Ricky Carmichael claimed his sixth-straight overall win of the year with perfect 1-1 moto finishes at round seven of the Toyota AMA Motocross Championship Series held at the beautiful Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, Colorado.
The win was Carmichael’s 141st in AMA competition, and gives him a 69 point lead in the series standings over Team Yamaha’s Chad Reed with five rounds to go.
Over 26,000 spectators were on hand as the Makita Suzuki-mounted Carmichael moved up from a mid-pack start, to eventually pass a quick-starting Davi Millsaps to win moto one. Team Kawasaki’s James Stewart, who also gated poorly, passed the Honda-mounted Millsaps, as well, to claim second in the moto, while Sobe/Samsung/Mobile/Honda’s Kevin Winham proved that his second overall at Unadilla last week was no fluke by finishing fourth, behind Millsaps.
After running in fifth for most of the moto, Reed dropped off the pace with “fuel-related engine problems”, according to Team Yamaha.
Millsaps again got a good start in moto two, and led Carmichael, Windham and Unbound Energy/Moto XXX’s Timmy Ferry around the first lap of the well-groomed Lakewood course, before giving way to Carmichael at the end of the lap.
At the finish, Carmichael came home with seven seconds to spare over Millsaps, with Reed in third and Windham in fourth.
Stewart, who had been as high as fourth during the moto, faded to fifth at the finish.
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto dominated both motos of the Lites division, giving him his fourth win of the season and moving him 23 points clear of KTM’s Mike Alessi in the series standings, while Alessi went 3-3 on the day for third overall.
Second overall went to Makita Suzuki’s Broc Hepler, who turned in a 4-2 performance.
Short ended up with seventh overall after DNFing the final moto with mechanical problems.
Motocross Class
1. Ricky Carmichael (Suz) 1-1
2. Davi Millsaps (Hon) 3-2
3. James Stewart (Kaw) 2-5
4. Kevin Windham (Hon) 4-4
5. Travis Preston (Hon) 5-7
6. Tim Ferry (Yam) 8-6
7. Michael Byrne (Kaw) 6-8
8. Chad Reed (Yam) 16-3
9. Josh Summey (Hon) 10-10
10. David Vuillemin (Yam) 7-13
Lites Class
1. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw) 1-1
2. Broc Hepler (Suz) 4-2
3. Mike Alessi (KTM) 3-3
4. Andrew McFarlane (Yam) 5-5
5. Martin Davalos (Yam) 6-6
6. Nathan Ramsey (KTM) 8-9
7. Andrew Short (Hon) 2-33
8. Danny Smith (Hon) 9-12
9. Joshua Grant (Hon) 19-4
10. Steve Boniface (Hon) 7-15
