Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 3:24PM This was Honda racing last week in Italy. It was a little muddy but great racing. There is a chance this 
week's opening National MX at Hangtown may look a lot like Mantova. The current forecast predicts a few days of rain this week. Race day rain is not new for Hangtown and the racing will be great as always.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 3:12PM
Tommy Searle talks honestly about Mantova
Tommy Searle had an extremely up-and-down weekend in the mud of Mantova. There were highs and lows, which left him in eighteenth overall after a thirteenth in moto two. Searle is still eager to move forward though and knows there is more to come. What is it going to take to get him comfortably inside of the top-ten again? That is covered extensively in this exclusive MX Vice interview.
MX Vice: Kind of an okay weekend, I guess. You got two results on the board. Actually, no. Close to getting two results on the board…
Tommy Searle: I did get a result, but not a point-scoring result.
Good things [sarcasm]. It could have been good. There were good signs. It did not end up how you want, obviously, which has kind of been the story all year. Positive? Negative? I do not know how you look at it.
Positive that I am healthy. I feel we made a little bit of improvement, but the team… In the break I did not get to test personally, but they went and tested with Christophe Pourcel. We sort of thought they had gone a good direction with the settings, but I raced last week at the British Championship and found out that it was not right for me. We went back in the second race there to the settings that I preferred, but we did not have them available here this weekend for me to go back to.
(ConwayMX)
We were searching a lot, because I had only a set-up that I had never ridden before. I just struggled to ride the bike. I train a lot. I ride a lot and I know how to ride a bike, but yesterday I felt like I had got my bike for Christmas. Not even last Christmas, like the Christmas just gone. It felt like that was my first bike and they had just said, “Here, mate. Have a go at this. Late start. You are twenty-nine now but have a go. There is a race coming up in Portugal in a bit. Have a go there." I have had a go and it did not go very well.
Today we found a little bit of improvement. We put the fork back, so that was better, but we have just been searching. The weather helped us a little bit I think when it slowed the track down. It was just not a great weekend, but I am healthy. I can move on. The team sort of know the direction that works for me now, I think, so hopefully positive things… They can go back and we can come out in a better direction in Portugal.
The Pourcel set-up that you ran in the first moto at Canada Heights, that was the one you had this weekend? You can move things a little bit, obviously, but that was like your base, I guess.
Yeah, it was the base, but that was all we had, sort of thing. The truck left and that was what was in it. We had every set of suspension. The truck was on that base and it just did not work for me. Yeah, on paper, it sounded like that was the right direction. It is just not for me. I think we would have been better off me going to France, which is what I wanted to do, to do the testing and then come to the race.
They obviously worked hard with those guys, but it was not for me. We know that now. I think they have a little bit more information of what I like on a bike. Hopefully we can use that, move forward and just get the bike where I want it to be… Where I can actually feel good on it and race the bike like I know how and like I train to be able to do.
Seeing as the truck is going to go straight from here to Portugal and then back to France, does that mean you are not going to be able to get the settings you had in moto two last week until the next break?
No. Apparently, they just said the truck is going back. It passes Toulouse to go to Portugal. Next week should be better. Hopefully we can start off in a better situation. They are working hard. They are still learning the bike. They are clever people, but sometimes we have just gone the wrong direction for me and did coming into this GP. We learned from it. It cost us a weekend here, but I am healthy and there is plenty of the season to go. Hopefully we can improve from now and have a good weekend in Portugal.
Do you think it would help having Bobby here and racing every week, because then the team would get more data, or do you think it would just confuse things more and take the limelight off of you a little bit?
No, I would love Bobby to be back, because it would be two of us. He says how it is as well, so having two people there being able to voice an opinion… It would be a lot better for me to have Bobby here. Hopefully he can be back soon.
Positive thing: Ending on a positive, or trying to… Before the first moto problem, which I guess was a bike problem. You were smoking, right?
Yeah. In the first moto I was actually having a good race. I got up to tenth position at one point, then with the conditions they were really heavy. Obviously, a lot of bikes had trouble. I just lost all the water. I did not want to jump the jumps, because I could feel the bike was about to let go. I just had to nurse it home. Unfortunately, I obviously could not jump the jumps. I lost a lot of positions. I should have had a 10-13, so it would not have been a terrible weekend, but instead I only scored points in the second race.
The positive thing that we are ending on… Say you had gone 10-13 on the bike that is not made for you or that you do not particularly get on with, that is good. That means that once you are comfortable you can start pushing a top five, like we have said all along.
