Rider Files

(NEWS RELEASE)

Saturday marks the 20th time the gate will drop for an AMA Supercross race in Indianapolis and the third time that Lucas Oil Stadium has hosted a race. (Photo Credit: Hoppenworld.com)

AURORA, Ill, (March 11, 2011) – As the 20th Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race from Indianapolis looms, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto finds himself in firm control of the Supercross class standings heading into the 10th race of the season. Coming off back-to-back wins at both Atlanta and Daytona, Villopoto now carries a 23-point lead into a venue in which he was able to capture the win one year ago.

“I got the win (at Indy) last year and I hope that I can keep the (win) streak alive,” said Villopoto. “I really want to go after more wins and finish out the second half of the season strong.”

Luck has been on Villopoto’s side during his victorious efforts the past two weeks, but the third-year rider has been arguably the most consistent competitor in the championship all season. By virtue of running at the front of the field, he is able to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves.

For San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart, Daytona was hard to swallow. A major crash out of the lead forced Stewart to climb his way through the field from last place on a difficult track. He was able to overcome the majority of the competitors that stood in front of him, ultimately posting a ninth-place finish and salvaging valuable championship points. However, his misfortune has put him in the deepest hole he’s been in all season in the standings.

“I’ll never quit for anything, I want it too bad,” said Stewart. “It’s not about how hard you go down, it’s about how hard you fight when you get back up. That was a crazy race for sure and I was definitely feeling a little sore afterwards, but I went back to training this week and am looking forward to Indy.”

Reigning Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ryan Dungey has been the strongest rider in the championship over the last month of competition. The second-year Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider has posted four consecutive podium finishes since a rare DNF in Anaheim, including a trio of runner-up efforts. His consistency has not only helped bring him back into the title fight, but it’s provided tremendous confidence for he and his team as they’ve proven to have the ability to bounce back from adversity.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto currently controls the points lead in the Supercross class with 196 points. A win this weekend will mark the 14th victory of his career. (Photo Credit: Hoppenworld.com)

At Daytona, that adversity struck again with a freak incident while leading his heat race. However, Dungey and his team came back to win the LCQ and ultimately wrap up a third-place effort despite a poor gate pick.

“I owe a lot to my Rockstar Makita Suzuki team,” said Dungey in Daytona. “They worked their butt off to get my Suzuki ready for the LCQ and for it to run that good in the main was unbelievable. I’m really happy – we had our work cut out for us. With the cards that were dealt and the circumstances, I think we handled everything the best we could and did all we could. I think at the end of the day, we’re happy with the result. I’m really looking forward to Indy; the new Lucas Oil Stadium is really cool and the fans there are great. It’ll be good to get back indoors.”

The Red Bull KTM team continues to improve each and every week during the debut season of the 350 SX-F. First-year KTM rider Andrew Short has posted solid efforts throughout the season on the new bike, including a season-best fourth-place effort this past weekend in Daytona.

“It feels so good to continue to make big steps every week,” said Short. “Earning fourth place in Daytona was just one more step closer to the podium and where we would like to be. We continue to work hard each and every week and except to see my KTM on the podium by the end of the season.”

For Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider Brett Metcalfe, the last two weeks have brought a pair of significant get-offs that have ultimately forced the Australian rider to sit out this weekend’s race from Indianapolis.

“The track in Daytona is always tough,” said Metcalfe. “And the crash in Atlanta took a lot out of me physically. I knew it was going to be tough coming in to Daytona, but I tried to be positive. We got better through practice – my Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team really got the bike working good for me and I couldn’t really ask for anything more.

“I just wasn’t physically prepared for that kind of race. I tried to make a game plan and stick to it, but I lost that game plan about halfway through the main. I felt good at the beginning of the main, but by the halfway point, it was tough for me and I lost a bit of focus there. We’re still in one piece but I think its best that I sit this week out to let myself recover a bit and prepare to come back for Jacksonville.”

The 2011 season has seen its ups and downs for Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi. In his first full season in supercross since 2009 and his first effort in the discipline aboard the KTM 350 SX-F, Alessi is progressing weekly and looking to improve as the season moves forward.

