After the heavens had opened at Gaildorf on Saturday afternoon, the weather brightened up again for race Sunday - much to the delight of the fans. Around 16,000 motorcycle enthusiasts came through the gates of the MSC Gaildorf club and saw ADAC MX Masters racing of the highest order on the 1.55km Auf der Wacht track. The two motos in the ADAC MX Masters class turned out to be three-horse races between World Championship riders Max Nagl (KMP Honda Racing), Dean Ferris (Red Bull ICEONE Husqvarna Factory Racing) and Dennis Ullrich (KTM Sarholz Racing Team). 27-year-old Nagl ultimately proved to be the fastest of the trio and took the trophy for the day, just as he had done on his last Masters guest appearance in Aichwald: "It was a lot of fun racing here. I was up against Dean all the time, and he pushed me right to the limit. This was a true test of strength, and I think the crowd were aware of that."
Australian MX star Dean Ferris was full of admiration for Nagls' inspired form: "These German riders are really fast. This has been a nerve-wracking weekend for me." Third place for Ullrich was good enough to secure vital points and maintain top position in the standings. Local hero Maik Schaller (KTM Kosak Racing) finished 27th but was upbeat about the weekend: "The rain yesterday and the fact that I was up against Max Nagl and Dean Ferris made for a difficult home race. But I'm still feeling happy."
ADAC MX Youngster Cup
Sunday's first moto of the ADAC MX Youngster Cup was aborted due to an accident after only a few minutes. The second race then turned out to be a thrilling wheel-to-wheel encounter between current championship leader Henry Jacobi (KTM Sarholz Racing Team) and his closest pursuer Calvin Vlaanderen (KTM Bodo Schmidt Motorsports). Ultimately, the Dutch rider with South African roots prevailed over the 17-year-old from Bad Sulza. Vlaanderen is now just two points behind Jacobi. "I put myself under too much pressure in the race, because I could sense Calvin behind me all the time," said Jacobi. "The mistakes that I made were all unnecessary, which I find pretty annoying. But anyway, we start again with a fresh deck of cards in the next race at Holzgerlingen, and I'll have another opportunity to make up for this." Vlaanderen commented: "The strong rivalry with Henry is a real challenge for me. I had to concentrate very hard. But my result shows that the hours spent practising during the week have really paid off." Third place went to 17-year-old Thomas Kjer Olsen (STC Racing) from Denmark.
Also putting in a strong performance was current high-flyer Brian Hsu (Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe). The 16-year-old reached the first corner ahead of the field to claim the Red Bull Holeshot award. A well-deserved bonus for the ADAC Sports Foundation MX protégé after already being crowned European and world champion in the 125 class earlier this month. The ADAC MX Youngster Cup rider finished the day in eighth.
ADAC MX Junior Cup
Sunday's winner in the ADAC MX Junior Cup was Jeremy Sydow from Chemnitz in Saxony (Falcon Motorsports / ADAC Sachsen). The 15-year-old ADAC Sports Foundation-sponsored motocross talent took the trophy with two assured runner-up spots: "After my good result in Saturday's qualifying session, I was determined to finish in the Top Three, and that's what I did. So the weekend really couldn't have gone better for me." Second place went to 13-year-old Bastian Boegh Damm (KMP Racing Repsol Honda) from Denmark, with the remaining podium spot going to 13-year-old Maurice Chanton from Switzerland (HFour MX-Raceland).
MX of Nations
The German squad for the Motocross of Nations at Kegums (Latvia) was announced at a press conference on Saturday night in the context of the ADAC MX Masters weekend. Team Manager Hubert Nagl nominated his son Max Nagl (KMP Racing Honda) for the MXGP class (formerly MX1), Marcus Schiffer (Team Suzuki Waldmann) for the MX2 class and Dennis Ullrich for the MXOpen. The inclusion of Nagl and Schiffer means that the team is entering two riders who were instrumental in securing the historic title win in 2012. For reigning ADAC MX Masters champion Ullrich, this will be his second MXoN. In the week leading up to the showcase event in Kegums, Hubert Nagl will gather his team for a joint practice on the Friday ahead of the final ADAC MX Masters event at Teutschenthal and for an additional group excursion. "Although the three riders get on well together, it is important to build team spirit and allow them to coordinate their efforts," said the team manager. "The atmosphere generated by the activities undertaken together is important for a strong performance in the Nations."
The penultimate race weekend of the 2014 campaign at Holzgerlingen (Baden-Württemberg) should favour ADAC MX Masters champion and local hero Dennis Ullrich. After wrapping up the championship in Europe's most popular motocross racing series at the KFV Kalteneck club's Schützenbühlring last year, the 21-year-old will be confident of a decent points haul again at this same circuit. "It would obviously be a huge relief if I can ensure that I retain my title as early as Holzgerlingen. I really like this track with its clay surface, because it provides such excellent grip. That suits my style. I'll be spurred on by my performance last year to go all out for the win." The 1.80km circuit 30 kilometres south of Stuttgart is famous for its jumps and tables. In 2013, more than 12,000 spectators turned up to watch motocross of the highest standard.