Villopoto leads the highly competitive 450 Class into Round 5 this weekend Courtesy: Simon Cudby

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (June 18, 2013) - This Saturday, Southern Maryland’s Budds Creek MX Park will host the world’s best riders for Round 5 of the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Taking place in Mechanicsville, Md., just an hour outside of the nation’s capital, the 23^rd Annual Red Bull Budds Creek National will set the stage for two of the most highly contested championships in Lucas Oil Pro Motocross history. Current points leader and 2011 champion Ryan Villopoto will go head-to-head with reigning champ Ryan Dungey in the 450 Class, while Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac will both attempt to become the second repeat winner in the 250 Class as Marvin Musquin looks to secure his third consecutive win at Budds Creek.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Villopoto captured his third overall victory of the season at High Point Raceway with a clean sweep in the 450 Class, giving the points leader a total of seven moto wins to date. Villopoto’s successful season has given him considerable momentum heading into Round 5 this weekend, where he looks to extend his points lead at Budds Creek.

The only rider to beat Villopoto this season is Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, who sits in a close second place in the championship standings. Dungey secured the overall win in Tennessee with a big win in Moto 2. That, paired with a third place in the first moto, allowed Dungey to trump Villopoto’s score of (1-4) for the day. Winning at Budds Creek isn’t a new concept for the Minnesota native, as he took the win in 2010 and 2012. Additionally, Dungey is the only rider to finish on the podium in all eight motos thus far, and will look for his second win of 2013 at Budds Creek.

Budds Creek will host its 23rd running of the Red Bull Budds Creek National Courtesy: Simon Cudby

In his first full season in the 450 Class, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia is holding his own amongst the sport’s most decorated racers. Barcia’s highlight of the season was at Round 3 where he battled with Villopoto and Dungey in both motos, ultimately finishing second overall. Barcia currently sits third in the championship standings with a consistent string of top five finishes. Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard trails his teammate Barcia in the points, holding fourth place ahead of Smartop/MotoConcepts Racing’s Mike Alessi.

Last round, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray earned his first career podium in the 450 Class with a pair of fourth place finishes. Rattray, a previous winner at Budds Creek in the 250 Class, looks to contest for another podium finish this weekend in the 450 Class.

Through the first four rounds of 250 Class competition, three different riders have stood atop the podium. Last round in Pennsylvania, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin became the first repeat winner in the 250 Class, besting his teammate Ken Roczen for the overall victory. However, it wasn’t until Moto 2 at High Point that Musquin secured his first career moto win in the U.S.

Musquin (right) looks to secure his third straight win of the season, while Roczen (94) hopes to maintain the 250 Class points lead Courtesy: Simon Cudby

Roczen has been the most dominant rider in the 250 Class this season, holding five of the eight moto wins, as well as the points lead heading into Round 5. But in addition to his teammate Musquin, Roczen has several riders on his heels in the chase for a championship. GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac sits in second place in the championship standings, only five points behind Roczen and seven points ahead of Musquin. Tomac captured the overall victory in his home state of Colorado and then went on to secure his second moto win the next week in Tennessee, proving that he will be a championship contender alongside the Red Bull KTM duo this season.

Currently in the midst of its third decade of motocross competition, Budds Creek is one of the most renowned tracks on the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship schedule. Sitting in the shadow of the nation’s capital, it is a popular stop for riders and fans alike thanks to its stellar sight lines, thrilling elevation changes, and challenging terrain. The facility has produced some of the most memorable moments in American Motocross since hosting its first national in 1989.

The Red Bull Budds Creek National will be the first of three rounds of the championship broadcast exclusively on NBC. The national network television exposure will bring the action into millions of homes, allowing viewers to see the world’s best do battle.

The Red Bull Budds Creek National will commence Saturday, June 22, in Mechanicsville, Md., beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern. Live coverage of the opening motos on FUEL TV and Allisports.com will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern. Moto 2 of the 450 Class will air Live on NBC at 3 p.m., with Live coverage of the 250 Class Moto 2 on NBC Sports at 4 p.m.

For tickets and additional information, please visit AlliSports.com/motocross and LIKE the Pro Motocross Facebook page and follow @ProMotocross on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and additional information on the latest Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship news.

