ROCKSTAR/MAKITA SUZUKI
“I wanted to end the season with a bang,” Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey said after the final round of the 2010 AMA/FIM World Supercross Championship on Saturday night. Actually, Dungey said everything he needed to say on the track by leading every one of the 20 laps at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, and taking his sixth win of the season. Dungey was crowned the champion of the series in Seattle, but after two tough mud races, the rookie was ready to prove that he earned his championship the old fashioned way – by being the fastest guy on the track.
“Coming off the last two weekends it was a little rough,” Dungey said, “so I wanted to come out and win in Las Vegas. The whole Rockstar Makita Suzuki team was great, and I was able to lead consistent laps and then win. I’m really pumped on that!”
Dungey set the fastest time in practice, and proceeded to go even faster once the gate dropped for the main event. He grabbed the holeshot and never looked back, leading every lap to a decisive victory in front of a packed stadium. Dungey capped his 2010 AMA/FIM Supercross Championship with a phenomenal night of racing, and he’s now focusing on getting himself and his fuel-injected RM-Z450 ready for the Outdoor National series that starts in two weeks.
“It was nice to win, and the way he won it was good,” Team Manager Roger DeCoster said. “Ryan was fast in practice, won his heat race, got the holeshot, and he won like a champ. It was a good way to end the season for us, and now we’ll focus on getting ready for the Outdoors and hopefully pick up there where we left off here.”
Dungey came up through the Suzuki Amateur program and won the 2009 Lites Motocross title and Western Regional Lites Supercross title, as well as winning the Motocross des Nations. With his 2010 AMA/FIM Supercross Championship, the 20-year-old Dungey is the youngest champion ever and also only the second rookie ever to claim the title.
The Outdoor National Series begins on May 22 at Hangtown, and Dungey and his RM-Z450 plan to continue racing and winning.
Team sponsors:Rockstar, Makita, Yoshimura, Dunlop, Maxima, Tag Sprockets, Pro Taper, Alpinestars, ONE Industries, Mechanix Wear, Showa, Road Champs, CP Pistons, Hinson Clutch Components, Snap-On, Twin Air, D.I.D., Excel, NGK, Works Connection
LUCAS OIL/TROY LEE DESIGNS
With Wil Hahn on the sidelines nursing an injured shoulder, Cole Seely was on his own to represent the team at the supercross series finale in Las Vegas. The Dave Coombs Sr. Memorial east/west Shootout pits the very best riders from the west coast against the top riders from the east coast in a one-race, no holds barred sprint to the checkers. Cole fought hard for fifteen laps and ended the night in eleventh place.
After posting good times in qualifying and his heat race, Seely was ready to get after it in the main event. His timing off the gate was good but he got pinched off going into the first turn and was forced to file in as the pack funneled into Sam Boyd Stadium. Cole would start the race somewhere near mid-pack and move up as far as eighth at one point.
"I felt comfortable out there but I couldn't get myself to push on this track for some reason," explained Cole. "It was kind of frustrating because I definitely think I should have done better than I did."
Cole lost a few positions at around the halfway mark and couldn't get them back. He pushed all the way to the finish and crossed the line in eleventh. He had this to say about his race and the 2010 supercross season.
"Things really didn't click for me tonight. I'm a little bummed because this is really my type of track. Overall, I'm happy with the way this season has gone. I had a second place finish in San Diego and I'm going to try to improve that by one spot next year when we get back to Anaheim."
To commemorate the race, and to honor our armed forces, Troy Lee created custom US Air Force inspired helmets, and race gear worn by Cole Seely during the Las Vegas supercross. The helmet and gear were autographed by pilots of the US Air Force as well as the TLD race team. The items are now up for auction, with all of the proceeds benefitting the Nevada Military Support Alliance.
The auction will be held on eBay (item number 250627670999) and run until May 20, 2010 at 12pm PST. There is NO RESERVE on this item. You can follow this auction at: www.troyleedesigns.com/auctions.
The Troy Lee Designs / Lucas Oil / Honda team will use the next two weeks to prepare for the start of the national motocross series in Sacramento, CA. The team will include former world champion and east coast supercross champion Ben Townley, this year's runner up in the west region supercross series Wil Hahn, WMA star Tarah Gieger and Cole Seely. Be sure to stop by and say hello to the team at Hangtown.
The Troy Lee Designs Lucas Oil Honda race team would like to thank all of the companies that have supported our racing efforts over the years. They include Lucas Oil, American Honda, Red Bull, PPG, Wings for Life, Alpinestars, Avia, Couts Heating and Cooling, Dunlop, Epic Action Video Cam, Leatt Brace, McQueen Racing, Oakley, Pacific Collision, Pro Circuit, Rossignol, Santa Cruz, Selle Italia, Skullcandy, All Sport Dynamics, Cycra, Fasthouse, Flexfit, Hinson Clutch, Hot Wheels, Kahne Racing, Light Speed, Muc-Off, N Style, Nameplate, ODI, Primm, QTM, Renthal, RK Chain, Excel, Twin Air, Vasser Racing and VP Racing.
Follow the Troy Lee Designs / Lucas Oil / Honda team at
www.troyleedesigns.com
YOSHIUMURA
The Supercross series and Yoshimura racing went out with a bang in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday night. Everything in Vegas is cooler, brighter, more exciting; and the Vegas Supercross race is no exception. Just the start of this race is more exhilarating than most. The riders propel out of a hidden alley into Sam Boyd Stadium, and over a ski jump that launches them down the straight and into the first turn.
Qualifying went well for Yoshimura’s racers. Andrew Short had an exciting heat race on his CFR450 as he battled for third place in lap four; swapping positions several times before triumphing over his opponent and making the pass permanent. Short had gained another position by lap seven and finished his heat race in second. Ryan Dungey was on fire in Vegas, winning his heat race and setting the tone for the main event earlier by having the fastest lap time in qualifying. Davi Millsaps finished fourth in heat two on his Yoshimura-powered CFR450.
The main event, as forecasted by the qualifier, went well for Yoshimura. Dungey got the holeshot on his RMZ450 powered by a Yoshimura RS-4 exhaust. He lead from the start and never looked back. Dungey, who is the 2010 AMA/FIM Supercross champion, put in blisteringly fast lap times consistently for the entire 20-lap main event.
Yoshimura riders and teammates Andrew Short and Davi Millsaps started the race off in a battle for sixth place. Millsaps came out on top after colliding with Short in a turn. Millsaps raced his way up to fourth place by lap five but, after some difficulties on the track, moved back to sixth to finish the race. Andrew Short’s Yoshimura engine helped him to get from seventh place to fifth place for the finish.
Ryan Dungey finished the season with 363 points: a 70-point lead over second place. It is the largest points gap between riders since 1999. Dungey earned 16 top five finishes, 6 main event wins, 5 holeshots, 9 heat race wins and, of course, the 2010 AMA/FIM Supercross championship on his RM-Z450 with Yoshimura’s help. He became the second rookie and the youngest rider to win the Supercross championship: a highly successful season for Dungey and Yoshimura.
To commemorate the amazing feat by Dungey and his team, Yoshimura made a hand-welded titanium and carbon fiber trophy unlike anything the rookie has ever seen. The trophy features photos of Dungey as well as the Yoshimura carbon fiber RS-4 just like the one that was with Dungey every step of the way in his successful 2010 Supercross season. The trophy was presented to Dungey during a team celebration, and the new champ was thrilled with the workmanship and creativity that went into the piece. “That’s got to be the coolest trophy I’ve ever seen,” Dungey said. “I’m going to find a good place to put that back at home.”
Dungey is now preparing for the Outdoor National Motocross series that begins on May 22 at Hangtown.
About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view the wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki made history on Saturday night by claiming the top four positions in the Dave Coombs Sr. Memorial East/West Shootout. Jake Weimer led the train of Kawasaki KX 250Fs at the front of the field with Josh Hansen finishing second, Christophe Pourcel third and Dean Wilson fourth. In the supercross class, Chad Reed earned his first podium of the year finishing second, while Nick Wey battled a stomach flu and still earned a 10th place finish.
Clean Sweep
For the first time in AMA Supercross Lites history, a single team swept the first four positions in a race. The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team all got off to good starts with Weimer earning the holeshot. Wilson and Pourcel battled for second and Hansen had to work his way up from sixth after the first lap. For the final 12 laps of the race, the team battled for position but still managed to pull away from the field. At the checkered flag, the four teammates finished 10 seconds ahead of the fifth-place rider.
