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FIM Off Road Awards celebration entertains Franciacorta’s paddock

Posted by: TFS on Oct 05, 2009

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TFS

FIM Off Road Awards celebration entertains Franciacorta’s paddock

FRANCIACORTA (ITALY), 4 October 2009 – This year’s edition of the Off Road Awards got underway yesterday at the end of the opening day of the Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations.

 

The prize giving for the Motocross Champions unveiled to be a show within the show as the invited guests enjoyed the festive celebration and gala dinner at the end of a great day of racing.

 

The proceedings started off at 18.30 with the prize giving in Franciacorta’s paddock where a massive crowd was offered the show for the first time. For all the fans attending it was their sole time to see their Champions walk up a stage in glamorous style and receive an award in a completely different context than the Grand Prix paddocks or tracks.

 

MX1 World Champion Cairoli opened up the proceedings by offering his shirt and helmet to Dr. Rocco Crimi, Italian Secretary of Sport-the gift was collected in his behalf by Italian Senator Mr. Giovanni Torri, to Mr. Svilen Neykov, the Bulgarian Minister of Sports, and to Mr. Mareks Seglins, the Latvian Minister of Justice.

 

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Cairoli hands Mr. Torri his gear

 

FIM President Mr. Vito Ippolito, Youthstream President Mr. Giuseppe Luongo and FIM/CMS President Dr. Wolfgang Srb presented the medals and plates to the awarded personalities on the stage with thrilling video clips being run in between each group of awarded personalities.

 

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The awarded personalities and the officials

 

After the prize giving was completed the Youthstream’s guests moved to the VIP area for the gala dinner, where the participants could eat the best specialties of European cuisine prepared by the professional chefs of the Pit Lounge Restaurant.

 

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A moment of the dinner

 

During the dinner several surprise gifts were handed out.

 

Dr. Srb received a special book of the Italian Senate by Senator Torri.

 

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Srb, Torri and the book

 

Mr. Luongo received a unique painting by Rob Kinsey featuring a scene of the Maggiora MXoN in 1986 in the likes of the last lap Johnson/Bailey parade of the final heat . Ricky Johnson himself helped in presenting the masterpiece.

 

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Kinsey, Johnson and Luongo reminded the guests of the 1986 MXoN

 

Before the night finished, a special cake was handed to former Motocrosser Danny Magoo Chandler who will turn 50 on Monday, October 5.

 

 

The list of the awarded personalities includes:

 

MOTOCROSS

  • MX1 World Champion – Antonio Cairoli
  • MX2 World Champion – Marvin Musquin
  • MX3 World Champion – Pierre Alexandre Renet
  • Women’s World Champion – Stephanie Laier
  • Veterans’ World Cup Winner – Mats Nilsson
  • 125cc Junior World Champion – Eli Tomac
  • 85cc Junior World Champion – Jay Wilson
  • Veteran’s World Cup Winner – Mats Nilsson
  • “Jan De Groot” Award –  Ken Roczen
  • MX1 Manufacturer World Champion - Yamaha
  • MX2 Manufacturer World Champion - KTM
  • MX3 Manufacturer World Champion - Honda
  • MX1 Winning Team – Yamaha Red Bull De Carli
  • MX2 Winning Team – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
  • MX3 Winning Team – Team Honda
  • Motocross MX1/MX2 Best Organizer – Bulgaria, Sevlievo
  • Motocross MX3 Best Organizer – Bulgaria, Troyan
  • Motocross Best Infrastructure Special Award – Benelux, Lierop
  • Motocross MX1/MX2 Best Cooperation – Belgium, Lommel
  • Motocross MX1/MX2 Development – Czech Republic, Loket
  • Motocross MX3 Best Cooperation – Czech Republic, Holice

 

SPECIAL AWARDS

  • Lifetime Career Award – “The Dream Team” of Ricky Johnson, Johnny O’Mara, David Bailey
  • Lifetime Career Award – Georges Jobe
  • Journalist of the year – Harald Englert (Speedweek)
  • Photographer of the year – Nuno Laranjeira (Freelance)
  • Website of the year – MX Large owned by Geoff Meyer

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

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USA wins 20th Chamberlain Trophy at record breaking Red Bull FIM MXoN

Posted by: TFS on Oct 05, 2009

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TFS

USA wins 20th Chamberlain Trophy at record breaking Red Bull FIM MXoN

FRANCIACORTA (ITALY), 4 October 2009 – An eventful Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations got underway today, with Team USA winning and home Team Italy being hit by bad luck.

