Going into Atlanta, two riders were vying for the lead in the 2010 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto.
But the Georgia Dome changed it all, giving the lead to Dungey. After capturing his third victory of the season before 69,182 fans on Saturday night, the Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider now has 170 points; the Belle Plaine, Minn., rider is 20 points ahead of San Manuel Yamaha rider Josh Hill of Carlsbad, Calif.
Dungey grabbed the SX SPIKE Holeshot award, and lead every lap of the race. Honda Red Bull Racing rider Trey Canard of Shawnee, Okla., followed Dungey out of the gate, with Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Villopoto of Poulsbo, Wash., in third.
Dungey opened up a gap while Villopoto kept challenging Canard for second place. After taking second, Villopto began closing in on his rival Dungey. But on lap 10, Villopoto, who won last week's race in Indy, fell off his bike, allowing Dungey to open up an even bigger lead. Dungey didn’t receive one challenge for the remaining 10 of 20 laps.
“It was definitely a good win,” Dungey said. “The start was key because it was a tough track to pass on. My tires hooked up great and I wouldn’t be here without my team. I won my first supercross race here so it feels good to come back and get my first big bike win (in Atlanta). We’re just trying to keep moving forward as a team and sometimes you have to go backward to go forward but things are working out so far.”
Canard had his best-ever premier class finish with second, and his teammate Davi Millsaps of Murrieta, Calif., took third. Villopoto went on to finish 19th, but still remains third in the championship race with 147 points.
Rivals Chad Reed and James Stewart are still out with injuries, although Reed is expected to make a return, possibly next week for round 9.
For complete Supercross results and standings, click here.
Supercross Lites East
For the second consecutive time during the AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Christophe Pourcel of Groveland, Fla., took the win. Pourcel’s teammate, Dean Wilson of San Jacinto, Calif., grabbed the SPIKE Holeshot award, with Pourcel and Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Austin Stroupe of Lincolnton, N.C., following.
Wilson lead for the first nine laps, but by lap 10 Pourcel stormed to the front, going on to win. “This was a crazy race,” Pourcel said. “They were running fast. I got a good start and just kept my pace. I was pushing real hard and stayed in. With Barcia and Stroupe in there it was tough but I ended up winning the race and I wouldn’t be able to do it without my team.”
The next meeting of the AMA Supercross season will be round 9, the midway point of the 2010 season when riders will compete at the famed Daytona International Speedway track during Daytona Bike Week.
