Since the Troy Lee Designs team was decimated with injuries (Cole Seely, Travis Baker and Christian Craig are all out) the squad has grabbed privateer Billy Laninovich for this race on a 250 and will put him in the nationals on a 450. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Darryn Durham was also not able to race due to an injury sustained during the week.
The practices were a little subdued as most of the racers kept one eye on the upcoming Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship that will be starting in two weeks, but in the end, many of the same riders that we’ve seen on top of the boards are there once again.
The track here was typical Vegas, with slick conditions on a very hard packed surface, and the famous Monster Alley that leaves the stadium and allows the riders to build a ton of speed before racing back onto the floor. There is a triple that shoots the riders really high, followed by another triple/triple section that was giving some riders fits all day.
In the Lites class, it was a great effort by Dean Wilson that saw him top the charts in the west division on his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Wilson is dealing with a shoulder injury and hasn’t been on the bike all that much coming into the race, but he still topped the West charts.
On the east side it was 2011’s Vegas West Lites winner, now racing on the east, Ken Roczen, who topped the charts with a late run to the checkers that saw him grab the top spot on his Red Bull KTM. Keep in mind that East and West riders ride in seperate practices, so comparing lap times to get a preview for the evening is pointless--the track changes and with it so do the times. The AMA doesn't even publish combined overall Lites qualifying for this one. But you can compare the two final sessions below, if you still feel the need.
The Supercross class had Star/Valli’s Nico Izzi on the top for a long time before JGR/Toyota Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps laid down the fastest time just as the checkers flew. Most of the time, that would be good enough to grab the top spot, but on this day, there was some drama as Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Brayton was also on his hot lap just a few corners behind Millsaps. When he crossed the finish a few moments later, he jumped to the top. This left Izzi going from first to third in a blink of an eye, Millsaps second, and Brayton was now the fastest 450 rider going into the night show.
With two main events in the 250 class, an east/west shootout and then a 450 main race, things here in Vegas are just starting to get good. Stay tuned to Racer X on Twitter for all the action.
SX Class Overall Best Lap Times
1 10 Justin Brayton Honda CRF450 1:03.421
2 18 David Millsaps Yamaha YZ450F 1:03.547
3 50 Nico Izzi Yamaha YZ450F 1:03.596 - 1:04.181
4 21 Jake Weimer Kawasaki KX450F 1:03.720 - 1:04.565
5 5 Ryan Dungey KTM 450 SX-F 1:03.770 - 1:04.366
6 25 Broc Tickle Kawasaki KX450F 1:04.782 - 1:04.801
7 27 Nicholas Wey Kawasaki KX450F 1:04.842 - 1:06.210
8 81 Robert Kiniry Yamaha YZ450F 1:04.849 - 1:08.842
9 800 Mike Alessi Suzuki RM-Z450 1:05.015 - 1:05.430
10 36 Kyle Regal Kawasaki KX450 1:05.078 - 1:06.320
11 87 Matthew Goerke Suzuki RM-Z450 1:05.155
12 29 Andrew Short Honda CRF450 1:05.194
13 54 Weston Peick Yamaha YZ450F 1:05.502
14 33 Joshua Grant Kawasaki KX450F 1:05.619
15 24 Brett Metcalfe Suzuki RM-Z450 1:05.761
16 617 Gavin Faith Yamaha YZ450F 1:05.944
17 14 Kevin Windham Honda CRF450 1:06.034
18 74 Tyler Bowers Kawasaki KX250F 1:06.167
19 52 Ben Lamay Yamaha YZ450F 1:06.296 -
20 47 Chris Blose Kawasaki KX450F 1:06.689
Lites West Final Session Times
(Overall combined East/West times not available)
1 15 Dean Wilson Menifee, CA, USA Kawasaki KX250F 1:04.936
2 38 Marvin Musquin Murrieta, CA, USA KTM 250 SX-F 1:05.013
3 53 Ryan Sipes Ekron, KY, USA Yamaha YZ250F 1:05.132
4 17 Eli Tomac Cortez, CO, USA Honda CRF250 1:05.141
5 31 Martin Davalos Cairo, GA, USA Suzuki RM-Z250 1:05.195
6 58 Wil Hahn Decatur, TX, USA Honda CRF250 1:05.671
7 44 Jason Anderson Edgewood, NM, USA Suzuki RM-Z250 1:06.071
8 232 Billy Laninovich Riverside, CA, USA Honda CRF250 1:06.672
9 105 Matt Moss Murrieta, NS, USA KTM 250 SX-F 1:07.764
10 95 Chris Plouffe Castaic, CA, USA Honda CRF250 1:10.087
Lites East Final Session Times
1 70 Ken Roczen Murrieta, USA KTM 250 SX-F 1:03.284
2 37 Malcolm Stewart Haines City, FL, USA KTM 250 SX-F 1:04.678
3 49 Justin Bogle Cushing, OK, USA Honda CRF250 1:04.955
4 12 Blake Baggett Grand Terrace, CA, USA Kawasaki KX250F 1:05.026
5 956 Blake Wharton Pilot Point, TX, USA Suzuki RM-Z250 1:05.685
6 1 Justin Barcia Ochlocknee, GA, USA Honda CRF250 1:05.799
7 19 Kyle Cunningham Aledo, TX, USA Yamaha YZ250F 1:06.151
8 60 Matthew Lemoine Collinsville, TX, USA Kawasaki KX250F 1:06.367
9 57 Jake Canada Sun City, CA, USA Honda CRF250 1:07.590
10 96 Kyle Peters Greensboro, NC, USA Yamaha YZ250F 1:07.648
