2011 AMA Arenacross Series season will feature live timing and scoring

All 14 rounds of the world’s most intimate form of racing the 2011 AMA Arenacross Series season will feature live timing and scoring. Fans of the series simply need to log onto Arenacross.com, the official website of the AMA Arenacross Series, for all the results and the latest from the track.

Initially made popular through Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, the live timing and scoring feature is a revolutionary advancement for the compact excitement of the arena-based AMA Arenacross Series.

“The addition of live timing and scoring on Arenacross.com is a huge step for the sport,” said AMA Arenacross Series Director Jayme Dalsing. “There is a very dedicated fan base of arenacross fans all over the country and in years past, there was a significant delay to get information on who won. Now, everyone will know what takes place as it happens.”

Throughout each of the 19 nights of intense, bar-to-bar action, practice times, heat race lineups and results in addition to the all-important final standings from the main events of both the AMA Arenacross and AMA Arenacross Lites classes will be at fans’ fingertips.

The 2011 AMA Arenacross Series season kicks off on January 8 from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. The reigning champion Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLube Kawasaki team returns as a formidable force to defend the 2010 title while veteran teams like Spinechillers Racing and Triple Effect Kawasaki aim to dethrone them.
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz?, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit http://www.feldentertainment.com/



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Tyler Medaglia the tough task of trying to do it all over again

With 2010 behind him,Tyler Medaglia now has the tough task of trying to do it all over again, only this time he has a big #1 on his back and everyone will be gunning for him. I caught up with Tyler to see how his off season has been going and how his preparation is for 2011.

DMX: Hey Tyler, happy New Year! How are things going?
Tyler: Things are good, Christmas and New Years went good. We kept things quiet but it was fun for sure. Now it’s a New Year and almost time to get back on the bike!

We haven’t spoke for awhile, what have you been up to the last few months?
I took some well deserved time off after Montreal and just recovered from the season and let some things heal. Then I started training again and preparing for 2011. It was good to relax and let all that happened in 2010 sink in, but it felt equally as good to get back in the gym and get ready to defend my Championship.


After some hard fought seasons Tyler will finally wear the #1 in 2011.

You are one of the few top guys that don’t really have a trainer. Obviously your results show that it works for you, why is that?

I think some riders use trainers simply because they aren’t self motivated, they need someone to tell them what to do and when to do it. I don’t need that; I am motivated the moment I wake up in the morning. My Brother and I had a guy by the name of Brian Robitaille who showed us some stuff, other than that; I have had a few other trainers that have showed me stuff over the years also. I have kind of taken a little from each guy than looked at what works for me and go from there. In the past there have been times that I have over worked, and times that I have under worked. Now I feel like I have a good balance and it seems to be working so I’m just going to stick with it, a lot of it is just listening to what your body is telling you.

Yeah, back in the day none of us had trainers, we all just went by feel. As long as you sat on the gate and felt prepared, it was all good?
For sure, it’s all about being confident. If having a trainer makes guys feel confident, than that’s cool. Whatever works for you I guess?

Like you said, your last few months have been spent getting ready for this year. Was there a time at all when you thought the Blackfoot Yamaha deal wasn’t going to happen and you’d have to find something else?
There was a little uncertainly for sure but not as much as you might think. Jason Mitchell kept me pretty updated as to what was going on so I wasn’t really worried. If Blackfoot didn’t work out than I think I could’ve found something. I know the economy is tough and it’s expensive for these teams to go racing, but I love racing and I would go in a pickup truck if I had to.


Tyler has amazingly smooth style!

When do you think you will be heading to GPF to start riding?
I guess whenever my bikes are done getting built, maybe the end of January we’ll head down.  I know what works from last year so I’ll kind of use that as a guide. If I start riding in February than that will give me lots of time to test and get ready for the summer, then I’ll come back and do a few local races in the spring, and then it will be time for the Nationals.

