Pala: Powersports Honda team post-season notes

GEICO Powersports team members Windham, LaRocco collect post-season honors

SAN DIEGO (Sept. 15) -- The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championships season might be over but the accolades for the GEICO Powersports Honda team keep rolling in.

In addition to the 250cc championship won by Trey Canard and the second-place finish by Brett Metcalfe in the 450cc division, Kevin Windham has been selected as the Sportsman of the Year and Mike LaRocco was picked as Team Manager of the Year.

Windham got the nod for returning to the outdoor ranks to fill in for the injured Davi Millsaps for the final six races of the season. Windham made the most of his short stint with the sister Red Bull Honda team, including notching a win at Steel City.

"When we made the decision to come back, we were excited about the opportunity," Windham said. "But I wanted to make the best of it. With the results we had, it makes me feel good we made that comeback."

Windham said the response from the fans was overwhelming and earning that outdoor win was particularly sweet given he is on the tail end of his riding career.

"I really enjoyed those last six rounds," Windham said. "The fans seemed so excited to have me back out there. Those bikes are loud, but when the crowd is cheering for you while you are making that lap, there's no mistaking what's going on.

"With every passing year, the wins get more and more important. It was an emotional moment for me in Steel City because I hadn't won an outdoor race since 2007. Knowing how tough the competition is and knowing my age I realized this could be my last outdoor win. It was kind of a weird moment for me."

LaRocco had a full plate while guiding GEICO Powersports Honda to its best finish in team history. Beside helping Canard and Metcalfe to their remarkable outcomes, he also oversaw the development of Blake Wharton, Justin Barcia, and rookie Eli Tomac, who all ended the outdoor season with top 10 finishes in the 250 championship standings.

"Trey did a super job this season," LaRocco said. "He got his stuff together halfway through the Motocross season and put his head down and rode hard. He earned his championship, regardless of how things went down (at Pala in the finale)."

GEICO Powersports Honda team members will have one more outing together this year when Canard will represent the USA and Metcalfe will represent Australia at the Motocross of Nations, Sept. 25-26, at Thunder Valley in Denver.

-source: powersports honda