Villopoto and Roczen Sweep 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Opener at Hangtown

45th Running of Hangtown Motocross Classic Draws Record Crowd 

SACRAMENTO, CA – May 19, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – With a record event attendance of nearly 25,000 fans, the 45th running of the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic proved to be one for the history books as the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicked off in Sacramento, Calif. on Saturday. After missing an entire season in 2012 due to injury, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto made a valiant return, sweeping both 450 Class motos atop one of the most stacked fields in the series’ recent history. Additionally, Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen claimed his first career 250 Class overall victory at Hangtown.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart, who missed most of the second half of the 2012 season, made a comeback of his own by grabbing the Motorcycle-Superstore.com holeshot in Moto 1, garnering one point toward the overall championship holeshot bonus of $25,000 in the 450 Class. However, keeping the lead wasn’t an easy task as three other former 450 Class Champions and several returning contenders chased the 2008 champ early on.

The 450 Class Boasted one of the most stacked fields of racing in recent series history. Courtesy: Simon Cudby

Villopoto took over the lead on the opening lap with Stewart and defending champion Ryan Dungey close in tow. The trio diced it out in the first half of Moto 1 but it was ultimately Villopoto who locked in the moto win, with Dungey in second and Stewart in third.

Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard returned to the Hangtown Motocross Classic for the first time since his 250 Class championship-winning season in 2010. Canard made a statement early on as he jumped in behind the lead battle and even closed in on Stewart near the end of Moto 1. Just behind was the epic battle for fifth place between Canard’s teammate Barcia, BTO Sports/KTM’s Andrew Short, Lucas Oil Troy Lee Honda’s Malcolm Stewart, Smartop/MotoConcepts Mike Alessi and 450 Class rookie Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson. Malcolm Stewart, Alessi and Wilson experienced issues that dropped all three in the running order, while Canard and Barcia prevailed, rounding out the top five, with Short sixth.

Dungey, Villopoto, Stewart, Grant and Alessi battled all day at Hangtown. Courtesy: Simon Cudby

James Stewart began Moto 2 in similar fashion to the first, grabbing the Motorcycle-Superstore holeshot once again and taking over the points lead in the season-long chase for the end-of-the-year cash prize. From there, Stewart engaged in a battle for the lead with Dungey, while Villopoto followed close behind. Near the halfway mark, Villopoto made his move to the front, leaving Dungey and Stewart to fight for the second place position. Dungey bested Stewart for the second place spot in Moto 2, giving the Minnesota native second overall for the day with a pair of second place finishes. Stewart, the 2012 Hangtown winner, scored (3-3) for third place overall. Villopoto went on to secure the first overall win of the 2013 season with a score of (1-1).

“Hangtown has always been a rough place for me so for the bike to feel like it did today was amazing,” Villopoto said. “I’m obviously happy with that and happy with how I rode. I feel like we’re in a really good place and it’s only going to get better from here.”

450 Class podium: (left) Dungey, (center) Villopoto, (right) Stewart. Courtesy: Simon Cudby

The 250 Class was set to be a showcase with a full lineup of returning contenders, including defending 250 Class Champion Blake Baggett. Fresh off a wrist injury, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider had no reservations about getting to the front early on as he grabbed the Motorcycle-Superstore holeshot in Moto 1. However, the Red Bull KTM duo of Marvin Musquin and Ken Roczen quickly gained control of the lead. Musquin led three laps before his teammate commanded the lead for the remainder of Moto 1.

Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen claimed a career first overall victory in the 250 Class. Courtesy: Simon Cudby

GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac began the first moto just outside of the top five but made his way into podium contention early on. Tomac first set his sights on Musquin and then made his way around Baggett to eventually secure second place in Moto 1. Baggett finished third, while Musquin took fourth and MyPlash Star RacingYamaha/Metal Mulisha’s Cooper Webb rounded out the top five in his Pro class debut.

In Moto 2, GEICO Honda’s Zach Bell grabbed the Motorcycle-Superstore holeshot but it was once again Roczen who jumped out front on the opening lap. Roczen set the pace early on and Baggett remained close in tow throughout the first half of the race. Roczen eventually put a gap on the defending champion in the final laps of Moto 2, going on to secure his first career victory in the 250 Class.

“Coming here, I didn’t really know what to expect because I sort of took some time to have fun during the week off [between supercross and motocross],” Roczen said. “It’s important to me to keep things fun but next week it’s time to put in some work and make my performance even better.”

250 Class podium: (left) Tomac, (center) Roczen, (right) Baggett. Courtesy: Simon Cudby

Baggett’s score of (3-2) was enough to give him second overall for the day, while Tomac went (2-3) for third overall. Musquin captured a pair of fourth places to claim fourth overall, while GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne rounded out the top five overall with a (9-5) score.

New Zealand’s Courtney Duncan took the opening round of the Women’s Motocross (WMX) Triple Crown by storm, sweeping both motos of the day in her WMX debut. Duncan bested Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Sayaka Kaneshiro, who finished second overall with a (2-3) score and Texas native Taylor Higgins rounded out the overall podium. Six-time WMX champion Jessica Patterson finished second in Moto 2 but bad luck in the first moto gave her 10th overall for the day.

New Zealand’s Courtney Duncan swept both motos of the WMX Class. Courtesy: Simon Cudby

The WMX Triple Crown returns to the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship June 8 for the GEICO Hangtown National in Mt. Morris, Pa. Round 2 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Lakewood, Colo. for the Rockwell Watches Thunder Valley National next weekend, May 25.

For tickets and additional information, please visit AlliSports.com/motocross and LIKE the Pro Motocross Facebook page and follow @ProMotocross on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and additional information on the latest Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship news.

