Torco Racing Fuels Honda Race Report - San Diego
February 11, 2008
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The last California round of the 2008 AMA Supercross Championship started out looking promising for the Torco Racing Fuels Honda team. Riders Dan Reardon, Jake Weimer and Kevin Windham all got the holeshots in their respective Heat races, and Weimer and Windham went on to win their Heats, while Reardon finished second to erstwhile points leader Ryan Dungey in his.
Out and out speed wasn’t a problem for the Torco Racing Fuels Honda team in San Diego.
However, Weimer couldn’t turn a decent start in the main event into a top finish, as he fell in the early going and spent the rest of the race fighting from behind, despite his earlier Heat win.
“The Heat race was good,” Weimer said. “I got the holeshot and checked out. I rode good, smart and smooth. I was feeling good going into the main, and I started fifth, and then just kind of went downhill from there. I maybe got a little over-anxious and carried way too much momentum into a corner, and that’s pretty much the end. There’s not much to say. I felt good all night, and I felt like I rode well, but it didn’t pan out like I wanted.”
Weimer sits 16th in points with two rounds left to run.
Lites teammate Reardon had a similar main event, although damage from his crash eventually knocked him out of the race, following a strong Heat.
“The Heat race wasn’t bad,” Reardon said. “After last week, I was so paranoid that I just wanted to make things work. I got a great start, and then Dungey passed me, and I finished second. It got me a good starting spot in the final. Come the final, I got a good start. I didn’t holeshot, but I was in like fifth or something, and from there I moved my way up to fourth, and that’s when things turned bad. I had a crash and bent the bike up a little bit and I had no front brake, and then I was trying to ride around with it, and the front brake ended up locking up on me. It was definitely a disappointing night, but it happens. I’ll regroup and look forward to making a good race of it next week in Houston.”
Reardon’s misfortune dropped him from third to seventh in points with two rounds left to run in the Lites Western Region.
In the 450cc class, Windham handed points leader Chad Reed one of few losses on the season in the Heat. It was Windham’s second Heat win of the year thus far.
“The Heat race was great,” Windham said. “I got a great gate, and I got a great start and then kind of set my sails out there. I made a couple bobbles and Chad kind of closed up on me in the middle part of the race, and then I stretched the thing back out. It really felt good to me. Chad’s a strong rider, and any time he can go for the kill, he usually does, but I beat him in that one.”
In the main, though, Windham struggled a bit on his way to fifth, although he has not finished outside of the top five all season long.
“I got a good start, but I just didn’t go to work,” Windham said. “I made a couple bobbles and didn’t do some key jumps, and I fell back to fifth. That was pretty much it. It was a really tight track. It was one of those tracks where everyone was kind of doing everything, and I fumbled around and didn’t do three jumps three times. That was pretty much it. You could throw a blanket over the top five, so it was a fairly close race. We were all on the same straightaway, and anything could’ve happened, but you’ve got to give yourself a chance. I actually felt good in the later part of the race, but in the beginning, I just made some bobbles and didn’t do some key jumps. That was that.”
Windham held onto second in the points, still some 13 points clear of the closest rider to him, with 11 races left to run.
From here, the Torco Racing Fuels Honda team leaves California and heads to Houston, Texas, for round seven of the AMA Supercross Series on February 16 inside Reliant Stadium.
Team Sponsors: Torco Race Fuels, Honda, Planet Fitness, No Fear Energy, AMSOIL, Factory Connection, No Fear, Shoei, Gaerne, Spy, DVS, Cycra, Dunlop, EK, Ferodo, Hinson, Ogio, One Industries, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Showa, TAG, Twin Air, and Works Connection.
San Diego Lites Main:
1. Jason Lawrence Yam
2. Tommy Hahn Kaw
3. Bobby Kiniry Hon
4. Brett Metcalfe Kaw
5. Justin Brayton KTM
6. Ryan Dungey Suz
7. Austin Stroupe Kaw
8. Wil Hahn Yam
9. Michael Lapaglia Suz
10. Billy Laninovich KTM
17. Jake Weimer Torco Racing Fuels Honda
21. Dan Reardon Torco Racing Fuels Honda
AMA Western Lites Standings (After 6 of 8 rounds):
1. Jason Lawrence (113/3 wins)
2. Ryan Dungey (111/2 wins)
3. Brett Metcalfe (96)
4. Tommy Hahn (92)
5. Austin Stroupe (88)
6. Justin Brayton (85)
7. Dan Reardon (80)
8. Gavin Gracyk (62)
9. Broc Hepler (59)
10. Bobby Kiniry (57)
16. Jake Weimer (35/1 win)
San Diego 450cc Main:
1. Chad Reed Yam
2. Timmy Ferry Kaw
3. Davi Millsaps Hon
4. Andrew Short Hon
5. Kevin Windham Torco Racing Fuels Honda
6. Josh Hill Yam
7. David Vuillemin Suz
8. Nathan Ramsey Yam
9. Nick Wey KTM
10. Jason Thomas Hon
AMA Supercross Standings (After 6 of 17 rounds):
1. Chad Reed (147/5 wins)
2. Kevin Windham (112)
3. Timmy Ferry (99)
4. Davi Millsaps (85)
5. Andrew Short (85)
6. Nathan Ramsey (70)
7. Mike Alessi (69)
8. Nick Wey (65)
9. Josh Hill (64)
10. Ivan Tedesco (53)
