JUNE 2015 - Dunlop Motorcycle Tires

JUNE 2015
Hands of a builder, page 10
CONTENTS
2
4
THE AMAZING JOURNEY OF CAREY HART
6
DUNLOP RIDERS RULE IN GNCC
8
RUSSELL RIPS IN AMA NATIONAL ENDURO
ON THE COVER:
10
VICTORY RACES TO THE CLOUDS
Josh Hayes scored an historic
20
CHANGING FORTUNES AT ROAD ATLANTA & VIR
32
DOUG POLEN RIDES DUNLOP TIRES LAP OF HONOR AT VIR
34
DUNLOP SWEEPS HANGTOWN AMA MOTOCROSS OPENER
46
BUCKET LIST
48
THE CHAMPIONS
74
SUPERCROSS 2015
82
UPCOMING EVENTS
50th Superbike win at VIR.
Photo: Brian “Happy 50th” Nelson
Dunlop has gone social, so join the conversation on our Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest pages, and check out our
latest videos on the Dunlop YouTube channel.
@RideDunlop
Dunlop Download magazine is published for Dunlop Motorcycle Tires by Vreeke & Associates. www.vreeke.com
3
THE AMAZING JOURNEY OF
CAREY HART
Dunlop-sponsored Carey Hart is one of the most iconic characters in our sport. A top
privateer motocross racer, Hart became a household name among extreme athletes
and fans for landing the world’s first backflip at the televised Gravity Games in 2000 in
front of millions of viewers. Still an active freestyle rider decades after that defining
moment, Hart went on to become a successful entrepreneur with a string of tattoo
parlors, his own reality show, the Hart and Huntington clothing company and a
nightclub in the Las Vegas Hard Rock; most recently he became the co-owner with
Ricky Carmichael of RCH Suzuki Racing. New fame came when he married rock star
Pink, and along with it the need for some peace and quiet.
CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO OF HART’S AMAZING JOURNEY
4
5
DUNLOP RIDERS
RULE IN GNCC
After five rounds in the 13-round 2015
name for 150 points. And that’s saying a
went down and restarted dead last.
AMA AMSOIL Grand National Cross
lot, considering just how grueling these
“It was a tough day straight from the
Country Series, one trend became clear,
three-hour-long GNCC events are.
start,” Russell said after the race. “The
there’s still plenty of racing ahead, and
Meanwhile, second place in the
track was slick and a lot worse than I had
anything can happen. However, one trend
standings with 118 points is another
anticipated, but it got better and better. It
is clear: If you want to climb the podium,
Dunlop rider: Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
took me a good bit to catch the leaders,
riding on Dunlop tires is a great way to
Factory Racing’s Josh Strang. After
but it was one of those days you wanted
get there.
nailing down four consecutive runner-up
someone in front of you. That last lap I
finishes he had to settle for a fourth-place
knew I needed to minimize mistakes and
Dunlop-sponsored Kailub Russell is
finish at round 5, the Limestone 100 in
ride well, and I was able to do that.”
riding his Factory FMF KTM in the
Springville, IN.
premier XC1 Pro Class, and as 2014
6
This latest victory also serves as a career
champ he’s on a tear to keep that
Russell’s Limestone win didn’t come
milestone; it elevated Russell’s GNCC
number-one plate on his bike—can you
easily, as rainfall the day before made for
total wins to 27, surpassing legendary
say five for five? Russell is absolutely
challenging track conditions. Shortly after
1980s racer Ed Lojak for third place on
perfect on the year with every win to his
the start, he collided with another rider,
the list of all-time winners.
7
RUSSELL RIPS IN AMA NATIONAL ENDURO
Dunlop-shod factory KTM rider Kailub Russell enjoys full control of the 2015 AMA National Enduro Series after
the fifth of 10 rounds finished up in Park Hills, MO. In fact, three of the top five riders in the points standings
were Dunlop-sponsored, including Russell in the points lead, KTM teammate Russell Bobbitt in third and
Andrew DeLong on a Husqvarna in fifth.
