For nearly three decades, the avid motocross community in San Diego County has been void of an AMA Motocross national. Not since the legendary Carlsbad Raceway in the ’70s and ’80s have the world’s best riders descended upon the fifth-most-populous county in the United States for a major outdoor motocross event. Pala Raceway is one of the newest motocross playgrounds in Southern California. Based just outside the sport’s talent hotbeds in Murrieta and Temecula, Pala is focused on providing the best riding facility possible to the thousands of motocross riders in the region. Whether young or old, a novice or a veteran, Pala Raceway offers a variety of tracks for all riders with the mission of eventually becoming the premier motocross destination of California.

With only one round and two motos remaining, the intense 250 Class title fight will take center stage at Pala as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel and GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard take their battle down to the wire. At Steel City last weekend, the penultimate round of the series, Canard’s second-half dominance continued, winning his fifth overall in the last six races and fending off his championship rival in both motos in the process. Currently, only seven points separates the pair, but Pourcel holds the advantage despite Canard’s momentum, needing just a pair of runner-up efforts in each moto no matter what Canard does in order to secure the championship—by one point! Based on consistency and last week’s performance, that task looks to be well within the Frenchman’s reach, but Canard will no doubt do everything he can to get the upper hand when the final points are tallied.

Last weekend at Steel City, a surprise winner provided a lot of excitement and a heart-warming storyline as 17-year veteran Kevin Windham returned to the top of the 450 Class overall podium for the first time since 2007. The Honda Red Bull Racing rider and fan favorite has enjoyed his return to the outdoor nationals, subbing for the injured Davi Millsaps since Round 7 at Millville. As Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rookie and newly-crowned champion Ryan Dungey stumbled in his attempt to win his tenth race in a row, Windham capitalized, withstanding an aggressive challenge from GEICO Powersports Honda’s Brett Metcalfe, who was in search of his first career win during his rookie campaign in the premier class.

Nonetheless, Metcalfe’s strong runner-up effort helped him pass Honda Red Bull Racing’s Andrew Short for second place in the championship. The Australian rider sits five points ahead of his Honda counterpart and now sits in position to give an impressive 1-2 rookie sweep of the premier class behind Dungey, who already clinched the title.

With only one round remaining in the eight-race MotorcycleUSA.com Women’s Motocross Championship, DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson looks to be in control of her own destiny in search of her sixth women’s motocross title. Despite strong efforts by reigning two-time champion and Honda Red Bull Racing rider Ashley Fiolek, who’s managed to grab the opening moto win the last two rounds, Patterson has found a way to respond to the pressure and take away any advantage her longtime rival has obtained. Currently, 22 points separates the duo and with six wins to who credit in seven rounds, Patterson has placed the pressure firmly on Fiolek. As one of the most determined and resilient riders on WMX history, it will be interesting to see how the defending champion responds.

Thanks to back-to-back live coverage of the Pala Motocross National exclusively on SPEED, the event will mark just the second time in history that American motocross fans can catch all four motos of the 250 and 450 classes as they happen. Beginning at 4 p.m. ET, a live stream of the first motos of each class can be seen at www.allisports.com/motocross. Live broadcast coverage kicks-off with the final 450 Class moto at 7 p.m. ET, immediately followed by the final 250 Class moto of 2010 at 8 p.m. ET.

2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Results

Round 11 of 12 – FMF Steel City National

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda (1-2)
2. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (2-3)
3. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (5-4)
4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (4-5)
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (7-7)
6. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (40-1)
7. Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (10-8)
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha (14-6)
9. Robert Kiniry, Syracuse, N.Y., Suzuki (9-11)
10. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda (3-37)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 493
2. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 356
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 351
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 301
5. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 291
6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 260
7. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 238
8. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 211
9. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 204
10. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Kawasaki, 201
11. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 201

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (1-1)
2. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (2-2)
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (3-4)
4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (4-5)
5. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (7-8)
6. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (10-6)
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda (9-7)
8. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (5-11)
9. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki (17-3)
10. Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda (8-10)

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 443
2. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 436
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 402
4. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 387
5. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 317
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 296
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 285
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 259
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha, 229
10. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 195

WMX Class (Moto Finish)

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (2-1)
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (1-2)
3. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha (3-4)
4. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha (7-3)
5. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki (5-5)
6. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda (4-7)
7. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha (9-6)
8. Sherri Cruse, Bakersfield, Calif., Suzuki (6-9)
9. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha (8-10)
10. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM (11-11)

WMX Class Championship Standings  (After 7 of 8 Rounds)

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha, 335
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 313
3. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda, 261
4. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha, 217
5. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki, 212
6. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha, 207
7. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM, 196
8. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha, 172
9. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 152
10. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha, 136

For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.

For more information about the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

About the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is the world’s most prestigious motocross series. The Series is managed and produced by MX Sports Pro Racing, whose mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the promotion of professional championship racing events nationwide.

The series is also produced in conjunction with Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, a global business that encompasses national and international action sports events, multimedia production and a consumer-based lifestyle brand.

Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a vast network of athletes, fans, brands and properties.

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross series is sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America. AMA Pro Racing operates a full schedule of events and championships across every spectrum of motorcycle competition.

After taking a supercross-only approach to his career, Windham returned to the outdoor nationals at Round 7 from Millville, Minn., when he replaced the injured Davi Millsaps. Despite a pair of special appearances last season, the 17-year veteran has not competed in the Lucas Oil Motocross Championship on a regular basis since 2007, capturing his last series victory at Unadilla. On Saturday, he fended off the challenges of GEICO Powersports Honda’s Brett Metcalfe, of Australia, to take the Moto 1 win and followed it up with a solid runner-up finish in Moto 2 behind Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., to secure the overall.

“I hurt right now,” said Windham. “It’s awesome though. I didn’t know what to expect coming into this weekend but it’s great to get back on top. Each time I’m able to get (a win) it makes it that much more special. I really don’t know if I’m ever going to have this opportunity again.”

Metcalfe’s second and third-place moto scores placed him second overall while Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR’s Justin Brayton, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, tied a career-best finish in third (5-4).

Dungey, who claimed the premier class title last weekend as a rookie, saw his impressive nine-race winning streak come to an end after experiencing misfortune in the opening moto and posting a DNF. However, he rebounded in Moto 2 with a convincing win to finish sixth overall (40-1).

