Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto has a chance to join an elite club in 2013. If he captures his third consecutive Monster Energy Supercross title he will join Bob Hannah (1977-79), Jeremy McGrath (1993-96, 1998-2000) and Ricky Carmichael (2001-2003) as the only riders in history to win three (or more) consecutive supercross titles in the premier class.

The Hurricane (Hannah) surged through the late ‘70s capturing three straight titles until a freak water skiing accident, in which he broke his leg and missed the 1980 season, allowed Mike Bell to capture the 1980 title.

Thirteen years after Hannah set the bench mark, the early nineties ushered in a flamboyant, southern California kid named Jeremy McGrath. McGrath, who’s flair for the dramatic was unrivaled, became a larger than life figure on his way to four consecutive titles from 1993-96. The long-time Honda rider made an unexpected switch to Suzuki in 1997 and was bested by his fierce rival Jeff Emig in a close-fought title fight. But then McGrath switched to Yamaha and reeled off three-straight again from 1998 through 2000.

Ricky Carmichael quickly took the torch from McGrath. The GOAT would rattle off three consecutive titles before a knee injury took him out of contention in 2004, allowing Chad Reed to capture his first premier class title.

McGrath celebrates his first of four straight titles in 1993.
Fran Kuhn photo

Year	Rider	Points	Second Place	Second Place Points	Margin of Victory
1977	Bob Hannah	217	Jim Pomeroy	176	41
1978	Bob Hannah	241	Marty Tripes	196	45
1979	Bob Hannah	227	Jim Weinert	199	28
1993	Jeremy McGrath	358	Mike Kiedrowski	301	57
1994	Jeremy McGrath	335	Mike LaRocco	287	48
1995	Jeremy McGrath	320	Larry Ward	270	50
1996	Jeremy McGrath	372	Jeff Emig	240	132
1998	Jeremy McGrath	332	Ezra Lusk	271	61
1999	Jeremy McGrath	342	Ezra Lusk	273	69
2000	Jeremy McGrath	372	David Vuillemin	337	35
2001	Ricky Carmichael	392	Jeremy McGrath	328	64
2002	Ricky Carmichael	328	David Vuillemin	321	35
2003	Ricky Carmichael	367	Chad Reed	360	7
2011	Ryan Villopoto	338	Chad Reed	334	4
2012	Ryan Villopoto	323	Davi Millsaps	266	57

During his four year reign of terror McGrath averaged a staggering margin of victory (points at seasons end) of 71.75. In his second three-peat performance, his average was 55 points, still a full two races. During Hannah’s three-year run he averaged a margin of victory of 38. RC, meanwhile, averaged about a 35-point margin. Through his two-straight titles, Villopoto has a margin of victory of just over 30. Of course the 2011 battle was close, and stands as the best ever in the minds of many. But his margin last year should have been bigger, as Ryan held a massive points lead and was even flirting with the largest victory margin ever, until a knee injury knocked him out of the last three races. He still won the title by 57 points.

Backing up an AMA Supercross title isn't easy. Numerous multi-time champions, including Rick Johnson, Jeff Ward, Chad Reed and James Stewart, have all walked through the hallowed halls, but none of them have taken back-to-back SX titles (credit is due to Jeff Stanton, who went back-to-back in '89 and '90). So whether Villopoto is able to join the elite company of Hannah, McGrath and Carmichael with three-straight, or even if he falls short, his back-to-back titles already have a place in the record books.