MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORT

#WHIPITWEDNESDAY

Rider: John Dowd

The Junk Yard Dog John Dowd was a rider who had one of the longest racing careers after a late start to the scene. Dowd entered his first motocross race at age 20, considered old for prospective professional motocross riders. Dowd progressed quickly in the sport and was soon beating riders with many years more experience in motocross than himself and was able to turn professional by age 21. With his relatively late start, Dowd has achieved the best results of his career later in life, which is unusual compared to his typical riders. He holds many AMA records, including being the oldest rider to win an AMA National (Southwick 125cc, 1998), the oldest rider to win a Supercross championship (125cc West, 1998), the oldest rider to win a National moto (Mt. Morris, 2000), and oldest rider to finish on the podium in an AMA National (Southwick 250cc, 2005).

TIM GAJSER IS THE REAL DEAL

Tim Gajser passed Jett Lawrence with two turns to go in the final moto at MXDN.

Tim Gajser was the fastest rider at the MXDN this past weekend in Matterly Basin, UK. Tim from Slovenia proved he is one of the fastest riders in the world as won both the motos he competed in at the MXDN. In the second moto he was put up against Jett Lawrence. Lawrence would pass for the lead early and led the majority of the race, but as time ticked down, Tim Gajser began to sprint. The track was rough and had many lines to choose from. In the final lap, Tim would find a line around the outside that gave him a moment for an uphill triple and also allowed him to land on the inside line. He would force his way in front of Jett Lawrence and take the win just two turns later. Tim also had a successful MXGP series in 2024 finishing second overall as he would go down in the final round allowing Prado to take the points lead.

TEAM AUSTRALIA WINS MXDN

Hunter and Jett Lawrence after their final moto.

Just two weeks after the end of the U.S. race season, Team Honda HRC Progressive riders Jett and Hunter Lawrence, along with Honda Australia rider Kyle Webster, scored the victory for Team Australia in the Motocross of Nations this weekend at England’s Matterley Basin. As is required by the rules, Team Australia’s rider lineup was all from Down Under, but the support team was a truly international operation, with personnel from Honda’s extended global family contributing. Europe-based Team HRC provided much of the infrastructure. The squad was managed by Australian Michael Byrne, who spends much of his year working closely with the Lawrence brothers’ regular Honda HRC Progressive effort, and a number of crew members from that U.S.-based team were on hand setting up the Team Australia bikes, including that of Webster.

TEAM USA FINISHES SECOND MXDN

Team USA on the podium for their second-place finish.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb answered the call on short notice to join Team USA’s title campaign at this year’s FIM Motocross of Nations at the Matterley Basin in Winchester, Great Britain. Together with fellow American Aaron Plessinger, the trio overcame adversity to finish just three points shy of victory.

Team Captain Eli Tomac Stated: “It was a strong effort from everyone. Coop, AP (Aaron Plessinger), we all stepped up and rode our hearts out, that’s for sure. It was a gnarly track. These GP tracks are tough. The ruts were pretty insane, and it was very technical riding. We were very close in points in the end. Second doesn’t sit well, but it is what it is. We all tried hard, and I’m proud of our team.”

BEST IN THE PITS // MXON MATTERLEY BASIN UK

MXA PHOTO TRIVIA

Who is this rider? The answer will be at the bottom of the article.

2025 KAWASAKI KX250 TESTED

THE FRIENDS OF FASST 440

Rally the troops! The Friends of Fasst 440 brings family and friends together in a relaxed racing atmosphere for 400 minutes of Fun, followed by 40 minutes of Fury on the popular Mesquite MX Grand Prix Course in Mesquite, NV. All teams race for 400 minutes with only 15 teams qualifying for 40 minutes of Fury. This one-of-a-kind event allows for a relaxed yet competitive atmosphere for the first 400 minutes. At the completion of the 400 minutes, the top 10  “4-man” teams & the top 5 “2-man” teams will restart for 40 minutes of fury competing for a $10,000 cash purse.

