This installment of “THE WEEKLY FEED” starts off a little sad. Fly racing says “Thank You” to Andrew Short, we look at upcoming events for LACR, break down the happenings in off-road racing from the Atacama Rally to the Atlanta EnduroCross season opener and show you a couple companies looking for riders!
“Here’s Tommy Webb making a face for the camera. I was sorta jealous of the Dirt Bike/MX Action guys, in that they were more feature and comedy writers. I was a straight news reporter and held to those standards. One isn’t better than the other, just different angles to the sport.” Motocross Historian Thomas Mueller
FLY Racing Thanks Andrew Short
On Saturday, August 27th, 2016 Andrew Short finished his last professional race and rode off into retirement. It’s been FLY Racing’s pleasure to have worked with such an amazing athlete and person. We honor him for his career achievements and for all that he’s done for the sport of motocross. He’s been a true ambassador, not only for the FLY Racing brand, but for the sport as a whole; a role model and inspiration for many young racers and fans alike. Thank you for the memories, Andrew. You will be missed.
~ Best wishes from your friends at FLY Racing.
In honor of Andrew’s career, FLY Racing has compiled this gallery of career highlights:
http://www.flyracing.com/breaking-news/thank-you-andrew-short
COMING SOON TO LACR
Team HRC rolls on after the Atacama Rally
PRECISION CONCEPTS TEAM REPORT
Precision Concepts had a successful weekend as the off-road racing season kicked back off on the west coast. At the fifth round of the 2016 National Hare and Hound Championship, Precision Concepts suspension took four of the top ten positions with Axel Pearson and Nick Burson just missing out on the podium positions in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Take a look at how our riders fared:
Photos courtesy of Mark Kariya
HEPLER AND AARON SCORE TOP 10 FINISHES AT AMA NATIONAL ENDURO AND ROUND 1 OF AMA ENDUROCROSS SERIESLOS ANGELES, CA. (August 29th, 2016) – GasGas Factory U.S. riders, Broc Hepler and Geoff Aaron scored Top 10 finishes in racing action this past weekend. Aaron finished an impressive 8th overall in the season opener of the AMA Endurocross Series in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, August 27th and Hepler finished 10th overall at the 7th round of the AMA National Enduro Series on Sunday, August 28th. Both riders were competing against the best riders the U.S. has to offer and both came away with strong results and a clear indication that GasGas will be reckoned with in off road competition.
The Endurocross opener in Atlanta proved just how challenging and competitive the series has become with a start studded field lining up for the main event. According to Aaron, “There were certainly a lot of butterflies with it being the season opener. I just wanted to make sure I qualified for the main event and came away with some solid points. My EC300 ran great all night and I’m confident I can build on the result next weekend in South Dakota”.With high humidity and temperatures in the nineties at the National Enduro the following day, the 500 plus riders in attendance were treated to dry and dusty conditions over the 72 trail miles with 6 total tests. Once again Factory GASGAS rider Broc Hepler put in a fantastic ride winning the ACES portion of the event and finishing 10th overall against the best enduro riders in the country. Hepler and his GASGAS EC300 have been the dominant force in ACES Enduros all season long. Hepler said, “The Grassman Enduro went well. Obviously my Top 10 goal was met, but just barley. I felt decent and the bike work great. I was hoping my speed was a little closer to the front, but I have to remember I’m racing the fastest Enduro guys in our country and I wasn’t too far off. I just need a little more intensity and speed to keep the gap smaller towards the front.”
This is the sixth consecutive overall win for Hepler in the Aces Series and the first National Enduro top 10 overall for GasGas. Team Manager/Rider Johnny Barber put it this way “Broc showed he has the speed to run with the nations top enduro riders. The gap from 1st to 10th wasn’t much and with some more National Enduro experience I believe Hepler could compete for a win. I’m very pleased with our results this season and looking forward to next weekends ACES Enduro in Athens, Ohio as we continue to close in on the championship. Special thanks to Dawn Hepler and Tommy Johnston as well as all of our amazing team sponsors that includes Gas Gas Motos, Lunova Group, 6DHelmets, Super B Lithium batteries, Tri-State Powersports, Shift Racing, SCOTT Motosports, Golden Tyre USA, FMF Racing, Spectro
Oils, HBD Graphics, Numbers Brewing Company, P3 Composites, LLC, PR2 Suspension, Mika Metals, Bullet Proof Designs, G2 Ergonomics, Seat Concepts and Evans Powersports”.
