Atlanta: Pirelli race report

Pirelli's Payne Comes out of Retirement to Qualify for Lites Class Main in Atlanta
Marsack and Gibson Stay Strong in AMA Supercross Class

Rome, Ga. -- Team Pirelli entered the opening round of Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites competition Saturday night in Atlanta's Georgia Dome where 67,000-plus fans packed the venue for another exciting weekend of Monster Energy® Supercross. SVM/ Bud Selct Honda's Billy Payne, who retired from professional racing a few years back, lined up once again and led Pirelli's AMA Supercross Lites class with a 14th-place finish.

Payne transferred to the main event after finishing eighth in the second Lites class heat.

"This is a huge accomplishment for Billy," said Pirelli MX Manager Josh Whitmire. "This is the first supercross race that he's competed in not only this season but in years. It's exciting to see him rejuvenate his career."

Joining Payne in the AMA Supercross class main event was Rockstar Suzuki's Jimmy Albertson, of Ozark, Mo., who struggled in the heat race and was forced to race the last chance qualifier (LCQ). Albertson finished fourth in the LCQ and 15th in the main behind Payne.

Rockstar Suzuki's Justin Sipes, of Vine Grove, Ken., missed the AMA Supercross Lites class main event by one position, and in doing so he was awarded the Asterisk Medical Card.

Pro 30/Bad Boy Honda's Jacob Marsack, of Berlin, Mich., finished 15th in the AMA Supercross class main event and currently sits 18th overall just two points behind Troy Adams. Marsack picked up the final transfer spot in his heat race to transfer to the main event.

Jeff Gibson, of Thornville, Ohio, piloted his Cernic's Kawasaki to an impressive sixth-place finish in his heat race. Gibson went on to finish 17th in the main event.

-credit: pirelli