MXA INTERVIEW: JEREMY MARTIN ON WHY 2017 IS BETTER

 

June 4, 2017

Photos by Debbi Tamietti, Kyoshi Becker and Daryl Ecklund

Jeremy Martin is back on the top of his game again.

By Jim Kimball

In spite of team problems last year at Star Yamaha, and a disappointing 2017 Supercross season (save for his second place finish at Daytona on the CRF450) Geico Honda’s Jeremy Martin is more motivated than ever to get his third 250 National Championship this summer. After a very close exciting day at Thunder Valley where Martin would finish third overall, and move into third in the points championship we caught up with Jeremy.

THE 250 CLASS HAS BEEN WILD SO FAR IN 2017! It has been a pretty crazy season so far. Other than the moto DBF that I had at Hangtown I have been right there. I have one moto win, and obviously need to get some more, so that is what I am focused on.

Jeremy won two number 1 plates for the Star Yamaha team, but wasn’t happy there in 2016.

IN FIRST THREE RACES THE SCORES HAVE BEEN INCONSISTENT. WHO DO YOU THINK THE CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS ARE? I think my brother Alex is one, and guys like Austin Forkner and Joey Savatgy are contenders. Obviously, Zach Osborne, who is leading the points, is good too. But all this stuff works out eventually, and will be separated as the season goes on. I don’t really worry about any of this stuff though.

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY SERIOUS BAR BANGING SO FAR? There have been lots of different guys up front, so I have already experienced some pretty tight racing so far. Often there are several good lines to take, but they often come together, and we bump – but that is normal.

MANY PEOPLE QUESTIONED YOUR BIG BIKE SKILLS, BUT YOU TOOK A SECOND OVERALL AT DAYTONA ON THE CRF450, WHY DIDN’T HONDA MOVE YOU TO THE 450 CLASS AFTER THAT? The commitment to Geico Honda and the 250 class was there. Geico wanted to have a lot of success in the 250 class, and that was their main focus. At the end of the day, I had signed on to race the 250 class. I like my Geico Honda CRF250, but that Honda HRC CRF450 was amazing and at another level!

YOU APPEAR TO BE THE ONLY GEICO HONDA GUY WHO COULD GIVE THEM A CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS YEAR. I am comfortable on the bike, and really starting to jive with it. Many of the other Geio guys are injured or coming off injuries. It may be a little bit safe to say that right now I may have a little bit better chance to win than the other Geico guys.

YOU MUST FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOUR 450 FUTURE ON THE CRF450? There are many people in this sport that question riders choices and say, “Why didn’t this rider move up?” But you can’t go to your employee and say, “I want to move up now.” You have to work with the manufacturers anf then take advantage of the opportunities that you do have. I had the opportunity to race the 450 at Daytona, and I have always felt that I rode a 450 better than the 250. So when I had that opportunity to prove myself, but sometimes you just need to prove it to others.

LAST YEAR YOU AND ALEX WERE ON THE SAME TEAM, BUT NOW YOU’RE ON DIFFERENT TEAMS, DO YOU STILL TO HANG OUT TOGETHER? Last year at Star Yamaha he worked with team trainer Gareth Swanepoel, while I did my own thing, so there was somewhat of a divide. Actually there was a pretty big divide in that team. Everyone trained with Swanepoel, while I didn’t, so I could feel a big division there.

WAS IT TENSE AT STAR IN 2016? It didn’t really feel that welcome, so I always did my own thing. But getting back to what you were saying, yes it has changed some, but maybe for the better. The main thing with my brother is that I am so proud to see him where he is. At the end of the day, we are family. And, if I can be successful that is great, and if he can be successful that is even better. When we get home together in Minnesota, and put the boots away, we are family.

WITHOUT TRYING TO BE DISRESPECTFUL, HOW HAS IT BEEN MOVING FROM THE HIGHLY RESPECTED YZ250F TO THE OLDER CRF250? Honestly after looking at the new 2018 CRF250 on-line it looks badass. I have not ridden it , but I have heard that it is even a bigger improvement than what the 2017 CRF450 was over the 2016. And I can say that after riding the all-new CRF450 at Daytona, that the bike was amazing! The CRF350 that we have now is good, but over the last few years the Yamaha has evolved, the KTM has evolved, the Husqvarna has evolved, and even the Kawasaki has evolved. Now it is Honda’s turn.

THAT’S GREAT, BUT MAYBE SOMEWHAT A MOOT POINT AS YOU WILL RIDE A CRF450 IN 2018, RIGHT? Yes I am contracted to go to the 450 next year.

DOES THIS YEAR FEEL DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS? I am still underestimated, even though I am two-time AMA 250 National Champion. People still doubt me, but I love it. I thrive off proving people wrong. No one expected me to do what I have done so far. I love the position that I am in. We still have lots of racing to do, I am I’m looking for many more Saturdays to come.

Jeremy’s first race on the Geico Honda was that the Glen Helen USGP last September.

