by Steve Cox
Steel City Race Report
Saturday, September 4, 2010 | 11:59 PM
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In this article…
Riders
- Justin Barcia
- Darryn Durham
- Bobby Kiniry
- Chris Pourcel
- Kevin Windham
- Andrew Short
- Kyle Chisholm
- Nico Izzi
- Ryan Dungey
- Tyla Rattray
- Wil Hahn
- Eli Tomac
- Mike Alessi
- Brett Metcalfe
- Trey Canard
- Dean Wilson
Races
The seesaw battle in the 250s continued at the penultimate round of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championships at Steel City between points leader Chris Pourcel of the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team and GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard, and both riders refused to back up or let the other get a leg up. Unfortunately for one of them, though, there had to be only one winner.
In the 450s, a crash resulted in a mechanical DNF for the champ in a moto and led to an overall win by the eldest racer in the series.
450
Honda Red Bull Racing/GEICO Powersports Honda’s Kevin Windham likes Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pennsylvania. He always has. It suits his style of careful line choices and awesome throttle control. But in the previous nine rounds of racing, no one was able to dethrone this year’s new champ Ryan Dungey of the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team.
Kevin Windham (14) takes the checkered in the first 450cc moto at Steel City, just in front of Brett Metcalfe (24).
Photo: Steve Cox
Instead, Dungey dethroned himself. On the first lap, he lost his balance in a rut and crashed, sheering off his front-brake rotor before dropping out of the moto.
Meanwhile, GEICO Powersports Honda’s Brett Metcalfe grabbed the lead on the first lap and began to stretch out a very large advantage while Windham moved by temporary teammate Andrew Short for second.
Out front, Metcalfe had the race in hand before a stall cost him the lead. Windham took over, but Metcalfe struck back and passed the veteran, only for Windham to regroup and make a pass stick with about a lap to go at the end of the moto. Windham went on to score his first outdoor moto win since Glen Helen in 2007, the last year he raced motocross full-time. Metcalfe came in second in front of Townley and Short, making it a Honda top-four sweep. Brayton was fifth.
In moto two, Short again grabbed the start, but this time it was Windham who got by him first and moved into the lead. Dungey followed him through, though, and eventually made the pass stick for the lead. Windham stayed close for a while, but eventually ended up settling for second while Metcalfe worked his way through from the tail end of the top 10 to get within spitting distance of Windham at the finish, grabbing third in the moto. Brayton was fourth and Short was fifth.
Overall, Windham took what could be his last AMA National victory over Metcalfe, Brayton, Short, Mike Alessi (with a 7-7 score), Dungey, JGR replacement rider Nick Paluzzi, Kyle Chisholm, Bobby Kiniry, and then Ben Townley, who dropped out of the final moto after a first-turn crash that also ended Billy Mackenzie’s time as a Kawasaki fill-in, as Billy Mac suffered a broken left collarbone in the fall.
In the points, though, Metcalfe moved past Short into second in the standings, while Windham has reached 14th in the points despite only racing from Millville on.
250
GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard let an opportunity slip through his fingertips at Southwick, but it seemed he wasn’t prepared for the to happen again at Steel City. However, title rival and points leader Chris Pourcel wasn’t about to give any quarter, either.
Chris Pourcel (377) and Trey Canard (38) battled about this close in both 250cc motos at Steel City.
Photo: Steve Cox
Pourcel’s teammate Tyla Rattray grabbed the holeshot in the first moto, but Pourcel was quickly past him and into the lead. Canard came around to end lap one in third after passing a couple of riders on the opening lap. Canard wasn’t going to wait around, though. On lap two, he zapped Rattray for second, then set out after Pourcel, passing him for the lead less than a lap later.
Pourcel came right back and passed Canard the next lap, but Canard put his exclamation point on the race when he took Pourcel wide in a 90-degree left-hander at the bottom of a hill just past the start area. From there, Canard would never be headed, although Pourcel did manage a late-race charge that left the two racers not only separated by less than one second at the checkered, but the late-race charge left them over 20 seconds in front of Rattray. Canard’s teammate Eli Tomac grabbed fourth over TLD/Lucas Oil Honda’s Wil Hahn.
In the first half of the race, Canard looks out of sorts and fails to move forward much at all, only getting into third close to halfway, but at about the halfway point, Pourcel moves into fourth behind him and puts some pressure on, and then Canard fires up, passing Tomac (with Pourcel following suit) and then chasing down Wilson for the lead, making the pass with three laps to go. Pourcel seemed to concede second to Pourcel, and Pourcel put on another late-race charge and again came up just short – about two seconds back – of Canard. Wilson finishes third over teammate Rattray, then Tomac, Barcia and Wharton. That’s a top-seven full of all seven healthy Pro Circuit and Factory Connection racers, setting the stage for a knock-down, drag-out finale at Pala, where team tactics may very well come into play for both teams.
