Skip to main content
search
Tag

podium

Mar 27
Love0

Monster Energy Rider Cameron McAdoo Earns a Podium Finish

By General Posts

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Rider Cameron McAdoo Earns a Podium Finish at Seattle SX

March 25, 2023 | Lumen Field | Seattle, Wash.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 26, 2023) – The Monster Energy® Supercross Championship traversed the United States to the reach the west coast for Round 12 from Seattle, Washington where Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo kept his closest rivals in check by securing another podium finish while Carson Mumford showed great potential en route to an eighth-place result in his season debut. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson overtook several of the world’s elite to claim fourth place and Adam Cianciarulo settled for eighth place after challenging the leaders early in the race.

A week of steady rain showers in the pacific northwest bore out fear of a notorious mud plagued Seattle SX, but the hard work of the DirtWurx track crew, and a bit of help from mother nature, ultimately delivered a well-manicured racecourse for the best supercross racers in the world to compete on. When the 250SX riders took the track, the speed and precision of Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Carson Mumford quickly drew attention. Making his debut for the 2023 season, Mumford asserted himself as a top contender by finding his rhythm and logging the fourth fastest lap (52.286) of the 250SX Class. Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo too rivaled near the top of the leaderboard throughout qualifying and logged the fifth fastest lap (52.309).

When the gate dropped for 250SX Heat 1, Mumford rocketed his KX™250 toward the first turn and secured the official holeshot before being edged out of the lead entering Turn 2. Mumford applied pressure to the leader for the opening lap before taking control of the lead position on Lap 2. The new addition to the Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team showed promise as he led the next several laps in commanding fashion until he eventually settled for a second-place finish.

In 250SX Heat 2, McAdoo made quick moves in the opening lap to pass his way into second position. By Lap 3, however, McAdoo found himself in a hotly contested battle with the current championship points leader. McAdoo thrilled the crowd as he raced hard and refused to surrender the position. On Lap 4, the two riders came together and both crashed in spectacular fashion. After swiftly remounting and pressing on to the finish, McAdoo salvaged a fourth-place result.

The Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of McAdoo and Mumford launched out of the gate in the 250SX Main Event and while McAdoo emerged from the first turn in fourth, Mumford was shuffled to outside the top-10. McAdoo moved his way into third place on the opening lap and set his sights toward the lead. Meanwhile, Mumford began a steady climb up the running order from 11th at the end of Lap 1. As the race progressed beyond the halfway mark, McAdoo overtook second and maintained pressure on the leader. The front three riders separated themselves from the rest of the class, but never split from one another by more than a few seconds. With only two laps remaining, a costly mistake from McAdoo caused him to relinquish second position and, although he challenged to take it back, he ultimately finished the race in third. All the while, the No.52 KX™250 of Mumford continued to log steady laps as he made clean passes to earn himself a respectable eighth place finish.

“As a racer you can never be too upset with a podium result but, I know I can be up there fighting for wins and I feel like we were just so close again this weekend. I had a strong Main Event battle with RJ and we kept Jett honest the whole race, but we were a small tick from really getting into the lead position. It’s a game of small gains right now and I’m not settling so the whole team will keep striving this week with the focus on taking the top step of the podium.” – Cameron McAdoo

“Overall, it was a positive first race for me with the Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team. I’ve dreamed of riding for this team since I was a kid, so there was a conscious effort for me to manage expectations throughout the day and to not try to go for too much too soon. That said, I was able to qualify fourth out of the B practice session and battled for the win in my heat race. I’m happy with where my speed was and how the bike handled on such a torn-up track. In the Main Event, I ended up riding pretty tight after mid-way, which is not ideal, but is a bit to be expected with all things considered. I focused on continuing to hit my marks and came through the checkered in eighth. The speed I had early was definitely promising and it was good to bring home a steady result inside the top-10 to get the ball rolling.” – Carson Mumford

The Monster Energy® Kawasaki duo of Cianciarulo and Anderson continued their recent tear through the morning qualifying sessions as both riders urgently mastered the rutted track. After studying the ideal lines with the team, Cianciarulo logged an impressive 51.191 lap time in the final session; the second fastest lap of the day. Anderson was only fractions of a second behind as his 51.621 lap time earned him third in qualification.

A mid-pack start in 450SX Heat 1 meant that Cianciarulo would have his work cut out for him in the short six-minute qualification race. The No.9 KX™450SR rider executed with tact and precision through the opening lap to overtake the competition in rapid succession. By the completion of the first full lap, Cianciarulo was already up to third position. The front four riders matched qualification pace as they remained in tight lockstep for the remainder of the race. When the checkered flag flew, Cianciarulo crossed the line in third.

In 450SX Heat 2, Anderson launched out to a strong start and was only narrowly edged out for the holsehot. Anderson challenged for the lead through the opening laps until he was on the receiving end of contact with another rider on Lap 4 and consequently crashed. After rushing back to his bike and regaining his pace, Anderson finished out the race in fifth place.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki riders raced out to another strong start in the 450SX Main Event with Cianciarulo running in fourth on the opening lap and Anderson pursuing in sixth. In an impressive display of speed, Cianciarulo surged forward into a multi-lap battle for third which would see him overtake the defending champion Eli Tomac and challenge Ken Roczen before a couple of minor miscues shuffled him back to fourth. Cianciarulo maintained a high pace to defend his fourth-place position, keeping the current championship leader at bay behind him until Lap 8. As Cianciarulo dropped back, Anderson charged forward to meet him on the track and the two Monster Energy Kawasaki riders rivaled over sixth and seventh for several laps in the middle of the race. Anderson prevailed in the battle and went on to track down two more positions for a fourth-place result at the checkered flag. Meanwhile, Cianciarulo settled into a consistent pace through to the finish for eighth place.

