After last weekend's mud-fest that was Daytona, Round 11 of the 2008 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM Championship, retreated north to the climate controlled comforts of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. In the 20-lap Supercross main, it was local boy Rockstar Makita Suzuki Ryan Dungey, with the holeshot in front of his 40,000-plus home crowd. Following him into Turn 1 was Yamaha's Josh Hill, Torco Racing Fuels Honda's Kevin Windham, San Manuel Yamaha's Reed and Dungey's teammate, David Vuillemin. Red Bull Honda's Davi Millsaps, who suffered a horrible start, circulated in 10th after Lap 1.
Josh Hill scored his first Supercross victory with a strong, steady ride in Minneapolis.
Last time knobbies hit the dirt here in Minneapolis was in 2004 and it was Windham who took the premier class win and Kawasaki's James Stewart blazing the Lites division. With Stewart and his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Tim Ferry out for the rest of the season, it should have been that much easier for Windham who won at last weekend's rain-soaked Daytona race.
Hill motored his YZ450F past Dungey on Lap 4, meanwhile Reed was moving up through the field eventually settling in third place right behind Dungey. Reed continued to put pressure on the Minnesota rider and finally made an inside pass on Lap 6. Reed continued to inch forward, steadily making up ground on Hill, but when he got his Yamaha within striking distance he made a huge mistake in the whoops section, crashing his motorcycle in a most spectacular fashion. Reed quickly remounted but was pushed back to eighth position. Reed's mistake, however, moved his primary points challenger, Windham, into third position.
Hill continued to put in consistent laps and would remain untouchable en route to his first-ever AMA Supercross win - and the first rider ever to claim their maiden victory in Minnesota.
"Getting second was amazing a few races ago," said Hill. "I do not know how to put it into words this win. The season has had its ups and downs, but this is huge for me. Yamaha put faith in me, and I am grateful for that."
Taking the checkered flag behind Hill would be the hometown hero Dungey, Windham, and Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short. Millsaps finished in sixth position followed by Reed.
Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey (28) is proving that he has what it takes to run with the big dogs with a holeshot and runner-up finish in the Metrodome.
"I ripped out of the gate tonight and had a good lead," said Dungey. "The crowd was behind me 100%, and I could hear them on every lap. This is only my third race in this class, so I very happy.
AMA Supercross Results:
1. Josh Hill, Yam
2. Ryan Dungey, Suz
3. Kevin Windham, Hon
4. Andrew Short, Hon
5. Thomas Hahn, Kaw
6. Davi Millsaps, Hon
7. Chad Reed, Yam
8. David Vuillemin, Suz
9. Travis Preston, Kaw
10. Nathan Ramsey, Yam
AMA Supercross Overall Standings:
1. Reed, 237
2. Windham, 220
3. Short, 172
4. Millsaps, 164
5. Ferry, 137
Supercross Lites
Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto took the win in spectacular fashion over Torco Racing Fuels Honda's Josh Grant tonight in the 15-lap Lites main.
Josh Grant (20) battled tooth and nail with Ryan Villopoto (2) for the entire main event before crashing within spitting distance of the finish line and handing away the win.
Grant nailed the Progressive Direct holeshot with Villopoto, the Honda of Billy Payne, MDK KTM's Martin Davalos and Red Bull Honda's Ben Coisy all hot in pursuit. Eastern region points leader and Torco Racing Fuel Honda rider, Trey Canard, suffered a poor start and was relegated to ninth position after the first lap.
Villopoto immediately went to work putting pressure on Grant. Together the two riders began to open a small gap over the rest of the 22-rider field. Coisy was the first casualty of the race when he crashed by himself on Lap 4. The Frenchman narrowly missed getting hit by the bikes behind but eventually remounted, however he was out of podium contention.
Up front, Grant and Villopoto were dicing back and forth with Villopoto making his way past the Honda rider on Lap 6. But Grant would immediately retaliate and regain the front position. Canard was rapidly moving through the field putting his CRF250R into fourth position behind the KTM of Davalos.
Coming up to the checkered flag Villopoto and Grant were neck and neck but the Honda rider would crash off a double thereby handing the win to Villopoto.
Villopoto was finally able to get the winless monkey off his back, but it's a long way to the top points position.
"I came here ready to race tonight," said Villopoto. "I am still behind in the points, so I have a lot of catching up to do.
Grant quickly remounted, salvaging a second-place finish. Despite crashing out of an potential win, Grant was still satisfied with how the evening went.
"This is how I should be racing," said Grant. "I have been having a tough season so far, but I am really proud of the way the I rode tonight."
Davalos would take the third spot, his best finish of the year, followed by Canard and MDK KTM's Ryan Sipes.
Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Results:
1. Ryan Villopoto, Kaw
2. Josh Grant, Hon
3. Martin Davalos, KTM
4. Trey Canard, Hon
5. Ryan Sipes, KTM
6. Tyler Bowers, Yam
7. Ryan Morais, Yam
8. Kyle Partridge, Hon
9. Nico Izzi, Suz
10. Billy Payne, Hon
Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Overall Standings:
1. Canard, 93
2. Villopoto, 69
3. Sipes, 67
4. Izzi, 54
5. Davalos, 53
