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MXstore naming sponsor of Australia’s ISDE Team

Motorcycling Australia have announced that Team Australia’s campaign at the 2022 International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) will be supported by MXstore.

For Geoff Munro, Key Partnerships Manager at MXstore, the opportunity to support the riders at the ISDE makes sense:

Geoff Munro

“We’re thrilled to be supporting Team Australia for the 2022 ISDE. Enduro is obviously such a huge part of our sport and being able to support our Aussies competing at the pinnacle is a proud moment for us. We can’t wait to get over to France with the team and show everyone firsthand how incredible these athletes are.”

The 2022 International Six Day Enduro ISDE will be held in Puy en Velay, France from the 29th of August through 4th September 2022.

The 2022 Australian Men’s World Trophy team is Andy Wilksch (E3), Wil Ruprecht (E2), Daniel Milner (E2), Joshua Green (E1). The 2022 Australian Women’s World Trophy team is Jessica Gardiner, Ebony Nielsen, Emelie Karlsson. The Australian Junior World Trophy team is Kyron Bacon (E1), Blake Hollis (E1), Korey McMahon (E2).

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2022 FOX Australian Supercross Championship Calendar

For the first time in Australian Supercross history, the series will align itself with the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), with the Melbourne round inside Marvel Stadium playing host to round one of the series on Friday October 21.

Adam Bailey – SX Global Managing Director of Motorsport

“We’re extremely excited to host the opening round of the FOX Australian Supercross Championship as a part of the WSX Australian Grand Prix. The athletes and teams are world-class and will no doubt put on a fantastic show for the Aussie fans. We have no doubt the WSX teams will be watching closely for their future recruits also.”

Following the opener in Melbourne the series will head to South Australia’s Mount Gambier’s speedway, before moving to the pristine McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, NSW for the AusX Triple Crown event. The final round will then head to Wagga Wagga NSW, with the Wagga International Speedway hosting the final round of the championship.

The AUSX Triple Crown is a unique event that will consist of a bespoke race format known as the ‘Championship within the Championship’. This will result in a hotly contested race for both riders and teams drawing fans from around the country to Newcastle.

In addition to the calendar, the series announced the continued partnership with FOX Racing, who solidify their commitment to the championship as the title sponsor for 2022.

2022 FOX Australian Supercross Championship Calendar

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Red Bull Romaniacs next stop for Hard Enduro

The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship readies itself for round five and the iconic Red Bull Romaniacs in Romania for its 19th running.

With five days of racing on the cards, competitors from 51 nations will be put through their paces. From the return of the city prologue to four physically demanding days of racing across the Carpathian Mountains, reaching the finish line of this year’s race will be an honourable achievement.

July 25th will see competitors gather in the host city of Sibiu for a street parade. But Tuesday is the day we’ve been waiting over two years for as the legendary city prologue returns. A spectacle in its own right, the street course with its many man-made Hard Enduro elements is a real crowd pleaser.

Dawning bright and early, racing gets underway on Wednesday morning for the first of four Offroad Days. Heading deep into the wild and untapped Carpathian Mountains, there will be no easing into the race with signature sections being thrown at the Gold class competitors hard and fast.

This year will see an overnight stay away from Sibiu at the end of Offroad Day 2, at the Ranca ski resort. This has allowed organisers to access new terrain and of course new challenges. The Valcea region is promising some spectacular riding with elevations of over 2,000 metres, which should make for an exciting Offroad Day 3.

Offroad Day 4 will be a welcome sight for the battle-hardened competitors, but as is often the case with Red Bull Romaniacs, it won’t be an easy run to the finish line in Gusterita. With the infamous final hill climb to contest among other surprises, it is sure to be a fight all the way to the end.

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MXGP of Oman 2022 cancelled

Infront Moto Racing have announced that the MXGP of Oman, which was set to host the finale of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship at the end of September, will not take place in 2022.

Instead, the 2022 MXGP season will come to a close at the BitCi MXGP of Turkey with the well-known Afyonkarahisar circuit, set to host the final round of 2022.

While the MXGP of Oman will not be held this year, Infront Moto Racing is working closely with the organiser for a future Grand Prix in Oman.

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Marvin Musquin confirms 2023 in AMA SX with KTM

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team will welcome Marvin Musquin back for his 12th season with the U.S. team, where he’s set to line up for the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship aboard the #25 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

Musquin’s one-year contract extension has the French rider competing exclusively in the AMA Supercross Championship for 2023, where he looks to build upon his performance in 2022. Finishing fourth overall in the 450SX Championship, Musquin scored six podium finishes and one Triple Crown victory during the season, and the 32-year-old is hungry for more as the stadium gate drops in just six months’ time.

Marvin Musquin

“I’m very excited, this is exactly what I was looking for in the new season – to be part of the Red Bull KTM team – where I have been for 12 years here in America and 14 years total with KTM. It’s very special for me to still be around Frankie and the whole team, and to be based in California like I did for the 2022 season. I’m looking forward to improving the new bike even more and learning even more with more time coming up. I know that the whole team is motivated to keep on trying, never give up, and to get the KTM back on the top spot.”

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Adamo and Everts to Red Bull KTM for MX2 in 2023

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing have agreed deals with upcoming stars Andrea Adamo and Liam Everts for the 2023 MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship. The Italian and Belgian will race the KTM 250 SX-F for the multi-title winning team.

Adamo, a former European Champion, is currently in his second season at Grand Prix level and the MX2 class. He ended his debut term in 2021 with 14th place and has quickly accelerated his development to capture a maiden podium result this year at Mantova for the Grand Prix of Lombardia. The 18-year-old has been on the KTM radar for some time and his work ethic, attitude and clear progression has helped Red Bull KTM Factory Racing management take the decision to put him on the KTM 250 SX-F for 2023.

Andrea Adamo

“This is really cool news and like a dream come true for me. It’s one of the best race teams in the world so I’m excited and proud to have this opportunity. It makes me already excited for 2023. Tony Cairoli is obviously a big influence and it’s great that I’m able to give Italy another factory rider in Grand Prix. I want to thank the whole Red Bull KTM Factory Racing family for this chance.”

Everts, soon to be 18, is also discovering the full demands of Grand Prix level but has the fortune to be guided by two generations of former world champions in his family. Everts made his mark in EMX125 and EMX250 European Championship competition before stepping full-time in MX2 in 2022 with the DIGA Pro Motocross KTM set-up; the fourth campaign of a five-year KTM plan. He has impressed with top ten results and honed the speed to enter the top five on several occasions.

Liam Everts

“Next year will be a new challenge and a big one! It’s a dream of mine that is now coming true and such a cool opportunity with be part of Red Bull KTM. We’ll work hard together and push for the ultimate result. I’m already looking forward to it.”

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Tom Vialle to compete AMA SX & MX with KTM in 2023

Tom Vialle will move to the North American wing of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for the next stage of his career trajectory and will attempt the AMA 250SX and 250MX national series in the USA for 2023.

Vialle, clinched the 2020 MX2 crown, won six Grands Prix and finished third in 2021 and is currently battling for 2022 honours having led the category four times from 14 rounds, but will compete on American soil next year.