Previous Round Results and Current Point Standings

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
GEICO High Point National
High Point Raceway – Mt. Morris, Pa.
June 8, 2013
Round 4 of 12

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-1)

2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-2)
3. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (4-4)

4. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (3-7)

5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (10-3)

6. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda, (7-5)

7. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki (6-6)

8. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (5-8)

9. Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki (8-9)
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (11-11)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 193
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 177
3. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 148
4. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda, 120
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki,116

6. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 104

7. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki, 95

8. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki, 79

9. Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki, 69
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 67

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (2-1)

2. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM (1-2)

3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (3-4)

4. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda (10-3)
5. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (4-8)

6. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda (5-9)

7. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (9-6)

8. Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha (6-11)

9. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM, (13-5)

10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki (12-7)
250 Class Championship Standings

1. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 185
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 170

3. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 163

4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 141
5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda, 127
6. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 100

7. Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha, 90

8. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda, 89

9. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 88

10. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 81

For tickets and additional information, please visit AlliSports.com/motocross and LIKE the Pro Motocross Facebook page and follow @ProMotocross on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and additional information on the latest Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship news.

MX Sports Pro Racing

MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world’s most prestigious professional motocross series – the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The industry leader in off road power sport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visitwww.mxsportsproracing.com.

Alli Sports

Alli Sports is a media, event and branded content company that specializes in action, adventure, and adrenaline based sports.  Alli Properties include the Dew Tour, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, the Red Bull Signature Series, GoPro World of Adventure Sports and Octane Academy; Alli Media, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners and distributes content through a variety of channels; and Alli enterprises consisting of E-commerce, event merchandise and branded licensed product.  Alli Sports is a division of the NBC Sports Group.  More information can be found at www.Allisports.com.

AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

NBC Sports Group

When the Comcast-NBCUniversal transaction was completed in January 2011, the sports assets of the two companies combined to form the NBC Sports Group, which serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. The sports media company consists of a unique array of broadcast television, cable television, radio and digital sports assets, including NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBC Sports Network, Golf Channel, 11 NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports Radio and all of their respective digital properties. The NBC Sports Group possesses an unparalleled collection of television rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee, the NFL, NHL, PGA TOUR, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, Premier League, MLS, Tour de France, French Open, Formula One, IndyCar and many more.

Lucas Oil Products

Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, lubricants and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, lubricants and problem-solving performance additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry.  Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the “Official Motor Oil of the Pro Motocross Championship.” Visit www.LucasOil.com.

ODI and Americore SMX have partnered up together to offer some “off-track” entertainment at this year’s Mammoth Moto. Monday night June 24th at 5:30 ODI and Americore SMX will be hosting a Scooter Jam. The Jam will be at the Village and thanks to Mike Colbert and his crew will feature some of the features from the snowboard park down on the Village floor in order to make an awesome park. Americore SMX is one of the first companies to manufacture an OFF ROAD scooter made with tires, not wheels. They also are the first scooter brand to support the sport of motocross and put together their own amateur team. There aren’t many opportunities to session the Village without getting chased out so come join us for a night of fun.

Space is limited so to guarantee your spot come sign up at the ODI booth at the track during Monday’s Mini Practice.

No personal scooters allowed, bring your own helmet.

2014 Kawasaki KX250F:

Overall, the 2014 KX250F is a very similar machine to its most recent predecessor. It hasn’t made the jump to an air fork and retains the Showa Separate Function Fork (SFF) where the compression and damping duties are in different fork tubes. The engine hasn’t seen any changes other than the counter-shaft and sprocket retainer now uses a nut and washer instead of a clip to make maintenance easier.

The biggest addition for the quarter-liter Green Machine is the Launch Control system, the same one Kawasaki uses on the KX450F. The KX250F will be the first 250 four-stroke motocrosser to have an electronically assisted starting mechanism. Next, the frame was updated with thinner steel engine mounts to offer a better mix of chassis rigidity and flex, aimed at improving handling characteristics.
The transmission has new four-dog set up instead of three-dogs per gear and the shift-fork grooves are more direct to enhance feel at the shift lever. Other than those changes and a white rear fender, the KX250F retains its successful specs from last year.

