2010 AMA Supercross Season Comes to an End for Canidae Riders

The Rockstar Energy, Suzuki, Canidae All Natural Pet Foods team looks back on a tremendous season and prepares for the Outdoor Nationals in two weeks.

The 2010 Rockstar Energy, Suzuki, Canidae All Natural Pet Foods Supercross team had a tremendous season, enjoying some major accomplishments during this year's grueling campaign.

Coming off such a great outdoor season in 2009, the bar was set high for 450 rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn would battle injuries from a pre season crash and would not be 100% until almost halfway through the season. Once healthy, Hahn looked more consistent and would finish inside the top 10 in 12 out of 17 starts. Hahn would break through in Seattle where he would earn a career best 2nd place finish. Tommy looks forward to a new start when the outdoor season begins in 2 weeks.

Hunter Hewitt rode the West Coast Lites class this year and made huge strides in his sophomore year of Lites racing. Hewitt would finish inside the top 10 twice this year and finish the year in 13th place in points... (read more)

CANIDAE Pet Food Riders Shine at Supercross Season Opener!

With new riders, new sponsors, new bikes, new riding gear and a new season, nobody knew what to expect of the Rockstar, Suzuki, CANIDAE Pet Foods team for the season opener at Angel Stadium. The weather was ideal as the racing got underway and the sold out crowd was treated to fantastic racing.

In the Lites Class, CANIDAE Pet Food riders Hunter Hewitt and Ryan Morais would easily make it into the Main Event and when the gate dropped it was Morais that got out to a great start and in a position to fight for the win. Third, after the first lap Morais quickly went to work on Gautier Paulin to move into second place and begin his charge to the front. By the half way point in the race Morais was inching closer to the back wheel of race leader Jake Weimer and Trey Canard had closed in on Morais making it a three way fight for the win. With 5 laps to go, Canard would work inside of Morais and push the CANIDAE rider out for the position. Morais would regroup and keep Canard close but as time ran out, Morais would settle for a hard earned third place. This is an excellent ride to place the Rockstar, Suzuki, CANIDAE Pet Foods on the podium and to serve notice for the rest of the season. CANIDAE rider Hunter Hewitt would battle all race long and finish a respectable 11th place in this, his first West Coast Lites race.

As the gate dropped for the Main Event in the premier, Supercross class, CANIDAE Rider Tommy Hahn would jump out of the gate quickly but be forced to jump on the brakes to avoid the banging going on ahead of him. Due to his reaction, Hahn was able to avoid a crash but would head into the first corner at the back of the pack. If you know anything about this team, you know they work extremely hard and Hahn went to work on the rest of the field passing rider after rider. By lap 10, Hahn had passed almost half the field and was trying to work inside the top 10. Battling with front runner Nick Wey, Hahn would get around the Michigan rider and set his sights on former champ, Grant Langston in 10th. Lap after lap the two would exchange positions but in the end, it was Langston that would grab the 10th spot. A gutty ride for Hahn who looks forward to the next round to improve.

This was a good start to the 2010 season and we look forward to what is sure to be a great year for the Rockstar, Suzuki, CANIDAE Pet Foods team. Next up will be Round 2 in Phoenix, Arizona at Chase Field on January 16th.

CANIDAE Pet Foods was founded out of love for pets, the importance of family, and the belief in having fun and enjoying life and CANIDAE is excited to be able to share with the passionate fans of Supercross and Motocross racing our philosophy of “Responsible Pet Ownership” through proper nutrition and care featured at www.canidae.com and on our racing site at www.canidaeracing.com.

At CANIDAE Pet Foods we are committed to providing our valued customers and their pets with the highest standard of excellence for product quality, palatability and customer satisfaction. We stand behind the guaranteed analysis of each and every one of our products and invite supercross and motocross fans everywhere to discover the benefits of feeding their pets CANIDAE and FELIDAE All Natural Pet Foods.

Jason Cobb

Rockstar Energy/Suzuki/Canidae Pet Foods Team Set to Open 2010 Supercross at Anaheim

CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods is a proud sponsor of the Rockstar Energy/ Suzuki/ CANIDAE Pet Foods team for the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship Series, and the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series. The 2010 Supercross season will kick off on January 9, 2010 at Anaheim, California.

Riders Tommy Hahn and Hunter Hewitt return in 2010 to manager Bill Keefe's Pro Motocross/Supercross team. Along with new sponsors Rockstar Energy and Suzuki, Keefe's team will also bring aboard three new riders: Ryan Morais, Jake Moss and Blake Bagget to open up an exciting race season covering both coasts for the Supercross series and the full Motocross schedule starting in May.

Coming off of his first professional outdoor championship in 2009, #10 Tommy Hahn will be back battling on his Suzuki 450 for the team. Bagget #66 and Hewitt #126 will ride the West Coast Lites and Moss #40 and Morais #116 will be the Lite riders in the East.

