Houston Final Practice Report
Saturday, February 12, 2011 | 5:55 PM
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The final set of timed practices are complete and the gauntlet has been thrown down in the Lites class by…Ryan Sipes! The DNA Shred Stix Star Racing Yamaha rider was one of the first Lites pilots to complete the triple onto table combo out of the second corner, and his fast lap held up all the way through the session. He ran a 49.583, with Blake Baggett, who was also flying, logging a 49.970. Baggett has trouble getting in a clear lap and not being blocked by other riders. He may have even more speed than his lap indicates.
Dean Wilson was third with a 49.996, followed by Darryn Durham with a 50.191 and Nico Izzi with a 50.243. PJ Larsen ran 50.343, Justin Barcia a 50.455, Matt Lemoine a 50.494, Blake Wharton a 50.587, and Ian Trettel rounded out the top ten with a 50.619. Gannon Audette and Malcolm Stewart ran in the unseeded session and logged 50.068 and 52.911 laps, respectively.
Besides that one triple on section, there aren’t many other options on the track for passing—except those 180 degree bowl berms. There are four that could serve up some passing if someone needs to force the issue.
In the SX class, James Stewart actually rode the final practice this time (he didn’t the last two weeks) and logged the fastest time of the session with a 48.568. He only rode four laps, but they were good ones. Ryan Villopoto was right behind with a 48.708, then Ryan Dungey with a 48.884, Trey Canard 49.002 and Kyle Chisholm with a 49.011. Chizz is getting faster every week.
Andrew Short, Kevin Windham, Ken Roczen, Chad Reed and Brett Metcalfe rounded out the top ten. Reed hasn’t been near the front in times in either session—can he pick it up when it’s race time?
We’ll have more reports right before opening ceremonies begin, as well as heat race reports and the final Thor Race Report tonight.
Dean Wilson was third with a 49.996, followed by Darryn Durham with a 50.191 and Nico Izzi with a 50.243. PJ Larsen ran 50.343, Justin Barcia a 50.455, Matt Lemoine a 50.494, Blake Wharton a 50.587, and Ian Trettel rounded out the top ten with a 50.619. Gannon Audette and Malcolm Stewart ran in the unseeded session and logged 50.068 and 52.911 laps, respectively.
Besides that one triple on section, there aren’t many other options on the track for passing—except those 180 degree bowl berms. There are four that could serve up some passing if someone needs to force the issue.
In the SX class, James Stewart actually rode the final practice this time (he didn’t the last two weeks) and logged the fastest time of the session with a 48.568. He only rode four laps, but they were good ones. Ryan Villopoto was right behind with a 48.708, then Ryan Dungey with a 48.884, Trey Canard 49.002 and Kyle Chisholm with a 49.011. Chizz is getting faster every week.
Andrew Short, Kevin Windham, Ken Roczen, Chad Reed and Brett Metcalfe rounded out the top ten. Reed hasn’t been near the front in times in either session—can he pick it up when it’s race time?
We’ll have more reports right before opening ceremonies begin, as well as heat race reports and the final Thor Race Report tonight.
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Make that almost 3 seconds.
Nearly 2 seconds from 9th to 10th Lites practice seed?
Pretty close in the SX class.... Roczen had the 9th best time but apparently had his fastest lap removed for ignoring the checkered flag.....wonder how much better it was???
I do not have a warm and fuzzyz feeling about this race lap time for the rastest are to fast for the rest that qualified. Lappers are gonna be a real problem. This is true for both classes. the top supercros guys are within one second.dont like the looks of the track and it is gonna be hard to pass on.
Villomoto,Stewart, Canard..... thats my call. The track will require you to be able to pass other riders on a tight track with not many passing options. RD will be stuck mid pack like last week unless he gets the start.
Three tence of a second faster................than Villopto. Three tence of second a lap is alot at the end of a 20 lap race.
