Moto News Weekly Wrap
May 2, 2023
What’s New:
- More FIM Speedway on Fox Sports for Aussies
- ProMX Toowoomba “Retro” Round 6 Entries Open
- Rodney Faggotter fourth at Morocco Desert Challenge
- Aaron Plessinger misses Nashville due to practice crash
- Team Australia 2023 WJMX Rider Applications Open
- Bartosz Zmarzlik claims Croation SpeedwayGP victory
- EMX250 & EMX125 in Portugal
- 2023 MXGP Round Five Wrap- MXGP of Portugal
- Riders talk 2023 AMA Supercross Round 15 – Nashville
- 2023 Racing Calendars
More FIM Speedway on Fox Sports for Aussies
Following an agreement between Fox Sports and FIM Speedway global promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, all 10 rounds of the Speedway GP World Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo for Aussie fans, along with the Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup.
2023 Speedway GP Calendar
- April 29: FIM Speedway GP of Croatia
- May 13: Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw
- June 3: FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague
- June 10: FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Teterow
- June 24: FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow
- July 15: FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla
- August 12: FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga
- September 2: FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff
- September 16: FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens
- September 30: FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun
ProMX Toowoomba “Retro” Round 6 Entries Open
Entries for Toowoomba’s Round 6 of the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores scheduled to be held on the June 25, are now open.
Round 6 will be the official “Retro” round of the series. For Toowoomba, teams and riders are encouraged to dress up with special one off throwback sticker kits, number plates and gear sets to get into the “Retro” spirit.
Due to a number of classes being oversubscribed previously, riders are encouraged to enter early in order to avoid disappointment.
Entries will be available via RiderNet 2.0 with a link on the competitor info page of the ProMX Website, closing Sunday the 18th of June at 11:59pm unless oversubscribed sooner.
Rodney Faggotter fourth at Morocco Desert Challenge
The final stage at the Morocco Desert Challenge (MDC) was a 98km loop through the dunes of Erg Chebbi, starting and ending at the bivouac in Merzouga.
After covering over 2,000km in eight days, the Ténéré World Raid Team once again created history by finishing the rally superbly, with Tarrés and Faggotter third and fourth in the general classification and securing a lockout of the top two places in the Big Bike class (600 cc and above).
Faggotter finished Stage 8 in ninth, as the Australian returned to competitive rally racing for the first time since Dakar 2020 after setting a time of one hour, 23 minutes and forty seconds.
This saw the three-time Dakar finisher, filling in for regular rider Alessandro Botturi who was forced to miss the MDC due to a schedule clash, claim fourth in the overall standings with a combined time of 24 hours, 14 minutes and 25 seconds.
The 47-year-old showed incredible consistency throughout the rally, despite suffering from bad luck on Stages 4 and 5 that saw him lose time, recording three podiums and finishing just 33 minutes and 26 seconds behind his teammate.
Rodney Faggotter – P4 Overall
“I am very proud of what we have achieved. For me, it was a new bike, a new team, my debut at the MDC, and the first time I had ridden in a race in three years, so I could not have asked for more. The Ténéré 700 World Raid was amazing. It did everything we asked of it and handled the dunes and rocky terrain superbly. Thanks to the team for all their hard work developing the bike and creating such a good atmosphere; it made it a good, fun rally. It was great to get the call to race, and I am happy with the results. To finish the rally in third and fourth and get the 1-2 in class is unbelievable. A job well done.”
For Tarrés, it was his first overall podium in just his third rally. The Andorran made sure he ended the race in style by bringing his Ténéré 700 World Raid home on the last day in eleventh, with a time of one hour, 24 minutes and 43 seconds, safe in the knowledge that his advantage over his competitors behind him was never in doubt.
Pol Tarrés – P3 Overall
“I feel that I am dreaming. I cannot believe that I finished on the podium in just my third rally. It is an incredible feeling. Apart from one navigational mistake on Stage 7, I had a perfect rally. Thanks to the team, my mechanic, and the incredible Ténéré 700 World Raid bike. The whole race it was superb, and we had zero issues. Bring on the next adventure at the Hellas Rally.”
This ensured that the duo secured a 1-2 in the new for 2023 at the MDC Big Bike class, designed for motorcycles over 600cc, and in the process, wrote their name in the history books. After such a dominant display, the Ténéré World Raid Team are back in action at the Hellas Rally from the 21st-28th of May.
Morocco Desert Challenge Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Gap |
1 | Lorenzo Santolino | SHERCO | 22h 08’ 09’’ |
2 | Rui Gonçalves | SHERCO | 00h 05’ 49’’ |
3 | Pol Tarres | YAMAHA | 01h 33’ 00’’ |
4 | Rodney Faggotter | YAMAHA | 02h 06’ 26’’ |
5 | Mario Patrao | KTM | 03h 07’ 25’’ |
6 | Salvador Vargas | HUSQVARNA | 04h 18’ 49’’ |
7 | Mathieu Liebaert | KTM | 04h 41’ 08’’ |
8 | Tomas De gavardo | KTM | 04h 45’ 47’’ |
9 | David Mulot | KTM | 06h 23’ 18’’ |
10 | Clint de Cramer | HUSQVARNA | 06h 49’ 40’’ |
Aaron Plessinger misses Nashville due to practice crash
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450SX rider Aaron Plessinger sat out Round 15 of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship this weekend in Nashville, as he continues to recover from the effects of a crash during practice in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The fan favourite returned to his home base in Florida to undergo further evaluation and an MRI on his hips this week and he was again cleared of any major injury.
Despite dealing with heavy bruising, swelling, and soreness, Plessinger and the team have since made the tough decision to forego lining up in Nashville, with intentions of healing up to be ready to race the penultimate round of the season in Denver on May 6.
Team Australia 2023 WJMX Rider Applications Open
MA have announced that rider applications are now open for the 2023 World Junior Motocross Championship. The event is set to take place from July 7th to July 9th at the TCS Racing Park in Romania.