How do you feel right now compared to this time last year? It has been said that Championships are sometimes harder to defend than they are to win. Do you feel any added pressure now that you will have the #1 on your back?
You know what, I don’t really. I feel pretty good right now, probably better than last year because I know what it takes now to win a Championship. I also know that everyone else will be better prepared and everyone will be after me, that just come’s with being the guy who won last year. All I can do is prepare myself the best I can and show up at the first round physically and mentally ready to battle for 18 motos. I have a great bike, a great mechanic and a team that is 100% behind me, what more could I ask for.


Don't be surprised if you see these two brothers battling for a championship in 2011!

You sound like you have a great attitude and that you are ready for whatever comes at you.  Your family is very close and supportive, how happy were you for Jeremy when he signed with KTM for 2011?
I was very happy for him, he deserves everything he gets. I know the program that Orange Motorsports ran last year was good for him, Siert did a great job. But, Jeremy works so hard and he is so focused. It’s great that he finally has a shot on the big team. He is going to be tough to beat this year, hopefully you see the Medaglia Brothers up front in every moto!

The MX2 class this year is going to be killer I think. Thanks for doing this and all the best, good luck with your training and we’ll talk again soon. 
For sure Palms! Happy New Year and take care.

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KTM factory riders great performance on the Dakar Rally

Ruben, co-rider in title holder Cyril Despres' team led in the remaining three KTM factory riders who were separated by only 2 minutes 13 seconds Riders had a very early start out of the first bivouac at Victoria and set out for the day at first light for 566 km of road riding and a timed special of 192 km. At the end of the day it was Marc Coma in third place and his co-rider Juan Pedrero in fourth place. KTM rider Ruben Faria of Portugal took line honors in the first stage of the 33rd edition of the Dakar Rally on Sunday as riders settled in for the first competitive stage of this 16-day test of man and machine. 

Speaking straight from the bivouac after Stage One Cyril Despres said it had been a great first day. "Second and first together with my colleague Ruben Faria - we couldn't wish for anything better," he said.
 
Although it was an auspicious start for the four KTM riders, who this year compete for the first time on the newly developed KTM 450 Rally bike,  there was only just over four minutes separating the top ten finishers. The 2011 edition of the world's most famous rally, in which KTM hopes to secure its 10th title, is expected to be very competitive and hard fought. Organizers have also stated that the more difficult stages will be in the second half of this 16-day event to raise the stakes and heighten the challenge.

Faria at home on Enduro style track
 
The stage victory was Ruben Faria's fourth career stage win in Dakar rallies. He said at the end of the day that he had managed to keep a good speed throughout the ride in what was territory similar to wehat he is used to back home in Portugal. "I did better today than many great riders with different riding styles and it is already a good point of reference. I am also very happy to see that my team-mate Cyril Despres also made excellent time," Faria commented after the top riders had finished.

Early morning start for Despres and Coma
 
Despres, who if successful at the end of the competition will bag his fourth Dakar trophy, was also satisfied at the end of the first competitive stage. He was second out of the start gate at first light just after Marc Coma. The riders had to be awake at around 3.00 a.m. for the 4:20 a.m. start as light broke over Argentina in what is the height of the summer in the southern hemisphere. Clearly satisfied with his day's ride Despres said the special stage had been "really great fun". "It was a great warming-up exercise, a winding route, big sliding sections, a mix between skiing and riding. You always wonder what it will be like at the beginning of a Dakar, especially now that all the top riders are on 450cc bikes. Is this going to change much? Even if we tested our bikes, a Dakar will always be a Dakar. The race is on now and staying focused is of the essence."

