Arlington: Series round 11 preview

Villopoto Races into Cowboys Stadium with Two-Race Win Streak

Pourcel Carries AMA Supercross Lites Class Points Lead into Supercross Debut from Arlington

AURORA, Ill. (March 15, 2010) -- Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., brings a two-race win streak into the inaugural Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race at the new Cowboys Stadium this Saturday. Defending Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class champion Christophe Pourcel, of Groveland, Fla., carries a seven-point lead into Saturday night over Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki's Austin Stroupe, of Lincolnton, N.C.

Monster Energy Supercross has a storied history in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with the first-ever AMA Supercross race held in Dallas on March 1, 1975. From 1983-2008, Texas Stadium hosted 26 consecutive Monster Energy Supercross races and is regarded as one of the sport's most historic markets having hosted races in four different decades.

Last weekend during Monster Energy Supercross' lone visit outside the United States at Toronto's Rogers Centre, Villopoto raced to his fifth win of the 2010 season while GEICO Powersports Honda's Justin Barcia, of Ochlocknee, Ga., captured the AMA Supercross Lites checkered flag for his first-career victory. Villopoto and Barcia led every lap in their respective classes.

"I really wouldn't be in this position without all of my team and everyone involved," said Villopoto. "The last couple weeks we've been on it and it's what we need to do. (The racing is) close and it's been tough. I need to make up ground and I got to make those passes quick. I (also) need to keep getting good starts."

Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., finished second in the AMA Supercross class main event and holds down a 17-point lead in the championship.

After dominating the first three Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class races, Pourcel finished third in Toronto, allowing Barcia to become just the second different winner in the East Region this season.

"(This win) means everything to me," exclaimed Barcia. "I really want to thank my Mom and Dad and my team, GEICO Powersports Honda. All these fans here were cheering me on so thanks a lot to everyone. It's an incredible feeling, I've been trying so hard all year. This definitely ranks at the top of my list as far as accomplishments and I feel so lucky to have such a great team behind me."

During the last Monster Energy Supercross race from Dallas in 2008, Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., picked up his eighth win of the season at Texas Stadium. Villopoto stood atop the podium for the AMA Supercross Lites class main event.

Kawasaki's Travis Preston, of Hesperia, Calif., won the holeshot but it was the Yamaha's of Reed and Josh Hill, of Carlsbad, Calif., who took over the top two positions on lap two.

With Reed slowly pulling away, the battle was left to Hill and Honda Red Bull Racing's Davi Millsaps, of Murrieta, Calif., and Kevin Windham, of Centreville, Miss. The trio would battle to the finish with Hill taking second and Millsaps edging out Windham for third.

The win was Reed's fourth at Texas Stadium and the 34th AMA Supercross victory of his career.

"I feel like I've given a lot of wins away this year so I just wanted to go out here and put in a good ride," said Reed. "I tried to get to the front as quick as possible and let those guys fight it out. This was a track that you had to stay on your toes and watch to not make mistakes."

That season, Reed became the first rider in history to earn four wins in Dallas. Former AMA Supercross class champion Ricky Johnson is second on the all-time win list in Dallas with three. The AMA Supercross Lites class began racing in Dallas on May 4, 1985 where Suzuki rider Bobby Moore grabbed the victory. Villopoto, Grant Langston and Jeremy McGrath are the only riders to win Dallas twice in the Lites class.

SPEED will broadcast the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class at 5:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 21 and the AMA Supercross class at 6:00 p.m. EST.

-source: ama