Commenting on this year's new team and sponsorships, Keefe said, "CANIDAE has been great. They have a rich history in motor sports and wanted to continue their successful relationship with the team going forward. They also understand the importance of Rockstar coming on board and the changeover to Suzuki and worked to accommodate us with that. If it wasn't for Rockstar Energy, Suzuki and CANIDAE along with all of our other great sponsors we wouldn't be here today. This is a strong team we've put together and we will be very competitive in the upcoming year."

"CANIDAE Pet Foods was founded out of love for pets, the importance of family, and the belief in having fun and enjoying life," said sales manager, Robert Bemis on behalf of CANIDAE. "Our ongoing partnership as a sponsor of the Rockstar Energy/Suzuki/CANIDAE Pet Foods team presents a great opportunity for us to continue what we started in 2009. We're excited to be able to share with the passionate fans of Supercross and Motocross racing our philosophy of “Responsible Pet Ownership” through proper nutrition and care featured at www.canidae.com and on our racing site at www.canidaeracing.com.”

At CANIDAE Pet Foods we are committed to providing our valued customers and their pets with the highest standard of excellence for product quality, palatability and customer satisfaction. We stand behind the guaranteed analysis of each and every one of our products and invite supercross and motocross fans everywhere to discover the benefits of feeding their pets CANIDAE and FELIDAE All Natural Pet Foods.

CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki Heads to the Pacific Northwest

By now, the motocross industry has become accustom to the abilities of the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team at the Outdoor Nationals. At the beginning of the series, Tommy Hahn was a “surprise” but has consistently become a “contender” and most racers are beginning to expect him to run up front as they now have to plan their attack to include him. Kyle Cunningham has also been improving his results steadily as his health nears 100% and if Cunningham manages to get a good start, watch out! This week the series moved to the scenic Pacific Northwest at the ever-popular Washougal MX in Washington and the crowds came out to enjoy the great racing, perfect weather and improved track. Nobody went home disappointed.

First up was the 450’s featuring CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn again jumped out to a great start and would finish lap 1 in 3rd place. Just ahead of Hahn was the # 34 of Matt Goerke but only for a few corners as Hahn wasted little time getting around the #34 bike and setting his eyes on the race leader, Chad Reed. Reed tried as he might to get away early and gap the rest of the field but Hahn would have none of that, running most of the moto right on Reed’s rear fender. At one point Reed opened up a small 5-second lead while the two riders fought their way through lapped riders but Hahn would make a charge and close the gap to only 1.5 seconds at one point before running out of time at the end of Moto # 1. This is a huge accomplishment and just a glimpse of what this CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider is capable of. If Hahn could have a solid second moto, he would secure a top 3 overall finish for the day or even a win.

Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki riders Kyle Cunningham and PJ Larsen would get good starts as they charged into the first corner inside the top ten. Cunningham would finish lap 1 in 6th place and Larsen 8th. Kyle started the 2009 season injured and has been battling all series long to get healthy with results that reflect his improving health. Cunningham jumped and raced his way to the front following Dungy through the pack until the two were well out in front. Cunningham was almost able to take the lead, late in the moto as Dungy would falter but the gap was too great and when the checkered flags flew, Kyle would find himself on the podium in second place with his best finish of the year! Washougal was the first for Larsen since breaking his wrist at round 3 in Wortham, TX, it was obvious that he was not quite 100% as he struggled to keep the lead pack in sight and would finish in 15th place. Certainly not a bad return for the impressive rookie and a great start on the day for Team CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki!

The excitement was obviously high in the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki pits was for the 2nd Motos. As the 450’s shot out of the gate, Hahn’s # 48 Kawasaki would once again head for the first turn towards the front of the pack. As the riders set up for the left hand turn, the orange #114 bike of Justin Brayton would come in way too hot and slam into the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider, sending him to the ground, ending his day and sending him to the Asterisk Medical Unit to be checked out for internal injuries as well as his back and leg. Such a disappointment for Hahn and the team, which had been making such great strides for that first win. Hahn will rebound and will be better than ever when the series returns in 3 weeks in NY.

Moto #2 for the 250 riders would get underway and Kyle was hungry to repeat his first moto result. As the racers rounded the first turn, both Cunningham and Larsen would be outside of the top 10 and have their work cut out to make it to the front. When the first lap ended, Cunningham would cross the line in 12th place and Larsen in 18th. Cunningham would charge hard until he was unfortunately involved in a huge crash that left the CANIDAE rider trapped under his bike for some time and the bike unrideable, ending his day. Larsen would move up as the moto continued as he fought for a hard-earned 14th spot, a gritty performance for this tough kid.

