2011 AMA Motocross
As the 2011 AMA Motocross Championship heads into the penultimate round this Saturday at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa., two riders have the most optimal shot at the title – Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey.
With two rounds remaining, Villopoto leads the series with 431 points, eight ahead of the reigning AMA MX Champion Dungey. Villopoto has been on the podium at every round leading up to Steel City, which includes three overall wins; at Southwick last weekend, Villopoto finished second. His rival Dungey finished on the podium nine times, including two overall wins; Dungey finished third at Southwick, not allowing Villopoto to garner much of a lead.
The man who was in contention for the AMA Motocross title for most of the season, Two-Two Motorsports Honda’s Chad Reed, did not garner any points at Southwick; the Australian is currently in third, 65 points off the lead.
In the 250 Class, the incredible 18-moto winning streak by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki came to an end, when DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Gareth Swanepoel started the day by capturing his first moto win on U.S. soil at Southwick.
MX Sports reports that the Kawasaki-mounted duo of Tyla Rattray and Dean Wilson took charge in Moto 2, with Rattray taking the checkered flag to secure his fourth overall victory of the season. Wilson, the current championship points leader, followed in the runner-up spot, and ultimately watched his points lead increase from 25 points to 38 heading into Steel City.
After a two-round break from action, the return of Motorcycle-Superstore.com Women’s Motocross Championship signified a major step towards a possible third-career title for American Honda’s Ashley Fiolek. While her championship rival Jessica Patterson experienced trouble in the opening moto aboard her DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha, Fiolek took advantage, compiling 1-2 moto results to take her third win of the season and extend her advantage in the standings to 30 points with just two rounds remaining, MX Sports reports
Steel City Raceway has hosted the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship since the 1989 season. It was the site of the very first Saturday event in the history of the sport in 2008, igniting a new tradition of single-day events that has taken the sport to new heights. As a Labor Day Weekend staple in the sport of motocross, Steel City has become known as the American Motocross Festival, celebrating the end of the summer with a national-holiday competition that showcases the fastest riders on the planet in three featured classes.
The on-track action for the Steel City Motocross National begins this Saturday at 8:30 a.m. EDT with practice and qualifying. Opening ceremonies begin at 12:30 p.m. EST with motos kicking off at 1 p.m. EDT.
AMA 450 Class Championship Standings (after 10 of 12 rounds)
- 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
AMA Motocross 250 Class Championship Standings
- Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki – 438
- Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki – 400
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 398
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 264
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 246
- Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha – 241
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 220
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda – 181
- Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki – 175
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 170
AMA Motocross WMX Class Standings
- Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda – 279
- Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha – 249
- Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda – 226
- Jacqueline Strong, Cottonwood, Ariz., KTM – 162
- Kasie Creson, Vallejo, Calif., Honda – 153
- Marissa Markelon, Bridgeport, Conn., Yamaha – 148
- Vicki Golden, El Cajon, Calif., Kawasaki – 140
- Alexah Pearson, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 137
- Lindsey Palmer, Albuquerque, N.M., Honda – 132
- Sayaka Kaneshiro, Osaka, Japan, Suzuki – 113