On-Track Off-Road issue eleven

August 2011 no 11

with W o n !

video

Three-headed beast...

A great synchronised study of styles at Brno, the wide sweeping corners offering one of the best tracks on the MotoGP calendar and a precious chance to witness these athletes at full-lean and on the edge. Lorenzo, Dovisioso and Simoncelli dispute the podium steps behind Casey Stoner‌ Photo by Monster Energy/Milagro

MotoGP

AMA-MX Rough with the smooth...

The 2011 AMA SX Champion bears the weight of the red plate well after winning both motos on his 23rd birthday at Unadilla. Ryan Villopoto is bidding to become the second rider in successive years to do the Indoor and Outdoor double and 2012 works Kawasaki material helped in extending a narrow series lead over ’11 MX of Nations team-mate Ryan Dungey at round nine of twelve‌ Photo by Steve Cox

MX The Brits are coming...

The Casino Bonver Grand Prix of Czech Republic had a couple of footnotes. Portugal’s first MX1 podium result and a TM intruding the winner’s circle for the second time but it was Tommy Searle’s eighth rostrum of the season that left a sweet aftertaste for the upcoming British round at Matterley Basin this weekend.

The CLS Kawasaki rider – the only one to nudge KTM off the top step this year - is likely to carry the hopes of a plethora of public. Don’t miss it.

Photo by Ray Archer

MotoGP

cardion ab Grand Prix

brno · august 14th

MotoGP winner: Casey Stoner, Honda Moto2 winner: Andrea Iannone, Suter 125cc winner: Sandro Cortese, Aprilia

who’s the daddy?

By Matthew Roberts, photos by Monster Energy/Milagro, www.yamahamotogp.com, Honda Pro Images, Ducati Corse Press

ceskE republiky

Only Assen has hosted more GP events on the current calendar than Brno. Stoner’s sixth win (making him Honda’s most successful rider in one year since 2003) was amazingly Honda’s first in six years in the Czech Republic and first in the 800cc era

A

fter his second race win in succession at Brno last Sunday Casey Stoner commented that you can’t judge the turning point of a championship until it is over. However, whilst that may technically be true, I get the distinct feeling we will be looking back on this unlikely double either side of the summer break when

we begin to dissect the season at Valencia come November 6th.

A crash for Dani Pedrosa and a poor tyre choice by Jorge Lorenzo allowed the Australian to make back-to-back wins at Laguna Seca and Brno and open up a 32-point lead at the top of the championship.

Nine years after making his Grand Prix debut at Brno as a fifteen year old Marco Simoncelli claimed a career landmark with third place in MotoGP

Before those two races Stoner’s advantage stood at fifteen points, which could easily have been reduced to ten or even six by the time we left the USA if it weren’t for the diminishing physical fitness of the ailing Lorenzo – due to a silly crash in practice - and Pedrosa in the latter stages of that race.

However, as John Hopkins told us in our BBC qualifying programme on Saturday as he ruefully reflected on the practice spill that ruled him out of a wildcard appearance for Suzuki: ‘Coulda, woulda, shoulda counts for nothing in MotoGP.’

Two days of work counted for less than a minute of race time for Pedrosa who had taken podiums in the previous two Grands Prix

Indeed, it is impossible and frankly irrelevant to speculate about what might have happened had Pedrosa not crashed and Lorenzo not gone for a soft front tyre but what is certain is that Stoner is master of his own destiny.

As at Laguna, his pace during practice at Brno had suggested nothing more than a strong po-

dium challenge and when a set-up experiment in warm-up backfired, leaving him fifth fastest and a second off the pace of Pedrosa, he stormed out of the garage in a furious mood.

For the race Stoner’s Repsol Honda team switched back to his qualifying setting and although there was no change in bike perfor-

Rossi was sixth, one position worse than he managed in 2010 coming back from injury. The Italian celebrated the first of his 105 victories at Brno in 1996

mance the gritty Aussie decided, in his words, ‘to lay it on the line.’ When Pedrosa and Lorenzo attempted to break, as predicted, on the opening lap Stoner responded with what would prove to be the fastest time of the race on lap two - a 1’57.191; just three tenths shy of his qualifying effort.

As Pedrosa crashed in front and Lorenzo floundered behind the Australian took maximum points for the sixth time this season. ‘I know you have to be consistent to win championships but you have to win races too,’ he reflected afterwards. Now it is Lorenzo’s turn to respond.

Simoncelli finally breaks his podium duck in MotoGP and his post-race joy was a sight to behold after consternation in recent months

Nicky Hayden remains stuck in the midfield wasteland after his second seventh place finish

Cal Crutchlow crashed out after after a bright start has only taken points in two of the last six races

After a positive start to life in MotoGP Cal Crutchlow has now only posted points twice in the last six events

Top Guns. Lorenzo switches from missles to guns and misses out on the top three but both the world champion and Spies were testing the new 1000cc M1 at Brno the day after the GP

Fifth podium of the season for Dovizioso who keeps pace in the points. The Italian has now finished second in all three classes (when Moto2 was 250cc) at Brno

ball rolling on 2012

By Matthew Roberts

T

he roar of 1000cc MotoGP engines ripped around the hills of Brno for the first time in five years on Monday, as the sound of the future struck an evocative chord with the thousands of fans who had stayed behind for the one-day test.

Dani Pedrosa described the Honda RC213V as ‘similar in power but a little lighter in weight and behaviour’ to the V5 he rode in 2006, whilst Casey Stoner said the new engine is ‘fantastic’, ‘a lot of fun’ and has ‘incredible acceleration, most of the time too much!’ Valentino Rossi, an interested spectator as Ducati opted to focus on the 800cc GP11.1, even suggested the new machines could be capable of hitting 350km/h at tracks like Mugello. Whilst it remains to be seen how the new bikes will perform over race distance and with a 21-litre fuel capacity limit, the lap times certainly backed up the Stoner’s enthusiasm. The Australian lapped a full second quicker than his best in Sunday’s race and was also a second quicker than Pedrosa, who admitted he needs more time to adapt his riding style back to the bigger bike.

