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Moto News Weekly for March 3, 2020

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What happened this week

  • Ken Roczen tops 450SX in Atlanta
  • Chase Sexton claims the Atlanta SX win and lead
  • Strong Aussie showing at MXGP opener in Great Britain
  • Courtney Duncan opens 2020 WMX campaign with double wins
  • Liam Everts tops EMX125 in Great Britain
  • Gibbs and Purvis take NZ MX lead at Hawke’s Bay
  • AMA Supermoto Championship kicks off in April
  • 2020 FIM ISDE pre-registration opens soon
  • Jeffrey Herlings signs new KTM MXGP contract
  • 2020 Championship Calendars
    • 2020 AMA Motocross
    • 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
    • 2020 MXGP
    • 2020 American Flat Track
    • 2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
    • 2020 FIM Speedway GP Championship
    • 2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship
    • 2020 Australian Track Championship
    • 2020 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC)
    • 2020 FIM SuperEnduro Championship
    • 2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West
    • 2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship
    • 2020 King of MX
    • 2020 Australian Motocross National Championship
    • 2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship

Ken Roczen tops 450SX in Atlanta

For full results see: Roczen wins in Georgia to level points with Tomac (link)

Eli Tomac arrived in Georgia off the back of a fairly dominant performance in Texas. The Kawasaki rider started on the front foot overnight in Atlanta by recording the fastest lap in qualifying and then also won his Heat race ahead of the 450 Main.

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Starts SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Starts SX ATL Kardy

Eli Tomac – Image by Hoppenworld

Ken Roczen was second fastest in qualifying and had won the other Heat ahead of Jason Anderson and Justin Brayton. The 450 Main looked likely to be shaping up as a Tomac versus Roczen showdown…

Roczen scored the holeshot aheead of Davalos and Friese while a slow-starting Tomac was in seventh place sandwiched between Wilson and Brayton.

Jason Anderson and Justin Barcia then both demoted Tomac further down the field over the first couple of laps. The move by Barcia seemed to light a fire under Tomac who then upped his aggression in response.

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Brayton Barcia Multiple SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Brayton Barcia Multiple SX ATL Kardy

Justin Barcia – Image by Hoppenworld

A lap later though Tomac got caught up with Baggett in a left-hander. The Kawasaki man made a move up the inside that Baggett was not expecting, the two got tangled up and both hit the deck, Tomac rejoining the race way down in 14th place.

As the race approached the half-way mark Roczen was nine-minutes clear of second placed Davalos who in turn had two-seconds on Justin Hill.  Friese was fourth, Barcia fifth and Anderson sixth. Tomac was working his way back up the field and working on taking tenth spot from Justin Brayton.

Tomac got Brayton then pushed past Stewart, Friese and Plessinger to move up to seventh place behind Cooper Webb with four-minutes remaining. Both Webb and Tomac passed Justin Hill to move up to fourth and fifth respectively.

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Webb SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Webb SX ATL Kardy

Cooper Webb – Image by Hoppenworld

Justin Barcia had worked his way past Tomac earlier on and streaked his way through the field to a hard fought second place finish

Justin Barcia had worked hard to force his way through the field during the middle part of the race and on the run to the flag had a three-second buffer over third placed Davalos. That second place somewhat of a triumph for Barcia.

Up front though it was Ken Roczen all on his lonesome. Taking the chequered flag 13-seconds ahead of Barcia, despite backing off considerably on the last two laps and just cruising home.

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Podium SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Podium SX ATL Kardy

Ken Rozcen – Image by Hoppenworld

Webb and Tomac fought hard over fourth place all the way to the flag but it was the Kawasaki man that won that battle to score 19-points that sees Tomac tied with Roczen at the head of the points table ahead of Monster Energy AMA Supercross Round Ten at Daytona Beach next weekend.

Chad Reed scored a 15th place finish to add eight-points to his season tally which now stands at 39-points, and ranks him 17th in the standings.

The win for Roczen made it a double for Honda in Atlanta as Sexton had won the earlier 250 SX East Main.

Ken Roczen – P1

“These wins just keep getting sweeter and more fun each time! I’m so happy with how tonight went and stoked to have the red plate again. The last couple weekends have been tough but I’ve managed to minimize the damage, which was huge for us because it put us in a good position for a situation like today. With all the chaos, we made up seven points in one night and now are tied for the points lead again. The battle continues for the championship.”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Podium SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Podium SX ATL Kardy

Ken Roczen – Image by Hoppenworld

Justin Barcia – P2

“What a crazy race. I started middle of the pack and made lots of passes in the beginning. I kind of got into a groove in the middle and was behind a couple guys waiting for some mistakes to capitalize on something. They started falling apart a little and I was able to move into second towards the end and just rode really solid. The track broke down a lot. It was the roughest supercross I’ve ridden in a while, but all in all, I felt really good and the bike was solid. I can’t thank the whole team enough for making good changes on the bike all day and always believing in me.”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Barcia SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Barcia SX ATL Kardy

Justin Barcia – Image by Hoppenworld

Cooper Webb – P3

“That was probably the hardest race I’ve ever had. I was way back and just put my head down and tried to do the best I can. I got a few gifts from the guys ahead of me but man, it was painful. I knew it wasn’t going to be fun or easy, but that’s racing. It’s a long way out but the only thing keeping me going is this championship, so we’ll do whatever we can.”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Webb Multiple SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Webb Multiple SX ATL Kardy

Cooper Webb – Image by Hoppenworld

Eli Tomac – P4

“The main event didn’t go as planned, but the good news is we live to fight another day and line back up next weekend at one of my favorite tracks, Daytona. There are still positives to take away from today; we were fastest qualifier, won our heat race, and we never gave up in the main event, and battled hard all the way to the very end to salvage as many points as possible. We are going to put this race behind us and be ready to rock next week in Daytona!”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Tomac SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Tomac SX ATL Kardy

Eli Tomac – Image by Hoppenworld

450SX Standings

Pos Rider Total
1 Eli Tomac 200
2 Ken Roczen 200
3 Justin Barcia 177
4 Cooper Webb 176
5 Jason Anderson 151
6 Malcolm Stewart 137
7 Adam Cianciarulo 128
8 Justin Hill 127
9 Justin Brayton 116
10 Dean Wilson 113

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Chase Sexton claims the Atlanta SX win and lead

RJ Hampshire scored the holeshot from Chase Sexton and Shane McElrath when the third round of the 250 East AMA Supercross Championship got underway on Saturday night in Atlanta.

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Hampshire Sexton Multiple SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Hampshire Sexton Multiple SX ATL Kardy

RJ Hampshire – Image by Hoppenworld

McElrath and Sexton started tussling for position after a few laps and their battle allowed Hampshire a little breathing space. After the first few thrusts from McElrath, Sexton then stepped his pace up a gear to stretch away and close on to the tail of McElrath once again.

Jeremy Martin, Garrett Marchbanks and Jordon Smith were fourth, fifth and sixth with ten-minutes remaining. Sexton finally made a move past Hampshire with eight-minutes left on the shot clock. Hampshire is well known for making hard passes and taking no prisoners, Sexton returned the favour with a very fair but forceful pass for the lead when Hampshire opened the door.

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta MartinJ SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta MartinJ SX ATL Kardy

Jeremy Martin – Image by Hoppenworld

The leaders were now encountering a lot of lapped traffic and at this point of the race it was working somewhat in the favour of Sexton. Jeremy Martin went down out of fourth place and was relegated back to tenth place by the time he was up and running again.

Sexton continued to pull away from Hampshire, the Husqvarna man then lost touch with Sexton and was getting pressured by McElrath in the latter stages of the race. Hampshire held on for that second place though with McElrath finishing in third place at the flag.

Sexton the clear victor and extends his 250 SX East Championship lead to five-points over McElrath.

Chase Sexton

“HOTlanta was a good one! Honda Racing US sweep with Ken Roczen and I taking both heat and main wins! I’m super thankful to be apart of a great team and to have the people behind me that I do! Fans were awesome all night as well! You guys are great.”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Sexton McElrath Multiple SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Sexton McElrath Multiple SX ATL Kardy

Chase Sexton – Image by Hoppenworld

RJ Hampshire – P2

“Each week we’re going to continue to get better. Getting those holeshots felt good and we had a good flow out there. I want to win but I also want to be in this thing [championship] a few weeks from now, so we’re going to continue to fight week in and week out.”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Hampshire SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Hampshire SX ATL Kardy

RJ Hampshire – Image by Hoppenworld

Shane McElrath – P3

“I felt really good during the day, even in the Heat race. We made a few bike changes for the Main that we thought was going to be good, which was kind of my call. I was struggling with the track quite a bit, but I’m learning a lot. It was tough to get third. I felt like I should have been able to win, but I was struggling with a lot of things. So we’ll work on those this week and we won’t make those same mistakes twice.”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta McElrath SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta McElrath SX ATL Kardy

Shane McElrath – Image by Hoppenworld

Jordan Smith – P4

“Honestly, I am happy with today’s performance. I would have liked to be closer to those front three guys battling for a podium position at the end, but after last week’s rough ride I am just happy to be back up towards the front of the pack where I belong. I just need to work on cleaning up a few things and we’ll be right where I expect us to be. The last time I raced Daytona was in 2018 and I won at the iconic track, so I am excited to get back down there and try to do it again.”

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Martin Smith Multiple SX ATL Kardy

AMA SX Rnd Atlanta Martin Smith Multiple SX ATL Kardy

Joradn Smith chases Jeremy Martin – Image by Hoppenworld

250SX East Standings

Pos Rider Total
1 Chase Sexton 75
2 Shane McElrath 70
3 RJ Hampshire 61
4 Garrett Marchbanks 53
5 Jordon Smith 47
6 Jeremy Martin 44
7 Jo Shimoda 44
8 Josh Hill 41
9 Enzo Lopes 36
10 Joey Crown 31

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Strong Aussie showing at MXGP opener in Great Britain

The first round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) season has concluded at Matterley Basin, with Jeffrey Herlings and Jago Geerts taking the overall victories in the MXGP and MX2 classes respectively, as sunny weather on Sunday set the stage for a fantastic day.

For the full report see:
Evans fifth, Beaton fourth at UK MXGP opener (link)

Aussie Mitch Evans kicked off the season on form, claiming third in Race 1, while a more challenging Race 2 still saw him in the top ten, with seventh. This leaves Evans in fifth overall heading to Round 2.

Mitch Evans

“It was a good weekend, excluding the start of that second moto. Everything else went really well. In the first moto I had a good start, avoiding some of the early race carnage and made my way into second for a little bit. Unfortunately, I struggled with my breathing a bit because of my chest infection and finished third. I felt a lot better in the second moto although I had to push throughout the race because of the bad start. I used a lot of energy to get around guys as fast as I could and I hit a bit of a wall with eight minutes to go. Overall it was a good weekend though, I’m happy with my MXGP debut and now I get ready for Valkenswaard next weekend.”

MXGP Rnd Mitch Evans hondaproracing bybavo

MXGP Rnd Mitch Evans hondaproracing bybavo

Mitch Evans – Image by Bavo

In MX2 top Australian was Jed Beaton in fourth overall, with second in Race 1, and sixth in Race 2. Fellow Aussies Nathan Crawford and Wilson Todd took 14th and 17th overall respectively, at the season opener.

Jed Beaton

“It was a good weekend for me. Fourth overall is a great result for the first Grand Prix, although I’m a little disappointed to miss the podium because of a small crash in the second race. In the first moto I had a good start, found some nice lines and came from eighth to second, which was great. I felt good and, yeah, it was good to get that result in the books. Second moto, it took a while to settle into a rhythm and then I just washed the front wheel out in a corner, losing a few places and I finished the race in sixth. For the upcoming rounds I just need to be a little more patient. Overall, it’s been a great day and there are plenty of positives to take into round two next weekend.”

MXGP Rnd Jed Beaton

MXGP Rnd Jed Beaton

Jed Beaton

Nathan Crawford

“Qualifying was a really challenge – especially for me coming from Australia. I’ve never race in condition that cold, windy and rainy. It was definitely something that I hadn’t been through before, so it was quite a shock. We tried to prepare for it and did our best in the tough conditions. In race one I got a mid-pack start, but made some good passes on lap one. I was hovering around 10th position and then had a big crash and after that I was just surviving and trying to get through the race. In race two it was an OK start, but not great – so I set about battling my way through and ended the race in 10th place. The second trace was definitely better for me and that gives me something to build on.”

2020 MXGP Standings after Round 1

Pos Rider Nat. Man. Points
1 Herlings, J. NED KTM 47
2 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 38
3 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 38
4 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 35
5 Evans, M. AUS HON 34
6 Paulin, G. FRA YAM 32
7 Desalle, C. BEL KAW 32
8 Coldenhoff, G. NED GAS 30
9 Jacobi, Henry GER YAM 23
10 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 21
11 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 13
12 Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 13
13 Cervellin, M. ITA YAM 13
14 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 13
15 Bogers, Brian NED KTM 12
16 Paturel, B. FRA HON 11
17 Van Horebeek, J. BEL HON 11
18 Jonass, Pauls LAT HUS 9
19 Lupino, A. ITA YAM 6
20 Guillod, V. SUI HON 5
21 Sterry, Adam GBR KTM 2
22 Petrov, Petar BUL KTM 2
23 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 2

MX2 Standings after Round 1

Pos. Rider Nat. Man. Points
1 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 43
2 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 40
3 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 40
4 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 37
5 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 35
6 Forato, A. ITA HUS 28
7 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 26
8 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 22
9 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 22
10 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 21
11 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 21
12 Guadagnini, M. ITA HUS 15
13 Sydow, Jeremy GER GAS 15
14 Crawford, N. AUS HON 14
15 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 14
16 Fernandez, R. ESP YAM 11
17 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 8
18 Harrison, M. USA KAW 7
19 Sikyna, R. SVK KTM 6
20 Vaessen, Bas NED KTM 5
21 Östlund, Alvin SWE HON 4
22 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 3
23 Horgmo, Kevin NOR KTM 2
24 Rubini, S. FRA HON 2
25 Lesiardo, M. ITA KTM 1

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Courtney Duncan opens 2020 WMX campaign with double wins

Defending Women’s World Motocross Champion (WMX) flying Kiwi Courtney Duncan has begun her 2020 campaign with a double victory this weekend – demonstrating to her rivals that she is a returning force to be reckoned with.

