Chad Reed 22

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• Read about the race, the results, photos, and point standings here.

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41 Trey Canard, 1 Ryan Dungey, 7 James Stewart

Supercross.com

• Watch all the MX GP races on MX Life TV

Tony Cairoli

Video news release below, and race recap courtesy Youthstream. Photos by Fernando Bianco

Once again the Grand Prix of Brazil was a great success – thanks to the outstanding facilities of Beto Carrero, and the enthusiastic 45,000 fans.

Antonio Cairoli won the Super Final, as well as the MX1 Grand Prix and he dedicated his 58th GP victory to his friend Marco Simoncelli who passed away in 2011. Clement Desalle was third in the Super Final and second overall in the Grand Prix, whereas his teammate Kevin Strijbos obtained the third overall position thanks to his second place in the Super Final.

Jeffrey Herlings won the first race but he was the second best MX2 rider in the Super Final behind Jose Butrón. Herlings won the MX2 Grand Prix, Butrón was second and Jordi Tixier completed the MX2 top three.

MX1 Race 1: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli obtained the GET Athena holeshot award, as he was the first one to reach the first corner. The Italian succeeded in pulling away in the first few laps and he dominated the heat until the chequered flag. At the end of the race Cairoli admitted that he had enjoyed racing the Beto Carrero track, as it was very technical and it suits his riding style very much.

Honda World Motocross’ Max Nagl managed to move from his initial fifth position to second. The German rider won yesterday’s qualifying race and he was very satisfied today for having been able to overtake several riders and finish in a well deserved second place in the first moto.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle did not have such a good start in the first race and when he was overtaken by Nagl in the first laps of the heat. Desalle admitted that by the end of the race he tried to attack the German but he struggled to find good lines and had to settle with third place.

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin did not have a good start in the first race and he was down in the eleventh position in the first part of the race. However, the French rider gave it all and finished in fourth place.

His teammate Jeremy Van Horebeek also had a solid first race; the Belgian rider was eighth at the start, but he managed to overtake Kevin Strijbos, Ken De Dycker and David Philippaerts and he finished fifth.

Kevin Strijbos did not have a good start and could not find a good rhythm, so in the end he ended sixth. Instead, David Philippaerts had an excellent start and rode second during the first four laps of the race. The Italian lost a couple of positions with Nagl and Desalle, and while he was riding a very consistent race in the fourth position, he had a problem with the tear off and he was only able to finish seventh.

Tommy Searle had a really good start in third, but he made a mistake and dropped down to the ninth place. In the end the British rider finished eighth and Ken De Dycker and Joel Roelants completed the top ten.

MX2 Race 1: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings struggled once again with his start, but he did an incredible recovery and he made the crowd go crazy lap after lap. The Dutchman was 12th at the start and even if most of the riders said that it was very difficult to pass, Herlings managed to win the first race with almost twelve seconds difference over second place Glenn Coldenhoff.

Standing Construct KTM’s Glenn Coldenhoff started second behind Alexander Tonkov, who had taken the Get Athena Holeshot, but the Dutch rider overtook the Russian after the first three laps and Coldenhoff took the lead of the race. Coldenhoff was feeling really good, but he could not keep his compatriot Herlings at the back, so Coldenhoff had to settle with second.

Wilvo Nestaan JM Racing KTM’s Jake Nicholls had a very consistent first race and he managed to finish third. The British rider started third and in lap four he overtook Tonkov and moved up to second. However, Herlings was coming really fast from behind and Nicholls dropped one position.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier did not have a good start in the first race and he was sixth in the first lap. During the first laps the French rider struggled to find a good rhythm, but by the middle of the race Tixier was able to overtake Dylan Ferrandis, Alexander Tonkov and Mel Pocock, so the French rider ended fourth.

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Mel Pocock obtained his best result of the season by finishing fifth in the first race. The British rider had a really good start and he was fourth in the first laps, but Herlings overtook him and he dropped down to fifth. The British rider managed to pass Tonkov by the middle of the heat but Pocock was overtaken by Tixier in the last minutes of the race and he had to settle down with the fifth position.

Jose Butrón did not have a very good start in the first race and he struggled to find a good rhythm. After racing eighth most of the heat, the Spanish rider started feeling better and he overtook a couple of riders and he crossed the finish line sixth.

Dean Ferris finished seventh, Dylan Ferrandis was eighth and Alexander Tonkov and Alessandro Lupino completed the top ten.

Super Final: The Grand Prix of Brazil hosted the last Super Final of 2013 and it was slightly different from the ones in Qatar and Thailand. The MX1 and MX2 riders lined up for the Super Final in their respective championship standings up to the tenth gate pick, i.e. Cairoli, Herlings, Paulin, Tixier and so on. However, Herlings decided not to be next to Cairoli and he chose the first gate from the inside.

ICE1Racing’s Rui Gonçalves took the holeshot of the Super Final, but after the first few corners Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Kevin Strijbos overtook him and the Belgian led the race until there were three laps to go. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli had a good start but he almost crashed in the opening lap so he went down in fourth; the Italian tried to overtake the front riders as soon as possible, but when he was second Strijbos had already opened a big gap and Cairoli started getting some arm pump. In the end Strijbos got a little bit tired so Cairoli could close the gap and with three laps to go the Italian took the lead.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Clement Desalle admitted that he did not feel really comfortable today, but he managed to ride a consistent moto in third. Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin was fifth in the first lap of the Super Final, but after four laps he managed to overtake Ken De Dycker and he kept the fourth position until the chequered flag, position that gave him the overall fourth place of the Grand Prix of Brazil.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker struggled in the first race but he managed to have a good start in the Super Final and he rode a consistent race in fifth. However, the Belgian rider was only seventh overall in the Grand Prix. Honda World Motocross’ Max Nagl was sixth in the Super Final, so he obtained his best result of the season by finishing fourth overall in the Grand Prix.

