he didn’t have it all his way with young Aussie Hunter Lawrence hot on his tail throughout the two motos to take a well-earned and confidence inspiring pair of second places.
The Australian teenager relied on his familiar Suzuki RM-Z250, putting him at a certain power disadvantage against the bigger-sized 450cc machines in the class.
“My starts weren’t the best in both motos, but what can you do against the 450s?” he shrugged. “The races were great though. I had a good speed and moved up to second place on both occasions. The starts really held me back, but finishing runner-up twice is an achievement, I guess.”
Jett Lawrence didn’t have as good a day as his brother with a DNF in the opening moto and a fifth in the second moto.
Jay Wilson Heading Home
After competing in the opening six rounds of the FIM World Motocross Championship in the MX2 class for the JK Yamaha team, former Australian MX2 Champion Jay Wilson has made the decision to return home to Australia to spend more time with his partner and new-born.
“Sometimes things don’t go exactly to plan, unfortunately I have withdrawn from racing the MXGPs indefinitely and I will be returning home to Australia to be with my family. When I was offered the opportunity to race the GPs I jumped at it even though I hadn’t raced motocross in 8 months or had any pre-season training. Racing at that level is everything I have always dreamt of and spent my whole career working towards, so despite the timing not being right I was determined to make it work no matter what. The truth is, to race at that level everything needs to be perfect. The team you’re working with, testing, your machinery, your equipment, the circle of support you have around you, and unfortunately no matter how hard I worked, all of those things just weren’t there for me throughout the season so far and due to that I haven’t been able to reach my full potential. This is not a decision I have made lightly, this has taken a lot of thought and weighing up but I believe it’s better for me to be at home with my family and to work on finding something that is right than trying to force something to work that simply won’t. I’m still hungry and determined and know that with the right infrastructure I will be competitive once again. I’m extremely grateful for the JK Yamaha team for providing me with the opportunity to race the rounds that I have this year. I also can’t thank my mechanic Ade enough for being there during the good and the bad, you’re a lifelong friend mate. I’m looking forward to going back to the GPs in the future when the timing is right and when my family can be with me, but for now I’m excited to get home and see my girls, work on staying fit, healthy, and riding until the next chapter comes along.”
Dylan Long sidelined with wrist injury
Yamaha’s Dylan Long has elected to sit out the up-coming rounds of the MX Nationals as he recovers from a wrist injury sustained at the beginning of the year.
Long, who broke his scaphoid in his wrist over the Christmas period, has been racing the first two rounds of the championship in considerable pain but has made the wise decision to let his wrist heal properly before returning to racing.
“After the Appin round I went to see my doctor regarding my wrist and while structurally it is fine and the scaphoid has healed well, the ligament damage around the area still needs time to recover and with the week to week riding, training and racing we are in at the moment, any recovery has been slowed and halted by the continual use. If I continued to ride, I would only continue to damage the ligament and tissue around the bone and therefore prolong the injury. I’m gutted that I’m in this situation but myself and the CDR Yamaha team both agree I need to take the time off, let me wrist heal properly before returning to racing,” Long explains.
Long has toughed it out at the opening two rounds and sits just outside the top 10 in points despite racing with his injury. The injury was always a race against time to make round one but it was clear that he wasn’t at 100% but the best plan for the talented Victorian racer is to take the time to get his body 100% before returning to race.
“Dylan is extremely disappointed by this but it is the right step to take and we need to ensure his wrist is right before his return,” states team manager, Craig Dack. “He is in his early 20’s and the risk of long term damage to his wrist isn’t worth him racing right now. Our advice from his doctors is to give him four weeks off the bike and therefore a likely return would be at Nowra for the second half of the championship where we can then see his true potential and have him up the front and racing at his best,” Dack ends.
Round three of the MX Nationals fires up this weekend at the picturesque Conondale Circuit on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Long’s team mate, and reigning champion, Dean Ferris currently leads the premier MX1 division after the opening two rounds and with Conondale being a favourite track of his, he is looking to keep the good form flowing.
“I have had a good couple of weeks of riding and training so I look forward to another good result at Conondale. The track is always good to ride and the crowd can get nice and close to the action making for a great atmosphere. I hope to see everyone there,” Ferris ends.
Darwin rider Chris Warwick wins Kamfari on Sherco 450 SEF-R
Territorian Chris Warwick has taken out the 2017 Kamfari with a Sherco 450 SEF-R powering him to victory. After years of trying, including multiple minor placings, Warwick finally took the top step of the podium in what is regarded as Australia’s muddiest enduro.
