Courtesy of AMA Pro Racing
As the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF entered the second half of the 2008 season, the same familiar faces remained on top. Monster Energy Kawasaki's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., led every moment of the Monster Energy Budds Creek Motocross National, bringing his record to 14-0 in motos and 7-0 overall. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., extended his points lead en route to his 12th and 13th consecutive moto victories.
Monster Kawasaki Energy rider James Stewart extended his lead over the rest of the AMA MX field with a sweep at Budds Creek.
Stewart was untouchable all day, sweeping the BTOSports.com Holeshot Awards for the first time this season and never looking back. The Kawasaki rider earned his first overall victory at Budds Creek, ending an eight-year reign by now-retired Ricky Carmichael. Stewart's combined margin of victory was more than 42 seconds.
Monster Energy Kawasaki's Tim Ferry, of Largo, Fla., took second overall after showcasing his endurance in two runner-up moto finishes. Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, rounded out the overall podium after battling with Ferry and posting back-to-back third place finishes.
"Once I got the (BTOSports.com Holeshot Awards), I just rode my own race and it was good," explained Stewart. "I don't mind if I have to come up through the pack or be out front. I've just been fortunate to come out in the front of the pack. I thought that if I didn't get the jump I just wanted to at least be on the inside. I just cut in and got on the gas quicker and beat them to the top of the hill. The easiest thing for me is to just race lap by lap and beat the time I'm up against. Today I feel like I did that and to me it's all about just hitting lines and having fun."
As the AMA Motocross Lites blasted out of the gates in moto one, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., grabbed his second BTOSports.com Holeshot Award of the season, parlaying it into third. Villopoto battled through traffic to overcome a slow start and grab the lead for good on lap four. Geico Powersports Honda's Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., came home in second. In the final moto, Canard sped to his first BTOSports.com Holeshot Award of the season but found trouble on lap 11 and failed to finish. Dungey capitalized on Canard's misfortune to grab second in the moto and second overall. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Brett Metcalfe, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., rounded out the podium for the second moto and took third overall after a fifth place performance in moto one. Villopoto worked through traffic in the opening portion of the moto again, taking the lead on lap three to maintain his undefeated record at Budds Creek and notch his third straight overall victory at the facility.
"I've been able to ride good here the last three years," said Villopoto. "I like the track. I like going the other way a little better, but it turned out decent. I didn't get the start I wanted in both motos so I just had to put my head down, get around the guys, and pull the gap. I don't want to put myself into a position to get taken out. I just take my time, look for some lines, and work around guys. The lap time was kind of short today, which makes it harder because it becomes more mental."
Stewart currently holds a 105-point lead over teammate Ferry in the AMA Motocross standings. In AMA Motocross Lites, Villopoto has a 103-point advantage over Dungey.
Same day coverage of the AMA Motocross class can be seen at 10 p.m. ET on SPEED with a AMA Motocross Lites show on Thursday, July 24 at 2 p.m. ET. The AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF travels to New York next weekend with the Monster Energy National at Unadilla Presented by Renegade Haulers from Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, N.Y.
Motocross (Moto Finish)
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 1-1
2. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 2-2
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 3-3
4. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 4-6
5. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 7-4
6. Cody Cooper, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 5-5
7. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM, 8-7
8. Jimmy Albertson, Ozark, Mo., Honda, 11-8
9. Jeff Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Honda, 9-10
10. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 14-9
Motocross Class Point Standings
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 350
2. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 245
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Teas., Honda, 221
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 221
5. Davi Millsaps, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda, 203
6. Michael Byrne, Newman, Ga., Suzuki, 198
7. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM, 162
8. Jeff Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Honda, 143
9. Cody Cooper, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 134
10. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 123
Motocross Lites (Moto Finish)
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 1-1
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 3-2
3. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 5-4
4. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 10-3
5. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Honda, 7-5
6. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., KTM, 6-7
7. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair, Mich., Suzuki, 8-6
8. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 2-30
9. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 4-19
10. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 15-8
Motocross Lites Point Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 341
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 238
3. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 198
4. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 187
5. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair, Mich., Suzuki, 154
6. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Kawasaki, 152
7. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 149
8. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., KTM, 130
9. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 120
10. Dan Reardon, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 116