“During the Main Event, the track was really tricky with a ton of deep ruts, but I felt like my KX™450SR still gave me the ability to push the pace. While a better start would have certainly improved my race, it wasn’t a bad night as we made good progress and I kept the fight going all the way to the checkered flag. I definitely want to be finishing on the podium and, ultimately, challenging for wins again so, I’m still focusing forward on making gains in supercross.” – Jason Anderson

“I felt comfortable during qualifying and was able to attack the track to put together the second fastest time. It was nice to show that pace again and rival at the top of the board. In the heat race, I was a little back from the start but worked my way into the top-three before the finish. In the Main Event, I started up front and managed to pass my way into the top-three again. The race felt similar to last weekend with all of the top guys contending for those first few positions, so it was encouraging to move my way forward through that group in the early stages. The end result is similar to what I’ve had recently, but there are a lot of positives to take away from the weekend.” – Adam Cianciarulo

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Follow Bikernet Free Weekly Newsletter to get latest Motorcycling news, updates, reviews, tech, tips, & lot of fun. Click here & take a test ride.

Mar 14
Love0

Indian Motorcycle Racing Leads National Championship

By General Posts

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING LEADS MISSION® SUPER HOOLIGAN® NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWING SEASON OPENER AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

 2022 Super Hooligan® Champion Tyler O’Hara Takes Early Points Lead Following Back-to-Back Wins At Daytona Doubleheader

 Indian Motorcycle Racing Comes Away with Podium Finish in Mission® King of the Baggers,

O’Hara Ranks Fifth In Season Standings with 21 Points, McWilliams Eighth with 19

 MINNEAPOLIS (MARCH 14, 2023) – Following an offseason that expanded the competitive landscape with new manufacturers lining up for the MotoAmerica® Mission® Super Hooligan® National Championship (SHNC), it was Indian Motorcycle Racing and its factory team claiming the top two spots on the leaderboard, following the season-opening doubleheader at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting a pair of S&S®-built Progressive® Mission® Foods Indian FTRs, reigning SHNC champion Tyler O’Hara and teammate Jeremy McWilliams each left Daytona with a pair of podiums, including back-to-back victories for O’Hara and third and second-place finishes for McWilliams.

On Friday, March 10, O’Hara strategically tailed RSD Indian FTR privateer Bobby Fong for nearly the entire six-lap race. Waiting for the final lap to strike, O’Hara was able to carry more speed through the chicane and go up and around the outside of Fong to capture the season’s first win by .0064 seconds. McWilliams rounded out the podium to complete the Indian FTR podium sweep.

“Bobby was running fast all weekend and gapped me for a period until I was able to make up some ground. The lapper through the chicane definitely played a big role as I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to draft pass him on the finish,” said O’Hara. “But what  a fun race, and for Indian Motorcycle to sweep the podium just shows how impressive this Indian FTR really is.”

Race 2 on Saturday, March 11, was filled with plenty of action. After an early crash caused a red-flag restart, it was a five-rider group at the front of the pack. Pushing hard in the group, KTM rider Andy DeBrino lost his front end and laid his bike down, while Fong encountered a technical issue – making it a three-rider run for first between Harley-Davidson rider Corey West, O’Hara and McWilliams. While West ultimately crossed the finish line first, a post-race bike inspection found an illegal air intake that resulted in a disqualification – awarding O’Hara his second win of the weekend and earning McWilliams a second-place finish.

In the MotoAmerica® Mission® King of the Baggers (KOTB) class, O’Hara reached the podium with a third-place finish in Race 1. While the Indian Challenger had been running fast all weekend, even clocking the weekend’s fastest speed on a bagger at 182 mph, both O’Hara and McWilliams suffered technical issues in Race 2. Indian Motorcycle Racing concluded the opening rounds at Daytona with O’Hara in fifth (21 points) and McWilliams in eighth (19 points) on the season’s leaderboard.

“Our issues this weekend were specifically with our tires, MotoAmerica is a spec tire series, we are only given one choice for tires for Daytona and they failed with our higher speeds after four laps, but our new bikes are performing incredibly well, with a significantly higher level of both handling and power, as evidenced by both our riders registering speeds of more than 180 mph throughout the weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “At the end of the day, the performance of our Indian Challengers, coupled with our success in the Super Hooligan class has us feeling extremely optimistic and incredibly motivated heading into the second round in Atlanta.”

The 2023 KOTB and SHNC seasons continue with Road Atlanta April 21-23. For more information visit MotoAmerica.com.

Indian Motorcycle Racing is presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.

For information about Indian Motorcycle, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Catch all the action with a free weekly newsletter from Bikernet Blog. Click & Go !

Mar 10
Love0

Vance & Hines Contingency Program Valued at Over $170,000

By General Posts

Vance & Hines Announces 2023 Contingency Program Valued at Over $170,000

Santa Fe Springs CA – March 10, 2023 – Vance & Hines today announced its 2023 season contingency support programs for motorcycle racers. The contingency sponsorships, offered in partnership with five, race-sanctioning bodies, has the potential to put over $170,000 in the hands of motorcycle racers in 2023.

The program offers contingency payout funds to riders in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle, MotoAmerica King of the Baggers and Twins Cup, American Flat Track, XDA drag racing as well as the Bagger Racing League. Contingency funds are offered to riders who are top finishers in races or series championships, and who qualify by using Vance & Hines products and services. The total value of the contingency sponsorship program for 2023 is $173,250.

“Racing is the ethos of the Vance & Hines brand,” said Vance & Hines President Mike Kennedy. “These contingency programs are just one of the ways we support racers who compete using our performance products.”

In NHRA Drag Racing, racers who finish first or runner-up using a Vance & Hines four-valve Suzuki motor in each Pro Stock Motorcycle (PSM) race earn payouts, and a shot at a $10,000 bonus for winning the championship. Riders using a Vance & Hines exhaust for their Suzuki motorcycle in PSM also earn a payout for a first or runner-up finish at each event. Total potential payout for NHRA is $34,000. Vance & Hines factory race team riders are not eligible for these contingency payments.

