Team Babbitt’s Kawasaki’s Chris Blose may never worked hard for two championship points than he did at the Ontario AMSOIL Arenacross doubleheader.
Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki’s Chris Blose jumped to a slim lead in the AMSOIL Arenacross Series Race to the Championship after sweeping to two overall wins during the series doubleheader at Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, California, April 1-2.
The Southern California rounds showcased a unique departure from the typical arenacross course as the starting gate was positioned outside the arena. Race to the Championship top seed Gavin Faith pulled the holeshot aboard his Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki, leading teammate Blose, TiLUBE/TUF Racing Honda’s Jace Owen and the rest of the pack into turn one. Blose began to challenge Faith immediately, and the two began to trade the lead on lap four.
Blose took control of the race for good on lap seven and then gapped his pursuers to score the win. Owen also got by Faith for second place, with TZR/Woodstock KTM’s Travis Sewell was fourth, with Rockstar Energy Drink Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gared Steinke in fifth.
TiLUBE/TUF Racing Honda’s Ben Lamay was the fastest man off the starting gate in the second Arenacross main event, leading Blose and Faith, with defending AMSOIL Arenacross Champion Kyle Regal fourth aboard his Rockstar Energy Drink Husqvarna, ahead of Hayes. Lamay pulled clear of Blose, the latter obviously riding conservatively enough to stay in front of Faith, as he knew that would be good enough for the overall win. Lamay went on to record the win with Blose second and Faith third. Hayes was fourth, with GEICO Honda’s Chase Sexton in fifth.
Blose’s 1-2 finishes, combined with his win in the RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge earlier in the evening, netted his third overall win of the season, and it lifted him from fourth to first in the Race to the Championship standings, putting him two points ahead of Faith heading onto into the second night of racing. Lamay jumped from fifth to third, seven points out of the lead, with Owen fourth (-8) and Hayes fifth (-9).
“I need to keep bringing it every night and try to minimize the mistakes [on the track],” Blose said. “Keep getting good starts and keep it on two wheels. I’ll get a good night’s rest and try to come back out here tomorrow and do it again.”
The race got even more interesting when Regal collected Sewell and Lamay, taking both riders out of their podium spots. As the field navigated around them Hayes was able to make a pass on Blose. Faith led all 15 laps, with Hayes second and Blose third. TiLUBE/TUF Racing Honda’s Jace Owen was fourth, while Sewell recovered from the crash to finish fifth.
Regal grabbed the holeshot ahead of Owen and Blose in the second main event while this time it was Faith’s turn to fight his way up from sixth place. Faith made a quick move to get into the lead pack and was fourth by the end of lap two.
Then Regal came up short on a jump in the rhythm section on lap four, yielding the lead to Owen. Blose passed Regal for second place on lap five, and Faith moved into third. Owen ran strong race and earned his first career AMSOIL Arenacross main event victory. Blose held on for second. Faith claimed third after briefly losing to Hayes on Lap 13, but retook the spot to grab the final spot on the podium. Hayes settled for fourth, with Lamay fifth.
Earlier in the evening Blose (3-2) took his second straight RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge win, and that additional championship bonus point moved him into a tie with Faith (1-3) in the overall classification. As a result a tiebreaker was needed to determine the overall winner and by virtue of his second-place finish in the second main event, Blose scored the overall win ahead of Faith, who finished third in the second main event. Owen’s first career arenacross main event win helped him finish third overall (4-1), with Hayes fourth (2-4) and Sewell fifth (5-6).
“I definitely feel good, and the bike is awesome right now,” Blose said. “I struggled a little in the second Main Event but I made it work. Everyone was riding really well but I was able to hold them off. If I can keep riding like this it would definitely make winning this championship much easier.”
Time will tell how easy it will be, as Blose merely maintained his two-point lead in the Race to the Championship standings over Faith. Owen moved up into third, nine points out of the lead, with Hayes fourth (-11) and Sewell fifth (-18).
The next round of the AMSOIL Arenacross Series is scheduled to take place at the Salinas Sports Complex in Salinas, California, April 9-10.
