Ryan Villopto clinches fourth consecutive Monster Energy AMA Supercross title at MetLife Stadium.
The penultimate round of the 2014 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, tonight, ended gloriously for Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and painfully for his closest rival, Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart.
For Villopoto, Monster Energy Supercross’ first visit to the New York area in years ended with his 40th career win and a fourth consecutive Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, a feat previously accomplished only by seven-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath. Villopoto also joined McGrath, Stewart, Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed as a rider who has earned 40 AMA Supercross wins.
Stewart didn’t have as good a night. His main event run ended early with a knee injury that leaves him questionable for the Monster Energy series finale in Las Vegas next weekend.
Villopoto set the tone for his championship-clinching night when he won his race. He then came right back in the 20-lap main event and bagged the holeshot by beating RCH Soaring Eagle Suzuki’s Josh Hill and MotoConcepts Suzuki’s Mike Alessi off the first corner after the gate fell. Stewart and Red Bull teammates Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey all got terrible starts, slotting into the eighth, 10th and 12th places, respectively. GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac got a great start, however, and he quickly shot past Alessi to take over second place.
Stewart was tearing his way through the pack and soon settled on Alessi’s rear wheel, but when he attempted to pass Alessi in a left-hand turn on lap three, it appeared as though Stewart’s front end washed out in a left-hand turn, and he tweaked his left knee while trying to stay upright. Stewart slowed immediately, and although he tried to get back up to speed, he pulled off on lap four and was through for the night.
Dungey, Barcia and Roczen were within a few bike lengths of each other through the middle stages of the race, and when Barcia made a mistake on lap 11 and clipped the top of the step-over jump that led into one of the whoop sections, Roczen shot past him and into fifth place. Roczen than began to stalk his Red Bull KTM teammate, Dungey, with eight laps to go.
Barcia wasn’t ready to concede anything, however, and he made an aggressive inside pass on Roczen in the rutted left-hand turn that into the other long whoop section on the track, retaking fifth place. Barcia stayed on the attack and also shot past Dungey with four laps to go. Dungey’s drive then appeared to stall completely, as he dropped of off Barcia and Roczen’s pace, then crashed into a Tuff Blok in a flat corner on the track.
Villopoto crossed the finish line with a 9.7-second margin of victory over Tomac. Barcia tried to run down Hill, but the RCH Soaring Eagle Suzuki rider was too far ahead and claimed his first podium finish of the season.
Afterward, Villopoto was practically speechless when weighing in on the historical context of his accomplishment.
“It’s, uh…It’ll set in eventually, I’m sure. It’s definitely a big accomplishment. I’m just glad it’s over. It has been a long season, and it has been a hard season. I’m just glad that we were able to finish it off this way, with a win. It’s just been a great season.”
Tomac’s second-place finish marked his second time on the podium this season, and he said that he feels he is continuing to improve on the 450.
“I’m getting closer and closer,” Tomac said. “We’re making baby steps at improving, trying to get into that number one spot. You know, congrats to Ryan on the championship and the win. He is obviously the best guy out there right now, and it shows when you put in the hard work and you’re flowing on the bike. I’m trying to get there myself. This is my first year on the 450, and I’m always satisfied with a podium.”
Hill hasn’t seen an AMA Supercross podium since the 2010 crash that seriously set back his career. Hill had been attempting to learn a backflip for X Games competition when he crashed and suffered a broken right femur, broken right humerous, a fractured pelvis and a partially collapsed lung. It has been a long road back.
“It just feels good,” Hill said. “I put in hours and hours of work, so much time in Dr. G’s office, just getting physical therapy. I’ve had eight surgeries just to get back up here after that one bad accident. It has been four years, and it couldn’t feel better. I really just have to give it up the guys who have stuck behind me. There have been a lot of good people keeping me going.”
