Back full circle. Former World 500cc Champion Jacky Martens will manage the 2014 Husqvarna Factory team effort in the 250 class (no word on who will run the 450 program or even there will be one). Jacky Martens won the 1993 500 Championship on Husqvarna.
I'll drive the truck & wash the bikes I think the mxlarge site had the iceone KTM team switching to Husky, site is slow can't confirm
For those who live within our US planet of MX . Historically on the world stage, it was the Factory Husky of Jacky Martens that really was the first modern (late) era guy to win MX world championship on a 4 stroke. A few years before Yamaha even had a YZF. The last 4 stroke MXGP World champ before Martens was Geoff Smith on his BSA. It looks like KTM as a racing company does have a grip on the Husky racing heritage. Note also mention of the 450 MX1 program. PS I'm no MX guy....MotoMarc can have my ride, Im negotiating for a factory offroad contract.
After riding a few laps at Washougal the other day .... I will be happy to manage the umbrella girls instead... Jumps are hard work
Not to disturb the race team building, but here is some words on JM ... He might be able to round you guys into some good backyard racers ;0) ... -- Jacky Martens (born on 3 July 1963, Lommel, Belguim) is a former professional motocross rider and F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Champion. Martens' first motocross race was in 1979, and by the mid 1980s he made the breakthrough into Grand Prix motocross, originally on a privately entered Honda, before a switch to the KTM factory racing team, culminating in a best result of second in the 500cc world championship in 1991. For 1992 Martens switched to the Husqvarna factory team, riding the fearsome Husqvarna 610 four-stroke machine. Many felt this was a backward step for Martens, as unlike today, four-stroke machines were seen as slow, bulky and uncompetitive compared to the two-stroke machines. At times Martens had a difficult 1992, but some encouraging results later in the year saw him finish 11th in the series. However, 1993 was a different start. After a steady start to the series at Hawkstone Park, Martens quickly proved himself and his machine, rising to the top of the 500cc World standings, with Swede Jorgen Nilsson. The championship was contested until the very final round, where Martens clinched the title, the first four-stroke rider to do so in over 20 years. In addition, Martens performances on the fearsome four-stroke machine earned him something of a cult following, particularly amongst British fans, where he was every bit as popular as the home riders. 1994 saw Martens once again challenge for the title, his main rival being another Swede, Marcus Hansson. Once again the title was decided on the very final round, but a fall in the final round cost Martens the title, as he narrowly took second overall. 1995 and 1996 were blighted by injury, and Martens final season as a rider was in 1997. By this time, Martens was seen as something of an also-ran, but he managed to upset the form book and produce some impressive results, including a moto win at the British Grand Prix at Hawkstone Park, which was popular with Martens' large contingent of British fans. After retiring, Martens stayed in the sport by assisting to run the factory Husqvarna team. However in recent years, Martens has been a successful team principal, running the successful factory JM Racing KTM team. Under Martens' leadership, the team has won the World MX3 title with Belgian Sven Breugelmans, and also support young Belgian Joel Roelants in the World MX2 series. -- He certainly has the successful racing history under his belt ...
Still got carbon front number plate and the shirt Jacky was wearing on the day he won the championship tucked away some place I remember Hawkstone well as his new engine arrived from the factory on race day (sunday) and in the first moto it was so lean it ran like a bag of $&(£, it the second moto he was flying and took a easy win if there is such a thing.
I dunno, Jeffry Herlings didn't make it either and, w/Rob bailing to chase down his offroad career (to be the next Kendall Norman) we might have room.
Herlings and KTM are the Darlings of FIM MXGP. Maybe Husqvarna will be the next Favored Brand!! http://motocrossactionmag.com/Main/...OF-LUONGOS-GRAND-PRIX-RULE-CHANGES-10219.aspx
When GP veteran Jacky Martens won the ’93 500 World Title on a four-stroke it was seen here as an example of how far the once prestigious class had fallen. Few people at the time could have predicted just how prophetic his title would be.
Yep ...I'm psyched today about it ... I was reading some article and stumbled across that pic and just pasted the words before really reading them ...Probably just a writer adding sensationalism to the article ...
