Team Solitaire/MB1/Kingdom Honda Phoenix Race Update
Phoenix, AZ
January 12th, 2008

AMA Supercross rolled into our hometown of Phoenix, AZ for the second round of action in the 2008 series. The best thing about this race being so close to home is getting to sleep in my own bed both the night before and the night after the race. The worst thing would have to be the early morning rides for press day and the incredibly high ticket requests. All in all, it is worth it to have my friends and family be a part of the weekend and take in the excitement that is Supercross.

Team Solitaire/MB1/Kingdom Honda “Lites” rider Bob Kiniry led off the weekend by taking the quickest qualification time in the first practice session. In all combined sessions he qualified in 15th, giving him a good gate position for the heat race. I followed a lackluster first session with a strong second session to secure 3rd quickest in my session and 22nd overall.

Lites Heat One: Bob again set the bar high by taking the holeshot in his heat. After leading the first lap he was overtaken by Broc Hepler. The pressure got to him a little and his pace wasn’t quite as quick as earlier in the day. He succumbed to three more riders before getting things figured out and picking his pace up. He finished fifth and took an easy transfer to the main event.

Supercross Heat One: I came out of the gate a bit sideways but still entered the first corner in decent position. In the first rhythm section I just grazed the handlebar of another rider with my front wheel sending me wide and momentarily hijacking my momentum. I found myself second-to-last and with a lot of positions to make up. I passed several riders in the opening laps, but then I came up on some of the quicker riders and my progress slowed. I took the measure of Jason Thomas in the mechanic’s area corner, then Jiri Dostal one lap later in the same place. I could only muster 12th in the heat and would have to move on to the LCQ.

Supercross LCQ: This race ended almost before it began. I collided with Eric Sorby right out of the gate, but still charged toward the first corner with a ton of speed. That was, unfortunately, my downfall. I slid into a downed rider and went end over end. I remounted last and at quite a deficit, but I figured I could pass quite a few guys in six laps. I moved through four or five guys before getting a little too aggressive with a pass and crashed again. I picked myself up again and charged to the checkers, but way short of a transfer.

Lites Main Event: Bob was far inside on the start, in the same gate I was in for the LCQ. Unfortunately, that gate seemed to be cursed for us and he also ended up on the ground in the first corner. He was down two straight-aways from the next rider, but he made up ground quickly and began picking people off. He was near the top 15 when he went down again in the split-whoop section. He rode it out to the end, but the two crashes proved too much to overcome.

Summary: We were disappointed with the weekend’s results, but both Bob and myself are riding well and are hopeful that we can turn things around in the coming events.

See you at the races!

Ryan Clark

Team Solitaire/MB1 Kingdom Honda is a privately owned professional Supercross and Motocross race team based in Phoenix, AZ. Our 2008 marketing partners include: MB1 Suspension, Kingdom Clothing, American Honda, FLY Racing, Pro Honda Oils and Chemicals, DRD Exhaust, Vortex, Dragon Optical, Factory Effex, ASV, Dunlop, WPS, Sidi, Rockwell Watches, DUS, OGIO, Applied, QTM/Brembo, RK Chain, EXCEL Rims, Hoy-Fox Toyota, Boyesen, Hinson, Ready Filter, CoachSeiji.com, Cycra Plastic, Sano Systems, AIMMD, Pivot Works, Hot Cams, Hot Rods, Champion Tool Storage, Crank Works, CP Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, Ron Davis Racing Radiators, DC Auto Wraps, Leatt Brace, Dirt Pro, Group D and Western Power Sports.