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Yamaha MX teams ready for retro themed ProMX at Coffs Harbour

All four Yamaha Australia motocross teams have embraced the retro round spirit for round six of the ProMX championship at Coffs Harbour this weekend, with each team revealing a unique and old school look to fit the theme of the day.

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team

At the Coffs Harbour round, Aaron Tanti’s YZ450F will have a slightly different look as the team went with a small 80’s inspired Yamaha graphic and logo. The logo goes back to the early 80’s when the Yamaha’s first move from yellow to white and the red speed block became the simple Yamaha motocross was known for.

Craig Dack

“We have a range of partners within our team that makes something like this a little more challenging but we were happy to come up with a concept that worked for all parties and participate in a round that promises to be a lot of fun and a throw back to some old times with plenty of ex riders and racers in attendance.”

The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Kit was supplied by: Fleetwood Print Group.

Serco Yamaha

The Serco Yamaha arts department jumped into this project with both feet with a tribute to a Yamaha Australia look of the past. Gone is the Yamaha blue, white and black, replaced with the red and white lines of the Marlborough Yamaha look in the mid to late 80s ran by the Yamaha team at the time.

Gavin Eales

“Is there a more iconic looking bike in Australian motocross than the Marlborough Yamaha bikes raced in the Mr Motocross series in the ’80s? I recall watching riders like Craig Dack and Peter Melton race these unique looking bikes that just stood out from the rest of the field. I also think of the work of the mechanics of the time must have done as the plastic and rims were painted which would have been a nightmare to maintain. Modern decals and stickers make that job so much easier and I congratulate our graphics department on doing such a great job on the bikes for this round.”

The Serco Yamaha kit was supplied by: Serco Performance Products

Yamalube Yamaha Racing

The Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team wanted to combined their simple, corporate look and inhouse feel of the team and looked at other Yamaha teams around the world that have been able to make that look work. Enter the Yamaha US look of the 2004 where Chad Reed, Tim Ferry and David Vuilliemin headed lined a star-studded team on very clean blue and white YZ250 two strokes.

Mike Ward

“We have never been a team with loud and flashy graphics so the Factory US look of 2004 – 2005 was the perfect retro kit for us. The team at Kustom MX did a great job and the bikes look great as we even manged to get the old Yamalube and GYTR logos as well as the number font of the US team at the time.”

The Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team kit was supplied by: Kustom MX

In team news, Alex Larwood will miss the final three rounds as he recovers from a shoulder issue that has been slow to recover.

WBR Yamaha

Back in the early 90’s, the Yamaha team in Australia had just moved to be under the management of Craig Dack and was also supported by Peter Jackson. With a national deal in place, the bikes went from their production based white and magenta colours at the time to a blue, yellow and red look to coincide with their sponsors corporate colours.

The WBR Yamaha team has bought the PJ look of the time back to life with a stunning looking graphics kit that will stand out in the pits and on the track.

Travis Whitten

“I was a kid that stood trackside in the early 90’s and the PJ bikes were one of my first memories of motocross growing up so its cool to be able to take that memory and transform it onto our race bikes. We have always done something for the retro themed rounds but I think this is a coolest design so far and I can’t wait to see how it looks on the track.”

The WBR Yamaha kit was supplied by: MX-INK.

With Ryder Kingsford out for the season with knee surgery, WBR Yamaha has enlisted Hugh McKay to come in for the final three rounds and ride alongside Levi Rogers.

The retro round theme takes place at round six of the Pro MX championship at Coffs Harbour and with a host of former MX stars in attendance as well as some old school racing categories throughout the day, it will be a cracking round and one to remember.

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WSX adds new teams to 2022 line-up

The FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), have announced new addition to its lineup of 10 exclusive team licenses for its global WSX Championship kicking off on Saturday, October 8th in Cardiff, Wales at Principality Stadium, including Honda Genuine Honda Racing and Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX.

These two established veterans in motocross and supercross provide the WSX a deeper foundation of teams in cornerstone markets, paving the way for a successful pilot season.

The latest teams and principals are broken down in greater detail below:

Honda Genuine Honda Racing – Yarrive Konsky

An incredibly rich history in Australian and United States Supercross, Yarrive Konsky’s career with Honda spans two decades. The highly competitive team’s and stable of experienced riders have won the last four Australian Supercross Championships making them an ideal team for the FIM World Supercross Championship.

Based out of the Millsaps Training Facility in the United States, The team is managed by former racing star Martin Davalos, who competed at the hightest level in American Supercross and Motocross, with seven wins to his name. The prominent Ecuadorian spearheads the day-to-day operations of the U.S. racing program and will oversee the team’s growth on a global stage.

Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX – Brandon Haas and Scott Jeffery

Owner of ClubMX, Brandon Haas turned his Minnesota backyard project into one of the most highly respected training facilities in the world. A former professional rider, Haas opened ClubMX to provide riders everything they need to hone their craft with a year-round, state-of-the-art training facility, including four motocross tracks, four supercross tracks, and a full staff of riding coaches, fitness trainers, a nutritionist and full-time chef, physiologist, orthopedic and track crew.

In 2018, Haas partnered with Scott Jeffery, a builder and businessman with a successful history in Canadian motocross, to start the professional ClubMX race team, which has grown into a well-established and reputable program competing in supercross and motocross.

Craig Dack Racing (CDR) – Craig Dack

Craig Dack Racing (CDR) is the longest tenured and most successful team in Australian motocross and supercross history, and will send three of its four riders to compete in the FIM World Supercross Championship’s 2022 pilot season.

The CDR team is led by Luke Clout who will compete in the WSX (450cc) class for the FIM-sanctioned World Championship. Talented Australian rider, Aaron Tanti, will compete in the SX2 (250cc) class, while Kyle Chisolm’s class will be revealed at a later date.

