MXA’S WEEKEND NEWS ROUND-UP: WHAT YOU MISSED IN THE MOTOCROSS WORLD WHILE YOU WERE OUT BUYING VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS- YOU DID REMEMBER, DIDN’T YOU?

The Atlas neck brace.

POST-RACE INTERVIEW! HOW COLE SEELY’S NIGHT WENT

TWEET-CITY: THE MODERN VERSION OF JUNGLE DRUMS

TIMED QUALIFYING VIDEO: WATCH VILLOPOTO, DUNGEY AND STEWART STRUGGLE IN THE WHOOPS, WHILE REED, WINDHAM AND WEIMER SAIL RIGHT THROUGH

CHAD EXPLAINS WHY HE DIDN’T DO INTERVIEWS AFTER LAST WEEK’S RACE
“I was cramping up gnarly in my stomach…I just pretty much focused on who was in fourth and tried to maintain that gap.”

SAN DIEGO SUPERCROSS TIMED QUALIFYING BREAKDOWN
Supercross is back to the super short track designs with a San Diego track that hovered just above 45 seconds. Last week’s fast 250 qualifier, Nico Izzi, dropped to seventh fastest this week…as Eli Tomac took command of timed qualifying just like he has the 250 West series. In the 450 class, last week’s fastest qualifier, Justin Brayton crashed hard in practice and took a mule ride…but came back to race the night program.

THE TEN FASTEST 250 WEST QUALIFIERS
   1. Eli Tomac…56.45
   2. Dean Wilson…46.77
   3. Martin Davalos…47.13
   4. Jason Anderson…47.29
   5. Cole Seely…47.42
   6. Marvin Musquin..47.65
   7. Nico Izzi…47.87
   8. Matt Moss…48.24
   9. Billy Laninovich…48.44
   10. Travis Baker…48.65

250 PENALTY BOX
Erik Meusling, Topher Ingalls and Yuta Ikegaya had their fastest times taken away for jumping when the red lights were on. Parker Eckman was black flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Brian Foster, Billy Laninovich and Vince Friese lost their fastest times for failing the post-qualifying sound test.

WHO DIDN’T MAKE THE 250 WEST CUT
Only the top 40 make it to the 250 West night show (out of the 53 who tried in San Diego) and the difference between making the program and going home is often hundreds of a second. Here are the five men who came the closest?last week Parker Eckman was the last man to get into the night show, this week he was the first man who didn’t make the cut. Jesse Kangas beat Parker out for 40th place two-tenths of a second was the last man in with a 1:02.985.
   41. Parker Eckman…52.12
   42. Myles Tedder…52.17
   43. Travis Bell…52.32
   44. Erik Meusling…52.55
   45. Yuta Ikegaya…52.73

THE TEN FASTEST 450 QUALIFIERS
   1. James Stewart…46.26
   2. Ryan Villopoto..46.37
   3. Chad Reed…46.50
   4. Kevin Windham…46.58
   5. Ryan Dungey…46.97
   6. Jake Weimer…47.22
   7. Josh Hansen…47.42
   8. Davi Millsaps…47.523
   9. Andrew Short…47.526
   10. Broc Tickle…47.55

450 PENALTY BOX
Jeremy O’Driscoll, Robert Noftz andMichael Horban had their fastest times taken away for jumping when the red lights were on. Austin Howell, Davi Millsaps and Austin Stroupe lost their fastest times for failing the post-qualifying sound test.

WHO DIDN’T MAKE THE 450 CUT
Only 50 riders tried to make the 40-man night show in the 450 class?which meant that only ten had to go home empty handed. There were no surprises in qualifying as Austin Howell was the 40th fastest qualifier (with a 51.41) and made the big show. Here are the next five riders who didn’t make the cut.
   41. Donald Vawser…51/57
   42. Dustin Pipes…51.57
   43. Teddy Parks…51.63
   44. Jake Oswald…51.79
   45. Heath Harrison…52.03

BEN TOWNLEY WINS ROUND ONE OF KIWI CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Ben Townley dominated the opening round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships by winning all three motos over Josh Coppins, Justin McDonald and Cody Cooper at Timaru. Meanwhile in the 250 class, Scott Columb defeated the evergreen Darryl King and Daryl Hurley.

Townley, a former 250 World Champion, was unbeatable and healthy, and plans to race both the Australian and New Zealand Championship?while trying to squeeze in some AMA Nationals also. Runner-up Josh Coppins  went 2-2-2, but said that Townley was just “a bit quicker.”

Scott Columb won the 250 class, but only won one moto?going 2-2-1. Ageless Darryll King went 1-3-2 with Daryl Hurley in third with a 4-1-3.

