Hey everyone Tonight at Quaker steak and Lube Wednesday Night Bike Night  I Casey will be giving out Tickets to Thunder on the Mountain at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison CO. Come hang out with us and enjoy the evening under the FTR tent. Check out the bikes, vendors, and all around good family fun event. Our friends at Grease Monkey will be offering oil changes on Motorcycles in anticipation of Grease Monkey being the one of the few Major Automotive Tune companys to offer Motorcycle mantainentce.

March 2, 2012 Feld Motorsports

The second win of the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season for Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey has helped renew the longstanding rivalry between he and Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, the reigning Monster Energy Supercross Champion. As the second half of the season kicks off this weekend from St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome, for the ninth race of the championship, the battle for the title has been renewed.

One week ago, inside Atlanta's Georgia Dome, Dungey fended off a late charge from his rival to help shrink his deficit in the Supercross Class standings to only 10 points behind Villopoto. It was Dungey's second triumphant effort of 2012, ending a six-week drought from his first win of the season in Phoenix, the second race on the schedule. The win also signified just the second ever victory for KTM in the premier division. The new relationship between Dungey and the Austrian manufacturer has proven to be a successful one, and based on Dungey's comments last Saturday night, it looks to get better.

Although he didn't walk away victorious, Villopoto was arguably the fastest man on the track once again last weekend, posting the quickest lap of the main event. A tricky track and a small tip over ultimately cost Villopoto a shot at his fourth consecutive win, but he still enters St. Louis in full control of the championship. The defending champion will once again carry the red number plate into action tomorrow night, looking for his fifth overall victory of the 2012 season.

"The track was tough last weekend and there weren't too many spots to make up time," said Villopoto. "Even though Chad (Reed) is out of the chase, that doesn't change my plan. We lost three points last weekend, so we need to just keep to our goal in St. Louis, which is trying to win races."

Villopoto's Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Jake Weimer has tasted the podium twice this season and will be looking for more of that success from here on out. After finishing seventh in Atlanta, Weimer is looking forward to getting back up front in St. Louis, and potentially becoming the fourth player in this championship.

"I need to find a bit more speed," said Weimer. "Running for 20-laps is not the problem. I just need to get faster to run with the leaders every week. Being back in Florida during the week should help to change it up."

Team Honda Muscle Milk's replacement rider Cole Seely came out swinging in Atlanta. The full-time Western Regional Supercross Lites Class contender showed impressive speed in his 2012 debut on the 450, and will look to continue to gain more experience in the premier class during his time filling in for the injured Trey Canard.

"I felt confident with my performance going from the heat race into the main," said Seely, who led seven laps and finished sixth. "In the main, I got the holeshot and expected to see someone's front wheel within the first few laps, but it didn't happen and I was able to lead for a while. I tried to hold a decent pace for as long as I could, but I got a little tired and some of the other guys got by me. That race was good for me to see where I am in the Supercross Class and it gives me more confidence going into this weekend."

GEICO Honda's Kevin Windham hit a milestone in his long and illustrious career, with Atlanta marking his 200th career Monster Energy Supercross start. As a fan favorite and the most veteran rider in the series, Windham's presence out on the track is something no one in the industry wants to come to an end. Fortunately, Windham's passion will keep him around for a few more years. Last Saturday, he commemorated his landmark start with an eighth-place effort and will look to mix it up at the front of the field this weekend.

"I knew as soon I came off the line that it was going to be a long night," said Windham. "Although it left a lot to be desired out there, I am really focused on my accomplishment of being able to stick around this long. With such a competitive Supercross Class, it is hard to go out there and get a podium when you are up against a bad start. I am happy and grateful for everyone who has helped get me to 200 starts."

Team Honda Muscle Milk's Justin Brayton was the lead rider for the Honda camp in Atlanta, posting a solid fifth-place finish. Brayton has endured some nagging injuries in recent weeks, but the positive results out on the track are sure to boost his confidence and speed up the healing process.

In Atlanta, Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX's James Stewart looked a lot like the blazingly fast rider the industry has been accustomed to watching for so many years. The change in scenery to the East Coast could prove to be beneficial to Stewart, who very well could have had a shot at his second win of the season last weekend if not for some contact out of the gate with another rider. While he sits 44 points out of the championship lead, Stewart is now third in the standings and will eagerly be looking to return to the top step of the podium.

Yoshimura Suzuki's Brett Metcalfe enjoyed a positive start to the weekend in Atlanta by capturing an impressive third-place finish in his eight-lap heat race. In the 20-lap main event, Metcalfe got a mid-pack start and was running in seventh for several laps before eventually finishing ninth.

"I was looking forward to Atlanta, but it was a tough day," said Metcalfe. "I didn't feel comfortable in practice, and it was a tough track for me. That was a bummer because it was a technical track and normally that's good for me. We had some positives, though; I got some good starts on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450, but I just wasn't able to ride to my potential. I just need to go back and regroup for St. Louis. I haven't been to St. Louis for quite a while, and I've never raced the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 there, so this is something new. Also, it's another round for me to improve, so I'm just going to keep working hard and try to make some progress in all areas."

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Broc Tickle ran into some misfortune in Atlanta when he lost his rear brakes during the main event. Adamantly looking to redeem himself and ride to his potential, Tickle is looking forward to St. Louis and putting forth his best effort of the 2012 season.

