Brayton Talks

Justin Brayton interview

Posted on January 23, 2018

It was way back in the 2002 – 2003 season that Smartop / MotoConcepts / Honda’s Justin Brayton was given the title “Rookie of the Year” in the Arenacross series, and fifteen years later the #10 is still battling for podiums in the Monster Energy Supercross series. The 33-year-old is also currently the two-time defending SX1 Australian Supercross Champion and will likely be back in 2018 to go for a three-peat Down Under.

So far in the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross season, Brayton is climbing the ladder back to the podium with 7-6-4 finishes over the first three rounds, and he currently sits 6th in the 450SX Championship–just seven points away from 2nd. Justin may be creeping into his mid-30’s, but this is the best we have seen him ride since back in 2014 when he scored five top 5’s and a podium.

After Justin went 2-6-3 for 4th overall at the inaugural “Triple Crown” of SX race at Anaheim 2 on Saturday, MotoXAddicts’ Chris Cooksey caught up with him after the press conference for a little one-on-one talk.

Justin, I’ll start with the question everybody has been asking tonight: what do you think of the new “Triple Crown” format?

I think it was pretty intense. I listened to the guys on the podium talk about it, and I have to agree with them; I think doing it for all 17 rounds would be a little much. The risk for injury is triple, and the intensity is so high. To bring that for the whole year would be really tough. It’s cool to mix it up and I think it’s great for the fans. As a fan of the sport–if I wasn’t racing–I think it would be awesome to watch ’cause the very first race actually means a lot. Points are on the line. I think they’ve done it right this time with doing three of them. It kind of mixes it up for us and allows the fans to see us in a different way. I mean, the first main event was crazy. It was just all in. I heard a lot of people talking about how all of them were going to be a sprint. Really not true. The last one was just about 20 laps. The first one I would say… I don’t want to say it’s dangerous, but it’s borderline a little much. 

Just too many guys going too fast too quick?

That and the track is so fresh, especially on a track like tonight where the top 15 guys are within a second. There’s nothing to separate the elite. There’s always a group–whether it’s five, six or seven guys–if the track’s technical, you separate yourself from the next group. There was just no doing that with the top 15 guys so close. To put us out there when we are so close, on a fairly simple track that’s fully prepped, is pretty gnarly. Like I said, as a fan, I think it would be sweet. (laughs)

It was fun to watch. How is it having Tony Berlutti [Justin’s Mechanic] back in?

Berlute’s awesome! I had never met him before the team hired him. I had talked to Mike Genova [team owner] about him several times, and it’s an awesome decision. I was in Australia when it all kind of happened and I’m thankful. He’s a methodical guy, but will get on me when he needs to. I really like that. He’s a guy I really have a lot of respect for, because he’s done so much in the sport. When he speaks, I listen. It’s cool. It’s a cool friend to be going to the line with me. I feel like he’s the last guy I talk to and the last guy before I go to battle. That’s been great. We’re really enjoying each other’s company. And really the whole vibe of everyone on the team right now, it’s something special. With me being on several teams and being around a while, that’s really hard to come by: with a team gelling, the bike being so good, my mind set, having my family. Just everything right now for me is really clicking. I’m trying to take advantage of it. 

Did you feel fresh coming into the season with your schedule where you took the summer off and started racing off season races?

I think the biggest thing is I’m mentally fresh for sure. It’s what I want to do. I want to do SX. I want to be here. I feel like I can compete at the highest level. To race twelve months out of the year, I think you’re giving up a lot on the table. With you getting injured more, it’s hard to bring your very best game for twelve months. For me and having a family, it’s a decision I made a couple of years ago, and I’m happy that I made that decision. I don’t think many people maybe have the confidence or had the opportunity to do that. It was just something I wanted to do and I’m really thankful for it now. I have SX in Australia as kind of a little bit of a warm up, but also just being in full race mode when Anaheim comes around, ’cause a lot of people take a while to get going. You don’t really know where you fit in. A lot of it too is the bike and having it under race conditions. You can ride a million laps around the test track and show up at Anaheim 1 and miss it by a mile. And I’ve done that before. For me, knowing my bike so well in race conditions, I think it’s a huge part of it.

