AMA AX Series Heads to Dayton

AURORA, Ill. – Through two races of the 2011 AMA Arenacross Series, the story remains the same as TUF Honda’s Jeff Gibson holds the distinction as the only race winner in the Arenacross class this season. This weekend, the 2009 AMA Arenacross Series Champion leads his rivals into Dayton, Ohio and the Ervin J. Nutter Center, a longtime staple of the sport.

Last weekend from Kansas City’s Kemper Arena, Gibson’s path to the checkered flag wasn’t routine thanks to a tough challenge from Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki presented by Maxxis’ Tyler Bowers. Through the first 15 laps of the 25-lap main event, Bowers held a strong grasp on the top spot only to fall and give up what looked to be his first win of the season.

Despite the fall, Bowers was able to secure a fourth-place finish, but thanks to his second win through the first two rounds, Gibson is quickly making a strong bid for his second title. Also coming on strong with impressive performances in Kansas City was Foremost Insurance/Spinechillers/HondaofFairfield.com’s Nathan Skaggs and Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki’s Chad Johnson, who finished in second and third, respectively. The pair’s efforts helped move Johnson into second in the championship standings while Skaggs currently sits fourth.

“You really never know who’s going to win when the gate drops,” said Miss Arenacross Lindsey Scheltema. “It may seem as if Gibson has the field covered based on his back-to-back wins, but if you look at the competition on the track, you can see how close everyone really is in speed.”

The deep roster of highly-talented riders in the AMA Arenacross Series has lead to the potential of high parity in the Arenacross class. While several of the sport’s biggest names have already established themselves, many others are still working on getting acclimated to the 2011 championship and once they find the rhythm, the competition is sure to heat up.

While the Arenacross class continues to generate excitement and grab headlines, the Arenacross Lites Eastern Regional Championship is also producing intense on-track action of its own, showcasing a stellar opening round that saw a first-time winner in Adam Gulley take the race win.
On Saturday night, the avid and dedicated arenacross fan base of Ohio will witness the first of two rounds in the Buckeye state in three weeks.

Advance tickets are available for this weekend’s Dayton Arenacross at the Nutter Center Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone and ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $2 more the day of the race.

Arenacross Class Points (After Race 2 of 19)
Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda – 50
Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki – 40
Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki – 40
Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda – 38
Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Honda – 34
Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki – 27
Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., Suzuki – 24
Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, Honda – 24
Cole Siebler, Emmett, Idaho, Ho            nda – 23
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki – 20
Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., Yamaha – 20

Arenacross Lites Class Eastern Regional Points (After Race 1 of 10)
Adam Gulley, Jonesburg, Mo., Kawasaki – 25
Patrick Massie, Washington Court, Ohio, Honda – 22
Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda – 20
Austin Coon, Spencer, W.V., Honda – 18
Hunter Clements, Welton, Mo., Honda – 16
Tyler Sehr, Belleville, Ill., Honda – 15
Shane Gailey, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda – 14
Kyle Hussey, Moscow Mills, Mo., Kawasaki – 13
Jason Hussey, Moscow Mills, Mo., Kawasaki – 12

New for 2011! Live timing and scoring from each round of the AMA Arenacross Series. To follow the intense racing action live, log onto www.Arenacross.com.  For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short at brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.

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About Feld Motor Sports®
Feld Motor Sports®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz℠, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.