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Moto News Weekly Wrap
January 16, 2024

What’s New:

• Rohan Tungate crowned Australian Speedway Champion at Gillman
• MXGP of China confirmed for 2024, Round 19, September 15-16
• 2024 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) venues revealed
• Women’s Pro Motocross Championship returns in 2024
• Mason Semmens wins NGPC Series Opener
• Cedric Soubeyras wins 2024 King of Dortmund
• Jacopo Cerutti and Aprilia win Africa Eco Race
• Kabakchiev and Raga join the Sherco Factory Racing Team
• Harry Norton the new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
• RIP Dakar competitor Carles Falcón
• Dakar Rally 2024 Stage Eight Update
• 2024 AMA Supercross Round Two – Oracle Park Rider Quotes
• 2024 Racing Calendars

Rohan Tungate crowned Australian Speedway Champion at Gillman

Rohan Tungate is our Australian Speedway champion for a second time, following a gripping conclusion to this year’s series in Gillman (South Australia) on Saturday.

After finishing second overall in the fifth and final round, Tungate was able to overturn a five-point deficit to win the Australian Championship by three points over Max Fricke, adding to the silverware he first won in 2018.

As a dual Australian champion, Tungate, from Kurri Kurri (NSW), now joins a revered group of riders who have won the Duke of Edinburgh trophy on multiple occasions, including Fricke, Chris Holder, Leigh Adams, Jason Crump, Craig Boyce and Bill Sanders.

Despite a disappointing final round, Fricke’s exceptional body of work, particularly in rounds two, three and four – including top-scoring results in Wodonga and Mildura – saw him still finish second in the championship, six-points ahead of Jack Holder and Jaimon Lidsey.

To bookmark what has been an exceptional championship, Holder then won a run-off against Lidsey to officially finish third overall, with the leading quartet now locked in for the 2024 Speedway GP qualifiers which culminate in the Czech Republic on October 4. The top three riders in that event earn spots in the 2025 Speedway GP series.

Rohan Tungate

“My main goal throughout the championship was to be consistent and try to make as many finals as possible to keep the pressure on. I’m proud I was able to do that, but it wasn’t easy in the face of such strong opposition. There were a couple of hiccups along the way, but I remained hungry and determined throughout and I’m delighted to win my second Aussie title. And to wrap it up at Gillman, one of the best speedway tracks in the country, was really satisfying. Thanks to all the riders who competed, and I especially want to acknowledge Max (Fricke) who put on a great show and is always exceptionally hard to beat. I’m now looking forward to the Speedway GP qualifying process. I’m now older and wiser, and I have to capitalise on that.”

The Australian Championship was turned on its head early on at Gillman after Fricke only scored two points in his opening three rides – an exclusion and two third places – while Tungate was peerless with four wins in succession.

Fricke wasn’t done yet, though. A magnificent rearguard action him win his final two races to sneak into the semi-finals – but that was where his gritty fightback ended as he finished last in the opening semi-final behind Tungate, Jack Holder and Chris Holder.

The weight was then lifted from Tungate’s shoulders, as he only had to finish the final to guarantee championship success – and that he did, finishing second behind Brady Kurtz and in front of Lidsey and Jack Holder.

Australian Speedway Gillman Results

• HEAT SCORES: 1 Rohan Tungate 13, 2 Brady Kurtz 13, 3 Jack Holder 12, 4 Jaimon Lidsey 11, 5 Chris Holder 11, 6 Ben Cook 10, 7 Max Fricke 8, 8 Sam Masters 7, 9 Josh Pickering 7, 10 Michael West 7, 11 Keynan Rew 5, 12 Ryan Douglas 4, 13 Zach Cook 4, 14 Fraser Bowes 3, 15 James Pearson 3, 16 Jake Turner 1, 17 Jack Morrison 0, 18 Dayle Wood DNR.
• SEMI-FINAL 1: Tungate, J Holder, C Holder, Fricke.
• SEMI-FINAL 2: Lidsey, Kurtz, B Cook, Masters.
• FINAL: Kurtz, Tungate, Lidsey, J Holder.
• RUN-OFF FOR THIRD PLACE: J Holder, Lidsey.

2024 Australian Speedway Final Standings

1. Tungate 70
2. Fricke 67
3. Jack Holder 61+3
4. Lidsey 61+2
5. Kurtz 57
6. Ben Cook 42
7. Chris Holder 42
8. Pickering 41
9. Masters 41
10. Douglas 40
11. Zach Cook 28
12. Rew 22
13. Pearson 18
14. West 14
15. Bowes 11
16. Justin Sedgmen 9
17. Tate Zischke 5
18. Jye Etheridge 4
19. Morrison 3
20. Turner 1

MXGP of China confirmed for 2024, Round 19, September 15-16

Infront Moto Racing have revealed the latest update to the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar, where the MXGP of China will make a thrilling return on September 15-16. As in 2019, the event will be held in Shanghai. The organizer is Shanghai Hehui Sports Culture Development Co., Ltd, part of the same Group owning the Just1 brand.

