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2023 Fox Australian Supercross Championship calendar

The FOX Australian Supercross Championship is back with the 2023 dates announced featuring three rounds: Newcastle, Melbourne, and Adelaide.

The series will open on November 11 with a return to Newcastle for the unique Triple Crown event at McDonald Jones Stadium, followed by a feature round at Melbourne’s FIM World Supercross Championship event at Marvel Stadium on November 24, with the finale to take place at the iconic Adelaide Showgrounds on December 2 to draw the series to a close.

FOX Racing will also return as naming rights partner in 2023, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to the sport. Kevin Williams has also joined forces with the AME team, as Director of Motorsport.

As well as confirming the return of the support class SX3 Cup (125 cc/250 cc 4-stroke), Williams also revealed the re-introduction of 85 cc racing, with a revised 85 cc class for 12 to 14-year-olds.

Another change from 2022 will see AME Group become the sole promoter controlling the Australian Supercross Championship series spanning rider/teams, event operations and production through to media, marketing, broadcast and commercial for all rounds, which will be paramount in delivering a consistent baseline for the events.

Kelly Bailey, Managing Director of AME Group, confirmed a three-year strategy has been developed around supporting the sport and series to deliver incremental and sustainable growth for supercross in Australia.

More announcements regarding racing formats, revised prize money structure and television broadcast are to follow.

2023 FOX Australian Supercross Championship Calendar

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Jay Wilson tops All Japan MX Round Two in Tokyo

Jay Wilson racked up his sixth race win of the 2023 season and dominating round two of the Japanese Motocross Championship at the Tokyo Off Road Village circuit.

After dominating round one and his first event in the IA1 (450cc) class, Wilson kept the momentum going at round two taking another three race wins from three starts and continuing his impressive form.

The only blemish in a near perfect weekend from Wilson was when he shot off the track on the opening lap of race two after the misreading the grip levels due to some rain and watering. He re-entered the track back in fifth place and worked his way to the front before the halfway stage.

Wilson has extended his lead in the championship after two rounds but is determined to keep the gas on as the rounds unfold in the future.

Jay Wilson

“Another great weekend for myself and the team with a Yamaha 1-2 in the IA2 class. My starts were good today and this track reminds me a lot of Moree back at home as the soil is similar and there are plenty of jumps here as well, so I felt right at home. It was awesome to get another win and keep the results coming. The new YZ450F is so good to ride and is so adaptable to so many tracks. We barely changed a thing since round one and it worked well all weekend.”

Round three of the championship moves to Miyagi on June 4.

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Lettenbichler ready for Hard Enduro title defence

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler is ready to take on the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship and begin his title defence at the seven-round series. The 25-year-old claimed five wins from the seven rounds he contested last year to secure the championship and will be looking to make it back-to-back titles in 2023.

Manuel Lettenbichler will soon get his 2023 season underway with the first round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship – the Xross Hard Enduro Rally in Serbia.

The event marks the first race of this year’s seven-round series, which concludes with the young German’s home race, GetzenRodeo in early November. Among the championship’s highlights, both Red Bull Erzbergrodeo and Red Bull Romaniacs will take center stage – two of Mani’s favorite events and races he will be fired up to win this year.

Manuel Lettenbichler

“Last year started tough – I missed the first round due to injury and came into the championship with little in the way of expectations, I just wanted to get back to racing. To then complete the season and go home with a world title was a really special moment – one that will always remind me to never give up. Now, looking ahead at this season, I’m definitely better prepared and that really helps my confidence, but I also have a lot more experience now, too. I might only be 25, but I already feel like an old guy in the paddock, and I think it’s that experience that helps me to overcome any unexpected challenges through each season. Anything can happen in racing, especially in hard enduro, so being able to stay focused is key, no matter what. The team I have working alongside me are great, and that’s really important when you are racing and traveling like we do. Everyone works so hard towards a common objective, and it feels great when it all pays off. The goal for this year is simple – go out, have some fun, and try and repeat what we did last year. Hopefully we can win the title again, but as always, my plan is to take things race by race and above all, enjoy it.”

