Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Notes:
Bob's Cycle Supply Spring Creek National

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicks off the second half of the 2012 season on Saturday from Spring Creek MX Park. The Bob's Cycle Supply Spring Creek National, from Millville, Minn., will challenge the world's best riders on one of the most renowned tracks on the schedule.

Last weekend at Michigan's RedBud USA, Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey continued his dominant run by once again sweeping the day's motos and capturing his fourth consecutive victory. Additionally, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Blake Baggett took his third win of the season and established his own two-race winning streak in the 250 Class.

 

450 Class

Red Bull KTM

Dungey put forth arguably his most dominant effort of the summer at RedBud. He went virtually unchallenged in either moto and won each by a combined lead of over one minute ahead the field. As a result of his fourth win of the season, Dungey now holds nearly a three-moto points lead in the 450 Class and now heads to his home race in Millville, where he has not lost in four years.

 

MotoConcepts Suzuki

Mike Alessi's day at RedBud could have been disastrous after a crash in the first turn of the opening moto. However, showing the resiliency of a veteran, Alessi battled from the back of the field to salvage an impressive 11th-place finish. In Moto 2, Alessi asserted himself back at the front of the field, leading early and eventually following Dungey across the line. By virtue of his strong second moto, Alessi finished fifth overall, missing out on the overall podium for just the second time this season.

 

Monster Energy Kawasaki

Jake Weimer was hoping to rebound from a tough outing at Budds Creek last weekend and got his day off to a strong start by finishing second to Dungey in Moto 1. However, misfortune struck Weimer on several occasions in Moto 2, ultimately relegating him to 20th. In the end, Weimer settled for 10th overall, losing a little ground to Alessi in the standings. He'll be eager to turn things around on Saturday.

"Millville is usually really good," said Weimer. "I was in California for a few weeks and went back to Florida after RedBud. It was good to train and ride laps in the humidity and get used to it again. I'm looking to come out swinging at Millville, get some good starts, and keep myself out of trouble."

Tyla Rattray made his racing debut for Monster Energy Kawasaki at RedBud. After suffering a broken hand during practice at Hangtown, Rattray's inaugural 450 Class race on U.S. soil was memorable considering he had yet to race a single lap prior to then. Rattray showed his trademark determination in the first moto, finishing fourth, and backed it up with another solid effort in Moto 2, finishing fifth. In the end, Rattray just missed out on the overall podium, but is already looking to keep it going this weekend at the site where he claimed the 250 Class victory one year ago.

"I won last year at Millville," said Rattray. "I'm looking forward to going back on a KX450F this year. It's a nice track with good dirt and some humidity. I've been getting acclimated to it down in Florida, so it should be a good weekend."

 

Team Chaparral Honda

Despite an up and down day, Andrew Short still posted a top-10 finish for at RedBud, helping maintain his hold on fourth in the championship standings. The veteran rider started off the afternoon with a 12th-place finish after getting caught up in a crash in the first turn, but bounced back well in the second moto with a sixth-place finish that ultimately vaulted him to ninth overall.

 

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki

After a career-best finish at the previous round, Broc Tickle was hoping for more of the same at RedBud. While he didn't replicate his efforts, Tickle maintained his season-long consistency, posting 5-9 moto scores to finish sixth overall. Tickle now sits fifth in the championship standings and hopes to challenge up front at Spring Creek.

"I'm ready to get on the podium again," said Tickle. "Millville is one of my favorite tracks. I worked on my speed and starts this week, so I'm ready to get out there and battle at the front."

 

Team Yoshimura Suzuki

James Stewart made his anticipated return to competition at RedBud and while he wasn't' able to bring Dungey's dominance to a halt, he still posted a hard-fought podium effort. Stewart put himself in position to challenge Dungey early in the opening moto, but an early fall followed by stalling his bike hurt his results, falling to sixth in the end. However, in the second moto, Stewart position himself into third place early on and stayed put through to the finish. Third overall helped get Stewart back into the rhythm of competition and he'll look for more improvement on Saturday.

