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NEXT STEP As another year winds down, anticipation rises for 2019 and we’re as excited as ever. But first, Road Dirt Digital is a great opportunity for us at Foremost Media to collectively reflect upon the season that was. This, our third-annual edition of RD, is our most refined yet and we’re thankful for the partnerships that we’ll maintain into the new year. The past year has been huge for our in-house brands, MotoOnline.com.au and CycleOnline.com.au, doing our part to showcase the local motorcycle industry. More than anything, what we’re proud of is to be producing quality content that can be accessed by twowheel enthusiasts globally. In this issue of Road Dirt, you will see an interview with Hunter Lawrence - this time about his significant step to the US - and he also features on the cover for the first time. We’ve also tracked down Endurance world champion Josh Hook, narrowed down the Moments That Mattered and put together our yearly Road Dirt Awards. In addition, enjoy our pictorials and all-new topical Columns. Australian racers have been extremely successful of late, especially our allconquering off-roaders fresh from clinching victory at the ISDE. The class of our talent being produced is certainly on the up again and, dare I say it, a potential golden era may just be around the corner as long as opportunities overseas keep arising. Enjoy the magazine and happy holidays!
CONTENTS 4-5 FOCUSED 6-7 JACK MILLER 8-9 AUS SUPERCROSS 10-11 DANIEL MILNER 30-31 DEAN FERRIS 32-33 ASBK 34-35 CHAD REED 56-57 JOSH BROOKES 58-59 BRETT METCALFE 60-61 TROY HERFOSS FEATURED 12-17 ROAD DIRT AWARDS 50-54 MOMENTS THAT MATTERED INTERVIEWED 24-28 JOSH HOOK 36-43 HUNTER LAWRENCE COLUMN 62-63 ROAD 64-65 DIRT PIT PASS 66-71
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MANAGING EDITOR ALEX GOBERT CONTENT CREATOR JEREMY HAMMER DESIGN ADAM SPENCE PUBLISHER FOREMOST MEDIA WWW.FOREMOSTMEDIA.COM.AU INFO@FOREMOSTMEDIA.COM.AU
COVER IMAGE SIMON CUDBY CONTENTS IMAGE SUPPLIED
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is first year aboard Ducati machinery, Aussie MotoGP contender Jack Miller earned a mixed bag of results, but it was without a doubt one of his strongest campaigns yet. The Queenslander locked in a host of top five and 10 results, along with earning his maiden pole position and a selection of front row starts. It’s a sign of things to come for the Pramac Racing standout.
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he Australian Supercross Championship has gone from strength to strength in recent years, although with AUS SX Holdings - promoter of S-X Open - taking on the commercial rights, greater consistency has been established right throughout the calendar. The racing was fierce and competitive, while the off-track atmosphere clicked another gear through the five rounds.
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t’s been a remarkable year for Daniel Milner, so much so it’s hard to choose where to start with his accomplishments. After wrapping up the A4DE crown earlier in the year, KTM-mounted Milner dominated the AORC, cleaning up the E3 category, while he capped off the season by assisting Australia to the ISDE World Trophy crown and was ranked P1 in the individual standings.
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Annual awards feature highlights the winners and events of the year gone by. A pivotal year in motorcycle racing makes for a fascinating time when presenting this, the 2018 Road Dirt Digital Awards feature. An annual mainstay across Foremost Media titles and becoming increasingly influential, Road Dirt Digital magazine honours the standout people and storylines that contributed to the season past being such a strong one.
IMAGES: FOREMOST MEDIA/RUSSELL COLVIN/SUPPLIED
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NATIONAL RIDER OF THE YEAR: TROY HERFOSS Winning five of seven rounds in the Australian Superbike Championship, 2018 will long be remembered as the year that Troy Herfoss came of age. It was superb to witness and may just be one of the greatest domestic road racing performances of all-time over the course of seven rounds. INTERNATIONAL RIDER OF THE YEAR: JONATHAN REA While there’s no denying that MotoGP champion Marc Marquez is the best of the best, you have to commend Jonathan Rea for all that he’s achieved with Kawasaki Racing Team in the Superbike World Championship. With a fourth-straight title to his credit, Rea has been simply phenomenal. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: SANDRO CORTESE
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: MARC MARQUEZ
A grand prix regular for over a decade and winner of the 2012 Moto3 championship, German Sandro Cortese arrived in Supersport somewhat beneath the radar. Five years in Moto2 only resulted in three podiums, however he’s now a WorldSSP champion following a single attempt!