Joining Mani in the HEWC, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart will be competing in all seven rounds and looking to truly make his mark on the championship.

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Honda sweeps 2023 AMA Supercross titles – 450/250 East/West

Team Honda HRC put an exclamation mark on the 2023 AMA Supercross season at the series finale in Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium. Not only did Chase Sexton and Jett Lawrence capture the wins in the 450SX main event and 250SX East-West Showdown, but Sexton wrapped up the premier-class championship, completing a historic Honda title sweep of the three divisions.

For the season finale, Hunter and Jett Lawrence — recently crowned champions in the 250SX East and West Regions — ran special 1E and 1W numbers on their CRF250R race machines.

Sexton set the tone for the evening by winning the second 450SX heat race by nearly 15 seconds, despite finishing lap 1 in third place. Also impressive was Fire Power Honda’s Dean Wilson, who finished a solid second in heat 1.

This marks the third time that a manufacturer has swept all three AMA Supercross crowns – but the first time by a single team. One of the others was also by Honda, as Team Honda’s Jean-Michel Bayle took the 1991 premier-class title, while Peak/Pro Circuit Honda riders Jeremy McGrath and Brian Swink captured the West and East support-class crowns.

Chase Sexton – 450SX Champion

“I’m really at a loss for words right now. Getting the win tonight was just the stamp on this season. I really wanted this win more than anything. It still sounds insane to hear that I’m the Supercross champion. It takes a team behind you to win though, and even when we were at our lowest in the middle of the season, no one gave up the fight. It was a long journey to get here, even a long week knowing where we were. I’m happy to get this one checked off the list, and to get everyone at Honda the championship they deserve.”

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Solar & Pretty dominate Mother of Mayhem – AHEC Round 2

Anthony Solar and Chris Perry of Team Motul Sherco Hard Enduro dominated the ‘Mother of Mayhem’ event over the weekend; marking the second round of the 2023 Australian Hard Enduro Championship (AHEC), held in Maffra (Victoria) with a 1-2 overall finish respectively.

The sun was shining bright down on the picturesque loamy circuit for Saturday’s prologue race; reigning AHEC champion Solar charged off the line onboard his 300 SE Factory, quickly taking the lead, which he would hold till the checkered flag waved. Teammate Perry would run as high as P2 but slipped down to P4 after a series of minor mishaps.

Sunday’s race saw the pair return to their all-conquering form with a commanding lead on the field after the first hour, with Perry just edging out Solar after the first lap but quickly relinquished his small lead by making a quick pit stop, where Solar elected to continue through.

Solar would go on unchallenged to secure his first overall victory of the season, putting on quite the show for the spectators and competition alike, with AHEC founder Greg Peterson nicknaming Solar ‘The Surgeon’ after witnessing the gritty Victorian charging between two stuck gold class riders with absolute poise and precision on one of the more changing hill climbs throughout the race.

After admitting he wasn’t quite himself after the first round of the series, Perry returned to his form, riding the wheels off his 300 SE Factory, attempting to recapture the lead from Solar, but ultimately couldn’t close the deficit by race end, taking a strong second place in the process and a massive boost in confidence as the series heads to Queensland next month for round three.

Anthony Solar – P1 overall

“It has been a great weekend for me, going 1-1. I finished second to Chris (Perry) for all but the end of last year, so to win straight up this weekend is a massive confidence booster for me. The track and property were amazing, and the bike (300 SE Factory) was running unreal all weekend. The team and I have put in the hard work, and it was great to see the results we strive for come to fruition.”

Chris Perry – P2 overall

“I wasn’t happy with myself after the last round, so I’m super thrilled to have turned that around this weekend with a really good ride; my teammate Anthony was just that little bit too quick today, but I’d like to congratulate him and the Motul Sherco Hard Enduro team for taking the top two steps on the box, it’s great to be back up where we feel we belong. Chad from Chad’s Off-Road Set-Ups came up with a new setting for the Sherco’s KYB suspension, which is astonishingly good. I’m smiling from ear to ear with the package we have. I really like the rocky river tracks we have coming up at the next round in Mount Morgan; hopefully, we can put the #76 on the top step there.”

