Rider Files

(NEWS RELEASE)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 14, 2011) – After a week break, the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship returns to action this weekend from Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, Minn. The seventh round of the season will serve as the next chapter of the ongoing battle for the coveted national title at stake in all three classes of competition – the 450 Class, 250 Class and WMX Class.

Coming off his fourth victory of the season at the previous stop from RedBud, TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed leads the way in the 450 Class. Behind him, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey look to close the gap, and add to their respective win totals.

In the 250 Class, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki trio of Dean Wilson, the current class points leader, Blake Baggett and Tyla Rattray, will aim to keep the team’s undefeated streak intact. Meanwhile, the WMX Class showdown between American Honda’s Ashley Fiolek and DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson will continue to unfold.

450 Class
TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing
Reed’s four wins through six rounds has come on the heels of impressive consistency throughout the first half of the season. He enters Millville with a 16-point advantage over his championship rivals, and will seek add to that lead by securing a fifth overall victory.

Monster Energy Kawasaki
Villopoto’s day at RedBud had the potential to hurt him in the 450 Class standings. However, after an early crash in the first moto, Villopoto was able to fight his way into ninth. He then proceeded to finish the event off with a dominating win in the final moto. His determined effort gave him his sixth overall podium in as many rounds this season, and he still sits within striking distance of Reed coming into Spring Creek.

“I felt really good at RedBud, but obviously anything can happen in this series,” said Villopoto. “I’m now back to where I was in the points at the beginning of the season, but I know there is still a lot of racing left. I’ll just keep working hard. Hopefully I can get a win at Millville and keep making up points (on Reed).”

Fellow Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jake Weimer also had an up-and-down day at RedBud, but in the end, he was able to walk away with a respectable effort. Like his teammate, Weimer experienced misfortune in the opening moto, finishing 36th in the field. However, he bounced back in Moto 2, finishing ninth, and vaulting him to 13th overall. He currently occupies 10th in the championship standings.

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki
Another strong 2-2 effort by Dungey at RedBud left him just one point shy of the overall win. Despite that, the reigning series champion was able to gain valuable ground on Villopoto for second in the standings, and now heads to his home track this weekend. Since 2008, Dungey has not lost at Spring Creek, and will look for his fourth victory at the track on Saturday.

“It was a good day at RedBud,” said Dungey. “My Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team did a great job, and my Suzuki ran great all weekend. We’ll just keep moving forward. I’m looking forward to Millville. We’re coming from an off week where we were able to work on a few things on the bike. I was able to improve physically and mentally as well. Millville is a great track and a fun race. It’s my hometown race, and the fans are great. It’s one of my favorite tracks in the series.”

Brett Metcalfe posted one of his best efforts of the season at RedBud, and throughout the second moto, was in the running for his first overall podium of the season. His 4-5 moto scores landed him fourth overall, and now the Australian rider carries a lot of confidence into Millville, currently sitting fourth in the 450 Class standings.

“Redbud went really, really good,” said Metcalfe. “I was extremely happy with the day and to finally have a result in the top five, where I feel I belong, was important. My Rockstar/Makita Suzuki has been working awesome, and I really feel like we found the setup I need, and now it’s just a matter of getting out there and getting the results I want. I’m looking forward to Millville. It’s a great track and similar to RedBud, so our bike setup should be pretty good. I’ll look to try to be up front and sneak in for our first podium of the year.”

Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR
Davi Millsaps kicked off his day at RedBud by leading the early portion of the opening moto. After engaging in battle with Reed and Dungey, Millsaps secured a spot on the podium, with a third-place result. In Moto 2, Millsaps’ fortune wasn’t quite as good, posting a 13th-place finish to land eighth overall. He comes into Millville holding down fifth place in the championship standings.

In just his second race of the 2011 motocross season, Justin Brayton put forth a strong effort at RedBud, riding consistent en route to a sixth-place overall finish. Brayton continued to build on his race conditioning, and will look to be in the mix once again this weekend.

American Honda
Kevin Windham’s commitment to compete for the remainder of the 2011 season was well received by the entire motocross industry, particularly the fans. Despite being just a substitute rider for American Honda, Windham has run well. At RedBud, he posted 12-6 moto scores to finish ninth overall, and is currently engaged in a heated battle for fourth in the 450 Class standings.

“I’m looking forward to Millville,” said Windham. “I joined the factory Honda team at Millville last year and did fairly well there, so I’m excited to have the chance to race it again this year and maybe do even better.”

