2013 AMA Monster Energy AMA Supercross
Spoiler Alert: 2013 Monster Energy AMA Supercross results from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City listed below
When the 2013 AMA Supercross series headed this weekend to Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City for the penultimate round, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto held a 25-point lead over Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Davi Millsaps.
Throughout the first 15 rounds, the two were the only riders to have led the SX points race, helping to increase the competitiveness. And on Saturday evening in Salt Lake City, Villopoto had the chance to finally end this battle. If he finished ahead of Millsaps or Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, the only two riders possibly able to gain enough points to win the championship, Villopoto would clinch the title.
And for half of the 20-lap main event, these three riders fought for every possible point at Salt Lake City, but the KX450F rider had just that little extra. Villopoto would take the win, though, the 33rd of his career, finishing ahead of Millsaps and Dungey. With the win, Villopoto matched his 2012 career best of nine victories in a season.
The win was Dungey’s ninth this season, and allowed him to clinch his third consecutive title. The only other riders to complete this feat were Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath and Bob Hannah. Villopoto also became the fifth rider in Monster Energy Supercross history to win three Supercross titles, joining Carmichael, McGrath, Hannah and Jeff Stanton.
When the main event got underway Saturday before over 43,000 fans, Dungey would get the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award aboard his SX-F 450. Following Dungey out of the gate was Villopoto, who made quick work of Dungey.
By the end of the first lap, Villopoto had a two-second advantage. Dungey got passed again, this time by Millsaps on lap two. Dungey followed Millsaps as the the two caught up to Villopoto, the three running within a second of each other by the halfway point.
Although Millsaps got close enough to taking the lead aboard his RM-Z450, Villopoto held him off. Then the riders encountered lap traffic, helping Villopoto take the win. Villopoto led all 20 laps, clinching the title one round ahead of the season closer at Las Vegas next week.
Ryan Villopoto (Monster Energy Kawasaki KX-F450 Supercross) says: “It’s unreal. It was a crazy race and the track was really technical. Any little mistake would make it anyone’s game. We [Monster Energy Kawasaki] started the season off really rough and had a lot of stepping stones to overcome, but we did it as a team and we did it well.”
Heading into Vegas, the battle will be for second in points; Millsaps leads Dungey by a mere three points.
Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki’s Jason Anderson broke through to win his first career 250SX Class Main Event on a wild night in the Western Regional Championship. GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne captured the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award with teammate Eli Tomac and Anderson closely behind. Anderson made a quick pass on Tomac prior to the conclusion of the opening lap and then passed Osborne for the lead on the following lap, Feld Motor Sports says.
As Anderson started pulling away, Tomac started to go in the opposite direction. The winningest rider in the Western Regional Championship this season had the opportunity to take over the points lead after Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen failed to qualify for the Main Event. However, Tomac continued to lose positions, eventually dropping to ninth place, Feld Motor Sports says.
Out front, Anderson won by over five seconds, leading every lap of the Main Event.
Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki RM-Z250 Supercross) says: “It’s crazy. The last five laps were definitely tough to be out front. To come out with a win, I’m stoked. This team has been there for me from the beginning and to get a win for them is awesome. I always seem to race well here [in Salt Lake City]. I’m not sure what it is, but I like it.”
Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Cole Seely charged to a runner-up finish, while Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Martin Davalos overcame a start outside the top 10 to finish third. Tomac rebounded from his early difficulties to battle his way to a sixth-place result, Feld Motor Sports says.
Eli Tomac (GEICO Honda CRF250R Supercross) says: “I started the race in second, but just blew it in the whoops. It was a section that just got me all day. There were a couple passes where I got through them ok, but there were others where I got wild and out of control.”
Ken Roczen (Red Bull KTM SX-F250 Supercross) says: “It was a bad night, definitely not what I came here to do. I wanted to finish the season off strong, not with a DNF at the second-to-last race. As much as I had bad luck tonight, I did get a little break with Tomac finishing sixth, so I still have the championship lead going into Las Vegas [season finale] next weekend. I will need to ride the race of my life there.”
Roczen entered the night with a 20-point advantage over Tomac, but now just five points separates the duo heading into the final stop of the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship.
Monster Energy Supercross will bring the 2013 season to a close next weekend from Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, May 4.
2013 Salt Lake City Supercross 450 Class Results:
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
- Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha
- Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Suzuki
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki
- Chad Reed, Australia, Honda
2013 AMA Supercross 450 Class Season Standings (after 16 of 17 rounds):
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 346
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 318
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 315
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 261
- Chad Reed, Australia, Honda, 224
- Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 220
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 202
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha, 177
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 174
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 165
2013 Salt Lake City Western Regional 250 Class Results:
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki
- Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
- Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM
- Christian Craig, Wildomar, Calif., Honda
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
- Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Suzuki
- Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM
- Travis Baker, Romoland, Calif., Yamaha
2013 AMA Supercross Western Regional 250 Class Points:
- Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM, 163
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 158
- Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 135
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 124
- Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki, 114
- Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 111
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 96
- Christian Craig, Wildomar, Calif., Honda, 87
- Tyla Rattray, South Africa, Kawasaki, 87
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM, 87
