Babbitt’s Monster Energy/Amsoil Kawasaki presented by Maxxis’ Tyler Bowers showed why he is the two-time defending AMA Arenacross champion as he swept all four main events at his team’s hometown race. Bowers put on a show for the partisan crowd at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich., extending his points lead to 35 over his teammate Zach Ames who finished fourth overall on Friday night and sixth overall on Saturday. Tyler Villopoto, in only his second AMA Arenacross race, made the main events on Saturday night and finished 14th overall. 

Bowers entered Friday night’s main events having claimed two of the first four overall wins and by the end of the first lap of the first main it was clear he was on his way to a third overall victory. Bowers led wire to wire in the first main event and by virtue of his win, he got to choose the inversion order for the second main event. As luck would have it, Bowers selection inverted the entire 16-man field meaning Bowers would be starting on the outside of the second row. Even with the disadvantage, he was able to work his way up to fifth after the first turn and second by the end of the third lap. Three laps later he took over the lead and charged to his seventh main event win of the year.

Ames came into the weekend on a bit of a roll. After winning the first overall of the season and then staying on the podium last weekend in Baltimore, he was ready to race for the win. On Friday night Ames captured a heat race win but in the first main event he didn’t get the start he wanted. The tight track at Grand Rapids also had huge whoops, which made it difficult to pass. Ames did his best to move up. After the inversion, Ames had to start from the back row for the second main event and after getting bottled up early he was able to move up to fifth and claim fourth overall. He also earned enough points to take over second in the season standings. On Saturday, he had a tough first main event, going down on the first lap and having to wait for the field to clear before he could get back to his bike. Ames was able to salvage a 10th-place finish. In the second main event, things went better and he was able to come home fourth and retain second place in points.

“My speed is there and I know I can run as fast as anyone,” said Ames. “The track was tough this weekend and the whoops made it even more difficult. Some guys weren’t as good through that section and that would hold everyone behind them. But overall I came out of the weekend second in the points standings which puts me in a great place to race for the title.”

Teammates who train together usually know the little nuances that give them an advantage against each other. At Grand Rapids that little bit of knowledge was key for both Bowers and Ames as they were matched up in one of the weekend’s head-to-head races. They put on quite a show during the two-lap duel swapping the lead multiple times and even making some contact to get to the checkered flag first.

The AMA Arenacross series heads to Tulsa, Okla for Round 4 on January 26, 2013. The Tulsa event marks the first time this season there will only be one night of racing.

AMA Arenacross – Round 3
Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, Mich.
January 18-19, 2013

Arenacross Class Overall – Friday
1. TYLER BOWERS, DANVILLE, KY., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (1,1)
2. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM (2-5)
3. Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda (9-4)
4. ZACH AMES, PROSPECT, OHIO, BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (7,6)
5. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (4,9)
6. GARED STEINKE, WOODLAND, CALIF., KAWASAKI (12,2)
7. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM (6-8)
8. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM (13-3)
9. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM (5-11)
10. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki (10-7)

Arenacross Class Overall – Saturday
1. TYLER BOWERS, DANVILLE, KY., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (1,1)
2. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM (2-2)
3. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM (4-3)
4. MICHAEL MCDADE, EDINBURG, PA., KAWASAKI (3,6)
5. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM (5-5)
6. ZACH AMES, PROSPECT, OHIO, BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (10,4)
7. Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda (8-7)
8. GARED STEINKE, WOODLAND, CALIF., KAWASAKI (6,11)
9. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM (9-9)
10. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki (11-8)
14. TYLER VILLOPOTO, MENIFEE, CALIF., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (15,13)

Arenacross Points Standings
1. TYLER BOWERS, DANVILLE, KY., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 186
2. ZACH AMES, PROSPECT, OHIO, BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 151
3. MICHAEL MCDADE, EDINBURG, PA., KAWASAKI, 150
4. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM – 125
5. GARED STEINKE, WOODLAND, CALIF., KAWASAKI, 110
6. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM – 109
7. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM – 108
8. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki – 104
9. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM – 102
10. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., KTM – 81Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM, 73