MotoAmerica, the country’s premier motorcycle road racing series, has expanded its slate of King of the Baggers (KOTB) races to seven, double-header events and also includes Twins Cup double-header rounds at seven of their events. Vance & Hines will offer payouts to the top five finishers in each KOTB and Twins Cup race and offers a $5,000 series Championship Bonus in each class as well. Total available payout in MotoAmerica racing is $60,400.

In American Flat Track, Vance & Hines offers funds to the top ten finishers in every SuperTwins and Singles class race. In addition, a $5,000 Championship Bonus is offered in each of these classes. With 18 races on the 2023 schedule, the total potential payout in AFT is $63,100.

The Xtreme Drag Racing Association (XDA) series offers ten classes of racing at five events which run from April through September 2023. Contingency payouts are offered to the top two finishers in each class of each race for using a Vance & Hines exhaust or for head work done by the Vance & Hines Racing Development Center. Potential payout at XDA races is $7,500.

The Bagger Racing League (BRL) has six classes for a variety of production v-twin motorcycles and will host five races at three venues in 2023. Contingency payouts are offered to the top three finishers in each of the six classes for using a Vance & Hines exhaust, air intake or FP4 tuner. Potential payout at BRL races is $8,250.

Specific requirements for earning contingency payouts are managed by each sanctioning body.

Learn more about the company’s history and products at www.vanceandhines.com.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Get There Faster, Click & Get the Bikernet.com Free Weekly Newsletter

 

Jul 26
Love0

Kawasaki Rider Jason Anderson Secures Consecutive Podium Finish

By General Posts

Monster Energy® Kawasaki Rider Jason Anderson Secures Consecutive Podium Finish at Washougal

July 23, 2022 | Washougal MX Park | Washougal, Wash.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (July 24, 2022) – Round 8 of the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship headed to the Pacific Northwest in Washougal, Washington, where Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson claimed his fourth overall podium finish with a third-place result. Fellow Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Joey Savatgy capitalized on two superb starts to earn seventh overall with 7-7 moto scores. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda mastered the forests of Washougal to claim third overall (3-3), while teammate Seth Hammaker battled to respectable 5-8 moto finishes for sixth overall.

The evergreens of the Pacific Northwest provided a picturesque background for the 41st running of the Washougal MX National as a sea of fans cheered on the world’s elite motocross racers. Drastic changes in elevation, dark shadows and mixed soil conditions offered unique challenges for all riders from the start of qualifying. The 450 Class qualifying sessions began with both Anderson and Savatgy recording lap times inside the top-10 before electing to make slight bike adjustments to better suit the slick track conditions. As the second qualifying session began winding down, Anderson recorded a 2:11.361 lap time to qualify third overall. An accident towards the end of the second session cost Savatgy the opportunity to better his 2:14.155 time from the first session but was still fast enough to rank the No.17 ninth fastest heading into Moto 1.

The start of 450 Moto 1 would see both Monster Energy Kawasaki riders emerge from the first turn inside the top-5. Anderson and Savatgy utilized the power of their KX™450SR motorcycles to keep the leaders within reach early on. A mistake by Anderson on Lap 2 would drop the No.21 back to seventh however, a quick recovery allowed the New Mexico native to maneuver past his competitors and back into fourth place within one lap. Running 15 seconds behind his closest championship points rival, Anderson steadily chipped away at the deficit as the race progressed. With less than 10 minutes left in the moto, Anderson placed heavy pressure on the rider in third before lighting up the roars of the crowd by making the pass for the podium. Meanwhile, the No.17 was engrossed in a three-rider battle for sixth nearly the entire duration of the race. When the checkered flag flew, Anderson crossed the line in third and Savatgy finished seventh.

The second 450 Class moto began with both Monster Energy Kawasaki riders again crossing the holeshot line inside the top-5. The No.21 established himself in third from the start of the race and briefly latched onto the leaders pace, but slick conditions and deep ruts made it difficult for Anderson to match the pace. Savatgy settled into fifth early in the race but came under heavy pressure around Lap 4. Unwilling to concede the position, Savatgy raised the pace and focused forward. This pressure forced a mistake by the rider ahead, allowing Savatgy to capitalize and secure fourth for a couple laps before a mistake of his own dropped him three positions. At the finish, Anderson secured his second consecutive podium result with a third overall (3-3), while Savatgy brought home a respectable seventh overall with 7-7 finishes.

“Being the third best guy out there is hard to accept. I expect to be up front every round and I’ve proven I have the speed to do it, but we just didn’t have it today. The guys up front were running a crazy pace. All in all, it was still a good day for us and we made up points in the race for third in the championship. We’ll try to keep this podium streak going as we head into the final four rounds.” – Jason Anderson

“I had a scary moment in practice after I caught my foot in a rut coming off the face of a tabletop. It could’ve been really bad but I’m happy I was able to save that one. Overall, seventh is right around where I expect to be right now. Obviously, I’d like to be up front with the leaders, but we’re making progress. If I can keep fighting for the fourths, fifths and sixths until the end of the season I’ll be proud.” – Joey Savatgy

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gear up to ride to your favorite Motorcycling Events – Click Here to checkout the all-new 5-Ball Racing Shop.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker was poised to improve on his seventh-place result from last weekend as he set the fourth fastest time in 250 Class qualifying (2:13.741).

Meanwhile, Shimoda clocked in the seventh fastest lap (2:14.252) overall.

