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Wade Young wins 24MX Ales Trem Hard Enduro

The 2024 Ales Trem Hard Enduro has been run and won, with Wade Young making a surprise appearance on GASGAS machinery, after years riding Sherco. The South African came out swinging for a narrow win over previous team-mate Mario Roman.

Ales Trem Hard Enduro Podium – 1) Wade Young, 2) Mario Roman, 3) Alfredo Gomez

The ninth running of the Ales Trem Hard Enduro saw Young take victory by two-seconds, from Roman, while Alfredo Gomez rounded out the podium in a more distant third. Roman’s team-mate Teodor Kabakchiev then finished fourth.

Mario Roman – P2

“I’m very happy with the result of the weekend second and second. For sure, I would like to win because Alestrem is very important for us and it’s one of my favourite races and I am one of the best riders for this kind of races. But I came with an injury, my clutch finger which is one of the most important fingers or parts of the body. A week ago, I wasn’t sure if I could be able to race and now we almost win the the weekend. For the first two laps. I was saving energy and trying to get the base, as the boys were on fire. Because of the injury, I lose a lot of confidence, so I was trying to not crash and save energy, because I wasn’t sure how good would be my finger at the end of the day. And at the third lap, I ride full gaz and i catched Téo and Wade pretty fast in the first and second uphill. And from that I’ve been fighting with them especially with Wade. I get a good lead of five minutes gap and then at seven or ten minutes from the end, Wade chased me and we fight each other full gas until the Finnish flag, so it’s not a victory. But I feel like a victory because I, I did my 100 or even 200 today, and ‘everything was very good. Thanks to the team for the big effort, it was amazing on the mechanics, all the people around and it will be awesome to have all this team in other races as well.”

Mario Roman
Mario Roman
Alfredo Gomez – P3

“At the Ales Trem Hard Enduro from less to more, with a few falls in between… today my Rieju has behaved well.”

Teodor Kabachiev – P4

“This was the first race for the Sherco team and me since we joined forces. We managed to get a win in the prologue and a 4-th place in the 8 hour main race. Solid start. I am sure that we will only build from here!”

24MX Alestrom Hard Enduro Finishers

Pos Rider Time
1 YOUNG Wade 17:00:49
2 ROMAN Mario 17:00:51
3 GOMEZ Alfredo 17:19:21
4 KABAKCHIEV Teodor 17:30:24
5 WALKNER Michael 17:35:04
6 POIROT Fabien 17:54:56
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New Zealand’s Cole Davies tops 250SX Futures Main Event in Anaheim

Anaheim 2 saw the opening stop of the 250SX Futures development category, where new GASGAS amateur recruit Cole Davies won the Main Event to commence his 2024 AMA Supercross campaign in fine fashion on the top step of the podium.

Cole Davies
Cole Davies

Davies hails from Waitoki, New Zealand and battles Gavin Towers for the win, with the leading duo well clear of the rest of the field, third placed Parker Ross over eight-seconds off the winning pace.

Cole Davies
Cole Davies

250SX Futures Main Event Results

Pos Rider Bike Gap
1 Cole Davies GASGAS MC 250F 9 Laps
2 Gavin Towers Yamaha YZ250F +00.632
3 Parker Ross Honda CRF250R +08.046
4 Preston Boespflug Suzuki RM-Z250 +13.616
5 Blake Gardner Kawasaki KX250 +15.134
6 Drew Adams Kawasaki KX250 +16.886
7 Landen Gordon Kawasaki KX250 +24.808
8 Tyler Mollet Husqvarna FC 250 +26.445
9 Kelana Humphrey GASGAS MC 250F +29.212
10 Dylan Rempel Kawasaki KX250 +31.138
11 Preston  Masciangelo GASGAS MC 250F +32.447
12 Hayden Robinson KTM 250 SX-F +42.208
13 Landin Pepperd GASGAS MC 250F +46.625
14 Kaden Lewis GASGAS MC 250F +47.489
15 Jesse Wessell Husqvarna FC 250 +53.279
16 Mark Fineis Yamaha YZ250F +53.663
17 Kile Epperson Honda CRF250R +55.217
18 Noah Smerdon KTM 250 SX-F +57.123
19 Noah Viney Honda CRF250R 8 Laps
20 Ethan Day Honda CRF250R +05.960
21 Reven Gordon Kawasaki KX250 +12.544
22 Alvin Hillan Honda CRF250R +32.372
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Another runner-up position for Mason Semmens at WORCS

Mason Semmens has grabbed another podium in the Pro 250 class at WORCS Round 2 held at Glen Helen Raceway, completing the podium behind Colton Aeck, with Kai Aiello third.

In the Pro 450 class Tyler Lynn took the win, followed by Dare Demartile and Trevor Stewart.

Mason Semmens – Pro 250 P2

“P2 for the day, was a battle for two hours, just came up that little bit short! Healthy and ready for the next one. Thanks everyone”

Mason Semmens
Mason Semmens

 

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Jorge Prado says goodbye to America and the AMA SX, as he heads for MXGP

Jorge Prado has said goodbye to America where he’s been competing in the AMA SX series with the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team, as he heads back over to Europe to defend his MXGP title.

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado

“Saying goodbye to America, seeing a great progression on competition days. I finish the experience happy and knowing that this learning will possibly help me face the world of MXGP. I feel lucky to live here. Thanks to all the Spaniards who flew expressly to see me. To the affection of Latin Americans and America in general for the treatment received. It’s time to go back and keep training to fight for revalidate the title. Can’t wait to compete with N1.”

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado

 

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Team Australia wins inaugural FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup

Team Australia led by six-time Australian champion Charli Cannon have taken victory at the inaugural FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup, with the Aussie team also comprising of Emma Milesevic (Honda), Madison Brown (Honda), Taylor Thompson, (Yamaha), Tayla McCutcheon (Kawasaki) and Madi Healey (GasGas).

Charli Cannon led Team Australia to victory
Charli Cannon led Team Australia to victory

Team New Zealand were represented by Karaitiana Horne, Taylar Rampton, Breanna Rodgers, Hannah Powell, Letitia Alabaster and Melissa Patterson, with four-time FIM women’s motocross world champion Courtney Duncan providing counsil.

Held over three motos of 12 minutes plus one lap and incorporated into the Woodville senior women’s races, the team with the lowest score was declared winner.

Australia largely dominated the three races, Charli Cannon winning race one, with Taylor Thompson runner-up and New Zealand’s Karaitiana Horne rounding out the podium.

McCutheon, Milesevic, Healey and Brown were then fourth through seventh, and New Zealand’s Rampton, Rodgers and Powell rounded out the top-10.

Cannon again took the win in race two, with Australia locking out the top-five, McCutcheon second, Heley third, and Milesevic and Brown fourth and fifth.

Cannon wasn’t able to make it three from three in the third race however, McCutcheon finishing the weekend on a high note with the final win for Australia, Cannon runner-up and Thompson third. Australia again dominated the top five, Healey fourth and Brown fifth.

Charli Cannon

“I was nervous about racing – but I wanted to race for Australia, and if I could race, I was going to give it my all,” Cannon said. “Winning overall and playing my role in helping Team Australia secure victory in the FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup is an experience I’ll never forget. Every member of the team did an amazing job.”

Team Australia consisted of Charli Cannon (Honda), Emma Milesevic (Honda), Madison Brown (Honda), Taylor Thompson, (Yamaha), Tayla McCutcheon (Kawasaki) and Madi Healey (GasGas).
Team Australia consisted of Charli Cannon (Honda), Emma Milesevic (Honda), Madison Brown (Honda), Taylor Thompson, (Yamaha), Tayla McCutcheon (Kawasaki) and Madi Healey (GasGas).

The full live stream can be watched at: https://aunzus.com/womens-motocross/ but a free account is required.

FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup individual standings

  1. Charli Cannon (Aust)
  2. Taylah McCutcheon (Aust)
  3. Taylor Thompson (Aust)
  4. Madison Healey (Aust)
  5. Maddison Brown (Aust)
  6. Karaitiana Horne (NZ)
  7. Emma Milesevic (Aust)
  8. Taylar Rampton (NZ)
  9. Letitia Alabaster (NZ)
  10. Breanna Rodgers (NZ)
  11. Mel Patterson (NZ)
  12. Hannah Powell (NZ)
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Jaimon Lidsey wins 2024 FIM Oceania Speedway Solo Championship

Jaimon Lidsey is the 2024 FIM Oceania speedway champion after producing a blemish-free scorecard in the Gillman-hosted event on Saturday, January 27. The 2020 world under 21 champion came out all guns blazing in his opening heat, and then waltzed through the evening en route to victory in the final ahead of Tai Woffinden, Brady Kurtz and Justin Sedgmen.

Lidsey’s victory in the FIM Oceania Championship – promoted by the Speedway Riders Association of SA – continued a stellar summer for the 23-year-old from Red Cliffs, who won the Speedway Centenary meeting in North Brisbane before finishing fourth in the Australian title to wrap up a spot in 2024 Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) qualifying.

Jaimon Lidsey

“After being injured for most of the last Aussie summer, and then with Covid before that, I really haven’t had a good go at racing domestically for a while now, so the last couple of months have been great. I have been trying to win the Oceania Championship for ages, so to get the win and go through the card unbeaten was really satisfying. I didn’t feel too fast in practice, but when I started racing everything just clicked and came together. In the final, I got the jump before Tai came under me, but I passed him back on the second corner and held onto the lead for the rest of the race.”

Jaimon Lidsey wins 2024 FIM Oceania Speedway Solo Championship
Jaimon Lidsey wins 2024 FIM Oceania Speedway Solo Championship – Image by Judy Mackay

After a large chunk of the field had made the 400km road trip from Mildura to Gillman – Mildura’s 75th anniversary meeting was held the night before – to compete in the 2024 FIM Oceania Speedway Championship, the big guns immediately loomed large as Lidsey (15pts) completed the heats ahead of triple world champion Woffinden (13), Josh Pickering (13), Brit Sam Hagon (11), Kurtz (11) and Sedgmen (10).

Lidsey and Kurtz then progressed from the opening semi-final with Pickering and Fraser Browes eliminated, and the second semi saw Woffinden and Sedgmen make it to the decider at the expense of Hagon and Zane Keleher.

There were two major talking points ahead of the final: who would become the new FIM Oceania champion, and would Kurtz or Sedgmen lock in the final 2024 SGP qualifying spot?

Lidsey’s decisive early move on Woffinden emphatically answered the first question, while Kurtz also had Sedgmen’s measure as they flashed across the line in third and fourth.

FIM OCEANIA SPEEDWAY CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

  • HEAT SCORES: 1 Jaimon Lidsey 15, 2 Tai Woffinden 13, 3 Josh Pickering 12, 4 Sam Hagon 11, 5 Brady Kurtz 11, 6 Justin Sedgmen 10, 7 Fraser Bowes 9, 8 Zane Keleher 7, 9 Michael West 7, 10 Jacob Hook 7, 11 Sam Martin 5, 12 Dayle Wood 4, 13 Jack Morrison 2, 14 Declan Knowles 2, 15 Matt Marson 2, 16 Jake Turner 1.
  • SEMI-FINAL 1: Lidsey, Kurtz, Pickering, Bowes.
  • SEMI-FINAL 2: Woffinden, Sedgmen, Hagon, Keleher.
  • FINAL: 1) Lidsey, 2) Woffinden, 3) Kurtz, 4) Sedgmen.
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Justin Sedgmen wins 2024 Phil Crump Solo Classic

The Mildura Motorcycle Club has announced the winners at their 75th anniversary meeting, where Justin Sedgmen topped the GT On-Site Windscreens Phil Crump Solo Classic class, ahead of Brady Kurtz and Jaimon Lidsey. Fourth through sixth were then Josh Pickering, Sam Masters and Frederick Jakobsen.

2024 Phil Crump Solo Classic Podium
2024 Phil Crump Solo Classic Podium – 1) Sedgmen, Kurtz, Jaimon

In the Dudley Bradshaw Sidecar Shootout we saw Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr claim victory, ahead of Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin and Max Howse/Riley Commons, while the duo of Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris were fourth.

2024 Dudley Bradshaw Sidecar Shootout Podium
2024 Dudley Bradshaw Sidecar Shootout Podium – 1) Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr, 2) Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin, 3) Max Howse/Riley Commons, 4) Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris

 

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Tixier tops Indian Supercross opener, Moss second

The 2024 Indian Supercross Racing League kicked off in Pune over the weekend, with Jordi Tixier taking the opening 450 cc International win, while in the 250 cc International class it was Reid Taylor taking top honours.

In an exciting result for Australia’s Matt Moss he finished runner up in the 450 cc class, tying on points with Cedric Soubeyras, both riding for Bigrock Motorsports. Thomas Ramette and Paul Haberland then completed the top-five.

Behind Reid Taylor on the 250s, was Hugo Manzato, followed by Julien Lebau, Enzo Polias and Mickael Lamarque.

“Team work makes the dream work,” shared Moss, also congratulating teammate Taylor for his 250 cc win. “To say I’m pumped for this kid to get his first international win and first win is an understatement the smile says it all well done legend.”

2024 Indian Supercross Racing League - 250 International Top Six
2024 Indian Supercross Racing League – 250 International Top Six

 

2024 Indian Supercross Racing League - 450 International Top Six
2024 Indian Supercross Racing League – 450 International Top Six

 

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Harwood & Scott top 2024 Woodville GP

The 61st annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville is an important prelude to race meeting before the Yamaha New Zealand Motocross Championships begins this weekend, and Australian import Jed Beaton’s first time riding for the Altherm JCR Yamaha team proved a good one, settling for second in the MX1 class.

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

Beaton was second overall, behind Hamish Harwood, while Jack Treloar rounded out the top three in the premiere class.

Jed Beaton

“It’s been a long time between races for me and it was good to get back behind a start gate and get the intensity that only racing brings. I felt pretty good on the bike, but also think there is room for improvement and the New Zealand champs will be the perfect place to get myself and my bike 100% before the start of the ProMX championship in March.”

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

In MX2 Altherm JCR Yamaha took the win, James Scott a point clear of Madoc Dixon, with Cody Cooper rounding out the top three.

Altherm JCR Yamaha supported rider Nelson’s Wills Harvey claimed the MX125cc class title in what was his first senior class win. It also earned the 17-year-old the Roddy Shirriffs Memorial Trophy, as the youngest senior class winner aged under 19.

Woodville GP MX2 Podium
Woodville GP MX2 Podium – 1) James Scott, 2) Madoc Dixon, 3) Cody Cooper

Other notable results for the team in the junior categories, which raced on Saturday, were achieved by young Yamaha supported riders Jack Ellingham who won the 125cc class and the Townley brothers Levi (1st 13/16 85cc; 2nd 12/14 125cc) and Jaggar (1st 11/12 85cc).

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YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup set for big year in 2024

Yamaha’s award-winning bLU cRU program has seen a surge in popularity. The number of youngsters racing off-road as part of the bLU cRU has increased by 53% over the past two years, with more than 600 YZ riders from 29 countries set to compete for a place at the 2024 YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale this season. This is the largest entry since Yamaha Motor Europe launched the unique bLU cRU program in 2015.

2024 Yamaha YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup
2024 Yamaha YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup

As in previous years, the Yamaha YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup will see riders aged from 8 to 16 years racing throughout Europe and competing for a place on the start gate at the Yamaha YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale in front of a huge and typically enthusiastic crowd, the world’s media and the biggest teams in the sport.

Some ‘famous’ surnames feature on the rider list, including Augusts Reišulis, younger brother of Yamaha stars Kārlis and Jānis, and Nixon Coppins, son of MX star and JCR Yamaha Manager Josh Coppins. The 29 different nations registered represent every corner of Europe, bringing a cosmopolitan feel to the bLU cRU patch of the paddock when they come together at the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale.

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2024 FIM Speedway of Nations to decide SON2 champion

Eight of the sport’s top under-21 teams will compete over an epic 28 heats for the FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 title in Manchester on Friday, July 12.

The FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship is staged as part of the FIM Speedway of Nations – the sport’s world team championship for 2024, which takes place at Britain’s National Speedway Stadium from July 9-13.

Great Britain was due to sit out the 2024 event after finishing seventh in Riga. But after being seeded into the competition as host nation, they will now join an eight-team field, expanded from seven in 2023, featuring Poland, Denmark, Latvia, Australia, Germany, Czech Republic and the returning Swedish team, which missed the 2023 competition after finishing seventh in 2022.

With 28 heats and the sport’s under-21 world team crown on the line, René Schäfer, FIM race director for SON2, is expecting a dramatic night of action in Manchester.

René Schäfer – SON2 FIM Race Director

“We looked at all the different options. With this being an under-21 event, the SON2 riders are the future of our sport, and we felt the right decision was to find a way to allow every team to race and give these riders the valuable experience of an FIM Speedway World Championships event. There will be no Semi-Final or Final to decide the champions. Every team will race against the other seven nations. The highest-scoring team at the end of it will be the world under-21 team champions, and we look forward to seeing who comes out on top.”

The FIM has confirmed the FIM Speedway of Nations world rankings ahead of the 2024 tournament, which sees Australia defend the title they won at the last FIM SON, staged at Danish venue Vojens in 2022.

The FIM SON rankings correspond to the countries’ finishing positions in the 2022 competition, with the SON2 rankings taken from the 2023 event in Riga.

2024 FIM Speedway of Nations rankings

2024 FIM Speedway of Nations rankings
2024 FIM Speedway of Nations rankings

 

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2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup confirmed

The FIM has confirmed a number of major changes to the 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup series, with each round again having its own unique format as detailed in the respective Supplementary Regulations, but all still counting towards the overall standings.

2023 Enduro del Verano (Argentina) - Image by Frederik Herregods
2023 Enduro del Verano (Argentina) – Image by Frederik Herregods

In addition to the expanded six-round calendar that was published last month, the FIM Sand Races World Cup will now be contested across nine categories. These are Motorcycle (M), Motorcycle Junior 1 (MJ1), Motorcycle Junior 2 (MJ2), Quad (Q), Quad Junior (QJ), SSV (S), Vintage 1 (V1), Vintage 2 (V2) and Vintage Quad (VQ).

The Motorcycle category will have Overall, Veteran and Women classes while MJ1 and MJ2 will include both Junior and Women classes. Quad competitors will also have Overall, Veteran and Women classes while QJ will include Junior and Women classes.

To qualify for the Vintage categories, machines must be pre-1997 and be equipped with steel frames.

Consisting of races in five separate countries across two continents, the series runs from February to December and gets under way with the world-famous Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais from 2-4 February.

2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup Calendar

2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup Calendar
Date Round Location
2-4 Feb 2024 France – Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais FRA Le Touquet
24-26 Feb 2024 Argentina/Argentine – Enduro del Verano ARG Villa Gesell
12-13 Oct 2024 Great Britain/Grande-Bretagne – Weston Beach Race GBR Weston Beach
1-3 Nov 2024 Italy/Italie – Bibione Sand Storm ITA Bibione
22-24 Nov 2024 Portugal – Monte Gordo Sand Experience PRT Algarve
30-1 Nov/Dec 2024 France – Ronde des Sables FRA Hossegor-Capbreton
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Harri Kullas does the Aberdeen double at Rounds 5 & 6

FUS Marsh Geartec’s Harri Kullas scored an epic win in the Traxxas Pro Main Event at Aberdeen for round five of the 2024 British Arenacross Championship presented by Fix Auto UK.

In typical AX fashion, the intensely close Main Event podium was rounded out by Stark Future teammates Justin Bogle and Jack Brunell, representing the top three in the standings too.

Justin Bogle

Bogle held the lead for the majority of the race, with Harri gaining ground lap by lap until finally passing Bogle after a lengthy battle, treating the crowd to edge of the seat racing throughout.

Notably missing from the lineup was round four winner Conrad Mewse. Having initially planned to race Aberdeen, after MRI results, Mewse has been forced to take six weeks out of racing to recover.

The result saw Kullas close in on standings leader Brunell, with Bogle third, a point ahead of Mewse who won’t be going anywhere but down the standings with his injury preventing competition.

Jack Brunell
Jack Brunell

Harri Kullas then scored another win in the Traxxas Pro Main Event round six, the Main Event podium  rounded out byJack Brunell and Dirt Store Kawasaki’s Thomas Do.

Brunell holds on to his lead in the Championship by just one single point after round six, with Kullas not quite able to close down that gap. Four points separate Bogle (52) and Adam Chatfield (48) with Ashley Greedy also not far off on 46-points.

The penultimate round is held in Birmingham next week.

Arenacross Standings after Round Six

Pos Rider Points
1 Jack Brunell 72
2 Harri Kulas 71
3 Justin Bogle 52
4 Adam Chatfield 48
5 Ashley Greedy 46
6 Conrad Mewse 41
7 Thomas Do 34
8 James Mackrel 25
9 Dylan Woodcock 24
10 Luke Burton 20
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Speedway GP qualification places for 2025 increased to four

The stakes will be high in the 2024 FIM SGP Challenge at Czech track Pardubice in October as FOUR places in the 2025 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series will now be up for grabs.

Staged alongside Pardubice’s iconic Golden Helmet meeting, one of the sport’s most famous and prestigious open events, which takes place on Sunday, October 6, the FIM SGP Challenge is the hotly contested final round of the Speedway GP qualifiers, which sees riders from all over the world battle for their place on the sport’s biggest stage the following year.

Kvech qualified for Speedway GP at the 2023 FIM SGP Challenge
Kvech qualified for Speedway GP at the 2023 FIM SGP Challenge

The SGP Commission has increased the number of Speedway GP qualification places on offer at the FIM SGP Challenge from three to four, giving riders an additional opportunity to secure a life-changing spot in the SGP elite. As a result, four permanent wild cards – reduced from five – will be selected by the SGP Commission for the 2025 series.

The FIM SGP Challenge comes just six days after the 2024 SGP season reaches its climax at the FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun on September 28, meaning the Pardubice showdown will be the final chance for Speedway GP World Championship hopefuls to book their place for 2025.

The top six riders in the 2024 SGP series will qualify for the 2025 competition, along with the Speedway European Championship winner and the top four at the FIM SGP Challenge. The 2025 Speedway GP line-up of 15 riders will be completed by four wild cards.