There is scarcely a greater test of a rider, bike and tires than an enduro, which requires racers and their
equipment to generate mistake-free speed under wide variations in terrain over six special tests. In the most
recent event, the Lead Belt National Enduro, Russell scored his first overall win of the year in particularly tough
conditions that included slippery woods sections and plenty of water crossings. In doing so, the KTM rider
mastered the course perfectly, winning four of the six tests along the way and finishing second in the other two.
At the finish, Russell had clawed out an advantage of 1 minute and 37 seconds over the second-place rider.
The 10-month-long series revs up again in Upton, WY, on June 14.
8
9
VICTORY RACES
TO THE CLOUDS
Victory Motorcycles and Roland Sands Design have joined forces to conquer Pikes Peak
with a machine built by Sands and his RSD staff and powered by a prototype engine from
Victory. We caught Sands mid-build and asked him what it was all about.
10
RSD SPONSORED BY DUNLOP 11
12
13
MY HEART HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON
THE RACETRACK SO THIS IS A
PERFECT WAY TO GET BACK INTO
RACING WITH FACTORY SUPPORT
DOING WHAT I DO TODAY—
DESIGNING ONE-OFF
MOTORCYCLES.
DD: What was the genesis of this project?
RS: Victory is looking to establish a high-performance brand. The obvious
way to do that is through racing and building high-performance products.
They’re doing it with drag racing and now by taking on Pikes Peak with
RSD and a prototype product.
Why did Victory take this on?
They wanna go fast.
A prototype engine is a huge deal. What do you think of that level of
commitment?
It’s a huge amount of effort from a lot of people and it shows Polaris is
committed to the Victory brand. With Indian coming on board it took a lot
of attention initially and Victory was in the shadows, so I see them working
to reestablish the brand while attempting to separate it from Indian. This
motor is a big step in that direction. The guys who have been working on
the project, Alex Opperman in particular, have been doing this project
predominately off the clock, so they really believe in what we’re doing.
What’s the most important at Pikes Peak in terms of the bike?
What’s most important is to make Cycle World’s Don Canet, who’s riding
the bike, comfortable. Of course it’s got to be lightweight and fast and
handle well. Those are all things we’re working towards daily. This project
is really insane because we are building a racing motorcycle in two
months from scratch on a tight budget, so every decision is critical.
Fingers-crossed it works as good as we hope it does.
14
15
WE GET THE SATISFACTION OF
BUILDING A ONE-OFF RACING
MOTORCYCLE WITH A BEAUTIFUL
AND RADICAL ONE-OFF MOTOR
FROM VICTORY FOR AMERICA’S
GREATEST ROAD RACE.
Is Pikes Peak becoming our Isle of Man?
It’s about as close as we get here in the States. There are other hill climb
races, but Pikes is the longest running and the most grand.
What does your bike have that other entries don’t?
I’m not sure what else is coming. But I would venture to say it will be the
only ground-up, hand-built-in-the-USofA prototype motorcycle running up
the hill.
What does this project mean to you personally and RSD?
My heart has always been on the racetrack, so this is a perfect way to get
back into racing with factory support doing what I do today—designing
one-off motorcycles. And this bike being designed specifically for Pikes
Peak is timed nicely with RSD going in a more high-performance direction.
So it’s the right move and an interesting story as well.
What do you get out of this?
We get the satisfaction of building a one-off racing motorcycle with
a beautiful and radical one-off motor from Victory for America’s greatest
road race.
What does Victory get out of this?
They get race cred, the tie-in with RSD and a strong marketing message
that touches both the racing and custom world with what will hopefully be a
successful Pikes campaign and a beautiful finished product. But I think
both those things ring true for both RSD and Victory. We want the same
things out of this. It’s a really good collaboration. Motor just showed
up...got to go!
