World Vet Championship Coming Soon!

THE CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YOU COULD WIN—IF YOU’RE OLD ENOUGH

  

   

Doug Dubach was a factory Yamaha rider and won an AMA Supercross, but he is best known for being the greatest Vet motocross racer of all-time with 26 class win. He will be looking for number 27 on November 3-4 at Glen Helen Raceway.

Eventually every famous racer will be old enough to race the Dubya World Vet Championship — if they can still swing a leg over a bike when the turn 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70 years old. We don’t know if Eli Tomac, Ryan Dungey or Ryan Villopoto would follow in the footsteps of other AMA National Champions, but it would be a shame if they didn’t.

Famous riders who have won titles at the World Vet include four-time 250 National Champion Gary Jones, Rocket Rex Staten, Warren Reid, Kent Howerton, Erik Kehoe, Rich Thorwaldson, Jeff Ward, Feets Minert, Andy Jefferson, J.N. Roberts, Eyvind Boyesen, Tom White, Kyle Lewis, Thorlief Hanssen, Lars Larsson, Travis Preston, Kurt Nicoll, Jim O’Neal, Daryl Hurley, Brett Metcalfe and Mike Brown.

 

Steve Machado won the Over-70 Expert class at last year’s World Vet Championship.

Equally important are the riders that no one paid any attention to when they were young, but now that they are old (and have kept racing all these years) they are finally getting some recognition. You may not recognize their names, but if you were their age and in their class, they would probably have lapped you. Especially riders like AMA Supercross Mechanic of the Year Alan Olson, Canadian Champion Zoli Berenyi, Sr., Japanese Champion Hideaki Suzuki, Ike DeJager, Swede Hans Hansson, Terry Sage, Canadian Kim Houde, desert race Bill Maxim, Canadian Pete DeGraff, Oklahoma’s Jimmy Redwine, Baja star Brent Wallingsford and Steve Machado.

And that is just the short list

 

Antonio Cairoli on giving up the title

Antonio Cairoli is now a former world champion again, but that is not a concern of his at this time. Cairoli has his sights set firmly on next year, despite the fact that it is many months away, and references that again in this MX Vice interview from the Grand Prix of The Netherlands. Other hot topics are also tackled, like his bursts of speed on the sandy track and the upcoming Motocross of Nations.

MX Vice: Obviously when people look at today they are going to look at the fact that you lost the championship but pushing that to one side I thought it was actually good. You are beat up still and gave Jeffrey [Herlings] a pretty good run in all of the sessions, even practice. Your times were not as far off as maybe some people expected them to be.

Antonio Cairoli: Actually, I really enjoyed the ride today. I am really a bit pissed off at the second moto, because I was keeping a good gap after he crashed. He came close to me, but then I was two and a half seconds or three seconds and always there. Then with a lapper I messed up again. First moto he was a little bit quicker than me with passing the lappers and I am still struggling a little bit. Maybe because he was racing a lot of Dutch races and he is used to this kind of traffic in the sand and I'm not racing at all during the year? I am happy overall, because the speed was there. The fitness was also coming better and better.

Antonio Cairoli has already secured second in the premier-class points (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

That second moto I could keep the rhythm for all of the moto. Now we have an Italian GP. It is a lot of pressure again and a lot of fans are coming. Really enjoying the next races and then ‘Nations. For sure it is a big event. It is not one of my favourites, because it is a team event and motocross is a sport for single. That is what I think. You never know what can happen in just one race. Like Jeffrey said in the conference, you can have twenty races in a championship very good and then you mess up one race and then you are sh*t. ‘Nations for me is just a very difficult race, but I am honoured to ride for Italy and try to do my best.

This is a bit random, but what you said there made me think of it. Do you think that maybe it would help you to do a national championship between MXGP rounds, like Jeffrey? Do you think that is something that helps those guys keep the intensity up? Obviously, the Dutch is different because there are a lot of MXGP guys there. The British Championship or the Italian Championship maybe would not be as good?