"It was an eventful day (at RedBud)," said Stewart. "I was second fastest in practice, but in the first moto, I realized I wasn't quite 100 percent. But, I still wanted to try and have a decent moto. After one crash and a stall, I ended up sixth. In the second moto, I came from 10th and made my way up into third and just sat there. It was good to be racing again. The Yoshimura Suzuki team was working hard and the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 was running great. The fans at RedBud were awesome and I was happy just to be back racing. Now I'm looking forward to Millville this weekend. I like that track and won there the last time I raced there."

 

Jeff Ward Racing Kawasaki

As a former winner at RedBud, Josh Grant had high hopes for a strong outing. Grant continued his consistent efforts en route to eighth overall, finishing ninth in Moto 1 and seventh in Moto 2, further solidifying his possession of eighth in the points.

Kyle Chisholm just missed out on a top-10 finish yet again at RedBud. The veteran rider finished 15th in the opening moto and improved his performance in Moto 2, finishing 11th. In the end, Chisholm secured 12th overall but worked his way back into the top 10 in the championship.

 

Team Honda Muscle Milk

After a slow start to the season, Justin Brayton is starting to turn things around. This was evident by his season-best outing at RedBud in which Brayton finished second overall (3-4). Brayton's confidence continues to increase with each moto and he's begging to make a gradual climb up the 450 Class standings, now sitting in ninth.

"Finally being up on the podium where I feel I belong is awesome," said Brayton. "I got good starts in both motos (at RedBud) and just focused on staying consistent and riding strong. The heat was a big factor too; I have been practicing in the same weather at home, so it didn't bother me too much. I knew mentally that I was strong in those conditions, which I think really helped."

 

250 Class

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki

Perhaps no rider is working harder for his success than Blake Baggett. At RedBud, Baggett posted back-to-back come-from-behind efforts in order to claim the win. After a start outside the top five in Moto 1, Baggett pushed his bike to its limit to make a late pass for the lead. In Moto 2, Baggett moved into the front early, but a crash forced him to overcome a deficit, which he appeared to do with relative ease. With a growing points lead, Baggett will look to keep the ball rolling at Spring Creek, where he finished third one year ago.

"Last year I went 3-3 at Millville," said Baggett. "This year, I'll be looking to turn that around into a 1-1. I've been training down in the Florida heat, riding with Rattray and Weimer, and learning some things from them. I'm looking to keep the momentum going to stay up front."

 

GEICO Honda

Justin Barcia was in position to win both motos at RedBud, finding himself at the front of the field for most of the afternoon. However, Barcia was unable to fend off the hard charges of Baggett and settled for a runner-up finish. He maintains control of second in the championship standings and will be one of several riders looking to stop Baggett's momentum.

"I am always looking to win, so (RedBud) wasn't exactly what wanted, but overall it was a good day," said Barcia. "Like I have said, consistency is key, so being on the podium another week is awesome and is keeping us in the hunt for the championship. I'm excited to head to Millville since that is one of my favorite tracks."

Eli Tomac helped give GEICO Honda two of the three spots on the podium at RedBud, quietly putting together a pair of strong runs to finish third overall (5-3), despite some misfortune in the opening moto. Tomac now has sole possession of third in the points and is the only other rider in the 250 Class to earn more than one victory this season.

"I was happy to be on the podium (at RedBud), especially after falling over in the first moto and considering the start I got in the second moto," said Tomac. "After I fell over in the first race, I lost the front runners and wasn't able to get back up to them. In the second race, I didn't get the best start but rode good and was able to get by Musquin towards the end of the moto to grab third."

Wil Hahn continued his impressive 2012 season, once again battling for a top five finish. After 6-5 moto results, Hahn secured sixth overall and is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career to this point.

"The season is halfway over and I am finally starting to get the consistency I have been looking for," said Hahn. "I have been getting some good finishes, but need to focus and staying up with the front pack in the beginning of the race so I can be in the mix. I am looking forward to the rest of the season."

 

Red Bull KTM

While he was battling at the front of the field, Ken Roczen missed out on the overall podium for the first time this season at RedBud. After a third-place finish to start the afternoon, Roczen wasn't able to duplicate his efforts in Moto 2, finishing sixth and missing a podium result by just one point.

Marvin Musquin had one of his best runs of the season at RedBud and is looking to battle at the front of the field more in the second half of the season. Musquin's 4-4 moto scores tied him for third overall, but he missed out by virtue of the second-moto tiebreaker.

