NOTHING’S WRITTEN IN STONE: WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER

Eli is the odds-on favorite to win the 2018 AMA 450 title, but you won’t hear him say that.

No one is brave enough in 2018 to say that someone is going to win the 2018 AMA National Championship after what happened to early 250 points leader Zach Osborne and last week to then-current points leader Jeremy Martin. The number of guys who are missing in action or riding injured is scary. If you miss a couple rounds with a hangnail, you are eliminated from the points chase—as proven by the 2018 Supercross series where only six riders scored points in all 17 rounds.

Marvin Musquin.

Right now, only eight 450 riders have scored points in every moto (and that is after only 10 of 24 motos). These 8 riders have avoided total disaster—which is why they hold down the top spots in the current 450 points standings heading to Southwick (10th in points is Jason Anderson, who only raced the Hangtown and Glen Helen rounds before getting hurt).

Justin Barcia.

Right now Eli Tomac has a 32-point lead over Marvin Musquin—that is equal to winning one moto and getting a 14th in another. That points lead would not be mathematically secure until the final moto of the year in Indiana (seven races from now). Tomac has a 58-point lead over third-place Justin Barcia, which means that he could miss one complete race and still have an 8-point lead over Bam Bam.

So, we can promise that Eli isn’t counting his chickens before they are hatched.

MXA PHOTO OF THE WEEK: WHAT THE PAST LOOKED LIKE

REM racers Randel Fout and Dan Alamangos wanted to see what motocross gear felt like in the 1980s. Randel borrowed Jody’s 1982 HRP H-Back pants (with the kidney belt built-in) and Jody’s 100% cotton jersey. While Dan got Dean Cates’ Team Tamm gear (with boot gaiters).

Randel and Dan raced one moto each, but switched back to their modern gear because they could not breathe in the old gear sizes.

What did they think after racing in 30-year-old gear? They couldn’t believe that the pants were size 32. They were very tight with almost no adjustment in the belt line. It turns out that a couple decades ago the fashion world changed their sizing by putting size 32 labels in size 34 pants. It made everyone from housewives to motocross racers feel better about themselves. These two racers can wear size 30 or size 32 modern gear, but barely fit into size 32 pants from the 1980s.

MXA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LEATT GPX 3.5 NECK BRACE

The Leatt GPX 3.5 is the lightest neck brace in the Leatt range thanks to its unique combination of in-molded EPS construction with a polyamide core. The GPX 3.5 weighs only 499 grams. It is CE-certified as Personal Protective Equipment and has a proven record of reducing neck forces, thereby lowering your chances of a serious neck injury by up to 47%. The Leatt neck brace has won 4 awards: Interbike, Eurobike, Design & Innovation, as well as Powersports Business “Nifty Fifty.” The retail price is $249.99 (adult sizes) and $199.99 (Junior). For more information go to www.leatt.com.

TAKE A LAP OF SATURDAY’S SOUTHWICK NATIONAL TRACK

2018 AMA NATIONAL WINNERS AT A GLANCE — AFTER 5 OF 12 ROUNDS

Jeremy Martin crashed at Muddy Creek and will miss the rest of the AMA 250 Nationals. He is the second points leader, after Zach Osborne, to be sidelined with injury.

Date           Venue                            450                         250
May 19……Hangtown, CA…………Eli Tomac………….Zach Osborne
May 26……Glen Helen, CA………..Eli Tomac…………Aaron Plessinger
June 2…….Thunder Valley, CO…Eli Tomac………….Jeremy Martin
June 16…..Mt Morris, PA………….Eli Tomac………….Aaron Plessinger
June 23.…Muddy Creek, TN…….Eli Tomac………….Shane McElrath
June 30.…Southwick, MA
July 7..…..Red Bud, MI
July 21.….Millville, MN​
July 28……Washougal, WA
Aug. 11…..Unadilla, NY​
Aug. 18…..Budds Creek, MD​
Aug. 25…..Crawfordsville, IN
450 Points leader…Eli Tomac (Kaw)
250 points leader…Aaeon Plessinger (Yam)