16
17
18
19
CHANGING FORTUNES
AT ROAD ATLANTA & VIR
20
RIDERS SPONSORED BY DUNLOP
21
CAMERONBEAUBIER
22
23
“It was probably one of the lowest points of my career,” said
Other riders who pulled out impressive results at the
Yoshimura Suzuki Superbike rider Roger Lee Hayden after the
dreary Road Atlanta event were Joe Roberts who won both
MotoAmerica race weekend at Road Atlanta. Hayden set pole
Superstock 600 races on his Meen Yamaha, Josh Day who
for the April 19 event—his first of the year—but with both
won the Superstock 1000 contests after being a last-minute
races run in wet, at times very wet conditions, keeping a huge-
replacement to the Yamalube/Westby Superstock effort,
horsepower motorcycle rubber down was a challenge.
and Superbike rookie Jake Lewis who finished on the
Unfortunately, Hayden crashed out of both Superbike races
podium—twice—in his first rain race on the Yoshimura
held at Atlanta.
Suzuki Superbike.
Riders who were able to stay aboard and upright in the tricky
Lewis said, “I was always a good rain rider, but I was having a
conditions capitalized all weekend long. Yamaha Superbike
tough time getting used to it on the 1000. My parents talked to
rider Cameron Beaubier did his first ever Superbike double,
me and told me they had confidence in me and reminded me I
winning both races at Atlanta. He departed the red Georgia
was good in wet conditions. I woke up Sunday morning and
clay with a 30-point lead in the championship.
decided to push harder and it paid off. I got a lot of my
confidence back racing in these conditions, and it feels great
“I struggled a lot in the wet in the few outings we had last year.
to be on the podium. Hopefully I can keep it up as the season
To get two wins in the wet, sketchy conditions today was good
goes on.”
for my confidence. In the first race Josh [Hayes] and Roger
[Hayden] were riding really good and it was a bummer to see
In practice and qualifying there was a sound on the track not
Roger Lee go down. I put my head down and started clicking off
heard in some time in U.S. national racing—a Ducati
laps. I just kept going, kept going. I had a good feel in the wet. I
Superbike, and one lapping very quickly. Young racer Huntley
didn’t want to throw it down, but I just kept clicking off laps.”
Nash took a week off college to enter the Road Atlanta
MotoAmerica event on the LTD Ducati. Atlanta is his home
Even Beaubier was shocked when Hayden pulled away and
track, and friends and family were on hand to see him qualify
also when he eventually crashed out. “‘Oh, man, he’s gone,’ I
fourth in the wet. A crash and mechanical gremlins killed his
thought,” said the California rider. “I was struggling a little bit
dream of a podium finish in Superbike at Atlanta, but Nash
with grip. I saw Rog crash, then I saw Josh [Hayes] crash. It
was back in action at VIR, and always threatening.
was a bummer. I want to race those guys to the finish. I just
kept trucking along.”
The pendulum swung the other way at Virginia International
The biggest news on Saturday was the return of former
hard—to win both of VIR’s Superbike races, scoring his 50th
Superbike champion Josh Herrin to the winner’s circle in the
and 51st career AMA Superbike wins. Roger Hayden
U.S. Herrin, riding a Meen Motorsports R6, won Saturday’s
performed a minor miracle by finishing second in VIR’s second
Supersport race by .482 of a second. On Sunday it was
Superbike race. As the series hits June, Beaubier leads Hayes
Herrin’s rival Garrett Gerloff who took home the top
131 to 115 in the MotoAmerica Superbike championship
middleweight prize.
points tally.
Raceway (VIR) in mid-May. Yamaha’s Hayes rebounded—
ROGER LEEHAYDEN
24
25
JAKELEWIS
26
GARRETTGERLOFF
27
JOEROBERTS
28
JOSHHERRIN
29
50 WINS
30
Josh Hayes made history at VIR. He became only the second rider in the 39-year history of AMA Superbike racing to win
50 Superbike races. The first rider to achieve the magical milestone was Mat Mladin. Hayes followed up his historic win
with another victory on the second day of the VIR double-header, bringing his total to 51 wins—all of them on Dunlop tires.
