2020 Loretta Lynn’s Two Motocross | Kickstart

Eight August days at The Ranch. We never expected to spend three consecutive weekends at the country singer’s property, but it proved to be a safe haven for motocross in a much-needed time. Will we return for another National in the future? Who knows. The initial plan was for it to be a one and done deal, but after seeing some great battles on the small flat track, it could be a great addition to the Pro Motocross calendar in future seasons.

The turnout was much lighter than round one. Everyone expected it, especially since the last-minute decision to return a week later came just as school starts up in that part of the country and people see the last days of summer slip away, but the constant threat of rain didn’t help. With far less people onsite than the 5000 limit, it’s obvious that this race didn’t rack in revenue from ticket sales, something that we’ve explained is crucial to the financial success of an event and goes into things like the purse payout. Tickets are still available for this weekend’s Ironman round, while Spring Creek’s online place of purchase went live on Saturday.

Scoops and arrows. Teams had plenty of mud-sand tires ready and mounted, as the directional paddles and widely spaced tread pushed through the muck with ease.

Surprisingly, there were many riders that opted for their standard intermediate rubber at different points in the day, as the square knobs gave better traction on the icy-slick base that was underneath.

Here’s some good vibes for Hunter Lawrence. The GEICO Honda rider was upbeat as usual before the day’s races and we had a chat about the two different colored boots that he’s been running lately, but things took a turn when he dislocated one of his shoulders in Moto One, apparently without crashing. Lawrence was able to get it back in, but the wise decision was made to sit out Moto Two. We’re waiting for further word from HL and the team about this extent of the injury.

Did you listen to the Kickstart podcast? We were surprised to hear Broc Tickle say that the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing team didn’t swap out their engines between gate drops, especially after the strain of the mud in Moto One, but that it got the usual treatment like a clutch and thorough cleanup. That makes Tickle’s finish in Moto Two and the bike’s reliability even more impressive…

We can see some of the slop prevention setup that Team Honda HRC used on race day, which included a ribbed seat cover, hand guards, mud tires, screens over the radiator louvers, and space-taking foam in the cracks. Maybe we didn’t look hard enough, due in part to being kept at a distance in the pits, but it didn’t seem like many applied the pre-cut foam panels to the undersides of their fenders that we’ve seen in the past.

The JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing teams gets its share of grief online, but really, a lot of the criticism is unwarranted. The issues the North Carolina team has faced this year, including injuries and some financial/future concerns, aren’t uncommon in MX and they continue to push on with a stable of solid riders that can get good results and a staff that knows what to do at the track. We spoke with Team Manager Jeremy Albrecht after the race on Saturday and he told us that the team has made major progress in their efforts to secure a title sponsor (a program tied to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation) and that they are in talks with other companies to join the program. As for Suzuki, we’ve also heard that the company’s new President in American feels it’s important to invest in MX racing and that they intend to stick around. Stay tuned…

While we’re at the JGR rig, let’s take a look at the prep that mechanic Rene Zapata did to Joey Savatgy’s RM-Z450. The strand of duct tape underneath the seat was folded so that it channeled water out and away from the intake, while more tape was put inside the airbox to lessen the chance that it’d splash in and soak the filter.

Foam between the skid plate/brake pedal and frame rails is an industry standard. And we’re never one to turn down the chance to post a shot of a race engine.

Heavy mud means solid brake rotors, which keep wet dirt and sand from grinding down the pads prematurely. Take some time to appreciate the carbon fiber lug covers, coated fork legs, polished caliper…

Jalek Swoll’s Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing FC 250 was parked in the pit area, as the rookie was sidelined from a concussion at round one. Since concussions are a tricky thing to recover from, it’s uncertain how long Swoll could be out. Same can be said for teammate Michael Mosiman, who was absent at LL Two and is slated to miss Ironman as part of a three-race minimum recovery from a recent concussion of his own.

It’s funny how the point leader plates bring out all the red accent parts and details of any race bike.

We looked to see what airbox cover the Star Racing crew went for in the mud, as the massive openings in the front of some lids for the Yamaha could put water into the intake. To no surprise, they went for a solid piece that isn’t any higher than the stock part.

FMF Racing tacked on some extra titanium to the pipe of Blake Baggett’s bike, a last line of protection for the low hanging header against rocks and roost flung by the front tire.

It was a very rough day for the GEICO Honda team. Mechanical troubles for the CRF250Rs and an injury to Hunter Lawrence meant that only two of the riders on their big roster finished in the top-10 overall, thanks to Jeremy Martin’s win and Carson Mumford’s 10th.