Over at Yamaha Jorge Lorenzo was equally excited about their new M1 despite riding it for just an hour. The Spaniard went half a second

quicker than his fastest effort on the current 800cc bike, which itself featured some engine upgrades. ‘I can say that the next MotoGP season will be amazing, much more power, you go out of the corners sliding; I can’t wait!’ grinned the world champ, who was just 0.085 seconds off the best time of pacesetter Stoner.

His team-mate Ben Spies was less than a tenth behind on the same bike.

So with Ducati concentrating on the GP11.1 – essentially a GP12 prototype brought forward – speculation and common sense suggests that they are considering swallowing pride and tradition to ditch the current design completely in favour of a beam frame for next year.

Rossi denied suggestions made by Marco Melandri that he was set to tear up his Ducati contract, which runs until the end of next year, jokingly referring to the World Superbike rider as his ‘new manager’. ‘I will stay with Ducati next year, if Marco agrees,’ he laughed. However, you can guarantee that the jokes evaporate once the garage door is closed and both Rossi and Jerry Burgess will be taking an extremely dim view of the Italian factory’s slow progress.

The speed showed by Honda and Yamaha at Monday’s test will have done nothing to lighten their mood.

claSsification & World championship MotoGP result Riders 1

Casey Stoner, AUS

Honda

2 Andrea Dovizioso, ITA

Honda

3

Honda

Marco Simoncelli, ITA

4 Jorge Lorenzo, SPA

Yamaha

5

Yamaha

Ben Spies, USA

MotoGP Championship standings (after 11 of 18 rounds) Riders 1

Casey Stoner

Points 218

2 Jorge Lorenzo

186

3

163

Andrea Dovizioso

Elit nit utating estio 4 Valentino Rossi odolorper alit essecte 5 Dani Pedrosa dolorperit

118 110

Moto2 result

125cc result

Riders

Riders

1

Suter

1

2 Marc Marquez, SPA

Suter

2 Johann Zarco, FRA

Derbi

3

Stefan Bradl, GER

Kalex

3

Aprilia

4 Alex de Angelis, RSM

Motobi

5

Andrea Iannone, ITA

Thomas Luthi, SUI

Suter

Sandro Cortese, GER Alberto Moncayo, SPA

Aprilia

4 Hector Faubel, SPA

Aprilia

5

Aprilia

Sergio Gadea, SPA

Moto2 Championship standings (after 11 of 17 rounds)

125cc Championship standings (after 11 of 17 rounds)

Riders

Riders

1

Points

Points

183

1

Nico Terol

166

2 Marc Marquez

140

2 Johann Zarco

154

3

095

3

132

091

4 Sandro Cortese

131

091

5

110

Stefan Bradl Alex de Angelis

Elit nit utating estio 4 Andrea Iannone odolorper alit essecte 5 Simone Corsi dolorperit

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MotoGP

NEWS

riders split over japan decision S

o, the Grand Prix of Japan will be going ahead after all. Some of the teams may be looking for replacement riders though, with Jorge Lorenzo still insisting he won’t travel and Casey Stoner also remaining in the ‘no’ camp for the time being, despite both admitting their position had softened in the light of recent safety reports.

Lorenzo said at Brno that he will review the situation and make a firm decision in September, whilst Stoner explained that his initial defiance had been fuelled by the news that his wife Adriana is three months pregnant with the couple’s first child (at Sachsenring he had

signalled that his reasons for not wanting to go would soon become clear).

Valentino Rossi, however, is remaining firm.

‘I really don’t think I’ll go to Japan,’ the 32-yearold said, who unlike Stoner and Lorenzo is of course not employed by a Japanese factory.

‘I was hoping the championship organisers would make the right decision, but that hasn’t been the case and now we’ve got a serious problem.’

The Monster Yamaha Tech3 team don’t see it that way. The French outfit have been the first to go public with a definite announcement, confirming the participation of both Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow.

Elit nit utating estio odolorper alit essecte dolorperit

hopkins proves a point at brno J

ohn Hopkins returned as a wildcard at Brno with a twin aim: to show the world that he still has the talent to compete at the highest level and to prove to Suzuki that they have a competitive package and a project worth extending into 2012 and beyond, as fears of an impending withdrawal rise.

Despite failing to make the grid after a crash on Saturday morning left him with dislocated and broken fingers, the Anglo-American did enough in just two dry free practice sessions to complete both of those objectives, lapping seventh fastest on Friday morning – ahead of

team regular Alvaro Bautista – and tenth in the afternoon, when he was just 1.4 seconds shy of the blistering pace set by Dani Pedrosa.

Not only was Hopkins’ performance impressive but his pace and input clearly provided Bautista, who has found form and confidence following his own injury problems in recent weeks, with the added impetus to produce his best race of the season by far on Sunday.

Although he crashed after fifteen laps the Spaniard was dicing with Valentino Rossi for sixth place and was just three seconds shy of podium contention at that point.

Marquez on the job M

arc Marquez boosted his reputation as the next big thing in MotoGP as he closed the gap to Moto2 series leader Stefan Bradl with another hugely impressive performance at Brno.

On Saturday evening the current 125cc World Champion was batting away questions about a direct move up to the premier-class next year in fluent English after setting his fourth pole position in five races, before narrowly missing out on a fourth straight win by just 0.161 seconds to Andrea Iannone on Sunday.

