The first ever race inside the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers Stadium saw Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto snatch his second win of the season tonight in the third round of the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship.

Ahead of 41,107 fans, Villopoto topped one of the greatest races of all-time after he, James Stewart, Ryan Dungey and Trey Canard put on a mega show at the head of the pack.

Aussie Brett Metcalfe started the Supercross class main event by winning the holeshot for Rockstar Makita Suzuki, with his teammate and defending Supercross class champion Dungey in tow.

San Manuel Yamaha’s Stewart moved into third place on the opening lap, before Metcalfe crashed while leading and handed the lead to Dungey before Stewart moved around him on lap four.

American Honda’s Canard worked his way into third place and two laps later passed Dungey for second.

On lap 11 Stewart crashed, giving the lead to Villopoto and allowing Dungey to secure second.

Despite the crash, Stewart only lost a few positions and moved into second place on lap 16 where he would finish. Dungey finished third.

“It was really slippery out there tonight,” said Villopoto. “The start of my race didn’t go as planned, but I was able to make up some time early on and things went my way.”

TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed suffered a crash on lap one and started last before working his way up to a hard-fought seventh.

Reed passed countryman Metcalfe in the closing laps, placing the South Australian rookie eighth for the third weekend in a row.

JDR/J-Star/KTM’s 18-year-old Aussie Tye Simmonds scored his first main event start direct from the heat, racing within the top 10 midway through the race before eventually scoring 15th overall.

Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Cole Seeley opened the Western Regional Supercross Lites class main event with the holeshot.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Josh Hansen, who won the first two races of the season, quickly moved into second place.

Near the halfway point of lap one, Hansen stalled his bike and reentered the race in last place.

Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, of Germany, and GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac, battled for second before Roczen crashed, taking out several riders, including Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s heat winner Martin Davalos.

On lap 13 and 14, Tomac and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Broc Tickle traded places, giving the runner-up spot to Tomac.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Ryan Morais moved into third place, passing Tickle on lap 14. Tomac finished second and Morais finished third.

“This week I worked hard on starts and it paid off tonight,” said Seeley. “That makes a big difference in the way the race unfolds when you are out front. This is the first win of my career and it feels great.”

Hansen wound up fifth after slicing his way through the field to top Roczen, while Australia’s lone Lites class contender Ryan Marmont scored a superb seventh after battling with both Hansen and Roczen toward the finish.

Marmont was the talk of the evening on the Aussie front, racing amongst the best in the world and proving he belongs in the AMA series alongside the top men of the sport.

The series will now move onto Oakland in Northern California next Saturday night.

2011 AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship
Round three – Los Angeles, CA

Supercross Class Results
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
5. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha
6. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
7. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda
8. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
9. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
10. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
15. Tye Simmonds, Australia, KTM

Supercross Class Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 72
2. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 67
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki – 58
4. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 56
5. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Honda – 48
6. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 39
7. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM – 37
8. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C, Yamaha – 36
9. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha – 33
10. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda – 32

Supercross Lites Class Western Regional Results
1. Cole Seeley, Corona, Calif., Honda
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
3. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki
5. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
6. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, KTM
7. Ryan Marmont, Australia, KTM
8. Jimmy Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
9. Nick Pauluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha
10. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha

Supercross Lites Class Western Regional Standings
1. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 66
2. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki – 62
3. Cole Seely, Corona, Calif., Honda – 59
4. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki – 55
5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 49
6. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki – 42
7. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki – 40
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda – 35
9. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, KTM – 31
10. Nick Pauluzzi, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha – 30