2012 AMA Supercross St. Louis Results

Ryan Villopoto Wins In St. Louis

Ryan Villopoto is quickly running away with the AMA Supercross championship - Photo: Frank Hoppen
Ryan Villopoto is quickly running away with the AMA Supercross championship, as the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider was able to nab his fifth race of the season this past weekend in St. Louis, Missouri. Although Villopoto has won many races throughout his career, the rider had never actually stood on top of the podium in St. Louis before.

Davi Millsaps grabbed the holeshot early, but he couldn't stay ahead of Villopoto for long. Villopoto seized control on the second lap of the race and didn't lose his position from there out.

The only rider who seriously challenged Villopoto was Ryan Dungey. Despite starting behind, Dungey was able to charge into second place and make a late run at the leader. Ultimately, Dungey came up short and settled for second, keeping him in the championship conversation. Villopoto now leads the standings by 13 points.

"The track was tough tonight," said Villopoto. "I tried to ride smart and consistent, paying attention to where Dungey was at. I was able to hold on for another win and my first-ever in St. Louis."

Justin Brayton rounded out the podium, while fan favorite Kevin Windham took fourth. James Stewart managed to finish in fifth place despite a broken brake lever putting him at the back of the pack in the beginning of the race.

Ryan Dungey Lucky In St. Louis Earning Podium #7

Ryan Dungey's 7th podium of the season - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
Red Bull/KTM rider Ryan Dungey's weekend can be condensed into one number: 7. The AMA Supercross at the Edward Jones Dome marked his 7th podium of the season when he nearly caught series leader Ryan Villopoto to finish 2nd at the ninth round of the series. The second highlight of the evening came from Marvin Musquin who deserves special recognition for earning a top ten finish on his KTM 350 SX-F debut in the Supercross class.

Both riders turned impressive qualifying times in the afternoon practice sessions. Dungey turned the 2nd fastest time while Musquin managed to turn in the 6th fastest time. Both riders were placed in the first heat where they both pulled off decent starts and went on to easily transfer to the main event finishing 3rd and 6th place respectively.

Dungey had a horrible start off the gate in the main event but made some critical moves down the start straight to place his KTM into the top five by the time the lead group rounded the second corner. Musquin was not as fortunate and started the race in 16th. It was apparent from the start of the race that Dungey had some hot lines the other riders were not taking and that his lap times were matching those of the leader, Villopoto. Dungey passed Kevin Windham within the first two laps to jump up to 4th. He then reeled in Davi Millsaps to move into 3rd six laps later. He spent the next five laps hunting down Justin Brayton. He leaped in front of him to take over 2nd place and then began to catch Villopoto. When Dungey moved into 2nd position Villopoto had a nearly 6 second lead. Over the next five laps Dungey was able to reduce the lead to 2 seconds by the end of the 20 lap main event.

Marvin Musquin earned an impressive 9th place on his KTM 350 SX-F Supercross Class debut - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
"It feels really great to finish strong tonight," remarked Dungey. "I wish I could have had a better start but I am very satisfied with my performance tonight and am glad that I can keep my Red Bull/KTM Team in the championship hunt."

Musquin went on to earn an impressive 9th place result after charging through the pack from his poor start. "The 350 is an amazing bike," remarked Musquin. "I feel very comfortable on the bike and am so happy I was able to get a top ten finish. I will race the next two races in the Supercross class and hope to improve my results."

With nine rounds complete, Dungey remains 2nd in the championship point standings only 13 points behind Villopoto.

Next Event: Daytona Supercross - March 10, 2012

James Stewart Charges Back To 5th In St Louis

James Stewart charged back from a first lap crash to finish fifth overall
JGRMX Yamaha's James Stewart entertained more than 59,000 fans at the Edward Jones Dome in St Louis last Saturday as the former champion charged back from a first lap crash to classify fifth in what was the ninth round of seventeen in the AMA SX/FIM World Championship series.

After winning his heat race across a grippy and challenging layout Stewart had high hopes of taking a fifth podium result of the season (and perhaps a second victory after his win in Oakland) but his expectations were dashed with a poor getaway from the line and a slip on the first lap that left him eighteenth from the twenty riders.

At the front of the pack Stewart's team-mate Davi Millsaps grabbed the holeshot and circulated on the fringes of the top three, eventually being passed by the number '7' and Kevin Windham in the closing stages. Stewart made it all the way up to fifth and collected 16 points.

Davi Millsaps grabbed the holeshot and circulated on the fringes of the top three - Photo: Frank Hoppen
"Something happened off the gate and I got a really bad start and I fell on the first lap so I was even further back but I was riding really well and got back through the pack up until Davi," said the Floridian who is third in the standings and 53 points behind reigning champion and winner in Missouri Ryan Villopoto. "I got held up a little bit and kinda ran out of time. We'd been struggling all day but finally seemed to find the right setting. So, another bad start but I'm stoked with how it went after that. You bring your own luck on yourself. The further back I start back the more things that can possibly go wrong. That's what happening at the moment. We go to Daytona now and it should be good. The track will be a bit longer and you gotta be in shape to ride that one."

Kyle Cunningham was eighth on the YZ250F in the East Coast Lites series. The AMA Supercross campaign continues onto the Daytona Motor Speedway for round ten next Saturday.

Source: www.yamaha-racing.com

Brett Metcalfe Overcomes St. Louis Injury

Brett Metcalfe takes home 8th in the main event, despite injuring his leg in the practice session.
Team Yoshimura Suzuki's Brett Metcalfe overcame injury to put in another solid performance aboard his RM-Z450 at Saturday night's ninth round of the AMA/ FIM World Supercross series at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis in front of a record 60,000 crowd.

Although this weekend started slowly for the Yoshimura Suzuki team - after tweaking his leg in the first two practice sessions - Metcalfe was still able to make some real progress with the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 before race time.

Said Metcalfe: "This track suits me: The dirt's really tacky and gets nice ruts and it's tight and pretty technical. In the last practice, we made a change with the bike and I started to feel comfortable and get a good flow and be at one with the bike. I really want to thank the Yoshimura Suzuki team for getting me that."

At the onset of the evening's racing, Metcalfe's leg was still bothering him and he was forced to sit out the opening ceremonies. Despite this, the Australian managed to get the holeshot in his eight-lap heat race, lead the first few laps; and finish fourth. In the 20-lap Main Event, the 27 year old again got a good start and brought home eighth place.

Bret Metcalfe is feeling comfortable and confident on his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450.
"We got the holeshot in the heat race and that was a good start for us," said Metcalfe. "I rode solid and got a fourth and I was happy that I was riding well. In the Main Event, I got a good start but then I got pushed wide and got hung-up a little bit. But I was in a good flow and in race mode, more so than I've been all year. We only got an eighth and we're working on improving those results, but I think this weekend was a turning point for my season."

As the series' East Coast rounds continue, Metcalfe is feeling comfortable and confident on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450. As a result, he is counting down the days until next weekend's race in Florida.

Team Yoshimura Suzuki Racing's next event is the Daytona Supercross.
He said: "Daytona is always tough, both physically and mentally. It's more of an Outdoor track, but still with some gnarly Supercross obstacles. It's going to be tough, but I'm just really stoked with where the Suzuki's at right now and the feeling I have with the RM-Z450. I'm looking forward to a good week and being strong at Daytona and improving on the results we've been picking off."

Team Yoshimura Suzuki Racing's next event is the 10th round of the 2012 AMA/ FIM Supercross Championship on Saturday, March 10th, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Justin Barcia Breaks St. Louis Record With Victory

Justin Barcia became the first rider to win three straight times at the Edwards Dome in St. Louis - Photo: Frank Hoppen
Justin Barcia walked away from St. Louis with a victory and a new record to his name. The GEICO Honda rider became the first competitor in history to win three straight times at the Edwards Dome in St. Louis and is now the winningest rider in the track's history.

