Seattle would be excused for looking a little down going into this 15th round of the AMA Supercross series. Their hometown hero and only rider fighting for top spot in the championship, Monster Energy Kawasaki's #2 Ryan Villapoto, would not be riding tonight after ending his season last week in St Louis with a broken leg. In the morning rain fell on the tarped open air field, but by the time the gates opened the weather cleared up and the sky stayed clear and dry throughout the evening - no mud bowl this year.
Seattle fans would not leave the evening disappointed however, as fan favorite Gieco Powersports/Honda/Factory Connection's #14 Kevin Windham would take top spot in the night's Supercross main event, getting him a whole lot closer to finishing the championship in second place.
The track itself provided plenty of action as the dry and somewhat sandy dirt quickly produced huge ruts that threatened to swallow bikes in the whoops, where they got so deep that riders spent half the time paddling and trying to keep their pegs from digging in. The location made for a good setting with the open stadium making for great views of the downtown Seattle behind the track.
The event itself, however held less promise of entertainment. While last year's Seattle Supercross saw a tight battle between Stewart and Reed, this year's championship was already decided with Villapoto, the only title contender to Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki/Yoshimura's #5 Ryan Dungey's lead, out. The race was alive in Lites however, with Geico Powersports Honda's #38 Trey Canard maintaining a real chance of taking the title from Monster Energy/Pro Circuit's #12 Jake Weimer. Rockstar Energy Suzuki's #10 Tommy Hahn did his best to add some excitement on his introduction lap when he landed the front triple very badly yet somehow held on in an impressive demonstration of determination.
Lites Heat 1
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit's #100 Joshua Hansen took the holeshot but could only hold onto top spot for a lap, when #38 Canard pushed through and quickly opened up a gap. DNG Designs/Fluidyne Powersports' #758 Jason Potter provided a scare when he went down in the whoops on lap 2 and didn't get up for a couple minutes. In the end, Canard held onto top spot with Hansen coming in behind him, and TLD/Lucas Oil/Honda's #49 Wil Hahn rounding up the top three. The whoops already bared their teeth in this first heat, taking down several riders.
Lites Heat 2
A huge spill in the first corner took down several bikes, but DNA Shred Stix/Division 7's #48 Max Anstie got through clean for the holeshot. Points leader #12 Weimer stalled early on sending him way back, but fought back to 9th place to get through to the main event. On lap four #329 Chad Gores went down hard on the back triple. In the end, Anstie cashed in his holeshot for a win, with Geico Powersports Honda's #21 Blake Wharton coming in second and NCY KTM/Factory Services' #63 Sean Borkenhagen taking 3rd.
SX Heat 1
The first Supercross class heat started with Two Six MX Racing's #26 Michael Byrne and #14 Windham sharing the holeshot, though Byrne faded to 4th by the end of the first lap and stayed there to the end. Windham help onto his good start however, taking the win. #5 Dungey finished the first lap in 3rd but soon took 2nd and held onto it. Motoconcepts Yamaha's #55 Kyle Chisholm worked his way to the top and finished 3rd.
SX Heat 2
Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR/Yamaha's #23 Justin Brayton took the holeshot and built a good lead, but Honda Red Bull Racing's #18 David Millsaps fought back and took the lead in lap 7, holding on for the win. San Manuel Band of Mission Indians' #75 Josh Hill started out strong but went down in the whoops on lap 2 and could only get back to 11th. Brayton had to settle for 2nd and Honda Red Bull Racing's #29 Andrew Short crossed the line in 3rd.
Lites LCQ
Rockstar Energy/Suzuki/Canidae's #126 Hunter Hewitt and Hostility's #410 Eric McCrummen traded first several times until McCrummen stalled in the final lap, allowing Hewitt to take the flag with BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki's #68 Robert Kiniry grabbing second.
SX LCQ
#75 Hill started off with a convincing holeshot and stayed in front all the way to the checkered flag. Team Faith/Western Powersports' #271 Jeff Gibson managed to hold onto the second and final spot through to the final for most of the race, but Italian Team Racing/Surflex's #252 Justin Keeney stole in in the end.
Lites Main Event
#21 Wharton opened the Lites main event with the holeshot but couldn't hold on for long, losing it to DNA Shred Stix/Division 7's #20 Broc Tickle in the second lap and finishing fourth. Tickle stayed out front for the rest of the race, with #49 Wil Hahn quickly moving up to second and staying there to the end. #12 Weimer doesn't quite lock up the championship with a finish in third.
SX Main Event
The night's big event started out with Monster Energy/Kawasaki's #22 Chad Reed eating it in the first turn and going to the back of the pack, and with #14 Windham leading the pack off the line. Immediately the tough back whoops took down several riders.
