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Since opening the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season with four different winners in four races, only one rider has stood atop the podium for the past three weeks. Reigning Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ryan Villopoto has kicked his title defense into high gear thanks to three consecutive victories. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider boasts a total of four wins this season, but his recent dominance has helped him pull 13 points ahead of the field in the championship. This weekend, the championship makes its annual trip to the southeast and the hugely-popular stop from Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, for the eighth race of the season.
At the championship’s previous stop last weekend inside Cowboys Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, Villopoto was able to grab a strong start out of the gate, and took over the lead prior to the conclusion of the opening lap. While he looked to be in control of the top spot, Villopoto was stalked closely by TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Honda’s Chad Reed. The lead duo paced one another throughout the opening laps, bringing the crowd of over 50,000 to its feet.
Unfortunately, as he looked to be gaining enough ground on Villopoto to challenge for the spot, Reed suffered a frightening crash on Lap 6 that left him unable to continue. The DNF resulted in a 20th-place finish for Reed, who fell to third in the standings, 30 points out of the lead. To this point, the extent of the effects of Reed’s crash has not been revealed, and his championship status remains uncertain.
While Villopoto took a relatively unchallenged win, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer provided some late-race fireworks in their battle for the runner-up spot. Dungey overcame a 10th-place start to pass Weimer on the final lap to take his second runner-up finish of the season, and fifth podium of the year.
By virtue of his strong run and Reed’s misfortune, Dungey assumed control of second in the Supercross Class standings, 13 points behind Villopoto.
Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX’s James Stewart, the fourth rider to win a race this season, started the main event just outside the top five, along with teammate Davi Millsaps. On Lap 3, Millsaps washed out coming out of a turn, leaving Stewart nowhere to go and causing him to stall his bike. Stewart re-entered the race in 19th, but battled his way up to an impressive sixth-place finish. He’s 42 points behind Villopoto in the standings heading into Atlanta.
Last season’s Monster Energy Supercross visit to the Georgia Dome resulted in possibly the most memorable race of the entire 2011 championship. A captivating duel between heated rivals Stewart and Reed resulted in a 19-lap battle for the win that came down to an explosive final lap in which the two riders came together and hit the ground. The incident allowed Villopoto to steal the victory, while continued battling between Stewart and Reed ultimately resulted in Dungey’s move into the runner-up spot. Atlanta is always the site of memorable action, and that trend is sure to continue on Saturday night.
The first supercross race ever held in Atlanta was March 5, 1977, and Bob Hannah won on a Yamaha. On February 22, 1986 Honda rider Keith Turpin won the first-ever Supercross Lites Class Main Event in Atlanta. Ricky Carmichael is first on the Supercross class’ all-time win list at the Georgia Dome with five. Carmichael, Brian Swink and Christophe Pourcel share the Supercross Lites Class’ all-time win record with two. A new face will grace the top step of the podium in the Supercross Lites Class on Saturday night.
Season Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 158
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 145
3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda – 128
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 116
5. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 92
6. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 92
7. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 88
8. Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Calif., Suzuki – 81
9. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 80
10.Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 80
