Valentino Rossi....Motocrosser?

‘The Ranch’ is a source of inspiration, motivation and high-speed adrenaline for Valentino Rossi. At this private facility just outside his hometown of Tavullia the Italian has prolonged his love of motorcycles, his passion for competition and laid the foundations for an even longer legacy in the sport of MotoGP. Granted exclusive and special access this is a unique insight and glimpse into the dirt track facility and the

Fly Racing's Josh Strang Wins Tomahawk!

Strang Wins After Dramatic Last Lap GNCC Clash

Dramatic last lap clash sees GNCC point’s race turn on its head as Josh Strang claims the win

The 2016 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, continued today, June 12, with the Second Annual Dunlop Tomahawk GNCC. Racers and fans from across the world converged in Odessa, New York to witness Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing/Bel-Ray's Josh Strang claim the coveted win.

When the green flag waved SRT/KTM/Kenda Tires' Cory Buttrick found himself getting a quick jump off the line and earning the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award, but it wouldn't take long for Strang to transition in the lead as they entered the woods.

Meanwhile, FMF/KTM Factory Racing's Kailub Russell and Westfield Powersports KTM Presented by Moose Racing's Jordan Ashburn both struggled to get off the start and were buried toward the back of the pack.

Strang continued to hold onto the lead as they checked through timing and scoring for the first time after a quick lap. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4 Arrive-N-Ride Team's Thad Duvall and FMF/KTM Factory Racing's Russell Bobbitt trailed in second and third.

The dusty conditions began to take their toll when Duvall faced an unfortunate situation in an open field section when he was clotheslined by a string that was marking a turn. This incident put Duvall back into eleventh.

Russell slowly started reeling in Strang around the halfway point of the race where he was only fifteen seconds behind. N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha' Grant Baylor and Ashburn also settled into a battle in the latter half of the race for the last podium position. After switching back-and-forth multiple times Baylor was able to hold the position once lapped riders came between them.

Once the white flag came out it was an all-out battle between Strang and Russell with only six seconds separating the pair. Russell was able to work his way around Strang, but not even a mile later Strang was eager to get back in the lead. 

The two came together during the pass ultimately taking both of them out. While Strang was able to quickly recover, Russell faced a mechanical issue which left the defending champion unable to finish the race.

"I got off to a quick lead and I think the dust helped me get a gap," said Strang. "Kailub started to catch me on the last two laps and then was right on me on the last lap. Around the six mile marker we had different lines and he came up next to me and we rubbed and I backed off and he passed me. 

“Then about a half mile later the same opportunity came up where I was able to get up next to him and we both came together and got tangled. He hit a tree and then I hit the next tree in line. I'm not a dirty rider but that's racing. We both want to win, and it's unfortunate that it had to be this way."

Ashburn stayed consistent and kept charging in an attempt to catch back up to Baylor. A mere second would separate them as they crossed the finish line in second and third. Both riders have had their fair share of issues this season, but proved today that they will be overall contenders for the remaining five races.

"I've struggled big time in the GNCC series all year long," said Baylor. "Ever since I sunk my bike in Florida it's went downhill from there. I'm still trying to bounce back from both my injuries this year. It feels great to be back on the podium where I know I belong, but I wish I could have been up in the front battling for the lead instead of third. I came out with second so I can't really complain because it feels like a win after how this season has been going. I'm really happy with today's results.”

"It's been a struggle this year and I've just had some stuff happen that I wasn't sure how it even happened," said Ashburn. "It's been a learning year and we are still learning and every race we just keep progressing and working our way to be on the podium week-in and week-out."

MCS Racing Suzuki/Obermeyer/Kenda/MX Tech/Fly Racing's Ricky Russell hung right with the top racers today finishing just off the podium in fifth overall and fourth in XC1 Pro. Bobbitt followed in fifth and eighth overall.

In the XC2 Pro Lites division Coastal Racing/Husqvarna/MSR's Craig Delong grabbed yet another $100 Hot Cams XC2 Holeshot Award with his teammate Layne Michael right behind him. The lead position continued to be exchanged between Michael, Delong and Solid Performance KTM's Jesse Groemm.

