MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORT:

By the MXA wrecking crew

PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

Do you remember this rider? He was part of the factory Yamaha team in 2005 and he lives in Mico, Texas. He was one of only a handful of riders that didn’t suffer from triskaidekaphobia (the fear of the number 13). It’s none other than Heath Voss. This photo is from his house in ’05.

THE MXDN TEAM SELECTION PROCESS TAKES ON NEW DIMENSIONS AS TEAMS MAKE PRE-SELECTIONS

Last year’s winning team: Most likely only one of these guys will be back in 2010.

With the 64th Motocross des Nations slightly over two months away, every country has begun the process of narrowing down its potential teams. A new trend is something called “pre-selection.” The Belgian team started this idea and it works like this: The team manager tells five to seven riders that they are on the short list? he might even invite them to a barbecue and then tell them that he will make his choice after a specific race. The pre-selected riders are put on notice that how they do leading up to and through that final race will determine whether they are selected or not. The only “for sure” rider on Team USA will be Ryan Dungey. The other two will be selected by team manager Roger DeCoster in August.

TEAM FRANCE


Marvin Musquin.                                                                    Ray Archer photo

The French Federation recently announced the list of riders who have been pre-selected for the 2010 team for Thunder Valley. National trainer Olivier Robert said that Marvin Musquin, Christophe Pourcel, Steven Frossard, Gautier Paulin, Xavier Boog, Anthony Boissiere and Sebastien Pourcel are on his short list. It seems obvious that Christophe Pourcel and Marvin Musquin are shoo-ins. Making team selection harder for every team is that the rider who is the official entrant in the 250 class must be under the age of 23 (although the other two riders on the team have no age limit). The French team will be announced after the August 8, Czech Grand Prix.

TEAM BELGIUM


Clement Desalle has the job.                  

Belgian team manager Joel Smets released the names of his seven pre-selected riders for the 2010 Red Bull Motocross of Nations and they were Clement Desalle, Steve Ramon, Ken De Dycker, Kevin Strijbos, Jeremy Van Horebeek, Dennis Verbruggen and Joel Roelants. The seven riders went water skiing and cycling on an off-weekend so that Smets could see them working together. Only Clement Desalle is a “sure thing” for the Belgian team. Smets will announce the other two riders on August 15. The 250 class rider selection comes down to a choice between Jeremy van Horebeek and Joel Roelants. Smets will make his choice of which of the two young riders will be selected after seeing them race in the Czech GP.

TEAM NEW ZEALAND


This could be Josh Coppins’ last hurrah at the MXDN.

No pre-selections for the Kiwi team. The New Zealand team for the 2010 Motocross of Nations will be Josh Coppins, Ben Townley and young rookie Brad Groombridge. Groombridge was selected because he is under 23 (Cody Cooper and Daryll Hurley are too old for the 250 class at the MXDN).

TEAM GREAT BRITAIN


Shaun Simpson.                                                                
Ray Archer photo

Steve Dixon, the British team manager, announced five possible riders for the 2010 MX of Nations to be held at the end of September?Brad Anderson, Max Anstie, Jake Nicholls, Tommy Searle and Shaun Simpson. Dixon also said that he would like to get Pro Circuit rider Dean Wilson on the team. Wilson was born in Scotland and thus is eligible to ride for Great Britain. On the other hand, Team Canada also wants Wilson. With Tommy Searle always injured and Max Anstie off-form, the team will be almost decided when Dean Wilson makes his decision. 

TEAM ESTONIA


Spanish GP winner Tanel Leok will lead the Estonian team.

The Estonian Motorcycling Federation will announced its team for the Colorado Motocross des Nations on August 24, but they have pre-selected Gert Krestinov, Juss Laansoo, Lauri Lehtla, Aigar Leok, Tanel Leok, Indrek Magi and Priit Ratsep.

TYLA TALKS: RATTRAY RAPS ABOUT HIS SEASON SO FAR


Tyla.

South African (now living in Murrieta California), MX2 former champ Tyla Rattray spent last year acclimating to US soil. He suffered from injuries and results that weren’t up to his potential. After missing the Supercross series with a shoulder injury Tyla has come alive outdoors. He won an overall in High Point and sits third in the overall points chase. We called him up for a report.

MXA: Would you tell us about some of your highlights and lowlights of the series so far.

Tyla Rattray: Definitely the highlight of the year so far for me was winning Mt. Morris. The low light was probably the first round at Hangtown. I just struggled a bit there. My starts weren’t very good and the track is one lined, so it’s pretty hard to pass. I would say Hangtown is my worst track of the series, so having it as the first race and getting it out of the way was good for me.

MXA: Tell us about some of the close racing you have had.

Tyla: Yeah, I’ve been in a lot of battles this season and pretty much every weekend been towards the front.  I managed to win the second moto in Texas, passing Dean Wilson with like three corners to go. I was really happy with that, because it was a brutal race, it was really hot and humid. It was just piping hot. It was also my second heat win in the US after winning one last year at Southwick. I had a pretty good race with Dean and also Trey Canard at the last round at Red Bud, even though I also had a pretty good crash at the end. I was making a move to pass Dean for second, but I ended up crashing and finishing 11th that moto after struggling to start my bike.

I’m really happy that this year is completely different than what I was doing last year. Last year I struggled with getting to know the tracks and the riders and everything was new for me. This year things have been going awesome. I’ve been working hard with the team and we’ve got a good bike. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing and hopefully I can win a couple more races and be on top of the championship.


Tyla Rattray is a former 250 World Champion.

MXA: What advice would you give to a rider coming from the GPs to the US?

Tyla: You need to be on it straight away from the first practice because normally that’s when the good times come in. You only get fifteen minutes for the first session, then another fifteen-minute session and it’s time to go racing. In Europe, you have two forty trainings (practice sessions) and a qualifying heat. So you have plenty of time to get on out onto the track and warm up.

That’s helped me a little bit this year, knowing the layout and knowing what to expect, whereas last year I went to the tracks and had never seen the place in my life. There are still changes and things to learn.There were a couple changes at Red Bud that I thought were actually better. But, its way better knowing the track and being on it straight away from the first training.

MXA: Why did you have sit out the Supercross series?

Tyla: In Supercross I was going down the straightaway and there was a little double, so small you could probably jump it on a BMX bike. My front and back wheel washed away from me and I took off the jump sideways and landed on my shoulder. I didn’t think it would be too bad, just dinged up a bit. I had a little crack in my scapula on the back of my shoulder. I didn’t really think too much about it, it was isolated and surrounded by muscle. I was trying to get ready for 250 East Coast Supercross rounds and it just didn’t heal. I went to San Jose to see a nerve specialist who told me I had done in some nerves. He said the only thing I could do was rest it up. By the time I could come back to Supercross there was only two rounds left. Mitch didn’t want me to do them, he told me ?just get ready for outdoors.’


MXA: What did you do with the extra week between rounds?

Tyla: The week off has been good. We have had like five straight races in a row. A lot of them have been traveling to the east coast and many have been hot, so if was good to have a weekend off. Now I’m looking forward to get back to racing. I’ve ridden at Millville once in 2006 and watched it on TV last year and the dirt looks really good. They’ve got some sand sections and some good waves and everything. I think it’s going to be hot and humid, which I like because my fitness is not a problem. I’m looking to have a good weekend and hopefully finish one-one.

MXA: What are your plans for next year?

Tyla: Next year I want to stay on Mitch’s team and we’re busy negotiating that contract right now. They definitely have the best team in the 250 class and I want to have a good bike in Supercross. I would like to move up to 450s for outdoors, but on Mitch’s team you can’t do that. I really like the guys at Pro Circuit, they work really hard and I have a good relationship with them. So, I want stay here for one more year just to break into Supercross. We are still negotiating, but I’m happy at Pro Circuit and would like to stay another year.

MXA: Do you want to mention your sponsors?

Tyla: Yes, Monster Energy, Pro Circuit, Kawasaki, Parts Unlimited, Thor, BH bicycles, Traxxis and everyone who sponsors the team. We have a good team and we have really great bikes, as you can see, we are one, two, three in the championship. Hopefully we can finish that way at the end of the year- I think that would be the first time in history.

ATK TO BUILD VEE-TWIN? IN KOREA? FOR HARLEY DEALERS?

ATK has signed a deal to market Korean Hyosung vee-twins under the ATK brand in the USA.

Under original founder Horst Leitner, ATK motorcycle was once the fifth largest selling offroad motorcycle manufacturer in America. Leitner was the first designer to realize that there was a market for a hardcore, high-end, racing four-strokes?which he started building in his Laguna Beach, California, factory in the early 1980s. Then, the Austrian-born, but America-based, motorcycle entrepreneur, turned his attention to the two-stroke market (after he was initially approached to build a bike for Can-Am). Leitner’s air-cooled ATK 406 was an instant success. Although Can-Am folded their motorcycle division before the deal was completed, a consortium of Can-Am dealers financed the construction of the ATK 406 so that they would have bikes to sell.


15 years before Yamaha even thought about the idea of a four-stroke motocross bike like the YZ400, ATK was building full-race, 560cc, Rotax-powered, race bikes (and winning races) for the masses. This is a 1986 ATK 560.

The ATK 406 was a success because it bristled with innovations and tapped into the offroad market of the late 1980s and early ?90s. It was air-cooled (because offroad riders thought water-cooling was too fragile in the woods), it had its brake pedal mounted backwards (so that it couldn’t snag on a rock), the airbox was in the gas tank (to keep it out of water crossings), the rear disc brake was on the countershaft sprocket (to reduce unsprung weight) and the rear suspension was no-link (Leitner would late build a prototype for KTM that was the precursor of their no-link suspension system). With the sales of ATK 560/604 four-strokes and ATK 406 two-strokes, the early 1990’s were the heyday of the eccentric brand. But, Leitner, a former GP rider and ISDT gold medal winner, sold the company, which was moved to Utah?and over time ATK faded from the limelight.


The 1990 ATK 406 was 15 pounds lighter than any other two-stroke motocross bike and bristled with creative ideas. ATK mounted the rear brake on the countershaft sprocket to lessen unsprung weight on the rear wheel. It used a chromoly swingaram because it was lighter and stronger than a modern aluminum swingarm.The rear brake pedal pivoted at the front and aimed backwards so that it could never get bent backwards in a crash.
 
The times have changed at ATK. ATK Motorcycles recently announced that they have signed a four-year deal with Taekwon Kim of S&T Motors of Korea to rebrand and sell S&T Vee-Twin motorcycles in the United States. The $100 million contract will see S&T produce enough parts to manufacture 33,000 motorcycles, ranging in displacement from 250cc to 680cc. These motorcycles will be sold and marketed under the ATK brand name in the US market for the 2011 to 2014 model years.


The airbox on this 1988 ATK 406 is inside the black box under the gas tank. KTM paid designer Horst Leitner to build them a prototype bike?which was the inspiration for their no-link PDS rear suspension.

S&T Motors is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Korea and manufactures “Hyosung” branded motorcycles that are sold in Asia, Australia, South America and Europe. ATK president Frank White says that, “Our strategy is for ATK to be the second American brand in select Harley-Davidson dealerships. The prime focus of our initiative is to be a feeder brand to the Vee-Twin dealers?similar to what Scion has been to Toyota.”

For more info go to www.atkusa.com

WORK BEGINS ON THE PALA NATIONAL TRACK

This is an overview of the Pala facility looking towards the Pacific Ocean (which is about 20 miles away). The two prepped tracks are not the AMA National track, but will probably become the pits and parking by September 11. The National track will be built in the foreground.


Looking from the opposite direction you can see some small sections of the AMA National track, which have been graded (although not watered). In the center of the photo, Pala is burying two containers to use as spectator tunnels. Although many people thought that Pala would try to move to the hills around the track, none of those hills are on their land (and most are about three miles away). Instead they will use the plateau that is defined by the grassy knoll (in an S-shape). This plateau is used as part of their practice track as a step-up (right part of the prepped track) and a step-down (left side). It is conceivable that this piece of existing Pala track will be used for the National. The existing track to the right of the tunnels is not necessarily part of the National track (at least not in that configuration).


This close-up photo shows a Cat pushing dirt over a container and two sections of track that will go up and down the plateau. Pala has lots of time to get the track built since the race it is still 58 days away. We will check back in later.

NEW LOOK FOR THE YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE: COURTESY OF SOUTH AFRICA

This South African kit uses a special gas tank to allow 2010 YZ250F plastic and parts to fit.


The kit is not available in the USA.

South Africa racer Zac Botha sent MXA a note about a new YZ250 kit that Shimwells Yamaha is working on to update the look of the venerable, but popular, two-stroke. It uses 2010 YZ250F plastic (with a special gas tank to make it all fit). Although the gas tank is still in its prototype plug form, Zac says that production has started on the tanks already. No word on the price, but hopefully Zac will take time off his busy South African racing schedule to send us more info (and a kit) when it is completely ready.

To stay tuned in, go to www.shimwellsyamaha.co.za

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FEETS

What will you be doing when you are 79? Feets Minert (25) will be racing at Glen Helen.

Chuck “Feets” Minert will turn 79 this Saturday, July 17. And the former BSA factory rider, AMA Hall of Fame member and winner of the 1956 Catalina Grand Prix will celebrate it the way he spends every weekend?racing motocross. Feets raced his first race in 1947 and quickly rose to the top of American scrambles and dirt track racers. He is still racing 63 years later?and this isn’t just some old duffer who decided to take up motorcycle racing late in life (although he is, technically, an old duffer)?he was one of the premiere motorcycle racers of his era…it’s just that his era lasted from the ’40s to the ’50s to the ’60s and on into the ’70s. When his Pro days ended, Chuck just kept racing. No longer as fast as he once was, he is still the hero of many racers 30, 40, 50 and 60 years his junior.

By 1950, Minert raced Daytona on the old sandy beach course. “I got a little lucky, and ended up finishing fourth in the 100-miler. It was my first and last race at Daytona.”

Just a kid, at Catalina in 1951.

In 1951 Minert finished second at the Catalina Grand Prix (and immediately started getting more help from BSA). He appeared in magazine ads, win fliers and was a major draw where ever he raced. He was at the height of his career when the Korean war broke out and Feets put his racing career on hold to spend four years in the Navy as a Seabee. When he returned from the Seabees, Feets racing career picked up right where it left off at the famous races like the Big Bear, Greenhorn, Cactus Derby, Elsinore Grand Prix, Hopetown and, of course, Catalina.


After finishing second in 1951 (he was actually declared the winner and given the trophy, only to have it taken away an hour later), Feets missed the 1952 GP because he was off to war.

At Catalina in 1956 Feets Minert earned the biggest win of his career. The Catalina Grand Prix was one of the most prestigious races in America?winning it was like winning a National Championship. It was a 100-mile cross-country event held on Santa Catalina Island (all the bikes and riders were ferried the 26-miles across the sea on boats). The 10-mile course was a mixture of road, fire trails, singletrack, and even went through a golf course. His win made him even more famous and BSA released a replica of his bike?called the Catalina Scrambler.


An out-take from Bruce Brown’s 1970 On Any Sunday.

By the late 1960s, scrambles gave way to motocross and BSA was under attack by the two-stroke wave, but Feets stuck with BSA. In 1969, Minert went to Europe to race in British and European motocross events. By the early 1970s, Minert, now over 40-years-old, was still a leading American rider. He raced the 1970 Trans-AMA series as part of Team BSA and was honored with a cameo in the famous “On Any Sunday” film. Feets was one of the few riders to score National points in both Trans-AMA motocross and AMA Grand National races.


Feets today, with the BSA Catalina Scramber that was sold as a replica of the bike he raced to victory in the 1956 Catalina Grand Prix. How many factory riders can claim to have their sponsor built a model in their honor?

Unlike his competitors, Feets Minert never retired from racing. He has raced every weekend of his life, save for that pesky Korean War. To add icing to his cake, Feets won the Over-70 World Veteran Championship in 2001. Happy Birthday!

LUDO WANTS TO SELL HIS PARIS-DAKAR RALLYE BIKES

Former One Industries founder Ludo Boinnard wants to sell his KTM 690 factory bikes. There is one downside?they are in France. If you are interested contact Ludo at [email protected]

DENNIS “BANZAI” KANEGAE’S KTM 450 DIRT TRACKER

The emergence of 450cc motocross bikes has revitalized flat track racing by making it easy for riders to get starte din the sport. This is Dennis Kanegae’s KTM 450SXF dirt track.

Anyone who’s been around the motorcycle industry for very long knows Dennis Kanegae. The MXA gang saw him race in his prime and worked with him at Yamaha and when he was at Honda’s advertising agency. The former Pro dirt tracker earned the name “Banzai Kanegae” because of his riding style at Ascot Raceway. He started racing when he saw a poster in his local shop wall that said there were be a TT scrambles at a place called Prado Park in Chino, California. He entered the 250 Novice class on a Honda CL-72 Scrambler. He ended up in the pond in the center of the track when the throttle stuck. Five years later he was lined up on the front row at Ascot with Gene Romero, Mert Lawwill, Gary Scott and Tom White. Kanegae says, “Racing at Ascot was war. No one realized, unless you did it, what it took to ride and win at Ascot, especially against the weekly regulars who were tough competitors and as skilled as the national number riders. Okay, racing is hard anywhere on a pro level, but people died at Ascot on a regular basis. In no other form of racing were there so many horrific crashes as there were at Ascot. These crashes worked on your head after a while?I suppose today they’d term it Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome.”


This is Dennis Kanegae laying it over at Ascot 30 years ago.                       Dan Mahoney photo.

Now, 30 years later, Dennis Kanegae is an ad executive with a long history of working in the motorcycle industry and he has returned to racing with the Southern California Flat Track Association at Perris Raceway. Dennis sent us a photo of his KTM 450 dirt tracker.

PRODUCT RELEASE: NEW HINT WATER

Hey, it’s some flavored water that doesn’t pretend to something besides flavored water.

Hint’s Chris Thatcher told us, “Recent studies prove that sugary drinks are the main catalyst for obesity and diabetes, so I just wanted to bring your attention to these alternative drinks that don’t cut out the taste. Perfect for the gym, on a bike ride, for kids and just to stay hydrated, Hint Water is the preferred alternative to sugary drinks and sodas. Hint Water is infused with fruit essence and is an all-natural, 0 calorie, 0 sugar?water with a “hint” of flavor.”

HONDA OF TROY’S PHIL ALDERTON TELLS US ABOUT HIS NEW DIGS

Phil Alderton started the original Honda of Troy team. After leaving the team in 2004, he struggled with some personal issues and took a rough path for a few years, but always remained an enthusiast of the sport. The MXA wrecking crew has known Phil though all those years and have supported his racing for the last couple years. For 2010, the Troy team is back and so is Alderton (as the team manager). Phil is busy at the AMA Nationals and he hasn’t had the chance come out the local races with us anymore, so we called him up to see how the new job was going and how the new team was doing.

MXA: Can you tell us about your history, and how you’ve come full circle with the Troy Team?

Phil Alderton: I started the Honda of Troy Team back in ’93. We switched to Yamaha in ’99, and I continued to do that through 2004. I had a falling out with my partners; I take most of the blame for that. Coming into the 2010 season, Chad Sanner of Eleven 10 Mods (who used to work for me at Yamaha of Troy as a mechanic) was working with Levi Kilbarger. Levi’s dad wanted to help get Levi on the road for the series. Ultimately, they decided to do a little bit bigger program than just Levi and Chad. Michael Rigdon of Rock’s Racing talked with Chad and Honda of Troy and worked a deal for Chad to borrow the old semi and use the “Honda of Troy” name. Tony Kilbarger funded the thing and Chad organized it. I was watching what was going on, and went up to Hangtown to watch. I ran into Chad and he asked me for suggestions. I suggested that he needed a team manager and within two or three days we had the deal finished. I went to Texas for the second round and have been on board ever since. It’s going great and even my old partners at the dealership are happy that I’m back on board.

MXA: Tell us about the job and responsibilities as the Troy team manager.

Phil: When I first came on board things were pretty disorganized as far as mechanics schedules, truck driver schedules, flights, hotels, parts ordering and all those things. Basically, I just try to tighten up the ship and get everything organized. Another thing that was lacking a little bit was testing and I’ve been working with the guys getting some better testing schedules put in place. Also, talking with existing sponsors during the week, as well as work on getting more sponsorship for next year. It keeps me pretty busy.

MXA: What has been team highlights and low lights so far this year?

Phil: Something that’s actually kind of a highlight and a low light was last week at Red Bud. Darryn Durham, who has been our top guy, finished eighth in the first moto and was running tenth in the second moto, but with about five turns to go he ran out of gas. It was a highlight and would have been our best finish, but a low light because he didn’t get to actually finish. After Red Bud I talked to the Geico Honda team, found out what they’re running and ordered some new gas tanks so that we’ll have them for the last six rounds. That’s another part of my job, being sure to stay on top of stuff like that and making sure we have the right parts so the bikes perform and finish.


Phil (192) loves being back on the National circuit managing the team, but he had to sacrifice racing at Glen Helen every weekend.

MXA: What do you see down the road for the team?

Phil: We have Darryn, Les Smith and Levi Kilbarger now and we’ll try to keep them for next year. We’ve got a kid coming up named Brandon Mays who will ride 250A and 250 Pro Sport and Loretta’s and then make his Pro debut at Unadilla and race the last four Nationals. He’s a kid with a lot of potential, so we’re pretty excited to see how he does during the last part of 2010 and beyond. Also, we’re keeping an eye out for a proven guy who has run up front and is still eligible for the 250 class. We have guys with a lot of potential, so now we’re looking at guys who are more established and can get results sooner rather than later. The long-term plan is to get the team back to where it was before?winning races and championships.

MXA: Would you like thank anybody?

Phil: Personally, I’m very grateful to Chad Sanner for allowing me the opportunity to come back, and I’m going to make the most of it. The biggest team sponsor right now is Tony Kilbarger and Kilbarger Drilling, without him, the team wouldn’t have existed at all. Eleven 10 Mods and Chad Sanner has put a lot of his own money and effort into the team and, of course, Honda of Troy has supported us. Also, WAR (We All Ride), Motorex, Cycra, Tag Metals, N-Style, Straight Shot air filters, Faction MX, Dunlop, Bob Barnett and Arc Levers, Bell Helmets, Hinson Clutch Components, Hammerhead, Von Zipper, Renegade Fuels and Rocks Racing Services.

PRESS RELEASE: SAFETY VIDEO CONTEST

“With the busy summer riding season upon us, the ATV Safety Institute (ASI) encourages kids to enter the “Do the Ride Thing” Video Contest. Sponsored by the ASI, the contest runs June 18 to September 6, 2010 and offers 10 prizes totaling $10,000. Students ages six to 18 may enter. The winning 30- and 60-second videos will be used as public service announcements (PSAs) by the ATV Safety Institute.

“What better way to motivate and inform people , especially kids and their parents, about the safe and responsible use of all-terrain vehicles than to have kids create videos that highlight one or more of the ATV Safety Institute’s Golden Rules?” said Paul Vitrano, executive vice president, ASI. “By harnessing the social networking power of YouTube, it gives kids the opportunity to ?Do the Ride Thing’ and help other kids ride safe/ride smart.”

To enter, kids create a 30- or 60-second video/PSA, upload it to YouTube, and submit an entry form on the ASI website. For official video content requirements, contest rules and entry forms, visit www.atvsafety.org/ATV_PSA_Contest/index.html

There will be three winners in each of the three age categories: 6-10, 11-14, and 15-18. 1st Place winners earn $1,100, 2nd Place is $800, and 3rd Place is $600. Plus, all age categories are eligible to win the $2,500 Grand Prize. The ten prizes total $10,000.


There will be three winners in each of the three age categories: 6-10, 11-14, and 15-18.

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