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Rory McQualter heads to AMA Flat Track Grand Championship

16-year-old Rory McQualter joins an impressive list of Gold Coast motorsport talent who have left Australian shores to take on the world’s best, this week jetting out to Du Quoin, Illinois to contest the 250 cc class in the 2023 AMA Flat Track Grand Championship on June 14 -20.

The Flat Track Grand Championship is the premier Amateur event in the USA and sees competitors race four different track configurations over the course of race week.

Accompanied by his father Andy, Rory will familiarise himself with the local competition by racing two regional events in Van Wert, Ohio (3 June) and Harpster, Ohio (10 – 11 June) before heading to Illinois.

The current Australian 150 cc and 250 cc Dirt Track Champion honed his craft at the Mike Hatcher Junior Motorcycle Club in Arundel and joins a distinguished group of racers who have come through the club to race at an elite level including world champions Mick Doohan, Troy Bayliss, Jason Crump and Casey Stoner.

Rory McQualter

“Racing at the Flat Track Grand Championship has been a dream of mine and I am excited to get over there and see these different tracks. Most of all I am grateful to Dad and the family for helping me achieve my dream. Everyone has had to make a sacrifice for us to make this happen. It will also be pretty special to be representing my home club Mike Hatcher Junior Motorcycle Club on the world stage.”

Following these events, McQualter will return to Australia to debut as a senior rider in the new Australian Flat Track Nationals Series where he will compete for an impressive prize pool across six events in New South Wales and Queensland.

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Successful surgery for Jago Geerts

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Jago Geerts successfully underwent surgery with hand and wrist specialist Dr. Joris Duerinkx on May 24th in Genk, Belgium. The surgery was performed to repair the left wrist injury that was sustained in the MX2 Qualifying Race at the MXGP of France in Villars Sous Ecot.

Over the next few weeks, Geerts will work closely with his medical team, who will monitor his progress and adjust his treatment plan as needed. An update on his potential return to action will be shared in due course.

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Dean Wilson & Max Anstie confirmed for AUSX 2023

The 2023 FOX Australian Supercross Championship is shaping up to be one of the most star-studded in its 40-year history, with Dean Wilson to compete with Boost Mobile Honda Racing Team, with defending SX2 Champ Max Anstie also on the team, with gates dropping in Newcastle, NSW on November 11.

Following a 2-year, Covid-induced hiatus, the Fox Australian Supercross Championship returns for 2023 across three iconic locations. McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle (November 11), Marvel Stadium in Melbourne (November 24) and Wayville Showground in Adelaide (December 2).

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2023 FIM SGP2 competitors confirmed

The line-up for the 2023 FIM SGP2 series has been confirmed with three permanent wild cards joining the 12 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship qualifiers. The sport’s top under-21 riders will compete for the SGP2 title over three rounds – before an FIM Speedway Grand Prix event.

Round one takes place in Czech capital Prague on Friday, June 2, with round two at Gorzow’s Edward Jancarz Stadium in Poland on Friday, June 23 and the finale at Denmark’s famous Vojens Speedway Center on Friday, September 15.

In addition to the 12 riders who qualified for the series via last Saturday’s qualification rounds, which include reigning SGP2 champion Mateusz Cierniak of Poland, Norway’s Mathias Pollestad, Slovenian international Anze Grmek and Czech star Petr Chlupac join the field as permanent wild cards.

2023 FIM SGP2 line-up

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Jack Miller joins Cairns MX Club Day 2

Jack Miller has joined the Cairns MX Club Day #2. The MotoGP star finished the runner-up on the day to Ricky Chalmers, who went 1-1-2 for the overall and 72-points, with Miller settling for a 2-2-1 scorecard to the second ahead of Billy Van Eerde. Brendan

Miano, Matthew Plath, Brett Oberthur and Clay Thompson rounded out the MX1 competitors in fourth through seventh.

In MX2, Heath Groundwater swept all three races, with David Forster the runner up (3-2-2), and Adam Keenan was third (2-3-3). Jesse Griffith was fourth taking three fourth places.