"I want a good finish so bad to build off of," said Tickle. "I really like racing in domes, and I know if I get a good start in St. Louis, I'll be able to ride and finish where I should be."

In the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Championship, current points leader, and defending Eastern Regional Champion Justin Barcia, made his way to the top step of the podium for a second consecutive week. It was yet another strong night for Barcia, who now enters St. Louis with a double-digit lead over the field after only two weeks of competition.

"The night went really good for me," said Barcia. "I had good practices and a decent heat race, but I knew I could be up front in the main. The GEICO Honda CRF250R was running great and I felt awesome. I got the holeshot in the main and ran my own race. With two wins under my belt, I am ready to head into next weekend and grab a third."

GEICO Honda's newest rider, Justin Bogle, made his podium debut in Atlanta, finishing third in the Supercross Lites Class Main Event with an impressive performance. Following the controversy he experienced in his Monster Energy Supercross debut in Arlington, it was a step in the right direction for Bogle, who undoubtedly learned a lot through his first two weeks in the championship.

"The track was really good, a lot more technical than Arlington, which I think suits my riding style better," said Bogle. "I got a sixth-place start and was able to make some passes and capitalize on some mistakes. It was a great night and I'm excited for the rest of the season."

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Blake Baggett bounced back from a crash at the opening race of the championship to finish second in Atlanta, and jump up to fifth in points. Baggett, a three-time winner in Monster Energy Supercross competition, sits 22 points behind the leader and is focused on narrowing that points gap.

"I rode every day going into Atlanta and did the same thing this week," said Baggett. "We tested some new settings this weekend and I feel confident for Saturday. Going into St. Louis the goal is simple, try to win, and try and collect as many points as possible."

Fellow Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Darryn Durham was hoping to back up his runner-up effort from the first race of the championship with another podium effort. While he still rode well, Durham settled for a fifth place finish last weekend. He still sits second in the points and is coming into St. Louis loose and ready.

"I rode tight last weekend and never got in a flow of clicking off smooth laps," said Durham. "I'm looking forward to the dirt in St. Louis, its awesome so hopefully I can make up some points."

Red Bull KTM's Ken Roczen posted the fastest lap of the day in afternoon practice from Atlanta, posing a major threat to Barcia at the front of the field. However, in the main event, Roczen made an error in judgement when his bike got caught in the starting gate, forcing the German rider to start the race in dead last. Roczen's recovery effort and ride through the field was impressive, ultimately finishing sixth, but he now sits 15 points out of the championship lead and has yet to challenge for a win.

Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki's Blake Wharton was definitely one of the hardest-fighting riders in the Supercross Lites Class at Atlanta. After getting a great start in his heat race, Wharton battled for the lead for most of the heat before a small mistake saw him finish fourth. In the main event, Wharton again got a good start and was running in a podium position for most of the 15-lap race before finishing fourth. This weekend, he enters the site of his lone Monster Energy Supercross victory, which came during his rookie season in 2009.

"I put myself in a pretty good position in the main in Atlanta," said Wharton. "I had some little problems, but everyone's going to have problems. In the heat race, I was doing well, but then I crashed. I've just got to go and work at it some more. I like St. Louis; I won there in 2009. That sure would be nice, to go there and throw down and take the win."

Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki teammate Hunter Hewitt also turned in an impressive performance in Atlanta. Like Wharton, Hewitt had a good showing in his heat race, carding a fourth-place finish. In the main event, Hewitt put in a smart, consistent ride, coming from behind to bring home an eighth-place result.

"We made some big improvements in Atlanta," said Hewitt. "I wanted to set a goal and achieve it, and I did that. I got a 15th-place start in the main event, but I was able to work my way up to eighth place. This was an improvement and I'm excited to carry that momentum over to St. Louis."

Star Valli Yamaha's Kyle Cunningham overcame discomfort from his crash two weeks ago in Arlington to run up front and finish third in his heat race in Atlanta. In the Supercross Lites Class Main Event, Cunningham pushed hard but a minor get-off irritated his injured wrist. Trying to salvage a solid result, he backed off and finished seventh.

"The track was fun, I just wish I was 100-percent healthy," said Cunningham, who was unable to practice during the week. "Things were going really good until I crashed in the main, and then my wrist started hurting, so I had to do what was best to finish the race. Now, I'm looking forward to St. Louis. It's been awhile since I've been there and the track is pretty fun."

Source: Feld Motorsports

Atlanta Supercross Results 2012

Matt Davidson

Editorial Assistant|Articles|Articles RSS Motorcycle-usa.com

Danger, adrenaline and competition are what fuel this moto enthusiast. Driven by a spirit for sportsmanship, our racing guru here at MotoUSA can be spotted at finish lines the world over as he delivers the latest battles from the two-wheeled realm.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

In front of more than 70,000 fans the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship ripped up the red clay inside the Georgia Dome with Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey posting his second win of the season to tighten the championship picture. The contest went down to the final laps as Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto went all out against RD5, but ultimately had to settle for runner-up after making some small but costly errors. JGR Yamaha’s James Stewart rounded out the top-three in Atlanta after recovering from another bad start to finish more than 20 seconds behind Dungey.