 

Debutants Ryan Dungey and Jake Weimer, together with MXoN veteran Tedesco, handed the USA their 20th Chamberlain Trophy as the Nation remains the most successful at this event. France was second on the podium courtesy of Frossard, Musquin and Paulin, with the latter crashing in the final heat and dropping the squad off the first step of the podium.

Belgium completed the podium with Desalle, Roelants and Ramon.

Germany and Great Britain rounded off the top five ahead of unlucky Italy.

 

With an entry list of 37 National Teams and a crowd of 90000 weekend spectators this Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations unveiled to be the best of all times at the end of a fantastic weekend of racing and general entertainment offered to the many passionate fans. 

Giuseppe Luongo, the President of Youthstream, said: “This has been a fantastic success, it is a dream come true. We wanted to run the Nations on a permanent facility with a direct involvement of Youthstream, we wanted to show the level we would like this kind of race to be at, we wanted to show we can do a good job and we can exploit the structures we have, and we did all that. Our goal is to gather as many spectators as we can but we have to offer them a great show, services, all every major sport has for their spectators. In the year of the well known economic crisis we managed to increase the number of spectators and of nations attending the event. This is the Nations of the records and it looks a bit strange when it comes in the year of the crisis. Though this happened because we continued to believe and invest in our sport instead of cutting all budgets, we actually took the opposite direction. We believe this is one of the times when you have to work even hard er and invest even more. If you see all the greatest things in the world, they have been done in the most difficult moments. When life is hard there is just one single action to take: just look forward and keep going. Motocross is an exceptional sport and deserves even better than this, we will make that happen too.”

 

Dr. Wolfgang Srb, the FIM/CMS President, continued: “It is simply the biggest and best Nations ever. We have reached a new dimension and touched new horizons and this is something I am stunned about. 37 federations have entered, a huge crowd came on site to watch, this is really the “Olympic Games of Motocross”, this is all so big that I have no words to describe it. The riders did a great job entertaining the crowd with great racing, there was such a positive atmosphere around the whole venue as everyone celebrated the maximum expression of Motocross. What a big success, thanks a lot to Youthstream and Giuseppe Luongo, they did an outstanding job and I am really happy they are a long time contractual partner of the FIM. They deserve a lot of credit. Motocross has remained an affordable sport despite its high development in the last years, young riders and even entire families continue getting involved into it.  Racing has remained a perfect harmony in between man and bike.” 

Vito Ippolito, the FIM President, ended: “The races we just watched were part of a really well organized event under all points of view, including show, sport and crowd. It was so spectacular that it gave a lot of dignity to our sport and the FIM is very much satisfied about it.” 

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The podium of the Red Bull FIM MXoN

 

RACE 1 (MX1 & MX2)

Right from the start to the heat holeshotter Cairoli and runner up Reed showed the moto was going to be theirs through an opening lap dogfight. Eventually Cairoli came out on top with Reed following. The Italian opened up a gap which the Australian was not able to close, settling for an eventual second.

Dungey worked his way up from the bottom of the top five until the third position with Desalle following in fourth. The latter was handed the position by Barragan, who made a mistake after a solid start and dropped down to 12.

Musquin steered his MX2 bike to fifth being the best placed MX2 rider in the heat ahead of experienced Coppins and Searle, another MX2 rider inside the top ten.

 

Race 1 top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 34:38.859; ; 2. Chad Reed (AUS, Suzuki), +0:01.582; 3. Ryan Dungey (USA, Suzuki), +0:28.687; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), +0:44.470; 5. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:56.468; 6. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:58.590; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), +0:59.120; 8. Jake Weimer (USA, Kawasaki), +1:02.003; 9. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), +1:11.705; 10. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +1:22.943; 

Nations top ten: USA, Italy, Great Britain, Australia, Belgium, France, Republic of South Africa, New Zealand, Switzerland, Germany.

 

Complete results available at  www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx

 

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Cairoli heading to first heat win 

More photos available at  www.motocrossmx1.com/galleryinfo.aspx 

 

RACE 2 (OPEN & MX2)

Paulin started well onboard the Open class bike and did dominate the second heat to place France ahead of the rest. Paulin headed the pack for the whole moto while Tedesco remained a steady second until the last lap, when a hard charging Philippaerts stormed to his tail and moved past at just four corners from the chequered flag.

The Italian’s manoeuvre, which set the crowd on fire, was not matched by team mate Guarneri. Australian Byrne crashed into him at lap two, with both remaining out.

Tanel Leok took fourth ahead of Musquin, who could do no better than fifth onboard the MX2 bike. MX2 fellow rider Weimer instead made a mistake and dropped to 25th. 

