The new Impulse Studios-designed Racer X Online and Racer X mobile sites

The new Impulse Studios-designed Racer X Online and Racer X mobile sites were launched yesterday, and are designed to deliver industry-leading content efficiently, with an emphasis on bigger and better photos and video and mobile compatibility. An all-star cast will deliver the goods, led by Racer X founder Davey Coombs in his role as Editor in Chief. Jason Weigandt, Senior Editor of Racer X Illustrated, also becomes Editor of Racer X Online. And in a major addition, the team is excited to announce the return of multimedia personality and pundit Steve Matthes, who rejoins the Racer X staff as Editor at Large, teaming with race-winning rider and motocross humorist David Pingree in that position.

The multimedia squad is stronger than ever, too, with industry ace Simon Cudby as Senior Shooter, Matt Francis leading Racer X Films, and Photo Editor Andrew Fredrickson joining the race coverage team. The Medium Creative Group's Garth Milan and Ryan Cooley lend shooting and editorial skills. Newcomer Chase Stallo serves as Online Content Manager, and Billy Ursic continues as Managing Editor of Racer X Illustrated, the monthly publication that will benefit completely from the revamped staff. Veteran Motorsports journalist Eric Johnson also remains on board to provide his unrivaled brand of historical pieces and interviews.

"Now is the time for Racer X Online to grab another gear and move even further ahead with our pit-reporting, our race coverage, our film work, Twitter feeds, Facebook, and everything else we do to show our loyal readership all that's going on in the sport we love," said Coombs. "Media is in a constant state of evolution, and so is Racer X Online. Our team loves being out front with our information and presentation, which is why we are constantly moving forward."

At the heart of the new Racer X Online strategy is a plan to completely revolutionize the way races are covered each weekend online, with an unrivaled crew of editorial and multimedia staff delivering the best news and content.

Racer X is pushing the pace in every online avenue. In association with Swedish developers Turborilla, Racer X will release the iPhone/iPod/iPad version of the critically acclaimed side-scrolling video game Mad Skills Motocross, on Jan 10. (Learn more at racerxonline.com/madskillsmotocross.) Racer X boasts over 215,000 fans on Facebook and nearly 15,000 followers on Twitter, with the numbers climbing every day. All told, the Racer X team continues to grow as the leading edge of the sport, promising the best in motocross and supercross news, photos and video across every major media platform.
Lock in www.racerxonline.com for the best coverage in your sport.

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Gibson and his TUF Honda team captured the 2009 title

After a remarkable campaign in his first full season of AMA Arenacross Series competition, Gibson and his TUF Honda team captured the 2009 title and appeared to be the forthcoming of a new powerhouse in the sport. However, at the tail end of the summer racing season that same year, Gibson experienced a big crash that ultimately led to traumatic internal injuries. After an emergency surgery to save his life, Gibson was on the mend and ready to ride just a couple months later.

As the defending series champion, the bulls eye was definitely on Gibson’s back, but he never seemed to have anything for his rivals, going winless and finishing fourth in the championship. As the season moved on throughout the winter, it became evident to Gibson that he wasn’t physically where he needed to be to race up front. His road to recovery was much longer than expected and despite being far from 100% throughout the entire 2010 campaign, he still soldiered on to take home an impressive result considering the obstacles he was facing.

While the 2009 champ was finding it difficult to defend his crown, Tyler Bowers’ new tenure at Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki presented by Maxxis seemed like a match made in heaven. The young rider took the AMA Arenacross Series by storm, effectively dominating almost every week and capturing nine wins on the way to who many critics thought would be the Arenacross class title. However, just weeks before the season was to come to a conclusion, Bowers’ season came to an abrupt end.

The riders of the AMA Arenacross Series are known to take a beating and are often nursing some sort of injury at various points in the season. Unfortunately for Bowers, he suffered a broken leg – a catastrophic injury for a rider. As a result of his practice accident, Bowers sat and watched as the 2010 championship he was so close to capturing went to his teammate Josh Demuth.

After months in a wheelchair and slowly regaining the ability to walk, Bowers began his preparations for the 2011 season, but his road to recovery was enduring and based on what Bowers had said, still isn’t over two rounds into the championship.

In two weeks of action, both Gibson and Bowers have quickly reasserted themselves as the top riders in the AMA Arenacross Series. Despite respective injuries that could have altered their entire careers, both riders fought harder than ever to come back and arguably compete at the same level they were at prior to their injuries.

Both riders are inspirational stories of fighting through adversity and refusing to give up on their passion to ride and compete. Their will to win is unwavering and it’s showing in the early stages of the 2011 AMA Arenacross Series season. Gibson has won the first two rounds of the season while Bowers boasts a runner-up finish and a long stint at the front of the field last weekend while sitting in a tie for second in the championship. Each rider has established himself as a title favorite and is looking for more this weekend as the series heads to Dayton, Ohio’s Nutter Center for Round 3.

The latest member of this inauspicious club is reigning AMA Arenacross Series Champion Josh Demuth. After suffering a broken wrist in preseason testing, Demuth is also looking at a lengthy road to recovery. As one of the most prolific riders in AMA Arenacross Series history, Demuth’s absence weighs heavily on his competitors who wanted their fair chance to take away his crown. However, his similar work ethic and passion for competition means much like his friends Gibson and Bowers, Demuth should ultimately come back stronger than ever and his competitors, along with the thousands of arenacross fans hope it’s before season’s end.

It’s an unfortunate truth of the sport, but injuries happen in the AMA Arenacross Series and how a rider deals with adversity not only shows his commitment to success, but also shows he has the mettle to be a champion. Jeff Gibson, Tyler Bowers and now Josh Demuth are evidence of this.

On a more positive note, the young Foremost Insurance/Spinechilers/HondaofFairfield.com lineup of Nathan Skaggs, Zach Ames, Willy Browning and Arenacross Lites competitor Patrick Massie is off to a strong start early on in 2011, highlighted by Skaggs’ runner-up effort last weekend in Kansas City.

This weekend, the intimate and exciting action of the AMA Arenacross Series will be showcased at the Ervin J. Nutter Center on the campus of Wright State University. Serving as southwest Ohio’s premier sports and entertainment complex, the Nutter Center is home to NCAA Division I Wright State Raiders athletics and the ECHL’s Dayton Bombers hockey team.

Opened in 1990 and named for famous Ohioan Ervin J. Nutter, the main arena of the center seats a maximum of 12,000, but the facility also houses four basketball courts, a recreation running track, a fitness center, classrooms, and 60,000 square feet of exhibit space.


The action commences for the Dayton Arenacross on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET. Amateur Day concludes an exciting weekend of action on Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m. ET
Advance tickets are available for this weekend’s Dayton Arenacross at the Nutter Center Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone and ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $2 more the day of the race.
New for 2011! Live timing and scoring from each round of the AMA Arenacross Series. To follow the intense racing action live, log onto www.arenacross.com. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short at brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.


Never miss out on the latest news! Follow the AMA Arenacross Series on Facebook and Twitter! Log on to http://www.facebook.com/AMAarenacross and http://twitter.com/arenacross today!

AMA Arenacross Championship PointsJeff Gibson, 50 Chad Johnson, 40 Tyler Bowers, 40  Nathan Skaggs, 38 Zach Ames, 34  Gray Davenport, 27 Dave Ginolfi, 24 Willy Browning, 24 Cole Siebler, 23  Cory Green, 20  Adam Gully, 25  Patrick Massie, 22 Kyle White, 20 Austin Coon, 18 Hunter Clements, 16


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Help the Kids Just Want to Ride Act of 2011

H.R. 412 is the most promising and viable legislative remedy available to permanently exclude kid-sized motorcycles and ATVs from the unintended consequences of the CPSIA.

The AMA thanks the countless concerned enthusiasts that have already contacted their Representatives to support this legislation. However, we are facing a fast-approaching May 1 stay of enforcement deadline and you must continue to contact your member of Congress to help the Kids Just Want to Ride Act of 2011 move toward passage.

You and everyone you know that is concerned with the future of youth riding needs to contact your Representative and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 412, the Kids Just Want to Ride Act of 2011.

You can write your member of Congress by following the "Take Action" option and sending a letter directly to their office in Washington, DC. You can also call your Representative by clicking here.

Tell your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 412, the Kids Just Want to Ride Act of 2011 immediately.