Cole Seely surprised everyone by taking the holeshot during his first-ever 450 ride while filling in for Trey Canard at Honda. Dungey and JGR Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps were right behind the rookie as Villopoto struggled for position back in sixth after a small crash. As Seely completed the opening lap with the lead, Stewart was back in 15th and looking to quickly make up ground after getting in a small tussle with Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer. The night was starting off strong for Big Red as Justin Brayton helped put the second Honda inside the top-four during the opening laps. Meanwhile Seely continued to lead while Stewart made the pass on H&H Kawasaki’s Josh Hansen for seventh and started working on Millsaps. Shortly after, Villopoto and Brayton traded paint while battling for fourth with RV eventually getting the position.

Hansen’s position inside the top-10 was erased when he stalled it the following lap. Stewart kept his forward momentum by making another pass on Brayton for fifth as Dungey officially moved into the lead on Lap 8. On the next lap JS7 got around his teammate, Millsaps, for fourth with Villopoto next in his sights. Despite being passed Seely was keeping pace with Dungey for a while, but the rookie started making mistakes and left the door wide open for Villopoto and Stewart.

With seven laps left RV really started picking it up to chase down Dungey. Stewart remained more than four seconds behind as Dungey made a few mistakes which allowed RV to close the gap. As the race entered the final laps VIllopoto made a huge mistake in the sand section, but another error by RD5 brought the two together. With the crowd in Atlanta on its feet the duo went at it on the penultimate lap. Under intense pressure to make a move, Villopoto slid out in a turn but stayed upright. The error gave Dungey a major advantage heading into the final lap, and a few more mistakes allowed Dungey to claim the win a few bike lengths ahead.

“To get that first win right off the bat (for KTM) in Phoenix was nice, but it took a while after that,” said Dungey. “But, to back it up here in Atlanta, it was a great night. We’ve been looking for that one for a while. The whole team has been working hard and things haven’t gone our way with testing and stuff, but we’re coming around to it and I think things are progressively getting better.”

After losing a close battle with Dungey, Villopoto holds onto a 10-point lead in the series as it approaches Round 9.

“I just made a little mistake, and early on in the race I fell over and that cost me, huge,” said Villopoto. “The track was tough tonight, you could really see (that) and I just slipped up and washed the front end out. Overall, we had a good night. It just wasn’t the best of weeks coming into this (race), so to come out with a second is good.”

Stewart made good work of a difficult start to salvage another podium this season, leaving him now 34 points behind Dungey. Millsaps took the checkers behind his teammate in fourth, as Brayton and Seely closed out the night for Honda in fifth and sixth, respectively.

Atlanta AMA Supercross Results:
1. Ryan Dungey (KTM)
2. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)
3. Jams Stewart (Yamaha)
4. Davi Millsaps (Yamaha)
5. Justin Brayton (Honda)
6. Cole Seely (Honda)
7. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki)
8. Kevin Windham (Honda)
9. Brett Metcalfe (Suzuki)
10. Nick Wey (Kawasaki)
11. Kyle Chisholm (Kawasaki)
12. Mike Alessi (Suzuki)
13. Matt Goerke (Suzuki)
14. Robert Kiniry (Yamaha)
15. Josh Hansen (Kawasaki)

2012 AMA Supercross Championship Points:
1. Ryan Villopoto, 180
2. Ryan Dungey, 170
3. James Stewart, 136
4. Chad Reed, 128
5. Jake Weimer, 106
6. Kevin Windham, 105
7. Brett Metcalfe, 100
8. Justin Brayton, 96
9. Davi Millsaps, 94
10. Mike Alessi, 90

Source: Motorcycle-usa.com

Dallas Supercross Results 2012

Matt Davidson

Editorial Assistant|Articles|Articles RSS Motorcycle-usa.com

Danger, adrenaline and competition are what fuel this moto enthusiast. Driven by a spirit for sportsmanship, our racing guru here at MotoUSA can be spotted at finish lines the world over as he delivers the latest battles from the two-wheeled realm.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto has now won three rounds in a row after surviving another battle with Aussie Chad Reed.

The 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series kicked off its east coast tour in front of 53,000 fans at Cowboys Stadium with Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto pulling off his third consecutive victory. Scoring his fourth win of the season, Villopoto stretched his points lead to 13 after coming out on top of another brief fight with TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed as the Aussie crashed hard and had to be helped off track. Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey continued being Mr. Consistent after notching another podium in second despite a horrible start, while Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer finished third to rebound from his disappointing finish in San Diego last week.

MotoConcepts Suzuki’s Mike Alessi got the jump on the field in Dallas to take the holeshot ahead of Villopoto and Reed. RV and Reed both broke past Alessi for the lead quickly as JGR Yamaha’s James Stewart started in eighth. After shuffling for position out of the first turn, Weimer was up to third while Reed started attacking Villopoto for the lead. Meanwhile, Dungey faced a long night after starting in 14th due to a bad gate pick.
 
On Lap 2 Reed was all over RV and had the crowd on its feet as the Aussie stalked the frontrunner. Just then JGR Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps went down right in front of Stewart, causing JS7 to stall in the process. A few laps later the drama continued as Reed, who was looking incredibly fast and comfortable, dropped the front end and did a hard nosedive into the ground. Reed was slow getting up and eventually had to be helped off track with what looked to be a knee injury.

TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed had to be helped off the track following a hard crash in Dallas.

