The ADAC MX Masters finale with the crowning of the champions in all four classes is fast approaching. The ADAC MX Masters will head to the Schützenbühlring at Holzgerlingen for the 14th time this coming weekend when the champions of the 2019 season will be crowned. Dennis Ullrich (Bodo Schmidt Motorsport/Husqvarna) enters the race in the ADAC MX Masters class as clear favourite. The four-time ADAC MX Masters champion is a club member at KFV Kalteneck and therefore knows the track like the back of his hand. In addition, Ullrich will start the last race with a twelve-point lead after his strong performance at Bielstein. "I’m in an excellent position to start with, for sure!" he told us with a big smile on his face. "I really like the Schützenbühlring and am greatly looking forward to the race. I feel very confident and definitely intend to celebrate my fifth title win at the weekend."
The signs are indeed looking excellent for Ullrich as regards another title win, because Tanel Leok (A1M Husqvarna), the rival who has the best chance of beating him, has been forced to cancel his appearance at Holzgerlingen, regrettably. "My team have other commitments, and I must line up in the World Championship race in China this weekend, and so, unfortunately, cannot compete in the final round of the ADAC MX Masters," said Leok, setting out the details behind the unfortunate position he finds himself in. "It’s a big shame, because I reckon I would have had quite a decent chance of taking victory overall." As a result, that leaves Jens Getteman (Monster Energy Kawasaki Elf Team Pfeil) as the only adversary, who could still challenge Ullrich for the title. But the Belgian crashed in the last race at Bielstein and it’s still not certain whether he can compete in the finale at Holzgerlingen.
Austrian rider Pascal Rauchenecker (Classic Oil/SHR Motorsports/KTM) is 57 points behind Ullrich and has no chance of winning the title but could yet finish in the championship Top Three if Leok and Getteman drop out of the running. Behind him, the two brothers Tim and Tom Koch (both KTM Sarholz Racing Team) are separated by just four points and will be battling it out for fifth place in the overall standings.
The situation at the top of the standings in the ADAC MX Youngster Cup is even more exciting. Although Jeremy Sydow (DIGA-Procross Husqvarna) missed the first race of the season at Fürstlich Drehna due to injury, he has had such a good showing subsequently that he heads to the Holzgerlingen finale with a nine-point lead. "I was able to win the first race immediately after my return from injury, which boosted my self-confidence enormously," said the German rider. "I now have the championship lead as we head to Holzgerlingen and obviously would like to win the title as well. I like riding at the Schützenbühlring and am ready to go all-out in the final round."
17-year-old Austrian rider Rene Hofer (KTM Junior Racing) will start the race in the same frame of mind. He has had many thrilling scraps for position with Sydow throughout the season and would definitely like nothing more than to challenge his rival for the title. "It will not be easy," he said. "But there’s everything still to play for. I’ll do my best and hope it’s enough in the end." Danish rider Bastian Bogh Damm (WZ-Racing/KTM) is a little further down the field with a 27-point deficit on the leaders but is waiting for an opportunity to move up the standings and his chances are still very much alive. He has delivered consistently good results so far and could still benefit at Holzgerlingen should one of his opponents show signs of weakness.
In the ADAC MX Junior Cup 125, no one else is in a position to challenge Simon Längenfelder (WZ-Racing/KTM) for the title. Swiss rider Mike Gwerder (KINI KTM Junior Pro Team) has a 22-point deficit and is the only one with a chance on paper of winning the title, but he got injured recently and therefore will not be competing in the finale. Further down the championship standings are two riders, who have moved up from the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85, Camden McLellan (Kosak Racing Team/KTM) and Liam Everts (Team KTM Liamski). They would also like to finish on the podium. Both of them still have a chance of a podium in the overall standings and will therefore not give each other any quarter.
Latvian Edvards Bidzans (MX Modules/Husqvarna) is the clear title favourite in the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85. He has won seven out of ten races and has finished runner-up twice. He is definitely the strongest rider of the season and heads to Holzgerlingen with a comfortable cushion of 40 points. "Of course, you can never know what’s going to happen in motocross," said Bidzans not wanting to be too bullish. "But I assume that the title is mine for the taking." Tobias Caprani (Kosak Racing Team/KTM) has a solid lead of 14 points on Sacha Coenen (Grizzly Yamaha Junior Team INDG) in third place behind him and intends to defend his position from the 12-year-old Belgian. And last but not least, German rider, Valentin Kees (Kosak Racing Team/KTM), also has a chance of a place on the podium. The schoolboy sponsored by the ADAC Sports Foundation has a 24-point deficit on third place before the last race.
MX fans at Holzgerlingen will be entertained both on and off the racetrack during the race meet. The Suzuki Quad circuit and the ADAC Insurance bouncy castle will keep families with children happy. There will also be an autograph-signing session at the ADAC Truck on Sunday at 11.45 am when the top stars from the ADAC MX Masters class - Dennis Ullrich, Tim and Tom Koch and Pascal Rauchenecker - will make themselves available to sign autographs and pose for photos with fans. Max Nagl is expected to make a guest appearance. The 2009 World Championship runner-up will also sign autographs and is looking forward to seeing his many fans.
Holzgerlingen is located about 25 kilometres southwest of Stuttgart and can be reached via the A81 motorway. Live band, Friends Live, will get fans warmed up on Friday evening in the marquee at the track and give a second concert on Saturday evening. Practice will start at 9.00 am on both days. The races on Sunday start at 10.30 am. A weekend ticket for adults costs 22 euros. A day tickets for Saturday is priced at 10 euros and 18 for Sunday. Teenagers aged from 12 to 18 must pay 10 euros for a day ticket on Sunday but will get free admittance on Saturday. Children under 12 are entitled to free admission on both days. Tickets for the MX party on Friday and Saturday night with band Friends Live will cost 10 euros on both evenings.