Race 2 top ten: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 34:57.775; ; 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:03.095; 3. Ivan Tedesco (USA, Honda), +0:03.913; 4. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), +0:37.402; 5. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:40.383; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:45.341; 7. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:55.500; 8. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:59.850; 9. Brett Metcalfe (AUS, Honda), +1:03.778; 10. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Kawasaki), +1:11.852;

 

Nations top ten: France, Belgium, USA, Great Britain, Republic of South Africa, Italy, Germany, Australia, Estonia, New Zealand 

Complete results available at  www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx

 

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Paulin was amazing in moto two

More photos available at  www.motocrossmx1.com/galleryinfo.aspx  

RACE 3 (MX1 & OPEN)

The final moto opened with a massive tangle at the start straight, where moto 1 winner and Italy leader Cairoli went down. The MX1 World Champion’s bike broke and he could not rejoin the race.

Barragan led the opening laps with Dungey following in second until he found an open door and snatched the top spot. The American would continue leading until taking victory at lap 17.

Barragan struggled and dropped down to fourth, with both Ramon and Philippaerts entering the top three.

Frossard made up for a difficult first heat courtesy of a fifth place finish but it was French countryman Paulin who could not provide the necessary support to the squad. The Open class rider went down at lap one, landing on some riders’ bikes which had previously crashed.

 

Race was finished for Paulin and team France dropped down to second behind overall winner Team USA. Despite a tangle damaging Desalle’s bike, Belgium made it to the podium in third. Germany took fourth ahead of Great Britain and Italy. 

Dungey (USA) took the individual MX1 victory, Musquin (France) won the MX2 and Philippaerts (Italy) won the Open class. The Ricky Carmichael Award went to Dutch Herlings, who turned 15 on September 12.

 

Race 3 top ten: 1. Ryan Dungey (USA, Suzuki), 34:50.404; ; 2. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:11.568; 3. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:19.125; 4. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), +0:25.082; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:32.480; 6. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:47.500; 7. Ivan Tedesco (USA, Honda), +0:52.548; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:54.594; 9. Chad Reed (AUS, Suzuki), +0:57.549; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:13.780; 

Nations top ten: USA, France, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Australia, Estonia, Republic of South Africa, Switzerland.

 

Complete results available at  www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx

 

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Dungey head to head with Desalle

More photos available at  www.motocrossmx1.com/galleryinfo.aspx 

 

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The MXoN individual winners Musquin, Dungey, Philippaerts, Herlings

 

 

RED BULL FIM MXoN – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1680 mt

Type of ground: hard pack

Temperature: 22° C

Weather conditions: sunny

Crowd attendance during weekend: 90000 

This Grand Prix will be broadcast live and delayed. Click here to see schedule and coverage online.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

2009 Red Bull FIM MXoN

Autodromo Daniel Bonara Franciacorta

 

 

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AMA congratulates Team USA on best-ever finish at Trial des Nations

Posted by: TFS on Sep 29, 2009

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TFS

American Motorcyclist Association congratulates Team USA on best-ever finish at Trial des Nations

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to congratulate Team USA on its performance at the Trial des Nations (TdN), held in Darfo Boario Terme, Italy, on Sept. 19-20. Competing in the premier classification, the men's squad of Patrick Smage, Cody Webb, Will Ibsen and Keith Wineland scored fifth place overall, America's best finish ever in the world championship event.

"The world stage for trials competition is enormously competitive, and this event often features the most difficult terrain our riders face all year," said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. "The AMA is proud of both the effort and result of Team USA this year."

The Spanish team of Toni Bou, Adam Raga, Jeroni Fajardo and Albert Cabestany won the TdN this year. Defeating the Great Britain team by an amazing 65 points, it was Spain's sixth TdN title in a row.

According to U.S. team manager Kip Webb, Team USA "pretty much gave a go at each section with some very good rides. We still have a way to go to catch the top teams, but our guys didn't back down from the challenge. We finished in fifth position, which is an all-time high for an American TdN effort."

Rain on Saturday night had already left the ground greasy in some places, but when the skies opened on the second lap, the steep rocky outcrops presented a new level of difficulty. Without exception, all five teams in the top class suffered heavier point losses on their second trip through the 18 sections around the small spa town. Despite the radical change in conditions, Spain's win was never in doubt.

The American women's squad of Sarah Duke and Caroline Allen finished eighth in the Women's division while riding with only two team members instead of the usual three. U.S. member Louise Forsley was unable to attend the event due to last-minute travel complications.

"Without the third rider you just cannot make any mistakes, as every point counts," Webb said.

Great Britain won the Women's division. The team of Rebekah Cook, Joanne Coles and Emma Bristow edged the Spanish team of Laia Sanz, Mireia Conde and Sandra Gomez by a single point to claim the 2009 title.

