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Supercross & Motocross
SX: The Burning Question - Sign Of What’s To Come?
Reigning champ Ryan Villopoto looked like he was in a different league compared to the rest of the field in the Supercross opener. Will that trend continue moving forward?
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Round 2 of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship from Phoenix, AZ will air LIVE on SPEED Saturday, January 14th at 9:30pm ET. #SXonSPEED
Was Ryan Villopoto’s overwhelming victory in Anaheim a sign of things to come?
We’re only one round into a 17-race schedule in the Monster Energy Supercross Championship, but based on the way the defending champ decimated the field last Saturday night, it’s hard not to wonder if he’s only getting warmed up.
However, history has taught us many times over that Supercross is one of the least predictable forms of racing in existence. Whenever you think things are going one way, they end up going in a different direction. Don't forget, just last season Villopoto carried a mammoth 26-point lead into Jacksonville last season only to fail to qualify for the main event.
With so many variables and so many potential missteps to be made on any given night, nothing is really quite what it seems. However, at the very least Villopoto demonstrated that he's not feeling the added pressure of a title defense. He’s more than willing to take matters into his own hands.
Chad Reed hit the nail on the head when he admitted that Villopoto “made (them) look silly out there.” And as a result, the entire field has assuredly gone back to the drawing board, training table, and test track in order to make that ground back up as quickly as possible. Kawasaki has set the bar high for 2012, and it’s only been one week.
Villopoto has the advantage of familiarity on his side. Not only has he not had to make a major offseason team transition in the way that James Stewart, Ryan Dungey, and, to a lesser extent Chad Reed, have, he's also riding a dialed in machine having ridden the '12 Kawasaki for months now after breaking it out midway through his triumphant '11 AMA MX championship run. He also had the privilege of racing it at the Monster Energy Cup, accumulating vital Supercross data in the process. Villopoto's bike is probably just as good as it can be, minus the usual minor tweaks from week-to week. While his rivals are working hard to get their bikes set-up to their liking, Villopoto has the luxury of piloting a highly developed machine.
Can Villopoto keep this up? Absolutely. He has all the tools necessary to do so and he’s already demonstrated what he’s capable of. Will he? History would suggest he won’t, and you’ve got to think that before long, Reed, Dungey and Stewart are going to enjoy better days.
Either way, it's clear the rest of the Supercross field has their work cut out for them starting this weekend in Phoenix.
Was Ryan Villopoto’s overwhelming victory in Anaheim a sign of things to come?
We’re only one round into a 17-race schedule in the Monster Energy Supercross Championship, but based on the way the defending champ decimated the field last Saturday night, it’s hard not to wonder if he’s only getting warmed up.
However, history has taught us many times over that Supercross is one of the least predictable forms of racing in existence. Whenever you think things are going one way, they end up going in a different direction. Don't forget, just last season Villopoto carried a mammoth 26-point lead into Jacksonville last season only to fail to qualify for the main event.
With so many variables and so many potential missteps to be made on any given night, nothing is really quite what it seems. However, at the very least Villopoto demonstrated that he's not feeling the added pressure of a title defense. He’s more than willing to take matters into his own hands.
Chad Reed hit the nail on the head when he admitted that Villopoto “made (them) look silly out there.” And as a result, the entire field has assuredly gone back to the drawing board, training table, and test track in order to make that ground back up as quickly as possible. Kawasaki has set the bar high for 2012, and it’s only been one week.
Villopoto has the advantage of familiarity on his side. Not only has he not had to make a major offseason team transition in the way that James Stewart, Ryan Dungey, and, to a lesser extent Chad Reed, have, he's also riding a dialed in machine having ridden the '12 Kawasaki for months now after breaking it out midway through his triumphant '11 AMA MX championship run. He also had the privilege of racing it at the Monster Energy Cup, accumulating vital Supercross data in the process. Villopoto's bike is probably just as good as it can be, minus the usual minor tweaks from week-to week. While his rivals are working hard to get their bikes set-up to their liking, Villopoto has the luxury of piloting a highly developed machine.
Can Villopoto keep this up? Absolutely. He has all the tools necessary to do so and he’s already demonstrated what he’s capable of. Will he? History would suggest he won’t, and you’ve got to think that before long, Reed, Dungey and Stewart are going to enjoy better days.
Either way, it's clear the rest of the Supercross field has their work cut out for them starting this weekend in Phoenix.
SX Seattle
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