Searle Scores Top 10 Results in Dutch Sand

The 2013 FIM World Motocross Championship Series continued on April 1st at the Eurocircuit in Valkenswaard, Netherlands, for the Dutch Grand Prix. Racers Tommy Searle, Alessandro Lupino, and Jordan Lacan all competed for the Bel-Ray-backed CLS Kawasaki team. In addition to the challenging circuit, the weather was un-seasonably cold, which added to the difficult nature of the weekend.

In MX1 class racing, Tommy Searle suffered from a poor start in his qualifying moto and had to charge through the field to salvage the best position he could. An eventual fourteenth place finish left him with less than ideal gate choices for the grand prix motos. Working through the pack, Searle eventually scored a tenth-place finish and a ninth-place finish in the two points-paying motos. Searle spoke about his results following the second moto. “The qualifying race was tough, as I was last in the first corner, but I recovered and finished fourteenth. The sand was hard this year, and everyone was riding fast; it was difficult to pass, and I finished tenth in the first race. The second race was similar, with a ninth position. It was my first GP in the sand with the 450, and I need to gain more experience to get better results.”

Bel-Ray-sponsored Team CLS MX2 Kawasaki Monster Energy Pro Circuit had two racers competing in the MX2 class at Valkenswaard. Alessandro Lupino and Jordan Lacan lined up on the gate for the team. Lacan, a replacement for the injured Arnaud Tonus, only had a short time on the bike to prepare, something that is less than desirable when competing in a world championship competition. He performed admirably despite the lack of preparation and scored 28th place finish and a 26th place finish in the two motos. “The team asked me to race here on Thursday, and I only had chance to ride the bike for one hour before coming here. I knew that it would be difficult as I have never raced in the sand but you can’t refuse such a great opportunity, and I did my best.”

Lacan’s teammate Alessandro Lupino also struggled in the Dutch sand, with a 20th place finish and a 21st place finish in the two motos. “I have spent a lot of time in the Netherlands to prepare for this race, but I didn’t get the reward this weekend,” said Lupino following the second moto. “The crash at the start of the qualifying race ruined my GP, as it left me 26th on the grid. In the first moto, my feeling was not good and I made too many mistakes, but we changed some settings on the bike before the second race. Again, my start wasn’t good, but I recovered to tenth and was moving in on Pocock for ninth when I crashed with only two laps to the finish. I am determined to make up for my bad luck at the next round in Italy.”

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Bel-Ray® Moto Chill Racing Coolant is one of the products chosen by the teams to keep their machines performing their best.

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The FIM World Motocross Championship series continues April 14th at the Arco di Trento for the GP of Italy.

(Images courtesy Team CLS and Kawasaki - Bel-Ray racers, Tommy Searle in action at the Dutch Grand Prix in Valkenswaard)