Round 2 - AMA/FIM Supercross Series 2010 - Phoenix - January 16

Saturday, 16 January 2010 14:53

Ryan Dungey and Suzuki victorious in Phoenix Supercross! Dungey over 450 Supercross points lead as well! Jake Weimer and Kawasaki win 250 Western Division Lites event! Drama after race?

Chase Field

You'll see photos below, along with race notes, and facts about the series provided by Feld Motorsports. One of the coolest things we'd like to brag about - The new, Supercross.com iPhone application, Version 1 is here!

Pre-race Notes: Josh Grant is not racing. Shoulder injury & shoulder surgery. (Josh torn the labrum area in his shoulder, and is out approx. 7 - 8 weeks.) Jason Lawrence is also not racing - he has mono, but should be back in a few weeks. The track looks in great condition, and the dirt looks different compared to years' past. In the past, the dirt was a bit dry, with a red color, but now it is very tacky and darker, with a small sand section as well.

In timed practice for the 250 Western Division series, Josh Hansen had the quickest lap time, with just over 54 seconds. Jake Weimer, Trey Canard, and Wil Hahn were next in timing.

In timed 450 Supercross practice, James Stewart was quickest with just over 52 seconds per lap. Ryan Dungey was second at 53.32, then Chad Reed at 53.36, and Josh Hill at 53.5. Ryan Villopoto, Davi Millsaps, Kevin Windham, Justin Brayton and Austin Stroupe all were in the 53 second range.

After a full day of practice and qualifying, the track crew did has done a great job restoring the track right back to it's original pristine condition - should be great for the night time racing & action!

First 250 West Heat - Jake Weimer! All the way! Wil Hahn finishes second. Cole Seely is third.

Second 250 West Heat - At the end of lap one, it's Josh Hansen number 100 with the lead! Blake Wharton goes down in the sand. At the end of the six lap heat, it's Josh Hansen winning! Ryan Morais is second.

Next, the first 450 Supercross heat. It's Ryan Dungey number 5 with the early lead! At the halfway point (four laps) Dungey leading, but Josh Hill and Andrew Short are battling for second. At the finish of this eight lap heat - it's Ryan Dungey winning by a nice margin. Josh Hill is second. Andrew Short third. Then Justin Brayton, followed by Grant Langston.

Second 450 heat - Austin Stroupe with a huge holeshot! Ryan Villopoto is second. As the pack comes down a jump filled straight, and heading into the third corner, the number 1 bike & rider James Stewart hits the ground hard. James is on the ground - not moving. Another rider is down too - looks like Kyle Partridge. James is up now, walking off the track, very slowly, and in a lot of pain.

Meanwhile, on lap five, Ryan Vilopoto passes Austin Stroupe and goes into the lead. Stroupe is second, and Chad Reed is third. Reed has passed Stroupe now as well. A couple laps later, Reed comes up a little short over a jump, bobbles, taps a hay bale, and Stroupe has re-passed. At the finish - it's Villopoto winning, Austin Stroupe, Chad Reed, Ivan Tedesco, and Kevin Windham.

Back to the defending AMA Supercross Champion - James Stewart looked hurt. It took him quite a while just to walk 1/4 of the way around the perimeter of the stadium track area, and he eventually got a 'ride' back to the pits. Obviously in a lot of pain.

In the LCQ - James Stewart did come out to race and try to qualify for the Supercross Main Event! He started third, moved into second, and eventually won the LCQ. But he rode straight back to the pits - no stop for the podium or interviews. It did look like he was in pain ...

250 West Main Event - 15 laps: Side by side coming out of turn one and into turn two - Josh Hansen and Blake Wharton. Wharton exits the corner with the lead, and Hansen gets pushed off the side of the track and into the hay bales.

As they settle, it's Blake Wharton number 21 in front. Jake Weimer is running second. Trey Canard, Ryan Morais, and Cole Seely follow. Morais passes Canard. Wil Hahn passes Seely. Morais passes Weimer. The top five on the fifth lap - Wharton, Morais, Weimer, Canard, Hahn.

With three laps to go, Wharton, Morais and Weimer are literally side-by-side-by-side. Morais moves past Wharton and into the lead! Weimer moves past too! It's Morais leading Weimer with two laps to go. Then Weimer passes Morais and moves into first in a tight right hand corner. With one lap to go, it's Weimer leading, Morais second, Wharton third, Hahn next. And Jake Weimer wins by less than one second! Ryan Morais holds onto second! Wharton third, followed by Wil Hahn, and then Broc Tickle.