“I really liked the Daytona course,” said Alessi. “I always like that supercross because it feels more like an outdoor race to me. Unfortunately, I had some bad luck off the start and ran off the track twice so I was happy to still come away with a top 10.”

With the Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship in full swing after three races, it’s a tight battle atop the standings between GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of Blake Baggett and Dean Wilson.

For Baggett, Daytona was almost as perfect as the second-year rider could ask for. After winning his heat race, Baggett stormed to the lead in the main event and never looked back, going wire-to-wire to claim his first win for Mitch Payton’s team and the second win of his young career. Additionally, the win moved Baggett into second in the championship.

“It was pretty unbelievable to have my first race win the year at Daytona,” said Baggett. “I was so happy and I really hope I proved that I am a championship contender. I have been working on my starts and it really helps getting out front early and being able to control the race. I want to be able to do it again in Indy.”

Baggett’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Wilson hoped Daytona would keep the momentum he garnered from his first-career win at Atlanta just one week prior. Instead, it resulted in one of the worst outings of the sophomore rider’s career. A strong heat race suggested the three-way battle would continue in the main, but a bad start forced Wilson to come from behind and resulted in some mistakes that led him to an eighth-place effort.

GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia leads the points race in the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites class with 69 points, four points ahead of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett. (Photo Credit: Hoppenworld.com)

“I didn’t have a good race in Daytona, but I try to put that out of my mind and focus on what I have to do next week,” said Wilson. “I am very determined to win and I will be pushing hard to pick up some more points in Indy.”

For the Rockstar Energy Suzuki stable, Daytona resulted in mixed emotions. The team was proud of rookie rider Jason Anderson’s hard-working sixth-place effort in his continued development in supercross.

“Daytona actually worked out pretty good for me,” said Anderson. “I struggled a little bit in my heat race but made it through to the main. In the main, I got bumped at the start and bent my shift lever; it ended up stuck in third gear. I had to ride the whole race in third gear so I was on the rev limiter every lap through the whoops, but my RMZ was amazing and held together – I was pretty excited to come away with a sixth. I’m definitely looking forward to Indy. The Daytona track was kind of a curveball for me, so I’m excited to go to Indy and get back to an indoor stadium.”

Tickets are available at the Lucas Oil Stadium Box Office, SupercrossOnline.com, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge by phone at (800) 745-3000, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Practice and qualifying begins at 12:30 p.m., and the main event begins at 7:00 p.m. VIP tickets are available for $75 Adult/Child (VIP Experience includes one (1) ticket to the event and a private autograph session with the top riders from 3:00PM – 4:00PM the day of the show); Club Level $45 Adult/Child; Gold Circle $35 Adult/Child; Mid Level $25 Adult/Child; Treadhead $10 Adult/Child.

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. To follow Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook and Twitter, log on to http://www.facebook.com/supercrosslive and http://twitter.com/supercrosslive.

About Feld Motor Sports®
Feld Motor Sports®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz®, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

(NEWS RELEASE)

AURORA, Ill. (March 11, 2011) – As the AMA Arenacross Series prepares for its 10th round of competition on Saturday night from the BI-LO Center in Greenville, S.C., the competition at the top of the standings is tight between two of the most successful programs in series’ history. The Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki presented by Maxxis and TUF Honda racing teams have long been an integral part of the AMA Arenacross Series and have achieved tremendous success. Much of that success can be attributed to the competitiveness of several of their opposing teams.

Currently, Babbitt’s Monster Energy riders Tyler Bowers and Chad Johnson occupy the first and third positions in the championship, respectively. Splitting the duo is TUF Honda rider Jeff Gibson. Over the last four years, each AMA Arenacross Series titles have been captured by one of these two organizations. While they have asserted themselves as top tier teams in the Arenacross class, their improvement is a result of the threat from other veteran teams that have forced both Babbitt’s and TUF to step up their game.

