2014 AMA Supercross – Anaheim 3 Results

Chad Reed tasted victory for the second time in three weeks at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., leading all 20 laps and fending off a last-lap challenge from rookie upstart Ken Roczen. Reed, who also won the Jan. 18 round in the second of three Anaheim races, now trails fellow Kawasaki rider Ryan Villopoto by just two points in the 2014 AMA Supercross championship race.

Yoshimura Suzuki‘s James Stewart took the holeshot, but Villopoto and Reed were both close behind. Stewart’s early lead evaporated at the second corner as Villopoto slipped into the front, with Reed following into second place. A few moments later Reed passed Villopoto to take over the lead. By the end of the first lap, it was Reed in front with Villopoto in second, just a few thousandths of a second ahead of Red Bull KTM‘s Roczen.

Roczen passed Villopoto on Lap 4 and began pressuring Reed but the veteran would not fold, holding on to win by 0.918 seconds. Roczen continued his remarkable rookie campaign with another podium, finishing about nine seconds ahead of Villopoto.

Dean Wilson made it a double-victory for Kawasaki taking the 250 Western Regional main event. Wilson spent most of the race in second place behind holeshot taker Cole Seely of Troy Lee Designs Honda. Wilson took over the lead on Lap 13 after Seely crashed after getting stuck behind some lapped riders. Seely recovered but the mishap allowed Wilson to run away with the win. Yamaha’s Cooper Webb finished third behind Seely to complete the podium.

Meanwhile, class leader Jason Anderson of Rockstar Energy KTM settled for an eighth-place finish after a collision with Troy Lee Designs Honda rider Malcolm Stewart. Anderson still maintains a grip on the championship lead, tied at 109 points with Seely but holding the tie-breaker with three wins.

The 2014 AMA Supercross Championship continues Feb. 8 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif., for the last Western Regional round until the spring.

[Source: AMA Supercross]

By Dennis Chung