Not only has Barcia won three straight St. Louis Supercrosses going back to 2010, but he also picked up his third-straight victory of the Supercross Lites East season. Barcia grabbed the holeshot and never looked back, going wire-to-wire and leaving the other competitors fighting over second.

"I was hoping to be the first to win three straight," Barcia said. "There wasn't that much pressure on me, but I was thinking about it there on the last lap. It was great to get the holeshot and check out tonight. The dirt here in St. Louis is amazing. I am not changing anything as we head to the next race; if I keep doing this, I should win the championship."

The battle for second place came down to Justin Bogle and Ken Roczen, but Bogle made a critical error at the end of the race that caused him to crash and fall all the way back to fifth. Roczen took second and Honda's Blake Wharton caught a lucky break in order to make his way onto the podium.

Ken Roczen Keeps The Battle For The Title Alive

Ken Roczen's best finish of the 2012 season - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
2nd Place Finish At St. Louis Supercross

Red Bull/KTM rider Ken Roczen keeps the battle for the AMA East Supercross Lites title alive after earning a 2nd place finish at the St. Louis Supercross.

His podium result marked his best finish of the 2012 season. Roczen rode great all day starting from the early afternoon practice sessions where he qualified 3rd fastest. Despite a poor start in his heat race, Roczen put his head down and charged hard throughout the remaining six laps to finish in 4th place just a bike length shy of 3rd.

In the main event Roczen broke his streak of bad starts and garnered a 2nd place start after the first corner. Roczen remained in 2nd position throughout the entire race holding off heavy pressure and advances from competitor Justin Bogle. Roczen definitely held his own and turned in his strongest showing of the season when he crossed the checkered flag in 2nd place.

"I struggled the whole week with a cold and I felt like I was riding tight but I still managed to get my best finish of the season and I'm really happy for that. I'm really looking forward to next weekend in Daytona when my dad, sister and little niece all come over to join me at the race," stated Roczen after the event.

Next Event: Daytona Supercross - March 10, 2012

JDR/J-Star/KTM's Stewart Finishes 7th At St. Louis Supercross

Malcolm Stewart managed to race from outside the top ten to 7th overall - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
JDR/J-Star/KTM rider Malcolm Stewart managed to race from outside the top ten to pass up to 7th overall at the third round of the AMA East Supercross Lites Series held at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO. His teammate, PJ Larsen, suffered a crash at the tail end of the race that ended his night. Although uninjured, he was unable to finish the race and was credited with 17th.

The two teammates were placed in the opening heat of the Lites Supercross class. Larsen rocketed his KTM to a great start rounding the first corner in 3rd while Stewart had a worse beginning colliding with a rider off the start and coming from the end of the pack to around 10th place at the end of lap one. Larsen made a few minor mistakes but was able to hang on for a 5th place finish matching his best heat race finish of the season while Stewart fought his way up into qualifying position to finish 7th.

PJ Larsen rode in the top ten until several crashes ended his night, crediting him with 17th place overall - Photo: Hoppenworld.com
Both riders suffered from poor starts as the gate dropped for the main event. At the end of the first lap Larsen was sitting in 10th with Stewart directly behind him in 11th. The next lap, Larsen came together with Blake Baggett. Although neither rider went down, the contact smashed Larsen's shifter in and he was unable to shift for the remainder of the race. "When I made contact with Baggett, my shifter bent in and I was stuck in 3rd gear. It was a struggle from there," remarked Larsen. With three laps to go, Larsen was making a pass for 13th when another rider jumped into him causing him to crash, ending his night. He was credited with 17th. Meanwhile, his teammate had moved into the top ten and had begun to climb up in position. At the end of the fifteen laps Stewart had worked his way into 7th place for a decent end to a hard fought night.

