Dungey Breaks Through With First Win of the Season in Toronto
Sunday 27 March: A huge crowd of 45,217 Canadian fans filled the Rogers Centre on Saturday night for the Monster Energy AMA Supercross.
The 12th
stop of the 17-race championship was host to even more of a shakeup in
the Championship standings as Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey captured his first win of the season.
As
the gates dropped on the 20-lap Supercross class main event, Monster
Energy Kawasaki’s Fabien Izoird, of France, raced to the Nuclear Cowboyz
Holeshot
and grabbed the early lead. Behind him, Dungey and Valli
Motorsports/Rockstar Yamaha’s Nick Wey followed while
San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart found himself
on the ground, creating a jam that included series points leader and
Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Ryan Villopoto.
Dungey
moved into first prior to the completion of the first lap and went on
to lead all 20 laps. At the conclusion of Lap 1, Villopoto crossed the
line in ninth while Stewart sat 13th. The duo moved through
the field in tow of one another before Stewart attempted to pass
Villopoto. The two riders made contact, falling to the ground. While
Stewart re-entered the action, Villopoto pulled off the track to address
an issue with his bike.
Dungey
fended off the pressure of TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad
Reed throughout the main event while American Honda’s
Trey Canard followed onto the podium in third.
"It’s
been a tough one (this season) and it feels great to pull (a win) off,”
said Dungey. "Everyone goes through this at some point because it’s a
tough road. I got a great start tonight which was huge. The track was
really tough and you had to watch the mistakes.”
"That’s
the positive from tonight,” said Reed, who claimed the points lead
after Villopoto’s misfortune. "I have to just carry on. Ryan (Dungey)
road a great race, he was faster in the whoops and turns. It took
everything I had to pressure him into making a mistake.
"The
industry decided not to give me a chance this season,” Reed added. "I
want to win this championship so bad. It would be a bittersweet speech
for sure.”
Stewart
rebounded from his troubles to finish just off the podium in fourth
while Villopoto recorded a ninth-place result. Reed now holds a 3-point
lead over Villopoto heading into next weekend’s race.
Supercross Class Results: Toronto
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
5. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha
6. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
8. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
9. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
10. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda
Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda – 236
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 233
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 228
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 216
5. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 214
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 159
7. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 137
8. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda - 134
9. Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha – 128
10. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha – 109
The 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
season continues next weekend from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas,
just minutes outside Dallas - Round 13 of 17.
Former Canada Resident Dean Wilson Claims Supercross Lites Victory
In Supercross
Lites class action, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider and
former Canada resident Dean Wilson, of Menifee, California, grabbed the
victory.
At the start of the Supercross Lites class main event, GEICO Honda’s
Blake Wharton grabbed the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot
with his teammate Justin Barcia and Eleven10 Mods
Honda’s Darryn Durham in tow. The remainder of the
opening lap featured several highlights as DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing
Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes took over the top spot, only to
be forced off the track by Barcia, who then assumed the lead.
For
the next seven laps, Barcia paced the field while Wilson looked to
close the gap in second. The distance between both riders continued to
decrease before Wilson made the winning pass coming out of the whoops on
Lap 8. The win marked Wilson’s second of the season and the second of
his career.
"The
track was really tricky tonight,” said Wilson. "I didn’t get the
greatest of starts but I kept pushing forward. It was all I could do. This win means a lot to me. We still have three races to go and I’m
still far back in the points, but I’ll try my best.”
Barcia
followed in second and has been on the podium at every race of the
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Championship. Wharton rounded out the
podium in third.
Barcia’s advantage over Wilson, who moved into second in the championship, sits at 16 points.
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Toronto
1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
2. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
3. Blake Wharton, Aubrey, Texas, Honda
4. P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
5. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Yamaha
6. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki
7. Gannon Audette, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
8. Hunter Hewitt, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
9. Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda
10. Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 138
2. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki – 122
3. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Yamaha – 115
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 100
5. Blake Wharton, Aubrey, Texas, Honda – 89
6. P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 80
7. Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki – 80
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki – 55
9. Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., Honda – 49
10. Alex Martin, Millville, MN., Honda - 47
Copy courtesy of Denny Hartwig for Feld Motor Sports.