31
DOUG POLEN
RIDES DUNLOP TIRES LAP OF HONOR AT VIR
Doug Polen rode the Dunlop Tires Lap of Honor at the
MotoAmerica race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), led
the fan ride, signed autographs and presented the Superbike
trophies on Sunday.
Polen came up through the amateur ranks, winning races
across the country before turning pro. He competed in AMA
races before focusing on the World Superbike Championship,
which he dominated in both 1991 and 1992 on a Fast By
Ferracci Ducati. In the 1991 title chase, he set fastest lap at 13
different tracks, a single-season record that remains to this day.
The following year, he not only won the World Superbike
Championship, he also competed in enough rounds of the AMA
Superbike Championship to finish third. In 1993, he was back in
the U.S. full time and won the AMA Superbike Championship.
Two years later, he won the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours with
teammate Aaron Slight on Honda’s RC45. In 1997, he set his
sights on the World Endurance Championship and won it two
years in a row.
Polen won extensively on Dunlop tires, and he was known as
one of the best development riders in the paddock. He worked
closely with Dunlop to develop race tires throughout his
professional career.
32
33
DUNLOP SWEEPS HANGTOWN AMA PRO MOTOCROSS OPENER
If you weren’t on Dunlop tires, you weren’t on the podium. That’s how clear
2-1 to edge out Red Bull/KTM Factory Racing rival Marvin Musquin (1-2 motos)
the advantages of the Geomax MX32 and MX52 were for Dunlop-sponsored
for the overall win, with Team Dunlop alumni Chris Alldredge (5-3) likewise on
riders at the season-opening 2015 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in
the box on his Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Rock River Powersports/Yamaha-
Sacramento, CA, on Saturday, May 16. But that’s not too much of a surprise
mounted Alex Martin (6-4) and Star Racing/Yamaha’s Anthony Rodriguez (7-6)
since the last four champions in both the 450 and 250 AMA Pro Motocross
rounded out the top five—all on Dunlop Geomax tires.
series got there on Dunlop tires.
Then in the premier 450 class, Factory Connection/Honda’s Eli Tomac simply
Dunlop has won nearly two-thirds of all AMA Motocross and Supercross titles
ripped the field apart, dominating the Prairie City SVRA’s famous loam with
since 1972.
breathtaking efficiency. He won the first moto by 22 seconds and the second
by an astounding 1 minute and 31 seconds, leading all 33 race laps in the
34
The longest-running event on the AMA Pro MX calendar, the annual Hangtown
process. Red Bull/KTM Factory’s Ryan Dungey turned in robust 2-2 motos
Motocross Classic is eagerly awaited as the start of the outdoor season. In the
for second overall, and Jason Anderson (3-7) grabbed third overall in his 450
250 MX class, Star Racing/Yamaha’s defending champion Jeremy Martin went
MX debut for Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna.
35
ELITOMAC
36
37
RYANDUNGEY
38
39
JEREMYMARTIN
40
41
MARVINMUSQUIN
42
43
CHRISALLDREDGE
44
JASONANDERSON
45
BUCKET
LIST
WSBK CHAMP BAYLISS TO
RACE AMA PRO FLAT TRACK MILES
46
One of the most storied names in motorcycle racing
Halbert has been great. I really look forward to my time in
tracks, and then back to dusty mile bullrings that once
history is returning to the grid so he can cross a few
the U.S. of A.”
littered the country.
champion and MotoGP race winner Troy Bayliss has
Bayliss will race a Ducati strongly resembling the firm’s
And it is primal: Speeds top 130 mph before riders throw
bikes sideways for the first turn.
items off his own bucket list. Three-time World Superbike
signed a deal to race all of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand
new Scrambler model. His teammate on the Italian
National Mile races in the summer of 2015. Bayliss will
machines will be Johnny Lewis. Bayliss will use his
race a Ducati for Lloyd Brothers Motorsports, starting at
signature number 21, and the machines will be painted
When Bayliss checks his first mile dirt track off his bucket
the iconic Springfield Mile.
yellow and white when he rolls his booming twin out
list, he’ll be on Dunlop tires for the first time since he
for practice.
raced the AMA Superbike series in 2000. Dunlop’s
Sportmax® DT3 is the official tire of AMA Pro Flat Track.
