News and stories from the world of Powersports racing.
FMF Camp Coker Bullet: Motorcycle Race Report
SOCIETY HILL, S.C. (April 17, 2023) – Round five, the FMF Camp Coker Bullet, of the 2023 Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, (GNCC Racing) concluded Sunday, April 16 at Moree’s Sportsman’s Preserve in Society Hill, South Carolina. GNCC Racing saw its fifth different winner in just five races, with Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor battling to earn his first win since the 2021 season.
As the race got underway, it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong jumping off the line first to grab the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Open Pro Holeshot Award and the early lead as the racers headed into the woods. DeLong would continue to lead the way, but Baylor would begin to reel him in and by the five lap mark would make the pass for the lead. DeLong would continue to push, but Baylor would put his head down and try to place a gap between the two. Baylor came through to the checkered flag with a 36 second gap back to DeLong would hold onto second overall on the day in South Carolina.
FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley came through fourth on the opening lap but would soon make his way into third on the second lap. From there Kelley would remain for the duration of the race. Kelley continued to push through the challenging conditions, but he was ultimately unable to catch Baylor and DeLong at the front. Kelley now takes over the points lead in the National Championship standings.
Defending Champion and Magna1 Motorsports/Husqvarna-backed racer, Jordan Ashburn would battle throughout the day, finishing just shy of the podium in fourth in the XC1 Open Pro class and fifth overall on the day. Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Strang would come through after working his way up from an eighth place start to round out the top five in the XC1 Open Pro class at the FMF Camp Coker Bullet.
After getting off to a good start in South Carolina, AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell would come through in second on the first couple of laps. On the third lap Russell would fall back to fifth and then sixth where he would remain for the remainder of the race. The FMF/KTM Factory Racing-backed rider, Jonathan Girroir would move up through the field after a 10th place start to the day. After a small injury set him back before the race, he pushed through the pain to finish seventh in the XC1 class.
Unfortunately for Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/Tely Energy KTM Racing’s Steward Baylor, he was only able to complete four laps after having to return to his pits for a bike issue that seemed to linger, ultimately ending his day earlier than expected. As for his teammate, Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/Tely Energy KTM Racing’s Benjamin Nelko, he would have a great start to the day but as he headed out onto the third lap would suffer a leg injury ending his race as well. Both GASGAS/FXR/Scott Goggle’s Layne Michael and Canada KTM Racing’s Alexandre Gougeon would also only complete one lap in South Carolina at the fifth round of racing.
Coming through to earn his second-straight XC2 250 Pro class win was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Ruy Barbosa. Barbosa would get a good jump off the line, behind Phoenix Racing Honda’s Mike Witkowski who snagged the $250 Steel City Men’s Clinic XC2 Holeshot Award. Barbosa would remain in the lead for the remainder of the race, virtually unchallenged by the rest of the XC2 field. Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Mason Semmens would battle his way through the class as he came through seventh on the opening lap. Semmens would steadily pick off the riders and make a last lap pass to take over second place in the class.
Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes would have his work cut out for him as he had to battle with Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder Lafferty for the last couple of laps for the final podium position. Barnes would be able to hold off Lafferty, coming through to round out the podium with Lafferty in fourth. FMF/RPM KTM Racing’s Angus Riordan would battle back from a 10th place start on the day to round out the XC2 250 Pro top five finishers.
In the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class it was Hall’s Cycles/Enduro Engineering/Moose Racing’s Jhak Walker jumping off the line first to grab the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award. However, it would not take long for Beaver Creek Cycles/Bells Electric/Wossner Piston’s Toby Cleveland to put the pressure on Walker and make a pass for the lead on the opening lap. Cleveland would come through timing and scoring first, and he would remain there for the duration of the race. Walker would remain in second for the entire three-hour race as Carolina XC/Moose Racing/KTM’s Zack Hayes would battle back in third to round out the FMF XC3 class podium.
Earning the Camp Coker Bullet Top Amateur Honors was 250 A racer, Brayden Nolette as he came through to earn 17th overall and his class win. Nick DeFeo would earn the 4-Stroke A Lites class win and come through 18th overall to sit second on the Top Amateur podium. Earning second in the 4-Stroke A Lites was Caleb Baltimore as he came through to earn third on the Top Amateur podium with a 19th place finish.
As the WXC class took off it was Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Korie Steede grabbing the $100 Trail Jesters WXC Holeshot Award and the early lead. Steede would continue to hold the lead for the first two laps of the race, but she would have company from both AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer and GASGAS/Over and Out/RG Factory Racing’s Rachel Gutish as the race wore on. Archer would make the pass stick for the lead, with Gutish tailing behind her making the pass on Steede as well to take over second in the WXC class. Archer would push for the remaining two laps, with Gutish running behind her and Steede holding onto third as they crossed the finish line.
In the 8 a.m. youth race it was Canyon Richards battling back to take his second overall youth win and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class win of the season. Following Richards was Ryan Amancio coming through second overall and in the YXC1 class, while James Jenkins rounded out the top three finishers in the youth overall and in the YXC1 class.
Caleb Wood came through to earn the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class win, while Jiggs Fustini and Mason Raynor would take home second and third in the class. Ryder Sigety came through to take home the 85 Big Wheel (11-15) class win, Travis Lentz earned the 85 (12-13) class win, while the 85 (7-11) class win went to Evan Porter in South Carolina. Addison Harris took home the 65 (9) class win, Tripp Lewis earned the 65 (7-8) class win. Sahara Robinson would take home the Girls 85 (7-13) class win, Paisley Harris earned the Girls 65 (7-11) class win. In the Trail Rider class, it would be Cale Dejarnett earning the win.
The next round of GNCC Racing will take place on May 6-7 in Crawfordsville, Indiana at Ironman Raceway with the sixth round of racing, Hoosier GNCC. For more event information, or to buy tickets online and pre-register for the event, click HERE.
Catch GNCC Pro ATV and Motorcycle Racing free via RacerTV.com all season long. Pro ATV Racing starts Saturday’s at 2pm ET, with the exception of Big Buck, Snowshoe and Ironman events where they will start at 1pm ET. GNCC Pro Motorcycle Racing will begin at 1pm ET on Sunday’s. Later in the year GNCC Racing will premiere on MAVTV with event highlight episodes.
For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC.
- Facebook: @gnccracing
- Instagram: @gncc_racing
- Twitter: @gnccracing
- YouTube: @racertv
FMF Camp Coker Bullet Results and Points Standings
Society Hill, South Carolina
Round 5 of 12
Sunday, April 16, 2023
XC1 Pro Event Results:
- Grant Baylor (KAW)
- Craig DeLong (HQV)
- Ben Kelley (KTM)
- Jordan Ashburn (HQV)
- Josh Strang (KAW)
- Ricky Russell (YAM)
- Jonathan Girroir (KTM)
- Steward Baylor (KTM)
- Benjamin Nelko (KTM)
- Layne Michael (GAS)
*Overall National Championship Standings:
- Ben Kelley (113)
- Craig DeLong (110)
- Steward Baylor (98)
- Grant Baylor (85)
- Jordan Ashburn (80)
- Ricky Russell (78)
- Josh Strang (68)
- Ruy Barbosa (58)
- Angus Riordan (54)
- Cody Barnes (50)
*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2023 National Champion.
XC2 250 Pro Event Results:
- Ruy Barbosa (HON)
- Mason Semmens (KTM)
- Cody Barnes (HON)
- Ryder Lafferty (GAS)
- Angus Riordan (KTM)
- Jesse Ansley (KTM)
- Michael Witkowski (HON)
- Evan Smith (BET)
- Jonathan Johnson (BET)
- Liam Draper (YAM)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:
- Ruy Barbosa (111)
- Angus Riordan (99)
- Ryder Lafferty (96)
- Cody Barnes (95)
- Liam Draper (84)
- Mason Semmens (84)
- Lyndon Snodgrass (83)
- Evan Smith (69)
- Michael Witkowski (61)
- Jonathan Johnson (56)
To get the latest GNCC Racing clothing and merchandise visit https://www.mototees.com.
How to Watch
Racer TV and MAVTV are the official homes for coverage of the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) events. All 12 rounds, from the season opener in South Carolina to the finale, will air in taped-delayed telecasts on MAVTV, while Racer TV provides live streaming coverage of the 2 p.m. ATV and 1 p.m. motorcycle races from each event. Catch all the action at http://www.mavtv.com/ and http://www.racertv.com/.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING’S COOPER WEBB FOURTH IN ATLANTA TO CONTINUE 450SX TITLE CHALLENGE
ATLANTA, Ga. – A fourth-place finish in the 450SX Main Event at round 13 of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship was a measured result for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb, as premier class teammate Aaron Plessinger charged to sixth position at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
After qualifying in fourth this morning, Webb was exceptional in winning Heat 1 of the day, but was affected by his start in the Main Event. The two-time champion completed lap one in P5, but lost crucial time to the leaders in the early stages and fourth was as high as he managed to climb by the race’s end.
Still, it was an important result that saw Webb marginally close the gap in the 450SX point standings, still positioned in second and now only six points in arrears with four rounds remaining aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.
Cooper Webb: “Atlanta Motor Speedway was an up-and-down day. Qualifying went really well for me, which was fourth, and then I won my heat race with a good start – I felt great! In the Main Event, I just didn’t get a start, had to make some passes, and was a bit far from the lead group, so I didn’t ride my best. I was a bit disappointed with that performance. At the of the day, we’ll go back this week, get better, aim to get back on the podium, and try to win in these coming races.”
Meanwhile, fellow KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION rider Plessinger qualified in ninth place, but endured difficulties in Heat 2 and was forced to go to the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), which he won comfortably. With an outside gate-pick for the Main Event, he ended lap one in 11th and progressively moved forward from there, eventually finishing in a hard-fought P6. Plessinger remains seventh in the championship order.
Aaron Plessinger: “Atlanta started out pretty good. We got the bike dialed in practice, but there was something off with the feeling of my clutch in the heat – I ended up crashing and not making it directly into the Main Event. I went to the LCQ, won that and had some fun with the extra laps, but that led to me having the outside gate for the start. I had a decent start anyway, charged forward, and pushed hard, so it was a good end to a not-so-great day!”
It was a tougher day for dual MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle in the return of the 250SX East division, crashing out of the Main Event on lap one. His day started convincingly by qualifying in eighth and then scoring second in his Heat race riding the KTM 250 SX-F, before his afternoon unfortunately ended prematurely. The French rookie currently sits eighth in the standings.
Tom Vialle: “Today started well for me in finishing second in the Heat, which was a good result, but unfortunately I fell on the first lap of the Main Event and I wasn’t able to continue. It was disappointing to have the afternoon end like that, so we will will regroup and look forward to the Showdown next weekend.”
Next Race: April 22 – East Rutherford, New Jersey
Results 450SX Class – Atlanta
1. Chase Sexton (USA), Honda, 15 laps
2. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS, +7.006
3. Ken Roczen (USA), Suzuki, +11.206
4. Cooper Webb (USA), KTM, +17.928
OTHER KTM
6. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
10. Justin Hill (USA), KTM
11. Josh Hill (USA), KTM
16. Kevin Moranz (USA), KTM
Standings 450SX Class 2023 after 13 of 17 rounds
1. Eli Tomac, 292 points
2. Cooper Webb, 286
3. Chase Sexton, 275
OTHER KTM
7. Aaron Plessinger, 213
10. Justin Hill, 140
13. Josh Hill, 98
21. Kevin Moranz, 54
29. Marvin Musquin, 11
Results 250SX East Class – Atlanta
1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 11 laps
2. Jordon Smith (USA), Yamaha, +8.232
3. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha, +14.579
OTHER KTM
22. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
Standings 250SX East Class 2023 after 7 of 10 rounds
1. Hunter Lawrence, 177 points
2. Haiden Deegan, 132
3. Max Anstie, 122
OTHER KTM
8. Tom Vialle, 86
FMF KTM FACTORY RACING’S BEN KELLEY TAKES POINTS LEAD FOLLOWING CAMP COKER GNCC PODIUM
SOCIETY HILL, S.C. – FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley landed third overall at the fifth round of the 2023 Grand National Cross Country Series, with XC1 Open Pro teammate Johnny Girroir securing seventh-place at the Camp Coker Bullet GNCC.
Former champion Kelley completed the first lap inside the top five, before making his way into third on the second lap. It was there that the Connecticut native would remain for the duration, resulting in a hard fought P3 result in challenging conditions. The result sees Kelley take over the top spot of the 2023 standings, three points clear of second place.
Ben Kelley: “Today was tough – I felt the conditions here more than I did in Florida, which is crazy. By lap three I was feeling it, then by four it just consistently got tougher and tougher with the heat and the fact that the track was a lot faster, meaning you could be more aggressive, which takes it out of you. The boys out front were running a good pace, I had a bit of a tire issue, which the mechanics jumped on and got sorted. I charged the rest of the race and rode it in for third!”
The other FMF KTM Factory Racing Team 350 XC-F in the field piloted by Girroir made steady progress throughout the Camp Coker GNCC event, beginning the race in 10th before a consistent ride saw him move up to seventh place by race’s end. Girroir now sits eighth overall in the XC1 Open Pro standings.
Johnny Girroir: “I injured my back at the last Sprint, and tweaked it again on Wednesday just practicing, and really haven’t done a lot since. I wasn’t sure how today was going to go – I felt decent before I started – but, really, I was in pain all day and did my best to finish. The plan is to recover over the next two weeks, and be better at the next round.”
In the XC2 250 Pro Class, KTM-supported Mason Semmens finished with an impressive second position, while the WXC ranks saw Korie Steed claim a podium once again with a third-place result.
Next Race: Hoosier GNCC – Crawfordsville, IN – May 6-7, 2023
XC1 Open Pro Results – Camp Coker Bullet GNCC
1. Grant Baylor, KAW, 3:04:01.479
2. Craig DeLong, HQV, +37.040
3. Ben Kelley, KTM, +02:24.199
OTHER KTM
7. Johnny Girroir, KTM
8. Steward Baylor Jr, KTM
Overall Championship Standings
1. Ben Kelley, 113
2. Craig DeLong, 110
3. Steward Baylor Jr, 98
OTHER KTM
8. Johnny Girroir 39
ADAMO AND EVERTS BRING HOME THE GLORY AT TRENTINO GRAND PRIX
The Grand Prix of Trentino was a milestone event for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in the MX2 class as Andrea Adamo celebrated his first ever overall victory – his first in just four appearances with the KTM 250 SX-F – and Liam Everts classified as runner-up for his maiden podium walk. With Jeffrey Herlings filling 3rd position in MXGP the crew took part in both podium ceremonies.
- Andrea Adamo makes the breakthrough to win in MX2 and on home territory with the KTM 250 SX-F
- Liam Everts rides to 2nd position overall for his first trophy in just his second MX2 season
- Adamo holds 2nd In the world championship standings with Everts now 7th
- Jeffrey Herlings takes 3rd overall in MXGP with a fast first moto recovery and a second moto win. Trentino is his third top three from four in 2023
- The Dutchman sits 3rd in the MXGP world championship standings with his works KTM 450 SX-F and 26 points away from the red plate
Less than a week after a bustling and busy Grand Prix of Switzerland at Frauenfeld on Easter Monday MXGP made the short trip south to Arco di Trentino at the foot of the Dolomites in northern Italy into and into the compact hard-packed facility of Pietramurata. Round four took place at the scenic but tight and bumpy site that has been a mainstay facility on the MXGP calendar for ten years. The venue welcomed another strong crowd for the second of two rounds on Italian soil on the 2023 slate and in a bright, sunny climate.
On Saturday and across a rough and slick terrain (of a course that had been reversed compared to previous years) Jeffrey Herlings rode to 7th position in the RAM Qualification Heat while Andrea Adamo and Liam Everts captured 3rd and 5th respectively in the MX2 outing.
Before the Grand Prix motos on Sunday, the VRT KTM Factory Juniors team were able to watch Ferruccio Zanchi score 3rd overall in the second round of the 2023 EMX250 European Championship with his KTM 250 SX-F. The Italian pegged results of 3-5 to earn his first silverware while teammate Marc-Antoine Rossi was not far away in 5th.
At the launch of MXGP Herlings was desperately unlucky to get stuck behind the falling Romain Febvre in the first turn of the first moto. It meant the Dutchman had to work his way back from the rear of the pack to take 9th. In the second race ‘The Bullet’ rode superbly to chart a course from the mid-top ten to the lead and seized his first checkered flag of the campaign. The 9-1 was enough for the third step of the rostrum. #84 is 3rd in the world championship.
Adamo was the star of the Grand Prix. The Italian whipped-up the excitement among the home fans with good starts and attacking speed. He pushed to pass Everts late in the first moto after the Belgian had only just missed out on the holeshot. The teammates crossed the line in 2nd and 3rd. The second moto was almost a repeat. Adamo ploughed his way to 2nd early on and Everts then rode excellently to pass Thibault Benistant and defended his slot from Kay de Wolf. The duo logged another 2-3 and that ensured 1st and 2nd on the Trentino ‘box’.
Adamo is up to 2nd in the MX2 points table and Everts is 7th.
MXGP regroups for round five in a fortnight. The Grand Prix of Portugal at Agueda, south of Porto, is the first of two Iberian dates with the Spanish GP at Arroyomolinos, close to Madrid happening a week later.
Jeffrey Herlings, 9th and 1st for 3rd overall in MXGP: “In the first moto I had a good start but I think Romain’s front wheel washed and I just went into him. Second moto I started around 8th-10th but then I pushed ‘Beast’ mode. Being defensive has not always been working. So, I thought ‘let’s go back to the old Jeffrey’ and push for it: I showed what I am capable of. We lost a few points this weekend but I hope I can make them up again in Portugal in a couple of weeks.”
Andrea Adamo, 2nd and 2nd for 1st overall in MX2: “I’m so happy. I did not expect this and what a place to get my first victory. My starts were good, but not perfect, and I passed who I needed to win, I tried to control the race and take P2 for the overall! An ideal weekend. I am still not thinking about the championship but going race-by-race and to bring as many points as possible. I don’t want to think too far ahead.”
Liam Everts, 3rd and 3rd for 2nd overall in MX2: “Very cool. The second moto was much better than the first and I had a lot of fun out there. My first podium: I did not expect it to come at this GP. I had two great starts but I had a wake-up call from Andrea in the first moto! My transition to the team and the bike is going well. I’m happy.”
Tony Cairoli, Team Manager: “An unbelievable weekend and especially for Andrea and a young kid to win his first GP here in Italy. An amazing performance from him and I think that shows he can be a contender for the title this season. Liam struggled a little bit to find his pace in the first GPs but showed some of his potential today. He rode smart and came up to the second spot on the podium. Then we have Jeffrey who had been going through a tricky weekend but in that second moto he proved he is up to speed. He belongs at the front and in the fight for the championship: we need to keep free of mistakes and keep going from here.”
Download photos from the Grand Prix of Trentino HERE
Results MXGP Trentino 2023
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 1-3
2. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 2-2
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 9-1
4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 3-7
5. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA), GASGAS, 3-2
Standings MXGP 2023 after 4 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 201 points
2. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 184
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 175
4. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 166
5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 136
Results MX2 Trentino 2023
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-2
2. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-3
3. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 1-7
4. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), GASGAS, 9-1
5. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 5-4
Standings MX2 2023 after 4 of 19 rounds
1. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 205 points
2. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 183
3. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 182
4. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 173
5. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), GASGAS, 158
7. Liam Everts (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 140
BENEFITS FOUND AT USA MOTOGP™ AS RED BULL KTM FINISH PROGRESSIVE AMERICAS TRIP
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing had good reason to view the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas with strong cause for optimism considering the increased competitiveness and continued progression with the current RC16 motorcycle. Jack Miller was holding a podium position at COTA until a mid-race slip while Brad Binder was also among the fastest on track in Texas until he also had to recover from an error and still made the flag in 13th place.
