Author: Andrew Campo
As the fence lines at RedBud filled Saturday morning for round six of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, a lot of questions were waiting to be answered; To what role would the 102 degree temperature play on both classes and what riders were best prepared to battle in the summer Michigan heat? Pro C
As the fence lines at RedBud filled Saturday morning for round six of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, a lot of questions were waiting to be answered; To what role would the 102 degree temperature play on both classes and what riders were best prepared to battle in the summer Michigan heat? Pro Circuit has taken control of the championship and Blake "El Chupacabra" Baggett proved last week to be the most dominant rider in the series earning a one / one weekend at Thunder Valley. Would we see a new color atop the podium by way of Justin Barcia's raw speed, the consistency of Eli Tomac, the return of Wil Hahn, the charge of the DNA Shred Stix boys, or the front and center presence of Darryn Durham? The 2011 podium has primarily been dominated by Pro Circuit and with RedBud being the halfway mark of the season would we see a change on this holiday weekend?
Can Dean Wilson find that little something and run pace with Baggett, can the Rockstar boys get back in the game? Ryan Dungey came to life in Colorado; a track that has favored him over the years, could he put two in a row in the books against the likes of Reed and Villopoto?
A long list of answers were on the table for Red Bud, and as the day progressed a record breaking crowd of 30,000 fans were witness to an unforgettable 38th running of the iconic RedBud National.
Early into the day Geico Honda pilot Eli Tomac had a nasty looking get off at the top of Larocco's Leap leaving him shaken, sore, and sidelined for the day. Eli's teammate, Justin Barcia, grabbed the holeshot in moto one followed by Ryan Sipes, Lance Vincent, Dean Wilson, and Wil Hahn. Things took a turn early into the moto as Barcia went down hard while out front. Sipes pushed to escape the charge of Wilson and Baggett, but that would only last until lap eight when Baggett decided he was going to the front in attempt to shake Dean Wilson. Sipes held off Wilson for three more laps, but as lap twelve was underway Wilson had made the move into second place and tried to contest Baggett, but Blake was rolling and made no mistakes as the moto came to a close.
Moto two of the 250s was Wilson's chance to prove he could run with Baggett. As the first lap got underway it was Baggett who was out front on a clean track followed closely by Wilson, who was looking to make a statement. Baggett was not having any of that and kept Wilson in check by setting a best lap time of 2:13.577, compared to Wilson's best effort of 2:15.455. Tyla Rattray fought his way to a third in moto two for the final podium spot on the day making it Pro Circuit podium and championship battle as the team now focuses on Millville.
I will start off the 450 report by pointing out that Ryan Villopoto, Chad Reed, and Ryan Dungey are all bad dudes. This championship is still very much up in the air and as the thunder of the 450s made their way into the first lap it was Jake Weimer out front followed by Davi Millsaps, Chad Reed, and Ryan Dungey. While all of this was going on Ryan Villopoto was rolling around on the ground in obvious pain after what looked to be a high speed get off that included Tommy Hahn and Michigan's own Josh Lichtle.
Millsaps, Reed and Dungey made their way by Weimer on the first lap and Millsaps separated himself early by running two seconds a lap faster than Reed and company as they put three laps in the books. Villopoto had returned to the track and was running 34th with no visor and a battered looking Kawasaki. At the halfway mark Reed and Dungey had closed the gap on Millsaps and then Reed made the pass along the outside as they came into the corner facing Larocco's Leap, Dungey was by Millsaps two corners later.
With twelve minutes plus two laps on the clock, Villopoto had made his way into 17th and was posting strong late moto laps including a 2:14.165 on lap thirteen.
Dungey put forth the fight on the final lap and put a wheel on Reed through the whoops with less than a lap to go, but Chad was able to close the door and fend off Dungey for his sixth moto win of the year. Villopoto fought all the way to a ninth place finish salvaging twelve precious points. Brett Metcalfe and Justin Brayton rounded out the top 5 in that order and a delighted Davi Millsaps held tight for third.
Villopoto grabbed the holeshot in the second moto and checked out on Dungey who sat second the entire moto. The possible spoiler was Mike Alessi who held off Chad Reed for eight laps. Reed knew if he finished third with Dungey in second that he would take the overall and it was clear that he was counting on that strategy to play out. Dungey put in an impressive ride, but Villopoto was in a class of his own in the second moto and as the day came to an end, Reed had won the fight, but Villopoto appeared to be winning the war.
Notes:
- Wil Hahn came out swinging with a sixth on the day.
- Barcia never started moto two because of mechanical issues at the line.
- Malcolm Stewart retired early in moto one with bike issues.
- Durham finished 6th but retired in moto two, the bikes were struggling in the heat.
- Lemoine had bike problems in moto one and didn't return for the second moto.
- Tommy Hahn fought back to a 12th place moto two finish after retiring on the first lap of moto one.
- Rumor has it that Josh Lichtle suffered from heat stroke and was taken to ICU, please keep Josh in your thoughts.
- Josh Grant pulled off in the second moto and looked to be in serious pain as a result of knee problems.
