Sunday, July 24, 2022 at 7:14PM National coach Johan Boonen today announced the team for the 2022 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, set for RedBud in America. Liam Everts, Jago Geerts and Jeremy Van Horebeek will lineup in the Belgian colours on 24 and 25 of September.
Sunday, July 24, 2022 at 11:44AM 
Adamo, a former European Champion, is currently in his second season at Grand Prix level and the MX2 class. He ended his debut term in 2021 with 14th place and has quickly accelerated his development to capture a maiden podium result this year at Mantova for the Grand Prix of Lombardia. The 18-year-old has been on the KTM radar for some time and his work ethic, attitude and clear progression has helped Red Bull KTM Factory Racing management take the decision to put him on the KTM 250 SX-F for 2023.
Everts, soon to be 18, is also discovering the full demands of Grand Prix level but has the fortune to be guided by two generations of former world champions in his family. Everts made his mark in EMX125 and EMX250 European Championship competition before stepping full-time in MX2 in 2022 with the DIGA Pro Motocross KTM set-up; the fourth campaign of a five-year KTM plan. He has impressed with top ten results and honed the speed to enter the top five on several occasions.
Adamo and Everts will collaborate closely with the rest of the works crew and will hopefully follow the same excellent career trajectory enjoyed by the likes of Jeffrey Herlings, Jordi Tixier, Pauls Jonass, Jorge Prado and Tom Vialle by filtering into the MX2 line-up. Andrea and Liam will have Herlings as an MXGP teammate in 2023.
Adamo follows other successful Italians in Red Bull KTM colors such as Thomas Traversini, David Philippaerts, Tony Cairoli and Mattia Guadagnini while Everts will be the first Belgian in the factory squad since Ken De Dycker almost ten years ago.
Andrea Adamo: “This is really cool news and like a dream come true for me. It’s one of the best race teams in the world so I’m excited and proud to have this opportunity. It makes me already excited for 2023. Tony Cairoli is obviously a big influence and it’s great that I’m able to give Italy another factory rider in Grand Prix. I want to thank the whole Red Bull KTM Factory Racing family for this chance.”
Liam Everts: “Next year will be a new challenge and a big one! It’s a dream of mine that is now coming true and such a cool opportunity with be part of Red Bull KTM. We’ll work hard together and push for the ultimate result. I’m already looking forward to it.”
Robert Jonas, Head of Motorsports Offroad: “Andrea was making good results throughout last season and with a clear sign of improvement almost race after race. Over the winter he has made another good step and finally finished 2nd at the GP in Mantova. He is only 18 years old but knows exactly what he wants and once he is set for a target he won’t back off until he’s reached his target. We can say very much the same about Liam, who has been part of the KTM racing strategy for a few years now and has shown us that he is able to rise up the ladder and meet each new step with maturity and no shortage of that Everts talent. We feel both riders make a good combination for the future and an important new episode in our KTM MX2 program. We strongly believe that with KTM’s backing, Joel on their side and Jeffrey Herlings as their teammate, Andrea and Liam will be able to fight for the MX2 crown within one or two years.”
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:30PM
by Slaw DogJuly 22, 2022, 12:00 pm
Rider announcements for the inaugural season of the FIM World Supercross Championship continue to trickle in and today we got another name confirmed.
Dean Wilson will compete in the series in the 450 Class, the series announced. Wilson has yet to finalize and announce which of the 10 exclusively licensed teams he will compete with.
“Despite all my years competing in supercross in the USA, I’ve never had the chance to do so in front of a home crowd, so I’m naturally really excited for the new World Supercross Championship to be coming to the UK and to Cardiff,” Wilson said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to feed on that and challenge for the win, in front of my friends and family.”
Wilson joins the joins the previously announced Ken Roczen, Justin Brayton, Eli Tomac (who will race the opening round), Chad Reed, Cole Seely, Max Anstie, and more.
The 2022 World Supercross Championship gets underway in Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales on Saturday, October 8.
Main image: Husqvarna
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:26PM Vohland making steps forward in 250MX second-half
Post: Troy Guenther
Strong uplift in Millville for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider.
Image: Octopi Media.
It was a season-best 250MX race result of P4 for Max Vohland in the first moto at Spring Creek, with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider making steps forward in the second-half of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross.
