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QUICK LINKS IN THE WIND 14 FIRST RIDE: HUSKY TE449 44 VEGAS SUPERCROSS FINALE TITLE TIME FOR VILLOPOTO … AND BARCIA ...

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QUICK LINKS IN THE WIND 14 FIRST RIDE: HUSKY TE449 44

VEGAS

SUPERCROSS FINALE

TITLE TIME FOR VILLOPOTO

… AND BARCIA AND TICKLE! 1 Cover.indd 2

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MONZA WORLD SUPERBIKE

LAVERTY IS DOUBLE TROUBLE INTERVIEWS

COLIN EDWARDS TTXGP’S

AZHAR HUSSEIN

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Click here for a limited edition poster of this ad with all proceeds going to injured racers — http://store.road2recovery.com.

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L E G E N D S

je f f st a n t o n

daytona supercross 1989

first of four consecutive daytona wins

the ironman legend begins

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CONTENTS RACED 24 LAS VEGAS SUPERCROSS The season finale is another thriller.

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36 MONZA WORLD SUPERBIKE How about a little Eugene Laverty. Times two. 70 SILVER STATE 300 Pearson, Ricci combine to win. 76 BIG 6 GRAND PRIX Ryan Reina steals the show. TESTED 44 2011 HUSQVARNA TE449 Putting the dual back in dual-sport. INTERVIEWED 50 COLIN EDWARDS The veteran MotoGP star seems to be getting better. 62 AZHAR HUSSEIN The man behind the electric road racing series. PREVIEWED 56 U.S. MOTOCROSS GRAND PRIX The Euros are coming, the Euros are coming. DEPARTMENTALIZED 6 CAPTURED 8 CAPUTRED 10 CAPTURED 12 VOICES 13 THE INSIDE TWEET 14 IN THE WIND 78 NEW STUFF 80 BIKES OF THE STARS 82 ARCHIVES 84 SLAMMIN’ SAMMY WRITES 86 IN THE PADDOCK 88 WHAT’S NEXT

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MONZA WORLD SUPERBIKE

LAVERTY IS DOUBLE TROUBLE INTERVIEWS

COLIN EDWARDS TTXGP’S

AZHAR HUSSEIN

VEGAS

SUPERCROSS FINALE

TITLE TIME FOR VILLOPOTO

On The Cover: Ryan Villopoto (left) wrapped up the 2011 AMA Supercross title with a third-place finish at Las Vegas. Chad Reed (center) won the main event and finished second in the series, six points ahead of main-event runner-up Ryan Dungey (right). PHOTOGRAPHY BY KINNEY JONES

… AND BARCIA AND TICKLE!

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the 2011 -place center) second in ain-event

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CAPTURED

Greener Pastures Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow has been impressive thus far in his first season of MotoGP since making the transition from World Superbike racing. The Brit finished eighth in the Portuguese Grand Prix and he holds down the same spot in the World Championship after the first three races. Photography by Gold & Goose

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Lost In The Crowd A sold out crowd at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas was treated to phenomenal racing at the final Monster Energy AMA Supercross race of 2011. Ryan Sipes rebounded from a disappointing last-lap loss in the East Lites main to win the East/West Shootout. Photography Hoppenworld.com

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Fearsome Foursome The Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing team will be tough to beat when the FIM World Motocross Championship comes to Glen Helen Raceway. (Left to right) Jeremy Van Horebeek, Jeffry Herlings, Ken Roczen and MX1 World Champion Antonio Cairoli are ready to play. Photography by Ray Archer.

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CN III VOICES

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

“I was an old customer and you have given me six months free. Let me know how I can give you money.” SUPERCROSS 2012 Well, once again, not one round of AMA Supercross in the north eastern portion of the country. I’m almost starting to take this snubbing personal. Can’t these guys figure out how to hold at least one round up here? They might as well call it the “Western/ Southern Supercross Series” brought to you by The Greed Corporation. Pete Ferd Via the Internet

SHOW ME THE MONEY Just wanted to say I am enjoying the digital edition. I was an old customer and you have given me six months free. Let me know how I can give you money. I also like the changes in the Cycle News App. I read the issues on my iPad. It is excellent. Question? Can you make the photos enlarge to fill the screen if we click on it?

Also, any possibility of being able to save an article for reference or to clip out a paragraph, etc. Certain info, such as riding technique notes or technical info is good to keep and be able to refer back to. Paolo Carrere Via the Internet

At this point, you can’t make the photos bigger by just clicking on them – unless they are in the slideshow portion of the story. For the slideshows, on the iPad you can use your fingers to stretch them, or on the computer you can click on the full screen button in the lower right-hand corner. On the iPad you can create bookmarks to save the pages you want from each issue, on the computer version you can use the clipping feature… Editor.

KUDOS

is great to see all the current news about our sport almost instantly. I think the new format is great, especially the live video insets included with the story. Keep up the good work. And a special thank you to the Motorsport Aftermarket Group for caring enough about the riders’ interests to put it all together. Bryon Farnsworth Via the Internet

IMPROVEMENT Thanks for changing the way the slideshows are shown in the pages of Cycle News. I didn’t like the way they covered portions of the stories before and just sort of showed up on the page. This way is better. Again, thanks for listening to your readers and responding so quickly. Ted Nichols Via the Internet

Thanks to all the staff who resurrected Cycle News. It

Letters to the editor can be sent to [email protected]. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News. Letters should not exceed 150 words and are subject to editing. Anonymous letters won’t be considered for publication and each letter should contain the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number… Editor

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America’s Motorcycle News Source

Volume XLVIII EDITORIAL PAUL CARRUTHERS EDITOR [email protected] KIT PALMER OFF-ROAD EDITOR [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS HENNY RAY ABRAMS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SHAN MOORE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ALAN CATHCART EUROPEAN EDITOR

COPY EDITORS MICHELLE BAIRD COPY EDITOR MARY KETTLES COPY EDITOR

ADVERTISING SALES SEAN FINLEY GM, AD SALES MANAGER [email protected] SUZZIE SMITH NATIONAL AD SALES MANAGER [email protected]

ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN SUNJU KWON ART DIRECTOR/ART MANAGER [email protected]

OPERATIONS DOUGLAS BRINEY OPERATIONS SPECIALIST [email protected]

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 17771 Mitchell North, Irvine, CA 92614 949-863-7082 P.O. Box 16121, Irvine, CA 92623

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The Inside tweet… JosHill75 Josh Hill I almost have enough followers to sell out an arenacross. carlfogarty Carl Fogarty Think Max will finally win this weekend.! But think Camier will be close and Rea and Haslam thereabouts! jp43 Jason Pridmore Driving home from @cvraceway. Thx to the National Guard for hosting our military day. Thx to all that showed up, unreal students. #fb RickyCarmichael Ricky Carmichael @emig47 for sure you were one of the guys l looked up to... I wish we could have battled at Red Bud. emig47 jeff emig 11 years ago today my racing career officially ended w/a broken back and leg. I am still very thankful for what I have and achieved. CRtwotwo Chad Reed If I’m going to be spending this much time in Cali I need a Chapstick sponsor #Burtsbees where you at? CWStalker9 Stalker Big up to Hopper for his 1st BSB win! To come to a new country & series he couldn’t have a better man in his corner than Lez @276motorsport Make sure and follow @CycleNews on Twitter and also on Facebook.

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JAPANESE GP STILL ON SCHEDULE – FOR NOW

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he 2011 Japanese Grand Prix is still on the schedule, though a final decision on if the race will be held will be made with the management of the Twin Ring Motegi circuit at the beginning of July. In addition, race officials are already debating the MotoGP schedules for 2012 and 2013. The April 24 Japanese GP was postponed until October 2 following the devastating early March earthquake and tsunami that damaged the Fukushima nuclear reactor. Given the track’s proximity to the reactor, there is some concern about exposure. Twin Ring Motegi suffered minimal damage, but repairing it has been given less urgency than clearing debris and rebuilding the earthquake zone. The next major event on the Twin Ring Motegi calendar is the third round of the All-Japan Road Race Championship, which was rescheduled for July 2-3. It is in that time frame that the decision will be made. “Well, the decision right now is we continue,” Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said recently. “We are not putting any pressure to them and we are waiting to know everything as late as the beginning of July.” If the Motegi race is cancelled, there won’t be a replacement and

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the championship will be 17 races. If it is run, it will again run in the fall, as it was last year after it was postponed from early in the season by the volcano eruption in Iceland. A number of tracks have been mentioned as new venues in the coming year. The Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, will host a round of the championship in 2013. And Ezpeleta confirmed that Dorna has long been in talks with the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, which is undergoing modifications to make it more motorcycle-friendly. “With Abu Dhabi, we already started these discussions. We are working,” Ezpeleta said. “We had the last meeting during the Grand Prix of Qatar. They need to make some changes for us, but also some changes being requested by Formula One. Then, how they manage that will give to us if we are going next year or not. We are still working in that.” Richard Cregan, the CEO of Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, told “The National,” Abu Dhabi’s first English-language publication, that it was more likely to happen in 2013. “We’re looking at 2013 for the MotoGP, to be honest, to give us breathing space that we can develop what we have already started like the [racing] school

Carmelo Ezpeleta says a decision on the Japanese GP won’t be made until July.

and also the drag racing and the NHRA licenses,” he told the publication. “We need to give ourselves a little bit of time to develop those, and then in 2013 we can add the MotoGP - that would be the ideal situation.” Of more immediate concern is the future of the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With the announcement of the Austin GP for 2013, it was believed that the Indy race would go away because the U.S. couldn’t support three MotoGP races. But what wasn’t known at the time was that IMS was embarking on an ambitious plan to repave the

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE

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entire infield road course, which riders have been highly critical of from the start. The decision was made following last year’s race, but not announced until after the Austin announcement. “We are talking right now and we will hope to have a decision,” Ezpeleta said. “It’s a very important step they make resurfacing the racetrack and we are waiting to talk with them regarding that. But we are still on time.” It was suggested to Ezpeleta that it was something they had to do if they had any hope of keeping the race. “Exactly, exactly. And if we can do it, we will be very happy, also.” Henny Ray Abrams

HAYES QUICKEST AT MILLER, READY FOR INFINEON

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osh Hayes won the second AMA road race ever run on the inaugural race weekend at Miller Motorsports Park. Racing an Erion Honda CBR600RR, Hayes won the Formula Xtreme race about an hour after Ben Spies won the first-ever AMA race at MMP on Saturday, June 17, 2006. Spies won five of the six Superbike races at MMP before AMA Pro Racing made the unpopular decision to deny riders the chance to take part in the combined AMA/

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Briefly...… The FIM made official what Azhar Hussein discusses in his interview on page 62 that the FIM and Hussein’s TTXGP have agreed �� to combine both series for three rounds of their respective championships – the 2011 FIM e-Power International Championship and the TTXGP World Series 2011. The joint events will be as follows: July 23-24 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California; August 24-25 - Donington Park, England; and September 24-25 – Le Mans, France. The schedule for the FIM Veteran Motocross World Cup United States has been amended to include Sunday, May 15. The race was originally scheduled to run in its entirety on Saturday as part of the Grand Prix weekend at Glen Helen. The FIM Veteran Motocross World Cup United States, featuring veteran riders from around the world, will now take place on the U.S. GP Track this Saturday and Sunday. Moto one will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday as originally scheduled, but the second moto will now take place at 10 a.m. on Sunday before the first MX2 race. Road racer Jake Holden will race at this weekend’s AMA event at Infineon Raceway, according to his team. Although team owner Robbie Roberson has opted out of the team, the remaining members of the team got together and decided to keep going in the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Championship. After receiving numerous emails from potential investors to Holden’s management group (WithOut Ego Media), the team has committed to racing the next round at Infineon. The team will race under Jake Holden Racing for the remainder of the season. “Some of our existing sponsors have really stepped up to make this happen for us,” said Breeann Poland, interim team owner. “Without Robbie giving us the bikes, parts and equipment there was no way this could happen.” The team is still searching for potential. For more information, visit www.withoutmedia.com. Vintage motocross will return to the hills of Infineon Raceway at the West Coast Moto Jam, May 13-15. The 6th annual Brad Lackey’s NorCal Classic AHRMA/Legends of Motocross National will feature more than 500 entrants in 40 different classes of AHRMA vintage motocross racing. Lackey, who became the first American to win the 500cc Grand Prix Motocross World Championship in 1982, will host the event. “We’re so excited to be back at Infineon Raceway after 10 years and then 30 years before that,” said Lackey, who resides in Pleasant Hill. “The vintage motocross people are coming out in force for this event to come see us in the Wine Country. It’s going to be a great, family-friendly weekend.” The motocross course, located on the hills behind turn seven, will be created with a combination of man-made sections and natural, grass terrain. Racing will be featured on Saturday and Sunday including a “Husky vs. CZ” race each day. Friday will feature the Donnie Hansen Motocross Academy continued on page 19 5/9/11 4:18 PM

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World Superbike weekend on what is arguably the safest racetrack and at the best facility on the AMA calendar. Spies is long gone, first to World Superbike and then to MotoGP, but Hayes continues to race and win at home and his performance at both Daytona and last week’s test at Miller Motorsports Park puts him in good stead not only for the Memorial Day races at MMP, but also for this weekend’s doubleheader at Infineon Raceway. Hayes finished third by .052 of a second to Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Blake Young in Friday’s Daytona Superbike race and second by .072 of a second to Young in Saturday’s race, that despite having about a 10 mph top-speed deficit to Young’s Suzuki. The MMP and Infineon Raceway courses aren’t horsepower hogs, and Hayes is hopeful that the work done during the test will serve him well when the AMA Pro Road Racing series resumes following the nine-week hiatus since Daytona. Hayes finished the Miller test brimming with confidence after clocking the fastest time on both days. Most of all, it allowed him to shake off the cobwebs after the layoff as he prepares to defend his Infineon crown. “I think the main thing was just getting him back on the bike and getting some laps in,” Yamaha’s road race team manager Tom Halverson said. “Just getting 14-22 Wind.indd 16

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Josh Hayes is the favorite heading into this weekend’s AMA Superbike doubleheader at Infineon Raceway.

familiar with everything again. There really weren’t a whole lot of technical changes.” Halverson added that, “Last year we had a great set-up we’ve had it the last couple of years - and at Infineon we’re not going in with much difference as far set-up stuff.” Having not ridden at Miller since 2008, and then on the 4.5-mile Full Course, Hayes had to learn the 3.08-mile Perimeter Course that he’ll race this year. Most of the Perimeter Course is used in the Full Course, which gave the team some familiarity in set-up. “Really, Josh is pretty set on his settings,” Halverson said. “He doesn’t really change a lot from track to track. We’d never really run the crossplane crank at that track, so it’s pretty much all new. Pretty much we started with the base set-up and worked from there. We really didn’t change a lot. The same set-up that works at Road America seemed to work just fine at Miller.” Infineon holds a special place

for Hayes. It was there, at the rolling track in the Sonoma wine country, that Hayes’ historic first Superbike win ended the nearly three-year Suzuki winning streak at 53. On that blazingly hot day in 2009, a month after his 34th birthday, Hayes won the race with apparent ease, ending Mat Mladin’s personal win streak at eight. With Mladin’s retirement at the end of the 2009 season, Hayes returned to Sonoma to sweep both races in 2010 en route to winning the AMA Superbike title. No current AMA rider other than Hayes has won a Superbike race at Sonoma and Hayes intends to keep it that way. As to why Hayes is so successful at Infineon, Halverson said it may have something to do with Hayes’ background in dirt track and motocross. “Just a lot of that kind of more physical kind of a track. Josh definitely seems to like that and excels at it. Really since last year, he really hasn’t had a bad track.” Henny Ray Abrams

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THE MONSTER MILLION?

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million-dollar bonus will be on the line at the new Monster Energy Cup that was announced on Friday at the pre-race press conference for the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series, an FIM Championship, finale at San Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The new invitational-only race will be held at Sam Boyd Stadium in October and will combine the style of both Supercross and motocross tracks. What used to be at the time of the U.S Open, the race will now be the Monster Energy Cup. The purse for the race will be $250,000, but there is a bonus of $1 million if someone were to win all three of the invitation-only races. The race will also air live in a three-hour show on Speed. “The Monster Energy Cup is designed around a racing format that will challenge the racers unlike any other Supercross event

featuring an epic endurance challenge of a three-stage, 30-lap main event,” said Todd Jendro, senior director of two wheel operations, Feld Motor Sports. “This newly created format incorporates three main events, where riders will engage in three races, battling for rights to win the inaugural Monster Energy Cup. The event will feature a one-class format, offering riders the option to choose the bike of their choice, including 250-450cc four strokes or 125cc and 250cc two strokes. The unique “all in” option presents riders with maximum flexibility, manufacturers with a variety of set-up options and the perfect showcase for supercross fans.” This track will be a blend of Supercross and motocross combined and created into the ultimate battleground. “We wanted to create a spec-

tacular standalone event that we knew would excite the fans, riders, teams and media,” said Bruce Stjernstrom, Monster Energy’s Vice President of Sports Marketing. “With a million dollars up for the taking - and with the world’s best riders all expected to attend - the Monster Energy Cup will be a race no one will want to miss.” In addition to the big race, the Monster Energy Cup will also feature the Super-Mini class and the 250 A class. The top 15 riders from each class in the AMA Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Championships will make up the starting grid for these events.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE BERKNER

FINLAND ISDE: TEAM USA IS ANNOUNCED

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This year’s ISDE in Finland will present new challenges for the U.S. ISDE team.