The third round of the 2023 AHEC, the ‘Ironstone Extreme’ in Mount Morgan (Qld), will be held on June 24-25.

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Over $9 million in contingency promised for ProMX 2023

MX Sports Pro Racing have revealed that the seven competing manufacturers contesting the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, have combined to provide $9,483,725 in contingency for racers this summer. That includes GASGAS, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, and Yamaha.

The seven manufacturers that will fill the starting gates for the 2023 season represent the impressive global footprint of American motocross, with representation from four different countries in Austria, Japan, Spain, and Sweden. Additionally, the impending addition of England’s Triumph Motorcycles next year will serve to strengthen this presence even more with a record number of OEM’s in competition.

The diverse collection of manufacturers is complemented by an even more widespread collection of international racers that represent upwards of 20 different countries. All told, this unique competitive assortment makes the Pro Motocross Championship one of the most globally diverse motorsports series on the planet, featuring world-class athletes from multiple countries all around the world.

The 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, presented by AMA Pro Racing, will commence on Saturday, May 27, from Southern California’s Fox Raceway.

The 11-round campaign will travel to 10 different states, with visits to iconic venues like Hangtown, Thunder Valley Motocross Park, High Point Raceway, RedBud MX, The Wick 338, Spring Creek MX Park, Washougal MX Park, Unadilla MX, Budds Creek Motocross Park, and Ironman Raceway.

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YZ65 Cup round at Toowoomba in June cancelled

Due to unforeseen circumstances the YZ65 Cup round due to be held at Toowoomba ProMX on 25 June 2023 has been cancelled, with YMA hoping to reschedule the event later this year… We’ll update if any information becomes available on a change of date.

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Malcolm Stewart extends Husqvarna Factory contract

Malcolm Stewart has signed a two-year contract extension to continue in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) through the 2024 and 2025 seasons, including the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross series, with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team.

After joining Husqvarna Motorcycles in 2022, 30-year-old Stewart has underlined his podium capabilities onboard the FC 450 Rockstar Edition at the highest level of Supercross and finished third in his inaugural 450SX campaign with the brand last season.

In continuing to build upon that form earlier this year, Stewart displayed race-winning speed in the opening rounds of the new season – including leading laps at Anaheim 1 and then qualifying fastest and winning his Heat race in San Diego – before he was unfortunately sidelined in late January and underwent knee surgery.

Stewart has since continued to go above and beyond with his rehab program, determined to reach 100 percent before getting back on the bike and making his competitive return, fully supported by the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team in his recovery.

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Rick Elzinga injured & undergoes surgery

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Rick Elzinga sustained an injury to his right collarbone during practice on Wednesday, May 10th, and underwent surgery.

Due to this setback, Elzinga, who currently ranks 11th in the MX2 World Championship Standings, will miss the upcoming MXGP of France, which is scheduled to take place in Villars Sous Ecot on the weekend of May 20-21.

The young Dutchman remains optimistic about making a comeback at the MXGP of Latvia, which will be held in Kegums on the weekend of June 4.

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Arm injury sidelines Simon Langenfelder

Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Simon Langenfelder sustained an unfortunate injury to his right arm in practice on May 09, and underwent surgery that night. The injury will stop him from building on the momentum that he gained at this past weekend’s Grand Prix of Spain, where he stormed to 1-1 results on his MC 250F.

Langenfelder is currently fourth in the MX2 championship standings, just four points from the rider in third, and was enjoying a consistent start to the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship. ‘516’ had not fallen from the top ten in any of the motos and won three of the twelve stints that had been run. Those triumphs were a clear sign of his exciting progress in the MX2 division. The arm injury will, of course, sideline him, with an exact timeline to returning to racing yet to be released.

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Lindgren wraps up Warsaw SpeedwayGP

Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren admitted he was just grateful to be healthy again after storming to an emotional Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw win on Saturday.

The world No.4 won his first Speedway GP since 2020 FIM Gorzow Speedway GP round four after triumphing in a restarted final ahead of Aussie racer Jack Holder in second and Zmarzlik in third, with Aussie star Jason Doyle disqualified after crashing as he duelled with Zmarzlik in the first staging of the race.