Making his long-awaited return to action this weekend at Spring Creek is 450 Class rookie, and defending 250 Class Champion, Trey Canard. After suffering an injury just prior to the start of the summer, Canard has patiently waited for the opportunity to make his premier class motocross debut. He picked a good venue, as Canard captured the overall victory in the 250 Class at Millville last season.

“Knowing that I’m only days away from racing again, and to be racing my first-ever 450 Class motocross event feels awesome,” said Canard. “Since getting back on my bike and training for motos, everything has gone smoothly. I love riding the CRF450R, and can’t wait to race it outdoors. I’ve been riding a lot at home in Oklahoma, and I’ve spent time in Southern California testing with the Honda team. I feel really good and the team has given me a lot of support. However, I expect it will take a little while to get up to full race speed.”

Red Bull KTM
After a slow start to the season, Andrew Short has picked up the pace in recent weeks and is arguably the fastest-climbing rider in the 450 Class standings. At RedBud, Short was one of several riders involved in a competitive battle within the top 10, ultimately posting 6-8 moto scores to finish seventh overall. His continued progress in the championship currently places him seventh in the standings. Last season, he finished on the overall podium at Spring Creek, posting a runner-up effort behind Dungey.

Despite missing the first two rounds of the season, Mike Alessi occupies ninth place in the 450 Class standings coming into Spring Creek. At RedBud, Alessi rode well, posting 8-4 moto scores and landing a top-five effort overall.

Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs Honda
Christian Craig’s impressive rookie season in the 450 Class continues after another consistent effort at RedBud. The California native’s pair of 10th-place finishes in the day’s motos secured 10th overall, and helped Craig move into eighth in the championship standings.

250 Class
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
Half of the year has been completed and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki still remains undefeated in the 250 Class. At RedBud, Dean Wilson continued to put forth the most consistent performances this season, posting 2-2 moto scores to finish second overall for the fourth time this summer. As a result, he maintained control of the championship lead, but is still eagerly awaiting the chance to take his first overall win of the year.

“I feel like it could be a good weekend,” said Wilson. “It was nice to get a weekend off and get rested. I’m ready to start the second half of the season, and hopefully I can add more to the points lead.”

Blake Baggett’s fourth win of the season from RedBud was possibly his most impressive to date. He dominated both of the day’s motos, and left little doubt en route to the win. As a result, Baggett overtook Tyla Rattray for second in the 250 Class standings and will look to keep the momentum going in Millville.

“I just have to stay focused on winning and gaining points each week to have a chance at the championship,” said Baggett. “I had a bad race at the second round and have been playing catch up. Things are starting to come around, so I’m hoping I can keep closing the gap.”

Despite a strong day of his own at RedBud, Tyla Rattray’s third-place finish ultimately cost him in the championship standings. While his closest competitors, and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates, paced the field in each moto, Rattray relied on 5-3 moto scores and fell to third in the standings. He’ll look to bounce back at Spring Creek.

“If I get a good start, I know I can be up there the whole moto,” said Rattray. “It’s definitely not easy coming through the pack, and if I start off at the front, it will be a lot easier to go for the win. I would love to take back second in the points. We’ll see how it goes.”

GEICO Honda
It was a tough day all around for GEICO Honda at RedBud. Despite the excitement of the return of Wil Hahn, both of the team’s top riders, Eli Tomac and Justin Barci,a had days they’d like to forget. After a crash in practice, Tomac was forced to sit out the entire event. While he didn’t lose his fourth-place position in the standings, he lost valuable ground to his competitors.

Justin Barcia began the day by leading early in the opening moto. However, misfortune struck later, and forced Barcia to record a DNF. As he lined up on the gate for Moto 2, Barcia experienced even more hard luck, when he was unable to start the moto, ultimately leading to no points scored on the day, and dropping him to seventh in the standings.

Both Tomac and Barcia will be looking bounce back this weekend, while Hahn will aim to build upon his strong start to the season, following a sixth-place overall finish at RedBud.

DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha
Kyle Cunningham found himself in the mix for the overall podium at RedBud. The Star Racing rider rode strong in Michigan, posting a pair of fourth-place efforts, and finishing just off the box. With the misfortune of his closest championship competitor Eli Tomac, Cunningham sits just 13 points out of fourth in the 250 Class standings.

