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Langston Wins AMA Toyota Motocross Championship
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Villopoto Clinches Second-Consecutive AMA Motocross Lites Title in Devore
DEVORE, Calif. (September 9, 2007) – Yamaha’s Grant Langston, of Clermont, Fla., clinched his first-ever AMA Motocross class championship today before a crowd of 26,205 at Glen Helen Raceway’s Giant RV Motocross National Presented by Yamaha, final round of the 12-race AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF. Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., secured his second-consecutive AMA Motocross Lites title.
Langston, who entered the season finale needing a top finish to hold off his three nearest competitors, turned in a championship-winning performance with a 1-3 moto finish en route to his third-straight overall win to close out the season.
“It’s definitely a great feeling to win this championship,” said Langston, 25, who also won the 2003 AMA 125cc Motocross championship and 2005 and 2006 AMA 125cc Supercross titles. “I think it was just five or six races ago that I thought I didn’t have a snowballs chance (at winning the title). Every week I kept chipping away. The championship was a like a carrot being dangled in front of me. Once I could see the carrot I got on a roll.”
KTM’s Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., finished 2-2 for second overall, while Honda’s Kevin Windham, of Centreville, Miss., was third (5-1).
Ben Townley, of Tallahassee, Fla., who entered the race trialing by 19-points, picked up his sixth overall win of the season with a 1-2 moto finish but it wasn’t enough to keep Villopoto (1-2) from walking away with the championship. Kawasaki’s Bret Metcalfe, of Murrieta, Calif., was third overall after a 3-3 finish in the motos.
“I always heard that it was harder to back it up,” said the 19-year old Villopoto, referring to repeating as champion. “I Mitch (Payton, team manager) said he hasn’t seen two guys go at this hard. Ben and I went at it every weekend. It was definitely harder than last year.”
AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF
Giant RV Motocross National Presented by Yamaha
Glen Helen Raceway – Devore, Calif.
September 9, 2007
Round 12 of 12
Motocross (Moto Finish)
1. Grant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 1-3
2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 2-2
3. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 5-1
4. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 4-4
5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 3-6
6. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Wash., Yamaha, 8-5
7. Michael Brown, Johnson City, Tenn., Honda, 6-7
8. Gavin Gracyk, Blissfield, Ohio, Honda, 9-11
9. Kyle Mace, Hesperia, Calif., Kawasaki, 13-12
10. Ryan Clark, Waddell, Ariz., Honda, 10-15
Motocross Class Point Standings
1. Grant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 439
2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 423
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 421
4. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 417
5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 363
6. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 291
7. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 290
8. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 230
9. Gavin Gracyk, Blissfield, Ohio, Honda, 218
10. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 207
Motocross Lites (Moto Finish)
1. Ben Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 2-1
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 1-2
3. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 3-3
4. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha, 5-5
5. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Kawasaki, 10-4
6. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 7-6
7. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 6-7
8. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 4-12
9. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair, Mich., Suzuki, 8-11
10. Kyle Chisholm, Seminole, Fla., Kawasaki, 14-8
Motocross Lites Point Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 544
2. Ben Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 525
3. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 346
4. Jason Lawrence, Murrieta, Ga., Yamaha, 277
5. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 267
6. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 255
7. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 242
8. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 220
9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 203
10. Broc Tickle, Cary, N.C., Yamaha, 201
For more information on the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF, log on to www.amamotocross.com for live timing and scoring at @theWireLIVE!.
Racer X Illustrated will host a new and improved webcast on www.motocross.com, with live racing action hosted by Jason Weigandt. The Racer X Motocross Show on Motocross.com has also been added on Saturday night of each race weekend, featuring practice footage and interviews taken earlier in the day.
Credential requests for each round of the 2007 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF, must be submitted via email to tgardea@amaproracing.com three weeks prior to the race. Media members interested in interviews with the riders of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF, should contact Next Level Sports Management at 949-365-5750 or email tgardea@amaproracing.com.
About the NPG
The NPG is comprised of the 12 individual promoters of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF. The goal of the NPG is to raise awareness of motocross through the production of professional championship racing events.
About AMA Pro Racing
AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access an on line Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom. For amateur racing information visit www.amadirectlink.com/amrace/amasports.asp.
About Next Level Sports Management
Next Level Sports Management is a leading-edge sports marketing and athlete representation firm with a focus on promotion, publicity and strategic business alliances. With over 15 years of experience in the sports marketing and athlete management business, using extensive research and tried-and-tested techniques, Next Level Sports Management has developed a unique and successful system for gaining maximum results for its clients. Currently, Next Level Sports Management, is responsible for the Public Relations efforts for the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series and the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF.
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