Salisbury, NC (5/6/2018) – Rockford Fosgate/TiLUBE/Honda rider Heath Harrison finished fourth in the Arenacross Series finale and clinched the 2018 AX Lites East Championship. AX250 rider Chris Blose came into the final round with the points lead, but missed the championship due to knee injury sustained during the heat race that sidelined him. Supercross racer Jacob Williamson finished second in the AX250 race, ahead of Kyle Bitterman, who finished fifth. Carson Brown was fifth in the AX Lites race. The season finale was held at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
Harrison had a breakout season with the team this year. He won three races and came into the final round ready to get the job done. Harrison needed only to finish fourth or better to clinch the title. Riding a conservative strategy on the hard packed and slick track, he did just that.
“I didn’t win the battle, but I won the war,” exclaimed Harrison. “It was a long season and I’m happy. There was a bigger picture than just winning the race. I rode conservatively, didn’t push too hard and I got the job done. The track was really tricky tonight. The whoops were tough; guys were going down left and right. I played it safe and smart.”
Harrison appreciated the hard work the team put into his program this year. Along with the AX Lites title, Harrison also finished seventh in the top-tier AX250 championship.
“The whole Rockford Fosgate/TiLUBE/Honda team has been amazing,” said Harrison. “This is the first season I completed and did all of the races. To do that and win is pretty unreal.”
Blose came into the season finale with a one-point lead in the AX250 title chase after winning four races. He qualified first, but crashed during his heat. Blose injured his left knee and couldn’t continue. It was a heartbreaking end to what had been a dream season for Blose.
“I felt like we had what it took to win a championship tonight,” said Blose. “The whole Rockford Fosgate/TiLUBE/Honda team never stopped fighting and that really showed, especially in the later races. Everyone here is like family to me. It’s bittersweet it ended this way, and I really wish I could have gotten that #1 plate for them.”
Williamson qualified third, finished second in his heat and went 1-2 in the motos to finish second overall. Williamson enjoyed the track’s difficult whoops section.
“The last couple of years I raced Arenacross, and it’s my forte,” said Williamson. “The whole Rockford Fosgate/TiLUBE/Honda team is amazing and their bikes are super fast. Everything is perfect, so it all came down to me pushing the same pace in both motos.”
Bitterman had one his best weekends this season. He qualified sixth, finished third in his heat and went 5-5 in the motos for a fifth-place overall.
“It was a good weekend on a tough track,” said Bitterman. “We ran second consistently in the heat and made into the Head to Head Challenge. We had two solid finishes for a fifth overall. Working with the team was great this season.”
Brown’s fifth-place finish in the AX Lites race put him second in the final AX Lites West points. After getting an outside gate pick, Brown actually made it past Harrison early in the event before he went down in the whoops section. He came back to finish fifth. Brown is the newest member of the team and was making his Arenacross debut this season.
“I was trying to work my way through the pack, but the whoops got me, and then I came back,” said Brown. “The Rockford Fosgate/TiLUBE/Honda team was awesome. They held my hand the whole way. They showed me the ropes and the bike has been amazing. I feel fortunate that I got to ride for them.”
The Rockford Fosgate/TiLUBE/Honda team will be back in action in next season’s Arenacross Series.
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