Yeah, for sure it helps a lot. You can see it when he is lapping people. He is very quickly through the pack and also with passing. If he has a bad start, he is quickly a lot of time to the front. I am not racing since, I do not remember, seven or eight years. I only raced two races in the beginning of the season from the Italian championship and that is it. I do not race any races. For sure it helps. Maybe next year I try to do a little bit more races, but it is not easy. After so many years of races, but still nothing to regret. He deserves this title. I know where I need to work. Hopefully next year we are going to be more prepared.

How is your hand, knee an everything that is banged up and a little bit injured doing at this point?

The hand is bothering me a little bit less now. I can ride during the week more, but the knee… I do not know if I need surgery or not. I need to see again my doctor, because it is a big stretch on the ligaments, so the knee is moving a lot. So hopefully not. If I just can make some more muscle around the knee, then it can keep it more compact. For sure I am really looking forward for next season already. Again, congratulations to KTM. They did one or two and it is not always easy.

Cairoli climbed onto the box for the fourteenth time this year at Assen (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

You mentioned it a few times in our interviews, but we have not really expanded on it. You are going to come into next season ready and improve on some things. What are those exactly?

The endurance for sure first, because especially the first part of the season I was leading a lot of races until the last five minutes and then he got by me in the last five minutes. This is difficult to improve, because it is one part that you need to work a lot, a lot, a lot. This is the only way to try to beat him, because I have to say his intensity is incredible. He can keep the same lap time for all of the forty-minute moto and in both motos. This is his strongest point for sure, I think.

Going into the ‘Nations, obviously all eyes are on Herlings and [Eli] Tomac. Is that exciting in a way for you? You are going in as a bit of an underdog and obviously you are a nine-time world champion, so you should be in that conversation. You could quite easily go in there, beat them both, and suddenly all off-season everyone would be talking about how great you are.

I do not really care, because this sh*t talking has always been there since forever. I am really not bothered about this stuff. I do not regret what I did in the past and I do not regret what I am going to do in the future. These people who are talking in the media, they like the fights and stuff. I hopefully can enjoy the battle. I will love it, together with them, Herlings and Tomac, but we do not forget [Ken] Roczen I think is also one that can make it in the fight. It will be amazing to have three Europeans against the Americans. It will be amazing to have such a great fight.

Finally, going into Imola, I guess winning a GP would be a nice way to cap off a difficult year?

Not really. I do not really have pressure on. This season has gone with a lot of emotions. I do not really plan stuff. I just ride and if we can win, we win. Otherwise we finish on the podium. It is a great year still. Like I said, I know where I need to improve. It is a lot of work to do, so I am far from where I want to be with my physical. This is what we are trying to figure out when we have to start and where.

Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: KTM Images/Ray Archer

DC Vet Homecoming Returns to High Point Raceway September 21-23

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The 28th Annual DC Vet Homecoming, presented by Lojak's Cycle Sales, returns to Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, this weekend, September 21-23, for three days of fun-filled racing and off-track activities. Veterans of motocross are also set to take over the legendary High Point Raceway for a "throwback" weekend of epic proportions.

On Friday, September 21, the gates will open at noon with two rotations of amateur motocross practice beginning at 3 p.m. The practice fee is $20 per group. On Saturday, September 22, High Point Raceway will host the GP Moto-X Country race, combining elements of off-road racing and motocross into one unique competition. Taking place over a three-mile course, racers will encounter woods sections intermittently separated by big European-style grass track areas. Registration for the GP race begins at 8 a.m., with practice at 9 a.m. and racing to follow. Racing will consist of two 30-minute motos, and to find a complete list of classes, click here        

Gather your family, friends, or call an old racing buddy you haven't seen in a while—just don't miss out on this weekend's DC Vet Homecoming! Also taking place on Saturday, in conjunction with the GP Moto-X Country race, will be the rescheduled round for the Fly Racing PA State Championship (PAMX) Series. Registration for the PAMX event will begin at 7 a.m., followed by practice at 8:30 a.m. and racing immediately following. Click here to view the PAMX classes. The racing fee for the GP are $40 per class and for the PAMX event $35 per class.

