Kawasaki’s James Stewart overcame a rain-drenched track to win the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series main event before a crowd of 46,896 at Qwest Field. Kawasaki’s Grant Langston won the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites championship and the main event.
Honda’s Nick Wey, of Dewitt, Mich., grabbed the $1,500 Progressive Direct Holeshot Award to start the 15-lap AMA Supercross class’ main event, which was shortened by five laps due to rain that swept through the area in the afternoon.
Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., jumped out front on the opening lap and began running away from the field. Yamaha’s Chad Reed held down second place as the attention turned to Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael, who was struggling through the pack after a 10th place start.
With Stewart cruising to victory and Reed secured in second, Carmichael dug deep and fought his way to third, saving his season and keeping alive his title hopes. With the series finale set for May 6 in Las Vegas, Carmichael is tied for the AMA Supercross Series points race with Reed. Stewart is just five points behind in third. Stewart stretched his lead to 12 points over Carmichael in the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP.
“I had a scary crash during my practice, but I went back and talked to my mom and she helped me put together a great ride tonight,” said Stewart, who picked up his seventh AMA Supercross Series win of the season. “All I can do is win next weekend and hope for the best.”
“I gave it my all tonight and we have one more weekend to see how the championship ends,” said Carmichael. “All I can do is do my best and see what happens in Las Vegas. This points race is great for the fans and the sport.”
KTM’s Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., won the $1,000 Progressive Direct Holeshot Award to start the AMA Supercross Lites main event. The muddy track played a factor in the opening laps, as Alessi hit the ground in turn two and fell out of the lead. Early on KTM’s Nathan Ramsey, of Menifee, Calif., caused a log jam that held up series points leader Andrew Short, of Murrieta, Calif.
Kawasaki riders Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., and Grant Langston, of Clermont, Fla., held down the top two positions, respectively. On lap two, Langston moved into the lead and was pulling away when Honda’s Short shot off the track in the whoops, sending him back in the pack and all but ended his title hopes. Langston survived the deteriorating condition of the track and went on to take the win the race and Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites championship. Villopoto was second and Suzuki’s Jason Lawrence, of Murrieta, Calif., was third. Short finished in ninth place.
“Going into tonight I knew I needed some help because of where I was at in the point standings,” said Langston, who became only the third rider in series history (Ernesto Fonseca and Stewart) to win titles in both the Eastern and Western AMA Supercross Lites series. “It was really comforting having him (Villopoto) behind me because I knew that he wasn’t going to take me out. Things didn’t look so good for me after last weekend, but tonight I made myself ride well in the mud and I won my second championship.”
Tonight race will air on CBS SPORTS on Sunday, April 30, 2006 at 12:30 p.m. EST. A tape-delayed, one-hour television broadcast of the AMA Supercross Lites racing will air on SPEED on Saturday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP Season Standings
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 355
2. Ricky Carmichael, Havana, Fla., Suzuki, 343
3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 334
4. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 276
5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 268
6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 259
7. Jason Thomas, Melrose, Fla., Honda, 181
8. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio,, Honda, 178
9. Ryan Clark, Waddell, Ariz., Honda, 176
10. Tyler Evans, Corona, Calif., Suzuki, 125
Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Event Results, Seattle
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha
3. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki
4. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda
5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda
6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
7. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
8. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
9. Brock Sellards, Sherrodsville, Ohio, Honda
10. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Yamaha
Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Season Standings
1. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 316
2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 316
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 311
4. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 241
5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 234
6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 228
7. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 191
8. Ernesto Fonseca, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 125
9. Ryan Clark, Waddell, Ariz., Honda, 116
10. Mike LaRocco, Corona, Calif., Honda, 108
Amp’d Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Event Results, Seattle
1. Grant Langston, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
3. Jason Lawrence, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM
6. Ryan Morais, Temecula, Calif., Suzuki
7. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
8. Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
9. Ryan Mills, Clintondale, N.Y., Suzuki
10. Adam Chatfield, Madisonville, Texas, Honda
Amp’d Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Final Season Standings
- Grant Langston, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 161
- Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 153
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 141
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 129
- Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 125
- Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., KTM, 116
- Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 116
- Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 89
- Ryan Morais, Temecula, Calif., Suzuki, 75
- Darcy Lange, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki, 64
Amp’d Mobile Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Final Season Standings
1. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 166
2. Chris Gosselaar, Victorville, Calif., Kawasaki, 134
3. Joshua Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 119
4. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 102
5. Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Yamaha, 96
6. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., Honda, 81
7. Robert Kiniry, Lafayette, N.Y., Honda, 75
8. Teddy Maier, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki, 61
9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 60
10. Jay Marmont, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 54