The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team has continued to be decimated by injury, and team member Martin Davalos is the latest casualty. Coming into this week’s MetLife Stadium round, the 250cc Eastern Region Supercross Series points leader suffered a broken ankle while practicing early in the week, and will be out for the rest of the season. With Davalos gone, GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle came into MetLife Stadium with a great chance to capitalize on Davalos’ misfortune and take over the series lead. Not only did he accomplish that goal, he put an exclamation point on it.
Bogle worked his way up to second place by lap six, and he attacked Bisceglia, executing a brilliant outside pass in a right-hand corner for the lead on lap seven. Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin also passed Bisceglia to take over second place.
From there, Bogle quickly pulled away to a comfortable advantage over Martin, which was a good thing as the rain began to fall hard. Friese also passed Bisceglia for third place. Bogle crossed the finish line with a 3.3-second margin of victory over Martin, while Friese finished third, another 2.1 seconds behind Martin. Bogle’s win gave him a 17-point lead heading into the final round of the Eastern Region series at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, May 3.
“Conditions were tough, no doubt,” Bogle said. “I had a good battle with my teammate. It was slick, but we had made some changes with Dunlop and got that handled. It was tough tonight, but I think that last thing I want to do is play it safe. I want to get wins and really make this thing happen. So, I’m excited and pumped for next weekend.”
Martin’s second-place finish was a career-best in Supercross.
“I had a little bit of break to be able to work on things and to fix what I was doing wrong,” Martin said. “You know what? I was at rock bottom in the beginning of the season, and turn it around like this, it’s awesome.”
MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Results: April 26, 2014 (Round 17 of 18)
450 Main
1. Ryan Villopoto-Kaw
2. Eli Tomac-Hon
3. Josh Hill-Suz
4. Justin Barcia-Hon
5. Ken Roczen-KTM
6. Ryan Dungey-KTM
7. Mike Alessi-Suz
8. Andrew Short-KTM
9. Trey Canard-Hon
10. Weston Peick-Suz
11. Jake Weimer-Kaw
12. Phil Nicoletti-Yam
13. Nick Wey-Kaw
14. Ronnie Stewart-Suz
15. Chris Blose-Hon
16. Joshua Grant-Yam
17. Ben Lamay-Yam
18. Tony Archer-Kaw
19. Jimmy Albertson-Hon
20. Cody Gilmore-Kaw
21. Tevin Tapia-Suz
22. James Stewart-Suz
Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series Standings (After 17 of 18 rounds)
1. Ryan Villopoto-343/6 wins*
2. Ryan Dungey-282/1 win
3. James Stewart-271/5 wins
4. Ken Roczen-265/2 wins
5. Justin Barcia-232
6. Andrew Short-207
7. Justin Brayton-196
8. Joshua Hill-144
9. Broc Tickle-126
10. Wil Hahn-122
*Clinched series championship
250 Main
1. Justin Bogle-Hon
2. Jeremy Martin-Yam
3. Vince Friese-Hon
4. Mat Bisceglia-Hon
5. Matt Lemoine-Kaw
6. Kyle Cunningham-Hon
7. Alex Martin-Yam
8. Mitchell Oldenburg-Hon
9. Jimmy Decotis-Hon
10. Jackson Richardson-Hon
11. Gannon Audette-Kaw
12. Justin Starling-Hon
13. AJ Catanzaro-Hon
14. Jacob Baumert-Kaw
15. Levi Kilbarger-Hon
16. Luke Vonlinger-Hon
17. Zack Williams-Hon
18. Cade Clason-Hon
19. Taylor Potter-Hon
20. Kyle Evoy Bitterman-Hon
21. Landen Powell-KTM
22. Aaron Gulley-Kaw
AMA 250cc Eastern Region Supercross Series Standings
1. Justin Bogle-166/2 wins
2. Martin Davalos-149/2 wins
3. Adam Cianciarulo-120/3 wins
4. Blake Baggett-120/1 win
5. Vince Friese-120
6. Kyle Cunningham-109
7. Matt Lemoine-90
8. Jimmy Decotis-90
9. Cole Thompson-89
10. Alex Martin-86
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