The 2024 SGP series sees FIVE new riders make their full-time Speedway GP World Championship debuts. Latvia’s Andzejs Lebedevs, Germany’s Kai Huckenbeck and Poland’s Dominik Kubera received permanent wild cards, while Polish racer Szymon Wozniak and Czech star Jan Kvech made it via the 2023 FIM SGP Challenge in Gislaved, Sweden last August.

The 2024 Speedway GP series launches with the FIM Speedway GP of Croatia in Donji Kraljevec on April 27.

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Niedermaier tops 2024 FIM Ice Speedway qualifier

Germany’s Max Niedermaier snatched a dramatic Run-Off win from Heikki Huusko to claim overall victory at Örnsköldsvik’s Kallehov track over the weekend, as the Swedish city hosted the Qualifying Round of the 2024 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship.

Max Niedermaier - Image by Good-Shoot.com
Max Niedermaier – Image by Good-Shoot.com

The pair were locked together on fourteen points each after the action-packed programme of twenty Heats was completed with each rider scoring four wins and one second-placed finish. When they met in the second Heat of the afternoon it was Huusko who drew first blood, but when the top step of the podium was on the line it was Niedermaier who ran out winner in sub-zero conditions around five-hundred kilometres south of the Arctic Circle.

The top eight will now face defending champion Martin Haarahiltunen from Sweden along with Austria’s Franz Zorn and Germany’s Luca Bauer who finished second and fourth in 2023. Harald Simon from Austria, who finished third last season, will be unable to compete because of health issues and Germany’s Markus Jell – who was sixth – will take his place.

Sweden’s Niclas Svensson, who was fifth in 2023, is also sidelined with a back injury and he will be replaced by his father Stefan who ended last year in seventh.

They will be joined in both Finals by two FIM-selected permanent wild card riders and one local wild card.

2024 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship Qualifier

Pos Name Nation Points
1 Max Niedermaier Germany 14+3
2 Heikki Huusko Finland 14+2
3 Max Koivula Finland 12
4 Johann Weber Germany 11
5 Jimmy Olsén Sweden 11
6 Jasper Iwema The Netherlands 10
7 Jimmy Hörnell Lidfalk Sweden 10
8 Aki Ala-Riihimäki Finland 8
9 Andrej Diviš Czech Republic 7
10 Benedikt Monn Germany 7
11 Sebastian Reitsma The Netherlands 6
12 Hans-Olof Olsén Sweden 3
13 Jo Sætre Norway 3
14 Michal Knapp Poland 2
15 Josef Kreuzberger Austria 2
16 Martin Běhal Czech Republic 0
17 Seppo Siira Sweden DNR
18 Martin Börjegren Sweden DNR
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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Moss wins ArenaX Rnd 2 | Wilson to Japan | Hawkstone MX

Jay Wilson lands dream job racing All-Japan National MX

Yamaha’s Jay Wilson will be Australia’s next rider on the international scene after taking on a racing and development role with Yamaha Motor Corporation (YMC) in Japan for the 2022 season.

Jay Wilson

27-year old Wilson will fly out to Japan in the coming weeks to take up his new role as a factory Yamaha rider the All-Japan National Motocross Championship where he will contest the IA2 (250cc) division as well as assist in a coaching, testing and future product development role with Yamaha.

Jay Wilson

“This is the dream job for me as it encompasses the three passions I have in dirt bikes- racing, coaching and development, I still have the motivation to race and win championships and that is my primary role with Yamaha in Japan and the new venture has me motivated and as excited as I have ever been. I also get the opportunity to share my knowledge with Yamaha riders in Japan and hopefully I can assist them to race at a higher level and secure future success for Yamaha in the coming years as well as be a small part of their testing program for product development. It’s a huge opportunity and a big responsibility but one my family and I are looking forward to.

Jay Wilson

“With Covid, it has delayed things in many ways and has made this a little more difficult locking down dates but everyone behind the scenes at YMC and YMA have worked hard to get everything in line. I’m so thankful for their efforts as I’m taking my family with me, so it’s been more complicated than my trip to Sugo last year. I have been training here in Australia in preparation for the season ahead and things are beginning to ramp up as our departure gets closer. We will be based in Hamamatsu, close to Yamaha’s head office and test tracks and we are all looking forward to experiencing the Japanese way of life. The one constant is that I will be racing on a Yamaha YZ250F, which is a bike a love racing and proud to showcase in the All-Japan Nationals. I’m proud to be given this chance with Yamaha and even more proud to extend an already successful relationship not just between myself and Yamaha but also Yamaha Australia and head office in Japan.”

2022 All Japan Motocross Championship Calendar

Round Date Location
Round 1 April 9 and 10 Kyushu, Kumamoto
Round 2 May 14 and 15 Kanto, Saitama
Round 3 June 11 and 12 Cyugoku, Hiroshima
Round 4 July 16 and 17 Sugo, Miyagi
Round 5 September 10 and 11 Kinki, Nara
Round 6 October 8 and 9 Kyushu, Kumamoto
Round 7 October 29 and 30 Kanto, Saitama
Round 8 November 11 and 12 Sugo, Miyagi 

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FIM Hard Enduro adds Junior World Cup

New for 2022, the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will feature a dedicated FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Cup to recognize and help promote young, rising talent within the sport, introducing a Junior category open to riders under the age of 22 (on January 1) will be introduced

The Junior class will be fully integrated into the Pro category, with riders racing side-by-side with the world’s best Hard Enduro riders, on the same tracks at the same time.

Keeping the selected rounds in Europe for 2022 will help to keep costs down and make participation more affordable for the primarily European-based Junior competitors.

For the inaugural season, the series will have the status of being the FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Cup, with a plan to elevate it to the FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship in the future.


Josep Garcia joins 2022 GNCC for opening three rounds

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia will kick off his 2022 season by competing in the first three rounds of this year’s AMA Grand National Cross Country Series in North America. The young Spaniard will also take the opportunity to train with riders in the U.S. before returning to Europe and shifting his focus back to the FIM EnduroGP World Championship, which begins in May.

Josep Garcia
Josep Garcia

With their mass starts and three-hour duration, GNCC races are very different to the special test format of the EnduroGP World Championship. However, Garcia has shown in the past, including his two years contesting the WESS World Championship, that he’s more than capable of adapting his riding to unfamiliar conditions and challenges.

Josep Garcia

“After many years, I have finally got the chance to go to the United States and race in the GNCC. The plan is to compete in the first three rounds before returning to Europe for the Spanish and World enduro championships. It’s been a long-standing goal of mine to do some GNCC races and this year, thanks to KTM Factory Racing and KTM USA, I will fulfil my dream. At the Six Days last year, a lot of the American riders encouraged me to race the series, and now I’m really looking forward to doing some three-hour cross-countries. Winter training for me has gone very well. We have made some improvements to the bike in Italy with the team, and I definitely feel good and ready for a new challenge. There’s no pressure, so the plan is to go over there, try my best, and enjoy it.”

Josep Garcia lifting the EnduroGP trophy in 2021

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KTM Junior Racing Team 2022 line-up revealed

Kyle Harvey will join returning riders Kayden Minear, Jet Alsop and Cooper Ford on the official KTM Junior Racing Team for season 2022.

This year marks the fourth term with the team for Western Australian Minear. The 15-year-old will race the 125 SX and 250 SX-F at national and state level, while again contesting the ultra-competitive MX3 class in the Australian ProMX Championship. Minear finished third in the shortened MX3 series last year and is now eager to find the top step of the podium.

Kayden Minear

“I’m stoked to be back as part of the KTM Junior Racing Team. My ambitions are to go a little bit better in the MX3 class and to look at racing another Australian Junior Motocross Championship — hopefully, come away with a couple more Australian titles. It’s clear to see KTM is the best brand and being supported by the best manufacturer gives me added confidence entering the upcoming races.”

Kayden Minear

Three-time Australian junior champion Alsop will also be astride the 125 SX and 250 SX-F this year as he steps up to his first year racing the MX3 category in ProMX. The highly-rated teenager will also line up behind the gate at the Australian Junior Motocross Championship later this year, as well as a range of state-level events.

Jet Alsop

“I’m just super-excited to be riding for KTM again. It’s the best junior team in Australia, for sure. I would just love to get the best results I can and to make KTM proud again. With the KTM bike, we’ve got that peace of mind that we’re on good equipment and we can get a good result.”

Jet Alsop

Tasmanian talent Ford continues his association with the KTM Junior Racing Team this year, with the 13-year-old stepping up to the 13-U16 Years 85cc division and the two-time 65cc national champion will be one to watch as the season progresses.

Cooper Ford

“I’m super-excited to return to the KTM Junior Racing Team for 2022. Now stepping up to my 85 big wheel, I’m looking forward to a full year of racing, finishing up with the Australian Junior Motocross Championship. Riding a KTM just gives you an awesome feeling – they’ve got such good power, handling and everything.”

Meanwhile, KTM Junior Racing Team newcomer Harvey will be on the 85 SX at both the national and state level. The young Queenslander is no stranger to the top of the podium, with consecutive junior state titles across both Queensland and New South Wales. Harvey will also have his eyes on the number one trophy at the junior nationals in Rockhampton.

Kyle Harvey

“I am so pumped and excited to be a part of the KTM Junior Racing Team. I was blown away when I heard the news and will be forever grateful for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to 2022 and can’t wait to hopefully compete in the Australian titles later this year. I have a great support team who always push me to be my best. I‘ve worked so hard for this and I plan to work even harder, but just as importantly, have fun along the way. I can’t for the gates to drop!”

The KTM Junior Racing Team will continue to receive support from KTM Genuine Parts, KTM Powerparts, KTM Powerwear, Motorex, Troy Lee Designs, Dunlop, Kustom MX, ODI Grips and Funnelweb Filters through the 2022 season.


Royal Enfield’s Build.Train.Race returns to AFT in 2022

Now in its third year, Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. program, which fosters women riders in building their own Royal Enfield race-ready motorcycles and provides guidance and training throughout an entire race season, returns for the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track season.

Build. Train. Race. participants each receive a Royal Enfield INT 650 motorcycle which they design and modify into their own unique race bike. Crew Chief Erik Moldenhauer will work with the riders, providing technical advice and support throughout the build and race portions of the program while Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield racer Johnny Lewis will help provide on-track training.

Royal Enfield INT 650 (Interceptor 650)

Seven returning riders will be joined by eight new participants, growing the Royal Enfield BTR presence in the Progressive American Flat Track paddock to 15 racers over last season’s nine.

2022 BTR Flat Track Roster
  • Jaycee Jones, 23, Fallbrook, California
  • Lana Macnaughton, 32, Nampa, Idaho
  • Gabrielle Hughes, 24, Akron, Ohio
  • Nean Kiskela, 41, Portland, Oregon
  • Jillian Deschenes, 33, Otsego, Minnesota
  • Malary Lee, 31, Buda, Texas
  • Erin Ferris, 31, Graham, Washington
  • Anna Serena, 36, Miami Beach, Florida
  • Stephanie Pietz, 35, Mesa, Arizona
  • Kaiela Hobart, 28, Bremerton, Washington
  • Zaria Martens, 18, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin
  • Alex Bumpus Mcdonald, 33, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
  • Makenna Hiatt, 22, Camano Island, Washington
  • Moriah Hummer, 35, Fort Collins, Colorado
  • Mia Reese, 28, Woodstock, Illinois

Along with the team roster, the BTR Flat Track schedule increases in scope. On the heels of last season’s four-round circuit, the BTR program will visit seven Progressive American Flat Track venues in 2022.

Racing will begin at the Mission Foods Volusia Half-Mile in Barberville, Florida, March 10, for “BTR Select,” which will invite returning riders, and new participants who have their builds complete, to compete in an exhibition race.

The first BTR Flat Track full-grid event will be the I-70 Half-Mile in Odessa, Missouri (April 23), after the entire field have completed their race bikes and training.

2022 Royal Enfield BTR Flat Track Schedule
Round Date Event Location
Round 1 Mar 11 Mission Foods Volusia Half-Mile I Barberville, FL
Round 2 Apr 23 I-70 Half-Mile Odessa, MO
Round 3 Jun 11 Laconia Short Track Loudon NH
Round 4 Jul 16 Mission Foods Port Royal Half-Mile Port Royal, PA
Round 5 Aug 06 Black Hills Half-Mile Rapid City, SD
Round 6 Sep 24 Cedar Lake Short Track New Richmond, WI
Round 7 Oct 15 Mission Foods Volusia Half-Mile III Barberville, FL

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Wally Brown Racing signs James Rispoli for AFT 2022

Last month, WBR announced it was developing a KTM 890 Duke with plans to field it in a limited schedule in the Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines class.

James Rispoli

Rispoli earned the 2020 Mission Production Twins championship on the strength of seven wins and four runner-ups and returns to the class following a season competing in the premier Mission SuperTwins category.

Wally Brown – Wally Brown Racing

“James is a great match for us this year. Testing is a critical part of building this race machine. We sought a rider that understands data and how it fits into a race program. With James’ extensive background in racing, we feel he is going to be a great asset to the team. Not to mention that he is a Production Twins Champion who has proven he can win on the track.”

James Rispoli

“I am really looking forward to working on this new project. After meeting Wally and learning more about his plan for 2022, I knew I wanted to be part of it. With his extensive background in four-wheeled racing, and my varied experiences on two wheels, we should make a great team. It’s going to be a lot of work, but with the support of Wally, and his team I am hopeful we will make great progress in a short period of time.”

Development is well underway of the Wally Brown Racing KTM 890 Duke with plans to debut at the Mission Red Mile I & II.

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AFT’s Grumpy Old Men Racing signs Brandon Price and Tyler Scott

GOMR (Grumpy Old Men Racing) has signed Brandon Price to compete in the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle class aboard an Indian FTR750 for the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track season.

Brandon Price– Image Scott Hunter

GOMR – which previously competed as BriggsAuto.com Racing – will continue to be overseen by Johnny and Sarah Goad with mechanical assistance from Tom Draina and Caylee Goad, while Russ and Illene Briggs will provide the resources to back the operation.

Price’s aggressive style and tremendous work ethic – supported by veteran tuner Johnny Goad – promises to make GOMR a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming season.

GOMR will also field rising star Tyler Scott in the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER class. Scott – the reigning MotoAmerica Junior Cup champion – will run a limited Progressive AFT schedule in conjunction with his road racing efforts.

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Husqvarna’s Brian Bogers dominates Hawkstone Park MX

The Hawkstone Park MX has provided an opportunity for a number of MXGP riders to stretch their legs, ahead of the season kicking off, with Brian Bogers proving the man to beat, topping the MX1 class ahead of Glenn Coldenhoff and Thomas Kjer Olsen.

Brian Bogers

Bogers won MX1 Moto One by a huge margin, ahead of Coldenhoff and Harri Kullas. Moto Two saw Brent Van Doninck win, ahead of Thomas Kjer Olsen and Shaun Simpson, with Bogers down in seventh, but the finish awarding enough for the overall win.

Brian Bogers – P1

“It was not a bad day! I started fourth and worked my way into first in the first moto, so that was really good. It was unfortunate that I crashed in the second moto, so I was only seventh on a track that was very hard to pass on. I was pleased to salvage an overall victory in MX1! Overall, it was a good day. I am happy with my riding and hope that we can do our very best this season.”

Brian Bogers

MX1 Overall

  1. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 39 pts
  2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 37 pts
  3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (KTM) 35 pts

MX1 Moto One

  1. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 29:37.465
  2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 29:52.221
  3. Harri Kullas (Yamaha) 29:56.284

MX1 Moto Two

  1. Brent Van Doninck (Yamaha) 29:17.915
  2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (KTM) 29:23.576
  3. Shaun Simpson (KTM) 29:34.558
    … 7. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 30:10.149

In MX2, it was Conrad Mewse who topped the event, ahead of Kay de Wolf and Tom Vialle, who were tied on 42-points, a single-point off the leader.

MX2 Moto one saw Isak Gifting claim the win from Vialle and de Wolf by five-seconds, while Moto Two was dominated by Conrad Mewse, with de Wolf runner up and Vialle third, for tight points at the top.

Kay de Wolf – P2

“Today was a good day! I had a little crash after the start in the first moto and had to make my way through – it was quite difficult. We had a little stop for a goggle change too! I still got third, so I knew that the speed was there. I made a few mistakes in the second moto, but still managed to finish second in the race and overall. It was a pretty good day and good practice that we can learn from.”

Kay de Wolf
Tom Vialle – P3

“Better than Lacapelle, and good to get into the sand for a race. I had two great starts. I struggled with some arm-pump in the first moto and couldn’t really ride my speed but the second moto was much better; I only lost the overall win on the last lap when I was stuck behind a backmarker. Anyway, the result was not critical here. It was important to work on the bike and we had some difficult riding conditions. I think we made a big step. It was good training and next week we will start the season for real.”

Tom Vialle

MX2 Overall

  1. Conrad Mewse (KTM) 43pts
  2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 42 pts
  3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 42pts

MX2 Moto One

  1. Isak Gifting (KTM) 29:31.044
  2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 29:36.360
  3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 29:37.220

MX2 Moto Two

  1. Conrad Mewse (KTM) 29:10.939
  2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 29:12.833
  3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 29:14.364

The Super Final meanwhile saw Coldenhoff win by 2.5s, from Ben Watson and Bogers, who were separated by less than a second.

Ben Watson – Super Final P2

“We have three races under our belt now and can look forward to the opening GP next weekend. I feel we have made progress each week, particularly with the starts; I’ve been riding a little tight in the first moto each week with arm pump, but that was a lot better today and I ended up the day on a high note.“

Ben Watson
Super Final
  1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 31:42.672
  2. Ben Watson (Kawasaki) 31:45.108
  3. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 31:45.976
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Matt Moss dominates Arenacross Round 2

Matt Moss has extended his lead at Swan Hill Arenacross Round 2, this time taking a clean sweep of all three races to claim 75-points, which he adds to his tally of 72-points from Round 1. As at the earlier round, Brett Metcalfe proved his closest competitor, with Joben Baldwin wrapping up the top-three in the AX1 Expert class.

Matt Moss topped the Arenacross Round 2 podium ahead of Metcalfe and Baldwin – Image Instagram (Matt Moss)

Race 1 saw Moss claim the win from Metcalfe by 0.452s, with Baldwin a more distance third, with the rest of the field at least a lap in arrears. Race 2 saw an even more dominant performance from Moss, this time winning from Metcalfe by 6.289s, while Baldwin closed down the gap to the leaders to 27s. Race 3 was Moss’s third win of the night, this time leading Metcalfe over the line by 2.373s, while third placed Baldwin was 38s off the lead.

The AX1 Expert results for Round 2 saw Moss leave with 75-points, Metcalfe on 66, and Baldwin on 60. Completing the top five was Elijah Wiese (52-points) and Cory Watts (50).

Blake Fox topped the AX2 Expert class meanwhile, with three wins from three races, ahead of a consistent Liam Andrews (66-points) and Wilson Greiner-Daish (60), who took second and third in each race respectively. Mackenzie O’Bree (54) and Caleb Goullet (43) completed the top five for the event.

In the AX Vets class we saw another sweep, by Brad Kennedy, winning all three races from Kane Scanlan who ran 2-2-2. Michael Dorman was third on 52-points, finishing 3-4-5, for a two-point buffer over Jacob Dimsmey whose seventh place finish in Race 1 meant third in races two and three wasn’t enough for the round podium. Michael Anthony completed the top five, racing 5-5-4.

AX1 Expert results

Pos Competitor Total R1 R2 R3
1 Matt Moss 75 25 25 25
2 Brett Metcalfe 66 22 22 22
3 Joben Baldwin 60 20 20 20
4 Elijah Wiese 52 18 18 16
5 Cory Watts 50 16 16 18
6 Allister Kent 35 14 13 8
7 Jack Pengelly 32 12 9 11
8 Max Closter 32 13 12 7
9 Rielly Lynch 31 6 11 14
10 Scott O’Connor 31 9 10 12

AX2 Expert results

Pos Competitor Total R1 R2 R3
1 Blake Fox 75 25 25 25
2 Liam Andrews 66 22 22 22
3 Wilson Greiner-Daish 60 20 20 20
4 Mackenzie O’Bree 54 18 18 18
5 Caleb Goullet 43 15 12 16
6 Ashley O’Meley 41 13 13 15
7 Brock Ninness 41 16 15 10
8 Kallam Orchard 36 12 11 13
9 Troy Mora 35 14 9 12
10 Jake Robb 31 10 10 11
11 Royce Anell 28 14 14
12 Taylor Thompson 27 11 16

AX Vets results

Pos Competitor Total R1 R2 R3
1 Brad Kennedy 75 25 25 25
2 Kane Scanlan 66 22 22 22
3 Michael Dorman 54 20 18 16
4 Jacob Dumsmey 52 12 20 20
5 Michael Anthony 50 16 16 18
6 Kane McQuarrie 45 15 15 15
7 Salvatore Germano 40 14 13 13
8 Daniel Phillips 39 13 14 12
9 Jason Skiel 37 11 12 14
10 Camron Robertson 31 9 11 11
11 darcy Lewis 30 10 10 10
12 Craig Rutherford 18 18

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King of MX qualifiers run in Hastings Valley and Leeton

King of MX qualifiers have run over the weekend, in Hastings Valley and Leefton, giving riders an opportunity to win a golden ticket to the main vent which will be held in Wagga Wagga, over the June long weekend.

There’ll be three more qualifiers offering opportunities into the main event, at Clarence, Moree and Appin, with King of MX encouraging riders to get their entries in early.

Korey McMahon swept the Hasting Valley results in the MX1 A-Grade class, ahead of Joel Evans and Zhane Dunlop, with Geoff Wallance, Nic Frayne and Colby Campbell running fourth through sixth respectively.

Brandon Steel topped the MX2 A-Grade category, ahead of Zac Zadravec and Korey McMahon, while the MX3 class saw Connor Towill the top performer, sweeping all three races ahead of Hunter Collins and Rory Fairbrother.