The World Junior Motocross Championship is the most prestigious junior motocross event in the world, and Team Australia is looking for talented young riders to represent the country in three different classes:
- Class 1: 65cc for 10 to 12 years old
- Class 2: 85cc for 12 to 14 years old
- Class 3: 125cc for 13 to 17 years old
To apply for a place on Team Australia, riders complete the application form (link) before May 19th, 2023.
Bartosz Zmarzlik claims Croation SpeedwayGP victory
Poland’s triple world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik hailed his crew for helping him turn his night around as he defied a starting slip-up to storm to his second straight Tehnix FIM Speedway GP of Croatia win on Saturday.
Zmarzlik launched his title defence in fine style as he powered to victory in the final ahead of Great Britain racer Robert Lambert and Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren after Aussie ace Jason Doyle failed to capitalise on a stunning start, crashing on the first corner.
This allowed Zmarzlik to make it back-to-back wins at the Speedway Stadion Milenium, where he topped the podium on April 30, 2022.
The Lublin and Lejonen rider suffered the blow of being excluded from his second race in heat five but bounced back to cruise into the semi-finals on 10 race points, before celebrating his 19th Speedway GP win.
A delighted Zmarzlik, who raced successive PGE Ekstraliga meetings for Polish club Lublin on Thursday and Friday, was delighted to end a busy run of racing by topping the 2023 Speedway GP World Championship.
Zmarzlik insists his starting exclusion didn’t break his concentration after his desire to make a fast start from the tricky gate three backfired.
Next up for Zmarzlik and his rivals is the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw in front of a packed PGE Narodowy on May 13. Zmarzlik is still chasing his first Warsaw final and victory, and he looks forward to battling for his points. He said: “Warsaw is a great place for the Polish riders, and I will just fight again there.”
Heavy rain ahead of racing left riders battling to adapt to track conditions, but runner-up Lambert believes it helped him as he reached his third Speedway GP podium. He said: “I was not so fast in Qualifying Practice. I think the rain helped me a little bit. The track came to me.
Lambert is still chasing his first Speedway GP win. After two second places, he believes he is edging ever closer.
Third-placed Lindgren only qualified for the semi-finals by virtue of fourth place in the 2022 Speedway GP series, ranking him ahead of Aussie duo Jack Holder (12th) and Max Fricke (13th) after they tied on eight points and could not be separated on countback in the race for the last semi spot.
After a nervous wait for confirmation that he had qualified for the semis, Lindgren was pleased to capitalise and collect 16 championship points.
Lindgren also took advantage of a mistake from British star Tai Woffinden in semi-final two to snatch second place and reach the final.
Speedway GP World Championship Standings
- Bartosz Zmarzlik 20
- Robert Lambert 18
- Fredrik Lindgren 16
- Jason Doyle 14
- Jai Woffinden 12
- Mikkel Michelsen 11
- Dan Bewley 10
- Martin Vaculik 9
- Jack Holder 8
- Max Fricke 7
- Patryk Dudek 6
- Anders Thomsen 5
- Leon Madsen 4
- Maciej Janowski 3
- Kim Nilsson 2
- Matej Zagar 1.
EMX250 & EMX125 in Portugal
The third round of the EMX250 and EMX125 Championships were held in Agueda, Portugal alongside the MXGP.
In EMX250, the Red Plate and favourite Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing Team’s Andrea Bonacorsi won in a formidable manner after dealing with problems on his bike in race 2. Winning ahead of BT Racing Team’s Kay Karssemakers and VRT KTM Factory Juniors’ Ferruccio Zanchi
In EMX125 presented by FMF Racing, MJC Yamaha Official EMX125’s Janis Martin Reisulis got his second win of the season in front of 737 Performers GASGAS’s Mathis Valin and Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Maximilian Werner.
EMX250
Race 1 in EMX250 saw an eventful first lap where Ferruccio Zanchi came out of the first turn leading the pack in front of Championship leader Andrea Bonacorsi.
A tight battle ensued as Bonacorsi took the lead early to see Zanchi taking it back few turns later. Eventually, Bonacorsi’s speed was too much for Zanchi, making a pass stick, only to keep the lead to the finish line comfortably. Zanchi finishing second.
Behind Kay Karssemakers showed speed alongside Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Alexis Fueri. Karssemakers settled for third place while Fueri did not maintain his speed, dropping to sixth.
It was the opposite for Quentin Prugnieres and Samuel Nilsson who gained positions. Prugnieres went from seventh to fifth after another racer crashed, incident and kept going to overtake Fueri for fourth. Nilsson by contrast went from tenth on the opening lap and kept charging up to get to fifth.
In race 2, Team VRT KTM Factory Juniors’ Marc-Antoine Rossi made a clever pass on lap 11, going from fourth to first in one swoop, overtaking Karssemakers, and holding that lead to the finish line, Karssemakers the runner-up.
Bonacorsi ended up third after an eventful second race with clutch problems due to being overtaken by M-A Rossi and a collision. Racing a major part of the race with a clutch problem, including stalling at one point, couldn’t stop him claiming third.
Teammate Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing Team’s Karlis Reisulis finished fourth, Prugnieres making a good start in fifth to hold that position for the whole race.
Andrea Bonacorsi
“In the second race I lost my clutch leveller in a collision with Rossi which happens in motocross. With that leveller broken I couldn’t use it but I kept going, I forgot about my bike problem which made me stall. But in the end I am very happy with the result and happy with the races. I showed again who is the fastest and for that I want to thank all my team, Yamaha and Monster. See you in Spain!”
