Spy Optic’s Trey Canard Is The 2008 Eastern Lites Champ

Spy Optic’s Kevin Windham Wins The St. Louis SX Class Main Event!

Double headline for a double-special night for Spy Optic supercross athletes in St. Louis

CARLSBAD, Calif., (April 21, 2008) – Spy Optic’s Trey Canard (Torco/ Honda), in this his rookie season on the 2008 Monster Energy AMA Supercross tour, passed defending Lites class champion Ryan Villopoto in the St. Louis Eastern Supercross Lites (ESX) class main event and held on to win the overall ESX crown. Just a short bit later Spy Optic’s Kevin Windham (Torco/Honda) captured 1st place in the Supercross class main event, giving Spy a sweet 1-1 St. Louis sweep!

And to make things event better for the iconic California-based company, both Josh Grant (Torco/Honda) and Andrew Short (Honda) scored 3rd place podium finishes in their respective classes (Grant/Lites, Short/SX), delivering to Spy Optic one of its greatest evenings ever in supercross competition.

“This was a HUGE night for Spy,” said company spokesman Jeremy McGrath. “Congrats from everybody at Spy to the Trey, K-Dub, Josh and Shorty on an epic evening of racing.”

Beginning with the Lites class, Canard made it clear early that it was going to be all or nothing for him at St. Louis. Coming out swinging with both fists in the first heat race, Canard brought in a 4.5 second victory (over Ryan Morais) to help carry some momentum into the main.

Soon after the starting gate dropped Canard had to play some catch up to line himself up with then leader Ryan Villopoto. And with the ’08 ESX championship on the line, Canard put a lap seven pass on Villopoto that will go down in supercross racing history.

“Man, I didn’t mean to take him (Villopoto) out,” said an elated and apologetic Canard following the race. “I’m sorry again for hitting Ryan. I’d expect him to do the same to me.”

Just under 49,000 fans in St. Louis witnessed the historic pass that was seen by only one through Spy Optic goggles. Maybe a million more will witness it when SPEED TV broadcasts the St. Louis ESX Lites class race this Saturday, April 26th, at 4:30 p.m. (EST) on SPEED in HD.

“He came in and did what he had to do, and I’m proud of him,” said Windham of Canard.

Stepping up his own game, Windham pulled off a much needed win following Canard’s title run – giving Spy Optic a 1-1 main event sweep of St. Louis. For Windham the overall Supercross class title is still on the line, so his win helped him close the gap between he and Chad Reed even closer (13 points, 318 to 305) with two races remaining (Seattle and Las Vegas).

“It was a good night – felt like I was on my game,” said Windham. “But I also have to keep in mind that it’s been a great year, lot of fun and I don’t want to lose sight of that.”

The key to his win, according to Windham, was starting with the leaders – which he did. From there he was able to reel in and catch Reed, then ride his Honda CRF450R to the top of the podium in the 20- lap main.

“I had to put myself into a position to go for the lead early,” he added.

Things continue to play into Windham’s favor as the series moves this weekend to Seattle, a stadium notorious for it’s soft and sometimes downright soupy conditions. Windham’s won in the mud before (Anaheim 1, 2005) and figures the ‘worse the better’ in Seattle.

Next up for the Spy Optic racers on the Monster Energy Supercross tour is the Saturday, April 26th Seattle Supercross, the penultimate round of 2008 Monster Energy Supercross.