However, JCR Honda/FLY Racing's Trevor Bollinger had to work his way through nearly the entire class to take home his sixth win of the season. Groemm and Michael crossed the line in second and third, and Delong would finish just off the podium in fourth. Trail Jesters Racing's Josh Toth finished in a solid fifth place.

"I had to kick my bike seven times on the start before it would start," said Bollinger. "It was tough to make up that much time. The woods were good, but the fields were super dusty. You just had to be smart on the first few laps. Once I got with Craig we were rolling pretty well and eventually  I was able to bring it on in."

Chris Venditti took home the $125 American Kargo Top Amateur Award with his 23rd overall finish. Zack Nolan and Loic Leonard rounded out the amateur overall podium.

After a rough couple of races FLY Racing/Yamaha's Becca Sheets came out on top in the 10 a.m. race with the overall and WXC victory. FMF/KTM Factory Racing's Kacy Martinez followed in second overall and 125 B/C competitor Haden VanCuren rounded out the 10 a.m. overall podium and earned the overall amateur honors with his seventh place finish. Bonzi/Yamaha's Brooke Cosner placed third in the WXC class.

The two-wheel racing action kicked off bright and early this morning with the 8 a.m. youth race. After starting on the second row, Zack Davidson rode an impressive race earning not only the Super Mini Jr. (12-13) division win but also the overall on adjusted time. Hunter Riemer and Benjamin Wright followed in second and third.

The 2016 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series continues with round nine on June 25 and 26 with the popular AMSOIL Snowshoe GNCC held at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia.

The Birth of Motocross

 

With the Grand Prix of Great Britain just around the corner and the Matterley Basin circuit a stones throw from the original birth place of Motocross/Scrambles, we thought it might be a good idea to look back in time, when our beloved sport was just a baby.

Motocross was first known as a British off-road event called Scrambles, which were themselves an evolution of Trials events popular in northern Britain.

The first known Scramble took place at Camberley, Surrey in 1924. European motorcyclists adopted the event and gave it a slight makeover, shortening the tracks and adding laps and a few man-made obstacles like jumps.

During the 1930s, the sport grew in popularity, especially in Britain where teams from BSA, Norton, Matchless, Rudge, and AJS competed in the events. Off-road bikes from that era differed little from those used on the street. Intense competition over rugged terrain led to technical improvements in motorcycles.

Rigid frames gave way to suspensions by the early 1930s, and swinging arm suspension appeared by the early 1950s, several years before it was incorporated on production street machines. The period after the Second World War was dominated by BSA which had become the largest motorcycle company in the world. BSA riders dominated international competitions throughout the 1950s.

In 1952 the FIM, motorcycling’s international governing body, created an individual European Championship using a 500cc engine displacement formula. In 1957, it was upgraded it to World Championship status.

In 1962, a 250cc world championship was created. It was in the smaller 250cc category that companies with two-stroke motorcycles came into their own. Companies such as Husqvarna from Sweden, CZ from Czechoslovakia and Greeves from Britain, became popular due to their lightness and agility.

By the 1960s, advancements in two-stroke engine technology meant that the heavier, four-stroke machines were relegated to niche competitions. Riders from Belgium and Sweden began to dominate the sport during this period.

By the late 1960s, Japanese motorcycle companies began challenging the European factories for supremacy of the motocross world. Suzuki claimed the first world championship for a Japanese factory when it won the 1970 250cc crown.

Motocross also began to grow in popularity in the United States during this period, which fueled an explosive growth in the sport. The first stadium motocross event was held in 1972 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. In 1975, a 125cc world championship was introduced. European riders continued to dominate motocross throughout the 1970s but, by the 1980s, American riders had caught up and began winning international competitions.

During the early 1980s, Japanese factories presided over a technology boom in motocross. The typically two-stroke air cooled, twin shock rear suspension machines gave way to machines that were water cooled and fitted with monoshock rear suspension.