2018 GRAND PRIX WINNERS AT A GLANCE — AFTER 11 OF 20 ROUNDS

Jeffrey Herlings missed the second Italian round with a broken collarbone, but plans to be on the starting line for Indonesia #1 this weekend. There are 20 MXGP races, but not 20 different countries. Holland gets 2 races, Indonesia 2 and Italy 3

Date           Venue                         450                           250
Mar. 4……..Argentina…………..Jeffrey Herlings……….Pauls Jonass
Mar. 18……Holland #1………….Jeffrey Herlings……….Pauls Jonass
Mar. 25……Spain………………….Tony Cairoli…………….Pauls Jonass
Apr. 8………Italy #1………………Jeffrey Herlings……….Jorge Prado
Apr. 15…….Portugal…………….Jeffrey Herlings……….Jorge Prado
May 1………Russia……………….Clement Desalle……….Pauls Jonass
May 13…….Latvia………………..Jeffrey Herlings……….Thomas Kjer Olsen
May 20…….Germany……………Jeffrey Herlings……….Jorge Prado
June 3………England……………Jeffrey Herlings……….Pauls Jonass
June 10…….France……………..Jeffrey Herlings……….Jorge Prado
June 17…….Italy #2………….,,,,Tony Cairoli…………….Jorge Prado
July 1……….Indonesia #1
July 8……….Indonesia #2
July 22……..Czech Republic
Aug. 5………Belgium
Aug. 19…….Switzerland
Aug. 26…….Bulgaria
Sept. 2…….Turkey
Sept. 16……Holland #2
Sept. 30……Italy #3
450 Points leader…Jeffrey Herlings (KTM)
250 points leader…Pauls Jonass (KTM)

AMA NATIONAL POINTS STANDINGS AFTER 5 OF 12 ROUNDS

Aaron Plessinger gets the red plate back again. It has changed hands from Osborne to Plessinger to Martin and back to Plessinger.

CURRENT 2018 250 NATIONAL POINTS STANDING
(After 5 of 12 rounds)
1. Aaron Plessinger (Yam)…199
2. Jeremy Martin (Hon)…176
3. Alex Martin (KTM)…170
4. Justin Cooper (Yam)…158
5. Austin Forkner (Kaw)…143
6. Shane McElrath (KTM)…133
7. Jordon Smith (KTM)…133
8. R.J. Hampshire (Hon)…120
9. Chase Sexton (Hon)…118
10. Joey Sacatgy (Kaw)…112

It didn’t take Phil Nicoletti long to adjust to the Husqvarna FC450. Phil is filling in for everybody at Team Rockstar Husqvarna.

CURRENT 2018 450 NATIONAL POINTS STANDING
(After 5 of 12 rounds)
1. Eli Tomac (Kaw)…242
2. Marvin Musquin (KTM)…210
3. Justin Barcia (Yam)…184
4. Ken Roczen (Hon)…169
5. Blake Baggett (KTM)…164
6. Weston Peick (Suz)…148
7. Benny Bloss (KTM)…126
8. Phil Nicoletti (Suz/Hus)…118
9. Cody Cooper (Yam)…80
10. Jason Anderson (Hus)…73

MXA’S FIRST RIDE VIDEO: ALL-NEW 2019 KTM 350SXF

THE WAY WE WORE (1974): LACE-UP BOOTS & LEATHER PANTS

Honda was selling its Hondaline gear as far back as 1974. It included the classic Honda striped jersey in different colors, leather pants and both lace-up and seven-buckle leather boots.

BIRTHDAYS OF THE STARS: TRIPES 62, DUBACH 55, SKINNER 60, LARSSON 77 & MIKKOLA 73

June 29…Marty Tripes 1956
June 29…Fred Andrews 1965
June 29…Matt Rebeaud 1982

June 30…Doug Dubach 1963
June 30…Roy Janson

July 2…Randy Skinner 1958
July 3…Paul Carpenter 1981
July 3…Steve Stackable

July 4…Dean Ferris 1990
July 4…Billy Mackenzie 1984
July 4…Scott Champion 1989

July 5…Lars Larsson 1941
July 5…Kyle Cunningham 1989

July 6…Ricky Johnson 1964
July 6…Heikki Mikkola 1945

MXA MOTO-CHALLENGE: CAN YOU NAME THIS RIDER?