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The group is dedicated to develop sport in the country as well as aiming to boost the local social and economic landscape through the hosting of globally acclaimed events. The much-awaited event is scheduled to take place on September 15 and 16 which coincide with the popular Moon Festival holiday, offering locals a thrilling weekend of motocross action along with a traditional festival.

In 2019, the MXGP of China amassed 25,000 fans who witnessed the spectacular races. Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado emerged victorious in the MXGP and MX2 categories, respectively, delivering an unforgettable show for everyone present.

2024 MXGP Calendar

2024 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) venues revealed

The stage is set for another intense year of competition in the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship presented by MXstore (AORC), with a raft of new locations locked in for the 2024 instalment.

The 12-round AORC Championship will welcome five new venues across Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, while Queensland Moto Park retains its spot on the calendar.

The battle for AORC honours will begin in Roma (Qld) on March 9-10, and conclude in Nowra (NSW) on September 14-15.

2024 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) Calendar

• Rounds 1-2: March 9-10, Roma, Qld (note change of date from previous correspondence)
• Round 3-4: April 20-21, Enfield, Vic
• Rounds 5-6: May 18-19, Edenhope, Vic
• Rounds 7-8: July 27-28, Queensland Moto Park, Coulson, Qld
• Rounds 9-10: August 24-25, TBA, SA
• Rounds 11-12: September 14-15, Nowra, NSW

With the full catalogue of men’s and women’s championship and support classes returning in 2024, the competition will be fierce as the seasoned stars of enduro go into battle with the new wave of emerging talent.

Peter Doyle, the CEO of Motorcycling Australia, is looking forward to another stellar year of AORC action.

Peter Doyle

“Now that we’ve locked in the dates and venues for 2024, we can look forward to the championship build-up and of course the kick-off in Roma,” he said. “The quality and depth of talent in the AORC Championship continues to increase year after year, with riders pushing each other to the limit across some of the most amazing Aussie terrain. A championship victory in AORC is always hard-fought, and that will certainly be the case again in 2024.”

Women’s Pro Motocross Championship returns in 2024

MX Sports and the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and participating race organizers, have announced the 2024 Women’s Professional Motocross Championship (WMX) schedule.

The WMX Series returns with a revamped schedule to allow the world’s best female racers an opportunity to compete at eight unique events throughout the country. The WMX series comeback has been spearheaded by former WMX Champion, Jordan Jarvis’ Father, Rich Jarvis. The series will run alongside the Women’s classes offered at the eight different events.

The 2024 WMX Championship will kick off alongside Daytona Beach’s “Bike Week” festivities on March 3-4 with the Monster Energy Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross on the historic grounds of Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Following the series opener, the WMX racers will head to Wortham, Texas for the Freestone Spring Championship from March 6th through March 10th. The series will then travel to Spring a Ding Ding on March 12-16 for their third round of racing in in Alvord, Texas.

The next round will take place on Sunday, June 16 in conjunction with the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at High Point Raceway on Father’s Day weekend. The series will then travel to Crawfordsville, Indiana for their fifth round on Sunday, August 25 to run another race in conjunction with the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Ironman Raceway.

The WMX Championship continues at the Baja Brawl Motocross Championship on August 30 – September 2 in Millington, Michigan for their sixth round of racing, and the Pastrana Pro Challenge at Pleasure Valley Raceway in Seward, Pennsylvania will host the seventh round of racing on September 28-29. Finally, the WMX Series comes to a close at The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City on October 3-6, 2024, in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Tim Cotter – MX Sports Director

“With the growing number of female athletes participating in the AMA Amateur Motocross events, we feel that it is time to bring back professional women’s racing. Together with the AMA, America’s Premier Motocross organizers and key members of the women’s racing community, we have developed a schedule that will showcase the best women athletes in the world at some of America’s top amateur events. We look forward to seeing the best female athletes compete against one another to see who will be crowned the 2024 WMX Champion.”

2024 Women’s Pro Motocross Championship Calendar

Mason Semmens wins NGPC Series Opener

Mason Semmens had a great start to his NGPC Series efforts over the weekend, claiming the Pro II win at the season opener at Delano in California. Dante Oliveira meanwhile took the overall and Pro victory, Dare Demartile and Justin Hoeft rounding out the podium.

The NGPC Series run for nine rounds, concluding in November at Lake Havasu.

Mason Semmens

“P1 NGPC Series season opener! Happy with how yesterday went getting the holeshot and leading to the finish, let’s keep the fun going.”

