GEICO Powersports Honda Race Report – Hangtown

SACRAMENTO, Cal. – As the 2008 AMA National Motocross Championship is starting to sort itself out, and at round two at Hangtown in Sacramento, California, the GEICO Powersports Honda team is establishing itself as a frontrunner.

For the second week in a row, rookie (and Eastern Region SX Champ) Trey Canard won the Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award. It's a bittersweet award, as it goes to the rider who passes the most other riders in any one moto. Last week, Canard won the award by passing 22 riders in the first moto at Glen Helen. This week in Hangtown, he had better performance, passing his way from dead last (after an early fall) up to 11th place by the end of the first moto.

"It's a little bit of a bummer, but at least when you kind of have a bad day, you've still got something you can keep your head up with," Canard said. "It's a lot better than nothing, and it's pretty cool to be associated with that kind of award. It's good, but I really don't want to win it next weekend."

In the second moto, Canard didn't get a great start, either, rounding the first turn outside of the top 15, but he was able to fight his way all the way up to sixth.

"The second moto was a lot better," Canard said. "I still got a really bad start, but I just tried to pick my way through. By the time I was in sixth, it was kind of too late. Everyone was pretty spread out by then. You've got to be up there to be with those guys. I'll try to get up there next weekend. I feel I have the speed of those guys, but I think it will take a good start, and then I can put in a really good race. When that happens, things will be good."

Canard ended up sixth overall on the day, and moved up to seventh in points.

Canard's teammate Jake Weimer struggled with his starts as well, but ended up with another seventh-place finish – his third in a row – to start the day. Then, he backed that up with a 10th in moto two for seventh overall.

"I didn't really get the starts that I wanted," Weimer said. "The first moto, I had a battle from the first to the last lap. I was always either passing somebody or trying to catch somebody, or somebody was breathing down my neck. The whole moto was a battle, and I got a little tired at the end. Then, the second moto, I was struggling with the track all weekend, and I had another so-so start, and I was pushing hard at the beginning, and I didn't feel that great. I was struggling and missing my lines, and it was a tough race for me. Luckily, I went 7-10 and still got seventh overall, but I was definitely looking for more. It was just one of those things. It was a tough day, and I got through it with two top-10 finishes, so I can't complain too much. It's definitely not what I was looking for, but sometimes you have some tough days."

Weimer is now sixth overall in the points standings.

Dan Reardon continues to improve. Reardon is accustomed to racing a 450 back home in Australia, where he's both a supercross and motocross champion. He is adjusting to the CRF250R now, and improved dramatically at Hangtown, where he got a poor start in the first moto on his way to 15th, but then started near the front and stayed up there in the second moto, finishing eighth – and perhaps more importantly, he got to run with the leaders and knows more what to expect at the next race.

The GEICO Powersports Honda team continues to torrid schedule and heads to Texas this coming Sunday for round three of the AMA Motocross Nationals at Freestone County Raceway.

Team Sponsors: GEICO Powersports, Honda, Planet Fitness, No Fear Energy, AMSOIL, Factory Connection, Torco Racing Fuels, No Fear, Shoei, Gaerne, Spy, DVS, Cycra, Dunlop, EK, Ferodo, Hinson, Ogio, One Industries, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Showa, TAG, Twin Air, and Works Connection.

Hangtown Lites Overall:

1. Ryan Villopoto 1-1 Kaw

2. Ryan Dungey 2-3 Suz

3. Jason Lawrence 5-2 Yam

4. Austin Stroupe 3-4 Kaw

5. Brett Metcalfe 4-5 Kaw

6. Trey Canard 11-6 GEICO Powersports Honda

7. Jake Weimer 7-10 GEICO Powersports Honda

8. Branden Jesseman 6-12 Kaw

9. Ryan Sipes 12-7 KTM

10. Dan Reardon 15-8 GEICO Powersports Honda

AMA Lites National MX Championship (After 2 of 12 rounds):

1. Ryan Villopoto (91/1 win)

2. Ryan Dungey (82)

3. Austin Stroupe (80/1 win)

4. Jason Lawrence (79)

5. Brett Metcalfe (72)

6. Jake Weimer (53)

7. Trey Canard (47)

8. Kyle Cunningham (40)

9. Branden Jesseman (36)

10. Broc Tickle (32)

11. Dan Reardon (29)