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Feb 01
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The 60th Annual Woodville Weekend

By General Posts

Press Release: Bikesport NZ from https://www.scoop.co.nz

It was a special weekend of motocross that had everything – high intensity dirt bike action, a slew of different race winners, weather that remarkably switched from chilly to baking hot and, of course, a significant birthday party.

The 60th annual Honda-sponsored New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville on Saturday and Sunday was a celebration of the sport, the popular event at the eastern end of the Manawatu Gorge achieving a landmark in more ways than one.

It was not only marking six decades since the sport was properly introduced to New Zealand in 1961 by now-87-year-old Palmerston North man Tim Gibbes, but it was also for the first time being run in conjunction with the first round of four in the 2021 New Zealand Motocross Championships.

It was a rare double honour – the opening round of the national championships tied in with New Zealand’s largest stand-alone motocross event – and the riders rose to the occasion.

With all three races in each class counting towards the Woodville GP titles and only the first two of the three races being deemed eligible for the national championships, the event threw up separate podiums in each class.

Taupo’s Wyatt Chase therefore won the Woodville GP crown for the first time and West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood, incidentally the GP title winner last season, missed out on repeating the feat, but Harwood left Woodville with a slender six-point lead in the premier MX1 class for the national title hunt, the national series continuing on at Rotorua in three weeks’ time (on Sunday, February 21), with round three to follow at Pukekohe on Saturday, March 20. It all wraps up at Taupo on Sunday, March 28.

Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis won the MX2 (250cc) class for the Woodville GP trophy and he also leads that class for national honours, while the same applies for Matamata’s Brodie Connolly in the MX125 class. In addition, Connolly also leads the points in terms of Under-19 years’ age-group honours.

Motueka’s Roma Edwards topped the women’s class at Woodville and she also leads the chase for Women’s Cup honours.

Motorcycling New Zealand Motocross commissioner Ray Broad said it was a spectacular weekend of racing, with so many riders and a large crowd thrilled to be a part of the 60th celebrations.

“The first two races of GP carry over points towards New Zealand titles, so when we head to round two at Rotorua, those riders still have it all to play for and the fierce battling that we saw at Woodville will continue on.

“We knew that, with all that goes on here at Woodville, it was always going to be difficult getting through three championship-length races, which is why the last round of sprint races weren’t counted towards national championship points.”

Broad added that the 2021 Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville, and all of the other rounds of the nationals too, would be live-streamed on the Sky Sport Next programme and also repeat screened on Sky Sport.

For 21-year-old Taupo rider Chase it was a particularly special weekend as he won his first Woodville GP title in the premier 450cc MX1 bike class.

“This is a massive win for me,” said Chase. “This is a title that all motocross riders want to win and it’s great that my name will go on the trophy alongside so many legendary riders that have gone before me.”

The New Zealand Motocross Championships are supported by Aon Insurance, Kawasaki New Zealand, Pirelli tyres and Fox apparel.

Class winners from the weekend’s 60th annual New Zealand Motocross

Woodville GP seniors (Sunday):

Woodville GP: Taupo’s Wyatt Chase (MX1 class and main Woodville GP trophy); Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis (MX2 class); Matamata’s Brodie Connolly (MX125); Motueka’s Roma Edwards (Women); Rotorua’s Cam Negus (Veterans); Palmerston North’s Paul Whibley (River Race); Connolly (Roddy Shirriffs Under-19 trophy).

Senior NZ Motocross Champs points:

MX1 class: 1. West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood, 47 points; 2. Chase, 41; 3= Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper and Hamilton’s Kayne Lamont, 40.

MX2 class: 1. Purvis, 50 points; 2. Oparau’s James Scott, 44; 3. Mount Maunganui’s Josiah Natzke, 40.

MX125 class: 1. Connolly, 47 points; 2. Silverdale’s Hayden Smith, 45; 3. Clevedon’s Cobie Bourke, 40.

Women’s Cup: 1. Edwards, 72 points; 2. Opunake’s Taylar Rampton, 69; 3. Hamilton’s Amie Roberts, 58.

Under-19 class: 1. Connolly, 50 points; 2. Tauranga’s Donovan Ward, 38; 3. Te Aroha Luke Van der Lee, 36.

