Nagl took a lights-to-flag victory in the first ADAC MX Masters race at Dreetz, finishing ahead of Spies and Tixier. Dave Kooiker secured his first victory in the ADAC MX Youngster Cup. Ricardo Bauer triumphed in the opening race of the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85.
The second event of the 2024 ADAC MX Masters got underway in sunny weather and pleasant temperatures at Dreetz in Brandenburg. The deep sandy soil of the MC Dreetz e.V. circuit already demanded a lot from the riders on the first day of racing. Max Nagl (D/KMP-Honda-Racing powered by Krettek) was the winner in the ADAC MX Masters, Dave Kooiker (NL/Schmicker Racing) won the ADAC MX Youngster Cup and Ricardo Bauer (A/MSC Imbach Racing Team) came out on top in the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85. Maximilian Ernecker (A/F4E Gasgas Junior Racing) will start the ADAC MX Junior Cup 125 races from pole position on Sunday.
ADAC MX Masters: Max Nagl takes commanding race win As at the season opener a week ago, reigning ADAC MX Masters champion Max Nagl began the race weekend at Dreetz with a lights-to-flag victory. He took the lead at the Red Bull holeshot and never looked back, staying ahead of Jere Haavisto (FIN/Schmicker Racing), Maximilian Spies (D/Kosak Racing Team), Noah Ludwig (D/KTM Sarholz Racing Team) and Jeremy Knuimann (NL/Twenty Racing Team). Nagl went on to cross the finish line with a lead of over 18 seconds. Spies took the chase position after three laps and then drove a controlled race, extending his lead over third place to around 14 seconds by the finish. With three laps remaining, Jordi Tixier (F/KMP-Honda-Racing powered by Krettek) took third place from Haavisto despite the injuries he sustained the previous week. Cornelius Töndel (NOR/Schmicker Racing) advanced from tenth to fifth place during the race.
‘Although it may not have looked like it from the outside, it was not an easy race. Compared to the training sessions, the lap times were significantly slower because the track was already so worn out. This made it difficult to find a rhythm. You could hardly attack because it took too much energy. But I already knew from last year that it's important here to avoid making mistakes and to concentrate on yourself. So I focused on the holeshot, which put me in a good position,’ said Nagl in the winner's interview.
ADAC MX Youngster Cup: Dave Kooiker celebrates his first race win In the ADAC MX Youngster Cup, Bence Pergel (HUN, HTS KTM) initially sped ahead of Scott Smulders (NL, MP-Honda-Racing powered by Krettek), Dave Kooiker (NL/Schmicker Racing), Bradley Mesters (NL/Kosak Racing Team) and Rasmus Pedersen (DK/Rhino Racing Team). On the third lap, Pergel initially lost the lead to Smulders and was then passed by Kooiker. But before the end of the lap, Kooiker took the lead from his compatriot. Three laps later, Mesters also passed the Hungarian. After Kooiker had built up a small lead, Smulders reduced the gap again in the following laps and put pressure on the leader. After nine laps, Pedersen passed Pergel for fourth place, followed a lap later by championship leader Edvards Bidzans (LV/KMP-Honda-Racing powered by Krettek), who started the race in eighth place. With two laps to go, Kooiker pulled out a gap again, while Bidzans took fourth place from Pergel. Kooiker, Smulders and Mesters made for a Dutch podium, with Bidzans and Pedersen taking the remaining places. Jan Krug (D/SixtySeven Racing Husqvarna) was the best-placed German in sixth place.
ADAC MX Junior Cup 125: Ernecker on pole position The ADAC MX Junior Cup 125 on Saturday was a qualifying session for the two races on Sunday. Championship leader Maximilian Ernecker (A/F4E Gasgas Junior Racing) set the fastest time in qualifying and will be first to choose his starting position tomorrow, ahead of Dean Gregoire (NL/Schmicker Racing) and Tomass Saicans (LV/MX Magnum). Finn Lange (D/KTM GST Berlin Racing/ADAC Hansa MX Junior Team) will start from fourth position as the best German.
ADAC MX Junior Cup 85: Ryan Oppliger beats Lucas Leok Lucas Leok (EST/Team #111) sprinted to the lead with the Red Bull Holeshot and came out of the first lap with a small advantage over Ricardo Bauer, Ryan Oppliger (CH/Oppliger Racing Sàrl), Moritz Ernecker (A/HSV Ried Racing Team) and Marten Raud (EST/MX-Handel Racing). Bauer closed the gap to Leok during the opening laps and put him under pressure. On the fifth lap, Leok crashed due to his own fault, allowing Bauer to take the lead and go on to a commanding victory. Leok rejoined the race in third place behind Oppliger, but was unable to get close enough to the Swiss to launch an attack. Behind the leading trio, Raud and Timo Heuver (NL/JP Xtreme Xperience) fought for fourth place until Raud crashed. Ernecker rounded off the top five in the race.
The re-live of the first day of racing can be found on the ADAC Motorsport YouTube channel. The live stream of all Sunday's races starts at 9:50 am. The digital programme booklet, timetables and entry lists are available to download at adac.de/mx-masters.