A lifelong dirt track racer, Bayliss has been a fan of
the sport but never raced flat track in the U.S. where
Bayliss is no knob-level stranger to the U.S. dirt track
Made in Buffalo, NY, the DT3 was developed by guys like
it originated.
scene—he has trained and raced with Yamaha rider JD
Jake Johnson, Brad Baker, JD Beach, Bryan Smith,
Beach in Kentucky, and has long wanted to enter a Mile.
Hayden Gillim and Kenny Coolbeth.
“Dirt riding and flat track racing are where I cut my teeth
He feels that the cerebral and precise method of attack
as a junior,” said Bayliss. “Everything I learned on the dirt
required on the Miles will play into his strengths as a rider.
Bayliss has raced on legendary racetracks from Phillip
Island in his home country of Australia, to Laguna Seca in
helped me through my career in road racing, and to find
myself back where it all started takes me to my roots. To
There’s nothing in the world like racing on the clay miles.
California, to Donington Park in England. Now the former
race the Grand Nationals will be a challenge, but to
Dirt track is generally regarded as the oldest form of
MotoGP race winner will turn a wheel at another less
compete with the Lloyd Brothers on the Ducati had to be
motorcycle racing in the world; dirt track racing predates
paved but no less legendary circuit: the Springfield Mile.
done. Flat track is on the up here in Australia. We have
the AMA, and even Harley-Davidson. In the very early
run the Troy Bayliss Classic for the past three years, and
days of two-wheeled sport, motorcycle racing
Legend has it the fastest riders at Springfield never let
mixing it up with Henry Wiles, Jared Mees and Sammy
basically started as dirt track, then moved to board
off the throttle.
47
THE CHAMPIONS
The list of riders who have won AMA Pro Supercross and Motocross Championships
includes virtually every legend in the sport. Name a rider who left an indelible mark
on the record books, and chances are Dunlop tires carried him there.
From 1973 when Gary Jones won the 250 National Motocross Championship on
Dunlops to 2015 when Dunlop-sponsored riders swept all the Supercross titles for
the fifth year in a row, Dunlop riders have won an astounding 136 SX and MX
championships, more than all the other tire companies combined.
Some of the greats broke records and scored multiple titles in multiple classes:
Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Stanton, Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward, Ricky Carmichael, Broc
Glover, Ryan Villopoto, Doug Henry, David Bailey, Bob Hannah, Ryan Dungey—
the list is seemingly endless.
RICKYJOHNSON
48
49
RYANVILLOPOTO
50
51
BROCGLOVER
JEREMYMCGRATH
52
TRAVISPASTRANA
53
RICKYCARMICHAEL
54
55
BOBHANNAH
JEAN-MICHELBAYLE
56
JEREMYMARTIN
57
DAVIDBAILEY
JASONANDERSON
58
WILHAHN
MARKBARNETT
59
DONNIEHANSEN
TREYCANARD
60
DOUGHENRY
61
GARYJONES
BLAKEBAGGETT
62
STEVELAMSON
GREGALBERTYN
JUSTINBOGLE
63
MICKYDYMOND
JUSTINBARCIA
64
JEFFWARD
65
JEFFSTATON
JEFFEMIG
66
ELITOMAC
JAKEWEIMER
67
BROCTICKLE
TYDAVIS
JOHNNYO’MARA
68
CHRISTOPHEPOURCEL
MIKEKIEDROWSKI
69
CHADREED
70
KENROCZEN
71
RYANDUNGEY
72
73
SUPERCROSS 2015
Tight and exciting racing with loads of brand parity
was still a huge crowd for the East/West Shootout, which
marked the AMA Supercross season for 2015, giving fans
pitted the best of the 250 East racers against the top
all around the country plenty to cheer about. Inevitably
250 West riders in head-to-head competition. To nobody’s
and inexorably, the top riders in each class—450 SX,
surprise, that final night in Las Vegas proved a sure bet for
250 SX West and 250 SX East—charged their way to the
brilliant racing, with Musquin defeating all comers in the
head of the standings to decide all three championships
Shootout to claim top gun honors among all 250 riders.
