250AX Class Main Event Results

1. Gavin Faith, Duncombe, Iowa, Kawasaki (2-1)

2. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, North Carolina, Kawasaki (1-4)

3. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Arizona, Honda (3-2)

4. Gared Steinke, Woodland, California, Kawasaki (4-3)

5. Shane Sewell, Westville, Indiana, Kawasaki (6-7)

6. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Michigan, Kawasaki (5-5)

7. Kyle Bitterman, West Pelzer, South Carolina, Kawasaki (7-6)

8. Justin Rodbell, Prince Frederic, Md.,Yamaha (8-DNS)

9. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (9-DNS)

10. Wilson Fleming, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha (12-8)

 

250AX Class Championship Standings

1. Gavin Faith, Duncombe, Iowa, Kawasaki (97/3 wins)

2. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, North Carolina, Kawasaki (93/1 win)

3. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Arizona, Honda (84)

4. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (65)

5. Gared Steinke, Woodland, California, Kawasaki (60)

6. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Michigan, Kawasaki (54)

7. Shane Sewell, Westville, Indiana, Kawasaki (53)

8. Kyle Bitterman, West Pelzer, South Carolina, Kawasaki (49)

9. TJ Albright, Mount Marion, New York, KTM (33)

10. Travis Sewell, Westville, Indiana (31)

 

AX Lites East Class Main Event Results

1. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., Honda
2. Carter Halpain, Lubbock, Texas, Yamaha
3. Tanner Stack, Shawnee, Kan., Yamaha
4.TJ Albright, Mount Marion, N.Y., KTM
5. Hunter Hilton, Youngsvilla, La., Kawasaki
6.Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., Kawasaki
7. Jake McKinney, Hamersville, Ohio, Kawasaki
8.Tanner Ward, Woodstock, Ontario, KTM
9. Mason Kerr, Altoona, Iowa, Kawasaki
10. Jyire Mitchell, Devonshire, Bermuda, Yamaha

AX Lites East Class Championship Standings

1. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Alabama, Honda (55)
2. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, North Carolina, Kawasaki (52)
3. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki (47)
4. Josh Mosiman, Menifee, California, Husqvarna (28)
5. TJ Albright, Mount Marion, New York, KTM (26)
6.Jeremy Hand, Mantua, Ohio, Honda (21)
7.Tanner Ward, Woodstock, Ontario, KTM
8.Carter Halpain, Lubbock, Texas, Yamaha (15)
9.Tanner Stack, Shawnee, Kan., Yamaha (14)
10. Jake McKinney, Hamerville, Ohio, Kawasaki (14)

AMSOIL Arenacross highlights – Photos

 

AMSOIL Arenacross post-race interview with 250AX overall winner – Video

The post 2018 Greensboro Arenacross: Faith Wins Another One appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

]]> https://www.dirtbikes.com/hayes-wins-wilkes-barre-arenacross/ Mon, 22 Jan 2018 20:50:45 +0000 http://www.dirtbikes.com/?p=216377 Jacob Hayes wins round three of the 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross Championship in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvnia; collects first win of 2018.

The post Hayes Wins Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania AMSOIL Arenacross appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

]]> In front of a packed house at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Jacob Hayes took his first victory of the 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross season on January 20.

The first 250AX Main Event saw Chris Blose lead the majority of the race with back-to-back 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross round winner Gavin Faith and Hayes close behind. Toward the end of the race, Faith made the pass to take over the lead and Hayes closely followed. On the last lap, Faith made a mistake in the whoops, allowing Hayes to make the pass and take his first Main Event win of 2018. Faith followed in second and the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Head to Head challenge winner Blose, finished third.

The second 250AX Main Event saw Gared Steinke take the holeshot and quickly lost the lead and ended up pulling out of the race early due to bike malfunctions. Hayes quickly took over the lead with Faith keeping him honest throughout the remaining 15-lap Main Event. Blose had to come from a mid-pack start and fought his way back to a third-place finish.

In the Lites East Class Main Event, Road to Supercross rider Garrett Marchbanks pulled the holeshot and was able to capture the win and take over the East Coast points lead.

The 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross season travels to Greensboro, North Carolina for Round 4 on January 27. 