The sport of trials involves riders navigating their motorcycles over seemingly impossible terrain. The Trial des Nations began in Europe in 1983 as a way to bring the best trials riders from each country together to compete as teams, and it has evolved into one of the most anticipated trials events of the year. Each competing country fields two teams: a men's team consisting of four riders and a women's team consisting of three riders.

For more information on Team USA and the 2009 Trial des Nations, visit USATdN.org.

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Approaching 2009 Red Bull FIM MX of Nations: David Bailey, Rick Johnson and Johnny O’Mara look back at 1986 Maggiora MX of Nations

Posted by: TFS on Sep 29, 2009

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TFS

Approaching 2009 Red Bull FIM MX of Nations: David Bailey, Rick Johnson and Johnny O’Mara look back at 1986 Maggiora MX of Nations

FUNCHAL (PORTUGAL), 28 September 2009 – September 21st 1986 is a day the motocross industry will never forget. In Maggiora, Italy, the most legendary edition of the FIM Motocross of Nations (back then called FIM Motocross des Nations) took place in front of a gigantic crowd.

 

 

 

The atmosphere was unreal. Everything was perfect: the location, the weather, the teams, the racing and the fans. It was so special that it’s almost impossible to describe it by words.

 

On such a unique day, plenty of magical things happened, thanks to the most memorable Team the United States put together in the history of the event: David Bailey, Ricky Johnson and Johnny O’Mara.

 

The three American Honda riders and friends, guided by the expert hand of Team Honda and Team USA’s manager Roger De Coster, left their mark in the record book for the Team win and for three outstanding individual performances.

 

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O’Mara show

 

Just as importantly, they left an indelible mark in the heart of 40,000 lucky spectators and of the fans all over the world that saw the race on television or read about it in the magazines.

 

With his signature finesse, David Bailey staged an impeccable performance on his 500cc Honda and elegantly marked his status of ultimate American icon in the heart of the world audience.

 

Rick Johnson showed the planet why he was considered the leader in the new riding trend, combining speed and spectacle on his 250cc and from then on became the most loved American rider of the decade.

 

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Johnson in action

 

Johnny O’Mara did the impossible on the smaller machine when he beat everyone on the track except his teammate Bailey in the 500/125 moto. Particularly breathtaking was the moment when he passed ’86 500cc World Champion David Thorpe to eventually finish second.

 

With such a tremendous performance from a solid team unity, they gained respect from both their competitors and the fans.

 

David Bailey, Rick Johnson and Johnny O’Mara in their racing days have not only been exceptional and hard working riders but also excelled for their down-to-earth attitude with the industry and the fans. Which made them uniquely loved.

 

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Bailey delighting the crowd

 

The members of the 1986 Team USA have been eagerly looking forward to attending the 2009 Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations at Franciacorta on October 4-5th, for its return to Italy after 23 years from that glorious day.

 

While Rick Johnson has already booked a front-row seat at the Autodromo Daniel Bonara for the 2009 edition to celebrate the memory of that magic day of September 1986, David Bailey and Johnny O’Mara won’t be able to salute in person the fans and the industry as desired.

 

Here are Bailey, Johnson and O’Mara’s statements regarding the fantastic 1986 MXoN of Maggiora and the upcoming 2009 Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations.

David Bailey: “The 1986 Maggiora event was spectacular! The awesome track, the Italian fans filling the hillsides, O'Mara's incredible ride and our perfect score make Maggiora my favorite MX of Nations. For Giuseppe Luongo, it was his first major event and the look of it added even more to the atmosphere. Some say he has come a long way over the years, but as nice as Maggiora looked back in 1986, he didn't leave much room for improvement, he put his unique signature in MX right there already. I can only imagine how special this year's event will be. I am competing in the Hawaii Ironman world championship very soon so I am unable to make the trip, but I hope for a successful day again in Italy and a strong showing for team USA.”

 

Rick Johnson: “Italy has always been a special place to me and that day in Maggiora in 1986 was like the beginning of a particular love I have for the country. I love Europe and I have always taken advantage of every opportunity I had to visit Italy and many of the friends I still have there. I have raced many times in Italy and the crowd has always been amazing with me and has treated me with a support that in America riders rarely receive. ’86 Maggiora was just something I will never forget, the energy was incomparable, it was so thrilling that during the day you would often stare around and tell yourself: This is incredible, I’ve never felt something like this before! I am so glad I can come back to Italy to see my long-time friend Giuseppe Luongo and to celebrate that special day I was privileged to be part of over 20 years ago. I expect Franciacorta to be amazing, I have no doubt the Italian fans will give their magic boost to Team Italy and to the w hole event. I feel it will be a close battle this year and I don’t want to miss it for anything, luckily the race happens the weekend after my penultimate ’09 TORC – The Off Road Championship round and I can make it to Franciacorta.”

