September 7, 2009
CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki’s Tommy Hahn brought home his first, and the team’s first 450 National overall victory by capturing his first win in Moto #1 and finishing a strong 4th in Moto #2 to grab the overall championship this past weekend at Steel City.
Tommy Hahn has performed extremely well this season but the young rider from Decatur, TX in his rookie season in the premier class, has been working so hard to take that next step in his career…a win! As the season closes out on the 2009 Motocross National Series, team CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki is fighting hard to improve on what has already been a fantastic season for the team.
As the gate dropped for Moto1, Hahn would round the first corner inside the top 5. He would quickly begin to move to the front as he picked off the riders, once again proving he belongs on that list. On lap 3, Hahn would get around Andrew Short and Jeff Alessi to grab the lead but that lead would be short lived as Short got back by the next lap as well as his teammate, Ivan Tedesco. Hahn would move up to 2nd when Tedesco had problems and began to pressure Short again for the lead. On lap 7, Hahn would grab the lead and this time, he would make the pass stick and quickly put distance on the rest of the field. When the checkered flags flew, Hahn rode an aggressive and smart race to take his very first Moto win by almost 6 seconds! This is a huge accomplishment for the young rider in his first year in the premier class. Great job Tommy!
Moto 1 for the 250 class would see CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki riders Kyle Cunningham and PJ Larsen on the line, ready to put an exclamation point on this 2009 season. As the 40 riders shot out of the gate, the CANIDAE boys would get off the line way back in the pack. Larsen would be in 22nd and Cunningham would be 38th as they rounded the first corner. Cunningham went on a charge and passed 20 riders before the moto was finished for a hard fought 18th place. Larsen would finish in 14th when the checkered flags flew.
Moto 2 for the 450 class would line up for the last time this year with the tension for the CANIDAE team at a fevered pitch. As the gate fell, Hahn would muscle his way into a 5th place start and in perfect position to finish on the podium for the day. As the riders began to string out, the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team began to do the math, it was clear that not only did Hahn have an opportunity to finish on the podium; he was in a position to win the overall for the day! Tommy would get into fourth place before the end of lap 1 and then begin to work on Andrew Short in 3rd place. By the end of the lap, Hahn was comfortably sitting in third place, and if the moto ended then, he would have the overall win for the day but there was still lots of racing left. With signals coming in from his mechanic, Jason Thomas, Hahn knew he just needed to maintain his position to take home the coveted win but Hahn found himself of the back tire of Jake Moss in 2nd place. As the battle grew more intense between the two riders, Hahn realized he did not need to risk a crash because Moss did not factor into the overall standings and he would back off just a bit to play it safe. Ivan Tedesco was moving up quickly and he was putting pressure on Hahn for his 3rd place position. On lap 11, Tedesco made a move on Tommy that would push the CANIDAE rider back to 4th place but the position did not matter as long as Tedesco did not win the moto and Tommy was still in the driver’s seat for the overall. Hahn was as cool as the other side of the pillow as he methodically made his way through the last few laps and crossed the finish line with a 4th place finish and 1st place overall! What a great win for this young man as well as the team, his mechanic, team manager Bill Keefe and team owner Bobby Hewitt. So few will reach this level of racing but even fewer will win at this, the pinnacle of the sport, and Tommy Hahn has done just that. Congratulations team CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider Thomas Hahn!
Moto 2 for the 250 riders would be up next and be the last professional motocross race of the year. PJ Larsen would finish the first lap in 20th place and Kyle Cunningham in 25th, not the way these riders wanted to end their respective seasons. Both riders would put on a charge that would see them head towards the front. PJ would pass six riders as he finished lap 2 in 14th place and Kyle would keep the pressure on in the 20th spot. By lap 4, Larsen had worked his way to 12th and Cunningham was in 17th but closing the gap. At the half was point in the race, the CANIDAE teammates were side by side, and battling for position as Cunningham moved passed the rookie into 13th place. With two laps to go, Larsen would crash hard right after the finish line jump and that would put an end to the rider’s day and season. Kyle was still moving forward but was running out of time. He would only be able to pass one more rider to finish in the 12th position when the checkered flags flew. This was a great comeback ride from this Cunningham, after a tough start. These two riders are the future of the sport and will be the ones to watch next year.
July 25, 2009
By now, the motocross industry has become accustom to the abilities of the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team at the Outdoor Nationals. At the beginning of the series, Tommy Hahn was a “surprise” but has consistently become a “contender” and most racers are beginning to expect him to run up front as they now have to plan their attack to include him. Kyle Cunningham has also been improving his results steadily as his health nears 100% and if Cunningham manages to get a good start, watch out! This week the series moved to the scenic Pacific Northwest at the ever-popular Washougal MX in Washington and the crowds came out to enjoy the great racing, perfect weather and improved track. Nobody went home disappointed.
First up was the 450’s featuring CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn again jumped out to a great start and would finish lap 1 in 3rd place. Just ahead of Hahn was the # 34 of Matt Goerke but only for a few corners as Hahn wasted little time getting around the #34 bike and setting his eyes on the race leader, Chad Reed. Reed tried as he might to get away early and gap the rest of the field but Hahn would have none of that, running most of the moto right on Reed’s rear fender. At one point Reed opened up a small 5-second lead while the two riders fought their way through lapped riders but Hahn would make a charge and close the gap to only 1.5 seconds at one point before running out of time at the end of Moto # 1. This is a huge accomplishment and just a glimpse of what this CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider is capable of. If Hahn could have a solid second moto, he would secure a top 3 overall finish for the day or even a win.
Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki riders Kyle Cunningham and PJ Larsen would get good starts as they charged into the first corner inside the top ten. Cunningham would finish lap 1 in 6th place and Larsen 8th. Kyle started the 2009 season injured and has been battling all series long to get healthy with results that reflect his improving health. Cunningham jumped and raced his way to the front following Dungy through the pack until the two were well out in front. Cunningham was almost able to take the lead, late in the moto as Dungy would falter but the gap was too great and when the checkered flags flew, Kyle would find himself on the podium in second place with his best finish of the year! Washougal was the first for Larsen since breaking his wrist at round 3 in Wortham, TX, it was obvious that he was not quite 100% as he struggled to keep the lead pack in sight and would finish in 15th place. Certainly not a bad return for the impressive rookie and a great start on the day for Team CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki!
