Atlanta Ready to Rock!

Anderson and McAdoo top abbreviated Atlanta qualifying

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The field is set for this afternoon's racing in Atlanta.

Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) and Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) topped the opening qualifying sessions from Atlanta, just before rain hit the area cancelling the rest of the timed sessions for the day.

With the threat of rain in the area creating an already abbreviated schedule for round 13 of the Monster Energy Supercross series, riders went into the day thinking they’d get just two chances to learn the track and log their fastest lap.

As the rain started to fall toward the end of the first session, the second sessions were eventually cancelled, leaving the times from the one and only session for each group to determine the line-up for the races this afternoon.

In 450SX action, it was Jason Anderson putting his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna on the top spot with the fastest lap of 1:37.726s. Anderson comes into the weekend searching for his first win of the season after building momentum in the back half of the series.

Second place was 450SX rookie Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) who comes into Atlanta looking to rebound from a crash at Arlington 3 that ended his night early. The battle for the third spot was between Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha teammates Aaron Plessinger and Malcolm Stewart, the duo were the only two riders in the 1:38s range.

Rounding out the top five was Dean Wilson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) who continues to have solid pace in the latter half of the season, coming into Atlanta on the back of four consecutive top 10 finishes.  Wilson was followed closely by defending champion Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki).

Championship contender Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) took seventh in the session with his 1:39.312s lap with TLD Red Bull GasGas’ Justin Barcia just behind him in eighth.

Red plate holder Cooper Webb finished the session in ninth place and was the final rider in the 1:39s range. The final spot in the top 10 went to Team Tedder KTM’s Martin Davalos.

In 250SX West action, Cameron McAdoo became the first rider this season to top Justin Cooper in a timed session. McAdoo laying down a 1:39.185 to top Cooper who finished in second. The duo were the only two riders to log laps inside the 1:39s range.

Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) who sits just six points out of the championship lead, finished the session in third place with a fast time of 1:41.289s.

Veteran Ryan Sipes took fourth place overall after logging his lap in the 250B session. Sipes is making his second appearance in Supercross this season aboard a TLD Red Bull GasGas machine.

Chris Blose took fifth on his privateer GasGas with rookie Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) in sixth. Garrett Marchbanks put his ClubMX Yamaha inside the top 10 in seventh overall after the session.

Stilez Robertson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) was eighth place with fellow rookie Nate Thrasher in ninth. Kicker Arenacross champion Kyle Peters took the final spot in the top 10 with his 1:42.872s lap.

TLD Red Bull GasGas rider Pierce Brown made his return to action after injury, qualifying in 11th just a few tenths outside of the top 10.

Upshiftonline

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MX43

The Year of Jubilee Episode 1

After watching On Any Sunday, a multitude of children, parents, workers and thrill seekers escaped the turmoil of their times on motorcycles. Nothing like that explosion of off-road motorcycle racing in 1971 had been seen ever since, until 2020. Fifty years later, when everyone was told to go home, a new generation discovered the passion of their fathers.

Producer Troy Adamitis and director Nate Scribner, who have created The Great Outdoors, The Moto: Inside the Outdoors, Supercross: Behind the Dream, MX Nation and MX World, have partnered with RIDE Motorcycles to bring you an account of American Motocross’ Year of Jubilee.

We knew that 2020 was going to be a year that people would remember for decades to come. We wanted to capture some of the moments from a year filled with challenge and triumph to inspire the next generation of riders. So, we partnered with Troy Adamitis, the very best story teller and Producer in the industry, to film 2020 and produce a series that we believe will connect with passionate, engaged riders and racers and we hope will inspire new riders to join the sport of motorcycling. We will be creating 3 full episodes and you will see content that represents all of our brands (and others), our teams, athletes and customers.

The title of the video series, A Year of Jubilee, recognizes the a special moment and comes every 50 years. For our sport, the iconic film, On Any Sunday, was released 50 years ago in 1971 and it inspired multiple generations of riders and racers. We hope that Ride Motorcycles can be inspire more people to be outside, enjoying time with family and friends and most of all… enjoying time on a motorcycle. Ride Motorcycles is an action, it is a verb, we want people to go do it. The Year of Jubilee is presented by Ride Motorcycles so we can reach a broader audience beyond our brands, our core customers and connect to new customers.

Belgian MXGP Prep

 Belgian Bash By Lewis Phillips

The pain of absolutely nothing happening in Europe got too much and, because of that, I jumped in my car and travelled straight to Belgium a week ago. The trip was not quite as spontaneous as that may make it seem – we had commitments over here and needed to visit riders at home for a project that we are working on this year. All is going to be revealed in due course, but it got off to an encouraging start with one of the most interesting interviews that I have ever done.

