Race Report: Daytona 2011 3

If we've learned anything during the 2011 Monster Energy Supercross season (and yep, that includes the Daytona Supercross by Honda, at the Daytona International Speedway), it's to expect the unexpected. A heat race DNF by Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey? Yeah, we had that. A heat race holeshot on a 350 by a Ken Roczen? Yep, we had one of those, too. But the main events had some surprises of their own.

Supercross Main Event

When the gate dropped at the start of the big-bore main event, it looks like San Manuel Red Bull Yamaha's James Stewart wanted nothing to do with the bar-to-bar antics of last week's race, and he appeared to set to one speed. Full sprint. After building a big gap, there were no signs of backing off, and that's when disaster struck. He wheelied into a smaller jump, but never set the front wheel down before taking off. As the rear suspension unloaded, it launched him over the bars, and the bike continued on it's merry way, nearly clearing the next double after landing on its wheels. A clearly dazed and bruised Stewart slowly made his way over to it, and remounted.

Meanwhile, series points leader Ryan Villopoto had taken over the top spot, and effectively went unchallenged by other riders for the lead over the next 17 laps. That's not to say that the track didn't provide plenty of challenge. This year's Daytona Supercross had some real teeth, with a gnarlier design that also roughened up quite a bit, as well as lap times that were well over a minute.

Two of the other top series contenders, Chad Reed (TwoTwo Motorsports Bel Ray Racing), and Ryan Dungey, had to work their way through the pack to grab podium spots, starting sixth and tenth respectively. In fact, after having to make his way to the main through the LCQ after his heat race DNF, Dungey had to start on the far outside of the gate, and was pushed off the track in the first turn.

Red Bull KTM's Andrew Short ran as high as second in the main, before eventually finishing fourth, his best ride aboard the KTM 350. Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGRMX teammates, Davi Millsaps, finished in fifth and sixth.

However, the most impressive ride of the night may have gone to Stewart, who after dropping to last place and losing huge chunks of time while sorting out himself and his bike after the crash, put in a rather inspired ride to finish ninth.

The points did scramble a bit as well, with Villopoto now holding a 23-point lead over Stewart, and Chad Reed only one point back of James.

Supercross Lites Main Event

Blake Baggett (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) nabbed the holeshot, and worked over the Daytona course en route to a wire-to-wire win. Justin Barcia (GEICO Powersports Honda) was close in the early going, but Baggett was just too much...but then again, Barcia does have a wrist injury that has him racing hurt.

Baggett's Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammate, Dean Wilson, was looking for a good race to follow up on his win last week in Atlanta, but a pair of crashes early in the main dropped him way back in the pack. He eventually finished eighth, but it was enough to knock him out of the tie he had with Barcia for the series points lead. But with his win, Baggett has now moved to within five points of Barcia, and has shown himself to be in serious contention for the season-long crown. But only nine points separate the top three.

Ryan Sipes (DNA Shred Stix / Star Racing / Yamaha) made his first visit to the podium this season, joining Baggett and Barcia on the box, despite a mid-race crash. Blake Wharton (GEICO Powersports Honda) and PJ Larsen (JDR/J-Star/KTM) rounded out the top five.

What's next? We're now just past the halfway point in the season, and the series will make its way to the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and back to the safety (at least weatherwise) of the domes.

For more from Daytona, be sure to check out our Pit Bit and Photo Blast galleries on the homepage.

Results

2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross

Daytona Beach, FL

Supercross Lites Heat 1

1. Blake Baggett

2. Dean Wilson

3. Matt Lemoine

4. PJ Larsen

5. Les Smith

6. Malcolm Stewart

7. AJ Catanzaro

8. Levi Kilbarger

Supercross Lites Heat 2

1. Justin Barcia

2. Ryan Sipes

3. Blake Wharton

4. Nico Izzi

5. Hunter Hewitt

6. Taylor Futrell

7. Hunter Clements

8. Alex Martin

9. Jason Anderson

Supercross Heat 1

1. Ryan Villopoto

2. Kevin Windham

3. Trey Canard

4. Ivan Tedesco

5. Chris Blose

6. Mike Alessi

7. Fabien Izoird

8. Nick Wey

9. Tye Simmonds

Supercross Heat 2

1. James Stewart

2. Davi Millsaps

3. Ken Roczen

4. Chad Reed

5. Brett Metcalfe

6. Andrew Short

7. Justin Brayton

8. Matt Boni

9. Matt Goerke

Supercross Lites LCQ

1. Lance Vincent

2. Ryan Zimmer

Supercross LCQ

1. Ryan Dungey

2. Michael Byrne

Supercross Lites Main Event

1. Blake Baggett (Kawasaki)

2. Justin Barcia (Honda)

3. Ryan Sipes (Yamaha)

4. Blake Wharton (Honda)

5. PJ Larsen (KTM)

6. Jason Anderson (Suzuki)

7. Malcolm Stewart (Suzuki)

8. Dean Wilson (Kawasaki)

9. Matt Lemoine (Kawasaki)

10. Les Smith (Honda)

11. Lance Vincent (Honda)

12. Taylor Futrell (Honda)

13. Alex Martin (Honda)

14. Levi Kilbarger (Honda)

15. AJ Catanzaro (Honda)

16. Hunter Clements (Honda)

17. Nico Izzi (Honda)

18. Kyle Keylon (Suzuki)

19. Hunter Hewitt (Suzuki)

20. Ryan Zimmer (Honda)

Supercross Main Event

1. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)

2. Chad Reed (Honda)

3. Ryan Dungey (Suzuki)

4. Andrew Short (KTM)

5. Davi Millsaps (Yamaha)

6. Justin Brayton (Yamaha)

7. Kevin Windham (Honda)

8. Ken Roczen (KTM)

9. James Stewart (Yamaha)

10. Mike Alessi (KTM)

11. Ivan Tedesco (Kawasaki)

12. Matt Boni (Kawasaki)

13. Trey Canard (Honda)

14. Michael Byrne (Suzuki)

15. Nick Wey (Yamaha)

16. Fabien Izoird (Kawasaki)

17. Tye Simmonds (KTM)

18. Brett Metcalfe (Suzuki)

19. Chris Blose (Kawasaki)

20. Matt Goerke (Kawasaki)

Supercross Lites East Point Standings

1. Justin Barcia 69

2. Blake Baggett 65

3. Dean Wilson 60

4. Ryan Sipes 54

5. Blake Wharton 51

6. Jason Anderson 41

7. Matt Lemoine 35

8. Malcolm Stewart 34

9. PJ Larsen 33

10. Lance Vincent 33

Supercross Point Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto 196

2. James Stewart 173

3. Chad Reed 172

4. Ryan Dungey 165

5. Trey Canard 154

6. Andrew Short 128

7. Brett Metcalfe 107

8. Justin Brayton 105

9. Davi Millsaps 104

10. Kevin Windham 89