Woodville GP juniors (Saturday):

Pukekawa’s Tyler Brown (14-16 years’ 250cc class); Invercargill’s Jack Symon (15-16 years, 125cc class); Te Puke’s Flynn Watts (12-14 years’ 125cc class); Auckland’s Lachlan Bourn (14-16 years’ 85cc class); Waitoki’s Cole Davies (12-13 years’ 85cc class); Taupo’s Declan Connors (8-11 years’ 85cc class); Tauranga’s Levin Townley (8-11 years’ 65cc class); Palmerston North’s Hannah Powell (12-16 years’ women 125cc/250cc); Raetihi’s Karaitiana Horne (12-16 years’ women’ 85cc/150cc); Taupo’s Mikayla Griffiths (8-11 years’ 85cc/150cc).

Senior 2021 NZ Motocross Champs calendar:

Round One: January 30-31, 2021 (in conjunction with the NZMX Grand Prix at Woodville). Manawatu-Orion MCC. MX1 (& 2T Cup), MX2 (& under-19), MX125 & round one of the Women’s Cup.

Round Two: Sunday, February 21, 2021. Rotorua Motorcycle Club. MX1 (& 2T Cup), MX2 (& under-19), MX125 & MX3.

Round Three: Saturday, March 20. Pukekohe Motorcycle Club. MX1 (& 2T Cup), MX2 (& under-19), MX125 & MX3 (followed by Junior and Mini open at Pukekohe on Sunday, March 21).

Round Four: Sunday, March 28. Taupo Motorcycle Club. MX1 (& 2T Cup), MX2 (& under-19), MX125, MX3 & round two of the Women’s Cup. Prize giving is arranged for that evening.

Nov 17
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Pirelli Releases Recommended Tire Setup for Upcoming Thor Mini O’s Amateur Motocross National

By General Posts

Trackside Support and Technical Assistance Will be Available to SCORPION™ MX Riders Throughout the Week

ROME, Ga. (November 17, 2020) – Pirelli has announced its plans to return for the 49th annual Thor Mini O’s amateur motocross national at Gatorback Cycle Park on November 22-28, 2020. With the event featuring both motocross and supercross-style tracks as well as the potential for a variety of weather conditions throughout the week, it’s critical to match tire setup with track and soil conditions. Pirelli will be working with its trackside vendor Mid-State Motorsports to have its SCORPION™ MX range readily available and provide technical support and assistance to all racers competing on Pirelli products.

“Mini O’s is a special event that Pirelli looks forward to each year,” said Nick Walton, off-road race manager, Pirelli. “The event produces great camaraderie with families coming together for the Thanksgiving holiday and produces a unique opportunity for amateur riders to showcase their skills on both motocross and supercross tracks. Pirelli places great emphasis on the grassroots level of the sport, and together with our trackside vendor Mid-State Motorsports, we look forward to providing the technical assistance and products needed for SCORPION™ MX riders to get a step ahead of the competition.”

For riders who are set to compete at Gatorback Cycle Park for the upcoming Thor Mini O’s, Pirelli is recommending the SCORPION™ MX32 Mid Soft front and rear tires as a starting point. In the event of rain or softer than normal soil conditions, the SCORPION™ MX Soft rear scoop tire is an alternate option. Recommended air pressure is 14 PSI for all tires.

Pirelli continues to give consumers and riders of all skill levels access to the very same tires used by its factory racing teams and world champions such as Tim Gajser, Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings. The SCORPION™ MX range consists of the SCORPRION™ MX32™ Mid Soft, SCORPION™ MX32™ Mid Hard, and SCORPION™ MX Soft, providing a tire suitable for all conditions. Pirelli recently introduced new minibike sizes for its highly sought-after MX Soft in 12-inch and 16-inch sizing.

The event information for the Thor Mini O’s can be found HERE.

Aug 24
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Alex Martin Charges to Podium Finish with SCORPION™ MX Tires at Loretta Lynn’s 2 National

By General Posts

Dominant Wire-to-Wire 250 Class Moto 2 Victory is Martin’s First with JGRMX

HURRICANE MILLS, TN. (August 24, 2020) – The second round of the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship kicked off with heavy rain and was once again hosted by the iconic Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch for the second consecutive Loretta Lynn’s 2 National. Following the morning rain, Pirelli riders opted to run the SCORPION™ MX32™ Mid Soft front and SCORPION™ MX Soft rear tires in both the 250 and 450 Classes to navigate the muddier than usual conditions. JGR/Yoshimura/Suzuki’s Alex Martin raced to his best finish of the season by taking the victory in the second 250 Class moto and landing himself on the overall podium.