Love him or hate him, MotoGP king Marc Marquez continued to entertain on his way to a seventh world championship this year. His celebrations after winning the premier class crown at Motegi were brilliant and we can’t see him slowing down anytime soon either on or off the track.
SERIES OF THE YEAR: MOTOGP You just can’t beat the pinnacle of the sport when it comes to motorcycle road racing, as the likes of Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso and company deliver the finest action on two wheels. Add in Australia’s own Jack Miller and we can’t get enough of grand prix’s top class. MOST ANTICIPATED MODEL: 2019 DUCATI PANIGALE V4 R As Kawasaki and Jonathan Rea maintain their status of being the production racing benchmark, it’s natural to get excited about Ducati’s brand new V4 R. Set to enter WorldSBK with Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies from 2019, could this be the bike that finally disrupts the status quo?
HOTTEST TOPIC: JORGE LORENZO TO HRC After coming good at Ducati in the form of race wins, Jorge Lorenzo has moved on to join Marc Marquez at Repsol Honda from 2019. An incredible MotoGP super-team, it will be spectacular to see if he can go on and challenge his fellow Spaniard on equal factory RC213V machinery.
GREATEST DISAPPOINTMENT: SYDNEY DROPPED FROM ASBK There’s little argument that this year’s YMF-backed Australian Superbike Championship was a stellar series, however not having Sydney on the calendar was a surprising let-down. Whatever the issue was, good news is it’s been resolved and features back on the schedule from next year.
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TOP TEAM: PENRITE HONDA RACING Under the operation of ER Motorsport for the first time, Honda Motorcycles Australia’s factory ASBK team - Penrite Honda Racing - was the class of the field this season. Fielding a single rider in eventual champion Troy Herfoss, they hardly put a foot wrong throughout the year. BEST EVENT: THE BEND ASBK/ARRC DOUBLE-HEADER As the first-ever motorcycle event at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, we were massive supporters of the combined ASBK and Asia Road Racing Championship double-header. With development taking place at the venue since, next year’s race weekend will be even better! MOST SURPRISING MOMENT: TROY BAYLISS BACK It was definitely a shock to see triple world champion Troy Bayliss come out of retirement and return to the ASBK as co-owner/rider of DesmoSport, which he did with exceptional results. At 49, a round win at Phillip Island ’s finals and third in the pointstandings was a remarkable effort. SOCIAL STANDOUT: SCOTT REDDING In his final season of MotoGP, you could say that Scott Redding went out with a bang before departing for the British Superbike Championship. Offering a very real insight that takes fans well-beyond the usual broadcasts, Redding emerged as one of the more interesting follows this season. SPECIAL MENTION: JOSH HOOK Part of the title-winning TSR Honda France squad that captured this year’s Endurance World Championship, we have to extend our congratulations to Josh Hook. One of the most capable Aussies competing globally, it’ll be mega to also see him with Pramac Racing in MotoE from 2019.
NATIONAL RIDER OF THE YEAR: DEAN FERRIS Clinching a third-straight MX Nationals MX1 crown, there was no denying Dean Ferris and CDR Yamaha Monster Energy in 2018. Supercross didn’t go to plan following an early injury, but regardless he’s headed to the US from next year and should be aboard a factory bike outdoors. INTERNATIONAL RIDER OF THE YEAR: JEFFREY HERLINGS The newly-crowned MXGP world champion, Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings reigned supreme this season, picking up a magnificent 17 overall victories along the way! On top of that he won the MXGP category at RedBud’s MXoN, making for one of the greatest campaigns in history. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: MITCH EVANS
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: FRASER HIGLETT He may not be the most notable name in dirt bikes, but do yourselves a favour and take notice of Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team’s Fraser Higlett in the future. The Australian Off-Road Championship revelation is breathing new life into the series and does so in his own unique way!
Few tipped Mitch Evans to be the main challenger of Dean Ferris in the MX Nationals, which is exactly what he did as part of the Raceline KTM team. In an effort that has springboarded him to the world stage, the 20-year-old was also part of Australia’s fourth overall at MXoN. SERIES OF THE YEAR: MXGP The MXGP World Championship has established itself as the most competitive motocross series on the planet, with Jeffrey Herlings widely noted to be the fastest of all. It’s a long, long calendar, but with a mix of Aussies as well, we’re enjoying the current direction of grand prix racing. MOST ANTICIPATED MODEL: 2019 HONDA CRF450L As Honda makes its anticipated return to the off-road ranks in the form of its CRF450L, many have been genuinely excited for this bike to arrive - including us! And judging by our test carried out in Western Australia, this ride delivers in a way that will prove popular throughout the nation.
GREATEST DISAPPOINTMENT: JED BEATON INJURED A terrific start to the MX2 World Championship saw Jed Beaton land on the podium in Portugal as part of the little-known F&H Kawasaki team, however multiple injuries sustained soon afterwards derailed his year. Thankfully, his form already earned him a Rockstar Husqvarna deal for next year! HOTTEST TOPIC: SUZUKI RETURN OF CHAD REED TOP TEAM: AUSTRALIA’S ISDE TEAM Following what was a difficult season in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, to see Australia’s GOAT Chad Reed link up with JGRMX and Suzuki in the back-part of the year was a welcome surprise. Hopefully the pair unite for 2019 and we can see the 22 back to his best aboard an RM-Z450.
Australia is on top of the world once again after dominating the International Six Days Enduro in Chile, as the World Trophy team of Daniel Milner, Daniel Sanders, Josh Strang and Lyndon Snodgrass soared to victory. So to did the dominant Women’s squad, marking an amazing feat.
BEST EVENT: S-X OPEN Introduced for 2018, the Monster Energy S-X Open FIM Oceania Supercross Championship contested in Sydney and Auckland were once again the benchmark of the national season. Combined, fans in Australasia certainly have a great chance to catch world-class supercross. MOST SURPRISING MOMENT: BRETT METCALFE’S SX CHALLENGE In the end it was Justin Brayton who made it a three-peat for Penrite Honda Racing, however the performance of Brett Metcalfe on return to supercross can’t be ignored. A late addition to SX1, he won Port Adelaide on his way to finishing runner-up in the final championship standings.
SPECIAL MENTION: HORSHAM WORLD JUNIORS To see some of the best young talent travel to Australia for the Junior Motocross World Championship at Horsham was a real treat in 2018, especially considering both Bailey Malkiewicz and Braden Plath captured titles in the 125cc and 65cc categories respectively.
SOCIAL STANDOUT: HAYDEN MELLROSS Spending the majority of the season based in America, Hayden Mellross does an admirable job of keeping his fans in the loop when it comes to results. Once returning home for AUS Supercross, his activity elevates even further and we’re pretty stoked on the way he goes about his socials.
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INTERVIEWED
Now a world champion in endurance racing, Australian Josh Hook is adding electric motorcycle racing to his endeavours next year as he makes up part of the historic MotoE World Cup grid. WORDS: JEREMY HAMMER IMAGES: SUPPLIED
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his year proved to be a remarkable one for New South Welshman Josh Hook, assisting TSR Honda France to the 2017-2018 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) crown. Wrapping up the title, 25-year-old Hook has put endurance on the map for aspiring Aussies and his title defence has already gotten off to a positive start. Adding to his EWC endeavours in 2019, the likeable personality has locked in a deal with Pramac Racing, securing his position on the grid of the inaugural MotoE World Cup that will run alongside the MotoGP World Championship. It’s going to be a historic year as electric motorcycle racing breaks onto the world stage and our latest international from Taree is pretty excited part of it.
It’s been an incredible year for you, wrapping up the EWC title. You’re obviously already into the new season now, but you still must be quite proud of that achievement. Yeah, it’s an awesome achievement mate - it’s been a long time since I’ve won a championship, so that in itself was quite good. We had a pretty perfect year and, with endurance, it’s so hard for everything to run so smoothly and have nothing go wrong because the races are so long. The team was amazing, from my teammates to the mechanics, and to everyone who helped out along the way. We won a lot of races this year and we even won the first round of the new season, so we’re on a roll at the moment and the team has done an awesome job to keep things rolling. Even if we did make a mistake this year, they were quick to jump on the problem and get it sorted - that quick pit work and stuff like that definitely helps win a championship. Those boys did an amazing job and we’ve been fast this year, I’ve found
my form on the TSR Honda again and I’m feeling really confident on it. Our package is, in my opinion, the best out there at the moment. I have such a good feeling with it and it’s showing. Like you said, the team has kept the ball rolling and you’ve been competitive all year. What do you think has been key to such strong form? I think we’ve been on this Honda for a while now and from a mechanics’ side, they’ve got it dialled and know everything that’s going to go wrong with it. If something does happen, they’re on the ball straight away those guys just keep smashing it. The riders - all the of us - we’re all fast and there’s no real weak link in the team, so every time we go out we don’t have to push over our limit and make mistakes, we can just maintain a healthy pace throughout the whole race. As you know with endurance, consistency is the key and we’ve had it this year.
