A letter to the entire community of American motocross:

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, MX Sports Pro Racing is carefully monitoring the impact of the illness across the country and recognizes the proactive measures that professional sports leagues and sporting events in the United States are taking in an effort to minimize its spread.

With the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship approaching, MX Sports Pro Racing is conducting discussions with our series partners to determine what actions might be required for currently scheduled series events.

Each day presents new information in regards to the coronavirus, and that newfound knowledge will be taken into consideration as we continue to prepare for the new season, as will any actions taken by local and state governments where our venues are located, or any precautionary measures issued by the national government.


Thank you,
MX Sports Pro Racing

Corona Virus Impacts Nationals!

Wow! Not only Monster Energy Supercross but now the nationals have been impacted. Hangtown has cancelled.

2020 HANGTOWN AMA PRO NATIONAL CANCELED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

Mar 19, 2020

2020 HANGTOWN MOTOCROSS CLASSIC AMA PRO NATIONAL CANCELED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

The Coronavirus strikes again and this time it’s the opening round of the 2020 AMA Nationals that has been canceled. The 2020 Hangtown National was set to go on May 16th, in Rancho Cordova, California, just outside of Sacramento at the Prairie City OHV park. Hangtown was originally slated to kick off the twelve round series and it would’ve been the 52nd annual running of the event. The Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club is the hosting club for the Hangtown Motocross Classic and they decided to pull the plug two months before the event on March 17th. With the local and federal governments requesting people to stay home in hopes to prevent the spread of the virus, it’s hard to imagine that any organization would be able to prepare for a major event like Hangtown while observing the governments current restrictions/requests. Read the press release from the Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club below:

Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club press release: “Through torrent rains, dense fog and blazing sun, the Hangtown Motocross Classic has been a mainstay of the outdoor motocross world for more than 50 years. Riders and fans have recognized that very little can disrupt the sport of motocross racing.

Unfortunately, with the outbreak of the coronavirus and continual spread of the disease throughout the country, the Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club, host of the Hangtown Motocross Classic, decided yesterday evening, March 17th, to cancel this year’s race.

In light of the action by the governing bodies of the other major sporting entities in the United States, and with guidance by both state and federal health officials, the Hangtown Motocross Class has been officially cancelled for the 2020 year.

“With an abundance of caution for our thousands of fans and riders, and for the health and wellbeing of the members of the motocross industry who attend our race each year, cancelling Hangtown 2020 was our best course of action in light of our current situation”, said Bob Messer, Director of the Hangtown Motocross Classic.

Messer added, “To our thousands of loyal fans who have already purchased tickets to this year’s race, you will of course receive a full refund”.

In these difficult times, cancelling this year’s race was a very tough discussion, but know that the Club will do whatever is possible to make the 2021 Hangtown Motocross Classic, the best ever.

If you have any questions about the tickets you have already purchased, please email us at kdplag@sbcglobal.net

Thank you for understanding”

KTM, HUSQVARNA, GAS GAS TO SUSPEND PRODUCTION

Pierer Mobility AG, parent company of KTM, Husqvarna and Gas Gas motorcycles, today announced that production will be suspended for two weeks as a measure to prevent spread of the Coronavirus. The factory in Mattighoffen, Austria will be closed from March 30 to April 10. The nearby WP factory will likewise be closed. The measure was primarily taken to mitigate transmission of the virus between factory workers, but another factor was the interruption in the supply of parts and raw materials. Many of the parts used in production come from countries hit harder by the Covid 19 crisis, including Italy and China. The international supply of motorcycles at various importers around the world will not be immediately affected, as production for the upcoming season had already been ramped up.

2020 Supercross Season Postponed

Feld Entertainment announced Friday that the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship has been postponed until further notice. The move comes in a response to the increase in the COVID-19 outbreak as sporting events around the world are being postponed as well.

Below is the full press release from Feld Entertainment:

Due to the increasing spread of COVID-19 and expanding restrictions on domestic and international travel, and in accordance with national state and local governments prohibiting large group gatherings, the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season has been postponed until further notice.

The following Supercross events have been cancelled:
• March 14 in Indianapolis, IN at Lucas Oil Stadium
• March 21 in Detroit, MI at Ford Field
• March 28 in Seattle, WA at CenturyLink Field
• April 4 in Denver, CO at Empower Field at Mile High
o *Includes Sunday Supercross Futures Cancellation
• April 18 in Foxborough, MA at Gillette Stadium
o *Includes Sunday Supercross Futures Cancellation

Event ticket refund information can be located on the venue or ticketing website. If you purchased your tickets elsewhere, contact your point of purchase directly.
The health and safety of everyone attending and competing in our live events, as well as our touring personnel, is our top priority. We will continue to monitor the situation.

We value you as a fan and appreciate your patience and understanding during this

unprecedented time.

