Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/726231
MOTOCROSS FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 18 / SEPTEMBER 10-11, 2016 GLEN HELEN RACEWAY / SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA P94 My Own Race: 100 TOMMY SEARLE 16TH MXGP (7-30) Dixon Racing/Monster Energy Kawasaki's Tommy Searle was riding well at Glen Helen all weekend long. He was actually fastest in the morning warm-up on Sunday and felt good, but had a fall that cost him. "The first moto, I got a decent start and caught up to seventh and then sort of settled there," Searle said. "I should've pushed harder than I did, but I sort of got stuck in a rhythm and couldn't get out of it. I just didn't push enough or change up my lines enough. The second race, I got a decent start, and I was seventh again behind [Gautier] Paulin. I wanted to pass him because I saw the group in front getting away, and I wanted to be with those guys, but then I made a silly mistake and went inside at the bottom of one of the hills and tipped over. Then I made my way back up into seventh again, and then I crashed and broke my throttle tube. I was riding well all weekend, I think, and I'd rather push and have a crash than ride around in 15th like I did last week. I'm happy with how I rode." 12 MAX NAGL 4TH MXGP (3-4) Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Max Nagl has been a contender in the MXGP class for quite a few years now, and he was really disappointed with his ride in North Carolina a week prior to Glen Helen where he went 10-9 for ninth overall. He was looking to improve on that at Glen Helen, and he did, but he still didn't feel that he put his best foot forward. "Today I had good starts," Nagl said. "Somehow the speed wasn't there. I just missed the podium with a tie with Tim [Gajser], but I felt like I had a good day. I was just lacking some speed. It was nice to get in the top three in the points officially, and that was our goal at the team, so I think everybody can be happy now." 91 JEREMY SEEWER 5TH MX2 (11-3) Suzuki's Jeremy Seewer had a really good year in 2016. He clinched second place in the MX2 World Championship behind constant favorite Herlings, and although he struggled in North Carolina, and even in moto one at Glen Helen, he showed his speed in moto two as he pressured Jeremy Martin for the last half of the moto for second place. "I came into this weekend with hope for some better luck," Seewer said. "It didn't work out the first moto. I got hit by my teammate and taken out, and everything was bent, so I did what I could. But I had a much better chance in the second moto with a much better start and got to race with those guys a little bit. The track was fun, but there was a lot of water in the first few laps. I'm really happy to finish off like this, and I'm really happy with second behind Jeff [Herlings, in the championship]. The goal was to be on the podium and I'm a vice-world-champion now. I'm satisfied with that." 289 MITCHELL HARRISON 3RD MX2 (5-5) A rookie in 2016, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Mitchell Harrison has had a steep learn- ing curve, but things seem to be coming together lately. After finishing solidly inside the top 10 in North Carolina, he finished strong in the top five in both motos at Glen Helen and was rewarded with a podium finish overall. "Honestly, I was just hoping for a top five this weekend because I had a top 10 last weekend," Harrison said. "Third overall is quite incredible for me, so I'm excited for that, and I'm excited for next year. This weekend, I felt really good. I worked a lot on some stuff during the week. The track last week was amazing, but it just clicks for me here. I love this track." 243 TIM GAJSER 3RD MXGP (4-3) Monster Energy/Honda's Tim Gajser didn't have everything go his way at Glen Helen, but even with the trouble he experienced—a crash off the start during the qualifying race on Saturday, and dealing with a lot of traffic in moto one on Sunday—the newly crowned MXGP World Champion managed to finish the day with a 4-3 for third overall. "I'm happy overall," Gajser said. "Yesterday was a tough day and I struggled a lot, but today I came back a little bit stronger. I had two good starts, and I was pushing too much in the beginning and lost a little bit of focus at the end of the race. The second moto was better. We were battling with Tony [Cairoli] in front, and then Eli [Tomac] came and—yeah, I finished third. Overall I'm happy. To be sixth in times and on the podium, I'm happy."