Dungey’s lead now sits at 137 points over Metcalfe as he continues his pursuit of the most successful rookie season in AMA Motocross history. He also leads the division in average finish at 3.5 and laps led with 169.

After a tough outing last weekend ended his four-race winning streak, Canard bounced back in dominant fashion at Steel City. With strong starts in both motos, he worked his way into the lead and withstood extensive pressure from championship rival Christophe Pourcel, of France, in each moto to sweep the day and close in on the championship lead.

“Since RedBud everything has just gone really well for me,” said Canard. “I just need to keep riding to the best of my ability. To look into all the ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’ for next weekend and the championship doesn’t do anything to help me so I’m just going to approach it just like I have every other race.”

Pourcel posted a runner-up finish aboard his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki (2-2) while his teammate and winner from last week Tyla Rattray, of South Africa, rounded out the podium in third (3-4).

Pourcel’s advantage over Canard sits at just seven points heading into the season finale. Canard holds the best average finish in the class at 4.8 and has also led the most laps with 106.

The MotorcycleUSA.com Women’s Motocross Championship continued its championship with Round 7 of the eight-race season. Current series points leader Jessica Patterson, of Tallahassee, Fla., captured her sixth overall win for DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha (2-1) while Honda Red Bull Racing’s Ashley Fiolek, of St. Augustine, Fla., finished second (1-2) with MotoConcepts Yamaha’s Mariana Balbi, of Brazil, in third (3-4).

The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship concludes next weekend with the 12^th and final round of the season and the inaugural Pala Motocross National from Pala Raceway in Pala, Calif., on Saturday, September 11.

Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
FMF Steel City National
Steel City Raceway
September 4, 2010
Round 11 of 12

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda (1-2)
2. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (2-3)
3. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (5-4)
4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (4-5)
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (7-7)
6. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (40-1)
7. Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (10-8)
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha (14-6)
9. Robert Kiniry, Syracuse, N.Y., Suzuki (9-11)

10.  Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda (3-37)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 493
2. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 356
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 351
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 301
5. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 291
6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 260
7. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 238
8. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 211
9. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 204

10.  Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Kawasaki, 201

11.  Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 201

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (1-1)
2. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (2-2)
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (3-4)
4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (4-5)
5. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (7-8)
6. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (10-6)
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda (9-7)
8. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (5-11)
9. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki (17-3)

10.  Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda (8-10)

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 443
2. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 436
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 402
4. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 387
5. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 317
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 296
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 285
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 259
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha, 229

10.  Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 195

WMX Class (Moto Finish)

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (2-1)
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (1-2)
3. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha (3-4)
4. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha (7-3)
5. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki (5-5)
6. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda (4-7)
7. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha (9-6)
8. Sherri Cruse, Bakersfield, Calif., Suzuki (6-9)
9. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha (8-10)

10.  Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM (11-11)

WMX Class Championship Standings (After 7 of 8 Rounds)

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha, 335
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 313
3. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda, 261
4. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha, 217
5. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki, 212
6. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha, 207
7. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM, 196
8. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha, 172
9. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 152

10.  Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha, 136

For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com.

For more information about the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

About the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is the world’s most prestigious motocross series. The Series is managed and produced by MX Sports Pro Racing, whose mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the promotion of professional championship racing events nationwide.

The series is also produced in conjunction with Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, a global business that encompasses national and international action sports events, multimedia production and a consumer-based lifestyle brand.

Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a vast network of athletes, fans, brands and properties.

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross series is sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America. AMA Pro Racing operates a full schedule of events and championships across every spectrum of motorcycle competition. 

DELMONT, Pa. (September 4, 2010) – The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship hosted Round 11 of the 12-race season on Saturday with the annual Labor Day tradition that is the FMF Steel City National from Steel City Raceway. Thousands of the most avid east coast motocross fans lined the fences to watch longtime veteran and fan favorite Kevin Windham, of Centreville, Miss., take the overall win in the 450 Class for Honda Red Bull Racing. With the 250 Class championship coming down to the wire, GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard, of Shawnee, Okla., captured his fifth overall victory in the last six races.

After taking a supercross-only approach to his career, Windham returned to the outdoor nationals at Round 7 from Millville, Minn., when he replaced the injured Davi Millsaps. Despite a pair of special appearances last season, the 17-year veteran has not competed in the Lucas Oil Motocross Championship on a regular basis since 2007, capturing his last series victory at Unadilla. On Saturday, he fended off the challenges of GEICO Powersports Honda’s Brett Metcalfe, of Australia, to take the Moto 1 win and followed it up with a solid runner-up finish in Moto 2 behind Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., to secure the overall.

“I hurt right now,” said Windham. “It’s awesome though. I didn’t know what to expect coming into this weekend but it’s great to get back on top. Each time I’m able to get (a win) it makes it that much more special. I really don’t know if I’m ever going to have this opportunity again.”

Metcalfe’s second and third-place moto scores placed him second overall while Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR’s Justin Brayton, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, tied a career-best finish in third (5-4).

Dungey, who claimed the premier class title last weekend as a rookie, saw his impressive nine-race winning streak come to an end after experiencing misfortune in the opening moto and posting a DNF. However, he rebounded in Moto 2 with a convincing win to finish sixth overall (40-1).

Dungey’s lead now sits at 137 points over Metcalfe as he continues his pursuit of the most successful rookie season in AMA Motocross history. He also leads the division in average finish at 3.5 and laps led with 169.

After a tough outing last weekend ended his four-race winning streak, Canard bounced back in dominant fashion at Steel City. With strong starts in both motos, he worked his way into the lead and withstood extensive pressure from championship rival Christophe Pourcel, of France, in each moto to sweep the day and close in on the championship lead.

“Since RedBud everything has just gone really well for me,” said Canard. “I just need to keep riding to the best of my ability. To look into all the ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’ for next weekend and the championship doesn’t do anything to help me so I’m just going to approach it just like I have every other race.”

Pourcel posted a runner-up finish aboard his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki (2-2) while his teammate and winner from last week Tyla Rattray, of South Africa, rounded out the podium in third (3-4).

Pourcel’s advantage over Canard sits at just seven points heading into the season finale. Canard holds the best average finish in the class at 4.8 and has also led the most laps with 106.

The MotorcycleUSA.com Women’s Motocross Championship continued its championship with Round 7 of the eight-race season. Current series points leader Jessica Patterson, of Tallahassee, Fla., captured her sixth overall win for DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha (2-1) while Honda Red Bull Racing’s Ashley Fiolek, of St. Augustine, Fla., finished second (1-2) with MotoConcepts Yamaha’s Mariana Balbi, of Brazil, in third (3-4).

