GEICO Powersports Honda Race Report - Atlanta

Atlanta, GA – For seven straight weeks, the AMA Supercross Championship will be touring the east coast for the eastern swing of the series, and the first round of the eastern swing – round eight of the 450cc championship and round two of the Eastern Regional Lites Championship – took place inside Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on February 21.

Race day started off rough for the GEICO Powersports Honda team, as championship hopeful Brett Metcalfe crashed in practice, breaking his collarbone. He’s scheduled for surgery this week, but the timeline of his return isn’t yet known.

His Lites teammate, rookie Blake Wharton, had a tough go of it to start the day, when he had to come from behind just to qualify in his heat race, where he finished eighth. This gave him the 15th gate pick out of 20 riders in the main event. He started near the tail end of the top 10 and then methodically began working his way forward. With three laps to go, he was fourth and pressuring for third – a position he actually nabbed during the next go-around. He held third for the final two laps until two turns to go, when he was caught on the outside and relegated back to fourth, where he finished.

“I was in eighth for eight laps,” Wharton said. “Usually, I can get those good starts, but tonight was a bad start night for me. You can’t get every holeshot, right? So you’ve got to learn how to do both [come from behind and race from the front]. I felt like I was smart in the race, and I wasn’t rushing things. I waited for the right time and started passing them, and I ended up being in third and just made a silly mistake and lost it back and got fourth. I’m happy with how I rode, though, because I was in ninth and I caught all the way up and passed guys. That shows me that my speed and endurance are there, so I just need to fill in the middle part and get a good start. We’ll see how next week goes.”

In the 450cc class, the story was similar for Kevin Windham. In his Heat race, Windham came from way behind to finish fifth, and in the main event, he started mid-pack and worked his way forward, eventually finishing sixth.

“The starts are killing me right now,” Windham said. “I’d like to think I can run with those guys if I get the start, but the starts continue to elude me.”

From here, the GEICO Powersports Honda team heads to Indianapolis, Indiana, for round nine of the AMA Supercross Series, and round three of the Lites Eastern Regional Supercross Championship, on February 28 inside the brand-new Lucas Oil Stadium.

Team Sponsors: GEICO Powersports, Honda, Planet Fitness, Unbound Energy, AM/PM, Factory Connection, Fox, Shoei, Gaerne, DVS, Amsoil Lubricants, Cycra Plastics, Dunlop Tires, EK Chains, Filtron Air Filters, Hinson Clutches, Leatt Brace, One Industries, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Shock Doctor, Showa, TAG Sprockets, Vortex Ignitions, VP Fuels, and Works Connection.

Atlanta Lites Main:

1.            Christophe Pourcel            Kaw

2.            Nico Izzi            Suz

3.            Martin Davalos            KTM

4.            Blake Wharton            GEICO Powersports Honda

5.            Branden Jesseman            Kaw

6.            Wil Hahn            KTM

7.            Austin Stroupe            Kaw

8.            Matt Lemoine            Yam

9.            Matt Goerke            Suz

10.            Steven Clarke            Suz

 

Atlanta 450cc Main:

1.            James Stewart            Yam

2.            Chad Reed            Suz

3.            Ryan Villopoto            Kaw

4.            Andrew Short            Hon

5.            Broc Hepler            Yam

6.            Kevin Windham            GEICO Powersports Honda

7.            Ivan Tedesco            Hon

8.            Timmy Ferry            Kaw

9.            Josh Hill            Yam

10.            Davi Millsaps            Hon