- Jack Miller shows podium pace and potential but falls out of the running at mid-race distance
- Brad Binder suffers a slow speed tumble at Turn 15 while fighting for the top five. The South African remounts for 3 points in 13th.
- Pedro Acosta wins a thrilling Moto2™ duel for his second victory of the year
- Top five for Daniel Holgado in Moto3™ as the Spaniard continues to lead the championship
The stifling heat of COTA on Saturday had blown away in a stiff breeze to be replaced by sunshine and colder temperatures for the Grand Prix distances on Sunday. Jack Miller and Brad Binder throttled their KTM RC16s from the fourth row of the grid and for the 20-lap distance and it was Miller who made the sharper start around the long 20-corner layout.
Jack was holding a clear 3rd position when he lost control through the chicane and slid out of the reckoning at mid-race distance. Binder was making progress from the depths of the top ten as the group disputing positions for the top five began to close up and narrow. Brad spun out through Turn 15 only a few laps after Miller had departed the race. He was able to pick up the bike and rally to 13th for 3 valuable points.
After three of 21 rounds, Binder is 9th in the championship standings while Miller is close in 12th. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will be able to go for trophies again at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the Gran Premio MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn de España in two weeks.
Brad Binder, 13th: “The whole weekend here in Austin has been a lot more positive than we might have expected beforehand, based-off our experiences here in the last years. I wasn’t super-happy yesterday but I managed 5th which was fantastic. Today I had high hopes but unfortunately I switched my line going into Turn 1 at the start and it was a big mistake on my part. I ended up getting caught in the chaos on the first lap. I tried my best. I struggled with the front tire up until a few laps before I crashed. At that moment I was confident and was started to push. Then it just snapped away from me on one of the little left-handers. Luckily, I was able to remount and we still got three points. As frustrating as today was we are not walking away empty-handed. For me it was also a lesson, especially from my mistake at the start. At Jerez we will go a hell-of-a-lot better.”
Jack Miller, DNF: “Unfortunate one. I felt really good from the get-go. I made a decent start, felt comfortable and was settled into the race. I swapped a map and then she let go of me. I was really trying to manage the tires and I felt we had a great chance of being there until the end. The positive part was the speed and how we were up there with the guys. We’ll take that from the weekend. We’ll learn from the negatives and go towards Jerez with a clean mind.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “A tough Sunday. We cannot blame our riders today because many were on the limit with the front tires and we saw many crashes. The good part is that both riders felt good on the bike and we know we can do much better than this result sheet. Jack was on for the podium for half the race and then went down in a corner where he hadn’t had any warning the whole weekend. That’s racing; everybody is on the limit. Brad had good comments. He got stuck in the first corner and ran into some moments with other riders going down. At one point he was the fastest rider on track. We have some signs from this grand prix and that’s why we are looking forward to Jerez now.”
Results MotoGPRed Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Alex Rins (ESP) Honda 41:14.649
2. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati +3.498
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +4.936
13. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +1:23.012
DNF. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
World championship standings MotoGP
1. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati, 64 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 53
3. Alex Rins (ESP) Honda, 47
9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 30
12. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 26
KTM GP Academy
Ivan Ortola steered his KTM RC4 to victory for the very first time in a gripping Moto3 Grand Prix that saw six different riders chasing the checkered flag. The Spaniard was closely followed as five racers were split by just over half a second at the line. Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Daniel Holgado was part of the group and his 5th position represented another decent points haul as the Spaniard maintains his grip on P1 at the top of the championship standings.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Deniz Öncü was adrift but headed the second clique. The Turk scored 6th for his best result of the season so far. Teammate Jose Rueda took another top ten classification and is a promising 8th in the championship points table. Rookie Filippo Farioli rode to 18th.
The Moto2 Grand Prix was one of the most exciting events of the day. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta recovered from a small mistake in the formative stages to embark on an epic duel with rival Tony Arbolino for the win. A bold overtaking move on the final lap was the difference – along with just 0.146 of a second – when the flag fell at COTA. The feat was Acosta’s second 25-pointer of the season. Albert Arenas obtained 12th position.
Results Moto3 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM 32:01.062
2. Jaume Masia (ESP) Honda +0.457
3. Xavier Artigas (ESP), CFMOTO +0.558
5. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.657
6. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +9.493
10. Jose Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +10.085
18. Filippo Farioli (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +24.401
World championship standings Moto3
1. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 49 points
2. Diogo Moreira (BRA) KTM, 49
3. Xavier Artigas (ESP) CFMOTO, 32
8. Jose Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 19
13. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 16
NC. Filippo Farioli (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 0
Results Moto2 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 34:42.879
2. Tony Arbolino (ITA) +0.146
3. Bo Bendsneyder (NED) +5.851
12. Albert Arenas (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +13.649
World championship standings Moto2
1. Tony Arbolino (ITA), 61 points
2. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 54
3. Aron Canet (ESP), 41
10. Albert Arenas (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 19
RUNNER-UP RESULT AT THE CAMP COKER BULLET GNCC ROUND FOR CRAIG DELONG
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Craig DeLong raced to a strong second-place finish at the Camp Coker Bullet GNCC, continuing his solid 2023 Grand National Cross Country Series form as he moves to P2 on the overall leaderboard after five rounds.
A focus on starts during the weeks leading up to round five paid dividends for DeLong, who took the lead from the outset, maintaining a hot pace all the way until the lap five mark, before battling to the end with eventual winner, Grant Baylor. A calculated ride for the closing laps saw DeLong take the checkered flag in the runner-up position.
“We worked on starts a lot over the last two weeks, and it paid off today,” commented DeLong. “It was a lot of fun leading and running my own pace. I didn’t try to do anything crazy, just hit my marks and tried to build a lead, which I did, and then Grant began to reel me in a bit. It was definitely a tough day, the track was brutal, so I’m really happy to come out of this event with a podium, for sure.”
The defending champion and Husqvarna-backed XC1 Open Pro entry of Jordan Ashburn finished the day just shy of the podium in fourth, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing teammate Trevor Bollinger continues to recover on the sidelines from a broken scapula sustained at the previous round.
Next Round (6): Crawfordsville, IN – May 6-7, 2023
Camp Coker Bullet GNCC Results
XC1 Open Pro Class
1. Grant Baylor, (KAW)
2. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Ben Kelley, (KTM)
4. Jordan Ashburn, (HQV)
…
11. Alexandre Gougeon, (HQV)
Overall Championship Standings
1. Ben Kelley, 113 points
2. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 110 points
3. Steward Baylor Jr, 98 points
…
5. Jordan Ashburn, 80 points
12. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4 points
TALON HAWKINS BREAKS THROUGH WITH FIRST TOP TEN SUPERCROSS FINISH
With the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team’s full attention focused on 250 rookie Talon Hawkins and his FC250, they arrived looking for a solid weekend. With the expansive infield area at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, this event raced more like a hybrid Supercross/Outdoor track than the average Supercross.
250 SX
After being pressed into service to replace the injured Jalek Swoll shortly before the start of this season, Talon Hawkins has been putting in a lot of additional work required to get up to speed on the Supercross side. That preparation showed in Atlanta, as he carded a solid third in his heat race, and then followed that up with his first top ten in the 250 class, where he finished eighth on his FC250. That was an improvement of six positions over his previous best, and he also jumped up two spots in the 250 East point standings.
“Atlanta treated me well. I had my best finishes in both the heat and the main. I had a P3 for the heat, and I just came in with a positive attitude and ready to get on that gate again,” Hawkins said. “I ended up getting a good start in the main and ended up with my best finish of the season with a P8. I’m super-stoked. Hopefully, this is the first of many top tens. This is a good building point for me, and I’m excited to get back to training on Monday.”
450 SX
With the unfortunate injuries to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team’s Christian Craig in Glendale, and Malcolm Stewart in San Diego, the team’s 450 class entries have been sidelined for now. Look for the FC 450 Rockstar Editions to fire up again for the Pro Motocross season.
Next Event (Round 14): April 22, 2023 – MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Round 13 Results: Atlanta
250SX East Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)
2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)
…
8. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX Results
1. Chase Sexton (Honda)
2. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
250SX East Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 177 points
2. Haiden Deegan – 132 points
3. Max Anstie – 122 points
…
13. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 62 points
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Eli Tomac – 292 points
2. Cooper Webb – 286 points
3. Chase Sexton – 275 points
…
9. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 150 points
27. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points
More Moto3™ speed but little luck for Sasaki in the USA
MotoGP moved through the Americas to the confines of the long, 20-curve Circuit of the Americas near Austin for round three of twenty-one and the tenth Grand Prix at the spectacular venue. The LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team were back to full strength in both the Moto3 and Moto2 classes with Lukas Tulovic returning to the saddle alongside Darryn Binder in the intermediate category after recovering from his wrist injury.
‘COTA’ was bumpy, technical and complex and the difficulty was heightened with cloudy and sometimes damp track conditions during Friday and Saturday practice and qualification. Ayumu Sasaki took his FR 250 GP motorcycle to the top of the time sheets through the sessions and emerged from Q2 with the 2nd best lap-time. It meant the fast Japanese was able to sit on the front row. Rookie teammate Collin Veijer had to stitch the sectors of COTA together and clocked 21st place by Saturday afternoon.
The elongated Texan lap – the second longest trajectory on the MotoGP calendar – meant 14 circulations for the Moto3 field on Sunday morning as the American skies were blue and clear but also chilly and windy. Sasaki moved his way into the group of six riders for victory from the opening minutes of the race. The #71 was constantly setting the pace until three laps from the finish. Sasaki highsided through Turn 13 and his race – and the chance of 25 points – was over. Veijer was mired in the dispute for the top ten and rode well to score 13th and three world championship points.
