Important Win For Dungey at Dallas

Kit Palmer | March 20, 2010

Ryan Dungey scored one of the most important wins of his career at the inaugural Supercross at the brand-new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in round 11 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. And the 49,082 fans that came out to watch, and the racers themselves, were surely thankful for the retractable roof (which the former Texas Stadium did not have) that kept the freezing temperatures and snow flurries outside the massive stadium during the evening program.Dungey’s win was big for him and his Rockstar Makita Suzuki team in that it put an end to Ryan Villopoto’s win streak and momentum, allowing him to gain valuable points on his nearest competitor in the race for the 2010 championship. Villopoto, on the Monster Energy Kawasaki, finished fourth, dropping seven points to Dungey. With six rounds to go, Dungey now leads Villopoto by 24 points, giving the Suzuki rider more breathing room.In the 20-lap main event, Dungey and Villopoto, who lined up next to each other on the start line, rubbed elbows down the start chute – Villopoto flinched and that was it. Dungey owned the lead after the first lap, while Villopoto was mired in the middle of the pack.Dungey opened up a small lead over San Manuel Yamaha’s Josh Hill, who eventually gave way to Honda Red Bull riders Davi Millsaps and Trey Canard.Canard kept Millsaps honest the whole race, and their battle actually carried them up close to Dungey towards the end, as the leaders threaded their way around heavy lapped traffic.Dungey, who held a four-second lead at one point in the race, ended up taking the checkered flag just 1.322 seconds ahead of a hard-charging Millsaps. Canard finished a close third. In fact, all three riders finished with 1.6 seconds of each other.Villopoto finished 10 seconds behind Canard in fourth, followed by JGR Yamaha’s Justin Brayton, Hill and GEICO Powersport Honda’s Kevin Windham, who got pushed out and over the first turn. He rounded the first lap in 18th place.MotoConcept Yamaha’s Kyle Chisholm finished eighth, J-Law Racing’s Jason Lawrence ninth, and Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Tommy Hahn 10th.Nick Wey, who nabbed the holeshot on his TiLube/Babbitts/MSR Kawasaki, ended up 12th, one spot behind JGR Yamaha’s Michael Byrne.

Cowboys StadiumArlington, TexasResults: March 20, 2010 (Round 11 of 16)HEAT 1 (8 laps, 1-9 transfer): 1. Davi Millsaps (Hon); 2. Nick Wey (Kaw); 3. Josh Hill (Yam); 4. Kyle Chisholm (Yam); 5. Jason Lawrence (Yam); 6. Trey Canard (Hon); 7. Ryan Morais (Suz); 8. Jason Thomas (Suz); 9. Ryan Clark (Hon); 10. Manuel Rivas (Kaw); 11. Weston Peick (Yam); 12. Bradley Ripple (Hon); 13. Kerry Moore (Hon); 14. Jeff Loop (Kaw); 15. Jacob Saylor (Kaw); 16. Kevin Windham (Hon); 17. Kyle Calderini (Hon); 18. Kyle Partridge (Kaw); 19. Teddy Parks (Kaw); 20. Jason Langford (Kaw).Race Time: 6 min., 33.678 sec.Margin of Victory: 11.958 sec.HEAT 2 (8 laps, 1-9 transfer): 1. Ryan Dungey (Suz); 2. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw); 3. Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 4. Justin Brayton (Yam); 5. Kyle Regal (Yam); 6. Thomas Hahn (Suz); 7. Matt Boni (Hon); 8. Michael Byrne (Yam); 9. Heath Voss (Hon); 10. Chris Blose (Hon); 11. Jarred Jet Browne (Kaw); 12. Justin Keeney (Kaw); 13. Scotty Wennerstrom (Suz); 14. Hunter Meyer (Kaw); 15. Travis Bannister (Kaw); 16. Chad Cook (Kaw); 17. Casey Hinson (Hon); 18. Carl Schlacht (Hon); 19. Shane Sewell (Yam); 20. Billy Payne (Hon).Race Time: 6 min., 28.854 sec.Margin of Victory: 5.968 sec.LCQ (6 laps, 1-2 transfer): 1. Kevin Windham (Hon); 2. Chris Blose (Hon).Race Time: 4 min., 58.401 sec.Margin of Victory: NAMAIN EVENT (20 laps): 1. Ryan Dungey (Suz); 2. Davi Millsaps (Hon); 3. Trey Canard (Hon); 4. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw); 5. Justin Brayton (Yam); 6. Josh Hill (Yam); 7. Kevin Windham (Hon); 8. Kyle Chisholm (Yam); 9. Jason Lawrence (Yam); 10. Tommy Hahn (Suz); 11. Michael Byrne (Yam); 12. Nick Wey (Kaw); 13. Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 14. Chris Blose (Hon); 15. Heath Voss (Hon); 16. Jason Thomas (Suz); 17. Ryan Clark (Hon); 18. Matt Boni (Hon); 19. ryan Morais (Suz); 20. Kyle Regal (Yam).Race Time: 16 min., 35.375 sec.Margin of Victory: 1.322 sec.