Next Event: Daytona Supercross - March 10, 2012

St. Louis Overview And Point Standings

• Crowd: 59,742
  
• Weather: Dry
  
• Lap Record: 0:50.947 (Chad Reed, 2/18/2006)
  
• Last Years Winner: James Stewart
  
• Next Event: Daytona Beach, FL - March 10, 2012
  

1. Kawasaki - 207
   
2. KTM - 192
   
3. Honda - 179
   
4. Yamaha - 160
   
5. Suzuki - 124
   

1. Ryan Villopoto: 17:18.465
   
2. Ryan Dungey: +2.403
   
3. Justin Brayton: +7.611
   
4. Kevin Windham: +10.758
   
5. James Stewart: +14.951
   
6. David Millsaps: +19.059
   
7. Jake Weimer: +26.591
   
8. Brett Metcalfe: +28.639
   
9. Marvin Musquin: +43.309
   
10. Nicholas Wey: +48.253
    
11. Broc Tickle: +52.309
    
12. Matthew Goerke: -1 Lap
    
13. Mike Alessi: -1 Lap
    
14. Robert Kiniry: -1 Lap
    
15. Justin Sipes: -1 Lap
    
16. Kyle Chisholm: -1 Lap
    
17. Gavin Faith: -1 Lap
    
18. Jimmy Albertson: -1 Lap
    
19. Cole Seely: -6 Laps
    
20. Joshua Hansen: -12 Laps
    

1. Ryan Villopoto - 205
   
2. Ryan Dungey - 192
   
3. James Stewart - 152
   
4. Chad Reed - 128
   
5. Kevin Windham - 123
   
6. Jake Weimer - 120
   
7. Justin Brayton - 116
   
8. Brett Metcalfe - 113
   
9. David Millsaps - 109
   
10. Mike Alessi - 98
    
11. Joshua Hansen - 87
    
12. Kyle Chisholm - 82
    
13. Broc Tickle - 69
    
14. Nicholas Wey - 66
    
15. Andrew Short - 59
    
16. Robert Kiniry - 31
    
17. Kyle Partridge - 29
    
18. Matthew Goerke - 26
    
19. Weston Peick - 25
    
20. Ivan Tedesco - 21
    
21. Cole Seely - 17
    
22. Trey Canard - 14
    
23. Cody Mackie - 14
    
24. Marvin Musquin - 12
    
25. Justin Sipes - 12
    

1. Justin Barcia: 12:58.097
   
2. Ken Roczen: +7.921
   
3. Blake Wharton: +15.188
   
4. Darryn Durham: +16.032
   
5. Justin Bogle: +21.008
   
6. Jake Canada: +25.106
   
7. Malcolm Stewart: +27.398
   
8. Kyle Cunningham: +28.489
   
9. Blake Baggett: +30.023
   
10. Alex Martin: +39.967
    
11. Matthew Lemoine: +47.335
    
12. Hunter Hewitt: -1 Lap
    
13. Cole Thompson: -1 Lap
    
14. A Catanzaro: -1 Lap
    
15. Jeffrey Gibson: -1 Lap
    
16. Austin Politelli: -1 Lap
    
17. PJ Larsen: -2 Laps
    
18. Bradley Ripple: -2 Laps
    
19. Phillip Nicoletti: -9 Laps
    
20. Tyler Bowers: -10 Laps
    

1. Justin Barcia - 75
   
2. Ken Roczen - 57
   
3. Darryn Durham - 56
   
4. Blake Wharton - 56
   
5. Justin Bogle - 43
   
6. Jake Canada - 41
   
7. Blake Baggett - 40
   
8. Hunter Hewitt - 31
   
9. Malcolm Stewart - 29
   
10. Kyle Cunningham - 28
    
11. PJ Larsen - 26
    
12. Alex Martin - 21
    
13. Lance Vincent - 21
    
14. Cole Thompson - 20
    
15. Matthew Lemoine - 20
    
16. Phillip Nicoletti - 18
    
17. Austin Politelli - 15
    
18. Les Smith - 12
    
19. Shane Sewell - 11
    
20. A Catanzaro - 7
    
21. Angelo Pellegrini - 7
    
22. Jeffrey Gibson - 6
    
23. Shawn Rife - 6
    
24. Levi Kilbarger - 5
    
25. Daniel Herrlein - 4