Photo: Courtesy of KTM – Hoppenworld
The 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM Championship, headed to the Valley of the Sun tonight for round two and the Phoenix Supercross. After a dominating performance at round one in Anaheim, all eyes were on the Monster Energy/Kawaski rider Ryan Villopoto. Those eyes, though, would quickly shift to the bright orange Red Bull/KTM of Ryan Dungey inside Chase Field. After a huge holeshot in the Main Event, the 2010 supercross champ Dungey used a clear track to ride his own race up front and check out for his first win in 2012—and KTM’s first win ever in the premier Supercross Class. Ryan rode a smooth, calculated race out front, and with his biggest threats experiencing problems back in the pack, the win appeared effortless.
Behind Dungey from the drop of the gate to the checkered flag was Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer for his first-ever Supercross Class podium. For the first few laps, the 2010 Western Regional Supercross Lites Champion kept Dungey honest, but was unable to match the pace of the KTM as the race wore on. By the halfway mark of the Main Event, Jake was all alone with Dungey seven seconds in the lead and a similar gap back to the “Old Man”—who was putting in an incredible ride in third—on the GEICO Powersports/Honda, Kevin Windham.
K’dub continues to amaze after entering 2012 as an eighteen-year veteran of professional SX racing. The number fourteen jumped out to a third place start and was looking like a lock for a podium late in the race, but unfortunately there was a spoiler with a bright red #1 plate bearing down on him—and fast. Ryan Villopoto was on a mission after going down on lap one and remounting in eighteenth position, and his final objective in that mission would be Windham. With just a lap to go, RV1 would dive in hard on Windham and make his final pass stick for the final podium spot. K’dub would hold on to score an impressive fourth.
While Dungey and Villopoto celebrated their second-straight podium appearances of the year, the other Championship favorites were stuck battling outside of the top five, even outside of the top ten, for most of the Main Event. Two Two Motorsports/Bel-Ray/Honda rider Chad Reed got a mid-pack start, but unlike RV1, Reedy struggled to make up ground on the tight, hard packed circuit in Phoenix. For the first half of the race, the former two-time supercross champ hung around in seventh, and a late race charge around the Muscle Milk/Honda of Trey Canard and the Supercross.com/Honda of Andrew Short landed the Australian in fifth on the night.
Crossing the line behind Reedy was Andrew Short in sixth, Trey Canard—in his first ride back from injury—in seventh and Joe Gibbs Racing/Yamaha’s James Stewart in a very lackluster eighth. The number seven once again got off to a horrible start in thirteenth, quickly charged his way up to eighth and crashed his way back to where he started in thirteenth. The former superstar has come off as quite normal thus far in 2012. Still, we are not ready to write off the man formerly known as the fastest man on the planet just yet.
Next stop, Los Angeles!
Phoenix Supercross/450 Class – Top 10
For full results click here>>>
1. Ryan Dungey (KTM) 2. Jake Weimer (KAW) 3. Ryan Villopoto (KAW) 4. Kevin Windham (HON) 5. Chad Reed (HON) 6. Andrew Short (HON) 7. Trey Canard (HON) 8. James Stewart (YAM) 9. Brett Metcalfe (SUZ) 10. Josh Hansen (KAW)
450/Supercross Class Points
For full points standings click here>>>
1 5 Ryan Dungey Belle Plaine, MN, USA 45 2 1 Ryan Villopoto Seattle, WA, USA 45 3 21 Jake Weimer Wildomar, ID, USA 38 4 22 Chad Reed Dade City, FL, USA 38 5 14 Kevin Windham Centreville, MS, USA 31 6 29 Andrew Short Smithville, TX, USA 29 7 7 James Stewart Haines City, FL, USA 28 8 10 Justin Brayton Murrieta, NC, USA 25 9 24 Brett Metcalfe Lake Elsinore, CA, USA 22 10 100 Joshua Hansen Elbert, CO, USA 22
