FMX FINAL QUALIFIERS SET FOR NITRO WORLD GAMES

Courtesy of Nitro World Games


Six Riders Advance to the FMX Qualifying Event, In Addition To One Newly Announced Wildcard, Joining 10 Athletes Invited Directly to the Final Qualifiers Taking Place July 15 at Rice-Eccles Stadium

LOS ANGELES, CA (Wednesday – June 29, 2016) –Following the announcement of the Top 10 list of athletes invited directly to the Nitro World Games FMX Final Qualifiers, six more riders have now punched their tickets to the next round of the highly anticipated competition during a pre-qualifier event held in Southern California. Also just announced, one additional rider will now join the field as a wildcard.

FMX Pre-Qualifiers Video Highlights

Just as FMX has gone global, the Nitro World Games FMX lineup includes athletes from across the planet. Javier Villegas, born in Santiago, Chile and the first non-European rider to win the FIM FMX World Championship, topped the leader board during pre-qualifiers. Villegas has toured worldwide, including with Nitro Circus on its current North American trek, but is now looking to step up to the next level in major competition. Christian Meyer, who came in second, is an up-and-comer from Spain (first place in the 2015 X Pilots FMX Tour; 2014 Spanish FMX Championship winner). Meyer also trains at a second home in Argentina. Alastair Sayer – an X Games medalist who started riding in the Kalahari Desert in his native Botswana before his sixth birthday and has raced on the South African circuit - claimed third. Australia’s Jarryd McNeil, took fourth. McNeil, with three X Games gold medals to his credit (including two golds this year) now wants to show the world the full extent of his skills. Center of Gravity winner Kyle Demelo from Canada and Metal Mulisha member Cal Vallone from the U.S. round out the qualifiers. These six will join a hand picked Top 10 list of riders, chosen by an independent panel of industry leaders and former athletes, in the next phase of the competition.

Joining the pre-selected invitees and pre-qualifiers as a wildcard selection is veteran rider Steve Mini (Australia). These 17 athletes will clash at Rice-Eccles Stadium on July 15 - the day before the Nitro World Games. Only the eight highest scoring riders will advance to the inaugural Nitro World Games event on July 16. A full list of FMX riders is below. Stay tuned for the announcement of competitors for FMX Best Trick.

FMX FINAL QUALIFIERS


Coming to Salt Lake City, Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, July 16 and airing in primetime in the U.S. on NBC, the Nitro World Games will feature the best in extreme and action sports’ most exciting disciplines including FMX, BMX, skate, scooter and inline.

Nitro Circus, Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert and the Utah Sports Commission rocked the sports world in December 2015 when they unveiled the inaugural Nitro World Games. Created by Michael Porra and Travis Pastrana, the Nitro World Games will feature new formats and never before seen tricks. Each competition will be a final round with everything on the line, creating intensity on the track, energy in the stadium and must-see action for both digital and television viewers.

Nitro World Games is the next phase of Nitro Circus’ multi-year partnership with NBC Sports Ventures. NBC Sports will present three hours of coverage airing in primetime in the U.S. on NBC. For fans outside of the U.S. and Canada, more TV broadcast details will be announced soon (NBCUniversal International Distribution is handling the international linear and digital sales for Nitro World Games). In addition to NBC’s televised coverage, fans outside the U.S. can also watch the July 16 final on Nitro Circus’ worldwide webcast.   

The Nitro World Games is also a marquee destination event. Fans who want to experience the excitement in person can purchase tickets to the July 16 final. The Nitro Club VIP package is the next best thing to an all access pass at $79 per person (plus applicable service fees). These exclusive passes include the best seats in the house as well as a pre-event track walk. Nitro Club pass holders will also receive a souvenir lanyard.

For new updates, athlete qualification announcements and more about the #NitroWorldGames go to nitroworldgames.com. Fans can also follow Nitro Circus on Twitter: @nitrocircus and Facebook: www.facebook.com/NitroCircus   
About Nitro Circus:
Named #22 on Forbes magazine’s 2015 list of, “America’s Most Promising Companies,” Nitro Circus continues to position itself as the world’s leading youth action sports & entertainment brand. From humble beginnings in 2003 – with Jeremy Rawle, Gregg Godfrey and soon to be action sports superstar Travis Pastrana producing DVDs from a Utah garage -- to a smash TV series which has aired in over 60 countries, Nitro Circus has exploded to global popularity. In 2012, Nitro Circus: The Movie, featuring cast members from the hit television series, was released in cinemas worldwide. In 2015, Nitro Circus announced a partnership with NBC Sports Ventures.  The multi-year strategic alliance will feature TV specials and series programming airing nationally in the U.S. on NBC and NBCSN as well as streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra.

The TV show was transformed by action sports industry guru, now current CEO, Michael Porra into a must-see live event in 2010, creating the global touring phenomenon that is Nitro Circus Live. Since its inaugural Australian trek six years ago, the show has travelled the globe, obliterating box office records and cultivating a legion of diehard fans. Nitro Circus has now rolled across five continents, blown away over two million fans and sold out shows in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, China, Japan, the Middle East and South Africa. After close to 100 shows globally in 2015 and with a packed 2016 touring schedule ahead, Nitro Circus is the world’s most successful action sports touring brand.

About the Utah Sports Commission:
The Utah Sports Commission is a not-for-profit, 501c3 charitable organization created to foster national and international amateur sports competitions to be held in the state of Utah, which will enhance the quality of life of all Utah citizens and strengthen Utah's presence in the worldwide sports community.