2016 AMSOIL Arenacross Series
Citizens Bank Arena
Ontario, California
Results: April 1-2, 2016
Friday
Arenacross Main Event 1
1. Chris Blose-Kaw
2. Jace Owen-Hon
3. Gavin Faith-Kaw
4. Travis Sewell-KTM
5. Gared Steinke-Hus
6. Jacob Hayes-Kaw
7. Ben Lamay-Hon
8. Chase Sexton-Hon
9. Kyle Regal-Hus
10. Austin Politelli-Kaw
Arenacross Main Event 2
1. Ben Lamay-Hon
2. Chris Blose-Kaw
3. Gavin Faith-Kaw
4. Jacob Hayes-Kaw
5. Chase Sexton-Hon
6. Kyle Regal-Hus
7. Jace Owen-Hon
8. Gared Steinke-Hus
9. Kyle Bitterman-Hus
10. Travis Sewell-KTM
Arenacross Class Overall Results
1. Chris Blose-Kaw/1-2
2. Gavin Faith-Kaw/3-3
3. Ben Lamay-Hon/7-1
4. Jace Owen-Hon/2-7
5. Jacob Hayes-Kaw/6-4
6. Chase Sexton-Hon/8-5
7. Gared Steinke-Hus/5-8
8. Travis Sewell-KTM/4-10
9. Kyle Regal-Hus/9-6
10. Kyle Bitterman-Hus/13-9
RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)
1. Chris Blose- Kaw (2 points)
2. Gavin Faith-Kaw (1 point)
3. Jacob Hayes-Kaw (1 point)
4. Travis Sewell-KTM (1 point)
5. Jace Owen-Hon (1 point)
6. Kyle Regal-Hus (1 point)
7. Kyle Bitterman-Hus (1 point)
8. Sean Cantrell-KTM (1 point)
Western Regional Arenacross Lites Main Event
1. Cheyenne Harmon-KTM
2. Cody VanBuskirk-KTM
3. Ben Nelko-KTM
4. Jared Lesher-KTM
5. Scott Zont-KTM
6. Dylan Rouse-KTM
7. Dave Ginolfi-Kaw
8. Parker Fleming-Hus
9. Dillon Cloyed-Hon
10. Blake Green-Yam
Saturday
Arenacross Main Event 1
1. Gavin Faith-Kaw
2. Jacob Hayes-Kaw
3. Chris Blose-Kaw
4. Jace Owen-Hon
5. Travis Sewell-KTM
6. Gared Steinke-Hus
7. Kyle Bitterman-Hus
8. Jon Ames-Yam
9. Cody VanBuskirk-KTM
10. Jared Lesher-KTM
Arenacross Main Event 2
1. Jace Owen-Hon
2. Chris Blose-Kaw
3. Gavin Faith-Kaw
4. Jacob Hayes-Kaw
5. Ben Lamay-Hon
6. Travis Sewell-KTM
7. Gared Steinke-Hus
8. Kyle Regal-Hus
9. Jared Lesher-KTM
10. Jon Ames-Yam
Arenacross Class Overall Results
1. Chris Blose-Kaw/3-2
2. Gavin Faith-Kaw/1-3
3. Jace Owen-Hon/4-1
4. Jacob Hayes-Kaw/2-4
5. Travis Sewell-KTM/5-6
6. Gared Steinke-Hus/6-7
7. Ben Lamay-Hon/14-5
8. Jon Ames-Yam/8-10
9. Kyle Regal-Hus/12-8
10. Jared Lesher-KTM/10-9
RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)
1. Chris Blose-Kaw (2 points)
2. Travis Sewell-KTM (1 point)
3. Gavin Faith-Kaw (1 point)
4. Jace Owen-Hon (1 point)
5. Jacob Hayes-Kaw (1 point)
6. Ben Lamay-Hon (1 point)
7. Kyle Regal-Hus (1 point)
8. Kyle Bitterman-Hus (1 point)
2016 AMSOIL Arenacross Race to the Championship Standings
1. Chris Blose-68/3 main event wins
2. Gavin Faith-66/7 main event wins
3. Jace Owen-59/1 main event win
4. Jacob Hayes-57/8 main event wins
5. Travis Sewell-50/5 main event wins
6. Ben Lamay-46/2 main event wins
7. Gared Steinke-45
8. Kyle Regal-36
9. Cody VanBuskirk-15
10. Daniel Herrlein-1
Western Regional Arenacross Lites Main Event
1. Stone Edler-Yam
2. Cheyenne Harmon-KTM
3. Cody VanBuskirk-KTM
4. Jared Lesher-KTM
5. Carlen Gardner-KTM
6. Ben Nelko-KTM
7. Dave Ginolfi-Kaw
8. Scott Zont-KTM
9. Dillon Cloyed-Hon
10. Blake Green-Yam
Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Standings
1. Cody VanBuskirk-86/1 main event win
2. Ben Nelko-85/2 main event wins
3. Cheyenne Harmon- 77/1 main event win
4. Scott Zont-63
5. Carlen Gardner-58
6. Jared Lesher-57
7. Dave Ginolfi-56
8. Dylan Rouse-50
9. Brandon Marley-29
10. Dillon Cloyed-26
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