While the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team had some bad luck in Washington, it was obvious to see that the team is a legitimate front-runner. Come out to the fabled Unadilla Valley Sports Center in Upstate NY on August 15th for the next exciting round of motocross action. Stop by and say “hi” to the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team before they hit the track. See you there!

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Celebrates the USA at Redbud in Buchanan!

As the rest of the country celebrated America's Independence, Team CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki declared war on the rest of the field at the ever so popular, Redbud MX. Tommy Hahn had his hands full trying to repeat last week’s performance of 3rd overall at Thunder Valley. This would be especially tough for the up and coming rider as he arrived at the track sick and extremely weak. It would take everything he had to compete at his usual level. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki, 250 rider Kyle Cunningham was also ready to take on this famous race track and would like nothing more than to spend his birthday on Sunday by celebrating a win at Redbud. Kyle looked great in practice and was excited for the gate to fall.



First race up was the 450’s featuring CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn jumped out of the gate with a great start and the lead pack quickly separated itself from the rest of the field. Hahn would finish lap 1 in 5th place with factory riders surrounding him. It was an all out dogfight as Hahn battled back and forth, as he would swap positions repeatedly with the other riders. It was an epic battle as the crowd responded as only Redbud fans can do. By lap 13, Hahn was in sixth and had built a sizeable cushion between himself and the #539, factory Kawasaki of Ricky Dietrich. Hahn was closing on the riders in front of him when he went down extremely hard on the fast track and just like that, his day was done. Hahn would be taken to the local hospital to be checked out for a sprained neck and a concussion. You can be sure that Tommy will be back with a vengeance in 2 weeks in Millville.

Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham would charge into the first corner inside the top ten and with some quick, aggressive moves, he would jump up to the 4th spot as the riders soared off the ski jump. Cunningham would battle the best in the class lap after lap as he fought to keep his position as all eyes watched the heated fight. This war would not let up for the entire 30 minutes + 2 laps and Kyle would leave everything out on the track as he raced to 7th place finish. Kyle was pumped and quickly headed back to the pits to rest up and get ready for Moto 2.

As the clouds above darkened, Moto #2 for the 250 riders would get underway in dry conditions as the 40 riders blasted off the start line. Cunningham would not get the start he wanted but if you have followed this gutsy kid at all, you know he never gives up. At the end of lap 1, Kyle would be all the way back in 17th position and would dig deep to slice his way up through the field. Kyle would work his way up to 11th place before lapped riders and the now falling rain would hamper his progress through the field. Cunningham would end up in 7th place overall for the day with his 5th in Moto 1 and 11th place in Moto 2. It was a good day for Kyle and the team and a great way to celebrate his birthday on Sunday.

Come out to watch the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team take on the Whoop Monster at Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, MN. It is a great track and the action should be intense. The team should get back their rookie sensation PJ Larsen at this event, which has been sidelined with a broke wrist. Stop by and say “hi” to the team when you are there. See you there!

Jason Cobb

Tommy Hahn Powers to 3rd place Finish at Thunder Valley

Tommy Hahn has been the surprise of the 2009 Outdoor Motocross season but it was not until Lakewood Colorado that he would finally arrive. Hahn, who has been finishing inside the top 10 all season, established himself as a front-runner by taking 3rd place overall in the 450 class, under the lights, in the high altitude outside of Denver, Colorado.

First race up in the premier class saw CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn jump out of the gate into a top ten position and finish lap 1 in 8th place. Vision was extremely tough during this moto due to the fact that the sun had dropped below the mountains and it was too light for the lights to be effective but to dark to see clearly. The lighting would get worse before it got better and Hahn, while running down Michael Byrne in 7th place, would misjudge his take off on the huge down hill and land off the course on a hay bale bending his shift shaft inside the transmission, hampering his shifting for the remainder of the moto. Hahn would play it smart and not take any unnecessary chances as he settled into 7th place where he would finish the moto.

Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham would charge up the hill and into the first corner in mid-pack but able to make some quick passes to work up to 14th before the end of the first lap. Cunningham would move up as high as 10th place before a crash on lap 5 would send him back to 14th place. Cunningham would struggle in the poor lighting conditions and drop back to 16th by the end of the moto.

Moto #2 for the 450 pilots was on the line and CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn was ready to go. The team did a great job installing a completely new motor and transmission after the damage in moto # 1. As the gate dropped, Tommy Hahn would find himself in 4th as the riders rounded the first corner. Hahn would set his sights on Michael Byrne in 3rd place and on lap 3, fly past Byrne as the top three riders pulled away from the rest of the field. Andrew Short was next in Hahn’s crosshairs as the two riders dueled it out for 7 laps before Hahn went inside Short to take 2nd place away from the factory rider. Hahn would quickly gap Short and set out for Tedesco in the lead. On lap 12, Hahn made a slight mistake as he pushed hard to close in on the front-runner Tedesco and ran off the track to avoid crashing in a tricky section. Unfortunately, this allowed Short to slip back by and Hahn would have to start over in 3rd place. With time winding down, Hahn pushed hard but would end up just behind Short at the finish line by only 2 bike-lengths, just missing 2nd place. This was the best moto finish for Tommy Hahn of his young career and combined with his 7th place in Moto 1, Hahn would earn a him a career best 3rd place overall for the day! Amazing job Tommy!