2014 Kawasaki KX450:

It looks like Kawasaki’s philosophy approaching the 2014 KX450F was, ‘If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.’ The only items that can be called new on the 450F are the grips that have a softer compound. But, with some recent championships in their trophy room, Kawasaki didn’t have much incentive to reinvent the wheel.

For 2014 the big green motocrosser retains it’s industry leading stock adjustability with two positions for the bars and two position for the footpegs allowing a multitude of ergonomic options to fit different riders, riding styles and tracks. The 450F is keeping the Kayaba Pneumatic Spring Fork (PSF) that has no springs and uses air in its place.

Generally, the 2014 Kawasaki MXers are slightly updated versions of very successful machines that have proven themselves again and again. Only track time will show if these upgrades were enough to keep up with the competition.

Kailub Russell grabbed his third win of the year in GNCC competition by topping Josh Strang and Charlie Mullins at the Mountaineer GNCC in Masontown, West Virginia, this weekend. Russell got off to a slow start to the season but the FMF/KTM rider has come on strong as of late and now sits just eight points behind Mullins in the series standings. In West Virginia, Russell collided with another rider off the start and was near last place when the pack roared into the woods for the first time to start the race. After that, Russell put on an amazing charge to take the lead and eventually pull away from the pack for the win. Photo Courtesy Harland Foley/KTM Images

Josh Strang matched his season-best performance of the season with a second place finish at the Mountaineer GNCC. The Rocky Mountain ATV/MC rider took advantage of last lap problems Carolina KTM/RidePG.com's Chris Bach encountered getting through lapped traffic to move into second. Strang sits third overall in the series standings. Photo Courtesy Ken Hill/GNCC Racing

Charlie Mullins took a nasty fall while running second behind Russell on one of the slippery down hills at the Mountaineer and injured his knee. The FMF/KTM soldiered on to finish third and maintain his lead in the series standings, despite riding in intense pain. Photo Courtesy Harland Foley/KTM Images

Pat Smage kicked off the AirES AMA NATC MotoTrial US National Championship Series this weekend by taking a double win at rounds one and two of the series in the mountainous logging country near Cayuta, New York. The Sherco USA-backed rider is looking to secure the sixth national title of his career and looked fully capable of doing so after handling the competition with relative ease on the slippery dirt climbs in New York. Photo by Shan Moore

Bryan Roper represents the next generation of young guns in the national trials series and the Sherco rider threw his hat into the 2013 championship ring by coming away with a second and a third over the two days of competition. Photo by Shan Moore

Cory Graffunder drops in on the final obstacle of the Prairie Dogs MC’s Last Dog Standing event at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. Graffunder put in several strong rides throughout four different heat races to come away with second place on the day. Photo by Falconer Photography

Brad Goolsby soldiers on through the third round of the day, which took place in intense and brutal heat. Goolsby’s performance earned him a strong 12th place finish, although he did not advance to the fourth and final round. Only eight riders made it to the final: Graffunder, Taylor Robert, Colton Haaker, Max Gerston, Ryan Sandoval, Justin Morgan, Justin Jones and David Broderick. Photo by Falconer Photography

Glen Helen was an excellent location for the LDS event, with several new canyons and trails to challenge the 150+ racers in attendance. The course was roughly 10 miles in length and featured a host of natural and man-made obstacles. Photo by Falconer Photography

At the end of the day, Taylor Robert’s determination and skill led him to be the Last Dog Standing, earning the win and remaining one of only five racers (including Graffunder, Sandoval, Gerston and Morgan) to finish the event). Robert has been riding a lot of trials lately, and combined with his excellent moto skills the practice certainly appears to be paying off. Photo by Falconer Photography

Final Results, Prairie Dogs MC Last Dog Standing:
1. Taylor Robert
2. Cory Graffunder
3. Ryan Sandoval
4. Max Gerston
5. Justin Morgan
6. Colton Haaker
7. Justin Jones
8. David Broderick
9. Ty Tremaine
10. Michael Allen
11. Kevin Murphy
12. Brad Goolsby
13. Johnny Campbell
14. Chris Denison
15. Noah Kepple
16. Travis Epperson
17. Paul Krause
18. Jesse Vanhoy
19. Brent Eastman
20. Tomas Pira

As I’m sure everyone has seen by now, the 2013 BMW R1200GS received some major changes this year with an all new motor, chassis and electronics. BMW invited us out to Valencia, CA to give us the run down and let us ride away on the all-new machine.