With the final two motos still left to run, Pourcel leads Canard by only seven points. The good news for Pourcel is that he can finish second to Canard in both motos and still secure the championship by one point. The bad news is that if Canard goes 1-1 again (he has won five of the last six nationals overall), Pourcel can’t finish any worse than second in either moto, or the title will not be his. And in the case of a tie in points, it will go to Canard, who has the most overall wins (five to Pourcel’s two so far).
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Thanks for the race report S. Cox. Do you check your work before you submit it? WOW, that Pourcel guy is really everywhere. "Pourcel seemed to concede second to Pourcel, and Pourcel put on another late-race charge and again came up just short – about two seconds back – of Canard. "
Pourcel seemed to concede second to Pourcel, and Pourcel put on another late-race charge
DERP HERP GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard let an opportunity slip through his fingertips at Southwick, but it seemed he wasn’t prepared for the to happen again at Steel City.
The pass Canard put on Wilson(who was hauling) made me jump out of my seat and twist my throttle hand. K-dub gets the overall, fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!
Patterson is going for it! awsome! and Canard wants this title....pourcel is watching his back right now!
The last round will be hard. Geico vs Kaw , Both team will put riders to hold the enemy. But congrats to windham, that's one guy I will miss in the races.
I think races like this just might bring Windham back outdoors again next year. It would be nice.
To mx6pak, I guess not cause Windham says that with 4 kids it is hard to ride. Maybe next supercross season will be the last. he already is part of motocross history !!!!!!
Too bad KW isn't on the MXoN team, what style and determination.
That 2nd 250 moto was "edge of the seat viewing" for sure. The article editing was soso I give it a 5 of 10, too bad.
An awesome day of racing! Guys, K-Dub has said his goal is to race 'til 2014 (to match his number 14) ... at least in SX.
Watching Windham ride is awesome no matter where he finishes.......watching Windham win a moto AND win the overall at this point in his career is beyond words!! I was really wanting Metcalfe to get his first win, especially after last week, the fact that it was KW who took it away from him is the only thing that made it ok for me that he didnt get it. Pretty damn cool watching a person with the integrity of KW getting a win at 32!!! So, Pala sounds like it is gonna be ROUGH.......who do you think that will benefit more, TC or CP???? Stellar day by you also Trey Canard...... Just do your part and do it again next week!!!
..... and congrats also to Justin Brayton (he's the guy from iowa) on his podium ride!!!! Woo Hoo!!!
Canard did not crack! MX in HD is the best. I feel like I need goggles to watch!
Some of you guys need to cut Cox some slack, besides SPEED channel how else would you find out what happened ? I'm sure its pretty hard to still be accurate at Midnight after an AWESOME day of racing! Whatever, your 1 st post took the words right outa my mouth! Wheres that "DUNGEY RULES" guy? Sean needed to give his keyboard a long over due top end.
i can not believe they chose Short to race at the Mxon he is gona be the dead ringer for the loss of mighty USA's streak of wins they should take a re-vote.
Pourcel is a heck of a rider, but his interviews after each moto...can anyone say, "whiney beeeyatch"?
I thought Puorcel's interview after moto 2 was respectable.. he basicly said he was having problems late in the series and that Canard was haulin ass.... he took nothing away from Trey's skills or abilities.
Great ride for KW14 man it was cool seeing him up front winning. Cant wait tell next week to see if he can keep it up. Metty just cant get a break just when he finds the next gear KW14 finds it to. There was some great racing this week even if RD1 did not get the overall buy the way he road the 2 moto he showed he is still the man. HAVE A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cant wait tell next week to see the 125 "250" race it could be a epic battle. I think Pourcel has gotten a lot better with the USA fans. But if some of you feel he has not try going in front of thousands of people after riding your hart out only to get 2 then getting booed for not being from the US! I would like to see TC38 win the championship but with all that CP377 has been throw i have to have mad respect for him. Ether way it goes it should be some great racing witch mean we the fans are the really winners cant wait! HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The 250 moto's really got me amp'ed up. The Doc cleared me to ride again after my total knee replacement and my CR500 is "chewin' at the bit". Sean, you can still end with "DUNGEY RULES" He's the new friggin" champ man!