By the 1990s, increasingly stringent environmental laws forced manufacturers to develop environmentally friendly four-stroke technology. At the turn of the century, all the major manufacturers have begun competing with four-stroke machines. European firms also experienced a resurgence with Husqvarna, Husaberg and KTM winning world championships with four-stroke machinery.

The sport has evolved with sub-disciplines such as stadium events known as Supercross and Arenacross held in indoor arenas. Freestyle (or FMX) events where riders are judged on their jumping and aerial acrobatic skills have gained popularity, as well as Supermoto (Motocross machines racing on both tarmac and off road).

Vintage motocross events have also become popular with riders competing on bikes usually pre-dating the 1975 model year.

Reprint from MXLarge

Canadian Motocross Nationals...Nanaimo

On a rider friendly, cool, dry day in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, Round 2 of the Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan saw both the MX1 and MX2 red plates pass into the hands of different riders, as the series leaves the west coast and begins its summer long trip east.

 Canadian hero Honda Canada Racing Fox GDR’s Colton Facciotti finished 2-2 and stood on top of the MX1 podium in Nanaimo, grabbing the series lead and the red plate that goes with it, heading into Round 3. Fellow Canadian KTM Canada Thor Racing’s Cole Thompson put on a clinic at the Wastelands while finishing 1-1 in the MX2 class, and in the process begins to put some distance between himself and the rest of the riders.

The Wastelands in Nanaimo is a huge, outdoor, spectator friendly supercross track, cut into the side of a mountain with elevation changes and a hard packed, shale based soil. It also has a unique concrete starting pad like the one we will see next weekend at the Wild Rose MX Park in Calgary at Round 3.

2016 Nanaimo MX1 | Race Results

KTM Canada Thor Racing’s Davi Millsaps had a nearly perfect day; he led all but one lap of the entire 2 motos after getting good starts and making aggressive passes early in both races. Unfortunately for Davi, he was penalized 10 positions in the first moto after video evidence showed him jumping on a Red Cross flag. Fellow competitor Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Matt Goerke suffered the same fate after finishing third in the first moto. Goerke ended up 13-4 on the day, which put him in sixth overall. Millsaps was on fire today and was clearly the fastest man on the track. With the penalty Davi finished 11-1, for fourth overall, and was very gracious on the podium after the second moto where he apologized for missing the flag.

Honda Canada Racing Fox GDR’s Colton Facciotti on the podium after the second moto described his performance today as “slow and steady.”  Colton ended up on top of the podium after finishing 2-2 on the day and briefly leading the second moto. He managed to keep Millsaps in his sights for most of Moto 2, but was never a threat to the front runner. “Colt 45” leaves Nanaimo with the series lead and the red plate on his bike, and is in a good position as we head east to win his fifth national title.

Monster Energy Alpinestar Kawasaki’s Mike Allesi rode well this weekend, and after Goerke made a mistake on the last lap of Moto 1, passed him to finish second. Mike ended up being declared the winner of Moto 1 after the penalties, and went on to finish fifth in Moto 2, for second overall. Allesi is sitting third in the standings and is only 12 points back of the series leader. Mike has not had the good starts we are used to seeing out of him thus far, but expect the talented US rider to get that worked out as we move to the next round.

Grabbing both Royal Distributing Holeshots this weekend was Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Brett Metcalfe, who’s 3-3 moto finishes were good enough for third overall. Metcalfe admitted after the race that the Wastelands track is not one of his favourites and was happy with his third place finish. “I was surprised to grab two Holeshots,” Metty said on the podium after the race.

Rounding out the top 5 were Davi Millsaps 11-1, and Redemption Racing Big Steel Box KTM’s Cade Clason with 4-8 moto finishes. Clason is in sixth place in the series standings as we head to Round 3 next weekend.

Parts Canada Husqvarna’s Tyler Medaglia finished sixth in the second moto after suffering a mechanical issue in the first moto that forced him back to nineteenth. KTM Canada Thor Racing’s Rookie Kaven Benoit was running strongly in the first moto in fourth place until a broken chain forced him to retire. After a second moto start outside the top 15, Kaven could only manage to fight back to a seventh place finish. His 30-7 finishes cost him in the series standings, as he was pushed down to ninth position after doing well in the opening round in Kamloops.

