The highly anticipated National Motocross Championship kicks off for Husqvarna Racing in Cape Town tomorrow. Representing the prestigious team is South Africa’s rising motocross star Neil van der Vyver. The rider lines up as favourite for the Pro Mini title after a nail-biting three-way battle last season that came right down to the wire, proving that he has plenty of grit to go with his raw talent.

 
On his trusty Husqvarna TC 85, the young gun will be expecting nothing less than to add the Pro Mini title to his already long-list of accolades. We catch up with Van der Vyver ahead of the event:  
 
The first round of the season gives you the home ground advantage. What your thoughts about this event?
 
I’m so excited to have a home race! This is the first national here in two years. I know the track so well – I’ve been riding here since I was 5 years old. There’s nothing as exciting as having a race in your backyard. I can’t wait to show everybody the hard work I’ve been putting in over the off season.  
 
You came so close to snatching a national title last year. What are the greatest lessons from last season that could help you get your hands on those titles in 2022?
 
I did come so close, but there were little, silly mistakes throughout the season that cost me the championship. I plan on minimizing those this time and learning from the little errors that held me back. I want to win that title this season and the fight starts tomorrow!
 
Tell us about your weapon of choice this season. Why could your Husqvarna TC 85 be the winning 2022 machine?
 
It’s the best bike out there, and it’s matched by the great mechanics that support me. I really love the suspension setup – this machine literally gives me everything I need to deliver the best possible results.
 
Give us some insight into the kind of training you’ve been doing leading to the start of this season. Is there anything new you’ve been working on?
 
I have a training programme that I follow. I’ve been spending a lot of time riding lately – there’s no better feeling knowing that you’re coming into the first round fully prepared. Something I’ve placed extra focus on this off season is also my fitness – I believe it’s something that will give me that extra edge this season.
 
What are your short term goals with the Husqvarna Racing team?
 
It’s as simple as winning as many races and championships as I can. The team has had my back since day one and the best way that I can give back to them is by winning titles.
 
What are your bigger, long term goals as a motocross rider?
 
My longer term goal is to race overseas someday and have a career as a professional motocross racer. I try not to think too far ahead for now, and rather place all my focus on doing the best I can with the opportunity I’ve been given to race locally with Husqvarna Racing.
 
Published by:  Fred Fensham

Picture Caption:  Young gun Neil van der Vyver.

What Trademore SA National Cross Country Round 1 Preview
Where Legends Motocross Park, Pretoria
When Saturday 26 February 2022
Community South Africa National

Cross Country Racing Has a Decidedly Green Hue for ’22

Kawasaki heads to Legends in Pretoria fully intent on turning its recent regional gold into Trademore Feeds SA National Cross Country Championship glory at its home Pepson Plastics opening round, Saturday 26 February. There will be a particularly green tinge to this year’s Nationals as Kawasaki’s star-studded many-bike twin Pepson Plastics Motul Racing with Scottish Cables, and Franchise Company Tork Craft team attack.

“This is a big one for us,” Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Motul team principal Iain Pepper confirmed. “Not only is it the opening Trademore Cross Country National for our expanded for ‘22 team, but the Pepson Plastics round is also our home race. “So, we have some honour to defend! “We had a winning start at the first Gauteng race of the season, but the Nationals are always a step up and we have super strong competition in all the classes. “We are more than ready though — go give them hell guys!”

Franchise Co. Tork Craft’s 2021 National open class OR1 champion Mike Pentecost will lead the Kawasaki effort. Mike won that first Gauteng regional and he’s ready to hit that Pepson Plastics Pretoria ground running. “I really cannot wait for the first National at Legends!” Mike admitted. “I’m sure the pace will be wild up front, but I’m feeling fast and fit and I will certainly adjust to whatever the my rivals throw at me! “My Franchise Co. team has my Kawasaki KX 450 X tuned perfectly for the terrain, so bring it on!”

