2013 AMA Motocross Muddy Creek Results

Ryan Dungey Earns First Motocross Win Of The Year

[caption id="attachment_26678" align="alignright" width="200"] Ryan Dungey finally claimed victory in the third round of the AMA Motocross series - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Ryan Dungey got his first overall motorsports win of 2013 this past weekend at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tenn. After playing second fiddle to rival Ryan Villopoto for much of the Supercross season earlier in the year, the KTM rider finally claimed victory in the third round of the AMA Motocross series.

Dungey rebounded from a mediocre start to the race to charge to the front of the pack. He began passing competitors one by one until he was neck-and-neck with Muscle Milk Honda's Justin Barcia, who he would pass about halfway through the race. The KTM rider then held on to the lead for the win.

"It's good to get the first win so early in the season," Dungey said. "It was definitely a hard fought win today. The track was rough, and there were a lot of tough guys out there, but I think the key is just going to be consistency this season."

Villopoto eventually finished the race in third, while Barcia took second place. The victory wasn't enough to propel Dungey into the top spot in the championship standings, but it does leave him just 10 points behind Villopoto in second place.

Ryan Dungey Takes The Overall At The First-Ever Muddy Creek National

[caption id="attachment_26659" align="alignright" width="300"] Ryan Dungey leaped off the line to a third place start in the second moto - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Ryan Dungey took the overall win in the 450 Motocross class at the first-ever Muddy Creek National at the third round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Series.

Ryan Dungey was eager to try out the new track in the morning practice sessions where he turned the fourth fastest time to earn a top gate pick in the first moto. Unfortunately, he suffered from a bad start in the first moto where he rounded the first corner in tenth position. He didn't waste time climbing through the pack and was sitting in fourth by the end of the third lap.

Two laps later, Dungey made a pass around James Stewart to takeover third position. Once in a podium spot, he clicked off consistent lap times and went on to finish the race in third place. "I am happy to finish on the podium, but I really need to work on my starts so I don't let the top guys run away early in the race," remarked Dungey.

Dungey did what he intended in the second moto and leaped off the line to a third place start behind Justin Barcia and Ryan Villopoto. Shortly into the first lap, Villopoto suffered a crash that allowed Dungey to move into the runner-up spot. Dungey spent the next half of the race closing the gap on Barcia. Dungey finally made his move up the inside of an uphill turn to take over the lead with his KTM 450 SX-F. Once out front, he was able to turn the fastest lap of the race and went on to collect the win with an 11 second victory over Barcia.

Dungey's 3-1 moto results earned him his first overall win of the season. "It feels great to get a win here," remarked Dungey. "The whole team has been working really hard each day to constantly make improvements. I really enjoyed this track today and am glad I was able to put everything together to finally get the results we are aiming for."

Next Round: Mt. Morris, PA - June 8, 2013

Source: KTM North America

Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto Scores Podium Finish At Inaugural Tennessee National

[caption id="attachment_26676" align="alignright" width="300"] Ryan Villopoto overcame a crash in the second moto to take third overall.[/caption]

Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto started the day at Muddy Creek MX in Blountiville, TN as the man to beat. Villopoto rocketed to the holeshot in the first moto and won his fifth straight moto of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross season. In the second moto, Villopoto was right where he wanted to be on the start, but a crash early in the race sent him back to 18th and he fought hard to finish fourth in the moto and third overall. His teammate Jake Weimer looked good on the tight twisty track, overcoming a tough first moto to finish 18-8 for 11th overall. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Tyla Rattray also had a tough day in the 450cc class. After finishing 11th in the first moto, the South African was part of a first turn pileup that damaged his bike and forced him to retire in 38th which was good enough for 17th overall. In the 250cc class, Blake Baggett rode strong all day finishing 3-3 for fourth overall. Martin Davalos was 11th overall, Justin Hill 14th and Darryn Durham still racing his way back from injury was 17th. During the week leading up to Muddy Creek, Dean Wilson re-injured his shoulder and will miss the rest of the season following surgery this coming week.

Ride of the Day
Villopoto fashioned the best ride of the day in the second 450cc moto as the Poulsbo, Wash. native started near the front but went down early losing precious time and positions. Remounting in 18th Villopoto steadily worked his way through the field on the very narrow course moving all the way up to third before a late fall cost him two spots. Once he was going again Villopoto charged to get back one spot and was on the tail of the third place finisher at the checkered flag. His valiant ride came following a tough first moto where he ran consistent lap times right around the 2-minute mark for 17 laps.