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Roczen and Tickle Score Podiums for RCH at 2016 Tennessee National

Courtesy of RCH Racing

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (June 27, 2016) – It was a hot, sticky afternoon where temps hovered close to 90 degrees. For some, Saturday afternoon at Muddy Creek Raceway may have been a little uncomfortable. For RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing, it was perfect. For the second week in a row and the fourth time in five races, Ken Roczen, rider of RCH’s No. 94 Suzuki RM-Z450, turned in a perfect 1-1 performance, winning both motos at the ultra-fast northeast Tennessee course. At the same time, the 22-year-old German rider notched his fourth overall win of the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and 11th of his career. Roczen continues to lead the field in the title chase where he holds a commanding 47-point advantage over his next closest competitor Eli Tomac.

“I feel like I rode good and obviously Eli (Tomac) crushed it today,” explained Roczen who was able to outlast his closest rival by just under two seconds in the day’s second moto. “For me it doesn’t matter if I win by 20 seconds or a half-second. A win is a win for me. Even though he’s been fighting hard, I was able to keep him behind me. That’s really all I care about and all that matters. We’re safe so I would say it was another awesome weekend for me, obviously going 1-1. I’m just as happy as I was at previous races where I had a bigger gap (of victory). It doesn’t really matter to me.”

While Roczen won by nearly six seconds over Tomac in the first moto, the rider of the No. 3 Kawasaki was determined not to let the 2014 series’ champion score an easy win in the second.

“With him (Tomac) being behind me, obviously I knew he was going to be strong,” Roczen continued. “He was pushing really hard and I was pushing really hard and we were going for it pretty much the whole moto. The track layout wasn’t really my thing and I feel like I should have ridden better. I think I could have found better lines that would have made it easier on me but being the leader, its kind of tough. You take one wrong line and the guy behind you is catching right up, but it’s all good.”

Roczen’s RCH teammate Broc Tickle turned in his best performance of the year and most formidable overall showing dating back to 2012. The Holly, Mich., rider finished sixth in the day’s first moto, won the holeshot in the second and went on the finish third to secure his place on the podium at day’s end. The third=place overall effort powered Tickle from 12th all the way to seventh in points where he’s now just four out of sixth.

“Obviously, I’ve been working hard and I haven’t had an overall podium since 2012 so it’s been a long time coming,” offered Tickle following the event. “The class is stacked right now so I can’t take anything away from anyone else. I felt awesome. I feel like I’ve been gaining momentum since I came back from being hurt during Supercross. It seems like when I get hurt, I get more motivated to come back and be better. Obviously, it’s not good to get hurt but I feel like I’ve finally gained that momentum I need. We need to finish the season strong and see what we can do. I just want to keep gaining momentum and see what I can do.”

“It was awesome. I haven’t ripped a holeshot and led a lap since Supercross 2011 so it felt awesome. It gave me a lot of confidence and made me feel like I can do this every weekend. I feel like I just have to keep doing what I’m doing to make that happen.”

RCH team manager Kyle Bentley was quick to credit his riders following the team’s best collective overall finish to date but also offered high praise to the unsung individuals who work behind the scenes.

“It was a great day for RCH and the boys,” said Bentley. “It’s always gratifying to get a win but to have (Broc) Tickle get a third overall … it’s one of those things that the people who put in countless hours and endless days, weeks, months, even years, to have a day like this is something special. We’re going to take some time and enjoy this one.”

The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship makes its annual Independence Day visit to Redbud this Saturday for the series traditional Fourth of July Weekend race in Buchanan, Mich. The race will serve as a home game, of sorts, for RCH sponsor Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort. Located a little over three hours north of Redbud in Mount Pleasant, Mich., Soaring Eagle is a Four-Diamond casino and resort featuring luxurious rooms, indulgent dining, thrilling games, superstar entertainment, natural ambiance and breathtaking views.

The first moto from Round 6 of the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship from the Redbud National will be televised live on MAVTV Sat., July 2 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 10 a.m. Pacific. Television coverage for the second moto will shift to NBCSN at 3 p.m. EDT, noon Pacific. All motos can also be streamed live online through ProMotocross.com or the NBC Sports Live Extra app. More than 60 hours of coverage will be featured on NBC, NBCSN, and MAVTV throughout the 12-round championship, highlighted by nearly 40 hours of LIVE coverage and three hour-long showcases on network television via NBC.

 

 

About RCH Racing …
RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing is a professional Monster Energy Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross team co-owned by 15-time AMA Champion Ricky Carmichael and Freestyle Motocross visionary and entrepreneur Carey Hart. RCH enjoys factory support from Suzuki as well as marketing partnerships with Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort, Jimmy John’s and Bel-Ray. Stay up to date on all the latest RCH Racing news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @RCHRacing.
Follow RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing, Ken Roczen and Broc Tickle at:

facebook.com/RCHRacing
twitter.com/RCHracing
instagram.com/rchracing
facebook.com/KenRoczen94
twitter.com/KenRoczen94
instagram.com/kenroczen94
broctickle.com
facebook.com/BrocTickle20
twitter.com/Broctickle
instagram.com/broctickle

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THOMAS COVINGTON CLAIMS FOURTH OVERALL IN MANTOVA

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles

Showing impressive speed around the sandy Mantova track, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MX2 rider Thomas Covington ended round 12 of the Motocross World Championship with a season best fourth place overall result at the GP of Lombardia in Italy.