Rui Gonçalves could not keep his initial second position and crossed the finish line seventh, followed by Jeremy Van Horebeek and Tommy Searle. Jose Butrón was tenth and he was the best MX2 rider in the Super Final. Jeffrey Herlings finished thirteenth and Jordi Tixier fifteenth.

MXGP BRAZIL  QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1562m
Type of ground: intermediate hard pack
Weather Conditions: cloudy and some light rain
Crowd attendance: 45,000

Tony Cairoli said afterwards I’m really excited about this victory. Everything went smoothly and I managed to keep a good gap over my competitors. In the Superfinal, once behind Kevin Strijbos, I tried to reduce the disadvantage and during the last three laps I ended up overtaking him. It’s great to win in front of the Brazilian fans that are always so welcoming. I’d like to dedicate this 58th MX GP win to Marco Simoncelli.

MX2 Results:

1. Jeffrey Herlings – KTM – 1/2
2. Jose Butron – KTM – 6/1
3. Jordi Tixier – KTM – 4/3
4. Glenn Coldenhoff – KTM – 2/12
5. Dean Ferris – YAM
6. Christophe Charlier – YAM
7. Mel Pocock – YAM
8. Al Lupino – KAW
9. Al Tonkov – HON
10. Dylan Ferrandis – KAW
11. Max Anstie – SUZ
12. Jake Nicholls – KTM

MX1 Results:

1. Tony Cairoli – KTM – 1/1
2. Clement Desalle – SUZ – 3/3
3. Kevin Strijbos – SUZ – 6/2
4. Max Nagl – HON – 2/6
5. Gautier Paulin – KAW – 4/4
6. Jeremy van Horebeek – KAW – 5/8
7. Ken de Dycker – KTM – 9/5
8. Tommy Searle – KAW – 8/9
9. Joel Roelants – YAM
10. Shaun Simpson – T M
11. Evgeny Bobryshev – HON
12. David Philippaerts – HON
13. Rui Goncalves – KTM
14. Jon Barragan – KTM

MX2 Championship points:

1. Jeffrey Herlings – 347
2. Jordi Tixier – 257
3. Jose Butron – 218
4. Glenn Coldenhoff – 214
5. Christophe Charlier – 198
6. Dean Ferris – 182
7. Max Anstie – 172
8. Jake Nicholls – 150
9. Al Lupino – 148
10. Mel Pocock – 138
11. Petar Petrov – 114
12. Dylan Ferrandis – 105
13. Romain Febvre – 98

MX1 Championship points:

1. Tony Cairoli – 330
2. Gautier Paulin – 278
3. Clement Desalle – 267
4. Ken de Dycker – 245
5. Kevin Strijbos – 220
6. Tommy Searle – 205
7. Max Nagl – 169
8. Rui Goncalves – 148
9. Jeremy van Horebeek – 138
10. David Philippaerts – 130
11. Joel Roelants – 112
12. Shaun Simpson – 112
13. Tanel Leok – 108
14. Evgeny Bobryshev – 106
15. D. Guarneri – 97
16. Evgeny Bobryshev – 87

Video recap of the 2013 Brazilian MX GP – courtesy Youthstream

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Jeffrey Herlings!

Supercross.com

Mr Luongo said: “First of all I would like to congratulate Mr Romagnolli for the fantastic organization and set up of the Grand Prix of Brazil, which was already really good last year but it has been improved significantly in 2013.” Mr Luongo added: “Organizing the MXoN in Beto Carrero in 2017 is part of a long-term partnership between Mr Romagnolli and Youthstream, which started last year but which has been reinforced in 2013. Such partnership also includes a future cooperation to develop the motocross in Brazil thanks to the Youth Academy with the goal of bringing up new Brazilian talents in the near future.”

Mr Luongo finished by saying: “What Mr Romagnolli has achieved in these two years here in Beto Carrero is the standards that Youthstream would like to have for the future of the Grand Prix, a great race in a great venue with fantastic facilities and with a big crowd, so we are sure that the 2017 MXoN will be a big success.”

Mr Romagnolli said: “Organizing a Grand Prix was already a dream for me, but being able to announce that Romagnolli Promoções e Eventos, together with Youthstream and the FIM, will bring the MXoN back in Brazil in 2017 is a real privilege for me. I would like to thank Youthstream for trusting us, as well as the FIM for all the support they give us to organize this Grand Prix and the future MXoN.”

Dr Srb closed the press conference by saying: “For us this is wonderful news; the MXoN is the best motocross event in the world and it should be organized in venues and countries where there is enthusiasm for the sport, fans, riders, and of course a good venue like the one we have here in Beto Carrero. I am also glad to hear that Youthstream’s Youth Academy will work together with Mr Romagnolli to support and give a good formation to the young motocross Brazilian riders, but my wish for 2017 MXoN is to see Team Brazil being one of the top players of the event.”

The last time that the FIM Motocross of Nations took part in Brazil was back in 1999 in the track of Indaiatuba, so all the Brazilian and Latin American fans are really looking forward to see the best Motocross event in the world taking place in Beto Carrero, Brazil, in 2017.