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he AMA last week announced the 28 riders who will represent the U.S. at this year’s International Six Days Enduro in Kotka – Hamina, Finland, August 8-13. Headlining this year’s U.S. Six Days efforts will be the three premier teams in the World Trophy, Junior World Trophy and Women’s World Cup divisions. The six riders named to the U.S. World Trophy Team are Kurt Caselli, Destry Abbott, Russell Bobbitt, Nathan Kanney, Jimmy Jarrett and Kyle Summers. The U.S. Junior World Trophy 5/9/11 4:19 PM

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team will be made up of Cory Buttrick, Ian Blythe, Andrew Delong and Brad Bakken. The Junior category is for riders 23 years of age or younger. Riding on the U.S. Women’s World Cup Team will be Amanda Mastin, Nicole Bradford and Kerri Swartz - the same team that finshed second last year in Mexico. “I’m actually real excited,” ISDE team director Gunny Claypoole said. “The U.S. Trophy Team is being led again by Caselli and Abbott with three other Trophy Team veterans: Bobbitt, Kanney and Jarrett. Six Days newcomer is Kyle Summers. All are good world-class riders. The U.S. Junior Team is also a very good team, probably one of the best teams we’ve had since we won the Junior Team division in New Zealand [2006].” “I really like what I see,” Caselli said. “We struggled a little putting together our trophy team this year, but that’s expected with Six Days being on such an early date [due to the ISDE being held far north in Finland]. “A lot of our top riders were eliminated from the list right away because of conflicts with on-going series where the rider either had a direct conflict with a date, or they couldn’t [be distracted] midseason without jeopardizing other commitments. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a good team this year; we’ve got five seasoned veterans who all know what it takes to make the

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Briefly...… in the morning and a trials series in the afternoon. For more information about the West Coast Moto Jam or to purchase tickets, visit www. infineonraceway.com/ama or call 800/870-7223. The TLD/Lucas Oil/Honda Racing team of Travis Baker and Christian Craig will be at this weekend’s 2011 Monster Energy Grand Prix of the United States, according to Glen Helen. “The U.S. GP at Glen Helen gives us a great opportunity to break in the bikes, and make the transition to the outdoor motocross season,” said team manager Tyler Keefe. “Travis [Baker] and Christian [Craig] are looking forward to racing at Glen Helen.” Round two and three of the National Hillclimb Series heads to Glen Helen in San Bernardino, California, May 21 and 22. Riders such as Jason Smith, Harold Waddell, Dusty Beer, Travis Whitlock, and Robie and Bret Peterson will take on the 500-foot hillclimb in three classes on an all-new hill, including the Open Exhibition class. For more information, visit www.GlenHelenHC.com Helge Pedersen, international adventure motorcycling photojournalist, grand touring icon and adventure motorcycle product pioneer, has officially joined KLIM Technical Riding Gear as a member of their product development team. Starting immediately, Pedersen will work directly with KLIM’s product research and development team and manager Paul Webber on the next generation of technical riding gear from KLIM.

Scheduled to have more than 500 riders from 32 different countries participating in this year’s ISDE, Husqvarna wants to make it easier to compete in the 86th running of the ISDE by creating a “Gold Medal” rental/purchase/service support program through the official Finnish importer MP-Racing. “Basically Husqvarna will set you up as a factory rider for a week, with a bike, tech support, gas and even insurance for the Six Days,” said Derek Sorenson, Husqvarna North America’s product and racing manager. For more information, visit http://heroesridehuskys.com/ pages/2011ISDEbikeRental.pdf Ducati Marlboro’s Nicky Hayden walked the red carpet at the Kentucky Derby with a host of celebrities and fellow athletes, some who hail from the Bluegrass State. Hayden Tweeted earlier in the day that he’d be traveling east to the famed twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville from his home in Owensboro for the Derby. Once he arrived, he snapped a photo of the immaculately groomed track, tweeting, “I should have brought my steel shoe and some tear offs...” A photo of Hayden in a suit and tie was included in a gallery of celebrities on www.msnbc.com as well as on the Yahoo News website. Thoroughbred racing is nothing new to the Haydens. Earl Hayden, the family patriarch, raised and bred racehorses while raising his sons, and Rose Hayden, Earl’s wife, exercised the horses. The “Kentucky Kid” had the weekend off between last weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril and this weekend’s French Grand Prix in Le Mans. 5/9/11 4:19 PM

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podium. Abbott, Kanney, Jarrett, Bobbitt and myself have all been there and have all made the sacrifices before. The addition of [Kyle] Summers this year is also very good for the team. This may be his first Six Days, but if I had to pick a rookie to ride on the Trophy Team this year, it would be a rider like Kyle, as he has the speed to ride in the top five of any off-road race, including outdoor National motocrosses. “Our Trophy team roster should also fit well with the conditions we expect to find in Finland this year. It’s going to take a mix of west riders [Abbott, Caselli and Summers] as well as east

riders [Kanney, Jarrett and Bobbitt], where we expect there to be a mix of more traditional open cross tests, like we ride out west and tighter terrain tests, like they have out east. I also really like the Junior’s chances this year. They should do good, real good. But like any year it also takes a little luck just to make it to the final moto on day six, and if you can’t keep your bike, or your body, going each day your chances of a top finish drop pretty fast.” Rounding out the official U.S. ISDE teams are five three-rider club teams: Carter Engineering – Chase Bishop, Bryan Petty and Michael Sanders; Tony Agonis

Memorial– Fred Hoess, Glenn Scherer, and Cody Schafer; JAFMAR – Jeff Fredette, Dennis Decker and Jarrko Vainio; Missouri Mudders – JD Friebel, Caleb Wohletz and Morgan Moss; GoFasters.com – Greg Gillian, Max Gertson and Brent Martel. Notably, Jeff Fredette will be starting his 31st Six Days this year where he will try and extend his perfect 30-0 finish record, which he started in 1978. “I guess I’m going to give it another try,” Fredette said. “As always it’s nice to get another chance to ride for the US and try to extend my finish record.” Steve Berkner

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rocky, hilly course proved too much for a number of competitors at the Motion Pro Hangman Cross Country National near Hanging Limb, Tennessee, on Mother’s Day. But when it was over, AmPro/FMF Yamaha’s Paul Whibley proved stronger and faster than everyone else to notch his second win in a row, followed by teammate Thad Duvall and Obermeyer/AmPro Yamaha’s Jordan Ashburn. Things didn’t start out so well for the three-time and defending series champion, though, as he sat on the line with a few others and could do nothing to prevent KTM-

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Paul Whibley ended up winning his second OMA in a row, leading a Yamaha sweep of the podium in Tennessee.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK KARIYA

WHIBLEY TOPS OMA IN TENNESSEE

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mounted privateer Dustin Gibson from stealing the $200 FMF Holeshot Award. But Ashburn took the lead not long afterward, giving it up just before the end of the first challenging lap of 11 miles to New Zealand’s Rory Mead, who borrowed a YZ450F from Whibley in order to try a few weeks of American racing. Mead surprised quite a few by leading for over an hour. However, his pit strategy of pitting when Whibley did failed to consider that he might be lead-

ing so he set out on a fourth lap without refueling while Whilbley and others came in after three circuits. Predictably, Mead ran out of fuel on the furthest reaches of the course, turning the lead over to Whibley. Though Duvall made a run at him, he’d damaged the rear wheel severely and downshifted to survival mode on the last lap, gladly settling for second while Ashburn claimed third for the third round in a row. American Honda/GEICO Powersports/JG

Off-road’s Scott Watkins (whose teammate Jimmy Jarrett crashed out on the second lap) and Husaberg’s Nick Fahringer rounded out the top five. “It was just one of those days where you’ve got to keep plugging away because there was so much rock and danger out there that anything could happen, anything could take you down,” Whibley said. “I think people had a lot of problems. It was a bit of a survival run.” Mark Kariya

SUPERCROSS 2012

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he 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series will be back for 17 rounds in 2012, including a return to the Superdome in New Orleans. The season will again get started at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on January 7

and will conclude on May 5 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The series last visited New Orleans in 2009 when Team San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart won the main event en route to his second Supercross Championship.

The schedule for the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series is as follows: January 7 - Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California January 14 - Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona January 21 - Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California January 28 - Overstock.com Stadium, Oakland, California February 4 - Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California February 11 - Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California February 18 - Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas February 25 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia March 3 - Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri March 10 - Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida March 17 - Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana March 24 - Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada March 31 - Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas April 14 - Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana April 21 - Qwest Field, Seattle, Washington April 28 - Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah May 5 - Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada 14-22 Wind.indd 22

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“IT’S WHAT FACTORY TEAMS USE”

USA 661 253 1592 CANADA 604 542 5661

*Personalize Matrix Products at: w w w. d e c a l m x . c o m

ROUND 17/MAY 7, 2011 SAM BOYD STADIUM/LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

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MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, AN FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

VILLOPOTO H CROWNED

BARCIA, TICKLE TAKE

BY KIT PALMER PHOTOS BY HOPPENWORLD.COM, KINNEY JONES AND ANDREA WILSON

ow can you look back on the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series and not ask, “what if?” What if Ryan Dungey’s chain hadn’t come off at Anaheim II? What if James Stewart hadn’t crashed

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Ryan Villopoto shows off his new number-one plate on the Las Vegas podium.

TAKE LITES TITLES. out of the lead five times over the course of the season? What if Chad Reed hadn’t gotten taken out by an out-of-control Stewart while running second at Dallas? What if Trey Canard hadn’t broken his leg? What if Jake Weimer and Josh Grant hadn’t gotten hurt? What if, what if, what if... you can go on and on asking that one simple 24-35 Vegas SX.indd 25

question when looking back on the crazy 2011 season, which took on more twists and turns than a 20-foot 2x4 from Home Depot. But “what ifs” are all part of championships and so are points, which always have the final say. And when all was said and done after 17 incredible rounds, Ryan Villopoto had the most points next to his name but not by much. With just four points to spare, the Monster Energy Kawasaki team rider came away with the 2011 Supercross crown after what was “just” another exciting and thrilling night of Supercross racing that had the sellout crowd of 39,506 on its feet pretty much all night long at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Supercross-class title wasn’t the only championship on the line at Las Vegas. There were also titles to be won and lost in the East and West Lites Championships, and the traditional year-end Dave Coombs Sr. Memorial East/West Lites Shootout Championship. The podium was a busy place, as four different winners and four different champions set foot on it over the course of the evening. By the end of the night, all of the manufacturers had something they could be happy about: Kawasaki, for winning both the Supercross and West Lites Championships; Honda, for winning the main-event and East Lites Championship; KTM, for scoring a win in the West

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Briefly... Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi suffered a hard fall two laps into the SX final. He left the track with a sore knee and feeling a little “dingy.” He should be okay for next weekend’s U.S. GP at Glen Helen. Neither James Stewart nor Chad Reed have yet committed to the outdoor National MX Series, which gets underway in two weeks at Hangtown. “We had a test set up for Tuesday,” said Stewart after the Vegas race. “I think in this economy, it’s hard to get support. I don’t mind racing for free, that’s not the problem, it’s just - do I have to fork [out] everything? That’s where I’m at right now, but I think my foot right now is a bigger issue than anything. I don’t want to be hurt and stall out on testing and all that stuff. My foot… right now it’s pretty swollen up. I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s just from being run over it’s numb right now.” As far as Reed and TwoTwo Motorsports, they are evidently still working out finances. Ryan Villopoto says he’s ready for the Nationals to begin. “I rode Glen Helen the Easter weekend and I felt awesome,” he said. “I’m definitely looking forward to the outdoors. I had a great shot at winning the Supercross Championship and I did; I definitely feel that the outdoors is a little more in my comfort zone.” The now former Supercross Champion Ryan Dungey reflected on the 2011 Supercross season. “For myself, it’s been the most challenging season of my whole professional career,” he said. “Usually we have one or two guys you have to worry continued on next page 5/9/11 4:10 PM


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MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, AN FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Chad Reed (22) fought off Ryan Dungey (1) for the Las Vegas win and second place in the championship.

Lites main; Yamaha, for winning the East/West Shootout, and Suzuki for leaving Las Vegas knowing it had put in a valiant effort trying to keep the number-one plate on Dungey’s RM-Z450 and was in the hunt right down to the final lap. (What if that chain hadn’t come off?) Villopoto came into the Vegas final with one goal in mind - to finish fifth or better, which would guarantee him his first Supercross title in the premier class. As it turned out, he finished third after riding a smart and cautious 20 laps. “It feels good to finally to get [the championship] over with and get it out of the way,” said Villopoto who won more mains than anybody else this season with six (Stewart was next best with five). 24-35 Vegas SX.indd 26

Now I can let my hair down, final- ey came calling. Villopoto put up ly. It’s an awesome feeling.” a small fight at first but eventually thought otherwise and played it Supercross Final smart, giving way to both riders Villopoto started the main event on the 12th lap as he wanted no right where he needed to be - in part of their intense battle for the fifth and right in front of the man race win and second place in the closest to him in the champion- championship. Plus, if anything ship, Reed on the TwoTwo Mo- unimaginable happened to Viltorsports Honda. Villopoto made lopoto, their race would also be quick work of fast starters Mi- for the overall championship, so chael Byrne and holeshotter Mike they weren’t about to leave anyAlessi and soon found himself in thing on the table. Villopoto wisethe lead when leader Stewart ly let them go. went down in the whoops, taking Dungey closed on Reed and with him second placed Kevin the two rivals went at it to the bitWindham, who had led the first ter end. Reed managed to stay three laps of the race and was out in front to take the Vegas vicpressuring Stewart at the time of tory just 1.351 seconds ahead of the crash. So things were looking Dungey and take a respectable pretty good for Villopoto by the second place in the championsixth lap of the 20-lap race. ship. Not bad for his team’s first However, both Reed and Dung- effort. 5/9/11 4:10 PM

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Briefly... about, well this year, there were about four or five, which makes it tough, because you really have to be on top of your game, we just had a couple of mishaps here and there over the year and that really hurt us.” And what about that chain that came off, which cost him the championship? “It’s life, everything happens for a reason,” he said. “I’m 21 years old, I’m a young gun, I’ve got a lot of years that I want to do this sport that I want to be in it, and I want to take it to another level. I look forward to next year.” After a thrilling West Lites final, Broc Tickle (20) held on to take the championship over Eli Tomac (19).

“There was basically no way I was going to let Dungey beat me for second in points, no way,” Reed said. “We were really going at it, though, and it was intense coming through traffic at the end.” “I was gaining on him, gaining on him, then about halfway, I got right next to him and tried to make something happen, but I just couldn’t get by him,” Dungey said of his race with Reed. “The track was tough; I’d get right on his butt then I would lose a little time. It would’ve been nice to get by him for that second place in the series standings, but we gave it our all and did the best we could, not only tonight but for the last 17 rounds. It’s been quite a hard-fought season and something really challenging.” Villopoto found himself all alone in a safe third place. The nearest rider behind him was 24-35 Vegas SX.indd 27

Dodge Motorsports/Hart & Huntington Kawasaki’s Chris Blose, and he wasn’t all that close, so Villopoto had nothing to do but focus on keeping his Mike Williamson-tuned KX450F upright and staying clear of lappers, which he did. He finished well behind the two riders ahead of him and well ahead of Blose, which gave him the opportunity to savor the moment as he took the checkered flag and the prestigious AMA Supercross Championship - not to mention the FIM World Supercross title that goes along with it. Blose held on to finish fourth for his best Supercross finish ever, while fifth went to Red Bull KTM’s Andrew Short. Jake Weimer, Austin Stroupe, Nick Wey, Kyle Regal and Ty Simmonds completed the top 10. The 2011 Arenacross Champion, Tyler Bowers, finished 11th, and

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Broc Tickle was relieved to win the West Lites title. “Oh man, so much pressure is off my shoulders now,” he said. “I feel like I put a lot of pressure on myself these last couple of races, and kind of slowed myself down a little bit and made it a little harder for this race, but I’ve learned a lot this season and I’m looking forward to the outdoors. I can’t thank Mitch Payton enough. He gave me an opportunity to be a part of his team and look at me, look where I’m at now. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be standing here living the dream.”

RockRiver Powersports/Yamaha’s Weston Peck finished 12th. Of the 20 starters only 12 finished the race on what was a hard-packed, slick and unforgiving track. Muscle Milk/Toyota/ JGR Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps made it 14 laps before pulling off with a flat tire while running fourth, BTO Sports/BBMX’s Michael 5/9/11 4:10 PM


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While trying to defend the lead from Kevin Windham, James Stewart crashed in the whoops, taking the early leader with him.

Byrne dropped out on the eighth lap while running seventh, and both Windham and Stewart crashed out on the sixth lap. Motoconcepts.com/Yamaha’s Tommy Hahn went out on the third lap, and Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi made it two laps before crashing hard while running fourth. Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR Yamaha’s Justin Brayton and TiLUBE Kawasaki’s Robert Kiniry crashed out on the first lap. East Lites Final Of the three major titles that were up for grabs going into the Vegas final, only the East Lites class was pretty much already decided. With just 25 points still on the line, GEICO Powersports Honda’s Justin Barcia enjoyed a secure 20-point cushion over Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson, but that didn’t mean the Vegas fans would not get to see a good race - they would instead see a great one. Barcia pretty much sealed 24-35 Vegas SX.indd 28

the deal for the championship by nailing the holeshot ahead of DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes and Wilson’s teammate Blake Baggett. Barcia looked in complete control, and it appeared he would put an exclamation mark on his championship-winning season by pocketing a final-round victory, but on the fourth lap he lost the front end on the freshly watered track and dropped back to third, setting the stage for a thrilling finallap showdown between Sipes and Baggett. Up until that point, Sipes seemed to be in the driver’s seat until Baggett put on a late-race charge that carried him right back up to Sipes’ rear fender. On the last lap, Baggett snatched the win away from Sipes just a few turns from the finish. “I made one mistake and it cost me the win,” Sipes said. “I was in between whether I was going to guard my line or go to the outside, so I went in the middle and

it was a lot slower. But I have to hand it to Blake, he rode great tonight. But I felt like I rode good, so at least I can take that with me. Hopefully, I can make up for it in the Shootout.” “It was great to go out with a win,” said Baggett. “I had such a crazy season that it’s good to know I’m capable of being patient and having a good final round.” But the man of the hour was Barcia who came home in third with the East Championship in hand. “I’m lost for words right now,” said Barcia. “It hasn’t set in yet that I’ve won the championship. It’s been an awesome season. The racing has been crazy all year and I’ve had a lot of fun. I have an awesome team behind me that have given me 100-percent support every race. This is a moment I will remember forever.” Wilson ended up fourth, while Malcolm Stewart rounded out the top five. 5/9/11 4:10 PM

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREA WILSON

Tough Night/ Year For Stewart

Even though San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart had a mathematical shot of taking the 2011 Supercross title going into Vegas, the reality was, after a season full of crashes, he had no chance. But that didn’t stop the former champ from trying. After passing early leader Kevin Windham on the third lap, Stewart lost control of his bike and went over the bars, right in front of Windham, who had nowhere to go. Windham tried using Stewart’s bike as a jump, but it caused him to endo hard to the ground. Both got up but did not finish the race; Stewart pulled out with a sore foot, and Windham would later go to the hospital to get checked out after coughing up some blood. “I got into the lead, and the track was super tough, it got real slippery,” Stewart said of the crash. “One time, I almost crashed through the whoops when I was by Kevin. Then, I ended up kind of sliding around [in the whoops] and dropped the front end. I was trying to save it and the front wheel just dropped in and went over the handlebars. I don’t know what happened. When


he fell, I had my foot out and he ran straight over my leg and I hurt my foot pretty good - that was it. “It’s tough, the whoops are gnarly, when they build them so big you have no room for error, so when you drop it in, there isn’t anything you can do. I got my foot pretty good, and my bike was so jacked up I couldn’t even finish it. “I was riding super easy,” he added. “I felt way in control of the race and was going to try and put some laps in, just how I felt last weekend [at Salt Lake] - two weekends in a row I went over the bars in the whoops, that’s a little frustrating.” After a tough season, Stewart said he’s glad it’s over. “I’m glad to be done. I think we learned a lot this season. Clearly, I do feel like I am the best, I just need to work on things. “Honestly, what else could I expect? The whole year has been like that, but I just want to congratulate Ryan [Villopoto] for surviving and making it happen. I didn’t get it done this year… for sure next year. I’m disappointed, but I have to give it up to the team, they did everything they could this year, I definitely let them down. It won’t happen again.”

