2012 AMA Supercross Arlington Results

Ryan Villopoto Wins Third Straight Race

Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, and Jake Weimer take the winner's podium - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
Although the beginning of this year's AMA Supercross season was extremely competitive, with four different riders winning the first four races, it's since become all about Ryan Villopoto.

The Kawasaki rider notched his third straight win and fourth overall at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. With the win, the defending champion has put himself in a strong position to repeat this year.

Villopoto ultimately led every lap in the race, but he wasn't uncontested. Jeff Alessi grabbed the holeshot early, but Villopoto quickly passed him. However, Honda competitor Chad Reed wasn't going to let Villopoto get away so easily, recalling memories of last week when the two riders dueled for first.

Unfortunately, Reed may not be providing such stiff competition for the rest of the season. On the seventh lap, the rider wobbled going into the tricky whoops section, flipping over his handlebars and going down hard. Reed clutched his knee instantly and the injury appeared to be serious.

There was another battle for second place after Reed went down, with Jake Weimer and Ryan Dungey jockeying for position. At one point, Weimer and Dungey collided, with the impact breaking Weimer's shift lever. That meant Dungey was able to pass him for second on the final lap as Weimer was stuck in first gear.

Ryan Dungey Impresses At Arlington Supercross - 2nd Overall

Ryan Dungey impressed the Texas crowd over the weekend - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
Red Bull/KTM Factory Team rider Ryan Dungey impressed the Texas crowd during the seventh round of the AMA Supercross Series held at the Cowboy Stadium when he came from a poor start to finish 2nd overall for the night.

Dungey had a rough start to the day when he suffered a crash in the first lap of his heat. A rider swapped in front of Dungey forcing him to jump to the other side which knocked him off balance in the middle of the pack. Luckily Dungey was able to avoid colliding with any other riders and quickly picked his bike up to get back in the action. He restarted in last position and worked the entire eight laps passing forward to move into qualifying position. With a lap to go he moved into 9th place and crossed the checkers in the final transfer spot.

Dungey had his work cut out for him again in the main event. This time he had a great jump off the gate but got pushed back in the first corner and came into the first rhythm section in 14th place. He quickly moved into the top ten in the first lap and continued to pick up positions from there. On lap thirteen he made the pass against Windham for 5th and then passed Mike Alessi for 4th two laps later. With only five laps to go he started to reel in the 3rd place ride of Jake Weimer. With two laps to go, Dungey was on Weimer's rear wheel. He made the pass once after a rhythm section but Weimer was able to get him back. On the final lap, Dungey charged again and this time made the pass stick to takeover 2nd position. He crossed the finish line a few turns later to take home 2nd for the night and move up to 2nd in the overall point standings.

Ryan Dungey took second for the night, and in points too - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
"I felt really good tonight," remarked Dungey. "Our team made some great improvements to the bike over the last week and I felt very comfortable all day. I'm glad I was able to make the pass on the final lap. I am happy with my finish tonight and am grateful to the Red Bull/KTM Team for all their hard work."

Next Round: Atlanta Supercross - February 25, 2012

James Stewart Takes 6th In Arlington

James Stewart recovered from a collision to finish sixth overall.
Over 50,000 spectators lined the seat rows of the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the seventh round of the AMA Supercross series - also an FIM World Championship - and saw JGRMX's James Stewart recover from a collision with team-mate Davi Millsaps early in the main event to cross the finish line in sixth position.

Stewart could not deliver Yamaha's 11th win from 33 Supercross events in the Dallas/Fort Worth area due to the incident across what was a hard and slick track, one that punished mistakes as seen by the crash suffered by Chad Reed. The pair touched when Millsaps hit the dirt in a turn and Stewart had nowhere to go. The Floridian then lost time through needing to restart his machine.

The former Champion claimed his first SX class victory in Dallas but lucked-out on this occasion and is now looking at a hefty 42 point gap to Ryan Villopoto in the standings as the champion claimed his third victory in a row.

"Sixth place is not where we want to be. I got a bad start...that's when things happen. Davi fell and I ran into him and that's when I stalled the bike," said Stewart. "I did my best to come up and reached sixth from nineteenth and nearly got fifth. I've got faith that luck will start to roll my way soon!"

With seven rounds chalked off is starting to near the half way stage but the teams and riders still have another six consecutive weekends of racing before their first and only respite of the 'Indoor' season. Round eight will take place at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta this Saturday.

Source: www.yamaha-racing.com

Brett Metcalfe Fights To Texas SX Top-10

Brett Metcalfe overcame adversity to claim a top-10 finish.
Yoshimura Suzuki's Brett Metcalfe overcame adversity to claim a top-10 finish at the weekend's seventh-round AMA/ World Supercross Championship race at Arlington Stadium in Texas after crashing heavily in his heat race.