Sunday's DC Vet Homecoming motocross race begins at 7 a.m. with registration, practice at 9 a.m. and racing immediately following. To honor Big Dave's passion and commitment to the veteran motocross community, the Vet Homecoming offers classes for vet ages 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+ and 60+ with a variety of options for different skill levels. To view a detailed list of Vet Homecoming classes, click here.    

As well as the action on the racetrack, the weekend will boast entertainment for all members of the family. Saturday evening at 6 p.m., Pit Bike Racing will take place on the racetrack featuring three classes: Clutch, No Clutch and Big Bike (TTR 125, KLX and Honda 150 Air-cooled). Then kick back at the track and enjoy a $5 BBQ dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by a bonfire, vintage movies, and karaoke entertainment with Racer X John at dusk.

A Vet-themed race wouldn't be complete without a special division for vintage bikes. Three vintage classes will be offered, including Retro (1986-1996 Front Disk/Rear Drum), Millennium (Pre-2006 Dual Disc) and Twin Shock (Pre-1975/1975+ Dual Drum). Support divisions including 65cc Open, 85cc Open and 18+ will also be offered on Sunday, creating a family-fun atmosphere for all ages.    

There's a class for everyone throughout the entire weekend; check out a full list here. Eric Doty

Returning once again will be the vintage contests and vintage bike show, offering great prizes for all winners. All participants have to do is register their vintage items at the MX Sports tent from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Sunday. Vintage contest categories include: Vintage Race Gear, Oldest Race Program, Vintage T-Shirt, Best Old-School Trophy, Furthest Traveled Competitor, and Oldest Competitor. The winner of each category will receive a free one-year subscription to Racer X Illustrated, as well as two all-day pit passes to the 2019 High Point Pro Motocross National. And for being so awesome, the Furthest Traveled Competitor will receive two (2) VIP Super Passes to the 2019 High Point National, a $400 value. Winners will be announced during intermission.

If you're not wanting to race your vintage bike but still want to be a part of the fun, you can show it off at the Vintage Bike Show, taking place Sunday alongside the vintage contests. With a total of seven categories in the Vintage Bike Show, there is an option for just about everyone: Classic Four Stroke (pre-1996), Classic Two Stroke (pre-1970), Golden Era (1970-1978), Pre-Modern Era (1978-1982), Modern Era (1982-1989), Millennium Era (1990-2005) and Mini Cycle 0-70cc (Pre-1990).     

Not wanting to race? You can still join in on the fun by entering one of our many vintage contests.

As professional motocross privateer-turned-event-promoter, Big Dave Coombs was the co-founder of not only High Point Raceway and Steel City Raceway, but the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch, the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC), the National Promoters Group (NPG), the ATV Motocross National Championship (ATVMX), the legendary Blackwater 100, and much, much more. His legacy extends to the foundation of MX Sports Pro Racing, organizers of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, as well as Racer Productions, Racer X Illustrated, and Racer X Online. Big Dave Coombs passed away on August 3, 1998, after losing his battle with leukemia. He was 57 years old.

We invite you to take the journey back in time to get to know Big Dave. Only then can you truly appreciate why we continue to honor the memory of the man who made it all happen, both on the motocross track and in the woods. Our friends at META recently released an article discussing the Blackwater 100's rise to fame. Make sure you give it a read.

As you can imagine, Big Dave's story goes much deeper than this. Our friend Brett Smith with We Went Fast has done a great job of highlighting Dave's life with his story "The Ballad of Big Dave". He also did a fantastic job of chronicling the formation of the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn's with a great podcast entitled  "How We Got Here: The Genesis of Loretta Lynn's Motocross."

 For more information on the entire race weekend, please call (304) 284-0084 or visit the official website at www.highpointmx.com. Also follow High Point Raceway on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for exclusive content and to catch the latest news.

Indian Confirms Production FTR1200 Will Debut October 1

Viewpoint: Thomas Covington

Thomas Covington on another podium finish

Thomas Covington is nearing the end of his Grand Prix career now, as he has just one race left. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider, a four-time overall winner, is going out with a bang too, as he has reeled off countless moto victories and podiums in the last three months. Assen was another successful outing, as he stood on the podium in second overall.

