It's the start of a brand-new season! AMA Motocross 2008!
The 250cc Lites class will have all the guys from East and West battling for the first time all year! 12 rounds, 24 motos - who's going to emerge champion? You've got a lot of fast guys going for it - Villopoto, Canard, Lawrence, Stroupe, Dungey and more.
The 450 class is stacked: James Stewart, Ivan Tedesco, Ben Townley, Mike Alessi are all back from supercross lay-offs. Andrew Short, Davi Millsaps, and Josh Hill are hungry for their first title and can win in the 450 Motocross class. Tim Ferry is fit and ready to go.
Our predictions? We think... we think it's going to be very unpredictable with lots of different winners and surprises all season long! Be there!
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Saturday practice saw cold and cloudy conditions, but the track was perfect! Nice loamy, sandy, heavy soil, with big hills.
Jason Lawrence had the fastest lap time in the 250 Lites class, and James Stewart had the fastest lap times in the 450 Motocross class.
Sunday - the weather was the same - cloudy and overcast, and again, the track was perfect!
250 class: Austin Stroupe - overall winner. He rode fast and consistent both motos. He finished second and third to secure the overall. The top three in each class received special guitars as their trophies.
Ryan Villopoto, the defending National Champion finished - second overall. In the first moto, he finished fifth, but came back to win the second moto.
Jason Lawrence - third overall. Jason won the first moto, and looked great doing it. Some questioned his conditioning for the longer outdoor motos, but he smoked 'em in the first moto! In the second moto, he scored fifth, and said afterwards that he ate a bit too much between motos, and was having stomach cramps.
Ryan Dungey and Brett Metcalfe scored fourth and fifth overall, and as you can see by the point standings, all the top guys are very close after this first round of 2008.
The 450 class - James Stewart overall winner. James has been out of action since January. But he was the best rider on the track today - easily. He dominated both of his races, coming away with the maximum 50 points.
Second overall - Mike Alessi. Mike returned to racing after a layoff as well. He finished second in both motos, and looked as good as he's ever looked on a big bike. He said afterwards he's been working very hard, and intends to charge 100% each moto till the finish. Well done.
Third overall went to Davi Millsaps - he scored third in both motos. Tim Ferry scored fourth overall with two fourth place finishes.
Ben Townley made his return to racing, and his first race for Honda Red Bull Racing. He finished sixth in the first moto, and was looking good in the second moto, until a bike problem forced him to walk back to the pits.
The photos you can click on below are: Austin Stroupe and Ryan Villopoto on starting line, Josh Summey 24, 250 podium, Mike Alessi before first moto, Trey Canard, Josh Hill, Jason Lawrence 338 two times, Brett Metcalfe 123, Davi Millsaps 118 nice jump, Davi Millsaps nice roost, Millsaps on gate, my three new best friends, James Stewart 7 cornering, James Stewart 7 jumping, James Stewart happy to be back, James Stewart heading into a corner, James Stewart again, Austin Stroupe 51, Stroupe with his first place 250 guitar trophy on podium, Ben Townley checking out the 250 Lites race, Mike Alessi 800, Michael Byrne 26, Trey Canard 48, Ryan Dungey 28, Tim Ferry with a big roost, Jason Lawrence 338, Daniel Reardon 122, Andrew Short 29 practicing start, Ivan Tedesco 9, Ben Townley 101, Ryan Villopoto 1 three times, and Ryan Villopoto's bike.
More photos and audio interviews to come ....
Click here to read Amanda's blog about the Glen Helen Motocross.
Click here to view a Preview Feature on the 2008 AMA National Motocross Championships.
