Press Release

Ryan Villopoto Overcomes Early Crash in Opening Moto to Earn Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award at RedBud

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.
(July 6, 2011) - The halfway point of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro
Motocross Championship from RedBud featured an exciting day of action
across all three classes of competition, as the world's best riders
celebrated Independence Day with an American Motocross tradition. Hoping
to gain ground in the 450 Class standings, Monster Energy Kawasaki's
Ryan Villopoto was forced to overcome adversity in the first moto of the
day, and put forth an inspired ride to claim this week's Ricky
Carmichael Hard Charger Award.



After
a solid start in Moto 1, Villopoto looked to put himself in position to
move forward, and challenge at the front of the field. However, a
slight mistake forced him to the ground in front of many of his
competitors. After avoiding additional contact and collecting his
breath, Villopoto remounted, sans helmet visor, and began his pursuit of
the field. The Kawasaki rider crossed the line in 37th out of 38 riders, several seconds behind the next position on the track.



Despite
the early disadvantage, Villopoto promptly surged through the field
throughout the near 36-minute moto. He passed several of the class' top
riders like Ricky Dietrich, Nick Wey, Kevin Windham and Christian Craig,
and even with the loss of his bike's silencer, Villopoto kept pushing
forward. In the end, he worked his way by an incredible 28 riders to
finish ninth.






After an early crash, Ryan Villopoto overcame 28 riders in the first 450 Class moto.
Courtesy Hoppen World


In
Moto 2, Villopoto was determined to make up for his previous error, and
subsequently grabbed the lead prior to the completion of the opening
lap. From there, he fended off Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey to
lead wire-to-wire and secure third place on the overall podium with his
9-1 moto scores.



Villopoto
will be presented with the Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award at next
Saturday's pre-race riders' meeting prior to the Spring Creek Motocross
National, providing well-deserved recognition for his efforts in front
of his peers.



Tickets for the upcoming Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship are on sale now at www.allisports.com. Special discounts and incentives are available for advance ticket purchasers.



For
media information about the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship,
please contact Media Manager Brandon Short via email at media@mxsportsproracing.com or by phone at 949-365-5750.



MX Sports Pro Racing
MX
Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world's most prestigious
motocross series - the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The
industry leader in off road powersport event production and management,
its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross
competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various
racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing
organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and
attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.



Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports

Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that
encompasses national and international action sports tours and events,
multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The
Alliance includes: the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Dew
Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, King of Wake series, and the
Gatorade Free Flow Tour. Alli TV Productions creates original content,
produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli
content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and
MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and
properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action
sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans
and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000
spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original
content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. Visit www.allisports.com.



Lucas Oil Products

Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, lubricants
and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the
fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry,
featuring a premium line of oils, lubricants and problem-solving
performance additives. Through innovative product research and
development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil
Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the
American truck-stop industry. Lucas Oil is involved in an array of
motorsports sponsorships, including the "Official Motor Oil of the AMA
Pro Motocross Championship." Visit www.LucasOil.com.



AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing
sanctioning body in the United States, operating a full schedule of
events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From
its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization sanctions professional
motorcycle racing competition, which includes, AMA Pro Motocross, AMA
Pro Road Racing, and AMA Pro Flat Track. Visit www.amaproracing.com.

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