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Justin Barcia had washout-itus but went home with the East Lites title anyway.

West Lites Final Lucas Oil/Honda’s Cole Seely. There has been incredible SuperSeely looked strong and led cross racing all year, but the final for a couple of laps before he race of the West Lites Champi- too fell and dropped to second, onship just might’ve been the handing the lead back to Roczen best. This one had lead chang- who would go on to win his first es, crashes, near-crashes, paint Supercross Lites main event, but swapping and a pack of riders all eyes were fixed on the Tickle/ all battling to get on the podium. Tomac situation. And, among them, were two ridTomac started off in fifth, sanders fighting for the West Championship - Broc Tickle and Eli Tomac - which only added to the intensity. Tickle, on the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki, held a negligible twopoint lead over Tomac, on the GEICO Powersports Honda, going into the Vegas final. For all intents and purposes, whoever finished ahead of the other would most likely win the championship. KTM’s Ken Roczen got it started and led for a while before falling, giving way to Troy Lee Designs/ Ryan Sipes redeemed himself with

wiched between Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammates Josh Hansen and Tickle, who was sixth. Hansen did what he could to prevent Tomac’s progress, allowing Tickle to hang right with Tomac, who needed to advance at least one more position to win the championship, as long as he stayed ahead of Tickle. Tomac eventually got around Hansen, as did Tickle right after that, and that’s when the chaos began. From his second-place position, Seely led a freight train of riders, including DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Kyle Cunningham, who had found incredible speed and had come up through the pack, Tomac, Tickle, Tyla Rattray and Ryan Morais. (Hansen had dropped back by this point.) Tomac wanted no part of this intense battle but had no choice, yet he was holding his ground

the East/West Shootout victory. 24-35 Vegas SX.indd 32

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while trying not to get caught up with anybody and staying ahead of Tickle. Late in the race, Tomac made a pass on Cunningham, putting him in a good position to win the championship, but Cunningham came right back and

The New Champ: Ryan Villopoto

passed him again. And so did Tickle, who then went after Cunningham. At one point, Tickle landed on Cunningham over a fast jump but neither went down; instead, Tickle ended up getting by Cunning-

Some habits are tough to break. After clinching the championship, Ryan Villopoto continued signing autographs with #2, but when he was reminded that he’s now #1, he smiled and said, “That’s right! It’s been 2 for quite a while now, so I’m going to have to get used to signing 1 now. It’s an awesome feeling for sure.” Considering all the crazy stuff that happened this season, having to finish in the top five to clinch the championship at the final round was not a “gimme” by any means, even for Villopoto. But he knew that getting through the first turn in one piece would be crucial. “Once we made it through the first turn it was just a matter of making it 20 solid laps and nailing the whoops every time,” said Villopoto of his Vegas strategy. “They call it racing for a reason, anything can happen. This is a unique first turn here, it’s a 90 [degrees] but it’s really skinny once you make the left, so just to get through the first turn was really my biggest concern, because that’s a huge spot where things go wrong. “Kevin [Windham] is really good on this stuff [dry and slick tracks] and James [Stewart] is obviously really fast; I wouldn’t have been able to lay down [letting Reed and Dungey by] like that if [Stewart and Windham hadn’t crashed]. Luckily for me that happened and I was able to put in some good laps, but Chad and Dungey were riding really well,


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ham and into second place after Seely had fallen again. Roczen had a clear sailing and easily won, followed by the new West champ Tickle, Cunningham, Tomac and Seely. “I just started riding and mov-

too. I wasn’t pulling away from Chad so I just thought to back it down a little bit, so I wouldn’t make any mistakes and cruised it on in.” When Stewart and Windham went down, Villopoto wasn’t all that far behind and very well could’ve gotten caught up in it as well. “I was in the same line in the whoops, which were hard-packed, concrete, and you really can’t slow down,” Villopoto said. “All I can say is that luckily I wasn’t too close to them.” Looking back on the year, Villopoto couldn’t forget what happened to him at Jacksonville when he did not qualify for the main and nearly lost the championship because of it. “That was definitely a huge hit to me, confidence-wise, and to the heart,” he said. “I thought I was not over, but when you go from a 26-point lead to seven, it was pretty devastating, so, I just had to rebound. It took me a few races and when I got my last win at Salt Lake, that was huge for me, because it gave me some breathing room coming into tonight.” After the race, Villopoto gave his trainer Aldon Baker credit for his championship. “Hiring Aldon as my trainer was the best career move I’ve ever made,” he said. “I was fast and I had the skills, the speed, so that was the piece of the pie that I was missing [the training]. When that chance came up, I knew that I had to get him, no matter what it cost, that’s what I did. We make a great team.”

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ing forward, forward, and we all just kind of bunched up there at the end,” Tickle said. “I just rode smooth and didn’t try to take anybody out. I got Seely in the whoops on the last lap, and I landed on Cunningham. I landed right on his rear wheel, [our rear tires] caught each other at the

exact same time and it looped him out almost, and I just drove right by him. I rode myself to a second, my goal tonight was just to beat Tomac and I did that, I’m happy with that.” “The whole race Tickle was always there,” Tomac said, “and when he got by me at the end I

My Own Race: 38

CHRIS BLOSE

4TH SUPERCROSS

194

KEN ROCZEN

1ST WEST LITES 3RD SHOOTOUT

After getting off to a ninth-place start, Hart & Huntington’s Chris Blose pushed forward and took full advantage of some of the mistakes of the riders ahead of him and came away with a career-best fourth. “I didn’t get the greatest start, but I just kept plugging forward and came out with a fourth place,” the rider from Arizona said. “I’m super happy. It’s my bestfinish ever and I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, I’m just glad my team stuck by me and I can’t thank my mechanic enough, and Kenny Watson and Carey Hart.”

“This was great for me tonight, my best night yet,” the German said. “I holeshot the main and was going good, but I crashed and had to get back to the front. I was able to win and it felt really good to win like that for the team. Earlier this season, I had some races where maybe I could have won but made mistakes, but this time I stayed calm and it was amazing. I am a different rider now than I was when I first raced a Supercross, and I’m happy to make the podium in both races tonight.”

17

JUSTIN BARCIA

3RD EAST LITES 16TH SHOOTOUT

“I felt really good out there,” the new East Lites champ said, “but ended up losing the front end, like, what, three times in the same corner? I’m just happy I was able to bring this championship to Factory Connection. I’ve been with them since I was on 80s and this has been my dream, to win this Supercross title for Ziggy [Factory Connection founder Rick Zielfelder]. I’m just grateful that they stood behind me all this time. I got two great starts tonight and didn’t get a win, but we got the title...I don’t think it will sink in for a while. It sure felt good getting the holeshot in the Shootout with that number-one plate on the front of my bike. After I crashed about all I could do was throw out some sick whips for my fans, and it sounded like they liked it.”


wanted to get him back, but there just was no time.” Dave Coombs Sr. Memorial East/West Lites Shootout The top nine finishers in the East and West mains, including the top two riders from the LCQ, were back at it again for the short, 10-

35

KYLE CUNNINGHAM3RD WEST LITES 7TH SHOOTOUT

20

BROC TICKLE

19

ELI TOMAC

“I think I came around in 12th the first lap and I just put my head down and charged as hard as I could,” said Cunningham of the West main. “I came up on that pack of Broc, Tomac and those guys, man it was a heated battle, there wasn’t much separation. It was really important for me to get on that last-race podium. I kind of feel like that’s where I should’ve been at the beginning of the year, I did my best to avoid all those guys and pass them clean, but I made a little mistake on the last lap and Broc landed on me and I ended up third. I was hitting the big rhythm in this section and came up a little bit short and rode the best I could. Him landing on me might’ve kept me up on two wheels. I was a little bummed about losing second, but I’m really pumped on getting third tonight, it was definitely hard-earned.”

2ND WEST LITES 10TH SHOOTOUT

“I was in the back of that pack of West guys,” said Broc Tickle of the West main. “When my mechanic said there were six laps to go, I just buckled down - I don’t know, it was weird - I just rode my own race, and that’s what I’ve been putting in my head the whole week and it paid off. I did everything I could possibly do. If I didn’t come away with it, I would’ve been bummed to be honest. We’re all pretty good friends on the West and we all get along, so it’s cool - even like me and Seely - we’re just out there having a good time doing what we love.”

4TH WEST LITES 6TH SHOOTOUT

“I didn’t feel that great in practice, but by the end of the second practice I felt pretty good,” said Eli Tomac of his night. “In the main event, I had the holeshot, then Seely squared off and that kind of set me back. So I battled my way up and got past the Pro Circuit guys fairly easily. I caught Cunningham and Seely and actually got by the 35 [Cunningham] and was working on Seely, but then Cunningham passed me back and that surprised me a little. I’m really looking forward to the outdoors now and feel like I’m ready for some thirty minute motos.”

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lap East/West Shootout, and no one wanted to win it more than Sipes who felt he needed to redeem himself from his earlier disappointment, but it was Barcia - now carrying the 1E plate - who got it started with the holeshot ahead of Lance Vincent, Sipes, Seely and Martin Davalos. Barcia looked fast again, but unfortunately for him, had his front end wash out a second time, putting him at the back of the pack. Sipes inherited the lead and diced with Davalos for a while before pulling away and taking the win. “This is cool,” said Sipes. “After losing the east main the way I did, it’s nice to come back and get this [win]. I feel good and I feel that was the best way to end the season.” While Sipes cruised out in front, Seely and earlier West-

main winner Roczen who had both gotten around Davalos, engaged in a close battle for second place, which would ultimately go to Seely. “That was a great race with Ken,” Seely said. “I didn’t know it was him, I thought it was Davalos, because I had to pass him and I thought he was coming back for me. It was a lot of fun, Ken’s a re-

Team TwoTwo Is Number Two Chad Reed’s TwoTwo Motorsports Honda team finished off its maiden voyage second in the championship, even though Reed would have rather have won, of course, he was satisfied to have closed out the Supercross season with his second victory and a close second in the championship. (What if Stewart hadn’t taken him out at Dallas?) “Tonight was tough, but I’m stoked to get another win,” Reed said. “So it’s my second win of the year and the bonus money doesn’t hurt, either. “As far as the championship, we gave it our best shot and did all that we could do, but we came up


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ally good rider; it was a blast racing with those guys today.” Wilson ended up fourth and Davalos fifth. The new West champ, Tickle, finished 10th, while Tomac ended up sixth. CN

a little bit short. I’m not taking nothing away from Villopoto, he rode an awesome series and deserves the title. He earned [the championship]. He had the most wins this season and to come back from what he went through last year [broken leg], he has my respect. “I’m just so proud of what [TwoTwo Motorsports] were able to accomplish this year. It was a huge decision to take on this responsibility. Most of these guys were already working at other places and to bring them on board from that was asking a lot and it means a lot to me. They’re all great to be around and, win or lose, we try our best. We learn every weekend and that’s exciting.

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ROUND 4/MAY 7-8, 2011 AUTODROMO NAZIONALE/MONZA, ITALY

WORLD SUPERBIKE

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WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

MONZAGED

Laverty wins two as Biaggi’s season hits another snag BY GORDON RITCHIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE

B

izarre as it may sound, the fact that rookie Eugene Laverty won not only one but two full-on World Superbike races at the ultrafast Monza circuit was not the biggest talking point of race day. At least not in the Latin quarters. And at Monza there were clearly lots of Latin quarters, i.e., many internal feuding forces under the same Lombardi sun and waving the same national flag of Italy. They are certainly celebrating 150 years of Italian national unity in a strange way this year – at least in the public park of Monza.

36-43 Monza WSBK.indd 36

Over the Monza weekend the organizers claimed that 116,500 came through the gates to witness three days of action in high temperatures, and even a day with temperatures near 90 degrees. But on Sunday no one was quite prepared for the boiling tempers and contentious issues that erupted. After Superpole, Max Biaggi had melted the record books and set new track best average speeds and the circuit’s first sub 1:42 lap. He was nothing short of a red-hot favorite. After last year’s

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Rookie Eugene Laverty (58) was able to pull away from Max Biaggi (1) to win the first of two World Superbike races at Monza.

double win, we all knew that it was more than probable and he was simply desperate to do so again. He was so on it, and his bike so fast on the straights, there was no way anyone else could stick with him. The problem for Biaggi in race one was Laverty, who hit the front and rode with full concentration to make a break, fully expecting only Biaggi to come with him. When he looked back and found no Biaggi, it was simply a matter of letting the World Champion make mistakes as he

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Briefly... Max Biaggi ripped the record books apart with his golden-gloved hands at Monza, winning Superpole with a final lap set on the special anniversary qualifying tires which lasted only 1:41.745 seconds. It was a new track best by some margin, the first 1:41, was .648 of a second ahead of his nearest rival and equally importantly it was a new all-time average lap speed best in World Superbike of 126.7 mph, which eclipsed even the days of the old, long Hockenheim. He also set an absolute top-speed record – not for the first time this weekend - slightly earlier in the day achieving 334.8 km/h in the second free qualifying session. That equates to 208.03 mph. Said Biaggi, underplaying it as usual, “It was very good, my first Superpole this year. This track is special for us and finally it came after three races in which it has been difficult to be competitive and get back on top. In qualifying we made good set-up trying a few different things, some of which worked and some of which didn’t. But we did a good job and Italy is always special for us. For sure, top speed is a help at Monza and you need it, but also good braking and agility helps, and I’m happy with everything.” The main talk before the start of play at Monza was the drama induced by the fact, confirmed by a team press release, that “Following media speculation, Paul Bird Motorsport can confirm that a quantity of banned substances had been deposited in a race transporter while the vehicle was in Holland attending the recent Assen World Superbike event.” No statements beyond what were reported in Cycle News last week were forthcoming from the Kawasaki team, and despite being down to one truck only at Monza, it was business as usual despite all the external interest shown after what they described as a “customs incident.” The wider scope for all the teams is at least expected to be much greater checks on exactly what is aboard their trucks as they leave races, and most likely more stringent checks from the authorities for race trucks crossing the English Channel. Pirelli produced a special three color – red, green and white – marking on the Superpole qualifying tires at Monza, to celebrate the fact that this is the 150th anniversary of the formation of the Italian state, as we know it today. The red white and green bands replaced the normal yellow bands that signify a qualifying tire. continued on next page


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ROUNDS/DATE WHERE/CITY, STATE

WORLD SUPERBIKE

got dragged back into a fight with Leon Haslam and another Italian favorite, Marco Melandri. In the end, that allowed Laverty to win his first in the class in what was just his seventh World Superbike contest. Biaggi knew he had been caught in a sting operation in race one. “Second place is better than

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WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP the start of his experience on it, and how much better it is now, can be summed up by his comments on race one. “We didn’t get the best of starts and made a few misPart of the reason Laverty was able takes,” the Brit said. to get away was “I felt like I could run the brawl between the pace, and then Biaggi (1), Leon I got into a battle Haslam (91) and where me and Max Marco Melandri (hidden) slowed the [Biaggi] were passchasing trio. ing each other a few times. We were holding each other up a bit, which meant that Eugene got away. It nothing, but I was hoping to do a bit better,” said Biaggi. “I got a was a tough race, the last part I good start, but made some mis- was defending from Marco [Metakes and then I was bothered landri], but I’ve got a lot more feel with Leon [Haslam]; Eugene [La- out of the BMW now and I’m acverty] started to go away then I tually looking forward to the racmade another mistake so at the es in the future.” end of the day I settled for secThose who have studied World ond place.” Supersport racing know that LaFor Haslam, just how off the verty was happy to control races mark his BMW has been since and he did just that in the big

My Own Race: #7

CARLOS CHECA

9TH/10TH

“We’re satisfied because we were aware of our limitations before we arrived here at Monza and we knew that it would be difficult to reach the podium,” Checa said. “In race one, I had to push so hard on the straights that it probably affected the tire because in the last laps the performance had really dropped off and I couldn’t get ahead of [Leon] Camier. In the second race we had good pace until three laps from the end when I had an engine problem. It slowed me down so much that I was lucky even to finish. I closed in ninth and 10th position today and, all things considered, these are good points for us at Monza. We leave here with a 27-point lead, which surprises me to tell the truth. We’re really happy and will now concentrate on the next round at Miller, where I hope to be able to make two great races.”


#4

JONATHAN REA

6TH/DNF

“Frustrating really is the word, especially in race one when we just didn’t have the speed on the straight,” Rea said. “I could match the lap times when I was on my own and able to run the right lines. But as soon as I got involved in a race with anyone who slowed me down in the places I was fast, I got forced off the line and lost the speed. Sixth was okay, but certainly not what I’d hoped for. I’ll have to see the footage of race two to find out what really happened, but I feel like I got clipped from the inside, which forced me up and into the guy on the outside. We’re going to Miller next, which has another long straight, so I hope the guys back at base can find something. Luckily, we’re testing there the week before the race so I hope that gives us at least a chance to do better than last year.”

