Royal Enfield announces BUILD TRAIN RACE program
DIY shop owner Andrea Lothrop
Amateur flat track racer Jillian Deschenes.2020 AMA National Hare and Hound Championship season
Jan. 24, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nation’s best desert racers kick off nine-round series at Lucerne Valley
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The United States’ best desert racers converge on Lucerne Valley, Calif., this weekend for the first round of the 2020 AMA National Hare and Hound Championship.
The event is put on by the Desert MC and is the first of the series’ nine races scheduled to take place in five states.
“The AMA National Hare and Hound Championship has a long history of producing great competition over challenging desert terrain,” AMA Off-Road Racing Manager Erek Kudla said. “Hall of Famer Kurt Caselli and 2020 Dakar champion Ricky Brabec are among those who have won overall AMA National Hare and Hound titles. We’re excited to see this year’s field crowded on the starting line for the first race of 2020 and look forward to another year of close competition.”
Hare and hound racing, popular in the Western desert regions, challenges riders to compete over a natural terrain course at least 40 miles long while passing through a series of checkpoints. Most courses are 70 to 120 miles long and feature two loops that are routed through different types of terrain. Similar to enduros in course length, hare and hound events feature mass starts and are point-to-point races.
2020 AMA National Hare and Hound Championship Schedule
Jan. 25-26: Lucerne Valley, Calif.
Feb. 22-23: Post, Texas
March 6-7: The Mint 400, Las Vegas, Nev.
March 21-22: Murphy, Idaho
April 4: Jericho, Utah
April 18: Jericho, Utah
Aug. 22: Panaca, Nev.
Oct. 10-11: Nightingale, Nev.
Oct. 24-25: Lucerne Valley, Calif.
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com
AMA National Grand Prix Championship’s 2020 season kicks off
Off-road racing series features 10 rounds in southwestern United States
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association’s Grand Prix National Championship gets its 10-round 2020 season underway on Jan. 18 at Mavericks Stadium in Adelanto, Calif.
The series, which includes motorcycle and ATV classes, visits venues in three states in 2020 and is organized by Big 6 Grand Prix Series Inc.
“It’s the second year that Big 6 has operated the AMA Grand Prix National Championship, and the series has added two events for this year,” AMA Off-Road Racing Manager Erek Kudla said. “Big 6 has successfully operated an off-road grand prix series for more than 20 years, and we’re looking forward to the discipline’s continued growth.”
The AMA’s involvement in off-road grand prix racing dates to at least the 1950s, when some of the top competitors of the time — including AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Ed Kretz Jr., Nick Nicholson, Chuck “Feets” Minert and Walt Axthelm — took part in the Catalina Grand Prix (1951-1958) alongside local racers and celebrities. The discipline has remained popular since then, especially on the West Coast.
The Big 6 Grand Prix Series was started in 1995 by six motorcycle clubs in AMA District 37.
Off-road grand prix racing encompasses elements of motocross, off-road and track racing into a single discipline. Typical grand prix race courses are between 5 and 10 miles long, with races lasting 45 to 90 minutes.
2020 AMA Grand Prix National Championship Series Schedule
Jan. 18: Mavericks Stadium, Adelanto, Calif.
Feb. 8: Honolulu Hills Raceway, Taft, Calif.
Feb. 29: Glen Helen Raceway, Devore, Calif.
March 28: 29 Palms Motorsports, 29 Palms, Calif.
April 25: Primm Casino Resort, Primm, Nev.
May 16: Mesquite MX, Littlefield, Ariz.
Sept. 12: Hangtown, Rancho Cordova, Calif.
Oct. 3: Desert Empire Fairgrounds, Ridgecrest, Calif.
Oct. 31: Quail Canyon MX, Gorman, Calif.
Dec. 12: Crazy Horse Campgrounds, Lake Havasu, Ariz.
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com
SCREAMIN’ EAGLE® STREET PERFORMANCE 131 C.I. CRATE MOTOR
Harley Davidson Press Release: Milwaukee, WI (January 21, 2020) – Harley-Davidson offers power-hungry street riders a new performance option with the introduction of the Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Crate Engine for Touring model motorcycles. The new 131 cubic inch (2147cc) V-Twin delivers the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created*.
