Glen Helen National: Sunday Report
Langston, who entered the season finale needing a top finish to hold off his three nearest competitors, turned in a championship-winning performance with a 1-3 moto finish en route to his third-straight overall win to close out the season.
“It’s definitely a great feeling to win this championship,” said Langston, 25, who also won the 2003 AMA 125cc Motocross championship and 2005 and 2006 AMA 125cc Supercross titles. “I think it was just five or six races ago that I thought I didn’t have a snowballs chance (at winning the title). Every week I kept chipping away. The championship was a like a carrot being dangled in front of me. Once I could see the carrot I got on a roll.”
KTM’s Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., finished 2-2 for second overall, while Honda’s Kevin Windham, of Centreville, Miss., was third (5-1).
Ben Townley, of Tallahassee, Fla., who entered the race trialing by 19-points, picked up his sixth overall win of the season with a 1-2 moto finish but it wasn’t enough to keep Villopoto (1-2) from walking away with the championship. Kawasaki’s Bret Metcalfe, of Murrieta, Calif., was third overall after a 3-3 finish in the motos.
“I always heard that it was harder to back it up,” said the 19-year old Villopoto, referring to repeating as champion. “Mitch (Payton, team manager) said he hasn’t seen two guys go as hard as Ben and I went at it every weekend. It was definitely harder than last year.”
Look for more Glen Helen outtakes on the MXA Mid-Week Report.
1.ÿGrant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 1-3
2.ÿMike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 2-2
3.ÿKevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 5-1
4.ÿTimmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 4-4
5.ÿAndrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 3-6
6.ÿJosh Hill, Yoncalla, Wash., Yamaha, 8-5
7.ÿMichael Brown, Johnson City, Tenn., Honda, 6-7
8.ÿGavin Gracyk, Blissfield, Ohio, Honda, 9-11
9.ÿKyle Mace, Hesperia, Calif., Kawasaki, 13-12
10.ÿRyan Clark, Waddell, Ariz., Honda, 10-15
1.ÿGrant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 439
2.ÿMike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 423
3.ÿAndrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 421
4.ÿTimmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 417
5.ÿKevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 363
6.ÿRicky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 291
7.ÿJames Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 290
8.ÿMichael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 230
9.ÿGavin Gracyk, Blissfield, Ohio, Honda, 218
10.ÿDavid Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 207
250 Class Results
1.ÿBen Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 2-1
2.ÿRyan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 1-2
3.ÿBrett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 3-3
4.ÿBroc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha, 5-5
5.ÿAustin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Kawasaki, 10-4
6.ÿMartin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 7-6
7.ÿJake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 6-7
8.ÿTrey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 4-12
9.ÿNico Izzi, Saint Clair, Mich., Suzuki, 8-11
10.ÿKyle Chisholm, Seminole, Fla., Kawasaki, 14-8
250 Class Series Standings
1.ÿRyan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 544
2.ÿBen Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 525
3.ÿJosh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 346
4.ÿJason Lawrence, Murrieta, Ga., Yamaha, 277
5.ÿRyan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 267
6.ÿJake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 255
7.ÿBrett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 242
8.ÿThomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 220
9.ÿMartin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 203
10.ÿBroc Tickle, Cary, N.C., Yamaha, 201
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