MXA WEEKEND NEWS ROUND-UP: SEE IT, BE IT, DO IT

On Jul 9, 2017 Last updated Jul 14, 2017

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• NATIONAL POINTS: WHO’S WHO HEADING TO SOUTHWICK

Tomac and Baggett are banking on the “Big Mistake.”

AMA 450 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
(After 6 of 12 Rounds)
1. Eli Tomac…241
2. Blake Baggett…228
3. Jason Anderson…216
4. Marvin Musquin…201
5. Justin Bogle…163
6. Dean Wilson…163
7. Broc Tickle…146
8. Weston Peick…137
9. Josh Grant…133
10. Cole Seely…132

Mitchell Harrison is just barely in the top ten, but he made a big statement at Red Bud by leading the 250 field for a long time.

AMA 250 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
(After 6 of 12 Rounds)
1. Zach Osborne…254
2. Alex Martin…216
3. Jeremy Martin…209
4. Aaron Plessinger…190
5. Austin Forkner…184
6. Adam Cianciarulo…168
7. Joey Savatgy…165
8. Dylan Ferrandis…152
9. Mitchell Harrison…147
10. Colt Nichols…144

• 2017 AMA NATIONAL WINNERS

Alex Martin hasn’t won yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

Date Venue 450 250
May 20……Hangtown, CA……………Eli Tomac……………..Zach Osborne
May 27.……Glen Helen, CA………….Marvin Musquin……Zach Osborne
June 3..……Thunder Valley, CO……Blake Baggett………..Joey Savatgy
June 17..….Mt. Morris, PA…………..Blake Baggett………..Jeremy Martin
June 24.….Muddy Creek, TN……….Eli Tomac……………..Aaron Plessinger
July 1.…..…Red Bud, MI……………..Eli Tomac……………..Zach Osborne
July 8..……Southwick, MA
July 22.…..Millville, MN
July 29.…..Washougal, WA
Aug. 12..….Unadilla, NY
Aug. 19..….Budds Creek, MD
Aug. 26.….Crawfordsville, IN
450 Points leader...Blake Baggett (KTM)
250 Points leader…Zach Osborne (Hus)

• BROC TICKLE DISLOCATES SHOULDER — MAY RACE SOUTHWICK ANYWAY

Broc Tickle toughed it out at Red Bud for 7 points. Those points may be important by race 12.

According to the RCH Suzuki team, Broc Tickle crashed in time qualifying and again in the first moto at Red Bud. Tickle managed to finish the day with an 18-17 score. He thinks that he can race Southwick this weekend. He’s determined to finish out the National series.

• KEVIN STRIJBOS TO BE LET GO FROM SUZUKI MXGP TEAM

Stefan Everts wasn’t keeping it a secret.

Suzuki factory racer Kevin Strijbos has announced that he will not be returning to Team Suzuzki for the GP series in 2018. Strijbos has been injured a lot in 2017 and believes that’s the reason he did not get re-signed was because he could not show what he could do this season.

But, MXA did an interview with Stefan Everts a few months ago where he all but said that Kevin Strijbos was not in the future plans to Team Suzuki. Stefan said, “I inherited the team and the riders. With Kevin Strijbos, the goal was to change his mentality. It went great until the first race, and from then on he went back to his old system. I failed. I thought I could change some things, but I couldn’t. Kevin would put his expectations so high that even he said it was nuts. I have learned that it is tough to change the older guys! We want young riders because we can mold them.”

• HARLEY-DAVIDSON LOOKING TO BID ON BUYING DUCATI

According Reuters: Harley-Davidson is considering making a bid to buy rival Ducati from Volkswagen. The bid could be as high as $1.67 billion. Volkswagen’s labor unions control half the seats on its supervisory board, and they are opposed to selling the Italian company. And not surprisingly, the labor unions think it would be a crime to sell high-tech Ducati to Harley-Davidson. In 2016, Ducati sold 55,451 motorcycles. The U.S. is Ducati’s biggest market at 8787 units.

