Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing
"Going into the main, I knew a good holeshot was going to be key… After I was able to get into the lead, I just tried to get it done.”
- Ryan Dungey
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ryan Dungey celebrated his first AMA Supercross LItes win of the new season at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday night. The young rider had a flawless day – setting the fastest times in practice, winning his heat race and capturing the victory in the main. Additionally, Dungey’s performance this weekend resulted in his moving into the lead in the overall championship points.
In the Supercross class, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Chad Reed also had cause to celebrate after Saturday night. The two-time, defending AMA Supercross Champion finished an impressive second place in the Supercross main, after having already won his heat race earlier in the night. This performance also moved Reed into second place overall in the SX title chase. Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Mike Alessi continues to work his way back into racing after losing multiple months to injury. The Californian finished sixth in his SX heat race and was 11th in the main. Currently, Alessi is 10th overall in the points chase. Finally, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Michael Byrne did not race, due to an injury sustained in the off-season. He hopes to be back racing as soon as possible.
Ryan Dungey:
“Right off the bat, in practice, I felt really good. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z250 was handling great, and the track was pretty basic but a fast one. In both practices, I felt like I had the fastest lap times and that was good for my mind for the heats and the main. I just tried to hold my own and do what I do best. I was amazed at how the track kept its moisture, because that allowed me to push the bike a little more. Going into the main, I knew a good holeshot was going to be key… After I was able to get into the lead, I just tried to get it done.”
The two-time, defending AMA Supercross Champion finished an impressive second place in the Supercross main, after having already won his heat race earlier in the night.
“During the week leading up to Phoenix, we’d made a lot of small changes to the Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450, but when we got to the race, we ended up going back to our original settings. In the main, I felt really good and I had my good parts of the track… What I was most enthused about, though, was that I was able to change up some lines at the end that really worked, and it was good to be in that position to be able to just let it flow. Overall, I feel like I’m real solid and I feel real confident, more confident than I’ve ever been. I’m just happy that I’m able to put the Suzuki in places that I’ve never been able to get in and out of before.”
Mike Alessi:
“I have to admit, the day started out a little rough, practice was tough for sure. It’s been hard for me coming back after the injury, because I haven’t raced in months. But it’s good to be racing again and we’ve been progressing with every race. The longer I was on the track, the better the bike felt and I also felt like my speed was coming back slowly. In the main, my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 got me off to a great start and I was running fourth for a couple laps, and then I got a little tight. But I rode consistent laps, didn’t get in over my head and I’m happy with 11th place. I think that in a few weeks I’ll be right back where I should be -- in the top five.”
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will return to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, for the second of three races at that venue.
Chad Reed, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450, #1
2nd Place – Phoenix Supercross
2nd Place – Overall Championship Points Standings
Mike Alessi, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450, #800
11th Place – Phoenix Supercross
10th Place – Overall Championship Points Standings
Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z250, #10
1st Place – Phoenix Supercross Lites
1st Place -- Overall Championship Points Standings
Yamaha Racing
James Stewart successfully erased the painful memory of his DNF in Los Angeles last week and ruled the second round in Phoenix.
James Stewart successfully erased the painful memory of his DNF in Los Angeles last week and ruled the second round of seventeen in the 2009 AMA Supercross series (also an FIM World Championship) in Phoenix on Saturday.
The 23 year old gained the lead on his San Manuel LandM YZ450F Yamaha before the end of the opening lap after overtaking rookie winner and brand-mate Josh Grant, who had aced the holeshot at Chase Field. Stewart then worked hard to defend his advantage from reigning champion Chad Reed to obtain his first chequered flag in blue colours, watched by almost 47,000 spectators.
"My goal was to try to win the race and I was able to do that, so it was good," he said. "I just wanted to ride better than I did last week."
"It is nerve-wracking but at the same time, I just had to be composed and ride in my own head," he commented regarding his close duel with Reed. "That's the only way I can get it done. Obviously he was riding good; he had better parts than I did, and I had better parts than he did. The crowd was going wild and I knew when he would get close."
It was the third consecutive triumph for Stewart in Phoenix and the perfect response to his mishap seven days earlier in which he missed a gear exiting a corner and was involved in a collision with Reed.
Josh Grant managed to hold off the rest of the pack in Phoenix, sticking close to Stewart and Reed to get a third place finish.
"There is still a long way to go and a lot of work to do," he said. "If we just think about each weekend and I win races then eventually the points will come. The championship is definitely not going to be given to me and I know I have to work for it. After last weekend, having the bobble that I had, I don't think it was anybody's fault, but I do think I put myself in a small hole and I have to dig myself out."
Grant collected third position for his second podium result in a row and after just two race appearances in the Supercross class. The youngster leads the championship by three points over Reed, with Stewart now starting to make ground and stands seventh. "As long as my starts continue to be this good, I should be fine. I had fun racing with the guys up there, and I can't thank the guys at Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha enough for what they've done for me," Grant said.
West Coast Lites champion Jason Lawrence had a crash in his qualifying Heat and could not make the cut to the main event.
Round three takes place next week and heads back to the Anaheim stadium in LA.
Muscle Milk/ MDK/ KTM
Justin Brayton rode to his best career finish in the Supercross Lites class in Phoenix taking second place.
This past weekend at the Phoenix Supercross Muscle Milk/ MDK/ KTM’s Justin Brayton rode to his best career finish in the Supercross Lites class. In Chase Field, Brayton took second place, behind only Ryan Dungey.
Aboard his KTM 250SX-F, he got off the gate with a decent start and rode wisely throughout the event. “My team has been really supportive of me and I am glad to get this season going,” commented Brayton on his performance. “I am really looking forward to next weekend at Anaheim 2,” he added.
After two rounds in to the Supercross West Coast Lites Championship, Brayton sits nine points out of first place. Check out
www.justinbrayton.com for more exciting news on the 114 machine.
TLD / Seaspan / PPG / Honda Team
At round two of the west coast supercross series, Chris Blose proved that his results at the opener were no fluke. Blose started near the front in his heat race and moved into the lead for a couple laps. He would eventually finish a close second behind Anaheim winner, Jake Weimer.
In the main event Chris came out of the first turn near the middle of the pack but quickly began moving forward. By the midway point in the race he had clawed his way to fourth position. Again he would lose a spot to Weimer and cross the checkered flag in fifth. His consistent efforts place him in fifth position in the standings in what has been a mixed up series so far.
Blose’s teammates Sean Borkenhagen and Steve Boniface both had difficult weekends in Phoenix. Each rider showed that they had good speed by logging quick lap times in practice but they would ultimately be unlucky and miss the main events. Look for Sean and Steve to rebound next weekend as the series heads back to Anaheim.
The Troy Lee Designs/Honda race team would like to thank all of the amazing companies that have supported our racing efforts over the years. We would also like to welcome our new sponsors that will be an integral part of the crew in years to come. Among those are Seaspan, Avia, Skull Candy, Rossignol, Kasey Kahne Racing and Icon Aircraft. These companies have come onboard for 2009 and we are excited about working with them.
We would also like to acknowledge the sponsors that are returning this year. Those include American Honda, Wings for Life, PPG, Pacific Collision Centers, Couts Heating and Cooling, Dunlop, VP Racing Fuels, Pro Circuit, Pro Honda Oils, Renthal, ODI, Excel, RK, N-Style, Selle Italia, Alpinestars, Jimmy Vasser, Cornwell Tools, Cumberland, Cycra, Malcolm Smith, Flexfit, Hinson, Leatt Brace, Light Speed, MetTec, Momo, Muc-Off, QTM, Talon Hubs, CRF’s Only and Twin Air. We could not go racing without you. Thank you for your support of the Troy Lee Designs Race Team.
We would also like to acknowledge Mid-Cities Honda for their continued support of Sean Borkenhagen.
