Race Report: Anaheim I 2012

Supercross Qualifying

Heat One

After edging out the rest of the competition down the start straight away, Motoconcepts’ team captain Mike Alessi led the early laps of the first 450 heat race. Alessi fended off attacks from TwoTwo Motorsports’ lone rider Chad Reed, but towards the end of the eight lap race, Reed won a drag race down the straight away. While the two battled out front, all eyes were on Ryan Villopoto and his Monster Energy Kawasaki. The defending champion was caught deep in the pack as they crossed the finish line for the first time, but by the culmination of the race, Villopoto had picked off nearly every rider in his path and nearly took the win as well.

Heat One Results
1. Chad Reed
2. Mike Alessi
3. Ryan Villopoto
4. Davi Milsaps
5. Ryan Morais
6. Broc Tickle
7. Josh Hansen
8. Jimmy Albertson
9. Chris Blose

Heat Two

Former teammates Ryan Dungey and Brett Metcalfe were bar to bar as they came to the holeshot stripe, with Dungey claiming the top spot aboard his KTM for a short time before being passed and gapped by Supercross.com Honda’s Andrew Short. JGRMX signee James Stewart pursued both riders and eventually made his way to the front of the pack, but not without resistance from Short. The Honda rider kept Stewart at bay for a number a laps and passed Stewart back after a brief lead exchange, but Stewart would ultimately make a pass stick and went on to claim the checkered flag.

Heat Two Results
1. James Stewart
2. Ryan Dungey
3. Andrew Short
4. Jake Weimer
5. Ivan Tedesco
6. Brett Metcalfe
7. Josh Grant
8. Kevin Windham
9. Kyle Chisholm

LCQ

After a first turn crash in his heat race put Justin Brayton in to the LCQ, the Team Honda Muscle Milk rider used the extra time to dial in the track as he won the six lap dash in convincing fashion over Tommy Hahn and his Rockwell Watch backed Honda.

LCQ Results
1. Justin Brayton
2. Tommy Hahn 

Supercross Main Event

Ryan Villopoto won the race to the first turn over Ivan Tedesco and Chad Reed and created the tempo for the night’s title card. As Villopoto began to build a gap over second place Reed, James Stewart clawed through the field of riders and diced with Tedesco for fourth position in the process. With the pack stretched thin around the course, it seemed that the finishing order was already established by the eighth lap. A crash would then allow Stewart to pass Dungey for third place before Stewart would also miss time a rhythm section and let the KTM rider back by. A tip over by Reed allowed Dungey and Stewart to catch up to the Aussie, resulting in a battle for second place between the trio. As they hit the obstacles in unison, Stewart made a pass on Dungey in a left hand turn after Dungey hesitated upon entering the curve. The night took another dramatic turn as Stewart got collected in the trackside bales, handing the spot back to Dungey before remounting in seventh.

After twenty seemingly flawless laps, Ryan Villopoto finished over twelve seconds ahead of second place Chad Reed and earned the red plate used to signify the point leader. After his mistake, Reed was forced to hold off the advances Dungey sent at his way, and his once healthy gap shriveled to only one second at the line.

 

Top Lap Times
1. Ryan Villopoto 1:00.409
2. Chad Reed 1:01.252
3. Ryan Dungey 1:01.507
4. James Stewart 1:01.962
5. Jake Weimer 1:02.487

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