With Reed out, Villopoto stretched his lead out ahead of Weimer and Alessi as Dungey began inching into the top-four. After being passed by nearly the entire field JS7 was back up to ninth while Dungey started working on Alessi for third. Up front RV was in a class of his own more than 11 seconds ahead. As the race entered its final five laps Dungey got the better of Alessi for third as Geico Honda’s Kevin Windham started closing in from fifth place.
The final laps ticked by without much action as RV continued to control the field. Meanwhile Dungey was recording the fastest laps on the track as he continued to reel in Weimer. Shortly after, the two met head-to-head for the second week in a row while dueling for second in the final laps. Weimer refused to give in to Dungey as they traded spots, both displaying unusually aggressive riding. Behind them Windham, who was on pace to secure a top-five finish, suddenly dropped down to seventh as RV posted his third victory in a row more than eight seconds ahead.

“The track really broke down out there tonight, and when that happens, you have to be smart and play it safe,” said Villopoto. “It’s a bummer for Chad (Reed). I am looking forward to next weekend in Atlanta.”

Dungey got the last word in his fight with Weimer to finish second, which was a great result considering he barely qualified for the main in his heat race and had a bad start in the main. Alessi just missed a podium spot in fourth while posting his best finish so far this season ahead of H&H Kawasaki’s Josh Hansen. Stewart crossed the finish line jump more than 30 seconds behind Villopoto, with the two-time champ now more than 40 points behind in the series.

Dallas AMA Supercross Results:
1. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)
2. Ryan Dungey (KTM)
3. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki)

After starting the main down in 14th, KTM's Ryan Dungey charged up to second to salvage as many points as possible.

4. Mike Alessi (Suzuki)
5. Josh Hansen (Kawasaki)
6. James Stewart (Yamaha)
7. Kevin Windham (Honda)
8. Brett Metcalfe (Suzuki)
9. Justin Brayton (Honda)
10. Kyle Chisholm (Kawasaki)
11. Broc Tickle (Kawasaki)
12. Nick Wey (Kawasaki)
13. Kyle Partridge (Kawasaki)
14. Robert Kiniry (Yamaha)
15. Davi Millsaps (Yamaha)

2012 AMA Supercross Championship Points:
1. Ryan Villopoto, 158
2. Ryan Dungey, 145
3. Chad Reed, 128
4. James Stewart, 116
5. Jake Weimer, 92
6. Kevin Windham, 92
7. Brett Metcalfe, 88
8. Mike Alessi, 81
9. Justin Brayton, 80
10. Josh Hansen, 80

Source: Motorcycle-usa.com

Dallas Supercross Preview 2012

Matt Davidson Source: motorcycle-usa.com

Editorial Assistant|Articles|Articles RSS

Danger, adrenaline and competition are what fuel this moto enthusiast. Driven by a spirit for sportsmanship, our racing guru here at MotoUSA can be spotted at finish lines the world over as he delivers the latest battles from the two-wheeled realm.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Ryan Villopoto could be at the start of a winning streak as the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series heads back east.

The 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is off to the most competitive start the series has ever witnessed. After the first six rounds the series heads east this weekend toward Dallas. Hosting supercross since 1975, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas features one of the most historical venues for the sport and its fans as Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto aims for his fourth win of the season. If there’s anything we’ve learned after the California tour, it’s that RV is dead-set on taking another title. Not only has the 23-year-old from Poulsbo, Washington proved the fastest, he’s also shown the most consistency with three wins, two podiums and another top-five finish.

“It was great to get my first win [in San Diego] and end Chad’s win streak at Qualcomm Stadium,” Villopoto said. “Hopefully I can start a streak of my own as we head to Cowboys Stadium this week."

But the series is also producing a growing threat from one of its veteran riders, Chad Reed. The TwoTwo Motorsports owner/rider had one of his best performances so far this season in San Diego when he clashed with RV in front of 58,782 fans. On Lap 18 of the 20-lap main event, Reed straight up outgunned Villopoto for the lead – something which very few competitors have been able to do. The Aussie also had the foresight to make key adjustments to his bike that proved vital through the whoops – helping make him the fastest rider of the night through that section of track. Even

TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed is coming off a tense fight with Villopoto and is currently second in the championship.

though the win didn’t materialize for him, the knowledge he’s gained thus far have made him especially dangerous for RV.

“The changes that we have made through these West Coast events have been good,” said Reed. “I am excited to be heading back to Florida with a good solid 20-lap race under my belt.”

The season hasn’t even reached its halfway point but already the title prospects for some riders are pretty grim. JGR Yamaha’s James Stewart had a night to forget in the last round after crashing and losing major points in the progress. Looking back on JS7’s season so far, the former champ has had major crashes in every round except Oakland, which he coincidentally won despite a bad crash in practice. All told, Stewart’s mistakes have landed him with a 32-point deficit to Villopoto, and since there’s only 25 points possible in a round, his chances of rebounding aren’t looking too good.

“[It’s] a little bit frustrating but we will go back and keep on working,” said Stewart. “I appreciate all the fans sticking behind us. We’ve got a lot of races left so we will continue getting better.”

KTM's Ryan Dungey is only 10 points behind RV, but does he have the speed required to win his second Supercross title?