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan

Courtney Duncan

Battling through deep mud and ruts at the season-opening MXGP Great Britain at the popular British circuit of Matterley Basin, 24-year-old Otago motocross queen Duncan bagged the maximum 50 points on offer over the two races on her 2020 Kawasaki KX250. Riding for the England-based Kawasaki Dixon Race Team, she was the first to admit she took some time to warm into her winning ways.

Courtney Duncan

“I’m happy to go 1-1 here at the opener. I felt a little bit rusty. A little bit off the pace but that’s a given, since I haven’t raced in six months. I’m very happy to walk away with the full 50 points and I think we can be proud of that especially given the conditions – they weren’t easy. They were pretty difficult out there with a lot of mud. I’m stoked to get the first round win, I couldn’t ask for more. I can only go up from here. My goal is to just continue to improve and I think I can do that. The more bike time I get on the race bike with testing, I can up the pace. I look at improving each day and each race as it comes.”

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan

Courtney Duncan – Image courtesy of MXGP

During the first race, Courtney Duncan took the holeshot closely followed by Nancy Van De Ven who was flying out of the gate. Van De Ven led the race for two laps, before crashing out, allowing Duncan to run her #1 plate out front, followed by Kiara Fontanesi who made some quick moves in the first laps to move into second. Meanwhile Lynn Valk moved up to third.

The top three stayed the same for the entire race, as Van De Ven tried to fight off Larisa Papenmeier. Papenmeier was able to pass the Dutch rider with two laps to go, to secure her spot in the top four of the race, with Van De Ven finishing fifth.

MXGP Rnd Britain Larissa Papenmeier

MXGP Rnd Britain Larissa Papenmeier

Larissa Papenmeier – Image courtesy of MXGP

In race two, Duncan got off to another flyer, leading Van De Ven, Valk, Papenmeier and Amandine Verstappen. By lap 4, Papenmeier passed Van De Ven for second securing herself the second spot on the podium, as she remained in the position for the entire race.

From then on there was not much change with the leaders, as Duncan continued to lead Papenmeier, with Van De Ven, Verstappen and Valk rounding out the top 5.

Kiara Fontanesi was making her way back up the chart, following a start in the top 10 and by lap 5 was up in P6 after gradually passing riders each lap. Also doing the same was Mathilde Martinez who finished the race in seventh behind Fontanesi.

MXGP Rnd Britain Kiara Fontanesi

MXGP Rnd Britain Kiara Fontanesi

Kiara Fontanesi – Image courtesy of MXGP

The top three were Courtney Duncan securing the first overall victory of the season, followed by Larissa Papemnemier and Kiara Fontanesi.

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan

MXGP Rnd Britain Courtney Duncan

Courtney Duncan

WMX – Race 1 Top 5

  1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 28:54.805
  2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, KTM), +0:11.560
  3. Lynn Valk (NED, Yamaha), +0:17.018
  4. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +0:31.542
  5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +1:20.495

WMX – Race 2 Top 5

  1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 28:37.429
  2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +0:05.505
  3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:27.613
  4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:31.137
  5. Lynn Valk (NED, Yamaha), +0:32.200

WMX – Overall Classification Top 5

  1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 50 points
  2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 40
  3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, KTM), 37
  4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 36
  5. Lynn Valk (NED, YAM), 36

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Liam Everts tops EMX125 in Great Britain

Liam Everts secured his first overall victory in the EMX125 class over the weekend, at Round 1 of the MXGP championship held at Matterley Basin in Great Britain.

MXGP Rnd Britain EMX Podium

MXGP Rnd Britain EMX Podium

EMX125 Podium – Image courtesy of MXGP

In the opening race Everts got off to a flying start, followed by Kjell Verbruggen and Maxime Grau. By lap two Verbruggen was in second, as Grau went missing, dropping down to 13th position.

By lap 4, Verbruggen was coming under fire from Rasmus Pedersen and a crash saw the Dutch rider drop down to 35th. Pedersen then moved to third as Kevin Brumann passed for second place.

Finding good rhythm around the British circuit, Everts was able to pull away from Brumann, finishing the race with an impressive 24.122 second lead! Pedersen finished third, while Cato Nickel and Meico Vettik placed fourth and fifth. Local riders, Joel Rizzi and Eddie Jay Wade made the Brits proud with a ninth and tenth place finish.

In race two, it was Brumann who took the holeshot and led the race for four laps, before Everts was able to chase him down on lap 5, with Florian Miot and Grau in third and fourth.

MXGP Rnd Britain Kevin Brumann

MXGP Rnd Britain Kevin Brumann

Kevin Brumann – Image courtesy of MXGP

Grau moved up to third, but less than a lap later Miot passed him back to secure third. While the top three stayed the same, Haakon Osterhagen found his way past Andrea Bonacorsi.

It was Liam Everts who took the race win, overall victory and red plate, going into Round 2 as championship leader.

Liam Everts

“I wasn’t expecting when I came here, second race was a bit tough for me but I had good starts during the weekend. I’m super happy to win here after my dad (Stefan Everts) did 14 years ago. This victory is for him.”

MXGP Rnd Britain Liam Everts

MXGP Rnd Britain Liam Everts

Liam Everts – Image courtesy of MXGP

EMX125 Race 1 Top 5

  1. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 33:17.460
  2. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Yamaha), +0:24.122
  3. Rasmus Pedersen (DEN, KTM), +0:34.977
  4. Cato Nickel (GER, KTM), +1:23.920
  5. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), +1:36.878

EMX125 Race 2 Top 5

  1. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 30:50.463
  2. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Yamaha), +0:10.584
  3. Florian Miot (FRA, KTM), +0:20.625
  4. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, KTM), +0:25.385
  5. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, KTM), +0:26.749

EMX125 Overall Classification

  1. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 50 points
  2. Kevin Brumann (SUI, YAM), 44
  3. Florian Miot (FRA, KTM), 35
  4. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, KTM), 32
  5. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), 31

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Gibbs and Purvis take NZ MX lead at Hawke’s Bay

Altherm JCR Yamaha riders Kirk Gibbs and Maximus Purvis were two men on a mission, storming into the lead of their Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship classes over the weekend in Hawke’s Bay.

Riding their respective Yamahas in the series’ penultimate round at Ngaruroro Raceway, near Fernhill, the two took the upper hand in their title hunts, ahead of the championship wrapping up in Taupo, in a fortnight.

Sunshine Coast-based Gibbs was untouchable in the premier class on his YZ450 – qualifying first and winning three from three races.

Kirk Gibbs took the round win from Cody Cooper and Hamish Harwood, with Kayne Lamont fourth and Brad Groombridge fifth.

The top-notch results give him a five-point lead over defending champion Cody Copper and 29-point buffer over Hamish Harwood in third.

Kirk Gibbs

“It was a really good day for me. I’ll go home and work on some more things that Josh [Coppins – Team Manager] and BT [Ben Townley] gave me to work on. It’s so helpful to have such good people to get information from. I’ll go there with a good mindset and put a couple of good races in and try to bring it home.”

New Zealand MX Rnd Altherm JCR Yamaha Kirk Gibbs MX

New Zealand MX Rnd Altherm JCR Yamaha Kirk Gibbs MX

Kirk Gibbs – Image by Clmintiepix

Maximus Purvis went 2-1-4, with the final race result slightly lower after the 19-year-old Mangakino flyer crashed on the last lap, while in second.

