If you missed the first part of the Big Fat Motocross Review of the Year then bang on the link below and check it out and when you’re done part two will be waiting for you…
See also: Big Fat Motocross Review of the Year 2014 – part one Jan – June
July
Nathan Watson gets called up by the IceOne Husqvarna team to be a fill in rider for the injured Todd Waters. Obviously its been a few months since Todd got injured but I’m not the team manager… Nathan’s results are fairly consistent across the four rounds that he raced for the team, which no doubt helped him secure his deal with them for 2015.
The ‘Everts and Friends’ race takes place at Genk in Belgium with Ricky Carmichael making the trip over to take part, while hosting his Ricky Carmichael University training schools in Sweden and Belgium in the days before and after. The race itself raised over 60,000 Euros for various charities and takes place on a public holiday.
But you may also remember that it was this event that pretty much denied Jeffrey Herlings taking a third straight MX2 title after breaking his femur while racing an 85 KTM. This may be the most bizarre story of the 2014 season…
See also: Jeffrey Herlings suffers broken femur injury at Everts and Friends Charity Race
August
The season is getting to the business end of the year, with the AMA Nationals wrapping up by the end of the month.
The 450 guys have raced nearly every weekend since the first Saturday in January so they must all be relieved. None more so than Roczen who held a tidy cushion over his team-mate Ryan Dungey mid season, only to have that lead hacked in to from the halfway mark of the series.
Roczen isn’t helped by Eli Tomac and Trey Canard getting between him and Dungey in the motos when Ryan takes some much needed race wins.
At the penultimate round held in Indiana Dungey’s hard work is unwound with 2-9 race results while Roczen takes the overall and with that, a nice points lead in to the final round, where he does enough to take the championship at his first attempt.
At the Indiana round it’s a full on mud race so Trey Canard runs a pair of tear off goggles over the top of some roll off goggles for the ultimate mud race goggle set up (genius!), and takes the second moto win so that wont be the last of this set up being used I don’t think.
Canard also sweeps both motos at the last round to show that he’s back to his 2010 form when he lifted the 250 crown.
Jeremy Martin gets crowned 250 champ, which makes it the first outdoor title in the smaller division for Yamaha since Jeff Emig won it over Mike Larocco back in 1992! Also this month, Shaun Simpson takes the British MX1 title at Cusses Gorse. The forecast the day before put many spectators off attending (me included) however the races were run in fine conditions – if a little on the windy side.
In the Euro scene, Steven Clarke takes the EMX250 Championship in Lommel, tying on points with Brian Bogers but in the race win count back Clarkey gets it with his two race wins to Brians one!
Shaun Simpson also gets himself on the box with a third overall in the MXGP class in Lommel.
September
September sees the Maxxis Brittish Championship reach its conclusion at the legendary Foxhill circuit near Swindon. The strimmer used for cutting the grass on the banks ran out of petrol but at least the track itself is in tip top condition.
With the MX1 title decided its all eyes on the MX2 races where the title is Matiss Karro’s to lose with Mel Pocock 39 points back. With 75 points on the table it’s not impossible but with Mattiss winning the last seven motos coming in, it’s going to be a tall order for Mel to overcome.
With only one option, Mel decides to rub paint with the Latvian as KTM’s still have painted frames, but it’s to no avail, as Karro remounts to take ninth and with that – the championship. Which he’s been gunning for since landing on these shores at the end of 2008.
Meanwhile in MX1, there’s some great racing between EBB and Graeme Irwin who’s racing a 2015 Suzuki RMZ 450. Shaun Simpson is out of the running for the overall on the day after a tyre issue in race two, so it’s cool to see some other guys on the podium after Simpson won five of the six rounds prior to the last round, with Elliott taking the overall over Irwin.
The MXdN is the following weekend and Team France take the victory after all three of their riders post solid results. Not least Gaultier Paulin, who wins every race he enters that weekend. Team GB just miss out on the podium after Shaun Simpson snaps a chain in the last race [Ed: heartbreak in the DBR office].
Team USA benefit from Team GB’s misfortune, taking the third spot on the podium. But there’s always next year in France where the Brits will be more suited to the terrain.