Leading the way as one of the biggest challengers to the championship is the Foremost Insurance/Spinechillers/HondaofFairfield.com team. For several years, Dallas Avery’s riders have been perennial front-runners, including up-and-coming riders Zach Ames and Nathan Skaggs, in addition to veteran Willy Browning. The trio of Ohio natives are some of the most exciting riders in the AMA Arenacross Series today and it’s only a matter of time before they and the entire Spinechillers Racing team is fighting for that coveted title. Last season, Ames served as the only rider to break a Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki dominance and this season, he’s the highest-ranking rider that is not a member of the aforementioned teams.

Also finding success this season is Team Faith Yamaha. The team that gained considerable popularity thanks to its longtime rider Kevin Johnson has seen a bit of resurgence in 2011 thanks to strong runs by veteran Kelly Smith. Over the past two weeks, Smith has posted back-to-back podium efforts and after battling injuries the past two seasons, looks to be back at the top of his game and putting Team Faith back in the spotlight. He currently sits sixth in the championship and shows no signs of slowing his recent swing of momentum.

With new teams also making their presence felt in championship, such as the MMCR/GPF Suzuki, team whose tremendous Arenacross Lites success has led to a promising start in Arenacross class competition, the depth of talent for both the riders and the teams in the AMA Arenacross Series continues to grow each and every year. The never-ending quest to find more speed and performance will always be an underlying storyline in the championship and while Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki and TUF Honda have set the bar, their competitors are closing the gap and generating incredible on-track action.

The AMA Arenacross Series round from Greenville is the first in the city since the 2007 season. The BI-LO Center currently serves as the home for the ECHL’s Greenville Road Warriors in addition to the Southern Indoor Football League’s Greenville Force.

Completed in 1998, the arena is located in downtown Greenville and has been host to several major NCAA basketball tournaments. In recent years, it has become one of the staple venues for the properties of both Feld Entertainment® and Feld Motor Sports®.

The action commences for the Greenville Arenacross this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Amateur Day concludes an exciting weekend of action on Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m. ET

Advance tickets are available for the Greenville Arenacross at the BI-LO Center Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone and ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $2 more the day of the race.

New for 2011! Live timing and scoring from each round of the AMA Arenacross Series. To follow the intense racing action live, log onto www.Arenacross.com. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short at brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.

Never miss out on the latest news! Follow the AMA Arenacross Series on Facebook and Twitter! Log on to http://www.facebook.com/AMAarenacross and http://twitter.com/arenacross today!

About Feld Motor Sports®
Feld Motor Sports®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz®, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

The Losail International Circuit will host the final MotoGP Test of the 2011 pre-season on Sunday and Monday evening, ahead of the opening race of the campaign at the same venue. Read about it here.

(NEWS RELEASE)

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) member Rod Overstreet of Campbellsville, Ky., received an unexpected reward for his participation in last year’s AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series: a 2010 KTM 530 EXC from series sponsor KTM North America. The annual drawing included participants in all of the AMA events on the national calendar.

“This dual-sport program that the AMA has is great,” Overstreet said. “Not only with this KTM giveaway, but also the turnout is unreal and the rides are exciting. It’s a whole lot of fun and probably the most grassroots form of off-road riding that we have going now.”

KTM North America Inc. President Jon-Erik Burleson said he’s pleased to see the 530 EXC go to a die-hard KTM rider, many of whom participate in the series.

“KTM is excited to continue the sponsorship of the AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series and is proud to give away a KTM 530 EXC to a true orange-bleeder,” Burleson said. “The orange-bleeders are KTM’s true customers, and the primary reason we are a proud sponsor of the series.”

Overstreet, a long-time off-road rider, says the people who ride and organize the individual events in the AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series are a big part of the series’ success.

“Looking at this year’s schedule, I was really glad to see the Renfro Valley [Ky.] event back this year,” Overstreet said. “As long as this series has guys like John Strange and Jesse Thomas down in Kentucky, Bill Kaeppner in Ohio — these guys are true enthusiasts — it will do well.

“These rides are the best bang for the buck going today,” he continued. “They really breathe fresh air into motorcycling. When the economy is down and the industry is hurting, you can go to an AMA KTM Dual Sport and see the enthusiasm of the riders, and you know the sport is alive and well. When I see that, I think that motorcycling in general owes a lot to [KTM Ride Manager and long-time dual-sport series proponent] Mark Hyde’s influence and KTM’s dedication to the EXC line.”