The excitement was obviously high in the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki pits was for the 2nd Motos. As the 450’s shot out of the gate, Hahn’s # 48 Kawasaki would once again head for the first turn towards the front of the pack. As the riders set up for the left hand turn, the orange #114 bike of Justin Brayton would come in way too hot and slam into the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider, sending him to the ground, ending his day and sending him to the Asterisk Medical Unit to be checked out for internal injuries as well as his back and leg. Such a disappointment for Hahn and the team, which had been making such great strides for that first win. Hahn will rebound and will be better than ever when the series returns in 3 weeks in NY.
Moto #2 for the 250 riders would get underway and Kyle was hungry to repeat his first moto result. As the racers rounded the first turn, both Cunningham and Larsen would be outside of the top 10 and have their work cut out to make it to the front. When the first lap ended, Cunningham would cross the line in 12th place and Larsen in 18th. Cunningham would charge hard until he was unfortunately involved in a huge crash that left the CANIDAE rider trapped under his bike for some time and the bike unrideable, ending his day. Larsen would move up as the moto continued as he fought for a hard-earned 14th spot, a gritty performance for this tough kid.
While the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team had some bad luck in Washington, it was obvious to see that the team is a legitimate front-runner. Come out to the fabled Unadilla Valley Sports Center in Upstate NY on August 15th for the next exciting round of motocross action. Stop by and say “hi” to the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team before they hit the track. See you there!
July 4, 2009
As the rest of the country celebrated America's Independence, Team CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki declared war on the rest of the field at the ever so popular, Redbud MX. Tommy Hahn had his hands full trying to repeat last week’s performance of 3rd overall at Thunder Valley. This would be especially tough for the up and coming rider as he arrived at the track sick and extremely weak. It would take everything he had to compete at his usual level. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki, 250 rider Kyle Cunningham was also ready to take on this famous race track and would like nothing more than to spend his birthday on Sunday by celebrating a win at Redbud. Kyle looked great in practice and was excited for the gate to fall.
First race up was the 450’s featuring CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn jumped out of the gate with a great start and the lead pack quickly separated itself from the rest of the field. Hahn would finish lap 1 in 5th place with factory riders surrounding him. It was an all out dogfight as Hahn battled back and forth, as he would swap positions repeatedly with the other riders. It was an epic battle as the crowd responded as only Redbud fans can do. By lap 13, Hahn was in sixth and had built a sizeable cushion between himself and the #539, factory Kawasaki of Ricky Dietrich. Hahn was closing on the riders in front of him when he went down extremely hard on the fast track and just like that, his day was done. Hahn would be taken to the local hospital to be checked out for a sprained neck and a concussion. You can be sure that Tommy will be back with a vengeance in 2 weeks in Millville.
Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham would charge into the first corner inside the top ten and with some quick, aggressive moves, he would jump up to the 4th spot as the riders soared off the ski jump. Cunningham would battle the best in the class lap after lap as he fought to keep his position as all eyes watched the heated fight. This war would not let up for the entire 30 minutes + 2 laps and Kyle would leave everything out on the track as he raced to 7th place finish. Kyle was pumped and quickly headed back to the pits to rest up and get ready for Moto 2.
As the clouds above darkened, Moto #2 for the 250 riders would get underway in dry conditions as the 40 riders blasted off the start line. Cunningham would not get the start he wanted but if you have followed this gutsy kid at all, you know he never gives up. At the end of lap 1, Kyle would be all the way back in 17th position and would dig deep to slice his way up through the field. Kyle would work his way up to 11th place before lapped riders and the now falling rain would hamper his progress through the field. Cunningham would end up in 7th place overall for the day with his 5th in Moto 1 and 11th place in Moto 2. It was a good day for Kyle and the team and a great way to celebrate his birthday on Sunday.
Come out to watch the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team take on the Whoop Monster at Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, MN. It is a great track and the action should be intense. The team should get back their rookie sensation PJ Larsen at this event, which has been sidelined with a broke wrist. Stop by and say “hi” to the team when you are there. See you there!
June 27, 2009
Tommy Hahn has been the surprise of the 2009 Outdoor Motocross season but it was not until Lakewood Colorado that he would finally arrive. Hahn, who has been finishing inside the top 10 all season, established himself as a front-runner by taking 3rd place overall in the 450 class, under the lights, in the high altitude outside of Denver, Colorado.
First race up in the premier class saw CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn jump out of the gate into a top ten position and finish lap 1 in 8th place. Vision was extremely tough during this moto due to the fact that the sun had dropped below the mountains and it was too light for the lights to be effective but to dark to see clearly. The lighting would get worse before it got better and Hahn, while running down Michael Byrne in 7th place, would misjudge his take off on the huge down hill and land off the course on a hay bale bending his shift shaft inside the transmission, hampering his shifting for the remainder of the moto. Hahn would play it smart and not take any unnecessary chances as he settled into 7th place where he would finish the moto.
Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham would charge up the hill and into the first corner in mid-pack but able to make some quick passes to work up to 14th before the end of the first lap. Cunningham would move up as high as 10th place before a crash on lap 5 would send him back to 14th place. Cunningham would struggle in the poor lighting conditions and drop back to 16th by the end of the moto.
Moto #2 for the 450 pilots was on the line and CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn was ready to go. The team did a great job installing a completely new motor and transmission after the damage in moto # 1. As the gate dropped, Tommy Hahn would find himself in 4th as the riders rounded the first corner. Hahn would set his sights on Michael Byrne in 3rd place and on lap 3, fly past Byrne as the top three riders pulled away from the rest of the field. Andrew Short was next in Hahn s crosshairs as the two riders dueled it out for 7 laps before Hahn went inside Short to take 2nd place away from the factory rider. Hahn would quickly gap Short and set out for Tedesco in the lead. On lap 12, Hahn made a slight mistake as he pushed hard to close in on the front-runner Tedesco and ran off the track to avoid crashing in a tricky section. Unfortunately, this allowed Short to slip back by and Hahn would have to start over in 3rd place. With time winding down, Hahn pushed hard but would end up just behind Short at the finish line by only 2 bike-lengths, just missing 2nd place. This was the best moto finish for Tommy Hahn of his young career and combined with his 7th place in Moto 1, Hahn would earn a him a career best 3rd place overall for the day! Amazing job Tommy!