"Today didn't go exactly how I wanted, but we were able to maintain the points lead," said Villopoto. "The track was very narrow and it made it difficult to pass so I knew I had my work cut out for me in the second moto. I was tucked in behind (Justin) Barcia and was probably a little too close and misjudged a rut which sent me down. From there I just did what I could to salvage some points."

[caption id="attachment_26672" align="alignleft" width="300"] Blake Baggett rode two consistent motos that followed his nature of finishing stronger than he started.[/caption]

Late Race Heroics
Defending 250cc class champion Baggett rode two consistent motos that followed his nature of finishing stronger than he started. In both motos Baggett hung around the top-five and made late race passes to finish third in each moto. Odd circumstances in the finishing order cost Baggett an overall podium as his 3-3 moto score saw him on the outside looking in, finishing fourth.

"I think I could have gotten better starts and challenged to the win today." said Baggett. "It was almost like riding in a tunnel today because the track was so tight, making passing difficult. Everyone was sprinting all race and I know I have the speed and endurance to get back on the top of the podium."

Tale of Two Motos
In the 450cc class, Rattray had an impressive first moto going as he was running in the top 10 most of the race. He was able to finish 11th and looked to be in a good spot heading into the second moto. Unfortunately a pileup in the first turn of Moto 2 damaged his bike so severely he was not able to continue. For Weimer the first moto was pretty forgettable as a fall saw him drop to the back of the 40-rider field and he clawed his way up to 18th. In the second moto, Weimer got a good jump out of the gate and stayed in the top 10 all race finishing eighth.

"I rode a lot better than my results today," said Weimer. "I knew this was going to be a tough track and I wanted to get a good start and maybe was pushing a little too hard when I went down in the first moto. I was able to ride strong in both motos which is a positive and I know I can get up there."

[caption id="attachment_26679" align="alignright" width="200"] The unique, specially designed trophies that feature rifles and pistols from the 1700's.trophies were the talk of the pits.[/caption]

Living Up to Its Name
Muddy Creek in Tennessee really lived up to its name in the first practice of the day. To get the dirt right for the afternoon motos the track was saturated overnight and into the morning, which made for a bit of a sloppy practice session. As the day heated up and the track dried out, the enormous crowd was treated to a great afternoon of racing.

Taking Aim
Another unique feature of the inaugural event was the specially designed trophies that feature rifles and pistols from the 1700's. The trophies were the talk of the pits as everyone wanted to add the majestic hardware to their collection.

Reaching a High Point
The series will head near Morgantown, WV next Saturday at High Point Raceway for the fourth round of the series in Mount Morris, Penn.

Source: Kawasaki Racing

James Stewart Top-4 At Muddy Creek MX

[caption id="attachment_26660" align="alignright" width="300"] James Stewart turned in a solid performance at the Tennessee National.[/caption]

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's James Stewart turned in a solid performance at the Tennessee National in Blountville, Tennessee on Saturday afternoon. The first-ever national motocross at Muddy Creek Raceway saw Stewart pilot his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 to a respectable fourth place overall as five Suzuki riders filled the top 10 positions.

Racing at Muddy Creek for the first time in more than 10 years, Stewart carded two strong moto finishes despite some internal struggle. In the first race, he got a top-five start and ran in a podium position for several laps before finishing fourth. In the second moto, he again got a decent start on his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and avoided a nasty turn-one pile-up. He went on to focus on turning smooth, consistent laps to finish sixth. Combined, these results gave the Yoshimura Suzuki rider fourth overall.

Said Stewart: "Practice didn't go good for us. I was kind-of disappointed. I don't know, it was the first time in a while that I had a complete off day. I've had off practices but I always made it up in the Main Event but today, I just really didn't have anything. I didn't have any flow with the track. And it was pretty tough, with a lot of ruts and turns and jumps where you had to be pretty perfect on the motorcycle. So to have an off day on a track like that wasn't good. But we're going to make some changes this week, and I personally need to make some changes with myself, and then we'll come back strong for Mt. Morris."

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's next race is round four of the 2013 AMA Pro Motocross Championships on June 8th at the High Point National in Mt. Morris.

Check out the Muddy Creek "Behind The Scenes Race Report":


Source: Team Suzuki

Rockstar Energy Racing Muddy Creek Motocross National Race Report

[caption id="attachment_26663" align="alignright" width="300"] Ryan Sipes' homecoming went nothing like he had hoped - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Rockstar Energy Racing migrated to Muddy Creek Raceway to begin a swing of several consecutive nationals on the East Coast. This first stop represented the first Motcross National in the Southeast in 15 years. Needless to say that caused much excitement as moto deprived fans came out in droves. It was a successful event for holding their first national ever. The track was set in a valley with plenty of elevation changes and great viewing for all in attendance. It was rough, rutted and presented several lines in every corner so the racing was very captivating.