70 Year Old Thunder From Down Under

Feilding granddad still tears up motocross track

PAUL MITCHEll

 

Seventy-year-old Feilding grandpa Gary Southee hopes to see more older people in motocross, and he's out there proving age is no barrier.

He may not have his original knees, but Feilding grandpa Gary Southee is going to keep competing in motocross for as long as he can still swing his leg over a bike.

At 70 years old, Southee is still regularly racing in the veterans class competitions, which start at 35 years old, and doing well to boot.

"I'm racing with jokers half my age and I'm still up amongst it."

 

Seventy-year-old Feilding grandpa Gary Southee, who still rides in motocross competitions, has a hoon at a Whanganui track.

He rode competitively for six years, back when he was one of those young jokers, but he gave it up for 40 years.

Then 4½ years ago, while waiting for knee surgery, he went to support his son Robert Southee at a Hawke's Bay motocross event.

He suddenly realised how much he missed motocross, and decided he'd get back into competition.

Southee said his son was sceptical about him racing again.

"He said 'Pa, you're too old, too fat and not fit'. So I proved him wrong."

He won bronze in the over-60 class in motocross at the 2015 New Zealand Masters Games, and narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2013 NZ Veteran Motocross Championship.

Every month he heads to Taupo with eight mates to hoon around on cross-country rides, up to 200 

"They're all a lot younger than me; they call me Pa or Granddad.

"They egg me on, saying 'come on old man' – it keeps me going."

It's a point of pride for Southee that he can still outlast younger riders in the longer races – the two-hour or four-hour events.

"All those 20- to 30-year-olds team it, they'll swap over, but I Ironman it and do it on my own."

But as much as he enjoys showing up the young ones, he hopes to encourage more old-timers to return to the sport.

"There's a few of us, but not many.

"I'm proving you can do it, that age is no barrier. It's only when you stop that you get old."

Southee said he wasn't planning on hanging up his helmet any time soon.

"I've had two total knee replacements, and a lot of bumps and bruises, but I'm not through riding. As long as I can throw my leg over a bike, I'll ride."

Colton Does Erzberg

Colton Haaker makes his way over the big pond to try and conquer the Iron Giant for the first time in his career. With our main film guy injured it was up to Rory to capture the madness that goes down at the Erzbergrodeo.

Back to Baja with a Vengeance

Ox Motorsports/MSR Looking for Redemption at SCORE Baja 500

June 02, 2016/ Dale Spangler

Back to Baja

Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Irvine, CA — Last time the Ox Motorsports/MSR team left the starting line for a Baja 500, they were fresh off wining the inaugural Baja Sur 500 and looking to cruise to another victory. So much for the best laid plans as a catastrophic crash not only took the team out of contention, but left Justin Jones on the injured reserve list. “Sometimes you win, sometimes Baja kicks your butt!” said Ox Motorsports' Mark Samuels at the time. The boys are back in Baja this week with something to prove. Festivities for round 2 of 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship start on Thursday in Ensenada, Mexico for the 48th running of the legendary Baja 500.

 

The defending SCORE series champs will be fielding two teams: Colton Udall and Mark Samuels on the 1x Honda CRF450X and 3x of Ray Dal Soglio, Nic Garvin and Ian Young on another Ox Motorsports CRF450X. However, they won't be alone! With as many as 30 late entries being accepted onsite, an expanded field of nearly 250 teams is set to take on the challenging 477.52-mile course starting and finishing in Ensenada this week.

“Last year's crash and the expanded field give the guys two good reasons to run both the 1x and the 3x bikes,” says MSR Brand Manager Brent Harden. MSR is proud of the #WeAreOffRoad mantra, but Baja is special. “It has been 48 years since Malcolm Smith first won Baja and we are honored that Ox Motorsports is flying our Legend 71 colors in the 500. Malcolm's legacy lives on!”

