Stewart and Bogle Reignite Monster Energy SX in Toronto

It was a record setting night for the #7 in Canada. Photo by: Hoppenworld

There are nights in sports where truth blows away fiction, and round twelve of the 2014 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, in Toronto was definitely one of those nights. From the early morning announcement that Monster/Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto was in the hospital getting treated for food poisoning to Monster/Pro Cicuit/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo separating his shoulder in the first qualifying session and from GEICO/Honda’s Justin Bogle‘s first-ever win to Yoshimura/Suzuki’s James Stewart charging from 15th to 1st to get his record setting 49th win, it was a night of drama that signifies everything we love about SX.

The day started with the 450SX three-time defending champ and current points leader, Villopoto, in the hospital getting treatment for a vicious case of food poisoning and questions swirling as to whether or not he could even race. Those questions grew more intense when the #1 was nowhere to be found in qualifying, but incredibly, Ryan checked himself out of the hospital and used his provisional to line up on the far outside for heat #1. Villopoto had not done a lap when the gate dropped, so he used the heat race as practice, finished 9th and later qualified with a 2nd place finish in his semi. It was a gritty performance by a visibly weakened Villopoto.

When the gate dropped on the twelfth 450SX main event of the year, it was Red Bull/KTM’s Ken Roczen with the holeshot. Roczen was followed by Muscle Milk/Honda’s Justin Barcia, JGR/Yamaha’s Justin Brayton and Villopoto, but Villopoto was thoroughly eaten up by Red Bull/KTM’s Ryan Dungey, MotoSport.com’s Weston Peick and Discount Tire Racing’s Dean Wilson. It was rough to watch, and we were beginning to wonder how far the points leader would fall.

Up front Roczen and Barcia battled until lap six when Barcia found his way around the German and tried to check out. While some of the attention was on the leaders, the majority of the stadium was solidly focused on one man: James Stewart. After rounding the first turn around 15th, the #7 checked in after lap one in 11th and, by the time Barcia passed Roczen, he was all the way up to 6th. It was a charge we had not seen from James since round one in Anaheim, and one we had not seen him complete for a win in years. So, with that and the anticipation of not knowing what might happen, the focus turned from the leaders to Mr. Stewart.

Over the next six laps, James passed Peick, Brayton, Dungey and Roczen, and by lap thirteen, he had his hooks into Bam Bam for the lead. Once there, it was just a matter of time, and on lap fifteen, Barcia’s time in the lead ended. From there, it was a five-lap cruise to victory for the now second winningest rider in the history of Monster Energy Supercross. With James’ second win in a row and fourth win on the year, he surpassed Ricky Carmichael to stand alone in second on the all-time win list with forty-nine 450SX main event wins. Congratulations to quite possibly the most talented man to ever throw a leg over a dirt bike: James Bubba Stewart. Unbelievable ride tonight.

Behind James on the podium was Barcia in 2nd—with his best finish of 2014—and Dungey in 3rd. It was a great rebound ride for the #51 who has struggled all year long and another mechanically-solid performance for Dungey. While the #5 gained some points on Villopoto, he just did not have the speed to contest Justin or James in Canada.

Rounding out the top-five was Brayton in 4th and the #94 Roczen in 5th. We’re not sure exactly what happened to Roczen, but once James got around him, Dungey and Brayton did the same on the next two laps. Incredibly, the first man outside the top-five was Ryan Villopoto. After fading back to 9th, the points leader got a strange second wind and passed his way back to 6th. It was a championship performance from the proven champion. With that, Villopoto retains a twenty-five point lead over Dungey and thirty-nine point lead over Stewart.

While both Championship points leaders were in jeopardy before the drop of the gate in their heat races, Cianciarulo was not fortunate enough to salvage his lead. In qualifying, the rookie sensation crashed hard and popped his shoulder out of the socket. After getting his shoulder popped back in by the medics, Cianciarulo was able to qualify for the main, but his shoulder would not last the fifteen laps. After getting a second place start behind Justin Bogle, Cianciarulo’s shoulder popped back out of the socket and sent him off the track. Again, the medics got it back in, but after trying to re-enter the fight, the #46 realized it was not going to happen and called it a night. With only one point scored on the night, you could feel his frustration no matter where you were watching the race from.

Back on the track, the main event was all about the Oklahoman, Justin Bogle. The #32 grabbed the holeshot and never looked back en-route to his first-ever supercross win. With Justin breaking his back in November and not expected to even race, this was quite possibly the feel-good win of the season. With Justin’s win and Cianciarulo’s issue, the feel-good story could now possibly end in a championship. He entered the building twenty-three points back with four races to go and left the Rogers Centre five points back with three to go.

While Bogle’s win was wire-to-wire, there was nothing like that going on behind him. First it was Cianciarulo in 2nd. Then the surprise of the night, JAG Motorsports Matt Lemoine was in 2nd, then Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Martin Davalos, then Lemoine after a Davalos tip-over, then Davalos again. It was a wild race to watch, but eventually Davalos secured 2nd and, with that, a four-point lead over Cianciarulo in the Championship. Davalos will now display the red plate in St. Louis for the first time in his career.

After losing second place to Davalos, Lemoine then was under pressure from the other Monster/PC/Kawasaki of Blake Baggett. That pressure ended quickly, though, when Baggett pitched himself over the bars and out of the main event. It was a huge blow to Baggett who had been back in the Championship before his DNF. From there, despite some last lap pressure from Star Racing/Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin, Lemoine hung on to grab his first-ever professional podium in 3rd. Martin hung on to match his best finish of the year in 4th.

The last man in the 250SX top-five was the only Canadian representing Canada in Toronto. In a race that used to be a huge draw for the Canadian talent to showcase their speed versus the best in the U.S., Cole Thompson is now the only man the locals have to root for, eh. Thompson’s performance was his first-ever top-five, and I’m sure he was pumped to do it in his home country.

450SX Class Results: Toronto

1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
2. Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
4. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha
5. Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
6. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
7. Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki
8. Dean Wilson, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Kawasaki
9. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Suzuki
10. Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., KTM

450SX Class Season Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 246
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 221
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 207
4. Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 197
5. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 185
6. Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 156
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 153
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 126
9. Wil Hahn, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 122
10. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 111

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results: Toronto

1. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda
2. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Kawasaki
3. Matthew Lemoine, Pilot Point, Texas, Kawasaki
4. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha
5. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ontario, KTM
6. Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda
7. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha
8. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Honda
9. AJ Catanzaro, Portland, Conn., Honda

10. James Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Season Standings

1. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Kawasaki, 124
2. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki, 120
3. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda, 119
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 100
5. Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda, 90
6. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Honda, 76
7. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ontario, KTM, 74
8. Matthew Lemoine, Pilot Point, Texas, Kawasaki, 73
9. James Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda, 65
10. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 60

Toyota Triple Challenge Standings

1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 39
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo Wash., Kawasaki, 38
3. Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 38
4. Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 37
5. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 31
6. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 25
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 23
8. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 22
9. Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki, 16
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 14