AMSOIL Launches New Synthetic Brake Fluids, Adds Brake & Parts Cleaner to Product Line

Courtesy of  Amsoil

 New brake fluids from AMSOIL help boost
performance, safety, and reliability.

SUPERIOR, WI – April 4, 2017 – AMSOIL INC. has introduced three new products to better meet the needs of modern brake system maintenance and operation. New AMSOIL DOT 3 & 4 Synthetic Brake Fluid, AMSOIL DOMINATOR® DOT 4 Synthetic Racing Brake Fluid and AMSOIL Brake & Parts Cleaner have been precisely formulated to help boost the performance, safety and reliability of brake systems in automotive, racing and powersports applications.

AMSOIL DOT 3 & 4 Synthetic Brake Fluid delivers maximum ABS and traction-control performance. The specially designed high response fluid provides improved cold-weather performance and excellent ABS and traction-control responsiveness. It helps extend the life of essential components, including calipers, wheel cylinders, seals, lines, master cylinders and ABS control valves. Even in severe operating conditions, its low compressibility results in a firm, consistent brake pedal feel. AMSOIL DOT 3 & 4 Synthetic Brake Fluid is a DOT 5.1 product that meets and exceeds the specifications of DOT 3 and DOT 4 formulations, providing excellent protection against water contamination. Recommended for use in passenger car/light truck and non-racing powersports applications.

AMSOIL DOMINATOR® DOT 4 Synthetic Racing Brake Fluid is specially formulated for intense racing applications. It features the ultra-high boiling points required during extreme racing conditions, providing exceptional vapor lock protection. AMSOIL DOMINATOR® DOT 4 Synthetic Racing Brake Fluid resists brake fade for a confident brake feel all the way to the finish line.

AMSOIL Brake & Parts Cleaner is a professional-strength product that quickly and effectively removes oil, grease, brake fluid and other contaminants from brake parts and automotive components. Leaves no residue, helping to reduce or eliminate brake squeal and chatter. AMSOIL Brake & Parts Cleaner has a quick-drying, chlorinated formulation that gives drivers and auto technicians the peace-of-mind that they are using one of the strongest and most effective formulas available in the market place. This product is unavailable in California or New Jersey.

About the Company
AMSOIL has been the recognized leader in synthetic lubrication since 1972. For more information about AMSOIL synthetic motor oils and performance products contact your nearest AMSOIL distributor, or call AMSOIL at (715) 392-7101 or 1-800-777-8491. AMSOIL INC., AMSOIL Building, Superior, WI 54880, or go to http://www.amsoil.com.


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Yamaha bLU cRU | Pay Dirt At Freestone Classic MX

Courtesy of Yamaha bLU cRU


 CYPRESS, CA  – April 4, 2017 –  Yamaha’s bLU cRU makes it a profitable venture at this year’s 2017 JS7 Freestone Amateur Motocross in Wortham, TX where a total of nine title championships were won with Rock River Yamaha’s Justin Cooper leading the charge to take home the 450A Pro Sport Championship. #bLUcRU http://yamaha.us/bLUcRUy





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Tucker Larrieu’s Severe Injury Update

Courtesy of Road2Recovery

Encinitas, CA – Tucker Larrieu was seriously injured on March 17, 2017, at a friend's motocross track in Quincy, California, just 33 miles from his hometown of Portola, California. Tucker was prepping for an upcoming race when his friend Avery found him unconscious on the track.  It is unclear how Tucker's injury occurred, as he has no recollection of the event. Tucker does remember that he was purposely riding conservatively at the time since Avery was working on the track in his tractor; so Tucker was focusing mainly on his bike set-up for that weekend’s race. Avery realized it had been a while since the last time he had seen Tucker or heard his bike, he decided to go look for him to make sure that everything was okay. Avery found Tucker unconscious and jumped into action, getting him immediately flown to a hospital in Reno, Nevada.

An MRI discovered that Tucker's t-5 and t-6 vertebrae were dislocated, causing bruising to his spinal cord. Doctors performed the surgery that next day to decompress and fuse his t-4 through t-7 vertebrae. The surgery was considered a success, however as of now Tucker is paralyzed from the chest down but does have full use of his arms. On March 27th, just 10 days post injury Tucker was flown from the Reno hospital via Angel MedFlight to the world-renowned Craig Rehabilitation Hospital. Craig Hospital exclusively specializes in the neuro-rehabilitation and research of patients with spinal cord injuries. Tucker will now undergo an intense 60-day rehabilitation process.