This was also the final race that Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 riders Clement Desalle and Kevin Strijbos could attend to mix up the points a little. In the end both the riders we're sad to go but they have their own series to attend to where they are both in the championship hunt.

Ryan Sipes' homecoming went nothing like he had hoped. He qualified good in practice and his speed was excellent all day. He looked poised for his first top 5 finish in moto one when he went down. He would have only lost one position to Desalle but his clutch side grip was stuck in the mud. It was very difficult to pick up the bike and keep it running, so he ended up losing several spots. He got up and put in an impressive comeback all the way to 9th. His second moto just came completely unraveled from the start. He was collected in the a turn pile up, then just plain had a bad moto from then on. He was still able to muster 21st after multiple incidents but obviously was in no way happy with that. He is very hungry now heading into next weekend.

Ryan Sipes: "Muddy Creek.....It was fun, besides crashing four times in the second moto. The first moto I felt really good, felt like I had a top 5 in me and I just lost the front end and ended up 9th. The second moto, the start crash, I couldn't really avoid it. After that back in 36th, guys just don't ride like they do in the front. Maybe I was just in a hurry but I hit a guy and went down, then went down two more times. It was a tough second moto."

[caption id="attachment_26661" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jason Anderson rode well every time he was on the track but just didn't finish where he is capable - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Jason Anderson rode well every time he was on the track but just didn't finish where he is capable. He moved into the top 3 in moto one but experienced some bike problems and ended up going back to 7th. In the second moto he went the opposite direction after a less than stellar start with the same result, another 7th. It was good enough to finish 6th overall and closer to the top 5. He has podium speed however and won't be kept off the box much longer.

Jason Anderson: "The weekend was alright. I ended up 7-7 on the day which isn't bad. Struggled a little bit again with some situations. All in all it's a step in the right direction. I think I got 6th overall, so I matched my second best finish ever outdoors."

Blake Wharton is slowly but surely improving each moto and this week was no different. His endurance is improving and so are his results. He's consistently finishing in or around the top ten every time he crosses the finish line. He wants to finish higher up and is doing the right things to make that possible.

Blake Wharton: "I used to race Muddy Creek a lot as an amateur. I've been comin here since I was 9. It was a tough track then and it's it's still pretty tough. It's just has gnarly ruts and you don't know where you're going sometimes and you just gotta pin it. My first moto, I got 11th, second moto I got 9th. It was a decent weekend for me just putting in more time. I just have to keep pushing and not rest no matter what. I'm looking forward to finishing further towards the front. Highpoint will be similar to this I feel. I'm looking forward to next weekend."

[caption id="attachment_26662" align="alignright" width="300"] Nico Izzi is also continuing to improve but unfortunately he didn't have a good weekend overall - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Nico Izzi is also continuing to improve but unfortunately he didn't have a good weekend overall. He was putting in a good positive moto in the top ten in the first race until disaster struck. He came into contact with another rider several laps prior and to the knowledge of no one including Izzi, he had punctured his radiator. His bike slowly ran out of coolant and then began to lose power. Instead of pulling off he strived to make it to the end of the race and he was oh so close. As he went up the finish line table and the white flag waived, his bike expired catapulting Nico over the bars. Landing on your feet without your bike from that height and going that fast is very scary and does not feel good. One positive thing is that Izzi did get over the bars cleanly and was not hit by the bike. He was pretty beat up and was forced to DNS the second moto. He will be ok and back fighting for positions next week.

Nico Izzi: "Felt good rolling into Tennessee. Killed It in the first practice with P-4 and the second with P-6. Then we came into the first moto and I didn't have the best start, probably around 12th. I made a couple passes and was battling with [Cole] Seely for 9th. Then with 4 laps to go, my bike was losing a lot of power and I rode it until it died and I went over the bars. I'm going to be back to lay the hammer down at Highpoint. I love that place."