After finishing off the box for two weeks in a row, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey surfaced with his fourth podium of the season in SD. Currently 10 points behind Villopoto, RD is still within striking distance of the defending champ, but his speed has been called into question as of late. At Qualcomm Dungey was one of the slower competitors through the whoops while finishing more than 20 seconds behind Reed. While his victory in Phoenix and third-place finish in San Diego prove he can ride near the front, he lacks the advantage of Villopoto’s quick lap times. Now if only Dungey could borrow some of Stewart’s speed…

One of the biggest storylines in the upcoming round is the Lites transition to the east as a whole new field will be lining up at the gates. The favorite heading into the opening round of the East Coast Lites Championship is defending champ Justin Barcia. The Geico Honda rider had a shocking rise to glory during his brief stint in the 450 motocross class last season, and after finishing on the podium in every supercross round last year Barcia has been a focal point of 2012 speculation. The other potential threat from Big Red this year is Justin Bogle, who is making his supercross debut after some impressive performances in the 2011 AMA 250 Motocross Championship.

As usual, however, Pro Circuit Kawasaki is putting its best foot forward with Blake Baggett. Last year Baggett scored two wins and had podium finishes in nearly every race while challenging for the title. This will be his third campaign for the Lites title and the 20-year-old appears to be getting more consistent with each passing season, which isn’t good news for Barcia. 

Reigning East Coast Lites champion Justin Barcia is returning this weekend to defend his title with Geico Honda.

KTM is also in the running for the East Lites title this year. German rider Ken Roczen will contest the series after breaking his arm while practicing for the opening race of the Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Championship in Anaheim. Last year Roczen had several notable finishes in the West Coast series while taking part in his rookie season in AMA Supercross Lites. The German is expected to be stronger this season after finishing sixth overall in the 2011 championship.

Round 7 of the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will be broadcast live on SPEED this Saturday with coverage beginning 9:30 p.m. ET.

Source: motorcycle-usa.com

2012 San Diego Supercross | Results

Tom Wera        Source: Ultimatemotorcycling.com
02/12/2012

2012 AMA Supercross Results

Spoiler Alert: 2012 AMA Supercross results from Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, listed below

The sixth round of the 2012 AMA Supercross Championship got underway before almost 59,000 fans Saturday evening at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, with the typical battles up front.

But when the 20-lap race was complete, it would be Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto who took the win, his third this season (Anaheim I, Anaheim II). Joining Villopoto on the San Diego podium was Two-Two Motorsports Honda's Chad Reed and Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey.

Taking the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot was Yoshimura Suzuki's Brett Metcalfe, who was followed by Villopoto and the other Monster Energy Kawasaki rider, Jake Weimer. But on the second lap, Villopoto grabbed the lead with Weimer in tow, leaving Metcalfe in second.

Meanwhile behind the top three, there was a three-man race between Reed, JGRMX Yamaha's James Stewart and Dungey. Reed charged toward the front, eventually passing Metcalfe and Weimer. Shortly after, Weimer lost third to Metcalfe.

By mid race, Stewart made his way up to third, but crashed out on the whoops. Dungey would move pass Metcalfe to take the final podium position behind Reed and race-winner Villopoto.

Villopoto enjoyed a two second cushion for much of the race, though Reed closed in late. By lap 19 Reed made a pass on Villopoto. Villopoto retaliated quickly, regained his lead and led to the checkered flag. 

Ryan Villopoto (Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F Supercross) says: "The whoops were treacherous tonight. I knew it was important to be consistent every lap. Battling Reed on the last few laps was exciting and I was able to make a good pass. I'm happy to keep the red plate on my bike and am excited for the Dallas race next week."

With his victory, Villopoto now holds a six-point lead over Reed after six of 17 rounds. Dungey is in third, 10 points behind Villopoto.

In the Western Regional Supercross Lites Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Dean Wilson, of Menifee. Calif., won his second race of the year and now controls the points lead as the Western division takes a two-month break.

Feld Motor Sports reports that Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda's Vince Friese opened the Western Regional Supercross Lites Class main Event with the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot with Wilson trailing closely through the first turn. Wilson quickly passed Friese and held the lead for the remaining 20 laps.

GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac, of Cortez, Colo., who controlled the points lead heading into the night, started mid-pack and charged his way to third place, however on lap seven, he crashed in the whoops to surrender his podium spot and points lead. With Tomac crashing out, JDR KTM's Matt Moss moved into third place to secure his squad's first podium of the season behind Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda's Cole Seely.

Dean Wilson (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki KX250F Supercross) says: "I'm absolutely ecstatic with the win. I knew I needed to run consistent laps out there and get through the whoops as fast as I could all night long. Eli [Tomac] is a tough competitor, so it's a bit of a surprise to be in the points lead, but I'm going to work my butt off during the break to try and stay there."

