With that kind of potential drama, maybe there was a chance of something unexpected in the SX Class. And with a championship potentially hanging in the balance, such drama could make for big headlines. But Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto said to that, “Not a chance.” He battled down the start straight and got past JGR Toyota/Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps for the lead in the first few corners. From there, he checked out to his eighth win of the season.
Meanwhile, Villopoto’s championship also became secure when James Stewart got a terrible start, then crashed out when he overjumped a tabletop in a rhythm section and went over the bars. It was a hard crash, and Stewart retired from the race after that. From there, Villopoto only had to hold off Millsaps to win the title, and he did. Villopoto dropped his bike after the finish of the race and pumped his fists. He becomes just the fifth rider to ever win back-to-back AMA SX Titles, wrapping it up an incredible four races in advance.
Millsaps and Villopoto’s teammate Jake Weimer rounded out the podium.
Earlier in the day, it looked like crowd favorite Kevin Windham might have been able to make a run for the win, as he posted the fastest times in both practice sessions. Windham then had a fantastic battle with Stewart for the win in the second heat. On the last lap, while running second, Windham scrubbed to hard over a triple and landed short, launching him over the bars. He was out of racing for the night. Team reports say he hurt his thumb and shoulder, but x-rays came back negative.
Villopoto is rapidly building his place in the history of the sport, racking up race wins and titles at a rate few in the sport have produced. He gets a weekend off to celebrate, and then the tour resumes in New Orleans in two weeks.
Look for a full report, photos and much more from the race right here on RacerXonline.com