“We have a bike that is built to win on, and we have plenty of motivation” added MSR/Ox Motorsports team leader Samuels before the start of the Baja 500. “See you in Ensenada!”

Reprint from DirtBuzz.com

Chad Reed | In Another Country

Reedy packs his bags for a two-race run at MXGP Glory

June 03, 2016 By Donn Maeda  

By Eric Johnson

“I’m just grateful that Jan De Groot brought me to Europe and gave me a chance. I’m just a 19-year-old kid living my dream.”

The date was Sunday, September 3, 2001 and the site the sandy Circuit of Lierop in Holland. 19 year-old 250cc World Championship rookie Chad Reed had just won the Grand Prix of Dutch Brabant, the first major international victory of his career. Atop the victory podium with factory Kawasaki team owner Jan De Groot, Reed, all the way from far flung Kurri Kurri, Australia, had won Australia’s first World Championship Grand Prix in over a decade, and while thrilled with the result, he mind was already elsewhere.

“I felt I could win here in the GPs,” added Reed. “It’s been an important part of my preparation for America, coming to Europe.”

And so it was. By the end of September, Reed was off to America in a quest to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming an AMA Supercross Champion. And we all know what happened next.

Fifteen years and multiple American Supercross and motocross titles later, Chad Reed is not only one of the most successful and decorated racers of the last decade, but one of the very best riders the sport of motocross has ever seen.

But that was then and this is now. Straight off the 2016 Monster Energy Supercross Series, where he placed a very respectable fifth overall for the Yamaha Motor Corp., Reed is now poised to go back to where it really all started for him, Europe and the MXGP World Championship Series. With the urging and support of backers Yamaha and Monster Energy, come Sunday, June 19 at Matterley Basin, Winchester, Reed will compete in the MXGP of Great Britain. A week later at the Mantova circuit, the Australian will line up for the MXGP of Lombardia-Italy. Furthermore, come the month of September, Reed will also compete in both Monster Energy MXGP of Americas and Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina as well as the Monster Energy MXGP of USA at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. With all of this on his plate in the immediate future, on the eve of his departure for Europe, Reed took some time to talk about the supercross season that was and the summer this is to be. Equal parts enthused and intrigued to see what the two GP dates will bring him, Reed, arguably the most popular motocross/Supercross racer on Earth, was ready to, well, get the show on the road. Read on.

Chad, you’re off to Europe to compete in two MXGP races, one in England and just one a week later, one in Italy. If I have it right, you have not competed in a Grand Prix since you left Europe for the United States back in the autumn of 2001, correct?

Yeah, I haven’t raced a GP since I left there doing it full-time in 2001. Obviously, a lot has changed since then. We had a blast that year. I’m excited. It’s not a perfect scenario. I’m probably not as ready and comfortable as what I’d like to be, but I think it’ll be fun. I just want to make it for what it is. I’m not going for the championship or anything crazy like that. It’s low pressure, really, and I just want to go and try and have fun. Obviously, I want to be competitive, or as competitive as I can be, but for me I just want to go and have some fun.

Considering all that you’ve accomplished here in the U.S. in the last fifteen years, I’d imagine it has to be pretty cool to be able to go back overseas to Europe and jump back on the MXGP circuit again. You were only there for a year back in ’01, but you definitely have a history there, don’t you?

Yeah, I was only there a short year, but during that short year I learned so much. I was young and everybody treated me like I was one of their own. When you’re so young and those people were so nice and looked after us… Yeah, it was fun. We have great memories from that one year. I’m looking forward to it. Like I said, the GPs obviously have changed a lot in the last fifteen years. It’s crazy. It trips me out that it has been fifteen years since I’ve raced a GP. Obviously, I’ve done quite a few Motocross des Nations and for the most part those races events are run by the same people and with the same format and all that kind of stuff, so it’s not like I haven’t been over there and been involved in the same running of everything. Yeah, to officially go back and do a GP will be fun. And actually, the year that I was there, I never got to do a GP in England, so that’ll be cool. Wait, Ellie [Reed] just reminded me I did the Motocross des Nations in England at the end of 2008 (at Donington Park). I was there, but my performance was pathetic(laughter). So, yeah, it’s been a long time.

