The weather put a limit on the amount of on-track activity on Monday at the one-day Test. Read more.
Archive for November 7th, 2011
(NEWS RELEASE)
Two Nights of Action Slated at Alliant Energy Center
AURORA, Ill. (November 7, 2011) – The second round of the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series produced a pair of highly-competitive nights of competition from Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena. Following big wins by Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki presented by Maxxis’ Tyler Bowers and FMF Power/Poynt TUF Honda’s Jeff Gibson, the championship picture in the premier Arenacross class is beginning to take shape, and it isn’t surprising to see three former title holders leading the way.
With two wins to his credit through three races, reigning series champion Bowers brings a nine-point lead into Madison, Wis., and the Alliant Energy Center. Gibson, the 2009 champion, occupies second in the standings, while 2010 title winner, and Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki rider Josh Demuth sits just one additional point behind in third. While his pair of victories serve as Bowers’ biggest advantage, he also remains the only rider in the series to secure a podium result in each main event. Both Gibson and Demuth share two podium finishes apiece, subsequently placing them within striking distance of Bowers in the early going.
The opening night in Baltimore featured a showdown between the Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki duo of Bowers and Demuth. After strong starts from both riders, the pair simply pulled away from the field. Despite missing out on the chance to slip past his teammate, Demuth kept Bowers honest throughout all 25 laps and showed he will be a factor in the title fight.
In night two, Gibson took his turn in the spotlight, looking to rekindle his championship magic from 2009 and bounce back from a fourth place finish the previous evening. Finding his way into the lead just a handful of laps into the main event, Gibson was under heavy pressure from Bowers throughout the race. However, he withstood all his rival had to offer, making a huge statement in the championship.
With three of the most successful riders of the past three seasons within 10 points of one another coming into two nights of competition this weekend, the excitement is guaranteed to continue. While Bowers has shown he’s prepared to defend his title by any means necessary, both Gibson and Demuth have shown they will not be intimidated by their rival’s aggressive style. Both riders have responded well to pressure early in the season, and will undertake any challenge every time the gate drops. Should any of the riders falter, Foremost Insurance/Spinechillers/Stormlake Honda’s Nathan Skaggs and Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki’s Chad Johnson will take full advantage, with both riders boasting a podium finish of their own this season.
The 2012 AMA Arenacross Series visit to Madison signifies the first visit to the “Badger State” in nine years, and with a strong motocross following throughout the region, the intimate action of the sport will be well received.
After an exciting opening round in Baltimore, the Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites season will continue in Madison. Currently, Motocross Ministries Kawasaki’s Michael McDade leads the way in the standings after a stellar opening weekend in which he posted first and second-place finishes.
The Madison Arenacross kicks off back-to-back nights of professional action from the Alliant Energy Center on Friday, November 11, before coming to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday, November 12. Opening ceremonies for both nights begin at 7 p.m. CT.
Previous Round Results:
1st Mariner Arena – Baltimore, Md.
November 4-5, 2011
Round 2 of 12
Arenacross Class Results Night One (Baltimore, Md.)
- Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki
- Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Kawasaki
- Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki
- Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda
- Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda
- Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM
- Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
- Shawn Rife, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, Honda
- Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM
Arenacross Lites Class Results Night One (Baltimore, Md.)
1. Ryan Smith, Axton, Va., Suzuki
2. Michael McDade, Indiana, Pa., Kawasaki
3. Cody Robbins, Huntersville, N.C., Kawasaki
4. Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., KTM
5. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM
6. Chad Cook, Oklahoma City, Okla., Kawasaki
7. T.J. Phillips, New Castle, Pa., Kawasaki
8. Maxx Malatia, Itasca, Ill., Honda
9. Tony Archer, Waldorf, Md., Suzuki
10. Kevin Markwardt, Freeport, Ill., KTM
Arenacross Class Results Night Two (Baltimore, Md.)
- Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda
- Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki
- Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda
- Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Kawasaki
- Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki
- Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki
- Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM
- Shawn Rife, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, Honda
- Kurt McCabe, Marion, Iowa, Honda
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
Arenacross Lites Class Results Night Two (Baltimore, Md.)
- Michael McDade, Indiana, Pa., Kawasaki
- Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM
- Aviery Hickey, Southlake, Texas, Honda
- Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., KTM
- Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
- Austin Coon, Spencer, W.Va., Honda
- Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, KTM
- Cody Robbins, Huntersville, N.C., Kawasaki
- Maxx Malatia, Itasca, Ill., Honda
- David Buller, Acworth, Ga., KTM
Current Point Standings:
Arenacross Class Points (After Race 3 of 19)
- Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki – 72
- Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda – 63
- Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Kawasaki – 62
- Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda – 54
- Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki – 42
- Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM – 41
- Shawn Rife, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, Honda – 39
- Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki – 36
- Tyler Bright, Hamer, S.C., KTM – 30
- Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM – 26
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 2 of 10)
- Michael McDade, Indiana, Pa., Kawasaki – 47
- Cody Robbins, Huntersville, N.C., Kawasaki – 33
- Ryan Smith, Axton, Va., Suzuki – 25
- Maxx Malatia, Itasca, Ill., Honda – 25
- Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM – 22
- T.J. Phillips, New Castle, Pa., Kawasaki – 21
- Travis Sewell, Westfield, Ind., KTM – 21
- Sean Lipanovich, Tallahssee, Fla., Suzuki – 17
- Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki – 16
- Austin Coon, Spencer, W. Va., Honda – 15
2012 Dash for Cash Winners:
Des Moines – Zach Ames
Baltimore Night One – Tyler Bowers
Baltimore Night Two – Tyler Bowers
Live timing and scoring from each round of the AMA Arenacross Series returns for the 2012 season! To follow the intense racing action live, log onto www.Arenacross.com.
For more information on the 2011/2012 AMA Arenacross Series, log on to www.Arenacross.com. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short: 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.
Nico Terol marked his name down in history as the last ever 125cc World Champion by taking the 2011 title, following in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Julián Simón and Marc Márquez who preceded the 23 year-old from Alcoy in a strong Spanish dominance of the category in recent years. Read more.
(NEWS RELEASE)
Blake Young (left) will be joined by new teammate Chris Clark (right) on the 2012 Yoshimura Suzuki racing team.
CHINO, CA (November 7, 2011) – Yoshimura Racing and American Suzuki Motor Corporation are proud to announce plans for the 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship Series that commences at the Daytona Beach International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL on March 15-17, 2012. Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s returning rider, Blake Young, and new teammate, Chris Clark, will be aggressively campaigning for the 2012 championship aboard a pair of Yoshimura-prepared Suzuki GSX-R1000s.
Yoshimura Racing and American Suzuki have a long history of dominating US racing in AMA Superbike. Yoshimura has led the factory Suzuki Superbike team to claim 10 of the last 13 AMA Superbike Championships as well as the sweep of the 2010 AMA Supercross and Motocross Championships. With Suzuki’s famed GSX-R1000 and its championship-winning DNA combined with their full factory support, Yoshimura Suzuki Racing is looking to dominate once again in 2012.
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Young is coming off of a stellar season in 2011 that found the 24-year-old Wisconsin native with the most race wins for the year but falling just short of the championship at the last race in New Jersey. This will be Young’s fourth season aboard the GSX-R1000 with the Yoshimura Suzuki squad.
“I’m really excited for 2012,” said Young. “I know I’ve got the best bike in the paddock with the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. It’s been like riding a real rocket ship for me and I learned a lot about what it takes to win a championship this year. We came up just a little short and I don’t want to be in that position in 2012. We’ve got a great crew, the best bike, and a smarter rider, and I just want to go out and win races and bring home that championship for the team, and I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure that happens.”
Young’s teammate, Clark, is new to the Yoshimura Suzuki team for 2012. The 20-year-old Las Vegas native turned pro in 2009 and was the recipient of the prestigious AMA Horizon Award, which recognizes the top amateur competitors with the best prospects for a professional career. Clark has shown promise in his first couple of outings on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and is looking forward to his first year on the team.
“I’m really happy,” said Clark. “We just had our first real test in Daytona and the GSX-R is an amazing machine. I’m really looking forward to working with the team and I know I can learn a lot from them. They always have very solid results and they have an incredible amount of experience winning championships. I’m really excited to be with Yoshimura Suzuki for 2012.”
“We’re really looking forward to this next season,” said Yoshimura Racing President, Don Sakakura. “Blake was very close to pulling off the championship last year and I know he learned and matured a lot during that season. He’ll be coming into Daytona ready to fight for the 2012 title. Chris Clark is a welcome addition to our team. He had a solid test in Daytona and I know he’ll represent Suzuki and Yoshimura well.”
Team Yoshimura Suzuki Racing’s season kicks off at the first round of 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL, March 15–17, 2012.
About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com.
Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) founded The Motorcycle and ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, CA, in 1963. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 120 distributors in 191 countries. For more information visit www.suzukicycles.com.
Nicholson’s Ann Arbor was a leading Mediumweight Production team in the WERA National Endurance Series in the early 1990s. This photo is of the team from the Indianapolis Raceway Park 4-Hour in July of 1993. Dave Bloom and Steve Kok were the riders for the team this day at IRP, racing a Honda CBR600 F2. At this race the team won the Mediumweight Production class. In response to the win Bloom told a race reporter, “We’re so old and we’re so slow, we just ride around and don’t make any mistakes.” I believe this is Bloom on the bike. In reality both he and Kok were far from slow.
Nicholson’s Ann Arbor en route to victory in the Mediumweight Production class in the WERA National Endurance race at Indianapolis Raceway Park 4-Hour in July of 1993. (Larry Lawrence photo)