Moto News | Japan MX | WHES | AFT | WSX | Speedway

Moto News Weekly Wrap
October 31, 2023

What’s New:

• Hunter Lawrence confirmed on HRC CRF450RWE in 2024
• Jay Wilson wins Round Eight of All-Japan MX
• Strong pace for Honda CR Electric Proto in All-Japan MX
• Rogers & Rieju win Western Australia Hard Enduro Series
• Josep Garcia extends KTM Factory Racing contract
• 2024 Australian Speedway Senior Solo nominations open
• HRC celebrate Gajser’s triumphant return from injury
• 2024 Progressive American Flat Track Schedule
• Abu Dhabi FIM World Supercross WSX/SX2 entries revealed
• 2023 6DAYS (ISDE) Team Entry Lists
• 2023 Racing Calendars
• 2024 Racing Calendars

Hunter Lawrence confirmed on HRC CRF450RWE in 2024

Team Honda HRC today officially confirmed what has been mooted for a long time, Hunter Lawrence will move up to the 450 class for the 2024 season, competing in the AMA Supercross, AMA Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross series.

The 24-year-old Australian, who in 2023 earned crowns in the 250SX East Region and 250 outdoor series, will campaign the factory Honda CRF450RWE alongside his brother, Jett Lawrence.

Hunter Lawrence

“I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished in my 250 career, but it’s exciting to move up to the premier class for 2024. I feel like my style is well-suited for the CRF450RWE, and off-season testing has been going well so far. I enjoyed battling with Jett in the 250 class before he moved up, and I’m looking forward to doing that again now that we’re both on the big bike. I’ve got a great team around me, and I can’t wait to get back in action at Anaheim 1.”

Hailing from Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Hunter raced Down Under and in Europe before signing with American Honda’s Factory Connection satellite squad for the 2019 season.

Hunter was promoted to Team Honda HRC for 2021, and after his first two years with Honda’s factory squad saw him finish second and third in the indoor and outdoor series, respectively, he delivered championships in both series in 2023.

Brandon Wilson – Manager of Racing and Experiential Marketing at American Honda

“It’s a pleasure to move Hunter up to the CRF450RWE. Since joining our team three years ago, he has consistently made a positive impact, in terms of results but also for the constructive, optimistic influence that he invariably brings. Last season saw him earn the 250 titles that we all knew he was capable of, but he’s also a very good 450 rider. We look forward to him adding to his success now that he’s in the premier class.”

Jay Wilson wins Round Eight of All-Japan MX

Jay Wilson’s amazing race win streak has ended at the Saitama circuit in Japan, competing Round Eight of the All-Japanese Motocross Championships, but that didn’t stop him claiming the round win.

Wilson finished with 1-3-1 results from the three, fifteen-minute races contested to take another round win, but his race win streak was stopped at 19 after a drama filled race two on the day.

In the opening laps of the second race, Wilson and US rider, Trey Canard, engaged in a battle for the race lead. Wilson was right on the rear wheel of Canard and was able to pull alongside entering a right hand turn after a fast straightaway. With the Australian on the inside, he made an aggressive move on Canard, resulting in both riders going down.

Canard was unable to finish, but Wilson was able to pick up his Yamaha YZ450F, remount and rejoin the race. With less than 10 minutes in the race, Wilson scrambled to regain as many positions and points as possible. He was able to get back to third place and be hot on the heels of the lead duo on the final lap.

Fortunately, he was able to rebound in race three to take another commanding win and earn another round victory, his eight of the season, and cement his dominance in the IA1 class for 2023.

Jay Wilson

“I want to apologise to Trey for the incident in race two, that was entirely on me and I take full responsibility for what happened. I rushed a pass that probably wasn’t there when I should have just settled early and found my way past later in the race or when there was a better opportunity. It’s not how I race and I’m sorry to Trey and his team. But it was good to rebound well in race three and finish on a strong note. This weekend was eventful in many ways with Trey coming over to test and develop a new bike, the condition of the track with the rain and the intensity of the racing all weekend. Thank you again to my Factory Invocation Yamaha Team as my bike was amazing all weekend and to the crowd that came out today to support it. It was good fun to battle with so many people at the track.”

The Australia rider has already locked up the 2023 IA1 (450cc) championship, making him a dual champion in Japan after winning the IA2 (250cc) class in 2022.