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Baja Spain 2022 kicks off on Friday

Traditionally, in July, the town of Teruel and the beautiful region of Aragón host Baja Spain Aragón, the fourth round of the FIM Bajas World Cup. On Friday, more than 70 motorcycle and quad riders will take the start of the race, including 18 motorcycles and eight quads competing for points in the FIM Bajas World Cup.

Team Sherco is registered with four riders who are aiming for the podium: Lorenzo Santolino 3rd las year, Rui Gonçalves, Harith Noah and Pissay Aishwarya, the only woman in the FIM field, make up the team.

David Casteu, sporting director of Team Sherco, also has a “Team Casteu” team manager’s cap on and is supporting four private riders with crucial assistance.

There are three riders aiming to take the top step of the podium in the Junior category: the young Pole Konrad Dabrowski, Neels Theric – whose father won one of the first editions of the Baja Spain Aragón – and Kevin Giroud, who rides a quad. Dabrowski (KTM Duust Rally) is currently leading the Junior category and holds second overall in the FIM Bajas World Cup with 50 points behind Emirati Mohammed Al-Balooshi.

In the Veteran category, seven riders will take the start: Klyver, Gaits, Howe, Grignac, Argoud, Lardon and Vingut.

Administrative and technical checks will take place in Teruel on Friday, July 22nd from 08.00hrs to 13.30hrs and the six-kilometre Prologue will be played out from 17.00hrs in order to determine the starting order for the first selective section the next day

On Saturday, July 23rd, riders will tackle two selective sections and a third on Sunday morning for a total of 435 competitive kilometres and 342km of liaison.

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Team Australia ISDE lineup changes

Due to visa issues, Tayla Jones has unfortunately been forced to withdraw from the 2022 team. Coming in to replace her is Queenslander Ebony Nielsen who currently sits third in the 2022 AORC EW class. Nielsen has had a fantastic career to date as both a competitor and enduro coach.

Also joining Team Australia at the 2022 ISDE will be new team manager AJ Roberts who is replacing long-serving industry stalwart Don Atkins.

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

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

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FIM Speedway of Nations 2022 teams revealed

A new era for the FIM SON under new global promoter Discovery Sports Events launches at the legendary Vojens Speedway Center, Denmark’s national speedway stadium, with four epic nights of action from July 27-30.

Built by triple world champion Ole Olsen, Vojens hosted the last-ever FIM Speedway World Final in 1994, when Swedish great Tony Rickardsson won his first world title. It has now staged an impressive 15 Speedway GP events, as well as four FIM Speedway World Cup Finals.

This is the first time the FIM SON has visited Vojens, as a total of 15 countries battle it out for the sport’s world team championship, with each nation naming a squad of up to five riders now, before selecting a three-rider starting line-up six days before their Semi-Final, with finalists picking their Final trio the day before racing.

Australia name two world champions on their squad list, Jason Doyle and Chris Holder. Chris’ younger brother Jack and his Speedway GP rival Max Fricke also make the five, with former Aussie champion Brady Kurtz completing team manager Mark Lemon’s selection.

Here’s the full line-up for all nations:

2022 FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS SQUADS

• DENMARK: Leon Madsen, Mikkel Michelsen, Anders Thomsen, Rasmus Jensen, Frederik Jakobsen.
  Team Manager: Hans Nielsen
• GREAT BRITAIN: Tai Woffinden, Robert Lambert, Dan Bewley, Adam Ellis, Tom Brennan.
  Team Managers: Oliver Allen and Simon Stead
• POLAND: Bartosz Zmarzlik, Maciej Janowski, Patryk Dudek, Janusz Kolodziej, Dominik Kubera.
  Team Manager: Rafal Dobrucki
• AUSTRALIA: Jason Doyle, Max Fricke, Chris Holder, Jack Holder, Brady Kurtz.
  Team Manager: Mark Lemon
• FRANCE: David Bellego, Dimitri Berge, Mathieu Tressarieu.
  Team Manager: Laurent Sambarrey
• LATVIA: Andzejs Lebedevs, Jevgenijs Kostigovs, Olegs Mihailovs, Francis Gusts, Daniils Kolodinskis.
  Team Manager: Vladimirs Ribnikovs.
• SWEDEN: Fredrik Lindgren, Oliver Berntzon, Jacob Thorssell, Pontus Aspgren, Kim Nilsson.
  Team Manager: Morgan Andersson
• USA: Luke Becker, Broc Nicol, Ricky Wells, Dillon Ruml, Max Ruml.
  Team Manager: Steve Evans
• GERMANY: Kai Huckenbeck, Erik Riss, Norick Blodorn, Michael Hartel, Valentin Grobauer.
  Team Manager: Herbert Rudolph
• SLOVAKIA: Martin Vaculik, Jakub Valkovic, Patrik Buri.
  Team Manager: Jakub Zliechovec.
• UKRAINE: Oleksandr Loktaev, Andriy Karpov, Marko Levishyn, Vitalii Lysak, Stanislav Melnychuk.
  Team Manager: TBC
• CZECH REPUBLIC: Vaclav Milik, Jan Kvech, Petr Chlupac, Daniel Klima, Eduard Krcmar.
  Team Manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind.
• FINLAND: Timo Lahti, Timi Salonen, Jesse Mustonen, Antti Vuolas, Niklas Sayrio.
  Team Manager: Peter Jansson.
• SLOVENIA: Matic Ivacic, Nick Skorja, Anze Grmek.
  Team Manager: Gregor Arnsek.
• ITALY: Nicolas Covatti, Paco Castagna, Daniele Tessari.
  Team Manager: Alessandro Dalla Valle.

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Max Whale back on the AFT podium at Port Royal Half-Mile

Images by Tim Lester

For the fourth consecutive round, runaway Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title leader Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) went wire-to-wire to victory.