ROUND ONE RESULTS: NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP
450 class
1. Ben Townley
2. Josh Coppins
3. Justin McDonald
4. Cody Cooper
5. Michael Phillips
6. Hamish Dobbyn
7. Brad Groombridge
8. Mason Phillips
9. Nick Saunders
10. Bjarne Frederiksen

250 Class
1. Scott Columb
2. Darryll King
3. Daryl Hurley
4. Rhys Carter
5. Ethan Martens
6. Luke Burkhart
7. Jayden Jessup
8. Peter Broxholme
9. Campbell King
10. Geran Stapleton

GIBSON WINS FRESNO ARENACROSS, BUT BOWERS STILL LEADS THE POINTS

A huge crowd greeted the tenth round of the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series season at Fresno’s Save Mart Center. Honda’s Jeff Gibson won his third race of the season to close in on current Arenacross points leader Tyler Bowers.

Gibson kicked off the 25-lap Arenacross main event by grabbing the holeshot and an early lead, but was trailed closely by Bowers. Six laps in, while gaining considerable ground on Gibson, Bowers crashed in the rhythm section and allowed Gibson to lengthen his lead.  Chad Johnson took over second, but was later passed by Bowers. Gibson went on to lead all 25 laps to take home the win with Bowers and Johnson finishing in second and third, respectively. Gibson now sits 18 points behind Bowers as the AMA Arenacross Series continues its western swing.

FRESNO ARENACROSS RESULTS:
1. Jeff Gibson…Hon
2. Tyler Bowers…Kaw
3. Chad Johnson…Kaw
4. Willy Browning…KTM
5. Zach Ames…Kaw
6. Travis Sewell…KTM
7. Cole Siebler…Hond
8. Nathan Skaggs…Hon
9. Michael Willard…KTM
10. Daniel Blair… KTM

ARENACROSS CLASS POINTS STANDINGS
(After 16 of 19 events)
1. Tyler Bowers… 352  
2. Jeff Gibson…334
3. Chad Johnson….268  
4. Kelly Smith…250
5. Zach Ames…236
6. Nathan Skaggs…223
7. Willy Browning…191
8. Travis Sewell…141
9. Josh Demuth… 127  
10. Michael Willard…125

THE PRIVATEERS: MXA TALKS TO MICHAEL LEIB ABOUT THE LIFE OF A SUPERCROSS PRIVATEER (UNFORTUNATELY HE GOT HIS BELL RUNG IN SAN DIEGO, BUT IS OKAY)

Steffi Laier has been signed up by the Dutch Rabbit Racing Team to race Kawasakis in three WMX GPs ( Valkenswaard, Matterley Basin and Teutschenthal), the Dutch women’s series and the X-Games. Steffi will be sponsored by Red Bull.

COMING SOON! MUD? THE EURO VERSION OF AN MX VIDEO GAME….MAYBE & MAYBE NOT

“Mud ? FIM Motocross World Championship” is the only videogame that exclusively features the FIM Grand Prix, as well as the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. The brand new game engine features 14 different bikes, 84 riders (including stars such as Ryan Villopoto, Tony Cairoli, Chad Reed, Ryan Dungey and Ken Roczen) and 12 official GP tracks (inclduing Lommel), and also features fully deformable terrain conditions, a realistic MX handling model and much more.

Developed by Italian software developer Milestone and published worldwide by Black Bean Games, MUD is scheduled for release in April 2012 for Xbox 360, PlayStation3 and PC. For more info go to www.mudthegame.com.

LOST GEM! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS MXA’s DENNIS STAPLETON DOING IN THIS VIDEO
This is 49 seconds that you’ll never get back…and even we don’t have a clue what this video is about. We’d ask Dennis but since he’s off to some far reaches of the earth…Denmark, we think…we’ll have to wait until he comes back on Tuesday.

We tracked down MXA‘s Dennis Stapleton and his buddy Tiger Lacey. They are at the Herning Supercross in Denmark. On Friday night Dennis and Tiger got fifth in their respective heats and Tiger made the main when he finished second in his semi?from there he ended up fourth in the main event. Here are the results from night one. On saturday night nether American made the main event, but Toger Lacey ended up eighth overall on two-day points.

HERNING SUPERCROSS RESULTS: FRIDAY NIGHT
1. Joaquim Rodrigues…Hon
2. Florent Richier…Kaw)
3. Kasper Lynggard…Kaw
4. Tiger Lacey…Kaw
5. Thomas Ramette…Suz
6. Fabien Izoird…Yam
7. Khounsith Vongsana…Suz
8. Michael Musquin…Hon
9. Nicolai M. Hansen…Suz
10. Dennis Ullrich…KTM

HERNING SUPERCROSS RESULTS: SATURDAY NIGHT
1. Joaquim Rodrigues…Hon
2. Florent Richier…Kaw
3. Yohan Lafont…Yam
4. Fabien Izoird…Yam
5. Dennis Ullrich…KTM
6. Nicolai M. Hansen…Suz
7. Jurgen Wybo…Kaw
8. Khounsith Vongsana…Suz
9. Dano Aulseybrook…Suz
10. Ludovic Macler…Yam

It is hard to believe that road racing has replaced the venerable 125cc two-stroke with a single-cylinder 250 four-stroke, but the rules are set in stone. At the preseason tests in Valencia, KTM’s Sandro Cortese of the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 Team was fastest for the third consecutive day in the first round of official tests for the new MotoGP class.