Tucker has raced since the age of 4 and has a competitor’s passion that is adrenaline driven. He competed in the 2015 X Games and in the Endurocross series. With his love of extreme sports, Tucker is no stranger to injury and having to work hard. This is his second back injury as well as his second time in Craig Hospital's rehabilitation program. A quick eight months after his first back injury Tucker returned to racing and won his biggest race, the Virginia City Grand Prix. Ironically that is the same race he was prepping for when he sustained his second back injury that has now left him paralyzed. Tucker is up for the challenge and is prepared to put in the work to get on his road to recovery.

The Lirreu family and Tucker are now in need of your help. The rising cost of hospital bills and out of pocket expenses for Tucker is currently expanding at an exponential rate. Unfortunately, his insurance will not cover 100% of these ever growing bills. If you are able to help, Road 2 Recovery has set up a funding page for him at https://road2recovery.com/cause-view/tucker-lirreu/. You can donate to his R2R Fund directly or leave a positive message for Tucker to read at this link. Any and all donations help.

About Road 2 Recovery:

The Road 2 Recovery Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that was founded in 2000, and is dedicated to helping AMA licensed Professional Motocross/Supercross riders and Action Sports Athletes with financial assistance if they sustain career-ending injuries as well as providing motivational, emotional, and spiritual support to these individuals and their families. To make a donation click here.  For more information on Road 2 Recovery and upcoming events visit  www.road2recovery.com or contact Lori Amstutz 619-339-5671.

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ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING TEAM’S QUINTANILLA 2ND AT DESERT CHALLENGE STAGE 3

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles  

Factory teammate Pela Renet, winner of stage two was fifth on Tuesday and is currently sixth overall. 

This rally is largely about tactics and Quintanilla was able to start from a position of strength in the third stage. He won back valuable time, where Renet had the responsibility of opening the track and was pre-programmed to sacrifice some time. Quintanilla will be second off the start in the penultimate stage and trails overall leader Sam Sunderland by just over three minutes. Renet is currently just under 12 minutes off the overall lead time but he has a good chance of recovering some of it in Wednesday’s penultimate stage. 

Pablo Quintanilla:  “Today was a better day than yesterday. I had a good position at the start and I recovered some time. I felt really good today and it was a fun stage. There were big dunes and it was really fast. I enjoyed it a lot. We have two more stages to go and I start in front tomorrow. I will lose some time but I have the chance to pick this up on the last day, so at the moment I am very happy with the race I feel very good, and for me it is important to have a lot of good confidence on the bike. I am also happy with the team and they are doing a great job.”

Pela Renet: “It was a nice stage to ride and I enjoyed it a lot. I was opening the track so for sure I knew I was going to lose some minutes. But I’m really happy with the stage and I was out in front until the 140 km mark. Okay, today I finished fifth, but I am still very happy with my day.”

Once again, riders faced extreme temperatures hovering between 40-46 degrees Celsius and high winds. This, together with the extremely high, soft sand dunes added to another dimension to the navigation challenges and riding skills required to succeed in this tough competition. 

Results
Stage 3 – AL ALN Special 288.73 kms

1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM 3:55.23 h 

2. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Husqvarna + 6:01.0 min 

3. Matthias Walkner (AUT), + 9:02 

4. Paolo Gonçalves (POR), Honda + 12:03 

5. Pela Renet (FRA), Husqvarna + 17:43

Overall Standings (after three of five stages)

1. Sunderland 11:41.20 h 

2. Quintanilla + 3:06.7 min 

3. Walkner + 5:14

4. Gonçalves + 7:47 

5. Renet + 11:57

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2017 EnduroCross Scheduled Confirmed