October
The AMCA Championship reaches its climax this month at the fantastic Norley and it’s newcomer Luke Mellows taking the MX1 title, while in MX2 Ben Saunders takes the title at his fourth attempt. He even goes out on his trusty 150 two-stroke KTM and lands on the podium to seal the deal so it just goes to show that it’s not all about how many strokes your bike has…
The inaugural Red Bull Straight Rhythm takes place at the Auto Club Raceway drag-strip in California. There’s a bit of a heat wave going on which cooks the track and spectators.
It’s a mixed bag of competitors with nearly every American based Red Bull sponsored athlete taking part. With the exception of Ryan Dungey and newly Suzuki mounted Ken Roczen.
There’s also two retired racers in the shape of Grant Langston and Ryan Morais while some other top riders that don’t don a silver and blue helmet don’t even get an invite… The event is won by James Stewart who starts as the favourite while fan favourite Travis Pastrana unfortunately gets eliminated in round one of the knockout competition on his RMZilla. A Honda CR500 two-stroke engine wedged in to a Suzuki RMZ450 frame. Plenty of two-stroke action this month across the globe.
That American, the one that wins a lot, Ryan Villopoto confirms that he is indeed set to take on Antonio Cairoli and the rest of the MXGP racers in 2015. This ball started rolling back in January and gained momentum all year.
Trey Canard wins the first two races at the Monster Energy Cup, but washes the front in the last race while chasing down Villopoto’s replacement, Davi Millsaps. Millsaps takes the win and the overall but it’s not the Million as you need to win all three.
November
A couple of days of the International Dirt Bike Show ran in to November, and on the 1st a number of deals were confirmed.
On the Thursday and Friday British Champ Karro strolled around in his Wilvo/Forkrent KTM garb and then on Saturday the first of November he was in his new colours of the MVRD Honda squad.
It was also announced that Tanel Leok would be returning to race in Britain (and a few GPs) for the LPE Kawasaki squad.
The Paris-Bercy Supercross relocates for this year and taking place in Lille, using half of a football pitch at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. Some battles took place behind the dominant Eli Tomac who won every race held that weekend in real style – his wheel-tapping of the dragons-back was faultless and awesome!
See also: Eli Tomac puts first Paris-Lille supercross beyond doubt
The following weekend was the Genoa Supercross in Italy where Tomac again took the win, even landing on Justin Barcia who escaped uninjured from this nasty crash:
Barcia later blamed Christophe Pourcel on Twitter for the incident claiming that the #377 moved over… But Barcia has never done such a thing has he?!
December
Twmx.com posted a photo of Ryan Villopoto with an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth which sends Instagram in to meltdown and results in the funniest comments you’ll read anywhere in the world.
Adam Cianciarulo injures his shoulder again at the Geneva Supercross in Switzerland. A different injury to the one that ruled him out of the AMA Nationals but it’s still on the same shoulder. He should be back for 2015’s Nationals.
What’s weird is that new Pro Circuit Kawasaki signing Arnaud Tonus was meant to be competing in his homeland, however that went quiet and over came Cianciarulo who did himself a mischief.
Josh Hill is the cover star of the DBR Magazine that hit the shops this month, with Dunlop stickers on his fork guards and Goldentyre logos on his rear mudguard. It must be a secret tire combo for use in Supercross I guess.
He’s just picked up a Yamaha for the 450 Supercross season after losing his RCH ride after last season. Probably down to seeking revenge on Matt Moss (after what happened in the Australian SX series) during the AMA Supercross season instead of, you know, focusing on the race and getting some decent results.
And finally, James Stewart gets suspended for his undeclared use of Adderall after testing positive back in April 2014. He’s appealing his 16 month penalty which was back-dated to April 2014 at the time of the his failed test. However, as of right now we may not see him racing again until the last couple of Outdoor Nationals in 2015. So that’s it for 2014, much was the same with Ryan Villopoto wrapping up a fourth straight Supercross championship, but then with him contesting GPs in 2105, that will not be the same at all as no top American racer has ever done such a thing.
Some other notables:
Cairoli won his eighth World title so that’s much the same.
Herlings breaking his femur on an 85, that’s just not right!
Herlings races the last round to try and retain his title…again, not right! Had Trey Canard taken the Joker Lane at the Monster Energy Cup instead of trying to pass Davi Millsaps, he could have won the Million!
Chad Reed crashes in San Diego, breaking a shoulder blade, T1 vertebrae, and collarbone, and tries to race the following weekend! It was too much though and he was done with Supercross for 2014.
Josh Hansen actually does some structured training and is looking fast. He’ll be one to watch at A1 in the 250 West class.
