After months of eager anticipation and plenty of intense training, the GEICO Powersports/AMSOIL/Honda race team, with the aid of new team manager and renowned Supercross multi-time champion Mike LaRocco, cashed in at the 2010 AMA Supercross season-opener at Angel Stadium in Southern California when two of its three riders made their way to the podium at the end of the day.
Veteran rider and team leader Kevin Windham rode his Honda CRF450R to a third place finish in the main event after finishing fourth in his heat. By the end of the first lap of the main, Windham had secured the fifth position and held on until he was able to capitalize on his opponent's mistakes and move into fourth in lap 11 and finally into third several laps later.
"It was a great day," Windham said. "The GEICO Powersports/AMSOIL/Honda team has done a lot of work in the off-season, and we've got another year under our belt on the new Honda. Luckily, for me, it worked."
Veteran rider and team leader Kevin Windham rode his Honda CRF450R to a third place finish in the main event after finishing fourth in his heat. By the end of the first lap of the main, Windham had secured the fifth position and held on until he was able to capitalize on his opponent's mistakes and move into fourth in lap 11 and finally into third several laps later.
"It was a great day," Windham said. "The GEICO Powersports/AMSOIL/Honda team has done a lot of work in the off-season, and we've got another year under our belt on the new Honda. Luckily, for me, it worked."
After a wrist injury at the High Point National last year, Trey Canard is finally back in the Supercross Lites West running. In an impressive heat, Canard inched out ahead, nearly claiming the lead, when he crashed in the second turn. He quickly recovered, only losing one position and finishing the six laps in third. In the main event, Canard again shined, moving from fifth at the end of the first lap
to third by the end of the second and crossing the finish line aboard his CRF250R in the same position, earning a coveted spot on the podium.(Watch Racer X Supercross Show staring Trey Canard)
"This is definitely a way better start than last year," Canard said. "I was thankful to leave here with second and I look forward to finishing out the season. I was so nervous. I didn't have a really good week, I was just nervous the whole week. It's just been such a long time since I've raced so to end up with a second is a good thing for me."
With Brett Metcalfe injured, the team brought Supercross Lites East competitor Blake Wharton out west. The St. Louis Supercross winner nearly missed the show when he had a bit of bad luck in his heat, got jammed, and crashed
at the first curve. After recovering, Wharton was temporarily relegated to the back of the pack and was 10th until right before the finish line, when he edged into the ninth position to earn his spot in the main event, in which he finished a respectable fourth.The GEICO Powersports/AMSOIL team will head to Phoenix on January 16ace for the second round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series.
