Ferrandis to Phoenix Honda

“Stoked to find a new home at Phoenix Honda,” he said. He also thanked the Phoenix Honda crew for the opportunity and has been looking to “ride red for a long time.”

He finished off the post, saying, “Let’s get to work and be ready for 2024.”

Ferrandis’ most recent success came in 2021 when he won the AMA 450cc Pro Motocross Championship aboard a Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha, but the Frenchman has since struggled, mostly with injuries. Ferrandis was left without a ride after Eli Tomac announced he is returning in 2024 with his current Star Yamaha team and the Star’s re-signing of former Red Bull KTM rider Cooper Webb

Art Eckman the Voice of Moto!

 

We are sad to report of the passing of Art Eckman, the longtime television host of Monster Energy Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross, as well as the weekly Moto World show, and countless other sporting events, near his home in Georgia. He was 81 years old. 

For an entire generation of motorsports viewers Eckman was the voice of supercross and motocross. Teamed with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame rider David Bailey in the TV booth, Eckman's voice became synonymous with two-wheeled motorsports. He highly respected in and around the paddock by such racing icons Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Stanton, Damon Bradshaw and Jean-Michel Bayle, and later also became a mentor for future TV analysts and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Jeff Emig, Ricky Carmichael, Grant Langtson and James Stewart. His voice was an indelible part of the sport and will be missed.

Earlier this year, Art attended the Atlanta Supercross, which gave long-time fans and colleagues a chance to catch up with one of the legendary figures of this sport.

Art is survived by his wife of 46 years, Donna Haines Eckman, as well as two daughters, Christine Eckman and Kara Eckman Mecke, along with Kara’s husband Ralph Mecke and their two children, Alastair and Cedric Mecke. 

Plans for a Celebration of Life service will be at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 10, 2023, at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30305.  In memory of Art’s life and in lieu of flowers, the family suggests that a donation be made to InCommunity. InComunity, is a non-profit organization that provides support to individuals with developmental disabilities. Over the years, this organization has been a significant part of the Eckman family as its staff has helped Christine Eckman thrive in her community.  

World Vet Podium 2023

This is a great podium in any era! Brown, McGrath, Dubach...still very fast.

World Vet Live Coverage

Hey Moto Fan, Watch the LIVE broadcast of the 2023 Dubya World Vet Motocross Championship from Glen Helen this Sunday, Nov 5th, at 8:20 a.m. (PST) straight from race day at the iconic Glen Helen raceway, coming to you on the MXA YouTube Channel.  Event Highlights: 📅 When: This Sunday, 8:20 a.m. PST 🏁R aces to Watch: 30 Pro Race and World Cup Class 🎥 Where: Motocross Action’s YouTube Channel Riders of distinction from around the world are gearing up, each aiming for the revered Vet crown. Witness motocross legends like Mike Brown, Doug Dubach, Kurt Nichol and Sean Lipanovich in intense competition, as they seek to add another accolade to their storied careers. Why Our Broadcast is Special: High-End Production: Our expert crew ensures you get a seamless viewing experience. Bird's Eye View: Drone pilots will capture every twist and turn from the skies above. In-Depth Analysis: Stay informed with play-by-play commentary from our seasoned analysts. 🔔 Ensure you don’t miss out! Click here to watch and set a reminder! Best, MOTOCROSS ACTION MAGAZINE © 2023 Motocross Action Magazine, Hi-Torque Publications. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive promotions and offers from us. If you wish to unsubscribe, please do so. by clicking here.

Focus!

Honda 450... All Lawrence!

Team Honda HRC confirmed today that Hunter Lawrence will move up to the 450 class for the 2024 season, competing in the AMA Supercross, AMA Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross series. The 24-year-old Australian, who last season earned crowns in the 250SX East Region and 250 outdoor series, will campaign the factory Honda CRF450RWE alongside his brother, Jett Lawrence. “It’s a pleasure to move Hunter up to the CRF450RWE,” added Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing and Experiential Marketing at American Honda. “Since joining our team three years ago, he has consistently made a positive impact, in terms of results but also for the constructive, optimistic influence that he invariably brings. Last season saw him earn the 250 titles that we all knew he was capable of, but he’s also a very good 450 rider. We look forward to him adding to his success now that he’s in the premier class.” 

World Vet MX 11/4..Glen Helen

2023 DUBYA WORLD VET MX CHAMPIONSHIPS

Online Reg Closes:  11/1/2023, 10:00:00 AM

39th Annual Dubya World Vet MX Championships

Gate Hours:

Wednesday, November 1st       2pm-8pm

Thursday, November 2nd          8am-8pm

Friday, November 3rd                   6am-9pm

Saturday, November 4th              5:30am-9pm

Sunday, November 5th                 5:30am-6pm

Honda CR ELECTRIC PROTO shows leading pace in debut weekend in Saitama

Team HRC completes a successful competitive debut for the CR ELECTRIC PROTO in Japanese Motocross

After a successful qualifying run yesterday, Sunday’s race day brought mixed fortunes for Team HRC but a race-leading demonstration of pace of the new CR ELECTRIC PROTO.

In the morning’s practice, Trey Canard followed on seamlessly from his Saturday pace to go second fastest on the all-electric #41, making its global competitive debut this weekend.

