Moto News | Wilson wins in Japan | EnduroGP | NZ Nats

Jay Wilson remains undefeated after All-Japanese MX Round 6

Jay Wilson, is now just two races away from racking up the perfect season after dominating the second last round of the All-Japanese Motocross Championship, in Kanto, over the weekend.

The Yamaha Factory Racing rider, who took victory in all three races at round six of the championship, took his total race wins for the year to 14 and remains undefeated in the IA2 (250cc) division in 2022 so far. The weekend proved to be even more dominant than usual as Wilson nailed the start in all three races and simply motored away from the rest of the field.

With the 2022 championship already in his possession after clinching it at the previous round, Wilson was able to race with freedom and proved to be a level clear of his rivals in speed and fitness.

Jay Wilson

“Of all the rounds so far, this one feels like my most complete for me. My starts were great in all three races, my bike was working well and every little change we made was in the right direction, so it was a very positive day for myself and the team. The track also allowed the EPS steering system to do its job and the front end was so stable on a track that was hard pack and choppy. The system continues to get better with every race and test, today was the best it has been in racing conditions and was as confident as I have been all year.

“I also really enjoyed this track. It’s a hard pack and jump filled track and reminded me of the Moree track back at home. We were here earlier in the season and it was quite wet, but conditions were good all day on Sunday and I kept having memories of racing Moree as a kid in a lot of the sections on this track. Again, thank to you everyone at Yamaha Motor as well as the Yamaha Factory Racing Team. They never stop trying to be better and I love their dedication to myself and the rest of the riders. We have one round to go, so hopefully I can bring it home and give everyone at Yamaha the perfect season.”

The final round of the All- Japanese Motocross Championship will be conducted at the Sugo circuit on November 12 and 13.

James “Bubba” Stewart inducted into AMA Hall of Fame

Following one of the most decorated and memorable careers in the history of American motocross, MX Sports Pro Racing celebrates James “Bubba” Stewart on his induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, representing the Motocross & Supercross category for the Class of 2022.

The five-time AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross National Champion joins an illustrious lineage of all-time greats in the Hall of Fame, which includes the likes of his racing peers Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath and Ryan Villopoto.

James Stewart

“I want to thank the AMA…this is such an honour. I was never the cool kid; I wanted to ride motorcycles. But now, when you say my name, it’s Hall of Famer James Stewart. Out of all the things I accomplished in my career, this is the best part. This is like winning the ultimate championship. It’s amazing!”

A naturally gifted talent from Haines City, Florida, Stewart appeared destined for success at a young age. He easily fulfilled the promise he showed as an amateur prospect and captured a then-record 11 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s.

He lived up to the hype immediately in the pro ranks, with a win in just his second Supercross start. That kickstarted the single-most-dominant 125cc career of all time that saw Stewart win both the East and West Region crowns in AMA Supercross and a pair of AMA Pro Motocross titles, where he won 28 of his 31 starts in the division. A record poised to never be broken.

As he transitioned into the premier 250cc/450cc division, Stewart had earned the moniker “fastest man on the planet” thanks to his seemingly unlimited level of talent and techniques like the legendary “Bubba Scrub” that altered the course of the sport forever.

Over the next decade he cemented his status as one of the all-time greats, with a pair of Supercross championships complemented by 50 career main event wins, the second-most in history, and a 2008 Pro Motocross title, during which he became just the second rider to ever amass a perfect season, going 24-0 in motos.

His combined career total of 98 major wins (Supercross and Motocross) is second only to his longtime rival, Carmichael. Stewart also added 18 wins in 125cc Regional Supercross, which is also a record for that division.

Stewart amplified his legacy even further with two triumphs as a member of the United States at the FIM Motocross of Nations. Over the course of his groundbreaking career Stewart became a transcendent star, with his own reality show “Bubba’s World,” high profile partnerships with Nike and Red Bull, and an X Games medal.

He also started his own successful gear company, Seven MX, named in homage to the number he carried for the bulk of his career. For many, Stewart represents the most exciting competitor to ever grace the sport.

Stewart celebrated the induction with his parents, his wife and two children, and his younger brother Malcolm, a racing star in his own right. Over the past year, he’s made an anticipated and welcome return to the forefront of the racing industry with a popular podcast, “Bubba’s World with James Stewart,” and a highly regarded turn as a guest expert analyst on Pro Motocross broadcasts.

