AURORA, Ill. (February 5, 2010) – The unpredictability of the AMA Arenacross Series once again reigned true last Saturday night, proving that control of the series is just a perception of reality. As the AMA Arenacross class main event blasted out of the gates inside Kansas City’s Kemper Arena, Series points leader Tyler Bowers carried in a five-race winning streak into the evening, but left the venue with his worst outing of the 2010 season.

 

As the 16-rider AMA Arenacross class main event entered the first turn, Bowers made contact with another competitor and had his front brake line severed. The Babbitt’s Monster Energy/TiLube Kawasaki rider continued to soldier on, relying solely on his rear brake, but eventually was forced to pull off for repairs. Thanks to quick work from his mechanic, Bowers re-entered the race at the tail end of the field and was able to rebound for an eighth-place finish. The ride could end up being what saves his season over the next eight rounds.

 

The way Bowers has run the past month, it’s hard to not think that he will be the rider to beat each and every night. While teammates Chad Johnson and Josh Demuth along with Spinechillers/Storm Lake Honda’s Nathan Skaggs have been right there at the front of the pack on a consistent basis, Bowers has been able to capitalize on great starts and builds a somewhat comfortable advantage before anyone has the chance to pose a formidable challenge.

 

However, to expect perfect starts and avoid misfortune in the AMA Arenacross Series is pure myth. Even last season’s champion Jeff Gibson found trouble on a few occasions en route to one of the most impressive seasons in history. With 16 riders trying to stake claim to just 20 feet of space in each lane, something is bound to happen at some point and most of the time it will be in the first corner when all 16 riders converge in one spot. If Bowers can steer clear of such incidents, he will surely be the rider to beat based on this season’s trend, but last Saturday proved that no one is immune to bad luck.

 

While the advantage still stands at a comfortable 15 points atop the standings, the momentum has shifted to the other pair of riders, who are coincidentally teammates that have managed to take the checkered flag this season. Johnson and Demuth have done their best to keep Bowers honest up front. It’s hard to argue that they have been the best riders on the track beyond Bowers and now that they’ve have seen a sign of weakness in their teammate, it’s time to make the move while the season is still young. Additionally, the trio shouldn’t overlook another threesome of riders that will make their presence felt in the near future. Skaggs has had several opportunities to shake things up, but has just missed out while the Tuf Honda duo of Gibson and Brock Sellards has been alarmingly quiet so far. Gibson is the reigning champion and has transitioned seamlessly into arenacross and as he continues to acclimate himself to the 450 bike, expect him to be challenging for wins. Sellards has traditionally been a slow starter, but as the season approaches the halfway point his comfort level and aggressiveness appears to pick up. With the sixth round of 2010 just around the corner, expect last year’s championship runner-up to be a regular face on the podium.

 

The BOK (Bank of Oklahoma) Center is a state of the art, premier arena in Tulsa, Okla. Designed to host arena football, hockey, basketball and concerts, the BOK cut the ribbons with its first event on August 30, 2008.

 

The 19,199 max seating, multi-purpose facility serves as the centerpiece of Tulsa County’s Vision 2025 development initiative. Operated by SMG, one of the nation’s leading arena management companies, the BOK Center is the permanent home to the Tulsa Oilers CHL hockey team and Tulsa Talons arena football team. It also hosts NBA preseason games, college basketball games, and continues to welcome additional national/regional sporting events like the AMA Arenacross Series.

 

The first gates drop on the Tulsa Arenacross Saturday, February 6 beginning 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 Tulsa Arenacross at the BOK 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 5:30-6:30 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.