The MX Store Cup saw Matthew Prott take the win, from Brad Mercer and Christian Giudice, while Sienna Giudice topped the MXW, and Andrew Meldrum was top Vet.

At Leeton we saw James Davison top the MX1 A-Grade from David Thynne, with Davison also topping the MX2. Liam Jackson took a three-point victory after three races in the MX3, from Byron Dennis and Angus Pearce in third.

Matthew Kehlet swept the Vets class with three wins from Daniel Darby and Adam Beck, while Keira Collins was top MXW competitor, from Samantha McAurthur and Julie Collins.

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Alex Adamson wins Victorian 250 cc Speedway Solo Championship at Mildura

Alex Adamson has wrapped up the Victorian 250 cc Speedway Solo Championship title in Mildura over the weekend, taking the Final win from Noah Grabham after a night of close racing, with Brock White third and Ash Jansen fourth.

Sam Masters meanwhile won the Jason Lyons Solo Trophy 500 cc Final.


Standing Construct Husqvarna set for MXGP 2022

Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing will represent the brand in the MXGP World Championship in 2022, with Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers competing aboard proven FC 450 machinery.

Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing – Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers

The team looks to build upon its highly positive 2021 term in the MXGP World Championship which brought multiple podiums and top-five results for both riders.

Pauls Jonass

“We’re not far away from the new season which is really exciting and moving over to race on Husqvarna machinery again, I really feel that 2022 will be a great season for myself and the whole team. Being able to stay with the Standing Construct team is perfect for me as we put in a lot of hard work before last season, and I know that this will give us a solid foundation going into 2022. We have goals to achieve together and I think that what we have built up over the last year will make a big difference this year. This off season has been really short and a lot of hard work has been done in preparation for the first round. With the team we have been really busy adjusting to the new bike and so far, everything has been positive and I felt comfortable on the FC 450 right away. Overall, I’m super excited for 2022 and I can’t wait to get started.”

Pauls Jonass
Brian Bogers

“I’m really excited for the new season. The move over to Husqvarna machinery has not been a big change and the Standing Construct Husqvarna team has provided me with an amazing bike, just like they did last year. We’re going back to a two-day format for GP weekends in 2022 which is another positive change for me as there will be a lot more track time to really dial in the bike for each round. It’s not too long until the new season starts and I’m really excited for round one at Matterley Basin. The Standing Construct team is amazing and feels like a family to me, so this will for sure help me to achieve my goals. In 2021 I claimed many top-five results so my goal for 2022 will be to be up front and inside the top five more consistently. With this team and my new bike I’ve no doubt that I can achieve this.”

Brian Bogers
Tim Mathys – Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager

“We are really proud that we have the confidence of Husqvarna Motorcycles to officially represent the brand in MXGP. As they are one of the pioneers of offroad bikes with such a great history and reputation, it’s a really exciting new chapter for the team. We have enjoyed a great two years running the GASGAS program in MXGP and I think we did a good job with winning an MXGP round and getting several podiums, but now being responsible to represent Husqvarna in the biggest motocross championship in the world is another huge honour. With Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers, we have two riders who have proven to be able to ride inside top five in MXGP, and with their age I think the extra experience from the past season will make them even stronger in 2022. Both riders feel very comfortable within the team and we are very happy with their professionalism, so that’s a good base to keep working from. We will keep the same crew for the new season. Everyone is very experienced, and they have all been working together for many years. With Wim van Hoof overseeing the team I am convinced we have one of the most capable teams in the paddock so I look forward to 2022 with lots of confidence.”

Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing – Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers

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Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP teams break cover

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams are revved up and ready to get the new season underway. Back with a familiar yet strong line-up in 2022, both teams are looking fit, fast and motivated for the new MXGP season, which will kick off at the spectacular Matterley Basin venue in Winchester, England, next weekend.

Reigning MX2 World Champion Maxime Renaux has moved up from the 250cc class, MX2, to the 450cc class, MXGP. The 21-year-old ‘Power Rookie’ was drafted into the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team at the end of 2021 and is poised to race a YZ450FM inside the premier class alongside his new teammates Jeremy Seewer and Glenn Coldenhoff.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 line-up

Last year was one for the history books for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team, as they enter their 25th year in blue this season. The team won their first-ever MX2 World Championship with Maxime Renaux in 2021 and became the first-ever Yamaha team to secure the gold and silver medals inside the MX2 World Championship in the same season. As a result, Yamaha also successfully defended the Manufacturers’ world title.

Back for more in 2022, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team has retained its young stars Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Duffy update | Junior Speedway | Internazionali D’Italia | Lacapelle Marival

Regan Duffy injury update

While competing in round six of the Western Australian State Motocross Championship held at the Shrubland MX Park last October, KTM Racing Team’s Regan Duffy was involved in a significant incident where he was impacted by multiple bikes during the first lap of the opening MX1 race.

Regan was treated by medical staff at the track before being airlifted to a local hospital where he was placed in an induced coma to stabilise his condition. He was then transferred by air to a hospital in Perth, where on arrival, Regan underwent major surgery.

Regan Duffy

Now, four months later, he has shared an update on the experience and where he is as of now.

Regan Duffy

“Hey everyone. I haven’t been the most transparent person throughout the course of this injury but who can blame me really. I just haven’t felt like I was ready to let everyone know some of the details as it’s a bit confronting I suppose. So I’ll dive straight in.

“On October 17 2021 I was involved in a freak accident at the final round of the state championships in Western Australia in which another bike ran me over unintentionally due to my front wheel being taken out from someone else. The race got red flagged (cancelled) and the medics along with close family and friends rushed to my aid. Straight away they noticed I wasn’t right as I was not responding and was coughing up a lot of blood (I was dying).

“The medics did all they could and the helicopter was called but it was unable to land due to certain circumstances so I was placed in an ambulance and rushed to Bunbury regional hospital. I had torn the Aorta off my heart and was bleeding out on the inside along with collapsed lungs. Among some other injuries. Bunbury hospital did all they could giving blood transfusions to me through the blood bags and clamping the artery on my heart that was damaged.

“My Dad and family were advised that I was in a stable condition and should start driving to Royal Perth hospital. As I was put into the helicopter my condition worsened dramatically I went into a state of traumatic cardiac arrest and was losing blood rapidly. I unfortunately had a traumatic stroke also where I sustained a hypoxic ischaemic brain injury. I’m led to believe I was brought back from death multiple times on that flight. One doctor telling my dad it was the worst flight in his life.

“I landed into Fiona Stanley Hospital (yes they sent my dad and family to the wrong hospital) and went straight into critical care in the ICU. I was put into an induced coma and they split my sternum open and did open heart surgery putting in artificial stents and the like. It was eight days before I woke up again. Following that I spent multiple more weeks in the ICU continuing to recover. I had many doctors and nurses baffled at how I had survived let alone not been disabled or have permanent damage to parts of my body.

“The doctors told my dad I would be in hospital for a minimum of six-months but with sheer will power and wanting to prove the doctors wrong along with my loved ones beside me everyday I refused to believe it and was home in four weeks. I did however suffer from pneumonia a couple weeks into being home and had to get my lungs drained of a serious amount of fluid.

“Since being home I have just been working on my left arm and hand as it was totally paralyzed from my stroke. Now fortunately after a lot of hard work I’m down to trying to regain the fine motor skills in my hand which is proving to be the most difficult part of the arm. I’m still waiting to be fully cleared of my heart but did recently get cleared of a large blood clot I had in my arm which is great.

“Now the question on everyone’s mind. ‘Will you race again?’

“You can bet that I am going to try because I’ll never give up on the sport I love! I have slowly been getting more seat time on my pit bike and electric bike. I’m feeling stronger each time. Less than two months after the accident I had my first roll around on the pit bike which was a bloody good feeling haha. Anyway I’m really looking forward to posting some photos and videos of me getting out there on my play bikes and most of all in the future jumping back on my big bike! So much love for all my family, friends and supporters. #RD72”


2022 Graham Baker Shield nomations open

Nominations are now open for the 2022 Graham Baker Shield, held each summer at Sidewinders U16 Junior Speedway.

The Memorial Shield honours Graham Baker who, along with Roy Bitmead, had the vision and foresight to build a stand-alone junior speedway track and club (Sidewinders) more than 40 years ago in Wingfield, and will come to life on Saturday, February 19th.

With the U16 125cc Australian Championship to be held on the same track this coming April, this will be one of the last chances to have a serious hit out before hand – so this meetingis one not to miss!

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2022 American Flat Track to stream on Facebook

Following the announcement of a new television broadcast agreement with FOX Sports, Progressive American Flat Track has announce that fans will be able to watch all 18 rounds of action live on Facebook during the 2022 season.

It all came down to the Charlotte Half-Mile in AFT
AFT to stream practice and qualifying for free on Facebook in 2022

Livestreaming coverage on Progressive American Flat Track’s Facebook page will be free of charge up until Opening Ceremonies, allowing fans to watch Practice and Qualifying at no cost.

Fans can then purchase access to watch Opening Ceremonies, Semis, Main Events and podium celebrations via Facebook Paid Online Events for $3.99 (USD) if purchased 24 hours or more in advance, or $4.99 if purchased on the day of the event.

2022 American Flat Track Calendar
DATE EVENT
March 10, 2022 Mission Foods Volusia Half-Mile I
March 11, 2022 Mission Foods Volusia Half-Mile II
March 19, 2022 Mission Foods Texas Half-Mile
April 23, 2022 I-70 Half-Mile
May 28, 2022 Mission Foods Red Mile I presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington
May 29, 2022 Mission Foods Red Mile II presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington
June 11, 2022 Laconia Short Track
June 25, 2022 Lima Half-Mile
July 2, 2022 Mission Foods New York Short Track
July 16, 2022 Mission Foods Port Royal Half-Mile
July 30, 2022 Peoria TT
August 6, 2022 Black Hills Half-Mile
August 13, 2022 Castle Rock TT
August 20, 2022 Law Tigers Sacramento Mile
September 3, 2022 Springfield Mile I
September 4, 2022 Springfield Mile II
September 24, 2022 Cedar Lake Short Track
October 15, 2022 Mission Foods Volusia Half-Mile III
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2022 FIM Hard Enduro calendar confirmed

It’s all systems go for the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship with an eight-round championship now confirmed for 2022, including three new venues and the return of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. You can see the schedule below.

WESS Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble Rnd Start
Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble

It’s worth noting that while initially included in the provisional 2022 schedule, it was decided not to include Poland’s HERO Challenge in the final calendar. After listening intently to competitors, teams and fans, while working closely with event organisers, it was agreed to omit the race from the calendar. The goal is to return in 2023 with a much tougher and extreme version that matches its championship counterparts. The event will go ahead in 2022, though without FIM Hard Enduro World Championship status.

2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship schedule

Round Event Location/Date
Round 1 Minus 400 Israel, April 5/6/7
Round 2 Xross Serbia, May 18/19/20/21
Round 3 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo Austria, June 16/17/18/19
Round 4 Red Bull Abestone Italy, July 9/10
Round 5 Red Bull Romaniacs Romania, July 26/27/28/29/30
Round 6 Red Bull TKO USA, August 13/14
Round 7 Red Bull Outliers Canada, August 27/28
Round 8 Hixpania Hard Enduro Spain, October 7/8/9

2022 ProMX Round 2 entries open

Entries for the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores are now open for Round 2 at Mackay, Queensland scheduled for 10th April 2022.

Due to a number of classes being oversubscribed in 2021 and for Round 1, riders are encouraged to enter early in order to avoid disappointment.

Australian ProMX Championship – Image by RBMotoLens

Entries are available via RiderNet (link) or a link can be found via competitor info on the ProMX website, closing Sunday 3 April at 11:59pm.

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Charli Cannon joins Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team in 2022

16-year-old female motocross sensation, Charli Cannon, will join Rhys Budd and Alex Larwood on the Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team and contest the Women’s division during the 2022 Pro MX Championship.

Charli Cannon

The Sunshine Coast based Cannon, a four-time national junior girls champion on 85 and 125 cc machinery, graduated to the senior division late in the 2021 season and is determined to keep her climb up the ladder at a rapid rate as she pits herself against the best female riders in the country for the three round championship scheduled for Wonthaggi, Gilman and Coolum throughout the year.

Charli Cannon

She will also contest selected rounds of the MX3 championship (14-17 year old) at the Pro MX.

Charli Cannon

“I was so excited to get this offer from the Yamalube Yamaha Team and have a major team support me in racing. Mike and Nash have gone above and beyond to support me and I’m really looking forward to getting the season under way. Having the support of the team has taken a weight off the shoulders of my family but I also understand the responsibility that comes with it. The hard work begins now as Yamaha and the Yamalube team have invested in myself, and I want to reward them for it. My bike is awesome, and my pre-season is going well. We have some local races to contest in the coming weeks before the opening round of the Pro MX Women’s class starts at Wonthaggi in late March.”


Jeffrey Herlings undergoes heel surgery

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has completed a surgical process to fix a broken heel bone in his left foot due to a mishap while riding in Spain on Monday January 31.

Jeffrey Herlings

The Dutchman organised travel back to his home in Belgium and after consultation, underwent surgery performed by Dr Stefaan Verfaillie (who worked on his previous ailment in 2019) to insert several screws and a supporting plate to fix the damage.

For the full details see:
MXGP Champion Jeffrey Herlings has foot surgery after practice crash


Hero Motosports Team Rally adds Ross Branch to line-up

Hero MotoCorp – has further strengthened its rider line-up by bringing onboard leading international rider, Ross Branch.

A top athlete and a trained commercial pilot from Botswana, Ross Branch is a three-time South African Cross Country Champion and a seven-time winner of the Botswana 1000 Desert Race – earning the nickname ‘Kalahari Ferrari’.

Ross Branch – Hero MotoSports Team Rally

“I am thrilled and extremely honoured to be joining a team that’s making the headlines for all the right reasons. I’ve been tracking the growth of Hero MotoSports for the last couple of years, and have often been amazed at how quickly this young team has made it to the top league. I’m joining the team at a great time, and I hope I’ll be able to do my best to deliver great results. I look forward to riding alongside some of the best and promising riders in the sport, who are also my good friends. I thank Hero MotoCorp for putting their faith in me, and I consider it a great honour to be representing the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters at some of the world’s toughest races!”

Ross Branch
Ross Branch
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SDM Team Corse’s 2022 line-up and livery breaks cover

Betamotor has announced the renewal of its partnership with SDM Team Corse, with Jeremy Van Horebeek and Alessandro Lupino campaigning their RX 450 machines in MXGP. Here’s a look:

Jeremy Van Horebeek

Jeremy Van Horebeek

Alessandro Lupino

Alessandro Lupino

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Grabham crowned at NSW U16 Junior Speedway

By Peter Baker

A new champion in Noah Grabham was crowned and others left disappointed after the running of the M & K Eklund Transport New South Wales Under 16 Speedway Championship at the Central Coast Junior Motor Cycle Club track at North Somersby last Saturday.

Noah Grabham and Beau Bailey – Image by David Lamont

The weather held off and the track staff worked wonders to allow some of the country’s best junior speedway riders to turn on an enthralling programme of races.

At the end of a meeting that produced plenty of close and exciting racing there was a dramatic championship decider, and an outcome that in the eyes of some observers was controversial.

The 20 heat races decided the top three riders who progressed direct to the A Final – and there were no surprises who that top trio was.

Bathurst rider Noah Grabham finished top on countback with 14 points, after being beaten only in his final heat by Beau Bailey, ahead of Queensland champion Jordy Loftus who lost only to Grabham.

Bailey was next on 13 with a third place behind Loftus and Cooper Antone in his first heat and then four wins.
The next four riders on the scorechart had to contest the cut-throat B Final from which only the winner went in to the decider.

That turned out to be Albury Wodonga rider Cooper Antone who gated brilliantly and host club rider Lachlan Russell could not overhaul him, after both had scored 11 points in their heats.

The other B Finalists were Queenslanders Anika Loftus and Jai Bainbridge who finished in that order.

With the top four riders lined up for the final there was sure to be drama – Grabham led but as Loftus tried an outside pass he actually lost second place as Bailey came through on the inside. As Bailey continued his inside charge there appeared to be some contact with Grabham who ran off the track.

Such happenings always place officials in an awkward position, but they have to make a decision that invariably never pleases everyone.

The decision was that Bailey was excluded with the win awarded to Grabham ahead of Loftus and Antone.
Fans were left rewarded for their patience as track staff turned a saturated surface in to an extremely raceable track that allowed the youngsters to show off their talents, albeit two hours later than the planned start time.

Even among the riders who did not make the finals there is plenty to enthuse about as even the least experienced riders showed enough to suggest that all will progress with coaching as part of the Speedway Experience Coaching programme led by former world No. 3 Craig Boyce.

The U16 NSW Junior Speedway Podium – Loftus, Grabham, Antone

One of the bottom half of the field was the only girl from New South Wales in the line-up, Ruby James from the Kurri Kurri Junior club who received the Encouragement Award at the meeting.

NSW U16 Junior Speedway Final Result

  1. Noah Grabham
  2. Jordy Loftus
  3. Cooper Antone
    1. Beau Bailey (Excluded from results)

B Final

  1. Cooper Antone
  2. Lachlan Russell
  3. Anika Loftus
  4. Jai Bainbridge

Other Scores

  • Lachlan Hawgood 7
  • Sonny Spurgin 7
  • Cooper Freebairn 6
  • Riley Conner 6
  • Billy Brown 5
  • Jacob Adamson 3
  • Bailey Carpenter 2
  • Ruby James 2
  • Dustin Constable 1
  • Preston Craft (Res.0) 0
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Jayden Rykers tops WA State SX over the weekend

Jayden Ryker has won the Berry Sweet Supercross Round 1 over the weekend in the SX1 class, sweeping the four motos from Evan Browne, with Jake Fewster filling out the overall podium. Joshua Bell and Matthew Johns rounded out the top five respectively.

Topping the SX2 was Codey Rowe, who also swept his four races, also winning from Evan Browne, while Jordan Minear was third overall. Steven Fairham and Jack Du Feu were fourth and fifth respectively.

Sonny Pellicano won the Junior Lites, Dean Porter topped the Veterans, and Patrick Butler was top in the 85cc/150cc 12-U16 Yrs class.

Jayden Rykers

“Last minute entry to the WA State Supercross Championship on the weekend. Nothing else can replace the feeling of gate drops! We had four six-lap sprints and the Empire Kawasaki made the job easy with four holeshots and four wins. Thanks @stelios_lia and On Point Moto & Suspension for some suspension changes.”

SX1 Overall

Pos Competitor Total R1 R2 R3 R4
1 JAYDEN RYKERS 100 25 25 25 25
2 EVAN BROWNE 88 22 22 22 22
3 JAKE FEWSTER 75 20 20 15 20
4 JOSHUA BELL 60 14 12 16 18
5 MATTHEW JOHNS 58 16 14 14 14
6 JULIAN CUTAJAR 56 8 13 20 15
7 KYAL GILLESPIE 54 18 18 18
8 CHRISTIAN SILVESTRO 53 12 15 13 13
9 BLAKE KLANJSCEK 49 7 16 10 16
10 ZACH SANDOW 43 11 9 11 12

SX2 Overall

Pos Competitor Total R1 R2 R3 R4
1 CODEY ROWE 100 25 25 25 25
2 EVAN BROWNE 84 18 22 22 22
3 JORDAN MINEAR 76 16 20 20 20
4 STEVEN FAIRHAM 69 15 18 18 18
5 JACK DU FEU 57 10 16 15 16
6 MATTHEW MARSON 57 11 15 16 15
7 JIORDAN GIACOPPO 54 12 14 14 14
8 TRAVIS PITTER 49 13 11 12 13
9 JARRED BOARDMAN 44 7 12 13 12
10 HAIDEN HILLS 42 9 13 9 11

Honda Racing Australia dominate Wonthaggi Open 2022

Honda Racing Australia took part in the Wonthaggi Open this past weekend as they prepare for the Australian Motocross Championship. Riders from the Factory and Ride Red teams competed to better prepare themselves for Round 1 of the Aus-Pro MX which is also held in Wonthaggi.

Factory Honda’s Kyle Webster qualified first and won all three 25min + 1 lap motos aboard his HGS powered 2022 CRF450R.

Kyle Webster

“This was a great hit out for the team. We made subtle changes following each race, learnt a lot and made some improvements. I am happy with where we are at 7 weeks out from round 1 of the Australian Championship.”

Kyle Webster

In the MX2 class, it was newly signed Factory Honda rider Wilson Todd who took the overall win after qualifying fastest out of all riders and classes combined. Completing his first event on the Honda, Wilson displayed extraordinary speed, and hailed the weekend as a success.

Wilson Todd

“My main reason for flying down was for testing and to put in some time on the bike. I am not at full race fitness so taking the overall win was a surprise for me. We are much more prepared with the bike than I thought we would be, and I feel the changes we made over the weekend were positive. We still have an extensive two weeks of testing ahead of us, but I am wrapped where we are at already. My Terrafirma Honda CF250R got me two holeshots and is definitely competitiver.”

Wilson Todd

Emma Milesevic had a great return to racing, winning the overall in the women’s class on board her Factory Honda CRF450R. This weekend she also competed in the Pro MX1 class taking two fourth place finishes.

The Honda Genuine Ride Red Team did exceptionally well this weekend; Campbell Williams won the MX3 class, Brodie Petschauer finished 3rd in MX3, and Ebony Harris finished third in the Women’s class.

Ride Red’s newly sign Liam Andrews was thrilled with his third overall in the MX2 class against some of Australia’s fastest factory riders.

Liam Andrews

Honda Australia Racing’s director Yarrive Konsky was proud of everyone’s efforts.

Yarrive Konsky

“It was a great weekend for all Honda riders. We all worked well together. I was proud of the RIDE RED riders and the factory team made a lot of progress. Everything we learnt this weekend will help us be better prepared for round 1 of the Australian Motocross Championship.”

Round 1 of the AUS-PRO MX championships starts March 27th in Wonthaggi.

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Tim Gajser tops Internazionali D’Italia

Tim Gajser has topped the MX1 and Supercampione classes in the Internazionali D’Italia after two rounds, across Alghero and Riola Sardo in Sardinia.

