Poulsbo’s Ryan Villopoto professes “to be struggling a little bit,” but he’s still on top of the AMA Supercross standings.
The Kawasaki rider was fourth
in Saturday night’s race at Indianapolis, the ninth race of the
17-race series. Villopoto has won twice this season, but not in the
last five weeks. He had 10 victories a year ago when he clinched
his second third straight Supercross title in the 11th
week of the series at Salt Lake City.
Prior to the Indianapolis race, Villopoto said there were reasons why he hasn’t been Villopotoesque in recent weeks:
“There’s a combination [of factors],” Villopoto said. “One of them is the field is maybe getting closer. And on my end, I’m just struggling a little bit, maybe not having the best weekends and trying to find that sweet spot, that good setting, if you can find it, if that’s ever out there. So it’s a combination of everything. Me struggling a little bit and also, like I said, a big part of it is the competition is so close this year.”
The Supercross series moves to Daytona, Fla., next week. The Seattle race at CenturyLink Field is April 12.
Villopoto is trying to become the fourth rider to win
three four consecutive Supercross titles. The
others: Bob Hannah, Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael. That’s
some pretty exclusive company.
The current overall 450SX point standings:
- Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Kawasaki, 184
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 161
- Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 158
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 154
- Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., 143
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 111
- Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 109
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 109
- Wil Hahn, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 93
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 93
