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Herlings, Musquin and Baggett.

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When the Ironman National concluded yesterday, fans across the globe were eager to hear from Jeffrey Herlings. Thankfully a press conference is held following each event, which gives the podium finishers a chance to answer a variety of questions from those who cover the sport. The questions and answers from that session can be found below.

Question for Marvin Musquin. What was it like to have all of the orange bikes up on the podium today?

Marvin Musquin: Yeah, I was just telling Jeffrey that that’s awesome. Actually I thought about it after the first moto and even in the second moto. To have all three KTM riders is pretty cool, you know, and it makes me think about back in Austria, where everyone is working really hard for us. I’m sure that Pit Beirer and everybody else are really happy right now.

Question for Blake Baggett: You and Marvin came into here very close in points, take us through a little bit of your day today.

Blake Baggett: I just tried to get good starts. I know that Marvin’s been on a roll lately and is going to be there. I knew that was the case and that I needed to ride my best to be there. I came up a little bit short, but I gave it my all this season. I just wasn’t able to get it done. I’m proud of myself that I was able to grind through the injury, keep pushing and take it to the last moto. Marvin and I didn’t get the title, but at least we made it come down to the last moto before Eli got it. He definitely deserves it and, yeah, I thought it was a good season.

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Blake Baggett broke through in his maiden season on a KTM.

KTM Images/Simon Cudby

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: How long ago did you make the decision to come here and race this event?

Jeffrey Herlings: Two days. We were in Sweden last weekend, for the World Championship, and obviously I broke my hand at the beginning of the season. The first four rounds in Europe were terrible, because I had so much pain and could barely ride. I was so many points back and, like, twentieth in the championship. I have fought my way all the way back to second and actually I was on a winning roll. I won two and was going for my third win in a row, but I had a DNF. I was closing in on the points and was winning the GP, but did not finish.

With three rounds to go, the championship is over. I spoke to Pit Beirer from KTM in Austria, one of the big bosses, and I said that I was flying into the USA on Tuesday anyway to go to Aldon Baker’s place and get used to the heat for the GP. I asked what he thought about me racing that race and he said that I should let him think about it.

We started making some plans and phone calls. Obviously the American bike is different, so we came in on Tuesday and rode for the first time on Wednesday at Aldon’s place. It was a completely different bike. We had a couple of hours to set up, because if we wanted to go we had to ride press day. It was a brand-new track and we wanted to get used to the track, at least, so that is what we did. I was actually super happy with the bike straight away so, yeah, that’s it.

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Jeffrey Herlings will now do three MXGP rounds in succession.

KTM Images/Simon Cudby

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: We know that the MXGP series has a works bike rule, whereas our rules are a little tighter. How much different is your bike over in Europe, which you’ll be riding next week, then what you rode here today.

Jeffrey Herlings: You have to set your bike up different. The track here was absolutely amazing. How the make the tracks here is so good. Back home the tracks are small, narrow and pretty tough to pass [on]. I’m not saying it’s bad, but if you crash in Europe like I did in the second moto then you are almost unable to come from last to first. The track’s don’t allow you to go that fast or have that many lines to pass. It’s just two different worlds, but I like the American style.

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: Would there be any chance that you want to come here to America to race?

Jeffrey Herlings: Well, not really. This was just a one-time thing. I have my contract for Europe for three more years, so I’m pretty happy. I like it there. But, still, the racing here is on a different level maybe.

Question for Blake Baggett: Blake, just tell us the status of where your thumb finally is after doing this for seven races. How bad is it?

Blake Baggett: I just have no hand strength in it. I’ll have surgery on Tuesday to try and get it fixed, then I’ll be out for around two months. There is just no ligament, as it ripped off the bone, so I’ve just been running and trying to do the best that I can. Evidently, I need to go to Europe and do some riding – this guy took us to school. I’m going to get my pad of paper and my pen out to take notes. He definitely served us justice today.

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Good starts were a priority for Blake Baggett at Ironman.

KTM Images/Simon Cudby

Question for Blake Baggett: I don’t think we ever had a chance to ask you about Red Bud, because you didn’t finish on the podium that day. Could you take us through your perspective of that moment that really ended your hopes. You stayed in it, but it changed your season.

Blake Baggett: I just got caught off guard. It was a racing mistake; I was in the rut, committed and just could not get to the brakes. I ended up running into the back of the guy and going down. I just put my hand out, like everyone does when their falling, at the wrong place and wrong time, so it wasn’t my year this year. I tried to do the best that I could to keep Marvin and Eli honest, then be there at the end. I came away with third. I’m definitely happy with the whole season and progress, my supercross has improved a lot and to come into outdoors and get some wins in the 450MX class. To get good starts and battle with the front guys is the goal that you always want to do. I’ve had fun doing it too.

