Sellards Takes Two In Dallas, Sets Sites On Baltimore

January 9, 2006, 3:12pm

Dallas Fans witness a Toyota AMA National Arenacross Series burner as Ohio racer hits his stride in year’s most exciting race-to-date!

AURORA, Ill., (Jan. 9, 2006) – An excited crowd at Dallas’ Reunion Arena was witness to quite possibly the best AMA Arenacross class race of the season when Thor/Honda/TUF Racing’s Brock Sellards backed up his Friday night win with an incredible come-from-behind performance to complete the two-race sweep of Round Five of the 2005/06 Toyota AMA National Arenacross Series.

Sellards, who trimmed back series point leader Chad Johnson’s once insurmountable points lead into the teens (17 points) with the 1-1 effort looks to be hitting his stride as the season returned from its one month holiday hiatus with some amazing racing in Dallas.

“I’d made up my mind that Dallas was a race that I really needed bad,” said Sellards. “Chad (Johnson) had a comfortable points lead through the first half of the season. And after the long break I knew I had to be on top in the first race in order to carry the momentum into our six-race stretch here through the finals in Denver.”

Sellards rode a solid race on Friday and was able to check out for the win. Saturday was a different story as the Ohio native had to pull out all the stops in a come-from-behind charge worthy of the ages, and one that also no doubt sold a ton of tickets for when the race returns next year to Dallas. Rival Zach Ames was able to yank the Weekend Warrior Trailer Hole Shot Award and led the race early. Ames was pursued by Sellards’ Thor/Honda/Tuf Racing teammate Jeff Northrop. Coming through the pack, though, was Sellards – who would not be denied in his quest for the lead.

“I was able to keep Jeff and Zach in my sights as I got through the traffic up to the leaders,” said Sellards. “At the end I just put my head down and charged, picking up time where ever I could with the idea I was either going to win or crash hard trying.”

Crashing out of the Arenacross class on Saturday was Johnson. The series’ point leader went down and came back to challenge for the lead from dead last place in a ‘never say die’ charge that earned him some highly important third place points.

Rounding out the podium on Friday with Sellards was Johnson and Northrop. Northrop and Johnson flip-flopped on Saturday with Northrop taking second and Johnson third.

Equally as exciting was the AMA Lites class racing and the battle between Suzuki-backed Jim Neese and the Unbound Energy/VRM.com Racing’s Shawn Clark. Having won the first night after catching Neese (after Neese pulled the hole shot), the stage was set for a Lites class race on Saturday that would bring the fans to their feet as well.

“We diced it up big time,” said Clark of his race with Neese. “I got the hole shot and he (Neese) came in and slammed me. It was a good move, but real aggressive. I was able to catch him about midway though the race and hold on for the win. We came off the track high fiving and stuff.”

The Toyota AMA National Arenacross Series returns to action in this weekend when the world’s top arena-based motocross racers converge on Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena four Round Six of the ten-round series. For more information on the Baltimore race, check out http://www.1stmarinerarena.com or contact 1st Mariner Arena at (410) 347-2020.

Results

Friday

AMA Arenacross Lites AMA Arenacross

1.) Shawn Clark, Kawasaki 1.) Brock Sellards, Honda

2.) Jim Neese, Suzuki 2.) Chad Johnson, Yamaha

3.) Kody Molitor, Yamaha 3.) Jeff Northrop, Honda

4.) Roy Horton, Honda 4.) Kevin Johnson, Yamaha

5.) Jim Chester, Suzuki 5.) Jim Neese, Suzuki

Saturday

AMA Arenacross Lites AMA Arenacross

1.) Shawn Clark, Kawasaki 1.) Brock Sellards, Honda

2.) Jim Neese, Suzuki 2.) Jeff Northrop, Honda

3.) Roy Horton, Honda 3.) Chad Johnson, Yamaha

4.) Travis Hodges, Honda 4.) Kevin Johnson, Yamaha

5.) Josh Schmitt, Honda 5.) Greg Schnell, Suzuki

Arenacross Class Overall Points

1.) Chad Johnson 222

2.) Brock Sellards 205

3.) Jeff Northrop 179

4.) Kevin Johnson 175

5.) Greg Schnell 167

6.) Jim Neese 163

7.) Shawn Clark 131

8.) Zach Ames 113

9.) Cody Gilmore 88

10.) Scott Metz 85

Tickets are available online at www.arenacross.com, www.ticketmaster.com, www.tickets.com. For more information on the Toyota AMA National Arenacross Series log on to www.arenacross.com.