by Steve Dye
250 Words: Millville
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 | 2:30 PM
GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) is Yamaha’s performance and racing accessory brand. GYTR products are developed and tested to the highest standards by Yamaha’s in-house factory engineers. Used extensively by the Yamaha Race Teams, these factory parts are readily available to every Yamaha rider.
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PrintWhile the Millville 450 class was rife with drama, it was business as usual in 250 racing. Team Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki maintained their stranglehold on the points and the podium as the second half of the season got underway.
Dean Wilson continues to lead the Kawasaki crew in points but trails his teammates in overall victories, going 1-2 for his sixth second overall of the season! Blake Baggett, the winner of four rounds, including the last two, struggled with a bad start in the second moto but overcame his recently dislocated collarbone to place third in both motos and for the day.
Rattray won a hard fought battle with teammate Dean Wilson to take the overall at Millville.
Photo: Brian Robinette
Meanwhile, Tyla Rattray laid down a convincing argument that he does, in fact, have as much speed as his two teammates – posting up with the fastest time in qualifying and in both motos. Rattray rode away from Wilson in the second half of the second moto to garner his third overall victory of the season, yet gained no ground on Wilson in the points chase with a 2-1 score. The fourth member of the squad, Broc Tickle, continued his ongoing flirtation with the top five but fell one position short.
With the PC team consistently staking claim to the box – only four of 21 possible podiums have gone to anyone other than Wilson, Rattray, and Baggett – Star Racing’s Kyle Cunningham is beginning to show newfound consistency just a step behind. Cunningham got great starts and rode to his fourth straight fourth place moto finishes to finish, yes, fourth overall. Gareth Swanepoel and Gannon Audette put two more Yamahas in the top ten with eighth and ninth place finishes respectively.
While Alex Martin used the horsepower of his Eleven 10 Mods Honda and a certain modicum of home ground familiarity – Martin’s family owns the Spring Creek circuit – to place a season best fifth overall with strong 7-5 moto finishes, the much bigger and more established Factory Connection team continued its season long struggles. Wil Hahn posted another solid top ten finish in just his second race back on the tour with a seventh overall, but teammates Justin Barcia and Eli Tomac continued to find more trouble.
Cunningham continues to pressure the Pro Circuit boys.
Photo: Brian Robinette
Barcia went down in violent fashion in the first moto just past the mechanic’s area and crept off the track with a bloody and broken nose. He almost sat out the second race, but made a late decision to try and ride and gutted out a sixth place second moto. Tomac’s tussle with heat and humidity flared up again, and Eli pulled off the track two laps early in the first moto while running towards the front. Tomac would return to run seventh behind Barcia in the second race.
Finally, the lone Suzuki in the top ten was piloted by none other than amateur sensation Jason Anderson, who may have found somewhat of a groove while on temporary hiatus from the Rockstar paddock. It was the first top ten finish for the much-heralded Anderson, albeit a product of 14-11 moto finishes.
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I hope Cunningham can make the poduim this weekend!
Some energy drink needs to sponsor cunningham as the guy looks and sounds dead after and before his races! Wait, isnt DNA an energy drink? Anyways- he is looking good and is turning into one of the few threa'st to beat the PC guys. Don t understand Tomac- have the kid wear a drinking system so he can finish the motos!
Barcia- man he is going to shorten his career if he keeps creeping off the track.....
Factory connection should sit Barcia until he is healthy and sign eleven 10Mods team of Durham and martin to a deal to support them in a cooperative effort.
Finaly Suzuki- what a terrible year- Davalos is a lost cause outdoors, Nick Paluzzi look sterrible outdoors and just in general, no slowzuki's up from excpet an occasional Mookie sighting
Darn- way to slow on the typing- would have had a holeshot had I just written "Holeshot!"......
Martin needs to do place top ten at a National other than at his track...
Barcia is the new Magoo....... No disrespect to Magoo.
mbmoto - I think Mookie Stewie is too big for a 250, especially for a track like Milleville....It looked to me like he burned his ass on the pipe when he fell in moto 2.....pretty funny....
