Record Night for Pirelli-Backed Riders with Marsack on the Podium, Balbi in 5th and Sorby in 9th

14 Racers Qualify for Daytona Mains on Pirelli Tires

Rome, Ga. – In the sloppy weather conditions at Daytona International Speedway, Pirelli-backed Jake Marsack, of Berlin, Mich., piloted his Pro 30/Bad Boy Honda to the first AMA Supercross class podium of his career Friday night, finishing an impressive third overall. It was a record race for Team Pirelli at Daytona with several riders reaching new milestones, including Antonio Balbi, of Riverside, Calif., who won the first heat race of his career, and Jimmy Albertson, of Ozark, Mo., who finished fifth overall in the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class.

“What an amazing night,” said Pirelli’s MX Manager Josh Whitmire. “Despite the adverse conditions, our riders made the best of the situation and reached a new milestone for Pirelli. Jake Marsack is a mud specialist, and tonight he proved that no matter what the conditions are, he’s ready for anything. Earlier this year, in muddy conditions at San Francisco’s AT&T Park, Jake finished fourth overall. Congratulations to him and his father, who is his mechanic.”

Matching Marsack’s impressive ride was Balbi, aboard his MotoXXX/Tamer/Hooters/Honda, finishing fifth in the AMA Supercross class after notching a win in his heat race. Balbi’s MotoXXX/Tamer/Hooters/Honda teammate Eric Sorby, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., who finished fourth in his heat race, finished a season-best ninth in the main event.

Cernic’s Kawasaki’s Dusty Klatt, of Riverside, Calif., earned his way to the AMA Supercross class main event by winning the last chance qualifier (LCQ). Klatt, who spent the first part of the season sidelined with injuries, finished a career-best scored 13th overall in the main event. Klatt’s teammate, Jeff Gibson, of Blacklick, Ohio, fought off the mud to finish in 20th place. Pro 30/Bad Boy Honda’s Tyler Bright, of Lexington, N.C., finished 21st, marking his best finish of the season.

Albertson, who rides for Rockstar Suzuki, earned his way into the AMA Supercross Lites class main event after finishing third in his heat race. Willie Browning, of Rushville, Ohio, finished fourth in his heat race and seventh overall. Ricky Renner, of Mulberry, Fla., earned a season-best as well, finishing in ninth place aboard his Chaplin Kawasaki.

SVM/ Bud Select Honda’s Billy Payne, of Simi Valley, Calif., currently sits seventh in Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites season points standings. He finished 10th in the main event. Chaplin Kawasaki’s Robbie Marshall, of Stow, Mass., finished 13th and Rockstar Suzuki’s Justin Sipes, of Vine Grove, Ken., finished 17. Pro Flow Kawasaki rider Kyle Gillis, of Wiggins, Miss., finished 18th. MotoXXX/Tamer/Hooters/Honda’s Mitch Dougherty, of Whitesboro, N.Y., finished 20th.

Team Pirelli will compete at Minneapolis’ Metrodome next weekend, Saturday, March 15.

AMA Supercross Class Results, Daytona

1. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda


2. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda


3. Jake Marsack, Berlin, Mich., Pirelli/Honda


4. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki


5. Antonio Balbi, Riverside, Calif., Pirelli/Honda


6. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha


7. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda


8. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda


9. Eric Sorby, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Pirelli/Honda


10. Ryan Dungey, of Belle, Plaine, Minn., Suzuki


13. Dusty Klatt, Riverside, Calif., Pirelli/Kawasaki


20. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Pirelli/Kawasaki


21. Tyler Bright, Lexington, N.C., Pirelli/Honda

AMA Supercross Class Season Standings

1. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 224


2. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 200


3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 154


4. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 149


5. Tim Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 137


6. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha, 123


7. Joshua Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 110


8. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 102


9. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM, 89


10. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 87


11. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 84


14. Jake Marsack, Berlin, Mich., Pirelli/Honda, 61


17. Eric Sorby, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Pirelli/Honda, 47

Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Results, Daytona

1. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda


2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki


3. Matt Boni, Geneva, Fla., Honda


4. Ben Coisy, Manosque, France, Honda


5. Jimmy Albertson, Ozark, Mo., Pirelli/Suzuki


6. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., KTM


7. William Browning, Rushville, Ohio, Pirelli/Suzuki


8. Shane Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki


9. Ricky Renner, Melbourne, Fla., Pirelli/Kawasaki


10. Billy Payne, Simi Valley, Calif., Pirelli/Honda


13. Robbie Marshall, Stow, Mass., Pirelli/Kawasaki


17. Justin Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., Pirelli/Suzuki


18. Kyle Gills, Wiggins, Miss., Pirelli/Kawsaki


20. Mitch Dougherty, Whitesboro, N.Y., Pirelli/Honda

Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings

1. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 75


2. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., KTM, 51


3. Ben Coisy, Manosque, France, Honda, 29


4. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 44


5. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair., Mich., Suzuki, 42


6. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 33


7. Billy Payne, Simi Valley, Calif., Pirelli/Honda, 31


8. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ken., Yamaha, 30


9. Branden Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Kawasaki, 30


10. Jake Moss, Australia., Yamaha, 28


11. Jimmy Albertson, Ozark, Mo., Pirelli/Suzuki, 26


15. William Browning, Rushville, Ohio, Pirelli/Suzuki, 17


19. Shane Sewell, Westville, Ind., Pirelli/Kawasaki, 13

Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings

1. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 135


2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 129


3. Austin Stroupe, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki, 113


4. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 112


5. Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Kawasaki, 101


6. Dan Reardon, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 95


7. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 85


8. Robert Kiniry, LaFayette, N.Y., Kawasaki, 71


9. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Yamaha, 69


10. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., KTM,62


15. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Pirelli, Suzuki, 52


17. Jeff Northrop, Murrieta, Calif., Pirelli, Honda, 39


18. Michael Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Pirelli, Suzuki, 33


19. Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Pirelli, Honda, 29

Pirelli Tire North America specializes in manufacturing and marketing high-performance tires for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, ATV’s and motorsports.  An industry leader in technology and quality, Pirelli operates its highly advanced Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) in Rome, Georgia, to better serve the American OEM and Replacement markets.  For more information please visit:  www.us.pirelli.com.