“It’s a good feeling to be standing back up here on the podium,” said Martin. “The track conditions were pretty gnarly all day, but I felt that I had a good pace going in both motos and I was finally able to put it all together in Moto 2. Getting a good start is huge in conditions like these and the Pirelli SCORPION™ MX Soft did a great job of getting a drive into the first turn.”

As the gate dropped on the opening 250 Class moto, Martin was quick out of the gate and rounded the first turn in second. He would quickly take over the race lead before hitting a soft spot on the track and going down. The Suzuki rider would remount towards the tail end of the field and put on a strong charge to claw himself back to seventh at the checkered flag.

At the onset of 250 Moto 2, Martin used his SCORPION™ MX Soft scoop tire to launch out of the gate and capture the Motosport.com Holeshot. Despite rainfall, Martin continued to push at the front of the 40-rider field and opened a comfortable gap over the second place rider. Martin stayed out of trouble in the difficult conditions and remained unchallenged to take a dominant Moto 2 victory with more than a full minute to spare on his nearest competitor. It marked his first moto victory since joining the Joe Gibbs Racing team and his 7-1 moto scores landed him third overall on the day.

“It was great to see Pirelli riders running towards the front all weekend,” said Nick Walton, Off-Road Manager, Pirelli. “With back-to-back events here at Loretta Lynn’s, and Pirelli riders grabbing several holeshots, I think that it really shows how capable the SCORPION™ MX Soft scoop tire is at getting traction when the conditions are soft or muddy.”

The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana next Saturday, August 29 for round three.

Results

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
MotoSport.com Loretta Lynn’s 2 National
Loretta Lynn’s Ranch – Hurricane Mills, Tennessee
August 22, 2020

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (3-2)
Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (2-4)
Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki (7-1)

250 Class Championship Standings

Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 90
Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 84
Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki – 71

For more information about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit Pirelli.com

Aug 16
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Rider Eli Tomac Starts Strong at Opening Round of 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship

By General Posts

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (August 16, 2020) – The opening round of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship kicked off Saturday at the inaugural Loretta Lynn’s National in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee as Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider and three-time defending 450 class champion, Eli Tomac, captured third overall on the day after earning 7-2 moto scores while teammate Adam Cianciarulo earned 12th overall in his premier class debut. In the 250 class, Cameron McAdoo claimed seventh overall (9-6) in his Pro Motocross debut with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team with his teammates Mitchell Harrison and Darian Sanayei scoring 15th and 18th overall respectively.

Due to the heavy downpour of rain the day before, the Kawasaki riders found themselves struggling with the rest of the field to make their way through the sloppy conditions as Tomac spent a vast majority of the second 450 class qualifying session trying to free his bike from the mud after getting stuck during the opening laps. He eventually managed to qualify seventh, three spots behind his teammate and 450 class rookie Cianciarulo who qualified fourth in his debut 450 class ride.

By the time the gate dropped on Moto 1 in the 450 class, the mud began to dry up, leaving behind some deep ruts presenting additional challenges as Tomac battled to seventh in the first lap with Cianciarulo in 10th. Halfway through the moto, Tomac and Cianciarulo raced their KX™450 motorcycles through similar lines at a good pace as they made their way up to fourth and fifth respectively. The teammates began to struggle with the changing track conditions in the latter portion of the moto, losing a few positions as Cianciarulo finished sixth and Tomac in seventh.

Moto 2 saw the reigning 250 class champion, Cianciarulo seize the lead early as he grabbed the holeshot, while Tomac found himself mid-pack off the gate before swiftly making his way up to eighth in the first lap. Tomac capitalized on the bike adjustments made in between motos as he charged forward to cross the finish line in second place and land on the podium for third overall (7-2) on the day. Just as it looked like smooth sailing for Cianciarulo, he caught a rut on the face of a jump and crashed hard, forcing him to roll off to the mechanic’s area to eventually withdraw from the moto resulting in a 12th place overall finish (6-38).

