AMA Pro Racing News Release
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 7, 2011) - AMA Pro Racing is proud to announce the introduction of the XR Showdown, a $60,000 year-end points fund that…
Team Suzuki News Flash
CHINO, CA (November 7, 2011) - Yoshimura Racing and American Suzuki Motor Corporation are proud to announce plans for the 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship Series that…
Ducati Racing News Flash
After a positive first two days during the final round of the 2011 MotoGP season, the Ducati Team had an unfortunate and premature end to the Valencia…
Factory Yamaha Racing News Release
MOTOGP SEASON FINALE FREE PRACTICE: Yamaha Factory rider Ben Spies made it count this afternoon in difficult weather conditions to take third on the grid for…
It is with mixed emotions that Yamaha Factory Racing arrives in Valencia this weekend for the final Grand Prix of the 2011 season.
MotoGP’s tragic loss of rising star Marco Simoncelli…
Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey and team mate Brett Metcalfe powered their RM-Z450s to second and fourth-placed overall finishes at the Rockstar Energy Drink Redbud AMA Motocross Championship sixth round in Buchanan on Saturday.
Dungey had good morning practices and great starts in both motos. He was fourth out of the gate in moto one but quickly moved into third during the first lap.
By the seventh lap, he was able to grab second and then put his head down and powered his RM-Z after the leader. Dungey charged hard for the next nine laps and caught up to the leader but wasn’t able to make a pass and settled for a second-place finish.
In moto two, Dungey’s RM-Z450 rocketed him out of the gate and into the front for the holeshot. He slipped to second in the first lap and charged hard for the 16-lap race but ended up crossing the line for another second, which gave him a second-place overall on the day.
The reigning Champion remains third in the Championship points, just six points out of second.
“It was a good day,” said Dungey. “I went two-two on the day. Practice was good. I got off to good starts on my RM-Z. I battled and almost got first in the first moto; I just came up a little short. Second again in the second moto – it was tough. The track was challenging and I fought the track in a few places. But overall, it was a good day. My Rockstar Makita Suzuki team did a great job and my Suzuki ran great this weekend. We’ll just keep moving forward. I’m looking forward to Millville.
We have this week off and we’ll be able to work on a few things on the bike and physically and mentally as well. Just try to get better in a few areas and show up better. That’s the goal. Millville is a great track; a fun race, my hometown race, and the fans are great. It’s one of my favorite tracks in the series.”
Metcalfe started the day strong with the fifth fastest time in qualifying. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider used the power of his RM-Z to launch himself into fifth out of the gate directly behind his team mate in the first moto. He was able to make the pass for fourth in the second lap and rode strong for the remaining 14 laps to finish fourth. In moto two, Metcalfe once again pulled a good start that put him up with the front pack.
The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider immediately slotted himself in fifth and charged hard for the 16-lap race to finish in the fifth position. His four-five finishes were good enough for a fourth-place overall. Metcalfe’s strong result moved him up two slots in the championship points race to fourth place.
Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki riders showed their strength, consistency and the power of their Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z450s during the fifth round of the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championships at the Budds Creek National Motocross in Mechanicsville on Saturday.
Ryan Dungey rode strong and consistent, claiming second place in both motos and ending the day with a third-place overall while team mate Brett Metcalfe worked through the pack in both motos to grab a couple of sixths and scored a sixth-placed overall finish for the day.
Dungey started the day showing off the speed of his Suzuki by posting the fastest time in the morning timed practices by more than a second. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider had a great start in moto one that put him into the front group. He powered his RM-Z from fourth to second over the first few laps and then the reigning Champion put his head down and chased after the leader. Dungey was able to catch up in the closing laps but was unable to make the pass.
Moto two went about the same for the Suzuki rider with a good start that slotted him quickly into second. Dungey pushed his RM-Z450 hard for the remaining 12 laps but fell just a little short of passing for the lead and came away with a second-placed moto finish and third overall for the day. Dungey sits third in the Championship points race.
