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Kody Kopp Red Bull KTM contract extended

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship points leader Kody Kopp has signed a two-year deal to remain with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team through the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track championship.

In only his first season with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, the 17-year-old has amassed six Parts Unlimited AFT Singles wins and a pair of runner-up finishes in 2022, carrying a comfortable championship points lead into the final four rounds of racing.

Kody Kopp – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

“I am overjoyed to be extending my commitment with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team for another two years. This team has been nothing short of a dream to ride for – the bike suits my riding style and the team suits me personally. I’m excited to show what I’m capable of in coming years and can’t thank KTM enough for this amazing opportunity!”

FIM Junior Motocross World Championship heads to Romania in 2023

Following the success of the recent FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, Infront Moto Racing is delighted to confirm that the biggest junior event of the season will head to Romania in 2023.

Following the qualifying races at the Bitci MXGP of Turkiye, a special press conference took place in the media centre at the Afyon circuit where the FIM President Jorge Viegas, FIM Junior Motocross World Championship Manager Patricia Maskarova along with the Organisers of the event Ciprian Popescu and Adrian Raduta made the announcement.

TCS Racing Park will be the venue to host the prestigious junior race, which was built over 20 years ago due to the passion the Radutä family and Ciprian Popescu. The track is situated 50 km north of Bucharest, the capital city of Romania and has become a central point of the Romanian Motocross Championship. It has hosted different European Championship events, including the Sidecar Motocross World Championship and MX3 Motocross World Championship in 2003.

The track itself is a hardpack track which will be the perfect setting to host the fastest youngsters in the world.

2023 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 line-up revealed

Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to confirm a three-rider line-up for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team in 2023. Yamaha and the team have retained title challengers Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant for another season and are poised to welcome the recently crowned EMX250 Champion Rick Elzinga into the fray. All three riders have signed on to campaign the factory Yamaha YZ250FM in the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship.

Jago Geerts – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team

“This is my fifth year with Yamaha and I’m really happy to extend my contract for another two years. I work well with the team, and we already have a good bike set up, so it’s nice going into the winter period with a strong base. The goal will be the same as it is this year, we want to fight for the world title again, and I think we will be there. I am really looking forward to it.”

Thibault Benistant – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team

“I have been with Yamaha for a long time, since I was racing on a YZ125, so I am happy to continue with them for at least another two years. I feel good on the factory YZ250FM, and I have a lot of confidence in the team around me, so I’m certain we can be contenders for the World Championship title. Thanks to my team for their support and thanks to Yamaha for believing in me.”

Rick Elzinga – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team

“Becoming a Factory rider is so motivating. I have done a few rounds of MX2 this year as a wild card rider, and I loved it. Racing at the highest level with Yamaha’s most prestigious MX2 team is a dream come true. It has given me an extra boost of motivation to give even more, and I am determined to get the job done in MX2 next year.”

Hans Corvers – Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team Owner

“We are happy to have retained both Jago and Thibault for next season, as both have shown that they are title contenders, and to strengthen our line-up with this years’ European EMX250 Champion Rick. As a team, we go into every season determined to fight for the world title, so it’s satisfying to know that once again we have three riders who are more than capable of helping us to achieve our ultimate goal. It’s not so easy to secure riders of this calibre, and the fact that both Jago and Thibault have opted to remain with us reflects favourably on both the team and on Yamaha. We’re looking forward to next season. We know we have a good package and now we also know we have the riders to exploit it to the full.”

Toni Bou 2022 X-Trial World Champion after final cancellation

The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme have announced the cancellation of the final round of the 2022 X-Trial World Championship scheduled to be held late October, handing the world title directly to Toni Bou.

The Repsol Honda Trial Team rider mathematically sealed the 2022 X-Trial World Championship title after the annulment of the final scheduled event set for 21 October. The Montesa Cota 4RT rider’s current advantage over his rivals means that Bou can now add yet another title, a 16th in X-Trial, to his extensive list of honours before the season comes to an end.

Since clinching a first X-Trial title in 2007, Toni Bou has never stopped winning. In addition to the 16 consecutive X-Trial titles, he has also scooped another 15 in TrialGP, for a total tally of 31 world crowns.

With four wins out of four indoor races this year (Nice, Chalon-sur-Saone, Madrid and Barcelona), Toni Bou has accrued a total of 87 points in the indoor season, 20 per win, plus bonus points for having won 7 of the 8 total laps held. This has led to a thirty-point advantage over Adam Raga in second place. With one trial left to go, in Andorra on 8 October, and with a maximum score of only 22 points up for grabs, Toni Bou is officially the 2022 X-Trial champion.