2018 AMSOIL ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Mohegan Sun Arena
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Results: January 20, 2018 (Round 3 of 12)

250AX Class Main Event
1. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, North Carolina, Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Gavin Faith, Duncombe, Iowa, Kawasaki (2-2)
3. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Arizona, Honda (3-3)
4. Shane Sewell, Westville, Indiana, Kawasaki (4-5)
5. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Michigan, Kawasaki (6-6)
6. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (8-4)
7. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Alabama, Honda (9-7)
8. Mason Kerr, Altoona, Iowa, Kawasaki (7-10)
9. Gared Steinke, Woodland, California, Kawasaki (5-13)
10. TJ Albright, Mount Marion, New York, KTM (11-8)

2018 AMSOIL Arenacross Championship Series Points Standings
1. Gavin Faith, Duncombe, Iowa, Kawasaki (97)
2. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, North Carolina, Kawasaki (93)
3. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Arizona, Honda (84)
4. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (65)
5. Gared Steinke, Woodland, California, Kawasaki (60)
6. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Michigan, Kawasaki (54)
7. Shane Sewell, Westville, Indiana, Kawasaki (53)
8. Kyle Bitterman, West Pelzer, South Carolina, Kawasaki (49)
9. TJ Albright, Mount Marion, New York, KTM (33)
10. Travis Sewell, Westville, Indiana (31)

AX Lites East Class Main Event
1. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki
2. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Georgia, Honda
3. Jeremy Hand, Mantua, Ohio, Honda
4. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, North Carolina, Kawasaki
5. Brock Papi, Groveland, Florida, Honda
6. Carter Gordon, Mattoon, Illinois, KTM
7. Josh Mosiman, Menifee, California, Husqvarna
8. Tanner Ward, Woodstock, Ontario, KTM
9. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Alabama, Honda
10. Tanner Basso, Alpine, California, Yamaha

2018 AMSOIL Arenacross Championship AX Lites East Class Championship Standings
1. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki (47)
2. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, North Carolina, Kawasaki (41)
3. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Alabama, Honda (39)
4. Josh Mosiman, Menifee, California, Husqvarna (28)
5. Jeremy Hand, Mantua, Ohio, Honda (21)
6. Brock Papi, Groveland, Florida, Honda (13)
7. TJ Albright, Mount Marion, New York, KTM (13)
8. Tanner Basso, Alpine, California, Yamaha (9)
9. Jordan Bailey, Orlando, Florida, Husqvarna (11)
10. Luke Neese, Jamestown, North Carolina, Yamaha (11)

AMSOIL Arenacross highlights – Photos

AMSOIL Arenacross post-race interview with 250AX overall winner – Video

 

 

The post Hayes Wins Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania AMSOIL Arenacross appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

]]> https://www.dirtbikes.com/faith-wins-2018-amsoil-arenacross-round-2-massachusetts/ Mon, 15 Jan 2018 16:48:00 +0000 http://www.dirtbikes.com/?p=214946 Gavin Faith wins round 2 of the 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross Championship at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Heath Harrison wins Lites East main.

The post Faith Wins 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross Round 2 in Massachusetts appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

]]> Round 1 winner Gavin Faith claimed his second consecutive 250AX win at Round 2 of the 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross, while Heath Harrison on the Lites East Class main event. The following is from Fed Entertainment:

Worcester, Mass., (January 14, 2018)–In front of a packed house at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, two-time 250SX AMSOIL Arenacross defending champion, Gavin Faith, captured his second-consecutive victory at Round 2 of 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross, the most intense indoor professional motorcycle racing on the planet, on January 13.

Faith dominated the first 250AX Main Event with his teammate Jacob Hayes coming in second. The Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge winner, Chris Blose, rounded out the podium. In the second Main Event, Faith grabbed the holeshot again and the 15-lap race turned out to be a carbon copy of the first with Faith taking a convincing victory again ahead of Hayes and Blose.

In the Lites East Class Main Event, Heath Harrison pulled the holeshot and led wire-to-wire to win his first overall of the 2018 season.

AMSOIL Arenacross 250AX Class Main Event Results:
1. Gavin Faith, Duncombe, Iowa, Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, North Carolina, Kawasaki (2-2)
3. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Arizona, Honda (3-3)
4. Kyle Bitterman, West Pelzer, South Carolina, Kawasaki (4-5)
5. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, California, Husqvarna (5-10)
6. TJ Albright, Mount Marion, New York, KTM (6-11)
7. Gared Steinke, Woodland, California, Kawasaki (8-7)
8. Shane Sewell, Westville, Indiana, Kawasaki (7-8)
9. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (10-4)
10. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Michigan, Kawasaki (9-6)

AMSOIL Arenacross AX Lites East Class Main Event Results:
1. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Alabama, Honda
2. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki
3. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, North Carolina, Kawasaki
4. Dillon Cloyed, Papillion, Nebraska, Yamaha
6. Jordan Bailey, Orlando, Florida, Husqvarna
7. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Georgia, Honda
8. Josh Mosiman, Menifee, California, Husqvarna
9. Luke Neese, Jamestown, North Carolina, Yamaha
10. TJ Albright, Mount Marion, New York, KTM

AMSOIL Arenacross highlights – Photos

 

AMSOIL Arenacross post-race interview with 250AX overall winner – Video

  

The 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross season returns to Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania for Round 3 on January 20. To purchase tickets for AMSOIL Arenacross, visit Arenacross.com. Follow the sport on its social channels: 

The post Faith Wins 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross Round 2 in Massachusetts appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

Dayton, Ohio, (January 7, 2018)–Feld Entertainment announced that Gavin Faith won the opening round of the 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross championship, the most intense indoor professional motorcycle racing on the planet, at the 2018 Dayton Arenacross at Wright State University Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio on January 6.

