Ryan Villopoto wins the 450cc supercross finale, while Jason Anderson and Justin Bogle clinch 250cc titles, and Justin Hill wins the East-West Shootout.
Having clinched his fourth consecutive 450cc championship at the previous round, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto closed out the 2014 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season with a win at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas last night, a night in which the 250cc classes are as celebrated as the big-bike class. Rockstar Energy Racing KTM’s Justin Anderson and GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle both clinched 250cc titles in their respective regions, and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Justin Hill scored a huge win in the Dave Coombs Sr. East-West 250cc Shootout.
450cc Main Event
With six 450cc supercross wins and the 2014 title already under his belt this season, Villopoto had little to prove, but he went for it anyway, shooting past teammate Jake Weimer early on the first lap of the main event and pulled away, building a 13.9-second lead over second place on the dry-slick and rough Sam Boyd track by the time the 20-lap main event was finished. It was Villopoto’s 41st career AMA 450cc Supercross win.
“The whole Monster Energy Kawasaki team has been working hard,” Villopoto said. “Something clicked. I don’t know if it was me or the bike, but it was something minor, and I was able to reel off these wins.”
Behind Villopoto, Red Bull KTM teammates Ryan Dungey and Ken Roczen also got past Weimer and battled the entire distance for the second and third positions. Dungey pulled clear of Roczen to finish second with just under 5 seconds in hand. Roczen was third, ahead of Muscle Milk Honda’s Justin Barcia fourth and Weimer fifth.
The 450cc main was largely uneventful until, with three laps to go, Weimer went over the bars in the whoops and handed fifth place to JGR Yamaha’s Josh Grant, who promptly crashed just a few feet farther down the track. The resulting mix-up shuffled the back half of the top 10. Muscle Milk Honda’s Trey Canard moved up to fifth, followed by RCH Soaring Eagle Suzuki’s Josh Hill, Grant and Weimer. N-Fab Yamaha’s Chris Blose finished ninth, and BTO Sports KTM’s Andrew Short was 10th.
The night was a bust for Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart, who had clearly rebounded from the knee injury he suffered in the main event a week ago in New Jersey. Stewart won the second heat race in Las Vegas, but a fork issue in the main event forced him to pull off the track, and he was credited with last place.
250cc West Main Event
But Las Vegas is equally a showcase for the 250cc ranks, and there were titles to be decided in both the East and West regions, along with the tremendous bragging rights afforded to the winner of the Dave Coombs Sr. 250cc East-West Shootout.
Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb got a fantastic start in the 15-lap 250cc Western Region main event, with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson and Justin Hill slotting into the second and third positions early. Seely was seventh, with Anderson right behind him in eighth. All Anderson needed to do was follow Seely around the track to clinch the title.
Wilson caught Webb on lap eight, aided by the fact that Webb rolled a set of jumps in a rhythm section where two riders had crashed. There was no medical flag shown, and Wilson jumped the section normally, putting him on Webb’s rear wheel as the two entered the long whoop section. The two battled back and forth before Wilson took the lead over the finish line jump. Webb retook the lead by blocking Wilson in a right-hand corner, but Wilson got it back with six laps to go.
Meanwhile, Seely had moved to fourth, with his Troy Lee Designs Honda teammate, Malcolm Stewart, fifth, and Anderson way back in sixth.
Webb took one last run at Wilson on the last lap, but Wilson held on for his eighth career 250cc win, followed by Webb and Hill. A few seconds later, Anderson crossed the line in sixth place, behind Seely and Stewart to claim the AMA Western Region 250cc Championship.
“I won this race, and it’s awesome, but Jason got the championship, and that’s something that I have always wanted.” Wilson said. “You know, maybe it’s just not in the cards for me, but congratulations to Jason. [He was] solid all year. He rode awesome, so you’ve just got to give it to him.
“But it was a really good race with me and Cooper,” Wilson continued. “The middle rhythm section, it was super muddy in the middle. Every lap it was tricky, and I messed it the last lap, and I was stressed. “Coop Dog” rode awesome. He was throwing it in there, and it was good racing.
