Monster Energy/Kawasaki Triple Crown of Motocross Culminates
Saturday at Steel City’s American Motocross Festival in Delmont
DELMONT, Pa. (August 26, 2008) – With two rounds in the books, the third and final race of the $100,000 Monster Energy/Kawasaki Triple Crown of Motocross will offer a chance at history at the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF series finale on August 29-30. This season, 2008 series champions James Stewart, of Monster Energy Kawasaki, and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto look to capitalize on that opportunity at the Monster Energy/Kawasaki Steel City Motocross National.
An additional $25,000 Grand Prize will be awarded to each rider that completes the three-race sweep. In its fourth year, the program has never awarded the Grand Prize bonus in both classes in the same season. After dominating the first two rounds of the three-race series at High Point and RedBud, both Stewart and Villopoto are heavy favorites to accomplish the feat.
Stewart hopes to become just the second rider in the short history of the Monster Energy/Kawasaki Triple Crown of Motocross to complete the sweep. Ricky Carmichael achieved the feat in both 2005 and 2006.
Villopoto has been in this position before. In both 2006 and 2007, the three-time AMA Motocross Lites Champion won two of the three events. If he breaks through this season, he will become the first AMA Motocross Lites rider to win the Triple Crown. Last weekend in Southwick, Villopoto earned his first overall victory after a two-race hiatus. Based on his recent comments, he is determined to make history this Saturday.
“I wanted to get the overall and start that over again and get the last two,” explained Villopoto. “Especially Steel City, so I can get that [Monster] Triple Crown money. It’s never been done before in the Lites class…I want that Triple Crown.”
Additionally, bonuses have also been awarded to the top finishing privateer at the first two rounds. Tuf Powersports Yamaha’s Sean Hamblin, now a member of the Factory Yamaha team, and Redux Beverages/Brawndo Honda’s Robert Kiniry kicked off the privateer awards at High Point while Moto XXX Honda’s Jeff Alessi and Motosport/Xtreme/Kawasaki’s Andrew McFarlane took the honors at RedBud.
As an added bonus, three Kawasaki/Pro Circuit KLX 110 motorcycles will be given away to the fans this Saturday at Steel City.
The AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF is just one of the many events scheduled at Steel City as the inaugural American Motocross Festival celebrates Labor Day weekend with supporting races from the AMA/WMA Women’s Motocross National Championship Presented by Kawasaki and the AMA ATV Pro Open.
Television coverage of the Monster Energy/Kawasaki Steel City Motocross National and American Motocross Festival can be seen on SPEED with the AMA Motocross telecast on September 6, at 10 p.m. ET and the AMA Motocross Lites show on September 9, at 2 p.m. ET.
EVENT SCHEDULE
American Motocross Festival
Steel City Raceway, Delmont, Pa.
August 29-30, 2008
FRIDAY
11:00am – 12:00pm The Racer X Motocross Show LIVE!
12:00pm - 12:45pm Motocross Lites Timed Qualifying
12:50pm - 1:35pm Motocross Timed Qualifying
1:50pm – 2:35pm Motocross Lites Timed Qualifying
2:40pm - 3:25pm Motocross Timed Qualifying
3:40pm – 3:55pm WMA Practice
4:00pm – 4:20pm Motocross Lites Consolation Race (Top 5 advance to Saturday)
4:25pm – 4:40pm Motocross Consolation Race (Top 5 advance to Saturday)
4:45pm – 5:10pm WMA Moto 1 (15 min.)
5:30pm – 5:45pm ATV Pro Practice
7:00pm Parts Unlimited Pit Bike Races
SATURDAY
9:00am - 9:20am Motocross Lites Timed Qualifying for Gate Pick
9:25am - 9:45am Motocross Timed Qualifying for Gate Pick
10:00am - 10:15am Motocross Lites Timed Qualifying for Gate Pick
10:20am - 10:35am Motocross Timed Qualifying for Gate Pick
11:30am The Billy Morris Band Mini Show
12:30pm OPENING CEREMONIES – Motocross Legends Tour
1:00pm Moto 1 - Motocross Lites (30 min. + 2 laps)
2:00pm Moto 1 - Motocross (30 min. + 2 laps)
2:40pm – 3:00pm WMA Moto #2
3:30pm Moto 2 - Motocross Lites (30 min. + 2 laps)
4:10pm Motocross Lites Victory Circle
4:30pm Moto 2 - Motocross (30 min. + 2 laps)
5:10pm Motocross Victory Circle
5:20pm ATV Open Moto
5:45pm ATV Open Victory Circle
6:00pm Freestyle Motorcycle Show
7:00 pm The Billy Morris Band in Concert
Dark Fireworks
For more information on the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF, log on to www.amamotocross.com for live timing and scoring at @theWireLIVE!. Racer X Illustrated will host a new and improved webcast on www.motocross.com, with live racing action hosted by Jason Weigandt. The Racer X Motocross Show on Motocross.com has also been added on Saturday night of each race weekend, featuring practice footage and interviews taken earlier in the day.
About the National Promoters Group (NPG)
The National Promoters Group (NPG) comprises 12 individual promoters of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF which sanctions outdoor motocross events throughout the United States, and remains the Nation's premier outdoor motocross championship series. NPG's mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the production of professional championship racing events nationwide.
About AMA Pro Racing AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.
