Buffalo, NY: Nearly 49,000 fans filled Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX, to witness Ryan Villopoto make history at round 13 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship. With a commanding 104-point lead, Villopoto clinched the championship title with four rounds still left in the series—the earliest any rider has ever won the Supercross Championship. He also joins an impressive list of only five riders to ever earn back-to-back Supercross titles.
In a season so intense that one by one the top riders in the championship bowed out with injuries trying to maintain the blistering pace, Villopoto kept the heat on and stayed free of injury. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider proved from the first gate drop of 2012 that he was the man to beat, and Houston was no exception. Villopoto grabbed a great start, quickly taking over the lead aboard his Dunlop-sponsored KX450F, then proceeded to gap the field, riding with ease to his eighth season win, 23rd career win and second consecutive title. Dunlop congratulates Ryan Villopoto on a 2012 AMA Supercross Championship that was well deserved.
###About Dunlop
Dunlop is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the U.S. and the only manufacturer of motorcycle tires in North America. With North American operations headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Dunlop has been making and selling high-quality tires in the U.S. since 1923.
