Holzgerlingen: Conditions for the ADAC MX Masters finale on 23rd and 24th September at the Schützenbühlring in Holzgerlingen could not have been better on Saturday. As the sun shone with temperatures nudging 20 degrees, the 210 riders from around 26 countries produced action-packed motocross sport in all three classes, holding the promise of plenty more to come and a particularly thrilling round on Sunday. In the elite class, reigning MX2 world champion Jeremy Seewer (23, SUI, Team Suzuki World MX2) set a record in qualifying with a time of 2:03,756 minutes and as a result, can choose his spot at the starting gate in front of his rivals, Max Nagl (30, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team) and Sulivan Jaulin (25, KTM Kosak Racing Team). “It’s really great to be back in the ADAC MX Masters at last and I’m delighted too that I was even faster than Max, because he’s one of my strongest competitors,” said the 23-year-old.

Local rider Dennis Ullrich (24, KTM Sarholz Racing Team), who was crowned champion of the race series for the fourth time at the last ADAC MX Masters meeting in Gaildorf, placed fourth in qualifying. ‘Ulle’, full of surprises as ever, will line up on a 250cc two-stroke KTM as he goes up against strong competition from riders on their 4-stroke machines. Maik Schaller (25, KTM Kosak Racing), the second local rider competing with the Big Boys, kept things exciting until the very end, qualifying for Sunday’s race on the final lap of the Last Chance race.

ADAC MX Youngster Cup

In the ADAC MX Youngster Cup, riders from Diga Procross Racing Team dominated proceedings in the two qualifying groups on Saturday. New Zealand’s Dylan Walsh (20, Diga Procross Team, Husqvarna), who is taking part for the first time in the ADAC MX Masters as the series holds its final meeting of the season at Holzgerlingen, impressed by posting best time of 2:07,332 minutes, finishing a second up on his team-mate Adrien Malaval (19, Diga Procross Team, Husqvarna), the qualifying winner from Group Two. “The track is very much to my taste. I felt good here straightaway and pushed without any hesitation. I really wanted to line up at this last Masters race weekend and didn’t want to miss the opportunity of riding in the series at least once this season. However, I’m a bit surprised at the strong competition. I would never have expected it,” said the 20-year-old. And so, Malaval finished second while Jeremy Sydow (17, WZ Racing, KTM) will rock up to the starting gate in P2. ADAC MX Youngster Cup Champion Tom Koch (19, KTM Sarholz Racing Team), who won his title just recently, qualified in P5.

ADAC MX Junior Cup

In the ADAC MX Junior Cup, the two young talents Magnus Smith (13, DEN, Mefo Sport Racing Team, KTM) and Constantin Piller (13, Mefo Sport Racing Team, MSC Freisinger Bär eV, KTM) have the best chances of finishing on the overall winner’s podium. The current front-runner, Max Palsson (14, SWE, Mefo Sport Racing Team) dropped out of contention shortly before the championship finale with a broken collarbone. And so, both juniors are highly motivated and intend to end the season with a bang. In qualifying, Piller did indeed manage to take the lead and secure the top grid position for Race Sunday with a time of 2:17,812 minutes, which greatly pleased him, as was very apparent. “I really wanted to take pole position, because it’s just terrific if you can be first at the starting gate on such an important day as the final round on Sunday. I’m not actually thinking, though, about trying to secure a podium, because I don’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on myself. My goal is, as always, the Top Five. Everything else will take its course,” said the young MX talent. The order of the top three on the grid in the ADAC MX Junior Cup is thus as follows: Constantin Piller, Magnus Smith and Camden McLellan from South Africa (13, KTM Kosak Racing Team). Local rider Malik Schoch (15, CLM powered by Winkle Racing, KTM) was the reason for a particularly touching moment today. The schoolboy from Sulz, just 28 kilometres from Holzgerlingen, had his fans cheering him wildly early this evening as the winner of the Last Chance race. He himself was extremely relieved to celebrate the fact that he had secured one of the last places for Race Sunday.

Programme

In the run-up to the meeting, some 400 volunteers were involved in ensuring that everything was in place for the motocross spectacle at the Schützenbühlring belonging to KfV Kalteneck eV at Holzgerlingen in Baden-Württemberg. The 1,800-metre clay and meadows track is a real highlight both for riders and for spectators, who can follow events at the cloverleaf-shaped circuit almost completely from beginning to end. The twelve tables, plus the numerous ascents and descents are a real challenge for all of the MX riders, and spectators get to see some extremely spectacular scenes on these sections of track. For the last time this season, there will be an additional support programme for children with the ADAC Insurance bouncy castle and the Suzuki quad-bike parcours. On Saturday evening, the Crazy Crocodiles will have the grown-ups rocking in the marquee. Later, on race day, the spectators can then meet the top stars from the scene in person at the autograph-signing session from 12.15 to 12.45 pm next to the ADAC Truck. World Championship stars Max Nagl, Hunter Lawrence, Jeremy Seewer and Henry Jacobi will be there for this seventh ADAC MX Masters meeting. Plus, -time ADAC MX Masters four champion Dennis Ullrich and the second-placed rider in the standings, Jens Getteman (24, Team Kawasaki Elf Team Arrow) will also sign posters for half-an-hour. Tickets cost 16 euros for adults on race day and 10 euros for children and teenagers aged from 12 to 18 years. Spectators under the age of 12 get free admittance when accompanied by a paying customer.