With you winning the title, there’s seems to You’ve also scored a deal with Pramac be much more interest in the endurance Racing in MotoE. How did that opportunity championship, domestically anyway. Do come about? you agree? My mate Jack [Miller] helped me out on that I think so. I think me winning the title or doing one. He sort of got me the deal before I even well has given other riders a look-in to the knew about it, he just called me up one day championship and maybe it’s something and said I’ve got you this gig, what do you they’re interested in. I’ve done a good job reckon? So that’s how it came about. I had this year and I’m quite happy with where I’m a meeting with the team and it all went from at, so I think it’s definitely opened up the eyes there. We had a test a couple of weeks ago, of a few young Aussies who want go and which was all well and good. The bikes are do some overseas racing. It’s not something obviously heavy and slow, but it’s going to that’s impossible or going to cost a shit-tonne result in good racing because everything is of money. The endurance championship is the same - it’s the same suspension, same definitely growing a lot, there a lot more high- engine and all that you can do is a few minor class riders there now, there are a lot more adjustments to the chassis. I think it’s going factory teams involved and now we have to be a good thing and I think being in the full coverage of the races on Eurosport. The MotoGP paddock is also positive. Most of all, championship is growing a lot and, at the there are a lot of high-class riders in it too, end of the day, it’s a world championship, so so it’s going to build my profile up, as well as that counts. the championship.
Electric motorcycles have divided the industry - some people love them, some people hate them. Being part of MotoE, you must believe that they have a place in motorcycle racing?
My first impression was that the power delivery was super-smooth and easy to control, the chassis actually feels pretty good. The thing is heavy, hard to stop and a bit sluggish, but in terms of turning it, it feels like a street bike - it’s not a race bike just yet, but the general I think it’s one of those love/hate things. I sit feeling is pretty good, which I was quite on the fence at the minute with it, but I guess surprised with. I think in the next five years it’s the manufacturers think that’s the way it’s all going to be really good, so if people do hate going, so they have to start to think about it now they’re going to have to learn to love it - it might not be in five or 10 years, but it’s it, because that’s the way it’s going [laughs]. going to head that way in the end. They all have to get the ball rolling and look into You mentioned the manufacturers are seeing developing that side of things. The be fair, it as the future. Do you think that’s where the bike [Energica Ego Corsa] isn’t that bad it’s heading with manufacturers becoming at all. involved in MotoE? It’s a little too early for me to say, because I don’t know exactly what they’re thinking, but being signed with Honda, they want to hear what I’ve got to say about it and they’re interested in the development of it. They also do [electric] cars, so they know a bit about it and they know that’s where it’s heading.
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ach and every year we say the Pirelli MX Nationals is the most competitive or most anticipated season yet, and 2018 was definitely shaping up to be exactly that. In the end, no one could topple Dean Ferris. The New South Welshman won each and every overall victory available in the 10-stop series to earn his thirdconsecutive premier class championship.
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he Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship continued to elevate once again 2018, with increased participation not only on the grid, but the industry as a whole. Despite the Superbike and Supersport titles being wrapped up a round early, both categories were as competitive as ever right down the field, but ultimately, consistency was rewarded.
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attling with an ankle injury suffered in the off-season, Chad Reed never really fully recovered or got going in the 2018 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Upon switching to JGRMX Suzuki late in the year, Reed rebounded and eventually picked up the inaugural S-X Open FIM Oceania Championship victory following a dominant sweep in Auckland.
INTERVIEWED
CALIFORNIA
Arriving in the United States for the first time in his career as part of the powerhouse Geico Honda organisation, Hunter Lawrence will embark upon an entirely new challenge from 2019. WORDS: ALEX GOBERT IMAGES: SIMON CUDBY/SUPPLIED
upercross. It’s recognised as the pinnacle of our sport in America, a place where riders globally dream of being behind the start-gates. For Hunter Lawrence, he becomes the latest Australian in a long line to land a top-level seat in Monster Energy AMA Supercross after signing with the prestigious Geico Honda team.
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“In the end we finished off strong, even though we had three injuries throughout the season that made things harder. I was still able to finish out the year on the podium and still be a top guy in the series, so while it was frustrating, I didn’t leave anything on the table. We had a really good des Nations also.”
That feat is made even more significant since Lawrence - still just 19 years of age - already has three full years of international experience to his credit after his whole family moved to Europe in 2016. A GP race winner and multiple podium finisher who’s recognised as one of the sport’s top emerging talents, the Queenslander is ready to take on the United States.
