In 450MX class racing, Bel-Ray sponsored Rockstar Energy Racing’s Ryan Sipes took advantage of his new move to the 450 class with an excellent 6^th place overall following 8-7 moto finishes. Sipes raced the 250 class during the Supercross season, but he made the move to the 450 class after teammate Davi Millsaps was forced to have season ending surgery on an injured leg. Millsaps will rehab during the summer in preparation of defending his second place Supercross series finish. In addition to Sipes, Bel-Ray privateers Derek Anderson and Lowell Spangler qualified for the 40-man final motos. Anderson’s 27^th overall came from 38-23 moto finishes. Anderson’s first moto was cut short after a flying rock cut his face, and he was forced to pull out. He received stitches in between the motos and soldiered back for a strong second moto. Spangler took the long trip from his Pennsylvania home to compete against the best in the county, and his 26-28 moto scores earned him 30^th overall for the day.

In 250MX class racing, all three Rockstar Energy team members scored top 20 moto results, with Jason Anderson leading the way. Anderson finished 12^th in the first moto and backed it up with a strong 6^th in the second moto for a 7^th place overall finish. Teammate Blake Wharton overcame a 17^th place first moto to finish 10^th in moto 2 for 13^th overall. Despite missing the entire Supercross season due to injury, Nico Izzi came out swinging at Hangtown. He finished 22-16 for 21^st overall, a score that is sure to improve as the series proceeds.

The series continues in Lakewood Colorado on May 25^th for the Thunder Valley Nationals.

In the MotoGP class racing, Bel-Ray-supported Power Electronics Aspar experienced mixed results, with Aleix Espargaro again topping the CRT field with a 13^th place finish, while teammate Randy DePuniet suffered a crash just past the mid-way point of the event and was forced to retire. Espargaro’s 13^th place keeps him inside the top 10 in the points standings with a 9^th place position. Espargaro was pleased with the weekend’s results, and he spoke about this following the checkered flag.“We still hadn’t ridden in the wet this year, however. That meant that we had a few surprises in the rain today and, although everything went ok, I had to fight against my bike for a large part of the race because the electronics weren’t working as I had expected. The bike was sliding around a lot, and the traction control was hampering me, but we were able to stay upright and finish as the best CRT. We are 9^th overall after four races, are doing a fabulous job, and I am very happy. I hope that we continue this way.” Although disappointed with his crash, DePuniet spoke optimistically, looking forward to the next round. “On lap sixteen, going into a corner, I lost the front and crashed. I wasn’t going any faster than on the previous lap, but I suppose I must have hit a damp patch that I hadn’t seen. I am annoyed because I think that we could have been the top CRT today. Instead, we’re on a run of two races without a point. It is tough, but we have to move on and focus on the next race.”

The weather caused disappointment for both of the Bel-Ray Moto2 racers in the competition, with both Nico Terol and Jordi Torres crashing in the wet conditions and withdrawing from the race. Terol’s crash came after he ran wide in a corner and contacted the wet grass surrounding the circuit. “I ran slightly wide on a corner, hit a damp patch and lost grip. It is a shame because today, considering the condition of the asphalt, we should have tried to preserve as many points as possible. We should still be optimistic, and happy with the great job we did all weekend. I am sure that the energy I have within will be useful for the next race.” Torres is also looking past this weekend to the next event in Mugello. “On the second lap, I wanted to get so tight behind the rider who was in front that I clipped the astroturf on the home straight and the bike spat me off. I am ok after the crash and focusing on Mugello.”

Bel-Ray’s Moto3 entry, Jonas Folger, grabbed the early lead from the front row and lead for the first eight laps. However, going off track on the 11^th meant that he slipped off a podium position. “I started strong in today’s race,” said Folger. “I felt really good and wanted to push from the beginning in order to escape. Despite the track conditions, I felt secure. After the midway point, with the balance between the chassis and the tires lost, my feeling with the bike deteriorated. It was very hard to stay upright, and I ran off track at one point. I got back on, but had lost touch with the lead group. I pushed hard and didn’t want to give up, but it was difficult to get back into the fight for the podium. The positive point is that we were still able to finish fourth.”

The series continues June 2^nd in Mugello, Italy, for the Gran Premio d’Italia.

Despite being unable to train due to an injured finger suffered during the previous round, MX1 competitor Tommy Searle gutted out determined races throughout the event. His eighth place finish in moto one was backed up with a ninth place in the events Super Final. “I struggled all weekend with my broken finger,” said Searle following the Super Final race. “I couldn’t ride since Portugal. Before I got here, I did not think that it would make such a difference! I’m weak in my shoulders, and I got tired. In the MX1 race, I had a good start. On the second lap, I crashed and lost many positions. It’s good that we now have two weekends free; I need to recover and then get back on the bike to be ready for France. I know that my speed is OK. I just need to be fit again.” Searle is currently in sixth place in the series standings.

Team CLS Kawasaki fields two Bel-Ray powered racers in the MX2 class. Both team racers Alessandro Lupino and Jimmy Decotis scored points in this highly competitive class. Despite suffering from broken ribs suffered in a crash in the Italian round of the series, Lupino showed grit and determination, scoring an excellent top 10 finish with an 10^th place finish. He backed this up with a strong ride in the Super Final. This race includes the top racers from each the MX1 and MX2 class, with the MX2 riders at a noticeable power disadvantage. Despite this, Lupino finished in 20^th place in the moto and 7^th in his class. Lupino spoke about his struggles following the Super Final. “Since I broke two ribs at the Italian GP, I haven’t been able to train normally. As a result, my physical condition is not at its best. So here in Brazil, it was not a good weekend for me. In the MX2 race, I already got an arm pump after two laps. In the Super Final, I lost time when (Mel) Pocock crashed in front of me at the second corner. I now have three weeks to recover, and I will go to Holland to train. We are nearly at the halfway point of the season, and I want to race in the top five in France to give the team the results they expect.” Lupino is currently in 9^th place in the series standings.

Lupino’s teammate, Jimmy Decotis, scored the 1^st world championship points of his career with a 17^th place 1^st moto finish. The Brazil event marked only the third world championship race for the young American racer. Admittedly still adapting to the pace of GP racing, Decotis will use the upcoming break to increase his endurance in advance of the next grand prix. “This is definitively a crazy place with such great fans. The track was one of the better ones that I have faced since I started racing the GPs, and I feel that I have made progress since Portugal,”said Decotis. Everyone is working hard to achieve this, and I scored points in both races here. My speed is better, but I still need to improve my fitness so that I can keep the pace for the entire 40 minutes. I’m sure it will come soon.”

The series continues June 9 at the Circuit Raymond DEMY in Erneee, France.