How does it feel to ride a factory Honda through the pits, Jordan? Good? Pretty good? Great?

Another Kickstart, another shot of ARay flipping off the camera.

This is some standing water on the start straightaway that some riders were unhappy with. Flying into the first turn with 39 other riders is hairy enough, so we totally understand and agree with the frustration that some shared after they were blinded and soaked by the spray. Pushing off the mud was one option, but going bar-to-bar on the slick and rock-hard base layer might have been equally as dangerous.

We noticed these sticks safety-wired to Jeremy Martin’s grips and asked mechanic Derik Dwyer to explain. The GEICO Honda wrench said that Martin prefers the full-diamond grip that ProTaper makes, but that the lack of a waffle means he has less grip in the mud, especially when the gloves get dirty. The sticks are something that give Martin a little more grip, without being too big of a change from what he’s used to.

We know that goggle guys were stressing on Friday and Saturday. Everyone knew that rain was coming, but when it was going to hit and how hard it would be was anyone's guess. Many riders opted for the standard laminated tearoffs, as its what they are already familiar with, but when things got treacherous, goggles equipped with roll-off canisters came out.

Digital Dash. Cameron McAdoo wrapped the wristwatch portion of his heartrate monitor around the crossbar pad. There’s no shortage of data in motocross nowadays, thanks to the engine and suspension sensors, GPS trackers, personal health tech, and scoring transponders.

The Moose Racing flags and the mud made us feel like we were at a GNCC.

Life on the road. The videos that Mathis Jorgensen and his girlfriend, Stine, film was mentioned in a message board thread the other day so we decided to check it out. Bro. These two are committed to motocross. Originally from Denmark but now based in Florida, the duo follows the circuit so that Jorgensen can race the SX and MX series in the 250 Class. The vlogs are entertaining thanks to their ingenuity, thrifty ways, attempts at American accents, and their upfront opinion on everything. We snapped this shot of them on the line before Timed Qualifying, but a look at the results won’t show Jorgensen’s name. What happened? An engine issue kept the rider from logging a lap and thus out of the race, but considering how costly the day was for many, that might have actually been a hidden blessing.

Lance Kobusch keeps the kicks clean. Props to the Missouri rider for his day at Loretta's, as the KTM-mounted privateer went 16-8 for ninth overall in the 250 Class.

What do janitors and motocross track builders have in common? When messes are made, they throw out the saw dust. There was a pile of shredded wood next to the track, an element that the mixed into the mud to absorb some of the moisture and tack it up.

Two weeks, two good finishes for Mason Gonzales. The Rock River Yamaha rider exited the amateur week with some attention, let his results at the first round of Pro Motocross put him on the industry’s radar, and proved to everyone that he’s for real with a solid showing at round two. Gonzales 12th fastest in qualifying, started both races up front, finished 11th in Moto Two, and ended the day 18th overall. With more results like this, the Florida-Georgia rider could end up making a team manager’s decision on a lineup for 2021 even more difficult.

Did you catch our interview with Mitchell Harrison last Friday? The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki told us that his time in Europe last year helped him learn a lot about how tracks can develop and how to adapt during a race, something that will come in handy on the US circuits. His 6-10 finishes came after his share of tip-overs and issues in the mud and put him seventh overall for the day.

Spotted. Although we can’t get much information from the Bell Helmets guys about their newest lid, we do know that Eli Tomac will wear it all summer. Like the Moto9, Bell has come up with a plastic extension that pops in place over the visor and acts the same as the goggle-lens.

“Who the hell is Justin Rodbell?” We’ve seen a lot of people asking that question since Saturday and as usual, we have an answer for you. A native of the Maryland, Rodbell joined the SGB/Maxxis/Babbitt’s Kawasaki team for midway through 2020, raced a few of the Utah SX rounds in the 250 Class, and will run the full summer schedule on a 450. His qualifying pace was impressive and he beat out a handful of factory-backed riders for the 13th fastest time, then went 12-12 for 10th overall. It’s always cool to see an unknown guy score a big finish in a mud race and Rodbell’s results will be one of the things we look back on years from now.

Stretch it out, Dean. Lots of racers have a pre-ride routine that they go through to loosen up their bodies, as it lessens the chance of strain. Wilson says that yoga has become a big part of his program and has encouraged people to add it to their normal program. If going to a studio isn’t something you want to try just yet, search YouTube for videos by instructors which explain the basics like poses and breathing.

The RM-Z bikes aren’t completely void of electronic accessories; Fredrik Noren’s bike had a cooling fan mounted to the backside of his right radiator to draw the hot air away.