Perhaps the highlight of Lawrence’s year was leading Team Australia to fourth at RedBud’s Motocross of Nations, which coincidently marked his first race with the Factory Connection organisation that he will ride for over the next three years through 2021. Alongside countrymen Kirk Gibbs and longtime junior opponent Mitch Evans, Lawrence charged to P2 in class.
Untimely injuries and additional difficulties made 2018 a tough one for Lawrence, ending ninth in the MX2 standings for a secondstraight season, however his capabilities remain undeniable. For him, still with his family by his side including high-profile younger brother Jett, the time is right to make a move and broaden his horizons.
“In the press conference on Friday I told the boys if we could get a top five considering the guys we were up against, we’d all be really stoked and that’d be a frickin’ good effort,” he explains. “It’s gnarly to be thrown in the deep-end from Australia, but for me it was alright because I see a lot of those guys like [Jeffrey] Herlings and [Antonio] Cairoli all year.
“Being honest, I didn’t rate this year very much,” Lawrence reflects while speaking from his Californian home. “It was just a frustrating year, a lot of things happening out of our control and my results weren’t a reflection of me not working hard enough or anything like that. It wasn’t what we wanted - we wanted to win.
“People like them and [Eli] Tomac, when you see them for the first time it’s a little bit cool. When they’re behind you and with a sold out MXoN with all of those guys racing, dude, your heart rate is an extra 20 or maybe 30 beats higher [laughs]. You can’t replicate that. “So hey, we were leading going into the last race and that’s crazy! How we got ourselves in that position was outstanding and, even though it would have been great to be on the podium, we did better than last year we did awesome. There’s room to improve and I look forward to it. It’s sort of a taste of Australia’s new generation coming through, which is exciting.” It was during that same period at the beginning of October that the Lawrences moved from their previous base in Belgium to relocate as a family once again, now situated in California.
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You couldn’t blame Hunter for having to pinch himself at this stage of his career, CALIFORNIA finally arriving on the spectacular American circuit with Geico Honda. With an incredible amount of resources at his disposal and having the most competitive CRF250R on After experiencing the challenges of life in the planet beneath him, the opportunity Europe first-hand, the move to America has that has been earned doesn’t go unnoticed. been a relatively smooth transition in lifestyle. “I’m grateful for this opportunity, really “Europe makes you tough, for sure,” Hunter thankful, but I also worked my arse off to admits. “A lot of things went on that not get it and I deserve it. I’ve got an amazing everyone knows. Even having to live there, team, all of the guys are awesome and it’s forget about working hard and training to everything you could imagine when you be a competitive racer, what we had to think of a factory team. This is what Geico go through as a family just to live there was Honda is, just so sick and even things like the gym at the workshop, they have all the tools already a mission in itself [laughs]. that you need to be successful. I just can’t “That was how it was going to be though and wait to get the season underway, honestly! we went there with the mindset of ‘this is how it’s going to be’. Even if we wanted to come back home we couldn’t have, because we sold our house and we don’t have any ties to Australia anymore except for family being there. It was just a matter of making it work and I think that helped us out.
“The bike’s fast, an absolute rocket, and they’re still working so hard day in, day out. We’ve got one guy working from 8:00am to 6:00pm finding horsepower, another guy doing the same hours just on suspension, another guy doing mapping and wiring harnesses… it goes on. It’s just awesome to “Guys like Chad [Reed], [Brett] Metcalfe… have a team that wants to win as badly as they have been some of the most successful the rider does - I want to win and succeed Aussies in America and went via Europe in as much as I want to breathe. There’s no their careers. We thought ‘hey, there must questioning it.” be something to be learned there’ and we did it, but now that box is ticked and here we are together in America.” Lawrence’s agent Lucas Mirtl - a fellow Australian abroad who has been based in America for many years - has been instrumental in the family finding their feet in the US: “Lucas has actually made everything pretty damn smooth for us. He’s been here, knows how everything is, just things like the house, phones, bills and that kind of stuff. Whereas in Europe, we were like ‘what’s this, what’s that’? He helped us out a lot and made it much smoother.”
It’s no secret that supercross can be brutal, especially through the adaptation phase as a former grand prix rider. But as he has done many times in the past, Lawrence is taking things step-by-step and learning all that he can in a short amount of space. As suspected, he’s enjoying the process has has his sights set on the 250SX East series.
