Motocross legend Josh Coppins in for the British championship

Josh Coppins

The two-time British champion, who was leading the 2007 world MX1 championship by 107 points until he was injured, will travel across from his base in Belgium where he’s spending the summer months looking after WMX title-contender Courtney Duncan. “I’m coming over to the UK the weekend before,” he said, “and I’ve got the time off before flying to the South of France on holiday so I was looking for somewhere to have a ride and I saw that event was on. I’ve never ridden there so I thought I’d enter. “I still do a few races – this will be my third one this year. I’m a test rider for Yamaha so it’s important that I stay somewhat in shape so it’s a good opportunity to see where I’m at and how my riding’s going. There’s no better way to do that than race.” The 40-year-old, a two-time world vice-champion, still feels he can be competitive five years after retiring from full-time racing. “I think if I could be close to a podium I’d be happy. My focus is on Courtney and her championship but I still get to ride occasionally. Obviously I’ve got a lot of experience, it’s just whether I’ll have the fitness and speed and to see if I still do is part of the reason I’m racing. “I’m doing the World Vet Champs at Glen Helen in November so if I do this race I’ll see where I’m at in my preparations for that. “I’ve got a Yamaha here that I do some training on so I’ll put it in the van and come over. I won’t have a mechanic or anything, it will just be purely race, see how I go and enjoy myself.” Maxxis series manager Stuart Drummond is looking forward to watching Coppins race. “Obviously we’re very excited at the prospect of seeing a rider of Josh Coppins’ calibre in action in the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship,” he said. “He made a lot of fans during his time racing in the UK who will be keen to watch him race again. “He’s been retired for a few years from top-flight racing but I know he still rides and is famous for being a fierce competitor so it will be interesting to see how he gets on. He’s certainly not travelling all that way just to make up the numbers.

 By: Sean LawlessPictures: Anthony Sutton

FunnelWeb Filters 728x90 Yamaha YZ450F 2018 test

Take a ride on the new 450cc master-blaster from Yamaha as Chris Hollis carves up the sand of Coolum MX on the Sunshine Coast, Australia.

2017 Rattlesnake National Enduro

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thad DuVall took control of the overall point standings in the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series after claiming a dramatic come-from-behind victory.

We're On Vacation...Enjoy the 4th!

LaRocco's Leap 2.0!

RedBud’s LaRocco’s Leap gets a 25th year makeover

By Dan Lamb
June 29, 2017

The granddaddy of all pro motocross jumps in America – RedBud’s LaRocco’s Leap – gets a 25^th year makeover

RedBud’s Tim Ritchie & crew rebuild a replica of the iconic/massive jump, adjacent to the original “Leap” in front of the new grandstands

The most famous dirt bike jump in the world – RedBud’s awe-inspiring LaRocco’s Leap – celebrating its 25^th anniversary this summer, has been recreated adjacent to the original Leap, making for improved motocross spectator sight lines and increased lap times for the annual July 4^th weekend AMA MX National at the legendary southwestern Michigan motocross track.

Every bit as big as the original 125-plus foot LaRocco’s Leap (created by Tim Ritchie and Mike LaRocco back in 1992), LaRocco’s Leap 2.0 was built just a matter of feet away in an adjacent lane to the original jump – the specs and geometry that created the incredible lift off the granddaddy of all marquee jumps on the MX Nationals circuit being precisely the same.

“LaRocco’s Leap 2.0 is an exact replica of the original,” said RedBud’s Tim Ritchie. “It’s about 80 feet to the south, running uphill on the same pitch with the same lip. And there’s a considerably deeper landing area on the backside.”

Added Mike LaRocco: “Tim and his crew obviously did a great job with it. The take-off is pretty much exact, and the landing is longer and steeper. The S-turn leading into it will be interesting, a lot tougher than in the past. I think the 450s can do it from the inside lane, depending on how rough it gets. With multiple lines going the guy up front will definitely have the advantage, but that’ll also allow for more passing opportunities.”

Ritchie said the main reasoning behind the reconstruction of LaRocco’s Leap was twofold: Allow room for new grandstands, and add some lap time and interest to the north side of the track. Racers will negotiate a new S-turn in the area of the lead-up to the old Leap, banking off a sweeping right hander before rocketing up the face of LaRocco’s 2.0 – making for two thrilling hits for the fans watching the race from either side of the valley.

