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Jim Neese, Brian Stone, Nick Metcalf, Ryan Sipes, Jim Chester and Billy Jurevich All Take Wins In Nashville
Another great weekend of competitive racing presented by Americas Motorsports, Tennessee's largest Yamaha Dealer, and Clear Channel Entertainment Arenacross. Chris Watts of Americas Motorsports has been with the event for the last five years and they again brought the fans an exciting weekend to Nashville.
Nobody could have predicted a snowstorm the magnitude it was for the weekend! The local folks had to go back 25 years to get close to the amount of snow they received in 24 hours. But we all made it through! The track crew put together one of the toughest Rocker sections so far this season and it made for an awesome racetrack that provided exciting racing. The new track design was so good it had the riders talking about it during the opening ceremonies. B.J Dalsing and his crew, Lenny Mays, Casey (Val Kilmer look-a-like) Schafer, and Jayme Dalsing worked just like the US Mail Service does--through wind, rain, snow or something like that. They worked hard and should be commended for their track building efforts for the riders and fans!
On the race front, a shakeup in the points appears to be in process! Valuable points were lost and gained this weekend. Jim Neese managed to hold a lead on Brian Stone after the weekend, but only by a mere 21 points. Jim Neese has shown that he has been the man to beat all season long. Leaving Nashville with a smaller lead will do nothing more than stoke his fire!
Last season's number one plate holder, Brian Stone, departed Nashville second in the standings. He has definitely launched an assault on the 2003-championship title. He's a very efficient rider, and for him, Nashville was no different. He constantly and methodically proves time and time again how to be in the right place at the right time. His consistency has become his best friend and his fellow riders' worst enemy!
Jim Chester currently owns the number one plate and there are quite a few riders who are stepping up and ready and willing to take the plate from him! Jim Chester is having a season that's kept him close in the points battle, but has left him unquestionably not where he wants or needs to be. With the West Coast AX events warming things up in a month, and just a little more than half the season to go, Jim Chester is going to have to buckle down and bring out his exclusive number one plate and display who he is and why he earned it! The "One Man Gang" he's courteously been called from time to time over the last two seasons needs to bring them back to work and regain lost points. He can and will do this, and it will make this a season to remember!
Nick Metcalf appears to be healthy, once again. He is getting physically stronger through each event. He has been practicing down in Florida and making the round trip to each event. This year he has become a "hang on and pin it" rider! Nick is one of the Arenacross tour regulars and a seasoned competitor. But there's a host of talented, young up-and-coming riders making their way through the ranks! This may be what has caused Nick to get serious and make a paycheck each week at the track just that much more important!
This season has brought to the riders like Billy Jurevich, Jeremy Cook, Willie Browning and Ryan Sipes to the front - just to name a few. These are the riders who are keeping the point men battling for every piece of racetrack they can grab!
This is what happened last weekend in Nashville, TN.
Friday 125 Main:
Nick Metcalf had been planning a win since he left Roanoke, VA, the week before. Nick knows his way around a track, and tonight he adjusted to the new track design well. Things went so well that he took the win with style. Ryan Sipes had been following Nick Metcalf around lap after lap, and that strategy was about to payoff. Sipes politely took second as Jim Neese started the weekend with a third.
Jim Neese went down midway through the main, but it didn't keep him off the podium. Neese collected himself and opened school to give a lesson in AX 101 when he rode from the back of the pack towards the front. Jimmy had eventually worked back up to third place by the time the checkered flag flew. Brian Stone rode consistently and brought Jim Chester with him to the flag to a fourth and fifth respectively.
Friday 250 Main:
After the 125 main was over, it was clear that Jim Neese wasn't about to be placed in a similar position this time out! Jimmy lay the title of his teammate Jim Chester's race team "SeriousRacewear.com" on the line! Neese did the deed and took the win. Brian Stone thought wit was a good time to start his podium capturing runs for the weekend. Brian stayed strong and rode into the record book with second.
Jim Chester, the SeriousRacewear.com race team founder, was more than happy to assist in putting the two Liquid Performance sponsored bikes on the podium with a third place finish. Ryan Sipes, once again, rode in a manner that surprised a lot of people. Not that he isn't talented--far from it! It's just that his professional showing at this CCE Arenacross was strong and it woke a few people up. His alarm sounded loud enough to land him fourth, just one spot short of an interview. Nick Metcalf rode well, but everybody in front of him was running mistake free. That settled Nick into fifth, his closest finish to a win.
Friday: Americas Motorsports.com - Dash for Cash
Jim Neese can absolutely fly on a 250 and he used that talent to take the win this time out. The Nashville fans were generous to the riders and gave over $400 extra to the rider who won. Jim Neese was the man tonight! Brian Stone, Ryan Sipes and Jim Chester ran the order of the finish positions.
Friday: Americas Motorsports.com - Jump Contest
Billy Jurevich not only has become a factor in the Arenacross standings week in and week out, but he has also kept the bills paid by winning the jump contests frequently. Tonight was no different. Billy Jurevich took the win, Scott Craven claimed second, and Buddy Brooks took home some cash for third.
Saturday 125 Main:
Ryan Sipes couldn't have had a better night in his young professional career. Winning is everything and this night Ryan Sipes had everything going his way. Ryan took the win in excellent fashion and didn't even know it until we stopped him from going deep into the pits. The cool headed youngster was exhilarated on the podium and thanked Team Green and all his sponsors with authority. The kid is up and coming, so if you're the competition, keep your eyes on him--especially in the 250 main!
The real story was almost unbelievable! The gate dropped and it was quickly goodnight to Jim Neese. Everything looked great until Neese was caught up in a no-fault of his own pileup with lapped traffic after leaving the rockers with one lap to go. Jimmy had it signed, sealed and delivered until that point. Neese's bike ended up under the lapped rider. It took Jimmy too much time to get back up and underway, and that cost him the win. Nick Metcalf also ended up in the pileup in the process. Metcalf struggled to get his machine untangled too from the fracas, but it was too late! Ryan Sipes accepted the gift and rode to the win. Brian Stone, always in the hunt, was ready to take up the slack Metcalf and Neese had created. Stone rode to the checkered flag behind Sipes and in front of Nick Metcalf, who had remounted in third and kept the position to the flag! Billy Jurevich continues to assert himself and it paid off with a fourth just ahead of Roy Horton the fifth place rider in the field.
Saturday 250 Main:
Brian Stone has been keeping an eye on the points, and with Jim Neese's difficulty in the 125 main, it created a perfect opportunity for Brian to close out the weekend with a few extra points. Jim Neese had trouble in the 250 main also and it was a frustrating night for the point's leader. The two riders are now just 21 points apart in the series. Nick Metcalf enjoyed his third in the 125's so much, he upped it one spot for the 250's and finished second. Ryan Sipes, capping off a very strong weekend, felt a need to continue his success by finishing third for the 250 main. Billy Jurevich was once again riding well and it paid off in fourth. Willie Browning had a crash this weekend that rang his bell, and good! He still managed to pull off fifth in the 250's.
Saturday: Americas Motorsports.com - Dash for Cash
Jim Chester decided that it was a good time to take one of his many wins he keeps stored in his wallet. Tonight, Jim Chester pulled one out and waved it just out of reach of Jim Neese, Willie Browning and Billy Jurevich.
Saturday: Americas Motorsports.com - Jump Contest
Billy Jurevich once again filled his wallet with some more cash from the Jump contest. The fans chose Roy Horton for second. Nick Metcalf put in a rare performance for the Nashville crowd and was voted third!
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