Monster Energy’s Ivan Tedesco Scores 5th Straight Podium – Extends Lead In 125 West SX Race
2/22/2005
Defending supercross 125 West Champ in great battle with
Nathan Ramsey; teammate Paul Carpenter scores best finish of the year with 6th
in 125 main event!
CARLSBAD, Calif., (Feb. 21, 2005) – In one of
the year’s best 125cc supercross battles, Team Monster Energy/Pro
Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ivan Tedesco and friendly rival Nathan Ramsey hooked up in
an epic duel – highlighted by a last lap charge by series points leader Tedesco
that almost gave him the win.
Here’s how Tedesco called it: “When Nathan passed me (earlier, on lap five), I
stuck with him and learned some better lines through the whoops and another
inside line on the triple. After he got out front, I was able to catch back up
to him on the last lap and going in to the whoops I decided I was just going to
pin it and see what happens.”
Tedesco continued. “I was right on his back wheel and almost went down. Decided
it was over and rode in for second.”
Noteworthy: The second-place finish extended Tedesco’s points lead to 36
points over Ramsey.
Tedesco had earlier put up some of the fastest practice times, despite the
drastically shortened practice times due to the inclement weather. Nonetheless,
Tedesco was pleased with his performance.
“I felt really good in practice, put the track together really quick seeing as
how we only had eight minutes of practice due to the weather,” he said. “Felt
really good after my heat race (which he won), got a good start and battled
with Billy (Laninovich) early in the main. I looked back at about Lap 5 and saw
Nathan was still there. He was riding really good tonight (Sat.).”
Tedesco added that Ramsey beat him through the whoops, a section of the track
that played havoc in both the 125 and 250 classes all night.
“I’m here to win, not ride around in second,” said the Monster-backed Tedesco.
“I was trying, trying everything I could and Nathan just had me tonight.”
On the other Monster Energy KX250F, New York’s Paul Carpenter put up his best
numbers of the season thus far – finishing sixth in his heat race and backing
that up with a sixth overall in the main.
“Things felt good tonight,” said Carpenter. “We’ve got some time off before the
125 West returns to action in Seattle (April 16th) and I
intend to take full advantage of it in order to produce results like tonight –
and better – to close out the season.”
The San Diego 125 West supercross event re-airs on ESPN2 on Friday, Feb. 25th
at 3 a.m. EST. This weekend’s 125 East supercross airs on ESPN2 on Sunday, Feb.
27th at 5 p.m.
The Monster Energy Drink/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki 125 East team returns action the
this weekend (Feb. 26th) when the gate drops on THQ/AMA
Supercross Series 125 Eastern Region action at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.
Monster Energy Drink/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team sponsors include: Parts
Unlimited, Thor, Scott, Maxima, KMC Wheels, Vans, Bridgestone, Hinson Clutch,
Components, Showa, The Garage People, Troy Lee Designs, Excel, Renthal,
N-Style, Works Racing Parts, Twin Air, VP Racing Fuels, Athena, Motion Pro, DP
Brakes, RK Racing Chain, UFO, Mechanix Wear, CTI2, Vertex, Alpinestars, PPG,
Trek Bicycles, Imagine It Graphics.
Crown Athlete Management Group (Crown AMG) is the most comprehensive
marketing, branding and athlete management firm focused on the future of action
sports. For sponsorship opportunities or media information please contact
Scott Sepkovic (Hollywood@CrownAMG.com) or by phone (760) 822-5400.
