After an Off-Week, the AMA Arenacross Series Resumes Its Exciting Championship Battle in Wilkes Barre 1

AURORA, Ill. (March 9, 2009) – After nine straight weeks of bar-banging action, the 2009 AMA Arenacross Series took a much-needed break this past week in preparation for the final two-round push for the championship. This weekend, the world’s best arenacross riders, led by points leader Jeff Gibson, storm into Wilkes Barre, Pa. and Wachovia Arena for the penultimate round of the ’09 season.

 

Gibson, a winner of a series-leading five races this season, and his Mahindra Tractors/Tuf Honda team currently hold a comfortable 39-point lead over Triple Effect Kawasaki’s Brock Sellards, who thanks to a late-season push has moved from fourth to second in the standings over the past two rounds. The AMA Arenacross Series kicks-off the action from Wachovia Arena on Friday, March 13 before bringing the festivities to a close on Saturday, March 14. Gates for both evenings of bar-to-bar racing prepare to drop at 7 p.m. On Sunday, March 15 amateur riders hit the floor beginning at 10 a.m. Tickets for this weekend’s races start at just $17 for adults and $5 for kids.

 

At the last round of the AMA Arenacross Series in Reno, Nev., guest competitor Jake Moss, of Troy Lee Designs Honda, took advantage of the experience he gained earlier this season in Monster Energy Supercross to sweep all four races during the weekend. The Australian native became the only rider in 2009 to take the win in the AMA Arenacross and AMA Arenacross Lites classes on the same night, and he did so on back-to-back evenings.

 

“This feels great to come out here and do so well,” said Moss. “I’m still making a comeback from my broken back so this does a lot to boost my confidence. I really want to thank my team, my mechanic, and the Arenacross Series for such a great event.”

 

In the chase for the AMA Arenacross Series title, Gibson brought home a pair of fifth place finishes while Sellards continued his surge to grab a pair of runner-up finishes and close the gap on Gibson.

 

With a 39-point advantage, Gibson has a chance to clinch the 2009 AMA Arenacross Series title. After Friday and Saturday night’s action, if Gibson holds an advantage of 51 points or more heading into the final round in Highland Heights, Ky., he will earn his first AMA Arenacross class crown.

 

Additionally, an AMA Arenacross Lites champion will be crowned this weekend in the Eastern Regional Championship. With the last race of the three-round championship occurring over a month ago in Greensboro, N.C., the competitors in the class have had considerable time off and are hungry to get back to racing and decide who will walk away as champion. Currently, Spinechillers/Suzuki City’s Willy Browning holds a slim five-point lead over Team Green House of Kawasaki’s Justin Berry.

 

Next weekend, the 2009 AMA Arenacross Series will come to a dramatic conclusion at the final race of the season in Highland Heights, Ky. The two-night finale will mark the series’ debut at the Bank of Kentucky Center, March 20-22.

 

AMA Arenacross Class Results – Night One (Reno, Nev.)

  1. Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., Honda

2. Brock Sellards, Sherodsville, Ohio, Kawasaki

3. Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki

4. Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Honda

5. Jeff Gibson, Westerville, Ohio, Honda

6. Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Kawasaki

7. Tiger Lacey, Wolf Creek, Ore., Honda

8. Codi Adams, Batavia, Ohio, Kawasaki

9. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda

10. Tyler Medaglia, Ottawa, Canada, Kawasaki

AMA Arenacross Class Lites Results – Night One (Reno, Nev.)

1. Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., Honda

2. Tiger Lacey, Wolf Creek, Ore., Honda

3. Sean Borkenhagen, Huntington Beach, Calif., Honda

4. Bruce Rutherford, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki

5. Tyler Medaglia, Ottawa, Canada, Kawasaki

6. Kevin Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M., Yamaha

7. Justin Berry, Edmond, Okla., Kawasaki

8. Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., Suzuki

9. Dacoda Sarochuk, Randolph, Utah, Kawasaki

10. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki

AMA Arenacross Class Results – Night Two (Reno, Nev.)

1. Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., Honda

2. Brock Sellards, Sherodsville, Ohio, Kawasaki

3. Tiger Lacey, Wolf Creek, Ore., Honda

4. Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki

5. Jeff Gibson, Westerville, Ohio, Honda

6. Keith Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M., Yamaha

7. Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Honda

8. Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Kawasaki

9. Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki

10. Willy Browning, Rushville, Ohio, Suzuki

AMA Arenacross Lites Class Results – Night Two (Reno, Nev.)

1. Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., Honda

2. Tiger Lacey, Wolf Creek, Ore., Honda

3. Jim Neese, Julian, N.C., Suzuki

4. Willy Browning, Rushville, Ohio, Suzuki

5. Josh Thomas, Climax, N.C., Suzuki

6. Bruce Rutherford, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki

7. Tyler Medaglia, Ottawa, Canada, Kawasaki

8. Justin Berry, Edmond, Okla., Kawasaki

9. Kevin Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M., Yamaha

10. Sean Borkenhagen, Huntington Beach, Calif., Honda

AMA Arenacross Class Points (After Race 13 of 17)

1. Jeff Gibson, Westerville, Ohio, Honda – 261

2. Brock Sellards, Sherodsville, Ohio, Kawasaki – 222

3. Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki – 217

4. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda – 210

5. Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Honda - 196

6. Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki - 175

7. Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Kawasaki – 159

8. Codi Adams, Batavia, Ohio, Kawasaki – 158

9. Keith Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M, Yamaha – 128

10. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Honda – 115

 

Gold Circle level seats are just $20, while Mid Level seats are only $17 for adults and $5 for kids. All seats are $2 more on 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.

 
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