To The Victor Go The Spoils...Drop The Gate!

This is the closest title chase in history, with the smallest points gap after 11 rounds. It got us thinking about other title chases in the premier 450 (formerly 250 two-stroke) class. Since the series has not always been 12 rounds, our list consists of the top ten closest title chases after 11 rounds heading into the 12th and final round.

The following stats are provided by Clinton Fowler.

#10 | 2013 | Ryan Villopoto 50 points over Ryan Dungey

Let’s face it 50 points after 11 rounds is not that close, but Ryan Villopoto was on fire that year. He only finished off of the podium four motos and the entire season and won an impressive 18 out of 24 motos. With that sort of dominance, it is actually impressive “Mr. Consistency” himself, Ryan Dungey, stayed as close as he did, eventually finishing the series 56 points behind.

#9 | 1995 | Jeremy McGrath 47 points over Jeff Emig

In 1995 all eyes were on defending AMA National Motocross champ Mike LaRocco and the 1994 MXGP champ Greg Albertyn. This much anticipated battle was short lived when they both had to sit out part of the season due to injury. At Budds Creek Motocross Park it looked like the title contenders would be Jeremy McGrath and Doug Henry, that is until Doug suffered a gnarly crash breaking his back. That left only Jeff Emig to challenge McGrath for the title. Even though he was 47 points back after 11 rounds, by the end of the season The King of Supercross proved he could win outdoors, too, winning by 60 points.

#8 | 2017 | Eli Tomac 28 points over Blake Baggett

Even though 28 points after 11 rounds does not seem too close, the 2017 season was action packed. Eli Tomac came out at round one swinging, but then had some bike issues at round two. Blake Baggett looked as though he could be as dominant on 450s as he was on 250s, that is until he tore a ligament in his thumb at the RedBud National. Marvin Musquin started the season slow, nursing a knee injury, only to heal and pick it up by the end of the season. He was able to close the gap to only 17 points by the final round.

#7 | 1999 | Greg Albertyn 21 points over Kevin Windham

Three-time World Champion Greg Albertyn would finally get his one US title in 1999. It would not be an easy run. There was not one dominant rider in 1999 like in most years (Though it appeared that the 1998 World Champion Sebastian Tortelli would be until he broke his wrist) and the series saw seven different overall winners in 12 rounds. Surprisingly the ‘96 and ‘97 outdoor champion Jeff Emig did not win a single round and it was just down to Albertyn and Kevin Windham at the end. Albertyn would eventually win by 29 points.

#6 | 2018 | Eli Tomac 20 points over Marvin Musquin

Eli Tomac’s 2018 title defense was a nail bitter. A mechanical at RedBud leading to a DNF and a very fast and consistent Marvin Musquin brought the title chase down the last moto. He won the championship over Musquin by 16 points.

#5 | 2014 | Ken Roczen 20 points over Ryan Dungey

Even though 20 points is the same difference between Tomac and Musquin in our last entry, Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey break the tie because by season's end there were only 14 points between them. Roczen started the season off strong, like he always does, and Dungey finished strong which led to some close racing. Eli Tomac missed the early rounds with injury but got in between them at the end and helped Dungey close the gap, but it was not enough. Roczen was able to win the 450 title in his rookie year.

Ken Roczen claiming the premier class Pro Motocross title in his rookie season in 2014. Simon Cudby

#4 | 2011 | Ryan Villopoto 14 points over Ryan Dungey

For as many titles as Ryan Dungey has (three in 450 motocross) it is surprising to see him appear on this list in second place just as many times. Two-thousand-eleven started off as a three-man battle with Chad Reed leading the points until Millville when he got “Chadapulted” off of the track. From there it just left "The Ryans" again battling it out. It was a close battle with only 12 points separating them after the final moto of the season. Bike problems at a couple of rounds must have left Dungey wondering “what could have been.”

#3 | 2007 | Grant Langston 8 points over Andrew Short

How exactly does one beat Ricky Carmichael in Pro Motocross? Quite easily if Ricky races (and wins) only six rounds on his farewell tour. With Carmichael only doing select rounds, and therefore out of the championship hunt, everyone assumed the crown would be handed over to James Stewart. Then Stewart suffered a knee injury, and the championship was wide open. Grant Langston came on strong at the end, winning the last three rounds winning the championship for himself and Yamaha with 16 points over Mike Alessi.

