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/653298
SUPERCROSS ROUND 10 / MARCH 12, 2016 TORONTO, CANADA / ROGERS CENTRE P84 MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES Things went from bad to worse for Ya- maha Factory Racing's Chad Reed in the last two weeks. In Daytona—at a track where Reed is normally very competitive, if not dominant—Reed struggled all day on his way to 12th in the main event. In Toronto, he didn't even make it all the way down the start straightaway. Reed was squeezed to the inside down the start straight and went down hard, dropping out of the race. He says he's okay, though, and should be on the line in a week's time in Detroit. For at least the third time this season, a minor gate flinch caused a race to be restarted after a slew of riders ran into it. This week, it happened at the start of 450SX Semi 2, causing Yoshimura Suzuki's Blake Baggett to get stuck in the gate. On the re- start, Baggett fared much better and ended up qualifying for the main event with second place. In the main event, he got caught up in the Justin Bogle crash, but was able to recover for 11th. Despite the trouble, it was Baggett's best finish of the season. It's not often that racers get flat tires in supercross, but in Toronto two top racers suffered rear flat tires in the 250SX main event. First, it was Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM's Shane McElrath, who suffered a rear flat at about the halfway point. He lost two laps while his team changed the rear wheel. But a few laps later, GEICO Honda's RJ Hampshire suf- fered a rear flat as well. He also lost two laps while his team changed his tire. It's hard to imagine that either one would've lost two laps if they just kept racing with the flat rear tire. Then again, supercross is dangerous enough without overcoming things like that. Vicki Golden qualified for the eve- ning show in the 250SX division. Of the 40 riders who can qualify into the night program, she finished 37th. The Microbilt/PRBC/Metal Muli- sha-backed Suzuki rider, however, couldn't quite transfer into the main event but you know she'll keep trying. Yoshimura Suzuki's James Stewart chose to skip the Toronto round to let his bruised back heal from last week's loop-out at Daytona. Earler in the week, Stewart Tweeted: "As you know I busted my Gluteus Maximus last week in the whoops. That's the second time I ever looped out but the first time on tv where the world can see it. After studying the film, there is a perfectly good reason why that happened. Too much gas and not enough brake. That's it!! Lol. But in all seriousness that hurt so bad and still is hurting. Can't sit down without my donut or without some cushion for my behind. I've been getting a lot of support from you guys and I truly appreciate it. It's been a tough year but I'm here for the journey back to where I belong. No one but you knows how hard you work, how many hours you put in the behind the scenes. Rely on yourself for approval, not the outside world. Just gotta keep pushing!!!!" 450SX Main 1. Ken Roczen (Suz) 2. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 3. Ryan Dungey (KTM) 4. Cole Seely (Hon) 5. Eli Tomac (Kaw) 6. Justin Brayton (KTM) 7. Trey Canard (Hon) 8. Weston Peick (Yam) 9. Jason Anderson (Hus) 10. Jake Weimer (Suz) 250SX East Main 1. Justin Hill (KTM) 2. Jeremy Martin (Yam) 3. Matt Bisceglia (Suz) 4. Alexander Frye (KTM) 5. Jesse Wentland (Hon) 6. Malcolm Stewart (Hon) 7. Benny Bloss (Yam) 8. Gannon Audette (Kaw) 9. Paul Coates (Hon) 10. Arnaud Tonus (Kaw) Briefly... 31 RJ HAMPSHIRE 22ST 250SX Overall, it was a tough night for the GEICO Honda Team. RJ Hampshire was one of the riders caught up in the melee, then he ran into more troubles when he got going. "I had a good start but then I got tangled up with everyone," he said. "I was trying to come back through and I felt good, I think I was up to around 10th. But someone's footpeg sliced my tire in that early crash, I felt it going down on me throughout the moto. I thought I could just roll around and get it to the finish, I was back in 14th, but we went in for a pitstop. Just going to forget about the night and go on to next weekend."