Moto #2 for the 250 riders would wrap up the day and Cunningham was set to rebound from his bad luck in the first heat. The start was a mirror image of Moto 1 for Cunningham as he finished the first circuit in 14th. Kyle would move up to 12th place by lap 4 as he pushed towards the front but a mistake on lap 5 would pound the CANIDAE rider to the ground again. Cunningham would remount but obviously beat up, he would not regain his previous speed and would settle for a 21st place finish. Not where this talented rider belongs, he will certainly bounce back for sure next week in Michigan.

Come out to watch the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team take on the legendary Redbud track in Buchanan, MI next Saturday July 4th as the series continues. See you there!

Jason Cobb

Hahn Continues To Roll, As Cunningham Gets Healthy!

The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team has been on the move since the beginning of the Nationals. In the 450 class, Tommy Hahn continues to impress with consistent top 5 rides to establish his name against the worlds best. In the 250 class, Kyle Cunningham is continuing to show his speed and grit as he continues to get healthy after a broken finger and 13 stitches in his forearm from a testing crash. Rookie sensation, PJ Larsen has also been riding extremely well but had to sit out this round due to injuries sustained last week at Freestone.

First race up was Moto #1 for the premier class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would get out of the gate mid-pack and begin his charge forward. As he began to pass riders, one would go down in front of Hahn colliding with Hahn’s Kawasaki. Hahn would remain upright and moving forward but something was obviously wrong. As it turned out, Hahn’s rear brake was damaged in the crash and he was forced to ride the entire moto with no rear brake. High Point is not the track you want to race on with no rear brake considering all of the elevation changes and off camber corners. Hahn somehow managed to finish 18th in an inspired ride.

Moto #1 for the 250 riders was next and CANIDAE rider Kyle Cunningham would jump out to a decent start in 17th and waste little time moving forward. By lap 6, Cunningham would move into 10th place where he would eventually finish after the 30 minutes + 2 laps. This was a great way to start the day for the young rider from Fort Worth, TX.

Moto #2 for the 450 pilots was on the line and as the gate dropped, Tommy Hahn would find himself inside the top 10 after the first corner. The difference was clearly visible after repairs were made to Hahn’s bike to fix the damaged rear brake from Moto 1 as the rider chased down and passed factory supported riders until he was in 4th place where he would end up at the conclusion of Moto 2. A fantastic ride for this young man as he continues to impress all. Hahn would finish the day in 10th overall and he would earn the Muscle Milk Recovery Reward for his efforts. Great Job Tommy!

Moto #2 for the 250 riders would wrap up the day and Cunningham was set to defend his top ten finish from Moto1. Not content with his 16th place as ended lap 1, Kyle went to work, leaving nothing in the tank as he raced towards the front until he had moved into 10th place. By duplicating his results from Moto 1, Cunningham would earn a 9th place overall for the day. There is no question Kyle is on the mend and as he continues to gets healthier, his speed increases. Kyle will enjoy the week break allowing crucial heal time as the series moves on to Colorado in 2 weeks.

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki continues to perform on and off the track and continues to turn heads. Stop by and be part of something special as the series rolls into Thunder Valley Raceway on the June 27th. See you there!

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Continues to Roll in the Lone Star State at Freestone Raceway!

The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team has been the talk of the motocross world with great performances in both the 250 and 450 classes for the first 2 rounds. Tommy Hahn has been flying around the California tracks and has consistently the top finishing non-factory rider in the class. PJ Larsen and Kyle Cunningham have also shown signs of front running speed in the always tough 250 class. Nothing changed when the series moved outside of California to Wortham, TX. 

First race up was Moto #1 for the premier class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would continue to battle the biggest names in the sport. Tommy would blast out of the gate mid-pack and finish lap 1 in 20th position. Hahn would move up four spots into 16th place by the end of the second lap before Hahn found himself on the ground after a hard crash in a tricky section of the Texas track. Hahn would remount quickly and begin to charge towards the front, feeling the urgency to regain valuable points. Hahn would push the limits too far and while going for a pass for position, Tommy would crash violently ending his first moto only 6 laps in. Certainly a tough break for the rider from Decatur, TX. 