The final trial of the 2022 X-Trial championship takes place on 8th October at the Polisportiu d’Andorra, in Andorra.q

After the event held in Cahors, France, last weekend, Toni Bou is one step shy of securing another TrialGP Outdoor World Championship medal. With twin trials to run at the TrialGP of Italy, Bou has a 36-point lead over the nearest second-placed rider. The Repsol Honda Trial Team rider needs only to finish to get the celebrations underway. This will mark a 16th consecutive outdoor title and a 32nd in his individual career.

Toni Bou – 2022 X-Trial World Champion

“I’ve always said that it is a pity when a trial gets cancelled, and that’s the case again now; I would have liked to have been able to complete the whole championship; during the winter we did a great job with the team in the four trials we took part in before starting the outdoor championship and we were hoping to complete it with the two remaining events. Now, all that’s left is to try and win in Andorra in front of my friends and celebrate the title in style.”

2022 X-Trial World Championship standings

Argentina to host the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) 2023

After nearly a five-year break, the FIM ISDE will return to South America in 2023. San Juan in Argentina is set to welcome back the world’s longest running off-road motorcycle race having last hosted the event in 2014.

A highlight for many FIM ISDE competitors, San Juan is sure to put on a spectacular race thanks to its incredible natural landscape, Enduro-passionate region, and exceptional organising committee.

An entirely new course layout is being drawn up, meaning those who raced in 2014 can also expect new terrain and trails to enjoy. There will also be a new location for the paddock.

For 2023, the race will be held in early November ensuring the optimum temperatures for racing. Exact dates and further details will be confirmed in due course.

Pablo Quintanilla wins the Atacama Rally 2022

Although not part of this year’s world championship, the 2022 Atacama Rally still delivered a huge challenge to all riders with five long days of racing through the arid desert landscape of the Chilean Atacama.

Made up of five looped stages, with very little in the way of liaison, the event saw competitors cover a total of 1,258 kilometers against the clock over the course of the rally. The technical navigation and mixture of soft dunes and faster, rocky tracks.

It would be Honda mounted Pablo Quintanilla who took the overall win, two-minutes ahead of Luciano Benavides, with Kevin Benavides completing the podium.

Luciano Benavides – P2

“I’m really happy with my performance this week and it was great to end with a stage win and finish second overall. I really pushed for the win but with everyone being so close it was difficult to make up time. With the team we tested a lot prior to this race and what we have worked on has made a huge difference. The bike was perfect all week so the hard work has paid off. This race has been great for preparation ahead of the next world championship rounds and I’m feeling really confident ahead of the Rallye du Maroc next month.”

Kevin Benavides – P3

“I’m pleased to finish the Atacama Rally – I think it was a really good race and gave us some valuable time on the bike. The goal was always to put a lot of kilometers on the bike for testing and to make some changes as the rally went on. I felt really good with the bike, we completed the rally without any crashes, and we were able to make some improvements also. All-in-all it was a highly positive race. I did make a couple of mistakes – some small navigation areas, and the first day didn’t go too well for me. It has definitely helped to get some racing under my belt before returning to the world championship. It has been quite a big gap since the last round, so it feels really good to be racing again, especially in desert terrain like here in Chile. The organization here at the Atacama has been excellent as well, my only wish was we had more than two minutes separating the riders at the beginning of each day. The small gaps meant the top guys soon ended up riding together, so it was hard to make any advantage. A big thanks to the team for all their hard work in Chile, and now I’m looking forward to heading to Morocco at the end of the month and getting back to the world championship.”

2022 Atacama Rally – Provisional Overall Classification

1. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 17:35:35
2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 17:37:35
3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 17:40:02
4. Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 17:42:00
5. Daniel Nosiglia (KTM) 19:20:39

Viney wins Fox Raceway Capture Final Scouting Moto Combine final

The 2022 MX Sports Pro Racing Scouting Moto Combine, presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare, came to an exciting conclusion from Southern California’s Fox Raceway on Friday, on the eve of the 12th and final round of the 50th Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.

A 21-rider entry list of top level amateur talent made the final gathering of the summer open for the taking and Slam Life Racing Honda’s Noah Viney seized the moment with one of the most dominant performances to date since the inception of the combine. A member of the rider group coached by Chad Reed, Viney, who is from nearby Murrieta, took advantage of his local expertise and enjoyed a perfect day in which he posted the fastest lap of practice, grabbed both moto holeshots, and went wire-to-wire en route to a dominant 1-1 performance.

On-track action from Fox Raceway was accompanied by classroom-style education sessions regarding training, fitness and nutrition, and the many layers of media engagement. Riders were also assigned to one of four esteemed coaches–Michael Byrne, Broc Glover, Reed, and Broc Tickle–who provided mentorship throughout the day. High temperatures pushing triple digits saw event organizers implement safety protocols for the competitors, which shortened the motos to 15 minutes plus two laps.

