Supercross tuner joins AMA Racing as technical manager

The American Motorcyclist Association has added acclaimed racing tuner Jeremy Albrecht to the AMA Racing department’s ranks as the technical manager.

Jeremy Albrecht joins the AMA’s racing staff with a wealth of experience in motorcycle competition and is one of the most successful tuners in the history of AMA Racing. (Photo: AMA Racing)

“We’re pleased to add the talented Jeremy Albrecht to our racing staff as our technical manager,” says Mike Pelletier, AMA director of racing. “Jeremy’s extensive experience and successful career at the highest levels of AMA Supercross and motocross competition will undoubtedly strengthen our racing team.”

Albrecht joins the AMA’s racing staff with a wealth of experience in motorcycle competition. Getting his start as an amateur racer, Albrecht used his racing background to become one of the most successful tuners in the history of AMA Supercross and pro motocross.

Starting as a mechanic for his brother, Joel, in 1991, Albrecht quickly made a name for himself as a tuner. In 1995, Albrecht paired with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jeff Emig, aiding the legendary racer to four titles — including the 1997 AMA Supercross championship.

After his time with Emig, Albrecht became the tuner for another AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer — James Stewart. From 2002-2007, the duo captured seven professional motocross championships — including the 2006 and 2007 AMA Supercross titles.

Following his dominant stretch with Stewart, Albrecht spent 13 years at Joe Gibbs Racing MX — spanning the team’s entire run from 2007-2020.

After Joe Gibbs Racing MX Team ceased operations in 2020, Albrecht remained with JGR in its new business development, working on the manufacturing side of the organization. During this time, Albrecht became involved with the AMA as a rider representative.

Now, Albrecht’s role with the AMA will expand as he will serve as the technical manager for the organization’s racing efforts.

“I’m excited to be back at the races full-time. Working with Mike Pelletier and the AMA crew the last few years has made me want to do more to help grow the sport,” Albrecht says. “I like the direction they are going and can’t wait to do my part.”

Sipes, Baylor Team Up

Ryan Sipes announced that he has joined Steward Baylor’s Rocky Mountain/Red Bear Racing Kawasaki Off-Road Team as the team’s manager.

Ryan Sipes is the new manager for Steward Baylor’s Rocky Mountain/Red Bear Racing Kawasaki Off-Road Team.

Known for his remarkable versatility, Sipes boasts an impressive professional Supercross and motocross career, and he has also excelled in off-road racing. Notably, he was the first American to achieve the individual overall title in the ISDE. His wealth of knowledge should be a significant asset to Baylor’s expanding GNCC and National Enduro program.

Sipes said, “I am proud to be managing the Rocky Mountain/Red Bear Racing Kawasaki Off-Road Team for 2025 and beyond. I am super grateful for the opportunity and excited to get back into GNCC and National Enduro racing. The atmosphere is just different in off-road, in a good way. And, although I won’t be racing, it’s going to be fun passing along my knowledge to our riders and helping them be their best and achieve their goals. Now that we aren’t competitors, I can finally share my secrets with him!

“I was a Team Green rider all throughout my amateur career. It feels good to be back with the brand. The new KXs are amazing bikes, we have great mechanics, [and] we have winning riders. We have an unbelievable practice facility at The Shoals MX. Our whole facility is top notch.” CN

Jett Lawrence talks ahead of Anaheim 1

Alcavi Bikes x TRIUMPH Racing 2025

Dakar Stage 5

Luciano Benavides has claimed an impressive stage win on the final day of week one at the 2025 Dakar Rally, his first stage victory, moving him up to seventh overall after five stages.

Intensity!!

Will we see this level of intensity at A1?

Brabec Crashes Out!

Results from stage three of the 2023 Dakar Rally where Daniel Sanders romped his GASGAS to a five-minute win on a long day in the Saudi Arabia desert to become the new race leader – Honda’s Ricky Brabec crashes out of the race.

Dakar ’23 Stage 3 in a nutshell:

• Riders faced 668km from Al Ula to Ha’il today on stage three. A tough 447km of special test was billed as one of the most spectacular days in the ’23 rally and riders were treated to some awesome scenery, if they were looking, some dunes and a bonus of a cold, wet ride to the bivouac.
• For the second day in a row Daniel Sanders was the fastest guy, running scratch leader most the day from his P9 start position. The Aussie was hanging the others out to dry (literally) with the exception of Ricky Brabec who was busy making amends for his stage one result.
• Sadly, it all ended shortly after refuelling for Brabec who crashed at kilometre 274 and exits the rally in a helicopter, following Sam Sunderland to the Saudi hospital. 
• Stage three was the first chance to see new time bonus system in play and at the 240km refuelling point the scores were in: Sanders led scratch but Mason Klein had opened the way all morning and was rewarded with 5'52’’ in bonuses. Skyler Howes did the same from P3 off the start to stack up 3’14’’ of bonus time and all three were within 10” of each other.
• The second half of the stage saw Sanders maintaining his lead in dunes and, taking no timeout today, took the stage and is now the new overall rally leader by over four minutes.
• Argentinian Kevin Benavides enjoys the dunes too and came stronger as this long day unfolded. The KTM rider was the only one to gain any time back on Sanders and was initally given P2 on stage but dropped to P4 after a two minute speed penalty.
• Training buddies Klein and Howes continued to open the track together in the afternoon and although the overnight leader Klein lost time scratch on Sanders, in the end he finished second in front of Howes and lies second overall.
• Howes has put in two very strong days now and his second place on stage means the Husqvarna rider lies fourth overall, eight minutes behind the leader but two minutes ahead of the highest placed Honda rider Joan Barreda in fifth.
• Mike Wiedemann took the stage win in the Original by Motul class today, beating Mario Patrao by just one minute. Charan Moore leads overall.
• It was all change in the Rally 2 class today as BAS KTM’s Paolo Lucci won the day after a scrap with ’22 runner up Romain Dumontier. Frenchman, Camille Chapeliere was third as overnight leader Charan Moore hit problems and lost 44 minutes.
• The stage was stopped at CP2 + CP3 for later bikes (only 43 made it back to the paddock as horrendous weather made life a nightmare on the course and they canned it for safety considerations – the lead riders results stand and those affected will have their result calculated based on their average across the rest of the stage. Tomorrow’s stage will not be affected.

A1 Returns Saturday

Will this man have an impact?

Stage 2 Day 1 Highlights - Dakar 2025

Jett Lawrence talks testing the new Honda for supercross

Jett Lawrence has given an insight into what testing a new bike entails as he heads into the first defence of his 450 supercross title. And, while he doesn’t seem to have a weakness as a rider, some are saying that having to set-up a new bike may give his rivals an opening that they have to take advantage of, especially in the early rounds if Lawrence is still searching for the perfect set-up.

An honest Lawrence told Jason Thomas at the SMX media day that it is taking time to get the bike in the right place:

“It definitely adds a lot more testing. We got through a lot more production testing on outdoors instead of supercross. So we have to go through a lot more parts, ‘does this part work? No, it doesn’t, okay, this part helps part helps this part but it makes this part worse. So, it is just a lot of that stuff, and it just takes time it is a lot more testing with that.

“But I am looking forward this year, this bike, I know it is going to be better, we just have to find the right parts for it right now and that’s what we are doing but looking forward to it (the new season).“

Now, one month later from those comments, it is race week for Anaheim one, and the world will see just how comfortable Jett and Honda are on their new machine in less than seven days.

It might be the glimmer of hope the competition need going into 2025, but if Jett still comes out and dominates like he did last year with the new bike on point, where does that leave the rest of the field mentally? The testing is done, the countdown is on to A1.