The 19-year-old charged his way into podium contention during the opening bout in Millville, and just missed out on a top-three finish as he was passed on the final lap by Jo Shimoda.
Sixth in the second moto landed Vohland P6 overall at round seven and marked a strong uplift in form from recent outings, where his best result in the five motos prior to Spring Creek was ninth.
“I had a good day today and made some steps in the right direction, Vohland explained. “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 two, 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.”
Vohland is 10th in the 250MX standings, with just 18 points separating him from fifth as the series moves to Washougal this Saturday.
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:22PM Preparations begin ahead of 450 class transfer from 2023.
Image: Octopi Media.
Last year’s 250SX East champion Colt Nichols has revealed he’s been granted an early exit from Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha in a bid to prepare for his 450 class transition in 2023.
Nichols captured his maiden Monster Energy Supercross title in 2021, but was injured at Anaheim 1 upon switching to the western region and hasn’t raced since.
It was recently announced that Nichols would return to Star Racing in 250MX during the final four rounds of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross after recovering from injury, until he personally announced he has the permission to move on after effectively missing the entire season.
“I wanted to take a minute and bring everyone up to speed on my plans for now and in the future,” Nichols stated. “But first I want to thank Star Racing for all that you have done for me the past six years.
“You all had a big part to play in allowing me to reach one of my childhood goals of becoming a Supercross champion and helping build the foundation that I now having moving forward in my career. I truly could not have achieved these things without your unwavering support.
“Bobby [Regan] kept re-signing me when I got injured, believing I could win a championship one day and I will be forever grateful to everybody apart of Star racing. As much as I am going to miss my Star team, I am really looking forward to my next chapter in my journey as I move up to the 450 class next year.
“And [I am] thankful to Star for allowing me to start this journey early to get a head-start on next season. In the next few weeks I will be able to share more, but you will see me on a new bike/team, gear and all the rest.
“This has been a year I would rather forget, having not been able to truly show what I was capable of, but it only gives me more motivation to make this step into the 450 class a successful one. Thanks to my family, friends, sponsors, and most of all fans for always supporting me through these injuries and comebacks.”
While details remain unofficial, Nichols has been one rider linked to an incoming team understood to be being launched by 83 Compound owner Mark McKenzie, potentially with both Rocky Mountain ATV/MC and KTM support. It’s unclear if Nichols has any World Supercross Championship (WSX) opportunities.
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 2:54PM LOGO WARS OF THE ’90s: CLASSIC DECOSTER
Roger DeCoster was on staff at Dirt Bike Magazine between 1993 and 1999.
In the April, 1994 issue of Dirt Bike, Roger DeCoster was wondering how motorcycle manufacturers were allowing their logos to vanish from the bikes their top riders were racing. At the time, apparel makers were becoming a bigger and bigger factor in the competition for logo placement. Today, of course, energy drinks are the key player, but Roger’s thoughts are just a relevant today as they were in 1994.
To you and me, a motocross jersey is just a shirt to wear when we ride. For racing teams, professional riders and apparel manufacturers, however, the jersey is becoming a point of major controversy. Actually, it’s not just the jersey, but every square inch on a rider’s body. That’s all considered advertising space, and there isn’t enough of it to go around.
Before this racing season started, there was a lot of commotion among Team Honda, its riders and various apparel suppliers. Honda, quite simply, has been trying to work its name back on to the rider. Look at a picture of Stanton or McGrath from last year. The only place that the name “Honda” is visible usually is on the back of the legs–the part that the rider sits on.
Through the ’70s, having the name of your motorcycle emblazoned across your chest was the normal, accepted and even stylish thing to do. Riders were proud of their motorcycles. The professional race teams would buy some jerseys, print the rider’s name and number on the back, put its own name on the front and then issue them to the riders (I got six jerseys for my first year at Suzuki). Pants and boots were left up to the rider. Later, we added a patch or two to the jersey, usually from Champion spark plugs or Bel-Ray oil.
By the mid-’90s, Honda was insisting on more logo space for itself, but didn’t want to discourage 1-800-COLLECT from participating.
Then came the ’80s when leathers became nylons (of course, we still called them leathers, just to avoid the embarrassment) and they were available in virtually every color you could think of (and some you would rather not). JT and Broc Glover made it stylish to wear white and pink, and soon no one would think of racing without getting a Troy Lee helmet paint job. Just as had happened earlier in snow skiing, motocross had become a very style-conscious sport. The racing teams welcomed this. It was one less thing to worry about, it generated extra money for the riders, and the stars were guaranteed to look good, with clean new clothes for every heat.
