Feature

MID WEEK MOTO Fullnoise.com.au’s Weekly Look Into All Things Moto

Author: Aaryn Minerds

Posted:

Thursday, February 13th, 2014

12:31 PM

Welcome to MID WEEK MOTO presented by Fullnoise.com.au, our weekly look into all aspects in the world of dirt bike racing.

From the weekends racing results, to the more interesting and unusual happenings from the week gone by including some of the rumours and findings on social networks, we will take a look and anything and everything dirt bike related.

AMA Supercross:

Here is hoping Chad Reed can make it through this weekend in Texas and keep his 2014 AMA SX Championship hopes alive, he is one tough Aussie - Credit: Kawasaki Racing

- The Crash heard across Australia. You could almost feel the whole of Australia yell in unison, Ahhh Shit, when Chad Reed pile drove his body into the up-face of a jump after the Whoops at San Diego Last weekend.

The venue that has been so kind to Reed over the years jumped up and bit him. The crash it self was one of those, "O Know, nope he save it, DAM" type scenarios. Reed hit the whoops hard and looked like he was going to rocket past Ken Roczen and snag a podium finish. However Reed looked as though he missed a whoop and got a little out of control.

Just has it looked like he had gathered it up, his and Roczen's line crossed, with Reeds front wheel hitting Roczen's rear resulting in the huge crash.

As we all now know, Reed was left coughing up blood, broke his scapula, collarbone and T1. Hearing the news I think everyone's first thoughts were it was season over for Reedy. However that is not the case, the tough as nails Aussie has indicated that he will be on the line this weekend in Texas.

Here is hoping that the two time AMA Supercross champ and make it through this weekend.

James Stewart captured his first race victory of the 2014 season in San Diego - Credit: Suzuki Racing

- While it was a tough night for Reed three other riders all took a step in the right direction in their bids for the 2014 title. James Stewart raced to his first win of the season and looked on point.

- Ryan Villopoto who at the moment looks to have take on Ryan Dungey's role of riding steady and settling for 2nds and 3rds when needed, raced to a solid second place behind Stewart and in the process extended his points lead.

- Roczen's pace during qualifying and his heat had him in prime position to challenge for the win when he moved into third ahead of Reed early in the race, though the German could not find the pace when it mattered. However another podium finish has him second in the points race. Not bad for a first year 450SX rider.

- Aussie Duo Matt Moss and Lawson Bopping wrapped up their American campaigns without to much luck. Moss raced to another great Semi win before bike issues forced him out of the main event. There is no doubt though he has done enough in his short stay in the U.S to prove he could be a more than handy rider for any of the factory teams in 2015.

- Bopping had his work cut out for him trying to make the main event in the cut throat LCQ. After finding himself in fourth position and looking like he was in with a chance of his first main event appearance, he was escorted off the track by Kyle Chisholm in what has to be considered a stock standard block pass for the final spot in the big show.

Justin Hill raced to his first ever AMA SX win in the 250SX class in San Diego - Credit: Kawasaki Racing

- Justin Hill broke through for his maiden win in the 250SX class, while team mate Dean Wilson saw his title chance turn to ash after an early race crash.

- Jason Anderson regained the outright points lead in the 250F class with his second place finish, picking up four points over Cole Seely in 4th. The championship really is now a two horse race between these two riders with just three rounds remaining.

- The West Coast 250SX riders will now take an extended break as the East coast riders hit the track starting this weekend in Texas.

- Look out for two new Aussies to hit the AMA Supercross Championship this weekend. Jackson Richardson who raced his 250F in the 450sx class last weekend in San Diego will race the East Coast 250SX championship starting this weekend along with Victoria's Taylor Potter.

National Motocross

Kiwi Cody Cooper who will race for the Penrite Oils Honda MX team in Australia won the opening round of the NZ Champs on the weekend

- Cody Cooper proved he will once again be a contender for the Monster Energy MX Nationals later this year, taking the win at the opening round of the New Zealand Championship on the weekend in Timaru.

- Cooper finished just ahead on point to KTM Australia's new recruit Ford Dale who is fast proving he will be one to watch in Australia this year in the MX1 class.

