Up and Down Day for Team Dakar USA in the Central Europe Rally

Veszprem, Hungary – It was a seesaw day for Team Dakar USA. Over the past three stages when things have gone well for Robby Gordon and his Monster Hummer, BJ Baldwin and the Vanguard Hummer has had its set of challenges. Today the roles were reversed.

The Central Europe Rally shifted back to Hungary and revisited the site of the first special in Dubras, just outside Budapest. Gordon impressed on the first special of the day, finishing third in the opening segment. BJ Baldwin was in full attack mode as well but managed to tangle with a tree. That episode relegated him to seventh on the first special.

Team Dakar USA then travelled 201km to the start of the second special in Veszprem where the rally will be for the next two days.

There was no holding back for either of the two hummer teams. Gordon and Grider were flying when a rock managed to sever the rear brake line. The duo acted quickly to cap of the line and continue with only front brakes. Navigation errors by some of the top rivals allowed them to close up the gap only to give it back when the Hummer H3 went off the track just a few kilometers from the end of the special.

The second special was the best moment yet for BJ Baldwin and navigator Kevin Heath. Coming from the back the team scored an impressive 5th place finish which vaulted them up to 15th in the overall classifications. With Gordon’s mechanical luck he dropped back to eight in the standings, 7:05 adrift.

Tomorrow’s stage five will remain in Veszprem which is good terrain for the Hummers. The wide open, sometimes motorcross like tracks make for spectacular rallying and Team Dakar USA plans to charge again.

Coverage of the Central Europe Rally can be seen in the United States on DirecTV. The half hour show will be aired twice – first at 7p.m. EST and then again at 12:30a.m. Additional rally coverage can also be found on robbygordon.com and robbysuprising.com where Team Dakar USA will have daily updates, the twitter micro blog feed, and videos

Monster Energy’s Adam Cianciarulo Again Leads Monster Army Amateur MX Racers @ Las Vegas Mini Grand

Monster Energy/Kawasaki racers Mike Hall (450 Mod Pro) and Dean Wilson (450 Non Pro) also lock down big overall wins at western USA’s biggest amateur event

CORONA, Calif., (April 22, 2008) – Reports coming back to Monster Energy HQ from this weekend’s Las Vegas World Mini Grand Prix point to another dominant performance by Monster Energy-backed athletes from Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green, Monster Energy/Innovative MX/Yamaha and Extreme Team Green programs.

The top dog again for Monster Energy, as he was at the season-opening Lake Whitney Amateur National Motocross Championship, was Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Adam Cianciarulo. The up-and-coming Sunshine State motocross star, enjoying the same Kawasaki amateur lineage as fellow Floridians and Monster Energy-backed racers Ricky Carmichael and James “Bubba” Stewart (Monster Energy/Kawasaki), walked away with a couple more major amateur national titles in winning both the Vegas GP’s 85cc Thru-11 Stock and Mod classes.

“Monster Energy would like to congratulate all of our racers that participated at the Vegas Mini GPs this past weekend,” said John Lee, Director of Sports Marketing for Monster Energy. “Through Texas and Vegas MX nationals Monster Energy amateur racers have really stepped up and, via their successful efforts on the track, have continued to help elevate the Monster Energy brand. We look forward to following them through their Loretta’s qualifiers all over the nation and the next big national event in Ponca City, Okla.”

It should also be note at this point that Max Anstie (KTM) had a heck of a weekend as well, winning multiple classes including the Supermini Thru 16 class and 85cc Modified 14-16 class and finishing 2nd overall in the 85cc Open and 3rd overall in 85cc Stock 14-15 class. Jr. Cycle class racer, Monster Energy-backed Stone Elder (Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green), was on top of it as well, winning the 6-11 Open, 9-11 Modified and finishing 2nd in the 9-11 Stock class on the Jr. Cycles. Finally, Dean Wilson (Extreme Team Green) won the 450 Non Pro class and 450 Stock Intermediate class.

Burly weather greeted the racers last week with 40-plus mph winds and dust the wreaked havoc on everything from eyes and ears to the bikes’ air filters. Monster Energy’s support staff, led by Kyle Krause, rented out a local go-kart track as a fun diversion from the pressures of amateur national motocross racing – something that was quite welcome from the kids and young adult racers and their families.

Back to business side to things through out the rest of the week, Monster Energy racers continued to shine with more championships being won by numerous athletes, including: Alexah Pearson (Girls 65-85cc), Sarah Price (125-250 Women) and Mike Hall (450 Modified Pro).

Other podium finishes for Monster Energy-backed athletes included: Thomas Covington (2nd/85cc Modified Thu 11), Alexah Pearson (2nd/125-250 Women), Tyler Sjoberg (3rd/450 Non Pro), Dean Wilson (2nd/ 250 Stock Intermediate) PJ Larsen (2nd in both the 450 Pro and 450 Pro Modified).