MX Vice: Had I told you that you would finish on the box after that qualifying race yesterday, with the gate pick and everything, I imagine you would have been pretty happy. Considering everything, today was pretty good.

Thomas Covington: Yeah, for sure. Like you said, considering the circumstances, I am really happy with the way the weekend turned out and being on the podium. With the way the gates were angled here, I did not really know if I had a chance at all at the start. The gates on the outside were like pointed into pit lane, basically, but I just came out of the gate and hooked up really good the first moto and came over hard on everyone. Probably clipped a few front wheels but came out good.

The second one I was a little bit more confident and came over even earlier. I nearly got the holeshot, I just could not brake in time to turn. I was really happy with my starts there. For me in the sand it is a really good result, because I am not really a sand specialist to say the least. [Jorge] Prado is just better than me in the sand, that is all it is. Pretty happy overall.

Thomas Covington still has a chance to claim fourth in the standings (Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo)

 After the qualifying race yesterday, heading into the first moto did you just think that you did not have a chance off the gate? Honestly, knowing that you are a good starter and everything, I just thought it was impossible.

Yeah. Even though I am a good starter I was just like, I do not think there is any way. I actually debated maybe I should brake and try to cut back to the inside, but the first turn was just too slow here to do that. Jacky [Martens] just told me, "You just need to go for it and just move over as hard as you can." Actually, when I was sitting on the gate the first moto and I looked down there, I was like, "Even though the gates are pointed to the left, it is not that far around." I have been on the outside where it is a longer distance to get to the inside, so that made me feel a little bit better. I just decided to go for it.

All things considered after the start, I thought your motos were pretty good. You moved forward and even when you lost time you would then gain it back. That is kind of the ultimate test of proving that you have got what it takes, I guess.

Yeah. I felt really good physically. I think I was pretty rested after only doing two laps yesterday in the qualifying race and also my bike was just working really well. The first moto, after Hunter [Lawrence] went down and I was in a solid second place, I got a little bit tight and lost my rhythm a bit but was able to push through to the end. Then for the second moto we made a few adjustments to the bike just to get the front end up out of that sand a little bit more. It was perfect.

In the second moto I just felt strong all the way to the end. Luckily my teammate went down and gave me those points that I needed for the podium. The whole moto my mechanic was telling me, "You need third." You need third? I am like, "What? 3-4. Come on, I should be on the podium." I was just pushing so hard to catch [Thomas Kjer] Olsen and then I look up and he is laying on the ground. I was like, "Yes! Thank you!"

Thomas Covington has landed on the podium eight times this season (Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo)

 After Turkey and getting that win finally, do you feel a bit more relaxed now? It has been obvious for months and months that you have the potential to win and you can do it, but then with every GP that was passing I was thinking, "Sh*t, you are running out of time. This might not happen." Just having that under your belt must be nice now.

Yeah, for sure. It is a little bit more relaxed. I do not know if it is a good thing or a bad thing. It is like I can take a breath. I got that GP win before I go back home to America. I do not feel like I had it in me to run Prado's speed this weekend. Really happy to come away with second overall. We'll give it a run in a couple weeks in Imola. I think that is a track that will suit me a little bit better. Hopefully get those starts again and give Jorge a run for his money.

I guess you are done with the Belgian and Dutch sand, as far as training, doing motos and all of that stuff. On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you about that?

Probably a ten, if I am being honest. Last week, I do not know what was my last day riding. I think Wednesday I was riding at Lommel. I was like, "This might be my last time ever riding at Lommel." Then obviously it starts to rain a little bit and the track is just gnarly. I am in the back of the van prepping roll-offs for a practice moto and I am just like, "I am not going to miss this next year."

That was my next question. Obviously, you are really close to the end now. Are there any emotions coming into it at all? Are you starting to look around and be like, "Sh*t, I might never see this paddock or these people again?"

I have been feeling that way this whole second half of the season, ever since I decided I am going to go. I am just like, "Man, this is my last time going to all these places." Just trying to enjoy every bit of it and spend time with all the guys that I have gotten pretty close with over the years. It has been awesome. I have been camping out at the track the last few weekends too. I have been loving that. Last night I spent most of the night with the Pocock's, just hanging out. It has been a good time this last season. I am definitely going to miss it.

Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo

Billy Bolt interview

Hawkstone

Great Britain’s Billy Bolt is aiming to deliver a memorable result in front of his home crowd when the World Enduro Super Series heads to Hawkstone Park this weekend, September 22/23.

Returning to a WESS podium at round five 111with a third-place result at Red Bull 111 Megawatt in Poland, a rejuvenated and highly motivated Bolt is fit and fired up ahead of his home race. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider sits second in the WESS championship standings, well aware that a strong result at the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country might well see him move to the top of the championship…

MXlarge: Billy, you’re close second in the 2018 WESS championship standings and this weekend it’s your home round of the series at Hawkstone Park. How important will the ‘home support’ be at this stage in the series?

Bolt: “It’s going to be an awesome weekend, and such an important one for me. British Enduro fans are so passionate, so to have them on my side at Hawkstone Park is going to be a big advantage. Hawkstone’s going to be a difficult race, but I can’t wait. If I need a lift mid-race I’m sure there’ll be plenty of fans cheering me on, helping me dig deeper. I’m looking forward to putting on a show for them and can’t wait to get stuck in.”

MXlarge: Third last time out at Red Bull 111 Megawatt, that must have given your confidence a real boost after your knee surgery during the summer break?

Bolt: “It felt great to be back on the podium again. I really wanted a good result there, especially as in 2017 I didn’t ride my best. I made it hard on myself this year though. I had a bad time in the Motocross section and actually crashed three times there on lap one. It wasn’t until lap three that I felt confident in the loose, deep sand. I knew both Manni Lettenbichler and Nathan Watson were close, but if I was within range I could finish top three. I managed to pass Manni in the Motocross part, then got Nathan on the Extreme stuff and broke free. Hawkstone will be different to Megawatt but knowing that things went well in Poland has certainly given me a boost at just the right time.”

MXlarge: There is a real Cross-Country feel to the remainder of the series, how do you feel about stepping out of your Hard Enduro comfort zone?

Bolt: “I’m enjoying it. I’ve always said that I want to be a rider who’s not just known for being a Hard Enduro specialist, but one who can race it all. It’s good to jump in at the deep end with things — learn new skills and race different disciplines. In Hard Enduro we’re the guys who are pushing the boundaries regards to techniques and what’s possible, whereas when it comes to being a sand specialist I’ve still the basics to learn and master. But it’s good, it’s all fun.”

MXlarge: You made the switch to the Husqvarna four-stroke for Red Bull 111 Megawatt, how are you finding the change in machinery?

Bolt: “I’m really enjoying the switch to the four-stroke. I raced it indoors during the winter so it’s nice to be able to ride it in WESS too. I feel like it suits my riding style. I can be more aggressive with it and play with the power delivery more. So far in these faster races it’s working well and I’ll be on it for the rest of the season.”

MXlarge: With the unfortunate injury of Jonny Walker at Red Bull 111 Megawatt we’ve seen a big shakeup in the championship standings. How do you see things with three rounds remaining?

Bolt: “What happened to Jonny in Poland shows just how quickly things can change in this championship. There’s still a long way to go, so we can’t take anything for granted. It was a real shame to see him crash and get injured because he’s my friend as well as a championship rival. And honestly, although it’s had a massive impact on the championship, as a rider you never want to inherit a position because another rider gets injured.”

MXlarge: Finally, Hawkstone Park has a fearsome reputation for being tough on bikes, bodies and minds – do you see it as an exercise in survival, more than being about speed or the need for Hard Enduro skills?

Bolt: “I think you need everything – that’s why it’s going to be such a good race. Managing the race, knowing when to push and when to settle into a rhythm will be important. I’m hoping there’ll be some technical stuff – some of the climbs in the woods will hopefully suit me – but I also need to try and match the pace of the faster riders like Josep Garcia and Watson on the Motocross track. Come the end of the race I don’t think anyone’s going to have much left in the tank…”

Jeffrey Herlings - World Champion

With the Dutch Motocross community behind him at his home round in Assen, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has made history by taking his first ever MXGP World Championship title with 3 other FIM Motocross World Championship titles to his name in MX2. Herlings first competed in the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2010 during the MXGP of Bulgaria in Sevlievo. Since his first MX2 race in Bulgaria at age 15 the Dutchman has gone on to win 83 World Championship GP’s including the MXGP of the Netherlands in Valkenswaard only 2 weeks after his premier in Bulgaria.

