Welcome to Racerhead. We’re getting ready for some vintage and vet racing out at High Point Raceway this weekend, then splitting up for next week’s big events—the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas and the AIMExpo in Orlando, as well as the AMA Motorcycling Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where SX/MX superstar Mike LaRocco, GNCC legend and four-stroke pioneer Scott Summers, and all-around motorcycle ambassador and businessman Tom White will join the Hall of Fame. It’s another one of those weeks to remind us that in this sport, there never really is much of an off-season.
There were lots of big and fun announcements this week, including a very cool video starring newly signed JGR Yamaha rider Justin Barcia and Miss Supercross Dianna Dahlgren, which you can watch right here:
And the new issue of Racer X Illustrated dropped with 2014 Racer X Rider of the Year Ken Roczen on the cover, aboard his brand new RCH Racing Suzuki RM-Z450. The cover has already led to a few readers asking why we featured Roczen on a Suzuki instead of a KTM, since he earned the Rider of the Year with orange. We meant no disrespect to KTM (and Kenny was on the cover two issues ago aboard his 450 SX-F). But the story inside is titled “And Then Everything Changed,” and it’s about Roczen’s move and immediate future, not just his season. We had a similar situation with Ricky Carmichael twice, in both the fall of 2001 and the fall of 2004—he was named Rider of the Year each time, but we featured him on the bike he was already riding in preparation for the following season: a Honda in 2002 and a Suzuki in 2005.
There was also the announcement that Glen Helen is going to host another USGP in 2015 in hopes of capitalizing on Ryan Villopoto’s move to Europe, and then the Motocross of Nations that was supposed to be held there last year will now happen in 2017. RV is hoping to cap his career with a world title, but he’s already said he will then retire, win or lose.
And in late-breaking news this afternoon the Daytona 200 will not be part of the new MotoAmerica road racing series that’s being ramped up in place of the AMA Pro Racing Superbike Championship, which was run out of Daytona by the Daytona Motorsports Group/AMA Pro Racing. Not sure where all of that is headed, but like I said, it’s all a reminder that we really don’t have much of an off-season in this sport!
Let’s get started with last weekend’s big new event in SoCal, the Red Bull Straight Rhythm, which was won by James Stewart (450) and Marvin Musquin (250).
STRAIGHT SCOOP (Jason Weigandt)
The answer: It was awesome. The question? “How was Red Bull Straight Rhythm?” Thanks for playing Jeopardy! I’ve been asked this quite a bit after attending and announcing the debut event. You never really know how the stuff is going to work until you see it in action, and even after watching practice runs all day on Friday I was unconvinced. Too often the races weren’t battles. One guy would pull away quickly and somehow even a 50-second race ended up as a yawner.
On Saturday morning, though, veteran Pro Circuit suspension man Jim “Bones” Bacon made an astute observation: “Now everyone is starting to figure the track out and do the same rhythms,” he said. “Now everyone is going to start searching for tenths.”
Indeed, by Saturday, the racing was much tighter. James and Malcolm Stewart were teamed up for four practice runs on Friday, and James handled Malcolm with ease. On Saturday, though, Malcolm figured it out and stepped up, and the Stewart battles during the actual tournament were superb. As the tournament went on and the faster riders started to face off, it got tighter and tighter, until Dean Wilson and Justin Brayton practically had a dead heat in the semifinals! By then, the fans, riders, and teams on hand were convinced: this thing has real potential.
What comes next? Red Bull will air the race as part of its Signature Series on NBC on December 20, but you can find tons of clips here. But while no one is saying if or when the second annual event is coming, it doesn’t take much to figure out where this could go. The Fairplex in Pomona doesn’t have lights, but could you imagine this race running in front of massive, well-lit grandstands, Daytona SX-style? What about building the track on city blocks in the center of a downtown? I’m thinking Red Bull hedged some bets by not going too big the first time out, but now that so many people believe in it, look out. Oh, and, just imagine if even half of the Dungey/Barcia/Tomac/Roczen/Canard/Reed/Seely/Millsaps/Hahn/Peick-type pack signs up the next time. You’re really going to have a fun event there!