Anderson had said earlier in the day that winning a supercross title was something he had been dreaming about since he was 16, and now the West title was his.
“It’s surreal, you know?” Anderson said. “Everyone on that line out there dedicates their life to this sport, and very few are able to hold up this number one plate. For my family, for all my supporters and for my team, Rockstar Energy Racing, this is for them. I’m just beyond excited. I’m just happy. This is a great accomplishment for me.”
250cc East Main Event
Lining up right behind the 250cc West main event was the Eastern Region 250cc series finale, where GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle was all set to be crowned practically by virtue of being the last man standing in a series where injuries decimated many of the title contenders.
But Bogle proved to be worthy of the title by grabbing the holeshot in the 15-lap East main event. Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin got away in second place, followed by GEICO Honda’s Matt Bisceglia.
Bogle was content to click off smooth laps out front, but Martin was hungry to land a win in the final race of the season, and he charged after Bogle, Martin caught Bogle in one of the whoop sections on lao six and made a pass for the lead in the following jump section. Bogle tried to get back around Martin in the next corner, but Martin pushed him aide and held onto the lead. At that point, Bogle clearly focused on the championship rather than the race win, and he let Martin ride away. Bisceglia continued to circulate in third place.
Martin went on to win the race with about 1.5 seconds in hand over Bogle, who won the war and claimed the AMA 250cc Eastern Region Supercross Championship. Bisceglia finished third, earning his first career podium finish in supercross.
“It’s definitely emotional,” said Bogle who missed most of last season due to injury. “It has been a long, bumpy road for me to get up to this point, and I just have to give it up to my team. I’ve got to give thanks to the man above for even blessing me with the opportunity to be racing this year and making this comeback. I’m definitely happy. I’m going to celebrate this tonight and this weekend, and then it is back to work.”
Martin felt like his win proved that he is for real and can win at the top level.
“At the beginning of this season, I didn’t even qualify,” Martin said. “To be able to leave the last round with a win is awesome, and it shows that I overcame a lot.”
Dave Coombs Sr. East-West Shootout
With the 250cc titles decided, bragging rights were on the line in the Dave Coombs Sr. East-West Shootout, the one race a year that pits the best riders from both regions in the same race. It was anyone’s guess as to who would come away with the win.
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit’s Justin Hill staked his claim immediately when he grabbed the holeshot in the battle of 250cc supercross elites, followed by GEICO Honda’s Matt Bisceglia and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson. Anderson was the first of the two 250cc champs to round turn one, in fourth, and he quickly drew closer to Wilson, who slammed Bisceglia off the track to take over second place.
Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Malcolm Stewart moved into fourth place, but his time there was short-lived, as he endo’d over a jump in the sand section on lap three and crashed hard. Stewart was able to limp away from the crash, but his race was over.
Hill continued to run up front through lap five, but Wilson was slowly reeling him in, while Anderson remained third, ahead of Cooper Webb, Justin Bogle and Jeremy Martin, all of whom had been major players in the 250cc mains earlier in the night. Bogle turned a horrific-looking moment into humor when he drifted off line over a jump, tagged a Tuff Blok and crashed hard with four laps to go. Bogle was unhurt, and he quickly jumped to his feet and gestured the baseball “safe” signal.
Hill stayed solid despite Wilson’s advances, and he pulled off a huge win, followed by Hill and Anderson. Webb and Martin completed the top five.
“This is unbelievable,” Hill said. “I felt throughout the season that I was a podium guy, for sure, and that I could win races. I honestly was a little timid coming into that East-West Shootout just because we have more guys. I was like, ‘I’ve got to get a good start, and I’ve got to run away.’ I executed as good as I could, and it worked.”
The 2014 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series is now in the history books. For most of the professional motocross riders and teams, focus shifts toward the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, which kicks off its season at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, May 24.