I think this is ridicoulus if I am correct and Swerat and the rest pulled those kind lap times the race will be 16 minutes long Hannah is correct rascing is a joke. Hey In the 70's us local experts raced at least 2 20 mnt motos at the money races we did 30 mnt plus 2 laps what is it worth to see them ride for 16 minutes I remember the nationals at 45 minutes is motocros now that bad?
malcolm stewart threw down a faster lap than barcia...im kinda suprised but sweet! hope they both do good
Indeed, 3 "tenths" is faster if they run the same laptime everylap and assuming JS starts in front.......either way, really close on paper....but its RV's night.....
@braaap - Malcolm ran a 52.911.....Audette had the 50.068.....Malcolm id a good 3 seconds off the pace of the top 3.....
1- Canard 2-RD 3-Stewart
SIPES!!! when your not even mentioned all week in the media and you are fastest in practice proves the media kissses mitches ,etc butt..sipes was fastest qualifier of everyone at steel city ..now that he had surgery to fix his wrist issues he is gonna wreck some people!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love sx and mx.but having said that.16 17 minute mains? come on .thats 1 quarter of football.raise the laps or set times like mx.you get a tenth place start its over.make the tracks safe and open for passing.the fans dont really care if bubbas doing a quad quad if the race is short and boring.
I think unless Stewert of Villitpo pull a 1,2 start they wil let this race go. Last year the track at the cowboy stadium was one of the worst maybe houston has won that tittle now???
Redbeard65 - thank you for the spellcheck on the fraction. Obviously, someone was not paying attention in math class.
Audette is from Minnesota, winning a bunch of D23 championships in the youth classes before moving to Georgia about 5 years ago. It would be cool to see him have a good result against the big boys... If no one has thought of this obvious connection yet, I'd like to propose the nickname of "Groundskeeper Wilson" for DW15.
50 second lap times averages to about a 16 minute race. So i bet a lot of fans are driving hours to get to the race and they likely spend a couple hundred bucks on tickets alone and then add the food , drinks and some shirts and stuff and the money adds up. Is it worth it to spend all that time and money to see a arenacross style race. Is it the cost of bringing in more dirt that makes the tracks smaller? If so make the race 30 or 40 laps!!!!!!! Improve supercross! not degrade it!! A 16 minute race is a joke and a waste of time!!!!!!! Whoever runs the AMA needs to listen and cater to the fans. IT's WHAT THE FANS WANT!!!!!! 16minute races are a joke and a waste of time!!! Short races will NOT help supercross GROW!!! GROWTH = MONEY why do they not get it!! It's like the people in charge are limited in intelligence...Why not do things properly.!!!!!
good job Sipes. Yea, qualifying lap times are a good mental strategy. But honestly... None of that crud matters when the checkered flag is waving. I've seen Martin Davalos be consistantly the fastest rider on the west besides Hanny. Somehow Morais who's not as fast as martin always ends up on the podium. For all we know, K'Rocz could end up on the podium tonight. I'm pulling for Dean Wilson and DArryn Durham. cant wait to see Jason Anderson. He's an animal
the ama is bogus.not only that they are deaf.bring back 2 strokes.
This is going to get boring fast I think, Stewart is just so much faster than everyone when he needs to be and he is getting good starts now. Hate to say it, but its not even fun to watch anymore.
mookie stewart ran a 50.911, this is incorrect on this page. he was about 1.5 seconds slower than sipes and about 11th fastest outta all lites.. its all in the start!!!
Here's an idea, since the lap times in both classes are so close and the majority of fans are disappointed in the length of the mains, but still want to see the races on T.V. why don't we have practice/heat races on saturday (not televised) and have the mains run on sunday with the lites running 30 minutes + 1 lap and the sx class running 40 minute + 1 lap. IMO it would lead to far more exciting racing even on tight tracks and allow more chances of a tenth place qualifing start to make it to the front. I know this won't happen because for each hour of T.V. time they seem to want forty minutes of commercials. Oh well not the first good idea to get ignored.
Just got back from Houston Supercross, you guys are in for an AMAZING race, 250 and 450!
Grawz137 has a great idea , i would like to see that happen!!! If the races are too long for tv then don't show the whole race on tv!!! When i drive my family down to seattle from vancouver to see the closest supercross to us, i must say a 15 to 17 minute main event is NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!! A lot of money for a short race! I'm getting RIPPED OFF!!! Good idea Grawz137!!!