MXGP of Portugal 2024

CHAOS IN PORTUGAL

Absolutely muddy conditions all weekend long at the MXGP of Portugal brought a chaotic weekend for teams and riders. After a sloppy qualifying day on Saturday, Liam Everts backed up his qualifying race win with two moto wins on Sunday to claim his second consecutive overall MX2 win. Rick Elzinga claimed second overall with 4-2 moto finishes over Thibault Benistant’s 5-4 moto finishes. Kay de Wolf finished 3-9 for fourth overall, limiting the damage. Behind the Husqvarna rider was 2023 MX2 Champion Andrea Adamo with 6-7 moto finishes.

Simon Längenfelder finished second in the first race but suffered a crash in race two and scored 23rd after not finishing the race. He is suspected to have a collarbone injury, which will impact his run at the championship. De Wolf entered the weekend with a 26-point lead over Längenfelder but now leaves with a 30-point advantage over Längenfelder and a 58-point advantage over Everts in third place.

In the MXGP Class, Tim Gajser picked up where he left off on Saturday, as the qualifying race winner found himself in the early lead moto one. Gajser was challenged by Jeffrey Herlings out front as championship leader Jorge Prado crashed while running fourth. He stopped for new goggles and gloves and then had to make yet another pit stop on the final lap, eventually coming through the checkered flag 15th. Gajser would repass Herlings for the race lead, then suddenly the #84 machine was at a standstill on the track as his KTM expired! Gajser cruised to the moto win.

So, Gajser entered the second moto with not only the first gate pick, but also the championship lead! But in the first turn of race two, the #243 slid out! Romain Febvre, Pauls Jonass, Herlings, and Prado were out front, but then Prado crashed himself going down the first hill! Herlings would go on to take the win, lapping Prado as he took the checkered flag. Herlings finished 23-1 officially for ninth overall. Gajser finished tenth, going 1-10 for third overall as Prado finished 13th overall, going 15-12.

Finishing a steady 2-2 was Pauls Jonass to claim his and the Standing Construct Honda team’s first ever MXGP overall win ahead of Febvre’s 3-4 and Gajser.

In terms of the championship, Gajser scored 46 on the weekend compared to Prado’s 19 total points, meaning a 27-point swing in the championship as the #243 machine leaves round five with a 14-point gap on Prado.

What killed the two stroke in motocross?

The beginning of the end for the relationship between two-strokes and AMA Pro Motocross and Supercross came in the form of the Yamaha YZ400F. Introduced for the 1997 Supercross series, the four-stroke Yammie was a one-off build Yamaha executives had talked AMA into accepting on the premise of environmental safety. AMA agreed that if the company mass-produced the motorcycle, it could indeed enter its bike into the pro circuit.

The YZ400F debuted on May 17, 1997, at the final race of the season in Las Vegas. Those who had heard about the bike doubted its efficacy, as two-strokes were simply the answer in motocross at the time. But Rider Doug Henry opened a two-second gap in the first lap and struck the first nail into the coffin of the two-stroke in motocross. The heavier engine stabilized the bike, delivered superior torque, and exposed the weaknesses of the zippy two-strokes. Motocross never looked back.

AMA ultimately allowed two-strokes and four-strokes to compete against each other, with one major caveat: Two-strokes needed to have half of the displacement. In other words, two-stroke 125cc bikes would have to race 250cc four-strokes, and 250cc two-strokes against 500 cc four-strokes. The die was cast. After a few years of mixed-class racing, it was no more — the day of the two-stroke was over. If you tune into an AMA Motocross series today, you'll see nothing but 250cc four-strokes and 450cc four-strokes. The day of the two-stroke was over.

The future of the two stroke in motocross

The good news is that two strokes are alive and well despite their absence from the pro-circuit. Cheaper and relatively easy to maintain, amateurs and weekend warriors are still zipping their way around dirt tracks all across the country. Two-strokes command a cult following, and their distinctive buzzy exhaust note is looked upon fondly by old-timers who remember the days of yore and young riders who maintain their own bikes. Wealthy factory teams also don't need to worry much about the higher maintenance cost. In fact, there is still a call for the return of the two-stroke.

Vintage Motocross World Cup 2024

The FIM Vintage Motocross World Cup 2024 will be staged at the iconic Foxhill circuit in Great Britain over the weekend of 13-14 July, when a new World Cup Winner in FIM Vintage Motocross will be crowned.

A one-off event for 2024, it is open to riders aged thirty-five to sixty-five who will compete in a single Evo Open class for two-stroke motorcycles manufactured from 1989 to 2004 with an engine capacity of between 125cc and 550cc, giving riders the opportunity to chase the dream and run away with the title of FIM World Cup Winner over just one weekend. 

Run alongside a round of the British Motocross Championship, the simple format will give competitors from all over the world two practice sessions – one free and one timed - followed by an opening fifteen-minute plus one lap race on Saturday plus another two thrilling similar races on Sunday. The winner will be decided by the the overall score after the three races, all this for an attractive entry fee set by the Organisers: Langrish Motorcycle Club & RHL Activities.