Maximus Purvis and Dylan Walsh were tied on 65-points for the round win, with James Scott third overall, Josiah Natzke fourth and Caleb Ward fifth.

Maximus Purvis

“It definitely feels good to be leading the points going into the last round. I’ve been trying to chip away at it and now I just have to finish it off with some good results at Taupo.”

New Zealand MX Rnd Altherm JCR Yamaha Maximus Purvis MX

New Zealand MX Rnd Altherm JCR Yamaha Maximus Purvis MX

Maximus Purvis – Image by Clmintiepix

Christchurch’s Dylan Walsh displayed some of the form that saw the 22-year-old crowned the British Motocross Championship’s MX2 winner last year, with a 4-2-1 results’ set on his Yamaha YZ250F.

Dylan Walsh

“Round three was a big improvement for me. We made huge changes during the week on the suspension and it paid off. I was able to get the round win and show what I was capable of.”

New Zealand MX Rnd Altherm JCR Yamaha MX Dylan Walsh

New Zealand MX Rnd Altherm JCR Yamaha MX Dylan Walsh

Dylan Walsh – Image by Clmintiepix

Maximus Purvis now holds the MX2 lead on 183-points, with Josia Natzke second on 179-points, with James Scott third overall on 172. Dylan Walsh is currently fourth on 161 points, with Caleb Ward fifth.

MX1 Round Results

  1. Kirk Gibbs (YZ450) – 75
  2. Cody Cooper – 64
  3. Hamish Harwood – 62
  4. Kayne Lamont (YZ450) – 54
  5. Brad Groombridge – 46

MX1 Standings

  1. Kirk Gibbs, 211 points
  2. Cody Cooper, 206
  3. Hamish Harwood, 182
  4. Kayne Lamont, 149
  5. Brad Groombridge, 138

MX2 Round Results

  1. Dylan Walsh (YZ250F) – 65
  2. Maximus Purvis (YZ250F) – 65
  3. James Scott – 58
  4. Josiah Natzke- 53
  5. Caleb Ward – 53

MX2 Standings

  1. Maximus Purvis, 183 points
  2. Josiah Natzke, 179
  3. James Scott, 172
  4. Dylan Walsh 161
  5. Caleb Ward, 143

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AMA Supermoto Championship kicks off in April

The 2020 AMA Supermoto National Championship Series sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association, kicks off 2020 in Primm, Nev., on April 4-5, with the 2020 season to feature two rounds at new venues, including one in Honolulu at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on May 2. The remainder of the schedule includes four events in the United States and Canada. The other new venue is Colorado National Speedway, which hosts Round 3 on May 30.

AMA Supermoto National Championship Series by Steve Alkyer DRT Racing

AMA Supermoto National Championship Series by Steve Alkyer DRT Racing

2020 AMA Supermoto Championship – Image by Steve Alkyer, courtesy DRT Racing

The Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada, round is sanctioned by the Canadian Motorcycle Association. That round, coupled with the event in Sturgis, S.D., determines the FIM North America Supermoto Championship.

Ken Saillant – AMA Track Racing Manager

“This year’s AMA Supermoto National Championship Series schedule features a great mix of proven venues and new markets for one of motorcycling’s youngest competition disciplines. We’re looking forward to another year of intense supermoto competition.”

Supermoto racing includes a mix of street-style racing and motocross. Riders compete on tracks that feature dirt and pavement sections with jumps and turns. Venues can range from football stadiums to closed-course streets or parking lots. The AMA Supermoto National Championship Series is promoted by DRT Racing.

For more information about the 2020 AMA Supermoto National Championship Series, visit www.drtracinginc.com.

2020 AMA Supermoto National Championship Series

  • April 4-5: Primm, Nev.: Anthony Hart Memorial Race
  • May 2: Honolulu, Hawaii: Aloha Stadium
  • May 30: Dacono, Colo.: Colorado National Speedway
  • June 12-13: Austin, Texas: 25th Annual Republic of Texas Rally
  • July 31-Aug. 2: Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada: 51st Grand Prix of Trois-Rivières (CMA/FIM North America sanctioned)
  • Sept. 11-12: Sturgis, S.D.: 8th Annual Streets of Sturgis (AMA/FIM North America sanctioned)

2020 FIM ISDE pre-registration opens

FIM ISDE pre registration opens

FIM ISDE pre registration opens

2020 FIM ISDE pre-registration opens

Preparations are already underway for the 95th edition of the FIM International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) that will be hosted in Rivanazzano Terme in northern Italy from 31 August to 5 September. The pre-registration phase that closes on 30 March 2020 is now opened on www.fim-isde.com.

PRE-REGISTRATION CLOSES 30 MARCH

All riders (World Trophy, Junior World Trophy, Women’s World Trophy Teams and Club Teams / riders) must contact their National Motorcycling Federation (FMN) to register. Login access will only be given to FMNs. Same procedure apply for riders wishing to compete in the Enduro Vintage Trophy (Teams and Individuals). Federations have to complete the relevant online form before the pre-registration closing date.

CONFIRMATION OF SELECTED TEAMS ON 15 APRIL

At the end of the first phase, depending on the number of pre-registrations, Club Teams will be informed about the selection of their teams by their National Motorcycling Federation. The National Motorcycling Federation must then pay the relevant 25% deposit of registration fee relating to the number of Club Teams confirmed. At this stage, each National Motorcycling Federation will be asked to fill the detailed information about the team(s) and riders as soon as is possible to do so.

FINAL ENTRY PHASE FROM 1 MAY TO 30 JUNE

The National Motorcycling Federation must pay the remaining 75% of the registration fee for all Teams as confirmed on 15 April. The National Motorcycling Federation must have fully completed the entry form and details about team(s) and riders as soon as is possible to do so, and before 30 June.


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Jeffrey Herlings signs new KTM MXGP contract

Four-times FIM Motocross World Champion Jeffrey Herlings has signed a new contract with his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team and will remain ‘in orange’ for a further three years until the end of the 2023 MXGP season.

The 25-year-old Dutchman inked his deal on the eve of the British Grand Prix this weekend and the opening round of twenty in the 2020 MXGP series; his fourth in the premier class and eleventh in the FIM World Championship all with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

Jeffrey Herlings KTM SX F Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Jeffrey Herlings KTM SX F Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Jeffrey Herlings – Image by Ray Archer

The association began in 2009 when Herlings was signed to make his MX2 GP debut for the 2010 season as a fifteen-year old. He claimed his first top-three race finish in just his second moto at the Grand Prix of Bulgaria at Sevlievo, celebrated his first podium at Mantova in Italy for round two and then started an incredible seven-year unbeaten streak of wins a few weeks later at his home event at Valkenswaard; scene of his very first 1-1 clean sweep.

Since that initial term in 2010 Herlings has gone on to accumulate 86 Grand Prix victories in two classes and ace titles in 2012, 2013, 2016 (all MX2) and then 2018 (MXGP) with KTM 250 SX-F and KTM 450 SX-F machinery. In that time there have been some astonishing performances – such as the first moto chequered flag in Latvia last summer, taken with a broken foot – and also some tough moments when he conceded likely titles in 2014 and 2015 due to injury. His peerless 2018 MXGP campaign saw #84 own 17 from 19 Grands Prix and classify as runner-up in the other two outings.