“It was another good, solid weekend,” said Dungey. “We got off to really good starts on my RM-Z today and I was able to get second in both motos. I lost some time in the beginning of the first moto, but I was able to make that up and get up there and almost get the win. I got another good start in the second moto and got up into second and battled for the number one position for the rest of the moto but just couldn’t make the pass. It was tough. The track was really one-lined. Overall, my Rockstar Makita Suzuki felt great and we were solid throughout the day. We just gotta keep moving forward and plugging away. We’ve got Lakewood coming up and I’m really looking forward to it. Last year we were able to get a win there in the AMA Pro MX Championship race as well as the MX Des Nations. It’s always a great track.”
Metcalfe started the day with the fourth fastest time in the morning practices, which was his best qualifying effort of the season. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider suffered a bad start in the first moto but was able to work his RM-Z through the field to capture a sixth-placed finish. In moto two, he had another tough start but was able to quickly get into sixth, which is where he finished, giving him a sixth overall for the day. Metcalfe sits solidly in fifth in the Championship points.
Red Bull/KTM rider Mike Alessi earned 4th overall at his first race of the season at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, PA.
Red Bull/KTM Factory rider Mike Alessi earned 4th overall in his first race this season at the third round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series held at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, PA.
Alessi got off to too good of a start in the first moto when his bike jumped over the gate at the start of the moto.
He was able to round the first corner in 3rd place and finished the race in the same position in a notable return to the series after sitting out the past three weeks from an injury suffered in practice at round one.
Although Alessi crossed the line in 3rd place he was docked one position for jumping the gate. That put him in 4th place for the first moto. His teammate, Andrew Short, started inside the top ten in moto one and crossed the checkered flag in 11th place.
In typical fashion, Alessi earned another great start in the second moto this time taking the holeshot and the early lead. The second moto was remarkably different from the first moto as heavy rain fall during the intermission had made the course very sloppy and slick. Alessi pulled away from the pack early in the moto to pull a 15 second lead by the fifth lap. Unfortunately, late on lap five, Alessi suffered a crash. He lost over 20 seconds while recovering from the mistake and lost the lead to Chad Reed.
Alessi struggled with arm pump after his crash and managed to cross the finish in 4th at the end of the moto. His 4-4 results earned him 4th overall for the day. Short came from a poor second moto start to finish 13th. His 11-13 scores put him in 12th overall for the day.
“I am happy with my results today. Of course, I would have liked to finish in the top three but I am just glad to be back to racing and doing what I love. I want to thank all the doctors that have helped get me back in racing shape over the past few weeks. I hope to be on the podium at the next round,” remarked Alessi.
Irvine, Calif. – Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto earned his first overall victory of the season with a 1-2 moto result at the third round of the AMA Motocross Championship series at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pa. The win is the second of his career in the 450cc class and moved him six points closer to the points leader.
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett also grabbed his second career victory in the 250cc class with an impressive come-from-behind 1-1 finish on his Kawasaki KX™250F.
Tyla Rattray moved into the points lead with his hard earned 3-2 result for second overall, while Dean Wilson now sits two points back from his teammate after going down in moto two and earning a 2-8 finish on the day for fourth overall. Broc Tickle earned his best moto and overall finish of the season, riding to a 10-4 finish for fifth overall. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer overcame a first turn crash in Moto 2 to come from last to finish with a 7-11 and ninth overall.
A Winner Once Again
While Villopoto had finished on the podium at the first two rounds of the AMA Motocross Championship, he wasn’t going to be happy until he grabbed a win. In Moto 1, he proved he was a championship contender, taking the lead in the opening corners and finishing with his first moto victory. The second moto proved to be challenging with a downpour of rain covering the track just prior to the parade lap. Villopoto rode smart, kept his Kawasaki KX™450F on two wheels, and brought home his first overall victory of the season with a 1-2 moto finish.
