Written by Angela Tuesday, 14 July 2009 10:00
The AMA National Motocross Series is now at the half-way point, with six rounds left on the tour; so get out to the races before the series goes away for another year. The action keeps getting better, and the tough competition makes every lap that much more fun to watch.
My primary focus of this blog is the exciting 450 Motocross Class, and the top 10 racers as we head towards the conclusion of the 2009 AMA Motocross Championships.
Leading the points in the 450 Motocross Class, riding with the red #22 background number plate, and scoring points in each moto so far this season is Chad Reed, and he is keeping a tight grip on his 21 point lead. Even as he was dealing with stomach issues, Chad has found the strength to persevere. In the six rounds of racing so far, his best overall finish was at High Point Raceway where he finished the day first overall with the win in both moto’s.
Even if Chad came into the series with something to learn, since he hasn't done much outdoor motocross over the past few years, he sure looks to be catching on quickly. But can he now hold off the fury of the three very talented, competitive, and consistent riders who are within reach of taking over the reins?
After six rounds of intense racing, Andrew Short is sitting in second place, just 21 points shy of the leader. His results so far are filled with second and third place finishes for the most part, but it’s that first place finish that still eludes the very talented Mr. Andrew Short. So, what will it take to push Andrew one step further to grab that first win? I could speculate, but really only he knows what needs to be done on the track in those moments that make or break the win, so we will have to wait and see! I do have faith that we are close to seeing this come true; Andrew’s experience is one of his greatest advantages, add to that his overall strength with the 450 bike and his desire to win. Now.
Ivan Tedesco is definitely making up for lost points after the bad luck he encountered early in the season. Not earning a single point in round one may be to Ivan’s detriment, as he sits in third place with a 40 point gap from the leader. Ivan does have his work cut out for him, but with all the effort and top-notch results he’s put in so far, and more racing left, anything is possible. Ivan is making a charge for the lead, and it is evident with his command of the front of pack with most laps lead so far at 55; that’s a lot of lead time.
Stepping up to the 450 Motocross class this year and showing the competition he has what it takes to win, Josh Grant is making moves and taking points as he moves his way up to fourth towards that ultimate goal. Even if Josh doesn’t get the start he wants, he is very good at making passes when the time is right ... and then you have his recent first 450 Motocross win at Red Bud. Now if Josh can keep the momentum going, charge hard, and stay consistent as we head into the last half of the series, the battle for the Championship is only going to get more interesting.
The TOP four guys in the 450 Class are exceptionally diverse in their own rights but there are many skilled guys right there ready to make moves. The starting gate hosts 40 guys at the line every race, and all the riders who brave the elements each weekend definitely have my respect, it’s a tough job for sure! The heart and soul of each rider is out there on the track, they all lay it out on the line each race, even if they are not on top of the podium - that’s why I love this sport so much! These guys put every ounce of love, effort, and energy into their goals, and it’s inspiring to see the outcome in every motocross turn, jump, corner and crash.
There are three riders so far that have scored points in each 450 Moto this season; I covered our number one rider, Chad Reed, but the other two would be Michael Byrne, who is in fifth place right now and Nick Wey, who is in 10th. These two guys have proven that even when you get that bad start, it’s crucial to put your head down, pass guys, dig deep and go for every point possible.
Michael might have had a rough go in the first part of the series, but lately he’s put his bike out front early on, allowing him to challenge the leaders and earn valuable points. So, watch out for the number 26, it seems as if he is just getting warmed up out there, kind of a repeat of last year, where he started out warm but really heated things up towards the end. Yes, Michael Byrne was on the podium a few times last year, earning him a fourth in the series final points.
Motocross is a business and Nick Wey is a true businessman who can get the job done even when times are tough ... or should I say when your wife is at home having their second child. Ouch, Nick I’m not sure if you got in trouble for missing the birth of your new baby when you raced High Point, but wow, maybe that might explain your best finishes so far this season! This long time privateer to our sport continues to prove his strength, resilience, and dedication, even in the midst of some tough battles.
