Recent News

Thor Amateur Riders Find Success at the Winter Olympics

Thor’s amateur riders took on the first race of the new season at the annual Winter Olympics at Gatorback Park in Gainesville, Fla. In both the supercross and motocross competition, Thor riders racked up an impressive 14 championships and 16 additional podiums. The week started with supercross racing and Jordon Smith showed his skills. He won all but one moto on his way to earn five championships for the Schoolboy (13-16), 250 B Stock, 250 B Modified, Open B Stock, and Open B Modified classes.

Also grabbing championships in the supercross portion of the week were Jordan Bailey and Joey Crown. Bailey also earned a runner-up result in the 85 (9-11) Stock class, while Ryder DiFrancesco, Jack Rogers, Tanner Stack, and Tyler McSwain also grabbed second-place finishes.

Halfway through the week, riders made the switch to motocross racing. Smith once again led the way with four championships, while Matt Burkeen grabbed his first championship of the week in the Four Stroke class. Bailey added two more championships to his week’s total as he went undefeated in motocross competition in the 85 (9-11) Stock and Modified classes.

When the week of competition ended, the customary specialty awards were passed out. Thor’s Bailey was presented with the Ironman Award, given to the rider that showed great sportsmanship to a fellow rider. Just after crossing the finish line for the checkered flag, Bailey displayed this incredible character by going back to help a fellow rider push their bike over the finish line after the riders bike broke just before the checkered.

Thor’s Burkeen was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award. Burkeen was awarded this for his breakout performance and overall consistency throughout the Winter Olympics.

Thor MX Signs Marvin Musquin

Thor MX has strengthened its 2013 line-up with newly signed Marvin Musquin adding his talents to the Thor MX roster. The  accomplished Frenchman has two consecutive MX2 World Championships to his credit, and earned his first victory on American soil at historical Unadilla during the in 2012 AMA Motocross season.

“I am very happy that Thor gave me the opportunity to represent them in 2013,” said Musquin. “I feel lucky to be a part of a championship-winning company and I’m really looking forward to great results next year.”

Musquin will start the 2013 season with increased confidence that came from a great 2012 campaign. In his first full year racing in the states, Musquin finished third overall in the Eastern Region AMA Supercross 250SX class and racked up a total of four podium finishes. He was also a threat in the highly competitive AMA Motocross Series 250 class, learning the US tracks quickly which enabled him to earn three top-qualifier awards throughout the season.

“Adding Marvin to our roster is very exciting for us here at Thor,” said Jim Gallager, Design Director at Thor MX. “He’s a young talent with many big accomplishments already to his name. We are excited to have him a part of our team as he continues to excel in his career.”

Musquin will make his Thor MX debut during the AMA Supercross Series.

Thor’s Mike Brown Podiums at Final EnduroCross Race and Baja 1000

Thor’s Mike Brown pulled double duty last week as he competed in both the Baja 1000 on Thursday and Friday, and then drove to Las Vegas to race the final EnduroCross event of the season. As a part of a four man team that included Thor’s Kurt Caselli and Ivan Ramirez, the KTM squad was able to overcome several issues to come back and finish second overall.

Along with Brown’s successful venture in Mexico, he also captured one final podium at the EnduroCross at the Orleans Arena. With two main events on the night schedule, Brown didn’t waste any time showing his speed. He finished third in the first main event, while placing fifth in the second main event. Thor’s Taylor Robert bounced back from his 12th-place finish in the first main event to finish eighth in the second main event.

In addition to the great efforts of the Expert Pro class, the Women’s class put on a great show for the EnduroCross fans in Las Vegas. Thor’s Maria Forsberg entered the final round with a 10-point lead in the women’s class standings and was able to make a last-lap pass for her fourth win of the season, securing her first EnduroCross championship. Forsberg adds the EnduroCross championship to her GNCC championship and perfect season in the series.

Thor’s Jake Weimer Captures His First ‘King of Bercy’ Title

Thor’s Jake Weimer made a successful trip to the annual Bercy Supercross, capturing the title ‘King of Bercy’ with two wins and a second-place ride. Not knowing what to expect out of the three-night competition, Weimer immediately showed his speed as he collected wins on the first two nights. His second-place finish on Sunday helped secure the coveted title and a great way to start out the new season.

