Moto-Media - VOL.233 - SUNDAY 07 AUGUST 2011
Dear editor
NEW ZEALAND NEWS
Sorry but getting this out on a Friday does not work for me as the new apparel business now occupies more and more of my
time. Then Saturday we were at Mercer at noon for the afternoon, before being whisked off to Eden Park to watch the
Bledisloe Cup. Virginia was hosting clients to drinks, dinner and awesome seats. Wow, what a facility that now is, far
different to the days when I had a season ticket. The new temporary seats at the Western and Eastern ends are just soo
high. Eden Park is now stadium-like.
When we got home I watched a replay. Whilst the television coverage is great, especially the new fly-by-wire camera,
there is no substitute for the atmosphere. That will be my first and last 'taste' of the Rugby World Cup.
And now it's Sunday and I'm still not finished - ahh well !!
Talking Mercer ... another monster turnout yesterday. Mercer is run lean on Committee manpower but when one of them does
not turn up for duty it's not fair on everyone else. Ben Townley was there and going just soo fast. Rhys Carter gave him
a run in one session but there was too much traffic to get serious. DK was also there but training somebody.
85s are run in B Class and the likes of Sean O'Conner (now on a KTM85) and Josiah Natzke zipping in and out of the older
riders was amusing. Kurtis Lilly was there on his YZ125 but about to go KTM also. Chase Smith (CMR KTM125) had a huge
endo at the end of the back straight and both knees took the brunt of it. He will be very sore this morning.
Highlight of the week was the launch of the Moto Media YZ450 Project Bike. If you have not read about it the full story
is posted on: www.moto-media.net/?id=1072
The bike had it's first run up at Woodhill on Wednesday and after 6 x 15 minute sessions was run in. The most asked
question has been about the gripper seat. Roger Boyle's (aka Dr Trim) detail is now in the article as well as all the
other contacts. Scott also ran it at Mercer as did Tony Cooksley on this new YZ450. Tony actually said he liked it but
still 'loved' the YZ250 2-stroke! - no surprises there!
Courtney Duncan is now home after a huge performance at Ponca City. She certainly caught the attention in the USA and
there are "a few offers on the table" - say no more. The Americans did not know who she was before but they certainly do
now. Like we have been saying for years, she has a bright future.
The Pukekohe MCC has a MNZ permit to run the Auckland Champs and the Manawatu Orion MCC has applied for the same date to
run the New Zealand Veteran's and Women's Championships at Mt Stewart on the same weekend. Mt Stewart is a working farm
and for 'pasture' reasons is only available that weekend.
It would plain 'dumb' to have both events on the same weekend because the Vets/Women would/should opt for the Nationals.
As well as, other problems would arise such as Puke had Nicole Bol's MX Timing and Neil Ritchie (commentary) both
booked. The Pukekohe MCC have now, most generously, offered to step aside and run the Auckland Champs on 19-20 November.
This all happened in the last few days and both Clubs now await the 'rubber stamp' from MNZ.
It suits Pukekohe as the odds of Harrisville still being muddy in October is more than reasonably high. If it's the
opposite scenario and they have to water in November it will be no problem as Puke have bought a 'new-you-beaut' water
pump with funds kindly donated by the White House Tavern Trust in Papakura. The pump is more than capable of coping with
Harrisville extensive irrigation system and the current pump can cover the separate Mini track. The only negative is in
November the neighbour's paddock on the right hand side of the driveway is shut up for hay but another neighbour on the
other side has offered their's.
Speedshow. Last week I talked about Shayne King's KTM 360 as owned by Russell Burling. Wrong. Shayne owns it and has
that 1996 KTM as well as the '97 and '98 bikes in his showroom area at the office in New Plymouth which they are just
finishing painting. Shayne says; "Along with the helmets trophy's and jerseys which looks pretty trick - pretty cool to
have around."
I also mentioned: "Darryll King's YZ450 that he rode at Glen Helen in the World Vets at the US GP. The bike has lots of
enviable Pro Circuit bits and has just arrived back. DRD are doing a test on it and then it will be sold." Too late, it
has been sold and you will never guess who bought it? Here's a clue.
Did you notice at the Bike Torque Yamaha 2011 NZ Miniature TTs that they were trialling a MNZ change in the Vet Classes.
Vets were running 35+ and 40+ together and Clubmans and 50+ together. Bryan Davidson (MX Commissioner) says they will
continue with that 'trial' at the Vet Nationals before it goes into the rule book.
Diary Dates:Saturday 20 August at the Sandpit (Woodhill Forest) and TMG are having a 2012 EXC/XC KTM ride-day from 9am
to 3pm with 10 models available . Ride theirs for $12.50 or your own for $25.
AUSTRALIA NEWS
Rockstar Energy MX Nationals are all over with CDR Rockstar Yamaha's Jay Marmont once again taking the title. Josh
Coppins has no luck and crashed in Moto 3 when Dean Ferris went down in front of him. It was Marmont's fourth-straight
series victory. Aussies now we look forward to their Supercross Season.
The Aussies were on fire at the X Games last weekend. 19 year old Jackson Strong won the X Games gold in Best Trick with
the first-ever competition Frontflip despite spinning off-axis. He had little time to celebrate following his historic X
Games Best Trick Gold Medal and made the most of his two-day practice session at the Metal Mulisha compound before
departing for Central Europe. Strong is in Poland for the penultimate round of Red Bull X-Fighters, turning his focus
from a single trick to a full freestyle happening right now.
