by Chase Stallo
Sign of the Lap Times: Oakland
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 | 4:10 PM
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PrintOakland set the stage for the race we had all been waiting for. Three of the top four heavyweights were up front early, with nothing but a clear track on the horizon. Chad Reed, James Stewart and Ryan Villopoto went toe to toe with Stewart landing the final knockout blow, pulling away from Reed and Villopoto late. The win came on the eve of Mark Adams’, Stewart's practice mechanic, death earlier in the week. It was a somber win for Stewart and the entire JGR team in Oakland.
With four different winners, riding four different brands, through four rounds, the 2012 title chase is beginning to reach a boiling point. Now onto the lap charts to see how it all broke down in Oakland.
AMA Supercross
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 3 | 54.040 | 4 | 55.468 | Ryan Villopoto |
| 2 | 1 | 54.299 | 11 | 55.178 | James Stewart |
| 3 | 2 | 54.560 | 7 | 55.396 | Chad Reed |
| 4 | 4 | 54.734 | 9 | 55.780 | Ryan Dungey |
| 5 | 6 | 55.098 | 7 | 56.129 | Kevin Windham |
| 6 | 5 | 55.201 | 8 | 56.174 | Andrew Short |
| 7 | 7 | 55.402 | 4 | 56.170 | Davi Millsaps |
| 8 |
8 | 55.707 | 6 | 56.560 | Jake Weimer |
| 9 | 9 | 55.821 | 7 | 56.609 | Justin Brayton |
| 10 | 14 | 55.876 | 6 | 58.045 | Brett Metcalfe |
| 11 | 11 | 56.116 | 12 | 57.435 | Mike Alessi |
| 12 | 10 | 56.311 | 5 | 57.178 | Josh Hansen |
| 13 | 12 | 56.372 | 6 | 57.539 | Kyle Chisholm |
| 14 |
13 | 56.403 | 6 | 57.545 | Broc Tickle |
| 15 | 15 | 56.817 | 5 | 58.061 | Nick Wey |
| 16 | 16 | 56.919 | 5 | 58.451 | Cody Mackie |
| 17 |
17 | 57.446 | 6 | 59.560 | Weston Peick |
| 18 | 19 | 57.637 | 13 | 58.850 | Ben Lamay |
| 19 | 18 | 57.831 | 6 | 59.945 | Bobby Kiniry |
| 20 | 20 | 1st | Lap | Crash |
Kyle Partridge |
For the fourth consecutive week Ryan Villopoto torched the lap charts setting a blistering pace with a 54.040. While RV continues to reign as "King of the Lap Charts", a telling statistic does stand out. Villopoto set his fastest lap on the fourth lap, which allowed him to reel in Reed and Stewart. But Stewart managed to pull away from the field by setting his fastest lap on lap eleven.
It's easy to overlook the brilliance of Ryan Dungey sometimes. He is never one to "stir the pot" so to speak, he just puts his head down and brings it, week in and week out. Overshadowed by the Stewart, Reed and Villopoto battle up front was the charge Dungey put on. After a rough start, Dungey, like RV has done in Phoenix and L.A., methodically sliced his way through the pack to secure a fourth place finish—retaining a share of the points lead— in what could become a championship saving performance.
Villopoto set the fastest lap of the night, but Stewart left Oakland with the W.