Foxhill was the setting for a string of epic British Motocross Grands Prix in the 1990s with riders of the calibre of Stefan Everts, Alessio Chiodi, Sebastien Tortelli and Yves Demaria all winning there. Set in a steep-sided valley, the track is rated by Everts – the most successful Motocross racer of all time – as one of his favourites as he led Belgium to victory there in the 1998 FIM Motocross of Nations.

Definition of a Holeshot

Lawrence Brothers Take Denver!

Jett Lawrence and Hunter Lawrence went 1-2 in Denver as Jett took a massive stride towards winning the 450 supercross title in his rookie season.

Hunter holeshot and lead for ten minutes with Jett making the move when he saw Jason Anderson closing in, Jett controlling the race from there with Hunter just a couple of seconds back.

Cooper Webb took fifth but it was revealed he has been riding with a wrist injury and the Star Yamaha rider crossed the line barely able to even gold on.

Teammate Tomac had the crowd cheering as he got into third with Jett in his sights in the opening couple of laps until he slid out and Chase Sexton crashed in the first turn and then again after passing Webb for fifth. A tough night for the last two supercross champs.

Jett said: “I was screaming in my helmet the first lap when it was he and I up front. He was riding awesome. It is an awesome accomplishment for out family.”

Webb said: “It’s not great, I have a thumb injury and tore my ucl, and we tore it worse last weekend. It’s frustrating when you can’t perform, it’s a bummer. It’s 17 rounds and you have to stay healthy and I didn’t do that. It’s a dagger, try to keep my head up, it sucks.”

Silly Season

These days, the top 450 riders generally sign multi-year deals, and the 2022 and 2024 seasons witnessed the big moves in the class (like Eli Tomac and Jason Anderson’s big moves in ’22, Cooper Webb and Chase Sexton switching teams for this season). Now a lot of 450 riders are set with deals that run through 2025.

In the 250 class, last night Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team owner Mitch Payton called into the PulpMX Show and said he had re-signed Seth Hammaker and Cameron McAdoo. Fresh new contracts (which we believe are multi-year deals) take some of the sting out of seasons filled with ups and downs for McAdoo and Hammaker. At one point McAdoo was running the red plate in 250SX East Region, only for it to blow up in heartbreaking fashion a few weeks ago in Nashville. Don’t cry for Cam, he will be back with several more chances to get that title.

“He was one of the kids that, even on minibikes, he wasn’t a silver spoon kid who had everything, but he ripped!” said Payton. “I was like ‘This guy is pretty good! Who is this kid?’ He works hard and he’s not a flake. That’s the kind of kid that I like, so I’ll stay with it.”

"He works hard and he’s not a flake. That’s the kind of kid that I like." -Mitch Payton on Seth Hammaker.Align Media

One of the misunderstood parts of factory contracts is the bonus structure for podiums, wins, and championships. A good salary is nice, but every rider has a chance to multiply that income several times over based on strong results. The top salaries in the class generally fall in the $150,000-$300,000 range. A season with a title or two, and multiple race wins and podiums, can quickly add up to one or even two million dollars for a 250 rider. Then you can add in the potential purse paydays in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) at the end of the year. 

So, when it comes to switching teams, really, performance is what pays.

“I understand that, if there’s a guy that’s really fast and you really want him, then probably Star is going to want him, KTM is going to want him, but there’s probably a limit to how much you’re going to spend to get him,” said Payton. “The bonuses are worth way more than the contract. So, find the guy that wants to make a lot of money [in bonuses]. We’ll make you a fair offer but we’re not just gonna double it [your salary] just because you seem cool.”

 

Max Anstie after winning Philadelphia Supercross. Align Media

With McAdoo and Hammaker off the market, who else is available? Max Anstie has been great the last two seasons with the privateer Firepower Honda squad, notching two wins and also holding the red plate earlier this season. Max is rumored to have signed a new deal with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing for 2025, although he’ll have to sit on that news for a while, as he’s still contracted with the Firepower Honda team through this fall’s Australian Supercross Championship (where he is the defending champion in the 250 class). For now, all Max could say about his future was that, “We’ve got some exciting things coming.”

Max raced for Star Yamaha way, way back in 2010. He and the team have come a long way. Anstie on Star for 2025 could be a potent combination.

As for Payton, he’s ready to keep working with the riders he already has and trying to make his bikes and their performances better.

Says Payton: “If the grass ain’t greener, water your own grass.”

Qualifying Highlights | MXGP of Portugal 2024

Gajser Wins MXGP Qualifier

Five time World motocross champion Tim Gajser has taken victory in the Saturday MXGP qualification race with a brilliant pass on early leaders Jorge Prado and Jeffrey Herlings. The HRC factory rider looked brilliant in the very tough and muddy conditions. The points gap between Prado and Gajser in the MXGP championship points are now just seven points.

Tim Gajser: I had a good start, but I ran wide and Jorge Pass me and Jeffrey was very aggressive and I knew I had to pass straight away. I surprised them and took the lead, but when I got to the lappers, it was just one line and not easy to pass. It was important to do the sighting lap, because the track is sketchy and I found it really important.

