West to East!
Published: 12th March 2008
Author: Steve Cox
As one series comes close to a thrilling conclusion another starts up
After winning two races in a row and pulling to within striking distance of championship rival Ryan Dungey, Jason Lawrence heads into San Diego with momentum and confidence and promptly rips the holeshot from the outside to start the Main Event and leads every lap while Dungey crashes twice on his way to finishing sixth.
After San Diego Dungey trails in the championship for the first time, sitting two points behind Lawrence. Determined to turn his luck around, Dungey grabs the holeshot to start the Houston Main, leads the first lap and then throws it away in the whoops which not only costs him the lead but blocks Brett Metcalfe and hands the lead to Lawrence. Lawrence leads the next few laps while Dungey crashes a second time. Eventually Lawrence gives way to Pro Circuit rookie Austin Stroupe, who goes on to win his first-ever Main Event. Lawrence finishes second while Dungey recovers for fourth, thanks in part to a last-lap crash by Metcalfe.
Still, the damage is done. Going into the Western Regional finale in Seattle at the end of April, Dungey trails Lawrence by six points meaning that all Lawrence needs to do in order to win the title is finish third or better. In order for Dungey to win the title he needs to win and hope that Lawrence finishes outside the top three.
When asked if he was just riding smart and settled for second in Houston, Lawrence has much to say. “I think that might be my ‘A’ game, being smart – something Dungey hasn’t been all year,” Lawrence says. “That’s four races in a row that he’s crashed out. He’s handing me this title and I’ve got one more race to hold it together. I’m going to go to that race and do exactly what I did right here. Dungey can win it by a mile but I’m going to get the title.”
From Houston the Lites series heads East and a whole new crop of riders gets set to go after the Eastern Regional SX crown. The obvious favourite is Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto but he’s still recovering from wrist surgery going into the opener in Atlanta and another young redhead steals his thunder.
Torco Racing Fuels Honda’s Trey Canard grabs the holeshot at round one and performs a disappearing act, winning his first supercross in his first attempt - and leading every lap in both his heat race and the Main Event - while Villopoto crashes out. “Man, I’m fortunate,” Canard says. “I’m blessed in many ways and it’s not just me that did that - there was a lot of hard work and dedication behind me. It’s a long series and I want to concentrate on that.”
At round two in Indianapolis Villopoto looks like he’s back to his old ways. He’s fastest in practice and he wins his heat race. Canard also leads every lap of his heat race so the stage is set for a clash of the coppertops in the Main Event. Canard grabs the lead out the gate while Villopoto starts third behind team-mate Branden Jesseman. Villopoto dispatches Jesseman on lap three and then heads off after the fleeing Canard.
At the end of lap six Villopoto catches Canard and then attempts to make a pass going down the start straight but falls in spectacular fashion instead, knocking down Canard in the process. Canard loses the lead for one lap but then passes Jesseman back and goes on to win his second Main Event in a row while Villopoto recovers to make a last-lap pass for second on Nico Izzi.
“I’m pumped,” Canard says. “It’s going really well so far. I know it could be going a lot worse. I’m trying to keep my head down and keep focused. I know it’s a seven-race series and I want to be as prepared as I can possibly be. I made probably 10 or 12 mistakes in that Main Event but, like I said, I just want to give it everything I’ve got every time I’m out there.”
So Canard leads the championship by 14 over Ryan Sipes while Villopoto sits 28 points back with only five rounds to make up the gap.
Series Standings
Lites West
1 Jason Lawrence 135 points
2 Ryan Dungey 129
3 Austin Stroupe 113
4 Brett Metcalfe 112
5 Tommy Hahn 101
6 Dan Reardon 95
7 Justin Brayton 85
8 Robert Kiniry 71
9 Will Hahn 69
10 Billy Laninovich 62
Series Standings
Lites East
1 Trey Canard 50 points
2 Ryan Sipes 36
3 Martin Davalos 33
4 Nico Izzi 33
5 Tyler Bowers 31
6 Branden Jesseman 30
7 Ben Coisy 29
8 Jake Moss 28
9 Josh Grant 23
10 Ryan Villopoto 22