Winning with Style
Weimer led all 15 laps of the main event with a large target on his back. After winning the Western Region championship last weekend, Weimer was able to run the red No. 1 plate for the first time in his career.
“I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now,” said Weimer. “This was my last supercross lites race and I wrapped up my career with a win. That No. 1 plate is heavy, and everyone handles it differently. I was fired up to come here. Since there are no points here, I was able to just concentrate on getting the win. I wanted to make a statement.”
Aggressive
Hansen rode an aggressive race throughout the main event making calculated moves to work his way up from sixth to second. Hansen knew he was racing his teammates so he knew they would race him clean.
“Tonight was sick,” said Hansen. “This team is the best team in the pits and we showed everyone that tonight. It was fun racing against my teammates because we all knew we would race each other clean. I battled with Chris (Pourcel) and Willy (Wilson) to get up to second, it was amazing.”
Back on the Podium
After missing last weekend for the birth of his son, Reed returned to the final race with a clear head and rode a strong 20 laps to finish second.
“It feels nice to get back on the podium,” said Reed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been up there because of everything that has happened this year. Tonight was really good for the team. Our bike development comes when the rider is going as fast as he can and we moved forward this weekend. This was the first time this year I felt I rode appropriately and was fast enough to continue to develop the bike.”
Defending Champ
Pourcel came into the event as the defending winner and he showed he had the speed to get another trophy. In his heat race, Pourcel was leading early, but crashed and went over the bars. Despite having a 12th gate pick he was able to get a good start in the main event and race his teammates at the front of the field.
“It was a good night for the team,” said Pourcel. “I really wanted to win my last supercross lites race so I am a little disappointed. I was sitting behind Jake and waiting to make a move to the lead but Dean kept pressuring me too so I had to change my plan.”
Willy
Wilson rode strong all day in Vegas, including winning the East Coast heat race. Since the shootout is invitation only event, the top 20 riders from each region make up the heat race, making it a de facto six-lap main event. With his confidence high, Wilson got a great start in the main event and made it up to second place after lap six. He continued to pressure Weimer up front until the final lap when he fell back to fourth in the running order.
Top Team
After winning both region championships and sweeping the top four spots in the East/West Shootout, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team was the odds-on favorite to earn the Team of the Year Award at the season ending banquet.
Stomach Bug
Wey came to the Las Vegas finale ready to get another top-five finish, but a stomach bug zapped his energy throughout the day. Wey got a good start in the main event and rode as strong as he could to finish 10th and end the season seventh in the final standings.
“I had a pretty tough time today,” said Wey. “I remember telling my wife a couple of times last night that there was no way I would be able to race. My mechanic (Mike) Williamson had the bike dialed and I was able to ride on cruise control and get a 10th.”
Rockstar Energy/Canidae Suzuki
The 2010 Rockstar Energy, Suzuki, Canidae All Natural Pet Foods Supercross team had a tremendous season, enjoying some major accomplishments during this year's grueling campaign.
Coming off such a great outdoor season in 2009, the bar was set high for 450 rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn would battle injuries from a pre season crash and would not be 100% until almost halfway through the season. Once healthy, Hahn looked more consistent and would finish inside the top 10 in 12 out of 17 starts. Hahn would break through in Seattle where he would earn a career best 2nd place finish. Tommy looks forward to a new start when the outdoor season begins in 2 weeks.
Hunter Hewitt rode the West Coast Lites class this year and made huge strides in his sophomore year of Lites racing. Hewitt would finish inside the top 10 twice this year and finish the year in 13th place in points.
East Coast Lites racer, Blake Baggett was racing in his very first Supercross season in 2010 and the rookie let everyone know that he is for real. Baggett would finish inside the top 10 in 5 out of the 8 rounds and captured his first career win in Dallas. Baggett finished his rookie season in 5th place in points and is looking forward to heading outdoors where he is considered a top 5 favorite even with his rookie status.
Ryan Morais raced the West Coast Lites series this year for the Rockstar Energy, Suzuki, Canidae team and came out of the gates blazing. With podium finishes in Anaheim 1 and Phoenix the future looked bright for the young rider until a horrific crash at A2 left the front runner sidelined until Seattle. It is great to see Morais back up and racing and we look forward to seeing him atop the podium during the MX Nationals.