There was that little elevated hip turn with the tough block on the inside of it. It seemed like every race that tough block got knocked into the race line. Did you notice that one?

Yeah, I actually hit the tough block in the second main event I think. It kind of messed up my main. I had a decent gap on the guys behind me, and once I did that it bottled us back up. Then I was starting to protect my lines. I was in the clutches of that group from 3rd to 7th, and I got passed a couple of times. I was just a little bit out of my rhythm. Yeah, I don’t think that section played out like the track crew wanted it to. I wish in that scenario, when you see in first practices that when everyone is just going inside, inside, inside, you just know it’s going to be a goat trail [one-lined]. I wish we could mix it up or bring the outsides into play where you can actually go outside and do something different. But yeah, I had a couple altercations with the tough blocks there. 

Yeah, you and everyone else. I appreciate the time.

Yeah, cool. Thanks!

2018 Pre-Season - It's Coming

Antonio Cairoli vs Jeffrey Herlings vs Tim Gajser. 14 world titles between them and a season of great battled ahead of them. Make sure you get to the February 4 Italian International championship round one, at Riola Sardo, Sardinia, for the opening race of the 2018 pre-season. Ray Archer image

KTM and Dakar - Looking Back

Posted on January 23, 2018

The 2018 Dakar Rally came to a close on Saturday with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team celebrating two of their riders on the podium. Matthias Walkner was crowned Dakar Champion, the first Austrian ever to win the motorcycle class, while Toby Price rounded out the podium in third following a superb performance throughout the rally.

The 40th edition of the Dakar Rally has proven to be one of the toughest since the event was first held in South America in 2009. Contested over 9,000km of treacherous terrain through the three countries of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, the race has been filled with drama. Many top riders were forced to retire along the way, including last year's winner Sam Sunderland.

Runner up to Sunderland at last year's event Matthias Walkner rode an almost faultless 2018 Dakar Rally. Never phased by the difficulty of the stages or the adverse weather conditions, Walkner rode each stage with one goal in mind - to win the rally.

Walkner's Dakar was nearly over before it started - a scary moment with the local traffic on the opening day nearly took the former Cross-Country Rallies World Champion off his bike. The results could have been disastrous. Despite the scare Walkner continued, riding each stage aiming to keep to a steady pace whilst not making any huge errors in the way of crashes or navigation.

At the end of the rally, Walkner had only one stage win to his name, but his consistency throughout the event took the Austrian to the top of the rankings from stage 10, and that is where he stayed. After two weeks of racing and over 43 hours of timed specials clocked, Matthias crossed the line as the 2018 Dakar Champion.

Matthias Walkner: "It has been an amazing Dakar for me. I still can't believe that I managed to do it in the end. The rally has gone really well, even when I didn't quite get the results I was hoping for, I kept my head down and concentrated on the finish, not just each individual stage. Good navigation and staying focused won the rally for me - that and the backing of my team who have been there the whole way with me. It's nice to be able to reward them with this win. After my injury of 2016, to be able to stand here as a Dakar Champion is a dream come true."

2016 Dakar winner Toby Price came into the event this year simply hoping to complete the rally. This time last year, Price was lying in a hospital bed with a broken femur sustained on stage four of the 2017 event. The injury plagued Price for the entirety of the 2017 season and right until the last minute the Australian's participation in the 2018 Dakar was in doubt.

Price started the rally taking a great deal of care. Aiming to finish each stage and take each day as it came, he had mixed results on the first half of the event. Following the rest day, Price made a concerted effort to push. His results improved dramatically. Always near the top of the rankings, including two stage wins, Price was in the hunt for the win.

Unfortunately, when running at the front on stage 10 a navigation error made by the leading group of riders took Price way off course. The result was 30 minutes lost and the chance of a second Dakar title realistically disappeared. Despite the set-back, Toby continued pushing on, his final result was third overall, just minutes from the runner-up position.

Toby Price: "Overall, I am really pumped to have gotten to the finish line and come away with third position. I certainly didn't expect to place this high up on my first Dakar back from injury. I have to be a little disappointed, that stage 10 not only cost me time but knocked my confidence a bit. All I could do from there was to keep pushing and sat here at the finish in third place just goes to show you should never give up. I certainly couldn't have done it this year without the team behind me - the Red Bull KTM crew have all been amazing along with the new bike, too. I'm happy that I can walk away from this year's event fit and healthy, with a good result under my belt and hopefully come back even stronger next year."