Question for Blake Baggett: How many times have you replayed that Red Bud moment in your head over the last few months?

Blake Baggett: It’s in the past. You just try to not let that happen again, but there are many mistakes that we make throughout all of our careers. I’m sure that if we could rewind time we would [stop it]. It doesn’t work like that. The other guys gain on your mistakes and that’s what motorcycling racing is about.

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: Jeffrey, could you talk a little bit about the expectations that you had or where you thought you’d be? It was pretty impressive, as right away you set the fastest qualifying time, so did you believe you could be the overall winner today?

Jeffrey Herlings: It’s hard to say, as everything was new. That is why we also did press day, to at least get used to the track. Back home we have all of Saturday to do warm up, time practice and a qualifying heat. You have a warm up again on Sunday, then the two motos, so by the time that it is race time you have already spent two hours on the bike or something. This morning we had ten minutes practice and then just fifteen, so it is completely different. Everything is pretty chilled at home. You just enter the track when practice is already going, but here it is like a race. It is pretty insane.

My expectations? I don’t know. When we came here I thought that Eli would be fast, Marvin would be fast and Blake. There are also guys like [Justin] Barcia and [Justin] Bogle, so I didn’t know what to expect. I thought that anything in the top five I would be happy with. I went out and did the fastest time in the first practice, then in the second one, so I thought that if I could get some decent starts then we could come out on top. In the first moto I got a decent start, I was second, and then worked my way into the lead on the first lap. I had a good battle with Marv and managed to win the second moto.

The second moto made it a bit tough, as they watered the first and second turns a little bit. My front end washed away and I actually got a bit lucky with Marvin making a small mistake. He actually gave the win to me, but it’s racing. I crashed and so did he, so it’s racing.

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Jeffrey Herlings now returns to the Baker's Factory in Florida.

KTM Images/Simon Cudby

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: I’m trying to recall if you and Marvin were teammates back in MXGP. If you were, was it nice to catch up with somebody who you used to race with?

Jeffrey Herlings: Yeah, it was actually pretty awesome. We were on the same flight here and were just talking about remembering stuff in 2010. It is pretty amazing that we could still talk about the past, as he knows how it is back home. We had a lot to talk about. I think Marv is a great athlete and ambassador for the sport, so it was nice to battle with him and all of the guys here. I have respect for everybody. It was a pleasure to come here and to leave with a 1-1 is pretty amazing.

Question for Marvin Musquin: It seems like the last few weeks you have hung it out more and gone for it. Today it seemed like there was a sense of urgency and you were just sending it, so did you feel a sense of panic?

Marvin Musquin: No, I was just trying my best. The last few rounds I have had nothing to lose, so all I have had to do is try to win races. Today was just the same. To win the championship today would have been very, very lucky on my side and very unlucky for Eli Tomac. I just wanted to do my best, try to win the race, get second in the championship and win the last round. In the first moto I felt really good, because I knew Jeffrey was really fast in practice and we made it happen in the first moto.

I was feeling really comfortable and was able to put in some good lap times to close in on Jeffrey. That was pretty cool, but he was really consistent. In the second moto I made a mistake with two laps to go, but other than that I was really consistent and felt great today. I don’t think I was riding over my head or anything, so it’s good to see that the riding has been good.

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A mid-season injury stopped Marvin Musquin making a run at the title.

KTM Images/Simon Cudby

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: When you went down at the start of the second moto, what was going through your head? Did you think there goes your chance at the overall or just put your head down and go?

Jeffrey Herlings: I was like, yeah, just put my head down and go. The first few laps I couldn’t make all of the jumps. I don’t want to be disrespectful, but between places twenty-fifth to fortieth not all of those guys make all of the jumps. I didn’t want to jump on somebody’s neck, so you lose so much ground and so much time. By the time that I got to twentieth I was, I don’t know, fifteen or twenty seconds down and I still had to pass all of those guys. Like I said, the tracks are so good here and there are so many lines. You can just pass anywhere! That is what I really like about America, this track and probably all of the outdoor tracks. They have so many lines and are so well organised.

Question for Marvin Musquin: You’re going to ride at Baker’s for the next week, right? Are you going to be there Marvin or is he on his own? What are your plans, because he is going to be there. Are you done?

Marvin Musquin: I have been there since last November, so I’m not going to be there. It is time for a break. Right now, September is the only time that I can have off.

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Jeffrey Herlings' current contract with KTM expires in 2020.

KTM Images/Simon Cudby

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: Did you get to learn anything from the Baker Factory programme yet, from the one day that you had, or is there more to learn next week?