Thor’s Tyler Villopoto was also in Paris competing in the 250 class, also known as the Prince of Bercy. Villopoto started the weekend off right with a podium result on Friday, and was looking poised at another great finish on Saturday, but an injury kept him from returning to action.

Russell Bobbitt Earns Second In Points Standings

Russell Bobbitt lined up for the final OMA Nationals race in Camden, Tenn. After grabbing the holeshot, he led for most of the race, but on the last lap was pushed back to second, just one second behind the leader at the finish. His consistent season helped him earn second in the points standings.

Kurt Caselli Captures the 2012 AMA Hound & Hare National Championship

KC Champ

Thor MX would like to congratulate Factory KTM off-road rider Kurt Caselli, who earned his second-consecutive AMA National Hare and Hound Championship. While an injury suffered at the fifth round of the championship put Caselli’s title hopes in doubt, he took on the challenge and came back stronger than ever following the summer break. He captured wins at the final three rounds to bring his season total to a season-high seven victories. Following a season full of ups and downs, Thor is excited to see Caselli overcome adversity and come out on top once again, showing the true mark of a champion.

Thor’s Russell Bobbitt and Kurt Caselli Grab Exciting Wins Over the Weekend

Thor’s Russell Bobbitt showed his determination during the penultimate round of the OMA National series to capture his first win of the season in Morrison, Ill. The race went down to the wire and when the checkered flag waved, it was Bobbitt who claimed his first victory. The win helped put a bigger points gap over third place in the standing, now giving him a comfortable 17-point margin.

Out west in Lucerne Valley, Calif., the AMA National Hare and Hound championship held its final round with the 2012 title on the line. Thor’s Kurt Caselli entered the round just eight points back of the points leader David Pearson and would need him to finish third or higher to clinch the championship with a win. While Caselli dominated the race from start to finish, there hasn’t been official word yet about the championship after a protest led to a penalty on Pearson. Depending on the severity of the penalty, Caselli could be awarded his second-consecutive Hare and Hound title.

Race Report: 2012 Monster Energy Cup

At the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas, Nev., Josh Grant made his Thor debut with an impressive fifth-place overall result. Grant came out swinging in the first of three main events, grabbing the holeshot, eventually finishing the opening race in sixth. He went on to finish fifth in the remaining two races, giving him the top-five result.

Defending Monster Energy Cup winner Ryan Villopoto looked on track to earn another Monster Million after dominating the opening main event, but a crash in the second main event took him out of the final race of the night, placing him 10th overall. Thor’s Jake Weimer had a 12-18-10 main event result to place 13th overall.

Thor Riders Dominate GNCC Series in Crawfordsville, IN

Thor’s Charlie Mullins made his mark of the penultimate round of the GNCC series with a dominating win in Crawfordsville, Ind. After taking over the lead on Lap 2, Mullins rode a steady and consistent race to finish with his first win of the season. Fellow Thor rider Kailub Russell was also on the podium in third, helping him move into the lead in the championship standings. Russell now has a one-point advantage with one round remaining.

While she has already clinched the championship, Maria Forsberg continued her winning ways with her 12th win of the season in the Women’s class. She also finished third overall amongst the entire GNCC a.m. bike competitors.

Thor Welcomes Josh Grant for the 2013 Season

Thor MX welcomes JGRMX/Toyota/Yamaha rider Josh Grant to its impressive 2013 line-up. Grant brings nearly a decade of experience to the Thor MX roster, highlighted by one victory apiece in AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross, in addition to a gold and bronze medal from the Summer X Games.

“It’s great that I was able to team up with Thor this year,” said Grant. “I’ve respected their brand for a long time and I’m really looking forward to building our relationship in 2013.”

Along with his previous accomplishments, Grant overcame injury early this past supercross season to finish on the podium in New Orleans. He also collected an overall podium result at Steel City Raceway during the summer’s outdoor nationals on his way to a sixth-place finish in the 450 class standings.

“We are very happy to bring Josh on board,” said Jim Gallager, Design Director at Thor MX. “With his move back to Yamaha, he seems more confident than ever to make his mark on the 450 class and we are excited to be a part of it.”