Vialle is a keen and skilled supercrosser and before moving to MXGP with the KTM 450 SX-F wanted to follow the path trodden by the likes of countryman and current Red Bull KTM Supercrosser Marvin Musquin by lining-up for the two AMA 250 disciplines. Vialle confirmed his move this week and should be based near the team’s second HQ on the East coast of the United States where KTM have a close training and practicing arrangement with famed specialist Aldon Baker.

Tom Vialle

“We’ve had another strong season this year so far in MX2 and the plan was to move to the MXGP class for 2023 but I really felt this was the best time for me to try and see if I could make it in Supercross. I have a track near my home and there is a SX tradition in my family. I’m desperate to see what I can do, even if I know it is a big learning curve to be ready for 2023. We have to keep realistic, but it is fantastic at the same time that I could speak with Robert, Pit and the guys in the U.S. and to make this happen as part of Red Bull KTM. This GP team is like another family to me, so it will be hard to leave but this is a really exciting new story for me and I cannot wait to move and start it all.”

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Kevin Horgmo extends F&H Kawasaki contract into 2023

The F&H Kawasaki Racing Teamand Kevin Horgmo will continue their successful partnership next year, his final season in the FIM MX2 World Championship.

The Norwegian joined team F&H last winter to represent Kawasaki in the MX2 world championship and is currently fourth in the series standings after the first thirteen. Kevin and the team have enjoyed a successful cooperation from day one and their efforts have already been rewarded with several holeshots, a GP podium and consistent top placing’s as Kevin has finished top-ten in no less than twenty-two of the twenty-six motos, fourteen times in the top-five.

Working closely with Marc De Reuver as trainer and the entire F&H team staff, Kevin is one of the most enthusiastic riders in the class and has already shown great potential despite his limited GP experience as he was still racing the European Championship last year. With five rounds remaining this season the Norwegian rider will have more opportunities to gain experience and potentially further podiums to end the season on a high note before starting the preparation for 2023.

Kevin Horgmo

“This season has been a big step for me as I’ve climbed into the top ranks of the MX2 class; I couldn’t have done that without the support of the team and I’m really grateful for the opportunity they have given me this season to show my true potential. I’m delighted to extend my contract with F&H Kawasaki for another year. Last winter was very short due to the corona virus so what we have achieved together this season is incredible; I’m looking forward to a full off-season on my bike with Marc and the entire team to make further advances in 2023.”

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Eli Tomac wins ESPY Award in the Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac added another accolade to his tally and has won his first ESPY Award in the Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports Category. Recognized for his Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, which saw him take his second title in the premier class, the Coloradan joins an exclusive list with some of the biggest names in the action sports world. Names like Tony Hawk, Ryan Nyquist, Dave Mirra, Shaun White, Travis Pastrana, and fellow supercross rider – Ryan Dungey.

The annual awards ceremony hosted by ESPN recognizes major sporting achievements and the best athletes in the world, with fans voting across 35 different categories. In the men’s action sports category, Tomac was the only entry from motorcycle racing and was joined by three Olympic Gold Medal Athletes – American freestyle skier Alexander Hall, Japanese skateboarder Yuto Horigome, and Japanese snowboarder Ayumu Hirano.

Eli Tomac

“It’s special to win this award, and it’s very cool for the sport of Supercross. This year was that sort of season for us. It was just a refreshing, successful season, and we were able to do everything the right way and come out with the championship. That was the goal, and it ended up happening; it was just a dream season for us. That was super cool. It just goes to show that there is a lot of enthusiasm in our sport, and that was awesome to see. What’s cool about this award is that it’s the fan’s choice. I think our sport’s in a really healthy position right now, and everyone’s loving supercross, and I’m glad that I was able to represent the sport. I would say it was just the whole process of getting to where we ended up that stands out to me. I think about my first day on the motorcycle to getting the championship wrapped up in Denver; it’s the whole journey that I love to look back on. And to do it with the Yamaha team, it was just a fun year and that usually ends with a good result.”

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Dylan Wills to sit out remainder of ProMX season

Husqvarna Racing Team’s Dylan Wills will sit out the final three rounds of the 2022 ProMX Championship in order to recover from a recent shoulder injury, with his sights set on the Australian Supercross Championship scheduled to commence in October.

Wills crashed while racing at the King of MX event in Wagga Wagga, NSW, during June, tearing his rotator cuff just two weeks out from the fifth round of ProMX at Maitland.

Despite lingering effects of the injury, Wills proved once again that he has the potential to be a front-runner in MX2 and led a number of laps during the opening moto of the weekend.

However, the FC 250 rider’s shoulder has continued to cause trouble during training, with the decision made between himself and the team to focus on a full recovery ahead of the opening round of Australian Supercross at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on 21 October.

Dylan Wills

“This isn’t an ideal situation for me, as I wanted to finish out the ProMX season strong and prove that we are better than what the results show. I had a little injury before Maitland after I tore the rotator cuff in my shoulder and I got through that weekend, but it has got worse and worse as I have tried to continue ride without rehabbing it. The team and I choose to sit the remainder of the motocross season out to try and get strong, heal correctly and come back out for supercross from the opening round of that series.”

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Ankle injury sidelines Stilez Robertson for rest of season

Stilez Robertson will miss the remainder of the 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship as a result of an ankle injury sustained during the second moto of the Spring Creek National.

Robertson, who recently earned his first-career 250 Class podium at Round 5, was riding a wave of momentum into the second half of the series. After a hard-fought performance in the first moto, Robertson set out for redemption in Moto 2 but he got caught up in a multi-rider pileup early on, forcing him out of the race and requiring him to undergo surgery to repair ligaments in his ankle.

Stilez Robertson

“It really sucks to end the season this way but I’m going to go under the knife and get these ligaments fixed up. Thanks to the team and everyone in my corner for supporting me in these times.”

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Tosha Schareina wins Baja Spain Aragón

After almost 600 competitive kilometres over two days in shade temperatures approaching 40°C, young rider Tosha Schareina (KTM) won Baja Spain Aragón, ahead of the two Sherco riders, Lorenzo Santolino and Rui Gonçalves. The Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro also made a meaningful appearance, winning the Trail category.

Its technical layout, diversity of terrain, vegetation, many pitfalls and the very high temperatures put competitors and equipment to the sternest test. Baja Spain Aragón offers excellent training for many riders for the Dakar.

It was in this spirit that Tosha Schareina (KTM) took the start of the race. Second in the Prologue behind Rui Gonçalves, he managed to overtake the Sherco rider in the first special on Saturday morning and then attempted to secure the overall victory.

Tosha Schareina

“Saturday, the day was long and complicated. I started behind Rui and ate dust for a long time but was finally able to get close enough to him to start first in the second stage. I was then able to ride at my own pace and gain a good lead for today.”

The newly formed Trail category competed across more than 450 km of the Aragón region’s most challenging terrain, and Iván Cervantes finished with an overall time of 6:13.32 (6 hours, 13 minutes and 32 seconds) – 1:06 (one hour and six minutes) ahead of the second-placed rider in the category.

Iván finished in 11th position overall, just 0:33:50 behind the first-placed rider, against a field of 75 other competitors. New for 2022, the Trail and Maxi-Trail categories at the Baja Aragón were created to showcase the ever-capabilities of the growing range of production adventure-class motorcycles, that have proven so popular.

