Welcome to Racerhead, coming to you from the media tent at Southwick. Tomorrow marks the halfway mark of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, between the first and second set of motos to be exact. That will put us five and a half races into this 11-race championship, and it’s been quite a ride so far. Team Honda’s Jett Lawrence is still undefeated after five rounds, having again swept both 450 motos at RedBud (which was it's usually, star-spangled and amazing self). His older brother Hunter didn’t have it nearly as well as he won the first moto and then got tangled up in the first turn of the second moto and knocked out. He’s still the points leader, but we finally had our first American winner of 2023 in AMA Pro Motocross, Monster Energy/Star Yamaha Racing’s Haiden Deegan. (And we also now have a clear top candidate for Team USA’s 250 rider for the Motocross of Nations in October.)
RedBud wasn’t the only racing we saw last weekend as MXGP ran its second round in Indonesia in as many weeks and once again Kawasaki’s Romain Febvre of France won MXGP, and Belgium’s Jago Geerts got back on top in MX2 with 1-1 finishes. And in England the opening round of World Supercross went about as expected as defending champions Ken Roczen and Shane McErath won the 450 and 250 classes respectively. There next round is in September in Singapore, so look for at least Roczen to get back into AMA Pro Motocross for another round or two in the coming weeks in order to stack more points for the SMX Playoffs, and also give Jett another run like he did at High Point.
The biggest news of the week, however, came via a press release. I will let Steve Matthes fill you in from here while I step into some meetings I’m already late for (sorry, travel delays all day long). Take it away, Steve…
Webb (Matthes)
The press release announcing Cooper Webb was out for RedBud after a practice crash left him "banged up" was pretty vague as well as the fact that there wasn't an announced return date. We've known Webb and KTM were at odds over some things. He departed Aldon Baker's facility for 2022, had an off year, went back (under KTM's orders) for SX this year, and had a good season until late. Webb himself told me he had an option for outdoors in his 2023 deal and he took it. Admittedly not 100% ready, Webb did okay at the opening rounds, and we all thought that he would get better and hey, he was now in the lead for the SMX Playoffs so that was a bonus as well.
But things have been simmering under the surface between Webb and KTM since that 2021 season. He hasn't been happy with the new bike introduced in 2022 and I think KTM wasn't happy with Webb's search for more freedom to do the things he wanted to do (WSX, his own trainer, etc). The suspension components we've been seeing on his bike tells us that the motorcycle thing is still an issue for Coop. I had heard last week that Webb, yes there was a real crash, wasn't going to be back at KTM for the nationals but I assumed that he was going to stay "injured", get paid something and both sides quietly go their separate ways in 2024 when we all expect him to be back at Star Yamaha on a 450.
So, this announcement via a press release was a surprise in that it happened now, but not a surprise in general. You don't see many OEM factories and riders mutually agreeing to part ways before the end of the year. What it does do, if my sources are correct, is free up Webb to make his debut back on blue at the opening round of SMX in Charlotte. Which happens to be his hometown and I'm sure he would want to make a big splash for his new team. I would think we'll see the #2 on BLU CRU there.
Big Weekend (Jason Weigandt)
Big weekend for this sport, as NBC (the big TV network) welcomes Pro Motocross back to the airwaves. We've aired a few motos on NBC since 2009, but its' always one-hour shows. This is the first-ever two-hour NBC block, so the 250 and 450 first motos will run back-to-back for the first time. Also, NBC will air both motos commercial free. NBC going 35 minutes without a commercial is wild, but such is the commitment to help push this sport.
It's a good time for this showcase, too, because you’ve got a compelling story to grab some uninitiated fans: two brothers, from Australia, are dominating like very few siblings have in any sport. A 19-year-old rookie is halfway to a perfect season? That’s wild, but now he’ll have to face an on-the-mend Chase Sexton, likely his rival going forward.
So, two brothers are crushing it. The only other rider to win this summer? A highly-marketed 17-year-old rookie, a second-generation athlete, who happens to be a YouTube star, with a sister in NASCAR. Just glance at these three stories, the Lawrences and the Deegans. Great stories to follow for casual fans. And I can tell you, this stuff works. NBC network shows often bring in triple the audience, for example, instead of cable TV. Even in 2023, in a world of streaming, you still get that bump, with Monster Energy Supercross getting sold ratings on NBC broadcasts earlier this year.
Plus, Southwick just looks awesome on TV. The sand blasting makes the sport look brutally tough. We’ll have the full team on hand, with Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart in the booth, and Jason Thomas and Will Christien reporting from the track. Hopefully we get some exciting racing and fans take notice.