2012 AMA Supercross Class Results: San Diego:
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
4. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
5. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
6. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
7. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki
9. Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Calif., Suzuki
10. Nick Wey, DeWitt, Mich., Kawasaki

2012 AMA Supercross Class Season Standings (after six of 17 rounds):
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki - 133
2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda - 127
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM - 123
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha - 101
5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda - 78
6. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki - 75
7. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki - 72
8. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha - 70
9. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda - 68
10. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki - 64

2012 AMA Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: San Diego:
1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
2. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
3. Matt Moss, Sussex Inlet, AUS, KTM
4. Gareth Swanepoel, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
5. Nico Izzi, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha
6. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa., Honda
7. Billy Laninovich, Riverside, Calif., Honda
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
9. Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda
10. Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki

2012 AMA Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings:
1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki - 116
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda - 114
3. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda - 101
4. Marvin Musquin, Murrieta, Calif., KTM - 89
5. Nico Izzi, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha - 78
6. Matt Moss, Sussex Inlet, NS, KTM - 73
7. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha - 67
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda - 63
9. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki - 60
10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki - 58

 Source: Ultimatemotorcycling.com

San Diego Supercross Preview 2012

Matt Davidson

Editorial Assistant|Articles|Articles RSS Of Motorcycle-usa.com

Source: Motorcycle-usa.com

Danger, adrenaline and competition are what fuel this moto enthusiast. Driven by a spirit for sportsmanship, our racing guru here at MotoUSA can be spotted at finish lines the world over as he delivers the latest battles from the two-wheeled realm.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Ryan Villopoto (No. 1) leads the competition into Qualcomm Stadium this week after winning his second race to reclaim the lead in the overall series.

The 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series is making its way south this weekend to San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium. Round 6 will be the last round on the West Coast before heading east as the championship continues to unfold with Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto taking back the red number plate. The next round will also be pivotal for riders in the Western Regional Supercross Lites class, who have just one more round left before an eight-week hiatus.
 
RV’s victory at Anaheim 2 was important on multiple levels. Historically, in the past 38 years of Monster Energy Supercross the first rider to claim two wins has gone on to win the title 60% of the time. By becoming the first rider to achieve repeat wins, Villopoto has set himself apart from the rest of the field while retaking control of the points chase. The odds definitely seem in Villopoto’s favor as the 23-year-old has shown tremendous skill and speed over his rivals. But the first five rounds have proved it’s going to take a lot of work to win the crown this season. Statistics may be on RV2’s side for now, but this year is generating a lot of never-before-seen competition.

James Stewart showed patience
after a bad crash in Anaheim.
Can he continue to gain points
over his rivals in San Diego?

“The red plate is important,” said Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Manager, Dan Fahie. “But the most important thing is that we have the speed to win week-in and week-out, and if we continue to do that the red plate naturally comes along with it.”

TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed should also be in contention for the win in SD after scoring his first victory there last year. The Aussie was battling stomach flu in the days leading up to Anaheim 2, which severely hampered his performance. But following some much needed recuperation, Reed will return to Qualcomm where he currently is the winningest rider in SX history with six victories.

Qualcomm Stadium will offer riders the first football field track layout this year as it hosts its 29th Supercross event. Geico Honda’s Kevin Windham, who is currently fifth in the overall series, is looking forward to the slight change in layout as the veteran rider concludes preparations at the test track this week.

"I love Qualcomm because it always sells out and the fans there are really into Supercross," Windham said. “That feeling reaches us down on the floor, believe me. The track will be a good bit different than what we've seen in these baseball stadiums. It should be more wide-open and faster and I think that suits my style of riding a little better. Plus, they always have good dirt in San Diego. I hope I can finally get this GEICO Honda on the podium. We're right there. We just need to get it done."

TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed comes to Qualcomm with a career record of six victories at the venue - the best in the series.

JGR Yamaha’s James Stewart will also be attempting to rebound from a difficult round in Anaheim. The 2009 champ had a bad-looking fall after being thrown off his Yamaha YZ450F during his heat race. Despite a sore wrist and some bruised ribs, JS7 came back to win the LCQ and finished second in the main behind Villopoto. In doing so, Stewart salvaged precious points over his rivals and now trails RV by 13 points.

For the past two consecutive weeks Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey has been off the box. The former champ had podiums during the first three rounds, but since Oakland he’s been struggling with his starts and inability to make passes. At Anaheim 2, RD5 was stuck behind Honda’s Justin Brayton for eight laps, and eventually finished more than 17 seconds behind Villopoto. As a result Dungey is now third in points after losing seven points to RV2 in the past two rounds.

“I will continue to work on my starts for next weekend and make sure I get my KTM back on the podium to remain in the points chase for the championship,” Dungey said.

In the West Coast Lites series Geico Honda’s Eli Tomac is heading back to the spot of his first-ever supercross victory. Having won three of the past five rounds, Tomac is easily on the pace to secure the title this year as he’s recorded the fastest lap in every main event so far this season. Currently 22 points ahead of Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson, Tomac will be eager to score another win to cement his frontrunner status before the series breaks for two months.
 

Geico Honda's Eli Tomac will look for his fourth win of the season before the West Coast Lites series breaks for eight weeks.

"I can't wait to get to San Diego," Tomac said. "There will definitely be a good vibe going. I got my first Supercross win there last year and this year we're coming in off the turkey (three wins in a row). It'll be cool to have the longer lanes and the longer whoops (section) that you typically get in a football stadium. We actually had a pretty long section of whoops in Anaheim so that kind of got us ready for what we'll most likely see in San Diego.”

TLD Honda’s Cole Seely has also shown impressive pace, especially during the past round. If it weren’t for his slip up on Lap 3 Tomac would have had a fight on his hands. Aside from his win in the opening round four weeks ago, Seely has only finished on the podium once, however. While his consistency has become a limiting factor, his speed remains an ever-present threat for Tomac.

“I'd really like to win again before we go to the break,” Cole Seely said. “I'm letting it rip next weekend in San Diego."
 
