AMA Toyota Motocross Championship: Glen Helen

Click the following link for a 33-photo gallery of AMA National motocross race action from Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA. You can also click the following link for a 36-photo gallery from Saturday's pre-race action in the pits, as well as timed qualifying. Don't forget, if you're a Vital MX member, you can comment on any of the photos in the gallery. Not a member? Join now! It's fast and free.

The first round of the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship series is in the books, and it lived up to the hype you'd expect from a season-opener. Monster Energy Kawasaki's James Stewart easily topped the MX1 class, which quickly answered a bunch of questions about how he'd come back from his recent knee surgery. Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Mike Alessi, who was also returning to action after an injury (broken collarbone) took second overall. Davi Millsaps (Honda Red Bull Racing) was third overall, and the best of the Honda squad. Actually, it was a rough day for the Red Riders, as both Ben Townley and Andrew Short suffered DNFs.

Other surprises in the big-bore class? Probably the biggest one was Sean Hamblin's 8-8 score (for seventh overall) on a privateer Yamaha. Transplanted Kiwi Cody Cooper also had a good privateer ride, going 14-6 on the day for eighth. Jeff Alessi also had his best ride in quite some time, scoring a tenth overall via a 13-9 score.

If it was edge-of-your-seat racing that you want to see, that was in the Lites class. As an example, late in the first moto, there was a freight train containing Boost Mobile / Yamaha of Troy's Jason Lawrence out front, three of the four Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders (Austin Stroupe, Brett Metcalfe and Ryan Villopoto), and Ryan Dungey. (Lawrence won that battle.) In the second moto, it was Stroupe who took command. But after a crash that handed the lead to Villopoto, Stroupe charged back, passed Metcalfe, and grabbed the first overall National win since moving to the pro ranks. Villopoto and Lawrence rounded out the podium.

For much more from the day, including extensive photo coverage, click the link above. Next week the series moves to Hangtown, for round two, and we'll be there to bring you all the action.

2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship

Glen Helen Raceway

San Bernardino, CA

MX1
1. James Stewart (Kawasaki) 1-1

2. Mike Alessi (Suzuki) 2-2

3. Davi Millsaps (Honda) 3-3

4. Timmy Ferry (Kawasaki) 4-4

5. Ivan Tedesco (Honda) 7-5

6. Michael Byrne (Suzuki) 9-7

7. Sean Hamblin (Yamaha) 8-8

8. Cody Cooper (Suzuki) 14-6

9. Nick Wey (KTM) 10-10

10. Jeff Alessi (Honda) 13-9

11. Antonio Balbi (Honda) 12-11

12. Steve Boniface (Honda) 11-12

13. Andrew Short (Honda) 5-36

14. Ben Townley (Honda) 6-32

15. Bobby Bonds (Kawasaki) 15-17

16. Jarred Browne (Suzuki) 26-13

17. David Vuillemin (Suzuki) 16-18

18. Charles Summey (Yamaha) 35-14

19. Josh Hill (Yamaha) 34-15

20. Kyle Summers (KTM) 22-16

21. Juss Laansoo (Honda) 17-29

22. Adam Chatfield (Suzuki) 20-19

23. Paul Carpenter (Honda) 18-37

24. Michael Blose (Honda) 19-21

25. Kyle Lewis (Honda) 27-20

26. Adam Metzler (Honda) 23-22

27. Tyler Bright (Honda) 28-23

28. Jeffrey Mann (Yamaha) 31-24

29. Nathan Tierney (Honda) 24-25

30. Justin Mace (Kawasaki) 30-26

31. Dennis Stapleton (Honda) 33-27

32. Sean Collier (Kawasaki) 21-28

33. Kevin Rookstool (Honda) 25-30

34. Chris Gosselaar (Honda) 36-31

35. Ryan Abrigo (Yamaha) 38-33

36. Eric Sorby (Yamaha) 32-34

37. Michael Lapaglia (Suzuki) 29-35

38. Andreas Hultman (Honda) 39-38

39. Justin Sipes (Suzuki) 37-39

40. Ryan Clark (Honda) 40-40

MX2
1. Austin Stroupe (Kawasaki) 2-3

2. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki) 5-1

3. Jason Lawrence (Yamaha) 1-5

4. Ryan Dungey (Suzuki) 4-2

5. Brett Metcalfe (Kawasaki) 3-4

6. Jake Weimer (Honda) 7-7

7. Matt Lemoine (Yamaha) 6-9

8. Trey Canard (Honda) 14-6

9. Kyle Cunningham (Honda) 10-11

10. Tommy Hahn (Kawasaki) 15-12

11. Andrew McFarlane (Kawasaki) 12-16

12. Broc Tickle (Yamaha) 21-8

13. Nico Izzi (Suzuki) 8-37

14. Branden Jesseman (Kawasaki) 9-24

15. Jake Moss (Yamaha) 22-10

16. Justin Brayton (KTM) 17-15

17. Dan Reardon (Honda) 11-23

18. Matt Goerke (KTM) 28-13

19. Kyle Chisholm (Kawasaki) 13-32

20. Wil Hahn (Yamaha) 23-14

21. Tyler Bowers (Yamaha) 18-18

22. Robert Kiniry (Honda) 16-35

23. Ryan Sipes (KTM) 38-17

24. Tye Hames (Suzuki) 19-20

25. Sean Borkenhagen (Honda) 24-19

26. Phil Nicoletti (Kawasaki) 20-26

27. Ryan Beat (KTM) 26-21

28. Sean Hackley (Suzuki) 39-22

29. Justin Workman (Honda) 36-25

30. Tony Sherman (Honda) 29-27

31. Willy Browning (Suzuki) 30-28

32. Ryan Smith (Honda) 35-29

33. Brad Kelly (Yamaha)27-30

34. Kyle Gills (Suzuki) 34-31

35. Davide Degli Esposti (Suzuki) 31-32

36. Ryan Newton (Kawasaki) 32-33

37. Michael Willard (Yamaha) 25-36

38. Adam Miller (KTM) 37-38

39. Zach Osborne (Yamaha) 40-39

40. Carlos Gonzalez (KTM) 33-40