Moto #2 for the 250 riders would wrap up the day and Cunningham was set to rebound from his bad luck in the first heat. The start was a mirror image of Moto 1 for Cunningham as he finished the first circuit in 14th. Kyle would move up to 12th place by lap 4 as he pushed towards the front but a mistake on lap 5 would pound the CANIDAE rider to the ground again. Cunningham would remount but obviously beat up, he would not regain his previous speed and would settle for a 21st place finish. Not where this talented rider belongs, he will certainly bounce back for sure next week in Michigan.
Come out to watch the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team take on the legendary Redbud track in Buchanan, MI next Saturday July 4th as the series continues. See you there!
June 14, 2009
The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team has been on the move since the beginning of the Nationals. In the 450 class, Tommy Hahn continues to impress with consistent top 5 rides to establish his name against the worlds best. In the 250 class, Kyle Cunningham is continuing to show his speed and grit as he continues to get healthy after a broken finger and 13 stitches in his forearm from a testing crash. Rookie sensation, PJ Larsen has also been riding extremely well but had to sit out this round due to injuries sustained last week at Freestone.
First race up was Moto #1 for the premier class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would get out of the gate mid-pack and begin his charge forward. As he began to pass riders, one would go down in front of Hahn colliding with Hahn’s Kawasaki. Hahn would remain upright and moving forward but something was obviously wrong. As it turned out, Hahn’s rear brake was damaged in the crash and he was forced to ride the entire moto with no rear brake. High Point is not the track you want to race on with no rear brake considering all of the elevation changes and off camber corners. Hahn somehow managed to finish 18th in an inspired ride.
Moto #1 for the 250 riders was next and CANIDAE rider Kyle Cunningham would jump out to a decent start in 17th and waste little time moving forward. By lap 6, Cunningham would move into 10th place where he would eventually finish after the 30 minutes + 2 laps. This was a great way to start the day for the young rider from Fort Worth, TX.
Moto #2 for the 450 pilots was on the line and as the gate dropped, Tommy Hahn would find himself inside the top 10 after the first corner. The difference was clearly visible after repairs were made to Hahn’s bike to fix the damaged rear brake from Moto 1 as the rider chased down and passed factory supported riders until he was in 4th place where he would end up at the conclusion of Moto 2. A fantastic ride for this young man as he continues to impress all. Hahn would finish the day in 10th overall and he would earn the Muscle Milk Recovery Reward for his efforts. Great Job Tommy!
Moto #2 for the 250 riders would wrap up the day and Cunningham was set to defend his top ten finish from Moto1. Not content with his 16th place as ended lap 1, Kyle went to work, leaving nothing in the tank as he raced towards the front until he had moved into 10th place. By duplicating his results from Moto 1, Cunningham would earn a 9th place overall for the day. There is no question Kyle is on the mend and as he continues to gets healthier, his speed increases. Kyle will enjoy the week break allowing crucial heal time as the series moves on to Colorado in 2 weeks.
CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki continues to perform on and off the track and continues to turn heads. Stop by and be part of something special as the series rolls into Thunder Valley Raceway on the June 27th. See you there!
June 6, 2009
The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team has been the talk of the motocross world with great performances in both the 250 and 450 classes for the first 2 rounds. Tommy Hahn has been flying around the California tracks and has consistently the top finishing non-factory rider in the class. PJ Larsen and Kyle Cunningham have also shown signs of front running speed in the always tough 250 class. Nothing changed when the series moved outside of California to Wortham, TX.
First race up was Moto #1 for the premier class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would continue to battle the biggest names in the sport. Tommy would blast out of the gate mid-pack and finish lap 1 in 20th position. Hahn would move up four spots into 16th place by the end of the second lap before Hahn found himself on the ground after a hard crash in a tricky section of the Texas track. Hahn would remount quickly and begin to charge towards the front, feeling the urgency to regain valuable points. Hahn would push the limits too far and while going for a pass for position, Tommy would crash violently ending his first moto only 6 laps in. Certainly a tough break for the rider from Decatur, TX.
Moto #1 for the Motocross Lites riders was next and CANIDAE riders PJ Larsen and Kyle Cunningham would jump out of the gate to a good start with Larsen in 10th and Cunningham in 17th. Larsen would move up as high as 8th place before he crashed in a high-speed turn and lost several positions on the track, not to mention the abuse to his body. With adrenalin high, Larsen would dig deep and finish in 12th place for the moto. Cunningham, who has been battling a broken finger and 13 stitches in his forearm, somehow manages week after week to block out the pain. Kyle would charge hard and make it all the way up to 13th place at the end of the moto, a nice finish for both riders.
Moto #2 for the 450 guys was underway and it was not looking good early on for Tommy Hahn. After his first moto crash, Hahn was extremely sore and rounded the first corner at the back of the pack. Tommy, who earned the “Ricky Carmichael, Hard Charger Award” at last week’s race in Hangtown, put his head down and went to work. Hahn would pass at least 10 riders before completing the first lap in 17th place and another five more on the second lap. As Tommy moved up in the standings, the riders got harder and harder to pass. By the halfway point of the race, Hahn was well inside the top ten in 8th place but not finished with his charge. Hahn would get all the way to 5th place when the checkered flags flew and his great ride in Moto 2 would earn Hahn a 12th place finish overall for the day.
Moto #2 for the 250 riders was next and PJ Larsen knew he was in trouble during his sight lap. Always one to battle, PJ would line up for the start but only make it a few turns before pulling into the pits, ending his day. Cunningham, the only CANIDAE rider left on the track, would jump out to a good start and finish lap 1 in fifth place. Trying to concentrate with his incredible pain may have caused the young rider to make a few mistakes during the moto and drop back as far as 12th place but Cunningham would dig deep and finish the moto in 10th place giving him a great 10th place overall for the day!
CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki has proven to be top-notch performers and as tough as anyone on the track. The series heads to Mt. Morris, PA next week so make sure to stop by and say hi. See you there!
May 23, 2009
When the 2009 Outdoor National Season shot out of the gate at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California this past weekend, nobody knew what to expect. The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team had been working overtime to get ready for the grueling series and it showed!
First race up was Moto #1 for the 450MX class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would face off against 40 of the toughest riders in the world. Tommy would enter the famous “Talladega Turn” inside the top 10 and finish lap 1 in 8th place. Hahn would battle with Chad Reed and Mike Brown for most of the race and take the checkered flag in 7th place. A great ride for Hahn and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki.
Moto #1 for the 250MX riders was next and CANIDAE riders P.J. Larsen and Kyle Cunningham would take their shot at the fast and rough track. Cunningham would only make 7 laps due to a broken finger he obtained while testing for the event just days before the event. Larsen, who suffered from a poor start showed his speed while coming through the pack even with a rear flat tire that he suffered in the first 10 minutes of the race. P.J. would crash while pushing it to the limits in a fast, soft corner sending the bike all the way off the track. Somehow, the rookie rider pulled the bike back onto the track, under the banners and fences and remounted to finish a remarkable 18th place.
Moto #2 for the 450 guys was almost a replay of the first with Hahn jumping out to a great start and holding his place inside the top 10 for the exhausting 30 minutes + 2 laps moto. Mixing it up for most of the race with the factory “Red Riders” Hahn would improve on position from the first moto and finish in 6th place which would net him a 6th place finish overall, a fantastic way to start the new season.
Moto #2 for the 250 “Lites” riders was exciting and the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki riders bounced back to show they will be riders to contend with all season long. Cunningham would fight through the severe pain to finish 13th on the extremely rough SoCal track. Larsen would finish just outside the top 10 in 11th place, a great finish for this rising star.
CANIDAE is extremely proud of the team, riders and their wonderful efforts. Please join us as we head to The Hangtown Classic outside of Sacramento, CA May 30th. See you there!
May 2, 2009
Sam Boyd Stadium has long been the final stop on the FIM Supercross Series. A perfect place to hold a grand celebration of a tremendous year for the entire Supercross community.
The East / West Shootout brought out the top riders from the East to take on the top riders from the West for Lites Class bragging rights. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki has 3 Lites riders that qualified for this event. Branden Jesseman would represent the East side for CANIDAE while Kyle Cunningham and P.J. Larsen would represent the West for the team. During the second practice session, Jesseman would go down hard over a tricky, triple in, double out section and knock himself out of the event. Kyle Cunningham would go down with 2 laps to go in his qualifier then suffer from a bad start in the LCQ which would result in him not making the main. The lone CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Lites rider would be rookie, P.J. Larsen.
P.J. got pinched off in the first corner, resulting in a bad start as he flew off the ski jump in 19th place. Larsen looked like he was riding tight, as he could not cleanly get around obviously slower riders early on in the race. After lap 3, Larsen calmed down and started to move forward. On lap 6, Larsen was 17th. By lap 9, he was up to 16th then up another spot by lap 11. On the 13th lap, Larsen would move into the 14th place spot where he would eventually finish the race. This was a good ride for this young, up and coming rider. Look for him to run up front next year.
As the season ends, P.J. Larsen finishes in 10th place and Kyle Cunningham in 11th in the West Coast Points Championship with Branden Jesseman finishing in 6th place and Hunter Hewitt in the 33rd position (Hunter has missed most of the season with a broken femur) in the East Coast Championship Series.
Tommy Hahn was set to do battle in the Supercross Class and battle he did. Tommy would figure out the tricky Las Vegas track and qualify out of his heat, directly into the main event. In the main, Tommy would get a bad jump off the start and cross the finish line in 17th place. He would however show his speed and move up quickly through the field, ending up in 12th place by lap five. After a 3 lap battle with Bowers, Hahn would cross the line in 13th place at the halfway point in the race. As Hahn closed in on the riders in front of him, Hahn’s bike malfunctioned as he pounded his way through the treacherous whoops. The night was over for Tommy as was the 2009 Supercross season. Hahn would finish the Championship Series in 19th place and looks forward to heading out doors for the MX Nationals.
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" L.C.Q., which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” In the “Lites” class, Daniel Blair and Chris Blose transferred into the main and in the “Supercross” class; Robert Kiniry took the win followed by Kyle Partridge to move into their respective main events.
Next up for the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Team is the 2009, AMA Outdoor Nationals. This will be a tough series but the CANIDAE team should run up front all year. Come check it out as the season kicks off May 23rd in San Bernardino, CA. See you there!
March 31, 2009
When the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series headed north of the border for round 7 of the East Coast Lites series the #74 of Branden Jesseman was looking to rebound after failing to qualify for the main event in St. Louis. With one of the fastest qualifying times coming out of practice Jesseman was feeling confident going into Heat Race #1.
When the gated dropped for Heat Race #1 the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Branden Jesseman was off to one of his best starts of the season as he found his #74 in the top-five. After making quick work of the couple of riders in front of him Jesseman had his sights set on the Flying Frenchman (Christophe Pourcel). As the seconds quickly turned into minutes it was clear that Pourcel was going to take the victory in Heat #1. But Jesseman wasn't out of the woods yet as he had to fend off the hard charging rookie Darryn Durham. Jesseman quickly showed the young rook that experience is everything in the sport of supercross and took home second place in Heat Race #1.
Getting a great start and finishing strong builds confidence in your Heat Race but transferring it to the main event separates the greats from the average. When you're a past Supercross Lites Champion like CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Branden Jesseman you know a thing or two about showing up to the main event. And when the 30-sec board dropped sideways for the start of the main Jesseman showed why he was a past champion. Bursting out of the gate for another top-5 start Jesseman was riding with confidence. After getting passed by the #981 of Austin Stroupe and ending up on the losing end of a bar-to-bar battle with the #43 of Broc Tickle, Jesseman had to make sure to keep his confidence and ride with determination. Midway through the race Jesseman showed why he was a past champion. He found his rhythm and made a hard charge at Tickle for a spot on the podium. While his effort came up a little short, Jesseman showed that he can take a punch and give another one back. Jesseman gained valuable points on rookie Blake Wharton but still remains behind Wharton in fifth place.
The struggles continue for the #48 of Tommy Hahn as the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider wrecked in the main event and failed to finish the race. After qualifying 8th in his Heat Race, Hahn was looking to put the past behind him and put in a top-ten finish. Coming off the gate in 8th place. the #48 was looking to finally shut the door on his first top-ten finish of the year. But his bad luck continued as he made a mistake and went down. Hahn was unable to complete the race and finished in 19th place. Hahn is still hoping to finish the year strong as the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series heads back to the states. Check in next week as the series rolls into Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida for Round 14. It will certainly be exciting!
March 14, 2009
Branden Jesseman has been on a roll as of late but in the New Orleans Superdome, he took it to a whole new level. From the first practice, Jesseman looked very comfortable and confident as he continued to be one of the fastest riders on the track. He continued his momentum in the final practice session and set the tone for the rest of the night.