Antoine Meo's Dakar story mirrors that of his team-mate Price. A 2017 dogged with injury also put a doubt on the Frenchman's entry into the Dakar. Overcoming his lack of time on the bike and not being 100% fit, Meo also put in a superb performance over the course of the rally. Starting off steadily, Meo's pace slowly increased throughout the event with the Frenchman eventually winning two stages and fighting for the final podium at the end.

The 2010 World Enduro Champion, in only his second attempt at the Dakar, placed fourth at the finish after battling with his team-mate Price for much of the race. On reflection, Antoine was extremely happy with his result.

Antoine Meo: "I'm really happy. I honestly didn't think at the beginning of the rally that I would be able to take fourth position at the end. Coming from injury, I have not had as much time on the bike leading up to the event as I would have liked and if there is one race on the calendar you need to prepare for it's the Dakar. Obviously, stage 10 cost us a lot of time and the cancelled stages meant our plans didn't exactly pan out. But I am here at the end of the rally in one piece. Now I will go home and start looking at the 2018 season, hopefully I can get some good results there and come back to the Dakar next year a lot stronger."

Laia Sanz is an inspiration at the Dakar Rally. The Spaniard contested her eighth Dakar in a row in 2018 and continued her 100% finishers record. Going into this year's event, Sanz was realistic about her chances and her main goal was to get to the end of the race successfully. Hesitantly aiming for a top-15 position Sanz was well aware of the quality of the field riding this year.

With the new KTM 450 RALLY suiting her incredibly well Laia rode an almost perfect race. Handling with ease the soft dunes of Peru, the extreme conditions of Bolivia and the fast hard-packed tracks of Argentina, a couple of high-speed crashes didn't dampen the Spaniard's spirits.

Through consistency, hard work and out-and-out speed, Laia eventually placed 12th overall, well within her initial goal. The 'Queen of the Desert' will be back next year for more.

Laia Sanz: "I am so happy, I wanted to get into the top-15 so to place 12th is even better than I dreamed of. I'm really proud of my result especially in a rally with such a high level of competitors. The new KTM 450 RALLY has really helped me achieve this result - I feel like I have taken a big step forward in riding and speed. My pace throughout the rally has been very consistent and I am happy with my navigation too, I can really make up some time there. The crashes put me back a little, I was so exhausted and following the trucks makes the tracks very difficult. I managed to put the pain to the back of my mind and got to the finish in Córdoba. I am so happy for Matthias with his win and it shows how strong we are as a team. I am now looking forward to next year and hope to do just as well."

The organisers promised that the 2018 Dakar Rally would be one of the most demanding. Two of the KTM factory riders were unfortunately forced to retire during the course of the event. Last year's winner Sam Sunderland enjoyed a storming start to the 2018 event. Sunderland won two of the first three stages and was looking good for a top result. But a hard landing from one of the Peruvian dunes put an end to his title hopes - although the Brit didn't come off his bike, the landing compressed vertebrae in his back and the former champion had no option than to stop.

Luciano Benavides, contesting his first ever Dakar Rally, was also forced to retire from the event after a nasty crash on the infamous stage 10 resulted in back injuries for the young Argentinian. Benavides was flown to the local hospital where the rider was diagnosed with three broken vertebrae. Luciano is already on the mend and will be back on a bike later this season.

With the 2018 Dakar Rally at a close and the team already making their way back home, it won't be long before the start of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship kicks off in Abu Dhabi in March. Following the climax of the six-round championship at the Rally du Maroc in October the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team will have just one thing on their minds - the Dakar Rally 2019.

Final Standings - 2018 Dakar Rally

1. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 43:06:01

2. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 43:22:54 +16:53

3. Toby Price (AUT), KTM, 43:29:02 +23:01

4. Antoine Meo (FRA), KTM, 43:53:29 +47:28

5. Gerard Farres (ESP), KTM, 44:07:05 +1:01:04

Honda of Houston Closing

After nearly 24 years, Honda of Houston announced today that it will be closing.