 

Johnny O’Mara: “The 1986 MX des Nations race at Maggiora will always have a special place in my heart and will always stand out as one of my best single day performances on a motocross bike! I believe that Bailey, Johnson and myself had a near perfect day in Maggiora! All of us were at our peak in our careers that year which made the USA Team so powerful and unstoppable. After that race things changed a lot for all of us: new team for myself, David got hurt in January and Ricky didn’t have us as teammates on the Honda team anymore. MXoN returns to Italy for the second time after that magic '86 edition and I am sure it will bring a lot of emotions and memories back to many of the industry people and the fans. I really wanted to be part of it and I appreciate the warm invitation from Youthstream to attend it, but I had some last-minute commitments that forced me to skip it. I feel bad for Italy and for the fans but also because I coach 2009 Team USA's capta in Ivan Tedesco and I would have loved to support him on the field for what looks like it will be a really exciting battle among several candidates to the win. My heart is with Team USA and I am sure our guys have what it takes to make it happen.”

 

Youthstream President Mr. Giuseppe Luongo added: “Looking back to Maggiora and seeing how far we have come with Motocross gives me really touching emotions and a lot of pride at the same time. At Maggiora we didn’t have the experience we accumulated through the years but the concepts and the guidelines we used to organize and to promote that unforgettable edition of the Motocross of Nations remained the same for the following 23 years proving we had the right vision back then. I could speak for hours about that event and the passion I put to make it happen. The response from the fans was simply fantastic, everything worked out really good, it was just one of those days where nothing can go wrong. It was like a big fest for everyone involved, the energy and the vibe in the air were unique and the racing absolutely special. I will always have a particular place in my memory book for that Team USA. David, Rick and Johnny gave an amazing riding lesson to everyone a nd contributed as well as Roger in the success of the event with kindness and real passion. I know David and Johnny really wanted to join us in Italy this year but eventually they had to skip the trip. I want to publicly thank them for what they have done for our sport and for the success of Maggiora in 1986 and we’ll for sure pronounce loud their names at Franciacorta this year with our great friend Rick Johnson in celebration of that first magic MXoN in Italy.”

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

2009 Red Bull FIM MXoN

2009 Red Bull FIM MXoN-Get your ticket

Autodromo Daniel Bonara Franciacorta

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Campus of the Ohio State University braces itself for a roughhouse motorcycle rivalry at the Schottenstein Center

Posted by: TFS on Sep 29, 2009

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TFS

Campus of the Ohio State University braces itself for a roughhouse motorcycle rivalry at the Schottenstein Center

Round four of the 2009 GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross Series is “on” for Oct. 3rd at the Schottenstein Center, featuring American and international motorcycle off-road racing stars

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2009) – The off-road motorcycle racing world is gearing up for a battle in Columbus, Ohio, like no other on two wheels as round four of the 2009 GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross Series, presented by E3 Spark Plugs, literally rolls onto the Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center floor, Oct. 3rd.

Leading the series through three rounds is KTM’s Taddy Blazusiak. The international enduro star has swept top honors in Vegas, Guthrie, Okla, and Florence, S.C., and enjoys a commanding lead on the rest of the field. But returning to race – after being injured at Guthrie – is defending champ Ricky Dietrich (Monster/Kawasaki). So if Saturday’s contest between Dietrich and Blazusiak in Columbus is anything like the finish they had at the Vegas opener, you might want to consider pulling out all the stops to get to Ohio! Now throw into the mix Husqvarna’s Cory Graffunder, who has been on the podium the last two races and is currently third in points plus Kawasaki’s Damon Huffman and you have a receipt for the best off-road racing indoors.

Complete with dirt, trees, boulders, sand, a pond crossing and other obstacles designed to tear the world’s best off-road motorcycle racers from their handlebars and toss them to the ground, this is the event that shocked the Columbus locals last year and piqued the collegiate football-friendly city’s extreme sports curiosity.

Dirt bike racing on the same hallowed grounds that’s featured such notable athletes as OSU/NBA star Greg Oden and played host to marquee events such as the collegiate “Jeopardy!” championships and Britney Spears? Fans won’t believe their eyes as heavy equipment, including a massive excavator, move about underneath the Big Ten champion banners that hang from the rafters, impervious to the history of the modern building as they thrash through the dirt, stacking giant trees around like they’re toothpicks and moving two-ton boulders like they were pebbles.

