Vital MX Pit Bits: Arlington

We're back for another week of Pit Bits from Arlington! It was cold in Texas, it was a triple crown and there was lots of cool goodies to look at! Plenty of new East coast teams to drool over their bikes and some sweet new lids. Check them out.

The Phoenix Racing Honda squad has gone big this year, running four riders total and a fresh new rig...aka the last JGR semi.

The #37 machine belongs to Coty Schock, who joins the Phoenix crew after his break-out year in 2021. Sadly, Schock's East Coast Supercross series has hit a major speedbump with a bruised lung and a few other minor injuries throughout the body. Get well soon Coty!

Unlike the HRC, MCR, and Firepower Honda CRF250Rs, the Phoenix bikes have forgone adding an electric waterpump.

Another view of Phoenix racing's new look for 2022. A little more HRC inspired on the blue stripe placement but some throwback feel with the gold rims.

The team has worked with FMF for multiple seasons and has the latest FMF Megabomb design header aboard their CRF250Rs. Complete with a O2 sensor so power master Dean Baker can keep track of things.

The latest FMF exhaust cans for the new gen Hondas have a textured area.

It's the little touches.

Rev light and info dash from GET on the front of all four Phoenix machines. The team swapped from Vortex to GET electronics in 2022, mostly with engine department Dean Baker and Mitchell Key's past experience with the equipment from their JGR days.

The team has also switched from Hoosier to Pirelli tires, having already claimed a title for the brand from the 2022 Arenacross championship with Kyle Peters.

The team tried a few different aftermarket clamp options but chose to go with the OEM setup matched with a one piece bar mount from Ride Engineering.

KP's logo on his bike's work mat.

Bell helmets has been rolling out new helmets and design for their top riders every couple weekends. Here's Dylan Ferrandis' new lid.

Scales design.

One more look, with Dylan's new personal logo.

Brothers in the 450 class. Robbie and RJ Wageman made the treck to Arlington together to take on the big boy class.

Another new look for the Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha team! Back to more of a black layout but featuring the IAMACOMEBACK branding for this race.

Five of the six riders on the team work with Enzo Racing for their KYB tuning needs.

Back view of the Enzo provided forks.

While Phil Nicoletti's have a little different look...

Nicoletti is the odd-man out in the group who is instead working directly with KYB through Ricky Gilmore.

Phil's bike also features a taller seat.

With a small seat hump at the very rear.

Cooper Webb's latest Red Bull lid.

American, FUCK YEAH!

What's Chase Sexton thinking?...

FIREEEE!

Malcolm Stewart had something new this weekend with a gold Rockstar Shoei lid courtesy of Korsace,

You know it's a sketchy story when McAdoo's reaction is this.

The HRC tent was full this weekend with four main bikes, being that Chance Hymas joined them for his first futures race. Along with the three spares for Jett, Kenny, and Chase with the triple crown format.

Red plate for Jett, which will be shared with Cameron McAdoo come Daytona.

The resonance chamber and O2 Sensor aboard Lawrence's Yoshimura exhaust aren't standard.

While Chance Hymas' machine features a mix of HRC goodies and some more standard parts. Note the production version of the Yoshimura exhaust. He's also rocking a production shock and fork, albeit the forks have coated inner and outer tubes.

Stock hubs that have been turned down and polished.

Rear view.

Chance's machine also doesn't feature the electric waterpump found on either of the Lawrence's bikes.

The red plate carries on with Eli Tomac for another week.

Bell also had a fresh lid for Tomac this weekend but we've been told this one may make production.

Thoughts? Would you rock it?

Little more detail up close.

Little twist in opening ceremonies as they repelled from the jumbo tron.

Jordon Smith was feeling the Texas vibe.

What's Firepower Honda? It's the Muc-Off Honda team from 2021, also known as Penrite Honda in 2020. This year they've made some big moves and have swapped to East coast, moved their race shop from California to MTF in Georgia, and hired an all-new team with Jordon Smith heading it up.

Jordon Smith's Firepower Honda.

Engine duties for the Firepower Honda team are still being handled by Jamie Ellis of Twisted Development. We have noticed a few other items on the bike change from their prior year though. Notably from this view, the team has swapped from Rekluse to Hinson clutch components.

The team also switched from FMF to HGS, a brand we don't see a ton of here in the US.

The HGS systems are much more common place in Europe and the MXGP scene.

The team also adopted new controls and triple clamps this year with Neken.

While we've seen Neken handlebars aboard the Star Yamaha machines in the past, the Firepower team is the only team utilizing them this season in the US. Also, notice how clean the team's handlebars are? Only a starter button is found on the right side, meaning the kill switch is out of sight.

The Firepower bikes initially debuted on IG with a blue theme but have gone black for the races.

The Firepower team is also utilizing an electric waterpump on their CRF250Rs. No battery? Due to the cold conditions in Arlington, many teams pulled their batteries out overnight and kept them in a warmer place to maintain the condition of them.

The team has also partnered with Factory Connection and swapped too Showa kit suspension after two seasons aboard KYB materials.

Michael Shaw's traveling toolbox (a modified rifle case) reminds us of the more mobile tool cases we see professional mountain bike race mechanics use. Very nice!

Extra layer.

RJ Hampshire's Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC 250 RE. While the GASGAS team is on the outgoing platform, the Husqvarna 250 team, like KTM, is on the new platform, Featuring an all-new chassis and completely overhauled engine platform.

While the KTM and GASGAS arms of the Austrian manufacturer partner with Akrapovic, the Hsuqvaran team continues their global partnership with FMF.

New composite skidplate design aboard the latest gen Husky FC 250.

Also unique to the Husky program is the relationship with Rekluse, whole their sister brands utilize Hinson products.

RJ's machine from the left side.

Hunter Yoder, longtime Honda amateur racer, has made his pro debut this season the the Ti-Lube team. The team is one of the last few to be utilizing Hoosier tires as their initial push into racing has seemed to died off a bit.

Yoshimura RS-12 onboard the Ti-Lube machine.

The team's engines are done in-house by team owner Buddy Brooks.

To left, disappointment...to the right, pure excitement.

See you all next week!

4 comments

Sort:

Vital MX Pit Bits: Arlington 4

Check out the latest and greatest from the pits in Arlington!

View replies to: Vital MX Pit Bits: Arlington

Vital MX Pit Bits: Arlington 4

Check out the latest and greatest from the pits in Arlington!

View replies to: Vital MX Pit Bits: Arlington

Comments

The Latest

The Latest

Related

Most Popular