Ivan Cervantes

“We came to the Baja Aragón with a clear goal: to win the new Trail category on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. However, our greater ambition was to finish as high as possible in the overall rankings, where people have been amazed at the pace we have taken with the Trail. We are proud to have done a great job, and I believe we have given everyone a lot to talk about. This once again proves that Triumph is here in off-road racing – and is here to stay. We chose this race because we plan to come here with the Enduro project, and of course we plan to succeed! I’m very happy to return to Baja Aragón after so many years and to return home as the category champion with Triumph.”

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FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Final 1 & 2 line-ups revealed

Poland and Australia will battle it out on the opening night of the FIM SON, which takes place over four nights at Denmark’s national speedway stadium. They are joined by fellow 2021 finalists Latvia, Germany, USA, Finland and Ukraine in the first event of a new era for the FIM SON under new global promoter Discovery Sports Events.

Each nation selects two starters at No.1 and No.2, as well as a No.3 reserve rider, who can be called into action as a substitute by the team manager at any time throughout the event.

Poland’s double Speedway GP world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik captains the eight-time FIM Speedway World Cup winners as they bid to win their first-ever FIM SON gold medals after three straight second-place finishes.

Zmarzlik at No.1 teams up with 2021 FIM SON Final partner Maciej Janowski, with Speedway GP star Patryk Dudek lining up at No.3.

No.1 Doyle captains an Australia side also featuring three Speedway GP riders. He partners No.2 Max Fricke, who continues his proud record of never missing an FIM SON event for the Roos since the competition launched in 2018. SGP newcomer Jack Holder is in line for his FIM SON debut at No.3.

The Latvians are without their injured former European champion Andzejs Lebedevs. Francis Gusts took second place in the first-ever SGP2 event in Prague on May 27 and he is named at No.1. Jevgenijs Kostigovs comes into the side as his partner at No.2, with Olegs Mihailovs named at No.3.

The German challenge is led by Kai Huckenbeck at No.1 as he bids to build on the huge 22-point haul he scored in the 2021 Semi-Finals in Daugavpils, Latvia. He joins forces with young gun Norick Blodorn at No.2 and No.3 Erik Riss – a two-time former FIM World Long Track champion.

Luke Becker has emerged as the USA’s leading light on the world stage, racing for Wolverhampton in the UK and Lodz in the Polish First Division. He captains the Americans at No.1, joining forces with Glasgow rider Broc Nicol at No.2. Dillon Ruml, who races for Oxford, is named at No.3.

Finland’s side is led by skipper Timo Lahti at No.1 and he joins forces with SGP2 shooting star Timi Salonen at No.2. Jesse Mustonen is named as Finland’s No.3.

Ukraine’s side is led by former FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship finalist Marko Levishyn, who lines up at No.1. He links up with captain Stanislav Melnychuk at No.2 and No.3 Vitalii Lysak, who served as track reserve at the Orlen FIM Warsaw Speedway GP.

The top two teams after 21 heats automatically join hosts Denmark in the FIM SON Final on Saturday, July 30, with the third and fourth-placed teams competing in the Final Qualifier for the last spot in Saturday’s Final.

FIM Seedway of Nations Semi Final 1 – Starting Line-Ups

• A – GERMANY:
  1 Kai Huckenbeck ©, 2 Norick Blodorn, 3 Erik Riss. Team Manager: Herbert Rudolph.
• B – POLAND:
  1 Bartosz Zmarzlik ©, 2 Maciej Janowski, 3 Patryk Dudek. Team Manager: Rafal Dobrucki.
• C – UNITED STATES:
  1 Luke Becker ©, 2 Broc Nicol, 3 Dillon Ruml. Team Manager: Steve Evans.
• D – LATVIA:
  1 Francis Gusts, 2 Jevgenijs Kostigovs ©, 3 Olegs Mihailovs. Team Manager: Vladimirs Ribnikovs.
• E – FINLAND:
  1 Timo Lahti ©, 2 Timi Salonen, 3 Jesse Mustonen. Team Manager: Peter Jansson.
• F – AUSTRALIA:
  1 Jason Doyle ©, 2 Max Fricke, 3 Jack Holder. Team Manager: Mark Lemon.
• G – UKRAINE:
  1 Marko Levishyn, 2 Stanislav Melnychuk ©, 3 Vitalii Lysak. Team Manager: Vasyl Melnychuk.

Semi-Finals 2

World champions Great Britain select three of their 2021 history-makers as they launch their title defence at FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Final 2 in Vojens, Denmark on Thursday, July 28.

The Lions take on fellow 2021 finalists Sweden and France, plus Czech Republic, Slovenia, Italy and FIM SON newcomers Slovakia on night two of the four-day tournament – the first of a new era of FIM Speedway under new global promoter Discovery Sports Events.

Each nation selects two starters at No.1 and No.2, as well as a No.3 reserve rider, who can be called into action as a substitute by the team manager at any time throughout the event.

GB’s triple Speedway GP world champion Tai Woffinden captains the Lions, starting Semi-Final 2 alongside former European champion Robert Lambert, with their SGP rival Dan Bewley listed at No.3.

Swedish boss Morgan Andersson brings world No.5 Fredrik Lindgren back into the side after he missed the 2021 Final due to illness, with the in-form Oliver Berntzon starting for the first time since 2020. Late call-up Victor Palovaara, who replaced the injured Pontus Aspgren, rides straight into the No.3 spot and could make his FIM SON debut.

France nominates their top two from 2021, David Bellego and Dimitri Berge. No.2 Bellego is making rapid progress in the sport and lines up in Poland’s PGE Ekstraliga with Leszno for the first time this season. He is joined by two former FIM World Long Track champions in Berge at No.1 and Mathieu Tressarieu at No.3.

Former Speedway GP reserve Vaclav Milik leads a young Czech Republic team into action, starting at No.1, with talented under-21 riders Jan Kvech (No.2) and Petr Chlupac (No.3), who both reached the final of the FIM SGP2 of Czech Republic on May 27, also named in the side.

Slovakia’s four-time Speedway GP winner Martin Vaculik proudly captains his country into their first FIM SON event at No.1. He is joined in the starting pair by No.2 Jakub Valkovic, with Patrik Buri named as their No.3.

Slovenia’s challenge is led by two-time national champion Matic Ivacic at No.1, who is partnered by former FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship finalist and No.2 Nick Skorja. Teenage prospect Anze Grmek is named at No.3.

Italy’s challenge is led by Nicolas Covatti – a former Speedway GP wild card and FIM GP Challenge finalist. He lines up at No.2 with captain and No.1 Paco Castagna – son of Italian speedway legend Armando Castagna. Daniele Tessari is nominated at No.3 for what could be his first FIM SON appearance.

The top two teams after 21 heats automatically join hosts Denmark in the FIM SON Final on Saturday, July 30, with the third and fourth-placed teams competing in the Final Qualifier for the last spot in Saturday’s Final.

FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Final 2 – Starting Line-Ups

• A – CZECH REPUBLIC:
  1 Vaclav Milik ©, 2 Jan Kvech, 3 Petr Chlupac. Team Manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind.
• B – GREAT BRITAIN:
  1 Tai Woffinden ©, 2 Robert Lambert, 3 Dan Bewley. Team Managers: Simon Stead and Oliver Allen.
• C – FRANCE:
  1 Dimitri Berge, 2 David Bellego ©, 3 Mathieu Tressarieu. Team Manager: Laurent Sambarrey.
• D – SWEDEN:
  1 Fredrik Lindgren ©, 2 Oliver Berntzon, 3 Victor Palovaara. Team Manager: Morgan Andersson.
• E – ITALY:
  1 Paco Castagna ©, 2 Nicolas Covatti, 3 Daniele Tessari. Team Manager: Alessandro Dalla Valle.
• F – SLOVAKIA:
  1 Martin Vaculik ©, 2 Jakub Valkovic, 3 Patrik Buri. Team Manager: Jakub Zliechovec.
• G – SLOVENIA:
  1 Matic Ivacic ©, 2 Nick Skorja, 3 Anze Grmek. Team Manager: Gregor Arnsek.

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Team Speedway Under-21 SoN starting line-ups confirmed

Starting line-ups for the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship are confirmed and the Danes take on 14-time winners Poland, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Latvia, Australia and Sweden.

The event sees the sport’s top under-21s join the world’s best riders on the FIM Speedway of Nations stage for the first time as part of new FIM Speedway global promoter Discovery Sports Events’ vision to shine a spotlight on and elevate speedway’s rising stars.

Each nation selects two starters at No.1 and No.2, as well as a No.3 reserve rider, who can be called into action as a substitute by the team manager at any time throughout the event.

Vojens rider Benjamin Basso lines up on his Danish Speedwayligaen home track at No.1 and he is partnered by Holsted racer Kevin Juhl Pedersen, with Basso’s Vojens team mate Jonas Knudsen selected at No.3 by team manager Hans Nielsen.

Poland also picks three SGP2 riders as reigning World Under-21 individual champion Jakub Miskowiak is named at No.2, with in-form Bydgoszcz rider Wiktor Przyjemski his partner at No.1. Current SGP2 series leader Mateusz Cierniak takes the No.3 spot as the Poles chase title No.15.

The Czech Republic boasts a power-packed side, featuring three SGP2 riders. Jan Kvech starts at No.1 and also rides for the senior side in Semi-Final 2 24 hours earlier. Petr Chlupac also does double duty with the seniors – he rides at No.2 in SON2. Daniel Klima is listed at No.3.

2021 FIM SON winner Tom Brennan leads Great Britain into battle at No.1 and he joins forces with Drew Kemp at No.2. Team manager Neil Vatcher selects Leon Flint as Britain’s No.3 rider.

The Latvian challenge is led by No.1 Francis Gusts, who also rides for the Latvian senior side in Semi-Final 1 and is currently second in the SGP2 standings. Ricards Ansviesulis is named at No.2 with Ernests Matjusonoks their No.3 rider.

Australian boss Mark Lemon names Keynan Rew, who competed in the 2021 FIM SON, at No.1, with Fraser Bowes partnering him at No.2. James Pearson is named at No.3.

Sweden’s SGP2 pair Gustav Grahn and Casper Henriksson lead their country’s challenge at No.1 and No.2 respectively. The No.3 spot is taken by Philip Hellstrom-Bangs, who flew the Swedish flag alone in fine style at the 2021 FIM SON Final in Manchester when both of his senior team mates crashed out.

The highest-scoring nation after 21 heats lines up in the Grand Final with the second and third-placed sides battling it out in the Grand Final Qualifier for the right to join them. The highest-scoring team in the Grand Final will be crowned SON2 world champions.

Tickets for all four nights of the FIM SON at Vojens Speedway Center are still available online. Secure your spot at trackside – book here now: https://www.billetlugen.dk/eventseries/3187803/?affiliate=WW2

FIM Speedway of Nations – SoN2 Starting Line-Ups

• A – AUSTRALIA
  1 Keynan Rew ©, 2 Fraser Bowes, 3 James Pearson. Team Manager: Mark Lemon
• B – LATVIA
  1 Francis Gusts ©, 2 Ricards Ansviesulis, 3 Ernests Matjusonoks. Team Manager: Vladimirs Ribnikovs
• C – POLAND
  1 Wiktor Przyjemski, 2 Jakub Miskowiak ©, 3 Mateusz Cierniak. Team Manager: Rafal Dobrucki
• D – GREAT BRITAIN
  1 Tom Brennan ©, 2 Drew Kemp, 3 Leon Flint. Team Manager: Neil Vatcher
• E – DENMARK
  1 Benjamin Basso ©, 2 Kevin Juhl Pedersen, 3 Jonas Knudsen. Team Manager: Hans Nielsen
• F – CZECH REPUBLIC
  1 Jan Kvech ©, 2 Petr Chlupac, 3 Daniel Klima. Team Manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind.
• G – SWEDEN
  1 Gustav Grahn ©, 2 Casper Henriksson, 3 Philip Hellstrom-Bangs. Team Manager: Morgan Andersson

 

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EMX Round 7 Report from the MXGP of Flanders

Round seven of the EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Championships have concluded at the round of Flanders that saw Jumbo Husqvarna BT Racing Team’s Luca Coenen and Janis Martins Reisulis victorious in the deep and sandy conditions of Lommel!

Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Rick Elzinga and Cas Valk of Fantic Factory Team Maddii remain as the series leaders and have a comfortable gap to their closest rivals.

EMX250

In the first EMX250 race, it was Sacha Coenen of Jumbo Husqvarna BT Racing who took the holeshot from Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Rick Elzinga and Andrea Bonacorsi.

Elzinga made a quick move into the lead, as Bonacorsi followed through and moved into second as S. Coenen got pushed down to third. Guillem Farres of Raths Motorsports fought his way up the order as he eventually passed Dave Kooiker of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing for third.

By the fourth lap, Farres also managed to get ahead of Bonacorsi, though the Italian fought back immediately to take back his position. Farres then crashed and did not carry on with the race.

Meanwhile Lucas Coenen of Jumbo Husqvarna BT Racing caught both Elzinga and Bonacorsi by surprise as he made his way from seventh and into the lead on lap nine. The trio battled closely for the next several laps as Bonacorsi got by his teammate to move into second.

Bonacorsi pushed L. Coenen until the final moments of the race, as the pair crossed the line separated by just 0.549 seconds as L. Coenen took the race win in front of his home crowd. Bonacorsi was second ahead of Elzinga, Quentin Marc Prugnieres of 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing and S. Coenen.

In race two, it was once again S. Coenen who was the leading rider into the first corner, though it took no time at all for his brother L. Coenen to take over first position. Elzinga was right there ahead of Farres and Maxime Grau of Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing.

A couple of riders went down in the first corner too, as Bonacorsi started down in 13th.

S. Coenen then dropped to fifth as Farres and Prugnieres went by. Meanwhile Bonacorsi was making good progress as he fought back to seventh, though as the Italian made the pass, he crashed moments later and had to do the work all over again.

By that point, L. Coenen had a very impressive 18.925 second lead over Elzinga as S. Coenen struggled with what looked like a bike issue and did not carry in with the rest of the heat.

Out of nowhere, Bonacorsi found a second gear as he began his pursuit for the podium after making some quick passes. The Italian went from 14th to eighth, then passed Kooiker and Cornelius Toendel of Fantic Factory Team Maddii and eventually Camden Mc Lellan of TBS Conversions Racing Team on the final two laps to secure fourth.