Then came the first ever race for Honda’s new prototype machine, in the form of JMX Rd.8 Heat 1. The opening race was smooth, with Canard starting strongly, settling into a rhythm and crossing the line second aboard the CR ELECTRIC PROTO. As learning, development and ultimately the pace continued to improve throughout the weekend, Canard closed to just 0.7s off the fastest lap and was looking fast.

In the second heat, Canard again started well and looked to be set to keep building on the weekend’s momentum, but an early crash with heat 1 rival Jay Wilson unfortunately ruled him out of the race.

Returning for the third heat, Canard made best use of the Honda’s instant electric torque and again started strongly, taking the lead exiting the first corner. In fact, Canard took two of the three holeshots on CR ELECTRIC PROTO.

Starting to stretch that lead from his weekend-long rival, the #27 of Wilson, it would have been the perfect culmination of the weekend’s learning and work on the CR ELECTRIC PROTO to take the machine’s first win in its first ever competitive weekend - but unfortunately, as the track continued to get ever more rutted, Canard crashed with 12 and a half minutes remaining of the 15-minute race.

Nonetheless, with the opportunity provided by racing to learn, develop and prove the prototype machine in the heat of battle for the first time, it has been a successful and encouraging debut for the CR ELECTRIC PROTO - a weekend which has provided valuable data for ongoing development of Honda’s all-electric motocross initiative.

Trey Canard, no.41 CR ELECTRIC PROTO

“This weekend was definitely a big challenge for me but it was a great race for our development. Each time I was on the track we improved the motorcycle and the CR ELECTRIC PROTO team adapted to the challenge. 

“We had some shines of brilliance as a team, the starts being one of them with two of the three holeshots. There were also some sections on the track that were very impressive and that makes me excited for the future of this motorcycle. 

“I’m disappointed to not finish all of the motos after all of the hard work the team has put in but I think we showed that the potential of the bike is quite high especially for our very first attempt at racing. I’m grateful to be a part of this effort and I’m very proud of each and every person who has worked so hard.”

Taichi Honda, Team HRC Team Manager

“First of all, I would like to thank the development team and everyone involved for preparing the CR ELECTRIC PROTO to be ready for competition in such a short time.

“I would also like to thank Trey Canard for showing his potential even though he has only had a few tests.

“We had three heats for the first time today and we will take what we learnt from each race and feed it back to the ongoing development of the CR ELECTRIC project.” 

---

Trey Canard Debuts The New Honda CR Electric

Honda press release

Team HRC’s Trey Canard got the Honda CR ELECTRIC PROTO off to a flying start at the opening day of Round 8 of the All Japan Motocross Championship 2023 at Off-Road Village, Saitama. This is Honda’s first participation in an official race with an electric motorcycle.

Making a wildcard appearance in the premier IA1 category of the series, performing in the heat of competition for the first time, Honda’s electric prototype off-road machine proved fast in both of today’s sessions.

In the opening official practice, Canard, who currently serves as team advisor for American Honda Motor Co. Inc., set the second fastest time of the session aboard the number 41 machine and finished second overall just behind multiple champion Jay Wilson.

In the afternoon’s qualifying race, Canard crossed the line in fifth, wrapping up a successful debut day for the CR ELECTRIC PROTO and giving him a good gate pick to carry that momentum into tomorrow’s three race heats.

Trey Canard, no.41 CR ELECTRIC PROTO

“It was a good day overall. I didn’t really know where I or the bike stacked up. I was happy to have a good lap time in practice one and a good start in the qualifying race from pick 24 which has given us a better pick for tomorrow’s races.

“There are some areas I can improve with my riding for tomorrow and we will adjust the bike to fit the track better as well. It’s exciting to race the CR ELECTRIC PROTO, and I believe it will really help the development of the machine. It’s also fun for me to be back racing after a long time away from the starting gate.

“The development team has done a great job adapting the bike in the last month and it’s been a very fun process.”

Taichi Honda, Team HRC Team Manager

“I am very happy that we were able to complete today’s competitive debut of the CR ELECTRIC PROTO without any problems, and that we could see that the bike’s performance is strong. It’s Honda’s first major competitive outing for an electric machine so we are very pleased for this milestone in bringing another new Honda initiative to the world stage.

“Today’s running revealed some small issues, which is normal for such a prototype machine, and we will adopt countermeasures for tomorrow’s races. It’s a valuable part of testing and learning in such a competitive environment, which is our main objective from this weekend.

“I would like to thank all the people involved in this project for their cooperation and hard work. The opportunity to learn and develop with the CR ELECTRIC PROTO is more important than outright results this weekend, but today the performance was strong, the results were good and we are looking forward to more track time in the heats tomorrow.”

RC & Cairoli on New Brands!

The Big Four is no more! The motocross market place has grown and you don’t even have to cut the explosion of electric bikes to discover that lots of manufacturers wants to be in the motocross market—just not many Japanese companies. As for the Big Four, it  is likely that in the next year or two that will jump to the Big Nine—all of the new editions from European (if you don’t look into where they are actually made). That list has now grown bigger than the Big Four and  includes KTM, GasGas, Husqvarna, Triumph, Ducati, TM and Beta. It is an exciting time to be a motocrossers as Honda will have Trey Canard race their electric CRF in the All-Japan Championship this weekend and 2023 World Champion Jorge Prado flew to the USA to try out Supercross for a possible move to SoCal in 2025.