Events on the AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series calendar are one of the best programs in off-road riding. For a reasonable entry fee, participants can ride hundreds of miles of trail and backroads in some of the most breathtaking areas of the United States, all supplemented by the local knowledge of long-time clubs and riders. The series features weekend events, with one-day rides optional, that include riding on everything from gravel backroads to enduro-level singletrack that challenges riders of all skill levels.

Overstreet’s new 530 EXC is one of KTM’s competition-oriented dual-sport motorcycles. Sharing parts and design with the off-road and motocross competition models, the EXC line is engineered to withstand the rigors of the toughest off-road motorcycle competition in the world. However, the 530 EXC is also 50-state legal in the United States, making it one of the most versatile off-road bikes on any showroom floor. For more on KTM’s line of off-road, dual-sport and street motorcycles, see www.ktmusa.com.

The 2011 AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series, which will award another KTM dual-sport motorcycle to one lucky rider, kicks off on May 7-8 in Renfro Valley, Ky. There are events scheduled in Ohio, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Indiana, California, Virginia, New Jersey, Arizona and Texas. For the full schedule, see the Dirt Riding section of AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

(NEWS RELEASE)

MILLENIUM TECHNOLOGIES PARTNERS WITH GEICO RMR SUZUKI

The Geico RMR Suzuki

Daytona, FL (March 11, 2011) — Richie Morris Racing is proud to announce Millennium Technologies will partner with Geico RMR Suzuki during the 2011 season as Danny Eslick and the team attempt to win back the number one plate in AMA Pro Daytona SportBike.

Millennium Technologies provides repair and maintenance services for cylinders and cylinder heads, and manufactures nickel silicon carbide plated cylinders for a variety of engines, including motorcycles, snowmobiles, race cars, karts, dirt bikes, watercraft and aircraft.

“At Millennium Technologies, we have a lot of cylinder head technology and it’s good to be a part of the team and help out where we can. It’s good to be part of the team,” said Chris Hackl of Millennium Technologies. “We’re looking forward to Danny hopefully taking back the championship and doing really well this year.”

“We’re really happy to have Chris Hackl and Millennium Technologies join us on the Suzuki side to our program. Revolution Performance, which is their sister company, has been with us with the Harley side starting last year and now they are a primary partner in this year’s effort. Hopefully, we’ll be able to bring home a championship together with the new Suzuki GSX-R600,” said Richie Morris. “When I started as a team owner, one of the things that I have tried to achieve is to not just cover the bike with product sponsors. We look for true partners that want to work together and it’s great to have Millennium Technologies on board.”

In 2009, the team burst onto the AMA Pro racing scene by earning the Daytona inaugural SportBike championship with Danny Eslick, followed by a strong title defense that saw RMR Geico Suzuki and Eslick fight for the title until the final race before taking second place in the points.

GEICO RMR Suzuki is sponsored by GEICO Powersports, Lucas Oil, Suzuki, Millennium Technologies, Vortex Sprockets, EBC Brakes, and Pilot.

(NEWS RELEASE)

Sammy Halbert outlasted Johnny Lewis and Jake Johnson to win the 25-lap Expert Main Event on the first night of the AMA Pro Grand National Singles Championship at the quarter-mile Daytona Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Sammy Halbert outlasted Johnny Lewis and Jake Johnson to win the 25-lap Expert Main Event on the first night of the AMA Pro Grand National Singles Championship at the quarter-mile Daytona Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway.

Halbert, aboard a Yamaha, was locked in a three-way battle for the lead with Honda riders Johnny Lewis and Jake Johnson, and came out on top by a margin of victory of .234 seconds.

“It was not an easy task,” Halbert said. “I somehow managed to pull it off. I had to hang on for dear life. It’s a great way to start the season.”

Lewis, the Expert fastest qualifier earlier in the day with a lap of 18.957 seconds, settled for runner-up honors followed by Johnson in third.

Johnson, the defending series champion, led the first 16 laps but then began to exchange the lead with Halbert.

“I was running a pretty good pace but I could feel those guys the whole time,” said Johnson, the defending series champion.

