FOURTH FOR TOWNLEY | Bikesportnz

New Zealand’s Ben Townley raced his way to fourth overall as the AMA Motocross Championship season wound up in Pala, California, yesterday.

It was a far cry from what had been possible for the Taupo rider last season, or the season before that, when Townley had found himself consigned to the sidelines for the best part of two years with a shoulder injury, the result from a qualifying session crash at the 2007 Motocross of Nations at Budd’s Creek, Maryland.

But his comeback to top level racing in 2010 was complete as he finished his campaign with solid results at Pala, scoring 6-4 results in his two 450cc class races, elevating him one spot from fifth at the start of the weekend to end up fourth overall in the championship standings.

The 2004 MX2 world champion and 2007 East Coast Lites Supercross Champion raced his Troy Lee Designs Honda CRF450 handlebar-to-handlebar with the leaders all season, although several unaccustomed non finishes did cost him dearly in the overall analysis.

“Looking back on the championship I guess I can’t be too disappointed with 4th overall after such a long lay-off but there were also some opportunities I missed this year,” said Townley.

“I am really glad to be back racing and to have a season under my belt. I want to thank the Lucas Oil/ Troy Lee Designs/ Honda team and Redbull for giving me this opportunity and supporting me with getting my career back on track. My goal is still to win races and championships and I am really looking forward to doing everything possible to achieve that in the future,” said Townley.

His next assignment is to front up for Team New Zealand at the Motocross of Nations in Denver, Colorado, in just two weeks’ time. There he will team with Grand Prix motocross star Josh Coppins, from Motueka, and Hawera’s Brad Groombridge to wave the silver fern emblem.

Meanwhile, Minnesota’s Ryan Dungey (Suzuki) raced to his rookie-record 10th 450 Class victory at Pala, winning both motos. So dominant was Dungey thius season, his debut appearance in the 450cc class, that he had already wrapped up the 450cc championship title two rounds earlier.

Dungey, from Belle Plaine, broke the rookie record of nine set by Ricky Carmichael in 2000. Earlier, Dungey had become the first rider to sweep the AMA Supercross and Motocross season championships

“I didn’t get off to the best of starts in the second moto and I had to work,” said Dungey, who also broke Carmichael’s rookie points record with 543. “Patience definitely plays a role in it and I’ve learned a lot about that in recent years. It was new track and it was really good. It got rough and I think we all really liked it.”

Honda’s Andrew Short, from Smithville, Texas, was second, finishing third in the first moto and second in the second.

In the 250 Class, Honda’s Trey Canard, from Shawnee, Oklahoma, finished third to win the season title. Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson, from Scotland, swept the motos for his second career victory.

“There are so many emotions and thoughts running through my head,” said Canard, who won five of the final seven races to overcome a 57-point deficit to French sensation Christophe Pourcel (Kawasaki). “When the time came, I thought about all these hard years and it made it that much better. I’m still kind of dreaming right now. I’m just stoked.”

Pourcel took a seven-point lead into the final race, but separated a shoulder in a crash in the first moto and was unable to race in the second.

450 Results

1. Ryan Dungey (Suz) 1-1

2. Andrew Short (Hon) 3-2

3. Brett Metcalfe (Hon) 2-3

4. Ben Townley (Hon) 6-4

5. Ryan Sipes (Yam) 4-6

6. Kyle Chisholm (Yam) 9-5

7. Kevin Windham (Hon) 7-8

8. Justin Brayton (Yam) 12-7

9. Kyle Regal (Hon) 5-14

10. Nick Wey (Kaw) 11-9

250 Results

1. Dean Wilson (Kaw) 1-1

2. Tyla Rattray (Kaw) 2-2

3. Trey Canard (Hon) 4-3

4. Eli Tomac (Hon) 8-4

5. Justin Barcia (Hon) 6-5

6. Cole Seely (Hon) 3-12

7. Wil Hahn (Hon) 7-7

8. Broc Tickle (Yam) 5-9

9. Martin Davalos (Yam) 14-6

10. Les Smith (Hon) 13-11

FINAL STANDINGS:

450cc class:

1. Ryan Dungey 543

2. Brett Metcalfe 398

3. Andrew Short 393

4. Ben Townley 324

5. Mike Alessi 314

6. Kyle Chisholm 266

7. Josh Grant 260

8. Ryan Sipes 244

9. Kyle Regal 224

10. Nicholas Wey 223

250cc class:

1. Trey Canard 474

2. Tyla Rattray 446

3. Christophe Pourcel 443

4. Dean Wilson 437

5. Justin Barcia 348

6. Eli Tomac 327

7. Broc Tickle 287

8. Blake Wharton 285

9. Martin Davalos 251

10. William Hahn 213

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