There’s not a person on this planet who would have guessed a month ago that three weeks into the East Region Lites championship Ryan Villopoto would not have a race win—let alone that rookie Trey Canard would be a perfect 3-for-3. The Torco Racing Fuels Honda rider did it again at the Daytona Jet Ski races, leading start to finish with hardly a mistake to show for it on one of the muddiest tracks we’ve ever seen. Villopoto would push up to #48’s rear fender lap after lap, only to make a mistake somewhere and lose contact with Canard.
The problem for Villopoto is that he’s also lost contact in the point standings with the rookie from Oklahoma. Canard’s now 31 points ahead with just four rounds remaining. The kid’s been unshakeable up to this point, just when RV2 has had a bad run of injuries and uncharacteristic mistakes. It’s too early to start doing the math—something like four fourths to four RV wins would still get the job done here—but the Canard camp can start sharpening their pencils.
The quiet celebration in the Factory Connection pits wasn’t the only one going on after Daytona. For the first time in the team’s history, a DNA Energy Drink / BTO Sports / Rick Case Honda/Butler Brothers MX rider reached the podium in AMA Supercross. Matt Boni, a prospect from nearby Geneva, Florida, survived the storm on his #109 CRF250R to earn the first trophy of his SX career. Boni rode a smart race, hanging around in the top five, then passing both Honda factory rider Ben Coisy and Suzuki City/Rockstar's Jimmy Albertson on the last lap to make a little bit of history for himself, his family, and the Butler family. Congrats to all of them.
Lites results:
1. Trey Canard
2. Ryan Villopoto
3. Matt Boni
4. Ben Coisy
5. Jimmy Albertson
6. Ryan Sipes
7. William Browning
8. Shane Sewell
9. Ricky Renner
10. Billy Payne
11. Matt Goerke
12. Nico Izzi
13. Robert Marshall
14. Phillip Nicoletti
15. Tyson Hadsell
16. Kyle Partridge
17. Justin Sipes
18. Kyle Gills
19. Joshua Grant
20. Mitchell Dougherty
21. Ryan Morais
22. Jake Moss
