The weather is a major factor again, Byrne earns a season best finish with Brayton in tow.
Salt Lake City Results
DAVID EVANS
May 2, 2010
Contact: David Evans
Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGRMX Team Media Relations
(704) 293-3745
Salt Lake City Results
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (May 2, 2010) – Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, is an open air venue, and once again the weather was threatening for the latest round of AMA Supercross. With snow predicted for Salt Lake City last week, the track crew arrived earlier than usual to build and cover the track, as soon as they did the snow started falling with more snow in the forecast. The track was uncovered yesterday, and as was the case in Seattle, practice was delayed and shortened to help preserve the racing surface. In spite of the conditions, 38,882 fans braved the cold to cheer on the action. As the heat races began, snow and rain began falling in steady fashion, and the track began to deteriorate quickly.
Both Justin Brayton and Michael Byrne transferred to the main event directly from heat race one without incident. “It was so cold out there I could hardly feel my hands and work the clutch and front brake,” said Byrne after the heat race.
By the time the gate fell for the main event the track was a quagmire with heavy rain still falling. The race was reduced to 15 laps from the usual 20 due to the conditions. Both Brayton and Byrne started at the front of the pack with Brayton third and Byrne just behind in fourth. On lap four Byrne worked his way around his teammate, and they stayed in third and fourth respectively until Brayton slid out in a turn on lap nine. Brayton remounted and would ultimately finish seventh. Byrne appeared to be in route to his first podium finish of the season when with just a few laps to go he started having an issue with his rear brake. Despite the handicap he was able to finish sixth, his best of the season.
Josh Grant made an appearance during the Salt Lake City broadcast on CBS, not at the event, but during an advertisement for the all new fifth generation Toyota 4 Runner. The spot was filmed earlier this year before the Anaheim season opener prior to Josh being injured. During the 30 second promotion, Grant appears wearing his team hat and pit shirt aggressively driving the new 4 Runner on the actual Anaheim supercross track. The spot will air during next week’s live broadcast from Las Vegas, as well as throughout the upcoming AMA Motocross Championship Series. Grant is testing and riding regularly in addition to training with the team’s in-house trainer, and is looking forward to May 22, the opening round of the AMA Motocross Championship.
The original broadcast from Salt Lake City aired today at noon (EST) on CBS. The last round of the 17-race series will be on May 8 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. The original broadcast from Las Vegas will air live on SPEED at 10:00 p.m. (EST).
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