Team AMSOIL “Rookie” Nabs First Win
The AMSOIL/Factory Connection supercross racing team is banking on a new face and a resurfaced face to lead them to victory in 2007. Along with team veterans Kevin Windham and Josh Grant, the team is banking on the return of Travis Preston and the signing of Ryan Sipes to keep the popular team on top.
Travis Preston, who is taking over for the retired Mike LaRocco, returns for a one-year, supercross only deal. Three weeks ago, Preston finished 11th after a violent collision with James “Bubba” Stewart in Toronto. Preston made the final by winning the last chance qualifier. Preston finished seventh in the second round two weeks ago in Vancouver.
Team AMSOIL was rewarded in the Supercross Lites class of the AMP’d Mobile World Supercross Series in Vancouver. Newcomer Ryan Sipes took his first win on top of the Honda. He grabbed the holeshot in his heat race and the main event.
"My new team is awesome, and the new bike is really good," said Sipes. "It's almost like it has an auto-pilot switch on it [because] it almost rides itself." .
Team AMSOIL Getting Face Time
Off the track, the team is gaining exposure. Kevin Windham was honored for his win at the big-money Jeremy McGrath Invitational in October. K-Dub was placed on the cover of Racer X magazine. The entire Sobe/Samsung/AMSOIL team, including Kevin Windham and Josh Grant, will start the AMA Supercross Series in January in Anaheim, Calif.
Windham wasn’t alone in getting cover coverage. Team AMSOIL/KTM rider Marco Dube found his mug on two covers recently. One is Racer X Canada and the other is Inside Motocross (IMX). The Canadian rider was featured in Racer X Canada in a story related to the Canadian Nationals. He was featured in IMX in a "in their own words" story about his involvement with Team Canada at the Motocross des Nations in September. All three magazines are on newsstands now.
World Champ Finding Ice Time
Defending AMSOIL Eagle River Derby champion PJ Wanderscheid started off the 2006-07 oval ice racing season December 9-10 in Beausejour, Manitoba.
Wanderscheid, the USSA Series defending champion, participated in two classes over the weekend: Pro Champ and Pro Open. In Saturday's Pro Open class, he finished fourth. He finished fifth in Sunday's Pro Champ final.
Wanderscheid will be back in action on January 13-14 in Plymouth, Wis. at the Sheboygan Co. Fairgrounds. The following weekend, Wanderscheid will look to defend his world title at the AMSOIL Eagle River Snowmobilie in Eagle River, Wis.
Douglas Wins In Desert
Off-road short-course truck racing world champion Scott Douglas stretched out his Ford Explorer for an impressive win in the desert this month. After taking the runner-up spot at the Vegas 300 in October, Douglas (part of the AMSOIL Super Team) and co-driver Jeremy Runyen were looking for redemption at the Best in the Desert’s Henderson 400, the final event of the year.
Douglas took to the 81-mile course for a three-lap affair in the Class 3100. Battling the Nevada desert elements, Douglas pushed the AMSOIL/Kumho Tires Ford to the win with a time of 7 hours, 48 minutes and 38 seconds. The second place truck was 18 minutes behind the Douglas Motorsports team. The win marked Douglas’ 70th career win and the first desert win for AMSOIL.