If you said “four-stroke” any time from 1965 to 1997, this rider would have been the first name mentioned. Can you name him? Answer at the bottom of the page

MXA’S FIRST RIDE VIDEO: ALL-NEW 2019 KTM 250SXF

MXA AD OF THE WEEK: THE 1980 YAMAHA YZ250 & IT’S FAMOUS RIDER

Bob Hannah was the focus of Yamaha’s new bike campaigns in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Here he’s featured in the “Mud, Sweat and Champagne” ad.

MOTOCROSS ACTION READER SURVEY: LET US KNOW WHO YOUR ARE

Make sure to take our detailed MXA Reader Survey so we can accommodate you better.

MXA’S FIRST RIDE VIDEO: ALL-NEW 2019 HUSQVARNA FC450

REM IS RACING AT GLEN HELEN ON JUNE 30

For more information go to www.remsatmx.com.

AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS ON JULY 6-8 AT THE MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR TRACK

For more information to go www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com

2018 MONTREAL SUPERCROSS ON SEPT. 15, 2018

For more information go to www.supercrossmtl.com

2018 MARSEILLE SUPERCROSS ON OCT 12-13

For more information go to www.supercrossinternationalmarseille.com

MXA’S FIRST RIDE VIDEO: ALL-NEW 2019 KAWASAKI KX450F

SUBSCRIBE TO MXA & GET A $25 CHAPARRAL GIFT CARD—YOU MAKE A PROFIT BY READING MXA

If you had subscribed the July 2018 issue of MXA would be in your mailbox, on your computer or in your phone already. It has a test of Zach Bell’s World Two-Stroke Championship TC250, Ricky Carmichael’s 1998 Pro Circuit KX125, MXA’s hopped-up KTM 250SX two-stroke, a shootout between the Pink Panthers and complete details on how to build a Chad Reed Replica Husqvarna FC450.

Do you subscribe to MXA? You should. We know that you think that print magazines are dead and that the internet will fill the void, but most of the stuff in the current issue of MXA won’t appear on the web for several months, if at all. Luckily, you can get all of MXA on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or Android by going to the Apple Store, Amazon or Google Play or in a digital version. Even better you can subscribe to Motocross Action and get a $25 Chaparral gift card to spend on whatever motorcycle parts or products you need. You can call (800) 767-0345 or www.hi-torque.com/product/motocross-action or click on the box at the bottom of this page.

JOIN MXA’S FACEBOOK GROUP CHAT OR GO TO OUR TWITTER PAGE

We love everything moto and want to bring all moto junkies together into one place to share their two cents, ideas, photos, bike fixes, bike problems and much more. To check it out first you must need to or already have a Facebook account. If you don’t, it isn’t much work and you could even have an alias so nobody knows it is you. You can go to MXA’s Facebook page by clicking here.

Follow us to see fresh content every day at www.twitter.com/MXAction or on twitter at “MXAction”.

SAVE THE DATE! AMA NATIONALS, MXGP & MUCH MORE

Eli Tomac is three for three or is that six for six.

2018 AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 19……………………Hangtown, CA
May 26.…………………..Glen Helen, CA
June 2..…………….…….Thunder Valley, CO
June 16..…………………Mt Morris, PA
June 23.………………….Muddy Creek, TN
June 30.………………….Southwick, MA
July 7..……………………​Red Bud, MI
July 21.…………………..Millville, MN​
July 28.…………………..Washougal, WA
Aug. 11..………………….Unadilla, NY​
Aug. 18..………………….Budds Creek, MD​
Aug. 25.…………………..Crawfordsville, IN

2018 125 TWO-STROKE ALL-STAR SERIES
May 19……………………….Hangtown, CA
June 2………………………..Thunder Valley, CO
June 16………………………Mt Morris, PA
June 30………………………Southwick, MA
July 28……………………….Washougal, WA.
Aug. 18………………………Budds Creek, MD
Aug. 25………………………Crawfordsville, IN (Finals)

2018 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar. 4……………………..Argentina
Mar. 18…………………….Holland 1
Mar. 25…………………….Spain
Apr. 8……………………….Italy 1
Apr. 15……………………..Portugal
May 1……………………….Russia
May 13……………………..Latvia
May 20…………………….Germany
June 3………………………England
June 10…………………….France
June 17…………………….Italy 2
July 1……………………….Indonesia 1
July 8……………………….Indonesia 2
July 22……………………..Czech Republic
Aug. 5………………………Belgium
Aug. 12……………………..Sweden (Canceled)
Aug. 19……………………..Switzerland
Aug. 26……………………..Bulgaria
Sept. 2……………………….Turkey
Sept. 16………………………Holland 2
Sept. 30………………………Italy 3

2018 MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS
Oct. 7………………………Red Bud, MI

2018 REM GLEN HELEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 13……………………Glen Helen, CA
Jan. 20……………………Glen Helen, CA
Jan. 27……………………Glen Helen, CA
Feb. 3……………………..Glen Helen, CA
Feb. 10…………………….Glen Helen, CA
Feb. 17…………………….Glen Helen, CA
Feb. 24…………………….Glen Helen, CA
Mar. 10…………………….Glen Helen, CA
Mar. 24…………………….Glen Helen, CA
April 7………………….…Spring Series #1
April 14……………….…..20th Anniversary #2
April 28……………….…..Spring Series #3
May 5………………….….Spring Series #4 (National track)
May 12……………………Spring Series #5
May 19……………………Spring Series #6
June 2…………………….Glen Helen, CA
June 16…………………..Glen Helen, CA
June 30…………………..Glen Helen, CA
July 14……………………Summer Series #1
July 21……………………Summer Series #2
July 28……………………Summer Series #3
Aug. 11……………………Summer Series #4
Aug. 25………..………….Summer Series #5
Sept. 1……………………Summer Series #6
Sept. 1…………………….Glen Helen, CA
Oct. 6……………………..Glen Helen, CA
Oct. 20……………………Glen Helen, CA
Oct. 27……………………Glen Helen, CA (National track)
Nov. 17……………………Glen Helen, CA
Dec. 1……………………..Glen Helen, CA
Dec. 15……………………Glen Helen, CA
Dec. 22……………………Glen Helen, CA
Dec. 29…………..………Glen Helen, CA

2018 WORLD OFFROAD CHAMPIONSHIP (WORCS)
Feb. 2-4…………………..……Las Vegas, NV
Feb. 23-25……………….……Phoenix, AZ
Mar. 23-24……………….……Lake Havasu, AZ
Apr. 20-22……………….……Hurricane, UT
May 25-27……………………Cedar City, UT
Sept. 14-16……………………Glen Helen, CA
Oct. 19-21………………….…Adelanto, CA
Nov. 9-11………………….…..Primm, NV

2018 AMA SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP
April 14………………………….Boise, ID
May 13………………………….Tucson, AZ
June 8…………………………..Austin, TX
June 9…………………………..Austin, TX
Aug. 3-5………………………..Quebec, CN
Sept. 8………………………….Sturgis, SD

2018 OLD SCHOOL SCRAMBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Feb. 11………………………Glen Helen, CA (canceled)
Mar. 24-25………………….Glen Helen, CA
June 17……………………..Glen Helen, CA
Aug. 19………………….…..Glen Helen, CA
Dec. 9………………………..Glen Helen, CA

2018 ENDUROCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Aug. 25………………………….Prescott, AZ
Sept. 15…………………………Costa Mesa, CA
Sept. 22…………………………Reno, NV
Oct. 20…………………………..Denver, CO
Oct. 27…………………………..Everett, WA
Nov. 3……………………………Boise, ID

2018 MAXXIS BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar.11…………………………..Lyng, England (canceled)
Apr. 1……………………………Culham, England
Apr. 22………………………….Canada Heights, England
May 6…………………………..Blaxhall, England
June 24………………………..Desertmartin, Ireland
July 29………………………….Duns, England
Aug. 12…………………………Hawkstone, England
Sept. 23………………………..TBA, England