“The contrasts are amazing. On one hand you have probably the newest, most immaculate and costly building that hosts GEICO EnduroCross, and on the other hand you have complete carnage going down on the floor where Buckeye fans worship their basketball and hockey teams,” said Source Interlink Media’s VP of Events, Mike Karsting. “Ohio’s a huge motorcycle state, home of the American Motorcyclist Association (Pickerington), but the curiosity factor on seeing this unique dirt motorsports event on campus and in a building that’s barely a decade old adds to what will no doubt be a big weekend for GEICO EnduroCross.’

Combining multiple off road motorcycle racing disciplines such as western U.S. desert enduro racing and eastern cross country racing with technical trials-style riding, GEICO EnduroCross showcases riders from all over the world that excel in these fields.

What: 2009 GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross Series, presented by E3 Spark Plugs, round four

Who: World’s top off road motorcycle racers, both pro and local Ohio area racers

When: Saturday, Oct. 3rd

Tickets: At Iron Pony, Athens/Lancaster Sport Cycles, the Schottenstein Center Box Office, by calling (614) 292-2624, or online at www.endurocross.com

Date               City/State                              Venue

July 25            Las Vegas, Nev.                   The Orleans Arena

Aug. 15           Guthrie, Okla.                         Lazy E Arena

Sept. 12         Florence, S.C.                       Florence Civic Center

Oct. 3              Columbus, Ohio                    Schottenstein Center

Oct. 24            Denver, Colo.                        National Western Complex

Nov. 21           Las Vegas, Nev.                   The Orleans Arena

EnduroCross tracks incorporate various elements of off road racing into a supercross-style setting, including rocks, boulders, logs, sand, mud, a water-hole… and even a few special obstacles like giant tires thrown in!  Known as the “toughest racing on two wheels,” this indoor version of extreme off road racing will certainly keep you on your feet. The GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross series will be captured by the Versus Network, to be aired on the popular grassroots racing program; The Lucas Motorsports Hour. With its excitement and unpredictability, the EnduroCross championship has always down to the wire and this year will be no different as the series starts and finishes at Vegas’ Orleans Arena! Don’t miss your chance to see GEICO Powersports AMA Endurocross “Live” - and be sure to log-on to www.Versus.com for local airing dates/times for the Lucas Motorsports Hour.

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On-Track Incident leads to 22nd-place Finish for Carmichael at Las Vegas

Posted by: TFS on Sep 29, 2009

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TFS

On-Track Incident leads to 22nd-place Finish for Carmichael at Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS(September 27, 2009) — Ricky Carmichael and the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado team’s goal of a top-10 finish was deterred by an on-track incident on lap 35 of the 146 lap Las Vegas 350.  Carmichael, Max Papis and Todd Bodine were racing for position when the No. 4 broke loose in turn four and spun hard into the outside wall. The truck sustained heavy right-rear damage.  The team brought Carmichael down pit road for multiple pit stops to make repairs and was able to rejoin the race in the 25th position two laps down to the leaders.  Ultimately, the team continued to work on the truck and finished the race in the 22nd position.

“It’s just unfortunate for the No. 4 team, said Carmichael following the race.  “We qualified well and I was really learning a lot out there racing in the front of the field.  John (Monsam, Crew chief) was doing a great job with pit stratgey and adjusting on the truck.  We just kept getting better and better the longer the race ran. I wish we could have gotten a better finish, but we will go back and look at the tape.  I want to thank Monster and all my guys for all of their hard work.  We had a really competitive truck and that is what I’m most proud of.”

Carmichael and the No. 4 Monster Energy team were optimistic coming into the Las Vegas 350.  Carmichael qualified in the eighth position and when the race began he made a daring move to the outside into the top five.  By lap 12, Carmichael followed Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) teammate Ron Hornaday in the sixth position.  The second caution of the evening waved on lap 22 for a spin in turn four.  Carmichael radioed crew chief John Monsam that he was too tight all around the track.  The team brought the No. 4 truck down pit road on lap 23 for four tires and an air-pressure adjustment and then the following lap for fuel.  Ten other trucks decided to take fuel only, dropping Carmichael from sixth to 14th for the restart on lap 28.  Carmichael slowly began to pick his way through traffic sliding by Taylor Malsam and Bodine.  On Lap 35, Carmichael, Papis and Bodine were vying for the 12th position when Carmichael dove under Papis with Bodine close behind. The No. 4 truck became extremely aero-loose, as the back end of the truck snapped around, sending the No. 4 spinning toward the outside wall.  Carmichael made heavy contact with the right-rear of the truck. 

The team brought Carmichael down pit road for multiple pit stops going two laps down and returning to the track on the restart on lap 40 in the 25th position.  Carmichael continued to drive his wounded race truck to the conclusion of the 146-lap event ending the Las Vegas 350 in the 22nd position six laps down to the leaders.  Rookie Johnny Sauter went on to win his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race followed by ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton, Jason White, Todd Bodine and Timothy Peters.

