Honda Kicks-off MX Opener On Top

May 24, 2010, 4:50pm

Torrance, CA: The 2010 AMA Motocross Championship and Women’s Motocross Championship kicked off at the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova on Saturday May 22. Honda Red Bull Racing’s Davi Millsaps, Andrew Short and Ashley Fiolek showed great speed at the opening round of the season aboard their CRF450R and CRF250R machines. GEICO Powersports Honda newcomer, 17-year-old Eli Tomac, scored his first-ever AMA Motocross overall victory in his AMA professional debut.

In the 450 class, Millsaps got away to flying starts in both motos on his CRF450R and challenged for the lead. Finishing the first moto in third and going one better in moto two with a second place finish, the Red Bull athlete kicked his Motocross season off to a great start with a third overall. Teammate Short was on target for a good result in moto one when he crashed after being hit hard in a turn, finishing in 15th place. He rebounded to nab fifth spot in race two, rounding out the weekend in 10th overall. Brett Metcalfe put in a strong showing in his 450-class debut for the GEICO Powersports Honda team, going 5-4 to finish fourth overall. Another Honda racer making his return to racing after a long bout with injuries was Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Ben Townley. He too was among the top contenders, finishing 6-7 for sixth overall on his CRF450R.

In the 250 class, Eli Tomac made an epic professional debut on his GEICO Powersports Honda CRF250R, winning a moto and scoring the overall victory. In the opening race, Tomac had a strong lead when he made an error in the closing stages of the race and finished third. With his first-race jitters behind him, he engaged in a battle for the lead in the second moto with his more experienced teammate, Trey Canard, before going on to win and clinch the overall victory.

“I am beyond happy right now,” said Tomac. “I think I am actually in shock and not sure how to feel about winning. I didn’t expect this. The first moto was purely lost due to a rookie error but I made sure I didn’t make the same mistake in the second moto. I was feeling it by about the 20-minute mark, but I held on right to the end and I’m really happy right now. The GEICO Powersports Honda team has been so supportive and helpful, and I can’t thank them and my parents enough for getting me this far.”

After getting the holeshot and finishing moto one in seventh spot, Canard rallied hard to take second in moto two and end the weekend third overall. Justin Barcia charged hard with two solid come-from-behind races after getting mid-pack starts to go 5-7 for fifth overall on his GEICO Powersports Honda CRF250R. Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Wil Hahn was fastest out of the start gate, grabbing the holeshot in moto two, and finishing eighth overall (13-6).

In the Women’s Motocross Championship, two-time champion Ashley Fiolek finished second overall on her Honda Red Bull Racing CRF250R. Challenging for the lead in both motos, Fiolek finished moto one in third and moto two in second spot. Tarah Geiger went 2-6 in her debut ride for the Troy Lee Designs Honda team to finish third overall and Elizabeth Bash—sponsored by Trey Canard Racing on a Honda CRF250R—nabbed sixth overall.

AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Round 1 of 12

450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Chad Reed (1-3)
2. Mike Alessi (4-1)
3. Davi Millsaps, Honda (3-2)
4. Brett Metcalfe, Honda (5-4)
5. Josh Grant (2-10)
6. Ben Townley, Honda (6-7)
7. Ryan Sipes (7-8)
8. Ryan Dungey (10-6)
9. Ken DeDycker (8-11)
10. Andrew Short, Honda (15-5)

450 Class Championship Standings
1. Chad Reed 45
2. Mike Alessi 43
3. Davi Millsaps 42
4. Brett Metcalfe 34
5. Josh Grant 33
6. Ben Townley 29
7. Ryan Sipes 27
8. Ryan Dungey 26
9. Ken DeDycker 23
10. Andrew Short 22

250 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Eli Tomac, Honda (3-1)
2. Christophe Pourcel (1-3)
3. Trey Canard, Honda (7-2)
4. Jake Weimer (4-8)
5. Justin Barcia, Honda (5-7)
6. Dean Wilson (10-4)
7. Broc Tickle (11-5)
8. Wil Hahn, Honda (13-6)
9. Tommy Searle (2-31)
10. Tyla Rattray (8-16)

250 Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac 45
2. Christophe Pourcel 45
3. Trey Canard 36
4. Jake Weimer 31
5. Justin Barcia 30
6. Dean Wilson 29
7. Broc Tickle 26
8. Wil Hahn 23
9. Tommy Searle 22
10. Tyla Rattray 18

WMX Class (Moto Finish)
1. Jessica Patterson (1-1)
2. Ashley Fiolek, Honda (3-2)
3. Tarah Gieger, Honda (2-6)
4. Mariana Balbi (9-3)
5. Alexah Pearson (5-5)
6. Elizabeth Bash, Honda (8-4)
7. Vicki Golden (4-10)
8. Sayaka Kaneshiro (7-9)
9. Tatum Sik (10-7)
10. Jacqueline Strong (14-8)

WMX Class Standings (Round 1 of 8)
1. Jessica Patterson 50
2. Ashley Fiolek 42
3. Tarah Gieger 37
4. Mariana Balbi 32
5. Alexah Pearson 32
6. Elizabeth Bash 31
7. Vicki Golden 29
8. Sayaka Kaneshiro 26
9. Tatum Sik 25
10. Jacqueline Strong 20