Moto 1

Viney entered the afternoon motos with the momentum of the top practice time and was on point when the gate dropped for the first time, leading the field out of the first turn with the holeshot, followed by Carson City Motorsports KTM’s Lux Turner. Viney was dialed on his Honda and was able to build an early lead thanks to a clear track. Behind him, Turner and Stan Benson Racing Kawasaki’s Alvin Hillan engaged in a battle for second, from which Hillan moved into the runner-up spot.

As Viney continued to add to his advantage Hillan’s hold on second strengthened through the halfway point of the moto. However, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman was on a torrid charge through the field. The California rider started outside the top 10 in 13th place, but overcame his mid-pack start with impressive moves that saw him pass multiple riders each lap. Midway through the moto Temmerman had moved into the top five and closed in on Turner for third. He made the pass and set his sights on Hillan. Misfortune for Hillan opened the door for Temmerman to move into second and also allowed Turner to assume third.

Viney ran well clear of the field for the majority of the moto and took the checkered flag for the Moto 1 win by a margin of 10.8 seconds over Temmerman, while Turner completed the top three. Hillan recovered to finish fourth, while Slam Life Racing Honda’s Evan Stice rounded out the top five.

Moto 2

As the gate dropped on Moto 2 it was once again Viney at the head of the pack as the field emerged from the first turn. Another holeshot opened the door for Viney to once again put some distance over his rivals in the early stages of the moto, but Temmerman grabbed a much better start the second time around and was able to keep the Honda rider honest. The lead duo set a torrid pace in the opening laps that allowed them to put multiple seconds on the field and set the stage for a head-to-head battle for victory.

While the leaders inched away, the battle for third took shape between AEO Powersports KTM’s Dayton Briggs and EBR Performance Yamaha’s Julien Beaumer. The fought for a couple laps before Beaumer made the move and looked to assert his hold on the position.

Back up front, Temmerman continued to keep Viney within reach, but wasn’t able to mount a serious enough challenge to put any serious pressure on the lead. They traded momentum throughout the middle of the moto and it appeared as though Temmerman had the pace to make a run as time ran out, but his push to mount a late challenge saw the Kawasaki rider endure some slight miscues and resulted in his slowest laps of the moto. That gave Viney the breathing room he needed to storm to the finish and wrap up another moto win by 2.7 seconds over Temmerman, with Beaumer in third.

Overall

Viney’s emphatic 1-1 sweep of the motos made him the third different winner of the 2022 Scouting Moto Combine. Temmerman showed impressive speed as well with 2-2 results that landed him second overall, while SSR/Motul GASGAS’ Trevor Colip grabbed the last spot on the overall podium (6-4) despite missing out on the top three in each moto.

Fox Raceway Moto Combine Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

1. Noah Viney, Murrieta, Calif., Honda (1-1 // 50)
2. Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki (2-2 // 44)
3. Trevor Colip, Bowling Green, Ind., GASGAS (6-4 // 33)
4. Evan Stice, Carmen, Idaho, Honda (5-7 // 30)
5. Lux Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., KTM (3-12 // 29)
6. Dayton Briggs, Riverside, Calif., KTM (9-5 // 28)
7. Aden Keefer, Hesperia, Calif., Kawasaki (8-6 // 28)
8. Jayden Clough, Elko, Minn., Yamaha (7-8 // 27)
9. Alvin Hillan, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki (4-14 // 25)
10. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Yamaha (17-3 // 24)

Rispoli tops Production Twins at Springfield Mile I

Images by Scott Hunter

Progressive American Flat Track’s undercard stars took center stage during the Mission Springfield Mile I presented by Drag Specialties at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.

Shortly after the completion of the first of three scheduled Main Events, a late afternoon rain shower brought Saturday’s activities to an early conclusion as the day’s Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle and Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER were delayed until Sunday afternoon.

Fortunately, the Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines class brought the drama in its thrilling and significant Main Event. The constantly evolving title fight delivered its latest twist when championship leader Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) suffered a mechanical DNF while fighting for the lead early in Saturday’s Main Event.

While that would normally open the door for defending champion Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) to blast through, Texter had his own problems on the day, uncharacteristically searching for pace after only narrowly advancing to the Main through his Semi.

Instead, Saturday’s spotlight initially shone down on ‘22 part-timers Michael Rush (No. 15 Helipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XG750R) and James Rispoli (No. 43 Wally Brown Racing/Haversack KTM 890 Duke). In fact, Janisch later admitted he was merely attempting to slow the two down before breaking and bringing out the red flag.