Strong pace for Honda CR Electric Proto in All-Japan MX

It was a tale of mixed fortunes for Team HRC in Saitama over the weekend with the competitive debut of the Honda CR Electric Prototype, Honda’s first participation in an official race with an electric motorcycle.

Trey Canard faced fierce competition from Jay Wilson, finishing second in the opening race, before clashing with Wilson and dropping out of race two, and finally crashed a couple of laps into the third and final race.

For the full run-down see:
Honda CR Electric Prototype acquits itself well in heat of competition

Rogers & Rieju win Western Australia Hard Enduro Series

Sam Rogers has conquered the Western Australia Hard Enduro Series (WHES) on his Rieju MR 300 PRO, in the ultimate showdown at the ‘Toodyay Terror 2.0,’ Sam’s blazing performance secured not only a first-place victory but also the coveted WHES Championship title for 2023.

The Toodyay Terror is nestled in Morangup, Toodyay, the track home to technical and challenging trials terrain. It’s one of the most spectator-friendly races, where fans line the creek bed, cheering the riders on. It was here, at the, that Sam Rogers emerged victorious. Just last year, he clinched a hard-fought third place, and earlier this year, he cranked up the intensity, securing a well-deserved second place finish.

Josep Garcia extends KTM Factory Racing contract

Having joined the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team in 2017, Garcia has since delivered season after season of exceptional performances, including numerous EnduroGP race wins and three world championship titles (Enduro2 in 2017 and 2021, and Enduro1 in 2023).

Josep also claimed back-to-back overall individual wins at the iconic International Six Days Enduro. His standout ISDE win in Italy during the 2021 event was then backed up in 2022, where he took the overall solo honors in France. Soon to be traveling to Argentina for the 2023 ISDE, the Red Bull KTM star will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins while racing for the Spanish World Trophy team.

Looking ahead to the 2024 FIM EnduroGP World Championship, Garcia and the team’s focus is firmly fixed on the EnduroGP class title as well as the E1 category, where Josep will once again ride a KTM 250 EXC-F.

Josep Garcia

“I’m really happy and proud to announce that I will be staying with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing family. It has been a long journey with them – since I was a kid my dream was to be in this team, so it’s great that it’s continuing. I think we make an incredible team, achieving huge goals together such as our three world championships, two overall Six Days wins, and we’ve got many Spanish enduro titles too. We have a strong relationship and I’ve been with the team since 2017, so I’m truly proud to continue with this family. We will keep giving it everything for the next three seasons.”

Fabio Farioli – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Enduro Team Manager

“I’m really happy to have the opportunity to continue working with Josep. No one in the paddock works harder to achieve their goals and Josep has shown incredible spirit over the course of this season to come back from injury to win the Enduro1 title. He’s a real team player and I’m looking forward to working with him into the future and hopefully winning even more world championships together.”

2024 Australian Speedway Senior Solo nominations open

Next year’s speedway season will kick off all guns blazing when the 2024 Australian Speedway Solo Championship is held over five rounds between January 4 and 13 – starting in Brisbane before visiting Kurri Kurri, Albury-Wodonga, Mildura and concluding in Gillman.

Nominations are now open for the championship, which will close at 5:00pm (AEDT) on Wednesday, December 6.

Nominate here – https://bit.ly/40ciLUs

Late nominations will not be accepted. Please note this process is for nominations only: the selection of the final roster will be determined by Motorcycling Australia’s Track Commission.

HRC celebrate Gajsers triumphant return from injury

After a horrific injury at the pre-season race in Trentino, Team HRC rider and five-time world champion Tim Gajser was forced to miss most of the 2023 MXGP season with a broken femur. However, after that lengthy rehabilitation, the #243 returned to win two of the last three GPs and give himself a massive boost of confidence as they head into the off-season, where he will now set his sights on the 2024 crown.

 2024 Progressive American Flat Track Schedule

AMA Pro Racing have announced the preliminary schedule for the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, a 16-round slate featuring once again a more compressed schedule with an emphasis on each of the sport’s four disciplines, while having a flavor all its own.

The season will play out during prime motorcycle riding season, once again opening with a Daytona Bike Week doubleheader at Daytona International Speedway in early March and once again concluding in early September. The first half of the year provides little time to catch one’s breath with five all-action Short Tracks set to be waged over the first six races. The middle of the campaign then shifts into Half-Mile mode while a pair of late season TTs and Miles will factor heavily in determining the title fights.