You were only 19 years-old when you did that 250cc Grand Prix season. To leave Australia at that young of an age and base yourself in Europe to try and become a champion, man, that’s a pretty big gamble, isn’t it?

It’s kind of one of those things that, yeah, it was a gamble, but for me it was an opportunity of a lifetime, you know? I did it how I wanted to do it. I, for the most part, ruined the relationship with my parents and did a lot of things that I wanted to do. I wanted to do it my way and go a race GPs. I took my girlfriend with me at the time, Ellie, and just did things differently. It changed me for life and kind of made us who we are today. For me, it wasn’t a gamble; it was just an experience of a lifetime. I just always wanted to go and race on a world stage. Obviously, my first goal was supercross because that was my first at the time, but the U.S. wasn’t hiring Australians at the time so I had to go and make a name for myself in the GPs. As it turned out, it was an amazing experience. I’m glad I took the opportunity that I did, but it would have been nice to maybe stay another year. Jan De Groot begged me to stay and try to contend for a World Championship, but for me at the time, I just wanted to get to the U.S. and race supercross. Yeah, looking back on my time, it would have been cool to have given my shot at a World Championship.

So just how did this two-race, one-off MXGP program fall into place? I mean it’s a lot of work and it takes a lot of effort to pull something like this off, isn’t it?

Yeah, for me it was with doing supercross-only with my Yamaha contract, I had some time off after that series, and with Monster needing some American-based guys to do some GPs, they asked if I would do it. The thought of going back and doing some GPs in my somewhat off-time sounded fun. It sounded like it would be something cool and interesting. The original plan was to take my family and we were all going to go, but plans have since changed a little bit, but it’s a two-year thing so I plan on going back next year and taking the whole family. We want to make a trip of it and Ellie and I can go and look back on things and go around Europe.

And there can be no doubt that the motocross fans of Europe are going to thrilled to see you race over there – especially those who can make it out to the GPs set for Matterley Basin and Montova.

Yeah, I think at least from my social media pages, everybody is very excited. England has a very strong moto following and we never get to go there. There are no off-season supercross races there and now it seems like they don’t really have those anymore, so I think those fans are starved a little bit to see supercross and supercross riders. It seems like they’re really excited about this. Italy is probably one of my favorite countries in the world and I’m excited. I’ll be based there and I’m going to hang out there. I’ll bounce back and forth between riding at Maggiora and Yamaha Rinaldi. They’re the factory Yamaha team of Europe and they’re based in Parma. And if I have time, maybe I’ll go over to Tavullia and see Valentino Rossi a little bit and ride the Ranch. Yeah, I’ll kind of be going back and forth and I’m not sure if our schedules will meet.

I’m not just saying this because I’m talking with you right now, but to my way of seeing things, overall and all things considered, you’re the most popular motocross racer in the world right now. I think it’s good for the sport that a racer at your level can go around to different nations and meet and race for the fans. Agreed?

Yeah, I mean for me personally, it’s a lot to take on and I’m as competitive as ever. I mean I want to do well, so I take that on a little bit. Being popular – you know I came from Australia and I went to Europe and then I came to America – I do have a world following and it’s nice to be able to get out and do this. That’s what I love about MotoGP. For me, I grew up in Australia, so anytime you wanted to do anything, you had to travel and you had to get on a plane and you had to go overseas. For me, I think that’s fun. I think getting on a plane and seeing new people and new fans and new places is always exciting.

Will the Michelli Rinaldi-led Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team provide you with the bikes and all the logistical support needed while you are in Europe?

Yeah, we’re fortunate enough in that Yamaha has a really solid production bike and we’re just, literally, taking some suspension and a few little pieces and what-not with us. We’re just going to run a straight-stock engine with a pipe and an ECU on it. Those things rip. Like I said, I want to do well, but we’re just going to have some fun and to enjoy the time and to see fans and try and get some results while we’re there.