Competition among apparel makers started to grow more intense. There were bidding wars for possession of top riders. As the stakes got higher, naturally, the clothes people wanted to guarantee that they would get some return on this huge investment. The apparel company’s name got bigger and bigger. The motorcycle brand name got smaller and smaller. It has paid off, too. The clothing companies have been very successful in making style a mandatory part of the sport, especially for younger riders. My son Kitch demonstrated this to me last month. We went riding, and I had inadvertently stuffed a Fox jersey and Sinisalo pants into my gearbag. It must have embarrassed Kitch; after riding, he lectured me: How could I have gone out in public like that?
Motorcycle manufacturers saw big money being thrown around. Some of them tried to work out licensing agreements so the apparel makers would have to pay to use the bike’s logo. The apparel makers, for the most part, didn’t go for it–they got more of the advertising area to themselves.Then racing teams started writing contracts to read that the team manager would get to approve all clothing deals. That didn’t work, either. Imagine the situation at the beginning of the year. The team manager wants to win races so he hires sensational young Johnny Jumpfar. Johnny signs the deal, not really paying much attention to the section about apparel approval. Suddenly, Jumpfar is a commodity–three different clothing companies are offering him big money. The clothes people know that, as a factory rider, Johnny will be getting more press and winning more championships. Jumpfar tells them he is clear of other clothing deals-which is sort of half true–and that makes him even more valuable. He signs a contract that just about doubles his salary.
The motorcycle company’s sales and marketing people get angry with the team manager because he let this happen. The manager is stuck in the middle–his primary job is to win championships, so he doesn’t want to upset his star so early in the year, but he brings up the matter and Jumpfar promises to get things sorted out. The season starts, Jumpfar wins everything in sight, and then he knows he can get away with a lot more. The clothing issue is put on the backburner. On the other hand, if he doesn’t win anything, then no one is that interested in what he wears. In either situation, the manufacturer comes out on the short end.
Sure, the clothing people contribute a lot. When the riders’ salaries go up, the sport benefits overall. Still, though, the manufacturer contributes much more to the actual racing effort. The bottom line is that the manufacturer’s race team is doing everything to create race wins and build champions. They deserve their fair share of the credit. Credit, in this case, might just come in the form Of a logo across the rider’s chest.
You might wonder how Honda allowed McGrath to win the ’92 Western Regional 125 Supercross title with hardly a Honda logo, or even Honda colors, in sight. In that case, Honda was trying to make an investment. By allowing the Peak/SplitFire colors to be dominant, Honda was fishing for outside sponsors to come in and help with the cost of running the race team. The key difference was that Honda was trading away logo space to offset the cost of racing. This year, Honda is putting its foot down–if the team is paying to win a title, it wants its logo displayed, and displayed big.
Coincidentally, this is the year that Honda finally attracted a big outside sponsor. Either way, expect to see the apparel company’s logo take a backseat. Frankly, it’s only fair. Let’s just hope that all parties keep things in perspective and that no one gets greedy, especially now that outside sponsors are getting involved in motocross. Honda’s deal might be the blueprint for a new trend in motocross-one that will benefit everyone involved.
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 1:13PM THE NEXT WORLD WAR IN BREWING OVER THE HORIZON: YOU CAN SMELL THE FEAR FROM HERE
When Feld Motosports elected to drop the FIM sanction for the 2022 AMA Supercross series. It wasn’t that big of a controversy. All the internet wackos said, “It’s about time.” Although Feld never sent out a press release explaining their motives in any detail, but the FIM send out a press release immediately looking for a promoting group that could hold an FIM World Supercross Championship. They wanted a serious contender to regain what they had lost. And they got a taker almost immediately. An Australian group, with experience in the Australian Supercross Championship, that was financed by a Middle Eastern Gulf State corporation, jumped at the chance. Again, the ever-astute web warriors said, “It will fold in the first year.”
