Seely Sixth at Tennessee National MX

Held in Blountville, Tennessee, the fourth round of the AMA Pro Motocross championship was positive for Team Honda HRC, as Cole Seely turned in another solid performance aboard his factory CRF450R. During the first moto, Seely got off the line to a top-10 start and worked his way into fifth, where he stayed for the majority of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap race, before relinquishing three positions and taking the checkered flag in eighth. In the day’s final 450 race, Seely nabbed a second-place start and held off multiple advances from the competition throughout the opening laps. The Californian rode well to a top-five finish, his 8-5 scores landing him sixth overall.

Meanwhile, teammate Fredrik Noren put together two respectable rides. Following a 10^th in moto one, the Swede overcame a fall midway through the second race to finish 12^th in the moto and overall.

NOTES

• Team Honda HRC riders Cole Seely and Fredrik Noren participated in Muddy Creek’s Thursday pre-race press conference, which involved several local dignitaries including Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey. Following the conference, both riders were given the opportunity to check out the track during a pair of 20-minute riding sessions.
• On Friday, Seely and Noren joined GEICO Honda riders Matt Bisceglia, Jordan Smith and RJ Hampshire for an autograph signing at Bristol, Virginia’s Atlas Cycle.
• During race day’s timed qualifying practice at Muddy Creek, Seely led the charge for Team Honda HRC by logging a 1:53.220, the seventh-fastest time, while Noren was 12^th-quickest at 1:54.275.
• Toward the end of the second moto, riders were forced to adapt to the rain that began pouring over the Muddy Creek track. For Noren, the situation proved particularly challenging. “I didn’t mind the rain, but it was a little hard because I ran out of tear-offs when it first started raining,” he explained. “I had to use my thumb a few times to wipe the drops off so I could see.”
• Seely’s moto finishes advanced him four positions in the points standings, his 79-point total putting him in a tie for tenth, 13 points behind the rider ahead of him. Meanwhile, Noren sits in 13^th place in the standings, but he closed the gap on 12^th to just a single point.
• On June 13, Team Honda will campaign the fifth round of the 2015 AMA Pro Motocross championship, which takes place at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. “High Point is hit or miss for me,” the 450 rookie said. “I’ve had some good and bad races there, but I’m excited to ride a 450 at that track because I feel like the power is really needed there. I’m looking forward to continuing to progress each week.”

THE FOCUS: Pioneering MX

During both the Supercross and motocross series, it’s crucial that teams are prepared for any situation that arises, and to that end, Team Honda HRC utilizes special equipment for transporting tools and spare parts between the truck and the track. For Supercross, the technicians use special push-carts, while the greater distances and rougher terrain of the outdoor series call for a customized Honda Pioneer 700 side-by-side. “They both serve the same purpose,” explained crew chief Jason Haines. “We carry extra wheels, exhausts, bike stands, gas, miscellaneous parts and a tool box, so we’re prepared just in case something needs to be replaced during a race.”

The Pioneer 700 features a custom-made aluminum rack to securely hold the wheels, and plastic covers protect the brake rotors from damage. Most of the equipment is simply placed loose in the side-by-side’s bed, where it’s available for quick access. “Hopefully we don’t need to use any of the stuff—and most of the time we don’t,” Haines says, “but if there’s a first-turn crash and something gets bent, or if there’s a red flag and we need to make some adjustments on the start line, we’re prepared to do so.”