Australian Jake Moss Storms Through Reno With Four-Race Sweep At ArenOcross - Dirt Rider Magazine

AURORA, Ill. (February 28, 2009) - Just four months removed of a broken back, Troy Lee Designs Honda's Jake Moss, of Temecula, Calif., made a statement this weekend at ArenOcross in Reno, Nev., and the Livestock Events Center. The Monster Energy Supercross Lites Western Regional competitor made a guest appearance at round nine of the 2009 AMA Arenacross Series season while on a seven-week break from supercross and garnered a perfect 4-0 record across both the AMA Arenacross and AMA Arenacross Lites classes. In the final race of the AMA Arenacross Lites Western Regional Championship, GPF Babbitt's Kawasaki's Tyler Medaglia, of Ottawa, Canada, relied on his early points lead to bring home the crown.Moss broke his back in the off-season just weeks before the start of the 2009 season and was forced to sit out the early portion of the year. He made his racing debut for 2009 just three weeks ago. The Australian native was the beneficiary of good starts all weekend, blasting out of the gates consistently in the top three. The combination of his Supercross experience and a bigger, faster Reno layout played to his advantage as he effectively dominated all four main events."This feels great to come out here and do so well," said Moss. "I'm still making a comeback from my broken back so this does a lot to boost my confidence. I really want to thank my team, my mechanic, and the Arenacross Series for such a great event."Spinechillers/Storm Lake Honda's Nathan Skaggs, of Chillicothe, Ohio led the field into the first turn, but went down and collected his teammate Zach Ames, of Prospect, Ohio. Moss assumed the lead and began gapping the field while Triple Effect Kawasaki's Brock Sellards, of Sherodsville, Ohio, secured second place. The battle for third raged on between reigning series champion Chad Johnson, of Rhinelander, Wis., and MDK Speed Equipment Honda's Tiger Lacey, of Wolf Creek, Ore. In the end, Lacy got the best of the Babbitt's Monster Energy Kawasaki rider to take the final spot on the podium.The AMA Arenacross Lites Western Regional Championship closer featured two title chases within the 20-lap main event. As Moss took the early lead, he set sail for win number three of the weekend, holding off Tiger Lacey. Behind them, current points leader Medaglia rode safe and smart to ensure his claiming of the Western Regional Championship after his closest competitor Cory Green, of Nowata, Okla., failed to make the main. Medaglia brought home a seventh place finish while Foremost Insurance Suzuki's Jim Neese, of Julian, N.C., completed the podium in third.After winning the first round and posting a runner-up result in round two, Medaglia captured his first AMA Arenacross Series Lites championship by just four points over a late title-charging Lacey. Additionally, X Games Gold Medalist and top AMA Arenacross Series competitor Kevin Johnson, of Albuquerque, N.M., made his return for Team Faith Yamaha after suffering multiple injuries in and off-season crash.The 2009 AMA Arenacross Series takes a week off before heading to the penultimate round of the championship at Wachovia Arena in Wilkes Barre, Pa., on March 13-15, beginning at 7 p.m.AMA Arenacross Class Results (Reno, Nev.)
1. Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., Honda
2. Brock Sellards, Sherodsville, Ohio, Kawasaki
3. Tiger Lacey, Wolf Creek, Ore., Honda
4. Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki
5. Jeff Gibson, Westerville, Ohio, Honda
6. Keith Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M., Yamaha
7. Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Honda
8. Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Kawasaki
9. Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki
10. Willy Browning, Rushville, Ohio, SuzukiAMA Arenacross Lites Class Results (Reno, Nev.)
1. Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., Honda
2. Tiger Lacey, Wolf Creek, Ore., Honda
3. Jim Neese, Julian, N.C., Suzuki
4. Willy Browning, Rushville, Ohio, Suzuki
5. Josh Thomas, Climax, N.C., Suzuki
6. Bruce Rutherford, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
7. Tyler Medaglia, Ottawa, Canada, Kawasaki
8. Justin Berry, Edmond, Okla., Kawasaki
9. Kevin Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M., Yamaha
10. Sean Borkenhagen, Huntington Beach, Calif., HondaAMA Arenacross Class Points (After Race 13 of 17)
1. Jeff Gibson, Westerville, Ohio, Honda - 261
2. Brock Sellards, Sherodsville, Ohio, Kawasaki - 222
3. Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki - 217
4. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda - 210
5. Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Honda - 196
6. Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki - 175
7. Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Kawasaki - 159
8. Codi Adams, Batavia, Ohio, Kawasaki - 158
9. Keith Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M, Yamaha - 128
10. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Honda - 115AMA Arenacross Lites Class Western Regional Points (After Race 4 of 4)
1. Tyler Medaglia, Ottawa, Canada, Kawasaki - 74
2. Tiger Lacey, Wolf Creek, Ore., Honda - 70
3. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki - 51
4. Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., Honda - 50
5. Bruce Rutherford, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki - 50
6. Devon Pilkington, Virginia Beach, Va., Yamaha - 41
7. Dacoda Sarochuk, Randolph, Utah, Kawasaki - 39
8. Kevin Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M., Yamaha - 31
9. Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., Suzuki - 26
10. Chad Wages, Frederick, Md., Suzuki - 21Tickets are available online at www.arenacross.com, www.ticketmaster.com, www.tickets.com. For more information on the AMA Arenacross Series log on to www.arenacross.com.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 Monster Jam, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Freestyle Motocross, 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.