Moto #1 for the Motocross Lites riders was next and CANIDAE riders PJ Larsen and Kyle Cunningham would jump out of the gate to a good start with Larsen in 10th and Cunningham in 17th. Larsen would move up as high as 8th place before he crashed in a high-speed turn and lost several positions on the track, not to mention the abuse to his body. With adrenalin high, Larsen would dig deep and finish in 12th place for the moto. Cunningham, who has been battling a broken finger and 13 stitches in his forearm, somehow manages week after week to block out the pain. Kyle would charge hard and make it all the way up to 13th place at the end of the moto, a nice finish for both riders. 

Moto #2 for the 450 guys was underway and it was not looking good early on for Tommy Hahn. After his first moto crash, Hahn was extremely sore and rounded the first corner at the back of the pack. Tommy, who earned the “Ricky Carmichael, Hard Charger Award” at last week’s race in Hangtown, put his head down and went to work. Hahn would pass at least 10 riders before completing the first lap in 17th place and another five more on the second lap. As Tommy moved up in the standings, the riders got harder and harder to pass. By the halfway point of the race, Hahn was well inside the top ten in 8th place but not finished with his charge. Hahn would get all the way to 5th place when the checkered flags flew and his great ride in Moto 2 would earn Hahn a 12th place finish overall for the day. 

Moto #2 for the 250 riders was next and PJ Larsen knew he was in trouble during his sight lap. Always one to battle, PJ would line up for the start but only make it a few turns before pulling into the pits, ending his day. Cunningham, the only CANIDAE rider left on the track, would jump out to a good start and finish lap 1 in fifth place. Trying to concentrate with his incredible pain may have caused the young rider to make a few mistakes during the moto and drop back as far as 12th place but Cunningham would dig deep and finish the moto in 10th place giving him a great 10th place overall for the day! 

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki has proven to be top-notch performers and as tough as anyone on the track. The series heads to Mt. Morris, PA next week so make sure to stop by and say hi. See you there!

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Season Finale at Sam Boyd Stadium

Sam Boyd Stadium has long been the final stop on the FIM Supercross Series. A perfect place to hold a grand celebration of a tremendous year for the entire Supercross community.

The East / West Shootout brought out the top riders from the East to take on the top riders from the West for Lites Class bragging rights. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki has 3 Lites riders that qualified for this event. Branden Jesseman would represent the East side for CANIDAE while Kyle Cunningham and P.J. Larsen would represent the West for the team. During the second practice session, Jesseman would go down hard over a tricky, triple in, double out section and knock himself out of the event. Kyle Cunningham would go down with 2 laps to go in his qualifier then suffer from a bad start in the LCQ which would result in him not making the main. The lone CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Lites rider would be rookie, P.J. Larsen.

P.J. got pinched off in the first corner, resulting in a bad start as he flew off the ski jump in 19th place. Larsen looked like he was riding tight, as he could not cleanly get around obviously slower riders early on in the race. After lap 3, Larsen calmed down and started to move forward. On lap 6, Larsen was 17th. By lap 9, he was up to 16th then up another spot by lap 11. On the 13th lap, Larsen would move into the 14th place spot where he would eventually finish the race. This was a good ride for this young, up and coming rider. Look for him to run up front next year.

As the season ends, P.J. Larsen finishes in 10th place and Kyle Cunningham in 11th in the West Coast Points Championship with Branden Jesseman finishing in 6th place and Hunter Hewitt in the 33rd position (Hunter has missed most of the season with a broken femur) in the East Coast Championship Series.

Tommy Hahn was set to do battle in the Supercross Class and battle he did. Tommy would figure out the tricky Las Vegas track and qualify out of his heat, directly into the main event. In the main, Tommy would get a bad jump off the start and cross the finish line in 17th place. He would however show his speed and move up quickly through the field, ending up in 12th place by lap five. After a 3 lap battle with Bowers, Hahn would cross the line in 13th place at the halfway point in the race. As Hahn closed in on the riders in front of him, Hahn’s bike malfunctioned as he pounded his way through the treacherous whoops. The night was over for Tommy as was the 2009 Supercross season. Hahn would finish the Championship Series in 19th place and looks forward to heading out doors for the MX Nationals.

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" L.C.Q., which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” In the “Lites” class, Daniel Blair and Chris Blose transferred into the main and in the “Supercross” class; Robert Kiniry took the win followed by Kyle Partridge to move into their respective main events.

Next up for the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Team is the 2009, AMA Outdoor Nationals. This will be a tough series but the CANIDAE team should run up front all year. Come check it out as the season kicks off May 23rd in San Bernardino, CA. See you there!

Jason Cobb

AMA Supercross Wraps up in Jacksonville Florida

When the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series made its second visit to the state of Florida it was not just another race, it was history. Why you may ask? Because this was the first time the city of Jacksonville has hosted an AMA Supercross Event and boy did they make a great debut. The track was in mint condition, the fans were great and the racing was even better. This was the final round of the East Coast Lites Series and the #74 of Branden Jesseman was looking to go out with a bang.

