Indianapolis: Round nine preview

Final Monster Energy® Supercross Race at the Historic RCA Dome Set for This Weekend

Four Different Race Winners in 2008

AURORA (February 26, 2007) -- The 17th and final Monster Energy® Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race at Indianapolis' historic RCA Dome will take place this Saturday. Last weekend in Atlanta Honda's Davi Millsaps (AMA Supercross class) and Torco Fuels Honda's Trey Canard (AMA Supercross Lites) each earned the first wins of their respective careers, and they will bring that momentum into the RCA Dome this weekend.

This weekend's AMA Supercross class race will air on SPEED Sunday, March 2 at 6:00 p.m. The AMA Supercross Lites class race will air on SPEED Saturday, March 8 at 6:00 p.m.

The supercross fan four pack -- four $25 tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas, all for just $98 has been added this year. Also available are the $10 Treadhead® seats.

Media day will be held on Thursday from Noon-2:00 in locker room #2, featuring Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short, Davi Millsaps and Ben Coisy.

Last week in front of 67,429 fans at Atlanta's Georgia Dome, Team San Manuel's Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., jumped out of the gate and won the $1,500 Progressive Holeshot Award with Millsaps and Team San Manuel's Nathan Ramsey, of Menifee, Calif., following in second and third respectively.

While leading, Reed crashed before the finish line on lap six and re-mounted in 11th place. Millsaps assumed the lead while last week's winner, Kevin Windham, moved into second place on lap six but was unable to reel in Millsaps. Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, moved into third in the race and finished on the podium.

"I stuck it out, and put in 20 hard laps," said Millsaps "My whole family is here, so I am pumped to do this in front of them. I was coming off a mess of injuries last year, and I am healthy now, so it makes a huge difference."

Windham is in second place overall in the points standings and has one win on the season.

"I am glad to see all of the Honda riders on the podium," said Windham. "If I can't win, I would rather see one of these Honda guys win; we work great together."

Short rounded out the Honda sweep by finishing third.

"This is awesome for Honda," said Short. "We worked hard and everything fell into place."

Canard won the $1,000 Progressive Holeshot Award with KTM's Ryan Sipes, of Vine Grove, Ken., in tow. Reigning Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites champion, Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., crashed in turn one along with Torco Fuels Honda's Josh Grant, of Riverside. Both Villopoto and Grant were heavy favorites to win the main event.

Canard led all 15 laps en route to the main event.

"I do not know what to say," said Canard after the race. "I am so excited, and I want to dedicate this win to my deceased father. I was very consistent tonight, and I do not want to get too excited about tonight's win because this is a long season."

Sipes, who finished third, has not been on the odium since Phoenix in 2005.

"This was a very technical track, and if you made a mistake and lost your rhythm, you lost a lot of time," said Sipes. "Trey rode a great race. He wasn't even in my sites after lap five."

Last year in Indianapolis Kawasaki's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., won his eighth AMA Supercross class race in front of 54,626 fans at the RCA Dome. In the AMA Supercross Lites class, Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., earned the second Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites win of his career.

In the AMA Supercross main event last year, Team San Manuel's Chad Reed, of Dade City, Fla., began to establish a huge lead as Stewart made up for a poor start. Stewart started his chase on Reed immediately, moving into second place on lap seven. On lap 14 Stewart passed Reed for lead and rode to victory. Reed finished second and Kawasaki's Tim Ferry, of Dade City, Fla., finished third.

"I had a great start tonight," said Reed from the podium last year. "It was a lot of riding up front, but I need to be more aggressive out there."

"I was a little nervous when I saw Chad out front, and I was so far back in the pack," said Stewart on his eighth victory last season. "I have worked hard for everything for my entire life, and that's what I did tonight, worked hard. I am so happy right now."

Dungey won the early holeshot award to start the AMA Supercross Lites main event. Through turn one, Kawasaki's Ben Townley, of Tallahassee, Fla., came out in second place and followed Dungey for all 15 laps.

"This was a huge win for me," said Dungey after holding off the hard charging Townley. "I have had some bad luck lately, and to pick up this win is huge for me and my team, who has been behind me all year. "I have to use this as momentum for next weekend in Dallas."

The first AMA Supercross race at the RCA Dome was March 21, 1992, where Honda's Jeff Stanton won the main event. Yamaha's Jimmy Button won the first AMA Supercross Lites main event the same evening. Seven-time supercross champion Jeremy McGrath holds the AMA Supercross all-time win record at the RCA Dome with six.

Tickets are available at www.supercrossonline.com, participating Yamaha dealers, all Ticketmaster outlets, Karma Records or by phone at 317-239-5151 for $35, $25 or 10. All tickets are $2 more on the day of the race. Practice and qualifying begins at 12:30 p.m., and racing begins at 7:00.

-credit: ama