Seven-time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr, who will retire following the 2011 season, qualified for the Expert Main by finishing fourth in his Expert Heat. He finished 15th in the main event.

The legendary Carr has the distinction of having raced the Daytona Flat Track at all three venues — old Memorial Stadium, Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium and the current Daytona Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway.

Honda swept the top seven spots in the 16-lap Pro Singles Main event with Californian Mike Avila taking home the victory by a margin of 0.951 seconds.

“I knew my bike was going to be fast all day,” Avila said. “It was just a matter of putting it together.”

Rounding out the podium was Gerit Callies in second and Austin Greenland in third.

Winning Expert Heats were Johnny Lewis (Honda), Halbert (Yamaha), and Henry Wiles (Kawasaki). In the four-lap Cometic Gasket Expert Dash For Cash, which showcases the top two finishers in the Expert Heats, Sammy Halbert held off Jake Johnson by 0.149 seconds with Henry Wiles rounding out the top three.

Tickets for each night of Daytona Flat Track racing are $25 for reserved seats, $20 for general admission standing room only and can be purchased online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter (www.twitter.com/disupdates) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway).

Former racing mechanic Marshall Rautmann was kind enough to send a third batch of photos he snapped at the races back in the 1980s. I love this kind of stuff and I hope you enjoy them as well. Marshall tuned for some fast WERA riders back in the day such as Brian French, Dean Joas, David Klosterman, and John Eidenberger. Thanks again Marshall for letting us share these great photos. Keep ‘em coming Marshall.

(NEWS RELEASE)

Tomas Puerta on the LTD Racing Yamaha R6.

Daytona, FL (March 10, 2011) — LTD Racing kicked off the 2011 AMA Pro Road Race season at Daytona on Thursday with an abbreviated afternoon of practice and qualifying after rain washed away the morning sessions. Tomas Puerta and David Gaviria fought for the AMA Pro SuperSport front row in the first of two qualifying sessions this weekend, while Sam Nash impressed on his vacation from law school. Huntley Nash was frustrated during Daytona SportBike practice but remained positive after a minor crash.

Puerta qualified fourth, one slot ahead of his teammate Gaviria on their Y.E.S-backed Yamahas. Puerta jumped to the top late in the session and came up just short of pole position with a lap of 1:55.623. “Today was the first time I got to ride the 2011 version of the bike and I was pleased with it and how the team has worked to get the bike ready for me. I have different forks this year and I thought they worked great. I had no issues with the front of the bike,” said Puerta. “At the rear, I wasn’t fully satisfied and we will make some changes but I’m very positive on how the first session went. The times were slow and everyone struggled as the track was slick after the rain.”

Gaviria, racing with LTD Racing for the first time, charged hard in the waning minutes. His best lap was 1:55.757. “I feel good and I thought I had a pretty good result but I expect more for tomorrow,” said the Colombian. “At the end of the session, I felt very comfortable on the bike. We have some changes to make but I thought it was a very positive first session for us.”

Sam Nash, nicknamed the World’s Fastest Law School Student, qualified in the top half of all 40 SuperSport competitors on Thursday. “With all the entries this weekend, I was happy to get 16th on what is pretty much a vacation for me. I’m on spring break from law school and I want to keep this up in tomorrow’s qualifying and races,” said Nash.

Huntley Nash, a promising newcomer to Daytona SportBike, was in the top ten at certain points in the DSB practice session but a crash robbed the three-time 2010 winner of laps in his only track time of the day. The Georgian finished 22nd in the lone practice with a time of 1:57.070. “I’ve had better days at the track and this session was a little humbling, you could say. I leaned over a little too far on my A bike and you can’t do that with so little grip out there,” said 18 year-old Nash. “After that, I rode around on the B bike. I need to get out there tomorrow and run with some of the faster guys and improve my position as I get ready for the Daytona 200. The A-bike felt really good before my mistake.”

“The boys pushed hard and our crew did too,” said LTD Racing’s Gary Medley. “We needed some more track time and conditions were not ideal, but we have a better idea of where we stand.”

Friday’s action includes final qualifying and race one for SuperSport and the fight for the pole position in Daytona SportBike.