Henry Set To Pull Double Duty This Weekend With AMA Supermoto & Motocross Nationals
Fan favorite motocross legend and current top supermoto star will
contest Shawano (Wisc.) supermoto on Saturday, Southwick National on
Sunday!
CARLSBAD, Calif., (June 7, 2006) – Monster Energy-backed Doug Henry
will attempt to pull off motorcycling’s equivalent of Tony Stewart
running IRL and NASCAR races in the same 24-hour period when Henry
opens with the AMA Supermoto Series round at USA International Raceway
in Shawano, Wisc., on Saturday (June 10), then boards a private jet
right after the race in order to make the Southwick MX National on
Sunday morning.
The back-to-back ordeal for Henry, according to him, is in effect no
big deal. In fact, he was more bummed at first that it didn’t look like
he was going to be able to line up a commercial flight to make it
happen.
“At first I was disappointed that the races were scheduled on the same
weekend, then it got to be like ‘You know what? I just might be able to
pull this off,’” said Henry. “And then Monster Energy stepped in and
got me a jet service back to Southwick. So I owe it all to Monster!”
Henry, who’s currently in second place overall behind fellow
motocrosser Jeff Ward in the AMA Supermoto Series, says that his main
concern on the weekend will be Shawano. “I’ll focus all of my energy
towards supermoto because that’s the series I’m competing in,” said
Henry. “But I’ve always done well at the Southwick National. And in the
past ten years it seems like I’ve only got four to five hours of sleep
before the race (Southwick). So a few hours of sleep will be fine with
me.
“That and as long as I do well at Shawano it’ll make Southwick a heck of a lot easier.”
Henry says that though the two versions of competition motorcycle
racing are similar, the focus and intensity comes in different areas.
Supermoto, he says, is about focusing all of your energy into a narrow,
one-line track. Where as in the sand at Southwick, the track and lines
are constantly changing - something Tony Stewart didn’t have to worry
about in 2002 when he sat in cars and steered around the ovals of the
Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600 in the same 24 hour period.
“With supermoto your focus is very intense, the track’s shorter and
although it seems wider, the racing line is very small,” said Henry.
“Southwick is very wide, has multiple lines everywhere you go and
you’re constantly looking for new lines as the track changes through
out the day, making spontaneous decisions on new lines or established
lines.”
Henry continued: “In a way you could compare supermoto to some of the
Nationals that run on hard pack, like Hangtown and Steel City,” he
said. “But the sand at Southwick is so much different than supermoto.”
Stepping up to help Henry out is the Graves/Yamaha program, his
supermoto sponsor and Factory Yamaha, who’s been there for him through
out much of his career – both of which have been “Huge,” according to
Henry. He added that he’s “pretty sure” that Southwick will be his only
National this year, choosing instead to focus on his title run with
supermoto. As it stands, after two rounds, Henry trails Ward 91-76 in a
battle that should come right down to the AMA Supermoto finals in Long
Beach (Calif.) on Nov. 4th.
And this double duty weekend for Henry, “a first for me,” as he
laughingly calls it, is also another great comeback story for the
legendary racer regarding the colossal accident he suffered around this
time last year at the Copper Peak (Colo.) Supermoto round. There Henry
crashed and broke his pelvis, collapsed a lung and separated his
shoulder. But, in the ‘never-say-die’ spirit of one of America’s
all-time great motorcycle racers, Henry battled back and swept the 2006
opening round of AMA Supermoto at Fontana (Calif.) on April 29th.
When asked if there was any question as to whether the 36-year-old
Henry would return to racing, he answered: “Not at all. Supermoto’s so
much fun for me.”
Finally, Henry, who usually shows up to Southwick in a clapped-out pick
up truck, race bike wedged in the back, box of tools and a tent to
sleep in but thanks to Monster Energy, Henry will be pitted out of the
Monster Energy motorcoach and trailer after he lands from his private
flight – with that said , he’s really looking forward to battling with
longtime buddy John Dowd, 40, in the AMA Motocross class.
“What I’m really looking forward to at Southwick is catching up with
Ricky (Carmichael), James (Stewart) and Chad (Reed) and telling them
how awesome of a supercross season it was and how much those guys
helped out the sport.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it motocross, surf, skate, snow,
BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than
anything these days. Check out all the flavors – Original Monster
Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault and the new Monster/fruit
juice hybrid called “Khaos.” Doug Henry digs ‘em – so will you. On the
‘Net at www.monsterenergy.com.