Stewart Heats Up Houston with Two-Race Win Streak

Press Release Issued By Supercross Media (March 28, 2006)

AURORA, Ill. (March 28, 2006) – Kawasaki’s James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., brings a two-race win streak into Houston’s Reliant Stadium this Saturday, April 1 for the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series. Reliant Stadium is the birthplace of Stewart’s first AMA Supercross class win, which took place last year. While Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael has a comfortable points lead for the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the race for the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP is heating up.

Stewart, who has seven wins on the season, started his win streak in Orlando where he led all 20-laps in the main event. Before 41,010 fans last weekend, the 20-year-old superstar repeated that performance at the inaugural race inside Detroit’s Ford Field. The two wins positioned Stewart to tie Carmichael for the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP this weekend in Houston.

Stewart trails reigning World Supercross GP/AMA Supercross Series champion Carmichael, of Tallahassee, Fla., by three points in Amp’d Mobile World supercross GP standings and 20 points in the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series.

Yamaha’s Chad Reed sits in second place, 10 points behind Carmichael in the AMA Supercross class but is struggling due to a shoulder separation suffered before the stop at Daytona International Speedway. The tough Australian has ridden through the pain earning podium finishes at two of the three races since the injury.

“Everyday, I do what I need to do to get my shoulder strong,” said Reed of the injured shoulder. “I’ve just accepted the fact that it’s an injury that’ll be here a while and I just gotta do my part by keeping strong and giving it everything I got. Never give up and fight ‘til the end.

“It’s my problem. Obviously, I know I can ride better without a shoulder injury but it is what it is. I feel I’m giving up some on the track and that sucks but I’m figuring out how to ride my race with my situation.”

Stewart turned a blazing fast 48.8 lap time in the main event and established a decent lead in his race against the clock.

“I just wanted to ride and put twenty consistent laps together,” said Stewart. “The track changed a lot and all I could do was to try and stay up. I saw Ricky (Carmichael) coming up through the pack and I saw Chad (Reed) pushing hard too. I knew those two were going to start battling because they are so close for the AMA Supercross points race. I just want to win races,” said Stewart. “I figure if I win races, I’ll come out close to winning the (Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series) title. I’m just going out there and doing my own thing and getting good (lap) times. “

This season a consistent Carmichael has been on the podium 14 out of 15 races and has won six races.

“I’m worried about myself, not anybody else,” said Carmichael. “I have my goals and I’m not worried about anyone. I need to take care of myself before I worry about someone else.”

In the AMA Supercross Lites class, Honda’s Davi Millsaps, of Cairo, Ga., leads his Honda teammate Josh Grant, of Riverside, Calif., by 22 points heading into the final race of the Eastern regional AMA Supercross Lites championship. Grant could give Honda their first lites title since 1993 when Doug Henry won the championship. Last weekend Grant’s win in Detroit marked Honda’s seventh consecutive lites win, a feat that hasn’t been done since 1993 as well.

The rich history of supercross in Houston dates back to March 15, 1974 when Jim Pomeroy won the 250cc main event aboard a Yamaha. Since 1974, the city of Houston has been on the AMA Supercross schedule and in seven of those years, the Houston Astrodome hosted two races.

In front of 43,445 fans last year, Carmichael clinched his fourth AMA Supercross Series championship and his 12th AMA National Title. Honda’s Andrew Short, of Murrieta, Calif., won his first 125cc Western Regional AMA Supercross Series race, leading all 15 laps in the main event.

Tickets are available at the Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, all participating Yamaha dealers (tickets also available at Yamaha outlets), or charge by phone at 713-629-3700.

This weekend’s race will air on SPEED on Sunday, April 2, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. EST. A tape-delayed, one-hour television broadcast of the AMA Supercross Lites racing will air on SPEED on Sunday, April 9, at 6 p.m. EST.

Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP Season Standings

1. Ricky Carmichael, Havana, Fla., Suzuki, 286

2. James Stewart, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 283

3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 267

4. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 227

5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 215

6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 209

7. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio,, Honda, 150

8. Ryan Clark, Waddell, Ariz., Honda, 148

9. Jason Thomas, Melrose, Fla., Honda, 146

10. Tyler Evans, Corona, Calif., Suzuki, 116

Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Season Standings

1. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 259

2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 249

3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 239

4. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 194

5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 185

6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 181

7. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 146

8. Ernesto Fonseca, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 125

9. Mike LaRocco, Corona, Calif., Honda, 108

10. Tim Ferry, Dade City, Fla., Honda, 96

Amp’d Mobile Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Season Standings

1. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 141

2. Joshua Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 119

3. Chris Gosselaar, Victorville, Calif., Kawasaki, 114

4. Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Yamaha, 96

5. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 80

6. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., Honda, 67

7. Robert Kiniry, Lafayette, N.Y., Honda, 66

8. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 59

9. Teddy Maier, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki, 48

10. Michael Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Honda, 45

Amp’d Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Season Standings

1. Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 118

2. Grant Langston, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 116

3. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., KTM, 107

4. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 99

5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 95

6. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 94

7. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 91

8. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 78

9. Darcy Lange, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki, 55

10. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 52

Aprilia USA announces 2006 AMA Flattrack Team and sponsorship.

Press Release Issued By Piaggio Group USA (March 28, 2006)

Following recent successful tests aboard their latest generation AMA Flattrack machine, Aprilia USA is proud to announce that Lloyd Brother Motorsports, Inc will field Aprilia V990-powered machines in the 2006 AMA Flattrack Season. The primary rider for the team will be Henry Wiles of Blanchard, Michigan competing in 1 Mile and ½ Mile venues.

“Flattrack is a classic racing series in the US,” says Mike Kull, Vice President of Marketing for Aprilia USA, “To see Aprilia, a brand with a long established tradition of racing, fight for an American championship is a very proud moment indeed. We encourage all Aprilia fans to attend the races and cheer on their team.”

“We are very happy to support the Lloyd Brothers in their continuing efforts towards success in the AMA Flattrack Championship,” Says Robert Pandya, Aprilia USA Off-Road Product Manager. “The Lloyd Brothers are truly the spirit of the sport and have challenged conventional and new Flattrack machines with their design.”

Henry Wiles will pilot the machine. “From the first time I tested the bike I know that David and Michael were on to something – the power is great, but the control is phenomenal. It’s cool to be on a different machine from the rest of the field, and I know that the fans appreciate the effort,” says Wiles.

The Aprilia USA / Lloyd Brothers Motorsports will be touring the AMA Half and full-mile circuits totaling thirteen events this season. The team will be supported by the Aprilia USA rig at all Mile events and select half mile events. Product sponsors already signed on are Komodo Leathers, Leo Vince Exhaust systems K&N Filters, Motion Pro Tools and Cables, and Spectro Oils. Additional sponsors are being sought for what will surely be one of the most interesting teams in the 2006 AMA Flattrack season.

The schedule for the season can be viewed at www.amaflattrack .com. those interested in Flattrack racing can learn more about the Lloyd Brothers effort at www.flattrack.com, a web presence that has been very supportive of the effort since its beginning.

KTM Press Newsletter

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MOTOCROSS
MX3 World Championship and Euro 125 kick-off this weekend (28.03.2006)
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Busy weekend for the Motocross fans! After a long break since the exciting 2005 Motocross of Nations in Ernée, the first weekend of April will see a lot of riders in action. Zolder (Belgium) will met the opening round of the MX1-MX2 World Championship, while the MX3 World Championship and 125 European Championship will kick-off in Castelnau de Lévis (France).

Same date, same place than last year for this MX3-Euro 125 opening round, first one of the longest MX3 series with fourteen rounds in the calendar. Reigning World Champion Sven Breugelmans and team-mate Yves Demaria will be the favourites of the GP and the series on their factory KTM, but some of the other fifty-seven riders involved in this GP will never give-up and start the season with high goals. They all remind that last year surprising German Marco Dorsch and French Julien Vanni won the two motos, and that there was no orange bike on the final podium of the event !