Lindgren also topped the podium in the 2017 Warsaw event and has now reached the rostrum on an incredible five straight visits to PGE Narodowy.

The victory in front of almost 45,000 fans comes as a real boost to a rider who has endured a huge battle with the effects of long Covid, suffered since he was first infected with the virus in March 2020 and again the following winter. After enduring breathing difficulties and other symptoms which impacted on his training, Lindgren was elated to celebrate his sixth Speedway GP win.

Lindgren

“I am just grateful to be healthy again. I don’t think many people understand how hard I have had it for the last three years – only my nearest family and mechanics. The win feels great. I am very happy. It’s very emotional to win a GP; I haven’t done it for a long time. This is my sixth GP win tonight. I’ve had a fair few attempts, so it doesn’t come easy. My wife also came here with my daughter and our friends and family. I haven’t seen my daughter, Millie-Li, too much since February, apart from a couple of days now and then, so it was great to see her this weekend to have her and her Mummy here as well.”

Lindgren is now level on 36 points with Zmarzlik at the top of the Speedway GP standings, with the Pole placed higher only by virtue of his superior FIM ranking. The pair continue their battle at the Prague FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic on June 3.

While he’s keen to enjoy another golden moment in Warsaw before thinking about the next test, Lindgren pledged: “I am just going to give everything I have. That’s what I did today, and I was rewarded with a win, and I am very glad about that.”

Runner-up Holder reached his first-ever Speedway GP final and came within a lap of his first victory after taking a commanding lead in the first run of the final. The race was rerun following Doyle’s fall, denying Holder top spot, but he said: “I am just stoked to be in the final.”

Jack Holder

“A dream nearly came true. I was in front, but that’s just speedway. How many times has a person been in front and then missed the start in the re-run? I am over the moon really. I have made some big steps in the right direction and had a good start to the season compared to last year. I am just really happy.”

Third-placed Zmarzlik admits he thrived on the energy of a partisan Warsaw crowd, especially after starting the night with a disqualification and then a third place in his second outing.

Having ended his wait for his first Warsaw final appearance,

Bartosz Zmarzlik

“I am so happy that I have made this final today at the GP in Warsaw. I can say this adds some good points to the championship standings. After that start of mine today, I can say I am pretty happy to be on the podium. After my first two heats, my only thought was ‘okay, this is Warsaw. Keep calm.’ I did my best and I am very glad to have reached the final. I can say that all the fans were absolutely amazing today. I could feel their energy through the whole event.”

SPEEDWAY GP STANDINGS

1. Bartosz Zmarzlik 36
2. Fredrik Lindgren 36
3. Jason Doyle 28
4. Jack Holder 26
5. Robert Lambert 23
6. Tai Woffinden 21
7. Martin Vaculik 21
8. Dan Bewley 20
9. Max Fricke 18
10. Mikkel Michelsen 17
11. Leon Madsen 12
12. Maciej Janowski 10
13. Anders Thomsen 8
14. Patryk Dudek 7
15. Bartlomiej Kowalski 4
16. Kim Nilsson 4
17. Matej Zagar 1.

ORLEN FIM WARSAW SPEEDWAY GP POINTS

1. Fredrik Lindgren 20
2. Jack Holder 18
3. Bartosz Zmarzlik 16
4. Jason Doyle 14
5. Martin Vaculik 12
6. Max Fricke 11
7. Dan Bewley 10
8. Tai Woffinden 9
9. Leon Madsen 8
10. Maciej Janowski 7
11. Mikkel Michelsen 6
12. Robert Lambert 5
13. Bartlomiej Kowalski 4
14. Anders Thomsen 3
15. Kim Nilsson 2
16. Patryk Dudek 1
17. Wiktor Przyjemski DNR
18. Kacper Pludra DNR.

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Sunshine State MX Round 3 Wrap

Jai Walker topped the MX1 Pro class as the Sunshine State MX reached Round Three, claiming three wins from three races. Running 3-2-2 for second overall was Joel Evans, with Zachary Watson third with a 2-3-4 result.