In what has to pass as a form of consolation to the field, Kopp’s dominance was held somewhat in check at Port Royal Speedway. In contrast to the previous three lopsided affairs, a group of four riders managed to keep Kopp in sight for race distance.

Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R had the pace to keep Kopp honest, consistently fighting back the gap whenever Kopp threatened to shake free. But in the end, the KTM ace hit the stripe to claim a 0.646-second margin of victory over his American Honda-backed adversary.

Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), earned his first podium since returning from injury. Whale battled with Gauthier early before being forced to shift his attention to fending off Gauthier’s rookie teammate, Chase Saathoff (No. 106 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R), to hold onto the final spot on the box.

Trent Lowe (No. 48 Mission Foods/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450R) rode in podium contention for much of the race before a late bobble dropped him off the chase. He still managed to claim a lonely fifth, finishing nearly five seconds ahead of sixth-placed Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).

Second-ranked Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) finished a spot further back in seventh as Kopp extended his championship advantage to more than two full races, 205-150.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Port Royal Half-Mile Results

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Standings

Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle

Progressive American Flat Track star Briar Bauman (No. 3 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) scored his second straight victory at the Mission Port Royal Half-Mile presented by Appalachian Harley-Davidson thanks to a virtuoso performance at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday evening in Port Royal, Pennsylvania.

The two-time Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion had suffered through something of a wins drought by his standards after taking last year’s Port Royal Half-Mile, claiming just one triumph in the following 15 races. However, Bauman looks to be well and truly back to peak form now, adding a second consecutive win to record this season.”

The 22nd premier-class win of Bauman’s career carried some extra significance, coming on an evening in which the paddock earlier paid tribute to Ryan Varnes by donning his number #68 en masse for a memorial lap led by the late rider’s family.

After taking the checkered flag in the Main Event, Bauman took Varnes’ girlfriend, Jennifer Hoshauer, for the victory lap.

“Honestly, it’s an emotional day for the sport of flat track,” Bauman said. “I can’t thank everyone who participates in flat track enough right now. I can’t believe how strong the Varnes family is… All the fans were supporting us during our lap of honor. I don’t normally do burnouts – I don’t know if I’ve ever done one – but I just felt like we needed to do it. It was for Ryan.”

Reigning Mission SuperTwins champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) pushed Bauman early before falling into the clutches of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).

Following some back-and-forth, Vanderkooi expertly exploited the extreme high line to rail around Mees with a minute remaining on the clock and then held strong to secure his second runner-up result in a row.

While unable to respond, Mees still powered to his third third-place finish in succession. As a result, Mees continues to lead the title fight but by just eight points over archrival Bauman (173-165).

For the contest’s opening half, Estenson Racing Yamaha teammates Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) ran in tight formation in fifth and sixth, respectively. However, after that point, they went in opposite directions.

Daniels overtook Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) for fourth and made up ground on the podium before ultimately finishing just over a second off the box. Meanwhile, Beach twisted his ankle and was unable to maintain his pace, dropping all the way back to 12th by the race’s conclusion.

Robinson rounded out the top five, followed home by Mission Production Twins Challenge entrants Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Yamaha MT-07).

Meanwhile, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Robert Pearson (No. 27 Rackley Racing/John Franklin Indian FTR750), and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) completed the top ten.

SuperTwins Port Royal Half-Mile Results

Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Standings

Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines

Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) outlasted Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Yamaha MT-07) to score his third win of the Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines season.

Bromley announced at Port Royal that he was back for the remainder of the season and proceeded to prove in the Main Event that he was back in a big way. The home-state hero stormed to the holeshot and worked up a gap of nearly a half second over Janisch by the race’s mid-distance with the rest of the field even further back in his wake.

Rather than fold, Janisch mounted a comeback, reeling Bromley back in and arriving at his side with just over two minutes remaining. At that point, both riders bucked and weaved mere inches apart, with Bromley even reaching over and giving Janisch a friendly tap.

Janisch finally completed the extended overtake and then put his head down to claim a clear victory with almost two full seconds in hand.

With title rival Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) finishing a couple more seconds back in third, the win saw Janisch retake the championship lead by a single point (174-173).

“Man, that was some good racing,” Janisch said. “About halfway through the Main, (Bromley) made one little mistake, and I was searching so much trying to find something that would work a little better. Right when he made that mistake, I kind of found it. I started working on him. Hats off to the team. The bike is awesome. It’s like a dream come true season so far. This one is for (Ryan) Varnes. That front straightaway memorial we did for him was amazing.”

2020 class champion James Rispoli (No. 43 Wally Brown Racing/Haversack KTM 890 Duke) finished in fourth after getting shuffled back to tenth in a hectic opening lap. Despite the immediate disadvantage, Rispoli charged hard enough to push Texter late, taking the checkered flag just 0.806 seconds off the podium.

The top five was completed by Mikey Rush (No. 15 Hellipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XG750R), who equaled his best finish since returning from the injury he suffered at last season’s finale.

Production Twins Port Royal Half-Mile Results

Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines Standings

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Jay Wilson tops All-Japanese MX Round 3

Jay Wilson kept his Japanese race winning streak alive, with another round victory at round three of the All-Japanese Motocross Championship held at a wet Sugo circuit.

The Australian Yamaha rider had won the first two rounds, the first in convincing fashion and the second with some pressure from the local riders, but with an enormous amount of lead up rain in the Sendai area meant the form guide went out the window and it was every man for himself in the boggy conditions.