“WINNING IS THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY MATTERS”—ELI TOMAC // MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS 2024

OVERALL MXDN RESULTS BY TEAM

The Lawrence brothers brought it home for team Australia in the 3rd moto with 2-4 finishes.

Pos	Country	Points	Name
1	Australia	26
	1	Race 2	LAWRENCE, Jett
	2	Race 3	LAWRENCE, Jett
	4	Race 3	LAWRENCE, Hunter
	8	Race 1	LAWRENCE, Hunter
	11	Race 1	WEBSTER, Kyle
	19	Race 2	WEBSTER, Kyle
2	USA	29
	2	Race 1	TOMAC, Eli
	3	Race 3	TOMAC, Eli
	7	Race 2	PLESSINGER, Aaron
	8	Race 3	PLESSINGER, Aaron
	9	Race 2	WEBB, Cooper
	17	Race 1	WEBB, Cooper
3	The Netherlands	36
	5	Race 2	DE WOLF, Kay
	5	Race 3	HERLINGS, Jeffrey
	5	Race 1	HERLINGS, Jeffrey
	6	Race 1	DE WOLF, Kay
	15	Race 3	COLDENHOFF, Glenn
	18	Race 2	COLDENHOFF, Glenn
4	Spain	45
	2	Race 2	FERNANDEZ, Ruben
	4	Race 1	PRADO, Jorge
	12	Race 3	FERNANDEZ, Ruben
	13	Race 2	OLIVER, Oriol
	14	Race 3	PRADO, Jorge
	26	Race 1	OLIVER, Oriol
5	France	50
	3	Race 1	FEBVRE, Romain
	4	Race 2	RENAUX, Maxime
	9	Race 3	RENAUX, Maxime
	12	Race 2	VIALLE, Tom
	22	Race 1	VIALLE, Tom
	34	Race 3	FEBVRE, Romain
6	Germany	62
	3	Race 2	LAENGENFELDER, Simon
	10	Race 3	ROCZEN, Ken
	10	Race 1	ROCZEN, Ken
	18	Race 1	LAENGENFELDER, Simon
	21	Race 3	NAGL, Maximilian
	25	Race 2	NAGL, Maximilian
7	Slovenia	67
	1	Race 3	GAJSER, Tim
	1	Race 1	GAJSER, Tim
	15	Race 2	PANCAR, Jan
	16	Race 3	PANCAR, Jan
	34	Race 1	PEKLAJ, Jaka
	36	Race 2	PEKLAJ, Jaka
8	Italy	70
	7	Race 3	FORATO, Alberto
	9	Race 1	FORATO, Alberto
	16	Race 2	BONACORSI, Andrea
	18	Race 3	BONACORSI, Andrea
	20	Race 2	ADAMO, Andrea
	21	Race 1	ADAMO, Andrea
9	Switzerland	86
	6	Race 3	SEEWER, Jeremy
	7	Race 1	SEEWER, Jeremy
	17	Race 3	GUILLOD, Valentin
	27	Race 1	TONUS, Arnaud
	29	Race 2	TONUS, Arnaud
	38	Race 2	GUILLOD, Valentin
10	Latvia	103
	8	Race 2	REISULIS, Karlis Alberts
	12	Race 1	REISULIS, Karlis Alberts
	26	Race 3	BIDZANS, Edvards
	28	Race 2	BIDZANS, Edvards
	29	Race 3	PUMPURS, Mairis
	30	Race 1	PUMPURS, Mairis
11	Denmark	109
	10	Race 2	HAARUP, Mikkel
	13	Race 1	HAARUP, Mikkel
	27	Race 3	FREDSOE, Mads
	28	Race 1	FREDSOE, Mads
	31	Race 3	SKOVBJERG, Nicolai
	32	Race 2	SKOVBJERG, Nicolai
12	Great Britain	113
	6	Race 2	MEWSE, Conrad
	19	Race 3	MEWSE, Conrad
	23	Race 1	SEARLE, Tommy
	25	Race 3	SEARLE, Tommy
	40	Race 1	ANSTIE, Max
13	Brazil	114
	11	Race 3	LOPES, Enzo
	15	Race 1	LOPES, Enzo
	26	Race 2	APARECIDO DOS SANTOS, Fabio
	30	Race 3	APARECIDO DOS SANTOS, Fabio
	32	Race 1	ETO TIBURCIO, Bernardo
	33	Race 2	ETO TIBURCIO, Bernardo
14	Czech Republic	115
	17	Race 2	MIKULA, Julius
	21	Race 2	TERESAK, Jakub
	23	Race 3	TERESAK, Jakub
	25	Race 1	MIKULA, Julius
	29	Race 1	POLAK, Petr
	33	Race 3	POLAK, Petr
15	Canada	117
	13	Race 3	WRIGHT, Dylan
	22	Race 3	PETTIS, Jess
	23	Race 2	WRIGHT, Dylan
	24	Race 1	PETTIS, Jess
	35	Race 2	BENOIT, Kaven
	36	Race 1	BENOIT, Kaven
16	Belgium	123
	11	Race 2	GEERTS, Jago
	14	Race 1	VAN DONINCK, Brent
	20	Race 3	GEERTS, Jago
	39	Race 1	COENEN, Lucas
	39	Race 3	VAN DONINCK, Brent
17	Norway	136
	14	Race 2	TOENDEL, Cornelius
	20	Race 1	HORGMO, Kevin
	31	Race 2	AGARD-MICHELSEN, Sander
	35	Race 1	AGARD-MICHELSEN, Sander
	36	Race 3	TOENDEL, Cornelius
	38	Race 3	HORGMO, Kevin
18	Rep. of South Africa	137
	16	Race 1	MC LELLAN, Camden
	24	Race 2	PURDON, Tristan
	28	Race 3	PURDON, Tristan
	32	Race 3	DUROW, Cameron Anthony
	37	Race 2	MC LELLAN, Camden
	37	Race 1	DUROW, Cameron Anthony
19	Estonia	140
	22	Race 2	KULLAS, Harri
	24	Race 3	KULLAS, Harri
	30	Race 2	LEOK, Tanel
	31	Race 1	LEOK, Tanel
	33	Race 1	KRESTINOV, Gert
	35	Race 3	KRESTINOV, Gert
20	Austria	155
	19	Race 1	STAUFFER, Marcel
	27	Race 2	KRATZER, Michael
	34	Race 2	SANDNER, Michael
	37	Race 3	KRATZER, Michael
	38	Race 1	SANDNER, Michael
	40	Race 3	STAUFFER, Marcel

ASK THE MXPERTS: WHAT HAPPENED TO SLIPPER CLUTCHES?

Clutches are very simple devices that look very complex…and they are very complex when you turn them into slipper or auto clutches.

Dear MXA,
My friend has a brand-new slipper clutch that he bought when he wanted to go Supermoto racing, but it turned out that he didn’t like Supermoto because there weren’t enough races in our state to justify the expenditure. So, he never installed the Hinson BTL slipper in his Honda. He says that it will fit in my CRF450, and he only wants $250 for it. I never hear anything about slipper clutches any more. Are they any good for motocross? How does it work? And what does a BTL clutch really do?

Not only does a slipper clutch slip, but it looks odd when you get down into its moving parts.

By its very name, it is obvious that a slipper clutch slips. The Hinson Back Torque Limiter clutch (BTL) doesn’t slip all the time, only when the unique clutch mechanism senses deceleration. When you chop the throttle, like before braking bumps, halfway through the whoops or down steep hills, the BTL slipper clutch acts as though you’ve pulled the clutch lever in. Don’t confuse a slipper clutch with an automatic clutch (like the Rekluse RadiusCX). It is not an automatic; you still have to pull the clutch in to start, shift or stop. It just slips when you back off on the throttle.

How does it work? A slipper clutch is basically two clutches in one. The first clutch is activated by the clutch lever. The second clutch is activated by centrifugal forces within the spinning clutch basket. When the clutch’s internal moving parts decelerate, the difference in momentum disengages the clutch. Although the BTL is a regular clutch used to disengage the  engine, its biggest advantages shows up in the chassis (where it works as an anti-chain torque device). When you chop the throttle on a big four-stroke, the decompression of the engine slows forward momentum dramatically. This creates wheel hop, which you feel as kicking on the entrance of turns, through braking bumps or in the whoops. A slipper clutch significantly lessens wheel hop in braking bumps and at the end of long whoop sections. Additionally, it lessens decompression braking and makes a four-stroke feel like a two-stroke on the entrance to turns.

If that isn’t enough, a slipper clutch hooks up more positively under acceleration, which makes it better in roll-on situations. When you combine the ability to freewheel into a turn with less wheel hop and better hookup on acceleration, you get quicker corner speeds. The last benefit of a slipper clutch is that it works as an anti-stall device. Although a slipper clutch can’t guarantee that you won’t stall your bike in a tight corner, it does make it less likely to cough, because the BTL clutch automatically disengages under deceleration (giving you time to get to the lever).

The Rekluse Radius auto clutch has lot of loyal users who don’t ever have to pull their clutches in ever again.

The question you have to ask yourself is, why would you want your clutch to slip every time you backed off on the throttle? The answer is simple. (1) A slipper clutch eliminates decompression braking and makes a four-stroke feel more like a two-stroke on the entrance to turns. (2) Slipper clutches are de rigueur in road racing and Supermoto because they eliminate wheel hop, especially on pavement. (3) The combination of four-stroke decompression braking and braking bumps at the end of a straight creates a condition known as “shock lock.” The co-action of rapid decompression braking, rear brake lockup and chain torque make four-strokes bounce through braking bumps. A slipper clutch lessens both chain torque and decompression braking. (4) In many ways a slipper clutch is not as much an engine mod as a handling mod. By pulling the clutch in for you, it helps the chassis and rear shock in braking bumps. It enables the rear suspension to be more free moving and less likely to lock-up, bounce or chatter any time you are slowing down .

The Rekluse auto clutch has a very trick master slave unit that allows the push rod throw to be adjusted with an allen wrench from the out side. This may not mean much to you, but to a Rekluse user it makes life very easy.

In answer to your question, there are motocross racers who like the feel of slipper clutches, but as far as the general population of racers goes, they never gained acceptance in motocross circles. Why not? It’s very complex design. There is a learning curve to riding with a slipper clutch, and the most common complaint of MXA test riders was that it couldn’t be slipped out of a corner like a conventional clutch. Given that a Hinson BTL clutch retails for $1700, your friend is offering you a great deal, you have to decide if what a slipper clutch does is what you want your clutch to do.

To read more MXepert articles, feel free to click here.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: COOPER WEBB REFLECTS ON MXDN

“The track conditions, and this event in general, is insane. I had an up-and-down day. The first moto wasn’t the greatest for me, but I redeemed myself in the second one. I felt like I rode really well that moto, put up a solid number, and left it up to the boys. Overall, it was a great effort from the team. Everyone stepped up and did their part, and we were a few points away from winning it all. I’m happy with the podium. Obviously, the goal is to win, but I think with the cards that we were dealt, coming into this two weeks ago, this is a good result. I’m just stoked to have a good time, get on the podium, and come out of here healthy and ready for the new year.”

MXA PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Preparation for the 24-Hour Race, coming to Glen Helen this weekend. MXA’s Josh Fout is a master tire changer even with the difficult mousse inserts. Our media professional Trevor Nelson will be racing this weekend and the MXA crew is doing all they can to make sure he has the best chance possible to finish. Even, Luna, the dog can agree that Josh is taking the correct steps.

CLASSIC MXA PHOTO

Michael Byrne who was Australias Team Manager at MXDN was also a top-level pro. Here he is throwing around his Factory Kawasaki with ease in 2006.

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MXA Photo Trivia Answer: Mickael Pichon moved to the United States to compete in the AMA Motocross Championship for the Pro Circuit Kawasaki racing team. In his first full season of AMA competition with Kawasaki, Pichon won the 1995 125cc Eastern Supercross championship.