Have you been able to watch any of the of the ’16 MXGP races on TV or on the internet?

I have, actually. Yeah, I’ve been keeping up on it. For the most part I keep on it more than the AMA stuff. It looks like that series right now is really competitive. You know I haven’t raced Tim Gajser and I haven’t raced Romain Febvre, but for the most part, the rest of them I’ve raced numerous times ant the des Nations. It seems like that whole crew racing over there has stepped it up and I think Gajser and Febvre have lifted the level up. It seems like the pace is high. It’s like it is here – you really need a good start to be up front and try to go with the good guys. You know I haven’t really rode motocross to my full potential, or how I think I can ride it, so I’m just hoping to go get good starts and make it fun and to ride motocross the way I know I can. That’s really the biggest thing for me. I’ll be happy just to go and tear up some outdoors and ride the way I know I can. That’s what I’m most looking forward to.

And what of Antonio Cairoli? I remember watching you two guys chase each other around during the opening moto at the 2009 Motocross of Nations in Franciacorta, Italy.

Yeah, Cairoli is one of my good friends. I talk to him all the time. He’s a good guy. I’m looking forward to it. It seems like he’s been struggling a little bit with an off-season injury coming into the season, but it seems like he’s starting to his stride and win some races now. Yeah, and that race in 2009, he was the World Champion on the big bike over there and I was the AMA champ over here. We went to Italy and had a good battle in the first moto. For me, if I’m battling with him, I’m up front and that would be good thing. I‘d love to go and battle with Cairoli.

I have to ask you, way down deep, what type of results over there would please you?

I don’t know… I want to do well. I really, really want to do well. Since 2011, I have just stunk and really, really sucked at outdoors. I feel like I’m better than that. I just want to go to Europe and have fun and I want to ride good. For me, if I go and have fun and I’m riding good, I think I can surprise. If I ride like I did the last three years, then I’ll struggle and it won’t be any fun. And that’s not the plan. The plan is to try and go and have some fun and for me fun is riding to my potential and running up front. That’s the goal. It is what it is. I just need to make the most of it and go have some fun. I think good starts will help me and put me in a good position. I hope to be up front and see if I can grab a tow.

And come September, will you compete in the Charlotte Motor Speedway and Glen Helen United States Grands Prix?

That is the plan, yes. For me, these two European GPs are going to be held in early summer, so I’ll get to have some down time after this. The two American races sort of fall during crunch time when I’m getting ready for Monster Cup and all those types of things. We’ll see how those events are. For me, it’s like those two American rounds are so far ahead that I’m not even really thinking about those two yet. I want to get through these two GPs first. I’m excited. Since closing TwoTwo Motorsports I don’t feel like I’ve gotten the break that I’ve wanted. I kind of wanted to recharge and I never got that, you know? We shut down TwoTwo and then I was excited to try and get a job and the job that I wanted didn’t really come that easy. I signed my Yamaha contract at Anaheim I. I spent the off-season with sleepless nights trying to figure out how I was going to do it. I was just holding my breath during the off-season. I’m pumped that I got through supercross healthy. It was a solid year. It wasn’t stellar, but it was solid. I’m going to do these two GPs and have some fun and then I’m going to go to Australia for a month and just recharge the batteries and let all my worries go to be honest with you. After that I’ll worry about those two GPs at the end of the year when I get back. I’m excited to go over to Europe and do well. We’ll see what happens.

A Couple of Farm Bikes!

Cody Webb Becomes First American to Podium Erzberg

American rider Cody Webb became the first American to grab a podium spot at the Red Bull Hare Scramble, with a second place in the 2016 Erzbergrodeo. Webb caught Alfredo Gómez at Lazy Noon, the penultimate checkpoint of the 25 stages the riders had to negotiate on the gruelling course. As the pair struggled to overcome a particularly difficult climb, each rider made multiple attempts to conquer the steep rise, and it was Webb who managed to do so first.