 MX1 Overall

MX2 Overall

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2023 AMA Pro Motocross Round One
Fox Raceway National

See the full report and results from AMA Pro MX Round One here:
Lawrence brothers and Honda dominate AMA MX opener

450 Moto One

The opening 450 Class moto of the 2023 season saw the division’s newest face put himself out front off the start as Lawrence easily grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot and stormed out to an early lead ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis, the 2021 titleholder, and Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, the newly crowned Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion.

Lawrence’s lead continued to grow as the moto wore on, as the young Australian looked comfortable and in full control in his first premier class race. As a result, the focus shifted to the battle for second between Ferrandis and Sexton. The Frenchman held control of second for nearly half of the moto, but Sexton showed patience and persistence and eventually made his move into the runner-up spot.

Out front, Lawrence enjoyed a carefree wire-to-wire performance and cruised to the moto win by 10 seconds over his teammate for a Honda 1-2, while Ferrandis finished with a firm hold of third. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb followed in a distant fourth, with teammate Aaron Plessinger fifth.

450 Moto Two

The second and deciding moto once again saw Lawrence leading the field through the first turn to sweep the MotoSport.com Holeshots for the afternoon, but he immediately came under fire from Ferrandis. A couple of bobbles by the Yamaha rider saw him lose some momentum, which allowed Sexton to make the pass and give chase to his rookie teammate. Behind the lead trio, the KTMs of Webb and Plessinger added themselves into the mix.

It didn’t take long for the Hondas to inch away from Ferrandis and the KTMs, and the race soon turned into a one-on-one battle between Lawrence and Sexton. About two seconds separated the pair, with Sexton keeping Lawrence honest and settling in through the middle portion of the moto.

As they entered the final 10 minutes Sexton picked up the pace and was able to decrease the deficit to about a second. They traded momentum at various points on the track and both navigated their way through lapped riders efficiently. As time ran out on the moto the teammates were closer than they had been all race.

A mere seven tenths of a second separated Lawrence and Sexton as they took the white flag, but Lawrence dug deep to open up just enough distance to manage the final push. Lawrence took the checkered flag a second ahead of Sexton, while Ferrandis, who never factored into the battle, finished a distant third, nearly 44 seconds off the lead.

Jett Lawrence – P1

“I definitely didn’t expect a day like this. I felt like I knew where I was coming in, but jumping up to this class, everyone is fast and fit. That second moto, I kept looking over my shoulder, thinking I gave myself a gap, just to see the 23 even closer than before! I find battles like these fun, though; they make me a better rider and they test how well I can handle the pressure. I knew Chase wasn’t going anywhere and it would be a long 35 minutes, but it was great having a clean battle. I expect this whole season to be a chess match, and it’s nice to take the first round.”

Chase Sexton – P2

“We’re off to a solid start. I didn’t feel like I had the speed early in the day, and that crash in practice didn’t help my confidence. In the first moto I just rode sloppy, but I kept building and getting more comfortable throughout the day. In the second moto I felt like I was me from outdoors last year. We just have to keep building confidence and making the bike even better. I feel like I’m prepared to take this fight all the way to the end.”

Dylan Ferrandis – P3

“I think it’s good to be in podium position. It was a long second moto, AP [Plessinger] was pushing me. I had to dig deep, so it was good for me and the team to have that experience.”

Aaron Plessinger – P4

“It was an eventful day here, for sure. I was riding really good, but ended up going down twice in that first moto – I think Coop saw me five times and was probably wondering what I was doing. Went out in moto two and had a big battle with Dylan Ferrandis, probably should have executed a couple things better on my end to make a move, but stoked to come away with fourth and take the battle into Hangtown.”

Cooper Webb – P5

“This was very, very last minute to race here, obviously with the injury being the main reason. Together with the team we got things done and last week was the first 30-minute moto I’ve done since 2021, so prep hasn’t been ideal, but today was solid for me, and I was really happy with it. We showed some speed, showed some potential and are ready to give it another shake in Hangtown.”

