Press Release

Pirelli’s Andrew Short Prepares for Final Race in Front of Hometown Crowd

ROME, Ga. (June 2, 2016) – The third round of the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is set to kick off this Saturday, June 4 in Lakewood, Colorado for the 12th annual True Value Thunder Valley National. Located 20-minutes outside of Denver, the high elevation of the mountainous terrain is known for presenting riders with physically challenging conditions. The circuit’s deep ruts, consisting of a slippery base make tire selection crucial for navigating the tricky conditions, but Pirelli’s SCOPRION™ MX lineup is up for the challenge, rain or shine.

BTO Sports/WPS/KTM’s Andrew Short is looking forward to putting on a good show as he returns to his hometown race in front of friends and family for the final time in his highly successful professional racing career. The likeable veteran is no stranger to running near the front of the pack in his hometown state and has been improving each time he enters the track. “Shorty” will no doubt be a fan favorite when he hits the track this weekend.

Autotrader/Monster Energy/Yamaha’s Phil Nicoletti is carrying the momentum from beginning the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship with back-to-back top-10 finishes. Having grown up on the East Coast, he is looking forward to the rutted track conditions that generally form in Lakewood. The No.34 will be looking to take advantage of the more familiar soil and inch his way closer to the top-5.

Justin Barcia has powered his Pirelli-backed JGRMX Yamaha consistently inside of the top-10 to start the season. His only uncharacteristic result came last weekend when he fell victim to misfortune and was forced to retire early from the opening moto. Starts have played an important role at Lakewood in the past and if history is any indication of what’s to come, we expect to see “Bam Bam” fighting for the holeshot when the gate drops on Saturday.

Last weekend witnessed Weston Peick suffer a hard crash while fighting for position just outside of the top-5 in the 450MX Class opening moto. The ultra-tough Californian was unable to line up for Moto 2, but hopes to be back this weekend. He will make a late week decision.

Despite a slow start at the season opener in Hangtown, fellow BTO Sports rider Justin Brayton rebounded strongly this past weekend at Glen Helen. As one of the more technical riders in the championship, his results should continue to get better with the upcoming rounds. Riding alongside the veteran duo, Benny Bloss has been nothing short of impressive in contesting his first-ever Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. His goal is to gain valuable experience each week as he familiarizes himself with the sports best riders.

In the 250MX Class, Motorcycle Superstore is ready to go after they have spent the past several weeks hard at work dialing in their equipment. Kyle Cunningham missed the opening round, but rode strong last weekend to lead his teammates Jimmy Albertson and Josh Osby. Australian Luke Clout has displayed flashes of speed aboard his MAD Racing/Dirt Candy Graphics/Suzuki while contesting the Pro Motocross Championship for his first time. He is determined to battle his way further up the running order.

The first motos from the Thunder Valley National kick off on Saturday, June 4, 2016 at 2 p.m. ET and can be viewed on MAV TV, while second motos can be viewed on NBC Sports beginning at 4 p.m. ET. Check local listings for channel information.

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