But no rider was a match for the home hero L. Coenen who win the second heat with a 37.187 second advantage over Farres, Elzinga, Bonacorsi and Mc Lellan.

A 1-1 result put L. Coenen on the top step of the box in front of his home fans, while Elzinga finished second and Bonacorsi third. As it stands, Elzinga continues to lead the EMX250 Championship standings, 30 points over Toendel and L. Coenen who is third.

Lucas Coenen

“It was a perfect weekend! Second race, I quickly passed Rick and my brother because I knew they were fast and then I made a big gap and controlled my race. I am so happy. I want to thank all the fans; they were really amazing. 1-1 and now we keep going and see how the next race goes.”

EMX250 – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 50 points; 2. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 40 p.; 3. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), 30 p.; 5. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, FAN), 30 p.; 6. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 26 p.; 7. Guillem Farres (ESP, KTM), 22 p.; 8. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), 21 p.; 9. Eddie Wade (ESP, KAW), 20 p.; 10. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KAW), 18 p.;

EMX250 – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 281 points; 2. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, FAN), 251 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 208 p.; 4. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 206 p.; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), 189 p.; 6. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KAW), 163 p.; 7. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 158 p.; 8. David Braceras (ESP, KTM), 147 p.; 9. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 126 p.; 10. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, KTM), 113 p.;

EMX125

In EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat one, it was Julius Mikula who took the holeshot ahead of Nicolai Skovbjerg, Mads Fredsoe, Maximilian Werner of DIGA Procross KTM Racing and Janis Martins Reisulis! J.M Reisulis then found his way into third, while his brother, Karlis Alberts Reisulis of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC fought through the field in the first lap to move up to fourth.

J.M Reisulis then got himself up to second, as Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC’s Ivano van Erp fought his way through the field, after a mid-pack start to move into sixth. Van Erp was on a charge as he quickly pushed inside the top five and was looking to close in on K.Reisulis.

Mikula was the leading rider from the get-go but was coming under pressure from J.M Reisulis, who was riding well under pressure.

Further down the field, series leader Cas Valk of Fantic Factory Team Maddii had a tough beginning to his race as he started down in 20th. After making some nice passes, Valk got caught up with another rider who crashed in front of him, but was able to get going again and made some really good progress to end the race in sixth position.

K. Reisulis and Van Erp then battled closely, as the Dutchman made the pass for third as Mikula stretched his lead to over six seconds. Van Erp then crashed, as did the leader Mikula, but was able to get going quickly and stay ahead of J.M Reisulis.

In the final few laps it was an all-out battle between Mikula and J.M Reisulis for the win but the rider from Czech Republic was able to keep calm and secure his first EMX race victory ahead of J.M Reisulis, Van Erp, K. Reisulis and Skovbjerg.

In race two, the holeshot went to Fredsoe, though J.M Reisulis wasted no time to make the pass and get himself into the lead. Laban Alm got by too, as Lotte Van Drunen got off to a very strong start in sixth. Mikula was right there in the mix too as he got up to second place, while Valk was down in fifth as Van Erp struggled in 28th.

On the opening lap, Mikula fell out of second, as Valk made some fast passes to get by Alm for second. Mikula was looking to recover down in the top 10, as K. Reisulis passed Alm also after making up two positions in a matter of a couple of corners.

By that point J.M Reisulis was around three seconds in the lead as Valk worked hard to close down that gap after setting the fastest lap of the race.

Meanwhile Van Drunen had Mikula applying the pressure, though held him off for a while as she showed her strength in the sandy conditions. Van Drunen continued with her impressive performance and ended up finishing 10th.

As Mikula worked his way back up to fourth, J.M Reisulis made a mistake which allowed Valk to get within touching distance of the leader. The two fought intensely for the win, though Valk was able to find his way through on lap 11, but his time in the lead was short as he threw it away moments later.

Valk crashed which allowed J.M Reisulis back in the lead, though the Dutchman got going quickly and held on to second.

J.M Reisulis ended up winning the race and with it secured his first ever overall victory in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category, ahead of Valk and K. Reisulis who finished second and third in the race, but it was Mikula and K. Reisulis who occupied the second and third steps of the podium.

Despite missing out on a top three overall finish, Valk leads the championship standings with 289 points over K. Reisulis who moves up to second on 254 points while Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii drops to third after a tough weekend in the sand.

Janis Martins Reisulis

“I can’t describe the feeling right now. Finally, a first place. The starts made it easier and I’m really happy to get the overall win at this track. I had pressure from behind in the races, but I’m happy about the victory.”

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, KTM), 47 points; 2. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 43 p.; 3. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Cas Valk (NED, FAN), 37 p.; 5. Francisco Garcia (ESP, GAS), 27 p.; 6. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 27 p.; 7. Nicolai Skovbjerg (DEN, YAM), 26 p.; 8. Adrien Petit (FRA, YAM), 22 p.; 9. Edgar Canet (ESP, GAS), 21 p.; 10. Lucas Bruhn (DEN, HUS), 20 p.;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Cas Valk (NED, FAN), 289 points; 2. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 254 p.; 3. Alexis Fueri (FRA, FAN), 237 p.; 4. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, KTM), 226 p.; 5. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 196 p.; 6. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 165 p.; 7. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 146 p.; 8. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, YAM), 116 p.; 9. Adrien Petit (FRA, YAM), 109 p.; 10. Mathis Valin (FRA, GAS), 103 p.;

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2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Round Eight – Washougal Recap

See the full report here:
AMA Pro MX – Four different race winners at Washougal

The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship made its return to the West Coast for Round 8 of the 50th anniversary season with its annual visit to the Pacific Northwest.

The scenic surroundings of Washougal MX Park featured perfect temperatures and mostly cloudy skies at the MotoSport.com Washougal National where the highly technical track layout resulted in an exciting battle for victory across both divisions.

Coming into Washougal no rider had been hotter than Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Eli Tomac, but he was forced to go bar-to-bar with championship rival and Team Honda HRC rider Chase Sexton throughout the afternoon. The division leaders duked it out over the entirety of both motos and ultimately traded moto wins, with the edge going to Sexton by virtue of his triumph in Moto 2. It signified his second victory of the season, ending Tomac’s four-race win streak, and gave the Honda rider back-to-back wins at Washougal.

Multiple riders took their turns at the head of the 250 Class field at Washougal, but the rider who walked away with the overall victory wasn’t one of them. For the seventh time in eight races Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence prevailed with the round win, doing what his rivals couldn’t with a consistent afternoon that saw two second-place finishes land him on the top step of the podium. The race victories going to Hunter Lawrence and Justin Cooper.

Washougal ProMX Video Highlights

 

250 Round Overall

A consistent afternoon proved to be the difference maker in the overall classification, as Jett Lawrence’s pair of runner-ups was enough to earn his seventh victory of the season. Cooper (4-1) and Hunter Lawrence (1-4) finished tied for second, just a single point behind first, where Cooper earned the tiebreaker by virtue of his better second-moto result.

With the round win, Jett Lawrence added another point to his championship lead, which now sits at 28 points over older brother Hunter. Friend and training partner to the Aussie brothers Jo Shimoda remains third, 49 points out of the lead.