450 Red Bud Top 10
- Reed
- Dungey
- Villopoto
- Metcalfe
- Alessi
- Brayton
- Short
- Millsaps
- Windham
- Craig
250 Red Bud Top 10
- Baggett
- Wilson
- Rattray
- Cunningham
- Tickle
- Hahn
- Sipes
- Davalos
- Seely
- Champion
ircuit has taken control of the championship and Blake "El Chupacabra" Baggett proved last week to be the most dominant rider in the series earning a one / one weekend at Thunder Valley. Would we see a new color atop the podium by way of Justin Barcia's raw speed, the consistency of Eli Tomac, the return of Wil Hahn, the charge of the DNA Shred Stix boys, or the front and center presence of Darryn Durham? The 2011 podium has primarily been dominated by Pro Circuit and with RedBud being the halfway mark of the season would we see a change on this holiday weekend?
Can Dean Wilson find that little something and run pace with Baggett, can the Rockstar boys get back in the game? Ryan Dungey came to life in Colorado; a track that has favored him over the years, could he put two in a row in the books against the likes of Reed and Villopoto?
A long list of answers were on the table for Red Bud, and as the day progressed a record breaking crowd of 30,000 fans were witness to an unforgettable 38th running of the iconic RedBud National.
Early into the day Geico Honda pilot Eli Tomac had a nasty looking get off at the top of Larocco's Leap leaving him shaken, sore, and sidelined for the day. Eli's teammate, Justin Barcia, grabbed the holeshot in moto one followed by Ryan Sipes, Lance Vincent, Dean Wilson, and Wil Hahn. Things took a turn early into the moto as Barcia went down hard while out front. Sipes pushed to escape the charge of Wilson and Baggett, but that would only last until lap eight when Baggett decided he was going to the front in attempt to shake Dean Wilson. Sipes held off Wilson for three more laps, but as lap twelve was underway Wilson had made the move into second place and tried to contest Baggett, but Blake was rolling and made no mistakes as the moto came to a close.
Moto two of the 250s was Wilson's chance to prove he could run with Baggett. As the first lap got underway it was Baggett who was out front on a clean track followed closely by Wilson, who was looking to make a statement. Baggett was not having any of that and kept Wilson in check by setting a best lap time of 2:13.577, compared to Wilson's best effort of 2:15.455. Tyla Rattray fought his way to a third in moto two for the final podium spot on the day making it Pro Circuit podium and championship battle as the team now focuses on Millville.
I will start off the 450 report by pointing out that Ryan Villopoto, Chad Reed, and Ryan Dungey are all bad dudes. This championship is still very much up in the air and as the thunder of the 450s made their way into the first lap it was Jake Weimer out front followed by Davi Millsaps, Chad Reed, and Ryan Dungey. While all of this was going on Ryan Villopoto was rolling around on the ground in obvious pain after what looked to be a high speed get off that included Tommy Hahn and Michigan's own Josh Lichtle.
Millsaps, Reed and Dungey made their way by Weimer on the first lap and Millsaps separated himself early by running two seconds a lap faster than Reed and company as they put three laps in the books. Villopoto had returned to the track and was running 34th with no visor and a battered looking Kawasaki. At the halfway mark Reed and Dungey had closed the gap on Millsaps and then Reed made the pass along the outside as they came into the corner facing Larocco's Leap, Dungey was by Millsaps two corners later.
With twelve minutes plus two laps on the clock, Villopoto had made his way into 17th and was posting strong late moto laps including a 2:14.165 on lap thirteen.
Dungey put forth the fight on the final lap and put a wheel on Reed through the whoops with less than a lap to go, but Chad was able to close the door and fend off Dungey for his sixth moto win of the year. Villopoto fought all the way to a ninth place finish salvaging twelve precious points. Brett Metcalfe and Justin Brayton rounded out the top 5 in that order and a delighted Davi Millsaps held tight for third.
Villopoto grabbed the holeshot in the second moto and checked out on Dungey who sat second the entire moto. The possible spoiler was Mike Alessi who held off Chad Reed for eight laps. Reed knew if he finished third with Dungey in second that he would take the overall and it was clear that he was counting on that strategy to play out. Dungey put in an impressive ride, but Villopoto was in a class of his own in the second moto and as the day came to an end, Reed had won the fight, but Villopoto appeared to be winning the war.
Notes:
- Wil Hahn came out swinging with a sixth on the day.
- Barcia never started moto two because of mechanical issues at the line.
- Malcolm Stewart retired early in moto one with bike issues.
- Durham finished 6th but retired in moto two, the bikes were struggling in the heat.
- Lemoine had bike problems in moto one and didn't return for the second moto.
- Tommy Hahn fought back to a 12th place moto two finish after retiring on the first lap of moto one.
- Rumor has it that Josh Lichtle suffered from heat stroke and was taken to ICU, please keep Josh in your thoughts.
- Josh Grant pulled off in the second moto and looked to be in serious pain as a result of knee problems.
450 Red Bud Top 10
1: Reed
2: Dungey
3: Villopoto
4: Metcalfe
5: Alessi
6: Brayton
7: Short
8: Millsaps
9: Windham
10: Craig
250 Red Bud Top 10
1: Baggett
2: Wilson
3: Rattray
4: Cunningham
5: Tickle
6: Hahn
7: Sipes
8: Davalos
9: Seely
10: Champion
