The Week That Was

Friday 27 January: Lots of compliments on this new weekly review.

Tried to get this out yesterday but .....

demotivational.com

Dodger Stadium Titbits

Southern California was hit with heavy rain all Friday night and into Saturday morning – it was all over by 9am. The Feld and Dirt Wurx crew had the covers on and whilst the gullys between collected the water, the track was in perfect condition. The covers only came off at 1pm so the AMA had to drop two of the three 12 minute practices.
Was it the threat of more rain that contributed to the much lesser crowd of 35741?
Jimmy Albertson was cleared from his concussion to ride but he still had a sore shoulder.
No Christian Craig. He underwent surgery on his wrist Saturday morning - an old screw was replaced with a bone graft and pins. He arrived at the Troy Lee Honda pit still a bit groggy.
Tim Ferry was there as a mentor to Trey Canard.
Justin Brayton crashed out of the top spot whilst leading the LCQ and missed the main event.
Aussie Matt Moss (JDR/J-Star/KTM) was taking no chances with the LCQ this week and made a direct transfer to the main.
Ivan Tedesco was 4th in the heat race, but in the main event left the track holding his hand. Tedesco on Twitter, "Got my arm and hand landed on last night. Going in for X-ray tomorrow.” Didn’t look good in the pic he posted. I later read it was JWR's Josh Grant who did the damage.
Chad Reed had a crash in the heat that dropped him back to 8th spot, giving him a very late gate pick for the main. Then he went out and won it. It was Reed’s 41st Supercross Class victory.
Andrew Short’s Supercross.com Honda is a full-factory machine that the team leases from the factory. Short says; ”Although I only spent one brief season away, that this year’s bike is leaps and bounds better than the factory Honda he last raced in 2010.” (source Transworld MX).
What happened to Red Bull KTM's Marvin Musquin? He had a good start in his main event, but a crash on lap 13 caused him to DNF. He thought that he had broken some ribs and his sternum, but after x-rays, it was said he was okay.
Chris Blose, was also injured: "So I have a avulsion fracture with my tendon, severe bone contusion and a slight tear in my Labrum, after a 1st turn crash in the first corner @ LA in the LCQ. I will be sitting out round #4 Monster Energy Supercross! I will return for round #5 at A2! I want to thank everyone for there concern's and blessings, we will see you @ A2!" CB#47 www.facebook.com/ChrisBlose38
Trey Canard/Ryan Morais incident: A red flag marred the start of the Supercross Class Main Event, after a hard crash involving Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard, Star/Valli Rockstar Yamaha’s Ryan Morais, and R2MX Kawasaki’s Weston Peick, on the opening lap. Peick was able to walk away. Canard had caught a Tuff Blox cover on his bike and came up short on the first triple. Morais was coming down on that triple as Canard rode up the face of the third jump. Nasty crash with both unconscious on the track. Canard suffered fractures to his back and according to an official statement from American Honda, and although he has feelings in his extremities, further evaluation will determine if surgery is necessary. Later feedback that he has fractures to his T10 and T12 vertebrae and will undergo surgery to stabilize them this morning our time.
Morais was transported to a local hospital and was treated for a broken jaw, several fractured vertebrae and some broken ribs. Ryan's wife Hannah has been keeping everyone updated on Twitter and said; "Ryan just got his mouth wired shut temporarily. Permanent should go in Monday if everything is healing right. His C1, C2, C6-7, and T1 are fractured, but the Neurosurgeon said that the cord is fine and should heal in six weeks with a c-collar on. He has broken ribs and small punctured lung."
Here's a piece from What Really Happened by Scott Hoffman courtesy of dirtrider.com: "Round 3 of the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series was something out of a spaghetti western: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. There was that moment when I witnessed Trey Canard getting landed on where I felt sick to my stomach and was in a temporary shock for almost a minute. It was one of those slow motion experiences. I had my camera down for a split second while I was changing positions and I saw Canard not triple because he had caught and was dragging one of those annoying bale covers on his footpeg. He was all the way to the left of the track and then I realized that Morais was on a collision course for Canard. If you have seen some of the photos, Canard did not get clipped, he got completely landed on. I swear at the point of impact it sounded as if I heard the impact on his helmet-unfortunately I was that close. Right after the crash the officials were telling us not to shoot photos and moved us out of the area-that made my stomach sink once more as I thought of the worst case scenario. As of late Sunday both riders are beaten up and broken but are alive and are moving and have feeling throughout their bodies."
This weekend’s Round 4, Monster Energy Supercross, heads to California’s Bay area at Oakland, at the O.co Coliseum on Saturday night. Last year’s was the return to Oakland and Stewart grabbed his second win of the 2011 season, with Reed and Dungey rounding out the podium. In the Supercross Lites Class, eventual Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Champion Broc Tickle secured his only win en route to the title. The first race was held in Oakland on 18 January 1979 and Jimmy Weinert won on a Kawasaki. Last year was the first inaugural Supercross Lites class race at O.co Coliseum.

