As Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returns to St. Louis’ Edward Jones Dome this Saturday night, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., hopes to build off of the momentum he gained last Saturday night with his win in Atlanta.
Dungey, who won in St. Louis in 2010, captured his second victory of the 2012 season and cut into Ryan Villopoto’s Supercross Class point lead. Prior to Saturday night’s race in Atlanta, Dungey earned podium finishes in five races and currently sits second overall.
“To get that first win right off the bat (for KTM) in Phoenix was nice, but it took a while after that,” said Dungey. “But, to back it up here in Atlanta, it was a great night. We’ve been looking for that one for a while. The whole team has been working hard and things haven’t gone our way with testing and stuff, but we’re coming around to it and I think things are progressively getting better.”
Villopoto used a sixth-place start to charge to the front of the pack but was unable to make his way past Dungey. Western Regional Supercross Lites Class rider Cole Seeley made his American Honda Muscle Milk debut aboard the 450cc motorcycle and grabbed the early lead after capturing the Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot. Seely’s lead lasted seven laps before Dungey made the pass for the lead and rode off to victory.
“I just made a little mistake, and early on in the race I fell over and that cost me, huge,” said Villopoto. “The track was tough tonight, you could really see (that) and I just slipped up and washed the front end out. Overall, we had a good night. It just wasn’t the best of weeks coming into this (race), so to come out with second is good.”
JGRMX/Toyota/Yamaha’s James Stewart, who is one of four riders to win a Supercross Class Main Event this season, put together a great ride after a less-than-favorable start. The two-time defending Supercross Class champion finished third, marking his fourth podium of the season.
During the 2011 Monster Energy Supercross stop in St. Louis, Stewart took home his fourth Supercross Class win of the season. In the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class, Justin Barcia captured his third victory.
The first Supercross Class race at the Edward Jones Dome was on April 27, 1996, and Kawasaki’s Jeff Emig, a Missouri native, won the Main Event, snapping Jeremy McGrath’s 13-race win streak. In front of his hometown crowd, Emig notched his first Supercross Class win for Team Kawasaki. Chad Reed and Ricky Carmichael are tired on the all-time win list in St. Louis with four. Kevin Windham, Stewart, Carmichael and Reed have all won in both classes in St. Louis.
Season Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 180
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 170
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 136
4. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda – 128
5. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 106
6. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 105
7. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 100
8. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 96
9. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha - 94
10.Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Calif., Suzuki – 90
Photos by Frank Hoppen