After Two Races, Josh Grant...
After Two Races, Josh Grant Holds Down the AMA Supercross Class Points LeadPhoto Credit:
www.VitalMX.com AURORA, Ill. (January 16, 2009) - Monster Energy(r) AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, heads back to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., this Saturday with JGRMX/Yamaha/Toyota's Josh Grant, of Riverside, Calif., and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., leading the AMA Supercross and AMA Supercross Lites class championships, respectively.
With a big win at the Anaheim 1 opener, Grant holds down the AMA Supercross class points lead after two races. Grant leads 2007 AMA Supercross class champion James Stewart and 2008 AMA Supercross class champion Chad Reed. Stewart, who earned his 26th career AMA Supercross class win last weekend in Phoenix, is currently in seventh place after a dismal Anaheim 1 race.
Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Reed finished third at Anaheim 1 and second last week at Phoenix's Chase Field. Reed is currently three points outside of first place.
Chad Reed Trails Grant in...
Chad Reed Trails Grant in the AMA Supercross Class Point StandingsPhoto Credit:
www.VitalMX.com"Going into A2, I feel really good," said Reed. "I need to work on my starts, get some holeshots, and try to get out front to ride my own race. I feel like my lap times and my riding and everything are starting to come together. There are always little bits and pieces that you can work on, but overall we have a great package with the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki RM-Z450, and I feel really content and happy with the progress I've made in the Iast year. We'll be challenging for the win every weekend for sure."
As Mike Alessi continues to recuperate from off-season injuries, the California rider continues to make progress. In the first two AMA Supercross races, he's carded two 11th-place finishes and is in 10th place in the overall championship points standings.
"Right now, I'm focusing on getting the bike a little more how I like it, because the biggest thing that I'm lacking is that I haven't put in much time testing the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 because of my injury from last September," added Alessi. "Going into Anaheim 2, I'm just going to keep working on the bike and try to keep progressing every week, trying to get a little more speed and making my way back to the top five."
Ryan Dungey Moved Into the...
Ryan Dungey Moved Into the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Points LeadPhoto Credit:
www.VitalMX.comTwo races into the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class season, Dungey has taken over the lead in the points chase. The young rider overcame adversity to finish third at the first Anaheim race and he won last week's main in Phoenix.
"I think taking it one day at a time is important," said Dungey. "I had a few problems at Anaheim 1, but we got it together and worked as a team and ended up on the podium. Now, I've got the points lead but it's too early to tell anything, and it's not over 'til it's over. So the way I'm looking at going into Anaheim 2 is that we're all tied still. I'm just going to do what I do and have some fun this week with the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki RM-Z250, and maybe go to the golf course one day."
James Stewart Scored his First...
James Stewart Scored his First win of the 2009 Season Last Week at Chase FieldPhoto Credit:
www.VitalMX.comAMA Supercross rookie Cody Cooper, of the JGRMX/Yamaha/Toyota team is still struggling during is adjustment period to the more technical supercross tracks in the U.S. The New Zealand native is teammates with points leader Josh Grant, so he can use his team resources to make the 2009 season successful.
"I crashed in the second practice and banged up my knee," said Cooper. "I went to the Asterisk Mobile Medical Unit and they x-rayed it. They said if I wanted to try and ride I could. I went to the line for the heat race, but the pain turned out to be more than I could bear so I pulled off after the second lap. I felt like I had to go out and try, or I would have always wondered if I could have gotten through it afterward."
"I am really proud of Josh and the entire team," said team manager Jeremy Albrecht. "Our goal for this year is to be top five every weekend and we got third, I am very happy with our results."
"Josh (Grant) did a great job backing up his performance last weekend," said team founder Coy Gibbs. "He rode well all day and he was on the podium again. I am also proud of Dean Baker, who heads up our engine development program. We place a lot of effort in that area and its helping Josh get some really good starts."