EMX250 – Overall Top 10 Classification
- Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 45 points
- Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 42
- Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, KTM), 37
- Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 35
- Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KAW), 34
- Cas Valk (NED, FAN), 27
- Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 26
- Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 22
- Samuel Nilsson (ESP, GAS), 22
- Meico Vettik (EST, TM), 21
EMX250 – Championship Top 10 Classification
- Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 142 points
- Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 107
- Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 97
- Cas Valk (NED, FAN), 93
- Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 90
- Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, KTM), 90
- Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KAW), 79
- Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 77
- Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 72
- Alexis Fueri (FRA, FAN), 61
EMX125
In EMX125 Race 1, it was all about Janis Martin Reisulis once again as the young Latvian took the lead from Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Elias Escandell during the first lap and kept the lead until the finish line, winning his third race of the season. Escandell managed a solid race into second.
Mathis Valin had a steady and uneventful race as he stayed behind the front two in third throughout the whole race. The performance of the race was for Alban Alm who following an average start of 12th on lap 1, managed to overtake back to fourth.
Salvador Perez displayed good speed going from seventh to a very solid fifth.
After a rapid start in Race 2, Valin led the race from start to finish and he never looked back. Behind, Reisulis was quick to move into second but crashed on lap 3, dropping to fourth. His speed and talent spoke for themselves by fighting back to second, overtaking Fredsoe on lap 7 and Werner on lap 12. Fredsoe ended up fifth.
Werner had to settle for third and a podium slot, while Garcia made another comeback from ninth to fourth.
Janis Martin Reisulis
“This week was really tough for me, the mistake in race 2 made it even harder but we’re here picking up points consistently. I’m very happy to get the win and keep the Red Plate. I want to thank all my team for the help, my family and of course the fans”
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Overall Top 10 Classification
- Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 47 points
- Mathis Valin (FRA, GAS), 45
- Maximilian Werner (GER, FAN), 33
- Francisco Garcia (ESP, GAS), 33
- Laban Alm (SWE, HUS), 33
- Elias Escandell (ESP, FAN), 30
- Noel Zanocz (HUN, KTM), 25
- Nicola Salvini (ITA, YAM), 24
- Vitezslav Marek (CZE, KTM), 23
- Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 16
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Championship Top 10 Classification
- Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 132 points
- Mathis Valin (FRA, GAS), 111
- Elias Escandell (ESP, FAN), 102
- Maximilian Werner (GER, FAN), 95
- Vitezslav Marek (CZE, KTM), 89
- Laban Alm (SWE, HUS), 86
- Francisco Garcia (ESP, GAS), 83
- Gyan Doensen (NED, KTM), 71
- Nicola Salvini (ITA, YAM), 66
- Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 58
MXGP 2023 – Round Five
MXGP of Portugal
See the full report:
Herlings and Geerts top MXGP of Portugal
Round Five of the Motocross World Championship rolled into Agueda over the weekend to run the new inverted circuit, and it was Jeffrey Herlings who walked away with the win – his 101th – joining Stefan Everts’ record. Romain Febvre was runner-up, and Jorge Prado held onto his podium record for the season, in third.
Aussie Mitchell Evans returned to racing and collected three-points in the opening race, didn’t collect any in 21st for Race 2, but will be taking away the positives.
Mitch Evans
“The last time I raced was in October and I knew the first race back would be tough. I’m a racer and expect more from myself so of course I’m a little disappointed but at least I’m back at the races and there were a lot of positives to take away from the weekend; my one-lap speed is good and it’s easier to make a fast rider fit than to make a fit rider faster. I just need to get used to the intensity and race-craft again and we’ll get there soon. There’s no pressure from the team and I’m grateful for that.”
MX2 was a more clear-cut affair, Jago Geerts topping qualifying and then taking both race wins in dominant fashion. Kay de Wolf and Roan Van de Moosdijk rounded out the MX2 overall, Andrea Adamo just missing out on the podium despite tying for third place on points.
MXGP Top Five Quotes
Jeffrey Herlings – P1
”It was so great to come here and have another win after the long road came from. I feel it’s coming step by step. I am so pleased with the performance today, riding felt great and if I didn’t feel at my best on the first race, the second was really good. I am looking forward for next week in Spain and see what we’ll get there.”
Romain Febvre – P2
“I was feeling good all weekend. I had to push quite hard yesterday but I managed fifth from seventeenth in Qualifying so I knew I just needed to take decent starts today. Many of us had similar speed and I knew I had to pass quickly so I was happy with second in the first race. The second moto was tougher. I had a good clean fight with Seewer but then the two guys in front were gone. It’s good to be back on the podium and take points back in the championship; I look forward to pulling back more next weekend in Spain.”
Jorge Prado – P3
“Overall, I am quite happy with my day. I am in a good position in the championship and riding well. I feel like I can replicate what I did in moto one, so that is good. I got pushed wide at the start of the second moto, so I lost some positions early on. I charged hard at the end of the race and almost made progress. I am confident. It is my home Grand Prix next, so I am excited.”
Ruben Fernandez – P4
“Fourth again, but I’m happier this time around than I was in Trentino. My riding was good all weekend and although a small mistake in race one cost me the podium, I rebounded well in race two to lead for a bit and then finish second. Combine that with the qualification race victory and I have to positive about the event, which saw me gain good points on fourth and increase my lead over the sixth-placed rider in the championship. Thanks to everyone who cheered me on around the track, it was really great experience and I hope I can do that next weekend in Spain!”
Jeremy Seewer – P5
“Today’s result is not amazing. It’s not a podium or a win, but through all the struggles this season, I feel like we have made a big step. I have to focus on the positives. I’m back in the game on the start, and I’m physically strong and ready. I just need to work to pick up the pace in the first laps because I’ve lost a lot of confidence after all the crashes I have had during the first few laps at the previous GP’s. Overall, this is a step in the right direction. We want more, but I understand this will take time, and I think soon I will make another step, and we will be back in the fight.”
