Race Report – Monster Energy Supercross: Houston

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Sat, Feb 12 2011 11:54 pm | Comments

HONDAS SWEEP HOUSTON SX

By Donn Maeda

Photos by Chris Kinman

Round six of the Monster Energy Supercross Series visited Houston’s Reliant Stadium, and the crowd on hand was treated to a pair of excellent main event races that saw Geico Honda’s Justin Barcia and Honda’s Trey Canard top the Supercross Lites and Supercross classes, respectively. Barcia’s win in the Eastern Regional Supercross Series kickoff came after a spectacular battle with rival Dean Wilson, while Canard’s first career victory in the premier class came in nail-biting fashion as he barely edged out defending champion Ryan Dungey at the finish. Series points leader James Stewart had a terirble evening, crashing in the first turn and then again as he worked his way back through the field.

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Houston Supercross - 250 Class

EASTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS LITES

When the gate dropped at the start of the 15-lap Eastern Regional Supercross Lites main event, Malcolm Stewart grabbed the holeshot on his Suzuki City RM-Z250, but crashed out of contention on lap one and collected a couple other riders in the mayhem. Heat race two winner Dean Wilson took over at the front of the pack and had heat race one winner Justin Barcia hot on his heels. The two teenagers put on an amazing show out front, trading the lead multiple times throughout the first half of the race. Wilson matched Barcia, block pass for block pass, and the duo had the crowd going nuts. Barcia finally took control of the lead mid-way through the race and held a two-second lead over Wilson to the finish.

The battle for third was equally exciting, but yielded a surprise victor. Barcia’s Geico Honda teammate Blake Wharton held third for most of the race, but as the laps wore down, fast qualifier Ryan Sipes of the DNA Shred Stix/Star/Yamaha team began to reel him in. The two riders circulated the track only inches apart in the closing laps, but it all fell apart for both of them on the last lap when the collided and crashed, together, off the side of the track. It was then that Wilson’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Blake Baggett snuck past and nabbed the final spot on the podium. Baggett started terribly, and passed 16 riders en route to third in an impressive charge through the pack.

RESULTS

1. Justin Barcia (Hon)

2. Dean Wilson (Kaw)

3. Blake Baggett (Kaw)

4. Ryan Sipes (Yam)

5. Ian Trettel (Suz)

6. Blake Wharton (Hon)

7. Jason Anderson (Suz)

8. Lance Vincent (Hon)

9. Matt Lemoine (Kaw)

10. Alex Martin (Hon)

11. Chris Gosselaar (Suz)

12. Shawn Rife (Hon)

13. Gannon Audette (Yam)

14. Malcolm Stewart (Suz)

15. Nico Izzi (Hon)

16. AJ Catanzaro (Hon)

17. Taylor Futrell (Hon)

18. PJ Larson (KTM)

19. Levi Kilbarger (Hon)

20. Daryyn Durham (Hon)

EASTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS LITES CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINT STANDINGS

1. Justin Barcia (25/1 Win)

2. Dean Wilson (22)

3. Blake Baggett (20)

4. Ryan Sipes (18)

5. Ian Trettel (16)

6. Blake Wharton (15)

7. Jason Anderson (14)

8. Lance Vincent (13)

9. Matt Lemoine (12)

10. Alex Martin (11)

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