Dayton (Ohio) & Pikeville (Ky.) To Host Toyota AMA Arenacross Series Rounds Jan. 19-21

Midwest arenas host two rounds of Toyota AMA Arenacross Series action, along with Sunday amateurs, this weekend!

AURORA, Ill., (Jan. 18, 2007) – Motocross fans in Ohio and Kentucky are preparing for a double dose of arenacross action this weekend when the stars of the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series roll into Dayton’s Nutter Center and Pikeville’s Convention Center for two exciting nights of racing, along with the best local amateur racers on Sunday.

Heading up the field will be a couple of locals from the state of Ohio, including Kyle Smith (Yellow Springs) and Patrick Massie (Washington Court House), both of whom will be battling to make the premier AMA Arenacross class main event. In Pikeville, look for Kentucky’s own pro racers Donnie Adams (Whitesburg) and Edgar Robinson (Jenkins) to run up front, along with nearby Virginia’s Rodney “Tater” Anderson (Grundy).

This past weekend in Baltimore defending champion Chad Johnson (Junior Jackson Racing/Suzuki) took a giant bite out of Danny Smith’s (TUF Racing/Honda) 26-point lead with a 2-1 finish on the weekend. Currently, Smith holds a precarious 15-point lead over Chad Johnson, 198-183. That lead could be taken down even further this weekend if Smith fails to make the podium – which he did for the first time this year in Baltimore.

“I made a few mental mistakes this weekend and it cost me,” said Smith. “It was completely my fault. TUF Racing built me an excellent bike, but I just wasn’t able to put it together this weekend. I can’t wait to get back to action this weekend in Dayton. I haven’t raced in that area since the Troy National and am looking forward to the gate dropping on Friday night.”

Said Robert Hansen, director of arenacross for Live Nation: “It’s going to be interesting to see who ends up where this weekend. Of our four two-race weekends on the schedule, Dayton (Ohio) and Pikeville (Ky.) are the closest in proximity. So there may be some jostling back and forth with some of the top riders in hopes of gaining points – like Brock Sellards (TUF Racing) did two weeks ago when he moved to 4th overall from 9th in one weekend.”

But ask Sellards and he’ll say he didn’t have it easy in Grand Rapids (Mich.) as both Teddy Maier and Matt Barnes gave Sellards all he could handle.

“Those two fought Brock right to the end,” said Hansen. “They definitely put on a great show that will for sure bring fans back next year to Van Andel Arena.”

Event information on the upcoming Toyota AMA Arenacross Series race in Dayton:

Event information on the upcoming Toyota AMA Arenacross Series race in Pikeville:

Friday and Saturday: Professional Toyota AMA Arenacross Series AMA Arenacross class and AMA Arenacross Lites racing, Freestyle Exhibition. 
Sunday: Amateur Racing

Please call (800) 216-7482 for race registration or log onto: www.arenacross.com.

More information regarding the racing coming to Dayton and Pikesville, the current series’ point standings and results, or the latest news on the series are all available at www.arenacross.com.

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