Practice is complete at Sam Boyd Stadium, and we now know how this very different race track will play out. Kind of. The track looks like it will offer up a ton of passing, with huge bowl berms and the "Tallevega" turn offering up the potential for passes, too. But the Joker Lane remains what it should be--a mystery. It looks super tough, a sand section with huge whoops. Every rider will have to take it at least once during each of the ten lap main events. No one knows how it should play out.
Ryan Villopoto was right behind Ryan Dungey in both sessions.
Cudby photo
Kevin Windham crashed in practice and is out for the night with a concussion.
Cudby photo
In practice, Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto spent most of the day at the top of "The Beast" with alternating fast lap times. But Dungey came out on top both times, with Dungey's 1.08.2 (session one) and 1.09.5 (session two) was best at the end, with Villopoto's 1.08.4 (session one) and 1.09.6 (session two) next in both. On the other hand, young guns Eli Tomac and Justin Barcia have shown great speed. Tomac actually went toe-to-toe on lap times with Villopoto in the first timed session, and looked to have speed to burn. But then he crashed in a rhythm lane. He got back up okay, but looked to have backed it down slightly after that. He was third in both sessions. As for Barcia, he was dueling with Villopoto early in the second practice, even playing a game of chicken with him down a long straight, seeing who would brake the latest. He ended up fourth both times. Chad Reed had a 1.10.7 in the final session, good enough for fifth, but as usual, it appears Reed is saving his best stuff for the night show.
Here are the times from the final session:
1 5 Ryan Dungey Belle Plaine, MN KTM 450 SX-F 1:09.506
2 1 Ryan Villopoto Seattle, WA Kawasaki KX450F 1:09.642
3 17 Eli Tomac Cortex, CO Honda CRF450 1:10.224
4 51 Justin Barcia Greenville, FL Honda CRF450 1:10.450
5 22 Chad Reed Dade City, FL Honda CRF450 1:10.789
6 12 Jake Weimer Rupert, ID Kawasaki KX450F 1:11.124
7 800 Mike A. Alessi Hilliard, FL Suzuki RM-Z450 1:11.215
8 11 Kyle Chisholm Valrico, FL Kawasaki KX450F 1:11.261
9 38 Kyle Cunningham Aledo, TX Yamaha YZ450F 1:11.738
10 59 Christian Craig Wildomar, CA Honda CRF450 1:11.793
11 23 Jake Canada Corona, CA Suzuki RM-Z450 1:12.572
12 10 Justin Brayton Murrieta, CA Yamaha YZ450F 1:12.631
13 33 Josh Grant Corona, CA Yamaha YZ450F 1:13.241
14 68 Tyler Bowers Danville, KY Kawasaki KX450F 1:13.650
15 42 Vince Friese Cape Girardeau, MO Suzuki RM-Z450 1:13.744
16 45 Gareth Swanepoel Johannesburg, South Africa 1:14.009
17 57 Ben LaMay Arlington, TX Yamaha YZ450F 1:14.828
18 66 Killian Rusk Aztec, NM Honda CRF450 1:15.014
Adam Cianciarulo had the fastest time in the first Amateur All-Star Session, with Jordon Smith and Shane McElrath in the hunt. In session two, Smith once again picked it up and led most of the way until Cianciarulo grabbed the fastest time on the very last lap.
Kevin Windham crashed out for the night after going down in the first session, he's out with a concussion. And Blake Baggett crashed and broke his wrist, so obviously he is out, too. Bummer there. But the atmosphere here is very positive--people are really pumped on this race and the general unpredictablity of the evening. Be sure to follow @racerxonline on Twitter for live updates.
