Villopoto Wins Indy Extends Lead

Cycle News Staff | March 12, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS (March 12, 2011) – Ryan Villopoto had a nearly flawless race leading all 20 laps on his Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F in front of 60,789 fans in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Villopoto pulled out a 6.3-second victory over James Stewart, who suffered a poor start and was still feeling the effects of his Daytona crash. Chad Reed rode bravely to third in spite of a stomach ailment. The end result is that Villopoto pushed his points lead over Stewart to 26-points with seven rounds remaining. That’s a milestone for Villopoto since a race win is worth 25 points.

The other big story of the night was Ryan Sipes riding to his first Supercross Lites victory. The DNA Shred Stix Yamaha rider was hounding Blake Baggett when Baggett crashed his Monster Energy Kawasaki coming off the finish line jump. He recovered to finish third. GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia came on strong at the end of the race and closed in on Sipes, but came up 1.3-seconds short at the checkered flag.Even with a full race cushion over Stewart, Villopoto is taking nothing for granted.”There are still a lot of laps left to race in this series,” said Villopoto, who earned his third straight series win. “I’m not even thinking about the championship at this point. Right now I’m just enjoying the victory. To get one Supercross win in a season is a major accomplishment and to have five so far this season is nearly unbelievable to me.”

Stewart said he wasn’t himself tonight.”I was rusty from not riding all week,” Stewart said. “I just didn’t have it tonight and the start didn’t help. I was dead last. I lost the race in the first five laps. I made a few mistakes and you can’t win it like that when a guy’s out front… it’s not even a race. I did my best. Getting second was a little damage control.”

Finishing just off the box was defending champ Ryan Dungey. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider recovered from a crash to take fourth. Justin Brayton scored his second best finish with a fifth, in spite of still being sore from a crash in Atlanta two weeks ago.The Lites victory for Sipes was a long-time coming for the rider from Ekron, Kentucky, who is often one of the fastest riders in qualifying, but hasn’t put it together in the final up to now.”I feel great to finally win one of these,” said Sipes, who moved to third in the standings behind Justin Barcia and Baggett. “Blake [Baggett] crashed hard in front of me. I was worried about him at first. When I saw he was O.K., I was like, ‘alright let’s put my head down and win this thing.'”The series moves next Saturday, March 19, to Jacksonville (Fla.) Municipal Stadium.Supercross Class Results: Indianapolis

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki

2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha

3. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda

4. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki

5. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha

6. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda

7. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda

8. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha

9. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda

10. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM

 

Supercross Class Season Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 221

2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 195

3. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda – 192

4. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 183

5. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 169

6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 129

7. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 121

8. Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha – 114

9. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 107

10. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 103Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Indianapolis

1. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Yamaha

2. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda

3. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki

4. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki

5. Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki

6. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki

7. Blake Wharton, Aubrey, Texas, Honda

8. P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM

9. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda

10. Les Smith, York, S.C., HondaEastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings

1. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 91

2. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 85

3. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Yamaha – 79

4. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki – 75

5. Blake Wharton, Aubrey, Texas, Honda – 65

6. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki – 62

7. Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki – 51

8. P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 46

9. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki – 44

10. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 40