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Supercross event at this venue in front of 41,107 fans

After multiple years of three Anaheim rounds, history was made by having a Supercross event at this venue in front of 41, 107 fans. DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing/Yamaha's west coast squad comprised of #35, Kyle Cunningham and our newcomer to professional Supercross #72, Nick Paluzzi took to the track in timed qualifying confidently, setting the 5th and 11th fastest times.

Heat #2 had both Cunningham and Paluzzi lined up, getting out of the gate in good fashion would be Paluzzi who held down 2nd.  Cunningham was closed out coming into the first turn, and in the early laps he made some smart moves to insure the netting of a transfer position. The excitable, aggressive riding of Paluzzi saw him take his Yamaha to the lead on lap one and turn the heads of everyone in attendance. Riding solidly as the leader Nick fought off several attempts to overtake him until lap five, when a small bobble slated back to a  4th  place finish at the end of six laps.  Cunningham kept his cool and pushed the limits against the competition, as he worked his way up through the field. Holding down the 7th spot with a couple of laps left, the Texas native was still hard at work. In doing so, Cunningham took a hold of 6th before the qualifier closed out and secured himself in the main event.

Main Event time was exciting right away; Cunningham put together a good start and was in the mix of the top five. Unfortunately, on the third lap a block pass went bad as he was drug down by the other rider's bike and hit the ground. He was able to remount, however it was in a distant 16th. Starting around tenth, Paluzzi's first laps were spent making moves, and inside of three laps he held down the 8th spot. At halfway both teammates were making strides to move forward, Paluzzi was hanging tough inside the top ten, setting some of his best lap times and continued with a calculated performance. Cunningham was putting on a great comeback by this point, sitting 13th he could see that a top ten was feasible. On lap thirteen, Kyle had reeled in and passed for 11th, and set his sights ahead. Moving forward to the final moments in the race, Cunningham would continue to soldier on right until the checkers, and mustered up a finish of 10th. Slipping back into 9th, Paluzzi regained his form and went on to finish 9th in only his third Supercross race.


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Kermaxx International Amber will contest the entire 2011 CEC Championship

With the continued support of long time sponsor, Turple Bros, of Red Deer, AB, and with the added support of her other existing sponsors; Gamma Sales, Inside MotoX & Off Road Magazine and Kermaxx International Amber will contest the entire 2011 CEC Championship.

Additionally, Giroux will once again compete in the Alberta CMRC series races, along with other regional events and Xtinction Hard Enduro on the KTM 250SX.

With much speculation over her plans for 2011, the plan is to refocus her riding career to include off road racing in 2011 in addition to her ongoing MX plans. “Two thousand ten was a great year for me running the CMRC motocross women`s nationals,” said Giroux. “My plans are to continue racing motocross while expanding my focus to include off road events. I believe that will only help me in my goals to become a better all-round racer”.

Amber is looking forward to her new opportunity with KTM in 2011!
Two thousand ten finished off on a sour note with a well documented altercation with CMRC President, Mark Stallybrass, at the 2010 CMRC Women`s National finale at Walton. “I would like to extend a sincere apology to Mark Stallybrass and the entire CMRC National crew for my actions and heat of the moment comments,” says Giroux. She continues, “I would like to extend my apology to Mark and would ask that he please call me so that I can personally apologize in the proper manner so that we can put this incident behind us and move forward.”

Also for 2011, Amber will be working with KTM Canada to help run MX schools following select National weekends. “Andy White approached me to take part in this and I can’t thank him enough for the opportunity and support this year, I look forward to working with KTM to make the most of this opportunity,” said Giroux.

Amber would like to thank her sponsors Turple Bros., Andy White and everyone at KTM Canada, Gamma Sales, Inside MotoX & Off Road Magazine, Kermaxx International, Fly Racing, Dragon Optical, Printwerx Graphics, Elemental Fitness, Vee Rubber North America, Torco Racing Oils, Osiris Shoes, Roost Clothing, Sosa Originals, EVS, Bike Pro, Blue Streak Racing.

If you are interested in working with Amber this upcoming season, you can contact her at amber.giroux@hotmail.com or at 403-506-6161.


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Bel-Ray's Chad Reed sits in 5th place in the points standings

Coming off an excellent  4th place at round 2 in Phoenix, Two Two Motorsports / Bel-Ray's Chad Reed sits in 5th place in the points standings.

With more time on the bike, Reed is a certain favorite for the win this weekend. Also showing the grit and determination that he is so well known for, Dodge Motorsports/Hart & Huntington Ivan Tedesco looks to rebound this week after a 14th place finish last week. Tedesco has the speed to run in the Top 5, but he suffered a little bad luck last week. Tedesco's teammate, Chris Blose had the local crowd on the edge of their seat last weekend with a spirited ride in the LCQ to claim the final transfer spot into the main event. He looks to improve on last week's 15th place finish this weekend in Los Angeles.

Be sure to stop by the Dodge Motorsports / Hart & Huntington / Bel-Ray trailer during the pit party and enter for a chance to win cool team sponsor prizes, including a $100.00 Bel-Ray Prize Pack!

Bel-Ray will be posting updates from this weekend on their Twitter Feed and Facebook page as well as their website www.belray.com .

The Event can be seen on CBS Sports on Sunday, 1/23 at 12:00pm EST and the Lites will air the same day at 6:00pm EST on Speed.

 Bel Ray Company Inc was founded in 1946 and is a privately held, woman owned business serving the lubrication needs of powersports, industrial and mining customers worldwide. Bel-Ray is recognized as the leader in the specialty lubricants industry for setting high standards of quality and performance with products formulated for the motorcycle, automotive, aviation, energy, food, marine, military, mining, OEM, Industrial steel, and textile industries.

"Flex Your Engine" with Bel-Ray's superior Powersports line that delivers top quality Made-in-the-USA products to motorcycle and recreational vehicle enthusiasts around the world. Bel-Ray products are available at powersports dealers worldwide. Visit Bel-Ray.com for a complete dealer listing. Like us on Facebook.com/BelRay or follow us on Twitter/Bel_Ray

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The 1100EVO represents a milestone in Monster history

As the flagship of Ducati’s best-selling Monster range, today’s unveiling of the 1100EVO represents a milestone in Monster history. The 1100EVO has opened the next chapter in the US Ducati Monster story- a legend that began with the debut of the original Monster 900 at the 1993 Chicago Motorcycle Show.

The unveiling was met by a great applause from media and fans alike; no doubt due to the impressive features of the best Monster ever. The 1100EVO is the first Ducati to reach 100 air-cooled horsepower, which is backed up by a significant 76lb/ft of torque thanks to the Desmodue Evoluzione engine. Wrapped into a svelte 373lb package, the 1100EVO also boasts the best power-to-weight ratio in Monster history. In the interest of rider comfort, the 1100EVO features a new seat design and higher handlebars- the combination of which gives the rider an excuse to stay on their bike longer and ride farther.

Perhaps the most significant feature of the new Monster 1100EVO is the addition of the new Ducati Safety Pack- a simple to use combination of rider aids incorporated into the motorcycle with the interest of rider safety. The Ducati Safety Pack’s four way adjustable Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Bosch-Brembo ABS braking system work together to keep riders safe and confident on the best Monster yet. This system represents a significant upgrade on a bike that retains the same MSRP as its predecessor- $11,995
The 2012 Monster 1100EVO will be on display alongside the new Diavel- which has already proven to be the other hit of the show- and the rest of the Ducati lineup throughout the weekend at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center in New York; where Ducati fans are welcome to come by for an espresso at the Ducati Caffe and to admire the Italian icon’s latest creations.

For more information about Ducati and the new Monster 1100EVO; please visit www.ducatiusa.com.

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The flagship R1200GS as the brand’s best-selling model of 2010

The new literbike “quickly surpassed” the flagship R1200GS as the brand’s best-selling model of 2010. Winning numerous industry accolades, the S1000RR also earned Motorcycle-USA’s Motorcycle of the Year and Best Sportbike of 2010 awards, as well as sweeping both the Street and Track portions of our 2010 Superbike Smackdown comparison reviews.

The stalwart Boxer lineup may have been upstaged by BMW’s new Superbike, but the company claims its R1200 line “posted strong sales, as well.” The 2010 R1200GS, GS Adventure and RT models all received engine updates for the model year, with a new dual-overhead cam configuration. (The R1200GS earned our selection at Best Touring Motorcycle of 2010).

