Only 20 points covers SX top five with three rounds to go
San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart, of Haines City, FL., scored the fourth win of his season tonight inside the Edward Jones Dome before 59,518 fans at the 14th stop of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship. GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia, of , Ochlocknee, GA., extended his Eastern Regional Supercross Lites class points lead to 20 as he captured his third win of the season. Former Cardinals all-star Jim Edmonds was the ceremonial Grand Marshal.
Hart & Huntington/Dodge Motorsports’ Ivan Tedesco, of Murrieta, CA., led the field through turn one in the Supercross class, winning the Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot Award with Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., and Stewart in tow. Stewart made quick work of Tedesco, passing him on lap 2. At the start of lap 3, Dungey moved around Tedesco as Stewart began to extend his lead.
While riding in third place, Reed landed off the course, which allowed Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto to take over the number-three position. Stewart held on for the win, snapping an eight-race winless streak. Dungey finished second and Villopoto third.
“It’s been a while since I have been up here,” said Stewart. “This feels great, and I am really happy for the team, who has been behind me 100% this year.
Villopoto leads Dungey in the championship points 275-270 over defending champion Dungey.
“I’ll take a third place finish; it is much better than last year,” said Villopoto, who suffered a season-ending injury last year in St. Louis. “I am looking forward to going to my hometown race next weekend in Seattle.”
Barcia started the Supercross Lites class main event by picking up the Nuclear Cowboyz® holeshot with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Bagget and DNA/Shred Stick/Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes following in second and third, respectively. Sipes quickly moved into second place on the opening lap, passing Bagget.
Barcia and Sipes traded positions on laps 2 and 3 before Barcia made the final pass and rode 12 perfect laps en route to the win. Sipes held on for second and Bagett finished third.
“Tonight was crazy,” said Barcia. “I know that this championship is coming down to the wire, and I look forward to the final race in Las Vegas. It wasn’t easy out there tonight. (Ryan) Sipes passed me out there, but I stayed focused and re-passed him.”
| Rnd 14 Open 1. James Stewart, Yamaha 2. Ryan Dungey, Suzuki 3. Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki 4. Chad Reed, Honda 5. Trey Canard, Honda 6. Kevin Windham, Honda 7. Davi Millsaps, Yamaha 8. Ivan Tedesco, Kawasaki 9. Austin Stroupe, Yamaha 10. Andrew Short, KTM | Lites Results 1. Justin Barcia, Honda 2. Ryan Sipes, Yamaha 3. Blake Baggett, Kawasaki 4. Dean Wilson, Kawasaki 5. Blake Wharton, Honda 6. Gannon Audette, Yamaha 7. Hunter Hewitt, Suzuki 8. Lance Vincent, Suzuki 9. Les Smith, Honda 10. Tyler Futrell, Honda |
| Open Series Standings 1. Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki – 275 2. Ryan Dungey, Suzuki – 270 3. Chad Reed, Honda – 267 4. James Stewart, Yamaha – 259 5. Trey Canard, Honda – 255 6. Andrew Short, KTM – 185 7. Kevin Windham, Honda – 165 8. Davi Millsaps, Yamaha – 143 9. Justin Brayton, Yamaha – 141 10. Ivan Tedesco, Kawasaki – 114 | Lites East Standings 1. Justin Barcia, Honda – 185 2. Dean Wilson, Kawasaki – 165 3. Ryan Sipes, Yamaha – 141 4. Blake Baggett, Kawasaki – 134 5. Blake Wharton, Honda – 125 6. Matt Lemoine, Kawasaki – 105 7. P.J. Larsen, KTM – 80 8. Malcolm Stewart, Suzuki – 73 9. Lance Vincent, Honda – 69 10. Hunter Hewitt, Suzuki – 67 |
– Chad Reed
Australia’s multiple world Supercross champion Chad Reed has finished fourth at Round 14 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship at St Louis’ Edward Jones Dome tonight after colliding with an errant tough block while challenging for second.
Reed was engulfed in a battle for second place with defending champion Ryan Dungey but unable to see the dislodged tough block, landed on it as he came over a jump on Lap 7 of the 20-lap ‘Main Event’.
The TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing rider lost time and a position while freeing the obstacle from beneath his CRF450.
“I think it is easy to make excuses but the truth is I don’t believe I was riding at my full potential tonight,” Reed acknowledged.
“It seemed like I couldn’t get any front end feel for the bike but the fact is we have developed the bike around me and when I am not at my best, I am not getting the best from the bike.
“I know I sound like a broken record but it isn’t the biggest issue to me there is still a lot of racing and a week off to come. As we have seen this year, more so than ever before, things can change massively in a week.
“I know what I have to do from here and it is all up to me. It’s time to pull the trigger!” he stated.
With three rounds still remaining just eight points separate Reed from championship leader Ryan Villopoto and second placed Ryan Dungey.
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship heads to Seattle’s Qwest Field on April 18 before breaking for a week off over Easter.
– KTM
Red Bull/KTM Factory Team rider Andrew Short earned 10th overall at the fourteenth round of the AMA Supercross Series in St. Louis, MO.
Short had a decent day qualifying 7th fastest in practice times and qualifying 5th in his heat race. His teammate, Mike Alessi, qualified in 6th place behind Short to put his KTM 350 SX-F into the main.
In the main event, both Short and Alessi struggled off the start and began the race near the tail end of the pack. At the end of lap two, Short was sitting in 14th and Alessi was 17th. By the end of the race Short was able to fight his way into the top ten to finish 10th overall. Alessi suffered a crash late in the race and recovered to earn 16th.
“I was bummed that I couldn’t have been closer to the top five tonight. Unfortunately, I got a bad start and it’s very hard to climb through the pack with the level of competition we have this year. I will continue to work on my starts and hope for a better result next weekend,” remarked Short.
– Yamaha
TBC
– Rockstar Makita Suzuki
TBC
