One of the most exciting seasons in AMA Supercross history culminated in a wild and thrilling 20-lap final at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium, where Chad Reed took a close and well deserved victory over defending series champ Ryan Dungey. However, the night belonged to Ryan Villopoto, who clinched the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross title with a smart and safe ride to third. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider came into the series finale needing to finish fifth or better to guarantee himself the championship, and he led the final early in the race, but didn’t put up much of a fight when title rivals Reed and Dungey pulled within striking distance.
The Vegas final was a good one from the start, with San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart taking the lead from GEICO Powersports Honda’s Kevin Windham on lap four.Windham had displaced holeshotter Mike Alessi on the 350 KTM late in the opening lap, and then held Stewart at bay until Stewart went by in the rhythm section.Windham stayed on Stewart’s tail for the next few laps, and was right behind when Stewart got out of shape in the whoops and went down, giving Windham no place to go. Both riders went down and were attended to by on-site medical staff, although both left the stadium under their own power.With Windham and Stewart on the sidelines, Villopoto took control of the race on the dry-slick and dusty track, leading until the 12th lap, when it became obvious that Reed was determined to find a way around. Villopoto wanted nothing to do with any kind of battle with Reed and politely let the TwoTwo Honda rider go by. A lap later, Dungey went by as well, and the final order was set with Reed in first, Dungey in second and Villopoto in third.
Dungey tried his best to set Reed up for a pass before the end of the race and his last lap bid to do so ended up in the Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider slipping and losing a bit of ground. Dungey held on to second, however, and finished the race just over a second behind Reed, while Villopoto wound up third another 34 seconds back, securing the 2011 Supercross title in the process.Hart & Huntington/Dodge Motorsports’ Chris Blose got his best finish of the year with a fourth, with Andrew Short rounding out the top five on his Red Bull KTM after having to make the main from the LCQ.In the East Regional Lites final, Justin Barcia came into the finale with a huge lead in the series point standings, needing only to score five points to secure the title. The GEICO Powersports Honda rider didn’t hold back, however, and grabbed the holeshot at the start of the 15-lap final, leading DNA Shred Stix Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes into the opening lap.Barcia went down on lap four, allowing Sipes and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett to go by. Sipes held off Baggett for the rest of the race until the final lap when Baggett slipped by to take the win.Sipes finished second ahead of Barcia, however, Barcia came away with the title over Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson, who finished the main in fourth.ARMA Suzuki City’s Malcolm Stewart was fifth, with MotoExtreme Kawasaki’s Matt Lemoine in sixth and Kilbarger Racing’s Lance Vincent in seventh.The West Lites series was a different situation, where GEICO Powersports Honda’s Eli Tomac and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Broc Tickle came into the final race with just two points separating the two riders, Tickle holding the narrow lead. However, it was Red Bull/KTM’s Ken Roczen with the holeshot and the lead at the start of the race.Roczen would go down at one point and give up his lead to Troy Lee Design’s Cole Seely, however, Seeley crashed a few laps later, giving Roczen the lead position back, which he would hold until the finish.Meanwhile, things were heating up between the two title contenders, with Tomac holding off Tickle for most of the race. On the final lap, Tomac lost ground while battling with DNA Shred Sitx Yamaha’s Kyle Cunningham over second place, allowing Tickle to slip into the runner-up slot, giving Tickle the title.Cunningham rounded out the podium, with a disappointed Tomac in fourth and Seely in fifth.In the 10-lap East West Lites Shootout, newly crowned East champ Justin Barcia grabbed the holeshot and the early lead. And just like in the East final, Barcia went down in a bowl turn a few laps into the race, giving up the lead to Ryan Sipes.In the meantime, Rockstar Energy Drink Suzuki’s Martin Davalos and Cole Seely battled over second, while Barcia pulled into the mechanics area to tend to a damaged clutch lever.Near the end of the race, Davalos dropped off the pace as Roczen moved up to third behind Seely. On the final lap, Seely held off a Roczen challenge to take second, while Sipes took an easy win.Seely finished second, ahead of Roczen, Dean Wilson and Davalos.
Supercross Class Results: Las Vegas1. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki3. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki4. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM6. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki7. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Yamaha8. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha9. Kyle Regal, Murrieta, Calif, Yamaha10. Tye Simmonds, Menifee, Calif., KTM
Supercross Class Season Standings (Unofficial Results)1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 3382. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda – 3343. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 3284. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 3015. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 2556. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 2307. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 2078. Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha – 1809. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 15510. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha – 152
Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Las Vegas1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM2. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki3. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda5. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda6. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki7. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki10. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings (Unofficial Results)1. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 1872. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 1813. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 1624. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda – 1475. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki – 1386. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM – 1307. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki – 1268. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 1259. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki – 10710. Ben Evans, Garden City, Idaho, Kawasaki – 75
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Las Vegas
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki
Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
Matthew Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas., Kawasaki
Lance Vincent, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki
Hunter Hewitt, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
Les Smith, York, S.C., Honda
Justin Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., Kawasaki
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings (Unofficial Results)
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 205
Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki – 183
Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha – 163
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 159
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda – 125
Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki – 120
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki – 89
Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., Honda – 83
P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 80
Hunter Hewitt, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki – 80
Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout Results: Las Vegas
Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha
Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda
Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., Honda
Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki
