All things youth moto…

Winning is one thing – winning in the face of bureaucratic adversity is another as Cobra Moto podiums whilst weathering the Lead Law storm

Including the 2011 Cobra All-Star Team!

HILLSDALE, Mich., (Dec. 30, 2011) – In the corporate equivalent of clearing a 100-foot triple on 50cc bike, Cobra Moto won maybe its – and mini cycle racing’s in general – most important race of all time … the race to defeat the ominous CPSIA “Lead Law” that cast a shadow over the entire youth motocross industry the past two years.

Battling in suits and ties on one front, Cobra Moto was backed by some incredible young talent on the other – racers who were victorious in the vast majority of 50cc races at the major American amateur MX Nationals – from Oak Hill, Texas, to Mill Creek, Ala., Mesquite, Nev.’s Mini GPs, Ponca City (Okla.), Loretta’s (Tenn.), Branson, Mo., and the Florida Mini Os. Cobra Moto racers also won big at the annual MX Masters Kids in Europe and well as a number of Canadian MX championships.

“2011 will certainly go down in Cobra Moto’s heritage as a turning point year not only for the company, but the sport of mini cycle racing in general,” said Cobra Moto President Sean Hilbert. “Along with the principles at MX Sports, the AMA and the Motorcycle Industry Council, the biggest race Cobra Moto won this year was in Washington D.C.’s halls of Congress. Outside that it was the Cobra Moto kids that stepped up and made us proud, as they have since the company’s inception, at every major amateur MX National-caliber race throughout North America and Europe.” 

A number of factory-backed racers stood out for Cobra Moto in 2011. And most importantly, a number of them return for the 2012 competition season as senior members of their respective classes. Here’s a look at Cobra Moto’s 2011 All-Star Team!

Stilez Robertson (California) – Racing his final Loretta’s on a Cobra, Robertson set a 50cc class wins record that’s going to be tough to beat. Recording his 26th win at the big one – Loretta’s – Robertson broke the record previously held by former Cobra racer Adam Cianciarulo. Robertson went 1st/1st/1st to win out in the 51cc (7-8) AMA 1 Stock Senior class to become the winningest AMA amateur racer ever on 50cc bikes.

Pierce Brown (Utah) – Brown threw down at the season opener in Oak Hill, racing to victory in all three 50cc classes he entered on his Cobra CX50SR, aka the “King Cobra.” This included the 7-8 Stock, 7-8 Modified and the hotly-contested 4-9 Open class. In all Brown went 6-0 in six motos – the best results of any Cobra racer, setting the stage for excellent 2011 competition year for Brown and Cobra Moto. Brown also put the Cobra CX65 on a number of major amateur MX National podiums.
Ryder Di Francesco (California) – Stepping up big at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., Di Francesco became the first five-year old in the storied history of the event to win the 51cc (4-6) AMA 2 Stock Junior class. He gave up the first moto to his Cobra Moto-backed central Cal riding buddy Jett Reynolds, then went on to win the next two motos. Prior to Loretta’s Reynolds and Di Francesco had gone 1st/2nd, respectively, at Ponca – leading a Cobra Moto charge that would see the King 50 capture nine of the top ten spots in Ponca’s 50cc through 6 Mod class.
Jett Reynolds (California) – Wherever you found Di Francesco on the podium, Reynolds was sure to be there as well. From Ponca to Loretta’s, Cobra Moto’s Bakersfield Boyz – joined by New York’s Reed Cooper – also made up the entire 7-8 50cc class Olympiad podium at the Mini Os, the first time in memory which that’s occurred with one brand – Cobra Moto!
Brock Bennett (California) – The third Cobra Moto kid out of Bakersfield won big against his riding buddies at the World Mini GPs (50cc through 6 Mod class) and was a consistent high podium finisher at Ponca and Oak Hill.
Gage Linville (Georgia) – Although he got off to a bit of a slow start in 2011, Linville closed out the year on a high note, winning the coveted Olympiad title (MX/SX combined) in the 50cc 7-8 class at the Mini Os. Linville, 7, a longtime Cobra Moto-backed racer, will return to contest the 7-8 class again next year at all the major amateur MX Nationals.
Reed Cooper (New York) – Making the overall 50cc 7-8 podium with two Cobra Moto Bakersfield racers, Cooper blasted big at the Mini Os – winning the coveted 4-6 50cc Olympiad title. Reed also opened the season on a sweet note, sweeping top honors in both the 4-6 Stock and 4-6 Multi-Speed classes at Mill Creek.