Now considered as a real stage before the MX2 World Championship, the 125 European opening round registered ninety-three entries, representing fourteen countries. The series will count ten rounds this season, and 2005 vice-champion Dennis Verbruggen (Yamaha) is the main favourite. With his great experience the Belgian rider was already last year the main opponent to Jeremy Tarroux, who is now involved in the MX2 World Championship.

(Source: www.motocrossmx1.com)

KTM Press Newsletter

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KTM NORTH AMERICA
US Hare & Hound: 3rd round El Centro, CA (27.03.2006)
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Track was super fast and sandier than usual. Track was dusty and had two loops; First loop very fast and about 50 miles where they had to have extra gas stop and second loop was more technical going along the canyons. Whether was warm around 85’F.

All of our three factory riders bikes worked spotless today and all riders was happy for bike set ups. All three riders spend some extra time on Saturday to set up suspension to fit this track.

David Pearson had pretty decant start and he was 8th end of the bomb run (1mile start straight) Matt Gosnell and Kellon Walch came around 20th to the bomb.

All three riders worked their way up to top after the start. David and Kellon manage to keep charging thru the whole race and finish race 4th and 5th. Matt Gosnell made his way up to 6th spot but couple mistakes force him back to 8th on the end.

Result
1. Destry Abbott KAW
2. Steve Hengeveld HON
3. Russell Pearson YAM
4. David Pearson KTM
5. Kellon Walch KTM
6. David Kamo KTM
8. Matt Gosnell KTM

Strijbos Victorious at Mons

Press Release Issued By Team Suzuki Press Office – March 27, 2006.

Team Suzuki rider Kevin Strijbos celebrated overall victory at the second round of the 2006 Belgian Motocross Championships at Mons yesterday while team-mate Steve Ramon also claimed a podium position.

In the final event before the start of the MX1 Motocross World Championships - due to take place at the Zolder circuit for the Grand Prix of Flanders this weekend - Strijbos notched results of 2-1-2 in the three motos.

The 20 year old Belgian faces his fourth season as a full-time member of the works Suzuki team in the premier class and remains the sole rider to give the RM-Z450 a taste of Grand Prix success after his triumph in the Czech Republic last year.

Steve Ramon was third overall despite suffering some arm-pump in the first moto and crashing in the second race. The new Suzuki representative collected finishes of fourth, third and third.

“I have mixed feelings about the weekend,” the former 125cc World Champion said. “I was riding well but I found it difficult and a few mistakes cost me better results. I had been training hard through the week so I was getting tired by the third moto as the track was very heavy with a lot of bumps.

“In the first race, I had some arm-pump but we made some changes to the bike and I felt better in the second. I was really encouraged by my starts; the Suzuki was very strong out of the gate.”

Moto1: 1 Ken De Dijcker, 2 Kevin Strijbos, 3 Sebastien Tortelli, 4 Steve Ramon, 5 Joel Smets, 6 Jonathan Barragan.

Moto2: 1 Kevin Strijbos, 2 Sebastien Tortelli, 3 Steve Ramon, 4 Ken De Dijcker, 5 Joel Smets, 6 Danny Theybers.

Moto3: 1 Sebastien Tortelli, 2 Kevin Strijbos, 3 Steve Ramon, 4 Christophe Pourcel, 5 Marvin Van Daele, 6 Danny Theybers

Overall: 1 Strijbos, 2 Tortelli, 3 Ramon, 4 Van Daele, 5 De Dijcker.

Hurley Takes 1st Win on RM-Z450

Press Release Issued By Team Suzuki Press Office – March 27, 2006

Team Shift Motul Suzuki’s Daryl Hurley won the second round of the Australian Supercross Masters at Perth’s Claremont Showground at the weekend.