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Motorcycle land-speed records fall at Bonneville

Posted by: TFS on Sep 29, 2009

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Motorcycle land-speed records fall at Bonneville

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Pending ratification by AMA Racing and the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme), Chris Carr is once again the fastest man in the world on two wheels, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

The seven-time AMA Grand National Champion, riding the Denis Manning-built No. 7 streamliner, recaptured the provisional outright world and national land-speed records on Thursday, Sept. 24. Carr's two-pass average of 367.382 mph in the measured mile was set at the AMA-sanctioned Land Speed Shootout at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

The previous record was 360.913, set by rider Rocky Robinson and builder Mike Akatiff in 2008.

"It was a lot of work. This time was hard," Manning said. "We blew up stuff, we got blown off course. It was tough. The thing was, every time we made a run, some part of the run was phenomenal, so we knew we were near. For these runs, we made an eighth-inch change to the aerodynamics and it made all the difference. The data was telling me that the nose was trying to dive, so we raised it up, and it worked."

Carr said that the record run was relatively smooth.

"We had the drama on the out-run," Carr said. "We about cleaned out the side of the course on the run out with the wind blowing, but the run back was great. It actually started to slow down for me. It was not nearly as hectic as 347 (mph) was a couple years ago."

This is the second time Carr has held the record as a rider, and the third time for Manning as a builder. Carr first set the outright land-speed record in 2006. Manning also set the land-speed record in 1970.

"The outright land-speed record is one of the most coveted numbers in motorcycle competition," said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. "This is a number that all motorcyclists, competitors or not, can relate to. Every time this record is set, it's a historic moment for racing. The engineering that Denis Manning and his team invest in this endeavor, and the emotional fortitude and physical skill that Chris Carr brings to the table, are impressive. The AMA congratulates them on this accomplishment."

The meet where Carr and Manning set the new record came near the end of the season for running on the Bonneville Salt Flats, which most of the year are too wet for competition.

Earlier in the season, Aug. 30-Sept. 3, provisional records in a number of classes were also set at the International Speed Trials by BUB, and they are waiting ratification by AMA Racing.. The AMA-sanctioned event, which Manning promotes, is the premier national meet for amateur land-speed racers to attempt land-speed records in classes ranging from 50cc scooters to supercharged sportbikes.

For more information on land-speed racing, see SpeedTrialsByBUB.com. Full results will be available at AMARacing.com once they are ratified.

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MC Finishes 3rd/5th at Perris TORC Series, Vegas Next

Posted by: TFS on Sep 29, 2009

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SUPERCROSS CHAMPION JEREMY McGRATH
FINISHES ROUND 13-3RD AND ROUND 14-5th OFF ROAD TRUCK RACING - TORC SERIES THIS WEEKEND FRIDAY/SATURDAY, 9/25/9/26
PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY - PERRIS, CA

- Friday night, McGrath ran the 13th stop of the TORC off-road truck racing series and led the entire first half of the race!  With a close to sell out crowd packing the Perris Auto Speedway stands on a balmy So Cal night, McGrath had his home town crowd on their feet for a good part of the 10 PM race! After the mid-race yellow flag, McGrath fell back to second and then encountered a braking system failure and was STILL able to maintain a podium spot! McGrath finished the evening in third and also took home the Oakley Bomb Award!

On Saturday night, Perris Auto Speedway hosted a crowd of close to 15,000 for the 14th Round of the spectacular TORC Off Road Truck Racing Series.  The Pro2WD race had McGrath barreling off the start taking the holeshot and the early lead however, several bumps, hits and one spin out later Jeremy finished the 20 lap race 5th.

Broadcast coverage of the non-stop race action from Perris Auto Speedway airs on Sunday, October 4th at 11:30 AM on ESPN Sports. 
TORC Racing concludes October 23 and 24th at Las Vegas Motor  Speedway.


Los Angeles, CA September 27, 2009

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Kawasaki's Racing Departments Raise Over $1400 for Road 2 Recovery

Posted by: TFS on Sep 25, 2009

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Kawasaki's Racing Departments Raise Over $1400 for Road 2 Recovery


Irvine, Calif. - Kawasaki's Racing and Team Green departments at Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. held a bake sale on Wednesday, September 16 to raise money for the Road 2 Recovery Foundation. Kawasaki's enthusiastic employees donated their time to collectively create a variety of delectable treats for the sale that generated just over $700. Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. generously matched that amount bringing the grand total to more than $1400 for the worthy charity.

