Rider Files

(News Release)

AURORA, Ill. (October 20, 2010) – With plans underway for the inaugural Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race at Dodger Stadium on January 22, Feld Motor Sports℠ presented the media with a preview of the conversion plans from a baseball field to a supercross facility.

Feld Motor Sports Senior Director of Operations Todd Jendro and Director of Supercross Dave Prater provided details of the historic undertaking of converting one of the most legendary stadiums in the country into a venue to host the world’s best supercross riders.

“Today marks a historic day not only for Monster Energy Supercross, but Dodger Stadium as well,” said Jendro. “This venue has a historic past and will now welcome 150 of the best riders on the planet. We feel that given the iconic image of Dodger Baseball and Dodger Stadium that it is the perfect fit to host an event of this caliber.”

 

 Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chief Revenue Officer Michael Young welcomes Monster Energy Supercross to Dodger Stadium

(Photo Credit: VitalMX.com)

Never before in the 48-year history of Dodger Stadium has an event of such a unique nature and logistic complexity been held at Chavez Ravine. Known for being the home of one of the most prominent Major League Baseball franchises of all time, 550 truckloads of dirt will sit on the Dodger Stadium floor for the first time ever, signifying a new era for the venue.

“We did the initial site visit a year ago,” added Prater. “When surveying a potential facility, we check out everything to see if it will work logistically ranging from the press box to the paddock. Dodger Stadium has one of the most valuable fields in the country and we are honored to be welcomed with open arms.”

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, who won seven AMA Supercross class races last season, was on hand to discuss his approach to racing in a new venue for the first time. Villopoto is coming off a season-ending injury suffered at the St. Louis round and will return to action for the first time during the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season.

  The inaugural Monster Energy Supercross at Dodger Stadium unfolds January 22

Photo Credit: VitalMX.com

“It’s always a different track no matter the stadium,” Villopoto said. “It really comes down to the dirt as some is really soft while others are really hard. If it is anything like the dirt we have at other rounds in California, it should be good. I’m really looking forward to the season coming up and I feel like I’m going to be more ready than I’ve ever been before.”

As a sign of their gratitude for allowing Monster Energy AMA Supercross to compete at Dodger Stadium, Feld Motor Sports presented Michael Young, Chief Revenue Officer of the Dodgers and known supercross fan, with a special customized Thor jersey.

“I’m very excited for this,” said Young. “I’m excited to expose this venue to millions of supercross fans across the world that have never had the opportunity to come to Dodger Stadium and hopefully convert them into baseball fans. This is an amazing sport and the growth of supercross is staggering, particularly in a time when many sports are shrinking.”

 

 Dodger Stadium Assistant Director of Turf and Grounds Eric Hansen discusses the field’s irrigation system.

Photo Credit: VitalMX.com

Additionally, Feld Motor Sports introduced Eric Hansen, Assistant Director of Turf and Grounds at Dodger Stadium, to the media. Hansen explained the complexity of laying dirt down on the field and what it means for what many consider to be the top playing surface in the country.

“I have all the confidence in the world in the Feld Motor Sports crew,” said Hansen. “All we have to worry about is replacing the actual grass once the dirt is removed and from what I’ve been told, (Feld) is the best in the world at what they do so my anxiety level is extremely low.”

For more information on the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.

(News Release)

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — It’s a 20-foot-long, twin-engined, fully streamlined blue bullet that recently set the outright motorcycle land speed record of more than 376 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. And now it’s coming to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance in Las Vegas, Saturday, Nov. 20, as part of the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa.

The impressive Top 1 Oil Ack Attack streamliner, built by designer Mike Akatiff and piloted by racer Rocky Robinson, eclipsed the previous record by 8 mph in September, notching a two-way average speed on the table-flat Salt Flats of 376.363 mph. With motive force coming from a pair of turbocharged and intercooled Suzuki Hayabusa motors, the motorcycle is a one-of-a-kind engineering marvel that few get to see up close.

Spectators at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance, however, can appreciate this machine along with dozens of other rare and impeccably restored motorcycles that represent the finest examples of their breeds in the country.

The Concours takes place on day two of the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend at the Red Rock, which features the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday evening, Nov. 19, and the AMA Racing Championship Banquet, presented by World of Powersports on Saturday, Nov. 20. Akatiff and Robinson will be honored for their accomplishment at the noontime racing awards gala.