MXGP Standings after Portugal (Top 20)
Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Total |
1 | Prado, Jorge | ESP | GAS | 246 |
2 | Herlings, J. | NED | KTM | 229 |
3 | Febvre, Romain | FRA | KAW | 214 |
4 | Renaux, Maxime | FRA | YAM | 202 |
5 | Fernandez, R. | ESP | HON | 182 |
6 | Vlaanderen, C. | NED | YAM | 162 |
7 | Coldenhoff, G. | NED | YAM | 152 |
8 | Seewer, Jeremy | SUI | YAM | 148 |
9 | Guadagnini, M. | ITA | GAS | 139 |
10 | Forato, A. | ITA | KTM | 116 |
11 | Guillod, V. | SUI | HON | 108 |
12 | Watson, Ben | GBR | BET | 87 |
13 | Van doninck, B. | BEL | HON | 83 |
14 | Paturel, B. | FRA | YAM | 79 |
15 | Bogers, Brian | NED | HON | 66 |
16 | Jonass, Pauls | LAT | HON | 56 |
17 | Östlund, Alvin | SWE | HON | 49 |
18 | Lupino, A. | ITA | BET | 48 |
19 | Spies, M. | GER | KTM | 19 |
20 | Koch, Tom | GER | KTM | 18 |
MX2 Top Five Quotes
Jago Geerts – P1
“It was a perfect weekend for me. I felt good on the track right from the first lap of practice, so I knew it was going to be a good weekend. And it was! It was a nice weekend; I am really happy with the three moto wins. I can’t say much more. I just really enjoyed it, and I am happy with the 60-points.”
Kay de Wolf – P2
“I am slowly getting back to where I should be and I am happy about that! I knew that I had to pass Simon Langenfelder in the second moto and I did that, so that was good. It has been a tough road to get to this point and I would not have been able to do it without my team.”
Roan Van de Moosdijk – P3
“After a really tough pre-season I am so happy with that performance and podium. In the second race I knew I had to pass Laengenfelder for the podium. It’s been a long road and I’m so happy to be here on the podium with my teammate. Thanks to my team and we got the ball rolling now for the next races.”
Andrea Adamo – P4
“A pretty solid weekend: 3rd in the Quali race, 2nd in the first moto and 5th in the second. That consistency was good but we always want to aim for the podium. The first moto was incredible and I led 13 of 15 laps; I was a bit disappointed to make a few small mistakes near the end that led Jago through but it was still nice to run that speed. In the second moto I didn’t have the best feeling, flow or lines. So, it was a bit up-and-down this weekend but more ‘up’ than down! We will try to make the podium again in Spain. I like the track there and I am feeling confident.”
Simon Langenfelder – P5
“My weekend was a little up and down. I finished in fifth in the first moto, then I took the holeshot in the second race. I was staying with the leader and having fun, but I could not hold onto second place. That was a shame, but we will reset for the next round. Hopefully I have a better feeling there.”
MX2 Standings after Portugal
Pos | Rider | Nat. | Bike | Total |
1 | Geerts, Jago | BEL | YAM | 265 |
2 | Adamo, Andrea | ITA | KTM | 229 |
3 | de Wolf, Kay | NED | HUS | 220 |
4 | Benistant, T. | FRA | YAM | 206 |
5 | Laengenfelder, S. | GER | GAS | 201 |
6 | Van De Moosdijk, R. | NED | HUS | 191 |
7 | Everts, Liam | BEL | KTM | 157 |
8 | Horgmo, Kevin | NOR | KAW | 143 |
9 | Coenen, Lucas | BEL | HUS | 130 |
10 | Pancar, Jan | SLO | KTM | 115 |
11 | Elzinga, Rick | NED | YAM | 102 |
12 | Weckman, Emil | FIN | HON | 89 |
13 | Haarup, Mikkel | DEN | KTM | 70 |
14 | Braceras, D. | ESP | KAW | 58 |
15 | Oliver, Oriol | ESP | KTM | 50 |
16 | Martinez, Yago | ESP | KTM | 37 |
17 | Toendel, C. | NOR | KTM | 33 |
18 | Gifting, Isak | SWE | GAS | 21 |
19 | Rizzi, Joel | GBR | HON | 19 |
20 | Chambers, Jack | USA | KAW | 17 |
Riders talk 2023 AMA Supercross Round 15 – Nashville
250 Main
When the gate dropped for the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Hunter Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot but Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith quickly charged up to him. In the third corner Smith bumped his way past and into the lead ahead of Lawrence and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin.
A minute and a half into the 15-minute plus one lap race Smith held first ahead of Lawrence, Smith, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan.
With a 49-point lead and only one Eastern Regional 250SX Class round remaining after Nashville, Lawrence could finish as low as 20 and still claim the title. But Lawrence looked like he wanted to go out with a win, and hounded Smith up front. Shimoda moved into third behind them and Deegan fought to get past Martin for fourth.
With 9:30 remaining on the race clock Smith overcooked a turn in the sand section and went off the track and into the Tuff Blox. He didn’t fall, but the mistake and correction to get back on the track cost him two positions.
Lawrence took over the lead but suddenly Shimoda was on a tear and looking like he might soon fight for the front spot. Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie, the winner at the previous round, had made his way into sixth and reached Deegan’s rear wheel just before Deegan made his own move and passed Martin for fourth place.
Late in the race Lawrence had built a comfortable lead while Shimoda, Smith, and Deegan ran close enough that each of their positions were in jeopardy. The riders circled the final laps without major mistakes.
Lawrence brought home the race win and with it his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross title.
Shimoda earned his first podium of the season after missing most of it due to injury, and Smith took the final podium spot.
Hunter Lawrence – P1
“I didn’t even dream of this as a kid, as I didn’t know it was possible. The sport isn’t that big in Australia, so you don’t realize you can have a career doing this. Funny that in 2020 in this same state, I was thinking seriously about quitting. Just being knocked down over and over again with injuries, at that point I figured I would get a normal job and just support Jett. This is definitely redemption, to have been at the lowest point I’ve been at, so close to where I captured my first championship. It’s so special to get this one, and I hope to get many more with this same group.”