Battling through the near 40-degree heat the young American kicked off Sunday’s final races with a convincing holeshot in MX2’s opening moto. Leading the field for the first two laps, Thomas went on to secure his best race result from the season finishing moto one in fourth place.

Not getting such a good start in moto two Covington powered his way from 14th at the end of lap one to an eventual fifth at the chequered flag. Collecting 34 championship points from both motos he missed out on his first overall podium result of the season by just one-point.

For Covington’s MXGP teammate Max Nagl a series of mistakes in moto two frustratingly prevented the German from hunting for his sixth podium result of the season.

Despite not getting a perfect jump out of the gate in the opening moto Nagl emerged second out of the first corner. Following race leader Tim Gajser for the greatest part of the race he lost two positions in the last four laps to finish fourth. Getting a bad start in moto two he was forced to push hard, suffering three small crashes. He crossed the line in 16th for 10th overall at the GP of Lombardia.

Once again showing he has the speed to battle for the top 10 in MXGP, Nagl’s teammate Christophe Charlier was unable to get the starts that he wanted in either of the two motos. The Frenchman wrapped up the weekend with 14/12 results for 12th overall.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MX2 rider Max Anstie enjoyed a GP of mixed fortunes. The young Brit put in a strong moto one performance to cross the finish line in fifth place. Hitting the gate and loosing a lot of time at the start of moto two, he later saw another rider crash in front of him and was forced to abandon his race.

Continuing his strong form in his first season racing the MX2 class of the Motocross World Championship, Conrad Mewse earned his second consecutive top 10 overall result at the GP of Lombardia. Finishing 16th in moto one the 16-year-old Brit came back stronger to wrap up the weekend with ninth in MX2 moto two.

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team will now take a short break before returning to action at round 13 of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Loket, the Czech Republic on July 23/24.

Thomas Covington: “We had a great GP here in Mantova. On Saturday I struggled a little bit. The track was rough and difficult and I couldn’t find a good rhythm. We spoke a lot with my team manager on Saturday night and along with our WP engineer we made a lot of changes in our suspension set-up. I felt better straight away on Sunday. In the first moto I got a big holeshot and rode in front for a few laps before eventually falling back in fourth. Then in the second moto there was a problem with the gate. I think I was 15th in the first lap and had to battle my way to fifth place. I missed the overall podium by one-point and it’s a bit of a bummer but I’m really happy with how I raced. I’m getting better every weekend and I think the top five in MX2 is where I belong.”

Max Nagl: “The weekend started well for us. I got a good start in qualifying and raced to third position. On Sunday I think it was close to 40 degrees and that made it really difficult to retain a good race pace. I didn’t get a good start in the first race but somehow I managed to be second in the first turn. I did my best and closely followed Tim Gajser for the first 22 minutes of the race, but then I felt the heat getting on me. I finished fourth which wasn’t so bad. In the second moto I had a bad start so I started riding aggressively. Unfortunately I had three small crashes during the race and ended up finishing 16th. It was a disappointing result for the team and me as we could have been on the podium again. I’m still fourth in the championship standings but I think a third or even a second position is within my reach. We’ll keep on working with that goal in our minds.”

Christophe Charlier: “We really struggled with the heat during the whole weekend. In the qualifying race I crashed right after the start so couldn’t do anything better than 19th. Then in the final races I had bad starts in both motos and that made my job a lot harder. Once again I showed I have the speed to battle for the top in my class but unfortunately without getting good starts it’s impossible to make it happen. We now have a small break in the series. My plan for the following GPs is to continue battling for the top 10 in my class. If my starts are good, I know I can do even better than that.“

Max Anstie: “My riding was good this weekend. I had a good pace from the start of the GP but crashed in the qualifying race. My starting position for the final races wasn’t ideal but I still felt good on the track. In the first race I made a good start inside the top six but went on to make a couple of mistakes. I finished fifth but I know it could have been much better. For the second race I was motivated to go again and do well. On the start the gate went a little bit down before hitting the ground so I hit it. It took me some time to get going and I was in the middle of everyone. Then someone crashed in front of me and hit my leg with his bike. I was in 24th at that time and felt pain in my leg so I decided to pull out. Luckily I’m fine now and motivated to get back to work for better results in the next rounds.”

Conrad Mewse: “I struggled a lot with the conditions this weekend but still I’m happy I got away with another top 10 result in my class. The heat got to me and I wasn’t really used to it. I got an OK gate pick finishing 20th in qualifying. In the first race I didn’t take a very good start and struggled a lot to come back so I finished 16th. Then in the second race I actually got a much better start and I finished ninth. It was a very difficult race and I was very tired after the second moto. It’s really nice to get another top 10 result and hopefully we can go on from here and look for even better results.”

