2021 Orlando Two Supercross | Kickstart

As we mentioned early this week, Feld Entertainment and Dirt Wurx decided to keep the layouts for rounds seven and eight very similar. With Camping World Stadium being an open-air venue and Florida's sudden stormy weather, the track crew could not go through with the massive overhaul that they had planned.

The general layout was the same, and no lanes were moved, but the entire track was "tuned up," and a few new obstacles were built to change it up from the past week. Elements like the starting gate, triple jump, and finish line remained in place, while rhythm lanes were reconfigured with jumps for a new flow.

The FXR/Chaparral/Honda bikes are stunning. A second-year self-owned operation, the team received a massive increase in support from Honda and will also help with the brand's amateur program in the coming months.

Michael Lindsay, Richard "Pedro" Sterling, and Tony Archer managed to trim away 0.42 pounds from their bikes in one area: graphics. Instead of massive cover-all sticker sheets on the plastics, Era Moto Co trimmed all of the excess material away from the sponsor logos and set a template for the installation. Seriously, a half-pound just from the vinyl.

Good to the last drop. ETS is the fuel brand of choice for the KTM-Husqvarna-GASGAS factory teams worldwide, and the race blend is available for purchase through distributors. A 14-gallon drum runs $504, which breaks down to $36 a gallon.

Lefty loosey, righty tighty.

We talked with Team Honda HRC a few times in passing while in Orlando and they told us part of the week was spent breaking in Hunter Lawrence's race bike, as the brand-new ride had zero hours on and needed to get shaken down by the sophomore SX rider. Word is that brother Jett manages to hit the whoops in fourth and fifth gear on his CRF250R, and that Hunter also noticed the improvements between the GEICO Honda and Team Honda HRC motorcycles.

Trolls Everywhere

Wheels, pipes, and tools. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing cart looks like a handful to wheel through the pits, both in terms of weight and size, and we respect the finger-on-the-clutch technique.

A simple message for Kevin Moranz. After seeing the whoops last weekend, which were pretty much untouched from the past race, this might not have been the most straightforward advice to follow.

Warmup lap in the pits on the championship-leading factory bike. Where else can the mechanic take the machine for a spin before the race begins? It sure doesn't happen in NASCAR, F1, or MotoGP.

Nasty Nate and the 450. When a midweek practice crash sidelined Justin Brayton, the Muc-Off Honda team decided to put Mitchell Oldenburg on the big bike for the weekend, put Freckle's set up on the CRF450R, and snuck in a short practice session at a local track.

Freshman Class of 2021 featuring Seth Hammaker (150 on Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki)...

Stilez Robertson (67 on Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)...

Ty Masterpool (75 on AEO Powersports GASGAS bike), Jake Masterpool (53 on Invictus Crew KTM), Jarrett Frye (59 on Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha), and Nate Thrasher (91 on Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha).

When restrictions prevented Aaron Tanti from coming from Australia to the US as planned, the Nuclear Blast/Rockwell Racing/Team Solitare/Yamaha crew drafted Hardy Munoz for the 250 West Coast region. The Chilean has limited SX experience (he lined up for a few races last year) but is getting better and ended the night with a 10th place finish in the LCQ.

Dilan Schwartz had a solid SX debut. The BARX/Chaparral/ECSTAR/Suzuki rider was 16th overall in Timed Qualifying, the fourth-fastest rookie in the field, finished in the top-nine of his Heat Race and was 17th in the Main Event. Pay attention to Schwartz as the season continues, especially as the Daytona and Atlanta rounds.

Robbie Wageman is back for a second year with Nuclear Blast/Rockwell Racing/Team Solitare/Yamaha. The Southern California rider has made steady progress in Supercross over the last few seasons and scored a career-best ninth-place finish at Orlando Two.

Cheyenne Harmon's setup for Orlando Two was clean. The Texas racer put together a privateer program with some sponsors, including country singer Parker McCollum. Harmon had a tough day at the track as his engine locked up during practice (AJE Motorsports loaned him an engine for the night show), and a hard spill in his Heat Race sent him head-first into the dirt, but he aims to be back for the Arlington round.

Staging area style check with Ken Roczen...

Joey Savatgy...

Dean Wilson...

Aaron Plessinger and Martin Davalos.

On Saturday night, Vince Friese lined up for the 100th Main Event of his career and put in a solid race to finish in 15th place. The SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts/Honda rider needs this break in action more than anyone, as he took his share of slams through the first part of the season and had limited time to heal up between Houston-Indianapolis-Orlando.