Energy Drinks!!! ...what I thought was funny was Rattray was pouring the water filled monster can over his head and drinking a purple energy suppliment out of a Dasani water bottle.....None of these cats drink the actual energy drink they are sponsored by i bet......Monster causes your blood pressure to rise and Red Bull is a Vodka additive that gives a lot of people the shitz.....I couldnt imagine drinking either Monster or Red Bull before or after a moto without puking.....
I'm sure glad Barcia rode after breaking his nose. I was afraid he was going to be a PAB when I saw him pointing at his nose after the 1st moto. I'm sure every cell in his body was crying out, "Don't ride, we need a break from this heat!" Maybe we can call him "Rocky" now if his nose looks like a boxer's nose. Then again, maybe he'll have the doctor give him a Michael Jackson mini ski jump nose. So many choices.
Barcia should have stayed ont eh ground, better than getting up and embarrasing himself
jd805 that was not Martin's first top ten of the year he also did at Mt Morris, and Lakewood that makes three....
Eli needs to ride supercross only in the winter time. Tyla is not that fast he only has European speed. Barcia is in a funk now riding under a black cloud. Cupacabra is fast with a dislocated limb. Wilson has been consistent but due for a CR crash soon. Wondering if Tickle could even qualify without that PC bike.
Trend killer- totally agree with you that Mookie should be on a 4 fitty. I also believe you are right none of these dudes drink the energy drinks during race day, but they no doubt slam one during the week every once in awhile... and of course Josh Hansen drinks his with Vodka! Hey new team........ Monster/Vodka "racing bikes elevating blood pressure" ... The extreme drink.... whats next?.... Absynth Racing!
Don't be hatein on the energy drinks.They bring a lot of money to this sport.I wish they would spread a chunk of it to the 7-40th place guys every week.If that FMF drink takes off maybe thats what UncleDonnie will do with part of his gazillions.
Dean Wilson ate a booger during his interview did any one see that
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, finally Jason Anderson with a top 10. I have waited so long for this day. Hopefully we can keep the train rolling and improve every week.
He didn't place 10th in either moto. He went 14th and 11th and got lucky to get 10th overall, nothing that Smith, Paluzzi or Davalos haven't already done.... So don't get to excited yet....For what they are paying him, I would expect more...
@jd805 Alex Martin 46 finished top 5, and as pro riders that can negotiate every obstacle on every track professionally at the fastest speeds possible, is there really a "home track advantage?" I'm thinkin' it's more mental than anything. You must not keep up with Alex and the progress he has made this year.I've seen him come from back in 30something place up to 11th. That's not an easy task. In only his 3rd year as a pro, So congratulations ALEX! Y ou went out and beat the whole Honda factory squad on a privateer bike!!!! You are for real. There is no doubt that you can run with the big boys. Good luck at Washougal.
I'm not sure if Mookies problem is his size, he is just very inexperienced. He doesnt have to time in that his brother had coming into the pro ranks. Davi Millsaps is as big if not bigger, and he kicked total but in the 250 class.. Mookie is just young and maybe not as talented as some guys. Nothing against him personally, just he might not be as good. But if he cant stay off the ground with a 250, the 450 would kill the kid. It isnt like he is just slower, he cant stay up. I think the 450 would compound the problem.
Its great to see Cunningham getting his speed under control and being consistent. I've followed his career for awhile and his has always had raw speed.
He had some trouble getting on good teams like he has deserved.
2 seasons he's come into SX either with no ride support to speak of and then signing with a team a few races in or been on teams that just weren't as competetive.
He grew up an hours drive from Blake Wharton, had as much speed as Wharton, yet never got the big money and support of Wharton.
I am also a fan of Wharton, so I hope he does well too, when back for SX next year, and we all know Geico Honda needs someone to step up again, with all the bad luck they are having lately.
Looks to me like cunningham is working his way up to a pc ride next year if he continues to inprove.
Get over yourselves! the Reeds, Stewarts and Dungeys don't last forever. Barcia rode a good ride with an injury. easy for all you armchair wannabees to criticize.
Dont ignore what your lookin at...Team Honda, Barcia, Hahn, Wharton,Tickle, and the rest..are the next generation of champions...in case you all havent noticed up front...theyre right on your ass!