Tim Gajser

At Alghero, Jeremy Seewer topped the MX1 from Tim Gajser and Ruben Fernandez. However Round 2 in Riola Sardo it was Gajser on top from Jorge Prado and Jeremy Van Horebeek. That left Gajser on 47-points, from Alberto Forato on 36-points and Tom Koch level with Aussie Mitch Evans on 28-points.

2022 Internazionali D’Italia

In the MX class Jago Geerts won in Alghero, from Cornelius Toendel and Jakon Fredriksen, while in Riola Sardo Toendel won from Simon Langenfelder and Hakon Osterhagen. That leaves Toendel on 47-points, ahead of Langenfelder (40-points) and Fredrikson (36-points).

Jago Geerts

The Supercampione class saw Gajser dominate in Alghero, ahead of Seewer and Geerts, while in Riola Sardo it was Gajser winning from PRado and Toendel. As a result Gajser holds 50-points, to Toendel on 34 and Tom Koch on 31.

Jeremy Seewer and Tim Gajser

Internazionali D’Italia Championship Overall
MX1

  1. GAJSER Tim (SLO) 47-points
  2. FORATO Alberto (ITA) 36
  3. KOCH Tom (GER) 28
  4. EVANS Mitchell (AUS) 28
  5. SEEWER Jeremy (SUI) 25

MX2

  1. TOENDEL Cornelius (NOR) 47-points
  2. LANGENFELDER Simon (GER) 40
  3. FREDRIKSEN Hakon (NOR) 36
  4. LAPUCCI Nicolas (ITA) 33
  5. GUADAGNINI Mattia (ITA) 31

SUPERCAMPIONE

  1. GAJSER Tim (SLO) 50-points
  2. TOENDEL Cornelius (NOR) 34
  3. KOCH Tom (GER) 31
  4. LANGENFELDER Simon (GER) 30
  5. FORATO Alberto (ITA) 28
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Ben Watson warms up for MXGP at Lacapelle Marival Masters

Ben Watson and Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP continued their build-up to the up-coming FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship as an impressive runner-up at the Lacapelle Marival Masters in central France.

Ben Watson

With the opening round of the world series just two weeks away and the Lacapelle track surface soft, rutted and unpredictable in the wake of heavy rain during the days before the race the Englishman sensibly avoided any unnecessary risks in the early races.

In the first MX1 moto he quickly moved forward to fifth place before settling into a solid pace which kept the chasers off his rear wheel. The Brit was just inside the top twenty at the start of the second moto after spinning at the gate; staying out of trouble through the early laps he advanced majestically through the pack during the second half of the moto to secure another top-six finish with podium-speed laps to the chequered flag.

Lacapelle Marival Masters

The KRT rider saved the best for last as he showed he is acquiring the start technique for his new mount to round turn one second in the SuperFinal and hound the leader for the entire twenty-four-minute race.

The results saw Watson second overall, behind Maxime Renaux, while Jeremy Seewer was third.

The Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP will complete its pre-season programme next weekend at Hawkstone Park in central England.

Ben Watson

“In the end the track got really technical and it showed in the results; there was just the one main line early in the day and that got really bumpy, deep and choppy so the start was important with not much chance to pass. I rode a little tight in the first race, but that’s normal at this time of the year. It’s the same in training but I get faster throughout the day; it’s nice that the GPs can return to the two-day format this year to get that out of the way. In the second race I just spun on the gate; towards the end I started making moves and was happy with that. I got a better start in the SuperFinal and could follow the leader all moto. Overall it was another positive day; we came here to work and learn and we did just that. Now we head to my “home” race at Hawkstone which will be another good preparation; we’ve had hard pack and ruts here, sand at Hawkstone and three races again.“

Ben Watson

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Moss dominates Arenacross Rnd 1 | Riders talk Anaheim 2


Sunderland celebrates GasGas’s Dakar win in Mattihhofen

The entire GASGAS family congratulated Sam Sunderland on his outstanding performance at Dakar Rally in Mattighoffen in Australia, with history made for the manufacturer in just their third try at the Dakar. For Pierer Mobility AG which includes KTM and Husqvarna, it also marked their 19th title.

Sam Sunderland and the GasGas Team

To celebrate the 2022 Dakar victory in style, Sam Sunderland handed over the trophy at the Headquarters to Stefan Pierer, before riding his winning Dakar bike through various buildings to the delight of all employees.

Sam Sunderland

“It’s incredible to celebrate my Dakar win with everyone from GASGAS, I will remember this day forever. This really was a team effort with so many people at the factory in Austria fully behind the rally program, so it’s amazing to share this special result with all of them. This Dakar win really does feel so much better than my first! It’s my first rally win with GASGAS and things couldn’t have gone any better. The bike worked perfectly from the start, which made things a lot easier, as this year’s race was one of the toughest I’ve ever done. It’s been five years since my first win and with it being such a tight race this year, it makes this victory much sweeter.”

Stefan Pierer – CEO PIERER Mobility AG

“Winning our 19th Dakar Rally title and to bring back the trophy to Mattighofen is a very special moment for everyone here in the company. It clearly underlines our commitment to this very special event and writes a positive new chapter in our incredible Dakar history. Sam’s performance was truly impressive. With the support of the GASGAS team, he managed the race perfectly, fighting hard and using his experience perfectly. This is a result everyone involved in GASGAS can be very proud of.”

Sam Sunderland and the GasGas Factory team
Pit Beirer – Motorsport Director

“Sam has done an incredible job at this year’s Dakar. It was a long fight, with many challenges to overcome, but with the support of the whole Motorsports team he was able to bring the trophy back to Austria. We are so proud of all the hard work the whole GASGAS team have put in to achieve their first Dakar win – it’s an historic victory and hopefully just the first success in what will be a successful year for the brand. When you think about what goes into a race like Dakar – the preparation, the logistics, the trucks, everything that goes on behind the scenes – all of this must come together to claim a win at one of the toughest events on the motorsport calendar. This is another important step in the onward progression of the GASGAS brand.”

Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad

“To win the Dakar Rally is a huge achievement for both Sam and the GASGAS Factory Racing team. We are extremely proud of the victory and definitely thankful to the hard work of so many. Sam did an amazing job, maintaining good speed and consistency at this year’s race, as well as navigating well through every stage to ensure he stayed near the top of the standings. And with such a dedicated team behind him, that performance was rewarded with a win at the world’s toughest rally raid. Congratulations to Sam and the whole of GASGAS Factory Racing.”

Sam Sunderland and the GasGas Factory team

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Riders Talk 2022 AMA Supercross Round Four, Anaheim II

450 Main

Ken Roczen took the early lead ahead of Shane McElrath, Malcolm Stewart and Jason Anderson. Eli Tomac was fifth ahead of Marvin Musquin and Chase Sexton on lap one.

Eli Tomac

Malcolm Stewart moved up to second place on the following lap and then both Jason Anderson, and Eli Tomac, followed by Chase Sexton pushed McElrath further back to sixth.

Jason Anderson was on a charge and took Stewart for second place, two laps later Tomac did the same to relegate to Stewart back to fourth.

Jason Anderson

Jason Anderson reeled in Ken Roczen and the two then collided in the sand resulting in Roczen going down. Roczen was all the way down in 18th place by the time he was back up and running, while Anderson now led the race.

Meanwhile Chase Sexton had moved up to third place after passing Stewart.

Jason Anderson then jumped a little too far through a rhythm section and ran wide which allowed Tomac through to the lead.

Dylan Ferrandis

Tomac then took it home all the way to the chequered flag and now leads the championship by six-points over Chase Sexton, the Honda man finished third tonight.

The second place for Anderson moved him up to third place in the points standings.

Ken Roczen managed to make his way back up to 13th but that was a hefty blow to his title aspirations, the German drifting back to ninth place on the points table. However, things are still pretty tight as he is only 23-points away from the championship lead, and there is a hell of a lot of racing still to go this season.

Supercross next heads to Glendale in Arizona for round five of what is a 17-round championship.

Eli Tomac – P1

“It feels great to get this win. It also feels good to get this win for everyone behind me. The team has been working so hard, and what we’ve been able to do and how we’ve been able to improve each weekend is awesome. We’ve just been inching our way forward and fine-tuning every week, so it feels so good to get everyone that result that we all work for. The track was so cool, with really technical rhythm sections, and my motorcycle was so good tonight. I could put it wherever I wanted to – inside, outside – and it was good for the distance, so that’s exciting for us.”

Eli Tomac
Jason Anderson – P2

“To come away with second tonight was solid. I felt a bit off all day and that led to a few mistakes in the heat race which set me back as far as gate pick. When it came time for the Main Event, I knew I could put it all together aboard my KX™450SR and fight for a win on this track. I made the most of the start and came out of the first turn about fifth. I executed a few really quick passes to get out front and was leading the race until I mistimed that triple-triple line after the finish. I was able to get the rhythm clean the rest of the race and my speed was strong throughout. It’s nice to have a podium finish tonight, I just have a few things to clean up to improve for next weekend.”

Jason Anderson
Chase Sexton – P3

“I felt really good tonight. This weekend the whoops section of the track was unpredictable and had a lot of edges, but I feel like I managed them well. The track was good though. I had fun all day. It was a pretty technical track especially with a long set of whoops and a long rhythm section that was pretty tough. It was nice to have a long lap time and not so many laps in the main event though. My bike felt good all day but it’s an ongoing process; I just have to be better. I stalled my bike once but only lost a second or so. Eli [Tomac] and Jason [Anderson] were riding really good, but I expect to be in the mix with the frontrunners this year. Last year I learned a lot so I’m trying not to make those mistakes I made last year. I want to be on the podium every weekend and racing with these guys. I just have to get better for next weekend.”

Chase Sexton
Dylan Ferrandis – P4

“We had a really challenging track, but I was feeling good on the bike, and the lap times were great all day. I finally got a good start in the heat race, which I was really happy about, and finished third. In the main event, I went on the outside, which wasn’t ideal, but I didn’t really have a nice spot on the inside. It was an okay start, but I got pinched in the first turn and was pretty far back in position. Then I just charged the best I could, made many passes, and finished fourth. The bike is good, and I felt strong in the whoops, so there are a lot of positives from today, but after the podium last week, I wish I would have finished on the box again. This season, the competition is tough, so it’s not always easy. I just gave everything I had, and fourth was my position today.”

Dylan Ferrandis
Marvin Musquin – P6

“I wanted to rebound this weekend and not do what I did last weekend. I was in a decent position off the start and made a mistake, missed a rhythm and lost one or two spots, but I ended up sixth tonight. I had the potential to do a little better but man, it was difficult for me through the whoops, I was losing time there, but the rest of the track I was doing great. Overall, a little bit more consistent Main Event, a little better fight and we move forward to the next round.”

Marvin Musquin
Justin Barcia – P7

“All-in-all, it was a good day. We were having a lot of fun in practice! I felt like it was one of my better practices of the year so far and I was getting comfortable on the bike. I got a really bad start in the Main Event and with how the field is so fast right now, I wasn’t able to get where I wanted to be so seventh was the best finish I could pull off tonight. I’m going to go back to the drawing board, get my starts dialed and we’ll be back in Phoenix and ready to be back on the podium!”

Justin Barcia
Cooper Webb – P8

“Extremely tough night tonight at A2. I didn’t get a great start and I was pretty buried in the pack early on. I was able to make some passes and get up to around seventh, and then ended up falling backwards a few spots. I was able to get back up, make some more passes and ended up eighth. Definitely not a great night at all, but the only thing we can do now is regroup and try to get better for next weekend in Arizona.”

Cooper Webb
Ken Roczen – P13

“Our weekend was a nightmare. I’ve been struggling lately with my bike setup, just not really getting comfortable. It was a tough one for us but we did decent; when nighttime comes, it seems like we always get our stuff together. I got second in the heat race, and we got the holeshot in the main event. Things were going pretty decent. I struggled with the whoops so that was definitely not my strong point; I almost went down there once, and the same lap I got taken down by [Jason] Anderson – unfortunately left the door open. Probably not the right turn for him to put on a pass, but obviously it got me and I crashed pretty hard right there. I had to make a stop after that to get all the sand out of my goggles, and our night was pretty much over after that; I could only salvage 13th place, but we never gave up. We’re quite a few points down. It’s a bummer, but I’m looking forward to next weekend to get some consistency in and do some training and riding; I couldn’t really do that last week. Hopefully we’ll head to Phoenix with a bit more confidence and more riding time under my belt.”

Ken Roczen

450 Main Results

Pos Rider Bike Laps/Interval
1 Eli Tomac Yamaha 20 Laps
2 Jason Anderson Kawasaki +04.619
3 Chase Sexton Honda +06.644
4 Dylan Ferrandis Yamaha +15.997
5 Malcolm Stewart Husqvarna +18.695
6 Marvin Musquin KTM +20.387
7 Justin Barcia GASGAS +35.384
8 Cooper Webb KTM +42.691
9 Dean Wilson Husqvarna +44.500
10 Shane McElrath KTM  +54.115
11 Max Anstie KTM +57.597
12 Brandon Hartranft Suzuki +59.753
13 Ken Roczen Honda +1:00.886
14 Justin Bogle Suzuki +1:12.661
15 Mitchell Oldenburg Honda 19 Laps
16 Kyle Chisholm Yamaha +05.101
17 Alex Martin Yamaha +29.954
18 Josh Hill KTM +30.994
19 Ryan Breece Yamaha +41.038
20 Fredrik Noren KTM 18 Laps
21 Justin Brayton Honda 14 Laps
22 Aaron Plessinger KTM 2 Laps

450 Championship Standings (Round 4 of 17)

Pos Rider Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Rnd4 Total
1 Eli Tomac 17 19 23 26 85
2 Chase Sexton 18 14 26 21 79
3 Jason Anderson 13 26 15 23 77
4 Cooper Webb 23 16 19 15 73
5 Justin Barcia 21 21 14 16 72
6 Malcolm Stewart 16 18 18 18 70
7 Dylan Ferrandis 7 17 21 19 64
8 Marvin Musquin 19 15 13 17 64
9 Ken Roczen 26 10 16 10 62
10 Aaron Plessinger 14 23 17 1 55
11 Dean Wilson 11 13 9 14 47
12 Max Anstie 9 8 11 12 40
13 Shane McElrath 5 9 10 13 37
14 Brandon Hartranft 6 7 8 11 32
15 Joey Savatgy 15 12 27
16 Justin Brayton 10 12 2 24
17 Adam Cianciarulo 12 11 23
18 Mitchell Oldenburg 8 7 8 23
19 Kyle Chisholm 5 6 7 18
20 Alex Martin 6 3 6 15
21 Josh Hill 0 3 5 5 13
22 Justin Bogle 0 1 0 9 10
23 Ryan Breece 1 0 4 4 9
24 Fredrik Noren 3 2 3 8
25 Justin Starling 2 4 0 6
26 Cade Clason 4 0 4
27 Joan Cros 0 2 0 2
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250 Main

Vince Friese and Michael Mosiman got the best starts but Christian Craig was soon on the move and up to third after the first few turns.  Jo Shimoda then took the battle back up to Craig to move back up to that third position. Jalek Swoll and Hunter Lawrence were fifth and sixth respectively at this early juncture.

Shimoda and Craig

Mosiman moved through to the lead as Friese and Craig tussled over second position, after the championship leader had got the better of Shimoda once again. Their battle was allowing Mosiman to break away a little. Hunter Lawrence was now up to  fourth with 12-minutes still left on the shot clock.

Christian Craig eventually broke away from Friese and chased down Mosiman. With five-minutes remaining Craig put a fairly stiff move on Mosiman, the GASGAS rider came back at him at the next turn and could have pushed him over the edge but instead kept his riding clean and stayed in second, that was a pivotal moment in the race.

Hunter Lawrence

Hunter Lawrence was attacking the track while trying to look for a way past Vince Friese for third place with two-minutes left on the clock. Jo Shimoda was not out of that battle either and could capitalise if either Friese or Lawrence make a mistake. The situation was tight with two laps to run.  Friese then went down in the whoops, perhaps succumbing to the pressure from Lawrence, Shimoda then hit Friese as the Kawasaki man had nowhere to go, it was ugly but both men were okay.

Up front Christian Craig had pulled away from Mosiman and that pair looked settled in those 1-2 positions while the incident between Friese and Shimoda had made Lawrence’s third place finish look safe.

Christian Craig

Christian Craig went on to victory and with it extended his championship lead over Hunter Lawrence to 11-points.  With second place Michael Mosiman strengthened his third place on the points table and is now only three-points behind Lawrence.

A great consistent start to the season for Lawrence, who, while not visiting the top step on the podium yet, he has been on the podium at every round so far this season.

Supercross next heads to Glendale in Arizona for round five of what is a ten round 250 West Championship.

Christian Craig – P1

“The day started out pretty good. The track was tricky and slippery, but I kept the ball rolling. I qualified well and then went into the heat race, had a good start, and battled with my teammate a little bit. I had a good ride in that one and was able to take the win. In the main event, I just focused on myself and clicked off my laps. I had a good battle with another rider and ended up passing him. I’m stoked to get my third win of the season and extend my points lead. We’re going to try and keep it going and not change anything; just keep doing what I’m doing.”

Christian Craig
Michael Mosiman – P2

“I’m stoked to be here! It’s not too often that these things happen and when they do, I’m just going to enjoy it. Such a good race with Christian, he’s riding so good – I learned a thing or two from him and I think he learned a thing or two from me. We had clean racing out there and it was an absolute blast! I’m going to enjoy it tonight and work on some things. I look forward to challenging him all year and see if we can get some more wins.”

Mosiman and Friese
Hunter Lawrence – P3

“We had a tough day at Anaheim 2, as we just didn’t have the pace. We were kind of struggling from the get-go – a little behind the eightball from the start; we had our work cut out for us. The track was tough during the main event, and everyone was similar in regards to pace. It wasn’t a track that people got fatigued on at all; it felt like the distance was easy on the track tonight, but the track was rough. It was a tough one, but we’re looking to rebound, come back strong and kick Phoenix off with a bang.”

Hunter Lawrence
Nate Thrasher – P4

“It was a good day overall. We had a good qualifying and a good heat race; I just made a couple of mistakes that kind of cost me the win. I didn’t get the best start in the main event and had to come from behind. I just didn’t get around people fast enough and got a little tight there at the end. It wasn’t my best ride, but I felt like I had the speed tonight for a podium and was maybe even able to fight for a win. It was a tough race, and I did the best I could, but it’s not where I want to be. We’re going to keep fighting and keep working, and maybe next weekend, go for a podium.”

Jo Shimoda – P7

“I had an okay start and quickly moved my way to fifth. Most of the race I was in fifth position and just slowly catching up until late in the race when I could see the podium position right there ahead of me. With only a couple of laps left I was really close to third and then Friese crashed in the whoops, and I collided with him. It’s unfortunate that we both fell, but my riding is improving, and I think we made small improvements overall tonight so I’m looking forward to Glendale next weekend.”

Jo Shimoda

250 Main Results

Pos Rider Bike Laps/Interval
1 Christian Craig Yamaha  16 Laps
2 Michael Mosiman GASGAS +02.948
3 Hunter Lawrence Honda +16.945
4 Nate Thrasher Yamaha +23.396
5 Jalek Swoll Husqvarna +45.865
6 Carson Brown KTM +50.552
7 Jo Shimoda Kawasaki +53.867
8 Carson Mumford Suzuki +56.395
9 Robbie Wageman Yamaha +1:01.748
10 Derek Kelley KTM +1:09.971
11 Dylan Walsh Kawasaki 15 Laps
12 Cole Thompson Yamaha +00.528
13 Mitchell Harrison GASGAS +09.070
14 Logan Karnow Kawasaki +29.284
15 Dominique Thury Yamaha +32.073
16 Hunter Schlosser Yamaha +33.303
17 Justin  Rodbell Kawasaki +42.440
18 Mcclellan Hile Honda +54.119
19 Vince Friese Honda 14 Laps
20 Kaeden Amerine KTM +2m12.603
21 Richard Taylor Yamaha 9 Laps
22 Chris Blose GASGAS 5 Laps

250 West Championship Standings (Round 4 of 10)

Pos Rider Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Rnd4 Points
1 Christian Craig 26 26 21 26 99
2 Hunter Lawrence 21 23 23 21 88
3 Michael Mosiman 17 19 26 23 85
4 Jo Shimoda 16 16 18 16 66
5 Nate Thrasher 11 18 15 19 63
6 Vince Friese 18 17 19 4 58
7 Carson Mumford 13 9 17 15 54
8 Robbie Wageman 15 13 9 14 51
9 Cole Thompson 9 11 14 11 45
10 Seth Hammaker 23 21 44
11 Carson Brown 10 13 17 40
12 Chris Blose 12 14 10 1 37
13 Garrett Marchbanks 19 15 1 35
14 Jalek Swoll 16 18 34
15 Dylan Walsh 6 0 12 12 30
16 Derek Kelley 2 11 13 26
17 Dilan Schwartz 8 12 6 0 26
18 Dominique Thury 14 3 8 25
19 Ryan Surratt 7 7 8 0 22
20 Mitchell Harrison 10 10 20
21 Logan Karnow 5 6 9 20
22 Devin Harriman 1 8 7 0 16
23 Hunter Schlosser 4 5 7 16
24 Dylan Woodcock 4 5 9
25 Kaeden Amerine 3 0 3 3 9
26 Justin  Rodbell 2 6 8
27 Mcclellan Hile 0 0 5 5
28 Brandon Ray 0 4 4
29 Gared Steinke 0 2 0 0 2
30 Richard Taylor 0 2 2
31 Jerry Robin 1 0 0 1

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News Weekly | AX | North Brisbane Cup | Speedway TT | AMA SX

Australian Arenacross hits Bacchus March this weekend

Josh and Jess from Protraxx have devised an event to capture the attention of anyone who likes the worlds of MX and SX in the form of the Australian Arenacross. Whether you’re a Pro, seasoned racer or just a rider who enjoys a bit of fun at the track with your mates – or a family after a fun weekend, they’ve got you covered.

Arenacross is on this weekend, so don’t miss it!