Runaway points leader #5 Dungey went down in the third lap, losing his second place spot and ending the race in 4th, enough to satisfy the AMA's technical requirement for being named the champion. #10 Tommy Hahn climbed slowly to 2nd spot on lap 12 and stayed there for the rest of the race. #23 Brayton traded 2nd and 3rd a couple times, ending up in the final podium place. #75 Hill reduced his chances of stealing second in the points race by bowing out. Winner #14 Windham and #18 Millsaps however both got a bit closer to the same goal.
With two races to go in the current Supercross season, Dungey already has the championship but second spot is still up for grabs. Windham would tie Villapoto for second with just 18 more points (a single 4th place finish). Millsaps needs 35 points to reach the same goal, requiring a couple of top 5 finishes. A tall order but one he is capable of fulfilling. Hill is also still in the race with 39 points to get to Villapoto's count. A repeat of some of his early season performances could still see that become a reality.
The next and penultimate round is in Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 1.
Lites Results
1. #20 Broc Tickle - DNA Shred Stix/Division 7
2. #49 Wil A Hahn - TLD/ Lucas Oil/Honda
3. #12 Jake T Weimer - Monster Energy/Pro Circuit
4. #21 Blake Wharton - Geico Powersports Honda
5. #116 Ryan Morais - Rockstar Energy Suzuki
6. #100 Joshua Hansen - Monster Energy/Pro Circuit
7. #200 Cole Seely - Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil
8. #175 Phillip J Nicoletti - StLawrenceRadiology/AlessiRacing
9. #48 Max Anstie - DNA Shred Stix/Division 7
10. #126 Hunter Hewitt - Rockstar Energy/Suzuki/Canidae
11. #38 Trey G Canard - Geico Powersports Honda
12. #585 Travis A Baker - Motoconcepts/Yamaha/FMF/Oneal
13. #801 Jeff Alessi - Motoconcepts/Yamaha/FMF/Oneal
14. #68 Robert S Kiniry - BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki
15. #592 Jake M Canada - ConfusedClothing/WarthogRacing
16. #63 Sean D Borkenhagen - NCY KTM/Factory Services
17. #102 Christopher Gosselaar - Hostility/ProCircuit/NoFear
18. #222 Chris C Howell - Specialty/Devol/Dr D/Hyer X
19. #642 Joey H Ruminer - AES racing/Devol Engineering
20. #103 Ryan J Abrigo - Advanced MX Training/HEP
Lites Points Standings
Jake T Weimer 155
Wil A Hahn 136
Trey G Canard 131
Broc Tickle 125
Blake Wharton 107
Cole Seely 90
Joshua Hansen 75
Max Anstie 75
Phillip J Nicoletti 69
Jeff Alessi 64
SX Results
1. #14 Kevin W Windham - Gieco Powersports/Honda/Factory Connection
2. #10 Thomas K Hahn - Rockstar Energy Suzuki
3. #23 Justin D Brayton - Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR/Yamaha
4. #5 Ryan M Dungey - Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki/Yoshimura
5. #18 David D Millsaps - Honda Red Bull Racing
6. #27 Nicholas A Wey - TiLube/Babbitts/MSR/Foremost
7. #26 Michael Byrne - Two Six MX Racing
8. #22 Chad Reed - Monster Energy/Kawasaki
9. #29 Andrew T Short - Honda Red Bull Racing
10. #55 Kyle P Chisholm - Motoconcepts Yamaha
11. #47 Matt Boni - Hart & Huntington Rockstar
12. #338 Jason D Lawrence - J Law Racing
13. #32 Kyle B Cunningham - ValliMotorsportsRockstarYamaha
14. #252 Justin F Keeney - Italian team Racing/Surflex
15. #67 Chris Blose - Hart & Huntington Rockstar
16. #65 Troy K Adams - BTO Sports.com/BBMX/Palmelto Suz
17. #57 Jarred Jet Browne - Dr D/WarthogRacingTroy Lee
18. #124 Ryan D Clark - MMI/Thedirtlab.com/Rockwell
19. #75 Joshua R Hill - SanManuelBandofMissionIndians
20. #644 Kyle D Partridge - Red Seven Ride Co/Kawasaki
SX Points Standings
Ryan M Dungey 320
Ryan D Villopoto 266
Kevin W Windham 248
David D Millsaps 231
Joshua R Hill 227
Justin D Brayton 211
Ivan Tedesco 183
Nicholas A Wey 174
Thomas K Hahn 161
Kyle P Chisholm 147
Double Hahn
Both Hahns make the grade in Seattle
Source: Bikeland.org