Newly-mounted on the RM-Z450 machine, Hurley scored its first four-stroke victory in the Pro Open class of the 2006 Supercross Masters.

Hurley’s team-mate, Luke Burkhart (pictured) was also impressive on the RM-Z450, but was given a controversial penalty for riding outside a track marker that cost the team its first-ever one-two finish in the Championship.

Burkhart’s penalty also cost him vital points and dropped him from second place to fourth in the series.

Kiwi’s Hurley and Burkhart finished the evening’s three motos in fourth and eighth, fifth and second, and first and fourth respectively. However, due to the penalty applied in race two, Burkhart was awarded third place in the second moto.

The Supercross Masters Series now makes way for the Australian Motocross Championship which kicks of in Perth next weekend (Sunday 2 April).

Said Hurley: “It was great to take the win on the RM-Z450 and get some good points on the board.

“I made a few mistakes early in the night. I wasn’t really comfortable on the bike to start with as I’ve never ridden a 450 in Supercross before and I was slightly out of sync. As the first race went on I settled into a rhythm, but it was only an eight-lap moto so I only just got into the groove as the race wrapped up.

“I rode pretty consistently all night and just kept getting smoother as the races went on, particularly in the last race – I really got a flow going with the new bike.

“I love the RM-Z450 for Supercross; it’s great for the starts and it gave me a real mental boost to know that I’ve got that four-stroke power like most of the other guys.”

Burkhart said: “The bike is great and I put in a good, solid performance, so I’m 99% happy - apart from the points that were taken away from me which has made the difference between second place and fourth for both the round and the championship.

“The penalty doesn’t make sense to me… the track marker was missing and we all rode around the outside of the hay bale. I followed the other riders through there and wasn’t the only guy taking that line.

“It’s a bit disappointing to have second place taken from me, but it feels good to be running up there with the top guys and to know that I’m one of them now.”

Team Shift Motul Suzuki Team Manager Jay Foreman added: “This has been a great race meeting for Team Shift Motul Suzuki with Daryl’s overall win for round two of the Supercross Masters, but Luke’s penalty has soured things a little for us.

“We should have had a Suzuki one-two here this weekend and Luke should be sitting in second overall in the championship. Instead he’s been awarded fourth place for both so we’re naturally very disappointed.

“The Supercross Masters series takes a break now as we head into the Australian Motocross Championship in Perth next Sunday. We’ve done some intensive motocross testing in New Zealand, the bikes are well prepared and obviously both Daryl and Luke are riding very well. The whole team is focussed on retaining the number one plate in motocross and I think we’re well positioned for some strong results next week.”

Race Result: 1 Daryl Hurley 8, 2 Timmy Weigand 7, 3 Danny Ham 6, 4 Luke Burkhart 5, 5 Cheyne Boyd 4, 6 Craig Anderson 3, 7 Daniel Reardon 2, 8 Shane Metcalfe 1

Championship points (after 2 rounds): 1 Timmy Weigand 14, 2 Cheyne Boyd 10, 3 Daniel Reardon 10, 4 Luke Burkhart 9, 5 Daryl Hurley 8, 6 Craig Anderson 8, 7 Danny Ham 6, 8 Cody Cooper 3, 9 Daniel McCoy 2, 10 Shane Metcalfe 2.

The following is from Next Level Sports Management’s Tony Gardea:

I know it’s been some time since we’ve released information on Ernesto’s recovery, so I thought I’d drop a quick note so we can all continue to keep him in our thoughts and prayers!

The overflow of support has really been impressive and it’s been overwhelming to watch how our sport can come together for one of its own. We’ve received thousands of letters and warm thoughts from all over the world (and Ernesto has us read them all to him!) and told him that several race wins were dedicated to him, including those of RC and Roger Lee Hayden at Daytona and the recent victory in Paris by world class bicyclist Floyd Landis. This support, as well as the many who have sent along their well wishes through internet posts and word of mouth, has been relayed to Ernesto over the past few weeks.