Jo Shimoda – P2
“I’m just so thankful for everyone who stuck by me when I had to hang out on the couch. It’s never fun to be hurt, and I wanted to be out here so badly. I know the next time we race with be another east/west showdown, and I’m ready to end the season on a good note.”
Jordon Smith – P3
“We started bright and early this morning, but it was a good day for us. I was right there with the top times in each practice and won the heat race. Then I got off to a great start in the main, passed for the lead, and led the thing for maybe five or six minutes. I made a mistake and went off the track and got a little tight after that. The track was really gnarly. It was really hard to keep pushing all the way through the main event, especially with a little bit of arm pump. The track just broke down a lot. The track crew tried fixing it, but it was just soft and hard at the same time. One of the rhythm sections was already foot-peg deep which they fixed before the main event, so it was constantly changing, and you had to stay on your toes the whole main. I’m happy to get my fifth podium of the season and battling for the win. It’s been a long time since I’ve been consistently on the podium, so I’m not taking that for granted. We’re just going to keep working.”
Haiden Deegan – P4
“It was a good day overall. Qualifying was alright, and then the heat race was good. I had good speed and got second. In the main event, I got a bad start and tried to push through, but I just didn’t have enough time at the end. I ended up getting close, which was good. It was the first time I was able to catch the front guys, so I’m happy with that. The track did break down a lot more than I thought it was going to, watching previous videos of this place. It had quite a bit of ruts, and it was hard-packed, dry, and sketchy. So fourth place on the day. We will just keep getting better.”
Tom Vialle – P7
“I crashed in practice, so the beginning of the day wasn’t as expected, but recovered well in the Heat race with a fourth, before I was docked two positions because I didn’t see the red cross flag. That gave me a tough gate pick for the main, and I came around the first corner in eighth or ninth. I was close to sixth, although ended the race in seventh. The track was very sketchy and I lost a bit of time in the dragon’s back section, but overall, an average result here and one more chance to race Supercross for the season in two weeks’ time.”
Chris Blose – P8
“It was a good race, but I didn’t have the intensity I needed in that opening lap, and some guys got me early,” said Blose. “Once I found my groove, I had a good pace, but I think I could have grabbed at least one more spot if I had been there on the opening lap or two. I’m looking forward to ending the season strong and holding onto fifth in the championship.”
250 Main Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Laps/Interval |
1 | Hunter Lawrence | Honda CRF250R | 17 Laps |
2 | Jo Shimoda | Kawasaki KX250 | +03.857 |
3 | Jordon Smith | Yamaha YZ250F | +05.305 |
4 | Haiden Deegan | Yamaha YZ250F | +06.909 |
5 | Max Anstie | Honda CRF250R | +24.811 |
6 | Jeremy Martin | Yamaha YZ250F | +34.133 |
7 | Tom Vialle | KTM 250 SX-F FE | +41.675 |
8 | Chris Blose | Kawasaki KX250 | +47.344 |
9 | Henry Miller | Honda CRF250R | 16 Laps |
10 | Cullin Park | Honda CRF250R | +04.586 |
11 | Luke Neese | Honda CRF250R | +13.531 |
12 | Talon Hawkins | Husqvarna FC 250 | +15.650 |
13 | Jeremy Hand | Honda CRF250R | +16.311 |
14 | Jace Owen | Honda CRF250R | +40.679 |
15 | Caden Braswell | Honda CRF250R | +42.365 |
16 | Josiah Natzke | Kawasaki KX250 | +53.179 |
17 | Coty Schock | Honda CRF250R | +59.613 |
18 | A J Catanzaro | Honda CRF250R | 15 Laps |
19 | Michael Hicks | Honda CRF250R | +19.364 |
20 | Garrett Hoffman | Yamaha YZ250F | +1:02.935 |
21 | Jace Kessler | Honda CRF250R | 14 Laps |
22 | Brock Papi | Kawasaki KX250 | 5 Laps |
450 Main
Eli Tomac grabbed a clear Holeshot and sprinted early to establish some breathing room on the pack of Tank Masters Red Line Oil Next Level KTM’s Kevin Moranz, Team Honda HRC’s Colt Nichols, Chase Sexton, Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance’s Kyle Chisholm and Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia.
Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill got an incredible drive down the first rhythm lane and was into third place before the second corner. Absent was Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb, second in the championship points; Webb had been taken out of the event earlier by a tough crash in his Heat Race.
Tomac distanced himself from the pack as Sexton moved past Justin Hill to take over second just three minutes into the race. Sexton sat over four seconds back but set his sights on Tomac. A minute later Tomac had a near-crash in the whoops. The challenging track had created a lot of crashes through qualifying and racing. Tomac’s scare convinced him to lower his aggression, as he reported on the podium after the race.
Just over five minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Barcia moved forward into third place. Up front, Sexton steadily cut down the lead. The next few laps shook up the race as Sexton made it to Tomac’s rear fender just as Barcia crashed hard off the Dragon’s Back. Barcia was out just as Roczen nabbed third from Justin Hill.
From there the race leaders held their spots on the slick, dry track. Sexton earned his fourth win of the season and moved into second in the championship standings. Tomac lost three points to Chase but extended his points lead to 18 due to Webb earning zero in Nashville.
Only two rounds remain in the season. The 450SX Class racers line up again inside Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado next Saturday, May 6th before the 2023 Supercross Championship Final Presented by Utah Sports Commission at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 13th. Two champions remain to be crowned, one in the 450SX Class and one in the Western Regional 250SX Class.
The two rounds will also pay points toward the all-new SuperMotocross World Championship which encompasses the Supercross season, the AMA Pro Motocross season, two Playoff races and a Final to determine the sport’s first SuperMotocross World Champion in September.
Chase Sexton – P1
“You really have to be on your game on tracks like this; you have to approach everything with confidence. This track was so gnarly, especially towards the last couple of laps, and it forces you to keep your focus. Getting started on outdoor testing has been like a breath of fresh air, and I feel more confident in the rough stuff. Two more rounds to go, and hopefully we get some more wins under our belts and keep building momentum.”
