Round 1 - AMA Motocross Series
San Bernardino, CA
Glen Helen Raceway
May 24-25, 2008
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing's Mike Alessi started the AMA Motocross season strong bycapturing second place overall at this weekend's season-opening round at Glen Helen Raceway inSan Bernardino, California. Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Michael Byrne also had a goodweekend, thanks to a sixth-place overall result, while teammate David Vuillemin struggled a bit,finishing 17th overall.
In the Motocross Lites class, Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey had a fine weekend after takingfourth place overall. Teammate Nico Izzi, meanwhile, had a good first moto, finishing eighth, but hadsome issues in the second moto and wound up with 13th overall.
Mike Alessi:
"The season-opener at Glen Helen couldn't have gone any better. I have been working very hardduring my time off after breaking my collarbone in Supercross and it showed. The Rockstar MakitaSuzuki RM-Z450 was working great. I love the bike and it lets me ride to the best of my ability, and Ithink I proved that this weekend by finishing 46 seconds in front of third place in the second moto."
Michael Byrne:
"My weekend went well. I had some great starts on my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450, whichdefinitely made life a lot easier. It felt really good to be back out there racing again. I was definitelynervous about my knee and how I was going to go, since this was my first race back after beinginjured, but once the gate dropped, I was OK and I forgot about it. Now I'm just looking forward tonext weekend at Hangtown and the rest of the series."
David Vuillemin:
"Glen Helen was a difficult weekend for me. I had a few issues that I hope will be resolved forHangtown. I am also dealing with a torn meniscus that I will have surgery on after the High PointNational. It has been bothering me since the San Francisco Supercross and I can't put it off anylonger, especially with all the ruts on a motocross track."
Ryan Dungey:
"It was a good weekend overall, I'm pretty happy with how I rode and the Rockstar Makita SuzukiRM-Z250 was running great. I feel like my endurance is good and I'm just working at getting betterand improving over the season."
Nico Izzi:
"The first moto was pretty good and I got eighth. And then the second moto was also going goodand I had four laps to go and then I had some problems with the bike and couldn't finish the race.But overall, I was happy with my endurance and my fitness. I was pretty pumped, really, because Iwas waiting for myself to get tired and it never happened."
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will race next at Hangtown in Rancho Cordova, California, theweekend of, May 31 - June 1, 2008.
AMA Motocross Top 10 (Moto Finishes)
1. James Stewart, Kawasaki, 1-1
2. Mike Alessi, Rockstar Makita Suzuki, Factory Racing, 2-2
3. Davi Millsaps, Honda, 3-3
4. Timmy Ferry, Kawasaki, 4-4
5. Ivan Tedesco, Honda, 7-5
6. Michael Byrne, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing, 9-7
7. Sean Hamblin, Yamaha, 8-8
8. Cody Cooper, Suzuki, 14-6
9. Nick Wey, KTM, 10-10
10. Jeff Alessi, Honda, 13-9
AMA Motocross Lites Top 10 (Moto Finishes):
1. Austin Stroupe, Kawasaki, 2-3
2. Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki, 5-1
3. Jason Lawrence, Yamaha 1-5
4. Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing, 4-2
5. Brett Metcalfe, Kawasaki, 3-4
6. Jake Weimer, Honda, 7-7
7. Matt Lemoine, Yamaha, 6-9
8. Trey Canard, Honda, 14-6
9. Kyle Cunningham, Honda, 10-11
10. Tommy Hahn, Kawasaki, 15-12