Jett Lawrence – P1

“It was a weird day—different; I went second all day, but still got the overall win. I’m lucky I got it, and I would’ve liked to have gotten at least one moto win, but we’ll take it. The biggest thing here is always the shadows—I think I’ll come up here in the off-season and burn the trees! The second moto, I felt good, but I pushed and had a few sketchy moments in the shadow spots. I thought, ‘You know what, I already know I have an overall win unless Hunter passes Jo; I’m just going to stick with this and play it safe.’ The main thing is I just wanted to go back home safe. Now we get a bit of a break, and then we go to some tracks I really like, like Unadilla and Budds Creek. Hopefully we can keep that win streak going.”

Justin Cooper – P2

“We are feeling a lot more comfortable each weekend, and I think it’s showing. The bike and team were awesome today, and the weather and track conditions were great. I hope that I have that same Moto 2 feeling from now on, and we can keep this momentum rolling and finish the year strong.”

Hunter Lawrence – P3

“Ugh, third overall. Not gonna lie, on paper it should’ve been better for me, but that’s how she goes. I was pushing [to catch Shimoda]. There was a seven second gap and I had to bridge that. I did all I could there. This track can be scary. I’m happy with my riding, but I need to clean up those little mistakes.”

Jo Shimoda – P4

“Overall, it was a good day with me getting the holeshot and leading in Moto 1. I was able to stick with the leaders for a long time and win some hard battles which is nice because I think my speed was off today. Next week we’re going to do some more practicing before taking a little break to recharge during the off weekend so we can finish the season strong.”

Max Vohland – P5

“Today went pretty well. I didn’t get a very good start in the first moto but surprisingly on this track – which is very hard to pass on – I was able to move up pretty quickly. I just kept chugging along and picked my way up to seventh. Second moto, I really focused on the start and I got up into that top-five and just kind of stayed there – I was in no-man’s land there for a bit. I went 7-5 for fifth, which is matching my best result again this year. Now we have two weeks off and we’re going to put some work in and try to get on that podium.”

Seth Hammaker – P6

“It felt good to mix it up with the guys inside the top-five for as long as I did in both motos. My goal is to keep progressing with each week and hopefully, after the two-week break, we’ll come back recharged and ready to battle for podiums.”

RJ Hampshire – P7

“It was a long day for me, my starts were terrible,” Hampshire said. “First moto was a bit of a struggle and second moto, I felt like I found some comfort mid-way through. I felt like I rode decent for the second half of the moto but all-in-all, it was just kind of a struggle of a day. We’ve got two weekends to figure some things out and I’m hoping to come back at Unadilla with a fighting chance and hopefully we can knock out a couple podiums.”

Pierce Brown – P8

“We’re definitely treading in the right direction. We had a good first moto in sixth. Second moto, I got a good start and got caught behind some guys on the first lap and I ended up getting passed by a couple people. I fought through the pack as much as I could, I just didn’t have it at the end of the moto and I got passed by a couple more guys for ninth. We’re getting better, but we want more!”

Nate Thrasher – P9

“It was another new track for me, but I had a good qualifying and was feeling good going into the motos. In the first moto, I got a bad start and had a tip-over, and just struggled from there. I got a better start in the second moto but still had a hard time making passes and ended up ninth overall. It’s not the results we’re looking for, but we’ll keep working during the break and come back at Unadilla.”

Jalek Swoll – P11

“Qualifying was a lot better today, it’s nice to finally get in the mix and be there speed-wise,” Swoll said. “My riding was pretty good in Moto 1 but I’ve been struggling to get up there in the first few laps and on a track like this, you don’t want to find yourself in the back because it’s really hard to pass. I got a better start in Moto 2 but somebody else’s mistake costed me and I went down. I was at the back of the pack and only could get back to 12th. It’s not where we want to be but we’re going to keep plugging away and making improvements.”

250 Round Points

250 Championship Points Standings

450 Round Overall

By virtue of their identical moto scores Sexton (2-1) and Tomac (1-2) finished tied atop the overall classification, but the second-moto tiebreaker went to Sexton for his second victory of the season and the fourth of his career. He also successfully defended his Washougal victory from the 2021 season. The winning performance ended Tomac’s win streak at four, but also extended Sexton’s perfect podium record this season. Anderson’s consistent 3-3 effort landed him third overall.

With equal points, Tomac and Sexton remain separated by five points in the championship standings entering the final break of the 2022 season. Anderson strengthened his hold on third and now sits 79 points out of the lead.

Chase Sexton – P1

“That was gnarly! I felt really good from the get-go. I didn’t qualify the fastest, but my feeling on the bike was good, which is all that matters. Then it was just an hour and 10 minutes of battling. The first moto was a battle, and we had a little scuffle: he fell down, and I ran right into the back of him. The second moto was mentally challenging, with him behind me and not making any mistakes. I’m stoked that I was able to persevere and just keep him behind me. That’s how I want to win. You don’t want to win by a guy getting a bad start; it’s obviously easier, but you want to win when the guy is on you. Today we stuck together both motos. That was cool for me, and something that I’ve been dreaming of. I’ve been wanting to have that battle at the end of races, and it’s come together to where I could push and have a little bit of a gap. These next races are good for me, so hopefully we can have a good finish.”

Eli Tomac – P2

“It was a solid day for us! As usual, the conditions were technical and slick at Washougal. I had a great first moto making passes to the lead and holding on for the win. In the second moto, I struggled to find another second fast line for passing, but overall we did okay with breaking even on points for the championship.”

Jason Anderson – P3

“Being the third best guy out there is hard to accept. I expect to be up front every round and I’ve proven I have the speed to do it, but we just didn’t have it today. The guys up front were running a crazy pace. All in all, it was still a good day for us and we made up points in the race for third in the championship. We’ll try to keep this podium streak going as we head into the final four rounds.”

Ken Roczen – P4

“I was ready to give it my all. Unfortunately, it seems like my immune system kind of let me down a little bit. I started feeling iffy on Thursday and especially Friday; I came down with a fever and massive headache through Friday night. I probably picked up some kind of illness, so that made my day a lot tougher. I got lucky that the weather wasn’t super-hot, and I guess I have to be happy with a 4-6 for fourth overall. I know I belong on the podium, but poor starts were definitely not helping me out. I’m pumped with the effort the team has given; they keep believing in me. We’re going into a couple of off-weekends, and first and foremost, I want to get my body back in check, then put in some good work and come out swinging. I really like Unadilla and have done well there in the past, so my spirits are high—looking forward to finishing up the season strong.”

Christian Craig – P5

“Overall, it was a good day. Unfortunately, I crashed on the first lap of both motos and was playing catch-up the whole time. I’m happy with my speed; I just need to be better in the opening laps.”

Justin Barcia – P6

“First moto, I had a really hard charge! I didn’t get off to the greatest of starts and I came from about 14th up to fifth. I had a really good battle the whole moto, it was pretty intense. Second moto, I got off to a decent start and just couldn’t find my groove – I just felt a little bit uncomfortable with the bike. We’re going to get after it during these off-weekends and try to find a little bit more for the final rounds. My goal is to get up on that podium and battle for wins, so it’s back to work!”

Joey Savatgy – P7

“I had a scary moment in practice after I caught my foot in a rut coming off the face of a tabletop. It could’ve been really bad but I’m happy I was able to save that one. Overall, seventh is right around where I expect to be right now. Obviously, I’d like to be up front with the leaders, but we’re making progress. If I can keep fighting for the fourths, fifths and sixths until the end of the season I’ll be proud.”

