A SUCCESSFUL YEAR IN 2021… ON TRACK FOR 2022

This year all the planets were aligned for the 9MM Energy Bud Racing Kawasaki team which realized a successful season!

Indeed, many titles, victories and trophies came to complete an already well-filled collection in close collaboration with the technical partner of always, KAWASAKI (since 2007). 2021, here are the results:

- 3rd of the 125cc European championship
- French champion & vice champion of junior category
- French Women’s Champion
- Best rookie in the French MX2 championship
- 10th of the International Supercross of Paris La Défense in SX2
- 2 victories in the French Sand Junior Championship

Next year, the sportive program of the team managed by Stephane Dassé, still coached by Thierry Van Den Bosch, will focus on the 250 class. In close collaboration with KAWASAKI, the two entities will have at heart to make the fearsome KX 250 shine again.
Amandine VERSTAPPEN will try to renew her title of French champion but also and especially will aim at a final podium in the World Championship.

Quentin PRUGNIERES after a year of learning (youngest rider in the 250cc category -16 years old) will line up at the Enduro du Touquet Junior next January and will see his ambitions increase both in French and European championship. He will be supported by the young English rider of 18 years Eddie WADE who will have for objective to catch the final podium in the European championship 250cc and the title in the French Elite championship. Eddie is a talented rider, he was world champion in 85cc a few seasons ago and more recently in 2021 on the podium of a stage of the Spanish championship. The new comer will take up residence in Hossegor early next year.

The final word for Stéphane Dassé: “You will notice that the COENEN brothers are no longer part of our team. Despite an exceptional season crowned with numerous successes both in France and abroad, they have decided in the last few days to take a new direction. It is a choice independent of our as we strongly wished to continue the adventure with them. Our team is now looking forward to the 2022 season that we are impatiently waiting for… Until then, we will go to the USA at the end of the year with Quentin PRUGNIERES where we will compete in a one week race mixing Motocross and Supercross in California (Bakersfield). You will soon have news about us and the US trip thanks to the daily broadcast of episodes on our Youtube channel, Stay tuned!

Second win in a row for Quentin Prugnières in the sand!

Last week at Magescq he could have an advantage as he knew pretty well the Bud Racing Training Camp, but at Hossegor it was different as he never put the wheels of his Kawasaki on the beach before this weekend. But that was not a problem, and Quentin won his second consecutive Beach Sand race.

As the Motocross championships ends a few weeks ago, Quentin and team 9MM Bud Racing Kawasaki have been involved in two rounds of the French Sand series. Racing against some rivals who are sand riders since they start riding a motorcycle, Quentin show a good potential last week at Magescq and again at Hossegor this weekend. His start was better than last week, and he didn’t wait too long to take the leadership of the one hour and a half race; riding among the lappers is always a challenge, and even if he crashes after one hour of racing Quentin won this race to remain unbeaten on the French sand.

Next Saturday Quentin will be at Paris Supercross to defend also the colors of Team 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki.

Quentin: “It was a good day, everything was OK. My start was better than in Magescq, and it didn’t take too long to get the lead. I had a small crash after the first hour, but no consequences; I had to be careful with the lappers until the end, but it was OK. I’m not totally happy with my riding, but the result was good and now we start training in Supercross for next weekend!”

Quentin Prugnières wins at Magescq

A few weeks after organizing ONE round of the French Elite Championship, the Bud Racing Training Camp met the third round of the French Sand series. On a familiar track for him, Quentin Prugnières placed his 250 Kawasaki Bud Racing on the first step of the podium in the Juniors class.

More than 600 riders were involved in the event, and among the sixty-three participants in the Junior class we had the three Bud Racing riders, all racing on 250 KXF. During the first laps of the 90 minutes’ race, and for his first race in this class, Sacha Coenen back racing after his wrist injury was one of the main animator as he battled with Simon Depoers for the leadership; missing experience on the 250, he damaged the clutch and was forced to retire in the seventh lap. It was then another Bud rider who fight for the win, and after a bad start Quentin Prugnières gained positions to take the lead and cross the finish line twenty-five seconds ahead of his main rival. Third Bud rider involved in this race, Lucas Coenen did a consistent race to finish his first race on a 250 in fourth position.

