by Chase Stallo
450 Moto 1 Report: Steel City
Saturday, September 3, 2011 | 2:15 PM
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PrintAnd then there were two. Heading into round eleven of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Steel City the list of 450 championship contenders had dwindled down to two. With just four motos remaining, the battle for supremacy atop the 450 class had reached its boiling point.
Points leader Ryan Villopoto would grab the holeshot, but it was Ryan Dungey taking control early as he made an aggressive pass on Justin Barcia and Villopoto to take the lead. From there it was a game of cat and mouse between the Ryans. Dungey would stretch his lead only to have Villopoto reel him right back in. Villopoto would make a charge only to have Dungey shut the door.
As the laps began to tick away Villopoto started to become more aggressive, trying anything and everything to get around Dungey. But in the face of adversity and with the championship on the line, Dungey remained cool and collected.
As the white flag swirled in the wind, Villopoto began to make his charge, closing in on the back wheel of Dungey. With only four corners to go and the valuable championship points on the line, Villopoto really began to apply the pressure to Dungey. But once again Dungey was there to shut the door.
With only one corner remaining Villopoto would make a last ditch effort, railing the outside of the last turn to make a dramatic last corner pass on Dungey for the lead and the win. In one of the most theatrical races all season Villopoto was able to stretch his points lead over Dungey with just three motos remaining.
Overshadowed by all the championship drama was Brett Metcalfe who followed up his first career victory with a third place finish. Barcia and Chad Reed would round out the top-five.
450 Moto 1 Results
- Villopoto
- Dungey
- Metcalfe
- Barcia
- Reed
- Weimer
- Brayton
- Alessi
- Regal
- Facciotti
- Wey
- Chisholm
- Byrne
- Smith
- Simmonds
- Albertson
- Friese
- T. Sewell
- Noren
- S. Sewell
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Villo #1
last corner charge for the win is a typical Ryan Villopoto passing!
Villo #1
One of the best motos of the year. Both Ryans were on it!
villo #1 2011 outdoor champ. thats how its done
While i'm rooting for RV I can't help but think how classy Ryan Dungey is. This sport has some great ambassadors and riders right now. Most of you MX punks can take a leson from these guys! ;) What a race!
Come on dungey you got it... Let's win these last 3... Hopefully this championship is yours...
YOU MIGHT LIKE......a way to make that pop-up bar GO AWAY!!
What a great pass and respecting each others race techniques....thats the game of motocross...two ryans....great riders....
Excellent race. Two guys going at it lap after lap at a pace that only a few guys in the world are capable of...........let alone 30plus2. I'm not one to gripe of racers, but we have been blessed by the level of class by both Ryans this year.
I couldn't help notice a tweet by a pro rider immediately after that first 450 moto.
His initials were (Josh Grant). His tweet was "choke artist, haha" (towards Dunge)??
.Do people realize how immature you look when you tweet something like that? I mean, Josh in his prime, maybe 8 seconds a lap off of the Ryans pace.
Karma? I hope it doesn't nip you in the buttocks,(JG) or has it?
Have class, watch what you tweet, the world is watching . As an elite athlete, you have a responsibility, at least to hold yourself and sponsors to higher level. Lord knows I wouldn't sponsor an immature and jealous athlete.
Josh who???
WEEGE THE GATE HAS DROPPED !! THE GATE HAS DROPPED !!!
You are ruining our sport.
either you're just a little mx fan like us, either you are a great pro mx rider!
Josh Grant will be choking on lots of kock in order to even get a ride.
Without a doubt the best sport in the world. I was pacin' the floor...30 min.of eating RMZ roost and he still pulls it off ...RV had the bars and pegs set for "will not be denied". GREAT racing and the Champ was gracious in defeat. @mxracer618 it is gone ...try reload or refresh or restart.HAVOC7 you missed a great season 'money'.
RD is gonna HAVE to win the next three motos to have a chance at the outdoor title and all RV is gonna have to do is finish behind him in order to get it. This is RV's title to lose, with that said...if RD didn't have the mechanical SNAFU's that have plagued him all season, this would def. be a tighter race for the outdoor title. I know a LOT of people are probably gonna bag on RD if he leaves Suzuki at the end of the year, but I don't blame him. I have a feeling that Suzuki is gonna be the factory that riders end their career on (and I'm not saying this in a positive manner) again like it was in the mid 80's to late 90's, but they only have themselves to blame. If they can't keep the bikes running and if Suzuki is not willing to spend the money to keep key personnel on the squad to ensure long-term success, I seriously doubt they'll be players in the SX/MX championships from here on out. Just my opinion for what it's worth...
Great first moto, had me on the edge of my seat. The 2 Ryans kicking a$$! That bull$hit tweet that came from Grant "choke artist", he could only dream of being up there. The only thing he will be choking is his chicken from the sidelines. Good racing guys, looking towards the 2nd moto. Going panhandling now to get money for Pala.
after only one day ...
... but Roger&Mitch; are too pig-headed!
Villo #1, Tomac #2, Dungey #3 !!!
I know it's impossible because Roger&Mitch; are maniacs of glory!
Great moto, and while I am glad that RV won, I really hope some of the haters start giving Dungey his due. All you heard last year was "he is only winning because RV isnt racing". And sure RV is ahead for the title, Dungey is showing he is as fast as RV is. And faster on some tracks, and he should get some respect from some of these idiots. He showed the Euro fans at the Des Nations how fast he was, and the fans of the Nationals should see it by now. But what a great moto, I was starting to get mad for RV letting one get away, but he pulled it off in the last corner, unreal.
RV2 better be MX1 at the MXoN, if he comes out champ.
Great rides for Villopoto and Dungey! Colton Facciotti got 10th, not as good as his fifth in the first moto last week but he's on a brand new team and bike so i'd say it's pretty good!
EPIC pass on the last corner!!!
@pizzacorner....done deal, RD is the #1 plate holder. There is still one race left. Like the saying goes...."don't count your chickens before they hatch". Stranger things have happened. Murphy's law preys on overconfidence and brashness.
I am a Dungey fan, but more to the point I am a motocross fan. What a great 1st moto, and that pass at the end by RV was sweet. The Dunge could have shut the door (there are a few who would have without any thought to the consequences, 7,22,800) but he is a professional and understands he got beat by a great racing foe who made a great move on him. These are the two fastest riders in the world, bar none!!!!!!!!!
The next 3 motos will be spectacular at worst, epic at best. We haven't had this kind of close racing in over a decade!!!!!!!!!
MXdN will be great to watch. I hope that Blake Baggett can get a start to.........
cmon dungey you cant do it man!
RC first pole + RV domination !
2000/2006 RC#1, 2007/2001 RV#1
2007/2011 RV#1
this is how its done folks. you have to be patient because rv saves his best for last what a blessed happy ending!!!
Looks as if they are catching up to JS7s speed
damn it both ryan is faster !.
Watched Dungey case a tricky step-up hard on the last lap and almost crash... completely ruined his focus and momentum. He had Villo covered in the first moto.
Moto 2 was all Villo after Dungey slid out...
@ren，
Thanks for the lil'Stew affirmative action public service announcement.
Awesome race, pass. Humiliation. Dungy done
Belle Plaine why don't you leave your worthless comments to you and your left hand Sally, tell me have you ever won an AMA outdoor or indoor moto, answer no! so shut the F up, your an arm chair racer who has no clue what so ever what these guys go through and what they deal with. I am sure you have never have a contract with American Honda or blown out both of your knees or won a national race so go back to chocking on all that KOCK you have been talking about and come back with something intelligent and relevant to talk about...TOOL
I believe it was the pickles that helped villy make the pass.....