Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Josh Hansen Is Two For Two
January 17, 2011, 9:15pm
Irvine, Calif.- Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's‚ Josh Hansen earned his second win in a row in the AMA Supercross Lites class, a part of the Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship. Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto finished on the podium once again and leaves the second round with a two-point lead in the championship standings. In the AMA Supercross Lites class, Hansen holds a six-point lead over his teammate Broc Tickle, who finished in the runner-up position for the second straight week. Tyla Rattray fought through a sore wrist to finish sixth.
Monster Energy Kawasaki Under the Tent
Keeping The Momentum
Villopoto's strong start at the first round seemed to carry over into the second round as the Washington native posted fast laps all day on his Kawasaki KX450F. His night started with a heat race win and he looked to carry that into the main event. After getting a fourth-place start, Villopoto quickly moved into second and was riding strong just behind the leader, but a quick tip over halfway through the race forced him to settle for the runner up position.
"I really felt like I had speed to win," said Villopoto. "The track was tough tonight and I ended up making a mistake that cost me a lot of time. From there, I knew there was no need to ride over my head to try and catch James. This is a long season and every point is valuable. I'm happy to start the season strong and see where we can go from here."
Another Win
With his season starting off with a bang, Hansen followed up his good ride in Anaheim with a strong showing in Phoenix. After posting the fastest lap in practice, Hansen took that speed and won his heat race. In the main event, he patiently rode behind his teammate Tickle and made the pass for the lead after a mistake from Tickle.
"Winning has been awesome but I'm ultimately looking ahead for the championship," said Hansen. "This year I've been doing all I can to give back to my team and the people that put a lot of time into me. I'm very thankful for everyone who has helped me get into the position to win races."
Two Races, Two Holeshots
Already this year, Tickle has come out swinging, looking to put his name on the list of potential champions. He's proven he can get good starts with two holeshots in two races, and has been very close to coming away with his first win of the season.
"Riding in first and finishing second has definitely made me hungry for a win," said Tickle. "I know I have the speed, I just need to stop making little mistakes that seem to cost me big. I'm going to keep working and I know eventually the wins will come."
Riding Through The Pain
From looking at his riding, most fans wouldn't have known that Rattray was riding with a sore wrist that he injured while practicing during the week. He put together good times in practice, won his heat race, and rode to finish just outside the top-five with a sixth-place finish.
"It's been a tough week for me," said Rattray. "I came into the weekend not knowing what to expect and I'm just glad we made it through with some valuable points. This is only my second supercross race and I feel like I'm adjusting pretty well. We will see how I feel through the week and hopefully go into Dodger Stadium fully healed."
Getting Over A Cold
Even though Villopoto had much to celebrate after the first race in Anaheim, celebration took a back seat as Villopoto worked through a cold. His program through the week stayed the same and it showed in Phoenix. Despite feeling a little under the weather, he rode with more confidence throughout the entire day.
"It's never fun being sick, but as long as I'm not feeling any worse, I try to keep with my program so we don't lose any progress," said Villopoto. "I've already started feeling better so I'm going to keep working and stay on the podium next week."
Taking Some Time
His results throughout the night wouldn't show it, but another rider that wasn't 100 percent on the track was second-place supercross lites finisher Tickle. After riding once this week, he took time to recuperate from a cold.
"I started feeling sick on Sunday and after riding on Monday, I decided it was best to get healthy," said Tickle. "I felt good whenever I was on the track, but we'll see how I feel this week to see what I do for training."
Confidence
With only two races completed and 15 more races to come, Villopoto is already making positive strides toward becoming a regular to the podium.
"When thinking long term, it seems funny, but you just have to take it race by race and keep your thoughts short term," said Villopoto. "Race wins are nice, but learning from your mistakes and knowing where you can improve will only help you more and more each week. I felt a lot better than I did last week and I hope each week I can feel even better on the track."
New Venue
For the third round of the circuit, the riders are traveling to a brand new venue at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. All the riders are excited to visit a new venue, but Hansen seems to be the most excited.
"I'm really excited for the race next weekend," said Hansen. "I have a lot of family in the area and I know it will be a good time racing in front of them. I have a lot of love for Los Angeles so I know it's going to be a good race."
Results
AMA Supercross Series
Chase Field – Phoenix, Ariz
January 15, 2011
AMA Supercross Class Results
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
2. RYAN VILLOPOTO, POUSLBO, WASH., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
4. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda
5. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
6. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
8. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
9. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
10. Kyle Regal, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
AMA Supercross Lites Results, Western Region
1. JOSH HANSEN, ELBERT, COLO., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI
2. BROC TICKLE, HOLLY, MICH., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI
3. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda
5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
6. TYLA RATTRAY, WILDOMAR, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI
7. James Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
10. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
AMA Supercross Class Point Standings
1. RYAN VILLOPOTO, POUSLBO, WASH., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 47
2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha, 45
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 38
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 38
5. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda, 34
6. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki, 26
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 25
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 22
9. IVAN TEDESCO, MURRIETA, CALIF., KAWASAKI, 21
10. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 20
AMA Supercross Lites Point Standings, Western Region
1. JOSH HANSEN, ELBERT, COLO., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 50
2. BROC TICKLE, HOLLY, MICH., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 44
3. TYLA RATTRAY, WILDOMAR, CAL., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 35
4. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 35
5. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda, 34
6. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki, 30
7. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 27
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda, 26
9. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 19
10. Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 18
Monster Energy Kawasaki Under the Tent
Keeping The Momentum
Villopoto's strong start at the first round seemed to carry over into the second round as the Washington native posted fast laps all day on his Kawasaki KX450F. His night started with a heat race win and he looked to carry that into the main event. After getting a fourth-place start, Villopoto quickly moved into second and was riding strong just behind the leader, but a quick tip over halfway through the race forced him to settle for the runner up position.