In finishing second to the fast but notoriously wild and inconsistent Italian, Marquez’s was arguably the performance of the race as he demonstrated the brawn and balls to match his near perfect technique, bashing fairings with the man who nicknames himself ‘Crazy Joe’ as well as Moto2’s most experienced elbow mer-

chant, the dastardly Alex de Angelis.

Bradl finished just behind the Spaniard in a solid third place but the clear title favourite knows that even a 43-point advantage over his closest rival will require nothing but consistent podiums over the final seven races if he is to keep it intact.

The 125cc class also looks set for a close finish after Nico Terol retired with a mechanical problem. Terol won four of the first five races of the season, finishing second in the other, but has now failed to make the podium in four of the last five. That miserable run has seen his championship lead slashed to just 12 points by Johann Zarco, who has yet to win a race but took his fourth second place finish on Sunday behind maiden winner Sandro Cortese.

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MotoGP

BLOG

living the job...

By Matthew Roberts

S

ince it is my proud responsibility to report on the ‘On Track’ side of this esteemed publication, I considered it my duty to get some tarmac time in during the summer break and so it was that I headed down to Silverstone for two days at the California Superbike School – Keith Code’s revered two-wheeled educational export – last week.

Thankfully we were blessed with some ‘Caliesque’ sunshine as I got suited and booted for my Level 1 course on the Stowe infield circuit, which I would tackle on board one of the school’s Yamaha R6s. The course is split into five twenty-minute on-track drills, each of which is preceded by a twenty-minute classroom session and one ‘off-track’ drill. The overall aim is to strip your riding back to the very basics and quickly build it up again, so with me only having passed my test last year and not having had much time to get into bad habits this was a relatively simple process and my progress was swift.

Drill #1 is all about throttle control. After discussing the crucial role of the throttle in keeping the bike stable through corners, we are sent out onto the track with one strict instruction: ‘fourth gear, no brakes.’ Racking up corner after corner, lap after lap in this way builds up a basic appreciation for throttle control, which is the key to bringing out the best of your riding and the best of the bike. Ignoring your instinct to go as fast as you can into each corner and grab a handful of front brake leaves you free to focus on the reaction of the bike to every subtle movement of your right wrist, as well as picking smooth lines through the corners.

Thenit next drillsestio involve working on turning Elit utating points, putting you in control of your corner odolorper alit essecte entry, quick turning techniques and refining dolorperit your input to the bike as its heaviest, most

unstable and unpredictable part. All of this is done with limited use of the gears and brakes.

The big breakthrough comes at the end of the day with a ‘two-step’ turning drill - essentially an exercise in visual perception, judging where the turning point is before you arrive and looking ahead to your next destination, the apex of the corner. I guarantee that this simple exercise, built on the foundations of the previous drills, will transform your riding when mastered.

On the following day I completed level two, which extends the concept of visual training to the next degree. They say target fixation is every rider’s worst enemy and it has many forms, so training your eyes is the key to smooth, fast and confident riding. Level two teaches you to find your own reference points, improves your understanding of space and time and exploits the full potential of using your eyes to collect and interpret the maximum amount of information whilst on the bike.

By the time we moved on to the ‘three-step turning’ drill – moving your view onto your chosen exit point before hitting the apex - my riding was unrecognisable. I was dragging my knees through every corner and keeping smooth, consistent lines that I was able to change at will in order to pass slower riders – a concept I could not have imagined only 48 hours earlier. My increasing confidence soon met its inevitable fate in the penultimate session with a low-side crash and although it was a costly embarrassment I could have done without (the school take an understandably dim view of recklessness) I was quietly relieved to have my first one out of the way without injury.

Thankfully the school have agreed to have me back for levels three and four, which I can’t wait to do next year.

Feature

Max Anstie: spinning the wheels…

Words by Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer

I

n many ways Max Anstie is the archetypal racing prodigy: Father who raced at a high level? Check. Groomed from a young age for the career ladder? Check. Family that wholeheartedly commit to the youngster? Sure. Aspirations for Supercross and the AMA series?

Undoubtedly.

A move from England to California before his voice had even broken, hype as an amateur, a first decent season racing supercross, couple of hefty injuries and now a Grand Prix berth with CLS Kawasaki and Pro Circuit’s European wing: Anstie’s history is that of a kid schooled for one purpose only, but another shift of continent to fulfil that goal of rising to the top of the pile means that there isn’t a rider in the paddock who is negotiating a tougher set of circumstances in 2011.

Anstie is essentially a nomad; flitting between his Hemet ranch, roots in England and a newly hired apartment in Holland. The relentless schedule of the 2011 contest (and Anstie is not committed to any national championship) means the teenager has barely had time

to digest a solid if firework-free maiden GP campaign in which he has to learn almost all the tracks, deal with the pressure of being in a high-profile team (backed by the new world championship sponsor) and adjust to existence on the road (people, places, name and faces).

It could all be a bit much but to his credit Anstie gives the appearance he has taken it in his stride. He can seem like a scrawny overawed kid at times (especially in the company of the Monster Energy girls) but his outward projection of confidence and friendliness is at odds with his age and relative inexperience. And of course he is fast, very fast and smooth and has been in touching distance of the GP podium on six occasions from the twelve rounds run so far.

Anstie is in this publication simply because it seems many people don’t know too much about him. As a rider he has been on the radar for years but he faces this week’s British Grand Prix – his first taste of the passionate and boisterous UK crowd – in front of a public that have never seen him race. It is an odd predicament for one of Britain’s best off-road racing talents.