STRAIGHT LINE SCRUBBIN' (Steve Matthes)
I didn’t go to the Red Bull Straight Rhythm, but I watched the whole thing on the Red Bull TV app on Apple TV (that was pretty sweet), and I commend the folks at the charging bull for the event they put on. Yeah, it was a bit too long with too many runs, but they’ll work out the kinks in future years. The idea was solid and at times the action was great. There’s no doubt this concept has some legs, and I’d love to see it set up right downtown in a city or at the X Games. It’s very, very easy for people to work it out and figure out what’s going on—it’s just two guys and a just straight line!
Looks like new KTM riders Justin Brayton (of BTOSports team) and Dean Wilson (of the Red Bull team) both adapted pretty quickly to the new bikes, as they hauled butt. Think about Deano’s adjustment: he went from riding a Kawasaki KX450F on a sand track to a KTM on a jump-filled one-minute course in the span of a week. No matter, he looked great. And Brayton, well, he can certainly ride supercross, can’t he?
JGR’S EXPECTATION (Weigandt)
It’s practically looking like JGR week on our website, as we posted Weston Peick and Justin Barcia interviews while the world also watched Monster Energy’s new Barcia video. Pretty cool—the video is even getting play on NASCAR.com
Barcia, by the way, really did the stunt driving you saw, nailing a bunch of parking-lot donuts in Kyle Busch’s NASCAR Nationwide car in tight quarters. Go back and watch the vid again and note how close those parked cars are (not stunt vehicles, either—that’s the JGR employee parking lot) and you’ll be impressed.
However, that’s not the most impressive part. JGR people tell me that when the shoot was over, Dianna Dahlgren hopped in Busch’s car and did some burnouts and then hopped on a Yamaha 450 and rolled the JGR supercross track … WHILE WEARING HER MONSTER GIRL OUTFIT AND HEELS! Yowza! (And kids, don’t try this at home, even though you’ll undoubtedly be thinking about it there.)
Okay, that’s all fun, but what about the serious business of winning races? I hosted a Monster and Barcia intro event at the JGR NASCAR shop yesterday, and Coach Joe Gibbs himself said, “Hey, Justin, no pressure on you at all. No pressure. But we’re just letting you know we have about 500 employees in this organization who are counting on your to bring us a championship. No pressure!”
Barcia said he wants that pressure and wouldn’t even want to race if he didn’t have it. He said he’s mad he didn’t get the supercross championship in his first shot in 2012—and now, in only his third year on a 450, he feels a title is overdue. He also said he’s now Monster Energy’s top guy in Monster Energy Supercross this year. Ryan Villopoto might be gone from SX, but guys like Chad Reed and Davi Millsaps are still backed by the brand. But Barcia’s never been shy—he wants Monster and Gibbs to stack it on him. “Go ahead and just put weights on my shoulders if you want,” I overhead him saying.
Where does all this Barcia talk leave Weston Peick? Probably more motivated than ever to prove himself. I think the team is okay with that. As long as things don’t get too crazy between the two new teammates, I bet they’re fine with one dude trying to outdo the other. No doubt Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha saw Cooper Webb push that much harder to match Jeremy Martin during the season, and it resulted in a phenomenal nationals season for both. The Gibbs group knows a thing or two about motivating athletes, and Barcia and Peick are primed.
By the way, the team also announced Phil Nicoletti will return in a full-time motocross deal for 2015. Also safe to assume if Barcia or Peick miss any SX races, Phil-In would be the likely fill in.
THE LATEST IN FREE AGENCY (Chase Stallo)
Most of the big announcements—Roczen to Suzuki, RV to Europe, Barcia and Peick to JGR, Hahn and Millsaps to Kawasaki, and many others—hit last week. But the silly season is far from over, as more signings poured in this week. Check out the latest from around the industry:
Rockstar Energy Racing is moving to the Husqvarna factory team in 2015, the team’s third manufacturer change in as many years. They will bring back 250SX West Region Champion Jason Anderson. Anderson will move to the 450 next season. The team also announced they have signed Martin Davalos, who previously rode for the team in 2011-’12 before spending the last two years with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki. The team has also signed a pair of former GEICO Honda stars, Zach Osborne and Zach Bell. “Today begins a new chapter here at Rockstar Energy Racing and Husqvarna Motorcycles,” said team president Bobby Hewitt in a press release. “We fully understand the heritage of this iconic brand, and are excited about this opportunity that has been entrusted to us.”
