10 Things to Watch for at Budd's Creek

Courtesy of ALLI Sports

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is back this weekend on NBC, with the second 450 race from Budds Creek Motocross Park in Maryland airing live at 3 p.m. ET (the 250 race will show later on SPEED TV). The race marks the tenth round of the 12-race championship tour, and you can watch the first motos live right here on Allisports.com, beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Also, check back here at Allisports.com all weekend long for updates, insight and more.

Here are ten things to watch for at Budds Creek!

1.) Chad Reed could become the champion

There may be six motos left in the 450-class title chase, but Chad Reed may only need a couple more to clinch the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider has been on a tear lately, winning five motos and three national overalls in a row. At Unadilla last week he was absolutely flying, and now he’s on the verge of clinching a title that once seemed as distant as Australia is. Reed’s been the man this summer for American motocross fans, no doubt about it!

2.) Ryan Dungey needs a win!

Meanwhile, Reed’s teammate Ryan Dungey went down in defeat in both 250 motos last weekend in New York, as French import Christophe Pourcel was every bit as impressive as Reedy was. The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider swept both motos and made it look easy; now he comes to a track many say resembles the ones in Europe—just like they say about Unadilla. That does not bode well for Dungey, but he can’t let that slow him down. He’s six points off the pace, which means he can get it back to even or better with a pair of moto wins in Maryland.

3.) This one may be a mudder

Meanwhile, somewhere off the coast of Florida and Georgia, a tropical storm is trying to get a promotion to full-blown hurricane as it heads north. Should this storm make a left-hand turn somewhere around the Carolinas, Budds Creek might become Muddy Creek for the riders and race fans! But this is motocross, and they race in all kinds of weather (as long as it’s safe for the athletes and the fans). If it does rain, throw the favorites out the window and watch this one go up for grabs!

4.) Tyla Rattray has returned

Tyla Rattray is the 2008 world motocross champion in MX2 (250-class) racing, but he’s had a tough time of it since moving to America last winter. The South African ended up breaking his thumb at the RedBud round on July 3, costing him any shot at adding a Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross title this summer. But he’s still coming back to compete, and with nothing to lose, he could be the one to watch on the Budds Creek circuit.

5.) Monster Triple Crown of Motocross

Budds Creek marks the third and final round of the Monster Energy Triple Crown of Motocross, a series within a series that puts $100,000 up for grabs, including a $50K bonus for anyone who can sweep all three rounds in either class—just like James Stewart did last year and Ricky Carmichael did a couple of times. But that’s not going to happen this year, as the opening-round High Point winners (Pourcel and Reed) did not repeat at the second round at Red Bud (Jake Weimer and Josh Grant won there), so the bonuses up for grabs are for privateers, moto wins, and more.

6.) Is Josh Grant really thinking about riding?

After injuring his ankle in a frightening crash at the X Games, Joe Gibbs Racing MX/Toyota Yamaha’s Josh Grant was thought to be lost for the summer. But the never-surrender Californian has been in rehab, working on the ankle and doing his best to get it stronger, and now there’s a real chance he may roll out for Saturday’s race. He was planning to make a decision today, but as of this post, it’s still up in the air whether we see #33 on the racetrack in Maryland. If he does go, that will throw a big wrench in the works!

7.) Kevin Windham found his CRF450R Honda

After struggling last Saturday in his return to outdoor motocross on a Honda CRF250R, Kevin Windham decided he didn’t want to give up 40 pounds again this weekend to his smaller, younger competition in the 250 class, so he’s back in the 450 class, which he’s ridden since 1997. Windham has always been fast in Maryland, and he won both an AMA National and the U.S. Grand Prix here back in 1999. Here’s betting that last weekend was just a bad race for K-Dub and we’ll have a better idea of his true speed this time around. (Windham’s GEICO Powersports teammate Dan Reardon is also back from a shoulder injury he suffered two months ago.)

8.) Team Honda is at full strength

After various injuries, illnesses and other issues, it appears that all three Honda Red Bull Racing riders—Andrew Short, Ivan Tedesco, and Davi Millsaps—should be riding at 100 percent this weekend in Maryland. Short looked like his old self at ‘Dilla, earning a season-best second overall. Millsaps got on the box in one moto, though Tedesco struggled after having a very tough week, only to be named to Team USA for the 2009 Motocross of Nations. Expect “Hot Sauce” Tedesco to be on his game this time around.

9.) Either Justin Barcia or Martin Davalos will get a holeshot

The two fastest, steadiest starters in the 250 class have been GEICO Powersports Honda’s rookie sensation Justin Barcia and Muscle Milk/MDK KTM’s Martin Davalos (at least when Davalos is healthy enough to ride). Last weekend Davalos split the starts with Pourcel, even though the race was held in Barcia’s home state of New York. This weekend in Maryland, the start is a tight left-hand U-turn, which means getting a fast time in practice, and thus an inside starting gate, will be important. Both of these guys can fly on this track.

10.) Jason Lawrence

You always have to watch Jason Lawrence because you just never know if he’s going to show up and do something spectacular. J-Law has had exactly one good moto this year (moto two at Washougal), and he pulled out of both motos at Unadilla, but that doesn’t mean he can’t go fast; he’s just having trouble going fast and finishing. People either love or hate Lawrence, but he really doesn’t care. But with three rounds left in this season, he needs to do something big or support for next year’s campaigns will not be easy to find. Desperate times call for desperate speed.

Check out the Racer X Pre-Race Show on Allisports.com Saturday morning, then tune in to the start of the Budds Creek National at 1 p.m. ET right here.