Winner to be Crowned in the Lites Western Regional Championship This Weekend in Salt Lake City
AURORA, Ill. (April 26, 2010) – Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returns to Salt Lake City’s Rice Eccles Stadium this Saturday for the penultimate race of the championship. Last weekend, Monster Energy Supercross made its 39th visit to Seattle where AMA Supercross veteran and GEICO Powersports Honda’s Kevin Windham, secured his first AMA Supercross class victory this season before 51,442 fans at Qwest Field. After an eight-race hiatus, the AMA Supercross Lites Western Regional Championship recommenced as DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Broc Tickle raced to his first career victory.
Press Day is Friday, April 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Rice Eccles Stadium inside the Press Box.
Following an exciting second place finish two weeks back in St. Louis, Windham continued to raise the bar this past weekend by winning a heat race, capturing the Spike Holeshot Award, leading all 20 laps and eventually going on to win the main event. Windham now has a career total of 17 AMA Supercross class wins. This impressive victory has moved him into the third place position heading into Salt Lake City. Trailing Windham, in fourth place, is Honda Red Bull Racing’s Davi Millsaps with 231 points to Windham’s 248, respectively.
“That was the gnarliest race I’ve ever ridden,” exclaimed Windham. “The streak is over and it happened here in Seattle. It feels so good. I closed it out here in 2008 strong and I’m glad to do it again. I’ll tell you, as I get older, things like this are much harder to come by. Tonight was just about survival. I was glad I could keep it up on two wheels.”
Having to finish sixth place or better this past race in Seattle to be credited as the 2010 Monster Energy Supercross champion, Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey locked in a fourth place finish, successfully earning himself the championship title. Dungey is having an incredible rookie season which is complimented by five podium finishes and five additional victories.
“It’s been an awesome season,” said Dungey. “It’s something else when you’re watching on TV as a little kid and hoping to be up here. It was all hard work that went into this. I’m super pumped. I just tried to take it easy in the main and stay upright. (The season) was a battle all the way. From the start we did all we could and put everything we could out on the track.”
In the AMA Supercross Lites Western Regional Championship the battle continues as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer fights to hold onto his 19-point lead heading into the final race of the championship. Not far out of the picture are Troy Lee Designs Lucas Oil Honda’s Wil Hahn with 136 points and GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard with 131 points.
Heading into Seattle, Weimer and Canard were neck-and-neck in the points standings, but an unfortunate turn of events throughout the race for Canard caused him to finish in 11th place and lose 10 points on Weimer. Weimer was in a few altercations of his own, but managed to work his way through the group and finish third.
“The race ended up working out better than I thought it would,” said Weimer. “I ended up getting a good start but fell on the first lap. The track was tough tonight, probably the toughest I ever rode and I think that’s what actually helped me because lot of guys were making mistakes and luckily I got back up to third. I’m going into Salt Lake to get good starts and win. My job is to wrap up a title and that’s a task at hand so we’ll do whatever we have to do to get it done”.
The first supercross race held at Rice-Eccles Stadium took place in 2001 where 42,135 packed the home of the 2002 Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies to watch Ricky Carmichael race to victory. Carmichael holds the all-time AMA Supercross win record in Salt Lake City with two. Stewart holds the all-time AMA Supercross Lites class win record at Salt Lake City with two.
During the 2009 Salt Lake City stop, San Manual Yamaha’s James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., won his 11th Monster Energy(r) AMA Supercross, a FIM World Championship, race at Rice-Eccles Stadium before 40,612 fans. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., capped off the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class season with the championship. Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class main event, GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard, of Shawnee, Okla., won his first race of the season.
Tickets are available in advance at the Rice Eccles Stadium Box Office, charge by phone at 801-581-UTIX or online at www.utahtickets.com. Gold Circle seats are $40 Adult/Child; Mid Level seats are $25 Adult / $10 Child; Treadhead Seats are $10 Adult/Child; Practice and qualifying begin at 12:30 and racing begins at 7:00 p.m. All tickets are subject to $2.50 facility fee and convenience & handling charges. Fans can also get into the Pits for FREE from 12:30 – 5:30 p.m. when they recycle a MONSTER Energy Can at the stadium Pit Entrance (valid only with event ticket).
The AMA Supercross class will air on CBS Sunday, May 2 at 12:00 p.m. EST. The Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class will air on SPEED Sunday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m. EST.
AMA Supercross Class Results: Seattle
1. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
2. Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Suzuki
3. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
4. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
5. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
6. Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
7. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Yamaha
8. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Kawasaki
9. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
10. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
AMA Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 320
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 266
3. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda, 248
4. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 231
5. Josh Hill, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 227
6. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 211
7. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 183
8. Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 174
9. Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Suzuki, 161
10. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 147
Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Results: Seattle
1. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha
2. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
3. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
4. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda
5. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
6. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
7. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda
8. Phil Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., KTM
9. Max Anstie, Hemet, Calif., Yamaha
10. Hunter Hewitt, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 155
2. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 136
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 131
4. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 125
5. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 107
6. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda, 90
7. Josh Hansen, Elbert Colo., Kawasaki, 75
8. Max Anstie, Hemet, Calif., Yamaha, 75
9. Phil Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., KTM, 69
10. Jeff Alessi, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 64
Past Winners in Salt Lake City
AMA Supercross Class
April 25, 2009: James Stewart
April 24, 2004: Kevin Windham
April 26, 2003: Chad Reed
April 27, 2002: Ricky Carmichael
April 28, 2001: Ricky Carmichael
AMA Supercross Lites Class
April 25, 2009: Trey Canard
April 24, 2004: Ivan Tedesco
April 26, 2003: James Stewart
April 27, 2002: James Stewart
April 28, 2001: Ernesto Fonseca
A season-long subscription to the official webcast of Monster Energy Supercross, Supercross LIVE(r), is available for $17.99: http://www.supercrossonline.com/supercrosslive. Supercross LIVE(r) is the only weekly live Monster Energy Supercross race call, and features long time voices of supercross, Jason Weigandt and Jim Holley.
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.
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(r), Monster Energy(r) Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Freestyle Motocross, and IHRA(r) Nitro Jam(r). 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.
