AMA SUPERMOTO: GALVESONT TX
THREE NEW FACES ON THE PODIUM
With only the final two rounds of the series next week, the AMA Supermoto series is still throwing curve balls. In Galveston Texas the result ended with three all-new winners and several new names to the series.
Troy Lee Designs Cassidy Anderson pulled off his first overall victory in the ever-competitive 450 class. Also a newcomer to the series was CHM Honda rider Sylvain Bidart, making his US debut. Other European contender also included 2007 S1 World Champion Adrien Chareyre. Chareyre, riding a GP Husqvarna, did not fair as well as he had wished and had troubles and finished off the pace.
It was also awesome to see AMA motocross and supercross ace Heath Voss ride his first AMA supermoto event as well. Voss ride a strong race besting several of the top AMA SM riders with a seventh place finish.
Series Point leaders Jeff Ward and Mark Burkhart did not have great days. While leading Ward had bike problems and was stuck in gear and that is when Anderson made the pass for the lead. Burkhart, aboard the Graves Yamaha go a bad a bad start, worked his way back and stalled his bike. With Ward moving back in the field, Burkhart rode a smart race and gathered as many points as possible going into the finals.
In the 250 class, TLD’s David Pingree returned to action after breaking his arm at the Oregon round. But it would not be Pings day nor series point leader Graves Yamaha mounted Brandon Currie. TLD backed Rodney Taplin stole the show in the Lites on the last lap when the leader, Currie got stuck after a lapper crashed. Currie would finish with Pingree rounding out the podium. During the heat of the battle for the lead, Husqvarna’s Adam Cini was on the ride of his life and actually pushed his way into the lead at on point over Currie. Cini’s hopes of his first victory were put to rest when he was black flagged due to his bike smoking and spilling oil out on the track.
Currie still leads Pingree by 20 points with two rounds to go in the series. Something will have to happen to Currie at this point for him to not take the number one plate. Strange things have happened so stay tuned.
With series point leader Benny Carlson finishing outside of the top five and his Rip It Energy teammate Darryl Atkins running to problems and not racing the qualifier or main event, Ales Hlad from Bulgaria aboard a KTM took top honors. Hlad is another first-time racer in America. To finish out the podium in all orange, KTM boss Kurt Nicoll to second place honors and KTM teammate Johnny Lewis took third.
Carlson still holds a commanding lead in the series going into TLD’s Morongo Casino double header final.
For complete results, check out AMA's website
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