Results – FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 12

MXGP Overall
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 50pts; 2. Gautier Paulin (Honda) 42pts; 3. Clement Desalle (Kawasaki) 40pts… 10. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 23pts… 12. Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) 16pts… 15. Jake Nicholls (Husqvarna) 12pts… 22. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 2pts… 30. Marco Maddii (Husqvarna) 0pts

MXGP Race 1
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 35:01.739; 2. Clement Desalle (Kawasaki) 35:06.199; 3. Gautier Paulin (Honda) 35:09.162; 4. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 35:12.886… 13. Jake Nicholls (Husqvarna) 36:08.141; 14. Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) 36:22.841… 28. Marco Maddii (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 36:01.549

MXGP Race 2
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 35:17.922; 2. Gautier Paulin (Honda) 35:27.466; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:35.402… 12. Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) 36:27.805… 16. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 36:38.988; 17. Jake Nicholls (Husqvarna) 36:41.363… 19. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 37:02.401… 29. Marco Maddii (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 36:14.473

MX2 Overall
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 50pts; 2. Brian Bogers (KTM) 42pts; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (Kawasaki) 35pts; 4. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 34pts… 10. Conrad Mewse (Husqvarna) 17pts; 11. Max Anstie (Husqvarna) 16pts… 18. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 7pts… 27. Nicholas Lapucci (Husqvarna) 1pt

MX2 Race 1
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 17 laps, 34:51.899; 2. Brian Bogers (KTM) 35:21.575; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (Kawasaki) 35:27.048; 4. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 35:29.223; 5. Max Anstie (Husqvarna) 35:40.310… 16. Conrad Mewse (Husqvarna) 36:24.092… 20. Nicholas Lapucci (Husqvarna) 36:53.539… 24. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:06.790

MX2 Race 2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 17 laps, 35:08.731; 2. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 36:22.287; 3. Brian Bogers (KTM) 36:26.325… 5. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 36:36.561… 9. Conrad Mewse (Husqvarna) 36:55.035… 14. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:27.005… 23. Nicholas Lapucci (Husqvarna) 36:25.209

Championship Standings (After Round 12)

MXGP
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 532pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 440pts; 3. Romain Febvre (Yamaha) 408pts; 4. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 401pts… 13. Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) 184pts… 21. Jake Nicholls (Husqvarna) 79pts… 26. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 17pts

MX2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 597pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Suzuki) 428pts; 3. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 403pts… 7. Max Anstie (Husqvarna) 274pts… 14. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 134pts… 22. Conrad Mewse (Husqvarna) 62pts… 27. Ben Watson (Husqvarna) 39pts… 36. James Dunn (Husqvarna) 15pts… 38. Nicholas Lapucci (Husqvarna) 14pts… 40. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 10pts… 51. Davide Bonini (Husqvarna) 1pt   

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Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s McElrath Impressive In Front of Home Crowd

Courtesy of Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM

Blountville, Tenn. (June 25, 2016) – The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Shane McElrath gave his hometown fans something to cheer about with an impressive performance at the fifth round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship at Muddy Creek Raceway. Teammate Mitchell Oldenburg finished the day narrowly missing the top 10 in 11th overall.

With the track location just over 100 miles from where McElrath grew up, the North Carolinian felt the support on the sidelines. The opening moto put McElrath inside the top 10 and moving forward. By the checkered flag, he claimed the fifth-place spot. In Moto 2, it was the No. 30 of McElrath’s KTM 250 SX-F that claimed the holeshot and a commanding lead over the field. He held onto the lead until the final lap when he encountered a few lappers and had to settle for second. His 5-2 score propelled him to third overall, claiming his first podium of the season. “I felt good despite the heat and a rough track, so I’m happy to get the good result, but felt like I should have had that win,” said McElrath. “It was really cool to have North Carolina represented on the podium. I had a lot of family and friends here so I’m happy to give them a good result.”

The first moto not only saw McElrath near the front, but his teammate Oldenburg put in a great opening moto ride where he finished eighth. The second moto Oldenburg had to work his way up a bit after a mid-pack start, but made the most of the 30 minutes plus two laps and scored 12th. His 8-12 score pushed him just off the top 10 to 11th.

After five rounds, McElrath moved up into the top 10 in points, while Oldenburg slide down to 11th. Next weekend the series makes its way to Michigan as they riders celebrate Fourth of July weekend at Red Bud MX on July 2. The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM riders wore the SE Phantom Navy and SE Air Corsa Navy Racewear with the SE4 Twilight Navy helmet. See all of the 2016 gear sets and the 2016 Moto Helmets online and at your local TLD retailer.

250 Class Results (Moto Finishes) Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (2-1) Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (1-7) Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM (5-2) Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Honda (4-6) Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (6-5) Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (3-10) Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (10-4) RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda (19-3) Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (9-9) Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, Kawasaki (12-8) Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM (8-12)

TLD would like to thank all our sponsors: GoPro, Red Bull, KTM, PPG, adidas, Seaspan, Karcher, LifeProof, Pro Tork, Motorex, Renthal, Method Race Wheels, FMF, Horizon Hobby, New Era, Stance, Dunlop, Oakley, ODI Grips, Alpinestars, WP Suspension, Hinson, Shock Doctor, Kite, Specialized, SRAM, Twin Air, D.I.D., Dirt Star Acerbis, Neken, ETS Racing Fuels, NStyle, Moto Master, Fender. # # # About Troy Lee Designs: For over 30 years, Troy Lee has been customizing helmets “For The World’s Fastest Racers.” TLD’s relentless commitment to creating products that exceed the cutting edge of style, design and quality, has earned them the reputation as an innovator in many different fields of racing. Troy Lee Designs has since expanded into a full force operation, offering a complete line of helmets, apparel and premium protection for off-road motorcycling and bicycling, sportswear and accessories, and operating the TLD supercross and motocross teams. Based in Corona, California, Troy Lee Designs has a global network of distributors.