Mr Duarte, Mr Romagnolli, Mr Luongo and Dr Srb

Supercross.com

• Watch all the MX GP races on MX Life TV

MX2 Qualifying Results:

1. Glenn Coldenhoff – KTM
2. Chris Charlier – YAM
3. Jeffrey Herlings – KTM
4. Jake Nicholls – KTM
5. Jose Butron – KTM
6. Al Tonkov – HON
7. Dean Ferris – YAM
8. Mel Pocock – YAM
9. Al Lupino – KAW
10. Jordi Tixier – KTM
11. Max Desprey – YAM
12. Max Anstie – SUZ

MX1 Qualifying Results:

1. Max Nagl – HON
2. Clement Desalle – SUZ
3. Gautier Paulin – KAW
4. David Philippaerts – HON
5. Tommy Searle – KAW
6. Jeremy van Horebeek – KAW
7. Tony Cairoli – KTM
8. Shaun Simpson – T M
9. Davide Guarneri – KTM
10. Kevin Strijbos – SUZ
11. Rui Goncalves – KTM
12. Evgeny Bobryshev – HON
13. Joel Roelants – YAM

MX2 Championship points (after 6 rounds):

1. Jeffrey Herlings – 300
2. Jordi Tixier – 219
3. Glenn Coldenhoff – 183
4. Jose Butron – 178
5. Christophe Charlier – 171
6. Dean Ferris – 152
7. Max Anstie – 150
8. Jake Nicholls – 129
9. Al Lupino – 123
10. Mel Pocock – 112
11. Petar Petrov – 99
12. Romain Febvre – 98
13. Dylan Ferrandis – 80
14. Harri Kullas – 72
15. Julien Lieber – 71

MX1 Championship points (after 6 rounds):

1. Tony Cairoli – 280
2. Gautier Paulin – 242
3. Clement Desalle – 227
4. Ken de Dycker – 217
5. Kevin Strijbos – 183
6. Tommy Searle – 180
7. Max Nagl – 132
8. Rui Goncalves – 131
9. David Philippaerts – 112
10. Jeremy van Horebeek – 109
11. Tanel Leok – 96
12. Shaun Simpson – 93
13. Joel Roelants – 92
14. Xavier Boog – 90
15. D. Guarneri – 89
16. Evgeny Bobryshev – 87
17. Jon Barragan – 67
18. Steven Frossard – 47

Max Nagl – winner of the MX1 Qualifying Race in Brazil

Supercross.com

There are a lot of great riders here at the opening round of the AMA National MX Series, including defending Champions Blake Baggett (250 class) and Ryan Dungey (450 class).

Supercross Champion Ryan Villopoto, Chad Reed, James Stewart, Justin Barcia, Trey Canard and a host of others will be going for the win in the 450 class as well. Add into the 450 mix Tyla Rattray, Dean Wilson, Malcolm Stewart (riding for the Lucas Oil Troy Lee Honda Team) and more! And what about Davi Millsaps? Davi has had an injured knee for a period of time, and will have surgery on it – he will not race in the outdoor series this year.

In the 250 class, chasing Baggett will be Ken Roczen, Wil Hahn, Marvin Musquin, Jason Anderson, Blake Wharton, Eli Tomac … and many many more great 250 class riders.

The weather here outside of Sacramento in Rancho Cordova – absolutely perfect. Sunshine and warm.

Click on thumbnails to view larger images from the Hangtown National MX

In 250 Qualifying, the quickest lap was put down by Eli Tomac – 1 minute 57 seconds. Then Jason Anderson, Blake Baggett, Marvin Musquin, and Ken Roczen all in the 1 minute 59 second range. Then Darryn Durham, Dom Izzi, Kyle Cunningham, Martin Davalos, Justin Bogle, Zach Osborne, Cooper Webb, Joe Savatgy, Jeremy Martin, Zach Bell, Jessy Nelson, Blake Wharton, Cole Seely, Jake Canada, and Justin Hill (2 minutes 3 seconds) round out the top 20 of 77 riders attempting to qualify.

Eli Tomac fastest 250 Qualifier Hangtown MX 2013

In 450 Qualifying, the quickest lap was put down by Justin Barcia – 1 minute 57 seconds. Then his American Honda Muscle Milk teammate Trey Canard next at 1:58:21, followed by James Stewart, Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto, Mike Alessi, Chad Reed, Dean Wilson, Josh Grant (back in action!), Andrew Short, Vince Friese, Malcolm Stewart, Ryan Sipes, Broc Tickle, Tyla Rattray, Weston Peick, Jake Weimer, Phil Nicoletti, Justin Brayton, and Travis Preston (that Travis Preston???) 20th at 2 minutes 2 seconds. 91 riders attempting to Qualify.

Justin Barcia quickest in the 450 class practice Hangtown Motocross

450 Moto 1 – James Stewart 7 with the holeshot, but before the first lap is complete – Ryan Villopoto has taken over the first position! Stewart is second, Ryan Dungey is third.

At the end of the first lap, it’s RV2, JS7, Dungey, Josh Grant, Trey Canard, Mike Alessi, Andrew Short, Dean Wilson, Justin Barcia, and Chad Reed.

On lap five, Ryan Dungey goes past Stewart as well. It’s Ryan Villopoto looking very aggressive and fast out front. Dungey is almost seven seconds behind RV. Stewart is in third. Then it’s Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, Dean Wilson, Andrew Short, Malcolm Stewart and Mike Alessi.