“Third overall on the day and the best way to put it is it was hot and cold. I was up front with the leading group in Moto 1, but I just went backward because I was struggling a bit and with the track. I just wasn’t comfortable, so the team and I made some changes to the bike between motos and I was able to improve and push to the front to be in the fight for the win in Moto 2. We’ll take this result on the day, but we’re looking forward to getting better when we get back out here again next weekend.” – Eli Tomac

“The Loretta’s track was nothing like I remember. I had zero sense of nostalgia out there. The track was ripped way deeper and you need to ride so much harder than I ever did as an amateur here. Obviously I’m tired of crashing, but I felt really good in Moto 2 and even grabbed the holeshot. We’ll keep working hard over the week and suit up for better results for Round 2 at the Ranch.” – Adam Cianciarulo

In their Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Pro Motocross debut rides, McAdoo and new teammates Harrison and Sanayei were greeted with hot and humid weather in typical outdoor national fashion. In addition to the weather challenges, the trio fought through their first-race jitters as Harrison qualified 13th, McAdoo 14th and Sanayei 22nd in the 250 class.

As the gate dropped on Moto 1, the teammates battled the 40-rider field to grab positions near the front as Harrison pushed forward in eighth on the opening lap and continued to gain positions, even breaking into the top-5 at one point before making a critical error towards the end of the moto and dropping back to finish 23rd. Both McAdoo and Sanayei found themselves further back in the pack but maneuvered their way onward as they went on to finish ninth and 14th, respectively.

Moto 2 saw all three Kawasaki teammates running in the top-10 before misfortune struck for Sanayei as he injured his shoulder during a mid-moto crash, ultimately retiring early to finish 18th overall (14-34). Harrison made sure to improve on his first moto performance as he crossed the finish line in ninth for 15th overall (23-9). It was the No. 29 of McAdoo with two solid and consistent motos for the day after racing to a sixth-place finish for seventh overall (9-6).

Round 2 of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, originally scheduled to be in Washougal, Washington, will now continue next weekend on Saturday, August 22nd at the same beloved location of Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

“All things considered, I am happy with today’s result. I tipped over early in the first moto which ended up costing me, but I was proud we were able to fight back up to ninth. In Moto 2, I got a much better jump out of the gate and was able to put in a solid ride from start to finish. I know what I need to work on and clean up for next week and we’ll come back out swinging again. I can’t thank my entire Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team enough for giving me such an amazing bike, my KX™250 was an absolute beast!” – Cameron McAdoo

“Well, I can’t be too mad about today. We showed some great speed and consistency throughout the entire day. In Moto 1, I was running top-5 and then I made a boneheaded mistake in the back sand sweeper as I was trying to protect my line and went down. It took me a bit to get going again which ended up hurting my overall. We bounced back in Moto 2 with a ninth place to finish the day out 15th overall. I can’t thank Mitch (Payton) and the entire Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki team enough for this incredible opportunity to race this amazing bike each week. We are going to continue to improve and push each week and put this bike where it belongs, on the podium.” – Mitchell Harrison

“Loretta’s was a tough one for me and I was just off all day. In the first moto, I fell around 10 minutes into it and had to work my way up from 20th to 14th. The second moto I started off good, but I made a few mistakes and I just wasn’t riding at a good pace. Later in the moto, I crashed and popped my shoulder out, so I wasn’t able to finish out the race. I’ll go get it checked out and hope to be back on the bike and ready for Round 2.” – Darian Sanayei

Oct 25
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Pirelli Tire and Phil Nicoletti Capture 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Championship

By General Posts

2019 Hamilton Supercross
FirstOntario Centre
Hamilton, Ontario
October 20, 2019

Nicoletti Earns $100,000 Payday on SCORPION™ MX32™ Mid Soft Tires

ONTARIO, Canada (October 25, 2019) – Pirelli Tire North America congratulates Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Phil Nicoletti on capturing the 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series Championship in the premier 450 class. The Canadian series wrapped up this past weekend where Nicoletti’s Yamaha YZ450 was equipped with Pirelli SCORPION™ MX32™ Mid Soft front and rear tires, the ideal setup to handle the dark, tacky soil inside of the First Ontario Center arena. As the winner of the Triple Crown, Nicoletti was the grand prize winner and took home a $100,000 check to go alongside his number one plate.

“Congratulations to Phil and the entire OTSFF Yamaha team on a successful season,” said Nick Walton, off-road race manager, Pirelli. “Throughout the season Phil continued to raise the bar with both speed and consistency. The SCORPION MX tire range has proven its championship capabilities around the globe and Phil confirmed the performance in a variety of conditions and soil types throughout Canada.”