Photo: Garth Milan
AMA Supercross Lites
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 1 | 54.524 | 3 | 56.066 | Eli Tomac |
| 2 | 9 | 54.817 | 2 | 57.936 | Martin Davalos |
| 3 | 2 | 55.138 | 7 | 56.702 | Marvin Musquin |
| 4 | 12 | 55.213 | 8 | 58.776 | Jason Anderson |
| 5 |
3 | 55.433 | 4 | 56.986 | Zach Osborne |
| 6 |
4 | 55.511 | 4 | 56.954 | Ryan Sipes |
| 7 | 5 | 55.519 | 4 | 57.382 | Matt Moss |
| 8 | 11 | 55.920 | 7 | 58.080 | Cole Seely |
| 9 | 10 | 56.080 | 6 | 58.064 | Dean Wilson |
| 10 | 7 | 56.318 | 4 | 57.318 | Nico Izzi |
| 11 | 8 | 56.703 | 7 | 57.438 | Max Anstie |
| 12 | 16 | 56.718 | 6 | 58.975 | Michael Leib |
| 13 | 6 | 56.813 | 6 | 57.484 | Travis Baker |
| 14 | 14 | 57.115 | 3 | 58.815 | Gavin Faith |
| 15 | 13 | 57.120 | 6 | 58.409 | Billy Laninovich |
| 16 | 17 | 57.447 | 5 | 59.715 | Vince Friese |
| 17 | 15 | 57.623 | 5 | 58.819 | Gareth Swanepoel |
| 18 | 20 | 58.418 | 4 | 59.921 | Topher Ingalls |
| 19 | 18 | 58.617 | 9 | 59.700 | Killy Rusk |
| 20 | 19 | 58.660 | 6 | 1:03.868 | Ryan Marmont |
Eli Tomac continues to be the Pablo Picasso of the lap charts—painting masterpiece after masterpiece. While he was unable to best the 450 guys again this week he did manage to set the fastest lap of the Lites class for the fourth consecutive week. This trend may continue, unless Dean Wilson and crew can find a way to stop the human freight train.
After a rough few weeks, Star/Valli Yamaha's Ryan Sipes put in a solid ride in Oakland. Overcoming a rough start, Sipes bullied his way through the pack en route to his best finish of the season. Sipes has shown the speed to contend all year, but has had trouble putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. But Oakland may prove to be the race that straightened out a season gone sideways.
Tomac would once again set the fastest time of the night in the Lites class.
Photo: Garth Milan
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RV2/1 still the fastest week in and week out. This week at A2 it is going to translate into Top step on the podium!!! I hope.
Tomac is still flying, he is starting to look unbeatable for title. Hoping he keeps it on 2 wheels and gets top 7 starts, if so he will be very hard to beat.
GO RV
would like to see KW14 or AS29 step it up just a couple tenths of a second, and get in there and be #5 winner in week 5. Hard to do, but would like to see it. JW21 needs to shake off the rookie hebe jebe's JS put on him and get back in the game, can he do it by week 5?
@ Red54m,,, hmmmm, I was thinking JS won Oakland ? I guess I better watch it again to make sure..
ET looks so fast! Hope he can keep the rubber side down. He had some real close calls last week, while he was way out front. Hope he can keep wining l like it when they stick a mic in his face.
fastest lap times don't win races! Red54m. IF RV is to win he will have to earn it! JS looks like he might finally be racing himself into shape. IF JS wasn't sitting home for what ever his reason during the motocross season, sucking his toe, he might be better per-pared! Go RV! RD! or CR!
I have said it before. One fast lap means nothing if you cant do it for 20 laps. Stewie was the fastest guy at Oakland, maybe not for one lap, but he was for 20. He was smooth and confident on the track. RV backed down late in the race, he didnt look fast at all, 4 races, 4 winners and 4 brands. What a great 450 season.
And I am stoked for Tomac, great job in Oakland, and I am glad he is riding well. He is real fast, kinda wondering how he would stack up against Barcia. Barcia is a solid supercross guy, and very fast, kinda cant wait for the Shootout.
I like them both as riders, but unless there's an earthquake in the middle of the 450 Main, there's no way K-dub or Short are winning on Saturday. I know I'm really going out on a limb with that bold statement.
Stewart was nearly perfect at Oakland. Take a look at the lap chart on amasupercross.com, JS put in 12 laps under 55 seconds, Reed had 5, RV had 4 and Dunge had 2.
@ MXbob - Ok, you could be right, but i hope not!
@oldRm - No discredit, but not hard to haul the mail when your out front without traffic. Not say-in JS ain't fast just not equal for CR having RV breathing down your neck for more that half the race trying to pertect your line.
now that stewarts got some confidence back he wont be easy to beat,the fastest one lap means nothing, what if the guy in last place sets the fastest lap in lap 16 is he going to win the race?.. think about it
mxmofo and motard, last I checked JS7 had the same amount of wins as RV yet is trailing him in points. So at this point I guess the fastest laps may mean a little more than the slower laps. I was stating a fact and rooting for my guy, not sure what your point is??
Exactly, having one/the fastest lap doesnt mean anything during the race..