- Motocross
- QualifyingLiveJuly 8 - 10:00 AM
- QualifyingLiveJuly 8 - 10:00 AM
- 250 Class Moto 1LiveJuly 8 - 1:00 PM
- 250 Class Moto 1LiveJuly 8 - 1:00 PM
- 250 Class Moto 1LiveJuly 8 - 1:00 PM
- 450 Class Moto 1LiveJuly 8 - 2:00 PM
- 450 Class Moto 1LiveJuly 8 - 2:00 PM
- 450 Class Moto 1LiveJuly 8 - 2:00 PM
- 250 Class Moto 2LiveJuly 8 - 3:15 PM
- 250 Class Moto 2LiveJuly 8 - 3:15 PM
- 450 Class Moto 2LiveJuly 8 - 4:15 PM
- 450 Class Moto 2LiveJuly 8 - 4:15 PM
- Monday Re-AirJuly 10 - 2:00 AM
A few other points of note: Dylan Ferrandis and Tom Vialle are quietly improving. Vialle could have won the RedBud overall, he was battling for third in moto one until Ryder DiFrancesco got a little too crazy trying to hold him off, and they hit. Vialle took second in moto two. He was also second in High Point’s second moto. I think it will take a bit for Vialle to figure out Southwick’s unique “sandy with a hard base” conditions but if he can podium moto one, look out in moto two.
Ferrandis was great in High Point’s second moto but he lost too much time at RedBud in moto one, unable to find a way around Ty Masterpool. With clear track in moto two, he kept some heat on Jett Lawrence. Of course, we never know how hard Lawrence is pushing, but Ferrandis has real credentials. Also, Ferrandis said on PulpMX this week he still doesn’t have a 2023 deal, and maybe he’ll just consider retirement at the end of the year! I don’t believe Dylan wants to retire. I think he’s trying to play for maximum leverage. Winning is the best way to do that.
You’ve also got to love the Masterpool angle. Credit to HBI Racing, by the way, which is bringing the kid’s bike to the races and trying to put some money together to build him a race engine. Ty, I’m sure, is good on sand. Garrett Marchbanks is, as well, and I know the Muc-Off/FXR ClubMX team spent the week doing nasty sand motos on the “OG Zach Osborne” sand track. So many angles here, well, except one. Cooper Webb went missing for RedBud. What’s going on there, and will he come back any time soon? I’m intrigued over that one.
Pro Perspective (Jason Thomas)
The Wick! For many, this is the toughest test of the season. The sand and heat facing riders this weekend put a tremendous amount of stress on their body. With temperatures in the mid 80’s and humidity higher than preferable, there will be no free lunch tomorrow afternoon.
There are a couple of tricks that can help make a weekend at The Wick a little more agreeable, though. First, go stiffer on suspension settings. While that may seem counter intuitive for big bumps, the load that the sand puts on suspension means that it wants more compression to remain in its static ride height. That added compression will keep you from riding low in the stroke and more able to recover from errors (James Stewart and I have talked about this on a few broadcasts this season).
Second, warm up really well prior to that first qualifying session of the morning because your fate depends on it. The second sessions track will be far too rough to get in a competitive lap time so you have to be ready to go flat out when the green flag flies.
Lastly, if it’s your first time to this track, jump in behind a local racer. This track is raced regularly throughout the year, meaning local riders know it like the back of their hand. They know the entry angles to carry momentum and how to squeeze the most speed out of the layout. There’s no glory in sorting out lines for yourself in a 10-minute qualifying window when a local expert can immediately lead you to the promised land. Pick a rider that you trust to be in the know and simply follow them around. When they sprint, you sprint. Don’t try to be an innovator, just soak up the years of experience they have surfing the sands of Southwick.
Media Legends, Lost (DC)
The motorcycle media industry lost two very big and influential figures this week. First came news of the passing of filmmaker Peter Starr, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer responsible for the award-winning documentary "Take It to the Limit" that followed legendary racers like Roger DeCoster, Kenny Roberts, Jay Springsteen and Mike Hailwood, passed away at the age of 80 after battling cancer. One day later Roland Hinz, the publisher of such well-known publications as Motocross Action, Dirt Bike, Dirt Wheels, Mountain Bike Action and more, passed away.
