RK Excel America

FMF/KTM rider Kurt Caselli secured his fourth overall win at the seventh round of the WORCS Series held in Washougal, WA with a pair of moto wins.

The seventh round of the series had the first moto scheduled on Friday and the second moto on Saturday, a day earlier than the typical WORCS race schedule. Despite the change in the race schedule, Caselli adapted well and showed up a day early to the Washington area ready to race.

Friday’s moto went as planned for Caselli. He got off to a great start nailing the holeshot and pulling to an early lead. By the halfway point Caselli had pulled to a 30 second lead. With only a lap remaining he conserved his energy and backed down the pace to cruise to an easy win ahead of Suzuki’s Josh Strang and Caselli’s FMF/KTM teammate Mike Brown.

On Saturday, it was Brown who claimed the holeshot and led the first lap followed by Caselli. “This race was all about the start,” commented Brown. “It was so dusty in the off-road section because they couldn’t water back there because of the tight trees, so if you weren’t out front early you were in for a challenge.”

Luckily Brown was out front and he was able to pull away. It looked like the second moto was in his favor until he lost his rear brakes with less than two laps to go. He had to return to the pits to get the repair made which handed the lead to his teammate Caselli. Brown returned to the race in 6th place and with one lap left was able to catch back up to 5th before the checkered flag. Caselli, who did not realize Brown had pulled off, crossed the checkers to take an unexpected win in the second moto to secure the overall victory for the weekend.

“I didn’t know Brown had pulled off. I never saw him off to the side or anything so I didn’t realize I was leading. It was definitely a nice surprise to cross the finish line and figure out that I was leading the race but I’m definitely bummed for Brown, he was on fire today,” remarked Caselli.

Brown’s 3-5 finishes secured him 4th overall for the event and placed him ahead of Justin Soule, whom he has been battling in the points chase.

Amongst the KTM’s on the podium this weekend was RPM/KTM rider Kacy Martinez. She won the women’s class and increased her points lead to 11 points over the next closest competitor, Elizabeth Bash.

Next Event: September 23-25, 2011 – Glen Helen Raceway

Nathan Woods Benefit Ride Day
Glen Helen Raceway – February 23, 2011

The off-road motorcycle community was deeply saddened when the news arrived that 2-time WORCS Champion Nathan Woods had passed away in a motorcycle accident last Friday during a practice session for the opening round of the WORCS.

Woods is survived by his wife Amanda and their two sons Nathan Jr and Braxton. Woods long-time friends FMF/KTM rider Kurt Caselli and his former mechanic Charles Jirsa have gathered some of Woods’ closest friends to organize a ride day with all proceeds going directly to the Woods family.

The ride day will be held at Glen Helen Raceway on February 23, 2011. A $20.00 admission fee will be charged to all riders with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the Woods family. Gates will open at 9:00am on the morning of the ride day and an open practice session will be held from 10:00am to 4:00pm. A silent auction will also be held until 4:00pm with all proceeds going to the Woods family. If you have any items you would like to donate to the silent auction please bring them to the track on the day of the ride.

Please help us spread the word by encouraging your whole family and friends to come out and ride to raise money for the family of an off-road icon that will never be forgotten.

WORCS Round 1

Taft, California

January 29-30, 2011

Today I sat down to write my race story and just couldn’t bring myself to do it. As many of you know, we lost a champion this past week and #54 is prominently on everyone’s mind. So in lieu of my race story, I wanted to dedicate this race story to Nathan Woods and his family. As many of you know, Nathan wasn’t just one of the best racers out there; he was also an amazing friend and teammate, as well as an awesome husband and father. I can’t think of him without thinking of the passion he had for the sport, the never-ending love he had for Amanda, Nate and Braxton and his sense of humor that was more than a match for all of us on Team USA. We had some great times and I will cherish all the great memories. We were all lucky to have him in our lives and he will forever be remembered in our hearts! Godspeed Nathan!

Other Notes:

Saturday’s noon pro race was cancelled and turned into a memorial ride where all of us did a parade lap after we had a moment of silence and prayer. The most amazing part was Amanda rode on the back of Charles’s (one of his old mechanics) bike while one of Nathan’s sons (Braxton) rode with Kurt Caselli. It was really a tough moment to see. Everyone at the race showed up to the start to be part of this.

