And the wild world of Monster Energy Supercross rolls on, wilder than ever. You thought Houston packed storylines? You think Atlanta was crazy? Please. Tonight’s story from Jacksonville, Florida could have revolved around series points leader Ryan Villopoto failing to qualify for the main after suffering three crashes during his heat race and Last Chance Qualifier. But then Villopoto’s night looks comparatively better than James Stewart, who crashed just moments into the main event and never got back into the race, leaving in the Asterisk medic mule.
The big mover in points becomes TwoTwo Motorsports Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed, who jumps from twenty nine points out of the lead, to seven back of Villopoto. And yet, none of those riders mentioned—Villopoto, Stewart or Reed—even won the race!
When the dust settled after a wild evening, Trey Canard was celebrating career SX Class win number two
Meanwhile, as far as the title goes, in it to win it again, Reed moves from 29 to seven points down.
Andrew Fredrickson photos
This one went to Trey Canard, the second victory of the year for the American Honda Racing rider. After a couple of rough weekends, Canard grabbed a good start in the main, made quick work of Red Bull KTM's Mike Alessi to get the lead, and then avoided the early-race crashes and mistakes that have plagued him since he last won a race a month ago in Houston, Texas. Reed started off second and went after Canard, closing in near the halfway mark and then trying to make a pass late in the race. He squared Canard off and took the lead, but Canard struck back immediately, scrubbing a triple to get the spot back. Canard upped his pace and held Reed off to the finish. Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey ended up third, never quite able to latch on to Reed and Canard’s pace.
Mike Alessi and Andrew Short swept all the heat race and main event holeshots on their 350 KTMs.
Andrew Fredrickson photo
Kevin Windham took fourth on his GEICO Powersports Honda, and Red Bull KTM’s Andrew Short took fifth.
As for Villopoto, the night started off terribly. In his heat race, he rounded the first turn and then hit the first rhythm lane, only to tangle with Ti-Lube Kawasaki’s Matt Boni and go down hard. Villopoto got up slowly and never rejoined the race, resigned to the last chance qualifier.
It started off terribly there, too, when he tangled with Muscle Milk Toyota Yamaha’s Justin Brayton, who had also crashed in a heat. The two LCQ favorites found themselves way back, then Villopoto crashed again when he hit a tuff block reentering the track. At that point, the Monster Energy Kawasaki man was pretty beat up from all the crashes, and he didn’t come through the pack very quickly. He simply came up short, missing the main along with Brayton and essentially handing over a huge pile of points.
Villopoto crashing for the third time while reentering the track for the LCQ.
Andrew Fredrickson photo
But Stewart could not take advantage. In the main, he got into a tangle up on the first rhythm lane after the start, just like Villopoto did in the heat race. Stewart tangled with Boni’s Ti-Lube Kawasaki teammate Matt Georke, and ended up crashing hard. Both riders were hurt—Goerke left the track with his arm wrapped, and Stewart sat up and slid to the edge of the track, before taking on medical attention. Both riders’ nights were over.
No word was available on Stewart’s condition after the race, and the rumor mill runs rampant with every injury possibility imaginable. That’s just rumors, though. We’ll report if we hear anything official.
Reed made a run on Canard but couldn't make a pass stick.
Andrew Fredrickson photo
The Lites class had its own DNQ drama when Blake Baggett crashed off the start of the LCQ and couldn’t get his bike restarted. He didn’t make the main. In the main, Justin Barcia grabbed the holeshot on his GEICO Powersports Honda and pinned it for a few laps, opening a gap on his teammate Blake Wharton. Then Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson made the move on Wharton, but could not close the gap much on Barcia. Last week’s winner, Ryan Sipes, got into third on a DNA Shred Stix Star Racing Yamaha, but couldn’t make much of a run at Wilson. The race stretched out quickly, and Barcia cruised to his second win of the year. With Baggett out, his points lead swells.
Number 17 has a 17 point lead.
Andrew Fredrickson photo
Much left to cover from this wild night. Stay logged on to racerxonline.com for all the info.
SX Class Results
1. T Canard
2. C Reed
3. R Dungey
4. K Windham
5. A Short
6. I Tedesco
7. M Alessi
8. A Stroupe
9. N Wey
10. C Blose
11. F Iziord
12. M Byrne
13. J Thomas
14. J Browne
15. C Seely
16. K Partridge
17. D Millsaps
18. M Georke
19. W Peick
20. J Stewart
Blake Baggett crashed off the start in the LCQ and couldn't get his bike restarted.
Andrew Fredrickson photo
SX Lites Class Results
1. J Barcia
2. D Wilson
3. R Sipes
4. M Lemoine
5. P Larsen
6. D Durham
7. L Smith
8. T Futrell
9. H Hewitt
10. J Sipes
11. L Vincent
12. A Catanzaro
13. K Keylon
14. S Lipanovich
15. B Ripple
16. L Killbarger
17. B Wharton
18. C Gosselaar
19. G Audette
20. M Stewart
Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 221
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda – 214
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 203
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 198
5. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 194
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 145
7. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda - 121
8. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 121
9. Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha – 118
10. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 107
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 116
2. Ryan Sipes, Ekron, Ky., Yamaha – 99
3. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki – 97
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 85
5. Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki – 69
6. Blake Wharton, Aubrey, Texas, Honda – 69
7. P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 62
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki – 53
9. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki – 44
10. Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., Honda – 43