Jeffrey Herlings KTM SX F Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Jeffrey Herlings KTM SX F Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Jeffrey Herlings – Image by Ray Archer

Herlings is already the most successful Dutch rider in the history of the sport and is third on the list for all-time Grand Prix triumphs. In 2019 he added the Motocross of Nations Chamberlain trophy to his heaving collection of silverware.

Jeffrey Herlings

“I’m very, very happy. I have been with KTM since 2009 so by the end of this next contract it will be fifteen years together. I’m excited to stay in the orange family and I have been working with Pit [Beirer] and the entire crew since the beginning and I was fourteen. I’m blessed to be able to do it for another three years; four including this one about to start. It is also good to have this done before the weekend and GP1 of 2020. KTM is where my heart is, and they are my family. I’m thankful that they trust in me, and I believe in them, the bike and all the people I work with. I’ll be racing with them until I’m 28 and I’m super-happy, hopefully there many more happy days ahead.”

Jeffrey Herlings KTM SX F Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Jeffrey Herlings KTM SX F Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Jeffrey Herlings – Image by Ray Archer

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director

“This contract definitely means a lot to me personally because it was back in 2009 that we gave this young kid and his family our word that we’d take good care of him and he had a great future in front of him: we wanted to be a partner in that. We went through so many ups and downs with Jeffrey and he has collected all of his wins and titles with us – just one brand. It was actually quite emotional to know he could spend his career with just one company. I’m really happy that we could agree everything so early for another three years and I wish him a healthy and strong season and hopefully an even longer association with us when he’s stopped racing.”


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2020 Championship Calendars

2020 AMA Motocross race schedule

  • May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
  • May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
  • May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
  • June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
  • June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
  • June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
  • July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
  • July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
  • July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
  • August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
  • August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
  • August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN

2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar

  • Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
  • Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
  • Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
  • Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
  • Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
  • Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
  • Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
  • Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
  • Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
  • March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
  • March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
  • March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
  • March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
  • April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
  • April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
  • April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
  • May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

2020 MXGP Calendar

  • March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
  • March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
  • March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
  • April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
  • April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
  • April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
  • May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
  • May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
  • May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
  • June 7 – Russia, Orlyonok – (EMX250, EMX Open)
  • June 14 – Latvia, Kegums – (EMX250, EMX Open)
  • June 28 – Indonesia, Jakarta
  • July 5 – Indonesia, Palembang
  • July 26 – Czech Republic, Loket – (EMX65, EMX85, EMX 2t)
  • August 2 – Belgium, Lommel – (EMX125, EMX250)
  • August 16 – Sweden, Uddevalla – (EMX125, EMX250)
  • August 23 – Finland, Litti-KymiRing – (EMX125, EMX250, EMX 2t)
  • September 6 – Turkey, Afyonkarahisar – (EMX Open, WMX)
  • September 13 – China, (TBA) –
  • September 20 – Emilia Romagna, Imola – (EMX125, WMX)
  • September 27 – Motocross of Nations, France, Ernee

2020 American Flat Track

  • Round 1. March 14: Daytona 200 &  TT – Daytona Speedway, FL
  • Round 2. March 28: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
  • Round 3. April 4: Charlotte Half-Mile – Charlotte Speedway, Concord, NC
  • Round 4. May 2: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
  • Round 5. May 9: So-Cal Half-Mile – Perris Speedway, Perris, CA
  • Round 6. May 16: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
  • Round 7. May 30: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
  • Round 8. June 13: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Speedway, Loudon, NH
  • Round 9. June 20: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Round 10. June 27: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
  • Round 11. July 4: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
  • Round 12. August 9: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
  • Round 13. August 11: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
  • Round 14. August 22: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
  • Round 15. September 5: Springfield Mile I – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
  • Round 16. September 6: Springfield Mile II – Illinois Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
  • Round 17. September 12: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
  • Round 18. September 26: Meadowlands Mile* – Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ

2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway Calendar

  • Round 1, January 3 – Kurri Kurri Speedway, Loxford Park NSW
  • Round 2, January 6 – Diamond Park, Wodonga VIC
  • Round 3, January 7 – Undera Speedway, Echuca Road, Undera VIC
  • Round 4, January 9 – Olympic Park, Regina Street, Mildura VIC
  • Round 5, January 11 – Gillman Speedway, Wilkins Road, Gillman SA

2020 WESS Enduro World Championship Schedule

  • Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 8-10
  • Round 2: Trefle Lozerien AMV (France) May 21-23
  • Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) June 10-14
  • Round 4: Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland ) June TBC
  • Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 21-25
  • Round 6: Tennessee Knockout (USA) August 15-16
  • Round 7: Hawkstone Park Cross-Country (UK) September TBC
  • Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro (Spain) October TBC

2020 FIM Speedway GP Calendar

  • May 16 – PZM Warsaw SGP of Poland – Warsaw
  • May 30 – German SGP – Teterow
  • June 13 – Czech SGP – Prague
  • July 18 – Adrian Flux British SGP – Cardiff
  • July 25 – Swedish SGP – Hallstavik
  • August 1 – Betard Wroclaw SGP of Poland – Wroclaw
  • August 15 – Scandinavian SGP – Malilla, Sweden
  • August 29 – Russian SGP – Togliatti
  • September 12 – Danish SGP sponsored by ECCO – Vojens
  • October 3 – Revline Torun SGP of Poland – Torun

2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship dates

  • April 11-12 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships
    • Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD, North Brisbane Jnr Motorcycle Club
  • October 17-18 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
    • Fairburn Park, ACT Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Track Championship dates

  • May 16-17 Australian Senior Track Championships
    • Qurindi, Tamworth, NSW, Tamworth Motorcycle Club
  • September 26-27 Australian Junior Track Championships
    • Gunnedah, NSW Gunnedah Motorcycle Club

2020 Australian Off-Road Championship Calendar

  • Round 1 & 2: Toowoomba, QLD 22 – 23 February 2020
  • Round 3 & 4: Dungog, NSW 14 – 15 March 2020
  • Round 5 & 6: Nowra, NSW 18 – 19 April 2020
  • Round 7 & 8: Murray Bridge, SA 1 – 2 August 2020
  • Round 9 & 10: Omeo, VIC 19 – 20 September 2020
  • Round 11 & 12: Wynyard, TAS 17 –18 October 2020

2020 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Calendar

  • Round 1: December 7, 2019 – Krakow, Poland
  • Round 2: January 4 – Riesa, Germany
  • Round 3: January 18 – A Coruna, Spain
  • Round 4: February 1 – Budapest, Hungary
  • Round 5: March 14 – Lodz, Poland

2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West Calendar

  • 2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East Series
    • March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
    • May 16-17: Madd Moose, Marquette, Mich.
    • July 4-5: Tough Like RORR, Tamaqua, Pa.
    • July 18-19: Fallen Timbers, Little Hocking, Ohio
    • Aug. 1-2: Battle of the Goats, Taylorsville, N.C.
  • 2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road West Series
    • Feb. 8: King of the Motos, Lucerne Valley, Calif.
    • March 28-29: RevLimiter Extreme Enduro, Decatur, Texas
    • May 2-3: EnduroFest, Reno, Nev.
    • June 6-7: Last Dog Standing, Devore, Calif.
    • June 20-21: Stix and Stones, Kellogg, Idaho
  • 2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road Grand Championship
    • Aug. 14-16: Trials Training Center, Sequatchie, Tenn.