Aaron Plessinger – P9

“Today was a mellow day – not great but not horrible. The track got rough in the first moto and I tightened up at the end, so I ended up eighth. I made some bike changes going out for Moto 2 and it was better. I got a really good start and I was running up there for a bit but I kind of just faded back. I’ve got a lot of homework to do these next few weeks and we’ll come back swinging for Unadilla.”

Ryan Dungey – P12

“We had a great week and made some good progress with the bike, which was really positive and it really translated today. I got the start in the first moto and man, it was nice running up there with Chase and Eli! We had a little bit of a bike malfunction – you know, it’s dirt bikes – it happens and it’s nobody’s fault. Second moto, my gate pick was terrible but I tried to salvage a decent start. The good thing was that I felt really good and the bike was really working, so I could apply myself on the track and start picking those people off. I got up to fourth and I made a run on third but just ran out of time. It’s not where we want to be overall but a positive moving forward is that we’re in a good spot with the bike and the riding was good, so we’ll take it.”

Shane McElrath – P13

“Washougal was a tough race day,” McElrath said. “I had pretty good qualifying session but as the track developed more, I struggled on finding a flow out there. I’m happy with my effort and the progress that we’ve made. It’s not easy out there. I’m content with where we’re at but I know I have some more to give and I’m going to keep working regardless of what the future holds. I’m just happy for this opportunity and it’s definitely taught me a lot, so I’m excited.”

450 Round Points

450 Championship Points Standings

Next Up

The 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will observe the final break in action of the summer before returning for the stretch run of each title fight on Saturday, August 13, with the storied Unadilla National in New Berlin, New York.

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2022 Penrite ProMX Round Six – Coffs Harbour Recap

Images by RbMotoLens

See the full report and results here:
Brief all category recap from ProMX Round Six at Coffs Harbour

The official ‘Retro Round’ 6 of the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores did not disappoint, as a technical and challenging Coffs Harbour race track gave riders and fans epic battles and on-track action all day long. With mid week rain clearing to a beautiful day, riders had to navigate a rutted race track that kept them on their toes.

Thor MX1

The opening THOR MX1 Moto showcased the battle many have been anticipating with a trademark Holeshot from the #111, HRC Honda Racing Australia’s Dean Ferris. Red Plate holder Aaron Tanti on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Yamaha was close in 2nd place from lap 1. From there it was go time, as the duo banged bars around the technical but fast Coffs Harbour track.

Behind the lead duo, Matt Moss on the BBR Yamaha 102 Motorsports crashed on lap 1 in 5th position and be clipped by another rider, ending the Moto for the fastest qualifier from this morning’s AMX Superstores Pole Shootout.

At the 5-minute mark Tanti pulled the trigger and passed Ferris for the lead. Brett Metcalfe on the GO 24 KTM then passed Todd Waters for 3rd position.

As the middle laps of the Moto ticked off, Ferris began to close back in on Tanti and with 2 laps to go made an aggressive pass to retake the lead. From here, things began to unravel for Tanti, the championship leader going down with 1 lap to go. As Tanti remounted, Metcalfe passed him for 2nd position.

KTM’s Kirk Gibbs had put in a monumental charge, going from 7th position on lap 1 to pass riders left, right and centre before taking Tanti for second on the final lap.

At the chequered flag it was Ferris in front to take the win, with Gibbs and Metcalfe rounding out the podium ahead of Aaron Tanti and Todd Waters.

A frantic first lap heralded the second and final MX1 moto of the day and it was moto one victor Dean Ferris with the Holeshot ahead of Aaron Tanti.

Ferris and Tanti battled throughout the opening lap before a mistake by the Honda man gave Tanti the room he needed to make a pass stick.

Todd Waters, Kirk Gibbs and Empire Kawasaki’s Jayden Rykers battled furiously over 3rd position in the opening laps.

With a rapidly deteriorating race track, both Tanti and Ferris took several laps to find their flow and establish a race pace before the second half of the race saw things step up a notch.

Ferris began to inch up on Tanti as the race progressed and then pulled the trigger with 8 minutes to go with an aggressive inside line cutting off Tanti’s run in the ruts to the next corner.

Behind the leaders, Kirk Gibbs established 3rd position early and laid down consistent laps to solidify another podium finish.

GAS GAS Australia’s Hayden Mellross put on an inspired ride to charge through to 4th late in the Moto after battling with Todd Waters.

Dean Ferris took the chequered flag to make for a 1-1 day for the overall victory.

Third place for Kirk Gibbs was good enough to secure him second place for the round while Tanti’s second place in the final moto promoted him into third overall and the CDR Yamaha rider retains the red plate.

Dean Ferris – P1

“I had no choice other than to win both races if I want to be in a position to race for the championship,” Ferris reflected. “I cannot control what happens with the other riders, but I will give this my all to the very last race. The team made some positive changes from qualifying and between both races. Having Grant, our suspension tech, on hand was instrumental to our results today. The team is working so well.”

Kirk Gibbs – P2

“I think this track sort of favoured me a little bit, being so deep and so gnarly. The track wasn’t quite as fast as what it could have been, but I’m really happy because three weeks ago I was laying up in a hospital bed. My thumb is sore right now and race day was a little harder than what it was practicing with it. I still think I am a top three guy, definitely, going into the last two rounds. I need to give my thumb a little bit of rest and then go back after it!”

Aaron Tanti – P3

“It was a good day without being a great day, I was able to get on the podium and increase my championship lead, but I felt as though I could have ridden the track a little better. Congrats to Dean, he rode exceptionally well, and I knew he would be good on a track like this, but I just made a few too many small mistakes and he was able to make the most of them. It’s frustrating when you do the work to get to the front of a national race and then let it go but Dean was a little better than me today. Still, we leave here with a 29-point lead in the championship which is great, and the team worked hard over the weekend given the conditions on the track and in the lead up. Thanks to everyone at CDR Yamaha, Monster, Fox and all our sponsors and the plan is to keep riding strong all the way to the finish.”

Hayden Mellross – P5

“It was a challenging day and we didn’t know what to expect of the track with the amount of rain we’ve had over the past couple of days. The track was super-technical, but in the first moto I didn’t use my legs enough early on, which resulted in massive arm-pump from the halfway mark. For the second moto we tried to focus on line selection and after a decent start I was able to battle with Kirk Gibbs and Todd Waters for most of the race. I passed Todd at the halfway mark, but he hung onto me like a bulldog and didn’t give me a moment to breathe! The second half of the race was a real challenge, but I’m happy with finishing fourth and excited to build on that for the final two rounds. We’re still working on finding the ideal bike set-up, but I’m encouraged to get a positive result and to be battling with the championship contenders. It shows we’re moving in the right direction, so we’ll continue trying new things to improve both the bike and myself.”

Todd Waters – P6

“It was a tough one for us. I got some good starts and I was running up there, but I just really struggled to get a good feeling on the track, and I wasn’t gelling with it. Definitely made it tough on myself, made some costly mistakes where riders went by and I lost some places. Going back to the drawing board, I’ve got a bit of work to do on my settings and a lot of it is my fault in crossing between off-road and motocross – I need to get a bit closer to the off-road setting where it’s a bit softer and a bit more forgiving for hard-pack choppy tracks like this. I’m feeling confident for the sand, my bike always feels good in the sand, but heading into QMP I want to try and get a bit more confidence in those harder conditions.”