WHEN YOU WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THEN DON’T, PEOPLE ARE BOUND TO ASK, ”JEREMY, WHAT’S WRONG?”  Oh for sure . When they asked, “Why isn’t J-Mart winning?” I always say that it’s easier to win the is that it is really easier to win the first championship, than it is to always stay on top. It is a very small slope up to the top—there is no room for mistakes. You have to have the backing of a really good team, and everything has to be “right there.” I had to go through a lot last year, and face a lot of things that I didn’t want to. What I am trying to say is that so many people say, “It is hard to win a championship.” And that is true. Every kids dream is to win races and Championships, but what happenes after that? How do you remotivate yourself? Maybe it is similar with Justin Hill who recently won a 250 West Supercross Championship. He was the best dude two months ago, but but things move on. People forget very quickly.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE KEY TO WINNING THE 2017 AMA 250 NATIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP? The key to winning is  focus on myself. I am a two-time champ. I can suffer with the best of them. I have the fitness. I have the speed. I am going to get better. I can tell you that right now I am mentally stronger than I have ever been. I am loving this team, and it is a much better place than I was at last year. You know what? Last year with Star Yamaha was bad and my 2017 Supercross series was bad, but I know that I can win this summer! I can say that last year we were not all treated equally at Star. At Geico we are all treated the same, regardless if you may be the top finishing rider or not.

WHY WASN’T EVERYONE TREATED THE SAME AT STAR LAST YEAR? It’s probably best to just say “no comment.”

Baggett Wins Colorado!

Thunder Valley Motocross Results 2017

  

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (June 3, 2017) - The third round of the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, brought the world's most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series to mile-high altitude of the Denver area on Saturday for the 13th running of the True Value Thunder Valley National at Thunder Valley Motocross Park. The most competitive afternoon of racing this season produced a pair of new winners, with RMATV/MC-WPS-KTM's Blake Baggett capturing his first career 450 Class victory and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy coming away with his first 250 Class win of the season.

Blake Baggett rebounded from a first turn crash in the first moto to finish third, then won then second moto with a big lead ot claim his first 450 motocross overall victory.

Photo by Brown Dog Wilson

The opening 450 Class moto produced immediate drama after a first-turn incident involving Monster Energy Kawasaki's Josh Grant collected both RMATV/MC-WPS-KTM's Blake Baggett and Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Marvin Musquin, last week's winner and championship leader. Out front, it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Martin Davalos who secured his first career Motosport.com Holeshot, ahead of RCH/Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's Justin Bogle and his Husqvarna teammate Jason Anderson. Opening round winner Eli Tomac started just outside the top five aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki, while Musquin officially began his moto in 19th.

Davalos crashed out of the lead on the opening lap and remounted in ninth, which handed over control of the moto to Bogle. Anderson slotted into second, while Autotrader/Monster Energy/Suzuki/JGRMX's Justin Barcia moved into third just ahead of Tomac. After patiently waiting for his opportunity behind Barcia, Tomac broke into podium position on Lap 3. The second-place holder in the championship was poised to gain valuable ground on his main rival until a rut kicked his leg off the bike in a turn and caused a tip over on Lap 5. That gave third to Barcia briefly, before giving up the spot to Team Honda HRC's Cole Seely on the same lap. Tomac would need to restart his Kawasaki, falling from third to sixth just ahead of Musquin, who had made an impressive charge through the field. Tomac held off an initial challenge from Musquin and then set his sights on the riders ahead.

Out front, Bogle found himself in unfamiliar territory in full control of the moto and rode consistent laps to not only keep Anderson at bay, but also establish a lead of more than five seconds halfway through the moto. Behind him, Tomac and Musquin's battle wasn't finished. After both riders got around RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing's Broc Tickle for fifth and sixth, respectively, Tomac's momentum stalled as he fought to get around Barcia for fourth. That allowed Musquin to close in and get back around Tomac before making his way around Barcia as well. Tomac needed an additional lap to finally get by Barcia for fifth and was then forced to deal with pressure from Baggett, who was also successfully fighting back from his first-turn misfortune that relegated him to 26th on the opening lap.

Justin Bogle won the first moto going away. He wasn't able to repeat in moto 2, and went 1-9 on the day for fourth overall.

Photo by Brown Dog Wilson

On Lap 10 Baggett passed Tomac for fifth, leaving the Colorado crowd in shock. Baggett's charge carried him to Musquin's rear fender, where he and the points leader engaged in an spirited battle for fourth before Baggett made the pass stick. That wasn't all from Baggett. He continued to set the fastest laps on the track in the late stages of the moto and closed in on Seely for third, successfully making the pass on Lap 13. A persistent Musquin soon followed Baggett by Seely for fourth.

From the moment he took the lead, Bogle easily controlled the remainder of the moto and went on to take his first career moto victory 8.6 seconds ahead of Anderson in second. A hard-charging Baggett finished a close third. Musquin recovered to finish fourth, while Tomac lost a position late to Barcia to finish seventh.

Baggett's momentum Moto 1 carried over into Moto 2, where he stole the lead on the opening lap from Motosport.com Holeshot winner Tickle. However, his lead was short lived at Tomac surged to the front with a roar from the hometown crowd. Behind them, Barcia settled into third, with Bogle and Tickle rounding out the top five. Musquin started in ninth, but was able to make headway early.

