Ryan Dungey and Blake Baggett came away with hard-earned wins today at the eighth round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Washougal. After finishing second to home-state favorite Ryan Villopoto in the first moto, Dungey, on the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki, rebounded in the second moto to take the win and the overall victory in the 450 class for the second week in a row, while Baggett went 1-3 to capture the overall victory in the 250 class.Ryan Dungey went 2-1 for the overall win.
Dungey grabbed the second-moto holeshot by a wheel over Villopoto and ended up leading every lap. Dungey felt Villopoto’s presence in the early part of the race before opening up a small lead.Villopoto, who certainly had his chance to race with Dungey in the second moto and was hoping to win at Washougal for the first time, admitted that he couldn’t catch Dungey, but his 1-2 gave him second overall and with it the overall points lead. Villopoto will wear the red plate, signifying the current point’s leader, at the next race in three weeks at Unadilla, but he only has a one-point advantage over new runner-up, Dungey. Villopoto and Dungey matched each other on overall points for the day.Chad Reed, who held a six-point lead going into Washougal, was still feeling the effects of his big crash last weekend at Millville and obviously wasn’t on his game today, going 7-4 for fourth overall on his TwoTwo Motorsports Honda. Afterwards, Reed admitted he is feeling some discomfort in his lower back and groin area, making it uncomfortable for him to ride. Reed, who is thankful for the three-week break in the series, is now nine points behind Villopoto in third.
Third overall in the 450 class today was Dungey’s teammate Brett Metcalfe who landed on the podium for the first time this season. The Aussie had a solid ride in both motos, going 4-3.Ryan Villopoto is the new 450-class points leader.Fourth overall was Reed followed by Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR Yamaha’s Justin Brayton (6-5).It’s been a tough week for Honda. Last week Reed crashed, which has ultimately put him out of the points lead, fill-in rider Kevin Windham announced during the week that he is calling it a season and did not race, and Josh Grant is officially out of the championship with a knee injury. And putting the final nail into the coffin is another injury to Trey Canard. Canard, who was just returning from a broken femur and had taken third in the first moto, crashed on the second lap of the second moto, breaking the same femur again, according to early reports from Honda. Canard’s crash forced the red flags to come out and a restart.For the fifth time this season, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team swept the 250-class podium with Baggett taking the overall win with a 1-3, Tyla Rattray taking second with a 2-2 and Dean Wilson taking third with a 5-1.Blake Baggett took the 250-class overall win with a 1-3.
The final outcome was decided until the final few laps of the second moto, when Baggett made a key pass for third late in the moto, and Wilson held on by inches at the checkered flag to get the moto win over Rattray. Had Rattray passed Wilson, the South African would have won. Baggett gained four points on series leader Wilson and is now 17 points behind his teammate in third, while Rattray still sits in second, but he did gain three points on Wilson. He’s now 13 points behind Wilson.Kyle Cunningham, on the DNA Stred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha, was the first non green bike in the day’s overall standings in the 250 class. He claimed fourth overall with a 3-7. Cunningham’s teammate Gareth Swanepoel rounded out the top five overall with a 7-4.The top GEICO Powersports/Honda rider was Justin Barcia who finished sixth overall. Barcia crashed heavily in practice and sported two black eyes from getting pelted by roost in the second moto. He went 4-10.
450 Class (Moto Finish)
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (2-1)
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-2)
Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (4-3)
Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda (7-4)
Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (6-5)
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (9-6)
Tommy Hahn, Great Bend, Kan., Yamaha (8-7)
Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (5-10)
Jimmy Albertson, San Diego, Calif., Yamaha (11-9)
Michael Byrne, Rockhampton, Australia, Suzuki (10-12)
450 Class Championship Standings
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 341
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 340
Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda – 332
Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki – 247
Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda – 193
Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM – 183
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM – 178
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 173
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 159
Tommy Hahn, Great Bend, Kan., Yamaha – 140
250 Class (Moto Finish)
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (1-3)
Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (2-2)
Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki (5-1)
Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha (3-7)
Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha (7-4)
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (4-10)
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki (8-8)
Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecudaor, Suzuki (13-5)
Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda (11-9)
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki (9-16)
250 Class Championship Standings
Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki – 346
Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki – 333
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 329
Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 233
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 201
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 187
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda – 181
Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha – 177
Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki – 152
Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda – 144