Jay Wilson

“I don’t mind riding the mud, but it looked pretty ugly on Friday here when we first rolled into the track. It was nearly knee deep in spots and with some more rain forecast, I wasn’t sure if we could even go ahead with racing. But the rain stopped, and the track team did a great job of getting as much of the slop from the surface as they could. It was still wet and slippery but at least it was rideable and by race two, it was actually a tough and challenging track to race with long ruts and different levels of grip. Thanks to the Yamaha Racing Factory team for their efforts today. I know its tough on the bike and the mechanics in conditions like this and they all did an amazing job. My goal today was to get top five starts in each race and I was able to do that so that was good. Things have been going well since landing in Japan and as a family we have all adapted to our new life. Working with Yamaha is a dream come true while my family have enjoyed the Japanese lifestyle. There are still plenty of rounds to go and I love my testing and mentoring role with Yamaha.”

Wilson continued his winning ways, taking the winning in his qualifying race on Saturday in horrendous conditions, reminiscent of the opening round of the 2019 MX Nationals in Australia at Appin. The qualifying victory was important as it gave him first pick of the gate for the two, twenty-five minute races in the IA2 class (250 cc) on Sunday.

Race one and Wilson rolled the dice with a gate on the far outside as it looked to be the dried entry to the first turn, but it was also by far the furthest and it was a high-risk, high-reward move that could go either way. Wilson charged from the gate, moved across on the 40- rider field and elbowed his way to the front as they exited turn one. From there, he was never headed and took a comfortable race victory.

Race two and the track had dried considerably. Wilson elected for a more conventional gate and took one on the inside but didn’t get the greatest of jumps and was inside the top five on the opening lap. He moved into the top three and the by the halfway stage, worked his way to the front and rode off into the distance.

The double race victory at Sugo now means he was won all three rounds contested and all seven motos in an impressive start to the season.

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Sunshine State MX Round Five hits Toowoomba

The Sunshine State Motocross Championship hit Toowoomba for Round Five over the weekend, with Aaron Tanti claiming top honours with a 1-1-1 result in the MX1 class. Dean Ferris was runner up with a 2-2-2 result, while Hayden Mellross completed the MX1 podium.

Fourth placed Joel Evans retains his lead on 216-points, with Tanti closing in on 172, while Zane Dunlop is a single point behind Tanti.

In the MX2 Jayce Cosford swept all three races, with Nathan Crawford and Ryan Alexanderson tying on 62-points to complete the podium.

Alexanderson holds the MX2 standings lead on 243-points, with Kaleb Barham a distant second on 201-points. Isaac Ferguson holds third on 180-points, with Todd Waters and Rhys Budd on 175 and 174 points respectively.

Charli Cannon swept the Women’s classtaking three wins from three races, ahead of Tahlia Drew and Hayley Miller.

Drew leads thestandings on 339-points, to Cannon’s 300, while Miller is third on 292.

MX1 Results – Toowoomba Round 5

Women’s Standings

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Strong Aussie showing at 2022 AMA Flat Track Grand Championship

After wrapping up the week-long Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, the American Motorcyclist Association congratulated Clarke Morian V, winner of the 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award, and Declan Bender, winner of the 2022 Bill Werner AMA Fast Brain Award.

These flat track competitors, along with the Vet/Senior and Youth Racers of the Year, were selected from riders who participated in the event, which took place at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill., June 7-13. They were among the 23 AMA amateur national champions crowned during the seven days of bar-banging action.

The Bill Werner AMA Fast Brain Award includes a $1,500 educational scholarship and is presented to a racer who understands — and demonstrates — that academic excellence is just as important as good performance on the racetrack. The AMA thanked AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Bill Werner, Estenson Racing, and Zanotti Racing’s Dave Zanotti for funding this award in 2022.

The AMA also awarded AMA Vet/Senior Racer of the Year to Dallas Mayer, who won the honor last year, and named Australian Sam Drane the AMA Youth Racer of the Year.

The complete list of AMA amateur national champions crowned at the Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship includes:

• 50cc Production Chain Drive Jr. (4-6)
  Skylar Loucks – Christopher, Ill.
• 50cc Production Chain Drive Sr. (7-8)
  Brentley Krimminger – Collinsville, Ill.
• 50cc Production PW Shaft Drive (4-8)
  Odin Music – Pinconning, Mich.
• 50cc Production Chain Drive Shift (4-8)
  Odin Music – Pinconning, Mich.
• 65cc Production (7-11)
  Colton Shafer – Fresno, Calif.
• 65cc Modified (7-11)
  Jed Fyffe – Jindera, NSW, Australia
• 85cc Production (9-13)
  Sam Drane – Forbes, NSW, Australia
• 85cc Modified (9-11)
  Sam Drane – Forbes, NSW, Australia
• 85cc Modified (9-13)
  Sam Drane – Forbes, NSW, Australia
• 85cc Modified Supermini (12-15)
  Jack Brucks – Neenah, Wis.
• Veteran (25+)
  Daniel Wicks – Gunnedah, NSW, Australia
• Senior (40+)
  Dallas Mayer – Carbondale, Ill.
• Super Senior (50+)
  Monty Smatt-Klein – Ocala, Fla.
• Masters (60+)
  Dallas Mayer – Carbondale, Ill.
• Women 86cc and Up (12+)
  Morgan Reinhold – Bethalto, Ill.
• 250cc Production
  Walker Porter – Athens, Ala.
• 250cc Modified
  Ryder Reese – Elmira N.Y.
• 250cc Open Singles (12+)
  Bradon Pfanders – Bethlehem, Penn.
• 450cc A Production
  Evan Renshaw – Kinzers, Pa.
• 450cc A Modified
  Logan Eisenhard – Barto, Pa.
• 450cc B Production
  Brandon Pfanders – Bethlehem, Pa.
• 450cc B Modified
  Brandon Pfanders – Bethlehem, Pa.
• Open Heavyweight
  Brandon Pfanders – Bethlehem, Pa.

