MX Nationals MX2 points leader extends American campaign.
Image: Supplied.
Troy Lee Designs Red Bull KTM has confirmed Wilson Todd will remain with the squad for this weekend’s fourth round of the 2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship at High Point.
The current Pirelli MX Nationals MX2 points leader and reigning champion was initially slated to contest the first three rounds, however a week-to-week guest ride with the factory-supported outfit has now extended the trip for an additional round.
Todd received the TLD call-up following an impressive debut at Hangtown, where he raced Troy Lee son’s KTM 250 SX-F to 12th overall.
The Queenslander has since lodged 19-15 overall scores in his two appearances with the team at Fox Raceway and Thunder Valley. The TLD Red Bull KTM squad has also drafted in Cameron McAdoo for the next four rounds, as regulars Shane McElrath, Jordon Smith and Mitchell Falk are benched with injuries.
Former world champion Romain Febvre is confident he’s ‘back to normal’ with three races already under his belt following months on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing contender has returned to his usual training program, which has promoted confidence within the Frenchman ahead of this weekend’s MXGP of Latvia for round nine of the world championship.
“I feel much better this week than the last couple of weeks,” said Febvre. “I am back to normal, which is really good. I will return to my normal training program this week heading into Latvia. I like the track there, I think many riders like it because it is a nice track with many jumps, a little bit sandy, but not completely sandy.
“They usually prepare the track really well there, if they do the same again this year, we should have some good racing. I don’t have any pressure – I know what I am capable of and my speed is there. This weekend, my main focus will be the start because I can’t afford to miss it.”
Febvre finished fifth overall at last weekend’s MXGP of Russia, charging to P3 in the opening moto. Completing a total of four rounds, the Yamaha ace is ranked 13th in the standings.
The Bennetts British Superbike Championship descends on Kent this weekend with the prestigious King of Brands title up for grabs coupled with the first round of the new Integro Triple Crown on the Grand Prix circuit, raising the stakes higher than ever.
Josh Brookes was last year’s winner of the King of Brands Trophy, awarded to the rider with the best cumulative results from the two races, and the Be Wiser Ducati rider returns to Brands Hatch after securing a double victory at the Kent circuit last summer.
Josh Brookes at Brands Hatch last year – Image Dave Yeomans
However, it is the 2015 champion’s teammate Scott Redding who leads the standings by just six points following his triple win at Donington Park last time out, becoming the fourth different winner of the season.
Tommy Bridewell sits second in the standings and has come tantalisingly close to a win on several occasions this season, scoring four podiums from the opening three rounds. The Devizes-based contender is determined to get back on the top step at round four this weekend as he bids to secure the Oxford Racing Ducati team’s first race victory.
It was a three-way battle at Donington between Bridewell, Redding and Mackenzie
McAMS Yamaha were a force to be reckoned with last summer when Brookes claimed them a double victory, and Silverstone race winner Tarran Mackenzie has high hopes for a strong performance with the team this weekend. He heads into the Brands Hatch weekend just a single point adrift of Bridewell in the standings ahead of Sunday’s two races.
Josh Brookes – Donington Park Round 3 – BSB 2019 – Brands Hatch has been a happy hunting ground for Brookes in the past
Brookes occupies fourth in the overall standings after a bruising weekend last time out at Donington Park, but he holds a four-point advantage over Honda Racing’s Xavi Forés, who became the seventh different rider to claim a podium finish this season.
Josh Brookes – Donington Park BSB 2019
Danny Buchan completes the current top six for FS3-Racing Kawasaki following a successful run of three podiums from the opening four races which gives him the edge over Josh Elliott, the opening race winner of the season, and Andrew Irwin on the second of the Honda Racing Fireblades.
Andrew Irwin – Image Dave Yeomans
Christian Iddon leads the BMW charge for the Tyco team after his best finishes of the season at Donington Park with the second McAMS Yamaha of Jason O’Halloran completing the top ten as the pair bid for their first podium finishes of the season.
In addition to the Bennetts Rewards King of Brands Trophy, the round also marks the start of the Bennetts BSB Integro Summer Triple Crown, comprising two races at three rounds – Brands Hatch Grand Prix (June 14/15/16), Knockhill (June 28/29/30) and Snetterton 300 (July 19/20/21), totalling six races.
