The big question mark coming into the Colorado National, round five of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, was Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Mike Alessi. After missing round four at High Point due to a broken kneecap suffered at the same track the Monday before the race, Alessi went through practice in Colorado in obvious pain, putting in the 28th-fastest time.
He lined up for moto one and actually nearly got the holeshot, which is a testament to his starting skill, considering he had a hard time putting any weight on his bad left leg.
However, on the opening lap of the first moto, he and JGR/Toyota Yamaha’s Josh Grant got together in a turn, putting Alessi on the floor, and although Alessi got back up and continued on after going down almost two laps to the leader, he soon pulled out and did not return for the second moto.
Honda Red Bull Racing’s Ivan Tedesco swept both 450cc motos on the day to win his first-ever 450cc National event. His teammate Andrew Short was second with a 2-2, and Canidae/Motosport Kawasaki’s Tommy Hahn had a career 450cc day with a 7-3 for third overall.
Points leader Chad Reed struggled a bit on the day. Only 11th-fastest in practice, Reed was fourth overall with a 3-7 score, just in front of teammate Michael Byrne (6-4).
In the 250cc class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer won his first-ever AMA National with a 2-1 score exactly one race after running up front in both motos at High Point, but ending the day with no points at all.
His teammate Christophe Pourcel was second with a 1-6 score, with his sixth place in moto two coming after a freak accident where the starting gate dropped and then bounced back up into his bike, getting him stuck for a second while the pack took off.
Third was Muscle Milk KTM’s Tommy Searle with a 5-3 ahead of GEICO Powersports Honda’s Justin Barcia (9-2) and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey (6-4).
Reed and Pourcel still lead the points in their respective classes with seven rounds left to run.