I was not quite sure what we would come across in Belgium; COVID-19 is really running rampant in Europe, there is no need for riders to actually push the limits with no races on the horizon and everything is just in a state of flux. There is a lot of riding happening though, with most riders opting to hit practice tracks twice a week. Arguably the biggest issue is that tracks are falling fast – Lommel is now the only option on a Friday. In the last week we hit Deurne, Geldermalsen, Lommel (two days in a row) and then Boekel. I had not even heard of three of those, but hey. Boekel had a tabletop with a concrete face. No, seriously.

Jeffrey Herlings was at two of those tracks and looks really, really good at the moment. Shocker, right? The Boekel track is effectively a smaller version of Lierop, with long straights in the trees, so watching him push around that circuit was just awe-inspiring. Perhaps most intriguing was that it just looked effortless for him, almost like he has made another step forward. I think I am now ready to lock my championship pick for the premier-class title fight in. Herlings is just due at this point anyway, right? It would simply be mind boggling for him to go three years without a title, especially when you think about how superb he was in 2018.

J.P. Acevedo

Listeners to The MX Vice Show podcast will know that I have pegged Pauls Jonass to overachieve when the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship begins, and I am now prepared to double down on that. I talked to him at length on Friday and he sounds so happy in his new setting – he also stated that the GASGAS feels a lot nimbler than the Husqvarna, almost like it is his 250F. That bodes well. Oh, he also said that there are no lingering effects from his back injury last year and that he does not even need to consider that now. All of this, coupled with the fact that he looked so good, has prompted me to settle down on the bandwagon.

It has also been interesting to see that the air shock has made its way onto one or two of the Austrian bikes, but not all. The riders who are running it commented that it does indeed feel more predictable – something that Cooper Webb has also stated in the United States. The first race would have actually been run in Oman yesterday, had the original schedule stayed in place, so a lot of the riders have had plenty of time with their teams and testing is done. Tweaks are still being made, in the constant quest for greatness, but it is not like anyone is reinventing the wheel at the moment. It is more about logging laps.

Another thing that has become apparent whilst here is that very few people, if any, actually think that the Grand Prix series is going to begin in Russia on June 13. The common consensus is that the travel restrictions will make it too difficult to enter a country that is notoriously difficult to enter anyway. Time will tell, but it is actually down as TBC on the FIM’s version of the calendar anyway. There are also a lot of questions being bounced around about how easy it will be to enter the United Kingdom towards the end of June too. Being British, I have had to answer a lot of those like some kind of official spokesperson for the nation.

J.P. Acevedo

Back to the on-track action, Ben Watson looks very comfortable on the YZ450FM. I think ‘919’ will be the best rookie in the premier division. I actually visited the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP workshop for the first time and, well, wow. The place is incredible. Walking into the reception is like entering the headquarters of a multi-million-pound business, not a motocross team. There are a lot of finer details in the building that just reek of professionalism. Not particularly in the mood to open doors? Not to worry, there are sensors for that. I actually regret not doing a workshop tour for MX Vice, but time is of the essence.

Speaking of rookies, Kay de Wolf looks like he has made a significant step since moving onto the full-factory bike and setting his sights on the MX2 division. De Wolf could actually wow people this year – there will be some rough weekends, as there is with any rookie, but his ceiling is actually quite high. The new kid on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team, Maxime Grau, is actually very talented as well. Who knew that he was already under contract with the factory whilst racing for a satellite team in EMX125 last term? That fact alone should indicate just how much potential he has. Those deals are difficult to come by.

It has been good to be around the riders again – it has been so long since anything of significance happened. It is going to be months before gates drop as well, so get comfortable and try to enjoy the silence. It is going to be a long slog until we finally find out how these interesting stories pan out.

Words: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Bavo Swijgers

Shuffle the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship calendar again!

Infront Moto Racing have announced a host of updates to the 2021 calendar for the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, the decision has been made to delay the start of the upcoming season, as the FIM Motocross World Championship will kick off in Orlyonok with the MXGP of Russia on the 12th – 13th of June.

The updated calendar will also welcome back the MXGP of Great Britain in Matterley Basin on the 26th – 27th of June, followed by the MXGP of Italy at the legendary circuit of Maggiora on the 3rd – 4th of July. MXGP of Latvia, MXGP of the Netherlands and Czech Republic will come next in July, before heading to the deep sand of Lommel for the MXGP of Flanders in August.

MXGP will then move to Sweden on the 14th and 15th of August, followed by the MXGP of Finland and MXGP of Turkey.

The newest addition to the 2021 racing calendar is the MXGP of Sardegna, with the popular winter training facility of Riola Sardo hosting the round 11 of the campaign, with the EMX65 and EMX85 Championship races held on the same weekend.

The championship will then continue with the MXGP of Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and Trentino in October, with a venue for the French Grand Prix to be confirmed soon.