Wilson will visit Qualcomm Stadium for the first time in his career looking for his second win of the season. The Scotsman struggled with a poor start in the past round, and just when he was getting ready to break into the top-three, lappers hindered his progress. With title hopes getting thinner after each round, San Diego will be an important chance to catch Tomac in the championship.

“I didn’t have the night I wanted [in Anaheim], but it’s not over yet,” said Wilson. “All I’m focused on is getting wins.”

While Wilson has his eyes set on Tomac, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin has been slowly gaining ground on the team green rider. Currently seven points behind Wilson, the Frenchman has yet to win a Supercross event on American soil. Musquin heads to San Diego with back-to-back podiums and real chance of claiming a win at some point this season.

Source: Motorcycle-usa.com

Valencia Moto2 Tests: Redding Leads Day 1

MotoGP Source: Ultimatemotorcycling.com
02/09/2012

2012 Moto2 Testing

The first day out for the Moto2 riders concluded after a slow start had many team waiting in their boxes for the track temperatures to rise.

The second part of the day allowed all the Moto2 riders to get to work preparing for the start of the 2012 season, with Briton Scott Redding topping the unofficial reported times with a 1:.36.5 aboard his Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex bike.

Pol Espargaró (Pons Racing) completed the day in second, half a second behind Redding, with Italtrans Racing Team rider Claudio Corti in third with a reported time of 1:37.4. Max Neukirchner of Kiefer Racing and Pons Racing's Tito Rabat completed the top five times, with all five riding Kalex machinery.

The 2010 Moto2 World Champion Toni Elias finished the day in the eleventh place out of 31 riders on track, at the controls of Mapfre Aspar Team's Suter. The Spaniard reported that he took the day easy after not riding for two months, saying "we took it easy because it's easy to make mistakes and crash, after two months it was important to get back on the bike with confidence."

Elias was a tenth of a second behind last year's 125cc runner up, Johann Zarco, who was the fastest newcomer of the day, ranking 9 places ahead of rival and 125cc World Champion Nico Terol.

Season favorite and 2011 runner up, Marc Marquez is recovering from eye surgery and was not present at the test.

Valencia Moto2 Times: Wednesday (unofficial, recorded by teams):

1. SCOTT REDDING, MARC VDS RACING TEAM 1'36.5 53 laps
2. POL ESPARGARO, PONS RACING 1'37.0 47 laps
3. CLAUDIO CORTI, ITALTRANS RACING TEAM 1'37.4 52 laps
4. MAX NEUKIRCHNER, KIEFER RACING 1'37.5 38 laps
5. ESTEVE RABAT, PONS RACING 1'37.5 43 laps
6. THOMAS LUTHI, INTERWETTEN PADDOCK 1'37.9 24 laps
7. ANDREA IANNONE, SPEED MASTER 1'37.9 27 laps
8. SIMONE CORSI, IODARACING PROJECT 1'38.0 43 laps
9. MIKA KALLIO, MARC VDS RACING TEAM 1'38.1 26 laps
10. JOHANN ZARCO, JIR Moto2 1'38.2 22 laps
11. TONI ELIAS, ASPAR TEAM Moto2 1'38.3 47 laps
12. ALEX DE ANGELIS, NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING 1'38.7 20 laps
13. ANGEL RODRIGUEZ, SAG TEAM 1'38.7 27 laps
14. BRADLEY SMITH, TECH 3 RACING 1'38.8 36 laps
15. DOMINIQUE AEGERTER, TECHNOMAG-CIP 1'39.0 68 laps
16. AXEL PONS, PONS RACING 1'39.1 45 laps
17. TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI, ITALTRANS RACING TEAM 1'39.2 40 laps
18. MIKE DI MEGLIO, SPEED UP 1'39.2 21 laps
19. NICOLAS TEROL, ASPAR TEAM Moto2 1'39.6 30 laps
20. RANDY KRUMMENACHER, GP TEAM SWITZERLAND 1'39.7 36 laps
21. ALEXANDER LUNDH, MZ RACING TEAM 1'39.7 29 laps
22. XAVIER SIMEON, TECH 3 RACING 1'40.1 36 laps
23. DAMIAN CUDLIN, QMMF RACING TEAM 1'40.9 45 laps
24. ROBERTO ROLFO, TECHNOMAG-CIP 1'41.4 46 laps
25. ERIC GRANADO, JIR Moto2 1'41.5 30 laps
26. ELENA ROSELL, QMMF RACING TEAM 1'41.7 57 laps
27. YUKI TAKAHASHI, NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING 1'42.7 3 laps
28. MARCO COLANDREA, SAG TEAM 1'44.0 35 laps
29. GINO REA, GRESINI RACING Moto2 No times provided
30. RATTHAPARK WILAIROT, THAI HONDA GRESINI Moto2 No times provided
31. JULIAN SIMON, AVINTIA RACING Moto2 No times provided

Source: Ultimatemotorcycling.com

Anaheim II Supercross | Results

Tom Wera
02/05/2012

Source: Ultimatemotorcycling.com

2012 AMA Supercross Results

Spoiler Alert: 2012 AMA Supercross Championship results from Angel Stadium, Anaheim II, below

Heading into Anaheim II, round five of the 2012 AMA Supercross Championship, fans witnessed an unusual occurrence, something that didn't happen since 1976.