“Land-speed racing is the stuff of which legends are made, so it’s just amazing to have the machine that just set the outright world’s record on display at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance,” said Tom White, who is coordinating the gathering of world-class motorcycles. “To think that people will be able to stand just a few feet from a machine that went, at one point in the run, more than half the speed of sound — that’s just incredible! A chance like this doesn’t come along very often.”

“We’re happy to be a part of the weekend and the Concours,” said Akatiff, who has twice held the motorcycle land-speed record before regaining it a third time in September. “We get a real kick out of seeing all the Hall of Famers and the other motorcycles, and we hope people enjoy seeing our motorcycle, as well.”

Entry to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance, which starts at 9:30 a.m., is granted with a $10 donation to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. Anyone holding a ticket to either the Friday Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony or the Saturday AMA Racing Championship Banquet, presented by World of Powersports, can attend the Concours at no additional charge. In addition, an autograph-signing sessin will take place during the Concours starting 10 a.m., featuring 2011 inductees and a number of other notable Hall of Famers.

Tickets to the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are $89, which includes dinner. Tickets to the AMA Racing Championship Banquet, presented by World of Powersports, are $69 per person and also include a meal. Special packages are also available. In addition, guests at either or both banquets receive a special Red Rock room rate of just $90 a night, a $150 discount off the normal rate. Banquet tickets, reservations and additional event information can be found at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/LegendsAndChampions.

Here is another in the series of classic photos by American photographer Rich Chenet. This shot is of Dale Singleton celebrating his upset 1981 Daytona 200 victory. By 1981 Singleton reached the zenith of the racing career when he won his second Daytona 200, this time against a much deeper field of factory entries (including Yamaha’s Kenny Roberts and Honda’s Freddie Spencer) than he faced during his ’79 victory. Again, Singleton rode a Yamaha TZ750 he built himself with sponsorship from Taylor White and Beaulieu, an Oriental rug manufacturer.

When asked about his success at Daytona in the face of big-budget teams, Singleton said it all came down to preparation and race strategy.

“Most of my advantage at Daytona is the fact that I got to the level I’m at by doing my own thing mechanically,” Singleton explained after winning his second Daytona 200. “I know the inside of the bike’s engine like the back of my hand. When I race Daytona I increase the tolerances and build it to last. I’m real aware of all the small details and know how to push the bike when it counts. I know how easy it is to ruin an engine turning 11,000 rpm at 180 mph.

“As far as strategy, I always try to stay in touch with the leaders, but not show my hand too early. It’s the last 20 laps or so of the race when I would start to gamble a bit, sliding both wheels and really making that final push to the checkered flag.”

Singleton went on to win the AMA National Road Racing Championship in 1981. It was the culmination of a sure and steady ascent up the ranks of American road racing. Racing earned Singleton the money to build a beautiful home in the foothills of Northern Georgia. He also had a large workshop where he prepped his race machines. By the mid-1980s Dale began to pursue a career in NASCAR racing. In 1985, he died in a private plane crash while traveling from a stock car race.

Today Singleton is in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. You can read more about his career here.

(News Release)

Historic Season Ushers in New Decade of American Motocross

On site, attendance is higher than ever despite tough economic times throughout the United States. This season, over a quarter of a million fans attended each of the 12 rounds of the championship, spanning from California to Massachusetts. Additionally, the on-track action that makes the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship the world’s premier outdoor motocross series was better than ever, thanks to a historic season that featured the rise of a new rookie star, the emergence of a resilient champion for the future, and the return of a female motocross legend to the top of her game.

On-Site Attendance
Hangtown: 20,500
Freestone: 17,300
High Point: 18,600
Budds Creek: 18,740
Thunder Valley: 18,350
RedBud: 22,380
Spring Creek: 20,475
Washougal: 19,650
Unadilla: 20,500
Moto-X 338: 15,250
Steel City: 16,800
Pala: 21,750
Total: 230,295

As Ryan Dungey, Trey Canard and Jessica Patterson stood atop the rest as the national champions in the respective 450, 250 and Women’s Motocross classes, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship also welcomed five new faces to the all-time winners’ list in the professional men’s classes: Ryan Dungey (450), Eli Tomac (250), Tyla Rattray (250), Dean Wilson (250) and Trey Canard (250). Additionally, Dungey completed the most successful rookie season in premier-class history en route to becoming the first rider in AMA history to win both 450 championships (supercross and motocross) in his first year, while Canard had one of the most impressive comebacks in the history of the sport, overcoming a 50-plus-point deficit in the second half of the season to win his first motocross title.