Justin Bogle is making big changes. The Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/WPS/KTM rider recently moved from Reynard's place in Oklahoma to Florida, a change of pace that will help Team Manager Michael Byrne advise his program and bike setup. Bogle will ride with the Lawrence brothers, Jason Anderson and Joey Savatgy at the Chad Reed's old property near Dade City for the next few months.

We told you that Jason Anderson would get better. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is back in Florida and settling into a routine at the 83 Compound. Orlando's hard-packed favored Anderson's riding style, and for the first time this season, he clocked the fastest qualifying lap in the 450 Class.

Yep, Hunter Lawrence's Team Honda HRC had a speed sensor on the rear wheel. Here's a look at the setup, which includes a wire to the bike's electronic system and hub addition that the sensor watches. Notice how far back the rear-wheel is in the swingarm.

Did you see last week's Fox Racing Feature? Kenny Day gave us a tour of the mobile warehouse that Mojave Customs built inside a Sprinter, which he will drive from round to round through the rest of the 2021 season. The van has everything one could as for, from stacks of gear to spare helmets to power hookups and wash tools. Give it a watch when you're finished with Kickstart.

Orlando or Lake Elsinore? Mike Muye told us that Feld Entertainment got the clay used at Camping World Stadium from a nearby construction site and that all dirt used by the Monster Energy Supercross Series is local to the areas.

Bar-to-bar-to-bar with Stilez Robertson, Ryan Surratt, and Dilan Schwartz.

Hardpack underneath a thin layer of loose dirt. This was a tricky section of the track; riders wanted to get a solid drive out of the corner and into the whoops but didn't want to break the rear-end of the bike loose.

Zach Osborne's up and down results continued with an eighth place in the 450 Main Event at Orlando Two, but the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider moved to seventh overall in the standings. How will the defending National champion do at Daytona and Atlanta?

Of course, Dean Wilson skimmed the whoops. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider is still on the comeback after a practice crash that resulted in a few leg injuries but has put in a pair of 12th place finishes since his return to action last week.

Don't expect Oldenburg to line up on the 450 again soon. The Muc-Off Honda rider thought about stepping up to the big bike earlier this year, but after an eventful start to the season, he decided that it would be a better idea to regroup during the East Coast region's downtime. Oldenburg ended the night with a seventh-place finish in the LCQ.

Welcome back, Max Anstie. The Twisted Tea/HEP Motorsports/Suzuki rider missed the first part of the season with a back injury (he crashed during what was supposed to be his last practice day before Houston) and spent the last few weeks getting up to speed on the SX tracks in California. Anstie held his own at Orlando Two as he transferred directly out of his Heat Race and posted an 18th place result in the Main Event.

A handful of 250 East Coast region riders stuck around for Orlando Two and signed up for the 450 Class, including Jonah Geistler on his Rides Unlimited KTM 250 SX-F.

And Kevin Moranz on his Team TPJ/FLY Racing/Monarch Heavy Haul KTM 250 SX-F. Moranz plans to run in the premier class through the next few rounds but will be aboard a 450 starting at Daytona.

During a break in the action on Saturday, Justin Bogle told us to cruise by his pit area and see the custom shoes that Cobblers West made for him with a pair of Nikes and Dior fabric. We've slipped in references to Nelly's "Air Force Ones" dozens of times over the years, so this is a fitting photo.

Next stop, Daytona.

The start of 250 Heat Race One was a highlight for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team, as Seth Hammaker, Cameron McAdoo, and Jordon Smith were at the front of the pack when they rounded the first turn. This is the first time PC has fielded three riders on a single coast in years and practically guarantees there will be green bikes on the track at every race.

It takes a particular sort of person to think going full-speed, inches away from other riders, is a suitable career. We're glad these guys decided to do it.

Heal up, Sean Cantrell. The BARX/Chaparral/ECSTAR/Suzuki rider returned to racing after a year away (he got the call to join the team while at college) and spent the preseason prepping for a run on the West Coast. Unfortunately, a crash at the opening round left Cantrell with a broken collarbone and sidelines him for the next few weeks, but he aims to return before the end of the season.

The deep trench was on the outside of a fast turn, and riders had to avoid snagging their bikes or bodies on the edges of the ruts.

Here's a better look at the rut that caught Eli Tomac out in the 450 Main Event.

Martin Castelo has a new sponsor for 2021: Bupi Jewelers, an LA diamond dealer that specializes in chains, bracelets, and watches. The JMC Motorsports Husqvarna rider was sixth in the 250 LCQ.

Justin Starling's participation in the night show was surprising. The privateer had a hard spill during the final Timed Qualifying session and was tended to by medics for what looked to be a leg injury, but because he was in the Fast 40, he lined up for the Heat Race and claimed his share of the purse money by coasting through a few laps. Starling is worried that he suffered a torn MCL in the crash and will figure out the damage this week.

