Carmichael and Villopoto Top Red Bud Qualifying

Shan Moore | June 30, 2007

Ricky Carmichael was clearly in a class of his own during qualifying today, in preparation for round five of the Toyota AMA Motocross Championship Series to be held tomorrow at Red Bud Track N Trail near Buchanan, Michigan.

The Makita Suzuki rider logged a qualifying time of 2:31.269 (on the beautifully prepared course), which was nearly three seconds faster than the 2:34.146 posted by KTM’s Mike Alessi.

In turn, Alessi was almost a second faster than Kawasaki’s Timmy Ferry, who posted a 2:35.141, while Team Yamaha’s Grant Langston ended the day in fourth with a fastest time of 2:36.445.

Coincidentally, Jeff Alessi joined his brother in the top five with a time of 2:36.601.

Kawasaki’s James Stewart once again elected to sit out Saturday qualifying, which he is entitled to do since he is ranked in the top-10 overall in series standings, however, so far, he is the only rider to take advantage of this rule.

If Carmichael is able to get his fifth win of the series tomorrow, it will leave him one win short of 150 combined motocross and Supercross wins.

In the Lites division, series points leader Ryan Villopoto (pictured) looked fast and smooth, and put his Monster Energy Kawasaki at the top of the time sheets with a time of 2:35.113. Yamaha of Troy’s Jason Lawrence continues to impress and set the second-fastest time with a 02:35.244, while Sobe/Samsung/Honda’s Josh Grant was third with a 2:35.877.

Villopoto’s teammate Ben Townley set the fourth-fastest time with a 2:36.123, which he posted during the first session. Unfortunately, shortly before the second practice, Townley began having severe stomach pains and headed to the hospital for evaluation.