Vital Buzz

Weekly Flashback: Do you need to catch up on some of the recent items on Vital MX? Check out the links below… Are you starting to get an itch for the outdoor season like we are? Want to see Mike Alessi on a 450, and Ryan Villopoto on his 250F at Glen Helen? How about Grant Langston getting ready for the outdoors? Click the following link for: Vml0YWwtVmlkZW8sMTI4Ng== ">Training Day: Vital MX Video. We stopped by Pro Taper last week to get the low-down on their new sprockets, plus a surprise goodie, their all-new triple clamps. Click the following link for ZGVyLVByby1UYXBlciwxMjg0 ">Vital MX Insider: Pro Taper.

Like we briefly mentioned above, visiting Glen Helen during this time of year is pretty interesting, since lots of riders are using the Spring Break from Supercross rounds to work on their outdoor setups. That also included some guys we haven’t seen on the track lately due to injuries, like Andrew McFarlane and Steve Boniface, and it was good to see them back on their bikes.

Tyler Bowers, and his dad, Tim. (Click any photo in the article for a large version.)

One guy we hadn’t seen on an outdoor track recently was the U.S. Open of Arenacross winner, Tyler Bowers, who’s counting down days he can start racing in the outdoor season, where he’ll be lining up for his first Nationals. It also sounds like he’s got some decision-making to do for bike brands. Oh, and his dad, Tim (behind Tyler) wanted to mention that he never threw a tuff-block onto the track at the Toyota Arenacross Finals.

Daniel Sani, getting used to his new Star Racing Lucas Oil Yamahas.

Daniel Sani was out testing with the Star Racing Lucas Oil Yamaha squad, getting familiar with his new ride for the summer season. Daniel had been aboard an MB1 Honda for the Supercross season, but will help the team fill in while Sean Collier’s rehabbing. Daniel has been wearing Fox gear forever (as he was on Thursday’s practice), but will be switching to the Star/Lucas Oil Fly Racing team gear for the Nationals.

Antonio Balbi Jr.

There was no shortage of other privateers there, like Antonio Balbi Jr., or Adam Chatfield. In-between bashing his left knuckles and shoulder on trackside posts, Tyler Keefe was putting in laps on his KX450F, and wondering what he’ll be doing this summer. While his dad Bill tends to the team manager duties for the Motosport.com/MSR/Kawasaki squad, Tyler’s hoping to be racing the Canadian Nationals…or an Australian series…or just about anywhere.

Actually, the race-a-250F but practice-on-a-450F seemed to be a common theme, with most guys saying that they do it because the 450s don’t need to be rebuilt as often as the higher-strung 250cc four-strokes.

Hoodie (AKA Jonathan Lower) working on the quick-fill setup on Ryan Hughes' Suzuki.

Ryan Hughes and his mechanic, Hoodie were putting the finishing touches on his preparations for the Honey Lake WORCS series race on Thursday. After spending part of last season mending from a broken arm, he now looks as fast as ever on the track. He also mentioned that he doing a national or two (like Unadilla and Thunder Valley) isn’t out of the question for this summer.

Ryno went into the weekend at Honey Lake as the WORCS series point leader, but it sounds like he wasn’t too fond of the track, and finished outside of the top five. Nathan Woods took the win in the Pro 1 class, while Josh Morros topped the podium for Pro 2.

Maybe the oddest part of the day (besides having one very dark cloud hovering over the track trying to spit out rain) was watching Mike Alessi frequently leading (or shadowing) Ryan Villopoto. Sure, Ryan was probably among the fastest guys to ride with, but when we gave Randy Lawrence a quizzical look and asked him what was up, he just shrugged and said, “Ryan asked me, ‘What do I do?’ I just told him to ride his motos.” They were definitely two different guys with two different agendas.

Yep, we made it through Friday the 13th unscathed. The funny part is, in a random poll around the office, no one here really worries too much about the bad luck superstitions (broken mirrors, black cats, walking under ladders), but they can’t pass up the good luck ones (like picking up pennies).

Out in Stateline, Nevada, we hear that Mark Burkhart, Troy Herfoss and Steve Drew topped Sunday’s pro action at the Stateline Supermoto Challenge. Last year’s AMA Pro Series Champ, Jeff Ward was also there for Friday and Saturday, but was bouncing back and forth between Stateline and Las Vegas, where his son, Branden, was racing at the whirl’d…er, World Mini Grand Prix. Apparently the wind out there made the Canard/Stroupe/Wharton and company show pretty wild.

Last week we sent out a link to a survey to a group of Vital MX members asking for feedback on the site. If you’re a member and already replied, thanks, we got some excellent response. If you’re not a site member, why not? It’s fast and free to sign up.

If you want to note an address change in your Moto-Rolodex, CycleLogic Products, Inc., the manufacturers of Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant and ProClean1000 Products has relocated their corporate offices from Boynton Beach, Florida to Merritt Island, Florida.