What'd you think of Marvin Musquin and Jason Anderson's battle in 450 Heat Race Two? The two riders broke free of the pack early in the qualifier and diced for the lead around the Orlando track...

Musquin controlled most of the race and was two turns from the finish when Anderson made a cunning, contact-included pass that left the Red Bull KTM rider on the ground and allowed Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider to claim the win.

One of the perks to an open-air stadium.

Yeah, the LCQs are stacked this year. With more riders aiming to return at Daytona and Arlington and determined to score results during the last half of the season, these short races will get even more intense.

Rookies in the 450 Class. Brandon Hartranft and Shane McElrath have both told us that the premier class is tougher than they anticipated and that being further back in the field brings new challenges, like how to get by experienced riders for a position. McElrath made it out of the LCQ with this pass on Hartranft for the fourth and final transfer spot.

Team Manager, Stacyc mini dad, and track worker. Michael Byrne did it all Saturday night.

Taking off the lower side panel piece is a popular preference for pro racers on YZFs. Alex Martin removed the plastic part from his Manluk/Rock River Yamaha/Merge Racing machine, just like we've seen from the factory riders at Star Racing, and his mechanic filled the open threads with a small bolt.

Martin's bike was complete with a carbon fiber airbox cover by Italian fabrication company CRM Compositi. The lid is a little taller than stock and features larger intake holes on the front, which flows more air into the intake, thus, more power.

Start one for the 250 Main Event. It's a shame to see so many title contenders and potential race winners go through significant problems at the first race of the season, especially following the months of preparation.

Bike Week is at Daytona, Stilez. The Supercross rookie was part of the opening lap melee that claimed Jeremy Martin (Robertson committed to jumping a rhythm section that Martin didn't) and his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing was left with a broken and twisted front-end. The red flag delay gave his mechanic time to remove the busted fender, and Robertson lined up for the restart aboard a chopper-style FC 250.

Sweat, dirt, and champagne suds.

Holeshot.

The turn before the finish line was a little technical. Riders that went three-three through the prior rhythm section managed to slow down and dive into a shallow rut carved into the middle of the corner. Bonus points to Barcia for standing on the pegs while making the curve.

Cooper Webb's Red Bull KTM was complete with a standard spring shock, not the radical air-powered unit built by WP. We asked Webb if the change back was to eliminate a variable from his setup during the post-race press conference, something he confirmed and explained was influenced by a delay in parts and lack of testing in the offseason.

2 for 2. Cooper Webb's victory at Orlando Two was the Red Bull KTM rider's second win in as many weeks and his third of the 2021 season. Like we've said in past installments of Kickstart, this is go-time for Webb, and all championship hopes will depend on race wins in the next few rounds. The difference between leader Roczen and Webb is now down to six points as the series heads into the break.

Here's what the whoops looked like after the 450 Main Event. For whatever reason, the track crew avoided rebuilding the whoops entirely on Saturday, and the rollers were untouched from the first practice session to the last race of the night.

We were excited to see the debut of the new Manluk/Rock River Yamaha team in Orlando. The Yamaha YZ250F built for Alex Martin certainly looked the trick, with lots of excellent attention to detail. The team's presence in the pit was great and we couldn't wait to see Troll Trail in action!

How's this for a little custom touch? Look closely and you'll see a Troll sticker on the bottom of the carbon fiber skidplate.

Cerakote on the brake master cylinder looked extra cool. Hmmm...we may need to speak to the guys at Dubya USA.

The Club MX/Jeffrey Homes/FXR/Yamaha team enjoyed a great season opener with Garrett Marchbanks in third. Team owner Brandon Haas reported that all four of the team bikes are identically prepared as far as the powerplants and suspension go. Marchbanks, however, chooses to run a Kayaba PSF1 air fork prepared by enzo racing while the others went the spring route.

We have to admit that we questioned Mitch Payton's decision to draft Seth Hammaker onto the team during the off-season. The few times we saw Hammaker at the test track, the rookie struggled in the whoops and sometimes even skipped them. Hammaker delivered on Saturday night though, proving that the man behind the Pro Circuit empire is a great judge of potential.

Ken Roczen debuted a cool set of custom Fox Racing gear at Orlando that he helped design. Ken says that his inspiration came from Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes F1 team.

Roczen's custom Fox kit included everything; even his goggles! Very cool combo with his new Red Bull paintjob, too.

Fox Racing went conservative with the butt patches this weekend, opting for simple rider initials. After the internet message board fury this week, though, there's sure to be some creative options for our buddy Cameron McAdoo...