Pentcost leads a four-Kawasaki effort in OR1. He will be joined in Pretoria by Pepson Plastics Motul duo D’Artagnan Lobjoit and Craig Alcock, and Franchise Co. teammate Tyron Beverly. Penetcost’s objective is simple — to go one better and take the overall 2022 SA National Championship. Lobjoit is out to win too. Kawasaki also plans to field a four-bike KX 250 X challenge on the OR3 class, pending all its riders being fit.

“I hurt my arm and they told me its a 10 week recovery and the national is only 5 weeks after my op!” Pepson Plastics man Taki Bogiages explained. “It’s a tough ask for sure, but my arm feels good, I’m positive and the team has done everything possible to be ready and able to line up next weekend. “Now it’s up to my doctor, whom I will see the day before the race to evaluate. Hopefully I can compete, even if purely in an effort to finish and score a few points to get my championship going.

Taki will once again be joined by Kyle Mackenzie in Pepson Plastics’ quarter-litre chase on a pair of KX 250 Xs. The other Franchise Co. Kawasaki OR3 machine has been entrusted to regional High School champion John Botha, who moves up to make his quarter-litre National debut on Saturday. Dijan van der Merwe meanwhile takes on the 350s aboard a big bore KX 280 X in OR2.

Two more Pepson Plastics Motul Kawasaki legends will lead Kawasaki’s Senior class attack. Multiple SA champion Kenny Gilbert is back on a KX 450X and many time SA motocross champion, Wyatt Avis will be out on a KX 250 X. “We had a great start at the first regional and my brilliant team will have my Kawasaki KX 450 X 100% for the first national and our home race,” Kenny Gilbert explained. “So I’m really looking forward to a great weekend for our special Pepson Plastics Kawasaki — it’s great to be to be apart of it!”

“I’m really looking forward to the first national,” Wyatt Avis added. “I had so much fun with the team in my outing last year, that I feel like I must redeem myself! “In all seriousness I’m looking forward to this challenge and I can’t thank Iain Pepper and the Pepson Plastics Motul Kawasaki team enough for this opportunity to race.” Gilbert, riding a KX 450 X, and Avis on KX 250 X, will be joined by Franchise Co. Tork Craft Masters regular Mielies Le Roux riding another 250.

Kawasaki also has a crack primary school age effort in both the 85cc Juniors, with Jaden Els and Johandre Vermaak in Franchise Co backed machines, and Pepson’s Clayton Human. Pepson Plastics lads Jake Pretorius and Dylan Human race in the 65cc class.

“We have a most talented army of riders racing a fleet of brilliant 2022 model Kawasaki KX Xs in both this year’s Trademore Feeds SA National Cross Country Championship,”

Franchise Company Tork Craft Kawasaki Racing boss, Harry Grobler concluded. “We thank our sponsors and partners for their invaluable contributions ans wish all our Kawasaki riders and the entire team all the very best for the season ahead. “Let’s race!”

Issued on behalf of Kawasaki Cross Country

National Motocross Championship – Zone 7

As the start of the 2022 National Motocross season approaches, Red Bull KTM is more ready than ever to unleash its star-studded line-up of riders. The Western Cape is set to host the season opener at Zone 7 on Saturday, 19 February.

After an unforgettable year of racing, Tristan Purdon steps into the new season with two red plates to defend. Purdon stormed to double national glory with a title in both the MX1 and MX2 Class respectively last season. The rider lines up armed a KTM 450 SX-F and 250 SX-F as his weapons of choice. He commented: “I’ve been riding for a very long time and nothing compares to my KTM racing bikes. The suspension couldn’t be dialled in better, which makes life so much easier for me when I’m racing.”

Having spent the off season at his parent’s farm, the rider feels as ready to get back behind the gates as ever. He added, “Coming from the high of winning the MX1 and MX2 Championship, I’m feeling very excited to get out there again. The goal is obviously to defend the titles, but I know the competition just keeps getting stronger and that I have to work harder than ever to stay on top. I have spent most of the off season back at the farm – a place that allows me to spend more time on the bike, focus on my weak points and keep my fitness up.”