2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship Calendar

  • Round 1 – June 13: Diedenbergen DE
  • Round 2 – July 26: Boves-Cuneo IT
  • Round 3 – September 5: Morizès FR
  • Round 4 – October 3: Pardubice CZ

2020 King of MX Calendar

  • Qualifier 1 – February 15-16, Bega – Top 7 qualify for final **Run & Won**
  • Qualifier 2 – February 29-1 March, Narrabri – Top 7 qualify for final
  • Qualifier 3 – March 14-15, Lake Macquarie -Top 7 qualify for final
  • Qualifier 4 – March 28-29, Wagga Wagga – Top 6 qualify for final
  • Qualifier 5 -April 18-19, Bathurst – Top 6 qualify for final
  • Qualifier 6 – May 9-10, Dargle – Top 7 qualify for final
  • Final – June 6-8, Cessnock

2020 Australian Motocross National Championship Calendar

  • Round 1 & 2 Horsham, Victoiria April 4/5
  • Round 3 Newry, Victoria May 3
  • Round 4 Gympie, Qld May 24
  • Round 5 Conondale, QLD June 28
  • Round 6 & 7 Maitland, NSW July 25/26
  • Round 8 & 9 Coolum, QLD August 22/23

2020 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championship

  • Round One – Balclutha, 1st February 2020
  • Round Two – Rotorua, 23rd February 2020
  • Round Three – Hawkes Bay, 1st March 2020
  • Round Four – Taupo, 15th March 2020

2020 AMA Supermoto National Championship Series

  • April 4-5: Primm, Nev.: Anthony Hart Memorial Race
  • May 2: Honolulu, Hawaii: Aloha Stadium
  • May 30: Dacono, Colo.: Colorado National Speedway
  • June 12-13: Austin, Texas: 25th Annual Republic of Texas Rally
  • July 31-Aug. 2: Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada: 51st Grand Prix of Trois-Rivières (CMA/FIM North America sanctioned)
  • Sept. 11-12: Sturgis, S.D.: 8th Annual Streets of Sturgis (AMA/FIM North America sanctioned)

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | Speedway 2019 ready to fire | Everts starts Rehab

Moto News Wrap for January 1, 2019 by Darren Smart
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Smarty's Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

Moto News Latest
  • Australian Speedway Solo Championships Ready to GO!
  • Ipswich to Host 2019 Australian Junior Speedway Championship
  • Anaheim 1 and Dakar – It’s Almost HERE!
  • Bloss Out – Bogle In
  • Changes to MXGP Calendar
  • Youthstream Releases the Provisional OAT (Officially Approved Teams) List
  • KTM Signs Liam Everts
  • Stefan Everts Starts Rehab

Australian Speedway Solo Championships Ready to GO!

We are just day away for the opening round of the 2019 Australian Speedway Solo Championships at Gillman Speedway on January the 3rd and for the first time in three years, the Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship will run a Qualifier the day before the opening round, where 16 selected riders will battle it out for the remaining eight spots in the Championship.

The eight seeded riders are led by none other than Chris Holder who will be joined by the 2018 reigning Champion, Rohan Tungate, Max Fricke, Jack Holder, Zane Keleher, Brady Kurtz, Sam Masters and Jaimon Lidsey.

Former world and multiple Australian champion Chris Holder used the Jason Crump Classic at Kurri Kurri Speedway Club on Boxing Day to signal he will be a force in the upcoming Australian titles.

Chris Holder went through the night undefeated to claim the Jason Crump Classic Cup at Kurri Kurri Speedway Club on Boxing Day. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Chris Holder went through the night undefeated to claim the Jason Crump Classic Cup at Kurri Kurri Speedway Club on Boxing Day. Picture by Michael Hartshorn

Holder won his five heats and then took out the A-final from Tungate, 2017 champion Sam Masters and Holder’s younger brother and 2018 NSW champion Jack.

Chris Holder won the Jason Crump Classic Cup at Kurri Kurri Speedway Club on Boxing Day. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Chris Holder won the Jason Crump Classic Cup at Kurri Kurri Speedway Club on Boxing Day. Picture by Michael Hartshorn

And vying for the other eight spots on the grid are Mason Campton, Ben Cook, Zach Cook, Ryan Douglas, Matthew Gilmore, Jacob Hook, Todd Kurtz, Jedd List, Rob Medson, Nick Morris, Jack Morrison, Josh Pickering, Cooper Riordon, Justin Sedgmen, Jordan Stewart and Kye Thomson while Brayden McGuiness and Dakota Ballantyne will be on hand as reserves.

At the close of Round 1, riders will move North to Mildura, Victoria for Round 2 on 5th January, followed by Round 3 on 7th January at Undera, Victoria. The penultimate round will be held on 9th January at Albury Wodonga, Victoria, with a close to the Championship at Kurri-Kurri, New South Wales on 12th January.

Don’t miss a moment of the 2019 Championship by going to NRGTV to watch all of the action live and get up-dates by checking out the Australian Speedway Championship website and on Facebook.

2019 Australian Senior Solo Championship

  • ROUND 1: GILLMAN SPEEDWAY – 3RD JANUARY
  • ROUND 2: MILDURA – 5TH JANUARY
  • ROUND 3: UNDERA – 7TH JANUARY
  • ROUND 4: WODONGA – 9TH JANUARY
  • ROUND 5: KURRI KURRI – 12TH JANUARY
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Ipswich to Host 2019 Australian Junior Speedway Championship

The Ipswich Switches Junior Speedway Club will host four nights of action between the 17th and 20th of January at Willowbank Raceway with the Under 21’s 500cc title, the Under 16’s 250cc and 125cc titles and the Under 16’s 125cc Team title up for grabs.

The Under 21’s 500cc Speedway Championship will see reigning champion Jaimon Lidsey hoping to regain the title but he will have to contend with Matthew “Happy” Gilmore, Kye Thomson, Cooper Riordan and Jordan Stewart (to name a few) to win in 2019.

The Australian Under 21’s Speedway Championship is the final step riders must make for their chance to represent Australia on the international stage at the FIM Team Speedway Under 21 World Championship. Australia will head to Vetlanda, Sweden for the Semi Finals, and if successful they will then head to Manchester, United Kingdom for the Finals!

Of the nominated riders, 16 have been drawn to compete in the 2019 Australian Championship, with two reserves also selected.

The 2019 Under 16’s 250cc Championship has drawn 13 successful nominees from across Australia including reigning Champion Keynan Rew who along with Patrick Hamilton and James Pearson are already creating a household name for themselves as they climb up through the ranks!

The Under 16’s 125cc Solo and Teams Championship will feature up and coming stars such as James Pearson who fans will also see compete in the Australian Under 16 250cc Speedway Championship, plus Flynn Nicol and Patrick Bowes.

The official entry list made up of 16 riders was drawn from a total collection of 20 nominated riders from across Australia.


Anaheim 1 and Dakar – It’s Almost HERE!!

