MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The halfway point of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship from RedBud featured an exciting day of action across all three classes of competition, as the world's best riders celebrated Independence Day with an American Motocross tradition. Hoping to gain ground in the 450 Class standings, Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto was forced to overcome adversity in the first moto of the day, and put forth an inspired ride to claim this week's Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award.

After a solid start in Moto 1, Villopoto looked to put himself in position to move forward, and challenge at the front of the field. However, a slight mistake forced him to the ground in front of many of his competitors. After avoiding additional contact and collecting his breath, Villopoto remounted, sans helmet visor, and began his pursuit of the field. The Kawasaki rider crossed the line in 37th out of 38 riders, several seconds behind the next position on the track.

Despite the early disadvantage, Villopoto promptly surged through the field throughout the near 36-minute moto. He passed several of the class' top riders like Ricky Dietrich, Nick Wey, Kevin Windham and Christian Craig, and even with the loss of his bike's silencer, Villopoto kept pushing forward. In the end, he worked his way by an incredible 28 riders to finish ninth.

In Moto 2, Villopoto was determined to make up for his previous error, and subsequently grabbed the lead prior to the completion of the opening lap. From there, he fended off Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey to lead wire-to-wire and secure third place on the overall podium with his 9-1 moto scores.

Villopoto will be presented with the Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award at next Saturday's pre-race riders' meeting prior to the Spring Creek Motocross National, providing well-deserved recognition for his efforts in front of his peers.

Tickets for the upcoming Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship are on sale now at www.allisports.com. Special discounts and incentives are available for advance ticket purchasers.

For media information about the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact Media Manager Brandon Short via email at media@mxsportsproracing.com or by phone at 949-365-5750.

MX Sports Pro Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world's most prestigious motocross series - the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The industry leader in off road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.

Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, King of Wake series, and the Gatorade Free Flow Tour. Alli TV Productions creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. Visit www.allisports.com.

Lucas Oil Products
Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, lubricants and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, lubricants and problem-solving performance additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry. Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the "Official Motor Oil of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship." Visit www.LucasOil.com.

AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing sanctioning body in the United States, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization sanctions professional motorcycle racing competition, which includes, AMA Pro Motocross, AMA Pro Road Racing, and AMA Pro Flat Track. Visit www.amaproracing.com.