AMA Arenacross
The fourth round of the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series came to a conclusion on Saturday night inside Wilkes Barre’s Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Following a fifth-place effort on Friday, Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki presented by Maxxis’ Tyler Bowers, of Danville, Ky., bounced back to claim his series-leading fourth win of the season. In the Arenacross Lites Class, Dragon Racing Fuels/AG Motorsports KTM’s Michael Willard, of Newark, Ohio, extended his Eastern Regional Championship points lead by sweeping the weekend’s two main events.
As the gate dropped on the 25-lap Arenacross Class main event, Spinechillers/Storm Lake Honda’s Nathan Skaggs, of Chillicothe, Ohio, took the early lead, with Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki’s Josh Demuth, of North Richland Hills, Texas, and Team Faith KTM’s Kelly Smith, of Ludington, Mich., in tow. Skaggs set the tone early, but on Lap 10, the field began to shake up. Smith made his move to the front, and looked to pull away from the field, however, on Lap 16 Bowers slipped past and proceeded to lay down some of the quickest laps of the night.
Once out front, no one could keep pace with the reigning champion, who has won four of the first seven main events this season. Smith followed in second, while Friday night winner Chad Johnson, of Rhinelander, Wis., rounded out the podium aboard his Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki.
In the Arenacross Lites Class, Motostar Kawasaki’s Michael McDade, of Indiana, Pa., took the top spot early, looking to reclaim the points lead he lost Friday night. The Pennsylvania native led most of the 18-lap main event in front of his hometown crowd, but Willard made the winning pass on Lap 15 and never looked back. McDade followed closely with another runner-up effort, while Gateway Cycles Kawasaki’s Steven Mages, of Sardinia, Ohio, finished third.
In the Dash for Cash, Nathan Skaggs grabbed the win in the exciting four-lap shootout. All proceeds went to Toys for Tots.
The AMA Arenacross Series takes a break from action through the holiday season, and continues on Jan. 7-8 from Grand Rapids, Mich. Van Andel Arena will host two nights of competition, with both evenings kicking off at 7 p.m. EDT.
AMA Arenacross Class Results (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
- Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki
- Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM
- Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki
- Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda
- Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM
- Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Kawasaki
- Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda
- Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki
- Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki
- Ryan Zimmer, Fuquay Varina, N.C., Honda
Arenacross Lites Class Results (Wilkes Barre, Pa.)
- Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM
- Michael McDade, Indiana, Pa., Kawasaki
- Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki
- Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., KTM
- Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, KTM
- Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda
- Ryan Zimmer, Fuquay Varina, N.C., Honda
- Austin Coon, Spencer, W. Va., Honda
- Austin Primavera, Larue, Ohio, Suzuki
- Travis Delnicki, Woodstock, Conn., Suzuki
AMA Arenacross Class Points (After Race 7 of 19)
- Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda (2 wins) – 144
- Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki (4 wins) – 138
- Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki (1 win) – 129
- Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Kawasaki – 127
- Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM – 117
- Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda – 86
- Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki – 79
- Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM – 78
- Tyler Bright, Hamer, S.C., KTM – 56
- Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM – 55
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 6 of 10)
- Michael Willard, Newark, Ohio, KTM (3 wins) – 119
- Michael McDade, Indiana, Pa., Kawasaki (1 win) – 114
- Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., KTM – 100
- Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki – 88
- Travis Sewell, Westfield, Ind., KTM – 69
- Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, KTM – 59
- Austin Coon, Spencer, W. Va., Honda – 48
- Maxx Malatia, Itasca, Ill., Honda – 45
- T.J. Phillips, New Castle, Pa., Kawasaki – 44
- Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda – 38
Live timing and scoring from each round of the AMA Arenacross Series returns for the 2012 season! To follow the intense racing action live, log onto Arenacross.com.
