Arenacross Update
Wednesday, March 6, 2013 | 11:30 AM
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PrintThey’ve shaken up just about everything they can think of in AMSOIL Arenacross this year, but they can’t shake Tyler Bowers’ stranglehold on the championship. Bowers is the two-time and defending AX champ. This season has turned into Bowers versus three different threats. First, of course, the competition. Second, some adversity of his own doing. And third a rule structure that makes it harder to dominate. And to all that? Bowers just blasts on through.
Over the weekend, the 2013 AMSOIL Arenacross season hit its next-to-last round in Kansas City, Mo., and the Sprint Center. That race marked the third round of the inaugural Race to the Championship, which is AX’s new a playoff-like points reset. This new NASCAR Chase type design eliminated just about all of Bowers' big points lead from the regular season. Worse for him, a rough night for Bowers at the opening night of the Race to the Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas, left Zach Ames in the points lead early (Bowers and Ames are friends, training partners and teammates on the Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki presented by Maxxis team. But Bowers had to be bummed about seeing his giant points lead go up in smoke in one weekend).
Bowers is in line for his third championship.
Arenacross.com photo
But last weekend, Bowers bounced back to grab a win and reclaim the lead. Then this weekend in Kansas City, he scored one of his most dominant runs ever, helping pull further ahead in the standings.
Bowers swept each of the main events last Saturday night, leading all but three laps across both 12-lap races. It signified his 10th overall victory of the 2013 season, making it the third consecutive year in which Bowers has won at least 10 races in a championship.
In the first main event, Bowers followed Team Faith/FLY Racing KTM’s Kelly Smith out of the first corner in the opening main event in Kansas City, but passed him early and pulled away for the win. His closest championship rivals, Ames and Team Faith/FLY Racing KTM’s Jeff Gibson (a former AX titlist in his own right) battling for second. Gibson came out on top of that one.
This year’s AX tour even features the potential of an inverted start for the second main event. At the end of the first main, the race winner picks from three random briefcases to determine what type of inversion will be used for the second main. This year, Bowers has proven he can come from behind and win even if he gets inverted back to the 16th gate pick (which means he starts on row two) but in Kansas City, he selected the “no inversion” briefcase at random. He then promptly grabbed the holeshot with Gibson in tow. A slight bobble after crossing the finish allowed Gibson to slip by into the lead and control things for a few laps, but Bowers made an aggressive move to retake the spot and check out. Gibson ultimately gave way to Ames on the final lap, with the duo finishing second and third, respectively.
Jeff Gibson (2) is still in the title hunt thanks to the new Race to the Championship format.
Arenacross.com photo
Bowers’ main event sweep ensured the overall win, while Ames’ late move in the second main event helped him steal second overall. Gibson settled for third.
In addition, Bowers claimed a championship bonus point in the Head-to-Head Bracket Racing. But because things are so tight in this playoff format, he is still just six points ahead of Gibson and seven points ahead of Ames, in third. Mosites Motorsports Kawasaki’s Michael McDade in fourth, 13 down.
Beating the format and formidable riders like Gibson and Ames is accomplishment enough, but after the race, Bowers revealed something else. Remember that opening round of the Race to the Championship, where he lost the points lead to Ames? Well, apparently Bowers was competing that night with a freshly broken and surgically plated collarbone!
His fifth-place effort in Little Rock was the worst outing of the season for Bowers. At the race, he only revealed that he was a little sore from a practice crash. Then he bounced back to win the next race in Wichita and now again in Kansas City.
Bowers insists that following this season’s lone break in action this coming weekend, he’ll be close to 100 percent for the final round in Denver, which will feature two nights of action on March 15 and 16. Only four main events and 48 laps of racing remain to crown the 2013 AMSOIL Arenacross Champion. If Bowers is only going to heal up and get stronger, it will be tough for anyone to knock him off—but with just a six point lead and two nights of racing remaining, anything can happen.
Mike McDade (16), currently fourth in points, has opened eyes this year with some strong riding and main event wins.