“It was definitely good to get the monkey of my back,” said Villopoto. “My last win was in 2009 and I just wanted to get this one out of the way. It’s been good getting back to the East Coast and I’m really excited for the next few rounds.”
Gaining Momentum
Showing that he still has the speed he delivered at Hangtown, Baggett made a comeback from his Round 2 result with a big 1-1 finish in Pennsylvania. In both motos he had to come-from-behind and in both motos he won by over 10 seconds. He overcame a tough start in the first moto and worked his way from 10th to first with four laps to go. In the second moto, a crash on lap seven pushed him back to second, but would regain the lead with three laps to go.
“It wasn’t the easiest day for me, but I felt good in both motos,” said Baggett. “The second moto was a lot tougher with the rain that had come down, but after my crash I was able to get back into a groove really fast. I think that helped me because it’s easy to get frustrated with all the mud that was out there. It’s good to win and it helps make up some points.”
Points Leader
With his 3-2 finish at High Point, Rattray became the third Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider to take over the points lead and the coveted red number plate. He rode smart and consistent in both motos, leaving him with a two-point lead over his teammate Wilson.
“I’m happy to get the points lead, but I’m focused on staying consistent,” said Rattray. “That is often the key to being there at the end and I know I have been riding well. I would like to get another win and I like Budds Creek a lot. Hopefully I can get back on the podium and keep the points lead.”
Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki used the power of its Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z450s to tackle challenging conditions at the Rockstar Energy High Point National in Mt. Morris on Saturday.
The weather was fine for the first moto at the notoriously-fast High Point track but a quick downpour hit just before the start of moto two, leaving the track extremely muddy and slippery. Ryan Dungey rode strong, grabbing a convincing second in the first moto, battling the tough conditions for a third in moto two and ending the day with a second overall. Team mate Brett Metcalfe suffered a couple of bad starts but was able to fight his way to an eighth-place overall finish.
Dungey was strong all day, with solid morning practices and great starts in both motos. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider pulled the holeshot in moto one but a little bobble put him back to second. Dungey proceeded to pilot his RM-Z flawlessly for the next 16 laps and cross the line for a convincing second-placed finish. In moto two, Dungey powered his Suzuki out of the gate again in second; however, a couple of miscues in the slick conditions put him on the ground and he fell back to sixth. Dungey pushed his RM-Z450 hard for the remaining 12 laps and was able to come away with a third-placed moto finish and second overall for the day. Dungey has moved into third place in the Championship points race.
“It was a good weekend,” said Dungey. “I had a couple good practices and we were good going into the two motos. I got the holeshot in the first but had a little bobble and got passed but was able to get back to second. I lost some time in those first few laps. All in all, I felt good. My Rockstar Makita Suzuki team made some changes on my RM-Z for the second moto, but it rained really hard just before the start, so the track was really muddy, slick, and very technical. I got off to another good start but fell twice in the beginning but was able to catch up for a third and a second place overall. It’s a good step in the right direction. We just gotta keep plugging away and improving in the areas that we can and be consistent and put ourselves in a good spot to be there in the end. Next stop is Budds Creek and I really like that track. I was able to come away with the overall last year there and I’m looking forward to another good result.”
Team mate Brett Metcalfe started the day with the sixth fastest time in the morning practices aboard his Suzuki RM-Z450. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider suffered from a bad start in moto one but worked his way to 12th at the end of the first lap. Metcalfe was able to fight through the field to capture an eighth-placed finish. In moto two, Metcalfe was caught up in a first turn pile-up and essentially started from the back on the field. He charged as hard as conditions would allow in order to work his way up for a 10th-placed finish and an eighth-placed overall for the day. Metcalfe sits fifth in championship points.
Rattray proved his mettle in Texas overcoming blistering heat to win the 250 class overall with a 2-1 finish at Round 2 of the AMA Motocross Championship at Freestone County Raceway in Wortham, Texas.
