Chad Reed Wins Back-to-Back Races in Anaheim
Wilson Wins First 250SX Class Race of the Season
Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, hosted its third and final 2014 stop inside Angel Stadium on Saturday night in front of 42,139 fans. Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed led all 20 laps of the 450SX Class Main Event to capture his second win of the season and his second straight in Anaheim. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson won his first race of the year in the Western Regional 250SX Class.
Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart grabbed the Nuclear Cowboyz® Holeshot Award to begin the 450SX Class Main Event, edging out Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto with Reed close behind in third. Villopoto made a quick move to take over the lead in the second turn, bringing Reed with him. About halfway through the opening lap, Reed made his pass on Villopoto to begin a closely contested battle that spanned the entire Main Event.
Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen asserted himself into third place, but pressured Villopoto on Lap 3 to take over second. He would maintain the position throughout the race, often pressuring Reed but not able to gain enough ground to make a pass. Villopoto lurked in third place for the bulk of the Main Event, awaiting the opportunity to make a move if it presented itself, but ultimately settled into the final podium spot in the closing laps.
Photo Credit: Simon Cudby
Reed fended off a last-lap charge by Roczen when a lapped rider got between the duo to secure his 43rd career victory and tie the all-time record at Angel Stadium with eight wins.
“It was a tough racetrack tonight,” said Reed. “It was about making smart choices and putting yourself in a good position to ride 20 solid laps. This win means more to me than the last one [on January 18] where I came from behind because it’s tougher to go out there and lead all 20 laps. We had our bike dialed in tonight and it was one of those nights where it felt one with me.”
“I tried to make one last push on the last lap but a lapper got in the way. I don’t know if it would have mattered because Reed was riding well,” said Roczen. “It was a fun race and I’m glad to come out in second. The track was really hard in the end, but it made for great racing.”
Reed moved to within two points of Villopoto in the 450SX Class standings. Villopoto’s third-place finish was his third podium result of the season.
“The track was super tough,” said Villopoto. “I got a great start but Chad was able to get by me. Ken was running similar lap times and was able to get by as well, but to end up on the podium is always a good thing.”
Fellow title contenders Ryan Dungey and James Stewart experienced misfortune in the Main Event. While battling with Dungey for the fourth position, Stewart went down in a turn and lost several positions. Just a lap later, Dungey lost control in the whoops and crashed out of the race. Stewart battled back to finish seventh, while Dungey finished in 20th.
Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Cole Seely led the field of 22 riders through turn one with the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award in the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event. Wilson quickly moved into second place with 51Fifty Honda’s Jake Canada in third place.
Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson, who came into tonight’s race with a six-point lead in the season standings, was working his way through the field when he collided with Troy Lee Designs/MAVTV Honda’s Malcolm Stewart, who won his Heat Race earlier in the night, on Lap 2. Anderson dropped several positions and by Lap 8, had moved into eighth place.
On Lap 12, Seely ran into lapped traffic in a corner and crashed. This allowed Wilson to move into the lead and ride to victory. It was Wilson’s seventh win of his career and his first since last year’s season opening race of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship in Arlington, Texas.
“This win really means a lot to me,” said Wilson. “The race was shaping up to be exciting during those last few laps, but I received a break. This is really emotional for me. I gained some good points and we still have some races left. I am going to come out and do my best at those races.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Team rookie Dean Ferris was eleventh on the night and is tenth in the points.
The third race in Anaheim also signified the beginning of the Toyota Triple Challenge, which will continue at Race 7 in Arlington, Texas, and concludes at Race 16 in East Rutherford, N.J. With the win tonight Reed is in line to win a brand new Toyota Tundra and is the only rider eligible to win $250,000 if he were to win all three Toyota Triple Challenge races.
Monster Energy Supercross heads to San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium next Saturday, February 8.
