Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

5UP€RCROss nound 7 A.pril 22, 20.,6 Amp'd Mobil€ AMA SX LitEs WcstErn REgional SuPcrcross S€ni€s With hir first win, Ryon Villopoto moved into rfiird ploce in the wesl Litor-(lds. slqndings with one round to go. f an award were given for the most- improved rider during the l0-week break since the last round of the series in San Diego, it would have to 8o to Ryan Villopoto. The first-year Pro dominated the seventh round ofthe Amp'd lYobile AMA SX Lites Western Regional Supercross Series in Dallas after turning a parr of holeshots inro heat-race and main- event wins. Granted, the Whshington native did finish second at the openin8 round of the series at Anaheim l, but most pegple attributed that to "beSinner's luck," and since then his best finish had been a fourth the following week in Phoenix. ln Dallas, Villopoto led every lap that he was on the track, turned the fastest lap of the race, and started the day off by turninS the fastest lap time in the first round of seeded practice. The win was his first ever in AMA Supercross competi- tion, and it moved him into third overall, ahead of Red Bull KTM's Nathan Ramsey, in the series standings. "l was iust hoping to pull the holeshot an the main, and luckily I did it," Villopoto said. ''l haven't had a podium since Anaheim l, and me and Grant had a good battle in the heat race, and I just wanted to carry that into the main." 38 MAY 3,2006 . CYCLE NEW5 Howeve., despite Villopoto's perform- ance, most of the attention in Dallas was still focused on the tlvo front-runners in the series standings, points leader Andrew Short and Villopoto's Monster Enerry/Pro CircuiVKawasaki teammate Grant Langston. With l0 full weeks to contemplate the circumstances surround- ing the first six rounds of the topsy-turvy series, Short and Langston came to Texas Stadium rested and ready to race, each hoping to leave the Lone Star State with a clear advantage heading into the final round of the series in Seattle. After six rounds, Short and Langston each had two wins to his credit, and each had two rounds that he would rather for- 8et. Only two points separated lhem in the standings heading into the Dallas round, while Red Bull KTM'S Nathan Ramsey sat another nine poinls back in third, still with an outside shot at the title. So the Texas race would be an important one, and it would surely establish momentum for one of the three riders, heading into the flnale. Of the two top contenders, Short got the best jump at the start of the main, rounding the first turn on his factory- sponsored Honda in fourth, with Langston iust behind. But in turn two, Short took lanSston to the Tuf-Block, and from there the Kawasaki lost ground. "l lvas Soing left, then right, and I was getting held up, and on the first lap, it seemed like I could not 8et into position to get a break," Langston said, "l had a decent start but was just at the wrong place at the wrong time and lost a bunch of positions." At the end of lap one, Villopoto led Red Bull KTM'S Mike Alessi, with MotosPort.com's Eric Sorby in third. Shon came next, followed by Team MB I's Ryan Abrigo and Ramsey. Next came a pack that included Temecula Motorsport's Rodrig Thain, Team Green Kawasaki's Darcy Lange, and WBR's Ryan Morais. and then came Langston- On lap two, Short moved by Sorby, and then he displaced Alessi for second on the following lap. lt would take until lap six for Langston to get into third position, behind Short, but by then Villopoto had five sec- onds over Short and, in turn, Short held five seconds over Langston, and all three were having to contend with lappers, Short was now in a Sood position, sandwiched between the two Kawasaki riders, and he only needed to finish