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EMX 85 cc & 2T finals run at Czech MXGP

The MXGP of Czech Republic hosted the finals of the EMX65, EMX85 and the one-round EMX2T series that saw the fastest riders in Europe go head-to-head for gold, silver and bronze medals!

The old-school venue of Loket provided the perfect surface for some intense racing which ended with home hero Vitezslav Marek (EMX85) defending his title from 2021 along with Ricardo Bauer (EMX65) and Toms Macuks (EMX2T) claiming gold in their respective categories.

EMX85

In the opening EMX85 race of the weekend, the holeshot went to Filippo Mantovani as he led Felix Cardineau, Ryan Oppliger and Mano Faure. Though there were a lot of passes made in the opening lap which saw Gyan Doensen go from seventh and into the lead by the official first lap of the race. Cardineau remained second while Mantovani dropped to third.

Meanwhile local hero and defending champion, Vitezslav Marek started down in ninth, before making his way up to fifth by the end of the first lap.

By the third lap, Marek was already up in third and just over a lap later was second after passing Cardineau and Mantovani.

By that point, Doensen was 11.858 seconds ahead, though Marek was looking fast and was taking time out of the leader.

In the final few laps, we saw a close battle between first and second as Marek worked hard to pass the Dutchman. In the end, Doensen was able to manage under pressure to secure his first EMX win of the season. Marek was second ahead of Mantovani, Cardineau and Faure.

In the second race, Faure was the early leader ahead of Mantovani, Cardineau, Douwe Van Mechgelen and Marek, while race one winner Doensen started in 11th.

By the end of the first official lap, Mantovani was the leading rider, as Marek moved into third. It took the Czech rider another lap to go from third to first, which sent the local crowd wild. He then opened up a decent four second gap over Mantovani, as Doensen worked his way into fourth. Several laps later, the Dutchman climbed into third and then got by Mantovani with just four laps to go and despite his best efforts to catch the leader, was forced to settle for second.

Marek won the race ahead of Doensen, Mantovani, Freddie Bartlett who fought from eighth into fourth and Niccolo Mannini who rounded out the top five.

A 2-1 result meant that Marek was the winner for the second year in a row as he secured the gold medal and gold plate, while Doensen finished second ahead of Mantovani who took home the bronze medal.

EMX85 – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Vitezslav Marek (CZE, KTM), 47 points; 2. Gyan Doensen (NED, HUS), 47 p.; 3. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, GAS), 40 p.; 4. Freddie Bartlett (SWE, KTM), 32 p.; 5. Amaury Maindru (FRA, KTM), 28 p.; 6. Mano Faure (FRA, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Ian Ampoorter (BEL, KTM), 22 p.; 8. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, KTM), 19 p.; 9. Felix Cardineau (FRA, HUS), 18 p.; 10. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, KTM), 16 p.

EMX85 – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Vitezslav Marek (CZE, KTM), 47 points; 2. Gyan Doensen (NED, HUS), 47 p.; 3. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, GAS), 40 p.; 4. Freddie Bartlett (SWE, KTM), 32 p.; 5. Amaury Maindru (FRA, KTM), 28 p.; 6. Mano Faure (FRA, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Ian Ampoorter (BEL, KTM), 22 p.; 8. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, KTM), 19 p.; 9. Felix Cardineau (FRA, HUS), 18 p.; 10. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, KTM), 16 p.

EMX65

In EMX65 race one, it was Harry Dale who led Francesco Assini, Louis Morette, Jekabs Hudolejs and Jorge Salvador out of the gate. Meanwhile last year’s champion Lucas Leok started down on 17th.

There was a change in the lead quite quickly, as Alex Novak moved into first ahead of Assini who remained second with Hudolejs also moving up to third.

Leok was making good progress in the first few laps, as he managed to get himself up to 11th, then eighth and sixth, before dropping back down to 10th by the end of the race.

Assini then dropped out of second to sixth, meanwhile Ricardo Bauer was making his way up the order and was in second by the fourth lap. Bauer battled closely with Novak in the closing stages of the race, before making the pass with just two laps to go.

Bauer was the race winner ahead of Novak and Salvador who got himself up to third, followed by Pau Ruiz Caudet and Hudolejs.

In the second race, the holeshot went to Dale once again, as Rafael Mennillo followed in second ahead of Enri Lustus, Morette, Bauer and Leok. But the first lap saw a change for the lead as Bauer went from fourth to first.

The Austrian then led Leok, Caudet Ruiz, Mennillo and Salvador, as Leok set the fastest lap of the race and looked to keep close to the leader. Dale dropped to sixth.

Assini then got around Hudolejs for ninth before dropping back to 13th by the end of the race.

Back in the lead, Bauer was fully in control as Leok followed behind. Bertram Thorius managed to make a good pass with two laps to go on Salvador to take his position.

In the end, Bauer was the race winner and with it secure the gold medal in the EMX65 category, while Caudet Ruiz was given the silver medal and Salvador the bronze.

EMX65 – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 50 points; 2. Pau Caudet Ruiz (ESP, KTM), 38 p.; 3. Jorge Salvador (ESP, GAS), 36 p.; 4. Lucas Leok (EST, HUS), 33 p.; 5. Alex Novak (SLO, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Bertram Thorius (DEN, YAM), 31 p.; 7. Jekabs Hudolejs (LAT, YAM), 30 p.; 8. Louis Morette (FRA, HUS), 28 p.; 9. Carlos Martín Jimenez (ESP, KTM), 24 p.; 10. Francesco Assini (ITA, GAS), 22 p.