“BMW dealers did a tremendous job in 2010, despite the headwinds they faced with a tough economy,” said BMW USA National Sales Manager Mac McMath, in a company press announcment. “While many dealers in the country struggled last year, BMW dealers remained committed to the job at hand and worked tirelessly to capture every sale they could.”

BMW expects sales for its S1000RR to continue to grow through 2011, with demand for that particular model still high. Also figuring to anchor 2011 sales is the much-anticipated Inline-Six-powered K1600 touring bikes, with BMW citing strong interest from the pre-sale program.

“The new K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL should give motorcyclists a compelling reason to head down to their local BMW dealer this spring,” continues McMath. “We expect strong sales from these bikes as nearly 400 customers have placed deposits for them since we kicked off our pre-sale program in late December.”

Related Articles 2010 Q3 Motorcycle Sales Down 18.3% 2010 Motorcycle Sales Still Down in Q2 Motorcycle Sales Down First Quarter 2010 Motorcycle Sales Down 40.8% Says MIC It is unclear if the U.S. motorcycle market is beginning a recover, or has even found the bottom, as MIC quarterly updates continued to show sales declines from an already abysmal 2009. Isolated pieces of positive news are filtering in. The BMW positive sales trend is one. Another came at the press introduction for the 2011 Yamaha FZ8, where Corporate Communications Manager Bob Starr claimed Yamaha sales for December 2010 posted gains over December 2009.

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Monster Energy Supercross track is now underway at the Dodger Stadium

The process of converting the legendary baseball stadium into a Monster Energy Supercross track is now underway for the third stop of the 2011 schedule.The inaugural Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, at Dodger Stadium kicks off this Saturday night as Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Josh Hansen lead the Supercross and Supercross Lites classes respectively.

"This marks a historic time not only for Monster Energy Supercross, but Dodger Stadium as well," said Todd Jendro, Senior Director of two-wheel operations, Feld Motor Sports. "This venue has a historic past and will now welcome 150 of the best riders on the planet. We feel that given the iconic image of Dodger Baseball and Dodger Stadium that it is the perfect fit to host an event of this caliber."

San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart claimed his first win last weekend and heads into Dodger Stadium two points behind leader Ryan Villopoto.

Never before in the 48-year history of Dodger Stadium has an event of such a unique nature and logistic complexity been held at Chavez Ravine. Known for being the home of one of the most prominent Major League Baseball franchises of all time, 550 truckloads of dirt will sit on the Dodger Stadium floor for the first time ever, signifying a new era for the venue.

"I'm very excited for this," said Michael Young, chief revenue officer for the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I'm excited to expose this venue to millions of supercross fans across the world that have never had the opportunity to come to Dodger Stadium and hopefully convert them into baseball fans. This is an amazing sport and the growth of supercross is staggering, particularly in a time when many sports are shrinking."
Last weekend at Phoenix's Chase Field, San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart earned his first Supercross class main event win of the year, leading from wire-to-wire. Week one winner, Ryan Villopoto, finished second and Supercross class rookie and American Honda rider Trey Canard, of Shawnee, Okla., finished third.

"I really wanted to pull that holeshot," said Stewart. "The track was tough, but I haven't won in over a year, so I really wanted this one. I was even a little nervous out there but I want to thank everyone on my team for giving me such an awesome bike. This feels great."

On lap 9, Villopoto, who was mere bike lengths behind Stewart, fell but was able to remount in seconds and carry it to the finish.

"That section was tough all night," said Villopoto. "All the riders were pushing the limit on it and it got me. I was pushing James (Stewart) and waiting for a mistake, but I ended up being the one to make one. I still was able to do what I came here to do and leave with some valuable points. Now it's on to Dodger Stadium."

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Josh Hansen extended his winning streak to two last weekend and sits atop the points standing with a six point lead heading into Dodger Stadium this Saturday for the third race of the championship.

In the Supercross Lites class, it was another strong night for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Broc Tickle, of Holly, Mich., raced to the holeshot with Rockstar Energy Suzuki's Ryan Morais, of Murrieta, Calif., and his teammate Hansen, of Elbert, Colo., in tow. Tickle led for seven laps, but made a costly mistake by tipping the bike over in a turn. Hansen, who had moved into second at the time, took advantage of it and never looked back. Tickle remounted in third, but battled back for his second runner-up effort of the season with Morais rounding out the podium in third.

"I'm really stoked," exclaimed Hansen. "I didn't get the start I needed to, but I tried my best to be patient and it worked out for me. I want to thank everyone on my team for helping me out and giving me a good bike and all these fans for coming out."

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Ryan Dungey piloted his Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z450 to a fifth-place finish

Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey piloted his Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z450 to a fifth-place finish. Teammate Brett Metcalfe rode a strong race on his Suzuki as well, scoring an eighth-place finish in the 20-lap main event.

"We didn't have the best of days, but I'm proud of the entire Rockstar Makita Suzuki team," said Dungey. "We are in this together, whether they be good nights or those that don't get you a win. The track was real tricky tonight, with slick spots all over the place. It wasn't a track you could really push forward on. It was like we were riding on marbles in some turns. We are going right back to work this week. I'm looking forward to LA."

"Practices went pretty good," said Metcalfe. "I went into the heat race and got a bad start, but I was feeling pretty good and put in some good laps on my Suzuki. But then I missed a triple and lost my rhythm; ended up falling and got tight. So that was disappointing. My Rockstar Makita Suzuki team was able to make some changes to the bike that really helped me in the main. I didn't get a good start, but I was able to ride much more solid and my Suzuki was working really well. I'm happy with another eighth-place and we'll continue to make little improvements and get better as we go along. I'm really looking forward to next week at Dodger Stadium - I think it's going to be a real exciting venue."

American Honda Racing's Trey Canard recorded his first podium result of the season in Phoenix. Competing in his first full supercross season for the factory Honda squad, Canard raced his Yoshimura-equipped Honda CRF450R(r) to a third-place finish.

After finishing fifth in his heat race, Canard got away to a mid-pack start in the main and worked his way up to the number three spot by lap seven, where he remained until the race's end, keeping both Chad Reed and defending champ Ryan Dungey at bay. "I'm really happy to score a podium finish so early in the season, but I'm not necessarily happy with the way I rode tonight," said Canard. "There were a couple of sections that I just didn't nail and with the level of talent in this competition, I can't be messing sections up. The American Honda Racing team had my bike dialed in and my lap times were pretty good. I'm sure that as the season goes on and as I gain more experience in the supercross class, I will improve."

Honda Racing's Josh Grant was laying down solid laps on his Yoshimura-equipped CRF450R in his heat race when he was struck hard by another rider and went down. Determined to continue, Grant rejoined the competition but had to pull out to seek medical attention for an injured leg. "I'm bummed about getting hurt tonight," said Grant. "I had my knee evaluated by the trackside Asterisk medical crew and x-rays showed it wasn't broken so that's good. I'll have it checked by my doctor at home this week and take it from there."
On the lites side, Rockstar Energy Suzuki's Ryan Morais had a strong ride on his Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z250 in the 15-lap lites main event, finishing third. Teammate Martin Davalos finished ninth on his Suzuki.

"Practice started out a little slow, but I felt better than last week," said Morais. "The Rockstar Energy Suzuki team made a few changes to my bike for the main event and I got a great start, almost the hole-shot, and put myself in a good position, being really consistent, and tried not to make any mistakes because I know the track was really slick. I tried to be patient and let the race come to me. I ended up third. I'm happy. Hopefully this week leading up to LA I'll be able to ride more and just put more time on my Suzuki, and I think I'll be a lot better next weekend."

"I felt great on my Suzuki in practice," said Davalos. "I had a good heat race and felt like I was riding really well. In the main event, I just made a little mistake and it put me behind. I felt like I could have won. It was very disappointing, after a good practice and a great heat race, to have the problem in the main and end up ninth. Definitely something to take back home and work on, and come back to LA and try to win the race."
The next stop of the 2011 AMA/FIM Supercross Championship for the Yoshimura-backed teams is Saturday, January 22nd, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.

About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is "The Leader in Performance" and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit http://www.yoshimura-rd.com/.