The season is not finished; the team will be next weekend in Hossegor for another round of the Sand series, and one week later in Paris for the main European Supercross.

Quentin Prugnières: “It’s a little strange to race during one hour and a half but it was fun, I really enjoyed. My start was not so good as I hit the wheel of another rider at the start, but I stay quiet and I could make the difference in the last part of the race, when the track was coming rougher. This year I wasn’t able to do what I was expecting for my first season on a 250, and it’s nice to win here; two more races and I will make a break and then prepare 2022.”

Amandine Verstappen French Champion

Coming to the final round of the Women French Championship with a strong lead, Amandine Verstappen had all the cards in her hands to get a third consecutive title in France. She was again dominant in Ecublé, and she offers to team 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing Kawasaki a second French title.

Since her first attempt in the French Championship in 2019, Amandine remains unbeaten in the French series and this year again she did the perfect season winning the twelve rounds of the championship! At Ecublé she once again dominates the race program and had no rivals to compete with her, as she got the pole position, got two holeshot and won both races with a comfortable gap. A good day for her, who is now focused on the last two rounds of the Women World Championship: Spain (October 17th) and Trentino (October 24th).

Amandine Verstappen: “Another good day in the box, starting with the pole position in the morning, more than four seconds in front of my rivals. I had a good feeling on the track; as it was raining earlier in the week there were some deep ruts so it was pretty technical. I grabbed both holeshots and won both races, what else can I say? It was another perfect championship; I did the job in France and now I’m focused on the last two rounds of the World Championship. I want to thanks all the partners who help me, and of course team 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki. »

Lucas Coenen French Junior champion, Sacha vice champion

Sacha Coenen and Amandine Verstappen won this weekend
Lucas Coenen French Junior champion, Sacha vice champion

Another great weekend for team 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing Kawasaki, who won two events on the French Championship. In Saint Jean d’Angely Amandine Verstappen won both races of the Women series, while in Villars sous Ecot Sacha and Lucas Coenen got another 1-2. It was the final round of the French Junior, and Lucas is the new champion while Sacha is runner up in the series.

Never in the long history of the French Motocross we saw two brothers fighting for the title, before this final round of the 2021 Junior. Coming to this round eleven points behind his brother, Sacha had to win to keep some chance of title while Lucas could secure top three results. But with the Coenen brothers there’s no strategy, it’s always wide open! And this weekend Sacha was the strongest, taking his revenge as his brother dominates the previous two rounds in Romagne and Magescq; with better starts Sacha got a double win, but in the first race he had to control Lucas while in the second he had no rivals. With two heat wins he scores 50 points, but as Lucas finish twice second it was not enough to reverse the situation; despite a bad start in race one and a very bad one in race two, Lucas came back twice second to secure his title. In the MX2 class Quentin Prugnières ends the series in fifth position, best rookie in the class.

In Saint Jean d’Angely Amandine Verstappen got another double win, and remains unbeaten in the French women series. Fastest in the practice session, winner of the qualifying race and later of both motos, Amandine is leading the series by 36 points before the next two rounds. She will be in action this weekend at Clastres, while Lucas, Sacha and Quentin have three weeks to prepare the European championship who will start again on October 3rd in Germany.

Lucas Coenen: “My start in the last race was really bad, but I stay confident as in the first moto I already did a strong come back after an average start. I couldn’t beat Sacha today, he was really fast on this track but second positions were enough to get the title.”

Sacha Coenen: “My first start was so-so, I was in the top ten and came back immediately third but struggle to pass the leaders as there was mainly one good line. I did a little mistake, then come back and finally pass both leaders to win the race. The second moto was easier as I got the holeshot and then had fun on the track, it was a good weekend”

Quentin Prugnières: “Unhappy with the first part of the races, especially the second one as some riders push me in the first corners. I could get a good rhythm after ten minutes, but then in the last minutes of the races I struggle physically. I was disappointed at the end of the second moto when another rider did a block pass, as I lost seven positions, and I know what I need to work on before coming back in the EMX250.”

Amandine Verstappen: “What can I say? Pole position in the timed practice period, then I won the qualifying race and both motos, it was another good weekend. Let’s go now to the two final rounds of the series!”