Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128404
"I'm not really used to racing Arenacross again, [and I] did my best," said Sellards, who went 3-2 in the main events. "I rode consistently but not on the edge like I'd have liked to. Chad's pretty fast, fast in the whoops. He's a notch ahead of me right now." Albany was Sellards' first Arenacross in 10 years. Rounding out the top three overall on the weekend was fan favorite and Moose Racing/Suzuki-backed John "Junkyard" Dowd. Battling a knee injury suffered at Steel City, Dowd, 40, rode aggressively and made the podium on both nights, going 2-3. "I'm pretty psyched," Dowd said. "I wasn't fully prepared for this weekend; [I] haven't ridden in a few weeks, basically because we've had so much rain up here. My Suzuki got me off to a good start and I just went out there and tried to have fun." Also racing the Arenacross class was RockstarlSuzuki's Greg Schnell, who was was still nursing some injured ribs and a femur contusion after getting banged up a bit at the U.S. Open. Schnell managed a fourth-place finish on Friday but was well behind the leaders on Saturday. '" just wanted to get through this weekend without putting the bike on the ground," Schnell said. "I'm still nowhere close to I00 percent. But it's a long season. We've got Des Moines this weekend, then a week off. I'm thinking by Rockford [Illinois, round three] I'll be pretty close to being up to speed." In the Arenacross Lites class (formerly the I25cc class), Team Kawasaki/VRM's Shawn Clark of Montgomery, Indiana, took it to everybody - including the second-place overall rider, Crossroad PowersportslKawasaki's Damian Plotts of Conyngham, Pennsylvania. Also noteworthy in the Arenacross Lites class was the effort put forth by 35-year-old Jim Chester of Lenoir, North Carolina. Chester made the podium on Friday night. This weekend, the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series travels to Des Moines, Iowa, for round two of the series at the brand-new Wells Fargo Arena. eN PEPSI ARENA ALBANY, NEW YORK RESULTS: OCTOBER 28-29, (ROUND 1 OF Union newspaper prior to the Albany event. All weekend long, Dowd, 40, got the biggest applause from the fans. Another veteran racer mixing it up with the young guns was Suzuki-mounted &any Carsten, who hails from nearby Bayville, New J.ney. ~ seemed r,ke he was on the track f!Nery time you turned around, doubling up in both classes. ~ pulled two fourths in the Utes class and backed that up with a 10th on Friday in the Arenacross class. With all the rain in the Northeast during the past month, track builder Rigg Hipps had to pull off a miracle to get the track in racing order. His secret? "Ten tons of lime," 2005 10) Friday ARENACROSS: I. Chad Johnson (Yam); 2. John Dowd (Suz); 3. Brock Sellards (Hon); -4. Greg Schnell (Suz); S. Jim Neese (Suz): 6. Zach Ames (Suz); 7. Shawn Clark (Kaw): B. Damien Plotts (Kaw); 9. Kevin Jonnson (Yam); to. Barry Carsten (Suz). ARENACROSS LITES: I. Shawn Clark (Kaw); 2. Damien Plotts (Kaw); J. JIm Chester (Suz); -4. Barry Car"sten (SuI); S. Kevin Maricwardt (Suz): 6. Robby Marshall (Hon); 7. Mark Waldele (Kaw); 8. Tolland Weems (Kaw): 9. Joshua Schmitt (Hon): 10. Jason Morland (Hon). Saturday ARENACROSS, I. Chad Joh""", (Yam); L B,ock Sellud' (Hon); 3. John Dowd (Suz); 4. Zach Arne. (Suz); 5. Jeff Nonhrop (Hon); 6. Dam.en Plow (Kaw); 7. Jim Q>e,ter (Suz); B. Kevm Johnson (Yam); 9. Robby MushaJl (Hon): 10. Ryan Poulter (Hon). ARENACROSS LITES, I. Shawn CIari< (Kaw); 2. Oarnien Plotts (Kaw); 3. Kevin Markwardt (Suz); 4. Barry Car'sten (Suz): S. Sonny Nighman (Kaw); 6. Robby Marshall (Hon); 7. M¥1< W~dele (Kaw); B. Mkhael Koch (Yam); 9. Dave Ginoffi (Hon); 10. Adam B~sjng (Suz). TOYOTA AMA NATIONAL ARENACROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Ake,. I of 10 rounds): ARENACROSS, I. Chad Joh""'" (50/2 W;"'); 2. (TIE) Brock Sellanl, (42VJohn Dowd (42); 4. Zach Arne. (H); 5. Dam"'" PIa", (30); 6. Jeff Nonhrop (28); 7. K"';n Johnson (27); B. Jim Neese (26); 9. (TIE) Jim C""',..- (2SVG'eg Schnell (25). said Hipps. Lime contains magnesium carbonate and does wonders to turn mud into a raceable arena surface. Many of the racers commented on how well the track held up vs. previous years. Taking the Weekend Warrior Trailer $500 holeshot awards on both nights was Zach Ames of Columbus, Ohio. Keep an eye on this kid: Robby Marshall from Stow, Massachusetts, scored a couple of sixth-place finishes in the Lites class and backed that up with a top ten in the Arenacross class on Saturday night. Arenacross Lites (formerly 12S class) champion Shawn Clark had a good deal set up by the guys at Virtually Real Motocross (VRM.com). Clark's was the class of the Lites class, as the Indiana native easily won on both nights. CYCLE NEWS • NOVEMBER 16, 2005 33