The torrid pace of Tomac and Baggett allowed them to open a significant gap over the field early on, leaving the battle for third to unfold between a handful of riders. As both Tickle and Bogle slipped back, Anderson and Musquin surged forward, with both riders breaking into the top five and setting their sights on Barcia for third. Musquin was able to make the pass on Anderson for fourth on Lap 3, and then moved into podium position by Barcia just a short time later. Anderson followed Musquin into fourth. Anderson went off the track on Lap 7 and lost several positions, falling to sixth.

Out front the battle for the lead intensified right about the halfway point with Baggett applying pressure to Tomac, but unable to generate enough momentum to attempt a pass. They continued to pace each other for several laps until Baggett pulled the trigger on Lap 7, storming along the outside of Tomac up the steepest part of the track and utilizing a mountainside berm to slip past the Kawasaki. Once in the lead Baggett continued to charge and opened up a multiple second lead almost immediately.

Baggett went unchallenged throughout the remainder of the race to secure his first career moto win, making him the fifth different winner in six motos this season. He crossed the line 12.1 seconds ahead of Tomac, with Musquin following in third.

The 3-1 effort for Baggett was more than enough to clinch his first overall victory in the 450 Class, making him the 66th different winner in the history of the division. The win is also the first for the RMATV/MC-WPS-KTM effort. Musquin finished second (4-3), while Anderson's third-place finish (2-6) puts the same trio of riders on the podium for the second consecutive round.

Baggett's triumph, combined with Musquin's win one week ago, gives the 450 Class back-to-back first-time winners. It's the first time since 2001 that there have been three different winners through the first three rounds of the championship.

"After Moto 2 and Glen Helen [last week] I knew what I needed to work on. I knew what my strong points were. The goal is to win races and everything is new [with the team], so we're still figuring things out, but I felt good from the first lap of practice today and it kind of went on from there," said Baggett. "I felt like I had the speed today and I was patient with Eli [Tomac] in the second moto. Once the opportunity presented itself [for the lead] I needed to take it and run with it, so that's what I did."

Musquin added to his lead in the 450 Class standings and now holds a 17-point advantage over Tomac, who finished fifth (7-2). Baggett remains third, 19 points out of the lead and just two points out of second.

Marvin Musquin charged back from a first turn crash in the first moto and went 4-3 for second overall on the day. He leaves Colorado with a 17 point lead in the championship.

Photo by Brown Dog Wilson

The first 250 Class moto saw Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM's Alex Martin grab his first Motosport.com Holeshot of the season with his brother and GEICO Honda rider Jeremy Martin in tow, followed by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Adam Cianciarulo and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Zach Osborne, the championship leader and winner of the first two rounds. A heated battle for second started immediately between Jeremy Martin, Cianciarulo, and Osborne, which allowed Alex Martin to quickly pull out to a comfortable lead. After moving past Cianciarulo for third, Osborne attempted to make a run on Jeremy Martin for second and tipped over, causing him to lose valuable ground and remount in 16th place.

With Alex Martin asserting himself out front, Cianciarulo was able to move past Jeremy Martin for second and set his sights on the lead. However, as he navigated through one of the track's heavily rutted turns on Lap 1 he brushed the ground and lost all momentum, causing him to lose several positions before continuing in eighth. That misfortune allowed Jeremy Martin to reclaim second, and moved Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Mitchell Harrison into third. Two laps later Martin experienced a bobble of his own, which forced him to veer off his line and allowed Harrison to take over second, dropping Martin to third. As this unfolded, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy and Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Aaron Plessinger closed in from fourth and fifth, respectively.

Jeremy Martin was consistent with a 3-2. It landed him in third place overall on the day.

Photo by Brown Dog Wilson

Harrison ran second for two laps but then came under fire from his more experienced counterparts. Jeremy Martin reclaimed second on Lap 4, bringing Savatgy with him into third. Plessinger followed them on the following lap into fourth. Martin and Savatgy then picked up the pace in their battle for second, soon erasing a multiple second deficit to Alex Martin out front. On Lap 10 the top four riders were all separated by less than three seconds, with Jeremy closing to within less than a second of his brother and targeting the lead. As they navigated through lapped riders, Savatgy was able to take advantage of a bad line choice by Jeremy Martin to take over second. He then set his sights on Alex Martin for the lead. Savatgy got close to the rear fender of the KTM, but Martin withstood the challenge.

As the hotly contested battle for the top spot continued, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner was on a torrid charge of his own through the field after starting sixth. Forkner stormed past Plessinger for fourth and then closed in on Jeremy Martin for third, successfully making the pass on Lap 13. His late-race surge continued and seemingly caught his teammate Savatgy off guard as he made the pass for second on Lap 15. With Alex Martin within reach, Forkner moved to mere bike lengths of the lead with two laps to go. However, a near off-track excursion forced Forkner to lose ground and settle into postion in as Savatgy closed back in from third. Despite losing touch with the lead, Forkner was able to maintain control of second. On the final lap Jeremy Martin was able to get by Savatgy for third.

Alex Martin took his first moto win of the season 1.4 seconds ahead of Forkner, with Jeremy Martin rounding out the podium following what was undoubtedly the most competitive race of the young season. Osborne recovered from his opening-lap fall to finish eighth.

