Tag: HUSQVARNA

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BILLY BOLT CROWNED 2022 SUPERENDURO WORLD CHAMPION

HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S BRITISH STAR CLINCHES THE 2022 FIM SUPERENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AT PENULTIMATE ROUND OF THE SERIES IN GERMANY
Delivering yet another showstopping performance, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has successfully defended his FIM SuperEnduro World Championship crown thanks to a victorious result at the penultimate round of the season in Germany. Winning all three races, plus SuperPole qualification, he simply dominated the proceedings from start to finish. Rising to the fore in Riesa, teammate Colton Haaker made it a Husqvarna 1-2 on the night’s overall podium. Claiming three seconds place finishes, Haaker also moves to second overall in the championship chase.

As winner of all three rounds of the 2022 season to date, Bolt arrived at the penultimate stop in Germany with a healthy 50-point lead in the championship and with the potential to wrap up the title one round early.

Quick to get going, the Brit set a blisteringly fast time in SuperPole to top the qualification by almost one-and-a-half seconds from Haaker. From the drop of the gate in race one, Bolt led the way on his FE 350. Gaining time on the highly technical rock climb, he pulled further and further from his rivals to win by 23 seconds.

Unfazed by the reversed start order for race two, Billy calmly set about his business. Ending lap one in seventh, he then moved his way into the top-four. Up to second, Bolt then found a way past Haaker with two laps to go to take the lead and ultimately the race win.

Knowing a win in race three could seal the world title, Billy set about doing exactly that. Quickly out front, he led all but one of the nine laps. A small mistake midway allowed those behind to close up, but with composure resumed, Bolt raced ahead to win the race and with it successfully defend his SuperEnduro crown.

For Haaker, the penultimate round of the series saw the American deliver his best result of the season to date. Up for the challenge, he hit the ground running in Riesa, taking second in SuperPole.

Enjoying the course, Colton put in a confident ride in race one, moving into second on lap two and holding it for the remainder of the race. Race two saw him lead the majority of proceedings. Holding station out front, he fought hard to keep teammate Bolt at bay. But with two laps to go Billy found a way through and Colton had to settle for second.

In the third and final race, Colton sat in third, but with his eyes focused on second place. Pushing for all his worth, he made a pass stick to take the position on the final lap and with it secure the runner-up place on the overall podium. With his strong performance, Colton now moves into second overall in the championship with just one round remaining in Riesa tomorrow night.

The 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship concludes with round five in Riesa, Germany on March 20.

Billy Bolt: “I’m lost for words. I didn’t get to have this winning moment the first time around, so it’s brilliant to have it here in Germany tonight. It makes it feel that much more real, you know. I knew it was possible to win the title one round early here in Germany, but I was trying not to think about that. I just wanted to enjoy my riding and see what would happen. I felt good on the track and didn’t push past where I felt my limits were. To be a two-time SuperEnduro World Champion is incredible, but it’s very much a team effort too within Husqvarna, my family, and friends. We’ve one more race tomorrow, so we can’t celebrate too much tonight!”

Colton Haaker: “It’s been the best round of the season so far going 2-2-2 for second overall. Second in points now with one round to go, which is cool. But I’m finding it a bit tough to be honest. I’m fighting arm pump a lot and after about three laps I’m almost in survival mode. I feel like there’s more to give. I’m trying to stay positive and work to be better. Tomorrow is the last round so I want to give it my best shot and end it on a high.”

Results – FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 4

Prestige Event Classification
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts, 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 53pts; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 45pts…

Prestige Race 1
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:26.921; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:49.865; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 9 laps, 8:12.759…

Prestige Race 2
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:28.730; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:37.937; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7:51.120…

Prestige Race 3
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:38.575; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:45.317; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 9 laps, 7:46.502…

Championship Standings (After round 4)
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 249pts; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 181pts; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 181pts…

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HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES SIGNS MIKAEL PERSSON FOR 2022 ENDUROGP ASSAULT

FORMER 125CC ENDURO YOUTH CUP WORLD CHAMPION TO COMPETE IN ENDURO3 FOR HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING

Husqvarna Factory Racing is pleased to confirm the signing of experienced enduro racer and former 125cc Enduro Youth Cup World Champion Mikael Persson for the 2022 season. Returning full-time to world championship competition following a number of years away from the series, Mikael will compete in the Enduro3 class on a TE 300i.

A dominant junior competitor on the EnduroGP World Championship scene back in 2015, in recent years Mikael has focused on competing in his national championship in Sweden. Winning the Swedish Enduro Championship in 2018, 2019, and 2021, Mikael also claimed victory in Sweden’s two most prestigious standalone events last year – Gotland Grand National and Novemberkasan.

