After several rounds of close racing, Babbitt’s Kawasaki’s Chris Blose dominated the premier class at round 10 of the AMSOIL Arenacross series in New Orleans. Photography by Josh Rud / ShiftOne Photography
March Madness isn’t just for “stick and ball” fans, as the AMSOIL Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael’s Road to Supercross demonstrates. The playoff-inspired Race to the Championship – reserved for the final rounds of the Arenacross series – has officially begun, and Babbitt’s Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chris Blose successfully fired the first shot with a big win in New Orleans. After a series of close races (the previous three rounds requiring tie-breakers to determine the overall winner), Blose made a statement with a dominant 1-1 victory. His big win also garnered him the points lead.
A rider wouldn’t typically hope to leap from sixth in points to first in the championship in only one race, but that’s exactly what Blose managed to do with his 1-1 victory. After cruising to the win in the first main event, and leaving the field behind him to battle for second, Blose did the same thing all over again in the second main event. He grabbed the holeshot and never looked back while Babbitt’s Kawasaki teammates Jacob Hayes and Matt Goerke along with the TiLUBE TUF Racing Husqvarna duo of Kyle Regal and Gavin Faith duked it out for the remaining podium finishes.
In the end, second on the night went to Goerke, who piloted his Monster Energy Kawasaki to a 4-2 finish. Faith rounded out the podium with a 3-5 finish. Regal, who came into the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans with the points lead, finished fourth on the night (8-4) which relegated him to third in points. The championship chase remains tight, however, with only seven points separating the top-four with five rounds remaining.
In the Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class, Slaka Wear KTM’s Steven Mages didn’t waste any time getting out front. Motosport.com KTM’s Daniel Blair overcame a bad start to move into second and challenge Mages for the lead, but Blair had to settle for second as Mages held on for the win. Babbitt’s Kawasaki’s Jacob Williamson rounded out the podium in third.
Arenacross Class Results – Overall (Main Event Finishes)
1. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (4-2)
3. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna (3-5)
4. Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna (8-4)
5. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (5-6)
6. Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha (6-7)
7. Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (2-12)
8. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (7-8)
9. Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM (13-3)
10. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (9-9)
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Results
1. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
2. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM
3. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki
4. Drayke Sizemore, Tamaroa, Ill., Honda
5. Ben Nelko, Aliquippa, Pa., KTM
6. Jason McConnell, Canonsburg, Pa., KTM
7. Brian Alquist, LaGrange, Calif., KTM
8. Jake Lowry, Pearl, Miss., Kawasaki
9. Jonah Locks, Dixon, Calif., Kawasaki
10. Clay Elliott, Buford, Ga., KTM