Adam Cianciarulo – P6

“This race was good for me and my Kawasaki KX™450SR. Pala isn’t my favorite track, it’s a bit choppy and rough which gets difficult but I’m trying my best every lap and controlling what I can control. It is a decent start to the Pro Motocross season and we are going to keep improving and building each round.”

450 Championship Points

250 Moto One

The first 250 Class moto of the summer began with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll at the head of the pack with the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire, who both quickly passed Swoll to grab early control of the moto. Shimoda led briefly, but then gave way to a hard-charging Hampshire as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle slotted into third.

Hampshire controlled the first 10 minutes of the moto then tipped over in a rut, which subsequently forced Shimoda to come to a stop with no way around. Both riders resumed quickly with no positions changed, but the incident allowed Vohland to close in from third. Not long after, Shimoda went on the attack and made the pass for the lead briefly, but Hampshire responded to regain control. As he looked to remount another attack Shimoda went down and lost multiple positions, which allowed Vohland and his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Tom Vialle, the 2022 MX2 World Champion, to move into second and third, respectively.

With no pressure from behind Hampshire opened a lead of nearly 10 seconds entering the final phase of the moto, which allowed Vohland to settle firmly into second. Behind them, the battle for the final spot on the podium continued as Shimoda clawed his way back into contention and brought Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence with him. Both riders were able to make their way around Vialle to drop the Frenchman to fifth and set their sights on Vohland in the closing minutes.

It was smooth sailing for Hamshire the rest of the way as the Husqvarna rider captured the third moto win of his career by 6.1 seconds. A torrid battle for second unfolded on the final lap as Shimoda and Lawrence closed in on Vohland. A lapped rider allowed Lawrence to get by Shimoda, from which the Australian rider continued his charge onto Vohland’s rear fender. However, the KTM rider withstood the challenge to secure the best moto result of his career in second, with Lawrence third, Shimoda fourth, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper rounding out the top five.

250 Moto Two

The final moto saw Lawrence put his Honda out front with the MotoSport.com Holeshot as Vialle gave chase in second. Behind them, both Hampshire and Vohland were involved in incidents that dropped each of the top-two finishers deep in the 40-rider field. Shimoda didn’t fare well either and started outside the top 15 in the running order.

With a clear track ahead Lawrence easily built a multi-second lead over Vialle, who started to receive pressure from Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Haiden Deegan. As the top three settled in, the attention shifted to the recovery efforts of the riders that ran at the front of the field with Lawrence in Moto 1.

Both Vohland and Shimoda soon found themselves racing one another in a climb up to the top 10, while Hampshire valiantly looked to overcome a pair of tip-overs on the opening lap. Vohland and Shimoda continued their march up the standings, which put both back into contention for the overall podium. The KTM rider was able to reestablish his spot in the overall classification, only to make contact with a rider and go down, which dropped Vohland outside the top 10.

Vohland’s misfortune shifted the momentum to Vialle and Cooper, who engaged in a late battle for third in the moto that would ultimately decide which rider would also secure that position in the overall standings. That was until Hampshire’s slow and methodical recovery saw him break into contention by approaching the top 10 in the running order.

Hampshire was able to move himself onto the overall podium, only to watch it slip away with a third incident. The Husqvarna rider lost a couple positions but remounted and made one final push. He needed to pass a pair of riders on the final lap and was successful in doing so.

Back out front, Lawrence enjoyed a wire-to-wire performance that saw him cap off the afternoon with a convincing win, 8.4 seconds ahead of Deegan, with Vialle not too far behind in third.

Hunter Lawrence – P1

“That first moto was me just taking what I could get; I was pushing as far as I could with what the track was giving me, but I didn’t want to throw away a good finish. In the second moto I put a lot of emphasis on the start; I knew I needed that to make my life easier. Coming through the pack on this track is so difficult, with the way it forms. Once you get into a rhythm, it’s very hard to drop the hammer and start picking guys off. I’m excited with the way we started the season, and I can’t wait to keep this going.”

