AURORA, Ill. (March 26, 2012) – This Saturday night the gate will drop for the 46th Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race in Houston as points leader Ryan Villopoto leads the world’s top racers into Houston’s Reliant Stadium this Saturday night for the 13th stop of the 2012 season. In the Supercross Lites Class, GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia, of Ochlocknee, has established himself man to beat with a championship-leading five wins on the season.
At last weekend’s Monster Energy Supercross race at Toronto’s Rodgers Centre, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Villopoto, who is the defending Supercross Class Champion, commanded the pace of the race in the early stages with pass on early leader and Team Muscle Milk/Honda’s Justin Brayton, who won the Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot Award.
“Out of the first turn, it was just me and Brayton right off the bat,” said Villopoto. “I made some pretty big mistakes in the whoops. They were tough. We’ll go to Houston, where I think there’s a chance to wrap up the title. That’s the plan.”
For Brayton, Toronto marked the second consecutive race that he finished in the number-two position. Rounding out the podium in third place was GEICO Honda’s Kevin Windham, who used a fifth-place start to earn his second podium finish of the season.
Villopoto, the winner of the 2010 Monster Energy Supercross race in Houston, now holds a 79-point lead over Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., in the Supercross Class.
Barcia won a record fourth Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot Award in the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Main Event but was quickly passed by Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, of Murrieta, Calif. Barcia regrouped and re-passed Roczen on Lap 3 and rode off to the victory.
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Darryn Durham, of Butler, Pa., and Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki’s Blake Wharton, of Pilot Point, Texas, engaged in a heated battled that resulted in Durham winning the third-place; however, after a subsequent pass, Wharton assumed third place.
“Right now I couldn’t be (happier),” said Barcia. “I got my first win here two years ago. My GEICO Honda was hooking up great. This track was really tough tonight. You had to be really smart and really smooth. I made a great pass for the lead and kind of just rode my own race from there.”
Barcia extended his lead in the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class standings to 28 points over Wharton.
Last year in front of 45,859 fans, American Honda Racing’s Trey Canard won the first Supercross Class race of his career. In the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class season opener, Justin Barcia of Ochlocknee, Ga., picked up the win.
Since 1974, Houston has been on the Supercross Class schedule. From 1974-2000, the Houston Astrodome served as host to the Houston stop until it was moved to Reliant Stadium in 2003. The first Supercross Class race in Houston was on March 15, 1974, where Jim Pomeroy earned the win. Eddie Warren became the first Supercross Lites Class winner in Houston on April 20, 1985. Jeremy McGrath, the all-time winningest supercross rider, shares the all-time win record in Houston along with Mark Barnett with five.
CBS will broadcast the Supercross class race at 12:00pm EST on April 1, 2012.
Tickets are available at the Reliant Stadium Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge by phone at (800) 745-3000, www.supercrossonline.com, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Practice and qualifying begin at 12:30 p.m. and the main event starts at 7:00 p.m. Gold Circle tickets are $50 Adult/Child; VIP $40 Adult/Child; Price Level 3 $30 Adult / $10 Child; Price Level 4 $25 Adult / $10 Child; Treadhead $10 Adult/Child. Fans can also get into the Pits for FREE from 12:30-6 p.m. Race Day when they recycle a MONSTER Energy Can at the stadium Pit Entrance (valid only with event ticket).