The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship concludes next weekend with the 12^th and final round of the season and the inaugural Pala Motocross National from Pala Raceway in Pala, Calif., on Saturday, September 11.

Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
FMF Steel City National
Steel City Raceway
September 4, 2010
Round 11 of 12

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1.     Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda (1-2)

2.     Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (2-3)

3.     Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (5-4)

4.     Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (4-5)

5.     Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (7-7)

6.     Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (40-1)

7.     Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (10-8)

8.     Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha (14-6)

9.     Robert Kiniry, Syracuse, N.Y., Suzuki (9-11)

10.  Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda (3-37)

450 Class Championship Standings

1.     Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 493

2.     Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 356

3.     Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 351

4.     Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 301

5.     Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 291

6.     Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 260

7.     Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 238

8.     Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 211

9.     Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 204

10.  Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Kawasaki, 201

11.  Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 201

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1.     Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (1-1)

2.     Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (2-2)

3.     Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (3-4)

4.     Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (4-5)

5.     Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (7-8)

6.     Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (10-6)

7.     Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda (9-7)

8.     Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (5-11)

9.     Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki (17-3)

10.  Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda (8-10)

250 Class Championship Standings

1.     Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 443

2.     Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 436

3.     Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 402

4.     Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 387

5.     Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 317

6.     Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 296

7.     Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 285

8.     Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 259

9.     Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha, 229

10.  Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 195

WMX Class (Moto Finish)

1.     Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (2-1)

2.     Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (1-2)

3.     Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha (3-4)

4.     Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha (7-3)

5.     Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki (5-5)

6.     Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda (4-7)

7.     Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha (9-6)

8.     Sherri Cruse, Bakersfield, Calif., Suzuki (6-9)

9.     Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha (8-10)

10.  Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM (11-11)

WMX Class Championship Standings (After 7 of 8 Rounds)

1.     Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha, 335

2.     Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 313

3.     Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda, 261

4.     Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha, 217

5.     Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki, 212

6.     Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha, 207

7.     Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM, 196

8.     Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha, 172

9.     Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 152

10.  Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., Yamaha, 136

For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com.

For more information about the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

About the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is the world’s most prestigious motocross series. The Series is managed and produced by MX Sports Pro Racing, whose mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the promotion of professional championship racing events nationwide.

The series is also produced in conjunction with Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, a global business that encompasses national and international action sports events, multimedia production and a consumer-based lifestyle brand.

Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a vast network of athletes, fans, brands and properties.

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross series is sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America. AMA Pro Racing operates a full schedule of events and championships across every spectrum of motorcycle competition.

Last weekend in Southwick, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey solidified his historic rookie season in the premier class of the sport by capturing the 450 Class title with his ninth consecutive victory. The championship caps off what has been a record-setting year for the 20-year-old rider who becomes the first rookie in history to capture both the AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross titles. Additionally, Dungey has surpassed legend Ricky Carmichael for the most successful rookie season in the premier class outdoors.

In the 250 Class, the continuing battle between Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel, who currently leads the division, and GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard is heating up after an up and down day for both riders at Southwick. Currently, only 13 points separates the duo, but Canard has gained on his rival at every round since grabbing his first win back at Round 6.

Additionally, the MotorcycleUSA.com Women’s Motocross Championship will compete in its seventh round of the season, led by points leader and DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha rider Jessica Patterson, who raced to her fifth overall victory at the previous stop.

Ryan Dungey looks for win number 10 at Steel City.
Courtesy Steve Cox/Racer X

450 Class

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki
Even though he’s wrapped up the premier class title, Ryan Dungey is still going to approach the final two rounds of the season with the same mindset – to win. His nine wins this season tie Ricky Carmichael for the most ever by a rookie and the opportunity to break the record of the greatest motocross rider of all time is something Dungey won’t want to pass up.

Honda Red Bull Racing
Southwick was arguably the worst race of the season for Andrew Short. After misfortune forced him to make the field with a provisional, Short never had the chance to get in a groove and found himself coming from behind in each moto, posting a season-worst 18^th-place finish. With Brett Metcalfe only three points out of second place, Short will look to fend off his Honda counterpart at Steel City.

Southwick marked one of the strongest outings for Kevin Windham in his return to the outdoor nationals, posting a fifth-place finish thanks to seventh and fifth-place moto scores. Despite missing the majority of the season, Windham continues his gradual climb through the standings, currently sitting in 16^th place with only four rounds of racing to his credit.

GEICO Powersports Honda
Heartbreak is the way to describe Brett Metcalfe’s day at Moto-X 338. The Australian rider looked to be on his way to his first career 450 Class moto win only to run out of fuel on the final lap. The bad luck continued to Metcalfe in Moto 2 when he found trouble off the gates, but a determined effort through the field helped him garner seventh-place finish and secure some valuable points in his quest to overtake Andrew Short in the standings.

Jagermeister KTM
If there was ever a weekend to turn an entire season around, Mike Alessi experienced it at Southwick. The runner-up from the opening round of 2010 hadn’t been on the overall podium since Round 1, but a pair of stellar motos helped Alessi grab his second runner-up effort of the season while also vaulting him into fourth place in the standings with two rounds remaining.

Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda
The fastest practice time of the day suggested Ben Townley would be a threat to take the win in the 450 Class at Moto-X 338 and the New Zealander was in the thick of the battle early on in each moto, only to encounter trouble and lose valuable ground. After a DNF in Moto 1, he overcame an early fall in Moto 2 to fend off his challengers and secure second place, helping him to a seventh-place finish overall.

Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR
Josh Grant’s day at Southwick came to an end before it really ever had a chance to begin. The sophomore 450 Class rider fell on the first lap of practice and injured his right shoulder. As a result, he was forced to sit out the remainder of the day and could end up on the sidelines for the final two rounds as well.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki
Southwick was more of the same for Tommy Hahn. A promising start to the day was highlighted by a stellar runner-up effort in Moto1. However, he experienced trouble in Moto 2, posting a DNF and dropping him to eighth overall.

Monster Energy Kawasaki
After a short hiatus from the top 10, Nick Wey made a return at Southwick, using solid eighth and ninth place moto scores to finish sixth overall.

“Southwick went well for me,” said Wey. “Steel City should be even better. Everything is sort of clicking right now and I’m having fun riding for the Monster Energy Kawasaki team.”

Joining Wey under the Monster Energy Kawasaki tent this weekend at Steel City is Scottish rider Billy McKenzie. McKenzie rode for factory Kawasaki in Australia this summer and he is ready to race in America.

“These last two rounds should be a lot of fun,” said McKenzie. “I was planning on racing in the States at least once this year and getting the chance to race for Monster Energy Kawasaki is incredible.”

Christophe Pourcel looks to get back atop the podium this weekend.
Courtesy Steve Cox/Racer X

250 Class

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
While he still sits atop the 250 Class standings, Christophe Pourcel’s advantage over Trey Canard is dwindling. Currently, his advantage sits at 13 points and Steel City, where he took the overall win last season, could serve as the ideal place to get back atop the podium.

“I feel like there is less pressure when you’re leading the points,” said Pourcel. “I am just going to go out and ride fast. I won Steel City last year so I am confident going into this weekend.”

The series most recent winner and newest father, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray has mixed emotions heading into Steel City, but he is still running off the high off the happiness he experienced at Southwick. Hopefully, it carries over to his performance on the track.

“I want to get back to racing, but I don’t want to leave home right now,” said Rattray. “This week has been great and the family is fantastic, but it is time to get back out there and race.”

Dean Wilson is looking to improve upon his Southwick finish with a strong ride at Steel City.

“This week at Steel City should be good,” said Wilson. “We only have two races left and I want to get more wins.”

GEICO Powersports Honda
While his four-race winning streak may have come to an end, Trey Canard still carries considerable momentum coming into Steel City. After a tough second moto hurt his chances at gaining even more ground on Pourcel, Canard will be hungrier than over to bounce back and make it known that the final four motos of the season will have to go through him.

Justin Barcia experienced a much-needed boost at Southwick, thanks to a strong runner-up effort. The New York native, who considers Moto-X 338 to be one of his favorite tracks, took his second moto win of the season and hopes that momentum will carry over to Steel City this weekend.

Tyla Rattray looks for two-in-a-row at Steel City on Saturday.
Courtesy Steve Cox/Racer X

WMX Class

With a significant 22-point lead over her rival and Honda Red Bull Racing rider Ashley Fiolek, Jessica Patterson appears to be in control of her own destiny over the final two rounds of the season. However, Steel City has proven to be a wild card race in the WMX Championship in the past and could once again change the landscape of the title fight. Both riders are hungry and want to add another coveted championship to their collection and will likely put on a show for the fans on Saturday.

Series Statistical Report
FMF Steel City National
Steel City Raceway – Delmont, Pa., September 4

• Steel City is the second of two rounds held in the state of Pennsylvania.
• The renowned facility has hosted an AMA Motocross event since 1989.
• The Steel City track is one of the most picturesque on the circuit and features one of the most technically challenging layouts of the 12 national events.
• Ryan Dungey and Ashley Fiolek clinched their respective 250 and WMX Class titles at Steel City last season.

• Ryan Dungey’s nine straight victories are the most ever by a rookie and the most ever by a rider that didn’t achieve a sweep of all 12 rounds.

• Dungey’s nine wins ties the rookie record set by Ricky Carmichael.
• Dungey has swept both motos at the last five rounds and has captured 16 of the last 18 motos. He boasts an average finish of 1.9 and remains the only rider in the class to capture more than one moto win.
• With his ninth win in the 450 Class, Dungey sits 13^th on the all-time wins list and has more 450 Class victories than he did through three years of 250 Class competition.
• Dungey possesses the best average finish of any rider in the 450 Class at 1.9 and best average start at 3.0.
• Andrew Short has the most holeshots in the class with eight.
• Through 10 rounds of his rookie season, Ricky Carmichael had seven overall wins. He went on to win the final three rounds to bring the total to nine.
• Through 10 rounds of his rookie season, Ricky Carmichael had 12 moto wins. Dungey has 16.
• Dungey currently boasts an 11-moto winning streak. Carmichael’s longest in his rookie season was five.
• Throughout his entire rookie season, Carmichael had five moto sweeps. Dungey has seven through 10 rounds.
• Only Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki and GEICO Powersports Honda riders have won 250 Class motos in 2010. Each team boasts five overall victories.
• Tyla Rattray has only one moto win this season, and has surprisingly has led just one lap. Both of his overall wins have come from a pair of runner-up efforts.
• Of the five different winners in 10 rounds of the 250 Class, four were first-time winners in 2010.
• Three of Mitch Payton’s four Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki riders have won an overall in 2010.
• Canard possesses the best average finish of any rider in the 250 Class at 4.1. Pourcel holds the best average start at 4.5.

450 Class Stats

• The first 450 Class race held at Steel City was September 4, 1994. Mike LaRocco won on a Kawasaki.
• This will be the 17^th time the gate will drop for a 450 Class race at Steel City.
• Ricky Carmichael, Kevin Windham, Jeff Emig and James Stewart have won at Steel City in both classes. Ryan Dungey will look to join that group.
• Ricky Carmichael won five consecutive races at Steel City from 2002 to 2006.
• From 1989-1993, Steel City hosted the 500cc National Championship. Kawasaki won all five races with Jeff Ward winning from 1989-1992.
• Suzuki and Kawasaki have swept Steel City in both the 450 and 250 classes twice, Honda has done it once.
• After an eight year drought at Steel City, Kawasaki has gone back-to-back with wins and stands as the winningest manufacturer at the track.
• Tommy Hahn became just the second first-time winner at Steel City last season.