GasGas is on a mission to reintroduce its line of world championship winning motorcycles in the U.S. Recently purchased by Torrot Electric Europa S.A. GasGas is already proving itself against some very tough competition. Watch for continued progress as the summer racing seasons its full stride.
PRESS INFORMATION, 8/29/16
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S JOSH STRANG FINISHES 3RD AT THE GRASSMAN NATIONAL ENDURO
Round seven of the AMA National Enduro Series took place this past weekend in Chandlersville, Ohio. The weather was hot with high humidity and conditions were fairly dusty, leading to a challenging race for competitors. This round consisted of 6 tests ranging from 4.5 miles to 11 miles.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Josh Strang started the day with quick and consistent riding, where he finished the first two tests with 3rd place finishes. Trouble struck in the third test, when Strang had a couple falls and trouble regaining some positions. This 7th place finish was a set-back but didn’t carry over into the remaining tests. He won the fourth test and finished in 2nd place during the final 2 tests, for a 3rd place overall for the day!
“This was a good round for me, except for the 3rd test, which cost me second place and probably a win, but overall, it was a good day! I was competitive in all of the tests while running up front. I have 2 more National Enduros and 4 more GNCC rounds where I will be looking for even better results.” Said Josh Strang.
Grassman Enduro Results
1. Thad Duvall (HUS)
2. Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
3. Josh Strang (HUS)
Husqvarna Motorcycles. Tradition on two wheels since 1903.
Husqvarna Motorcycles. Pioneering Since 1903.
From their very first motorcycle in 1903, Husqvarna Motorcycles has built a pioneering tradition through a series of visionary street and off-road motorcycle innovations that profoundly shaped both the history and future evolution of motorcycling. A premium quality look and feel is the minimum standard on every Husqvarna motorcycle. The Husqvarna brand was born in Sweden and is defined by its proud Swedish heritage, attitude and design influence. Originally founded in Sweden in 1903, Husqvarna Motorcycles have been designed and manufactured in Mattighofen, Austria since 2013.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Josh Strang rides a solid day to a 3rd place finish at the Grassman National Enduro. Photo by: Shan Moore
ROD OVERSTREET NAMED EASTERN REGION SALES MGR
FOR TORROT/GASGAS MOTOS NORTH AMERICA, IN
LOS ANGELES, CA. (August 30th, 2016) – Torrot/GasGas Motos North America today announced that veteran motorcycle industry sales professional Rod Overstreet has joined the company as Eastern Region Sales Mgr. for the Torrot and GasGas brands. Rod’s territory will include the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada and he will be responsible for all GasGas and Torrot product sales and dealer development. He will be based out of Campbellsville, KY and report to Scot Harden, CMO of Torrot/GasGas Motos North America.
“We are very fortunate to have someone with Rod’s background and experience to help guide our sales and dealer development efforts in this very critical geographic area for our products”, said Harden. “His previous experience with GasGas and intimate knowledge of the dealer network is a huge asset that will allow him to hit the ground running. We look forward to working with Rod for years to come as we build on our plan to become a major player in the off-road and EV market.”
“GasGas now finds itself in the best situation of its existence, with an owner who understands the importance of the American market, and willing to invest in the tools we need to succeed”, commented Overstreet. “Being under the Torrot umbrella and its lineup of e-bikes and e-mobility technology, the sky is the limit as to what we can accomplish. I look forward to working with the entire Torrot/GasGas team both here in North America and Spain as well”, said Overstreet in summary.