“You want it to remain racy,” added Ritchie. “Somebody takes the inside line and doesn’t do it, while the guy behind him takes a chance on the high line – and clears it, makes the pass – now that’s racing.”

In addition to the new LaRocco’s 2.0, fans this weekend will notice a marked improvement in the grandstands along the side of the famed jump. Gone – via tornado – are the old wooden grandstands and in their place is a considerably larger set of brand new aluminum grandstands, anchored to a massive concrete pad, with a spectacular view.

Action gets underway tomorrow at 1 p.m. with press day at RedBud. Stay tuned to @redbudmx for a real time report!

For more information on RedBud MX and the upcoming Rockford Fosgate RedBud MX National, round six of the 2017 Lucas Oil Motocross Championship, please visit: www.redbudmx.com

Photo credit: Stephan LeGrand

RedBud supports the sport of motocross and has since 1973! For 44 years the region’s most prestigious amateur events and Round Six of the AMA Lucas Oil Motocross Championship have rolled through the beautiful rolling hills of southwestern Michigan. A state with an affinity for off-road recreational vehicle use, RedBud owns the bragging rights to the highest attended U.S. motocross race year after year. Just the right soil mix, lots of passing and the BIGGEST jump on the circuit (LaRocco’s Leap), the track provides for some terribly exciting motocross racing … definitely a top motocross destination in a region that loves its motorsports!

 

MXA INTERVIEW: JGRMX’S WESTON PEICK

 

June 28, 2017

Weston Peick came up the hard way. He wasn’t a minicycle sensation that was transferred directly to a factory team. He worked his way through the ranks. He is a working class hero.

By Jim Kimball

It’s unfortunate but true; but if JGR circa 2017 did not have bad luck they would have no luck at all. It’s not one person’s fault, and no finger pointing can be done, it is just the the way it happens. Injuries have sidelined every team rider in 2017. Still, the friendly crew from North Carolina, has been positive and hopeful. Team manager Jeremy Albrecht is upbeat in his belief that better days are coming. And now, midway through the AMA Nationals, it just be that some good karma is finally coming their way. After a disappointing Mt. Morris race where both premier riders Justin Barcia, and Weston Peick suffered additional injuries, both rebounded with their best finishes of the series at Muddy Creek. With a couple of decent starts, Barcia and Peick set the tone for some muh needed positive results. Barcia finished 6th overall while racing much of a moto with a front flat tire, while Peick just so narrowly missed making the podium with a solid fourth.

WESTON, YOU STARTED THE AMA NATIONALS BARELY RECOVERED FROM YOUR BROKEN WRIST, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN RIDING GREAT. I knew coming into the Outdoor Series that I was not going to be 100%, with only having three months recovery from my wrist break. It was a deal where I had to workmy way back into shape, and see how my wrist would feel. And you know, it has been all right. At times there has been a lot of pain, and some of the races are rougher than others, but for the most part it has been going somewhat decent—ex etp at Mt. Morris. I was feeling good there, but I had a second moto crash where I jammed my wrist, and messed it up again. Coming into Muddy Creek I had to take the week off from doing a lot of heavy stuff. I was able to ride a little bit, but I just focused on going to therapy and getting my wrist worked on most of the week. Other than that, it has been up and down. I feel better some weekends than others. It is just back to trying to figure out what works, and what does not work with the wrist injury.

JGR’s switch to Suzuki was not too difficult for Weston, as he had been a fill-in rider for the Suzuki team in the past. He’s comfortable on the RM-Z450.

DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT SITTING IT OUT UNTIL YOU WERE 100% ? WHY HAVE DID YOU RETURN THIS SOON? There are a lot of riders that would have just sat out and waited another five, or six weeks until the wrist was 100% healed. But, for myself, it is one of those situations where I only made three Supercross races, and I was not about to miss the beginning of the outdoor series. I knew that if I were healthy enough to ride and be able to finish, I would race. I explained that to the team and told them that it might not be pretty, but you will have a bike on the track, and you will get top 12 results. They are fine with that and they know that I always try my hardest, and it is how it had to be.