The Australian Arenacross powered by Protraxx will introduce a whole mash of MX racing on manicured tracks some freestyle action, to pit party fun, and with a carnival atmosphere consisting of big extreme rides, trade stands and food trucks.

This event is brought to you by nationally recognised motorcycle track building company Protraxx, who build Australia’s supercross stadium, national and club event tracks.

Josh and Jess, owners of Protraxx noticed there was a gap between motocross and supercoss, and decided to fix the issue, creating bridging event between the two disciplines.

The two have set out to create an ultimate fun event, to help close that bridge while increasing the safety for our country’s riders entering the supercross. This event is recognised by MA as a national series.

For more information head to www.australianarenacross.com.au (link)


Weale nabs North Brisbane Cup victory as event returns to calendar

After a two-year hiatus the North Brisbane Cup has returned in 2021, with Cyshan Weale topping the 450 Open results from Jarred Brooke in a weekend of action packed racing.

2022 North Brisbane Cup

For the full report see: Cyshan Weale wins 2022 North Brisbane Cup


Kurri Kurri Speedway TT Masters #1 run and won

The Kurri Kurri Speedway Club has run their TT Masters #1 event over the weekend, as the first ever full-on dirt track race meeting to be held at the venue.

A feature of the afternoon/evening race meeting is the inaugural All Stars Discipline Showdown. Two riders from six motorcycle racing disciplines will compete on MX dirt bikes in three back-to-back six lap races with a compulsory on-track pit stop between races 1 and 2 as well as between races 2 and 3.

Michael Kirkness and Paul Caslick topped the All Stars Discipline Showdown, collecting 116-points as the Dirt Track entry. Tied on points in second was the Off-Road team of Beau Ralston and Kodi Stephens, as well as the Speedway team of Sam Masters and Josh Pickering.

Josh Whitehead and Caleb Clifton represented motocross in fourth, ahead of Danny Anderson and Craig Anderson (Supercross), with the Road Racing duo of Tom Edwards and Jack Passfield seventh.

The individual top three saw Ralston win from Kirkness and Pickering.

In the MX 450 class, Ben Grabham has the perfect weekend with three wins for 75-points, with Seth Qualischefski second on 66-points, and Jacob Richardson and Kurtis Tydd typing in third on 50-points.

Top of the MX 250s was Sam Masters on 68-points, going 1-1-4, with Tom Edwards and Tom Drane tied on 58-points in second. Danny Anderson took fourth as a result on 56-points.

Daniel Wicks won the MX Open final, ahead of Josh Whitehead and Caleb Clifton.

Topping the Cobra Bushman class was Eric Smaller from Josh McCosker and Zac Campbell, while Cameron Dunker won the Junior 250s from Cody Lewis and Levi Stephens. Sam Drane swept the Junior 85 class from Lachlan Russell and Zac Brady.

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Mario Roman wins 2022 Ales Trem Hard Enduro

The Ales Trem Hard Enduro returned to action over the weekend and saw 500 racers line up for the event in Southern France, kicking off the season with every rider taking two runs of the Xtrem Sprint Test, with Wade Young looking strong.

It was Alfredo Gomez who topped the Saturday prologue, which ended the day under lights, with plenty of challenges including a bent gear level at one point, before passing Romans for the win.

A long Sunday of racing would be the deciding factor however, with the Alex Trem truly earning the name of hard enduro, with just three riders eventually finishing the day.

The top three were Roman, Young and Gomez who led through the first two two-hour laps, posting the fastest time, with nightfall adding further challenges that saw the final lap take three hours to complete.

Disaster also struck for Wade Young who ran out of fuel just short of the fimish while battling for the lead, which allowed Roman to run away with it, while Gomez also snuck past for second place. That regulated Young to third, but still being able to lay claim to being one of the few finishers.

The result further cemends Mario Roman’s title as most successful Ales Trem rider, ahead of Jonny Walker and Graham Jarvis, neither of whom competed this year.

2022 Ales Trem Hard Enduro Results

Pos Rider Final Checkpoint
1 Mario Roman 18:16
2 Alfredo Gomez 18:26
3 Wade Young 18:30
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Harley Club of Victoria Junior Come & Try Day

The Harley Club of Victoria is running a Junior Come & Try Day at Broadford on February 5, at 8:00 am, offering beginners looking to get into the sport or more experienced riders wanting to kick off their season some time on track a chance to get out there.

The cost of entry is $40, with no need for a day licence and Harley Club Members who bring a friend who has never tried it before will get to ride for free.

Bikes larger than 150 cc need to run a trials rear tyre and there will be a canteen open for food, drinks and of course coffee. Sign on runs from 8-9 am before riding commences. For more information head to The Harley Club of Victoria’s Facebook page (link).


2022 ProMX Round 1 entries now open

Entries for the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores have opened for Round 1 at Wonthaggi, Victoria scheduled to run March 27, 2022.

Australian ProMX

Due to a number of classes being oversubscribed in 2021, ProMX are encouraging riders to enter early in order to avoid disappointment, with entries available via RiderNet or a link at competitor info on the ProMX Website. Entires will be closing Sunday March 20, at 11:59 pm.

As of January 20, 2022, as directed by Govt and Health Authorities, the venue can only permit entry for all personnel who are double vaccinated. Proof of double vaccination or a medical exemption is a requirement for entry.

Entries are capped at 48 for all classes, excluding MX3 which is capped at 60, and will close for each round at 11.59pm the Sunday prior to the round. The fastest 40 competitors from qualifying will be eligible to start each race. The next two fastest competitors will be reserves. The reserves, if not used, and any competitors who fails to qualify, will have their entry fee refunded minus an administration fee of $100.

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Speedway Sidecar Championships shift location for 2022 Titles

After recent changes to the timeframe for the reopening of Western Australia, the venue for the 2022 Australian Speedway Senior Sidecar Championship and the 2022 Australian Speedway Junior Sidecar Championship has had to be changed to ensure the event can go ahead.

2021’s champions: Mark Plaisted and Ben Pitt – Image by Judy Mackay

The scheduled date of April 16th and 17th remains unchanged.

The event will now move to South Australia (Gillman Speedway) with the Speedway Riders Association of South Australia set to become the new event promoter. Motorcycling Australia thanks Club President Ivan Golding and the members of the Speedway Riders Association of SA for their prompt and generous offer to take on the event for 2022.

The club has a proud history of hosting the Speedway Sidecar titles at Gillman Speedway and has done so four times in the past 15 years: 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2017.

April 16th – Qualifying (for both Snr and Jnr if required)
April 17th – Race (for both Snr and Jnr)

  • Venue: Gillman Speedway
  • Promoter: Speedway Riders Association of SA
  • Contact: Club President – Ivan Golding [email protected] 0417 138 378
  • The titles will return to Western Australia in 2023 on the 8th – 9th April (The 2023 Easter long-weekend).
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AMX Superstores throws support behind Australian MX Invitational

The AMX Superstores Australian Motocross Invitation is set to take place at the Nowra Speedway on February 19-20, featuring two marquee Motocross events. Saturday will witness the AMX MotoX Skins Motocross Invitation Only line up of Australia’s best Motocross riders competing for over $20,000 in prize money.

Sunday will see the AMX MotoX Future Stars event, showcasing the best junior Motocross riders compete on the purpose-built Motocross track.

The rider line up is soon to be announced but fans can expect to see the best go head to head. The Motocross events will be accompanied by Monster truck madness action on Saturday and Sunday plus a demolition derby to conclude the motorsport weekend on Sunday afternoon.

Tickets to the events are expected to sell out with the decision to cap crowd numbers allowing fans to have additional space between fellow guests. Tickets to the event can be purchased via MAPevents.com.au


Harley-Davidson contingency for flat track 2022 revealed

Harley-Davidson is stepping up its support of flat track and road racing competitors for the 2022 season with cash contingency programs totaling more than $500,000 available for qualified racers.

Harley-Davidson will offer contingency opportunities for racers competing in two classes on the 18-event 2022 Progressive American Flat Track series, the most prestigious and competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing in the world.

Harley-Davidson has committed $225,500 in contingency funds for qualified riders competing in the premiere Mission SuperTwins class, and $195,500 for qualified riders competing in the AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines class.

Harley-Davidson contingency for flat track 2022 revealed
Harley-Davidson contingency for flat track 2022 revealed

Harley-Davidson contingency will pay first to 10th place in each class plus a championship bonus – $20,000 for Production Twins and $50,000 for Mission SuperTwins.

The season opens with the Mission Volusia Half-Mile doubleheader, March 10-11, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. Terms and conditions apply; please see Progressive American Flat Track for full details, eligibility requirements and deadlines.

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Factory Honda Australia team up with HGS

Australia’s Factory Honda Team will be powered by HGS in 2022 under an all-new partnership that will see the championship winning team racing running HGS exhaust components.

HGS Exhausts

HGS was formed in 1988, and founder Henri Gorthuis gained valuable experience and insight working in the world motocross championship.

Henri Gorthuis – HGS Founder

“I worked with John van der Berk in the early 80’s before moving to White Power. I was always working with motorcycles. My father had built exhausts for BSA in the 60’s and 70’s and it was something that interested me. Now my son is involved with the company and together we work on growing HGS throughout the world.”

Performance is at the heart of HGS and this is why Team Director Yarrive Konsky choose HGS, “We tested their range of exhaust systems before making the decision. We don’t comprise performance. We had our Engine builder in America testing with HGS and we also tested in Australia. It was unanimous. Their products perform,” he explained.

HGS Exhausts

Australian Champion Kyle Webster has already experienced success with HGS, he was also involved in the initial testing.

Kyle Webster

“Its always very cool to be involved in testing new product. I started testing the product on the all new CRF250R. HGS did their homework, the overall power was improved, and it improved top end and low end power. On the 450 it was surprisingly good. The standard 450 is fast, you don’t need a lot more power, but the HGS compliments the motor. The connection is great, there is a little more everywhere and it revs out longer, but its smooth. I was pumped with the holeshots we achieved on my way to our maiden win at the AMX MX OPEN last year.”

For more information on HGS in Australia go to the HGS Exhaust Systems Australia website (link).


Will & Levi Campbell to Firepower Honda for 2022

Factory Honda Australia’s team owner Yarrive Konsky has signed Australians Levi and Will Campbell to their newly formed amateur program in America.

Levi and Will Campbell have been racing and training in America since 2016. Team owner Yarrive Konsky first noticed the two riders when he visited MTF in 2019.

Yarrive Konsky

“There are several Australian riders training at MTF, and I am encouraged to see the level of talent coming out of Australia. Levi and Will and several other Australian riders are doing what they need to do to pursue a career in racing. Will achieved outstanding results this year in the Mini O’s with several top fives.”

Since 2016 Levi and William have been trained by Colleen Millsaps and Bryan Johnson.

Will Campbell

“When Yarrive spoke to my parents I was super excited. The success he has achieved with other juniors in Australia is unreal. He has also trained at MTF and its cool to have someone that understands what it takes, plus the teams new manager Martin (Davalos) is one of the best riders and I think I can learn a lot from him also.”

Will Campbell
Will Campbell

Levi, the elder of the two was happy that their efforts had been noticed and is excited to race for the Firepower Honda team.

Levi Campbell

“The success Yarrive has achieved in America in two short years is awesome. His team has top 5 finishes in the 250 pro class and have been on the podium in the 450 class. In Australia he has the most winningest team in Supercross in the past 10 years. I grew up watching the juniors that rode for him in Australia. Mosig, Phillips, Williamson, McNeil, Berwick, Cachia, he has helped so many and I am excited to learn from him, Martin and Jordon and Jarrett. Being at MTF I have watched Martin for years; he is one of the best riders in America and has over 20 podiums and many career wins. Knowing that he wants to do this gives me confidence that we are doing something right. I already have learnt so much by just watching him, and I can’t wait to learn more from him and the team.”

Levi Campbell
Levi Campbell

Troy Campbell the father of Levi and Will is happy that the work his boys have been putting in has been noticed and appreciates the support Yarrive is providing.

This is the team’s first foray into amateur racing in America and their focus will be the Supercross Futures, Lorretta Lynn’s and the Mini O’s. For more information go to www.firepowerhonda.com

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Strang and Snodgrass lead Kawasaki GNCC line-up

Kawasaki Team Green has revealed their Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy race team in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, fielding former GNCC champion Josh Strang in the XC1 class aboard the KX450X, alongside his championship contending teammate Lyndon Snodgrass in the XC2 class aboard a KX250X race machine. With the Australian duo back, Kawasaki is poised to continue a long and successful racing relationship with Team Babbitt’s.

Josh Strang

“I’m really excited to get the 2022 race season started this February. Knowing I have such a passionate and supportive group of people that have my back the way everyone at Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green does, makes it easy to give them my all every day. We’ve put a lot of time into our testing this off-season and have gotten the new KX450X set up even better than before. It’s going to be a good year, I can’t wait!”

Josh Strang
Josh Strang

Also returning to the Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green race team are proven GNCC champions Joseph Cunningham and Grant Davis. Both Cunningham and Davis are prepared to battle with the best off-road racers in the GNCC series while piloting the 2022 KX250X motorcycle.

The race team’s new season will once again take place at the fast and wide-open course at Big Buck Farms in Union, South Carolina, on Saturday, February 19, 2022.

Lyndon Snodgrass

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Corey Texter returns to AFT with G&G Racing for 2022

Reigning Production Twins Champion Cory Texter will return to the G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing team for the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track season.

Cory Texter - 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile I
Cory Texter – 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile I

Texter will compete for G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing for a fourth consecutive season, with two Mission Production Twins championships (‘19 & ‘21) and one class runner-up (‘20) earned in their three previous campaigns. Last season, he scored seven wins and 11 podiums en route to an 85-point championship margin.

G&G Racing is a father-and-son-owned team based in Southern California that is supported by Yamaha Racing. Team owners John and John ‘LJ’ Gronek are pleased to have Texter officially back on board for the upcoming season.

LJ Gronek

“We are thrilled to have Cory back for another year, this will be our fourth season together, and we have really developed a great relationship. We look forward to defending the #1 plate. Cory works hard and never quits. And we work hard to provide him with the best Yamaha MT-07s possible to allow him to do his best.”

Texter has been onboard the Yamaha MT-07 for three years and is confident heading into the 2022 season.

Corey Texter

“I have been pretty quiet this offseason regarding my plans for 2022. I wasn’t sure what the plan was, honestly. We waited around for the rules package to be announced, and along with my team and sponsors, we made the decision to race another year in the Mission Production Twins class. We had a great 2021, but looking at some of our results, I feel like we have a lot of room to improve, and we will see where that puts us for the future. I bought an MT-07 practice bike that G&G Racing built for me that I will be able to test this winter, which is something that I feel will really benefit our program. I am enjoying the process and eager to continue training hard as we get ready to get back at it in a few short months.”

Corey Texter (centre) on the Sacramento Mile II podium in 2021

Roof Systems of Dallas, Texas, will once again be a major supporter of Texter, along with Mission Foods, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties, McElroy Packaging, Kicker Audio, Motul USA, Bell Helmets, Fredericktown Yamaha, Klock Werks, Motion Pro, Alpinestars, AIM Sports and Mike Butler Racing.

Cory will bring the fans behind the scenes this season via a new YouTube series produced by Taylor Treadwell. The series will show lifestyle and race related videos from Texter’s endeavors with his family traveling the country racing in the Progressive American Flat Track series. Find the Cory Texter Racing channel and subscribe to follow the updates.

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Moss wins Stadium MX | Tungate tops Darcy Invitational

2022 ProMX supplementary regulations

The Supplementary Regulations for the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores (ProMX), are now available to download on the ProMX website on the competitor info page and Team app, in preparation for the 2022 season.

Australian ProMX returns in 2022

ProMX artwork for Jerseys and Number Plates is also displayed on the ProMX Website on the competitor info page as well.

It is a condition of entry that each bike in the championship must run the series Penrite ProMX logo header on the front number plate, and competitors who choose not to run the Penrite ProMX Logo will not be permitted to participate in the round.

All competitors will also be required to run an ProMX Logo on their jerseys. The required placement is on the upper torso area. The .eps version of logo are available on the website. The logo must be a minimum of eight centimeters wide by three centimeters high.

Competitors who choose not to run the ProMX Logo while contesting a round of the Championship forfeit their right to any prize money.

Rider Number applications are open and lists are available on the competitor info page of the website and team app. It is the riders responsibility to confirm their number was carried over from 2021, please check the 2022 ProMX Rider Number Allocation document to ensure this has been completed. Riders must have a reserved number to compete in the 2022 Championship.

Round 1 entries are opening soon, stay tuned.

Australian ProMX Championship – Image by RBMotoLens

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Dakar 2022 run & won: Next stop Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

The Dakar was the opening round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) for the RallyGP riders and has come to an end after 12 stages in which those riders fought to get their hands on the famous Bedouin trophy, as well as earning the first points towards a ranking that will continue to take shape in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in March, followed by the Kazakhstan Rally in April, the Andalucía Rally in June and, finally, the Rallye du Maroc in October.

Sam Sunderland
Sam Sunderland

16 bikers signed up for the W2RC in the RallyGP category. Credit where credit is due: Sunderland leads the Championship with 38-points, ahead of Quintanilla with 30 and the reigning world champion Walkner, with 24.

Adrien Van Beveren, runner-up to Walkner in 2021 and fourth in the Dakar, picked up 20-points. The competition is still wide open after the first round of the 2022 season. Kevin Benavides is dead last, with a single point to his name, after his engine gave up the ghost in stage 10 of the Dakar.

Honda can find solace in the constructor ranking after letting the Dakar title slip away. It now tops the leader board after placing its four motorbikes in the top 10. The Japanese maker has accumulated 47 points, while GasGas got 38 exclusively from Sunderland’s performance. KTM is nipping at their heels with 36, while Sherco is fourth with 14, one length ahead of Hero with 13 and Husqvarna with 9.

Toby Price
Toby Price

In the Rally2 competition, Mason Klein holds the pole position in the battle for the World Cup with 38 points to Camille Chapelière’s 30. Bradley Cox spent many days in second place, but a crash sent him plummeting down the standings. Alfie’s son is fifth with 17 points. Another Frenchman, Romain Dumontier, is third with 24 points, while Jan Brabec is fourth with 20.

In the fight for the Junior title, Mason Klein (38 points) will come up against Bradley Cox (30 points) and Konrad Dąbrowski (24 points). Jean-Loup Lepan (20 points), Mike Wiedemann (17 points) and Leonardo Tonelli (15 points) are also favourites, bringing the number of promising young riders up to six.

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Riders talk AMA Supercross Round 2
2022 Monster Energy AMA SX RingCentral Coliseum Round 2

Report by Trevor Hedge – Images by Jeff Kardas

450 Main

Adam Cianciarulo scored the holeshot ahead of Shane McElrath and Ken Roczen when the gates dropped for the 450 Main.  Roczen lost positions to Jason Anderson and Justin Barcia early on the opening lap.

Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Jeff Kardas

Jason Anderson moved up to second place to make it a Kawasaki 1-2 as he chased Cianicarulo.  Aaron Plessinger moved past fellow KTM rider McElrath to take third place with 18-minutes still left on the shot clock. Barcia split the KTM men to move up to fourth place, while Roczen was sixth ahead of team-mate Sexton and new Yamaha signing Tomac.

Aaron Plessinger
Aaron Plessinger – Image by Jeff Kardas

With just under 17-minutes remaining Roczen ended up in the tough blocks and his CRF450R on the deck. By the time he was back up and running he was outside the top ten, all the way down in 14th place. The German only managed to improve on that by one place at the flag, a disappointing 13th place finish for the Factory Honda rider.

Ken Roczen – Image by Jeff Kardas

Meanwhile Jason Anderson had moved past Cianciarulo to take the race lead. Two laps later Plessinger pushed Cianciarulo further back to third place.  Two more laps and Cianciarulo was down to fourth after being passed by Barcia, a lap later Tomac also went through to push Cianciarulo further back to sixth. The Kawasaki man clearly struggling as the race progressed with his recovering shoulder and continued to lose places before eventually finishing 12th.

With seven-minutes left on the shot clock Plessinger was chasing Anderson hard, the gap was 1.8-seconds.  Barcia was a further four-seconds back in third, and Tomac equidistant in fourth.

Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac – Image by Jeff Kardas

Anderson responded to the challenge though and with three-minutes left his lead was back out to over four-seconds while Barcia was closing on Plessinger to try and challenge the KTM man for second place. Tomac was fourth, Malcolm Stewart fifth and Ferrandis sixth.

At the last lap flag Anderson was maintaining his four-second buffer over Plessinger, who in turn now had more breathing room over Barcia. And that was how they finished, Anderson a clear winner over Plessinger and Barcia.

Eli Tomac set the fastest lap of the race on his way to fourth ahead of Malcolm Stewart, Dylan Ferrandis, Cooper Webb and Marvin Musquin.

Dylan Ferrandis – Image by Jeff Kardas

Chase Sexton was the first Honda home in ninth ahead of Dean Wilson and Joey Savatgy.

Justin Barcia will take a three-point lead over Jason Anderson and Cooper Webb to San Diego next weekend.

450 Rider Quotes

Jason Anderson – P1

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a win, but I never stopped believing in myself. I always knew I could be back up here on the top step, I just needed to put it all together. The track was tricky tonight with how beat up it got, but I feel super comfortable on the KX450SR and that was a huge factor in getting across the finish first. There are a lot of races left and I hope to stay here fighting for wins throughout the season.”

Jason Anderson – Image by Jeff Kardas
Aaron Plessinger – P2

“The opening round was a little rough for me but I re-grouped and had a really good week with the team. We did some testing with the whole crew and spent some time at the track and man, did it turn things around. I’m stoked! This is my second podium ever in the 450 class and I can’t thank these guys enough. It’s my first year on this bike, so I’m stoked on Red Bull KTM and everybody out there. Thank you!”

Justin Barcia – P3

“I was just riding my race and having fun out there. I got a little tight in the middle but I was able to regroup. I saw Eli coming so I knew I needed to put the hammer down and I really wanted those two in front of me but they rode awesome, AP and Jason. I want to dedicate this race to Fed [Ryan Fedorow], he unfortunately passed away last week, so this is for him and I feel like he would be proud of me tonight. I can’t thank the whole team enough. We’re going to keep coming up here, it was fun tonight!”

