Three-time defending Monster Energy Supercross champion Ryan Villopoto won at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ for the first time as he battled his way from a ninth starting position and took 13 laps to claim the lead on Saturday and take the overall points lead for the series.
Supercross Round 2 was stacked from the onset as the top riders fought for a seemingly ever-changing lead with all riders within a few seconds of each other. Justin Brayton grabbed the lead after the second corner with Ryan Dungey and Justin Barcia right on his tail. Barcia briefly took the lead but then fell back to third and the three riders along with Villopoto, last week's winner Ken Roczen, and James Stewart struggled for the lead.
Lap 7 broke the pack when Roczen crashed after making contact with Barcia. Villopoto's patience paid off as he grabbed third from Barcia, then found second on Lap 11 and finally the lead on lap 13. Last week in Anaheim, Villopoto finished fourth after a mid-race crash.
"Justin was riding a hell of a race," said Villopoto. "I have to give it to him, he made it tough. I didn't get the start I wanted because the (starting) gate was slippery, but I just needed to be patient. Phoenix gets really slick so I had to take my time and make sure my passes stuck."
Jimmy Albertson
MotoSport.com Crossland Racing rider Jimmy Albertson did not qualify for the Main after crashing in the LCQ.
Privateer Weston Peick, who MotoSport sponsors, endured a hard crash in the main but walked away and got 21st. Veteran rider Nick Wey had a great ride landing 13th. Ivan Tedesco, who replaced the injured Davi Millsaps on the MotoSport-sponsored Rockstar Energy Racing KTM team took 12th.
Ivan Tedesco
Jason Anderson Takes Two
Jason Anderson, riding in the 250SX West class on the MotoSport-sponsored Rockstar Energy Racing KTM team, won for the second week in a row and once again battled Cole Seely until the final lap.
Jason Anderson
Seely held on to the lead for much of the 15-lap race but on the final lap he made a minor mistake and Anderson took advantage. Last week in Anaheim, Seely held on to the lead for much of the race until he and Anderson encountered some lappers near the final turn and Anderson found a way to beat Seely. Last year in Phoenix, Anderson failed to make the main.
"I was out for redemption tonight," said Anderson, "I got a good start on my KTM, like I have been all season. I don't plan on those last-lap passes, but it was there and I needed to take it."
Seely struggled with stomach issues earlier in the week and late in the race he felt his stomach tighten up.
"I just made a mistake and Jason got me again," he said.
Supercross heads back to Anaheim for Round 3 on Saturday. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the main event starts at 7 p.m. Buy tickets online or at the Anaheim Angel Stadium Box Office. Race is broadcast in FOX Sports 1.
2014 Monster Energy Supercross Phoenix Results
Phoenix Supercross 450SX Class Results
- Ryan Villopoto
- Justin Brayton
- Ryan Dungey
- James Stewart
- Justin Barcia
- Ken Roczen
- Andrew Short
- Broc Tickle
- Chad Reed
- Will Hahn
Phoenix 2014 Supercross 250SX Class Results
- Jason Anderson
- Cole Seely
- Zach Osborne
- Dean Wilson
- Malcolm Stewart
- Cooper Webb
- Dean Ferris
- Justin Hill
- Jessy Nelson
- Cole Martinez Rimrock
2014 Monster Energy Supercross Season Standings
450SX Class Season Standings
- Ryan Villopoto (43)
- Ryan Dungey (42)
- Ken Roczen (40)
- Justin Brayton (37)
- Chad Reed (32)
- Justin Barcia (32)
- Andrew Short (26)
- Broc Tickle (26)
- James Stewart (22)
- Will Hahn (21)
250SX Class Season Standings
- Jason Anderson (50)
- Cole Seely (44)
- Zach Osborne (40)
- Dean Wilson (36)
- Cooper Webb (31)
- Malcolm Stewart (29)
- Justin Hill (28)
- Jessy Nelson (24)
- Darryn Durham (21)
- Dean Ferris (21)
McDade Wins Again in AMSOIL Arenacross
Michael McDade won his second race in a row after securing a Night 1 victory on Friday night in Baltimore in the AMSOIL Arencross series. McDade, a rider on the Motorsport.com/Spinechillers Racing team, grabbed the holeshot in Race 1 and took second. He rebounded with a first-place showing in Race 2 giving him a (2-1) on the night and the overall.
On Night 2, McDade again grabbed the holeshot but for the second week in a row he ran into some trouble and ultimately failed to finish. Teammate Willy Browning took eighth overall on Night 1 and third overall on Night 2. McDade is second in points for the season with 104, just eight points behind leader Zach Ames. Browning is in third with 96 points.
The AMSOIL Arenacross series resumes Saturday and Sunday at Freedom Hall, 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville, KY. Buy tickets online or at the Freedom Hall Box Office.
Johnny Moore Sweeps Again in AX Tour
Johnny Moore swept the field in the MotoSport.com AX Tour on Saturday for the second week in a row. Moore took first in the AX Pro Lites, AX Pro and Clash for Cash events. He narrowly missed an all-out sweep last month in Memphis.
Moore's dominate racing, along with leader Cole Thompson's exit from the series to race in Supercross, puts him in position to take the lead in the AX Pro and Clash events this week in Hattiesburg, MS. Moore now leads the AX Pro Lites series with 109 points well ahead of Maxx Malatia who has 76 points. Moore sits in second with 105 points, just one behind Thompson in the Clash event and he's in second with 104 points in the AX Pro event 19 points behind Thompson.
This week in Hattiesburg, MS features a double-header as the Starkville, MS Round 9 stop for January 25 was rescheduled and relocated to run as a double header the same weekend as Round 8. Pros compete on Saturday only. Buy advance tickets online.
Brett Cue Wins Liquid Nitro Arenacross Tour
(Former) MotoSport employee and Mr. Whip Brett Cue won the 450 Pro main event on Jan. 3 at the Liquid Nitro Arenacross Tour in Springfield, MO. He also delighted the crowd that evening with some of his freestyle antics.