As the field stormed into the first turn to start Moto 2, it was Savatgy who emerged with the Motosport.com Holeshot over the Yamaha duo of Harrison and Plessinger, with Jeremy Martin and Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Dylan Ferrandis right behind. Alex Martin started in seventh, with Osborne eighth.

Plessinger was able to get by Savatgy on the opening lap and fended off a counter-attack, while Ferrandis began to apply pressure on Harrison for third, successfully taking over the position on Lap 1. With a strong hold on first Plessinger lost control of his motorcycle on Lap 3 and flew off the track, handing the lead over to Savatgy. Ferrandis moved into second, while Jeremy Martin took control of third after getting around Harrison. Forkner followed into fourth. The lead group then stabilized through the mid portion of the moto, sitting within four seconds of one another. Behind them both Osborne and Alex Martin made their way around Harrison to take over fifth and sixth, respectively. Just a short time later Osborne bobbled and went off the side of the track, allowing Martin to move into fifth.

On Lap 7 Jeremy Martin applied pressure on Ferrandis for second and successfully made the pass. With the battle for the overall victory coming down to he and Savatgy, Martin then made a push for the lead. The leaders traded fast laps, staying about a second of one another throughout. Every time Martin would make a run, Savatgy was able to counter, and successfully used lapped riders to his advantage as the race wore on. Behind them Ferrandis dropped out of podium when he fell on Lap 10, giving up third to Forkner and allowing Alex Martin to take over fourth, which added intrigue to the overall classification. At that point Savatgy and Alex Martin sat tied for the overall win, with Jeremy Martin needing to get past Savatgy to steal the win for himself.

Despite the high tension, no further passes occurred at the front of the field. Savatgy narrowly took his first moto win of the season by less than a half second over Jeremy Martin, with Forkner in third just ahead of Alex Martin.

Joey Savatgy went 4-1 in some great motos of racing to take his first motocross overall this year.

Photo by Brown Dog Wilson

Savatgy (4-1) and Alex Martin (1-4) finished the afternoon with identical moto scores, but Savatgy's crucial victory in the final moto was enough to give him the tiebreaker for the win. Jeremy Martin finished just a couple points from the win in third (3-2), while Forkner was left off the podium despite identical finishes to Martin (2-3), missing out on the tiebreaker.

Savatgy became the first rider to win back-to-back races at Thunder Valley Motocross Park, and gave Kawasaki its 10th victory at the track in 13 seasons. It's the fifth win of his career, and his first since the fourth round last season.

"I definitely struggled myself [to start the season] with a few things. There were a couple areas on the bike that could have been better [as well] and we made a lot of progress," said Savatgy. "I felt like we've improved each week and I know from my experience last year it's a long series, so consistency is important. I was hoping to come away with a strong result before heading east, where I feel more comfortable, and we did that."

Osborne's fifth-place finish (8-5) was enough to maintain the points lead, which sat at 21 points entering the day. He heads into the first off weekend of the season nine points ahead of Alex Martin, who moved from third to second. Jeremy Martin vaulted from sixth to third in points, and sits 18 markers back.

The 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will observe its first break in action next weekend before returning on Saturday, June 17, for the fourth round of the season at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. First motos of the Red Bull High Point National can be seen live on MAVTV at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET, while the second 450 Class moto will mark the 2017 debut on NBC, live at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage of the final 250 Class moto can be seen on NBC Sports Network at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET.

Your Thunder Valley 450 podium with Baggett taking the win, Musquin getting second place overall, and Jason Anderson finishing in third.

Results

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship True Value Thunder Valley National Thunder Valley Motocross Park - Lakewood, Colorado June 3, 2017

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

1. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (3-1)
2. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (4-3)
3. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (2-6)
4. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Suzuki (1-9)
5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (7-2)
6. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (5-10)
7. Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna (9-7)
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (8-8)
9. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Suzuki (6-12)
10. Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Husqvarna (10-11)

The Ake Jonsson Story

Ake Jonsson

The history of my uncle’s racing career is unique. Ake Jönsson was a Husqvarna factory rider in the 30s and had great success on the spectacular machines that were world-known for their performance, durability and quality.

In the family bible, my grandfather – Olof Jönsson – has written the following story of the nasty accident which happened after 300 kilometres of driving… “On the 17th of February, 1951 Ake Jönsson started his trip towards the capital of Stockholm from his home in southern Sweden. His mechanic Malte Jensen was driving the truck when they encountered a lorry that blocked their way. Malte threw his vehicle into the snow in order to avoid the truck, but the snow was frozen to ice and Ake hit the dashboard heavily, injuring him severely. An ambulance was required and Ake lay in a coma for 18 hours before he woke. Ake’s wife Gulli was contacted and she sat by his bedside for ten days before the doctors were able to X-ray their injured patient. We have prayed to God that Ake may get healthy again. I know that my daughter Hertha and her son Kenneth also prayed for uncle Jönsson. But it was certainly the end of a long, victorious career”.

Ake Samuel Jönsson was born on the 8th of May, 1911 in Träne, which is near Kristianstad in the province of Skane. The Jönsson brothers, three in all, were interested in machines from a young age and Ake, the youngest started racing bikes at the age of 14. In April 1927 his real motorcycle career took off when he straddled a Belgian 350cc Saroléa in an enduro-type event, which he won.