HOW DOES IT FEEL? Every doctor I talked to said that it was not going to get any better until I let it rest, and have time to heal. So obviously when I land on it and jam it, it flares up really bad. It gets a lot of swelling, where it creates a lot of pain and stuff. It is just one of those things where you try to get lucky and not land on it really hard or crash. You know, with the wrist injury, it will not really be 100% until the off-season comes around  and I can actually give it another two months to heal.

Riding injured is dangerous, but if the JGR guys didn’t ride injured, there wouldn’t be anyone on the track. Between Peick, Barcia, Nicoletti and Biscelgia, they have missed as many races as they have made.

STILL THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF ROUNDS, YOU HAD SOME VERY CREDIBLE FINISHES IN SPITE OF YOUR WRIST. Hangtown was kind of tough for me. I was maybe riding at 60%. I did not know what my wrist was going to do, and I did not know how it was going to last for two motos. So I just took it easy, and after the weekend, I had a little more energy to push forward. With Glen Helen being a hometown track, and also one of my favorite tracks, I was able to push a little harder, and I was more comfortable. I ended up fifth there, and then going into Colorado, where I am not a big fan of that track, I was more of less just trying to not crash. I just wanted to get through the day there, and that is what I did in Colorado. So that was kind of a crappy result for me, but going into it, I was expecting that. Obviously for me it is very important for every single week to get stronger. As long as I am not overdoing it, and not reinjuring it, I can get through the pain. Right now I just have to play it by ear.

NO ONE CAN BELIEVE ALL THE INJURIES THAT JGR HAS ENDURED THIS YEAR. It has been a terrible year for injuries. Every rider that signed with the team has been hurt this year. It sucks for the team and sponsors, and that is why I had to make a decision to start early with the Nationals. I want to get results for the sponsors and have them get what they paid for. It is one of those difficult decisions that you have to make as a rider.

JGRMX is on a one-year deal with Suzuki for 2017, but it things are looking up for the association in the future.

DID THE SWITCH FROM YAMAHA TO SUZUKI PLAY A PART IN ALL OF THIS? Obviously with the injuries happening, and then switching brands at the last minute last year, there have been many changes to get adjusted too. There has been a lot of new stuff with testing, development, and just going through all the motions of trying new parts. It is kind of “go out and do this” and “try this and hopefully it works”. It is a learning experience, but I think switching to Suzuki was a good option for the team, and kind of a fresh start. I think everybody likes dealing with Suzuki, and it has been a good change. I think JGR Suzuki will definitely continue the relationship from here on out. With having Suzuki as a new sponsor, it is obviously important to try to be out here racing, and support the brand as much as we can, even when we are injured. It all adds up for next year, and trying to make things better.

WE HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT THE TEAM IS HAPPY WITH YOUR RACING? So far my results have been good considering the time that I have had back on the bike. I only had four weeks on the bike before the AMA National started, so the results I am getting are definitely on the right track. I am not happy with my results, but I can’t be too mad about them considering my injury. Every week we are finding better settings, making changes to the bike, and making it better. It just comes to a point where once I am 100%, I can start putting in more work on the bike, and my fitness can be back to where it should be. Hopefully, in the last fouror five races, we could see some podiums and being able to run up front and not have wrist issues.

WHY DO YOU THINK SO MANY DIFFERENT RIDERS HAVE BEEN WINNING THIS SUMMER? This year we have had so many different winners, and it is actually better for the sport. On top of that, everybody is going so fast these days; it is not just those dominant three riders that can win. Now, there can be eight riders on the track that can win a moto. Everybody is fast, everybody is training hard and all the teams are putting in as much effort as they can—even for their second-tier rider because everybody can win.

WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO WINNING IN 2017? It all comes down to if it the riders favorite track, or if they get a good start. If you are put in the right position, where you can start up front and attack in the first half a moto, then there should not be a problem getting on the podium. We have seen it numerous times this year with Bogle winning, and even Baggett coming from the back to the front, that anything can happen. In short, if you get a good start, you can win.

