Pro Circuit Kawasaki Team Hit Again

Both 250SX East riders now sidelined one week out from Houston.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki will face a race against time if the team is to compete in Houston after Jo Shimoda joined 250SX East teammate Seth Hammaker on the injury list this week.

While the team only announced it as a shoulder injury, it’s understood that 20-year-old Shimoda broke his collarbone on Thursday and will now take the required time out to recover.

“I’m doing my best to focus forward on my return to racing,” said Shimoda. “Our goal was to compete for the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship and I know we had been doing the right work to make that happen. Unfortunately, this crash will cause me to miss the start of the season, but I still aim to be back on the track racing for wins before the end of supercross.”

After finishing fourth in 250SX West standings last season, Shimoda raced his way to second overall in the Pro Motocross Championship after claiming two overall victories and nine podiums in total.

It’s been a disastrous start to 2023 for Mitch Payton’s Pro Circuit team, first with Austin Forkner being injured at Anaheim 1, followed by the injuries of both Hammaker and Shimoda – just one week out from the eastern regional opener of 2023 Monster Energy Supercross.

Malcolm Out for A2

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna star Malcolm Stewart will be sidelined for the Anaheim 2 round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship following a crash in practice.

Having started the season off with 16th and 15th placed finishes, these results certainly haven’t matched the electric speed he’s shown, as A2 was set to offer him a chance to secure a positive finish.

“A practice crash during the week has sidelined Malcom Stewart for this weekend’s Supercross live at A2. Details to follow as Malcolm Stewart undergoes further evaluation”, Husqvarna explained.

Further updates are expected to be provided by the team in the coming days.

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Marvin Still Out

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Marvin Musquin continues to recover from a wrist injury sustained prior to last weekend’s San Diego round of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship.

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The 33-year-old unfortunately sustained the injury while practicing and, as a result of that incident, will also sit out this Saturday’s first Triple Crown event of the season at Anaheim 2 on January 28.

It is expected that Musquin – who finished fourth in last year’s series – will at least miss the next few rounds of the season at this point, as he awaits further confirmation on the extent of the injury to his left wrist.

Marvin Musquin: “To have this injury that happened last Wednesday practicing this early in the season is not ideal. You prepare yourself for three months and to only race one race at Anaheim and get hurt is obviously disappointing. Right now all that I can do is wait and do everything I can to heal. There’s bone bruising and a bad sprain, but the time that I will be out for is a little bit unknown. I’ll go by feeling, day after day, week after week, and see how it goes. That’s all I can do right now.”

Anaheim 2 will see Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb enter the round positioned second in the point-standings equipped with his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, as 450SX teammate Aaron Plessinger currently sits ninth and Maximus Vohland is 12th in 250SX West.

Vintage RD

Turf war set to erupt as Woodville Motocross returns

ANDY MCGECHAN/BIKESPORTNZ.COM

Fierce action like this traffic jam should be in store again at the Woodville Motocross this weekend.

The biggest dirt bike race in the Southern Hemisphere, the annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville, will celebrate its 61st anniversary this weekend in what is expected to be another scorching two days of intense race action.

The event on Saturday and Sunday is set to be another massive superstar showdown, especially with the four-round national championships series poised to kick off in the South Island just two weeks later.

With such a jam-packed racing calendar ahead, competitors know they'd better be performing at the peak at Woodville this weekend.

The iconic event celebrated its 60th in birthday in January 2021, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced many major sporting competitions to be shut down last year.

Despite skipping a beat therefore in 2022, or perhaps even because of this, the racing this weekend is sure to be red-hot.

Host Manawatū-Orion Motorcycle Club president Brad Ritchie said he was “excited to see it will be all back to normal for the event”.

"It is always a very special occasion for everyone. It always starts the year off on a high.

"It was an absolute heartbreak not being able to run this event in January last year, but it seems to have picked back up to a new high level.

“The club's committee is determined to do it bigger and better than before and we have had wonderful support from the landowner and they're really exciting to work with.”

Sky Sport Next is covering the event.

The outright winner of Woodville in 2021, Taupō’s Wyatt Chase, has now retired from racing, so picking a favourite this time is anyone's guess.

