Arenacross Notebook: Youngstown Ohio

Courtesy of Feld Motorsports
AURORA, Ill. – Through five rounds and eight races of the 2010 AMA Arenacross Series season, Babbitt’s Monster Energy/Ti Lube Kawasaki’s Tyler Bowers has been the rider to beat in the premier AMA Arenacross class, posting six victories – including a five-race winning streak. This weekend, the series heads to Youngstown, Ohio and the Covelli Centre for the first time since 2008.

In recent years, Ohio has served as a hotbed for the sport of arenacross. In a state known as the birthplace of aviation pioneers, it is no wonder that so many high-flying riders in the AMA Arenacross Series hail from the Buckeye State. With hard winters and sparse riding opportunities during most of the year, dirt-bike riders in Ohio go indoors for competition and learn a heightened sense of bike control that translates into every discipline in motocross.

This season, five of the series’ top riders call Ohio home but many more possess Ohio roots. The Ohio army is led by reigning series champion Jeff Gibson, who hails from Thornville. A veteran motocross competitor for many years, Gibson joined the AMA Arenacross Series for the first time last season and he quickly acclimated himself to the intimate, technical competition, recalling the many indoor events he competed in when he was younger.

Another veteran rider who grew up in Ohio is Gibson’s Tuf Honda teammate Brock Sellards, from Sherrodsville. A perennial front-runner and championship candidate, Sellards is a name synonymous with the sport. His ability to make a late-season push is uncanny and now that the season is reaching its halfway point, eyes will be on Sellards as he prepares for his annual charge in the second half.

Another well-known face and past champion Josh Demuth may call Texas home these days, but his blood is in Ohio, born and raised in Dover. Demuth is one of the most successful riders in the history of the AMA Arenacross Series and a significant contributor to his success is that, like so many of his peers, he grew up competing indoors during the winter months, honing his craft on small, technical tracks.

Perhaps the biggest commonality between all three of these competitors is that each possessed the dream and the passion to become successful at the supercross level, competing for a number of years at the pinnacle of the sport but only achieving moderate success. Now, each rider is writing their own legacy in the discipline that kicked-off their careers, capturing numerous race wins and accolades along the way. For each rider, the AMA Arenacross Series has served as somewhat of a homecoming and each has found a place in the heart of the sport and a genuine appreciation for the high level of competition the series provides.

In addition to the veterans, the Ohio youth movement in the AMA Arenacross Series is led by the up-and-coming Spinechillers/Storm Lake Honda trio of Nathan Skaggs, of Chillicothe, Willy Browning, of Pleasantville, and Zach Ames, of Prospect. Each rider is a representative of not only the youth movement within Ohio, but the surge in the AMA Arenacross Series as well. Each rider holds the potential to be future stars in the sport with both Skaggs and Browning achieving early success while Ames is on the verge of breaking through into a consistent challenger.

The Covelli Centre is the state-of-the-art home of the USHL’s Youngstown Phantom’s and is a short drive from Pittsburgh. The arena opened in 2005 and has played host to several entertainment acts since, including the AMA Arenacross Series back in 2008.

The arena has an occupancy of 5,700 and is seen as the center point of the rejuvenation of the Youngstown area.

The first gates drop on the Youngstown Arenacross Friday, February 12 beginning at 7:30 p.m. followed by another night of action on Saturday the 13th at 7:30 p.m. The action concludes with Amateur Day on Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m.

Advance tickets are available for this weekend’s Youngstown Arenacross at the Covelli Centre Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone and ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $2 more the day of the race.

Fans in attendance also can take part in the Track Party on Saturday from 5:00-6:00 p.m. for the chance to meet the riders and get autographs. Simply recycle any MONSTER ENERGY can at the gate entrance for FREE admission. Must have valid Saturday event ticket to enter.

Tickets for all rounds of the 2010 season can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com and www.arenacross.com.

For more information on the AMA Arenacross Series log on to www.arenacross.com.

About Feld Motor Sports?
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam®, SuperBull?, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz?, Gravity Slashers?, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.Was this post helpful? Add yours to our service or subscribe to our feed above.