Yeah. I feel all right. I am working hard. I am fit. I am healthy. I can ride a bike. I am not actually bad on one of these motorbikes.
You sure? If this was your first ride on a new bike after Christmas, I am not sure.
I felt like I got the bike for Christmas, but sometimes I actually feel I am actually half sensible on one. I just need to have a go next week. It was not all bad this weekend. The guys at the team learned the direction that I need to be going, so hopefully we can move in that way and have better GPs the next few.
Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: ConwayMX
Monday, May 13, 2019 at 1:31PM
Gene was a factory Triumph racer during the hey-day of the AMA Grand National Championship.
AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Gene Romero, the 1970 AMA Grand National Champion and winner of the 1975 Daytona 200, passed away on May 12, 2019, in Fullerton, California at the age of 71. No one who saw “On Any Sunday” (and almost every motocross racer over the age of 40 did) can forget Gene Romero—the Flying Burrito. His most famous quote was “I just gotta get third. If I don’t get third, come visit me in the hospital, I dig carnations, man.”
Romero was one of the best-known motorcycle racers in the United States during late 1960s and early ’70s. He won the AMA Grand National Championship in 1970 riding for Triumph. Romero won 12 AMA Grand Nationals during his 16-year racing career. He was one of the early riders to bring sponsorship into the sport from outside the motorcycling industry. In 1970, Romero won the prestigious AMA Most Popular Rider of the Year Award. The biggest win of Romero’s career was the 1975 Daytona 200. He rode the first half of the race in fourth place on his factory Yamaha. Then he poured on the speed, passing Giacomo Agostini and Steve Baker and taking the lead when Steve McLaughlin crashed. Romero cruised to victory for his only win in 14 Daytona 200 starts. Romero was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.
Gene Romero raced motorcycles until 1981. After a short auto racing career, Romero became the manager of Honda’s AMA Grand National dirt track racing program from 1982 to 1985. From there, Romero formed a promotions company, organized a successful short track series and worked with the Glen Helen Nationals on organizing the vendors.
Sunday, May 12, 2019 at 9:16PM Young and Lettenbichler complete the podium at Portugal's season-opener.
Sherco Factory Racing’s Mario Roman has taken an early lead in the battle to become this year’s ultimate enduro champion, claiming victory at the Toyota Porto Extreme XL Lagares in Portugal for round one of the 2019 World Enduro Super Series (WESS).
Following two days of action-packed Endurocross and City Prologue racing, the stage was set for Sunday’s Hard Enduro feature race.
Among the 300 competitors entered, over 50 pro riders took to the start line of the demanding two-hour long course, which was to be completed twice. Notoriously difficult, the addition of blisteringly hot sunshine ensured a punishing start to the 2019 WESS championship.
Putting in a determined display of riding, Roman produced a terrific late race charge to top the podium ahead of teammate Wade Young (Sherco Factory Racing) with early race leader Manuel Lettenbichler (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in third.
Graham Jarvis (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) initially looked to have snatched third from Lettenbichler on corrected time, but the German was awarded time he lost on lap one due to a track marking error and finished on the podium. With Jarvis in fourth, reigning champion Billy Bolt (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) completed the top five.
The World Enduro Super Series now heads to France for the Trefle Refle Lozerien on 17 May, marking round two of the series.
Sunday, May 12, 2019 at 9:08PM 
As he marches towards his 10th World motocross championship Tony Cairoli of the Red Bull KTM Factory team picked up his 89th Grand Prix victory, and his fourth of 2019. His 1-1 results in the mud of Mantova was a typical solid performance from the great Italian racer and extended his championship points lead over Tim Gajser to 40 points.
“You know it is a tricky situation with the weather and the start was the key," Cairoli said. "Thanks to all the fans for coming with this weather.”
Unfortunately, the performance of Gajser in Trentino a month ago just wasn’t repeated in Mantova, as he crashed over and over again, something that has cost him so badly in the past.
What was nice was the return of Pauls Jonass of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team on the GP podium as the former MX2 World champion scored his first podium in the MXGP class. His poor off-season due to injury starting to be forgotten. Scoring 2-3 and second overall was a mammoth result for the Latvian in his MXGP debut season.
Cairoli another holeshot in the second MXGP moto from Paulin, Bogers, Jonass, Coldenhoff, Desalle, Searle, Gajser, Paturel, Lieber and Bernardini. Anstie and Simpson went down hard, with Anstie seemingly troubled to return. Monticelli also out of the race and in the mechanics area.
Cairoli running away again as he held a three second lead on lap one. Searle dropped back to 15th place, and Jasikonis was back in 23rd place.