Their new mailing address is:
CycleLogic Products, Inc.
125 E Merritt Island Causeway, #401
Merritt Island, FL 32952

There will be NO changes to their toll-free phone number or fax number.

Over on the Circuit de Motocròs de Catalunya in Bellpuig, Saturday’s practice was washed out by torrential rains, but they raced a full schedule on Sunday for the second GP of the season, the Grand Prix of Spain. Conditions started rather sloppy for the GP competitors, but grew better throughout the day.

Mike Brown scored the holeshot in the first MX1 moto and led three laps before being swallowed up by the pack. Josh Coppins took over the lead en route to the moto win, while behind him, the Corona Suzuki duo of Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon battled for the second and third spots. Coppins took the win, followed by Strijbos and Ramon.

MX1 Moto 1 

1. Josh Coppins (NZL) Yamaha
2. Kevin Strijbos (BEL) Suzuki
3. Steve Ramon (BEL) Suzuki
4. Jonathan Barragan (ESP) KTM
5. Max Nagl (GER) KTM
6. Ken De Dycker (BEL) Honda
7. Kornel Nemeth (HUN) Suzuki
8. David Phillippaerts (ITA) KTM
9. Tanel Leok (EST) Kawasaki
10. James Noble (GBR) Honda
11. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA) Kawasaki
12. Mike Brown (USA) Honda
13. Cyrille Coulon (FRA) Honda
14. Marc De Reuver (NED) Yamaha
15. Thomas Allier (FRA) Kawasaki
16. Aigar Leok (EST) Yamaha
17. Alex Salvini (ITA) Yamaha
18. Marvin Van Daele (BEL) Honda
19. Alessio Chiodi (ITA) Aprilia
20. Billy Mackenzie (GBR) Kawasaki

Nicolas Aubin was first round turn one in the second moto, but was passed a few turns later by defending MX2 World Champ, Christophe Pourcel took over the lead. The Kawasaki-mounted Frenchman was being reeled in by Antonio Cairoli, who was on a mission, climbing up from a fifth-place start aboard his Yamaha. With only a few laps remaining, the two traded the lead back and forth, before Pourcel took command and grabbed the win. Dutchman Erik Eggens was third.

MX2 Moto 1 

1. Christophe Pourcel (FRA) Kawasaki
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA) Yamaha
3. Erik Eggens (NED) Suzuki
4. Tyla Rattray (RSA) KTM
5. Pascal Leuret (FRA) Honda
6. Tommy Searle (GBR) KTM
7. Manuel Monni (ITA) Yamaha
8. Marcus Schiffer (GER) KTM
9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL) KTM
10. Matti Seistola (FIN) Honda
11. Tom Church (GBR) Kawasaki
12. Kenneth Gundersen (NOR) Yamaha
13. Steven Frossard (FRA) Kawasaki
14. Carl Nunn (GBR) Yamaha
15. Jason Dougan (GBR) Suzuki
16. Xavier Boog (FRA) Yamaha
17. Dennis Verbruggen (BEL) Yamaha
18. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA) Kawasaki
19. Rui Concalves (POR) KTM
20. Gert Krestinov (EST) KTM

Josh Coppins went wire-to-wire in the second moto for the MX1 crew, sweeping both motos. Sebastien Pourcel and Billy Mackenzie were dueling for second, while Kevin Strijbos was mired in mid-pack after a bad start. Max Nagl had worked his way past Pourcel and Mackenzie and into second spot, while Strijbos was charging up through the pack to finish third.

MX1 Moto 2 

1. Josh Coppins (NZL) Yamaha
2. Max Nagl (GER) KTM
3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL) Suzuki
4. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA) Kawasaki
5. Billy Mackenzie (GBR) Kawasaki
6. Jonathan Barragan (ESP) KTM
7. Tanel Leok (EST) Kawasaki
8. David Phillippaerts (ITA) KTM
9. Ken De Dycker (BEL) Honda
10. Marc De Reuver (NED) Yamaha
11. Thomas Allier (FRA) Kawasaki
12. Manuel Priem (BEL) TM
13. Mike Brown (USA) Honda
14. Aigar Leok (EST) Yamaha
15. Steve Ramon (BEL) Suzuki
16. James Noble (GBR) Honda
17. Marvin Van Daele (BEL) Honda
18. Julien Bill (SUI) Kawasaki
19. Scott Columb (NZL) Suzuki
20. Cristian Beggi (ITA) WRM

Christophe Pourcel played the rabbit at the start of moto two, while Antonio Cairoli started back in seventh. On the final circuit, Cairoli got by Pourcel to take the overall. If these two keep trading wins throughout the season, it’s going to be a very interesting championship chase.