Justin Barcia – Image by Jeff Kardas
Eli Tomac – P4

“Overall, it was a good day with a really good qualifying result and a great heat race. It was a good track all day, and I enjoyed riding it and racing it. We worked on starts all week, and I was able to put myself in a good position in the heat race and got the win. I was feeling really good going into the main event. I was a little bit farther back on the start but made some good passes early on, and I was doing everything I could to push, but I couldn’t quite get to the podium spot. I made big improvements from the first round, and I know we’ll get there. It’s just a matter of fine-tuning at this point.”

Eli Tomac – Image by Jeff Kardas
Malcom Stewart – P5

“I think the night was actually kind of quiet for me, I’m stoked on the way I’ve been riding but starts are holding me back a little bit. It’s part of racing and we can take what we’ve learned from here and move forward. We’re still in a really good position for points so I’m stoked on that and just the whole program I’ve been on, I’ve never had this much fun! It’s only the second race and I feel like I’ve been racing for so long. The whole vibe and happiness has been great, so I’m looking forward to another great week.”

Malcom Stewart – Image by Jeff Kardas
Dylan Ferrandis – P6

“I felt good all day. We had a really good lap time during practice, but we got a really bad start in the heat race and had to fight my way up to fifth. Then in the main event, I got a little better start, but it was still not very good. I had another big fight to come back to the front and gave everything I had to come back to sixth. I think I could’ve got a top-five finish, but I made a mistake and missed a big double on the track, so I lost a lot of time. I closed the gap to fifth and finished on their rear wheel, but it was not enough. We’ll take this; it’s better than last weekend for sure, but it’s not really where we want to be. Step-by-step, we need to move our way up each race.”

Dylan Ferrandis – Image by Jeff Kardas
Cooper Webb – P7

“Tonight was a tough one, to say the least. I came down with a cold yesterday and fought through it the best we could today but definitely didn’t feel great at all. Practice went pretty good with third but I just tried to save as much as I could for the Main Event. I had a terrible start in the main and I made my way forward as best I could. It was definitely tough battling the sickness but I’m going to get healthy this week and go into San Diego with a fresh body and fresh slate. As far as the championship goes, we’re still in a good spot so we’ll see where it ends up.”

Marvin Musquin – P8

“In the heat race, I didn’t get a good start and unfortunately it didn’t work out. In the Main Event, I was on the outside gate and I actually had a better start but it was difficult in the first few laps mid-pack. I got a little bit better after four or five laps and I was trying to attack Cooper but I started tightening up and I didn’t keep that momentum until the end. I know I need to do better, so we’ll work on some things this week.”

Marvin Musquin – Image by Jeff Kardas
Chase Sexton – P9

“Round 2 in Oakland started off good; the first couple of qualifying sessions were good and then everything kind of went downhill. Ken and I got together in the final session and both of us went down pretty hard. After that, I actually ended up winning my heat race but besides that I kind of just felt uncomfortable in the whoops and with the track in general. It was a tough day for me, but I’m hopeful for a better finish in San Diego. I’m excited to get back to work this week and get ready for next weekend.”

Dean Wilson – P10

“Overall, tonight was better than the first round, I got a good start in the heat race but I rode tight out there. In the Main Event, I didn’t get a great start but I ended up getting 10th. It’s not what we want but only can keep striving to be better and fight with those guys to get to the next step I need to be.”

Adam Cianciarulo – P12

“This was another challenging weekend for us, but we have a number of positives to take away from it. I got out to two holeshots and was feeling comfortable up front early in the Heat Race and again in the Main Event. I did the best I could with my situation tonight and that’s what I’ll continue to do each day going forward. We are still on track with our goal of getting healthier every week and progressing back to full form as the condition of my shoulder improves.”

Adam Cianciarulo
Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Jeff Kardas
Ken Roczen – P13

“Not really much to say about Oakland. I feel like the day already started off kind of weird and we weren’t really feeling that great on the track, but we did the best we could. Chase [Sexton] and I went down pretty dang hard in the last qualifying practice. I got really lucky that nothing worse happened, as Chase kind of used my head as a whoop! It all happened so quickly and it was ultimately just me going down and falling into the wrong spot. The heat race was decent; I got second there. Going into the night show I put everything aside and tried to stay calm. We got off to a decent start, but I was probably around fourth or fifth and just struggled in the whoops; we’re just not good enough in them and we have to get better. That was a spot that bit me again, and after that there really wasn’t that much I could do. I finished 13th, but I’m going to keep my head up and charge hard again next weekend.”

Ken Roczen – Image by Jeff Kardas
Brandon Hartranft – P16

“In the main event I didn’t really have that strong of a start, but I fought hard through the whole race. I got into 16th and just tried to put in as many solid laps as I could, especially for how gnarly that track was. One of the sets of whoops – I’ve never seen a goat trail down the middle so deep! – I personally like it when the track’s beat like that. That’s when I feel like I ride my best. I’m working hard and the team’s working hard and I want to show more potential and better results.

Adam Enticknap

“The dirt was super tacky, it was just absolute traction everywhere. In heat one I didn’t ride like I wanted to ride, but I learned the lines. In the LCQ, got a great jump out of the gate, it was awesome. I poked it in there coming into the first corner, then passed into third on the first lap. A few laps in another rider came across the track and just took me out, up over the hay bales. I’m not really sure what was going on considering we were in third and fourth. That ended my night. I wish I could have that LCQ back. I’m looking forward to a great stadium and a great city next weekend.”

450 Main Results

Pos Rider Bike Laps/Interval
1 Jason Anderson Kawasaki KX450SR 21 Laps
2 Aaron Plessinger KTM 450 SX-F  +03.366
3 Justin Barcia GASGAS MC 450F +06.165
4 Eli Tomac Yamaha YZ450F +09.919
5 Malcolm Stewart Husqvarna FC 450  +13.951
6 Dylan Ferrandis Yamaha YZ450F +14.779
7 Cooper Webb KTM 450 SX-F  +16.649
8 Marvin Musquin KTM 450 SX-F  +34.013
9 Chase Sexton Honda CRF450R +37.714
10 Dean Wilson Husqvarna FC 450  +48.582

450 Championship Standings (Round 2 of 17)

Pos Rider Rnd1 Rnd2 Points
1 Justin Barcia 21 21 42
2 Jason Anderson 13 26 39
3 Cooper Webb 23 16 39
4 Aaron Plessinger 14 23 37
5 Ken Roczen 26 10 36
6 Eli Tomac 17 19 36
7 Marvin Musquin 19 15 34
8 Malcolm Stewart 16 18 34
9 Chase Sexton 18 14 32
10 Joey Savatgy 15 12 27
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250 Main

Jo Shimoda scored the holeshot in the 250 Main on the Pro Circuit Kawasaki to take the early lead from Christian Craig, Vince Friese, Seth Hammaker and Michael Mosiman.  Hunter Lawrence was sixth at the end of lap one but already had his work cut out for him in his quest for a podium.

Jo Shimoda

Shimoda stalled the KX250F late on the second lap, which allowed Craig to sweep through to the lead and push the Japanese rider back to second place. Shimoda recovered to fend off Friese who then made a mistake and fell back to sixth place as Hammaker moved up to take third, Mosiman fourth and Lawrence fifth.

Shimoda then made a mistake in the whoops two laps later and went down. By the time he got going again he had been relegated all the way down to ninth.

Michael Mosiman also made a mistake and lost a number of positions, allowing Hunter Lawrence to capitalise and move up to third place.

Meanwhile Christian Craig was unflustered up front and led by six-seconds with nine-minutes remaining.  Hammaker was second, and Lawrence a further three-seconds behind in third place but with four-seconds over fourth place Nate Thrasher.

Lawrence chased Hammaker hard and was in position to capitalise when the Kawasaki man made a small mistake in the whoops with just over two-minutes left on the shot clock.  Once past, Hunter pulled away to take a strong second place.

Hunter Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence

Christian Craig the dominant victor, the Yamaha man backed things off in the final laps but his winning margin was still more than five-seconds to make it two-from-two so far in AMA Supercross 2022.

Michael Mosiman was fourth ahead of Nate Thrasher and Vince Friese, while Jo Shimoda recovered from his early mistakes to claim seventh place.

AMA Supercross will reconvene next weekend in San Diego.

250 Rider Quotes

Christian Craig – P1

“The day was solid. I qualified first and then backed it up in the heat race and then got off to a good start in the main. I was second-place, and then the guy in front of me stalled it, so I made the pass and just never looked back. It was a pretty basic win, but it was nice to score my first back-to-back win. I was coming off a good weekend at Anaheim 1 and then had a good week at the practice track. So I came in here with confidence and just rode like I did last week, and like I do at the practice track every week, which is basically just having fun, and it’s been showing in my riding lately. It’s great to start the season off like this. I have a great support group and people that push me every day to be where I am. I’m really looking forward to my hometown race in San Diego next weekend, so let’s keep it going.”

Christian Craig
Christian Craig
Hunter Lawrence – P2

“Oakland wasn’t a bad night; we got second overall. Still, I’m definitely a bit frustrated. I had a few more laps than last weekend to work on Seth [Hammaker], and we had a good battle. He was riding really well in the beginning, so I had to keep just pushing through. My start wasn’t ideal, so we’re going to be working on that this week, but we’re fit and healthy. Next weekend we’re moving on to San Diego, so hopefully that will be a good race.”

Hunter Lawrence
Seth Hammaker – P3

“Now that I’ve been on the podium twice this year, I’m not satisfied with second or third, I want that win and we’ll be working hard for it. Last week I was able to minimize the mistakes, but I just had a few moments on Saturday that cost me some time. I’m really looking forward to going to San Diego. It has always looked like a cool stadium with a tighter, technical track.”

Seth Hammaker
Michael Mosiman – P4

“It was so good to be back at my hometown race in Oakland representing NorCal, the fans were awesome! It was a fun weekend with the team and a lot of really good racing. I’m a little disappointed with the result but I’m focusing on the positive. I had great speed, my race craft has significantly improved from years past and I think I am one of the best – if not the best – guy in the whoops and that feels good. If you don’t consider the finishes, it’s been fun to mix it up with the guys and I look forward to replicating some of that heat race magic in the main. It’s coming soon, I think everyone knows it and I look forward to the upcoming races.”

Nate Thrasher – P5

“I rode well all day; I’ve just got to work on my starts. It was a solid fifth-place, but I feel like I should’ve been on the podium. I came from the back and got up to fourth but got a little tired. I’m ready to go back to work. I feel like the speed’s there to be second and try and sneak in a win on Christian; he’s riding so well. We’ve just got to get a start and put ourselves in a situation to win, and right now, we are not doing that. Let’s go back and have a good week of training and keep swinging next week.”

Jo Shimoda – P7

“There were a lot of positives that we had in Oakland, but I wasn’t able to get the result I know we are capable of. It’s frustrating, but at least I know there are things that can be adjusted. The start was awesome and I felt good. I just made a mistake that cost me a good result. We know what we can work on this week and we’ll be ready for San Diego.”

Jo Shimoda
Carson Mumford – P14

“The day was a struggle for me. It was my first-time racing in Oakland. I had a big crash in the first practice but was okay and ended up getting sixth in my heat race. In the main I was in eighth and crashed. I had to pull into the mechanics area to get my throttle fixed before going back out, so only caught back up to 14th.”

250 Main Results

Pos Rider Bike Laps/Interval
1 Christian Craig Yamaha YZ250F 16 Laps
2 Hunter Lawrence Honda CRF250R +05.698
3 Seth Hammaker Kawasaki KX250 +09.954
4 Michael Mosiman GASGAS MC 250F +14.809
5 Nate Thrasher Yamaha YZ250F +23.244
6 Vince Friese Honda CRF250R +40.386
7 Jo Shimoda Kawasaki KX250 +49.493
8 Garrett Marchbanks  Yamaha YZ250F +52.899
9 Chris Blose GASGAS MC 250F +54.645
10 Robbie Wageman Yamaha YZ250F +58.012

250 West Championship Standings (Round 2 of 10)

Pos RIder Rnd1 Rnd2 Points
1 Christian Craig 26 26 52
2 Hunter Lawrence 21 23 44
3 Seth Hammaker 23 21 44
4 Michael Mosiman 17 19 36
5 Vince Friese 18 17 35
6 Garrett Marchbanks 19 15 34
7 Jo Shimoda 16 16 32
8 Nate Thrasher 11 18 29
9 Robbie Wageman 15 13 28
10 Chris Blose 12 14 26

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Riders talk Anaheim SX opener | Dakar | MX

13-rider GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing Team ready for 2022

Now in its 15th year as a lynch pin in Yamaha Australia’s national racing program, Yamaha Junior Racing continues to produce not just results but high-quality riders who have gone onto achieve much bigger things in racing. With a state’-based coach and mentor, Yamaha Junior Racing works closely with the rider and the families to ensure each rider gets the attention and focus they need and fast track their development.

Jake Rumens
Jake Rumens

GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing also receives significant support from a range of companies that have continued to invest in junior racing for some time. Alongside Yamaha, Yamalube and GYTR sit quality brands like Dunlop, Scott, Just 1, DID chains, JT Sprockets and NGK Sparkplugs.

Pat Martin
Pat Martin

With riders able to join YJR at the age of eight on a YZ65, they can pass through each division as they progress to the YZ85, the all new YZ125 and the class leading YZ250F at the age of 16.

Jobe Dunne
Jobe Dunne

Then with the structure of Yamaha professional race teams, riders can move through WBR Yamaha, Yamalube Yamaha, Serco Yamaha to the pinnacle in Australia, The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team. Even now three riders who have progressed from YJR are working with our professional teams in the last two years.

Kayd Kingsford
Kayd Kingsford

The 2022 rider line-up remains relatively unchanged as the last two years have been super successful for Yamaha Junior Racing riders, despite the covid issues. Over 25 state championships won in 2020 and 2021 means the line up is already strong and developing nicely.

Heath Davy
Heath Davy

The riders for 2022 are Deegan Fort and Jake Rumens from Western Australia, Wil Carpenter and Ryder Woodrow from South Australia, Jay Jennings and Angus Pearce from Tasmania, Pat Martin and Jobe Dunne from Victoria, Heath Davy, Kayd Kingsford and Seth Burchell from New South Wales, Jake Cannon and Kobe Drew from Queensland.

Jake Cannon
Jake Cannon

No other manufacturer can offer or invests in the junior segment of the sport and Yamaha’s long term and consistent approach has made it the team of choice for all up and coming riders.

Scott Bishop – Yamaha

“Yamaha Junior Racing continues to be the leader in emerging motocross talent in Australia with the most comprehensive package to offer riders and families. Over the past 15 years, many riders have successfully passed through Yamaha Junior Racing and gone onto bigger and better things both nationally and internationally and tis something we will continue to strive for in the future. Motocross is a great sport and can present many experiences and opportunities to hard working riders and we will continue to work closely with riders and families to assist them in achieving their goals, both as a person and as an athlete.”

The first hit out for several riders will be the upcoming Coffs Harbour Stadium MX on January 14. State based racing gets underway in February across the eastern seaboard with SA and WA getting their state championships started by April.

Angus Pearce

Many of the riders in Yamaha Junior Racing will be able to compete in the newly formed MX3 class at the Pro MX championship and hopefully, Rockhampton in Queensland will finally get to run the Australian Junior Motocross Championships in September after two years of Covid postponements.

2022 GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing Team riders

  • Western Australia
    • Deegan Fort – YZ65 / YZ85
    • Jake Rumens – YZ125/ YZ250F
  • South Australia
    • Wil Carpenter – YZ125/ YZ250F
    • Ryder Woodrow – YZ85
  • Victoria
    • Pat Martin – YZ125/ YZ250F
    • Jobe Dunne – YZ85
  • Tasmania
    • Angus Pearce – YZ125/ YZ250F
    • Jay Jennings – YZ85
  • New South Wales
    • Seth Burchell – YZ125/ YZ250F
    • Kayd Kingsford- YZ85 / YZ125
    • Heath Davy – YZ65 / YZ85
  • Queensland
    • Kobe Drew – YZ125/ YZ250F
    • Jake Cannon – YZ125 /YZ250F

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Coffs Harbour Stadium MX races January 15

The 2022 Coffs Harbour Stadium MX will kick off the MX/SX season in Northern NSW across two days over the weekend, running across Friday January 14 and Saturday the 15th.

Classes start at 50cc Demonstration (4-7 years), and go all the way up to our professional MX2 and MX1 classes which will see newcomers to STMX and some of Australia’s best motocross and supercross talent battle it out!

Big names for the Coffs Harbour Stadium MX currently include Dean Ferris, Luke Clout, Aaron Tanti and Matt Moss.

Gates open at 9am Friday for practice and qualifying. Saturday is racing that runs through until 10pm at night. There will be plenty to see with merchandise and lots of fun packed action for the whole family!

You can buy tickets here via OzTix (link).

Coffs Harbour Stadium MX schedule

Coffs Harbour Stadium MX Saturday schedule

10:00 AM
Practice 1 7-U10 65cc Group 1 5 mins
Practice 2 7-U10 65cc Group 2 5 mins
Practice 3 14-U16 85cc 12-U16 Girls 5 mins
Practice 4 10-U12 50cc Div2 5 mins
Practice 5 7-U9 50cc Div2 5 mins
Practice 6 Nippers 5 mins
Practice 7 13-U16 125cc Group 1 5 mins
Practice 8 13-U16 125cc Group 2 5 mins
Practice 9 12-U14 85cc Group 1 5 mins
Practice 10 12-U14 85cc Group 2 5 mins
Practice 11 9-U12 85cc Group 1 5 mins
Practice 12 9-U12 85cc Group 2 5 mins
Practice 13 13-U16 250cc Group 1 5 mins
Practice 14 13-U16 250cc Group 2 5 mins
11:30 AM
Qualifying 1 7-U10 65cc Group 1 7 mins
Qualifying 2 7-U10 65cc Group 2 7 mins
Qualifying 3 14-U16 85cc 12-U16 Girls 7 mins
Qualifying 4 10-U12 50cc Div2 7 mins
Qualifying 5 7-U9 50cc Div2 7 mins
Qualifying 6 Nippers 7 mins
Qualifying 7 13-U16 125cc Group 1 7 mins
Qualifying 8 13-U16 125cc Group 2 7 mins
Qualifying 9 12-U14 85cc Group 1 7 mins
Qualifying 10 12-U14 85cc Group 2 7 mins
Qualifying 11 9-U12 85cc Group 1 7 mins
Qualifying 12 9-U12 85cc Group 2 7 mins
Qualifying 13 13-U16 250cc Group 1 7 mins
Qualifying 14 13-U16 250cc Group 2 7 mins
2:30 PM
Practice 15 C-Grade Lites 5 mins
Practice 16 Over 40s/Women 5 mins
Practice 17 C Grade Open 5 mins
Practice 18 Over 30s 5 mins
Practice 19 A & B Lites 5 mins
Practice 20 Senior 125 5 mins
Practice 21 A & B Open 5 mins
Practice 22 MX3 5 mins
Practice 23 Clubman 5 mins
Practice 24 MX2 Pro Lites 5 mins
Practice 25 Under 20s 5 mins
Practice 26 MX1 Pro Open 5 mins
3:45 PM
Qualifying 15 C-Grade Lites 7 mins
Qualifying 16 Over 40s/Women 7 mins
Qualifying 17 C Grade Open 7 mins
Qualifying 18 Over 30s 7 mins
Qualifying 19 A & B Lites 7 mins
Qualifying 20 Senior 125 7 mins
Qualifying 21 A & B Open 7 mins
Qualifying 22 MX3 7 mins
Qualifying 23 Clubman 7 mins
Qualifying 24 MX2 Pro Lites 7 mins
Qualifying 25 Under 20s 7 mins
Qualifying 26 MX1 Pro Open 7 mins
5:30 PM
Race 1 C Grade Lites 8 laps
Race 2 Over 40s/Ladies All Powers 7 laps
Race 3 14-U16 85cc/Girls 12-15 85cc 8 laps
Race 4 Demonstration Class 6 laps
Race 5 60cc Div2  6 laps
Race 6 C Grade Open 7 laps
Superpole
Race 8 Under 20s 8 laps
Race 9 Under 30s 8 laps
Race 10 Clubman 8 laps

Toby Price ninth with four Dakar 2022 stages to go

Toby Price finished Stage 8 of the 2022 Dakar Rally in sixth place today, a result that moved him up to ninth in the overall standings, 32-minutes off current leader Sam Sunderland, with a measured and cautious approach seeming a wise choice as the war of attrition sees more and more riders drop out due to injuries and crashes.

With times closing up at the top of the rankings, and four more long days left to race, the experienced Aussie knows that a podium result is still well within his reach.

Toby Price – P6

“It wasn’t too bad today. I got through most of the stage pretty well, I did make a couple of mistakes, but it’s hard to be absolutely perfect out there. The liaisons from today have meant it’s been a really long day in the saddle. All-in-all the bike was really good though and I’m ready for another day.”

Toby Price
Toby Price

The week ended before it began for GasGas mounted fellow Australian Daniel Sanders, who crashed on Stage 7, fracturing his left elbow and wrist, ending up in hospital and ending his 2022 Dakar Rally efforts from a third place position overall.

Daniel Sanders

“Disappointed to end the rally like this… We had a good shot at it this year but luckily I have many to come. Thanks everyone.”

Daniel Sanders the top Australian competitor heading into the second week of Dakar 2022
Daniel Sanders with teammate Sam Sunderland

Sam Sunderland won Stage 8, bringing GasGas back into the lead, with Matthias Walkner and Adrien Van Beveren in second and third respectively. Pablo Quintanilla and Joan Barreda round out the top five, with Barreda nine-minutes behind Quintanilla. Five minutes covers the top four for now, with top Sherco Lorenzo Santolino in seventh +21m09s, Stefan Svitko in eighth +26m51s, and Price sits ninth, +32m30s.

