Time is running out for 450cc class title hopefuls in the United States after Ryan Villopoto bagged back-to-back wins at round 10 of the AMA Motocross Championships at Unadilla at the weekend.

It was a great bounce-back for the Kawasaki rider after he’d suffered a mediocre weekend at the previous round, but he now enjoys a 44-point advantage over nearest rival Ryan Dungey (KTM) with just three rounds to go.

Villopoto took another huge step toward capturing the 450 class championship after producing a flawless couple of rides at Unadilla, beginning with his impressive performance in the morning’s timed qualifying session where he laid down the fastest lap time in the 450 class.

From there, Villopoto captured the holeshot in moto one of the 450 class to grab an early lead over Dungey. Dungey was accompanied in the early laps by KTM’s Andrew Short and Yamaha’s Bobby Kiniry. Kiniry soon ran into issues that forced the New York native to pull off in moto one, while Short eventually dropped outside the top five.

Team Honda’s Justin Barcia and Trey Canard joined Suzuki’s James Stewart in moving through the pack early on as the trio quickly caught up to Dungey in the second place position. Canard encountered a mechanical issue that removed him from the battle, allowing his team-mate Barcia to move into fourth. Stewart pressured Dungey for the second place position in Moto 1 but the reigning 450 Class Champion held strong to finish 20 seconds behind Villopoto.

Villopoto’s success continued in Moto 2, where he grabbed his second consecutive holeshot to gain an early lead on the field. Barcia also put himself in a favourable position off the start as he matched Villopoto’s early pace while running second. Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer got through the first turn just in time to clear himself of the carnage that set Canard, Mike Alessi, Stewart and several others considerably behind on the opening lap.

Dungey began the second moto mid-pack but quickly worked his way up to the third place battle between Yamaha’s Josh Grant and Weimer. Weimer and Dungey made their way around Grant before engaging in a battle of their own. Heading into the final lap of moto two, Dungey applied the pressure to Weimer and despite a hard charge by Dungey in the final corners; Weimer came away with third place in the moto.

Villopoto’s 1-1 score put the 450 class points leader atop the podium for the sixth time this season for a total of 14 moto wins through the first 10 rounds. New York native Barcia produced a 4-2 moto score to capture second overall in his home state, while Dungey rounded out the podium with 2-4 finishes.

“The highlight of the day was definitely getting two holeshots and to be able to get two clean starts out front,” Villopoto said. “I really enjoyed the track. It has a lot of line choices and it’s honestly becoming one of my favorite tracks because you can go fast and take completely different lines than other people.”

In the 250 class, Honda’s Eli Tomac produced a flawless performance in New York to capture his fifth overall win of the season. Tomac wasn’t able to secure a good start in moto 1 but his Honda team-mate Wil Hahn captured the holeshot and the early lead over Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin.

Martin then moved into the lead, leaving Hahn to battle with Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen in the second place position. Tomac proved to be unstoppable as he took over the lead and claimed the moto 1 victory. Jeremy Martin maintained second and Honda’s Zach Osborne claimed a last minute third place finish.

In moto 2, Kawasaki’s Martin Davalos captured his first holeshot of the season but it was Roczen who commanded the early lead. Martin, Honda’s Justin Bogle and Kawasaki’s Martin Davalos rode close in tow behind Roczen, while Tomac was forced to come from behind once again in moto 2. However, Tomac quickly set his sights on the front as he challenged Roczen for the lead. After a hard fought battle in the final laps of Moto 2, Tomac emerged victorious to carry a 1-1 sweep at Unadilla.

Martin held strong for third place in moto 2, securing a career-best finish of second overall. Roczen bounced back from a fifth place finish in Moto 1, where a second place moto 2 finish earned the previous points leader third overall for the day. With two rounds remaining, Tomac leads Roczen by 39 points in the 250 class championship.

Round 11 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Toole, Utah for the Utah National on Saturday, August 24.

 

Unadilla Valley Motorsports – New Berlin, N.Y.  Round 10 of 12

 

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1.    Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-1)

2.    Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (4-2)

3.    Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-4)

4.    Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki (9-3)

5.    Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (5-5)

6.    Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (6-7)

7.    Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki (10-6)

8.    Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (8-8)

9.    Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (7-13)

10.    Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha (13-9)

 

450 Class Championship Standings

1.    Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 463

2.    Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 419

3.    Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 347

4.    James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 289

5.    Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 263

6.    Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM, 220

7.    Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki, 216

8.    Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 209

9.    Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 208

10.    Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 204

 

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1.    Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (1-1)

2.    Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (2-3)

3.    Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM (5-2)

4.    Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda (3-6)

5.    Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (4-5)

6.    Justin Bogle, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (10-4)

7.    Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (6-8)

8.    Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (8-9)

9.    Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (9-10)

10.    Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Kawasaki (13-7)

 

250 Class Championship Standings

1.    Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 455

2.    Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 416

3.    Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 359

4.    Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 329

5.    Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda, 296

6.    Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 249

7.    Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 248

8.    Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda, 238

9.    Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 204

10.    Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda, 192