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic
Prairie City OHV Park – Sacramento
May 18, 2013
Round 1 of 12

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-2)
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki (3-3)
4. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda (4-4)
5. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (5-5)
6. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki (8-7)
7. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (6-10)
8. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (12-6)
9. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (9-9)
10. Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki (13-8)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto, Seattle, Wash., Kawasaki, 50
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM,44
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki,40
4. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda,36
5. Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 32
6. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki, 27
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 26
8. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 24
9. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki, 24
10. Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki, 21

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM (1-1)
2. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (3-2)
3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (2-3)
4. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (4-4)
5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda (9-5)
6. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha (8-7)
7. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki (12-6)
8. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (7-13)
9. Joseph Savatgy, Cairo, Ga. KTM (10-11)
10. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki (13-9)

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 50
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 42
3. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 42
4. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM, 36
5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda, 28
6. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 27
7. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 24
8. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 22
9. Joseph Savatgy, Cairo, Ga. KTM, 21
10. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki, 20

WMX Class (Moto Finish)

1. Courtney Duncan, New Zealand, Yamaha (1-1)
2. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Japan, Honda (2-3)
3. Taylor Higgins, Mesquite, Texas, Honda (4-4)
4. Mackenzie Tricker, Australia, Yamaha (3-6)
5. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM (6-5)
6. Alexah Pearson, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (5-8)
7. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Kawasaki (7-7)
8. Sara Pettersson, Sweden, KTM (8-9)
9. Hailey Larson, Mill Valley, Calif., Honda (9-10)
10. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (30-2)

WMX Triple Crown Points

1. Courtney Duncan, New Zealand, Yamaha 50
2. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Japan, Honda 42
3. Taylor Higgins, Mesquite, Texas, Honda 36
4. Mackenzie Tricker, Australia, Yamaha 35
5. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM 31
6. Alexah Pearson, Sacramento, Calif., KTM 29
7. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Kawasaki 28
8. Sara Pettersson, Sweden, KTM 25
9. Hailey Larson, Mill Valley, Calif., Honda 23
10. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha 22

MX Sports Pro Racing

MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world’s most prestigious professional motocross series – the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The industry leader in off road power sport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.

Alli Sports

Alli Sports is a media, event and branded content company that specializes in action, adventure, and adrenaline based sports.  Alli Properties include the Dew Tour, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, the Red Bull Signature Series, GoPro World of Adventure Sports and Octane Academy; Alli Media, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners and distributes content through a variety of channels; and Alli enterprises consisting of E-commerce, event merchandise and branded licensed product.  Alli Sports is a division of the NBC Sports Group.  More information can be found at www.Allisports.com.

AMA Pro Racing 

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

NBC Sports Group

When the Comcast-NBCUniversal transaction was completed in January 2011, the sports assets of the two companies combined to form the NBC Sports Group, which serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. The sports media company consists of a unique array of broadcast television, cable television, radio and digital sports assets, including NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBC Sports Network, Golf Channel, 11 NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports Radio and all of their respective digital properties. The NBC Sports Group possesses an unparalleled collection of television rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee, the NFL, NHL, PGA TOUR, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, Premier League, MLS, Tour de France, French Open, Formula One, IndyCar and many more.

Lucas Oil Products 

Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, lubricants and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, lubricants and problem-solving performance additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry.  Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the “Official Motor Oil of the Pro Motocross Championship.” Visit www.LucasOil.com.

Villopoto wins 10th Monster Energy Supercross race of 2013 in Las Vegas

Hahn and Roczen Claim Regional 250SX Championships

LAS VEGAS, NV – May 4, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto capped of his title-winning season by earning his 10th Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race tonight before 39,504 fans at Sam Boyd Stadium. GEICO Honda’s Wil Hahn won the first Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship of his career as three-time AMSOIL Arenacross Champion Tyler Bowers won the first 250SX Class race of his career. Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen captured then first Western Regional 250SX Championship of his career as GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac won his fifth Main Event of the season. Roczen went on to win the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout.

 

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer started the 450SX Class with the Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot Award. Villopoto rebounded from a mid-pack start to take over the lead from his teammate Weimer at the end of the opening lap. Villopoto led from wire to wire en route to the victory.

Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, who came into tonight’s race trailing Rockstar Energy Racing’s Davi Millsaps by three points in the battle for second place in season standings, moved into second place on Lap 5.

Millsaps pulled into the number-three position behind Dungey to secure second place in the season standings. Dungey finished the race in second and finished third in season standings.

“This is a great way to cap the season off,” said Villopoto. “We rebounded this year from a bad start at the season opener and won the title. There is no better way to end a season than like this.”

In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event, Gavin Faith won the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award, leading Hahn through turn one. After the opening lap, Bowers moved into second place before taking over the lead on Lap 2.

Hahn secured the number-two position on Lap 5, and on the same lap, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin, who came into tonight’s race five points behind Hahn in the championship standings, moved into third place.

Musquin managed to pass Hahn for second and staged a late-race charge on Bowers, crossing the finish line just inches apart.

“Right now, I do not know what to say,” said Hahn. “Marvin [Musquin] has been making a string comeback on me, and coming into this race, I may not have been in the most ideal situation, but I am glad I pulled it off.”

“This was an amazing race for me,” said Bowers. “I had a great AMSOIL Arenacross season and come into supercross ready to put in some good races. This is the perfect way to close out the season.”

GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne led the field through turn one of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class race, winning the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award with Rockstar Energy Racing’s Ryan Sipes and Davalos in tow. Davalos quickly worked his way into the lead on the opening lap. Coming into tonight’s race, Roczen led GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac by five points in season point standings. Roczen worked his way into third place on the opening lap after starting in fifth place.

On lap 4, Roczen advanced to second place as Davalos controlled the lead. Tomac made the best of his sixth place start and began working his way through the field, passing Roczen on Lap 9 and Davalos for the lead on Lap 11.

Roczen successfully passed Davalos on the 14th lap, which secured the brand’s first-ever 250SX Class Championship.

“I am so happy right now,” said Roczen. “This was a close race tonight and the championship was intense. I really hope that the fans enjoyed tonight’s race. I was riding with a lot of weight [on my shoulders], but I am so excited right now.”

“It was a year of ups and downs,” said Tomac. “This is going to make me better as I make the transition to the 450SX Class next year.”

Newly crowned champion Roczen opened the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout with the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award followed by his teammate Musquin. At the end of the opening lap, Musquin moved into the lead, and on the following lap, the two traded places several times before Roczen made a pass and rode to the first shootout win of his career.

MyPlash Yamaha’s Kyle Cunningham passed Musquin for second place on Lap 5 and rode to the best finish of his career.

“This race was really important to me because this is my last 250SX race in supercross because I am moving up next year,” said Roczen. “This is my first shootout win and it feels great.”

450SX Class Results: Las Vegas

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
3. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
5. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
6. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda
7. Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki
8. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha
9. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki

 

450SX Class Season Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 371
2. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 338
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 337
4. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Kawasaki, 277
5. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda, 239
6. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 221
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 214
8. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha, 190
9. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 176
10. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 174

 

Western Regional 250SX Class Results: Las Vegas

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
3. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki
4. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
5. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Kent., Suzuki
6. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki
7. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM
8. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
9. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki
10. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM

 

Western Regional 250SX Class Points

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM, 185
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 183
3. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 148
4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 139
5. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki, 134
6. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 114
7. Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 112
8. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 99
9. Joe Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM, 98
10. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM, 88

 

Eastern Regional 250SX Class: Las Vegas

1. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Kent., Kawasaki
2. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM
3. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
4. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
5. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda
6. Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda
7. Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., KTM
8. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Canada, Honda
9. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, Honda
10. AJ Catanzaro, Portland, Conn., Kawasaki

 

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Season Standings

1. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 198
2. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 195
3. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki, 171
4. Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda, 118
5. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda, 116
6. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Canada, Honda, 96
7. Dean Wilson, Sweden, Kawasaki, 87
8. Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., KTM, 80
9. Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda, 78
10. AJ Catanzaro, Portland, Conn., Kawasaki, 73

 

Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
2. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
3. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM
4. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki
5. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
6. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki
7. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Kent., Suzuki
8. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
9. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM
10. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki

 

KTM Junior Supercross Challenge

1. Austin Eddy, Barstow, Calif., KTM
2. Nathaniel Beckett, Anderson, Calif., KTM
3. Braxton Brown, Lowell, Ohio, KTM
4. Tucker Nelson, Garnett, Kansas, KTM
5. Syrus Butts, Goshen, Utah, KTM
6. Jack Carrigg, Oak View, Calif., KTM
7. Ryder Difrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., KTM
8. Raice Abney, Tecumseh, Okla., KTM
9. Deegan Cooley, Spring Grove, Ill., KTM
10. Grayson Fair, Jonesboro, La., KTM
11. Doty Reese, Corona, Calif., KTM
12. Gavin Mays, Delaware, Ohio, KTM
13. Mitchell Sandoval, Kissimmee, Fla., KTM
14. Xander Kirkbride, Preston, Idaho, KTM
15. Carter Malcolm, Littleton, Colo., KTM

For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross. To follow Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, log on to www.facebook.com/supercrossLive www.Twitter.com/supercrosslive and www.instagram.com/SupercrossLive.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com.SupercrossLive. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.

About Feld Motor Sports®

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross and Nuclear Cowboyz®.  Feld Motor Sports is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit  www.feldentertainment.com.

####

Team Honda Muscle Milk Scores Top-Five Finishes in Salt Lake City

TORRANCE, CA – May 1,2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The penultimate round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship race, made its way to Salt Lake City, UT, this past Saturday, and 43,149 fans filled Rice-Eccles Stadium to witness the action. Leading the charge for the Honda Red Riders was the Team Honda Muscle Milk duo of Trey Canard and Justin Barcia, both finishing 4-5 respectively. Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda rider Eli Tomac had a trying night in the main event, but was able to close his deficit to a mere five points in the championship heading into the final round.

450 Race
With a solid second-place finish in his heat race, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard headed into the main event with a good gate pick. Jumping off the line to a fifth-place start, Canard was able to make his way into fourth a few laps in and continued to lay down consistent times throughout the entire 20-lap race. “It was a really good day for me, especially after last weekend,” stated Canard. “I think I need some more days like this. The main was especially good for me through the whoops, it’s the best I have ever ridden the whoops and they were really tough. I was really happy, we were able to progress the bike throughout the day. It was a really demanding track physically, especially with the altitude. I am happy to come away with a fourth and to be healthy heading into the final round.”

After scoring his second win of the season last weekend, Justin Barcia was hoping to carry that same momentum into Utah. He posted the fifth-quickest qualifying time in practice and was able to grab a third in his heat race. Despite getting a mid-pack start in the main event, Barcia made his way into sixth by the end of the first lap. A few laps later, he made the pass into fifth, which is where he settled for the night.

“I’m a little disappointed with my finish, especially after my win last weekend,” explained Barcia. “The track was super tough, it was technical and tight, and I rode really tight. The whoops were gnarly, but the bike was working awesome. We made some good changes to the bike throughout the day, which really helped me. I’m ready to head into Vegas and hopefully grab another win, I have had some good luck there in the past.”

250 Race
This weekend also marked the eighth round of the Western Regional 250 Supercross and Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac caught a huge break in the championship chase, after the currents points leader was unable to qualify for the main event. Tomac had the opportunity to walk away with the points lead, and it looked like he was going to capitalize on it after grabbing a second-place start behind his teammate Zach Osborne. Unfortunately, Tomac struggled in the challenging whoops the entire 20-lap main event, causing him to lose multiple positions. He was able to recover and finish in sixth overall, putting him a mere five points behind the points leader heading into the final round in Las Vegas.

“I started the race in second, but just blew the race in the whoops,” said Tomac, who leads the category with four victories this year. “It was a section that just got me almost every time around. There were a couple of passes where I got through them OK, but there were others where I got wild and out of control.”

In the main event, Osborne earned the holeshot and was still fighting for a podium position when a crash in the whoops caused him to fall outside the top 10. He remounted his GEICO Honda CRF250R and ultimately finished in 12th place overall.

“I had a great day, actually,” Osborne said. “Up until I fell in the main everything was going really well. That kind of turned the whole deal. I just need to soldier-up and fight for a great finish in Vegas. I have nothing to lose and I plan to just go for it and try to get up on the podium.”

Suffering from a season-ending crash in Salt Lake City last year, Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda’s Cole Seely was able to put his nervousness aside and ride a noteworthy race to finish in second place overall on the podium.

The Focus: Suspension Settings
Suspension settings are key to the success of a rider and can be changed based on the track conditions and rider preference. Salt Lake City was a very tight and technical track, which required a few small changes to the Team Honda Muscle Milk CRF450Rs.

“The track today was very difficult, the whoop section specifically,” said Shane Drew, Honda’s chassis/suspension engineer. “The improvements that we made today was that we just increased the wheelbase of our bike to give more leverage on the rear shock, ultimately making it more stable in the whoops. We made a few other small adjustments to the high-speed settings of the shock, but nothing major. Both Trey and Justin ride very similar setups and each rider received the same changes.”

450 Supercross Class Overall Results

1. Ryan Villopoto
2. Davi Millsaps
3. Ryan Dungey
4.  Trey Canard (Honda)
5. Justin Barcia (Honda)
6. Justin Brayton
7. Josh Hill
8. Andrew Short
9. Weston Peick
10. Chad Reed (Honda)

450 Supercross Class Championship Points (after 16 of 17 rounds)

1. Ryan Villopoto 346
2. Davi Millsaps 318
3. Ryan Dungey 315
4. Justin Barcia 261
5. Chad Reed 224
6. Trey Canard 220
7. Andrew Short 202
8. Justin Brayton 177
9. James Stewart 174
10. Broc Tickle 165

250 Supercross West Class Overall Results

1. Jason Anderson
2. Cole Seely (Honda)
3. Martin Davalos
4. Malcolm Stewart
5. Christian Craig (Honda)
6. Eli Tomac (Honda)
7. Ryan Sipes
8. Tyla Rattray
9. Joey Savatgy
10. Travis Baker

250 Supercross West Class Championship Points (after 8 of 9 rounds)

1. Ken Roczen 163
2. Eli Tomac 158
3. Cole Seely 135
4. Jason Anderson 124
5. Martin Davalos 114
6. Zach Osborne 111
7. Kyle Cunningham 96
8. Christian Craig 87
9. Tyla Rattray 87
10. Joey Savatgy 87

About Honda

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. was established in 1959 and is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides in the U.S. The American Honda Motorcycle Division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through authorized Honda dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to www.powersports.honda.com.