The remaining inductees of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame ‘Class of 2022’ are Kenny Coolbeth (Dirt Track) and Ben Spies (Road Racing) under competition, Effie Hotchkiss (Ambassadors & Industry) and Sandy Kosman (Design & Engineering) under non-competition, and four-time FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Champion Greg Hancock under well-qualified.

Sacha Coenen joins Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for MX2 in 2023

Belgian starl Sacha Coenen will be Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s third rider in the 2023 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship after confirming a multi-year KTM deal.

The soon-to-be sixteen-year-old (on November 9th) will join Andrea Adamo and Liam Everts on the works KTM 250 SX-Fs for next season since impressing with his natural speed and dedicated attitude in European Championship competition during 2022.

Coenen, and his twin brother Lucas, will enter MXGP for the first time next year. He has been recruited by the orange crew and will use 2023 to develop his skills, racecraft and physique at the highest level.

Sacha will link with countryman and former multi world champion Joel Smets to oversee his development. Smets guided double MX2 #1 Tom Vialle from EMX aspirant to two titles in just four seasons between 2019 and 2022.

Coenen will also be able to count on the experience of new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Tony Cairoli as the squad will now field a four-rider roster. Jeffrey Herlings will be the sole entrant in the MXGP class with the KTM 450 SX-F.

KTM’s freshest star was a moto winner in the 2021 EMX125 series and grabbed points in EMX250 outings in 2022 while still waiting for his fifteenth birthday. He could eventually follow Herlings, Jorge Prado and Vialle as full-time Grand Prix debutants with Red Bull KTM that went on to claim the gold number plate.

Sacha Coenen

“This a dream come true for me! I’m so happy to be joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. I have been riding the stock 2023 KTM 250 SX-F and love it so far and really like the power. I’m looking forward to working with Joel because I’m sure he can bring some things to my program that I don’t have. I know I have a lot to learn but I want to have fun and do as well as I can.”

Lucas Coenen joins Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 efforts

Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing have announce that Lucas Coenen will join the squad ahead of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship. Coenen, who hails from Belgium, is set to compete in the MX2 class aboard the proven FC 250.

Coenen is one of the brightest talents to emerge from Europe in some time. Racing in the EMX250 class at fifteen years of age, he won seven of the final eight motos and secured second in the final classification. It was an impressive term aboard his FC 250 and such potential will be nurtured under the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing awning.

With Lucas Coenen added to their line-up, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing will run a rather exciting trio in the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship. Kay de Wolf and Roan van de Moosdijk will enter the new term, which begins with the Grand Prix of Patagonia-Argentina on March 12, with title aspirations.

Lucas Coenen

“I am really excited to join Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing for the 2023 season! To start my MX2 career with a brand as prestigious as Husqvarna is an honour and I cannot wait to see what I can do on my FC 250.”

Magalhães wins 2022 Baja Portalegre 500

After 413 km of competitive action, Fabio Magalhães claimed victory in the motorcycle category at the sixth round of the FIM Bajas World Cup – at the Baja Portalegre (Portugal) 500.

On Friday, after the 3.36 km Qualifying Stage and the 59.61 km of SS2, Magalhães (Honda) took the lead in the FIM motorcycle category, ahead of Veteran rider Pedro Bianchi Prata (Honda),Bahraini Salman Farhan (KTM), Rui Ferreira (Honda) and Rafael Marques (Honda). Unfortunately, Micael Simão was forced to retire after a fall.

After a fascinating opening day, Saturday’s action featured a third stage of 350 km in length. It had been dry in Portalegre, but no-one had predicted a violent apocalyptic storm which fell in the vicinity of the special stage and the city itself and made the surface very slippery.

At the end of this long day, with many returning at night, Magalhães managed to seal the win ahead of the Veterans, Bianchi Prata, Ferreira and Marques, while Farhan brought up the rear.

The next round of the FIM Bajas World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia on November 10-12.

Event results are available on the Sportity app with code BAJA500MOTO.