Jackson Strong: "It has been a pretty crazy week and I haven't had too much time to let the gold medal sink in. After X
Games I went straight back to the Metal Mulisha compound to brush up on my freestyle and then flew straight out here to
Poland for the X-Fighters event. I had always planned to be here after X Games but it has been a few months since I've
really focused on freestyle. After the crash in Dubai I had a few weeks off to recover and then put all of my time into
getting my best trick dialed. I am really looking forward to being a part of it this weekend and the next and final stop
of the X-Fighters tour which will be held at home in Sydney."
This weekend's event is at City Stadium in Poznan, a venue capable of seating 43,000 FMX fans.
EURO NEWS
The GP of Limburg at Lommel, did you see how rough the sand track got? Certainly have to be fit to ride a Moto there.
MX3 and WMX: On night at Lacapelle-Marival in France and it's the last round. Lacapelle Marival is one of the most
beautiful villages in France. Half way between the rivers of the Lot and the Dordogne, Lacapelle Marival is nestled in a
landscape of hills at the western edge of the Massif Central. The grand chateau Cardaillac occupies a dominant place in
the village and was the foundation of the community here. Built by the feudal family of Cardaillac in the 13th Century,
effectively the local rulers at this time, it was the central point around which the village developed.
Joel Doeksen is riding MX3 and has stepped up to the KTM450 which will certainly help his starts. Brother Jan is back at
Auckland University having been to two GPs with his family in the semester break. He said the that the speed Joel is now
carrying is significant - a massive improvement.
What is not really understood about MX3 is the top 5-8 are all MX1 riders who never got a 'factory' ride. Julien Bill
from the Pellicari's Team Honda is the holder of the MX3 red plate in last five events. But nothing is decided yet.
French Milko Potisek from the Ufo Racing team is his biggest competitor at the moment. He is 34 points behind. Milko
Potisek will be of course very strong as this will be also his home event, but Swiss Julien Bill will do all the best to
battle the MX3 Title .The solid Czech rider Martin Michek with main force will be looking to finish for the best
position in the MX3 World Championship.
Emma Davis from Team NZ DBG MX is also there having a run in the Women's World Championship Class.
STOP PRESS: Sunday morning here now and Joel Qualified 16th and Emma 19th out of 35.
Philippaerts out with wrist injury.
Monster Energy Yamaha rider David Philippaerts is more than likely to miss the rest of the 2011 FIM Motocross World
Championship after crashing during training yesterday (Wednesday) at a track in Germany in preparation for the Grand
Prix of Czech Republic this weekend. The 2008 MX1-GP world champion has broken both wrists. The 27 year old Italian
underwent surgery for several hours Wednesday evening.
The accident happened when the winner of this season's Brazilian Grand Prix landed heavily from a double jump and
suffered intense pain, with his hands feeling the brunt of the impact. More information about the surgery and expected
recovery time will be issued shortly.
Josh Coppin's Coolum shoulder injury 'buggered up' his plans to carry onto Europe (after he had won the Aust Pro Open
Championship - which did not happen) and possibly ride the remaining GPs for Rinaldi Yamaha's with Philippaerts out. He
was also going to ride for NZ at the MXoN on 15 September in France but that is now all over. NZ has a dilemma with Josh
and Ben Townley out and an expensive dilemma it is.
Junior Worlds: On next weekend with no Kiwis making trip. I had earlier said that Joshua Jack and family were going but
that did not eventuate. I asked Josh's Dad Andy; "No we canned the trip. When we got the Supplementary Regs we figured
out they had dropped the age to 17 so Josh missed out by 30 days. Then he crushed his foot at the Enduro at Riverhead.
So all the signs said it wasn`t mean`t to be. Maybe the under 19s in Aussie next year."
The Italian venue of Cingoli will host the 2011 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship during the 14th August weekend.
The age restrictions are:
- 65cc: 10 - 12 years old
- 85cc: 11 - 14 years old
- 125cc: 13 - 17 years old
Previous to the final heats, there will be a free practice, followed by a qualifying practice and a Last Chance heat,
and only the best 40 riders will access to the final two races. The format of the FIM Junior Motocross World
Championship is the same as the GP, so after two races, the winner will be the one who scores more points, taking into
account that the winner of each race takes 25 points, the second 22, the third 20 and so on, and that in case of a tie,
the second heat prevails over the first one. The duration of the races will depend on the class:
- 65cc: 2 races of 12 minutes + 2 laps
- 85cc: 2 races of 20 minutes + 2 laps
- 125cc: 2 races of 25 minutes + 2 laps
Last year American Jake Pinhancos was the winner of the 65cc class, while Henry Jacobi from Germany was the 85cc FIM
Junior MX World Champion and his compatriot Jordi Tixier was the 125cc winner. A part from the individual result, there
is also a National Teams Classification taking into account the best individual result of each country. Last year, USA
went out with the National victory, as the American riders obtained the most consistent results in the three classes.
SBK: Mmmm, interesting that Yamaha have pulled the plug on their SBK team of Milandri and Laverty at the end of the
season.
USA NEWS
No big news or gossip this week after the mammoth event that is X Games 17. Have to say I was kind-of over them after
the first two days. The Gold Medal on the Skate-board and BMX were something else.