Coma opens the track on first day out
 
Marc Coma, the 2009 Dakar winner also said it was a good warming up stage. "Not an easy one though," he said. "It had a highly technical section and a faster section. What matters is reaching the end of the first stage without and difficulties." It was Coma's job as the number one bike out to open up the track for the other riders and this can give those following a tactical advantage and tactics are an important element in this marathon event. Speaking from the bivouac, Marc Coma said his team was watching the weather closely because there was a possibility of rain on Monday for Stage Two. "That would make it more difficult," he said.
Pedrero delighted with his first day out
 
Juan Pedrero, Marc's co-rider was especially delighted with his fourth place finish saying. "It was a great special stage for me…. I'm very happy with the bike. We had tested it but things are very different in race conditions." Juan said he was quite surprised with his time for Stage One. "I was really motivated at the start. The ground felt like Enduro racing and after a while I grew confident." He said the result was a great motivation.

New challenges in Stage Two
Monday and Stage Two brings new challenges to the four KTM factory riders who have another early start with Ruben Faria charged with opening the track. Stage Two takes them from Cordoba north to San Miguel de Tucuman over 440 km of road and a special of 300km. They will enter forested areas and encounter a track that organizers say will offer plenty of jumps.

Stage 1 Results
 
1, Ruben Faria, Portugal, KTM
2, Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM at 00:00.29
3, Marc Coma, Spain, KTM, 00:01.15
4, Juan Pedrero, Spain, KTM, 00:02:13
5, Paolo Goncalves, Portugal BMW, 00:02.18
6, Jonah Street, USA, Yamaha, 00:03.07
7, Francisco Lopez, Chile, Aprilia, 00:03.14
8, Jose Rodrigues, Brazil, BMW, 00:03.23
9, Jordi Viladoms, Spain, Yamaha, 00:04.11
10, Frans Verhoeven, Netherlands, 00:04.23 

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Feld Motor Sports and the AMA Arenacross Series welcome Buddy Antunez to the broadcast team

Highlighted by former series champion and Arenacross icon Buddy Antunez, who will serve as the shows’ analyst of the 2011 AMA Arenacross Series Broadcast Crew,also including longtime veteran color commentator Jason Weigandt and Miss Arenacross Lindsey Scheltema, who will serve as the trackside reporter at all 14 races of the championship.

“It’s an honor for Feld Motor Sports and the AMA Arenacross Series to welcome Buddy to the broadcast team this season,” said AMA Arenacross Series Director Jayme Dalsing. “Buddy is an Arenacross legend and really helped put the sport on the map. His experience will give the fans the ultimate insider analysis of the on-track action.”

Throughout his illustrious career, Antunez claimed five consecutive AMA Arenacross Series titles from 1997 to 2001. After claiming his first title with Honda, he joined Suzuki and gave the brand the championship momentum it carried into the other disciplines in the sport of motocross. During his reign, Antunez amassed 111 wins, making him the winningest rider in AMA Arenacross Series history.

“I can’t wait to join Jason and Lindsey in the booth this season,” exclaimed Antunez. “The AMA Arenacross Series holds a very special place in my heart and I’m excited to make a return to the sport, even if it isn’t racing out on the track.”

Weigandt has been the voice of the AMA Arenacross Series since it began being broadcast on SPEED. His well-rounded announcing experience across all disciplines of dirt-bike racing and his vast knowledge of the sport is unmatched by any other host in the industry.

“Arenacross is simply the most intimate and unpredictable form of racing,” said Weigandt. “It is virtually impossible to assume what will take place because every time you do, something you never would have expected happens. That’s what makes this sport so captivating for the viewers. It’ll be an honor to have Buddy alongside me in the booth because there is no other rider more synonymous with Arenacross than the BudMan.”

Scheltema officially joins the broadcast lineup after two years of experience holding down the Miss Arenacross title and its duties. The full-time student and professional women’s motocross rider is the ultimate representative of the AMA Arenacross Series and her passion and excitement for the sport will come through to the viewers.

“I’ve always dreamed of bringing the AMA Arenacross Series to the thousands of fans at home and now it’s finally happening,” boasted Scheltema. “I can’t wait to give the viewers the inside scoop from the track and work with such a talented pair of individuals in Jason and Buddy.”