Andrew Short Joins Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team

 

Amsterdam, the Netherlands - The Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team are excited to announce a strengthened rider line-up for the 2020 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, as Andrew Short and Ross Branch join the squad. Both racers showed impressive pace and the ability to overcome adversity at this year’s Dakar Rally and look set to become key members of the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team.

Andrew Short is one of the world’s most versatile and successful off-road motorcycle racers. A hugely experienced US supercross and motocross competitor, with close to 40 career podium results to his credit, he was also a winning member of the USA’s 2010 Motocross of Nations team. 

Calling time on his 16-year supercross and motocross career, the Texas native switched to cross-country rally racing at the end of 2017. Competing in his first Dakar Rally in 2018, Andrew has since completed three Dakars, placed as runner-up in the 2019 Silk Way Rally and won the 2019 Rally du Maroc. 

Ross Branch was one of the stand-out performers at the 2020 Dakar Rally. Quickly adjusting to the unpredictable Saudi Arabian terrain, the 33-year-old from Botswana won the event’s second stage, going on to challenge for further wins and take four more top-10 stage results, despite carrying an injury throughout the event.  

Competing in his first Dakar Rally in 2019, Ross completed the South American event in 13th overall in the motorcycle class and as the event’s highest-finishing Rookie competitor. He also finished as runner-up in the Merzouga Rally and eighth in the Rally du Maroc in 2019.

Short and Branch were set to make their competitive debut for the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. However, with the opening event of the 2020 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship postponed due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, the new target is Rally Kazakhstan, which runs from 24-29 May.

Andrew Short:

"I am really excited to be joining the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team ahead of the 2020 FIM Rally World Championship. I’m looking forward to working with a new group of people and a brand that has enjoyed a lot of success in rally in the past. I know everyone in the team will be pushing me to improve and get better results. My main goal is Dakar 2021, but between now and then we hope to get a lot of racing and preparation work done, and I can’t wait to get it all started."

Ross Branch:

"Joining the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team is a dream come true for me. To become a part of an official factory rally team is what I have been working hard to achieve over the last few years. The opportunity to work with a team that is focused on both Dakar and the rally world championship is amazing for me. I want to improve as a racer and believe that I have the speed to get improved results. Winning a stage at Dakar this year was a huge boost for my confidence, now I have the support of Monster Energy Yamaha I’m excited to see what I can achieve."

Alexandre Kowalski (Team Manager):

"Everyone involved in the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team is extremely pleased to be welcoming both Andrew and Ross, two top riders that we are sure will deliver great results. They come from different continents and have very different riding backgrounds, but they both want to achieve more in rally and are full of energy and enthusiasm. We saw at this year’s Dakar Rally that both riders were able to adapt to the event’s terrain, which was hugely important. Together with the team’s existing riders, we all look forward to working together and enjoying many great achievements together."

So You Think You've Got Skills?

Video riding lessons in the art of front wheel hops and small pivots turns with the master, Graham Jarvis

2020 Wild Boar

The Wild Boar highlights show focuses on the action in the tough conditions down in Florida but begins behind the scenes getting ready for the race start with Josh Strang and the Babbitts Online Kawasaki team. GNCC RacerTV highlights are looking sweet this 2020 season.

KTM clean sweep at “brutal” Palakta, Wild Boar GNCC round 2

Two rounds and two easy victories for FMF KTM Factory Racing Team’s Kailub Russell in the 2020 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series. The early season comes thick and fast for GNCC 2020 with round one just two weeks previous and round three on the bounce next weekend at The General in Washington, GA.

Wild Boar GNCC is known for its brutal course with a mixture of sand, black soil and a few mud holes in between. Added to that the course planners laid on four miles of fresh trail, which gave the pro riders a unique stretch of new terrain to factor into their already intense three-hour race. 

Kailub Russell has started 2020 like a rider on a mission. After his round one win, Kailub bagged the holeshot and never looked back at Wild Boar. Even a crash on lap three, when a vine got caught in his front brake, twisting the handlebars and jerking him off the bike, didn’t see him drop the ball. With a decent lead already, Russell had “time to spare” and the seven-time GNCC Champion gradually extended his lead to over two minutes by the flag.

“It was a tough day but I got a great start and just kind of did my own thing, trying not to make any mistakes.” Explained Russell. 

“I kept a pretty steady pace the first three laps and I was able to get that buffer and kind of bide my time and ride the final three laps. It’s easy to do that when you’re not under pressure and you can kind of pick your lines and get around the lappers a little more stress-free. It was a brutal course but it wasn’t as bad as it has been in years past.” 

 

If Kailub was fast out the blocks the story off was an opposite one for Babbitts Online Kawasaki rider, Josh Strang who was bang last off the start. Jordan Ashburn was P2 early on but dropped a place to Layne Michael on lap two who was fast early on.

