Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings locked up the titles in MXGP and MX2 classes while Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac and Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb claimed their first MXGP wins.
The Monster Energy MXGP of Americas at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the penultimate round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Tomac blew the door of MXGP off its hinges with his unmatchable pace. “When I saw the water yesterday I thought the track was going to be a sloppy mess, but it turned out perfect, the dirt was as good as you can get for the type of dirt it was, I liked the track, it was a lot of fun, and the racing was a lot of fun, so I look forward to Glen Helen next week.”
Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser is one rider that is talented beyond the realms of possibility. After what has been an absolutely mind-blowing season, where he has won 8 qualifying races, has led 247 laps, has won 15 races, 7 grand prix’, and has had 15 podiums out of a possible 17, the rookie finally wrapped up the MXGP world title in the first race yesterday. What’s even more impressive is that the Slovenian star has now claimed back-to-back world titles in two different classes and is the first rider to do so since Greg Albertyn with his 125cc title in ’92 and 250cc title in ’93.
Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek was fast all day long, it all started when he topped the charts in Free Practice and his 3 – 5 results transpired him into his second podium finish of the season. “We have just been testing some new things on the bike and trying to get off to a good start. I got two good starts today, I felt good all day, I just have to give this one to my team,” he said, “they have been working so hard, and it’s paying off, so this one is for them.”
Last weekend’s grand prix winner, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle, had a mediocre day in the office and had to settle for fifth overall ahead of Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev who was debuting the 2017 Honda CRF450 this weekend.
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten:
1. Eli Tomac (USA, Kawasaki), 35:10.508;
2. Justin Barcia (USA, Yamaha), +0:22.813;
3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:24.273;
4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:25.080;
5. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:27.325;
6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:29.443;
7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:30.239;
8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), +0:31.620;
9. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:40.857;
10. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:43.983.
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten:
1. Eli Tomac (USA, Kawasaki), 35:21.042;
2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:05.984;
3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:08.704;
4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:11.509;
5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:12.470;
6. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:19.778;
7. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:24.690;
8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:33.097;
9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:47.876;
10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:52.519.
MXGP Overall Top Ten:
1. Eli Tomac (USA, KAW), 50 points;
2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 40 p.;
3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 36 p.;
4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 35 p.;
5. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 30 p.;
6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 28 p.;
7. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 27 p.;
8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 27 p.;
9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 23 p.;
10. Justin Barcia (USA, YAM), 22 p.
MXGP Championship Top Ten:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 693 points;
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 603 p.;
3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 565 p.;
4. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 549 p.;
5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 522 p.;
6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 513 p.;
7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 382 p.;
8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 372 p.;
9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 335 p.;
10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 322 p.
MX2
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings FINALLY managed to clinch his third FIM MX2 world title despite not winning the overall but his first place finish in Moto 1 was enough to secure the title. “Maybe it should have been five, but I had some bad luck with some big injuries, so I am just happy to get this one out of the way,” he said.
Although he wrapped up the title, which was his ultimate goal, he lost his first grand prix of the year to Cooper Webb, “I am just going to be honest,” he said, “Cooper was faster than me in the second moto, I didn’t have anything for him. I know people are going to be saying he’s faster, or I’m faster, but we both went 1 – 2, you can’t tell who’s faster from that, it is just one race, you need a whole championship to decide that, with different tracks, different days and different conditions.”
Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb came in riding a high after claiming two titles in the United States this year. After what was a very successful year, the North Carolina native, couldn’t wish for a better way to wrap up his 250cc bike days than with a grand prix win for his team and the adoring public.
It must be tough when you’re the world’s fastest rookie, pinned to be the next big thing, but it was water off of a ducks back for Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner who was perhaps the most impressive rider this weekend. There was a lot of talk over this eighteen-year-old phenomenon going into the Monster Energy MXGP of Americas, and he showed us why with a 3 – 3 performance for third overall.
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:14.964;
2. Cooper Webb (USA, Yamaha), +0:04.489;
3. Austin Forkner (USA, Kawasaki), +0:29.218;
4. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:51.237;
5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +1:01.275;
6. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:03.744;
7. Darian Sanayei (USA, Kawasaki), +1:08.623;
8. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:11.395;
9. Mitchell Harrison (USA, Yamaha), +1:12.303;
10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +1:13.538.
MX2 Race 2 Top Ten:
1. Cooper Webb (USA, Yamaha), 35:23.073;
2. Austin Forkner (USA, Kawasaki), +0:03.876;
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:05.424;
4. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:50.870;
5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:54.056;
6. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:55.139;
7. Mitchell Harrison (USA, Yamaha), +0:55.639;
8. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +1:07.971;
9. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), +1:18.235;
10. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:22.544
MX2 Overall Top Ten:
1. Cooper Webb (USA, YAM), 47 points;
2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 45 p.;
3. Austin Forkner (USA, KAW), 42 p.;
4. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 36 p.;
5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 29 p.;
6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 27 p.;
7. Mitchell Harrison (USA, YAM), 26 p.;
8. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 26 p.;
9. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 25 p.;
10. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 23 p.
MX2 Championship Top Ten:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 689 points;
2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 595 p.;
3. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 485 p.;
4. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 473 p.;
5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 403 p.;
6. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 378 p.;
7. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 372 p.;
8. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 358 p.;
9. Petar Petrov (BUL, KAW), 351 p.;
10. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, YAM), 320 p.