Max Anstie As a GP reporter I first encountered Max at the 2010 U.S. Grand Prix where to the amusement of all watching in the Saturday press conference he stood up with the microphone, a can of energy drink in the other hand and delivered a full-on exposition that even had world champion Tony Cairoli next to him grinning away. For our interview he is expectedly talky and enthusiastic. He has that American-sheen of coming across well with his comments and tackles some of the trickier topics…

People might not appreciate what it takes for you to have come back to Europe and race GPs… It is a lot…it is hard…it is strange. I looked at it [doing the world championship] from the American point of view before as obviously I started over there as a Pro. I thought it would be no problem. I was like ‘yeah, it’ll be easy’ but the reality is that these guys are going really fast and the tracks are so different every week. There is a lot of travelling and there is a heavy schedule on the weekend because you’re on the track so many times. It feels a lot different but it is a great experience.

I don’t think I expected the GPs to be as big as what it is. In Bulgaria [the first round] I was a little bit like ‘I want to be in America and racing supercross’ but I showed up and thought ‘this is a big thing’… It’s cool, you know, and I think we need to get that message across a bit more to the American public. I think a lot of Americans would like to come and race this series. I am keeping an open mind about the Grands Prix. It was always my dream to race a world championship because of what it is and because my Dad raced it. It’s also good to be part of a team like the one I’m in.

Supercross seems to be very much your priority. Is there much you can take back from being a Grand Prix rider to help you with the Indoors?

For sure it is about experience and about building confidence in yourself. So many different people and so many different tracks;

it’s that bit of ‘life’ you get from going around more countries in the world instead of just one.

It was a big change for me this year and I feel like I have learned so much, and not just on the bike. I have changed and I am becoming older and smarter and of course I am taking all that with me.

Where is your spiritual home?

I like to be out in America. That is where I have my house, tracks and riding facility and that’s where I love to be and always want to go back to. I have a lot set-up over there. Europe is hard for me because I am bouncing around and it hard to get a routine. In America I can get up, go in the gym get my gear on in the bedroom, go out riding, do some supercross, triples, come back eat and sleep, go out again and ride some motocross or trials or mess around on Trials bikes. Eat some more, do a bit of schoolwork and go to sleep. That’s a nice day for me and it’s something I can’t do in Europe… but it’s OK. I do feel a bit rootless but that’s why my dad is here with me.

Do you think it is harder to get a good ride in the U.S. now compared to a few years ago?

I think the economy has a lot to do with that but I also believe that if you are not on Pro Circuit or Geico then you can win races but you will not win a championship because they are the two teams that have everything. To be on those teams then you need to be the best and I could have stayed in the US on a good team but you need to be on the best bike. I had the opportunity to ride CLS Pro Circuit in Europe and maybe Pro Circuit for supercross in America. So I need to do really well here before looking to go back.

Even though you have that Pro Circuit link did it take much time to make the decision to come over here?

It didn’t take too long. It is a great team and I think we will be stronger next year. I am aware of that fact that people would give their right arm to be in the position I’m in.

Max Anstie

You’ve had a lot of fourth positions and you’re sixth in the championship. It has been a pretty steady first year…

(Disappointed) Yeah…it is good for me to start with but I want that podium though. I have worked hard to get here and have dug myself out of a hole a few times this season. Sometimes it goes well for me on a weekend and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes I come to a Grand Prix having no idea what to expect. I watch videos of GPs but it is never the same.

You have this image as a happy-go-lucky and always cheerful. Is it tough to always be like that?

That’s one of the things I’ve learnt this year. If you are too serious and putting too much pressure on yourself to do too well then it actually slows you down. I’d do anything to win races and I know when I have done the preparation, but to be relaxed I have to feel relaxed and do some things that sometimes take your mind off it.

The British Grand Prix is around the corner but the fans don’t really have an affinity with you yet…

No…but I think they will do. The British Grand Prix is going to be awesome. I have always dreamed of being at a race where all the home fans are there. I can’t wait.

You would never have an experience like that if you were always in the US… No, that’s right. There were some cheers and horns at Hawkstone for the international at the beginning of the year and I thought that was really cool.

To have that on a much larger scale is awesome to think about. I hope I can get a holeshot and send the place mad. I have never felt a ‘home GP’ before but I imagine the atmosphere is something that just makes me want to win. In supercross people cheer for the race but to have a big crowd pushing you on because you’re English is…well…I hope I can make them all proud.

Max Anstie

You could still even make the 2011 selection of three riders for the Motocross of Nations Team GB? That would be awesome. If it happens it happens but it would be another dream come true. For sure I will be on it next year because I’ll be faster than what I am this season.

Are you a Grand Prix rider or one in transition?

Transition?

It doesn’t take a smart person to work out that this CLS GP ride could be just a big stepping stone…

It is a big stepping stone…I want to race supercross and that is something I have worked towards since I was six years old. I believe I have brought some of my skills from that discipline into motocross. Being at Anaheim 1… it is a feeling of being at the top of your game whereas we go to somewhere like Spain and

there is like four people there. Sometimes my results have not been great this year but I feel like I have crossed a lot of bridges and so much has gone on in eight months. I will keep working and I will be a world champion.

Mitch Payton said Ken Roczen was a one-ina-thousand guy to do both supercross and the motocross grands prix in one season. Being contracted to CLS for 2012 can you really follow suit?

I want to do that; that’s my plan. I have done a whole season over there and I feel that I can switch back and forth between sx and mx.

Maybe many GP riders feel that they can’t do it simply because they have not raced or practiced supercross enough whereas I was brought up doing it in America. Next year I want to do SX and the GPs. I want to be out swinging at A1 and then also ready to go for the first GP.

Clement Desalle

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AMA-MX

unadilla

New berlin, ny 路 august 14th

450 winner: Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki 250 winner: Dean Wilson, Kawasaki

Kawasaki riot at Unadilla Words and photos by Steve Cox

T

he Unadilla National is a staple on the AMA Motocross tour and has been since the early 1970s, and it’s almost as “old school” as tracks get here in the USA, with the possible exception of Southwick, as there are only a few jumps built around the track, and the rest of it is just natural terrain. Unadilla is known for being more hard-packed than most modern tracks and for getting pretty rough.