Ryan Villopoto is looking strong out front. Dungey maintains second position, about 12 seconds back. Stewart is third – about 17 seconds behind Dungey. Then Canard, Barcia, Malcolm Stewart, Andrew Short, Ryan Sipes, Jake Weimer and Chad Reed. Dean Wilson stalled his bike in a tight right hand corner.

Malcolm Stewart, on his first ride with the Lucas Oil Troy Lee Honda team, pulls off the track with just about one lap left after a fine ride – looks like a bike problem.

Ryan Villopoto has done it. He strikes first in the 2013 outdoor motocross season – winning the first moto. Just like in supercross – he looked great doing it. Good to see since his missed the entire outdoor season last year.

Ryan Dungey takes second, James Stewart third. (Results will be below.)

250 Moto 1 – Blake Baggett, with the big number 1 on his red number plate has the early lead. He is being chased by two-time World MX 2 Motocross Champion Marvin Musquin.

At the end of the first lap -it’s Baggett leading Musquin by … a bike length. Second lap – Musquin goes by and into the lead! At the end of the second lap, it’s Musquin first, Baggett second, Eli Tomac up to third, Ken Roczen is fourth. Cooper Webb is next. Then Wharton, Durham, J Martin, D Izzi, and Zach Osborne tenth.

Both Tomac and Roczen have moved past Baggett. The top three are very close.

Right near the end of lap five – Roczen blasts past both Tomac, and Musquin. It’s Roczen with the lead! Musquin second, Tomac third. Then Baggett in fourth, followed by Durham, C Webb, J Martin, Zach Osborne, Izzi, and tenth is Kyle Cunningham.

Lap six, Tomac goes past Musquin! And Baggett it closing up to those top three!

Lap eight – Baggett works around Musquin. Remember, these AMA National Motocross motos go 30 minutes plus two laps. Lap times for the quickest guys right now are around 2 minutes.

Just past the halfway point of this race, it’s Ken Roczen leading Eli Tomac by almost five seconds (didn’t these two just finish battling in the 250 West supercross series?) Baggett is next, then Musquin, and fifth is Darryn Durham.

Ken Roczen is leading Tomac by a comfortable seven seconds as the two lap flag comes out. And Baggett has closed right on the rear wheel of Tomac. Tomac and Baggett are putting on a great show in their battle for 2nd.

Kenny Roczen has done it in the 250 class – he’s won the first moto of the season! This race went 17 laps. Eli Tomac hangs on to second, Baggett third. Then Musquin, a nice ride for C Webb, and then Durham (results will be below).

450 Moto 2 – James Stewart once again with the holeshot! He’s followed by Ryan Dungey, and Ryan Villopoto! Trey Canard is fourth! Michael Byrne is back in action – he’s running 5th!

Although Stewart is leading Dungey, and Villopoto is right behind them, the top ten are all very close. It’s Stewart over Dungey by 3/10ths of a second. Dungey is methodically stalking Stewart. Villopoto is less than one second behind Dungey. Then it’s Trey Canard, Mike Alessi, Ryan Sipes, Justin Barcia, Andrew Short, Weston Peick, and Tyla Rattray rounding out the top ten. Chad Reed is 38th.

Stewart and Dungey are putting on a show! Stewart makes a small mistake, and Dungey pulls up even! But Stewart pulls away! Then Dungey makes a small mistake and Stewart pulls away … and Villopoto then goes past Dungey! Then Villopoto goes past Stewart for the lead! And Dungey gets past Stewart!

The running order 15 minutes into this race – Ryan Villopoto first, Ryan Dungey second, James Stewart third. Then it’s Canard, Alessi, Barcia, Sipes, Peick, Short, Rattray. Dean Wilson is 16th. Nick Wey is 17th. And Chad Reed is out of the race …

At the end of 30 minutes plus 2 laps – a total of 17 laps, Ryan Villopoto has done it – swept both motos for a perfect score of 50 points! The Supercross Champion will wear the red background plate heading into next weekend’s race at Thunder Valley MX in Colorado. Ryan Dungey finishes second in this moto – and takes second overall. James Stewart finishes third – and is third overall (results and points below). Ryan Villopoto dominated …

250 Moto 2 – Zach Bell 167 with the holeshot. But by the end of the first lap, it’s Kenny Roczen in the lead, followed by Blake Baggett!

• It has just been announced that the country of Brazil will host the prestigious Motocross of Nations in 2017.

At the end of lap three – it’s Kenny Roczen leading, Blake Baggett in second, Zach Osborne third, Blake Wharton next, and Marvin Musquin in fifth. Musquin goes past Wharton … and then there is a tangle between Osborne and Musquin.

The running order now at the end of lap five – Roczen leads Baggett by 3 seconds. Eli Tomac is third. Jason Anderson fourth. Blake Wharton fifth, then Justin Bogle, Marvin Musquin, C Webb, and Zach Osborne ninth.

Kenny Roczen leads Blake Baggett with seven minutes to go, by about eight seconds. After Roczen and Baggett, third is Eli Tomac, then Marvin Musquin, Jason Anderson, Zach Osborne, Kyle Cunningham and Justin Bogle.

Kenny Roczen is going to win this moto, and ‘sweep’ the 250 class here at Hangtown. He has done it! The rest of the top five in this moto – Baggett, Tomac, Musquin, and Anderson (results below).