MCMOTO' Your right he does still RULE but i said during supercross that i would only put it when he win's. It's just that he almost always win's so every one is use to me putting it. But trust me i sill feel it and am still the biggest RD1 fan on here. I just do not put it so the haters will lay off every one knows it's true even if it is not there! HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sean, Its a beautiful day here in CO. Go riding man, I'm stuck working the whole W.End & Mon. but on Tuesday, Watch Out ! I'm BACK!
Saso, don't be stupid. Andrew Short has been killing it this season. He's got more holeshots than anyone, and the only dude to beat him consistently is Dungey, who is also on the team. AS29 earned his spot, and he will represent the states awesome, on and off the track.
Schneid, Thanks for saying what all us Coloradians feel!
that Canard/Pourcel battle in the second moto was freaking epic!! Class shown by both! After the first moto,Canard telling people to NOT Boo CP377, Then CP377 shaking Treys hand after moto2. Pala will be epic!!! Mega large props to KW14!!!!!!
What an awesome 250 race yesterday! My heart was racing as Canard held off Pourcel. What's up with Pourcel flippin' the bird after the first moto? He showed better sportsmanship after the second moto when he shook Canard's hand. I'm definitely going to Pala to see the final race (and smell the race gas). Does anyone else miss the smell of two stroke race gas???
Castrol R !
KLOT'S WITH BEAN OIL! Even tho i don't run it any more it was the best smell! HAVE A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Castrol R would burn your eyes when following a bike real close with no goggles on. Golden Spectro was our oil of choice in New England but at 14 yrs. old, we didn't know about "jetting". It was hard to keep a "forged" Weisco piston from sticking your exhaust bridge, even with the holes drilled in the skirt!
Someone really needs to proof read and correct Cox's writing before it's allowed to be uploaded.
yzseasn, Pourcel got booed for not congratulating Canard after the first moto. Canard went to shake his hand and Pourcel never acknoledged him at all. Its why they booed him after the first moto. It is kinda poor sportsmanship. They had a good clean battle and Pourcel lost, both times. Trey looks great, he rides hard from start to finish. Maybe K-Dub should be on the Des Nations. Some guys arent sure if Short can do it. K-Dub is the only other one I can think of that can beat him that isnt on the team. I run Klotz 2-stroke oil in my smoker.
Crazy.. didnt K-dun win there in 1994 or 95 on his rookie debut #511 Kawi. 15 years later he wins again! Congrats K-Dub.
Awesome race between Canard and Pourcel.....just awesome! Notice they didn't get into each other either moto even though they went at it all moto. Pourcel could have really took it to him on many occasions if that was how he wanted to do it so props to him for not taking it there. Same can be said for K-Dub and Metty 1st moto. Congrats K-Dub on an awesome ride. Bet it is worth all the hurt you'll endure this week, hope you finish strong at Pala. Also notice how Dungey gets a bad start and stuff happens. Bad start often equals bad luck. Can't believe the last week is upon us. MOTOCROSS RULES!!!!!!!!
I was so happy for Kevin I was going nuts, Im right under K-Dubs wheels pointing up at him as he crosses the finish line!!
Izzy, Rattray, and Wilson you all suck waving by Pourcel what a bunch of chumps leave the poltics to Oblah-blah
I understand Wilson letting Pourcel by but I lost all respect for Izzy. He raced Canard until the pass then just pulled aside for Pourcel. What an American!!
A confident KW is a dangerous rider...
johnnyo'hannah montana, those are some mad pointing skills, ever consider bird dog training???? lol Yah, It's great to see Kevin add another win to his long list of accomplishments.....CP is confused to see his title hopes getting away from him again huh? Hey you guys lay off Cox you snivelers!!!!
Great day of racing, Kevin Windham won the overall (with one moto win) and Honda makes 1-2-3-4 in 450 first moto. IMHO Windham is the best rider in the world ahead Millsaps, Reed, and De D1cker, small riders having all advantage today with the bikes performances. Go Honda, and Go Red Duck #38!!! sorry for my bad English.
