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Defending Supercross Class Champion Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., brings a six-point lead into this Saturday’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, at Arlington’s Cowboys Stadium.
Saturday will serve as the opening race of the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Championship and will be headlined by GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia, who is the defending Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Champion.
Honda’s best efforts, however, will be met with equal talent by the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team’s Blake Bagget and Darryn Durham. During his second season in the Lites Class, Baggett scored two wins and finished on the podium in nearly every race.
Aside from the two powerhouses of Honda and Kawasaki, several additional threats exist throughout the rest of the paddock. Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen is ready to make his 2012 campaign after breaking his arm while practicing for the opening race of the Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Championship in Anaheim. The crash forced Roczen to focus his attention on the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Championship. Also, GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle, a rookie in the class, is one of the highly anticipated riders to vie for the title.
Last weekend in San Diego, before 58,782 fans, Villopoto, who now has three wins on the season, won a hard-fought battle with Chad Reed that escalated on Lap 18, when Reed stole the lead from Villopoto. On the same lap, however, Villopoto’s prowess reined supreme and re-passed Reed before the finish line.
"You really had to be smooth every lap," said Villopoto. "San Diego's dirt is really slippery and made it tough to be consistent for the full 20-lap main event. I've never won San Diego in the Supercross Class. It was great to get my first win here and end Chad’s (Reed) win streak at Qualcomm Stadium. Hopefully I can start a streak my own as we head to Cowboys Stadium next week."
At last year’s Monster Energy Supercross race at Cowboys Stadium, Muscle Milk Honda’s Trey Canard, who is sidelined due to an injury suffered earlier this season, captured his third Supercross Class win of the season. In the Supercross Lites Class, Wilson earned his third Supercross Lites Class victory
Monster Energy Supercross has a storied history in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with the first-ever supercross race held in Dallas on March 1, 1975. From 1983-2008, Texas Stadium hosted 26 consecutive Monster Energy Supercross races and is regarded as one of the sport’s most historical cities having hosted.
In 2008, Reed became the first rider in history to earn four wins in Dallas. Former Supercross Class champion Ricky Johnson is second on the all-time win list in Dallas with three. Supercross Lites Class racing began in Dallas on May 4, 1985 where Suzuki rider Bobby Moore won. Villopoto, Grant Langston and Jeremy McGrath are the only rides to win Dallas twice in the Lites Class.
Season Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 133
2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda – 127
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 123
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 101
5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 78
6. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 75
7. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 72
8. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 70
9. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 68
10.Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 64
Photos by Frank Hoppen
