Photo: Supercross.com

 

The 2012 Monster Energy Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship went to New Orleans for round number eight, and the big story heading into New Orleans was GEICO Powersports/Honda’s Justin Barcia. The 2011 East Lites Champion came into round eight with a chance to clinch his second-straight Championship a race early, and the #1 got it done. While Barcia was able to secure the 2012 Championship, it was Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Darryn Durham that stole the show.

When the Main Event got underway, it was the privateer Honda of Alex Martin with the holeshot and Durham and Barcia on the hunt. Durham, seeing a golden opportunity, went right to work, quickly grabbing the lead.

While Durham was up front and trying to check out, Barcia was riding conservatively and getting pressure from everyone. The first one around Barcia was the JDR/J-Star/KTM rider Malcolm Stewart. Malcolm looked blazing fast, but his push to the front only lasted four laps. The #37 entered the whoops on lap four and exited them off the bike, crashing in spectacular Stewart style.

Malcolm’s crash pushed Barcia back up to second, but Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett, Red Bull/KTM’s Ken Roczen and GEICO Powersport/Honda’s Justin Bogle all went around the #1 as he focused on riding a smart race.

For the next five laps, Baggett and Roczen were flying, and by lap nine, Durham—after almost throwing it away—was feeling the pressure. About the same time, a mistake by Roczen caused him to slip back to fifth where he would finish the Main. Bogle and Barcia would pass him, ending up running third and fourth.

With five laps to go, Durham was feeling intense pressure from his teammate Baggett and responded. The Pennsylvania native was not about to let this one slip away, and he fought back with pure speed that gapped the #12. In the end, Baggett was able to make a last lap run for the win, but he would have to put his teammate on the ground if he wanted this one. Durham handled the pressure like a veteran and held on for his first-ever Lites Supercross Main Event win with Baggett and Bogle crossing the line second and third.

A very pumped Darryn Durham (center) is joined by Blake Baggett (right) and Justin Bogle (left) on the podium. Photo: Supercross.com

Finishing off the podium—for the first time in two years—in fourth was the newly crowned, back-to-back Monster Energy Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Champion. It was obvious throughout the Main Event that Bam Bam’s goal was the Championship. Under extreme pressure, Barcia showed his Championship maturity and rode a smart Main Event .

Congrats to Darryn Durham and Justin Barcia on both of their accomplishments inside the New Orleans Superdome. The series now heads back to the West where the Western Lites Regional Championship fight will continue between Dean Wilson, Eli Tomac and Cole Seely.

See ya in Seattle.

New Orleans SX – Lites East Main Event results:
1 35 Darryn Durham Butler, PA, USA
2 12 Blake Baggett Grand Terrace, CA, USA
3 49 Justin Bogle Cushing, OK, USA G
4 1 Justin Barcia Ochlocknee, GA, USA - Clinched 2012 Championship 
5 70 Ken Roczen Murrieta, USA
6 19 Kyle Cunningham Aledo, TX, USA
7 57 Jake Canada Sun City, CA, USA
8 74 Tyler Bowers Danville, KY, USA
9 981 Austin Politelli Sun City, CA, USA
10 715 Phillip Nicoletti Cochecton, NY, USA
11 714 Shawn Rife Mechanicsburg, OH, USA
12 60 Matthew Lemoine Collinsville, TX, USA
13 404 Zackery Freeberg Clearwater, FL, USA
14 956 Blake Wharton Pilot Point, TX, USA
15 78 Tommy Weeck Menifee, CA, USA
16 93 A Catanzaro Portland, CT, USA
17 37 Malcolm Stewart Haines City, FL,
18 505 Sean Lipanovich Tallahassee, FL, USA
19 30 Alex Martin Millville, MN, USA
20 96 Kyle Peters Greensboro, NC, USA
Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.