Rider Files

Photographer extraordinaire Rich Chenet sent me this photo of Mike Baldwin (43) and Harry Klinzmann (31) battling for third in the 1979 Loudon Superbike race. Baldwin moved forward on his factory Kawasaki KZ1000 to challenge fellow Loudon standout Rich Schlachter on his George Vincensi Ducati. Baldwin looked poised to pass leader when a red flag came out ending the race prematurely. Klinzmann meanwhile was forced to drop out when he snapped a shift lever off his Kawasaki.

Mike Baldwin (43) and Harry Klinzmann (31) battling for third early in the 1979 Loudon Superbike race. (Rich Chenet photo)

(News Release)

MORGANTOWN, W.V. (May 6, 2010) – At the conclusion of last season’s Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, a pair of perpetual championship trophies were introduced for the 450 and 250 classes: the Edison Dye Cup and Gary Jones Cup are commemorative awards that honor the strong legacy of American motocross, in name and in spirit. Each cup goes to the team that captures the championship in each class, the Edison Dye Cup for the 450 Class and the Gary Jones Cup for the 250 Class. Both cups return for 2010, ready to be claimed by the riders and teams able to overcome and endure the challenges that make motocross one of the toughest sports on the planet.

Edison Dye was one of the pivotal figures in the development of professional motocross in America. As the organizer of the first professional motocross championship in the U.S., he set the standard for an elite competition pitting the best riders on the planet against one another in a quest for fame and glory. By importing such legendary figures as Torsten Hallman, Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster, and more to his Inter-Am tours beginning in 1966, Dye set the stage for what is now the most prestigious motocross series of all, the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

Gary Jones was a product and beneficiary of Edison Dye’s series and, as a result, became the first true AMA Pro Motocross Champion in the 250 Class in 1972. Jones, who hailed from Hacienda Heights, Calif., went on to defend his title in both 1973 and 1974, becoming the first multi-time champion in AMA Motocross history. Even more impressive is the fact that Jones won those three titles on three different brands: Yamaha, Honda, and Can-Am.

Because each cup is awarded to the team of the rider who claims each respective championship, both the Edison Dye Cup and the Gary Jones Cup presently reside at the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki race shop in Chino, Calif. Last summer, Chad Reed (450) and Ryan Dungey (250) claimed the championships under the guidance of yet another historic motocrosser, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki Team Manager Roger DeCoster. Recognized globally as “The Man,” DeCoster accepted both cups on his team’s behalf.

With the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship on the immediate horizon, the Edison Dye Cup and the Gary Jones Cup will both be up for grabs. Dungey is still with Rockstar/Makita Suzuki, only now he’s moved up to the 450 Class. There he will face his former teammate Reed, now a member of the Monster Energy Kawasaki factory team, and other top motocross athletes including Andrew Short, Josh Grant, Davi Millsaps, Mike Alessi, Grant Langston, Ben Townley, Brett Metcalfe, Ivan Tedesco, and more, all hoping to claim the #1 plate and the Edison Dye Cup for their teams.

Dungey’s departure means a new 250 Class rider will claim the Gary Jones Cup for his team in 2010. The list of talented young contenders is seemingly endless: Christophe Pourcel, Jake Weimer, Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, Tyla Rattray, Austin Stroupe, Tommy Searle, Broc Tickle, Wil Hahn, Blake Wharton, Dean Wilson, Max Anstie…. Any one of these terrific riders (and more) could end up as champion when the series concludes.

The battle for supremacy in an international showcase of the world’s best talent commences on Saturday, May 22, from the Rockstar Energy Hangtown Classic in Rancho Cordova, Calif.

For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com.

For more information about the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

(News Release)

SONOMA, Calif. (May 6, 2010) — By his account, legendary rider Eddie Mulder had a “pretty good year” in 1966. Pretty modest words for the only man in AMA Pro Racing history to win all three Grand National TT events in the same year.

“I had some great equipment and put my head down and took care of business,” Mulder said.

Mulder, who was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, will take care of business May 14-16 as Infineon Raceway hosts Eddie Mulder’s West Coast Dirt Track Series. This marks the 15^th year of the series for Mulder, but it’s his first visit to Infineon Raceway. It will be part of the West Coast Moto Jam weekend, which also includes AMA Pro Road Racing, Supermoto USA and Motocross.

Competition for Flat Track will be held on a short-track that has been built behind the Turn 9 Terraces. Mulder expects good things.

“It’s a ram-bam fast short-track race for those who have never seen this,” Mulder said. “There’s lots of physical contact and plenty of sideways racing. It’s very fast; it’s the oldest form of motorcycle racing in the country.”

There will be racing in 15 different classes, highlighted by the Pro Digger Helm division, with a substantial points fund, thanks to Maxxis Tires. Jared Mees, who is expected to compete, won the division in 2007 and 2008 and is the defending AMA Grand National champion. Sammy Halbert won the division in 2009 and won the first AMA event of the year in Daytona in March.

One of the most popular classes, according to Mulder, is the Youth division. It’s built for young riders on bikes that are 50cc, 60cc and 80cc. There’s also 250cc, Open Am and Super Seniors, among others. Mulder expects more than 300 competitors.

Mulder, who has also ventured into Hollywood as a stunt-man for Clint Eastwood in the movie, “Magnum Force,” among others, has an eight-race schedule this year and looks forward to Sonoma.

“We think it’s going to be a great weekend,” he said.

(News Release)

AURORA, Ill. (May 6, 2010) – After yet another historic season of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, CBS Sports and Feld Motor Sports will present the 2010 recap show on CBS Sports, Sunday, May 9, the day after the season finale from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The one-hour show, highlighting the championships won by Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki riders Christophe Pourcel and Jake Weimer, will air at 5 p.m. EST.

The CBS Sports show will also showcase all the highlights and dramatic turn of events that characterized the 2010 AMA Supercross and AMA Supercross Lites title fights. Every battle, controversy and heart-pounding moment will be remembered and CBS Sports will take the viewer all the way back to Anaheim 1 for a race-by-race rundown of one of the most historic seasons ever.

Also featured on the show will be rider interviews from the pits and behind-the-scenes footage that will put the finishing touches on an edge of your seat season.

The stellar battle in the premier AMA Supercross class between rising stars Dungey and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto will be broken down, up to the untimely exit of Villopoto, the season’s winningest rider in 2010. With the title, Dungey became just the second rookie in history to win the world championship while also becoming the youngest champion ever in the sport.

The two hotly contested AMA Supercross Lites regional championships will also be showcased, giving viewers insight as to how Christophe Pourcel and Jake Weimer earned their respective titles and continued the epic legacy of Mitch Payton’s Pro Circuit squad.

“This is a great way to cap-off one of the most unpredictable seasons ever,” added Dave Prater, director of supercross, Feld Motor Sports. “Delivering a one-hour recap show on network television culminates the 2010 season on a national platform where riders, teams and the entire industry are recognized.”

All told, CBS Sports will have aired nine hours of Monster Energy Supercross this season, which has enjoyed prominent national-network coverage on CBS Sports since 2006.

Listen live to Monster Energy Supercross from Las Vegas Finals for only $6.99. This price includes live broadcast of the Las Vegas Pre-Race Press Conference Friday, May 7 at 10:00 a.m. (PST). Supercross LIVE® is the only weekly live Monster Energy Supercross race call, and features long time voices of supercross, Jason Weigandt and Jim Holley.

For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.