So Reeds fastest lap was lap 7, which was before James passed him for the lead, yet he said he road "like a girl" the first 10 laps.......interesting....James seemed to patiently wait to strike and seemed to be much more relaxed out there....Awesome to see 4 different winners, 4 different brands in 4 races!!....A2 will be a race win #2 for one of these guys......unless something really crazy goes down...
@ Red54m,, you said this... "" RV2/1 still the fastest week in and week out.""
That is simply not true... Maybe you should watch Oakland again,, because he WASN'T the fastest last week, right ????
Man this gets so lame. Mark Twain said, "Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please". Nothing has ever been more true. Yes Stewart won, and he did a fabulous job. The very people that were saying it meant nothing that RV was fastest in the first 3 races are now saying that it does mean something the night he isn't? Too much. Funny that somehow Stewart won even after doing not so hot in the first three. I'm so glad there are all these races left because we definitely are not going to see 17 different winners....although that would be pretty damn funny.
@mo-tarder; I agree, the cat n mouse Reed and RV played may have slowed them. Compare it to A1 and you see the same consitancy from RV.
C'mon folks. I'm sure even the Stewart fans were suprised that James made it 20 laps without a mishap. Fact is Villopoto is the best guy out there right now.
I would have loved to see him run down and stomp Reedy and Stewart, but he isn't riding to impress any of us. He is riding for a championship. So instead of trying to impress the fans he did the smart thing. Something the riders with a "win or crash" mentality have trouble doing. There is no doubt in my mind that if last weeks race was for the championship, Villopoto would have made it happen.
Look into your hearts folks. Y'all know what I'm saying is true.
mxmofo, maybe you should Watch A1, Phoenix and LA again. Again, what is your point? JS7 won a race and now he is the fastest week in and week out? The facts say one guy has consistanly been able to find the most speed. I think with the exception of last week, the racing has also shown us that. I am sure we will have a good argument come middle of the season! GO RV1
Seems to me that all Red54 was doing was stating a fact. RV continually sets the fastest lap on the night ( so far ). He also acknowledged that it has only translated into one win and he's hoping it will translate into another at A2!
I think at this point everyone knows having the one fastest lap does not mean your the best or the fastest it the new champ. Wish everyone didn't get so worked up about lap times.
What I find impressive is the consistency JS showed on that track. ( which is not always the norm ) I know he had a clear track the last half of the race but if the previous post is accurate, being the only one with every lap under 55 secs is solid.
Ryan "The Fastest Man on the Planet" Villopoto, Eli "What a great style" Tomac, and Martin "What's Wrong" Davalos ...
RV has one win. He was beat straight up last weekend by Reed and Stewart. Check the record books but I think Stewart ran at least 80% of the fastest laps all season last year but finished 4th. One fast lap does not over power consistency. Not a Dungey fan but he should of been the championship plate holder. Mr Consistent was robbed by a mechanical failure. All you haters can talk your shit on JS7 but he took what MC made and evolved it. He will forever live as one of the greatest riders of all times and I think there will be alot more wins to come.
Hey mxmofo and motard - Poor old Red54m does seem to get a bit easily confused at times so cut him some slack the poor guy...... :)
The only thing that really matters is who is fastest for the 20 laps total from the gate drop (not the first time past the timing tower).
round 1 it was RV
round 2 it was RD
round 3 it was CR
round 4 it was JS
redrider ...poto is insane fast and mega but james has held him off quite a few times in the last two weeks. i somewhat agree with you but he has held him off so take it easy.there both incredible and every now n then poto has his own mishaps, so why dont you just let the racers race.
redrider ...poto is insane fast and mega but james has held him off quite a few times in the last two weeks. i somewhat agree with you but he has held him off so take it easy.there both incredible and every now n then poto has his own mishaps, so why dont you just let the racers race.
I am calling this now.... JS7 will catch fire and win a lot of mains like he did in 09. That is what I am hoping for anyways. Everyone should agree that a dialed in, confident stewart is unbeatable. It showed in 09 when he was dialed.
Am I imagining it or are all the the JS7 fans who have been talking smack every week about him setting the fastest lap times singing a different tune after Oakland? Half of the Bobbles fans on here were talking all of that smack about the "Fastest man in qualifying" until he won, now lap times don't mean squat? Just keepin it real. He won last week, convincingly even, but he still still trailing 3 other riders in points by a considerable margin, so chill on the "He's the champ" talk!