But the Aussies weren’t stupid. They realized that to hold a World Supercross Championship (WSX), they needed the best and most famous Supercross riders in the world. They may have thought that they could find riders capable of racing Supercross in Berlin, Jakarta or Istanbul, but if there were riders capable of running the same speed as Tomac, Roczen, Sexton, Webb, Barcia and Anderson, the factory teams that race the AMA Supercross series would have found them by now. They might also have thought that they would be able to get enough MXGP talent to help fill the fields with Italian, German, British, Spanish and Dutch riders—but Romain Febvre’s violent crash at the Paris Supercross put a damper on any top-flite Grand Prix rider risking his career and limbs on a Supercross track. And, the Aussies might not have realized that the foreign riders doing so well in the AMA Supercross series, didn’t show up ready to win — they spent a couple years learning the nasty secrets of AMA Supercross tracks.
Both Feld and the AMA National promoters felt that the World Supercross series was not a threat to them…until the World Supercross Championship (WSX) promoters revealed their race schedule plans. In 2022 they decided to hold three rounds (England, Australia and Indonesia) — these are just “proof-of-concept” races, but when 2023 rolls around the WSX plans to have a full slate of races. But there is a trick to the World Supercross series’ 2023 schedule. They won’t hold any races that conflict with the AMA Supercross series dates (after all, those are the riders and teams they are trying to woo). Instead, they will go all-out to counter-promote against the Pro Motocross 250/450 National series.
Why? The Nationals are vulnerable. They haven’t done anything to improve the life or experience of the riders who come to their races. The purses are a joke. The officials are largely clueless and there is a general ennui among the big-name riders about racing the Nationals (and they try get out of it—even if they have to exploit a minor injury). Even the privateers feel like second class citizens who pay ever-growing entry fees for never-growing purse money. So, the World Supercross series decided to schedule as many races as possible against the American Nationals, which meant that, by proxy, they would also be competing against the MXGP series—but the FIM didn’t care because they believed that none of the Grand Prix riders would want to race the World Supercross Series—except for French riders.
The biggest danger for the National group is to panic, but panic they will—only to realize that turning over a new leaf now will look like flop sweat. There is now talk of Feld and the Nationals cooperating on a new race series that combines some elements of the old Wrangler Grand National Championship (that David Bailey won) with a little bit of Supercross and implemented it into a cut-down National Championship series as an add-on group of races. You can smell the fear from here!
The Nationals have a lot to fear — made evident by Ken Roczen, Eli Tomac, Chad Reed, Cole Seely, Justin Brayton, Max Anstie, Dean Wilson, Kyle Chisholm and riders yet to announced, who by the very fact of signing up for 2022’s three-race series are “down voting” the Nationals. The riders don’t see this as an anti-National statement — instead they see the $250,000 WSX purses and, in the case of the Big Names, an excessive amount of start money. They know, like everyone else knows, that the American Supercross and National promoters will not compete for the riders affections if their money is involved.
The saving grace for the 2023 Nationals is that the American factory teams, by their very structure, are organized and financed to sell motorcycles in North America. The American-based Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna factory teams don’t care about racing in Indonesia, Wales or Australia. If their parent company wants to do that, have at it—but the major factory teams in Supercross have no incentive to spend lots of money flying to far off places—and the Grand Prix series found that out when only nine 250 GP riders showed up for the Indonesian Grand Prix two weeks ago. The other teams and riders couldn’t afford it.
Additionally, the American motocross media is the most read in the world and the Nationals have to ask themselves—who will the press side with? Will they go where the stars go? Will they stay with traditional motocross? Will the World Supercross Championship promoters suddenly find allies in the press? And, not to be overlooked, the big-name factory riders are talking about and signing Supercross-only contracts for 2023—Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb, Marvin Musquin are just a few of the riders angling to be free, either to go on vacation or to head to the World Supercross series after the 2023 AMA Supercross series ends.
This isn’t the first Supercross War, it’s just the first that isn’t intramural. Perhaps there will be winners, but just maybe the whole sport will be the loser.
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 1:09PM CARSON BROWN TO RACE WASHOUGAL AMA PRO NATIONAL ON YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE
Dirt Bike Magazine test rider Carson Brown will be on a 2022 Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke at this years Washougal AMA Pro National. After having a great 250 West Coast Supercross season on an AEO Powersports KTM fill in ride Brown found himself without an outdoor ride. Living in the Pacific Northwest the Washougal round this weekend is basically his home race and he didn’t want to disappoint his fans.
