Thor’s Charlie Mullins and Gautier Paulin Both Pick Up Wins

4.22.13

It was another great weekend for the Thor riders all around the globe, with Charlie Mullins and Gautier Paulin both pick up wins in their respective series.

At the Big Buck GNCC in Union, S.C., Mullins won his third race of the season over teammate Kailub Russell, who placed second. While Mullins won by 30 seconds, Russell finished nearly four minutes ahead of the third place rider. The win helped Mullins extend his championship lead to 10 points.

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In XC2 class, Thor’s Grant Baylor tied his season-best finish of second, moving him into second place in total points for the year. Baylor battled for his second-place result, finishing just half a second in front of the third-place finisher.

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After dominating every timing and qualification session, Thor’s Gautier Paulin continued to look great when it counted, winning the FIM Motocross World Championship in Bulgaria. His victory moved him into second place in the World Championship classification. Thor’s Jeremy van Horebeek was good for fifth place overall, his best result of the year. David Philippaerts took eighth overall, a result that has him edging ever closer to a top-10 season finish.

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In MX2 class, Thor’s Alessandro Lupino took third overall, his best result of the season. Christophe Charlier was able to finish sixth overall with a 7-5 moto result.

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Thor’s Maria Forsberg had a long race weekend that started with the Women’s Enduro X race at the X Games. After finishing with a silver medal in Brazil, she flew back and captured the GNCC Women’s class win in Union, S.C.

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Thor’s Marvin Musquin, Kurt Caselli and Charlie Mullins Dominate

4.15.13

Thor’s Marvin Musquin, Charlie Mullins, and Kurt Caselli dominated their respective races over the weekend. Starting the weekend of victories was Musquin at the Monster Energy Supercross in Minneapolis, Minn., who continued his chase for the Eastern Regional 250SX championship with his fourth win of the season. He dominated the 15-lap main event and eventually won by eight and a half seconds.

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In the 450SX class, Thor’s Ryan Villopoto led 16 of 20 laps in Minnesota before taking second-place. Villopoto’s finish helped his extend his lead to 22 points over second place in the championship standings with three races remaining.

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Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki interim rider Tyler Bowers competed in his second 250SX race of the season since making the jump from Arenacross. He had a solid heat race, and overcame a crash in the main event to finish fifth. Cole Thompson was running in sixth most of the race, but went down in the final laps to finish 10th.

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At the AMA National Enduro in Forest Hill, La., Thor’s Charlie Mullins dominated the field by winning all six tests and taking his second win of the season. Mullins extended his series points lead to 11. Thor’s Grant Baylor was sixth and maintained his sixth place standing in the season points race.

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Thor’s Kurt Caselli took over the points lead with a first-place finish at the AMA National Hare and Hound race in Lucerne Valley, Calif. despite not finishing the first race of the season. Thor’s Ivan Ramirez was on pace for a good finish but took 15^th after running into trouble on the final loop.

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At the foot of the Italian Alps, Thor riders took to the track this weekend for the FIM World MX Championship in Arco di Trento, Italy. Gautier Paulin hit the podium once again to finish third, his third podium in four races. Thor’s Jeremy van Horebeek posted his first top ten of the season, finishing ninth.

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In MX2, Thor’s Christophe Charlier finished just off the podium in fourth after battling through a number of riders after a tough start. He missed the podium by a single point. Alessandro Lupino grabbed a top ten finish in front of his home crowd.

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The Monster Energy Supercross riders will make its move west to CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash. Both the National Hare and Hound and National Enduro will return in two weeks.

Thor Riders Claim Wins at Supercross and GNCC

4.08.13

Thor’s Ryan Villopoto came, saw, and conquered the latest Monster Energy Supercross at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Leading every lap and taking home the win, Villopoto stretched his win-streak to five and upped his points lead to 21 with four rounds remaining.