At the chequered flag Sasaki is now 16th in the world championship standings and Veijer is 19th.
Ayumu Sasaki: “It was a very disappointing race and I have to say sorry to all of my team because we had the speed and I cannot complain about anything. We were leading almost the whole time. It was my mistake again. We have to learn from this…but twice in a row is hard and disappointing. I will try to come back stronger in Jerez.”
Collin Veijer: “A good race and I felt confident on the start but I was held up by another rider and lost contact with the second group. The wind was pretty strong so it was difficult to get a rhythm. I’m happy with the points but we need to improve a few things because I want more. Onto Jerez…”
Husqvarna Motorcycles were luckless in their Moto2 journey in the third Grand Prix of the year. Lukas Tulovic had recovered enough from his injured right wrist to come through his first full practice and qualification programme alongside Darryn Binder but the German slipped out of the running on the first lap of the race. The South African was setting good speed but a fall in FP3 caused a broken hand ended his participation for the weekend.
Darryn Binder: “It’s an unfortunate way to end this GP. I just asked for a bit much coming out of Turn 1. I had a highside and broke the metacarpal bone in my ring finger and there is a small fracture next to it as well. Right now, the plan is to fly back to Barcelona and get it sorted out there. I need a couple of days for the swelling to go down before they can operate. Hopefully, they can do it by Tuesday. Once that’s done I will know more about when I will be back on the bike and how the recovery will go.”
Lukas Tulovic: “Unfortunately my race was only one sector long. It was quite chaotic at the back of the field. I tried to make up some positions but my start was not so good. In the first chicane, I started to overtake and the rider in front didn’t notice me, which led to a contact and to my crash. it was a classic racing accident and unfortunately, it went badly for me. We have to put it behind us now and go back to Europe, to Jerez, to hopefully start from the front to avoid such situations.”
MotoGP takes the hefty trip back to Europe now for more signature events on the 2023 calendar. The first appointment is the Gran Premio MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn de España at the Circuit de Jerez – Angel Nieto at the end of April.
Moto3 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas photographs can be found HERE
Results Moto3 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM 32:01.062, 2. Jaume Masia (ESP) Honda +0.457,3. Xavier Artigas (ESP), CFMOTO +0.558, 13. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +15.967. DNF. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Husqvarna
World championship standings Moto3
1. Daniel Holgado (ESP) KTM, 49 points. 2. Diogo Moreira (BRA) KTM, 49. 3. Xavier Artigas (ESP) CFMOTO, 27. 16. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Husqvarna, 10. 19. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 7.
Results Moto2 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP) 34:42.879, 2. Tony Arbolino (ITA) +0.146. 3. Bo Bendsneyder (NED) +5.851, DNF. Lukas Tulovic (GER) Husqvarna, DNS. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna
World championship standings Moto2
1. Tony Arbolino (ITA), 61 points. 2. Pedro Acosta (ESP), 54. 3. Aron Canet (ESP), 41
16. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 10.
NESTAAN HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING POST CONSISTENT FINISHES AT PIETRAMURATA
The FIM Motocross World Championship returned to the picturesque venue of Pietramurata, Italy, for round four of the current campaign. Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s trio leapt onto the hard pack with momentum on their side, following a prosperous outing in Switzerland one week earlier, and put that to good use.
Kay de Wolf enjoyed another consistent day of on-track action on his FC 250, but was hindered by a couple of mediocre starts on the tricky layout. ’74’ did well to advance from the lower half of the top ten to fifth in moto one and made a bid for a podium in the second moto, but came up ever so short. Fifth was the position that he ended lap one in and he finished in fourth place, just a couple of seconds from third, for fifth overall on the day. Fourth is his current ranking in the championship standings.
Roan van de Moosdijk had a similar experience at the Grand Prix of Trentino, the fourth fixture, as he started in the lower half of the top ten each time and attempted to make progress on the slick surface. ’39’ went from eighth to sixth in moto one and then seventh to sixth in moto two. The rather consistent 6-6 scorecard meant that he slotted into seventh overall. Sixth is where he is sat in the standings.
Eighth overall was where Lucas Coenen, the third FC 250 rider in the top ten on the day, was classified. Coenen made more passes than most across the two motos. Going from outside of the points to eleventh in moto one was a very good showing, then he was even better when the track was at its roughest. ’96’ made an error in turn two of moto two and found himself in last, but he clawed his way back to ninth. 7-9 for eighth overall was a consistent scorecard on the hard-pack layout.
Kay de Wolf: “I gave it everything that I had today, but it was difficult to make progress. My starts were not the best. I want to work on that and keep getting better, so we will focus on the upcoming races.“
Roan van de Moosdijk: “It was a decent weekend. I was sixth in every race this weekend, so it seems that I was the sixth fastest this weekend! I struggled a bit in the first moto and made improvements for the second moto, which worked. The result does not really show that though! We will get back to work for Portugal.”
Lucas Coenen: “I was at the back at the start of moto one, but came back to P7. I did all that I could on this track. I made a mistake in the second turn of moto two and had to come from last, so there was more work to do. I came back to P9. We made some good improvements this weekend, so we will get back to work and come out swinging in Portugal.“
There is a break in the schedule now, as the fifth stop of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship will be run in Portugal on April 30.
Results – 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Four
MX2 – Overall
1. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 44pts; 2. Liam Everts (KTM) 40pts; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 39pts… 5. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34pts; 7. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 30pts; 8. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 26pts
MX2 – Moto One
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:33.508; 2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:36.579; 3. Liam Everts (KTM) 35:37.299… 5. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:48.413; 6. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 36:08.377; 7. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 36:09.284
MX2 – Moto Two
1. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 35:42.114; 2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:48.164; 3. Liam Everts (KTM) 35:49.387… 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:53.387; 6. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 36:09.547; 9. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 36:21.359
MX2 – Championship Standings
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 205pts; 2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 183pts; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 182pts… 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 173pts; 6. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 147pts; 9. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 102pts
FEARLESS FERNANDEZ GRABS FIRST MOTOGP™ TOP TEN RESULT OF 2023 AT COTA
GASGAS Factory Racing’s Augusto Fernandez rushed to his first top ten classification in just his third MotoGP race by completing a tough and costly Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in 10th at COTA. The GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 squad saw both their riders bank world championship points as Jonas Folger upped his pace to finish 12th.
- Fernandez conquers one of the most technical and toughest tracks in MotoGP with his highest classification of the season
- The Spanish rookie continues his upward trajectory with a 10th place finish
- Jonas Folger returns to MotoGP and snares points for the first time since 2017
- Guevara makes Moto2™ debut as GASGAS Aspar Racing Team collect points with both riders in Moto3™
Strong and cold gusts blew across a sun-drenched COTA facility on Sunday morning and the winds of change also sailed through the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 pitbox as Augusto Fernandez and Jonas Folger advanced substantially from their grid positions to occupy slots in the top twelve after 20 hard laps.
Better feeling, increased speed and extra competitiveness marked significant progress for the crew as they aimed to Get on the Gas around one of the most complex and challenging layouts on the GP slate. So demanding were the conditions that nine other racers failed to make the finish. Fernandez and Folger keep steady and consistent and barreled past the flag to plant distinctive milestones: Fernandez with his first top ten ranking in just his third MotoGP dash and Folger in his GASGAS debut for the squad.
After trips to Portugal, Argentina and now the USA, MotoGP moves back to Europe and for the first of three Grands Prix in Spain this season.
Augusto Fernandez, 10th: “It was a hard race but I’m happy because we made a good step. Finishing the race was important; there were a lot of crashes. My feeling on the bike was much better and an improvement on what it had been through the weekend. I was more competitive, so I think we are doing a good job.”
Jonas Folger, 12th: “Race done here in Austin. I expected a difficult one…and it was difficult! But I felt much more comfortable on the bike and, together with the guys, we picked out areas of my riding where I could improve quickly and try to get better through the race. I was able to solve some things and understand the bike more. For this reason I’m happy. I was a bit more consistent and faster than yesterday. I want to thank the guys here in the garage and their support. They have taken the pressure away from me because they know it’s not an easy situation to walk in here and to try and be competitive in MotoGP. Really good people and a good experience for me.”
Nicolas Goyon, GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 Team Manager: “Quite a strong result here in Texas with both riders in the points and they managed to survive through the chaos. A smart race from Augusto who achieved a top ten for the first time this season. He was clever, even though – like most – he struggled with the front tire. He kept his pace. Jonas improved his lap-time by two seconds from yesterday. We kept calm, studied the data and changed his position on the bike. Things were working much better and it was a good result. A positive weekend and now we will pack up and look forward to Jerez.”
Results MotoGPRed Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Alex Rins (ESP) Honda 41:14.649
2. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati +3.498
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +4.936
10. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 +28.217
12. Jonas Folger (GER) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 +1:08.065
World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati, 64 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 53
3. Alex Rins (ESP) Honda, 47
15. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, 14
Moto3 and Moto2
GASGAS Aspar Racing benefitted from decent speed and improvements by each of their riders to gather two top ten results in the Moto3 class. Rookie David Alonso recovered from a grid slot that left him down on the eighth row after qualification to make a 14 position gain. The Spanish youngster flew all the way up to 8th and got the better of teammate Ryusei Yamanaka in the closing stages as the Japanese misjudged the last lap while heading the second group on-track. Ryusei nevertheless re-opened the gas to make sure of 9th.
David Alonso: “I’m pretty happy. Friday went quite well but we couldn’t make things work on Saturday. It’s a long circuit and difficult and I focused as much as I could to make a good start and could manage that. I attacked on the first lap and reached 15th in the second group. The first was too far away but we pushed until the end and took a position that also meant a lot of mileage and experience that will benefit us in the coming races. GPs like this are worth a lot in this aspect! I hope we can use it and be further forward soon.”
