It was another weekend of ups and downs for the leading contenders in the AMA Motocross Championships in the United States, this time at round seven at Spring Creek, Millville, on Saturday.

After a first 450cc moto that saw another dominant performance by Yamaha’s Josh Grant, moto two started with Honda’s Ivan Tedesco out front, and Grant tasting dirt.

First-moto runner-up Chad Reed (Suzuki) quickly chased Tedesco down and took control of the race, flying off to a solid lead before taking the chequered flag.

The 2-1 score for Reed landed him his second overall victory of the season, extending his points lead in the process.

Tedesco was second overall with a 5-2 score, while Reed’s team-mate, fellow Aussie Michael Byrne, was third with a 3-4. Grant recovered for 10th in the moto and fourth overall with a 1-10 score.

Reed now holds a 37-point lead over Honda’s Andrew Short, who went 6-5 on the day for fifth overall.

New Zealand’s Cody Cooper, Yamaha team-mate to Grant, finished 12-8 on the day, good enough for ninth overall. He is still sixth in the series standings.

Cooper was involved in a first turn crash in moto one, and was in 26th on the first lap, but the man from Mount Maunganui mounted a courageous charge through the pack to finish 12th.

In the 250cc class, Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey came through in the second moto, finishing off his hometown race with a 1-1 score – his first 1-1 sweep of the season, and his third overall win of the season.

Second overall went to points leader Christophe Pourcel, who went 2-2 on the day. In the second moto, the French former MX2 world champion pressured Dungey for much of the beginning of the race until he crashed.

It was the first time this season that Pourcel didn’t win at least one moto on the day.

Dungey now trails Pourcel by only three points leading into the next race on the calendar, at Washougal, a venue where Dungey won his first-ever national last year.

Honda’s Justin Barcia was third overall on the day with a 3-3, followed by Australian team-mate Brett Metcalfe’s 4-4.

Results from Spring Creek MX – Millville, Minn.

July 18, 2009 – Round 7 of 12

450 Class (moto finish):

1. Chad Reed, Australia, Suzuki (2-1)

2. Ivan Tedesco, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda (5-2)

3. Michael Byrne, Australia, Suzuki (3-4)

4. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (1-10)

5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (6-5)

6. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (7-7)

7. Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki (4-13)

8. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha (8-9)

9. Cody Cooper, New Zealand, Yamaha (12-8)

10. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda (33-3)

Also:

23rd Justin McDonald, New Zealand, Honda (18-16)

34th Luke Burkhart, New Zealand, Honda (DNF-25)

450 Class championship standings:

1. Chad Reed, Australia, Suzuki, 287

2. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 250

3. Ivan Tedesco, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda, 238

4. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 234

5. Michael Byrne, Australia, Suzuki, 183

6. Cody Cooper, New Zealand, Yamaha, 157

7. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki, 149

8. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 142

9. Ricky Dietrich, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki, 136

10. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 127

Also:

34th Justin McDonald, New Zealand, Honda, 15 points

49th Luke Burkhart, New Zealand, Honda, 3 points

250 Class (moto finish):

Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (1-1)

Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki (2-2)

Justin Barcia, Cairo, Ga., Honda (3-3)

Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda (4-4)

Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (5-6)

Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (6-7)

Kyle Cunningham, Ft. Worth, Texas, Kawasaki (7-8)

Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Yamaha (10-9)

Darryn Durham, Wildomar, Calif., Yamaha (15-5)

Tommy Searle, Great Britain, KTM (9-11)

250 Class championship standings:

Christophe Pourcel, France, Kawasaki, 299

Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 296

Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 215

Tommy Searle, Great Britain, KTM, 213

Justin Barcia, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 191

Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 182

Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 175

Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 172

Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 158

Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 139

Photo by Big Joe, www.BikesportNZ.com