They say in sports you should never write off the champion. At the Overstock.com stadium on the weekend, Ryan Villopoto showed everyone why the saying never dies.
The two-time AMA Supercross championship winner grabbed his second Main Event race of the season in Oakland on Saturday, making it two wins in two weeks.
Villopoto took the Nuclear Cowboyz holeshot, moments before a second-bend superstar pile-up involving Justin Barcia, Chad Reed, Josh Grant, Trey Canard and James Stewart.
The race flew on, minus Justin Barcia and James Stewart – who had to withdraw as a result of the first lap crash – as Villopoto stormed out in front ahead of Davi Millsaps.
Finishing with a solid lead in the region of 10 seconds, Villopoto (Monster Energy Kawasaki) crossed the line in front of Davi Millsaps (Rock Star Energy Racing Suzuki, 2nd) and Ryan Dungey (Red Bull KTM, 3rd).
“We made some changes to the bike today that I think really helped us out there tonight, so hats off to my team; it’s a long season and we’re going to keep plugging away,” Villopoto said.
Despite, as the commentators remarked, “some of the best riders in the world” took on the course, the rough & tumble Oakland circuit caused real trouble for several riders in both classes who fell victim to the rut-ridden Northern Californian dirt.
In the 250SX Main Event, it was clear Cole Seely and Ken Roczen were both down to battle; they went at it right from the word go.
Last week’s winner Eli Tomac went down in lap two, before crashing out again a few laps later.
Following a nifty pass right near the end of the race, Ken Roczen gunned ahead for the lead in front of Cole Seely’s Troy Lee Designs Honda CRF 250R.
Ken Roczen has been the talk of the season in the Lites class, with commentators and pundits alike saying this is the year for the young German to walk the walk and realize his true potential.
The Red Bull KTM rider took out the 250SX bracket for the night, fighting off Cole Seely (2nd) and Jason Anderson (Rock Star Energy Racing Suzuki, 3rd).
The points have spoken; Roczen leads the 250 table with 91 points, well above Cole Seely (80) and Eli Tomac (GEICO Powersports Honda 76).
Anaheim 1 winner and 2013 season standout Davi Millsaps is number one on the 450 table with 85 points, on top of the gritty comeback kid Trey Canard (Muscle Milk Honda 78) and Ryan Villopoto just one point behind on 77.
The riders head south next week for the third and final race at Angel Stadium – Anaheim 3.
Content by TSM Editor Paul Savage