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Stefan about Roczen in USA and the plans of the Red Bull KTM Factory team

We decided to give Stefan a call and ask him about Roczen in USA and also the plans of the Red Bull KTM Factory team leading into the 2011 season. Oh, also about his second child Mylee being born. MXlarge:

Stefan, congratulation on your new baby. How did it all go?Everts: It is kind of a funny date to be born; she was born on the first of the first 2011. We went to a New Years Eve party and around 3am we went home and Kelly didn’t feel well, around 3am we went to the hospital and then at 4.50 Mylee was born. She was nearly 4kg and was 55cm long. Kelly and Mylee are doing great. I had to make a trip to America for the Supercross and I really had trouble leaving, I had already fallen in love with my girl, she is so beautiful.

MXlarge: What about America, what is your opinion of how Ken Roczen is riding?Everts: I had planned to go the first two Supercross races, but I just went to the first one, I didn’t want to miss that. I think Ken just needs to relax a little, he is riding really excited and he needs to calm down. He can do it, without the big crowd and atmosphere is really fast. In the first round he had that crash in practice and that didn’t help, he just needs experience. He will still do the West Coast races we planned, we don’t like changing plans. As far as the Supercross races after Bulgaria, we will look at that later. MXlarge: What about the Mantova Starcross, I heard from one of your mechanic’s that you won’t be going. What will be the plan of the team for the pre-season?Everts: Mantova we won’t do, our first races will be the opening two rounds of the Italian Championship. We want to go there because those tracks will be the perfect preparation for the season. We don’t want to start too early, because it seems like we always start a little too early in the year and this time we will begin in the early part of March. We will for sure to do the first two rounds and then see, Jeffrey Herlings will do the Dutch Championship races.MXlarge: It’s a pity you won’t do Mantova, but with it clashing with Valence it seems like most teams won’t be there.Everts: The weekend of Mantova we have our photo shoot and other things in Spain. I feel sorry for Mantova, it’s a good race and they always have a good crowd and put on a really good race, but it’s too early and then the Italian Championship rounds start. Every year its three weeks too soon and we don’t want to start too early this year.Back to previous page

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Josh Hansen captured his fifth-career victory

In Anaheim,Josh Hansen captured his fifth-career victory and sits as the current points leader for the AMA Supercross Lites Western Region. The newly crowned Australian Super X champion is using his experience during the off-season to help stay in control of the current championship lead.

"I really think that racing in the off-season kept me on my game for this season," said Hansen. "I'm trying to not get ahead of myself and take it race by race, but I know I can be up there. Now I just need to keep putting in the hard work and see where I'm at this weekend."

Newest team member Tickle put his name on the map after leading eight laps and eventually taking second. His confidence is at an all-time high with his new team and looks to be one of Hansen's biggest competitors.
"It's amazing how comfortable I feel on this team," said Tickle. "Everyone here is behind me and wants me to be at my best. I really want to reward all their hard work with good results. I think that I can be up there every weekend, especially if I keep getting the starts I did in Anaheim."

In his first-ever supercross race, Rattray overcame a hard crash in practice to capture a podium finish in the main event. His hard work in the off-season paid off and he looks to continue his good results in Phoenix.
"I definitely made it harder on myself than I needed to in Anaheim after I crashed," said Rattray. "I was really happy with how the night ended, considering I wasn't even sure if I was going to race. My goal in Phoenix is to keep it on two wheels and I can hopefully improve on my results."

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team heads to Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. for the second round of the Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM Championship.


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The 12th day of the Personal Argentina Chile Dakar 2011

Like the day before, Chagin won to close in on his 7th title on the Dakar. The bike race was dominated by Marc Coma in spite of a last hurrah from a Cyril Despres hungry for time to regain. The Catalan biker wins his 5th special of the year and has a lead of more than 16 minutes in the general standings. - DAKAR 2011 News via Dakar.com

For this penultimate stage between San Juan and Cordoba, the organizers decided to send the trucks out first along a shorter route than the other competitors, covering the second half of the car, bike and quad special, for a total distance of 318 km. Just like the two previous days, Vladimir Chagin reigned supreme over the rest of the field. The Russian Kamaz driver picked up his 7th stage victory in 2011 and the 63rd of his career on the Dakar. Today, Chagin beat his team-mate Firdaus Kabirov by 1'05 and Spaniard Pep Vila (Iveco-De Rooy) by a little less than 5 minutes.

As a result, Chagin closes in on his 7th title. In the general standings, the "Tsar" possesses a very significant lead that stands at more than half an hour over Kabirov. The two men are followed by two other Kamaz drivers, Nikolaev, nearly 3 hours behind, and Mardeev, more than 5 and a half hours behind.

It was with the bit between his teeth and well aware that today would probably be his last chance that Cyril Despres set off this morning. With the disadvantage of opening the road, the KTM biker still manage to produce a festival of riding. His lead over the general standings leader Marc Coma even reached more than 2'30 after 240 km. Perhaps the Frenchman had in mind the misfortune suffered by the Catalan who lost everything in the space of a second whilst leading the race in 2007, hitting a tree near Tambacounda two days before the end of the rally.

However, there were no mishaps for Coma today. The general standings leader rode a clean special, looking after his machine and avoiding navigation errors before attacking on the stage's finish. As a result, the Spaniard made up for the time lost to Despres and won the special, his 5th since the start of the rally. It is his 16th stage triumph on the Dakar, one more than the late and lamented Richard Sainct. Behind this elite pair, Helder Rodrigues limited the damage in third position, more than 8 minutes behind the day's winner.

The other notable performance of the day came from American Quinn Cody on his Honda 450. The leading "rookie" on the Dakar picked up a fine 5th place just behind "Chaleco" Lopez. In the general standings, Marc Coma now holds a lead of 16'36 over Despres, nearly 1 hour over Lopez and 1 hour 42 minutes over.


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Daytona opener will be even more critical than usual

The testing for this year's Daytona opener will be even more critical than usual, as the famed high banks got repaved for the first time since 1978. Notable addition to the testing roster is Eric Bostrom aboard the recently announced Team Cycle World Attack Performance squad, which will campaign the redesigned ZX-10R in American SuperBike and the ZX-6R in the Daytona 200. Of the 53 riders listed, many names are aligned with new teams and manufacturers, including the addition of the BMW S1000RR in the mix. There is also a smattering of Buells still on the roster, with Geoff May keeping the Erik Buell racing effort alive in the American SuperBike class. A grand total of zero riders will be sourcing Honda machinery at the Daytona test. - MCUSA ED

A total of 53 riders have been confirmed for the upcoming AMA Pro Racing Daytona Tire test at the newly paved Daytona International Speedway.AMA Pro Racing and Dunlop Tire will be conducting a two-day test session at the newly resurfaced Daytona International Speedway on January 17 and 18. All four AMA Pro Road Racing classes will be participating in the first open test for the AMA Pro Road Racing competitors. A limited test was conducted this past December by Dunlop Tire and successfully paved the way for the first big open test of 2011.

An impressive 53 rider entry list has been set for the two-day test with 17 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike riders, 15 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike riders, 10 AMA Pro SuperSport riders and 11 AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series riders.

The test will begin at 12:00 noon on Monday, January 17th and run until 5:00 p.m. and then the riders will have a full day on the track on Tuesday, January 18th, running from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Highlighting the entry will be 2010 National Guard SuperBike Champion Josh Hayes with his Yamaha now sporting the coveted Number One plate. He will be joined by 2010 Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas, making his National Guard SuperBike debut on a Team M4 Suzuki. Also testing for the first time at Daytona in 2011 will be Tommy Hayden, Blake Young, Chris Ulrich, Geoff May, Chris Clark and others.

A number of riders will be making their debuts on new team or equipment combinations including Ben Bostrom, Larry Pegram, Eric Bostrom and the aforementioned Cardenas. Rejoining the AMA Pro series in 2011 is Roger Hayden.

The series will also be welcoming back Kawasaki to AMA Pro Road Racing for this year's Daytona round, the exciting new project that was announced earlier today will see Eric Bostrom riding the iconic green Kawasaki Ninjas at Daytona in both the SuperBike and Daytona SportBike classes with the Team Cycle World Attack Performance program.

Larry Pegram has made an equipment change, riding a BMW in this year's series.
Ben Bostrom will join Roger Hayden at the Jordan Motorsports team in a complete rider change for the team. Hayden will be riding the National Guard Suzuki and Bostrom will be aboard the famous number 23 Jordan Suzuki.

