MXstore’s Own Moto Insider #19

Red Bull Straight Rhythm - Pomona, California.

A drag strip in Pomona, California has hosted the first ever event in a completely new format called Straight Rhythm. The birth of the format came about in recent years when Red Bull collaborated with James “Bubba” Stewart and his younger brother Malcom to build a supercross style track with no turns. One super long straight full of jumps, whoops and rhythm sections which can be linked together into a number of different combinations.

The concept existed purely as a viral video making exercise, but the popularity it received was so immense that Red Bull took it a step further for 2014 and turned it into an invite only race with some of the top riders in the world.

The format consisted of a head to head race with the winners progressing through to the next round and 2 classes being the 250cc and open bike which Travis Pastrana elected to run a custom built Suzuki RM500cc two stroke against the likes of James Stewart and Dean Wilson.

In the 250 class Aussie Jarryd McNeil was paired against eventual winner Marvin Musquin, McNeil who actually rides FMX for Nitro Circus has been dabbling in some AMA mx recently and still managed to keep Musquin honest showing the world that some FMX riders can hold their own on a track also.

 

Round 1 - 250 Class, Top Three

• 1. Marvin Musquin
• 2. Justin Hill
• 3. Jessy Nelson

 

The most talked about thing of the event in the open class was Travis Pastrana on the RMZilla. In classic TP style he kept his 500cc two stroke pinned even when he was semi out of control at times, swapping lanes and hanging off the back of the thing but showing some serious speed! The big jump at the finish line was rumoured to be flippable and Travis decided after winning one of his heats to find out, coming in hot but flipping the jump perfectly apart from landing a little past the down ramp with a bit of an over jump before hundreds of shocked fans.

 

Travis swapping lanes in practice

 

Dean Wilson impressed on his first outing on the KTM 450. Although the number #15 is familiar, it will take some getting used to seeing Dean with a Red Bull helmet and Answer riding gear but he showed some speed ending the day in 4th place.

Another KTM newbie was Justin Brayton who had a solid year on the Yamaha put his bike in front of everyone apart from James Stewart who was a class act all day and not surprisingly took the overall honours on the day, winning the first ever Red Bull Straight Rhythm and after a mixed season it was good to see Bubba on the top step of the podium in his Seven gear once again.

 

Top Three Open Class.

• 1. James Stewart
• 2. Justin Brayton
• 3. Malcolm Stewart

 

The Stewart brothers

 

Night of the Jumps World FMX Championships – Cologne, Germany.

 

After a mid year break the Night of the Jumps championship resumed again in Germany and for the first time in a long time Hannes Ackermann finished in the top 6 stomping his new trick to dirt for the first time being Levi Sherwood’s “Flaming Mullet” which is a Backflip Rowedova.. Unless you are right up on the freestyle terminology that won’t mean much, but to the people who know it has to be up there on the list of hard and dangerous tricks to do.

After a solid qualifying run Remi Bizouard slipped to 5th and even with a new body varial trick fellow Frenchman David Rinaldo only managed a 3^rd on the podium.

Aussie ripper Rob Adelberg has been on another level recently with the most perfect extensions and smooth riding style, only outdone on the day by Spanish rider Maikel Melero who just had it over Rob with some of the more technical tricks like his double grab flip and the 540 flair.

 

Final Run – Cologne

1. Maikel Melero ESP 395 pts
2. Rob Adelberg AUS 389 pts
3. David Rinaldo FRA 387 pts
4. Petr Pilat CZE 355 pts
5. Remi Bizouard FRA 341 pts
6. Hannes Ackermann GER 335 pts

 

Rob and his massive trick extensions