2024 NGPC Series Round 1 Results

Cedric Soubeyras wins 2024 King of Dortmund

Serving as the second and final round of the ADAC SX Cup Title, the King of Dortmund event has been won by Cedric Soubeyras, with Aussies Dylan Wills and Matt Moss claiming 10th and 11th.

The event was run as a Triple Crown format, across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Jordie Tixier and Greg Aranda rounding out the SX1 podium. In SX2 we saw Maxime Desprey claim top honours, Calvin Fonvielle and Jannis Irsuti completing the podium.

Dylan Wills – P10

“What an amazing experience – Thank you to everyone at @ktmsarholzracingteam for being so accommodating and understanding! I struggled to adjust to the dirt on day one, but the team just kept telling me to keep learning and everyday we will improve – and that’s what we did! Now we head to Amsterdam.”

Matt Moss – P11

“Not the weekend I wanted but got better every ride struggled with my wrist and arm pump and not riding for 12 weeks definitely didn’t help ! Thanks so much to @kawasaki_pfeil_ for always making me feel very welcomed hopefully can be back next year! Thanks”

2024 King of Dortmund Results

Jacopo Cerutti and Aprilia win the 2023 Africa Eco Race

Comprising 12 demanding stages, the Africa Eco Race was, as always, a seriously demanding rally with all competitors racing over 4,500 kilometres against the clock. Beginning with five stages in Morocco, the next six took place in Mauritania before the final stage in Senegal took riders to the finish line in the historic city of Dakar.

Claiming third place in the final, Jacopo Cerutti and the Aprilia Racing GCorse Tuareg won the 2023 Africa Eco Race, fending off two-time winner at the AER Alessandro Botturi who managed to pick up a six-minute penalty, drastically damaging his chances of the win.

Pol Tarrés was another revelation at the 2024 AER, continuing to adapt quickly to rally racing and learning more about the discipline with every passing stage, the Andorran won three stages on his way to securing third overall. An excellent result for Tarrés who, aboard his Ténéré 700 World Rally bike, raced against the clock for well over 40 hours.

Jacopo Cerutti

“I had quite a scare today, because at the 20th kilometre there was a bit of a mix-up on a note and I thought my rivals had dropped me. But then I found the track again and it was me who caught Botturi. From that moment on we went on together and I brought the result home. I must compliment my opponents for the fairness they showed throughout the race, it was really an honour to battle with them. It was a very tense Africa Eco Race for us, leading from the start with Botturi and Tarres putting pressure on us, but we managed it. Thanks also to a great bike: the Tuareg proved itself equal to a demanding marathon like this. I can’t wait to celebrate together with the team!”

Alessandro Botturi – P2

“The race is over now after two very long and difficult weeks. The stages pushed us all to our limits and I’m happy about my results. I finished in second place, but all through the race I was very close to the leader. I never gave up and took the fight for the win to the very end. The result is really satisfying and I’m really proud of myself because it was difficult to stay with Jacopo Cerutti and my teammate, Pol, as they were both riding so well. I hope we can come back stronger next year and I’m excited for the future.”

Pol Tarrés – P3

“We’re here at the end and it’s been a really great event for myself and the team. For the team to have both riders on the podium is amazing. With the team we’re still learning a lot about the bike and I’m really proud of what we have achieved together. I’m also super happy for Alessandro for finishing second. For myself, I demonstrated that I’m getting faster as a rally racer and my race management is getting better and better. I’m always learning, and we’ll keep working hard for the next races.”

2023 Africa Eco Race Results

Kabakchiev and Raga join the Sherco Factory Racing Team

Bulgarian rider Teodor Kabakchiev will join the Sherco Factory Racing Team for 2024, to compete alongside Mario Roman in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship and international Hard Enduro races. The Trials team also welcomes multiple world champion Adam Raga to its ranks.

25-year-old Kabakchiev made his name in SuperEnduro by winning the Junior world champion title in 2020. He then moved into Hard Enduro and reached the podiums of the Romaniacs and the 2020 ‘XRoss World Cup for two consecutive years. Teodor will make his competitive debut at AlesTrem in France on January 27-28.

Teodor Kabakchiev

“I’m very happy. I believe this is the next step in my progression as a rider. The Sherco Factory Racing team is full of motorcycle enthusiasts. We have a lot in common. I love it! Our goal is to raise the Sherco blue colors to the top of the sport.”

Adam Raga’s arrival at Sherco comes as a surprise for some, with the rider explaining the move and the collaboration with Marc Teissier.