Tomorrow (Tues.) will mark three weeks since his injury and he continues his recovery at the hospital in Riverside. He has been slow to regain full strength in his lungs, but his overall health has been good and the doctors continue to remind him that his road to recovery will be long (especially when Ernesto asks “when do I get to leave?”) and to look for results over time, and not day-to-day. The movement in his arms and hands continues to show improvement and all other progress with his legs will begin with rehabilitation, time and prayers.

He has the heart and determination to fight this thing and also has an excellent support group that begins with his wife, Carolina, and parents, who have been at his side the entire time. He also wanted to send along his gratitude to the many who have shown their support through these tough times. He will be leaning on that support group as he begins his road to recovery.

P.S. Several programs are being planned to generate support for Ernesto, including “Fonseca 10″ wristbands, “collector’s edition” wallpapers for both desktop and mobile phones, t-shirts, stickers and other support-related items. Announcements will be released in the coming weeks to inform everyone on just how they can get behind Ernesto in his fight!

Regards,

Tony Gardea

KTM Press Newsletter

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MOTOCROSS
KTM Factory Motocross riders - Background stories (27.03.2006)
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MX1 riders

Mickael Pichon
Mickael Pichon is just one of two genuine World Championship contenders that KTM have within their MX1 ranks for 2006. The most successful Frenchman in Grand Prix history (35 career wins) dominated the 250cc category in 2001 and 2002. He finished runner-up to Everts in 2003 and also the first year of MX1 in 2004. No other rider has come close to the current World Champion in terms of race victories. He has owned 8 Grand Prix from 33 since the MX1 class formed at the start of 2004. The 29 year old has stated that 2006 could be his final season meaning that there won’t be many more riders motivated for a title push than Pichon.

‘With KTM I believe I have what I want and need,’ he said last year after signing a one year deal. ‘It is a factory team and many people think like I think and want to give their best. They treat their riders like they should, and they have a lot of power and resources for developing the bike.’

Sebastien Tortelli
Like his countryman and new team-mate, Sebastien Tortelli has experience in winning the blue ribbon class of motocross when he (significantly) beat Stefan Everts to the 1998 250cc World crown. He was also World Champion in the 125cc contest in 1996. After only four years in Grand Prix, Tortelli headed to the US and the lure of AMA competition. Despite gaining a runner-up position in the 2000 250cc AMA Motocross Championship the 27 year old suffered a string of seasons affected by injury problems.

His signature and return to Europe and the World Championships was seen as something of a coup for KTM and Frenchman will start as one of the favourites for the title.

Jonathan Barragan
Jonathan Barragan has been supported by KTM since he made his breakthrough into the World Championships during 2003, initially contesting the 125/MX2 class on the immensely successful 125 SX (still the last two-stroke motorcycle to win a Grand Prix with Tyla Rattray’s triumph at Neeroeteren, Belgium in 2004) and then moving to the MX1 category backed by KTM Spain in 2005 where he impressed with a string of lively results and finished seventh overall in the Championship.

His moto podium finish in Sweden and top four positions in Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, France and Spain grabbed attention and led towards his inclusion in the factory’s plans for 2006 for a one year deal. ‘This is has been a dream of mine for a long time now; many seasons. I believe that 2006 could be a fantastic year for me,’ he said. ‘I will be a part of the factory team and I just want to do my best for them.’

MX2 riders

Tyla Rattray
2004 World Championship runner-up Tyla Rattray was frustrated by a dislocated shoulder and damaged knee ligaments last season that ruined his quest for the title. He completed a perfect clean sweep at Zolder for the first round of the series being fastest in every single practice session and then winning both motos.

