Monster Energy Supercross: Seattle 2010

Wherever you looked on Saturday night at Qwest Field in Seattle, WA, it seemed like there were happy people. For example, there was DNA Shred Stix / Star Racing / Yamaha’s Broc Tickle, who scored his first Supercross Lites win. Or maybe it was Kevin Windham (GEICO Powersports Honda), who took his first win since ’09. There was also Tommy Hahn (Rockstar Energy Suzuki), who grabbed his first Supercross-class podium. But if we had to pick the winner in the way-beyond-happy category, well, that’d have to go to Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, who took home the AMA Monster Energy Supercross and FIM Supercross World Championship titles.

Ryan Dungey wrapped up the 2010 title chase in Seattle. Click any image in this article for a larger version..

While Dungey may have had a mathematical lock on the title in St. Louis, and his closest pursuer (Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto) was sidelined with a broken leg, it wasn’t confirmed until he crossed the finish line in the main event with a fourth place on finish Saturday night, and he mathematically eliminated Villopoto.

But while there might have been happy riders, none of it came easy on Saturday night, with one of the toughest tracks we’ve ever seen. Rain early in the week, along with a sandy surface, conspired to create one of the roughest, gnarliest, and most diabolical Supercross tracks we’ve ever seen. Insanely deep ruts were everywhere, with soupy sand underneath. Whoops that’d jiggle when pushed...and did we mention ruts?

Here’s how the night went.

Supercross Class

Kevin Windham had already taken a heat race win to start the night, but he made his life considerably easier when he grabbed the holeshot in the main event. One guy who didn’t have a great start was Chad Reed (Monster Energy Kawasaki), who got pushed wide in the first turn, which put him on the edge of the next straightaway as the riders quickly headed his way. Fortunately, he (and the track crew) were able to get him cleared out of the way in time. Ryan Dungey quickly slotted in behind Kevin, but he pretty clearly wasn’t comfortable on the track, and throughout the main gave up spots to Justin Brayton (JGRMX Toyota/Muscle Milk/Yamaha), and Tommy Hahn before eventually finishing fourth.

The track crew gets Chad Reed squared away and on the right path, as the pack barrels through the what was left of the whoops. This was one bombed-out, rutted piece of real estate.

The biggest movers of the night? That’d probably go to a pair of riders. Tommy Hahn started in ninth spot, and looked comfortable despite the gnarly conditions as he moved his way into second at the finish. The other one was Davi Millsaps (Honda Red Bull Racing), who crashed in the whoops and was scored in 18th on the opening lap. Just before the midway point in the race he was fifth, but after another mishap he went back to 10th spot, and still made it back to fifth at the end.

Tommy Hahn moved up to second, while Dungey eventually finished fourth.

At the finish of the 20-lap main, it was Kevin Windham pumping his fists with a no-hander over the finish line, and Ryan Dungey’s fourth-place finish giving him all he needed and more to grab the championship titles with two rounds remaining.

He'd been getting closer over the last few weeks, and Kevin Windham finally scored another win in Seattle.

With Windham, Hahn, Brayton, Dungey and Millsaps taking the first five spots, they were followed by Nick Wey (back in his fill-in role at Monster Energy Kawasaki), Michael Byrne (JGRMX Toyota/Muscle Milk/Yamaha), Chad Reed (Monster Energy Kawasaki), Andrew Short, and Kyle Chisholm (MotoConcepts Yamaha).

While the chase for the title is over, the battle for the remaining spots is far from done. Kevin Windham is now closing in on second spot (currently held by Villopoto), while Millsaps and Hill are duking it out for fourth overall, and are currently only four points apart.

Supercross Lites

As the riders hit the first turn in the main event, it was the GEICO Powersports Honda duo of Trey Canard and Blake Wharton who hit the first turn together, along with Broc Tickle. Unfortunately, it was the second corner Wharton and Canard connected, and Canard went down, dropping him to last place, which didn’t do a lot for his title hopes, which were already a bit slim, since Jake Weimer (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) came into the night with a 14-point advantage. Wharton led for the first two laps, before Tickle took over the lead, which he never relinquished.

The GEICO Powersports Honda duo of Trey Canard and Blake Wharton got the jump, with Broc Tickle on the outside.

As for series points leader Jake Weimer, he started in mid-pack and charged to third at the finish, which combined with Canard’s eventual 11th-place finish and a second-place finish for Wil Hahn (Troy Lee Designs / Lucas Oil / Honda), added to Weimer’s points lead, and moves Hahn into second overall. Weimer’s lead is now 19 points over Hahn, and Canard is another five points back. Their title will be settled next weekend in Salt Lake City.