Ryusei Yamanaka: “I started from P7 and did quite well although I struggled at first on the exits of the corners and perhaps that was down to the wind. I couldn’t stay in the top group. I didn’t quite have that pace today. So, I was alone for quite a well. My speed was OK but I had a problem on the last lap with the information on my board and my dashboard and it meant I lost momentum at a crucial time and some positions. We just need to look to Jerez now and I know I can be fast there.”
Jake Dixon encountered an issue on the warm-up lap of the Moto2 race that cast him to the sidelines for the Grand Prix. Izan Guevara did make his first Moto2 start however. The reigning Moto3 world champion registered his debut in the class to gain some crucial track mileage, feeling and information after recovering from his right wrist problems. He made the flag just outside the top twenty.
The Gran Premio MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn de España gives the GASGAS Grand Prix crew the next opportunity to twist the throttle hard. The heat, haze and history of the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto will be the stage for round four at the end of April.
Jake Dixon: “I have virtually nothing to say. I didn’t do anything [out of the ordinary]. The bike lost rear grip, became unsettled and I went down. It was a shock to me and there is nobody more p***ed-off. I’m not stupid and I know how to ride a bike and when something like this happens it is out of my control. Difficult to take, onto the next one.”
Izan Guevara: “My first Moto2 race and improvements little by little. I took the race more like training, and to progress up to Jerez. I felt OK and just focused on what I was doing and how I could be better rather than worrying what was going on around me. We’ll move forward from here.”
Results Moto3 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM 32:01.062
2. Jaume Masia (ESP) Honda +0.457
3. Xavier Artigas (ESP), CFMOTO +0.558
8. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS Aspar Team +9.663
9. Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN) GASGAS Aspar Team +9.975
World Championship standings Moto3
1. Daniel Holgado (ESP) KTM, 49 points
2. Diogo Moreira (BRA) KTM, 49
3. Xavier Artigas (ESP) CFMOTO, 32
14. Ryusei Yamanaka (JPN) GASGAS Aspar Team, 14
17. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS Aspar Team, 10
Results Moto2 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP) 34:42.879
2. Tony Arbolino (ITA) +0.146
3. Bo Bendsneyder (NED) +5.851
21. Izan Guevara (ESP) GASGAS Aspar Team +51.470
DNS. Jake Dixon (GBR) GASGAS Aspar Team
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Tony Arbolino (ITA), 61 points
2. Pedro Acosta (ESP), 54
3. Aron Canet (ESP), 41
6. Jake Dixon (GBR) GASGAS Aspar Team, 26
JORGE PRADO CLAIMS A SPECTACULAR VICTORY AT GRAND PRIX OF TRENTINO
Jorge Prado and Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing kept a firm grip on the red plate at today’s round of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, the Grand Prix of Trentino, thanks to a Grand Prix victory aboard his MC 450F. Prado’s GASGAS teammates, Mattia Guadagnini and Simon Langenfelder, got on the gas to secure impressive results on the hard-pack soil too.
- Jorge Prado claims first Grand Prix victory of 2023.
- Prado leads MXGP standings by seventeen points.
- Simon Langenfelder wins first MX2 moto of 2023.
The spectacular circuit of Pietramurata has been kind to Prado in years past and the latest edition of the race was no different. The first moto featured a dominant showing – he used the power within his MC 450F to take the holeshot and was unstoppable whilst racing to the moto win. Such an impressive ride set him up for a solid moto two and he executed well. ’61’ took third in that stint, which was more than enough for his first Grand Prix victory of the term. Seventeen points is his current advantage in the championship standings, so the red plate will remain attached to his Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing steed.
Jorge Prado: “I am super happy with the victory! I was struggling with the track a little bit, so to get a win was very important. I had two solid starts on my MC 450F. I could make a gap in the first moto, so I just managed the race. I tried to do the same in the second moto, without making mistakes, and finished third. I am really happy with this result.“
Finishing fifth overall at the Grand Prix of Trentino was a brilliant result for Mattia Guadagnini, but he was capable of more and showed podium speed on race day. Climbing to fourth was rather impressive in moto one and set the tone for the final stint. ‘101’ had a poor start in moto two, however, and too much of a deficit to overcome. A small crash did not help his case, but he was still able to salvage a tenth. 4-10 scores put him fifth on the day and helped him advance to eighth in the championship standings.
Simon Langenfelder was on top form from the moment that the Grand Prix started, as he raced to the victory in the qualification race on Saturday. Unfortunately, a mistake on the first lap of moto one meant that he had to climb from outside of the points. ‘516’ salvaged a ninth in that moto. The second moto was perfect, as he led every lap and took his first moto win of the season in a convincing fashion. Fourth overall was his final ranking, when that triumph was coupled with his ninth, which helped him jump to fifth in the championship standings.
Mattia Guadagnini: “The riding was so, so good today. I really believed that I had a chance to be on the Grand Prix podium. Fifth overall was really good, sure, but I am just a bit disappointed. I did not have the best start in moto one but did really well on lap one. The start was really bad in the second moto. I pushed so hard and made many, many good passes. I had a small crash around halfway through and finished tenth. This is a step forward, but I wanted a podium. I think it will come soon.“
Simon Langenfelder: “I am happy with my weekend at Pietramurata. I was very, very happy with my bike. It was unbelievable, just how well everything was working together. I think that was clear in the second moto. It was nice to get my first moto win of the season, so we’ll keep on building from here. I am really happy.“
Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing will assess everything that they have learned over the first four rounds and apply that on the upcoming weekend off, before returning to action at the next stop on the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship schedule on April 30. Portugal is their next destination.
Results – 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Four
MXGP – Overall
1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 45pts
2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 44pts
3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 37pts
5. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS) 29pts
MXGP – Moto One
1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha)
3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda)
4. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS)
MXGP – Moto Two
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM)
2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha)
3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS)
10. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS)
MXGP – Standings
1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 201pts
2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 184pts
3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 175pts
8. Mattia Guadagnini (GASGAS) 108pts
MX2 – Overall
1. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 44pts
2. Liam Everts (KTM) 40pts
3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 39pts
4. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 37pts
MX2 – Moto One
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha)
2. Andrea Adamo (KTM)
3. Liam Everts (KTM)
9. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS)
MX2 – Moto Two
1. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS)
2. Andrea Adamo (KTM)
3. Liam Everts (KTM)
MX2 – Standings
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 205pts
2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 183pts
3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 182pts
5. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 158pts
BARCIA CONTINUES PODIUM STREAK AT ATLANTA SUPERCROSS
Justin Barcia and the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team has been on a roll in the ultra-competitive AMA Supercross 450 class, scoring his fourth podium finish in five weeks, and they’re looking for more.
- The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team was fully focused on Justin Barcia in Atlanta, as he was the lone entry for the team
- Justin Barcia continued his podiums streak and is hungry to try and score a win
- Michael Mosiman announced that he’s working on building for the upcoming Pro Motocross season, and will sit out the rest of the Supercross season.
450SX
Everything is clicking with Justin Barcia and his MC 450F Factory Edition, as he continues to run near the front of the pack each week. He crossed the finish line in his heat race in second, but the leader was penalized for an off-track excursion, which bumped Justin up to the top spot.
In the main event, he was among the leaders in the first turn, and quickly moved into third. Just after the halfway point, he made his way into second, which is where he finished for the week.
Justin Barcia:“Atlanta was a really good day. I’m stoked on the team and myself and my riding. I had the family here and it was awesome. I qualified P5 and had a good heat race. I was riding really well, battling with Jason, and he went off the track. So, I took the heat race win by I believe you say, default. In the main event, I got off to a pretty good start, charged hard, and made some passes, Chase and Kenny were riding really well. I was able to get around Kenny. He pushed me hard the whole race. It was great. I wasn’t able to catch Chase, but I had a really good ride for second. I’m really looking forward to New York next week. It’s my hometown race.”
250SX East
Michael Mosiman’s MC 250F Factory Edition was silent again this weekend, as he continues to focus on the future after injuries incurred earlier this season knocked him out of several rounds. Look for him back in action for the Pro Motocross season.
Next Event (Round 14): April 22, 2023 – MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Results – 2023 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 13
250SX East – Main Event Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 11 laps; 2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) +08.232; 3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) +14.579
450SX – Main Event Results
1. Chase Sexton (Honda) 15 laps; 2. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) +07.006; 3. Ken Roczen (GASGAS) +11.206 … 19. Justin Starling (GASGAS)
Championship Standings – After 11 Rounds
250SX East
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 177 points; 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 132 points; 3. Max Anstie (Honda) 122 points … 16. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 51 points
450SX
1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 292 points; 2. Cooper Webb 286; 3. Chase Sexton (Honda) 275; 4. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 239; 24. Justin Starling (GASGAS) 45
Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda Nearly Finishes on the Podium in 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Debut
Foothill Ranch, Calif. (April 16, 2023) – The much-anticipated return of 250SX Eastern Regional racing at Round 13 of the Monster Energy® Supercross Championship in Atlanta, Georgia hosted the 2023 debut of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki a fan favorite, Jo Shimoda, who surged onto the scene with a fourth-place finish ahead of his teammate Chris Blose, who claimed a hard fought seventh. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo battled among title contenders to secure a seventh-place result while his teammate Jason Anderson competed at the front of the class until pre-mature retirement from the race relegated him to 21st position.
The tunes of high performance supercross bike engines accompanied the rising sun over Atlanta Motor Speedway in the early hours of Saturday morning as a unique daytime racing schedule had riders out for track walk at the break of dawn. Eager to return to competition, the timed qualifying sessions could not start soon enough for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Shimoda who raced out onto the track. As qualifying progressed, Shimoda and Blose displayed their aptitude for the extended speedway-style track design by logging lap times inside the top-five. At the conclusion of 250SX qualification, Shimoda had the fourth fastest lap (1:30.737) and Blose had the ninth fastest lap (1:32.960).