The four-hour multi-lap race was staged on the outskirts of Darwin that had competitors racing across flood plains and skirting scrub littered with bog holes. The gruelling mud-fest saw some more fancied, big-name riders fail to make the finish while Warwick powered to a two-lap lead, eventually completing 15 laps in typically tropical conditions.
Riding a Sherco 450 SEF-R prepared by Darwin Sherco dealership, NT Powersports, Warwick revelled in the tough conditions and proved the Sherco to be a powerful and ultimately reliable machine.
“I have to thank NT Powersports for supplying me with a Sherco,” Warwick said after the event. “It’s seriously one of the best enduro bikes I’ve had the pleasure of riding. This was a proper Kamfari. The majority of the track was really muddy. It was really challenging with a lot of holes and a lot of ruts.”
Kamfari 2017 Results
- Chris Warwick
- Bren Rodda
- David Bates
GYTR Yamaha Storm through Roma
The Queensland GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing team of Jack Kukas and Levi Rogers turned in their best performance of the year so far, claiming eight race wins and four second places out of the 12 races contested, at round four of the Sunshine State Motocross series at Roma, over the weekend.
The sensational results saw Kukas take the win in both the 15 years 125 and 250cc divisions, going undefeated on the day while Levi Rogers returned to form taking the win in the 13-14 years 250cc and a second place finish in the 13-14 125cc.
After a couple of events where he struggled with form and crashes, Jack Kukas bounced back at Roma with some good racing and a confidence boosting weekend. On the rutted, black soil surface, Kukas pulled great starts all day and took control of each race in the early stages and riding his own race to the finish line.
He took the perfect three from three on the 125 and mirrored that result on his YZ250F and now leads both classes in the series with two rounds remaining.
“It was good to get back up front and win some races again,” Kukas said. “The last couple of weekends haven’t been great but today things started to feel better and I was able to ride better. “My starts were good and I was able to do six motos without any crashes or big mistakes so it was a positive weekend for me and something I can build on in the coming races.”
Levi Rogers continues to show improvement and the weekend marked his best results at a Sunshine State series event. Rogers finished the day with two race wins and four second places to take the home a class win and a second place.
Rogers win came in the 13-14years 250cc class with 1-2-1 results. Rogers has now won three out of the four rounds contested on his YZ250F and now sits just eight points from the series lead.
His day started out just as brightly on the 125 when he led moto one all the way until the final lap where he fell and dropped back to take second place. He finished second in the two remaining motos to claim second on the day and, like the 250, he sits second on the series on his YZ125.
The next event for the Queensland pair is the fifth round of the series to be held at the Tivoli circuit, just west of Brisbane on May 13.
Sunshine State Motocross series Round Four Results – Roma
15 years 250cc
- Jack Kukas – 105
- Connor McNamara – 92
- Navrin Grothues – 88
15 years 125cc:
- Jack Kukas – 105
- Connor McNamara – 92
- Jayce Gosford – 90
13-14years 250cc
- Levi Rogers – 102
- Jake Cuka – 99
- Jai Walker – 86
13-14 years 125cc
- Noah Ferguson – 105
- Levi Rogers – 96 (GYTR YJR)
- Jai Walker – 84
Sunshine State Motocross Series Standings
15 years 250cc
- Jack Kukas – 376 (Yamaha YZ250F)
- Connor McNamara -371
- Navrin Grouthes – 347
15 years 125cc
- Jack Kukas – 412 (Yamaha YZ125)
- Connor McNamara – 360
- Jayce Cosford -354 (Yamaha YZ125)
13-14 years 250cc
- Jake Cuka -396 (Yamaha YZ250F)
- Levi Rogers -388 ( Yamaha YZ250F)
- Jai Walker -339 (Yamaha YZ250F)
13-14 years 125cc
- Noah Ferguson – 400
- Levi Rogers – 338 (Yamaha YZ125)
- Ryan Gaylor – 319
MX Nationals head to Conondale this weekend
This weekend Green Park in Conondale will roar back to life when the venue hosts Round 3 of the Motul MX Nationals, and this year the Sunshine Coast Motorcycle Club alongside Williams Event Management have worked harder than ever to ensure the event’s success.
The picturesque motocross track which sits amongst the rolling hills in Queensland has been prepped and readied for this weekend’s third instalment of the Motul MX Nationals, with more than 100 riders set to take to the track this Sunday May 7.
