AMA Arenacross Notebook: A Look Back at the 2009 Season

Year Full of Excitement and Drama Leads to Season Finale This Weekend in Kentucky
 
AURORA, Ill. (March 20, 2009) – The 2009 AMA Arenacross Series is a few hours away from dropping the gates on the final round of the season Friday night at the Bank of Kentucky Center in Highland Heights, Ky. As series points leader Jeff Gibson leads the way in search of his first AMA Arenacross Series title, a long line of hungry challengers are eager to finish the season on a high note and set the tone for next year.

 

Through 10 rounds and 15 races, the world’s best AMA Arenacross Series competitors have battled it out for 375 laps. To this point, eight different winners have graced the top step of the podium, a true testament to the parity within the series. With so many laps completed, so much talent facing off, and such a technical layout to challenge riders, a number of memorable moments mark the season.

 

At the season-opening round in Grand Rapids, Mich., all eyes were on the Babbitt’s Monster Energy Kawasaki team that boasted the series’ top two finishers from 2008 in champion Chad Johnson and runner-up Kelly Smith and started the season with its hometown race. A first night produced a surprise winner in Bobby J’s Yamaha’s Keith Johnson, who capitalized on a mistake by Triple Effect Kawasaki’s Brock Sellards to grab the opening night victory for the second year in a row. On night two, Spinechillers/Storm Lake Honda’s Nathan Skaggs began what would be a breakout season for the young Ohio rider.

 

In Baltimore, Md., Gibson captured his first win of the season for Mahindra Tractors/Tuf Honda on Friday night, beginning an impressive run that would vault him into the series points lead that he hasn’t relinquished since. On Saturday, Skaggs made a statement that he was prepared to fight for the title all season by taking his second win in a week.

 

The riders put on a show as the series headed to Dayton, Ohio. In front of a sold out crowd at the Nutter Center, Gibson out-dueled his competitors to win in front of his hometown fans. Adding to the excitement was the large contingency of Ohio riders that line the starting gate, creating a battle of Ohio amongst the competitors.

 

As the season hit Louisville, Ky., the AMA Arenacross Series was entering the heart of its schedule. A tough five week stretch began to create separation within the season standings as the cream started to rise to the top. Through five races, Gibson had developed an impressive resume with two wins and a lowest finish of third. He continued to take the series by storm with a sweep of the weekend in Louisville and a three-race win streak. It was at this point in the season that the Tuf Honda rider made a statement to his rivals and laid the path to the series championship.

 

Reigning champion Johnson overcame an up and down season to win in Greensboro, N.C., taking out Gibson on the final lap and establishing a little controversy within the series. Skaggs captured win number three in Tulsa, Okla., while Gibson continued to struggle. However, the points leader bounced back in impressive fashion on Valentine’s Day, taking a remarkable fifth victory in Fresno, Calif.

 

A strangely quiet Sellards made his presence felt as the AMA Arenacross Series traveled to Sacramento, Calif. The Kawasaki rider took his first win of the season, ending a lengthy drought by his standards and establishing a late-season surge that helped boost him into second place in the standings. A spot he has a firm hold of entering this weekend’s final round.

 

The final third of the season kicked-off with ArenOcross in Reno, Nev., with an unfamiliar face atop the podium. After two nights of action-packed racing, Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Jake Moss swept the weekend during a guest appearance in the AMA Arenacross Series while on hiatus from the Western Regional Monster Energy Supercross championship.

 

Nine consecutive weeks of action led to a much needed off-week for the series. When the bar-to-bar action returned last weekend in Wilkes Barre, Pa., a pair of new names graced the winner’s circle for the first time in 2009. Two-time AMA Arenacross champion and series legend Josh Demuth finally broke through for the Mahindra Tractors/Tuf Honda team, putting together an impressive ride to bring a bright spot to an otherwise frustrating season. On night two, Triple Effect Kawasaki’s Gray Davenport won his first career AMA Arenacross race to conclude a unique weekend of competition.

 

Now, the series comes to the final round, making its debut in Highland Heights. With a 48-point lead over Sellards, Gibson is a heavy favorite to walk away with the title. But in the AMA Arenacross Series anything is possible.

 

The Bank of Kentucky Center is a state of the art facility on the campus of Northern Kentucky University that opened in September of 2008. Located just minutes outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, the arena is home to both NKU’s men’s and women’s basketball programs. Still a relatively young venue, the goal of the arena is to bring new avenues of entertainment to the Northern Kentucky area. It holds a seating capacity of 9,400.

 

Unique statistics characterize the construction of the Bank of Kentucky Center including 10,000 cubic yards of concrete and 15,000 square feet of exterior glass. 7,500 gallons of paint were used to decorate the facility while 2,500 interior lights brighten the interior. Structurally, 2,500 tons of steel were used to erect the arena.

 

The first gates drop on the Highland Heights Arenacross Friday at 7:00 p.m. followed by an additional night of bar-banging action on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Amateur Day concludes an exciting weekend of action on Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m.

 

Tickets for this weekend’s edge of your seat action for adults cost just $20. Kids Mid Level seats go for just $10. All seats are $2 more the day of the show.

Tickets are available online at www.arenacross.com, www.ticketmaster.com, www.tickets.com. For more information on the AMA Arenacross Series log on to www.arenacross.com.

 
ABOUT FELD MOTOR SPORTS

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy® Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Freestyle Motocross, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.