Rockstar Makita Suzuki Race Report
February 2, 2009, 3:00pm
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing’s Chad Reed brought home an impressive second-place finish at the San Francisco Supercross at AT&T Park on Saturday night. This result means the two-time and defending AMA Supercross Champion still leads the overall championship points in the premier class. Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Mike Alessi improved his standings in the overall championship points, thanks to a ninth-place finish in the 20-lap Supercross main. And finally, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Michael Byrne did not race, due to an injury sustained in the off-season. He hopes to be back racing as soon as possible.
In the Supercross Lites class, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey continues to lead the overall championship points chase after finishing second at the San Francisco race. Dungey got a great start on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z250 and was battling for the lead for most of the 15-lap race. With several laps to go, Dungey made the pass for the lead but lost the front end and went down. He quickly remounted in third place and then moved back into second position before the race’s end,
Chad Reed:
“The weather was awesome at San Francisco, it was better than it’s been since 2003. It was nice to show up here and see the sun. But it was a tough day, we had a crash in the first lap of practice and we had to fight back from that. The track was real slick, so we had to compensate for that and try and get a good start. The main event was good as far as getting out on the start on my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450. I was third on the first turn and fourth on the next one, but I fought back in and… worked my way into second. It was a good, clean 20 laps.”
Mike Alessi:
“The San Francisco Supercross was good, practice went great. We were eighth fastest, and that was better than last week. In my heat race, I got a great start on my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 – got the holeshot - and got third place. In the main event, I got another great start and was actually first, but the leader got me on the inside so he got credit for the holeshot. I was running second for about six laps, but kind of over-exerted myself and I just kind of ran out of gas toward the middle and the end of the race. But I ended up ninth and we picked up a spot in the overall points, and that’s good.”
Ryan Dungey:
“San Francisco was a little bit better than last year, which was really muddy and gnarly. This year, I had a good time all day on my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z250. In practice, my times were super-fast and in the main, yeah, I had a little tip-over but I managed to salvage second. I’m not bummed out about tonight at all. I feel like I could have gone out there and just settled for second, but I went for it and figured I’d win or die trying, so I think the way the night went, the whole team did a good job and I rode solid.”
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will race next at the third of three Anaheim, California, rounds at Angel Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.
Chad Reed, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450, #1
2nd Place – San Francisco Supercross
1st Place – Overall Championship Points Standings
Mike Alessi, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450, #800
9th Place – San Francisco Supercross
8th Place – Overall Championship Points Standings
Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z250, #10
2nd Place – San Francisco Supercross Lites
1st Place -- Overall Championship Points Standings
AMA Supercross Top 10 Finishers:
1. James Stewart, Yamaha (Holeshot)
2. Chad Reed, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing
3. Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
4. Josh Grant, Yamaha
5. Andrew Short, Honda
6. Kevin Windham, Honda
7. Josh Hill, Yamaha
8. Davi Millsaps, Honda
9. Mike Alessi, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing (Holeshot)
10. Ivan Tedesco, Honda
AMA Supercross Lites Top 10 Finishers:
1. Jake Weimer, Kawasaki (Holeshot)
2. Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing
3. Trey Canard, Honda
4. Justin Brayton, KTM
5. Ryan Morais, Kawasaki
6. Ryan Sipes, KTM
7. Dan Reardon, Honda
8. Kyle Cunningham, Kawasaki
9. PJ Larsen, Kawasaki
10. Eric McCrummen, Honda
In the Supercross Lites class, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey continues to lead the overall championship points chase after finishing second at the San Francisco race. Dungey got a great start on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z250 and was battling for the lead for most of the 15-lap race. With several laps to go, Dungey made the pass for the lead but lost the front end and went down. He quickly remounted in third place and then moved back into second position before the race’s end,
Chad Reed:
“The weather was awesome at San Francisco, it was better than it’s been since 2003. It was nice to show up here and see the sun. But it was a tough day, we had a crash in the first lap of practice and we had to fight back from that. The track was real slick, so we had to compensate for that and try and get a good start. The main event was good as far as getting out on the start on my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450. I was third on the first turn and fourth on the next one, but I fought back in and… worked my way into second. It was a good, clean 20 laps.”
Mike Alessi:
“The San Francisco Supercross was good, practice went great. We were eighth fastest, and that was better than last week. In my heat race, I got a great start on my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 – got the holeshot - and got third place. In the main event, I got another great start and was actually first, but the leader got me on the inside so he got credit for the holeshot. I was running second for about six laps, but kind of over-exerted myself and I just kind of ran out of gas toward the middle and the end of the race. But I ended up ninth and we picked up a spot in the overall points, and that’s good.”
Ryan Dungey:
“San Francisco was a little bit better than last year, which was really muddy and gnarly. This year, I had a good time all day on my Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z250. In practice, my times were super-fast and in the main, yeah, I had a little tip-over but I managed to salvage second. I’m not bummed out about tonight at all. I feel like I could have gone out there and just settled for second, but I went for it and figured I’d win or die trying, so I think the way the night went, the whole team did a good job and I rode solid.”
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will race next at the third of three Anaheim, California, rounds at Angel Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.
Chad Reed, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450, #1
2nd Place – San Francisco Supercross
1st Place – Overall Championship Points Standings
Mike Alessi, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450, #800
9th Place – San Francisco Supercross
8th Place – Overall Championship Points Standings
Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z250, #10
2nd Place – San Francisco Supercross Lites
1st Place -- Overall Championship Points Standings
AMA Supercross Top 10 Finishers:
1. James Stewart, Yamaha (Holeshot)
2. Chad Reed, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing
3. Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
4. Josh Grant, Yamaha
5. Andrew Short, Honda
6. Kevin Windham, Honda
7. Josh Hill, Yamaha
8. Davi Millsaps, Honda
9. Mike Alessi, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing (Holeshot)
10. Ivan Tedesco, Honda
AMA Supercross Lites Top 10 Finishers:
1. Jake Weimer, Kawasaki (Holeshot)
2. Ryan Dungey, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing
3. Trey Canard, Honda
4. Justin Brayton, KTM
5. Ryan Morais, Kawasaki
6. Ryan Sipes, KTM
7. Dan Reardon, Honda
8. Kyle Cunningham, Kawasaki
9. PJ Larsen, Kawasaki
10. Eric McCrummen, Honda