Sunshine Coast Motorcycle Club Steve Harrison
“The Sunshine Coast Motorcycle Club has been very busy over the last few months to groom and prepare the iconic Green Park track at Conondale in preparation for the MX Nationals. Conondale is known to many of the riders as one of the premier outdoor natural terrain tracks of Australia, and with recent rain it has really brought out the green at Green Park. We will have three grandstands to view from, a bar, and food available for fans, plus with big hills, fast wide open straights, and of course the infamous Drunks Hill, it will all make for a great days racing.”
Motul MX Nationals Series Promoter Kevin Williams
“We have just come off the back of two fantastic rounds of the championship in New South Wales and Victoria so we are very excited to be heading to Conondale in Queensland this weekend,” Williams shared. “Conondale is a track which is truly unique – when you drive into the venue you’re welcomed by a motocross circuit which sits in between lush rolling hills, and for fans it really is one of the most picturesque of all of the tracks we visit. This weekend we have three championship classes, the Thor MX1, Motul MX2 and Pirelli MXD categories racing as well as the 125cc Gold Cup support class which is sure to entertain the fans. Judging by our first two outings this championship is just getting started, so spectators can expect riders to be hanging it all out this weekend and putting on a real show for those who are trackside.”
Smarty’s Race Reports
AMA Supercross – Round 16 – MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, New Jersey
On a rut infested layout the drama surrounding the 2017 title fight in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championships took another twist last weekend and in front of 59,583 fans it was Ryan Dungey who took the win to reclaim the 450SX point’s lead while Zach Osborne came from behind to grab his fourth Eastern Regional 250SX Class win of the season.
Heading into this round Kawasaki was looking solid with Eli Tomac leading the 450SX class and Joey Savatgy leading the Eastern Regional 250SX class but both riders crashed and lost their points lead so each championship will now be decided at Las Vegas this weekend.
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450SX Class Main Event
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The 450SX Class Main Event kicked off with Jason Anderson securing the holeshot over Davi Millsaps, Dungey, Eli Tomac and Marvin Musquin.
Anderson crashed out of the lead before the conclusion of the opening lap which also saw Tomac get by Dungey and Millsaps to take the lead but that didn’t last with the Kawasaki pilot losing the front end and crashing in a left hand bowl turn.
Dungey slipped past to seize control of the race with Millsaps into second and Musquin in third. After spending a lengthy time getting his Kawasaki restarted, Tomac resumed in 15th.
Dungey maintained a comfortable advantage throughout the middle part of the 20-minute-plus-two-lap race, but Musquin got around Millsaps and slowly started to track down his teammate and training partner.
The KTM duo paced one another for several laps, carefully navigating the treacherous layout in addition to lapped riders, but Musquin soon got the upper hand and made the pass for the lead at around the midway point of the race and from there the Frenchman put a little distance between he and Dungey, but the champ kept his teammate within reach.
Behind them Tomac was slowly working his way back up through the field, patiently making passes to get on the verge of the top 10 behind his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Josh Grant. However, Tomac endured another instance of misfortune on lap 16 when he lost traction off a triple jump and came up short, veering off the side of the track and stalling his Kawasaki. He got back onto the track quickly and lost just one spot to fall to 12th.
Out front, Dungey took advantage of alternative lines to close back in on Musquin. While he wasn’t able to mount a serious challenge or attempt a pass, he stayed within a bike length of his teammate for several laps. As they approached the final lap Dungey picked up the pace and started looking for a way around.
When the lead pair took the white flag Dungey applied pressure, ultimately forcing a small bobble out of Musquin, who popped out of a rut entering a corner and veered off line. Dungey slipped by and carried on to take the win by 1.6 seconds, ending a seven-race winless streak with the 34th victory of his career.
“That’s’ what we needed. Eli [Tomac] was riding well early, but he made a mistake and went down. Marvin [Musquin] was riding well too and got by us, but I stuck behind him,” said Dungey. “The track was really falling apart as the race went on and got difficult, but I was able to follow Marvin, watch his lines, and take advantage late. We got some valuable points [in the championship] but it’s not over yet. There’s still one more race.”
Musquin narrowly missed out on his third victory of the season in second, while Anderson made an impressive rebound from his early misfortune to finish third. Tomac continued to fight and soldiered home to finish eighth, ending a dominant nine-race stretch in which he earned seven victories and finished no worse than second.
Marvin Musquin
“Obviously Eli went down and then Jason went down,” said Musquin. “You could tell it was really difficult to not make mistakes. The track was really tough. Me and Ryan [Dungey] were first and second, so that was really cool. Then I was able to get around him. I think I had one or two better lines, but then I feel like maybe he saw some of the lines and he kind of picked it up. I felt like I was getting away a little bit and then he was coming back on my rear wheel. I tightened up a little bit on the last lap, and I got a good run through the whoops, but maybe too fast. That sweeper, that rut was really difficult. It was hard to feel the front end right here and I made a mistake. At the end, it’s a KTM that wins so it’s good for us. It’s hard. I felt like it was going to be a good race, but still second place. It’s good.”
Jason Anderson
“To be honest, that heat race, practice I didn’t feel that good but I felt like I was coming around,” said Anderson. “I got that heat race win and then got the start in the main. Honestly, I feel like with how rutted it was, it was not how fast you were tonight—I feel like it was just not making mistakes, and I made that one mistake. But I definitely feel like I could have been the guy and been up front and definitely battled for that win. I was pretty excited that even though I fell I was able to come back through the pack.”
Dungey entered the night facing a three-point deficit to Tomac and he left MetLife Stadium with a nine-point lead heading to Vegas.
Eli Tomac
“That was a bummer. The only thing to look forward to is there’s one race left,” said Tomac. “The scenarios can flip and the same thing could happen to Ryan [Dungey]. That’s all I can hope for. Nine points will be hard to cover and catch up on, but I’ll give it my all and look to win. That’s all I can do.”
Chad Reed struggled all night and ended up getting lapped by Dungey and Musquin in the dying laps to finish in 12th place, two places in front of his Yamaha teammate Cooper Webb.
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450SX Class Results – Round 16
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
- Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
- Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., KTM
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM
- Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., Honda
- Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
- Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Suzuki
- Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
450SX Class Championship standings after Round 16
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 341
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 332
- Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 292
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 248
- Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 212
- Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., KTM – 208
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 206
- Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna – 169
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 167
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 167
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event
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In the penultimate Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event it was Adam Cianciarulo who claimed the holeshot, but he quickly gave up the lead to his teammate, and championship leader Joey Savatgy who in turn led Cameron McAdoo, Dylan Ferrandis and Christian Craig.
Savatgy was able to open up a gap over Cianciarulo and the rest of the field, but the big mover was Osborne who was storming to the front after starting seventh and by lap 8 the Husqvarna rider found himself in the lead but it was on lap 13 when things turned to poo for Savatgy with the Kawasaki rider getting off line and crashing into a trackside marker but instead of re-entering the track on the straight he was on, Savatgy took off on the next straight behind Ferrandis, effectively missing a whole turn.
Osborne continued to extend his lead and took the chequered flag 4.5 seconds over Ferrandis, who recorded a career-best result. In each of his four wins this season Osborne has come-from-behind to do so, passing his way to the front
Zach Osborne
“It was a tight track tonight. You had to be aggressive,” said Osborne. “I got a terrible start, like mid pack, and barely made it through first turn. It was a struggle. The first couple laps there I was really nervous, but I was able to make the pass on Joey [Savatgy] and get into the lead and just ride my own race.”
Dylan Ferrandis
“For me it was really difficult that kind of track because I live in California and now everything is dry and hard-pack,” said Ferrandis. “So, it’s not easy when it’s ruts in supercross for me, but I rode a little bit in outdoor and that’s really helped me to be back in softer pack and ruts. So I think that’s helped me a lot tonight, but also it’s like experience. I was struggling a bit all this season with my fork in the soft conditions like today. I think today we finally find something good, so that what really helped me tonight. That’s why I think I finally get a good podium on a really hard supercross.”
Savatgy came home third, but it marked the third consecutive race that Savatgy gave up the lead, while the late misfortune ended a streak of four straight runner-up finishes.
Joey Savatgy
“I got to keep working. It’s not always going to be easy. If it was there’d be more of us up here [on the podium],” said Savatgy. “I’ve got to keep the ball rolling. I’m not a quitter. We’ve been knocked down a few times and I came up short last year [for the championship], but I’m not about to let that happen again. We’ll come into Las Vegas with an open mindset, have some fun, and do our best.”
Following the race Savatgy’s re-entry onto the track following his crash came under inquiry from race officials and as you read above, Savatgy was penalised so going into the final round in Vegas Jordon Smith will have the red plate on 160 points while Savatgy and Osborne are one point back on 159.