- Two more contenders for the Australian Championship finished 3rd and 4th in New Zealand with JCR Yamaha's Billy Mackenzie who races for CDR Yamaha here in Australia finishing 3rd, while KTM Australia's Kirk Gibbs finished fourth.

- Another Australian in Matt Haworth also raced the Timaru round, though was a little disappointed with his results and has vowed to improve of them at round two in a couple of weeks time.

- Kayne Lamont a former Australian MXD champion, who is still yet to secure a ride here in Australia for 2014 raced to the win in the MX2 class aboard his Husqvarna 250 two stroke in NZ. Hopefully we will see this young Kiwi back in Australia and on the line at Broadford on the 30th of March.

Serco Yamaha's Jay Wilson raced to a third place finish in New Zealand in the MX2 class for JCR Racing

- Scott Columb and Australia's newest Serco Yamaha recruit Jay Wilson finished 2nd and 3rd respectively racing for Josh Coppins JCR Yamaha outfit.

- Here in Australia Brock Winston who is racing for Craig Anderson Racing aboard Husqvarna's in 2014 raced to two moto wins ahead of CDR Yamaha's Jay Marmont at the opening round of the East Coast MX series at the Lakes track in New South Wales.

- While Winston and Marmont went 1-2 in opening two moto's, both riders failed to finish the last moto, leaving Active8 Yamaha's Off-Road racer Stefan Granquist to take the overall win.

- For full results from the opening round of the 2014 East Coast MX Series - Click Here

- While on the topic of Winston, well not so much Winson but Husqvarna and Yamaha's Marmont,. The guys over a Dirt Action magazine spent yesterday swinging off their camera's shooting the pair in separate photo shoots.

Magazine Editor Damien Ashenhurst, spent the day shooting with Craig Anderson's Husqvarna line up, while Deputy Editor Matt Bernard spent the day shooting with CDR Yamaha's Jay Marmont. Head over to the Dirt Action Facebook page by By Clicking Here for a couple of sneak peak of their shots. Well worth the look.

- WEM yesterday released the Supplementary regulations for the 2014 Monster Energy MX National, with entries also being declared open to rides and team.

Todd Jarratt will go from racing the MX Nationals in 2013 to calling the on track action in 2014 - Credit: Aaryn Minerds

- One rule worth keeping an eye one is the bike capacities for MX1. In the latest update to the rule motorcycling Australia rule book, the MX1 class now reads 255cc and over two stroke and Four stroke, with the "Upto 450cc" scrubbed out.

We are still waiting for official confirmation, but by looking at the rule in it's current form, there is nothing stopping riders riding bikes bigger than 450cc two or four stroke!

- One other thing of note in the 2014 MX Nationals Supp Regs, was the addition of Todd Jarratt as the official series commentator. Jarratt a, A grade racer from Victoria has spent a lot of time recently behind the microphone including doing the live commentary from the 2013 Australian Junior Motocross Championships and is sure to be a great addition to the MX Nationals team.

- Jarratt replaces regular race commentator Kam Williams who's wife recently gave birth two twins. Williams who has done a fantastic job of calling the races for many years and is the voice of MX in Australia, has decided to step away from the travel involved with following the national series across our large country to spend more time with his young family.

National Off-Road

Glenn Kearney will spearhead Husqvarna's push in Off-Road racing in 2014 - Credit: Ikapture, Greg Smith

- The big news in the Off-Road world this week came from Husqvarna who annouced a four rider team that will be managed by the teams E3 rider Glenn Kearney who will campaign a FE501 for the season. Kearney will be joined by Lachlan Stanford who will race a FE450 in the E2 class and 22 year old Scott Keegan who will race a FE250 in the E1 class.

Rounding out the team will be Veteran racer Damien Smith who will ensure that the entire Husqvarna four stroke enduro line up will be represented in Australia in 2014, racing a FE350 in the Veterans class.

- Round two of the KTM Australia Enduro-X Championships heads to Sydney this weekend and it is shaping up to be another fantastic event. While the opening round in Queensland saw the riders tackle what most have described as a reasonably easy track from all reports the Sydney round will be a lot more technical and could prove a handful for some of the support classes.