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class, a brilliant exercise in coolness at absolutely full pace all the way. Spies-like, if you like. In the second race Biaggi had done all he needed to do to win, used his bike well, used his experience well, then something went wrong, with Biaggi over five seconds in the lead. He ran straight into the first chicane, as many had done before. Trouble is that there were lines painted on the chicane to guide riders to make sure they go through it and out of it in the manner prescribed by Race Direction in a meeting on Thursday – a meeting that Biaggi didn’t show up for. So Biaggi went over the wrong part of the tarmac on the escape route, and the mandatory ride-through penalty was imposed. After the drama of Donington, when Biaggi didn’t take his ridethrough penalty, it was clear he saw the signboard this time as his body language proved – a shaking head and an angry face that showed through even a dark visor. He lost well over 20 seconds in his long ride through the long Monza pitlane, but battled his way back to eighth at the flag. Another day when it all went wrong for Biaggi, but at least this one involved no acts of aggression or rebuke to other riders. Not from Biaggi. “At the moment I am feeling only great disappointment, for me and for the entire team,” Biaggi said. “We prepared to the best of our ability and I think we showed that on the track. I have to accept this severe decision, blaming myself for not having been shrewd enough not to have touched that line. Now we have to regroup and focus on the next races. There is still a long season ahead.” This being the splintered fan base of Italy, and there being many Melandri fans in the tribunes, the reaction to Biaggi’s punishment was mixed. The end result of Biaggi’s penalty was a simple fight to the last lap from competitive Yamaha teammates Laverty and Melandri and - to the surprise of many in the crowd - it was Laverty who triumphed. So the second chance of an Italian victory was lost, and the Melandri fans were now forced to temper their emotions at Biaggi being dropped back out of contention. 36-43 Monza WSBK.indd 39

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Briefly... Max Biaggi simply re-wrote the record books with his form at Monza, after a test at Mugello a few days beforehand saw the team try out some new engine specs. At first the official line was that there were no new parts inside the engine as such, but later rumors suggested that there might have been. With so much electronics and variable inlets, etc., on the Aprilia, a different engine spec and more power specifically for Monza could easily be achieved with only external ‘tuning,’ but whatever the reality of the situation, Biaggi’s top speed of well over 200 mph was proof that whatever they had done it had made the fastest bike in the class faster still. Leon Camier, well over six feet tall, was not quite as fast as the diminutive Biaggi, setting a best of 206.4 mph. Luca Scassa was in the wars at his home round of Monza, the World Supersport Championship leader crashing in final qualifying when tangling with Marko Jerman. To make matters worse, the story broke that because Scassa had done laps of Misano as part of his normal race school operations, he will suffer a punishment, as it is not his designated test track. That test track is Aragon. Now Scassa won’t be able to take part in the Misano round as his punishment for riding there in his school. Pirelli brought two choices of rear tires for the Superbike teams, but the SCO (softer) became the subject of controversy and it did not play any part in race day, according to rumors after a meeting between top teams and the championship’s spec-tire supplier. The unexpectedly hot track temperatures (44 Celcius in final free practice) saw the SCO tire start to degrade and start to even come off on the overworked right side of the tire, if a full race simulation was attempted. Some reports suggested that if the tire was run over a simulated race distance in a few stages, then it performed well. The as yet unconfirmed story is that the tire will now be pulled from the allocation for each rider, as race day was supposed to be hot. Sam Lowes, riding with a broken left collarbone after his big Assen crash, was fined 500 Euros for kicking out at Robbin Harms after the young Brit found the experienced Dane suddenly slowing in the Ascari chicane, spoiling one of Lowes attempts at a qualifying lap. continued on next page 5/9/11 4:01 PM


WORLD SUPERBIKE The post-race press conference, held in an open Paddock Show tent where the public are encouraged to enter to cheer on the podium men, was like an amplified verbal war zone, with Biaggi’s fans chanting his name, booing the other riders and being heckled in their turn by the rest of the fans. The angry mob were at first incensed and then silenced by Melandri’s explanation of the situation, and although Laverty was cheered by most when appropriate, the passion of the Biaggi fans, also stoked by Michel Fabrizio’s comments that Biaggi should have won the race, was so hard to control that the organizers almost abandoned it. Infront media manager/translator Julian Thomas had to keep calling for a degree of silence and consideration for the real podium riders who had not made any mistakes, and who had earned their top three places. Laverty had certainly earned his two wins, beating Biaggi fair and square in the opener then Melandri, on the same bike in the second. “This means so much to me,” Laverty said. “I wanted my first podium today so to go straight to the top was unexpected, because Max [Biaggi] was so dominant, and it was just a great race. I did not think I could get away at the front - it was not my intention. My intention was to break Max and me away, because I knew if I could get to the front I would push away, whereas Max may not 36-43 Monza WSBK.indd 40

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WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP have pushed on. So I wanted it to be just us two and then back it off, but when I had decided to back off I looked back and saw Max was not there, so I got my head down again and had to ride 18 laps like every one was the last one. That is what it took. There were a few slides and near the end I knew Max was closing bit by bit. At Ascari I looked at the big screen TV to see where he was, but my girlfriend Pippa was on the big screen with her head in her hands in the pit garage - so I thought Max was really close. That’s genuinely what I thought, so I was not going to look behind me in case he got the slipstream pass. That’s why I went in to the Parabolica on the last lap very deep to keep Max behind me, to the dirty bit of tarmac and that’s why I lost the rear a bit. “I wish they would keep the cameras on us instead of in the garage because that made me nervous. I just kept pushing to the top and my first win couldn’t have come at a better place - the Yamaha team is based at Lesmo and everyone’s here to celebrate!” He was simply bamboozled by the crowd chaos and sheer volume of the civil disobedience in the race-two press conference, stating, “I did not realize until Marco [Melandri] just told me that Biaggi did not attend the meeting (that made clear the new rules about the chicanes) on Thursday night, so it is his own fault. I did not realize that. I could not believe my luck when I saw Biaggi

Biaggi was gone in race two, heading to what looked like an easy victory before a blunder in the chicane ended up with the World Champion having to do a ride-through penalty.

go straight then the number 1 on the pit board so I knew then that Marco and I were fighting for the win.” Melandri held his ground amid the heckling, saying over the boos and blast on plastic trumpets, “There was a briefing on Thursday in which it was explained the procedure at the first chicane, and the lines the riders should follow in case what happened with Biaggi happened. Max was not there, but he was represented by his team. But there is a procedure to follow for this chicane and it was not followed which is why what happened happened.” So there. “It’s been a very tough weekend for me, we’ve been trying to find a good set-up to make the bike stable,” Melandri said. “In the second race we made a big step further, but the bike was 5/9/11 4:01 PM

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Briefly... The kick was missed on camera, but the ensuing gesticulations were not. Broc Parkes had two crashes in practice at Monza, one on Friday and another on Saturday, but he was still able to get up to third in the final grid rankings. “I feel happy with where we ended up and we always aim to get on the front row,” he said. “I had a bit of an off today on someone else’s oil on the track and we were pretty lucky that we had enough time to fix the bike while they were cleaning the oil spill on the track. I was happy on a soft tire at the end and I made such a big jump using it that maybe we need to sit down and look at that. A good start is needed tomorrow and I think there will be a big group of us. There may be a big freight train tomorrow and as long as nobody gets a break up front it may be a very interesting race.”

very nervous at the end so I couldn’t race for the win. I tried to do my best, but at the last corner I struggled with the gearbox, the rear tire locked and I lost.” The podium places in race one went to Biaggi and Haslam, who won a sometimestense war on the track with Melandri. But in race two Haslam had fallen early on, in a crash with Jonathan Rea and Jakub Smrz. Fabrizio was third in race two, on his Alstare Suzuki, a great result for a team with what looked like limited resources at such a fast track. Missing from the podium in both races was championship points leader Carlos Checa. The Althea Racing Ducati rider was ninth in race one, and looked to be a shooin for sixth in race two on his relatively slow Ducati – but that disappeared in a wisp of oil smoke on the last lap and he slowed to what was an eventual 10th. Not that it matters much Checa has a new total of 145 points with Melandri now second on 118 with Biaggi and his 117 points in third. Rea is fourth with 89 points after a sixth and a crash, and Laverty is now fifth, with 85.

Lorenzo Zanetti and his BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock mount showed just how fast a ‘streetbike’ can be by blasting to a top speed of 196.5 mph in Superstock 1000 qualifying. That was faster than Carlos Checa’s Ducati – at least when he wasn’t in somebody’s draft. “It’s not easy here for us,” Checa said. “We know that we are lacking some speed, but tomorrow I think that if I can improve through the first sector we can defend ourselves well. Of course, it wouldn’t be very realistic to think we can reach the podium, but I am confident that we can stay with the front group and we’ll try to take the best possible results. It’s hard to say how we’ll finish, but I’ll do my best as always and we’ll see.” Chris Vermeulen would take no part in Saturday or race day action at Monza, having crashed in the first session with his bike landing on his head and arm. He suffered a deep gash in his left elbow as a result of the crash. Although his helmet was damaged in the crash, the Aussie didn’t suffer a concussion. His elbow gash, which would require six stitches, was so severe that even the Clinica Mobile staff advised him not to ride. His cut was constantly opening despite the stitches, and with Vermeulen having set no qualifying time, the decision was made not to plea his case to be allowed to start when it appeared he wouldn’t be able to. It was a blow for Vermeulen and his team, especially as his troublesome knee was in the best shape it has been since February 2010, and was proving little hindrance in the first session. Vermeulen highsided, exiting Ascari, after giving it a bit too much gas. He said after he admitted he could not ride on continued on next page


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WORLD SUPERBIKE

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WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

Briefly... Sunday. “My elbow is the only problem, even though the rest of me is a bit sore after my Friday fall. They say the gash in my elbow needs about six stitches in it and the elbow has swollen up a lot inside. I have been having it drained of fluid a couple of times a day. They say there is nothing majorly wrong with my elbow and it was only a problem because it got stuck under the bike when I crashed. I have been advised not to ride this weekend, but the good thing is that my knee feels a lot better and we were reasonably quick after only a few laps.” It was a hard start to the weekend for Aussie World Superbike rookie Mark Aitchison, as he fell when he suffered the fear of all riders, suspected brake failure at Monza. “I went into the first corner this morning and seemed to run out of brakes into turn one, still tipped in thinking everything was okay, then went to take more front brake on the entry to the second part of the chicane and the handlebar came back to the lever. I went straight ahead as I ran out of room. I ran into the wall and my bike fell on top of me. My tire went straight across my chest!” With ice to keep the swelling on his left arm down he carried on the next day, albeit feeling even more worse for wear, and qualifying 20th. Ayrton Badovini was on sparkling and speedy early form, as he took fifth place on the first day of qualifying, using a satellite BMW with a new engine spec and other parts for Monza. “The bike is easier to ride because we have some new chassis parts,” he said. “Compared to the previous bike we have more 36-43 Monza WSBK.indd 42

maximum speed and more rpm, and the engine is the same as the official team. Maybe for tomorrow it will be even better because we have a new set-up to try, but even now the bike is very nice and we are very near the correct line. It is nice to come back into the first five riders.” Leon Haslam commented on the improvements on his BMW, and was satisfied that a first day fastest in qualifying really was as good as it could be at present. “I was really happy because I did the whole session this morning with the same tire, and I was going to do the same in the afternoon, but I had not tried the soft one so I wanted to try that to see how much better or worse it was,” said Haslam. “I got held up in the first couple of laps, but on the third one I got clear and did enough for provisional pole. I was happier with my race tire situation than the time I did on the soft one. The main thing we have done is… not make the bike any easier to ride, but it is more consistent. We have made a more direct connection to the engine, which obviously highlights the engine being a bit too aggressive, but the bike is consistent every lap, every corner, and we have never had that until now. It has always done what it wanted to do and therefore hard to ride over race distances. But now I have set my fastest lap on lap 19 on the rear tire, which we have never been able to do. From that point of view, I am happy.” Paolo Flammini gave a short update on the possible threat of a 1000cc MotoGP category with engines based on World Superbike machines by saying on Saturday at

Monza, “I do not have any further specifications from the FIM, but I expect to have them. The fact that they specify that the bikes must be prototypes is already a positive step. Obviously, it goes in the direction we all wanted to go. I do not have any further details and I think as soon as they are available the FIM will be able to communicate them.” James Toseland was gritty and determined as ever as he took to the track for qualifying, but with around 10 degrees of movement from a wrist that has had four pins in it for a long time and only a few days to recover, he was always going to be struggling to be up to speed. He qualified 19th, and only two seconds from the top of the sheets after combined qualifying, pre-Superpole. “I did about 25 laps yesterday and had it taped up really well and I was pleased because three weeks ago my surgeon said, ‘You can forget about Monza, and Miller might be tough.’ But when he took the pins out he was so pleased that my recovery had been so good that he did a U-turn and said, ‘go there and have a go, and do not take any painkillers, and if it hurts then stop.’ It was obviously uncomfortable, and last night I got little electric shocks in the wrist so I called my surgeon this morning. I asked him if he was telling me to stop racing and he said, yes, so I called my team manager at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning and my team have been very understanding. I do not want to mess anything up, because I would like to be fully right for Miller. I have no strength in the wrist and I do not want to be a risk to anybody else.” 5/9/11 4:01 PM

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Haslam, another to fail to fully capitalize on Checa’s probable one bogey track of the year, is sixth, only a point behind Laverty. The glory was all Laverty’s in Monza, the stories and focus all on other people, but let us not underestimate his achievement in this year of 21 regular bikes and about 18 potential podium level riders. Next stop Miller, for the Superbike guys at least. CN

Perfection For Davies

Chaz Davies had one of those weekends that riders dream of at Monza, winning virtually everything he could win, including a race that he led from start to finish. He even beat his teammate on his teammate’s home track. Even if he didn’t beat Eugene Laverty’s old lap record. “This weekend we just started off on the right foot, so we just kept the momentum going,” Davies said. “I don’t think I have ever had a weekend quite as perfect as this - led every session, fastest lap and won the race. Quite weird. I have followed other bikes out there and what I like about our bikes is the electronics package for corner entry, and also our engine is obviously strong as well.” Maybe the best development for any of the top riders who fancy being champion for real is that Davies’ teammate Luca Scassa provided yet another moment of pure high drama, Italian-style, when he was found guilty of riding as an instructor at his race school at Misano recently, meaning that he will not now be allowed to race there in the next round in June.


As the Yamahas are proving the fastest and best bikes around, with all the wins having been taken by either Davies or Scassa, that means that Davies must be a favorite to pull away in this one. “The problems today was because of yesterday in qualifying,” Scassa said after finishing second in the race. “I made a little mistake passing a slower rider, did not know if I should go by him inside or outside, and so I had to take away the soft tire and I used a hard one for the qualifying. I tried every thing to keep Chaz’s pace, but he was too fast in the first part.” Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Fabien Foret was second with Broc Parks fourth on the Kawasaki. While Broc Parkes may be only 10 points behind the Yamaha duo who are tied at the top with 70 points, it is clear that if he is to win the title he will have to get his bike moved on a step or two, and start beating the Yamahas at some stage. The race itself was a bore for the podium places, but a belter further back, as many riders fell and many riders had to battle against adversity for even a few points.

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2011 Husqvarna TE449

DUALIN’ ON THE HUSKY

We ride Husky’s allnew BMW influenced TE449 dual sport.

Right from your garage, head for the hills and leave the city behind on the 50-state-legal TE449 Husqvarna dual sport.

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m your ad for leave ind on e-legal qvarna sport.

VOL. 48 ISSUE 13 MAY 10, 2011

STORY AND PHOTOS BY KIT PALMER

W

hen it comes to dualsport motorcycles, my standards of how a dirt bike should perform on the trail drops dramatically. To be quite honest, I almost don’t even have a standard for dual sporters. As long as it has knobby tires and that passport to “freedom” attached to the back fender called a license plate, I’m almost eager to overlook such things as the extra weight, flexy frames and spongy suspensions that we’ve become accustomed to with most Japanese dual-sport bikes. Although it’s unfortunate that it’s come to this, it’s the way it is. You grin and bear it. However, it’s getting much easier to make do now, thanks to the many European manufacturers - like Husqvarna, KTM and Beta – that are building excellent dual sport bikes that are far more sport than dual. It’s these bikes that have raised the bar and, consequently, my dual-sport standards. Call them high-performance dual-sporters – motorcycles like the all-new TE449 from Husqvarna. When BMW acquired Husqvarna in 2007, it pretty much meant the end of the trail for BMW’s G450X project, the company’s first attempt at building a serious, full-on off-road bike. After taking on Husky, there was really no need for BMW to hang on to the G450X anymore and, as a result, the phase out has begun. 44-48 Husky test.indd 45

For a first-time effort, the G450X, one of the most innovated and sophisticated off-road bike ever, was a good - but not great - performer. It just needed some time to mature, which it apparently won’t get - at least in its present form. BMW wasn’t about to let all those innovations go to waste, so it incorporated most of them into most of the new bigbore, four-stroke Husqvarnas. The bikes now take the best from Germany and the best from Italy and combine them – sort of a “BMvarna.” The BMW-powered TE449 is basically a street-legal version of the TXC449 off-roader, which is closely based on the TC449 motocrosser. The bike gets a handful of cool innovations that were found on the G450X, like Coaxial Traction System (CTS), a hydraulic crankshaft-mounted clutch, and a double-chamber fuel tank that is positioned low in the frame. And it’s also fuelinjected. The most obvious innovation is the centralized fuel tank system and its behind-the-seat fuel filler, which is positioned farther rearward than it was on the BMW (you don’t feel it anymore). The main tank is located under the seat and its overall layout permits a lower CG and a wellprotected airbox that is positioned above the motor with the actual air intake located as high as the bike’s steering stem. The dual-chamber design has its advantages and disadvantag-

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es. While it does provide better overall CG, better breathing and better debris protection for the FI’s fuel-pump (there’re two fuel filters in the system), you cannot swap the 2.5-gallon stock tank for a larger-capacity aftermarket tank. And, if you plan on racing the TE, you can’t use a quick-fill dump can to fill the tank quickly, since, when speed filling, the first (upper) chamber will reach capacity before the transparent lower chamber does, so you must wait for the bottom chamber to fill up before you can finish topping off. Thus, there’s no real advantage in using a quickfill. But this, of course, is no big deal for dual sporting, nor is being stuck with the stock tank. You can still get 100 miles if you ride conservatively. Hard riding, 50 miles easy. The forward-canted motor, which is nestled in a new perimeter frame, is one of the Husky’s best features. Again, the fourvalve, dual-cam, 449.6cc fourstroke motor is essentially right out of the G450X and it provides a very smooth delivery and plenty of power for hard-core dualsport riding. It’s torquey, yet it still revs. Gear ratios fit the power well and handle both ends of the spectrum just fine – it’s geared low enough for the slow stuff and tall enough for the open road, and seems to fit everything else in between via its smoothshifting, six-speed transmission. Throttle response from the 46mm Keihin electronic fuel in5/6/11 1:25 PM

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2011 Husqvarna TE449 Part Husky, part BMW, the TE449 is certainly fun to look at.

jection with dual throttle bodies is snappy and quite crisp, revealing little in the way of bogging or hesitation when you crack the throttle open. Our Husky test bike, however, was not immune to low-speed flameouts. In case you’re wondering, we tested the TE449 exactly how you’d get yours right off the showroom floor and did not tamper or modify the bike’s emissions system. A very unique innovation taken 44-48 Husky test.indd 46

from the G450X is the TE’s CTS. That’s where the countershaft sprocket and swingarm pivot share the same axis, resulting in chain tension that’s always consistent - regardless of the position of the rear wheel throughout its travel. Husky claims this design does three main things: reduces rear-end squatting under hard acceleration, improves traction (less wheelspin), and increases stability, since vertical movement of the rear wheel is decreased.