Photos by Daryl Ecklund, Kyoshi Becker, Brain Converse, JGR

Canadian Nationals

Pourcel and Thompason Win at Rd 4 of Canadian MX Nationals

By Dan Lamb
June 28, 2017

Under blue skies and sunshine, the fourth and final stop in Western Canada of the 2017 CMRC sanctioned Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan took place this past weekend at the Moto Valley Raceway in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Moto Valley track was in great condition after being freshly tilled as riders found their way around the loamy, but hard based, fast race track, with its big floating jumps and high-speed drops. Moto Valley Raceway gave us the longest lap times of the series, and the first turn was changed back to a long high speed straight into a sweeping right hand turn instead of the tight right hand 180-degree turn from last year.

MX1

After failing to finish on the podium for the first time this season in last weekend’s second moto, Rockstar Husqvarna’s Christophe Pourcel came out flying in Round 4 and took the fastest qualifier position on the last lap of practice. Pourcel got a good start in the first moto and led the race on the opening lap before being passed by Matt Goerke on Lap 2 and settling into second for the entire moto. Christophe posted the fastest lap of Moto 1 and was right behind eventual race winner Goerke the entire race, close enough to strike at any time but far enough not to eat any roost. Pourcel got another good start in Moto 2 and by lap 11 worked his way into second place, again behind Goerke, and with just a couple of corners left in the race Christophe was handed a gift when Goerke’s chain derailed. Pourcel’s 2-1 moto finishes gave him the overall for the day, his third of the season, and he is now tied for the series lead with Goerke.

Monster Energy Alpinestars Kawasaki’s Mike Alessi is starting to look more like his old self and was 3rd overall in Regina.

Monster Energy Alpinestars Kawasaki’s Mike Alessi is starting to look more like his old self and ended his podium drought with impressive 3-2 finishes in Regina to grab second overall. Alessi qualified fourth and had a decent start in the first moto, finishing the opening lap in sixth before making a few good passes to finish the moto in third. Mike grabbed the holeshot in the second moto and led most of the race before being passed by Goerke and Pourcel, then also benefited from Goerke’s chain derailment to finish second. Mike was all smiles on the podium and talked about how he is getting his “endurance and intensity” back after coming into the season underprepared because of injuries.

Although he must be happy to be leaving Regina with the red plate still on his motorcycle, Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Matt Goerke’s chain derailment with only a couple of corners remaining in Moto 2 put an end to an otherwise perfect day. Goerke made some passes early in the first moto, took the lead on Lap 2 and rode a flawless race to take the win. In Moto 2, Matt got another good start and passed Alessi for the lead on the tenth lap, and looked like he was going to make it a sweep and extend his points lead in the series. His chain coming off pushed him back to sixth, and on the podium, he said that he was lucky it went back on so that he could finish and minimize the damage. Matt will enter the next round tied for the series lead with Pourcel to a Gopher Dunes Racetrack where he has been unbeatable.

Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Matt Goerke’s chain derailment put an end to an otherwise perfect day.

Royal Distributing Motovan Piller’s Race Team’s Tyler Medaglia continued his strong performances in the west and was the second fastest qualifier in Regina. He backed that up by pulling the holeshot in the first moto but then went down on the opening lap when he and Goerke went for the same rut in a corner. After going down and being outside of the top 20, Medaglia rode a brilliant race and came back to finish fourth. Tyler was fourth again in the second moto, putting him fourth overall in Round 4, and said on the podium,” I really love the long starts, and I had the pace today to run with the leaders.”

Starting the day as the third fastest qualifier, Nut Up Industries Kawasaki’s Dillan Epstein ran in fourth place during the opening laps of Moto 1 before making a few mistakes and falling a couple of times. Epstein finished the first moto in eleventh, and in Moto 2 was close to the back of the pack on the opening lap before coming all the way back to third. Dillan’s second moto performance was spectacular and he posted the fastest lap of the moto. On the podium at the end of the day Dillan was very emotional and said he was shocked when he found out he had finished third in the second moto.

Rounding out the top ten were Royal Distributing Motovan Piller’s Team’s Kyle Chisholm in sixth with 8-5 moto finishes, Redemption Racing’s Cade Clason seventh overall after going 6-7, Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing’s Colton Facciotti in eighth place after finishing 5-8, Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Tim Tremblay’s 9-9 scores put him ninth overall, and Yamaha Canada Cycle Works’ Keylan Meston in tenth after finishing 7-11.