• AMERICAN TRISTAN CHARBONEAU WINS PORTUGUESE 250EMX RACE

• OLD SCHOOL VINTAGE SCRAMBLE ADDS MODERN BIKES TO PROGRAM

Press release: A PV Class has been added to the July 23rd program! Yep, that’s right…after careful consideration, and some talk with the staff, we’ve decided to take Gary Jones’ recommendation and add a “post-vintage class” to the mix (that means modern bikes). We are offering a Novice, Intermediate, Expert class breakdowns with a TT Scrambles Open class during our program. For more info click here.

• HUSQVARNA RE-SIGNS THOMAS KJER-OLSEN AND THOMAS COVINGTON

Thomas Covington is an American who has never raced an AMA National or Supercross.

Husqvarna gave Thomas Kjer-Olsen a three-year extension of his existing contract (until 2010) and Thomas Covington one more year (2018). 20-year-old Thomas Kjer-Olsen is currently third in the 250 World Championship series. The highlight of his season was an overall class victory in Latvia. Thomas Covington is sixth in the 250 class and won this year’s Mexican GP. 2018 will be Covington’s third year at Team Husky.

• KTM’S CHRIS FILLMORE SETS PIKES PEAK MOTORCYCLE RECORD

• WHAT TO DO ON A WEEKEND OFF — MXA STYLE

Glen Helen had lots of Subaru WRXs, but not that many bikes last Saturday. The MXA gang took the opportunity to have the track all to themselves.

Glen Helen was holding a rally car race last weekend and didn’t have any motocross races scheduled, but the MXA guys decided that they wanted to ride. Glen Helen’s John Allen told Jody that he was prepping the REM track if anyone wanted to come out and ride. Guess what? No one did, except the MXA guys. This lonely photo shows the MXA bikes parked in front of the totally empty REM track and pit. True to his word, John Allen ripped the track and if it hadn’t been for the small handful of riders, it would have all been a waste.

Here, Glen Helen’s John Allen showed up between riding session to water the track for the six guys there. It was just like a private rental, thanks to the hot temperatures and the rally race. It was the perfect day for a handful of riders.

• RIDE ALONG ON LAST WEEKEND’S AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TRACK

• 2017 GRAND PRIX WINNERS AT A GLANCE

Thomas Kjer Olsen won a GP in his first season and just signed a three-year deal to stay at Husky.

Date Venue 450 250
Feb. 25………..Qatar…………….Tony Cairoli…………..Pauls Jonass
Mar. 5…………Indonesia………Shaun Simpson………Jeremy Seewer
Mar. 19……….Argentina……….Tim Gajser…………….Pauls Jonass
Apr. 2…………Mexico……………Tim Gajser…………….Thomas Covington
Apr. 16………..Italy………………Tony Cairoli…………..Jorge Prado
Apr. 23……….Holland………….Gautier Paulin………..Pauls Jonass
May 7………….Latvia…………….Jeffrey Herlings……..Thomas Kjer Olsen
May 21……….Germany…………Tony Cairoli……………Jeremy Seewer
May 28……….France……………Clement Desalle………Pauls Jonass
June 11……….Russia……………Clement Desalle………Pauls Jonass
June 25……….Italy………………Tony Cairoli……………Jeremy Seewer
July 2…………Portugal………….Tony Cairoli……………Jeremy Seewer
July 23……….Czech Republic
Aug. 6…………Belgium
Aug. 13……….Switzerland
Aug. 20……….Sweden
Sept. 3………..USA
Sept. 10……….Holland
Sept. 17……….France
450 points leader…Tony Cairoli (KTM)
250 points leader…Pauls Jonass (KTM)

• GP POINTS STANDINGS: WHO’S WHO HEADING TO THE SUMMER BREAK

Tony Cairoli (center) keeps right on winning. Even he doesn’t believe it.

FIM 450 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
(After 12 of 19 Rounds)
1. Tony Cairoli…478
2. Clement Desalle…387
3. Gautier Paulin…383
4. Jeffrey Herlings…382
5. Tim Gajser…310
6. Romain Febvre…309
7. Max Nagl…289
8. Evgeny Bobryshev…267
9. Jeremy Van Horebeek…267
10. Arnaud Tonus…253

Jeremy Seewer (91) is winning 250 GPs. but he isn’t gaining any ground on Pauls Jonass.