Overall After Stage 8

Pos Rider Team/Bike Time/Gap Penalty
1 Sam Sunderland GASGAS FACTORY RACING 27h38m42
2 Matthias Walkner RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING +00h03m45
3 Adrien Van Beveren MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM +00h04m43
4 Pablo Quintanilla MONSTER ENERGY HONDA +00h05m30
5 Joan Barreda Bort MONSTER ENERGY HONDA +00h14m38 00h01m00
6 Kevin Benavides RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING +00h14m47
7 Lorenzo Santolino SHERCO FACTORY +00h21m09
8 Stefan Svitko SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM +00h26m51
9 Toby Price RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING +00h32m30 00h06m00
10 Mason Klein BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM +00h35m26
11 Andrew Short MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM +00h36m54
12 Jose Ignacio Cornejo  MONSTER ENERGY HONDA +00h38m21
13 Ricky Brabec MONSTER ENERGY HONDA +00h39m58 00h02m00
14 Luciano Benavides HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING +00h56m03 00h01m00
15 Joaquim Rodrigues HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY +00h58m05
16 Xavier De Soultrait HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING +00h58m30 00h07m00
17 Aaron Mare HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY +01h11m46 00h10m00
18 Bradley Cox BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM +01h29m47
19 Daniel Nosiglia Jager RIEJU – FN SPEED TEAM +01h42m36
20 Camille Chapeliere TEAM BAINES RALLY +01h51m44
2022 Dakar Rally schedule
Stage Date Start/Finish Distance | Special
STAGE 1A Sat, Jan 1 Jeddah > Hail 834 km | 19 km
STAGE 1B Sun, Jan 2 Ha’il > Hail 546 km | 334 km
STAGE 2 Mon, Jan 3 Ha’il > Al Artawiyah 585 km | 339 km
STAGE 3 Tues, Jan 4 Al Artawiyah > Al Qaysumah 554 km | 368 km
STAGE 4 Wed, Jan 5 Al Qaisumah > Riyadh 707 km | 465 km
STAGE 5 Thurs, Jan 6 Riyadh > Riyadh 563 km | 348 km
STAGE 6 Fri, Jan 7 Riyadh > Riyadh 635 km | 421 km
REST Sat, Jan 8 Riyadh
STAGE 7 Sun, Jan 9 Riyadh > Al Dawadimi 700 km | 401 km
STAGE 8 Mon, Jan 10 Al Dawadimi > Wadi Ad Dawasir 828 km | 394 km
STAGE 9 Tues, Jan 11 Wadi Ad Dawasir > Wadi Ad Dawasir 490 km | 287 km
STAGE 10 Wed, Jan 12 Wadi Ad Dawasir > Bisha 757 km | 374 km
STAGE 11 Thurs, Jan 13 Bisha > Bisha 500 km | 345 km
STAGE 12 Fri, Jan 14 Bisha > Jeddah 676 km | 163 km

2022 Dakar Rally schedule and map

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Dobson and Malkiewicz to headline Serco Yamaha efforts

Jesse Dobson will headline the Serco Yamaha outfit for the 2022 season and be partnered with Bailey Malkiewicz who makes his full-time return to Australia after racing abroad in 2020 and 2021. The pairing of Dobson and Malkiewicz makes for a formidable team in the MX2 (250cc) division.

Bailey Malkiewicz
Bailey Malkiewicz

Dobson had been a journeyman racer from the moment he turned pro in 2013 but found a home at Serco Yamaha in 2020 and has come on in leaps and bounds since joining the team. His speed, results and consistency has been on the upswing since day one and culminated with a strong second place finish in the 2021 Pro MX Championships in the MX2 class.

He has also matured off the track and is a dedicated professional racer who now prepares as well as anyone. Dobson takes his racing seriously and has put the right people around him to keep climbing the ladder and for 2022, that means nothing short of championship success.

Jesse Dobson

“Serco Yamaha has been the perfect fit for me, and my career has changed for the better since coming on board in 2020. Gavin, Ben, and Paul all work hard and put in the hard yards to ensure we have what we need to be successful, and we all are driven by winning. There is good chemistry in the team and with each season, our relationship gets stronger, and our results continue to get better. Last year, was good but this year is going to be better. We have started the pre-season earlier, the race bikes will be better, and I feel 2022 is my chance to really make it happen. I’m more motivated than ever and the team are right behind me so I can’t wait to get back behind the gates again and go racing.”

Jesse Dobson
Jesse Dobson

After two seasons of racing in Europe, Bailey Malkiewicz returns to Australia for a full season of domestic racing and looking to re-establish himself as one of the worlds best up and coming racers. At 19 years of age, with a junior world championship already to his name, Malkiewicz’s talent is undeniable, but injuries have slowed his progress for the past two seasons.

But a change of tack in 2022 will see Malkiewicz based not only in Australia but a move to Queensland is on the cards so he will be closer to his Brisbane based team. He is now injury free and now able to complete a full pre-season of training, it will allow him to be primed for a long season of motocross and supercross.

Bailey Malkiewicz

“Since winning the world championship in 2018, I haven’t had the results I have wanted or expected so it’s time to take stock, make some smart decisions and get the right people around me to get things back on track. Serco Yamaha has a great track record and have proven championship results so the opportunity to work with such a successful team was one that I couldn’t pass up. Also being on a YZ250F gives me a lot of confidence as I know just how good that bike is and with the knowledge in the team, I know we will have the best package on the track. I’m ready to go to work and repay the faith Yamaha and Serco have in me.”

Bailey Malkiewicz
Bailey Malkiewicz

Pre- season events get underway in February while the Pro MX championship roars to life in March at Wonthaggi in Victoria.

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2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Anaheim Round One

Images by Jeff Kardas

450 Main

450 Main

It was a Honda 1-2 from the off with Ken Roczen and Chase Sexton running through turn one side by side but Roczen maintained the advantage to lead from his team-mate.  Adam Cianciarulo was third ahead of Justin Barcia, Cooper Webb, Jason Anderson, Shane McElrath, Malcolm Stewart and Marvin Musquin while Justin Brayton rounded out the lap one top ten ahead of Eli Tomac.

Roczen continued to lead Sexton but could not break away from his team-mate. Sexton was right on his tail lap after lap and was looking to pounce on any mistake from the German.

Eventually though it was Sexton that made a mistake and after challenging for the lead numerous times the #23 was then relegated to third place as Adam Cianciarulo went through, before Sexton got his act back together.

Chase Sexton
Chase Sexton

Sexton then got a bit too frustrated trying to get back past Cianciarulo which saw him drop the bike again and he was then passed by Barcia, Anderson, Webb, Stewart, Musquin and Ferrandis. A massive fall from grace for Sexton.

That kerfuffle had left Roczen with a huge ten-second lead over his pursuers. The closest of which was now Justin Barcia who was closely followed by Jason Anderson and Cooper Webb.

With seven-minutes and two laps still remaining Roczen led Barcia by 11.5-seconds.  Chas Sexton had worked his way back up to seventh after Malcolm Stewart and Marvin Musquin both ended on the deck after tussling for position.

Jason Anderson started to put the pressure on Barcia in the closing stages of the race and Cooper Webb was also looking to capitalise on any mistakes from that pair.  Anderson made his move but a few turns later Barcia returned fire in an aggressive way that left Anderson on the deck and the #21 Kawasaki had been shuffled back to seventh by the time he got back up and running.

Jason Anderson

The comeback story belonged to early front runner Chase Sexton who after making two falls and drifting right back in the pack, then put his head back down and passed Tomac, Musquin and Cianciarulo to promote himself back up to fourth place with three laps remaining.

At the flag Musquin stole that fourth place back at that final juncture which saw Sexton finish fifth but the Honda man was well ahead of Eli Tomac, Malcolm Stewart, Joey Savatgy and Aaron Plessinger while Jason Anderson rounded out the top ten ahead of Cianciarulo, Wilson and Brayton.

As Ken Roczen got the last lap flag he backed things off which allowed Webb to get the gap back down to under ten seconds as the German just cruised home to a dominant flag to flag victory.

Cooper Webb’s second place came with a reasonable buffer over third placed Justin Barcia, who rounded out the podium.

450 Podium A1 – 1. Roczen – 2. Webb – 3.Barcia

450 Rider Quotes

Ken Roczen – P1

​​”My weekend and the team’s weekend went great here at Anaheim 1. I didn’t really know which way it was going to go. We had a little bit of a difficult December, but this couldn’t have gone any better. Our practice was okay – nothing to really rave about, but we executed every single start tonight. We won the heat race, and then in the main event, I knew it was going to be a long battle. The track was really, really rough tonight, and it made for some crazy racing. There was a lot of carnage and crazy stuff going on behind me. I was actually really glad we had those good starts because it helped me stay away from that and really ride my own race. Chase, my teammate, was putting a lot of pressure on me, and we had a really good battle for the first half of the race. Luckily I came away with the win, and I couldn’t ask for anything better. I’m just really happy with how the team and I excelled today.”

Ken Roczen
Ken Roczen
Cooper Webb – P2

“It was a dog fight tonight! Fun race, but a really tough race. The track got super rough and a lot of us got out front just duking it out. I felt like I fought hard the whole time, made some good passes and got myself in a really good position. I kind of struggled a little bit with the track so I was pumped to come out with a second – great points and it’s the best I’ve ever done at the opener so we’re looking to keep the ball rolling. It’s great to be back in Anaheim and it’s fun to be back racing!”

Cooper Webb
Cooper Webb chases down Anstie
Justin Barcia – P3

“That was an awesome race! I had a lot of fun and we had some great battles out there. The pressure is off now and I can work on myself, keep plugging along and having fun. It’s been a great offseason and it’s just good to get this first race out of the way. I’m happy with the result, it’s a good podium finish, and we definitely have some things to build on. I’m really looking forward to the next race, bonding with the guys, having fun and going for it!”

Justin Barcia
Justin Barcia
Marvin Musquin – P4

“I’m happy right now. It was a long and tough day, with quite a fight for the Main Event. I did my best with outside gate pick and I made some good passes, so I was pumped on the riding and the intensity early on. I made a couple mistakes and I lost contact with Cooper, and then Malcolm passed me. I tried to pass him to the inside but unfortunately, he railed the corner and we hit each other – he didn’t know I was coming – and we both went down. I got up and came back to fourth place, that was amazing. I’m pumped on the push and with the results, to be honest, with all the drama that happened during the main.”

Marvin Musquin
Marvin Musquin
Chase Sexton – P5

“Today was pretty good – practice was good, heat race was good. In the main event, I made a few costly mistakes, which was frustrating. My speed is really good, and I feel really good on the bike; we did a lot of good work during the off-season, and it’s looking promising. Finishing fifth after crashing twice is pretty good I guess, but I have to figure out how to get my marks up and not make bonehead mistakes. The track was really good; I actually had fun on it all day. The mistakes I made were my fault. The bike felt good on the track; we had a good base, and I just really enjoyed it. I won a heat and got fifth in the main because of my mistakes, so I’m looking forward to improving. Kenny won, so it proved that we put in some good work on the bike. We’re healthy, and on to the next round.”

Chase Sexton
Eli Tomac – P6

“It was a little bit of a slower start than what we wanted this season. It really came down to two things tonight: the starts and I was struggling a little bit with the whoops. It was a tough track; probably one of the toughest A1’s that we’ve had in quite some time. On a positive note, I had really good qualifying sessions all day, so I know I can be fast and be there. I just have to put it all together. It’s always easier said than done, but it’s possible. We’re going to try and fix the little things and come back next week.”

Malcolm Stewart – P7

“I think this was actually one of the better season openers for me since I started in the 450 class. Going into the weekend, I wanted to execute a few things like having a good heat race, and I was able to do that. P1 for a qualifying, I’ve never done that before, so I feel like that was a big achievement for me and even though we went down in the Main Event, it was actually a good ride performance-wise but you know, the results weren’t there. It was a good start but I definitely feel there are a few things that we need to work on but overall, I’m happy to leave here on a good note and looking forward to Oakland and to keep driving – we’ve got 16 more races to go!”

Aaron Plessinger – P9

“It was a pretty rough day for me actually. I started out in Free Practice going down and then I went down in the first qualifying practice as well. I turned it around and ran some decent laps in the second qualifier but it wasn’t a very great position. I got a decent start in the heat race and ran in fourth pretty much the whole time. In the main, I didn’t get a good start at all and I was back of the pack battling. About halfway through, I turned it up a little bit and made some passes up to ninth. Overall, I’m pumped to get through the first round healthy and we’ll back at it in Oakland!”

Aaron Plessinger
Aaron Plessinger
Jason Anderson – P10

“I definitely think today could have gone better. My speed was right there with the top guys, and I felt like my KX450SR was handling so well. In the main, I spent a few laps planning my pass for second and did the best I could to make a clean move and ride away. Unfortunately, I can’t control how other riders respond, but that’s racing. It was a tough one, but we live to fight another day. Time to switch gears and focus on Oakland.”

Adam Cianciarulo – P11

“It was a challenging day for us. Obviously, coming in with a grade three AC shoulder separation isn’t ideal but I did the best I could all day. I can honestly say I exceeded my expectations by a lot. I wasn’t sure if I’d even make the full 20 minutes going into the main event, but the team and I had a quick chat before the race which helped me get into the right mindset and deliver a rather impressive result. The goal is to keep getting healthier each week and start fighting for wins as soon as possible.”

Adam Cianciarulo
Adam Cianciarulo
Dean Wilson – P12

“My night was a struggle for sure, which is frustrating because I’ve had a really good off season. In the Main, I was pretty far outside on the gate and I came through and made some good passes. I was hovering around top-10 and then got passed and ended up 12th. It wasn’t great but I believe we’ll just get better from here on out.”

Dylan Ferrandis – P16

“Anaheim I is always a little crazy. I was actually feeling pretty good all day; it was my starts that hurt me. In the main event, I got a really bad start, but I moved my way up. I was feeling pretty good, pretty strong, and was coming back to the top five. Then I had an issue and tried to come back but made a mistake and crashed. So it was not a really good night, but I know now that I’m capable of riding out front in the 450 class. We’re going to regroup and be ready for next weekend.”

450 Main Results

Pos Rider Bike Laps/Interval
1 Ken Roczen Honda CRF450R  22 Laps
2 Cooper Webb KTM 450 SX-F FE +07.296
3 Justin Barcia GASGAS MC 450F +10.381
4 Marvin Musquin KTM 450 SX-F FE +15.867
5 Chase Sexton Honda CRF450R +15.881
6 Eli Tomac Yamaha YZ450F +20.320
7 Malcolm Stewart Husqvarna FC 450 +21.531
8 Joey Savatgy KTM 450 SX-F +26.982
9 Aaron Plessinger KTM 450 SX-F +29.726
10 Jason Anderson Kawasaki KX450SR +34.851
11 Adam Cianciarulo Kawasaki KX450SR +35.510
12 Dean Wilson Husqvarna FC 450 +38.946
13 Justin Brayton Honda CRF450R +41.311
14 Max Anstie KTM 450 SX-F +49.446
15 Mitchell Oldenburg Honda CRF450R +1m03.848
16 Dylan Ferrandis Yamaha YZ450F 21 Laps
17 Brandon Hartranft Suzuki RM-Z450 +07.746
18 Shane McElrath KTM 450 SX-F FE +25.212
19 Cade Clason Honda CRF450R +30.169
20 Fredrik Noren KTM 450 SX-F +34.887
21 Justin Starling GASGAS MC 450F +1m03.375
22 Ryan Breece Yamaha YZ450F 19 Laps

450 Championship Standings (Round 1 of 17)

Pos Rider Bike Points
1 Ken Roczen Honda CRF450R WE 26
2 Cooper Webb KTM 450 SX-F FE 23
3 Justin Barcia GASGAS MC 450F 21
4 Marvin Musquin KTM 450 SX-F FE 19
5 Chase Sexton Honda CRF450R WE 18
6 Eli Tomac Yamaha YZ450F 17
7 Malcolm Stewart Husqvarna FC 450 RE 16
8 Joey Savatgy KTM 450 SX-F FE 15
9 Aaron Plessinger KTM 450 SX-F FE 14
10 Jason Anderson Kawasaki KX450SR 13
11 Adam Cianciarulo Kawasaki KX450SR 12
12 Dean Wilson Husqvarna FC 450 RE 11
13 Justin Brayton Honda CRF450R 10
14 Max Anstie KTM 450 SX-F 9
15 Mitchell Oldenburg Honda CRF450R 8
16 Dylan Ferrandis Yamaha YZ450F 7
17 Brandon Hartranft Suzuki RM-Z450 6
18 Shane McElrath KTM 450 SX-F FE 5
19 Cade Clason Honda CRF450R 4
20 Fredrik Noren KTM 450 SX-F 3
21 Justin Starling GASGAS MC 450F 2
22 Ryan Breece Yamaha YZ450F 1

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250 Main

Vince Friese got another Holeshot to lead Seth Hammaker and Christian Craig in the Main. Michael Mosiman made a mistake on the opening lap and lost a heap of ground. Hunter Lawrence was stuck back in the pack around tenth.

Christian Craig
Christian Craig

Craig made his way past Hammaker to move up to second place after nearly eating dirt himself through the whoops, pulled off a great save to stay on the bike and was quickly all over the back of Vince Friese.

Friese defended well but Craig eventually made his way through to take the lead.  Hammaker then started to attack Friese for that second position and it didn’t take him long to push Friese back to third. A lap later Marchbanks pushed Friese further back to fourth.

Hunter Lawrence had been steadily working his way forward and was up to fifth by half race distance and shortly thereafter moved past Friese to relegate the early race leader to fifth.

Christian Craig continued to set the pace and pulled away from Hammaker who as the race progressed started to come under attack from Marchbanks. Hunter Lawrence beat him to the punch though! 

Hunter took third place from Marchbanks but ran out of time before he could get Hammaker and had to settle for third despite a final corner challenge that nearly came off for the Australian.

2501 A1 Podium – 1. Craig – 2.Hammaker – 3. Lawrence

Jo Shimoda had got stuck on the gates and was way behind the pack at the start but steadily worked his way forward to a seventh place finish to still bag good points despite that disastrous start.

Mosiman also recovered from an early stumble to finish sixth.

250 Rider Quotes

Christian Craig – P1

“I don’t think anything can top last year’s win in Houston, but I would say this is just as good. Having all the fans back and having my family here, and winning at a hometown race is a dream come true. I’ve been coming here since I was three years old, so this means everything to me. It was an awesome Main Event, and I felt awesome all day. I didn’t get the best of starts, but I made my way through the pack and made clean passes. Once I got up front, I just clicked off my laps and rode a smart race. We’re going to try and keep this thing going into the next round in Oakland.”

Christian Craig, Hunter Lawrence
Christian Craig, Hunter Lawrence
Seth Hammaker – P2

“It was a tough track and there were certain parts of the track you really had to focus on. When I felt pressured, I told myself to make it clean through the whoops and pass the lappers clean. It feels amazing to get on the podium to start the season.”

Seth Hammaker
Seth Hammaker
Hunter Lawrence – P3

“My night was okay. I just kept pushing and charging, and doing everything I could. It was close to second, and I hope it was interesting to watch! I’m a little frustrated, a little satisfied, not just with the result but where I’m at. I think I’m riding great, and I can’t wait to go to the next race.”

Hunter Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence
Michael Mosiman – P6

“Anaheim I is in the books and boy was it a crazy one! I had so much fun throughout the day, honestly more fun than I’ve ever had at a SX. I felt super confident on the bike and everything was clicking, just riding well within my abilities. It’s unfortunate how the main started out and once I was back in the pack, it’s pretty hectic back there, but I’m proud of how I rode and I’m leaving with a ton of positives. I think I’m very much in it for the championship and very healthy and couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Michael Mosiman
Michael Mosiman
Jo Shimoda – P7

“The rider next to me flinched and it caused me to get stuck in the gate. They were holding the gate a long time and I just made a mistake. I had a long race ahead of me, but I worked really hard to pass as many people as I could and stay up. Knowing it’s just the first round, I wanted to get all the points I could and I’m just 11 points back of the leader. We’ll be back next week.”

Nate Thrasher – P12

“It was a tough night, but I felt like I was riding well. Somebody hit the gate, and it moved, so I went and hit it too. Then I was working my way up through the field and was going for another pass, but the guy got cross-rutted, and I ended up going down. After that, I tried to push my way back but just didn’t have anything left. So, it was kind of a bummer because I felt like I was riding well and could have made it to the top five. It was just a tough night, but we’ve got the speed, so I’m going to come back next weekend and put it on the box.”

250 Main Results

Pos Rider Bike Laps/Interval
1 Christian Craig Yamaha YZ250F 16 Laps
2 Seth Hammaker Kawasaki KX250 +05.625
3 Hunter Lawrence Honda CRF250R +06.054
4 Garrett Marchbanks  Yamaha YZ250F +08.160
5 Vince Friese Honda CRF250R +26.635
6 Michael Mosiman GASGAS MC 250F +36.824
7 Jo Shimoda Kawasaki KX250 +41.598
8 Robbie Wageman Yamaha YZ250F +44.917
9 Dominique Thury Yamaha YZ250F +52.585
10 Carson Mumford Suzuki RM-Z250 +56.276
11 Chris Blose GASGAS MC 250F +59.196
12 Nate Thrasher Yamaha YZ250F +1m01.892
13 Mitchell Harrison GASGAS MC 250F +1m04.415
14 Cole Thompson Yamaha YZ250F 15 Laps
15 Dilan Schwartz Suzuki RM-Z250 +15.728
16 Ryan Surratt Yamaha YZ250F +17.738
17 Dylan Walsh Kawasaki KX250 +22.447
18 Logan Karnow Kawasaki KX250 +41.774
19 Hunter Schlosser Yamaha YZ250F +47.024
20 Kaeden Amerine KTM 250 SX-F +59.962
21 Derek Kelley KTM 250 SX-F 14 Laps
22 Devin Harriman KTM 250 SX-F +12.333

250 West Championship Standings (Round 1 of 10)

Pos Rider Bike Points
1 Christian Craig Yamaha YZ250F 26
2 Seth Hammaker Kawasaki KX250 23
3 Hunter Lawrence Honda CRF250R 21
4 Garrett Marchbanks Yamaha YZ250F 19
5 Vince Friese Honda CRF250R 18
6 Michael Mosiman GASGAS MC 250F 17
7 Jo Shimoda Kawasaki KX250 16
8 Robbie Wageman Yamaha YZ250F 15
9 Dominique Thury Yamaha YZ250F 14
10 Carson Mumford Suzuki RM-Z250 13
11 Chris Blose GASGAS MC 250F 12
12 Nate Thrasher Yamaha YZ250F 11
13 Mitchell Harrison GASGAS MC 250F 10
14 Cole Thompson Yamaha YZ250F 9
15 Dilan Schwartz Suzuki RM-Z250 8
16 Ryan Surratt Yamaha YZ250F 7
17 Dylan Walsh Kawasaki KX250 6
18 Logan Karnow Kawasaki KX250 5
19 Hunter Schlosser Yamaha YZ250F 4
20 Kaeden Amerine KTM 250 SX-F 3
21 Derek Kelley KTM 250 SX-F 2
22 Devin Harriman KTM 250 SX-F 1

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | AMA SX ready for take off! | Holder wins NSW title

AMA SX ready for take off!