I noticed the CTS right away. The rear tire does, in fact, bite hard, which I appreciated on dry ground, especially climbing long, lose and rocky hills. The back end spends more of its time pushing you forward than it does wasting momentum slipping to the side. Nice. However, the CTS has some adverse side effects. Because of the CTS, the back end pretty much resists squatting and, from what I could tell sometimes, actu5/6/11 1:25 PM

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Don’t let the lights and blinkers fool you, the TE449 is more sport than dual.

ally rises a bit – at least it feels that way - when you open her up. And this tends to stand you up in the middle of a turn when you crack the throttle. The front end also resists lifting when trying to wheelie over obstacles. Aggressively blip the throttle and the back end remains level and the bike hooks up so much that it tends to push the front end more forward than up. Deep sand is also a problem, especially at slow speeds, as the 44-48 Husky test.indd 47

front tire tends to knife deeper into the soft stuff and wants to follow the lines and grooves in the sand more. Basically, I really found myself fighting the Husky in the sand. I tried sliding the forks down 3mm in the triple clamps, and that made it a little easier getting the front wheel off the ground while also providing a bit more straightline stability in soft terrain. The Husky’s suspension is all new. It’s fitted with very capable and fully adjustable Kayaba suspension components, including a 48mm cartridge fork, similar to those on older Yamaha YZs. The shock is now attached to rear linkages (the BMW used a direct mount) that are located above the swingarm and out of harm’s way. The end result is a much-better suspended machine that can now withstand more hard-core off-road riding, which includes doing a decent job of soaking up

large whoops, while providing a smooth ride over smaller bumps, as well. I had no real gripes with the TE’s suspension for dual sport riding. The TE most definitely has outstanding brakes. The Brembo caliper, with a 260mm front and a 240mm rear Galfer rotors, is extremely strong, offers excellent feel and never seems to fade. Like it did on the BMW, the crankshaft-mounted clutch also works well, but it’s even smoother now that it’s hydraulically actuated. The Husky is not light but it hides its 260 pounds well. It has excellent ergos, comfortable Magura handlebars, a narrow profile, and a long, flat and thin seat. It’s a roomy bike that is simple to move around on, which helps make the somewhat big bike feel lighter than it really is while on the trail. You’ll feel it, though, when lifting the TE out of a tight spot. 5/6/11 1:25 PM

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2011 Husqvarna TE449 Luckily, the Husky has decent grab holes under the seat. The TE has a pleasant sound yet is very quiet - as it should with that monster of a muffler. It’s massive and susceptible to major damage and ugly scrapes and dings. If you crash, make sure you do it on the left side. And try not to burn a hole in your right pant leg on the exhaust pipe like I did. So far, our test bike has held up well and is easy to work on. The seat doesn’t need tools to remove and the air filter, which is simple enough to get to, hardly ever needs to be cleaned. Overall, the Husky is a really good dual-sport bike, but does have its own unique feeling that takes some getting used to but you will. While it is not without

The white “box” in the middle is part of the dual-chamber fuel tank system.

fault, the bike does have quirks (most of which have to do with the CTS), they are certainly easy to live with (and for some, probably not even noticeable), especially when you look at all of the other things the TE has to offer - like its smooth-performing mo-

tor, spot-on fuel-injection system, extended seat, well-designed airbox/filter system and, of course, that magic plate on the rear fender. Yup, I’d have to say that the TE449 meets and exceeds my new and tougher dual sport standards. CN

SPECIFICATIONS: 2011 HUSQVARNA TE449 MSRP: ��$8699 ENGINE TYPE:.. Single-cylinder four-stoke HEAD:.......... 4-valve Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) DISPLACEMENT:............................449.6cc BORE X STROKE:.................98 x 59.6mm COMPRESSION RATIO:..........................12:1 STARTING:...................................... Electric CLUTCH:.................... Wet multi-plate with hydraulic control COOLING:.......................................... Liquid IGNITION:........Electronic with adjustable advance. SPARK PLUG:.......................NGK CR9EKB FUEL SYSTEM:................ E.F.I. Keihin D46 LUBRICATION:....... Dry sump with two oil pumps, cartridge and oil filters TRANSMISSION:............................6-Speed 44-48 Husky test.indd 48

GEAR RATIOS: 1st.......................................................32/14 2nd.....................................................30/16 3rd......................................................23/15 4th.....................................................25/20 5th..................................................... 24/23 6th..................................................... 22/24 FRAME: Double beam, double cradle and high resistance chromoly steel frame (round and elliptical). Alloy sub frame FRONT SUSPENSION:........ Kayaba 48mm open cartridge, fully adjustable inverted fork. FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL:..................11.81 in. REAR SUSPENSION:.......................Kayaba single shock with remote reservoir, fully adjustable, including (high- and lowspeed compression). REAR WHEEL TRAVEL:....................11.81 in.

FRONT BRAKE:................ Brembo 260mm wave rotor, dual-piston floating caliper; Hydraulic actuation. REAR BRAKE:................................. Brembo 240mm wave rotor, single piston floating caliper; Hydraulic actuation. FRONT RIM:.................. 1.60x21 Excel rim FRONT TIRE:.......................... 90/90-21 in. REAR RIM:......................2.15x18 Excel rim REAR TIRE:............................ 140/80-18 in. WHEELBASE:................................ 58.66 in. OVERALL LENGTH:........................89.76 in. OVERALL WIDTH:......................... 32.28 in. SEAT HEIGHT:................................37.91 in. GROUND CLEARANCE:................... 13.19 in. FUEL CAPACITY:..................... 2.51 gallons OIL CAPACITY:......................... 1.04 quarts

5/6/11 1:25 PM

got the app? Coming Soon To ANDROID

INTERVIEW

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COLIN EDWARDS

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Like fine wine... BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE

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onster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards finished sixth in last weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix, the 140th GP of his career, and he shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, it’s just the opposite. In his ninth season in the MotoGP World Championship Edwards has been re-energized. The recent opening of his Texas Tornado Boot Camp (www.texastornadobootcamp.com) has taken him back to his roots on a dirt bike - he had a factory motocross contract with Yamaha as a teenager - that has translated into greater success on his Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha YZRM1. Yamaha has also helped. The company has given him a much-improved race bike, which allows him to ride more naturally. Edwards was all set to take his first podium of the year in the weather-plagued Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez when his fuel pump failed on the final lap. It was the firstever failure for the fuel pump, which was early in its life cycle. The DNF was crushing for the 37-year-old, who spoke of how rare the opportunities are for podium finishes.

Colin Edwards is getting better with age

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What he could take away from it was that he’d done everything possible to put the bike on the box. Last weekend in Estoril the Texan finished a lonely sixth, again as the first nonfactory bike. There were five factory riders in front of him and four behind him, two who finished and two who didn’t. With four factory Hondas, two Yamahas, two Ducatis, and a Suzuki, it was an admirable finish in a role he’s come to accept. Edwards thought he’d retire from Grand Prix racing at the end of the 2008 season, with thoughts of moving to Yamaha U.S.’s AMA Superbike team for a final year in 2009. But the move to the satellite Tech 3 Yamaha team, after years of being Valentino Rossi’s teammate on the factory squad, gave him a boost and he hasn’t slowed down since. How much longer he’ll keep at it seemed like a good place to start. Is this your last year? No. I’m not planning on it. Honestly, I just had this conversation with my motorhome driver who came to the last Boot Camp. Honestly, I haven’t ridden a dirt bike since, I think, ’06 or ’07, was the last year I was riding my 450 a lot and motocrossing. And now when I started riding a lot I feel like I’m back in tune. Like I’m learning again instead of just stagnating. And it’s what I built, it’s

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INTERVIEW

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COLIN EDWARDS

what it was meant for, to learn and get that feel up a little bit. I feel like I’m riding really good. I feel real comfortable on the bike - more comfortable than I have in the last couple of years. So, am I ready to stop? No, if that’s the question. Is this my last year? In my mind, no. This is the third race. 50-55 Edwards Interview.indd 52

You have another new teammate this year, Cal Crutchlow, that you have to mentor. This seems to be a role you’ve been in for some time. I’ve kind of grown accustomed to it, if you understand what I’ve been saying, a little bit. I am the… one of the elder statesman, let’s say, in the paddock. I’ve got 34

years experience on two wheels. And you just heard me talking to Cal. If I can help in any way, I will. These guys are on their way up and learning. Ben [Spies], [James] Toseland started out the same way. I don’t have a problem with it. I quite enjoy it, this follows up the Boot Camp; I quite enjoy teaching or giving advice. 5/6/11 1:28 PM

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How has all that riding at the Boot Camp helped your racing? A lot of it is throttle control and it’s me. When you see me on the track and I look slow, but then you look at the lap time, and you go man, you look like you were putting around, it’s the same at the Boot Camp. On a dirt bike, 50-55 Edwards Interview.indd 53

I’m exactly the same. But I’ve always been that way from an early age. David Bailey was one of my mentors. He was so smooth and just looked like it was effortless and I tried to emulate that at an early age. It transferred over to road racing. But even becoming more smooth, keeping everything more in line… that’s the biggest thing it’s taught me. This year the riding and results seem better. My riding’s felt great. I mean, this year I’ve felt a lot better than I have for the last few years. I’m a lot more comfortable with the bike. Obviously, we have a new chassis, we have a new engine. That’s a lot to do with Yamaha. A lot of stuff we’ve been asking for for years, a little more flexible chassis. Instead of riding of piece of steel, we’ve got a little more flex here and there that I like. For feel-wise, I like that. The bike turns this year, which is a lot different than it has the last couple of years.

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Jorge Lorenzo is complaining about less acceleration and top speed. How close is yours to his this year? I think our bikes are a lot closer than they’ve ever been. I think, sure, they’re going to have to have a couple different… it’d be chassis parts or swingarm or engine parts. They’re always going to have something a little more than us. But I think when we started the year, when we went testing in Malaysia, I think our bikes were probably the closest they’ve ever been - satellite to factory bike. You coulda kinda see that really in times, anyway. That’s thanks to Yamaha, really. Last year we struggled a lot and I couldn’t understand why the factory guys were so fast. To me, this doesn’t make any sense. But then when I jumped on the new bike, I was like, ‘Oh,’ like a light bulb went off. Okay, I understand that. 5/6/11 1:28 PM

INTERVIEW

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COLIN EDWARDS

What does it do better? When you’re riding stiff as a plank of wood and you turn it, when you get on the edge, and it still goes straight, you know you have some issues - when the guy in front of you is doing the same thing and he’s turning. And that was basically last year and the year before; this is the issue we had. And we tried to combat it with trying to get a lot of weight on the front and we had to lose traction to do that and with a motorcycle it’s give and take. But we would gain something, but we would lose something, always. It’d be a lot better if it had four wheels, but it only has two. 50-55 Edwards Interview.indd 54

Did the bike last year get better start to finish? No. It was the same. I think Ben [Spies] got a couple things there towards the end, knowing that he was going to the factory. I think just some engine [things]; I don’t think he got a chassis. We got, I think, in Valencia, I got some more rpm. And that was about it, the last race. But they were giving him a little bit of stuff towards the end, knowing that he was going to come to the factory team. No, it didn’t really change a whole lot. What about electronics? This year, I’ll tell you, they’ve gone light years. And last year

was good. To be honest with you, it was really good last year. But this year it has the, I don’t what the words I’m looking for, but it’s more natural. That’s the only thing I can really say. Instead of being so electronic to where you open, it cuts, now it kinda works with you. It feels a little more natural. In doesn’t sound natural in the long corners. Honestly, as far as Yamaha’s concerned, I was the one who requested it big-time in ’05, but a much different system then. But you open and it basically did everything with butterflies and no cut. So really, as far as senses, you had no idea what was going 5/6/11 1:28 PM

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on. I was like, ‘man I got to try to do some cuts.’ At least with the cuts you know it’s got your back, instead of just opening and the bike just goes slower for some reason. Okay, maybe it doesn’t sound natural, but it feels a lot more natural than it has been in the last couple of years, for sure. Last year you were pretty critical before Laguna because you hadn’t gotten anything and you thought you would. I take that back, what I said earlier. I think we got something for Laguna. We got a little something. Engine… it was basically engine, that was a little bit stronger. But we can’t use all the power anyway. Engine, more what I was asking for at Laguna was filling in a couple holes. We had a couple holes and power that just give us a little more bottom end. It’s hard to explain. Let’s play around with this a little bit. We know what those guys have. Once we got that everything was a little bit better. Has your outspokenness ever gotten you in trouble? F**k yeah, f**k yeah. Not recently. Not recently, because I’m a little more mature. I know how to have fun. Now it’s good because everybody knows me. It’s not that I don’t give a shit, it’s just that I’m me. Being a Texan, or being American, whatever you want to say. I’m not cocky. We had this conversation many years ago. If you read an interview or you see me on TV, you know who I am, 50-55 Edwards Interview.indd 55

instantly. And that comes from watching lots of interviews of past generation guys, they could’ve been at Hockenheim or they could’ve been at Mugello, but it’s the same type of interview. But, yeah, it’s gotten me in trouble a few times. One of them really bad and I’d kind of like to forget about it, to be honest with you. Last year before Laguna you were pretty harsh towards Yamaha about not having the right machinery. Were you worried about how that would be perceived? That’s where, like, Yamaha knows me, so I’m never going to bite the hand that feeds me, Yamaha is my family. They have been. My first full factory contract with Yamaha was in 1986 on motocross bikes. So, I’m never going to bite the hand that feeds me. Am I going to give them a nudge? Yes, of course. But I’m never going to degrade them or say anything bad about them. But, yeah, I mean, if I need to give them a nudge and maybe a little bit public knowledge that’s going to help me, then yeah. You learn how to play the game a little bit. The Hondas seem to be very strong this year, what have you seen that’s different on the track? The only thing that seems different is… obviously, I’ve always had that pop out of the corner, and this year they seem really good on new tires, new soft tires they seem like they can extract the maximum potential. Our times are better, but by tenths. I mean,

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a little bit better. They seem to be able to put a soft tire on and, man, they can just extract every bit of traction and side grip out of it. The only thing I noticed really was in Qatar, coming out of the hairpin and then the long left into the last three rights, it seems like you can hear it. It’s like the shifting, the synchro in the shift is much different than what ours feels like. And I can hear it. Man, he just shifted three gears in half a second. That’s weird. Other than that, the bike does seem good. When you follow ‘em, it seems pretty good. And having Casey [Stoner] doesn’t hurt either. It motivates the other guys. Casey’s a little special. I mean, I think he’s special. I called that he’d win a World Championship in ’06. In ’06 we were in England and we did a talk show, with like 300 people there. And we did a little thing and Casey came and he was on the LCR bike. And we’re up on stage and I said, playing out, and you can ask, I got witnesses, ‘this is a future world champ’. Did I know it was going to be the next year? Hell no, I didn’t know. But I said he would definitely be a future MotoGP World Champion. I have no question. I used to hang out a lot with Casey. When he first came he was in my motorhome, 16 hours out of the day he was in my motorhome, chilling out, relaxing, stealing my Coke. We’ve got a good relationship. CN 5/6/11 1:28 PM

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MOTOCROSS

PREVIEW: 2011 MONSTER ENERGY U.S. MOTOCROSS GRAND PRIX

GET

GLEN HELEN SET FOR INTERNATIONAL MXGP SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEKEND.

With more advanced notice this time, Glen Helen Raceway will host round three of the MX GP series.

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ND PRIX BY ADAM WHEELER PHOTOS BY RAY ARCHER

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ith a little bit more warning this time, the FIM Motocross World Championship comes again to the USA this week and to the fast hills of Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. The second U.S. Grand Prix this century - now being pushed further into consciousness thanks to the backing of series sponsor Monster Energy has been a highly anticipated meeting on the 2011

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schedule since its last-minute inclusion in 2010; on that occasion, the Glen Helen facility had only six weeks to groom the famous course for the visit of the international contest. Now, work has been steadily progressing, and the layout will feature several significant alterations to challenge riders from at least 11 nations that will be pushing for podium places at what will be the third round of 15, and the first in an “Americas” jaunt with the Brazilian Grand Prix taking place a week later.

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Mike Alessi will again be one of America’s main hopefuls. This time he’ll be on a 450.

The late notice in 2010 accounted for a scant public rollcall at Glen Helen. Something the promoters and organizers are hoping will be reversed with the stabilization of the Grand Prix on American shores in what will be the second edition of the meeting and under GP show-runners Youthstream’s watch. “The attendance was approximately 50 percent, but it was quality attendance and people will tell their friends that this was a building block - Glen Helen is a long-term player; we are not a one-race track,” were the words of Bud Feldkamp, owner of the facility last May. Youthstream President Giuseppe Luongo recently told Cycle News, “It is with great pleasure that we head to America and to its passionate fans. Now that we have had one more year ahead of us and we all know each other, things went smoother thanks to Bud Feldkamp, Lori 56-61 Glen Helen Preview.indd 58

Bryant and the whole Glen Helen staff. For 2011, the track has some slight changes to make it more challenging and we have decided to bring over our Live TV Production crew from Europe to Glen Helen in order to make a better TV program. We are all set to improve on the 2010 basis and we look forward to [this] week.” Of course one of the crucial factors towards a hike in numbers for 2011 will be the question mark over the American quota on the entry list and just how many riders are using the race as an opportunity to dial-in their motocross speed just a week ahead of the first Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship round in Sacramento (Hangtown). There is also the other factor of sponsors having their say and with Glen Helen being the “Monster Energy” Grand Prix of U.S. this “pull” could factor-in Ryan Villopoto, Jake Weimer and the Kawasaki Pro Circuit collective.

World champ Antonio Cairoli will be back to defend his U.S. GP Championship and MX1 title.

In 2010, a hastily cobbled roster involved top-10 runners within the Nationals, the likes of Kyle Chisholm, those that needed the extra track time, such as Ben Townley, and Mike Alessi, who was there at the push of KTM and content to compete on a circuit that he was more than familiar with. At the time of this writing, the two biggest names 100 percent slated for an ap5/6/11 1:24 PM

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pearance were KTM-connected, with Alessi again hoping to push for victory (he was second to MX1 World Champion Tony Cairoli in 2010) and 2010 MX2 World Champion Marvin Musquin, who should have been seen throughout the AMA West Coast Supercross Lites Series but required knee surgery after an accident at the Paris Bercy SX in December. Glen Helen will be the stylish 56-61 Glen Helen Preview.indd 59

Frenchman’s first major race of the year as he sets his sights on the AMA MX 250 title. He dominated proceedings on the works 250 SX-F in San Bernardino last summer. Youthstream has been keeping tight-lipped about the amount of native racers yet to commit only 10 days before the GP - although in principle this is normal practice, with the FIM the first to

release the entry list just over a week before the event. Noise levels and the system of measurement (with the FIM’s 2mMax test), even weight considerations (AMA 450 four-stokes can run four pounds lighter than FIM bikes), are extra regulation hurdles that American competitors will have to swallow and work around for the Grand Prix and could act as a deterrent, as 5/6/11 1:24 PM

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MOTOCROSS


MX2 title contender Zach Osborne won last year’s Marty Moates Cup.

was partially the case 12 months ago, but teams and brands had far less time to consider testing and prepping on that occasion. “When I rode my bike out of the Parc Ferme and up the hill for the first time I really could not believe it; I was shocked at how much of a difference it makes,” said Townley last year on the 56-61 Glen Helen Preview.indd 60

quieter GP configuration. “It was hard to adapt to the difference.” Depending on how much AMA riders flesh out the MX1 and MX2 gates, perhaps the best chance of home success again rests with Zach Osborne. The Virginian steers a Cosworth-Yamaha in the MX2 category, is the defending British Champion, and

finished fourth in the World last year. Importantly the 21 year old grabbed the first of three rostrum finishes in 2010 at Glen Helen and walked off with the Marty Moates Cup as highest ranked American. Also interesting for local fans is the return of Michael Leib who has missed the first two rounds of the championship due 5/6/11 1:24 PM

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to after-effects of a concussion, but he should hopefully be making his debut on the new factory Husky this week. For those who flock to Glen Helen, some modifications to the track will be the first thing that catches the eye. Mt. St. Helen and The Falls have been incorporated into different parts of the layout with the latter a fast 56-61 Glen Helen Preview.indd 61

approach under a bridge before dropping down to the waves section (last year it came after only the fourth corner). Aside from the daunting triple step-up, in general, the course has several new turns and extensions of current corners to seemingly drop the average speed. Elongation of two straights and timing sections means that the view will also be more beneficial from the finishline grandstands. If we were to point out riders to watch, then Red Bull Teka KTM’s Ken Roczen will already be familiar to fans for his rookie endeavors on the Supercross stage. The 17 year old is almost certainly going to be an AMA racer in 2012 and this season’s MX2 title fight is expected to go down between the German and fellow KTM teenager Jeffrey Herlings (both kids won the opening two rounds of the 2011 FIM Championship). In MX1, World Champion Tony Cairoli will be hoping for less drama than the jammed gearbox in 2010 that saw the flamboyant Sicilian defeating Alessi on his 350 SX-F with only the use of third gear for the second part of the first moto. The double number one comes to the USA having won the preceding event in Holland. Rockstar Suzuki’s Clement Desalle has popped-up at Nationals for the past two years and fought with the leaders in both appearances. The Belgian owned the opening event in Bulgaria but only just ahead of rookie and new star Monster Energy Yamaha’s

Steven Frossard: keep an eye on this aggressive and impressive Frenchman. The common message from riders of both the AMA and FIM series’ who have done battle at the Motocross of Nations or brief appearances in AMA events is that the level of the competition is leveling out and the speed differential is minimal compared to say 10 years ago when Supercross was influencing a new, more “extreme” form of fast and relentless American motocross. “They [Grand Prix riders] race in any kind of conditions, in different countries, go through a lot of travelling, have the best bikes,” extols Luongo. “Only the best succeed in being a winner in such conditions. At Glen Helen, it will be very exciting. Just think, the top 15 of MX1 is spread by roughly 50 points, which is what a GP weekend awards a winner, this is a clear example of how hard-fought this Championship is this year.” As an extra bonus, a chance to meet and see the Grand Prix protagonists will take place at 5 p.m. at Malcolm Smith Motorsports shop in Riverside on Thursday, May 12. Practice and qualification heats kick off the Monster Energy US Grand Prix on Saturday at 9:30 a.m., with the starting gates set to drop on the 35-minute plus-two-lap motos on Sunday at midday. CN For more information, visit www.glenhelen.com 5/6/11 1:24 PM

INTERVIEW

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AZHAR HUSSEIN

Zero Emissions

Racing 101

MEET THE MAN BEHIND THE ELECTRIC ROAD RACING PUSH…

BY ALAN CATHCART PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN DAVIES AND CLAIRE O’SHAUGHNESSY/TTXGP

B

ritain’s Azhar Hussein, 38, is a former accountant turned telecoms and electronics software tycoon – a man who’s transformed his hobby of motorcycle racing into his business. Well, sort of. Instead of riding a Honda Supersport or Yamaha Superstock, Hussein’s ambition when he turned to road racing four years ago was to “Go Electric” - just like in the hybrid car ads. Since then, Hussein has become the leading face of Zero Emissions racing, founding TTXGP in 2007 to promote the debut high-profile, clean-air road race of the same name as part of the Isle of Man TT program in 2009, the very first world-class Electric Bike race event. Twenty two e-bikes from the U.S., India, Germany, Austria, U.K. and the Isle of Man entered that historic inaugural race, 15 lined up for the start, and nine riders finished the gruelling single-lap race on the TT Mountain Course to become part of e-biking history. Britain’s 62-68 Hussein Interview.indd 62

Rob Barber won the race on a Suzuki GSX-R750 fitted with twin Agni motors from India, recording a fastest lap of 87.40 mph, with a top speed through the traps of 102 mph. In the wake of the success of the TT event, and in the face of an apparent effort by the FIM to hijack the e-racer concept, Hussein fought back by linking with the UEM/European Motorcycle Union to successfully stage his debut World Series in 2010, culminating in a nail-bitingly exciting grand finale in Albacete in October, with the race result and championship victory in doubt until the very last corner. Now, with the 2011 e-series about to kick off in Australia, it was time for a Zero Emissions 101 course in e-racing. So… why electric bikes? I’ve always loved bike racing, I’m fascinated by new technology, and my electronics background made me aware of the potential of Zero Emissions motorcycle sport. I and my partners founded TTXGP in 2007, and our original concept was originally just to run an e-bike against combustionengined motorcycles if we could

find a class to compete in, but the governing bodies wouldn’t allow us to do that back then. So we decided to come at it from the other direction, by organizing a race for Zero Emissions motorcycles only, which would be a stern test of such machines, as well as capturing the public’s imagination. The Isle of Man TT seemed the ideal venue for such a race, 5/6/11 1:26 PM

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Azhar Hussein – the man behind the TTXGP Series.

so we approached the Minister of the Environment in the Isle of Man, John Shimmin, to arrange this. I think the e-biking world owes him a huge debt of gratitude, because as a particularly forward-looking individual, he grasped very quickly what this could become, even though he’s not a biker. But the idea of turning this great asset of the TT into 62-68 Hussein Interview.indd 63

something positive in environmental terms definitely appealed to him, and he made it happen. I have to say [he did so], in the face of some really tough opposition within the Manx government, and within the TT organization, because the Isle of Man is a little bit unusual in that the event promoter is basically the local government. But Shimmin and a

few other people really pulled it together, and then we came on board and organized the very first TTXGP Zero Emissions race as part of the Isle of Man TT in June 2009. Having organized that, and promoted it successfully, was it always your intention to take the concept forward in terms of global expansion? 5/6/11 1:26 PM

INTERVIEW

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AZHAR HUSSEIN Our original focus was just on organizing the TTXGP in the Isle of Man, but having enjoyed success with that, with 15 bikes on the grid for that very first e-race, and having got to know a number of the teams and manufacturers, we thought there was an opportunity of doing something more. Having just exited from my previ-

on the part of TTXGP. Having initiated the whole Zero Emissions road racing concept, organized the TTXGP in the Isle of Man, and laid the ground for the World Series, I wasn’t prepared to hand this on a plate to them, so in a very short period of time, between November and February, I flew around the world and

Michael Barnes (80) leads eventual winner Shawn Higbee during last year’s TTXGP race at Infineon Raceway. The series returns to Sonoma next week as part of the West Coast Cycle Jam.

ous iPod accessories business, I engaged with this, and took it forward globally. Originally we were going to do something with the FIM, but then for various reasons the deal we had with them for a 2010 World Championship fell through at the last minute – it would’ve been in November ’09 that they decided for some reason they wanted to run their own series, without any involvement 62-68 Hussein Interview.indd 64

organized our own TTXGP World Challenge calendar, independent of the FIM, with races in the USA and Europe. We held our first race last May at Infineon Raceway in California, which was the first closed-circuit racetrack in the world to come on board with electric-bike racing, and we owe a huge amount of thanks to the management at Infineon for their support, especial-

ly Steve Page, the CEO there. He and his team did phenomenally well in promoting the event, and he’s a major part in the story, because once he’d come on board and committed Infineon Raceway to TTXGP, he gave us credibility, and that helped the whole series come together. How many races did TTXGP stage in 2010? Thirteen altogether, with four races in each of the three separate qualifying series in Italy, the UK, where we had a lady champion in Jenny Tinmouth, and the USA, leading up to the World Finale held at Albacete in Spain in October. How many starters were there? We had 12 teams that qualified for the final, and up front we had two very different philosophies, the Germans with the horsepower, and the Italians with the elegance of design, and handling. It was just an epic race - they were wheel-to-wheel through so many turns, and it was one of the most exciting events I’ve seen in any form of racing. After you got the first race off the ground in the Isle of Man in 2009, FIM management decided they were going to run their own e-Power series. How did that happen, and what effect did that decision have on TTXGP? To be honest, I don’t really 5/6/11 1:26 PM

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know how or why e-Power came wasn’t doing it very success- success of TTXGP 2009 in the about. I think it was a disappoint- fully. We, TTXGP, are 100 per- Isle of Man may have given them ment that at such an early stage cent about electric motorsports. the impression going into 2010 in such a young sport we divided We are totally committed to this that it would be easy to organize such a small field of potential - we all come from an electron- such a series, and they could just contestants between two differ- ics background, and we don’t announce it, and it would hapent series. You’ll have to ask the have any other baggage to bring pen. But to get that first Isle of FIM why they thought it was nec- to this. So we’re new, we’re en- Man race off the ground, we did essary, or appropriate, for them thusiastic, we’re totally focused a huge amount of groundwork. on two-wheeled Zero Emissions For example, in February that to do this – they’ve certainly never explained that to British female racer Jenny Tinnmouth at speed on the me or any of my associAgni electric bike at Brands Hatch last year. ates, even though it would seem from outside that the FIM’s role is to supervise the promotion of individual race series, not to act as a promoter itself where one already exists. But the e-Power series seems to have been pretty unsuccessful, with a handful of entries - never had more than eight on the grid for any of their five races last year, including the U.S. MotoGP race at Laguna Seca. And for the first race motorsport, whereas the FIM has year, we hired the Prodrive test of this year’s e-Power Championship at the Bol d’Or, what, 50 other championships, track near Birmingham, and ran they had only three starters. of which e-Power is one of many. a private training session for poThe thing is that electric rac- lice, ambulance crews, course Surely with such small grids it ing at this point really needs to marshals etc., all to develop an didn’t impact too adversely on be nurtured and incubated and understanding of what was enTTXGP? But the thing about e-Power developed, and it needs a differ- tailed in dealing with the differin the broader context is that, ent approach than the traditional ent demands of electric bikes, because they’re the FIM, there one of just setting a date, getting rather than those with internal was a lot of momentum sucked a bunch of people to show up on combustion engines. What must out of the Zero Emissions racing the grid, and then we’ll all go rac- you look out for in dealing with a movement. It’s not really about ing. I think the FIM hasn’t quite crashed e-bike? You don’t have the three starters, it’s that the grasped the significance of how a petrol tap to turn off, but you FIM was trying to do something important this first step was to do have a live voltage device you it didn’t know a lot about, and run a global series in 2010. The must make safe – things like that. 62-68 Hussein Interview.indd 65

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INTERVIEW

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AZHAR HUSSEIN

The KTM RC8 is the basis for the Mavizen electric racer.

It was a learning session for us, too - we ran very aggressive test laps, and we worked out a procedure for technical inspection, that sort of thing. However, we’ve always wanted to work with the FIM, and I’m pleased now that 2011 will hopefully see a move in that direction. Does e-Power have a different set of rules to yours? No, they just took our TTXGP rules, and the only thing they’ve changed for 2011 is that last year our weight maximum was 300 kg [660 pounds], and when we then reduced it to 250 kg [550 pounds], they did as well. But now the series have kind of separated out a little bit in that we now have two classes, which they don’t. One is the TTXGP, which if you like is our Superbike category, where anything goes provided the bike has a maximum weight limit of 250 kg. We found last year that people were fitting too many batteries on the bikes, for 62-68 Hussein Interview.indd 66

both range and power, and these are the main contributor to an ebike’s weight. We needed to start reducing that for safety reasons, because there was a risk the bikes were becoming too heavy to be manageable. But the other thing we found last year was that there were a number of very capable teams that didn’t really want to build a big bike, because the commercial e-bike market is presently focused around a smaller overall package. So, we’ve created a new class called TTX75, standing for 7.5kWh, and the idea of that is to constrain the energy capacity, because once you do that it drives down the level of the controllers and motors you need to use, and that also drives down costs significantly. We think that TTX75 will very quickly become a vehicle for the development of Zero Emissions products for the commercial market, because a TTX75 e-bike for the road should

have a target price of around 10,000-12,000 Euros. The GP class is basically all about innovation - it’s not cost constrained, and it’s about developing the technology, developing your brand, attempting to demonstrate that yours is the premier technology platform. So we’ve separated the two approaches out. Will all your races in 2011 have this separation? Yes, there’ll be two classes in all our races, and we plan to run them both off the same grid, but with a 30-second delay – so the GP class will get away first, and then 30 seconds later the lights go for the TTX75 class. What else is new for 2011? We’ve introduced a new safety system, so now we require lanyards for safety cut-off switches, etc. As part of the new TTX ruling, you now have a new range of declarations you have to fill in – again, these are lessons we’ve learned from 2010. We owe a huge debt of thanks to our TTXGP Tech Panel, which is underpinned by an organization called the IET, a global body of electronics engineers from around 40 countries, with its headquarters in London. They provide us with some very bright people as volunteers to monitor our technical evolution. So our panel this year was made up of 25 experts, many of whom are world leaders in various aspects of electric drivetrain technology - controllers, battery systems, 5/6/11 1:26 PM

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safety systems, management systems, a whole range of stuff. It’s a real brain trust drawn from some of the world’s leading Universities, who not only sit on our panel, but actually come to our races as technical scrutineers. Spot a TTXGP technical inspector at any of our races, and they’ll be one of these boffins. The second thing we’ve done, which I think is really innovative, is our whole Wiki concept. So, last year we successfully launched our wiki.egrandprix. com site where we’ve put all of our rules onto a Wiki, so that anyone in the world who has any ideas or suggestions about how we can improve ourselves, can go and post them on line. So, rather than just having the people in the room making the rules, we open the dialogue up to a wider audience. Now, to be honest, not all the ideas were sane, some were a bit crazy, some were impractical - but there were several nuggets of really good stuff, some which we took on board exactly as proposed because we hadn’t yet thought about it, and some that we could apply after having refined the idea to fit our constraints. Since this is indeed such a fast-moving technology, will TTXGP Zero Emissions rules constantly evolve from one year to another, unlike MotoGP or Superbike or other combustion-engine series? Well, one of the challenges you have is that while the peo62-68 Hussein Interview.indd 67

ple in various governing bodies are very passionate about motorsports, they are typically experts in a field that is all about today, rather than tomorrow. I’m sure they know everything there is to know about the combustion engine – but we’ve got nanotechnology batteries coming on line, we’ve got advance MOSFET transistors coming up, new packaging systems, and so much else. Zero Emissions technology is moving so quickly that if you want to be the premier racing category of this thing, you need to engage with a much wider audience, which has never been part of motorsports before. So how do you do that? I think that one of the benefits that TTXGP brings is that because we’re not originally from motorsports, we’re able to adapt ourselves and engage in a lot of new things which haven’t really existed before – and that’s what this sport really needs, it needs that level of nurturing. But does this mean that TTXGP is only for e-biking experts? Is it exclusively a battleground for e-boffins who want to roll their own e-racer? When we started TTXGP, we were getting inquiries from people who wanted to build bikes, which we then passed on to the teams, saying – look, this guy needs a bike, you’re building one, so why don’t you make a deal with each other and build two, and he’ll pay you for one. We did that a few times, and in doing so found out how utterly

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disorganized many of the teams were. In all fairness, I’d also say there was a lot of pressure on them to make just a single bike, let alone two – but as a race promoter I was afraid of not getting sufficient bikes on the grid, because I didn’t have a manufacturer to go and build me 10 turnkey racebikes. Our commercial TV and sponsorship agreements call for a minimum number of bikes on the grid, and so the last thing you want is to have a very sparse grid – yet we had teams that wanted to be a part of it, but they couldn’t physically get their hands on the equipment. So we established our electronics company Mavizen as the provider of race technology – it can provide anything to anybody, up to a complete TTX02 race platform using the KTM RC8 chassis fitted with two Agni motors, or we can just provide a throttle for your self-built bike, or a controller, or whatever. It’s a one-stop e-race shop. Going back to the FIM, after running two rival e-series last year, have you now decided to team up for 2011? I wouldn’t call it that, because they’re still running their own ePower series. But we hope to take some steps towards unification in 2012, and the first step was to link up some of the rounds, which we’ve now done. So TTXGP will be running at Donington Park in August in conjunction with the FIM at the World Endurance Championship round 5/6/11 1:26 PM

INTERVIEW

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AZHAR HUSSEIN there, and again in September at the Le Mans 24 Hours, so those two rounds have been combined. We’ve also now jointly coordinated our respective calendars to avoid any clashes, so that any team that wants to race in both series can do so. So how many races will TTXGP run in 2011? In Europe we’ll have six races in five countries, starting at Silverstone on June 18-19 (http:// www.egrandprix.com/index_ nav.php?cat=races). Plus we presently have a four-race series in the USA again, kicking off on May 15 at Infineon, going from there to Loudon and then onto a new round at Portland International Raceway in July, and then to VIR in August. We’re going to Portland because the government and municipality there seem really eager to have us, and Oregon appears to be a hotspot for EV tech. However, we’re still in negotiations for a fifth and final round at the end of the season. In addition to that, we’re now very pleased that we’re combining with Formula Extreme in Australia headed by Terry O’Neill, to form the first-ever eFX TTXGP series Down Under this year. Australia, which is a very exciting place in terms of what they’re doing for EV - there’s a lot going on. They’re blessed with a lot of sunshine, and natural resources of which oil isn’t one, and they’ve got a large naturally generated electrical capability, so there’s a large potential for Zero Emissions sport there. I’m looking for62-68 Hussein Interview.indd 68

ward to the start of an exciting relationship that I hope will last for a long time. Ideally, where do you see the future of TTXGP going? What’s your objective for the series? We’re trying to develop more grassroots stuff, so we’re developing a new program called TTXGP LEO that, all being well, we’ll launch this year. LEO stands for Learn.Egrandprix.Org(http:// www.egrandprix.com/news.

