Aussie Chad Reed, pictured during press day, won the Las Vegas AMA Supercross finale. Image: Matt Francis/RacerXOnline.com.

The greatest season ever of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, came to an exciting conclusion on Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd of 39,506 fans inside Sam Boyd Stadium.

After 17 rounds of the most competitive racing in supercross history, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto secured his inaugural Supercross class title thanks to a third place finish in the 20-lap main event.

In the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites class championship, GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia captured his first career title after a strong third place finish.

In the final race of the Western Regional Supercross Lites class championship, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Broc Tickle also secured his first career title after a runner-up effort in his main event.
 
Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi kicked off the final race of the 2011 season in the Supercross class by capturing the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot, with GEICO Honda’s Kevin Windham and San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart in tow.

Windham quickly moved out front before the conclusion of the first lap, but was passed by Stewart on Lap 3.
 
Three laps later on lap six, Stewart lost control in the whoops and went down in front of Windham, who subsequently fell after trying to avoid his rival. Villopoto then moved into the lead, with Reed on his rear fender.

Villopoto fended off Reed’s advances for another five laps before Reed made the winning pass on lap 11.

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey moved by Villopoto shortly after and over the final five laps of the main event, Reed and Dungey brought the crowd to its feet with a close battle to the finish.
 
In the end, Reed secured his second win of the season while Dungey brought home his series-leading 13th podium finish of the season with a runner-up effort. Villopoto rounded out the podium in third.
 
“We gave it all we had,” said Reed. “I feel totally blessed this season. Congrats to Ryan. He earned the championship. He had the most wins this season and to come back form what he went through last year, he has my respect. We did all we can and sometimes, you come up short.”
 
“I just have to thank everyone at Kawasaki,” said Villopoto. “The team believed in me through thick and thin. We’ll enjoy this. It was a hard-fought battle. I saw James and Kevin go down – the whoops were tough tonight.

“We all had to run the same line and you couldn’t avoid it. Luckily I got around the crash. I wasn’t pulling away form Chad, so I just let him by and Ryan was right behind him so then I let him by. I just cruised from there.”

Australian rising star Tye Simmonds finished 10th for JDR/J-Star/KTM, the 19-year-old’s best result of his rookie season in the U.S.
 
As the gates dropped on the final Eastern Regional Supercross Lites class main event of the season, Barcia grabbed the early lead and quickly opened up a gap over the rest of the field.

Behind him, DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett engaged in battle for second and after Barcia crashed out of the lead on lap three, put on a bar-to-bar showdown for the win.

The duo traded the top spot on several occasions before Baggett made the winning pass on the final lap to secure his second win of the season.
 
“It was great to go out with a win,” said Baggett. “I had such a crazy season that it’s good to know I’m capable of being patient and having a good final round.”
 
Sipes finished second, just one bike length behind Baggett, while Barcia recovered from his mishap to finish off his championship season with a podium finish in all nine races.
 
“I’m lost for words right now,” said Barcia. “It hasn’t set in yet that I’ve won the championship. It’s been an awesome season.

“The racing has been crazy all year and I’ve had a lot of fun. I have an awesome team behind me that have given me 100-percent support every race. This is a moment I will remember forever.”
 
In the Western Region Supercross Lites class finale, Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, of Germany, was the first out of the gates with Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Cole Seely right behind him.

As the pair of riders pulled away from the field, several other competitors, including championship contenders Tickle and GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac, of Cortez, Colo., traded positions throughout the top five.

On lap four Roczen crashed out of the lead, allowing Seely to assume the position. Just two laps later, Seely crashed in the same spot and Roczen reclaimed the spot, carrying it on to his first career victory in his rookie supercross season.
 
“This is awesome,” said Roczen. “I’ve had so much fun racing supercross this season and competing in front of the U.S. fans. It feels great to finish the year off with a win.

“I feel like I’ve learned so much this and I have a great team behind me. The best part about all of this is seeing how happy Roger DeCoster is.”
 
With just two points separating them coming into the evening, Tickle and Tomac kept one another in sight throughout all 15 laps of the main event.

Tomac held the upper hand for the majority of the race, until Tickle slipped by on lap 13 and held off his rival to take the hard-earned championship with a runner-up effort.
 
“It really is a dream come true,” said Tickle. “I still don’t think it’s real. I know it happened but I still can’t believe it. The past few weeks have been pretty bad for me.

“I’ve struggled in practice and in the races. I am so happy right now and hope I don’t wake up from this dream.”
 
DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Kyle Cunningham finished third, with Tomac following in fourth.
 
Following the respective regional Supercross Lites class main events, the stars from both coasts competed one final time in the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout.

Fresh off his championship win, Barcia grabbed the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot, but crashed out of the lead on lap two, allowing Sipes to move into the lead.

From there, the veteran rider never looked back, dominating en route to his second win of the 2011 season.
 
“This is cool,” said Sipes. “After losing the east main the way I did, it’s nice to come back and get this win. I feel good and I feel that was the best way to end the season.”
 
Seely secured second while Roczen grabbed the final spot on the podium in third.
 
Earlier in the evening, the Bret Michaels ‘Rock Hard-Ride Hard’ Award was handed out for the first time.

The distinction honors the hardest charging, comeback supercross rider who ultimately proves to push the limits in a quest towards winning the Monster Energy Supercross championship.

The award was given to Chad Reed, after the former champion came just four points shy of his third title in his inaugural foray into the world of team ownership.
 
2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship
Round 17 – Las Vegas, NV

Supercross Class Results
1.     Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda
2.     Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
3.     Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
4.     Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
5.     Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
6.     Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
7.     Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Yamaha
8.     Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha
9.     Kyle Regal, Murrieta, Calif, Yamaha
10.  Tye Simmonds, Menifee, Calif., KTM
 
Supercross Class Season Standings
1.     Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 338
2.     Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda – 334
3.     Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 328
4.     James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 301
5.     Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 255
6.     Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 230
7.     Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 207
8.     Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha – 180
9.     Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 155
10.  Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Yamaha – 152
 
Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Results
1.     Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
2.     Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki
3.     Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
4.     Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
5.     Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda
6.     Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki
7.     Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
8.     Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
9.     Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
10.  Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
 
Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1.     Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 187
2.     Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 181
3.     Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 162
4.     Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda – 147
5.     Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki – 138
6.     Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM – 130
7.     Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki – 126
8.     Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 125
9.     Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki – 107
10.  Ben Evans, Garden City, Idaho, Kawasaki – 75
  
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Results
1. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha
3. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
4. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
5. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
6. Matthew Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas., Kawasaki
7. Lance Vincent, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki
8. Hunter Hewitt, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
9. Les Smith, York, S.C., Honda
10. Justin Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., Kawasaki
 
Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda – 205
2. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki – 183
3. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha – 163
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki – 159 
5. Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda – 125
6. Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Kawasaki – 120
7. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki – 89
8. Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., Honda – 83
9. P.J. Larsen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 80  
10. Hunter Hewitt, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki – 80
 
Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout Results
1. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha
2. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda
3. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
4. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
5. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
7. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
8. Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., Honda
9. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki