SX Lites Report
Rookie sensation Justin Barcia closed out his first season on the AMA pro tour with a dominating 15-second victory Saturday night at the Edward Jones Dome.
The 18-year-old New Yorker took the Spike Holeshot Award and never looked back, leading the 250cc Lites East class through all 15 laps of the main event.
Justin Barcia says: "I wrote on my crossbar pads ‘Over The Front’ because I wanted to get that holeshot so bad," Barcia said. "I got a great jump and just checked out. At one point I had a 20-second lead. It was just an incredible night."
Barcia’s second victory of the season made him the star of the GEICO Powersports Honda team, but not by much as stablemates Kevin Windham and Brett Metcalfe also finished on the podium.
Windham rode hard for his second consecutive runner-up finish in the 450cc Supercross class, while Metcalfe followed Barcia over the finish line in third in Supercross Lites action. This was the first 1-2-3 finish in team history.
"The team did awesome," Barcia said. "To see us all on the stage was awesome. The guys did a great job all the way around.
"To come out here in my rookie season, win two races, pick up some holeshot awards, and finish second in the championship points, I couldn’t ask for much more."
A former winner in St. Louis, Windham had another great ride under the Gateway Arch, pushing his way from seventh to second overall to jump up to fourth place in the world rankings.
Kevin Windham says: "It was everything we wanted but a win," Windham said. "I guess I could have gotten a better start and put myself in a better position early on but we’re getting better every race and I think a win is right around the corner.
"I saw some exposed concrete out there in (turn) seven and it freaked me out a little bit. I don’t know if that was the difference or not because I think (winner Ryan) Dungey was having trouble there too."
Windham is now just two points out of third and 43 points back of second-place rider Ryan Villopoto, who was severely injured in this event and carried off the course by EMTs.
"You never want to gain ground like that but this course was tough and it claimed a lot of riders," Windham said. "I haven’t done the math yet for myself but a little goal of mine is to move up every race. We started tonight two points out of fourth and now we’re two points out of third. That’s a nice move this late in the season."
Although he couldn’t match the pace set by Barcia, Metcalfe had another brilliant ride that resulted in his third podium finish of the season. He ends his 2010 Supercross Lites East campaign in third place.
Brett Metcalfe says: "It was a good night," said Metcalfe, who won his heat race earlier in the evening. "Another third-place finish and then getting third in the championship, I’m pretty happy with everything in the big picture.
"I’m a little bitter with myself for not finishing second tonight. I had some bad line choices so I changed it up and started closing in but then I made a mistake before the whoops and didn’t triple out and that was it. I just couldn’t get the job done.
"Now we’ll rest a bit, get ready for Vegas, and then gear up for the Motocross season. I’m feeling 100 percent now and I think it’s showing in my riding so we’ll be ready to go."
2010 AMA Supercross Race Results: St. Louis
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
2. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
4. Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
5. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Kawasaki
AMA Supercross Championship Point Standings
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 302
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 266
3. Josh Hill, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 225
4. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda, 223
5. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 215
Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Race Results: St. Louis
1. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
2. Dean Wilson, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki
3. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
4. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
5. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki
Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Point Standings
1. Christophe Pourcel, Groveland, Fla., Kawasaki, 160
2. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 147
3. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 133
4. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki, 126
5. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 118
The AMA Supercross teams now head to Seattle for next Saturday’s event where Windham, Trey Canard, and Blake Wharton will represent the team.
