With five rounds of action completed, the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship reaches the halfway point this Saturday, July 2, with the Rockstar Energy RedBud National from Buchanan, Mich. The championship battles in all three classes of competition are tightening up, and the respective points leaders in each division – TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray, and American Honda’s Ashley Fiolek – are ready to face their rivals at one of the most popular tracks on the circuit.
The on-track festivities from American Motocross’ 4th of July celebration in Southern Michigan will be showcased live on NBC Sports, with final moto coverage of the 450 Class. As the first of two live domestic broadcasts on the network in 2011, RedBud will showcase the most competitive motocross racing on the planet across millions of households throughout the country.
Heading into last weekend’s action from Thunder Valley MX Park, Reed had secured three wins in four rounds and also held an undefeated record in second motos in the 450 Class. However, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey broke Reed’s final moto dominance and became the third different overall winner in the premier class as a result. With an equally impressive day from Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, the three-way battle for the 450 Class title tightened up, with Reed losing seven points to each of his closest competitors.
The battles between the trio of riders from week-to-week has been a captivating element of the championship. The three past national titleholders have asserted themselves atop the premier class, but have traded moto wins and overall victories with regularity. Reed currently boasts an eight-point lead over Villopoto in the standings, while Dungey continues to fight back from a DNF in Moto 2 at Freestone Raceway, 21 points out of the lead.
After five rounds of 250 Class competition, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team remains undefeated in the 2011 season. A strong runner-up outing at Thunder Valley vaulted Dean Wilson into the points lead for the second time this summer, while his teammate Blake Baggett dominated in Colorado, sweeping the day’s motos and capturing his class-leading third overall win of the season.
Despite Baggett’s success this season, instances of misfortune still leave him 20 points out of the lead in the standings, behind Wilson and fellow teammate Tyla Rattray. Coming into Thunder Valley, Rattray held the momentum, coming off his second win of the year in addition to being the only rider in the 250 Class to finish on the podium at every round. After a pair of fifth-place moto scores, Rattray garnered a season-low fifth overall and now sits eight points behind Wilson.
RedBud is well known as one of the most renowned tracks in American Motocross and has become a favorite stop for both riders and fans. The vast layout is full of spectacular jumps and extremely technical obstacles, challenging riders in every way possible. RedBud is also an Independence Day tradition in the sport, and with an extremely strong motocross following throughout the Great Lakes region, it has become one of the most special motorsports events in the United States.
Adding to the fun is the always impressive LaRocco’s Leap, a 120-foot uphill “triple” jump that serves as the biggest obstacle in all of motocross. The awe-inspiring jump is named for local hero Mike LaRocco. The South Bend, Ind., native worked closely with track builder Tim Ritchie to develop the massive obstacle, and soon became the first rider to successfully accomplish the feat. This summer, the iconic feature of RedBud celebrates 20 years of existence and as riders go sky high this weekend, it will be with added enthusiasm.
Last year at RedBud, Dungey raced to his first-career win at the track, sweeping both motos. The day was highlighted by one of the most exciting 450 Class motos in recent history, featuring a three-rider battle for the win that lasted all the way through to the final lap. In the 250 Class, eventual champion Trey Canard achieved his maiden motocross victory, igniting an impressive run of dominance over the second half of the season.
With its third round of the season completed last weekend at Thunder Valley, the Motorcycle-Superstore.com Women’s Motocross Championship returns to RedBud for just the second time in series history. Fresh off her second win in three rounds, DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson has closed to within two points of Fiolek in the championship standings. Last year at RedBud, Fiolek, a Dearborn, Mich., native, outran her rival, and swept both of the day’s motos to secure a historic victory and stand atop the podium in front of her hometown crowd.
The on-track action for the Rockstar Energy RedBud National begins this Saturday at 8:30 a.m. EST with practice and qualifying. Opening ceremonies begin at 12:30 p.m. EST with motos kicking off at 1 p.m. EST.
Previous Round Results and Current Standings
Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Toyota Trucks Thunder Valley National
Thunder Valley MX Park – Lakewood, Colo.
June 25, 2011
Round 5 of 12
450 Class (Moto Finish)
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (2-1)
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-2)
Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda (3-3)
Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda (4-4)
Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (7-8)
Tommy Hahn, Great Bend, Kan., Yamaha (11-5)
Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (9-7)
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (6-15)
Jake Canada, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki (10-13)
Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (14-10)
450 Class Championship Standings
Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda – 223
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 215
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 202
Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda – 148
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 145
Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki – 144
Ricky Dietrich, Snohomish, Wash., Yamaha – 109
Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM – 102
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 100
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda – 97
250 Class (Moto Finish)
Blake Baggett, Redlands, Calif., Kawasaki (1-1)
Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki (2-2)
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (3-3)
Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda (4-6)
Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (5-5)
Ryan Sipes, Louisville, Ky., Yamaha (15-4)
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki (13-7)
Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda (10-10)
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (9-12)
Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (11-13)
250 Class Championship Standings
Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki – 214
Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki – 206
Blake Baggett, Redlands, Calif., Kawasaki – 194
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 176
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 137
Kyle Cunningham, Irving, Texas, Yamaha – 127
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 113
Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha – 106
Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda – 94
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 89
Motorcycle-Superstore.com Women’s Motocross Championship
Thunder Valley MX Park – Lakewood, Colo.
June 25, 2011
Round 3 of 8
WMX Class (Moto Finish)
Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (1-1)
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (2-2)
Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda (5-3)
Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki (4-4)
Jacqueline Strong, Cottonwood, Ariz., KTM (6-6)
Lindsey Palmer, Albuquerque, N.M., Honda (8-7)
Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., KTM (7-10)
Kasie Creson, Vallejo, Calif., Honda (9-9)
Marissa Markelon, Bridgeport, Conn., Yamaha (12-8)
Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Kawasaki (3-19)
WMX Class Standings
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda – 135
Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha – 133
Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda – 108
Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki – 79
Jacqueline Strong, Cottonwood, Ariz., KTM – 78
Kasie Creson, Vallejo, Calif., Honda – 72
Marissa Markelon, Bridgeport, Conn., Yamaha – 69
Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., KTM – 67
Mariana Balbi, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Yamaha – 66
Tatum Sik, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 59
Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Kawasaki – 59
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