USGP MX1
The MX1 class is the premiere class in the GP’s and Antonio Cairoli (pictured below) is the man to beat in this class. Coming into the USGP at Glen Helen all the talk was about Cairoli meeting Mike Alessi on Alessi’s home track.
In moto 1 it was everything anyone could have asked for; Cairoli and Alessi got out front 1-2 and checked out. The two of them went to war and it lasted the whole moto! They went back and forth a number of times before Cairoli edged out Alessi for the win. After winning the moto Cairoli stated that his shift level had broke and he was stuck in 3rd gear for most of the moto.

Cairoli held on strong and put it to the “home town kid” in moto 1. Both Cairoli and Alessi got off to slow starts in moto 2; Cairoli got around Alessi and was able to finish 3rd in the moto which was good enough to give him the overall win.

Alessi and Cairoli battled all day, even in the 2nd moto the two riders swapped paint as they went at it for 3rd. When the dust settled it was Cairoli who was able to take the top step of the podium and Alessi had to take 2nd on his home turf.
Clement Desalle put on a show in the 2nd moto as he passed both Alessi and Cairoli for the 2nd spot. He did not look back once he moved into 2nd neither Cairoli or Alessi had anything for him. His 5-2 performance was good enough o put him on the final spot of the box in 3rd.

Ben Townley had some bad luck in the first moto, going down twice while battling in the top 5 and the running into bike problems and DNF’ed (his head pipe broke when he came together with Alessi). The second moto was a different story, BT101 was on the gas. Flat out Townley killed it and dominated the field in moto 2. No one had anything for Ben in moto 2. If Townley can ride like he did in the 2nd moto he has some wins coming his way this year at the Nationals (maybe even a championship).

Kyle Chisolm (pictured above) finished 10-12 for 9th overall.

The expectations were high on the USA riders and Ryan Sipes was one of the guys thought to do well at the GP.
Factory Kawasaki Off-road team riders Ricky Dietrich and Justin Soule tried there hand at the GP. Soule had the best finish between the two with a 19th.

Grant Langston made his GP come back after a number of years being here in the States. GL put in some solid laps but was not able to hold on long enough. He finished 9th in moto 1 and 17th overall.