As Heat Race # 2 started, Jesseman dodged a bullet as he ducked inside a huge pile-up entering the first turn. He exited the corner in 3rd and before the end of the first lap, had moved himself into 2nd place. After following race leader Matt Goerke for most of the second lap, Jesseman made a great move in the sand section to take over first place as he set his sights on the win. The win would not come easy as Austin Stroupe would make a run at Jesseman but the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider from New Brighton, PA was too strong for Stroupe and took the win in the six-lap race.
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" L.C.Q., which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” In the “Lites” class, Steven Clarke and Matthew Lemoine transfered into the main and in the “Supercross” class, Nathan Ramsey took the win followed by Troy Adams to move into their respective main events.
With the first gate pick in the Main Event, Jesseman placed his # 74 Kawasaki into the best position for success and shot out of the gate with a great start. He found himself in third place behind Daniel Blair. As Jesseman found his grove, he worked his way past Blair on lap 4 and set his sights on Austin Stroupe who had checked out as Jesseman was dealing with Blair. The gap proved to be too much despite his near perfect race and Jesseman finished in the 2nd spot, behind Stroupe, while securing his best finish of the year for himself and the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team.
Tommy Hahn missed the event due to a shoulder injury sustained while practicing on Wednesday. Hahn is expected to be back on the bike at the next round in St. Louis.
It was a great night in New Orleans, and the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team will try to take that last step to the top of the podium next week as the series rolls into the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. Come check it out, it will certainly be exciting!
March 7, 2009
Daytona has always been know for its rough tracks and unique format. Instead of the usual layout on the stadium floor, Daytona is laid out in the grass on the infield of the “tri-oval” on the front stretch of the Speedway. Because of the extra room and toughness of the track, lap times are much longer than that of a normal Stadium race. This year’s track caused problems for every rider at every level, which made for some amazing racing.
In the Lites qualifying Heat # 2, Jesseman would have a rough go, as he would charge into the first turn at the front of the pack only to be hit from behind sending him to the ground with his handlebar stuck in the rear wheel of another bike. By the time they got untangled, he was over a 1/2 a lap down. He charged up to 13th by the end sending him to CANIDAE “Lucky Dog” Last Chance Qualifier.
photo courtesy cudbyphoto.com
Heat Race # 2 for the 450 riders would feature CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Off the gate, Hahn would have a good start but be forced to the outside of turn one where he made contact with another rider. Hahn’s bike would become entangled with the other rider and ripped out from underneath Hahn and drug down the track as Hahn hit the ground hard. Hahn would rush to remount his bike but would find himself in last place. Never one to quit, Hahn put on a charge that was impressive to say the least. He would work his way past more than half the field and finish in 9th place, which was good enough for a transfer position for the Main Event.
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" L.C.Q., which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki’s own Branden Jesseman would win the short 4 lap race to transfer into the Main Event along with Broc Tickle in the Lites class and Davi Millsaps and Andrew Short would be the final two 450 “Lucky Dog” riders to move on.
In the Lites Main Event, Jesseman looked great off the start as he secured a top 10 start and stayed clear of the chaos to move up through the pack. As Jesseman flew through the air on the backside of the long track, Josh Lichtle would loose his front end and crash hard leaving Jesseman nowhere to land. Jesseman would experience a hard impact as he slammed into the downed rider’s bike as he hit the ground hard. Branden would remount and finish lap 1 in 17th place and would spend the rest of the race trying feverishly to make it to the front. By lap six he had moved to 14th but hit the ground again when was taken out by a block pass from the rider he was overtaking. Branden would rally to finish a respectable 13th place on this tremendous track.
In the Supercross class, CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn got a great start as he avoided trouble in a huge first turn crash that collected some of the sports biggest names. Hahn would find himself in 3rd place for the first five laps as he rode exceptionally well up front. As the laps wore on, the track would deteriorate rapidly causing the riders to fatigue and struggle as riders jockeyed for position. At the finish line, it was Hahn in 10th after a long hard fought day.
Next week, the team moves to the Superdome in New Orleans for round 11 of the 18-race season. It should be exciting so check it out!
February 28, 2009
CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Branden Jesseman’s hard work has been paying off big time. Following on the heels of his 5th place finish in Atlanta, Jesseman rode his best race of the season at Indy grabbing an impressive fourth place finish.
In qualifying Heat # 2, Jesseman shot out to a 6th place start and quickly moved his way up to fourth place by the third lap. By the time the checkered flags waved, he finished in a well-deserved 3rd place, earning his spot in the final.
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" Last Chance Qualifier, which is the final opportunity for all remaining Lites riders to make it into the "Big Show.” Number 521, Kyle Gillis and # 96, Tyler Wharton were the last two "Lucky Dog's" Lites riders to qualify for the 20 rider Main Event.
In the Lites Main Event, Jesseman was in 7th place early and fighting hard to reach the front pack. By the halfway point, his lap times were improving and had moved up one place. By lap 11, he had moved into fifth and was still gaining ground. In the end, the checkered flags saw Jesseman achieve a season best 4th place finish, and a huge jump in the championship points standings to fourth. Great job Branden!
In the Supercross class, CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn has been working very hard to finish inside the top ten every week. He drew heat #1 for his chance to make it into the Main Event and got off to a great start by shooting out of the gate in third place. Just before the finish line on the first lap, Hahn was slammed into from behind causing the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki to crash hard. The crash left Hahn in last place and banged up. Never one to say, “quit,” Hahn put his head down and went to work climbing back to 11th. Unfortunately, Hahn ran out of time and missed his qualifying spot by only two places in a great comeback ride.
Next week, the team moves to the Daytona International Speedway in Florida for the most unique event of the Supercross season. This track will push every rider to their limits so make sure to check it out!
February 21, 2009
The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team pulled into Atlanta, GA ready to race for the 2nd round of the “East” series for the Lites riders and the 8th round overall. The last time the "East Coast" Lites guys raced was almost a month ago on January 24th, in Houston, TX. Since that time, the team has lost Hunter Hewitt to a broken femur leaving just Branden Jesseman to battle in the 250cc class and Tommy Hahn to fight for a win in the Supercross (450cc) class.
The #74 Kawasaki of Jesseman jumped out of the gate in the # 4 position when Heat # 2 got underway. As the pack filtered through the first corner, Jesseman was in 5th and working his way forward. As Jesseman went wide in the second corner, the # 309 bike of Spenser Dally went down forcing Jesseman to slam on the brakes and find a way around the downed rider, moving him back in the pack. Branden would recover nicely and work his way up to 7th by the end of the first lap. Branden would eventually finish the race in the 6th position, and advance on to the Lites Main Event.