When the gate dropped for 250SX Heat 1, Shimoda raced his KX™250 into the first turn and emerged just outside the top five. While Shimoda attempted to move forward in the running order, a crash on the opening lap pushed him to the tail end of the field. Shimoda swiftly regained his pace and made quick work of the competition to salvage a fifth-place finish along with a direct transfer to the Main Event.
In 250SX Heat 2, Blose was edged out by his competition off the start but held a tight inside line through Turn 1 to craftily move himself inside the top five. The No.57 KX™250 rider further proved his veteran experience as he held pace with the rider ahead and executed a mistake-free five laps around an increasingly demanding racetrack. When the checkered flag flew, Blose’s keen race craft and consistent rhythm were enough to secure him a fifth-place finish.
The Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki pair of Shimoda and Blose looked to have strong starts in the 250SX Main Event until both riders were slowed up as they narrowly avoided a multi-rider crash entering Turn 2. When the dust settled, Shimoda and Blose found themselves racing forward from 11th and 12th, respectively. Shimoda proved the sharpness of his tact as he ripped through the top 10 to control sixth position by the end of Lap 2 and moved into the top five on Lap 5. Meanwhile, Blose followed suit with efficient passes until he overtook seventh position on Lap 5. In the latter half of the race, the two KX™250 riders continued to up their pace as they worked to close the distance to their nearest rivals. Shimoda eventually took command of fourth position on Lap 8 and, despite successfully minimizing the gap to the podium position ahead, he finished the race in fourth. Blose continued his charge forward and was en route to an impressive sixth-place finish until an unexpected move from a lapped rider in final section of the final lap caused him to relinquish his spot and settle for seventh position.
“I was toward the back off the start and that made my whole race very difficult. I was able to race well throughout and almost got up to the podium, but I ran out of time. This is still a good step in the right direction as I return to racing form and look forward to the remaining supercross rounds. It’s good for me to be back out there battling with the top guys and I would really like to get a win before the end of the season.”
– Jo Shimoda
“Jo [Shimoda] and I were both outside the top-10 early, so I knew I had my work cut out for me. Consistent laps and a nailing the whoops were key as I made my way up into sixth until I misjudged a lapper coming into the final section and got held up. It was frustrating to lose a position so close to the end but, it was even more frustrating to have been back there to begin with. I’m really happy with how this KX™250 works right now and we had a great week at the test track so I wish I could have better showcased that in the results. We’ll try again next week at the showdown in New Jersey.”
– Chris Blose
The Monster Energy® Kawasaki team of Cianciarulo and Anderson showed the versatility of their KX™450SR race bikes as they once again contested for the top spots in timed qualifying while getting acquainted with the notably long and dynamic Atlanta SX track. Cianciarulo and Anderson made the most of their time on the track by keeping the intensity high for essentially every lap of the practice. In the closing stages of the final qualifying session, both riders found another level and upped their pace to secure the second and third fastest laps, respectively. With Cianciarulo in second (1:28.156), this is the third week in a row that the No.9 rider has qualified in the top three and, with Anderson following in third (1:28.172), this is the second time in recent weeks that the Monster Energy Kawasaki duo have claimed two of the top-three spots.
In 450SX Heat 1, Cianciarulo carried his speed through a wide line in Turn 1 which caused him to be narrowly edged out for the official holeshot before quickly launching into the lead. Cianciarulo looked to replicate his impressive qualifying speed as he led the opening lap of the race until a mistake through the first whoop lane resulted in a spectacular crash. Resilient and still set on competing at the front, Cianciarulo raced back to his bike and began to climb his way up the running order. From well outside the top-10, Cianciarulo moved to eighth by Lap 2 and to sixth by Lap 4. With a final push on the closing lap, Cianciarulo gained two more positions and secured a respectable fourth place finish.
In 450SX Heat 2, Anderson emerged from the first turn in fourth and he quickly passed his way into the lead during the first half of Lap 1. A minor mistake over one of the several big doubles on the circuit sent Anderson off track before the conclusion of Lap 1, but the No.21 rider managed to re-enter the track safely without losing his position. A hotly contested battle for the win ensued for the remainder of the qualifying race as Anderson fended off immense pressure from several of his top championship rivals. When the checkered flag flew, Anderson crossed the finish line first, but would ultimately earn second place after a one position penalty was incurred for his off-track incident.
The Monster Energy Kawasaki riders raced out to strong starts in the 450SX Main Event with Anderson running in third and Cianciarulo pursuing from seventh. Anderson matched his earlier form through the opening laps by racing in lock step with the leaders. Cianciarulo took a couple of laps to find his rhythm, managing to battle with the top two riders in the championship points standings for fifth through seventh position. Cianciarulo dropped his laptime on Lap 3 and set his sights forward. On the following lap, Anderson suddenly lost his pace at the front and relinquished several positions. Cianciarulo’s charge forward brought him to the rear wheel of Anderson on Lap 5 and, just after another rider slipped by them in the whoops, Cianciarulo overtook Anderson for seventh on Lap 6. Although the No.21 rider contended inside the top-10 for a few more laps, Anderson ultimately was forced to retire from the race early due to symptoms of sickness. All the while, Cianciarulo overcame the demanding conditions to earn seventh place for his ninth top-10 finish of the season.
“This was another week with strong qualifying pace and solid starts, which are helping me to run with the front guys more and more each time. After my heat race crash, I gathered myself quickly and salvaged as much as I could. I’m still focused on giving my 100% every time I hit the track, so I carried that mentality into the Main. Even though I was a bit scrapped up, I focused on hitting my marks while I battled with those guys and took what the track had to offer. The end result was another seventh place, and we’ll continue to focus on progressing through the end of this season.”
– Adam Cianciarulo
“I had a pretty crazy week coming into this one as my wife and I welcomed our little girl to the world on Friday morning. I was definitely running low on sleep and not feeling 100% myself coming into the day and, overall, it all just got the best of me. I’ll work to regroup this week with the team, and we aim to come back swinging at MetLife Stadium next weekend.”
– Jason Anderson
ROMAIN FEBVRE DIGS DEEP IN ITALY
Romain Febvre of Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP fought back from a start crash at Pietramurata in northern Italy to maintain fourth place in the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship points standings.
After his overwhelming victory in Qualifying the previous day the Kawasaki leader sprinted confidently from the gate in race one to turn tight at the first corner, but his joy was short-lived as another rider tagged his rear wheel and the Frenchman went down at the bottom of a pile of riders and machines. By the end of the opening lap he was already on the edge of the points-scoring positions but further progress proved difficult as a single race-line developed. With two laps remaining he took over the twelfth-placed position he held to the chequered flag. A clean run through turn one in race two augured well as Febvre raced in the top-three throughout the first half of race two before surrendering one position mid-moto. He remains fourth in the series points standings heading to round five in Portugal in two weeks’ time.
Romain Febvre: “It was a very tough Sunday with a crash at the start of the first moto. I can’t blame myself as another rider crashed on me and I couldn’t do anything about it; I was under several bikes and started the race dead-last. With forty riders on the track it’s a big challenge to pass them, especially as there were less lines than on Saturday after they flattened the track. It wasn’t easy to pass, but that’s racing; I didn’t get a single clear, fast lap in the traffic. My second start was good but I couldn’t find my rhythm at first and made a few mistakes; when I found my lines I had the same speed as the riders in front of me but, as I wasn’t faster, I couldn’t join them.”
KEVIN HORGMO NINTH IN TRENTINO
F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo finished ninth in the fourth round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Pietramurata in the north Italian province of Trentino.
The Norwegian moved forward determinedly from eleventh to ninth during the first two laps of moto one but lost his momentum as the race progressed to eventually take the chequered flag eleventh. A solid ride throughout race two was rewarded with eighth place to earn ninth on the day. He is now eighth in the series standings.
Kevin Horgmo: “It’s been a difficult weekend for me. The team is working really hard to help me and I am so sorry that I couldn’t reward them; eleventh and eighth are not what we’re aiming for. I just need to build my confidence back and feel comfortable again. We go home now and look for good training before Portugal.”
F&H teammate David Braceras rode solidly in fourteenth for most of race one before surrendering three positions in the closing stages. The Spanish GP rookie showed tremendous spirit in race two as he charged back to seventeenth place after cartwheeling down the track at the start in a collision with another rider already before the approach to turn one. He is now fifteenth in the world championship points standings.
David Braceras: “I felt really good this morning in Warm-up with P7, but I just didn’t find my rhythm in race one, then the crash at the start of the second moto. I was dead-last and then on the second lap as I was coming through another rider jumped across me and I crashed again. But I kept pushing to score points again; it was not the result I want but we will work the next two weeks to be ready for Portugal and the results we deserve.”
Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Jack Chambers moved forward from an initial twentieth to eighteenth midway through race one before exiting the moto four laps from the finish. The young American pushed forward decisively to thirteenth during the early laps of race two before a slip put him out of the points.
BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Quentin Marc Prugnières brave attempt to salvage points in the FIM European EMX250 Championship despite a recently fractured collarbone was, as in the first moto on Saturday, spoilt by a first-lap incident in race two which left the French youngster at the end of the field after a mid-pack start. Posting solid lap-times despite the physical discomfort he salvaged three points for eighteenth at the finish to retain a top-ten series ranking, just twenty-one points shy of third in the points chase with nine rounds remaining.
Quentin Marc Prugnières: “I did what I could but it was not easy after crashes with other riders soon after the start in each moto. It’s a shame as my rhythm and my physical condition were good; I didn’t have too much pain to my collarbone and I know that the next round will be better so I stay motivated.”
Chase Sexton Takes Atlanta Supercross Win
Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton grabbed his third win of the year at Round 13 of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season.
