Australia’s Chad Reed has clinched his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship,victory as team owner/rider for the newly-formed TwoTwo Motorsports team in San Diego, California, today.
A dedicated crowd of 53,342 fans witnessed Reed’s victory at the event held in wet conditions, his victory being his sixth out of eight attempts at Qualcomm Stadium.
It was Reed who crossed the holeshot stripe first to kick off the 20-lap Supercross main event with American Honda’s Trey Canard and Red Bull KTM’s Andrew Short in tow.
Canard quickly made his move for the top spot and held it for the first five laps before falling and stalling his bike. Reed assumed the lead and held it for the remainder of the main event.
“This is incredible,” said Reed. “I‘ve put so much work into this team to make it the best it can be. To win with your name on your chest makes everything so much better. This one is emotional.
“I just followed Trey because he was showing me some lines. When he went down, it became just about putting together 20 clean laps.”
Canard remounted in third, allowing San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart to take over second. However, on lap 15, Stewart stalled his bike, falling to fourth.
While running second, Canard suffered his second fall of the evening, allowing Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey to secure second with Stewart in third. They would complete the podium in that order.
“I just stalled it,” said Stewart. “I’m trying my best. I don’t want to just throw it away like that, but I’m glad to get on the podium. I had nothing for Chad tonight, he was riding great, but I made up a lot of points.”
Championship leader Ryan Villopoto crashed on the opening lap, but fought through the field to secure a seventh place effort aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki. He now holds a three-point advantage over Stewart in the points.
South Australia’s Brett Metcalfe finished eighth, while Queenslander Michael Byrne made his return to racing and finished 16th after qualifying for the main event through the LCQ.
GEICO Honda’s rookie Eli Tomac captured his first career Supercross victory in the Western Regional Supercross Lites class.
As the gates dropped on the Supercross Lites class main event, Tomac grabbed the holeshot and never looked back, leading wire-to-wire with a convincing win.
“The first five laps I just put my head down and pulled away. It was kind of crazy,” said Tomac, who won by over 10 seconds. “The track was really tricky and slippery. I got a little nervous out front, but overall it was really good.
“I’ve learned a lot this season and I’ve gotten a lot better in recent weeks.”
Behind him, a stellar battle ensued for the remaining podium positions among the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki trio of Josh Hansen, Tyla Rattray and Broc Tickle, as well as GEICO Honda’s Jimmy Decotis and Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Cole Seely.
As the group of five riders traded positions, it was Rattray and Tickle who prevailed to round out the top three.
Hansen, the class points leader, fell to sixth, still on the mend from a hand injury suffered at the previous round. His advantage over teammate Tickle dwindled to three points as the Western Regional Supercross Lites class Championship takes a mid-season break until 16 April in Seattle.
The 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season continues next weekend at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome for the eighth race of the season.
San Diego Supercross Class Results
1. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
5. Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
7. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
8. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Suzuki
9. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM
10. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha
Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 146
2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 143
3. Chad Reed, Australia, Honda – 130
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 130
5. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 123
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 95
7. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Suzuki – 93
8. Davi Millsaps, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha – 78
9. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 76
10. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki – 66
San Diego Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Results
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
2. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki
3. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki
4. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda
5. Jimmy Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
6. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
7. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM
8. Ben Evans, Garden City, Idaho, Kawasaki
9. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
10. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 128
2. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 125
3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 116
4. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki – 96
5. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda – 88
6. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM – 83
7. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki – 80
8. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha – 71
9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki – 69
10. Jimmy Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda – 67