AMA LUCAS OIL 250/450 NATIONAL MOTOCROSS FROM HANGTOWN

Hangtown.

The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship kicked-off on Saturday with the 42nd Annual Rockstar Energy Hangtown Classic. Regning 450 Class Champion Chad Reed, of Australia, began his title defense with the overall victory in the premier class while Geico Powersports Honda’s Eli Tomac grabbed the 250 Class win in his professional debut.

Reed put himself in position to win on Saturday by taking the win in the day’s first moto. In moto two, the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider needed to work his way through the field after finding himself deep inside the top 10 after the holeshot. As the final minutes approached, he worked his way into winning position, passing Geico Powersports Honda’s Brett Metcalfe for third, where he remained until the conclusion of the second moto

Chad Reed.

“It was a good time (today),” said Reed. “Supercross didn’t go the way we wanted it to. With everything that’s happened in my life the last two weeks, I think I’ve spent two days on a bike. So to win so easily in the first moto and get the finish I needed in the second feels great.”

Jagermeister KTM’s Mike Alessi  took the runner-up spot (4-1), winning the second moto and giving the brand new KTM 350cc motorcycle its first moto win in its debut. Honda Red Bull Racing’s Davi Millsaps grabbed the final podium spot in third, (3-2).

The deeply talented 250 Class’ opener was as competitive as expected. A heated battle in moto one presented an opportunity for Tomac to sweep the day’s motos, but the rookie fell while leading and finished third. In moto two, a strong start and early attack on the lead put him up front from which he consistently extended his advantage over the field. With the inaugural victory, Tomac became the first rider in the history of the sport to win in his professional debut in either the motocross or supercross disciplines.

Eli Tomac.

“I definitely didn’t expect this, it doesn’t seem real,” exclaimed Tomac. “I felt like I had the speed to get a top five. In moto one, I just pulled the good old rookie mistake. I got tired and just washed out my front end. In moto two, I just followed Trey Canard and tried to keep close to him and then made the pass.”

Tying Tomac in overall event points was Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel, of France, who won the day’s opening moto (1-3). However, by virtue of a tiebreaker, Tomac’s better final moto result relegated Pourcel to second. Geico Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard, of Shawnee, Okla., rounded out the overall podium in third (7-2).

In addition to the season premier of both men’s classes, the MotorcylceUSA.com Women’s Motocross Championship began its 2010 championship. Five-time champion Jessica Patterson, of Tallahassee, Fla., dominated both of the day’s motos, sweeping en route to the overall win. Honda Red Bull Racing’s Ashley Fiolek finished second (3-2) while Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Tarah Gieger captured third (2-6).

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship continues in two weeks, with round two from Freestone Raceway in Wortham, Texas and the Flagstar Bank Freestone National on Saturday, June, 5.

450 Class
Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki (1-3)
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (4-1)
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda (3-2)
Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (5-4)
Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (2-10)
Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda (6-7)
Ryan Sipes, Flaherty, Ky., Yamaha (7-8)
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (10-6)
Ken DeDycker, Belgium, Yamaha (8-11)
Andrew Short, Smithville, Tex., Honda (15-5)

450 Class Championship Standings
Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 45
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 43
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 42
Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 34
Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 33
Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 29
Ryan Sipes, Flaherty, Ky., Yamaha, 27
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 26
Ken DeDycker, Belgium, Yamaha, 23
Andrew Short, Smithville, Tex., Honda, 22

250 Class (Moto Finish)
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (3-1)
Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (1-3)
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (7-2)
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (4-8)
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (5-7)
Dean Wilson, Canada, Kawasaki (10-4)
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (11-5)
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (13-6)
Tommy Searle, England, KTM (2-31)
Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (8-16)

250 Class Championship Standings
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 45
Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 45
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 36
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 31
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 30
Dean Wilson, Canada, Kawasaki, 29
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 26
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 23
Tommy Searle, England, KTM, 22
Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 18

WMX Class
Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (1-1)
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (3-2)
Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda (2-6)
Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha (9-3)
Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha (5-5)
Elizabeth Bash, Riverside, Calif., Honda (8-4)
Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha (4-10)
Sayaka Kaneshiro, Torrance, Calif., Suzuki (7-9)
Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (10-7)
Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha (14-8)

WMX Class Standings
Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha, 50
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 42
Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda, 37
Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha, 32
Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha, 32
Elizabeth Bash, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 31
Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha, 29
Sayaka Kaneshiro, Torrance, Calif., Suzuki, 26
Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 25
Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha, 20