The sixth stop of the 2013 AMSOIL Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael‰Ûªs Road to Supercross, season kicked off on Friday night from Wilkes-Barre and Mohegan Sun Arena.
For the second race this season, five-time Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ricky Carmichael was on hand to watch the action unfold as Team Faith/FLY Racing KTM‰Ûªs Jeff Gibson broke through for his first overall victory of the season.
Carmichael joined the stars of AMOSIL Arenacross on the track in practice, laying down some hot laps and getting a feel for the technical track inside Mohegan Sun Arena. After spending the afternoon in the pits with the teams and riders, Carmichael brought the crowd to its feet during opening ceremonies with a special lap around the track, providing a fitting start to the night‰Ûªs festivities.
At the conclusion of the on-track action, Carmichael joined the riders at the post-race autograph session, thanking the fans for their support of AMSOIL Arenacross.
The first Arenacross Class Main Event of the night, Team Faith/FLY Racing KTM‰Ûªs Kelly Smith grabbed the early lead and looked as though he had the speed to carry it through to the finish.
However, Smith was pressed for the majority of the Main Event by Team Babbitt‰Ûªs Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki‰Ûªs Tyler Bowers, the Arenacross Class points leader, and on Lap 9, Bowers made his move into the lead.
Once out front, Bowers pulled away from the field, while his teammate Zach Ames and Gibson managed to slip past Smith as well in the closing laps to round out the top three.
As the gate dropped on the second Main Event, Bowers put himself into the top spot thanks to his ideal starting spot. However, as the field exited the first corner, Bowers lost traction and fell to the ground. The misfortune allowed the entire 16-rider field to slip past and forced Bowers to overcome a considerable deficit over the course of 12 laps.
In Bowers‰Ûª absence, Advocare Suzuki‰Ûªs Daniel Blair assumed the lead and looked to potentially capture his first Arenacross Class Main Event win.
With pressure from both Gibson and Motosport.com/JBR/Spinechillers Racing KTM‰Ûªs Nathan Skaggs, Blair ultimately lost the lead and eventually the runner-up position as well.
Once out front, Gibson controlled the Mai Event, taking full advantage of the misfortune experienced by Bowers, in addition to a tough Main Event for Ames. He crossed the line over three seconds ahead of Skaggs, while Blair battled hard to finish third. Bowers rebounded to finish eighth.
In the end, Gibson‰Ûªs 3-1 results were enough to put him atop the overall podium, making him the fourth different winner this season. Ames followed in second overall, while Bowers‰Ûª opening Main Event victory helped him secure third overall.
In the penultimate night of the Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Championship, Fun Mart Cycle KTM‰Ûªs Michael Willard inched closer the title with an impressive win.
Willard knew he needed a strong night in order to improve his chances during the final night of action in the Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Championship.
The points leader moved into the lead early in the 18-lap Main Event and never looked back. Behind him, a impressive battle ensued, with Hillview Motorsports Suzuki‰Ûªs Steve Roman putting forth a late charge for the win in front of his native Pennsylvania crowd. Willard crossed the line just over a second ahead of Roman, while BWRengines.com Honda‰Ûªs Maxx Malatia finished third.
NIGHT TWO
The sixth stop of the 2013 AMSOIL Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael‰Ûªs Road to Supercross, season came to a conclusion on Saturday night with Babbitt‰Ûªs Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki presented by Maxxis rider Tyler Bowers‰Ûª eighth overall victory of the season.
The points leader‰Ûªs triumphant effort also set the 10-rider field for the inaugural Race to the Championship, scheduled to kick off next weekend.
In the first Arenacross Class Main Event of the evening, last night‰Ûªs winner Jeff Gibson grabbed the early lead aboard his Team Faith/FLY Racing KTM with Bowers in tow.
After applying consistent pressure on the lead, Bowers took advantage of his longtime rival and established a comfortable margin, ultimately claiming the checkered flag. Gibson followed in second, while KMS KTM‰Ûªs Dave Ginolfi finished third.
For the second consecutive night, Bowers selected the inversion for the final Main Event. After choosing no inversion on Friday, Bowers selected his least-favorite inversion of eight on Saturday.
Bowers lined up on the outside of the first row for the second Main Event and out of the gate, he took advantage of his size and aggression to take over the early lead. Behind him, Pennsylvania native and Mosites Motorsports Kawasaki rider Michael McDade battled through the pain of an injured wrist to assert himself into second. Motosport.com/JBR/Spinechillers Racing KTM‰Ûªs Willy Browning battled to finish third.
Neither Gibson nor Ginolfi were able to overcome their inverted starting positions, finishing ninth and seventh, respectively.
Bowers‰Ûª convincing sweep of the Main Events helped him bounce back from a fall on Friday night and makes him the number one seed in the Race to the Championship. His Babbitt‰Ûªs Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Zach Ames followed in second overall, while McDaded secured a third overall finish in front of his hometown crowd.