When the gate dropped on the final Main Event of the season, Nicoletti quickly found himself out front of his fellow competitors, however, he decided to play it smart with a championship on his mind and settled for the second position. He would cross the checkered flag in second, which was good enough to capture both the Rockstar Energy Supercross Tour Championship and Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Championship. The Triple Crown winner is determined based on the rider who earns the most combined points throughout the season from Arenacross, Motocross and Supercross.

“I’m very happy to seal up the Triple Crown Championship as well as the supercross title,” said Nicoletti. “Pirelli has been there since the start of the year in arenacross and also motocross. The tires consistently performed every step of the way and helped me win on the many different types of terrain that we faced throughout the year.”

In addition to their championship-winning efforts, the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha team claimed awards at the season-ending awards banquet, including Best Team Set-Up, Most Consistent Rider (Nicoletti), and Rookie of the Year (Sam Gaynor).

Aug 26
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Kawasaki Sweeps AMA Pro Motocross Championships in the 250 and 450 Classes

By General Posts

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (August 25, 2019) – The final round of the 2019 AMA Pro Motocross Championship saw Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo capture his first AMA Pro Motocross 250 title aboard his KX™250 this weekend in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The title is the 15th 250 class motocross championship for Kawasaki, the most 250 class motocross championships of any manufacturer and confirmed the Kawasaki sweep as both teams secured the title in the 250 and 450 classes. Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac finished the season strong as he went on to capture another overall victory (3-1).

Cianciarulo kicked off the day with a 30-point advantage and lined up for the first moto of the 250 class poised and prepared to fight for the title. As the gate dropped, Cianciarulo positioned himself in fourth around Turn 1. Cianciarulo quickly made his way into third and patiently waited to make his move into second; he knew he needed to finish second in order to clinch the championship and with only three laps remaining, he did just that.

Without the stress of the ultimate goal, Cianciarulo had the luxury of coasting through the final moto but in typical fashion, he charged through the field after the gate dropped on Moto 2. Once again, Cianciarulo sat comfortably in third for the majority of the moto before dropping back into fourth to finish and going on to celebrate the championship with the entire team on the podium. Cianciarulo finished the day with 2-4 moto scores for third overall meaning he never finished off the overall podium this season with 12 straight podiums.

Although the championships was the focus, teammates Garrett Marchbanks and Martin Davalos both had the goal to close out the season on a high note as well. Marchbanks managed to finish 11th in Moto 1, after having to make his way up from 23rd on the first lap. Unfortunately, Davalos was unable to complete the first moto after running into a mechanical issue early on in the race.

Both riders were able to bounce back in Moto 2 as Marchbanks raced to his best finish of the season in seventh, going 11-7 for ninth overall and Davalos captured a top-10 finish for his last 250 class moto, going 39-10 for 16th overall. Marchbanks and Davalos finished 14th and 18th in the 250 class championship points standings, respectively.

“The road to this championship has been a journey. I grew up in the Team Green program and many people had such high expectations but because of injuries, I’ve been unable to fulfill those expectations until now. I wouldn’t change a thing though. I have learned so much, grown as a person and appreciate this moment more than I could have imagined. I’m just so emotional thinking about this accomplishment my entire Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and I have achieved; we have worked so hard for this and I really put my mind to it. I wanted this title so badly, now it’s time to celebrate!” – Adam Cianciarulo

“It’s been a challenging season, but I’m proud to have officially wrapped up my second Pro Motocross season. I continue to learn and grow as a person and an athlete, and I look forward to continue working with the team to find even more success.” – Garrett Marchbanks

“There have been a lot of ups and downs and a few challenges I’ve had to overcome this year. I wanted to make sure and give it my all today for my last 250 class ride. I can’t thank Mitch and the team enough for everything they do to support me. They are and have always been in my corner and now I’m just looking forward to what‘s next.” – Martin Davalos

After securing the 450 class championship at the penultimate round last week, Tomac arrived with a relaxed demeanor to take on the final round of the season. As the gate dropped, Tomac and teammate Joey Savatgy launched out the gate aboard their KX™450 motorcycles in front of the 40-rider field. Savatgy nearly grabbed the holeshot and remained in second for the first two opening laps before Tomac made his way around him on Lap 3. Nearly halfway through the moto, Savatgy was passed once more but was determined to hold on to his position from there, crossing the finish line with his best moto finish of the season in fourth. Tomac battled for the lead throughout the moto to ultimately finish third.