#2 | 1996 | Jeff Emig 8 points over Jeremy McGrath

Old rivals Jeff Emig and Jeremy McGrath battled it out during the 1996 season. McGrath, the defending champion, held the points lead until he miscalculated a jump at Spring Creek and cased a table-table, hurting his foot. He tried to tough it out and still get points, but Emig was coming on strong. Emig opened an eight-pint lead, but McGrath was able to heal up enough to go 1-1 at the second to last round. This left them just two points apart heading into the finale, making it the closest championship (with this many rounds) in this class until this year. Emig rebounded with a 1-1 at the finale to take the championship by 10 points, as Mcgrath went 2-3.

#1 | 2022 | Eli Tomac 1 point over Chase Sexton

And that brings us to 2022, going into the last round, where Eli Tomac leads by only one point over Chase Sexton. It would be easy to look at this list and think that Eli has been in this situation before, once with Blake Baggett and once with Marvin Musquin. But the fact is no other riders have been this close before and we have no idea how this is going to pan out. Riding smart for points at the finale is one thing, but this weekend will require an all-out attack (and likely moto wins) to ice the crown. The only thing we know for sure is that this Saturday at Fox Raceway at Pala is going to be exciting to watch!

Marvin's Back!

MARVIN MUSQUIN TO RACE 250 CLASS AT FOX RACEWAY 2 NATIONAL

The 2022 Pro Motocross season finale is set to go this Saturday at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. Since both the first and last rounds of the series have been held at Pala, this one is technically called the “Fox Raceway 2 National.” This weekends race is already set to be an exciting one in the 450 class with Eli Tomac having a one-point lead on Chase Sexton in the 450 Championship standings. The weather is playing a factor into this race, with the heat wave Southern California is facing, we’re expecting temperatures in the 105-degree range on Saturday. Because of the extreme heat, MX Sports has decided to decrease the duration of the motos from 30-minutes plus 2-laps, to 25-minutes plus 2-laps.

In other news, the 250 class will see some new faces this weekend! Marvin Musquin had a Supercross-only contract with KTM for the 2022 season and during the summer, while helping the Red Bull KTM team test their factory race bikes and while helping the KTM R&D department develop 2024 model bikes, Marvin was able to negotiate another one-year Supercross-only contract for 2023.

Then, Marvin Musquin was selected to represent Team France at the 2022 Red Bud Motocross of Nations in the 250 class, alongside Maxime Renaux and Dylan Ferrandis, who will compete in the two 450 classes.

Now, in preparation for the Motocross of Nations coming up in three weeks, Marvin is lining up in the 250 class, alongside Red Bull KTM’s 25o rider, Max Vohland.

Toni Bou On Course For a 16th TrialGP Title After Another Win In France

After a clear win in France, Tony Bou looks odds on to wrap up his 16th straight World Championship.

Toni Bou moved to within touching distance of the 2022 TrialGP title at the TrialGP of France – the fifth and penultimate round of the 2022 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship.

Staged at Cahors on a sweltering day, the opening five sections were plotted in a quarry where competitors went head-to-head on steep, loose bankings studded with daunting rock steps. From here it was down to the banks of a nearby river and a series of massive, man-made sections comprising enormous rock steps and yet more heart-stoppingly steep bankings.

Bou set a furious pace from the start and established an early lead with just a single mark lost on section three where the rest of the TrialGP field all picked up maximums. This feat was repeated on section 11 which featured a monster triple step on the exit that looked impossible on first inspection and claimed first-lap fives from everyone apart from Bou who skipped through for a dab at his first attempt.

The Spaniard, who’s aiming for a record-breaking 16th-straight title this season, was on six marks lost at the halfway stage which handed him an eight-mark advantage over compatriot Jaime Busto with Miquel Gelabert a further three adrift in third.

On lap two Bou picked up his first maximum of the trial on section three but added just one more mark to his total to end the day on 12.