Yamaha Motor Corporation USA and Star Racing announced a multi-year deal earlier this week that will keep the team on Yamahas. "This year was simply amazing. I’ve dreamt about this moment for a long time and I knew with the people we have on the team and the bikes that Yamaha provides us this was going to happen,” said Star Racing team owner Bobby Regan in a press release. Star Racing will bring back three members of last year’s squad—250 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Champion Jeremy Martin, Cooper Webb and Anthony Rodriguez. Amateur standout Aaron Plessinger will join the team following his last amateur race at the Monster Energy Cup.
RCH officially announced the signing of Ken Roczen earlier this week—following a couple of other announcements the week before. The 450 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Champion is expected to make his debut with the team at Anaheim 1. The team also announced that they have brought on Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shops as co-primary sponsor. “This is uncharted marketing territory for Jimmy John’s so we’re thrilled to get the season started and see what motorcycle racing is all about,” CEO Jimmy John Liautaud explained in a press release. “We have a great opportunity to work with Ricky Carmichael and Carey Hart. To be able to combine their standing in the sport with Ken Roczen, one of the hottest riders in the world, is a win-win for Jimmy John’s, our franchisees and team members across the country.”
Matt Goerke, who spent the last two years with BTOSports.com KTM, is headed back to Canada. The Florida native agreed to a deal with Rockstar Energy Drink/OTSFF Yamaha that will see him race the 2015 CMRC Motocross Nationals. Goerke last raced in Canada in 2012, winning the MX1 Championship. He will debut with the team next weekend at the Monster Energy Cup alongside teammates Kyle Chisholm and Bobby Kiniry.
AG Motorsports/Gurrnaid Energy Racing have come to terms with former Star Racing Yamaha prospect Kyle Cunningham. “Though new to the industry, I feel that they are moving in the right direction and have the ability to be a major contributor to the sport,” said Cunningham, who spent last year with Smartop/MotoConcepts.
DOWN TIME (Matthes)
Who knew that traveling on an aluminum tube for thirty hours could get one under the weather? That’s been me the last week as I’ve been fighting a head cold and some sort of sickness I no doubt picked up in my trip to Latvia for the MXoN. Lucky for you jerkies, though, I’ve still been working the phones and talking to some different guys to see what’s up as the Monster Energy Cup drops the gate eight days from now. Let’s take a look and see what the rumor mill has going on with some different riders that, as of now, do not have a ride and some other news of existing teams.
As Chase mentioned above, Kyle Chisholm and Bobby Kiniry’s Canadian OTSFF team will be showing up at the Monster Energy Cup to support both riders, which is pretty cool. One of the rumors going around is that both Chisholm and Kiniry are trying to get something together with Yamaha support and build a team for both of them to compete in supercross. Please hold the Velocity 3 jokes if you can.
Jake Weimer doesn’t have a deal locked down with anyone for 2015, but he and Josh Hill will be under the Monster/Pro Circuit tent for the MEC, only on KX450Fs. Perhaps Mitch Payton decides to run a 450SX program once again with one of these riders and this is a test run? Who knows? Payton’s told me that he didn’t think he would ever do that again, but maybe if Monster wants to do it and one of these riders impresses at the Cup his mind could be changed.
More in the rumor department is Crossland’s Racing for supercross with Honda support for 250F's and will have Fredrick Noren, Tommy Hahn (making yet another comeback) and Mitchell Oldenburg. The team is still in talks to see if 2014 rider Jimmy Albertson can come back for another go and perhaps one more 250 rider will be added.
THE NUMBER: 94 (Andras Hegyi)
After four years with KTM, #94 Ken Roczen has left and gone back to Suzuki, a brand on which the German rider has already had a very successful past. The 20-year-old grew up with Suzuki and got his first successes with the brand. Below is a list of Roczen's triumphs with Suzuki.