There’s another handful of guys in the 450 class that are making noise, but it’s just not as loud as some of the other guys out there. Cody Cooper is one unique and very skilled guy who comes from a town in New Zealand, called Opotiki. After a recent interview I did with Cody I decided to do some research on his home town and find out a little about the beautiful country he calls home. From the few things I’ve seen, New Zealand looks like an amazing place to grow up; and I am now intrigued to visit the beautiful green plush island. For the last year now Cody’s lived in North Carolina and trains with the JGR team, pushing his experience and talent to new levels and it’s my guess that seventh place in the series is just the beginning. Cody's performance last year in the 450 class was darn good, he finished in fifth place, and was on the podium a few times.
One guy that probably wasn’t on your motocross radar early on, but he’s been flying up front with the rest of the pack; Tommy Hahn. TH moved up from the 250’s and is now a powerhouse in the 450 class this season. The move has proven beneficial for this talented racer. The last round of racing at Red Bud, the rumor was that Tommy wasn’t feeling good, but he went out in Moto 1 and was on his game again, up front bouncing around the top five, that is until lap 13 - where he would end his day with a crash - it was reported that Tommy was taken to a local hospital, results concluded with a sprained neck and a concussion; I hear that Tommy will be back for the next race though!
A rider most of us might not have heard of yet before this season, but now seems to be making quite a name for himself is Ricky Dietrich. This guy’s talent reaches beyond just the Motocross National circuit, where he is currently placed 9th, he is also devoted to racing the WORCS series this summer, and EnduroCross. I imagine his schedule must be jam-packed with all kinds of responsibilities and tons of riding, but his endurance & confidence is continuing to grow, probably because when most of the guys have a weekend off, Ricky does not always have that luxury; maybe that’s why he is so on top of his game. Either way he is one worthy rider.
Let's not forget about some of those VIP's that are current MIA's because of a variety of issues. It started at the Hangtown Classic with the abrupt end to the season for Ryan Villopoto, who was forced to opt out of Moto two with an injury. Ryan started off at Glen Helen wining both Moto's, but things didn't go his way at round two when he re-injured a nagging knee issue, putting him out for the remainder of the season. That is an utter shame to say the least; I really wanted to see Ryan succeed in the 450's and have the same success as last year in the 250's.
Davi Millsaps also had some bad luck at Hangtown - however he will be back to racing soon, hopefully by Spring Creek he says, which is this upcoming weekend, we will have to wait and see. I recently spoke to Davi and he mentioned that he was eager to get back in the game, but there are a few different factors that need to happen, his neck and shoulder region of muscle had been torn up, so being 100% is essential to his performance. One amiable note, Davi also mentioned how excited he is about the upcoming nuptials to his beautiful fiancée, Brittney. Brittney was also there and she did mention a few really cool details about their big day, it sounds like it will be amazing; best wishes to you both!!
I am definitely still disappointed that Mike Alessi is out for the rest of the season, again, especially after how well he was doing! He had four consecutive moto wins starting at Hangtown and then Freestone, but due to an unfortunate practice crash, his season would end really before High Point began. Yeah, Mike did show up for Thunder Valley and he put in about 25 good seconds until that healing knee was smacked to the ground once again and reinjured, but it’s that kind of passion that makes Mike and our sport so tremendous. Maybe that wasn’t the best move to try for a comeback only three weeks after surgery ... and I am sure it’s hard to watch it all slip away.
The 450 Motocross class has raced 12 Moto’s, and there are 12 Moto’s left. It’s a well known fact that everything and anything is possible. There’s a ton of guys I didn’t mention here, but this class is filled with a hard-hitting line-up at the gate and the racing is only going to get more extreme, so DON’T miss out! If you are within reasonable reach of any of the last six races, bring your family and be a part of the Motocross scene. The next race is Saturday, July 18th, in Millville Minnesota, at the Spring Creek Motocross Park, followed by my favorite race of the series, Saturday July 25th, at Washougal Motocross Park in WA!
Don't forget to check out all my race Pics in the Community, see you at the races!
~ ~Ange ~~
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