Sign Of The (Lap) Times: Orlando
We now have three different winners in four East Coast Lites races, and you don’t have to be the fastest rider to win. PPG/Motoworldracing.com Yamaha’s Branden Jesseman recorded the third-fastest lap time of the night on lap four, passed SoBe No Fear/Samsung Mobile Honda’s Billy Laninovich two laps later, and held off the charge of Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi for the fifth win of his AMA Supercross career. The victory was probably a surprise to many, but for those who know Jesseman, it’s long overdue. “Brando” has a work ethic that’s second to none, and all the pieces fell into place on Saturday night.
|
Finish
|
Best Lap Time
|
Rider
|
Bike
|
7
|
51.673 |
Ben Townley
|
Kawasaki
|
4
|
51.686 |
KTM
|
|
1
|
51.786 |
Branden Jesseman
|
Yamaha
|
5
|
51.896 |
Honda
|
|
3
|
51.929 |
Darcy Lange
|
Kawasaki
|
2
|
52.046 |
Yamaha
|
|
6
|
52.353 |
Yamaha
|
|
11
|
52.673 |
Honda
|
|
10
|
52.791 |
Yamaha
|
|
8
|
52.794 |
Kawasaki
|
|
19
|
53.048 |
Yamaha
|
|
9
|
53.105 |
KTM
|
|
12
|
53.190 |
Honda
|
|
18
|
53.269 |
Kelly Smith
|
Suzuki
|
16
|
53.310 |
Yamaha
|
|
14
|
53.891 |
Travis Sewell
|
Suzuki
|
15
|
53.972 |
Eric Nye
|
KTM
|
13
|
54.127 |
Greg Schnell
|
Honda
|
17
|
54.445 |
Daryl Ecklund
|
Honda
|
20
|
55.205 |
Yoshihide Fukudome
|
Honda
|
And to emphasize again that speed must be matched with consistency to win in supercross, current points leader Ryan Morais was only sixth fastest with a 52.046, but he rode smart and steady for second, and now has a six-point cushion over Townley’s Kawasaki teammate, Darcy Lange. And while Darcy hasn’t been consistent, he has been consistently fast. If he gets all of his momentum pointed the right way this weekend, the former two-time AMA National Arenacross Champion and reigning BooKoo AX Champion could get his first win—and Canada’s—and reel in the Yamaha of Troy-mounted leader.
This East Coast is going down to the wire!
AMA Supercross
The race of the season went down on Saturday night, with Stewart and Carmichael battling it out in RC’s last professional supercross race. Stewart managed to take the win, along with laying down the fastest time of the night on Lap 5. Coincidentally, Carmichael’s fastest lap of the night came on the same lap! As for Chad Reed, the San Manuel Yamaha rider was again third fastest on his way to third place. Tim Ferry was fourth fastest, and Langston was fifth.
Finish
|
Best Lap Time
|
Rider
|
Bike
|
1
|
48.481 |
Kawasaki
|
|
2
|
48.758 |
Suzuki
|
|
3
|
49.530 |
Yamaha
|
|
5
|
50.444 |
Kawasaki
|
|
6
|
50.503 |
Yamaha
|
|
4
|
50.732 |
Suzuki
|
|
8
|
51.138 |
Honda
|
|
7
|
51.156 |
David Vuillemin
|
Honda
|
19
|
51.533 |
Honda
|
|
11
|
51.574 |
Kawasaki
|
|
10
|
51.730 |
Honda
|
|
9
|
51.899 |
Honda
|
|
20
|
52.068 |
Kawasaki
|
|
13
|
52.481 |
Keith Johnson
|
Yamaha
|
12
|
52.662 |
Suzuki
|
|
15
|
52.846 |
Kevin Johnson
|
Yamaha
|
16
|
52.888 |
Honda
|
|
18
|
52.907 |
Honda
|
|
21
|
52.934 |
Honda
|
|
14
|
52.960 |
Brock Sellards
|
Honda
|
|