MX Rewind!

Unadilla Announces the Return of Thor as Title Sponsor of MX Rewind

New Berlin, NY (April 25, 2018)-Unadilla Motocross in New Berlin, New York is pleased to announce the return of Thor as title sponsor of MX Rewind.

Now in its seventh year, Thor MX Rewind has become the destination for the vintage dirt bike racing community. "We are thrilled to have Thor back with us" states Unadilla''s Greg Robinson. "Thor MX Rewind has become a mecca for all those who love vintage dirt bikes while preserving their racing legacy.Thor, now celebrating its 50th year, is a natural fit with its own long standing history in the sport. When we conceptualized Thor MX Rewind, we wanted to showcase the bikes while also recognizing the racing history at Unadilla. The response has been fantastic as each year we welcome over 900 racers from over twenty-five states and Canada. It''s just a fantastic weekend for everyone as they look back at a time gone past. We really put a priority on keeping that history alive and well."

Over 900 vintage racers at Thor MX Rewind keep vintage racing history alive.

Tom McKelvey photo

Racing at Thor MX Rewind begins on June 1st with the AHRMA cross-country program. Motocross starts on Saturday, June 2nd, with both AHRMA vintage motocross classes as well as the first moto for the promoter support classes. The weekend concludes on Sunday, June 3rd, with AHRMA post vintage motocross and the second moto of the promoter support classes.

More information about Thor MX Rewind is available by visiting www.mxrewind.com, by emailing info@unadillamx.com, or by calling (607)965-8450.

About Thor MX Rewind- Thor MX Rewind at is the premier vintage off road event in North America. The event takes place in New Berlin, New York and at the world famous Unadilla Motocross track. Thor MX Rewind celebrates over four decades of motocross history as well as every aspect of off-roading. Fans and racers from every generation enjoy a fun weekend that includes cross-country racing, grass track motocross, two days of motocross racing on the world famous Unadilla pro motocross track, a parts and memorabilia swap meet, and of course plenty of bench racing and tall tales. Thor MX Rewind is about having fun with your friends and family and spending a weekend at Unadilla celebrating the good times we have had riding motorcycles.

About Unadilla MX- Unadilla MX began promoting motocross races at its current facility in New Berlin, NY in 1969. Run by the Robinson Family since its inception, Unadilla hosted the "Inter Am", Trans Am, Trans USA, and began hosting the 250cc U.S. Grand Prix in 1978. It was the first track in the U.S. to host the prestigious MX des Nations in 1987, and has been a stop on the American Pro National MX circuit since 1992. All historically significant MX riders in the world have strapped on the leather and kicked the lever at Unadilla.

Clarified: MXGP of Russia

Orlyonok will run on Monday

Thursday, 26th April 2018

The sixth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the Grand Prix of Russia, is just days away, but why is it being run on a Monday and Tuesday? The move has been made so that the event coincides with a major holiday in Russia, known as Labor and Spring Day.

A majority of banks, public buildings and educational institutions are closed on this day. So, with that in mind, there is a chance that some fresh faces will be attracted to the event that takes place alongside the Black Sea. The holiday takes place on Tuesday, the day that the points-paying motos will be run.

Jeffrey Herlings - Phenomenon

Jeffrey Herlings goes into next Tuesdays Grand Prix of Russia with a lot of pressure on his (still) young shoulders. At 23 years of age, no single rider has had the records that the Dutchman has at the same age. Not Stefan Everts, not Antonio Cairoli, not Roger Decoster, in fact, the Red Bull KTM Factory rider is something of a phenomenon when it comes to what he has achieved in the last eight years.

When you consider at 23 years of age Stefan Everts had just a single world motocross championship and maybe a dozen GP wins (at best). Antonio Cairoli had two world motocross championships and 21 GP wins to his name. Herlings who won't turn 24 until after the season ends has every chance to have four world titles and a bunch of extra GP wins to his name, while still 23.

Like Herlings, both Everts and Cairoli struggled injuries in the early part of their careers, and both could have won so many more GPs and titles with a little luck.

Herlings has three world titles and a stunning 71 GP wins. He can score his 72^nd in Russia on Tuesday, and that old 72 number of Stefan Everts while not important in terms of GP wins, is a number we all relate to SE72, the greatest GP rider of all time.

