GLEN HELEN MX OPENER
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing's Ryan Dungey has celebrated his first race of the 2009 AMA Motocross series with a victory at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California.
The young Minnesota rider carded second and first-placed moto finishes taking the overall victory in the 250 class.
In the 450 class, Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Mike Alessi took a second overall finish thanks to third and second places in the two motos.
Chad Reed, racing his first outdoor motocross event in two years, raced his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RMZ450 to a fourth and third for an overall fourth while Michael Byrne finished 15th and 14th in his first race back after a recent shoulder surgery.
Ryan Dungey:
"It definitely feels good to be back outdoors. I think overall it was a good day. We had solid practices and finished fastest in both. I ended up second in the first moto, had a little bobble in a corner, and kind of lost the lead. Going into the second moto, I didn't have such a great start but I worked my way through the pack and was able to get up to first. Two-one today for the overall? I think it was solid."
Mike Alessi:
"It was good. In the first moto we got a really great start and were out in front and pulling away big time. Just all of a sudden, I hit a turn and got stuck -- literally got stuck and couldn't get out. That put me all the way back to fourth. I charged back to third to try to salvage points. In the second moto, I got a great start, was out front and pulled away from everybody, and was riding a good pace and my own race. I led it until the last couple laps when Ryan caught me and took the lead. We'll come back strong next week."
Chad Reed:
"It was good. I got flashes of brilliance. There are some things I need to work on with me and I think we'll be real good. I feel confident. The results on paper aren't really as important to me as what it means to me. I was really more comfortable than I expected to be. I didn't expect to be the fastest guy in practice, and I was. There's a realistic side of things, and we tested twice and came racing. We made a lot of changes throughout the weekend that were positive ones. It's promising."
Michael Byrne:
"It was okay. I got points and that was the main goal. I probably don't even know if I should be really racing yet but you got to be in it to build those points up for the championship. I felt like I rode stronger in the second moto than in the first moto: The first moto I got a good start but my shoulder just wasn't used to the jarring of the hills and stuff. It got a little weak and I just kept falling back. The second moto I felt like I kind of maintained and caught the guys ahead of me. All in all, it was okay."
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will race next at the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Sacramento, California, next weekend; May 30th.
AMA Motocross 450 Class Overall:
1. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)2. Mike Alessi (Rockstar Makita Suzuki)3. Josh Grant (Yamaha)4. Chad Reed (Rockstar Makita Suzuki)5. David Millsaps (Honda)6. Thomas Hahn (Kawasaki)7. Mike Brown (KTM)8. Cody Cooper (Yamaha)9. Weston Peick (Honda)10. Andrew Short (Honda)
AMA Motocross 250 Class Overall:
1. Ryan Dungey (Rockstar Makita Suzuki)2. Christophe Pourcel (Kawasaki)3. Tyla Rattray (Kawasaki)4. Tommy Searle (KTM)5. Trey Canard (Honda)6. Justin Barcia (Honda)7. Brett Metcalfe (Honda)8. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki)9. Austin Stroupe (Kawasaki)10. Blake Wharton (Honda)
