Vital MX Digest: 9/5/12 1

What's cracking in the Vital MX offices today? Well, there's a bit of construction, as we're adding an enclosed office for the most recent addition to the staff, Bryce Maxwell. He'll be focusing on ad sales for MX, and joins Todd Toth and Patrick Male. Bayo's out checking out the '13 Yamaha YZ450F, and me? I'm hanging out in the office, catching up on various projects, and dialing in the Vital MX rig to haul out to Elsinore tomorrow for press day. In the meantime, here's some of what's going on around the sport. – GuyB

Vital MX Forum Thread of the Day

Baggett, Tomac or Barcia for the title? Who's your pick? It's coming down to the wire this weekend in Elsinore.

Elsinore Track Map

With all the changes to Elsinore, are you having trouble picturing the layout? This might help.

Sponsorship Opportunities With Dubya USA and O'Neal

Dubya USA is now accepting 2013 rider support resumes, and riders are encouraged to apply by filling out the sponsorship application on the Dubya USA website at www.dubyausa.com/sponsorship, or on their hookit page at www.hookit.com/brands/dubyausa. Dubya’s rider support program is open to motocross, off-road moto, freestyle and supermoto athletes.

O'Neal Motocross Sponsorship Program is open from 8/23/2012 to 12/31/2012.

You can apply through: hookit.com, mxsponsor.com, xtrm.com and directly through your rider representative at:
O'Neal
Marc Shear - Rider Support
685 Cochran St.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
mshear@onealusa.com
fax- 805-426-3301
Check out at www.oneal.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/onealmotocross or Twitter at www.twitter.com/onealmotocross

Speed, Mud, and Glory - Tony Cairoli MX 2012 Video Trailer

Okay, we'll 'fess up. We don't speak or understand much Italian. But the videography in this one is pretty amazing, Tony Cairoli is a bad dude, and this one's worth a look.

2013 Nuclear Cowboyz Tour Schedule Announced

For the first time ever, the highly acclaimed Nuclear Cowboyz 2013 tour will visit New Orleans and San Antonio, and back by popular demand, will return to Houston and Atlanta, following a one-year hiatus. Tickets will be available to the general public on Friday, September 21, at www.nuclearcowboyz.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Riders on this year's tour include X Games 2012 medalists Ronnie Faisst, Mike Mason, Taka Higashino and Winter X Games gold and silver medalist Colten Moore. The tour also includes former gold medalists Adam Jones and Matt Buyten as well as award-winning freestylers Derek Garland, Brody Wilson, Jimmy Fitzpatrick, Wes Agee, Nick Dunne, Geoff Aaron, Keith Wineland and Marco Picado.

6th Annual MX Ride for the Cause

If you're in So. Cal. or surrounding areas, and want an extra reason to head out to Cahuilla Creek, this is a good one. Benefiting Michelle’s Place breast cancer resource center, it'll be held on October 13th, 2012. Join riders of every age as they descend on Cahuilla Creeks motocross track for a day of riding for a great cause. Riders and spectators can expect a well groomed track, participation in the famous bra parade Team Race with prizes from Fasst Co, One Industries and Pole Position. You'll also find a raffle, auction, DJ Classic Cuts, vendor row, continental breakfast and Wahoo’s catered lunch.

Sponsors this year including Kawasaki, KTM, Temecula Motorsports and many more will be showing up with full support. Gates open at 6:30 am. Spectators are welcome and encouraged! $25 rider fee, $10 spectator fee includes lunch ticket due at the front gate the day of the event. For more information, visit www.mxrideforthecause.com or contact Laurie Cary at 951-326-0148.

Michelle’s Place is a 501 C3 non-profit organization. For more information on Michelle’s Place visit www.michellesplace.org

On The GP Side

Things to look for this weekend in Italy at the hard-packed Faenza circuit is the likelihood that both Tony Cairoli will wrap up yet another MX1 title, and that Jeffrey Herlings will take the MX2 crown.

Also interesting is that Josh Coppins is in for the final two rounds on a Rinaldi-backed Monster Energy Yamaha.

Sidi will also be introducing a new Crossfire2 boot at Faenza, in advance of the International Expo on motorcycling in Milano, which will take place from November 15th to the 18th.

Also, if you're looking for more GP News, you can also check out the new Motocross Fan Page, MXGP News (facebook.com/mxgpnews). All the latest news from the Monster Energy Motocross World Championship are on it.

Participate in the MXGP News contest and get a chance to win a pass to watch the MXoN in high quality on the MX-LIFE.tv for free.

Are you ready for some Supercross? With the U.S. season wrapping up here, the Aussie SX season can't be far behind. Here's some news on the format for this year's Championship. In the past they've experimented with a variety of formats, including multiple mains. – GuyB

Main Event format returns to Australian Supercross Championships

LEADING riders are in full support of a return to traditional ‘Main Event’ racing format that will feature at all four rounds of the new Australian Supercross Championships.

The Pro Open class will contest a series of preliminary sessions to qualify for the final, which will consist of a 20-lap battle from the gate drop through to the wave of the chequered flag.

Pro Lites riders will race a 15-lap final, and Under 19s a 12-lapper.

The series’ additional classes – Junior Lites and 85cc/150cc 4-stroke BW – will contest 8 and 7-lap finals respectively.

The ‘Main Event’ format is raced the world over, including in the benchmark AMA Supercross Championship in the USA, and one that organisers feel will attract a new legion of fans as the scoring and results are simple to follow.

Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Todd Waters will be in the thick of the Pro Open Championship battle, and welcomed the move to the 20-lap final.

“It’s good to be getting back to the format that they race in the US, Supercross has been built around that single main event final and I’m definitely looking forward to preparing for it,” said Waters.

“From a rider and fan point of view it’s easier to follow.

“For us we build a training program around a 20-lap final each night, rather than changing between events.

“For the fans it will be easier to follow what’s happening on the track – the race that they’re seeing in front of them will be the one that counts.”

Further momentum for the new series comes in the confirmation of all major motorcycle manufacturers – Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, Honda and Suzuki – as official sponsors.

Tony Hinton from Honda Motorcycles said the range of changes planned for 2012 would help to refresh the sport.

“2012 is going to be an exciting year for the Supercross Championships in Australia and Honda is pleased to be on board as a major sponsor,” said Hinton.

“The combination of a new promoter, new venues and the return to the old format of Supercross racing will be great for fostering the talent in Australia while new event associations, like with MotoGP at Phillip Island, will introduce new spectators to this dynamic sport.”

Early-bird (7 days or more prior) tickets will start at $15.00 for children (16 and under), $25.00 for adults and $55 for families. Regular ticket prices will remain at an affordable pricing structure of $20 for children, $30 for adults and $70 for families.

The Supplementary Regulations also detail class entry fees, which have been kept to a minimum to encourage rider participation.

The Suzuki RACESAFE medical team will be present at each round of the Championship, offering expert medical advice and treatment to all competitors.

Documentation, including series and round entry forms, is now available online at www.ma.org.au/suppregs.