2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship calendar revealed

With just one event yet to be announced, the calendar for the 2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship is now all but complete with seven of the eight rounds confirmed ahead of the new season. Bringing together a number of races that featured in the 2022 championship with well-established events that have previously hosted EnduroGP events, the series will start in Italy for the first time ever.

Beginning in Italy in early April and finishing in Portugal in early October, the championship will begin with two stand-alone races – rounds one and two in Italy and Spain. Then, the series will feature three back-to-back GP weekends – rounds three and four in Finland and Sweden, rounds five and six in Slovakia and TBA, and rounds seven and eight, both in Portugal.

Italy and the rugged mountains of the San Remo/Arma di Taggia region will host the opening round of the 2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship, something that will undoubtedly please newly crowned EnduroGP World Champion Andrea Verona (GASGAS).

Round two of the 2023 series will take place in Lalin in northwest Spain, the venue for the opening round of the 2022 championship.

For 2023 the FIM EnduroGP World Championship will feature a Scandinavian tour as the series returns to Finland and Sweden on consecutive weekends at the end of May and start of June. Visiting the enduro heartlands of Heinola in Finland and Skovde in Sweden, the series’ most northerly events will take the championship to its mid-way point.

Following a three-week break the EnduroGP series will return to action on the first weekend in July as it makes a return visit to Gelnica in Slovakia, home to the fifth round of the 2022 series and an event that unquestionably proved its worth in 2022 with its spectacular forest-based special tests. Round six is TBA.

Bringing the championship to a close with back-to-back competitions in Portugal, Valpacos and St Andre/Santiago do Cacem will play hosts to rounds seven and eight.

2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship calendar

2022 Kawasaki NZ Veterans & Woman’s Nationals

The Kawasaki NZ Veterans & Woman’s Nationals were back for 2022, after the 2021 event was cancelled, however rain did see the second day of competition cancelled, leaving riders ranked by the opening day’s results.

Here’s a run down of the top performers.

Penny Lang topped the Junior Women 85 cc class, with Hannah Perris and Hazel Lang rounding out the top three.

In the Junior Women 125/250cc Karaitiana Horne won with three race wins from three races, Ella Burns second and Aimee Thomsen third.

Stacey Emms won the 30-39 Women’s class from Anneka Carlson and Jessia Dunn.

Sandra Hannon was the Women 40+ class winner, with Shelley Hickman and Donna Hancock second and third respectively.

Courtney Duncan won the Senior Women class sweeping all three races, while Taylah McCutcheon went 2-2-2 for second and Roma Edwards was third.

Topping the Vets 30-34 class was Keiran Leigh, a point ahead of Brenton Voorend, while Joseph Andrell was third.

Cody Cooper took out the Vets 35-39 class with a clean sweep, Justin Mcdonald second and Richard Horne third.

Peter Broxholme swept the Vets 40-44 class, Jonny Edwards runner-up and Ryan Buxeda third.

In the Vets 45-49 class Mark Penny topped all three races and proceedings, ahead of Brad Thomas and Allen Nickalls.

Darren Capill was top point scorer with three from three wins in the Vets 50-54 class, Steve Lange second and Greg Ngeru third.

Mitch Rowe won the Vets 55-59 class, ahead of David Latta and Bryce McDougall.

Mark Fuller took the Vets 60+ class win, losing one race win to Darryl August who was runner up, Steve Riordan third.

Graham Adams topped the Vets 70+ category, with Des Hinton runner-up, in the class of two.

Junior Women 8-16 85cc Results

Junior Women 12-16 125cc/14-16 250Fcc Results

Senior Women Results – Top 10

Vets 30-34 yrs Results – Top 10

Vets 35-39 yrs Results – Top 10

Vets 40-44 yrs Results – Top 10

Vets 45-49 yrs Results – Top 10

Vets 55-59 yrs Results – Top 10

Vets 50-54 yrs Results – Top 10

Vets 60+ yrs Results – Top 10

Vets 70+ yrs Results

Women 30-39 yrs Results

Women 40+ yrs Results

Aussie Flat Track Nationals run and won in Appin

The Aussie Flat Track Nationals have been run and won in Appin across two rounds with Michael Kirkness claiming top honours in the Pro 450 class.

For the full run down and results see:
Kirkness wins Aussie Flat Track Nationals at Appin

Pro 450 Standings