The family has got to capture the moment when you roll out for your very first Supercross practice session!

Jordan Troxell is one of the coolest mechanics in the pits. We've enjoyed our friendship with Troxel, dating all the way back to the day when he was a regular on the Skyline MTB trail in Corona.

Words of wisdom for Justin Cooper from team owner Bobby Regan.

Jeremy Martin was certainly in good spirits early in the day. We're still awaiting official word on his shoulder injuries, but we were told that his shoulder was dislocated for an extended period of time following his crash and that's never a good thing.

Broc Tickle warms up before the day's first qualifiers take to the track.

Mitchell Harrison's debut with the Muc-Off Honda team didn't go exactly as planned. Crashes held him to 15th in the main. Expect to see him on. the podium soon.

Check out the hear guard on Vince Friese's Akrapovic 2021 Honda. CRF450R exhaust system. Massive!

With Justin Brayton sitting out Orlando Two with a sore chest from a mid-week crash, East Coast 250 rider Mitchell Oldenburg was drafted up to compete in the premier 450 class.

Oldenburg's mechanic Nathan Alexander told us that the CRF450R was actually Brayton's practice bike. He and Brent Duffe framed the bike in the days prior to the race and the only changes made were a different shock spring, and handlebars.

Dylan Ferrandis' wife Nastasia, is as involved with her husband's program as any riding coach or trainer.

While the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha 250 team is sponsored by Specialized Bicycles, the 450 quad of Dylan Ferrandis, Aaron Plessinger, and Malcolm Stewart is backed by Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles. A pair of the e bikes are set up on trainers for the riders to warm up on. And no, we don't think they were powered on...

Word.

We spotted enzo racing's Yoshi Sako going over some suspension set up with the FXR/Chaparral/Honda crew prior to the race.

Coty Schock won the LCQ and finished 11th in the 250 main; his career-best finish! Here, he saves some energy in the pits.

Adam Entiknap warmed both his body and his brain up before the day's practice sessions. Sadly, the 722 suffered a broken collarbone in Orlando and will be sidelined for six weeks.

Like Roczen, Adam Cianciarulo had a new set of custom riding gear at Orando Two. We're told that a similar set will find its way into production, but that it will feature a camo theme. AC's matching custom helmet paint job was fire!

A closer look at AC's lid.

Dean Wilson and the rest of the O'Neal riders debuted the new 2021 Prodigy line of apparel. Last year, the brand built the most sophisticated set of gear it ever had to commemorate O'Neal's 50th anniversary. It was such a hit that it will remain a limited edition launch every year. This stuff is great - if you are an O'Neal fan you'd better act fast as it is sure to sell out.

Broc Tickle is slowly but surely beginning to look more like himself on the SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/Honda. In Orlando, Tick holeshot his heat race and battled with the lead pack, then finished 13th in the main. We expect Broc to be back inside the top 10 soon.

When 2021 AMA National numbers came out and revealed that Cameron McAdoo earned 31, swap was quick to point out to his buddy that 31 on a Kawasaki was shades of Jimmy White, the legendary three-wheeler racer from the 1980s! You wear it well, Madoo!

Our former TransWorld Motocross intern Jennifer Leads helps run the excellent KTM Jr. Supercross Challenge, which has been converted for 2021 to the silent electric KTM e5 minis.

We caught Alex Ray slippin'.

Aaron Mrozek is a longtime mechanic on the SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/Honda team and this year he is partnered with newcomer Shane McElrath. Check out his breakdown of the number 12 machine in last week's Leatt Science of Thrill Thursday post!

Big James Stewart is one of the most popular non-racers in the pits. In the five minutes we were around him, he was asked for numerous photos and autographs. And for good reason. "What the hat say?!"

Alex Campbell had a panic in the 450 main when he had to bend Dylan Ferrandis' shift lever back into workable condition in seconds. Here he is in a more relaxed moment, earlier in the day. Smile, Peanut!

Ex-roommates.

It was great to see Tevin Tapia in the Orlando pits with his son, Brooks, who obviously takes after dad. Tevin suffered a broken neck last year and has been making great strides in his recovery.

The SGB Racing team keeps a tally of which riders cost the team the most in replacement parts (top), and which riders refer the most SGD merch sales (bottom). Poor Alex Ray leads the charge thanks to the scary Indy crash where he landed on Vince Friese's downed bike and destroyed his frame. You can purchase SGB apparel on ARay's behalf at sgb-racing.com/shop!

It was great to see Alex and Jeremy Martin enter the track together. Not so great to see them both leave the track after one lap of the main...