Sam Boyd Stadium
Las Vegas, Nevada
Results: May 3, 2014 (Round 17 of 17)
450 Main
1. Ryan Villopoto-Kaw
2. Ryan Dungey-KTM
3. Ken Roczen-KTM
4. Justin Barcia-Hon
5. Trey Canard-Hon
6. Josh Hill-Suz
7. Josh Grant-Yam
8. Jake Weimer-Kaw
9. Chris Blose-Hon
10. Andrew Short-KTM
11. Kyle Chisholm-Yam
12. Ben Lamay-Yam
13. Jimmy Albertson-Hon
14. Nick Schmidt-Hon
15. Cody Gilmore-Kaw
16. Kyle Regal-Hon
17. Mike Alessi-Suz
18. Ronnie Stewart-Suz
19. Bracken Hall-Hon
20. Weston Peick-Suz
21. Tyler Bowers-Kaw
22. James Stewart-Suz
Monster Energy AMA 450cc Supercross Series Points Standings (After 17 of 17 rounds)
1. Ryan Villopoto-368/7 wins
2. Ryan Dungey-304/1 win
3. Ken Roczen-285/2 wins
4. James Stewart-272/5 wins
5. Justin Barcia-250
6. Andrew Short-218
7. Justin Brayton-196
8. Josh Hill-159
9. Broc Tickle-126
10. Mike Alessi-123
11. Wil Hahn-122
12. Weston Peick-120
13. Eli Tomac-115
14. Chad Reed-111/2 wins
15. Nick Wey-102
16. Josh Grant-98
17. Chris Blose-78
18. Trey Canard-Hon/77
19. Matt Goerke-KTM/75
20. Jake Weimer-Kaw/73
250cc Western Region Main (Round 8 of 8)
1. Dean Wilson-Kaw
2. Cooper Webb-Yam
3. Justin Hill-Kaw
4. Cole Seely-Hon
5. Malcolm Stewart-Hon
6. Jason Anderson-KTM*
7. Zach Osborne-Hon
8. Shane Mcelrath-Hon
9. Jessy Nelson-Hon
10. Jake Canada-Hon
11. Michael Leib-Hon
12. Scott Champion-Yam
13. Zackery Freeberg-Yam
14. Dakota Tedder-Kaw
15. Preston Mull-Yam
16. Chad Gores-Hon
17. Blake Lilly-KTM
18. Chris Howell-Yam
19. Ruben Alanis-KTM
20. Colton Aeck-Hon
21. Aaron Siminoe-Kaw
22. Ross Johnson-Hon
*Clinched series championship
250cc Eastern Region Main (Round 8 of 8)
1. Jeremy Martin-Yam
2. Justin Bogle-Hon*
3. Matt Bisceglia-Hon
4. Kyle Cunningham-Hon
5. Jimmy Decotis-Hon
6. Mitchell Oldenburg-Hon
7. Alex Martin-Yam
8. Gannon Audette-Kaw
9. Jackson Richardson-Hon
10. Vince Friese-Hon
11. Landen Powell-KTM
12. AJ Catanzaro-Hon
13. Levi Kilbarger-Hon
14. Zack Williams-Hon
15. Jacob Baumert-Kaw
16. Justin Starling-Hon
17. Taylor Potter-Hon
18. Bryce Stewart-Yam
19. John Pauk-Hon
20. Kyle Evoy Bitterman-Hon
21. Matt Lemoine-Kaw
22. Nick Desiderio-Hon
*Clinched series championship
Dave Coombs Sr. East-West Shootout
1. Justin Hill-Kaw
2. Dean Wilson-Kaw
3. Jason Anderson-KTM
4. Cooper Webb-Yam
5. Jeremy Martin-Yam
6. Cole Seely-Hon
7. Jake Canada-Hon
8. Kyle Cunningham-Hon
9. Shane Mcelrath-Hon
10. Jessy Nelson-hon
11. Michael Leib-Hon
12. Matt Bisceglia-Hon
13. Jackson Richardson-Hon
14. Alex Martin-Yam
15. Mitchell Oldenburg-Hon
16. Landen Powell-KTM
17. Justin Bogle-Hon
18. Gannon Audette-Kaw
19. Jimmy Decotis-Hon
20. Malcolm Stewart-Hon
21. Matt Lemoine-Kaw
22. Zach Osborne-Hon
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