Eli Tomac – P2
“We had a very solid day. I had great starts for the heat race and the main event, and I got out to the lead early. I was setting a good pace, and then I made one or two mistakes in the whoops. I backed down my pace a little bit, and then Chase was able to slide right by me. Overall, I was really happy with my riding, and the motorcycle on the starts has been awesome. It was a very tough track, too, because it went from a soft surface and then it turned into a dry surface, so that’s what made it hard. The transitions were soft, but at the same time, you had to manage traction. It was tough. It ended up biting quite a few guys, and I’m just happy to get out of here safe.”
Colt Nichols – P4
“Nashville treated me better than the last few weekends have. The day didn’t start off that great; we had a so-so qualifying. The team made some changes, and that seemed to give me more comfort. I was able to get a good start in the main event and take advantage of some other guys’ mistakes. I just rode a smooth, steady race and got my best finish of the year. Overall, it was a really good weekend for us, and I’m leaving very happy.”
Jason Anderson – P6
“Today was a tough day, but I didn’t let the earlier setbacks get to me and I knew I had to give it my all in the Main Event. My body was sore heading into the Main Event, but I raced with everything I had, and I’m happy to have salvaged a top-10 finish for the team. It’s not the result I wanted, but sometimes it’s just about picking yourself up and pushing through no matter what. I’m proud of the effort we put in, and we’ll come back stronger next race.”
Adam Cianciarulo – P8
“I was feeling great in qualifying and happy with how I was riding, but unfortunately I made a small mistake entering the first turn during the Main Event and had to battle my way through the pack. I found a good flow early in the race and managed to get into the top-10 and put on a good battle for the fans against my teammate. As the track continued to deteriorate, I made a couple of mistakes that cost me some time. Overall, I’m proud of how I was able to fight back and salvage some points with an eighth-place finish. We’ll regroup and come back stronger next race.”
Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
“As many of you saw, I suffered a concussion last night in Nashville. I am thankful everything else has checked out okay. This will unfortunately put an end to my SX season. It hurts to have it end like this, but I can hold my head high knowing that I gave it my all.”
Ian Harrison – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
“It’s definitely not the end to the 2023 Supercross Championship season that the team had hoped for, but we are very relieved that Cooper is okay after what had the potential to be a very nasty accident, as he was really going for it when he went down in a racing incident. Our riders’ health and safety are very important to the team, so knowing he is going to be okay is a huge weight off everyone’s shoulders. Obviously, we were really looking forward to taking the championship hunt all the way down to the final Supercross race in Salt Lake City, but unfortunately, that won’t be the case this year. It’s disappointing, but we will turn our focus towards our 250 riders’ final Supercross races of the season, as well as supporting Aaron Plessinger as he heals from his crash at the previous round in New Jersey, and get a jump start on preparing for the upcoming Pro Motocross Championship season.”
450 Main Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Laps/Interval |
1 | Chase Sexton | Honda CRF450R | 23 Laps |
2 | Eli Tomac | Yamaha YZ450F | +14.513 |
3 | Ken Roczen | Suzuki RM-Z450 | +29.756 |
4 | Colt Nichols | Honda CRF450R | +34.374 |
5 | Justin Hill | KTM 450 SX-F | +39.895 |
6 | Jason Anderson | Kawasaki KX450SR | +49.423 |
7 | Dean Wilson | Honda CRF450R | +1m00.081 |
8 | Adam Cianciarulo | Kawasaki KX450SR | 22 Laps |
9 | Kyle Chisholm | Suzuki RM-Z450 | +08.088 |
10 | Josh Hill | KTM 450 SX-F | +15.470 |
11 | Justin Starling | GASGAS MC 450F | +36.522 |
12 | Kevin Moranz | KTM 450 SX-F | +44.791 |
13 | Tristan Lane | GASGAS MC 450F | 21 Laps |
14 | Joshua Cartwright | Kawasaki KX450 | +17.822 |
15 | Logan Karnow | Kawasaki KX450 | +18.960 |
16 | Chase Marquier | Kawasaki KX450 | +30.336 |
17 | Devin Simonson | Kawasaki KX250 | 20 Laps |
18 | Max Miller | KTM 450 SX-F | +11.360 |
19 | Cade Clason | Kawasaki KX450 | +25.556 |
20 | Shane McElrath | Suzuki RM-Z450 | 14 Laps |
21 | Justin Barcia | GASGAS MC 450F | 8 Laps |
22 | Grant Harlan | Yamaha YZ450F | 5 Laps |
2023 Racing schedule
2023 MXGP Calendar
Date | Grand Prix | Venue | Add. Races |
12 March | PATAGONIA ARGENTINA | Villa la Angostura | |
26 March | SARDEGNA (I) | Riola Sardo | WMX & EMX250 |
8 & 10 April | SWITZERLAND | Frauenfeld | WMX & EMX125 |
16 April | TRENTINO | Pietramurata | EMX125 & EMX250 |
30 April | PORTUGAL | Agueda | EMX125 & EMX250 |
7 May | SPAIN | Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos | WMX & EMX250 |
21 May | FRANCE | Villars sous Ecot | WMX & EMX125 |