We started our little day adventure in the heart of the city, rode out towards Lake Hughes, Frazier Park and ended the ride in Ojai. We spent most of our time (about 120 miles) on the street with about 28 miles of dirt. This worked out well since our bikes were equipped with Metzeler Tourance tires. With about 20 journalists itching to log some time on the new machine, what would normally be a leisurely ride through the canyon, turned into a full on race to the finish.

The brand new R1200GS is powered by the next generation liquid-cooled Boxer. Some of the key features of the improved engine – “vertical flow intake”, ride-by-wire, integrated gearbox with 8-disk wet clutch and of course liquid cooling – resulted in more power and torque across the board, along with better shifting and fuel efficiency. The new motor is also more compact which gives the rider a little more room in the cockpit. The Ride-by-Wire throttle has an easy and precise twist at your wrist and is controlled by the five different riding modes: Dynamic, Rain, Road, Enduro Pro or Enduro. Each mode reacts as you would expect and affects the ABS, ASC (traction control) and Dynamic ESA suspension. The ABS and ASC can be easily disabled and the Dynamic ESA has soft, normal or hard settings that can be selected in any riding mode. This makes the new GS very tunable so you can easily adjust the bike to fit your riding style or riding conditions. I spent most of my time riding in the Dynamic Power Mode; it gave the bike a fun sporty feel and was quick to put a smile on my face.

The new chassis and Dynamic ESA suspension really compliment the new motor. The bike has a great feel for the road and is a blast to carve through the twisties. The on-the-fly adjustment of the Dynamic ESA gives you instant gratification when going from perfectly smooth pavement to a pothole riddled back road. The fast and smooth power combined with the overall ride and feel of the new R1200GS gives you the confidence to charge through the corners and still open it up in the straights.

The new R1200GS comes with plenty of price/package options starting with a standard package at $16,600 and working up to the premium plus package at $18,870. We were impressed with the all-new BMW and can’t wait to log more hours and throw on some knobbies. Keep an eye out for the full test in the near future.

The notoriously difficult Erzberg Rodeo—capitalized by the brutal Red Bull Hare Scramble, which takes place in an iron mine in Austria—became even tougher this year when wet, cold weather rolled in to the Iron Giant several days before the race. After two days of qualifying up the Iron Road Prologue, the field of 1,500 racers was narrowed down to just 500 souls who would brave the soggy conditions and give the Hare Scramble a go. With a submerged start and several choppy hills at the beginning of the race, the competitors were in for more than they bargained for, as just 14 racers made it to the finish line inside of the four hour cutoff.

In this clip, Dirt Rider Editor Chris Denison shares his experience at Erzberg, from the absolutely hectic start to a mountain swallowing a man to a crazy mechanical issue. Riding a Christini 300 AWD, Denison was able to capture a solid glimpse at the chaotic nature of this historic event. Check out the video here, and be sure to tune in to the October 2013 issue of Dirt Rider magazine for complete coverage from the Iron Giant.

Ryan Villopoto and Marvin Musquin Top High Point MX

Ryan Villopoto has dominated the motocross series so far.

Ryan Dungey (1) is playing the “consistency” game.

Tyla Rattray (left, talking to Villopoto) finally got uncorked and finished on the podium with a 4-4 day.

We’re now four races into the 2013 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross series and it’s clear that this year’s title is Ryan Villopoto’s to lose. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider has been impressive while racking up seven moto wins out of eight tries. In fact, at this point in his career Villopoto may be riding better than he ever has. This past weekend, RV2 was masterful on a muddy/slippery High Point course that caused problems for many. The newly crowned Supercross champ lapped half the field during his amazing first moto run and beat runner-up Ryan Dungey by a whopping 16-second margin.