Jake Weimer had to work his way through the pack to finish third and boost his championship points lead.

Okay, we’ve already laid out the podium (Tickle, Hahn, and Weimer), and they were followed by Wharton, Ryan Morais (Rockstar Energy Suzuki), Josh Hansen (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki), Cole Seely (Troy Lee Designs / Lucas Oil / Honda), Phil Nicoletti (FMF KTM), Max Anstie (DNA Shred Stix / Star Racing / Yamaha), and Hunter Hewitt (Rockstar Energy Suzuki).

Want more photos? Check out the photo blast from the AMA Monster Energy Supercross at Seattle here.

Results

2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross

Seattle, WA

Supercross Lites Heat 1
1. Trey Canard

2. Josh Hansen

3. Wil Hahn

4. Ryan Morais

5. Cole Seely

6. Ryan Abrigo

7. Jeff Alessi

8. Phil Nicoletti

9. Chris Howell

Supercross Lites Heat 2
1. Max Anstie

2. Blake Wharton

3. Sean Borkenhagen

4. Broc Tickle

5. Jake Canada

6. Chris Gosselaar

7. Joey Ruminer

8. Travis Baker

9. Jake Weimer

Supercross Heat 1
1. Kevin Windham

2. Ryan Dungey

3. Kyle Chisholm

4. Michael Byrne

5. Nick Wey

6. Chris Blose

7. Troy Adams

8. Chad Reed

9. Ryan Clark

Supercross Heat 2
1. Davi Millsaps

2. Justin Brayton

3. Andrew Short

4. Tommy Hahn

5. Kyle Cunningham

6. Matt Boni

7. Jarred Browne

8. Jason Lawrence

9. Kyle Partridge

Supercross Lites LCQ
1. Hunter Hewitt

2. Robert Kiniry

Supercross LCQ
1. Josh Hill

2. Justin Keeney

Supercross Lites Main Event
1. Broc Tickle (Yamaha)

2. Wil Hahn (Honda)

3. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki)

4. Blake Wharton (Honda)

5. Ryan Morais (Suzuki)

6. Josh Hansen (Kawasaki)

7. Cole Seely (Honda)

8. Phil Nicoletti (KTM)

9. Max Anstie (Yamaha)

10. Hunter Hewitt (Suzuki)

11. Trey Canard (Honda)

12. Travis Baker (Yamaha)

13. Jeff Alessi (Yamaha)

14. Robert Kiniry (Suzuki)

15. Jake Canada (Kawasaki)

16. Sean Borkenhagen (KTM)

17. Chris Gosselaar (Honda)

18. Chris Howell (Yamaha)

19. Joey Ruminer (Kawasaki)

20. Ryan Abrigo (Honda)

Supercross Main Event
1. Kevin Windham (Honda)

2. Tommy Hahn (Suzuki)

3. Justin Brayton (Yamaha)

4. Ryan Dungey (Suzuki)

5. Davi Millsaps (Honda)

6. Nick Wey (Kawasaki)

7. Michael Byrne (Yamaha)

8. Chad Reed (Kawasaki)

9. Andrew Short (Honda)

10. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha)

11. Matt Boni (Honda)

12. Jason Lawrence (Yamaha)

13. Kyle Cunningham (Yamaha)

14. Justin Keeney (Kawasaki)

15. Chris Blose (Honda)

16. Troy Adams (Suzuki)

17. Jarred Browne (Kawasaki)

18. Ryan Clark (Honda)

19. Josh Hill (Yamaha)

20. Kyle Partridge (Kawasaki)

Supercross Lites West Point Standings
1. Jake Weimer 155

2. Wil Hahn 136

3. Trey Canard 131

4. Broc Tickle 125

5. Blake Wharton 107

6. Cole Seely 90

7. Josh Hansen 75

8. Max Anstie 75

9. Phil Nicoletti 69

10. Jeff Alessi 64

11. Travis Baker 63

12. Ryan Morais 58

13. Robert Kiniry 51

14. Hunter Hewitt 46

15. Chris Gosselaar 35

Supercross Point Standings
1. Ryan Dungey 320

2. Ryan Villopoto 266

3. Kevin Windham 248

4. Davi Millsaps 231

5. Josh Hill 227

6. Justin Brayton 211

7. Ivan Tedesco 183

8. Nick Wey 174

9. Tommy Hahn 161

10. Kyle Chisholm 147

11. Michael Byrne 145

12. Andrew Short 114

13. Trey Canard 103

14. Chris Blose 101

15. Jason Thomas 69