You probably best remember the Texas dealership for their support of riders such as Josh Grant, Wil and Tommy Hahn, Jake Weimer, and more during their respective amateur careers.

Honda of Houston was owned by Dave Martin, father of current pro Vann Martin.  

Below if the official statement from the dealership.

Honda of Houston is closing its doors after nearly 24 years of supporting and encouraging Honda customers.

Opening in 1994, Honda of Houston charged into the metropolitan-Houston marketplace with creative ideas, huge displays, and a Texas-sized desire for customer service. Not content with satisfying Houston customers, Honda of Houston Racing ventured as far west as California, as far east as Florida, and as far north as Tennessee and Missouri. The Texas dealership jumped headfirst into amateur motocross support with such fantastic young riders as Josh Grant, Wil and Tommy Hahn, Jake Weimer, Tanner Krannenbuhl, Adam Chatfield, and many more. The dealership crew even found enough time to run the Lake Whitney Motocross Park for ten years. Lake Whitney was one of the greatest tracks in Texas motocross history. Today’s stars and many of the past champions of American motocross all did laps at the Honda of Houston version of the Lake Whitney Motocross Park. This Texas dealership has always been committed to the Honda customer, the Honda Brand, and to the powersports enthusiast.

As a Honda-only dealership, Honda of Houston again jumped headfirst into American Honda’s Powerhouse Dealer concept. Honda of Houston was always and truly “All Honda, All the Time.” The dealer principal and the entire staff of Honda of Houston are extremely proud of their legacy and what they gave to the powersports community. Honda of Houston hopes that they are leaving an industry and a community just a little better than they found it in 1994.

Support your local dealer.

#28

WALKNER AND KTM WIN DAKAR 2018

     

Photo credit: PhotosDakar.com

Austrian Matthias Walkner has won the 2018 Dakar Rally, taking KTM’s 17th win on the bounce at the historic event.

Austrian Matthias Walkner finished almost 17 minutes clear of second placed Monster Energy Honda rider Kevin Benevides and 23 minutes clear of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team-mate Toby Price in third.

85 remaining riders set off in reverse order on the final 14th stage in Cordoba today. Walkner had done all the hard work by then, avoiding crashes and navigational errors, which had put so many of his rivals out the race. With a relatively easy cruise to victory Walkner took Austria’s first moto victory at Dakar.

2018 Dakar fast facts:

• Walkner takes Austria’s first Dakar win
• KTM win for the 17th consecutive year
• Third year in a row a different nationality has taken a maiden win
• Olivier Pain wins Malle Moto class, Lyndon Poskitt is second
• Laia Sanz finishes 12th
• The top 12 featured seven manufacturers

Photo credit: RallyZone

Monster Energy Honda Team’s Kevin Benevides was HRC’s strongest rider of the 2018 Dakar. The Argentinian particularly shone in his local stomping ground where he cemented second place overall after a tough battle with KTM’s 2016 winner, Toby Price.

Price was another rider who took the steadier approach and watched as rivals dropped out. With strong daily results as the rally progressed, including two stage victories, Price finished in third place for KTM.

Photo credit: PhotosDakar.com

In what turned out to a classically tough South American Dakar, the 2018 race was a war of attrition from the start. 2017 Dakar winner, Sam Sunderland was among the first big names to go out with a back injury.

Monster Energy Honda Team’s Joan Barreda was another big name to retire. Barreda was his usual crash or bust self and despite some epic fast riding, eventually injured himself and was out of the race.

Photo credit: Yamaha Racing

Yamaha Racing’s Adrien Van Beveren was perhaps the unluckiest of the potential winners to go out after a high-speed accident minutes from the finish of stage 10. The Frenchman was holding strong through the first week of the rally, topping time sheets and leading overall before his crash.