And among the racers, it’s known for rocks.

It seems like it doesn’t matter how often the track promoters go through the track with a rock-picker, or how man rocks they pull out, they just keep coming to the surface.

Longtime 250-class stalwart Martin Davalos got a rude awakening in practice when a stone came off another rider’s back tyre and hit him directly in the mouth, cutting his lip and knocking out one of his front teeth. And that’s the 250cc class.

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s domination of the 250 Nationals continued as for the first time this season the class points leader Dean Wilson scored a 1-1 moto sweep.

Villopoto used the 2012 KX450-F at Unadilla and the bike helped him to his sixth and seventh moto victories from eighteen. He has only missed the podium once all season

His team has yet to lose a single moto this year but although Wilson had won a few motos, a ‘double’ (and even overall victories) have been tough for him to come by. He led the points coming into Unadilla by virtue of his consistency more than his domination and he

left Unadilla a full 25 points up on his championship rivals and team-mates Blake Baggett (25 points back in second) and Tyla Rattray (another 18 points back thanks to a moto-two DNF).

Team Great Britain might be able to count on an AMA champion for the Motocross of Nations. Dean Wilson has only dipped out of the top three twice from eighteen motos

In the 450 class the story was similar as another Monster Energy Kawasaki racer (and points leader) Ryan Villopoto also scored his first 1-1 sweep of the season. And Villopoto’s performance was maybe even more dominant than Wilson’s.

But then again, keeping in mind the rocky conditions, maybe the reason no one got close to Villopoto or Wilson is simply because they didn’t want to. It just hurt too bad. We’ll see at Southwick. That’s sand. It doesn’t hurt nearly as much.

Justin Barcia’s elevation to the 450 class to assist Honda’s depleted ranks was almost the headline grabber of the weekend. Ryan Dungey (pictured right) was allegedly not too happy with the East Coast SX Champ’s usual bustling style but Barcia was motivated enough on the bigger bike to grab a podium (third) at the first time of asking

So near yet so far for Chad Reed as his Outdoor season begins to unravel at a crucial time. That the Aussie is lucky to be racing at all is a given. A 100% podium record was wrecked with his major get-off and he hasn’t been in the top three since; four motos and counting

Tyla Rattray is still bidding to become the first National champion to have also held an FIM title since fellow South African Grant Langston. A second moto DNF at Unadilla could have ruined the Pro Circuit rider’s best chance

Time of reckoning D

ean Wilson and Ryan Villopoto’s domination at Unadilla came at exactly the right time for them but at the wrong time for everyone else. There are only three rounds left in the championship chase but there is a weekend off between Unadilla and the rest of the series on successive weekends.

On one hand, the competition will get a little time to regroup and try to figure out how to stop Wilson and Villopoto right now.

But on the other hand, both of them – each fresh off of their first moto sweeps of the season – will get almost two weeks to revel in their greatness. They’ll get two weeks to think about how dominant they were and build confidence before hitting the sands at Southwick.

They also get to think about the breathing room they just earned. Villopoto had Ryan Dungey on his ass for the last few races and they came into Unadilla with only one point separating the two of them. Now, there are seven points separating them. That’s still not

By Steve Cox

a lot, but it’s a whole lot better than one point, that’s for sure.

Dungey tries not to think about it, but the second-moto DNF he had in Texas when his bike’s fuel boiled must be eating at him right about now. He had that moto in the bag. He would be up by 20 points right now instead of down by seven if his bike just finished that final lap and a half.

And for Wilson, he already had some breathing room, but Blake Baggett is capable of streaking at any moment and putting together tons of moto victories, as he has done already this year, and Tyla Rattray is just about as doggedly determined as any racer on the track. Rattray went down hard in the second moto at Unadilla, leading to an eventual DNF, but Wilson extended his points gap from 13 points (over Rattray) to 25 (over Baggett).

That’s significant. Wilson can now throw away an entire moto and still be tied for the points lead, at the worst.

AMA-MX claSsification & championship AMA 450 overall result

AMA 250 overall result

Riders

Riders

1

Ryan Villopoto, USA

Kawasaki

1

Dean Wilson, GBR

2 Ryan Dungey, USA

Suzuki

2 Blake Baggett, USA

3

Honda

3

Honda

4 Kyle Cunningham, USA

Justin Barcia, USA

4 Chad Reed, AUS 5

Mike Alessi, USA

KTM

5

Eli Tomac, USA Justin Bogle, USA

AMA 450 standings

AMA 250 standings

(after 9 of 12 rounds)

(after 9 of 12 rounds)

Riders 1

Points

Riders

Kawasaki Kawasaki Honda Yamaha Honda

Points

391

1

2 Ryan Dungey

384

2 Blake Baggett

371

3

366

3

353

262

4 Kyle Cunningham

264

210

5

239

Ryan Villopoto Chad Reed

Elit nit utating estio 4 Brett Metcalfe odolorper alit essecte 5 Mike Alessi dolorperit

Dean Wilson Tyla Rattray Eli Tomac

396

AMA-MX

NEWS

dungey on the move T

here have been rumours of a rift between Ryan Dungey and the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team going around since just after the 2010 AMA Supercross Championship. Back then, the focus was on gossip that Dungey was having trouble getting paid his (sizeable) win and championship bonuses that were due him through his Suzuki contract. But now the rumour is that he will not be returning to Suzuki in 2012 no matter what, and I don’t think it’s because of money. From what

I hear, it has more to do with the mechanical issues he has had with his bike this year. The strongest hearsay is that he’ll land at Red Bull KTM, under Roger DeCoster, and that seems solid as Kawasaki is full, and Yamaha doesn’t have a factory team anymore. Honda could be a possibility, too, but I don’t think they’d like to pay his likely considerable salary and I think Honda has faith that Trey Canard can beat Dungey (and everyone else) anyway.

short looking for home?

