Lites Class
For the second week in a row rookie Trey Canard stole the show. The 17-year-old Canard grabbed the lead off the start, but lost it when defending champion Ryan Villopoto crashed while attempting a pass on him, causing Canard to fall momentarily as well and hand the lead over to
Branden Jesseman.
It sounds amazing, but the one lap that Jesseman led before Canard retook the lead is the only lap in the first two races of the East Coast Lites series, (and in Canard’s SX career, including Heat races), that he hasn’t lead. Canard opened up his lead over Villopoto and Jessman and walked away with his second straight win.
“I’m pumped,” Canard said. “It’s going really well so far. I’m trying to keep my head down and keep focused. I know it’s a seven-race series, and I want to be as prepared as I can possibly be. Mistakes happen, obviously, every now and then. I made probably 10 or 12 mistakes in that main event, but like I said, I just want to give it everything I’ve got every time I’m out there.”
Canard leads the East Lites points standings with a perfect 50 points, 14 in front of the next rider with five rounds left to run.
Teammate Josh Grant’s night started well with the second fastest lap times in practice. That changed early in his heat race after he had a run-in with Ben Coisy. Grant was able to recoup and transferred into the main with a ninth place finish. Another crash in the main caused Grant to work his way from the back of the pack, eventually finishing 12th.
Supercross Class
In the Supercross class, Kevin Windham was impressive all day. In his heat race, K-Dub chased Chad Reed throughout. With the pressure he was able to put on Reed throughout the at race, Windham came into the main event full of confidence, and was looking for his second win of the season. After a start at the tail-end of the top five, Windham quickly went to work, passing his way through to third, and then going to work on Andrew Short for the second spot. However, the intensity with which he was going after the win as he watched Reed pull away from Short caused Windham to tighten up as they approached the middle of the race, and from there, he was powerless to continue to charge toward the front and eventually finished fifth.
Windham still sits second in the points, well clear of third, with eight rounds left to run.
From here, the team heads to Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. for the third round of the Lites Eastern Region championship and round eight of the AMA Supercross Series.
Until then, we'll see you at the races.
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