CARLSBAD, Calif., – Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel, the 2009 ESX Lites champion and overall Vegas East/West SX Shoot Out champ, picked up right where he left off in supercross by winning the opening Lites class moto of the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA MX Nationals at Glen Helen, then holding on for a 2nd place overall finish at the first outdoor MX contest of the season.

Pourcel’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate, South African Tyla Rattray – a former FIM MX2 class World Champion along with Pourcel – made the Glen Helen Lites class podium as well with a strong 5-2 finish for 3rd place overall.

Pourcel was on point in the first moto, raging from 4th place early to 1st place by lap nine – then cruising to the overall win by more than five seconds ahead of rival Ryan Dungey. “I was pleased with the first moto – things went very well,” said Pourcel.

In the second moto Pourcel didn’t quite get the start he wanted, something that happened to Rattray in the first moto. And as Rattray shined, battling to a 2nd place moto finish in the final contest, Pourcel would settle for 7th and watch the overall slip away as he battled with former Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Brett Metcalfe and his Honda teammate, Blake Wharton, for a top five spot. “It will be a long season so there was no point in trying to force things early,” added Pourcel.

Also making the Lites class top ten overall was Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer (8th) and Austin Stroupe (9th).

Next up for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Lites class racers is this weekend’s Hangtown (Prairie City, Calif.) round of the ’09 Lucas Oil AMA MX National.

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