The Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Series trekked across the middle of the country after last week’s stop in Colorado for the fourth round of the season at High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, PA. Following the dramatic turn of events at Thunder Valley, the expectations of the all three divisions were questioned. James Stewart came to Pennsylvania despite a severely injured arm and sat out the second moto, three riders in the Lites class further distanced themselves from the rest of the field, and Ashley Fiolek sat out the event completely. With over 20,00 fans crowded into the valleys and hills, the championship continued in a slightly predicted manner.
450 Class
Moto One
Mike Alessi grabbed yet another holeshot aboard his MotoConcepts Racing bike and tore off with the early lead, with Chaparral LMc Honda’s Andrew Short in tow. Alessi would set the pace for a number of laps as his main rivals, point leader Ryan Dungey and Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart climbed through the pack. Dungey would work past Short in the early stages of the moto aboard his Red Bull KTM and set after Alessi. As the laps ticked off, Dungey closed the gap and began to apply pressure to Alessi. A mistake by Alessi allowed Dungey to make the past, and in no time, he began to build a massive lead. The two would finish the moto in that order, but with a sizable distance between them. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer carried the momentum from of his previous podium finishes for third place in the first moto.
After a lackluster start, James Stewart was buried deep in the field. A question mark after the vicious get off in Colorado in the day preceding the event, he claimed the fastest time of the 450 qualifying sessions and worked up to fifth at the moto’s end, just edging Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Broc Tickle at the line. Tickle charged throughout the race and closed on Stewart in the final lap, just misses the position by .001 of a second.
Results
1. Ryan Dungey (KTM)
2. Mike Alessi (Suz)
3. Jake Weimer (Kaw)
4. Andrew Short (Hon)
5. James Stewart (Suz)
6. Broc Tickle (Kaw)
7. Brett Metcalfe (Suz)
8. Nico Izzi (Yam)
9. Davi Millsaps (Yam)
10. Josh Grant (Kaw)
11. Justin Brayton (Hon)
12. Ryan Sipes (Yam)
13. Michael Byrne (Suz)
14. Kyle Chisholm (Kaw)
15. Matt Lemoine (Kaw)
16. Vince Friese (Suz)
17. Ben LaMay (Yam)
18. Jimmy Albertson (Suz)
19. Justin Sipes (Kaw)
20. Billy Laninovich
Moto Two
Ryan Dungey rounded the left hand sweeper ahead of the competition to take the second moto holeshot, but Mike Alessi mounted a charge and stole the lead just moments into the race. Alessi opened a small gap between he and Dungey, and with Jake Weimer already a distant third, the two waited one another out. Dungey then began to shrink the distance and for a handful of laps, a pass for the lead looked imminent. An error by Alessi let Dungey by for the lead, and within moments, the Red Bull KTM rider pulled away. The finishing order for the top three would be the same as it was in the first moto, as Weimer nailed down a third place finish.
Word spread throughout the pits that James Stewart intended not to ride the second moto, and when the final call horn for the riders to head to staging sound, he and is bike were nowhere to be seen. In his first race back following a brief absence due to internal issues, Davi Millsaps made his way into the top five with a late race pass on Brett Metcalfe. After having difficulties in the opening laps, Star/Valli/Rockstar Yamaha’s Nico Izzi moved through the field and into the top 10 at the checkered flag.
Results
1. Ryan Dungey (KTM)
2. Mike Alessi (Suz)
3. Jake Weimer (Kaw)
4. Davi Millsaps (Yam)
5. Brett Metcalfe (Suz)
6. Ryan Sipes (Yam)
7. Michael Byrne (Suz)
8. Andrew Short (Hon)
9. Broc Tickle (Kaw)
10. Nico Izzi (Yam)
11. Kyle Regal (Yam)
12. Kyle Chisholm (Kaw)
13. Justin Brayton (Hon)
14. Vince Friese (Suz)
15. Jimmy Albertson (Suz)
16. Billy Laninovich (Hon)
17. Ben LaMay (Yam)
18. Austin Howell (Suz)
19. Evgeny Mikhaylov (Suz)
20. Sean Borkenhagen (Kaw)
results
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