Newsletter

The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

MX2, MXGP OF CZECH REPUBLIC - Loket, CZECH REPUBLIC, 17 juli 2022

Kevin Horgmo fourth in the Czech Republic

F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo consolidated fourth place in the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship standings after narrowly missing the podium at Loket in the Czech Republic.

The Norwegian momentarily lost drive in soft dirt halfway down the start straight in race one but clever line-choice on the inside of turn one and the outside of turn two already pulled him back into the top-six and another decisive move on the opening lap saw him advance to fifth as he joined the front-four in out-distancing the field. He maintained the pressure on the riders ahead and that pressure paid off on the penultimate lap as he forced the rider ahead into a mistake to take a comfortable fourth at the finish. A clean run through the opening turns saw Horgmo quickly into fifth in race two and he made a further smart pass on the opening lap to advance to fourth. He had third in his sights for most of the race but a loss of momentum three laps from the end saw him surrender one position in the moto to take the chequered flag fifth. This did not affect his overall placing and fourth on the day further consolidated the same position in the championship points chase going into the final third of the series.
 
Kevin Horgmo: “Neither start worked out as I would have wished but we managed to get up there with some good work through the first few turns. The first race was really solid in fourth and I was fourth again almost all of the second moto but I was starting to make mistakes near the end after two tough races. But overall it was a big advance from the difficulties we had yesterday and the podium was close. I just need to work for that; two holeshots next weekend in Lommel would be nice. “
 
Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Mikkel Haarup faced a difficult chase to turn one in both motos after a first-lap collision in Saturday afternoon Qualifying had left him with the extreme outside gate-pick but he had already accounted for half the field on the opening lap of race one and, posting leaderboard lap times in traffic, continued to push to the finish, breaking into the top-ten at half-distance and eventually passing the series points-leader for eighth at the chequered flag. Twentieth on the opening lap of race two the Dane again showed leaderboard pace as he swept forward into the top-ten within ten minutes and an exhilarating outside pass saw him take over eighth at half-distance but the gap to the riders ahead was already too great to advance further. Nevertheless his brace of eighths secured seventh on the day and means he has maintained fifth in the series points standings.
 
Mikkel Haarup: “We had to start from the party tent after yesterday but we gave it everything today and came away with seventh. Particularly in the first moto I worked my way so hard through the pack but starting outside the top-twenty from that outside gate was tough and towards the end I was done from the effort. But that’s racing; it can’t always go as planned and we kept on fighting for decent points. The result could have been better but I enjoyed myself out there and gave it 100%; I’m a tough guy and must have made fifteen to twenty passes each moto. There was never a time when I gave up and hopefully we can turn it around results-wise at Lommel next weekend. “