In the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike category, 15 riders will be testing the new racing surface. 2009 Daytona SportBike Champion Danny Eslick will be getting his first look at the new track surface and he will be joined by a number of new rider team/equipment combinations as well, including Dane Westby riding with Team M4 Suzuki, Taylor Knapp moving to Vesrah Suzuki alongside Cory West, and P.J. Jacobsen riding a Ducati for Celtic Racing with technical support from Fast by Ferracci. The series will also see the return of Jason DiSalvo, riding with Team Latus Motors.

AMA Pro 2010 SuperSport Young Gun East Division champion J.D. Beach will be making his debut in the Daytona SportBike class aboard the exciting new Kawasaki entry alongside Eric Bostrom as part of the Team Cycle World Attack Performance program with Kawasaki.

2010 AMA Pro SuperSport race winners Elena Myers and James Rispoli headline the 10 SuperSport bikes that will be testing at Daytona, getting their first look at the new asphalt, the second resurfacing in track history and the first since 1978.

Also running in SuperSport will be Eric Stump, Stefano Mesa, Miles Thornton and Michael Corbino among others.

The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series, which debuted last year in June at Road America, will be taking to the Daytona highbanks for the first time. Bolstered by another healthy addition to the prize money fund by Harley-Davidson, the test will see a strong 11 Harley-Davidson XR1200's take to the track next week. A number of familiar names will be riding the big twins including Michael Barnes, Kyle Wyman, Paul Schwemmer, Chris Fillmore and Clinton Seller. Making a welcome debut in road racing will be AMA Pro Flat Track star Joe Kopp with Team Latus Motors and he will joined by Chase McFarland on a second Latus XR1200. AMA Pro 2009 SuperSport Young Gun West Division Champion Ricky Parker will also be testing a XR1200.

Following the earlier limited testing this past December, Dunlop Tire engineers will be on hand to closely monitor the performance of the various new combinations. The previous test was quite successful with the new surface receiving many complements from not only the AMA Pro riders that participated but also from the other categories of motorsports that have tested on the amazingly smooth new surface.

The AMA Pro teams will return in March for the opening rounds of the 2011 season with the Daytona 200 Week activities beginning March 5th with the Daytona Supercross event. The AMA Pro Flat Track events at the DAYTONA Flat Track are scheduled for Thursday, March 10th and Friday, March 11th. The AMA Pro Road Racing activities begin Thursday, March 10th and the closing race of Bike Week this year will be the famous Daytona 200, which will be run during the day on Saturday, March 12th.

Live Timing & Scoring from the Dunlop Tire Test will be available for the duration of the two-day test at http://live.amaproracing.com.

Please visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com for more schedule and ticket information and also www.amaproracing.com for testing results and information. Once again the 2011 AMA Pro Road racing season will be seen on SPEED TV, please visit www.speedtv.com for more information.

Full Test Participant List

National Guard SuperBike
David Anthony (Suzuki)
Ben Bostrom (Suzuki)
Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki)
Jordan Burgess (Suzuki)
Martin Cardenas (Suzuki)
Chris Clark (Yamaha)
Roger Hayden (Suzuki)
Tommy Hayden (Suzuki)
Eric Haugo (Suzuki)
Josh Hayes (Yamaha)
Geoff May (Buell)
Gary Orr (BMW)
Larry Pegram (BMW)
Jeremy Toye (BMW)
Chris Trounson (Suzuki)
Chris Ulrich (Suzuki)
Blake Young (Suzuki)

Daytona SportBike
Paul Allison (Yamaha)
Tommy Aquino (Yamaha)
J.D. Beach (Kawasaki)
Jason Disalvo (Ducati)
Danny Eslick (Suzuki)
P.J. Jacobson (Ducati)
Taylor Knapp (Suzuki)
Barrett Long (Ducati)
Pat Mooney (Buell)
Reese Wacker (Suzuki)
Cory West (Suzuki)
Dane Westby (Suzuki)
Russ Wikle (Suzuki)
Santiago Villa (Suzuki)
TBA (Yamaha)


SuperSport
Emerson Connor (Ducati)
Michael Corbino (Yamaha)
Mark McCormick (Yamaha)
David McPherson (Yamaha)
Stefano Mesa (Yamaha)
Jake Mormon (Yamaha)
Elena Myers (Suzuki)
James Rispoli (Suzuki)
Eric Stump (Yamaha)
Miles Thornton (Yamaha)
Vance & Hines XR1200
Michael Barnes
Michael Corbino
Chris Fillmore
Matt Heidel
Joe Kopp
Chase McFarland
Ricky Parker
Paul Schwemmer
Clinton Sellers
Gerry Signorelli
Kyle Wyman


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TiLUBE Racing started the SX racing season

TiLUBE Racing started the SX racing season strong with both Matt Boni #50 and new team member, Manuel Rivas #921 in the second heat race of the night. As everyone got sorted out in the first few hectic laps, Boni secured an 8th place qualifying position while Rivas was on the bubble. At the end of the heat Boni transferred to the main and Rivas was forced to go to a very stacked Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ).
In the LCQ Rivas did not get the start he needed to be up front early on. He eventually finished outside of the top two and did not make the main event. Although Rivas had a very short amount of time on the bike (due to the fact he was a last minute replacement rider for the injured Matt Goerke), he reported that he was very comfortable and felt he had everything he needed to do well this season.

In the main event Boni started mid-pack and fought his way past a couple riders before a racing incident forced him off the track for a split second. This gave a few riders an opportunity to get around him but the battle continued. It was a fight to the end for Boni and he finished an eventual 18th.

"Going into the opening round you have to set realistic goals. We met some of those goals and have some additional things to work on. Overall I am very happy with our performance this week," says the TiLUBE Racing team manager Tony Wenck.

The TiLUBE Racing team's next event is Saturday, January 15th, at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ.
TiLUBE Racing team sponsorships include Brown Motorsports, Foremost Insurance, Babbitts Online, TiFUEL, Wiseco, GPS Suspension, Dr. D Racing Development, AXO, Carrier Air Conditioning, Dunlop, RK Excel, Fusion Graphixx, K&N Filters, SDG, QTM, UFO, Vortex, G2 Ergonomics, Pit Posse, Crank Works, Tamer, Pit Pass Radio, D1H, Tuf Racing Products, ODI Grips, Concepts in Aluminum, Mandingo Pickles, and Podium Ink.

About TiLUBE Racing
TiLUBE Racing is a professional Supercross team owned by TiLUBE LLC. The focus of the team is to prove the product line capabilities in racing situations and promote the high end powersports chemical and fuel products. All TiLUBE products are dyno and race tested before they are offered to end consumers. All TiLUBE products offer engine protection in extreme conditions and outperform the manufactures requirements. TiLUBE oils and race fuels can be found at fine retailers across the U.S. For more info on TiLUBE products and race support log on to www.TiLUBE.com

About Foremost Insurance
Foremost Insurance is part of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies(r), Foremost Insurance Group ("Foremost") has been a leader in personal lines insurance since 1952. Foremost is headquartered in Caledonia, Michigan. Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be.  Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group.  The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders, and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.


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Villopoto opened the 2011 season of the Monster Energy Supercross at Angel Stadium

At Anaheim's Angel Stadium, Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Josh Hansen, of Elbert, Colo., lead their respective divisions as the championship heads into Phoenix's Chase Field this Saturday for the second race of the season.

Villopoto opened the 2011 season last weekend in front of a sold out crowd at Angel Stadium to lock in his 10th Supercross class career victory. Villopoto kicked off the main event trailing holeshot victor and Dodge/Hart & Huntington Kawasaki's Ivan Tedesco. With three laps in, Villopoto managed to muscle his way to the front and held this leading position for the remaining 17 laps.

"This is a nice way to start out the season," said Villopoto. "Starting out this way makes things much easier. I hope I can start putting together some more wins and a championship this year."

Defending Monster Energy Supercross champion Ryan Dungey of Belle Plaine, Minn., finished second overall, two seconds ahead of San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart. Despite a rough mid-pack start, Stewart charged through the field and by lap 12 had worked his way from 15th place to third, eventually moving on to secure a podium position.



