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The rain had almost as big an impact on the series points standings as it did on the track. In the dry first moto, Honda's Andrew Short took the win, while Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto took second, over Hepler and Red Bull KTM's Alessi. This vaulted Villopoto back into the points lead, over Alessi. And Villopoto ran in front of his rival in the sec- ond moto, until he started making big mis- takes in the rain and ultimately dropped a few positions to finish sixth (or at least that's what he thought). Alessi ended the day with 4-2 scores to take second overall (or at least that's what he thought). Later on, both Villopoto and Alessi were docked one position each, Villopoto for receiving outside assistance, and Alessi for cutting off a section of the track. As a result, Alessi was officially credited with 4-3 moto finishes and third overall, which moved Matt Goerke up to second overall, with 10-2 moto finishes. Still, Alessi was happy to leave Millville with the points lead, five points ahead of Villopoto. "I was definitely excited to come back to Millville," said Alessi. "Last year, I got second here, so I had a lot of confidence. I got the points lead back and got some momentum going, so it should be good. It's gonna come down to the last moto, and I think the guy who can keep his cool will win the champi- onship. Hopefully it's me, but if it's not, at least I can say I did what I could and got on the podium every week. But right now I need to start winning." Indeed, Alessi is consistent, but he hasn't won an overall since the very first race of the season, at Hangtown. And in the first moto at Millville, he couldn't hang with the pace set by Short and Villopoto up front, and then he fell into the clutches of Hepler with two laps to go. "I finally got a good start," said Hepler. "They were just a little faster than me early on, and they started pulling away. They were hanging it out, and I pumped up. Once I started loos- ening up, I felt okay." Short won at Millville last year, and he picked up where he left off with a big moto win. Had it not been for the rain in moto two, he may have been able to do it again. "I'm just excited to get the wins," said Short. "Colorado really hurt me with the points, and now I've just got to go for broke and get wins. I can take more chances, where Mike and Ryan have to be more cautious. It's actually more fun for me. And I love this track. In Colorado, they have a lot of sand and these kinds of ruts and bumps. I can push harder than I did back east." SoBe/Samsung Honda's Josh Grant got the holeshot in moto two, but Hepler was on an early charge and got into the lead on the first lap. Short moved into second and was ready to try to reel Hepler in, but the skies opened up before he had a chance. And Short admits he's not the best mud rider. "I'm pretty happy that I was able to sal- vage something," said Short. "I don't have the best history in the mud." Villopoto took on Short and tried to pass him for second, but the rookie made a mis- take and crashed. Alessi then took second from Short and held it all the way to the fin- ish. "Broc was riding so great in the second moto, and when it started to rain, I thought, 'I'm just going to have fun with this,'" said Alessi. "I was pretty much riding smooth, and I caught up to Andrew. He made a little bobble going up the hill, and that was all I needed." The rider on the move later on was Star Racing/Lucas Oils Yamaha rider Matt Goerke, who climbed all the way to a career-best third in the moto. He gained one more position off the track when it was announced that Villopoto had been docked one position. "I was in fifth, and then it started pouring rain," said Goerke. "I just kept it up and tried not to think about anything except going as fast as I could go. I wasn't sure who I was passing, because everyone was so freaking filthy! I ended up third." But Hepler was the man of the hour. "My speed has been picking up," said Hepler, who missed the first three races of the season due to a foot injury. "I can hang it out and take some chances the other riders can't, because I'm not in the [hunt for the] championship. And I think I finally got my starts down today. I'm excited about the next few races." CN SPRING CREEK MX PARK MILLVILLE, MINNESOTA RESULTS: AUGUST 13, 2006 (ROUND 9 OF 12) LITES MOTO 1: 1. Andrew Short (Hon); 2. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw); 3. Broc Hepler (Suz); 4. Mike Alessi (KTM); 5. Joshua Grant (Hon); 6. Jason Lawrence (Suz); 7. Thomas Hahn (Hon); 8. Ryan Dungey (Suz); 9. Christopher Gosselaar (Kaw); 10. Matthew Goerke (Yam); 11. Brett Metcalfe (Yam); 12. Troy Adams (Kaw); 13. Steve Boniface (Hon); 14. Jake Weimer (Hon); 15. Paul Carpenter (Hon); 16. Jimmy Albertson (Yam); 17. Danny Smith (Hon); 18. Justin Brayton (Yam); 19. Joshua Hill (Yam); 20. Sean Collier (Yam); 21. Brian Gray (Suz); 22. Ryan Sipes (Suz); 23. Christopher Pugrab (Kaw); 24. Richie Owens (Yam); 25. Bryan Johnson (Yam); 26. Robert Marshall (Hon); 27. Robert Kiniry (Hon); 28. Tucker Hibbert (Yam); 29. Levi Kilbarger (Hon); 30. Adam Chatfield (Hon); 31. Bruce Dehn (Kaw); 32. Tanner Reidman (Suz); 33. Cory Green (Hon); 34. Shane Sewell (Suz); 35. Teddy Maier (Kaw); 36. Matt Walker (Yam); 37. Kelly Smith (Hon); 38. Justin Keeney (Hon); 39. Nathan Ramsey (KTM); 40. Casey Hinson (Hon). Race Time: 36 min., 05.9 sec. LITES MOTO 2: 1. Broc Hepler (Suz); 2. Matthew Goerke (Yam); 3. Mike Alessi (KTM); 4. Andrew Short (Hon); 5. Danny Smith (Hon); 6. Paul Carpenter (Hon); 7. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw); 8. Ryan Dungey (Suz); 9. Sean Collier (Yam); 10. Josh Grant (Hon); 11. Richie Owens (Yam); 12. Robert Kiniry (Hon); 13. Brett Metcalfe (Yam); 14. Tucker Hibbert (Hon); 15. Steve Boniface (Hon); 16. Bryan Johnson (Yam); 17. Chris Gosselaar (Kaw); 18. Josh Hill (Yam); 19. Tommy Hahn (Hon); 20. Shane Sewell (Suz); 21. Brian Gray (Suz); 22. Jake Weimer (Hon); 23. Robert Marshall (Hon); 24. Matt Walker (Yam); 25. Tanner Reidman (Suz); 26. Casey Hinson (Hon); 27. Troy Adams (Kaw); 28. Adam Chatfield (Hon); 29. Ryan Sipes (Suz); 30. Bruce Dehn (30); 31. Cory Green (Hon); 32. Kelly Smith (Hon); 33. Levi Kilbarger (Hon); 34. Jimmy Albertson (Yam); 35. Chris Pugrab (Kaw); 36. Jason Lawrence (Suz); 37. Justin Brayton (Yam); 38. Teddy Maier (Kaw); 39. Justin Keeney (Hon); 40. Nathan Ramsey (KTM). Race Time: 38 min., 23.8 sec. LITES OVERALL: 1. Broc Hepler (Suz); 2. Andrew Short (Hon); 3. Mike Alessi (KTM); 4. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw); 5. Matt Goerke (Yam); 6. Josh Grant (Hon); 7. Ryan Dungey (Suz); 8. Paul Carpenter (Hon); 9. Danny Smith (Hon); 10. Brett Metcalfe (Yam); 11. Chris Gosselaar (Kaw); 12. Tommy Hahn (Hon); 13. Jason Lawrence (Suz); 14. Steve Boniface (Hon); 15. Sean Collier (Yam); 16. Richie Owens (Yam); 17. Robert Kiniry (Hon); 18. Troy Adams (Kaw); 19. Tucker Hibbert (Yam); 20. Jake Weimer (Hon); 21. Bryan Johnson (Yam); 22. Josh Hill (Yam); 23. Jimmy Albertson (Yam); 24. Justin Brayton (Yam); 25. Shane Sewell (Suz); 26. Brian Gray (Suz); 27. Robbie Marshall (Hon); 28. Ryan Sipes (Suz); 29. Tanner Reidman (Suz); 30. Adam Chatfield (Hon); 31. Chris Pugrab (Kaw); 32. Matt Walker (Yam); 33. Bruce Dehn (Kaw); 34. Levi Kilbarger (Hon); 35. Cory Green (Hon); 36. Casey Hinson (Hon); 37. Kelly Smith (Hon); 38. Teddy Maier (Kaw); 39. Justin Keeney (Hon); 40. Nathan Ramsey (KTM). AMA/TOYOTA MOTOCROSS LITES SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 9 of 12 rounds): 1. Mike Alessi (353/1 win); 2. Ryan Villopoto (348/5 wins); 3. Andrew Short (323/2 wins); 4. Josh Grant (288); 5. Brett Metcalfe (244); 6. Andrew McFarlane (229); 7. Broc Hepler (178/1 win); 8. Matt Goerke (169); 9. Nathan Ramsey (168); 10. Troy Adams (152); 11. Paul Carpenter (136); 12. (TIE) Danny Smith/Sean Collier (125); 14. Steve Boniface (123); 15. Jason Lawrence (115); 16. Martin Davalos (90); 17. Matt Walker (76); 18. Kyle Chisholm (69); 19. Chris Gosselaar (62); 20. Grant Langston (61). Spring Creek MX Park Millville, MN Round 9 August 13, 2006 AUGUST 23, 2006 • C Y C L E N E W S 26 2006 Toyota AMA Motocross Championship Presented by FMF MY OWN RACE 51 Ryan Villopoto 4th (2-7) Place Ryan Villopoto came into the race down three points to Alessi, but he made up four by tak- ing a solid second in moto one, behind Short. "I didn't have anything for him in that moto; he was going fast out there, and I couldn't catch him," Villopoto said. "I had some problems at the top of the hill early in the race and some guys got by me. I'm happy to take second, behind Andrew - he's the guy I like to see win the most, if it's not me." Short and Villopoto battled in moto two before the rain really wreaked havoc on the track, and a series of crashes knocked RV back off of the podium. 142 Ryan Dungey 7th (8-8) Place Before the race, a lot of people were wondering why Makita Suzuki hired the relatively unknown Ryan Dungey to a two-year factory contract. But the Minnesota native delivered in his very first race, carding solid 8-8 finishes. "It was fun," said Dungey. "I wanted to put in two 35-minute motos, and I did. It was fun. I wouldn't say it was a blast - I had some nerves going, but I was definitely more prepared than I thought I would be. I was thinking, 'I hope I make the top 10,' and it's good to make the top 10. The longer motos I like. I kind of got a little winded in the first moto, but I learned from this weekend and hope to use that next weekend." 375 Josh Hill 22nd (19-18) Place The other rookie, Oregon's Josh Hill, didn't have such an easy time. Hill looked a little nervous all day, but he was riding well as he followed Dungey through the pack in the first moto. Then a very strange thing happened: Hill somehow caught his foot between the chain and the swingarm of his YZ250F. It took him almost a minute to free himself, which knocked him out of contention. In the muddy second moto, Hill had more troubles, including getting stuck in a rut and damaging his rear- brake pedal. 24 Josh Grant 6th (5-10) Place Josh Grant definitely had his starts figured out, as he grabbed both $500 Racer X Holeshot Awards. But his results still aren't where he wants them to be. "Dude, I suck in the mud, but today I did pretty good until the last lap, when I started falling over," said Grant. "I was hoping to do better today, because I practice here." Matt Goerke finished third in the second moto but moved up a notch when Alessi got penalized. Goerke went 10-2 for fifth overall.