While Herlings started his 2018 season with a DNF in the opening pre-season race in Italy, and we all thought, “oh, no, not again”, he has proven that he isn’t the crasher of his previous seven or so seasons. A very much polished performer now, and with pre-season and GP weekends combined, his race results are DNF-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-1-1-1-2-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1. I can tell you, without even having to look at the record books, NO rider has started a GP season (in the premier class) in such sensational form, and for sure not as a 23-year-old.

I do know in 2006, Stefan Everts at the age of 35, was nearly unbeatable, and his was only loss that year was to Josh Coppins in the GP of Ireland, but even the great Everts GP season started with a second place finish in the opening GP at Zolder (beaton by Seb Tortelli) and a third in the next round in Spain (beaton by Kevin Strijbos and Tanel Leok). With all respect to the King, he wasn’t racing a nine-time world champion, and his biggest rival, Josh Coppins missed the opening seven rounds due to injury. Up until now, Herlings has only lost to Cairoli, a much tougher opposition than anything Everts faced.

Yes, be sure, we are seeing something special with these performances of Herlings. In my opinion, he will become the greatest Grand Prix rider of all time. His championships and GP wins will easily pass both Cairoli and Everts, and his domination will be Ricky Carmichael like for the next 10 years.

All I know is for now, that victory number 72 awaits him, and that fourth world title, while a long way off, another world title will place him along the likes of Harry Everts, Torsten Hallman, and Heikki Mikkola. At the age of just 23 years old, that is just amazing.

If I had to bet my house on the form Herlings is showing, he might even end the season (and before his 24^th birthday) with more than 80 GP wins, and be right on the tail of Cairoli in the all-time GP winners list. 

Aldon Baker Training A Winning Program!

Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, is the premier off-road motorcycle racing circuit in the world, produced with man-made tracks inside the world's most elite stadiums.

Sometimes A Motor Is Not Necessary!

Tag Metals New Product Line

 

Tag Metals Relaunch

Most product is in stock and ready to ship. 

Visit us at www.tagmetalsracing.com 
and use the code tm10 at check out for 10% off. Special ends on 5/3/18

BOB HANNAH - PRODUCT ADVISOR

Russian MXGP Histroy

The Russians - Their History

While it is multiple Motocross World Champion Guennady Moisseev of Russia, who is best remembered by the motocross historians, it was Victor Arbekov who made history for his country by winning the very first 250 motocross world championship in 1965 for his homeland.

Interest in the sport in Russia was big throughout the 1970s, with thousands and thousands of fans attending the Grand Prix rounds and a handful of very good Russian riders competing.

Not surprisingly, the 250 class, of which the Russian riders mainly competed, held 18 Grand Prix from 1962 until 1985, and while Torsten Hallman picked up wins in 62, 67 and 68, it was often a home rider who would steal victory in those early years. Four Russian riders won at home in the 250 class, Viktor Arbekov in 1966, Vladimir Kavinovin 1969, Anatoly Ovchinikov in 1976, Guennady Moisseev in 1977 and Kavinov again in 1980.

Ove Lundell won the first 500cc GP in Russia in 1963, and names like Jeff Smith, Paul Friedrichs, and Roger De Coster had multiple success there. Smith won in 1964 and 1967, Friedrichs in 1966 and 1970 and De Coster in 1972 and 1975.

Only one 125cc Grand Prix was ever held in Russia, and that was in 1983, with Italian legend, Michele Rinaldiwinning at the Leningrad circuit.

With three Motocross World Championships, and 14 Grand Prix victories, Guennady Moisseev is without question the greatest rider to come out of Russia. When you think of current KTM heroes such as Antonio Cairoli, and Jeffrey Herlings, then you can imagine that Moisseev fits right in with those two legends.

Moisseev won the 1974, 1977 and 1978 World 250cc championship riding for KTM, and in 1976, he narrowly lost the 250-world championship by one point to Finnish legend, and three times world motocross champion, Heikki Mikkola.

In 1978, Moisseev was a member of the winning Russian team in the Motocross des Nations. Moisseev won a race for the last time in 1979 when friction developed between the Russian Motorcycling Federation and the KTM factory.