After dominating their respective Semis, Rush and Rispoli went bar-to-bar when racing resumed. After breaking the draft to sever the tenuous tie connecting them to a big ten-rider pack in pursuit, they went about trading first and second back and forth repeatedly.

Ultimately, Rispoli stretched out a small advantage while Rush fell back into the clutches of teammates Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) and Cole Zabala (No. 51 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07), who smartly worked together to slingshot back into contention.

With less than a minute remaining on the clock – and moments after Bromley and Zabala powered by on either side of Rush to move into second and third, respectively – a second red flag was shown following a Michael Hill (No. 47 Pacific Auto Trim/Jim Speer Yamaha MT-07) crash, reshuffling the deck one last time.

Rush’s bike then overheated during the stoppage and was therefore forced to line up at the back of the pack (along with Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), who also did repair work during the break).

Rispoli took the holeshot but was unable to shake the field this time around, even losing the lead to Zabala momentarily as they opened the final lap. He quickly countered, however, and proceeded to narrowly hold on for the win, edging Bromley and Zabala at the line by 0.096 and 0.145 seconds.

After earning his second win of a limited season, Rispoli said, “When the red flag came out, I knew it would put these guys back in the game, and I was like, ‘Man, we’ll be off the podium if we do this wrong.’ So I tried to put my head down. Wally Brown Racing has made so many updates to the motorcycle and we’re continuing to get better and better.”

Rush was impressive in climbing all the way back up to fourth despite the limited time he had to pull off the charge. He was followed by Cody Johncox (No. 96 Sunnyside Cycle/Hyperdog Yamaha MT-07), Cameron Smith (No. 34 Thee Cathy Gray/Al Barker Yamaha MT-07), and Kolby Carlile (No. 36 KC36 Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XG750R) with the top seven riders covered by just 0.450 seconds at the flag.

Texter, meanwhile, finished ninth. As Janisch was credited with 16th, Texter managed to reduce the gap marginally, closing from 24 to 17 points (267-250) ahead of tomorrow’s rematch.

Unfortunately the Mission Springfield Mile II was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Young Aussie Tom Drane had won the dash for cash but ultimately didn’t get to race the main Singles event. This was a huge blow after the youngster had travelled with supporters, including engine builder Jamie Stauffer, all the way to America for the event. With their bike broken down into pieces so they could take it on the plane with them to America.

2022 Springfield Mile I Results

AFT Production Twins Standings

Jose Butron wins 2022 EMX Open Championship

The final round of the EMX Open Championship saw JD Gunnex KTM Racing’s Jose Butron celebrating the title from the top step of the podium as the Spaniard secured his second overall victory of the season!

The Bitci Round of Turkiye podium was the same as the championship top three, with Tomas Kohut of Osicka MX Team and Michael Sandner of Raths Motorsports joining the winner on the podium as they collected their second and third place trophies and silver and bronze FIM-Europe medals.

EMX Open Race 1

In the first EMX Open race, it was Butron who led the way ahead of Sandner and Michael Ivanov. Though Sandner took away the lead from Butron on the opening lap. Kohut made his way up to third with Butron in his sights.

By the end of the first lap, Butron was back in the driving seat as he took back first place from Sandner. The Spaniard then stretched his lead to 4.675 seconds as he set the fastest lap of the race, as Kohut began to come under pressure from a hard-charging Ivanov.

Butron was riding a race of his own, while Sandner crashed out of second, which allowed Kohut through. In the final two laps, Sandner dropped another position as Simon Jost of Osicka MX Team found his way past the Austrian.

In the end, Butron crossed the line first and celebrated his EMX Open title immediately, as Kohut finished second ahead of Jost, Sandner and Krisztian Tompa who rounded out the top five.

EMX Open Race 2

In race two, it was Butron who got a good jump out of the gate, though was beaten to the holeshot by Sandner who was the leading rider. Ivanov was second ahead of Butron, though Butron briefly found his way past the Bulgarian.

By the end of the opening lap, Ivanov was able to find the perfect opportunity to go from third to first, as Sandner remained second but Butron made a mistake and dropped to fifth.

Ivanov was looking comfortable in the lead as he led Sandner with a 6.997-second advantage, but moments later a ‘pending penalty’ message was issued on the timing screen for Ivanov who failed to respect a waved yellow flag and as a result, received a 10-place penalty.

At this point in the race Kohut was the fastest rider on track, in third place behind Sandner, but despite setting the fastest lap of the race, could not get close enough to the Austrian.

In the end, Sandner was declared the race winner, due to Ivanov’s penalty. Kohut was second ahead of Butron, Jost and Tompa.

Butron was declared the overall winner ahead of Kohut and Sandner, which was exactly how the final championship podium ended up too!