Justin Bogle’s second races went better than the first, both in rounds and motos. The Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/WPS/KTM rider admittedly struggled in Moto One at LL1 and LL2, to the point that he sat out Moto Two at LL1 due to heat-related issues, but he kept at it and scored a 10th place finish in Moto Two at LL2. This was a much-needed boost for Bogle, who said he only had about a month to put in as much prep as possible, that he aims to improve each week, and that he is happy to still be in this position and with a team after a trying year.

Benny Bloss has the speed. A fast lap in on his KT Tape/Truck Center/Donnell’s Husqvarna put the privateer fourth overall in Timed Qualifying and he was expected to back it up with comparable finishes in the Motos, but a pair of bike issues meant he posted double DNFs when it mattered. Expect redemption at Ironman.

Peg drag. As you can see, the track was in very good shape during the lone Timed Qualifying session and we had some small hope that it’d stay that way through the day, but the dark clouds that rolled in right before the races quickly changed things.

Zach Osborne’s practice session mechanical issue was the story of the morning. During our weekly photo safety meeting, series principal Roy Janson explained the amended format and stated that the top-10 riders in points of either class were automatically seeded into the day’s race, but that they had to do at least one full lap around the track. We didn’t think much of it, because how often do riders in the top-10 miss practice? So imagine our surprise when series leader Osborne never rolled onto the track during the A Session and instead saw the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team disassemble bike in the middle of the staging area multiple times. The race officials moved Osborne to the B Group, a decision that caused some teams and fans to gripe about preferential treatment, but we believe that this would have been offered to any other rider in the same situation, whether they were on a factory team or a privateer bike, due to the fact that two-thirds of the usual practice-qualifying sessions were eliminated.

Osborne stayed calm during the trackside repairs, watched the team do the work, talked with his wife Britney, and asked everyone what he could to help the situation. In our HWYW interview, Osborne told us that he went back to the pit area and did some deep breathing exercises to get his mind right for the races. It’s widely known that Osborne is one of the more “mental” riders on the starting line, almost to a fault, and this was likely one of the most stressful moments of his career so far.

Here’s the 250 Moto One start in two frames. As you can see, riders in the lead group had a clear vision and could see what was ahead much better than those just behind them, who already soaked and unable to see through the spray.

Check out the wake created by the front wheels of Lawrence and Harrison’s bike when they hit a pair of puddles.

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM teammates Derek Drake and Brandon Hartranft found each other on the run down the start straightaway and collided while the rest of the pack went through the first turn. Hartranft seemed to get the worst of the incident, as his motorcycle was runover by Drake in the crash and he was the last to remount and rejoin the race. Hartranft put in a hard charge and bullied his way back into the top-10 by Lap Five, only to have the bike give out in the 10 Commandments in the closing minutes of the Moto.

We kept an eye on Dylan Ferrandis throughout 250 Moto One, just to see what the French rider would do in the mud. A rough opening lap pushed him down the running order, but he eventually settled in, passed riders, and reached the front group by the middle of the race. Although he closed in on leader Hampshire in the later laps, he gave up what could have been a chance to battle for the lead and instead made a pit stop for fresh goggles, and finished the race in second place.

MacAttack. Shane McElrath was credited with leading the wild opening lap, but a mistake in the sand section stalled his Star Racing bike and allowed Cameron McAdoo to take over the top spot. Once up front, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider went all-out in an attempt to break away from pack. Nick Wey, McAdoo’s coach, has said that the rider tends to get a little too excited in certain situations and that looked to be the case during his time up front, as he bounced the bike in and out of water-logged ruts and was eventually caught by Hampshire. Remember that these were the first laps that McAdoo has led this year, so now that he knows what to do/not to do in the situation, he could be much better in the next battle.

Splish, splash with Jo Shimoda.

Gared Steinke was in action at round two of Pro Motocross, this time on a WeBig Inc/Motosport of Hillsboro-backed Kawasaki KX250 four-stroke. Does being a free spirit make you a good mud rider? We have to think so, because while others struggled to get around the track and hammered their bikes into the deepest holes, Steinke slithered his way through the slop, kept the bike running, and scored an impressive ninth-place finish in Moto One. His chance at a good overall score was hampered by a blown engine and DNF in Moto Two, but hey, he might have scored enough points for a two-digit number in 2021. Steinke will continue racing the series in the 250 Class for the rest of the summer.

