January 21st…Round #3 Dodger Stadium……Albertson finishes 4th in LCQ.
PHOTO CREDITS: Doc Weedon
BTOSports Race Report sponsored by:
PALMETTO SUZUKI / RG3 / JGR ENGINE & SUSPENSION MODS / FMF / DUBYA WHEELS
BTOSPORTS rider Albertson had a tough week after a hard collision with Nick Wey in Phoenix’s main event. Jimmy was cleared to race by Dr. Reiman of ASTERISKS MEDICAL CREW on Thursday after conducting a 2nd concussion test during the week (More on this topic below). After dislocating his shoulder along with a few loose teeth in Phoenix, Jimmy would rest up during the week in hopes of racing Round #3.
The limited rain delayed practice was welcomed, saving some abuse on the body. Qualifying times had Jimmy sitting in 22nd, and teammate Jason Thomas in 31st. They would both have to pickup the pace to make the main event.
#48 PALMETTO SUZUKI would be in heat #1, and #66 “JT Money” in the 2nd heat. Jimmy would gate near midpack, and move quickly into 8th position. After a lap the caution flag would come out with the red signals on the triple jumps flashing. The top seven racers including Albertson “singled” there way through the section, while the next two riders cleared the triple and then immediately moved ahead of Albertson forcing him out of qualifying position. There was time to make the positions back, but “Top Jimmy” just did not have the comfort level racing injured to push harder. An eventual 12th place finish for Albertson, and with JT finishing 15th in his heat, they would both make their way to the LCQ.
LCQ: FLY RACING’S Albertson would gate around 7th picking off a couple riders right away moving into 5th position. Brayton would would go down handing Jimmy4th position. Thomas would make his way to 6th position and that is where they would finish the night. The main event would be watched from the stands, but also give much needed rest to get back to 100% healthy for Round #4 in Oakland next week.
Check out this NEW link!! BTOSports Suzukis UP-CLOSE:
\http://jimmyalbertson.wordpress.com/bbmxs-suzukis/
Los Angeles Dodger stadium Round #3………..PHOTO CREDIT: Doc Weedon
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTERISK MEDICAL CREW and an addition to their program please feel free to read below:
Asterisk has extended their program with baseline testing for head injuries for better evaluations of riders. The system will be mandatory for to compete in the outdoor Nationals with MX SPORTS. Here are two links to provide more information regarding this topic.
http://www.motocross.com/features/asterisk-initiates-concussion-testing-program/
Video: http://www.themedicrig.com/
Injuries are a real part of this sport. It is great to see FELD ENTERTAINMENT realizes the extreme importance of the Asterisk Medical crew and donating $100,000 to the program. Also in conjunction with the AMA they have a supplemental insurance policy to assist in addition to a racers primary coverage to help with uncovered medical costs from their racing events.
Jan. 14th 2012…Round #2 Phoenix SX… BTO Sports.com’s “Top Jimmy” makes main event via LCQ!
Butler Brothers MX Race Report:
BTO SPORTS.COM rider Jimmy Albertson would undergo a tough evening in Phoenix. Round #2 of 17 race season would take place live on Speed Channel at Chase Field. Fellow FLY RACING rider and friend Trey Canard would also return to racing, thus making it the strongest field of 450 SX riders in the history of our sport.
The #48 FMF/ JGR MODS/BOYESEN rider would qualify 23rd after two sessions of practice out of a 56 qualifiers. Just to show the depth in the SX class…1 second faster in qualifying would have put Jimmy in 8th position qualifying. The racers are just that close, and having a good start in the heat races so crucial. The top 9 race positions out of 20 riders in the 2 heat format go directly to the main event. 2 more racers would qualify via a “Last Chance Qualifier” (LCQ) of the remaining 22 riders who did not qualify via their heat race (40 riders narrowed to 20 riders for main event).
Albertson on his PIRELLI backed PALMETTO SUZUKI started mid pack in the heat race and moved as high as 6th place before a couple big mistakes in some rythym sections moved him out of qualifying to 10th position. The final corner of the race, Grant was able to get under Albertson leaving him on the ground for an eventual 14th position. That would move Jimmy’s gate pick from 2nd to 10th for the last chance qualifier, and those heat positions are so important, since only 2 qualify out of the LCQ to the main event.