The Screamin’ Eagle 131 is a bolt-in replacement for 2017-later model Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles originally equipped with a Milwaukee-Eight Oil-Cooled or Twin-Cooled™ engine, designed to run at high rpm and provide a significant boost of torque from cruising speed. Riders of many late-model Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles will experience commanding performance from the moment the throttle is cracked open on the Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine, performance backed by the assurance of a factory limited warranty.
“Our adrenaline-seeking riders asked for thrilling power and torque with reliability,” said Harley-Davidson Product Manager James Crean. “The Screamin’ Eagle 131 Crate Engine delivers exactly that. Developed by the Screamin’ Eagle performance team and factory-assembled at Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations to ensure the highest quality standards, this high-performance engine is genuine Harley-Davidson.”
This street-ready performance engine features H-D’s finest Screamin’ Eagle components. The Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine combines the 4.5-inch stroke of the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine with new 4.31-inch bore cylinders with a patented design. Milwaukee-Eight Extreme Ported four-valve cylinder heads are CNC-ported and fitted with 1mm larger-diameter valves to optimize air/fuel flow and velocity and feature fully machined combustion chambers shaped to optimize combustion efficiency. The engine is completed with a high-lift SE8-517 camshaft and high-performance cam bearing, high-compression (10.7:1) forged pistons, a 64mm throttle body and intake manifold, and high-flow (5.5-grams per second) fuel injectors. It’s a combination that produces 131 ft.-lbs. of torque and 121 horsepower at the rear wheel when paired with Screamin’ Eagle® Street Cannon mufflers.
Each Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine is detailed with 131 Stage IV badging on the cylinder heads and timer cover. The engine is available in a choice of two finish treatments to match original motorcycle styling or a custom direction – Black and Chrome or Black and Gloss Black. There are also versions of the engine to fit motorcycles originally equipped with an oil-cooled Milwaukee-Eight engine and those equipped with the Twin-Cooled™ Milwaukee-Eight engine. The Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine is eligible for Custom Coverage under the motorcycle’s factory 24-month vehicle limited warranty when dealer-installed by an authorized H-D Dealer within 60 days of vehicle purchase, and is otherwise backed by a 12-month limited warranty.
The Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Crate Engine ($6,195.00 oil cooled, $6,395 Twin-Cooled) fits 2017-later model Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles originally equipped with either a Milwaukee-Eight Oil-Cooled or Twin-Cooled engine. It does not fit Trike models. Installation may require the separate purchase of additional components, depending on motorcycle model. All models require additional purchase of ECM recalibration with Screamin’ Eagle Pro Street Tuner for proper installation.
Complete fitment information can be found on H-D.com.
*The Screamin’ Eagle 131 Performance Crate Engine complies with noise and emissions standards in all U.S. states other than California on 2017-later Touring Models. Replacement engines must be re-fitted with emission control devices and systems appropriate for the vehicle model and model year in order to ensure emissions compliance. Legal for use on public roads only when installed in the specified models. Street-compliant statements may not apply to markets outside the United States. Not eligible for limited warranty when installed in models other than the ones specified. Please see the Parts and Accessories warranty statement and your H-D dealer for more information. The prices provided are the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices. Actual retail prices may vary.
For more information, visit www.h-d.com
MOVE OVER H-D AND ZERO, CURTISS MOTORCYCLES IS COMING
And they’re bringing Hades with them!
Matt Chambers, founder of Confederate Motorcycles is at it again with a new company. For about the last three years he has been working on his new venture, Curtiss Motorcycles. The name Curtiss is a reference to the man who is arguably the Great Grandfather Of All Who Go Fast; for in 1907 he stuffed a V8 airplane engine into a bicycle type motorcycle chassis and took it to the salt flats.
Mr Curtiss promptly turned in a 136 measured mph speed record. In 1907. On essentially a bicycle with a V8 airplane engine it. It was the fastest anything had ever been known to go on or even off the planet with a human at the controls. Think about that a moment. Land, Water or Air…nobody and no thing made by man had ever gone that fast before. It was truly monumental.
