The third race at Angel Stadium was anything but a charm for Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki. Despite both Jake Weimer and Josh Hansen winning their respective heat races, bad luck in the main event cost both riders as Weimer finished eighth and Hansen 17th. Despite the results, Weimer still leads the AMA Supercross Lites Western Region championship standings by 14 points with just two races remaining after a nine week break.
Both riders put in good laps during the qualifying practice with Weimer posting the third fastest lap and Hansen sitting sixth on the time sheets. During the practice both riders were able to learn the tight track that was vastly different from anything they have seen this season.
In the first heat, Hansen got a great jump out of the gate and easily won. In the second heat Weimer was battling for first early in the race, when the red flag came out sending everyone back to the starting gate. On the restart, Weimer had little trouble getting to the front and he took his sixth heat race win in six races this season.
Josh Hansen Speaks…
"I’ve had good qualifying and some great heat races," said Hansen. "I just need to put that all together for the main event. I know we can win; this team is the best there is. I know I am a winner too, so I’m going to work my butt off during the break and try and get that win in Seattle."
In the main event Weimer came out of the first turn in third and was closing in on second place on lap four. In the bowl turn just before the finish line Weimer went down and wasn’t able to get going until the entire field went by. Just two laps later Hansen ran into problems in the rhythm section after the first turn, going down just off of the second tabletop. Weimer was able to make the most of the final 11 laps moving all the way up to eighth while Hansen worked his way up to 17th.
Jake Weimer Speaks…
"I was bummed right after the race," said Weimer. "Every time I’m on the track I want to win and I didn’t do that. I’ll be over it tonight though, I’m just going to put it behind me and concentrate on winning the championship. One of the good things of winning so much early was building a big cushion, just in case something like this happened."
While the West Coast riders take a nine-week break, Christophe Pourcel will look to defend his AMA Supercross East Region title and lead the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team on the East Coast. Pourcel will face stiff competition from his teammate Dean Wilson. Tyla Rattray will join the series later in the schedule as he recovers from a recent shoulder injury.
2010 Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Results
1. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
2. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha
3. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
4. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda
5. P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
6. Phil Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., KTM
7. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha
8. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
9. Antonio Balbi, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki
10. Jeff Alessi, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
2010 Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 135
2. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 121
3. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 114
4. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 100
5. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 89
6. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda, 76
7. Max Anstie, Hemet, Calif., Yamaha, 63
8. Josh Hansen, Elbert Colo., Kawasaki, 60
9. Phil Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., KTM, 56
10. Jeff Alessi, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 56
Round 7 of the AMA/FIM Supercross series heads East. The next East Supercross event takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on February 20.Â
