News 17 Feb 2012

Villopoto leads into Dallas as East Coast Lites commence

Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto rolls into Dallas' Cowboys Stadium this weekend carrying a six point lead, as the hard charging East Lites series also commences.

Villopoto leads the title chase coming into Dallas. Image: Simon Cudby.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto rolls into Dallas this weekend carrying a six-point lead in the Supercross Class, aiming to keep his Monster Energy AMA Supercross winning-streak alive from San Diego.

Villopoto comes into Dallas on a good note, after going back and forth in San Diego’s main event with second place in points Chad Reed, eventually winning the hard-fought battle that came down to the wire.

“I’ve never won San Diego in the Supercross Class. It was great to get my first win here and end Chad’s win streak at Qualcomm Stadium,” Villopoto said.

“Hopefully I can start a streak my own as we head to Cowboys Stadium next week.”

Dallas will also serve as the opening race of the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Class Championship, which will see GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia come back to defend his 2011 East Coast Lites Class Championship.

In 2011 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Bagget scored two wins and finished on the podium in nearly every race on the east coast, he will be a front runner and title contender in 2012. Bagget and the team’s newest addition Darryn Durham will both be aiming for that top spot.

Also, GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle, a rookie in the class, is one of the highly anticipated riders to vie for the title.

Along with two powerhouses of Honda and Kawasaki, Red Bull KTM’s German import Ken Roczen, is ready to make a run at the 2012 East Coast Lites title after an off-season injury, which forced him to switch from west to east for this season.

At last year’s Monster Energy Supercross race at Cowboys Stadium, Muscle Milk Honda’s Trey Canard captured his third Supercross Class win of the season. Dean Wilson earned his third Supercross Lites Class victory last year.

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