About KTM:

“READY TO RACE” for KTM, these three words are far more than a simple slogan. They stand for the entire company philosophy of developing vehicles that can without any modifications comprehensively assert themselves in any race. Direct from the dealer onto the track and into the battle for victory. Designers, engineers and riders are bound by a clear common denominator: an unconditional passion for motorcycles. The whole KTM family is a living example of this worldwide. Countless offroad World and European championship titles plus brilliant victories in the world’s toughest races (International Six Days Enduro, Dakar Rally, Erzbergrodeo, and many more) all speak for themselves. And KTM Supermotos, Naked Bikes, Superbikes and the X-Bow all demonstrate what an “orange” lead means on asphalt.

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GEICO Honda 2016 Tennessee National Report

Courtesy of GEICO Racing

Blountville, TN (June 25, 2016) – Consistency is what the GEICO Honda team has been looking for in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and that’s what it got during a hot and humid day at Muddy Creek, round five of the season. Jordon’s Smith’s strong 4-6 moto finishes led to fourth overall in 250MX, and included some laps led in moto one.

“Oh man it feels so good, especially after the last few races, they’ve been tough,” said Smith. “We’ve been doing some testing to try to figure things out. It feels good to have two good motos and to run up front both times. I led four or five laps there in the first moto. The only time I’d ever been in the lead outdoors was at Utah last year, and that time I was a little freaked out. This time I felt really comfortable up there and it was fun. I ended up getting a little bit of arm pump so I kind of had to salvage a fourth there. Arm pump in both of the motos so that kind of hurt. But it feels good to run up front. I feel like that’s where I belong.”

Teammate RJ Hampshire wasn’t too far back with 9-9 finishes for eighth overall. “Consistent weekend. That’s something we haven’t had!” said Hampshire. “Speed wasn’t that great but we weren’t worried about that this weekend. [Team Manager, Mike] Larocco and I talked a lot this week and came into the weekend with new goals. We were close to reaching them but overall happy with the weekend. Both Motos inside the top ten and eighth overall. We will start building now!”
On the other end, team 450 rider Justin Bogle was hoping to build on momentum after solid 6-7 finishes in the motos last weekend at High Point. An early first-moto crash held him back, and he ended up with 13-10 finishes for tenth overall.

“I really didn’t have a good day, struggled with bike set up and with the track honestly,” said Bogle.

“I kept having little falls all day and it was just super frustrating. So ended the day with a tenth. It’s back to the drawing board because I’m better than what I did today.”

Hampshire is eighth in the 250MX season standings, Smith is ninth. Bogle is eleventh in the 450MX class.

The team heads to the popular Red Bud National for Independence Day Weekend, July 2nd in Buchanan, Michigan.

GEICO Honda Results
Red Bull Muddy Creek National
Blountville, TN

250 MX
4. Jordon Smith 4-6
8. RJ Hampshire 9-9

450MX
10. Justin Bogle 13-10

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Tomac and Savatgy podium at Muddy Creek

Courtesy of Kawasaki

Irvine, CA (June 26, 2016) – Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac arrived at Muddy Creek in Blountville, Tennessee for Round 5 of the 2016 AMA Pro Motocross Championship prepared to battle for the win. Tomac started off the weekend by qualifying in second and ready to take on the field. The Moto 1 gate drop saw the No. 3 KX™450F cross the line inside the top ten. Tomac quickly began working his way through the field and by the end of Lap 4 had worked his way into third. Just after the halfway point Tomac took the advantage from a heated battle and moved into second place, where he would remain until the checkers.

In Moto 2 it was more of the same, Tomac started inside the top ten but wasted no time cutting through pack. On Lap 2 he had passed his way into fourth and then third, and by Lap 3 Tomac was in second. In the remaining laps Tomac played cat and mouse with the leader, nearly taking the lead at times, however, coming up just short of the win at the finish. When the dust settled, Tomac’s 2-2 moto finishes earned him a second place overall.

“The track started off pretty soft and wet, making a pretty slick racetrack,” said Tomac. “The conditions made practice a bit difficult but the track came around quite well by the afternoon. Muddy Creek is a little tight, which makes it a bit of an effort to get past lapped riders, but overall it was a good day. In the second moto I did everything I could to push towards the end, I nailed a few more lines and was really close to the end goal. 2-2 is a good result and we’re going to continue to build off this momentum.”

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team of Joey Savatgy, Adam Cianciarulo, Arnaud Tonus and Austin Forkner came to Muddy Creek with Savatgy in control of the series point lead. Cianciarulo came out swinging with the fastest qualifying time of the 250 and 450 classes. He quickly backed that up with a holeshot followed closely by Savatgy. On Lap 3 Cianciarulo lost the front end and was relegated to third before remounting while Forkner and Tonus were 12th and 16th respectively. Near the halfway mark Savatgy would put his No. 37 KX™250F into the lead followed quickly by Cianciarulo moving into second. Unfortunately, Cianciarulo made another mistake and this time would rejoin the race in seventh. With two laps remaining Savatgy remained out front with Forkner moving his way up to 10th, Cianciarulo in 11th and Tonus in 12th where they would remain until the checkers.