About Muscle Milk

Muscle Milk® Ready-to-Drink is a protein-enhanced functional beverage that promotes workout recovery, lean muscle growth, and sustained energy. Muscle Milk takes the guesswork out of high performance nutrition, delivering a precise blend of premium proteins, complex carbohydrates, functional fats, vitamins & minerals. CytoSport™, the maker of Muscle Milk®, is among the largest sport nutrition protein beverage companies in the U.S. and offers a complete line of protein-enhanced powders, shakes and bars. Muscle Milk® was named Ready-to-Drink Beverage of the Year by bodybuilding.com, Best Functional Beverage and Beverage of the Year by BevNet and Company of the Year by Beverage Forum presented by Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World.

####

Yoshimura Riders Canard & Barcia Score Top 5 Finishes at Salt Lake

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – April 30, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Yoshimura Backed Muscle Milk Honda rider, Trey Canard, grabbed a 5th place holeshot as the gate dropped on the 16th round of the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross. Canard maintained 5th, as the pack made its way around for lap 1, with teammate and Yoshimura backed rider Justin Barcia in tow. The duo stayed together throughout the race, making quick work of Justin Brayton in the opening laps, to finish out the race in the top 5. Canard took home 4th, and Bam Bam Justin Barcia rounded out with 5th place. That puts Barcia in 4th for the Championship standings, and Canard in 6th, as the Yoshimura backed Muscle Milk Honda team heads to the final round in Las Vegas.

Justin Barcia

Trey Canard

Yoshimura equipped RCH Suzuki ran a solid night. Josh Hill made it around the first lap in 9th, and was able to click off 2 positions to finish with a solid 7th. Josh Hill is currently sitting 15th in the Championship Standings. While the battle ensued up front, Brock Tickle was inching his way to the top 10. He finished the evening, just outside, in 11th. That made Tickle 10th in the Championship Standings, as RCH Suzuki heads to Las Vegas for the grand finale.

Broc Tickle

Josh Hill

The 250 class had its share of drama for the Salt Lake round, as the Supercross season draws to a close. Yoshimura backed GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac left Rice-Eccles Stadium 2nd in the Championship points chase. GEICO Honda teammates Zach Osborne and Tomac came out swinging in the main event, as the duo grabbed the 1st and 2nd holeshot positions. A few bobbles from each of the riders, got them uncharacteristically moderate finishing results. Tomac finished 6th, and Osborne grabbed 12th. The Tomac/Osborne duo sits 2nd and 6th in the Championship Points, respectively.

Zach Osborne

Eli Tomac

The 2013 Monster Energy Supercross Championship season draws to a close, next weekend at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

450SX Results:

4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, OK – Honda Muscle Milk, Titanium Carbon RS9 Dual Full System

5. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, GA – Honda Muscle Milk, Titanium Carbon RS9 Dual Full System

7. Josh Hill, Portland, OR – RCH Racing Suzuki, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

11. Brock Tickle, Holly, MI – RCH Racing Suzuki, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

East 250SX Results:

6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, CO – GEICO Honda, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

12. Zach Osborne, Richlands, VA – GEICO Honda, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

About Yoshimura R&D of America

Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com

####

Barcia Scores His Second Career 450 Victory in Seattle

TORRANCE, CA- April – (Motor Sports Newswire) – For the 15th round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, the Honda Red Riders headed to the rainy Pacific Northwest to do battle in front of 53,862 people at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field. Despite tough, muddy conditions Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia rode an exceptional race, leading wire-to-wire to capture his second career 450-class victory. It was also a stellar night for the Muscle Milk-backed GEICO Honda team, with Eli Tomac and Zach Osborne finishing 2-3 respectively on the podium.

450 Race
Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia may be the 450-class rookie, but he definitely doesn’t ride like it. With the second-quickest qualifying time in practice and a second in his heat race, the day started off solid for Barcia. In the main event, Barcia raced his way to the holeshot and despite constant pressure throughout the race he stayed consistent and led the entire 20 laps to take the win. This victory nearly mirrored his performance at round two when he led wire-to-wire to capture his first win of the season.

“This is an unreal feeling,” stated Barcia. “The last few weeks have been frustrating with fourth-place finishes so it is awesome to finally make it happen. I haven’t been getting good starts and there isn’t much you can do to catch up from a bad start, especially with the speed of this class. I was really looking for a podium tonight and to be able to get the win is so awesome. The start was awesome; I have been working hard at home and we made some changes to the bike so I think you’ll be seeing better starts from now on. I have two holeshots and two wins so that’s pretty cool. It was an intense race though. I heard Ryan back there and he was charging so I just tried to stay as consistent as possible, which worked. I’m so stoked right now.”

Teammate Trey Canard had a roller-coaster night aboard his Honda CRF450R; he was fourth quickest in practice and posted a third in his heat race behind Barcia. Canard got off the line in the back half of the field but was able to make his way up to sixth by the end of the first lap. By lap five, he had made his way into fourth until going down and ultimately being sidelined for the remainder of the race.

250 Race
After an eight-week hiatus the Western Regional 250 Supercross class resumed this weekend for round seven of the series and the Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda duo of Eli Tomac and Zach Osborne both claimed podium positions. Tomac nailed down the holeshot in the main event and led for a majority of the race, until he went down hard on lap 10. He quickly jumped up and was able to resume the race in second, which is where he finished. Tomac sits second overall in the championship points chase, with a 20-point deficit heading into Salt Lake City.

“I was hoping to close the gap a little today, but wasn’t able to,” explained Tomac. “I was fired up heading into the main after winning my heat race. I got a good start and was able to establish a nice lead for most of the race, but I got stuck in a deep rut coming out of the whoops and went over the bars. Luckily, I was able to get back up on the bike and hold onto a podium spot. I haven’t made repeating the championship easy on us but I will fight till the very end.”

