Rockstar Makita Suzuki Race Report: Freestone

May 30, 2011, 10:50am

WORTHAM, TX – Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki had a strong showing on their Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z450s in the second round of the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the Rockstar Energy Freestone National in Wortham, TX. Conditions were tough as usual in Texas, with high temperatures and humidity throughout the day, but the Suzuki riders were up for the challenge. Ryan Dungey rode strong, scoring a convincing second in the first moto, and led every lap of the second moto until a fuel problem hit with just two laps to go, resulting in a DNF (did not finish). Teammate Brett Metcalfe had a solid performance in the Texas heat as well, scoring a fourth-place overall for the day.

Dungey started the day strong, claiming the fastest time in the morning timed practices. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider didn’t have the best of starts in the first moto, but he rode strong and powered his RM-Z through the field to cross the line for a convincing second-place finish. In moto two, Dungey blasted out of the gate just behind his teammate and quickly moved into the lead by the end of the first lap. Dungey led for the next 14 laps and built a 20-second plus lead until the extreme temperatures caused the fuel in his RM-Z to boil. The unfortunate end result was that fuel was expelled through the vent system, which depleted his fuel supply, robbing him of the moto win and the overall victory. Dungey was credited with a 25th-place finish in the second moto and an eighth-place overall for the day.

"Overall, I felt awesome all day,” said Dungey. “My Rockstar Makita Suzuki team worked really hard and it’s just too bad we had the issue in the second moto. It’s a bummer for the team and myself – for all of us together, as we’re all in it together. I feel bad because we all work too hard for something like this to happen. We just need to keep looking forward; keep moving in the right direction and keep our heads down. We have a lot of racing left, so we have a lot to be thankful for. We have a weekend off and we’re gonna do a little testing and see if we can’t improve on a few areas and be ready for High Point. It’s a great track; it’s got some hills and elevation and the dirt’s awesome there. It’s a fun track and I was able to get a win there last year, so I’m really looking forward to it. ”

Teammate Brett Metcalfe started the day with a solid practice aboard his Suzuki RM-Z450. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider had a good start in the first moto but struggled a bit and went down a couple times, which resulted in a ninth-place finish. In moto two, the awesome power of his RM-Z blasted Metcalfe out of the gate as he pulled the holeshot, just in front of Dungey. Metcalfe rode solid until the end, crossing the line for a third-place finish. His 9-3 moto finishes gave him a fourth-place overall for the day.

"I was feeling pretty good coming into Texas after my fifth at Hangtown,” said Metcalfe. “I knew the heat and humidity in Texas is always tough, so my main goal was to get two good starts and put my Rockstar Makita Suzuki up front and then if the heat was a factor, I could back it down from there. I was able to achieve that and actually got the holeshot in the second moto – My Yoshimura Suzuki crew put together a real good package for the start today, so that was really good. I struggled in the first moto and went down twice. And that was after I was up in the front early, so that was a disappointment. I was able to rebound strong and have a really strong second moto and got a third there and a fourth overall. That was a good little boost for me and now I’m sitting fifth in the points. I’m really thankful to the whole Rockstar Makita Suzuki team today, as it was a really good day for us. I’m going to take advantage of this off-week and go back to California and do some testing and get ready for High Point. I like that track and last year I was able to get a podium there, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Rockstar Makita Suzuki team’s next event is the third round of the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday, June 11th, at the Rockstar Energy High Point National in Mt. Morris, PA.

Freestone 450 Class Overall Results:

1. Chad Reed

2. David Millsaps

3. Ryan Villopoto

4. Brett Metcalfe

5. Ricky Dietrich

6. Jake Weimer

7. Christian Craig

8. Ryan Dungey

9. Andrew Short

10. Nick Wey

2011 Motocross 450 Class Standings: