WHAT YOU MISSED WEDNESDAY AT GLEN HELEN: MXA RIDE DAY PHOTO GALLERY

Former British Grand Prix racer Rob Andrews didn’t check his emails quick enough and made it to the track just in time for lunch. Rob borrowed Josh Mosiman’s gear and MXA’s 2020 KTM 450SXF to do some laps. He liked it so much that  after his first session that he went straight back out for a second chance to ride in the warm 85-degree weather. It was a little colder in London.

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI

Every year at the end of the racing season, MXA hosts an invitation-only Ride Day at Glen Helen Raceway. This year the MXA Ride Day was scheduled just three days after the World Vet Championship and gave invitees a chance to ride on the same track at the Pros race on. We did shorten the track to get the lap time back under 3 minutes, and since Glen Helen prepped it for us on Tuesday it wasn’t as rough as when 1500 riders hammered it on Saturday and Sunday.

Jody Weisel (left), Ryder Holland (center) and Hoosier tires’ Rusty Holland (right) pose for a photo while the track was being watered. Former AMA Pro Rusty Holland was one of many riders who brought their kids with them to share a little moto-bonding.

The MXA Ride Day (in conjunction with Dirt Bike Magazine) is just a chance for the MXA test riders to gather with their friends in the motocross industry. It is a private track day with a small crowd of those in the industry who want to ride, MXA does its best to make sure everyone has a good time—from the track layout, to the pits, to MXA test bikes to ride, to the free lunch, it is a casual laid-back day.

Ryder Holland at speed.

We want to thank Glen Helen for their graciousness in working so hard to make our Ride Day a success and to everyone who came out to have a good time. This is a special day for us…and we hope it was a fun day for the select few that got to come out and enjoy it.

The Hoosier tire pit was a busy place.

REM Motocross race promoter Frank Thomason never gets to race at his own events, so he jumped at the chance to come to Glen Helen on the Wednesday after the World Vet Motocross Championship to test out his new knee.

These four Thor guys never got a chance to ride. They just stood there all day.

Former AMA Pros Daryl Ecklund and Josh Mosiman are a big part of the MXA gang.

Justin Hoeft.

KTM’s David O’Connor (30) was busy in the KTM pits, helping any KTM owner who had a  question, but when the questions stopped he was on the track. His bike is closer to a factory bike than any privateer could ever get.

The Answer crew came to ride.

Lots of riders used the MXA Ride day as an opportunity to test their suspension—since entry was limited to invitation only.

Last weekend Dan Alamangos was on the Australian World Cup team at the World Vet (on both Saturday and Sunday). Tuesday he helped Jody prep 10 bikes for the Ride Day and Wednesday he was out getting them dirty again.

Honda’s Jason Abbott (left) doesn’t live far from Glen Helen, so he came over get some riding in and help any Honda rider who needed it. Here, Jason gives Trevor Stewart some riding advice.

Obviously, Trevor Stewart doesn’t need any advice.

Frank and Myra Thomason have been holding races at Glen Helen for over 25 years. They are at Glen Helen over 30 weekends a year. Maui would like the wide open spaces—if only Myra would let go of the leash.

As motocross dads are prone to do, Jamie Mitchell (815) latched on to the rear fender of son Enzo Mitchell (199) to make sure that Enzo was doing everything right.

Only when he was sure that Enzo could handle it, did Jamie pick up the pace.

FMF never misses the once-a-year MXA Ride Day.

When the task at hand is a fun day of riding, Val Tamietti breaks out his Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke. When it’s serious race business he’s on his KTM 350SXF.

Mark Chilson has been working on his CR250 for years and he finally finished it this weekend. Mark showed up to ride it for the first time, but instead he gave it to MXA for the first ride. Nice guy.

MXA photographer Debbi Tamietti (center) poses with MXA’s Daryl Ecklund (left) and Josh Mosiman. The MXA gang showed up two hours early to do a photo shoot, set-up the MXA pit and get the bikes ready to ride.

MXA brought out twelve 2020 motocross bikes and one fuel-injected 300cc Husqvarna TX300i cross-country bike for their guests to tryout. This is the most bikes that were ever in MXA’s pit all day long, because the rest were on the track. Most of the time it was just 12 empty bike stands.

Ralf Schmidt, the USA TM importer, couldn’t resist throwing a leg over the 2020 Husqvarna TX300i. He also couldn’t resist the KTM 450SXF, Kawasaki KX450, Honda CRF250, Husqvarna FC350, KTM 350SXF and KX250. In fact, Ralf was so busy testing the wares of his competition that he never got a chance to ride his 2020 TM MX300.

Daryl Ecklund didn’t waste time riding any other bikes than the two he was analyzing for an MXA bike test. Even when one of the bikes blew a head gasket, Daryl waited while it was fixed so he could keep riding.

Daryl on the second 500cc two-stroke. Three MXA test riders spent the day comparing the big-bore two-strokes.

Ezra Lewis (shown) and Josh Mosiman switched off with Daryl. One look at the exhaust pipe tells you all you need to know about these bike.

In his spare time, when he isn’t prepping for the Supercross season or working for Suzuki, R.J. Wageman has his own beef jerky company. You can find out more at www.rjerky.com.

EVS brought out a sampling of their knee braces and protective gear and were happy to show people all the features—whenever they weren’t on the Glen Helen racetrack.

Dane Rouse blasts a downhil berm.

Brent Rouse searches for traction at the top of a crest.

Brent Rouse under the Bolt Hardware tent. They make complete bolt kits for virtually any bike made—including vintage bolts. Check them out at www.boltmx.com.

 

MXA had lunch for everyone in attendance. Popular SoCal hamburger restaurant chain “The Habit Burger Grill” sent out their truck to feed everyone.

The Glen Helen Museum, where Mitch Payton received his “Edison Dye Lifetime Achievement Award” on Sunday, was turned into a restaurant on Wednesday.

We love Ashley Jung at Alpinestars, but when we stopped by their display, she was out helping a rider get his left boot off of his right foot.

Josh Fout lives in Big Bear, high up in the 8000-foot mountains in the background, he loves to race REM motocross, endurocross, hard enduros, Last Dog Standing, SRA GPs and King of the Hammers. Josh helps keep MXA’s fleet in working order.

Bones Bacon and Debbi Tamietti strike a pose (one thing for sure, Debbi didn’t shoot this photo, but she shot all the ones that she isn’t in).

Rich Stuelke puts a little muscle into riding his KTM 450SXF.

Rob Andrews, ARC Lever’s Bob Barnett and Aussie Dan Alamangos take a break from talking about the intricate dynamics of a clutch lever.

Connor Styers is a Glen Helen local.

HPC Electricbikes brought out a bevy of different electric bikes for people to try. Derek Hunt and Chad Lloyd are the men behind Hi-Power Cycles (HPC).

MXA’s Pat Carrigan with R.J. Wageman and Connor Styers.