A

nother contributing factor that lends credence to the idea that Dungey is going to KTM came when I talked to Andrew Short after the second moto at Unadilla, and he indicated that (contrary to my previous understanding) he’s looking for a home for

2012. I thought he had a two-year deal, but apparently not. He could still end up staying at KTM. But if KTM is paying up for Ryan Dungey, chances are they aren’t going to have a lot of money left for supporting players.

TEam USA announced T

his is the kind of team the American MX fans have been hoping for over the years.

It’s a no-brainer. There is no controversy about who should be on the team. Team USA will be

the Ryans (Villopoto and Dungey) and Blake Baggett. The controversy may come when the team decides which Ryan will be in which class. Stay tuned for that.

Elit nit utating estio odolorper alit essecte dolorperit

place your advert here!

For publicity opportunities contact us at info@otormag.com

AMA-MX

BLOG

east coasting...

By Steve Cox

M

X is generally a rural sport. People from the middle of big cities tend not to be motocross racers or many times not even know much about the sport in the first place. So, maybe that’s why I decided to spend a couple of weeks in New York City between the Unadilla and Southwick rounds of the championship, taking full advantage of the weekend off.

a motocross racer as they explain to a ‘civilian’ how many bones they’ve broken, and you’ll see how society looks at us. I’ve broken 16 bones that I know of, and most people on the ‘outside’ just think I’m an idiot.

Yep, that’s me; Big City Cox. The people in New York are just different and it’s interesting.

If people have raced motocross before it was back when they used to live in the suburbs or rural communities. You simply don’t see lifted Toyota Tundras loaded with MX bikes and gear driving around in New York City.

So, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be cruising around Manhattan trying to act like I own the place and perhaps the biggest giveaway that I don’t own the place will come when I actually talk to other people. Voluntarily. I’m sure that’s when I’ll get the NYC version of, ‘Y’all ain’t from ‘round here, are ya?’

Just outside NYC, though, like in New Jersey, you have a fair number of motocrossers. But let’s face it, the walking spectacle that is Jersey Shore on MTV has more in common with most people in MX than it does with the sophisticated, high-class segment of society like you’d find anywhere in Manhattan.

Until then...

And maybe that’s why I’m drawn to the place.

I’m a weirdo, but in NYC it seems everyone else is too, and as such, they’re pretty tolerant of their fellow weirdos, even if the other weirdos are weird in entirely different ways.

It’s cool to see people who are alternatively weird than us motocross people are, anyway.

Motocross riders are strange just because of Elit nit utating estio the risks they take, and do it in stride. Sit with odolorper alit essecte dolorperit

But we know that’s not what makes me an idiot...

MX

casino bonver Grand Prix of

loket 路 August 7th

MX1 winner: Clement Desalle, Suzuki MX2 winner: Ken Roczen, KTM

skies clear for desalle Words by Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer

czech republic

T

oo late Clement. The fourth victory of the year for the works Suzuki rider was hard-won and impressive in its execution with results of 2-1 (at the place where Desalle claimed his maiden GP success in 2009) but it clipped just four points from Tony Cairoli’s lead in the MX1 standings, from 52 to 48. With three rounds remaining after the journey to Loket and the steep hillside hard-pack near the German border, the reigning number one has a cushion of almost one event (two moto wins delivering 50 points). It would all remain academic in any regard. Desalle would crash again in the Belgian series one week later and the year would be over.

The MX2 ‘orange squash’ continues with Ken Roczen’s seventh win of the year and his sixth double for KTM, extending his stats to sixteen moto victories from a possible twenty-four.

Unluckily for the German the continued proximity of team-mate Jeffrey Herlings means that the seventeen year old will be lucky to fit his deserved first crown at round fourteen of fifteen in front of his home fans at the start of September, unless something drastic happens in Great Britain to adjust the 27 point margin.

The racing was a bizarre mix of static procession and close tension at a Loket circuit that

A good start here did not really assist an out-of-sorts but fast Evgeny Bobryshev who retired from the second moto after two stalls left him far adrift

just about managed to escape the pre-event forecast of continual rainfall for both days.

The downpour that happened on Sunday morning actually helped to soften and roughen the terrain but the one-line nature of the layout placed a typically heavy emphasis on the starts. Desalle’s pursuit and relegation of Rui

Goncalves for second position in the first moto as Cairoli escaped was very watchable; the Belgian racing with smooth power and rising frustration. The same could be said for the five rider tussle between Jake Nicholls, Max Anstie, Arnaud Tonus, Gautier Paulin and Tommy Searle in MX2. Cairoli was the aggressor in the

Tony Cairoli was perfect in one moto and a little sloppy in the other. He is still fully on course for that third consecutive title though

second moto after another first lap tangle with Steven Frossard (by all accounts the Frenchman was lucky to escape unharmed as he came up short on a jump landing and Cairoli clipped him) meaning he had to hunt down team-mate Max Nagl and the capable Christophe Pourcel, finally making both starts and

both chequered flags.

Roczen amused the press corps post-race when he stated his erratic lap-times in the second moto, allowing Herlings to close but never really threaten, were a result of sweat dripping into his goggles. This was caused by his and his dad’s (according to the teenager) negli-

Too many people have seen the back of Roczen’s jersey this season

gence in failing to install the women’s pantyliners (hopefully not his mum’s) in the brow of his helmet before heading to the gate; one of those little-known common practices among the racing fraternity.

It is also encouraging to see that while fortune can turn nasty in a moment (injuries to Steve

Ramon, David Philippaerts and Ken De Dycker) it can also turn around fairly quickly as well.

Goncalves went from throwing his arms up in the air in frustration in Lommel on the last lap to raising them in triumph when that maiden MX1 podium arrived seven days belatedly.