In only his second season in the premier MXGP class Herlings has won 31 of the 38 races held across 16 different countries. 19 rounds into the 20 of the year Herlings has only missed the podium once at a race he didn’t even attend in Ottobiano. In 16 of the podiums achieved Herlings took the top spot and the other 2 marked his worst finishes of the year in 2nd only to Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing’s Clement Desalle and 9 time World Champions from Red Bull KTM Antonio Cairoli.

The “Bullet” from Geldrop, Netherlands, had not only a consistent season but a dominant one, leading 428 laps, Herlings has led 127 laps more than the rest of the field combined. Winning the first 2 rounds of the championship in Argentina and Valkenswaard with fights through the pack and past defending Champion Cairoli the Dutchman showed he was more than ready to fight for his first MXGP title.

The competition from Cairoli however pushed Herlings to be on his game at all times especially after losing to the Italian at round 3 in Spain. Herlings quickly took the fight back to Cairoli his home round, nicknamed the “Lions Den” by Herlings, in Trentino, Italy for round 4 and again in Portugal. The second defeat for Herlings came in Russia to Desalle but unaffected by the loss he went on to win the next 12 rounds he entered via 11 double race wins. Herlings season was not without problems though as he suffered a broken collarbone just prior to the Fiat Professional MXGP of Lombardia and was forced to sit the weekend out.

Questioned by many if his form and fitness would stay true after the injury Herlings returned to racing at the first of 2 Indonesian rounds and proved that he had barely skipped a beat and even with the pain of a healing fracture was faster than the other competitors. Now crowned the best rider in the World Championship Herlings’ amazing season is still not over with the final round of the MXGP championship at Imola and the Monster FIM Motocross of Nations still to come at RedBud.

The ever popular question of “who can stop the Bullet” is still yet to be answered and by the looks of it will remain a mystery for the unforeseeable future, with a well deserved fourth FIM Motocross World Championship gold plate in his hands at age only 24 Herlings is far from done.

Congratulations to Jeffrey and your whole team at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing on your fourth FIM Motocross World Championship title!

Toni Bou Rounds Out 2018 With Another Victory in Italy

With seven out of a possible nine wins for Toni Bou, the 2018 TrialGP World Championship has concluded with the Repsol Honda Team rider claiming the final victory at the Italian TrialGP.

TYLER “ONE PUNCH” EVANS DEAD AT 38

REST IN PEACE | TYLER “ONE PUNCH” EVANS DEAD AT 38

On Sep 17, 2018

 

The 38 year old Tyler Evans was once a fan favorite in Supercross stadiums. 

Reports on Instrgram started appearing Sunday night, September the 16th that Tyler Evans had died. We are unsure of the details as many of his friends reached out on their Instagram accounts mourning the death of their friend. His friends say that he has been in a dark place lately. Below are some of the Instagram posts from people that knew him.

Tyler raced 10 seasons as a professional racer. In the last five years of his career he raced Supercross only. Tyler had four podium finishes in the 125 class in Supercross and multiple top ten finishes in the 250 Supercross class. He was a fan favorite to many inside the stadiums as he was both a showman and a racer. Rest in peace, Tyler.

Equipment Recommendations for Photographing Motocross

by Douglas Turney

 

Let’s talk some more about photographing motocross, and this time, let’s get down to the technical aspect of photographing this great sport. Don’t worry, you don’t need lots of expensive gear to get decent photographs, especially if you are shooting at your local track.