Well, I think “firstly that the

only person that wants to be like Al Gore, is Al Gore.

”

php?id=161), and it works like this. You pay a fee for a five-day course where we teach you how to build an electric bike. You’re taught about batteries, controllers, systems, everything you need to make the bike work, and at the end of the fifth and final day of the course, you get to keep the bike you’ve just built. The vision is to have local clubs start racing an electric class, so here in the UK we’ve reached out to Bemsee, and if we can get our various ducks lined up, then the idea would be to have a TTXGP

LEO racing series running at a National level in 2012-13. We’ll have taught you how to build the bike, which will make around 3.5-4kWh, but the more important point is that it’ll give you the platform and the knowledge to build and develop it further. The important thing is to make sure all the rules get synchronized; so, if you’re a manufacturer, a team builder, whatever, then you’re all building bikes to the same set of standards. Why choose electric? Did you want to help Al Gore save the planet, or is it because you wanted to provide a form of Zero Emissions motorcycle sport that is environmentally beneficial, and isn’t dependable on fossil fuels, which will presumably run out sooner or later? Well, I think firstly that the only person that wants to be like Al Gore, is Al Gore. I love my kids, and I believe the world they’re growing up in will be a very different world from ours - but I want them to live in a better world than ours. Along with many other people, I want to contribute to leaving the world in a better way then when we found it. But I also love motorsports, and I just don’t think that burning fuel for fun is a sustainable concept - whether you agree with electric or not, it’s just not realistic. So TTXGP is all about helping make that happen, by providing a technology shop window on the future of our series. CN 5/6/11 1:26 PM

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ROUND 3/APRIL 30, 2011 ALAMO, NEVADA

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BEST IN THE DESERT AMERICAN OFF-ROAD RACING SERIES David Pearson (shown) and Trevor Ricci were first off the line and stayed in front all day.

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ES

Pearson, Ricci DAVID PEARSON, TREVOR RICCI REBOUND FOR SILVER STATE 300 WIN.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARK KARIYA

D

avid Pearson and Trevor Ricci said adios to an April filled with uncharacteristically frigid desert races and also said good-bye to all competitors by leading from start to finish at the Bilek Racing

Briefly... Purvines Racing, once again, posted a sizable win bonus, this one $2500. Unlike at Laughlin where it went to Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Taylor Robert and Justin Soule, this time they kept it in the family since David Pearson and Trevor Ricci earned it. The tire on Shane Esposito/Bobby Garrison’s KX450F that went the distance was a Dunlop (D908RR 140/80-18) dual-sport/desert tire with some side knobs shaved off the left side. “It’s a 140 [profile] tire so we shave it just so it doesn’t catch on the chain when it gets loose,” Esposito revealed. Esposito built the bikes for THR Motorsports. After taking his early stint on the eventual winning Open Expert team, Garrett Osteen left Clint Braun and Tyler Renshaw to go the rest of the way without him. Osteen turned his attention at that point to co-driving in the THR Motorsports buggy which would take third in Class 1500 (equivalent to SCORE Class 1). For Braun, the first time he ever rode their KLX450R was when he hopped on at pit five.

Tyler Renshaw (shown) teamed with Clint Braun and Garrett Osteen on a KLX450R to win Open Expert (fourth overall). 70-74 Silver State.indd 71

Rex Cameron, who rode to second in Over 30 Pro with Mike Johnson on their RPM Racing/Unique Products CRF450X, probably spoke for many when he said, “Usually it’s cold in the mornings, but it warms up quick. But this morning, it didn’t work out quite that way. You take off and you’re going 90 miles an hour for long distances and you’re looking for whoops! Today you were looking for whoops or something to work you out!” continued on next page 5/6/11 1:30 PM


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BEST IN THE DESERT AMERICAN OFF-ROAD RACING SERIES

Jerry Parsons (shown) and Robert Marshall finished third, but a penalty on the Esposito/Garrison team ultimately netted the defending series champs second.

Silver State 300, round three of Best in the Desert’s American Off-Road Racing Series. It was a welcome rebound from round two, when an engine problem prematurely terminated Purvines Racing Honda’s Pearson and regular partner Carl Maassberg’s day, and combined with their win at the season opener to vault them back into conten70-74 Silver State.indd 72

tion for the series championship. Two-time and defending race champ Shane Esposito was unable to make it three in a row, but he and Bobby Garrison charged all day to secure second place for THR Motorsports, while defending series champ Jerry Parsons and Robert Marshall took third overall for RPP Racing. A few days later, however, the Es-

posito/Garrison team received a 15-minute penalty “...for roosting excessively at highway crossing,” dropping them to third and moving the Marshall/Parsons duo to second. Being the first of the BITD’s combined ATV/UTV/bike/truck/ buggy races meant the course would be mostly fast dirt roads, but promoter Casey Folks did lay out a scenic 303-mile loop out of 5/6/11 1:30 PM

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ES Bobby Garrison and Shane Esposito finished second, but they were later penalized 15 minutes for excessive “roosting” at a road crossing, knocking them to third.

Alamo, almost two hours northwest of Las Vegas. Alamo itself remains a very rural town and sits at nearly 3500 feet, with the course reportedly topping out at almost 7500 feet. Temperatures for the 6:00 a.m. start were below freezing and remained that way for at least the first third of the race for the top riders. Having drawn the first starting position, the race was his to 70-74 Silver State.indd 73

Briefly... lose, but Pearson followed his plan to perfection aboard his Precision Concepts/Countrywide Estate Planning/O’Nealsponsored CRF450X. “I rode hard the first section,” he reported, “then I gave the bike to Trevor at pit one at mile 62. Everything was good, though we had to change a wheel at pit two in Caliente - just those fast roads chewed up the tire and the knobs flew off, so we had a bald tire. “We were just hoping we’d be able to change it at pit three or pit four, but we had to change it earlier than planned.” Despite that and melting his gloves on the exhaust to warm his hands, Pearson and Ricci stayed in front, even after Ricci got lost late in the race. “The course came around a corner and the road forks, and there were a bunch of cows there and they [probably] tore all the course markings down,” Ricci said. “I was kind of cruising around trying to find markings, but I couldn’t find anything so I finally went with my gut and went down the main road. I probably lost two, three or four minutes. Oh, I was panicking bad! Dave was going to be mad if I lost the lead.” Pearson finished the race in more of a hurry than he’d expected, saying, “when Trevor left pit five, we had an almost 10-minute lead, then just before

Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarna’s Nick Burson and David Kamo didn’t have the budget to race until Bonanza Plumbing’s Dean Potts came to their monetary rescue. Unfortunately, their race didn’t last long as a suspected electrical problem in their TXC 511 saw it start cutting out badly in the first section. Though they believed they’d fixed it after a lengthy diagnosis at pit one, it began acting up again and with the first trucks starting to catch him, Kamo called it a day. Cousins Jesse and Matt Canepa repeated their Parker 250 win at the Silver State 300 aboard their RPP Racing/Dunlop/GPR Stabilizers YZ250, coming back from a DNF at Laughlin for the 250cc Pro victory and ninth overall. “We started second in our class, but we got around [runners-up Tuffy Pearson and Jeremy Purvines] pretty early, but they did good,” Matt said. “I started; the start sucked because it was pretty cold!” Brendan Lutes gave himself an early birthday present by finishing second in Ironman Expert behind Cycle Gear XR650R-mounted Ryan Kennedy and reaching his goal of 15th overall. Riding a Transworld MX KX450F test bike (and with two Kawasaki technicians on hand for support), it’s been a while since he’s raced in the desert, and the cold and high speeds no doubt contributed to a vision problem (he couldn’t see out of his right eye) that hampered his ride. His birthday was the day after the race, and his girlfriend’s birthday was on race day.

5/6/11 1:30 PM


OFF-ROAD Jason Trubey (shown) and David Fry fought a minor setup issue but otherwise enjoyed a trouble-free day en route to winning Over 30 Pro and finishing fifth overall.

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BEST IN THE DESERT AMERICAN OFF-ROAD RACING SERIES running a tire that we knew we wouldn’t have to change so that’s what we were shooting for to make a pass on them because it’s not going to happen on the course, as fast as it is and dusty. We were hoping during a wheel change to get around them in a pit, then Bobby just had a mishap. It was in an area where no one was at the next pit [to relieve him], that was the only bad thing, so he had to ride hurt Precision Machining/Chiron/Pre- some miles. Then I got back on cision Concepts KX450F. and made up time.” CN “Once we got into second, we knew we had all day to catch up,” Esposito said. “We were

pit six he got lost. So, leaving pit six, I had no clue how far we were ahead of [Esposito/Garrison]. I guess we were only two minutes ahead of them [physically]; we were pretty much dead even beScott Glimp soloed the race and not only won the Over 40 cause they started two Pro class but finished a minutes behind us. commendable eighth overall. “Instead of being able to hop on and cruise the last section, I had to hop on and pin it again.” For Esposito and Garrison, it was a somewhat frustrating day of giving chase but ultimately coming up short. Garrison fell after getting into a corner too hot and hurt his arm before pit three but soldiered on to pit five where Esposito took over on their Hoosier 70-74 Silver State.indd 74

5/6/11 1:30 PM

Keep up off the start! Be our friend on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! p65 Ads.indd 1

4/25/11 2:26 PM

ROUND 4/APRIL 30-MAY 1, 2011 BUFFALO BILLS HOTEL AND CASINO/PRIMM, NEVADA

OFF-ROAD

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GPR STABILIZERS BIG 6 GRAND PRIX SERIES

REINA CASHES IN The A Heavyweight class get sorted out through the first turn.

RYAN REINA STEALS THE SHOW AT PRIMM. STORY AND PHOTOS BY RYAN SANDERS

R

ound four of the GPR Stabilizers Big Six Grand Prix Series returned to Buffalo Bills Hotel and Casino with over 1100 entries taking to the startline over the course of the weekend. For the third year in a row, big money was up for grabs in the TriState Challenge Pro Race and it was Ryan Reina taking home the majority of that money. Before the Pros could hit the track, however, the Woman and Super Seniors took to the newly renovated Primm racecourse to do battle. Utilizing the best of trails that the Buffalo Bills prop-

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erty has to offer, the Shamrocks MC created a good one with long straightaways and twisting sand turns highlighting much of the seven-mile track. Right off the bat, it was Tricia Lane and her CRF250R grabbing the holeshot and holding on through the first half of the loop. Hot in pursuit and fresh off of her first win of the year in the National Hare & Hound Series, Anna Cody is fully recovered from the broken foot she suffered earlier in the year and was charging hard for the lead. Two laps into the race, however, we would see a new leader, Bill Maxim, who was making the charge from the sec-

ond line - the 60+ Super Senior class. Maxim would hold onto the win followed by Mini-class racer Willy Simons Jr. Tricia Lane held on for first Woman in third overall, and Anna Cody took home the win in the Senior Woman’s class. Up next was the Senior class, which ended up being one of the best races of the weekend. Virtually coming out of nowhere, Randall Moseley showed up and schooled the entire class. With a 20-second margin after loop one; Moseley was turning heads with his Pro-style attack of the track and its spectator-friendly jumps. Following in second and 5/9/11 4:02 PM

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third, Paul Krause and long-time riding buddy Fred Hatch were going back and forth in a game of cat and mouse. Unfortunately for Moseley, a flat tire on the fourth lap would let Krause by for the lead. Hatch would also make a pass, putting Moseley back into third, but a last-lap charge would bump Hatch back a position. Moseley would settle for second, proving that it’s never over until it’s over. Krause held on to take his first of two wins on the weekend. One race later, Krause was back on the line, this time on a KTM 250F. Lining up on the second row, and in the same race as his son Brandon, Krause was out to prove that he could also hang with the big boys. Unfortunately for Krause, he would have to deal with Reina before he could come anywhere near the front of the race. And that was a feat that no one was able to accomplish. Reina put on a show for the crowd from the start, clearing all of the jumps and blasting through the sand berms. Not to be outdone, Justin Seeds had a few tricks up his sleeve and wooed the crowd 76-77 Big 6.indd 77

with his in-air style, as he chased Reina for each and every lap of the five-loop race. Following closely behind in third, Brandon Reina – Ryan’s brother - finished the race approximately 10 seconds down. The Tri-State Challenge was up next and this time it was Seeds grabbing the holeshot and leading through the first lap. With riders from each of the three adjoining states, and a cameo appearance from Canadian Corey Graffunder, the stage was set for a two-hour Grand Prix. With howling winds blowing, and a lead pack of riders who stayed within just a couple minutes of each other, it wasn’t overly exciting for the spectators. But it was definitely exciting for the racers – especially on the backside of the track. Nick Burson was in attendance after starting the Silver State 300 Best in the Desert race the day before, and he ended up being the only rider running a 250F for the Pro race. The difference in bike size was evident, as Burson screamed through the spectator section every lap until ultimately blowing the motor with one lap to go. Up front, Seeds settled comfortably into the lead, but Reina continued to follow, knowing that two hours meant anything could happen. Out back on the long straightaway during lap three, Reina made his move and never looked back. Stopping only to fuel after the five-lap mark, Reina held on to win his second race of

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the day. Seeds rode to another solid second, finishing exactly 30 seconds back of the leader. Graffunder rode at a smooth and steady pace, stopping three times for fuel, as the Husky doesn’t have the fuel capacity of the other bikes. He finished third overall. On Sunday morning the wind continued and the Vintage bikes were first on the track. It was all the Evolution bikes (the newest of the bikes out on the track), however, as Evolution-class riders took the top five overall positions. Rhyan Marshall won followed by David Howard and Justin Shultz. Doug Clagg took the win in the Classic class in sixth overall, while Harvey Bohman took the win in the Vintage class on a 1974 CZ. Switching back to the 450, Paul Krause was back on the track for the Vet race and his third event of the weekend. Leading wire to wire, Krause took his second win of the weekend in a virtually effortless ride. Graham Gustin and Robert Baehr followed in second and third, respectively. The last race of the weekend brought the Open bikes back out, as Reina led the pack for the third time. Taking the win ahead of his brother, Brandon, Reina extended his points lead and will comfortably enjoy the summer break knowing that with three rounds to go he is on his way to a second number-one plate in as many years. CN

5/9/11 4:02 PM

CN III STUFF

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AEROSTICH/RIDERWEARHOUSE CO2 POWERKIT Price: $24 Phone: 800.222.1994 Website: aerostich.com

This compact, lightweight CO2 Kit from Aerostich fits in the palm of your hand, or tucks under your motorcycle seat. It includes five threaded, 16-gram CO2 cartridges, a control valve and a 3.5-inch flexible valve-adapter hose, all neatly stored inside a 5 x 5-inch nylon envelope bag.

BATES FOOTPEGS FROM RON WOOD RACING Price: $11 Phone: 949.645.0393 Website: rotax.net

The manufacturer of Wood-Rotax Flat Trackers, Ron Wood Racing, bought the footpeg molds from Bates and has two models now available: a one-inch round I.D. peg and a blade-style peg. The round pegs are commonly used on choppers, for highway riding or to replace OEM rubbers. The blade types are the choice for racers, including dirt tracker. Blades and weld-on pivots are also available.

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5/6/11 11:04 AM

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REC MX HONDA THROTTLE-BODY INSERT Price: $49.95 Phone: 877.227.1218 Website: rec-mx.com

REC MX has a new throttle-body insert for 2010-11 CRF250R and 2009-10 CRF450R models. It reduces the diameter of the 50mm throttle-body with its venturi shape and increases air velocity, thereby improving throttle response and low-end torque. Used and tested by pro Supercross and Arenacross racers, it’s been anodized for durability and corrosion-resistance, and REC MX says it’s easy to install or remove.

PITPOSSE BEAD BENDER

Price: $29.95 Phone: 866.447.6773 Website: PitPosse.com The PitPosse Bead Bender lends a helping hand with tire changes. This new tool pulls the bead away from the rim and locks into place, so you will be able to let go of the tool’s easy-grip knurled handle and use both hands to finish the job. It comes with four interchangeable tips and two spacers to ensure proper fit for 10- to 21-inch tires.

ALPINESTARS GP-R PERFORATED LEATHER JACKET Price: $429.95 Phone: 310.891.0222 Website: alpinestars.com

The new GP‐R Perforated Leather Jacket is constructed from 1.3mm full‐grain leather and has YKK zippers. Aramidic stretch panels in the shoulders and underarms work in conjunction with stretchy panels in the inner mesh lining for a better range of movement. There are PU sliders on the outside of the shoulders, and removable CE-certified bio armor is inside, in the shoulders, elbows chest and back areas. Compatible pants can be zipped in and the neck flap snaps shut.

