Monster Energy racer Chad Reed has retired the Number One plate for the remainder of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Championship. The defending outdoor national champion returned home to recover from the Epstein-Barr virus. Photo courtesy of www.chadreedracing.com.
Big news came this week from the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship series as the defending outdoor national champion Chad Reed dropped out of the chase for the 2010 title. After being diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Reed has decided to recover at home with his wife and their new son Tate. Reed had struggled throughout the season with chronic fatigue syndrome before falling out of the series’ top 5 in national 450cc points last week at the Millville MX.
Hondas grabbed an early lead in Moto One as Red Bull’s Andrew Short led the way over Kevin Windham and Ben Townley. Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey was charging from a lack luster start when Townley crashed hard in the whoops injuring his right shoulder and ending the day for the fast Kiwi. Dungey would manage his way through the field sailing past Windham for second place before tracking down Short for the lead. Windham would fade to ninth late in the race as Honda riders Short and Aussie Brett Metcalfe would claim second and third in Moto One.
Red Bull Honda rider Andrew Short would grab his second holeshot of the day and his eighth holeshot of the season in Moto Two of the Washougal MX National. Windham would position his 450cc Red Bike into second place as Dungey chased the pair of Honda riders up Horsepower Hill. As the race approached the halfway point in Moto Two, Dungey stepped up the pace to pass Windham and Short for the lead. Rockstar Energy’s Tommy Hahn put on an impressive ride to third and Yamaha rider Justin Brayton rebounded from a disappointing first moto to finish fourth.
The victory at Washougal was Dungey’s seventh of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA season giving the factory Suzuki ace a commanding 95 point lead over Short for the championship. Townley’s misfortunes would allow Metcalfe and Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha rider Josh Grant to move past the injured Honda rider to take over third and fourth place in the points championship. Popular privateer Nicholas Wey would have his best result of the season finishing fifth overall behind a very fast Tommy Hahn. Suzuki’s Hahn turned in the fastest times of the day and seems to be recovering nicely from his own nagging injuries.
The 450cc pro riders will have two weeks off before teams head all the way across the country for Round 9 of the AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship in New Berlin, New York. Don’t forget to follow the action on the E3 Spark Plugs Racing blog from the famed Unadilla MX track as the world’s top riders battle all the way to the 2010 AMA Championship. If you want peak performance and great fuel mileage from your car, truck or SUV, ask for E3 Car Spark Plugs at your favorite auto parts store. Our patented DiamondFire technology is designed to deliver Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for your ride.
2010 Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Pro Championship
AMA 450cc MX – Washougal MX National Round 8
1) Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, MN, Suzuki (1-1)
2) Andrew Short, Smithville, TX, Honda (2-2)
3) Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (3,5)
4) Tommy Hahn, Decatur, TX, Suzuki (7,3)
5) Nic Wey, Dewitt, MI, Kawasaki (10,6)
6) Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, KY, Yamaha (5,11)
7) Kevin Windham, Centerville, MS, Honda (9,9)
8) Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, FL, Yamaha (8,10)
9) Dan Reardon, Australia, Yamaha (12,7)
10) Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, TX, Yamaha (11,8)
AMA 450CC MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1) Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, MN, Suzuki 368
2) Andrew Short, Smithville, TX, Honda -95
3) Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda -111
4) Josh Grant, Riverside, CA, Yamaha -130
5) Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda -145
6) Mike Alessi, Victorville, CA, KTM -149
7) Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, KY, Yamaha -202
8) Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, FL, Yamaha -210
9) Tommy Hahn, Decatur, TX, Suzuki -218
10) Nic Wey, Dewitt, MI, Kawasaki -229
