Roncada won his heat race, but the spell was broken in the next heat when Josh Hansen lead the first part of the second heat, with Tedesco battling in traffic. Ramsey won the heat, setting a faster time than Roncada’s heat.
The holeshot and a $1,000 check went to a rookie from Florida, Bryan Johnson. By the end of lap one, the race was set between Preston, Tedesco, Ramsey, and Roncada. KTM’s Ryan Morias was in fifth and battled with Team Green’s Troy Adams.
Ramsey was trying a block pass on Roncada, but Roncada made a move that caused Ramsey’s front wheel to bump his rear wheel, knocking him over in a berm. Roncada got away from that clean and moved into third, and kept it. Preston held off Tedesco until lap 12, trading places and making near passes the whole time. After lap 12 Tedesco was in control, and he cruised in for his third straight win this season.
“I wish I could have what I have in the heat races for the main event,” who dominated the first heat race. “I seem to get a good start in the heat and pull away a little bit and build a safe gap,” he said, “I wish I could get a good start in the main event and pull away but tonight was a good race and we all had a great battle going on and it was really good for the crowd.”
He talked about what happened in the main, “I got stuck behind Nathan and struggled getting passed him and that’s when Ivan made the move on me. I kept playing catch up with the guys and I got pretty close to them and they were closing up to make a pass. I was able to pass Travis then 2 laps later I gave him the biggest gap to pass me and he took it.”
“Tonight my riding was a little too crystal clean,” said Roncada-even though Ramsey may disagree, “I think maybe if I was a little more aggressive I might have won it. All of them are clean out there and it’s good racing.”
Preston was asked if he had a plan for that race and what he would to to keep his lead. “I never really have a plan I just go out there. I started in second gear and that’s what I did different,” he said of his start, “Everyone starts in second and that’s where they would get me.”
“I got out in front and started riding kind of tight and started riding it like a 125,” said Preston, “Ivan came up on me in the whoops then Stephane. I didn’t think that Stephane was that close to Ivan. I felt like they were glued together when they both passed me. I pulled my self together and got right on Stefan and made a good pass on him then that was the end of the race.”
Preston is ready for next weekend at San Diego. “I’m not going to get second again,” he said.
Tedesco proved he can win, even after starting behind the other series front-runners. “Everybody was saying that I couldn’t win if I didn’t get a good start and I didn’t get the greatest start,” he said. “I made some passes the first lap then I got closer to Travis and came to the whoops and saw he wasn’t hitting them as hard and that was that. In the first practice I was feeling good. The second practice I wasn’t feeling too good and in my heat race I just wasn’t feeling that good and going into the main even I wasn’t really confident. I didn’t get the greatest start but I rode really good in the main. I was surprised.”
This year the tracks have been toned down a little due to previous seasons with a lot of injured riders missing races. Time will tell if the injuries decrease, but so far the series leaders in both classes have mentioned the tracks are a little to easy for them. “I didn’t like the track that much tonight but we all had to race the same track and hopefully in the future they make some more technical tracks like they used to,” he said.
THQ AMA Supercross Series 125cc Western Regional Event Results
1. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
2. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda
3. Stephan Roncada, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Kawasaki
4. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Honda
5. Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
6. Troy Adams, Brooksville, Fl., Kawasaki
7. Ryan Morias, Turlock, Calif., KTM
8. Brock Sellards, Sherrodsville, Ohio, Yamaha
9. Greg Schnell, Ranco Cucamonga, Calif., Honda
10. Joshua Summey, Stanley, N.C., Yamaha
THQ AMA Supercross Series 125cc Western Regional Season Standings
1. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 75
2. Stephan Roncada, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Kawasaki, 62
3. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 55
4. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., Suzuki, 52
5. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 50
6. Brock Sellards, Sherrodsville, Ohio, Yamaha, 43
7. Greg Schnell, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Yamaha, 38
8. Troy Adams, Brooksville, Fl., Kawasaki 32
9. Christopher Gosselaar, Victorville, Calif., Honda, 26
10. Joshua Summey, Stanley, N.C., Yamaha 26
