Photo: ShiftOne Photography
Who says second place isn't first?
Kyle Regal took second in Moto 1 and again in Moto 2 to win Round 6 of the 2015 AMSOIL Arenacross series on Saturday in Tampa, FL.
Regal didn't make taking the runner-up spot in Moto 1 look easy as he fell in behind Matt Goerke and Chris Blose who jumped out in front early only for Blose to crash after coming up short on a jump. Regal closed in on Goerke on Lap 4 but lost ground in the whoops and six laps later hit the dirt and dropped to fifth place. Steve Mages who was riding second crashed on the same lap allowing MotoSport rider Gared Steinke and Bobby Kiniry to get in podium position. Regal passed both of them for second on the final lap as Kiniry held on for third. Steinke settled for fourth.
In Moto 2, Blose sat out as a result of his Moto 1 crash, and it was Kiniry taking the holeshot in front of Cory Green and Mages. This time Goerke hit the dirt on Lap 2 falling back to 11th, Green fell shortly after and points leader Jacob Hayes, who finished sixth in Moto 1, took advantage of the fallen riders to slide into second on Lap 3 with Regal in tow a few laps later.
Hayes grabbed the lead on Lap 7 after the whoops and Regal set his sights on Kiniry passing him for second on Lap 12. Hayes held on for the checkers and Kiniry took third. Goerke managed a fifth-place after his crash for a fourth overall and Steinke finished seventh for seventh overall. Hayes and Goerke tied in total points so Hayes remained 14 points ahead of Goerke in the point standings. Regal closed to within six points of Goerke.
Steinke's finish gave him some breathing room in the standings moving from 10th place to ninth with 138 points, seven ahead of Gavin Faith, who was unable to race because his bike wouldn't start. Just three Rounds remain before the "Race to the Championship" begins which resets the points for only those riders in the Top 10 who are then eligible for the Arenacross crown which is decided over the last six Rounds.
"I felt really good this last weekend, I had a few bike problems and only got one lap in the first practice so that set me back," said Steinke, who rides for the MotoSport.com/Lauerman MX Race team. "But other than that the racing went good. I was running second in the first Main and got a little tired and ended up 4th then got a bad start in the second Main event and worked my way up to seventh for a seventh overall."
In the East Lites class, MotoSport rider Daniel Blair worked his way from third-place at the start to win that class for the first time this season. Dave Ginolfi, points leader for the East Lites class, grabbed the whole shot but slowed down on Lap 2 in the whoops after bobbling, giving the lead to Kyler Bitterman.
On Lap 4, Bitterman crashed and left the race allowing Ginolfi back out front. Blair managed to take the lead from Ginolfi on the following Lap and held on for the win by a bike length.
"I'm so pumped to be back on top of the box," said Blair, who also rides for the MotoSport.com/Lauerman MX Race team. "I used the off week to get my body right. I'm excited to get to Kansas City and put the red plates back on."
The win was Blair's first in the East Lites class though he doesn't compete for points. The series returns West this weekend where Blair leads the West Lites class after one Round. For both series, Blair has eight Top 10 performances including two first place and two third place finishes.
Arenacross Round 7 starts at 7 p.m. (CST) Saturday at the Spring Center in Kansas City, MO. Buy tickets online or at the box office, 1407 Grand Blvd in Kansas City.
2015 Arenacross Tampa Results
Arenacross Class Results - Overall
- Kyle Regal (2-2)
- Jacob Hayes (6-1)
- Bobby Kiniry (3-3)
- Matt Goerke (1-5)
- Willy Browning (7-4)
- Travis Sewell (5-6)
- Gared Steinke (4-7) - MotoSport rider
- Steven Mages (9-10)
- Dylan Rouse (10-11)
- Cory Green (8-13)
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Results
- Daniel Blair - MotoSport rider
- Dave Ginolfi
- Dylan Rouse
- Scott Zont
- Jacob Williamson
- Lorenzo Locurcio
- Jake Locks
- Dave Blanchet
- Logan Pfleiderer
- Cody VanBuskirk
Arenacross Class Points
- Jacob Hayes (240)
- Matt Goerke (226)
- Kyle Regal (220)
- Bobby Kiniry (188)
- Steven Mages (178)
- Travis Sewell (177)
- Chris Blose (175)
- Willy Browning (156)
- Gared Steinke (138) - MotoSport rider
- Gavin Faith (131)
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points
- Dave Ginolfi (103)
- Steve Roman (65)
- Scott Zont (61)
- Daniel Herrlein (56)
- Steven Mages (47)
- Dylan Rouse (44)
- Jacob Williamson (42)
- Dave Blanchet (41)
- Darian Sanayei (35)
- Mitchell Harrison (33)