Tommy Hahn took to the track in the first Supercross heat race of the night. Tommy would get out of the gate with a mid-pack start and finish the first lap in 12th position, well outside a transfer spot for the Main Event. Hahn would work hard and move his Kawasaki into a transfer position when the checkered flags flew, ending up in 8th place.
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" Last Chance Qualifier, which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” # 20, Nico Izzi and # 34 Matt Goerke were the last two "Lucky Dog's" to qualify for the 20 rider Main Event in the Lites class and Charles Summey and Nick Wey would move on in the premier class.
The Atlanta crowd, at 68,933 strong, was ready for the main event and the racing left no one disappointed. When the gate dropped, all 20 riders shot down the long start straightaway and into the first left hand corner. Branden Jesseman was inside the top 10 trough the first section and would finish lap one in 6th. Jesseman would move back one spot to 7th where he would stay for the next 5 laps before making a pass on Will Hahn (brother of team CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki 450 rider Tommy Hahn) for the 6th spot and then up to the 5th position when he got around the stalled bike of Austin Stroupe. With 4 laps to go, Jesseman would pull to the back wheel of Matthew Lemoine in the fourth spot. With a great move, Branden would drive around the outside of Lamoine in a tricky section and take over the 4th spot but only to leave the door open for Blake Wharton as he would cut to the inside of Jesseman leading up to the triple jump sending him back to 5th where he would eventually finish. The excellent finish would move Jesseman up three positions in the championship points stands, into 7th.
Tommy Hahn lined up for the Supercross Main Event ready to face the demanding Atlanta track and the rest of the stacked field. Hahn would get off the start line mid-pack but quickly find himself at the back of the pack after the first corner chaos. Tommy would put on a strong charge moving up as high as 14th but the night was not his and he would have to settle for a 16th place finish.
Check back for the next report as the series moves into the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy!
February 14, 2009
It was a tough night for the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team at round 7 of the 2009 Supercross Series in Qualcomm Stadium. Kyle Cunningham #36 approached the gate with confidence in Heat 1 for his first attempt at making the Main Event. When the gate fell, Cunningham shot out quick fighting for a top 5 start but had to react quickly as two riders collided in front of him forcing Kyle to slam on the brakes, pushing him to the back of the pack. Cunningham made a great recovery as he darted to the inside in corner one. When Cunningham flew over the finish line on lap one he was 14th, just four positions away from qualifying for the Main, with only six laps to get there. Kyle went to work and by lap four, he was in 9th position and closing in on #144, Alex Martin. Kyle set up perfectly to make the pass in a tight, right hand corner and stormed underneath Martin to take the position. Martin had no idea Cunningham was there, and he turned down into the #36 Kawasaki of Cunningham, causing both riders to crash. Kyle remounted his bike in 14th with no time left to qualify for the Main Event. He would have to go on to the CANIDAE “Lucky Dog” Last Chance Qualifier.
Heat #2 featured CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider P.J. Larsen riding his #87 Kawasaki. When the gate dropped Larsen positioned himself mid-pack in 12th by the end of the first lap and started steadily moving forward. By lap five, Larsen was one spot out of a transfer position in 10th and time was running out. Larsen had reeled in the #186 bike of Derek Costella but did not have time to make the much-needed pass before the checkered flags fell with Larsen in 10th. Larson would enter the “Lucky Dog” L.C.Q. for his final attempt of making it in to the big show.
In the premier class, team CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn launched out of the gate in heat #1 and rounded the first corner in 3rd position. After a slight bobble in corner three, Tommy settled in and finished lap 1 of the eight-lap race in 5th position. Hahn rode conservatively on the extremely difficult track and easily transferred into the main finishing the heat in 7th position.
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the “Lucky Dog” L.C.Q. that featured team riders, Cunningham and Larsen in this short, 4 lap Lites race. When the gate dropped, the teammates shot out side by side with Cunningham on the inside as the pack funneled down into the tight left hand corner. Ronnie Goodwin on his #711 bike was on the inside of Cunningham and quickly running out of racetrack as he moved up into the #36 of Cunningham, forcing Cunningham into the wheels of his teammate, Larsen. When the bikes collided, Kyle’s bike turned sideways and slammed Cunningham to the ground in a violent crash. P.J. was able to remain upright during the collision; however, the night was over for Cunningham as the Asterisk’s Medical Crew carried Kyle off the track ending his night.
P.J. sustained his position in the lead pack but was still three spots out of a transfer position in 5th with 3 laps to go. Larsen moved up to 3rd by the last lap but a huge gap remained between him and the second place rider. Larsen put on an amazing charge as he pulled up to the rear wheel of the 2nd place rider, Michael Sleeter, as the pair approached the “Dragon’s Back”. Larsen held it wide open as he pulled along side of Sleeter and into the corner. Sleeter knew that Larsen had the momentum to take the final transfer position so he put a block pass on Larsen sending the young CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider into the blocks ending his night.
The 450 Main Event was in the gate and Tommy Hahn accomplished another great start as the pack stormed down the track toward the tricky first corner. Hahn was forced wide and fell back a few positions, but he managed to stay inside the top 10. As the 20 lap Main Event continued, Hahn struggled with the track and by lap fifteen he found himself in 15th. Hahn was determined to improve his position and was rewarded with a 12th place finish, which was a nice recovery for the rider from Texas.
The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team now heads to Atlanta, GA for the 8th round of the series and the second stop on the tour for the Lites East Coast riders. It will be exciting, so check it out!
February 7, 2009
When Albert Hammond wrote the song with the lyrics “It never rains in California,” he obviously was not talking about Anaheim 3, 2009. The rains poured down consistently for 3 days and paused almost long enough to complete round 6 of the 2009 Supercross Season under a dry sky. The track crew did an outstanding job of providing a track that was in pretty good shape considering what they had to work with, although the track was one lined and extremely rutted and difficult.
First up was the Supercross Lites, Heat 1 featuring CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki riders Kyle Cunningham and P.J. Larsen. #36 Kyle Cunningham finished with a strong ride taking the 5th position while # 87 P.J. Larsen ran as high as 4th in the heat race and finished soundly in the 6th position, easily securing a spot in the main event.
Next up for CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki was the season debut for #48, Tommy Hahn in the Supercross class. Hahn who has been healing from a broken hand suffered in testing a week before the series opener was looking great in practice setting the fastest lap time in his session. Tommy would carry that over to his heat race where he would finish in 3rd place after passing Heath Voss and Tim “Red Dog” Ferry on the last lap. A great ride for his first race back.
