This one will be talked about for a long time.
Regional Lites Supercross Championships just aren’t held with the same weight as the national crowns (Supercross, Motocross, Motocross Lites). Many 125 or Lites Supercross titles have become footnotes in history, as fans usually don’t have the same trivial knowledge to the small bike SX crowns as they do dramatic fights in the big classes. Damon Bradshaw was considered to “never win a championship” when he only had a 125 East title to his name, and James Stewart was once compared to a Superbowl-less Peyton Manning until he claimed the big bike title in 2006 (by then, Stewart had already claimed two 125 Supercross titles).
But this 2008 Lites East title fight could be different. The controversial ending sealed its fate. Trey Canard rallied back after getting passed by Ryan Villopoto, got to the inside of him in a corner, and then, well, either took him out or just raced him hard, depending on how you see it.
How you see it means everything, and whether you think Canard earned it or stole it, you probably think something either way, and that makes this one unforgettable.
Second, the upset season ended without Villopoto winning a title, which is something no one would have predicted when he was blowing everyone away last year.. Plus, Canard ends up a rookie champion, which hasn’t been done since Ernesto Fonseca won the East back in 1999 for Yamaha of Troy. Carmichael, Stewart and Pastrana all failed on their first attempts.
The real issue now is, will Canard’s title become a footnote for him in a long line of other championships, or will St. Louis’ victory over Villopoto stand as his greatest triumph ever? Be sure to check back in a few years to see how memorable this one really was.
Racer X - Motocross & Supercross News