World MXGP championship points are now 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 223 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 216 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 182 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 173 p.; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 148 p.;

Prado led from Gajser and Herlings, both really pushing to stay with Prado. Gajser into first and Herlings second as they both made really nice passes on the leader. Prado third, then came Jonass, Febvre, Prado now in fifth, then Bogers, Vlaanderen, Coldenhoff, Bonacorsi, and Toendel in 10^th. Prado all over the place and nearly off the track.

Gajser and Herlings pushing hard for first and second and Prado now back in sixth place as Bogers passed him. Prado looking to pit for goggles as he struggles big time with his goggles. On lap one the lead by Gajser was nearly five seconds over Herlings, then Febvre, Jonass, Bogers, Prado, Coldenhoff, Bonacorsi, Vlaanderen and Toendel.

Jonass dropped down and Coldenhoff moved past Prado. Riders all over the place in these tough conditions. On lap three it was Gajser with a 6.5 second lead over Herlings, then Febvre 10 seconds off the leader, followed by Bogers, Coldenhoff (The Dutch loving the mud), Prado, Vlaanderen, Jonass, Ostlund, and Guadagnini in 10^th.

Lap four and the lead by Gajser was 5.4 seconds, with Herlings three seconds ahead of Febvre and Bogers 25 seconds off the leader. Then came Coldenhoff, Vlaanderen, Prado in seventh, Jonass, Ostlund and Guadagnini.

Prado nearly a minute off Gajsers pace in seventh with Jonass looking for a way past the Spaniard. Jonass all over Prado as the red plate man really having a hard time in these conditions and possibly with goggles issues. Jonass into seventh and Prado drops to eight. Gajser getting closer and closer to the red plate. The points difference between Prado and Gajser would be just a few points now.

Prado back into seventh as Coldenhoff slipped over and dropped to eight place. The lead by Gajser over Herlings was nearly eight seconds on lap six and Febvre getting closer to Herlings for second place. Prado more than a minute off the lead by the HRC man. Prado up to sixth place as he continued to gain positions and points.

Herlings catching Gajser with the lead just 4.7 seconds with three laps remaining. The Bullet making a late race charge it seems. The lead was suddenly just 2.8 seconds and Herlings looking for another moto win.

Herlings all over Gajser now as he puts the heat on in the wet conditions. Seewer in 17^th place being lapped by Gajser and Herlings. Gajser putting in some good final lap times and the lead was four seconds with two laps remaining.

Coldenhoff passed Prado to drop the red plate man into seventh position and the points gap between Prado and Gajser closed right down today. Herlings again all over Gajser with the final lap remaining. Lappers making life difficult for Gajser, but he holds off to win from Herlings and Febvre. 

Tomac In For Nationals!

HE’S IN! Yamaha is excited to announce Eli Tomac will return for the full upcoming Pro Motocross series as part of the SMX World Championship. Welcome back champ, let’s go get this!⁠

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing is pleased to announce that Eli Tomac will line up for the upcoming Pro Motocross season and race the entire 2024 SuperMotocross World Series. The two-time Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX and four-time Pro Motocross 450MX Champion is excited to build off of a strong supercross season to make a run at his fifth premier class title outdoors. 

This year marks Tomac’s third year with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, where he has been enjoying a successful tenure. In addition to securing the 2022 450SX and 450MX Championships, he was Captain of the victorious Team USA at the Motocross of Nations that year. Although he was sidelined last year for the Pro Motocross Championship with an Achilles injury sustained at the penultimate round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, he has amassed an impressive tally of wins in both series with the team – 15 in supercross and 14 in motocross. The victories have not only bolstered his position as the winningest rider currently racing, but also his legacy in the sport. Tomac holds the runner-up spot on the all-time premier-class win list in supercross with 52 wins, as well as the title of winningest rider at Daytona Supercross with seven victories at the iconic venue.\

Tomac has enjoyed his return to racing in 2024. He currently sits third in the 450SX point standings with a win and five runner-up finishes thus far with two rounds remaining in Monster Energy AMA Supercross. The Colorado rider will then switch gears to Pro Motocross, where he will launch his 450MX title campaign at the season opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, on May 25, also Round 18 of the SuperMotocross World Series.

Jim Roach – Yamaha Racing Department Manager for YMUS
“We’re happy to have Eli race the entire SMX World Championship and make another title run in Pro Motocross. It’s not only great for Yamaha and the team to see Eli continue racing, but also for the sport. The racing has been better than ever in Supercross, and we look forward to the upcoming outdoor season and SMX series.”

Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“We’re excited to have Eli on board for the whole SMX season. It’s been a great year so far with his return to racing after last year’s injury, and we’re looking to build on our momentum going into the outdoor season. We’re looking to bring the #1 plate back.”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“We can officially announce that we are in for the full SMX season. It really came down to wanting to continue what we have going on. I’ve been feeling great on the motorcycle. We’re getting into our groove, and I feel like we’re going to be really strong in Pro Motocross and for the SMX series. I’m excited to keep racing!”