FIM 250 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
(After 12 of 19 Rounds)
1. Pauls Jonass…501
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen…377
4. Benoit Paturel…363
5. Julien Lieber…355
6. Thomas Covington…303
7. Brian Bogers…241
8. Jorge Prado…233
9. Brent Van doninck…122
10. Hunter Lawrence…199

• 2017 TV SCHEDULE: SOUTHWICK AIRS ON JULY 8 & 9

Nobody trusts this TV schedule after last weekend. Just click though your TV channels and risk watching Women’s Golf.

• HOW TO SUBSCRIBE & GET MXA FOR FREE: ACTUALLY, WE PAY YOU

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. Better yet get the Digital desktop version at https://hi-torque.com/product/motocross-action-digital-edition/ for $9.99 a year.

The MXA test riders prefer the print version and not just because it is delivered by a uniformed employee of the U.S. Government, but because right now you can get 12 issues for $19.99 and a free $25 Gift Card from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. That means that there is a profit to be made in this deal for you. For the Print magazine go to: https://hi-torque.com/product/motocross-action/

• HOW IS YOUR TWITTER GAME GOING? UP IT BY FOLLOWING MXA

• THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAY BOYS: RJ 53, RHINESTONE COWBOY 63 & HEIKKI 72

July 6…Ricky Johnson 1964
July 6…Heikki Mikkola 1945
July 7…Jim Chester
July 7…Steven Clarke 1990

July 8…Brad Lackey 1953
July 8…Max Nagl 1987
July 10…Jim Rice 1945

July 11…Kent Howerton 1954
July 11…Todd DeHoop 1968
July 12…David Philippaerts 1983
July 12…Anthony Rodriguez 1995

July 12…Benoit Paturel 1994
July 13…Destry Abbott 1972
July 13…Adam Duckworth

• MXA MOTO-CHALLENGE: CAN YOU NAME THIS RIDER?

Can you name this rider? He was responsible for the “First American” title, because he defined who could be considered as an AMA National Champion. Answer at the bottom of the page.

• HRC FILL-IN RIDER ANTHONY RODRIQUEZ’S FILL-IN RIDE IS OVER

Venezulelan Anthony Rodriquez got a fill-in ride with Team Honda for two GPs. His first race in Italy was a disaster with a 16-16 day. His second race in Portugal went better, with a 10-8 for eighth overall. He’s on his way home now.

• KURT NICOLL’S CALIFORNIA MOTOCROSS VACATIONS

Kurt Nicoll.

Glen Helen, Lake Elsinore, Perris, Pala. The list of iconic Californian MX tracks goes on and on and from September 2016 you could ride them alongside an equally iconic English motocross star. Kurt Nicoll – four-time world 500cc runner-up, 1994 Motocross des Nations winner and two-time AMA Supermoto Champion will launched his own California ride holiday business this autumn. Kurt Nicoll’s Champion MX Vacations offers customers a complete package so all you need to do is fly in and ride a selection of fully-prepped new model machines. Based in Temecula, the home of American motocross, you’ll have access to California’s finest practice facilities and be located just a stone’s throw away from legendary industry big-hitters including Troy Lee Designs, Pro Circuit and FMF as well as all the factory Supercross teams. For more information and prices go to www.championmx.com.

SEE REM GLEN HELEN FROM THE AIR

• THE WAY WE WERE: THE WAY WE WORE

If you raced in the 1970s this is what you wore on your face. Everyone who was anyone chose Carerra goggles. These lightweight, minimalistic goggles dominated the sport. Carrera goggle were almost always paired with a Jofa mouth guard. Bent Aberg (shown avove) is also wearing a Hallman Flip Visor because he was cooler than the average cat.

• AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS ON JULY 7-9

For more info go to www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com

• REM GLEN HELEN HEATS UP THIS WEEKEND

You would think that weather forecasts for 105-degree temps would scare racers away, but for some reason REM racers show up when its hot. It is the great equalizer. For more info go to www.remsatmx.com.

• THE PARIS SUPERCROSS ON NOVEMBER 18-19

The 2017 Paris Supercross will move to the brand new U-Arena in the Paris business district. The U-Arena seats 24,000 spectators and has a larger floor area than Lille or Bercy. The 2017 Paris Supercross will be held on November 18-19, 2017.