It was exciting night for Osborne, who captured his first podium finish of the season with a third-place overall. “The whole day went really good for me,” said Osborne. “The practice and my heat race both went good, which gave me confidence heading into the main. I got a solid start and was able to work my way through the pack. I got into third and was able to stay there till the end.”

After starting outside the top 10, Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda’s Cole Seely was able to work his way through the field and post a solid fourth-place finish.

The Focus: Fort Lewis Appearance
On Friday April 19, Barcia and Canard were given a special opportunity to show their appreciation to the men and women on Fort Lewis Military base. Barcia and Canard signed autographs and took photos with the troops and their families. Muscle Milk representatives were on hand, passing out samples to everyone in attendance.

450 Supercross Class Overall Results

1. Justin Barcia (Honda)
2. Ryan Villopoto
3. Davi Millsaps
4. Ryan Dungey
5. Jake Weimer
6. Mike Alessi
7. Broc Tickle
8. Justin Brayton
9. Andrew Short
10. Phillip Nicoletti

450 Supercross Class Championship Points (after 15 of 17 rounds)

1. Ryan Villopoto 321
2. Davi Millsaps 296
3. Ryan Dungey 295
4. Justin Barcia 245
5. Chad Reed 213
6. Trey Canard 202
7. Andrew Short 189
8. James Stewart 174
9. Justin Brayton 162
10. Broc Tickle 155

250 Supercross West Class Overall Results

1. Ken Roczen
2. Eli Tomac (Honda)
3. Zach Osborne (Honda)
4. Cole Seely (Honda)
5. Tyla Rattray
6. Austin Politelli
7. Ryan Sipes
8. Joey Savatgy
9. Martin Davalos
10. Jason Anderson

250 Supercross West Class Championship Points (after 7 of 9 rounds)

1. Ken Roczen 163
2. Eli Tomac 143
3. Cole Seely 113
4. Zach Osborne 102
5. Jason Anderson 99
6. Martin Davalos 94
7. Kyle Cunningham 86
8. Joey Savatgy 75
9. Tyla Rattray 74
10. Austin Politelli 72

About Honda

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. was established in 1959 and is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides in the U.S. The American Honda Motorcycle Division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through authorized Honda dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to www.powersports.honda.com.

About Muscle Milk

Muscle Milk® Ready-to-Drink is a protein-enhanced functional beverage that promotes workout recovery, lean muscle growth, and sustained energy. Muscle Milk takes the guesswork out of high performance nutrition, delivering a precise blend of premium proteins, complex carbohydrates, functional fats, vitamins & minerals. CytoSport™, the maker of Muscle Milk®, is among the largest sport nutrition protein beverage companies in the U.S. and offers a complete line of protein-enhanced powders, shakes and bars. Muscle Milk® was named Ready-to-Drink Beverage of the Year by bodybuilding.com, Best Functional Beverage and Beverage of the Year by BevNet and Company of the Year by Beverage Forum presented by Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World.

####

Yoshimura Rider Justin Barcia Scores his 2nd Win of the Season

SEATTLE, WA – April 23 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The 2013 Monster Energy Supercross made its way to the rainy Northwest for the 15th round of the series at CenturyLink Field. Riders were met with soggy conditions that tested their ability to maintain control over their motorcycle, despite the ever-changing track conditions.

Broc Tickle

Justin Barcia

Yoshimura equipped Muscle Milk Honda’s Justin Barcia rode a flawless 450 main event to take the checkered flag in first place. Barcia ripped the holeshot and avoided the first turn carnage that claimed several riders. He stretched out his lead and remained uncontested for the duration of the race as track conditions resembled those of his Upstate New York home. Seattle marks the second 450 Main win for the Yoshimura powered Muscle Milk Honda camp and Justin Barcia.

Trey Canard

Josh Hill

RCH Suzuki’s Josh Hill had an interesting night, as he found himself tangled in the first turn pileup. Hill rode his Yoshimura powered Suzuki from the very back of the pack to a hard-fought and commendable 12th. Teammate Broc Tickle made it comfortably into the top 10, with a 7th place finish.

Zach Osborne

Eli Tomac

In the 250 West SX class, Yoshimura backed GEICO Honda riders climbed to the podium, with Eli Tomac and Zach Osborne taking 2nd and 3rd respectively. Eli had an amazing night — leading much of the 250 West Main Event — before a spectacular over-the-bars get off put him on the ground. He gathered himself back up to finish the race in second. Teammate Zach Osborne was also on fire and nailed down his first podium of the year. The podium pair also set the top 2 fastest lap times in 250 A group qualifying practice.

450SX Results:

1. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, GA – Honda Muscle Milk, Titanium Carbon RS9 Dual Full System

7. Brock Tickle, Holly, MI – RCH Racing Suzuki, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

12. Josh Hill, Portland, OR – RCH Racing Suzuki, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

18. Trey Canard, Shawnee, OK – Honda Muscle Milk, Titanium Carbon RS9 Dual Full System

East 250SX Results:

2. Eli Tomac, Cortez,CO – GEICO Honda, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

3. Zach Osborne, Richlands,VA – GEICO Honda, Titanium Carbon RS4 Full System

About Yoshimura R&D of America

Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com

####

Rookie Barcia Wins Second Career Monster Energy Supercross Main Event in Seattle

Roczen Claims Third Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Victory

SEATTLE, WA – April 20, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returned to the West Coast for the 15^th race of the season on Saturday night in front of a crowd of 53,862 inside Seattle’s CenturyLink Field. Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia posted a wire-to-wire performance to win his second career 450SX Class Main Event. Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen captured his third 250SX Class victory in four races in the Western Regional Championship’s return to competition.

Barcia raced to the Nuclear Cowboyz^® Holeshot Award to begin the 450SX Class Main Event, with MotoConcepts Racing’s Mike Alessi and Slaton Racing Honda’s Vince Friese in tow. Villopoto positioned himself in the top five, while a first-turn pileup claimed both Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and TwoTwo Motorsports Honda’s Chad Reed.

Villopoto wasted little time in moving forward and was in second place by Lap 2, just a few tenths behind Barcia. Rockstar Energy Racing’s Davi Millsaps followed Villopoto into third place.

Both Barcia and Villopoto slowly pulled away from Millsaps as the race progressed, setting the stage for a battle to the finish. The Seattle crowd cheered on Villopoto, their hometown rider, but as the duo encountered lapped riders, Barcia’s lead began to increase.

Barcia led all 20 laps of the Main Event, mirroring the performance from his inaugural 450SX Class victory at the second race of the season in Phoenix.

“I tell you what, that holeshot is so key,” said Barcia. “We made some great changes today on the bike. It was a tough track with so many lines, but there was one main line that was so much better than any other. I’ve been waiting for this since Phoenix.”

