MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORT

On May 1, 2018 Last updated May 2, 2018

#WHIPITWEDNESDAY

Rider: Dean Wilson
Bike: 2018 1/2 Rockstar Edition Husky FC450
Photographer: Brian Converse
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Event: 2018 Salt Lake City Supercross
Photographer: Brian Converse
Lens: 300mm f/2.8
Focal length: 300mm
Exposure: 1/2000sec
F-stop: f/4.5
ISO: 100

TWO-STROKE SPOTLIGHT: PAUL MUNDT’S 2008 YAMAHA YZ285

2008 Yamaha YZ285 built by Eyvind Boyesen.

“I have another special two-stroke to submit for your feature. John Basher posted my Greg Albertyn factory Suzuki last year, it was week 29.

“The bike you see here is very dear to me and extremely rare. It is a 2008 Boyesen Yamaha YZ285. Eyvind Boyesen was my mentor and very dear friend for 35 years. In 2008 we went to the two-stroke race at the Glen Helen National, actually won by Greg Albertyn on his works Suzuki that is sitting in my garage.

“So after the race Eyvind said to me,’We need to build a big-bore two-stroke to beat these four-strokes.’. After a few weeks he got all the ducks in a row for parts, Wossner made the piston, Kris Ray at Powerseal USA did the cylinder after they were bored, and then Eyvind did his magic. I got to be a part of something beyond special. I got to stand by Eyvind’s side and watch him port my cylinder, hand grind a matching Rad Valve and run it on his dyno 6 times until the curve was exactly as he wanted it. To the tune of 56.3 Hp and 37.6 Ft-lbs of torque, with over a 3000 rpm spread of over 50 HP! Incredible numbers! The big surprise was that when we tested it, I lucked into finding a Chad Reed works PC exhaust on Ebay, to say that it was a match made in heaven is an understatement. Eyvind thought it wouldn’t rev very high because of the compression and porting, me neither, boy were we wrong.

“Not only did it have instant throttle response, but it was smooth as silk, and screams on top!

“Since Eyvind has passed, there are a few things I have changed. I came across a set of James Stewart’s 50mm full Factory KYB forks and triple clamps, as well as a PC A-KIT KYB shock. This bike is one trick pup, Dubya wheels, GYT weighted flywheel, Hinson Clutch–it’s definitely rare. Eyvind made 3 cylinders for the YZ. Mine, his son Dags and a friend of mine Jason Bryant when he was racing Pro.

“Next time you come to North Carolina, hit me up, and I’ll let you ride it. I ride mostly at Clubmx now.” –Paul Mundt.

Editor Note: Please keep those submissions coming. If you would like your bike to be featured in the “Two-Stroke Spotlight,” please email me at [email protected]. All I ask is that you give a breakdown of your bike and a detailed description of the build. Please also send a few photos of your steed. By submitting your bike for the “Two-Stroke Spotlight,” you agree to release all ownership rights to the images and copy to MXA. Please don’t email me spam or try selling me Taylor Swift concert tickets or email me spam. I already celebrate T-Swizzle’s entire collective, and there will be “bad blood” if you send me junk mail. See what I did there? Happy submitting your smoker.

INSIDE JIMMY DECOTIS’ FACTORY JGR SUZUKI RM-Z250

THEY SAID IT | SALT LAKE CITY SUPERCROSS

Kyle Chisholm: “We’re really closing the season off on good notes. I feel like we were running up front all day and I had one of my best heats of the year finishing in 4th. I was putting in good laps in the main, but that one little mistake sent me off and I had to spin around on the start straight. I lost some time, but I’m happy I landed another Top 10 and closed in on more points. One round to go and I’m excited to end it with some momentum moving into the summer.”

Christian Craig: “I made some mistakes in practice and had to regroup in order to go out there and do a good heat. In the main I thought, ‘I’m just going to try to get a good start and stay up there with those guys,’ which is exactly what I did. I latched onto the top two and put in my laps. It was a long main, especially on this track. I stayed with [Blake] Baggett for as long as I could. Eli [Tomac] was just on a mission. He passed me but fell, and I thought I might get a podium if he stayed down long enough. He got by me again, but it was a fun race. I’ve had some bad races since Daytona, and you begin to wonder if the Daytona ride was a fluke. It feels good to back up that fourth place.”