Jose Butron

“I’m very happy! I moved to the European class to win it, that was my goal and today we made it happen, I am European Champion! Thanks to my sponsors and my family. Thank you! We are champions now.”

EMX Open – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 45 points; 2. Tomas Kohut (SVK, KTM), 44 p.; 3. Michael Sandner (AUT, KTM), 43 p.; 4. Simon Jost (SVK, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Krisztian Tompa (ROU, HUS), 32 p.; 6. Kristian Petkov (BUL, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Stefan Neychev (BUL, GAS), 27 p.; 8. Mustafa Cetin (TUR, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Batuhan Demiryol (TUR, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Michael Ivanov (BUL, HUS), 21 p.;

EMX Open – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 238 points; 2. Tomas Kohut (SVK, KTM), 211 p.; 3. Michael Sandner (AUT, KTM), 199 p.; 4. Simon Jost (SVK, KTM), 141 p.; 5. Michael Ivanov (BUL, HUS), 136 p.; 6. Simone Croci (ITA, HUS), 110 p.; 7. Giuseppe Tropepe (ITA, HUS), 104 p.; 8. Gert Krestinov (EST, HON), 76 p.; 9. Stefano Pezzuto (ITA, KTM), 64 p.; 10. Raf Meuwissen (NED, KTM), 60 p.;

Nancy Van De Ven wins Women’s World MX Championship in Turkey

The final round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship was a big one for Ceres 71 Racing’s Nancy Van De Ven who finally got her hands on the gold medal and became the 2022 WMX World Champion!

It was not an easy one for Van De Ven, who was feeling the nerves and the pressure throughout the weekend and missed out on a podium finish after placing eighth overall. But this did not matter as the Dutchman became the very first WMX Champion from Holland and only the fifth Women’s World Champion, joining the likes of Livia Lancelot, Stephanie Laier, Kiara Fontanesi and Courtney Duncan since the series officially became recognised as a World Championship 13 years ago.

WMX Race 1

In race one, it was Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Courtney Duncan who took the holeshot thought got caught up with another rider by the second corner and dropped back to around fifth. This allowed Larissa Papenmeier of Yamaha Racing 423 to take over first place, as JK Yamaha Racing’s Lynn Valk, Amadine Verstappen and Sara Andersen rounded out the top four.

Championship leader, Nancy Van De Ven of Ceres 71 Racing struggled down in ninth after her start device came out before the gate drop, which made it tough for her to get a good drive down the start straight.

By the end of the opening lap, Duncan was already up into second place, as Van De Ven moved up to seventh.

It then took Duncan a lap to catch and pass Papenmeier, who was not looking to back down, as she pushed the New Zealander until the end, as the pair finished first and second and were separated by 4.187 seconds.

Rookie, Lotte Van Drunen had a very impressive first race in the Women’s Motocross World Championship, as she finished seventh behind Van De Ven who fought her way up to sixth.

WMX Race 2

In the second heat, it was again Duncan with the holeshot as he led the way in front of Elisa Galvagno, Papenmeier, Shana Van der Vlist and Charli Cannon of JK Yamaha Racing. Van De Ven started in seventh, while Valk was down in 14th on the first lap.

By the end of the first lap, Van der Vlist found her way into second, as Cannon got around Papenmeier for fourth. She then quickly got around Galvagno for third and began to focus on the two leaders in front. The Australian set the fastest lap of the race and was charging hard but a small mistake saw her crash out of third and she eventually re-joined in 10th. This allowed Andersen into third.

Van Drunen was having another impressive race. The youngster started in 18th position and by lap six was already in seventh behind Valk and Verstappen.

A couple of laps later, both Valk and Van Drunen got around Van De Ven, as Verstappen made a mistake which allowed Valk to close in on the fifth-place rider.

Duncan was comfortably leading, with Van der Vlist second ahead of Andersen and in the second part of the race, there were not many changes inside the top 10 as Duncan went on to win her third race of the season.

The podium for the final round included Duncan on the top step with the perfect 1-1 score card ahead of Papenmeier who was second, while Andersen made her first podium visit of 2022!

In terms of the WMX Championship standings, Nancy Van De Ven finally became the World Champion after finishing second for the last four years in a row. Meanwhile, the fight for the silver and bronze medals was very close, but in the end, Valk secured second, while Papenmeier took third – rounding out the perfect podium for Yamaha who also top the manufacturer’s standings.

Nancy Van De Ven

“Finally, after so many years of being second, it feels so great, maybe even better than winning it in one of your first years. I have had so many troubles in the past and to finally win it, is incredible! I just cruised this weekend to avoid any mistakes and keep the bike on two wheels. Finally, finally, finally, I have done it. I am so incredibly happy!”