The Supercross series returned to Atlanta Motor Speedway for great racing on the high-speed Georgia track. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia earned second place on the high-speed track that stretched out in front of the grandstands of Atlanta Motor Speedway. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen took third at the uncustomary-daytime Supercross round that paid points toward the 17-round Monster Energy Supercross season and also the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the return of Eastern Regional 250SX Class racing, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence took his sixth win in seven rounds in the regional series.
Chase Sexton earned his fourth career 450SX Class victory. With the win, the Honda rider pulled back into the championship points chase. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Ken Roczen grabbed the holeshot in the 450SX Class Main Event but Chase Sexton wasted no time getting into the lead before the racers had reached the second corner. After one lap Sexton was out front ahead of Roczen, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, Justin Barcia, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb, and Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Josh Hill, with points leader Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac in eighth place. Three minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Barcia was into third and Webb was up to fifth and soon applying heavy pressure on Anderson for fourth. Six minutes into the battle Sexton was inching away from Roczen and Barcia; the top three had separated themselves from Webb and Tomac who held fourth and fifth.
Twelve minutes into the race the top three were still close enough to be in the same track section together. Barcia was the rider on the move and pressuring Roczen for second. With six and a half minutes left on the race clock Barcia took over the spot, but by then Sexton was four seconds up the track. Sexton put down some smooth, fast laps and stretched out the lead as the two riders ahead of him in the points still ran fourth and fifth.
Late in the race, Tomac made a drive and got up to Webb’s rear wheel just as Webb’s teammate, Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger, caught up to the two riders. But with two laps to go, Webb distanced himself from Tomac, and Plessinger lost touch; the big battle between the points front runners didn’t materialize. When the Monster Energy AMA Supercross flames fired off on the infield, Chase Sexton took his tenth career win and closed the points gap in the title chase to 17 with four races remaining.
Honda’s Hunter Lawrence had a scare early but recovered to dominate the 250SX Class Main Event and stretch his points lead to 45. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event, Hunter Lawrence snagged the holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Talon Hawkins, and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Coty Schock. Deegan jumped immediately into the lead but Lawrence shouldered his way back around as the racers charged up the face of the track’s bridge jump. Two minutes into the 15-minute plus one lap race the top four, Lawrence, Deegan, Smith, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher were pulling away in a four-way battle when Lawrence got wildly out of shape in a rhythm section. Lawrence made an incredible save that took him off the track, and Deegan took over the front spot.
Within a couple laps Lawrence had recovered and taken back the top spot, leaving Deegan to fend off his charging teammate Smith. The last time the Yamaha teammates had faced off there was blocking, contact, and a crash; but fans did not see a repeat as Smith got smoothly around Deegan with eight and a half minutes left on the race clock. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda, in his first race back from injury, was recovering nicely from a poor start and put his Kawasaki into the top five at the race’s midpoint. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin crashed hard in a rhythm section while running seventh, and late in the race Thrasher had a fall exiting one of the track’s two whoop sections. At the checkered flag Lawrence grabbed another win, Smith held strong in second, and Deegan earned a third podium in his rookie season.
The next race drops that gate inside MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 22nd. The event returns to the nighttime, stadium-format racing but bring the unique 250SX Class mash-up of the season’s first of two East/West Showdowns.
Atlanta’s speedway-venue layout was a look ahead at what the SuperMotocross Playoffs and Final events promise to provide to wrap up the all-new series in September. The 31-round series combines the complete Monster Energy AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross seasons with the three SuperMotocross rounds to crown one 450cc class champion who will earn a one million dollar championship bonus. The 250cc class champion will take home a $500,000 bonus.
Like every SuperMotocross round, racing is streamed live and complete on Peacock. Select events are also broadcast across NBC, USA Network, and CNBC channels. For race times, the full 31-round schedule, video highlights, rider power rankings, and more, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (racers left to right) Justin Barcia, Chase Sexton, and Ken Roczen.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
450SX Class Results
- Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, NY, GASGAS
- Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
- Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
- Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda
- Colt Nichols, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
450SX Class Championship Standings
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (292)
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (286)
- Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (275)
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, NY, GASGAS (239)
- Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki (238)
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (214)
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (213)
- Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (155)
- Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (150)
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (140)
250SX Class podium (racers left to right) Haiden Deegan, Hunter Lawrence, and Jordon Smith.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results
- Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda
- Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha
- Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
- Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
- Max Anstie, Newbury, Eng., Honda
- Henry Miller, Rochester, Minn., Honda
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
- Talon Hawkins, Temecula, Calif., Husqvarna
- Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda
- Caden Braswell, Shalimar, Fla., Honda
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
- Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda (177)
- Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (132)
- Max Anstie, Newbury, Eng., Honda (122)
- Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (120)
- Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (115)
- Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha (111)
- Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (104)
- Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (86)
- Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda (81)
- Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda (77)
Quartararo Takes Terrific Third Place in Texas Rodeo
The Circuit of the Americas took no prisoners in this afternoon‘s MotoGP race. The 20-lap Grand Prix of The Americas saw many riders make costly mistakes, but Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo remained faultless and rallied to a superb third place. Franco Morbidelli also reaped fruits from the tricky race and took solid points thanks to an eighth-place finish.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo bounced back from a disappointing Sprint with a Superman performance in the Grand Prix of The Americas MotoGP Race. He raised his game to another level to take third place, his first podium of the season. Franco Morbidelli had a lonely but fruitful ride at the Circuit of The Americas, holding eighth position across the finish line.
Quartararo had another great start from seventh on the grid and was again in fourth place after the opening lap. Despite battling with Luca Marini, the Yamaha man was able to break away. He then put pressure on Jack Miller in third position.
Both Miller and Francesco Bagnaia soon crashed out of the race, moving El Diablo up to second place. But Marini was not letting the Frenchman keep it without a fight. Quartararo tried to make his M1 as wide as possible but in the end had to settle for third. He concentrated on finishing the race without mistakes and crossed the line 4.936s from first.
Morbidelli started from fourteenth and, manoeuvring skillfully in the busy midpack, ended the opening lap in 11th place. With multiple riders crashing out, some of them ahead of the Italian, Morbido found himself in eighth position by lap 11.
The race became a lonely experience for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider, but he still needed to stay 100% focused to secure the eight points in hand. He kept pushing and took the chequered flag in eighth place, 20.399s from the race leader.
Today‘s results see Quartararo climb up to 7th in the overall standings with now 34 points. Morbidelli is in 10th place with 29 points. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team move to 4th place in the team championship with 63 points, and Yamaha are in fifth in the constructor‘s championship with 43 points.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will have one week off before they start Round 4, the Gran Premio MotoGP de España, held at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto.
Renaux Closes the Gap in the MXGP Championship Chase with Second Consecutive Podium Finish
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Maxime Renaux narrowly missed a second consecutive Grand Prix win at the fourth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Pietramurata, Italy. The Frenchman put in a power-packed performance to finish second in both races for second overall. At the same time, Glenn Coldenhoff and Jeremy Seewer faced their own challenges, finishing sixth and 11th overall.
Renaux’s phenomenal performance at the MXGP of Trentino saw him fight from a sixth-place start to finish second in Race One. Seewer, on the other hand, was caught in a chaotic first-turn pile-up in the opening race and battled to recover for 16th.
The tight Ciclamino Circuit and its challenging 180-degree first turn made an excellent start crucial for success. Coldenhoff avoided the first-turn chaos and fought back from outside the points to finish eighth.
In the second and final race, Renaux continued to impress, engaging in an intense battle with championship leader Jorge Prado. However, Jeffrey Herlings’ late charge relegated Renaux to second place, leaving him one point shy of a consecutive Grand Prix win.
Seewer, still recovering from the heavy knocks he took in Argentina, Sardinia and Switzerland, acknowledged his return to form would take time and was satisfied with his spirited ride to fifth in Race Two. At the same time, Coldenhoff fought back from another mid-pack start to finish sixth.
Following the eventful weekend, Renaux now ranks second in the championship standings, just 17 points shy of the championship lead, while Coldenhoff is seventh and Seewer is ninth.
With a weekend off to regroup, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team eagerly anticipates the next round of the FIM Motocross World Championship that will take place in Agueda, Portugal, on April 29-30.
Geerts Displays Tenacity with Stunning Podium Finish to Maintain MX2 Championship Lead
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Jago Geerts made a powerful comeback at the fourth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Pietramurata, Italy. The Belgian clinched an outstanding victory in the opening race but faced misfortune in the second race, being hit twice by other competitors. Despite these setbacks, Geerts managed to maintain his 22-point lead in the MX2 World Championship by racing from last to seventh in a valiant effort. Thibault Benistant finished in fourth and fifth place during the two races, placing sixth overall, while Rick Elzinga overcame numerous challenges to secure 11th overall.
Geerts recovered from a minor fall during Qualifying to secure a phenomenal start-to-finish victory at the MX2 Grand Prix of Trentino in Race One. The Yamaha ace flawlessly led all 18-laps to claim his 36th career win.
At the same time, Benistant started inside the top five and used his incredible race craft to chip away at the riders ahead. After an intense showdown with Italian fan favourite Andrea Adamo for third, the Frenchman narrowly missed out and had to settle for fourth.
Entering the final race of the weekend with high hopes, Geerts’ aspirations for a Grand Prix win were dashed by a tumultuous opening lap in Race Two. The ’93’ was knocked down by another rider and, despite a swift recovery, was taken out again. Undeterred, the championship leader fought his way through the pack to earn 14 crucial points for seventh place, enough to secure third place overall.
Meanwhile, Benistant struggled with the rough and slippery Ciclamino track surface, falling back to fifth place after initially challenging the leaders.
Elzinga continued his impressive progress towards regaining fitness, rebounding from a lackluster performance in Race One to recover from a bizarre racing incident in Race Two. The Dutch rider became entangled with another competitor’s bike on the start straight, resulting in him starting from last place but eventually powered back to 11th.