Fellow Star Racing rider Gareth Swanepoel posted 17-11 moto scores to finish 13th overall at RedBud. He currently sits eighth in the championship standings heading into Millville.

Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs Honda
Cole Seely posted one of his best outings of the season at RedBud. The California native landed just inside the top 10 in each moto, ultimately finishing ninth overall. He also sits ninth in the 250 Class standings.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki
Thanks to an eighth-place finish at RedBud, Martin Davalos returned to the top 10 in the championship standings. He will look to build on the momentum this weekend at Millville.

“RedBud was okay for me,” said Davalos. “I’m really looking forward to Millville. That track is always fun. I’m going to try and pick up my results and put the Suzuki up front.”

WMX Class
The 2011 Motorcycle-Superstore.com Women’s Motocross Championship, will kick off the second half of its eight-race season at Spring Creek as well. The fifth round of the summer for the world’s fastest women’s riders marks the division’s second visit to Millville, and both Ashley Fiolek and Jessica Patterson are sure to resume their hotly-contested rivalry. Fiolek’s second win of the season at RedBud has helped give her an eight-point lead over Patterson heading into Saturday’s race.

Television coverage for Saturday’s Spring Creek Motocross National begins with live coverage of the opening motos for both the 450 and 250 classes on FUEL TV, beginning at 2 p.m. EST. Same day, final moto coverage of the 450 Class will air on SPEED, at 11 p.m. EST, while the final moto broadcast of the 250 Class will also air on SPEED, Sunday at 6 p.m. EST.

Tickets for the upcoming Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship are on sale now at www.allisports.com. Special discounts and incentives are available for advance ticket purchasers.

For more information on the 2011 tour, please log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.

For media information about the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact Media Manager Brandon Short, via email at media@mxsportsproracing.com or by phone at 949-365-5750.

MX Sports Pro Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world’s most prestigious motocross series – the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The industry leader in off road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.

Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, King of Wake series, and the Gatorade Free Flow Tour. Alli TV Productions creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. Visit www.allisports.com.

Lucas Oil Products
Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, lubricants and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, lubricants and problem-solving performance additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry. Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the “Official Motor Oil of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.” Visit www.LucasOil.com.

AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing sanctioning body in the United States, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization sanctions professional motorcycle racing competition, which includes, AMA Pro Motocross, AMA Pro Road Racing, and AMA Pro Flat Track. Visit www.amaproracing.com.

(NEWS RELEASE)

Toseland’s group, Guns ‘N Roses tribute band to play at Red Bull Indianapolis GP

INDIANAPOLIS, Thursday, July 14, 2011 – The lineup of IMS After Dark activities continues to grow for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, as pop-rock band Crash and rock tribute band Appetite For Destruction will perform Friday, Aug. 26 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Crash, the band led by two-time World Superbike champion and former MotoGP rider James Toseland, will play from 7:15-8:15 p.m. on the Red Bull Energy Station Stage in the IMS infield. Appetite For Destruction, a premier Guns ‘N Roses tribute band, will be on stage from 8:30-10 p.m.

The concerts are included in the regular $10 general admission. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

“Crash and Appetite For Destruction are great additions to a packed musical lineup during IMS After Dark on Friday, Aug. 26 and Saturday, Aug. 27,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer. “The Red Bull Indianapolis GP truly is the ultimate motorcycle race and late-summer party, with added value for our loyal fans all three days.”

It’s the fourth consecutive year that Toseland will perform at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. He played with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2008 and was joined on-stage by Crash in 2009 and 2010.

Toseland is a concert-trained pianist and an engaging front man and vocalist. His band plays an eclectic cover mix of rock, pop and crowd favorites.

Appetite For Destruction has paid tribute to rock legends Guns N’ Roses for more than 10 years. Unlike many other tribute bands, Appetite For Destruction focuses explicitly on the audio and visual aspects of Guns N’ Roses, and strives for duplication in both areas.

The band’s catalog of more than 50 Guns N’ Roses songs is larger than any other tribute band in the country.

IMS After Dark is the new lineup of evening events Friday, Aug. 26 and Saturday, Aug. 27 creating a great party destination at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. Activities include live music, food and drink and a gathering place to enjoy the motorcycle lifestyle on the new “Main Street” in the IMS infield.

On Saturday evening, Aug. 27, unique electro-rock band Ghostland Observatory, acoustic pop/freestyle artist Kelley James and in-demand DJ Mick Boogie will perform on the Red Bull Energy Station Stage.