Cobra Moto would also like to recognize its 2011 “Honorable Mention” racers: Tommy Rios (Florida), Tanner Ward (Canada), Jack Rogers (Maryland), Vance Stiers (Texas), Brayden Bruce (Wyoming), Dylan Woodcock (UK), Jayden Taylor (Michigan), Branden Walther (Texas), Hunter Budd (AX Champ, Texas), Cameron Davis (Pennsylvania), Kruz Sampson (Tennessee), Tanner Kemp (Ohio), Hunter Scott (Canada), Ryan Smith (Oklahoma), Cade Britt (Colorado), Alex Mann (Washington), Ramon Rusche (Oklahoma), Chase Yentzer (Pennsylvania), Seth Milam (Texas), Max Miller (Oregon), Chandler Baker (Oklahoma), Jeremy McKie (Canada), Tyler Archambault (Michigan), Dilan Schwartz (California) and Harry Wichmann (UK), along with a special Honorable Mention to Cobra’s top female racer – New Jersey’s Jordan “JJ” Jarvis!

Photos by Rodney Webb

Robertson breaks past Cobra ace Adam Cianciarulo’s 50cc career wins record; Di Francesco’s the first-ever 5-year-old to win class

Robertson & Di Francesco photos courtesy of Rodney Webb

HILLSDALE, Mich., (Aug. 11, 2011) – A couple young rippers from Bakersfield, Calif. – Stilez Robertson and Ryder Di Francesco – wrote a historic new chapter into the ongoing heritage of the American-made Cobra competition mini cycles as the two swept the 50cc classes at the 30^th annual Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL.

Held at country singing legend Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., Di Francesco became the first five-year old in the storied history of the event to win the 51cc (4-6) AMA 2 Stock Junior class. He gave up the first moto to his central Cal riding buddy, Jett Reynolds, then went on to win the next two motos. New York’s Reed Cooper got progressively better as the week went on, going 5^th/4^th/2^nd and placing on the Stock Junior class in 3^rd behind Jett and Robertson.

Overall Cobra took eight out of the top ten spots in the Stock Junior class – including 1^st through 7^th place, and 16 out of the top 20 places!

Racing his final Loretta’s on a Cobra, Robertson set a 50cc class wins record that’s going to be tough to beat. Recording his 26^th win, Robertson broke the record previously held by former Cobra racer Adam Cianciarulo. Robertson went 1^st/1^st/1^st to win out in the 51cc (7-8) AMA 1 Stock Senior class to become the winningest AMA amateur racer ever on 50cc bikes.

Robertson led a Cobra charge in the Stock Senior class that included a 1^st through 6^th place sweep on the legendary Cobra King 50 bikes, joined on the podium by California’s Dilan Schwartz (2^nd) and Utah’s Pierce Brown (3^rd).

“Everyone at Cobra is thrilled for the effort put forth not only by our Stock Junior and Stock Senior class podium placers, but also for the efforts by their families backing these young racers,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “Stilez and Ryder’s record-setting efforts highlighted another epic year for Cobra at Loretta’s. And while we certainly wish Stilez all the best as he moves forward with the Team Green program, we’re equally pumped to have such solid group of kids returning to the Cobra program for 2012.”

In the 65cc (7-9) Stock class Cobra’s Brown – on the American-made CX65 – raced to a 6^th place finish, which was the second-best finish in the class for an eight-year old.

Ponca City update: In the 50 Pee Wee Stock through 6 class Reynolds and Di Francesco went 1^st/2^nd – with Cobra bikes taking nine out of the top ten spots! Similar results would follow in Ponca’s 50 Pee Wee Modified through 6 class as Reynolds was again unstoppable, joined on the podium by fellow Bakersfield, Calif., native Brock Bennett in 2^nd place. Again, Cobra would capture nine out of the top ten places in the 50 Pee Wee Modified through 6 class – including 1^st and 2^nd place!

