Honda Kicks-off MX Opener On Top

Torrance, CA: The 2010 AMA Motocross
Championship and Women’s Motocross Championship kicked off at the
Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova on Saturday May 22.
Honda Red Bull Racing’s Davi Millsaps, Andrew Short and Ashley
Fiolek showed great speed at the opening round of the season aboard
their CRF450R and CRF250R machines. GEICO Powersports Honda newcomer,
17-year-old Eli Tomac, scored his first-ever AMA Motocross overall
victory in his AMA professional debut.

In the 450 class, Millsaps got away to
flying starts in both motos on his CRF450R and challenged for the
lead. Finishing the first moto in third and going one better in moto
two with a second place finish, the Red Bull athlete kicked his
Motocross season off to a great start with a third overall. Teammate
Short was on target for a good result in moto one when he crashed
after being hit hard in a turn, finishing in 15th place. He rebounded
to nab fifth spot in race two, rounding out the weekend in 10th
overall. Brett Metcalfe put in a strong showing in his 450-class
debut for the GEICO Powersports Honda team, going 5-4 to finish
fourth overall. Another Honda racer making his return to racing after
a long bout with injuries was Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Ben Townley.
He too was among the top contenders, finishing 6-7 for sixth overall
on his CRF450R.

In the 250 class, Eli Tomac made an
epic professional debut on his GEICO Powersports Honda CRF250R,
winning a moto and scoring the overall victory. In the opening race,
Tomac had a strong lead when he made an error in the closing stages
of the race and finished third. With his first-race jitters behind
him, he engaged in a battle for the lead in the second moto with his
more experienced teammate, Trey Canard, before going on to win and
clinch the overall victory.

“I am beyond happy right now,” said
Tomac. “I think I am actually in shock and not sure how to feel
about winning. I didn’t expect this. The first moto was purely lost
due to a rookie error but I made sure I didn’t make the same
mistake in the second moto. I was feeling it by about the 20-minute
mark, but I held on right to the end and I’m really happy right
now. The GEICO Powersports Honda team has been so supportive and
helpful, and I can’t thank them and my parents enough for getting
me this far.”

After getting the holeshot and
finishing moto one in seventh spot, Canard rallied hard to take
second in moto two and end the weekend third overall. Justin Barcia
charged hard with two solid come-from-behind races after getting
mid-pack starts to go 5-7 for fifth overall on his GEICO Powersports
Honda CRF250R. Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Wil Hahn was fastest out of
the start gate, grabbing the holeshot in moto two, and finishing
eighth overall (13-6).

In the Women’s Motocross
Championship, two-time champion Ashley Fiolek finished second overall
on her Honda Red Bull Racing CRF250R. Challenging for the lead in
both motos, Fiolek finished moto one in third and moto two in second
spot. Tarah Geiger went 2-6 in her debut ride for the Troy Lee
Designs Honda team to finish third overall and Elizabeth
Bash—sponsored by Trey Canard Racing on a Honda CRF250R—nabbed
sixth overall.

AMA Pro Motocross Championship

Round 1 of 12

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Chad Reed (1-3)

2. Mike Alessi (4-1)

3. Davi Millsaps, Honda (3-2)

4. Brett Metcalfe, Honda (5-4)

5. Josh Grant (2-10)

6. Ben Townley, Honda (6-7)

7. Ryan Sipes (7-8)

8. Ryan Dungey (10-6)

9. Ken DeDycker (8-11)

10. Andrew Short, Honda (15-5)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Chad Reed 45

2. Mike Alessi 43

3. Davi Millsaps 42

4. Brett Metcalfe 34

5. Josh Grant 33

6. Ben Townley 29

7. Ryan Sipes 27

8. Ryan Dungey 26

9. Ken DeDycker 23

10. Andrew Short 22

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Eli Tomac, Honda (3-1)

2. Christophe Pourcel (1-3)

3. Trey Canard, Honda (7-2)

4. Jake Weimer (4-8)

5. Justin Barcia, Honda (5-7)

6. Dean Wilson (10-4)

7. Broc Tickle (11-5)

8. Wil Hahn, Honda (13-6)

9. Tommy Searle (2-31)

10. Tyla Rattray (8-16)

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Eli Tomac 45

2. Christophe Pourcel 45

3. Trey Canard 36

4. Jake Weimer 31

5. Justin Barcia 30

6. Dean Wilson 29

7. Broc Tickle 26

8. Wil Hahn 23

9. Tommy Searle 22

10. Tyla Rattray 18

WMX Class (Moto Finish)

1. Jessica Patterson (1-1)

2. Ashley Fiolek, Honda (3-2)

3. Tarah Gieger, Honda (2-6)

4. Mariana Balbi (9-3)

5. Alexah Pearson (5-5)

6. Elizabeth Bash, Honda (8-4)

7. Vicki Golden (4-10)

8. Sayaka Kaneshiro (7-9)

9. Tatum Sik (10-7)

10. Jacqueline Strong (14-8)

WMX Class Standings (Round 1 of 8)

1. Jessica Patterson 50

2. Ashley Fiolek 42

3. Tarah Gieger 37

4. Mariana Balbi 32

5. Alexah Pearson 32

6. Elizabeth Bash 31

7. Vicki Golden 29

8. Sayaka Kaneshiro 26

9. Tatum Sik 25

10. Jacqueline Strong 20