• 2017 MOTOCROSS SCHEDULES: WHERE TO BE & WHEN TO BE THERE

The 2018 Supercross schedule has some surprises. There is two Anaheim events. Detroit, Toronto and New Jersey are gone. Houston, Boston, Atlanta and Tampa are back.

2018 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 6……………………..…Anaheim, CA
Jan. 13………………………Houston, TX
Jan. 20………………………Anaheim, CA
Jan. 27………………………Glendale, 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 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar. 4……………………….Argentina
Mar. 25……………………..Spain
Apr. 8………………………..Italy 1
Apr. 15………………………Holland 1
Apr. 29………………………Russia
May 13………………………Latvia
May 20………………………Germany
June 3……………………….England
June 10……………………..France
June 24……………………..Italy 2
July 8………………………..Indonesia
July 22………………………Czech Republic
Aug. 5……………………….Belgium
Aug. 12……………………..Switzerland
Aug. 19……………………..Sweden
Sept. 2………………………USA
Sept. 9………………………Mexico
Sept. 23…………………….Holland 2
Sept. 30…………………….Italy 3

2018 MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS
Oct. 7………………………USA

2017 AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 20……………………Hangtown, CA
May 27.…………………..Glen Helen, CA
June 3..………………….Thunder Valley, CO
June 17..…………………Mt Morris, PA
June 24.………………….Muddy Creek, TN
July 1.…………………….Red Bud, MI
July 8..……………………Southwick, MA
July 22.…………………..Millville, MN
July 29.…………………..Washougal, WA
Aug. 12..………………….Unadilla, NY
Aug. 19..………………….Budds Creek, MD
Aug. 26.…………………..Crawfordsville, IN

2017 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Feb. 25…………………….Qatar (Saturday)
Mar. 5………………………Indonesia
Mar. 19…………………….Argentina
Apr. 2………………………Mexico
Apr. 16……………………..Italy
Apr. 23…………………….Holland
May 7………………………Latvia
May 21…………………….Germany
May 28…………………….France
June 11…………………….Russia
June 25……………………Italy
July 2……………………….Portugal
July 23……………………..Czech Republic
Aug. 6……………………..Belgium
Aug. 13…………………….Switzerland
Aug. 20…………………….Sweden
Sept. 3……………………..Gainesville, FL
Sept. 10……………………Holland
Sept. 17…………………….France

2017 MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS
Oct. 1………………………Matterley Basin, Great Britain

2017 AMA LORETTA LYNN AMATEUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
July 31-Aug. 5……..……Hurricane Mills, TN

RED BULL STRAIGHT RHYTHM IV
Oct. 21………………….….Pomona, CA

2017 WOMEN’S MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar. 13…………………….Daytona Beach, FL
Mar. 25……………………Wortham, TX
Apr. 9………………………San Diego, CA
May 5………………………Las Vegas, NV
May 18-19………………..Hangtown, CA
June 2…………………….Thunder Valley, CO
June 16……………………Mt. Morris, PA
Aug. 5……………………..Hurricane Mills, TN

2017 WORLD OFF ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP (WORCS)
Jan. 6-8…………………….Taft, CA
Jan. 27-29…………………Primm, NV
Feb. 17-19………………….Taft, CA
Mar. 10-12…………………Lake Havasu, AZ
Apr. 1-2…………………….Las Vegas, NV
Apr. 21-23…………………Hurricane, UT
May. 19-21…………………Cedar City, UT
Jun. 16-17…………………Glen Helen, CA
Sept. 8-10…………………Glen Helen, CA
Oct. 6-8…………………….Adelanta, CA

2017 MAXXIS BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr. 9………………………Lyng
Apr. 30…………………….Canada Heights
May 14……………………Hawkstone Park
June 18……………………Desertmartin
July 9………………………Sherwood
July 16…………………….Blaxhall
July 30…………………….Preston Docks
Aug 27……………………..Foxhill

2017 BELGIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar. 12……………………Moerbeke-Waas
Mar. 26……………………Kruishoutem
Apr. 2……………………..Genk
Apr 10…………………….Mons
Apr. 18……………………Axel
Apr. 30……………………Wuustwezel
June 11…………………..Comines
June 18………………….Genk
July 22……………………Axel
July 23…………………..Hasselt
July 30…………………..Gooik
Aug. 15…………………..Balen
Aug. 20………………….Wachtebeke
Aug. 27………………….Orp le Grand