Haiden Deegan – P2

“I’m actually kind of surprised. Some people said I wouldn’t have been close to this. I guess we’re kind of proving people wrong and that’s what I’ve got to do. Second place in my first season of outdoors, I’m hyped.”

RJ Hampshire – P3

“For the first round of the outdoors, I was so excited to come here and race,” said Hampshire. “It started off with a great start in the first moto. I’ve never felt like that out front where things felt that easy and I didn’t really have to get out of my comfort zone. Coming into the second moto I was going to try and do the same thing and it’s on me. I botched that start and was still kind of decent, but the second turn was mayhem and I ended up going down. I made up a bunch of passes right away, and then someone else got a little whiskey throttle and I clipped their rear tire going up the steep hill in the back. Then I had my work cut out for me. I was in last by quite a bit. I knew I had to put my head down and I was charging hard. I didn’t know if I had a shot at the podium. I had another little crash near the end, but I’m pretty stoked on the whole day. I’m really happy with the bike, where we’re at, our mentality. It’s going to be a good year and I’m so damn proud of this team.”

Tom Vialle – P4

“It was a difficult start to the day with 16th in qualifying, though we made some changes to get more comfortable with the conditions. First moto, I made some more improvements, and could manage a seventh place in that moto. Second moto, we made positive changes and I felt way better, so was able to get third place. I’m pretty happy with the day and my first National, we made great progression throughout the day between myself and the team – I was a bit sick coming into this round, so overall I’m happy to start my season like this.”

Maximus Vohland – P6

“Pretty happy with today. It’s always an achievement to end up on the box, even if it was for a moto, so it’s another stepping stone for me. I was really looking to get on the podium overall today, but qualified well, was fast in the first moto, and second moto I felt really good, just a couple of mistakes cost me. I felt I had everything it took today, just tangling with the rider in moto two really hurt, but I’m stoked to be headed to my home race in Hangtown next week and we’ll fight for a podium.”

Jo Shimoda – P7

“The day started off great, but I didn’t put myself in a position to finish well,” said Shimoda. “I felt good so it’s tough to finish seventh overall. But if you’re looking at the points, they are all really close and that’s what we’re pushing for – to be on top of the points. We’ll work more on starts this week and hopefully get them dialed to have a good race next weekend.”

Carson Mumford – P10

“The first moto was pretty good but made just enough mistakes to push me outside the top 10,” said Mumford. “But the second moto I felt better, I just had to use that energy to get through the pack. I’m happy with how I rode in the second moto, which I’ll take with me mentally into the next round at Hangtown.”

Ryder Difranesco – P11

“I am really happy with my starts and think I just have a few things to clean up to be capable of finishing in the top five,” said DiFrancesco. “The speed is high, and those little mistakes cost you big. So we’ll work on some things this week to get even better at Hangtown.”

Jett Reynolds – P14

“I didn’t come in with much to expect other than wanting to ride well, stay healthy and learn a lot,” said Reynolds. “I think overall we accomplished that and I learned so much that I know we can build on for the next few rounds. If I had anything I’d hope for this season is to be better at the end than when I started and this is the starting point of all that.”

Michael Mosiman – P15

“This was the first round for me after quite a long time off. It’s been a lot of hard work to build back, and today was just another step in that process. I would have liked to finish better but there are some building steps and some things that we improved. We made big improvements to the bike in the second moto and I felt a lot more comfortable. That allowed me to put together clean laps. I’m excited for the future and to head to Hangtown and get after it.”

Caden Braswell – P19

“I’m super grateful for the opportunity. Pala was an amazing experience for my first Pro Motocross National. I’m absolutely thrilled to have done it with the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS team. The team was amazing…super-hard working and encouraging. I’m disappointed in my results because I know the bike and I are capable of so much more. I’m going to keep my head up pulling into Hangtown and strive to do better.”

Jalek Swoll – P21

“This was my first race back in pretty much a year, and it just felt good to get gate drops,” said Swoll. “Watching from the couch was not fun. Just being out here, 100 percent or not was the goal. The starts were pretty good. I was stoked about that and other than the first moto fall I feel today could have been really good. We’ll get healed up, come back a little bit stronger, get some good motos under my belt, and start clicking off some goals this year. My confidence is still there. I feel like I can compete at the top level, so we’ll take the starts and the little bit of momentum that was caught today to Hangtown.