450 Results:

1. Ryan Villopoto – KAW – 1/1
2. Ryan Dungey – KTM – 2/2
3. James Stewart – SUZ – 3/3
4. Trey Canard – HON – 4/4
5. Justin Barcia – HON – 5/5
6. Ryan Sipes – SUZ – 8/7
7. Andrew Short – KTM – 6/10
8. Mike Alessi – SUZ – 12/5
9. Tyla Rattray – KAW – 9/9
10. Weston Peick – SUZ – 8/13
11. Phil Nicoletti – YAM
12. Broc Tickle – SUZ
13. Jake Weimer – KAW
14. Chad Reed – HON – 10/DNF
15. Dean Wilson – KAW – 16/13
16. Travis Preston – YAM
17. Fredrik Noren – SUZ
18. Justin Brayton – YAM
19. Michael Byrne – KTM
20. Malcolm Stewart – HON

250 Results:

1. Ken Roczen – KTM – 1/1
2. Blake Baggett – KAW – 3/2
3. Eli Tomac – HON – 2/3
4. Marvin Musquin – KTM – 4/4
5. Zach Osborne – HON – 9/5
6. Kyle Cunningham – YAM – 8/7
7. Jason Anderson – SUZ – 12/6
8. Jeremy Martin – YAM – 7/13
9. Joseph Savatgy – KTM – 10/11
10. Justin Hill – KAW – 13/9
11. Cooper Webb – YAM – 5/18
12. Justin Bogle – HON – 19/8
13. Blake Wharton – SUZ – 17/10
14. Darryn Durham – 6/36
15. Cole Seely – HON – 14/14
16. D Epstein – KAW – 11/23
17. Martin Davalos – KAW – 38/12
18. Jake Canada – HON – 16/17
19. Alex Martin – YAM – 20/15
20. Zach Bell – HON – 15/35

450 Point Standings:

1. Ryan Villopoto – 50
2. Ryan Dungey 44
3. James Stewart – 40
4. Trey Canard – 36
5. Justin Barcia – 32
6. Ryan Sipes – 27
7. Andrew Short – 26
8. Mike Alessi – 24
9. Tyla Rattray – 24
10. Weston Peick – 21
11. Phil Nicoletti – 20
12. Broc Tickle – 16
13. Jake Weimer – 14
14. Chad Reed – 11
15. Dean Wilson – 11
16. Travis Preston – 9
17. Fredrik Noren – 9
18. Justin Brayton – 8
19. Michael Byrne – 7
20. Malcolm Stewart – 6

250 Point Standings:

1. Ken Roczen – 50
2. Blake Baggett – 42
3. Eli Tomac – 42
4. Marvin Musquin – 36
5. Zach Osborne – 28
6. Kyle Cunningham – 27
7. Jason Anderson – 24
8. Jeremy Martin – 22
9. Joseph Savatgy – 21
10. Justin Hill – 20
11. Cooper Webb – 19
12. Darryn Durham – 15
13. Justin Bogle – 15
14. Blake Wharton – 15
15. Cole Seely – 14
16. D Epstein – 10
17. Martin Davalos – 9
18. Jake Canada – 9
19. Alex Martin – 7
20. Zach Bell – 6

Ryan Dungey will racing racing his Red Bull KTM 450 with the number 1

Ryan Villopoto will ride this season with the number 2

Blake Baggett is the defending Champion in the 250 class

The Hangtown MX track is part a California State Recreational Vehicle Park. This is the sign this weekend you see as you enter the Prairie City SVRA facility.

Kenny Roczen doing a little celebrating …

And Kenny Roczen casually pulling a tear-off during the race …

RV is King of the Hill in the 450′s!

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Supercross.com

There are two classes competing in the 12 race series, which ends back in California in late August, at Lake Elsinore Motocross Park. The 250 class has Blake Baggett as the defending champion, and the 450 class has Ryan Dungey as the defending champion.

Who are the top contenders as the series starts? In the 450 class, the top three have to be the same top three that just finished battling in the 2013 AMA Supercross Series – Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto, and Davi Millsaps.

But there are a lot of ‘champions’ behind them, ready to go, since it’s a brand new season. Former East Supercross Champions and team-mates Trey Canard and Justin Barcia, and riders that have won both supercross titles and motocross titles – James Stewart and Chad Reed.

You might be asking yourself “Where’s Ryan Villopoto in the point standings?” Ryan won his second supercross title in 2012, but had knee surgery and did not race in the “Nationals”.

In the 250 class, Blake Baggett is the defending champion. He rides for the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team. Blake was racing in the 250 West Supercross class earlier this year, but suffered an injury – and then started preparing for this upcoming outdoor series.

The 250 class will be a shoot-out for sure. There are so many good, competitive riders – starting with Blake Baggett … and then you have regional supercross champions Ken Roczen and Wil Hahn. There is also Eli Tomac and Marvin Musquin. Dean Wilson. And all the riders that have chased them in supercross earlier this year.

• Here’s the point standings of how they finished last season, when Blake Baggett and Ryan Dungey won their 250 and 450 titles.
• Here is the schedule for the 2013 Lucas Oil AMA National Motocross Series

Below are two items for you to read. First is from MX Sports and their preview of this upcoming motocross season, and the second is a video from Yoshimura Suzuki of James Stewart getting ready for this series.

From MX Sports: Dungey and Baggett Lead the Way into 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Opener – 45th Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic Kicks off 2013 Series

Following months of anticipation, the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicks off this Saturday, May 18, at the Prairie City OHV Park in Sacramento, Calif. for the 45th running of the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic. This weekend’s opener sets the stage for an epic season of racing in both the 450 Class and 250 Class, as the champions of each division – Ryan Dungey and Blake Baggett, respectively, return to defend their titles against one of the most competitive fields in the sport’s history. In addition, Hangtown will host Round 1 of the inaugural Women’s Pro Motocross Triple Crown, featuring the fastest WMX racers in the country.