Adam Cianciarulo: “Being at altitude and having two sets of whoops really held me back from getting into a flow for the main event. You had to be efficient and this track really didn’t allow for that. Considering I didn’t feel overall that great, I’m happy to be up here (on the podium) in second, but I really wanted that win. I know I say this every time, but I’ll be coming out swinging and we’ll fight until the end for that win.”

Joey Savatgy: “We started the day with a pretty different track compared to what we ended up racing on. It’s not the finish I wanted, but we’re back on the podium, which is always a goal every week. I bust my butt at home to make sure I am the best at the race so I’m a little disappointed I wasn’t able to finish it off and get the win. I’m not a quitter and I’m going to be ready for the showdown in Vegas.”“We started the day with a pretty different track compared to what we ended up racing on,” said Savatgy. “It’s not the finish I wanted, but we’re back on the podium, which is always a goal every week. I bust my butt at home to make sure I am the best at the race so I’m a little disappointed I wasn’t able to finish it off and get the win. I’m not a quitter and I’m going to be ready for the showdown in Vegas.”

Phil Nicoletti: “Honestly, the altitude was difficult. Fortunately, we had the ability to find a variety of setup options that really worked to our benefit. I made some quick passes in the main and was on the tail end of the leaders. Late in the main I had a few bad passes through the whoops, which took me out of it. I was within striking distance. The chassis on the Suzuki RM-Z250 worked really well, and I’m happy to get my best finish of the season.”

Weston Peick: “It was the same kind of deal as last weekend. I felt good all day. I went into the main event expecting to be on the podium. The start wasn’t there again. I got antsy. I didn’t leave too late, but had a bit of wheel-spin in the dirt and got tangled up in the first turn. From there I had to play catch up. With the track being so slick and difficult it was hard to make up time. I settled in and finished seventh. It wasn’t the best weekend, but I had some speed. I am putting the pieces together. With one Supercross race remaining my plan is to get a good start in the main and put my Suzuki on the podium.”

Justin Barcia: “It was a decent day overall with really good practice sessions for me. I was happy heading into the races. In fact, I felt the best I have in a while so I know the speed and fitness is back and the Yamaha was working really well. In the main event, I got off to a decent start and pushed in the beginning of the race to get in touch with the top-three. I had a couple good battles in the beginning of the race and then I rode a little bit tight at the halfway point. Toward the end of the race, I found some better lines and loosened up a bit and rode a lot better. But, it was too late to catch a podium position and that’s frustrating. I missed a good opportunity to stay up-front all race and I’m not stoked on that. The podium in Vegas is the goal and I definitely have the speed, I just need to put it all together in the main event.

Josh Hill: “The weekend in Salt Lake City started off a little rough, I didn’t qualify very well out of practice and didn’t make it to the main out of my heat race but I bounced back in the LCQ and got the win, which actually gave me some better ideas about racing lines so I could improve for the main. I ended up stalling on the second lap of the Main Event and that put me in last place, immediately. I could only pass my way up 16th by the end. I definitely felt the elevation and the track was really challenging. This weekend is something I can build on and I’ll feel a lot more solid and ready to race in Vegas.

Marvin Musquin: “The track conditions were crazy and dry, but the track crew did a good job. I had no idea about Jason. Obviously towards the end I was going through lappers, and I knew Jason would take it easy today to get points, but I only knew how he did when the race was over. I’m excited to head to the final round in Vegas next week.”

Jason Anderson: “I was pretty good in practice all day,” said Anderson. “I had a solid heat race and qualified well. I just went down in the first turn in the main and had to go all the way around the track. I broke some spokes in the first turn and had to come into the mechanics area to get my front wheel changed. By that time I was two laps down. I was able to unlap myself and get up to 17th and at least get some points. I’m going into next week in Vegas with a 14 point lead.”

Shane McElrath: “It feels good to do it in front of Utah today,” McElrath said on the podium. “Man, God is good. We got a beautiful day today.”