Notching up her third race win for the season lifted Duncan to seventh in the final WMX standings, with 129 points.

Courtney Duncan

“Tough season though, and we are naturally disappointed to lose the crown but proud to keep fighting all the way to the end. With having the injury mid-season, I feel like I’m only getting started and just want to keep racing and building. Next year can’t come quick enough!”

WMX – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 50 points; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 40 p.; 3. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Lynn Valk (NED, YAM), 35 p.; 5. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 33 p.; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KAW), 32 p.; 7. Lotte Van Drunen (NED, KTM), 28 p.; 8. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 28 p.; 9. Malou Jakobsen (DEN, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Tahlia Jade O’Hare (AUS, HON), 19 p.;

WMX – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 201 points; 2. Lynn Valk (NED, YAM), 183 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 172 p.; 4. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 168 p.; 5. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 138 p.; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KAW), 134 p.; 7. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 129 p.; 8. Martine Hughes (NOR, HON), 114 p.; 9. Giorgia Blasigh (ITA, YAM), 110 p.; 10. Tahlia Jade O’Hare (AUS, HON), 102 p.;

2022 Lucas Oil Pro MX Round 12 – Fox Raceway Wrap & Quotes

After 12 rounds of travel across the country and 24 hotly contested motos over the course of the summer, the 50th Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, came to a dramatic conclusion from the proverbial home of the industry in Southern California.

A showdown between Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Eli Tomac and Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton culminated with another memorable battle, from which Tomac prevailed following a 1-1 effort, to hoist the Edison Dye Cup for the first time since 2019 and secure the fourth 450 Class title of his decorated career.

In the 250 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence captured an exclamation point victory to successfully defend his hold of the Gary Jones Cup and secure back-to-back championships to further solidify his role as the sport’s youngest star.

For the full round report see:


AMA Pro MX finale race reports, results, final championship points

250 Overall

Lawrence’s 1-2 effort carried him to his ninth win of the summer, tied for third most in a single season, and the 14th victory of his career, which moves the young Australian into a tie for eighth on the all-time wins list.

It also signified the sixth different moto score combination that has carried him to victory this season and maintained Lawrence’s undefeated record at Fox Raceway, where he now has five wins.

Shimoda followed with his ninth overall podium result of the season in second (4-1) and ended the year with four straight finishes on the box.

Cooper’s solid afternoon landed him third overall (3-3) for the landmark 30th podium result of his career, good enough to move into a tie for ninth on the all-time podiums list.

Lawrence’s final championship margin was 45 points over Shimoda, while Hunter Lawrence completed the championship podium in third following a fourth-place finish (2-5) in the finale.

Jett Lawrence is 12th two-time champion in the history of the division and the first to earn back-to-back titles since Jeremy Martin in 2014-2015.

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC

“It was a good day. I’m just glad it wasn’t like last year’s last round, as I didn’t hit the ground much. I qualified in P1, and in the first moto I ended up going with the Dunlop paddle tire to get that drive in the deep stuff. I got a really good jump and got the holeshot, which made my life easier. I tried to play around with Jo [Shimoda] a little bit, hoping that Hunter would catch up; I could see him in the background. In the second one I had the paddle again, and it helped me a lot. I was banging bars with Seth Hammaker coming out of the gate, but I still really pulled. I tried to get into second as quick as I could, but Jo just put on the boost and was out of there; he rode good. It’s awesome to get it done back-to-back, and I’m definitely grateful. The team has been awesome this year.”

Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki

“I got a good start in Moto 1 and was battling for the lead most of the race. Unfortunately, I made contact with another rider and went down with only a couple of laps to go and finished fourth. In Moto 2, I was in second off the start and I quickly moved into the lead on the first lap. From there, I went all out for the first few laps of the race to build a good size gap and won the race by over 24 seconds. I think I could have secured another overall win without the accident in Moto 1 but it still feels good to end the season with another overall podium.”

Hunter Lawrence – P3

“This is not how we wanted to finish it. Obviously, we had a few unfortunate races along the way that put us in this position, but it’s better than last year. I’m bummed with how it ended, but Jett and Jo rode great. I’ve got to be better.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

“It was an up and down season, so I’m happy to end it with a podium. The race was super demanding physically and mentally so it was good to get back on the box. Now the focus shifts to Motocross of Nations; we’re looking to have a good one there and fight for the win for Team USA.”

RJ Hampshire – P5

“It was hot today, I kind of struggled all day. I qualified decent, but my first moto start was not great at all. I was probably outside of the top-20. I rode decent but I was just kind of saving myself a bit there because the heat was hitting pretty hard. Second moto was a little bit better of a start and I rode decent, making it up to fourth. I’m looking forward to the off-season. Through all the challenges we’ve dealt with this year, it was good to kind of end it there on a high note. Looking forward to next year.”