In addition to his impressive national results, Mikael topped the Enduro1 class at the 2021 International Six Days Enduro in Italy while also finishing third overall, competing at the top of the results throughout the week-long event.

Mikael will ride as Husqvarna Motorcycles’ sole official EnduroGP competitor, and will join Billy Bolt in the team who will race in both the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship and FIM Hard Enduro World Championship for Husqvarna Factory Racing.

The FIM EnduroGP World Championship starts with round one in Lalin, Spain on May 6-8.

Mikael Persson: “I’m very, very happy to get this opportunity to return to the EnduroGP World Championship, especially with Husqvarna. As a Swede, competing officially for Husqvarna is a big honour. Being around familiar machinery and people I have known for many years, yeah, I can’t wait to get racing again. There are still some months to go before the start of the world championship, but my training and preparation has been going well. I headed to southern Europe early in the New Year to get familiar with the new bike, and since then I’ve just been riding and training. I’ve put a lot of hours in on the bike now and switching back to a 2-stroke, and back to being a full-time racer, is all going well. I’m enjoying the process. I’m building my way back into everything. I know that I have a lot of experience, and I’m 100% focused on doing the best I can, but I’m not putting myself under any crazy pressure – the team and myself know what we’re aiming for, and I’ll do all I can to be competing at the front of my class. This is a great opportunity for me, I’m certainly going to give my all and make the best of it.”

Andi Hölzl – Husqvarna factory Racing Team Manager: “We’re really happy to have Mikael in the team. He’s shown impressive pace in the EnduroGP World Championship as well of course as the International Six Days Enduro, where he was also extremely fast. As a Scandinavian, Mikael riding for Husqvarna Motorcycles is also something very special due to the rich Swedish history of the brand. He is a pleasure to work with, has great speed on the bike, but also has a lot of technical knowledge. I believe he will really progress through the 2022 season.”

Photo: Husqvarna Motorcycles

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BILLY BOLT WINS IN HUNGARY AT SUPERENDURO ROUND TWO

HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING STAR EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD WITH IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE IN BUDAPEST

Billy Bolt has taken the win at round two of the 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, held in Hungary. The Husqvarna Factory Racing rider qualified fastest before claiming SuperPole and two race wins from three on his FE 350. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker enjoyed a solid night in Budapest, ultimately finishing a close fourth overall.

The night started off perfectly for Bolt, with the British racer continuing his unbeatable run of form to comfortably qualify fastest and take the SuperPole honours by over one second, earning himself three valuable championship points in the process. After a measured start in race one, Billy deftly picked his way through the course to take the lead with around three minutes to go. A small error while navigating a log section was just enough for him to lose his position, and with time running out it ultimately lead to Bolt settling for second.

Eager to make amends in race two, Billy made light work of the reverse-grid start to move into third place after only three corners. After calmly moving into second, Billy’s pass into first place was hampered when a competitor got caught up in his rear wheel. Despite losing a little time, the 24-year-old was able to quickly regain the lead and hold it to the chequered flag where he claimed his first race win of the night.

Prestige race three was all Bolt! After a strong start, the championship leader soon moved up to take the lead and from there he never looked back. Increasing his advantage lap-by-lap, Billy put on a masterful display of riding to take the victory by over 10 seconds. The result increases Bolt’s lead in the championship standings to an impressive 35 points with three rounds left to race.

Travelling across to Europe to contest SuperEnduro round two, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker enjoyed a strong performance on the tight and technical Hungarian track to secure a strong fourth overall.

Haaker opened the evening in style, placing second to teammate Bolt on the SuperPole hot lap. Fighting his way through the mayhem of races one and two, Colton placed fourth in both to put himself in a good position going into the third heat. Keen to finish the night on a high, Colton claimed the holeshot in race three and after being passed by his teammate was able to hold on to second, ultimately finishing as runner-up. Completing the evening on 45 points, the three-time world champion narrowly missed out on the event podium by just one point. After two rounds, Colton lies second overall in the prestige class standings.

Billy Bolt: “It was a super difficult night, but I’m pleased to come away with another win and extend my lead in the championship. The track was really tight, and with not much traction it was easy to get arm pump and then make mistakes. Qualifying and SuperPole went well, but then in race one I struggled to find my rhythm and got caught up a few times. Race two went much better, and then race three was near enough perfect – I was able to manage my pace once I got to the front and held on to take the win and the overall.”