"I got off to a decent start and had to play some catch up out there," said Dungey. "During the week, I'm going to work hard to get ready for Phoenix. I'm glad that I put my Suzuki up on the box tonight."
"I almost went down a few times," said Stewart. "Next week, I'll work on my starts and be prepared for Phoenix. I tried my best to get up there. Once I got into third, I tried to make up some time on Ryan (Dungey) but ran out of laps."

As the gates dropped on the Western Regional Supercross Lites class championship, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's newest addition, Broc Tickle, of Holly, Mich., opened the main event by capturing the holeshot. Tickle held the lead for eight laps, but his teammate Hansen stalked closely, eventually making a firm pass on lap nine at the finish line. Hansen seized the lead and went on to bring home a season-opening victory for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad. His teammates, Tickle and Tyla Rattray, of Wildomar, Calif., followed suit by securing second and third overall, respectively. Hansen's victory brought Kawasaki's overall Supercross Lites class wins in Anaheim to 22.



"I'm happy to be here and get back on my feet and head down the right path," said Hansen. I have a great crew around me, and I am really excited about tonight. I have a lot of people to thank for sticking by me. I'm excited for the season."

Last year during the 2010 Monster Energy Supercross Phoenix stop, Dungey won his first career Supercross class victory en route to taking the points lead. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Jake Weimer, of Rupert, Idaho, captured his second straight AMA Supercross Lites Western Regional victory.

The first Supercross class race was held at this venue on January 23, 1999, with Jeremy McGrath winning on a Yamaha. Nathan Ramsey won the first Supercross Lites class race in Phoenix while riding for Kawasaki. Five-time Supercross class champion Ricky Carmichael holds the all-time win record in Phoenix with four. With a win this weekend, Stewart can tie Carmichael's record in Phoenix.

SPEED will broadcast the AMA Supercross class and the AMA Supercross Lites class live at 9:30 p.m. EST/6:30 p.m. PST

Tickets are available at the Chase Field Box Office, all Ticketmaster retail locations, charge by phone at (800) 745-3000, SupercrossOnline.com, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Practice and qualifying begins at 12:30 p.m., and the main event begins at 7:00 p.m. Club Level tickets are $65 Adult/Child; Gold Circle $42 Adult/Child; Mid-Level $30 Adults / $10 Child; SuperValue $22 Adult / $10 Child; Treadhead $10. Fans can also get into the Pits for FREE from 12:30 - 6 PM Race Day when they recycle a MONSTER Energy Can at the stadium Pit Entrance (valid only with event ticket).

Supercross Class Results: Anaheim 1
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
5. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda
6. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
7. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
8. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
9. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda
10. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki - 25
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki - 22
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha - 20
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda - 18
5. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda - 16
6. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda - 15
7. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki - 14
8. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki - 13
9. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda - 12
10. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM - 11
Supercross Lites Class Western Regional Results: Anaheim 1
1. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
2. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki
3. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki
4. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
5. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda
6. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
7. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
9. Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha
10. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
Supercross Lites Class Western Regional Season Standings
1. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki - 25
2. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki - 22
3. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki - 20
4. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki - 18
5. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda - 16
6. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki - 15
7. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM - 14
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda - 13
9. Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha - 12
10. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda - 11


For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com.

Never miss out on the latest news! Follow the Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook and Twitter! Log on to http://www.facebook.com/supercrosslive and http://twitter.com/supercrosslive today!

About Feld Motor Sports(r)
Feld Motor Sports(r), Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam(r), Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz(tm), and IHRA(r) Nitro Jam(r).  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world's largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

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2011 MOTOGP partnership by Diesel and Ducati

The 2011 MOTOGP season through this partnership will find Diesel’s logo appearing on the bikes’ fairings and tailpieces, and on the sleeves of the race suits and clothing worn by Ducati Marlboro Team’s incomparable champions, Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, who are ready to take to the track and compete for the premier-class title.

The agreement was signed by Renzo Rosso, President and Founder of Diesel, and Gabriele del Torchio, President of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A., for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The first step will be to feature the unmistakable Diesel mohawk head on the bikes and rider suits, a testimony of the commitment between the two companies. Following this initial phase, the coming months will see these two prestigious brands joining forces in additional projects and initiatives, coordinated on Diesel’s side by Stefano Rosso, Renzo’s son, who is responsible for the brand’s overall strategic alliances. A passion for racing and the Ducati brand are nothing new for Renzo Rosso. The Diesel logo appeared on a desmodromic motorcycle in 1990, when Ducati earned its first World Superbike crown with rider Raymond Roche.

“I’ve always been a Ducati fan,” said Renzo Rosso. “I’ve been following them during the years and I currently drive a Monster S4R testastretta and a Streetfighter. I am proud of the appreciation that the brand has gained all over the world, both in terms of design and performance. This season in particular is extraordinary, with the arrival of Valentino Rossi the association between our brands is perfectly in line with our “Only the Brave” philosophy!”

“I’m particularly proud of and pleased with this new partnership, which adds up to other significant collaborations we’ve made heading into this new sporting challenge,” said Gabriele del Torchio. “To be joined by a ‘Made in Italy’ icon like Diesel, and to have the personal support of a superfan like Renzo Rosso, can only bring additional motivation and credibility to the Ducati Marlboro Team and its great riders.”

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Racing Motocross

Each year, Glen Helen Raceway, Southern California’s biggest, fastest and most challenging motocross track hosts the MTA Vet World Championships. The race is open to both men and women, regardless of skill level, with the only requirement being that you’re over the age of 30 (there is a 25-plus class on Saturday).

The event attracts racers from all over the globe. We saw racers competing from Mexico and Sweden just to name a few countries.We competed in Sunday’s 30-plus Novice class.

One of the best things about racing motocross is how simple it is as compared to other forms of motorcycle racing i.e. road racing. Bike prep wise you don’t really have to do much besides making sure your bike’s topped off on fluids, the air filter isn’t too dirty, and setting the tire pressure. While you don’t necessarily need a brand-new set of tires we fitted a fresh set of Dunlop’s affordable Geomax MX51 intermediate terrain tires to make sure we couldn’t make any lame excuses if we sucked it up on track.

It’s also worth noting how much easier it is to set-up your bike. Compared to street bikes, its way easier to dial-in your suspension settings and once you find a setting that works you don’t need to spent a lot of time making adjustments for different tracks and/or tires. This allows you to focus more time on riding. Lastly, racing motocross is more affordable with a race entry fees only costing $45 for the majority of classes.

On race day there typically is one quick practice in order for you to check out track conditions and scout out ruts and race lines. However, it isn’t enough time for you to get comfortable with the layout so if you’ve never ridden at GH it’s a good idea to hit up the track on Thursday or Friday before a big race weekend to acclimate yourself to the track because Glen Helen is all about speed. It’s the only track that I know where you actually use top gear on a 450. Therefore it’s important to have a bike that not only gets up and goes, but has strong brakes and stiff yet plush suspension.

MOTO 1
The start of a motocross race is my favorite part of the race. There is just something exciting about lining up with a bunch of other like-minded motorcycling maniacs before drag racing down a straightaway and into Turn 1 in hopes of emerging first. It is pure adrenaline overload and I love it. A total of 26 riders were in my class so the starting gate wasn’t totally full yet there were enough riders to ensure some decent bar banging action.

Similar to many other Southern California tracks, Glen Helen employs a concrete starting gate. While some prefer conventional dirt starts I actually dig concrete starts as it levels the playing field and makes it so the person with the fastest motorcycle won’t necessarily get the holeshot due to the slippery surface of the concrete.

Getting a good start off concrete is all about smooth and gentle launches in order to avoid spinning the rear tire. And that’s where the smooth bottom-end power of the Yoshimura-tuned engine and fantastic clutch action courtesy of the upgraded Hinson componentry helped considerably.


When the gate dropped I slipped off the concrete and onto the dirt gently without much wheel spin. As soon as I hit the dirt I pinned the throttle and started banging on the gear shift lever up through the gearbox.

Immediately apparent is how much smoother it switches between each cog courtesy of the special In-house Superfinishing (ISF) process. ISF is a special friction-reducing coating that is applied to moving parts, in this case the transmission gears. It’s similar in effect to hand-polishing but it’s far less labor intensive which makes it much more cost effective than ever before. This helps make each gear mesh more smoothly and allows the transmission to operate more freely.

