MXA MID-WEEK REPORT: Another Action Packed Episode – Roger DeCoster Speaks Out, The Rumor Mill In Full Effect, New Products, Plight Of The Rookies: Kyle Regal, Ben Evans, Tommy Weeck, And Lucas Moraes & So Much More!

On Sep 9, 2009

MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORT
By: Zap

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Justin Brayton now knows how it feels to win a National moto.

MXA FEATURE: Celebrating DeCoster’s Double

Chad Reed was a Supercross-only softie. Dungey would fold under the pressure. It turns out neither proved true. Congrats to Team Suzuki, the mechanics, the riders and of courseÿto “The Man” himself, Team Manager Roger DeCoster….still winning after all these years!

They said it couldn’t be done – turns out it could!

They said it couldn’t be done….turns out it could! Photos by Jake Klingensmith.

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MXA MINI-VIEW: Roger DeCoster’s 2009 Review & 2010 Preview

Roger DeCoster has been winning races for over 40 years…that’s just one reason he is considered “The Man”. Photo by Jim Gianatsis.

Chad Reed: “I thought he could do it from the start, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I remember watching him at the Des Nations last year and I thought he rode well even though he hadn’t ridden outdoors in a while.”

Ryan Dungey: “He showed that he had the speed and the fitness to battle Pourcel. Look at the first moto at Steel City, Ryan raced with Pourcel until the very end when he didn’t have to. Don’t forget that Pourcel has already been a World Champion and he’s raced around the globe so he is already very experienced and mature, I think Ryan did a good job showing how he has matured and how he was ready to work hard to win.”

Suzuki: “It’s always good to win, but especially this year it’s really nice because of the economy and everything.ÿ Like everywhere else, we have had lay-offs so winning both titles is good for the company morale. Also, there was so much negative talk about the team at the start it was good to win to show what we are capable of at Team Suzuki.”

2010: “Right now I have a budget approved for two 450 riders and I think I can get something for a 250 rider.ÿ I can’t say that Ryan is signed, it’s not done on paper, but I feel like I can say it’s done. Right now we’re just dealing with some of the details with the sponsors and the clothing companies. Reed isn’t done, he has some big offers from some competitors. I have a budget for racing next year and I can’t spend it all on the rider. I have to make room for all the equipment, testing and staff ? Chad knows that, he knows what we have to offer, so he just has to decide. The U.S. Open is up soon and after that he has his Supercross series in Australia to ride so he’ll need to figure out who he is riding for sometime soon.ÿ Right now I’m busy with contracts and getting ready for the Motocross des Nations, dealing with the paperwork for shipping the bikes, and coming up with a 2010 test schedule. We only have a few days after that to get ready for the U.S. Open and I need to get my riders set to get the bikes going.”

MXA MINI-VIEW: Ben Evans ? Losing The BattleÿAnd TheÿWar, But Still Happy

We’ve been following Ben Evan’s progress all year and felt confident that after a succession ofÿstrong finishes in the MX Nationals that he stood a good chance of taking the largely unheralded “Top Privateer” laurels by season end. Unfortunately, after missing the Southwick round and having a bad day at Steel City, the Idaho rider ended up tied with Suzuki City rider Steve Clarke (14th overall) on points with the British rider getting the nod due to his higher finish at the season finale. We caught up with Ben while he was helping a childhood friend clean out the horse stable on his ranch to find out how it all went down in the end.

MXA: Ben, you’ve been holding down top privateer honors in the 250 class all season long, but it fell apart at the final round at Steel City ? what happened?
Ben: You know it started out good, I was tenth fastest in qualifying which is the best I’ve done all season, so things were looking up.ÿUnfortunately, in the races I just struggled and in the end there are no excuses.

MXA: Can you talk us through the day?
Ben: In the first moto I started well, just outside the top ten and there was some great racing going on up there. I made some mistakes in the ruts that ended up having a big penalty and a bunch of guys got by. I wanted it so bad it was really frustrating when I’d lose four or five spots at a time. In the end I came in at 22nd.

