2008 AMA MX Championship: Thunder Valley

Click the following link for a 30-photo gallery of AMA National motocross race action from Thunder Valley MX in Lakewood, Colorado. You can also click the following link for a 15-photo gallery from Friday'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.

While the National at Thunder Valley was unique, since it was run under the lights, the results looked remarkably similar to every other round this season. Mike Alessi (Rockstar Makita Suzuki) grabbed two holeshots, but gave way to James Stewart (Monster Energy Kawasaki) in both motos. After ten motos, James’ National win streak is still intact. Can he make it to 24 straight, and score a perfect season? We wouldn’t bet against it.

Stewart has a solid 51-point advantage over Mike Alessi, and Davi Millsaps is another 11 points back in third.

In MX2, Ryan Villopoto (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) has a moto win streak that’s nearly as long as Stewart’s. So far, only the first moto at Glen Helen stands between Ryan and a perfect season. His 1-1 score at Thunder Valley gives him a 58-point lead over Ryan Dungey (Rockstar Makita Suzuki).

Unfortunately, Dungey crashed out of moto two after scoring a third in the first moto, and suffered a DNF. Austin Stroupe (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) also took a hit to his points total, after a pair of DNFs. Austin is now tied with Jake Weimer for third in the standings.

Depending on which riders you talked to, the nighttime experiment was either terrible, or pretty cool and a good way to bring in new fans. The track crew had brought in five additional portable light/generator combos after Friday night’s practice in an effort to fill in some of the darker areas. Will we see more nighttime events like this? That remains to be seen. We do like the willingness on the part of the promoters and NPG to experiment, and with some fine-tuning (and depending on the venue), it could be a cool regular addition to the Nationals.

MX1
1. James Stewart (Kawasaki) 1-1

2. Mike Alessi (Suzuki) 2-2

3. Davi Millsaps (Honda) 4-3

4. Andrew Short (Honda) 3-4

5. Michael Byrne (Suzuki) 5-6

6. Timmy Ferry (Kawasaki) 8-5

7. Sean Hamblin (Yamaha) 7-8

8. Sean Collier (Kawasaki) 6-9

9. Josh Hill (Yamaha) 13-7

10. Jeff Alessi (Honda) 9-12

11. Kyle Summers KTM 10-13

12. Nick Wey (KTM) 15-10

13. Michael Blose (Honda) 11-16

14. Antonio Balbi (Honda) 17-11

15. Matt Boni (Honda) 14-14

16. Travis Sewell (Suzuki) 12-17

17. Shaun Skinner (Honda) 16-19

18. Ryan Clark (Honda) 29-15

19. Ryan Grantom (Honda) 18-18

20. Robert Fitch (Honda) 19-33

21. Jason Thomas (Honda) 23-20

22. Adam Chatfield (Suzuki) 20-27

23. Kevin Rookstool (Honda) 25-21

24. Derek Anderson (Kawasaki) 22-22

25. Justin Sipes (Suzuki) 24-23

26. Charles Summey (Yamaha) 34-24

27. Tony Boughten (Yamaha) 27-25

28. Leighton Lillie (Honda) 26-26

29. Michael Sleeter (KTM) 28-28

30. Mitchell Dougherty (Honda) 30-29

31. Billy Laninovich (KTM) 32-30

32. Cole Siebler (Honda) 21-31

33. Jeff Loop (Honda) 31-32

34. Jeffrey Mann Jr. (Yamaha) 36-34

35. Chris Blose (Honda) 35-35

36. Jack Carpenter (Honda) 39-36

37. Cody Cooper 37-37

38. Kyle Mace (Kawasaki) 33-38

39. Ivan Tedesco 38-39

40. Paul Carpenter (Honda) 40-40

MX2
1. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki) 1-1

2. Josh Grant (Honda) 4-2

3. Nico Izzi (Suzuki) 2-4

4. Trey Canard (Honda) 5-3

5. Dan Reardon (Honda) 7-7

6. Matt Lemoine (Yamaha) 10-5

7. Matt Goerke (KTM) 6-10

8. Jake Weimer (Honda) 9-8

9. Mike Brown (Yamaha) 12-6

10. Ryan Sipes (KTM) 11-9

11. Ryan Dungey (Suzuki) 3-38

12. Andrew McFarlane (Kawasaki) 13-11

13. Brett Metcalfe (Kawasaki) 15-12

14. Martin Davalos (KTM) 8-32

15. Wil Hahn (Yamaha) 17-15

16. Kyle Chisholm (Kawasaki) 16-17

17. Justin Brayton (KTM) 21-13

18. Kyle Cunningham (Honda) 25-14

19. Jason Lawrence (Yamaha) 14-34

20. Broc Tickle (Yamaha) 20-16

21. Jake Moss (Yamaha) 18-18

22. Adam Miller (KTM) 36-19

23. Ryan Morais (Yamaha) 19-37

24. Phil Nicoletti (Kawasaki) 22-20

25. Kyle Keylon (Honda) 30-21

26. Levi Kilbarger (Honda) 28-22

27. Sean Borkenhagen (Honda) 24-23

28. Ryan Beat (Yamaha) 31-24

29. Hunter Meyer (Honda) 29-25

30. Rustin Meyer (Honda) 35-26

31. Willy Browning (Suzuki) 33-27

32. Charles Castloo (Kawasaki) 34-28

33. Ben Ritter (Suzuki) 27-29

34. Brandon Brower (Honda) 32-30

35. Bryan Johnson (Honda) 26-31

36. Sean Hackley (Suzuki) 38-33

37. Austin Stroupe (Kawasaki) 39-35

38. Robert Kiniry (Honda) 23-36

39. Michael Willard (Yamaha) 37-39

40. Tommy Hahn (Kawasaki) 40-40