Bowers and Ames Continue to Lead AMA Arenacross for Team Babbitt’s Monster Energy/Amsoil Kawasaki
Irvine, Calif. (February 19, 2014) – The seventh round of AMA Arenacross saw two nights of racing at Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho. Team Babbitt’s Monster Energy/Amsoil Kawasaki’s Tyler Bowers raced to his fifth overall win on Friday by tying with Zach Ames. Bowers was rewarded the overall by winning the second main event and the head-to-head bracket races for additional championship points. Saturday night saw Ames win the first main event and finish third overall with a 1-5 score, while Bowers stayed consistent to take second overall finishing 2-3. Colt Nichols held his spot in the top-10 championship standings by finishing sixth on Friday and eighth on Saturday. Vicki Golden joined Team Babbitt’s in Nampa and qualified for both the Arenacross and Arenacross Lites class and scored her first point.
Tie-Breaker
On the soft, sandy dirt of Idaho Center Bowers came out strong on Friday, winning the bracket races to gain an additional point and finished third in the first main event. In the second main he rebounded from the inversion to take the win, but usually a score of 3-1 does not overcome that of 1-2, which Ames finished. The deciding factor was the additional championship points Bowers received from the bracket races which meant he tied Ames for the overall. Bowers was rewarded the win and the tie break for finishing higher in the second main event.
“It was a good night for the team,” said Bowers. “Having the extra points for the bracket races made it a little weird, but I didn’t make up any points on Zach and that’s what I need to do if I want to have that extra advantage when the Race to the Championship begins.”
Inversion
The current points leader did his job and went out and won both first main events on Friday and Saturday. Both nights Ames selected the eight-rider inversion and was unable to match his first main event finish. After tying for the overall on Friday night, Ames remained on the podium on Saturday with third overall and controls points standings with one round remaining before they are reset for the Race to the Championship.
“I’m really confident in the KX™250F,” said Ames. “It shows in my qualifying and winning the first mains. If you pull one of the inversion options, it’s really difficult to replicate that finish. You’re either on the outside or on the back row and if you get caught up with anyone at all, it’s just not going to happen. We’re in the best spot we can be and need to carry these wins into the Race to the Championship.”
Road to Supercross
Nichols is one of many rookies who are using the Arenacross Road to Supercross program in order to get their professional supercross license. Nichols has one win under his belt and has been consistent every weekend putting him in ninth place in the points standings and sits in contention for the Race to the Championship. Joining him this weekend was Golden who is looking to score the points needed to secure her supercross license and be the first female to compete in Monster Energy Supercross.
Race to the Championship
AMA Arenacross heads to Reno, Nev., for Round 8 which will be the final round to accumulate points before they are reset for the final four –round Race to the Championship. The points leader after Reno will have six points while second will hold five, third and fourth will have four, fifth and sixth will have three, seventh and eighth with two points, and ninth and 10th with one point.
Results
AMA Arenacross
Idaho Center – Nampa, Idaho
February 14-15, 2014
Arenacross Class Friday Overall
1. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki (3-1)
2. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki (1-2)
3. Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Honda (5-3)
4. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (4-5)
5. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (7-6)
6. Colt Nichols, S. Muskogee, Okla., Kawasaki (9-7)
7. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Kawasaki (6-9)
8. Michael McDade, McDonald, Ohio, Kawasaki (2-14)
9. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (8-8)
10. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki (15-4)
Arenacross Class Saturday Overall
1. Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Honda (3-1)
2. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki (2-3)
3. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki (1-5)
4. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM (6-4)
5. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (4-6)
6. Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Honda (8-2)
7. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (7-7)
8. Colt Nichols, S. Muskogee, Okla., Kawasaki (5-9)
9. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (9-10)
10. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Kawasaki (12-8)
Arenacross Class Points Standings
1. Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Kawasaki – 301
2. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki – 298
3. Jacob Hayes, Greensboro, N.C., Honda – 229
4. Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Honda – 201
5. Michael McDade, McDonald, Ohio, Kawasaki – 196
6. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki – 189
7. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM – 189
8. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM – 185
9. Colt Nichols, S. Muskogee, Okla., Kawasaki – 178
10. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki – 169