If a rider reigns supreme and scores victories in all six of the races, a £50,000 prize will be paid plus a £25,000 Triple Crown bonus for completing the circuit hat trick of wins.
If a rider narrowly misses out on completing the full six race wins, a prize a £40,000 plus the £25,000 Triple Crown three circuit win bonus will be awarded for scoring victory in five of the six Integro Summer Triple Crown races.
The final chance to scoop a summer bonus is if a rider wins four of the six races; they will net £30,000, plus if they win a race at all three circuits they will also celebrate with the £25,000 Triple Crown bonus.
Scott Redding – Be Wiser Ducati Championship leader
“Donington Park was a really good weekend for me getting the triple; I felt really good, gained a lot of confidence and feel very relaxed now. Of course I would like to carry that on to the next weekend at Brands Hatch and I would like to be minimum on the podium there – I don’t think that is asking too much from me or the team and if you are in a podium position you are always in with a chance of winning a race so we will just play it by ear and see.
Scott Redding atop the podium at Donington Park Round 3 – BSB 2019
“Brands Hatch is one of the cooler looking tracks and I am looking forward to it; the crowds look pretty amazing there. Everyone says it is one of the bigger rounds of the season and the fans have been great and all their support helps me a lot, so fingers crossed we can have a good weekend and do something special.
Scott Redding – Donington Round 3 – BSB 2019
“There is always expectation to win again, especially after doing the triple at Donington but it is a different track and we will have to see; it isn’t something that fazes me to be honest. If I can fight for a win then I will and I will do the best I can on the day and not put too much pressure on myself. I just want to try and win. I feel good, the team are working really great, so there are no real excuses, I will just do the best I can and give it my all like I always do.”
Multi-time world champion Valentino Rossi believes he’s in for a challenging weekend at Catalunya’s seventh round of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship after a disastrous campaign at Mugello.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider suffered significant struggles at the previous round, qualifying in a lowly 18th before crashing out of the 23-lap encounter.
Despite acknowledging the task ahead this weekend, Rossi is optimistic he can turn his result around as he visits one of his favoured circuits on the calendar.
“After the complicated weekend in Mugello we head to Barcelona, a track that I really like,” Rossi stated. “Surely it will be another challenging weekend in Spain, because we were not very competitive last time round, and we need to work hard.
“But we will try to do our best to fix the problems and to achieve the best possible result. On Monday there will also be a test day and we will try to work as well as possible and make the most of the occasion.”
The Italian fan-favourite is currently ranked fifth in the championship standings, 43 points behind reigning champion and series leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda).
The 2019 running of the KTM Australia Adventure Rallye Tasmania was another resounding success, held in March with 190 KTM adventure riders sweeping through Tasmania for the fourth annual iteration.
Throw in an unexpected appearance by a surprise guest, an outstanding mixture of terrain and conditions and the unique atmosphere and camaraderie of a group of orange adventurers and you get one epic adventure!
Adam Riemann from Motology Films brings us all the action from the five days on the Apple Isle in the full length feature film, out now on YouTube – see below.
Watch the adventure unfold, as over a hundred and ninety like-minded orange riders come together to tackle challenging conditions and the beauty of Tasmania from a motorcycle: experience the 2019 KTM Australia Adventure Rallye now.
Don’t want to miss out on the next KTM Australia Adventure Rallye? Check out ridektm.com.au for more information on orange adventures down under. Plus, the worldwide KTM Adventure Rally microsite is live at ktm-adventure-rally.com. Discover the true meaning of adventure and what it means to embrace the KTM spirit with KTM Rallyevents taking place in Europe, USA, Canada, South Africa and more!
Current 250MX points leader Adam Cianciarulo is aiming for complete dominance this weekend as he endeavours to earn his first 1-1 scorecard at High Point’s fourth round of the 2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motcross Championship.
The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki contender has capitalised on moto two victories in the opening rounds, which has ultimately granted him the overall win on all three occasions.
“The season has been amazing so far and I’ve felt really strong,” said Cianciarulo. “Thankfully I’ve made the most of moto two to come away with the overalls, but it would be nice to add a moto one win too.