This occurrence? Four different riders winning the opening four rounds - Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto (Anaheim I), Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey (Phoenix), Two-Two Motorsports Honda's Chad Reed (Los Angeles) and JGRMX Yamaha's James Stewart (Oakland).

And after Saturday evening in Angel Stadium, another odd thing occurred - one competitor became the first rider in history to win twice at Anaheim during a single season - the reigning Supercross Champion, Villopoto.

And the Washington native did it dominating fashion - he led all 20 laps to take the checkered flag. Villopoto grabbed the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot, followed by Reed in second. Reed passed Villopoto on the opening lap, but was quickly overtaken moments later.

By the end of lap one, Stewart moved into third. And on lap eight, Stewart took Reed for second. The three would finish that way - Villopoto, followed by Stewart and Reed, respectively. With his win, Villopoto has 108 points, three ahead of Reed. Dungey, who finished fourth at Anaheim II, is in third with 103 points.

Ryan Villopoto (Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F Supercross) says: "James (Stewart) and Chad (Reed) were riding good tonight. I knew I had to stay on my toes and not make a mistake. We need to take it one race at a time. I had a great start and to be perfect on the start difficult."

Feld Motor Sports reports that GECIO Honda's Tomac opened the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class main Event with the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot with Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda's Cole Seely, who won the season opening race in Anaheim earlier this year, on his rear wheel through the first turn. Seely quickly passed Tomac for the lead. On Lap 3, Seely, of Murrieta, Calif., slid out and fell back to second place as Tomac assumed the lead. Seely finished second and Red Bull KTM's Marvin Musquin finished third.

Eli Tomac (GEICO Honda CRF450R Supercross) says: "Tonight's track was difficult. It's too bad Cole (Seely) slid out because he was going really fast, and I knew that I would have to work hard to get around him. I look forward to going to San Diego next weekend."

2012 AMA Supercross Class Results: Anaheim II:
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda
4. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
5. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
6. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
7. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
8. Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Calif., Suzuki
9. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki

2012 AMA Supercross Class Season Standings (following round five of 17):
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki - 108
2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda - 105
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM - 103
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha - 95
5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda - 73
6. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki - 71
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda - 59
8. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki - 57
9. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha - 56
10. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda - 53

2012 Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Results: Anaheim:
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
2. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
3. Marvin Musquin, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
4. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
5. Nico Izzi, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha
6. Michael Lieb, Menifee, Calif., Honda
7. Matt Moss, Sussex Inlet, NS, KTM
8. Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda
9. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
10. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki

2012 Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings:
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda - 113
2. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki - 91
3. Marvin Musquin, Murrieta, Calif., KTM - 84
4. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda - 79
5. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha - 67
6. Nico Izzi, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha - 62
7. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki - 60
8. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki - 54
9. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Yamaha - 53
10. Matt Moss, Sussex Inlet, NS, KTM

Source: Ulitmatemotorcycling.com

Tomac Leads into Anaheim II Supercross

Rob Geiger Ultimatemotorcycling.com
02/03/2012

2012 AMA Supercross Championship

With the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series in the middle of four straight weeks in the state of California, GEICO Honda's riders are taking the opportunity to stay out West and train together ahead of this weekend's second stop at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

Lites West rider Eli Tomac enters the event on a roll after winning the last two stops in the series and building a lead of 15 points in the championship chase.

Tomac said he is doubly confident for A2 because this was the part of the schedule where he made a big charge up the standings last year.

Eli Tomac (GEICO Honda CRF250R) says: "The next rounds are always a lot of fun. Especially A2, where there are always a lot of people around. Then I got my first win in San Diego last year. So, I'm feeling good right now.

"Since I'm based in California in the winter, this is another race where I get to train during the week and sleep in my own bed on the weekend. That's a big deal for me."

Supercross rider Kevin Windham also decided to stay out in California to cut down on training days lost to travel and bad weather.

Kevin Windham (GEICO Honda CRF450R) says: "This time of year, it always seems you are in an airplane going one direction or the other. I hate being away from my wife and the kids for so long, but otherwise it seems like I'm getting ready for the next trip West as soon as I get home. Staying out here gives me an opportunity to train during the day and take care of my sponsors when I'm not riding.

"I'm also getting an opportunity to train in conditions that are almost identical to the ones I'll race under. It's been pretty wet back home this winter, which hasn't given me a lot of good opportunities to ride."

Windham sits sixth in the Supercross standings, three points behind Jake Weimer for fifth.

Gavin Faith, who is filling in for injured rider Wil Hahn, said he's taking the West Coast training time as an opportunity to soak up as much knowledge as possible.

Given Faith (GEICO Honda CRF250R Supercross) says: "I'm learning so much riding with Eli and those guys on the Honda track. Eli's at the top of his game. The way he's riding is where you want to be. It's a great gauge to see where I am and where I need to be.

"The practice bikes out here are really good, they are pretty much what you are racing on, which helps out a lot."

Faith has cracked the top 20 in Lites West points, despite only taking part in two races this season.

Practice for Saturday's Monster Energy Supercross event at Angel Stadium of Anaheim gets under way at 12:30 p.m. PDT with opening ceremonies getting under way at 7 p.m. CBS affiliates nationwide will air the Supercross race starting at noon EST with SPEED airing the Supercross Lites race at 1 p.m. EDT.