Villopoto’s runner-up finish extended his podium streak to nine races, during which he has finished either first or second.

“I didn’t get the start I wanted, so to come out the way I did and salvage that was awesome,” said Villopoto. “I rode 20 solid laps but Justin [Barcia] was on it. I just really couldn’t do anything with him. The way it turned out tonight was pretty good for what we were up against [at the start].”

Millsaps finished third for his 10^th podium finish of the season, and moved into second in the championship standings. Dungey overcame the incident on the opening lap to finish fourth after starting in 18^th position.

Villopoto holds a 25-point lead over Millsaps in the 450SX Class standings and can clinch his third straight Monster Energy Supercross title if he maintains that advantage following next weekend’s 16^th race of the season.

In the first Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Main Event since the sixth race of the season in February, GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac grabbed the Nuclear CowboyzHoleshot Award and quickly pulled away from the field. Behind him, Rockstar Energy Racing’s Ryan Sipes and Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Christian Craig assumed second and third, respectively. Roczen positioned himself in fourth, but moved into a podium spot prior to the conclusion of the opening lap.

With his championship rival behind him, Tomac opened a multiple-second margin as Roczen methodically moved past Craig into second on Lap 2. For several laps, the pair maintained their distance from one another until Tomac came up short on a jump on Lap 9 and was thrown off his motorcycle. Roczen assumed the lead, but Tomac was able to remount in second.

Roczen pulled away for the remainder of the 15-lap Main Event to extend his lead in the point standings. He has finished first or second in each of the seven Western Regional 250SX Class Championship races this season.

“It’s good to bounce back from a bad Heat Race with good start,” said Roczen, who crashed twice in his Heat Race. “I just put my head down and rode smart. The track was really technical out there, with a lot of ruts. It feels good to get a win after such a long break; it’s tough to get in a groove after so much time off, but I’m so happy I was able to walk away with this one.”

Despite his misfortune, Tomac still finished second, but faces a significant deficit in the championship with only two races remaining.

“The track was getting tough in the Main Event,” said Tomac, who still has the most wins in the class with four. “I got a good start and started pulling away, but then I made a big mistake. It’s kind of a bummer, but that’s racing. I was lucky enough to be able to get up in second and still finish on the podium.”

GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne secured his first podium finish of the season in third.

Roczen carries a 20-point advantage over Tomac into next weekend’s eighth race of the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship.

Tonight’s 450SX Class race will air on CBS, tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the 250SX Class on SPEED at 5:30 p.m. ET. Monster Energy Supercross travels to Salt Lake City next Saturday, April 27, for the penultimate race of the season from Rice Eccles Stadium.

450SX Class Results: Seattle

1. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
3. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
5. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
6. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki
7. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
8. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha
9. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
10. Phillip Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., Yamaha

450SX Class Season Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 321
2. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 296
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 295
4. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 245
5. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda, 213
6. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 202
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 189
8. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 174
9. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha, 162
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 155

Western Regional 250SX Class Results: Seattle

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
3. Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
4. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
5. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki
6. Austin Politelli, Menifee, Calif., Honda
7. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Suzuki
8. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki
10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki

Western Regional 250SX Class Points

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM, 163
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 143
3. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 113
4. Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 102
5. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 99
6. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki, 94
7. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 86
8. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM, 75
9. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 74
10. Austin Politelli, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 72

Supercross LIVE!^® is back in 2013 with a three-hour mid-raceday program from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. local time. Hosts, Jim Holley, a former World Supercross Champion, and Kevin Barnett, a former member of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team and professional broadcaster, will provide in-depth analysis of the afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions as the riders and teams prepare for the night racing, in addition to interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage. As the only place to follow live practice and qualifying coverage from Monster Energy Supercross, Supercross LIVE! provides fans with an inside perspective before the gate drops on the night’s qualifying and Main Events.  Additionally, there will be video snippets made available throughout the race day that can be viewed on www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross, or the YouTube Channel www.YouTube.com/SupercrossLive. To access the live streaming broadcasts, go to www.SupercrossOnline.com/SupercrossLive or subscribe to the Supercross LIVE! streaming channel at http://new.LiveStream.com/Supercrosslive.

For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross. To follow Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, log on to www.facebook.com/supercrossLive www.Twitter.com/supercrosslive and www.instagram.com/SupercrossLive.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com.SupercrossLive. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.

About Feld Motor Sports^®

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross and Nuclear Cowboyz^®.  Feld Motor Sports is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit  www.feldentertainment.com.

 

####

Barcia Finishes on the Podium at the Daytona Supercross by Honda

TORRANCE, CA – March 12, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Round 10 of the 2013 Supercross season took place Saturday at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. This year’s Daytona Supercross by Honda marked Honda’s 22nd year sponsoring this unique and historic event. Race fans filled the stands to witness an impressive showing by the Honda Red Riders, with four out of the top six aboard Honda CRF450Rs. Team Honda Muscle Milk rookie Justin Barcia took the podium with a third-place finish in his first Daytona 450 Supercross-class appearance. Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda’s Wil Hahn finished a solid second place at round four of the Eastern Regional 250 Supercross class.

450 Race
Despite the brutal track conditions, it was a noteworthy night for Barcia who nabbed his fourth podium appearance of the season with a third. Following a strong heat race win, Barcia spent the first half of the main event in second place. Succumbing to the pressure of another rider, Barcia settled into third and focused on staying consistent the remainder of the race.

“I am happy with how tonight went and love being up on the podium,” stated Barcia. “I want to win but both Ryans were riding really good tonight, so I’m happy just to be up here with them. The track was brutal, and felt like an outdoor race for me. I rode the best I could and had a lot of fun.”

Sitting in fifth on the opening lap, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard did his best to log consistent laps throughout the 20-lap main event. A few small mistakes moved him into sixth, which is where he finished. “It has been a rough couple of weeks for me,” stated Canard. “I gave all my effort but know that I have some things I need to work on. I’m happy to be healthy and moving onto the next race.”

Muscle Milk-sponsored GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac scored his career-best finish aboard his Honda CRF450R with a fourth-place overall. Despite a mid-pack start Tomac moved steadily through the field, making his way from ninth on the opening lap to fourth by the halfway mark, which is where he settled.

“I am really pleased with how tonight went,” stated Tomac. “I finally rode like I know how to and felt really comfortable on the bike. I didn’t get the best start but was able to relax and make the passes I needed to. I’m learning a lot this time on the 450 and definitely feel like I know what it takes to ride at this level.”

TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed put together an impressive performance in his heat after a first-lap crash left him at the back of the pack. He charged through the field and managed to go from last up to fifth, transferring him into the main. In the main, Reed grabbed a good start and quickly worked his way into the top five before a mistake at the halfway mark dropped him two positions. He was able to recover and finish fifth.

250 Race
Muscle Milk-backed GEICO Honda rider Wil Hahn continued to impress aboard his CRF250R, nailing down second and extending his points lead to five heading into the next round. Hahn started the night out strong, grabbing the holeshot in his heat and leading wire-to-wire. In the main event he came through the first turn in fourth before quickly making his way into third. With six laps remaining Hahn made his move on second, which is where he finished.

“I am satisfied with a second this weekend,” Hahn said. “The heat win really helped my confidence heading into the night, so that was cool. I got a fourth-place start in the main and just tried to stay consistent and capitalize on any mistakes that were made in front of me. I wanted to win but by the time I got into second Marvin (Musquin) was gone.”

Following a second-place finish in his heat, teammate Zach Bell went down twice in the main event to place 18th overall. “I had a really good heat race finishing second behind Wil (Hahn) so I wanted to work off that, but the main didn’t go as well as I had hoped,” said Bell. “I got a great start but came together with Dean (Wilson) and fell down. I made my way back up to eighth but towards the end fell again and finished 18th.”

The Focus: Honda Daytona Kick-Off Party

The 2013 Supercross season marked the 22nd anniversary of The Daytona Supercross by Honda, and this high-profile event served as the perfect venue to also celebrate American Honda’s 40 years of motocross racing in the USA. To help celebrate, Honda hosted a Daytona Supercross Kick-Off party Friday evening. Team Honda Muscle Milk riders along with the other Honda racing stars came out to Honda’s main display area for a meet and greet with fans and an autograph session. Hundreds of fans arrived to enjoy music, snacks and to meet their favorite riders. It was an impressive list of riders in attendance including: Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, Chad Reed, Kevin Windham, Eli Tomac, Wil Hahn and Zach Bell. Also in attendance were Honda racing legends Gary Jones, Jeff Stanton and Supercross King Jeremy McGrath.

About Honda

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. was established in 1959 and is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides in the U.S. The American Honda Motorcycle Division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through authorized Honda dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to www.powersports.honda.com.

About Muscle Milk

Muscle Milk® Ready-to-Drink is a protein-enhanced functional beverage that promotes workout recovery, lean muscle growth, and sustained energy. Muscle Milk takes the guesswork out of high performance nutrition, delivering a precise blend of premium proteins, complex carbohydrates, functional fats, vitamins & minerals. CytoSport™, the maker of Muscle Milk®, is among the largest sport nutrition protein beverage companies in the U.S. and offers a complete line of protein-enhanced powders, shakes and bars. Muscle Milk® was named Ready-to-Drink Beverage of the Year by bodybuilding.com, Best Functional Beverage and Beverage of the Year by BevNet and Company of the Year by Beverage Forum presented by Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World.

####

Millsaps Dominates in San Diego to Extend Championship Lead

Tomac Takes Control of 250SX Class for Fourth Win of the Season

SAN DIEGO, CA – February 9, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The sixth race of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, signified the final California stop of the 2013 season on Saturday night, with 55,361 spectators in attendance inside Qualcomm Stadium. For the second time this season, Rockstar Energy Racing’s Davi Millsaps captured the victory with a wire-to-wire performance that extended his lead in the 450SX standings. GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac won his fourth Western Regional 250SX Class race of the season, closing his deficit in the championship.

Millsaps pulled an advantage out of the gate of the 20-lap Main Event to secure the Nuclear Cowboyz^® Holeshot Award, with Dodge/Sycuan Casino/RCH Racing Suzuki’s Broc Tickle and TwoTwo Motorsports Honda’s Chad Reed in tow. Championship contenders Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto, and Trey Canard, who sit second through fourth in the points, all started outside the top five, with Canard crossing the line outside the top 10 on the opening lap.

As the pace settled in, Millsaps and Reed pulled Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia into a three-rider tandem that opened a gap over the field. Reed pressured Millsaps for several laps and even looked to make a pass, but lost traction on Lap 9 while in pursuit, dropping to seventh. Barcia assumed Reed’s spot in second and stayed close to Millsaps as the pair worked through lapped riders, but eventually the championship leader pulled away for his second win inside Qualcomm Stadium.

“What can I say, when you’re able to pull the holeshot and ride 20 clean laps you make life a lot easier on yourself,” commented Millsaps, who has now won multiple races in a season for the second time in his career. “It’s been a great start to the season and everyone is working hard to make this happen. You have to be there every week in order to have a chance to win this thing (the championship), and we’re doing our best to keep it out front.”

Barcia followed Millsaps across the line in the runner-up position, while Red Bull KTM’s Dungey, last week’s winner, worked his way through the field to finish third. Reed rebounded from his earlier misfortune to finish fifth, while Villopoto also experienced misfortune aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki en route to finishing sixth. Canard battled from behind to finish eighth.

Millsaps extended his advantage in the 450SX Class Championship to 19 points over Dungey as the season heads east for the first time.

Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson emerged with the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award to start the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event, with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Martin Davalos and JDR/J-Star KTM’s Malcolm Stewart closely behind. As he made a push for the lead on the opening lap, Davalos lost control of his bike and crashed, falling to the tail end of the field.

Davalos’ misfortune allowed Tomac to move into second position and set his sights on Anderson in the lead. On Lap 4, Tomac made an inside move on Anderson just before the finish and from there opened a comfortable lead. Behind this battle, Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen moved himself into podium position and it wasn’t long before he was on Anderson’s rear fender for second.

Roczen took over the position from Anderson on Lap 7 and set a pace that helped him close the gap on Tomac’s lead. As the laps wound down, Roczen closed in on Tomac and had a chance to steal the win on the final lap. A final desperation move in the final turn put Roczen alongside Tomac heading to the finish, but he missed out on a third straight victory by mere bike lengths.

The Western Regional 250SX Class Championship will now take a break from competition until April 20 in Seattle.

“This was the best way to go into the break,” said Tomac, who has the most wins in the class. “It was an awesome race out there and a good track. It was a little close in the end, but it was a fun race. This place (Qualcomm Stadium) has been hot and cold for me. I won here in 2011, got a DNF last year, and now won here again. We’ll go into the break with some confidence.”

Roczen holds a 17-point lead over Tomac with three races remaining in the championship.

Monster Energy Supercross continues next weekend, from Arlington, Texas. The annual stop inside Cowboys Stadium will mark the beginning of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship and the seventh race for the 450SX Class. The action begins next Saturday, February 16, at 8 p.m. ET. SPEED will provide live coverage of the race at 8:30 p.m. ET.

