MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 19, 2010) – The second half of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship season kicked-off this past weekend with more of the racing action that has made the series the most prestigious in the world. This weekend, 450 Class points leader Ryan Dungey and the world’s fastest riders head to the Pacific Northwest and scenic Washougal Motocross Park, where the series will celebrate 30 years of American motocross in the state of Washington with the Motosport.com Washougal Retro National.
At last Saturday’s Rockstar Energy Spring Creek National from Millville, Minn., Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider Dungey continued to dominate the 450 Class field in front of his hometown crowd and took the overall victory for the third straight season at his home state facility, adding a premier class win to his pair of previous 250 Class victories. The 450 Class rookie’s homecoming always creates considerable buzz throughout the state of Minnesota and it brought thousands of fans to the small town of just about 200 people to witness their local hero and the world’s best lay it all on the line.
In the end, Dungey posted his fourth 1-1 moto sweep of the season, but was also forced to deal with veteran rider Kevin Windham, who made his return to the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship with a pair of strong outings for Honda Red Bull Racing. While the duo experienced success at the front of the field, reigning 450 Class champion Chad Reed was at the opposite end of the spectrum, failing to finish the first moto and scratching from the second moto due to an apparent neck injury. While his status remains uncertain, Reed will have a tough road ahead to rebound from his fall from second to sixth in the championship standings.
With seven rounds completed, Dungey’s advantage over Honda Red Bull Racing’s Andrew Short, who moved into the runner-up spot in the standings after Spring Creek, sits at 89 points and since taking over the top spot at High Point, Dungey has extended his lead every round. He enters this weekend with a two-year winning streak at Washougal thanks to a pair of overall victories in the 250 Class and is in no way looking to ease his grasp of the premier class as he aims to make it three-in-a-row.
As each round passes in the 250 Class, the unpredictability of the competition within the talented division of young riders remains intact. However, current points leader and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Christophe Pourcel has suffered from some tough motos and the rest of the field is taking advantage of the opportunity. At Millville, GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard became the only rider in the 250 Class other than Pourcel to achieve more than one moto win and overall victory with his second consecutive trip to the top step of the podium. Now the surging rider sits third in the championship standings and has all the momentum as the series heads back west.
Additionally, Pourcel’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Dean Wilson is also stepping up and after his fourth straight podium result, the rookie has closed to within 32 points of Pourcel. As his rivals appear more than ready to assume control of the class should the Frenchman continue to experience trouble, all eyes will be on Pourcel to see how he responds to the biggest threat he’s experienced all season.
Washougal became a fixture of American motocross beginning in 1980. Since then, the facility has served as arguably the most picturesque track in the series and is known for being one of the most technically challenging layouts in the championship. On Saturday, Washougal will celebrate 30 years of national events with a special retro-themed affair. 100’s of vintage bikes will be on display and several legends from year’s past will be on hand to honor the legacy of the premier motocross track in the Pacific Northwest. The current bikes and stars of the sport will also join in on the fun, showcasing the familiar colors and logos of yesteryear.
Saturday’s Motosport.com Washougal Retro National will be a showcase event for the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship as final motos of both the 450 Class and 250 Class can be seen LIVE on SPEED with back-to-back coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. As always, a live stream of the first motos of each class can be seen at www.allisports.com/motocross.
2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Results
Round 7 of 12 – Rockstar Energy Spring Creek National
450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (1-1)
2. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (3-3)
3. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda (8-2)
4. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda (5-4)
5. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda (4-5)
6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (2-10)
7. Ryan Sipes, Flaherty, Texas, Yamaha (9-7)
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha (7-9)
9. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (16-6)
10. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Kawasaki (11-11)
450 Class Championship Standings
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 318
2. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 229
3. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 223
4. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 221
5. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 215
6. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 204
7. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 196
8. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 157
9. Ryan Sipes, Flaherty, Texas, Yamaha, 140
10. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 134
250 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (2-1)
2. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki (6-2)
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (4-4)
4. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (3-5)
5. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (1-10)
6. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda (5-7)
7. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (7-6)
8. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (16-3)
9. Tommy Searle, England, KTM (11-9)
10. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (8-15)
250 Class Championship Standings
1. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 296
2. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 264
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 252
4. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 248
5. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 209
6. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 201
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 175
8. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 174
9. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 165
10. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha, 147
For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.