Top ten results:

Dakar Rally 2018 - Provisional top 12 Overall Classification [After Final Stage 14]
1. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 43h06m01s
2. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 43h22m54s
3. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 43h29m02s
4. Antoine Meo (FRA), KTM, 43h53m29s
5. Gerard Farres (ESP), KTM, 44h07m05s
6. Johnny Aubert (FRA), Gas Gas, 44h59m54s
7. Oriol Mena (ESP), Hero, 45h28m53s
8. Pablo Quintanilla (CHL), Husqvarna, 45h30m06s
9. Daniel Oliveras (ESP), KTM, 45h43m21s
10. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (CHL), Honda, 45h48m37s

A Matthes Report: Houston

Supercross history is going to be made this weekend, everyone! For the first time in the sport's forty-plus year history, we’ll see three main events deciding an overall winner. For ninety-eight percent of the sport's history we have seen one main event that is twenty laps long. In 1985 there were two mains that were, I believe, twelve lappers and then an overall winner on the night was figured out. Technically, the season before wasn't even an AMA series. The real AMA series was four races or something. Yeah, we don't understand any of this either. Let's just skip it.

I, for one, am stoked on the changes and cannot wait to see how this plays out. I'm not sold on the three mains being different times but, hey, you have gotta start somewhere. I think having the two last chance qualifiers in the daytime is really missing the boat. Some of the best races of the night involve those races and to not start the night off with these and hype them up as the last chance to make the main is a loss in my opinion. Besides, the night show programme is missing two races out of it with this new format anyway!

 

 Justin Barcia should excel in the shortest 450SX main event (Monster Energy Media/Octopi)

Anyway, this is awesome and everyone buckle in!  Some other news and notes in clearing out the brain.

– Everyone wants to know who is racing this weekend. All the people around the three main guys hurt are on lockdown so there's not a lot of info leaking out but it looks like Dean Wilson of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team will be a go. Monster Energy Kawasaki's Eli Tomac rode this week and is a go and I have no idea on Red Bull KTM's Marvin Musquin. All three riders have shoulder injuries and are behind the eight ball to start the season.

– If you're looking for a surprise winner in one of the three main events, check out MCR Honda's Justin Brayton. He's generally a good starter, he can go the speed needed for eight minutes (the first main event time) and he has been pretty start to the year.

Eli Tomac is expected to return to racing at Angel Stadium (Monster Energy Media/Octopi)

-Last week on our Racer X Houston wrap-up podcast, we talked about how Honda's Ken Roczen got caught and passed by Husky's Jason Anderson. It was unusual to see the #94 get caught like that and I theorised that perhaps he got a bit winded. Practicing is one thing, but racing is another and Kenny had done one week of that in the last year. I mean, just last week at the opening round we saw Roczen set the fastest qualifying time so speed didn't seem to be an issue. Anyways, a day or two after the podcast I got a text from "someone" close to Roczen that insisted he didn't get tired, there were a bit of suspension issues on the rough and rutty track and, hey, Jason Anderson rode well. There you have it. Trust me when I say the texts were from someone who would know.

– I talked to a Yamaha team member and enquired what would happen if Davi Millsaps comes back from injury and Justin Barcia, who was on just a six-race deal, is still riding this well. His response? "Well, I guess we will build a third bike," which sounds about right. You cannot let Barcia go at this point, not with how he has been riding. From what I hear, the odds of Millsaps racing again seem remote (he crashed and knocked himself out before the season) but it'll be interesting to see Yamaha expand on its original deal.

Words: Steve Matthes | Lead Image: Monster Energy Media/Octopi

Stage 13...Dakar

Price continues late Dakar charge with stage 13 win

Red Bull KTM's Walkner leads by over 20 minutes with one stage remaining.

Image: Supplied.

Australian gun Toby Price took another victory in the 2018 Dakar Rally on Friday, topping the penultimate 13th stage in commanding fashion.

The Red Bull KTM rider maintains third position in the provisional overall standings, 27m45s behind current leader Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM).

The longest of the rally, stage 13 proved a real test for the competitors comprising 483km of liaison with a two-part 424km timed special. The day required supreme endurance from the riders in order to get to the finish both quickly and safely.

One rider who had little choice but to push was Price. After losing time on stage 10 through a navigation error, he had to take every opportunity he could to make up time on the leaders. The 2016 winner won the stage over Kevin Benavides (Monster Energy Honda) and Antoine Meo (Red Bull KTM) with Walkner fourth.

Second of the Aussies Rodney Faggotter (Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team) was 21st in stage and is 16th overall, while Scott Britnell’s (Grit Adventures KTM) 63rd place has him ranked 61st on combined times.

