Fantasy Motocross Racing
Eight rounds of the 2010
AMA Pro Motocross Championship have already passed, and with it there has been some intense moto action. As the 450 and 250 series wind down to the last four rounds, competition within each class is going
Ryan Dungey is on cruise control with a 95-point lead in the championship, but James Stewart may give him something to look at this weekend.
to reach a boiling point with riders putting the final touches on their positions within the championship. With racing action set to get underway in New York on Saturday, it’s time to make your
Fantasy Motocross picks and gather some points of your own.
450 Class
A-Riders
Sure Thing
Ryan Dungey – Makita
Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey has had seven overall wins in the 2010 season. He currently leads the 450 class by 95 points, and with just four races left he seems to have things pretty much on cruise control. But things will start to get interesting now that James Stewart has officially arrived back in the scene. We’ll have to see, but Dungey may very well have his hands full this weekend with JS7 in the mix.
Andrew Short – Short has been a consistent podium finisher all season long and has been on fire recently with two second-place finishes in a row. One thing that Short has in his skill set is the ability to get holeshots. The
Honda man will have to work a bit on his endurance, however, as he tends to fade gradually throughout each moto. Despite this, Short has been riding excellently, which is why he’s currently second in the championship.
Maybe
James Stewart – By far the biggest question mark for the remaining rounds in James Stewart. He may be a bit rusty after being away for seven months, but Stewart is without a doubt one of the fastest riders to grace the sport. Although he may not
James Stewart has been away from the track for seven months, but his speed is unquestionable.
snare the win right off the bat, it seems likely that JS7 will at least claim a podium finish at Unadilla.
B-Riders
Sure Thing
Ben Townley – Townley had a horrible outing in the last round at Washougal. However, before the previous round Townley’s results had been steadily improving, and as a result he’s currently within the top-five. If the Red Bull Honda rider can keep it together for both motos and get a decent start, Townley may easily be in the running for a moto win along with Stewart and Dungey.
Brett Metcalfe – Finishing third overall in the last round at Washougal was Geico Powersports Honda rider Brett Metcalfe. He’s currently 16 points behind Short in the series, and will have to put in some impressive laps to outdo the strong starting skills of the Red Bull Honda rider.
Maybe
Josh Grant – Another rider who struggled in the last round at Washougal was Josh Grant. But just like Townley, Grant has also had consistent finishes inside the top-five, like his second-place overall finish at Spring Creek. The JGR
Yamaha rider is currently fourth in the championship, so look for him to put in some strong final runs in the last few rounds.
250 Class
A-Riders
Ice-Trey has won the last three rounds and seems to be making a final push for the championship win ahead of Pourcel.
Trey Canard – For the past few rounds GEICO Powersports’ Trey Canard has led an assault on the Pro Circuit
Kawasaki team, forcing Christophe Pourcel and his teammates to take a back seat with his three consecutive overall victories. Canard has been playing the aggressor with rough passes and a determined riding-style, and it is truly his championship to win. Ice-Trey will need to continue his winning ways in the remaining rounds if he expects to walk off with the title.
Christophe Pourcel – In the 250 class Frenchman Christophe Pourcel seemed to have things pretty well covered - but that was before Canard threw himself into the mix. While Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Pourcel is currently leading the championship by 38 points, Canard has been making extreme progress in the last few rounds and seems to be reeling Pourcel in. Look for some paint to be traded between the two as the battle steps into high gear for the final four rounds of the season.
Maybe
Tyla Rattray – Pourcel’s Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammate, Tyla Rattray, is one rider who’s had a strong season, including his recent performance in the last round at Washougal which saw him go 4-3 behind Canard and Pourcel. Prior to that, Rattray
Frenchman Christophe Pourcel currently leads the 250 class with 340 points, but he's allowed Canard to make up ground in the last few rounds.
had another third-place overall finish at Spring Creek after snagging two fourth-place results. The battle for the final podium position in the series is really tightening up, with Rattray trailing his teammate, Dean Wilson, by just eight points. Look for some intense motos out of Rattray, beginning at Unadilla.
B-Riders
Sure Thing
Dean Wilson – Another rider making up the wave of Team Green is Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Wilson, who’s third in the championship behind Pourcel and Canard. At Washington he took fifth overall, and before that he landed in second at Spring Creek. As mentioned above, Wilson remains only eight points ahead of Rattray, and his teammate has been making gains on Wilson in the last few rounds. Wilson must put in an impressive performance at Unadilla if he wants to retain his third-place position in the standings.
Justin Barcia – Barcia is another rider who’s managed some impressive motos this year. One of which, however, was not in the last round at Washougal. Despite his 16th-place overall finish, Barcia is currently fifth in the series. While his chances of catching up to Rattray remain slim, he must keep up his performance if he wants to hold onto a top-five finish this season.
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