2017 CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
June 4……………………Whispering Pines, BC
June 11………………….Blackwater, BC
June 18………………….Wild Rose, AB
June 25………………….Moto Valley, SK
July 9…………………….Gopher Dunes, ON
July 16…………………..Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil, QC
July 23…………………..Pleasant Valley, NS
July 30…………………..Riverglade, NB
Aug. 6…………………….Deschambault, QC
Aug. 13……………….….RJ Motosport, ON

2017 DUTCH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar. 26…………………..Oss
Apr. 9th…………………..Harfsen
May 14……………………Emmen
July 15-16……………….Lichtenvoorde

2017 ADAC GERMAN MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr. 9……………………….Muhlberg
Apr. 30…………………….Jauer
May 14…………………….Molln
June 18……………………Bielstein
July 16…………………….Tensfeld
Aug. 27……………………Gaildorf
Sept. 24…………………..Holzgerlingen

2017 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
April 2……………………..Wonthaggi, Victoria
April 23…………………..Appin, New South Wales
May 7……………………..Connondale, Queensland
May 21……………………Horsham, Victoria
May 28……………………Murray Bridge, South Australia
July 2……………………..Nowra, New South Wales
July 16……………………Shepparton, Victoria
July 30……………………Port Macquarie, New South Wales
Aug. 13…………………..Toowooba, Queensland
Aug. 20……………………Coolum, Queensland

2017 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Sept. 9…………………..Queensland
Sept. 23…………………Queensland
Oct. 14…………………..TBA
Oct. 26…………………..South Australia
Nov. 4…………………….Victoria
Nov. 11-12……………..New South Wales

2017 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 7…………………………Anaheim, CA
Jan. 14………………………San Diego, CA
Jan. 21………………………Anaheim, CA
Jan. 28………………………Glendale, AZ
Feb. 4……………………….Oakland, CA
Feb. 11………………………Arlington, TX
Feb. 18………………………Minneapolis, MN
Feb. 25………………………Atlanta, GA
Mar. 4………………………Toronto, ON
Mar. 11………………………Daytona, FL
Mar. 18………………………Indianapolis, IN
Mar. 25………………………Detroit, MI
Apr. 1…………………………St. Louis, MO
Apr. 8………………………..Seattle, WA
Apr. 22……………………….Salt Lake City, UT
Apr. 29……………………….New York, NY
May 6………………………….Las Vegas, NV

2017 AMSOIL ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 7-8…………………….Cincinnati, OH
Jan. 13-15…………………Grand Rapids, MI
Jan. 20-22…………………Baltimore, MD
Jan. 28-29…………………Nashville, TN.
Feb. 4-5…………………….Louisville, KY
Feb. 18-19…………………Kansas City, MO
Feb.y 25-26……………….Tampa, FL
Mar. 3-5…………………….Southaven, MS
Mar. 11-12…………………New Orleans, LA
Mar. 18-19…………………Portland, OR
Mar. 24-26…………………Reno, NV
April 1-2…………………….Sacramento, CA
April 21-23…………………Denver, CO
May 5-7…………………….Las Vegas, NV

2017 ITALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 29…………..………..Riola Sardo
Feb. 5………………………Malagrotta
Feb.12………………..……Ottobiano

RICKY CARMICHAEL AMATEUR DAYTONA SUPERCROSS
Mar. 12-13…………….Daytona, FL

MTA WORLD TWO-STROKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr. 15…………………..Glen Helen, CA

2017 TRAVIS PASTRANA’S NITRO WORLD GAMES
June 24……………….Salt Lake City, UT

• MOTO-CHALLENGE ANSWER

When Pierre Karsmakers came from Holland and won the 1973 AMA 500 National Championship, the AMA wrote a rule saying that a foreign rider had to live in the USA for two years before they were eligible to win the National Championship. The rule was later rescinded.

Photos by Daryl Ecklund, Massimo Zanzani, Kyoshi Becker, Scott Mallonee, MXA, Husqvarna, Jody Weisel, Dan Alamangos, Debbi Tamietti, Mark Chilson