Bowers will head into the Race to the Championship as the top seed. He will be followed by Ames, Gibson, Team Faith/FLY Racing KTM‰Ûªs Kelly Smith, Motosport.com/JBR/Spinechillers Racing KTM‰Ûªs Nathan Skaggs, McDade, Browning, Ankle Savers Kawasaki‰Ûªs Gared Steinke, Advocare Suzuki‰Ûªs Daniel Blair, and Ginofli.
Coming into tonight‰Ûªs race, Ginolfi was engaged in a tight battle with BWRengines.com Honda‰Ûªs Kyle White for the 10th and final spot in the standings. After gaining a slight edge on Friday, Ginolfi was able to maintain control of the position, thanks in large part of his podium finish in the opening Main Event.
The championship points will reset for season-ending showdown, with just five markers separating these 10 riders as the Race to the Championship begins in Little Rock, Ark., next weekend.
The final four rounds of the championship will determine which one of these competitors will ultimately become the 2013 AMSOIL Arenacross Champion.
In addition to the excitement of the Arenacross Class, a champion was crowned in the Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class as Fun Mart Cycle KTM‰Ûªs Michael Willard made it a weekend sweep in Wilkes Barre to secure the title.
With only seven points separating the top two riders in the Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Championship, Saturday night provided a dramatic showdown between both Willard and Hillview Motorsports Suzuki‰Ûªs Steve Roman.
Willard emerged with the early lead out of the gate with Roman in tow. The pair set the pace of the field before Roman moved into the lead just past the halfway point of the 18-lap Main Event. Just a few laps later Roman went down, allowing Willard reclaim the lead and carry it through to the finish, winning the title on a high note.
Roman rebounded to secure the runner-up finish for the second consecutive night, while BWRengines.com Honda‰Ûªs Maxx Malatia posted back-to-back third-place results.
The 2013 AMSOIL Arenacross season continues next weekend with the start of the Race to the Championship inside Little Rock‰Ûªs Verizon Arena on Saturday, February 16.
Arenacross Class Overall - Friday Night
1. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM (3-1)
2. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki (2-6)
3. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki (1-8)
4. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM (7-2)
5. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki (6-3)
6. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (5-5)
7. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (8-4)
8. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM (4-10)
9. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM (9-7)
10. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM (12-9)
Arenacross Class Overall - Saturday Night
1. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki (4-5)
3. Michael McDade, Edinburg, Pa., Kawasaki (8-2)
4. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM (7-3)
5. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM (3-7)
6. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM (2-9)
7. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM (9-4)
8. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM (5-8)
9. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (6-10)
10. Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda (10-11)
Arenacross Class Race to the Championship Starting Points
1.Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki ‰ÛÒ 6 Pts
2. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki ‰ÛÒ 5 Pts
3. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM ‰ÛÒ 4 Pts
4. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM ‰ÛÒ 4 Pts
5. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM ‰ÛÒ 3 Pts
6. Michael McDade, Edinburg, Pa., Kawasaki ‰ÛÒ 3 Pts
7. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM ‰ÛÒ 2 Pts
8. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki ‰ÛÒ 2 Pts
9. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki ‰ÛÒ 1 Pts
10. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM ‰ÛÒ 1 Pts
Arenacross Lites Class Results - Friday Night
1. Michael Willard, KTM
2. Steve Roman, Suzuki
3. Maxx Malatia, Honda
4. Michael Lang, Honda
5. Jacob Knable, Kawasaki
6. Scott Zont, KTM
7. Blain Brown, Kawasaki
8. Davey Sterritt, KTM
9. Nicholas Lane, Suzuki
10. Logan Pfleiderer, Yamaha
Arenacross Lites Class Results - Saturday Night
1. Michael Willard, KTM
2. Steve Roman, Suzuki
3. Maxx Malatia, Honda
4. Scott Zont, KTM
5. Tanner Moore, KTM
6. Logan Pfleiderer, Yamaha
7. Davey Sterritt, Athens, KTM
8. Travis Delnicki, Suzuki
9. Zachary Newberry, Suzuki
10. Jeremy Pronovost, KTM
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points - Final Championship standings
1. Michael Willard, KTM ‰ÛÒ 89 Pts (2013 East Champion)
2. Steve Roman, Suzuki ‰ÛÒ 81 Pts
3. Scott Zont, KTM ‰ÛÒ 69 Pts
4. Jacob Knable, Kawasaki ‰ÛÒ 41 Pts
5. T.J. Phillips, Yamaha ‰ÛÒ 36 Pts
6. Jim Neese, Kawasaki ‰ÛÒ 35 Pts
7. Vaughn Mays, KTM ‰ÛÒ 29 Pts
8. Zachary Newberry, Suzuki -29 Pts
9. Travis Delnicki, Suzuki ‰ÛÒ 27 Pts
10. Logan Pfleiderer, Yamaha ‰ÛÒ 26 Pts
Top Image: Bowers domination of the 2013 season sees him head into the chase for the championship with just a single point lead!
Credit: Kawasaki Racing.