Qualifying in 4th for his Heat Race Jesseman was looking primed to put his CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki up front in Heat Race #1. After a bad start the #74 was on the outside of the top-9 looking in. Midway through Heat #1 Jesseman was battling bar-to-bar trying to get into the top-9 when the #981 of Austin Stroupe ran into his back tire causing Jesseman to go down. Jesseman was able to regroup and make a hard charge at the ninth spot but it too little too late for the #74 as he found himself outside the top-9 and heading to the LCQ.

In the LCQ Jesseman was able to put his Heat Race behind him and jump out to a great start. He quickly found himself up front and never looked back, leading his CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki to an easy win in the LCQ.

Jesseman faced a tough challenge for the start of the Main Event seeing as the #74 would have the second to last gate pick and found himself placed way on the outside. When the gate dropped for the Main Event Jesseman quickly found himself pushed to the outside and buried deep in the pack. After the third lap Jesseman was still buried mid-pack and fighting his way to the front. A few laps later Jesseman had fought his way into the top-10 and was steadily gaining momentum. As the checkered flagged waved in the wind Jesseman found his #74 crossing the line in 8th place. While he didn't end the series how he wanted too, he proved he could fight his way through the pack and into a top-ten position. Jesseman ended the series one point behind rookie Blake Wharton for fifth place, (Jesseman finished in sixth place). While the East Coast Series has ended watch out for Jesseman when the Supercross Series heads to Las Vegas for the East/West Shootout.

Coming off a DNF in Toronto in the #48 of Tommy Hahn was looking to finally put it all together as the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series returned to the states. After failing to qualify in his Heat Race Hahn was staring down the barrel of the LCQ. But instead of letting the past affect him the #48 pushed as hard as ever and pushed his CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki to a second place finish in the LCQ. Having a similar gate pick to the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Lites rider Branden Jesseman, Hahn knew he was going to have to come from the middle of the pack if he was going to put his #48 in a top-ten position.

As the gated dropped for the Main Event, Hahn found himself pushed way to the outside and buried deep in the pack. But Hahn would push his #48 to his best ride of the year as he found himself inside the top-ten after lap 8. Instead of being satisfied with his first top-ten of the year Hahn would battle his way up to the 7th position as the checkered flag dropped. This was the best finish of the year for Hahn and after a season of injuries and bad luck the #48 of Tommy Hahn is looking like he has finally put it all together.

Jacksonville marked the end of the season for the East Coast Lites series, but don't worry Supercross fans, the West Coast Lites Series returns in two weeks when the series heads out west to Seattle. And look for the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki West Coast Lites Team of P.J. Larsen and Kyle Cunningham to be as strong as ever after having six weeks off to work out any adjustments.

A quick injury update for the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Lites Team. Hunter Hewitt is still rehabbing his broken femur and hoping to return for the outdoor season in May.

Check back in two weeks for the Seattle Race Report.

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki – Canada Hosts Series in the Rogers Centre in Toronto

When the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series headed north of the border for round 7 of the East Coast Lites series the #74 of Branden Jesseman was looking to rebound after failing to qualify for the main event in St. Louis. With one of the fastest qualifying times coming out of practice Jesseman was feeling confident going into Heat Race #1.

When the gated dropped for Heat Race #1 the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Branden Jesseman was off to one of his best starts of the season as he found his #74 in the top-five. After making quick work of the couple of riders in front of him Jesseman had his sights set on the Flying Frenchman (Christophe Pourcel). As the seconds quickly turned into minutes it was clear that Pourcel was going to take the victory in Heat #1. But Jesseman wasn't out of the woods yet as he had to fend off the hard charging rookie Darryn Durham. Jesseman quickly showed the young rook that experience is everything in the sport of supercross and took home second place in Heat Race #1.

Getting a great start and finishing strong builds confidence in your Heat Race but transferring it to the main event separates the greats from the average. When you're a past Supercross Lites Champion like CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Branden Jesseman you know a thing or two about showing up to the main event. And when the 30-sec board dropped sideways for the start of the main Jesseman showed why he was a past champion. Bursting out of the gate for another top-5 start Jesseman was riding with confidence. After getting passed by the #981 of Austin Stroupe and ending up on the losing end of a bar-to-bar battle with the #43 of Broc Tickle, Jesseman had to make sure to keep his confidence and ride with determination. Midway through the race Jesseman showed why he was a past champion. He found his rhythm and made a hard charge at Tickle for a spot on the podium. While his effort came up a little short, Jesseman showed that he can take a punch and give another one back. Jesseman gained valuable points on rookie Blake Wharton but still remains behind Wharton in fifth place.

