Hello everyone! We just wrapped up the 19th round of the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series in Sacramento, and it was an amazing weekend! We had so much going on, and it was all in front of a packed house! This weekend was only a Saturday night race, so the riders only had one chance to race and no room for mistakes. It all started with the Raley’s Track Party fueled by Monster Energy. The music was loud, with our own personal DJ. There was also an Air force football toss, Parts Unlimited and Thor giveaways, Monster Girls, and a Trials Bike Demo all right there on the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series track. Kids were dancing and running around with smiles from ear to ear, crowds were gathered around the Demos. The lines to get autographs from the riders were backed up as far as I could see. The energy and excitement in the building was amazing! The time flew by and it was already showtime. The entire crowd was on their feet and singing along to the National Anthem, the floor of Arco Arena lit up with fireworks and the anticipation echoed throughout the building. The crowd gasped and cheered, I got goose bumps because it was the first time The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series brought the pryo and concussion to the city of Sacramento, it was a surprise to everyone and it was incredible! But the surprises didn’t end there. After we interviewed the top riders, and the former2007 Champion, recently injured Danny Smith, the lights stayed dark and another bike revved up on the starting line, the diamond vision played a video listing various titles including 7 time Supercross Champion…………… Jeremy McGrath!!!!!! Once again the crowd instantaneously jumped to their feet and out came the #2 Honda onto the Arenacross our track. He did a couple hot laps and off he went. The energy the arena had earlier in the day was nothing compared to the energy they had at the conclusion of the opening ceremonies, and the best was still yet to come, the races hadn’t even begun!!
The Lites class was stacked with local pros from California, both up and comers and some guys just recently coming off the West Coast Supercross tour. We also had some most of the regular Lites top riders like Cory Green and Gray Davenport. The gate was full of talent and the night had already shown some intense racing in the heat race, with both local Daniel Blair and Oklahoma’s Cory Green taking the heat race wins. The gate dropped and out jumped Ti-lube/Moto-XXX rider Colt Humphrey taking the holeshot, but it wasn’t long before Cory Green took over the first place position and began to take off. The two top local pros Daniel Blair and Jeff “Norcal” Northrop both got around Colt Humphrey and began to battle for 2nd and 3rd. It wasn’t long before Northrop went to the inside of Blair coming out of the triple triple rhythm section and unfortunately made too much contact and took the two of them out, sending them to the back of the pack. Northrop got his bike started before Blair did and he took off. Daniel Blair was now in the back of the pack, with the leader Cory Green only a straightaway from lapping him. One lap Blair was in 2nd the next he was almost lapped, you just never know what is going to happen in a Toyota AMA Arenacross Series main event! Cory Green on his Suzuki/ Reynard Mods bike was having a flawless race. He pretty much had the race in the bag. All of a sudden at about the 2 lap mark, Northrop was back to his rear wheel and putting a little pressure on him. Cory Green was holding him off as he came over the catapult with the white flag out, and as Cory Green entered the sharp left hand turn after the catapult. A lapped rider drilled him and the two feel down. Northrop railed past Green as he struggled to get out from under his bike. He got up and you could tell he was fired up! Northrop came over the checkers in 1st for his hometown crowd, with Colt Humphrey ending up 2nd and Cory Green was able to hold on to 3rd even though he had that devastating crash on the final lap. The energy in the crowd was still high and the racing was so amazing! Definitely a race that you didn’t want to blink for fear you might miss something.
Up next we had the Air force Freestyle Motocross Exhibition on the track. Kevin Johnson, Terry Russell and Jeff Banks all took over the floor and the crowd as they sailed over 50ft in the air! Freestyle is always a crowd pleaser and it is fun to watch everyone’s face light up with amazement when they see the incredible flexibility and talent of the freestylers. The conclusion of the show when they hit the ramp doing a train of tricks one right on the rear tire of the other was amazing. Jeff Banks was not ready to be down so he circled around and revved up the crowd asking if they wanted one more jump. He headed up the ramp and pulled out a sick back flip; once again the crowd hit their feet and roared! He did a couple more back flips including a nac nac back flip, it was amazing! The freestyle was perfect and the crowd reaction was definitely one I will remember forever, the back flip was a complete surprise!
The finale of the show is the Arenacross Main event, with the top riders of Arenacross on the line and all of them looking to take the win, no matter what it takes! Kelly Smith was a favorite, standing 2nd in the overall championship points and also taking heat race #2 win. But he had company from a ton of fast riders as they picked their gates on the starting line, including Brock Sellards, Jeff Northrop, Robbie Reynard, Cory Green and Gray Davenport Kelly had some points to make up from last weekend’s results in Pikeville, KY where he lost 24 points to Chad Johnson. The Monster Girls held up the 30 second board and the gate dropped, Colt Humphrey was the first to the Toyota Certified Used Vehicle holeshot line, and getting the $750 check. But it wasn’t long before the Monster Kawasaki/ Team Babbitt’s bike of Kelly Smith took over the first place position. Following him was Team Faith’s Kevin Johnson and Brock Sellards. Kelly and the front runners where in lap traffic by the 5th lap of the 25lap main event, Kelly wasn’t having to hard of a time getting around the traffic, but Kevin Johnson definitely was losing ground trying to get through the crowd. Kelly had definitely pulled away by the halfway point of the race. Jeff Northrop was going through the pack catching up to the top places, making some series block passes in the process. Kevin Johnson and Brock Sellards had a great battle for 2nd and 3rd but they both rode a really clean race making sure to keep themselves on two wheels. The white flag came out and Kelly Smith only had one more lap to take home the first place trophy, there were lappers ahead but he worked his way through taking the win in Sacramento, CA. Kevin Johnson was the 2nd place finisher and Brock Sellards ended up 3rd. As always it was an exciting race!
Kelly Smith was actually able to gain 3 points on Chad Johnson because Chad Johnson ended up coming in 2nd at the spilt round in Greensboro, NC. But Chad still has a 30point gap between his 1st place position and Kelly Smith sitting in 2nd. However, we all know that anything can happen in this sport and the points are within reach for Kelly Smith. The 2008 championship isn’t over until the final checkered flag in Green Bay, WI on March 15th.
Another awesome thing we did this weekend in Sacramento was get updates from the boys at SX all the way in Atlanta, GA. It was great to be able to know what was going on during the 1st East Coast round and the James Stewart designed track all the way across the United States! I was really excited to see Trey Canard to take the East Coast Lites win in the Georgia Dome, in his first ever Monster Energy Supercross race! It is going to be a fun East Coast Lites season! So between the updates from the Atlanta Monster Energy Supercross, Jeremy McGrath making a special guest appearance, the back flip from Jeff Banks, the trials riding from Cody Webb, the Monster girls, the insane pyro and concussion, the Parts Unlimited giveaways, the Toyota Zone with the Toyota Certified Used Vehicle fan challenge, and the action packed racing of Toyota AMA Arenacross Series in Sacramento got to see it all! Plus my family was able to come to watch the race, so I had a blast with everything that was going on and I cannot wait for you guys to see the pictures and the show when it airs on Speed. Our series actually started today on Speed and will be playing I believe every week so make sure you set your DVR and TiVo! We are headed to Denver CO next week two nights of all together racing in the Denver Coliseum. Last year we saw Robbie Reynard sweep both nights in Denver, so you never know what is going to happen. Keep checking at arenacross.com for the live updates and the latest news from the 2008 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series fueled by Monster Energy Drink!! We will see you at the races in Denver! Until then keep your smiles and keep it on two wheels.
XOXO
Ashley Miss Arenacross