EMX65 – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Ricardo Bauer (AUT, KTM), 50 points; 2. Pau Caudet Ruiz (ESP, KTM), 38 p.; 3. Jorge Salvador (ESP, GAS), 36 p.; 4. Lucas Leok (EST, HUS), 33 p.; 5. Alex Novak (SLO, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Bertram Thorius (DEN, YAM), 31 p.; 7. Jekabs Hudolejs (LAT, YAM), 30 p.; 8. Louis Morette (FRA, HUS), 28 p.; 9. Carlos Martín Jimenez (ESP, KTM), 24 p.; 10. Francesco Assini (ITA, GAS), 22 p.

EMX2T

In the opening race, it was Haakon Osterhagen of Fantic Factory Team Maddii who took the holeshot and led the way ahead of Alessio Bonetta, Meico Vettik, Robin Lang of JWR Honda Racing and Toms Macuks.

Bonetta then dropped down to fourth as Vettik and Macuks got around the Italian while Osterhagen was already looking to open up a gap.

Macuks then clocked the fastest lap of the race, as he looked to challenge Vettik for second.

The race leader, Osterhagen, then dropped out of first place as a result of a bike problem, that saw him fall to outside the top 20.

Vettik then led the way with Macuks, Johannes Klein of Sturm STC Racing Team, Mathias Joergensen and JK Yamaha Racing’s Manuel Iacopi behind. At that point Macuks saw his opportunity to pounce as he closed the gap to Vettik and got onto his rear wheel.

The pair battled before the Latvian took over the lead on lap eight and then got comfortable as Vettik began to fade. Though in the final laps the Estonian was looking to fight back, as Macuks started to struggle himself. Though the Latvian managed to keep Vettik at bay and claim the win in race one.

In the second heat, the holeshot went to Osterhagen once again, as he led Florain Hellrigl, Jiri Matejec, Kai Haase and Macuks. Meanwhile Vettik started down in 19th, which left him with a lot of work to do.

Macuks then made a move into fourth, as Osterhagen set the fastest lap of the race as he got comfortable in the driving seat. Vettik also had a couple of good laps and before he knew it was inside the top 10.

At the halfway stage of the race, Macuks upped his pace as he began to take time out of Hellrigl for second and by the 12th lap he was able to make the pass stick.

While Vettik continued his fight up the order, he crashed with just a few laps to go. While he managed to get up quickly, an altercation with the rider that he crashed with meant that he was disqualified for un-sportsmanship like behaviour and lost his chance to secure a medal.

In the end, Osterhagen won with an 8.325 second advantage over Macuks and Hellrigl. A win and a second gave Macuks the overall victory, which also mean that he was the 2022 winner and gold medallist. Osterhagen was second ahead of Klein who occupied the third step of the podium.

EMX2T – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), 47 points; 2. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 40 p.; 3. Johannes Klein (AUT, KTM), 36 p.; 4. Mathias Joergensen (DEN, YAM), 33 p.; 5. Florian Hellrigl (AUT, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Jiri Matejec (CZE, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Manuel Iacopi (ITA, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Paolo Ermini (ITA, HUS), 26 p.; 9. Morgan Bennati (ITA, HUS), 24 p.; 10. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), 22 p.

EMX2T – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), 47 points; 2. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 40 p.; 3. Johannes Klein (AUT, KTM), 36 p.; 4. Mathias Joergensen (DEN, YAM), 33 p.; 5. Florian Hellrigl (AUT, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Jiri Matejec (CZE, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Manuel Iacopi (ITA, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Paolo Ermini (ITA, HUS), 26 p.; 9. Morgan Bennati (ITA, HUS), 24 p.; 10. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), 22 p.

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European Junior eMX crowns Timotei Cez 2022 Champion in Loket

Young Frenchman Timoteï Cez has been crowned the 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series winner in the Czech Republic after completing a remarkable season in which he claimed victory at three of the five rounds held aboard his KTM SX-E 5. Great Britain’s Austin Edwards, victor of the penultimate round at the Loket circuit placed second, with Austria’s Elias Eder claiming the series bronze medal.

Coming into round four, Great Britain’s Cameron Berry held a slender one-point advantage over Timoteï Cez. Frustratingly for Berry, a challenging day of racing at the penultimate round saw the Brit place 12th overall as Cez delivered a commanding double victory and would enter the final round with a substantial 29-point lead. Completing the overall podium was GASGAS MC-E 5 mounted John Slade in second, with the super-consistent Logan Liberal Rodas in third.

Needing to score just 22 points at the fifth and final round to secure the title, Cez just missed out on claiming series victory with a race to spare as he came home fifth in moto one. The race win went to Austin Edwards who secured his first race triumph of the season with a comfortable lead over Elias Eder in second. Logan Liberal Rodas rounded out the podium in third.

Signing off the season with a true champion’s performance, Cez charged to his sixth race win of the year and with it, became the 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series winner. Edwards was just two seconds adrift at the finish line in second, claiming overall victory on the day and second in the series, with Logan Liberal Rodas once again placing third for third overall. Elias Eder secured third in the final standings.

With the European Junior e-Motocross Series going from strength to strength throughout 2022 and gaining in popularity with every passing round, the second edition of the series was undoubtedly another huge success. With the season now complete, all races from the 2022 series are now available to stream for free on MXGP-TV.com with a simple sign-up required to access all of this year’s exciting racing action.

Timoteï Cez – 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series Winner

“I can’t believe it! It’s amazing to win this series and it’s been so much fun. It was close coming into the final weekend but by winning both races on Saturday, that took some of the pressure off for Sunday. Racing on a full MXGP track this weekend was so cool and I really like hardpack tracks so I really enjoyed it. Thanks to my parents and sponsors. It has been a great year and I’m so happy to have won.”