Adam Raga

“I have known Marc Teissier for a long time. Sherco is an important player in the trials and sector enduro, and I wanted to work with the brand. For me it is a very interesting project to find areas of development to improve and develop motorcycles. I saw that Marc placed a lot of trust in me and that he recognized my skills, that is important for me. He knows I can do a good job on the bike and have good results. Sherco is a company where you feel the passion and motivation, motivation to develop efficient motorcycles. But they also want to win against much larger companies and I like that. They do things with the heart, with a lot of motivation, it corresponds to what I believe and feel. The bike is brand new, it’s the one that was launched last year, and we will continue to improve it. The goal is to make the best trials bike in the world. I am going to participate in the world indoor trials championship, the Xtrial and the world championship of TrialGP. I will also continue to train and get used to the bike to be at the top and obtain the best possible results.”

Adam Raga took part in his first official competition on Saturday at the DL12 Indoor Trial in Great Britain, where he took second place for his first race with the Sherco Trial motorbike.

Adam Raga

“I’m really very satisfied with tonight’s result, it’s a fantastic start! I rode well and the fans were very happy! We had some really difficult steps and sections, so finishing second on my first outing with the Sherco is an excellent start. The bike worked very well, and it has a lot of power and showed that it has tremendous potential here on the large difficult steps of Sheffield. I’m really very happy and it bodes well for the upcoming events! ”

Marc Teissier

“Having a trials legend join us is wonderful! It was Adam who contacted me saying that he was stopping his collaboration with TRRS, we have known each other for a very long time. I asked him to come see me, to visit SHERCO and that we would talk. He told me he still wanted to ride, and he liked the bike. He saw the parts up close, the engine for example which is 1.7kg lighter than the lightest one that existed before our introduction. I told him that we still had work to fine-tune the bike for the GP trials category. Our agreement is that Adam will develop the bike for the world championship. I have great confidence in Adam to do the job, he is passionate, and very hardworking, he has a very extensive experience in development, and subsequently he will take care of trials at Sherco as a rider, coach and manager.”

Harry Norton the new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager

Preparation for the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship is already well underway and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will aim to defend their MX2 title and push for more MXGP spoils with the same rider line-up but under new management.

Stepping up from his Technical Co-ordinator role, Harry Norton has assumed the position of Team Manager and the 29-year-old Australian will guide the efforts of the crew and Jeffrey Herlings, Andrea Adamo, Liam Everts and Sacha Coenen with KTM 450 SX-F and KTM 250 SX-F machinery in the 20-round series.

Norton arrived in Austria in 2019 after a long association with KTM and KTM Australia in his native country where he worked at a local dealership and then also around the national racing scene. His passion for dirtbikes and competition meant he was eager to break through to the hub of the factory’s motorsport activities in Europe.

His easy-going manner and technical proficiency allowed him to forge an immediately beneficial relationship with rookie Tom Vialle; the Frenchman won a Grand Prix in his first season and the pair scooped two MX2 world championships in the following three years.

Norton quickly assumed an instrumental role inside the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing organisation and was seen as the natural successor to Dirk Gruebel in 2023 as Team Technical Co-ordinator. The crew underwent a major revamp with three new riders and a wholesale reset of technical staff as KTM looked to the future. Norton was able to marshal the squad to a fifteenth MX2 crown with the KTM 250SX-F thanks to the positive first step with Adamo, and also help Herlings reach a new all-time win record of 103 Grand Prix triumphs in the MXGP category and with the KTM 450 SX-F.

Harry’s positive growth and growing influence means he will take the reigns of the MXGP operation for 2024, backed by Gruebel, Team Co-ordinator Valentina Ragni, Team Trainer Joel Smets and other figures such as new Technical Co-ordinator Stefan Simpson.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will be competing in MXGP pre-season events in Spain, Italy, France, Holland and the UK before the season begins in Argentina on March 10th.

Harry Norton – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager

“People have asked me how I feel about this, and the answer is simply: excited. It was a dream to work for this team, and to make it as one of the key figures and to have such an input into how we go racing is next level for me. I’ve had some of the best possible influences around me, such as Dirk, Peter [Tillerkvist], Robert [Jonas] and Pit [Beirer], and I want to thank them for their help and for sharing their experience. We’ve got another big season ahead and with the same goals we always have. We have a strong team and we’ll work with the same passion and the same dedication to achieve what we can.”

Carles Falcón passes following Dakar crash

It is with great sadness that we have learned from his family of the passing of Spanish rider Carles Falcón. In the second special stage of the Dakar linking Al Henakiyah to Al Duwadimi, the rider suffered a heavy fall at km 448.

The emergency services who attended quickly were able to see the seriousness of his condition. Transferred by helicopter to Al Duwadimi hospital, then evacuated to Riyadh hospital, Carles was repatriated to Spain a few days later. Despite all the efforts of medical personnel, the rider finally succumbed to his injuries.

Carles Falcón, aged 45, was participating in the Dakar for the second time. He ranked 68th in 2022 while he was part of the category of unassisted bikers, in which he occupied 16th place in the final ranking. This year he signed up for the TwinTrail Racing Team. Originally from Tarragona and practicing trials, he was a motorcycle tour guide and off-road instructor.