Following a rollercoaster Grand Prix, Geerts now leads the MX2 World Championship by 22 points, ahead of Andrea Adamo. Benistant leaves Italy trailing Adamo by a single point in third place, while Elzinga climbs one position to 11th.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team will enjoy a brief break before embarking on the next round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Agueda, Portugal, where they aim to maintain their momentum and vie for top podium spots.
Triumph Racing Signs Its Test Riders for 2024 MXGP and SuperMotocross World Championship
As preparations for Triumph’s debut in the 2024 MXGP/MX2 and SuperMotocross World Championships intensify, Triumph Racing confirms it has signed two top class riders to lead its race development testing.
Clément Desalle joins as test rider for the Triumph Racing MXGP/MX2 Team, run by Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni, and Ivan Tedesco comes onboard as full-time test rider for the Triumph Racing US SuperMotocross World Championship Team, led by Bobby Hewitt.
CLÉMENT DESALLE – TRIUMPH RACING MXGP/MX2 TEAM
Clément Desalle (‘MX Panda’) competed at the highest level in the MXGP World Championship for 15 years. One of the most consistent racers in the series, he claimed three Vice Champion finishes, was third in the World Championship three times and twice finished fourth. The Belgium national finished on the top step of the podium 23 times in his career, as well as being crowned the Pro open Belgian champion in 2009. He retired from racing in 2020 and turned his attention to test riding and developing race bikes – and is already making a major contribution to Triumph’s progress with its new race bike.
Clément Desalle: “Joining the Triumph MX2 programme allows me to make use of my years of experience as a professional racer to help take the stock bike to a full factory race bike, ready for the MX2 season in 2024. Working with Thierry and Vincent, I know that Triumph have joined with the best people possible to deliver winning results in the quickest possible time, and I’m excited for what the future holds.”
Vincent Bereni: Triumph Racing Team Manager – MXGP: “When Triumph asked us to join this MX project, we knew that the bike R&D and testing was a going to be major part of the success. Clément has a lot of experience of MXGP tracks, the requirements for the race disciplines and is still very fast.
“We have worked with Clément for many years and he is a very demanding rider, who pays attention to every aspect of the motorcycle, so in our opinion he is the perfect candidate. We know and understand each other very well and he has already brought a lot to bike development, for both the production and racing application. We are very pleased that he joined the programme.”
IVAN TEDESCO – TRIUMPH RACING US SUPERMOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
![Ivan Tedesco [1]](https://motorsportsnewswire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Ivan-Tedesco-1.jpg)
Ivan Tedesco (‘Hot Sauce’) began racing motorcycles at the age of eight years old and turned Pro in 1999, with a career that spanned 14 years. In his racing career, Tedesco won the AMA 125cc West Coast Supercross series twice (2004 and 2005), the AMA 125cc National Motocross series (2005) and the Motocross of Nations three times with Team USA (2005, 2006 and 2009).
After his retirement from professional racing in 2014, Ivan turned his talents to coaching up and coming racers, and becoming one of the very best manufacturer development test riders of the current era.
Ivan Tedesco: “I’m super excited to be part of the new Triumph racing programme and to be working with Ricky and Bobby again. To have the opportunity to work with a new brand in our sport, to take a new bike and develop it to a race ready package, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“The team that Triumph is assembling to compete in the SuperMotocross championship is second to none, and together with the support of the engineers at the Triumph Factory, I’m confident we will line up with a competitive bike for Anaheim 1 2024.”
Bobby Hewitt: Triumph Racing Team Principal – SMX: “I’ve known Ivan for many years now, as a multi-time AMA SX Champion and AMA MX Champion who has raced at the highest level including being a member of Team USA multiple times at the Motocross of Nations.
“Adding someone with his experience to the program adds another layer of quality and racing experience to an already strong foundation at Triumph Racing here in the US. In 2014 I had the privilege to have Ivan as a team member and pro-rider on one of my previous racing programs before he retired. During that time, I personally had the opportunity to work with him as a rider, experience his attention to detail as a test rider, and more importantly see first-hand how he works and would mentor upcoming riders.
“Today is a great day and I’m very excited to add “Hot Sauce” to the program. I truly believe this is another example that the future here at Triumph Racing is very bright!”
RICKY CARMICHAEL – TRIUMPH OFF-ROAD AMBASSADOR
“This is so exciting. It’s just another example of Triumphs dedication to the development of the off-road line of motorcycles. I have no doubt, that with guys like Ivan Tedesco and Clément Desalle and the knowledge they bring to the table from an R&D standpoint, that these bikes will be top of the line, from a race bike perspective as well as a production model. These guys know what it takes to win at the highest level and will be a huge asset to the development of a great product!”
ABOUT TRIUMPH RACING’S OFF-ROAD PROGRAMME:
SMX: Triumph Motorcycles will enter the Monster Energy AMA SuperMotocross World Championship at the start of the 2024 season, with a fully supported factory race program established in the United States to run motocross operations under the all-new global Triumph Racing banner.
Set-up and operated in partnership with Bobby Hewitt, this new Triumph Racing team will field three of Triumph’s all-new 250cc 4-stroke MX bikes in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship West and East Coast series before entering the 450cc premier class in 2025.
MXGP: Similarly in 2024, Triumph Racing will also debut in the prestigious FIM Motocross World Championship with a factory supported race programme.
This landmark new Triumph Racing Team has been set-up in partnership with Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni, one of the sport’s most experienced and successful team owners, who will field two of Triumph’s all-new 250cc 4-stroke MX bikes in the 2024 MX2 class, and will add an entry into the 450cc MXGP class in 2025.
Triumph Racing is based at Triumph’s Global Headquarters in Hinckley, UK, where the brand’s off-road design engineering department is located – responsible for the concept and development of the powertrains and chassis for the all-new Motocross and Enduro motorcycle range.
The MXGP/MX2 World Championship team will be based at Thierry’s race facility near Eindhoven in Holland, while the SuperMotocross World Championship operation will be based at a dedicated new state-of-the-art race facility in the USA.
Engineering groups at the Triumph factory and the race teams are working closely together on continuously enhancing chassis and engine performance through an intensive testing schedule, led by Ivan Tedesco and Clément Desalle, underway in the USA, UK and Europe, building towards the competitive World Championship debut in 2024.
Monster Energy Continues Premier-Level Support for 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship
With less than 50 days until the first gate drop of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, MX Sports Pro Racing has announced the continued partnership with global beverage powerhouse Monster Energy ahead of the new season. As the “Official Energy Drink” of American motocross, the iconic and infamous green “Monster Claw” will be a fixture at all 11 Nationals and will bring an enhanced fan experience to the sport’s premier motocross championship, further complemented by an all-star lineup of athletes on the track.
“There’s simply no denying that for more than two decades Monster Energy has provided an unprecedented level of support to off-road motorcycle racing that has helped elevate the sport’s presence and popularity on the global scale,” said Davey Coombs, President, MX Sports Pro Racing. “Today, motocross and Monster Energy essentially go hand in hand and that relationship has established a unique and indelible legacy that has ultimately benefited everyone in the industry, whether you’re a fan, a racer, a manufacturer, a team owner, a promoter, or a business. That’s a truly special distinction to have and we’re privileged to have such a dedicated and passionate partner in Monster Energy as a premier sponsor of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.”
Monster Energy will once again serve as the “Official Energy Drink” of the
AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Photos: Align Media
Monster’s on-site presence at the races is second-to-none and the augmented activation in the sponsor village, the paddock, and the racetrack will be a cornerstone of its support for the 2023 season. Additionally, its hugely popular digital content arm will continue to produce captivating behind-the-scenes content, taking fans behind the scenes and deeper into the storylines of the championship as it unfolds.
“For more than 20 years Monster Energy has been the biggest advocate for motocross and we remain committed to elevating the sport as much as possible, both through our support of the world’s biggest racing series and the teams and athletes that make this one of most the exciting motorsports on the planet,” said Dave Gowland, Vice President, Motorsports Marketing, Monster Energy. “The AMA Pro Motocross Championship is the foundation of American motocross and is integral to our continued push to shine the spotlight on off-road motorcycle racing. We’re also extremely passionate fans and cannot wait to see what the 2023 season has in store this summer.”
Monster Energy athletes Eli Tomac (right, #3) and Chase Sexton (left, #23) will look to continue their rivalry that defined a historic 2022 title fight in the 450 Class.
Photo: Align Media
On the starting gate this summer will be a star-studded lineup set to carry the Monster Energy flag into action on the most hallowed grounds in motocross. A dynamic lineup of established veterans, rising stars, and the most promising young talent in the sport will be headlined by reigning and four-time 450 Class Champion Eli Tomac and 2021 titleholder Dylan Ferrandis at Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing. The 450 Class will also feature 2022 championship runner-up Chase Sexton at Team Honda HRC and the Nationals-winning duo at Monster Energy Kawasaki, Jason Anderson and Adam Cianciarulo. In the 250 Class, a formidable group will have championship aspirations at Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, led by perennial contender Justin Cooper as well as reigning Rookie of the Year Levi Kitchen, Stilez Robertson, Jordon Smith, Nate Thrasher, and top rookie prospect Haiden Deegan. The storied Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki squad will be anchored by the breakout rider from 2022, Jo Shimoda, as well as Austin Forkner, Seth Hammaker, and Cameron McAdoo, along with rookies Ryder DiFrancesco and Jett Reynolds. Rounding things out is Team Honda HRC rookie Chance Hymas.
Following a runner-up finish in the 250 Class last summer, Monster Energy athlete
Jo Shimoda has title aspirations for the 2023 season.
Photo: Align Media
The 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, presented by AMA Pro Racing, will commence on Saturday, May 27, from Southern California’s Fox Raceway. The 11-round campaign will travel to 10 different states, with visits to iconic venues like Hangtown, Thunder Valley Motocross Park, High Point Raceway, RedBud MX, The Wick 338, Spring Creek MX Park, Washougal MX Park, Unadilla MX, Budds Creek Motocross Park, and Ironman Raceway.
Share