Max Vohland – P6

“It was a good weekend. The track was really technical and really hard to pass on because it’s really slow in some corners and was pretty one-lined for the first moto. I was pushing for sixth and ended up making a pretty big mistake and went down pretty hard. Luckily, I haven’t had that all year and I got back to 12th. In the second moto, I got a really good jump and again got pushed into the deep stuff. I was back to like 13th and I just kind of kept picking guys off, some of them were getting pretty tired from the heat and I ended up in sixth towards the end. It was good to end that last moto on a high note and finish the season off like that.”

Seth Hammaker – P7

“Today was a hot one but overall, a good day. I felt good in the morning qualifying sessions and carried that momentum into the motos. The track got pretty gnarly towards the end of the final moto but I was able to push through for sixth overall with 6-7 moto scores. It feels good to get a complete season of Pro Motocross under my belt, I learned a lot from each race and hope I can carry that experience into next year.”

Nate Thrasher – P8

“I did what I could to finish out the year strong, but it was a tough one today. I’m looking forward to the off-season to keep building and come back stronger next year. Thanks to the team for all of their support and hard work.”

Pierce Brown – P10

“Practice was okay, I had like 10th or 11th gate pick. In the first moto, I got a decent start and I made a few mistakes on the first lap but ended up working my way up to ninth at the end. Second moto, I fell twice on the first lap twice and just didn’t recover. I fought until the end, but it just was not the way I wanted to end it.”

Jalek Swoll – P14

“It was a very, very tough day. Not good starts on a really one-lined track, which made the day really tough. The first moto wasn’t very good. Second moto, I had a fall and that was kind of all she wrote. It is what it is and I’m excited to get into this off-season and sharpen the tools to come out firing for next year.”

Cameron McAdoo – P18

“That first moto was extremely hot, but I was able to use my conditioning to push through the heat and finish eighth. The second moto start was much better than the first. I think I was in third right behind Jo and tried to follow him early in the race but got caught up in a battle with another rider. I was giving it everything I had out there and with only a few laps left, I made a mistake going over the Fox triple and went down. The crash ended my race early but I’m glad I was able to get up and feel okay.”

Matt Leblanc – P21

“I had good starts today, but I was still not where I should be coming back from injury. I rode decent but went down in the second moto and was banged up pretty good. There was nothing broken, thankfully, but I was in too much pain to ride the rest of the moto. The last race of the season is a little bitter, but we’re going to move on and focus on next season.”

Ryder DiFrancesco – P22

“Even though the result didn’t go as planned, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have raced in these select Pro Motocross rounds, it has been a real eye-opener. It’s nothing like racing the amateur circuit where there are one or two fast guys. At the pro level, everyone is fast and you really have to work for each position. I learned a lot from this experience about what I need to work on in the off-season to be ready for my full transition into the pro ranks next year.”

250 Championship Points Standings

450 Round

Tomac’s fourth 1-1 performance of the season was his biggest as he finished the year with a class-leading fifth victory, his first since the seventh round. His third win at Fox Raceway was the 32nd victory of his career and marked his 70th career podium finish, which moved him into second all-time.

Sexton’s runner-up finish came on the heels of a hard-earned 2-2 effort, while Anderson’s strong final moto landed him third overall (4-3).

Tomac’s 11-race podium streak to close out the season and his 14 moto wins were the tipping point in the championship, where he finished seven points ahead of Sexton in the final standings in what has been the closest battle in the history of Pro Motocross.

Anderson enjoyed a career-best season to finish third on the championship podium.

Tomac’s title, combined with his Monster Energy Supercross Championship from earlier this year, also made him the first rider to sweep the season championships since Ryan Dungey did it during the 2015 season.

The fourth premier class title of Tomac’s career is also the second most in history, trailing only Ricky Carmichael (7).

Eli Tomac, Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing – 2022 Champion

“It was a perfect end of the season to go 1-1. My goal for the day was to execute the first moto and go for the win, and then deal with the second moto after that; I was able to accomplish that. For the second moto, it definitely didn’t go down without a little drama. I was a little shuffled back on the start from where I wanted to be and had some fast guys in front of me, but Chase (Sexton) ended up making a mistake so that made things a little easier. It was still a fight to the front of that race and an awesome way to end the season. This was not an easy race to finish out on and was probably the most challenging of the season. It was an unbelievable year for me – to get both championships. It was the best year I’ve ever had.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC – 2022 Runner-up

“It was a tough day for me. I led the first moto and felt like I rode really well, and even if Eli [Tomac] got the better of me, I left it all out there. I got a bad start in the second moto and made my way up; I had a few falls but never gave up. It was a good building year for me; I made a lot of progress, and it’s definitely the best I’ve ever ridden. We can build off this and go into next year. Not winning definitely stings today, but we’ll use it for motivation, have a good off-season and come back swinging next year.”