“I think my opponents were lost in the wood as I was not riding very fast,” he smiled with a laugh after the finish line.

Ake did eight races during his initial season and won three of them. In 1929 he entered 13 events and conquered all the competition not less than three times. In a yearly ranking system of the very same year Ake hit ninth spot while my father Tore Olausson, also a dirt-track racer, was on tenth position! In Ake’s three first competition years, besides Saroléa, he also straddled machines like British Excelsior and Coventry. In 1930 Ake became contracted to the firm of the Swedish “Suecia-verken”, a local company based in Örkelljunga in southern Sweden. Ake raced the 350cc machine while his older brother Rudolf raced Suecia’s 500cc bike. In 25 events Ake won seven and came second in as many competitions.

By 1930 the famous Husqvarna-engineer Folke Mannerstedt had noted the talent from the province of Skane. Ake was offered one of the factory 250cc machines, on which he would start competing in class A for the 1931 season. He was now a team-mate of big stars like Gunnar Kalén and Ragnar Sunnqvist, and of course, his older brother Rudolf Jönsson, who rode in the 350 class. The Husqvarna debut took place in November 1930 on a horse-track in Jägersro, Malmö. The event was a 5’000-meter race and the spectator tribunes were full of people despite the cold November afternoon. Ake showed Husqvarna that they had picked the right man and he won the main event where he showed no mercy to his competitors. His winnings were the equivalent of 25 US dollars and the 1931 season was right ahead in a year that Ake turned 20 years of age.

Ake had a strong temper and anything outside victory did never appeal to this thin and fit youngster. “It’s probably a character feature in the family,” said Ake to me when I was a child (the blog editor lived a year with the Jönsson’s as a child). Privately Ake was no different. If he was to see someone, let’s say at six o’clock, he would turn up by 5.55 and look at his watch to see when it turned six o’clock on the second. He would then ring the bell in order not to be late.

Impulsive and punctual were features of this young man who suffered from a state of manic depression at times. Ake’s mood was as loose as his foot on the throttle …

But he was also an authority when it came to quick decisions. No one told him what to do or how to react. On February 1st in 1931 there was a 10-kilometer race, again in Jägersro. Ake failed to score but came back three weeks later in order to take an overwhelming victory. That was his style. Loose one, but always regain the dominant peak soon after. In 23 events the same season Jönsson won 16 and came second on four occasions with his ultrafast Husqvarna machine. Ake’s overwhelming capacity started to show in 1932 when he won 15 out of 19 races, inclusive the prestigious “Östgötaloppet”, which was a 69km event. Ake not only conquered but also set a new race record in his class. With the 250cc Husqvarna he rode at an average of 92 kilometres an hour – a pace which was fifth fastest in the entire event, including the biggest classes.

Considering that Kalén and Sunnqvist rode bigger machines and that the race distance lay around 40 minutes, Ake’s performance was even more attractive. This was one of Ake’s biggest victories together with an event that lay four weeks ahead in time. The TT-race at Onsala had an attendance of a dozen international riders. Ake was back in the 250-saddle, which in this case was half a 500 using only one of the V-configuration cylinders. This machine was a legendary Husqvarna model in the 30s. Among the strong competitors in the A-class was the British world record holder Eric Fernihough. However, the reddish apple cheeked youngster by the name of Jönsson won the race after some domination. The winner’s prize was 200 Swedish Kronor (around 50 dollars) and this success cemented Ake’s place in the famous Husqvarna “gang”.

In the weekly newspaper “Motornyheterna” you could read about Ake’s victories… His well-tuned Husqvarna and Ake’s outstanding riding technique through corners were a difficult obstacle even for his teammates Gunnar Kalén and Ragnar Sunnqvist. Ake has adopted the world-famous Stevenson-stil with his leg sweeping out behind the machine during cornering.

After a five-month delay with no racing, the 1933 season took off with a second place for Ake.

The following month he rode in Denmark where he was forced to retire in Korsör. How would this end? The first victory did not arrive until at the end of July, when young Jönsson won in Hälsingborg. “It was a pre-race with all eyes set on the big Grand Prix in Saxtorp”, Ake said to the press (I have a post-card where it says “Let’s celebrate Grand Prix”, signed by all the Husqvarna greats of the 30s). On the 3rd of September a record crowd of 150’000 spectators with 65 competing riders were seen at Saxtorp in the Skane province. It was the biggest motorcycle race ever held on Swedish soil! Ake Jönsson competed as usual in the 250cc class and the distance to be covered measured 14,5 kilometres. The start took place where the church of Saxtorps is situated. And then on to Dösjebro station, south to Lyckan (Happiness), west towards Björnstorp and then north to the finish line. After 21 laps Ake was second behind Briton Charlie Dodson when the Swede suddenly stopped at Björnstorp. Ake had an overwhelming margin to the third placed man, but the machine would not go any further.

“It was the biggest disappointment in my life,” cried Ake afterwards when interviewed.