My last article, "Tips on How to Photograph Motocross," addressed the types of images you want to capture at the track, but this article is about the technical aspects of shooting motocross. What technical article would be complete without talking about gear? So, let’s get the gear part of the article out of the way first. You don’t need any fancy gear to get started, but some more expensive gear will make it easier and make your photos look better. Any DSLR or mirrorless camera that permits you to take control of the shutter speed is going to work. Because the speeds of motocross can be rather high at times, having a camera body that lets you control the shutter speed is a must so that you can shoot all the action. Cell phones just aren’t going to cut it for lots of the action. I’ll discuss the typical shutter speeds you need a little later in the article. 

Sticking with the camera body, a body that has continuous shooting capability is a plus but not mandatory. When I was a young kid, I shot numerous races with a Minolta XG-1 with no motor drive. It was single shot action for me. So, if for some reason your camera does not have a continuous shooting mode, don’t worry, you don’t have to have it. If your camera has a continuous shooting mode of 3 to 6 frames a second, that is absolutely fine too. I’m currently shooting with a D500 that gives me 10 frames per second, and I’m finding that more often than not I’m dropping it down to perhaps 7 frames per second. Why? Because at the end of shooting an event all day, I don’t want to view 4,000 shots to pick the 50 I owe my editor. Yes, there are times when I bump it up to 10 frames per second, like at the start and the finish. So, don’t worry if you don’t have continuous shooting or a very high frame rate. Nice to have, but by no means required.

 

Lenses are more important than the camera body, and the lens you pick is going to determine the look you get and the ease of getting the shot. If you are shooting at your local amateur track, a long lens like a 300mm or more is not needed. A 200mm is not required. I’ve shot many local tracks with a 24-70mm. 70mm gives you enough reach so that you don’t have to be right next to the track, which makes it a little safer for you and the riders. I like the 24mm to get those wider angle shoots that capture several riders at the same time or to get those environmental shots of the track. If you have the money, then the next lens I would recommend is something that goes out to about 200mm. At this range, you can zoom in on the riders and get some great, tight images without being too close to the track. I prefer to keep some distance between myself and the riders. If you have it, then something like a 300mm is excellent, but that 300mm, especially the f/2.8, can get heavy quickly. While I know it isn’t exactly the same, I choose to use the D500 crop sensor with a 70-200mm f/2.8. I get very similar results, and it's a lot easier on my body. Another lens I like to use sparingly is my 10mm fisheye. I only use it a couple of times during the race to give a different look. Most of the time, I don’t use the photos, but every once in a while, I will. Notice I didn’t mention too much about the speed of the lens. I shoot with f/2.8 lenses, but this is not a must. f/4 or f/5.6 lenses are excellent also, but the faster f/2.8 will help isolate the rider from background clutter by providing a nice blur. 

That’s it for gear. Nothing too special to start with, and if you want, you can quickly add to the gear as you go. A flash can come in handy for those shots in the pits or at the winner's podium, and again it doesn’t have to be anything special.

Now, let’s get to the camera settings and start with shutter speed since I mentioned it earlier. This is probably the most important setting you need to control. To get lovely, sharp photographs, you are going to need a shutter speed in the neighborhood of 1/1000 s, even for those slow speed turns, since both the rider and the bike are bouncing around. One thing to consider about higher shutter speeds is that you are also going to freeze the rotation of the wheels. This tends to give the photograph a very static look, almost as if the bike and rider aren’t moving. So again, a shutter speed of around a 1/1000 s can give you some wheel blur and dropping even lower will help with the wheels. Or go really slow, like 1/20 s, and grab a panning shot. Remember, some part of the rider needs to be sharp; you can’t have a completely blurry shot and call it a panning shot.

Aperture settings aren’t as crucial, so a less expensive lens that has a low aperture of f/4, f/5.6, or even f/6.3 can be used for daytime races. Get into the evening or under the lights, and the need for a lower aperture is going to be needed. As I mentioned earlier, a smaller aperture is going to give you a beautiful bokeh background. Just because you have that f/2.8 aperture doesn’t mean you should always shoot at f/2.8. Seeing the fans behind the rider with their signs and flags can provide a great background that helps to tell the story.

I shoot raw format, so white balance isn’t a concern for me since I will adjust it in post. But, if you prefer to shoot JPEG, I would recommend using a cloudy day setting to give a bit of warmth to your photos. Of course, this really comes down to personal choice.