Talon Hawkins – P20

“Round one was pretty good, and there’s a lot of good to take from it,” said Hawkins. “I needed a better start in that first moto. I got the better start in the second moto, I just didn’t ride the way I know how. We’re going to work on that this next week and hopefully make something happen next weekend. I’m excited, and this was a good race for me to build off of as we head into the next rounds.”

250 Championship Points

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2023 Penrite ProMX Championship Round Five – Gillman, SA

For the full report and results from Round Five at Gillman see:
Honda duo top MX1 and MX2 at Gillman AusProMX

Thrilling on-track action at the fifth round of the 2023 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores wrapped up in Gillman, SA, where Kyle Webster and Wilson Todd swept the Thor MX1 and Pirelli MX2 classes. Byron Dennis notched the MAXXIS MX3 overall victory and Charli Cannon achieved a perfect day in the EZLIFT MXW ranks, as the best riders from all over the nation took to the South Australian venue.

MX1 Rider Quotes

Kyle Webster – P1

“I said it before I turned up: I need to race for the win in each and every race I line up in and today was one of those days that turned out better than I could have imaged. It has been a tough season and today was amazing. The bike, team and everyone involved at Honda Racing are working amazingly well and this result is a credit to their efforts.”

Aaron Tanti – P2

“I came into the weekend pretty determined to get my season back on track and myself back into the championship fight and although I didn’t get the round win, I was able to do that, so it was a positive weekend for me. I have always enjoyed racing here and the track was in amazing shape considering the weather the area had in the lead up, so congratulations to the club and the crew for effort they put in to make the weekend happen. I’m now back to within striking distance of the lead and we have three rounds to come all in Queensland, so its game on. Thank you to everyone on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team as weekends like this are always hard work but everyone chipped in and we were able to get the results we needed.”

Jed Beaton – P3

“We were definitely better today – I could do 30 min without fatiguing. The bike is much better and everyone is working hard. We need to keep working on everything so we can refine the little things. I am much happier with everything today and we are focused on being better in round six.”

Kirk Gibbs – P4

“It was a decent race weekend for us here in South Australia. It was good to get back in front of the hometown fans and finish third in the opening moto after qualifying eighth. Second moto was crazy with the rain out of nowhere, so struggled a little bit in that moto and got sixth. All in all a decent weekend, and my sights are now set on Toowoomba in a few weeks time.”

Luke Clout – P5

“I feel good leaving here today. While I didn’t win, I think it was another good step in the right direction in terms of speed and I feel a race and round win isn’t that far away. We have a month break before we head to Toowoomba, so its back to work on Monday and let’s aim to get our first round win of the season there.”

Todd Waters – P8

“It was an average day for us today. I went the wrong way with my bike set-up in the first moto, and after a good start I sort of got flustered and rode terribly. In the second race I got off to a better start, then it poured down with rain. I had a goggle problem and some bad mistakes made me lose two positions late in the race, which I’m pretty angry at myself about. Gillman is one of those tracks that has never been good to me and I’ve never really done well there, so I’m looking forward to finishing the series on home ground in Queensland.”

Regan Duffy – P13

“Bit of a sub-par day for me here in Gillman, got a decent start in the opening moto, but then made a mistake on the first lap whilst in seventh, then a banner got wrapped up in my rear wheel, so I had to stop and pull that out. Was last after that, then tried to make moves from there, but just wasn’t really gelling with the track. Moto two was a bad start, but worked my way close to the top 10, which was good. I’m looking forward to working on some starts in the break and to keep building.”

MX2 Rider Quotes

Wilson Todd – P1

“Unreal weekend! We are getting on top of my stomach issues, and I am feeling better. It showed. Thanks to the team for being patient and super supportive during these challenging times.”