In Husqvarna’s unfortunate season of 1934, the 23-year old Jönsson only participated in eight events. He won five but now there were dark clouds on the horizon. The Super-Swede Gunnar Kalén lost his life in the German GP and all the Husqvarna machines were damaged severely when loading them on a ship to the Isle of Man. Husqvarna chose to withdraw from its race dominance and frankly just stopped racing.

Ake Jönsson was a successful, dominant racer with a good sense of humour. And still he was a man of few words until he arrived at the race track. But the car accident changed his life. After being a nerve wreck for years, his mood improved a little. But Ake was never the same man again.

Bike results of king Ake Jönsson
7 years on m/c: 1928-35, of which five years as factory rider at Husqvarna (1931-35)
A total of 105 events: 53 victories, 24 second places and 4 third spots.

Tribute To A Class Act...Tom White

Tom White Tribute Video - Narrated by Larry Huffman

On May 25th, 2017 AMA Hall of Fame Inductee and friend to all of motorcycling Tom White "thought" he was announcing a normal Malcolm Smith Movie Night of the iconic film "On Any Sunday" at Glen Helen Raceway. It was anything but normal as a group of friends and family gathered to honor Mr. White with the unveiling of his own monument at the entrance of the Glen Helen Raceway Walk of Fame. This video narrated by the incomparable Larry "Super Mouth" Huffman was played to a very surprised Tom White. This video was produced by Todd Huffman and Donald Hoffman with a script by Rick Doughty of Vintage Iron.

Industry icon honored as he battles cancer

Atlas Brace...Always On

Safety equipment can only help while you are wearing it, and Martin Davalos knows that. If you are going to live life on the edge, it is best to be prepared, and wear the best equipment you can get your hands on... or your head in. www.atlasbrace.com

 

JGRMX

COY GIBBS ON THE LESSONS OF THE LAST TEN YEARS

 

Coy Gibbs.

YOU’RE COMING UP ON TEN YEARS OF OWNING THE JGRMX RACE TEAM. Ten years of wasted life [laughter].

WAS THE TEAM’S FIRST WIN AT  ANAHEIM 1 IN 2009 WITH JOSH GRANT YOUR MOST CHERISHED MOMENT AS A TEAM OWNER? That sure was a good one. I was down on the floor with a couple laps to go, and all of a sudden there was smoke billowing off the back of Josh’s bike. I was freaking out [laughter]. That win was a good memory. Looking back, I would say that I really liked 90 percent of the riders we’ve worked with. Obviously, the business side comes into play sooner or later. Even so, their personalities have been really good. They have been fun to hang out with. I still enjoy watching Josh Grant race to this day. He finished on the podium at Hangtown, looked fast, and rode well. I’m happy for him.

Coy Gibbs celebrating after Josh Grant won the 2009 Anaheim I Supercross.

By John Basher

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? I’m different than most people, in that I definitely want to win championships, but that doesn’t change who I am or how I feel about anything. Winning is just the goal. The best part is the journey. I’ve been with the same guys for ten years. We’ve built a lot of good relationships in the industry and met a lot of cool riders.

I still remember my first day in motocross. I didn’t know anybody. I felt like the school nerd walking around. It’s cool being a part of the sport. What’s truly crazy to me is how Supercross is going. Look at television viewership numbers. We may be the only sport in America that’s up in the ratings. I don’t think we’ve reached the ceiling yet in Supercross. I obviously love it. I want other people to experience and fall in love with it like I did. That’s the big picture to me, and I’m happy to be a part of it.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS A MOTOCROSS RACE TEAM OWNER? The biggest factor in the last ten years that made things extremely difficult is that the economy plummeted right after we started the team. That was a really tough time. Three or four of the past ten years were very difficult financially, which hurt.

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO GET WEATHER THE STORM, SO TO SPEAK? It was a nightmare. We put a ton of money into the company to survive it, but like I said, I would do it all over again.

WOULD YOU DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN IF GIVEN THE CHANCE? Absolutely. What’s funny is that I recently added up all of the money I spent over ten years. Obviously, there was a ton of help from sponsors, but that didn’t cover all of the bills. Even with the money we put into the company, I would gladly do it again. I love moto. It’s definitely a passion of mine. These days I’m working more on the four-wheel side, but I still love moto. It’s a cool sport.

The 2017 JGRMX team: Matt Biscelgia, Justin Barcia, Phil Nicoletti and Weston Peick.

AS A RACE TEAM OWNER ARE YOU HAPPY WITH HOW THINGS HAVE GONE FOR JGRMX? It’s tough. I know that it’s hard to win a championship in any sport at the highest level. That’s how I measure success. Winning motos and races is cool, but winning a championship is the long-term goal. It took us a while on the car side. I’ve come to realize that it takes a long time to establish yourself.

In the beginning of my motocross venture my dad told me that it would take ten years before I would get the framework to even compete for a championship. I told him that he was an idiot and that he didn’t know what he was talking about [laughter]. Here I am ten years in and I agree with him. It takes a long time, unless you have unlimited resources and are throwing money around like crazy. We don’t necessarily have that option.

