Bowers Overcomes Adversity To Win Fifth Straight From Wichita

Babbitt's Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki presented by Maxxis' Tyler Bowers, of Danville, Ky., continued his current reign atop the 2011 AMA Arenacross Series by capturing his fifth consecutive win inside INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday night. In Arenacross Lites action, Letko KTM's Tanner Moore, of Auburn, Kan., grabbed an impressive victory in front of his hometown crowd.


Unlike recent weeks, Bowers was not the class of the field in the Arenacross class main event. Instead, the current championship points leader was forced to work his way through the field and took his seventh win in hard-earned fashion.


Fellow Babbitt's Monster Energy/TiLUBE Kawasaki rider Gray Davenport, of Lehi, Utah, grabbed the early lead and paced the field for the first half of the race. However, his hard-charging teammate Chad Johnson, of Rhinelander, Wis., surged into the top spot on Lap 13 and looked to pull away for his second win of the year. Meanwhile, Bowers was working from a start deep inside the top 10 and eventually caught his teammate on Lap 17, taking over the lead and cruising to victory. Johnson followed in second while Team Faith Yamaha's Kelly Smith, of Ludington, Mich., showcased arguably his best effort of the season with a strong third-place finish. Davenport fell to fourth.


Bowers points lead over TUF Honda's Jeff Gibson, of Blacklick, Ohio, sits at 31 points. Gibson suffered from a bad start of his own and was mired deep inside the top 10 throughout the main event before working his way into fifth by the end.


The Arenacross Lites class has been competitive in the Western Regional Championship and Moore's win is a testament to the parity the class has seen at the front of the field. Moore was challenged at the front throughout the 18-lap main event by Airide Kawasaki's Jake Locks, of Dixon, Calif., who took home a runner-up finish. Rounding out the podium was Foremost Insurance/Spinechillers/HondaofFairfield.com rider Patrick Massie, of Washington Court, Ohio.


It was a big night for Moore in the point standings as well, taking a significant bite out of his deficit to current points leader Chad Cook, of Oklahoma City, Okla., who suffered his worst outing of the year in 10th. Resner Builders Hardware Honda'a Vicki Golden, of El Cajon, Calif., continued her historic run with a second straight main event appearance and the best finish in AMA Arenacross Series history by a female in 12th.


The AMA Arenacross Series continues next weekend with its return to Greenville, S.C. and the BI-LO Center, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.


Arenacross Class Results (Wichita, Kan.)

1.Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki

2.Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki

3.Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., Yamaha

4.Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki

5.Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda

6.Nathan Skaggs, Chilicothe, Ohio, Honda

7.Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Honda

8.Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, Yamaha

9.Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki

10.Dave Ginolfi, Lake Hopatlong, N.J., Suzuki


AMA Arenacross Lites Class Results (Wichita, Kan.)

1.Tanner Moore, Auburn, Kan., KTM

2.Jake Locks, Dixon, Calif., Kawasaki

3.Patrick Massie, Washington Court, Ohio, Honda

4.Travis Smith, Lancaster, Calif., Yamaha

5.Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., Honda

6.Jeremy Huddleston, Eustace, Texas, KTM

7.Tyler Sehr, Belleville, Ill., Honda

8.Nick Click, St. Clair, Mo., Honda

9.Aviery Hickey, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki

10.Chad Cook, Oklahoma City, Okla., Kawasaki


Arenacross Class Points (After Race 12 of 19)

1.Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ky., Kawasaki - 277

2.Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda - 246

3.Chad Johnson, Rhinelander, Wis., Kawasaki - 242

4.Gray Davenport, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki - 189

5.Zach Ames, Prospect, Ohio, Honda - 179

6.Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., Yamaha - 164

7.Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda - 161

8.Cole Siebler, Emmett, Idaho, Honda - 153

9.Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, Yamaha - 140

10.Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki - 130


Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 7 of 10)

1.Chad Cook, Oklahoma City, Okla., Kawasaki - 138

2.Tanner Moore, Auburn, Kan., KTM - 108

3.Travis Smith, Lancaster, Calif., Yamaha - 98

4.Aviery Hickey, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki - 89

5.Tiger Lacey, Spring Creek, Nev., Kawasaki - 75

6.Tanner Young, Marland, Okla., Yamaha - 73

7.Jeremy Huddleston, Eustace, Texas, KTM - 65

8.Bobby Fitch, Littleton, Colo., Honda - 44

9.Ricky Yorks, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha - 42

10.Noa Quinabo, Riverside, Calif., Suzuki - 42