AURORA, Ill. (March 19, 2012) – A strong outing to claim his sixth win of the season, combined with the misfortune of his remaining championship rival, has given Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto firm control of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship. The defending Supercross Class champion carries a 54-point lead into the championship’s annual visit to Toronto’s Rogers Centre for the 12th race of the 2012 season this Saturday night.
Last weekend in Indianapolis, Villopoto raced to his sixth win this season, patiently working his way from a fifth-place start to work past second-place competitor Brett Metcalfe, and his Yoshimura Suzuki, on Lap 10, and make a winning pass on Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Brayton on Lap 15.
An added significance came with Villopoto’s win at the expense of Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX’s James Stewart. With the departure of both championship contenders Chad Reed, of TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Honda, and Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey due to injury, Stewart assumed the role as the lead challenger to Villopoto’s points lead. Following a win in Daytona, Stewart had the momentum coming into Indianapolis; however, a crash coming out of the first turn in his heat race left Stewart out of contention for the remainder of the evening for precautionary reasons.
With uncertainty surrounding Stewart’s condition and status for this weekend in Toronto, Villopoto could hold as much as 95 points to his credit over fellow Toyota/Yahama/JGRMX rider Davi Millsaps, who currently sits fourth in the Supercross Class standings behind both Dungey and Stewart, respectively.
In Stewart’s absence, both Brayton and Metcalfe assumed the vacancy at the front of the field. Both riders rode strong heat races, with each taking the win in their respective heat for the first time this season, which also helped set the tone for their efforts in the main event.
Brayton’s strong start led to him leading an evening-high 10 laps before succumbing to the pressure of Villopoto. The runner-up effort was a career-best finish for Brayton and could be the spark he needs to contend for a spot on the championship podium at season’s end. For Metcalfe, he found himself in the thick of the battle for the win for most of the main event, ultimately settling for fourth, which tied his best result of the 2012 season.
Millsaps overtook Metcalfe in the late stages of the race to secure his second consecutive podium finish, with a third-place finish. Millsaps has come on strong in the second half of the season, and as a result of his strong results, he is currently fourth in the Supercross Class point standings.
At last season’s Monster Energy Supercross race in Toronto, Dungey overcame a season filled with heartbreak and frustration to break through for his first and only win of the 2011 season. However, the win vaulted Dungey into title contention, igniting a strong run to the finish that ultimately saw him finish third in the championship.
GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia was in search of his fifth win in five races in the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class at Indianapolis. The defending Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Champion had dominated the competition coming into last Saturday’s race, but despite his best efforts, he came up short in a bid for five-straight victories.
Barcia experienced his worst start of the season in the main event, while Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki’s Blake Wharton, and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Darryn Durham battled out front for the win.
A fall by Roczen about halfway through the race allowed Wharton to take over the lead, and eventually the win, while Durham followed in second. Barcia was impressive in his climb from a ninth-place start, and while he missed out on the win, he still secured a fifth consecutive podium finish in third. Heading into Toronto, he holds a 22-point lead over Durham and will be eager to bounce back from his worst outing of the championship.
While he attempts to chip away at Barcia’s advantage, Durham will also have to fend off a confident Wharton, who sits just one point behind in third and has the momentum of his first win this season.
Last season in Toronto, Barcia entered the race as the points leader and was in line for his third win of the championship after a strong start. Barcia led the first eight laps of the main event, but was caught by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson, who led the final seven laps to take his second win of the championship.
The first Monster Energy Supercross Championship race held in Toronto was on March 29, 2008, with eventual champion Chad Reed winning on a Yamaha. In four years of competition at the Rogers Centre, four different riders have stood atop the podium – Reed, Stewart, Villopoto and Dungey. Both Villopoto and Stewart will look to change that trend on Saturday.
The first points-paying Supercross Lites Class race in Toronto was held on March 28, 2009, with eventual champion Christophe Pourcel winning on a Kawasaki. Like the Supercross Class, there has never been a repeat winner in the Lites Class at Toronto, with Pourcel, Barcia, and Wilson taking victories. Barcia will seek to become the first repeat winner in the division this weekend.
SPEED will broadcast Monster Energy Supercross from Toronto LIVE at 7:30pm EST on March 24, 2012.
Tickets are available at the Rogers Centre Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge my phone at (855) 985-5000, www.supercrossonline.com, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Practice and qualifying begin at 12:30 p.m. and the main event starts at 7:00 p.m. Total Access Passes are $120 Adult/Child; Gold Circle $40 Adult/Child; Extreme Value $25 Adult/Child; Treadhead $15 Adult/Child; Pizza Pizza Kids Tickets $15.
Supercross Class Results: Indianapolis
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
- Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
- Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
- Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki
- Marvin Musquin, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki
- Nico Izzi, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
Supercross Class Season Standings
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 246
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 192
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 177
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 151
- Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 146
- Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 143
- Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 142
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 134
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda – 128
- Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Calif., Suzuki – 128
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Indianapolis
- Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
- Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Kawasaki
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki
- Jake Canada, Sun City, Calif., Honda
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda
- Matthew Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki
- Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ken., Kawasaki
- Les Smith, York, SC., KTM
- Shawn Rife, Mechanicsburg, Ohio., Honda
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 120
- Darryn Dunham, Butler, Pa., Kawasaki – 98
- Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki – 97
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 80
- Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Ga., KTM – 80
- Jake Canada, Sun City, Calif., Suzuki – 72
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda – 61
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 43
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM – 42
- PJ Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 38
Past Winners in Toronto
Supercross Class
March 26, 2011: Ryan Dungey
March 13, 2010: Ryan Villopoto
March 28, 2009: James Stewart
March 29, 2008: Chad Reed
Supercross Lites Class
March 26, 2011: Dean Wilson
March 13, 2010: Justin Barcia
March 28, 2009: Christophe Pourcel
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.