KTM Canada Thor Racing’s Cole Thompson was a perfect 1-1 at the Moto Valley Raceway in Regina.

MX2

KTM Canada Thor Racing’s Cole Thompson’s quest to win back to back Championships got a strong boost this weekend after he swept both motos and led all but three laps on the day. Thompson was the fastest qualifier and inherited the lead on Lap 4 of the opening moto after both Jacob Hayes and Shawn Maffenbeier went down. In the second moto, Cole put in his best performance of the year, led wire to wire, and did something he had not done yet this season, pull away from Maffenbeier. On the podium Cole said, “This is a great way to go into the east and I am going into the break ready to fight for six more rounds.” Tommy Gun picked up his second win of the season, kept his podium streak alive, and extended his points lead in the series.

Having his best performance this season, Redemption Racing KTM’s Josh Osby finished 2-3 for second overall and moved up to second in the series standings. After qualifying in fifth, Osby held off a hard charging Dylan Wright in the first moto and said, “I just wanted to ride safe, consistent laps after guys were going down everywhere.” Josh rode most of Moto 2 alone in third after a few of his biggest competitors failed to start the second moto, and expressed again how he is looking forward to the series moving east and racing in soil conditions he feels more comfortable with.

Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing’s Dylan Wright had his best weekend this season, and his 3-4 moto scores earned him third overall on the day. Wright’s start in the first moto wasn’t great but he had to be very satisfied with the passes he made on route to finishing third. In the second moto, Dylan again had to make up positions after the start and was only able to move up to fourth. On the podium, a smiling Dylan said, “I was feeling decently comfy out there. I finally pulled it together this weekend and built a lot of confidence today.”

Redemption Racing KTM’s Josh Osby finished 2-3 for second overall and moved up to second in the series standings.

This season, Nut Up Industries Kawasaki’s Ryan Surratt has been the holeshot specialist in the MX2 class after pulling one at every round so far. This weekend Surratt got both holeshots and earned the Royal Distributing Triple Crown and a nice cheque for his efforts. Ryan finished 5-5 for fourth overall on the day and said he decided to play it safe on a track that was very technical and a little “sketchy,” as he described it.

Rounding out the top 5 was Canadian Jonah Brittons from Prince George, British Columbia aboard his RTR Performance KTM. Brittons’ best finish this season was a nineteenth prior to his breakout ride this weekend where he turned a pair of good starts into 6-6 career best finishes. Jonah rode consistent laps and made no mistakes on route to his fifth overall finish, and will surely gain confidence with this result as the series heads east.

MX101 FXR Yamaha Team’s Shawn Maffenbeier, racing in his home province of Saskatchewan, was surely looking to finish better than sixteenth in the first moto after qualifying third earlier in the day. After falling in the first moto while running in second position on Lap 4, he got his boot caught in his brake pedal, and by the time he could get it untangled found himself at the back of the pack. He did post the fastest lap of Moto 1 on route to his sixteenth-place finish. In the second moto, Maffenbeier again posted the fastest lap but had to watch as Cole Thompson pulled away; he settled for second. Shawn has been very fast this season but has also made a lot of small mistakes, and it seems that this weekend they caught up to him. He falls to third in the series standings and has a lot of ground to make up on Thompson if he wants to win the title this year.

Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing’s Dylan Wright had his best weekend this season with 3-4 moto scores for third overall.

Monster Energy Alpinestars Kawasaki Team’s Jacob Hayes was the second fastest qualifier in the morning and was leading the first moto before disaster struck on Lap 4 when he went over the bars when he missed the step up triple jump and went down hard. Hayes’ day ended there and early reports say he has a broken ankle.

MX101 FXR Yamaha Team’s Jess Pettis had a strong first moto finish in fourth but did not line up for the second moto still feeling the effects of a big crash he took last weekend.