Seems I've heard a million times "the fastest guy isn't always the winner". But, since James won this week, now the winner is always the fastest guy. Is that right?
Nah, I think you are mistaking that with the RV fans. JS7 has set a couple fast lap times that were put in check by RV. We will see whats up at the end of the nationals 2012. JS7 has a long year and seems he his planning for it. Actions speak louder than words my friend. 2012 JS1 over and out......
I am not trying to say Villopoto would of won if he passed Reed, but we all saw Reed push him nearly off the track (sorta RV's fault). Clearly RV wasn't comfortable on the track or he wouldn't of backed it down? Or maybe he wasn't willing to risk trying to pass Reed? I don't know what happened but obviously something was wrong nad he got beat. Not trying to make excuses but it obvious his fitness is there and the speed is there (which he proved in Oakland for at least half the race) so what can be the answer? The track? Riding smart? Like I said he proved he was fastest at Oakland and clearly he's fit. Yes being the fastest doesn't mean crap.
Pw29
Don't wager too much on Bubba being the 2012 outdoor champ. He's gotta get thru SX safely ( without crashing ) first. Then we'll see if he even rides outdoors.
If you're in a wagering mood try and pick between Nation Wide cars or Camping World truck series for the summer. He's worth way more to Gibbs on an coal track. This is JSE after all.
Smart phone not always so smart.....should have said OVAL track
If Stewie even makes it out of sx this year in one piece HE WILL NOT WIN THE OUT DOOR TITLE!!!
@motoranch agreed. I don't think that his bike, and his conditioning, are up to par with RV1 RD5 and CR22.
Fastest Lap only matters in practice and the heat race for gate pick. Which did not help stew at all in the first 2 rounds. Start looking at the average lap times for the main. Also, around lap 12 all 3 riders had a clear track. they were not close enough to affect each others lines so if reed or RV or any other rider in that situation were to be faster, the lap times would show it.
I said it b4 Davalos needs a factory bike.
I strongly disagree with everyone that stated the fastest lap doesnt matter. I say every lap each rider makes is ALL that matters. When RV got taken out my milsaps 2nd race, EVERY one of his fastest laps mattered and it shows up in points. Every riders laps all add up at the end of the season. There slowest laps matter just as much.
This is a series not a single race and pulling a third from last Matters, just as much as leading all 20 laps at the end.
Getting 2nd, 3rd or 4th, is NOT losing, its doing damn well!!
@davidl,good point
I disagree dgizzy1. I think what Davalos needs is a little more fitness. His lap times were ridiculously slow at the end of the race last week. Maybe the pace he runs first few laps takes to much energy for him. Might have to back it down a tad and make 15 laps.
What ever the case he cannot do 15laps at race pace
Not a hater. But i have seen the rumor that he is sandbagging his points due to the mechanical in round 1 and wants to do a year as a contender before moving up.
Not saying I believe it. But something is not right
The "fastest" man on the track is going to be the guy that takes the title at the end of the season and nothing less because that is all that matters in the end.
@Red54m,, When did i ever say that JS was the fastest week in and week out ??? Thats why guys like you are a waste of time to talk to.. I did not EVER say that.. RV had a his chance to pass JS and Reed, and never did. Not saying JS is faster "week in and week out" like you did, but RV certainly wasnt faster than JS at Oakland..
It's funny how some people post on here like they just did an interview with the riders. "RV was scared because of CR, he wasn't trying to win, blah blah blah" he got beat straight up last week. deal with it. He looked like he saw that he couldnt run the consistent pace CR or JS were running after he closed the gap and like any smart racer knew that it is a long championship. I believe that each of the top 4 are all going to win more races this year. Starts will be huge, one single fast lap in the race will not be. Fast consistent laps will be key along with good starts. Here's hoping for this weekend that finally the top 4 all get a top 4 start.
Funny how everyone keeps saying RV is fastest this season.
RV couldn't passs JS 2 weeks ago on the main with 6 laps to go, last week RV couldn't pass JS on the heat race, and on the main event RV followed JS from the start of the race until JS pulled away.