Consistency was the key for Husqvarna TiLUBE TUF Racing’s Kyle Regal, who used a pair of runner-up finishes to earn his second AMSOIL Arenacross Series overall win of the season at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, Saturday night.
Team Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki riders Matt Goerke and Chris Blose came out of the first turn side-by-side after the gate dropped for the first Arenacross main event of the night. Blose took the early lead, only to come up short on a jump in the rhythm section and crash, handing the lead over to Goerke. That same lap, misfortune also hit the third Team Babbitt’s rider, Jacob Hayes, who crashed while running fifth and dropped to the tail end of the field.
Goerke was able to open a small lead on Regal, who was took ove second after Blose crashed, and Slaka Wear KTM’s Steven Mages moved into third place. Regal started to pressure Goerke on lap four, but Regal bobbled in the whoops and lost ground. In his effort to try and make up for that lost time, Regal lost his front end at the start of Lap 10 and went down, dropping to fifth. That same lap Mages fell just after the whoops after moving into second, allowing Motosport.com/Haeseker Racing KTM’s Gared Steinke and ThermoTec/FMC Racing Yamaha’s Bobby Kiniry to take over the remaining podium spots. Goerke dominated out front and cruised to the win while a hard-charging Regal managed to claw his way back into second place on the final lap. Kiniry finished third.
Florida native Goerke decided to let his homestate fans to select the inversion for the second main event. They chose the case with the number eight, meaning half the field would be inverted.
The second main event began without Blose, who failed to return after his first main event crash. Kiniry grabbed the holeshot ahead of Babbitt’s Online Suzuki’s Cory Green and Mages. All three of the main title contenders – Hayes, Goerke and Regal – came away with solid starts, but Goerke crashed on lap two and dropped to 11th place. Green crashed at about the same time, and Hayes took advantage off their trouble and passed Mages for second place on lap three, with Regal following into third place just a couple laps later.
Hayes closed in on Kiniry by taking a fast line through the whoops, and by lap six Hayes was within a couple bike lengths. Hayes passed Kiniry coming out of the whoops and, once out front, pulled away from him for the win. Regal would also pass Kiniry for second on lap 12 to cement the overall win. Goerke recovered to finish fifth.
Regal’s consistent 2-2 finishes netted the overall win, while Hayes’ win in the second main event combined with his victory in the RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge to secure second overall in what ended up as a three-way tie for the spot. Kiniry ended up third overall (3-3), with his better finish in the second main event giving him the tiebreaker over Goerke in fourth (1-5). College Hunks Hauling Junk/Spinechillers Racing KTM’s Willy Browning rounded out the top five (7-4).
“I think I was one of the most consistent guys in the whoops and I think it paid off tonight. I’m pumped,” Regal said. “We’ll do some more work this week and be ready to get back at it next weekend.”
By virtue of his tie with Goerke, Hayes’ lead in the championship remains at 14 points. Regal gained ground on his rivals in third and now sits 20 points out of the lead and just six points behind Goerke.
“I’m not sure what happened in the first main event,” Hayes said. “I made contact while battling for position there early, and I got the worse end of it. It was just one of those things that happens in arenacross. But we came back strong and were able to get a win the close out the night. It feels good to keep points lead.”
Blair maintained his lead over Ginolfi when the race got back underway. TZR Woodstock KTM’s Cody VanBuskirk slipped past Link MX Graphics KTM’s Dylan Rouse for third on lap 12, only to crash two laps later and hand the spot back over to Rouse. Ginolfi pressed Blair on the final lap, but Blair was able to fend off the late challenge and win by about a bike length. Rouse maintained control of third for the first podium result of his career.
Ginolfi, who carried a comfortable 23-point lead in the Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Championship coming into the evening, added to his points lead and is now 38 points ahead of Hillview Motorsports Suzuki’s Steve Roman. TZR Woodstock KTM’s Scott Zont sits third. Ginolfi said he isn’t thinking about the championship.
“It will happen when it happens, and if it does that’s great,” Ginolfi said. “Right now I’m going to take it race by race. I was a little behind rhythm and Daniel [Blair] got by me, then I just got caught up in pacing him. I put on a charge at the end but came up a little bit short.”
AMSOIL Arenacross Series
Amalie Arena
Tampa, Florida
Results: January 21, 2015
Main Event 1
1. Matt Goerke-Kaw
2. Kyle Regal-Hus
3. Bobby Kiniry-Yam
4. Gared Steinke-KTM
5. Travis Sewell-KTM
6. Jacob Hayes-Kaw
7. Willy Browning-KTM
8. Cory Green-Suz
9. Steven Mages-KTM
10. Dylan Rouse-KTM
Main Event 2
1. Jacob Hayes-Kaw
2. Kyle Regal-Hus
3. Bobby Kiniry-Yam
4. Willy Browning-KTM
5. Matt Goerke-Kaw
6. Travis Sewell-KTM
7. Gared Steinke-KTM
8. Cody VanBuskirk-KTM
9. Dave Ginolf-KTM
10. Steven Mages-KTM
Overall
1. Kyle Regal/2-2
2. Jacob Hayes/6-1
3. Bobby Kiniry/3-3
4. Matt Goerke/1-5
5. Willy Browning/7-4
6. Travis Sewell/5-6
7. Gared Steinke/4-7
8. Steven Mages/9-10
9. Dylan Rouse/10-11
10. Cory Green/8-13
RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge
1. Jacob Hayes-Kaw/2 points
2. Kyle Regal-Hus/1 point
3. Chris Blose-Kaw/1 point
4. Gavin Faith-Hus/1 point
5. Matt Goerke-Kaw/1 point
6. Bobby Kiniry-Yam/1 point
7. Travis Sewell-KTM/1 point
8. Willy Browning-KTM/1 point
AMSOIL Arenacross Series Point Standings (After race 9 of 20)
1. Jacob Hayes- 240/5 main event wins
2. Matt Goerke -226/2 main event wins
3. Kyle Regal-220/3 main event wins
4. Bobby Kiniry-188/1 main event win
5. Steven Mages-178/1 main event win
6. Travis Sewell-177
7. Chris Blose-175/4 main event wins
8. Willy Browning- 156
9. Gared Steinke-138
10. Gavin Faith-131/2 main event wins
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Main Event
1. Daniel Blair-KTM
2. Dave Ginolfi- KTM
3. Dylan Rouse-KTM
4. Scott Zont-KTM
5. Jacob Williamson-Kaw
6. Lorenzo Locurcio-Yam
7. Jake Locks, Dixon-KTM
8. Dave Blanchet-Kawi
9. Logan Pfleiderer-Yam
10. Cody VanBuskirk-KTM
Eastern Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 7 of 10)
1. Dave Ginolfi-103/2 main event wins
2. Steve Roman-65
3. Scott Zont-61
4. Daniel Herrlein-56
5. Steven Mages-47/1 main event win
6. Dylan Rouse-44
7. Jacob Williamson-42
8. Dave Blanchet-41
9. Darian Sanayei-35/2 main event wins
10. Mitchell Harrison-33/1 main event win
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