Faith, two-time defending champion, kicked off his third consecutive season with two Main Event wins in the 250AX Class. In the first Main Event, Arizona’s Chris Blose took the holeshot and early lead, Jace Owen, ahead of Faith in third. Faith made quick work of getting around Owen by the second lap and continued charging toward Blose. The two went toe-to-toe until Faith made the pass over Blose with Jacob Hayes in third.

In the second Main Event, Faith grabbed the holeshot with Blose in second and Travis Sewell in third. Sewell worked around Blose while Hayes charged into third. Faith went on to lead all 15 laps for his second Main Event victory and first overall of the season ahead of Sewell in second and Hayes in third.

In the action-packed AX Lites East Class at the 2018 Dayton Arenacross, Garrett Marchbanks started off his Road to Supercross journey by taking the holeshot in the Main Event ahead of Jerry Robin and Heath Harrison. On the second lap, Marchbanks left the door open and Harrison quickly took the lead with Robin in tow. The battle between Harrison and Robin continued until lap 12 of 15 when Harrison and Robin made contact, which forced a mistake by Robin and allowed Harrison to take over the lead while Marchbanks continued charging ahead. On the last lap, Harrison’s costly mistake handed Marchbanks the win and first Main Event victory ahead of Harrison in second and Isaac Teasdale in third.

AMSOIL Arenacross 250AX Class Main Event Results
1. Gavin Faith, Duncombe, Iowa (1-1)
2. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind. (4-2)
3. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, N.C. (3-3)
4. Jace Owen, Mattoon, Ill. (5-4)
5. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz. (2-9)
6. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif. (6-5)
7. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio (7-6)
8. Cody Van Buskirk, Harvard, Ill. (9-8)
9. Lane Staley, Chillicothe, Ohio (14-7)
10. Kyle Bitterman, West Pelzer, S.C. (8-14)

AMSOIL Arenacross AX Lites East Class Main Event Results
1. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah
2. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala.
3. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C.
4. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga.
5. Kyle Bitterman, West Pelzer, S.C.
6. Richard Jackson, Holdenville, Okla.
7. Jordan Bailey, Orlando, Fla.
8. Josh Mosiman, Menifee, Calif.
9. Dylan Rouse, Florence, Ken.
10. Jeremy Hand, Mantua, Ohio

The 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross season returns to the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts after a 4-year hiatus for Round 2 on January 14. To purchase tickets for AMSOIL Arenacross, visit Arenacross.com. Follow the sport on its social channels:

The post 2018 Dayton Arenacross Results: Faith Remains Strong appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

ALLENTON, FL – January 3, 2018 – AMSOIL Arenacross announced today the factory-supported professional race teams contesting the 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross championship, which opens Saturday, January 6 at the Wright State University Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio.

AMSOIL Arenacross, the most intense indoor professional motorcycle racing on the planet, features the most promising and technically-skilled riders on two wheels competing on man-made dirt battlegrounds inside the country’s most well-known arenas.

Introducing the teams supporting AMSOIL Arenacross in 2018:

Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/Kawasaki
Team Manager: Denny Bartz
Riders: Gavin Faith, Jacob Hayes
Team Babbitt’s is ready to compete for another AMSOIL Arenacross title in 2018 with Iowa’s Gavin Faith leading the charge alongside teammate Jacob Hayes in a talented two-rider lineup. Faith returns to the team for a third season, chasing three consecutive championships, and is sure to face a challenge from North Carolina’s Hayes, who has narrowly missed out on the title and will definitely be a fixture at the front of the field competing for the 250AX Class championship.

Rockford Fosgate/TiLUBE Honda
Team Manager: David Eller
Riders: Jace Owen, Chris Blose, Heath Harrison and Jared Lesher
Jace Owen returns for his third full season of AMSOIL Arenacross more motivated than ever to capture the elusive championship after the Illinois native finished second in 2017. Arizona’s Chris Blose also looks to the 2018 season to build off of last year’s third place finish and become a championship contender. The team is also joined by two promising young talents, Heath Harrison out of Alabama and Jared Lesher out of Georgia, who are coming off of 2017 with a fifth in the AX Lites East Class and a third in the AX Lites West Class, respectively.

Georgia Practice Facility/Babbitt’s Online/MMCR/Monster Energy Kawasaki
Team Manager: Josh Woods
Riders: Isaac Teasdale, Richard Jackson
The two-rider lineup aligned with Team Babbitt’s will consist of North Carolina naive Isaac Teasdale alongside Oklahoma’s Richard Jackson under longtime riding coach and mentor Josh Woods, owner of the Georgia Practice Facility (GPF). Teasdale returns to the AX Lites East Class after a third-place finish in 2017 while Jackson will compete in the AX Lites West Class.

WCMC Woodstock KTM
Team Manager: Kurt Jennison
Riders: Daniel Herrlein, Cody Vanbuskirk, Hunter Sayles
The WCMC Woodstock KTM team returns in 2018 with three of the most promising young talents, Daniel Herrlein, Cody VanBuskirk and Hunter Sayles. Ohio’s Herrlein finished fourth last season in the 250AX Class while Illinois’ VanBuskirk was seventh in the 250AX Class and Wisconsin’s Sayles finished second in the AX Lites West Class.

Sportland 2/TZR Kawasaki
Team Manager: Tom Zont
Riders: Travis Sewell, Shane Sewell, Justin Wolf
Indiana’s Travis Sewell will return in 2018 after earning a fifth in the 250AX Class last year. Travis is joined on the team by his brother Shane Sewell as the only brothers competing in the chase for a 250AX Class title, alongside Wisconsin’s Justin Wolf who will make his full-time AMSOIL Arenacross debut in 2018.

Team DirtBike Mike
Team Manager: Mike Lambert
Rider: Zach Butkiewicz, Justin Hernandez, Douglas Manhire, Kieran Doherty
Team DirtBike Mike will field four riders under the guidance of Mike Lambert, each of whom – New Jersey’s Zach Butkiewicz, Texas’ Justin Hernandez, California’s Douglas Manhire and Canada’s Kieran Doherty – plans to chase an AX Lites Class championship.

Custom Power Sports/Kawasaki/TiLUBE Racing
Team Manager: Randy Bellaw
Riders: Ezra Hastings, Jake McKinney, Lane Staley, Christian Telker
Jake McKinney returns to the Custom Power Sports team, joining Ohio’s Lane Staley and Indiana’s Ezra Hastings who will be making their professional AMSOIL Arenacross debut in 2018. Christian Telker will also join the team and contest the AX Lites East Class championship.

Team Faith/FLY Racing/ Atlas/ Pirelli/ MX Tech KTM
Team Manager: Brian O’Rourke
Riders: Dawson Newby, Dylan Rouse
Colorado’s Dawson Newby returns to contest his sophomore season in the AX Lites West Class for Team Faith along with Kentucky native Dylan Rouse in the AX Lites East Class.

Joplin Racing
Team Manager: Heather Joplin
Riders: Parker Fleming, Hunter Hilton
Parker Fleming returns with Joplin Racing to contest the AX Lites West Class after the Texas rider finished seventh in 2017. Louisiana’s Hunter Hilton joins the team and looks to improve upon last year’s fifth overall in the AX Lites West Class.

Team Carey
Team Manager: Mike Carey
Riders: Tanner Ward, Mason Kerr
Iowa’s Mason Kerr returns to the AX Lites West Class with Team Carey for 2018, alongside Canada’s Tanner Ward who will make his AMSOIL Arenaross debut.

Motosport Hillsboro
Rider: Gared Steinke
Thanks to his fun-loving personality and hard-nosed race ethic, Gared Steinke has become one of AMSOIL Arenacross’ most beloved riders. After finishing sixth overall in the 250AX Class last season, the California native returns to racing with the support of Motosport Hillsboro.

Also in 2018 is a new team of announcers who will be highlighting the action. Jody Donnelly of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Florida resident Andrea Ocampo will be joining AMSOIL Arenacross. Donnelly has traveled the world as a Monster Jam host and is a lifelong BMX enthusiast. Ocampo has worked with several professional sports franchises in hosting and reporting.

For the fifth consecutive year, AMSOIL Arenacross will continue to be broadcast on FS1 beginning January 14 and one week following each live event for 12 rounds of intense bar-to-bar racing action. (check local listings).

2018 FOX AMSOIL Arenacross Television Schedule (all times Eastern and subject to change):

• Jan. 14 – Dayton, Ohio (4:00 PM, FS1)
• Jan. 21 – Worcester, Massachusetts (2:00 PM, FS1)
• Feb. 4 – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (2:30 PM, FS1)
• Feb. 11 – Greensboro, North Carolina (12:30 AM, FS1)
• Feb. 25 – Madison, Wisconsin (9:30 PM, FS1)
• March 4 – Florence, South Carolina (11:30 AM, FS1)
• April 1 – Denver, Colorado (5:00 PM, FS1)
• April 7 – Nampa, Idaho (1:00 PM, FS1)
• April 15 – Wichita, Kansas (1:30 PM, FS1)
• April 29 – Portland, Oregon (2:30 PM, FS1)
• May 12 – Reno, Nevada (2:30 PM, FS1)
• May 19 – Las Vegas, Nevada (11:00 AM, FS1)

To purchase tickets for AMSOIL Arenacross, visit Arenacross.com. Follow the sport on its social channels:

Facebook: facebook.com/AMAarenacross
Twitter: twitter.com/Arenacross
Instagram: instagram.com/Arenacross
YouTube: youtube.com/ArenacrossLive

The post 2018 AMSOIL Arenacross Set to Get Underway appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

PICKERINGTON, OH – December 5, 2017–Amateur racers have their chance to qualify to compete in the 2018 AMA Amateur National Arenacross Championship in Las Vegas on May 4-6, 2018, by competing in any of the 11 AMA amateur Arenacross racing events early in 2018.