MXE – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Austin Edwards (GBR, KTM), 47 points; 2. Timoteï Cez (FRA, KTM), 41 p.; 3. Logan Liberal Rodas (ESP, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Elias Eder (AUT, KTM), 40 p.; 5. John Slade (GBR, GAS), 34 p.; 6. Cameron Berry (GBR, KTM), 29 p.; 7. Riccardo Galia (ITA, GAS), 26 p.; 8. Eddi Haustein (GER, KTM), 25 p.; 9. Ares Gil (ESP, HUS), 22 p.; 10. Alejandto Mellado Palomino (ESP, KTM), 19 p.;

MXE – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Timoteï Cez (FRA, KTM), 210 points; 2. Austin Edwards (GBR, KTM), 187 p.; 3. Elias Eder (AUT, KTM), 173 p.; 4. Logan Liberal Rodas (ESP, KTM), 170 p.; 5. Cameron Berry (GBR, KTM), 169 p.; 6. Adan Quesada (ESP, KTM), 124 p.; 7. Riccardo Galia (ITA, GAS), 124 p.; 8. Ares Gil (ESP, HUS), 107 p.; 9. Alejandto Mellado Palomino (ESP, KTM), 101 p.; 10. Tao Corretel (BEL, GAS), 85 p.;

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Levi Kitchen breaks wrist in training

In the midst of an impressive first full season of 250 Class competition in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Levi Kitchen shared heart breaking news on social media that he suffered a broken wrist in a crash while practicing for the second half of the 50th anniversary season. He underwent surgery to repair the break and will be out of action indefinitely.

Kitchen had shown flashes of brilliance throughout the 2022 season, highlighted by the first moto win of his career at the Thunder Valley National in Colorado in June that led to his maiden overall podium result. He also enjoyed an impressive moto performance at the most recent round in Southwick, with a fierce challenge against championship leader and Team Honda HRC rider Jett Lawrence. Through six rounds, Kitchen sat fifth in the 250 Class standings.

Adding to the heartbreak is the fact that Kitchen will not have the opportunity to compete as a professional for the first time at his home race, the MotoSport.com Washougal National on July 23. The Washougal native would have been a heavy fan favourite and was poised to enjoy a breakthrough performance at his home National.

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2022 Pro Motocross Round Seven – Spring Creek, Millville

For the full report see:
Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence go 1-1 again | Spring Creek AMA MX

250

The fifth moto win in a row for Jett Lawrence extends his lead over sibling Hunter to 27-points.  They battled each other hard throughout the opening moto but Hunter got stuck in the pack in the second bout and could only manage fifth. However that was good enough to get Hunter on the round podium on the back of his second place in the opening bout.

Jo Shimoda’s hot form on the Kawasaki continued with 3-2 results at Spring Creek to stay in touch with the Aussie brothers in the championship chase.

Justin Cooper was fastest during 250 Qualifying before carding 6-3 results and now trails Shimoda by 34-points in the championship.

Levi Kitchen remains fifth in the championship chase despite missing this round after breaking his wrist in the lead up to the event and undergoing surgery that will likely keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Jett Lawrence – P1

“It was good—another 1-1. The first one I got the holeshot but really had to work for; I had Hunter in front, and I made a couple mistakes, which made me drop two positions. I was able to get him at the end, with some lappers. The second one was a lot easier; I got a good start, and Hunter was a bit back. I got that gap and was able to maintain. I had a lot better flow, so it was a lot smoother.”

Jo Shimoda – P2

“I feel today was a solid day of racing for second overall. In the first moto, I made quick passes and found good lines around the track but, I was back off the start, so I had to use a lot of energy to get up to the podium. In Moto 2, my start was much better, and I stayed right there with the leader. I just wish I hadn’t used so much effort in the first race so I could have fought for the win a little harder. Overall, the bike is working awesome and it’s great to be consistently finishing at the front.”

Hunter Lawrence – P3

“Moto 1 was tough. I was leading for the majority of the race, and then just an unfortunate deal when the lappers let Jett get through. Then he was trying to win, and I was giving it everything to try and get close enough to have that window of opportunity, to make a pass. Those ones are interesting—just like Eli and Chase in the 450s, sending it the last three laps; we pretty much emptied the tank. The second moto was looking pretty good before the restart, I must say. We were in first, ticking the boxes toward an overall, and unfortunately the accident happened. I used up all my good starts and sucked on the third one. [laughs] It was a rough one, coming through the pack, expending a lot of energy trying to bridge up. I was just hanging on until the end of the moto.”

Justin Cooper – P4

“The track was really fun, and I had a good flow with it all day. The bike was great as well, and I had two solid motos, but it was a bummer to go down on the first lap while leading that first moto. I had to use a lot more energy in Moto 1, which I could have used for Moto 2. We’ll keep working and come back stronger.”

RJ Hampshire – P5

“It was a dog fight all day but I felt like I rode pretty well,” Hampshire said. “Second moto, I felt more comfortable but I had to ride so hard. It’s a bit frustrating but I feel like we’re riding probably the best I ever have and in control, just need a little bit more speed. I’ll go home this week and have a pretty good setup coming into next week.”

Max Vohland – P6

“I had a good day today and made some steps in the right direction. I rode really well all day – from practice to motos. In the first moto, I had a top-five start and moved into third but ended up getting edged out for third on the last lap. In Moto 2, I got a good jump and was in a good position to fight for a podium overall and a couple guys went down and had a red flag, so I had to regroup and I just didn’t get the jump on the second start that I needed and had to fight my way up to sixth. Definitely got some positives to take away for Washougal and we’ll keep fighting for that podium.”

Seth Hammaker – P7

“In Moto 1, I had an awesome start at the front of the pack, and it was good to battle up there near the podium for the opening part of the race. I just needed to clean up some things in the middle of the race that cost me a few positions. In Moto 2, I started a little further back in the top-10, but I had a more solid performance throughout the race to come away with seventh overall. I still want to be higher up on the leaderboard so, we’ll keep building and looking for ways to improve in this second half of the season.”