MXA RACE TEST | 2018 HUSQVARA TC250 TWO-STROKE

ENZO LOPES TO MAKE PRO DEBUT WITH AUTOTRADER/YOSHIMURA/SUZUKI FACTORY RACING TEAM

Press Release: The Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team is pleased to announce that amateur star will be making his professional racing debut at the opening round of the 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. The Brazilian is scheduled to contest several Nationals on the Suzuki RM-Z250 for the Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team while Jimmy Decotis is out of action.

Lopes has established himself as a premiere amateur racer in the United States. The 18-year-old from Lajeado, Brazil, has steadily worked up the ranks, most recently winning the 250 Pro Class at the California Classic. In total, Lopes has 11 Brazilian National Championships and multiple U.S. titles. He is slated to make his professional debut at the Hangtown National on May 19th in Rancho Cordova, Calif. The Brazilian will be filling in on the RM-Z250 until Jimmy Decotis returns to action.

Enzo during the Red Bull Straight Rhythm event in 2017.

“This is a dream come true! Being a kid from Brazil, it’s amazing to think that I’m part of the Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing team,” stated Lopes. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m so thankful. I like North Carolina, because it reminds me of home. My first day on the Suzuki RM-Z250 was so much fun. The bike felt perfect right away, as it is very fast and handles well. I’m really looking forward to Hangtown.”

Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing team manager Jeremy Albrecht is eager to see what Lopes can accomplish. “It’s exciting to give a young kid and promising amateur this opportunity. We’re interested to see what he’s capable of. He will be spending the next few weeks riding in North Carolina in preparation for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. I’m happy to support Enzo. Hopefully he can achieve his goals. We expect that he will race the opening three or four Nationals.”

The 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will open at Hangtown in Rancho Cordova, Calif. on Saturday, May 19th. Look for the #816 of Enzo Lopes under the Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team awning. Please visit www.jgrmxraceteam.com for more team news.

WORKS CONNECTION ELITE THROTTLE TUBE

The Works Connection Elite Throttle Tube consists of a CNC machined aluminum throttle tube and six Delrin® snap on cam pulleys. The incorporation of a sealed bearing inside the end of the tube and an internal polymer bushing combine to create buttery smooth throttle action. Designed to match the OEM/stock pull ratio, the cams included in the kit cover the complete line of MX and Off-Road, Race 4-Stroke models from Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha. $69.95

Contact your local retailer or visit www.worksconnection.com

- Sealed ABEC 1 + rated radial ball bearing
- Low friction, high wear resistance, internal polymer bushing
- Delrin® thermoplastic cam pulleys match OEM/stock pull ratio
- CNC machined 6061 T-6 aluminum throttle tube and bearing insert
- Grip area knurled for maximum grip adhesion
- Replaceable end cap provides damage protection and seals out debris
- Additional O-ring set included for large I.D. bars
- For use with stock throttle housing-No modifications required
- Fits Honda/Husqvarna/Kawasaki/KTM/Suzuki/Yamaha MX and Off-Road, Race 4-Strokes

WHAT THE MXA WRECKING CREW HAS BEEN UP TO

Club MX.

MXA’s Dennis Stapleton and Daryl Ecklund headed East to go to the ClubMX training grounds in South Carolina. There they spent two days catching up with old friends and shaking down four bikes. It was Dennis and Daryl’s first time to ClubMX. Boy were they in for a treat. It is like a small town. Actually, it is a small town, just with tons of dirt bike tracks instead of business complexes.

The Pro shop at Club MX.

There is everything you need in one spot. A gym, motorcycle shop, cabin rentals, RV hook-ups, shop rentals, two Supercross tracks, tons of outdoor tracks, a church and much much more. Pretty much dirt bike heaven.

This is one of the rental race shops that Justin Brayton occupies.

On day one we rode Cycra Racing/FTI 2018 Yamaha YZ450F and ProX’s 2016 KTM 250SXF. On the second day we convinced our old friend John Basher to convince his boss and JGR team manager Jeremy Albrecht to let us ride Weston Peick’s Autotrader Yoshimura Factory Suzuki RM-Z450. He complied after we asked nicely. After we tested Weston’s bike we got to ride a ClubMX 2018 KTM 150SX which is owned by Franck Siri.

Weston Peick’s beautiful Autotrader Suzuki RM-Z450.