Image: Supplied.

Queenslander Jesse Dobson has been confirmed at Serco Yamaha for the remainder of 2020 after exiting the Recover8 KTM team last week.

Dobson, 23, will join Aaron Tanti aboard the factory-supported YZ250Fs after initial signing Dylan Walsh parted ways with Serco.

“2020 has been a crazy year already, but I’m glad to have found a home for the remainder of the year,” Dobson said. “I have test rode the bikes and met everyone in the team and racing can’t happen fast enough for me as I’m desperate to fly the Serco Yamaha flag and be surrounded by a great race team.

“This year I hit the reset button a little on my career and knew I had to change a few things to reignite my racing. This led me back to the MX2 class and now to Serco Yamaha and I have a really positive vibe about it all and look forward to being apart of such a successful and long established team.”

Serco Yamaha owner Gavin Eales said that it was a logistical challenge to continue with New Zealand-based Walsh considering the coronavirus pandemic that has so far put a pause on competition domestically in 2020.

“First of all, I would like to thank Dylan for his efforts during the start of the year and racing the New Zealand Motocross Championships with our support,” Eales explained. “When the COVID lockdown came and international travel proved difficult, we acknowledged that it would be difficult to continue and Dylan has since left to explore options in the US.

“We then assembled a bit of a list of the available riders and Jesse Dobson was the stand out. He has great speed and experience, is Queensland-based and very determined to get his career back on track.

“Our initial test with him proved successful so now we are full-steam ahead with him and hoping to get some local racing under our belts before the Australian Motocross Championship kicks off in the coming months.”

Image: Supplied.

Recover8 KTM has confirmed the departure of Jesse Dobson as the team’s MX2 rider for the 2020 Australian motocross season, which is yet to commence due to the ongoing effects of coronavirus.

A short statement from the Raceline Motorsports-operated team said that while the Queenslander will remain a Recover8 ambassador, he won’t be in the official KTM team as planned. It is unclear if a replacement will be signed.

“RecoveR8 KTM has released Jesse Dobson from his 2020 contract as the MX2 rider on the team,” the statement read. “This is an unfortunate situation, but due to the ongoing unknowns in national level racing due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we have had to make the tough decision to release Jesse from our program.

“Jesse will still continue to work with and be supported by Recover8 as an ambassador. We wish him nothing but the best for whatever the 2020 season delivers. We welcome the opportunity to work with Jesse again in the future should the right fit present itself for both parties.”

Dobson has most recently been linked to a seat opening at Serco Yamaha alongside Aaron Tanti following the exit of New Zealander Dylan Walsh. The latter was named at Serco late last year, but most recently has been based in the US training aboard Kawasaki machinery in a bid to further his international career.

Image: Octopi Media.

A fuel sample taken from Chase Sexton’s Geico Honda following the final round of Monster Energy Supercross has proven compliant following a protest lodged by Star Racing.

Sexton clinched back-to-back 250SX East crowns by winning the annual Showdown event in Salt Lake City ahead of Shane McElrath (Monster Energy Star Yamaha).

The AMA has now officially confirmed that the protest was unsuccessful and that the fuel used by Geico Honda in Sexton’s CRF250R was legal. The complete statement released can be read below:

Following the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East/West Showdown Main Event on June 21 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, a protest regarding fuel was filed against the race winner, GEICO Honda team rider Chase Sexton.

After adhering to the Fuel Test Procedures stated in Appendix E of the 2020 AMA Supercross rulebook, Race Direction concluded that the fuel in question used at the season-ending event complies with the specifications listed in “Section 1 – General Equipment Standards, 1.10 Fuel Specifications.”

Across 9 rounds of racing, Sexton scored 9 more points, 218 to 209, than Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Shane McElrath to earn his second consecutive AMA Supercross 250SX East No. 1 plate. The decision of Race Direction is final. Race results are official.

Image: Foremost Media.

South Australia’s rounds of the 2020 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) have been cancelled due to ongoing coronavirus complications.

The Murray Bridge event has been removed from this year’s national schedule, however, the state championship round on the same weekend will still be held.

“We are bitterly disappointed that we are unable to proceed with the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore, as we know riders and fans were excited to see racing get back under way,” said Motorcycling Australia off-road events manager Matthew Falvo.

“Like all major sporting codes, AORC and MA had developed a comprehensive COVID-Safe Championship Plan to ensure the safety of riders, teams, officials and staff. We had received strong support from Murray Bridge Council and the Velocette Motorcycle Club had done a significant amount of work to ensure the round could go ahead.

“However, with South Australia and Queensland government restrictions on travel and border closures, it made it impossible for interstate riders to make the Murray Bridge round.”

The AORC is now scheduled to start on 29-30 August at Nowra in New South Wales, which will take place as planned pending government restrictions.