Chad Reed seals the fate of Hangtown National with a moto 2 victory
The 450-Class motocross action continued in Rancho Cordova, California, on Saturday, May 21 with the second race of the Rockstar Energy Hangtown National, the first stop of the 2011 Lucas Oil American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Pro Motocross Championship.
The race featured TwoTwo Motorsports and Bel-Ray Racing’s Chad Reed and the winner of the first moto, Rockstar and Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, in yet another nail-biting contest. However, in contrast to the way the first race concluded, Reed managed to
clinch the win in the second race and become the overall winner of the Hangtown National.
Dungey got off to a great start in the second moto and rode cautiously and consistently throughout the race. However, Reed kept on breathing down his neck for the most part of the race and eventually managed to steal the lead near the end stages of the race
when the Rockstar and Makita Suzuki rider lost some speed.
The TwoTwo Motorsports and Bel-Ray Racing rider went on to win the race, with Dungey finishing in second place. Finishing second in the first moto and following it up with a first place finish in the second moto confirmed Reed as the overall winner of the
Hangtown National.
Talking to the media after the race, Reed admitted that he was a little surprised with the way the track had turned out to be.
“I'm a little surprised. I tested the last two weeks and it's gone well,” said the TwoTwo Motorsports and Bel-Ray Racing rider. “Normally, this track is always hard, choppy and one lined. We came back this weekend and it was a completely different track
than we were expecting.”
Dungey, who had an excellent 450-Class rookie season last year, was not too disappointed with the second place result in the first event of the twelve-round series.
While talking to the media, he said, “I was trying to bulldog it in the second moto and Chad got by me. I got behind him and saw some different lines. It took me a while to get back up there. I made one last attempt, but I'm happy with that result. I made
a hard attempt to get by and was riding on the ragged edge, so I decided to back it down. It's a long season.”
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto finished the race in third place, a result similar to the first moto. While he ended the first event in third place, he still has ample time on his hands to make a strong impact in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross
Championship. Anyone who had seen him in the recently concluded Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will be quite aware of Villopoto’s potential.
The riders will head to Wortham, Texas, on May 28 for the second event of the series, Freestone National.
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