Colton Haaker: “It’s really good to be here in Budapest racing SuperEnduro. I haven’t been able to get in much riding since the last event, but I’m happy with how I rode today going 4-4-2 on a tough track like this. It took me a little while to relax and get up to speed, but I gave it my all and had fun out there. From not being certain if I’d get here to race, to missing out on the podium by just one point, it’s been a good weekend and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Results – SuperEnduro, Rnd2 Hungary

Overall Event Classification

1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 60 pts; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 50 pts; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 46 pts; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 45 pts…

Prestige Race 1

1. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 10 laps, 6:56.233; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 7:03.984; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7:05.532; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 7:38.243…

Prestige Race 2

1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 6:48.249; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 6:51.995; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 6:52.130; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 7:28.168…

Prestige Race 3

1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 6:48.474; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 6:58.673; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7:04.079; 4. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 7:04.456…

Championship Standings (After Round 2 of 5)

1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 123 pts; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 88 pts; 3. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 87 pts; 4. Jonny Walker (Beta) 87 pts…

Photo: Future7Media – Husqvarna Motorcycles

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BILLY BOLT DOMINATES SUPERENDURO OPENER IN POLAND

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING STAR SWEEPS ALL THREE FINALS TO WIN SUPERENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ONE AS TEAMMATE COLTON HAAKER TAKES THIRD OVERALL

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt came out swinging at the long-awaited FIM SuperEnduro World Championship opener in Lodz, Poland, earning a deserved overall win and a healthy early championship lead. Quickly reminding everyone why he is the defending world champion indoors, Bolt topped the night’s SuperPole hot lap before going on to win all three of the Prestige class finals and secure overall victory. Returning to the SuperEnduro series for the first time since winning the title in 2019, AMA EnduroCross champion Colton Haaker enjoyed a solid night, taking a close third overall.

On a technical track, which was made all the more tricky due to numerous sand sections, Bolt was instantly up to speed on his FE 350, eager to impress at the opening round of the SuperEnduro season. Easing his way through the first test of the night – the SuperPole hot lap – he blitzed the course to top the time sheets by almost two seconds.

When it came to the first gate drop of the championship Bolt wasted no time in muscling his way to the head of the field, going on to clinch victory by six seconds. With the start order reversed for race two, Bolt started last but was already into second position by lap two. A crash dropped him off the rear wheel of race leader Haaker, but within just a handful of laps he’d found his way to the front once more. However, a third crash knocked him back to second once again before a heroic final lap effort saw him wrestle victory from Haaker just a handful of corners from the finish line.

Determined to bring his night to a positive close, Bolt claimed the holeshot in the third and closing final. Well and truly mastering the tough conditions, he put in eight solid laps, easing away from the rest of the field to win by over 26 seconds. Claiming a clean sweep in Poland, Bolt now heads the championship standings by 15 points.

After winning the championship in 2019, Colton Haaker made a welcome return to the series in Poland. Knowing the soft and sandy conditions were much more unforgiving than what he’d raced in EnduroCross in the USA, the experienced indoor racer was determined to deliver a mistake-free night where possible.

A strong ride in the opening race saw him take a confidence-boosting fourth. Maximising his efforts on the reversed start for race two, Haaker carded his best performance of the night – going head-to-head with Bolt and fighting for victory right down to the final few corners, but ultimately placing second.

A bad start in race three forced Haaker to work hard to recover. From ninth on the opening lap, he knuckled down and began to move his way forward. Shadowing Taddy Blazusiak across the finish line for fifth, the American did enough to secure third overall in Poland.

The FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round two in Jerusalem, Israel on January 20th.

Billy Bolt: “It’s been a brilliant start to the championship. Winning all three races and taking SuperPole as well – it’s great to be back indoors. I hadn’t got as much bike time coming into this round as I would have liked, and it showed a little in the beginning of the night. My timing was a little off and I was making myself work for it out there. We got things dialled in better for race three. The track came a bit easier to me and I could hit my lines consistently. Winning tonight has definitely given me more motivation to push hard during this six week break until round two.”

Colton Haaker: “I’m pretty pleased with third tonight. It was tough out there and I wasn’t 100 per cent sure where I was going to slot into things. For sure race two was the highlight of my night. When I got that good start and a clean track in front of me, I was riding more how I wanted too. It’s good to get a SuperEnduro race back under my belt again because I haven’t done one since 2019. Now I know where things are at, I’ll build on it for round two, for sure!”

Results – SuperEnduro, Rnd1 Poland

Event Classification
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 48pts; 3. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 43pts…

Prestige Race 1
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 8 laps, 7:59.138; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 8 laps, 8:05.506; 3. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 8 laps, 8:05.506; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 8:27:727…

Prestige Race 2
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 7 laps, 7:07.571; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 7 laps, 7:11.008; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7 laps, 7:13.970…

Prestige Race 3
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 8 laps, 7:42.958; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 8:09.108; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 8:19.583… 5. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 8:23.408…

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