4 June | LATVIA | Kegums | EMX125 & EMX250 |
11 June | GERMANY | Teutschenthal | EMX125 & EMX250 |
25 June | SUMBAWA – INDONESIA | Sumbawa | |
2 July | LOMBOK – INDONESIA | Lombok | |
16 July | CZECH REPUBLIC | Loket | EMX65 & EMX85 & EMX2T |
23 July | FLANDERS (BEL) | Lommel | EMX125 & EMX Open |
30 July | FINLAND | Hyvinkää | EMX125 & EMX250 |
13 August | SWEDEN | Uddevalla | EMX125 & EMX250 |
20 August | NETHERLANDS | Arnhem | WMX & EMX250 |
3 September | TÜRKIYE | Afyonkarahisar | WMX & EMX250 |
17 September | VIETNAM | Thanh Hoa | |
1 October | GREAT BRITAIN | Matterley Basin | EMX125 & EMX250 |
8 October | FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS | FRANCE, Ernée | bLUcRU |
9 July | FIM JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP | ROMANIA, Bucharest | |
15 October | MOTOCROSS OF EUROPEAN NATIONS | TBC |
2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship Calendar
Date | Location | Country |
31 March-2 April | San Remo/Arma di Taggia | Italy |
5-7 May | Lalin | Spain |
26-28 May | Heinola | Finland |
1-3 June | Skövde | Sweden |
30 June-2 July | Gelnica | Slovakia |
29 Sept-1 Oct | Valpaços | Portugal |
6 -8 October | St Andre/Santiago do Cacem | Portugal |
2023 American Flat Track Calendar
Round | Date | Race | Location |
1 | March 9 | Daytona Flat Track I | Daytona Beach, FL |
2 | March 10 | Daytona Flat Track II | Daytona Beach, FL |
3 | March 25 | Senoia Short Track | Senoia, GA |
4 | April 1 | Arizona Bike Week | TBA |
5 | April 22 | Devil’s Bowl Half Mile | Mesquite, TX |
6 | May 6 | Ventura Short Track | Ventura, CA |
7 | May 13 | Sacramento Mile | Sacramento, CA |
8 | May 27 | Red Mile | Lexington, KY |
10 | June 17 | Du Quoin Mile | Du Quoin, IL |
11 | June 24 | Line Half-Mile | Lina, OH |
12 | July 1 | West Virginia Half-Mile | Mineral Wells, WV |
13 | July 8 | Orange Country Half-Mile | Middletown, NY |
14 | July 22 | Bridgeport Half-Mile | Bridgeport, NJ |
15 | July 30 | Peoria TT | Peroia, IL |
16 | August 6 | Buffalo Chip TT | Sturgis, SO |
17 | August 12 | Castle Rock TT | Castle Rock, WA |
18 | September 2 | Springfield Mile I | Springfield, IL |
19 | September 3 | Springfield Mile II | Springfield, IL |
2023 FIM World Supercross Calendar
Date | Venue, Stadium | Country |
01 July | Birmingham, Villa Park Stadium | Great Britain |
22 July | Lyon-Décines, Groupama Stadium | France |
30 September | Asian Grand Prix (TBA) | South-East Asia |
14 October | Dusseldorf, Merkus Spiel Arena | Germany |
28 October | Vancouver, BC Place Stadium | Canada |
24-25 November | Melbourne, Marvel Stadium | Australia |
*TBA = To be announced |
2023 AMA SuperMotocross Calendar
Rnd | Series | Stadium | Location | Date |
4 | AMA SX | Angel Stadium | Anaheim, CA | January 28 |
5 | AMA SX | NRG Stadium | Houston, TX | February 4 |
6 | AMA SX | Raymond James Stadium | Tampa, FL | February 11 |
2* | AMA SX | RingCentral Coliseum | Oakland, CA | February 18 |
7 | AMA SX | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, TX | February 25 |
8 | AMA SX | Daytona Int. Speedway | Daytona Beach, FL | March 4 |
9 | AMA SX | Lucas Oil Stadium | Indianapolis, IN | March 11 |
10 | AMA SX | Ford Field | Detroit, MI | March 18 |
11 | AMA SX | Lumen Field | Seattle, WA | March 25 |
12 | AMA SX | State Farm Stadium | Glendale, AZ | April 8 |
13 | AMA SX | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Atlanta, GA | April 15 |
14 | AMA SX | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ | April 22 |
15 | AMA SX | Nisssan Stadium | Nashville, TN | April 29 |
16 | AMA SX | Empower Field at Mile High | Denver, CO | May 6 |
17 | AMA SX | Rice-Eccles Stadium | Salt Lake City, UT | May 13 |
18 | ProMX | Fox Raceway National | Pala, CA | May 27 |
19 | ProMX | Hangtown Classic | Rancho Cordova, CA | June 3 |
20 | ProMX | Thunder Valley National | Lakewood, CO | June 10 |
21 | ProMX | High Point National | Mount Morris, PA | June 17 |
22 | ProMX | RedBud National | Buchanan, MI | July 1 |
23 | ProMX | Southwick National | Southwick, MA | July 8 |
24 | ProMX | Spring Creek National | Millville, MN | July 15 |
25 | ProMX | Washougal National | Washougal, WA | July 22 |
26 | ProMX | Unadilla National | New Berlin, NY | August 12 |
27 | ProMX | Budds Creek National | Mechanicsville, MD | August 19 |
28 | ProMX | Ironman National | Crawfordsbille, IN | August 26 |
29 | SMX | zMAX Dragway | Charlotte, NC | September 9 |
30 | SMX | Chicagoland Speedway | Joilet, IL | September 16 |
31 | SMX | LA Memorial Coliseum | Los Angeles, LA | September 23 |
2023 Penrite ProMX Championship calendar
Round | Location | Date | Classes |
Round 1 | WONTHAGGI, VIC | 5 March | MX1, MX2, MX3, MXW |
Round 2 | APPIN, NSW | 19 March | MX1, MX2, MX3 |
Round 3 | WODONGA, VIC | 16 April | MX1, MX2, MX3, |
Round 4 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Round 5 | GILLMAN, SA | 28 May | MX1, MX2, MX3, MXW |
Round 6 | TOOWOOMBA, QLD | 25 June | MX1, MX2, MX3, |
Round 7 | QLD MOTO PARK (QMP) | 13 August | MX1, MX2, MX3, MXW |
Round 8 | COOLUM, QLD | 19-20 August | MX1, MX2, MX3, VETS, MXW |
GNCC 2023 Schedule
