Langston Wins and Takes Over AMA Toyota Motocross Points Lead

// August 27, 2007

AMA/NPG news release

Grant Langston, of Clermont, Fla., won for the first time in nearly two years and took claim of the points lead at the Monster Energy/Kawasaki Pro Motocross National at Steel City Raceway, round 10 of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF. Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., picked up his fourth win of the season to take over the points lead in AMA Motocross Lites.

Langston used a 2-1 finish in the motos to earn his first overall win in the premier AMA Motocross class, and the 10th of his career. His last win came on September 11, 2005 in San Bernardino. KTM’s Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., finished second with a 1-3 moto finish, while Honda’s Kevin Windham was third (3-2).

“It was a hard physical race out there today,” said Langston. “Any one of the three of us could have won this race. This is my first overall win in the Motocross class and it meant a lot because of the points. I’ve gained 30 points in the last two rounds, which is unbelievable. I think there are going to be some sleepless nights as we get closer to the end.”

The win catapulted Langston into the points lead, erasing an 11-point deficit in the series standings with two races remaining. Honda’s Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, who finished fourth on the day (5-4), trails by two points, 347 to 345. Kawasaki’s Timmy Ferry (4-7), of Largo, Fla., drops to third with 343 points, while Alessi sits just 10 points back with 337.

Villopoto, who trailed by two points heading into Steel City Raceway, started his day with an inspired ride that saw the defending champ work his way from the back to finish third in the first moto. He would follow that up with a wire-to-wire win in the final moto to earn the overall victory, the 10th of his career. His Kawasaki teammate Ben Townley was second on the day with a 6-2 moto finish. Villopoto now holds a six-point lead over Townley, of Tallahassee, Fla., 447 to 441.

For the second week in a row, Brett Metcalfe, of Murrieta, Calif., finished third (8-3) to give Kawasaki its second straight 1-2-3 podium finish from its’ Pro Circuit team.

The AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF heads west for the inaugural Monster Energy Freestone Motocross National at the newly-rebuilt Freestone Raceway in Wortham, Texas on September 1-2.

Motocross (Moto Finish)

  1. Grant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 2-1
  2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 1-3
  3. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 3-2
  4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 5-4
  5. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 4-7
  6. Ivan Tedesco, Montgomery, Texas, Suzuki, 6-5
  7. Gavin Gracyk, Blissfield, Ohio, Honda, 8-6
  8. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 7-11
  9. Yoshitaka Atsuta, Japan, Honda, 11-8
  10. Josh Summey, Stanley, N.C., Honda, 12-9

Motocross Class Point Standings

  1. Grant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 347
  2. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 345
  3. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 343
  4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 337
  5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 296
  6. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 291
  7. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 290
  8. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 207
  9. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 192
  10. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 186

Motocross Lites (Moto Finish)

  1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 3-1
  2. Ben Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 6-2
  3. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 8-3
  4. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Kawasaki, 2-12
  5. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair, Mich., Suzuki, 7-7
  6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 5-9
  7. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 13-4
  8. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha, 1-31
  9. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 9-10
  10. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 16-5

Motocross Lites Point Standings

  1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 447
  2. Ben Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 441
  3. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 340
  4. Jason Lawrence, Murrieta, Ga., Yamaha, 277
  5. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 267
  6. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 211
  7. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 177
  8. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 169
  9. Broc Tickle, Cary, N.C., Yamaha, 164
  10. Kyle Chisholm, Seminole, Fla., Kawasaki, 151
Press Releases, Race Results

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