Rattray arrived in Europe during 2002 and started to establish himself the following season where he gained a podium at Genk for the Grand Prix of Belgium. He enjoyed some decent scraps with friend and KTM team-mate Ben Townley and was a constant threat on the 125cc SX in 2004 despite the wide-spread dominance of the 250cc four-stroke. Rattray will start his 5th season in 2006 and already boasts 7 Grand Prix victories in two years as the next major star to emerge from South African in the mould of Greg Albertyn and Grant Langston.

David Philippaerts
Drafted into the team during 2005 after long-term injuries to Rattray and Marc De Reuver, David Philippaerts went on to show enormous progression riding the works 250F and took 3 moto wins and 2 Grand Prix victories. The Italian, with a Belgian father, started the year riding the 125cc SX and after finishing fourth at Teutschenthal in Germany was given the 250F vacated by Rattray after his accident in Namur.

He grabbed the opportunity to impress with both hands and rose to fourth in the World Championship earning a permanent slot for 2006.

“I’m really happy to be a factory rider next season” he said, “and I am already looking forward to the challenge I will have in 2006. 2005 was very positive for me and I am glad and grateful that KTM saw my potential.”

Carl Nunn
Carl Nunn entered the KTM family at the eleventh hour during the winter of 2004 and went from offering the team ample back-up on the 125cc SX to winning the British Championship and gaining his first Grand Prix podium since 2000.

Nunn was briefly left to shoulder the KTM MX2 effort with injuries to both of his team-mates but his adaptation to the SX 250 F was admirable and swift. He did not finish out of the top three once in 8 rounds and 16 races of the British series and gained his first Grand Prix moto victory in five years in front of a noisy crowd at the British Grand Prix.

Several podiums towards the end of the season confirmed his growing comfort and confidence as part of the factory set-up.

Always a fast, smooth and consistent rider, Nunn is one of the UK’s best and will no doubt improve on a steady 2005 in his second term with the team and on the four-stroke.

Marc de Reuver
A ruthless sand rider (as proved by his accomplished 2004 Motocross of Nations performance despite missing the better part of the season) Marc de Reuver has been plagued with injury and misfortune for the last two years.

The Dutchman dislocated his hip after winning his first Grand Prix in Germany during 2003. He then fractured vertebrae at the same track (Teutschenthal) in 2004 and needed a knee reconstruction after an innocuous crash during a pre-season meeting at the start of 2005. Despite a lack of victories there is no doubting his pace and various podium appearances; 3 moto wins during his sparse appearances in 2004 and 2005 do not fairly reflect the threat that De Reuver poses. The 23 year old will enter his fourth season with the Champ squad.

MX3 riders

Sven Breugelmans
Belgian Sven Breugelmans first came to the attention of the Grand Prix paddock with a podium at Grobbendonk in 2000. He then produced some decent rides in the 2001 125cc World Championship where the undoubted highlight was a 2nd position at Genk, again in Belgium. He finished 12th in the series that year and sealed a high-profile move to the works 250cc Suzuki team but his opportunity was wrecked by a knee ligament injury that sidelined him for a year.

Breugelmans signed for KTM in 2004 and has been a constant presence inside the MX3 top group for almost two years. The 26 year old won the World Championship by 16 points from his team-mate last season.

Yves Demaria
Yves Demaria has a wealth of Grand Prix experience in all classes as well as being part of the French Motocross of Nations winning team in 2001. Unsurprisingly Demaria firmly stamped his authority on the first MX3 World Championship and only an ankle injury prevented the 34 year old from reaching a similar level in 2005.

When he has made brief MX1 outings Demaria has consistently been on the pace and during the 2004 French Grand Prix even grabbed a podium position.

KTM Press Newsletter

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MOTOCROSS
KTM Motocross Bosses are speaking… (23.03.2006)
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KTM Racing Team - Georges Jobe - MX1

Georges, you are leading a strong team with two former World Champions…
Yes, the situation is a little different with Mickael and Sebastien compared to Jonathan because we are looking for the first two to fight for the title while we want Jonathan to learn as much as possible with all our support.

