Las Vegas, NV (May 3, 2014) – Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto closed out the 2014 season in style by claiming a seventh win of the season before a sold-out crowd at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Villopotos Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate, Jake Weimer, grabbed the holeshot to start the 20-lap main event, however Villopoto was quickly into the lead and pulling away before the end of the lap.
Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey passed Weimer on Lap two, and his teammate Ken Roczen took over third place the following lap.
Villopoto pulled to a nine-second lead with five laps to go in the race and, finished the race with a 13.9 second margin over Dungey, who finished second ahead of Roczen, who finished third.
“It is a long season, and it is hard, but I have good people behind me that give it 100 percent,” said Villopoto. “Something started to click for me about halfway through the season, and I am excited to have another championship.”
Roczen and Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart came into the Las Vegas race with third place on the line, however, Stewart got a bad start in the final and then pulled off the track after three laps due to issues with his forks. The DNF by Stewart allowed Roczen to move into third in the final series standings, behind Villopoto in first and Dungey in second.
Muscle Milk Honda’s Justin Barcia was fourth overall, with teammate Trey Canard, who caught and passed Villopoto in his heat race to take the win, finished fifth.
450SX Class Results
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
3. Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
4. Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda
5. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
6. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Suzuki
7. Josh Grant, Corona, Calif., Yamaha
8. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
9. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Honda
10. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