250SX Class Results: Anaheim
- Dean Wilson, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Kawasaki
- Cole Seely, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda
- Jake Canada, Sun City, Calif., Honda
- Shane McElrath, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda
- Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda
- Dakota Tedder, Surfside, Calif., Kawasaki
250SX Class Season Standings
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM, 109
- Cole Seely, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 109
- Dean Wilson, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Kawasaki, 97
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha, 85
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki, 82
- Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda, 69
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda, 69
- Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 61
- Shane McElrath, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda, 55
- Dean Ferris, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 52
450SX Class Results: Anaheim
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki
- Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
- Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki
- Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
- Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
450SX Class Season Standings
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 104
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 102
- Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 97
- Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 86
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 80
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 76
- Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 74
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 61
- Wil Hahn, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 52
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 50
Toyota Triple Challenge Standings
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 25
- Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 22
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 20
- Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 18
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki, 16
- Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 15
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 14
- Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 13
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM. 12
- Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 11
KTM Junior Supercross Challenge
- Lux Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., KTM
- Parker Ross, Galt, Calif., KTM
- Luke DeRoche Castle Rock, Colo., KTM
- Kayleb Persel, Bakersfield, Calif., KTM
- Luke Simpson, Aliso Viejo, Calif., KTM
- Hudson Romfo, Clear Lake, Minn., KTM
- Travis Long, Parachute, Colo., KTM
- Carter Cooper, Capistrano Beach, Calif., KTM
- Bryton Bluth, Mesa, Ariz., KTM
- Destry Lanza, Beaumont, Calif., KTM
- Cole Wagner, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM
- Kaden Clark, Marshall, Minn., KTM
- Taylor Mooney, Selah, Wash., KTM
- Triston Alverez, Pinon Hills, Calif., KTM
- Chad Fikstad, San Jacinto, Calif., KTM
KTM Report
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Ken Roczen continued his impressive debut season in the Monster Energy Supercross Series 450 class finishing second behind Chad Reed when the competition returned to Anaheim for the third time in five rounds.
Roczen, who has a 1-3-2 result for the three outings at Anaheim, is third in the championship, trailing the leader by seven points.
But what was a good day out for the team’s German rider, teammate Ryan Dungey had mixed fortunes when after a spectacular first half of the race, he crashed and had to retire with a technical issue. Dungey was awarded twentieth place for a single point and is now sixth in the standings.
Roczen got away to an early lead in the first 450 SX heat, converted it to the win for the top transfer spot in the main event. Dungey was seventh at the start of heat two and moved up to third also to qualify for the main.
Roczen went out hard and fast when the gate dropped for the main and was third at the first corner while Dungey was in ninth but quickly sprinted up to fifth by lap three. Meanwhile Roczen closed down on Ryan Villopoto and made the pass through the whoop section to move into second place.
With 17 laps still to go, Roczen concentrated on chasing down leader Chad Reed, always hovering around a bike length behind the veteran. But while Reed and Roczen were battling out front, a pack of five top riders were jockeying for positions a few bike lengths behind, essentially creating a five-way battle for the lead.
Dungey was in the mix and pressured James Stewart for the first ten laps. He made a pass in a corner after a triple but after moving up to fourth place, he then crashed out coming out of the whoops, damaging his clutch in the process.
The DNF was a huge disappointment for Dungey who had been impressive on the track, was making aggressive passes. He was the only rider to triple, quad into a rhythm section on the back half of the track and that allowed him to reel in Stewart prior to making the pass. Dungey was eventually credited with 20th position.
On the final lap of the race, the two leaders had the crowd on their feet as Roczen began to close on Reed. He came up a bike length short at the flag and had to settle for second, but the German racer continues to be impressive in the senior class.
KTM rider Jason Anderson (Rockstar KTM) picked up another 16 points for fifth place in Rd. 5 of the West Coast 250s Series to hang onto his lead in the West Coast 250s championship. Anderson now has Cole Seely in second but with equal points.
Red Bull KTM Factory Team rookie Dean Ferris was eleventh on the night and is tenth in the points.