Courtesy of EnduroCross

Seven events with opening round in Las Vegas on August 19th IRVINE, CALIF. (April 3, 2017) – The 2017 AMA EnduroCross Series dates have all been confirmed with a seven round series set to kick off on August 19th inside the Orleans Arena. After the recent acquisition by Bonnier Motorcycle Group, the first order of business was getting the agreements finalized with each of the arenas. Those agreement are now in place and plans are ramping up for some additional exciting enhancements to the race format. The opening round will be back at the venue where the first AMA EnduroCross event took place in 2004, the Orleans Arena. For the first time since that first race, Las Vegas was not part of the 2016 championship due to schedule conflicts so the series regulars are looking forward to being back in Vegas. Round two will see a first time visit to Reno, Nevada. The large floor of the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center will allow for an awesome track and there are plenty of materials to create challenging obstacles. Denver, Colorado will host round three of the series. This venue has hosted the second most EnduroCross events over the years as it was added to the schedule in 2007, the first year of a multi-round series for AMA EnduroCross. Round four will visit the XFINITY Arena in Everett, Washington. This venue has always proven to be extremely popular with a packed house and is known for slippery logs and wet dirt. For round five, the EnduroCross series will visit Scottsdale, Arizona for the second year. The arena was packed for the first ever event last year with fans cheering on many of the series regulars that call Arizona home. The Ford Idaho Center will host the penultimate round of the series and this venue is known for some of the largest logs and rock sections that challenge even the best riders. This has made for spectacular action and unpredictable racing over the years. Finally, the 2017 series will conclude inside the Citizens Business Bank Arena, in Ontario, California. Ontario has hosted the final round for the last three seasons now and attracts a lot of the motorcycle industry professionals looking to see the champions crowned. Look for more news on some enhancements to the race format in the coming weeks. 2017 AMA EnduroCross Championship Schedule Date                                       Location                               Arena  August 19, 2017         Las Vegas, Nevada      Orleans Arena September 23, 2017    Reno, Nevada             Reno – Sparks Livestock Events Center September 30, 2017    Denver, Colorado         National Western Events Center October 14, 2017         Everett, Washington    XFINITY Arena October 28, 2017         Scottsdale, Arizona     WestWorld November 4, 2017      Boise, Idaho               Ford Idaho Center November 18, 2017      Ontario, California       Citizens Business Bank Arena *Subject to Change Colton Haaker (10) managed to wrestle the 2016 AMA EnduroCross title away from Cody Webb (1) in. Both will be looking forward to resuming their battle in 2017. Photo: Adam Booth.    For more information, visit www.endurocross.com.   About Bonnier Corporation: Bonnier Corporation is one of the largest special-interest publishing groups in the United States, with more than 30 multichannel brands extending into all platforms including magazines, digital media, books, events and product licensing. Bonnier Corp.’s brands include Popular Science, Saveur, Field & Stream, Popular Photography, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Cycle World, Working Mother and Outdoor Life. Bonnier Corp. is owned by Sweden-based Bonnier AB, a multichannel media conglomerate operating in 15 countries.

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CHRISTIAN CRAIG TO FILL IN FOR KEN ROCZEN OUTDOORS

Courtesy of American Honda Racing

TORRANCE, Calif. (April 4, 2017)

 – Team Honda HRC is happy to announce that current GEICO Honda rider Christian Craig will fill in for the injured Ken Roczen throughout the entire 12-round AMA Pro Motocross series. Craig will pilot a factory CRF450R alongside Cole Seely beginning with the Hangtown season opener on May 20.
Craig is not new to the premier class, having campaigned 450s during the 2009 ’11, ’12 and ’14 Pro Motocross seasons. The Californian has a career-best 450 outdoor finish of seventh and is hoping to improve with help from the factory squad.

“Honestly, when I got the call that factory Honda wanted me to fill in, I couldn’t stop smiling,” Craig said. “To have this opportunity is an honor. Obviously, everyone including me is so bummed Kenny got hurt, and I’ll do everything in my power to make the team and Kenny happy they chose me as the guy to ride his bike while he recovers. I’ll be going into the season open-minded and as prepared as I can be. The 450 class is more stacked than ever, but hopefully after the first couple rounds I’ll be able to learn the pace and see where I fit in. Thanks to the entire Team Honda HRC and GEICO Honda crews for allowing this to happen, and to Kenny for letting me borrow his bike for the summer. I’m beyond grateful.”

“We’re really excited to have Christian riding for us in the AMA Pro Motocross series,” said Team Honda HRC manager Dan Betley. “He’s shown notable speed in the 450 class in previous years, and I think he has the potential to deliver solid results. GEICO Honda is our extended family; we have a great relationship, so we appreciate them allowing us to have Christian for the season.”





