This is the first Motocross Lites (250cc) moto from the 2006 Glen Helen Motocross in San Bernardino, CA.
In 2006, Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto was leading the Motocross Lites (250cc) Championship in his first full rookie season. After finishing 3rd in the 2006 Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Lites West season, Villopoto came into the Motocross season ready for his first professional title. He captured his first Supercross win at Texas Stadium in Irving, TX -- the penultimate race of the season. With 39 other riders chasing Ryan Villopoto, winning a Motocross title would be the biggest challenge of the 17-year-old's young career.
At the first round at Hangtown, KTM's Mike Alessi #800 took command early with a dominating 1-1 sweep. Ryan Villopoto started out with a 2-10 for 5th overall. In fact, Alessi won the first 3 motos of the season before taking an 8th place in the 2nd moto at High Point due to an early crash. Ryan Villopoto broke through and won his first career moto and overall with a 2-1. He pulled within a few precious points before a DNF in the first moto at Southwick sent him back to the drawing board; consequently, ALL of the Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders (Villopoto, Grant Langston #8 and #323 Troy Adams) dropped out. Of the 3, Grant Langston rebounded to win the 2nd moto and hand the overall win to Team Honda's Andrew Short #29. Villopoto would sweep Budds Creek and Red Bud before a 2-1 gave him the overall at Unadilla. RV would sweep Thunder Valley before a 40th in the first moto at Washougal cost him a bit. Andrew Short would take the overall; Washougal would mark the only track where Villopoto failed to win at in his Lites career. The only other winner, Team Suzuki's Broc Hepler #60, would win Binghamton and Steel City, which prevented Ryan Villopoto from winning the Monster Energy Triple Crown. Mike Alessi led for most of the series before a desperate move from a crash at Binghamton cost him the points lead.
Coming into this moto, Villopoto led Alessi by 29 points. It was down to 2 teenagers after Andrew Short twisted his knee in a rut at the last round at Steel City; he did not come out for moto #2, and ended his season right then and there. Ironically, one year ago in 2005, Alessi was down by 30 points to Ivan Tedesco before he made a very controversial move by crashing with Tedesco and standing on his KX250F. Alessi was later stripped of his points that day. KTM was prepared and Alessi had put that incident behind him; he made sure he did not cause any trouble this time. Alessi got the holeshot while Ryan Villopoto started out near the end of the top 10. All Villopoto had to do to lock the title up was to finish in front of the #800 KTM. Ryan went right to work and charged through the pack. He managed to pass Alessi towards the end, and Ryan Villopoto would win the moto and the 2006 Motocross Lites Championship. It was Kawasaki's 3rd straight title going back to 2004 (James Stewart), and the brand's 5th going back to 2001 (Mike Brown) in the past 6 years. Villopoto would win the 2nd moto easily, marking his 6th overall win of the season. As for Mike Alessi, he had to settle for 2nd overall; while Villopoto was planning to defend his title in 2007, Alessi announced he would be riding in the 450cc class for the 2007 season.
Enjoy.
