Geico SX Report
The Supercross track at Dallas Cowboys Stadium was demanding and had a killer first turn off the start, but GEICO Powersports Honda riders Trey Canard and Justin Barcia managed to avoid many of the pitfalls to each finish third at the Monster Energy AMA Supercross stop outside Dallas on Saturday night.
It was the third consecutive third place finish for Canard in the 450cc bikes. Canard is normally a Lites West rider, but he’s been filling in for the injured Andrew Short from the Honda Red Bull team.
Canard has been getting solid starts on his Honda CRF450F during his recent streak, but wasn’t sure what to make of a first turn that collected packs of riders on every start. This is motorcycle racing at its best.
Trey Canard Quote
"That was crazy, I was wondering what would happen because I had a bad gate pick," Canard said. "I managed to squeak through and had a good race."
He finished the first SX lap in sixth and quickly worked his way into third where he battled Honda stablemate David Millsaps most of the rest of the night.
Davi Millsaps Quote
"It was a good race, I thought I rode strong the whole time," Canard said. "This has been my favorite race so far."
Barcia (bar-sha) on his Honda CRF250R felt like he may have let one get away in the SX Lites East race, even though he backed his win last week with a podium finish.
He said he made a mistake close to halfway through the race, which caused Barcia to lose his front brakes, and most of his ability to pass.
Justin Barcia Quote
"I hit someone’s back wheel," Barcia said. "It was a stupid mistake on my part. Front brake means everything: stopping power and even jumping rhythms in the corners. I just couldn’t do things to the best of my ability.
"But it was a good points night, so in the end it’s all good."
The top two Lites East riders Cristophe Pourcel on his KX250F and Austin Stroupe on his RM-Z250 were swept up in a first turn melee and finished well in the pack, which has allowed Barcia to close the gap and move into third in the points.
GEICO Powersports Honda’s other two team members weren’t so fortunate steering clear of multi-bike motorcycle racing pileups.
Kevin Windham was pushed off-course at the start of the Supercross main event, but would recover to finish seventh on the night.
Kevin Windham Quote
"All day I was on the leader’s pace in practice, in the heat and the main," Windham said. "Once I crashed I was always left with bad gate picks, with the kind of track we had here you had to have a good position to get a good start.
"I had a good ride, the team was perfect, unfortunately, I fell. That happens in Supercross racing."
Windham stalled the bike then fell during his heat race which forced him into the last chance qualifier race, which he did win.
GEICO Powersports Honda’s other Lites East rider Brett Metcalfe also always seemed to be in the wrong place in that treacherous first turn. He got tangled in his heat race and the first start in the last chance qualifier. Fortunately, a red flag situation saved Metcalfe and he was first on that restart and went on to win the LCQ.
But it was more of the same in the Lites main event. Metcalfe on his CRF250R was squeezed to the outside, tangled up in a mess of motorcycles and fought his way to an 11th place finish.
Brett Metcalfe Quote
"A short start straight with a hard left is always going to be a little bit of trouble," Metcalfe said. "Plus it was really slippery too. I had good starts, but I still got taken down. It’s disappointing it has to end like that.
"I felt I was riding all right, it’s just frustrating being back that far."
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross motorcycle racing series heads back to Florida next weekend for its annual stop in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 27.
2010 AMA Supercross Race Results: Arlington (Dallas)
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
2. Davi Millsaps, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
4. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
5. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
6. Josh Hill, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha
7. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
9. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha
10. Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Suzuki
2010 Supercross Point Standings (Dallas)
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 239
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 215
3. Josh Hill, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 192
4. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 174
5. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda, 161
6. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 152
7. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 143
8. Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 122
9. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 105
10. Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Suzuki, 100
2010 Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Race Results: Arlington
1. Blake Bagget, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki
2. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha
3. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
4. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
5. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki
6. Matthew Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Suzuki
7. Christophe Pourcel, Groveland, Fla., Kawasaki
8. Mike Willard, Newark, Ohio, Honda
9. Tyler Futrell, Clinton, N.C. KTM
10. Steven Clarke, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
2010 Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Point Standings (Dallas)
1. Christophe Pourcel, Groveland, Fla., Kawasaki, 109
2. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki, 104
3. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 84
4. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 77
5. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 75
6. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 71
7. Dean Wilson, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki, 71
8. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha, 47
9. Nico Izzi, Albany, Ga., Yamaha, 41
10. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Honda, 40
SPEED will broadcast the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class at 5:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 21 and the AMA Supercross class at 6:00 p.m. EST.