Following an expensive opening lap, Adam Raga pulled things together on lap two with his score of seven lifting him up to second on 25, two ahead of Italy’s Matteo Grattarola who produced a brilliant nine-mark performance on lap two.

With just eight marks separating the leading riders it was tight at the top with Gabriel Marcelli and Gelabert completing the top five as Busto slipped to sixth after going off the boil on lap two.

“Today we got off to a very good start,” Bou said. “I felt good on the bike and that showed throughout the trial. It was a trial with few mistakes, but with the chance of messing up, so we had to be careful in the most complicated sections. The only serious error I made was in the tricky section three. Overall, we had a very complete trial, picking up just 12 marks. I’m very happy and in terms of the championship, these are very important points. In Italy we will have to have a normal race, taking care of the physical aspect and the bike too. We will go after another title, after a very good year in which we have been very consistent in all the championships.”

There are now just two scoring days to go at the TrialGP of Italy in the middle of September and Bou’s advantage over Busto – who’s the only man still in with a mathematical chance of dethroning him – is now 36 points with just 40 left up for grabs.

GasGas Rally Is Coming

2023 GasGas RX450F Rally

This is a special one! Since Sam Sunderland’s history-making 2022 Dakar Rally win, GASGAS has wanted to give back to the rally community. That’s why we’ve created a GASGAS Factory Racing inspired rally bike, something we’re calling the RX 450F Replica! Each one is carefully assembled with many of the very same high-performance components that can be found on Sam’s Dakar-winning machine. This is way more than just an imitation model, the RX 450F Replica is as close as it gets to the real deal and it’s available now, worldwide!
GASGAS Factory Racing inspired rally bike unveiled – the RX 450F Replica
Limited-edition run of bikes assembled with high performance parts
These will sell out fast – contact your local GASGAS dealer today!
Whether you’re a full-on rally-raid privateer or part of a team, the all-new RX 450F Replica from GASGAS will make your rally career, or next desert adventure, so much easier and way more fun! Needing absolutely nothing to go racing, the replica bike is assembled by hand with a long list of essential rally-specific components, most of which the exact same as can be found on the race bikes of Sam Sunderland and Daniel Sanders.

Day 4 ISDE

2022 ISDE DAY 4: BRANDY RICHARDS DNF!

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The early results  from Day Four of the 96th ISDE in Le Puy En Velay, France are in with some devastating news for Team USA. Brandy Richards, who had been having an excellent ride and leading the Women’s classification, failed to finish the day. Details have yet to be revealed, but that takes the American women down to seventh in that classification. The leader in the Women’s Trophy is now the UK’s Jane Daniels with U.S. rider Korie Steede in second.

The UK also continues to lead the World Trophy classification, with the U.S. team  in fifth. For day four, the top U.S. rider is Kailub Russell, who is batting forward despite an injured knee. Dante Oliveira, who had been America’s top rider, sustained trail penalties and has dropped to 25th overall. More details will come out shortly, so check back as this post will be updated. For extended coverage of the 2022 ISDE, click here.

 ISDE

 

Tomac vs Sexton Take Your Pick

T-Dog’s Takes: The Greatest Title Fight Ever

by Troy DogSeptember 1, 2022, 12:36 pm 

Notice that this column now has a sponsor? That’s right! Troy Dog joined the Blu Cru and you should too! I have one in my garage right now and I can’t wait to go shred it! Thank you to Yamaha for believing in my ELITE columns on this dirt bike website enough to sponsor me. What a dream come true! BTW: Have you seen the all-new YZ450F? OH. MY. GOODNESS. I can’t wait to test that bad boy.

Wow! I simply cannot believe this Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship chase right now in the 450 class! I can’t remember the last time a championship came down to the final round, especially in the Premier class with one point separating the top two. Obviously when the championship comes down to the final round it’s not impossible for the title to go to the rider second in the series. Usually the 450 championship leader has a pretty sizeable points gap heading into the final pair of motos. We’ve really been treated to a spectacular season this summer, but to have veteran Eli Tomac and young up and comer Chase Sexton in a winner take all final round truly takes the cake. Now which one of these guys will get to eat it too?