But I digress. The father of Confederate motorcycles has carefully placed the same name upon his new line of exquisitely engineered and executed two wheeled conveyances. Surely they too will be monumental not just because of the name but because of Mr Chambers and his methods and ideas.
Intrigued? Learn more at this Forbes Magazine article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/billroberson/2019/07/31/curtiss-motorcycle-unveils-three-radical-electric-bike-designs-ceo-says-he-wants-to-challenge-harley-davidsons-livewire/#74e348e0b25e
Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ridecurtiss/
And of course the Curtiss site https://www.curtissmotorcycles.com/
OUR HAND PICKED GENERAL NEWS FROM THE AMA
SAN FRANCISCO – As the popularity of electric scooters has grown, so has the number of injuries associated with their use, according to a report from JAMA Surgery. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed U.S. government data on nonfatal injuries treated in emergency rooms. An Associate Press report on the study said nearly 40,000 broken bones, head injuries, cuts and bruises resulting from scooter accidents were treated in U.S. emergency rooms from 2014 through 2018. The scooter injury rate among the general U.S. population climbed from 6 per 100,000 to 19 per 100,000. Most occurred in riders aged 18 to 34, and most injured riders were not hospitalized.
POCATELLO, Idaho – The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Pocatello field office is moving forward with three specific recreational improvements in Southeast Idaho. To help fund these important recreation enhancements, the PFO is applying for grants through the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and is seeking public comment related to the projects. The proposed projects are:
- Improving trail systems in the Soda Hills and Bear Lake areas. This project involves installing new route markers along designated routes, installing Travel Management Area signs and kiosks, and revising and printing travel plan maps that reflect the designated routes on the ground.
- Developing a nonmotorized watercraft launch site along the Blackfoot River below the Blackfoot Reservoir dam
- Improvements to the boat ramp and trailer parking area at the Maple Grove campground
As part of the grant application process, the field office is asking for public input. Send comments to cpatterson@blm.gov or by mail to Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Chuck Patterson, 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, ID 83204. For more information visit www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-
CHICAGO – Police vowed to crack down on motorcyclists who race and perform stunts on city streets, according to a report in the Sun-Times. Officers plan to use helicopters, license-plate-recognition cameras and sound monitors on Lake Shore Drive, Columbus Drive and Lower Wacker and in the South Loop. Officials said hundreds of riders take to the streets, interfering with traffic and endangering other drivers. They said the motorcyclists often try to goad police into giving chase.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio motorcyclists would be allowed to use earplugs while riding under a bill passed by the state legislature and forwarded to Gov. Mike DeWine. It currently is illegal to use headphones or earplugs while riding in Ohio. The use of earplugs can help protect riders’ hearing from the noise caused by wind, loud exhaust notes or other traffic. The new law (H.B. 129) would still prohibit the use of earphones for listening to music or other entertainment while riding. The definition of earphones does not include speakers or other listening devices that are built into protective headgear.
PICKERINGTON, Ohio – The AMA congratulated Ricky Brabec on his historic victory at the 2020 Dakar Rally. The Monster Energy Honda Team rider from Hesperia, Calif., is the first American to win the Bike Class at the Dakar Rally. “The AMA is delighted to congratulate Ricky Brabec on his phenomenal performance at this year’s Dakar Rally,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman said. “Ricky has earned his place in American motorcycling history and we are pleased at his success as America’s first Dakar champion.” Brabec claimed his victory with both speed and consistency. He won two of the event’s 12 stages and did not relinquish the lead after claiming it on Day Three. His margin of victory was 16 minutes, 26 seconds over Husqvarna rider Pablo Quintanilla of Chile. It was Brabec’s eighth time competing at the Dakar Rally. Brabec’s victory also marked Honda’s first triumph in the rally’s Bike Class in more than 30 years. Saudi Arabia played host to the 2020 edition of the rally, which featured a 5,000 kilometer course over mostly sandy terrain. The grueling annual off-road competition first took place in 1978-1979 and has been held annually since then, except for 2008. Casey Currie became the first American to win Dakar on four wheels, driving a Can-Am side-by-side to victory.