2018 MICHELIN BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
April 8………………….…….Lyng, England
May 20……………..………Preston Docks, England
May 27…………….……….Hawkstone Park, England
July 1………….…..………..Sherwood, England
July 15………….…..………Canada Heights, England
Sept. 2…………….…..……Cusses Gorse, England

2018 DUTCH MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar.11…………………………..Markelo, Holland
Apr. 2……………………………Oldebrook, Holland
May 6…………………………..Mill, Holland
July 14-16…………………….Lichtenvoorde, Holland

2018 GERMAN ADAC MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr. 22………………………….Drehna, Germany
May 27………………………….Molln, Germany
June 24…………………………Bielstein, Germany
May 6……………………………Blaxhall, Germany
July 15………………………….Moggers, Germany
July 29………………………….Tensfeld, Germany
Aug. 26…………………………Teutschthal, Germany
Sept. 9…………………………..Gaildorf, Germany

2018 LORETTA LYNN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
July 30-Aug. 4…………………Hurricane Mills, TN

2018 MONSTER ENERGY CUP
Oct. 13………………………….Las Vegas, NV

2018 REM OCTOBERCROSS
Oct. 27……………………………Glen Helen, CA

2018 DUBYA WORLD VET CHAMPIONSHIP
Nov. 3-4…………………..…..Glen Helen, CA

2018 PARIS SUPERCROSS
Nov. 17-18………………………Paris, France

2018 THOR MINI OLYMPICS
Nov. 19-24…………………….Gainesville, FL

2018 DAY IN THE DIRT
Nov. 23-25………………………..Glen Helen, CA

RACES YOU MISSED! WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR (ALTHOUGH NOT FOR ARENACROSS)

Don’t worry! They’ll be back in January.

2018 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 6……………………..…Anaheim, CA
Jan. 13………………………Houston, TX
Jan. 20………………………Anaheim, CA
Jan. 27………………………Phoenix, AZ
Feb. 3……………………..…Oakland, CA
Feb. 10………………………San Diego, CA
Feb. 17………………………Arlington, TX
Feb. 24………………………Tampa, FL
Mar. 3……………………..…Atlanta, GA
Mar. 10………………………Daytona, FL
Mar. 17………………………St. Louis, MO
Mar. 24………………………Indianapolis, IN
Apr. 7……………………..…Seattle, WA
Apr. 14………………………Minneapolis, MN
Apr. 21………………………Foxborough, MA
Apr. 28………………………Salt Lake City, UT
May 5…………………….…Las Vegas, NV

2018 AMSOIL ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 6-7………………………….Dayton, OH
Jan. 13-14………………………Worcester, MA
Jan. 20-21……………………….Wilkes Barre, PA
Jan. 27-28………………………Greensboro, NC
Feb. 10-11………………………Madison, WI
Feb. 17-18………………………Florence, SC
Mar. 17-18………………………Denver, CO
Mar. 24-25………………………Nampa, ID
Apr. 7-8………………………….Wichita, KS
Apr. 21-22………………………Portland, OR
Apr. 28-29………………………Reno, NV
May 4-6…………………………Las Vegas, NV

2018 BRITISH ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 6…………………………..Manchester
Jan. 13………………………….Newcastle
Jan. 20…………………………Birmingham
Jan. 26-27…………………….Belfast
Feb. 10………………………….Sheffield
Feb. 17………………………….London

2018 HAWKSTONE INTERNATIONAL
Feb. 11………………………….Hawkstone, England

2018 RICKY CARMICHAEL AMATEUR SUPERCROSS
Mar. 11-12……………..…….Daytona, FL

2018 WORLD TWO-STROKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar. 31…………………..…..Glen Helen, CA  

2018 GLEN HELEN NATIONAL 250/OPEN TWO-STROKE INVITATIONAL
May 26.…………………..Glen Helen, CA

Photos: Jon Ortner, Debbi Tamietti, Jody Weisel, KTM, Kawasaki, Ray Archer, Daryl Ecklund, Spencer Owens, MXA, MXGP

Answer: BSA factory rider Jeff Smith.