Dungey, Villopoto’s nearest rival in the title chase, finally got an overall win a week ago at Muddy Creek, but arguably that was with the help of a problematic moto for Villopoto. Once again, Dungey had one of his typical outings at High Point where he posted a consistent 2-2 tally for second overall. The Red Bull KTM rider seems to be stronger in the second motos, and for some reason gets better starts in moto two!

Tyla Rattray had almost been a forgotten man until he showed up unexpectedly on the podium at High Point after going 4-4 for third. The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider from South Africa admitted to feeling more at home with the conditions at Mt. Morris.

James Stewart had more bad luck at High Point. The Yoshimura Suzuki rider led the first several laps of the second moto, however, some unfortunate events forced him to retire early from both races.

In the first moto, Stewart took a rock to the eye after loosing all his tear offs, and was unable to finish the moto.

In the final lap, he came over a jump and discovered his front rotor was broken. He was forced to once again retire from the race.

“In the second moto, I got a pretty good jump and passed a bunch of people,” said Stewart. “I went to the lead but then I came up on the finish line jump, and I don’t know if I clipped something, but I went in the air and my front tire started sticking. I looked down and the rotor was broken. This weekend it’s just been one thing after the other. In the first moto on the last lap, I got hit in the eye with a rock and it knocked me dizzy actually, and I didn’t finish. It was just a bummer. But I’ve got to give it up to the Yoshimura Suzuki team, I feel like this was the first time we actually raced all year. I was able to make my way around those guys, and even though I made a few mistakes, I felt like I had a lot more in me. Now we’ll use some of this momentum and come back strong for Budds Creek.”

The KTM duo of Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin are riding an orange wave of momentum at the moment in the 250 class and they sandwich GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac in the series standings. A couple of years ago, who would have thought a KTM could challenge the likes of Pro Circuit and Factory Connection in this division?

The series takes this weekend off before resuming action at Budds Creek in Maryland on June 22. Stay tuned!

Charlie Mullins Takes Loose Moose Enduro Win!

Charles Mullins claimed his fifth win of the year in Michigan. Photo By Shan Moore

Nick Fahringer matched his best finish of the year with a second. Photo By Shan Moore

Brad Bakken put his 250F Yamaha on the podium with a third. Photo By Shan Moore

Just like in the national motocross series, there’s a patterned developing in the Rekluse AMA National Enduro series, one that sees Charlie Mullins moving to the forefront of that series. After six rounds, Mullins has won five and the FMF/KTM rider’s lone loss came in Texas where he suffered mechanical problems, otherwise, he very well could be undefeated at this point.

At the Loose Moose Enduro, round six of the series in Marquette, Michigan, Mullins won all but one of the six tests and took the win by two minutes over Radiant AirGroup Racing’s Nick Fahringer.

Obermeyer Yamaha/Raines Racing Academy/Offroadviking.com’s Brad Bakken had one of his best riders of the year to claim a solid third.

For sure, the competition has been depleted at this point, with KTM’s Russell Bobbitt and FAR Husqravan’s Andrew DeLong both missing the latest round in Marquette, Michigan, due to injuries. In addition, last year’s series champ, Stu Baylor, has been out for the entire year due to injuries suffered last year.

Bobbitt crashed this past Wednesday while riding at one of his practice tracks across from his dad’s cycle shop near Atlanta. Apparently, the bike bogged and it threw Bobbitt on the ground and then the bike landed on his back, breaking six ribs and collapsing a lung. The latest word is that Russ us doing fine and it will just be a matter of weeks before he returns.

DeLong broke his hand two weeks ago while helping mark trail for a local race. Last week, DeLong got the hand operated on, which involved six screws in his hand and three in one of his knuckles. According to his father, DeLong will try to ride the West Virginia GNCC coming up this weekend.

At this weekend’s Loose Moose Enduro in Marquette, Mike Lafferty showed up on a two-stroke Husaberg, which is what he started the year on. Lafferty rode the two-stroke at opening round before switching to a 350cc four-stroke at the Sand Lapper Enduro, saying he was “looking for more torque”. Now he’s back on the two-stroke. According to “Junior”, this is his last time to switch bikes, at least this month, anyway.

