Villopoto passes eight riders to win the Phoenix round of the 2014 Monster Energy Supercross
Sunday 12 January: That's after Villopoto only qualified 14th. Also Anderson again uses a last-lap pass for his second-straight 250SX Class victory.
Courtesy of Denny Hartwig for Feld Motor Sports
In
front of 49,834 fans inside Chase Field, reigning three-time 450SX
Class Champion Ryan Villopoto won his first Monster Energy AMA
Supercross, an FIM
World Championship, race of the season aboard his Monster Energy
Kawasaki. For the second consecutive week, Rockstar Energy Racing’s
Jason Anderson used a last-lap pass to post back-to-back victories in
the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship.
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Jake Moss grabbed the Nuclear Cowboyz®
Holeshot Award to start the 20-lap 450SX Class Main Event, with
Toyota/Yamaha/N-Fab/JGRMX’s Justin Brayton and Red Bull KTM’s Ryan
Dungey in tow. Villopoto started in ninth, behind the likes of Yoshimura
Suzuki’s James Stewart, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin
Barcia, and Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen.
Villopoto earned the first 450Sx Class win of his career at Chase Field. Credit: Michael Bartovsky
Brayton
took over the lead after the second corner, bringing Dungey and Barcia
with him. Barcia surged towards the front, passing Dungey
for second and then setting his sights on the lead. Barcia briefly
passed Brayton, but the Yamaha rider countered back, which allowed
Dungey to reclaim second from Barcia. A six-rider battle ensued with
Brayton, Dungey, Roczen, Barcia, Villopoto, and Stewart
all within just a few seconds of one another.
On
Lap 7, Barcia and Roczen made contact while battling for third, sending
Roczen to the ground. Villopoto pressured Barcia shortly thereafter
and made the pass for third. As Dungey looked to make a move on
Brayton, Villopoto closed in and made the pass for second on Lap 11. On
Lap 13, Villopoto passed Brayton and fended off a late charge to win in
Phoenix for the first time in the 450SX Class.
"Justin
was riding a hell of a race,” said Villopoto. "I have to give it to
him, he made it tough. I didn’t get the start I wanted because
the (starting) gate was slippery, but I just needed to be patient. The
Phoenix (track) gets really slick so I had to take my time and make sure
my passes stuck.”
Brayton’s runner-up effort tied his career-best finish, which came in Toronto in 2012.
"This
feels so good,” Brayton exclaimed. "The new Yamaha is unbelievable. We
did our homework this year. It’s been a lot of hard work,
but being up [on the podium] pays off. I was trying to pay attention to
what was going on behind me but still look ahead. I did all I could to
stay up front, but Ryan (Villopoto) got by me.”
Dungey finished third, giving him back-to-back podium results.
"That
was a good opportunity to get a win,” said Dungey. "I kept making
mistakes. I couldn’t get through the whoops, but all in all it
was a good ride. The track was super slippery and it caught us off
guard but we still put in on the box.”
With his win, the 35th of his career, Villopoto moves into the 450SX Class points lead. He holds a one-point advantage over
Dungey.
MyPlash/Metal
Mulisha/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb raced to the Nuclear Cowboyz
Holeshot Award to start the Western Regional 250SX
Class Main Event. Webb held onto the lead for most of the opening lap
until Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Cole Seely moved into the lead
by passing both Webb and Anderson, who started in second. Webb went down
moments later and lost several positions.
Webb pulled the first Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award of his career. Credit: Michael Bartovsky
Seely
and Anderson opened a comfortable lead on the field, with Seely
extending his advantage over Anderson for most of the 15-lap Main
Event. As the leaders approached lappers in the late stages, Anderson
reduced his deficit to mere bike lengths. On the final lap, Seely made a
slight mistake, which allowed Anderson to challenge for the lead,
making the pass with about a half lap remaining.
"I
was out for redemption tonight,” said Anderson, who failed to qualify
for the Main Event in Phoenix the year prior. "I got a good
start on my KTM, like I have been all season. I don’t plan on those
last-lap passes, but it was there and I needed to take it. My goal is to
keep control of the red number plate (signifying the points leader) so
I’ll do whatever it takes to do that. I really
want it.”
Anderson won three of his last four 250SX Class Main Events. Credit: Michael Bartovsky
"I’m
bummed,” said Seely. "I’ve been battling stomach issues all week, so
was struggling with that. I felt (my stomach) tighten up late
in the race and I just made a mistake and Jason got me again.”
GEICO
Honda’s Zach Osborne and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean
Wilson battled for the third position for the bulk of the Main
Event, with Osborne eventually getting the edge to grab his second
podium finish of the year.
With
Anderson, Seely, and Osborne on the podium, it duplicated the finishing
order from last week’s opening race. Anderson’s lead in
the championship sits at six points.
Monster
Energy Supercross returns to Anaheim, Calif., and Angel Stadium for the
third race of the 2014 season. The race will be the 40th
Anniversary Celebration of the championship.
250SX Class Results: Phoenix
-
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM
-
Cole Seely, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
-
Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda
-
Dean Wilson, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Kawasaki
-
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda
-
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha
-
Dean Ferris, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
-
Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki
-
Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda
-
Cole Martinez, Rimrock, Ariz., Kawasaki
250SX Class Season Standings
-
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM, 50
-
Cole Seely, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 44
-
Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda, 40
-
Dean Wilson, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Kawasaki, 36
-
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha, 31
-
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda, 29
-
Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki, 28
-
Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 24
-
Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Kawasaki, 21
-
Dean Ferris, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 21
450SX Class Results: Phoenix
-
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
-
Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha
-
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
-
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
-
Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda
-
Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
-
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
-
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
-
Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki
-
Wil Hahn, Menifee, Calif., Honda
450SX Class Season Standings
-
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 43
-
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 42
-
Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 40
-
Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 37
-
Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 32
-
Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 32
-
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 26
-
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 26
-
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 22
-
Wil Hahn, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 21
KTM Junior Supercross Challenge
- Bryson Buller, Farmington, Mich., KTM
- Talon Hansen, South Weber, Utah, KTM
- Harley Jefferies, Rosburg, Wash., KTM
- Ayden Beckage, Jermyn, Pa., KTM
- Wyatt Storey, Cataldo, Idaho, KTM
- Logan Ellis, Pickerington, Ohio, KTM
- Chase Cannizzaro, Sparks, Nev., KTM
- Corinthia Crawford, Firestone, Colo., KTM
- Braeden Turner, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM
- Reese Monty, Vista, Calif., KTM
- Tyler Nelson, Pickerington, Ohio, KTM
- Michael Baker, Scottsdale, Ariz., KTM
- Cody McManus, Pickerington, Ohio, KTM
- Jaxon Chisholm, Pickerington, Ohio, KTM
- Cooper Ivie, Whittier, Calif., KTM
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