At the start of Moto 1, Shimoda launched his KX™250 out the gate to claim the holeshot and the lead. Teammate Hammaker was also out to a great start, emerging from the first turn in fourth. With a clear track ahead, the Japanese-born sensation tried to break away from the pack but was instantly met with heavy pressure from the rider in second. The No.30 had the crowd on their feet as he defended attack after attack from his opponent for four laps before conceding the position. The pressure didn’t stop there, however, as Shimoda was again faced with pressure from another competitor behind. The roars of the crowd followed Shimoda around the track as he used a combination of raw speed and optimal line selection to maintain second position. The intense battle reached its climax when the No.30 dropped to third. Fellow Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Hammaker was sitting comfortably in fourth most of the race before a former 250 Class Championship began creeping up behind him. Unphased by his opponent, Hammaker upped his pace and fended off his attacker for six laps before settling for fifth. When the checkered flag came out, Shimoda crossed the line in third and Hammaker was not far behind in fifth.

The second 250 Class moto hosted green out front again as Shimoda came across the holeshot line in third and Hammaker close behind in fifth. A quick pass by the No.30 moved him into second before the end of the opening lap. With only one rider in front, Shimoda began to slowly chip at the leader’s advantage until he was caught in a battle of his own to maintain second place. Shimoda did all he could to hold last year’s 250 Class champion at bay but a slight bobble down the backside of Horsepower Hill saw the No.30 move into third. The battles for Shimoda continued down to the checkered flag as he put on a heroic effort to hold off the Moto 1 winner for the last two laps of the race and cross the finish line in third. Hammaker, comfortably in fifth for much of the race, faced a mid-moto push by the riders behind who caught up to the No.47 and moved him back to eighth by the time the checkered flag flew. Despite Shimoda’s brilliant 3-3 performances, the swapping of positions from the top four riders awarded the No.30 fourth overall with his teammate Hammaker securing sixth (5-8).

“Overall, it was a good day with me getting the holeshot and leading in Moto 1. I was able to stick with the leaders for a long time and win some hard battles which is nice because I think my speed was off today. Next week we’re going to do some more practicing before taking a little break to recharge during the off weekend so we can finish the season strong.” – Jo Shimoda

“It felt good to mix it up with the guys inside the top-five for as long as I did in both motos. My goal is to keep progressing with each week and hopefully, after the two-week break, we’ll come back recharged and ready to battle for podiums.” – Seth Hammake

Apr 19
Love0

Victory in Atlanta for Monster Energy Kawasaki Rider Jason Anderson

By General Posts

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (April 17, 2022) – Round 14 of the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross Championship brought riders from across the country to Atlanta Motor Speedway for a unique racetrack in the infield of the iconic racing venue. Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson claimed his fourth win of the season with a commanding performance in the 450SX Main Event. Meanwhile, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda and Austin Forkner earned fourth place and seventh place respectively in the 250SX East/West Showdown.

Anderson and the rest of the Monster Energy Kawasaki team arrived to Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday morning to find the grounds flooded from overnight rainfall. As the rain continued through the morning hours, scheduling adjustments were made to preserve the track. The revised schedule granted the riders in each classification a single 13-minute timed qualifying session prior to the start of the racing program. Adding to the challenge of learning a track in such short time, the specially designed Atlanta circuit hosted one of the longest starts in Supercross history, multiple whoop sections and over twelve turns, altogether producing the longest lap times so far this season. Knowing his time on the track was limited, Anderson launched straight out to a high pace on lap one of the timed session. The No.21 KX™450SR rider battled at the top of the leader board for the entire session as he made the most of the slick conditions. When the session concluded, Anderson recorded the second fastest time of the morning with a 1:25.286.

At the start of the first 450SX Heat Race, Anderson emerged from the first turn in second position. With dryer track conditions and increased traction, Anderson quickly turned up the pace from his qualifying laps and took control of the lead before the end of Lap 1. The New Mexico native responded to pressure from the current points leader by improving his lap times as the race progressed. There was a brief exchange for the lead position on Lap 5 before a crowd animating pass while sliding around the inside of one of the track’s sweeping 180 turns moved Anderson back into the top spot. When the checkered flag flew, Anderson was over four seconds clear of the competition, claiming his fifth heat race win of the season.

When the gate dropped for the 450SX Main Event, Anderson once again launched his KX™450SR out to the front of the pack. The podium positions were tightly contested for the opening laps as Anderson tactfully moved passed his main championship rivals. On Lap 3, Anderson gained control of the lead by capitalizing on a mistake from the competition. The Atlanta crowd soon erupted again as Anderson took advantage of the clear track in front of him to start jumping an impressive triple-quad rhythm section before the finish line. Continuing to jump the rhythm lap after lap, igniting the crowd consistently, Anderson steadily built a sizeable lead over the riders behind. By Lap 11, the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider was more than eight seconds ahead of the closest competitor. With a nearly perfect race from start to finish, Anderson crossed the checkered flag first, lighting the Monster Energy fire cannons and securing his fourth Monster Energy Supercross win of 2022.

Anderson’s impressive win in Atlanta moves him three points closer to the 450SX Championship points lead as he stands firmly in second place with three rounds remaining.

“It seemed like we might have a mudder this morning but, the dirt came around after the sun showed up around mid-day. By the time my Main Event started, the track was gnarly but, we’re in a great spot with the bike so I was able to keep pushing the pace through the tough conditions. Even though the whoops were cupped out and edgy, the bike was consistent and predictable, so I kept charging across them every lap. The whole team has put in a lot of effort to have the KX™450SR working as good as it is right now so hopefully we can enjoy a few more of these wins before the season ends.”
– Jason Anderson

Returning to the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship, Forkner joined his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki 250SX Western Regional teammate Shimoda in Atlanta for the first East/West Showdown of the year. In one of the first groups to take to the wet track, Forkner proved he hasn’t missed a beat by jumping right to the top of the 250SX East qualifying leaderboard. When his qualifying session concluded, the Missouri native had the second fastest lap time with a 1:28.808. In the 250SX West qualifying, Shimoda made himself acquainted with the track by exploring a variety of different lines and setting the sixth fastest lap time with a 1:30.773.