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the “Lucky Dog” Last Chance Qualifier, which is the last chance for the remaining 250 and 450 riders to make it into the main event. In the “Lites” class, it was Jake Moss and Eric McCrummen getting in and Andrew Short and Paul Carpenter in the premier class.
The “Lites” Main Event was going to be a knock down, drag out on the season’s toughest track where only the strong would survive. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki riders Cunningham and Larsen would exit turn one in 6th and 10th respectively and clear of the mayhem as they settled into a comfortable pace. On lap 3 while still running in 6th place, Cunningham would crash hard on a tricky section as he was passing for a position. The set back would cost Kyle 10 positions as he righted in 16th. P.J., who had moved up to 7th on lap 2 would take over 6th place on lap three and hold it until he crashed on the section known as “The Dragon’s Back.” The crash was a bad one but certainly could have been much worse as Larsen hurried to remount in 13th place. Cunningham’s charge to the front was derailed on lap 7 as the charging rider who had worked his way up to 14th before he found himself on the ground again relegating him back to 17th. Kyle would charge back from 17th to finish in a respectable 11th place and end the night in the 15th spot in the season long points battle. Larsen would work his way all the way up to 8th as the checkered flags flew keeping him in eighth in the points chase and the top rookie.
As the 450’s rolled into the starting gate, the rumor was that the rain was only minutes away. As the 20 riders shot out of the gate, it was obvious that chaos was upon us. The riders slipped and slid as they all fought for traction. Several riders would go down, unfortunately collecting the #48 of Tommy Hahn with them. Tommy would pick himself up in last place several second behind the next rider. As Hahn got underway, it was apparent that he was on a mission to catch back up to the pack. Hahn would do just that as he finished lap 1 in 19th, lap 2 in 18th and lap 3 he jumped all the way into 16th. This was amazing considering the carnage and the severe track conditions. On lap 4, Hahn had moved into the 14th position behind Tim Ferry before going down hard in an attempt to get around the veteran as the rain began to fall. The crash would end Tommy’s night but it was still a great sign of what is to come for the young CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider.
Next week we move onto San Diego and hopefully drier conditions. We look forward to seeing all of you there.
January 24, 2009
While it was cold outside Reliant Stadium in Houston, it was blistering hot inside as the 1st round of the Monster Supercross Lites, East Series got underway. The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team has a great shot at a championship this year with a perfect combination of youth and experience. Rookie sensation Hunter Hewitt (#126) kicked off his Supercross career at this event with the help of his veteran teammate Branden Jesseman (#74). Jesseman was the series champion in 2003 and hopes to repeat that performance this year.
The night started as planned for Jesseman, as he easily qualified for the main event with a great, late race charge from 11th to 8th place in Heat #1. Hewitt was pushed off the track in Heat #2 into a huge sponsor sign at the end of the start at full speed! The impact was brutal, but Hunter picked himself up quickly and remounted. His charge through the pack was impressive, ending up in 12th. Hewitt would have to try to qualify through the CANIDAE "Lucky Dog" Last Chance Qualifier.
The CANIDAE "Lucky Dog" L.C.Q. is a short 4-lap dash that sends only 2 of the 22 remaining riders to the Main Event. Hewitt had a good start and found himself within striking distance at the end of lap 1 in 4th place. He quickly moved up into 3rd place behind the #552 bike of Fred Karrel, in the final transfer position. On the last lap, Hewitt had set up Karrel perfectly for a pass in the tricky "step on" timing section of the track. The pass worked to perfection as Hunter slid by with ease and went on to finish 2nd and qualify for the Main Event in his first ever Supercross!
The Main Event featured the 20 best East Coast "Lites" riders. Off the start line, the riders battled down the long straightaway, through the tricky chicane section, and into the first set of jumps. By lap 6, Hunter Hewitt worked himself inside the top ten, into 9th place while Branden Jesseman was in 12th. On lap 8, Jacob Saylor tried to keep Jesseman from passing just before the backside triple, and Jesseman went down hard. The next lap, in the same corner, Hewitt went down as he lost the front end in the loose Texas soil moving him back to 12th. Jesseman put on a terrific charge as he moved up six positions in just a few laps. Hunter was in still in 12th when his bike stalled in a tricky corner. Fortunately, this only set him back one position. On lap 13, the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki teammates would swap positions, as the #126 rookie succumbed to the crafty veteran on the #74 Kawasaki moving Hewitt back to 14th where he would finish the night. It was a great start to what will be a fantastic career for this young standout. Jesseman, however, was not quite finished as he would gain one more position before the checkered flags flew, ending his night in 12th. Jesseman put on a great effort to stay in the Championship points fight.
Look for the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Race team next week in San Francisco at AT&T Park as round 4 of the West Coast Series resumes for P.J. Larsen and Kyle Cunningham.
January 17, 2009
With team manager Bill Keefe of the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team at the helm, team riders P.J. Larsen and Kyle Cunningham were focused and more determined than ever to prove their abilities in the third Supercross of the season. Determination paid off when both riders made it directly out of heat #2 to the Main Event.
With only 9 riders advancing to the Main, it can get a little nerve-racking for a team to have both riders in the same heat race. This time around though, both riders sailed into the Main Event making quick work of the extremely hard and technical track. Larsen on his #87 Kawasaki finished the qualifying race in 6th and his teammate Cunningham, on his #36 Kawasaki, finished in 8th after a great charge through the pack. Both riders were in the show!
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the “Lucky Dog” Last Chance Qualifier and at this race, fans witnessed last year’s West Coast Champion, Jason Lawrence win the 4 lap race while Michael Sleeter followed up in a close second to complete the 20 rider roster that would compete in the Main Event.
It was time for the Main Event, and the crowd was electric with anticipation. When the gate dropped, both CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki riders found themselves at the back of the pack with Cunningham through the finish line at the end of lap 1 in the 14th position and Larsen in 17th. The tenacious duo consistently picked off riders to work their way to toward the front. Fans saw the two make some great rides through the pack. At the halfway point in the race, Cunningham was inside the top ten in 10th and Larsen was coming on strong in 13th. By lap 11, both riders were inside the top 10 with Cunningham in 8th and Larsen in 10th, which is where the two would finish the hard fought race.