Also noteworthy was the performances of Monster Energy-backed racers like Zach Bell, who was the only young racer capable of pulling off the big triple in the middle of the track on his 85cc bike, Christian Craig who was faster than his results would show and Lowell Spangler, a top A class contender, who ended up injuring his wrist. Hopefully Spangler can make it back and qualify for Loretta’s!

Next up for Monster Energy’s amateur motocross racers are numerous Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Motocross Championships at local motocross tracks all over the country.

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it MX, snocross, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, off-road, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, the new Monster/fruit juice hybrid called “M-80” and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. All the Monster Energy amateur MX racers that competed at the Vegas Mini GPs this past week dug ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterenergy.com.

Robby Gordon Claims Second in First Stage of the Central Europe Rally

Budapest, Hungary – American driver Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy Toyo Tire blazed to a second place finish in the first stage of the inaugural Central European Rally.

The stage began before a large crowd at Hero’s Square in Budapest where the teams were introduced to the spectators.  The competitors then drove to beginning of the special 58km away in Dabas. More like a WRC style rally course rather than the marathon wide open stages of the Dakar, Gordon and navigator Andy Grider laid siege to the tight twisty tree lined narrow track.

“We attacked the course today. This is a sprint race that is going to be one by minutes if not seconds, so it is great that we are second after the first stage. This was a fantastic result for our team because we are competing against some of the best teams in the world. The competition has done their homework but so has this team. We went hard today and still got beat by about 40 seconds so I know we have some work to do, but overall I’m very happy” said Gordon.

Teammate BJ Baldwin impressed the crowds with his wide-open driving style but one of the spare drive shafts stored in the engine compartment broke free and knocked off a drive belt, which he and navigator Kevin Heath repaired. With the setback the Vanguard Hummer team finds themselves in 23rd position – 9:41 seconds back from overall stage winner Carlos Sainz of Spain.

The rally now heads for Baia Mare in Romania for the second stage which will feature two specials – both 76km. The terrain is reported to be muddy and rocky.

Coverage of the Central Europe Rally can be seen in the United States on DirecTV. The half hour show will be aired twice – first at 7p.m. est and then again at 12:30a.m. Additional rally coverage can also be found on robbygordon.com and robbysuprising.com where Team Dakar USA will have daily updates, the twitter micro blog feed, and videos.

www.youtube.com/monsterarmy
www.myspace.com/monsterarmyhq
www.robbygordon.com
www.monsterarmy.com

Villopoto Grabs The Win In AMA Supercross Lites

Villopoto Grabs The Win In AMA Supercross Lites

DETROIT (April 12, 2008) – Red Bull Honda’s Davi Millsaps picked up his second win of the season at tonight’s Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, at Ford Field.  Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., won the AMA Supercross Lites class main event win.

Honda’s Eric Sorby, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., won the $1,500 Progressive Holeshot Award to begin the 20-lap AMA Supercross class main event. Millsaps closed in on Sorby and took over the lead on the second lap, bringing Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Timmy Ferry and Torco Honda’s Kevin Windham with him to round out the top three.

Millsaps turned in a strong, consistent ride to lead the remaining 18 laps en route to the victory. Ferry held on to finish second with Windham winding up in third.

“I found some really good lines in practice and got a good start in the main and took care of the rest,” said Millsaps. “I got caught up in lappers but ended up fighting through. It was unfortunate what happened to Chad today but I felt like I rode a good race and really earned it tonight.”

The subplot of the entire day was the misfortune of points leader and eight-time winner Chad Reed. The San Manuel of Mission Indians Yamaha rider suffered a hard crash in practice, sending him to the hospital for multiple injuries to his chest and shoulder. Reed was released from the hospital and would use an AMA Provisional, which allows for a rider within the top 10 in points to advance directly to the main, where he would eventually finish in 12th place.

Reed’s injury has drastically tightened the points chase in the AMA Supercross class, with Windham now sitting just 16 points back with three races remaining.

“It will be interesting to see how Chad bounces back from his injury,” said Windham. “It should be an interesting finish in the series. Today was really an emotional roller coaster for me. I came in here 27 points back and after his crash in the first practice it really pulled a 180 for me, and the season.

“Chad has got a lot of adversity in front of him right now. He has won a championship before so he knows what he’s got to do to get it done. I’ve never won one and I’ll be looking to do what I need to do to get my first.”

Villopoto grabbed the $1,000 Progressive Direct Holeshot Award to start the 15-lap AMA Supercross Lites main event. Torco Honda’s Trey Canard, of Elk City, Okla., and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s local rider Nico Izzi, of St. Clair, Mich., settled into the second and third positions.

Villopoto, winner of the previous two main events leading into Detroit, quickly checked out and rode a near flawless race to earn his third victory of the season. Boost Yamaha’s Ryan Morais, of Murrieta, Calif., finished second while Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Brendan Jesseman, of New Brighton, Pa., was third.