Jeffrey Herlings: It is pretty famous in Europe and everybody is speaking about him, because he brought a lot of championships with a lot of good riders. I just want to learn what they are doing and how they train. When I come here, I see that they train differently. We cannot race the way that you race here, because the tracks do not allow you to. They don’t have so much grip or as many lines, so you can’t just open the throttle and go. With the weather, in the winter it is freezing and raining. That programme is absolutely amazing for the USA, but I don’t think it’d work in Europe. The situation is way different. We have to fly to the races on Thursday or Friday, race Saturday and Sunday, then fly back on Monday. Here there is always good weather, no matter whether you are in Florida or California, so they are two different worlds, like I said.

Question for Jeffrey Herlings: You mentioned earlier that you like the way that the races over here are organised and run, what is the big difference between racing in America and Europe?

Jeffrey Herlings: I don’t know. It is just so different. The guys who have been to Europe know what I’m talking about – they are just two different worlds. There are many more positive things, but also some negative things. They do things way better here, but some things better at home. There are pluses and minuses. America is a big country, so a lot of the tracks are big, whereas at home a lot of the tracks are small. You can’t get the tracks to be like they were today.

Interviews: Press Conference | Lead Image: KTM Images/Simon Cudby

British MX Nationals

Thank you. It’s been a hell of a ride.

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Since buying back MX Vice in November 2019, it has been challenging. One of those crystal balls would have been handy for navigating some problematic situations. Who would have thought COVID-19 would be a thing?

Those who follow MX Vice know we started from nothing but an idea. A fan who loved the sport created a Facebook page, website, and social media presence that would become disruptive. It has made numerous talented media people who were allowed to run with it for over thirteen years. Being in the UK/Europe has always been difficult; I’ve always believed that if we were a US media company, we would have been embraced and appreciated for our work ethic and the content we produce. We always cast one eye over the US in Europe, and you can’t blame the top European riders for doing the same.

MX Vice has always tried to give people a voice, especially the riders who are not in the limelight and the teams that put so much into the sport. We love people’s passion and sacrifice to improve and challenge themselves. That, for me, was the natural pull, not the money but the passion and sacrifice. We all know we would not be in motocross if it were about the money. I always considered MX Vice the media version of Steve Dixon’s team in MXGP (which I have a huge amount of respect for), where we have always tried to challenge without the factory budgets.

We knew it would be tough this year with so many businesses and brands cutting marketing budgets and reducing costs; this was never going to be good for us. We have just had two incredible months of stats, with January and February bringing in over 1 million people to the website, which is quite bittersweet. As much as the funds are low, so is my energy and health. COVID impacted me more than I could ever envisaged. My health has deteriorated ever since I caught COVID; my immune system is not in a great place, and when I try and work to the standard I set myself, my body breaks on me, and it takes me days to recover. Ed Stratmann has been a revelation since he took the editorial reigns and has pushed MX Vice to new heights, which is incredible given the lack of resources he has had to work with and support from myself. I have been missing from the podcast show to reduce my time, as I am now self-employed and working for two companies to pay the bills.

Every journey ends, and that’s not what we want. Over the past 13 years, we have given it everything, leaving no stone unturned. We’re proud of how we have disrupted, challenged decisions, held organisations accountable, and illuminated incredible stories.

We will have an auction for signed shirts donated by riders, podcast equipment, and memorabilia to pay off the invoices of some contributors. If, however, you want to see MX Vice continue, you can donate here: https://ko-fi.com/mxvice or purchase a shirt or memorabilia. If we meet our target of £25,000, which is currently outstanding to run this year, then Ed and I will continue. However, we fully expect this won’t happen due to the large sum required.

It’s hard out there at the moment. Take care of your health and family, and never lose your passion for the most fantastic sport in the world.

Burf.

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Fox Feature

FOX Unveils Exciting New MX24 Mainline Refresh Graphics

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All eyes on you. Keep the conversation going with all-new MX24 graphics that looks to the future of racewear. 360 Volatile, 180 Interfere, this is racewear designed to elevate and amplify the next generation and those changing the sport, forever.

Visit the Fox Europe Website for more information.

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Monster Energy Supercross

Trio of Speedways Set to Host Second Year of SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs

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During tonight’s television broadcast of the DAYTONA Supercross, Round 8 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and SuperMotocross World Championship, lead analysts Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart revealed that zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final in September.


Words: Press Release | Lead Image: SMX


Last year’s landmark inaugural season saw two of the sport’s youngest and brightest stars cement their place in the history books. At just 17, Haiden Deegan earned Rookie of the Year and captured the 250cc World Championship while Australian sensation Jett Lawrence, at 20, became the first-ever 450cc World Champion in the premier class, also as a rookie.

Showing the world this was no fluke, both Deegan and Lawrence are off to impressive starts in their 2024 campaigns. Deegan just earned his first win of the season (and his career) this past weekend at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and sits a mere seven points back in the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship after two rounds. Lawrence, on the other hand is the current points leader in the very deep 450SX premier class and has two wins already in a year that has witnessed five different race winners in the first seven rounds.

SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 1 will take place on Saturday, September 7 at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. and Playoff 2 will take place on Saturday, September 14 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The SMX World Championship Final will take place on Saturday, September 21 at The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, marking a long-anticipated return to a city that has hosted many memorable final Championship rounds in Supercross’ rich history.

“Last year, we created a completely new off-road motorcycle racing playoff series that combined both disciplines of indoor stadium racing (Supercross) and outdoor motocross racing (Pro Motocross) that was fully embraced by the teams, athletes, industry and fans,” said Dave Prater, Vice President of Supercross, Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Collectively, more than 110,000 fans from all over the world made their way here to attend the inaugural three round SMX World Championship Playoffs and Final and for the first time in the sport’s history witnessed the crowning of a true World Champion. The SuperMotocross World Championship is where the world comes to race.”

zMAX Dragway is situated adjacent to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. and its world famous four-lane dragstrip and dual grandstands provided the perfect backdrop to host last year’s first-ever SMX World Championship Playoff. The Charlotte area is a hotbed for fans of the sport and is an easy city to get to from most points in the Eastern region. Last year’s playoff became the “must see” event of the year and is a primary reason for our return. zMAX Dragway proved to be a world-class facility in every way where the SMX experience was fully brought to life with a full day of fan activities on Friday, an industry packed FanFest on Saturday and a multitude of prime camping options for every budget. The “Bellagio of Dragstrips” also provided the perfect amount of width and depth to create a truly unique, world-class SMX track that surprised the teams and caught many of the sport’s star athletes off guard which led to dramatic racing and unpredictable results.

“Last year, we transformed a four-lane drag strip into the ultimate off-road playground and fans were treated to a full day of action-packed racing at the opening round of the inaugural SMX World Championships,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “Building on that experience, we’re excited to once again partner with Feld Motor Sports to bring together the top Supercross and Motocross riders from around the world at zMAX Dragway to put on a high-flying, white-knuckled show for the fans.”

Texas Motor Speedway, located in Fort Worth is easily accessible for fans traveling by car or plane with its central location and proximity to multiple international airports. The 1.5-mile quad-oval superspeedway sits on over 1400 acres of land and is one of the largest sports facilities in the country. Being a world-class venue, Texas Motor Speedway is no stranger to marquee events as they are a regular stop on the NASCAR Cup Series and provide all the modern amenities motorsports fans expect when purchasing an event ticket. Last week’s Supercross round (7) in Arlington, Texas broke attendance records and this Playoff round could prove to be an even bigger spectacle with a planned Friday FanFest, and fan camping options being made available.

“All of us at Texas Motor Speedway are thrilled to have been chosen to host Round 2 of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and we look forward to welcoming an entirely new and energetic group of race fans, from across the country and around the world, to our world-class facility,” said Texas Motor Speedway Executive Vice President & General Manager Mark Faber. “Supercross and motocross fans in the Fort Worth/Dallas metroplex have proven for years how much they love their sport so we look forward to proving to them how much we appreciate them coming to Texas Motor Speedway.”

Aptly named, The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is conveniently located just twenty minutes away from the world-famous Las Vegas strip and was a major deciding factor in bringing the SMX World Championship Final to Las Vegas.

“The Strip” is one of the most iconic dragstrips in the country and joins zMAX Dragway as being one of just two dragstrips in the nation to feature four-wide racing. This expansive footprint will allow our master track builders to get very imaginative in creating the final SMX World Championship track of the season. Situated right across the street from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Strip is home to more than 50 events a year and provides an intimate viewing experience from the grandstands and suites while also offering fans the ability to “line the fence”, similar to what is done at a Pro Motocross event.

“The pinnacle of two-wheel racing is making its return to Las Vegas, and we’re thrilled to crown the ultimate champion at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, surrounded by the passionate fans of Supercross and Motocross,” said Chris Powell, Las Vegas Motor Speedway President. “In recent years, Las Vegas has emerged as the ultimate sports hub, making it fitting to include the SuperMotocross World Championship Final on the list of prestigious events hosted here.”

The SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final will feature the best athletes in the world as the top 20 in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points are automatically seeded into the playoff rounds. As in other sport playoffs, athletes will be competing for the sport’s ultimate World Championship title, and the prestige that comes from overcoming adversity through a 28-round, dual-discipline (indoor and outdoor) season, plus two SMX Playoffs and a Final.

The SMX World Championship is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world and as such pays out more total prize money than any off-road motorcycle racing series on the planet.

All 17 rounds of the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and 11 rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship are on sale. Tickets for the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final will go on pre-sale, Tuesday, April 2, followed by public on-sale Tuesday, April 9. Friday FanFest, Saturday FanFest and camping options for each round and venue will be announced later in the season.

Love what we do? Please read this article as we try to raise £30,000.

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