The tough Aussie put it behind him and raced his RM-Z450 Suzuki to eighth place in the 20-lap Main Event and currently holds seventh in the series standings after seven of the 17-round series that concludes in Las Vegas on May 5th.

Going into the weekend, the Yoshimura Suzuki squad was more than ready to race. Metcalfe concentrated on his starts during the previous week and he was feeling good about his chances on the tight, technical Texas track, but unfortunately a crash during the afternoon qualifying practice set him back a little. Despite this, he rallied-on and finished an impressive fourth in his eight-lap heat race.

"I was feeling pretty good coming into Dallas," said Metcalfe. "We had some positive practice sessions, but then I crashed in practice and that kind of shook me up. I'm still a little bit sore from that, but we got through practice and then qualifying went well. In the heat race, I got a really good start - that's something I've been working on - and the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 has been gaining well. In the heat race, I ended up fourth and I was happy with that, because I had a good ride going."

Brett Metcalfe took eighth, even though his bike was stuck in second gear.
Looking back at the start of the 20-lap Main, Metcalfe regretted his gate pick: He came off the line and went sideways, winding up at near-the-back of the pack. He tried to pick his way through the tight and twisty field, launched over the triple-jump only to narrowly-miss landing on another rider. Although contact was made, both riders resumed racing, but for Metcalfe, the contact resulted in a bent shift lever that was stuck in second gear. Regardless, he was still able to manage an eighth-placed finish.

"That first lap was just really, really crazy," said Metcalfe. "The track's tight and there were bikes jamming-up everywhere. I hit the triple and I nearly landed on somebody and it really scared me. Then, I realized that my shifter had 'gotten bent so I was stuck in second gear. Luckily, this was the kind of track where you could get away with using one gear for the whole lap, so it wasn't so bad for me. After that, I backed it down because I just wanted to finish the race. That was really it for me for the night. I'm just happy I got through it."

Always looking forward, the Yoshimura Suzuki rider is already focusing on next weekend's race in Georgia.

Said Metcalfe: "I think everyone loves to go to Atlanta because the dirt's really good and the track's always fun. I just want to have a solid week of practice, get some rest and get ready for Atlanta."

Justin Barcia Wins Opening Lites East Race

Justin Barcia battled with Darryn Durham for first place - Photo: Frank Hoppen
The AMA Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class got underway with a bang in Arlington, Texas, at Cowboys Stadium, with the relatively unknown Darryn Durham putting in a strong showing early on.

Durham may not be a familiar name to many Supercross fans, but he grabbed the holeshot early and led for much of the race. Justin Bogle, racing in his first AMA Supercross race, was right behind him in second place.

Yet by the end of the night, neither would be on top of the podium. Bogle's teammate Justin Barcia charged hard and passed both Durham and Bogle on his way to victory.

"They didn't make it easy on me tonight," said Barcia. "I had a great night, and the team didn't really have to make any major changes to the bike coming into tonight's Main Event. I have learned a lot from the past few years, and it paid off tonight. I am going to Atlanta next weekend with the points lead."

Durham was able to hang on for second place, holding off Ken Roczen at the end of the race. Bogle unfortunately ended up crashing with Malcolm Stewart and finished all the way back in fourteenth.

Ken Roczen Earns Podium At Opening East Lites Supercross

Ken Roczen takes 3rd at the first East Lites race - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
The Red Bull/KTM ride of Ken Roczen landed on the podium in his first outing this season at the opening round of the AMA East Lites Supercross Series at the Cowboy Stadium.

Roczen, who has only been back on the bike for two weeks after recovering from a pre-season wrist injury, impressed fans during the morning practice sessions earning the 2nd fastest lap time. He continued to turn heads when he lined up for the evening program in the first heat and came around the first corner in 2nd position. Within the first few corners he leaped ahead of Blake Baggett to move into the lead. He quickly pulled ahead and went on to lead every lap of the race to take the first heat win of the season.

"I felt so comfortable on the track," remarked Roczen. "My bike was working awesome and the track was so much fun to ride. I am really looking forward to the main event."

"It's a great feeling to land on the podium at the first round" - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
In the main event Roczen started inside the top ten and quickly moved toward the top five. He crossed the line in 6th place after lap one and had moved up to 4th by the second lap. He remained in 4th position behind Justin Bogle through the tenth lap when he was finally able to make the pass stick on Bogle and take over the final podium position. He rode strong the final few laps and held on to take his first podium of the season.

"It's a great feeling to land on the podium at the first round," remarked Roczen. "I took a little long to make my passes tonight but overall I am happy to be up here and earn some good points toward the championship."

Next Round: Atlanta, GA - February 25, 2012

JDR/J-Star/KTM Race Report - Arlington Supercross

Malcolm Stewart finished 6th overall at Cowboy Stadium - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
JDR/J-Star/KTM riders Malcolm Stewart and PJ Larsen finished 6th and 8th at the opening round of the AMA East Lites Supercross Series held at Cowboy Stadium.

