Race Report: The 450’s Red Bud National

The halfway point of the 2011 Lucas Oil 450 AMA Motocross Championship has already come and gone, and the Rockstar Energy Drink Red Bud National is officially in the books. Heading into round number six of the twelve round series, we had a three-man Championship battle heating up, and as the series leaves Michigan, it has ignited into an all-out war. With the two Ryans dominating Thunder Valley and edging closer in the Championship, the million dollar question was could Chad Reed answer back in Buchanan, Michigan?

When the gate fell for moto one, there was a new color at the front of the field. The number eighteen Joe Gibbs Racing/Yamaha of Davi Millsaps grabbed the early lead from Jake Weimer—who nailed the holeshot—and was immediately pursued by the Two-Two Motosports/Honda of Chad Reed and the Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki of Ryan Dungey. Davi, looking very comfortable on the Red Bud circuit, decided it was time to see what the pace at the front was like and put his head down, gapping the 2009 and 2010 450 MX Champs.

At this point, nobody knew where the number two of Ryan Villopoto was, and the next time we caught sight of the Monster Energy/Kawasaki rider, he was missing a visor and covered in the Buchanan, Michigan soil. It turns out that RV2 and Tommy Hahn had come together shortly after the start and had gone down hard. Both were very slow to get up, and while Tommy went back to the MotoConcepts/Yamaha rig, RV2 went after thirty-eighth place who was thirty seconds up the track. Ryan would spend the entire race picking off one rider after the next. By the checkered flag, he had miraculously crossed the line in ninth. If he somehow finds a way to secure the 2011 AMA 450 Motocross Championship, Red Bud moto one could be remembered as a crucial moment in the series.

For the first six laps, Millsaps, at the front, was about as impressive as we’ve ever seen. He rode smooth and consistent laps that kept both Reedy and Ryan Dungey at bay for nearly half the race, but by lap six, Reed was getting hungry. Reed would begin to pressure “Big Bear,” and on lap seven, he made his way around being quickly followed through by Dungey. Once up front, Reed was relentless. Putting up laps seconds faster than his early day qualifying times, he wore the number one down. Dungey—in true Dungeyesque fashion—would make a charge at the twenty-two late in the moto, but Reed was able to hang on for his sixth moto win of the year. Dungey, for the seventh time in 2011, would cross the line with a close second.

Behind Reed and Dungey, Millsaps held on for his third podium finish in a moto and gained priceless experience in leading for as long as he did. Davi showed, once again, that he is here to fight in 2011. Other noteworthy rides in moto one were turned in by Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki’s Brett Metcalfe and JGR/Yamaha’s other rider, Justin Brayton. Brayton—in only his second race back from injury—started the moto in sixth, worked his way up to fifth and held strong for his first top five of 2011. Metty had a very similar ride, starting fifth and finishing a very respectable fourth in moto one. Both men feel they belong on the box and both took a huge step towards that goal.

After a moto one that saw his closer competitor in the points, RV2, finish ninth, Reed rolled to the line for moto two having stretched his points-lead from eight to twenty-one. But within a half a lap of moto two, it quickly became apparent that he was going to be giving some of those points back. From the moment the gate fell in moto two, the Monster Energy/Kawasaki rider was on a mission—and not to just win, but to destroy. After ripping the moto two holeshot—with Ryan Dungey and Chad Reed right behind—Ryan Villopoto went to work. When we say he went to work, we mean he clocked in and checked out. Dungey, behind him in second, would do everything he could to keep him honest, but with RV2’s lap times that were seconds faster than anything recorded all day long, the effort would prove to be a lost cause.

Early on in the moto, Reedy—while running third—would get passed by the Red Bull/KTM of Mike Alessi and get pushed back to fourth. Dungey was able to put some distance on the two while they battled for third. With RV2 up ahead riding like he had an early plane to catch and Dungey checking out in second, Reedy seemed to fall in behind Alessi and get sucked into his pace. With that pace being four and six seconds a lap off of Dungey and Villopoto’s moto two pace, it was very apparent that the best Reed could do was pass Alessi and grab the overall with a 1-3 score on the day. At the midway mark of the moto, Reed did exactly that. With RV2 riding away for the win and Dungey finishing second, it would be enough for Reed’s fourth overall win.

Behind the top three, Alessi would bring home the best of the rest honors with a solid fourth in moto two. While there are times Alessi looks like he may have something for the big three, it appears he is just a tic off in fitness, pace and confidence. Overall, though, an 8-4 for fifth overall is a good building block for the 800. Behind Alessi was Brett Metcalfe. With a 4-5 at Red Bud, Metty fell just short of the podium in fourth overall. This time last year, we saw Metty battling with Dungey at the front, so you can bet that while he’s okay with a fourth, he won’t be happy until he’s on that box. One man that isn’t on the box, but we’re sure is happy with his ride at Red Bud, is Justin Brayton. In only his second race outdoors in 2011, Brayton went 5-7 for sixth overall. In a very deep field with very little race time under his belt, a top six is a statement-making performance. Welcome back, JB.

Overall, Reed once again proved that he is not going to back down to anyone and that he here to win this title. Villopoto dug deep in moto one and proved in moto two that he has the fitness to get it done, and Dungey once again proved he’s a machine that will be there every single moto. With half the motos complete, these three have separated themselves and shown that while some may occasionally get in the mix, in the end the 2011 Motocross Championship is going to be between them.

450 Red Bud National Overall Results
11 22 Chad Reed 1-3
2 1 Ryan Dungey 2-2
3 2 Ryan Villopoto 9-1
4 24 Brett Metcalfe 4-4
5 800 Mike Alessi 8-4
6 10 Justin Brayton 5-7
7 29 Andrew Short 6-8
8 18 David Millsaps 3-13
9 14 Kevin Windham 12-6
10 144 Christian Craig 10-10



450 Motocross Points After Six Rounds
1 22 Chad Reed 268 
2 2 Ryan Villopoto 252
3 1 Ryan Dungey 246
4 24 Brett Metcalfe 178
5 18 David Millsaps 173 
6 14 Kevin Windham 172
7 29 Andrew Short 130
8 144 Christian Craig 119 
9 800 Mike Alessi 115