"I really felt like I had speed to win," said Villopoto. "The track was tough tonight and I ended up making a mistake that cost me a lot of time. From there, I knew there was no need to ride over my head to try and catch James. This is a long season and every point is valuable. I'm happy to start the season strong and see where we can go from here."
Another Win
With his season starting off with a bang, Hansen followed up his good ride in Anaheim with a strong showing in Phoenix. After posting the fastest lap in practice, Hansen took that speed and won his heat race. In the main event, he patiently rode behind his teammate Tickle and made the pass for the lead after a mistake from Tickle.
"Winning has been awesome but I'm ultimately looking ahead for the championship," said Hansen. "This year I've been doing all I can to give back to my team and the people that put a lot of time into me. I'm very thankful for everyone who has helped me get into the position to win races."
Two Races, Two Holeshots
Already this year, Tickle has come out swinging, looking to put his name on the list of potential champions. He's proven he can get good starts with two holeshots in two races, and has been very close to coming away with his first win of the season.
"Riding in first and finishing second has definitely made me hungry for a win," said Tickle. "I know I have the speed, I just need to stop making little mistakes that seem to cost me big. I'm going to keep working and I know eventually the wins will come."
Riding Through The Pain
From looking at his riding, most fans wouldn't have known that Rattray was riding with a sore wrist that he injured while practicing during the week. He put together good times in practice, won his heat race, and rode to finish just outside the top-five with a sixth-place finish.
"It's been a tough week for me," said Rattray. "I came into the weekend not knowing what to expect and I'm just glad we made it through with some valuable points. This is only my second supercross race and I feel like I'm adjusting pretty well. We will see how I feel through the week and hopefully go into Dodger Stadium fully healed."
Getting Over A Cold
Even though Villopoto had much to celebrate after the first race in Anaheim, celebration took a back seat as Villopoto worked through a cold. His program through the week stayed the same and it showed in Phoenix. Despite feeling a little under the weather, he rode with more confidence throughout the entire day.
"It's never fun being sick, but as long as I'm not feeling any worse, I try to keep with my program so we don't lose any progress," said Villopoto. "I've already started feeling better so I'm going to keep working and stay on the podium next week."
Taking Some Time
His results throughout the night wouldn't show it, but another rider that wasn't 100 percent on the track was second-place supercross lites finisher Tickle. After riding once this week, he took time to recuperate from a cold.
"I started feeling sick on Sunday and after riding on Monday, I decided it was best to get healthy," said Tickle. "I felt good whenever I was on the track, but we'll see how I feel this week to see what I do for training."
Confidence
With only two races completed and 15 more races to come, Villopoto is already making positive strides toward becoming a regular to the podium.
"When thinking long term, it seems funny, but you just have to take it race by race and keep your thoughts short term," said Villopoto. "Race wins are nice, but learning from your mistakes and knowing where you can improve will only help you more and more each week. I felt a lot better than I did last week and I hope each week I can feel even better on the track."
New Venue
For the third round of the circuit, the riders are traveling to a brand new venue at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. All the riders are excited to visit a new venue, but Hansen seems to be the most excited.
"I'm really excited for the race next weekend," said Hansen. "I have a lot of family in the area and I know it will be a good time racing in front of them. I have a lot of love for Los Angeles so I know it's going to be a good race."
Results
AMA Supercross Series
Chase Field – Phoenix, Ariz
January 15, 2011
AMA Supercross Class Results
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
2. RYAN VILLOPOTO, POUSLBO, WASH., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
4. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda
5. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
6. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
8. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
9. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
10. Kyle Regal, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
AMA Supercross Lites Results, Western Region
1. JOSH HANSEN, ELBERT, COLO., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI
2. BROC TICKLE, HOLLY, MICH., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI
3. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda
5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
6. TYLA RATTRAY, WILDOMAR, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI
7. James Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
10. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
AMA Supercross Class Point Standings
1. RYAN VILLOPOTO, POUSLBO, WASH., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 47
2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha, 45
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 38
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 38
5. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda, 34
6. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki, 26
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 25
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 22
9. IVAN TEDESCO, MURRIETA, CALIF., KAWASAKI, 21
10. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 20
AMA Supercross Lites Point Standings, Western Region
1. JOSH HANSEN, ELBERT, COLO., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 50
2. BROC TICKLE, HOLLY, MICH., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 44
3. TYLA RATTRAY, WILDOMAR, CAL., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 35
4. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 35
5. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda, 34
6. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki, 30
7. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 27
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda, 26
9. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 19
10. Nick Paluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 18
