Langston / Kawasaki Win A3 Lites Class ANAHEIM, Calif. (February 4, 2006) - Team Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Grant Langston picked up where he left off in Anaheim, Calif., with another Supercross Lites win on Saturday night at Angel Stadium. The event was the fifth round of the 18-race Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series and was played before a sold-out crowd of 45,050.
After completely dominating his heat race, Langston got off the line exceptionally well on his KX™250F to begin the 15-lap Supercross Lites main event. Trailing Mike Alessi and Nate Ramsey after the first turn, he showed great patience in the first-half of the opening lap, waiting for his moment to move into the lead. He would get past Ramsey on the opening lap and then Alessi on lap two before leading the remaining 13 laps and cruising to the finish line with a 5.243-second margin of victory over the field. The win also propelled Langston into the points lead with only one point separating him and second place finisher Andrew Short.
“Winning races is the best way to pick up the championship, and that is what I plan on doing for the rest of the season,” said Langston. “Our team has been working hard this season, especially after last week’s race, where there was mud everywhere and things were a mess. This was an important win for me and for Kawasaki.”
Team Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider and Langston’s teammate, Ryan Villopoto, who won the LCQ again to make the show, started in 14th place aboard his KX250F and advanced to ninth place by lap nine before going down. He regrouped quickly and rode hard to secure seventh place as the checkered flag dropped.
In Supercross action, Kawasaki Racing Team rider James Stewart might have turned in another strong showing had it not been for three separate incidents in the main event. After completely dominating his heat race with better than a 12-second margin over the field, Stewart was confident heading into the featured race.
In the main event, Stewart shot out of the gate first off the start but carried too much speed into the first turn and his front wheel washed out sending him to the ground. He regrouped and was advancing through the field before he tangled with Jeremy McGrath during a turn on the second lap, and then went down a third time just a few turns later. Stewart remounted his KX™450F in 18th place, but had lost valuable ground on the lead pack. Although he ran some of the fastest lap times to catch the leaders, he had given up too much ground and finished in eighth place.
Stewart’s teammate, Michael Byrne, punched his ticket to the main event by winning his semi-qualifier. In the main event, Byrne got a good start and had his KX450F running in the sixth position after the second lap. He slid into the fifth spot on lap nine and would eventually finish in that position.
Ricky Carmichael now holds a 13-point lead over Chad Reed in the Supercross standings, 117 to 104. Stewart dropped to third overall with 103 and Byrne remains in fourth place with 74 points.
The Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series heads to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif., next Saturday for the sixth round of the 18-event series.
Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP Season Standings
1. Ricky Carmichael, Havana, Fla., Suzuki, 161 2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki KX450F, 157 3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 144 4. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 115 5. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F, 114 6. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 114 7. Jason Thomas, Melrose, Fla., Honda, 86 8. Ryan Clark, Phoenix, Honda, 83 9. Jeff Gibson, Westerville, Ohio, Honda, 74
10. Tyler Evans, Corona, Calif., Suzuki
Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Event Results, Anaheim 3
1. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki 2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha 3. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki 4. Mike LaRocco, Corona, Calif., Honda 5. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F 6. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda 7. Ernesto Fonseca, Murrieta, Calif., Honda 8. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki KX450F 9. David Vuillemin, Corona, Calif., Honda 10. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda
Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Season Standings
1. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 117 2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 104 3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki KX450F, 103 4. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F, 74 5. Mike LaRocco, Corona, Calif., Honda, 73 6. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 72 7. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 71 8. Ernesto Fonseca, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 62 9. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 62 10. Jeremy McGrath, Encinitas, Calif., Honda, 49
Amp’d Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Event Results, Anaheim 3
1. Grant Langston, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki KX250F 2. Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Honda 3. Mike Alessi, Apple Valley, Calif., KTM 4. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda 5. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha 6. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda 7. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki KX250F 8. Ryan Morais, Menifee, Calif., Suzuki 9. Sean Collier, Santa Clarita, Calif., Yamaha 10. Darcy Lange, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki.
Amp’d Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Season Standings
1. Grant Langston, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki KX250F, 94 2. Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 93 3. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 89 4. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., KTM, 87 5. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki KX250F, 78 6. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 77 7. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 76 8. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 67 9. Sean Collier, Santa Clarita, Calif., Yamaha, 42 10. Darcy Lange, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki KX250F, 41