450SX Class Results: San Diego

1. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
2. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
5. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda
6. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
7. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha
8. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
9. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
10. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki

450SX Class Points

1. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 132
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 113
3. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 105
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 105
5. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda, 97
6. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 83
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 83
8. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 74
9. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha, 67
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 57

Western Regional 250SX Class Results: San Diego

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
3. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki
4. Austin Politelli, Riverside, Calif., Honda
5. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
6. Travis Baker, Romoland, Calif., Yamaha
7. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda
8. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki
10. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda

Western Regional 250SX Class Points

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM, 138
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 121
3. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda, 95
4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 88
5. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 83
6. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki, 82
7. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda, 82
8. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM, 62
9. Christian Craig, Wildomar, Calif., Honda, 62
10. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 60

Supercross LIVE!^® is back in 2013 with a three-hour mid-raceday program from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. local time. Hosts, Jim Holley, a former World Supercross Champion, and Kevin Barnett, a former member of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team and professional broadcaster, will provide in-depth analysis of the afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions as the riders and teams prepare for the night racing, in addition to interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage. As the only place to follow live practice and qualifying coverage from Monster Energy Supercross, Supercross LIVE! provides fans with an inside perspective before the gate drops on the night’s qualifying and Main Events.  Additionally, there will be video snippets made available throughout the race day that can be viewed on www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross, or the YouTube Channel www.YouTube.com/SupercrossLive. To access the live streaming broadcasts, go to www.SupercrossOnline.com/SupercrossLive or subscribe to the Supercross LIVE! streaming channel at http://new.LiveStream.com/Supercrosslive.

For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross. To follow Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, log on to www.facebook.com/supercrossLive and www.instagram.com/SupercrossLive.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com.SupercrossLive. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.

About Feld Motor Sports^®

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross and Nuclear Cowboyz^®.  Feld Motor Sports is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit  www.feldentertainment.com.

####

Villopoto Dominates Monster Energy Supercross in Oakland

Roczen Races to First 250SX Class Win and Moves into Points Lead

OAKLAND, CA – January 26, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., raced to his second-consecutive Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, 450SX Class Main Event win at O.co Coliseum before a record crowd of 46,896. Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, of Germany, won his first Western Regional 250SX Class race of the season, snapping Eli Tomac’s three-race win streak.

Villopoto jumped out to an early lead, scoring the Nuclear Cowboyz^® Holeshot Award. JGRMX/Toyota/Yamaha’s Justin Brayton, of Cornelius, N.C., and Rockstar Energy Racing’s Davi Millsaps, of Murrieta, Calif., followed Villopoto in second and third, respectively. A huge crash in turn two collected TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed, Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart and Team Honda/Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia. Stewart and Reed re-entered the race near the back of the pack and Barcia was forced to withdraw from the race.

By Lap 3, Villopoto established a 7-second lead over Millsaps, who passed Brayton for the number-two position on the same lap. Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., passed Brayton for second place on Lap 11. Millsaps finished second and Dungey finished third.

“The points race is what we are going after, and winning the holeshot gives you a great advantage,” said Villopoto. “We made some changes to the bike today that I think really helped us out there tonight, so hats off to my team. It is a long season, and we are going to keep plugging away.”

JDR KTM’s Joey Savatgy, of Thomasville, Ga., opened the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event with the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award, leading Roczen and Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda’s Cole Seely, of Newbury Park, Calif., respectively, through turn one. On the opening lap, Seely passed Savatgy for the lead and Roczen followed suit, passing Savatgy for second place. Current points leader Eli Tomac, of Cortez, Colo., crossed the finish line on the opening lap in eighth place.

Tomac, who rides for the GEICO Honda team, crashed on Lap 1 and re-entered the race in 18^th place. On Lap 5, Tomac crashed again in the whoops section and was unable to finish the race. Tomac came into night’s race undefeated and had a nine-point lead in season point standings. He now sits third overall, 15 points out of the lead.

Roczen stalked Seely until Lap 11 when he made the pass for the lead. Seely finished second and Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson, of Edgewood, N.M., finished third. Roczen has an 11-point lead in season point standings over Seely.

“I am so happy with this win tonight,” said Roczen. “There was a lot of bar banging on that opening lap, but I charged hard and got out front. I am excited to bring this momentum back to Angel Stadium next weekend.”

Tonight’s 450SX Class race will air on CBS tomorrow at Noon ET and SPEED will air the 250SX Class race at 5:00 p.m. ET. Monster Energy Supercross will continue next Saturday night, February 2, at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif.

450SX Class Results: Oakland

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
5. Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Fla., Suzuki
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
7. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., KTM
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
9. Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda
10. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha

450SX Class Points

1. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki – 85
2. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 78
3. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 77
4. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 68
5. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda – 65
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda – 56
7. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 47
8. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha – 42
9. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 41
10. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., KTM – 39

Western Regional 250SX Class Results: Oakland

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
2. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda
3. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki
4. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki
5. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM
6. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, N.M., KTM
7. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
8. Austin Politelli, Riverside, Calif., Honda
9. Christian Craig, Wildomar, Calif., Honda
10. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda

Western Regional 250SX Class Points

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM – 91
2. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 80
3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 76
4. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda – 58
5. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki – 52
6. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 49
7. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki – 48
8. Christian Craig, Wildomar, Calif., Honda – 47
9. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM – 45
10. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki – 45

Supercross LIVE!^® is back in 2013 with a three-hour mid-raceday program from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. local time. Hosts, Jim Holley, a former World Supercross Champion, and Kevin Barnett, a former member of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team and professional broadcaster, will provide in-depth analysis of the afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions as the riders and teams prepare for the night racing, in addition to interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage. As the only place to follow live practice and qualifying coverage from Monster Energy Supercross, Supercross LIVE! provides fans with an inside perspective before the gate drops on the night’s qualifying and Main Events.  Additionally, there will be video snippets made available throughout the race day that can be viewed on www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross, or the YouTube Channel www.YouTube.com/SupercrossLive. To access the live streaming broadcasts, go to www.SupercrossOnline.com/SupercrossLive or subscribe to the Supercross LIVE! streaming channel at http://new.LiveStream.com/Supercrosslive.

For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross. To follow Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, log on to www.facebook.com/supercrossLive and www.instagram.com/SupercrossLive.com. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com.SupercrossLive. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.

About Feld Motor Sports^®

Feld Motor Sports^®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross, Nuclear Cowboyz^®, and IHRA^® Nitro Jam^®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

####