It’s that time of year again where we are staring down the barrel of the start of two iconic events with the new Supercross season kicking off at Anaheim on January the 5th then the Dakar Rally with an all new route through Peru starts just a day later.

The 450SX class will see 36-year-old Australian Chad Reed take on a field of hard charging younger men led by established superstars including defending champion Jason Anderson, Eli Tomac, Marvin Musquin, Ken Roczen, Justin Barcia, Cole Seely, Justin Brayton, Blake Baggett, Malcolm Stewart, Justin Bogle and Dean Wilson while the likes of Cooper Webb, Joey Savatgy, Aaron Plessinger, Justin Hill and Zach Osborne will be out to prove themselves in this early stage of their 450 class careers.

AMA SX A TrackMap
Anaheim 1 track map

That is 17 very talented and competitive men all with their eyes on the one prize so look out A1 – it is going to be big and let’s hope Chad grabs the holeshot and comes through with what would be an historic win!

AMA SX Suzuki Chad Reed
Chad Reed on JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450

A1 will also see the opening round of the 250SX West Coast Series and it is going to be a cracker with Adam Cianciarulo, Shane McElrath, Chase Sexton, Austin Forkner, RJ Hampshire, Dylan Ferrandis, Mitchell Harrison, Michael Mosiman, Colt Nichols, Sean Cantrell, Cameron McAdoo and Jimmy Decotis all fit and looking for a win while young Aussie hard charger in Tomas Ravenhorst will also be looking to make a name for himself on the world’s biggest stage.

As for our other Aussie hope in Hunter Lawrence, we will see the Geico Honda rider contest the 250SX East Coast Series which kicks off at Minneapolis on February the 9th and from what we have seen Hunter is looking sharp as he prepares for his rookie supercross season.

MXoN Lawrence MX JK MXON
Hunter Lawrence – Hoppenworld Image
2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Schedule
  • Rd1: January 5 Angel Stadium of Anaheim Anaheim
  • Rd2: January 12 State Farm Stadium Glendale, AZ
  • Rd3: January 19 Angel Stadium of Anaheim Anaheim
  • Rd4: January 26 Oakland-Alameda Coliseum Oakland
  • Rd5: February 2 Petco Park San Diego
  • Rd6: February 9 US Bank Stadium Minneapolis
  • Rd7: February 16 AT&T Stadium Arlington
  • Rd8: February 23 Ford Field Detroit
  • Rd9: March 2 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta
  • Rd10: March 9 Daytona Speedway Daytona Beach
  • Rd11: March 16 Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis
  • Rd12: March 23 CenturyLink Field Seattle
  • Rd13: March 30 NRG Stadium Houston
  • Rd14: April 6 Nissan Stadium Nashville
  • Rd15: April 13 Broncos Stadium Denver
  • Rd16: April 27 MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ
  • Rd17: May 4 Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas

Dakar 2019

As for Dakar 19, 138 motorcycle competitors are going to set off on January the 6th for 11 days of competition that will see them complete over 5500km across some of the most desolate and uninviting terrain Peru (or anywhere else for that matter) has to offer and as you would expect all of Australia will be hoping that Toby Price and Rodney Faggotter go through the event trouble free, ride to their full potential and come home 1-2 – not too much to ask is it?

Dakar will be run per cent in Peru
Dakar will be run per cent in Peru
Dakar Rally 2019 Overview
Day – Stage Special Stage Km – Total Km
  • 6 January Start podium Lima
  • 7 January Lima-Pisco 84 331
  • 8 January Pisco-S. Juan de Marcona 342 554
  • 9 January SS.an Juan de Marcona-Arequipa 331 799
  • 10 January Arequipa-Moquegua 352 511
  • 11 January Moquegua-Arequipa 345 776
  • 12 January Rest day
  • 13 January Arequipa-S. Juan de Marcona 317 839
  • 14 January S. Juan de Marcona and Back 323 387
  • 15 January S. Juan de Marcona-Pisco 361 576
  • 16 January Pisco-Pisco 313 410
  • 17 January Pisco-Lima 112 358
  • Total km 2889 5541

Bloss Out – Bogle In

Rocky Mountain ATV/MC-WPS-KTM’s Benny Bloss will miss the entire 2019 Monster Energy Supercross season after sustaining a torn ACL in a practice crash early last week so the team has signed former 250SX East Region Champion Justin Bogle to fill-in. Bogle had put together his own program for 2019 after a deal with Phoenix Racing Honda had fallen through.

“Benny has been riding and progressing so well, it’s heartbreaking to Benny, his family, and the team,” said team owner Forrest Butler in a statement. “Benny has been with us since being a rookie in the summer of 2016, and 2019 was really ‘the year’ we were all ready to see what he could do. Really, there isn’t much to say as there are other injured riders too, or ones that have been there. We say it’s not fair, but it’s part of the sport and instead of wishing what could have been, it’s time to just focus ahead, get surgery and put in the hard work to be ready for the 2019 Motocross Nationals.”

“It was the silliest crash and there was nothing spectacular about it, extremely frustrating,” said Bloss in a statement. “I landed off a triple, and just went to the inside to make a new line, nothing crazy. I hit a slick spot and just lost the rear end doing the standard slide out, unfortunately, I had my leg fully committed and it got pinned under the handlebar and the ground. I knew I caught it the at a bad angle, and that’s pretty much end of the story—just the worst possible position I could have slid out in, and now it’s off to get my ACL fixed. I am young though, I have a lot of good people and sponsors behind me, I already have surgery scheduled as of today and have my full vision set on making the start of the outdoors.”

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Changes to MXGP Calendar

Youthstream have announced another revised calendar for the 19 round 2019 FIM World Motocross Championship which will now start on the first weekend of March at the Patagonia-Argentina Circuit of Neuquen and end in Hong Kong of all places on the third weekend of September.

Here is a summary of the changes:
-The MXGP of Switzerland anticipated for August has been cancelled 
- The MXGP of Italy in Imola will now be held on the 17th and 18th of August instead of the 21st and 22nd of September
– The MXGP of Hong Kong will move from the 20th and 21st of April to the now available 21st and 22nd of September as per the local organization request.\
– The venue for the 2019 MXGP of Lombardia on May 12th will be Mantova

Updated 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar
  • Rd1: Mar. 4 – MXGP of Patagonia Argentina, Neuquen
  • Rd2: Mar. 24 – MXGP of Great Britain, Matterley Basin
  • Rd3: March 31 – MXGP of The Netherlands, Valkenswaard
  • Rd4: April 7 – MXGP of Trentino, Pietramurata
  • Rd5: May 1 – MXGP of China, Shanghai
  • Rd6: May 12 – MXGP of Lombardia (I), Mantova
  • Rd7: May 19 – MXGP of Portugal, Agueda
  • Rd8: May 24 – MXGP of France, Saint Jean d’Angely
  • Rd9: June 9 – MXGP of Russia, Orlyonok
  • Rd10: June 16 – MXGP of Latvia, Kegums
  • Rd11: June 23 – MXGP of Germany, Teutschenthal
  • Rd12: July 7 – MXGP of Indonesia, Palembang
  • Rd13: July 14 – MXGP of Asia (Indonesia), Semarang
  • Rd14: July 28 – MXGP of Czech Republic, Loket
  • Rd15: Aug. 4 – MXGP of Belgium, Lommel
  • Rd16: Aug. 18 – MXGP of Italy, Imola
  • Rd17: Aug. 25 – MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla
  • Rd18: Sept. 8 – MXGP of Turkey, Afyonkarahisar
  • Rd19: Sept. 22 – MXGP of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
MXGP Rnd Italy MX Start JPA
MXGP of Italy 2018 – MX2 Start – Image by Juan Pablo Acevedo

Youthstream Releases the Provisional OAT (Officially Approved Teams) List

Youthstream has released the Provisional OAT (Officially Approved Teams) List for the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship Season confirming that 39 teams have entered the MXGP and MX2 classes ,with 35 riders entered for MXGP and 32 for MX2 with the two Honda MX2 teams yet to sign riders for four spots available.