Clement Desalle came over to the US with a very difficult schedule and adapted immediately into becoming one of the top guys on the track. Being completely foreign to sprint speed, he was still able to qualify with the 2nd fastest lap in both Colorado and Tennessee. He had a very solid first moto and was close to getting his best finish of the trip as he was attempting to make his way around James Stewart. He was trying everything to get by him until finally he went for an outside line that ended up landing him on the side of a jump off the track on the last lap. His attack was thwarted but it was still a very successful finish in 5th. His second moto did not go as well but was equally as impressive. He went down in the first turn and his bike was literally buried in a yard sale of other motorcycles. He moved through the pack picking up position after position all the way into 9th. It looked as if he would be able to garner one more spot for 8th but he was just spent and wisely cruised to the finish safely. He passed enough riders that he may have won the Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger award which is yet to be determined. If that's the case he's very excited to place that kind of special trophy on his mantle back home.

Clement Desalle: "This morning's qualification was good. In the second practice, I was 2nd fastest. It feels good to go into the first moto with a good gate pick. I tried a new technique on my start, because I have nothing to lose here and it's good practice for me. It was positive and my first start I was 5th or 6th. Then in the first two laps, these guys ride much different than what I'm used to. So aggressive in the first couple laps, so I lost some positions and at the same time made some mistakes. Then I was 8th or 9th and I came back to 5th. On the last lap I almost passed [James] Stewart. It was exciting, I didn't get him but it was good racing. In the second moto my start felt so good. I was about 4th in the first corner and I think somebody hit me. I lost the front wheel and crashed and some guys ran into me. It was a big pile of bikes and mine was at the bottom so I started last. Then I came back to 9th and I tried to keep pushing, but I was really tired. The conditions were really warm here for me. But it was good practice for the season and hopefully the weather is less humid next week in Europe."

[caption id="attachment_26664" align="alignleft" width="300"] Kevin Strijbos had another good day for the final race of his first trip to the United States - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Kevin Strijbos had another good day for the final race of his first trip to the United States. He struggled a bit in practice but his riding was much better when the gate dropped. He had a solid race going in moto one, but just went down in a tough turn. It was a sharp, rutted right hander immediately after the landing of a high speed double. He went around the corner pedaling his foot as if he was on a skateboard, saving it, saving it and then finally succumbing to gravity. It was a tough spot to remount being on the landing of a blind jump. Kevin rejoined the race well back in the pack but was able to move passed several competitors by race's end. Strijbos improved on his performance in moto two in every aspect. A better start, no crashes and a higher finish. In the end it was a positive day and he was happy with his riding the entire trip.

Kevin Strijbos: "The day started out quite difficult. I didn't feel that good on the track and I was 13th in second practice which is not so good. The start in the first race was ok. I was back in about 8th or 9th, then I crashed from my own mistake. I had to regroup for a few laps and I moved back forward to 13th. I think my riding was good again, that I had the speed to be 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th. The second race I had a really good start but I braked too early before the corner and my teammate crashed in front of me and I hit him. I was a little bit further back then cause I think I should have been 2nd or 3rd. I tried to hang with those guys but they are so aggressive in the beginning of the race and we're not used to that. I kind of pushed and made a few mistakes, then Ryan [Villopoto] passed me in the same corner where I crashed in the first race. I tried to follow him and learn some lines but he was gone too quick. Then I was just riding by myself and I saw James [Stewart] in my sights. I knew I didn't lose much time so I was quite happy with that. In the end I was done, I gave so much in the first moto."

Next week the team continues in the East. Sipes wants badly to recover from a less than stellar weekend. Anderson will look to put everything together and finish closer to the podium. Wharton will push to keep finishing closer to the top 5. Izzi will recover from his big crash and try to have his best race of 2013 on a track he is very fond of. Desalle and Strijbos will immediately travel much farther east to France and the next round of the GP's. They both finished on the podium in the previous round in Brazil.

Source: Rockstar Energy Racing

Marvin Musquin Takes 250 Motocross Class Win At Muddy Creek

[caption id="attachment_26671" align="alignright" width="300"] Marvin Musquin took 1st overall and was joined on the podium by his teammate Ken Roczen - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Marvin Musquin took the overall win at the third round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Series held at Muddy Creek Raceway. His teammate, Ken Roczen, also landed on the podium with a third overall.

It was Marvin Musquin who earned the holeshot in the first moto but quickly found himself in a five-way battle for the lead position. By the end of the first lap the riders had shuffled positions and Musquin found himself in fourth position, while his teammate, Ken Roczen, had jumped into second.

Roczen made a pass for the lead on the second lap on Cooper Webb. Once out front, Roczen never looked back and went on to take the moto win, marking his fourth moto win of the season. Meanwhile, Musquin found his speed and came from fourth to second to finish in the runner-up spot behind his teammate for his first podium of the season.