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -AMA member Kevin Morris of Montville, N.J., won the 2019 AMA Classic Grand Tour, scoring 105 locations where the letters A-M-A appeared in sequence on a sign. The 2019 AMA Classic Grand Tour celebrated the 95th anniversary of the American Motorcyclist Association, which was founded in 1924. Previous AMA Classic Grand Tours were in 2009 and 2003. AMA members registered to participate in the tour, which required riders to find signs-including business signs, road signs, street signs and more-with the letters A-M-A in sequence, then photograph their motorcycles and their grand tour flag with the sign. Rules required the signs to be in the United States. The AMA-sanctioned event ran from April 1 through Nov. 1.
PICKERINGTON, Ohio – Get your tickets and make your plans to be at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, July 10-12 for 2020 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. AMA members can purchase discounted tickets now at www.amavintagemotorcycledays.
Follow the AMA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
JORGE LORENZO TO STRENGTHEN YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEST TEAM IN 2020
Yamaha is delighted to welcome back three-time MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. He will join the Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team programme with the aim to boost MotoGP development during the 2020 season.
By: Gerno di Lesmo (Italy), 30th January 2020
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Racing are delighted to announce that five-time World Champion and very successful Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo will be reinforcing the Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team for the 2020 season.
Lorenzo is not only a big name in the MotoGP paddock but also a widely celebrated Yamaha rider. He made his debut in MotoGP with Yamaha in 2008 and spent nine years with the Factory MotoGP Team, winning all three of his premier class titles on the YZR-M1, in 2010, 2012, and 2015 respectively.
Starting from the MotoGP shakedown test, held in Sepang, Malaysia from 2-4 February, Lorenzo will ride the YZR-M1. He will also take part in other Official IRTA Tests and some private Yamaha tests this year, with the sole aim to help Yamaha‘s engineers with the 2020 MotoGP development. The Spaniard is the perfect man for the job as he is known for his smooth, precise riding and clear feedback. He will be supported in his search for innovation by Silvano Galbusera, who will be Crew Chief for Lorenzo in the Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team.
So far, no wild card rides are planned for Lorenzo in 2020, but Yamaha is open to the possibility, should he decide to race again.
LIN JARVIS
MANAGING DIRECTOR, YAMAHA MOTOR RACING
Of course, we are delighted to welcome Jorge back at Yamaha. When we knew that Jorge would stop his active racing career, we immediately started to consider making a proposal for him to join us. “The statistics of his achievements with us in those nine years together speak for themselves. He is a vastly experienced MotoGP rider, who is closely familiar with the M1 and the people at Yamaha. We have come to know Jorge as a very precise and motivated rider, with flawless consistency and good technical insight: all the qualities you need in a test rider at this high level.
“Combining Jorge‘s experience, knowledge, and riding speed with experienced Crew Chief Silvano Galbusera is an important element in Yamaha‘s strategy to strengthen the Test Team, which aims to bridge the gap between the engineers and test riders in Japan and the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team.
JORGE LORENZO
YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEST RIDER
I‘m very happy with the decision to join the Yamaha Factory Test Team. I was always planning on staying involved in MotoGP and returning to the paddock, and I think this is a suitable role for me. I know the team and the M1 well. The Yamaha really suited my riding style, and it will be very interesting to ’meet up with my old bike again‘.
“Returning to Yamaha brings with it some good memories. We secured many podiums and victories, and three titles together, so we know where our strengths lie. I want to thank Yamaha for this opportunity, because this allows me to do what I love – riding motorbikes and pushing the limit – whilst enjoying a slightly calmer lifestyle than I did in previous years.
“I‘m very motivated to get to work and can‘t wait to start riding. I want to do my best for Yamaha‘s future, and I hope my riding experience will be helpful to Yamaha‘s engineers and riders to bring the title back to Yamaha.
NOTES
Jorge Lorenzo was born on the Balearic island of Mallorca, Spain on 4 May 1987. He began riding motorbikes at home at the tender age of three, and within months of taking to two wheels he was competing in his first minicross races. In 1995, aged eight, he won the Balearic title and followed that up the next year by taking the Island‘s minicross, trial, minimoto, and junior motocross titles.