Moto 2 in the 450 class saw both KX™ motorcycles out front once again but it was the No. 17 machine of Savatgy who grabbed the holeshot to lead the opening lap. Halfway through the moto, Savatgy was passed by Tomac and four other contenders to drop to sixth, where he went on to finish. However, around that same time Tomac had maneuvered his way to the front to lead the remaining laps of the moto. The newly crowned champion took the checkered flag to capture the last moto win of the season, going 3-1 for his sixth overall victory of the season.

Savatgy returned for the final round after taking the weekend off to celebrate the birth of his first child determined to finish the season strong by riding up front all day and earning his best finish of the season with fourth place overall (4-6). Savatgy finished 11th in the 450 class championship points standings.

The success didn’t end at the track as MX Sports and NBC Sports hosted an end of season banquet, where Kawasaki was awarded multiple awards as well, including the coveted Manufacturer of the Year award and Monster Energy Kawasaki named Team of the Year. Tomac and Cianciarulo’s mechanics were each awarded Mechanic of the Year in the respective classes in addition to Mitch Payton receiving Team Manager of the Year.

“What an incredible day and season it’s been. I came here this weekend feeling fortunate we were able to secure the championship already; that really took all the weight off my shoulders. My goal was to run my race, finish strong and remain healthy, it was just icing on the cake to finish the last round with the overall win. I’m still on cloud nine and can’t thank the entire Monster Energy Kawasaki team enough for everything they have provided me with this year in order to bring home our third championship.“ – Eli Tomac

“Today was an incredible feeling. I finally feel like I was where I’m supposed to be, running up front. I’ve been able to put together decent motos in the last couple of rounds, but I was just feeling it today and the team set me up with an excellent bike to match it.” – Joey Savatgy

 

Aug 24
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Kawasaki Doubles Down To Capture AMA Pro Motocross Championships in the 250 and 450 Classes

By General Posts

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (August 24, 2019) – Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo captured his first AMA Pro Motocross 250 title aboard his KX™250 this weekend in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Cianciarulo began his championship campaign by winning the overall in the first four rounds. Cianciarulo’s dominant performance all season long was displayed through his grit, determination, and consistency, never finishing off the overall podium during the season.

The title is the 15th 250 class motorcross championship for Kawasaki, the most 250 class motocross championships of any manufacturer. Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac clinched the 450 class title last weekend at Budds Creek, leading Team Green to the first brand sweep of both motocross classes since Kawasaki achieved the same feat in 2011.

Aug 18
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Kawasaki Rider Eli Tomac Captures Third Consecutive Pro Motocross Championship

By General Posts

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (August 17, 2019) – Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac and his KX™450 earned his third consecutive AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the penultimate round of the series in Mechanicsville, Maryland. Tomac scored fo five overall wins this season and captured 10 moto wins in total. Tomac cements his legacy as only the fourth rider in history to win three consecutive motocross titles. The title is Kawasaki’s 14th 450 class motocross championship, more than any other manufacturer.

To get it done today and a race early is amazing! Honestly, when I crossed the line I didn’t know I had gotten the championship. To go three championships in a row is pretty special and something I am proud of. Each championship has been special in its own right, but man am I happy we got it done today. I can’t thank the entire Monster Energy Kawasaki crew and the entire Kawasaki motorcycle corporation enough for all of the hard work and support all season long.“ – Eli Tomac

Aug 05
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Another Successful Year at Loretta Lynn’s for Kawasaki Team Green

By General Posts

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (August 5, 2019) – Kawasaki Team Green™ wrapped up the 37th Annual AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s Dude Ranch, in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee with plenty to celebrate. Team Green left the ranch with five championships, 11 overall podium finishes, and 14 moto wins.

The Team Green squad of Krystian Janik and Drew Adams contested the 85cc (10-12) and the 85cc (10-12) Limited classes aboard their KX™85 motorcycles. The Team Green duo occupied the podium throughout the week, however, one bad moto for each of them would ultimately hinder their overall results, but they showed they had the speed to compete with the best in the country in the 85cc class. Adams was able to secure second place overall in the 85cc (10-12) Limited class with fellow Team Green rider Thor Powell rounding out the top-5 in fifth.