The qualifying events will take place across 11 states, where the top finishers at each event earn points toward their chance to compete in the AMA Amateur National Arenacross Championship in Las Vegas. The winner of each class at the final round in Las Vegas is awarded an AMA National No. 1 plate.

“Twenty-nine AMA National Championships will be up for grabs in Las Vegas,” AMA Motocross Manager Ricky Rickords said. “The riders who qualify for the event can consider themselves among the greatest amateur racers in the country. Each year, the bar is raised by the ability and talent of these racers and we are excited to see what they bring to the table in 2018.”

The first round of the 11 qualifying events is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2018 at the Nutter Center in Fairborn, Ohio.

Arenacross racing features some of the most skilled amateur racers competing across the country on man-made tracks inside well-known arenas.

To register for AMA Arenacross events, visit www.axregistration.com.

To learn more about AMA Arenacross racing, visit www.arenacross.com.

2018 AMA Amateur National Arenacross Championship Schedule

Jan 6-7: Fairborn, Ohio: Nutter Center
Jan 13-14: Worcester, Mass.: DCU Center
Jan. 20-21: Wilkes Barre, Pa.: Mohegan Sun Arena
Jan. 27-28: Greensboro, N.C.: Greensboro Coliseum
Feb. 10-11: Madison, Wis.: Alliant Energy Center
Feb. 17-18: Florence, S.C.: Florence Civic Center
March 17-18: Denver, Colo.: Denver Coliseum
March 24-25: Nampa, Idaho: Ford Idaho Center
April 7-8: Wichita, Kan.: Intrust Bank Arena
April 21-22: Portland, Ore.: Veterans Memorial Coliseum
April 28-29: Reno, Nev.: Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center
May 4-6: Las Vegas, Nev: Orleans Arena

The post 2018 AMA Amateur National Arenacross Info: How to Qualify appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

Fear Orientation
What is fear? Many philosophers have asked this question throughout the years, and none have come up with a total answer or definition. However, by giving several examples of fear-inducing situations, perhaps a greater understanding of the phenomenon will be realized.

Situation A: You are going into a corner at the very ragged edge of your ability, and as you deftly tap the rear brake and shift down, you realize that the throttle is stuck in the full open position. A large oak tree is at the apex of the turn and you can see bits of fiberglass and metal stuck into the bark.

Situation B: You hit a jump in fifth gear and soar gracefully into the air. As spectators click their Instamatics in approval of your daring and skill. At the height of your leap, both grips slip off the bars, leaving you perched on the pegs with no visible means of support. Your motorcycle reaches an altitude of seven feet—you reach an altitude of 11½ feet.

Situation C: You are riding through deep woods on your enduro machine, and attempt to ford a shallow looking stream. As the water gurgles Over the cap, you notice a largish snake wiggling through the water in your direction. At this moment, you realize that you forgot to install your filter last night and it is sitting on your workbench nice and dry— unlike yourself.

Situation D: You are howling down a long straight in top gear at 11,000 rpm, leading the race. As you set up for the half-mile-style turn, the engine becomes one piece. The left footpeg (which has been scraping on the track) leaves the track and the right footpeg makes contact with the ground. On a left-hand turn yet. A fraction before your body becomes a permanent part of the track, you look up and see not only your own machine, but the entire pack, about to use you as a berm.

Situation E: You are descending a long, evil looking downhill, whilst trail riding. To prevent the machine from picking up too much speed, you apply the rear brake. A snap much like the sound of a breaking brake rod permeates the air. It is a brake rod, breaking. You squeeze the front brake and the cable end pops off and caroms off your right nostril. You stomp on the gearshift lever and it strips off the splines and points straight down to Mother Earth like a deformed divining rod. Your friend, who is directly in front of you, stops to examine a particularly interesting rock ledge, blocking the only trail—which has a 600-foot drop-off on each side.

These situations, although hypothetical, give an insight to the reac¬tion that will follow. However, not all riders will encounter fear at these levels. So …

Basic Fears
Not everyone experiences fear at the Pucker Power Level. Many of the fears are simpler, more subtle. Examples:

Situation A1: You are riding along, enjoying a pleasant trail ride, on a moderately easy trail. Nice day, birds chirping, the whole bit. All of a sudden, a rappa-tap-tap noise starts issuing from the mysterious confines of your engine. It never gets any louder, or softer, but stays there nonetheless.

