Redux Beverages/Brawndo Honda Race Recap
Detroit, MI - Ford Field

Kyle Partridge Finishes Season Best Seventh

April 15th - After a week to recuperate from a rough night of racing in Dallas, the Redux Beverages/Brawndo Honda team was ready to take on round 14 of the 2008 AMA Supercross Series with a vengeance.

Kyle Partridge led the way in the “Lites” division, posting top ten lap times in qualification and looking sharp and polished despite soreness from his crash in the whoops one week prior.

When Kyle lined up on the gate for his heat race, you could see the focus and intensity in his eyes. He rocketed out to a top ten start and immediately knifed his way to the front of the pack. Three laps into the event Kyle solidified the fourth place position, thus securing a great gate pick for the main event.

When the gate dropped on the 15-lap main, Kyle shot out of the gate and drove hard to the first turn. A little carnage in the first turn slowed his progress, but he was able to regroup and enter the top ten by the conclusion of lap one. Kyle inched his way forward, riding a controlled and mistake-free race. With a few laps to go he was riding uncontested in seventh place. The track continue to break down due to the soft soil, but Kyle stayed consistent and logged his best finish of the season in seventh.

Ryan Clark – I was feeling a bit hesitant in the first timed qualifier, but a few small chassis changes before round two left me more comfortable for the second go around. My time was outside of the top twenty, so I knew I would have to pick it up for the night show.

The second heat race started well. I had a great jump off the gate and drove hard down the inside of turn one. If not for a little wheel spin in the turn I think I would have been in the top three, but I still emerged inside the top ten. I moved into sixth a few laps in with a pass on Jason Thomas, but he was able to run me wide in the next corner to hold me at bay. On the seventh lap I made a bobble, allowing Kelly Smith to sneak by. I was holding eighth, and fended off one final charge from Tim Ferry to secure a transfer with an eighth place finish.

I was far outside for the main event start, but the track was nice and wide with a long start straight. My jump off the line was slow, which left me basically last around the first corner. I made some inside passes on the initial lap, and started to find a nice rhythm. I picked off some riders, but also relinquished a few positions (one to the injured point-leader Chad Reed). About halfway through I had a scare in a rhythm section, coming up way short and giving myself some serious whiplash. I kept my composure and rode it out to finish 14th in the main event.

Summary: Kyle rode excellent all night, and with a little more intensity should be in the top five. I had a much better ride this weekend as well, and hope to keep the ball rolling as this series winds down and get back into the top ten where I feel that I belong.

Thanks: Special thanks to Jim and all the folks at Championship Honda for their support this weekend. I would also like to thank Dr. Steve Navarro for helping me deal with my whiplash after the event on Saturday night.

Team Solitaire/MB1 Racing is a privately owned professional Supercross and Motocross race team based in Phoenix, AZ. Our 2008 marketing partners include: Redux Beverages, Brawndo: The The Thirst Mutilator, MB1 Suspension, Kingdom Clothing, American Honda, FLY Racing, Dragon Optical, Pro Honda Oils and Chemicals, DRD Exhaust, Vortex, Factory Effex, ASV, Dunlop, WPS, Sidi, Rockwell Watches, DUS, OGIO, Applied, QTM/Brembo, RK Chain, EXCEL Rims, HoyFox.com, Boyesen, Hinson, Ready Filter, CoachSeiji.com, Cycra Plastic, Element Sports, Sano Systems, AIMMD, Pivot Works, Hot Cams, Hot Rods, Champion Tool Storage, Crank Works, CP Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, Ron Davis Racing Radiators, NGK Spark Plugs, DC Auto Wraps, Leatt Brace, Dirt Pro, JM Collision, Team Hawg Racing and Group D Manufacturing.