Mickael and Sebastien are different riders with different personalities but we are approaching the Grand Prix season with the same goal. They are competitors but they are also team-mates. They have known each other for a long time and have worked together in the past, so there is a good environment. I think we saw that in the Pernes International where Sebastien had problems on the start and Mickael stopped to help him.

Barragan is a young guy coming into the team and in a way it is another challenge. He will be looking to get as much experience as possible. We will give everything to help from our side and he will of course be able to learn from being around the other two riders.

Jonathan will be working with the 2007 bike…
His situation is perhaps a little different to Mickael and Sebastien because he will be working directly with R&D on the development on the 2007 model. We are already focussed on that area and Jonathan’s input will be crucial.

Is it nice for you to be back full-time in the World Championships?
Yes! I am very excited and I am just as motivated as the riders. I am happy to be taking on this role in the team and getting that Championship will be the main goal, so I hope we can do it!

KTM Champ - Kees Van Der Ven - MX2

There is a big line-up for the Champ team in 2006 with a cosmopolitan mix of four riders. How have preparations been going?
The team’s preparation began in February but the riders have been looking after themselves for a few months now in their respective countries. We are getting the new parts together and generally making the team ready in the build-up to Zolder.

Will it be difficult handling so many riders?
In a way yes. There is more material and a lot more work for the mechanics to get all the bikes ready and prepared, but on another side it is good to have many riders together. It increases the team’s chances of doing well and there is some good competition among them.

When you haven’t been winning Championships you’ve had bad luck with injuries in recent years…
We are hoping for better luck of course. We had arguably two of the best riders in the series out with long-term injuries last season. Marc has changed his approach now and has cut down the amount of pre-season races he will do, we will see if this helps and he will be able to stay healthier for longer.

Having competition within the team is something we have missed, for sure last season. David is really coming on, Tyla is fit again and Carl will be starting his second year with the team. I have a good feeling about 2006 and I think we might see a similar situation as 2004 where Tyla and Ben were fighting a lot and it was a positive time for the team. The riders help each other; riding and practising together brings them up to a higher level.

Has the 250 changed much for 2006?
We have made some modifications to the engine for more power but the changes have mostly been geared around the rider and what he wants, such as suspension settings.

What GPs are you looking forward to?
Japan is a long way to go and is a lot of work but the track is good and it is nice to be there. It is important for KTM in terms of publicity to be seen around the world.

KTM JM Racing - Jacky Martens - MX3

In 2006 you will be defending the World Championship again. How have preparations been going for another dominant season?
They have been going well. Yves and Sven have been testing some small modifications to the bikes and it is good to see Yves motivated and Sven ready for another season after using a new physical trainer. The races are always different from the testing and practicing but we are looking forward to it. Guiding the young riders in the European series will be a new task and a challenge. Working with youngsters is a different concept altogether compared to those with World Championship experience.

Aside from your new work in the European series how do feel about teaming up with Demaria and Breugelmans again?
Yves brings all that Grand Prix experience but also a special feeling when on the bike in terms of set-up. He had a great first season and won the World Championship and has extra motivation now after some injury problems last year. It was great to see Sven develop into a World Champion in 2005. He had been a factory rider before and when we picked him up in 2004 I thought he had the potential to do it within two years. In the first season he was fourth and learnt a lot about training and the help we could give him. The development continued in 2005 and we all saw the result.

For next year another new step for the team will working in the European Championship, making a selection of promising riders and hoping to take the title there before moving onto the last four GPs in MX2. I like to keep improving and progressing with the team.

Does winning all the time put you in a privileged position or increase the pressure for the new season?
It is a nice position to be in. I always push Yves and Sven hard. I want them fast in international events and every time they race the bike. Some people have a negative impression of MX3 when the reality is that the level between the different series is not that great. In the international events and national series they are beating riders from MX1. I just want to make sure they are always fast and motivated and give the MX3 division of KTM good publicity.