Phoenix revisited:

Have you noticed the improved HD quality of the footage that SKY are running via ESPN on Friday’s from 10pm - with a repeat Saturday afternoon?
Laughed at the comments from JGR’s Jeremy Albrecht over the James Stewart Pirelli v Dunlop controversy.
Best race of the day was Heat 1 of the Supercross Class. Stewart started 6th and Tedesco went past him so he was 7th. On Lap 4 Stewart took Hansen and then Alessi. Whilst Reed was battling with Short he pulled off an outside to inside move and took them both. Reed stuck with him about two bike-lengths behind then with 3 laps to go Reed went down – he finished 7th. That was a brilliant win by Stewart.
Dungey, who was three gates in, on the inside, had a perfect start and soon as he turned, went to the outside. Stewart had a poor start and was second-to-last. Taking that triple gave Dungey the advantage right from the start and with a clear track in front he was gone. Riders behind such as Hansen were banging bars, Millsaps went down causing Villopoto to go down and Alessi went off the track. Each lap Dungey extended his lead. He made it look easy. KTM’s PR had a field day.

Best of Twitter

This one was before LA.

JDR Motorsports announced that JDR/J-Star/KTM team rider PJ Larsen had returned to riding for the first time since injuring his hand one week before the AMA West Supercross Lites Series kicked off. Larsen, who has taken the past three weeks off from riding, began riding some local motocross tracks this week to evaluate the strength in his hand. "I feel really good on the bike already and was able to do some long motos earlier this week. I plan to ride a Supercross track at the end of the week and then dive into some heavy testing before the start of the East Supercross Lites Series in mid-February.” Larsen and his teammate Malcolm Stewart will both contend the AMA East Supercross Lites Series which will kick-off in Dallas, Texas, on 18 February.

NZ Supercross: One hour highlights on One Sport was on last Sunday afternoon covering Supercross Rnd 1 Timaru, Round 2 Motueka, Rnd 3 Taupo – 60mins at 2.30pm. Pity we weren’t warned about it by email so that Moto-Media could generate more interest. Production by Telesport was much improved.

Pukekohe Motorcycle Club: The 4 hour practice set for Sat 11th of Feb has been

brought forward a week to the 4th of Feb (11am to 3pm to test the new track changes) as all the National riders will be at Timaru.

Moto-Media and DRD’s Paul Lance, don’t get MNZ media releases but I do receive them as a Motocross alert from voxy.co.nz

Monday, 23 January, 2012 - 10:44 Header: Townley has Woodville in his sights
Tuesday, 24 January, 2012 - 09:15 Header: Coppins has Woodville in sights.

Confused?

Attention big bore 2-stroke fans. Glen Morrow was riding his very tidy 1985 CR500 at Harrisville last Saturday in amongst the modern machines. Glen and his Dad, who passed away just before Christmas, rebuilt it together so it was a special outing. Glenn put me onto Rodney Club member Greg Edmonds who has organised a group guys with big bore 2-strokes to ride at a day-out at Leighton’s Farm (West of Parakai) this Saturday – meet at Paraki Hot Pools at 9:30am.

Another member Steve Hogan is right into helmet cams and making clips. He has a 1987 CR500 and has posted a few clips on You Tube and he is the one that came up with the idea. They currently have 7 riders that have confirmed to be there. They range from 1986 to 2001 CR500s, to Greg’s 2004 KX500 and also his 1990 Yamaha YZ490, one of the last made.

Interested? You can contact Greg on 021 0570971 or work hours 489 5355.

From TeamMoto in Queensland came this gem. Aerial view of contestants in the Mint 400 Motocross endurance race through the Mojave Desert, Nevada, 01 September 1971. Journalist Hunter S. Thompson, contracted to write an article on the race for Sports Illustrated magazine, turned his coverage into the novel 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vagas.' (Photo by Bill Eppridge/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images).