The sandy track at Freestone County Raceway would prove challenging in its own right, but the biggest obstacle that faced all the racers was the overbearing heat and humidity that not even a steady wind could phase.
Dean Wilson came out of the gate swinging, gapping the field to win the first moto, but a third-place finish in the second moto left him in the runner-up position behind teammate Rattray.
Blake Baggett got good starts in both motos, but crashes left him with a 7-16 and ninth-place overall. Broc Tickle overcame a rough first moto, going 39-5 to finish in 12th place.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto grabbed a podium finish in the first moto, but the overwhelming heat took its toll during the second moto, leaving him with a 3-5. The finish was good enough for his second-consecutive podium finish. Jake Weimer continued to show steady improvement since his return to the KX450F to finish 6-7 and take sixth-place overall.
Rattray is a GP world champion who knows what it takes to win outdoors. In the first moto, he rode consistent and smooth to finish in second behind teammate Wilson. By the second moto, the track had deteriorated and the hot, muggy weather was at its worst. As other competitors slowed down showing signs of fatigue, Rattray demonstrated true championship spirit, charging out front to take the win. His impressive racing earned him his third-career overall win and he sits second in points for the season.
“It’s been a long time since I felt this good,” said Rattray. “Between the weather and the track, I knew it was going to be a tough race. I’ve really fine-tuned my training and am feeling like I’m in the best shape of my life. The track got super gnarly by the second moto, all the sand got pushed off to the sides of the track, which made it really rough. That second moto was really all about endurance. I know when to push and when to pace myself, and when everyone started slowing down I pushed out front. It’s great to see all my hard work finally paying off. I’m really happy with how everything went and my KX™250F was awesome. Now I’m looking forward to a little time off with the family and then go out to High Point and do it again.”
Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki had a strong showing on their Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z450s in the second round of the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the Rockstar Energy Freestone National in Wortham, Texas at the weekend despite a fuel issue ruining Ryan Dungey’s chance of victory.
Conditions were tough as usual with high temperatures and humidity throughout the day as Dungey rode strong scoring a convincing second place in the first moto, then led every lap of the second moto until a fuel problem hit with just two laps to go that resulted in a DNF.
Team mate Brett Metcalfe had a solid performance in the Texas heat as well, scoring a fourth-place overall for the day.
Dungey claimed the fastest time in the morning timed practices. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider didn’t have the best of starts in the first moto, but he rode hard and powered his RM-Z450 through the field to cross the line in second position. In moto two, Dungey blasted out of the gate just behind his team mate and quickly moved into the lead by the end of the first lap. He led for the next 14 laps and built a 20-second plus lead until the extreme temperatures caused the fuel in his RM-Z to boil. The unfortunate end result was that fuel was expelled through the vent system, which depleted his fuel supply, robbing him of the moto win and the overall victory. Dungey was credited with a 25th-place finish in the second moto and an eighth-place overall for the day.
“Overall, I felt awesome all day,” said Dungey. “My Rockstar Makita Suzuki team worked really hard and it’s just too bad we had the issue in the second moto. It’s a bummer for the team and myself – for all of us together, as we’re all in it together. I feel bad because we all work too hard for something like this to happen. We just need to keep looking forward; keep moving in the right direction and keep our heads down. We have a lot of racing left, so we have a lot to be thankful for. We have a weekend off and we’re gonna do a little testing and see if we can’t improve on a few areas and be ready for High Point. It’s a great track; it’s got some hills and elevation and the dirt’s awesome there. It’s a fun track and I was able to get a win there last year, so I’m really looking forward to it. ”
Blake Baggett earned his first-career motocross win with a 2-1 finish at the AMA Motocross Championship season opener at Hangtown MX in Rancho Cordova, Calif.
The win comes in only his seventh professional outdoor race after being forced to sit out most of the season in 2010 with injury. Teammate Dean Wilson finished close behind with a 1-3, putting him in second overall after opening the day with a moto win.