As the longest-running event on the championship calendar, the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic actually precedes what is now known as the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and boasts a devoted local following. The iconic Hangtown track, constructed by the Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club, features a vast array of elevation changes and highly-technical obstacles, set in a natural amphitheater which provides race fans with spectacular viewing from almost any vantage point.

Hangtown also kicks off an unprecedented telecast and online streaming coverage for Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, featuring 63 hours of competition from all over the nation. NBC, NBC Sports Network and FUEL TV will combine to showcase live coverage from all 12 rounds this summer. In addition, more Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship races will be live streamed than ever before. Coverage of this weekend’s Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic begins this Saturday at 4 p.m. ET with the opening 450 and 250 motos on FUEL TV, with second motos to air on NBC Sports on Monday at 12:30 a.m. ET.

450 Class: After a highly successful season in 2012, during which he claimed 10 of the 12 national victories and his second 450 Class Championship, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey returns this season to defend his title. Dungey’s nearly flawless performance proved to be a breakthrough season for KTM, securing the Austrian brand’s first-ever championship in the 450 Class. However, this season presents an all-new set of challenges for Dungey, who hails from Belle Plains, Minn., as a deep field of superstars will line up next to him.

Returning to Hangtown is the 2011 Series Champion, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, who was forced to sit out last season due to a knee injury. Since then, Villopoto scored his third consecutive AMA Supercross Championship, giving him a boost of confidence heading into the summer.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart also returns to the mix after missing most of last season due to injury. However, a healthy Stewart could pose a threat to the rest of the field this weekend as the Floridian swept both motos at last year’s Hangtown opener to defeat Dungey. Coincidentally, Stewart and Villopoto have never faced off against each other in motocross while racing in the same class, which shows the unprecedented depth of competition featured in this season’s 450 field.

Another rider returning from injury this season is 2009 Series Champion Chad Reed. A knee injury forced the veteran Reed to the sidelines last summer, but the TwoTwo Motorsports Honda rider is back in action and ready to challenge for another championship. And then there’s Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard, who has been plagued with injuries over the course of his career but still continues to demonstrate great resilience in both recovery and race results. Canard will line up at Hangtown this weekend for the first time since his 250 Class championship-winning season in 2010.

Familiar contenders from last season’s championship will also be in the hunt, including 2012 series runner-up Mike Alessi of the MotoConcepts Smartop Racing Team, as well as Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha’s Justin Brayton and Josh Grant.

In addition to the return of several 450 Class veterans and past champions, a couple of familiar faces will also be joining the 450 Class title chase this season. Team Muscle Milk Honda’s Justin Barcia and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson will both make the jump from the 250 Class to compete against the nation’s most elite 450 motocross racers. Barcia proved his merit amongst the talented field by finishing inside the top five in the 2013 supercross season, and was also a threat to win during guest appearances on a 450 in previous seasons. And Wilson, the 2011 250 Class Champion who is a native of Scotland, will enter the 450 Class for the first time this summer, alongside his teammate Tyla Rattray, a former World Motocross Champion who hails from South Africa.

Other riders to watch this season include Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer, BTO Sports KTM’s Andrew Short and Michael Byrne, and RCH Racing’s Broc Tickle, and many others.

250 Class: This season’s 250 Class Championship should boast one of the most exciting championship battles in series history, as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett returns to defend the #1 plate he earned in a hard-fought summer of 2012. Baggett is a past winner of Hangtown, who many consider to be the fastest 250 Class racer on the planet, though he has struggled to stay healthy since earning his first professional title last season. The Californian will face the same onslaught of competitors that made for a memorable 250 chase last season.

Red Bull KTM teammates Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin are fresh off a successful supercross season, with Roczen taking his first-ever 250SX Western Regional Supercross title, and Musquin finishing a close second in the East Region. Both Roczen, who hails from Germany, and Musquin, a French athlete, are former World Motocross Champions hoping to show their mettle here on the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.

GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac, who finished third in the 250 Class in 2012, also returns this summer with a championship on his mind. He will be joined by younger teammates Justin Bogle, who hails from Oklahoma, and the quick-starting Zach Bell, a resident of Cairo, Georgia. And then there’s Zach Osborne, a veteran racer from Virginia who spent much of the last five seasons on the Grand Prix tour in Europe.

There’s no counting out veteran riders like Rockstar Energy Racing’s Blake Wharton and Nico Izzi, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Martin Davalos, or Lucas Oil Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Cole Seely, as all four racers have proven to be serious contenders in the past. Even rising stars like Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson and Lucas Oil Troy Lee Honda’s Jessy Nelson must be counted in the mix in this talent-packed division.

And then there is the next generation of future stars that will add even more excitement to the competition. The recent confirmation of amateur motocross sensation Adam Cianciarulo to line up at this weekend’s Hangtown Motocross Classic for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki has garnered much attention already, while Cianciarulo’s longtime amateur rival Cooper Webb also debuts his Pro Motocross career this weekend with the MyPlash Star Racing Yamaha team. Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Justin Hill both showed great promise during the supercross tour and are expected to be top-five challengers. And yet another rookie contesting the Nationals for the first time ever is FMF/Orange Brigade/KTM racer Joey Savatgy. All of these young athletes have enjoyed great success in the amateur ranks and will look to make an immediate impact at the Red Bull Hangtown Classic.