 

Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki
Blake Wharton led the way for Rockstar Suzuki at RedBud, posting a solid top-10 effort. Wharton finished seventh in the opening moto, and followed it up with a 12th-place finish in Moto 2. His finishes ultimately landed him eighth overall.

"Overall, it was not a bad day (at RedBud)," said Wharton. "I had a few falls that I'd rather not have happened, but that's racing. Now, I'm just looking forward to Millville and having some good battles."

Jason Anderson experienced a tough day at RedBud, hindered by misfortune. After starting the day with a 10th-place finish in Moto 1, Anderson had to settle for 17th in the second moto, which resulted in 13th overall.

 

Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda

After a solid day at RedBud, Jessy Nelson broke into the top 10 in the 250 Class points standings. Last weekend, Nelson improved upon his 12th-place finish in the first moto with a ninth-place effort in Moto 2. His pair of finishes helped him finish ninth overall for one of his best efforts of the season.

 

MotoConcepts Honda

Jake Canada had a tough outing at RedBud, but battled his way to a solid finish that helped him stay inside the top 10 in the championship standings. Canada's 13-19 moto scores landed him 15th overall, but he'll look to turn things around on Saturday.

A full day of live television coverage from Spring Creek begins on Saturday, July 14, with live first moto coverage of the 450 and 250 Classes on FUEL TV, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern. Both motos will also be streamed live on AlliSports.com. The day will come to a dramatic conclusion with live second moto coverage of both classes on NBC Sports Network at 4 p.m. Eastern.

Tickets for the remaining rounds of the 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship can be found at www.allisports.com.

For additional information please visit AlliSports.com/motocross also, "like" the American Motocross Facebook page, "follow" @AmericanMX on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and information on the latest Lucas Oil Motocross news and developments.

For media information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please contact MX Sports Pro Racing via email at media@mxsportsproracing.com.

MX Sports Pro Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world's most prestigious motocross series - the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The industry leader in off road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.

Alli Sports
Alli Sports, is an action sports lifestyle brand whose mission is to connect fans with athletes and brands through best in class events, media, and authentic branded products. Alli Sports includes: the Dew Tour, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and the Red Bull Signature Series; Alli Media, which creates, produces, and distributes original content; Alli RideShop, an online retailer carrying top skate and BMX consumer products; and Alli MotoShop an online retailer carrying top moto consumer products. Alli Sports is owned by NBC Sports. More information can be found at www.allisports.com.

AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing sanctioning body in the United States, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization sanctions professional motorcycle racing competition, which includes, AMA Pro Motocross, AMA Pro Road Racing, and AMA Pro Flat Track. Visit www.amaproracing.com.

NBC Sports Group
When the Comcast-NBCUniversal transaction was completed in January of 2011, the broad reach and storied history of NBC Sports united with Comcast's 24/7 ability to super-serve fans to create the NBC Sports Group. The new sports media company consists of an array of broadcast television, cable television and digital sports assets, including NBC Sports & Olympics, Golf Channel, Versus, 11 SportNets (regional sports networks) and their respective websites. Together, the new combined assets of the NBC Sports Group possess an unparalleled collection of television rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the Olympics, NFL, NHL, PGA TOUR, PGA of America, USGA, IndyCar, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Wimbledon, French Open, Tour de France and Kentucky Derby.

FUEL TV
FUEL TV is the only cable and satellite television network that features the exciting world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports including UFC, surfing, motocross, snowboarding and more. This new generation of sports provides a rich landscape of some of the most vibrant and action-packed television entertainment in the world. With more hours of UFC coverage than any other network, FUEL TV is the place to be for live fights, weigh-ins, prelims, pre- and post-fight coverage, specials and events you won't see anywhere else. See why adrenaline sports fans call FUEL TV the channel they never turn off. FUEL TV, part of FOX Sports Media Group, was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in more than 36 million U.S. homes and can be accessed by broadband, mobile devices and other digital platforms such as iTunes®. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 channels operating in Australia and Europe. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4 FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

Lucas Oil Products
Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, lubricants and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, lubricants and problem-solving performance additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry. Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the "Official Motor Oil of the Pro Motocross Championship." Visit www.LucasOil.com.