Amazingly, Anaheim 1 on 5 January will be the first-ever supercross in the US that Lawrence has even attended: “A1 will be my first one! I can’t wait for that, they reckon the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, so I’m looking forward to it. We never had much money and never went to America until the MXGP in Florida last year because dad always said we’d never go to America “Supercross has been good and I’m enjoying until we’re racing there. It was a little personal it,” said Lawrence. “When I started, the guys goal we set and that’s been the case.” gave me some base settings and just said to ‘go ride and get comfortable’. The bike Expectations are always set high for was great to start with and that helped the professional racers - largely placing the transition, but I’ve just been taking my time. most pressure upon themselves - however Lawrence declares he’s carrying an open “I’ve only ridden like six or seven weeks of mind into 2019. Still, that dream of delivering supercross in Australia four years ago, so a championship prior to turning his attention it’s been ages and I’m loving it. It’s not as to Pro Motocross later in the year isn’t forgiving as motocross, plus it requires a completely out of the question. different type of fitness being shorter, more intense and the breathing is different as well. “It’s still early in the pre-season and I’m just We’re just getting used to it and trying to be learning, but hey, everyone wants to win sensible, but it’s cool. The team’s happy with and I’d love to win. That’s what I’m working how I’m doing. for, but for the first season we want to make it through supercross and just… survive. I’m “I’m doing East Coast, just because it will taking it day by day, working hard and we’re give me that bit more time and the team doing all we can in the winter. Our results thinks that the tracks are going to suit me will be whatever they are. If they’re good, more. There’s softer dirt back there, so tracks then hey, that’s great, but if not we will keep tend to get rutted out a little bit more, it’s working and we’ll have more work to do more technical and that’s the type of rider I again. That’s how we’re going about it.” am. We agreed on that, but we’ll be ready for West Coast as well in case anybody gets injured.”
CALIFORNIA
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FEATURED
Following an electrifying 2018 season of competition, these are the storylines that had us talking at year’s end.
WORDS: JEREMY HAMMER IMAGES: FOREMOST MEDIA/RUSSELL COLVIN/SUPPLIED
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his year produced some of the most memorable action on and off of the race-track that we can recall, once again making for a share of in-house debate when narrowing down 2018’s ‘Moments That Mattered’. In no particular order and inclusive of everything from AUS Supercross to MotoGP, these are the aspects that we’ve been recollecting this off-season.
THREE-PEAT OF FERRIS
MARQUEZ AGAIN
It was an incredible Pirelli MX Nationals campaign for Dean Ferris, earning his thirdconsecutive crown with 10 overall wins from 10 rounds. His season ended on a sour note though, suffering a seasonending injury at the opening round of supercross and crushing his maiden SX1 title hopes.
Marc Marquez couldn’t be stopped in MotoGP this year, earning his seventh grand prix world title and his fifth in the premier class. Capturing the crown with three rounds to spare, Marquez broke all kinds of records in the process, being one of eight riders to earn seven or more championships.
VAN EERDE DELIVERS Cementing himself as one of the most-rated rising Australian talents in road racing, Billy van Eerde stunned the Asia Talent Cup field when he battled for the title all year long, sealing the title in a nail-biting finale at the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sepang.
AUSSIE MXON SURPRISE Motorcycling Australia copped plenty of criticism when it announced the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) line-up featuring Hunter Lawrence, Mitch Evans and Kirk Gibbs, but the trio delivered a mighty result, winding up just off the podium in fourth to take the global industry by surprise.
EARLY ASBK TITLES
LORENZO HRC-BOUND
Amazingly, both the premier class and Supersport titles in the YMF Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) were wrapped up at Winton’s penultimate round. The consistency and strong results of champions Troy Herfoss and Cru Halliday simply couldn’t be matched this year.
Jorge Lorenzo’s first 18 months on Ducati were far from perfect, going completely winless in the process, so it made sense that he would sign with Repsol Honda when the opportunity emerged. Just as he signed the dotted line though, the former triple champion notched up three race wins!
PRICE REBOUNDS
RECORD-SETTING REA Not only did Jonathan Rea clinch his fourth-successive WorldSBK championship, he became the winningest rider in the history of the championship by eclipsing Carl Fogarty’s long-standing benchmark of 59. Rea’s season was that strong that he’s since extended the wins record to 71.
Following an injury riddled 2017 campaign, Aussie legend Toby Priced returned to his winning form this year, capturing his maiden FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, earning his third podium at the Dakar Rally and claiming a record-breaking sixth Finke Desert Race victory.
S-X OPEN EXPANSION
REED MX COMEBACK
With the success of the AUS-X Open Sydney since 2015, promoter AUS SX Holdings added a New Zealand stop in Auckland to make up the S-X Open Supercross FIM Oceania Championship. The mini-series was a hit, attracting a number of international stars over the two rounds.
