Minneapolis preview

Monster Energy® Supercross Returns to Metrodome for the First Time Since 2004

AURORA, Ill. (March 11, 2008) -- Monster Energy® Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returns to Minneapolis' Metrodome for the first time since 2004 this Saturday. During the 11 races inside the Metrodome, spanning from 1994-2004, the event averaged 50,000-plus fans. The supercross fan four pack -- four $20 tickets all for just $45 at www.Ticketmaster.com has been added this year.

Media day will be held on Thursday, March 13 from Noon-2:00, featuring Monster Energy Kawasaki's Tim Ferry and Travis Preston as well as Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto and Branden Jesseman.

The AMA Supercross class race will air on SPEED Sunday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m. The AMA Supercross Lites class race will air on SPEED Saturday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m.

Last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Torco Fuels Honda's Kevin Windham, of Centerville, Miss., made history when he passed Team San Manuel Yamaha's Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., on the race's last lap for the AMA Supercross class win. It was Windham's first race win at Daytona International Speedway.

"Tonight was definitely a race of different elements with the rain and what not, but it still lived up to the brutal Daytona deal," said Windham. "I think it was the most brutal race I have been in in my entire life."

In the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class main event at Daytona, Torco Fuels Honda's Trey Canard, of Elk City, Okla., reeled off his third consecutive win. A rookie, Canard extended his points lead over KTM's Ryan Sipes, of Vine Grove, Ken., to 24.

"Coming into that race, I wasn't really sure what to expect," Canard said. "I just wanted to go out there and do the best that I could. I did everything I could possible do during the week, and I think I was prepared as I could possibly be, so I could give it everything I had, every lap out there."

The world's top AMA Supercross and Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites racers will compete inside the Metrodome where the 500 truckloads of dirt be used to construct the course.

The largest attended AMA Supercross race at the Metrodome was in 1997 as 60,049 fans packed the stadium to watch seven-time supercross champion Jeremy McGrath win his fourth consecutive race in Minneapolis.

"The Metrodome is very happy that the Monster Energy® Supercross is making a return to the Minneapolis-St. Paul this weekend," said Dennis Alfton, director of operations, Metrodome. "It is one of the premier events in the stadium. As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Metrodome, we recognize that an event such as the supercross is one of the reasons that the stadium has been very successful. In the 1990's it ranked as one of the highest attended events at the Metrodome, attracting over 60,000 fans in 1997."

McGrath, the all-time winningest supercross rider in history, won six consecutive races inside the Metrodome and holds the facility's all-time win record. Five-time supercross champion Ricky Carmichael won three consecutive races at the Metrodome (2001-2003). In AMA Supercross Lites competition Damon Huffman and Kevin Windham share a record two wins apiece. Windham is the only rider to win both classes in Minneapolis.

-credit: www.supercrossonline.com