Situation B1: Again, you are trail rid¬ing. As you blithely wander through nature’s wonderland, you spot a large rock to the left side of the trail. For some reason, the bike seems to be drawn to this vicious rock. Perhaps subconscious desire, or a death wish? A mechanical malfunction in the bike? Who knows? But you do know that you are going to hit the rock— no two ways about it.

Situation C1: You are still trail rid¬ing. As you progress through the woods, a steady dripping emanates from your gas tank. You are unable to find the source of the leak, but you know that the possibility of fire is great, as the engine normally runs hot and you have a cheap spark plug cap. You do not dare to stop, be¬cause you heard wolves howling and are aware that a blizzard is due to move in from the north in 6 hours.

Situation D1: You smartly pass a rider, flinging a quantity of mud on his sparkling Top Gear Riding Jacket. As you pass, you notice that he has a rifle mounted to the forks and spittle is dribbling out of the left corner of his mouth and his eyes are spinning around like an off-center 78 rpm record.

As you can clearly see, basic fears are nothing more than situations that are dangerous, or potentially dangerous. Most riders can cope with this sort of thing.

Intermediate Fears
Intermediate fears are obtained by being involved in a “must-react” crisis situation. More examples:

Situation A2: Fourteen riders fall directly in front of you just as your bike comes on the pipe in fifth gear. You either enter the pile of bikes, or hit the water truck to the immediate right. The water truck is owned by a very large, ill-tempered individual.

Situation B2: Two trails in the desert merge into one trail. You are on one trail, going as fast as humanly possible. The other trail is occupied by another racer doing the same thing. You are determined not to shut off. So is he. As your handlebars overlap, you realize that something, indeed, must give.

Situation C2″ You purchase a hot dog at a motorcycle race concession and examine it closely. Hunger gnaws at your insides, yet the hot dog is obviously the lowest commercial grade
it is possible to purchase and a hint of off-green is at the edges. Relish stains? Who knows.

Advanced Fears
Situation A3. You are on the starting line at a big-money motocross. All of your friends and 14 relatives are there to watch you do the dirty deed to the pack. It is a rubber band start, and you, fortunately, are right next to the release mechanism. The surgical rubber strand is stretched tight and you are eyeballing the catch. . You see the pin start to lift and wind the engine up to 9,000 rpm and let the clutch out. As your 400 CZ hits second gear, you suddenly realize that the rubber is lying across your throat and getting tighter by the millisecond. Could it be that the mechanism did not… urrrrgh!

Situation B3: You get the best start of your young life at the local motocross track and have a clear 30-foot lead in the first turn. It is at this very moment that your chain decides to part company from the motor¬cycle. The wheel locks up and the bike spins around 180 degrees, leaving you a clear, unobstructed view of 40 crazed 500 Novices—all on 400 Suzukis. Also the lace on your right boot is caught in the kickstarter.

Situation C3: You are slowly riding your motorcycle to the rest room area, heeding nature’s call. You are not pit racing, but are still eager to get to your intended destination. As you pass the Portacan marked “ladies,” the door flips open directly into the path of your machine. A large flash of green indicates that all will shortly not be well.

Situation D3: You are in the afore¬mentioned Portacan, when a loud thump issues forth from the side of the structure and a knobbied wheel pokes its nose through a crack in the wood. The above-ground structure rocks back and forth like a seesaw. It reaches the balance point …

Situation E3: You are out riding in your favorite sand dune area, on your brand-new motorcycle. You and the bike are as one, and great flights and leaps through the air are dazzling, yet delightfully easy. As you crest the tallest dune in the entire area, you cock the front wheel to one side in a demonstration of control that would make Gary Bailey mutter to himself. When the bike starts its downward arc, you look straight ahead only to see several dune buggy riders beneath you with their vehicles. They are having their annual barbecue festival. The charcoal pit is about 8 feet long. Your bike is about 7 feet long.

Fear And Its Many Uses
Now that you have a good work¬ing knowledge of fear, here’s how you can put it to use. Naturally, if you’re a normal rider (slow like me), you’ll already have a healthy respect for fear and ride accordingly (slow like me). But many of these snotty-nosed kids (who pass you and me up) don’t have the advantage of our know-how.

The hot setup, then, is to tell them the previously described situations in such gruesome and gory details that they will instantly fear for their safety and slow down. Then we will pass them up.

No, you are not doing this out of a greedy desire to beat them. Nosiree. You are doing this to protect them from themselves. After all, if they keep going this fast all the time, they’ll end up as slow as us. And we have to keep them from this terrible fate by preventing them from going fast in the first place.(?)

If you really work at it, you can get the go-faster who lapped you in the last race so fear-stricken that he’ll be afraid to unload his racing machine from his truck. Especially if you break a dry stick (discreetly, of course) as his bike is rolling down the 2” x 6” wooden loading ramp.

Imagination is your only limit. Explore the Wonderful World of Fear to your advantage for a change.