From what I saw, the CP finger thing had nothing to do with TC. He mouthed "lappers" to someone when he did it. I think his strategy in moto 1 was as he has done before: let the guy by, watch his lines, then with 2-3 to go crush him with a couple laps he (hopefully) can't match. The broadcasters missed it (nothing better than watching Timing & Scoring while watching/listening), but on lap 11 (of 15), CP gained almost 2.2 seconds. You KNEW TC would get a pit board & respond well, and he did, with his best lap of the race, but it still barely bested CP's. Lap 13, I believe, is what the "lappers finger" was for. On TV (ok, internet), there is a long shot of CP in the back with a Yamaha all over the track and just ruins CP for a couple corners. Checked the segment times and sure enough, in segment 2 for lap 13 he is 1-1.5 seconds slower there than other laps and 2 seconds slower than his last lap. Still, he gained a couple tenths. Lap 14 a little less than 4 tenths, & on the last gained almost 1.3 seconds to finish on Trey's butt. Pretty sure the finger was for the Yamaha in the back. Had to look close, but it was pretty bad. In the end, it's CP's own fault for a little too much gamesmanship. He let TC go with an eye on the TC psych job getting it snatched away in the end. He has made it work before and is part of the "crafty" thing. Personally, I love it. But lappers happen & if you are gonna leave it to ANY 2-3 laps, that is 1 of the risks. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Congrats to KDub( My FAVORITE RIDER OF ALL TIME!), I loved seeing him race outdoors again!! That was great racing going on in both moto's Saturday, nail biting all the way until the end :)
Zundapp, theres something about the taller riders using leverage to thier advantage and is fun to watch!!! I was at Hangtown when De Dyker caught my eye!!!! I didn't have a program and had no idea who it was but he was impressing the heck out of me and my boys!!! Congrats K-Dub!!! he puts on a clinc every time he races.... ElsinoreRacer, that's how I saw it too..... man, great racing though right? I might make the drive to Pala for the Finale!!!! I need a hall pass bad!!!
Looked to me, Like Nicco was applying with Pro Circuit. yup, sending a live resume right to Mitch. "Hey!!! Hire me next year"!!!! " Look what i did!" It was a chicken-@#$t move imo!! Oh well, Trey and CP raced each other with class! May the best guy win!!!!
I think Nico Izzi was racing , period, when he saw Trey, maybe he realized it was the leaders and he moved then. I dont know its just a theory. That happens alot when a guy doesnt know its the leaders going by, the guy in second seems to have an easier time that way. But an excellent race.
Trey passed Izzy and then Izzy passed him back before Trey got him for good--he knew exactly who it was. Once CP came around he gave him his gay wavy to go ahead. He needs to go race in Europe and stay out of the good U.S. of A.
Wow, just watched Pit Pass at TWMX and when Regal went down he was OUT and guys were flying right over him. He came real close to having an Alessi speed bump situation.
Walk... Your an idiot
No MadKaw ......Walk is correct in what he says.....you are the idiot.
Fancypants, IMHO big guy like De Dycker (or Millsaps) follows and brutalizes the bike at the same time , it’s amazing at this speed and level! , for the old school it’s maybe like Hakan Carlqvist and David Thorpe riding SX with the speed and the fury of young’s Bradshaw and DeMaria! sorry for my bad English
Izzy, Rattray, and Wilson ..... only 2 of those guys are expected to block for a teammate.... and Izzy isn't one of them. Rat and Wilson might be told to pull some team tactics for CP but i wont think Mitch rolls that way... (no pun intended)
BKR!!! You just blow my mind with that coment about RD and BAD LUCK!!! You always get mad when people say he has good luck but ONE bad moto and YOU say the words "BAD LUCK"!!! You where the one telling me last week watch RD this week see how he stay out of trouble, Its NOT LUCK!! I told you weeks ago that he can't control eveything but you kept saying how smart he is and how prepared and all that.... I just can't believe you wrote that...
Don't get to excited about K-Dub guys, He is a great guy and I like him too but look what RD did to him in moto 2!! And look how he has done the last few weeks. He must have liked the track and was in the right spot. How about Short!! Man I am Sooooooooooooooooooooo Sick of him going backwards, lead both motos and goes 4-5, Should have been 4-6. Sipes had the pass but cliped a bail, Felt bad for him. He was working hard and short was not but picked it up enough to give sipes a hard time.
TC's ride was awesome, Think CP under estamated him on Sat. TC did not fold, did great!!! This should be great nest Sat. TC must be kicking himself for Moto 2 at the Dilla and moto 2 at the wick!! He could have the points lead already. Now he needs CP to get 3rd in one moto and go 1-1. Who's takin bets on this one??
The 250 moto's were awesome to watch. CP and Canard were on fire!!! Did anyone else notice the lame move that Tomac put on Cole Seely? If I were Seely I would punt that **** Bag off the track at Pala. I was at the race and Seely could have put him on the ground several times but, he rode a clean race. Tomac is a dirty rider in my book.