After three laps Cairoli had extended to four seconds ahead of Bogers, Jonass, Paulin, Coldenhoff, Gajser, Desalle, Paturel, Lieber, and Tonus in 10th.
Six laps and Cairoli held a seven point second over Bogers, followed by Jonass, Paulin, Coldenhoff, Gajser, Desalle, Paturel, Tonus and Seewer 10th. Jonass all over Bogers for second place, but Jonass nearly went down after the two nearly collided. Gajser crashed again and continued his horrible day.
Cairoli won it from Bogers and Jonass.
MXGP - GP Classification
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 42 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 33 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 30 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 26 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 26 p.; 8. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 26 p.; 9. Brian Bogers (NED, HON), 23 p.; 10. Benoit Paturel (FRA, KAW), 19 p.; 11. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, YAM), 19 p.; 12. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), 18 p.; 13. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, YAM), 15 p.; 14. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 12 p.; 15. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 11 p.; 16. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, YAM), 11 p.; 17. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 10 p.; 18. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 8 p.; 19. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, YAM), 8 p.; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KAW), 7 p.; 21. Julien Lieber (BEL, KAW), 7 p.; 22. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 5 p.; 23. Anton Gole (SWE, YAM), 3 p.; 24. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 3 p.; 25. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), 1 p.; 26. Klemen Gercar (SLO, HUS), 0 p.; 27. Davide De Bortoli (ITA, HON), 0 p.; 28. Artem Guryev (RUS, HUS), 0 p.; 29. Micha-Boy De Waal (NED, YAM), 0 p.; 30. Jonathan Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), 0 p.; 31. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, YAM), 0 p.; 32. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 0 p.; 33. Bence Szvoboda (HUN, KTM), 0 p.; 34. Austin Root (USA, HON), 0 p.; 35. Davide Bonini (ITA, KTM), 0 p.;
MXGP - World Championship Classification
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 241 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 201 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 175 p.; 4. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 146 p.; 5. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 142 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 124 p.; 7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 118 p.; 8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 109 p.; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 100 p.; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 94 p.; 11. Julien Lieber (BEL, KAW), 86 p.; 12. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 82 p.; 13. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), 74 p.; 14. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KAW), 67 p.; 15. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 66 p.; 16. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 66 p.; 17. Brian Bogers (NED, HON), 55 p.; 18. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 45 p.; 19. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 36 p.; 20. Benoit Paturel (FRA, KAW), 32 p.; 21. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, YAM), 25 p.; 22. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 20 p.; 23. Harri Kullas (EST, HON), 18 p.; 24. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 16 p.; 25. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, YAM), 15 p.; 26. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, YAM), 14 p.; 27. Anton Gole (SWE, YAM), 12 p.; 28. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 10 p.; 29. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, YAM), 8 p.; 30. Dean Ferris (AUS, YAM), 6 p.; 31. Joaquin Poli (ARG, HON), 3 p.; 32. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), 2 p.; 33. Juan Pablo Luzzardi (ARG, KTM), 1 p.; 34. Jetro Salazar (PER, HON), 1 p.;
Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 10:06PM 
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Antonio Cairoli has won the MXGP qualification race with a flag to flag victory in Mantova today. The Italian legend looked brilliant as he gated first and just left the opposition in his wake. Second was Tim Gajser and third Gautier Paulin.
“Yes,” Cairoli said. “Is very good this feeling on the track, because the track is difficult and dangerous. I know they expected rain and they kept it harder. I hope they make it better for tomorrow, because it is sketchy and dangerous.”
Cairoli takes the lead early in the MXGP qualifier from Jonass, Desalle, Seewer, Lupino, Gajser, Paulin, Monticelli, Leok and Jasikonis. Anstie 11th and Simpson 14th.
Lupino went over and berm and crashed and his good mate Cairoli was flying up front. Gajser up from sixth to fourth rather quickly and going after the top three.
Seewer went down trying to get closer to Gajser and soon after Gajser moved past Desalle for third place. The HRC rider was flying.
After a lap the lead by Cairoli was four seconds, then Jonass, Gajser, Desalle, Paulin, Monticelli, Jasikonis, Leok, Van Horebeek, Anstie in 10th.
Gajser moved past Jonass for second and Paulin also charging past Desalle and then Jonass. Cairoli though is long gone as he had a 10 second lead on lap three.
Monticelli made a nice pass by Desalle and the stalled the Belgium who had to stop and lost a lot of time on the Italian. Monticelli all over Jonass for fourth place. Monticelli into fourth place with a nice pass on Jonass.
