SX Race Report
As the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, makes its return to Houston’s Reliant Stadium this weekend, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey sits atop the points lead with 261 trailed by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto with 240.
With two races left in the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class, points leader and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Christophe Pourcel carries an eight-point lead following an impressive victory at the tour’s most recent stop in Jacksonville. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Austin Stroupe sits in second with 126 points to Pourcel’s 134 points.
During the Jacksonville stop, Valli Motorsports Rockstar Yamaha’s Ivan Tedesco earned the Spike Holeshot Award. Soon after the first turn, Villopoto passed Tedesco and went on to lead all 20 laps and win the Jacksonville race, gaining ground on Dungey’s 21 point lead.
Ryan Villopoto says: "Yeah, you know, it’s awesome," said Villopoto. "(I) got two good starts in the heat race and the main event. It started out as a rough day, going down in practice. I hurt my foot and went down the next lap after I finally got back up. I sat out the second practice because of it, so it was kind of a bummer of a day for me but this feels great."
Behind Villopoto, GEICO Powersports Honda’s Kevin Windham and Dungey battled toe-to-toe for the better half of the race. Dungey made a strong pass on Windham early on lap 12 and continued to hold this spot to lock in his fifth second place finish of the year.
As Windham held the third place position, Honda Red Bull Racing’s Trey Canard made a game-breaking pass at the finish line, stealing the podium spot from Windham and the two additional points needed to secure a fourth place spot in the points standings.