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SEEWER EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD FOR SUZUKI MX2

Courtesy of Team Suzuki Press Office

Jeremy Seewer – 1-4 for 2nd
Hunter Lawrence – 11-14 for 13th

Jeremy Seewer and the Suzuki World MX2 team head back to Europe after a successful trip to Mexico, where the red-plated #91 Suzuki RM-Z250 rider extended his points at the top of the MX2 World Championship.

Held at the high altitude track in Leon, which is 1800m above sea-level, Seewer got out of the gate well in the first race, controlling it from start to finish for his second race win of his career. The second race didn’t quite go as well with him battling back from a top-10 place to finish fourth, tying him on points with overall winner Thomas Covington, just losing out on the second moto scores. However, his 43pts saw him extend his lead to eight points over Pauls Jonass as the series heads back to Europe for the next few months. It was a successful weekend and an important step for the team and rider to keep the red plate for more than one round, the first rider in 2017 to do so.

Seewer had this to say about the racing: “I did everything that I said I wanted to do yesterday. I just let it happen and the results came out well. I had a really good start in the first moto, we knew that I could do that after yesterday so I was pleased with that. Then I just put in some fast laps and felt good on my bike, I made a gap, and then took the win comfortably. It was nice to take a win in normal conditions, after my first victory which was in the mud in Indonesia.

The second moto, I had the same start in mind but it didn’t quite work out as well. I was pretty confident to get it done but sometimes it just doesn’t work out right. Still, I was in a decent spot, it was just hard to see the track and finding lines to pass those guys. Finally, I got to behind Julien Lieber and Jonass in fourth and then I passed Lieber which would have given me the overall, but I wanted to pass Jonass too. I got really close behind him, but that’s when I made a mistake. I went a little bit off my lines, came off the bike but avoided the crash. It wasn’t too bad, I lost a position though before I got back on and that dropped me back to fourth, which is where I finished.

It was nice to extend the points lead but a little disappointed that I didn’t win the GP. That would have been nice to come away with but keeping the red plate is the important thing, especially as we now head to Europe like this. I’m happy with it; I didn’t feel the pressure of it at all as it just looks so good on my bike and I just want to keep it there.”

With Bas Vaessen missing due to a broken collarbone, the only other Suzuki World MX2 rider was Hunter Lawrence, however he was struggling himself with illness that hasn’t been helped by all the travel and the altitude. Despite all this, Lawrence battled as hard as he could for both motos and was pleased that he was able to complete them without any incidents. Here is Lawrence’s verdict on the weekend: “First moto I didn’t have too bad a start, and with this illness I was just trying to last the full moto. It wasn’t too bad, I picked up a couple of positions, made some passes and finished 11th. No crashes, so I was happy with that.

“I then came back in, tried to reboot, recover as much as possible and go out for moto two. I got a similar start as moto one, mid-pack and tried to ride as best as I could, giving everything I had; the same sort of mentality as the first race. At the fifteen minute mark though, I was pretty already done, I had no energy or strength left so I ended up 14th. Not a bad weekend overall, today was good all things considered. Two motos in the top 15 with no crashes is not great but it gives me something to build on for when we get back to Europe.”

General Manager Stefan Everts was certainly happy with both riders, especially Seewer who managed to not just keep the red-plate but extend the lead in the process. “Jeremy really showed everyone what he can do in that first race. He tried really hard to do the same in second moto but made a mistake which cost him the overall which was a bit of a shame. Still, we go back home with the red-plate which is nice and the job that we all came here to do.

“Hunter had a tough weekend, with him suffering with the sickness but I was really happy to see him riding much better in the first moto. He was out there almost on his own, just riding his own race with no one around him. I think that’ll help him get back to a positive frame of mind, able to concentrate on his own performance.”

Now there is another weekend off before the series regroups on April 16th for the MXGP of Trentino at the stunningly beautiful track at Pietramurata, where Jeremy Seewer will once again be running the red plate on board his RM-Z250.