Wins by brand at Steel City
Kawasaki – 6
Suzuki – 4
Honda – 4
Yamaha – 2

First Time Winners at Steel City
Grant Langston, 2007 – Yamaha
Tommy Hahn, 2008 – Kawasaki

Last win by brand at Steel City
Kawasaki – 2009
Yamaha – 2007
Suzuki – 2006
Honda – 2004

Riders to win Steel City in both classes
James Stewart
Ricky Carmichael
Kevin Windham
Jeff Emig

Brand Sweeps at Steel City
Kawasaki: Mike LaRocco, Robbie Reynard – 1994
Honda: Jeremy McGrath, Steve Lamson – 1995
Suzuki: Ricky Carmichael, Broc Hepler – 2005, 2006
Kawasaki: Tommy Hahn, Christophe Pourcel – 2009

Past Winners at Steel City
September 5, 2009 Tommy Hahn, Decatur, TX Kawasaki
August 31, 2008 James Stewart, Haines City, FL Kawasaki
August 26, 2007 Grant Langston, South Africa Yamaha
September 3, 2006 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Suzuki
September 4, 2005 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Suzuki
September 5, 2004 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Honda
August 31, 2003 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Honda
September 1, 2002 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Honda
September 2, 2001 Kevin Windham, Centreville, MS Suzuki
September 3, 2000 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Kawasaki
September 5, 1999 Greg Albertyn, South Africa Suzuki
September 6, 1998 Doug Henry, Oxford, CT Yamaha
August 31, 1997 Jeff Emig, Riverside, CA Kawasaki
September 1, 1996 Jeff Emig, Riverside, CA Kawasaki
September 3, 1995 Jeremy McGrath, Murrieta, CA Honda
September 4, 1994 Mike LaRocco, South Bend, IN Kawasaki

2010 Stats

450 Class Point Standings – After 10 of 12 rounds

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 468
2. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 317
3. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 314
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 273
5. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 271
6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 260
7. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 216
8. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 204
9. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 201

10.  Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 194

450 Class Overall Wins
Ryan Dungey – 9
Chad Reed – 1

450 Class Moto Wins
Ryan Dungey – 16
Mike Alessi – 1
Josh Grant – 1
Chad Reed – 1
Andrew Short – 1

450 Class Wins by Brand
Suzuki – 9
Kawasaki – 1

450 Class Laps Led
Ryan Dungey – 157
Andrew Short – 56
Brett Metcalfe – 25
Ben Townley – 20
Mike Alessi – 19
Josh Grant – 19
Chad Reed – 16
Kevin Windham – 7
Clement Desalle – 4

450 Class Holeshots
Andrew Short – 8
Brett Metcalfe – 3
Ryan Dungey – 2
Kevin Windham – 2
Mike Alessi – 1
Justin Brayton – 1
Chad Reed – 1
Ryan Sipes – 1

250 Class Stats

• The first race was held at Steel City on October 1, 1989. Jeff Matiasevich won on a Kawasaki.
• This will be the 22^nd time the gate will drop at Steel City for a 250 Class race.
• Three riders have won back-to-back races at Steel City: Robbie Reynard (93-94), Kevin Windham (96-97), and Broc Hepler (05-06). James Stewart won three in a row (2002-2004).
• Robbie Reynard and James Stewart are the winningest riders at Steel City with three victories each.
• Suzuki has won three of the last five races at Steel City. Kawasaki has won two of the last three.

Wins by brand at Steel City
Kawasaki – 10
Suzuki – 6
Yamaha – 3
Honda – 2

First time winners at Steel City
Jeff Matiasevich, 1989 – Kawasaki

Last win by brand at Steel City
Kawasaki – 2009
Suzuki – 2008
Yamaha – 1997
Honda – 1995

Past Winners at Steel City
September 5, 2009 Christophe Pourcel, France Kawasaki
August 31, 2008 Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, MN Suzuki
August 26, 2007 Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, WA Kawasaki
September 3, 2006 Broc Hepler, Kittanning, PA Suzuki
September 4, 2005 Broc Hepler, Kittanning, PA Suzuki
September 5, 2004 James Stewart, Haines City, FL Kawasaki
August 31, 2003 James Stewart, Haines City, FL Kawasaki
September 1, 2002 James Stewart, Haines City, FL Kawasaki
September 2, 2001 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Kawasaki
September 3, 2000 Travis Pastrana, Annapolis, MD Suzuki
September 5, 1999 Ricky Carmichael, Havana, FL Kawasaki
September 6, 1998 Robbie Reynard, Norman, OK Suzuki
August 31, 1997 Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, LA Yamaha
September 1, 1996 Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, LA Yamaha
September 3, 1995 Steve Lamson, Pollock Pines, CA Honda
September 4, 1994 Robbie Reynard, Moore, OK Kawasaki
September 5, 1993 Robbie Reynard, Moore, OK Kawasaki
September 27, 1992 Jeff Emig, Highland, CA Yamaha
September 29, 1991 Guy Cooper, Stillwater, OK Suzuki
September 30, 1990 Mike Kiedrowski, Canyon Country, CA Honda
October 1, 1989 Jeff Matiasevich, La Habra Heights, CA Kawasaki

2010 Stats

250 Class Point Standings – After 10 of 12 rounds

1. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 399
2. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 386
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 364
4. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 363
5. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 291
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 262
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 259
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 232
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha, 210

10.  Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 195

250 Class Overall Wins
Trey Canard – 4
Christophe Pourcel – 2
Tyla Rattray – 2
Eli Tomac – 1
Dean Wilson – 1

250 Class Moto Wins
Christophe Pourcel – 9
Trey Canard – 6
Justin Barcia – 2
Tyla Rattray – 1
Eli Tomac – 1
Dean Wilson – 1

250 Class Wins by Brand
Honda – 5
Kawasaki – 5

250 Class Laps Led
Christophe Pourcel – 101
Trey Canard – 91
Dean Wilson – 40
Justin Barcia – 35
Eli Tomac – 35
Wil Hahn – 13
Tommy Searle – 2
Tyla Rattray – 1

250 Class Holeshots
Eli Tomac – 5
Christophe Pourcel – 4
Trey Canard – 3
Wil Hahn – 3
Dean Wilson – 3
Justin Barcia – 1
Nico Izzi – 1

WMX Class Stats

2010 Stats

WMX Class Point Standings – Thru 6 of 8 Rounds

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha, 288
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 266
3. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda, 229
4. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha, 190
5. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki, 180
6. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM, 176
7. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha, 169
8. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha, 138
9. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 135

10.  Erica Cook, Natalia, Texas, Yamaha, 113

WMX Class Overall Wins
Jessica Patterson – 5
Ashley Fiolek – 1

WMX Class Moto Wins
Jessica Patterson – 8
Ashley Fiolek – 4

WMX Class Wins by Brand
Yamaha – 5
Honda – 1

For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.

For more information about the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

About the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is the world’s most prestigious motocross series. The Series is managed and produced by MX Sports Pro Racing, whose mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the promotion of professional championship racing events nationwide.

The series is also produced in conjunction with Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, a global business that encompasses national and international action sports events, multimedia production and a consumer-based lifestyle brand. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a vast network of athletes, fans, brands and properties.

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross series is sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America. AMA Pro Racing operates a full schedule of events and championships across every spectrum of motorcycle competition.

