2011 AMA Motocross
Spoiler Alert: AMA Motocross Southwick results listed below
Although heavy rains from Hurricane Irene reached as far as Southwick, New England, Saturday, the results brought about a new winner in 2011 AMA 450 Motocross, and dwindled the contention for the Championship to two riders with two rounds remaining.
Although he didn’t take a single-moto win at the Rockstar Energy Southwick Motocross National at Moto-X 338, Rockstar Energy’s Brett Metcalfe took the overall win with a 3-2 moto win; it was the first victory of his AMA 450cc Motocross career.
Joining Metcalfe on the overall Motocross podium were the two men in major contention for the AMA MX title, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and Metcalfe’s teammate, Ryan Dungey.
As for Chad Reed, the Two-Two Motorsports Honda rider who lead the championship early in the season failed to garner any points after suffering two misfortunes at Southwick.
In the first moto, the reigning Motocross Champion Dungey took the holeshot, and went on to lead all 17 laps. He was joined on the Moto-1 podium by Villopoto and Metcalfe.
In the second Moto, Dungey didn’t make it to the gate due to issues with his RMZ450; he would start a full lap behind. Out front, the new comer in the 450 AMA Motocross class Justin Barcia on the American Honda CRF450R was making up for his DNF in the first moto.
Barcia would go onto win Moto 2, followed by Villopoto and Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR’s Justin Brayton.
Brett Metcalfe (Rockstar Makita Suzuki RMZ450R Motocross) says: “I’m a winner now. This career has been a roller coaster. After everything I’ve been through, to finally get a win after eight years just feels good. The first moto was the worst I’ve ever rode at Southwick, but I still got third. We prepared my bike for the mud in the second moto and it rode like butter. It was perfect. I knew I had to beat Villopoto for the overall. I saw him ahead of me, dug deep, and passed him.”
Ryan Dungey (Rockstar Makita Suzuki RMZ450R) says: “My parents always told me to never quit. I wanted to, and I almost did, but then I saw the bike come down the hill. I just went out there and rode as hard as I could. I can’t take all the credit though. The Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team made it happen. It was the difference between starting late, or not starting at all. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have been out there.”
With two rounds remaining, Villopoto has the AMA Motocross lead with 431 points, followed eight points behind by Dungey. Due to his misfortunes, Reed fell back even more, now 65 points off the lead.
The 2011 AMA Motocross Championship heads to Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa., next Saturday.
AMA Motocross 450 Class (Moto Finish)
- Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (3-2)
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (2-4)
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (1-7)
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (7-3)
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (4-6)
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (6-5)
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (36-1)
- John Dowd, Holyoke, Mass., Kawasaki (9-8)
- Les Smith, York, S.C., Yamaha (8-9)
- Kyle Chisholm, Clearwater, Fla., Yamaha (11-10)
AMA Motocross 450 Class Championship Standings
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 431
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 423
- Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda – 366
- Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki – 304
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM – 243
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 221
- Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM – 196
- Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda – 193
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 173
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha – 163