Ryder DiFrancesco donned the No. 1 on his KX™85 for Team Green in the Mini Sr. 1 class as reigning champion and No. 99 in Mini Sr. 2 class. In the last Mini Sr. 2 moto, DiFrancesco looked poised to grab the championship with his 2-1 moto scores, and rocketed out of the gate to the first corner grabbing the holeshot, but he fell in the ensuing corner. From last position, the California native scratched and clawed his way back to the front of the pack. At the half way point of the race, DiFrancesco had brought the crowd to their feet as he ran the fastest lap of the week in the Mini Sr. classes, four seconds faster than any rider. After moving into third place, a crash on the last lap ultimately dropped him to fifth where 2-1-5 moto scores placed him third overall in the championship standings. Coming into the final moto of the week after suffering some misfortune in the Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) class, DiFrancesco made a statement to his competitors by winning the final moto in dominant fashion.

Stilez Robertson led the charge for Monster Energy Team Green big bike riders aboard his KX™250, battling for wins and championships in both the 250 B and Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C divisions. Robertson set the tone early in the week by winning the first 250 B moto and made it known that he was one of the fastest at the ranch in 2019. His consistency throughout the week was what ultimately earned him the championship in the 250 B class with 1-2-2 scores, and 3-5-2 scores in the Schoolboy 2 class that were good enough for second place overall in the championship battle.

Just as he has done all year long at other major amateur nationals, the No. 55 green machine of Dylan Cunha won in dominant fashion throughout the week. In the 250 C class he was able to remain perfect the entire week by sweeping the class with 1-1-1 moto scores. In the 250 C Jr. (12-17) class, a bad crash in his second moto hindered his overall results but was still able to manage a 10th place overall finish in the class.

John Grewe would once again win the Masters 50+ championship for the fourth consecutive year. Grewe also placed his Babbitt’s Online Kawasaki KX™450 on the podium with a second overall in the Senior 40+ class with 2-2-2 scores, while fellow Team Green riders Gregory Pamart and Ryan Valade rounded out the top five behind Grewe.

In the vet classes it was not only about Team Green’s Grewe who had success, in the Senior 45+ class there was a first time Loretta Lynn’s champion crowned by the name of John Bowlin aboard his KX™450. Bowlin sat with a 1-1 score heading into the final moto of the week and was put to the test as the Tennessee skies darkened and the rain began to engulf the track. Despite the conditions, Bowlin was bound and determined to capture his first ever championship and did just that by sweeping the Senior 45+ class with perfect scores. Fellow Team Green rider Don Boespflug joined Bowlin on the podium with 3-5-2 scores, earning a second place overall in the class.

Joining Grewe and Bowlin in the vet championships was Nicholas Hayes who captured the Vet 30+ championship with consistent riding throughout the week. But much like his competitors, he would be forced to overcome adversity. After finishing first and third in his first two motos, Hayes pulled into “Greenville” seeking the aid of the Kawasaki Trackside Support team. The team quickly got him and his machine back to race ready. Hayes went on to win the final moto and the championship, stating “none of this would have been possible without the help yesterday from Kawasaki Team Green’s Trackside support crew. I can’t thank those guys enough!” Fellow Team Green rider Taylor Painter joined in on the action with a third place overall finish in the Vet 30+ class.

“It’s always great coming to Loretta Lynn’s,” said Team Green Manager, Ryan Holliday. “We enjoy catching up with so many of our Kawasaki racers and families from coast to coast. We strive to give them the best experience and support that our Team Green staff can provide. It was awesome to have some of our new lineup of 2020 KX™ and KLX® models out on display all week long for people to come check out.”

Kawasaki Championships and Top-5 Finishes
Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship:

250 B
1st – Stilez Robertson

250 C
1st – Dylan Cunha

Masters (50+)
1st – John Grewe

Vet (30+)
1st – Nicholas Hayes
3rd – Taylor Painter

Senior (45+)
1st – John Bowlin
2nd – Don Boespflug

Senior (40+)
2nd – John Grewe
4th – Gregory Pamart
5th – Ryan Valade

SchoolBoy 2 (12-17) B/C
2nd – Stilez Robertson

85cc (10-12) Limited
2nd – Drew Adams
5th – Thor Powell

Mini Sr. 1 (13-15)
3rd – Ryder DiFrancesco

Girls (11-16)
4th – Landrey Hazen

Jul 23
Love0

Alex Martin Charges to Podium Finish with SCORPION™ MX Tires in Front of Home Crowd at Spring Creek

By General Posts

Privateer John Short Captures Career-Best Finish in the 450 Class

MILLVILLE, Min. (July 23, 2019) – The eighth round of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship kicked off under heavy thunderstorms at Spring Creek Motocross Park for the annual Spring Creek National. Following the morning rain, Pirelli riders opted to run the SCORPION™ MX32™ Mid Soft front and SCORPION™ MX Soft rear tires in both the 250 Class and 450 Class. JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Alex Martin raced to his best finish of the season in front of his home crowd, while TPJ Racing’s John Short earned a career-best result.