Lorenzo graduated to road racing and national competition in 1997, and it didn‘t take him long to adjust, winning the Aprilia 50cc Cup in 1998. Despite officially being too young, a special dispensation in 2000 allowed him to compete in the Spanish 125cc series at the age of 13. He made history the following year when competing in Europe and becoming the youngest ever winner of a European 125cc race.
In 2002, the precocious teenager once again showed that age was no barrier to a quick rise up the ranks of motorbike racing. He made his Grand Prix racing debut on his fifteenth birthday, on qualifying day for the 125cc Spanish Grand Prix. He had to miss the Friday practices as he wasn‘t old enough yet.
After three years in the 125cc class, he moved up to the 250cc class championship. When he switched to Aprilia in 2006, the Spaniard came into his own. He dominated the field, taking 8 wins out of 16 races and scoring 11 podiums in total. He made sure to show this was not a fluke the following year: having swapped his usual number 48 for a number 1, he convincingly duplicated his title winning ways, securing 9 wins out of 17 races and 12 podiums.
The man from Mallorca had made his point: he was ready to challenge along with the big guns in the premier class, and Yamaha took the opportunity to scoop up this racing talent in 2008.
Back with number 48, his first year in the Yamaha Factory team started in the perfect way. Lorenzo secured pole at the first race, setting a new lap record that previously stood for ten years. He went on to claim two podium finishes before his first MotoGP victory came at only his third race with Yamaha. However, a series of crashes and injuries would compromise the remainder of his debut season on the M1. But Lorenzo showed his unshakable determination: he kept pushing and still took fourth place in the final championship standings, earning him the Rookie of the Year award.
A switch in 2009 to the number 99 that Lorenzo fans have grown accustomed to, was the first sign of change. ’X Fuera‘ (a nickname alluding to his flamboyant outside overtaking style, depicted with a red cross on his helmet) was calmer and more collected and it showed in the results: a second place in the overall rankings, behind team-mate Valentino Rossi. These achievements also earned Yamaha the Constructors and Team Trophy that season.
The next year it was Lorenzo‘s time to shine. He took 9 out of 18 race wins and a staggering 16 podiums (12 of which were achieved at the first 12 rounds of that season) to take a formidable first MotoGP Championship victory in Malaysia.
Returning to the number-1 plate in 2011, he narrowly missed out on the title honours again, taking second place despite a serious crash during round 16 at Phillip Island bringing a premature end to the Mallorcan‘s season. But he got to enjoy the sweet taste of victory once more in 2012, when he proved to be unbeatable. He started his campaign with a win at the opening round and overall took podiums in every single race bar two, including six wins and ten second places, earning himself his second premier class crown in Australia.
This achievement was followed by a second and third place overall in the next two years, both seasons having been compromised by big crashes in Assen (2013) and at the Sachsenring (2014). However, Lorenzo is known for his steely performances. And so, in 2015, he claimed the number-one spot once more. During this dramatic season only team-mate Rossi was able to compete with him. The championship fight came down to the wire, but in the end it was Lorenzo who took the victory in Valencia, earning him his third and final MotoGP title.
Lorenzo completed one more season with Yamaha, taking third in his ninth year in the premier class and bringing the partnership‘s total to 44 wins, 107 podiums, and 39 pole positions. He ran two seasons with Ducati and one with Honda, before announcing his retirement as a MotoGP rider at the end of 2019. In 18 seasons he secured 68 wins, 152 podiums, 69 pole positions, and 5 World Championships. This will rightfully see him inducted as a MotoGP Legend at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.
Whilst he will be thoroughly missed by racing fans this upcoming season, they might not have to miss him for long. No wild card rides are planned for Lorenzo in 2020 as of yet, but Yamaha is open to the possibility.
UPDATE: The Island Company would like to make it clear.
The 2020 Catalina Island Grand Prix event has not been confirmed.
The Catalina Grand Prix Facebook page links to this page from CycleNews.com:
The Island Company issued the following statement:
“Please be advised that your January 27th, 2020 announcement that the Catalina Island Grand Prix is returning in November of 2020 is incorrect. The event is not confirmed.