2006: German 85cc Junior Champion, second in 85cc Junior World Championship, second in 85cc Junior European Championship
2007: 85cc Junior World Champion
2008: German MX2 Champion
2009: Debuted in the MX2 world championship, then broke several records. He become the youngest GP winner ever—15 years, 53 days—at the German GP in Teutschenthal. Then he became the youngest moto winner ever at 15 years, 66 days at the Swedish GP in Uddevalla. Roczen finished fifth in the overall points standing. He also became the German MX1 Champion.
2010: Roczen became the youngest points leader ever at 15 years, 361 days at the GP of the Netherlands in Valkenswaard. Roczen finished second in the overall points standing, becoming the youngest overall podium finisher ever at 16 years, 137 days. He also repeated as German MX1 Champion.
TPMX.COM (Matthes)
Remember Travis Preston? Former 250SX West Region Champion? Factory Honda rider? Well, after spending a lot of time out in North Carolina with the JGR Yamaha guys, Travis is back on the West Coast and getting his riding schools going again. We had Preston and Dirt Rider’s Kris Keefer in-studio last week on the PulpMX Show and it sounds like Preston, who tests for Yamaha and still races, is doing well with his schools. Check his schedule out or contact him for private lessons at travisprestonmx.com and tell him Matthes sent you.
PULPMX LINKS, BRO (Matthes)
We had Kenny Roczen on the PulpMX Show last week and he gave a great interview on why he switched from KTM to RCH Suzuki. We thought it was so interesting we got it typed out here.
I asked for your letters about the MXoN and Team USA’s recent winless streak, and Weege and I gathered them up and answered a few of them here.
THE BIG NEWS FROM POWERLINE PARK GNCC (Jared Bolton)
The big news out of Powerline Park last weekend was that of the incredible Josh Strang-Kailub Russell duel for the win. Strang emerged with a long-awaited victory, his first GNCC triumph since midway through the 2011 season, when he was holding the series' #1 plate. Since then, his old team (factory FMF Suzuki) folded, he broke his leg, he tried racing WORCS, he forged together his own privateer effort.... It's been a long road back for the Aussie. This year he's getting help from the AM-Pro Yamaha team as well as his big backer, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. Had to feel good for all involved to finally get the W.
But Russell's podium finish (second) was pretty darned amazing too. He was racing on a KTM 150XC! KR led a good portion of the race before a bent brake pedal caused a longer pit stop. This put Strang into a lead that was a little too much to make up on the final lap.
Russell will be back on the 150 at the GNCC finale at Ironman next weekend (yup, the Ironman, which you now know as part of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship). He'll then raffle the one-of-a-kind factory 150 two-stroke on the podium.
With this kind of confidence and motivation, Strang will be one to keep an eye on coming into the final round at The Ironman. However, KR proved the old “__% rider, __% bike” saying (those percentages are always change depending on who says it, I prefer to say 70% rider, 30% bike myself) to be true.
We got word this week that four-time National Enduro Champion Russell Bobbitt will be making an appearance at Ironman. Bobbitt suffered a knee injury at the opening round of the National Enduro Series and underwent surgery to repair it back in March. It will be nice to have the addition of Bobbitt to the front row aboard his Factory Husqvarna-backed machine.
Another thing to watch for at the season-closing Ironman GNCC will be the cameo appearances of World Enduro Champion Alex Salvini and Icelandic Motocross and Enduro Champion Kari Jonsson—both will be on JCR CRF450R Hondas!
Catch all the live and post race highlight videos on RacerTV.com
RANDOM NOTES
Here's a cool photo Jordin Craig left on the Pro Motocross Facebook page from his summer vacation—his own little RedBud tabletop! (And check out the Pro Motocross page, which flew past the 300,000 mark last week.)
For the latest from Canada, check out DMX Frid'Eh Update #42.
Ryan Sipes and Steve Hatch are getting together to put on a riding clinic out in Arizona next month at Canyon MX Park in Peoria, Arizona—we’ll keep you posted on that.
Former AMA Supercross and Motocross star Dennis Jonon and his fiancée have started their own graphics company, DJ Designs Co. The company, based in Southern California, has full graphic kits starting at $199.95 and number-plate backgrounds starting at $34.99.
That’s it! Thanks for reading Racerhead. See you at the races.