Kyle Regal Keeps Rolling with Sixth Overall Win of AMSOIL Arenacross Season, Extends Championship Lead in Spokane

2015-04-12 06:17
AMSOIL Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael's Road to Supercross, made its first visit to Spokane Arena on Saturday for the third round of the playoff-inspired Race to the Championship. One race after earning his class-leading fifth overall win of the season and reclaiming the top spot in the Arenacross Class standings, Husqvarna TiLUBE TUF Racing's Kyle Regal cemented his status as the rider to beat in the Race to the Championship by earning his sixth overall victory. In the Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class, a resilient third-place effort by Motosport.com/Haeseker Racing KTM's Daniel Blair allowed the veteran rider to clinch the first championship of his career with three races remaining.

Race to the Championship Broadcast Alert:
Spokane broadcast will premiere on FOX Sports 1
next Sunday, April 19, at 11:00 a.m. PDT / 2:00 p.m. EDT

Spokane Race Photos
Spokane Race Highlights
Interview with Spokane Main Event 2 Winner Gared Steinke


Kyle Regal's recent run of consistency continued in Spokane, giving him back-to-back wins.
Photo Credit: Josh Rud / ShiftOne Photography

The tone for the night was established early in the Heat Races for the Arenacross Class, as aggression and physicality played a major role amongst the title contenders, including Regal, Team Babbitt's Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki's Matt Goerke, Husqvarna TiLUBE TUF Racing's Gavin Faith and Team Babbitt's Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki's Jacob Hayes. It set the stage for what was ultimately an exciting battle throughout each of the two Main Events and the eventual win.

In the first of two Arenacross Class Main Events, Hayes grabbed the holeshot ahead of the each of the top contenders in the Race to the Championship - Goerke, Team Babbitt's Chris Blose, Faith and Regal. Things remained status quo at the front of the field for the majority of the 15-lap Main Event, but tension was brewing and on Lap 12 the entire complexion of the race changed when Goerke took the inside on Hayes and the two touched, causing Hayes to crash out of the lead right before the finish. While he was able to quickly remount, he gave up the lead to Goerke and dropped to fifth. Once out front, Goerke was able to fend off his teammate Blose for the win, with Regal completing the top three as a result of a late pass on his teammate. Faith followed in fourth while ThermoTec/FMC Racing Yamaha's Bobby Kiniry also made a pass on Hayes to grab fifth.

As the winner, Goerke then had the distinction of selecting the inversion for the second Main Event. With the help of the standing-room-only crowd inside Spokane Arena, Goerke ultimately chose the full field inversion of 16, which would have a major impact on the outcome of the evening.


Gared Steinke won the first Main Event of his AMSOIL Arenacross career.
Photo Credit: Josh Rud / ShiftOne Photography

Motosport.com/Haeseker Racing KTM's Gared Steinke took advantage of his improved gate pick to nab the holeshot in the second Main Event, just ahead of College Hunks Hauling Junk/Spinechillers Racing KTM's Dave Ginolfi and Regal, who emerged with the best start of the top finishers from the first Main Event. Kiniry followed in fourth, with Goerke fifth. Faith slotted into eighth, while both Hayes and Blose found themselves outside the top 10 and near the tail end of the field.

Regal took full advantage of his strong start and took over second from Ginolfi on Lap 4 when Ginolfi encountered misfortune with a broken chain and eventually dropped out of the race. That allowed Kiniry to take over third. As this occurred Blose made his way around Hayes, and the teammates soon broke into the top 10.

Blose continued his forward progress, but Hayes still battled just to stay inside the top 10. On Lap 8, Goerke attempted a pass on Kiniry, but the two made contact and went down, allowing Faith to take over the position. Kiniry and Goerke were able to resume, but soon fell outside the top 10 following another incident that took them both to the ground again. While Steinke was able to maintain his advantage over both Regal and Faith out front, Blose broke into the top five on Lap 12. Steinke held on to take his first Main Event win of his career, with Regal second and Faith third. Babbitt's Online Suzuki's Cory Green earned a solid fourth-place finish and Blose rounded out the top five.

Regal's pair of podium finishes (3-2) ultimately earned him the overall win, edging out his teammate Faith (4-3) who was able to secure the runner-up spot in the overall thanks to his triumphant effort in the RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge, which awarded him an additional championship bonus point. Blose's resilient top-five finish in the second Main Event slotted him third overall (2-5). Green was fourth (7-4) with Goerke fifth (1-10).