An impressive array of Kiwi internationals entered, including: multiple former New Zealand motocross champion and Woodville winner Cody Cooper of Papamoa; Westgate's national MX1 champion Hamish Harwood; Te Puke's Tyler Steiner, Mangakino's former national motocross champion Maximus Purvis; Dunedin's Sam Cuthbertson; Taihape's multiple national champion Hayden Smith and Hamilton's former national MX2 champion and former Woodville winner Kayne Lamont in the glamour MX1 class.

Woodville is one of the biggest events on the Kiwi calendar and it will be an ideal build-up for a few of the Kiwi internationals seeking to resurrect their careers overseas now pandemic fears have eased.

Since the stand-alone event was first staged over half a century ago, in late 1961, the Woodville Motocross has grown to become the jewel in New Zealand's motocross crown and hundreds of riders will battle over the weekend, including minis, juniors, seniors, women and veterans.

Only six riders have won the main trophy at Woodville three times or more: Taranaki's Shayne King (an incredible nine-time winner); his elder brother Darryll King (five-time winner); Motueka's Josh Coppins (five-time winner); Cooper (three times), Tauranga's Peter Ploen (three) and Pahīatua's Ken Cleghorn (three).

All ages and abilities are catered for, with the novelty river race on Sunday also a major crowd pleaser and appealing more to the enduro and cross-country racing brigade.

Racing over the two days attracts thousands of spectators to Tararua, filling motel rooms and camping grounds and is a must-see spectacle for any motorsport enthusiast.

AMX MX OPEN Set For First Big Motocross Hit out For 2023

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

Kyle Webster

Some big names of motocross and Australian Motocross Champions will be competing in $20,000 in prize money in the biggest open motocross event in Wonthaggi this weekend – 28 and 29th of January.

Western Australian Kyle Webster will compete against world-renowned Tasmanian Jed Beaton in the 450 class. Other champions competing in the MX1 class are Regan Duffy and Bailey Malkiewicz. In the 250 class, it will be Brodie Connolly from New Zealand against Australian champions Kayden Minear, Alex Larwood, and Jai Constantinou.

Webster can’t wait for the first gate drop in 2023 and looks forward to sizing up his competition.

“I don’t know what everyone has been doing during the off season. I finished last year with the final race win in the MX Nationals. It’s always hard to gauge where you’re at going into a new season, I feel strong but I have no idea where everyone else is at,” Webster said.

Jai Constantinou

The best women racers will also be competing for an equal share in prize money. Emma Milesevic is eager to claim the first win of the season, the factory Honda racer will be competing against champions Taylah McCutcheon, Maddy Healy, and a host of privateers. Emma missed last year’s AMX MX OPEN due to injuries but aims to redeem herself this season.

“Last year I was injured which was a real bummer. This is an amazing event and its great to be recognised by the promoters and the Bass Coast Shire as equals to the men. Nowhere else in the world do women have equal prizemoney in motorsport” said Milesevic.

Penrite presents the first open race of the season the AMX MX OPEN and the riders can’t wait for their first gate drops. Over 200 entries that include junior riders on 50cc competing. The event will be full of action on and off the track with trade displays and merchandise sales. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.

Berkshires Ride!

Starting Line Look BID

MARVIN MUSQUIN WRIST INJURY: OUT FOR SD SUPERCROSS

Red Bull KTM confirmed this morning that rider Marvin Musquin suffered a wrist injury this week while practicing and will miss this weekends Supercross in San Diego California. Musquin’s wrist will undergo further evaluation to determine the full extent of his injury and make a plan for his return. For 2023 Musquin is under contract to ride Supercross only. Below is the statement KTM released via their social media this morning.

“Red Bull KTM has confirmed that @MarvinMusquin25 will miss this weekend’s San Diego @supercrosslive due to a wrist injury sustained this week during practice. The Frenchmen is having his wrist evaluated by doctors and more information will come. “

What...Me Mad?

“I WASN’T MAD ABOUT THE PASS AT ALL” JUSTIN BARCIA // 2023 SAN DIEGO SUPERCROSS

After the 2023 San Diego Supercross, MXA's Josh Mosiman caught up with Justin Barcia to ask about the take-outs with Jason Anderson and Chase Sexton, as well as his impressive ride in the 450SX Main Event where he held off a hard charging Ken Roczen and Chase Sexton to finish on the podium. In this interview Justin also talks about his riding style and what he's been working on to improve during the week. Plus, Justin mentions his teammates, Michael Mosiman and Pierce Brown as well.