Luke Zielinski, Cody O’Loan, Jesse Bishop, Joe Phillips, Kye Orchard, Nicholas Murray and Robbie Marshall rounded out the top 10.

Jai Walker leads the MX1 Pro class on 174-points, Dean Ferris on 138 despite missing Round Three and Zachary Watson third on 133.

In MX2 Ryan Alexanderson topped the Pro class, running 3-1-1 for the win, taking the victory by a single-point from Kobe Drew who won the opening race and was runner-up in the second two. Ryley Fitzpatrick rounded out the podium, followed by Sam Larsen and Jet Alsop.

Alexanderson now leads the MX2 Pro class on 152-points, to Jayce Cosford on 109, and Fitzpatrick on 104.

MX1 Pro Round Results

MX2 Pro Round Results

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Victorian Senior State Titles Round 3 Wrap

Round Three of the Victorian Senior State Titles saw Bryce Ognenis top the MX1 class, beating Cory Watts by a single-point 68-67. Third was Patrick Martin, followed by Levi McManus and Cooper Krezlik.

In the MX2 class Liam Andrews swept all three races for 75-points, Cambell Williams second on 64 and George Knight third on 54-points, just clear of Jacob Sweet on 53. Wilson Greiner-Daish rounded out the top five.

MX1 Round Results

MX2 Round Results

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MIE Racing’s Gómez & Zaragoza top FIM E-Xplorer World Cup premiere

The new electric era of all-terrain began with the first round of the FIME-Xplorer held in Catalonia at Polea Camp, the historic location of the Bultaco family. The eight mixed teams, each made up of a man and a woman, provided spectacular racing with their all-electric motorcycles. MIE Racing was the first team to achieve a victory in the FIM E-Xplorer, beating the EM Factory Team 2-1.

The day started with the qualifying training sessions that decided the clashes of the final phase. The teams established their times by adding the time of each of their riders. When the first rider completed one run, the gate opened for the second to start.

Only the MIE Racing and the EM Factory teams qualified for the grand final, and both provided a show. Sandra Gómez and Jorge Zaragoza claimed victory for the Japanese team, beating Marine Lemoine and Christophe Bruand in an exciting final, which was decided in the third round in favor of the two Spanish riders, Gómez and Zaragoza.

The next round of the five that make up the calendar will be held on June 24 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

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Riders talk 2023 AMA Supercross Round 17 – Salt Lake City

For the full report and results see:
Jett wins East/West Showdown as Chase Sexton crowned 450 Champ

250 East/West Showdown

RJ Hampshire scored the holeshot ahead of Jett Lawrence, Levi Kitchen and Jo Shimoda.  Bad starts for Hunter Lawrence and Haiden Deegan with Hunter also getting caught up with another rider and briefly going down early in the race leaving him plenty of work to do from well outside the top ten.

Up front Hampshire was keeping Jett Lawrence at bay and Levi Kitchen was keeping them both honest in third place over the first few laps.

Jett closed onto the back wheel of Hampshire as the race approached the halfway point and then took the lead with a fairly hard move. At this halfway juncture Hunter Lawrence and Haiden Deegan had just worked their way into the top ten.

With five-minutes left on the shot clock Jett led Hampshire by five-seconds. Levi Kitchen was still third and Shimoda fourth. Hunter Lawrence had just taken seventh place from Haiden Deegan and that pair were closing in on Max Anstie and Jordon Smith.

Jett Lawrence the dominant victor, taking the chequered flag five-seconds ahead of RJ Hampshire despite slowing down and waving to the crowd on the final lap.

Levi Kitchen rounded out the podium ahead of Jo Shimoda and Jordon Smith.  Hunter Lawrence claiming sixth place after being left back in the pack on the opening lap.

Jett Lawrence – P1

“It still hasn’t sunk in that this is my last 250 race; it really didn’t cross my mind until I crossed the finish line. Obviously, I couldn’t ask for a better way to end my 250 career. I wish I could have battled more with Hunter, but I’ll take the win. It’s going to be weird this summer with a different schedule, getting dressed at a different time than Hunter. The outdoor season will be full of fun battles with my teammate Chase, and it will just be a great learning experience. It’s exciting pretty much starting from the bottom again.”

