Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes: San Diego
February 8, 2012, 11:25am
FAST FACTS: SAN DIEGO
· Josh Hansen leads Team Dodge in the rider point standings. He’s currently 12th, 60 points behind the series leader.
· Kyle Partridge has made four consecutive Main Events.
· Ivan Tedesco and Josh Hill will remain sidelined this weekend due to injuries.
· SPEED will televise the AMA Supercross event live from San Diego beginning at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
· Point leader Ryan Villopoto is the only repeat winner in the first five races this season.
THE DODGE BOYS
· Dodge Motorsports is entering its second season with the Hart & Huntington Kawasaki team.
· Dodge Motorsports riders earned one top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 2011.
· Ivan Tedesco led the Dodge Motorsports/H&H team with seven top-10 finishes in 15 AMA starts in 2011.
DODGE TEAMS WITH HART & HUNTINGTON
· Dodge Motorsport and Hart & Huntington will field two Dodge/Sycaun Casino/Hart & Huntington/Bell-Ray Racing Kawasaki 450s in Saturday night’s event at San Diego. The riders are Josh Hansen and Kyle Partridge. Teammates Josh Hill (broken left tibia) and Ivan Tedesco (broken right ring finger) are sidelined due to injuries.
· Both Dodge/Hart & Huntington riders advanced to the Main Event last week at Anaheim. Partridge finished 16th and Hansen 20th after suffering early brake issues.
THE QUOTE: JOSH HANSEN
“I feel like I was showing some good speed last weekend in Anaheim and just got caught up in mechanical deal with the bike. I had good lap times and thought I was a top-five bike for the Main. I just need to carry that momentum into this weekend at San Diego.”
2012 AMA SX STAT CHECK
Starts Main Events Wins Top 3s Top 10s
Hansen 5 5 0 0 4
Tedesco 3 3 0 0 0
Partridge 5 4 0 0 0
Hill 1 0 0 0 0
Josh Hansen
No.100 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 02/16/1984
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif. Mechanic: Kenny Germaine
Highlights
· Has made all five Main Events this season
· Posted career-best AMA Supercross 450 class finish of seventh at Los Angeles earlier this season
· First year racing with Hart & Huntington/Dodge Motorsports
· Gold medal winner in Supercross (2008/09) in the ESPN X Games
Kyle Partridge
No. 83 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 11/26/1986
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev. Mechanic: Sean Trihey
Highlights
· Season best Main Event finish came last weekend at Angel Stadium in Anaheim; he finished 16th
· First Supercross start was at Salt Lake City in 2009
· Career best finish of 13th came at Salt Lake City in 2010
Ivan Tedesco
No. 9 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 08/12/1981
Hometown: Albuquerque, N.M. Mechanic: Tony Berluti
Highlights
· Season best finish of 11th came at Phoenix (second race)
· Entering his fifth season in AMA Supercross competition
· Finished 11th in the 2011 rider standings
· Best 2011 finish came at Jacksonville, the 11th race of the season; he started sixth and finished sixth
Josh Hill
No. 75 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 07/30/1989
Hometown: Portland, Ore. Mechanic: Shawn Bell
Highlights
· Sidelined since breaking left tibia in season opener at Anaheim
· Earned his first win at Minneapolis in 2008
· In addition to a win, has 15 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in 46 starts
· Finished fifth in 2008 Supercross standings
RIDER QUOTES:
JOSH HANSEN (No. 100 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Kawasaki) HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH YOUR BRAKES DURING THE MAIN EVENT LAST WEEKEND IN ANAHEIM? “My front right brake broke on the line before the gate even dropped for the Main. I wasn’t even sure that I was going to be able to take off from the gate. I just hoped that they were going to work because it was all jacked up. When the gate dropped, I got into the first corner and the front-end was all locked up. My front wheel wouldn't turn and I knew I was pretty much done. It was a real drag.”
YOU HAD NO WARNING BEFORE YOU GOT INTO THE GATE PRIOR TO THE MAIN? “Nope. Everything fell apart when I was on the line. It was weird. It was like something fell off the bike on the brake system. It just got all whacked out and made the front wheel seize up.”
YOU TOOK A HIT IN THE POINTS AND NOW SIT 12TH HEADING INTO SAN DIEGO THIS WEEKEND. HOW’S YOUR MINDSET? “I’m ready to get it going on. I want to get some good results. I feel like I was showing some good speed last weekend in Anaheim and just got caught up in a mechanical deal with the bike. I had good lap times and thought I was a top-five bike for the Main. I just need to carry that momentum into this weekend at San Diego. Our bikes are fast. I feel confident on the seat. I just need to put 20 solid laps together and ride with a lot of confidence.”
KYLE PARTRIDGE (No. 83 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Kawasaki) WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT RACING AT SAN DIEGO THIS WEEKEND? “I didn’t ride too well last weekend, so I’m really excited to get back on the bike this week and get ready for the weekend. I just rode too tight last weekend. I wasn’t able to keep the momentum and rhythm going that I needed and it just slowed me down. Once I got tight, I had to fight off fist pump to the point where I got really tight in the whoops. I made too many mistakes and just couldn’t change momentum.”
HOW MUCH OF YOUR SUCCESS ON THE BIKE IS THE MENTAL APPROACH YOU TAKE? “A lot. I’ve just made too many mistakes and once that happens, I’m riding really tight. You have to ride as hard as you can, but relaxed at the same time.”
WHAT’S THE FOCUS THIS WEEK? “I’m stoked to get back on the bike this week. I going to focus on a good 20-lap run in practice this week to prep for the weekend. I’ve shown to be fast in the Heat races, but I just haven’t rode consistent enough for 20 laps in the Main. No excuses. My bike has been fast. I just need to pull it all together in the Main.”