Both riders had decent practice times during the morning qualifying sessions and were looking forward to lining up for their first heat race of the season. Larsen was up first in heat number one where he earned a mid-pack start and was able to come up to 5th place to qualify into the main event. In heat number two Stewart launched off the line to a 6th place start. During the six lap heat he was able to pass all the way up to 3rd to earn a great gate pick for the main event.

In the main event Stewart earned an impressive start inside the top five. On lap two he was sitting in 5th place behind Ken Roczen. The top five riders remained close throughout the majority of the race making a very entertaining main event for the Dallas crowd. Stewart closed in on Justin Bogle during the tail end of the race and made a pass right after the whoop section. The two riders collided during the pass and caused both riders to lose positions. Stewart reentered the race in 9th position with only a few laps to go. He quickly made a few more passes to move up to 6th place by the end of the race. His teammate, Larsen, started the race inside the top ten and rode a consistent pace to finish 8th overall for the night.

PJ Larsen rode a consistent pace to finish 8th overall - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
JDR/J-Star/KTM Team Manager Nathan Ramsey, commented, "Overall we are excited that both of our team riders finished inside the top ten tonight. However, we know that both riders are capable of finishing inside the top five and we are looking forward to the next round for another chance to finish up top."

Next Round: Atlanta, GA - February 25, 2012

Arlington Overview And Point Standings

• Circuit Length: Unknown
  
• Crowd: 53,952
  
• Weather: Dry
  
• Last Years Winner: Trey Canard
  
• Next Event: Atlanta, GA - February 25, 2012
  

1. Kawasaki - 160
   
2. KTM - 145
   
3. Honda - 143
   
4. Yamaha - 124
   
5. Suzuki - 99
   

1. Ryan Villopoto: 16:14.029
   
2. Ryan Dungey: +8.027
   
3. Jake Weimer: +9.242
   
4. Mike Alessi: +24.564
   
5. Joshua Hansen: +28.855
   
6. James Stewart: +31.132
   
7. Kevin Windham: +33.983
   
8. Brett Metcalfe: +44.432
   
9. Justin Brayton: +52.025
   
10. Kyle Chisholm: -1 Lap
    
11. Broc Tickle: -1 Lap
    
12. Nicholas Wey: -1 Lap
    
13. Kyle Partridge: -1 Lap
    
14. Robert Kiniry: -1 Lap
    
15. David Millsaps: -1 Lap
    
16. Matthew Goerke: -1 Lap
    
17. Gavin Faith: -2 Laps
    
18. Nico Izzi: -11 Laps
    
19. Jeff Alessi: -13 Laps
    
20. Chad Reed: -14 Laps
    

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. Joshua Hansen - 80
    
11. David Millsaps - 76
    
12. Kyle Chisholm - 67
    
13. Andrew Short - 59
    
14. Broc Tickle - 54
    
15. Nicholas Wey - 44
    
16. Kyle Partridge - 25
    
17. Weston Peick - 24
    
18. Ivan Tedesco - 21
    
19. Robert Kiniry - 17
    
20. Trey Canard - 14
    

1. Justin Barcia: 12:25.202
   
2. Darryn Durham: +5.092
   
3. Ken Roczen: +5.178
   
4. Blake Wharton: +25.245
   
5. Phillip Nicoletti: +26.668
   
6. Malcolm Stewart: +28.931
   
7. Jake Canada: +33.643
   
8. PJ Larsen: +36.457
   
9. Cole Thompson: +38.395
   
10. Lance Vincent: +41.207
    
11. Alex Martin: +47.590
    
12. Hunter Hewitt: -1 Lap
    
13. Austin Politelli: -1 Lap
    
14. Justin Bogle: -1 Lap
    
15. Blake Baggett: -2 Laps
    
16. Les Smith: -2 Laps
    
17. Angelo Pellegrini: -2 Laps
    
18. Sean Hackley: -9 Laps
    
19. Matthew Lemoine: -14 Laps
    
20. Kyle Cunningham: DNF
    

1. Justin Barcia - 25
   
2. Darryn Durham - 22
   
3. Ken Roczen - 20
   
4. Blake Wharton - 18
   
5. Phillip Nicoletti - 16
   
6. Malcolm Stewart - 15
   
7. Jake Canada - 14
   
8. PJ Larsen - 13
   
9. Cole Thompson - 12
   
10. Lance Vincent - 11
    
11. Alex Martin - 10
    
12. Hunter Hewitt - 9
    
13. Austin Politelli - 8
    
14. Justin Bogle - 7
    
15. Blake Baggett - 6
    
16. Les Smith - 5
    
17. Angelo Pellegrini - 4
    
18. Sean Hackley - 3
    
19. Matthew Lemoine - 2
    
20. Kyle Cunningham - 0