Strang meanwhile was down in eighth as they crossed the line after lap one. Progressing to fifth a lap later before picking off a rider a lap in the last three laps to cement what has been a solid start to his season – Josh now sits second in the points, square on 46 with Ricky Russell.

It was not such a solid start for Sherco-mounted Baylor brothers. Steward was forced to retire at the end of lap one with a mechanical issue on his new Sherco mount while Grant finished eighth in class and 20th overall.

Herlings Sensational in Holland

Jeffery Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory team is the master of race craft. His cruise to second place in the opening moto made us all doubt he is still the man in MXGP, but his total domination of the second moto, to score 2-1 results proved “The Bullet” is still the man, taking his second GP of the season and his 88^th in his career. It was also Herlings ninth victory at the Valkenswaard circuit. Herlings also lapped up to fifth place.

“Yes, he did (Gajser gave him a hard time),” Herlings said. “I don’t know how he did it from that start position and he did great, he was up the front in both races early. Second race we were first and second, so nice to beat him straight up. He beat me in the first one fair and square, and I beat him in the second one. I am looking forward to Argentina now. He was good, I don't know what he has done in the winters, he has improved so much and he did a great job and kept me honest. We lapped up to fifth place, so we were on it."

Second overall was Tim Gajser who went 1-2 after crashing while in second in the second moto, but showed enough over the weekend to let us know that he will give Herlings some tough races in 2020. Third overall was Arminas Jasikonis with 3-3 results.

“Overall I am super happy from what happened yesterday with a really bad gate pick," Gajser said. "Two solid starts and the second race battling with Jeffrey, but I got a roost in the second one and couldn't see properly and it was easy to make a mistake, because the ground was realy soft."

In the championship points it is Jeffrey Herlings 94 points, Tim Gajser 85 points and Antonio Cairoli on 68 points. It might be a two horse race moving into the next few rounds.

Herlings led the second MXGP moto from Gajser, Cairoli, Jasikonis, Jonass, Simpson, Monticelli, Cervellin, Lupino, Bobryshev in 10^th. Gajser tried to pass Herlings, but the Dutchman wasn’t having any of it as he blocked the Honda riders move. Prado and Seewer down in the first corner and Jonass down and way out of the top ten soon after. Tonus stuck on the start with what seemed like a dead motor. Evans not starting after injuring his shoulder in the first race.

After two laps the lead was two seconds as Gajser seems to be really pushing his limits and Herlings is another animal from the first race. His go slow attitude seems to be spot on. Top ten on lap two was Herlings, Gajser, Jasikonis, Cairoli, Simpson, Monticelli, Bobryshev, Van Horebeek, Cervellin, and Van Berkel 10^th.

Herlings looking brilliant again and making everyone in the crowd comfortable again.  Monticelli down and Seewer also in trouble, as was Adam Sterry. After two laps the lead was nearly five seconds and the lap times of Herlings were three seconds quicker than Gajser.

Gajser though turned up his times on lap four and was suddenly less than three seconds behind Herlings. Cat and mouse stuff by the two quickest riders in the World and the crowd are loving it. Desalle back in 15^th, Prado 16^th and Paulin 20^th.

Five laps down and the lead was again five seconds, Jasikonis was third, then Cairoli, Simpson, Van Horebeek, Bobryshev, Cervellin, Kullas, and Van Berkel 10^th. Desalle 13^th, Prado 17^th and Paulin 18^th.

A lap later and the lead was two seconds again as he started catching Herlings and in third place Jasikonis was 16 seconds back in third. Jonass a brilliant ride and into the top ten as he moved into 8^th place.

Gajser onto Herlings as the bullet blocked by lapped riders, and then Gajser nearly off the bike as he mis-times a jump as he slipped in the muddy conditions. Suddenly the lead was more than five seconds. Desalle into 10^th place and Paulin into 13^th.

Lapped riders getting out of the way of Herlings as he starts lapping up to 15^th place, and Gajser has a little more trouble to get past the slower riders. After 10 laps it was Herlings, Gajser, Jasikonis, Cairoli, Simpson, Van Horebeek, Bobryshev, Jonass, Kullas, and Desalle. Gajser making little mistakes and the lead was up to around seven seconds.

After 11 laps the lead was nine seconds as Herlings continued to look the goods, Gajser second, Jasikonis half a lap behind the leader, then Simpson, Cairoli, Van Horebeek, Bobryshev, Desalle, Coldenhoff and Kullas. Herlings lapping 10^th place rider, but more importantly, Gajser took five seconds out of the lead by Herlings, just five seconds on lap 12.

Gajser down hard as he handed the GP overall to Herlings and the Dutchman laps seventh placed Desalle. The lead was 19 seconds as Herlings wins the race, the overall and is still the man in MXGP.

MXGP of Netherlands - Highlights