Sincere condolences go to his family and loved ones.

Dakar Rally 2024 Stage Eight Update

Stage Eight of the Dakar Rally lessened the intensity somewhat with the 458-kilometre timed special split into two – a 179-kilometre liaison joining the two very different halves.

The first leg consisted mainly of sandy tracks and dunes, but the second half posed more of a challenge with stones and rocks covering much of the final 119 kilometres leading to the finish in Ha’il, with Kevin Benavides leading home the field, Luciano Benavides the runner-up and Adrien Van Beveren third. Aussies Toby Price and Daniel Sanders finished the stage in fifth and ninth respectively.

The standings heading into Stage Nine see Ricky Brabec leading Ross Branch, Jose Cornejo third.

Toby Price currently sits sixth 29-minutes off the lead, Daniel Sanders seventh trailing 38m43s.

For the latest stage update and results see:
Brabec extends outright lead as Kevin Benavides wins Stage Eight

For all the 2024 Dakar Rally coverage click here (link).

2024 AMA Supercross Round Two – Oracle Park Rider Quotes

For the full report see:
Blow by blow reports from AMA SX Round Two in San Francisco

250 Main

Due to the state of the track officials had reduced the race distance to ten-minutes plus one lap.

Jordan Smith, Max Vohland and Mitch Oldenburg negotiated turn one side-by-side but it was Smith that emerged with the early lead.

Jo Shimoda went down in the first rhythm section, only to then go down again as he tried to work his way back into contention, before being stranded with some sort of mechanical problem.

Anthony Bourdon was running in third place before going down, only for RJ Hampshire to fall in the same spot while running fourth and trying to avoid the fallen Bourdon.  It took Hampshire some time to get going again, dropping back to 12th place before he was up and running again.

The rain had now started falling heavily again.

Max Vohland was in a good points-scoring position before the clutch on his Kawasaki gave out.

As the race reached the halfway point Jordon Smith led Levi Kitchen by 13-seconds. Phil Nicoletti was in third place, a further ten-seconds behind.

Jordon Smith took the victory over Levi Kitchen by just under a second.

With that win Smith also moved into the 250 West Championship lead with a five-point buffer over Kitchen.

Garrett Marchbanks completed the podium after getting the better of team-mate Phil Nicoletti.

A1 winner RJ Hampshire rode most of the latter half of the race without his goggles, after discarding them due to visibility issues. The Husqvarna rider crossing the line a lap down in ninth place and slips to third place in the points standings.

Aussie privateer Geran Stapleton collected six-points for his 16th place finish.

Jordon Smith – P1

“It feels incredible to get this win. I’m going to soak this in for a couple of days, for sure. I felt like I was all alone out there for a little while. I came through the second or third lap, and I couldn’t really see anyone behind me. Then the halfway flag came out, and I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to do that again?’ It was a shortened race, but it felt longer. I was so pumped to get the win. Especially with it being a mudder, and with the situation that I feel like I’m in this year – being a title guy and needing to put myself in that position every week. So I think to be able to pull it off tonight and to make it work when I’m not the best in the mud, not as confident in the mud, was huge.”

Levi Kitchen – P2

“I’m stoked on the day today. Started off with a decent qualifying, but I knew I had to finish up in the front to get good gate pick for the main. During the main event, I honestly didn’t know that Jordon (Smith) was the leader. With how muddy it was, you couldn’t tell who was who, and I didn’t even know I was in second until the very end. I ran a consistent pace and didn’t try anything silly, which I believe helped get me the second place finish. In a race like this, a podium feels like a win. Thanks to my Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team, we are looking good in the points, and I can’t wait to be back next weekend.”

RJ Hampshire – P9

“Man, that was just a really, really, long and tough day for us,” recalled Hampshire. “Start was decent, got up to fourth, I think… but stuff happens with this type of racing with a guy cross-rutting and falling into me. I was in a really bad spot to go down in, hard to get back going, but managed what I could and knew I needed to get some points, so now headed to San Diego and hoping it’ll be a lot better than this weekend.”

Julien Beaumer – P11

“San Fran was muddy, that’s for sure! Good night, got some points and made it through the Main, so I’m happy to be leaving with some points. The focus was on staying upright, but I ended up getting tired from having to pick up my bike so many times. I’m looking forward to San Diego, with the goal being much the same as A1.”

Jo Shimoda – P14

“It was nice to get a good start in the heat race, get some battles in and still get the win. Obviously, the main event didn’t go how I imagined. I got a good start but tipped over on the straightaway. Two turns later, I had a mechanical and couldn’t finish the race. It’s not where we wanted to be after tonight, but I’m looking forward to next weekend.”