Here is one of Starr's last interviews, fittingly with his longtime friend Roger DeCoster:
And despite being in both the motorcycling and magazine business, I didn't know Roland Hinz as well as you might think, though when we would bump into one another he was very cordial and professional. So, I asked someone who did know him well, our publisher Scott Wallenberg, to explain more about how exactly Mr. Hinz built his publishing empire. Here's how Wallenberg explained it all:
"Daisy/Hi-Torque Publications was actually started by Bill Golden in the 1960s, publishing teenage girl magazines (Daisy) and later on he added Hi-Torque to the company name as they had begun publishing titles like Big Bike and Choppers. Rick “Super Hunky” Sieman was an ad rep for Big Bike but loved dirt bikes, which were becoming extremely popular at that point. Hunky bugged Bill Golden to start a magazine and in 1971 Dirt Bike was launched with Hunky at the helm. It caught fire and was a big hit right out of the gate. As the sport of motocross grew it was obvious that a magazine just for motocross could be a winner and in 1973 Motocross Action was born. I was hired in December 1978 and had the distinction of being there to see it all take place.
"Roland Hinz was a trail and desert rider enthusiast who had a background in finance as a banker as well as in publishing in what you might call the 'teeny bopper' magazine field. He met Bill Golden at various publishing conventions and with his love of motorcycle-riding he was a fan of Bill's magazines. However, Hi-Torque was in financial trouble, so Bill hired Roland in July 1980 as a financial consultant to try and help out part time. Roland had an immediate impact on the company bottom line and he realized that if he could own it, there was definitely a thriving business future. It was a long hard road to get ownership and restore profitability but he pulled it off and started Dirt Wheels, ATV Action, acquired BMX Plus! and then launched Mountain Bike Action, Road Bike Action and Electric Bike Action. Mr. Hinz even dabbled in RC cars and VWs with titles in those fields.
"Roland Hinz was hands-on. He picked every cover and approved the cover lines and stories. He was not afraid to take chances but he never sacrificed his integrity or religious beliefs in order to make a buck. I witnessed him pass up on thousands of dollars in ads that were in his mind not up to his standards. He would say if he couldn’t show a magazine ad to his pastor or a librarian with comfort, he wouldn’t print it. He also was responsible for an amazing run and the list of journalists and industry personnel who cut their teeth at Hi-Torque that is just mind-boggling. Rest in Peace."
While Roland Hinz did not start what became the highly influential Motocross Action and Dirt Bike magazine titles, he without a doubt saved them in the early eighties with his business acumen and then turned them into the great successes they became. Godspeed, Roland Hinz, and thank you for all of the years and countless pages of reading material, race coverage, product tests, entertainment, humor and more.
And finally, former WMXer and X Games medalist Tatum Sik lost her life in an automobile accident. A charismatic and kind young woman from Texas that always seemed to be smiling, Tatum loved motorcycles almost as much as she loved horses, and she was an excellent rider with both. She was just 32 years old. Godspeed, Tatum.
Next Generation (Mitch Kendra)
Last weekend, we got a look at the sport’s current stars. Haiden Deegan and Jett Lawrence are the new kids on the block in their respective classes, and while nothing is guaranteed in life, it does appear these two are here to stay for the next few years. But we also got a glimpse of future stars of the sport, via the MX Sports Pro Racing Scouting Moto Combine. Twenty-four riders were selected to participate in the prestigious event (although one did not compete after a last-minute injury). Several top names including Enzo Temmerman, Trevin Nelson, Preston Boespflug, Julien Beaumer, Casey Cochran, Canada’s Ryder McNabb, Mark Fineis, Leum Oehlhof, Drew Adams, and more completed the entry list for Friday’s program. We posted a recap press release from the series, and post-race interviews with a few of the riders, so although you were not able to watch the racing live, there was live timing and scoring up plus with social media nowadays you probably know most of what happened already. For some highlights, check out Tom Journet’s video below.
After the event, whether good or bad results or both—the handful of riders I caught up with all had positive takeaways from the day. There is no championship for these combine events so while results are important, it is all about the experience. Racing a pro track on the weekend of the pro race and going through a similar, tight schedule allows for an eye-opening experience for those to hopefully soon make the jump to the pro ranks.
For example, Julien Beaumer experienced both the highs and the lows. While running P2 in the first moto, he came up short on LaRocco’s Leap and eventually had to pull off with a busted up rear wheel. Bummer deal, but he rebounded to finish P2 in the second moto. The Arizona native has done every combine event since the program’s inception in 2021, and he put in a strong showing in the Supercross Futures races in Monster Energy AMA Supercross. His showing in the SX Futures program this year really made a turning point in his…well, future. At the opening Supercross Futures event, he qualified fastest and eventually turned enough heads to land with the KTM Orange Brigade team. He picked up a few wins and has really taken his game up a notch.