WHEN WORD SPREAD THAT JGR WAS STARTING A TEAM BASED IN NORTH CAROLINA, EVERYONE BELIEVED THAT TEAMS HAD TO BE BASED IN SOCAL. I didn’t see any difference then, and I don’t see it now. Honestly, being centered in North Carolina is an advantage. A lot of riders are moving east if they haven’t done so already. I do think that we’re a little bit too far north. It would be nice to be located a few hours south for better weather. Someday we’ll cover one of our Supercross tracks and we won’t have to worry about weather. Logistically, I don’t think it’s any more difficult being in North Carolina compared to California. Everything can be shipped. It’s not like we’re moving cars around. I feel bad for the NASCAR Cup guys. They race two west coast rounds back-to-back, so they have to meet in the middle of the country and swap vehicles. It’s a nightmare. At least the moto side gets to run the same race bikes.

Weston Peick.

EVEN THOUGH YOUR FOCUS IS ON THE CAR SIDE, ARE YOU STILL PLUGGED INTO MOTOCROSS? Definitely. I don’t follow it on a day-to-day basis, though. I’m not going to lie, I like being on the moto side more than I do on the car side, but I don’t have a choice on that. Still, I talk to Jeremy [Albrecht, JGRMX team manager] and David [Evans, sponsorship acquisition and activation] all the time. I also text the riders. What’s funny is that I’ve learned not to call the riders, because they won’t pick up the phone. After calling four or five times in a week I’ll start texting them, and that seems to work a lot better. I’m excited about the direction we’re going with the team, so I stay plugged in as much as I can.

ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE TEAM’S SUPPORT FROM SUZUKI? It has been awesome. Suzuki is great to work with. We switched over on our own. We were begging them to allow us to join their group. They were gracious enough to let us do it. What I see on the car side, with our relationship with Toyota, that’s what I see on the moto side with Suzuki. It’s the way it should be.

Justin Barcia.

YOU HAVE STARTED A RETAIL BUSINESS TO COMPLEMENT THE RACE TEAM. WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THAT? Racing comes first, but I saw how quite a few companies have survived through lean times by building and selling motorcycle parts. We spend so much money and effort developing parts that I don’t think many people realize how much goes into it. There’s the development cycle, followed by testing, and sometimes more development before it ever goes out to the public. We have to get it right. I think it’s cool that we can bring parts to the public that were made for the team. I don’t know if I can ever justify the amount of money we spend by selling those parts, but it’s neat to be able to offer some of those parts.

WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH YOUR DAD? It’s funny working with your dad. It’s a treat [laughter]. We have polar personalities. I’m more like my mom. Watching the way he handles people and builds teams is remarkable. With all the success he’s had in his life I stopped trying to chase him a long time ago. He’s a freak. From winning Super Bowls to winning championships in NASCAR, and all of the other great things he’s done, it’s pretty amazing.

I’m fortunate that I get to sit next to him and watch how he handles himself. What really stands out to me is that so many high-powered people are complete embarrassments to their families. They do stupid stuff and screw up along the way. My dad has never embarrassed our family. That’s pretty unique for a guy in that situation. I’ve always been proud of him for that.

2018 Husky

Husky Enduro – 2018

Adding a significant benchmark to their timeline for model year 2018, Husqvarna Motorcycles introduce the next generation of 2-stroke machines – the all-new, fuel-injected TE 250i and TE 300i. Offering unprecedented advantages in terms of performance, rideability, fuel consumption and ease of use, the introduction of fuel-injection by Husqvarna Motorcycles is a bold new step into the future of offroad motorcycling.

Together with the fuel-injected 2-strokes, Husqvarna Motorcycles present a heavily updated range of TE and FE machines for model year 2018. Collecting feedback from top-level competition and combining it with extensive research, the brand’s engineers ensured that the 2018 TX 125, FE 250, FE 350, FE 450 and FE 501 remain true to Husqvarna Motorcycles’ commitment to offer premium motorcycles across their enduro range.

NEW GENERATION 2-STROKES

Perfectly embodying Husqvarna’s pioneering spirit, the new from the ground up fuel-injected TE 250i and TE 300i machines feature engine technology that revolutionises the field of 2-stroke enduro motorcycles. Featuring a pair of fuel injectors positioned at the transfer ports, the new system delivers the perfect amount of fuel into the engine at all times, across all conditions. Offering a significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions, it also provides a smooth and clean power delivery on both machines.

With the injectors delivering the fuel mixture downwards into the transfer port, the system ensures a much more efficient combustion. Carefully placed at the rear of the cylinder, a special tube relays intake pressure data to the new ECU. Gathering information from the throttle position sensor, the air and intake pressure sensors, together with the crankcase pressure and water temperature sensors, the ECU automatically compensates for temperature and altitude changes eliminating the need to modify carburettor jetting.

Vital for internal engine lubrication, the 2-stroke oil is stored in a separate tank thus eliminating the need for pre-mixing. With its filler tube running through the frame, the 0.7 lt tank contains oil for five full tanks of fuel depending on conditions. Controlled by the EMS the oil pump delivers the ideal amount of oil reducing waste as well as excessive smoke.