Jason Anderson, Monster Energy Kawasaki – P3

“I was running inside the top-10 at the start of Moto 1 but, unfortunately, the rider in front of me tipped over and I was unable to get around him which dropped me back to around 16th. I still managed to work my way up to fourth before the end of the race but used a lot of energy. Moto 2 started much better. I was running in second after the first turn and took over the lead on the third lap. I thought I had the speed to hold off the guys charging behind me, but they were on another level today and I finished the race third. Overall, the team put in a great effort today and I’m happy we were able to bring home another podium result. This has been one of the most fun seasons of my career and I can’t thank the guys at Monster Energy Kawasaki enough for all their hard work. I’m looking forward to more good times and race wins next season with the team.”

Ken Roczen – P4

“This weekend, everything was very unique; the weather was obviously super-hot, and I had really bad luck. I went down in the first turn in both motos. The second one took me a while and really knocked the wind out of my sales; I’m kind of banged and bruised up everywhere. I was really far behind the whole field, so I just rode the best I could; I didn’t want to miss the second moto like in the last round last year. I’m kind of glad this one’s over. I’ll regroup, reset and try and charge forward in the off-season.”

Christian Craig – P5

“The final round went well, other than the heat. I wanted to finish the year with two good motos, and I was able to do that with a 3-4. It wasn’t quite an overall podium, but to get top five in the points was my goal from the start. It was also my first time finishing all 24 motos, so that was another accomplishment for myself and the team. I had a super fun year with everyone.”

Ryan Dungey – P6

“First moto, I had a great jump off the gate and I stalled the bike coming into the turn and then I got shuffled back to about fifth. In the second turn, I got into somebody and fell down so I was left to kind of charge as hard as I could. In the second moto, I got a decent start and just tried to ride the track, pick good lines and do the best I could. I did fall down in the moto, but I got fifth which I was happy with. It’s a pretty long, grueling season and tough – the first one with little preparation – and I’m happy I did it. The conditions were really hot, probably the hottest race of the year and you just feel the heat deep in the muscles. It’s physically tough, but I felt like we managed it well.”

Aaron Plessinger – P7

“It was definitely hot today. I got the best qualifying time that I’ve gotten yet with sixth and then went out for the first moto feeling pretty good. When I got off the gate, I was behind Dungey and unfortunately, he laid it down and I ran right into him. I was stuck there for a second and managed to fight my way back to seventh in the moto. In the second moto, I got off to a decent start and then fought my way up. I was right behind Barcia and Dungey and I just kind of fell off at the end. It was hot and it was rough, probably one of the harder races all year, but I finished the season off strong and we’re taking the positives. We made a lot of progress with the bike [this season] and everybody was kind of trying to learn how I work, how I tick and I was doing the same with everybody else. I think we got a pretty good bond in and I think it’s going to be even better next year.”

Justin Barcia – P8

“Pala was pretty solid but for sure a hot day, I left the jacket at home! I felt really good during the first practice but the second practice I struggled a little bit. I just kept my bike the same all day and I had two really good starts. I got fifth in the first moto, which I was very happy with. I was running up front for a bit and then a sixth in the second moto. Overall, a solid day. I’m happy to finish the season out healthy and just building on next year. I’m going to take a good break now, regroup and come back swinging for next season!”

Dean Wilson – P18

“My day was alright. My goal was to be top-10 in both motos and unfortunately, a second corner pile-up was not ideal. I had to come from the back to 13th again. Second moto, I had another bad start and had to come through to ninth. It wasn’t great, but it was my last American Pro Motocross moto of my career and it was a hot one! I won’t forget this one, that’s for sure. The track was gnarly. I’m very grateful to the team for being behind me these six years. I’m happy to be safe and to now focus on Motocross of Nations.”

Malcom Stewart – P19

“Not really what I wanted to end with but at least we’re getting out of here safely, I haven’t raced Pala since 2011. In the first turn of the first moto, some riders got collected and I got hit from behind pretty hard and got a pretty good burn on me. I felt like the best opportunity was not to go back out for the second moto. It’s pretty bad and we just needed to be smart. I think the overall, the goal was to get back racing and get a couple of races under my belt. Of course, the last four race results haven’t been the way we wanted, but I think it was more than just results for us. It was really about gate drops and just being sharp. We’re going to try to enjoy the off-season and we’ll be back riding Supercross and getting ready for 2023 and just have fun with it.”

450 Championship Points Standings