MX Sports Pro Racing would like to congratulate its 2010 champions and provide a final statistical breakdown of the season that was.

 

2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Final Statistics

• 450 Class debutant Ryan Dungey is the first rider in AMA history to win both the AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross premier-class titles as a rookie.
• Since capturing his first career title in the 2009 AMA Supercross Lites West Region, Ryan Dungey has won four consecutive championships.
• Dungey is the youngest rider in history to win all four AMA championships and the first to do so consecutively.
• After a poor start to the season in which he finished eighth overall, Ryan Dungey went on to win 19 of the next 22 motos and 10 of the 11 remaining rounds. His average finish jumped from 8.0 to 3.3. He was the only rider in the class to win more than one moto.
• Andrew Short led all riders with 11 holeshots, capturing at least one in eight of the 12 rounds. Eight different riders claimed holeshots in both classes in 2010.
• Dungey led 48% of the laps completed in 2010 in the 450 Class.
• Brett Metcalfe and Nick Wey are the only two 450 Class riders to score points in all 24 motos.
• With his win at Steel City, Kevin Windham became the oldest winner in AMA history.
• With five different winners throughout the 12 rounds of the championship, the 250 Class experienced the most parity since the 2005 season that featured six different winners.
• Of the five different winners in the 250 Class, four experienced victory for the first time in their careers.
• Trey Canard overcame a 55-point deficit over the second half of the season to win the 250 Class title.
• Through the first half of the season, Christophe Pourcel won seven of the 12 250 Class motos with at least one win at each of the first six rounds. In the second half he won just two motos over the final 12. His average finish fell from 2.5 to 6.9 over that span.
• Tyla Rattray holds the unique statistic of two overall victories in 2010 despite leading just one lap in the 250 Class. Both of his overall wins came via a pair of runner-up finishes.
• Dean Wilson claimed Rookie of the Year honors with two overall wins and a fourth place championship result in the 250 Class.
• Eli Tomac became the first rider in history to win his professional debut.
• GEICO Powersports Honda and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki won every 250 Class moto in 2010 and split overall wins with six apiece.
• Jessica Patterson became just the second factory-backed rider to win a WMX title.
• Ashley Fiolek captured an astonishing 13 of 16 holeshots but still came up short in her bid for a third consecutive title, despite an average finish of 1.9.
• Patterson and Fiolek were the only riders to lead a lap in the WMX class in 2010.
• Alexah Pearson captured Rookie of the Year honors and a Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Championship title.

2010 450 Class:

• Suzuki won its 10^th 450 Championship:
  Tony DiStefano – ‘75, ‘76, ‘77
  Kent Howerton – ‘80,’81
  Greg Albertyn – ‘99
  Ricky Carmichael – ‘05, ‘06
  Chad Reed – ‘09
  Ryan Dungey – ‘10

• Suzuki has also won four of the last six championships in the 450 Class.
• Ryan Dungey becomes the 22^nd different rider to win a 450 Class championship and the 13^th different rider to win a Supercross and Motocross title in the premier class:
  Bob Hannah, Donnie Hansen, David Bailey, Jeff Ward, Rick Johnson, Jeff Stanton, J.M. Bayle, Jeremy Mcgrath, Jeff Emig, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Chad Reed and Ryan Dungey

• Dungey has 10 career 450 Class wins. He is tied with Kevin Windham for 10^th all time.
• Dungey’s 10 wins as a rookie is the most in history by a first-year rider. His point total of 543 is also a record.
• Dungey becomes just the fourth rookie in AMA Motocross history to win the 450 Class championship:
  Jeff Ward – 1985
  Jean Michel Bayle – 1991
  Ricky Carmichael – 2000
  Ryan Dungey – 2010

Final Point Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 543
2. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 398
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 393
4. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 321
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 314
6. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 266
7. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 260
8. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 234
9. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 224
10. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Kawasaki, 223

Overall Wins
Ryan Dungey – 10
Chad Reed – 1
Kevin Windham – 1

 

450 Class Moto Wins
Ryan Dungey – 19
Mike Alessi – 1
Josh Grant – 1
Chad Reed – 1
Andrew Short – 1
Kevin Windham – 1

Wins by Brand
Suzuki – 10
Honda – 1
Kawasaki – 1

Laps Led
Ryan Dungey – 187
Andrew Short – 65
Brett Metcalfe – 39
Ben Townley – 20
Mike Alessi – 19
Josh Grant – 19
Chad Reed – 16
Kevin Windham – 14
Clement Desalle – 4
Total: 383