The post Rick Sieman Column: DirtBike Fear Analysis appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

In the second Arenacross Class Main Event Faith would yet again exit Turn 1 in second with Sewell in fifth and Steinke in eighth. Faith, knowing that a second place would earn the overall victory, settled into position and began clicking off laps. Sewell settled into fifth place while Steinke immediately made two passes for sixth place on the second lap. When the checkers flew it was Faith in second, earning 1-2 on the night and the overall victory with the help of his Head 2 Head Challenge win. Sewell would remain fifth for the remainder of the main, earning 5-5 for fifth overall while Steinke’s 6-6 earned sixth overall.

The post Gavin Faith Starts Arenacross Countdown With a Win appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

Foothill Ranch, CA (March 6, 2017)–Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi played host to Round 8 of the 2017 AMSOIL Arenacross Championship. Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki Presented by AP Designs rider Gavin Faith took a hard fought overall podium on Night One.

Night One
As the gate fell for the first Main Event, Faith exited Turn 1 in second place, matching the pace of the leader and preparing to fight for the win. As the lead pack neared the end of the race, lappers became a factor and Faith lost touch with the leader, eventually crossing the finish line in second place. his Kawasaki teammate Travis Sewell fought hard throughout the race, consistent and smooth laps allowed him to take the checkered flag in fifth place with teammate Gared Steinke in seventh place.

For Main Event 2, Faith launched out of the gate in fourth with Sewell close behind in fifth place and Steinke seventh place. Early in the race Faith battled for third position but eventually would settle into fourth where he would remain until the checkers, taking 2-4 for third overall. It was déjà vu for Sewell with another consistent race brining the No. 3 KX250F across the line in fifth place in the race and overall in the event (5-5). Steinke battled throughout the opening laps, changing positions multiple times until settling into seventh place on Lap 5, where he remained until crossing the line, going 7-7 for seventh overall.

Night Two
Night Two at the Landers Center saw more non-stop Arenacross action and as the gate fell for the first Main Event, the Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki team of Faith, Steinke and Sewell rounded the first turn in fifth, sixth and eighth respectively. On the second lap Faith made two passes, settling into third place for the remainder of the race. Steinke rode consistent from a sixth place start to a sixth place finish with Sewell making a pass for seventh on Lap 5 where he would remain until the checkers.

For the second Main Event, Steinke completed Lap 1 in third with Sewell in sixth and Faith in 10th. Steinke pushed hard in the early stages of the event but would lose touch with second place, crossing the line in third place for fourth overall (6-3). Sewell battled throughout the first 12 laps, racing as high as fifth position until finally settling into seventh place with three laps to go, earning seventh overall (7-7). Faith made the pass for ninth early in the race and began to settle in. A charge late in the race saw Faith climbing up to eighth but a mistake would relegate the No. 1 KX250F back to ninth place before taking the checkered flag, going 3-9 for sixth overall.

Gavin Faith: “The weekend had a lot of ups and downs,” said Faith. “The first night went well, an overall podium is always good for the championship. The second night started off strong but we had some issues in the second main. We didn’t get the start we needed to be up front and it cost us. Lesson learned and we’ll be back next weekend.”

Gared Steinke: “This event was pretty intense,” said Steinke. “We struggled a bit with setup on the first night but sorted some things out for the second. The second main on Night Two was obviously my strongest race of the double header and I’m happy to be on the podium where I feel I belong. I’m looking forward to the next race.”

Travis Sewell: “Night One was strong,” said Sewell. “A pair of fifths is forward progress and closer to where I want to be. We made a couple changes for the second night and it wasn’t the right direction, and it cost us in the mains. Still, these results are a step in the direction we need to go.”

The post Team Babbitt’s Kawasaki Mississippi Arenacross Debrief appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (January 14, 2017)–The second round of the 2017 AMSOIL Arenacross season took place on Saturday night inside Van Andel Arena. After a dominant opening round one week ago TiLUBE/Jack Link’s/TUF Racing Honda’s Jace Owen was the rider to beat yet again, remaining undefeated in 2017 with his second straight sweep of the 250AX Class Main Events. In the Eastern Regional AX Lites Class, Motosport/Quick Roofing/Super Charged Energy KTM rider and championship leader Heath Harrison raced to his second consecutive win.

Prior to the 250AX Main Events, the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge appeared to serve as a precursor to the action that would unfold in the battle for the win as Owen and Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki, presented by AP Design rider Gavin Faith, the defending AMSOIL Arenacross Champion, squared off for the second consecutive weekend. This time Faith emerged triumphant, earning a pair of championship bonus points.