Nathan Crawford – P2

“Good day here in Gillman for round five of this year’s championship. I need to put myself out front in order to get closer towards the championship, although can’t complain with a 2-2 result. We’ll take it, put in work between now and the next round, and thanks to the whole team for working hard this weekend.”

Noah Ferguson – P3

“Stoked to come away from round five with a podium! I know that this is what I’m capable of, so it feels really good to put it all together today and make it happen. Felt comfortable on the track, the bike was working great, and I had some good battles out there. Overall, I’m really satisfied with that result, and am looking forward to the next one already.”

Brodie Connolly – P4

“We were terrible in Maitland – I was sick and had no energy. This weekend was much better. I know we have more in the tank, and I will be working hard to be on top of everything at the next round.”

Rhys Budd – P5

“It was a good weekend without being great one. The first few riders had a bit more speed than me and were able to inch away but I just stuck to putting in good laps and staying focused on what I was doing as it was easy to come unstuck on a track like this. Like most riders, I thought were we in for another full mud race and there was even some rain overnight but we got lucky with the weather during the day and the track couldn’t have been better given the circumstances. But now looking forward to the next few rounds and finishing the championship off strongly. All three are in Queensland so be nice to get a few wins in front of the some and near the teams’ home base.”

Jesse Dobson – P6

“The last couple of weeks and even months have been challenging with my health, but I’m doing my best to put my Serco Yamaha at the front of the pack at these events. I didn’t have anything for the guys at the front today, but I gave it my all and feel drained but satisfied with the day. The last three rounds are at Toowoomba, QMP and Coolum, which are tracks I have had good results at in the past. The focus now will be on winning as many races and rounds as I can and see where it puts me in the championship at the end.”

Kayden Minear – P11

“Difficult day for me here in South Australia, just never really found my flow and my starts hurt me. Second moto, felt better, I think I was seventh in that one, but after a tough couple race weekends, I’m ready to regroup and move towards the front for the last few rounds of the championship.”

Blake Fox – P13

“Today went well and we took some good steps forward. I had a really good qualifying session, and that made my gate-pick for the two races a lot easier. In the first moto I had an average start, struggled to pass on a track that was a bit one-lined, and I pumped up a little towards the end. I felt really good on the bike in the second moto and made a few moves forward, but then ended up with a flat rear tyre and had to really fight to the end. All in all, my riding was better and we made a couple of good changes to the bike for this round that I really liked.”

WMX Rider Quotes

Charli Cannon – P1

“It’s nice to be back in Australia and to race in front my friends and family. I have had a busy few weekends, with races in Europe and then only getting back to Australia on Wednesday night and straight down to South Australia. But it’s awesome how much everyone has taken an interest in what I have been doing and following me in Europe. I love all the support. Today was good and I got some great starts which makes life much easier. I found the track quite difficult to ride and I didn’t really get a good flow going but I’m happy to get the win and the Yamalube Yamaha Team have looked after me well. The plan is to stay in Australia now and do the rest of the ProMX rounds until I go back to Turkey for the final round of the WMXGP in September.”

Emma Milesevic – P2

“It was much better than the first round, but I need to improve on my sprint speed. I am happy with the progress that we have made but we need to bridge the gap to first.”

Tahlia O’Hare – P3

“This was a huge step forward for me, but I still have a lot to improve on. We have work ahead of us. It is nice to claim my first podium for the season though.”

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2023 American Flat Track – The Red Mile – Lexington

Tom Drane landed on The Red Mile AFT podium over the weekend, behind Trent Lowe and Chase Saathoff, with fellow Aussie Max Whale finishing fifth.

The Singles standings now led by Kody Kopp, followed by Dalton Gauthier and Chase Saathoff, Max Whale fourth on 130-points, and Tom Drane moving up to seventh with 105 points.

Jared Mees topped the SuperTwins, just 0.42s ahead of Dallas Daniels, with Briar Bauman a more distance third. JD Beach and Davis Fisher rounded out the top five close behind.

Daniels now leads the SuperTwins standings on 180 points, Jared Mees 164 and JD Beach third on 131-points.

For the full report and results see:
Tom Drane on the podium at The Red Mile | Max Whale P5

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