Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ferry Earns Top Five in Seattle

Irvine, Calif. (April 27, 2008) -- Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Timmy Ferry rode to a top-five finish on a rocky track at Qwest Field in Seattle, Wash. His teammate Travis Preston finished 18th. In the season finale for the Western Region AMA Supercross Lites class, rookie Austin Stroupe finished fourth for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team. His teammate Brett Metcalfe finished seventh.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Under the Tent

Almost a Party

After not making it through the first turn last week, Ferry shot out of the starting gate in the main event, just missing the holeshot in the main event. Earlier in the evening he had made a deal with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team, if he got the holeshot he would pay for a little celebration. In a photo finish, Ferry and the team just missed out.

“My start was good,” said Red Dog. “I was the first one to the first turn. Someone snuck around the outside so I leaned on it a little more and that opened up the inside. I was trying to get to that line and get some beer money for the guys. I told them before the race I was going to get the holeshot and I was close.”

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Top Five

Coming into Seattle, Ferry was ready to run at the front and for most of the main event. After a fast start, he did just that as he stayed right on the race leader while sitting in the third spot. The rocky and slick layout didn’t fit ‘Red Dog’s’ typical riding style, but the cagy veteran was able to adapt and earn his eighth top-five result this year.

“I made a few mistakes on the first lap,” said Ferry. ”I got pushed out a few times. My rhythm was a little off today. It just didn’t click for me, so finishing fifth isn’t too bad. My riding style didn’t fit this track very well and it was tricky. The track was tough and slick. Finishing fifth wasn’t what I was looking for, but it is a lot better than last week.”

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Spring Break

After a nearly two month break, the West Coast lites riders returned to competition for the final race of their championship. Stroupe, a rookie, won at the last round in Houston on February 16 and he showed no signs of rust coming out of the extended vacation. The 17-year-old battled back from a first lap pileup, that collected ten riders, get his sixth top-five finish of the year. With the fourth-place result, Stroupe ended his first professional season third in the championship standings.

“I kind of snuck to the inside on the start,” said Stroupe. “There were a lot of guys on the outside who jumped it and we all kind off collided. I came back pretty good though. I made some good passes, but other than that it was a tough race. The track was hard. I think I’m ready to have some fun in Las Vegas now. I tried to ride really smart. I got up and caught the pack about the tenth lap. Before I knew it the white flag was out. It was a good weekend and I’m happy where I finished.”

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Holding On

Metcalfe had a strong weekend going as he rode well in his heat race, finishing second to get a good gate pick for the main event. The gate paid off as the Australian rider was able to avoid the first lap trouble and move his way into third on the track. Metcalfe not only had to battle the challenging track, he also was fighting a damaged bike. In the second turn, contact with another rider bent his front brake rotor, meaning he didn’t have a front brake the rest of the race. The damage finally caught up to him just four laps from the finish when he had trouble in Turn 1. He recovered quickly to salvage a seventh-place finish. Metcalfe ends the season fourth in the series’ standings.

“In the second turn I got in a tangle and it bent my front brake rotor,” said Metcalfe. “I had no front brake for the rest of the race so I just couldn’t stop. I got pushed high in the berm and couldn’t stop and went off the track. I was stoked to be out here and I worked hard for this. Everything was going great and before my incident, I was right there with a chance for a good result tonight. I felt like I was fresh and I wanted to do really well tonight. You know what, that’s racing.”

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Working Hard

Preston started the night off strong, riding strong during his heat race to finish third. In the main event it seemed he couldn’t avoid trouble, getting caught up in three separate incidents on the track. He persevered throughout the 20 laps to finish 18th.

“I crashed three times in the main, said Preston. “It’s kind of hard to come back from that. The first practice was good for me, but I just couldn’t get going the rest of the day. It was tough out there for sure. I’ll be ready for Las Vegas.”

Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series

Qualcomm Stadium – Seattle, Wash.

April 26, 2008

AMA Supercross Results

1. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda

2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha

3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda

4. David Millsaps, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda

5. TIMMY FERRY, LARGO, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI

6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda

7. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Org., Yamaha

8. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM

9. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki

10. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda

14. TRAVIS PRESTON, HESPERIA, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI

AMA Supercross Points Standings

1. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 340

2. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 330

3. David Millsaps, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda, 262

4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 261

5. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 210

6. TIMMY FERRY, LARGO, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 206

7. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha, 173

8. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 158

9. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM, 144

10. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 136

AMA Supercross Lites Results

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki

2. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha

3. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha

4. AUSTIN STROUPE, CORONA, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI

5. TOMMY HAHN, ALVORD, TEXAS, MOTOSPORT XTREME KAWASAKI

6. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif. KTM

7. BRETT METCALFE, MURIETTA, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI

8. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Honda

9. Matt Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Honda

10. Justin Keeney, Riverside, Calif., Honda

AMA Supercross Lites Points Standings (West Coast)

1. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha

2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki

3. AUSTIN STROUPE, CORONA, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI

4. BRETT METCALFE, MURIETTA, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI

5. TOMMY HAHN, ALVORD, TEXAS, MOTOSPORT XTREME KAWASAKI

6. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif. KTM

7. Dan Reardon, Murrieta, Calif., Honda

8. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha

9. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Yamaha

10. Robert Kiniry, La Fayette, N.Y., Honda