I have to commend WORCS for everything they did during this tough time and I feel like they did the right thing. They also awarded Woody with the most points for the weekend. They retired #54 and I think that was a great tribute to Nathan and his family. He was the winningest Pro WORCS rider and we will all remember him as a great competitor and a huge ambassador to our sport!

Here are some cool videos along with some photos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe34xTZyCQY

http://vimeo.com/10443396

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqk85OLxAYU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCVGBKmKkas

God Bless,

Destry and family.

Riders:

Robby Bell Kawasaki KX450F Pro
JP Davis Kawasaki KX450F Pro

The 4th race of the WORCS series took place in Adelanto at the Racetown 395 MX track. The weather was near perfect in the high 70s. The course layout was mostly desert with lots of whoops. The mx track was prepped well and a Worcs Cross section was added. The lap times were just over 9 minutes.

As the gate dropped, Robby timed it perfect and pulled the holeshot. He led through the moto and into the offroad. JP was not so fortunate and was back in the 20s. As they completed the 1st lap, Robby was in 3rd. While pushing the pace in the offroad, he made a little mistake and fell over. JP was breaking into the top 20 and pushing forward.

The next few laps, Robby continued to battle in the top 5, as positions changed with pit stop strategies. JP continued to push forward picking up 1 or 2 positions per lap. At the mid way point in the race, Robby was in 5th, JP was up to 13th. This course is always a tough one, and many riders tend to get tired in the 2nd hour creating opportunities. Robby looked to make this work for him and picked up the pace. Unfortunatly this bit him as he lost the front end in a corner and hit the ground head first. While the bike was okay, hitting his head meant he needed to be smart and stop.

Meanwhile JP was moving up. With only a few laps to go, he was into the top 10. While battling for 8th, he made a few mistakes, and dropped to 10th. This is where he would finish.

Our A and B riders had an up and down weekend. Jack Achey Continues to lead the points in the 125A class and is improving well in the 15-29A class. He was running second, but an untimely fuel stop cost him. Mark Harstine had a great start in the 450B, running top four. But the third place rider went down right in front of him, and with nowhere to go, he got collected up and went down hard. beat up and bruised, he passed nearly half the riders getting to the finish.

The next race in the WORCS series is Honey Lake. This is a favorite for our riders. We have been making progress in some areas, we just need to put it all together now. We look to Honey Lake to be the break out ride for both our Pros.

Thanks for all the help, I will try to get pictures asap, our photographer went on vacation right after the race so I will get them next week.

Bob Bell

Team coordinator

ADELANTO, Calif. ─ Husaberg Factory Racing rider Nathan Woods rode a strong race at the fourth round of the WORCS after making a come from behind charge through the pack to finish 9th overall.

“I had the worst start,” remarked Woods. “Bobby Garrison and I got our bars tangled and dropped to the end of the pack. I spent the rest of the day trying to pass anyone I could.”

At the end of the first lap Woods sat in 17th place closing in on a large pack of riders ahead. He continued to turn down fast lap times moving closer to the top ten. “I made a few mistakes in the off-road section and probably crashed three times throughout the duration of the race.”

In the last quarter of the race Woods began to make the majority of his passes as the other riders tired. He made his final pass of the day into 9th position on Destry Abbott. “My endurance paid off today as I made my move on riders with only a few laps to go. It feels good to finish in the top ten but I am really focused on moving up into the top five.”

NEXT RACE
Round 5: May 14-16, Milford, CA

Adelanto, CA – FMF/KTM riders Mike Brown and Kurt Caselli finished 1st and 2nd overall at the fourth round of the WORCS at Racetown 395.

The track conditions were rough and the weather was hot neither of which bothered the FMF/KTM Factory stars Brown and Caselli as they dominated the field in the desert terrain of Southern California.

Off the line, Brown was the lead KTM rider in 5th position with Caselli sitting in 9th. Brown maintained 5th position for the first few laps before passing for 4th and soon 3rd near the halfway point. Meanwhile Caselli quickly picked off the bottom ten riders and was soon sitting in 5th position before the pit.

Brown lost some time to current leader Ricky Dietrich when he stopped for gas first. The following lap Brown began to reel in Dietrich and made the pass the following lap. Brown was able to pull more on the field when most riders pit the next lap.