I started to tangle with another rider as I entered Turn 1 which caused me to let off the gas and hesitate for a second which made me lose a few spots but I was still inside the top-5 as we leapt off the first table top and into Turn 2. The guys running first and second opened a bit of a gap on me and I was basically riding by myself for the majority of the race.

My race was one of the earlier ones in the day so the track wasn’t very rough yet. Even still the performance of the Noleen-tuned suspension really made the bike easy to ride. Believing that the front end spring rate was a bit soft in our original review, Noleen fitted slightly stiffer fork springs (0.48 kg/mm versus 0.47 stockers.)
Although it wasn’t a drastic change the bike felt quite a bit different when you were speeding downhill. The bike had a much more level chassis pitch and always felt like it had extra suspension stroke when large bumps were encountered downhill. In fact, given the limited amount of track time with the new set-up I never got the confidence to really maximize the added damping ability of the fork. Still it was a welcome change compared to before.

I ended up taking a fifth place finish but was well out of sight of the four guys in front of me so I was going to have to find some more speed in the second moto.

MOTO 2
The start of the second moto was almost identical to the first one. I got onto the dirt well and powered passed folks before letting off a bit early into Turn 1. Even still I was toward the front. I made a couple passes right away and was now in third position. I managed to stay with the two front guys this time and followed them for the next two laps.

At one point it almost felt like I was cheating considering how quickly I caught up to them courtesy of the insane amount of power that the Yosh-tuned engine pumps out. While bottom-end is actually a bit softer as compared to stock, the mid-range and top-end engine performance is unreal. And when you combine that with the phenomenal traction of the Dunlop rear tire I could achieve some pretty outrageous drives up GH’s near vertical hill climbs. Equally as pleasing was the outright power of the oversized front brake which made slowing down from warp speed a simple affair.

Within a few moments I was within striking distance. As I came around a slow flat 180-degree turn toward the back of the track I didn’t stay in the rut and ended up tipping over. The bike didn’t stall but I was now a few seconds behind the leaders. I hastily started sprinting again anxious to try and catch back up. I was hitting all my lines and everything was good until I stared motoring up the first hill. I was in second gear and had a decent amount of momentum but when I hit the uphill ledge jump I swapped out in the air. I immediately thought ‘oh my God I’m going to crash’ and instead of keeping my weight forward and the throttle pinned I high-sided and ended up landing on my head.

If you crash at this part of the track you’re in trouble as riders can’t see you as they jump up off the ledge. I immediately picked up my bike and tried to wheel it off track, however it’s so steep here that I struggled.

Fortunately I was so far ahead of the fourth place person that I already had the bike re-fired as they came around, but I was forced to take a long detour down and around the hill in order to get back on track due to the position where I crashed. I bent my handlebar in the crash so it took me a while to get comfortable again on the bike and I actually almost crashed again going down the second hill. I ended up nursing it back home in 18th place in Moto 2 and ended up 10th overall. It wasn’t the result I wanted but that’s what happens when you hit the ground when you’re racing. Moral of the story is stay up on two wheels at all costs!

All said and done I am beyond impressed with the performance of our Yamaha project bike. Not only is it ridiculously fast it is by far one of the easiest dirt bike’s I’ve ever ridden. From its smooth powerband to its supple suspension performance it proves that with a few modifications you can get your bike dialed for racing motocross.


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The TiLUBE Race team will be fielding two 450 riders

The TiLUBE Race team will be fielding two 450 riders, Matt Boni and Matt Goerke, on their Brown Motorsport race-prepared Kawasaki's.

Foremost first started working with TiLUBE Racing and Nick Wey in 2010. Foremost's initially became involved with Supercross when they sponsored individual SX/MX riders, Justin Brayton and Tarah Gieger. In off-road racing for 2011 Foremost Insurance will be sponsoring Josh Strang (the 2010 GNCC XC1 Champion), the Spinechillers.

"We are very pleased to be working with Foremost Insurance again this season. Our team posted solid results last year with Nick Wey and we are prepared to step up our program this year fielding two riders in the premiere 450 class. We appreciate the vote of confidence and look forward to growing the marketing partnership with Foremost Insurance in the future. I would also like to thank Ed Kuhlenkamp with Adrenaline Konnections for helping to structure the deal and his help with marketing the team," Tony Wenck, TiLUBE Racing Team Manager and co-owner of Pit Pass Radio.

TiLUBE Racing team sponsorships include Brown Motorsports, Foremost Insurance, Babbitts Online, TiFUEL, Wiseco, GPS Suspension, Dr. D Racing Development, AXO, Carrier Air Conditioning, Dunlop, RK Excel, Fusion Graphixx, K&N Filters, SDG, QTM, UFO, Vortex, G2 Ergonomics, Pit Posse, Crank Works, Tamer, Pit Pass Radio, D1H, Tuf Racing Products, ODI Grips, Concepts in Aluminum, Mandingo Pickles, and Podium Ink.

About TiLUBE Racing
TiLUBE Racing is a professional Supercross team owned by TiLUBE LLC. The focus of the team is to prove the product line capabilities in racing situations and promote the high end powersports chemical and fuel products. All TiLUBE products are dyno and race tested before they are offered to end consumers. All TiLUBE products offer engine protection in extreme conditions and outperform the manufactures requirements. TiLUBE oils and race fuels can be found at fine retailers across the U.S. For more info on TiLUBE products and race support log on to www.TiLUBE.com

About Foremost Insurance
Foremost Insurance is part of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies(r), Foremost Insurance Group ("Foremost") has been a leader in personal lines insurance since 1952. Foremost is headquartered in Caledonia, Michigan. Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be.  Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group.  The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders, and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information about Farmers, visit www.Farmers.com or www.Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance


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Grant Langston career as a professional Dirt Bike Gear

Throughout Grant Langston career as a professional Dirt Bike Gear motorcycle racer,he seen his share of highs and lows both on and off the racetrack. He has been one of the few racers that have achieved the sheer variety of racing championships and titles. He’s conquered the 125cc World Championship, both the East and West 125c AMA Supercross and Motocross series, AMA Supermoto Unlimited and most recently an AMA Motocross Championship in ’07.

The lows came soon after when his son, Devon, was diagnosed with autism. More bad news came when he began having vision problems which eventually would be identified as a melanoma in his left eye. Not only did this compromise his career but his life if untreated. In the years since, Cool G is on the road to recovery and even raced Supercross this year under the J-Law racing banner until a humongous crash at Daytona prematurely ended his season.

At the end of this summer he officially announced his retirement but still managed to race a few international events including the recently held Bercy Supercross (find out more in the 2010 Bercy Supercross Results). In addition to his Southern California-based Langston Motorsports dealership, he has formed the Langston Racing Academy in which he’ll coach persons looking to become better at the sport that has given him so much over the years.

We recently had the opportunity to talk with Langston at Milestone Motocross Park where he was a guest of Yamaha for the 2011 Yamaha YZ two-stroke press event. In our multi-part conversation (read part one in the Grant Langston AMA Supercross Interview) we talked about a range of different subjects and we have divided it into a three-part interview that will be coming out in anticipation to the start off the 2011 AMA Supercross season in Anaheim, California on January 8, 2011.

HIS TYPICAL WORK WEEK (LANGSTON OWNS LANGSTON MOTORSPORTS, A MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHP IN PERRIS, CALIFORNIA):


I do a lot of meetings and discussions and things behind the scenes. I’m not always physically in the store selling bikes or writing-up purchases. I go in there because most people come in and see me at work and they want to come in for an autograph. Sometimes my parents will say Grant will be there Friday and my mom will call me and say: “hey I’ve told like five people that you’re coming in Friday. What time can you come in?”
I’ve also been doing the coaching stuff and just been working on trying to sell property, sell this, organize that. It’s so weird—you put off so much stuff when you’re racing because it isn’t your priority then you get to a point when you’re like, I need to solve all this. Like I said, cleaning out the garage and closets, and I’ve even started packing boxes getting ready to move.

PRICING STRUCTURE AT HIS NEW COACHING SCHOOL (LANGSTON RACING ACADEMY): 

It depends. If it’s just a private lesson it’s going to cost more. If you bring a friend or a small group and I can work with them. That way it’s not killing people financially, but it’s also worth my while. A tank of gas to the track and back with lunch is like $50 to $60 already. When people are like ‘how about $100 for a lesson’, you don’t want to be rude and say it’s not worth my while, but that’s why I say bring a friend then it becomes worth it. A lot of people struggle with money and coaching is typically pretty heavy for someone so I try and work with people.