The season will then conclude with three fly-away races, in Argentina on the 13th – 14th of November, followed by the MXGP of Asia and Indonesia on the 27th - 28th of November and 4th - 5th of December.

Meanwhile the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations will go ahead on the 26th of September, as originally planned, with the Italian circuit in Mantova confirmed as the newest host of the prestigious event.

Additionally, the FIM-E Motocross of European Nations scheduled on the 18th and 19th of September, will now be as TBA, with more details to be announced at a later date.

The same race format as last year will be used during the upcoming season meaning that MXGP and MX2 will all run on Sunday and EMX and WMX run all on Saturday. The decision to run a one day format was made due to the tight racing schedule in order to allow more recovery time for the riders and the team staff.

Infront Moto Racing is hopeful that with the recent development of the vaccine, there will be a possibility to finally welcome back spectators in the summer months.

Red Bull KTM Story

The third season of the series follows the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team during a condensed and challenging 2020 season. Take a unique inside look at the challenges and aspirations of the sport’s biggest names as they gear up for the 2021 MXGP and MX2 championships.

OUCH...Rocks and More Rocks!

Grinding Stone Hard Enduro Extreme Championship | Round 01 RAW Highlights

Lucas Oil Continues Role as Pro Motocross Title Sponsor

MX Sports Pro Racing has announced that Lucas Oil Products, Inc., will embark on its 13th season as title sponsor of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Additionally, the American-based manufacturer and distributor of high-performance automotive oils and additives will serve as the “Official Oil and Lubricant” of the world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series, which will begin the 2021 season on Saturday, May 29, from Fox Raceway in Pala, California.

With a long and storied history supporting the American racing industry through vehicle sponsorships and event promotions at all levels of motorsport, Lucas Oil has become one of the most recognizable brands within the greater powersports industry through its commitment to Pro Motocross. In partnership with MX Sports Pro Racing, Lucas Oil helped usher in a new era of American Motocross beginning with the 2009 season and has remained the championship’s most ardent supporter ever since.

One of Lucas Oil’s most significant contributions to the championship during its tenure has been the elevation of Pro Motocross’ broadcast presence. Thanks to its dedicated production team, Lucas Oil Production Studios has continued to enhance the viewership experience of American motocross, which has put the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship at the forefront of motorsports telecasts around the world. Moreover, thanks to Lucas Oil’s 24/7 motorsports network, MAVTV, and the series’ partnership with NBC Sports, Pro Motocross has become more accessible to its domestic audience than ever before, with an extensive schedule of live network broadcasts complemented by live, commercial-free online streaming.

Zach Osborne will begin his defense of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in the 450 class on May 29th at Fox Raceway. Align Media

“The growth and prominence the sport of American motocross has enjoyed over the past decade can be directly attributed to the unwavering commitment from Lucas Oil,” said MX Sports Managing Director, Roy Janson. “Their influence on the prominence of this championship, particularly as it pertains to the vital broadcast component of hosting a world-class championship, cannot be understated. The legacy Lucas Oil has built through its support of motorsports of all kinds is unparalleled and Pro Motocross is privileged to be a part of it. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated partner who is equally as passionate about amplifying the sport, its athletes, and its loyal fanbase.”

Founded in 1989 in Corona, California, by Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, Lucas Oil Products was created with the simple philosophy of producing only the best line of lubricants and additives available anywhere. Today, it encompasses the most diversified range of segments in the automotive, powersports, marine, industrial, outdoor, and motorsports marketplaces, many of which were created by Forrest Lucas himself. In total, the company boasts more than 300 premium oil products, which is the largest variety of shelf products of any oil company in the United States, and features a distribution network that includes 48 different countries.

 

Lucas Oil took over title sponsorship of the Pro Motocross Nationals in 2009. Align Media

“Lucas Oil is a brand built on passion and Pro Motocross personifies that dedication, from the die-hard fans hugging the fence lines to the willingness of the riders to put it all on the line over the course of 24 intense motos,” said Melissa Wonser, Vice President of Marketing, Lucas Oil. “They say that this is arguably the toughest championship to win in all of motorsports, and given the challenges these athletes face from one weekend to the next it’s easy to see why. The captivating nature of Pro Motocross helps set it apart from most any other competition, and it’s why Lucas Oil’s commitment to the sport has remained steadfast for well over a decade, always looking to bring more attention to this storied discipline.”

The 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will once again consist of a 12-round season to crown a pair of AMA National Champions across two classes of competition. In the 450 Class, the world’s highest profile riders will look to capture the Edison Dye Cup, where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne serves as defending champion. In the 250 Class, a wide open field of both young and experienced talent will converge to pursue the vacant Gary Jones Cup. The season kicks off on Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 29, with the Fox Raceway National I from Southern California’s Fox Raceway.

RIP Ralph Huffman

Thanks for the many years of making Washougal a great race track and all of the good times you gave to the motocross world.