If you think about it, it’s really cool that Chase and Eli are here digging this out. They both came up through the now defunct Amsoil Factory Connection Honda amatuer team (GEICO Honda on the pro side). Both are regional champions, but right there is where the similarities really end. Sexton is the on the verge rider in the sport. He’s 22 years old and he could potentially take the sport by storm in the next few years and win everything. He’s young, he’s fast, and he knows what it takes to win championships. His picturesque riding form is like watching Bob Ross paint a masterpiece. Chase can smell this championship and he will do whatever it takes to win it. To be 22 years old and on the verge of your first championship in the premier class, well that doesn’t really happen anymore.

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On the other hand, you have Tomac, one of the all-time greats in this sport. He’s racked up so many wins and he’s close to the top of the all-time wins list in both Supercross and motocross. The only thing that Eli doesn’t have on his side is time. Although he’s one point ahead in the championship, his peak days appear to be over and he can probably smell retirement at this moment. That’s not a diss on Tomac. At 30 years old his body has seen wear and tear unlike any other discipline in the world.. He has claimed that this will be his final motocross season and he’s going to do whatever it takes to put this championship plate on the mantle at home in Colorado. 

So, now that we set the stage for what I hope to be one of the all-time greatest motocross races ever at Fox Raceway this weekend, I have to give my two cents. Who do I think is  going to take it? Well to preface my answer, I want to stay out of all drama related to who I finally pick. Both riders are deserving, however. as an unbiased ELITE journalist in this sport, I get paid the big bucks to call it like I see it. Sexton is very good at Fox Raceway. Sexton is good everywhere. Tomac is good at Fox Raceway. Tomac is good everywhere. I truly hope this comes down to 60 minutes +4 laps of back-and-forth action and I hope it doesn’t come down to a crash or a DNF. The rider that I picked for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will be Eli Tomac. Tomac has a chip on his shoulder because he will never get the chance to win another motocross championship. Yes, he will race Supercross and possibly World Supercross, but no more outdoors. Tomac’s championship experience will help him get the job done 

I know that Sexton reads my columns and he likes some of my tweets on Twitter, so I know this is gonna hurt by saying this. I’m sorry bro it’s nothing personal. I promise. It’s just Eli freaking Tomac.

Alright boys, let’s get down to business and may the best man win.

Extreme heat forces reduced moto lengths at Fox Raceway

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Post: Alex Gobert

Pro Motocross finals to feature a revised schedule this Saturday.

Moto lengths have been reduced ahead of this weekend’s 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship finals due to extreme temperatures currently affecting in the region.

Fox Raceway is forecast to reach 103 degrees on Saturday, with the decision made by MX Sports Pro Racing to drop the motos from 30 minutes to 25 minutes plus two laps.

In addition, the seconds motos at round 12 of the season will be contested half and hour later than usual, providing riders and teams appropriate time to further recover for the afternoon action.

Both the 450MX and 250MX championships will be decided this weekend, with Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) and Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) separated by just a single point in the premier class, while Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) is expected to clinch his second-straight 250 crown.

50th Anniversary of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Finale in San Diego County

The Fox Raceway II National will commence on Saturday, Sept. 3, headlined by the closest title fight in the history of American motocross. Photo courtesy Align Media

Looking for something to do on the unofficial end of summer Labor Day weekend? Keep reading.

After a summer filled with one of the most memorable and competitive seasons of all time, the 50th Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is set to crown champions as it returns to the motocross epicenter of Southern California for a dramatic finale that will kick off Labor Day weekend from Pala’s Fox Raceway in San Diego County.

The Fox Raceway II National will commence on Saturday, Sept. 3, headlined by the closest title fight in the history of American motocross.

“During such a major milestone season we should be treated with the most compelling championship battle in motocross history,” said Davey Coombs, president of MX Sports Pro Racing. “The incredible action on the track that we’ve been treated to this summer has only been surpassed by tremendous crowds that are amongst the biggest we’ve seen in many, many years. Hundreds of thousands of passionate motocross fans have cheered on these exceptional athletes from all over the world and there’s no better place to watch the culmination of this historic season than Southern California, the proverbial home of the sport.”