Joining him in the fight for both national titles is Red Bull KTM teammate Cameron Durow. The youngster was recruited by the orange team at the start of last season and entered a bar-to-bar battle for the MX2 Championship with Purdon. Having only narrowly missed the top step and gained invaluable experience, Durow will certainly come back swinging this season.

“We’re fighting for the MX1 and MX2 Championship this year – I’m so excited to have the opportunity to compete in both classes. The off season has been good, I have really enjoyed spending time on the 2022 KTM 450 SX-F and 250 SX-F – they feel incredibly fast! I’ve also been conditioning myself for longer motos to not only prepare for racing in both classes, but also for my plans to race overseas this year. I think this kind of training will give me an extra edge when it comes to fitness,” said Durow.

Fresh off his High School Class victory, the talent-stacked Jonathan Mlimi will make the leap to the MX2 Class this season. Having shown immense talent, the rider is ready to step up to a new challenge. He will now join his teammates on a KTM 250 SX-F, something he describes feeling very excited about.

“The level of competition is going to be really high because I’m racing against guys with a lot more experience than me, but that’s how I’m going to learn and grow as an athlete. The power of my new machine is the thing I’ve enjoyed the most! I’ve stuck to my training programme, but managed to add in some running this time – something I’ve struggled to do after my leg injury in 2019. I’m very excited to see how that will give me an extra edge with my fitness this year,” said Mlimi.

Joining the fray on the motocross scene is Luke Grundy. The young gun will represent the Red Bull KTM team in the High School class in 2022 aboard a KTM 125 SX with his sights firmly set on being crowned the National Champion.

Grundy lives in Amanzimtoti, Durban, and has done the large majority of his off season training at Cato Ridge, Thundervalley and Hammersdale. The prodigious young talent has represented South Africa at the FIM Junior World Championships in Italy in 2019 and attributes his already lengthy list of successes to a relentless work rate.

Grundy expressed his immense admiration for the Red Bull KTM team and admitted that he is honoured to race for what he considers the best racing team in the country. Grundy will bring a massive dose of youthful energy and pace to the team and he will be frothing to fight for his first holeshot for his new team.

Rounding out the team is young gun Trey Cox. The rider came painstakingly close to snatching up the Pro Mini Championship last season after a nail-biting three way battle. Having taken his place as a frontrunner in the class, Cox will line-up with more confidence than ever as he chases down the seemingly elusive Pro Mini title.

Published by: Louwrens Mahoney

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing had three days and plenty of laps to get acquainted with the new Pertamina Mandalika Circuit on the island of Lombok in Indonesia for the second and final pre-season test of 2022. Brad Binder set the 11th quickest lap among the quartet from combined times.

Mandalika will host the second round of the 2022 series for its inaugural Grand Prix on March 20th and the three-day session for the MotoGP runners was a perfect opportunity to get familiar with the circuit, the climate and to judge any final technical changes to race bikes before the homologation phase for the season closes. The test was marked by some unstable weather and the near-finished status of the circuit itself which meant the new asphalt was often dirty and hard to judge. Most of the riders enjoyed the challenging fast layout and some vital data and information was collected for the race-ready state of the RC16 as well as for future development.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder held the top spot in the screens on the second day and a small technical issue prevented another time attack as the clock ticked down. The South African’s final push on day three was just half a second from peak of the chart.

The 21-race 2022 campaign will start with the Grand Prix of Qatar at the Losail International Circuit on March 6th.

Brad Binder:
“So far so good. The bike is working better and I’m working better. We have found some good things and we have improved our package from last year. We still need to work to increase that forward step that we’ve made over these five days in Malaysia and Indonesia. Now we can go home, evaluate and hopefully come back even stronger in Qatar. I think we can progress with our drive out of corner and with rear grip in general: those are my two main things. If we can sort them out then I think we’re going to be in good shape but I’m much happier. Hats-off to the team and thanks to everybody for their hard work. Qatar is a track that will really push us but I’m confident we’re in a better place than 2021.”

Published by: https://bradbinder33.com