RJ Hampshire – P2

“It was an awesome night and season. I gave myself a chance at it… that’s all I asked of myself for tonight. I got a really good start. I just kind of lost it in the whoops there,” said Hampshire. “But overall, it was really solid. Another podium, the seventh of the season. It should have been eight, but who’s counting New York? I’ll take this confidence and keep the ball rolling into the outdoors, and we’re going to have a really awesome season there, too.”

Levi Kitchen – P3

“It was a pretty day good for me – qualifying fourth, getting the heat race win, and then finishing third in the main. I’m not only really happy with the day but with the season as a whole. It was just a big learning year for me, so I’m ready to come out next year and be one of those guys fighting for wins every time. I’m really looking forward to that and looking forward to the outdoor season.”

Jordon Smith – P5

“It feels good to get through another supercross season and be healthy and make every round. We had a pretty good season overall. Other than a few races, I was in the top five and got a lot of podiums. We got close to that win a couple of times; it just eluded us this year. We’re going to keep working all summer, for outdoors and SMX, and be ready to come back and try and battle for the championship next year.”

Hunter Lawrence – P6

“I didn’t really have any pressure on me today, so I could just go out there and ride my race. Obviously, I want to win every time I’m on the track, but today I just had to take what the race gave me. I didn’t get the best start, and when I ran into the back of someone on the first lap, I knew this wasn’t going to be my race. I’m happy to get out of here healthy and focused on the motocross season.”

Haiden Deegan – P8

“Today was really good. We just tried to get everything dialed in during qualifying. I was able to win the heat race, and with the showdown, it was pretty much half the main event for the heat race, so I was definitely excited to win that. It gives me some confidence for next year. In the main event, it started raining, and I slid off the gate and didn’t get a great jump and had to work from the back. I made my way up to eighth and ended up securing second in the points because (Max) Antsie was right in front of me, which was where I needed to finish to get second. So yeah, second in the points, three podiums, and two heat race wins in my rookie season; I’m pretty hyped about it!”

Tom Vialle – P14

“The day didn’t begin so well here in Salt Lake City as I had to go through the LCQ. Happy to finish third there and transfer through to the Main Event, though had almost the last gate pick. Thankfully, I got a great start, I was third, but a couple of mistakes put me in P5 for two laps, then had a small crash. I was up the back, although happy to charge to where I did, and happy to finish the Supercross season healthy in eighth overall and learn a lot for next year.”

250 Main Results

Chase Sexton wraps up 450 AMA SX title

Chase Sexton scored the holeshot and romped away to a convincing victory to underline his new status as Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion.

The gruelling 17-round series eliminated a number of top riders through injury. Already out before this round were Jason Anderson, Justin Barcia, Christian Craig, Dylan Ferrandis, Marvin Musqiuin, Colt Nichols, Malcolm Stewart, Cooper Webb and defending champion Eli Tomac.

Sexton took a dominant win, over 18-seconds clear of KTM mounted Aaron Plessinger, with Justin Hill further in arrears in third, also KTM mounted. Adam Cianciarulo and Dean Wilson rounded out the top five.

Chase Sexton – P1

“Wow, 2023 450 Supercross Champion—it doesn’t even feel real yet. It’s what I’ve worked for since I was two-and-a-half years old, when I first got on a dirt bike; since then, this has been the goal. This year was definitely not easy; I was up-and-down in the middle of the season, but I got four of the last six wins—really came on strong at the end, when I needed to. It means so much to me. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people around me—our team, everybody. I’m super, super thankful and happy.”

Aaron Plessinger – P2

“It feels good to cap the season off with a podium. I went down a couple of weeks ago and wasn’t sure if I was going to make it back, but made good progress through the week and decided I could race. I’m still a little sore, though today was a crazy day! The clouds were all over the place – it was hot and cold, and then the rain came down. This track is like concrete, so the rain made it tough, but it was fun. The whoops were tough, as I showed in the Heat, but we remounted well and came back with second in the Main, so I’m pumped to finish the Supercross season off like this.”

450 Main Results

 

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