- If you live in Sydney make sure you get to Valvoline raceway in Parramatta this weekend to see some first class racing from Australia's best Enduro riders and what is expected to be an action packed event.

- In another bonus for Sydney Enduro-X fans, former AMA Motocross champion and one of the world best Enduro-X riders of the moment, American Mike Brown will be in town for this weekends event and racing for Husqvarna. Brown will also race the final round of the series in Melbourne in the first weekend in March.

World and Industry News

- Todd Waters showed the world that he will be a contender even in his first year on the international stage. Racing the second round of the Italian Motocross Championship on the Weekend Waters finished third in both the MX1 and Elite races behind Antonio Cairoli and Jermey Van Horebeek.

The ICEONE Factory Husqvarna racer also posted the fastest lap of the MX1 race highlighting that the Australian has the speed needed to run up front in the World Motocross Championship this year in the MX1 class.

- Waters who will race MX1 and Fellow Australian Luke Styke who will be racing the MX2 class for the Kemea Yamaha Race team at this years MXGP events are both expected to line up at the final round of the Italian Championship in Montevachi this weekend. If he races it will mark Stykes first race for his new team.

- SCOTT have officially jumped on board with Craig Anderson Racing for the 2014 race season. While the full details regarding Craig Anderson's team are still to be officially released, we have had confirmation that riders will be decked out in SCOTT Apparel, Boots and Goggles for the 2014 season, while M2R Helmets will look after the teams riders head protection.

- We are expecting an official statement regarding Anderson's new look Husqvarna race team in the coming days.

Scott will have Craig Anderson Racing team riders decked out in 2014 as seen here in a photo of Egan Mastin- Credit: Damien Ashenhurst (DA)

- M2R also announced that they will partner the new look Penrite Oils Honda MX Team in 2014 supplying helmets to team riders, Josh Cachia and Cody Cooper while ALiAS will look after riding apparel.

- Husqvarna have certainly been in the news a lot this week and with good reason. Along with announcing their 2014 Off-Road line up, the company also announced that their 2014 Enduro and Motocross models have started rolling into dealerships across the country this weekend.

- We were lucky enough to spot a Husqvarna FE501 at Bills Motorcycles in South Australia. We are pleased to report that bikes look amazing in the flesh, now just to find out what they are like to ride!

- Do you want to have a photo of yourself riding on Fullnoise.com.au? To help get readers more involved we will allowing our readers to send us images of themselves in action via a private message on our FULLNOISE.COM.AU FACEBOOK PAGE with our favourite shot each week being posted in our Friday FEATURE - THE DIRTY WEEKEND AHEAD

- That is right, if you would like your picture to feature in both Dirty Weekend Ahead article and on the Fullnoise.com.au facebook page, simply send us an image via the message section on our facebook page and follow these simple rules.

- Photos must be of yourself riding and in full protective riding gear (We believe in safety when riding!)
- You mush have permission from the photographer to use the image.
- Photographer details must be submitted with the photo (First and Last Name)
- Short description regarding the photo, who is riding, where it was taken, type of bike ETC...
- Photos need to be a minimum of 900px Wide and 600Px tall to be considered and my be cropped to fit the website format.
- You will also need to like the Fullnoise facebook page.

THAT'S A WRAP:

Well that is a wrap for Week 6 of the 2014 Race Season, tune back in next week for our weekly overview of all things Dirt.

For more information for any of the posts above simply head the Fullnoise.com.au website or check out our social pages on FACEBOOK, TWITTER and also on INSTAGRAM at Fullnoise_.

Make sure you catch our "DIRTY WEEKEND AHEAD" presented by RHK weekly feature on Friday to find out what racing is on this weekend!, then head back Monday for our Monday Motoboard presented by TM RACING AUSTRALIA first thing Monday morning for all the racing results from over the weekend.

Check back in Tuesday for a blast from the past with our Fullnoise.com.au TEN YEAR TURN-BACK Presented by One Industries.