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BIKEs OF THE STARS

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TEAM GEICO/JG OFF-ROAD - GNCC

HONDA CRF450R

RIDER: Jimmy Jarrett TUNER: Jimmy Woodford PRODUCT: Rekluse, Zip-Ty Racing, Works Connection, Silkolene, Kenda, Cycra, EBC Brakes, Renthal, Tsubaki, FMF, Factory Connection, IMS, JG Off-Road, Enduro Engineering, Moose Racing,Ulrich Performance Racing Engines, Motosports Products.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAN MOORE

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CN III ARCHIVES

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BY LARRY LAWRENCE

THE SPIRIT OF ’76: PART I (In this special two-part Archive we’ll look back at the classic 1976 AMA Grand Nationals)

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here’s no doubt about it 1976 was an epic year in AMA Grand National racing. The series was in full glory - a grueling 10-month, 15-state, 28-event, 90,000-mile quest for the coveted No. 1 plate. In the end a blond-haired kid by the name of Jay Springsteen would emerge as the champ. And “Springer,” who looked older than his 19 years and hailed from the GM factory town of Flint, Michigan, was an unlikely choice. Sure, he was the new young gun on the powerful Harley-Davidson team, but he would be up against the likes of former champs Gary Scott, Kenny Roberts, Gene Romero and a host of other top riders like Steve Eklund, Ted Boody and Rex Beauchamp, just to name a few. And weren’t riders supposed to have a sophomore slump? Apparently Springsteen hadn’t gotten the memo. The back-story coming into the Bicentennial year was intense. The blockbuster headline was that 1975 Camel Pro titlist Gary Scott was leaving HarleyDavidson and taking his No. 1 plate with him. Not enough salary, uncompetitive road race and short track machines, a per-

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sonality clash with management – all of these things led to the fiercely independent Scott busting out on his own. Not since ’63 and the versatile and revered Dick Mann, had a rider won the AMA Grand National Championship without factory backing. Yet Scott asserted he could do it. The schedule favored no one. With eight half-miles, six miles, four short tracks, five TTs and four road races; it was the mostbalanced series ever. The Yamaha vs. Harley battle was also at its peak. The season opened in the Houston Astrodome TT/Short Track doubleheader. These were the days of massive numbers in racing. Romero, who served as a rider rep, estimated there were 5500 licensed pro racers during this era (compare that with maybe 500 today). There were 150 riders in Houston alone trying for 48 spots in the evening’s program. Think about that for a second. Over 100 riders would be loading up and heading out against traffic as fans showed up for the National. Rick Hocking, a muscular former rodeo bull rider, won the TT over a race-long battle between Roberts and John Hateley that brought the house down. The next night, in the Houston Short Track, hometown boy Bubba Rush recorded his one and only National win.

Gary Scott shocked the motorcycle racing community when he left Harley-Davidson after winning the title with them in 1975. He was a man on a mission in 1976 and at mid-season had battled his former employer to a draw.

Roberts led the race before his bike seized. When leaders Eklund and Hocking came upon Roberts and his stalled bike they hesitated and Rush and his Bultaco stayed on the gas, got the lead and held it to the end. At Daytona some of the main players weren’t even racing. Series leader Hocking had no road race bike and the Harley team stayed home without a competitive road racer. Defending champ Gary Scott had a Yamaha TZ750, but the big beast threw him down in practice and he’d miss the 200 as well. Roberts had a furious battle with Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto, both aboard the exotic factory Yamaha OW31s. Cecotto’s tires

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VOL. 48 ISSUE 13 MAY 10, 2011

lasted (barely), Roberts’ didn’t. In early April Roberts showed up to the Dallas Short Track limping from a crash in Imola, Italy the week before, but still won. He moved to second in the standings behind Hocking. In May the tour moved to the San Jose Mile. The Harley-Davidson pits were all smiles. Finally the team was in its element. It was a Harley XR750 sweep of the podium with Rex Beauchamp just nipping Springsteen with Scott taking third. But then it got a little ugly. Scott, charging the factory wasn’t selling him parts, whipped out a cashier’s check for $3500 and claimed the motor from Beauchamp’s winning bike. This was officially war. The next week Scott led before crashing on oil on the Oklahoma City Half-Mile with four laps to go. His younger brother Hank won the race on a Shell Thuet Yamaha. Series leaders Hocking and Roberts were having their issues. Hocking blew out his knee in a regional race and really needed an operation, but with the once-in-a-lifetime lead he would struggle on. Roberts’ Yamaha kept having mechanical glitches – a broken condenser in San Jose and over tightened axle at Oklahoma City. Surging was Gary Scott and Springsteen. Scott won the hardsliding Louisville Half-Mile and a happy-go-lucky Springer had a string of three podiums to suddenly appear as a menacing fourth in the points. A pair of young guns in Eklund and Boody scored their first wins in the Pontiac Silverdome TT/Short Track doubleheader. Boody, just 17, was the youngest rider to win a Grand National. Roberts, in spite of being DQ’d from the TT for cutting the track and only managing 11th in the Short Track, took over the series lead. Poor Hocking got tangled up in a big crash and really jacked up his bum knee. His four-month run atop the standings was over and he would fade to ninth by the end of the year. Likeable Corky Keener won on the limestone half-mile in Harrington, Delaware, edging out Harley teammate and neighbor Springsteen. Gary Scott charged from the back to third to take over

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the series points lead. Rapidly rising Springsteen also passed Roberts in the standings and was up to second, just four points back. How’s this for parity? Keener was the 10th winner in as many races. Steve Baker made it 11 in 11 with his victory the next week in the road race National at Loudon and Springsteen made it 12 in 12 at the Charity Newsies in Columbus, Ohio. Loudon might have been the low-point for Roberts. Crowd favorite Gary Nixon, who’d honed his skills at Loudon since the track was built in the mid-1960s, had the crowd roaring when he unexpectedly took the early lead on a factory Kawasaki. Nixon’s dream ride came to a thud seven laps in, when grit and determination were overcome by physics and the limits of traction. Roberts came charging, passing Baker and stretching out a lead before colliding with a lapped rider send that sent them both sprawling. Roberts was so disgusted he left the track before the checkered flag, which Baker took to earn his first AMA National victory. Randy Cleek made it three seconds in four starts, occupying the runner-up spot ahead of Romero. Scott lost out in a last-lap battle with road racing specialist Yvon DuHamel and had to settle for seventh, but those points, combined with Roberts’ early demise and Springsteen not doing the road races, meant Scott opened a 12-point lead in the series. At Columbus, Springsteen and Roberts locked turned in an instant classic. Roberts, on the underpowered Yamaha, tried every trick in the book to get around and stay ahead of Springsteen. On the last lap the crowd stood. Roberts made another bid, but Springer’s XR was just too much and he held on to earn his first National win of the season and more importantly a share of the points lead. After 12 rounds Scott and Springsteen were tied with 95 points. The meat of the mid-summer dirt tracks were coming and Scott would find himself battling his former employer, Roberts would make a valiant run and the sophomore Springer had more magic up his leather sleeve. CN

5/6/11 1:22 PM

CN III RIDERS WRITE

SLAMMIN'SAMMY

BY SAMMY HALBERT

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Sammy Halbert (7) finished fifth in the Salinas TT and followed that up with a third in the Short Track National at the same venue.

UNCHARTERED TERRITORY

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fter a couple months of not so great weather in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve been enjoying the California sun and taking advantage of every opportunity to race motorcycles. My first stop was the Salinas Grand National Flat Track doubleheader over Easter weekend where I ended up walking away with a fifth on the TT and a third on the short track, which was good enough for me to hold onto the lead in the AMA Pro Racing Grand National Championship. The next week I took care of some things on the business and pleasure end in the Bay area, including a snowboarding trip and a successful meeting with Kibblewhite Precision Machining, who will continue to support all my valve train needs. This is critical for me as I put my Yama-

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has through a lot of abuse with the amount of rpms I have them turning. Next I headed to Southern California for Eddie Mulder’s Willow Springs Flat Track race. Willow is probably my favorite track because, like Daytona, I ride it in a way that for some reason others can’t. My love of the track showed, as I was able to win the Dash for Cash and Digger Helm Open Pro Main event. Next I made my way to the D-store in Costa Mesa to get outfitted for Jason Pridmore’s STAR Motorcycle School at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. At the STAR school, I had an amazing two days of learning and improving my skills on the road-racing bike, as Jason and his staff taught me a lot and improved my confidence. I was really happy that I didn’t crash any of his bikes even though I was pushing my limits the whole time. I think that some of the techniques that we were practicing are going to translate over and help me on the flat tracks, as I have always had a problem with not looking far enough ahead and that is probably the main thing I worked on at the school. I was so lucky to be able to attend the school as I’m gearing up for my road racing

5/9/11 3:34 PM

VOL. 48 ISSUE 13 MAY 10, 2011 Halbert got the chance to try a speedway bike, thanks to Billy Hamill.

debut at Infineon Raceway where I’ll be riding the HOG Racing team XR1200. I’ve actually never been on an XR1200 and likely won’t have the opportunity until I show up to Infineon. Given this, I know I will have some catching up to do, but I’m hoping once it’s race time my competitive instincts kick in and I’ll be able to keep up. Next on my agenda is a little bit of speedway racing action. Former Speedway World Champion Billy Hamill is going to put me on one of his speedway bikes and I’m going to spend all day practicing getting even more sideways than I am used to. We are going to see what I got as far as that goes, as there’s potentially an opportunity for me to do some speedway racing in England at the end of the flat track season. I might have to get my first passport! So in one week I’ll have been flat tracking, road racing, and speedway riding, plus chasing jackrabbits around on my YZ450 out in the desert behind my Grandpa’s house. I’m gonna have to go somewhere to ride some motocross this weekend, so I’ll have four different kinds of motorcycle racing knocked out in one week. But why stop at four? If anyone wants to throw me in the deep end of a hillclimb or a drag race, count me in. There isn’t a two-

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wheel challenge I won’t try. From Sonoma we’ll head east and do an All-Star Flat Track series race in Little Rock on May 21, then head over to Kings Kustoms outside of Cincinnati, where we will base our race team for the summer months. The next Grand National race is the big Springfield doubleheader over Memorial Day weekend, which includes a TT and the historic Springfield Mile. The Mile will be the first Twins Grand National race of the season. I can’t wait to get on my XR 750. I’m really looking forward to my debut road race and continuing to improve my skills in that area. But after Infineon, it’s gonna be time to turn my focus back to the dirt, as my goal this year is to win the Grand National Championship. We’re five races into the season, and I’ve been leading the points all along. I know it’s still early, and it won’t be easy, but I think I can win the championship if I stay focused. See you at the races, Sammy Halbert recently took part in a Jason Pridmore STAR school at Chuckwalla Raceway in Southern California.

5/9/11 3:34 PM

CN III IN THE PADDOCK

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BY MICHAEL SCOTT

HE SAID, HE SAID

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hat do you value most about motorcycle racing? Is it the speed? The jousting? The noise? The skill? The danger? Or (to put it more diplomatically) the overcoming of danger? There’s no doubt that the chance of seeing a bad accident adds a frisson to motorsport. You don’t want it to happen, but if it is going to, then you might as well be watching. The same applies if you’re riding, except for the last part - it’s the other way round. The speed and the skill are the satisfaction, and the defeat of your rivals. But the danger is a powerful draw all in itself. Like skydiving or mountaineering or... well, like almost anything stimulating and enjoyable, really, except needlework. The question is: Where do you draw the line? One man in particular has brought the matter into sharp focus. Or two men. Jorge Lorenzo started it all rolling when he told an interviewer that he thought Marco Simoncelli was dangerous, and needed to calm down a bit. You might think this self-evident, but it made the European headlines anyway (never let the obvious stand in the way of a good story). Simoncelli got his chance to respond at the Estoril press conference after practice, where he had crashed (for a second time in two days) while trying to wrest his first pole position back from Lorenzo. He’d been fastest most of qualifying, and was three-tenths up when he lost the front and hit the deck in his final attempt. Looming large alongside the World Champion at the top table, 86-87 Backpage 13.indd 86

even without the considerable assistance of his leonine hairstyle, his booming voice commanded attention as he vigorously refuted the accusation. The incident that Lorenzo cited was at Valencia last year when he’d been knocked back from fourth to eighth after colliding with the Italian when he firmly closed the door on his inside outbraking move. Super-Sic (as his fans know him) was confident that he had been in the right. I have just rewatched the video to confirm that I agree with him. He had the line, and he was in front. And, as he once memorably told me in an interview, “I don’t give the other riders any presents.” First he reminded those present that Lorenzo had been suspended for one race in 2005 for dangerous riding, and added that at Valencia his leathers had acquired the black marks of Lorenzo’s rubber from his knee to his shoulder.

“You chose the wrong example,” he said to Lorenzo. Lorenzo responded as firmly as he could that he wasn’t the only rider who felt threatened by Simoncelli’s tactics (he later insisted that Simoncelli’s pal Valentiono Rossi was the only one who wouldn’t condemn him), adding in a conciliatory tone: “If it doesn’t happen again, no problem.” This further incensed Simoncelli, who has the gift, when getting angry, of becoming calmer, bigger, and more articulate. Not so for Lorenzo, who was looking smaller and smaller alongside his adversary, and growing increasingly red in the face. Simoncelli got a huge laugh when he asked what would happen, should there be another incident. “I will be arrested?” he sneered. “You laugh, but it’s not funny,” said an almost apoplectic Lorenzo. “This is not minibikes. We are playing with our lives.” It was amazing how ineffectual 5/6/11 1:30 PM

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he looked, considering that he’s absolutely right. It must be because he’s also wrong. It was impossible to stop the thought, and I am sure I was not alone: “Playing with your lives is what you’re supposed to do.” There was another reason for Lorenzo’s zeal – it is the same as that of a reformed smoker. And it had the same tone: self-righteous, and holier-than-thou. Here is a man who used to practice dangerous riding as a matter of course when he was on his way up. Now that he has got there, he’s not only given up the bad habit, but he’s become preachy about it. This riding-rake’s progress is far from uncommon. I suppose there might be a couple of great champions who got there without some highly questionable riding, but you’d probably have to go back to Geoff Duke and the 1950s to find one. “Gentlemanly” doesn’t cut it at GP level. Rossi, for example, is no exception. He does ride cleanly, but as we saw against Lorenzo at Motegi, it is at the very outer edges of cleanliness. And he also fell off a lot in his first year on a 500, and it was often only through luck that he usually did so alone. Casey Stoner too is a famous crasher from his first MotoGP season, but he too had the courtesy to do so all by himself. Go back a bit, and you come to Mick Doohan, whose early years saw plenty of fairings written off. While Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey were both self-confessed murderous lunatics in the early days of their rivalry in the USA. There is thus a certain amount of pot-kettle in Lorenzo’s words, but that doesn’t rob them of their power. Anyone who has ever been at a race where there was a fatal accident knows the feeling – and thankfully they are nowadays very rare, as long as you stay clear of the Isle of Man. Suddenly racing isn’t fun any more. Especially if you’re on hand to watch his stunned mechanics pack up his pit, put away his spare bike, spare helmet and visors and gloves... But until that happens, the popular vote will go with Simoncelli, who had rather undermined his position in the next day’s race (in less than half a lap he nearly had Stoner off, and then crashed spectacularly himself), then was irritating enough to go fastest in tests on the very next day. Especially since, a day later, Rossi spoke in support of his hairy pal. The trouble with the new generation of MotoGP riders, said the great man, “is that they are pussies.” CN 86-87 Backpage 13.indd 87

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LOOKING BACK 30 Years Ago May 10, 1981 A pair of competitors at the Mt. Baker Two-Day Qualifier was pictured on the cover of Cycle News 30 years ago. Frank Stacy took the overall win over Terry Cunningham… Randy Goss came out on top at the Ascot Half Mile… Suzuki’s Mark Barnett and Kent Howerton cleaned up at the Road Atlanta National MX in Georgia… 20 Years Ago May 22, 1991 Scott Parker’s image graced the cover of Cycle News 20 years ago for winning the Pomona Half Mile… The Americans took a beating by the Brits at the TransAtlantic Superbike Challenge in England… Randy Hawkins, back from injury, won the Little Brown Jug National Enduro in South Carolina by one point over Jeff Russell… Danny Hamel won the pointto-point National Hare & Hound in Nevada. 10 Years Ago May 16, 2001 Anthony Gobert took center stage, along with Ricky Carmichael and Valentino Rossi, on the cover of Cycle News 10 years ago. Gobert dominated the Sears Point National Road Race, and Carmichael wrapped up the Supercross series with a win in Las Vegas. Rossi won the Spanish Grand Prix… Heath Voss debuted the Honda CRF450R four-stroke at the Vegas Supercross… Destry Abbott won the Sageriders National Hare & Hound.

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WHAT’S NEXT CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMA Superbike Championship Rounds 2-3 Sonoma, California Infineon Raceway May 14-15, 2011 Finally, the AMA road racing series gets back to racing. With the first round being held at Daytona back in March, it’s been some eight weeks since the two races, which were both won by Blake Young. By this time last year, the series had visited Daytona, Auto Club Speedway in Southern California and Road Atlanta, but both Fontana and Road Atlanta were dropped from this year’s schedule. Last year, Josh Hayes won both races at Infineon to jump start what culminated in a Superbike title for the Yamaha rider. For more information, visit www.amaproracing.com FIM World Motocross Championship Round 3 San Bernardino, California Glen Helen Raceway May 14-15, 2011 The FIM World Motocross Championship comes to America and Glen Helen Raceway for the Monster Energy USGP. It’s the third stop of the FIM GP tour and both the MX1 (450cc) and MX2 (250cc) classes will play out on the hilly course above San Bernardino, California. Virginia’s Zach Osborne is America’s main title hopeful in the MX2 class. For more information, visit www.glenhelen.com MotoGP World Championship Round 4 Le Mans, France Circuit Bugatti May 14-15, 2011 Built in 1965, Le Mans has played host to many a Grand Prix, though the circuit did lose MotoGP for four years starting in 1996 and it wasn’t back on the schedule until making several track changes. It became a regular on the series calendar again in 2000. Jorge Lorenzo won last year’s race by some five seconds over Valentino Rossi with Andrea Dovizioso finishing third. For more information, visit www.motogp.com For a comprehensive schedule of events, visit www.cyclenews.com/calendar

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5/9/11 3:43 PM

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