Alex Martin collected his first podium overall of the season for the JGRMX team at Spring Creek. | Photo – Browndogwilson

As the gate dropped on the opening 250 Class moto, Martin completed the opening lap in third aboard his Suzuki RM-Z250 and set his sights on the riders in front of him. With the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto winding down, Martin closed in on second, eventually making the pass and holding the position until the checkered flag for his third podium of the season.

At the onset of the 250 Moto 2, Martin launched out of the gate with his SCORPION™ MX tires and narrowly missed out on the holeshot, but was forced off of the track exiting the first turn and rejoined the race just outside of the top five. Martin continued his march towards the front, picking off riders one-by-one until he got into second. At the conclusion of the moto, race officials made the decision to dock Martin a single position for his excursion off of the track in turn one, giving him third in the moto. The 2-3 scores helped Martin capture a season-best second place overall.

Pirelli riders got off to strong starts with the SCORPION™ MX Soft rear scoop tire. | Photo – Browndogwilson

“It felt awesome to earn a second place overall finish at my home national here at Spring Creek Motocross Park,” said Martin. “Having the Pirelli SCORPION™ MX Soft rear tire was a big advantage in the sandy, muddy conditions that we faced this weekend. The motos went very well, with two second place finishes. It was unfortunate to get docked a position in the second moto. I’m excited with how things have been progressing.”

In the 450 Class, JGRMX support rider Isaac Teasdale launched out of the gate to take a commanding holeshot in 450 Moto 1.  As the 40-rider field completed the opening lap, Short moved in to third, followed by Teasdale in fourth and JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Freddie Noren in seventh. When the checkered flag waved, Short held on to take sixth, resulting in the best moto finish of his career. Noren was just behind in seventh.

TPJ Racing’s John Short had a career day in the 450 Class, finishing seventh overall (6-8). | Photo – Browndogwilson

The final 450 moto of the afternoon once again saw Short get off to another strong start in third and Noren in seventh. Short continued his impressive efforts by finishing eighth. Misfortune struck Noren in the middle of the moto as he struck a downed rider on the landing of a jump and crashed. Fortunately, he was able to quickly remount and put in a charge to take a hard-fought 11th. Short finished a career-best seventh overall (6-8), awarding him top finishing privateer honors on the day. Noren ended the day eighth overall (7-11).

“This weekend was a great confidence builder for me,” said Short. “The two good starts were huge! I’ve never had a top five start at an outdoor national, so I was thrilled to get that experience racing up front in the top three for a little bit. It definitely fires me up and makes me want to keep working hard and improving so that I can continue to move forward!”

The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Washougal Motocross Park in Washougal, Washington next Saturday, July 27 for round nine.

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

  1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (1-1)
  2. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (4-3)
  3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (2-5)
  4. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (3-7)
  5. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (14-2)
  6. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (11-4)
  7. John Short, Dallas, Texas, Honda (6-8)
  8. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Suzuki (7-11)
  9. Henry Miller, Rochester, Minn., KTM (5-14)
  10. Benny Bloss, Oak Grove, MO., KTM (16-6)

450 Class Championship Standings

  1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 342
  2. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 304
  3. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda – 293
  4. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 288
  5. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 272
  6. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 265
  7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 198
  8.  Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 175
  9. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM – 166
  10. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Suzuki – 156

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

  1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (3-1)
  2. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki (2-3)
  3. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (1-6)
  4. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (5-4)
  5. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM (4-5)
  6. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha (14-2)
  7. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (7-10)
  8. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda (6-11)
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki (10-9)
  10. Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Yamaha (11-13)

250 Class Championship Standings

  1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 352
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 316
  3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 306
  4. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda – 233
  5. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 233
  6. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda – 225
  7. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki – 207
  8. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna – 186
  9. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 181
  10. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM – 163