WMX: The Women’s Pro Motocross Triple Crown will make its debut this weekend at the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic. The WMX Triple Crown consists of three stops along the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross tour, with Round 2 taking place in Mt. Morris, Pa. for the High Point National and the final stop at Moto-X 338 in Southwick, Mass. Six-time WMX champion Jessica Patterson leads the way in a stacked class of WMX competition aboard an N-Fab/TiLube Yamaha. Also returning for Round 1 is Brazil’s Mariana Balbi and KTM backed Alexah Pearson, as well as Japanese rider Sayaka Kaneshiro, who grabbed her first career podium finish at the High Point National in 2012.

Racing at the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic begins at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 18, with competition in the 250 Class and 450 Class, as well as Round 1 of the WMX Triple Crown.

And here, from Suzuki Racing: Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s James Stewart is healthy, healed, and eagerly looking forward to this weekend’s action-packed 2013 AMA Pro Motocross season opening round at Hangtown in Sacramento, California.

Although Stewart opted out of the last three AMA/ FIM World Supercross rounds when he tweaked his already-injured wrist at the Minneapolis race, the Yoshimura Suzuki rider still finished in the top 10 in the overall championship points. Since then, he took some much-needed time off to recover and came back with a vengeance, focusing his considerable efforts on training and testing on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450.

“After Minneapolis when I hurt my wrist again, it was a struggle,” admitted Stewart. “With trying to rehab my wrist, I decided to take the last couple of rounds off and be as close to 100% as possible for Motocross. Even though Supercross didn’t go the way I had planned, I fell in love with my Yoshimura Suzuki team and I had a great time. We had some ups and downs, but we also had some great moments, whether that was winning or just accomplishing a goal together as a team.

“I was definitely bummed to sit out, but that gave me a chance to take a break, rehab my wrist and get ready for Hangtown. Last year, we came into the series and I only had a few days on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and now I’ve had a few weeks. I love racing Motocross, it’s got a more relaxed family-oriented atmosphere, there’s more time to focus on bike set-up and the racing is really fun. I’m looking forward to Hangtown and to the whole season.”

By the conclusion of the 2013 Supercross season, Stewart had captured the win at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, becoming one of just three racers ever to go nine straight seasons with a win. Additionally, he raced his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 to podium finishes in St. Louis and Indianapolis, won eight of his heat races; and was the fastest qualifier at seven events.

The Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing crew will return for the season-opening round of the 2013 AMA Pro Motocross Championships on Saturday, May 18th, at the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Sacramento, California.

Check out the Motocross Preview Video – Check out Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s James Stewart in action as he prepares for the upcoming AMA Pro Motocross series.

Photo of James Stewart courtesy of Suzuki

Supercross.com

Monster Energy Kawasaki says about the video: In the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross season, Ryan Villopoto showed the determination of a champion, cementing his legendary status with his third-consecutive Supercross title. Go behind the scenes with RV2 and take a look back at his historic Supercross season.

Learn more about Ryan’s championship-proven KX450F here: http://gotosite.co/n6J

Supercross.com

MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli Sports, a division of NBC Sports Group, have announced the telecast schedule for the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Featuring a total of 63 hours of competition from the Nationals, NBC, NBC Sports Network and FUEL TV will combine to showcase live coverage from all 12 rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship this season. In addition, more Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship races will be live streamed than ever before. Coverage begins on Saturday, May 18, at 4 p.m. ET on FUEL TV with the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic in Sacramento, Calif.

In addition to its coverage of each round of the 2013 Nationals, NBC Sports Network will present exclusive programming beyond the motos, including weekly highlight shows following each round, a mid-season recap and a post-season review of both the 250 and 450 Class. NBC will also present live coverage of three rounds, including the Red Bull Budds Creek National, Red Bull RedBud National and the Red Bull Spring Creek National.”We are excited for the upcoming season of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and our partnership with MX Sports,” said Eric Grilly, President of Alli Sports. “This year’s distribution platform continues to bring motocross to consumers across multiple channels, building on past success with increasing support from Alli and the NBC Sports Group.”

Becoming an integral partner of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in 2011, FUEL TV will once again return to the Nationals this season. For 2013, FUEL TV brings live coverage of all 12 rounds, bringing eight rounds of Moto 1 coverage and four rounds of Moto 2 coverage to motocross enthusiasts unable to make it to the Nationals in person.