ahead of [angston to maintain his advantage in the championship. From his second-place spot, he was able to keep tabs on the for- mer champ, while allowing Villopoto to pace him to the checkers. Over the final four laps, Villopoto began to tighten up a bit, and Short gained a small amgunt of ground, but Villopoto managed to make it to the checkers (despite almost crashing on his final trip through the whoops) with more than three seconds to spare over Short. Langston crossed the line another five seconds later. "l iust felt like I rode way too tight," Langston said. "l iust 8ot pushed around too much in the beginning, which cost me valuable time. I slowly started eating away at them, but it was never enough." Short can breathe a little easier going into the final round in Seattle. He now leads Langston by four points, and for Langston to win the championship, he obviously needs to win, but he also needs help from Short, because of the differential. 'All I can do now is try and go win," Langston said- "What happens behind, happens. lt was a bad night for me, but we have one more round. and it is still really close.'' "l'm just happy to get another couple of points on Grant," Shon said. "lt will be fun to go into the next round [in Seattle], and I am looking forward to a good race, and I am ready for the fight." Ramsey, the other rider with a chance at the title going into the Dallas event, had a night to forget, ending up in l2th. Despite falling on lap two while running in sixth position, the Red Bull KTl4 rider still managed to work his way toward the front, but he never really seemed to 8et in the grooYe, "l was iust trying to find the speed all day, and it was cominS every time lgot on the track, but in the main event I had a fall in the whoops after the flrst couple of laps, and that put me behind,'' Ramsey said. ''l got up and tried to catch back up, but I ended up falling again. There is noth- ing I can say but that l'll just have to come back next week, I am pretty much out of the championship, but it would be good After dropping off the pace after fie lirst few laps, Alessi ended the race in fourth, while Morais claimed his best fin- ish of the series with a fifth. Cia TrxAs STADrum lRuNG, TExAs REsuLrs: ApEr! 22. 2006 (RouND 7 ot 8I SX IITES HEAT I (6 Iapr, l-9 to main): 1. Rla villopoto (Kaw)i 2. Gart Lz.aston (Kaw)r l. Nathan Rim*y (KTH); 4. 8re!i Mer.alle rYam)i 5. E.ic Sorby (Hon): 6 lusiin Keeney (Hon): 7 fuan Abri8o (Hon)i 8. Ryai I.4rls (suz): 9. Mi.h:el sleeter (fiM)i 10. ldon Liwenc€ (suz): ll. D€nnis Ewins (Hon)i 12. Levi Reid (Hon); ll. Riley Kur6ky (Hon)r la. Trevor rlonk (Kaw): 15. Clay Hiseirs (KM)r 16. Billy Swapp (Kaw)i 17. Eric Nye tYam)i 18. Aaron Smirh (Kaw): 19. Losa oanen (Ho.lr 20. Rtr. tim.: 5 mih 22 87 se. SX IITES HEAT 2 (6 l.pe, l-9 to m.l.): l. Andrew Shon (H@)i 2. Ddcy Lange (Kaw)i 3. l'like A16! (KTH)I 1. lustn Bq,ton Ciam)i 5. De.y smith (Hon)i 6. Ryan I4oraE (suz);7. Adm Chatfield (S@)i8. Daniel Sani (Hon)r 9. Rod.ig Thain (K!w)i l0 Bilry Laninovi.h (Hon)i I I tanch Csroll ftam)i 12. Chns N,han (Yam)i ll. Daryl Ecklund (Yam)i 14.I. l'lanin Gac6 (s!z)r ls. Hnh.w Armstrois (Kaw)i 16. TnvE smith (Yam): 17. Ausie Lieber (S@): l€. Andy Eakkei (Yam); 19. PlulCarpent€r (Hon). R .e tim..5 min. 23.1I*..s SX LITES LCQ (4 laF, l-a to h.in): l. Billy taoinovi.h (Hon): 2. l*on L:wren.€ (suz): L Paul (Leh) Andrew Shorr {29), who fin. ished second, now hos o four-poinl odvonlqge over Grqnl Lqngston oE they heod into the series linol in Seotlle. E' A 3 ,$$ - u- 6T T I il I 1' \i l{ qi Texos Srddium lrvins, Tx NIosG Inn I n nvi his first win, ile Andrew Short gorns nts on Gront [o BY SxrH Moonr PHoros BY Srrvr Bnuxr 'l

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