St. Louis: Series round 14 preview

Monster Energy Supercross Heats Up as Villopoto and Dungey Bring Championship Points Race into St. Louis

AURORA, Ill. (April 13, 2010) -- With only four races left in the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, front runners Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., and Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., will continue their rivalry Saturday night at St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome. Dungey, who rides for Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki, leads Villopoto, who rides for Monster Energy Kawasaki, by 12 points.

Villopoto made up substantial ground on Dungey's AMA Supercross class points lead last weekend at Houston's Reliant Stadium. Heading into Houston, Dungey sat comfortably with a 21-point lead over Villopoto, but a win by Villopoto and a fifth-place finish by Dungey tightened the points race. The win marked Villopoto's seventh of the season as he led all 20 laps of the main event.

"I think this is my first actual holeshot of year," said Villopoto. "It's always great to get (a good start). I've definitely struggled in practice this season. I don't know why but I turn it around come race time. It bums me out when I look at the board in practice and I'm not on it but at end of the night it's awesome to lead all 20 laps and come out with a win. And tonight I was able to gain a lot of points."

GEICO Powersports Honda's Kevin Windham, of Centreville, Miss., captured a season-best second place finish while Valli Motorsports/Rockstar Yamaha's Ivan Tedesco, of Murrieta, Calif., rounded out the podium in third. Former two-time AMA Supercross class champion Chad Reed returned to racing last weekend, finishing fourth for the Monster Energy Kawasaki team.

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Christophe Pourcel, of Groveland, Fla., successfully defended his 2009 Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Championship, clinching the title with one race left in the season. Pourcel captured his fifth win of the season in Houston and now owns a pair of AMA Supercross Lites class championships.

Pourcel entered Saturday's penultimate round of the AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Regional Championship just eight points ahead of Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Austin Stroupe, of Lincolnton, N.C. However, a practice crash in the afternoon left Stroupe on the sidelines for the night show.

"I didn't know I could win the championship tonight," said Pourcel. "I always go out and race and try to win every weekend. You never know when you might win the title and I did tonight. I'm happy. I'm just going to get a good night's rest and try to win next week. Then I can celebrate."

In front of 55,815 fans inside the Edward Jones Dome, last year, Reed, of Tampa, Fla., earned his third win of the 2009 season. In the AMA Supercross Lites class, Blake Wharton, of Pilot Point, Texas, broke through with his first-career victory.

"Like I say every week, you got to be in it to win it and that's what we're doing," boasted Reed, who extended his advantage over Stewart to 11 points. "I'm having a ball out here. The track was just awesome tonight. Travis (Pastrana) designed a great track. I just love this St. Louis dirt."

The first AMA Supercross race was held inside the Edward Jones Dome April 27, 1996, and Kawasaki's Jeff Emig, a Missouri native, won the main event, snapping Jeremy McGrath's 13-race win streak. In front of his hometown crowd Emig notched the first of 20 AMA Supercross class wins of his career. Reed has won in three of four starts in St. Louis, but Carmichael holds the all-time win record in the Gateway City with four. Windham, Carmichael, Reed and McGrath have all won in both classes at St. Louis.

Tickets are available in advance at the Edward Jones Dome Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, or charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.Club Level tickets are available for $50 Adult/Child; Gold Circle Seats $35 Adult/Child; Mid Level Seats $25 Adult / $10 Child; Extreme Seats $20 Adult / $10 Child; Treadhead Seats $10 Adult/Child... all tickets are subject to $2.50 facility fee and convenience & handling charges. Fans can also get into the Pits for FREE from 12:30 -- 6 PM Race Day when they recycle a MONSTER Energy Can at the stadium Pit Entrance (valid only with event ticket).

The AMA Supercross class will air on CBS Sports on Sunday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m. EST. The Eastern regional AMA Supercross Lites class will air on SPEED on Sunday, April 18 at 6:00 p.m. EST.

-source: ama