Jett Lawrence had a long walk back to the pits after his bike died in the middle of the track. Although he was dejected, there was no sort of tantrum or freak-out from the teenage racer, and he tossed his goggles to the crowd. Small things like this are why people are becoming big fans of the young Australian.

Moto One was a big, big win for RJ Hampshire. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider’s year went sideways when he aggravated a preseason knee injury, had to go under the knife just as the lockdown in the US started, and skipped the short Supercross restart to fully recover and to make it back for the start of Pro Motocross. Hampshire settled in behind McAdoo during the opening laps, rode rather calmly, and then made his move for the lead while the pair hopped through the infield rhythm section and pulled away.

Hampshire earned his win the hard way. Like many, he ditched his goggles midway through, but bypassed a pit stop for fresh SCOTT specs so that he could maintain his lead over Dylan Ferrandis. This proved to be a smart call, because he stayed just far enough ahead and was rather unchallenged on his way to the checkered flag. How much saline eye wash solution can you buy with a Husky win bonus?

Scene from the starting gate ahead of 450 Moto One. Surprisingly, a few mechanics were able to clear away a lot of the mud from their rider’s spot on the gate and dug down deep enough to some drier dirt.

No, Marvin Musquin didn’t take an air filter from the KTM part cabinet and cut it up for the mud. Twin Air produces and sells a sheet of the foam that can be applied to the top of a rider’s helmet in messy conditions, which is complete with adhesive on the underside and can be cut to fit a variety of visors.

No Daisy Dukes and half-shirts here.

Much has been made about what Anstie/Savatgy/Martin can do for Suzuki this summer, but Fredrik Noren also needs to be hyped a big hope for the yellow bike.

An outdoor specialist, the Swedish rider got an excellent start in Moto One and stayed out of trouble to earn a fourth-place finish. Like many, his bike gave out in Moto Two, so the 4-35 scores put him 11th overall. Keep an eye on him as the series continues.

Justin Barcia told us that he won’t be back with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing in 2021, which was even more of an indication to the fate of the factory operation. But they are clearly still on good terms, as he continues to test and tune the YZ450F to his liking with the team in California.

Saturday’s Moto One win proved that his week one pace was legit, but the bike couldn’t handle a second race in the heavy mud and gave out a few laps in. From what we’ve heard, Barcia should be on a red bike of some sort next year.

Eli Tomac and Christian Craig found each other a lot on Saturday, like this duel for a spot in the for a spot near the front of the pack during Moto One. Not a battle we expected to see, but it was excellent, nonetheless.

Eli Tomac’s mechanical-caused DNFs might be the defining moments to the summer. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider was on the gas during both races, evident in his second-place position during Moto One, but it started to sputter and spit coolant in the back of the track and then let go with a lap to go. Another issue in Moto Two made the day even worse, as he’s now down to 40 points to Zach Osborne after two rounds.

Could he have backed it down a bit and made it to the finish line? Probably, but after years of watching ET, it’s obvious that’s not really on his mind. Some people are already counting him out for a fourth title, which is fair considering the shortened season, but there’s lots of racing left.

Staying loose is a key to speed in the mud. Henry Miller demonstrates.

A sight we saw multiple times during the day.

How much different would the day have been if Alex Martin didn’t tip over in the opening lap of 250 Moto One? The JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing rider was up front early and was on his way to the lead when he smashed the bike into a soft turn, went down, and remounted far back in the field. Moto Two was an excellent showing for Martin, as he got to the front early, stayed out of any mess, and got the win over his little brother. The 7-1 finishes put Martin third overall on the day and he’s now third in the championship standings.

The last time we saw Joey Crown was the Friday before the Atlanta Supercross, when he was part of the ClubMX team in the 250 Class and was sidelined by a concussion. After a long layoff to correctly recover, Crown has joined the Rock River Yamaha squad for the summer and quietly finished 14th in Moto Two.

Wish you were here?

Highs and lows. Hours after winning Moto One, RJ Hampshire was left to walk off the track after his motorcycle got wet and gave out while he ran in seventh place during Moto Two. Though the DNF ends his streak of 3-2-1 results, he was credited with a 18th place result in the Moto and that handful of points will certainly come in handy when the championship comes to a close.

Cooldown zone.

Jeremy Martin was the saving grace to GEICO Honda’s day. Yes, JMart’s bike struggled, smoked, and was down on power in the last half of 250 Moto Two, but he nursed it home to score a second-place finish to older brother Alex. While many struggled to stay on track in both races, Martin went 3-2 and secured the overall, his first since a badly broken back in 2018. With this result, the 250 Class title chase just got even more intense.