Jayden Rykers – P7

“Conditions out there were challenging to say the least,” Rykers said. “I struggled in qualifying, but as the track dried out and more lines developed, I was able to find more of a rhythm and was able to stay in touch with the front guys in both races. The second moto in particular was good – I was able to show that I have the pace to run with the guys at the front of the pack, so now the aim for the next round is to put all the pieces together and push for a top five.”

Thor MX1 Championship Points

Pirelli MX2

Riders were presented with a race track giving more lines, options and passing opportunities than they did for the first qualifying session when the gate dropped for the opening moto of the day for the Pirelli MX2 combatants.

Rhys Budd made his intentions clear early on, taking the Holeshot and establishing strong track position with a several bike length lead at the conclusion of the first lap.

Kaleb Barham took his momentum from Maitland into Coffs, running in 2nd place before droping to 3rd for half the race before a small mistake saw him pushed out of the top 5 late in the race.

Wilson Todd took a few laps to figure out the track before once again putting on a clinic of speed and precision, passing Budd for the lead on lap 4 and never looking back.

As Todd gapped the field, an incredible battle took shape between several contenders for the podium placings with KTM’s Nathan Crawford, Yamaha’s duo of Jesse Dobson and Bailey Malkiewicz and Kawasaki’s Haruki Yokoyama.

Crawford was the first to fall from the top 3 and Barham quickly followed suit a lap later. Malkiewicz later fell from contention in this same cluster of laps as the technical Coffs Harbour track claimed more victims.

Todd eventually cruised to victory. Budd in 2nd, Yokoyama in 3rd, with Crawford rebounding to 4th after his fall on his first gate drop since returning from pre season injury. Dobson rounded out the top five.

Pirelli MX2 Red Plate holder Wilson Todd took the Holeshot in the second and final MX2 bout of the day with Crawford close in tow. Todd proved too strong though, opening up a 5-second lead over the opening laps.

Yamaha mounted Jayce Cosford continued his return to form running in 3rd position early on and Levi Rogers was showing great speed in 4th.

As the laps progressed, Dobson passed Rogers for 4th whilst the top 3 positions were solid all the way to the chequered flag. Todd taking his second victory of the day and the overall Round win.

Crawford took 2nd in the Moto, mounting a late race charge to Todd which saw him close in to a couple of bike lengths at the finish.

Cosford posted his first podium of the season in 3rd. Dobson and Rogers finished 4th and 5th respectively.

With another overall victory, Todd marches closer and closer to clinching the 2022 Pirelli MX2 Championship crown.

Wilson Todd – P1

“I wanted to get to the lead quickly,” Todd said. “From there, I controlled the gap behind me as there was no need to push the limits on this track. Grip was getting away from us, especially in the last race. I am just racing each race as hard as I can. I have not been thinking about the championship. The team and I will talk about the final two rounds, as I plan to race a CRF450R if the opportunity allows for it.”

Nathan Crawford – P2

“It’s a big weight lifted off my shoulders. It was a like a six-month build-up, with an injury like that, when you are sitting on the couch, the anticipation builds and you want to come back. Basically, today was all of that weight off my shoulders. It felt really good and I want to give a massive shoutout to Kyle Blunden and the whole team at KTM, my mechanic Luke – they have been so patient with me over the last six months and I couldn’t ask for a better way to repay them. In the second moto, I got a reasonable start and by the end of the first lap I was in second. I tried to tag on to Wilson [Todd] in front of me, he’s obviously got some really good sprint speed and he took off on the first four laps. For the last 20 minutes of the race, I hunted him down, and I was right on him in the last 10 minutes of the race. I was sitting there learning, gaining some confidence for the upcoming rounds in Queensland.”

Haruki Yokoyama – P3

“My goal for this year was to get on the podium, so I’m really stoked to finally be on the box and achieve that goal,” he reflected. “Getting on the podium at Maitland was a good little boost and I came into this weekend with more confidence. I was happy with my first race and I wanted another top three result in the second moto, but a sixth wasn’t so bad. I’m really keen for another strong performance at QMP.”

Rhys Budd – P4

“One great moto and one not so great moto,” Budd lamented after racing. “The first moto was good as I was able to lead some laps and but in a strong ride all the way to the end. I got some arm pump out there, but I think every other rider also had it as well as the ruts made it a very tough track to race. In moto two, I didn’t get the start and then got hammered with roost which damaged my goggles. I just didn’t go forward after that. I need to be better in the second motos and something I will continue to work on. We still have four races to go in the championship and I will give it all I have to finish the championship on a strong both for myself and the team.”

Pirelli MX2 Championship Points

Maxxis MX3

Jack Mather claimed the opening Holeshot and set his sights on clearing the track early in the race. KTM’s Connor Towill latched onto the back of Mather though and in an impressive display of speed, took the lead 5-minutes into the Moto in a pass around the outside of Mather.

KTM’s Ryan Alexanderson was on a mission, starting from outside the top 5 and systematically picking off each rider on his way to the front. With 5 minutes to go, Alexanderson made the move stick on Connor Towill to take the lead and then stretched his authority to take the win.

Towill 2nd with Byron Dennis on the podium after Mather crashed out of 3rd with only minutes remaining.

Moto 2 saw a repeat opening sequence with Mather taking the Holeshot from Connor Towill, however Towill wasted no time in mounting another attack on Mather, scrubbing past to the lead only 3 turns into the race.

As Towill stretched a 3-second lead by the halfway mark, Husqvarna’s Brock Flynn moved past Mather and up into 2nd and kept Towill honest, eventually closing the gap to just a single second as the laps progressed.

Honda duo Cambell Williams and Ty Kean formed an epic battle for 4th position before Kean collected Williams in a slow turn mistake, handing 4th to Alexanderson.

With 5-minutes to go, Towill made a mistake which handed the lead to Flynn, whilst also bunching up the field at the front.

Ultimately Alexanderson was too strong and made it a double.

Flynn scored a solid 2nd position as Towill went down trying to make the pass for 2nd on the final lap. Mather claimed 3rd place, which gave him 2nd overall on the day.

Red Plate holder Kayden Minear posted a consistent day but away from his recent podium speed, posting 5-4 Moto scores, giving him 4th overall and keeping the Red Plate as he leaves Coffs Harbour.

Maxxis MX3 Championship Points –  Top 15

Pre-95 and Classic Evo Cup

The nostalgia and two-strokes of yesteryear were on display to the delight of race fans at Coffs Harbour.

In the opening moto it was Brenton Inglis on the Yamaha YZ250 from the early 90’s who briefly battled Paul Grant before checking out for the win.

A change of fortune in Moto 2 saw Inglis crash whilst leading the field into the first turn, taking a big impact and a DNF. Grant went on to dominate Moto 2 on his way to the chequered flag.

In the final Moto, Grant and Inglis battled early with Inglis eventually falling from contention, giving Grant his 2nd Moto victory of the day and the overall win.

Pre-95 and Classic Evo Cup Points

Classic Evo Cup Round / Total Points

 

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