Nate Thrasher – P18

“The day started out well, but it was another tough night for me. It was pretty tough conditions out there, and we struggled a bit. I had to go through the LCQ, which we won, but unfortunately, it was another tough main event with a couple of tip-overs in the mud. We’ll keep fighting, go back to work, and come back stronger in San Diego.”

Maximus Vohland – P19

“The day was going good until it wasn’t. I qualified pretty good and I felt comfortable in the mud. I had a good start for the heat race and set myself up in a good position for the mud and the main event. In the main I felt comfortable and thought we were going to have a good race until we had an issue that ended our night. I am bummed out for the night to end that way because I felt like I ran pretty good all day and had a great chance at a podium. But we will regroup and get back to it this week and come in firing to San Diego.”

Ryder DiFrancesco – DNF

“It was a good night here until it wasn’t! All day I felt good in the mud, I don’t know where that comes from – maybe Bakersfield when it’s muddy, but that’s once a year… It was good to get my first Heat Race win, which is a cool feeling! We have a bunch of stuff to work on, but good thing we get to line up again next weekend.”

250 Main Results

1. Jordon Smith Yamaha YZ250F
2. Levi Kitchen Kawasaki KX250 +00.913
3. Garrett Marchbanks Yamaha YZ250F +58.654
4. Phillip Nicoletti Yamaha YZ250F +1:06.386
5. Carson Mumford Honda CRF250R +1:14.373
6. Anthony Bourdon Suzuki RM-Z250 +1:17.611
7. Joshua Varize GASGAS MC 250F +1:22.732
8. Hunter Yoder Kawasaki KX250 +1:38.497 1:35.551
9. RJ Hampshire Husqvarna FC 250 +1 Lap 1:31.309
10. Mitchell Oldenburg Honda CRF250R +1 Lap +28.729
11. Julien Beaumer KTM 250 SX-F FE +1 Lap +1:08.663
12. Max Sanford Honda CRF250R +1 Lap +1:10.378
13. Matti Jorgensen GASGAS MC 250F +1 Lap +1:21.590
14. Slade Varola Kawasaki KX250 +1 Lap +1:35.549
15. Cole Thompson Yamaha YZ250F +1 Lap +1:51.137
16. Geran Stapleton Kawasaki KX250 +2 Laps 1:48.194
17. Deegan Hepp Honda CRF250R +2 Laps +05.207
18. Nate Thrasher Yamaha YZ250F +2 Laps +20.192
19. Maximus Vohland Kawasaki KX250 +3 Laps 1:32.569
20. Ty Freehill Yamaha YZ250F +3 Laps +30.913
21. Ryder DiFrancesco GASGAS MC 250F DNF
22. Jo Shimoda Honda CRF250R DNF

450 Main

Officials reduced the 450 Main to 15-minutes plus one-lap due to the muddy conditions of the track.  The rain was still falling and the ruts were soft, getting a good start is always critical but in these conditions it becomes even more vital.

Chase Sexton had the charge to the opening turn but the front almost completely folded on the champ, he managed to save it and take the lead.  Fallers at turn one included Justin Barcia, Christian Craig, Vince Friese, Jason Anderson and Malcolm Stewart.

Ken Roczen actually had the better of Sexton for the early lead before stalling it which cost him a little time.

After the opening lap Chase Sexton led Eli Tomac by five-seconds. Adam Cianciarulo was third before being passed by Shane McElrath and pushed back to fourth.

Aaron Plessinger fifth ahead of Ken Roczen, Jett Lawrence, Cooper Webb and Jorge Prado while Hunter Lawrence rounded out the top ten on a track was rapidly turning into a quagmire of epic proportions. Clutch preservation would be key for these big power 450s…

Out front Chase Sexton was in a race of his own, lapping three to six-seconds a lap quicker than second-placed Tomac. With ten-minutes left on the shot clock the defending champ had ten-seconds on Tomac and was already lapping riders. Ken Roczen was third ahead of Shane McElrath and Adam Cianciarulo while A1 winner Jett Lawrence was in sixth place before tipping over at a tight left-hander and losing a number of positions.

As the race reached the midway point Tomac had reduced Sexton’s lead to four-seconds while Roczen had also closed on Tomac.  Heat One victor Jorge Prado was running seventh at this juncture ahead of Dylan Ferrandis and Cooper Webb while the Lawrence brothers were tenth and eleventh.

Riders not only had to contend with the mud, rain and the soft ruts, but also lapping riders.  Chase Sexton was navigating his way through them well enough to keep Eli Tomac at bay, the gap five-seconds with two-minutes left on the shot clock.  Ken Roczen was equidistant back in third place ahead of Shane McElrath, Aaron Plessinger, Dylan Ferrandis and seventh-placed Jorge Prado.

With two laps to run it was still Sexton leading Tomac while Roczen had now lost a lot of ground on that leading duo.