It came as a mega surprise when images surfaced of Chad Reed sampling a JGRMX Suzuki RM-Z450, but what was even more surprising was his Pro Motocross comeback at Ironman’s finale. Despite the treacherous weather conditions, he wound up an impressive eighth overall.
CHAMPIONS ON MAP This year saw a number of new Australians crowned as world champions, from Bailey Malkiewicz and Braden Plath earning titles in the Junior Motocross World Championship on home soil, to Josh Hook sealing the Endurance World Championship crown and Toby Price winning in the Rallies.
AUSTRALIA DOMINATES ISDE
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y far one of the most impressive performances of the year came from Team Australia as a whole at the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Chile, as the World Trophy squad took top honours, while the amazing Women’s team captured a stunning sixth-straight victory. To add to the success, Daniel Milner earned the individual outright victory followed by Daniel Sanders in third, with Tayla Jones dominating the individual Women’s standings.
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JOSH BROOKES
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side from his regular role in the British Superbike Championship, Australian Josh Brookes returned to the Isle of Man TT in 2018 to set his personal best lap around the street circuit, earning fifth in the Senior TT under the Norton banner. It was a mixed year for him in BSB, although he still managed to score race wins throughout his campaign.
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e always knew Brett Metcalfe was going to be a strong contender this year, however his MX Nationals assault was let down by numerous unfortunate events. While not initially being contracted for supercross, he made an appearance at round one and suddenly became a title challenger, earning the Adelaide victory along the way to being ranked second in the series.
BRETT METCALFE IMAGE: FOREMOST MEDIA
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TROY HERFOSS IMAGE: RUSSELL COLVIN
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ith such a competitive grid in the Australian Superbike Championship, it came as a shock when Troy Herfoss inched away ahead of the field in the standings, ultimately clinching the title with a round to spare at Winton. The Penrite Honda Racing ace was supremely consistent and made his incredible five round wins count when they needed to.
COLUMN
ROAD The ASBK boasts the biggest television package of all domestic championships, but who is actually capitalising? WORDS: ALEX GOBERT IMAGE: FOREMOST MEDIA
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s it stands, the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) is the lone national championship sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia (MA) with a television broadcast package. With pay TV and free-to-air coverage aired live through all six standalone rounds, in addition to a delayed broadcast from Phillip Island’s opener, it’s an extensive - and expensive - platform that the series should be benefiting from.
especially during what has been a difficult time in the market. That’s not to mention the trend of tipping crucial dollars into global tech giants like Facebook and Google when seeking a solution to off-set the current sales downturn… There’s something flawed within the system when there are virtually zero companies from outside of the industry that are involved at a level that makes a clear difference. Sure, expecting Virgin Australia to support the sport in the same fashion they do Supercars is unrealistic, however there are plenty of brands spread through various four-wheel categories nationally at differing levels.
But is the sport actually capitalising on the investment? With Yamaha Motor Finance (YMF) not renewing its position as namingrights partner of the championship for the first time since 2015, the ASBK stands a very real possibility of not having a title sponsor when the 2019 season takes off in February. It When it comes to the factory teams might, but as of mid-December, no deal has participating in the ASBK - which themselves are operating with increasingly less been announced. manufacturer backing - the only one that When you browse through the brands has a significant title sponsor not related that are actively supporting the to the associated brand is ER Motorsport’s championship, the usual suspects emerge title-winning Honda team through Penrite. in the form of Link International (distributor And that is a deal that is spread across Motorcycles Australia’s wider of presenting partners Motul and Pirelli), Honda Yamaha Motor Australia and the other racing program. odd manufacturer that sees value in the I often wonder if teams are even championship’s existence. seriously trying to secure funding from It’s no secret that the industry has been more mainstream businesses. From what I stretched thin over many years with the understand, the majority actually don’t. I’m amount of events, teams, privateers and aware that it’s a very complex - and even even media outlets that require support, costly - exercise to attain and then maintain
corporate support, however it’s surely more valuable to be the title sponsor of a twowheel team than to be a lesser supporter of a top, second or even third-tier Supercars organisation if a proper case is presented. A source in the know indicates that a live round of the ASBK on Fox Sports generally attracts an audience of 30,000 per live show, which is actually in line with what the Superbike World Championship - with no Australians on the grid - draws these days, depending on the time of said coverage. That statistic on its own should be something to pivot from when pitching.
introduction of Kayo Sports (Google it!) from 2019, and then factor in the digital strengths that motorcycle racing generally boasts, the ASBK should be a relatively attractive option for brands seeking motorsport-driven opportunities.
