IN
THE
WIND
P24
VILLOPOTO HANGS UP HIS BOOTS
F
ive-time outdoor AMA Na-
tional Motocross Champion
and four-time AMA Supercross
Champion Ryan Villopoto an-
nounced his retirement from
racing on July 9. Villopoto was
hoping to finish out his career
and the 2015 season with an
MXGP Championship, but an
injury suffered at the MXGP of
Trentino back in April put an end
to that quest and an early retire-
ment to what has been one of
the most successful careers
ever in the sport.
Villopoto's first national title
came at the AMA Amateur
National Championships at
Loretta Lynn's in 2005. After
turning pro, he went on to win
three consecutive AMA 250
Motocross Championships
from 2006-2008, as well as
the 2007 250 AMA Supercross
West Regional Championship.
He is one of only four riders
to ever win three consecutive
250-class outdoor titles. In the
450 class, Villopoto won four
straight AMA Supercross titles
from 2011-2014 and two AMA
Pro Motocross titles (2011,
2013). Villopoto's nine profes-
sional AMA National Champi-
onships places him second in
the record books behind Ricky
Carmichael.
With all of his success in the
United States, Villopoto set his
eyes on the FIM Motocross
World Championship in 2015
as part of the Monster Energy
Kawasaki Racing Team in Eu-
rope. After earning an overall
win in the second round of the
At 26 years old, Ryan Villopoto calls it career.