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Also putting in an impressive ride in Houston was 250SX rider Marvin Musquin, who made his sixth trip to the podium with a third-place finish. The Eastern Regional riders have two rounds remaining and Musquin is in the thick of the championship battle, just eight points out of first place.

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It was also an exciting night for the 250SX class as three-time Arenacross champion Tyler Bowers made his 2013 supercross debut with a career-best fourth place result. The reigning Arenacross champion made jump to supercross to help out the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team for the remaining Eastern Regional rounds.

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Round 3 of the Grand National Cross Country Series was help in Morganton, N.C. over the weekend. Charlie Mullins and Kailub Russell made it another Thor 1-2 sweep with Mullins grabbing his second win of the season. Mullins moved into sole possession of the points lead over his teammate Russell, who sits just five points back.

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In the XC2 class, Thor’s Grant Baylor returned to the podium for the second-straight race. His third-place finish has helped him remain in a tights points battle where he’s currently third and only four points back from second place. Thor’s Cody Gragg also made it out to North Carolina for his first GNCC of the year, placing a solid seventh-place in the XC2 class. Maria Forsberg also won the Women’s class earlier in the day, taking over the class points lead.

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The Monster Energy Supercross riders will head to Minneapolis, Minn. for the first time since 2008 as they take over the Metrodome in downtown. The GNCC riders get a bit of a break until returning to action on April 21 in Union, S.C.

Thor Riders Collect Four Wins From Canada to the States

3.26.13

It was another big race weekend for the Thor MX riders as Ryan Villopoto, Marvin Musquin, Kurt Caselli, and Taylor Robert all claimed victories at their respective races.

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Starting in Toronto, Canada, the Monster Energy Supercross made its lone international stop to the Rogers Centre. Villopoto once again took first in the 450SX class, making it his fourth win in a row and seventh win of the season. His lead atop the standings was increased to 12 points with five rounds remaining.

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In the 250SX class, Thor’s Marvin Musquin won his third in a row, making him the only rider since 2008 to collect his first three career wins consecutively. His win was in wire-to-wire fashion after overcoming a crash during practice session. The win moves Thor’s Musquin to just six points back of the leader in the 250SX Eastern Regional standings.

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Thor’s Cole Thompson, born in Canada, had his best finish of the season while racing in his native land, coming across the finish line in sixth. Justin Hill had a good night going, but a crash after the first turn in the main event kept him from returning to the race.

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At the AMA National Hare and Hound in Murphy, Idaho, Thor’s Kurt Caselli won for the first time this season, moving him up to an impressive fourth in points after going scoreless at the first round. Ivan Ramirez finished in eighth place.

Adding another win to the weekend total was Thor’s Taylor Robert, who took the victory in the Pro class at the WORCS race in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Robert not only had the fastest lap during the two-hour race, but finished more than two minutes ahead of second place.

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At the AMA National Enduro race in Blackwell, Texas, Thor’s Grant Baylor finished a season-best fifth overall. Teammate Charlie Mullins ended up 11^th overall after an issue during the third test pushed him out of contention for the win. Despite the tough finish, he never gave up and was able to maintain the championship lead where he sits six points ahead of second.

Thor’s Villopoto, Musquin, and Russell Come Up With Big Wins at Supercross and GNCC

3.18.13

Ryan Villopoto, Marvin Musquin, and Kailub Russell all grabbed wins at their respective Supercross and GNCC races over the weekend, making it another big weekend for the Thor MX team.

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Starting on Saturday, Villopoto entered Round 10 of the Monster Energy Supercross series in Indianapolis, Ind. with a two-point advantage and looked poised to extend his lead. After winning his heat race in dominating fashion, Villopoto used his good start to stay with the lead riders. Just after moving into second, the leader stalled, allowing Villopoto to take advantage of the mistake, eventually holding on to claim a season-high sixth victory, and fourth-consecutive win at the Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Musquin proved he would be competitive in Indianapolis with fast lap times being posted throughout the day and collecting his first heat win of the season. He had his work cut out for him in the main event after starting 16th on the opening lap, but his impressive speed had him in second right before the white flag. On the final lap, he inherited the lead with only a a half lap remaining, giving Musquin his second-consecutive victory.