The opening round of the 2022 Monster Energy AMA/ FIM World Supercross Championship gets underway this weekend at Angel Stadium, Anaheim in America.

With no races at the California stadium in 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this will be the first of three races at the venue this season, as it will also host rounds four and six.

Other California venues back on the 17-round schedule for 2022 are Oakland and San Diego.

Jett Lawrence – Team Honda HRC 2022

2022 Monster Energy AMA/ FIM World Supercross Schedule

• Round 1 – January 8, Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA.
• Round 2 – January 15, RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, CA
• Round 3 – January 22, Petco Park, San Diego, CA
• Round 4 – January 29, Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
• Round 5 – February 5, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
• Round 6 – February 12, Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
• Round 7 – February 19, US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
• Round 8 – February 26, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
• Round 9 – March 5, Daytona Intl. Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
• Round 10 – March 12, Ford Field, Detroit, MI
• Round 11 – March 19, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
• Round 12 – March 26, Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
• Round 13 – April 9, Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, MO
• Round 14 – April 16, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Atlanta, GA
• Round 15 – April 23, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
• Round 16 – April 30, Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
• Round 17 – May 6, Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT


Jack Holder claims NSW Speedway title in Kurri Kurri

From FIMSpeedway

FIM Speedway Grand Prix first reserve Jack Holder kicked off 2022 in fine style after lifting the New South Wales State Championship on Sunday. The Torun favourite topped the podium at Kurri Kurri, defeating Sam Masters, Josh Pickering and Ben Cook in the A Final.

Jack Holder
Jack Holder – Photo by Taylor Lanning

Holder raced to 12 points in the heats – a tally bettered by former Aussie champion Masters on 14 and Pickering on 13.

All three riders earned automatic qualification for the A Final, with Ben Cook defeating Maurice Brown, Matthew Gilmore and Zach Cook in the B Final to complete the A Final line-up.

Holder then got the verdict in his biggest meeting of an Aussie summer, which has seen the Australian Championship and FIM Oceania Championship cancelled due to Covid-19 travel restrictions Down Under.

He could be in for a much busier European summer this year as he lines up for Torun in Poland and Sheffield in the SGB Premiership. He is also first in line for a SpeedwayGP call-up if any of the series regulars are forced out of a round due to injury, illness or other reasons.

Holder’s triumph in the NSW Championship follows back-to-back title wins for Justin Sedgmen in the Victorian and South Australian State Championships in December.

Sedgmen topped the SA podium in Gillman on December 28, beating Fraser Bowes, Brayden McGuinness and Zane Keleher in the A Final.

This followed his Victorian title triumph on home track Mildura ahead of Jordan Stewart, James Pearson and Fraser Bowes on December 18.

A top-four finish in an Australian state championship ensures riders qualify for a UK visa, if they do not have one already, although an increasing number of Aussie riders are now seeking team places in the Polish leagues.

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Danilo Petrucci knocked out of Dakar with mechanical issue

Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Danilo Petrucci suffered a technical issue early on in Stage 2 of the 2022 Dakar Rally, bringing his rally to a premature end, with a helicopter apparently needing to be called in around the 150 km mark.

Danilo Petrucci
Danilo Petrucci

The issue ends Petrucci’s chances of an official placing result, however he’ll be able to continue regardless.

He had finished Stage 1 in an extremely strong 13th place position overall, running 33m29s off early leader Daniel Sanders, and shared, “I’m really, really happy to finish my first real Dakar stage. I was so nervous at the start. Generally, all went ok for me but the 120 kilometers after the refueling seemed really, really long for me, especially with the big dunes.”

We’ve had no statement as yet on the mechanical issue or his thoughts after Stage 2.

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Dakar 2022 prep hots up | New signings

Honda to defend Dakar title in 2022, with KTM on the hunt

The scene has changed a lot in the interlude between the 2021 and 2022 acts of the Dakar, and while the actors of the January melodrama remain mostly the same, a few now wear different costumes.

Scheduled to cover 8,375 kilometres, the Dakar Rally begins with its traditional prologue ahead of 12 physically demanding stages. Besides a mid-race rest day where riders and teams can regroup ahead of the final six days of racing, the Dakar Rally will once again provide a variety of challenging terrain to ensure a relentless test for all riders and their machinery with the eventual winner declared on January 14 in Jeddah.

Kevin Benavides and Ricky Brabec give Honda the 2021 Dakar Rally 1-2 – Image by Rally Zone

Saudi Arabia shook up the competition and ushered in a new era of dominance by Honda, which brought down the curtain on the KTM hegemony, first with Ricky Brabec in 2020 and then with Kevin Benavides in 2021.

However, the Argentinian reigning champion’s move to the Austrian outfit has made rivals of the former teammates, who not even a year ago were standing next to Sam Sunderland on the podium in Jeddah.

As well as boosting its firepower in a major way, KTM has deployed its resources masterfully by sending its champions to its cousins at Gas-Gas and Husqvarna.

Toby Price – Image by Rally Zone

Kevin Benavides will form a trident with Toby Price and another biker clad in orange overalls, Matthias Walkner, perhaps the man of the season after winning the Silk Way Rally, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the FIM World Championship.

KTM’s sphere of influence extends to its Spanish ally, Gas-Gas, whose red bikes will be left to the care of Sam Sunderland and the up-and-coming Daniel Sanders, fourth last year in his first Dakar start.

Daniel Sanders moves to GasGas for 2022 from KTM – Image by Rally Zone

Meanwhile, Skyler Howes, fifth in 2021, has earned a spot on the Husqvarna factory team and is a credible title contender. Aware that the key battles are also decided behind the scenes, KTM has also recalled Marc Coma, one of its all-time stars, as a supervisor and strategist… The Austrians are bringing out the big guns!

Honda is bound and determined to extend its victorious streak and has also landed a good catch in the transfer market. Ricky Brabec has stayed loyal to the Japanese brand, as has his teammate “Nacho” Cornejo, who crashed out of the overall lead two days before the finish in Jeddah.

Ricky Brabec – Image by Rally Zone

The young Chilean, who has made waves with his uncanny talent for navigation, will be riding alongside an older countryman, signing of the year Pablo Quintanilla, who adapted to his new machine so quickly that he has already claimed the Rallye du Maroc on it.

Joan Barreda could also take over leadership duties depending on how the race unfolds. The most prolific active stage hunter in the category has a real shot at improving on his best finish so far (fifth in 2017) and even clinching the rally in his twelfth start.

Joan Barreda – Image by Rally Zone

Lady Luck has not been kind to Yamaha riders in recent years, but they are still heading into the race with lofty ambitions. Their natural and historic leader, Adrien Van Beveren, remains as motivated as ever despite four consecutive withdrawals.

The French biker has proved that he has racing on sand down to a science multiple times this season (second in the World Championship). He is joined by two dark horses, the American Andrew Short and the Botswanan Ross Branch, in a quest to bring Yamaha back to the top.

Meanwhile, the Indian constructor Hero will have its work cut out for it to bag a podium spot now that former Yamaha man Franco Caimi has been forced to sit out this one after crashing during training.

Sherco has a clearer path to the same goal with the Spaniard Lorenzo Santolino. Several young riders have already shown that they have what it takes to fight for the places of honour in their Dakar debut.

Lorenzo Santolino

20-year-old American Mason Klein and 23-year-old South African Bradley Cox could steal the show on their first try, as could Italian Danilo Petrucci, now starting a new adventure in rally raids after a successful MotoGP career (two Grand Prix victories, sixth in the 2019 championship).

The “Original by Motul” bikers are nothing if not resourceful. They tackle the Dakar on its hardest difficulty setting by taking it upon themselves to maintain their bikes at the end of each stage. Seasoned veterans are joined by newcomers to the extreme “Original by Motul” challenge year after year.

One thing is for sure: anyone would love to get their hands on this trophy. 2022 should be a rematch for the same competitors who dominated the race in 2021. Lithuanian Arūnas Gelažninkas came out on top in his first outing in this class, beating 2020 champion Emanuel Gyenes and Benjamin Melot, who has finished on every step of the podium bar the top one.

Among the pretenders nipping at their heels are Czech Milan Engel, who will be making his “Original” debut after coming in fifteenth overall in 2019, and Portuguese Mário Patrão, who boasts what is possibly the strongest track record of the field with a thirteenth-place finish in 2016.

2022 Dakar Rally schedule

Stage Date Start/Finish Distance | Special
STAGE 1A Sat, Jan 1, 2022 Jeddah > Hail 834 km | 19 km
STAGE 1B Sun, Jan 2, 2022 Ha’il > Hail 546 km | 334 km
STAGE 2 Mon, Jan 3, 2022 Ha’il > Al Artawiyah 585 km | 339 km
STAGE 3 Tues, Jan 4, 2022 Al Artawiyah > Al Qaysumah 554 km | 368 km
STAGE 4 Wed, Jan 5, 2022 Al Qaisumah > Riyadh 707 km | 465 km
STAGE 5 Thurs, Jan 6, 2022 Riyadh > Riyadh 563 km | 348 km
STAGE 6 Fri, Jan 7, 2022 Riyadh > Riyadh 635 km | 421 km
REST Sat, Jan 8, 2022 Riyadh
STAGE 7 Sun, Jan 9, 2022 Riyadh > Al Dawadimi 700 km | 401 km
STAGE 8 Mon, Jan 10, 2022 Al Dawadimi > Wadi Ad Dawasir 828 km | 394 km
STAGE 9 Tues, Jan 11, 2022 Wadi Ad Dawasir > Wadi Ad Dawasir 490 km | 287 km
STAGE 10 Wed, Jan 12, 2022 Wadi Ad Dawasir > Bisha 757 km | 374 km
STAGE 11 Thurs, Jan 13, 2022 Bisha > Bisha 500 km | 345 km
STAGE 12 Fri, Jan 14, 2022 Bisha > Jeddah 676 km | 163 km
2022 Dakar Rally schedule and map
2022 Dakar Rally schedule and map

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Yamaha Rally Team looking to start 2022 on a high

Leading the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team into the desert at the 2022 Dakar Rally is Adrien Van Beveren. With his impressive second place finish in the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship still fresh in his mind, the Frenchman used the entire series as part of his preparations for the 2022 Dakar.

Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team 2022
Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team 2022

Rounding out his highly positive season with three stage wins and a second-place overall result at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in November, Van Beveren is feeling fit, strong, and is undoubtedly back to his very best.

Adrien Van Beveren

“I’ve just completed my final training sessions ahead of the Dakar and I’m feeling really strong and ready for the race. The whole of 2021 has been great for me. Round by round in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship I had a solid strategy of being consistent and minimising mistakes. I was able to execute my plan perfectly and end the season as vice world champion, which I was really pleased about for both myself and the team. To avoid some unnecessary pressure, I’m looking at the Dakar as just another race and a continuation of my progress throughout the last year. For sure it is a huge race that everyone in rally focuses on, but I will take it day by day, stage by stage, and apply the same mindset that took me to success in this year’s world championship.”

Adrien Van Beveren in 2021

For Ross Branch, 2021 was something of a learning year in what was only his first full season of rally racing.

Demonstrating his capabilities with an impressive win at Rally Kazakhstan, the Botswana native posted impressive stage finishes at all rounds of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with a few unfortunate incidents hampering his overall results.

Undeterred and with a renewed focus, Ross looks to harness his raw speed to successfully reach the Dakar finish line on January 14.

Ross Branch

“This year has flown by, and Dakar is now just around the corner. I’m really excited for it. A fresh start, new stages, and I think it’s going to be a really good race. During the last year the team have been working super-hard and this is really motivating as a rider to see as it just inspires me to put everything that I have into my training and preparation. My goal for the race is to finish each stage. It sounds modest but it’s such a long and wild race where anything can happen. Staying trouble free will be so important and now with my experience from racing all year in 2021, I’m in a really good place mentally ahead of the Dakar. I’ve got a great team behind me, and everything is in place for a successful race. I can’t wait to get started.”

Ross Branch in 2021

Lining up with his sights set on securing his best ever result at the Dakar Rally is the third and final Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team rider, Andrew Short.

With the American knowing the importance of safely completing each and every stage, as well as how chaotic the first few days of the Dakar can be, the 39-year-old is fully focused on achieving his goal.

Andrew Short

“I’m really looking forward to Dakar 2022 and it’ll actually be my fifth time racing the event. For this one I want to beat my best finish of sixth and to do that it’s super important to finish every stage safely. Each year I seem to experience some kind of problem early in the race so my focus will be on getting through week one without any major issues, then I’ll have the option to ramp things up in week two if I need to. Overall, you never really know how this race will go but I’ll be doing everything in my power to ensure the best result possible and have no regrets when the race comes to an end.”

Dakar Rally Stage Andrew Short Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Andrew Short moves from Husqvarna to the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team in 2022

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Empire Kawasaki to run Rykers, Yokoyama, Constantinou  in 2022

Kawasaki Motors Australia have confirmed the continuation of Empire Motorsports as the supported motocross team under the Empire Kawasaki banner. The direct collaboration between Kawasaki Motors Australia and Empire Kawasaki is entering its fourth season.

Haruki Yokoyama
Haruki Yokoyama

Tyson Cherry and Empire Motorsport will manage the motocross and supercross racing effort in the 2022 Australian Motocross Championship (ProMX) and Australian Supercross Championship. The Empire Kawasaki team will field Jayden Rykers of the KX450 (MX1), Haruki Yokoyama on the KX250 (MX2) and Jai Constantinou on a KX250 (MX2).

Jayden Rykers
Jayden Rykers

Robert Walker – Kawasaki Motors Australia

“Kawasaki are excited to see the 2022 ProMX series get going. With a new KX250 and KX450 for this year, we are very confident of some great results. Our team manager Tyson Cherry has done a great job over the last couple of years and, Kawasaki will continue to support the Empire team.”

Tyson Cherry – Empire Kawasaki Team Owner/Manager

“Empire Kawasaki is excited for a full year of racing in 2022! Heading into the season the preparation is going really well, all the boys are fit and healthy and ready to go racing on the 27th of March at Wonthaggi. Our focus for 2022 is to keep consistent and to be standing on the box at the end of the season.”

Jayden Rykers will be competing on the 2022 Kawasaki KX450 in MX1

Jayden Rykers

“I am happy to be continuing with the Empire Kawasaki team for 2022. I have spent some time on the test track on the new KX450 and, I think that as a whole, it suits my style better than my previous bike. This, paired with a strong pre-season strategy, will see me hunting the podium throughout the year.”

Jayden Rykers
Jayden Rykers – Image by RBMotoLens

International Championship Rider, Haruki Yokoyama (Japan), is returning to the ProMX series on the 2022 Kawasaki KX250 in MX2.

Haruki Yokoyama

“Feeling super adamant on putting some good results on the board for the 2022 MX season, my bike this year is feeling awesome. The new 2022 KX250 has really blown me away this year excited to show my potential.”

Haruki Yokoyama
Haruki Yokoyama and Jai Constantinou

Haruki Yokoyama will be working with Jai Constantinou to strengthen the MX2 team campaign.

Empire Motorsport are a dynamic force in motorsport. In 2022 Empire Motorsport team will continue to support the industry through coaching, rider development and a future plan of broadening of the team into the off-road racing series.

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Mellross & Fox to GasGas Racing Team in 2022

The GasGas Racing Team will feature an increased motocross presence for the 2022 season, with Hayden Mellross joining the brand’s factory line-up in MX1 alongside current MX2 signing Blake Fox.

Hayden Mellross & Blake Fox
Hayden Mellross & Blake Fox

Hungry to deliver strong results onboard the GASGAS MC 450F, 26-year-old Mellross enters 2022 off the back of fifth overall in ProMX championship, displaying consistent form throughout the year.

Victoria-based Mellross is no stranger to competing at the sharp end of competition, gathering a range of experience internationally during his careers as well as a list of credible results domestically.

Hayden Mellross

“I’m extremely excited to be on GASGAS! I’ve also been lucky enough to link up with a few cool sponsors that go along with it, so I think it is shaping up to be unreal and exciting year. I feel at home with the brand and team already, so now we’ll look to get to work into the new year!”

Hayden Mellross
Hayden Mellross

Current MX2 champion Fox steps up to MX2 with the official team for 2022 riding a GASGAS MC 250F, dominating the shortened 2021 MX3 championship by winning five out of the six races. The emerging 17-year-old has proven on multiple occasions that he can handle the pressure of fighting at the front and will be one to watch as the upcoming season unfolds.

Blake Fox

“I’m super-excited to work with everybody again and race onboard GASGAS machinery. We’ve been together a long time and I think this 250 program that they are building for next year will be good for me, it’s a great step at this stage of my career, so I’m super-keen to get out there already!”

Blake Fox
Blake Fox

Kyle Blunden – KTM Group Australia Motorsport Manager

“Since we didn’t get to partake in as much racing as we wanted last year, we are still kind of the new kids in the paddock… but what better way to kick off this new race season than with young gun Blake Fox on the MC 250F and a very determined Hayden Mellross on the MC 450F! We are excited to be back at the races in 2022 and have expanded our team to include an MX2 program, which will see Blake back on the MC 250F hot on the heels of taking out the MX3 title, GASGAS’s first Australian national championship. And with Hayden piloting the MC 450F in MX1, we can’t wait to see what these guys can do in 2022 – and have some fun while we are at it!”

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Kjer Olsen and Everts to DIGA Procross KTM for MXGP in 2022

DIGA Procross KTM will run KTM SX-F race technology in both the MXGP and MX2 classes of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship with a fresh rider line-up. The German squad welcome Grand Prix winner Thomas Kjer Olsen and Grand Prix rookie Liam Everts into their Cologne-based operation.

Thomas Kjer Olsen and Grand Prix rookie Liam Everts join DIGA Procross KTM in 2022
Thomas Kjer Olsen and Grand Prix rookie Liam Everts join DIGA Procross KTM in 2022

Justin Amian’s unit will now steer KTM’s advanced SX-F motocross machinery – with factory backing – but they will also harbor the competitive objectives of Thomas Kjer Olsen in the MXGP class and newcomer Liam Everts in MX2.

Olsen enters only his second term in MXGP after claiming victories, podiums and three top-three classifications in a successful MX2 tenure. The 24-year-old Dane is looking to progress his career in 2022 after showing sufficient speed to become a top ten regular in 2021. Next year’s calendar will see #19 race the KTM 450 SX-F for the first time for what will also be DIGA Procross’ maiden appearance in the category.

Liam Everts makes the step into Grand Prix competition for his first full year at world championship level. The 17-year-old Belgian has been carving his name into the foundations of the sport thanks to excellent technique and bags of potential. He showed enough promise through the EMX125 and EMX250 European Championships (with podium appearances in both divisions) – as well as debuting for his country at the 2021 Motocross of Nations – to earn his MX2 berth with the KTM 250 SX-F.

Justin Amian – DIGA Procross Team Manager

“We are happy and proud to officially represent KTM in the FIM Motocross World Championship from 2022.With Liam Everts we have a young, hungry and very talented athlete in our team, and we will try to support his progressas much as possible. With Thomas Kjer Olsen wewill start a new chapter in the premier class in 2022. Thomas has personally developed a lot in his 2021 MXGP rookie season and has shown great pace, which gives us the confidence that he will one day be at the front of the toughest series on the planet. Our team is eager for great results and we will do everything in our power to get better and better every day.I would like to thank Pit Beirer and Robert Jonas for the confidence they have shown in us and for the opportunity to represent KTM at the highest level.”

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Red Bull KTM welcomes Kody Kopp

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will add 17-year-old up-and-comer Kody Kopp to its rider lineup for the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track Championship. Racing alongside teammate and championship contender, Max Whale, Kopp will pilot the KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition in the AFT Singles class this season, which begins on March 10 and 11 with the Volusia Half-Mile in Barberville, Florida.

Kody Kopp

“I’m very thankful for this amazing opportunity to join Red Bull KTM Factory Racing! I raced KTMs a lot as an amateur, so I am super excited to be returning back to my roots. I’m also stoked to have Max as my teammate. We’ve had some decent battles in the past and he is going to be a great mentor to learn from. I’ve looked up to the entire KTM organization for a long time, so I couldn’t be more ecstatic to get this 2022 season started!”

Kody Kopp
Kody Kopp

Kopp, a Washington native, earned Rookie of the Year in his 2021 AFT Singles debut season, finishing an impressive seventh overall in the championship. Claiming three podium finishes and six top-10s, the young rider laid a solid foundation in his first season and he looks to build upon that experience in 2022. Spending a lot of time training and riding with his teammate during the off-season, Kopp continues to learn and grow with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing program.

Chris Fillmore – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Flat Track Team Manager

“With one year of racing at the top level under his belt, the timing felt right to bring Kody on-board with Red Bull KTM. At 17, you are quite young and have some experience still to gain, but Kody’s level of talent and natural ability were very evident after watching him race last season. Kody has had great mentorship from his father Joe, who is a legend in the sport of flat track himself, and I look forward to continuing to help him grow. From the first week of riding, I feel the chemistry between the two riders is really good and they will continue to push each other on and off the track to deliver on KTM’s Ready to Race brand promise.”

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Source: MCNews.com.au