MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 12, 2011) – Following a break in action this past weekend, the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship will kick off the second half of the season this Saturday, July 16, with the Spring Creek Motocross National in Millville, Minn. Coming off his fourth win of the year at the previous stop in RedBud, TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed occupies the top spot in the premier 450 Class standings. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson, has moved into the championship lead for the second time this summer, while American Honda’s Ashley Fiolek, fresh off her second win of the season at RedBud, maintains her position atop the WMX Class.
Heading into RedBud two weeks ago, the battle for the 450 Class title had been marked by a highly-competitive, three-rider battle between Reed, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey. With each rider achieving at least one overall win this season, the opportunity to capture the victory has been wide open from week-to-week, and it continued in Michigan. At RedBud, Reed began the day with an impressive moto win, fending off a hard-charging Dungey. As the duo battled up front, Villopoto was forced to come from the back of the field after an early crash, ultimately fighting his way into ninth. In Moto 2, the trio paced the field, with Villopoto and Dungey leading the way. As the two rivals chased one another throughout the moto, Reed asserted himself in third and let things play out. As Villopoto rebounded to take the moto win, Reed’s 1-3 moto scores surpassed Dungey’s 2-2 effort, helping him to extend his points lead. Now, Reed carries a 16-point advantage over Villopoto, while Dungey sits an additional six points back.
This weekend’s race from Spring Creek MX Park, presents another opportunity for the 450 Class championship to continue to unfold. Reed has never won at the Minnesota facility, but has run well in the past. Villopoto does hold one victory, but it came back in 2007 as a competitor in the 250 Class. Over the past three years, Dungey, a native of the state of Minnesota, has been perfect at what he considers to be his hometown track. With back-to-back victories in the 250 Class from 2008-2009, Dungey made it three-in-a-row last season by taking the win in his 450 Class debut at Millville. Each rider’s past history at the track makes for an intriguing storyline heading into Saturday.
Through six rounds of 250 Class competition, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki has yet to relinquish a moto or overall win to any other team in the division. Wilson, Blake Baggett, and Tyla Rattray have stood atop the podium every time this summer, and as a result, they have set the stage for a three-way battle for the championship.
At RedBud, Baggett dominated en route to his fourth overall win of the season. Despite a couple tough of rounds this summer, Baggett has shown impressive resolve and is proving to be arguably the fastest rider in the class. His RedBud outing vaulted him into second in the championship, where he sits 14 points behind his teammate coming into Spring Creek. While Wilson is surely happy to be back in possession of the red number plate this weekend, he would likely, much rather have an overall win to his credit. Despite impressive consistency and three moto wins, Wilson has yet to break through and stand atop the overall podium. After a strong effort in his Millville debut last season, he’ll be eager to solidify his position in the standings with a victory.
Spring Creek has been a staple of American Motocross since hosting its first national during the 1983 season. Since then, it has become one of the most popular stops on the schedule thanks to its challenging layout that features a healthy assortment of obstacles, as well as multiple dramatic elevation changes. Millville is home to three of the sport’s most iconic features, including the longest start on the championship schedule, the “Holy Schmit” jump – named for late local legend Donny Schmit, and the infamous sand whoops, that can make or break a rider’s moto.
Last year at Spring Creek, Dungey displayed the familiar dominance that has become associated with his performances at his home track in recent years. A convincing 1-1 effort resulted in his sixth win of the season, and marked his third victory at the track in as many years. In the 250 Class, eventual champion Trey Canard was able to capture his second career win, just one round following his inaugural motocross victory.
The Motorcycle-Superstore.com Women’s Motocross Championship will also begin its second half of the 2011 season on Saturday, hosting its fifth round of the summer with just its second appearance at Spring Creek. After her most impressive outing of the season at RedBud, Fiolek carries momentum, and an eight-point lead in the standings, into Millville over DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson. Last year in Minnesota, Patterson outran her rival to post her fourth win of the season en route to the WMX Class title, and she’ll be looking to replicate her efforts on Saturday in order to close in on Fiolek in the championship.
The on-track action for the Spring Creek Motocross National begins this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. EST with practice and qualifying. Opening ceremonies begin at 1:30 p.m. EST with motos kicking off at 2 p.m. EST.
Previous Round Results and Current Standings
Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Rockstar Energy RedBud National
RedBud – Buchanan, Mich.
July 2, 2011
Round 6 of 12
450 Class (Moto Finish) – To view complete event Box Score, click HERE
- Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda (1-3)
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (2-2)
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (9-1)
- Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (4-5)
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (8-4)
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (5-7)
- Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (6-8)
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha (3-13)
- Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda (12-6)
- Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (10-10)
450 Class Championship Standings
- Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda – 268
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 252
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 246
- Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki – 178
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 173
- Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda – 172
- Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM – 130
- Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda – 119
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM – 115
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 112
250 Class (Moto Finish) – To view complete event Box Score, click HERE
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (1-1)
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki (2-2)
- Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (5-3)
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha (4-4)
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki (7-5)
- Wil Hahn, Wichita, Kan., Honda (8-6)
- Ryan Sipes, Louisville, Ky., Yamaha (3-14)
- Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki (11-7)
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (9-10)
- Scott Champion, La Jolla, Calif., Honda (13-13)
250 Class Championship Standings
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki – 258
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 244
- Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki – 242
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 176
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 163
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 143
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 137
- Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha – 120
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 112
- Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki – 111
WMX Class (Moto Finish) – To view complete event Box Score, click HERE
- Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (1-1)
- Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (2-2)
- Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda (3-3)
- Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Kawasaki (4-4)
- Sayaka Kaneshiro, Osaka, Japan, Suzuki (6-6)
- Jacqueline Strong, Cottonwood, Ariz., KTM (5-7)
- Marissa Markelon, Bridgeport, Conn., Yamaha (9-5)
- Kasie Creson, Vallejo, Calif., Honda (8-8)
- Lindsey Palmer, Albuquerque, N.M., Honda (7-10)
- Jackie Ives, Visalia, Calif., Yamaha (10-11)
WMX Class Standings
- Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda – 185
- Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha – 177
- Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda – 148
- Jacqueline Strong, Cottonwood, Ariz., KTM – 108
- Kasie Creson, Vallejo, Calif., Honda – 98
- Marissa Markelon, Bridgeport, Conn., Yamaha – 97
- Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Kawasaki – 95
- Sayaka Kaneshiro, Osaka, Japan, Suzuki – 83
- Lindsey Palmer, Albuquerque, N.M., Honda – 83
- Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki – 79
- Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., KTM – 79
For more information on the 2011 tour, please log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.