Regal carried a four-point lead into the evening, but has extended his advantage to six points over Blose in the Race to the Championship. Faith sits third, 12 points back, while Hayes (-15) and Goerke (-16) complete the top five.


Steven Mages dominated the Arenacross Lites Class Main Event.
Photo Credit: Josh Rud / ShiftOne Photography

The Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Main Event kicked off with a holeshot by Slaka Wear KTM's Steven Mages, ahead of College Hunks Hauling Junk/Spinechillers Racing KTM's Dave Ginolfi and TZR/Woodstock KTM's Scott Zont. Blair found himself mid-pack, completing the first lap in eighth. Mages' impressive pace allowed him to keep Ginofli at bay throughout the 15-lap Main Event. While Ginolfi was able to keep his fellow KTM rider honest, he was never able to mount a serious challenge for the top spot.

While the battle for the lead quieted, all eyes were on Blair, who was on an incredible march towards the front. The veteran gradually began picking his way through the field, moving into seventh by Lap 2, into sixth by Lap 4, and into the top five on Lap 5. He settled into fifth for the bulk of the race but put on a late charge in the closing laps to take over fourth on Lap 11 and break into a podium spot with two laps remaining. Mages extended his lead over Ginolfi to win comfortably, while Blair surged to a third-place effort to clinch that elusive championship. Zont finished fourth, while R-One/Spokeskins Yamaha's R.J. Wageman rounded out the top five.


Daniel Blair clinched his first career title with a third-place finish in the Arenacross Lites Class.
Photo Credit: Josh Rud / ShiftOne Photography

Arenacross Class Results - Main Event 1
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM
Arenacross Class Results - Main Event 2
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki
Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki
Arenacross Class Results - Overall (Main Event Finishes)
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna (3-2)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna (4-3)
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (2-5)
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (7-4)
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (1-10)
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM (10-1)
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (6-8)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (8-7)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (9-6)
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha (5-12)
RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna (2 points)
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna (1 point)
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (1 point)
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (1 point)
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (1 point)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (1 point)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (1 point)
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (1 point)
Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Results
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM
Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM
Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., KTM
RJ Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha
Kinser Endicott, Red Bluff, Calif., Kawasaki
Jason McConnell, Canonsburg, Pa., KTM
Jake Locks, Dixon, Calif., KTM
Jonah Locks, Dixon, Calif., Kawasaki
Collin Jurin, Monroe, Wash., Kawasaki
Race to the Championship Standings (Race 3 of 6) (R2C Main Even Wins)
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna - 91 (1)
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki - 85 (3)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna - 79
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki - 76
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki - 75 (1)
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki - 72
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha - 71
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM - 66
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM - 63 (1)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM - 53
Arenacross Class Points (Race 17 of 20)

Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM - 172
Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM - 167
Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, Honda - 110
Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM - 104
Brandon Glenn, Mesquite, Texas, KTM - 76
Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 7 of 10) (Main Event wins)
Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM - 99 (3)
Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM - 51
Brandon Glenn, Mesquite, Texas, KTM - 48
Jake Locks, Dixon, Calif., KTM - 48
Clay Elliott, Buford, Ga., KTM - 34
Jason McConnell, Canonsburg, Pa., KTM - 33
Josh Struebig, Crown Point, Ind., KTM - 30
Jonah Locks, Dixon, Calif., KTM - 27
Mason Wharton, Brush Prairie, Wash., Kawasaki - 24
Dalton Oxborrow, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki - 18
Benjamin Nelko, Aliquippa, Pa., KTM - 18
The 13th round of the 2015 AMSOIL Arenacross, and the fourth round of the Race to the Championship, begins Saturday, April 18, with the inaugural visit to Tacoma, Washington. Racing from Tacoma Dome kicks off at 7 p.m. PDT / 10 p.m. EDT.

Tickets for each round of AMSOIL Arenacross are on sale now!

The entire AMSOIL Arenacross season will air on FOX Sports 1, including re-airs on Fox Sports 2.

Live timing and scoring from each round of the AMSOIL Arenacross season returns for the 2014 season! To follow the intense racing action live, log onto www.Arenacross.com.
For more information on the 2015 AMSOIL Arenacross season, and to purchase tickets, log on to www.Arenacross.com. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.

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Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports productions include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross and Nuclear Cowboyz®. Feld Motor Sports is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world's largest producer of live family entertainment. Official Monster Truck Series only at Monster Jam. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

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