“The addition of Rod Overstreet to the Torrot/GasGas Motos NA Sales Dept. is further evidence of our commitment to the North American market”, Harden continued. “We will also be adding a Western Region Sales Mgr. in the near future to complete this first phase of our corporate development plan”.
Rod Overstreet can be reached at 270.403.8303 or by email at roverstreet@gasgas.com.
New GPR Stabilizer Kit for the Honda Africa Twin
GPR Stabilizer’s new kit for the Honda Africa Twin is now available. Complete kit includes The GPRv4 steering damper, sub-mounted. Billet machined bar mounts, frame mounts and the patented pin-less arm system, plus all mounting hardware. Damper unit available in 5 anodized colors. Retail – $575.00
The 2017 season is right around the corner and now is the time to apply for rider support! The Nihilo Concepts Tribe is soon to be selected for the 2017 MX, SX, & AX season. We encourage everyone, current Tribe members and new applicants, to apply for rider support. We are looking for a limited number of dedicated riders to represent Nihilo Concepts positively, on and off the track, consistently throughout the season. Please send your resume, including a bio and recent results, to RiderSupport@NihiloConcepts.com.
Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns regarding the Nihilo Tribe sponsorship program.
MANY SPONSORSHIP CHOICES… ONLY ONE ANSR!
Now Accepting Resumes For 2017 Season
August 30, 2016 Irvine, CA – Get the holeshot on your racing season! Now is your chance to join top pros like Nick Wey and Justin Bogle and become a member of ANSR’s racer support program, but you better be quick. The gate drops on ANSR Racing’s 2017 Sponsorship Program September 1st.
“Good riders have any number of gear choices, but there is only one ANSR,” says Jenn Garfinkle, Answer Racing’s Amateur Racer Support Representative. “ANSR not only sponsors professional athletes, but racers of all levels from the grassroots local level amateurs to national and world champions,” she explains. “Any racer willing to work hard and give ANSR a positive representation both on and off the track should apply.”
“I have many choices in gear,” says Justin Bogle. “I choose ANSR.”
To be considered for the 2017 ANSR sponsorship program, please choose from ONE of the following methods to apply:
Submit a digital application through MxSponsor at: http://mxsponsor.com/companies/answer-racing
Submit a digital application through Hookit at: http://www.hookit.com/brands/ansrracing/
E-mail your complete resume with your contact information, including your results for the past two seasons, career highlights, and your upcoming race calendar to: RacerSupport@AnswerRacing.com
* Please note: We only accept sponsorship requests for racers within the United States.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM WELCOMES EUROPEAN TEAMMATES TO THE U.S.
The U.S. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team will be on-site for the final two rounds of the FIM World Motocross Championship to support KTM’s international fleet of racers as they prepare to conclude their championship season on American soil. Additionally, the U.S. team announces additional races for the 2016 schedule.
MURRIETA, Calif. – KTM North America is pleased to welcome the European Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team to the U.S. for the final two rounds of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Following the conclusion of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, Dean Wilson will join European riders Tony Cairoli and Glenn Coldenhoff in the premier MXGP division, while championship-hopeful Jeffrey Herlings and his teammate Jorge Prado will represent the team in MX2.
The U.S.-based Red Bull KTM Factory Racing crew members and team transporters will be on-site to support KTM’s international fleet of racers as they prepare to conclude their championship season on American soil.
The penultimate round takes place this Friday and Saturday night, Sept. 2-3, in Charlotte, North Carolina, followed by the season finale at Glen Helen Raceway the following weekend.
Furthermore, following a back injury sustained during Round 3 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in June, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ryan Dungey is set to make his return to racing in October, beginning with the SMX Riders’ Cup in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on Saturday, Oct. 8. Dungey will compete in this event alongside his teammate Marvin Musquin and European rider Jeffrey Herlings.
Dungey and Musquin will then compete in the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 15 before heading to Pomona, California for the 3rd Annual Red Bull Straight Rhythm on Saturday, Oct. 22.
OVER AND OUT !
Tom Webb