Cody Webb On The Mend

Cody Webb had surgery on Tuesday for his broken foot. Photo By Shan Moore

Endurocross star and former US National Trials Champion Cody Webb broke his foot last Thursday while preparing for this past weekend’s EnduroCross round in Sacramento, California. It was a huge disappointment for the factory Beta rider, who has been moving ever so close to capturing his first-ever EX win.

Webb had surgery yesterday to repair the damage and Dirt Rider spoke to the him this morning to see how things went. Here’s what he had to say:

“I met the doctor on Monday and went into surgery first thing Tuesday morning,” said Webb. “The surgery went well and things came out better than expected. Originally I was told that 10 days after surgery I would to get a hard cast, but now they’re saying I’ll be getting a boot, but will still be on crutches.

“Not sure still on when I’ll be back but it will be late July. I don’t have an exact date yet however, just a rough estimate.

“I’ve been feeling alright. The emotional pain of finding out I was going to miss a few events this year was worse than the actual feeling of getting hurt. I’m just really bummed at the time but things are only getting better from here. I’ve never been hurt or away from riding for more than two weeks ever. So I’m taking this as an unplanned vacation and will be that much more motivated to get back at it.

“I had just a small mistake on my practice track the Thursday before Sacramento Endurocross. I was just going to do a few short motos and went I down awkward off a tricky log double. I landed with my foot out knowing I was out of control and when the bike came down it basically it crushed my toes into the ground. Instantly knew it was bad and had my buddies started my bike for me so I can ride back home and ice it. Apparently it’s the small weird crashes that usually are the ones that take you out.”

You Must Like Our Page!

Be sure to check out the Dirt Rider Facebook page, where we are always posting the latest news and info from the world of off-road. In fact – just a little bit of bragging here – but we were the first to release info on the 2014 models on our Facebook page! While you’re there checking out all the cool stuff, be sure to “Like” Dirt Rider Magazine. too!

Antonio Cairoli And Jeffrey Herlings Best At French MX GP

Antonio Cairoli claimed his 59th career win in France. Photo Courtesy FIM

Jeffrey Herlings went 1-1 to win the MX2 class. Photo Courtesy FIM

Clement DeSalle finished third overall with a 3-2 effort. Photo Courtesy FIM

Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings claimed big victories this weekend at the FIM World MX GP series in Ernée, France.

Cairoli used a 2-1 moto performance in the MX1 class to claim the 59th Grand Prix victory of his career. In the first race the Italian KTM rider grabbed the to start the race, but half way through the race he made a mistake while trying to change his line and Gautier Paulin overtook him. Cairoli tried his best to catch Paulin and repass for the lead, but in the end he had to settle for second behind the Kawasaki rider. In the second race, however, the current red plate holder took another holeshot and this time nothing stopped him from leading every lap of the race.

Second overall went to Paulin, who was very pleased to win the first race in front of his home crowd. In the second race Paulin had a really good start but a crash in the first turn left him down in sixth. Paulin finally crossed the finish line fourth to claim the second step of the podium.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle finished the day in third overall position, despite struggling on Saturday during the qualifying race. The Belgian admitted that they made some small modifications on his bike, which helped him to feel more comfortable during Sunday’s finals.

In the MX2 division, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings woke up with a lot of pain the morning of the race due to the crash he suffered Saturday during the qualifying race. Riding with pain killers to ease the pain, the Dutch rider had two good starts and won both heats, but he admitted that he struggled to find the good lines because every time he had to put the foot on the ground he suffered a lot of pain.

Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Dylan Ferrandis was second overall in his home Grand Prix. In the first race, Ferrandis started third behind Herlings and Butrón, but quickly passed the Spanish rider and he gave his best to follow Herlings. At some point in the race Ferrandis was really close to catching the Dutch rider, but in the end he had to settle for second. In the second race Ferrandis started second behind Nicholls and made the crowd go crazy when he took the lead after four laps. Ferrandis made a mistake, however, and he dropped down to third, but he was able to overtake Nicholls again by the end of the heat and he crossed the finish line second.

