Pro Diaries: Team Solitare - Kingdom - FLY Update - Ryan Clark - Dirt Rider Magazine Online

Team Solitaire/Kingdom/FLY Racing Honda Event Update
St. Louis, MO
March 3, 2007The AMA Supercross Series headed to St. Louis, MO this past weekend for round nine of the 2007 series. Team Solitaire/Kingdom/FLY Racing Honda was in full-force for the event, with myself representing in the "Supercross" class and Ricky Renner doing honors in the "Lites" division. Here is a quick overview of how things looked through my eyes.Pre-race: Jesse Black and JR Boyd flew in to St. Louis on Thursday morning to prepare the bikes for the weekend. Rick Williams, our transport driver, arrived earlier in the week and set things up for the technicians to work. Ricky and I both arrived on Friday to immaculately prepared motorcycles and a shiny transporter.Practice: Ricky was in the seeded practice this week as a result of his 15th place finish in Atlanta last weekend. He was able to latch on to some of the top riders and post several impressive lap times despite struggling a little with a bike setting in the first session. I had a good start to practice, getting up to speed right away. I crashed in a rutted rhythm section about 3/4 of the way through the first session and bent my bike up a bit. The second session was rutty and rough, but I continued to ride well and felt confident heading into the night program."Lites" Heat Two: Ricky was one gate outside the doghouse as he blasted off to the first corner. He had a great jump and looked to have the holeshot going in the first corner. A combination of going in too hot and having some riders on his inside close him off sent him off the track and over the tuff-blox. He didn't go down, but lost several valuable positions in the process. By the end of the first lap, however, he was all the way back to 10th, just one spot out of qualification. Over the next five laps he rode smooth and consistent, clicking off good lap times and avoiding the carnage that usually takes place in the "Lites" class. When the checker's flew, he was in ninth and on his way to the main event."Supercross" Heat Two: I am starting to sound a bit like a broken record now. I had a great jump and a good position going into the first corner but ended up in a pileup and in dead last position. I rode really well, but just didn't get through quite fast enough to catch up to ninth. I finished 13th and would go on the LCQ."Supercross" LCQ: I gated on the far inside for the LCQ and pulled a great jump off the line. I thought I had the holeshot but Kyle Lewis squeezed around the outside exiting the first corner. By the end of the first lap I was in the lead and quickly pulled a gap on Kyle. Behind me there was a battle for the final transfer, but I just rode comfortably and confidently away for an uncontested win. I really need that."Lites" Main Event: Ricky was pretty far outside on the gate, but unlike last weekend he did not run it deep into turn one, instead opting to cut low in hopes of sneaking underneath the carnage on the outside. This didn't work too well, as he was sill slowed by a downed rider and left the first corner in 20th position. Within a lap, Ricky had passed all the way up to fifteenth place and was riding great. There were a lot of riders crashing and making mistakes, but Ricky stayed virtually mistake-free and moved forward over the 15-lap race to secure his best main event finish in 12th."Supercross" Main Event: I was on the far outside of the starting gate and also opted to stay low in the first corner. This worked much better for me, as I exited the turn in around 12th. I lost a position to Carmichael on the first lap but got up to speed quickly and began to click off fast laps. Preston got around me when I made a small mistake, but I got him back a lap later. I was up to tenth and making the move into ninth on lap 14 when I tangled with Kevin Johnson and went down. I remounted quickly, but lost a few positions and was now sitting 13th. I caught the pack ahead once again and set up Cole Seibler for a pass in the section following the sand. I squared up to shoot under him when James Stewart, who was coming around to put me one lap down, took my front end out from under me. Again I remounted, this time not as quickly and with a wounded motorcycle. I rode the last few laps out to finish a disappointing 18th in the main event after the two tumbles.Summary: It was a great weekend for Team Solitaire/Kingdom/FLY Racing Honda. The truck, the bikes and the pit area looked great. Ricky rode very well and looked to have a new level of confidence. I also made strides this weekend, feeling very comfortable and fast. We are at a good place to build on and look forward to keeping the ball rolling next weekend in Daytona.Thank you to everyone for your continued support. See you at the races!
Sincerely,
Ryan Clark