Irvine, Calif. (January 28, 2013) – Round 4 of the AMA Arenacross Series featured a single night of racing on Saturday from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., where Team Babbitt’s Monster Energy/Amsoil Kawasaki presented by Maxxis riders Tyler Bowers and Tyler Villopoto took the wins in the Arenacross and Arenacross Lites classes, respectively. Bowers extended his points lead by winning the first main event and overcoming the eight-rider inversion to finish second, giving him a 1-2 score and the overall victory. He also came out on top of the head-to-head bracket races to earn an additional championship point. Villopoto had a breakthrough weekend winning his first Arenacross Lites main event, and finishing on the podium in the Arenacross class in third overall. Zach Ames was fast all day, but in the main events made a few mistakes to finish 10th overall.

Bowers started off the night with a heat race win and was nearly unstoppable. He battled with the top contenders through the bracket races and came out on top to bank an additional championship point. In the first main event, Bowers got off to a great start on his KX™250F and ran away with the win collecting his 10th main event win of the season. After Ricky Carmichael selected the top eight to be inverted, Bowers opted to drop back to the second row on the inside. He came out around the fifth and was able to make some quick passes in the early laps. Once into second he stayed on the pace of the leader, but settled for second place to take the overall and extend his points lead.

“The racing was really close all weekend,” said Bowers. “The start was really important all day, especially in the bracket races. I got great starts on my Kawasaki in the first main event and in the second main I decided to start from the back row and eliminate the risk of getting pushed into the wall from the outside. I stayed off the ground and got the overall win so I’m happy.”

Villopoto has been working his way into the first few rounds of his rookie Areancross season and finally hit his stride in Tulsa. Competing in the Arenacross Lites class in addition to the Arenacross class, he took the first win of the Lites West rounds and the first win of his career. He carried that confidence into the Arenacross class, finishing fifth in the first main event, and third in the second main to claim the third spot on the podium.

Ames proved again to be one of fastest riders on the track, but his finish did not reflect that. In the bracket races Ames went up against his teammate Bowers and had an exciting two-lap brawl, passing for the lead multiple times and crossing the line just behind his training partner. He got off to a good start in the first main event and as he made a pass for third, he lost the front end dropping him to the rear of the field. In the second main event, Ames had to recover from a second-row gate pick and on the technical track he could only climb back seventh. Ames still holds third overall in the points standings.

“It wasn’t the weekend I wanted,” said Ames. “I had the speed to be up front, but couldn’t keep it on two wheels. Bowers and I train during the week and do our two-lap sprints which simulate the bracket races. It gives us a little bit of an advantage and it’s always exciting when we line up against each other.”

Taking the second main event win on Saturday was Kawasaki rider Michael McDade. He has been a threat every weekend and he completed an all Kawasaki podium in Tulsa with Bowers first, McDade second, and Villopoto third overall for the night. McDade sits second in the points standings.

With four rounds in the books so far, the chase to the championship nears closer. Round 5 will return to a double header weekend at the Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park, Texas. Villopoto will be looking for another Lites West win, while Team Babbitt’s look to remain on top of the podium.

AMA Arenacross Championship – Round 4
BOK Center – Tulsa, Okla.
January 26, 2013

Arenacross Overall
1. TYLER BOWERS, DANVILLE, KY., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (1,2)
2. MICHAEL MCDADE, MCDONALD, OHIO, KAWASAKI (3,1)
3. TYLER VILLOPOTO, MENIFEE, CALIF., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (5,3)
4. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (4,4)
5. Lance Vincent, Youngsville, Lou., KTM (6,5)
6. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM (2,9)
7. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM (8,6)
8. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM (9,8)
9. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (7,10)
10. ZACH AMES, PROSPECT, OHIO, BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI (12,7)

Arenacross Points Standings
1. TYLER BOWERS, DANVILLE, KY., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 218
2. MICHAEL MCDADE, MCDONALD, OHIO, KAWASAKI , 180
3. ZACH AMES, PROSPECT, OHIO, BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 166
4. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM, 132
5. Jeff Gibson, Pataskala, Ohio, KTM, 125
6. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM, 125
7. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, KTM, 122
8. GAREK STEINKE, WOODLAND, CALIF., KAWASAKI, 114
9. Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., Suzuki, 104
10. Dave Ginolfi, Budd Lake, N.J., 86

Arenacross Lites Main Event
1. TYLER VILLOPOTO, MENIFEE, CALIF., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI
2. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
3. Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda
4. Michael Lang, Saugerties, N.Y., Honda
5. JACOB KNABLE, NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA., KAWASAKI
6. Devin Reed, Indianola, Iowa, Honda
7. Maxx Malatia, Itasca, Ill., Honda
8. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., KTM
9. Tanner Young, Marland, Okla., Yamaha
10. Tanner Sisson, Lickskillet, Ohio, KTM

Arenacross Lites West Points Standings
1. TYLER VILLOPOTO, MENIFEE, CALIF., BABBITT’S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 16
2. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM, 15
3. Kyle White, Freeport, Ill., Honda, 14
4. Michael Lang, Saugerties, N.Y., Honda, 13
5. JACOB KNABLE, NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA., KAWASAKI, 12
6. Devin Reed, Indianola, Iowa, Honda, 11
7. Maxx Malatia, Itasca, Ill., Honda, 10
8. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., KTM, 8
9. Tanner Young, Marland, Okla., Yamaha, 7
10. Tanner Sisson, Lickskillet, Ohio, KTM, 5