Honda Red Bull Racing's Ivan Tedesco (Photo: Steve Cox) ยป More Photos
As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Only 19 days after breaking his left kneecap, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Mike Alessi qualified for (in 28th position), lined up for, and raced the Colorado National. Amazingly, he managed to get a good start despite not being able to put much weight on his bad leg, but less than a lap in, he and JGR/Toyota Yamaha’s Josh Grant collided, sending Alessi to the dirt, and effectively ending his day.
He had to go back and get his surgery re-done on his left knee, and instead of the original six-week prognosis, this time it’s eight, which puts him back at the end of August at the earliest. He’s likely out for the rest of the season.
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So that leaves his teammate Chad Reed, who went 1-1 at High Point, to dominate in Colorado, right?
Not as it turns out.
Reed’s stomach ailment flared up again in Colorado, and the points leader could only manage 11th in practice, and a 3-7 score in the two races.
However, Honda Red Bull Racing’s Ivan Tedesco took the bull by the horns and led every single lap around the Lakewood track, marking his first-ever 450cc victory at the same venue where he won his first-ever 250cc event in 2005.
His teammate Andrew Short was second overall, with Canidae/Motosport Kawasaki’s Tommy Hahn third. Reed still leads the points going into RedBud.