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The 2017 Monster Energy Supercross season will come to a dramatic conclusion next Saturday, May 6, for the 17th and final round of the championship from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna
- Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki
- Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda
- Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Suzuki
- Luke Renzland, Hewitt, N.J., Yamaha
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki
- Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Honda
- Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., KTM – 160
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 159
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 159
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 146
- Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha – 126
- Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda – 97
- Luke Renzland, Hewitt, N.J., Yamaha – 84
- Anthony Rodriguez, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha – 80
- Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Suzuki – 77
- Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha – 74
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British Motocross Championship – Round 3 – Canada Heights
Round three of British Motocross Championships was held at Canada Heights last weekend and it was Gert Krestinov who took out the MX1 overall ahead of Elliot Banks-Brown and Steven Lenior while it was Harri Kullas who got the nod in the MX2 class over Ben Watson and Kiwi Josiah Natzke.
Krestinov, who went 2-1, had to deal with Elliot Banks Browne (1-3) for the overall while Lenoir earned third with 3-2 results.
Kullas put together 1-2 scores, while Watson came back from a first moto crash to earn 5-1 moto finishes and third placed Josiah Natzke rode hard for 3-4 results.
MX1 Overall
- Gert Krestinov
- Elliott Banks-Browne
- Steven Lenoir
- Brad Anderson
- Graeme Irwin
- James Harrison
- Jake Shipton
- Jamie Law
- Stuart Edmonds
- Mitchell Lewis
MX2 Overall
- Harri Kullas
- Ben Watson
- Josiah Natzke
- Martin Barr
- Mel Pocock
- Michael Eccles
- Josh Gilbert
- Lewis Tombs
- Todd Kellett
- Josh Spinks
Slovenian FIM Speedway Grand Prix – Round 1 – Krsko
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Slovak racer Martin Vaculik announced his FIM Speedway Grand Prix return in sensational style after storming to AZTORIN Slovenian SGP glory ahead of Fredrik Lindgren and Patryk Dudek in Krsko while Aussie star Jason Doyle finished the night in fourth place on 12 points.
Vaculik was elated with his first SGP win since he triumphed at the Gorzow SGP on his World Championship debut in 2012, and he paid tribute to his loyal army of followers.
Martin Vaculik
“I’m very happy. What can I say? I’m very pleased with this result and I’d like to say a big thank you to my tuner Ashley Holloway and my team – the guys did a tremendous job in Krsko and have done all season. I would like to say thank you to my family – they give me great support – and all my supporters and fans. Without these people, it wouldn’t be like this, so I am very happy and I’m just enjoying the moment right now.”
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One notable face in the Vaculik camp was former Great Britain international Simon Stead, who is serving as an advisor and mentor to the Slovak. It’s clear the rider appreciated the vastly-experienced Sheffield team manager’s input at their first SGP together.
“Simon is in my team this year and did a great job for me,” Vaculik added. “He’s a strong part of my team and I am very happy he’s here. He’s not racing anymore, but he has a lot of experience and he’s a big help for me. My tuner worked with him when he raced and in the winter, I met Simon and we spoke with each other. We have the same view on a lot of things and I think he’s the right person for my team.”
Runner-up Lindgren was elated to go top of the World Championship with a brilliant battling performance in Krsko.
Fredrik Lindgren
“I’m very happy with my performance,” Lindgren said. “I made the track work to my advantage and found some really good speed in the bike. I was riding well and I wasn’t afraid to attack the track, which I had to do. I’m pleased.”
Third-placed Dudek was delighted to secure an SGP podium on his first meeting as a full-time World Championship rider.
Patryk Dudek
“The first two heats were very good, but I had problems with the setup later. When I was in the semi-final, I made a big change to the bike with my team and I won the race,” Dudek said. “I was happy and I hoped it would be the same in the final, but I was third. That’s not bad for my first final in the Grand Prix. I hope it’s not my last!”
Former World Speedway Champion Chris Holder had a less than stellar night scoring only 6 points for 12th outright.
Next up is the LOTTO Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland on May 13.
FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
- Fredrik Lindgren 16
- Martin Vaculik 16
- Patryk Dudek 13
- Jason Doyle 12
- Emil Sayfutdinov 12
- Greg Hancock 11
- Matej Zagar 10
- Niels-Kristian Iversen 9
- Tai Woffinden 8
- Piotr Pawlicki 7
- Bartosz Zmarzlik 6
- Chris Holder 6
- Maciej Janowski 6
- Nicki Pedersen 3
- Antonio Lindback 2
- Nick Skorja 1
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