Kawasaki/Racer X Race Report
Okay. This year’s Amp’d Mobile Supercross Series has already been a great one. We’re seeing a battle every weekend, a close points race and plenty of drama. But as crazy as it has been, there was no way, no way, you would ever, ever predict what was going happen tonight in St. Louis. It was improbable and unbelievable. It was wild and it was outrageous.
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It starts like this: points leader Ricky Carmichael had his worst day at the races in years. He crashed super hard in his heat race and had to qualify through his semi. Then he crashed in the first turn in the main, cased a triple on the first lap and apparently damaged his rear suspension. Then, for the first time anyone can ever remember, Carmichael, with his damaged suspension, had to pull out of the race. Carmichael hit so hard in the heat race that he actually smashed the chin bar of his helmet into his chest. He said he had a sore neck and apparently also had a sore chest, but otherwise should be okay.
But there are all of those points he was going to lose for finishing 20th. Who would take most advantage? Carmichael’s Makita Suzuki teammate Ivan Tedesco held the lead and looked strong early (credit to Jake Saylor for getting the $1500 Progressive Direct holeshot). Chad Reed was in second on his Yamaha but
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Then Stewart pounced, passing Reed and Fonseca in the same corner and taking over second. Then Reed sacked up and jumped the rhythm section for the first time all night and was able to pass Stewart back. Then he started closing on Tedesco, who was tightening up out front. He closed in and then made the pass for the lead near the half way point. Stewart was going to have to get around Tedesco to prevent Reed from getting away, but instead he threw it away in a corner. He came to the inside of Tedesco and grabbed the brakes to prevent running into him, and then his front end tucked and he went over the high side hard. At first he still had the bike running, but the machine was obviously damaged and when he stalled it, he absolutely could not restart it. The riders swarmed past as Stewart kicked and kicked and kicked. A whole lap passed until finally he got rolling in 19th place.
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The Lites class had good racing and lots of emotion, too. Davi Millsaps took the win, overcoming another classic bad start to move from about fifth to the lead on his Honda. Red Bull KTM’s Josh Hansen had a big early lead but faded down the stretch, first yielding to Millsaps and then to the most improbable pair of contenders, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Chris Gosselaar and Boost Mobile/Yamaha of Troy’s Branden Jesseman.
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Gosselaar passed Hansen for second, and then on the last lap Jesseman got around Hansen to create one of the happiest podiums in a long time.
The whole night was just Reediculous, really.