Villopoto to Miss 2012 AMA Motocross Season

Reigning champion Ryan Villopoto will not compete in the 2012 AMA Motocross Championship after injuring his knee at the recent Supercross race in Seattle, Wash.

Villopoto has won the last three indoor and outdoor championships, capturing the 2011 AMA Motocross title as well as the 2011 and 2012 AMA Supercross titles. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider will not be able to stretch that run into a fourth consecutive title.

The Washington-state resident injured his knee in a crash on the opening lap of the main event, and retired unable to complete a lap on his home race. Villopoto will also miss the remaining two rounds of the 2012 AMA Supercross season, though that matters little considering he already clinched the title.

Villopoto will undergo surgery to repair his injured knee.

“I’m pretty disappointed right now,” says Villopoto. “I have trained hard for this season and even though I won the supercross title, I really wanted to defend my outdoor championship. I’ve been through injury before and I know how hard I have to work to get back.”

The injury cuts short a dominating run of supercross and motocross racing for Villopoto. In addition to his three consecutive AMA titles, Villopoto also won the $1 million prize in the inaugural Monster Energy Cup.

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