PALA, Calif. (September 10, 2011) – After a summer full of some of the best competition in series history, the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship came to a close on Saturday, in the heart of the motocross industry in Southern California. Thousands of fans were on hand to witness the Traxxas Pala National from Pala Raceway, as Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., secured his first premier 450 Class title.
In the opening moto of the 450 Class, all eyes were on Villopoto and his championship rival, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., who were separated by just 14 points. Out of the gates, the duo positioned themselves within the top 10, and immediately began working on moving forward. Out front, Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., looked to pull away, with American Honda’s Justin Barcia, of Monroe, N.Y., in pursuit. After just three laps, Barcia took over the top spot, but it was only a matter of time before the series’ perennial front-runners were battling for the lead. Both Villopoto and Dungey followed nose to tail throughout the moto, and on Lap 12, Villopoto slipped past Barcia and never looked back. Dungey followed suit two laps later, finishing second, and also losing an additional three points in the standings.
In Moto 2, the championship leaders found themselves in similar positions off the start, while TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed, of Australia, took over the early lead. While leading, Reed went down, allowing a closely-pursuing Barcia to assume the position. Upon remounting, Reed was forced to deal with a hard-charging Dungey and Villopoto. Dungey worked his way past quickly, and set his sights on Barcia, and the overall win. Villopoto took his time getting around Reed, using his healthy points lead to his advantage, but eventually settled into third, where he would finish the moto. At the front of the field, Barcia and Dungey brought the fans to their feet, battling for the win over the final two laps, with Dungey prevailing to secure his fourth win of the year.
“It was a great day,” said Dungey. “It’s been a long, hard-fought season. I’m bummed I couldn’t come out on top, but there is a sense of happiness along with it. Every race, you had to be on top of your game. Every single week, just trying to get more out of yourself. This is definitely the toughest season of my career. I know I gave it my all, and did everything I can, so I can walk away happy knowing that.”
Villopoto’s 1-3 moto results placed him second overall for the day, but with 12 points to his credit over Dungey, was able to claim the season championship – his fourth career AMA Pro Motocross title. With the AMA Supercross Championship to his credit earlier this season, Villopoto becomes the 12th rider in AMA Pro Racing history to win the title in both disciplines in the same year.
“I didn’t want to just go out there and ride today,” said Villopoto. “I felt good in the first moto, and I went into the second just looking to stay out of trouble. We started off outdoors a bit behind the mark, but we finally came around. It’s been a tough year. The turning point was at Unadilla, when we brought out our new bike. We made a lot of progress there.”
Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Traxxas Pala National
Pala Raceway – Pala, Calif.
September 10, 2011
Round 12 of 12
450 Class (Moto Finish)
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (2-1)
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-3)
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (3-2)
- Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (5-5)
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (4-7)
- Kyle Regal, Howell, Mich., Suzuki (6-8)
- Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda (12-4)
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (9-6)
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (10-12)
- Les Smith, York, S.C., Yamaha (14-9)
450 Class Championship Standings
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 526
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 514
- Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda – 429
- Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki – 374
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM – 304
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 271
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha – 218
- Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM – 196
- Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda – 193
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 173
250 Class (Moto Finish)
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki (1-1)
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (2-3)
- Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (4-4)
- Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (3-5)
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda (10-2)
- Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha (5-7)
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha (6-8)
- Jason Anderson, Las Cruces, N.M., Suzuki (8-9)
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (7-11)
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (14-10)
250 Class Championship Standings
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki – 538
- Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki – 472
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 469
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 314
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 311
- Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha – 300
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 253
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 213
- Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki – 213
- Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda – 195
For more information on the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please log on to www.allisports.com/motocross.
For media information about the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact Media Manager Brandon Short via email at media@mxsportsproracing.com or by phone at 949-365-5750.
MX Sports Pro Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world’s most prestigious motocross series – the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The industry leader in off road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, King of Wake series, and the Gatorade Free Flow Tour. Alli TV Productions creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. Visit www.allisports.com.
Lucas Oil Products
Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, lubricants and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, lubricants and problem-solving performance additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry. Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the “Official Motor Oil of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.” Visit www.LucasOil.com.
AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing sanctioning body in the United States, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization sanctions professional motorcycle racing competition, which includes, AMA Pro Motocross, AMA Pro Road Racing, and AMA Pro Flat Track. Visit www.amaproracing.com.