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Thor’s Justin Hill also put in a notable finish at Lucas Oil Stadium. He rode to a second-place finish in his heat, and ended up with a top-five finish in the main event, tying his season-best. Cole Thompson was running up front at the start of the main event, but a tip over cost him several spot and he eventually finished 16th. Dean Wilson did not compete in the main event after a crash in his heat ended his night early.

Along with the supercross riders’ notable finishes, off-road riders Charlie Mullins and Kailub Russell again put on a show for the spectators at the GNCC in Washington, Ga. The two separated themselves from the pack and battled right down to the final lap, with Russell prevailing as the winner. Mullins grabbed the runner-up spot and the KTM teammates are now tied for the points lead, leading third by 16 points.

In the XC2 class, Thor’s Grant Baylor grabbed his best finish of the season, making the podium with a second-place result.

The Monster Energy Supercross riders will now head out of the country to their single international stop in Toronto, Canada on Saturday. The GNCC riders will get a few weeks off before convening in Morganton, N.C. on April 6.

Thor Riders Battle to the Finish at GNCC Season Opener

3.14.13

Thor’s Charlie Mullins and Kailub Russell put on a show for the fans as the duo raced back and forth in the final miles of the opening round of the GNCC in River Ranch, Fla. In the end, Mullins came out with the win, while Russell was just seconds behind to earn the runner-up spot.

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In the XC2 class, Grant Baylor put in a solid effort during the grueling three-hour race to finish fifth. Earlier in the day, reigning Women’s class champion Maria Forsberg came from behind in the early laps of the race to finish on the podium in third.

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The GNCC riders don’t get much time to rest with Round 2 just days away on March 17 at Aonia Pass MX in Washington, Ga.

Thor Riders Shine at the Historical Daytona Supercross

3.11.13

Thor’s Ryan Villopoto took the holeshot and led 17 of the 20 lap main event as he cruised to victory in the 450SX race at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. His dominating performance pushed him atop the points standings where he now leads by two points with seven races remaining on the Monster Energy Supercross circuit.

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n the 250SX class, Thor’s Marvin Musquin captured his first win of the season in commanding fashion, coming across the finish line eight seconds ahead of the runner-up. The win moved Musquin into third place in the Eastern Regional 250SX points standings.

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Dean Wilson was blazing fast in qualifying, but a few mistakes in the main event pushed him back to finish just off the podium. His fourth-place finish kept him second in the points standings. Justin Hill started the main in 10^th, but made his way up to sixth, while Cole Thompson also came through the pack from 18^th to finish inside the top 10.

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Photos: Simon Cudby

Thor’s Villopoto and Mullins Capture Big Wins Over the Weekend

3.04.13

Thor’s Ryan Villopoto again stood atop the podium after a hard fought battle at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo. on Saturday night. The ninth stop of the Monster Energy Supercross was a wild one featuring multiple passes and a red flag, but after the dust cleared Villopoto took the win for the fourth time this season. His win helped him close the gap in the overall points standings to just 12 points.

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Thor’s Dean Wilson charged hard throughout the Eastern Regional 250SX main event, passing multiple riders while coming from deep in the field to place second. Wilson showed his consistent speed, posting one of his fastest times during the final lap, but couldn’t quite make it by the leader. Wilson’s finish puts him just one point back of the leader in the standings going into the fourth race for the Eastern Regional riders.

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Also in the Eastern Regional 250SX class, Marvin Musquin placed just off the podium in fourth, maintaining his fourth-place spot in the overall standings. Thor’s Cole Thompson was 14^th after the first lap of the main event, but maneuvered his way through the field to earn eighth. Justin Hill went down in the first turn, but managed to come back to finish 16^th.