On the final lap Jett Lawrence fell once again just as he was getting lapped by Chase Sexton, which cost the defending champ a little time as he strove to keep Tomac at bay. Keep him at bay though he did, taking the victory and with it the championship lead.

Eli Tomac second well clear ahead of Ken Roczen while Shane McElrath made it a Suzuki 3-4.  After the race Roczen described the conditions as the ‘gnarliest mud race he has ever contested’.

Aaron Plessinger fifth ahead of Dylan Ferrandis and Jorge Prado while Adam Cianciarulo claimed eighth.

Jett and Hunter Lawrence finishing ninth and tenth respectively, ahead of Cooper Webb and Jason Anderson.  Jett Lawrence is now second in the championship, seven-points behind Sexton, and three-points ahead of Eli Tomac and Aaron Plessinger.

Chase Sexton – P1

“I have to give a huge shoutout to the team, they’ve put in so much effort and hard work to get me to where I need to be. I was a bit disappointed that this round was a mudder as the progress we made from this week to last is pretty crazy, but I’m stoked to get a win for the team and it feels great to deliver this result!”

Eli Tomac – P2

“We got off to a great start last night and almost had the holeshot. The conditions were so treacherous; honestly it was one of the toughest mud races I’ve raced. Some of the ruts were so deep you could completely get stuck if you took the wrong lines! I’m grateful for our crew. They had their work cut out for them the whole day and kept the bike running in top shape.”

Aaron Plessinger – P5

“San Francisco, mud race… a proper mud race. Qualified first, which is a first! Then yeah, good start in the Heat Race, made a few mistakes, which cost me, and I got third. The start of the Main was horrible, I spun off the grate, but made it through with all the guys on the ground – don’t know how I did that. Lost goggles about mid-way, and just did what I could to fortunately get back to fifth. We got some good points, sitting P4 now in the points, and I’m ready to show them what I’ve got in San Diego.”

Jorge Prado – P7

“Second round is done, and I am very happy about everything. I feel like I got used to the format already after last weekend, which is a big adjustment for me, especially learning a new track in eight or nine laps. But hey, good start in the Heat and some good opening laps, stayed consistent, and got my first-ever Heat Race win! I was super happy about that because I’m not a big mud specialist, then in the Main Event the gate dropped very quickly, and I got a bad start. I slowly made my way through the field and only wanted to stay on the bike, that was my goal, so with seventh place, I am very happy.”

Adam Cianciarulo – P8

“Coming into Round 2 I was ready to do my best and I believe we had an encouraging weekend. I qualified P8 which was okay, I stayed consistent in the heat race and main event. The track conditions were so gnarly, and I’m stoked to finish how we did considering what we were dealt on track. We are still heading in the right direction, and I’m stoked to be back in SoCal next weekend. We’ll put in work and make it happen.”

Jett Lawrence – P9

“Nothing too exciting to talk about after the main event. We’re just happy to get out of here with some points. We aren’t many points behind, so we’re going to get some good races in before the break and hopefully get some wins.”

Hunter Lawrence – P10

“The main takeaway from tonight is that the heroes of our sport are the mechanics. They had to work incredibly hard all day to make sure our bikes were running smooth. A huge pat on the back to the team overall in these conditions. Other than that, I’m ready to move on to round three.”

Cooper Webb – P11

“It was a pretty tough day in San Francisco. The conditions were definitely difficult. Qualifying went pretty well. I ended up in the top five and then finished second in the heat race, which was great. In the main event, I didn’t get the start we needed to get, and I rode around with the guys and just got passed. I had a little bit of goggle issues, but overall, it was a tough night in really tough conditions. It was not the result we were looking for, but we will come back swinging at San Diego and hopefully get some dry conditions to show them what we’ve got.”

Jason Anderson – P12

“We knew coming into this weekend that we were going to have weather, but not as bad as we had. After the first qualifying session I was looking forward to the second one because of bike changes we wanted to make, but once it was cancelled it was tough heading into the heat race with not a ton of time on the track. I felt decent in the heat, and in the Main Event I went down on the start. The fall shook me up at first but my KX450SR powered through the pack and we made up some good points for the championship. I feel good and I’m ready to get back at it next weekend in San Diego.”

Christian Craig – P14

“The day started off as a mud race and that’s obviously chaos,” Craig commented. “Qualified decent, then went to the Heat Race just wanting to make it through to the Main, which we did. In the Main I went down 100 feet off the start, was lying in the mud with some others for a while, but just charged from the back and did what we could do. I’m excited for some dry conditions next weekend.”

Justin Barcia – P17

“Crazy day here in San Francisco, crazy event. I got a serious sickness coming into this race, so I couldn’t ride or train, had to hit the hospital a couple of times, and I’m just really happy to be here. It was really tough with the weather, and unfortunately, my body was pretty hammered – made it hard on myself by going to the LCQ, but all-in-all it was a survival mode weekend for me. I’m happy to be in one piece and am looking forward to being healthy and putting my bike up front.”