In the second moto I didn’t get the start I needed, I passed a few guys and ended 19th. Again, all I can say is that it didn’t happen and although we tied on points, I guess Steven Clarke ended up got the Top Privateer honors since he had a better day at Steel City. Steven rode well all year and it came down to the last race when he finally caught me in the points.

MXA: You’ve been a consistent top 15 runner at every National, but you missedÿSouthwick ? why?
Ben: Yeah, that probably was what hurt me the most with the points. I hadn’t been feeling good for awhile, but at a few races I was feeling really ill. I wasn’t saying anything about it and my goal was just to muscle through it, but at Unadilla my stomach was really hurting when I was running in eighth in. I figured it would be better to get it checked out out sooner than later…looking back I wish I had done so even sooner. It turns out I’m allergic to wheat and that helps explain why I always had the speed in qualifying, but would suffer a bit in the race.

MXA: So what comes next?
Ben: Well, right now I’m going to keep helping my buddy clean out the horse poop from all these stalls. Next on the list is the U.S. Open in Vegas and then my gear sponsor Fly wants to send me down to do Chad Reed’s SX series in Australia. After that I’ll be doing some Supercross races in Germany and looking to put together a deal for next year.

MXA PRESS RELEASE: Moose Tear Off’s

Affordable and easy to use, these tear-offs will help keep grime and debris from building on your goggles. Applications for Oakley, Scott, Smith, Pro Grip, and Thor. Sold in 20 packs and 50 Packs. Retail: $6.95-20pk/$14.95-50pk. Find them at Moose Racing.

MXA MINI-VIEW: Lucas Moraes – The Rookie Year Struggle

MXA: The first time we met you was at Glen Helen when you had recently arrived in America from Brazil and were getting prepared for the outdoor season ? now that it’s over, what are your feelings?
Lucas: It was a lot harder than I imagined. Everybody said I had good speed, and I did on the So. Cal. tracks I was practicing on, but the National tracks are so different. I was lost at the first few Nationals I rode and despite the high expectations I had of myself, I soon realized that I had to work much harder.

MXA: What are your final thoughts on your 2009 National effort?
Lucas: It was a dream to come to America to race and be able to race against the best riders in the world. I hope to come back for 2010, but before I do I will definitely learn to ride ruts better!

SPEAKING OF BRAZILIANS….ÿ

Following his season best finishÿat Steel City (8th in moto one for 14th overall and 18th overall for the series) at Steel City, Brazil’s Antonio Balbi (l) and his hard working wrench Max will be heading home to contest the Brazilian GP.ÿAs for his own season review, Antonio said, “Man it was hard.ÿStill I learned a lot, but it’s not easy and finding good support is even harder.”

THE SILLY SEASON HAS BEGUN….

There’s so many rumors out there….like KTM rider Martin Davalos getting signed to the Star Yamaha squad, Ivan Tedesco headed to Team Yamaha, Justin Brayton moving to the JGR/Toyota squad and Chad Reed getting a monster sizedÿoffer from Monster Kawasaki. How much of it is true? Hold steady and we’ll be filling in all the blanks soon.ÿ

MXA PRESS RELEASE:ÿ Bionic 2 Protection Jacket

Updated back protector further improves this advanced protection jacket, providing excellent safety, support and flexibility for motocross and other extreme sports. Adjustable arms and shoulders for a perfect fit. Adjustable dual waist with Kidney support closure straps. Semi-auto locking YKK front zipper.
Tech Features:
CE certified GP elbow and shoulder protectors. Ventilated, molded PU and PE chest guard and removable, new, Bionic Race Back Protector with the highest level of CE Certification possible (level 2). Alpinestars exclusive DFD Technology means this protector is reduced in thickness and in weight: 15mm thinner and 130g lighter than previous technology and yet achieves CE Level 2 protection (CE Level 2 Impact performance (under 9kN transmitted force) in accordance with EN 1621-2). This means the protector offers double the impact performance of a CE Level 1 protector and an ergonomic 5 plate construction contours to follow the natural curve of the back with plates which lock to lessen overextension of the back which is critical in certain accident situations. Colors ? Black/Red, Black/White. Sizes ? S ? XXL. Suggested retail price – $229.95. For more info head to Alpinestars.

MXA PRESS RELEASE: The Outdoors Are Over – The Indoor Countdown Has Begun – Here’s The 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Schedule

ÿFour months and counting until the Anaheim opener kicks off!

Date/Venue/City
January 9 Angel Stadium Anaheim, Calif.
January 16 Chase Field Phoenix
January 23 Angel Stadium Anaheim, Calif.
January 30 AT&T Park San Francisco
February 6 Qualcomm Stadium San Diego
February 13 Angel Stadium Anaheim, Calif.
February 20 Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis
February 27 Georgia Dome Atlanta
March 6 Daytona Int’l Speedway Daytona, Fla.
March 13 Rogers Centre Toronto, ON
March 20 Cowboy Stadium Arlington, Texas
March 27 Jacksonville Municipal Stadium Jacksonville
April 10 Reliant Stadium Houston
April 17 Edward Jones Dome St. Louis
April 24 Quest Field Seattle
May 1 Rice-Eccles Salt Lake City
May 8 Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas
For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross.

MXA PRESS RELEASE: Pre Order Your Copy of Bar to Bar 2009 DVD Today!

James Stewart. Chad Reed. Two supercross champions whose storied rivalry has lasted for years. But, in the 2009 season, it got personal. It was a season where dirty passes, aggressive riding, dangerous crashes, questionable team tactics, and face-to-face standoffs became the norm, and you can re-live all the intense drama in Bar to Bar 2009. Follow Ryan Villipoto, Andrew Short, Josh Grant, Mike Alessi, and the best talent Supercross has to offer as they watch James Stewart and Chad Reed fight toe-to-toe for the 2009 championship.

MXA MINI-VIEW: Kyle Regal -The BiggestÿBright Spot In 2009?

It looks like there’s a new bright star shining in Texas and it goes by the name of Kyle Regal – the 18 year old new kid on the block from Kemp, Texas. After winning over a dozen amateur titles, Kyle made the jump to the Pro ranks this year, first on a 250 before moving to the 450 class with a newfound ride on the Valli Motosports team. Kyle’s half-season effort in the 250 class netted him a 29th series overall while a string of top five rides gained him a 14th overall in the 450 class.ÿ By season end Kyle was on the radar for every team thinking about adding a new rider and he plans to be back in a 2010 with one of them.

MXA:ÿ So far this year you’ve been the big sensation ? you passed and beat quite a few well known and highly paid factory riders – how does that feel?
Kyle: It feels good, but I’m still looking to do better. I stillÿ haven’t gotten a really good start yet. It helps your confidence so much once you beat those guys and so once I did I didn’t even think about it really. Once you know you can beat them, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to do it all the time.

MXA: You started out as a privateer, but quickly got the call-up from the Valli Motorsports team ? how did everything go down?
Kyle: The Freestone, Texas was my first National in the 250 class and I had an uneven day going 37-12 ? I was running 11th in the first moto and crashed.ÿFrom that one race I came away ready to move to the 450’s which really suit my style much more. The 250 class is so competitive and if you don’t have the best equipment you really don’t stand a chance ? you have to spend so much money to make and keep a 250 fast enough to run up front that it’s hard to get by.ÿThe Valli guys called me after Millville and I flew up to Washington following a WORCS race they were at to test their bike. They shipped a bike to my house to practice on and had a race bike on the truck for me.

MXA: So far you’ve had a spate of top five rides, so it must be working out.
Kyle: Since I’m from Texas I spend a lot of time riding with the Tommy and Wil Hahn on my track. Over the winter I trained with Arenacross rider Chad Johnson and so between all that I think I have a good handle on how fast I’ll need to go.

PRESS RELEASE: KTM Wins European Quad Championship

In front of over eight-thousand spectators at the spectacular St Jean d’Angely Grand Prix circuit, Paul Holmes put in a flawless display as he piloted his 2010 KTM 505 SX to fastest lap in timed qualification before taking a 1-1-2 scorecard for his 5th overall victory from five meetings.ÿHolmes amazing consistency throughout the series, taking fifteen podiums from fifteen motos, has seen his lead increase to eighty-one points with only seventy-five points still up for grabs at the final round in Rudersberg, the twenty-one year old entering the record books as the youngest ever winner of a European Quad Championship.

MXA PRESS RELEASE:ÿMotion Dirt Control Pro ÿGrips

Ergonomically designed/Medium density TPR compound provides excellent comfort and control without sacrificing durability. Self cleaning half-waffle pattern for a secure feel in both wet and dry conditions. Deep safety wire grooves provide ample space for wire placement so comfort is not compromised. Inner diameter optimized to help keep grips secure in any conditions TheÿMotion Pro grips fit 7/8 bars and throttle sleeves. Black or gray. Retail $8.99

MXA PRESS RELEASE: Rockwell And Powder Mountain

Rockwell Time wants to congratulate Jeremy McGrath and Cole Siebler for dominating the 450 and 250 Pro Classes, respectively, this past weekend at the first annual Powder Mountain Motocross.ÿ For taking the pro wins, both riders received an exclusive Rockwell 50 MM Gold valued at over $5,000. In fact, Rockwell riders took all three spots on the 450 Pro podium with McGrath taking the top spot followed by Siebler and Mike Sleeter. The event was more than successful as crowds turned out in numbers to watch the action.ÿ The track was extremely rough but the racing was great and the fans definitely enjoyed watching McGrath throw nac-nac’s over the giant 110-foot finish line triple.ÿRockwell Time wants to thank all the fans and riders who attended the event and hope to see everyone at next year’s race.ÿÿÿÿÿ

You can check out pictures of the Powder Mountain Motocross and all of Rockwell’s watches at Rockwell Watches.

MXA MINI-VIEW: Tommy Weeck – The Latest Inland Empire Import

While Tommy Weeck didn’t set the world on fire with his move to the Pro ranks, he got a lot of attention with a top 20 finish at his first National (Unadilla) andÿa series of hard rides to close out the season. The product of the Inland Empire breeding ground for future stars, the affable KTM rider kept his humor and confidence high as he battled the best in America. We caught up with Tommy in the parking lot at the Holiday Inn at Budds Creek where he and his mechanic were swapping motors after his bike sucked in a gallon of waterÿ during the now infamous second moto deluge.

MXA: So what’s the biggest surprise you found when you raced your first National at Unadilla?
Tommy: I can do hour long motos at Ryno’s track and I feel fine, but after the 30 minute long National, I was dead! Everything about it is so much more intense and it ended up making me feel that much more nervous and tight.

MXA: How does your speed rate at the Nationals?
Tommy: Late in the second moto at Millville I looked back and saw Pourcel back there almost ready to lap me and I was like “No way!!!” Here you are riding as fast as you can and you think you’re setting a good pace, but then the real fast guys are almost lapping you! Luckily he never got by me, but it was close!

MXA: What about anything you’ve learned these last few weeks?
Tommy: Right now it’s about what more I can learn and be able to show what I can do. I also learned that the amateur races are not doing the kids coming up any favors by how much they groom the track. At Loretta’s they didn’t just touch up the track they re-tilled the whole track before our race…this is the track that is supposed to help make your career in the sport and they create a track that has no challenge to it at all like you get at the Nationals.