MX2 Moto 2 

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA) Yamaha
2. Christophe Pourcel (FRA) Kawasaki
3. Tyla Rattray (RSA) KTM
4. Tommy Searle (GBR) KTM
5. Nickolas Aubin (FRA) Yamaha
6. Pascal Leuret (FRA) Honda
7. Matteo Bonini (ITA) Yamaha
8. Manuel Monni (ITA) Yamaha
9. Xavier Boog (FRA) Yamaha
10. Matti Seistola (FIN) Honda
11. Steven Frossard (FRA) Kawasaki
12. Shaun Simpson (GBR) Kawasaki
13. Marcus Schiffer (GER) KTM
14. Kenneth Gundersen (NOR) Yamaha
15. Tom Church (GBR) Kawasaki
16. Carl Nunn (GBR) Yamaha
17. Anthony Boissiere (FRA) Kawasaki
18. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA) Kawasaki
19. Jason Dougans (GBR) Suzuki
20. Rui Goncalves (POR) KTM

 MX1 GP Classification 

1. Josh Coppins (NZL) Yamaha
2. Kevin Strijbos (BEL) Suzuki
3. Max Nagl (GER) KTM
4. Jonathan Barragan (ESP) KTM
5. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA) Kawasaki
6. Ken De Dycker (BEL) Honda
7. Tanel Leok (EST) Kawasaki
8. David Phillipaerts (ITA) KTM
9. Steve Ramon (BEL) Suzuki
10. Marc De Reuver (NED) Yamaha
11. Billy Mackenzie (GBR) Kawasaki
12. Mike Brown (USA) Honda
13. Thomas Allier (FRA) Kawasaki
14. James Noble (GBR) Honda
15. Kornel Nemeth (HUN) Suzuki
16. Aigar Leok (EST) Yamaha
17. Manuel Priem (BEL) TM
18. Cyrille Coulon (FRA) Honda
19. Marvin Van Daele (BEL) Honda
20. Alex Saivini (ITA) Yamaha

 MX2 GP Classification 

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA) Yamaha
2. Christophe Pourcel (FRA) Kawasaki
3. Tyla Rattray (RSA) KTM
4. Tommy Searle (GBR) KTM
5. Pascal Leuret (FRA) Honda
6. Manuel Monni (ITA) Yamaha
7. Matti Seistola (FIN) Honda
8. Marcus Schiffer (GER) KTM
9. Erik Eggens (NED) Suzuki
10. Steven Frossard (FRA) Kawasaki
11. Xavier Boog (FRA) Yamaha
12. Nicolas Aubin (FRA) Yamaha
13. Kenneth Gundersen (NOR) Yamaha
14. Tom Church (GBR) Kawasaki
15. Matteo Bonini (ITA) Yamaha
16. Carl Nunn (GBR) Yamaha
17. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL) KTM
18. Shaun Simpson (GBR) Kawasaki
19. Jason Dougan (GBR) Suzuki
20. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA) Kawasaki

 MX 1 Point Standings 

1. Josh Coppins 97
2. Kevin Strijbos 78
3. Jonathan Barragan 74
4. Max Nagl 63
5. Steve Ramon 63
6. Ken De Dycker 61
7. Marc De Reuver 53
8. Tanel Leok 43
9. James Noble 40
10. Mike Brown 36
11. Sebastien Pourcel 36
12. Billy Mackenzie 29
13. Manuel Priem 28
14. Kornel Nemeth 27
15. David Phillippaerts 26
16. Aigar Leok 21
17. Thomas Allier 16
18. Marvin Van Daele 16
19. Pierre Renet 13
20. Gordon Crockard 10

 MX 2 Point Standings 

1. Antonio Cairoli 97
2. Tyla Rattray 82
3. Christophe Pourcel 81
4. Erik Eggens 54
5. Pascal Leuret 53
6. Kenneth Gundersen 50
7. Marcus Schiffer 48
8. Tommy Searle 44
9. Nicolas Aubin 44
10. Gareth Swanepoel 41
11. Matti Seistola 39
12. Manuel Monni 34
13. Anthony Boissiere 26
14. Steven Frossard 25
15. Xavier Boog 25
16. Dennis Verbruggen 22
17. Jeremy Van Horebeek 21
18. Tom Church 19
19. Matteo Bonini 14
20. Carl Nunn 12

One of the more interestng tidbits of news from the weekend was that the AMA, FIM and Youthstream are working together on a series of proposals to try and help keep the two-strokes alive, reduce the size of the displacement between classes (via smaller engines on the upper end of the scale…probably 350cc). This is something that Giuseppe Luongo had hinted at during a meeting with the press at last year’s Motocross of Nations in England, and that Steve Whitelock has also aluded to in the past. Now we’ll have to see what kind of reaction it gets from the manufacturers, who seem to have pretty well given up on two-strokes.

There's already a pretty good 350cc vs. 450cc thread going on in the Vital MX Forums.

We have to send quick get-well wishes to Shasta Johnson from Girlyz, who’s recovering from recent surgery. We’re looking forward to seeing you back at the races, Shasta.

Okay, that’s it for this Monday. We’re looking forward to traveling to Detroit at the end of the week (and the conclusion of the Supercross Lites East championship), as well as a few other surprises throughout the week this week. Stay tuned…and tell a friend about Vital MX.