Monster Kawasaki riders Timmy Ferry and Ryan Villopoto set the fastest lap times in their respective classes today in preparation for tomorrow’s Giant RV Motocross Nationals Presented by Yamaha, final round of the 12-race AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF. Today’s practice qualified riders into tomorrow’s two-moto main events at Glen Helen Raceway.
Ferry’s overall time of 2:33.207 was two-tenths of a second quicker than Yamaha’s Grant Langston, though Langston did cap off the final run with the fastest time with a 2:35.436, with Honda rider Mike Brown, who returned to the U.S. following the last round of the GP series last weekend, next-best with a 2:35.938. Ferry was a few 10ths behind Brown in third. In the combined sessions, Yamaha’s Josh Hill posted a 2:34.646 to round out the top three in the premier AMA Motocross class.
Langston holds an eight-point lead over Honda’s Andrew Short (2:36.211). Ferry trails by 13 points and KTM’s Mike Alessi (2:34.975) sits 15 points back, making a four-man race for the championship.
Villopoto turned a 2:34.450 (the combination of the two sessions), a full second faster than his Kawasaki teammates Austin Stroupe (2:35.382) and Bret Metcalfe (2:35.459), who rounded out the top three in AMA Motocross Lites. In the second practice session for the Lites class, all four of members of the Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team held the top four positions: Villopoto, Stroupe, Metcalfe and Townley.
Villopoto carries a 19-point lead over teammate Ben Townley (2:36.658), with a possible 50 points available in tomorrow’s racing format.
The Glen Helen track plenty of mammoth uphill/downhill sections, with some monster jumps mixed in for good measure. Saturday Practice Results (the two sessions combined times)
AMA Motocross
1. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 2:33.207
2. Grant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 2:33.448
3. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Wash., Yamaha, 2:34.646
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 2:34.975
5. Mike Brown, Johnson City, Tenn., Honda, 2:35.816
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 2:36.211
7. Kevin Rookstool, Klamath Falls, Ore., Honda, 2:36.418
8. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 2:36.481
9. Michael Lapaglia Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 2:36.955
10. Cale Wallace, Walnut, Calif., Honda, 2:36.960
AMA Motocross Lites
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 2:34.450
2. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Kawasaki, 2:35.382
3. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 2:35.459
4. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 2:36.349
5. Ben Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 2:36.658
6. Jake Moss, Corona, Calif., Yamaha, 2:36.948
7. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 2:37.096
8. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha, 2:37.276
9. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 2:37.335
10. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Id., Honda, 2:37.980
11. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 2:17.732