The 2024 schedule not only pays homage to the championship’s storied legacy by featuring high-profile rounds at its most iconic venues, such as the Labor Day weekend doubleheader at the legendary Springfield Mile and the iconic 77th Peoria TT, but it also introduces fresh, first-time experiences with brand-new events, including the Silver Dollar Short Track in Chico, California.

Other highlights include the DuQuoin Mile, which cast its magic once again last season by delivering a race that saw four premier-class riders representing three different manufacturers battle to the checkered flag, as well as the return of the Texas Half-Mile at Texas Motor Speedway, which will take place alongside the Goodguys 14th LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals Car Show.

Yet to be announced events include an all-new TT and the return to a fan-favorite Half-Mile for a spectacular 2024 season finale. Announcements about the TBA events will be issued in the coming weeks.

 2024 Progressive American Flat Track calendar

Abu Dhabi FIM World Supercross WSX/SX2 entries revealed

Entries for the penultimate 2023 WSX event in Abu Dhabi have been released for both the premiere WSX and SX2 classes, with 20 riders fronting up in each class.

The Supercross Commission, composed of Messrs. Jorge Viegas, Chairman (FIM), Antonio Alia Portela (FIM), Adam Bailey (SX Global, Chief Executive Officer) and Kevin Williams (SX Global, General Manager ‐ Motorsport), Biense Bierma (MSMA, Secretary General), also approved the updated 2023 FIM World Supercross Championship Regulations on 18th October 2023.

Find HERE the 2023 FIM World Supercross Updated Championship Rules.

WSX – Over 290cc to 450cc 4-stroke Entries

SX2 – Over 175cc to 250cc 2-stroke or 4-stroke Entries

2023 6DAYS (ISDE) Team Entry Lists

The FIM International Six Days’ Enduro (ISDE) begins shortly in San Juan, Argentina. Currently, riders, teams and personnel are beginning their travels to San Juan, which will soon become the epicentre of international enduro sport during the next two weeks.

For this year’s 6DAYS, the entry list features many of the world’s best enduro riders from across the globe. In total, over three hundred and forty competitors will begin this year’s race. Naturally, the FIM World Trophy, FIM Junior World Trophy and FIM Women’s World Trophy classes will draw the most media attention. However, almost two hundred and forty amateur riders will compete in the Club Team Award, once again highlighting the importance of this historic event. In total, the 6DAYS will see seventy-nine Club Teams compete in San Juan.

Excitingly the FIM World Trophy category features all the top nations. Defending champions Great Britain will lead the field out with a line-up that remains relatively unchanged from 2022. Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna), Nathan Watson (Honda) and newly crowned FIM Junior Enduro World Champion Jed Etchells (Fantic) are joined by experienced 6DAYS veteran Alex Snow (GASGAS).

The United States always perform well at the 6DAYS. Now a veteran of the event, Taylor Robert (KTM) has what it takes to fight for the individual podium. Of South American interest, Chilean Herrera Benjamin (GASGAS) will be pushing hard for a top result in San Juan. His teammate Ruy Barbosa (Honda) will also be fast on the dry terrain.

Looking at the individual classification and the stage is set for yet another all-out battle for supremacy. Spain’s Josep Garcia (KTM) has won this category for the previous two editions of the 6DAYS and as the newly crowned FIM Enduro1 World Champion, he will arrive in San Juan on top form. The Spaniard will be no slouch on the Argentinian terrain and will look to make his mark on the ninety-seventh edition of the race from the very first test.

Pushing him all the way in France last year was Italy’s Andrea Verona (GASGAS). The Italian enjoys the long, physical nature of the 6DAYS and having played second fiddle twice to Garcia already, will be hoping for third time lucky this time around.

Eagerly awaiting their home race are Argentina. Strongly represented in the FIM World Trophy, FIM Junior World Trophy and the FIM Women’s World Trophy, the host nation is certain to deliver some standout performances during the weeklong race.

FIM World Trophy Entry List

FIM Women World Trophy Entry List

2023 Racing schedule

2023 FIM World Supercross Calendar

2024 Racing schedule

2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championships Provisional Calendar

2024 Monster Energy Supercross & Pro Motocross calendars