LA RIOJA (ARGENTINA), 2 May 2010 – Yamaha rider Carlos Campano from Spain will remember the FIM MX3 World Championship event of La Rioja for a long time. Campano won in front of 20.000 South American spectators. Alex Salvini finished second and Matevz Irt third.
The whole weekend in Argentina was interesting. South American temperament gave to the event special spirit. Home spectators and local organizer had their own hero, Victor Dario Arco. They are proud that Arco represents La Rioja in Europe this year, competing in the MX3 World Championship series. Their expectations were high. Arco made the real euphoria when he finished fourth.
After start of the first heat spectators were already shouting all around the track. Arco took the first MX3 holeshot in his career. Campano and Salvini were riding faster, so Arco could not resist their attacks. When Salvini came on the leading position, he escaped to Campano and took the win in the first heat.
In last two laps Arco almost lost third position. When the race was almost over Matevz Irt started to ride so fast that he caught Arco. Argentine was strong enough to keep Irt behind and crossed finish line third.
Second heat was even more excited. Campano and Salvini started first. Already at the beginning Salvini tried to overtake Campano. Spanish rider was hard rival. Salvini did not give up and in the second part of the heat he started to attack Campano again. Salvini and Campano made a real spectacle for spectators. They were riding one by another, spectators could see several overtakings. Then Salvini made small mistake and Italian did not want to risk too much in last two laps. So Campano won the second race.
In the second heat Arco was not as fast as in the first, but he was still in touch with the top. Arco finished fifth. His start was good but Matevz Irt and French Honda rider Milko Potisek were faster, finished third and fourth. Potisek said: “I am glad to compete in Argentina. The ambience is nice, all the people very friendly. I ride here with the support of Honda Argentina, they gave me the bike for this race. I am satisfied with the result.”
Winning the second heat Campano became the winner of the third MX3 World Championship event. Alex Salvini finished second with the same number of points, so the difference in the Championship Classification stays six points. Matevz Irt finished third what keeps him on the third position in the Championoship. His difference to Salvini is 21 points.
Dario Arco finished fourth and missed the podium for only two points. Arco said: “It’s been a great event and I am proud of my home place. I would like thank to my family, team, supporters and to everyone who helped me to finish this great weekend with such a good result. I am planning to make the complete MX3 World Championship series in Europe and I hope I will continue with good results.” Arco is on fifth position in the current Championship Classification. French rider Milko Potisek finished fifth and Martin Zerava from Czech Republich was sixth.
RIDER’S COMMENTS:
1st CARLOS CAMPANO (Spain): »I am very content with this weekend. I won in front of so many spectators and I am still leading the Championship. I had some problems in the first heat. I was able to resolve that and I progressed to the second position. Second heat was more difficult. We had a big battle with Salvini and it was really not easy to hold back his attacks. I would like thank to all the people here inArgentina, I feel very welcome.”
2nd ALEX SALVINI (Italy): “It’s been my first time here and I am so happy. Yesterday I took the pole position and I knew I am ready to fight for the top. My first start was fast, I overtook Arco and Campano and I won. Then my second start was bad and I also made a mistake on the jump. So Campano acquired more than 5 seconds. At the end I was pushing but I made one more mistake and in last two laps I did not want to risk too much. Today’s result is good for my position in the Championship because I am still six points behind Campano.”
3rd MATEVZ IRT (Slovenia): “I had good feelings on this track. I made a mistake in the first heat. In last three laps I was riding really fast to overtake Arco on the third position but I couldn’t. I took a good second start and I was riding third almost the whole heat. I am looking forward to next races and I hope I will continue this way.”
RESULTS
1st Race Top Ten: 1. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), 0:00.000; ; 2. Carlos Campano Jiminez (ESP, Yamaha), +0:00.000; 3. Victor Dario Arco (ARG, Yamaha), +0:00.000; 4. Matevz Irt (SLO, Husqvarna), +0:00.000; 5. Milko Potisek (FRA, Honda), +0:00.000; 6. Martin Zerava (CZE, Honda), +0:00.000; 7. Jose Gerardo Felipe (ARG, Kawasaki), +0:00.000; 8. Luis Correa (ARG, Kawasaki), +0:00.000; 9. Leonardo Quintanilla (CHL, Honda), +0:00.000; 10. Luciano Quintanilla (CHL, Honda), -1 lap(s)
2nd Race Top Ten: 1. Carlos Campano Jiminez (ESP, Yamaha), 34:47.942; ; 2. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:09.046; 3. Matevz Irt (SLO, Husqvarna), +1:00.123; 4. Milko Potisek (FRA, Honda), +1:05.844; 5. Victor Dario Arco (ARG, Yamaha), +1:09.238; 6. Martin Zerava (CZE, Honda), +1:24.361; 7. Jose Gerardo Felipe (ARG, Kawasaki), +1:43.481; 8. Luis Correa (ARG, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 9. Leonardo Quintanilla (CHL, Honda), -1 lap(s); 10. Petr Michalec (CZE, Honda), -1 lap(s)
Overall Standings: 1. Carlos Campano Jiminez (ESP, Yamaha), 47 points; 2. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), 47 p.; 3. Matevz Irt (SLO, Husqvarna), 38 p.; 4. Victor Dario Arco (ARG, Yamaha), 36 p.; 5. Milko Potisek (FRA, Honda), 34 p.; 6. Martin Zerava (CZE, Honda), 30 p.; 7. Jose Gerardo Felipe (ARG, Kawasaki), 28 p.; 8. Luis Correa (ARG, Kawasaki), 26 p.; 9. Leonardo Quintanilla (CHL, Honda), 24 p.; 10. Petr Michalec (CZE, Honda), 21 p.
Championship Classification after 3 events: 1. Carlos Campano Jiminez (ESP, Yamaha), 137 points; 2. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), 131 p.; 3. Matevz Irt (SLO, Husqvarna), 110 p.; 4. Martin Zerava (CZE, Honda), 87 p.; 5. Victor Dario Arco (ARG, Yamaha), 79 p.; 6. Milko Potisek (FRA, Honda), 59 p.; 7. Tommi Makinen (FIN, Honda), 55 p.; 8. Mickael Pichon (FRA, Honda), 50 p.; 9. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), 40 p.; 10. Petr Michalec (CZE, Honda), 40 p
Complete results at: http://www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx?ct=1&c=8
More photos at: http://www.motocrossmx1.com/gallery/default.aspx?aid=537