Caselli turned up the heat after the gas stop first passing into 4th and then moving to an easy 3rd position after Kyle Summers broke with two laps to go. Caselli was soon hot on the trail of a tiring Dietrich, who was suffering from flu-like symptoms. Caselli quickly moved around Dietrich and began to close the gap on his teammate Brown.

Brown took home the win with his son there to greet him. “I always seem to win when my son comes to the races, I think he needs to start coming to them all,” commented Brown after the event. Caselli finished in 2nd just a few seconds down from Brown and Dietrich rounded out the podium in 3rd.

FMF/KTM Hare & Hound rider David Kamo made the drive from Idaho to participate in the Adelanto race. Kamo suffered from a poor start, caught and passed a few riders early on and then and rode a consistent pace to finish the race. “I struggled a bit here. I am used to being in 5th gear pinned at the desert races, and I never saw 5th gear once today,” remarked Kamo. “But it is always worth the drive to come here for the race experience and the added training.”

Brown’s win today moves him up to third in championship points while Caselli remains in the lead 6 points ahead of Dietrich. “I would have liked to take home the win here today, but when I can’t get it – it is good to know the guy ahead of me is my teammate,” stated Caselli.

Next Event: Round 5 – Milford, CA – May 14-16, 2010

Murrieta, CA – KTM Motorsports is proud to announce the signing of a two-year contract with defending MX2 World Champion Marvin Musquin to race in the United States aboard the KTM Factory Racing Team.

The French rider, Musquin, moved to the European Red Bull/KTM Factory Team in 2009 and went on to win the number one plate in the MX2 class. For 2010, he is contending the same class in defense of his title. He is off to a great start after sweeping both motos to take the win at the opening round in Bulgaria.

“We are excited to have Marvin as a member of the 2011 US KTM Factory Racing Team. Just look at his results – he is a defending MX2 World Champion, had great results at the 2009 Bercy Supercross and has already dominated at the opening round of the Grand Prix Series, he is a perfect fit for the direction we would like to take the team,” commented KTM US Racing Team Manager Casey Lytle.

In announcing the contract, Pit Beirer, Director of KTM Offroad Racing said the company was extremely happy to have secured Marvin’s services for another two years. “We have confidence in him and he has confidence in us,” Beirer said.

Musquin was also elated to sign his contract, “It has always been a dream of mine to race in America. I am excited to race against the US competition on tracks that will be very new to me. I am glad I was able to stay with KTM, where I am already comfortable with the team and bike,” remarked Musquin.

Musquin is looking forward to the GP that will be held at Glen Helen as it will be not only a chance for him to race on US soil, but also an opportunity for him to meet his new team and pick out a place to live for the next two years. “I was very excited to hear about the GP in America as it will give me a chance to race on an American track against my European competitors but also the strong American competition.”

In addition, to Musquin coming over to the US, 10-time World Champion and KTM’s Director of Motocross Racing, Stefan Everts, has announced his intention to travel more frequently to the US to give the same attention to the KTM US Factory Racing efforts as the successful European Team.

“My objective this year is to visit the United States multiple times to provide more support to our current team riders and also scout out the competition as KTM will be expanding its racing efforts for 2011,” remarked Everts.

After taking a step back to restructure its racing program in 2010, KTM is ready to step forward in 2011 and back into the spotlight. “By signing Marvin to ride in the USA KTM is announcing its intention to build up a new structure. This is our first milestone in a program that is designed to steer us into becoming real contenders in US competition. We consider it as a very strong and positive move,” commented Beirer.

Race Report for Lake Havasu WORCS Race Round 3

Riders

Robby Bell KX450F Pro 6th
JP Davis KX450F Pro 15th
Justin Seeds KX450F Pro-2 5th
Jack Achey KX250F A 7th
Mark Harstine KX450F B 15th

Lake Havasu is always one of the biggest races of the year. It’s an awesome setting on the island in the middle of the lake. The course is very demanding with a moto section up on top, and deep sand whoops for the rest. There’s even a lagoon jump over the water. It’s tight, technical, and with lap times in the 6 minute range, you get double the amount of laps compared to other races.

In the Pros, Robby and JP were both looking for their best finishes of the year. In qualifying, Robby took sixth, his personal best. JP was looking good in practice, but got a flat front tire in qualifying and took a disappointing 16th.

