Racing

MX 2016: Fredrik Noren's Day At Unadilla Motocross

Fredrik Noren went 6-6 for 6th overall at Unadilla, check out his race day in photos here.

August 15, 2016

Fredrik Noren had the best results of the year at Unadilla going 6-6 for 6th overall in the 450 class. Last week, freelance Honda test rider and privateer racer got the call from Factory Honda to fill-in for their injured riders for the last three round of the Lucas oil Pro motocross Series. Freddie said that he hasn’t rode the Factory bike since the week before Hangtown, but was able to ride it on Monday and Tuesday and again at the Unadilla press day. Here’s a look at Freddie’s day at Unadilla:

Freddie and his wife Amy were all smiles at the riders meeting at Unadilla. Freddie got the call last week from Factory Honda to ride the Factory bike at the last three rounds of the series. Freddie has filled in for the Honda team a few times over the last three years.Photo by Rob Koy

Freddie was the only rider under the Honda tent this week at Unadilla. The Honda Factory team allowed him to run his Rocky Mountain ATV/MC graphics on the factory bike. Here, the Showa suspension tech makes a last minute change before the first practice.Photo by Rob Koy

In the first timed practice, Freddie turned his quickest lap of 2:28.069 on lap two for the 5th fastest lap in the session. In between his timed laps, Freddie threw some whips over the famous Sky Shot jump.Photo by Rob Koy

The Unadilla track got a soaking on Friday and rain was expected again during the race. In the first practice, Freddie said the track was wet and slimy on top with a lot of ruts forming around the whole track, but there was a hard base under it. Freddie said the second practice was much drier than the first and that’s why the times dropped by almost six seconds. Freddie turned a 2:22.136 on for the 6th gate pick going into moto one. Here Freddie takes the inside line on the turn after Gravity Cavity.Photo by Rob Koy

In Moto 1, Freddie said he got out of the gate well but messed up about 5-feet out, had to shift early and the Factory Honda CRF450R had the power to get him a top ten start. Freddie was in 8th place after the first lap and was able to run in the 6th position most of the race. Freddie said he was behind Weston Pieck for most of the race and placed 6th for his best finish of the year. Freddie takes the inside line around the tree turn next to Gravity Cavity.Photo by Rob Koy

Freddie jumps down into the Cavity with a sea of fans looking on. He said that the team did make some small changes to the forks and shock to make it softer after the practice sessions, which was better in the motos.Photo by Rob Koy

Freddie keeps it low over the table tops after the famous Screw You which is a downhill and uphill U-turn. Even though Freddie is a privateer Honda rider under the Rocky Mountain tent, he uses the same suspension that is on the Factory Honda bikes.Photo by Rob Koy

In the second moto Freddie said it took him a couple laps to get going and start charging. He got another decent start and was in 8th place after the first lap. By the second lap Freddie was able to move up to 6th place after making a couple of passes, but Freddie fell down the next lap and was back to 10th place. Freddie took the inside line after the mechanics’ tents while some riders were going to the outside of the turn searching for a smoother path as the track got rough and rutted in the 2nd moto.Photo by Rob Koy

Freddie was able to make a couple passes, and got a ‘gift’ from Phil Nicoletti towards the end of the moto when Phil fell over. Freddie got into the 6th position around the 25-minute mark and was able to stay there to the finish. Here Freddie takes the inside line toward the end of the moto before the pedestrian bridge turn as it was not as rutted as the middle and outside ruts.Photo by Rob Koy

Here, Freddie followed Dean closely for half the 2nd moto, but Dean was able to hold him off to the end of the moto. Fredrik Noren went 6-6 for 6th overall on his new ride (for the rest of the season). Freddie is looking forward to next week at Budds Creek and is hoping to be able to improve on this week’s results. Freddie said the Unadilla track had ruts all the way around the track, some of the ruts were intersecting into each other and it was like bumper cars out there in the second moto. Freddie is looking for better conditions next week and wants to be able to show what he can do on a Factory bike.Photo by Rob Koy