This was a fantastic effort by both riders and precedence has been set for their next event on January 31st in San Francisco, California for Round 5 of the season and the fourth race of the West Coast Championship Series. The following week the series heads to Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX for the opening round of the East Coast Lites Series that will feature the other two CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki “Lites” riders, Branden Jesseman and Hunter Hewitt as well as the debut of Tommy Hahn in the premier 450 class. It should be exciting!
January 10, 2009
CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Racing Team riders Kyle Cunningham (#36) and P.J. Larsen (#87) were ready for Round 2 of the 2009 AMA West Supercross Lites Series held in Phoenix, AZ at Chase Field. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki 450cc rider Tommy Hahn (#48) is still on the mend from a broken hand in testing and is scheduled to return at Round 4 in Houston.
Just as he did in Anaheim, Larsen set the fast time in the first practice session with a 56.501 and 11th overall. Cunningham rode in practice session #3 and came out with a solid 56.275 in the first round and a blistering 55.843 in the second practice for 9th overall. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki was ready to make some noise in the big show!
Heat #1 brought some great racing action that began with CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider P.J. Larsen getting pushed wide in the first turn by Honda rider Dan Reardon veering off track. As a result, P.J. had to pass four riders to qualify for the Main Event. By lap 2, P.J. had moved well inside a transfer position to the 7th spot and was still charging hard. By the final lap, Larsen was up to the 6th spot and he held it to finish to qualify for his very first Main Event in his 2nd Supercross race ever - a day he will not soon forget.
CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham was 6th across the hole-shot stripe to start Heat 2. Fortunately, Kyle was near the front, because a huge pile up occurred just behind him that took out last year’s west coast champion. Kyle sped into turn two in 5th when another pile up caused Cunningham to go down and stall the bike. After nearly 30 seconds of trying to start the bike, Kyle was back underway but in last place. Never to say “Quit,” the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider, more determined than ever, worked his way up to 11th, just two spots out of a transfer position to the Main Event. After an impressive ride, Kyle would need to qualify in the CANIDAE “Lucky Dog” Last Chance Qualifier.
The CANIDAE “Lucky Dog” L.C.Q. was the final opportunity for Kyle to make it in to the show. The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider was the aggressor from the start and his perseverance paid off as he was in 4th place on his Kawasaki through turn 1. As Kyle entered the second corner (the same corner that took him out in heat race #2), he stayed high on the berm to avoid trouble. Unfortunately, Michael Hall (#164) lost the front end of his Yamaha and crashed hard. As his bike flew across the track, it hit the # 36 Kawasaki of Cunningham sending Kyle over the front of his bike and off the track. The violent impact locked both bikes together in a tangled mess. It took both riders and several track workers to pull the bikes apart. The night was over for Cunningham. Shaun Skinner and Alex Martin would transfer out of the CANIDAE “Lucky Dog” L.C.Q. and finalize the 20-rider field for the main event.
The main event was in the gate and as the gate dropped, it was the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki # 87 of P.J. Larsen in a side-by-side drag race with last week’s race winner Jake Weimer, also on a Kawasaki. P.J. would settle into the 3rd spot by the end of lap one and he rode extremely well despite being passed on lap 3 by eventual race runner-up Justin Brayton. P.J. fell two more positions, but held 6th place for the rest of the race - a fantastic finish for the young upstart! P.J. accrued enough points for the event to be trailing last year’s west coast champion by only one point.
Next week the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Team will be back in Anaheim for the 3rd round of this wild series where we anticipate having both riders inside the top ten!
January 3, 2009
CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Racing Team riders P.J. Larsen and Kyle Cunningham were prepaired to take Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA by storm for the opening round of the 2009, AMA, West Supercross Lites Series while team Supercross rider Tommy Hahn nursed a broken hand and would not be racing the opening round in the premier class.
Larsen set a blistering pace with a 1:04.334 in the the first timed practice session to top the leader board in this his Supercross debut. Cunningham rode in practice session # 3 and sent a message to all that he was ready to take on anyone with his 1:03.281.
After opening ceremony introductions, P.J. was up first in Lites Heat #1. After getting pinched off in the first corner, P.J. had to work up from a mid-pack start. By lap 2, #87 had moved inside a transfer position in 8th and was still charging hard. On lap 3 he had moved into the 7th position and had made up some time on the leaders. With 2 laps to go, Larsen had move onto the back of Jeff Alesi who had been batteling with Michael J. Lapaglia for the 5th spot. The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider stormed through the whoops so fast that Pagaglia had no idea he was there and turned down into P.J. causing a violent collision. With too much damage to the bike and his hand from the crash, the rookie sensation would have to try to make the main through the L.C.Q.
CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham was up in heat race 2 and he and his #36 Kawasaki had a mid-pack start and had early trouble getting around slower riders. The track was littered with bikes and riders as Kyle did a great job to stay out of trouble as he began his charge forward. On lap 3 Cunningham was in 11th place with only 3 laps to go and 3 spots outside of a transfer position. Kyle put his head down and went to work passing 5 riders in the next 3 laps to not only secure a spot in the main event but to also give him a decent gate pick in the main.
The CANIDAE “Lucky Dog” L.C.Q. was stacked with talent as riders like Ryan Dungy and Ryan Sipes as well as CANIDAE’s P.J. Larsen but only 2 would go on to the main event so Larsen had to be on his “A” game. As the gate dropped it was obvious that something was wrong with #87. The crash in the first heat had hyper extended P.J.’s thumb much worse than origanilly thought and P.J. wisely pulled out of the L.C.Q. to ensure his safety. It was the right choice but he obviously was dissapointed.
Time for the main event! 22 of the best “Lites” riders on the planet roll to the start line with one thing on their minds…..WIN! The #36 Kawasaki of Kyle Cunningham carried the hopes of the entire CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team with him as he launched out of the gate with a good start in 6th place right behind last years West Coast champion, Jason Lawrence. As the pack rounded the second corner after the torturous whoop section, J-Law went down hard leaving Kyle no where to go but into the back of him causing the 19 year old rider hit the ground as well along with several other racers. Kyle remounted in 20th and before the end of that 1st lap had made his way up to 18th.
Cunningham tried to work his way to the front but on lap 4 was slammed into by last years East Coast Champion, Trey Canard twisting his shift lever under the engine case and putting a hole in the ignition cover. The bike was stuck in second gear and Kyle was forced to pull into the pits to try and repair his bike. Kyle’s mechanic Steve Westfall worked feverishly to get the bike fixed, but it was too damaged and too late so the team called it a night.
