Team Rockstar Energy Suzuki claimed two top-ten finishes at the final round of the 2011 AMA/ FIM Supercross Lites East and West Championships on Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
In the west 15-lap Lites Main Event, Ryan Morais used the awesome power of his Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z250 in front of a capacity crowd of 39,506 fans to claim a seventh-placed finish and team mate Martin Davalos followed close behind in ninth. In the East Main, Christopher Gosselaar ran as high as 10th but ended up crossing the line in 11th.
Following tradition, the Vegas round also played host to the annual Davey Coombs, Sr. East/ West Shootout, where Davalos piloted his Suzuki to a fifth-placed finish after running as high as second. Morais suffered from a bad start but was able to work his RM-Z way up to ninth before going down and falling back to eventually cross the line in 15th. Gosselaar fell just short of qualifying for the shootout and did not race.
“Overall, my weekend in Vegas went all right,” said Morais. “No heat race and going straight to the Main Event was a little different, but I got a good jump at the start of the Main but then I pushed my front end out in the first turn and ended up with a bad start. I was able to work my Suzuki up to seventh and felt I was riding really well. I got up to the front of the pack and we were all really close from about third back – Overall a good race.
“In the Shootout, I suffered from another bad start and worked my way up to ninth but came up on the rear wheel of someone and ended up going down and finished up 15th. I’m glad to be healthy and now I’ll get ready for outdoors and look forward to a new season and new beginning. I want to thank my Rockstar Energy Suzuki team and my mechanic, Rene – My RM-Z250 has been great all year and I just want to thank them for all they do.”
Said Davalos: “My weekend in Vegas was pretty good. I got a decent start in the West Main, but I struggled a little and could only just ride around and got ninth. I got a great start on my RM-Z in the Shootout and ran second for a little bit and thought I could get a podium, but the guys right behind me were able to get around me and I ended up with fifth. I’m really looking forward to the outdoors. My Suzuki is working great and my Rockstar Energy team is doing a lot of testing. There are 12 rounds of racing and a lot of motos and I’m looking forward to doing good for the team.”
The Rockstar Energy Suzuki team’s next event is the first round of the 2011 AMA Pro 250 Motocross Championship on Saturday, May 21st, at Hangtown in Sacramento, California.
Las Vegas Supercross Lites Class Results:
1. Eli Tomac
2. Ken Roczen
3. Broc Tickle
4. Cole Seely
5. Kyle Cunningham
6. Tyla Rattray
7. Ryan Morais (Rockstar Energy Suzuki)
8. Martin Davalos (Rockstar Energy Suzuki)
9. Travis Baker
10. Ben Evans
2011 Supercross Lites West Final Standings:
1. Broc Tickle – 165
2. Eli Tomac – 163
3. Joshua Hansen – 151
4. Cole Seely – 131
5. Ryan Morais (Rockstar Energy Suzuki) – 124
6. Tyla Rattray – 111
7. Ken Roczen – 105
8. Kyle Cunningham – 105
9. Martin Davalos (Rockstar Energy Suzuki) – 95
10. Ben Evans – 68