Third overall position went to another French rider, Monster Energy Yamaha’s Christophe Charlier. Charlier had a difficult first race after he started down the thirteenth position, but he managed to cross the finish line ninth. In the second race the he had a better start and after a tough exchange with Ferrandis and Tonkov, he was able to move up to third in the last stages of the race. Charlier was very satisfied with his result today, as it is his maiden podium of the season.

MX1 Race 1 top ten: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 39:21.019; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.453; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:23.523; 4. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:43.389; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:49.635; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Honda), +0:50.808; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:53.198; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:55.094; 9. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +1:10.101; 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +1:12.061;

MX1 Race 2 top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 39:28.802; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:10.539; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:11.974; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:21.491; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:26.433; 6. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:32.766; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, KTM), +0:44.837; 8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:53.614; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:03.414; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +1:21.781;

MX1 Overall top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 43 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 42 p.; 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 34 p.; 5. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), 33 p.; 6. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 23 p.; 8. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), 23 p.; 9. Xavier Boog (FRA, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 21 p.;

MX1 Championship top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 377 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 321 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 309 p.; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 277 p.; 5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 243 p.; 6. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 239 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), 190 p.; 8. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), 171 p.; 9. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 168 p.; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, Honda), 145 p.;

MX1 Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 382 points; 2. Kawasaki, 323 p.; 3. Suzuki, 321 p.; 4. Honda, 252 p.; 5. Yamaha, 133 p.; 6. TM, 120 p.;

MX2 Race 1 top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:45.493; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.937; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:07.723; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:15.739; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:22.737; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:26.455; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), +0:38.353; 8. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:43.173; 9. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:48.472; 10. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +0:50.642;

MX2 Race 2 top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:59.717; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:05.696; 3. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:07.504; 4. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:11.672; 5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:17.524; 6. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), +0:20.958; 7. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:21.805; 8. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:31.110; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:35.715; 10. Jason Clermont (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:39.720;

MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 44 p.; 3. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 32 p.; 4. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), 31 p.; 5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 31 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 29 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 23 p.; 9. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), 21 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), 21 p.;

MX2 Championship top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 397 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 287 p.; 3. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 247 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 237 p.; 5. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 230 p.; 6. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), 197 p.; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), 193 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 181 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), 162 p.; 10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 149 p.;

MX2 Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 400 points; 2. Yamaha, 279 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 231 p.; 4. Suzuki, 215 p.; 5. Honda, 163 p.; 6. TM, 37 p.; 7. Husqvarna, 1 p.; –Shan Moore

That’s all for this week, be sure to check in next week for more news from the off-road world.

The new YZ250F looks nearly identical to its bigger brother.

YZ250F: Finally Gets EFI, But No Air

Offering a radically different motorcycle from its previous 250cc models, Yamaha is truly swinging for the fences in 2014 in the 250F class.

No more delaying – EFI is here! Yamaha finally replaces the carb with a fuel injection system that uses a Keihin 44mm throttle body. Another huge change in the motor department is a rearward-inclined cylinder, just like the blue 450. Because of this new orientation, the YZ250F also adopts the bigger bike’s rear-positioned exhaust, forward-facing intake and wraparound header. The four-titanium-valve cylinder is fed fuel by a high-pressure battery-less electric pump for an optimum fuel/air ratio. All of these engine changes were aimed at more power, especially in the mid-to-high rpm range. Also, Yamaha got rid of the external oil tank for the YZ250F’s wet sump lubrication system.

We are thrilled to see that the YZ250F is now—finally—fuel injected!

Though the final suspension specs have not been finalized, neither bike will have an air fork. According to Yamaha, they have been testing them but don’t think they are right for the YZ-Fs just yet. So though the 250F’s suspension isn’t radically different, the chassis is. The 250 gets the same treatment that the 450 received – hidden gas cap, asymmetrical sub-frame, bilateral beam aluminum frame, narrower overall width, and larger, but lower, two-gallon gas tank. The muffler, due to the wraparound header, is closer to the center of gravity and along with the other changes mentioned works toward mass centralization, a major focus for Yamaha’s 2014 MXers. Also, because of the shorter pipe, the sub frame is shorter and lighter, again, tightening up the bikes overall mass distribution.