In Moto 2 Savatgy came out of the gate in third, Cianciarulo 5th, Tonus sixth and Forkner in ninth. Five minutes into the moto Savatgy tucked the front end, going down and losing a few positions while Cianciarulo sat fourth, Tonus remained in sixth and Forkner moved his way into seventh. Cianciarulo was involved in a hard crash in the early stages of the race, but never one to give up, the No. 44 charged on until the finish, crossing the line in 22nd. After a charge towards the front Savatgy was involved in another tip-over, relegating the No. 37 back outside the top ten. Savatgy would continue to press forward throughout the moto, eventually bringing it home in seventh, with Tonus in eighth and the rookie Forkner in an impressive fourth. Savatgy’s 1-7 would earn a second overall and keep the series points lead, with Forkner going 10-4 for seventh, Tonus’ 12-8 earned him a 10th and the 11-22 of Cianciarulo placed him 16th overall.

“My first moto was great and I’m very happy with the result,” said Savatgy. “In the second moto I made a couple minor mistakes that ended up costing me more than I’d like. I tipped it over two times and both times I spent a lot of energy trying to make sure I didn’t stall the bike. The couple minor mistakes I made need to stop in order to keep the championship with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team, I know it’s something we can do and with a 1-7 on today a second place is good. We know what to do, now it’s time to go home and get it done so we can come out at RedBud swinging.”

“This weekend was another good race,” said Forkner. “I didn’t feel as strong as I would have liked in the first moto due to a poor start, but my lap times were pretty good. In the second moto I got off to a much better start and was able to ride my own race. I brought it home in the second moto for a fourth and I’m just going to keep building on these results. I’m looking forward to RedBud!”

“After my start it took a lot to get up through the pack in Moto 1,” said Tonus. “It took a little while to get a rhythm but I’m pretty happy with the 12th all things considered. In the second moto I had a great start and had my best moto of 2016. My speed was there, I spent some time with the leaders and I’m going to keep building off this momentum.”

“Being fastest in qualifying was great,” said Cianciarulo. “In the first moto I had the holeshot and was able to lead a few laps. The speed, the confidence and all the other pieces are coming into place and it feels good. In the second moto I was taken out pretty bad by another rider and fought as hard as I could for the rest of the race. I ended up 11-22 on the day for 16th, which isn’t what we wanted, but I didn’t give up today and I’m proud of that.”

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Marvin Musquin Finishes Top 5 at 2016 Tennessee National

Courtesy of KTM Racing

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin captured his second-straight top-five finish on Saturday for Round 5 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Blountville, Tennessee. Following his first-career podium finish at the last round, Musquin tallied a 7-4 moto score to secure 5th overall for the day at the Tennessee National.

In 450 Class Moto 1, Musquin got a good jump off the line aboard his KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition but a mistake caused him to go down in the first turn. After remounting, Musquin immediately began his charge ahead from the last place position.

Musquin climbed his way into the top ten by the halfway point, where he continued to push during the final laps of the race. With three laps to go, Musquin made a pass on Blake Baggett to overtake the 7th place position, where he ultimately finished in Moto 1.

“Unfortunately I made a mistake on my own and went down on the start,” Musquin said. “I tried my best and passed a lot of riders to go from last place to 7th but I know I could have finished on the podium without that mistake at the beginning of the race.”

In Moto 2, Musquin got another good jump off the line as he rounded the first turn in the 2nd place position. The Frenchman fell back to 6th place on the opening lap but turned up the intensity on lap three to reclaim a top-five position.

Around the halfway point of Moto 2, Musquin charged past Cole Seely to jump into the 4th place position as he set his sights on the 3rd place rider of Broc Tickle in the final laps. Despite a hard-fought effort to chase down Tickle, Musquin finished one position off the podium in Moto 2.
After salvaging an impressive come-from-behind 7th place finish in Moto 1, Musquin added a 4th place finish in Moto 2 to capture 5th overall for the day at Muddy Creek Raceway.

“I was really looking forward to this weekend after a podium finish at High Point last weekend. I wanted to get another result and improve, which didn’t happen with the crash in Moto 1,” Musquin added. “I know I’m capable of finishing on the podium so I will continue to work hard to make that happen.”

Musquin now sits 4th place in the 450 Class Championship Standings with seven rounds remaining in the 2016 season.

The AMA Pro Motocross Championship resumes next Saturday, July 2, in Buchanan, Michigan for the Red Bud National.

450 Class Overall Results
1. Ken Roczen (1-1)
2. Eli Tomac (2-2)
3. Broc Tickle (6-3)
4. Cole Seely (3-6)
5. Marvin Musquin (7-4)
6. Christophe Pourcel (4-8)
7. Weston Peick (5-9)
8. Blake Baggett (8-7)
9. Justin Brayton (9-11)
10.Justin Bogle (13-10)

Championship Point Standings
1. Ken Roczen – 243
2. Eli Tomac – 196
3. Cole Seely – 151
4. Marvin Musquin – 136
5. Ryan Dungey – 131 (1 overall win)
6. Jason Anderson – 113
7. Broc Tickle – 109
8. Justin Barcia – 108
9. Christophe Pourcel – 107
10.Trey Canard – 97

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Baggett is Back at Muddy Creek

Courtesy of Suzuki Racing

Chino, CA (June 23, 2016) –Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing will be back to a two-rider squad this Saturday, June 25, as the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship visits Muddy Creek Race way in Blountville, TN, for the Tennessee National. Blake Baggett will return to the squad alongside fill-in rider Matt Bisceglia. James Stewart will remain home in Florida with his wife for the pending birth of their baby.

“It will be great to have Blake back with us in Tennessee,”said Mike Webb, Yoshimura Suzuki team manager.“And with Matt filling in again, the weekend will be full of activity taking care of two riders and that’s the way we like it.”