Tyla Rattray rounded out the overall podium with a solid second-moto comeback to finish 5-2. Teammate Broc Tickle overcame a crash in the first moto to finish 13-7 and ninth overall. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto made a trip to the podium after finishing third overall with a 3-3. Teammate Jake Weimer earned the recovery award with a great second-moto ride to earn 12th after a 21-6 ride.
With three supercross wins already to his name, Baggett earned his first motocross overall victory with two great rides aboard his Kawasaki KX™250F. In the first moto, he was running up front, but had a minor crash that pushed him outside the top-10. He didn’t give up and made his way up to second, posting the fastest lap time of the race on the final lap. In the second moto, he kept pace with his teammate Rattray and made the pass in the final laps to earn his first motocross win. “It feels great to finally win a national,” said Baggett. “Supercross is great being in a stadium with all the people, but with motocross you have to be there for two motos on rough tracks. It almost feels better because I had to put in the hard work the second moto to get the win. It’s a great way to start the season and I want to keep the streak rolling.”
After ending the 2010 season with a win, Wilson showed he was ready to keep the wins coming. He started off strong with a Moto 1 victory. He was looking good in the second moto, but a crash pushed him back from the lead pack. He recovered quickly to secure third and finish the day with second overall. “The day started off great, but I made a mistake that cost me too much time to reach my teammates up front,” said Wilson. “I really wanted to win, but it was a good weekend overall. I got some good points and I’ll try for the win again next week.”
Making the podium a complete Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki sweep, Rattray bounced back from a fifth-place finish in the first moto to grab second in the final moto and push himself onto the podium with third overall. “It was great to finally get back outdoors and race motocross,” said Rattray. “I felt good and I’m pretty happy to get on the podium. The track was super rough and by our second moto, it was very physically demanding. It would be great to get back up there again next weekend.”
After sitting out the AMA Motocross Championship for nearly two seasons with injury, Villopoto returned to the form of racing that has already seen him earn three championships in the 250cc class. He came into Hangtown confident that he could run up front and he did just that. After finishing third in the first moto, Villopoto ran out front for nearly half the moto before finishing third to earn him a solid third overall. “It was a tough track today and recovering from being sick definitely didn’t help,” said Villopoto. “It’s good to get back into racing motocross after being out of it for so long. I got some good points and we still have 11 races left. I’ll be working hard to get a win.”
Reigning AMA Supercross Lites, Western Region champion Tickle started the motocross season showing his perseverance in both motos. In the first moto, he was making his way through the field when he went down, pushing him back to 24th. He rode hard to the end to finish 13th and improved even more in the second moto with a seventh to finish ninth overall. “I felt good all day, unfortunately my results didn’t show it,” said Tickle. “When I feel good, but have a tough day, it makes me even more motivated to go out the next week and make up for that last race. I’m glad we got the first race out of the way and I’m looking forward to Texas.”
Dungey had good morning practices and great starts in both motos. He was fourth out of the gate in moto one but quickly moved into third during the first lap.
Dungey started the day showing off the speed of his Suzuki by posting the fastest time in the morning timed practices by more than a second. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider had a great start in moto one that put him into the front group. He powered his RM-Z from fourth to second over the first few laps and then the reigning Champion put his head down and chased after the leader. Dungey was able to catch up in the closing laps but was unable to make the pass.
Red Bull/KTM Factory rider Mike Alessi earned 4th overall in his first race this season at the third round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series held at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, PA.
Kawasaki Racing Press Release
Team Suzuki Press Release
The sandy track at Freestone County Raceway would prove challenging in its own right, but the biggest obstacle that faced all the racers was the overbearing heat and humidity that not even a steady wind could phase.
Team Suzuki Press Release
Blake Baggett earned his first-career motocross win with a 2-1 finish at the AMA Motocross Championship season opener at Hangtown MX in Rancho Cordova, Calif.