WHO WILL WIN THIS WEEKEND’S WORLD TWO-STROKE MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP AT GLEN HELEN?

On Mar 21, 2011 Last updated Mar 23, 2014

Last year’s World Two-Stroke Champion Bobby Garrison pressed the “down button” on one of the Glen Helen’s elevator drops.

The 2011 World Two-Stroke Championship is only a few days away (April 3) and with $4500 on the line (the winner will get $2000), the field is expected to include all of last year’s players, plus efforts from KTM, Yamaha, TM and Husqvarna.

Last year’s winner, Bobby Garrison, raced for the Husqvarna team, but this year he has switched to Kawasaki for the WORCS series?but is expected to show up to defend his title. Doug Dubach has been seen testing his Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke at Glen Helen, Milestone and Cahuilla Creek. Not only will he be a major player at Glen Helen, but his bike will be sporting the first of the all-new DR.D two-stroke pipes. KTM is expected to send not only last year’s third-place podium finisher Mike Sleeter, but also some of their WORCS squad as well. TM Motorcycles plans to sponsor visiting Swedish rider Niclas Gustavsson (who won the Ironman class at Six-Hour of Glen Helen endurance race two weeks ago). Husqvarna has yet to announce their team for the two-stroke race. Ryan Hughes and Women’s National Champion Jessica Patterson have said that they will race on Sunday.

The unknowns are always interesting at any one-off Championship. It is a chance for a young rider to make a name for himself and have something to put on the resume. Last year Ty Hames and Austin Howell each won motos, but neither came away with the big check. Which new hot-shot will take a shot at the title this year? We’ll have to wait and see.

The World Two-Stroke track this year will be a trial run for the layout of the May 14 USGP (and it will be different).

Last year Doug Dubach was the holeshot king (and at one point had the overall won?until he collided with Kurt Caselli). In this 2010 photo Dubach (15), Sleeter (111), Yorks (703) and Caselli (66) show how close the pack stayed during both motos at Glen Helen.

Austin Howell almost won last year. Austin finished off the 2010 season riding the last few 250 Nationals for the Rockstar Suzuki team.

Doug Dubach will bring the same setup to the race next Sunday that he used a year ago…including the number 15.

KTM has sold all of its two-strokes this year (reportedly 5000 of them), but Mike Sleeter managed to snag one for the race.

Kurt Caselli.

FLASHBACK: 2010 WORLD TWO-STROKE CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Bobby Garrison (Hus)…4-2
2. Austin Howell (Suz)…1-5
3. Mike Sleeter (KTM)…3-4
4. Kurt Caselli (KTM )… 5-3
5. Doug Dubach (Yam)…2-5
6. Tye Hames (Yam)…9-1
7. Dakota Garner (Hon)…6-7
8. Ricky Yorks (Yam)…7-8
9. Dustin Pulliam (Hon)…8-9
10. Rob Deeds (Hon)…12-12

For more info about this year’s World Two-Stroke race, go to www.glenhelen.com