Moisseev, like many Russian sports stars of his era, was enlisted in the Russian Army, rising to the ranks of Major during his racing career. His extreme fitness combined with team tactics made him a fearsome competitor. After retiring from competition, Moisseev became a motocross coach. In 1977, Moisseev was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and, in 1978 he was given the honorary title of “Honoured Master of Sports.” In December 2000, he was elected president of the Russian Motorcycle Federation.

Russia also won the Motocross of Nations on two occasions, the first time in Kishinev, Russia in 1968 and again in 1978.

Russian riders disappeared from the motocross world championships for many years, and in recent times riders likeEvgeny Bobryshev, Alexandr Tonkov and Vsevolod Brylyakov are having some success. Of course, Bobryshev finished third in the world in 2015, the best result for a Russian rider in decades.

Russian GP winners

Guennady Moisseev 14

Victor Arbekov 10

Vladimir Kavinov 8

Anatoly Ovchinnikov 2

Igor Grigoriev 1

Pavel Rulev 1

Eugenij Rybalchenko 1

Evgeny Bobryshev 1

MX/SX Legend Bob Hannah Joins Tag Metals As Technical Advisor

MX/SX Legend Bob Hannah Joins Tag Metals As Technical Advisor 

 

Bob Hannah & Ryan Villopoto (Tag Metals Brand Ambassador)

Tag Metals relaunched earlier this month as part of the Group 6 USA, LLC family of brands and we are pleased to announce that 7 - Time Champ Bob “Hurricane” Hannah has joined the Tag Metals product development team as a technical advisor. 

After retiring from professional SX/MX racing Bob continued to race airplanes for several years, now as a pilot and competitive bicycle rider Bob’s attention to detail and his technical knowledge makes Bob the prefect addition to our product team. 

Eddie Cole, Group 6 USA CEO said.....”Bob has worked with us on previous brands, first as a factory racer and as a technical advisor. Bob has been instrumental in helping us with Tag and we are really fortunate to have Bob involved with us”. 

Bob commented......”well to be honest, l can’t seem to get rid of these guys, so, I’m involved in another project! Actually, we put together a great product line and the team has several new products already planned for phase 2”.

See the complete Tag Metals line of factory replica Handlebars, Grips, Chain, Sprockets & Accessories at; www.tagmetalsracing.com

About Tag Metals .....Tag Metals was born with a passion for performance and innovative. The new Tag Metals offers a complete range of hi performance racing off road motorcycle handlebars, grips, sprockets, chains and accessories. Now part of the Group 6 USA family of brands that now includes Matrix Concepts, Atlas Braces USA, Royal MTB Apparel, 7 MTB Protection & Tag Metals; Based in Valencia, California. Group 6 USA, LLC products are used and developed by the top MX/Off-Road/Cycling race teams in the world. 

For more Tag Metals information please contact us at info@group6usa.com or telephone 661 253 1592. Visit us at: www.tagmetalsracing.com 

In Canada contact: Matrix Concepts Canada at 604 542 5661

Jeffery Herlings Taking Control?

Discussion: Jeffrey Herlings

Monday, 16th April 2018 · 6 min read

Jeffrey Herlings has really taken control of the premier division in recent weeks, thanks to some small changes that have eliminated his weaknesses. Starts, pit-board messages, battling with Antonio Cairoli, a positive act and much more are all discussed in this chat from the Grand Prix of Portugal. This interview was originally posted as a post-race podcast.

MX Vice: Perfect day, really. I don't know what more we can say. It did not really seem like you put a foot wrong all weekend.

Jeffrey Herlings: No, it has been actually really good. It feels like we got our starts more dialled in. Got second twice and the pole also first moto. So, that was really decent and the riding. I felt great on the bike. I felt great on the track. It was a picture perfect weekend almost. Same in Arco di Trento. Let’s keep going like this, I would say.

Jeffrey Herlings currently leads the MXGP standings by sixteen points (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

I know you said yesterday that you struggled with line choice to begin with, just figuring it out on the first couple of laps. Was that harder today; leading from the front, not being able to watch anyone else and see what others were doing?

I felt like the second moto was good regarding my line choice, but the first moto I was struggling. After the moto I checked. My team made some videos and I checked like, dude, you are using bad lines my man! Bad lines. So then I felt like I was not riding good, but it was still enough to win. The first moto I could really control, because Tony [Cairoli] had to come from tenth place or something.

