Grant Added to List of First-Time Winners at RedBud
BUCHANAN, Mich. - The 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship continued to provide some of the most unpredictable action in the history of the sport as JGRMX/Toyota/Yamaha rookie Josh Grant, of Riverside, Calif., became the series' seventh first-time winner of the season at the Monster Energy Motocross National from RedBud. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Jake Weimer made it two in a row in the 250 Class.
Grant paced the morning practice sessions on Saturday and showcased his stellar speed in each of the day's motos. After a bad start in moto one, Grant stormed through the field to a runner-up finish, nearly stealing the win from Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki's Chad Reed, of Australia. In the final moto, Grant came out of the gates in the top five and quickly moved into second where he stalked Honda Red Bull Racing's Ivan Tedesco, of Tallahassee, Fla., before making the move for the win.
"I really needed this win," explained Grant. "I finally got a decent start and just made all the passes I needed to get to the front. I'm pumped for the Joe Gibbs Racing team because its our first outdoor win. I knew we had the speed. I just needed to get a start and today everything worked out."
Reed solidified second overall (1-3) and his spot atop the season standings while Tedesco wrapped up the third position (4-2). Halfway through the season, Reed holds a 21-point lead over Andrew Short.
Weimer raced to his second straight victory after claiming his inaugural win one week ago. Consistency proved to be the key on Saturday as Weimer's competitor's battled misfortune in the motos, becoming an unlikely winner with moto results of second and fourth.
"I was pretty sure I had the overall by the halfway point. I knew the guys ahead of me were behind me in the first moto. I saw Dungey go down so he was behind me and he was the only one that beat me (in moto one). I feel like I rode well and I'm just happy to be up here."
The overall podium duplicated that of last week's as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Christophe Pourcel, of France, took second overall (8-1) and Muscle Milk/MDK/KTM's Tommy Searle, of Great Britain, rounded out the podium (5-2) for the third week in a row.
Pourcel holds a nine point lead over Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki's Ryan Dungey heading into the final six races.
The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship takes a week off, but returns to action on Saturday, July 18 from Millville, Minn. for the Honda Spring Creek Pro National from Spring Creek Motocross Park. Same day coverage can be seen on SPEED at 11:30 p.m. ET.
Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Monster Energy Motocross National
July 4, 2009
Round 6 of 12
450 Class (Moto Finish)
- Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (2-1)
- Chad Reed, Australia, Suzuki (1-3)
- Ivan Tedesco, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda (4-2)
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (3-4)
- Cody Cooper, New Zealand, Yamaha (6-5)
- Ricky Dietrich, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki (5-6)
- Michael Byrne, Australia, Suzuki (7-7)
- Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Honda (8-9)
- Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha (10-8)
- Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (11-11)
450 Class Championship Standings
- Chad Reed, Australia, Suzuki, 240
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 219
- Ivan Tedesco, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda, 200
- Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 198
- Michael Byrne, Australia, Suzuki, 145
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 142
- Cody Cooper, New Zealand, Yamaha, 135
- Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki, 123
- Ricky Dietrich, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki, 119
- Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha, 101
250 Class (Moto Finish)
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (2-4)
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (8-1)
- Tommy Searle, Great Britain, KTM (5-2)
- Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (4-3)
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (1-8)
- Justin Barcia, Cairo, Ga., Honda (3-7)
- Kyle Cunningham, Ft. Worth, Texas, Kawasaki (7-11)
- Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Yamaha (10-12)
- Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, KTM (9-14)
- Martin Davalos, Ecuador, KTM (20-5)
250 Class Championship Standings
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 255
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 246
- Tommy Searle, Great Britain, KTM, 191
- Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 179
- Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 175
- Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 156
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 153
- Justin Barcia, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 151
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 141
- Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 139
For more information about the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5752.
For fan and racing information on the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, including television coverage of the 250 Class, log onto www.allisports.com.
MX Sports Pro Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world's most prestigious motocross series - the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. An industry leader in off road powersport production and management, its mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the production of professional championship racing events nationwide. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing fields more than 60,000 action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of active fans, spectators and enthusiasts. For more information, please visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, Maloof Money Cup, Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, King of Wake series, and the Gatorade Free Flow Tour; Alli TV Productions, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. More information can be found at www.allisports.com.
Lucas Oil Products
Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, greases, and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, greases, and problem-solving additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry.
Forrest Lucas and his wife, Charlotte, founded Lucas Oil Products in 1989 after he spent 20 years as a truck driver and owner of a nationwide long-haul trucking fleet. They experienced firsthand the need for better lubricants and fuel treatments to maintain their equipment.
Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the "Official Motor Oil of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship." For more information on Lucas Oil, please visit www.LucasOil.com.
AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT. AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com