When the 250SX East Heat Race rounded the first turn, Forkner found himself ahead of only one rider as he narrowly avoided a first turn crash. The No.33 KX™250 rider made quick moves through the opening lap, however, passing his way into seventh by the end of Lap 1. Despite racing through traffic on the wet track, Forkner began setting the fastest laps of the race. Forkner passed at least one rider each lap while rapidly closing the distance between himself and the leader. When the white flag waved, Forkner was up to third in the running order but, the tenacious rider wasn’t settled. On the final lap, the fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway roared with cheers as Forkner made two daring passes to claim the 250SX East Heat win by a thrillingly slim margin and establish himself as a contender to win the 250SX East/West Showdown.

At the start of the 250SX West Heat race, Shimoda proved he had made gains with his starts by launching out to the early lead. Shimoda led the opening lap before a couple minor mistakes on Lap 2 forced him to relinquish the position and settle into third place. The Japanese-born rider matched pace with the riders ahead as a battle for the top five positions ensued for the better portion of the qualifying race. On the final lap, Shimoda lost one more position before finishing out the race in fourth place with a direct transfer to the 250SX East/West Showdown.

When the gate dropped for the 250SX East/West Showdown Main Event, the No.30 KX™250 rider Shimoda rocketed out to the holeshot and early lead while Forkner quickly made his way forward from sixth. After a few swift passes by Forkner, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo occupied two of the three podium positions for the opening laps with Shimoda setting the pace out front and amassing a roughly two second gap over the rest of the field. On Lap 3, Forkner lost a position after the split sand section and settled into fourth until he eventually dropped back to seventh due to a small crash in a rutted corner a few laps later. Meanwhile, Shimoda proved his grit by battling for podium contention and withstanding pressure from the respective championship challengers of each regional series through the first 10 laps of the race. Shimoda balanced intensity with finesse on the non-traditional supercross track to maintain control of third position in the running order until he was overtaken through the whoops while approaching the white flag. Shimoda challenged back for a final lap battle over the last podium position but ultimately crossed the finish in fourth place. Forkner regained his momentum late in the race and finished with a respectable seventh place result.

Shimoda’s fourth place finish in Atlanta marks his fourth top-five of the season and moves him to only two points shy of fourth in the 250SX Western Regional Championship points standings.

Forkner’s seventh place finish secures his third top-ten result of the season as the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki rider had an impressive return to the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship.

“This weekend my starts were really good in the heat and the Main Event so that is nice progress on something I’ve been working to improve. At the beginning of the main I felt strong and was comfortable out front with the lead but, I think my speed was a little bit off this weekend, so I ended up being passed by a few riders. I want to be back on the podium, so I wouldn’t say that I’m satisfied with fourth place but, there are positives to take away from this weekend and we will keep trying to be better.”
– Jo Shimoda

“I’ve been eager to get back to racing and definitely wanted to show that I’m a contender for wins this year. In the Heat Race, I was really happy with my riding. To come through the whole field and get a win with a last lap pass on last weekend’s overall winner was a good way to get back into the swing of things. I’ve only been back on the bike about a week now, so I was really happy with my race craft and I think I was on track to have another strong performance in the Main Event until I crashed while running in third. Overall, it was great to be racing again and I’m ready to fight for some wins before the championship ends.”
– Austin Forkner

Sign up for Free Weekly Newsletter from Bikernet.com to stay updated on latest Motorcycle news, events, products, tech, tips, reviews, fun & more
Click Here to Join – it’s Free – you can unsubscribe anytime

Mar 21
Love0

Update: Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki at AMA Supercross Championship

By General Posts

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo Finishes Second in Indianapolis

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 20, 2022) – Round 11 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship brought the series to Indianapolis where a tight and technical track layout greeted the world’s finest supercross racers and resulted in an action-packed night that saw Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo secure his second consecutive runner-up finish of the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson bounced back from adversity to finish the race in sixth.

McAdoo, who currently sits second in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship points standings, entered the weekend action at Lucas Oil Stadium hoping to place more pressure on the current points leader and keep his championship fight alive. McAdoo started the day on the top of the leaderboard in the first 250SX qualifying session after recording a 44.786 lap time. In the final 250SX qualifying session, the Iowa-native utilized the power of his Kawasaki KX™250 to uncork a massive quad after the finish line jump and improve his overall time to 44.060 and qualify second overall heading into the night show.

McAdoo started the first 250SX heat race of the night by grabbing the holeshot and establishing himself at the front of the pack early. The No.48 KX250 rider used his experience to control the lead and develop a sizeable gap from the competition behind during the opening laps. From then on, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider rode a flawless race as he went on to collect his first heat race win of the 2022 supercross season.

At the start of the 250SX Main Event, McAdoo emerged from the first turn in second place and within striking distance of the leader. As the top two quickly broke away from the rest of the field, McAdoo used the opportunity to study his opponent’s line choice and plan his attack. The front two momentarily jockeyed for first place early in the race before the Kawasaki rider took full control of the lead with 11 minutes remaining. Halfway through the main event, the 250SX veteran used his cunning race skills to maneuver past lapped riders, however, he would surrender the lead after a few close calls racing through traffic. Despite his best effort to reclaim first place, McAdoo finished the race in second and maintains second overall in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship points standings.

McAdoo’s stellar performance in Indiana places the Iowa native just 11 points back from the lead in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship as the series prepares a return to the West Coast next weekend.

