Villopoto celebrated his first 450 win at San Diego. Image: Simon Cudby.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto has been able to check yet another item off his already long list of achievements.

After taking the win at the San Diego round of the AMA Supercross series, Villopoto celebrated his first ever win at Qualcomm Stadium in 450 class.

In his heat race Villopoto discovered that the two main passing spots on the track would be the whoops and the corner before the finish line jump.

In a thrilling main event, Villopoto rode away from the field early. Until a charging Chad Reed made a late race push, eventually passing Villopoto for the lead on the 19th lap.

But a crafty Villopoto again used the same line, passing Reed back in the corner before the finish line as the white flag flew, eventually taking his first ever Supercross Class victory in San Diego.

“You really had to be smooth every lap to pass lappers and race for the lead,” said Villopoto.

“San Diego’s dirt is really slippery and the whoops were long and cupped out. Most tracks we don’t even think twice about hitting them wide open, but these you really had to think about going into them steady and smooth.”

“I’ve never won San Diego in the Supercross Class so it feels great to check this off.”

Villopoto sits just six points ahead of Reed in the championship standings as the series rolls into Arlington, TX for round seven of the AMA Supercross series.