Danny Kent.                                      Photo: F Weiss

Cortese also managed to improve his lap times each day as teams running KTM and KTM-driven bikes continue to work hard on their pre-season preparations. “I had a very good feeling right from the first day to the end of tests and we improved a lot as we get the bike ready for the season. With KTM as the factory team we have a lot of support and I think I am in a better position than in previous years,” said Cortese at the conclusion of the training leading up to the opening round in Qatar.

ARAI IS PROUD OF THE NEW VX-PRO 3 PRIDE GRAPHICS

Among the new graphic designs Arai has introduced in its 2012 VX-Pro3 dirt-helmet line is the “Pride” that features unusual typographic and visual variations on the Arai logo. It is available now, in three different colorways: Black, Blue, and Orange.

Most of the Pro3’s features and innovations point to the Arai family’s philosophy and three generations of emphasis on rider safety above all. First is Arai’s groundbreaking (and now copied) Emergency-Release Cheek Pad system created to allow easier access to an unresponsive rider. The helmet’s shell is rounded instead of ridged, which, along with the rounded (instead of pointed) chinbar, amplify Arai’s belief that rounder, smoother surfaces have less chance of digging in and twisting in a spill than those with “exaggerated ridges and creases.” The company also believes the smooth shell surface helps it do its main job better: quickly and smoothly dissipating impact energy.

 
Arai says ventilation is another key benefit of the VX-Pro3. Its top-mount diffuser technology is borrowed from Arai’s high-speed road racing helmet. The diffuser’s large ventilation ducts utilize low-pressure areas behind the vent to draw strong airflow through the entire helmet, even at moderate speeds on tighter tracks. The “radical” peak design actually scavenges and forces more air into the forehead vent ports for improved cooling. Arai’s VX-PRO3 comes in sizes XS to XXL. Suggested retails range from $549.95 for solids, to $679.95 for the new “Pride” and other graphic designs. For info and the location of your nearest Arai retailer go to www.AraiAmericas.com/vxpro3.

1.7 CLEANING SOLUTION ARE READY TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS


Matrix Concepts is pleased to announce the worldwide launch of the new 1.7 Cleaning Solutions line. After 18 months of development and field-testing by some of the top mechanics and teams in the world, the complete chemical line is ready for release today.

KTM and FMF will partnered again to bring the “KTM/FMF Motocross Fan Experience” to the 2012 AMA 250/450 nationals this summer. The events will take place this summer and in conjunction with the Hangtown, Unadilla and Steel City Nationals. The KTM/FMF Motocross Fan Experience was sold out at three venues last year, so eneter soon.   

WITH EACH FAN EXPERIENCE TICKET THE HOLDER GETS…
    1. Race day admission pass.
    2. All-day pit access pass.
    3. Catered lunch.
    4. Access to KTM exclusive trackside seating area with Live Timing Screens.
    5. Special Autograph Signing with KTM Factory Riders.
    6. Post-race Track Walk with explanation of the various elements of the race track led by Red Bull/KTM Team Coordinator Casey Lytle.
    7. KTM/FMF event T-shirt.
    8. A package of this type typically runs for over a $200 value. KTM has partnered with MX Sports to subsidize the tickets for KTM fans and owners and will be offering tickets for only $90.00. A very limited amount of tickets are available per event. To order your tickets go www.ktmorangeevents.com.

NOW YOU CAN GET “MOTOCROSS ACTION” ON YOUR IPHONE OR IPAD

The new MXA App lets you download the latest issue of MXA right to your iphone or ipad. Its all the things you love about Motocross Action in a new digital format. The app saves the magazine on your mobile device so there is no waiting to load the next page and no lag time. This is also the cheapest way to subscribe ($8.99) or to buy a single issue ($2.99). Go to itunes.apple.com/us/app/motocross-action-magazine/id497706566?mt=8 and check out the newest way to read Motocross Action.

Jody says, “Don’t be foolish. Subscribe the old way and your copy of MXA will be entrusted to a federal official dressed in a blue uniform. Why take any chances when you can trust the post office.”

The Cyclone engines overhead-cams were driven by a unique vertical shaft with beveled-gear ends, and the cylinder-head had a hemispherical combustion chamber. The Cyclone engine produced 45 horsepower, and was capable of a 110 mph top speed. Although the Cyclone had a short-lived history, the motorcycle did receive notoriety on the board-track and dirt-track racing circuit. In 1914, the Cyclone broke the one-mile speed record, coming in at just over 35 seconds. Over the next few years the Cyclone won several races, earning it the nickname of the “speed demon.”

To make life easier, MXA has compiled a complete list of active AMA National numbers for 2012 (Up to the San Diego Supercross). We will update it with every event and add more names and numbers as young riders race enter the AMA circuit.