The struggles continue for the #48 of Tommy Hahn as the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider wrecked in the main event and failed to finish the race. After qualifying 8th in his Heat Race, Hahn was looking to put the past behind him and put in a top-ten finish. Coming off the gate in 8th place. the #48 was looking to finally shut the door on his first top-ten finish of the year. But his bad luck continued as he made a mistake and went down. Hahn was unable to complete the race and finished in 19th place. Hahn is still hoping to finish the year strong as the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series heads back to the states. Check in next week as the series rolls into Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida for Round 14. It will certainly be exciting!

Jesseman Dazzles in the Dome!

Branden Jesseman has been on a roll as of late but in the New Orleans Superdome, he took it to a whole new level. From the first practice, Jesseman looked very comfortable and confident as he continued to be one of the fastest riders on the track. He continued his momentum in the final practice session and set the tone for the rest of the night.

As Heat Race # 2 started, Jesseman dodged a bullet as he ducked inside a huge pile-up entering the first turn. He exited the corner in 3rd and before the end of the first lap, had moved himself into 2nd place. After following race leader Matt Goerke for most of the second lap, Jesseman made a great move in the sand section to take over first place as he set his sights on the win. The win would not come easy as Austin Stroupe would make a run at Jesseman but the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider from New Brighton, PA was too strong for Stroupe and took the win in the six-lap race.

  

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" L.C.Q., which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” In the “Lites” class, Steven Clarke and Matthew Lemoine transfered into the main and in the “Supercross” class, Nathan Ramsey took the win followed by Troy Adams to move into their respective main events.

With the first gate pick in the Main Event, Jesseman placed his # 74 Kawasaki into the best position for success and shot out of the gate with a great start. He found himself in third place behind Daniel Blair. As Jesseman found his grove, he worked his way past Blair on lap 4 and set his sights on Austin Stroupe who had checked out as Jesseman was dealing with Blair.  The gap proved to be too much despite his near perfect race and Jesseman finished in the 2nd spot, behind Stroupe, while securing his best finish of the year for himself and the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team.

Tommy Hahn missed the event due to a shoulder injury sustained while practicing on Wednesday. Hahn is expected to be back on the bike at the next round in St. Louis.

It was a great night in New Orleans, and the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team will try to take that last step to the top of the podium next week as the series rolls into the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. Come check it out, it will certainly be exciting!

Jason Cobb

Track Conquers All Racers at Daytona

Daytona has always been know for its rough tracks and unique format. Instead of the usual layout on the stadium floor, Daytona is laid out in the grass on the infield of the “tri-oval” on the front stretch of the Speedway. Because of the extra room and toughness of the track, lap times are much longer than that of a normal Stadium race. This year’s track caused problems for every rider at every level, which made for some amazing racing. 

In the Lites qualifying Heat # 2, Jesseman would have a rough go, as he would charge into the first turn at the front of the pack only to be hit from behind sending him to the ground with his handlebar stuck in the rear wheel of another bike. By the time they got untangled, he was over a 1/2 a lap down. He charged up to 13th by the end sending him to CANIDAE “Lucky Dog” Last Chance Qualifier. 

Heat Race # 2 for the 450 riders would feature CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Off the gate, Hahn would have a good start but be forced to the outside of turn one where he made contact with another rider. Hahn’s bike would become entangled with the other rider and ripped out from underneath Hahn and drug down the track as Hahn hit the ground hard. Hahn would rush to remount his bike but would find himself in last place. Never one to quit, Hahn put on a charge that was impressive to say the least. He would work his way past more than half the field and finish in 9th place, which was good enough for a transfer position for the Main Event. 

 

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" L.C.Q., which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki’s own Branden Jesseman would win the short 4 lap race to transfer into the Main Event along with Broc Tickle in the Lites class and Davi Millsaps and Andrew Short would be the final two 450 “Lucky Dog” riders to move on. 

In the Lites Main Event, Jesseman looked great off the start as he secured a top 10 start and stayed clear of the chaos to move up through the pack. As Jesseman flew through the air on the backside of the long track, Josh Lichtle would loose his front end and crash hard leaving Jesseman nowhere to land. Jesseman would experience a hard impact as he slammed into the downed rider’s bike as he hit the ground hard. Branden would remount and finish lap 1 in 17th place and would spend the rest of the race trying feverishly to make it to the front. By lap six he had moved to 14th but hit the ground again when was taken out by a block pass from the rider he was overtaking. Branden would rally to finish a respectable 13th place on this tremendous track. 

In the Supercross class, CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn got a great start as he avoided trouble in a huge first turn crash that collected some of the sports biggest names. Hahn would find himself in 3rd place for the first five laps as he rode exceptionally well up front. As the laps wore on, the track would deteriorate rapidly causing the riders to fatigue and struggle as riders jockeyed for position. At the finish line, it was Hahn in 10th after a long hard fought day.