“Yeah, I think for sure this combine thing is awesome,” Beaumer told me afterwards. “You got all the coaches, you got all the nutritionists, everyone and you, you just come ride RedBud, one of the best tracks on the circuit, and it's definitely a good step to getting your motos in and see[ing] where you're at in that race pace. And, on the pro track, maybe compare yourself to what the times will be tomorrow and see when you're going to be ready to go pro.”
Casey Cochran raced the 2022 RedBud combine event on his Husqvarna 125 two-stroke. At a disadvantage against the competitors’ 250F machines, Cochran still gained valuable experience both on and off the track. This year, Cochran returned on his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC 250 four-stroke and put in a strong showing, finishing 1-1 day for the overall win. He is using all opportunities to race that he can, including these combines events, the Ricky Carmichael Amateur Daytona Supercross event, and more. Oh, and he is still only 16 years old and is a B level rider. A strong showing in the SX Futures program—with the main event win at the championship finale—has really put Cochran on notice in the industry.
“Right, it was a good experience last year as well, especially bring it into this year getting to know the track, getting to know the dirt,” Cochran said on learning last year and applying this year. “And I actually really like this place. I've had some good moments here, and last year was fun as well. I think I got fourth overall in the two-stroke, so I was stoked with that, and the 1-1 today it doesn't get, doesn't get any better like I said.”
For Logan Best, who broke both wrists in separate incidents within a few months’ time, this was a good litmus test ahead of Loretta Lynn’s. With a little under a month before Loretta’s, he knows what he can fine tune before heading to Tennessee.
“It was good to come out and get my feet wet, especially before Loretta's because now we know we can go back, we can improve on what we need to improve on,” Best said. “And, you know, it's just going to make Loretta’s ten times better.”
Plus, if you take a look at some of the previous athletes to come through the combine events that are in the pro ranks: Ryder DiFrancesco, Chance Hymas, Haiden Deegan, and most recently Daxton Bennick, who made his pro debut at RedBud last weekend after competing in the ’22 combine event. This event combine event at RedBud in ’22 showed both the Deegan and Yamaha crew that the second-generation rider might already be ready to take on the pro ranks, sooner than expected. Again, nothing is certain in life. But at the moment, the future of the sport looks bright.
Start Mitch Kendra Casey Cochran Mitch Kendra Casey Cochran Mitch Kendra Drew Adams Mitch Kendra Drew Adams Mitch Kendra Enzo Temmerman Mitch Kendra Jace Allred Mitch Kendra Julien Beaumer Mitch Kendra Leum Oehlhof Mitch Kendra Logan Best Mitch Kendra Mark Fineis Mitch Kendra Nate Freehill Mitch Kendra Noah Smerdon Mitch Kendra Noah Viney Mitch Kendra Parker Ross Mitch Kendra Preston Boespflug Mitch Kendra Ryder McNabb Mitch Kendra Trevin Nelson Mitch Kendra
Revving Etiquette 101 (Keefer)
When open practices at local tracks DO NOT have split group practices it can get somewhat tense out here in Southern California. I don't know about where you live, but it is rare to have a split practice here locally. I've kind of chuckled at older vet guys coming up to my van the past few months asking me who number so and so is so they can go have a "chat". However, now that I have seen this more, I am hyper aware of riders doing this on open practice days to slower riders. Sometimes it's not even pros, its amateur kids riding sections with their trainers doing it to older vet riders just trying to have a good time. This led me to write an article on what the proper way is to rev at a slower rider who could be taking up the main line (and sometimes the only line) on the track. Some of these motocross etiquette rules are so hush/hush that beginners may not even know about them! At times ou sport isnt that great about helping out the new riders so they understand what is right and what is wrong. Hell, sometimes the professional riders need a swift kick in the butt to remind them that an open track day doesn't revolve around. them. Read this article if you have ever been revved at or have been the revver.
Hey, Watch It!
GoPro: Ty Masterpool RedBud Press Day
The trailer for the late Peter Starr's classic motorcycle racing documentary Take it to the Limit.
Hailie Deegan's look at her brother's first professional win:
Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week
"Britney Spears Slapped in Face by NBA Star Victor Wembanyama Security" – TMZ
“A Texas man reported missing as a teen 8 years ago has been at home with his mom all along, police say”—CNN.com
“BRITNEY SPEARS: After Victor Wembanyama Security Slapped Her ...SHE SCREAMED 'THIS IS F***ING AMERICA!!!'”—TMZ.com
"Surveillance footage shows Britney Spears inadvertently hitting herself in the face after her hand was pushed off Victor Wembanyama." -AP
Random Notes
For the latest from Canada, check out DMX Frid'Eh Update #27.
Thanks for reading Racerhead. See you at the races.