In a recent announcement, Youthstream revealed the lineups for all 32 countries that will compete just outside of Denver on the final weekend of September. The three-rider teams are littered with the biggest names in the sport, including riders from both the U.S.-based Lucas Oil Motocross Championship and the European FIM World Motocross Championship.

Team USA leads the way after capturing its fifth straight win at the prestigious event last season in Italy. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey returns as Team Captain for the U.S. in the MX1 class, just one year after leading the team to victory. Joining the newly crowned 450 Class Champion of the Lucas Oil Motocross Championship are a pair of his American motocross counterparts that will each be making their respective debut at the Olympics of Motocross.

Honda Red Bull Racing’s Andrew Short is a veteran of the sport and coincidentally enough, a native of the state of Colorado. Thunder Valley serves as the eight-year pro’s home track and there isn’t a better place in the world for Short to make his first appearance as a competitor in the MX3 class. Rounding out the impressive Team USA lineup is GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard. The third-year rider had experienced a breakout season in 2010 and has risen to become the top 250cc rider in the U.S., making him the obvious choice for the MX2 class.

Here are the remaining lineups for the 2010 Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations:

Tickets to the 2010 Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations are available now! VIP Packages start at $150 and General Admission tickets are available for as low as $45, but are going fast. With a new starting area and a never-before-seen section being implemented for this event only, fans can get an up close look at one of the most challenging and technical layouts in Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations history. The picturesque hillside with breathtaking views of the Mile High City serves as the ideal spot to watch the fastest riders on the planet lay it all on the line for national pride and glory.

To take advantage of this rare opportunity to see the fastest riders from around the globe compete head-to-head for national honor, log onto www.tvmx.net today to get a head start on the competition and reserve a spot for the world’s biggest professional motocross competition before its too late.

About Thunder Valley Motocross Park

Positioned along the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Thunder Valley Motocross Park is located in Jefferson County, Colorado on the western edge of the Denver suburb of Lakewood. The track is easily accessible within 15 minutes of downtown Denver, 30 minutes from Denver International Airport and just an hour from several major mountain resorts. Since 2006, the facility has hosted professional outdoor motocross nationals for the AMA Pro Racing-sanctioned Lucas Oil Motocross Championship and has become a premier destination for motocross events worldwide.

With an exceptional staff and extraordinary location, Thunder Valley serves as the ideal location to host the world’s biggest motocross event. In 2010, the Midwest’s foremost motocross venue will host the Red Bull Motocross of Nations, welcoming the planet’s most notable riders for an international competition amongst national teams composed of the most elite riders in the sport.

About Youthstream

Youthstream is the company that manages the exclusive television, marketing and promotional world wide rights of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, the FIM Veteran’s Motocross World Cup, the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, the FIM SuperMoto World Championship, the FIM SuperMoto of Nations, the FIM Snowcross World Championship, the UEM Motocross European Championship, the UEM Motocross of European Nations and the UEM SuperMoto European Championship.

This fall brings the launch of several new programs on Hookit.com, including:

Sponsorship Hub – The new sponsorship ‘Hub’ features premiere sponsorship opportunities for its members while providing information for how athletes can increase their self-promotion and marketability. Hookit.com has worked with its brand partners to compile a wealth of sponsorship resources available on the network for athletes. The goal for athletes is to offer tools to help them promote themselves and their accomplishments on Hookit.com and sites like Facebook and Twitter to increase their value to brands. For more information, visit www.hookit.com/sponsorship.

Brand Insider Program – Several new additions have been made to this program to better connect athletes with brands when not eligible for sponsorship to receive exclusive access to news, deals, product promotions and updates from their favorite brands. For more information, visit www.hookit.com/brandinsider.

Brand Hits™ – This newly expanded feature allows marketers and team managers to precisely measure how much exposure they are receiving on Hookit.com as well as on athlete profiles to identify which sponsored athletes or Insiders are driving the most visibility for their brand. Brand Hits are tracked and plotted on an interactive graph and allow brands to monitor their exposure on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

Loretta Lynn’s Rider Directory – The most prestigious race in amateur motocross just wrapped up in early August – the 2010 AMA Amateur National Championships in Tennessee. Nearly 70% of the qualifying riders are on Hookit.com providing an instant connection for brands to find and connect with some of the fastest up and coming motocross riders in the country to invite into their programs. For more information and to view these riders, visit www.hookit.com/lorettalynns.

FUEL TV Unsponsored – FUEL TV and Hookit.com teamed up to launch an online community for aspiring amateur athletes in skate, surf, snow, motocross, BMX and wake their potential 2 minutes of fame – and some serious exposure – on FUEL TV, which is now broadcast in 30 million homes nationwide. In order to be eligible, any ‘Unsponsored’ athlete must submit their video online at http://unsponsored.hookit.com.

“The social media movement has forever changed how athletes and brands will interact and provide value for each other. It has been important for us to stay at the forefront and provide innovative solutions created specifically for athletes and brands,” said Scott Tilton, CEO of Hookit.com. “We are really excited to introduce these new programs, which are just the beginning of a ton of new things coming in 2011.”

Traditionally, sponsorship season begins as the competition season wraps up when athletes have fresh results and accomplishments heading into the off-season. Sponsorship levels and agreements vary by company, but can range anywhere from product discounts to free products and beyond (based on talent and marketability). Just a few of the hundreds of participating brands offering athlete support for 2011 on Hookit.com include Monster Energy, No Fear, Pro-Tec, Scott USA, Freestyle, Osiris, Oneal, Spy Optic, Rockwell, Kicker, Dunlop Tires, AXO, Fuel Clothing, Twin Air, Renthal, SixSixOne and Globe. For a complete list, visit http://www.hookit.com/brands. 

After providing nearly a decade of online services, Hookit.com is the authority in online sponsorship and marketing tools and hosts profiles for some of the most talented up and coming riders, athletes and drivers in the world. Rather than dealing with small sites with limited traffic and audience reach, Hookit.com provides a global platform with access to more than 600,000 registered members and 400 brands across all action, motor and active sports.

About Hookit.com

Hookit.com is the largest and most active social network for lifestyle sports with features and services created for athletes and brands.  For Members:  We are a place to hook up with friends, brands and deals on products. For Brands: We are a place to hook up with a core audience of athletes and enthusiasts to market and/or sell your products. For more information, visit www.hookit.com.

