GEICO POWERSPORTS HONDA
RACE REPORT
MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS
ROUND 8, ATLANTA
For seven straight weeks, the AMA Supercross Championship will be touring the east coast for the eastern swing of the
series, and the first round of the eastern swing – round eight of the 450cc championship and round two of the Eastern
Regional Lites Championship – took place inside Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on February 21.
Race day started off rough for the GEICO Powersports Honda team, as championship hopeful Brett Metcalfe crashed in
practice, breaking his collarbone. He’s scheduled for surgery this week, but the timeline of his return isn’t yet known.
His Lites teammate, rookie Blake Wharton, had a tough go of it to start the day, when he had to come from behind just to
qualify in his heat race, where he finished eighth. This gave him the 15th gate pick out of 20 riders in the main event. He
started near the tail end of the top 10 and then methodically began working his way forward. With three laps to go, he was
fourth and pressuring for third – a position he actually nabbed during the next go-around. He held third for the final two laps
until two turns to go, when he was caught on the outside and relegated back to fourth, where he finished.
“I was in eighth for eight laps,” Wharton said. “Usually, I can get those good starts, but tonight was a bad start night for me.
You can’t get every holeshot, right? So you’ve got to learn how to do both [come from behind and race from the front]. I felt
like I was smart in the race, and I wasn’t rushing things. I waited for the right time and started passing them, and I ended up
being in third and just made a silly mistake and lost it back and got fourth. I’m happy with how I rode, though, because I was
in ninth and I caught all the way up and passed guys. That shows me that my speed and endurance are there, so I just need
to fill in the middle part and get a good start. We’ll see how next week goes.”
In the 450cc class, the story was similar for Kevin Windham. In his Heat race, Windham came from way behind to finish
fifth, and in the main event, he started mid-pack and worked his way forward, eventually finishing sixth.
“The starts are killing me right now,” Windham said. “I’d like to think I can run with those guys if I get the start, but the starts
continue to elude me.”
From here, the GEICO Powersports Honda team heads to Indianapolis, Indiana, for round nine of the AMA Supercross
Series, and round three of the Lites Eastern Regional Supercross Championship, on February 28 inside the brand-new
Lucas Oil Stadium.
Team Sponsors: GEICO Powersports, Honda, Planet Fitness, Unbound Energy, AM/PM, Factory Connection, Fox, Shoei,
Gaerne, DVS, Amsoil Lubricants, Cycra Plastics, Dunlop Tires, EK Chains, Filtron Air Filters, Hinson Clutches, Leatt Brace,
One Industries, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Shock Doctor, Showa, TAG Sprockets, Vortex Ignitions, VP Fuels, and Works
Connection.
Atlanta Lites Main:
1. Christophe Pourcel Kaw
2. Nico Izzi Suz
3. Martin Davalos KTM
4. Blake Wharton GEICO Powersports Honda
5. Branden Jesseman Kaw
6. Wil Hahn KTM
7. Austin Stroupe Kaw
8. Matt Lemoine Yam
9. Matt Goerke Suz
10. Steven Clarke Suz
Atlanta 450cc Main:
1. James Stewart Yam
2. Chad Reed Suz
3. Ryan Villopoto Kaw
4. Andrew Short Hon
5. Broc Hepler Yam
6. Kevin Windham GEICO Powersports Honda
7. Ivan Tedesco Hon
8. Timmy Ferry Kaw
9. Josh Hill Yam
10. Davi Millsaps Hon
RACE REPORT
MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS
ROUND 8, ATLANTA
For seven straight weeks, the AMA Supercross Championship will be touring the east coast for the eastern swing of the
series, and the first round of the eastern swing – round eight of the 450cc championship and round two of the Eastern
Regional Lites Championship – took place inside Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on February 21.
Race day started off rough for the GEICO Powersports Honda team, as championship hopeful Brett Metcalfe crashed in
practice, breaking his collarbone. He’s scheduled for surgery this week, but the timeline of his return isn’t yet known.
His Lites teammate, rookie Blake Wharton, had a tough go of it to start the day, when he had to come from behind just to
qualify in his heat race, where he finished eighth. This gave him the 15th gate pick out of 20 riders in the main event. He
started near the tail end of the top 10 and then methodically began working his way forward. With three laps to go, he was
fourth and pressuring for third – a position he actually nabbed during the next go-around. He held third for the final two laps
until two turns to go, when he was caught on the outside and relegated back to fourth, where he finished.
“I was in eighth for eight laps,” Wharton said. “Usually, I can get those good starts, but tonight was a bad start night for me.
You can’t get every holeshot, right? So you’ve got to learn how to do both [come from behind and race from the front]. I felt
like I was smart in the race, and I wasn’t rushing things. I waited for the right time and started passing them, and I ended up
being in third and just made a silly mistake and lost it back and got fourth. I’m happy with how I rode, though, because I was
in ninth and I caught all the way up and passed guys. That shows me that my speed and endurance are there, so I just need
to fill in the middle part and get a good start. We’ll see how next week goes.”
In the 450cc class, the story was similar for Kevin Windham. In his Heat race, Windham came from way behind to finish
fifth, and in the main event, he started mid-pack and worked his way forward, eventually finishing sixth.
“The starts are killing me right now,” Windham said. “I’d like to think I can run with those guys if I get the start, but the starts
continue to elude me.”
From here, the GEICO Powersports Honda team heads to Indianapolis, Indiana, for round nine of the AMA Supercross
Series, and round three of the Lites Eastern Regional Supercross Championship, on February 28 inside the brand-new
Lucas Oil Stadium.
Team Sponsors: GEICO Powersports, Honda, Planet Fitness, Unbound Energy, AM/PM, Factory Connection, Fox, Shoei,
Gaerne, DVS, Amsoil Lubricants, Cycra Plastics, Dunlop Tires, EK Chains, Filtron Air Filters, Hinson Clutches, Leatt Brace,
One Industries, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Shock Doctor, Showa, TAG Sprockets, Vortex Ignitions, VP Fuels, and Works
Connection.
Atlanta Lites Main:
1. Christophe Pourcel Kaw
2. Nico Izzi Suz
3. Martin Davalos KTM
4. Blake Wharton GEICO Powersports Honda
5. Branden Jesseman Kaw
6. Wil Hahn KTM
7. Austin Stroupe Kaw
8. Matt Lemoine Yam
9. Matt Goerke Suz
10. Steven Clarke Suz
Atlanta 450cc Main:
1. James Stewart Yam
2. Chad Reed Suz
3. Ryan Villopoto Kaw
4. Andrew Short Hon
5. Broc Hepler Yam
6. Kevin Windham GEICO Powersports Honda
7. Ivan Tedesco Hon
8. Timmy Ferry Kaw
9. Josh Hill Yam
10. Davi Millsaps Hon
| 02/25/09 |