From a dirt bike point of view, the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney also has live TV via Fox Sports, complimented by delayed coverage on the new-look 10 Boss channel. Organisers of that event sell it to partners through their astounding digital impact, as much as anything else, since supercross appeals to younger demographics so successfully. Plus, a sell-out crowd in excess For comparison’s sake, research suggests of 15,000 provides added activation-type that on Fox Sports, MotoGP rounds regularly leverage. have 100,000 viewers - again being timedependant - and Supercars is closer to the Is there a solution in regards to where 140,000 mark on average. It’s understood the ASBK sits? There has to be one. Will that the average audience for an ASBK stakeholders solve what is becoming an event on SBS stands at 90,000, otherwise increasingly apparent issue anytime soon? acknowledged to be in the hundreds of That’s not certain. What is for sure though, thousands when it comes to ‘reach’. is that everybody with a direct interest and involvement have to keep evolving, begin Add in the more extensive live-streaming innovating and press to accelerate ahead. option available free of charge online Otherwise, what’s the point of coverage in that offers extremely good quality, the the first place?
COLUMN
DIRT Generation next from Australia is emerging globally, but they shouldn’t be labelled ‘the next Chad Reed’. WORDS: JEREMY HAMMER IMAGE: SUPPLIED
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he term or topic ‘the next Chad Reed’ has been run to death, over-published and still gets thrown around more than it should every time an emerging talent begins to make their mark on the international stage of motocross and supercross. I don’t say that in a way that discredits the legend that is Chad Reed, the man established himself as a pioneer of the sport not just for Australians, but riders all around the globe. I say it in way that there’s new crop of Aussie riders who are opening up their own opportunities and cementing their own identities, rather than following in the footsteps of the famous number 22, a two-time AMA and world supercross champion. It’s without question that Reed has helped in paving the way for many Australians making their way to Europe or America, although I believe that influence has worn thin over the last five to 10 years, as the next generation of riders are taking it upon themselves to make their dreams come true. They’re doing it the hard way, just like Reed did almost two decades ago now. There’s somewhat a shift in mindset that if riders want to race overseas, they’re going to have to make it happen themselves.
European Motocross Championship, MXGP, or the highly-desired AMA pro circuit. I think it’s these sort of riders, who are essentially at a make or break time in their careers, that are shining the light on the talent being produced down under, paving the way for even more opportunities. There was quite a period there where Australian riders overseas were few and far between. Sure, there were people giving it a crack here and there, racing a season or two in America or Europe, but there was nothing that really eventuated into championships, stardom or making a memorable impression in the sport. There were, however, a number of wins and podiums, all of which are respectable feats that don’t come easy. But they simply didn’t put Australian riders on the map or make it a place of interest for talent scouting. Times are changing though, as it appears.
This new wave of international riders, namely brothers Hunter and Jett Lawrence, along with recently-signed factory Husqvarna ace Jed Beaton, are improving the landscape for international hopefuls to make it on the world stage and are shortening the road to get there. These European-based examples This movement between riders has created (Lawrence brothers are now transitioning to raft of youthful talents packing up and the American pro and amateur circuits) have boarding a flight to where their next step made such an impact, cementing themselves in racing awaits, whether that be in the as factory riders at the pinnacle of the sport.
So much so, that a handful of MX Nationals contenders were invited to try out for marquee outfits in the world championship this off-season. While not all were successful, it’s an indication that team managers - the talent scouts of motocross - are keeping a watchful on the Australian scene in hopes of uncovering a world champion in the making - a potential champion that is under the radar and hasn’t risen through traditional methods in the eyes of those on the world stage. There’s really never been a better time to realistically aspire to be an international rider. The global industry is taking notice and there’s a whole new wave of world championshipworthy talent coming through. Lawrence and Beaton are proof of that, but so are
recently-crowned junior world champions Bailey Malkiewicz and Braden Plath, plus Europe-bound Mitch Evans. They’re each youthful talents with bright futures in the sport and are already establishing their names. I have to admit, these next few years are going to be incredibly intriguing to witness as the next generation makes its way through. With more opportunity than ever on the table and the desire to make it there seemingly high, I think we can expect the Australian flag to be well-represented across our favourite championships abroad. It’s safe to say, Reed’s illustrious career will come to close in the coming year or two, though his legacy will live on through these rising stars, which should be dubbed generation next.
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