Holeshots
Andrew Short – 11
Brett Metcalfe – 4
Ryan Dungey – 2
Kevin Windham – 2
Mike Alessi – 1
Justin Brayton – 1
Chad Reed – 1
Ryan Sipes – 1

Top Average Finishers
Ryan Dungey – 3.3
Brett Metcalfe – 5.3
Andrew Short – 6.7

Top Average Starters
Andrew Short – 4.3
Ryan Dungey – 4.8
Ben Townley – 6.6

Top Average Qualifiers
Ryan Dungey – 3.3
Josh Grant – 4.2
Chad Reed – 5.9

2010 250 Class:

• Honda won its 13^th 250 Championship
  Marty Smith – ‘74, ‘75
  Johnny O’Mara – ‘83
  Ron Lechien – ‘85
  Micky Dymond – ‘86, ‘87
  George Holland – ‘88
  Mike Kiedrowski – ‘89
  Doug Henry – ‘93, ‘94
  Steve Lamson – ‘95, ‘96
  Trey Canard – ‘10

• Trey Canard’s title ends a 13-year drought for Honda.
• Canard becomes the 24^th different rider to win a 250 Class championship.
• Canard’s championship for Honda results in a two-year drought for Mitch Payton’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team – the longest since capturing its inaugural title in 1997.
• Canard becomes the eighth rider in AMA history to win an AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross title in the smaller displacement.
• Canard has five career 250 Class wins. He sits 26^th all-time, tied with Ben Townley, Broc Hepler, Ryan Hughes and fellow Oklahoman Robbie Reynard.

Final Point Standings

1. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 474
2. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 446
3. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 443
4. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 437
5. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 348
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 327
7. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 287
8. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 285
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha, 251
10. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 213

 

Overall Wins
Trey Canard – 5
Christophe Pourcel – 2
Tyla Rattray – 2
Dean Wilson – 2
Eli Tomac – 1

 

Moto Wins
Christophe Pourcel – 9
Trey Canard – 8
Dean Wilson – 3
Justin Barcia – 2
Tyla Rattray – 1
Eli Tomac – 1

Wins by Brand
Honda – 6
Kawasaki – 6

Laps Led
Trey Canard – 106
Christophe Pourcel – 104
Dean Wilson – 81
Justin Barcia – 35
Eli Tomac – 35
Wil Hahn – 13
Tommy Searle – 2
Tyla Rattray – 1
Total: 377

Holeshots
Dean Wilson – 6
Eli Tomac – 5
Christophe Pourcel – 4
Trey Canard – 3
Wil Hahn – 3
Justin Barcia – 1
Nico Izzi – 1
Tyla Rattray – 1

Top Average Finishers
Trey Canard – 3.8
Tyla Rattray – 4.2
Dean Wilson – 4.4

Top Average Starters
Christophe Pourcel – 4.4
Dean Wilson – 5.0
Trey Canard – 5.5

Top Average Qualifiers
Christophe Pourcel – 1.4
Trey Canard – 5.1
Broc Tickle – 5.4

2010 WMX Class:

• Jessica Patterson claimed her record sixth WMX Class title, making her the most successful female rider in AMA history.
• Patterson never finished below second all season, winning six of the eight rounds and boasting an average finish of 1.4.

Final Point Standings

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha, 382
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 360
3. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda, 295
4. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha, 252
5. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha, 239
6. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki, 230
7. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM, 219
8. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha, 202
9. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 179
10. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha, 154

WMX Class Overall Wins
Jessica Patterson – 6
Ashley Fiolek – 2

WMX Class Moto Wins
Jessica Patterson – 10
Ashley Fiolek – 6

WMX Class Wins by Brand
Yamaha – 6
Honda – 2

WMX Class Laps Led
Jessica Patterson – 69
Ashley Fiolek – 48
Total: 117

WMX Class Holeshots
Ashley Fiolek – 13
Jessica Patterson – 3

WMX Class Top Average Finishers
Jessica Patterson – 1.4
Ashley Fiolek – 1.9
Tarah Gieger – 4.0

WMX Class Top Average Starters
Jessica Patterson – 2.2
Ashley Fiolek – 2.8
Sara Price – 5.9

WMX Class Top Average Qualifiers
Jessica Patterson – 1.8
Ashley Fiolek – 2.0
Tarah Gieger – 2.5

