Sellards Takes Two In Dallas, Sets Sites On Baltimore
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.