MX2 Moto 1: 1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 35:36.310; 2. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:07.922; 3. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:13.091; 4. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:18.551; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:19.913; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +0:22.157; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:23.285; 8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +0:27.453; 9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:33.194; 10. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:39.775; 11. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), +0:44.447;

MX2 Moto 2: 1. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), 34:03.198; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:03.814; 3. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:05.294; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), +0:07.037; 5. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Yamaha), +0:18.147; 6. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Kawasaki), +0:28.602; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:32.223; 8. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:34.034; 9. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:43.675; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:46.280; 11. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:54.459; 12. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +0:55.688; 13. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, Husqvarna), +0:57.158; 14. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), +0:57.895;

MX2 Overall: 1. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 43 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 43 p.; 3. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 35 p.; 6. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 28 p.; 8. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 24 p.; 9. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 23 p.; 10. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, KAW), 22 p.; 11. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 22 p.; 12. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, HUS), 17 p.; 13. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), 17 p.;

MX2 Points Standings: 1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki World MX2), 153 points; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 145 p.; 3. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 139 p.; 4. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 139 p.; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 127 p.; 6. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 102 p.; 7. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 84 p.; 8. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 83 p.; 9. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, KAW), 81 p.; 10. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 80 p.; 11. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 70 p.; 12. Darian Sanayei (USA, KAW), 66 p.; 13. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 66 p.; 14. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 60 p.; 15. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 56 p.; 16. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki World MX2), 51 p.; 26. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki World MX2), 11 p. 




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Rocky Mountain ATV*MC / KR4 / Husqvarna Team Hits Kenda FGSE Round 3

Courtesy of Rocky Mountain ATV*MC / KR4 / Husqvarna  

HARLEYWOOD,VA March April 2, 2017 - The Rocky Mountain ATV*MC / KR4 / Husqvarna team headed to Virginia to participate in the KENDA Full Gas Sprint Enduro Round 3.  On Friday, Jesper Borjesson, Hunter Neuwirth, and Tayla Jones enjoyed meeting local customers and signing autographs at Atlas Cycle which is a Husqvarna dealer near the track. Hunter, Jesper and Tayla

Saturday started out with a light rain and chilly, Sunday was sunny and breezy but Tayla Jones set the track on fire by winning all 12 tests over the course of the weekend.  She finished a full 3 minutes ahead of her competition when crossing the finish line for the final time. Tayla Jones on her way to her second First Place Finish at the FGSE Tayla Jones 1st place   Jesper Börjesson started Saturday with a 3rd place and as conditions got better eventually would finish the day by finishing only a second behind Ryan Sipes to end up 5th overall in the pro class for the day.  Sunday, Jesper fought a hard battle and ended up 6th in the pro class for the weekend, there were only 57 seconds separating 2nd and 6th place.  Great battle this weekend!   Jesper Börjesson

Hunter Neuwirth battled all weekend to finish 8th in the pro class. Colin Keegan finished 5th in the Lites A class and 18th overall. Ambrocio Gutierrez finished 5th in the 40+ A class. Chase Sweda ended the day with a 5th in the open B class, while newly signed KR4 Grassroots rider Michael McLean finished an impressive 3rd in the class. Maximo Gutierrez ended the day with a 4th in the competitive Junior 12-17 class.   Maximo Gutierrez

KR4 Performance is a leading professional and amateur race team that participates in the Grand National Cross Country Championships (GNCC), the Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series (FGSE), and the National Enduro Promotions Group (NEPG) Series. KR4's team won the 2016 Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro Championship. KR4 Pro Thad Duvall was a member of the historic American ISDE team, which won the 2016 International Six Day Enduro Championship. KR4's solid team structure is made up of former GNCC pros, expert motorcycle mechanics, and industry enthusiasts that are 100% dedicated to helping clients achieve their racing goals. Visit www.kr4performance.com for more information.    About the KR4 Arrive-N-Ride Program: KR4 is paving the way for the future of off-road racing with its unparalleled Arrive-n-Ride Program, saving riders time, money, and hassle. For an affordable fee, KR4 can offset the cost of racing and have everything ready for riders on race day. With the KR4 Arrive-N-Ride program, bikes are prepped by the KR4 team before a race and delivered with gear to riders on race day to the location of their choosing. To learn more or sign up for the Arrive-n-Ride Experience, please contact  fkeegan@kr4performance.com  or visit  www.kr4performance.com. For additional information, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. For the team's photo gallery, visit their Flickr page.  About Full Gas Sprint Enduro: The KENDA Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series presented by PRI Powersports Insurance is a nine-round AMA Championship series featuring ISDE-style special test racing on grass track and enduro test sections. The fun and spectator friendly format gives youth and amateur racers the experience of ISDE-style racing while allowing ISDE Trophy Team members like past Full Gas champions Kailub Russell and Thad DuVall to work on their sprint skills in preparation before representing their country at the Olympics of off-road racing. Riders will race two "special tests" 3 times each, for a total of 6 tests a day.  One special test will be a 2-3 mile "cross test" consisting of nearly 100% grass track and/or motocross track.  The other will be an "enduro test" featuring wide, flowing, groomed trails and will be 3-4 miles.  Riders will take off in 15 second intervals.  For more information visit www.sprintenduro.com.