Times listed are Eastern Time USA

• May 18 – SAT – 4:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• May 18 – SAT – TBA – Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic 450 & 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• May 22 – WED – 11:30 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 1 – NBCSN
• May 25 – SAT – 3:00 PM – LIVE – Rockwell Watches Thunder Valley National 450 & 250 Moto I – NBCSN
• May 25 – SAT – 5:00 PM – LIVE – Rockwell Watches Thunder Valley National 450 & 250 Moto II – FUEL TV
• May 29 – WED – 11:30 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 2 – NBCSN
• Jun 1 – SAT – 1:00 PM – LIVE – Built Ford Tough Tennessee National 450 & 250 Moto I – NBCSN
• Jun 1 – SAT – 3:00 PM – LIVE – Built Ford Tough Tennessee National 450 & 250 Moto II – FUEL TV
• Jun 5 – WED – 1:00 AM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 3 – NBCSN
• Jun 8 – SAT – 1:00 PM – LIVE – GEICO High Point National 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• Jun 8 – SAT – 5:00 PM – GEICO High Point National 450 & 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• Jun 12 – WED – 2:00 AM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 4 – NBCSN
• Jun 22 – SAT – 1:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Budds Creek National 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• Jun 22 – SAT – 3:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Budds Creek National 450 Moto II – NBC
• Jun 22 – SAT – 4:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Budds Creek National 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• Jun 26 – WED – 11:30 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 5 – NBCSN
• Jun 29 – SAT – 1:00 PM – LIVE – Moto-X 338 National 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• Jun 29 – SAT – 3:30 PM – LIVE – Moto-X 338 National 450 & 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• Jul 3 – WED – 11:00 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 6 – NBCSN
• Jul 6 – SAT – 1:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull RedBud National 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• Jul 6 – SAT – 3:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull RedBud National 450 Moto II – NBC
• Jul 6 – SAT – 4:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull RedBud National 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• Jul 10 – WED – 11:00 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 7 – NBCSN
• Jul 17 – WED – 11:00 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 8 – NBCSN
• Jul 20 – SAT – 4:00 PM – LIVE – Peterson Cat Washougal National 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• Jul 20 – SAT – 6:00 PM – LIVE – Peterson Cat Washougal National 450 & 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• Jul 24 – WED – 11:00 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 9 – NBCSN
• Jul 27 – SAT – 1:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Spring Creek National 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• Jul 27 – SAT – 3:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Spring Creek National 450 Moto II – NBC
• Jul 27 – SAT – 4:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Spring Creek National 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• Jul 31 – WED – 11:00 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 10 – NBCSN
• Aug 10 – SAT – 1:00 PM – LIVE – Built Ford Tough Unadilla National 450 & 250 Moto I – FUEL TV
• Aug 10 – SAT – 3:00 PM – LIVE – Built Ford Tough Unadilla National 450 & 250 Moto II – NBCSN
• Aug 14 – WED – 11:00 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 11 – NBCSN
• Aug 17 – SAT – 3:00 PM – LIVE – Built Ford Tough Utah National 450 & 250 Moto I – NBCSN
• Aug 17 – SAT – 5:00 PM – LIVE – Built Ford Tough Utah National 450 & 250 Moto II – FUEL TV
• Aug 21 – WED – 12:00 AM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 12 – NBCSN
• Aug 24 – SAT – 3:30 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Lake Elsinore National 450 Moto I – NBCSN
• Aug 24 – SAT – 6:00 PM – LIVE – Red Bull Lake Elsinore National 450 & 250 Moto II – FUEL TV
• Aug 24 – SAT – 10:00 PM – Red Bull Lake Elsinore National 250 Moto I – NBCSN
• Aug 28 – WED – 11:00 PM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 13 – NBCSN
• Sep 11 – WED – 12:00 AM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 14 – NBCSN
• Sep 18 – WED – 12:00 AM – Moto Highlight Series Ep. 15 – NBCSN

“We are very proud of the broadcast and digital package we’ve put together for this season, both for the television audience and online viewers,” said MX Sports Pro Racing President Davey Coombs. “Motocross is not an easy sport to broadcast, given the duration of each event and the fact that each championship division races two motos, so we are fortunate that we have the ability to spread the programming in order to have comprehensive coverage of every moto from all 12 rounds.  And with our ability to also show all of the races simultaneously online, our fans have more options than ever before to watch Lucas Oil Pro Motocross.”

DIGITAL: In addition to television coverage, Alli Sports will feature a redesigned website and more than 60 hours of online coverage. All races that air on NBC and NBC Sports Network will be live streamed on allisports.com and through NBC Sports Live Extra, the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets. The vast majority of races will be live streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.  For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Races airing on:

* NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sport Live Extra;
* NBC Sports Network will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBCSports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

“We are pleased to announce the live streaming of every Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship race on NBC Sports Live Extra and allisports.com this season,” said Rick Cordella, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital Media, NBC Sports Group. “The redesigned allisports.comwill feature more than 60 hours of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship content, including races and practices.”

INTERNATIONAL: The Nationals will also be simulcast to 104 countries across the globe. The international telecasts will be hosted on eight different networks across the world – ESPN Brasil, ESPN Central and Latin America and Caribbean, Extreme Sports Channel, Fox Sports Australia, Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, Sport 1 in Germany, SuperSport and Duke Marketing. This will bring the most prestigious championship on the planet to over 40 million homes across those continents.

Returning to the booth this season is the longtime duo of veteran announcer Jason Weigandt and three-time AMA Pro Motocross Champion Jeff Emig, who will once again team up to bring event play-by-play and analysis to the viewers at home. Weigandt’s vast knowledge of the sport meshes seamlessly with the years of competitive experience Emig possesses to make them one of the most well-rounded broadcast partnerships in all of motorsports. On the track, Kelli Stavast and Erin Coscerelli will provide the latest breaking news from the pits and the starting gate, while also interviewing riders before and after they hit the track.

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Supercross.com

Ken Roczen‘s race results this season in Supercross:

Anaheim 1 – 2nd
Phoenix – 2nd
Anaheim 2 – 2nd
Oakland – 1st
Anaheim 3 – 1st
San Diego – 2nd
Seattle – 1st
Salt Lake City – DNS
Las Vegas – 2nd

Phoenix

Phoenix

Oakland

Seattle

Vegas

Las Vegas

Las Vegas

Las Vegas

Las Vegas

2013 AMA 250 West Supercross Champion Ken Roczen

• The Lucas Oil AMA National Motocross Championships start May 18 at Hangtown / Sacramento.
• The FIM World Motocross Championship series schedule is here
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Supercross.com