Tommy Searle was good for his podium finish behind the KTMs but had Teillet, Tonus and Anstie breathing down his neck

Desalle spent thirty minutes trying to find a place to pass Goncalves. The steep step-down frequently saw riders together on the sharp corner exit but this wasn’t a site for overtaking

A great start and second position in the second moto meant Tanel Leok put the factory TM in the top three for the second time in 2011

The good times finally arrive for Rui Goncalves who became the eighth different rider to mount the MX1 podium in 2011 and gave the works Honda crew their sixth trophy of the season

Chest protector in place Christophe Pourcel completed his first Grand Prix since 2007 and enjoyed a good battle with Nagl (here in front) and Cairoli in the second moto. The Frenchman was ninth overall

Kevin Strijbos won at Loket in 2005 and 2007 and was back on the works Suzuki for 2011.

The Belgian is still only 25

Gautier Paulin was denied a good shot at seventh podium with a mechanical problem and also saw the rumours about where his services for MX1 in 2012 gain temperature

MIchael Lieb’s unhappy Grand Prix adventure ended with another insecure performance on the factory Husqy. The American, who suffered a heavy concussion in pre-season, is alleged to have returned home and might not be seen again in 2011

Roczen and Herlings went wheel-towheel in MX2. The teenagers finished 1-2 for the seventh time in 2011

Gambling man. Steven Frossard didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Loket where a second moto crash meant 8th overall but he was lucky to walk away

loket longevity F

or all the post-race comments and general sensation of the weekend Loket posed an interesting predicament. First off, this was a track as different as the riders could imagine after the rolling waves of sand of Lommel six days before. The Czech course has undergone only minor modifications in the eleven seasons I’ve been travelling there and is still fast, slippery, hard-pack and eminently ‘one line’.

So the question arose: should the world championship still be visiting an out-dated circuit such as this or does the quaint ‘old school’ characteristic of the venue add to the diversity of the series? Arriving there on Saturday morning with a weather forecast of heavy rain predicted for both days I was guided into the lower paddock grassy parking area and then forcefully guided by a marshall who was either drunk or ‘high’ to position the car in an absurd location that would have left me trapped by the evening. With grey clouds overhead at 8am I was of the opinion that Loket was firmly past it sell-by date at that stage of the weekend.

By Adam Wheeler

Then the track and the toil of overtaking dominated talk in the paddock; it was not looking good for the Czech hillside. On Sunday the rain came and departed in the strong wind but the motos were actually pretty gripping. The layout itself is picturesque and that immense stepdown by the finish line is one of the defining features of the championship. Loket is small (but bigger than most Italian circuits) and has rough edges and although almost all the riders spoke of the difficulty of racing, there was a feeling underneath the comments that it was simply a tough part of the schedule. There was a fuzzy appreciation of it. When Tony Cairoli and Rui Goncalves both mentioned that they liked coming to Loket in the post-race press conference it was said with a sincerity that was more than just lip service. The utterly charming town of Karlovy Vary nearby helps soften the experience of this traditional early August fixture and as with most well established events the local club could not have been more helpful. Just a shame about their ideas for parking…

clasSification & World championship MX1 Overall result

MX2 Overall result

Riders

Riders

1

Clement Desalle, BEL

2 Tony Cairoli, ITA 3

Rui Goncalves, POR

4 Tanel Leok, EST 5

Max Nagl, GER

Suzuki KTM Honda TM KTM

1

Ken Roczen, GER

KTM

2 Jeffrey Herlings, NED

KTM

3

Tommy Searle, GBR

4 Max Anstie, GBR 5

Arnaud Tonus, SUI

Kawasaki Kawasaki Yamaha

MX1 World Championship standings (after 12 of 15 rounds)

MX2 World Championship standings (after 12 of 15 rounds)

Riders

Riders

1

Points

Points

Tony Cairoli

509

1

Ken Roczen

540

2 Clement Desalle

461

2 Jeffrey Herlings

513

3

428

3

Tommy Searle

435

387

4 Gautier Paulin

389

378

5

325

Steven Frossard

Elit nit utating estio 4 Evgeny Bobryshev odolorper alit essecte 5 Max Nagl dolorperit

Arnaud Tonus

MX

NEWS

mx1 gate takes a hit J

ust to prove that an FIM Motocross World Championship is as much a battle against fortune as it is a joust between riders, the final three round of the series will see three high profile names scratched off the list of the MX1 class.

Injuries to Steve Ramon (compressed spinal cord for the 2007 champion), David Philippaerts (the 2008 number one has broken both wrists), Ken De Dycker (a cracked L6 spinal disc) and now Clement Desalle (broken shoulder in another Belgian Championship smash after Loket) mean the factory Monster Energy Yamaha and Rockstar Energy Suzuki teams have had to scurry around and find replacements.

Ramon is unlikely to know about a potential to return to riding for another six-eight weeks and some paddock chatter even had the injury pinned as a reason for the 31 year old veteran (the oldest runner in MX1) to retire. Former double MX1 vice-champ Kevin Strijbos is in ‘last chance saloon’ by inheriting Ramon’s

M.Zanzani

saddle and could be in contention for the ride for next season as the Suzuki crew have yet to confirm their line-up (even if an agreement exists for Desalle to remain yellow).

Philippaerts is due to undergo his third operation early this week in the German clinic where he has been a resident for a fortnight since the Italian crashed on a step-up training before the Czech Grand Prix. The 27 year old has by all accounts weathered two exhausting weeks of pain and surgery on both arms but should shortly be able to head home to Italy. His place on the YZ450FM has been unexpectedly taken by 2010 MX3 world champion Carlos Campano. The Spaniard has yet to break into the top thirteen in a grand prix moto but will have works machinery for the remaining events in UK, Germany and Italy. At the time of publication Desalle is out for the rest of the year and could have an op on his damaged right shoulder at the same time as the freshly broken left one...

matterley basin ready for re-birth T

his time armed with planning permission, support of the council and local police force, as well as a wealth of knowledge and experience from the bulging gates of the 2006 Motocross of Nations, the Matterley Basin circuit near Winchester in England is ready to entertain Grand Prix Motocross once more.

