2013 Rice-Eccles Stadium Monster Energy AMA Supercross Preview
The 2013 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series remains in the west Saturday for the penultimate round at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.Leading the points race is two-time defending AMA SX Champion Ryan Villopoto, who has 25 points over Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Davi Millsaps. The Monster Energy K450F rider Villopoto began the year on a sour note, finishing 14th at the season opener in Anaheim. But since then, he took podium finishes 12 times, which included an impressive eight wins with five of those being consecutive.But with the season about to conclude, the pressure is on for points. This was apparent at last weekend’s round at CenturyLink Stadium in Seattle.During that round, Team Muscle Milk Honda’s Justin Barcia took the victory, his second of the season. Barcia was quick, leading all 20 laps of the main event, which is exactly what he did during his inaugural 450 SX victory at round 2 in Phoenix.Joining Barcia on the podium was Villopoto and the only other rider to lead the SX points battle this season, Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Davi Millsaps.With his second-place finish, Villopoto extended his podium finishes to nine consecutive rounds.Ryan Villopoto (Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F Supercross) says: “I didn’t get the start I wanted, so to come out the way I did and salvage that was awesome. I rode 20 solid laps but Justin [Barcia] was on it. I just really couldn’t do anything with him. The way it turned out tonight was pretty good for what we were up against [at the start].”As for Millsaps, it was his 10th podium finish of the season, and he moved into second place in the points. Millsaps is 25 points behind Villopoto, and only a point ahead of Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, who finished fourth in Seattle.If Villopoto maintains this advantage following this weekend’s Salt Lake City Supercross round, he can clinch his third straight 450SX title.Villopoto will have much competition, though. Last year, he was forced to miss the race due to a torn ACL from the round before in Seattle. With Villopoto out, Dungey took the win after fending off huge challenges from Millsaps.In the 250SX Class’ Championship hunt, Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, who captured his third 250SX Class victory last weekend in Seattle, aims to extend his lead in the point standings,Last week in Seattle, Roczen took the win ahead of his rival, GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac and Zach Osbourne. Roczen carries a 20-point advantage over Tomac into next weekend’s eighth race of the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship.Last year at Salt Lake City Supercross, Tomac clinched the 2012 title by taking his fourth win of the season, and his second consecutive win in Salt Lake City.Salt Lake City Supercross HistoryThe first supercross race held at Rice-Eccles Stadium took place in 2001 where 42,135 packed the home of the 2002 Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies to watch Ricky Carmichael race to victory. Carmichael and Kevin Windham hold the all-time 450SX Class win record in Salt Lake City with two each. James Stewart holds the all-time 250SX Class win record at Salt Lake City with two.Salt Lake City Supercross TV ScheduleSPEED TV will broadcast Salt Lake City Supercross Saturday, April 27, with live coverage beginning at 9:30 EDT.2013 AMA Supercross 450 Class Season Standings:
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 321
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 296
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 295
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 245
Chad Reed, Australia, Honda, 213
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 202
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 189
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 174
Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha, 162
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 155
2013 AMA Supercross Western Regional 250 Class Points:
