Jeff Stanton at Southwick back in the day photo: Paul Buckley

After a weekend off, it’s all back on. The 2007 AMA Toyota Motocross Championships presented by FMF sets up on the beach that is Southwick’s Motocross 338. The Racer X Motocross Show on Motocross.com will air our pre-race show tomorrow evening, hopefully by 10 p.m. EST. Practice highlights, timed qualifying, interviews and more—exclusively on Motocross.com.

Sunday, the Racer X Live Webcast kicks off right around 12:30 p.m., with racing at 1 p.m. EST. And the live timing and scoring can be watched all weekend long at www.amamotocross.com.

This weekend marks the last visit to Southwick for Ricky Carmichael, who owns this track like no other. RC has won nine times in ten career visits, losing only to John Dowd in 1998—one moto to a seizure, and the other to a straight-up defeat by the local legend-turned-national hero. Dowd will be out and about again, though his old NESC partner in crime Doug Henry can only watch this time around.

Pick up this limited-edition Doug Henry replica today!

If you’re not going to Southwick on Sunday but you are going to the races somewhere on Sunday, here’s your chance to get in Racer X Illustrated: Just send us a high-res photo of you or your family members or friends at the track, getting ready, loading or working on bikes, gearing up, scanning the track—whatever represents your day at the races—and we’ll consider your image for publication in our next issue. Be sure to identify everyone in the photo and tell us where you’re racing.

Remember, the photo must be high-res to work in the magazine, and it’s gotta be sharp and well-composed, too. Take your time and take multiple shots if you need to, but only send us ONE photo—the best one. Send all submissions to letters@racerxill.com.

Don't look for Tedesco in Massachusetts photo: Simon Cudby

One person who won’t be racing this weekend is Ivan Tedesco. According to a source at Makita Suzuki, it appears that the former AMA MX Lites Champion is ready to go, but he’s likely going to wait until Budds Creek to join the outdoor circuit, as Southwick may not be the best place to make your motocross debut when you’re coming back from a concussion.

The same source also told us that while Tedesco is said to be going to Team Honda next year, the bosses at Makita Suzuki still have the right of first refusal, and to this point they have not seen an actual contract. With RC stepping out and top 450 riders at a premium, Ivan just may end up yellow again after all.

But speaking of red, check out this video of Team Honda's Tommy Hahn and Davi Millsaps putting in some practice laps at MX338 earlier this week.

There was some national championship racing last weekend up in Canada, and Cernic’s Kawasaki’s Paul Carpenter bagged the win at the always-rough and super sandy Gopher Dunes circuit. Something to keep in mind as we head into the ‘Wick: Both of the Blackfoot Yamaha YYZ450s of Jean-Sebastien Roy and Blair Morgan ran out of gas on the last lap in one moto.

Paul Carpenter is on a roll in Canada photo: Allison Kennedy

Team Yamaha’s Grant Langston spent last weekend in Southwick, doing the off-weekend amateur race there, along with High Point National winner Josh Grant, his SoBe No Fear/Samsung Honda teammate Jake Weimer, Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi, and the aforementioned John Dowd. To catch a glimpse of last week’s action, check out the Racer X Film put together by Paul Michaud and Travis Steward.

Langston must feel like MX338 owes him at least one—maybe two. Back in 2001 when he first visited as a Red Bull KTM rider and matched up with Travis Pastrana, both predicted victory in the sand, but Langston ended up with a separated shoulder. Then last year, he fried his KX250F, as did Monster Energy/Pro Circuit teammates Ryan Villopoto and Troy Adams. With RC and James Stewart in the mix, it’s going to be tough to pull off a win for anyone else this weekend, but it does seem like Langston should be ready to battle with Davi Millsaps and last year’s Lites winner here, Andrew Short.

Mike Alessi at the Southwick Invitational last photo: Cam Baird

Speaking of Team Yamaha, Broc Hepler was back on the bike riding last weekend, and Wes Williams met up with him at High Voltage MX Park in Pennsylvania for a feature in our Racer X Motocross Show “Off-Weekend” presentation. If you missed it, just click here.

Hopefully, we will see Hepler back out on the racetrack by Red Bud. His goal? Win at least three races again, just like he did last year after coming back at Budds Creek.

Don’t forget to catch the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF from High Point Raceway on Speed TV this Sunday June 10, 6 pm (EST).

The AMA Motocross Lites – Tuesday, June 12, at 3 pm (EST). Both races will repeat at that same night on Speed, from 9 to 11 p.m. (EST)

Time to turn this over to Ping on the west side.…

Jesseman will be looking for a new team in '08 photo: Simon Cudby

Word has been circulating for some time that the PPG/Motoworldracing.com team is closing its doors at the end of the season. Team manager Paul Lindsey wanted to give his mechanics and riders plenty of time to look for job opportunities in the future, and that kind of information is hard to keep secret. I spoke with Paul, who is planning on working in the industry as an agent, about the decision to close up shop.