Taupo’s Digger McEwen. Geoff Hall advises: "The track is still closed. We are only opening on set days between October 1st to April 1st as the track needs to be watered. We were opening 1st and third Wednesday and last Sunday accept we are heading to Woodville this Sunday so it won’t happen. Keep your eye on website: www.taupomcc.co.nz "

Australian FMX legend, Robbie Maddison, has joined the Skullcandy team following his successful 125-metre jump in San Diego at Red Bull's No Limits event.

MR Motorcycles Charity Trail Rides.

No.4 - Sunday 05 Feb - Waikaretu Beach

Signposted from Rangiriri Bridge
Starts at Waikaretu Hall.
Rolling to steep farm land and bush.
West Coast beach and sand dunes.
Old style lead trail ride with awesome views.
Sand Dunes and a run down a private west coast beach.
In Association with the Waikaretu Valley Hall Committee.
** No Family/Pee Wee Loop, Will not return to base for lunch - fuel and lunch truck provided. ***

No.5 - Sunday 26 Feb - Naike

Signposted from Rangiriri and Huntly Bridges
Starts Naike
Rolling to steep farm land
Separate Family Loop / Pee Wee Loop and plantation forestry.
In Association with the Naike Community.

No.6 - Sunday 11 Mar - Wairamarama

Signposted from the Tuakau and Mercer Bridges
Starts Wairamarama Hall.
Separate Family Loop / Pee Wee Loop.
Rolling to steep country.
In Association with the Wairamarama Hall Committee

For more information contact—MR Motorcycles Ltd - 5 Stadium Drive – Pukekohe - Ph 09 237 3095 Email: craig@mrmotorcycles.co.nz - Craig 0274 581 544

Trail Ride 04 March. The Clevedon/Kawakawa Bay Vounteer Fire Brigade are running their hugely popular event – sponsored by Botany Honda.

30 km loop
excellent mix of bush and farmland
amazing views out to sea.
kids loop on easy rolling farmland and Novice B Loop.
Where: Townson Road, Clevedon, Auckland
Classes: 2 and 4 wheels (no karts)
Sign in: From 8:30am
Riders Brief: 10.00am
Tracks Open: 10.15am – 3pm
Cost: Adults $30.00
Kids (13 & under) $15.00
Family Concession $70.00 (2 adults, 2 Kids living under the same roof)
Other: Demo Bikes will be available on the day ranging from CRF50 to CRF450.
Cost $5.00 for 15minutes.
Note:- Demo bikes are to be ridden on the PeeWee loop or the B loop only.
Shop: will be on site selling a selection of parts and accessories
BBQ/Food/drinks available
Contact: Danny 2742727, danny@botanyhonda.co.nz

Luke Smith’s Moto Mayhem FMX team will be in Whangamata this weekend performing at the Billabong Pro surf Champs thanks to Monster Energy on Saturday the 28th. Shows are at the Williamson Reserve at 11am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm

From England. 2012 Hawk International at Hawkstone on the 26 February.

Hawk Plant Hire are the new main sponsor for the event and therefore the event will now be known as the HAWK International.
HIMX has the backing and support from Route 77 Energy Drink to sponsor the Super Final.
Buildbase Honda Team (Nicolas Aubin, Jordan Booker and Ryan Houghton) have entered.
2011 British MX2 Champion Arnaud Tonus is confirmed with the Dixon Yamaha Team.
The new STR KTM team will be competing at with Matiss Karro (remember him at Taupo?) and Nez Parker.
Adding to the list of riders are the new Maxxis Apico Suzuki Team (Kayne Lamont’s team in 2011) with riders Luke Hawkins and Lewis Gregory who will make a welcome return to racing after spending the majority of 2011 out injured.
Joining them will be a newly formed foreign team, the Standing Construct Suzuki World MX team. The riders consist of two Belgium rider trained by Joel Smets and a young Danish rider. The riders are Nikolaj Larsen, Jens Getteman and Damon Graulus.

The ACU have released their rider list for the 2012 Maxxis British Motocross Championship which starts at Fat Cats on 11 March. One Kiwi name in there this year - Kieran Scheele, back with Team DBG but now on a Honda. Rex Michau advises Hamish Harwood is joining them this year and will reserve in the MX2.

Ricky Carmichael: Multi-time AMA Motocross and Supercross Champion-turned NASCAR driver Carmichael says he is uncertain of his plans for 2012, after sponsor Monster Energy elected to back brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch in a new NASCAR Nationwide Series effort, Sirius Speedway reports. Carmichael's long time sponsor Monster Energy bolted for the new Kyle Busch Nationwide Series team and it has left the truck series driver hanging in limbo. Carmichael is not sure that he'll be able to patch together much of any racing this season, but made clear reference to being back in full force in 2013.