This will be Baggett’s first race back since round two at Glen Helen, where he bravely rode just days after surgery on a broken collarbone. For Bisceglia this will be his third race as a sub with Yoshimura Suzuki.He’s filled in admirably with some solid motos to his credit. Baggett and Bisceglia will be racing the powerful Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 at Muddy Creek. Last year Baggett scored a strong fourth-place result and is a former podium finisher at Muddy Creek in the 250 class. Bisceglia scored a top-10 finish in the 250 National a year ago.

Photo by Scott Lukaitis - Unadilla 2015

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RedBud Announces Rockford Fosgate and Soaring Eagle as Co-presenting Sponsors

Courtesy of Red Bud

BUCHANAN, Mich.– RedBud MX, “America’s Motocross Track,” is pleased to welcome Rockford Fosgate and Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort as co-presenting sponsors for the upcoming (July 2) Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship MX National at RedBud.

“And just when you thought motocross couldn’t get any louder … RedBud welcomes the paint-peeling, neighbor-rattling, motor mount-loosening audio fanatics from Rockford Fosgate,” said RedBud’s Tim Ritchie. “It’s gonna get LOUD next weekend!”

An industry-leader in all things audio – and well known for its generosity toward the motocross industry for the past two decades – Rockford Fosgate joins RedBud MX for the first time as a presenting sponsor for the popular MX National. Sponsor of the RCH Racing team, Rockford Fosgate subwoofers, car speakers and car amplifiers are a mainstay in the rides of top pro motocrossers as well as amateur racers across the country.

“Great atmosphere, great crowds, and a hard-core passion for racing are what RedBud MX is all about,” said Tammy Lowe, Rockford Fosgate director of marketing. “As a presenting sponsor for the five-day festival and championship with a legion of our own hard core audio fanatics, as well as with our partnership with RCH Racing, it’s only natural for Rockford Fosgate and RedBud to align for such a great event. We are excited to be part of it.”

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort continues its partnership with RedBud, returning for the third-consecutive year as the presenting sponsor for RedBud’s long-running (since ’74) MX National. And the partnership with Soaring Eagle continues when Michigan’s top gaming destination opens its doors to motocross racers for the annual running of the “Edge of Summer MX” event this September – produced by RedBud – on the grounds of Soaring Eagle.

“We’re pumped to have the premier gaming facility in Michigan, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, back on board this summer. We’re looking forward to working with them on both the RedBud National and the ‘Edge of Summer MX’ event,” added Ritchie.

Said Raul Venegas, Director of Marketing and Entertainment for Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort: “Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort is proud to continue its partnership with RedBud MX. The tie into the outdoor nationals, Edge of Summer and the multiple activities at our luxury resort & casino is an amazing pairing. We’ll be on-site at RedBud giving away some really aggressive promotions for both the resort and gaming. We look forward to another great race at RedBud and for our Soaring Eagle RCH boys to take home another win!”

For more information on RedBud MX and the upcoming Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship MX National at RedBud, presented by Rockford Fosgate and Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, please visit: www.redbudmx.com

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JASON ANDERSON INJURED

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing regretfully announces that Jason Anderson sustained a broken clavicle a minor AC separation this week during practice and will be unable to race the upcoming Muddy Creek MX National and several subsequent rounds.  Anderson’s clavicle, commonly known as the collar bone, is broken in three different places. He will receive treatment this coming week.  Due to the severity of the multiple fractures to his clavicle, recovery time for his injury is an estimated 6-8 weeks.  

“Unfortunately, injuries are a part of our sport and you never want to see any rider on any team get hurt.  Jason has spent his entire pro career with me and this is his first injury that will keep him out of competition in six years.  Considering the severity of the crash we feel fortunate it is only the collar bone which will require surgery and a minor AC separation; that according to his doctors will heal on its own over the coming weeks,” said Team Manager, Bobby Hewitt.

Anderson has shown he has the speed, talent, and determination to stand tall on the podium. Coming off of a second-place-finish high at the High Point MX National, the news is crushing to the athlete, but he will remain optimistic. 

"I'm really bummed about this injury. I feel like I was building some momentum and last weekend's 2^nd was the best outdoor overall of my career. I feel pretty lucky however after one of the worst crashes of my life and not missing a race in 6 years. Sometimes these things happen. I can only stay positive and see how the recovery goes. I'm hoping to come back before the Nationals are over," explained Anderson. 

The team will move on to the next round at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, TN where riders Zach Osborne, Martin Davalos, and Christophe Pourcel will represent team Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing.  

The entire Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team wishes El Hombre a quick recovery. 

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TONY HAWK JOINS TRAVIS PASTRANA AS CO-HOST OF THE NITRO WORLD GAMES

Courtesy of Nitro Circus

Elite Athletes and Expert Industry Voices Round Out Broadcast Team

Airing on NBC Saturday, July 16 at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. Central  

LOS ANGELES, CA (Thursday – June 16, 2016) – Olympic snowboarder and extremely popular television commentator Todd Richards will host the inaugural Nitro World Games. Joining him as co-hosts are skate icon Tony Hawk and FMX legend Travis Pastrana. The Nitro World Games will air Saturday, July 16 on NBC at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. Central from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Richards has been a prominent figure in snowboarding and the wider action sports community for over two decades. A seven-time X Games medalist, World Snowboarding Champion and Olympian, Richards is also a rising media star, equally at home in the broadcast booth as he is on the medal stand. Richards has provided in-depth analysis for ESPN’s X Games coverage and most recently served as NBC Olympics’ snowboarding analyst for coverage of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, a position he has held since the 2006 Winter Games in Torino. He is also a published author and successful business owner.

