Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ben Townley Wins Dallas SX

Teammate Darcy Lange Is 2nd Overall; Townley clips Ryan Morais’ Lites class points lead to three with one ESX  race remaining on 2007 Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series schedule

CORONA, Calif., (April 2, 2007) – Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki’s Ben Townley had what he felt was his best race of the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series season thus far, winning the Dallas Supercross is spectacular fashion and trimming the ten-point lead for the overall title (held by Ryan Morais) to three points, 114-111, with one Eastern SX Lites class race remaining.

The New Zealander was more than stoked with his performance on Saturday at Texas Stadium as it put him right smack back in the middle of the ESX title hunt. “Yeah, baby. That was awesome,” said Townley. “I bet my mom, dad and little sister – and a bunch of other people – back in New Zealand are pumped, listening to the broadcast right now. (I’m) back in the title race.”

Townley made the main by virtue of a podium (3rd) finish in the first heat race – a race his teammate Darcy Lange would win. In the Lites main Townley taped the throttle on his Pro Circuit-tuned Kawasaki KX250F all the way through the first turn, winning the $1,000 Progressive Direct holeshot award and leading the race early.

“Best start I’ve ever pulled,” admitted Townley. “Then Darcy put it up on me. I got my groove, found my lines and got both of them (2nd place Ryan Dungey) back in one turn.”

By lap ten Townley had put two seconds on Lange, and would eventually make that lead stick through the checkers. Lange would hold off a charging Dungey for 2nd overall.

“It was a good weekend for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team,” said Lange. “I’m just glad to be up on the podium.”

Trailing by ten points heading into the Dallas round, Townley’s win makes for a three-point different between he and Morais with one round remaining. Should Townley repeat his Dallas performance and win Detroit – with Morais finishing 2nd – the two would be tied and Townley would be awarded the overall title on account of he’d have more race wins (four to Morais’ zero) this season.

“If I can ride like I did here today I’ve got a good shot at the title in Detroit,” said Townley.

Next up for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team is Round 14 of the 2007 Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series at Detroit’s Ford Field (March 21st).