Preliminary discussions are underway with the City of Avalon, The Catalina Island Company and others, over the possibility of the event occurring. Both the city and Island Company have stated that they are open to the concept, but no terms have been finalized. Further, many other details, including potential sponsors, insurance, entitlements, environmental matters and more, will need to be discussed and worked through.
In order to ensure that open and positive discussions continue with all the necessary parties that are working to help this event occur, it is extremely important that you immediately inform your readers of the correct facts surrounding this potential event.”
Editor’s note: The original articles, released in many outlets said the event was back and scheduled. At this time it is not. Here you can read the original press article(s) for information purposes only.
The Catalina Island GP returns! The Catalina Grand Prix classic that last took place in 2010, and was widely considered dead and buried, could be back on the calendar for 2020. Through the efforts of the City of Avalon, Island Company and promoters of the National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) Series, the Catalina Island GP is back, a full decade after its last running. It is slated to take place later this year (or early 2021)—the specific date has yet to be announced. (Keep an eye on the @CatalinaIslandGP on Instagram and The Catalina Grand Prix on Facebook for upcoming details!)
Kendall Norman at the 2010 Catalina Island GP
Kendall Norman on the gas at the 2010 Catalina Grand Prix. Photo by Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
Santa Catalina Island, the southernmost of California’s Channel Islands, lies about 26 miles off the coast of Southern California. In its sleepy harbor town of Avalon, home to about 4000 souls, hardly any motorized vehicles are allowed. Residents scoot around town in electric golf carts with nary an internal combustion engine in sight. Hosting a motorcycle race with 1200 dirt bikes is a tough sell for this quiet island, but a band of AMA District 37 enthusiasts including Kurt Hintz, Steve Hoefs, Buddy Minuto and Scott Perkins managed to pull it off.
Oh, and the Catalina Island GP is not only on the calendar for 2020; Hintz and crew added that they are working with the Island Company on a five-year deal for the event.
The news of this legendary resurrection comes as quite a surprise, and we caught up with Scott Perkins to hear more about how and why the race suddenly got a green light, and what to expect at the 2020 event, and beyond.
Travis Pastrana at the Catalina Island GP
Travis Pastrana goes big for the crowd at the last running of the event, nearly a decade ago. Photo: Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
We are on for the 2020 Catalina Island GP 2020! This was the race many people said was never going to happen again. How did we get here?
Mostly from Kurt Hintz. He’s got some friends in the island that are business owners and council members and they want the race to come back. In 2010, the amount of revenue that was brought to that town in that 4-5-day period during an off-season was just good for the island itself. Since 2010, he’s been working on it. It hasn’t been until the last year or so that they’ve made progress. Even at the last minute we thought it might have been canceled until last night. It’s been on their minds and on the edge, just needed a push.
Steve [Hoefs] is the business owner over there and so is Buddy [Minuto] and they’re both friends with Kurt. Those are the guys that are pushing the city for the race.
Is the Catalina Island GP being promoted by the NGPC?
The NCGP, Big 6, SRA Grand Prix and District 37 clubs are going to be kind of organizing the race. But the Catalina Island GP is going to be promoted and handled by the island itself.
So this is not part of a series.
No. It’s a standalone event. It’s not gonna pay GP points or district points. It’s just a standalone event like it was in 2010.
Catalina Island GP course layout
An aerial view of the motocross section of the 2010 Catalina Island GP course. Promoters say the new layout will be very similar. Photo: Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
And this might be a five-year deal?
From what I was told, it’s not just a one-year agreement; this could happen for the next five years! We’ll have this year, the 2020 Catalina Island GP. But that does not mean that it will stay in the same month in the next four years. It could move around. They have permits and stuff they need to do and one of them was the impact study. They anticipate that they will get everything done. It could be that we have to move the date, but either way you look at it, it’s gonna happen.
Tell me about the Catalina Island GP itself. What’s it going to look like?