The list gives a breakdown of the teams currently entered into the new season of racing along with the riders whom will represent them as the series travels throughout South America, Europe, and Asia.

The 2019 Provisional OAT MXGP & MX2 Lists can be viewed in its entirety below.

MXGP Riders 2019

  • Team GBO Motorsport: Simon Furlotti
  • Team HRC: Tim Gajser/Brian Bogers
  • Monster Energy Factory MXGP: Romain Febvre/Jeremy Seewer
  • Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing: Sven Van Der Mierden/Micha Boy De Waal
  • KTM Sarhotz Racing: Max Nagl/Tom Koch
  • Scandinavian Racing Sports: Jonathan Bengtsson
  • Team Gibben Van Venrooy Kawasaki Racing: Alessandro Lupino/Benoit Paturel
  • Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: Pauls Jonass/Arminas Jasikonis
  • JD Gunnex Racing Team: Jose Butron
  • A1M Husqvarna: Tanel Leok
  • RFX KTM Racing: Shaun Simpson
  • Standing Construct KTM: Glenn Coldenhoff/Max Anstie/Ivo Montecelli
  • Team VHR KTM: Jordi Tixier
  • Hitachi KTM: Graeme Irwin
  • BOS GP: Tommy Searle/Evgeny Bobryshev
  • Monster energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP Team: Arnaud Tonus/Gautier Paulin
  • Monster energy Kawasaki: Clement Desalle/Julien Leiber
  • NR83 Team: Nathan Renkens
  • JWR Yamaha Racing: Kevin Strijbos/Vsevolod Brylyakov/Anton Gole
  • Sixtytwo Motorsport Husqvarna: Klemen Gercar
  • Red Bull KTM Factory Racing: Jeffrey Herlings/Antonio Cairoli’
  • AG Racing: Guryev Artem
MXoN Herlings MX JK MXON
Who will challenge Herlings in MXGP 2019….? – Hoppenworld Image

MX2 Riders 2019

  • Marchetti KTM: Iker Larranaga/Andrea Zanotti
  • Team HRC: Calvin Vlaanderen
  • Yamaha SM Action – M.C. Migliori/Michele Cervellin/Max Renaux
  • E2T – Racing Team: Enzo Toriani/Hampus Kahri
  • F&H Racing Team: Henry Jacobi/Adam Sterry
  • Team Diga-Procross Husqvarna: Davey Pootjes
  • Team Gibben Van Venrooy Kawasaki Racing: Marcel Conija
  • KTM Racestore MX2 Max Bart: Lesiardo Morgan
  • JD Gunnex Racing Team: Richard Sykina/Petr Polak
  • Bud Racing Kawasaki: Brian Moreau/Brian Hsu
  • A1M Husqvarna: Roland Edelbacher
  • Honda 114 Motorsports: TBA/TBA
  • STC Racing IXS: Loris Freidig
  • Hitachi KTM: Conrad Mewse/TBA
  • Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha: Ben Watson/Jago Geerts
  • Team Honda Redmoto Assomotor: TBA/TBA
  • Red Bull KTM Factory Racing: Jorge Prado/Tom Vialle
  • Bike It DRT Kawasaki: Darian Sanayei/Gustavo Pessoa
  • Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: Thomas Kjer Olsen/Jed Beaton
  • GT243: Maks Mausser
  • Revo Husqvarna UK: Dylan Walsh/Alvin Ostlund
  • Vamo Racing Team: Hakan Halmi

Smarty's Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

MXGP Rnd Italy Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado will stay and defend his MX2 Championship in 2019


KTM Signs Liam Everts

Promising Belgian youngster Liam Everts will officially become part of the KTM racing division from 2019 in an agreement that should see the latest generation of a famous family dynasty make his path up the motocross ladder to Grand Prix.

Everts, 14, has evolved as a racer in the last year, and his speed in just a second term with an 85cc motorcycle led to a third-place finish in the EMX85 European Championship. While Liam is able to count on the expertise and peerless achievements of his father Stefan—who is currently recovering from illness—he can also rely on the advice from four-times world champion and grandfather Harry as well as his mother, Kelly, who was so central to Stefan’s motocross efforts as he laid siege to all classes of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The Everts’ will operate out of their own structure in 2019 as Liam prepares for his first season with the KTM 125 SX; the motorcycle with which Rene Hofer scored victories and red plates as EMX125 European Championship leader in 2018.

Liam Everts: “It feels like an honour for me to ride with KTM because it feels like they are the best brand in motocross. We have a long deal in place but I have been on a KTM for a while now and I love the bike; it’s amazing how it handles and how it fits my style. To get this contract is great. I’m really happy and I’m really looking forward to the future. Hopefully we can make some nice things together, we’ll go step by step and build along the way.”

Liam Everts
Liam Everts

Robert Jonas, VP of Offroad: “Liam comes from one of the best family names in motocross and while that also gives him an advantage it also brings pressure, but we’re excited by what we have seen from him so far. It’s clear the progress he has made with his pace and technique in 2018 and that points to even more potential. It is still early but he could go all the way. Liam is clearly making the commitment to racing at the highest level while looking at the next steps to get better and to enjoy success, so we’re really happy to be there with him.”

Liam Everts
Liam Everts

Stefan Everts Starts Rehab

The family of Stefan Everts released a positive update regarding his battle with malaria with the ten-time FIM Motocross World Champion beginning rehabilitation.

The Everts motocross dynasty from left to right Harry Liam and StefanEverts, who was hospitalized earlier this month after contracting the mosquito-borne disease at a charity event in the Democratic Republic of Congo, remains at the University Hospital of Leuven in Belgium, but has begun his physical rehabilitation after tests have revealed that he did not suffer any damage to his brain or organs.

“Everts started with his [physical] rehabilitation yesterday. Compared to the worrying condition of a few weeks ago, he’s already doing much better. Although he is still in the intensive care of the UZ in Leuven, he is already getting out of bed and can already walk a little. After a charity in Congo mid-November, the legend had suffered an aggressive form of malaria. The state of health of Everts had deteriorated so much that he was in danger for a long time. However, studies last week showed that neither his brain nor his organs suffered permanent damage due to the malaria attack. About the duration of his stay on intensive care and his rehabilitation is not yet certain.

“Everts realises after a good conversation with the professors in Leuven that he escaped the worst. ‘That I’m still here is my most beautiful Christmas present,’ let him know. Stefan and his family want to thank all the people for the huge support they got in the last few weeks and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. In new developments, the family—who is now looking to focus on Stefan’s rehabilitation—will again communicate through a press release.”

Smarty's Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax

Source: MCNews.com.au