The 2011 AMA Arenacross Series kicks off on Saturday, January 8 from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz(tm), and IHRA® Nitro Jam®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit http://www.feldentertainment.com./



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The new Impulse Studios-designed Racer X Online and Racer X mobile sites launched yesterday

The new Impulse Studios-designed Racer X Online and Racer X mobile sites were launched yesterday, and are designed to deliver industry-leading content efficiently, with an emphasis on bigger and better photos and video and mobile compatibility. An all-star cast will deliver the goods, led by Racer X founder Davey Coombs in his role as Editor in Chief. Jason Weigandt, Senior Editor of Racer X Illustrated, also becomes Editor of Racer X Online. And in a major addition, the team is excited to announce the return of multimedia personality and pundit Steve Matthes, who rejoins the Racer X staff as Editor at Large, teaming with race-winning rider and motocross humorist David Pingree in that position.

The multimedia squad is stronger than ever, too, with industry ace Simon Cudby as Senior Shooter, Matt Francis leading Racer X Films, and Photo Editor Andrew Fredrickson joining the race coverage team. The Medium Creative Group's Garth Milan and Ryan Cooley lend shooting and editorial skills. Newcomer Chase Stallo serves as Online Content Manager, and Billy Ursic continues as Managing Editor of Racer X Illustrated, the monthly publication that will benefit completely from the revamped staff. Veteran Motorsports journalist Eric Johnson also remains on board to provide his unrivaled brand of historical pieces and interviews.

"Now is the time for Racer X Online to grab another gear and move even further ahead with our pit-reporting, our race coverage, our film work, Twitter feeds, Facebook, and everything else we do to show our loyal readership all that's going on in the sport we love," said Coombs. "Media is in a constant state of evolution, and so is Racer X Online. Our team loves being out front with our information and presentation, which is why we are constantly moving forward."

At the heart of the new Racer X Online strategy is a plan to completely revolutionize the way races are covered each weekend online, with an unrivaled crew of editorial and multimedia staff delivering the best news and content.

Racer X is pushing the pace in every online avenue. In association with Swedish developers Turborilla, Racer X will release the iPhone/iPod/iPad version of the critically acclaimed side-scrolling video game Mad Skills Motocross, on Jan 10. (Learn more at racerxonline.com/madskillsmotocross.) Racer X boasts over 215,000 fans on Facebook and nearly 15,000 followers on Twitter, with the numbers climbing every day. All told, the Racer X team continues to grow as the leading edge of the sport, promising the best in motocross and supercross news, photos and video across every major media platform.
Lock in www.racerxonline.com for the best coverage in your sport.

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France’s Cyril Despres earned the 25th stage victory of his career

France’s Cyril Despres earned the 25th stage victory of his career during the second day of competition at the 2011  Dakar Rally. Continuing his impressive pace to end approximately two minutes ahead of the competition, Despres faced a 300 km special in the trek from Cordoba to San Miguel de Tucuman. His efforts resulted in another hard-fought victory ahead of KTM rival, Marc Coma, who placed second in the lineup. Rounding out the podium was Frenchman David Casteu aboard his Sherco. Casteu is currently running sixth overall and more than 10 minutes adrift of Despres after hiting a spectator and losing significant time on Day 1.

The second stage of the trip featured completely new ground which hasn’t been covered in past rally events. With a backdrop reminiscent of bush landscapes the bikes and quads were separated from cars and trucks along the route. The route also encountered a track which included numerous jumps, giving preference to riders with MX experience. Despres led the competition the entire way through on the second day, making it the third time in his career that he’s taken a victory while opening the road section.

In the overall rankings, Ruben Faria of Portugal dropped back to third place after ending Stage 2 in fifth. Meanwhile, Chile’s Francisco Lopez Contardo (Aprilia) is running 38 seconds off the pace of Faria after taking fourth on Day 2.

A terrific duel between Despres and Coma is starting to take shape early in the contest. Coma finished the special on Day 2 just 1:49 behind his rival, and will need to pick up the pace in the coming days to chip away at an overall time deficit of 2:
Marc Coma moved up to second in the overall rankings after finishing just 1:49 behind Despres on Day 2.However, as years past have shown, it must be done legitimately. Coma saw his 2010 rally derailed by time penalties.