Phoenix Honda's Kyle Peters has been on a tear in Arenacross, winning every race he's entered. He was excited to get back to the Big Show, though. "It's strange, the track feels so big and wide open!" he joked.

Words of wisdom at a distance. Scot and Aaron Plessinger strategize before racing started.

Mitchell Harrison's mechanic on the Muc-Off Honda team is our longtime friend Scott Youngstrand, who played an important role in KTMs's current success today.

Our neighbor Ryan Surratt made a return to Supercross with the PRMX Kawasaki squad this year after spending a couple of seasons racing off-road. Though Surratt didn't make the main event, we'd expect him to dust the cobwebs off and become a regular main event sight in short order.

I mustache you a question...

We're stoked that the opening ceremony's hot lap is back! Kenny threw a fat one over the finish last Saturday.

The first gate drop of the Western Regional 250 SX Series saw an all-green charge. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Seth Hammaker led teammates Jordon Smith and Cameron McAdoo from the get-go. McAdoo would get past his rookie teammate for the first 250 heat race win of his career.

Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha's Jeremy Martin looked primed and ready to contest for the championship in Orlando. The two-time 250 MX Champion qualified second fastest and won his heat, but a crash at the start of the main saw him leave the track with a dislocated shoulder. As of Monday, Martin was still awaiting MRI results to learn the extent of the damage.

Apparently, the rule requiring easily legible name lettering on. the back of the rider's jersey has been rendered obsolete by transponder scoring? Haha!

Check out these cool aluminum pit boards that the SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/Honda team had made for the team mechanics. The handles also fit perfectly inside the shoulder straps of a backpack, so the board can hang below when it is not in use.

Synchronized hand-warming part one....

...part two.

250 Main start one...

Josh Ellingson celebrates with Justin Cooper.

...start two. Same leader, alternating pursuant.

We were bummed to see the Martin Brothers both exit the stadium with injuries after the first 250 main start was red-flagged. Alex Martin was rendered unconscious, a no-questions-asked reason for the race to be halted. In Martin's Troll Train Vlog, he revealed that he suffered a concussion, but no other injuries. Heal up!

With his teammate Jeremy Martin out of contention with a shoulder injury, who will pose the biggest challenge for Justin Cooper in the rest of the Western Regional 250 Supercross Championship?

Congrats to Cameron McAdoo on his career-best runner-up finish in the Orlando 250 main. McAdoo struggled with a thumb injury in the week preceding the event, but it was obviously not an issue on the track or in winner's circle!

To the victor go the spoils.

Orlando Two was Justin Cooper's second series kickoff win in a row. Save for his poor start and a runner-up finish in his heat race, Cooper's night was nearly perfect as he qualified first, holeshot both main event starts, and led every lap uncontested.

Though braking late and navigating turn one deftly are also important, a holeshot is born only a few feet out of the gate. Justin Barcia led the charge through turn one and down the first rhythm section, but Adam Cianciarulo took control in turn two.

Dylan Ferrandis raced into the mechanics' area only a few laps into the main event to have a bent shift lever straightened out. He rejoined the race on the lead lap but he was so far back in last place that it makes his charge back to 11th even more amazing.

Congratulations to Vince Friese on making his 100th main event. While the SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/Honda rider seems to have a tumultuous relationship with fans, we know Vince as a hard-working nice guy off the track who gives it his all on the track.

Did you know that Zach Osborne's racing superstition is red boots? After racing the first two events of the year in white boots and not feeling it, Zacho ordered new red Gaerne SG-12s and said he'd race in nothing else.

We were excited to see Adam CIanciarulo leading the main event, but there was no denying Cooper Webb, who was hooked up and on a mission. The two made it exciting for the crowd at the battle for the lead lasted through a couple of sections. This was the final pass that saw Cooper take over for good.

Adam Cianciarulo's night came to an end in the Orlando whoops when he went over the bars only a few in. Reports we've heard are that he suffered a broken collarbone, but the agony he was in as he sat on the sidelines led us to fear that the injury was much worse.

Gratuitous Alex Ray shot...with muffler intact, even!

Martin Davalos was another victim of the treacherous whoops in Orlando.

Sad to see the injured AC leaving the track just as teammate Eli Tomac raced past.

Malcolm Stewart told us on Sunday that he had so many close calls in the 450 main, including landing on a Tuff Block and several near-crashes in the whoops. "Oh, we know," we told him...

Knucks.

Justin Cooper holeshot the first start that was red-flagged due to the Alex Martin crash. JCoop kept his cool. lied up. and pulled off his second holeshot of the night. This was impressive when you look back at the miserable start he suffered in his heat race.