“It was a really hard decision to make, but I think we’re doing the right thing,” said Lindsey. “I started this team because I couldn’t stand some of the other programs that were out there not paying their employees on time and doing things half-assed. I wanted to run a team the right way. But it’s gotten to the point where some of our sponsor money hasn’t come in, and I’ve put a lot of my own money on the line to keep things going. I feel like I’m on the verge of becoming one of those teams telling their employees that the check is in the mail. I’d rather shut it down than go out like that.”

Paul always ran a great program, and his effort will be missed at the track. Now he gets to beat up other team managers for money as he works for the other side as an agent. Good luck, Paul.

Team Motosport Kawasaki is folding up their awning photo: Simon Cudby

Another team closing its doors is the Motosport Outlet squad. After several seasons with Honda and then Kawasaki, they have decided to call it quits at the end of the summer. So between both camps, Michael LaPaglia, Orlando SX winner Branden Jesseman, Sean Hackley, Bob Kiniry, Kyle Chisholm, Matt Boni and Steve Boniface will find themselves standing at the unemployment line after Glen Helen this September. It is going to be tough to find a job for many Lites-class riders in 2008.

One place that a lucky few might land is the TLD/Red Bull Honda team. The successful Supermoto team is considering a move into West Coast Lites competition. The AMA Supermoto season runs from the end of May through November, leaving the team transporter sitting throughout the AMA supercross season. Troy Lee has spoken with several riders about racing the West Coast Lites series and then possibly competing in the AMA Supermoto championship over the summer. Riders that have shown interest include Josh Hansen, Eric Sorby and Chris Gosselaar. This is like an answer to prayer for guys who suck at the nationals or just plain don’t do well racing them.… Hey, Troy, where were you at about five years ago when I needed you?

Dan Reardon is verbally committed to racing here in 2008 photo: Courtesy of Reardon

Australian hero Dan Reardon has made a verbal agreement with a team here in the States for 2008 and beyond. Though his agent couldn’t comment, Dan has been a longtime Kawasaki rider back in Australia, and one of his tryouts was with the Pro Circuit camp to ride the Lites class. With Ben Townley leaving for Honda and expired contracts with Gosselaar and Metcalfe, Mitch Payton definitely needs someone who can win. Reardon would be a good choice. Look for a press release soon from the Reardon camp about his decision … though someone just whispered in my ear that he may end up on a red bike!

Malcolm Smith is being honored with his own exhibit at the AMA Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame. With seven ISDT medals (six of them gold), multiple Mint 400 wins, Baja 1000 wins, and countless scramble and off-road wins Malcolm certainly deserves his own section.

On top of all that, the star of On Any Sunday, who arguably got more people into off-road motorcycling than anyone, works with several orphanages down in Mexico helping children. In honor of the motorcycle legend, an auction and exhibit was held at his new dealership (which is amazing, by the way) in Riverside, CA, on Thursday. All of the memorabilia that will find its way to the Hall of Fame in Ohio was on display for those on the West Coast that might not get to see it otherwise. It is an impressive display that spans Malcolm’s entire career and really showcases his passion for motorcycling. Several original paintings were being auctioned off, along with jerseys and other items. Congratulations, Malcolm, there certainly isn’t a more deserving guy.

Here’s some good news: MDK will be the Lites-class satellite team for KTM in 2008. The Austrian brand is looking to expand its 450 program in-house and needs someone to take over a portion of their Lites effort. It sounds like KTM might still have one 250F rider in their semi, but the bulk of their 250 squad will be run by MDK. No word on which rider(s) might join the Alessi boys on KTM 450s next year…

… if the Alessi boys actually stay in the States. It’s been rumored for some time that Tony Alessi has an idea about taking the boys to Europe to race the Grand Prix circuit for a year or two, then come back with better confidence and a little more strength for supercross. Stay tuned on that one.

That’s it from Ping.

Jan de Groot photo: Maximilian Ludwig

While last weekend was an off-weekend for the AMA circuit, it was a momentous one off the track. First came news out of Europe on the passing of Jan De Groot, the extremely well respected and successful manager of the Kawasaki Europe program (and before that, Suzuki and even Honda). De Groot, who was battling cancer, worked with world champions like Davey Strijbos, Greg Albertyn and Sebastien Tortelli along the way (Tortelli hopped a flight to the Netherlands on Wednesday to attend the funeral). Jan’s passing came just a few days after his current rider, Billy Mackenzie, topped the MX1 class at the