Champions Will Prevail

Villopoto came into the 2013 season as the defending champion and the clear favorite to win the opening round. He was second fastest in qualifying practice only off by one tenth of a second. In his heat race, Villopoto did not get the best of starts, but caught the leaders by the last lap to cross the finish line on the rear wheel of the winner. Confident, he lined up for the 450SX main event, but was pushed outside of the top-10 around the first turn. He progressively picked off riders until he clipped a tuffblock and went down while trying to take eighth place. Despite the scary get-off and a severely damaged bike, Villopoto was able to finish 16th and score five championship points.

“The main event did not go well at all,” said Villopoto. “I did not get the start I needed, which forced me to find alternate lines in order to pass guys. The track was not easy to pass on, so you had to take some risks. After the crash I knew I just had to get as many points as I could and survive. There are still 16 more rounds, so I’m now focused on Phoenix and finishing where I should be.”

Looking Forward

Davalos has always shown spectacular speed in supercross and 2013 is no different. He posted the fifth fastest qualifying lap time and was cool and confidant going into the night show. When the gate dropped for his heat race, Davalos ripped a huge holeshot on his KX250F and rode away from the field. He clicked off effortless laps and won by more than two seconds. In the main event, he got another good start, but like Baggett, another rider’s bike came flipping across the first rhythm lane and took out Davalos. He got up unscratched, but his bike suffered too much damage to continue. Davalos proved he has the tools to win and will wait until next week.

“I really felt good all day and my bike was amazing,” said Davalos. “I was able to ride six solid laps in the heat race, which was a great way to start off the season. Unfortunately in the main event, I got taken out mid-air and went down hard, smashing radiator and headpipe. It’s disappointing, but I’m happy that I’m okay and we’ll look to back it up in Phoenix.”

Capacity Crowd

The season opener of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is by far the largest event on the calendar. The racing is unpredictable and the fans are out in droves. The Monster Energy Party in the Pits allows fans to meet their favorite athletes, see the bikes up close and experience the sport like no other. With over 45,000 fans in attendance, you could hardly walk through the pits and the roar and cheers from the crowd were deafening.

Knowing the Dirt

As the day progresses, riders have to be considerate of the track conditions as well. As temperature reach near 70 degrees during the day, once the sun sets, it drops to the low 40s and 50s. This has an effect on the dirt, which makes tire selection very important.

Anyone’s Game

With Round 1 of 17 complete, the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship still has just as many unknowns as before the season began. Monster Energy Kawasaki and Villopoto will look to bounce back at Round 2 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz., on January 12, 2013.