Suzuki’s Dungey Holds Double-Digit Advantage as Monster Energy Supercross Invades Canada
AURORA, Ill. (March 9, 2010) –Despite a dominating victory last weekend in which he led all 20 laps of the main event, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto still sits at a 20-point disadvantage in the AMA Supercross class standings. As the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season hits the second half and heads to Toronto’s Rogers Centre for its lone race outside the U.S., Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey sits in firm control of the premier class championship. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel remains a perfect three-for-three in the AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship as the 8-race title fight hits the halfway point.
Media day is Thursday, March 11 from Noon-2:00 p.m. EST in the Rogers Centre baseball press box, featuring Canada native and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rookie Dean Wilson and Honda of Troy’s Michael Willard, a Canadian Motocross veteran.
When the championship concluded its annual race from Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, it was Dungey who stood atop the podium with his third win of 2010 and all the momentum of the championship after Villopoto suffered a frightening crash while running second and finished 19th. Dungey held a 20-point lead over his rival heading into Daytona last Saturday night.
In last Saturday’s AMA Supercross class main event, it was all Villopoto, who rebounded from his worst outing of the season in dominating fashion, grabbing the lead early and never looking back en route to his fourth win of 2010. Dungey rode to a strong runner-up finish, minimizing the loss of points in the standings to only three. Honda Red Bull Racing’s Trey Canard, fresh off a career-best runner-up effort in Atlanta, posted his second consecutive podium finish in third.
The second stop of the AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship produced one of the most exciting races in recent memory. Three different riders found themselves at the front of the field as Wilson captured his first Spike Holeshot Award as a professional and went on to lead the next nine laps. On lap 10, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Austin Stroupe made his move and led until lap 13 when his front wheel slid out from under him. The error allowed Pourcel to capitalize and lead only two laps on his way to win number two.
On Saturday night in Daytona, Stroupe found himself at the front of the field yet again and put forth a quick pace to gap his competitors. However, Pourcel began to make methodical work of closing the deficit and made a stellar pass for the lead on lap six and never looked back. Stroupe would hold on to the runner-up spot while Wilson maintained his recent run of momentum to grab his first-career podium finish in third. The trio also holds down the top three positions in the current AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship standings.
Last year in Toronto, San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart earned his ninth win of the season as he continued a season ending quest to overcome then points leader Chad Reed after a horrific crash in Daytona and fall the week prior in St. Louis. In the AMA Supercross Lites class, Pourcel dominated for his fourth win of the Eastern Regional Championship season, extending his seemingly insurmountable points lead heading into the championship’s final race.
The first AMA Supercross race held in Toronto was December 4, 2004 when Ricky Carmichael won on a Honda. When Toronto became a regular part of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, schedule on March 29, 2008, Chad Reed won on a Yamaha. Last year, Pourcel captured the first-ever AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship main event from the Rogers Centre. With both Reed and Stewart’s returns in question, Toronto could host its third different winner in as many years.
SPEED will broadcast this weekend’s race from the Rogers Centre live, starting at 7:30 p.m. EST
AMA Supercross Class Results: Indianapolis
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Suzuki
Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha
Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
AMA Supercross Class Season Standings
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 192
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 172
Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 162
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 150
Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda, 131
Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 124
Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 117
Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 99
Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 82
Michael Byrne, Noonan, Ga., Yamaha, 80
Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Results: Indianapolis
Christophe Pourcel, Groveland, Fla., Kawasaki
Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki
Dean Wilson, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha
Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
Darryn Durham, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Honda
Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
Christophe Pourcel, Groveland, Fla., Kawasaki, 75
Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki, 66
Dean Wilson, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki, 53
Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 50
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 44
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 39
Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 39
Nico Izzi, Albany, Ga., Yamaha, 30
Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 29
Jake Moss, Temecula, Calif., 27
Past Winners in Toronto
AMA Supercross Class
March 28, 2009 James Stewart
March 29, 2008 Chad Reed
December 2, 2006 Chad Reed
December 3, 2005 James Stewart
December 4, 2004 Ricky Carmichael
AMA Supercross Lites Class
March 28, 2009 Christophe Pourcel
Tickets are available at the Rogers Centre Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 416-870-8000 and at participating Ticketmaster.ca (no Yamaha dealers in Toronto). Gold Circle tickets $40.00; Extreme seats $25 and Treadhead seats $15. Pizza Pizza kids seats are $15.
A season-long subscription to the official webcast of Monster Energy Supercross, Supercross LIVE®, is available for $39.99: http://www.supercrossonline.com/supercrosslive. Supercross LIVE® is the only weekly live Monster Energy Supercross race call, and features long time voices of supercross, Jason Weigandt and Jim Holley.
For more information on the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.
About Feld Motor Sports℠
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy® Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Freestyle Motocross, Nuclear Cowboyz℠ and IHRA® Nitro Jam®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.