“Overall, we had another solid weekend. I was feeling really good in practice and enjoyed the track a lot all day. It felt nice getting my first heat race win of the season and battling for the main event lead. The track was super tight and developed deep ruts as the night went on, which I think was a benefit for me as I was able to use my experience on rough tracks to make the pass for the lead. Unfortunately, I missed my line going through the whoops one too many times while trying to cut through lapped traffic and got passed back. The good news is we still finished second and are in the title fight. Now it’s time to let the west coast guys race next weekend before we come out swinging in full force at St. Louis.”
– Cameron McAdoo

The 450SX qualifying action on Saturday morning saw Anderson start the day by recording the fastest lap time (44.842) in the first 450SX qualifying session.

Pleased with how his Kawasaki KX™450SR was performing, Anderson elected to make no bike changes before the second timed qualifying practice and instead focused on improving his line choices. At the end of timed qualifying, Anderson clocked an improved lap time of 43.124 to qualify second overall.

The beginning of 450SX Heat 1 saw Anderson launch out to a top-three start and use the impressive handling of his KX450SR to jump into second place by the second turn. With his sights set on the lead, Anderson used his impressive corner speed to move into first place with just two turns remaining before the end of Lap 1. The No.21 Kawasaki rider wasted no time gapping the competition as he proceeded to build a six-second lead on his way to winning the first 450SX heat race of the night.

When the gate dropped on the 450SX Main Event, Anderson again emerged from the first turn inside the top three. The excellent start allowed the No.21 Kawasaki rider to advance into second early in the race and keep the leader within reach. Facing serious pressure from behind, Anderson proved his resilience by refusing to surrender second place and ultimately shutting down every pass attempt made from the competition behind. With three 450SX wins under his belt this season, Anderson was in search of more and mounted a charge for the lead with 13 minutes remaining. The New Mexico native capitalized on a mistake from the leader in the whoop section and used his sly race craft to take control of first place momentarily before contact from the rider behind dropped Anderson to seventh place. With little time remaining in the race, Anderson continued to race forward and finished in sixth.

With another top-10 finish, Anderson maintains his second-place ranking in the 450SX championship points standing.

“I came into the weekend feeling ready to fight for a win and had a solid day going, especially after the heat race win and first gate pick. Come main event time, I had to do some serious defending early to stay in second and have a chance at the win. We lost some points this weekend but there’s still plenty of fight left in me. I’m here to win and that’s going to remain my main goal for the rest of the season.”
– Jason Anderson

Subscribe to Bikernet FREE Weekly Newsletter to get updates on Motorcycle industry, events, products, news, tech & fun – CLICK HERE To Subscribe.

Mar 15
Love0

AMA Supercross Championship: Cameron McAdoo Secures Fourth Consecutive Podium

By General Posts

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo Secures Fourth Consecutive Podium in Detroit

March 12, 2022 | Ford Field | Detroit, Michigan

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 13, 2022) – Round 10 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship brought the series to the famous Motor City of Detroit, Michigan, where Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo secured his fourth consecutive podium result with a second-place finish. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson was involved in an exciting battle for the lead before a late-race crash ended his race.

McAdoo entered Saturday’s morning qualifying session keen on closing in on the championship lead. From the first timed qualifying session, it was clear McAdoo had the pace to win as he used the power of his Kawasaki KX™250 to uncork a massive quad down the rhythm section and record the fastest lap of session one. At the end of the timed qualifying sessions, Team Green’s McAdoo recorded the third-fastest time overall with a 44.480.

In 250SX Heat 2, McAdoo started the race in seventh place. With his sights set forward, the No.48 quickly began planning his attack towards the front during the opening laps. McAdoo’s superior speed through the whoop section made all the difference in the short race as he was able to utilize this advantage to make his way up to second place before the end of the race.

At the start of the 250SX Main Event, McAdoo found himself caught up in the middle of the pack as he navigated through the first rhythm section inside the top-10. Eager to make his way up the field, McAdoo used his creative line choice to move past the competition and run in third before the start of Lap 3. By the halfway mark, the Team Green™ rider was following close behind second place and again utilized his impressive speed through the whoop section to make the pass. After moving into second, McAdoo fended off immediate pressure from the rider behind and proceeded to build a comfortable gap between him and third in the following laps. The Iowa native continued his charge forward but limited time forced McAdoo to settle for a second-place finish.

McAdoo’s impressive charge through the field on his No.48 KX™250 secured a fourth consecutive podium finish of the 2022 season maintaining second place in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship points standings.

“This is my first time racing here in Detroit and I’m happy with how the day went. We started on a strong note after finishing the first timed qualifying session with the fastest lap time and backed that up with a strong showing in my heat race. I really want to be battling for wins and know I have the speed to do so, I just need to work on getting better starts so I can be in the mix from early on. Overall, I’m proud of how I rode and am thankful I have such a strong team supporting me.”
– Cameron McAdoo

Coming into the day with the expectation of testing different bike setups, Anderson started his morning by closely examining the layout in Ford Field during riders’ track walk. Anderson and the team discussed the day’s game plan before qualifying, anticipating how the track would change throughout the day due to the unique Detroit dirt which was tackier than in years past. In the later stages of qualifying, Anderson consistently recorded lap times near the top of the timesheet before recording a 43.716 lap time for third-fastest heading into the night show.

The beginning of 450SX Heat 2 saw Anderson utilize the impressive handling of his KX™450SR to trade positions with the front runners during the opening laps. Combining fast laps with consistent whoop speed, the No.21 Kawasaki rider ran comfortably in second before the start of Lap 4. In the later stages of the race, Anderson found himself having to adapt to the track’s rapidly deteriorating surface but, like a true veteran, managed the situation with ease and finished the short qualification race in second.

The beginning of the 450SX Main Event saw Anderson off to another strong main event start and trading positions back and forth at the front of the pack before taking firm control over second place by the end of Lap 4. The No.21 KX450SR rider utilized his whoop speed to take the lead two laps later. As the race unfolded behind him, Anderson was running comfortably out front and in control of the race. Near the halfway mark, the New Mexico native began feeling immense pressure from behind but refused to hand over the position easily. Despite his best efforts, the rider behind was able to take over the lead with 10 minutes left in the race. Never one to give up, Anderson stuck close behind the leader’s wheel, studying his line choices and mounting charges to regain the lead. Unfortunately, while making a charge for the lead, Anderson suffered a late-race crash that ended his night early.

Anderson retains second place in the championship points standings with seven rounds of racing left to go.

“I was feeling really good today from the start of the first practice. Probably the best I’ve felt racing in Detroit, and I think my performance throughout the night showed I had what it took to win tonight. Unfortunately, I pushed a little too hard while challenging for the lead and had a crash that ended my race early. It’s unlucky, but these things happen. I’m just glad I feel fine right now and am planning on giving it my all in Indianapolis next weekend.”
– Jason Anderson

Mar 13
Love0

Pirelli Storms to Third Consecutive Daytona 200 Victory

By General Posts

For the second consecutive year, Paasch captured the victory and Rolex

Brandon Paasch, Cam Peterson, and Sheridan Morais Make it an all Pirelli Podium Sweep using DIABLO™ Superbike Slicks

DAYTONA, Fla. (March 12, 2022) – Pirelli Tire North America stormed to victory and a one, two, three finish at the 80th running of the Daytona 200. The victory marked the second consecutive at Daytona for TOBC Racing rider Brandon Paasch who relied on the performance of the DIABLO™ Superbike range in each of his successes. Attack Performance Yamaha rider Cam Peterson came up 0.007 short to finish second, followed by fellow South African Sheridan Morais in third aboard his Syntainics / Penz13 racing machine, making it an all Pirelli podium sweep for the first time in the event’s history.

“Man, what a race,” said Paasch. “I kind of hung back early to let everyone settle in before making my moves and we got going just in time. That was a close finish and the slingshot worked out perfectly. My team decided to not change tires on our last pit stop, which definitely was a gamble, but it showed how much traction was left in my Pirelli’s as we came to the final stretch. A huge thank you to Pirelli for their efforts that have played a big part in my Daytona 200 victories!”

The 57-lap shootout proved to be an all-out battle as riders exchanged passes for the podium positions lap-after-lap. Paasch used patience for the majority of the race, running just inside the top-five with his sights locked in on the front-runners. As riders began to make their final pit stops, Paasch found himself out front before making a pit stop of his own, allowing Peterson to inherit the lead with 12-laps remaining. Paasch and the TOBC Racing team elected to pit for fuel only after seeing how well the DIABLO™ Superbike slicks continued to hold up. He would return to the track in second but was quickly shuffled to fourth, as he got back up to speed.

“My team absolutely crushed that second pit stop, which put me in a great position,” said Peterson. “I was kind of out there in no man’s land with a little bit of traffic and no draft. I came around to the finish and thought I had put myself in the perfect position, and at the last second, I could feel Brandon there and tried to push up on him. It was a fun race and a good confidence builder.”

Paasch and Morais used one another to begin a push towards the front, slowly closing in on the rear wheel of Peterson with just three laps to go. With the race to the checkered flag on, it was Paasch who proved to have a brilliant strategy holding back throughout the race and using a slingshot move down the final straight to take the victory by just 0.007 seconds over Peterson. Morais was just behind the lead duo to complete the podium in third, 0.057 seconds behind the winner.

The victory marks the first time that Pirelli has won the Daytona 200 three consecutive times. Kyle Wyman won in 2019 and Paasch in 2021 and 2022. No race was held in 2021.

“I wanted to break away so bad, but it just seemed impossible,” said Morais. “That was a fun race. Probably the most fun I have ever had in a race. Every lap someone was there. I thought Cam should have had that race, but we put our heads down and managed to close that gap and it was a battle to the finish.”

Paasch’s race-winning Triumph set the fastest lap of the race with a 1:49.959 and was equipped with a 120/70R17 DIABLO Superbike SC2 front and 190/60R17 Daytona rear tire.

“What an incredible way to cap off the weekend here at Daytona,” said Oscar Solis, senior racing manager, Pirelli. “To be able to win this iconic event for the third consecutive time is special and to do it by sweeping the podium just makes it that much sweeter! It was a tight race to the finish and having so many Pirelli riders battling for the win just shows how capable the DIABLO™ Superbike range is. Congratulations to Brandon on the win and Cam and Sheridan on their podiums!”

In addition to capturing the top three spots, Pirelli showed its domination with six riders in the top eight positions, including TOBC Racings Danny Eslick sixth, TSE Racing’s Harry Truelove seventh, and Vision Wheel / Discount Tire / KWS Motorsports rider Geoff May eighth. With MotoAmerica and Daytona allowing riders to choose the tire brand of their choice, more than half of the grid elected to run Pirelli.

2022 Daytona 200 Race Results (Pirelli riders in bold):
1. Brandon Paasch
2. Cam Peterson
3. Sheridan Morais
4. Josh Hayes
5. Richie Escalante
6. Danny Eslick
7. Harry Truelove
8. Geoff May

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

Oct 12
Love0

Yoshimura Sert Wins FIM Endurance World Championship Title on Bridgestone Tires

By General Posts

Yoshimura Sert Motul Wins the FIM Endurance World Championship Title, the World’s Foremost Series of Endurance Motorcycle Races, on Bridgestone Tires

  • Bridgestone is proud to celebrate YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL’s FIM Endurance World Championship title.
  • After a dominant season, YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL became the second team to win the title on Bridgestone tires since 2018.
  • Since 2017, Bridgestone has supplied tires for teams competing in the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Tokyo (October 10, 2021) ― Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) today announced that YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL won the FIM*1 Endurance World Championship (EWC) title, the world’s foremost series of endurance motorcycle races, on Bridgestone tires. YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL is the second team to win EWC title on Bridgestone tires since 2018.