“It’s been good to relax from the grind of travel and now we’ll be heading back east where I’m excited to keep things moving towards the end goal.”
The Pro Motocross returns from a week break this weekend, which sees Cianciarulo lead Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha Star Racing) with a six-point advantage.
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Mission Winnow Ducati ace Danilo Petrucci says a weight has been lifted since earning his first MotoGP victory at Mugello two weeks ago as round seven of the world championship looms this weekend at Catalunya in Spain.
The Italian contender is adamant his goals haven’t changed since the all-important triumph, and still anticipates reigning champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) to be the toughest competitor in the weekend’s Spanish round.
“I’m really keen to get back to racing after taking my first win at Mugello,” Petrucci stated. “It was a very important result for me, and I’ve been feeling lighter ever since. Our goals, however, don’t change and I expect Márquez to be a strong rival in Montmelo as well.
“We need to pick it up from where we left it in Mugello, but it won’t be easy because the track is difficult to interpret when temperatures are particularly high. I expect another battle, but we’re more conscious of our potential now so the target, as in the past few races, is the podium.”
Petrucci sits fourth in the championship standings, 33 markers behind championship leader Marquez.
A popular YouTube channel rider has died after crashing his BMW motorcycle into a car while steering with his feet and texting a message on his mobile phone.
Moscow rider Artem Boldyrev, 34, nicknamed Bolt, had 289,794 followers on his 18-plus Moto Nexus channel.
Artem’s crashed bike
In several of his videos, he reviews motorcycles while sometimes performing dangerous stunts.
Last year he posted this video in which he rides a Victory motorcycle on cruise control from the back seat through heavy traffic.
His friend, Evgeny Matveev, says Artem posted a video to him just moments before his death in which he was steering the motorcycle with his feet.
In the video, Artem says: “Most problems arise due to the fact that I don’t give a ****.”
Frame from video moments before the fatal crash
It seems dangerous motorcycle videos are a trend in Russia.
The 40-year-old Russian mother of one was known as the sexiest Russian motorcyclist through her @Monika9422 Instagram account which had more than 200,000 followers, including Australian stunt rider Lukey Luke.
Needless to say, performing stunts, riding with your feet, texting while riding, etc are dangerous and should never be performed on public roads.
If you want to be a professional stunt rider, go to a stunt-riding school on a closed course and practise there.
It’s been confirmed the 2019 Monster Energy S-X Open Auckland will make up round four of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship on 16 November at Mount Smart Stadium in New Zealand, as well as round one of the S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship.
Former AMA Supercross champions Chad Reed (JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing) – the reigning Oceania supercross title holder – and Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) are the first headlining riders for the second running of the event, which will take place two prior weeks to the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
“It’s important to retain your championship, and this year to win the second FIM Oceania Championship would be a huge honour,” said Australian fan-favourite Reed. “I think we’ll have a much better preparation and be able to come out swinging in New Zealand.
“Fans in Auckland last year were unbelievable, despite the challenging conditions of the weather, I had such a great time, and the supercross was amazing, you couldn’t have asked for a better night of racing.”
Anderson added: “I’m super excited to be heading to the S-X Open Auckland, it will be my first time to New Zealand, I saw it last year and it seemed like a really epic event.
“I only get to choose a select few events to race at in the off season, so heading to Auckland will keep my off season interesting, and to win the FIM Oceania Supercross crown would be sweet, it would be another one to add to the trophy case, it’s one I don’t have and look forward to putting it up there.
“Competing against Reedy, I know he is a tough competitor, no matter how old he gets he’s always fighting and he’s always gnarly, and he definitely won’t make it easy on me, and I know it’s going to be a good battle and a fun race.”
Confirmation of the New Zealand venue hosting round four of Australian supercross leaves just rounds one and two to be revealed, with Wollongong’s round three and season-finale Melbourne already announced.
A crowd of over 22,500 attended Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium in 2018 for the S-X Open, making it the biggest international supercross event to ever take place on Kiwi soil and ultimately putting the country on the world supercross map.
The S-X Open Auckland database pre-sale commences 20 June, with public on-sale becoming available from 26 June. For more information, visit www.sxopen.com.
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