In the 50 Pee Wee Stock 7-8 class Cobra’s Ethan Mann, Brown and Robertson swept the podium with a 1^st/2^nd/3^rd showing in the massive 57-rider class. Oregon’s Max Miller would step up and take top honors on his King 50 in the 50 Pee Wee Modified 7-8 class, with Robertson and Brown rounding out the podium.

The Super Pee Wee Modified 6-9 class would bring all the class champs together for one big race – all brands included – and Cobra racers would again sweep the podium with Brown, Miller and Robertson going 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd.

All totaled the Cobra Nation swept every 50 class victory at Ponca. Way to go, guys!

On the 65s at Ponca Brown made the transition from his King 50 to the Cobra CX65 nicely, winning the first 65 Junior Stock 6-8 moto and placing 2^nd overall behind his Cobra 50 class teammate, Robertson. And in the 65 Junior Modified 6-8 class Brown scored another Ponca podium, placing 3^rd overall.

For more information on the 2011 Red Bull AMA Amateur National Championships – including up-to-date scoring, link to the Loretta’s website at: http://www.mxsports.com

For Ponca City info link to: www.nmamx.com

Jordan, piloting the American-made Cobra CX65, returns to the 30^th annual Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National MX Championships for the second time

HILLSDALE, Mich., (June 9, 2011) – A big shout out from everyone at Cobra Motorcycles to New Jersey’s Jordan “JJ” Jarvis for qualifying for the 30^th annual Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National MX Championships, presented by AMSOIL.

A 2010 Loretta’s qualifier in the 50cc 7-8 class – the first girl to qualify for that class in the sport’s history – Jarvis, now ten years old, made the transition to the Cobra CX65 this year and has been on it! This past weekend she qualified for Loretta’s out of the Spring Creek MX regional in Athens, Ohio.

“We couldn’t be happier for Jordan and her dad, Rich, and mom, Kathi,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “We’ve scanned the records several times and believe that Jordan’s also the first girl to qualify for the Loretta’s 65cc 7-9 class – at least since the early 1980s, if not ever.

“And she’s certainly the first girl in Cobra’s history to qualify for Loretta’s in the 65 class.”

Jordan’s tore up the east coast versus some of the top amateur boy motocross competitors in the United States since starting racing as a five-year-old. And though humble regarding her successes, she’s definitely focused on the work it takes in order to qualify for the sport’s biggest amateur event in August in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

“I’m really looking forward to racing Loretta’s again. Last year was a lot of fun and I like beating the boys,” said Jordan.

This summer Jordan will also be able to contest the new Girls 9-11 85cc class at Loretta’s, although her father thinks she’s better off racing against the boys – like she always has.

“It’ll be important for her to race against the girls – and we’re confident she’ll do well,” said Rich Jarvis. “But she pushes so much harder against the boys. And that’s where JJ’s at her best.”

Next up for Jordan on the national scene will be the Aug. 1^st – 6^th AMA Amateur National MX Championships at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

Budd pilots the American-made CX65 to victory at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium – on the Monster/AMA SX track – during the AMA National Arenacross finals

HILLSDALE, Mich., (May 11, 2011) – Cobra’s CX65 reached another amazing milestone in the American-made bike’s third year of competition when this past weekend it was raced to a first-ever AMA National Arenacross Championship title by #399 Hunter Budd out of Keller, Texas.

The ten-year-old fifth grader, in his seventh year of racing, powered past another rider coming out of the over/under obstacle on the floor of Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium – the same track Ryan Villopoto would win the SX title on later that day – and onto victory, solidifying Cobra CX65’s inaugural national 65cc class Arenacross title.

“We couldn’t be more pleased for Hunter and his family – making history on the Cobra CX65 this past weekend in Las Vegas,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “Hunter’s had a stellar amateur motocross career on Cobras and to deliver our first-ever national AMA Arenacross title is just super. We wish Hunter the best of luck as he moves up to the 85 class full time now.”

Next up for the Cobra Nation is the Ponca City (Okla.) Grand Nationals, July 24-30.

After decimating the field at this year’s World Mini in Mesquite, Nevada, Cobra racer Stilez Robertson was rewarded with his first cover. Nice job Stilez! (and thanks CN!).

Check out the full online issue of Cycle News at http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20110426?pg=1&pm=2&u1=texterity

Photo by Kit Palmer