· Josh Hansen leads Team Dodge in the rider point standings. He’s currently 12th, 60 points behind the series leader.
· Kyle Partridge has made four consecutive Main Events.
· Ivan Tedesco and Josh Hill will remain sidelined this weekend due to injuries.
· SPEED will televise the AMA Supercross event live from San Diego beginning at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
· Point leader Ryan Villopoto is the only repeat winner in the first five races this season.
THE DODGE BOYS
· Dodge Motorsports is entering its second season with the Hart & Huntington Kawasaki team.
· Dodge Motorsports riders earned one top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 2011.
· Ivan Tedesco led the Dodge Motorsports/H&H team with seven top-10 finishes in 15 AMA starts in 2011.
DODGE TEAMS WITH HART & HUNTINGTON
· Dodge Motorsport and Hart & Huntington will field two Dodge/Sycaun Casino/Hart & Huntington/Bell-Ray Racing Kawasaki 450s in Saturday night’s event at San Diego. The riders are Josh Hansen and Kyle Partridge. Teammates Josh Hill (broken left tibia) and Ivan Tedesco (broken right ring finger) are sidelined due to injuries.
· Both Dodge/Hart & Huntington riders advanced to the Main Event last week at Anaheim. Partridge finished 16th and Hansen 20th after suffering early brake issues.
THE QUOTE: JOSH HANSEN
“I feel like I was showing some good speed last weekend in Anaheim and just got caught up in mechanical deal with the bike. I had good lap times and thought I was a top-five bike for the Main. I just need to carry that momentum into this weekend at San Diego.”
2012 AMA SX STAT CHECK
Starts Main Events Wins Top 3s Top 10s
Hansen 5 5 0 0 4
Tedesco 3 3 0 0 0
Partridge 5 4 0 0 0
Hill 1 0 0 0 0
Josh Hansen
No.100 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 02/16/1984
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif. Mechanic: Kenny Germaine
Highlights
· Has made all five Main Events this season
· Posted career-best AMA Supercross 450 class finish of seventh at Los Angeles earlier this season
· First year racing with Hart & Huntington/Dodge Motorsports
· Gold medal winner in Supercross (2008/09) in the ESPN X Games
Kyle Partridge
No. 83 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 11/26/1986
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev. Mechanic: Sean Trihey
Highlights
· Season best Main Event finish came last weekend at Angel Stadium in Anaheim; he finished 16th
· First Supercross start was at Salt Lake City in 2009
· Career best finish of 13th came at Salt Lake City in 2010
Ivan Tedesco
No. 9 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 08/12/1981
Hometown: Albuquerque, N.M. Mechanic: Tony Berluti
Highlights
· Season best finish of 11th came at Phoenix (second race)
· Entering his fifth season in AMA Supercross competition
· Finished 11th in the 2011 rider standings
· Best 2011 finish came at Jacksonville, the 11th race of the season; he started sixth and finished sixth
Josh Hill
No. 75 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Birthdate: 07/30/1989
Hometown: Portland, Ore. Mechanic: Shawn Bell
Highlights
· Sidelined since breaking left tibia in season opener at Anaheim
· Earned his first win at Minneapolis in 2008
· In addition to a win, has 15 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in 46 starts
· Finished fifth in 2008 Supercross standings
RIDER QUOTES:
JOSH HANSEN (No. 100 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Kawasaki) HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH YOUR BRAKES DURING THE MAIN EVENT LAST WEEKEND IN ANAHEIM? “My front right brake broke on the line before the gate even dropped for the Main. I wasn’t even sure that I was going to be able to take off from the gate. I just hoped that they were going to work because it was all jacked up. When the gate dropped, I got into the first corner and the front-end was all locked up. My front wheel wouldn't turn and I knew I was pretty much done. It was a real drag.”
YOU HAD NO WARNING BEFORE YOU GOT INTO THE GATE PRIOR TO THE MAIN? “Nope. Everything fell apart when I was on the line. It was weird. It was like something fell off the bike on the brake system. It just got all whacked out and made the front wheel seize up.”
YOU TOOK A HIT IN THE POINTS AND NOW SIT 12TH HEADING INTO SAN DIEGO THIS WEEKEND. HOW’S YOUR MINDSET? “I’m ready to get it going on. I want to get some good results. I feel like I was showing some good speed last weekend in Anaheim and just got caught up in a mechanical deal with the bike. I had good lap times and thought I was a top-five bike for the Main. I just need to carry that momentum into this weekend at San Diego. Our bikes are fast. I feel confident on the seat. I just need to put 20 solid laps together and ride with a lot of confidence.”
KYLE PARTRIDGE (No. 83 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing
Kawasaki) WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT RACING AT SAN DIEGO THIS WEEKEND? “I didn’t ride too well last weekend, so I’m really excited to get back on the bike this week and get ready for the weekend. I just rode too tight last weekend. I wasn’t able to keep the momentum and rhythm going that I needed and it just slowed me down. Once I got tight, I had to fight off fist pump to the point where I got really tight in the whoops. I made too many mistakes and just couldn’t change momentum.”
HOW MUCH OF YOUR SUCCESS ON THE BIKE IS THE MENTAL APPROACH YOU TAKE? “A lot. I’ve just made too many mistakes and once that happens, I’m riding really tight. You have to ride as hard as you can, but relaxed at the same time.”
WHAT’S THE FOCUS THIS WEEK? “I’m stoked to get back on the bike this week. I going to focus on a good 20-lap run in practice this week to prep for the weekend. I’ve shown to be fast in the Heat races, but I just haven’t rode consistent enough for 20 laps in the Main. No excuses. My bike has been fast. I just need to pull it all together in the Main.”