Also available in white, the YZ250F shares many components with the YZ450F.

The 250F’s fork and rear shock have new spring specs to compliment the all-new frame and the shock’s reservoir went from horizontal to the more-common vertical arrangement. Up front, a larger 22mm front axle with a new top triple clamp increases rigidity while rubber mounted bars keep things from getting too stiff. Last of the major changes, the air filter finds a new home in front of the gas tank just like the 450F’s.

The 250F's four-titanium-valve cylinder is fed fuel by a high-pressure battery-less electric pump.

You've seen this bilateral beam aluminum frame before—Yamaha borrowed the design from the YZ450F.

Look familiar? The YZ250F's wraparound header now looks identical to the new YZ450F exhaust—the very same setup that the JGRMX race squad has been running.

YZ450F Gets New Frame And Shares With YZ250F

A new cylinder head, piston, ignition timing and EFI mapping lead off the list of engine changes to the YZ450F.

Yamaha claims that the new 450F boasts better bottom end and quicker, smoother shifting.

In the engine department, the YZ450F gets a new cylinder head, maintaining the straight port down draft design, new intake and exhaust valves, which are enlarged and the cam profile for the intake has been modified, all contributing to improved combustion, resulting in added power. It also received a new piston, ignition timing and fuel injection mapping. The new ECU boost bottom end power plus delivers a strong feeling of power from 3rd gear up while new gear ratios also lengthen the powerband and heighten the feeling of power in 2nd and 3rd gear. Newly designed transmission and shift mechanisms aim to provide quicker, smoother shifting under power with less effort.

Just like the 250F, the YZ450F now sports a larger diameter 22mm front axle, while a revised clamp is said to aid handling feel.

The white colorway is available for the YZ450F as well. Neither the 250F nor 450F—blue or white—receives an air fork for 2014.

The exhaust pipe layout is all new and now circles the cylinder, giving the exhaust pipe proper length for stronger power. At the same time, the exhaust pipe has three different diameters throughout the exhaust tract. This new layout allows the silencer to be positioned 7.3 inches further forward, tucking behind the side panel closer to the middle of the bike which centralizes the mass for better handling.

The engine’s compact wet sump lubrication system with piston cooler spray jet eliminates the need for an oil tank, reducing engine weight. The water pump employs a plastic resin impeller for further weight reduction. The reduced size of the crankcase made it possible to mount the 450cc engine in the new frame design. That newly designed aluminum bilateral beam frame has dimensions similar to the 2013 YZ250F frame and the head pipe is moved 10mm closer to the rider than last years YZ450F frame. This gives the 450 a compact chassis.

A new layout for the fuel tank (now 2 gallons instead of 1.5 gallons) and air cleaner box gives the bike a slimmer feeling between the legs as well as positions fuel tank mass closer to the center of the bike. A new increased volume airbox allows the bike to be narrower at the radiators by 14mm overall (7mm per side) and uses a more traditional airfilter than before. Access is much easier, using only three bolts.

The now-larger-volume air box on the YZ450F sits just north of the gas cap, which is hidden behind that small, clamp-in cover.

The proven KYB air-oil separated forks are still there with a new spec inner and outer tube, coupled with new suspension settings. The rear shock has a new reservoir location to accommodate the new gas tank while the spring spec and settings were changed to match the new chassis.

Just like the 250, the front wheel now uses a larger diameter 22mm front axle. A new top triple clamp works to increases rigidity for improved handling and front end feel. The handlebar mounts are now rubber mounted to improve comfort and reduce handlebar vibration.

Surprisingly, the YZ250F and YZ450F share the same main frame!

If the 2014 YZ250F and 2014 YZ450F look a lot alike it is because they are. Much like other manufactures, Yamaha has gone the route of the same chassis just with a different engine. The new 2014 YZ250F and 2014 YZ450F share the exact same frame, swingarm and subframe, even the same suspension with different settings. The brakes are the same, the bodywork is the same, the triple clamps the same, you name it. Even the motor mounts are the same. Properly executed it is a great plan for everyone invovlved. It cuts manufacturing costs and makes acquiring parts that much easier. We can’t wait to start testing both of these machines!