With over 30 X Games medals between them, Hawk and Pastrana have redefined their disciplines, breaking landmark records, such as Hawk’s seminal 900 and Pastrana’s groundbreaking double backflip, previously thought insurmountable. Their achievements have blown away millions of fans and made action sports part of the pop culture conversation. Now Richards, Hawk and Pastrana will share their insights and experience with viewers during this action-packed three-hour event.

“Words can't describe how excited I am to have Todd and Tony host the Nitro World Games,” said Pastrana. “Todd is an amazing snowboarder and has been a great ambassador for action sports. To have a passionate and knowledgeable action sports athlete who has experience hosting his own TV show in the past is exactly the personality the World Games was hoping for. I don't know if an event of this caliber has ever had a lead host with as much first hand knowledge as Todd. To have Tony Hawk, who is the all-time most influential athlete in action sports, backing him up will be icing on the cake. These guys are just as passionate about progression as I am and we all know firsthand how a world’s first can change everything! It's going to be an honor working next to these guys! Can’t wait to see what goes down in Salt Lake City.”

“Todd, Tony and Travis bring a tremendous amount of knowledge, credibility and expertise to the Nitro World Games. Having athletes of their stature participating is fantastic,” said Michael Porra, CEO and creative director for Nitro Circus. “They will inform, entertain and engage both core action sports fans and the wider mainstream audience.”

"Having three of the most iconic action sports athletes serving as commentators for the Nitro World Games will provide the fans and athletes a unique experience and perspective on the event," said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission.

The Nitro World Games’ analyst and reporter lineup includes the most respected names in action sports. After opening the telecast, Pastrana will move to the stadium floor to give commentary from the thick of the action throughout the event. Hawk will offer his incomparable knowledge and perspective during Skate Best Tricks. Cameron Steele, a champion motorcycle and trophy truck athlete, will deliver play by play during the FMX competitions with Andy Bell, a former professional FMX and supercross rider providing analysis. Veteran TV personality Jimmy Coleman, who has covered action sports for more than a decade, will present the play by play for BMX while accomplished BMX athlete TJ Lavin will offer analysis. Laurette Nicoll, a very experienced host, reporter and announcer, will bring compelling athlete interviews to viewers.

A bold reinvention of action sports competition, the Nitro World Games will feature the best action sports athletes in the world in the category’s most exciting disciplines including FMX, BMX, skate, scooter and inline. The initial list of athletes going to the semi-final round includes top riders such as 2016 X Games FMX medalists Josh Sheehan, Clinton Moore and Rob Adelberg, BMX riders Pat Casey, James Foster and Colton Satterfield, plus skate stars Elliot Sloan, Jake Brown and Mitchie Brusco, with additional competitors to be announced.

Nitro Circus, Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert and the Utah Sports Commission rocked the sports world in December 2015 when they unveiled the Nitro World Games. Created by Michael Porra and Travis Pastrana, the Nitro World Games will feature new formats and never before seen tricks. Each competition will be a final round with everything on the line, creating intensity on the track, energy in the stadium and must-see action for both digital and television viewers.

Nitro World Games is the next phase of Nitro Circus’ multi-year partnership with NBC Sports Ventures. NBC Sports will present three hours of coverage airing in primetime on NBC. For fans outside of the U.S. and Canada, more TV broadcast details will be announced soon. In addition to NBC’s televised coverage, fans outside the U.S. can also watch the July 16 final on Nitro Circus’ worldwide webcast.    

For more information about the #NitroWorldGames go to nitroworldgames.com. Fans can also follow Nitro Circus on Twitter: @nitrocircus and Facebook: www.facebook.com/NitroCircus.

About Nitro Circus:

Named #22 on Forbes magazine’s 2015 list of, “America’s Most Promising Companies,” Nitro Circus continues to position itself as the world’s leading youth action sports & entertainment brand. From humble beginnings in 2003 – with Jeremy Rawle, Gregg Godfrey and soon to be action sports superstar Travis Pastrana producing DVDs from a Utah garage -- to a smash TV series which has aired in over 60 countries, Nitro Circus has exploded to global popularity. In 2012, Nitro Circus: The Movie, featuring cast members from the hit television series, was released in cinemas worldwide. In 2015, Nitro Circus announced a partnership with NBC Sports Ventures.  The multi-year strategic alliance features TV specials and series programming airing nationally in the U.S. on NBC and NBCSN as well as streamed on the NBC Sports App.

The TV show was transformed by action sports industry guru, now current CEO, Michael Porra into a must-see live event in 2010, creating the global touring phenomenon that is Nitro Circus Live. Since its inaugural Australian trek six years ago, the show has travelled the globe, obliterating box office records and cultivating a legion of diehard fans. Nitro Circus has now rolled across five continents, blown away over two million fans and sold out shows in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, China, Japan, the Middle East and South Africa. After close to 100 shows globally in 2015 and with a packed 2016 touring schedule ahead, Nitro Circus is the world’s most successful action sports touring brand.

About the Utah Sports Commission:

The Utah Sports Commission is a not-for-profit, 501c3 charitable organization created to foster national and international amateur sports competitions to be held in the state of Utah, which will enhance the quality of life of all Utah citizens and strengthen Utah's presence in the worldwide sports community.

   

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