Justin Cooper – DNQ

“I really struggled with the tough conditions all day and night. With crashes in both qualifying races, it made it even tougher on me, and I wasn’t able to find a flow. It’s the first main I’ve missed in my career, so it’s a tough pill to swallow, but we will just have to put it behind us and build off how we rode at A1.”

450 Main Results

1. Chase Sexton KTM 450 SX-F FE
2. Eli Tomac Yamaha YZ450F +07.459
3. Ken Roczen Suzuki RM-Z450 +27.255
4. Shane McElrath Suzuki RM-Z450 +44.774
5. Aaron Plessinger KTM 450 SX-F FE +46.565
6. Dylan Ferrandis Honda CRF450R +48.999
7. Jorge Prado GASGAS MC 450F FE +1:19.762
8. Adam Cianciarulo Kawasaki KX450SR +1:42.537
9. Jett Lawrence Honda CRF450R +1 Lap
10. Hunter Lawrence Honda CRF450R +1 Lap +07.104
11. Cooper Webb Yamaha YZ450F +1 Lap +14.952
12. Jason Anderson Kawasaki KX450SR +1 Lap +55.279
13. Derek Drake Suzuki RM-Z450 +1 Lap +56.917
14. Christian Craig Husqvarna FC 450 RE +1 Lap +1:23.246
15. Austin Politelli GASGAS MC 450F +1 Lap +1:25.078
16. Dean Wilson Honda CRF450R +1 Lap +1:34.742
17. Justin Barcia GASGAS MC 450F +2 Laps
18. Justin Rodbell KTM 450 SX-F +2 Laps +08.959
19. Cade Clason Kawasaki KX450 +2 Laps +1:04.994
20. Freddie Noren Kawasaki KX450SR +2 Laps +1:23.556
21. Jason Clermont Kawasaki KX450 +2 Laps +1:38.964
22. Malcolm Stewart Husqvarna FC 450 RE +4 Laps

2024 Racing schedule

2024 FIM EnduroGP Calendar

2024 MXGP Calendar (Provisional)

2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championships Provisional Calendar

2024 Monster Energy Supercross & Pro Motocross calendars

2024 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship calendar

2024 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup provisional calendar

Date	Location
16-17 February	TBA, Japan*
3-4 May	TBA, Norway**
21-23 June	Vollore-Montagne, France
20-22 September	Crans-Montana, Switzerland
29-1 November/December	TBA, India*

2024 Penrite ProMX Championship Calendar

2024 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores Calendar
Round	Date	Location
Round One	March 17	Wonthaggi, Vic
Round Two	April 7	Horsham, Vic
Round Three	May 5	Gillman, SA
Round Four	May 26	Maitland, NSW
Round Five	June 23	Murray Bridge, SA
Round Six	July 21	Toowoomba, Qld
Round Seven	August 11	MX Farm Queensland, Gympie, Qld
Round Eight	August 17-18	Queensland Moto Park, Coulson, Qld

 2024 Australian Speedway Championship Calendar

2024 Australian Track and Dirt Track calendar

• Australian Senior Track Championship
  • May 4-5, Mick Doohan Raceway, North Brisbane (Qld)
  • North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club;
• Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship
  • July 20-21, Drays Park, Gunyarra (Qld)
  • Whitsunday Dirt Riders;
• Australian Junior Track Championship
  • August 10-11, Daroobalgie Speedway, Forbes (NSW)
  • Forbes Auto Sports Club; and
• Australian Junior Dirt Track Championship
  • September 28-29, Jambaroo Park, Mildura (Vic)
  • North-West Victorian Motorcycle Club.

2024 Aussie Flat Track Nationals Calendar

• Round 1: Flat Track Layout – Appin, NSW, Saturday, July 27
• Round 2: TT Layout – Appin, NSW, Sunday July 28
• Round 3: Flat Track Layout – Brisbane, Qld, Saturday, August 31
• Round 4: TT Layout – Brisbane, Qld, Sunday, September 1
• Round 5: Flat Track Layout – Gunnedah, NSW, Saturday, November 16
• Round 6: TT Layout – Gunnedah, NSW, Sunday November 17

2024 FIM Sand Race World Cup Calendar

• 2-4 February – Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais (FRA) – FFM
• 23-25 February – Enduro del Verano (ARG) – CAMOD
• 12-13 October – Weston Beach Race (GBR) – ACU
• 1-3 November – Bibione Sand Storm (ITA) – FMI
• 22-24 November – Monte Gordo Sand Experience (POR) – FMP
• 7-8 December – Ronde des Sables (FRA) – FFM