Villopoto’s win coupled with a 10th-place finish for Canard, who crashed on lap seven and had a difficult time restarting his bike, has reduced Canard’s lead to three points in the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites standings with one race remaining.

“I got off to a bad start this year and put myself in a hole out of the gate,” said Villopoto. “I came around there and saw that (Canard) was down. It was definitely what I needed and it’s good to be down just three points down with one race to go.”

The AMA Supercross class will be broadcast in HD on SPEED on Sunday, April 13, at 6 p.m. EST and the AMA Supercross Lites class will air on SPEED in HD Saturday April 19, at 6 p.m. EST.

AMA Supercross Class Results, Detroit

1. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda
2. Tim Ferry, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki
3. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
4. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha
5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
6. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Kawasaki
7. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
8. Charles Summey, Huntersville, N.C., Yamaha
9. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda
10. Jason Thomas, Melrose, Fla., Honda

AMA Supercross Class Season Standings

1. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 296
2. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 280
3. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 229
4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 221
5. Joshua Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 191
6. Tim Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 189
7. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha, 155
8. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 137
9. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 123
10. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM, 121

AMA Supercross Lites Class Results, Detroit

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
3. Branden Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Kawasaki
4. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair., Mich., Suzuki
5. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., KTM
6. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ken., Yamaha
7. Kyle Partridge, Menifee, Calif., Honda
8. Kyle Chisholm, Seminole, Fla., Kawasaki
9. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Suzuki
10. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda

Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings

1. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 122
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 119
3. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair., Mich., Suzuki, 86
4. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ken., Yamaha, 76
5. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 73
6. Branden Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Kawasaki, 72
7. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 71
8. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., KTM, 70
9. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 68
10. Billy Payne, Simi Valley, Calif., Honda, 60

Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings

1. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 135
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 129
3. Austin Stroupe, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki, 113
4. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 112
5. Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Kawasaki, 101
6. Dan Reardon, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 95
7. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 85
8. Robert Kiniry, LaFayette, N.Y., Kawasaki, 71
9. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Yamaha, 69
10. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., KTM 62

KTM Junior Supercross Challenge

1. Jase Burke, Maricopa, Calif., KTM
2. Kannon Lenar, Glendale, Ore., KTM
3. Seth Cantarini, Bellevue, Wash., KTM
4. Zachary Kirchoff, Decker, Ind., KTM
5. Samuel Davis, Grayling,  Mich., KTM
6. Kody Herber, Linwood, Mich., KTM
7. Chase VanSickle, Fremont, Mich., KTM
8. Tyler Buckman, Robards, Ky., KTM
9. Brant Gullickson, Chamberlain, S.D., KTM
10. Dalton Tarter, Tuolumne, Calif., KTM
11. Max Soulliere, Dewitt, Mich., KTM
12. Spencer Goad, Northwood, N.H., KTM
13. Brenden Korte, Suffolk, Va., KTM
14. Adam Powers, Rockford, Mich., KTM
15. Nycholas Burnside, Parry Sound, Canada, KTM

The next Monster Energy® Supercross race takes place at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis on Saturday, April 19.

TJ Lavin Update

Well this was a great week for a few reasons the first being I was in
competition again. Not on the bike (yet) but in a Race Rhino. There
was a race at Stateline here in Nevada and it was a supermoto race. It
was so fun and I ended up fourth over all which I was stoked on. In
any case it was a good time. Another cool thing is I was able to ride
again and my leg seems to be getting better everyday. Were also
shooting a music video in Hollywood on the 28th of this month
benefiting the Stephen Murray Family Fund so that should be cool. Till
next time much love T.

Monster Energy’s Kyle Loza Breaks Out A New FMX Trick That’ll Make Your Socks Roll Up & Down!

Monster Energy’s Kyle Loza Breaks Out A New FMX Trick That’ll Make Your Socks Roll Up & Down!

“This is freakin’ unbelievable,” said one industry expert of Electric Death. “Takes the sport to a whole new level,” said another.

CORONA, Calif., (April 3, 2008)

“I am psyched to be representing at the X Games MXWC coming up,” said Loza. “The Monster Army of riders will be out in full force and we are planning on bringing a bag of Gold medals home. Check out expn.com for a peek into what is coming April 12th and I`ll see you there.”

Simply put, ESPN.com’s Ryan Leyba best captures the spirit of the thing in his recent FMX blog. Check it out, along with some insane video of Loza’s “Electric Death” into a foam pit at: http://expn.go.com/expn/blog/moto?post=3326014

ROBBY GORDONS CREW TAKES OFF FOR DAKAR SERIES EUROPE

Robby Gordon’s team is one step closer to the race in Budapest in two weeks. With the Hummer’s packed up, it was time to drop them off at LAX.

This new rally organised under the « Dakar Series » certification will take place from April 20th to the 26th in Hungary and Romania. Scrutinizing and administrative checks will take place on the 19th of April in Budapest.