Next week, the team moves to the Superdome in New Orleans for round 11 of the 18-race season. It should be exciting so check it out!

Tommy Hahn photo courtesy: cudbyphoto.com

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki at Indy: Jesseman's Second Straight Week with a Top 5 Finish!

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Branden Jesseman’s hard work has been paying off big time. Following on the heels of his 5th place finish in Atlanta, Jesseman rode his best race of the season at Indy grabbing an impressive fourth place finish.

In qualifying Heat # 2, Jesseman shot out to a 6th place start and quickly moved his way up to fourth place by the third lap. By the time the checkered flags waved, he finished in a well-deserved 3rd place, earning his spot in the final.

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" Last Chance Qualifier, which is the final opportunity for all remaining Lites riders to make it into the "Big Show.” Number 521, Kyle Gillis and # 96, Tyler Wharton were the last two "Lucky Dog's" Lites riders to qualify for the 20 rider Main Event. 

In the Lites Main Event, Jesseman was in 7th place early and fighting hard to reach the front pack. By the halfway point, his lap times were improving and had moved up one place. By lap 11, he had moved into fifth and was still gaining ground. In the end, the checkered flags saw Jesseman achieve a season best 4th place finish, and a huge jump in the championship points standings to fourth. Great job Branden!

In the Supercross class, CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn has been working very hard to finish inside the top ten every week. He drew heat #1 for his chance to make it into the Main Event and got off to a great start by shooting out of the gate in third place. Just before the finish line on the first lap, Hahn was slammed into from behind causing the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki to crash hard. The crash left Hahn in last place and banged up. Never one to say, “quit,” Hahn put his head down and went to work climbing back to 11th. Unfortunately, Hahn ran out of time and missed his qualifying spot by only two places in a great comeback ride.

Next week, the team moves to the Daytona International Speedway in Florida for the most unique event of the Supercross season. This track will push every rider to their limits so make sure to check it out!

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki takes on the Georgia Dome!

The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team pulled into Atlanta, GA ready to race for the 2nd round of the “East” series for the Lites riders and the 8th round overall. The last time the Lites guys raced was almost a month ago on January 24th, in Houston, TX. Since that time, the team has lost Hunter Hewitt to a broken femur leaving just Branden Jesseman to battle in the 250cc class and Tommy Hahn to fight for a win in the Supercross (450cc) class.

The #74 Kawasaki of Jesseman jumped out of the gate in the # 4 position when Heat # 2 got underway. As the pack filtered through the first corner, Jesseman was in 5th and working his way forward. As Jesseman went wide in the second corner, the # 309 bike of Spenser Dally went down forcing Jesseman to slam on the brakes and find a way around the downed rider, moving him back in the pack. Branden would recover nicely and work his way up to 7th by the end of the first lap. Branden would eventually finish the race in the 6th position, and advance on to the Lites Main Event.

Tommy Hahn took to the track in the first Supercross heat race of the night. Tommy would get out of the gate with a mid-pack start and finish the first lap in 12th position, well outside a transfer spot for the Main Event. Hahn would work hard and move his Kawasaki into a transfer position when the checkered flags flew, ending up in 8th place.

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" Last Chance Qualifier, which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” # 20, Nico Izzi and # 34 Matt Goerke were the last two "Lucky Dog's" to qualify for the 20 rider Main Event in the Lites class and Charles Summey and Nick Wey would move on in the premier class.

The Atlanta crowd, at 68,933 strong, was ready for the main event and the racing left no one disappointed. When the gate dropped, all 20 riders shot down the long start straightaway and into the first left hand corner. Branden Jesseman was inside the top 10 trough the first section and would finish lap one in 6th. Jesseman would move back one spot to 7th where he would stay for the next 5 laps before making a pass on Will Hahn (brother of team CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki 450 rider Tommy Hahn) for the 6th spot and then up to the 5th position when he got around the stalled bike of Austin Stroupe. With 4 laps to go, Jesseman would pull to the back wheel of Matthew Lemoine in the fourth spot. With a great move, Branden would drive around the outside of Lamoine in a tricky section and take over the 4th spot but only to leave the door open for Blake Wharton as he would cut to the inside of Jesseman leading up to the triple jump sending him back to 5th where he would eventually finish. The excellent finish would move Jesseman up three positions in the championship points stands, into 7th. 

Tommy Hahn lined up for the Supercross Main Event ready to face the demanding Atlanta track and the rest of the stacked field. Hahn would get off the start line mid-pack but quickly find himself at the back of the pack after the first corner chaos. Tommy would put on a strong charge moving up as high as 14th but the night was not his and he would have to settle for a 16th place finish. 

Check back for the next report as the series moves into the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy!

Jason Cobb