Photo By: Racedaypix.com
Alan Bruto accepts his award from Loretta Lynn herself

In his honor, Loretta Lynn herself presented Bruto with the Award during opening ceremonies at the 2010 AMA Amateur National. And the second half of each moto during the week, the portion of the race where the riders are tired and need to dig deepest, is now known as the “Alan Bruto Breaking Point of the Race.”

Bruto first visited Loretta Lynn Ranch as a GNCC racer in the early 1980s, but quickly found a job working at the facility year round. Now the Ranch Manager, he provides the link between racing and the ranch, logging countless hours upgrading and maintaining the facility to accommodate the needs of the racers.

“The races at Loretta Lynn Ranch simply would not be possible without Alan Bruto’s hard work,” says MX Sports Director Tim Cotter. “As the racers know, you have to dig deep and push past your breaking point to generate results at Loretta’s, and Alan and his crew are proof of that. The sweat equity he and the ranch crew pour into the facility shows each year when racers and their families arrive to pristine camping and racing conditions. Especially this year, when the Ranch endured tremendous flooding in the springtime.”

Indeed most of Loretta Lynn Ranch was underwater in May, but when racers showed up for the AMA Amateur Motocross Championships at the Dirt Days AMA ATV MX National in August, the facility and race track had never looked better. The extreme weather could have broken Bruto and his team, but they never stopped working.

AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships Produced by MX Sports, Inc., the AMA National Motocross Championships is the world’s largest amateur motocross race. Hosted annually since 1982 at the home of country music star Loretta Lynn in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., the event is the premier amateur motocross race in the world. Approximately 25,000 racers attempt to qualify in 33 classes for the 1,386 available gates at the finals. The National event, christened “The World’s Greatest Motocross Vacation”, is held the first week of August annually. As proof of the significance of winning an AMA Amateur National Championship title, most of today’s top motocross and Supercross stars, including Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, and Ryan Villopoto, won championships at Loretta Lynn’s. For more information, please visit www.mxsports.com.

About MX Sports MX Sports, Inc. is a Morgantown, West Virginia-based motocross production company. The group coordinates the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships, which includes a national qualifying program consisting of 52 Area Qualifying races held annually from February through May and 12 Regional Championship races conducted in June at select motocross facilities across the country. Less than five percent of the Area Qualifier entries actually qualify for the national championship event, held during the first week of August at the home of country music star Loretta Lynn in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. For more information, please visit www.mxsports.com.

Dungey continued his impressive dominance of the 450 Class by capturing his ninth consecutive victory and posting his 10^th and 11^th straight moto wins at the sands of Southwick. The 20-year-old is setting a new standard of success for a debut season in this class, overcoming what was thought to be the most extraordinary rookie season of all time by 10-time champion Ricky Carmichael in 2000. By virtue of his 450 Class title, Dungey becomes the first rider in history to capture both the premier AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross titles as a rookie and has already achieved the career grand slam by winning all four titles in the sport – AMA Supercross Lites, AMA Motocross 250 Class, AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross 450 Class – in successive seasons.

Ryan Dungey’s 2010 rookie season is the most successful in 450 Class history.
Courtesy Steve Cox/Racer X

Behind the Minnesota native in the 450 Class standings, the battle for the runner-up spot in the championship is heating up between Honda Red Bull Racing’s Andrew Short, who currently occupies the position, and GEICO Powersports Honda’s Brett Metcalfe. Both riders experienced misfortune at Southwick and are separated by only three points with two rounds remaining. Throughout the season, the Honda pair have been the most consistent challengers to Dungey’s dominance and with the need to bounce back after a tough weekend, their battle for second will surely come down to the wire.

For the first time in the second half of the season, the 250 Class featured an overall winner other than GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard. The Oklahoma native had posted four consecutive victories and surged into second place in the championship behind Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel. At Southwick, Canard continued his strong effort with a Moto 1 win while his rival was forced to overcome a bad start. With the championship lead within striking distance, the duo reversed roles in Moto 2 and as a result, Canard’s damage to Pourcel’s advantage was minimal and now, just 13 points separate the pair.

Tyla Rattray’s determination at Southwick resulted in his second career win.
Courtesy Steve Cox/Racer X

Capitalizing on both riders’ hard luck was Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray. The 2008 World Champion from South Africa posted back-to-back runner-up finishes to take the second overall win of the season and his career on the same day as the birth of his first child, a beautiful daughter named Brooke, back in California. As a result, Rattray also moved into third in the highly-competitive 250 Class title fight, just one point ahead of his rookie teammate Dean Wilson.

In a season that has already proven that anything can happen in the smaller displacement, the battle between Pourcel and Canard looks as if it will be a dogfight through to the finish. With his wave of momentum brought to an end, all eyes will be on Canard at Steel City to see how he responds while Pourcel looks to reassert control of the division. Last season, Pourcel took the overall victory at Steel City over Ryan Dungey, though it was Dungey who claimed the 250 Class title on that day.

The second half of 2010 hasn’t gone how Christophe Pourcel would’ve liked, but the Frenchman still holds on to the 250 Class lead.
Courtesy Steve Cox/Racer X

Despite an apparent shift in momentum atop the MotorcycleUSA.com Women’s Motocross Championship, current championship leader Jessica Patterson and her DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha team made a statement at Southwick with arguably the strongest performance of the entire 2010 season. Patterson claimed her fifth overall victory by overcoming trouble early in the day to maintain her 22-point lead over reigning two-time champion Ashley Fiolek of the Honda Red Bull Racing team, who in recent rounds looked to be closing in on her rival. As the eight-race championship heads to its penultimate round at Steel City, Fiolek will look to leave it all on the line throughout the final four motos in hopes of achieving the three-peat.

For nearly two decades, Steel City Raceway has been a Labor Day tradition of American motocross. The pristine facility just outside Pittsburgh has hosted some of the most memorable championship battles in the history of the sport while also serving as the site of many historical moments. It’s lush natural terrain and picturesque setting provides a variety of challenges for the world’s best riders while also catering to some of the most hotly-contested competition on the schedule. As always, the Coombs family is pulling out all the stops to make this season’s layout one that will keep the fan’s on their feet.

Back-to-back same-day coverage of the FMF Steel City National can be seen on Saturday via tape delay exclusively on SPEED. Beginning at 8 p.m. ET, the 250 Class will kick-off two hours of American motocross action, followed by the 450 Class at 9 p.m. ET. As always, a live stream of the first motos of each class can be seen at www.allisports.com/motocross The online coverage begins shortly before the opening race at 1 p.m. ET.

