2020 Loveland Arenacross | Race Report
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PHOTOS & TEXT | Kicker Arenacross Series
The 2020 AMA Kicker Arenacross Series kicked off on Friday, January 3rd and Saturday, January 4th for Rounds One and Two respectively. Phoenix Racing Honda Team Rider Jace Owen had an impressive showing, winning three of the four main events over the weekend. The fourth class was won by newcomer to the series, Kyle Peters (also a member of the Phoenix Racing Honda Team). Peters, and a handful of other new faces to the series, look to provide Owen with some stout competition this series.
Kawasaki Team Babbitts Riders Kyle Bitterman and Darian Sanayei both produced some solid racing and provided competition for the Phoenix Racing Honda boys, alongside privateers Gared Steinke and Mason Kerr, who both found their way to the podium this weekend.
Defending series champion, Jace Owen, kicked off the show with a first place finish in Heat One of the 250 Pro Sport class. Newcomer to the series, Kyle Bitterman, finished second in the heat, followed by Darian Sanayei in third. Heat two of the 250 Pro Sport class saw another newcomer, Kyle Peters, take first place. Veteran racer Gared Steinke took second and Mason Kerr came in third.
Heat One of the 450 Pro Sport class was championed by none other than Jace Owen. Following him was Gared Steinke in second and Kyle Bitterman in third. Heat Two mirrored the second 250 Pro Sport heat with Kyle Peters finishing in first place. Darian Sanayei took second place and Greye Tate took third.
The 250 Pro Sport Main race began and it looked as though Kyle Peters and Jace Owen would be dueling for the top spot throughout the race. During the third lap, Owen went down on a turn as he was looking to advance on Peters. Peters went on to secure the top spot of the podium for Round One in the 250 Pro Sport class. Kyle Bitterman and Gared Steinke rounded out the podium in the class. Owen ultimately finished fifth.
In the 450 Pro Sport Main, Owen and Peters were hot out the gate yet again and this race gave us a battle for first throughout all 12 laps. Owen was able to secure and maintain the lead and edge out Peters for first place in the 450 Pro Sport class. Bitterman rounded out the podium in third place.
Familiar faces took the top 3 spots of the 250 Pro Sport Heat One. Kyle Peters came in first, followed by Darian Sanayei in second and Gared Steinke in third. Heat Two was won by Jace Owen, followed by two new faces to the podium: Mason Kerr (2nd) and Zachary Butkiewicz (3rd).
Kyle Bitterman lead the charge in the 450 Pro Sport Heat One Class. He took first place, with Skyler Adams coming in second and Zachary Butkiewicz coming in third. Heat Two provided a little preview of the Main Race action with Kyle Peters and Jace Owen battling for the top spot. Owen edged out Peters for first place and Gared Steinke came in third.
The 250 Pro Sport Main was another intense battle between the Phoenix Racing Team & Team Babbitts riders. Jace Owen took the top of the podium in the 250 Pro Sport Main for the first time this weekend, but as race fans could see, winning isn’t going to come as easy to Owen this season as it did last year. Kyle Peters (2nd) and Gared Steinke (3rd) were the other two on the podium with Owen. Third place was decided between Steinke and Kyle Bitterman, when Bitterman was docked a lap after cutting a corner on the start (still under review with the AMA).
A new face to the podium and the series came to light in the 450 Pro Sport Main on Saturday Night when privateer Mason Kerr took third place overall. Kerr came out strong and edged out Darian Sanayei (4th) and Kyle Bitterman (5th) for the final spot on the podium. Jace Owen and Kyle Peters put on another exciting battle for the top spot in the class, with Owen crossing the finish line first, followed by Peters in second.
After the first two rounds of racing, Jace Owen leads the series over Kyle Peters by one point.
Quotes from the Weekend:
Jace Owen: “I made a mistake night one, I came in too hot. But I feel good about how I’m closing out the first two rounds. This season it’s not going to be easy, I know that. There’s some fast guys and we’re going to have to work for it. Thanks to the Phoenix Racing Honda team, I had a great bike and I’m looking forward to getting back out there.”
Kyle Peters: “I don’t know what it was tonight [Saturday], just not my night. I was feeling under the weather this morning but we’re going to get back at it next week. I know Jace will be tough but we’ll get there.”