Series Awards

 Rockstar Energy Fast Lap Award
Hangtown
Mike Alessi – 2:15.130

Freestone
Ryan Dungey – 2:09.704

High Point
Andrew Short – 2:20.949

Budds Creek
Ryan Dungey – 2:01.398

Thunder Valley
Ryan Dungey – 2:11.857

RedBud
Ryan Dungey – 2:17.154

Spring Creek
Ryan Dungey – 2:09.355

Washougal
Brett Metcalfe – 2:11.784

Unadilla
Ryan Dungey – 2:10.542

Moto-X 338
Ryan Dungey – 2:02.764

Steel City
Ryan Dungey – 2:27.474

Pala
Ryan Dungey – 2:20.170

Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award
Hangtown
Ben Evans, Ryan Morais, Jake Moss / +14 spots

Freestone
Ben Townley / +21 spots

High Point
Jake Weimer / +21 spots

Budds Creek
Weston Peick / +16 spots

Thunder Valley
Jake Weimer / +26 spots

RedBud
Justin Brayton / +20 spots

Spring Creek
Martin Davalos / +22 spots

Washougal
Mike Alessi / +22 spots

Unadilla
Blake Wharton / +12 spots

Moto-X 338
Brett Metcalfe / +27 spots

Steel City
Michael Byrne / +16 spots

Pala
Broc Tickle / +27 spots

Muscle Milk Recovery Rider of the Day Award
Hangtown
250 Class: Travis Baker – M1: 23^rd / M2: 10^th
450 Class: Andrew Short – M1: 15^th / M2: 5^th

Freestone
250 Class: Max Anstie – M1: 15^th / M2: 4^th
450 Class: Mike Alessi – M1: 12^th / M2: 5^th

High Point
250 Class: Trey Canard – M1: 14^th / M2: 4^th
450 Class: Tommy Hahn – M1: 11^th / M2: 4^th

Budds Creek
250 Class: Jake Weimer – M1: 21^st / M2: 7^th
450 Class: Ben Townley – M1: 14^th / M2: 3^rd

Thunder Valley
250 Class: Justin Barcia – M1: 16^th / M2: 7^th
450 Class: Matt Moss – M1: 28^th / M2: 19^th

RedBud
250 Class: Alex Martin – M1: 20^th / M2: 10^th
450 Class: Steven Clarke – M1: 16^th / M2: 14^th

Spring Creek
250 Class: Max Anstie – M1: 31^st / M2: 13^th
450 Class: Brett Metcalfe – M1: 16^th / M2: 6^th

Washougal
250 Class: Martin Davalos – M1: 22^nd / M2: 5^th
450 Class: Trent Pugmire – M1: 31^st / M2: 17^th

Unadilla
250 Class: Darryn Durham – M1: 33^rd / M2: 7^th
450 Class: Derek Anderson – M1: 29^th / M2: 19^th

Moto-X 338
250 Class: Ian Trettel – M1: 17^th / M2: 10^th
450 Class: Ryan Sipes – M1: 32^nd / M2: 8^th

Steel City
250 Class: Dean Wilson – M1: 17^th / M2: 3^rd
450 Class: Jason Lawrence – M1: 28^th / M2: 15^th

Pala
250 Class: Martin Davalos – M1: 14^th / M2: 6^th
450 Class: Weston Peick – M1: 23^rd / M2: 11^th

MotorcycleUSA.com WMX Holeshot Award
Hangtown
M1: Ashley Fiolek / M2: Jessica Patterson

Freestone
M1: Ashley Fiolek / M2: Ashley Fiolek

Thunder Valley
M1: Ashley Fiolek / M2: Jessica Patterson

RedBud
M1: Ashley Fiolek / M2: Ashley Fiolek

Spring Creek
M1: Ashley Fiolek / M2: Ashley Fiolek

Moto-X 338
M1: Ashley Fiolek / M2: Ashley Fiolek

Steel City
M1: Jessica Patterson / M2: Ashley Fiolek

Pala
M1: Ashley Fiolek / M2: Ashley Fiolek

WMX Top Rekluse Rider
Hangtown
Jacqueline Strong

Freestone
Jacqueline Strong

Thunder Valley
Jacqueline Strong

RedBud
Nicole Madsen

Spring Creek
Jacqueline Strong

Moto-X 338
Nicole Madsen

Steel City
Sherri Cruse

Pala
Sherri Cruse

For fan and racing information on the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.