2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Results
Round 10 of 12 – Rockstar Energy Southwick National

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (1-1)
2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (3-4)
3. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha (6-3)
4. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha (4-6)
5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda (7-5)
6. Nick Wey, DeWitt, Mich., Kawasaki (8-9)
7. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda (34-2)
8. Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Suzuki (2-32)
9. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (14-7)

10.  Dan Reardon, Australia, Yamaha (13-11)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 468
2. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 317
3. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 314
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 273
5. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 271
6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 260
7. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 216
8. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 204
9. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 201

10.  Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 194

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki (2-2)
2. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda (4-1)
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (1-9)
4. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (3-5)
5. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (7-3)
6. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki (5-4)
7. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (6-7)
8. Gareth Swenapoel, South Africa, Yamaha (10-6)
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha (11-8)

10.  Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (8-11)

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 399
2. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 386
3. Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 364
4. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 363
5. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 291
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 262
7. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 259
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 232
9. Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Yamaha, 210

10.  Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 195

WMX Class (Moto Finish)

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (2-1)
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (1-2)
3. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda (3-3)
4. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki (4-7)
5. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha (6-5)
6. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha (5-6)
7. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM (11-4)
8. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (8-8)
9. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha (9-9)

10.  Julie Anne Parizek, Willington, Conn., Kawasaki (10-10)

WMX Class Championship Standings (After 6 of 8 Rounds)

1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha, 288
2. Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 266
3. Tarah Gieger, Winter Gardens, Fla., Honda, 229
4. Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha, 190
5. Sara Price, Canyon Lake, Calif., Kawasaki, 180
6. Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, Mich., KTM, 176
7. Mariana Balbi, Brazil, Yamaha, 169
8. Alexah Pearson, Rocklin, Calif., Yamaha, 138
9. Tatum Sik, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 135

10.  Erica Cook, Natalia, Texas, Yamaha, 113

For tickets and fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.

For more information about the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

About the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is the world’s most prestigious motocross series. The Series is managed and produced by MX Sports Pro Racing, whose mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the promotion of professional championship racing events nationwide.

The series is also produced in conjunction with Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, a global business that encompasses national and international action sports events, multimedia production and a consumer-based lifestyle brand.

Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a vast network of athletes, fans, brands and properties.

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross series is sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America. AMA Pro Racing operates a full schedule of events and championships across every spectrum of motorcycle competition.

Central Arkansas Verizon Arena (formerly Alltel Arena) will make its AMA Arenacross Series debut on March 26 for the 12^th race of the 14 race season.  Since its inception in 1999, the 18,000 seat multi-purpose arena located just off the Arkansas River is host to the Arkansas Diamonds of the Indoor Football League and accommodates NCAA basketball tournaments, concerts, rodeos, and auto racing events.

“The 2011 season should prove to be one of the most competitive in the history of the AMA Arenacross Series,” stated Jayme Dalsing, director of Arenacross, Feld Motor Sports.  “With the return of three-time champion Josh Demuth defending his title and 19 year old Arenacross phenom Tyler Bowers looking for redemption, we are expecting a season packed with excitement.”

Following a several year hiatus, Toledo and Wichita will welcome the series back with newly constructed state-of-the-art venues to house the racing action. Opening its doors in winter of 2010, Wichita’s Intrust Bank Arena, has the largest indoor seating capacity in Kansas, and is home to the Wichita Thunder CHL ice hockey team.  Toledo’s Huntington Center, which opened fall of 2009, is the nation’s first energy and environmentally efficient (LEED certified) sports arena and is home to the Toledo Walleye ECHL ice hockey team. 

As part of excitement for the 2011 season, Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena, home of the traditional season opener, will now host the final race of the series, where a new champion will be crowned.

Reigning AMA Arenacross Series champion Demuth will stage his title defense amid a pool of young, fresh talent ready to steal his crown. Demuth raced a notable 2010 season, winning six races and earning an additional nine podium finishes. The Babbitt’s Kawasaki squad equipped with Demuth, Bowers, and Chad Johnson lead the field with a combined total of 18 wins.  Bowers lead the field with nine race wins, but due to a late season injury, was forced to sit out the last two races.  Despite the injury, Bowers was third place in the season standings, trailing teammates Johnson and Demuth, respectively.

“I’m going to defend my title just like I have in the past,” said Demuth. “There’s always going to be a rider or two that makes you push it to the limits. My teammates Tyler [Bowers] and Chad [Johnson] are those riders.  Having two great riders like Chad and Tyler as your teammates creates a pretty serious rivalry in the truck, but it’s very healthy and much needed to keep us on our toes all year long. My plan is to stick with what I have learned in the past in order to get me through another arenacross season. From the fans to the friends, arenacross racing has always been my favorite. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again soon.”

“I’ve already got my program in line and I’m not by any means going to take it easy on the competition this year,” stated Bowers.  “I came so close to winning the title last year, I’m pretty upset, so I’m coming into the season hungrier than ever. It felt great to have a good team behind me last season.  I felt nothing but support and dedication from them. I’ve worked hard this summer, and the time I spent sidelined has motivated me for the year to come. Like I said before, I’m hungrier than ever.”

2011 AMA Arenacross Series Schedule

Date                                         City                                          Venue

January 8-9                               Tulsa, Okla.                               BOK Center

January 15-16                            Kansas City, Mo.                       Kemper Center

January 22-23                            Dayton, Ohio                            Ervin J. Nutter Center

January 28-30                            Denver, Colo.                            Denver Coliseum

February 4-6                              Toledo, Ohio                             Huntington Center

February 11-13                          TBA                                         

February 18-20                          Reno, Nev.                                Livestock Event Center

February 26-27                          Sacramento, Calif.                     Arco Arena

March 4-6                                  Wichita, Kan.                             Intrust Bank Arena

March 12-13                              Greenville, S.C.                         Bi-Lo Center

March 18-20                              Council Bluffs, Iowa                  Mid-America Center

March 26-27                              Little Rock, Ark.                         Verizon Wireless Arena

April 1-3                                    Rockford, Ill                              Metro Center

April 9-10                                  Des Moines, Iowa                      Wells Fargo Arena

For more information on the AMA Arenacross Series log on to www.Arenacross.com.

About Feld Motor Sports℠

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy^® Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz℠, and IHRA^® Nitro Jam^®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.