Jake Moss signed with the team for the 2010 season and was supposed to be the consistent top 10 finisher in the East Coast Lites series while showing the ropes to Baggett. Moss would have a season that he hopes to soon forget with finishes well below his potential. With only 1 top 10 finish this year and missing the last 2 rounds with injuries, Moss will focus on getting healthy and making some noise outdoors during the Nationals.
All in all it was a great year for the Canidae All Natural Pet Foods sponsored team and everyone at Canidae could not be more proud. We look forward to dominating the Outdoor Nationals with this highly potent group of riders when the series starts in Sacramento, CA at the Hangtown Nationals on May 22nd. Make sure to come out and support the Rockstar Energy, Suzuki, Canidae team. See you there!
FMF/KTM
FMF/KTM rider Phil Nicoletti had an up and down weekend at the Las Vegas Supercross race at Sam Boyd Stadium. Nicoletti started the day well with three solid practices. He qualified 8th overall out of the West Lites riders after all practices were through and returned to the pits to gear up for the heat.
Nicoletti was in heat number two. He got a great jump coming around the first turn in 2nd position and was in 4th by the time they came inside the stadium from the outside start gate. He remained in 4th for the first few laps before he missed a jump and was passed by a train of three riders that were close behind him. Now in 7th, he maintained his pace and finished the heat only losing one more position to qualify 8th.
Nicoletti powerfully launched off the line at the start of the Lites main event but was pinched off in the first corner due to his outside start position. When they came inside the stadium he had fallen to the tail end of the pack and was sitting in 17th. After a rough start, Nicoletti began to pick up his lap times and began making passes. He quickly moved to 15th and then a lap later moved up to 14th. He was handed 13th after Canard crashed and remained there to the finish.
“My lap times were consistent tonight but I just struggled in some areas. I am glad to finish the season safely and look forward to outdoors starting. I definitely want to extend my gratitude to all my sponsors who have been there for me this season,” remarked Nicoletti.
SA The 17th and final round of the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, took place Saturday night before a sold out crowd in Las Vegas Sam Boyd Stadium. Despite his 17th place finish, Hill still finishes the 2010 season in sixth place overall. Teammate James Stewart has not yet been cleared to ride and remains under Doctor's supervision as he continues rehab and physical therapy on his right wrist.
A solid start in Heat Race 1 had Hill running in second place until a slip on a fast straight away took him down. Forced into the Last Chance Qualifier, Hill took a smooth win for the transfer spot to the Main Event. In the Main, a not-so-fortunate gate pick made it difficult for Hill to get a good start and the hard, slick track played havoc with Hill's lines. Managing to keep things in check for a good part of the 20-lap race, Hill finished 17th and ended the 2010 season sixth overall, with 233 championship points.
Hill had this to say post-race, “Despite the ups and downs this was a great season in my pro career! Like I've said before, I have had some of my best races this season. I have learned so much and owe so much to Larry Brooks and Team San Manuel! Thanks again to San Manuel, Yamaha and all of my sponsors - FOX, DC and Dragon for a great 2010.”
SAN MANUEL YAMAHA
The 17th and final round of the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, took place Saturday night before a sold out crowd in Las Vegas Sam Boyd Stadium. Despite his 17th place finish, Hill still finishes the 2010 season in sixth place overall. Teammate James Stewart has not yet been cleared to ride and remains under Doctor's supervision as he continues rehab and physical therapy on his right wrist.
A solid start in Heat Race 1 had Hill running in second place until a slip on a fast straight away took him down. Forced into the Last Chance Qualifier, Hill took a smooth win for the transfer spot to the Main Event. In the Main, a not-so-fortunate gate pick made it difficult for Hill to get a good start and the hard, slick track played havoc with Hill's lines. Managing to keep things in check for a good part of the 20-lap race, Hill finished 17th and ended the 2010 season sixth overall, with 233 championship points.
Hill had this to say post-race, “Despite the ups and downs this was a great season in my pro career! Like I've said before, I have had some of my best races this season. I have learned so much and owe so much to Larry Brooks and Team San Manuel! Thanks again to San Manuel, Yamaha and all of my sponsors - FOX, DC and Dragon for a great 2010.”
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