LCQ: “Top Jimmy” would round the first corner in about 8th position and quickly pick off a couple riders in the first couple sections moving into 6th over the triple. Morais and Mackie would tangle in the 3rd corner, and Jimmy would carry more speed through the next obstacle to move into 3rd place. Nick Wey would hold the lead while battling with Justin Sipes. Albertson, Josh Grant, and BrocTickle were making up ground as they filled out the top five going for the final two transfer spots. Jimmy would put a block pass on Sipes before the finish line and move into 2nd position with Grant following into 3rd, since Sipes was unable to double the finish line. Albertson and Grant “Cat and Moused” for a couple laps, as Tickle moved in closer. Grant momentarily grabbed the lead, although Albertson had taken a line providing greater speed through a back section and regained a bike length lead. Both riders hammered the whoops with Grant taking the inside on the next corner. Grant would pull a wheel on Albertson through the next section, but would be on the outside for the next corner. Going for the same inside line on the next corner would leave Grant on the ground this time with Albertson going to the main event in 2nd place. Grant showed great sportsmanship as well as Albertson when SPEED TV showed them conversing after the race followed with a “fist bump”. The ALPINESTAR/DVS backed Albertson would be in the main event for the 2nd race in a row with notable riders like Grant, Tickle, Stroupe, and Morais not making the main, which shows the incredible depth of the field.
The main event would go wrong immediately. Wey and Albertson would be the last two gate picks and start from the very outside of the gate. Rounding the first corner in 19th position Jimmy was trying to manuever around traffic down the inside line after the 2nd corner which was seldom used during the race since momentum would bring you outside. It seems with traffic slowing Wey he had moved over toward the inside while Jimmy had committed to a smaller triple and would land on Wey in a violent crash. Jimmy would suffer a mild concussion, a cut chin, some chipped teeth and a very tender shoulder. That would be the end of the race evening for Jimmy.
We did want to take a minute to thank the ASTERISK MEDICAL CREW. The crew of extremely quailified physicians and assistants are a crucial part of the professional racing series. We also thank FELD ENTERTAINMENT for their recent donation to Asterisk to help keep their effort going to protect and serve these great race professionals and all those involved in the series.
Jimmy’s racing status in unknown for round #3 at Dodger Stadium, but at this point a week or two off to heal properly is the most likely outcome.
Thanks for reading and be sure to join BUTLER BROTHERS MX, BTO SPORTS, FLY RACING, AND JGR MODS on FACEBOOK for more racing info.
The BBMX Team Sponsors are complete for 2012 and the updated list will be up soon on the “sponsor page”
NOTE: We had a lack of pictures from Phoenix. Many of the shots are DOC WEEDONS great photos from round #1 at Anaheim. Thanks DOC!!
Jan. 7th 2012…Anaheim 1…….Albertson takes his BTOSports.com /Fly Racing Suzuki to 17th overall.
BTO Sports/ Fly Racing / JGR Mods / FMF Race Report.
The first of 17 Rounds of AMA Supercross kicked off at Anaheim Stadium to a ”sell out” crowd.
Butler Brothers race effort with “Top Jimmy” kicked off their racing relationship for 2012 at Anaheim Stadium. Riding a Palmetto Suzuki RMZ 450, Albertson looked race ready in his 2012 Fly Racing gear.
The BTO Sports.com rider would quality 22nd in timed qualifying which narrowed the field from 80 racers to the 40 riders which would go to the night race program for qualifying races. The qualifying races would then finalize the 20 riders for the main event.
The #48 FMF/JGR mods rider would start in 13th place in his qualifier which would take only the top 9 finishers to the main event. Albertson quickly moved to 7th place, and a mistake would put him back to 10th position before making a couple passes to finish 8th and gain his spot into the main event.
The main event was the most highly touted field in SX history, as making the main event in the premier 450cc SX class was an achievement in its own right. Jimmy would earned 15th gate pick, which would leave open gates on the far outside of the field coming into the first corner, and 1 very inside gate remaining. The outside gates can garner a holeshot, although very difficult, but also leaves the possibility of getting pushed completely off the track. Jimmy took the very inside gate, which requires an extremly good jump off the gate, since the inside line does narrow to the first corner and a racer is easily “pinched off”, which is exactly what happened. Starting near the 17th position the BTO Sports.com rider was able to move up as high as 14th before Grant made an agressive pass which lost Albertson 4 spots. Jimmy recovered for 17th position overall, and successfully completed his first 450 SX race appearance.
Albertson is so excited with the great group of people in the Butler Brother’s MX race effort. The team is very professional with excellent resources, and a nice “family oriented” atmosphere. However, they are very serious about their race effort, which is very attractive attribute to Albertson. While making the main and finishing 17th is a great accomplishment in the SX class, Jimmy is looking to improve on those results. There was a great importance on finishing the 1st race of the season healthy, and then be able to work on personal and bike refinements as the season progresses.
The next round is January 14th at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
Please feel free to visit Jimmy Albertson Racing on Facebook and show your support. Also feel free to become a “fan” on BTO Sports, Fly Racing’s, and JGR Mods Facebook pages for additional race info and photos.
Jimmy Albertson Racing looks forward to friend and fellow Fly Racing’s Trey Canard return to racing in Phoenix.
Congratulations to Fly Racing’s “good guy” Andrew Short on his ride at A-1!
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