Solis Spans Golden Gate to Victory

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Benny Solis, Jr., from North Hollywood, Calif., won the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup race at Infineon Raceway, north of San Francisco, on Sunday. The 13-year-old took the victory in a race that was stopped after nine laps due to a red flag. Solis won the race by 15.914 seconds over Tomas Puerta of Colombia and Austin DeHaven of Los Angeles, Calif.

An early two-rider battle for the lead saw Argentina's Leandro Mercado and Kentuckian Hayden Gillim in front, while Solis and Bermuda's Toriano Wilson reeled them in to make a four-rider pack. On lap four, Wilson crashed after running wide and into the dirt, leaving the other three riders to battle for victory. What was shaping up to be a late race shootout turned into a runaway victory when Mercado highsided and took Gillim with him in turn 11 on lap seven.

The race was red flagged and then called after Luciano Ribodino crashed his KTM RC 125 with nine laps complete. The Argentine rider nicknamed "Lucho" was transported to a local hospital with an arm injury.

"I'm sorry the other riders crashed out because we were having a good race," said Solis. "I was hoping to have a hard-fought win out there but it didn't exactly turn out like I thought it was going to. I just missed Leandro when the bike spit him off. I thought Hayden was still with me so I kept my head down for a while but then I realized he must have crashed too. I was doing my best and I'm glad I have two wins in a row to start the Red Bull Rookies Cup season."

Solis also won last month's race at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, and leads the points chase with a perfect 50 points.

Tomas Puerta from Colombia earned a measured second place after a calculating ride that balanced speed with his desire to earn points. "This is my first time at the track so I had to learn it and have a safe race," said Tomas, 15 years old. "It's a shame some of the other riders crashed but it was important to me to run a good pace and get points. I'm happy we were able to finish second today and I will build on this finish."

DeHaven has been one of the best success stories of the Rookies Cup. He earned his podium spot on Sunday to symbolize his ever-quickening pace over the past few months. A late pass on Bryce Prince of Bakersfield, Calif., for third place was the key to his race. "I didn't get a good start. I think I was down to eighth at one point," said DeHaven, 14 years old. "I just put my head down and as the race went on I found more speed and kept climbing up towards the front. We were really going well at the end of the race."

Prince was fourth, ahead of Frankie Lee Gillim from Owensboro, Ky. Local rider Joey Pascarella from Vacaville, Calif., was sixth, ahead of Jake Gagne from Ramona. Calif. Austin Medrano from Mustang, Okla., earned a solid eighth place.

Emerson Connor of Burlington, Ontario, Canada was ninth and Jake Cunningham of Kimberly, Wis., rounded out the top ten.

The next Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup race will take place at Road America June 7-8.

Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup - Infineon Raceway Race Results

1. 35 Benny Solis, North Hollywood, California
2. 12 Tomas Puerta, Medellin, Colombia +15.914
3. 56 Austin DeHaven, Los Angeles, California +17.229
4. 74 Bryce Prince, Bakersfield, California +17.634
5. 95 Frankie Lee Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky +23.028
6. 25 Joey Pascarella, Vacaville, California +26.440
7. 32 Jake Gagne, Ramona California +26.473
8. 7 Austin Medrano, Mustang, Oklahoma +41.210
9. 50 Emerson Connor, Burlington, Ontario +41.542
10. 94 Jacob Cunningham, Kimberly, Wisconsin +42.022
11. 13 Jesse Stevens, Lawrenceville, Georgia +42.832
12. 22 Garet Tomlinson, Aledo, Texas +42.982
13. 66 Jake Morman, Loganville, Georgia +48.535
14. 23 Corey Alexander, Ossining, New York +48.679
15. 3 Travis Wyman, Macedon, New York +49.388
16. 31 Cameron Gish, Shingle Springs, California +1:27.279
17. 11 Luciano Ribodino, San Francisco, Argentina ---
18. 82 Otavio Lucchini, Jundiai, SP, Brazil 8 laps
19. 36 Leandro Mercado, Cordoba, Argentina 7 laps
20. 69 Hayden Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky +0.696
21. 75 Huntley Nash, Marietta, Georgia +32.054
22. 34 Corey Rech, Liverpool, New York 6 laps
23. 26 Toriano Wilson, St. Davids, Bermuda 3 laps

Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup - Points Standings (after Round 2)

1. 35 Benny Solis, North Hollywood, California 50 points
2. 56 Austin DeHaven, Los Angeles, California 26
3T. 12 Tomas Puerta, Medellin, Colombia 20
3T. 36 Leandro Mercado, Cordoba, Argentina 20
5T. 69 Hayden Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky 16
5T. 95 Frankie Lee Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky 16
5T. 7 Austin Medrano, Mustang, Oklahoma 16
8. 74 Bryce Prince, Bakersfield, California 15
9T. 26 Toriano Wilson, St. Davids, Bermuda 13
9T. 32 Jake Gagne, Ramona California 13
11. 34 Corey Rech, Liverpool, New York 11
12. 25 Joey Pascarella, Vacaville, California 10
13. 75 Huntley Nash, Marietta, Georgia 9
14T. 50 Emerson Connor, Burlington, Ontario 7
14T. 31 Cameron Gish, Shingle Springs, California 7
16T. 66 Jake Morman, Loganville, Georgia 6
16T. 94 Jacob Cunningham, Kimberly, Wisconsin 6
16T. 11 Luciano Ribodino, San Francisco, Argentina 6
19. 13 Jesse Stevens, Lawrenceville, Georgia 5
20. 22 Garet Tomlinson, Aledo, Texas 4
21. 23 Corey Alexander, Ossining, New York 2
22T. 82 Otavio Lucchini, Jundiai, SP, Brazil 1
22T. 3 Travis Wyman, Macedon, New York 1