The bake sale was the third of a "Pay It Forward" idea that brings Kawasaki's different departments together throughout the year to raise money for the charity of their choice. The racing department felt strongly that it should give back to its racing community, eventually choosing Road 2 Recovery as its designated charity.

"Road 2 Recovery does such great work with the riders in our racing community and we just wanted to make sure we gave back to them," said bake sale coordinator and racing administrative Diana Porte. "I am so happy we had such a great response. The people at Kawasaki have great hearts and I consider the sale a huge success."

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Perris, Ca - JEREMY McGRATH OFF ROAD TRUCK RACING - TORC SERIES - This Weekend

Posted by: TFS on Sep 25, 2009

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SUPERCROSS CHAMPION JEREMY McGRATH
OFF ROAD TRUCK RACING - TORC SERIES THIS WEEKEND FRIDAY/SATURDAY, 9/25/9/26
PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY - PERRIS, CA


WHAT:  The Traxxas TORC (The Off Road Championship) Series, presented by AMSOIL, returns to the West Coast for Rounds 13 and 14. The series will make its final appearance at Perris Auto Speedway for the 2009 season this Friday and Saturday, September 25th and 26th.
WHO:  Seven-time Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath, just his second year as a pro within the Pro 2WD class, looks forward to the series returning to his home state on the West Coast. McGrath had this to say, “the Perris track is a super tight one - that, combined with the fact that I am starting at the front for this stop - makes my chances for a win about as good as any of the top 5 guys.  Looking forward to some of that California momentum coming into play this weekend for sure!”

WHERE:  Perris Auto Speedway is a 1/2 mile clay oval that features a raised back straightaway.  Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. Perris Auto Speedway is on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.

WHY:  The Traxxas TORC Series-The Off-Road Championship, presented by AMSOIL is the world's premier short course off road race series. TORC drivers push the limits with 900 horsepower, action-packed fender pounding on challenging natural terrain race tracks. The 2009 season schedule includes stops in Texas, California, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin. For more information on TORC please visit www.torcseries.com.

In addition to the online broadcast efforts of DirtNewz.com's Live at TORC and USAC Live Race Day Coverage, ESPN Sports carries the Perris TORC race on Sunday, October 4th, at 11:30am EST.


WHEN:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2009 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM PIT GATE & BOX OFFICE OPEN 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM TECH AND REGISTRATION
10:00 AM - PRESS CONFERENCE NOON DRIVERS MEETING 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM PRACTICE- ALL CLASSES (Trucks 2 sessions 1st & last, other classes 1 session) 3:00 PM to 9:30 PM GATES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 4:00 PM 450/250 MODIFIED OFF-ROAD KARTS PRACTICE 5:30-6:15 PM DRIVER AUTOGRAPH SESSION ON TRACK FRONT STRETCH 6:30 PM UTV (14 LAPS) 7:00 PM OPENING CEREMONIES 7:20 PM PRO SUPER BUGGY (16 LAPS) 7:50 PM 1600 BUGGY (16 LAPS) 8:20 PM 450/250 MODIFIED OFF-ROAD KARTS (12 LAPS) 8:50 PM PRO LIGHT TRUCK (20 LAPS) 9:15 PM TRAXXAS R/C EXHIBITION 9:30 PM KUMHO TIRE PRO 4X4 (20 LAPS) 10:00 PM AMSOIL PRO 2WD TRUCK (20 LAPS) SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2009 NOON to 2:00 PM REGISTRATION NOON DRIVERS MEETING 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM PRACTICE- ALL CLASSES (Trucks 2 sessions 1st & last, other classes 1 session) 3:00 PM to 9:30 PM GATES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 4:30 PM PRO TEAM TRAXXAS R/C CHALLENGE ON THE COMPETITION TRACK 5:30-6:15 PM DRIVER AUTOGRAPH SESSION ON TRACK FRONT STRETCH 6:30 PM UTV (14 LAPS) 7:00 PM OPENING CEREMONIES 7:20 PM PRO SUPER BUGGY (16 LAPS) 7:50 PM 1600 BUGGY (16 LAPS) 8:20 PM 450/250 MODIFIED OFF-ROAD KARTS (12 LAPS) 8:50 PM PRO LIGHT TRUCK (20 LAPS) 9:15 PM TRAXXAS R/C EXHIBITION 9:30 PM KUMHO TIRE PRO 4X4 (20 LAPS) 10:00 PM AMSOIL PRO 2WD TRUCK (20 LAPS)
TICKET INFO:     ADULT WEEKEND ADMISSION $30                ADULT FRIDAY ONLY ADMISSION $12                ADULT SATURDAY ONLY ADMISSION $20                KIDS 13 AND UNDER ARE FREE

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