Today’s stage 14 marks the end of the 2018 Dakar Rally. Although short at only 286km in total, the stage will still prove difficult for competitors with a technical, timed special crossing approximately 30 rivers on route.

Pingree To Be Honored

Legends and Heroes Tour to Honor David Pingree at Anaheim Supercross this Weekend

By Press Release January 19, 2018 1

It’s always neat to see how our sport has evolved over the years and The Legends and Heroes Tour showcases just that. This weekend at the A2 Anaheim Supercross, The Legends and Heroes Tour will honor racer David Pingree, who’s played a pivotal role in shaping the motocross/supercross industry into what it is today, and we’ll be there live and in person. The tour also displays a plethora of moto-history with bikes, gear and other memorabilia that transport visitors back in time through the history of the sport. Definitely something to check out if you ever find yourself at the races.

Begin Press Release:

---

HOUSTON, TX – January 18, 2018 – The Legend and Heroes Tour, the only traveling motocross and supercross museum in the country, is pleased to announce that they will Supercross and Motocross legend David Pingree this Saturday night at round three of the Monster Energy Supercross series in Anaheim, California.

The Tour stands behind the belief that “We Don’t Leave History Behind” and has kept the founding fathers, and mothers, pure in their thoughts by honoring the men and women that shaped supercross and motocross into what it is today. Each honoree receives a special commemorative plaque during a special podium presentation on the stadium floor before opening ceremonies.

About David Pingree

Growing up in Montana far away from the hustle and bustle of the SoCal motocross scene, few thought David Pingree would go on to accomplish the racing successes he did. In a professional career that spanned from 1993 to 2004 “Ping” was able to score 71 top 10 finishes in motocross and supercross competition. His first win came as a member of Mitch Payton’s Pro Circuit Kawasaki team in San Jose, CA in 1995 and the last win of his career came in 2002 in Anaheim, CA as the first American rider to win a supercross on a KTM. During his career, Pingree finished in the Top 5 in the points standings five times including third overall in 1995 and second overall in 2000.

Following his supercross and motocross career, Pingree found success in Supermoto racing winning several races and an X-Games medal along the way. His Supermoto career transitioned into a team manager position with the Troy Lee Designs Racing team where he ran the team for several years at its inception.

Today Pingree is a Firefighter/Paramedic in California and continues to be a part of motocross and supercross by writing columns and special features as an Editor-at-Large for RacerX.

With nearly 5000 square feet of display space, the Legends and Heroes Tour is a definite must-see during the Pit Party at a supercross near you. The mobile museum features walk-through display videos that allow our guests the opportunity to take a trip back to back to where the sport began. The videos show the heroes of the sport from the beginning of their careers to the races that made them famous. New to the tour in 2018 is the Supercross Virtual Reality Station (SXVR) where guests can experience the thrill of supercross via VR technology and feel like they are on the racetrack. Guests are also encouraged to stop by early and pick up a complimentary copy of RacerX magazine while supplies last. And thanks to our local friends at each round, the Legends Tour features some of the best vintage motocross bikes on display in a single location. Featuring different vehicles at each round, our guests can relive the machines of their youth and show their family and friends the early days of motocross and supercross.

Husqvarna - Old School

 January 19, 2018

Twisting the night away dancing salsa or samba was never my kind of thing. No, I'd rather be doing it dirty in the dunes - preferably on a Husky-engined bike. Come with me back to 1967 and follow me through the desert - just 18-years-old and newly-graduated, I came Stateside to dance around in the Mojave. Surfers and blondes, step aside!

Early May, after graduating from high school, it was party time. I was out for an adventure and planned to start the following morning – a trip to the US Indy 500. But first, I had a few drinks and ended up in Hotel Foresta, outside Stockholm city. As it turned out, the Beach Boys were on tour in my home-town and we hit the very same bar in the wee hours of the night. Talking to Brian and Dennis Wilson, the subject soon got onto cars - a favourite topic. I proudly told them that I would drive a Shelby-Mustang press car for three weeks in California, but they were unimpressed: "It's a slow car”, they said unanimously, “we prefer the Shelby sports car, which is a lot faster". True, but then I did drive the supercharged version, which produced an awesome 450 horsepower, more than enough power for a poor graduate. After Dennis signed my college cap, we parted ways and they wished me good luck on my Surfin' Safari.

