SX Seattle
It was a night of first times in Seattle for round 14 of the 2010 AMA Monster Energy Supercross Championship – Ryan Dungey took his first SX title, and Kevin Winham won his first race of the year.
In reality, Dungey had clinched the title after winning last week’s race in St. Louis, but to make it official, he needed to finish better than sixth at Qwest Field. And this is just what the Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider did in Seattle Saturday night, finishing fourth in the main event.
But fourth didn’t come easy. After falling twice during the heat races, Dungey struggled on the soft track, rutted due to rains saturating the surface.
Ryan Dungey says: "(The track) was very demanding with a lot of ruts. It’s been an awesome season. It’s something else when you’re watching on TV as a little kid and hoping to be up here. It was all hard work that went into this. I’m super pumped. I just tried to take it easy in the main and stay upright."
Dungey is now the only rider in SX history besides the legendary Jeremy McGrath to win a Supercross Championship in his rookie year. The only racer that had a chance at challenging Dungey for the title was Ryan Villopoto. But the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider is out for the rest of the season after breaking his leg in a one-man crash in St. Louis last week.
Before 51,422 fans, Kevin Windham took the SPIKE Holeshot award, and went on to lead all 20 laps on the rutted track. The GEICO Powersports Honda rider would go onto to finish a whopping 22.7 seconds ahead of Tommy Hahn; the Rockstar Energy Suzuki rider’s second-place finish was a career best. Third went to Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR Yamaha rider Justin Brayton, who also scored a career-best finish.
Windham, who remained unchallenged on the technical track, now has 17-career wins. At 32, Windham is currently the oldest competitor in Supercross, and now has 17-career victories. He has luck in Seattle, considering his last victory was at the same track last year.
Kevin Windham says: "That was the gnarliest race I’ve ever ridden. The streak is over and it happened here in Seattle. It feels so good. I closed it out here in 2008 strong and I’m glad to do it again. I’ll tell you, as I get older, things like this are much harder to come by."
Only two races remain as the AMA SX season continues in Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, next weekend.
Supercross Results, Seattle
Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Suzuki
Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Yamaha
Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Kawasaki
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
Supercross Championship Standings
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 320
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 266
Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda, 248
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 231
Josh Hill, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 227
Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 211
Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 183
Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 174
Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Suzuki, 161
Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 147
Western Lites Results, Seattle
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda
Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda
Phil Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., KTM
Max Anstie, Hemet, Calif., Yamaha
Hunter Hewitt, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
Western Lites Standings
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 155
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 136
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 131
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha, 125
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda, 107
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda, 90
Josh Hansen, Elbert Colo., Kawasaki, 75
Max Anstie, Hemet, Calif., Yamaha, 75
Phil Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., KTM, 69
Jeff Alessi, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 64