Since 2017, Bridgestone has supplied tires for teams competing in the EWC. As one of three teams on Bridgestone tires, YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL earned first place in two 24-hour races this season. Going into the year’s final race, 6 Hours of Most in the Czech Republic (October 9), the team held the overall points lead and maintained the lead with third-place finish – earning the 2021 EWC title outright.

“I am very pleased and honored to win the championship in the first year of participation as YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL by using Bridgestone tires,” said Yohei Kato, Team Director of YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL. “We vowed to fight in this Endurance World Championship on behalf of the Suzuki Factory Team, and this season has proved to be a dream come true by winning two of the world’s most famous 24-hour races, namely, the 24 Heures of Le Mans and the Bol d’Or.The whole team has been respecting each other in the spirit of “One for all, all for one”, and we will keep working together to improve the Suzuki GSX-R1000R into an even better package. Thank you to all the sponsors, partners and fans who warmly supported the YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL this year. We pledge to attract everyone to an even better championship next year and YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL will go all out to defend its title.”

“I would like to congratulate all of the members of YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL on their EWC title,” said Masato Banno, Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Global CTO (Global Chief Technology Officer), Bridgestone Corporation. “YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL won both the Le Mans and Bol d’Or 24-hour endurance races, two of the toughest races in the series and showed why they deserved to be champion. Bridgestone is very proud to have contributed to their series championship in our first year as a team partner by supplying highly durable tires. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the many motorsports fans who supported us and to all the teams who worked so hard and cooperated in tire development. We will continue to refine our technology and support motorsports from the ground up through the development and supply of high-performance tires.”

The Bridgestone Group is implementing its Mid Term Business Plan (2021 – 2023)*2, which aims to realize its vision to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company toward 2050. To further enhance, the development of Dan-Totsu (the clear and absolute leader) products in the tire business, which is its core business, the group will continue to improve its technologies through motorsports, requiring maximum performances of tires. As an active member supporting the advancement of mobility society, the Bridgestone Group will continue to contribute to the automotive industry and motorsports culture by engaging in a wide range of motorsports with sustainability.

FIM stands for Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

About Bridgestone Corporation: Bridgestone is a global leader in tires and rubber building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company employs approximately 140,000 people globally and conducts business in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.

Jun 30
Love0

Pirelli takes Top Two Positions in Bagger Racing League at Utah Motorsports

By General Posts

Michael Barnes (34) and Tyler O’Hara (29) gave Pirelli a 1-2 finish in the Bagger Racing League Bagger GP race at Utah Motorsports Campus.

Michael Barnes narrowly edged out Tyler O’Hara for the victory by 0.3 of a second.

ERDA, Utah (June 30, 2021) – Pirelli Tire North America showed its commitment to racing across all spectrums by dominating the competition in both the Bagger Racing League BAGGER GP Class and the PRO STOCK BAGGER Class at Utah Motorsports Complex on Sunday, June 27. Pirelli controlled the top two positions in BAGGER GP with Michael Barnes racing to victory aboard a Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycle rider Tyler O’Hara finishing a close second.

Both Barnes and O’Hara relied on the performance of Pirelli’s DIABLO Superbike range. In PRO STOCK BAGGER, Benny Carlson rode his Sly Fox-backed Harley Davidson to the top step of the podium with Pirelli shod Oleg Pianykh taking second, also using the DIABLO Superbike Range of tires.

Michael Barnes and Tyler O’Hara led the way with a Pirelli one-two finish in the Bagger GP class.

“The weekend off started really good and I was able to get pole position,” said Barnes. “I was fast right out of the gate and the switch over to the DIABLO Superbike SCX rear helped us find even more speed on the racetrack. It got hotter heading into the main race, but it seemed to help the tire become even more consistent and proved to be no issue. Along with Oscar’s [Solis] help, we continued to make improvements all weekend long and did a lot of little fine-tuning with air pressure. It was an incredible weekend!”

Barnes, who was able to control the pace out front, used a 125/70-17 DIABLO Superbike SC1 front tire paired with a 200/65-17 DIABLO Superbike SCX rear. O’Hara opted for a 120/70-17 DIABLO Superbike SC2 front and a 190/60-17 DIABLO Superbike SCX rear to keep the pressure on Barnes for the majority of the race.

“That was the fastest I’ve ever gone on my Indian Challenger,” said O’Hara. “The new Pirelli DIABLO Superbike SCX is next level. My tires provided me with the most lean angle and edge grip I’ve ever had in bagger racing. Thank you, Pirelli, for the support!”

O’Hara managed to clock the fastest lap time of the race and of any rider throughout the weekend with a 1:38.550. Barnes recorded a best lap time of 1:38.635. The duo finished with more than 30-seconds to spare over their nearest competitor.

“What Pirelli riders were able to accomplish this weekend was nothing short of amazing,” said Oscar Solis, senior racing manager, Pirelli. “Bagger racing is something that we’ve only begun to scratch the surface with and it’s really satisfying to have this kind of success right away. Pirelli’s commitment and dedication to racing are second to none and I believe that this weekend just further showed when racers have a choice, they choose Pirelli. Congratulations to Michael [Barnes] and Tyler [O’Hara] on their great rides!”

Pirelli continues to set the bar in roadracing throughout North America, and when spec tire rules do not apply, has been the go-to tire choice for racers looking to reach the top step of the podium. Over the weekend, Pirelli took the lion’s share of podium spots, with a total of four riders on the Bagger Racing League’s first podium presentations.

RESULTS – Utah Motorsports Campus – Erda, Utah June 27, 2021

Bagger GP
Michael Barnes
Tyler O’Hara
Cory West
Ben Bostrom
Jake Johnson

Pro Stock Bagger
Benny Carlson
Oleg Pianykh
Logan Lackey

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