Jonah Street of USA remains 7:36 off the pace of the leader after finishing the second special in seventh. As a result the American has dropped to seventh in the overall rankings. Meanwhile fellow American Quinn Cody placed 13th for the second day in a row and is currently more than 15 minutes adrift of the leader.
 
Cyril Despres (FRA – KTM) 1st, 1st OA
“Today the track was full of bends and very skiddy, like a 300-km giant slalom with jumps, like skiing. I noticed at the refuelling point that I’d taken almost a minute less than Coma. I was feeling good, so I decided to attack a bit in the second part, though I was careful to look after my tires because I nearly wore them through today. The most important thing is to find a god pace and have the right feeling. For the moment, the riding demands a lot of concentration.”

Marc Coma (ESP – KTM) 2nd, 2nd OA
“It was a long stage, 300 km with lots of riding and virtually no navigation. I managed to get past Ruben Faria after losing a bit of time, so I tried to push on to make up time, but the main priority was to look after the tyres. Towards the end I slowed down a little to take it easy until the finishing line.”

David Casteu (FRA – Sherco) 3rd, 6th OA
“I asked for news about the spectator that I hit yesterday and he only has two broken ribs, so I’m very relieved, because it wasn’t a very easy evening to go through yesterday. Today, I was still thinking about it, but there were much less people on the tracks and I was able to attack a lot. I ended up in the dust of Rodrigues, Viladoms and Verhoeven. I even managed to overtake them, but it wasn’t easy. At one point, I was travelling at 163 kmph, which is not bad at all for a 450cc. The bike is working very well and I’m really enjoying riding it.”

Francisco Lopez (CHL – Aprilia) 4th, 4th OA
“I really had fun on this special. It was a stage that really suited my bike. Mind you, I suffered because of the dust quite a bit and it was difficult to catch up with the riders ahead. The race has really started for me now. It’s been a positive day.”

2011 Dakar Rally Stage 2 Results:
1. Cyril Despres, FRA (KTM) 03:19:11
2. Marc Coma, ESP (KTM) 03:21:00
Ruben Faria of Portugal was overcome on Day 2 by Coma and is now more than six minutes adrift of Despres.
3. David Casteu, FRA (Sherco) 03:22:57
4. Francisco Lopez Contardo, CHL (Aprilia) 03:23:17
5. Ruben Faria, PRT (KTM) 03:24:53
6. Olivier Pain, FRA (Yamaha) 03:25:55
7. Jonah Street, USA (Yamaha) 03:26:47
8. Paulo Goncalves, PRT (BMW) 03:26:50
9. Helder Rodrigues, PRT (Yamaha) 03:27:07
10. Frans Verhoeven, BEL (BMW) 03:27:23

2011 Dakar Rally Overall Standings:
1. Cyril Despres, FRA (KTM) 05:17:42
2. Marc Coma, ESP (KTM) 05:20:17
3. Ruben Faria, PRT (KTM) 05:23:55
4. Francisco Lopez Contardo, CHL (Aprilia) 05:24:33
5. Paulo Goncalves, PRT (BMW) 05:27:10
6. David Casteu, FRA (Sherco) 05:27:43
7. Jonah Street, USA (Yamaha) 05:27:56
8. Juan Pedrero Garcia, ESP (KTM) 05:28:32
9. Jose Helio Rodrigues Filho, BRA (BMW) 05:29:08
10. Frans Verhoeven, BEL (BMW) 05:29:482011 Dakar Rally Racing Gallery

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Riding to Nova Scotia

We had decided to visit our friend Tito, who had just moved up to Nova Scotia and bought a campground complete with cabins.There was a mix of bikes from my ‘92 Softail to Tito's Ducati Paseo. It was a bleary day, overcast with stretches of very dense fog. We enjoyed the scenery and even saw a bear cub roll down a hill next to the highway quickly followed by Mama Bear. We rode to the pace of the slowest rider since we were on vacation, but I know I wasn’t alone and chomping at the bit to go much faster. As always, I was holding down the rear of the pack.