Supercross Class Results: Toronto
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
- Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
- Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
- Jake Weimer, Wildomar, Idaho, Kawasaki
- Marvin Musquin, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
- Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki
- Robert Kiniry, Holland Patent, NY, Yamaha
- Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
Supercross Class Season Standings
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 271
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 192
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 177
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 169
- Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 166
- Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 165
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 150
- Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 145
- Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Calif., Suzuki – 136
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda – 128
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Toronto
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
- Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
- Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
- Jake Canada, Sun City, Calif., Honda
- Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa, Kawasaki
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda
- Tommy Weeck, Menifee, Calif., Honda
- Justing Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda
- Matthew Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki
- Jeffrey Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 145
- Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki – 117
- Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Kawasaki – 114
- Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 102
- Jake Canada, Sun City, Calif., Honda – 90
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 86
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda – 74
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM – 50
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 50
- Matthew Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki – 46
Past Winners in Houston
Supercross Class
February 12, 2011: Trey Canard
April 10, 2010: Ryan Villopoto
January 24, 2009: James Stewart
February 16, 2008: Kevin Windham
February 10, 2007: James Stewart
April 1, 2006: James Stewart
April 30, 2005: James Stewart
February 14, 2004: Chad Reed
March 29, 2003: Chad Reed
March 23, 2002: Ricky Carmichael
March 24, 2001: Ricky Carmichael
February 5, 2000: Jeremy McGrath
March 13, 1999: Jeremy McGrath
January 17, 1998: Ezra Lusk
March 22, 1997: Jeff Emig
March 16, 1996: Jeremy McGrath
March 25, 1995: Jeremy McGrath
January 22, 1994: Jeremy McGrath
January 16, 1993: Damon Bradshaw
January 18, 1992: Damon Bradshaw
January 19, 1991: Jean-Michel Bayle
February 3, 1990: Damon Bradshaw
March 18, 1989: Jeff Stanton
February 6, 1988: Jeff Ward
February 7, 1987: Jeff Ward
February 2, 1986: Jeff Ward
April 20, 1985: Jeff Ward
March 24, 1984: David Bailey
March 19, 1983: Bob Hannah
March 20, 1983: Mark Barnett
March 19, 1982: Mark Barnett
March 20, 1982: Mark Barnett
March 13, 1981: Mark Barnett
March 14, 1981: Mark Barnett
March 14, 1980: Mike Bell
March 15, 1980: Broc Glover
March 16, 1979: Bob Hannah
March 17, 1979: Bob Hannah
March 17, 1978: Bob Hannah
March 18, 1978: Bob Hannah
March 18, 1977: Tony DiStefano
March 19, 1977: Jim Ellis
March 12, 1976: Jim Weinert
March 14, 1975: Jim Ellis
March 15, 1974: Jim Pomeroy
Supercross Lites Class
February 12, 2011: Justin Barcia
April 10, 2010: Christophe Pourcel
January 14, 2009: Christophe Pourcel
February 16, 2008: Austin Stroupe
February 10, 2007: Ryan Villopoto
April 1, 2006: David Millsaps
April 30, 2005: Andrew Short
February 14, 2004: James Stewart
March 29, 2003: Brock Sellards
March 23, 2002: Matt Walker
March 24, 2001: Travis Preston
February 5, 2000: Derrick Shae Bentley
March 13, 1999: Nathan Ramsey
January 17, 1998: David Vuillemin
March 22, 1997: Kevin Windham
March 16, 1996: Kevin Windham
March 25, 1995: Damon Huffman
January 22, 1994: Ezra Lusk
January 16, 1993: Jimmy Gaddis
January 18, 1992: Brian Swink
January 19, 1991: Tallon Vohland
February 3, 1990: Jeff Emig
March 18, 1989: Mike LaRocco
February 6, 1988: Jeff Matiasevich
February 7, 1987: Keith Turpin
February 2, 1986: Willie Surratt
April 20, 1985: Eddie Warren
Tune into the enhanced exclusive weekly video content from Supercross LIVE! during the entire 2012 season on SupercrossOnline.com, the Official Website of Monster Energy Supercross.
Weekly Supercross LIVE! Video Content Schedule
The Official Supercross LIVE! Pre-Show Race Days at 11 AM Local Race Time
Behind the Scenes with Supercross LIVE! All Day on Race Days
2 Minutes on the Track Race Days at 3:30 & 5:30 PM Local Race Time
And on the Podium Tonight Following Each Round’s Main Events
The Official Supercross LIVE! Post-Show Saturday Nights at Each Round
Toyota Tailgate Talk Wednesdays at 5 PM ET
After The Checkered Flag Thursdays at 5PM ET
For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305. To follow Monster Energy Supercross on Facebook and Twitter, log on to http://www.facebook.com/supercrosslive and http://twitter.com/supercrosslive.
About Feld Motor Sports®
Feld Motor Sports®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz®, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.