James will open the evening of music at 6:30 p.m., followed by Boogie. Ghostland Observatory will take the stage at 9 p.m. The concerts are included in the regular $20 general admission, with a special $15 admission for students. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

*** 

2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP tickets: 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP tickets are on sale now.

To buy tickets, visit www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16^th Street. Ticket office and phone hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

The 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP is scheduled for Aug. 26-28 at IMS.

Race Day general admission tickets cost $40, with Friday general admission $10 and Saturday general admission $20. A three-day general admission ticket is $60. A Friday-Saturday general admission ticket is $25.

Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free any of the three days of the event when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket.

Race Day reserved seat prices will start at $70.

Nicky Hayden, Stefan Bradl and Sandro Cortese were amongst a group of riders who took to the Sachsenring track on hovercrafts on Thursday afternoon, as part of a highly amusing pre-event for the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Read the details here.

(NEWS RELEASE)

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — AMA Racing, the amateur racing department of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), is pleased to announce a referee training seminar during the AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships held as part of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days featuring Kawasaki, Marque of the Year, July 22-24 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

“This seminar will give members of the racing community a look at the intricacies of being a certified AMA Racing referee,” said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. “Many of those who grew up around motorcycle competition, whether as fans or racers, have found refereeing an excellent way to get involved in the sport in a new way.”

The free seminar will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 22, at the tech garage in the Mid-Ohio roadrace paddock. Coffee and other refreshments will be provided, along with some AMA-branded gifts for the participants. Longtime AMA referee Harv Whipple will conduct the seminar.

The seminar will include three sessions that apply to all racing disciplines. The first one will provide a general overview of a certified AMA referee’s responsibilities, including risk management, protest/appeals, and cover elements of flagging and registration. The second session will discuss sound testing. The third will cover some important considerations for engine teardown and inspection.

“AMA-sanctioned competition is built on a foundation of balanced and consistent rules,” Bromley said. “The event referee is at the front lines of enforcing those rules. For the safety, enjoyment and fair treatment of our racers, we take the certification of our referees very seriously. Although this brief seminar won’t result in certification itself, it will give interested enthusiasts an excellent look at what’s involved in taking that interest to the next level.”

The seminar is free, but because it is held as part of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days with proceeds benefiting the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, attendees will need to purchase a ticket to the event to have access to the Mid-Ohio grounds.

Registration is not necessary. To attend the seminar, simply be at the tech garage before 9 a.m. on Friday.

For more information about the seminar, call AMA Motocross Manager Kip Bigelow at (614) 856-1900, ext. 1345.

Held at the world-class Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days includes vintage and post-vintage competition in motocross, trials, hare scrambles, roadracing and dirt track. The three-day event will also feature North America’s largest motorcycle swap meet, bike shows, demo rides of current production bikes, motorcycling seminars, the new product Manufacturers’ Midway, and club corrals featuring marque and regional clubs.

Proceeds from AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days benefit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, which is located on the campus of the AMA in Pickerington, Ohio. The mission of the Hall of Fame is to celebrate, elucidate and preserve the rich tradition of motorcycling in America. Its exhibits honor the distinguished men and women whose competitive spirit, passion, vision and entrepreneurship have played a vital role in shaping the sport, lifestyle and business of motorcycling. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit the Hall of Fame’s website at MotorcycleMuseum.org.

Tickets to AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days can be purchased online at MidOhio.com. For more information about the event, visit AMAVintageMotorcycleDays.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.

Rob McElnea sits on the grid just before the start of the Canadian round of the World Superbike Championship at Mosport in 1990. McElnea raced for the Loctite Yamaha squad. McElnea finished 11^th and sixth in the two races at Mosport. He went on the next week to score a pair of top-five finishes at Brainerd, Minn., in the U.S. round of the championship. He finished the season ranked fifth in the final standings. In addition to his solid World Superbike career, McElnea built an amazing racing road racing resume in his decade of racing. He was a three-time winner of the Isle of Mann, winning the Classic TT twice and the Senior TT once aboard Heron Suzukis. He then raced six seasons in 500cc Grand Prix, including stints with the Yamaha and Suzuki factory squads. A year after this photo was taken he earned the British Superbike Championship. He retired from racing after the 1993 season and moved into team management. RobMac went on to direct Yamaha’s British Superbike squad.

Rob McElnea sits on the grid just before the start of the Canadian round of the World Superbike Championship at Mosport in 1990. (Larry Lawrence photo)