WHY HE BEGAN COACHING:

I enjoy it, the kid enjoy it half the time they just want to ask questions like is Ryan Dungey cool? Or what was it like racing with Chad [Reed]? And the parents always feel like they’re getting something out of it too. At the end of the day I’m not stroking my own ego but I do believe that I’m very good at coaching. I’ve been through it. I’ve ridden a lot of bikes all over the world. I really have a diverse background whether it’s sand, hard pack, Supercross, outdoor.

I enjoy when people enjoy receiving the knowledge. You feel important and that you’re helping someone. I get a kick out of it and it’s something I really want to do because I’m not an office guy. I want to be out in the sun with a hat on outside at the track. That’s what I enjoy, that’s what I grew up with. I want to keep pursuing that and hope that will become something that is taking up my time and keeps me busy because that’s important. I’m at that stage where I’m getting bored and that’s not a good thing because I either spend money or half a little too much casual drinking time [smiles].

HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE ’11 SUPERCROSS SEASON:
 
What I’m excited about is I think there are a handful of guys that genuinely believe they can win. And it’s been a long time since we’ve had that. I really believe that we’re going have… we’ve said this in years past but it has the making to be one of the best series ever. There is a lot of depth and a lot of guys that can win. I hope no one gets hurt because unfortunately that took away a little bit from the series.

I think it’s going to be a good year for many reasons. People have been saying things about James [Stewart] and where his heart is. For him it’s a chance to come back and say I’m still James Stewart. For Ryan Dungey I think he can go and show ‘hey, I won last year, it wasn’t my fault they got hurt and I can do it again when they’re here.’ For [Ryan] Villopoto I think he believes that he could have or should have won so now he has an opportunity to redeem himself. And for Chad [Reed], he has a chip on his shoulder. A lot of people are thinking he might get his ass handed to him. So knowing him, he’s feeding off that. He’s at home mad. Just doing motos and pounding laps and going for it—he’s a hard worker too. That right there for me says we’re in for a treat. And not taking away from any of the other guys you’ve got a lot of guys going fast: [Justin] Brayton, [Josh} Grant, [Davi] Millsaps, [Andrew] Short, [Austin] Stroupe, [Nick] Wey… then you have some euro guys.


Unfortunately [Marvin] Musquin (2010 MX2 World Champion) just got hurt. It would have good to see him at Anaheim 1. It would have been cool to have a World Championship move over straight into Supercross. The last time that happened was with me in 2001. So I just think it would have been cool to see what changed in 10 years since. Are the euros good enough to cut it? He’s talented. The French guys tend to take to Supercross pretty well. They have a Supercross series and they’re guys in the south of France with Supercross tracks. So they get to ride on them at a younger age. I’d like to see Cairoli over here at some point. I think he has a little work to do in Supercross but in outdoor the guys a four-time world champion—he can ride. I think the series has the making to be awesome.

Now I feel like a fan from the outside that is going to watching and cheering. I look forward to it and I hope we don’t get let down with injuries because that really does take the fun out of it. That’s why I’ve tried to talk to Feld Entertainment about having a better system when guys are complaining to multiple people with different opinions. There needs to be a better chain of command. There are and were certain things that should have been fixed that could have prevented injuries that were discussed beforehand.

That’s why so many people got so bent out of shape because they kind of felt like nothing was done when really it just got lost in translation. I hope to help them a little bit with developing a better system. If we can keep the tracks safe—I’m not talking about making the tracks easy—but run-off area, tuff-blocks where they should be, where they shouldn’t. Should they be staked in? Or should they roll off when bumped? There are a lot of little things that people don’t really look into. And if you do all this stuff and keep guys out on the track. People out there might not have the money to buy a dirt bike but they’ve got $30 to go watch a race and if you keep the series exciting and have lots of guys that can win you’re going to have sold out stadiums and better ratings which will in-turn bring in outside corporate money which is going to really help the sport...
Stay tuned for the third part of our exclusive interview with Langston next week.

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Josh Demuth's premature end to defending his crown hit headlines

Just a few weeks ago, the news of three-time and reigning AMA Arenacross Series Champion Josh Demuth's premature end to defending his crown hit headlines. After putting forth an exceptional effort to fend off his Babbitt's Monster Energy/TiLube Kawasaki presented by Maxxis teammates in addition to leading the most dominant performance by a single team in series history, Demuth suffered a wrist injury during preparation for his 2011 defense.

With only a handful of weeks to the start of the season, Demuth's return before this Saturday's premiere round from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., is out of the question. In fact, his return to racing at all in 2011 is currently up in the air. As a result, last year's championship podium finishers in Chad Johnson and Tyler Bowers, in addition to 2009 Champion Jeff Gibson, assumed the role of title favorites.

This trio of riders are no strangers to success. Johnson is a two-time AMA Arenacross Series Champion in his own right and returns to the Babbitt's stable for a chance at tying his good friend Demuth with a threesome of number one plates.

With a series-leading nine victories, Bowers appeared well on his way to the 2010 title, but misfortune struck the future star with just two rounds remaining. As a result, he was unable to compete in the final two rounds, instead watching his pair of teammates battle for the crown from the sidelines. There isn't a rider in the AMA Arenacross Series in 2011 with more unfinished business than Bowers.

Just one year after bursting onto the AMA Arenacross Series scene with an incredible championship run during his first full season on the circuit, Gibson found frustration in 2010. While he managed to be the only rider in the series to challenge the Babbitt's powerhouse on a weekly basis, it was a down season by Gibson's standards. However, after a full season of adjustment to the 450cc bike, he is back with TUF Honda ready to rebound.

In addition to Johnson, Bowers and Gibson, a bevy of talented up and comers combined with series veterans are all eager to throw their names into the mix. Nathan Skaggs and Zach Ames of the Foremost Insurance/Spinechillers/Honda Fairfield Racing team have been breakout stars over the past two seasons.

Both have captured coveted victories in the AMA Arenacross class and alongside a fully healthy teammate in Willy Browning, should be able to make a serious run for the title.

Several other veterans will also look to be in the mix, including Demuth's replacement at Babbitt's for the 2011 season in experienced rider Gray Davenport. His familiarity with Kawasaki is longstanding and he should adjust to the bike well. Joining Davenport are fellow well known riders like Jim Neese, Robbie Reynard and the 2011 Team Faith lineup of Kevin Johnson and Kelly Smith.

A new team could potentially make some noise in the premier division thanks to a pair of talented brothers. Both Daniel and Vincent Blair have made a name for themselves as talented privateer riders on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, schedule, but for 2011, they are shifting their focus to the AMA Arenacross Series. The newly-formed MainEventRock.com Honda team will give the California boys a chance to translate their skills onto the intimate confines of arenacross.

As always, the exciting AMA Arenacross Lites class will accompany the big bikes at all 14 stops of the championship. Divided into West and East regions, the AMA Arenacross Lites championships pit the youngest and most talented arenacross riders in the country head-to-head. Last season, a pair of new faces in Daniel Aulsaybrook and A.J. Catanzaro grabbed their first taste of glory at the professional level by taking the respective regional crowns for MMCR/GPF Kawasaki. This season, MMCR/GPF Kawasaki will be focusing its efforts on the AMA Arenacross class title with Aulsaybrook and its newest addition of former AMA Arenacross Lites Regional Champion Dave Ginolfi leading the way. With a new lineup of future talent ready to bring fans to their feet, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top on season's end in each region of the AMA Arenacross Lites class.

No matter how things play out over the course of the next three and a half months, it is sure to be exciting. The AMA Arenacross Series is one of the most unique forms of racing on the planet and it is guaranteed to produce fireworks. It all kicks off in just a few days from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Saturday, January 8 starting at 7:30 p.m. ET!

For more information on the 2011 AMA Arenacross Series, log on to www.Arenacross.com. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.

Never miss out on the latest news! Follow the AMA Arenacross Series on Facebook and Twitter! Log on to http://www.facebook.com/AMAarenacross and http://twitter.com/arenacross today!

About Feld Motor Sports(r)
Feld Motor Sports(r), Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam(r), Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz, and IHRA(r) Nitro Jam(r).  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world's largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.



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