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Supercross & Motocross
SX: Villopoto Walks Away With Easy A1 Win
Reigning champ Ryan Villopoto dominated the 2012 Monster Supercross season opener on Saturday night at A1.
Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto (Photo: Monster Energy)
Ryan Villopoto certainly didn't look like he was lacking for motivation in the first race of his Monster Energy Supercross title defense.
Coming off what was in essence a perfect '11 campaign in which the Monster Energy Kawasaki star captured top honors in Supercross, AMA Motocross, MXoN, and the Monster Million, Villopoto couldn't have opened his '12 season in more impressive fashion.
Storming to the holeshot, Villopoto quickly opened up a gap on his pursuers -- led by TwoTwo Motorsports Chad Reed and Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey (after the duo found their way around a fast starting Ivan Tedesco on the Hart & Huntington Kawasaki) -- and worked that advantage up to double digits less than halfway into the contest.
Meanwhile, fast qualifier James Stewart didn't enjoy nearly the same sort of success out of the gates, finding himself down around tenth on the opening lap. However, the lighting quick Stewart sliced his way forward with his usual assortment of spectacular maneuvers before eventually moving into third... but then seemingly losing his rhythm.
Dungey pounced and stole the position back, capitalizing on a Stewart mishap, just as Reed crashed in front of them and remounted just ahead; the fight for second immediately transformed into a heated three-way dogfight as the laps wound down.
With five remaining, Stewart was back in third and looking to close down on rival Reed but made an even bigger mistake, crashing in his Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX debut. Stewart was back on his wheels in a hurry but struggling with his downed machine.
Way out in front, Villopoto eased down the pace a bit after upping the gap to a mammoth 20 seconds, cruising to his second consecutive A1 victory.
Coming off what was in essence a perfect '11 campaign in which the Monster Energy Kawasaki star captured top honors in Supercross, AMA Motocross, MXoN, and the Monster Million, Villopoto couldn't have opened his '12 season in more impressive fashion.
Storming to the holeshot, Villopoto quickly opened up a gap on his pursuers -- led by TwoTwo Motorsports Chad Reed and Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey (after the duo found their way around a fast starting Ivan Tedesco on the Hart & Huntington Kawasaki) -- and worked that advantage up to double digits less than halfway into the contest.
Meanwhile, fast qualifier James Stewart didn't enjoy nearly the same sort of success out of the gates, finding himself down around tenth on the opening lap. However, the lighting quick Stewart sliced his way forward with his usual assortment of spectacular maneuvers before eventually moving into third... but then seemingly losing his rhythm.
Dungey pounced and stole the position back, capitalizing on a Stewart mishap, just as Reed crashed in front of them and remounted just ahead; the fight for second immediately transformed into a heated three-way dogfight as the laps wound down.
With five remaining, Stewart was back in third and looking to close down on rival Reed but made an even bigger mistake, crashing in his Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX debut. Stewart was back on his wheels in a hurry but struggling with his downed machine.
Way out in front, Villopoto eased down the pace a bit after upping the gap to a mammoth 20 seconds, cruising to his second consecutive A1 victory.
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