FAITH TAKES OVER IN TAMPA
G
avin Faith was perfect at the
seventh round of the 2016
AMSOIL Arenacross Series,
which took place at the Amailie
Arena in Tampa, Florida, Satur-
day night, February 20. The win
was a little bittersweet for the
Team Babbitt's/Monster Energy/
AMSOIL Kawasaki rider, as his
teammate and points leader go-
ing into the race, Jacob Hayes,
was injured in a crash in prac-
tice and could not compete.
In Hayes' absence, Faith was
also able to take over the series
points lead.
Faith grabbed the holeshot to
start the opening Arenacross-
class main event, with TZR/
Woodstock KTM's Travis Sewell
and Rockstar Energy Drink
Husqvarna Factory Racing pre-
sented by FCC and OTSFF rider
Gared Steinke in tow. TiLUBE/
Tuf Racing Honda's Jace Owen
and Herrlein completed the top
five. Team Babbitt's/Monster
Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki's
Chris Blose, who entered the
night third in points, crashed in
the first corner and then found
himself on the ground again on
the opening lap, starting 16th.
The lead trio went unchanged
throughout the entirety of the 15-
lap main event, with Faith gradu-
ally extending his lead each lap
before taking the checkered flag
two seconds ahead of Sewell.
Steinke raced to a solid third-
place effort, with Owen fourth
and Custom Powersports/Slaka
Wear Kawasaki's Steven Mages
in fifth. Blose recovered from his
early misfortune to finish 10th.
Faith then relied on the sup-
port of the Amalie Arena crowd
to choose one of three cases,
ultimately selecting the case with
the number eight, meaning half
the field would be inverted for
the second main event.
It was Sewell who edged out
Faith to start the second main,
with Owen and Steinke battling
for a spot on the podium right
behind them. Sewell paced the
IN
THE
WIND
P14
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
ROB
KOY
Jacob Hayes
won both
Arenacross-
class main
events at
the Tampa
Arenacross.
