After 15 years of bringing motorsport coverage to our dedicated readers, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce the closure of TheCheckeredFlag.co.uk. This decision hasn’t been made lightly. The motorsport media landscape has changed dramatically since our inception in 2009. What was once a relatively modest space has become increasingly crowded, with numerous outlets competing for attention in an oversaturated market. While competition can be healthy, the
After twenty-five years, Irwindale Speedway & Event Center will close its doors for good. A final event, called the Farewell Extravaganza, will be held on 21 December. Although popular, the track’s fate had been murky since its previous owners filed for bankruptcy in 2012. It resumed operations a year later before rumours about demolition came about in 2015. Another ownership change eventually kept it open under the leadership of Irwindale
Wouter-jan Van Dijk stole the show at the 2023 Baja 1000 when he completed the full race distance on his own, with a motorcycle that barely passed SCORE International inspection, and was basically falling apart at the seams and held together by zip ties. One year later, he’ll certainly hope his second start goes a little smoother but is up for the adventure. The 2023 1000 marked Van Dijk’s first
Barbora Holická and Lucie Engová will bring their 1979 Citroën 2CV back to the Dakar Classic in 2025. After checking off a successful finish in their début this year, their goal for 2025 will be to contend for the win. The two finished sixty-third overall in the 2024 Dakar Classic and won the H1.A category. However, it was certainly no walk in the park. At one point in Stage #10,
Greg Gilson‘s motorcycle for the Qatar International Baja is older than some of his fellow competitors. While most riders will be racing their usual 450cc bikes, Gilson is entered on a 1980 Honda XLS 125. He purchased the bike for €300 in 2018, though expenses for parts and maintenance increased the total tenfold. Certain modifications were made from when he bought it such as larger sprockets, though others remain stock.
International motorsport will descend upon Spain twice this fall. Last weekend, the FIA Motorsport Games arrived at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, where the host country dominated the medal count with six of each for a total of eighteen. A month from now, Spain’s Circuito de Jerez will host the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games. Spain was the only country with double-digit medals in total and over twice as many as
The FIA has modified its start order for races during the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship. Most of it will remain the same for the leaders, though other changes are intended to decrease gamesmanship in the Prologue. “The World Council approved updates to the W2RC sporting regulations, and the criteria defining the start order of Leg 1 have been amended to discourage tactics during the Prologue and increase interest in the