Kyle Bitterman: “Using the berm was reactionary, not strategic. I don’t think it should effect the standings. This weekend we came out here with untested bikes, and I’m really happy with our results. ”
Gared Steinke: “I just want to focus on myself. I’m a veteran I know when to push, when to work and I have enough experience to know I should be up on the podium and that’s the goal this year.”
Mason Kerr: “Night one I learned to hold my line, I already knew that but I was reminded I need to do that, tonight finishing on the podium in the open [450 Pro Sport] class is really helping my confidence. I know I can run with these guys.”
AMA Kicker Arenacross – Round 1 Overall Results
450 Pro Sport (1/3/2020)
1. Jace Owen, Honda
2. Kyle Peters, Honda
3. Kyle Bitterman, Kawasaki
4. Gared Steinke, Kawasaki
5. Darian Sanayei, Kawasaki
6. Mason Kerr, Kawasaki
7. Gaige Demars, KTM
8. Skyler Adams, KTM
9. Greye Tate, Kawasaki
10. Zachary Butkiewicz, Suzuki
11. Kameron Barboa, Yamaha
12. Franky Martini, Yamaha
13. Brandon Breman, KTM
14. Andrew Mcnulty, Kawasaki
250 Pro Sport (1/3/2020)
1. Kyle Peters, Honda
2. Kyle Bitterman, Kawasaki
3. Gared Steinke, Kawasaki
4. Darian Sanayei, Kawasaki
5. Jace Owen, Honda
6. Mason Kerr, Kawasaki
7. Gaige Demars, KTM
8. Skyler Adams, KTM
9. Kameron Barboa, Yamaha
10. Greye Tate, Kawasaki
11. Franky Martini, Yamaha
12. Keaton Mccalip, Kawasaki
13. Scotty Miller, Husqvarna
14. Zachary Butkiewicz, Suzuki
AMA Kicker Arenacross – Round 2 Overall Results
450 Pro Sport (1/4/2020)
1. Jace Owen, Honda
2. Kyle Peters, Honda
3. Mason Kerr, Kawasaki
4. Darian Sanayei, Kawasaki
5. Kyle Bitterman, Kawasaki
6. Gared Steinke, Kawasaki
7. Skyler Adams, KTM
8. Gaige DeMars, KTM
9. Mathew Breman, Yamaha
10. Greye Tate, Kawasaki
11. Zachary Butkiewicz, Suzuki
12. Ayden Nyland, Suzuki
13. Kameron Barboa, Yamaha
14. Franky Martini, Yamaha
250 Pro Sport (1/4/2020)
1. Jace Owen, Honda
2. Kyle Peters, Honda
3. Gared Steinke, Kawasaki
4. Kyle Bitterman, Kawasaki
5. Darian Sanayei, Kawasaki
6. Mason Kerr, Kawasaki
7. Zachary Butkiewicz, Suzuki
8. Greye Tate, Kawasaki
9. Mathew Breman, Yamaha
10. Kameron Barboa, Yamaha
11. Keaton Mccalip, Kawasaki
12. Bryant Deboard, KTM
13. Skyler Adams, KTM
14. Gaige Demars, KTM
AMA Kicker Arenacross Overall Series Standings
1. Jace Owen, Honda (96 Points)
2. Kyle Peters, Honda (95 Points)
3. Kyle Bitterman, Kawasaki (81 Points)
4. Gared Steinke, Kawasaki (78 Points)
5. Darian Sanayei, Kawasaki (74 Points)
6. Mason Kerr, Kawasaki (72 Points)
7. Gaige Demars, KTM (57 Points)
7. Skyler Adams, KTM (57 Points)
9. Greye Tate, Kawasaki (55 Points)
10. Zachary Butkiewicz, Suzuki (50 Points)
11. Kameron Barboa, Yamaha (49 Points)
12. Franky Martini, Yamaha (32 Points)
13. Mathew Breman, Yamaha (28 Points)
14. Keaton McCalip, Kawasaki (23 Points)
15. Bryant Deboard, KTM (11 Points)
15. Ayden Nyland, Suzuki (11 Points)
17. Brandon Breman, KTM (10 Points)
17. Scotty Miller, Husqvarna (10 Points)
19. Andrew Mcnulty, Kawasaki (9 Points)
