Bridgestone Sweeps Top Spots in Motocross Opener
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bridgestone supported motocross teams and riders picked up their winning ways where they left off a few weeks ago in the supercross season, sweeping the top spots in both Motocross and Motocross Lites at Saturday’s 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship season-opening event at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, Calif.
Ryan Villopoto (Monster Energy / Kawasaki) won both motos to capture top honors in the 450cc Motocross category, and continue a hot streak. Villopoto also won two of the final three events in the 2009 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series that concluded three weeks ago with Bridgestone riders winning every event in that 17-race schedule.
Villopoto led a Bridgestone podium sweep Saturday in the Motocross opener, with Mike Alessi (Rockstar / Makita / Suzuki) taking overall second and Josh Grant (JGRMX / Toyota / Yamaha) getting third place.
In the 250cc Motocross Lites, Ryan Dungey (Rockstar / Makita / Suzuki) finished second in one moto and first in the other moto to claim top overall honors for the day. Christophe Pourcel (Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki) ran 1-7 in the motos to take second overall. Dungey (Western Region) and Pourcel (Eastern Region) are also the reigning Supercross Lites regional champions from this spring, again riding on Bridgestone tires.
The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship series continues this weekend with the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Sacramento, Calif. The Motocross finale airs live on SPEED at 9 p.m. ET Saturday.
About Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) is a business unit of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. Reporting into the BATO business unit are the company's Latin American tire operations, the U.S. and Canadian consumer tire businesses and the U.S. and Canadian commercial tire businesses. BATO develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The business unit is focused on retail, wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in the Americas. In addition, through its Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions unit, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.
