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REED WINS AMA MOTOCROSS TITLE AT BUDDS CREEK
Rockstar
Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed clinched the 2009 AMA Motocross Championship
with two rounds remaining at Budds Creek Motocross Park in
Mechanicsville, Maryland.
The rainy weekend saw the two-time AMA
Supercross Champion capture the overall victory with second- and
first-placed moto finishes. En-route to his first-ever AMA Motocross
Championship, Reed has picked up five overall wins so far this season.
Rockstar
Makita Suzuki team mate Michael Byrne finished up with a sixth-placed
finish overall. Australian Byrne had a rough first moto, charging hard
from around 15th place to sixth. Then, in the second moto, he brought
home a fifth-place finish with the final result being the sixth-placed
overall at Budds Creek.
In the 250 class, Rockstar Makita
Suzuki's Ryan Dungey battled flooding conditions in an abbreviated
second moto before celebrating a third-place finish overall at Budds
Creek. Dungey captured a third-place finish in the first moto and then
went back out in the pouring rain for the second moto. The second moto
as red-flagged after just 25 minutes because of the inclement weather.
Dungey had moved into fourth place before the red flag and the combined
moto results put him on the podium with third place overall.
Chad Reed:
"I
feel like my career is complete, though I also feel like I have a lot
of fight left in me but this is definitely a step in the right
direction. In the first moto, I was pretty disappointed that I didn't
put myself in a position to win. Winning the Championship is what this
hard work is all about and I want to thank everybody at the Rockstar
Makita Suzuki team because everybody did a great job. We were a
last-minute entry and we gave it our all. We are all very, very happy
to get this championship."
Michael Byrne:
"It
was an OK race for me. I felt like I rode good, but I just didn't get
the starts that I needed. In the first moto, I didn't go down but I got
caught up in the first corner mess and that kind of ruined my start.
Then, I just took too long to get going. I tried to make up time and
pass people, but it was too little, too late. But overall I felt good
at the end of both motos, I'm happy Chad got the Championship wrapped
up -- I'm pumped for him and it's good for team -- and hopefully I can
get a win before the end of the year."
Ryan Dungey:
"With
the rain and the flooding, this was a crazy race but the fans made it
all worthwhile. I had a pretty good first moto and got up on the
podium. But then in the second moto I saw the water coming over the
dams and onto the track. I lost my brakes -- it was just survival out
there. But these things happen and you just have to take it one race at
a time. I'm just happy to get out of here safe and healthy."
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will race next at Moto-X338 in Southwick, Massachusetts, on Saturday, August 29.
AMA Motocross 450 Class:
1.
Chad Reed (Rockstar Makita Suzuki)
2. Davi Millsaps (Honda)
3. Ivan Tedesco (Honda)
4. Kyle Regal (Yamaha)
5. Tommy Hahn (Kawasaki)
6.
Michael Byrne (Rockstar Makita Suzuki)
7. Timmy Ferry (Kawasaki)
8. Andrew Short (Honda)
9. Matt Goerke (Yamaha)
10. James Albertson (Yamaha)
AMA Motocross 250 Class:
1. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki)
2. Christophe Pourcel (Kawasaki)
3.
Ryan Dungey (Rockstar Makita Suzuki)
4. Justin Barcia (Honda)
5. Andrew Stroupe (Kawasaki)
6. Brett Metcalfe (Honda)
7. Matt Lemoine (Yamaha)
8. Ryan Sipes (KTM)
9. PJ Larsen (Kawasaki)
10. Tyla Rattray (Kawasaki)