Troy Lee Designs Kicks Off Summer at Hangtown MX

The Lucas Oil National Motocross series kicked off last Saturday afternoon at Hangtown Raceway outside of Sacramento, CA. The Troy Lee Designs team made some last minute adjustments for the summer by placing Cole Seely in the 250 class instead of the 450 class like originally planned. Jessy Nelson wasn’t sure he’d be able to race at all after an injury to his elbow weeks ago. He got back in the bike ten days prior to the opener and decided to give it a go. Christian Craig underwent surgery to repair a fractured wrist so the team recruited Malcolm Stewart to fill in on the CRF450.

Malcolm Stewart started his summer with a bang when he rounded turn one in twelfth and immediately moved toward the front. At around the 25-minute mark he was trying to pass for 6th when he collided with another rider and punched a hole in his water pump cover. He was sixth with two laps to go when the motor ran dry and expired.

The second moto started with two crashes on the opening lap and an inspired ride to get back to 15th for 20th overall on the day. Malcolm showed in the opening moto that he has the speed to be inside the top ten all summer, and he might even creep up on his brother from time to time. Keep an eye on the younger Stewart this summer.

Seely and Nelson both showed good speed in qualifying and started the opening moto around tenth position. Unfortunately, Cole went down in turn two but raced back to 14th in moto one. Nelson rode in 9th for most of the moto before sliding back to 18th.

Moto two was more of the same as Nelson started well but did not have the stamina to stay up there the entire moto. Seely would have another crash during the race and finish 14th again for 15th overall on the day.

The team will now head to Thunder Valley Raceway in Colorado for round two. Between the elevation and the notoriously rough track the boys will have their hands full. Stop by the TLD transporter and get a team poster this weekend!

TLD would like to thank all of our team sponsors: Lucas Oil, American Honda, PPG, Red Bull, Adidas, Oakley, Seaspan, Fender®, Seaspan, Pro Tork, Dunlop, Renthal, Alpinestars, MavTV, ODI, McQueen Racing, Method Race Wheels, Sol Republic, GoPro, Shock Doctor, Pro Circuit, Showa, VQ OrthoCare, Couts Heating & Cooling, Specialized, Kasey Kahne, Enjoy, VP Racing Fuels, DubyaUSA/Talon, Moto Tassinari, PixelMags, ARC, Braking, Boyesen, Caprillo, Moto Brew, Vortex, Cycra, Mammoth Mountain, DID, Dirt Star, Hinson, Twin Air, Pacific Collision Centers, Sports Care Center, Elrod Racing, and New Era.

Event Results:

450MX
1. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki) 1-1
2. Ryan Dungey (KTM) 2-2
3. James Stewart (Suzuki) 3-3
4. Trey Canard (Honda) 4-4
5. Justin Barcia (Honda) 5-5
6. Ryan Sipes (Suzuki) 8-7
7. Andrew Short (KTM) 6-10
8. Mike Alessi (Suzuki) 12-6
9. Tyla Rattray (Kawasaki) 9-9
10. Weston Peick (Suzuki) 13-8
11. Phil Nicoletti (Yamaha) 11-11
12. Broc Tickle (Suzuki) 14-12
13. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki) 7-24
14. Dean Wilson (Kawasaki) 17-14
15. Chad Reed (Honda) 10-38
16. Fredrik Noren (Suzuki) 16-17
17. Travis Preston (Yamaha) 15-18
18. Justin Brayton (Yamaha) 33-13
19. Michael Byrne (KTM) 19-16
20. Malcolm Stewart (Honda) 36-15
21. Vince Friese (KTM) 18-39
22. Nicholas Wey (Kawasaki) 21-19
23. Gareth Swanepoel (Yamaha) 22-20
24. Joshua Grant (Yamaha) 20-27
25. Chris Blose (Yamaha) 27-21
26. Les Smith (KTM) 23-22
27. Derek Anderson (Kawasaki) 38-23
28. Robby Marshall (KTM) 28-25
29. Nicholas Schmidt (Honda) 39-26
30. Lowell Spangler (Suzuki) 26-28
31. Heath Harrison (Kawasaki) 24-29
32. Dalton Carlson (Yamaha) 29-30
33. Austin Howell (Suzuki) 25-31
34. Dustin Pipes (Suzuki) 32-32
35. Ryan Huffman (Kawasaki) 34-33
36. Kyle Partridge (Honda) 31-34
37. TY Keenom (Honda) 35-35
38. Tevin Tapia (Suzuki) 37-36
39. Travis Sewell (KTM) 30-37
40. Chris Plouffe (Kawasaki) 40-40

250MX
1. Ken Roczen (KTM) 1-1
2. Blake Baggett (Kawasaki) 3-2
3. Eli Tomac (Honda) 2-3
4. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 4-4
5. Zach Osborne (Honda) 9-5
6. Kyle Cunningham (Yamaha) 8-7
7. Jason Anderson (Suzuki) 12-6
8. Jeremy Martin (Yamaha) 7-13
9. Joseph Savatgy (KTM) 10-11
10. Justin Hill (Kawasaki) 13-9
11. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 5-18
12. Justin Bogle (Honda) 19-8
13. Blake Wharton (Suzuki) 17-10
14. Darryn Durham (Kawasaki) 6-36
15. Cole Seely (Honda) 14-14
16. Dillan Epstein (Kawasaki) 11-23
17. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki) 38-12
18. Jake Canada (Honda) 16-17
19. Alex Martin (Yamaha) 20-15
20. Zachary Bell (Honda) 15-35
21. Dominic Izzi (Suzuki) 22-16
22. Jessy Nelson (Honda) 18-24
23. Brady Kiesel (Yamaha) 26-19
24. Kellian Rusk (Honda) 21-20
25. Jackson Richardson (Honda) 29-21
26. Jacob Baumert (Kawasaki) 24-22
27. Zack Williams (Honda) 28-25
28. Ryan Zimmer (Honda) 32-26
29. Todd Krieg (KTM) 31-27
30. Jason Potter (Honda) 37-28
31. Justin Starling (Honda) 35-29
32. Trevor Ivey (Honda) 30-30
33. Lance Vincent (KTM) 27-31
34. Josh Greco (Honda) 33-32
35. Kevin Weisbruch (Kawasaki) 34-33
36. Tommy Weeck (Honda) 23-34
37. Gared Steinke (Kawasaki) 25-37
38. Drew Gosselaar (Honda) 40-38
39. Brandan Leith (Kawasaki) 36-39
40. Austin Ulrich (Kawasaki) 39-40