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/774093
IN THE WIND P26 ANNOUNCED: RYAN VILLOPOTO AMATEUR MX CUP R iding Racing Youth Devel- opment (RRYD) and Ryan Villopoto announced the inau- gural Ryan Villopoto Amateur Motocross Cup (RV MX Cup) to be held at Pala Raceway, in Pala, California, December 29, 2017 through January 2, 2018. "I am thrilled to have the op- portunity to showcase amateur motocross racing near Anaheim, one of the hubs for motocross and supercross," said Villopoto. "Looking toward the next chapter of my career, I wanted to create a game-changing event that will grow the next generation of stars through a change in age group classes, safety precautions and track quality." "We are excited to chart a new course in our industry's amateur circuit and create additional op- portunities for young riders," said Tom Shields of RRYD. "We aim to do this by offering champion- ships for every age from five to 16 years without any gaps, allowing a rider to be the senior in a class every year." Villopoto's management agen- cy, Wasserman, has also come onboard to help launch the event. "We plan to partner with com- panies that want to interact with the families and riders to keep the activities going throughout the entire event," said Wasserman Executive Vice President of Ac- tion Sports, Bobby Nichols. "The event and its attractions are built for entire families to come and enjoy together for years to come." For the RV MX Cup, the Pala track will undergo a design change under Villopoto's guid- ance, updating the track for both aesthetic design as well as safety purposes. One of the critical factors in Villopoto's event design and fair- ness will be a timed practice for every class of riders. By allowing riders to be gated by their lap times, riders will have the oppor- tunity to know where they stand before racing even starts. For the sake of safety, the RV MX Cup will also conduct sight-laps for each and every class. For more information about the event, please visit RVMXCup. com. CN HUSQVARNA ANNOUNCES OFF-ROAD TEAM R ockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing announced its 2017 off-road team featuring Colton Haaker, Josh Strang, Ja- cob Argubright, and Thad Duvall. Winner of both the 2016 AMA EnduroCross and FIM Super- Enduro Championships, Colton Haaker is back to defend both titles. Currently competing in the 2017 FIM SuperEnduro Cham- pionship, Haaker will soon head to Aspen, Colorado, to compete in the Winter X Games snowbike competition, January 26-29. Competing alongside each other in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) and National Enduro Series are Josh Strang and Thad Duvall. Duvall joins the team after claiming a historic ISDE World Trophy Team win for the USA last year, as well as being crowned 2016 Full Gas Sprint Enduro Champion. Strang will continue his run for GNCC gold after placing as championship runner-up at the end of the 2016 season. Representing the team in the west coast desert series is Jacob Argubright. Argubright finished second overall in the AMA Na- tional Hare and Hound series. CN (Left to right) Colton Haaker, Josh Strang, Team Manager Tim Weigand, Jacob Argubright and Thad Duvall will make up the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Off-Road Team in 2017.