The weather has been good for the first four rounds of the series in the west, and we hope it will continue for Round 5 at Gopher Dunes, as the series moves east to Ontario following next weekend’s break. After a weekend off, Round 5 of the CMRC sanctioned Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan will take place on Sunday, July 9th at Gopher Dunes Raceway in Courtland, Ontario. Eastern Canadian fans will finally get the opportunity to see their heroes in person. If you haven’t already purchased your tickets you can buy them online easily at www.mxnationals.ca/tickets. If you are in another part of the country and are unable to attend the race, you can see all the action live by downloading the free Conx2share app or logging on to www.conx2share.com and live stream every moto on either your mobile phone or computer.

MX1 Round 4 – Moto Valley Raceway, Regina, Saskatchewan

1. Christophe Pourcel (Hus) 2-1
2. Mike Alessi (Kaw) 3-2
3. Matt Goerke (Yam) 1-6
4. Tyler Medaglia (Hon) 4-4
5. Dillan Epstein (Kaw) 11-3
6. Kyle Chisholm (Hon) 8-5
7. Cade Clason (KTM) 6-7
8. Colton Facciotti (Hon) 5-8
9. Tim Tremblay (Yam) 9-9
10. Keylan Meston (Yam) 7-11

MX2 Round 4 – Moto Valley Raceway, Regina, Saskatchewan

1. Cole Thompson (KTM) 1-1
2. Josh Osby (KTM) 2-3
3. Dylan Wright (Hon) 3-4
4. Ryan Surratt (Kaw) 5-5
5. Jonah Brittons (KTM) 6-6
6. Shawn Maffenbeier (Yam) 16-2
7. Christopher Fortier (Yam) 8-7
8. Davey Fraser (Hus) 7-8
9. Jared Petruska (Yam) 12-9
10. Kein Denzler (Yam) 9-12

MXGP

Gajser – Looking for Victory

HRC rider Tim Gajser heads to Portugal this weekend to try and regain the form that made him one of the most feared men in the sport in 2015 and 2016. Injuries have slowed his progress in recent weeks, but the 2015 MX2 champion, and 2016 MXGP champion will want to join Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings in the battle for GP victories.

Having not raced at the Agueda circuit for some time, the Slovenian will look for the same type of facility that he enjoyed five years ago when he last visited Portugal.

“I last raced in Portugal in 2012 when I was riding the 125 so I know how the ground is there but I am not sure if they are going to change the track that much or not. From what I remember It is a really nice track, I like that it is technical. I am going to have some time on the bike this week before heading into the race which will be helpful in getting me back on track. The hard work starts again now, I can see I am not on the same fitness level as I was before and I want to get back there as quickly as possible.”

Of course last weekend he made his return to the MXGP scene, and claimed a very strong qualification result.

“I was actually quite satisfied (with my qualification), quite happy with how today went because I haven’t been able to train in the sand since I raced at Kegums. I just came here and thought I would give it my best shot. I was a bit stiff today as it has been such a long time since I rode in the sand but then I began feeling better and better with every lap. I had a good start in the qualification race and I got fifth overall. I was really looking forward to racing Sunday.”

Sunday was always going to be tough. Down on training due to his injury, the hot conditions made his life a nightmare, but still he showed some signs of the Tim Gajser we all know.

“Coming to Italy, I knew would be tough this weekend because I haven’t had any training on a sand track and I also haven’t been able to physically train either. Today was the fourth time on the bike since my injury. I am a little bit disappointed with finishing 10th and 11th today. In the first race, I know I had good speed and I was riding in-front but then I pushed a little bit too much and lost all my energy. I didn’t finish the race the same way I had been riding. In the second race, I then crashed twice and I did come back but still it is not where I need to finish. Now I need to get fit and get back to where I know I should be.”

Now into Agueda and the red clay of one of the nicest circuits on the calendar.

Bavo Swijgers images

The 2018 Yamaha YZ450F With Cooper Webb And Romain Febvre

bLU cRU's Cooper Webb and Romain Febvre shake-down an early development version of the all-new 2018 Yamaha YZ450F and give their impressions about the power, handling and key features of the new YZ which includes electric start, exclusive power tuner smartphone app, new engine, new frame, new slim design and the industry's best suspension. http://yamaha.us/YYZ450F

Jonny Walker takes on Erzbergrodeo 2017