Fox Raceway kicked off the 2022 season over Memorial Day weekend in May, with an event that featured the venue’s largest crowd to date that set the tone for the exceptional season that unfolded throughout the summer.

The sprawling landscape sits on the Pala Reservation of the Pala Band of Mission Indians and has served as one of motocross’ most high-profile Southern California venues for more than a decade. Its desert setting, with dry, arid conditions, makes for one of the sport’s most unique challenges that when combined with the high temperatures of late summer, will provide a significant final test of physical and mental fortitude for these world-class athletes. The riders who emerge triumphant at the season’s final event will be deserving of their success.

Headlining the anticipated battles that will unfold at Fox Raceway is arguably the greatest championship showdown of all time in the premier 450 Class between Colorado’s Eli Tomac, a multi-time champion, newly named ESPY Award winner, and one of the most decorated racers in history, and Illinois’ Chase Sexton, an up-and-comer amid a breakout season that has pushed him to the brink of stardom.

With four wines, just a single point separates Tomac and Sexton as they enter the 12th and final stop of this landmark season, the smallest margin in a championship battle over five decades of competition. This showdown of veteran experience versus ascending talent has captivated the global audience of the world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series and will reach its crescendo at Fox Raceway, where both riders have won twice, to put an exclamation point on a season that will forever be remembered in the annals of the sport. 

Australian Jett Lawrence is on the verge of capturing his second straight 250 Class title at just 19 years of age. Photo: Align Media

Event Information

Fox Raceway II National

Round 12: 50th Anniversary Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship

Fox Raceway – Pala

SUNSHINE STATE VINTAGE MX PAX TRAX EDITION 2022

Apr 24, 2022 Sights and sound of the Sunshine State Vintage Motocross Club Series Race, Round 10, April 24, 2022 at the Pax Trax in Bunnel Florida

The Hurricane Was Always Creative!

FORGOTTEN MOTOCROSS TECH: HURRICANE HANNAH’S MOST INNOVATIVE IDEAS

MXA Aug 30, 2022

Motocross history is filled with examples of creative ideas that were heralded as groundbreaking, but, because of the rapid rate of change in development, sank into the swamp of forgotten technology. Although some are best left abandoned, others were truly innovative (if not ultimately successful). MXA loves to reveal motocross’ tech trivia. Do you remember these ideas? Hannah Racing Products (HRP).

The ubiquitous HRP Flak Jak.

Bob Hannah is famous for many things—his AMA National Championships, bold public statements, ramming Kent Howerton and his 1987 Motocross des Nations victory—but his longest-lasting contribution to the sport is often forgotten. At the height of his motocross fame, Bob Hannah started Hannah Racing Products (HRP), and, as you would expect from such an eccentric person, his gear ideas were very unique. While many of his most creative ideas were misses, he had one major hit that changed the way motocross racers dress today.

In 1981 Bob Hannah showed up wearing the first-ever all-plastic chest protector, the HRP Flak Jak. The $70 Flak Jak was a front and back design that used arched shoulder cups to join the two halves. Inside the shoulder cups were nets that kept the plastic pieces off the rider’s body. Before the HRP Flak Jak, most chest protectors were padded cloth designs with plastic pieces sewn on. Hannah went all plastic, and eventually every company would copy his design.

Gary Jones in HRP Hi-Back pants.

Not as successful were his $128 HRP Hi-Back pants, which combined the pant and kidney belt into one piece. Functionally, the Hi-Backs were incredible to wear, as the kidney belt stayed centered over the small of the rider’s back and the kidney belt kept the pants in place; however, they didn’t catch on, largely because riders didn’t know what to do with the kidney belt when they were in the pits.

HRP’s Bio-Foam jersey looked like a typical cotton jersey but with padded Bio-Foam shoulder panels sewn in. You could wear the jersey by itself or in conjunction with the HRP Flak Jak. Unfortunately, the Bio-Foam shoulders weren’t as happy in the washing machine as the cotton was. Bob sold the HRP and Flak Jak names in 1987. HRP is still in business today, but without Bob.