The first Main Event saw Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki’s Jacob Hayes secure the holeshot over Owen and Rockstar Energy/OTSFF/Yamaha, in association with Cycle Trader and Rock River’s Chris Blose. Faith put himself in the mix as well, but went down in the second turn and dropped outside the top 10. Out front, Hayes pulled out a near four-second advantage over the field but had his hopes of victory erased after a crash off the catapult jump to start Lap 11. That allowed Owen to take over the lead and eventually secure the Main Event win. Blose followed in second, with his teammate Matt Goerke third. Harrison was fourth, with Smartop/MotoConcepts Racing Honda’s Cameron McAdoo in fifth. Faith fought his way back into the top 10 to finish eighth while Hayes recorded a DNF in 15th. Hayes did not line up for the second Main Event.

When the second and deciding Main Event got underway Owen and Faith squared off again. Faith initially got the edge but Owen moved into the lead coming out of the whoops to lead Lap 1, closely followed by Blose in third. The lead duo remained tight through the opening couple laps until Faith crashed after the catapult to start Lap 3. He remounted quickly, but dropped outside the top 10. Blose then moved into second, with Harrison slotting into third. With a clear track ahead of him, Owen gradually pulled away and went on to capture his fourth straight Main Event win over Blose, with Harrison third, Goerke fourth, and McAdoo fifth. Faith ended up 11th.

Owen’s sweep of the Main Events gave his back-to-back overall victories. Blose bounced back from a difficult opening round to finish in the runner-up spot (2-2), while Goerke helped put both OTSFF machines on the box in third (3-4). Harrison finished fourth (4-3), with McAdoo rounding out the top five (5-5).

Owen extended his lead in the championship standings and now holds an 11-point lead over Goerke. Faith, who finished ninth overall (8-11) dropped from second to third, 19 points out of the lead.

When the gate dropped on the Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Main Event it was Team Babbitt’s/GPF/Monster Energy Kawasaki/MMCR’s Jacob Williamson who grabbed the holeshot over Harrison and KTM rider Isaac Teasdale. However, as he looked to establish the top spot Williamson crashed out of the lead while navigating a rhythm section on Lap 2, allowing Harrison to assume the top spot. Yamaha rider Justin Cooper moved into second, with Teasdale settling into third. From that point on Harrison cemented his hold of the lead and took his second checkered flag of the season. Cooper followed in second, with Teasdale third. Williamson recovered from his early crash to finish eighth.

With his back-to-back wins Harrison now holds a four-point lead over Cooper in the Eastern Regional AX Lites Class standings. Williamson dropped from second to third, eight point behind Harrison.

AMSOIL Arenacross will head to Baltimore next weekend for the third round of the championship from Royal Farms Arena. It will signify the first two-night round of 2017, on Friday, January 20, and Saturday, January 21. The action gets underway at 7 p.m. ET each night.

2017 AMSOIL Arenacross Series
Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Results: January 15, 2016 (Round 2)

250AX Class Results – Main Event 1

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda

2. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha

3. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha

4. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM

5. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Honda

6. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM

7. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM

8. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki

9. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki

10. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM

250AX Class Results – Main Event 2

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda

2. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha

3. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM

4. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha

5. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Honda

6. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki

7. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM

8. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM

9. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda

10. Samuel Redman, Clarksville, Tenn., Kawasaki

250AX Class Overall Results (Main Event Results)

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1-1)

2. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (2-2)

3. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha (3-4)

4. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM (4-3)

5. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Honda (5-5)

6. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (9-6)

7. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (7-7)

8. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (6-8)

9. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (8-11)

10. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (11-9)

RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)

1. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (2 points)

2. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (1 point)

3. Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (1 point)

4. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (1 point)

5. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha (1 point)

6. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (1 point)

7. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (1 point)

8. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (1 point)

Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Results

1. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM

2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha

3. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM

4. Samuel Redman, Clarksville, Tenn., Kawasaki

5. Brandon Gourley, Boonville, Ind., KTM

6. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., Kawasaki

7. Carter Gordon, Matoon, Ill., Yamaha

8. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki

9. Cody Williams, Barneveld, Wis., Kawasaki

10. Donny Brown, Hermitage, Tenn., Yamaha

250AX Class Championship Standings

1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda – 67 (4 Main Event Wins)

2. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha – 56

3. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki – 48

4. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki – 44

5. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha – 43

6. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM – 42

7. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM – 41

8. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda – 41

9. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Honda – 39

10. Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki – 29

Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Championship Standings

1. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM – 32 (2 Main Event Wins)

2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 28

3. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki – 24

4. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., Kawasaki – 20

5. Carter Gordon, Matoon, Ill., Yamaha – 18

6. Cody Williams, Barneveld, Wis., Kawasaki – 15

7. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM – 14

8. Kyle Bitterman, West Pelzer, S.C., Kawasaki – 14

9. Samuel Redman, Clarksville, Tenn., Kawasaki – 13

10. Brandon Gourley, Boonville, Ind., KTM – 12

11. Jerry Robin, Corcoran, Minn., Yamaha – 12

The post Owen Four for Four in AMSOIL Arenacross Series appeared first on Dirt Bikes.