I had been invited to Los Angeles after helping a lost American media man in Sweden, the previous year. "Why don't you come visit me in Pasadena?” he’d asked. “Be my guest and stay as long as you want". Such a nice proposal couldn’t be rejected and Lynn Wineland was the kind journalist who would take care of me.

Being a true Californian, he had broad shoulders and pale-blue eyes, having spent his youth surfing - just the way the yanks do as a lifestyle here. He also had access to one of the first Husqvarna motocross machines that were imported to the United States. "Why don't we enter you in a race?" he asked matter-of-factly. Being open to new things, I agreed without hesitation. "I'll take you to the Mojave for the weekend." Lynn promised.

Like many epic trails, the Mojave Desert was an old Indian trade-route. The Indians lived here along the Colorado River, following tracks that guaranteed water. Then the Americans moved west. Kit Carson came this way to reach the Mexican Pueblos. Gold was found, and people went crazy.

Gold or not, the Mojave was an early route that brought pioneers to California. The soil is unique and much of the countryside is the same now as it was once found. The Mojave consists of sand mixed with gravel basins, potholes and salt flats. It is a vast, arid region in south eastern California and you'll see cat claws grow along the arroyos. Trees are few, the exception being the Joshua, which is a yucca.

We left early Sunday morning, it was pitch black outside. Stopping for breakfast - American style - scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, toast and hot coffee. Yummy, not like yoghurt and cereal back home! Getting close to nature, we watched the sun come up over the horizon. Unforgettable. To me, this was the Wild West, which is America to Europeans. The desert lives with its fate and has its own rules. Water means everything, or better still, the lack of it. In fact, an oasis is all that is on your mind despite all the bike fun. For it will get hot out there, and it gets dusty and your throat is going to be clogged, nearly as bad as your carburettor.

I didn’t realise at first but I had been entered into a cross-country event - a free-for-all invitation. Before I knew what was happening, I was straddling a brand new 250cc Husky, about to compete with a few hundred race fans in the desert. Among them, the rising star J. N. Roberts who was also Husqvarna-mounted. We were the only two guys riding the Swedish brand this Sunday.

The Mojave Preserve is huge, empty and with little service available. "Take plenty of emergency rations, extra water and fill up your gas tank". I did the opposite, thinking back to the same advice mentioned in Australia when I was riding a bike towards the Kakadu National Park; “Bring water and petrol into the outback” – I did the opposite. When young, you’re indestructible.

Feeling lost among these riders ready to race, I missed the start, realizing too late it was time to go. Being late, I flew away eating dust and sand from the back of the field while J. N. was up front. I bounced around battling for control while adrenalin pumped through my veins.

Small, bumpy hills are a blast to cover and I went as fast as I dared over rocks where vision was poor. Driving full throttle over blind obstacles may not be my favourite game, but here I had a short time to enjoy the world's most enjoyable toy, so I gambled. The engine revved out when airborne, the power peaked in a crescendo and the rear weight caused the front-end to rise into the air. I wouldn't want to do a somersault here - better keep out of trouble, they weren’t my wheels after all.

A small breeze of hot and dry air flowed through my helmet and felt like a river of wind. I saw a long left-hander coming up and dropped down to 3rd gear. The Husky went wide and I tried holding the broadside throughout the curve. It is said that this trail still brings out the best and worst in people, being such a dangerous stretch. Picnickers should stay at home, as travelling here is unforgiving. Be it a sandstorm or a whirlwind, the climate is going to set you back a few pounds when you’re sweating.

The race in the sand was over in a little over half-an-hour. I had been chasing jack rabbits more than racing, but I competed, did some wheelies and crossed the finish, proud to have made it. Some guides predict you can die out here, maybe that’s what made my trip so challenging. What an adventure for an 18-year-old teenager!

I've been to Bonneville, rode a bike around Australia and driven to 14 countries within 24 hours - a Guinness Record. But riding the Husqvarna in Mojave tickled my fancy, because the machine was fast and furious. The experience will stay with me for the rest of my life. Oh, the race results? J.N. Roberts crossed the line before anyone else. Myself, I came last. Hurt, but not injured. So, a Husqvarna at both ends of the results sheet - 50 years ago!

2018 Prairie City GP