Date | Event | Location |
Feb 18-19 | Big Buck | Union, SC |
Mar 4-5 | Wild Boar | Palatka, FL |
Mar 11-12 | The General | Washington, GA |
Apr 1-2 | Tiger Run | Bick Buck Farm, Union SC |
Apr 15-16 | Camp Coker Bullet | Society Hill, SC |
May 6-7 | Hoosier | Crawfordsville, IN |
May 20-21 | The John Penton | Millfield, OH |
Jun 3-4 | Mason-Dixon | Mt. Morris, PA |
Jun 24-25 | Snowshoe | Snowshoe, WV |
Sep 16-17 | The Mountaineer | Beckley, WV |
Oct 7-8 | Buckwheat 100 | Newburg, WV |
Oct 21-22 | Ironman | Crawfordsville, IN |
2023 Australian Dirt Track Calendar
Date | Championship | Location |
April 15-16 | Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships | Mike Hatcher MCC (QLD) |
July 15-16 | Australian Junior Track Championships | Hunter MCC (Barleigh Ranch Circuit) (NSW) |
October 7-8 | Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships | Albury-Wodonga MCC (Diamond Park) (VIC) |
October 28-29 | Australian Senior Track Championships | Hunter MCC (Barleigh Ranch Circuit) (NSW) |
2023 FIM Long Track World Championship
FIM Long Track World Championship | |||
Date | Event | Venue | Country |
24 June | Challenge | La Réole | France |
18 May | Final | Herxheim | Germany |
17 June | Final | Ostrów | Poland |
13 July | Final | Marmande | France |
20 August | Final | Scheessel | Germany |
02 September | Final | Morizès | France |
17 September | Final | Mühldorf | Germany |
FIM Long Track of Nations | |||
24 September | Final | Roden | The Netherlands |
FIM Speedway Youth Gold Trophy | |||
08 July | Final | Holsted | Denmark |
FIM Track Racing Youth Gold Trophy | |||
23 July | Final | Gdańsk | Poland |
2023 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup Calendar
DATE | VENUE | COUNTRY |
13 May | Barcelona | Spain |
24 June | Crans-Montana* | Switzerland |
29 July | Vollore-Montagne | France |
09 September | TBA | USA |
28 October | Busan* | South Korea |
18 November | TBA | ASIA |
*Subject to contract |
2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship calendar
Round | Event | Date |
Round 1 | Xross, Serbia | May 17/18/19/20 |
Round 2 | Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, Austria | June 8/9/10/11 |
Round 3 | Red Bull Abestone, Italy | July 7/8/9 |
Round 4 | Red Bull Romaniacs, Romania | July 25/26/27/28/29 |
Round 5 | Red Bull Outliers, Canada | August 26/27 |
Round 6 | Roof of Africa, South Africa | September 28/29/30 |
Round 7 | 24MX GetzenRodeo, Germany | November 3/4 |
Western Australia Hard Enduro Series Calendar
2023 Northern NSW Ironman MX Series Calendar
- Round 1 – 14th May Coonabarabran Goanna Tracks
- Round 2 – 18th June Coffs Harbour Motorcycle Club
- Round 3 – 25th June Hastings Valley Motorcycle Club
- Round 4 – 13th August Moree Motorcycle Club
- Round 5 – 3rd September Inverell Motorcycle Club (Finale & Presentation)
2023 FIM Baja World Cup calendar
Date | Venue | Country |
2-4 February | Saudi Baja- | Saudi Arabia |
16-18 March | Qatar International Baja | Qatar |
14-16 April | Baja TT | Dehesa Extremadura |
21-23 July | Baja Aragon | Spain |
10-12 August | Hungarian Baja | Hungary |
September-October* TBC | Baja do Oeste | Portugal |
2-4 November | Jordan Baja | Jordan |
December *TBC | Baja Dubai | UAE |
*To be confirmed = TBC |
2023 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship Calendar
2023 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship | |||
Date | Event | Venue | Country |
28 January | Qualifying round | Örnsköldsvik | Sweden |
18 – 19 March | Finals | Inzell | Germany |
01 – 02 April | Finals | Heerenveen* | The Netherlands |
FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship – Qualifying Meetings | |||
27 May | Qualifying round | Zarnovica | Slovakia |
27 May | Qualifying round | Lonigo | Italy |
29 May | Qualifying round | Abensberg | Germany |
29 May | Qualifying round | Debrecen | Hungary |
19 August | Challenge | Gislaved | Sweden |
FIM SGP2 World Championship – Qualifying Meetings | |||
20 May | Qualifying round | Pardubice | Czech Republic |
20 May | Qualifying round | Krsko | Slovenia |
20 May | Qualifying round | Vojens | Denmark |
FIM SGP3 World Championship – Semi finals | |||
12 July | Semi final 1 | Västervik | Sweden |
12 July | Semi final 2 | Västervik | Sweden |
FIM Flat Track World Championship | |||
TBA | Final | TBA | TBA |
09 September | Final | Debrecen | Hungary |
16 September | Final | Boves | Italy |
23 September | Final | Pardubice | Czech Republic |
07 October | Final | Morizès | France |
2023 FIM Sidecar Motocross World Championship Provisional Calendar
Date | Venue | Country |
26 March | Talavera de la Reina | Spain |
02 April | Alqueidao | Portugal |
07 May | Kramolin | Czech Republic |
14 May | Heerde | The Netherlands |
28 May | Brou | France |
11 June | Lange Motokeskus | Estonia |
18 June | Gdansk tbc | Poland |
25 June | Lommel | Belgium |
16 July | Strassbessenbach tbc | Germany |
22 July* | Red Brae | Northern Ireland |
30 July | Cusses Gorse | Great Britain |
20 August | Kaplice | Czech Republic |
17 September | Rudersberg | Germany |
01 October | Castelnau de Levis | France |