Under nearly perfect conditions, Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki’s Chad Reed, of Australia, raced to his first career 450 Class victory at the Monster Energy National, round four of the Lucas Oil AMAM Pro Motocross Championship at High Point Raceway. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel, of France, grabbed the overall victory in the 250 Class and took over the points lead.
The High Point Raceway event marked the first live network television broadcast in the history of the sport on NBC, with one-and-a-half hours of programming featuring 450 competition.
Reed was the man to beat throughout the day, grabbing the holeshot in the first moto, and racing his way to the front of the field in moto two, overcoming Honda Red Bull Racing’s Ivan Tedesco, of Tallahassee, Fla. After a two year hiatus from the outdoor nationals, Reed returned this season and has asserted himself as the title favorite, taking over the points lead with today’s win.
"It definitely took me (a long time)," said Reed. "To be truthful, I didn’t think it’d be eight years for my first overall. But it wasn’t for lack of trying. It feels good to get one and this is actually where I got my first (250) win. This weekend off is coming at a good time for me, I’m still not 100%. I’m just not feeling right and that’s not the way to go (racing)."
Honda Red Bull Racing grabbed the final two spots on the podium with Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, (2-2) and Tedesco (3-3) finishing second and third respectively.
Pourcel captured the first overall sweep of his career with a pair of stellar runs. The Frenchman cruised to victory in the day’s first moto but battled with GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard, of Shawnee, Okla., throughout moto two. A mistake by Canard gave Pourcel the lead where he fended off the advances of points leader Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn.
"I liked supercross a lot and I felt like today was like that. I just got into a rhythm," said Pourcel. "I went to my doctor and she told me I have a lot of problems (internally) and it’s not going to get better since I was paralyzed. It’s not easy to ride like that but I just have to keep doing my best."
Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki’s Dungey overcame a first moto in which he fell twice and still managed a third place finish to bring home the runner-up spot in the second moto as well as second overall. Muscle Milk/MDK/KTM rider Tommy Searle, of Great Britain, finished third (4-3).
The WMX Class made its debut at High Point Raceway and Honda Red Bull Racing’s Ashley Fiolek, of St. Augustine, Fla., stayed perfect through four rounds of racing in 2009, sweeping the day’s motos. Honda of Houston’s Jessica Patterson, of Tallahassee, Fla., took second overall (4-2) while Cernic’s Suzuki’s Sherri Cruse, of Bakersfield, Calif., was third (3-3).
"I knew I got to a good start, but I made a mistake so I had to just keep going and keep pushing," stated Fiolek. "In the end, (Jessica Patterson) ended up making a mistake. The track was really rough, but I like it and overall I felt really good."
After an off week, the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship continues with round five on Saturday, June 27 from Lakewood, Colo. for the Toyota Motocross National at Thunder Valley Motocross. Coverage can be seen live on SPEED, Saturday, June 27 at 11 p.m. ET.
Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Monster Energy National
High Point Raceway – Mt. Morris, Pa.
June 13, 2009
Round 4 of 12
450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Chad Reed, Australia, Suzuki (1-1)
2. Andrew Short, Smithville, Tex., Honda(2-2)
3. Ivan Tedesco, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda (3-3)
4. Michael Byrne, Australia, Suzuki (4-5)
5. Cody Cooper, New Zealand, Yamaha (5-6)
6. Ricky Dietrich, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki (8-9)
7. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha (7-10)
8. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (6-11)
9. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (13-7)
10. Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki (18-4)
450 Class Championship Standings
1. Chad Reed, Australia, Suzuki, 161
2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 142
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Tex., Honda, 137
4. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 119
5. Ivan Tedesco, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda, 110
6. Cody Cooper, New Zealand, Yamaha, 91
7. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki, 89
8. Michael Byrne, Australia, Suzuki, 84
9. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 79
10. Dan Reardon, Australia, Honda, 68
250 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (3-2)
3. Tommy Searle, Great Britain, KTM (4-3)
4. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (5-4)
5. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda (6-6)
6. Justin Barcia, Cairo, Ga., Honda (8-5)
7. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (9-8)
8. Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Yamaha (7-11)
9. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Kawasaki (10-10)
10. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (2-32)
250 Class Championship Standings
1. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 177
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 175
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 139
4. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 135
5. Tommy Searle, England, KTM, 117
6. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 116
7. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 111
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 97
9. Justin Barcia, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 83
10. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 66
WMX Class (Moto Finish)
1. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (1-1)
2. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda (4-2)
3. Sherri Cruse, Bakersfield, Calif., Suzuki (3-3)
4. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (2-4)
5. Elizabeth Bash, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki (5-5)
6. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki (6-6)
7. Kim Kocher, Paris, Ohio, KTM (8-8)
8. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM (11-7)
9. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Suzuki (9-10)
10. Jackie Ives, Exeter, Calif., Yamaha (12-9)
WMX Class Standings
1. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 197
2. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda, 163
3. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Honda, 154
4. Sherri Cruse, Bakersfield, Calif., Suzuki, 154
5. Elizabeth Bash, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki, 119
6. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki, 117
7. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM, 94
8. Penni Cyrus, Queen Creek, Ariz., Kawasaki, 85
9. Kim Kocher, Paris, Ohio, KTM, 81
10. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Suzuki, 77