450 Supercross Main Event - 20 laps: Ryan Dungey with the lead! Followed by team-mate Austin Stroupe! Ryan Villopoto is third. On the second lap, it's Dungey, Villopoto, Josh Hill, Stroupe, Ivan Tedesco. James Stewart is tenth, Chad Reed is in eleventh.

They are settling in now. On lap four, Dungey is leading, Villopoto is second, then Josh Hill, Austin Stroupe, Ivan Tedesco, Andrew Short. Going into a right hand corner, Reed & Stewart tangle! Reed is up and running first, and then Stewart gets going again as well.

Lap ten - parts of the track are drying out and getting slippery - Dungey is leading Villopoto by almost two seconds. Hill is third. Stroupe fourth, Tedesco fifth. Stewart is 18th. And Chad Reed is out. Chad Reed is out, and Stewart is 18th!

Dungey is extending his lead! It's almost four seconds over second place Villopoto. Hill is back a ways running alone in third. Then further back is Tedesco. Then Short, Stroupe, and Windham. Stewart is now 15th.

And .... Ryan Dungey has won the 450 Supercross Main Event tonight in Phoenix! He also takes over the points lead! Ryan Villopoto is second. Josh Hill third. Stewart finishes 15th. Reed officially is scored as 19th, earning two points.

Possible rumblings in the pits after the main event? We have been unofficially told that Stewart went directly to Reed's pit area - possibly to communicate his feelings about their tangle, and maybe knocked Reed's bike over. And, word also has it Reed probably has a broken bone in his hand. Stay tuned on this one ...

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Images from the 2010 Phoenix Supercross by Gerald Geronimo. Click on thumbnail to view larger image: 250 podium with Weimer 1, Ryan Morais 2, and Blake Wharton 3. 450 Supercross podium with Ryan Dungey 1, Ryan Villopoto 2, Josh Hill 3. Jake Weimer 12 takes the win in the 250 class. Ryan Dungey winning the 450 Supercross class. Trey Canard's number 38 GEICO Honda, two shots of Chase Field, number 20 Broc Tickle, number 22 Chad Reed, 18 is Davi Millsaps, number 8 is Grant Langston, number 1 is James Stewart, Josh Hill is number 75, Kevin Windham 14, Ryan Dungey #5, 116 is Ryan Morais, 2 is Ryan Villopoto, 10 is Thomas Hahn, the factory KTM of number 19 Tommy Searle, James Stewart's number 1 Yamaha, James Stewart and another rider after falling in 450 Supercross Heat 2, the inside of Chase Field in Phoenix.

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Facts & stats courtesy Feld Motor Sports:

AMA Supercross Class Titles by Brand:

Honda: 15 (1982, '83, '84, '86, '88, '89, '90, '91, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96, '02, '03)
Yamaha: 11 (1974, '77, '78, '79, '80, '98, '99, '00, '04, '08, '09)
Kawasaki: 6 (1976, '85, '87, '97, '01, '07)
Suzuki: 3 (1981, '05, '06)
Can-Am: 1 (1975)

AMA Supercross Class Wins by Brand

Honda: 191 (First win 1976)
Yamaha: 161 (First win 1974)
Kawasaki: 93 (First win 1976)
Suzuki: 51 (First win 1976)
Can-Am: 7 (First win 1974)
CZ: 2 (First win 1974)

AMA Supercross Class Champions

Jeremy McGrath: 7 ('93, '94, '95, '96, '98, '99, '00)
Ricky Carmichael: 5 ('01, '02, '03, '05, '06)
Bob Hannah: 3 ('77, '78, '79)
Jeff Stanton: 3 ('89, '90, '92)
Jeff Ward: 2 ('85, '87)
Chad Reed: 2 ('04, '08)
James Stewart: 2 ('07, '09)
Rick Johnson: 2 ('86, '88)
Jim Ellis: 1 ('75)
Jim Weinert: 1 ('76)
Mike Bell: 1 ('80)
Mark Barnett: 1 ('81)
Donnie Hansen: 1 ('82)
David Bailey: 1 ('83)
Johnny O'Mara: 1 ('84)
J.M. Bayle: 1 ('91)
Jeff Emig: 1 ('97)