Sunday, August 6, 2017 at 9:10PM
Italy announced their squad for the Motocross of Nations today at the MXGP of Belgium.
Representing the Italians in MXGP will be current MXGP points leader Antonio Cairoli. Alessandro Lupino will contest the Open Class with Michele Cervellin competing in MX2.
Italy finished fifth overall in the event in 2016 with a team of Cairoli, Cervellin and Samuele Bernardini.
Friday, July 28, 2017 at 3:31PM Donnie Hansen Motocross Academy
Come out and learn from the
Legend Donnie “Holeshot” Hansen
WHEN: SATURDAY AUGUST 5-6th
WHERE: FAMOUS WASHOUGAL MX PARK
SCHOOLS ARE LIMITED SO DON’T WAIT SIGN UP NOW!!!
https://donniehansen.com/events/event/two-day-schools-washougal-mx-park/
CALL NOW (719) 495-2624
The Donnie Hansen Motocross Academy is a motocross riding school that teaches techniques and skills to all levels and ages whether they are racers or just want to improve their riding skills.
For every rider who signs up they will receive a free Matrix Umbrella
Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 1:17PM Suzuki and RCH Conclude Partnership
by: Chase Stallo
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) and RCH Racing announced today that they’ve reached a mutual decision to conclude their partnership effective at the end of the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
After winning the 2016 450MX Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship with Ken Roczen as a privately funded outfit, RCH, co-owned by Ricky Carmichael and Carey Hart, were announced as the sole factory effort for Suzuki in 2017 with Yoshimura Suzuki closing its doors. It was later announced that JGR would switch from Yamaha to Suzuki for 2017 with some factory support.
Ricky Carmichael will continue his role at Suzuki as a brand ambassador as RCH pulls off the road.
“As defending AMA Pro Motocross Champions, it’s tough to get to the point where plans evolve and tough business decisions must be made,” said Carmichael. “My partner Carey Hart and I are very proud of our guys and grateful we were able to achieve the success we did as a team. I am also personally looking forward to continuing my long relationship with Suzuki in another capacity as we wind down RCH.”
“It’s been a privilege to work with such a driven group of individuals and Suzuki is very appreciative of the hard work and efforts the team has put forth culminating in the 2016 AMA Pro Motocross Championship,” said Kerry Graeber, Suzuki’s vice president, MC/ATV sales and marketing. “The team and Suzuki achieved their respective goals of winning a championship and it’s gratifying to conclude this partnership successfully.”
In a press release, Suzuki said it would announce further plans for the 2018 season in the coming weeks.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 4:03PM 44 are the number years the Oregon Old Timers have been putting on motocross events. I’m not sure this represents the number of years they’ve held International Old Timer events or not but that’s a lot of years. Also not sure how many of those have been held at the famous Washougal MX track, a lot I would think. There were rumors floating around over the weekend that this may be the last year at this iconic venue. But maybe those rumors just float around every year.
Taking pictures of this park is futile unless you’re a pro, you can’t do this place justice. It has to be experience in person to really get the feel.
This was my second trip to this event. I swore I wouldn’t ever go back and that’s not because I was there last year when Sunday’s races were rained out and Saturday’s races were almost as bad. I went in 2015 and by all accounts the weather and track conditions hadn’t been that good in six to eight years. Besides that I won all my motos. I figured no since tempting fate.
I changed my mind when the need for surgery and a date for it came up that will put me on the shelf for a little while. I had planned on going the to the BC and Alberta races this year. (Never been) So instead I decided to go to Washougal and tempt fate.
The weather was just about perfect. (I’m sure someone could find something to snivel about) The track was the same as it was in 2015 except the whoop section by the finish was a whole lot tougher. Something I didn’t notice last time but became aware of this time was as beautiful as this place is the spectator viewing isn’t that great. At best you can see only parts of the track, a lot of that has to do with the layout and the trees. I understand to get in there to see a National takes hours and hours just to stake out a small viewing area.
The track conditions were good for the most part; I did get to experience some of the famous over watering parts of the track they are known for, which can make for some sketchy moments. Saturday’s track dried out so they over compensated for that on Sunday by cutting the track deep along with a lot of water. Practice was not fun but surprisingly by the time my race started (2nd) it was good. They went from ten, to twelve then thirteen motos when they added the support classes Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Some of those were double gate drops as well, a lot of riders, which is normal for this event.
And I was I was lucky enough to repeat by winning all my motos. But not all was good one of our Sierra Old Timer members Art McDade (mx43.com) face planted on one the drop away down hills. Art says he knew he was going to eat it when his bike went sideways off the face of it. I was behind him and didn’t see any of it until I jumped off the downhill and there was Art and his bike lying part way down the hill in the middle of the track. Fortunately for me his momentum had taken him far enough down the hill that I didn’t land on him and had the time to move over. The other fortunate thing was we were way ahead of the next group of riders and the yellow flagger had time to get to the top of the hill. That happened on the last lap not far from the finish so I went back up the hill to check on him. When I got there they were checking him out and asking him lots of questions. Thank goodness for good helmets the fall destroyed his helmet but didn’t knock any of his teeth out. He’s very sore and has a very stiff neck but will in time be okay.
Something like that takes the wind out of your sails but one of the benefits of being old is having short term memory loss. So by Sunday morning it was but a distant memory for me.
The club puts on a sort of bare bones event no real fanfare or hoopla. The races are bang, bang, they have to be in order to get that many races in. Practice started at 7AM the racing finished up around 7PM on Saturday. Dinner is included for pre entries and they started serving at 5PM for those of us who were finished for the day. (The food was good) They don’t hold a raffle but I’m not sure anyone missed it. If you were lucky enough to have a camping place with grass and trees you just sat around and enjoyed it.
And as always once again you get the chance to catch up with friends most you haven’t seen since the last race.
Hopefully they will have more races at Washougal in the future. If you haven’t been it’s one of those places you should go to at least once. I definitely won’t be going back again, I’ve been twice and the weather was about as perfect as it can get.
Doug 21J
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 4:01PM
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 3:48PM
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
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 3:47PM 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.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 3:44PM 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.
Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 4:27PM
The granddaddy of all pro motocross jumps in America – RedBud’s LaRocco’s Leap – gets a 25th 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 25th 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 4th 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!