prior to season’s end. For jobs well done, our
Meanwhile, Dungey capped off a great year with his eighth
congratulations go out to Dunlop-sponsored Ryan
win of the season—a career-best accomplishment—to
Dungey, Cooper Webb and Marvin Musquin in their
close out the long, wearying 450 series.
respective championship-winning efforts.
With that, Supercross 2015 is now history, with more
74
While these early coronations eliminated some of the
head-to-head drama coming up quickly for the outdoor
suspense leading into the season finale in Las Vegas, there
Motocross season.
75
DUNLOP NOW HAS 136 CHAMPIONSHIPS IN
AMA PRO SUPERCROSS AND MOTOCROSS, MORE
THAN ALL THE OTHER TIRE COMPANIES COMBINED
RYANDUNGEY
Hard to believe, but KTM’s Ryan Dungey didn’t win a SX race in
2015 until round 5. But by season’s end he had racked up eight
wins in all, in a dominating display of speed and consistency.
76
77
DUNLOP RIDERS HAVE WON EVERY SUPERCROSS
CHAMPIONSHIP FOR FIVE YEARS IN A ROW ON
GEOMAX MX32- AND MX52-PATTERNED TIRES
MARVINMUSQUIN
Following an injury-plagued 2014, Marvin Musquin more than
made up for lost time by cranking out an early championship
for Red Bull/KTM Factory Racing in the 250 SX East series.
78
79
COOPERWEBB
Yamaha’s Cooper Webb started out hot and stayed hot in 250 SX West
racing. By the close of round 7 he had racked up five wins to amass a
commanding points lead and nail down his first AMA Supercross title.
80
81
UPCOMING EVENTS
June 6
AMA Motocross Round 4
Muddy Creek Raceway
Blountville, TN
June 20
AMA Pro Flat Track Round 5
Hagerstown Speedway
Hagerstown, MD
June 27
AMA Pro Flat Track Round 6
Allen County Fairgrounds
Lima, OH
July 17-19
MotoAmerica Round 7
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, CA
June 6-7
GNCC Round 8
Sunday Creek Raceway
Millfield, OH
June 20-21
GNCC Round 9
Snowshoe Mountain Resort
Snowshoe, WV
July 4
AMA Pro Flat Track Round 7
Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
Du Quoin, IL
July 18
AMA Motocross Round 8
Spring Creek MX Park
Millville, MN
June 12-14
MotoAmerica Round 5
Barber Motorsports Park
Birmingham, AL
June 26-28
MotoAmerica Round 6
Miller Motorsports Park
Tooele, UT
July 4
AMA Motocross Round 7
RedBud MX
Buchanan, MI
July 25
AMA Motocross Round 9
Washougal MX Park
Washougal, WA
June 13
AMA Motocross Round 5
High Point Raceway
Mt. Morris, PA
June 27
AMA Motocross Round 6
Budds Creek Motocross
Mechanicsville, MD
July 11
AMA Pro Flat Track Round 8
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Indianapolis, IN
August 8
AMA Motocross Round 10
Unadilla MX
New Berlin, NY
©2015 Dunlop • P. O. Box 1109, Buffalo, New York 14240-1109 • 1-800-845-8378 • dunlopmotorcycle.com