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At the second round of the AMA National Enduro, Charlie Mullins dominated the field, winning five of the six tests, on his way to victory in Salley, S.C. Mullins won by an impressive 50 seconds over the second-place finisher. Thor’s Grant Baylor improved upon his Round 1 result to finish sixth.

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The opening round of the FIM Motocross World Championship took place over the weekend under the lights in Qatar. Thor’s Gautier Paulin started off the season on the right foot, taking third place in MX1 class with an impressive 4-3 moto result. David Philippaerts overcame a tough opening moto to finish 12^th overall, while Jeremy van Horebeek placed 18^th. Amongst the MX2 riders, Thor’s Christophe Charlier rode a solid two motos to finish fifth, while Alessandro Lupino wasn’t far behind with eighth overall.

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Photos: Simon Cudby, Shan Moore, and CDS

Thor’s Ryan Villopoto Moves Into Second in the Championship Standings

2.25.13

Thor’s Ryan Villopoto continued to chip away at the points gap to first place with a consistent second-place finish at the eighth round of the Monster Energy Supercross at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Villopoto now sits 22 points back with nine rounds remaining in the series.

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At the second round of the Eastern Regional 250SX class, Thor’s Dean Wilson quickly settled into the second-place spot and maintained that position until the checkered flag. His second podium finish in as many races helped him maintain the points lead for the class.

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Not finishing where he wanted last weekend, Marvin Musquin stepped it up in Atlanta. He was quick all day, scoring the top qualifying spot before making his first trip to the podium this season with a third-place main event finish. Musquin’s finish helped push him up the championship standings to fourth.

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Rookie Justin Hill continued to show that he is capable of running with the experienced riders of the class with a consistent finish in Atlanta. After scoring an impressive fourth in his heat race, he rode strong in the main event to finish sixth. He is currently tied for fifth in the points standings.

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Following a tough heat race, Thor’s Cole Thompson easily qualified to the main event with the LCQ win. He got caught up in the opening lap, starting 16th, but made some good passes to finish the night in 13th.

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Thor’s Kailub Russell made his return to the OMA Nationals after several years away from series. He didn’t waste any time to prove he is going to be a title contender after battling for the lead most of the race before finishing second overall.

The next Monster Energy Supercross will take place this weekend at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo., while the next OMA National will be held on March 31 in Dawson Springs, Ky.

Thor’s Ryan Villopoto, Dean Wilson, and Charlie Mullins All Victorious Over the Weekend

2.19.13

Thor’s Ryan Villopoto and Dean Wilson both came away with Monster Energy Supercross main event wins in the Lone Star State, with each rider winning wire-to-wire in front of a huge crowd at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Thor’s Charlie Mullins dominated the opening round of the AMA National Enduro series in Greensboro, Ga., winning by nearly 40 seconds after dominating the opening tests.

Villopoto continued to show his determination and never-quit attitude with a huge victory in Texas. His return to the top of the podium helped him chip away at the point deficit to the current standings leader. Villopoto currently sits in third, and is 24 points out of first.

Wilson started his title campaign in the Eastern Regional 250SX class in style, earning the top qualifying time, winning his heat race, then leading every lap in the main event. His Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Justin Hill also rode to a great finish in his professional debut, finishing fifth after coming through the pack.

Also in the 250SX class, Thor’s Marvin Musquin was showing great speed throughout the day, posting the second-fastest time in qualifying and finishing second in his heat. In the main event, he shot out of the gate, but got tangled in a first turn pile-up, leaving him near the back of the pack in 16th. Throughout the 15-lap race, he picked off riders to finish an impressive sixth.

Returning Thor rider Cole Thompson proved his speed all day in Texas. In the main event, he got a great start and was running in a podium position before a crash took him out of the race.

Thor’s Charlie Mullins made a statement at the AMA National Enduro season opener with a big victoy in Georgia. After winning the first test by 40 seconds, he went on to the second test and took that win by nearly one minute. He maintained good speed throughout the remaining four tests to earn the victory by an impressive 39 seconds.