Terminal Velocity Daytona Race Report
So far in the 2009 Monster Energy/AMA Lites Eastern Regional Supercross Championship, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team is perfect, winning every main event. However, neither of the team’s riders – Austin Stroupe and Christophe Pourcel – had ever raced the notoriously unpredictable Daytona Supercross before.
Both riders were in the second Heat race, and they went 1-2, with Stroupe taking the win.
In the main, Stroupe started near the front, but went down hard on the opening lap when he collided with Martin Davalos. Stroupe dropped out of the main. “He should be fine,” team owner Mitch Payton said after the race. “He’s just a little banged up.”
However, Pourcel quickly moved up from the tail end of the top five to grab the lead on the second lap, only to quickly lose the lead to Davalos on the same lap. For the next eight laps, Davalos led, and actually pulled away for a while, before Pourcel put on one of his signature late-race charges and began pressuring Davalos on lap 10. On lap 12, Pourcel jumped past Davalos for the lead and pulled away, eventually winning the 15-lap main event by over six seconds.
“I was just patient behind him, and I knew he was going to be tired because he didn’t ride like that all year,” Pourcel said. “But he was pretty good, and I was really good all day on the track. I was just waiting for a mistake or waiting to pick up my speed after 10 laps.” It was his third win in the four rounds run thus far, and Pourcel extended his lead in the championship at its halfway point.
"Daytona went very well for us" said TVP's Joe Parsons. "It was a tough track and some great racing and we're stoked to have Pourcel up on the top of podium again".
From here, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team heads to New Orleans’ Louisiana Superdome on Saturday, March 14, for round five of the Lites East.
About Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki Racing
Since 1991, Pro Circuit has fielded the strongest, most consistent team on the AMA circuit. Starting with Honda equipment, then moving to Kawasaki’s in 1993 and four-strokes in 2004, team owner Mitch Payton has managed to compete for Championships every season. In fact, in 2005 and 2007 his riders swept all three Lites-division titles in AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross. Since the first starting line-up, a total of forty-two riders have lined up for the Pro Circuit race team. For 2009, sponsors include Monster Energy, Pro Circuit, Kawasaki, Thor, Terminal Velocity Processing, Parts Unlimited, Vans, Scott, Maxima, Asterisk, N-Style, Alpinestar, NGK, PPG, DP, JE Pistons, Mechanix, RK, Renthal, Twin Air, VP, Bridgestone, Braking, Excel, Troy Lee Designs, Hinson, Athena, Ogio, Showa, Sunline, CMI, UFO, and WRP.
About Terminal Velocity Processing (TVP):
TVP is a leading innovative merchant payment processing company providing solutions to merchants’ specific needs. TVP specializes in cost-saving payment processing services for both card present ( brick & mortar) and card-not-present (CPN) mail order, telephone order and Internet merchants. TVP’s consultative approach, superior customer service, coupled with their innovative solutions for merchants are what sets them apart. TVP recognizes that each business is unique and “a one size fits all approach” does not always work. TVP tailors solutions specific to the business and how it operates. TVP is your payment solutions partner.
For more information, please check out http://www.terminalvelocitymx.com