In the second moto, Musquin had another great start sitting second around the first corner. Roczen was further back in 9th place. While Musquin maintained his front spot, Roczen started quickly picking off riders and had passed Justin Bogle for fourth on the third lap before suffering a crash that dropped him back to sixth. He quickly recovered and was able to get back into fourth before he encountered another issue and ran off the track. Roczen was determined to move forward and passed Bogle again around the halfway point of the race. He then began to set his sights on Zach Osborne as he knew he needed to pass him in order to have a chance at the overall.

[caption id="attachment_26669" align="alignleft" width="300"] Marvin Musquin's 2-2 finishes earned him his first overall of the season - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

With a few laps to go, Roczen passed Osborne and looked like he would be on his way to winning the overall. Unfortunately, he made a mistake which allowed Blake Baggett to get around him. With only a lap to go, Roczen was unable to gain back the time lost to Baggett and he finished the moto in fourth place. His 1-4 results earned him third overall for the day. Musquin held strong to his position and finished the race in second place. His 2-2 finishes earned him his first overall of the season.

"This track really worked for me," commented Musquin. "It's technical and rutted and just what I like. I just pinned it the first few laps of the second moto to try and gap the field. I knew I needed to finish second to get the overall and I was determined to not let them catch me. I am so thankful to my team for building me a great bike that helped me get a win."

Next Round: Mt. Morris, PA - June 8, 2013

Source: KTM North America

Joey Savatgy Finishes 12th At Muddy Creek National

[caption id="attachment_26666" align="alignright" width="300"] Joey Savatgy finished 12th overall after an impressive second moto charge from dead last to 12th position - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

FMF/Orange Brigade/KTM rider Joey Savatgy finished 12th overall after an impressive second moto charge from dead last to 12th position at the third round of the Lucas Oil 250 Motocross Pro Championship Series held at Muddy Creek Raceway.

Savatgy got his KTM 250 SX-F off to a good start in the first moto where he was sitting in 8th place after the first lap. He remained consistent throughout the 30 minute plus two lap moto to hang on to a top ten spot. When the checkered flag flew he was able to cross the line in 10th place for moto one.

In the second moto, Savatgy slipped off the gate causing him to have a bad jump off the line. His poor start led to a first turn crash. When he recovered he was sitting in last position. Savatgy rode strong throughout the entire moto and was able to catch back up to 12th place by the moto end.

"I felt like my bike was handling poorly on the front end in the second moto," commented Savatgy. When I got off the track, I looked down and saw a bunch of my spokes had broken from my first turn crash. Luckily, the wheel survived the whole moto and I was able to pick-up some positions to help my placement in the overall point standings. I'm hoping next weekend's race in High Point will finally be trouble free."

Next Event: Mt. Morris, PA - June 8, 2013

Source: KTM North America

Muddy Creek Overview And Point Standings

Overall Results - 450MX Class

1. Ryan Villopoto - 143
   
2. Ryan Dungey - 133
   
3. Justin Barcia - 114
   
4. James Stewart - 99
   
5. Trey Canard - 90
   
6. Mike Alessi - 85
   
7. Tyla Rattray - 59
   
8. Clement Desalle - 58
   
9. Andrew Short - 54
   
10. Ryan Sipes - 49
    

1. Kawasaki - 143
   
2. KTM - 133
   
3. Honda - 118
   
4. Suzuki - 110
   
5. Yamaha - 56
   

1. Ken Roczen - 138
   
2. Eli Tomac - 132
   
3. Marvin Musquin - 116
   
4. Blake Baggett - 110
   
5. Zach Osborne - 96
   
6. Jason Anderson -
   
7. Cooper Webb - 65
   
8. Kyle Cunningham - 62
   
9. Justin Bogle - 61
   
10. Jeremy Martin - 61
    

1. KTM - 142
   
2. Honda - 132
   
3. Kawasaki - 112
   
4. Yamaha - 92
   
5. Suzuki - 81
   

1. Courtney Duncan - 50
   
2. Sayaka Kaneshiro - 42
   
3. T-bug Higgins - 36
   
4. Mackenzie Tricker - 35
   
5. Jacqueline Strong - 31
   
6. Alexah Pearson - 29
   
7. Mariana Balbi - 28
   
8. Sara Pettersson - 25
   
9. Hailey Larson - 23
   
10. Jessica Patterson - 22
    

1. Yamaha - 50
   
2. Honda - 42
   
3. KTM - 32
   
4. Kawasaki - 28
   
5. Suzuki - 0