The race will be very similar to what an NGPC (Big 6) race looks like. Obviously a little shorter. Probably more along the lines of what the Lake Havasu GP is, as far as mileage. Somewhere in that five-mile range. It’ll have jumps, it’ll have some asphalt sections, it’ll be very similar probably to what it was in 2010. And the process will be the same.
There’s going to be a limited amount of entries allowed. We don’t know what that exact number will be but we’ll get to that. You’re going to have to get your bike into the container and on the boat and shipped over just like it was in 2010. That will more than likely happen the Saturday/Sunday/Monday before the event. It’ll be a massive effort but well worth it!
2020 Catalina Island GP number plate
NGPC Series got the buzz going last week by posting this teaser photo – a number plate for the 2020 Catalina Island GP in a nod to off-road legend Kurt Caselli.
How soon can people pre-register?
We’re working on that, too. Trying to get the logistics of everything put together for it. There is a Facebook and an Instagram for the Catalina Grand Prix (@CatalinaIslandGP), so we will start pushing info out on that first and then we’ll follow with NGPC and District 37 channels. We expect to have that stuff out here pretty quick. Because we know everybody’s gonna want to book rooms and all that good stuff. We want to make sure we have the classes put together and we need to build the system to host the online registration. I don’t think the classes will be exactly what NGPC has, but it will probably be pretty close.
Is there going to be a significant pro class, or Catalina Island GP invitational?
We’d like to give pro racers a good opportunity to come race. We’re working on putting together a pro purse and we’ll be making an announcement on that soon.
Editor’s note, we join Cycle News in giving credit for this article and the update to Jean Turner.
“Jean Turner | Contributor A former staffer at Cycle News, Turner continues to contribute to the website and magazine as a columnist and someone we can count on to whip up a few thousand words on an off-road race when needed.”
The United States’ best desert racers converge on Lucerne Valley, Calif.
For the first round of the 2020 AMA National Hare and Hound Championship.
Jan. 24, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2020 AMA National Hare and Hound Championship season gets underway Saturday
Nation’s best desert racers kick off nine-round series at Lucerne Valley
The event is put on by the Desert MC and is the first of the series’ nine races scheduled to take place in five states.
“The AMA National Hare and Hound Championship has a long history of producing great competition over challenging desert terrain,” AMA Off-Road Racing Manager Erek Kudla said. “Hall of Famer Kurt Caselli and 2020 Dakar champion Ricky Brabec are among those who have won overall AMA National Hare and Hound titles. We’re excited to see this year’s field crowded on the starting line for the first race of 2020 and look forward to another year of close competition.”
Hare and hound racing, popular in the Western desert regions, challenges riders to compete over a natural terrain course at least 40 miles long while passing through a series of checkpoints. Most courses are 70 to 120 miles long and feature two loops that are routed through different types of terrain. Similar to enduros in course length, hare and hound events feature mass starts and are point-to-point races.
2020 AMA National Hare and Hound Championship Schedule
Jan. 25-26: Lucerne Valley, Calif.
Feb. 22-23: Post, Texas
March 6-7: The Mint 400, Las Vegas, Nev.
March 21-22: Murphy, Idaho
April 4: Jericho, Utah
April 18: Jericho, Utah
Aug. 22: Panaca, Nev.
Oct. 10-11: Nightingale, Nev.
Oct. 24-25: Lucerne Valley, Calif.
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
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BOLT IN WINNING FORM AT SUPERENDURO ROUND FOUR
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING STAR EXTENDS SUPERENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD WITH VICTORY IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Billy Bolt – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Continuing to cement himself as the rider to beat in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has delivered a winning ride at the penultimate round of the series, in Budapest. Securing two wins from three starts, the Brit extended his lead in the series’ overall standings with one round remaining. After an up and down night, teammate Alfredo Gómez took third in race three for fourth overall.
Regaining control of the leader’s red plate last time out in Spain, Bolt arrived in Hungary determined to build on that performance. Knowing that his speed was not in question, the Husqvarna FE 350 mounted rider was focused on eliminating the mistakes that had hampered him at earlier rounds, and producing a consistent night of racing.
