KANSAS CITY,
Mo.
(January 30, 2010) – After a one-year hiatus, the 2010 AMA Arenacross
Series’ return to Kansas City and legendary Kemper Arena didn’t
disappoint as Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLube Kawasaki’s Josh Demuth,
of North Richland Hills, Texas, raced to his first win of the season.
Foremost Insurance Yamaha’s Tyler Bright, of Lexington, N.C., raced to
his second AMA Arenacross Lites class victory of the season.
As
the gates dropped on AMA Arenacross main event, Demuth shot to the
front of the field, grabbing the holeshot and going on to lead all 25
laps. Spinechillers/Storm Lake Honda’s Nathan Skaggs, of Chillicothe,
Ohio, found himself up front early, challenging Demuth along with
fellow Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLube Kawasaki rider Chad Johnson, of
Rhinelander, Wis. Unfortunately, Skaggs slowly dropped back into the
field while Johnson held close to his teammate, keeping him honest.
Current
points leader Tyler Bowers, of Danville, Ky., brought a five-race
winning streak into the evening, but experienced problems in the first
turn when his front brake line was severed. The third member of the
Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLube team tried to maintain race pace, but
was forced to pull off the track for maintenance. Upon returning, he
found himself at the tail end of the field but soldiered on to salvage
an eighth-place finish.
Demuth became just
the third rider to win in 2010, but through five rounds this season the
Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLube Kawasaki team is the only one to stand
atop the podium. Johnson held on to the runner-up spot while reigning
series champion Jeff Gibson, of Thornville, Ohio, captured his second
podium of the season for Tuf Honda in third.
Bright
has been strong in the early stages of the 2010 season. The Carolina
native raced to the main event holeshot and went on to lead the entire
race. GPF/Babbitt’s Kawasaki’s A.J. Catanzaro kept Bright honest, but
couldn’t find a way into the lead, brining home second while Reynard
Mods Kawasaki’s Cory Green, of Nowata, Okla., finished third.
By
virtue of his finish, Bowers watched his points lead fall to a 15-point
advantage over teammate Johnson, while Demuth moved into third to give
Babbitt’s the top three spots in the premier class standings.
Catanzaro’s impressive ride gives him the early edge in the AMA
Arenacross Lites Western Regional Championship, with a two point lead
after one round.
AMA Arenacross Class Results (Kansas City, Mo.)
1.Josh Demuth, North Richland Hills, Texas, Babbitt's Kawasaki
2.Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Babbitt's Kawasaki
3.Jeff Gibson, Thornville, Ohio, Honda
4.Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda
5.Brock Sellards, Sherodsville, Ohio, Honda
6.Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah., Kawasaki
7.Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, Honda
8.Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Babbitt's Kawasaki
9.Tyler Bright, Lexington, N.C., Kawasaki
10.Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, Yamaha