5 Minutes With ... Ryan Villopoto
Winning a championship is nothing new to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, and it’s getting to be a habit for young Ryan Villopoto. He added the 2007 Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series West Region championship to his trophy case with his sixth win in seven races at San Diego, and then handed one of his prizes—the keys to the new Toyota FJ Cruiser he got from Toyota of Escondido—to his thrilled and rightfully proud mother Kris. TFS stepped in to talk just as the party was getting started on Saturday night.
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Racer X
So is this first supercross championship a milestone for you, or something you just expect?
Yeah, I got the outdoor one, and I haven’t had a supercross one and now I got that so I hope I can do another outdoor one this year, and then another supercross.
Was today a normal day for you, was there added pressure, or did the team do extra things to make it seem normal?
It was mainly normal. I went over the bars in practice and took it a little easy. I went out in second practice, and I always try and do the fast lap time to get first gate pick. The first gate pick means the second qualifier and the track is a little bit better. That helps me out.
How did the main event go for you?
It was good. Josh Grant got off to a good start. I went outside and Goose got in underneath us. It was good to see him up front. After I got past him I got a bit of a cushion. I knew he was there and just tried to ride my own race and do 15 laps.
What are you going to do in the off weeks now?
I am going to go home for a week or so and then hang out and do nothing up there, then come back and start riding some outdoors.
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So you have one more season in Lites?
Yeah, we are talking about East Coast next year so I can check the tracks out over there.
I saw you signed one of those jerseys for James Marshall. Pretty cool, huh?
You know, James Marshall has to be one of the toughest guys out here. He was hurt here a year ago. Hopefully things go his way.
Did you really give your mom that Toyota?
Yeah!
: Ryan, you have quite a celebration building up outside.
Ryan Villopoto: Yeah. Everybody is here! I got it wrapped up early and Seattle is probably going to be muddy, so I am glad to get it over with now on a dry track. Anything can happen in mud.