In the race, Robby got off in sixth. He put on a great charge and moved into second on lap two. From here he ran up front until deep into the race when the flu he has been fighting caught up with him and he dropped back to sixth. I’m sending Robby’s race report for a more in depth story.

JP got off to a top ten start, but then had problems with his steering and needed a long pit stop for repairs. This killed any chance to challenge for a front spot. He salvaged fifteenth.

Justin rode hard all weekend, and his results continue to improve. He took 5th in the Pro-2s 5th in the 450A, and 9th in the Open A.

Jack rode well, but a smoked clutch slowed him and he took 7th in the ultra competitive 250F A class.

Mark Harstine started his weekend getting run over. Beat up and bloody, he raced on and came from 40th to 15th in the 450 B class.

Next Worcs race is at 395 Cycle Park near Victorville, CA. Robby will be over his bout with the flu, and is super motivated by his early run at Havasu. JP will have the bike problems handled, and looks to better his 6th place Primm finish. All of our guys will be testing at 395 and getting plenty of time on the track before the race so we will be more prepared than ever.

Thanks for all the support, in tough times, it’s great to have the best sponsors in the business. I Will send pictures as soon.

Bob Bell

Team Coordinator

LAKE HAVASU, Ariz. ─ Husaberg Factory rider Nathan Woods is returning to his true form after having his best showing yet at the third round of the WORCS at the Crazy Horse Campground in Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Woods started the race well in 3rd position. He held that position for the first lap before dropping into 5th. Woods settled into 5th position maintaining that spot for the first half of the race running consistent lap times with the lead riders.

Just before the gas stop near the halfway mark of the race, Woods crashed in the off-road section and lost time as he had to drag his Husaberg out of the thick bushes. He stopped in the pits to make sure his bike was intact and went back to pounding laps. He charged hard the final half of the race and was able to move himself back into the top ten to finish a hard fought 9th overall.

“I felt really strong today and feel like I could have finished within the top five had things gone my way. Unfortunately, my crash before the pit stop set me back but it was good to know that I am finally back up to speed and in contention for some top five finishes,” remarked Woods.

NEXT RACE
Round 4: April 18, Adelanto, Calif.

OVERALL RESULTS –
1) Ricky Dietrich
2) Mike Brown
3) Kurt Caselli
4) Kyle Summers
5) Justin Soule
6) Robby Bell
7) Gary Sutherlin
Colton Udall
9) Nathan Woods – Husaberg
10) Chris Johnson

Lake Havasu, AZ – FMF/KTM riders Mike Brown and Kurt Caselli finished 2nd and 3rd respectively at the third round of the WORCS race in front of the wild Lake Havasu fans.

Both riders suffered off the start, with Caselli stuck mid-pack and Brown near last after taking two kicks to start his bike from the dead engine start. They quickly made up for their slow start when they both passed their way into the top ten within the first few laps. By the third lap Brown had moved into 5th and Caselli was sitting in 6th. Brown moved up to 4th on the fourth lap and then 3rd on the fifth lap and maintained that position for the majority of the race. On the fourth lap Caselli suffered a big crash which sidelined him for about a minute. When he recovered he had lost valuable time and was back near the tail end of the pack.

Caselli came in for the gas and took off on a mission from there. He quickly moved back up into the top ten gaining positions each lap. Meanwhile, Brown had moved into 2nd place and Caselli was coming up from behind. At the end of the race Brown was able to hold on to 2nd position with Caselli finishing just two seconds back in 3rd.

“I had a tough crash today but overall enjoyed this race. It was sandy and rough as it usually is over here but it is always fun to come out and race for the large crowd,” commented Caselli.

Adding to the day’s podium results was RPM/KTM rider Kacy Martinez who took the win in the women’s class. Now three rounds into the series, Martinez holds the championship points lead.

Next Event: Round 4 – Adelanto, CA – April 16-18, 2010

Overall Results –
1. Ricky Dietrich
2. Mike Brown – KTM
3. Kurt Caselli – KTM
4. Kyle Summers
5. Justin Soule

Overall Points –
1. Kurt Caselli – 65
2. Ricky Dietrich – 61
3. Justin Soule – 49
4. Mike Brown – 45
5. Robby Bell – 41