KTM Press Newsletter

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MOTOCROSS
KTM Motocross Teams are ready for the Championship (22.03.2006)
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The Red Bull KTM Motocross team approach the MX1, MX2 and MX3 FIM World Championships with the same determination and resolution for the 2006 season.

The factory’s effort extends to 9 works riders, 3 within MX1, 4 within MX2 and 2 within MX3 where the Austrian manufacturer has yet to be beaten. The MX1/MX2 calendar will visit 15 Grand Prix in a 6 month period and travel to 14 different countries.

MX1 - KTM Racing Team
5 time World MX Champion Georges Jobe will head-up a new-look MX1 crew for 2006. Georges is making a return to team management (he was previously team manager in 1996 to the KTM 250cc MX team including Kurt Nicoll) and will keep a watchful eye over two major acquisitions in the shape of former World Champions Mickael Pichon and Sebastien Tortelli. Young Spaniard Jonathan Barragan will maintain KTM’s philosophy of developing promising talent in the premier class and joins the factory for the first time this year.

‘Our most important project of 2006 is definitely our MX1 team and this obviously can be seen by the investment we have made,’ says Jobe confidently. ‘There is more pressure now than we’ve perhaps had before in MX1,’ he also concedes. ‘When you take kids and are not expected to win it is a completely different thing from signing two former World Champions with minimum sights on the title. There is pressure and expectation compared to previous years.’

The 450SXF gets ready for its third full season in the World Championship. The 2006 spec features minor modifications in line with the requests of Pichon and Tortelli, and hope remains in the ‘orange’ camp that the overall win tally of 4 victories to-date can swiftly be increased. Barragan’s motorcycle meanwhile will be of interest to technical enthusiasts: ‘Barragan will have a completely new bike with a view to the 2007 production model which is different from top to bottom,’ remarked Jobe.

With four wins and seven moto victories since the inception of the MX1 class in 2004 KTM is chasing an overdue period of success, the seeds of which were sown by Ben Townley in 2005. The New Zealander gave the team their first Grand Prix triumph at Bellpuig for the Grand Prix of Spain.

MX2 - KTM Champ
The Red Bull Champ KTM MX2 team will field four riders from four different countries this season in their biggest line-up since 2003. KTM have a very strong pedigree in the 125/MX2 class having won four Championships in the last six years with both the 125cc SX and 250 SX-F. The firm clinched the riders and manufacturers crown in 2004 and Tyla Rattray won the last three Grand Prix of the 2005 season (the team collected 6 wins from 17, and 10 motos from 34 in 2005 despite injuries to two of their key riders).

“There is more material and a lot more work for the mechanics to get all the bikes ready and prepared, but on another side it is good to have many riders together,” said team manager Kees van der Ven. “It increases the team’s chances of doing well and there is some good competition among them.”

“I have a good feeling about 2006 and I think we might see a similar situation as 2004 where Tyla and Ben were fighting a lot and it was a positive time for the team,” said Kees van der Ven referring to the season where Champ claimed the top two positions in the series. “The riders help each other; riding and practising together brings them up to a higher level.

MX3 - KTM JM Racing
Reigning Champions, double winners and currently unbeaten in the short history of the MX3 series Jacky Martens will again lead his potent rider line-up of Yves Demaria (2004 Champ) and Sven Breugelmans (defending number one this year) but also undertake responsibilities within the European Championship as KTM help to develop the stars of the next generation.

For Belgian Martens working with the victorious duo of Demaria and Breugelmans has its advantages. “Yves brings all that Grand Prix experience but also a special feeling when on the bike in terms of set-up,” he said. “He had a great first season and won the World Championship and has extra motivation now after some injury problems last year. It was great to see Sven develop into a World Champion in 2005. He had been a factory rider before and when we picked him up in 2004 I thought he had the potential to do it within two years. In the first season he was fourth and learnt a lot about training and the help we could give him. The development continued in 2005 and we all saw the result.”

The fourteen round MX3/European calendar will start on April 2nd (France) and run until September 3rd (Switzerland).