I knew Tim [Gajser] and [Gautier] Paulin were behind, but I knew they were a little bit less of a risk than Tony. I could just basically do my own thing. Coming back to your question, I think the Saturday I was having a tough time, same first moto because there were so many line options because of the track being so spongy, but the second moto I was good.

Speaking of that first race, watching your team, it kind of looked like they were worried that you were going to settle too much. Every lap they were kind of telling you to pick up the pace. I noticed that on the start in the second race they put on the board that you needed an eight-second gap immediately. Was that just their way of motivating you and making sure that you kept the intensity high?

Yeah. I felt like the track was capable of doing that second moto. The first moto the dirt was spongier and more wet, so second moto I felt like I was going to be able to really attack the track. I felt good. They always want me to put a little gap so in case if I go down or whatsoever. I went down the second moto after four or five laps and I at least had a small gap to afford a crash [and make sure] that I can still go out first. Just so I am a little safer.

Was that what happened in the second race then, on like lap three just after the finish? You lost like five seconds or whatever? Was that a crash?

Yeah. From the dirt what came up, there were some stones in-between. I just landed and there was just one stone in the line, then my front wheel went over the line. It was two lines together and I opened, whiskey throttle. I was like "yup, yard saled it."

Herlings only had one holeshot across the entire season a year ago (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

I know obviously starts are a big thing now. You led every lap in the first moto and then pretty much in the second race as well. From your perspective, is winning a race like that more rewarding or can you get more from starting fifth and working your way forward. You kind of earn it a little more, maybe?

No, I like it way more this way. Just give me a good start and preferably a holeshot and let me do it this way. I like it way better.

Speaking of starts, I spoke to Dirk last week and he kind of filled us in on the light and what’s going on with that. Is that the only part you got? It seems kind of simple that it just took a light to fix your starts.

Yeah, obviously I was not capable of getting the same RPM what was actually needed to pull a good start. When I was alone I could do it, but when there is like twenty-nine bikes next to me, for example, I could not hear my own bike. Then I was either too high or too low with the RPMs. Now the team made a great job and just put on some lights, so I can see that I am in the right RPM zone and since then it got better.

Do you even feel more confident just sat on the gate? Are you sat there now knowing that you can holeshot whenever?

Yeah, basically I just have to drop the clutch. I get the right RPMs, lean to the front and drop the clutch. They got it made pretty easy to me for now, but it is not that easy. To get the good start is one thing, but you have to keep doing it over and over and that is not going to be easy. The rest will also improve.

A familiar sight for a lot of the competitors in the MXGP class (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

Obviously, Tony kind of changed his strategy in the second race and went next to you on the line. Did you think anything of that? It kind of reminded me of the old Ferrandis days a little bit, trying to get next to you and squeeze you out into the first turn?

Yeah – that is what he did. He went over the gate and actually had a better jump. I almost dropped over just before the gate dropped, because it took longer than I expected it to be, so I was hesitating. Then I got out of balance and then I almost tipped over, so I was in the right RPM but was just out of balance and he just got his handlebar in front of me. He cut me off a bit, but I probably would have done the same.

I wanted to talk to you about this last week, but obviously you had a flight to catch. I heard about something you did with another rider in time practice? Someone was down under their bike and you stopped, got their bike off them or whatever. You obviously have a lot of haters, so I feel like people would probably like to hear that story.

Yeah, because people don’t know I have got a good heart! Some rider was down and people just kept getting past him, but I was just on a slow lap. I was not on the heater so I was just like, come on. The guy’s under his exhaust, under his bike, and I was like somebody has got to help him. The flag marshal was just looking at him. I was like, all right. I'll do it!

Finally, a little break now. I ask you this all the time. Anything you need to fix? Anything you want to do? Is it just perfect for the moment?

For the moment it is pretty perfect. I still want to keep working on my starts, but I think regarding fitness and speed I’m on a good level. Can we improve? Yeah, we can always improve, but also bike-wise I feel great on the bike. The team did a great job over the winter with testing and whatever. They keep coming with good things and improvements. I’m very happy. The only thing I can do is just keep going and doing what I’m doing right now.

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

2018 Red Fox National Enduro

Steward Baylor extended his lead in the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series championship standings by taking a solid win in extremely challenging conditions at this weekend’s FMF Red Fox National Enduro near Lynnville, Indiana.