FIRE DRILL AT THE 2022 PALA NATIONAL: MXA LIVES THE PRIVATEER LIFE—WARTS AND ALL

On Jun 1, 2022 Last updated Jun 1, 2022

The 2022 Pala National was full of success for the Honda HRC factory team, but it was a challenge for the MXA test riders. MXA sent four test riders to the Pala National along with cameraman Trevor Nelson to chronicle all the joys and frustrations of AMA Pro racing. Not every race day goes smoothly, as you will see as Trevor’s camera follows Josh Mosiman through an engine failure in the first qualifier and an all-hands on-deck fire drill to swap parts from the spare bike to the race bike and vice versa. Josh had to go to the starting line with a Honda CRF450RX off-road engine—but it is the same as the motocross engine mechanically. However, the the off-road tuned ECU map settings were different. It turns out that except for the start, the RX mapping was better for 95 percent of the rough Pala track because the power is mellower and easier to hold onto. Luckily, his Pro Circuit-built Showa suspension, Pro Circuit exhaust, fresh wheels, Acerbis plastic, Twin Air filter and Guts Racing seat absorbed most of the abuse.

It all worked out, and Josh who had a top 100 National number a few years ago, when he was a full-time racer, was upbeat about the time constraints of working full-time at MXA and having to get ready for the Pala National in only five days. Josh ended up 30th overall and made enough money to get his entry fee back. Now, he heads to the Hangtown National, where he will switch from the Honda CRF450 Works Edition to a Kawasaki KX450SR Special Racer (and of course, he’s bringing a spare SR and mechanic Josh Fout with him in hopes of not having a fire drill in NorCal). Enjoy this unique episode of our ‘This Week in MXA’ video series presented by O’Neal Racing and stay tuned for next week’s episode covering the Hangtown National.