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THOMAS COVINGTON WINS GP OF LEON

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles

American MX2 star Thomas Covington has claimed an impressive overall MX2 class win at the GP of Leon, collecting a fourth place result and a race win at the rough Mexican track. In what was a great GP for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, Gautier Paulin earned a podium result getting third overall in MXGP class.

Confident of strong results at a track where the American had earned his first GP victory in 2015, Covington didn’t fail to deliver in Leon. The weekend started with Thomas getting a convincing qualifying race win to place himself on pole position for MX2’s final motos. Getting a good jump out of the gate in the opening moto, Covington found himself in sixth at the end of the first lap. Making some crucial passes he crossed the line fourth.

With his FC 250 machine powering him to the holeshot in moto two, Thomas made a smart and well-calculated race. Following Pauls Jonass for the first six laps, he made a successful move for the lead on lap seven and never looked back. Earning 43 points from the GP of Leon Covington climbed to eighth in the provisional MX2 championship standings.

Making the most out of a challenging GP, Covington’s Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 teammate Thomas Kjer-Olsen wrapped up round four of the series with a seventh place overall result. Starting both motos outside the top 10 the FC 250 mounted rider had to push hard to collect two seventh place results in Leon. Earning valuable points Kjer-Olsen remains fifth in the MX2 championship standings.

Following tough times during the last few rounds Conrad Mewse sat out of the Mexican GP. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 rider will return to action at the following round of the series in Italy.

In the MXGP category, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin enjoyed a solid weekend of racing in Mexico. The Frenchman kicked off a highly positive round four with a strong runner-up result in the qualifying race. Capitalising on a great start in the opening MXGP moto Gautier found himself fighting for the runner-up spot, before eventually settling for a strong third place result.

Getting an even better start in moto two Paulin put himself in third at the end of the opening lap. Successfully defending his place until the end of the race, he wrapped up the GP with one more third place result to get on the MXGP podium for the first time this season. Earning important championship points Paulin moved to fifth in the class’ points standings.

The GP of Leon saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl battle through a challenging race weekend to claim eighth overall in MXGP class. Showing good speed in both motos the German collected 7/8 moto results and is currently placed ninth in the MXGP provisional standings.

For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Anstie the GP of Leon was an event of mixed fortunes. Earning third in the MXGP qualifying race the Brit was confident of positive results in the final motos. Making a small mistake after the start of the opening moto Anstie pushed hard to finish the race in ninth. Getting a better start in moto two the Brit suffered a crash that forced him to settle for 13th.

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team will return to action at round five of the 2017 FIM Motocross World Championship in Italy on April 15/16.

Thomas Covington: “It was one of the best GPs of my career. I felt good throughout the weekend and that helped me stay focused and do my own races. Following our qualifying race win we had a great gate pick for the final motos. I didn’t get the best of starts in moto one but got my head down and managed to get fourth. My start was a lot better in moto two. I got the holeshot and soon found myself in second behind Jonass. I spotted some good lines and was able to make my move for the lead a few laps later. Winning the second moto and getting the overall victory is a great confidence booster. We had a rough start to this championship but things are a lot better now. I’m looking forward to the races to come.”