TE 250i/300i FUEL INJECTION HIGHLIGHTS
=>Fuel injectors at the transfer ports → Ideal amount of fuel in all conditions
=>Oil pump & oil tank → Convenient, eliminates pre-mix
=>39 mm throttle body → Regulates air flow, TPS relays airflow data
=>New EMS → Modern engine management, no need for jetting changes
=>Standard map select → Customise power characteristics
=>Frame integrated oil filler cap → Simple refills
=>Translucent fuel tank → Large capacity, fuel pump integrated
=>New intake snorkel → Adapted to throttle body

A COMPLETE LINE-UP

Combining the most advanced engine technology with a series of dynamic upgrades, all Husqvarna Motorcycles 2-stroke and 4-stroke machines set the benchmark in terms of handling, power, weight and aesthetics.

Developed by WP Performance System the front forks are specifically designed for enduro riding. For MY18, the forks feature new outer tubes offering improved flex characteristics and reduced friction. A stiffer setting also provides extra sensitivity and improved bottoming resistance.

Also new for MY18 are the Magura front and rear brake systems. Featuring a similar layout to the design used on previous model Husqvarna enduro bikes, each system features optimal sensitivity and a progressive feel while retaining the highest level of performance. Second to none in terms of functionality and style, the new ProTaper handlebars feature class-leading fatigue resistance while adding minimal weight.

World Enduro

Holcombe wins – World Enduro

Steve Holcombe has moved to the top of the 2017 EnduroGP World Championship standings following a near perfect weekend of racing at the Italian GP in Spoleto, central Italy. Claiming a first EnduroGP day win of 2017 on day one when he placed 11 seconds ahead of his Beta team-mate Alex Salvini, Steve then placed as runner-up to Frenchman Loic Larrieu on day two. With three rounds of the 2017 EnduroGP World Championship now complete Steve sits 21 points clear at the top of the premier class’ standings.

On day one Steve hit his stride at the end of the opening lap, winning the 11-minute long enduro test to position himself at the top of the time sheets close behind team-mate Alex Salvini. Keeping up the pressure during the closing special tests, Steve maximised on a mistake by Salvini to claim his maiden EnduroGP class win of 2017. On day two Steve remained consistent throughout the day, securing a well-deserved runner-up result to claim yet another strong haul of championship points.

Steve Holcombe: “I’m more than pleased with how the GP of Italy has gone for me. Finishing onetwo with my Beta team-mate Alex Salvini on day one, getting my first EnduroGP win of the season, moving into the lead of the EnduroGP standings, it’s been great. I had this event marked as one in which I wanted to fight for the win, and that’s what I managed to do. It really is a rewarding feeling to know that the work the team and myself put in since the GP of Spain has paid off. I feel for Matt Phillips, who was forced out on day one. It’s never nice to see a rider you’ve been battling with have a technical issue. But like I said, I’m just pleased that I was able to deliver the kind of result I hoped I would. There’s a long way to go in the championship, but I’ll keep working to be in the best possible shape for the next few GPs.”

Desalles climb – All Time Great?

Desalles climb

World championships seem to define if you are an all-time great or not, but sometimes there are the exceptions. Some riders, like Sylvain Geboers (14 GP wins), or Marniqu Bervoets (19 GP wins) fit right in with those legends, but never get the respect they truly deserve.

Both Geboers and Bervoets were racing in eras dominated by names such as Joel Robert, Torsten Hallman, Stefan Everts or Joel Smets. Both Geboers and Bervoets fought hard with the legends, often getting a GP win, and standing tall at the top of a Grand Prix podium. They both came close to winning world titles, but luck or just that little bit of speed didn’t see them to a world title victory.

Another of those men and another Belgian is Clement Desalle. Desalle continues to move up the all-time GP winners list and is now in reach of the top twenty. An amazing feat for the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider. His first GP victory ciming at the Loket circuit in 2009, and since then he has been one of the main-stays of the MXGP class. A multiple runner-up to Antonio Cairoli in the 450 class point standings, and a rock for his country of Belgium.

Another statistic is that Desalle is the only non-world champion in the list. Not something you want to brag about, but still shows how good the Belgian has been in the era of Antonio Cairoli. Like Marniqu Bervoets before him (who had to contend with Stefan Everts and Joel Smets), sometimes you are just born into the wrong era.

Another GP win and Desalle joins a very impressive list of riders in four times world champion Harry Everts, three time world champion Dave Thorpe, and double world champions Alex Puzar, Rolf Tibblin, and Sten Lundin.

Of course at the top of the all-time winners list, and seemingly in a safe place to remain at number one is Stefan Everts, but two men are closing fast. Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings are the only current riders capable of catching The King.

Top 25 GP winners

Stefan Everts 101

Antonio Cairoli 80

Jeffrey Herlings 62

Joel Smets 57

Joel Robert 50

Eric Geboers 39

Mickael Pichon 38

Thorsten Hallman 37

Roger De Coster 36

Heikki Mikkola 32

Gaston Rahier 30

Georges Jobe 28

Andre Malherbe 28

Paul Friedrichs 28

Dave Strijbos 27

Alessio Chiodi 26

Jeff Smith 25

Harry Everts 22

Dave Thorpe 22

Alex Puzar 22

Sten Lundin 22

Rolf Tibblin 22

Clement Desalle 21

Sebastien Tortelli 20

Hakan Carlqvist 20

Ray Archer image

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