Ryan Dungey gives KTM their first Supercross Class win in Phoenix Image courtesy of Monster Energy. Photographer - Simon Cudby. In just two races together, the new relationship between Ryan Dungey and Red Bull KTM has proven to be fruitful as the former champion captured his first win of the season and KTM’s first Supercross Class victory ever, with a dominant wire-to-wire effort. Dungey capitalised on a good start out of the gate in the 20-lap Supercross Class Main Event to grab the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot and checked out on the field. Behind him, Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX’s Davi Millsaps and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto assumed their spots at the front of the field, with both TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Honda’s Chad Reed and Toyota/Muscle Milk/JGRMX’s James Stewart mired in the field following mid-pack starts. The wild action of the night began when Millsaps went down in the track’s sand section on the opening lap, collecting Villopoto and relegating both riders to the tail end of the field. Villopoto’s misfortune allowed both Reed and Stewart to move forward, crossing the line 8th and 13th, respectively. From
there, Reed, Stewart, and Villopoto began climbing their way through
the field, with Reed and Stewart doing so together. Just as Stewart made
his way past Reed in his continued forward progression, he went down in
the same section as Villopoto on Lap 7, falling outside the top 10.
Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto started in the back of the pack after an early crash in the Main. His championship-winning skills were put on display as he quickly remounted, persevered and charged through the pack to an impressive podium finish. Villopoto eventually made his way around Reed and set his sights on the top five. Image courtesy of Monster Energy. Photographer - Simon Cudby. In the end, Dungey took the checkers by over six seconds for his second Supercross Class win in Phoenix. "This was a big step in right direction for KTM,” said Dungey. "They’ve been behind me the whole way and believed in me. We’ve come a long way since the off-season, but there’s still a lot of racing to go. I got off to a great start and moved into the lead early, which made it nice on myself. If it wasn’t for all these people (at KTM) working their butts off every week, this wouldn’t happen, so I owe this all to them.” Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer, of Rupert, Idaho, finished second for his first career Supercross Class podium, while Villopoto passed most of the field and fought his way into third to salvage his points lead. "It was a tough night,” said Villopoto. "Davi (Millsaps) went down in front of me in the sand and I went right into him. It happened on first lap, and when that happens, you have your work cut out (for you). There’s 20 laps to do it, so you’ve got to make quick work of it. The bike was working great though. I salvaged a lot of points tonight, so it was good.” Reed brought home a fifth-place finish, while Stewart soldiered on to finish eighth. Dungey and Villopoto currently have a share of the points lead, and both will adorn their bikes with the red number plate next weekend, signifying the current rider in control of the championship. Supercross Class Results: Phoenix
Supercross Class Season Standings
The 2012 Monster Energy Supercross season continues next Saturday, 21 January from Los Angeles, with the third race of the season inside Dodger Stadium. In the Western Regional Supercross Lites Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson prevailed with a similarly-convincing performance.
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray captured the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot, but Wilson worked his way into the lead on the exit of the second corner. Once out front, Wilson continued to pull away from his competitors and rebound from a sixth-place effort one week ago.
After a self-proclaimed disappointing race last weekend in Anaheim, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Dean Wilson fully redeemed himself by snatching up first place in the West Coast Lites Main, as well as his heat race. "I wasn't myself last week. I'm myself now," said Wilson. Needless to say, Wilson is on everyone's radar and he will no doubt put on a good show for the rest of the series. Image courtesy of Monster Energy. Photographer - Simon Cudby. "This feels great,” exclaimed Wilson. "Last weekend just wasn’t me. I think I was too confident coming in. It just means so much to get this win. The track was really slippery and required a lot of throttle control. This class is unbelievable and it’s not going to be easy (to win), but I want to be in the championship and I’m going to try my best.” Red
Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin garnered his first
career Monster Energy Supercross podium in second, while Rattray held on
for third, moving into the Western Regional Supercross Lites Class
championship points lead. NOTE: No Americans on the podium! Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Phoenix
Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
Copy and results courtesy of Denny Hartwig for Feld Motor Sports. Verbatim: Chad Reed - TwoTwo Motorsports: "We were actually better this week to last week the results on paper just don’t show it. I felt like for the most part it was positive. What we worked on since last round was better and we learnt some things throughout the day that were both negative and positive. The first four laps of my heat race was good, I went forward and was charging. We had an issue during testing last week which rose its head again in the heat and I lost the front. In the ‘main event’ I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time every time. Everyone I came up on was racing hard and instead of me racing hard and charging forward and putting myself in the right position I was continually in the wrong place each time. I felt like I rode great here and there and it was a step forward in many ways, it's just the result wasn’t there." Ryan Villopoto - Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki: "It was a tough night. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Davi (Milsaps) went down in the sand right in front of me and I got tangled up with him. I knew I had the speed, and really felt my bike was on, but it took a lot of work moving through the field to finish third. I ran into a little bad luck tonight, but overall I feel good about the ride. It was still a bummer though because I felt the win was pretty close before I went down. I’m looking forward to getting back to Dodger Stadium where I won last year.” Dean Wilson - Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki: "It felt brilliant taking the win tonight. I was able to get into the lead arly and had a nice, clear track for most of the race. I just focused on putting down clean laps. I felt like I had really good lines out there and was really working on controlling my breathing. This win really means a lot because last weekend at Anaheim I felt like I should have won, but I just made some mistakes that cost me. I know I have what it takes to win, but now I know what I needd to do to make that happen.” Jake Weimer - Monster Energy Kawasaki: "Tonight felt awesome. It’s been a long time since I stood on the podium. I have been working so hard to get up there, it feels so good to have it finally pay off. There are still a lot of rounds left, and I still have a lot of work to do, but this was an awesome night for me and the Monster Energy Kawasaki team. I really liked the layout of the track; there was a good mix of elements, but nothing too crazy. I just focused on throttle control, connecting sections, being smooth and clicking down laps. My new race bike is dialed, it’s got plenty of power and handles awesome, so I’m feeling really positive going into the next round.” Tyla Rattray - Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki: "I’m happy with my performance so far this season. I was feeling good on the track all day and my mechanic really had my bike tuned perfect for this track. I got a good gate choice for the main and got a great jump off the start. I nailed the holeshot but over-jumped the triple and that’s when (Marvin) Musquin and Dean (Wilson) went by me. Other than that mistake I felt like I rode really solid the rest of the race.” Coy Gibbs - Team Owner JGRMX Yamaha: "James Stewart wasn't really feeling all that good today. He skipped second practice because he felt sick and didn't want to wear himself down for the racing, which we thought was a good idea, but that was a tough main event. The start wasn't very good, and then to have a fall in the sand there, it was just too much to come through the pack in a field like this." Brett Metcalfe - Yoshimura Suzuki: "We had a really
good week leading up to Phoenix and I came in a little more confident.
In qualifying, I got an awesome start - the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450
just flew down the straightaway. I came through the heat race and ended
up sixth but I knew I had to step it up if I wanted to get a top-10
finish in the Main. The Yoshimura Suzuki is getting rippin' starts, and
that's a huge positive for my game right now. In the Main I tried as
hard as I could; about half way, I started getting passed but I tried to
hang tough and hold down a top-10. I was a little under the weather
this weekend and it was a tough 20 laps for me, but I managed to get
through. This was a much more positive direction for us and I'm looking
forward to having another solid week on the bike and moving up in the
field." |