Thomas Kjer-Olsen: “It was a difficult weekend but we did our best to collect points for the championship. We struggled a bit with the track and the high altitude but worked hard and made progress during the weekend. My starts were not good so I had to push hard in both motos. In the first race I went as high as sixth but made a small mistake before the end and had to settle for seventh. Then again in moto two I was outside the top ten at the end of lap one. I made some passes and got seventh again for seventh overall at the GP. Despite tough conditions we collected valuable points and remain fifth in the MX2 championship standings. We’re heading to Europe now and we will keep fighting to go even higher in the standings.”

Gautier Paulin: “Everything is coming together for us and it feels really rewarding to get on the podium. We’ve made big improvements with the bike and I’ve also managed to improve my starts. We were strong throughout the weekend in Mexico. From the time practice to the qualifying heat and the final motos we were always inside the top three. In moto one I made a good start and managed to cross the line in third. My start was even better in moto two. Despite feeling a bit tired I managed to get a good race pace to end up third again. I can’t thank all my team enough for all their hard work. I’m having fun on my bike at the moment and our goal now is to consistently battle for the podium at each GP.”

Max Nagl: “It was a tough GP for us and I’m glad we managed to salvage some good points. I feel that all the travelling we’ve done this season has affected my body and I felt tired throughout the weekend. Despite a not so great gate pick I got two good starts. In moto one I was running in fourth before eventually dropping to seventh. Then in moto two I was again running close to the top but had to settle for eighth. The work continues for us and I can’t wait to get back to Europe for the next GPs. I’m looking forward to returning to our normal training and racing schedule. I know the speed is there so it’s up to me now to show we can battle for the top.”

Max Anstie: “Overall, I’m satisfied with my performance. I rode strong and showed the speed is there. The weekend started quite well with a top three in the qualifying heat. In moto one I was a bit too eager to get a good start so made a small mistake after the gate dropped. I made some good passes during the moto to end up inside the top ten in ninth. Then in moto two I was running in sixth but made a mistake and crashed. My bike works very well and I’m confident we’re moving towards the right direction. It was great Gautier got on the podium and I’m hoping we’ll have more than one Husqvarna machines on the box in the following GPs.”

Results – FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 4 

MXGP - Overall
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 50 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 40; 3. Gautier Paulin (Husqvarna) 40… 8. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 27… 11. Max Anstie (Husqvarna) 20… 19. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 5; 20. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 3

MXGP - Race 1
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 18 laps, 34:45.401; 2. Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda) 35:00.310; 3. Gautier Paulin (Husqvarna) 35:00.835… 7. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 35:22.281… 9. Max Anstie (Husqvarna) 35:26.963… 19. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:25.361; 20. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 36:26.248

MXGP - Race 2
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 18 laps, 35:03.806; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:19.030; 3. Gautier Paulin (Husqvarna) 35:29.870… 8. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 36:01.915… 13. Max Anstie (Husqvarna) 36:35.657… 18. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:57.097; 19. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 17 laps, 35:26.741

MX2 - Overall
1. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 43pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Suzuki) 43; 3. Julien Lieber (KTM) 40… 7. Thomas Kjer-Olsen (Husqvarna) 28… 12. Iker Larranaga (Husqvarna) 17… 15. Anton Gole (Husqvarna) 10

MX2 - Race 1
1. Jeremy Seewer (Suzuki) 18 laps, 35:36.310; 2. Benoit Paturel (Yamaha) 35:44.232; 3. Julien Lieber (KTM) 35:49.401; 4. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 35:54.861… 7. Thomas Kjer-Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:59.595… 12. Iker Larranaga (Husqvarna) 36:25.257… 15. Anton Gole (Husqvarna) 36:34.160… 21. Ivan Petrov (Husqvarna) 17 laps, 35:46.625

MX2 - Race 2
1. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 17 laps, 34:03.198; 2. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 34:07.012; 3. Julien Lieber (KTM) 34:08.492… 7. Thomas Kjer-Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:35.421… 13. Iker Larranaga (Husqvarna) 35:00.356… 17. Anton Gole (Husqvarna) 35:17.679… 21. Ivan Petrov (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:37.258

Championship Standings (After Round 4) 

MXGP
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 156 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 136; 3. Clement Desalle (Kawasaki) 119… 5. Gautier Paulin (Husqvarna) 112… 9. Max Nagl (Husqvarna) 73… 11. Max Anstie (Husqvarna) 69… 17. Rui Goncalves (Husqvarna) 35… 19. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 29