After four laps the lead was now more than 11 seconds as Cairoli continued to control the race from Gajser and Paulin.
Jasikonis on the move into sixth and right behind Jonass for fifth place. After six laps the lead was 14 seconds from Gajser, Paulin, Monticelli, Jonass, Jasikonis, Desalle, Leok, Van Horebeek, Anstie 10th. Jasikonis into fifth place and going after Monticelli and Paulin.
Seven laps and the lead was 16 seconds, and once again Cairoli shows his class against the best 450 riders in the World. Jasikonis into fourth as he passed Monticelli. Leok into seventh and defying his age. Just to make the oldies look good, Strijbos finished 14th.
Rather interesting the top 10, with an Italian, a Slovenian, a Frenchman, a Lithuenian, another Italian, and Estonian, two Belgians and a British rider. Leok moved past Jonass and Monticelli to finish in fifth place.
Cairoli wins it easily from Gajser and Paulin.
MXGP - Qualifying Race - Classification
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 25:11.694; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:15.084; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:20.879; 4. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:27.612; 5. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +0:31.096; 6. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +0:33.419; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:35.190; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:36.873; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:38.769; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), +0:40.692;
Friday, May 3, 2019 at 6:28PM 
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Friday, May 3, 2019 at 6:23PM Ken Roczen, Honda HRC Agree To Three-Year Extension
A major piece of the 2020 silly season puzzle dropped today at the pre-race press conference ahead of the final round of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in Las Vegas.
Ken Roczen and Honda HRC have agreed to an extension that will see Roczen remain with the team for the next three years.
“Re-signing with Honda was a no-brainer for me,” Roczen said in a statement. “I owe the team a lot and I feel like we have a lot of good days ahead of us. Three years is a long time, so when I signed, I was beyond stoked and it was a big pressure relief for me. The guys that I work with on this team are like a big family. Over the last two and a half years, the team and I have been through a lot. We’ve had some incredible highs but we’ve also hit rock bottom, and one thing that Honda always did—no matter what—was believe in me. They never gave up. The team also does whatever it takes to make a rider happy, which is huge because it brings comfort, and I want to win just as bad as they do. I know we haven’t done that in a while, but our work and what we do together isn’t done. Them standing behind me through thick and thin, the good times and the bad times, is what makes a great team, so I’m excited to continue our relationship.”
“During his time with Honda so far, Ken’s dedication has been exemplary,” said Lee Edmunds, American Honda’s manager of powersports marketing communications. “The tenacity with which he pursues success is exceeded only by the resolve with which he approaches challenges. We firmly believe that attitude will help him—and us—get back on top. Ken is our guy, and we’re thrilled to continue together.”
Roczen initially agreed to a three-year deal with the team following the 2016 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. He joined Honda after two seasons and one title with RCH Suzuki. He previously rode for Red Bull KTM.
Friday, May 3, 2019 at 6:20PM Injuries suffered this week sideline factory 450SX team altogether.
Image: Supplied.
Monster Energy Yamaha has announced Josh Grant will miss this weekend’s final round of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship after being injured on Wednesday at the factory test track.
Grant, who has been with Yamaha since Seattle as the fill-in rider for Aaron Plessinger, sustained injuries to his leg and ribs in the training crash that will rule him out of Saturday’s 17th round.
“This was not the phone call you want to get, however, it is the sad part of the game,” said Monster Energy Yamaha team manager Jim Perry. “What a bummer for Josh Grant and the whole team.
“Josh has been making improvements each week with two strong top 10 finishes in the previous events. He has been working hard to finish the supercross series on a high note and it’s a shame that he will be sidelined for the finale.”
As a result of Grant’s injury, with regular duo Plessinger and Justin Barcia already on the sidelines, Monster Energy Yamaha will be absent from Sam Boyd Stadium’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross finals this weekend.
Monday, April 29, 2019 at 1:49PM If you watch this latest in the series of ‘Ride All In’ movies for just one reason, then make sure it is to see Ricky Brabec hauling ass and showing the insane speeds rally racers clock as he trains in the California desert.
Brabec, who was cruelly robbed of a potential victory at the Dakar Rally in January, talks candidly in the movie on about what it took him to get a factory HRC ride and what the Lucerne Valley and deserts in general mean to him.
Major injuries and set-backs haven’t buckled this guy as he bids to fulfil his dream to be the first American to win Dakar.
Ride All In movies features top riders like Jeffery Herlings, Justin Barcia, Jason Anderson, Marvin Musquin, Jarryd McNeil, Zach Osborne, Aaron Plessinger, Cody Webb and now Brabec.
