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AMA SX: Vegas Notebook
Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
SPEEDtv.com
05/02/2008 - 03:38 PM
Aurora, IL
Honda Red Bull’s Davi Millsaps (Photo: Carl Stone) » More Photos
To preview this weekend’s AMA Supercross class finale and the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout, part of the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium, the top three riders in the premier class, Chad Reed, Kevin Windham and Davi Millsaps, and the Regional AMA Supercross Lites class champions, Trey Canard and Jason Lawrence, were featured at the pre-race press conference.
First to the podium was Red Bull Honda’s Millsaps, who registered a career best two wins and eight podium finishes this season:
“At the beginning of the year I had to take my whole life into my own hands. I have a lot of good people around me. This was my first full year for me and it turned out to be a good year. It’s been a great stepping stone for my career. I believe next year will go good as well. (Chad and Kevin) are in their own race and they’re fighting for the championship. For me I try to ride my own race and not worry about them. Last weekend they both came from the back and ended up 1-2 and it was kind of crazy. I learn something new every day from these guys. The (Las Vegas) track is really technical normally. There are going to be three sets of whoops and we got the flat tracking going on in the back. This year has been all soft pack dirt and this week we're getting back to hard pack dirt. If I’m in the lead and Kevin and Chad are second and third, I don’t’ think its really going to matter because of the points. I’m trying to think about that. I’m sure those guys will be up in the front riding as fast as they can and I’m not going to worry about that.
Geico Honda’s Windham, who has four wins and 11 podium finishes, commented on his resurgence and the pending AMA Supercross championship:
“My goals this season have been changing, and here recently they’ve been put into warp speed. It was a tough year to come into, after an ‘07 season that was not that stellar. To be honest, we are working with contracts from year to year. Motivation has been at an all-time high. It’s easy to lose sight of how successful we’ve been this season. If I win this race it will match my all time career high for wins in a season with five. (The championship battle) is tense. I think that its’ a true look into our lives and our eyes about how much we want this thing. We both want this really bad. He’s in the driver’s seat a little bit. It’s his to lose. At this point (looking back) it would be easy to find 10 points. It’s going to be easy to armchair quarterback at this and find all the things I’ve done wrong and all that. I’m 30 and I feel like I’m in the prime of my career. Winning is my only option at this point. Vegas is great. I love this town, I love this track and the vibe of the town is incredible. The crowd has been really behind me this year.
Team San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Yamaha’s Reed, who holds a 10-point lead heading into the season finale, talked about his season, the injuries and what I will take to win his second career AMA Supercross Championship:
“There have been a few bumps along the way. The ups and the downs is what you work hard for. At Anaheim I said I was sick of seconds and thirds and everyone was talking about James. No was even talking about Kevin at that point. I’ve had to battle through some injuries the last few years. It’s been an awesome learning year and I’ve learned that every point counts. At times this year I’ve thrown it on the ground, but been able to get back up on the podium. A lot of people question how hurt I really was (at Detroit). Unfortunately, I spent the entire day at the hospital with the broken scapula. I had been there before (with a hurt shoulder) but this time I couldn’t really get rid of the pain. You have to fight to the end. That’s why it’s a championship. That’s why it’s
Geico Honda’s Canard stepped up to the podium to discuss his recent Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites title and the upcoming Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Supercross Lites Shootout in Las Vegas:
“(Ryan Villopoto) can do what he wants to do. I’m going to go base it like a normal race. I didn’t mean to take him out. But my back wheel slid and gave him a little love tap. I feel bad that he went down and hit the pole like that. I just hope we can go out there (Saturday) and race it like a normal race. After the last four nationals (last season) I wasn’t too excited about how I rode and performed. I just put my head down in the off season and got ready for supercross. I gave it all I had every day and it worked. Things didn’t go too bad for me this season until Detroit. Minneapolis is where it started going bad. Then Dallas was another roller coast ride and then Detroit it got worse. I think it was good what happened in Detroit (where a crash cut his points lead to just three points with one race remaining) because it put me into attack mode and changed my view. All the pressure is kind of gone so I’m going out there (on Saturday) to have some fun. It’s always been cool to watch these guys in the past wear the 1E and the 1W (number plates) so I’m going to run that on my bike. I’ve looked at the (Las Vegas) track map and it looks like a track that we’ll have to attack. I try not to think about the riders too much and think about the track. There are some really good riders like Jason (Lawrence) and Ryan (Dungey). The Lites class is probably at an all time high. There aren’t too many standouts that reign over it all.”
Boost Mobile Yamaha’s Lawrence as the final rider brought to the podium:
“I would like to see how I stand up against Trey and Villopoto. But at the same time I want to save myself for the outdoors. I feel confident in the outdoors. I always feel more confident going into the outdoors than I do for supercross. I think it’s going to take a few weeks to wear off (winning the championship). The track in Vegas is like a non-watered test track. It will be blue-grooved in the whoops. My plan is that Trey and I battle it out for the win. Two champions battling it out. To see the red background on my bike looks pretty cool. I plan on coming back and defending my title (next year).”
Michigan native Nick Wey currently sits ninth overall after an up-and-down season. Now, after finally recovering from injury and illness he has stepped up his game with improved starts, smooth riding and better results.
“Nick (Wey) has been steadily improving the past few weeks, and we can’t wait to see what he’ll bring to the table in Vegas,” stated MDK KTM Factory Team Manager Steve Lamson. “We haven’t given up on supercross yet. There is one more race left, and we are going to hit the supercross test track again today in order to prepare as best we can.”
His teammate Martin Davalos is awaiting word from his doctor on whether or not he can ride in Las Vegas this weekend after pulling a groin muscle at the St. Louis Supercross. “I have been riding all week, but it is still very sore. If I am not released in time to ride Vegas, I will be healed and ready to go by the first outdoor round,” commented Davalos.
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