MX2
1. Jeremy Seewer (Suzuki) 153 points; 2. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 145; 3. Benoit Paturel (Yamaha) 139… 5. Thomas Kjer-Olsen (Husqvarna) 127… 8. Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) 83… 17. Iker Larranaga (Husqvarna) 43… 21. Anton Gole (Husqvarna) 24… 23. Caleb Ward (Husqvarna) 14… 28. Conrad Mewse (Husqvarna) 6… 30. Aaron Tanti (Husqvarna) 1




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STEADY RESULTS FOR SUZUKI WORLD MXGP IN MEXICO

Courtesy of Team Suzuki Press Office

 
Kevin Strijbos – 10-10 for 11th
Arminas Jasikonis – 13-12 for 13th

Conditions for the fourth round of the 2017 MXGP World Championships certainly weren’t very easy for the riders, with the high altitude, strong winds and difficult track surface causing problems all through the field at the Leon track in Mexico. Both Kevin Strijbos and Arminas Jasikonis tried their best to make the results happen but neither could make any impression in the top 10 as the first couple of laps once again meant there was too much work to do later on.

While they aren’t the results that either rider was hoping for, there is still plenty of time left in the season to start scoring the points that all their hard work deserves. Both riders are still fit and healthy, and are looking forward to changing their fortunes around as the series heads to Europe and some more familiar terrain.

“It was a bad day at the office,” said Strijbos “I didn’t feel good all weekend, I think I got sick from the plane journey and with the altitude that makes it worse too, but I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses. I just had no energy in both motos; the RM-Z450WS was running good, the team did a great job getting that ready. It’s just a shame I couldn’t pay them back with the results. The first few laps again, I’m still struggling in the beginning, I’m trying my best to do well but whatever I seem to do, it ends up being the wrong choice.

"It should be good when we get back to Europe, we can go in my camper to the races and my girlfriend and child can come and it just feels a bit more like home at the tracks. Hopefully this will turn it around for me, I feel like I’m close, I just need to get it done.”

Team mate Jasikonis had this to say on the action: “Not one of my best weekends, but at least I stopped crashing so that was good. Track conditions weren’t the best, especially in that second moto. I got a bad start and had to wait two laps for the riders to split up because it was just so dusty. After that I could pick them off one by one and I made my way back all the way to 12th which was pleasing.

"I’m just really excited to go home and start racing in Europe because I think it will be so much better for me to racing on tracks that I know. I think with my speed I can be in the top 10, I just need to make better starts and then stay focused those first few laps and cut out the mistakes and then I know the results will come.”

For General Manager Stefan Everts, to see both riders outside the top 10 overall was a bit disappointing but he feels that improvements are on the horizon: “There isn’t too much to say about their rides. I think both could have finishes a couple of places better in both races but after the starts it’s hard to finish too much higher. The track was tough though, conditions weren’t easy and I think that they’ll ride better in future races. AJ definitely has the potential for the top 10 and Kevin should be there every weekend, this one was just a little bit off.”

With a weekend off before the next MXGP in Trentino, Italy, there is time for the Suzuki World MXGP team to regroup and make sure the next races go much better right from the gate drop.

MXGP Moto 1: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 34:45.401; 2. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:14.909; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:15.434; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:15.718; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:17.615; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:17.676; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:36.880; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:38.837; 9. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:41.562; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), +0:42.542; 11. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:43.893; 12. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:44.723; 13. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), +0:52.969;

MXGP Moto 2: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 35:03.806; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:15.224; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:26.064; 4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:27.677; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:28.892; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:47.894; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:56.358; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:58.109; 9. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +1:00.181; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), +1:01.851; 11. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:21.509; 12. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), +1:22.406;

MXGP Overall: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 50 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 40 p.; 4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 33 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 29 p.; 7. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 28 p.; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 27 p.; 9. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 24 p.; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), 22 p.; 11. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 20 p.; 12. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 19 p.; 13. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), 17 p;

MXGP Points Standings: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 156 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 136 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 119 p.; 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 116 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 112 p.; 6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 111 p.; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 89 p.; 8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), 78 p.; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 73 p.; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM), 70 p.; 11. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 69 p.; 12. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 65 p.; 13. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 62 p.; 14. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 59 p.; 15. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), 37 p.;





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