Immediately setting the pace, he topped the SuperPole with the fastest hot lap time. Riding top-three during the opening laps of race one, a mistake in the rocks on lap five saw him drop back from the leaders. Fighting his way back into contention, another mistake forced Billy to settle for third.
Regrouping for the second half of the night, Bolt returned to the track for races two and three eager to prove himself. Calmly working his way through the pack in race two, he grabbed control of the lead on lap one and never faltered. Pulling clear of his rivals, he raced on to an impressive victory, 22 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger. Delivering another controlled performance for the third and final race, Bolt put himself out front on lap two before eventually crossing the finish line with 23 seconds in hand.
Despite enjoying the track and showing good speed, Alfredo Gómez endured a tough opening two races. A crash in the first corner of race one saw him forced to work overtime. Battling through, he recovered for fifth. Stuck in traffic for the majority of race two, the Spaniard was forced to settle for sixth.
Motivated to end his night on a high, Alfredo worked his way into third at mid-distance, setting his sights on second position. Steadily closing the gap to the rider ahead with each passing lap, the TE 300i mounted rider took the fight right down to the final corner, eventually placing third.
The FIM SuperEnduro World Championship concludes with round five in Lodz, Poland on March 14, 2020.
Billy Bolt: “I came here wanting to show a new me. Often I make mistakes and rush things too much on track, but I’ve been working hard to be smooth, fast and importantly patient. Admittedly in race one I made too many errors and a better result than third slipped away, but I regrouped for the rest of the night. I picked the right moments to attack and was able to win both races comfortably. I’ve always shown my speed is there, but I’m so pleased to bring consistency into the mix like this. We’ve got a healthy lead now heading to the final round in Poland next month, where hopefully we can take this world title.”
Alfredo Gómez: “The first two races were difficult. I crashed off the start in race one and that put me right at the back. Although I was enjoying the track, it wasn’t easy to make positions but I managed to recover to fifth. In race two I wasn’t in a good starting position on the second row and again got stuck in traffic. Sixth was the best I could do. But I’m happy to show my true form in race three. I was in a good position and got into third early on and then almost took second on the final corner.”
Results – SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 4
Prestige Overall Classification
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 58 points; 2. Jonny Walker (KTM) 56 pts; 3. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 46pts; 4. Alfredo Gómez (Husqvarna) 35pts; 5. Pol Tarres (Husqvarna) 29pts…
Prestige Race 1
1. Jonny Walker (KTM) 10 laps, 7:08.810; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7:16.956; 3. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 7:21.811; 4. Will Hoare (KTM) 9 laps, 7:11.130; 5. Alfredo Gómez (Husqvarna) 7:22.143…
Prestige Race 2
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:20.134; 2. Jonny Walker (KTM) 7:42.688; 3. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7:55.681; 4. Pol Tarres (Husqvarna) 8:04.583; 5. Blake Gutzeit (Husqvarna) 8:04.845; 6. Alfredo Gómez (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:21.712…
Prestige Race 3
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps 7:12.165; 2. Jonny Walker (KTM) 7:35.362 +23.197; 3. Alfredo Gómez (Husqvarna) 7:37.353 +25.188; 4. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7:45.441 +33.276; 5. Blake Gutzeit (Husqvarna) 7:26.428 +1 lap…
Championship Standings (After Round 4 of 5)
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 227 points; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 209pts; 3. Jonny Walker (KTM) 192pts; 4. Alfredo Gómez (Husqvarna) 161pts; 5. Blake Gutzeit (Husqvarna) 112pts…
Service
Husqvarna Motorcycles. Tradition on two wheels since 1903
Husqvarna Motorcycles are widely known and respected in the offroad world for a heritage of competition and numerous motocross and enduro world championships. Originally founded in Sweden in 1903, Husqvarna Motorcycles have been designed and manufactured in Mattighofen, Austria since 2013.
Rockstar Energy Drink
Rockstar Energy Drink is designed for those who lead active lifestyles – from Athletes to Rockstars. Available in over 20 flavors at convenience and grocery outlets in over 30 countries, Rockstar supports the Rockstar lifestyle across the globe through Action Sports, Motor Sports, and Live Music. For more information visit: www.RockstarEnergy.com
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