We rode with Tito in the lead until we came to a nice church where some nuns served us lunch. After egg salad sandwiches with lemonade we hit the trail again. This time we rode the opposite direction, since we had done 75% of the trail at this point.

In the parking lot Jeff said: "I want to take off. I'll meet you back at camp." I asked to join him and he smiled and said, "You know what I’m about to do." I grinned and off we went. Tito, playing host, looked forlorn. I know he wanted to show us how it was done since he lived there.

Jeff and I have ridden over 20,000 miles together and sometimes I know what he’s going to do before it happens. We have similar riding styles despite his being on a BMW and me on a Harley-Davidson. He has about twice the hours on.

Some of the scenery viewed by our fan reporter on his Nova Scotia adventure.a race track than I do, despite my having raced semi-professionally during the '80s. He’s one of the few riders I know and trust implicitly. Unfortunately Jeff decided to ride the posted speed in mph instead of kph, but chasing Jeff was a lot of fun.

All was well as we rounded each corner, passing cars and RV's in a relatively safe manner. I was smiling the whole time. The roads were in great shape and since it was June the tourists were scarce. I was perhaps 20 feet off his tail and we rode as one bike. It was what I call ‘motorcycle ballet.’ Mile after mile of apexes and short straights kept us entertained. The fog had burned off and the weather was perfect.

We slowed into the town of Chetticamp out of respect and I noticed our friends appear in my mirror. Apparently Tito decided to pick up the pace after we left. As we were leaving town, we jumped back up to speed and quickly fell in behind a car going rather slow. Jeff jumped out to pass with me hot on his tail. That's when things quickly went wrong.

As Jeff was next to the driver's door and still accelerating a car turned onto the road heading straight for us. There was no way we were going to execute the pass. Jeff slammed on his brakes, dropped two gears and jumped in behind the car. As he did I saw his shoulders clench as if he was expecting me to slam into him. He later told me he had forgotten I was following him until he was behind the car. However, I knew what he was doing and managed to keep my distance. Needless to say I am very glad I replaced the stock brakes with upgrades earlier that year.


Safely back at camp our contributor was met by the rest of his group who had stories of their own. As the other car flew by, Jeff waved and off we went. We were really moving (at speeds I won’t admit to here) as we rounded the first corner. Around the next corner, I saw a Mountie Station to our right with several Mounties standing outside. They all looked up at us and one actually waved. We never slowed. I kept looking for a police car to come up from behind, but nothing followed.

Jeff tried to leave me at this point and was rather surprised that my '92 was able to keep up with his relatively new BMW. Actually, I think he wasn't very happy when I passed him during a long straightaway. However, I felt I had to show off my winter project upgrades. Since I’m not comfortable leading I shortly afterward signaled for him to take lead again.

Back at camp the others arrived about 20 minutes later and everyone was full of tales of how they saw our incident and thought we were history. Jeff and I laughed, but secretly we vowed to never do that again. Two years later we were to forget that vow in northern Georgia, but I’ll save that for another story.Touring Motorcycle News German Iron Curtain Motorcycle TourKensington Tours Adds New Motorcycle SeriesDr. Frazier: Where Adventures Begin and EndKawasaki Teryx - Las Vegas or BustTravel Canada in High Def with Vridetv More Touring Motorcycle News Recent Motorcycle Travel Articles German Iron Curtain Motorcycle Tour Motorcycle USA gets a taste of the old Iron Curtain as it treks through former East German border crossings in this motorcycle touring feature. Dr. Frazier: Where Adventures Begin and End Dr. Frazier heads to the source for planning a great motorcycle odyssee by participating in Horizons Unlimited, a Great Britain community for motorcycle travel enthusiasts.

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