Arenacross.com photo
Kansas City, Mo. Arenacross Class Overall (Main Event Finishes)
1. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki (3-2)
3. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM (2-3)
4. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM (4-5)
5. Michael McDade, Edinburg, Pa., Kawasaki (7-4)
6. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM (9-6)
7. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki (8-7)
8. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM (6-11)
9. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (10-8)
10. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM (5-15)
Arenacross Class Race to the Championship Standings (After Race 3 of 5)
1. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki – 91
2. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM – 85
3. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki – 84
4. Michael McDade, Edinburg, Pa., Kawasaki – 71
5. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM – 58
6. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM – 57
7. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM – 56
8. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM – 53
9. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki – 53
10. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki – 47
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Interesting, the top 10 in points were the top 10 in the last event. Consistency!
The standings almost look like 5-15 in the 125 SX class from the 90s and early 00s. Kelly Smith has got to almost be eligible for the 40+ class. I guess that's why they are trying to make it a feeder class for SX rookies. You get someone young like Bowers in there and he dominates against all the career AXers.
I was at the KC race in sprint center and from the looks of it Bowers broken collarbone was no big deal. He flew past everyone like they were standing still. He was putting together some lines that the others just couldnt keep up on. He is the fastest one out there for sure. Hopefully one day he can become a threat in the SX class. I will definetly be rooting for him.
I like most forms of motorcycle racing, but the arenacross series is so gd boring, I can't stand to watch it. The 'road to supercross' is a poorly veiled attempt to save the AX series, while depriving the riders about to turn pro a chance to make money while they can. Sometimes their careers can be pretty short. Will the factories give an up-and-comer a big $$$$ to race that series?
Watched ax last couple of years but this year busy so havnt tuned in more than twice. I root for Bowers when he would enter sx races. I knew about the race format changes, but what I didnt know about was this absolutely embarrassing spectacle of deal or no deal brief case picking. Is this real? Did I fast foward my dvr where they did this or what lol. Whoever decided on this has zero idea what racing is about. Zero intentions of watch if this is game show now lol.
The Arenacross Series is not just about the Pro classes. They have 2 Amateur support classes on Fri. and Sat. nights. Sunday is a full day of Amateur racing. If you live in the North half of the country it's one of the only Winter series to race. Supercross doesn't do much to help out the Amateur riders. With the amount of outdoor MX tracks that get forced to close each year, we can't afford to lose a series like this. It all starts with getting kids racing and staying racing. Keep sitting at home watching TV and typing crap and watch the sport that you all love so much die. Go watch basketball and complain about that and not a sport that needs more support and race series for kids to race. Just saying!
I went to an ax race for the first time this year. I wanted to see what it was all about, and also to help support the series. I figured that if they were willing to try new things to get new viewers (unlike the sx series), I would jump on the bandwagon and see what it was all about. I was not dissapointed. I took the whole family and we got to see some up close racing at a reasonable cost. We will be going agian next year. I am taking our boys to the Indy race in a couple of weekends and we can't wait!
Arenacross is a interesting animal...While it is suppose to be a feeder series for supercross, many riders never move up..Bowers, Smith, Ames and many others make their living racing arenacross...which is fine, it allows them to survive doing what they love to do...but it does not allow the new guys much of a chance to shine...
I help out 594 Evin Pierce, who just turned pro this year. After a rough start, he is getting the hang of it and has earned 2 Supercross points, looking for his 3rd in Denver. If he gets it, Evin's goal is to get his pro license and race his first supercross in Houston. So in his instance, the Arenacross series is doing just what is suppose to do, give an young rider the experience of racing indoors and a chance to secure a pro license..
Watching Arenacross on TV is not nearly as exciting as seeing it live. The short track and the varied skill levels of the racers make it a fast pace show that has you glued to the action. I like many of the changes they have made this year, the two mains, with the added suspense of the starting order for the second main, I think would work good in Supercross. The bracket racing works well on the small tracks, while not a fan of the chase style points system...
Over all Arenacross is a good thing, maybe with some more tweeks, it could be even better...Here is hoping it survives for a long time to come..
At what point does Mitch or another solid team come calling for bowers? I know he flies at Daytona even in the mud...The old eyeball test.
A lot of these guys have qualified for mains in SX but can just barely if at all crack the top 10.
i raced with bowers a few times in kentucky at daniel boone mx they have a massive whoops section almost like doubles for an 85 i watch him jump ten deep and blitz the rest he is pretty sick very down to earth guy to.