Ryan Dungey picked up right where he left off at the E3 Spark Plugs co-sponsored Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Championship series opener, the Rockstar Energy Hangtown National. Dungey won the Moto 1 450 Class event. Press photo by Simon Cudby.
Motocross fans celebrated the start of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Championship series co-sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs this past Saturday, May 21 at the Rockstar Energy Hangtown National in Sacramento, CA. And wouldn’t you know – Ryan Dungey started things off in typical style, nabbing the first win of the season in the Moto 1 450 Class. After dominating the field throughout the 2010 season, he picked up right where he left off, quickly working his way to the front and leaving the rest of the field further and further behind before crossing the finish line. Chad Reed and 2011 Supercross champion Ryan Villopoto took second and third place.
In the Moto 1 250 Class, Eli Tomac led the field for a full third of the race before Dean Wilson and Blake Baggett charged past for first and second places. Frenchman Marvin Musquin, a two-time MX2 world champion, made an impressive American debut, landing fourth place in front of Tyla Rattray.
The Moto 2 450 Class offered up arguably the biggest fireworks of the day with championship riders Chad Reed and Ryan Dungey battling it out for the majority of the race. When the dust settled, it was Reed in the victor’s spot with Dungey and Ryan Villopoto close behind in second and third place. Villopoto fans aren’t at all worried about his chances for taking the championship title. His 2010 season proved impressive even after a 2009 knee injury and was on track to claim his fifth season title when a crash at the St. Louis Supercross event broke his leg and sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Blake Baggett, a relative unknown quickly making a name for himself this season (his second year in the pro ranks), won Moto 2 in the 250 Class in a startling come-from-behind victory. He beat Tyla Rattray and Dean Wilson to the finish line.
E3 Spark Plugs congratulates all of the weekend’s winners at Hangtown, and we congratulate the Motocross on 40 years of competition. Click here for complete results and highlights of the Hangtown event – the first of the 12 round series. And be sure to outfit you bike with E3 motorcycle spark plugs for a stronger, leaner and more efficient burn.
