Rider Files

(NEWS RELEASE)

AURORA, Ill. (February 15, 2012) – Last weekend’s 10th round of the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series season from Fresno proved to be a big night for FMF Power/Poynt TUF Honda’s Jeff Gibson. The veteran rider led all 25 laps of the Arenacross Class Main Event to grab his third win of the season, and close to within 18 points of series leader Tyler Bowers, who rides for Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki presented by Maxxis.

This weekend, the penultimate round of the championship will commence from Reno with back-to-back nights of action. With 50 laps of the most intense competition on the planet ahead of both Bowers and Gibson, anything can happen and this championship by no means is even close to being over.

Gibson’s win was huge in terms of momentum, and it makes the 2009 series champion a favorite to continue running at the front of the field on Friday and Saturday night.

Arenacross: Jeff, explain how it feels to come off of your third win this season.

Jeff Gibson: It is definitely good. I’m glad I got a win late in the season since I didn’t get one last year, and I was kind of disappointed in that. So I redeemed myself on that one and this year I’m just blessed and thankful to be in the situation where I am.

AX: What are your thoughts on how you have performed so far this season?

JG: So far this season I am really pleased with myself. I am real happy. I’ve been on the podium quite a few rounds with a couple wins and I’m really happy with the way I have been riding. I’ve been riding like I know I am capable of and I am real happy with that. I’ve been giving it my all and that is all I can ask of myself.

AX: You’re currently only 18 points behind Bowers in the standings, how will this momentum from last weekend carry in to Reno?

JG: We will see. It’s like any other race. I know I have some momentum now. I got a win, so we will just see what happens this weekend. I am just going to give it my all and treat it like any other race and do the best I possibly can.

AX: You have been extremely consistent this season. Do you think you will have a chance to take the points lead away from Bowers before the season ends?

JG: I sure hope so. It’s a long series. We still have three rounds left and it’s going to be really tough. He (Bowers) is definitely riding really well himself, he’s been on the gas these past couple weekends. It’s definitely not going to be an easy task.

AX: Being a veteran of the sport, explain some of the things that have really impressed you about some of the new “up-and-coming” Arenacross riders.

JG: The new up and comers, those are the ones that really push me to my limit too. Those guys are really fast. They definitely know how to get on the edge and really turn the throttle. They have the sprint speed and that is something that I still need to figure out myself and get a little bit quicker at.

AX: What has been your favorite stop of the season and why?

JG: I would definitely have to say the Dayton round because it was my hometown race and I had so many friends and family there. Dayton is always a good one for me to do, I always really enjoy being there.

AX: What is your main goal for the remaining two weekends of racing?

JG: My main goal is to just put my best foot forward in each race and to just do the best I possibly can. That is my main focus for the whole series and I think it’s been working pretty good so far. Just take it one step at a time and put my best foot forward.

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 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.

I’m not certain what happened to Alan Carter’s Team MacLean Honda RS250, but I’m pretty certain his tail pipe isn’t supposed to be pointing in that direction. This photo was taken at the 1987 AMA 250 Grand Prix race at Road America. Carter ran fifth at this point in the race and that’s where he finished, but earlier he’d been in a fierce battle for second with teammate Kork Ballington and Red Line Oil Honda’s Rich Oliver. It could have been during that battle that someone hit his tail pipe and bent it out. Today Carter has a well-received bio book available here.

The tail pipe of Alan Carter’s Team MacLean Honda RS250 is cocked to the side late in the 1987 AMA 250 Grand Prix race at Road America. Carter managed fifth in spite of the bent pipe. (Larry Lawrence photo)

(NEWS RELEASE)

“The Vow” – Produced by Paul Taublieb – #1 at US Box Office

FASTEST MotoGP Movie to be Distributed by Universal Pictures

Eddie Aikau Film, FMX Film and Other Update

THE VOW

“The Vow” the wide-release romantic drama, Produced by Paul Taublieb and Executive Produced by his wife, Susan Cooper, and starring Channing Tatum, Rachel McAdams and Jessica Lange, is the number one film at the US Box Office, having earned $41.7 million in its opening weekend.

Details Here: http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/02/12/box-office-report-the-vow-safe-house/

Note that there will be a special benefit screening for the film, hosted by Kim and Krickett Carpenter, the real-life people who inspired the film, as well as Taublieb and Cooper, on Saturday night, Feb. 20th, in Camarillo, CA. For information contact TheEvent@tifhe.com. All proceeds go to the San Juan Medical Facility, where Krickett did her rehabilitation.

FASTEST MOTOGP MOVIE

The critically-acclaimed hit feature documentary, FASTEST, produced by Taublieb and MXi, has been acquired by Universal Pictures for international release in all non-North American markets. Also, US and Canada, mainstream retail and iTunes distribution will be handled by NY-based, New Video. Details on all soon. The film remains in theatrical release in many international territories and select US cities, and is available on DVD in the US and Canada at www.fastestthemovie.com

In Other MXi News:

- “Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau,” the feature documentary about the late Hawaiian big wave surfer and lifeguard, being produced by MXi and Taublieb along with Stacy Peralta (”Dogtown and Z Boys,” “Riding Giants”), and directed by Sam George, is now in post production, and being edited by Academy Award-nominated editor, Josh Altman. Taublieb is also developing the story as a dramatic feature film.

- Production is set to commence on a feature documentary about freestyle moto-x, which Taublieb and MXi will be producing and co-directing with Jon Freeman of Fleshwound Films/”Crusty Demons of Dirt”

- MXi is in preparation for serving as X Games Sport Organizer for the 14th consecutive year of all Moto-X competions at the 2012 X Games being held in June, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. For more information on the premier action sports event in the world go to www.espn.com/action

For further information about Paul Taublieb and MXi contact paul@mediax.tv or go to www.mediax.tv

I never tire of looking at photos of riders flying over Grattan Raceway’s famous jump. Here’s a shot from a May of 1987 WERA A or B Production race at Grattan with two riders taking the jump side by side, a fairly rare occurrence.  I believe No. 625 is Jon Joseph. I’m not sure about No. 170. Note both riders have their front wheels lofted over the jump even though that era of GSXR was well balanced and not at all wheelie prone. Joseph scored podium finishes in both the A and B Production Novice races at Grattan this weekend.

WERA racer Jon Joseph soars over the famous Grattan jump side by side with rider No. 170 in a WERA sprint race at the track in May of 1987. (Larry Lawrence photo)

Support the Marco Simoncelli Foundation
You can help support the Marco Simoncelli Foundation by purchasing a number 58 t-shirt in the motogp.com store. Read more.

Espargaró: “Aprilia will be the bike to beat among the CRTs”
Just ahead of the second test round of the season for CRT teams and riders next week in Jerez, Aleix Espargaró spoke with motogp.com about his impressions of the project that will return him to the premier class. Read more.

Marquez will not attend Jerez Test
The CatalunyaCaixa Repsol rider is still recovering from the recent operation carried out on his right eye and will miss this week’s testing in Jerez, but Márquez is working hard and focusing 100% on getting the most out of a reduced preseason. Read more.