ARLINGTON, Texas (April 2, 2011) – A massive crowd of 51,509 fans filled Cowboys Stadium on Saturday night for the 13th stop of the 17-race Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship. Continuing his successful rookie season, American Honda’s Trey Canard, of Shawnee, Okla., grabbed his third win of the season with a wire-to-wire victory. One week after claiming his second career win in Toronto, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson, of Menifee, Calif., went back-to-back in the Supercross Lites class.
As the Supercross class headed into the first turn of its 20-lap main event, it was Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., who grabbed the Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot. As the field sorted itself out throughout the remainder of the opening lap, the five title contenders in the championship asserted themselves into the top five on the track with Canard leading the way. TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., and San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., battled for second throughout the first portion of the race.
As Canard extended his multiple-second advantage over the field, Reed and Stewart came together on Lap 8 when Stewart lost control of his motorcycle through the whoops, ultimately running into his rival and taking both riders off the track. As the pair looked to re-enter the race, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., assumed the vacated positions. Stewart would remount in fifth while Reed dropped to eighth.
While running second, Dungey made contact with a lapped rider and fell to the ground, allowing Villopoto to take over second while Dungey remounted in third. They would cross the finish in that order, over two seconds behind Canard.
“I’m so grateful,” said Canard. “So many people from home are here. This is such an awesome day and I’m just so thankful. I knew I needed another good start and it happened again. I tried to put in (20) solid laps, (but) the whoops were really tough. We’ll see (about the championship). I’m just going to keep doing the best I can. That’s all I can control.”
Villopoto’s runner-up effort ended two weeks of frustration and also moved him back into the top spot in the championship standings.
“Tonight was crazy,” said Villopoto. “I got an ok start. There was a little problem with my bike, but nothing major. I just kept plugging away and things worked in my favor. The track was really tough for 20 laps, so sometimes you just got to sit back and let things happen.”
Following their incident, Stewart and Reed finished in fourth and eight, respectively.
GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia, of Ochlocknee, Ga., was the first rider out of the gates to claim the Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot to start the Supercross Lites class main event. Settling in behind the current points leader was DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes, of Vine Grove, Ky., and Wilson. The three riders paced one another before Sipes made a pass for the lead at the conclusion of the first lap. Barcia followed closely and reassumed the lead on Lap 4. Just one lap later, Sipes experienced trouble and crashed out of the main event. Wilson took over second and set his sights on Barcia.
After consistently chipping away at Barcia’s advantage, Wilson put himself into position to make a pass for the lead on Lap 12. The pair swapped the top spot on several occasions over the next two laps before Wilson made a pass stick for good on Lap 14.
“This (win) means so much,” said Wilson. “It wasn’t an easy race. I’ve been battling the stomach flu all day. I just kept pushing and didn’t give up. It went all to way to last lap, which was fun for everyone here. I made a pass on him and he got me back, then I got by again, he stuffed me and I stalled. I had one last chance to get him and I stuck it.”
Barcia followed in second and has finished on the podium in all seven races in the Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship. GEICO Honda’s Blake Wharton, of Pilot Point, Texas, rounded out the podium in third.
Supercross Class Results: Arlington
- Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
- Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
- Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Yamaha
- Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda
- Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Yamaha
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM
Supercross Class Season Standings
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 255
- Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda – 249
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 248
- Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 239
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 234
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 174
- Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 150
- Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 141
- Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha – 128
- Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki – 114
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Arlington
- Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
- Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
- Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki
- Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Honda
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki
- Gannon Audette, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda
- Tyler Bright, Sumter, S.C., Honda
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
- Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 160
- Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki – 147
- Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha – 119
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 114
- Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda – 109
- Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki – 96
- P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 80
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki – 73
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 59
- Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., Honda – 56
The 2011 Monster Energy Supercross season continues next weekend from the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo., on Saturday, April 9.
For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com.