This weekend the British meeting expects to welcome one of the biggest crowds of the 2011 season. The event is eagerly anticipated for two strong reasons. One is the landscape. The ‘bowl’ is a unique setting on the GP calendar

Chewy Media

and offers a fantastic spectating perspective and creates a lively atmosphere with the track circled by public. The second is the racing surface. The layout has been worked over and re-chiselled by creator Johnny Douglas Hamilton for the last two months. The jumpy and flowing trajectory is set to win a new legion of fans among the riding fraternity. Racers having fun means only one thing….

If the weather behaves then this will be ‘unmissable’. See www.britmxgrandprix.com

Six-­day  Motorbike  and  4x4  Adventures  through  the  south-­eastern  Moroccan  Sahara  and  Great  Atlas  Mountains

Combining  adventure  and  comfort  from  the  most  impressive  landscapes  un-­ til  the  sultriness  of  the  Arabic  1001  Nights.   Riding   hours  through  endless  scen-­

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 Mail  or  call  for  more  information,  dates  and  prices.  Next  tour  dates  8  -­  16  October

ride@saharaexperience.nl  /  +31-­629556459  /  www.saharaexperience.info

MX

BLOG

about a bike...

By Adam Wheeler

A

ir travel becomes more laborious as the year ticks into late July and August and airports start to fill, queues extend into areas never normally reached and some people still try to walk through a metal detector with all their jewellery, phones and a pocket full of change. In spite of these turbulent economic times it seems to me there are still an awful lot of people that can enjoy an airborne trip and means that Barcelona airport – where I normally fly from and sometimes feel like I live – has been a teeming mass of activity over the last few weeks.

The site benefitted from the opening of a brand new Ricardo Bofill-designed terminal in 2009 and almost all airlines now run out of the glass behemoth. Entering the main atrium of shops and restaurants after the security control the most striking feature is the gigantic shiny ebony floor that is so pristine and clean that descending from the long escalator above gives the impression that the surface is a ‘pool’.

The inviting space has housed a few car promotion stands over the last year or so. You know the set-up. A new Audi is tilted on a platform and bored commuters pass by, the ‘box on wheels’ drawing looks and attention all day long.

Coming back from Belgium it occurred to me that an off-road bike, perched on a piece of sand, mud or an obstacle would probably carry quite a bit of impact and wondered why any of the manufacturers had not tried it yet.

For any motorcyclist it would be immediate draw.

For someone who has never flung a leg over twowheels then it is something a bit different and could provoke a response or an emotion. Even if the opportunity did not correlate Elit nitpromotion utating estio into sales or signing bits of paper to join odolorper alitpeople essecte a mailing list then the fact that the badge of the dolorperit

manufacturer (who had taken this initiative) was visible (and could be related to other products if the stand was well designed) is another benefit.

It is about connecting with an audience and then transmitting a message.

The point of the exercise doesn’t need to be about dirt-bike sales, but I reckon the fairly simple premise of a motocross or enduro bike can be a very visual and tactile method of engaging a passer-by. Taping into that sense of liberty and freedom that has been a powerful marketing concept for decades.

MX can be a very visual way of engaging a passer-by...

I’m sure a hefty percentage of the annual 29 million passengers that pass through Barcelona’s airport (Terminal 1 handling 70% of that) would pause or be stimulated by a bike provocatively posed compared to the blacked-out windows of yet another gleaming car that a great many might not be able to afford anyway. I’m willing to bet that more onlookers would be able to imagine what it feels like to ride that bike than those that gaze blankly at the newest product Volkswagen have to offer. Places like shopping centres are different because – I imagine – the majority of people are there with a direct purpose but those trapped in T1 (or any airport) are there to kill time.

No doubt the Barcelona floor space does not come cheap, but there cannot be many more concentrated areas for potential promotion over these summer months. My frayed patience as a commuter will testify to that.

BackPage Shot by Photo

by Ray Ray Archer Archer Check out: wwwmx-life.tv for more www.mx-life.tv

‘On-track Off-road’ is a free, bi-weekly publication for the screen focussed on bringing the latest perspectives on events, blogs and some of the very finest photography from the three worlds of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the AMA Motocross and Supercross series’ and MotoGP. ‘On-track Off-road’ will be published online at www.ontrackoffroad.com every other Tuesday. To receive an email notification that a new issue available with a brief description of each edition’s contents simply enter an address in the box provided on the homepage. All email addresses will be kept strictly confidential and only used for purposes connected with OTOR. Adam Wheeler Editor and FIM MXGP correspondent Ray Archer Photographer Steve Cox Photo-journalist and AMA MX and SX correspondent Matthew Roberts Television Presenter and MotoGP correspondent Gavin Emmett TV commentator/Presenter and MotoGP correspondent Núria Garcia, Paula Mastrangelo & Tactilestudio Design Gabi Álvarez Web developer www.ribitsolutions.com Hosting PHOTO CREDITS www.yamahamotogp.com, Monster Energy Europe, Honda Pro Images, Milagro, www.suzuki-racing.com, Ducati Corse Press, KTM Images/Mitterbauer VIDEO CREDITS Monster Energy Europe, Rockstar Energy, American Motocross, Yamaha Cover shot: Czech start by Ray Archer This publication took a lot of time and effort to put together so please respect it! Nothing in this publication can be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the editorial team. For more information please visit www.ontrackoffroad.com and click ‘Contact us’.