It’s safe to say that Star Racing was the top performing team of the day. The Yamaha crew didn’t score any Moto wins, a rarity for them, but they avoided the mechanical catastrophes that others had and saw Dylan Ferrandis, Shane McElrath, and Justin Cooper finish in the top-10 during Moto Two.

How will these two do when the series heads to their home track, Spring Creek, in just a couple of weeks? After some time training with Tomac in Colorado earlier this year, Jeremy has moved back to Minnesota and has ridden the local spots while Alex has stayed on the East Coast with JGRMX in North Carolina and his home in Florida.

There was a little confusion on the podium after the 250 races wrapped up. Most of us figured that Jeremy was the day’s winner, but when it was time to hand out the awards, Dylan Ferrandis was mistakenly given the gold record trophy and took the place in the middle of the podium. Everyone seemed perplexed but snapped off photos, waited for race officials to confirm the overall points, and then reshot the box with guys in their proper places.

Lunatics.

Moto Two was great for Musquin, thanks to a good start that put him in a fight for the lead early and a spirited battle with Osborne-Anstie for a second-place finish, and those 8-2 scores put Musquin third overall for the day. Oh, and for those of you tracking points, Musquin is now second overall in the championship, where he’s been for years. Could this finally be his time to take the title?

Everyone seemed excited for Broc Tickle at The Ranch. The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing rider was his quiet and quick self on the track, stayed out of the messes that others were unable to avoid, held his own against the competition, finished second in Moto One and ninth in Moto Two for fourth place overall. Not a bad finish for a guy’s second National since 2017.

Tickle said he’s unsure what the future will be, especially after the time away and the low number of available ride in 2021, but that he is enjoying his time with the Yamaha team, that he feels he’s still very competitive, and that there is some unfinished business he’d like to handle before calling it a career.

Like many, Chase Sexton had big swings in his scores from one moto to another. The Team Honda HRC rider finished sixth in Moto One, a good showing for the rookie, but had a bike issues in Moto Two, didn’t finish, and was credited with 20th. Those 6-20 results got Sexton 13th overall on the day. Just so you know how difficult the day was, only five riders in the 450 Class finished both motos in the top-10: Osborne, Cianciarulo, Musquin, Tickle, Craig.

Joey Savatgy told us after LL1 that he’d make some changes to his JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing bike and that he was optimistic for upcoming rounds. A seventh-place finish in Moto Two was a good showing, especially because he fought guys like Tomac and Craig for it, and three of his four motos have been in the top-15. Like many, Savatgy is in need of a contract for 2021 and we’ve heard his on the shortlist for a few very good teams, including JGRMX.

Add another piece of hardware to Adam Cianciarulo’s trophy case. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider had a wild opening round a few weeks ago, which included a crash while he led Moto Two, but he returned to the Ranch with a plan to stay out of trouble. It worked, because 3-5 finishes put the 450 Class rookie an impressive second overall in just his second big-bike National.

As important as the results are, one might say that Cianciarulo’s ability to get the bike to the finish line and in the top-five during both Motos might be even more impressive.

It’s good to be back with the fans. We missed you all in Utah.

Did you listen to our Kickstart Podcast? Alex Ray explained his issues in detail, that some parts in the engine got so hot they melted, and hinted that one of the problems he had might have been what struck Tomac’s factory bike. Hmm.

Are you starting to believe in Max Anstie? We were eager to see how the Twisted Tea/HEP Motorsports/Suzuki rider fared in the States, especially because he was one of the few riders to score wins in the MXGP series last year. Our expectations were tapered after his offseason Achille’s injury and lack of prep in his first year with the Suzuki team, something Anstie said would have been much worse had the Nationals not been delayed further.

he laps led in Moto Two were impressive, especially as he came under fire from guys expected to be title contenders, and he held on to finish the race in third place. If not for that bump and run with AC in Moto One, would we have seen Anstie on the overall podium? And yes, Anstie aims to stay in the United States for a few more years.

No!

It was cool to see Osborne and Anstie’s bikes next to each other near the podium. Both riders have spent parts of their lives racing in countries far away from their homes, like Anstie’s extensive amateur and early pro career in the US and Osborne’s move to the UK for the MXGP circuit, and those experiences have made them into well-rounded and worldly characters.

Surprised to see Marvin Musquin on the podium so soon? The Red Bull KTM rider laid low during his recovery from a badly damaged knee and when lockdown happened in the US, but once he was given the all-clear to get back on the bike, he got back to work at the Baker’s Factory and came to round one in very good shape.

Prosecco showers. See you at Ironman.