Ryder DiFrancesco – P8

“The whole day I really focused on taking in what the team had to offer and I did my best to execute with improvements on the track. I think that showed with my steady gains throughout the day from qualifying through the motos. In the second moto, it was awesome to battle inside the top-10 the whole race and to end up eighth overall is great. These two pro races have been a great learning experience and I’m looking forward to carrying this momentum into Loretta Lynn’s.”

Pierce Brown – P9

“It was a mediocre day for me, still not where we want to be. I just need to be better off the start and be up there in the mix with the guys. We have five rounds to go, so that’s five more opportunities to get up there again. I’m really excited to go to Washougal, it’s one of my favorite tracks on the circuit!”

Nate Thrasher – P12

“The day started well, and I qualified fourth. I was feeling good and felt like I had the speed to fight for a podium, but unfortunately, it was another tough day for us. We’re going to put it behind us and try to rebound at Washougal.”

250 Round Points

250 Championship Points Standings

 

450

Spring Creek marked the seventh moto win in a row for Tomac after the Yamaha man went 1-1 while Chase Sexton has now been the bridesmaid seven times in a row.

Despite those seven wins in a row Tomac only leads Sexton by a slender five-points in the championship. The Honda man has only finished off a race podium once this season and led the championship up until the halfway point.

Jason Anderson and Ken Roczen are the only other two riders to have won a single moto this season and both of them are more than 60-points behind the dominant duo.

Eli Tomac – P1

“It was an awesome weekend for us here at Millville. We had two great motos. The first moto was kind of a learning moto for me. I even got passed at one point, but we tried to learn from our mistakes, and we were able to improve on our weak spots. We took those changes into the second moto and made passes to the front, and I felt like we were the fastest guy in Moto 2. It was nice to get that red plate this weekend, and hopefully, we’ll keep it going.”

Chase Sexton – P2

“The first and second moto kind of flip-flopped. The first moto, I felt like I had really good pace; I got to the back of Eli, made a pass and tried to break away. Then I made this really small mistake; I missed a rut by a little bit, washed the front end, and my bike flipped over and tagged me in the back and ripped my jersey. Luckily I’m tall because that was not a good spot to go down, in the middle of that downhill. It was kind of a tricky situation to get out of there, and then I just sort of rode it in. In the second moto I got a good start, but Eli had better lines than I did and got around me. Then it was just who could go faster the rest of the moto. We were dropping lap times, and one of my best was two laps to go. It’s going to be a battle. I’m obviously bummed to lose the red plate, but we’ve still got a lot of racing left. I’ve got to get better—that’s the bottom line.”

Jason Anderson – P3

“Today, the focus was on putting together two consistent motos to get some positive momentum going again. I had pretty solid starts both times out of the gate and rode my laps without anything too eventful. These building days are super important to get back into that flow of being up front so, overall, we’re happy with the result.”

Christian Craig – P4

“It was a good day. I always enjoy coming here. This is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit. I spent a lot of time here in the past, so I’ve got a lot of family and friends that show up here. I had a decent qualifying and then I had a good first moto and got off to a decent start. I got close to fourth for a while and had third in sight but settled with fifth. In the second moto, I made some good passes early on and got into third pretty quick, but the top two had pretty much checked out. So yeah, 5-3 for fourth overall, that moves me into fifth in points which is where I want to be. I just want to try and improve each weekend and keep it going at Washougal.”

Ryan Dungey – P5

“I got off to a great start first moto and pretty much sat in fourth the whole race. I was sitting right behind Anderson and our speed was good and bike setup was good. The second moto, I just got a bad start and got shuffled back, so I had a lot of work to do. I was behind Barcia and I feel like I could have gotten him and a few guys in front of him but I rushed a turn and crashed. I made a few more passes but pretty much ran a lonely sixth for the rest of the race. We’ll keep digging, keep building and keep pushing.”

Aaron Plessinger – P7

“It was a good day! I always like riding this track and coming here to the Midwest, the fans are always good to me. Overall, it was an average day with 7-7 finishes but it was a fun day and we’ll go do our homework and get some better starts at Washougal.”

Shane McElrath – P9

“It was a better day, I would say for the most part we were better and more consistent,” McElrath said. “First moto was probably my best first moto and in the second moto, I really struggled with the track and fighting with the bike pretty bad. Still trying to figure out how I can go faster and maintain that but we’re going to keep working.”

Joey Savatgy – P10

“I almost had the holeshot in Moto 1 and then I did grab the holeshot in Moto 2, so I’m definitely happy with where we’re at with this KX™450SR and my starts. Unfortunately, hitting the ground in Moto 1 made things really tough for me but, I kept digging and worked my way through to salvage some points. In Moto 2, I cleaned up the mistakes and did my best to stay in the fight with the front guys. After the trouble in Moto 1, it’s nice to earn another top-10 overall in this stacked 450 Class.”

Ken Roczen – P14

“Millville was once again a really rough one. I was really good in qualifying practice, but I haven’t done many changes to the bike. I’ve had my struggles, but the biggest problem was me going down in both motos—pretty big ones, too. I got lucky and rolled out of both crashes really well, but the crash in the first moto was a little bit heavier; it took me a long time to get going again because I was basically against traffic. I was dead last, and after that I couldn’t really get going much; I wasn’t feeling too good on the track. It was a really rough weekend with terrible results, but sometimes that’s the way it goes. I’m looking forward to having another go at it next weekend and then we have two off-weekends when I hope we can make a bunch of gains and then do a strong push for the last rounds. First up is Washougal though, and I look forward to the nice scenery and getting back to the races.”

450 Round Points

450 Championship Points Standings

Next Up

The 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will make its return to the West Coast next Saturday, July 23, as the series travels to the scenic Pacific Northwest and Washington’s legendary Washougal MX Park.

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