Team Suzuki Press Office – February 25. Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki’s Davi Millsaps increased his lead in the AMA/ FIM World Supercross Championship with a hard-fought third position at Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday evening.
Millsaps (25) increased his grip on the series to 22 points over defending champion Ryan Villopoto with his seventh podium from eight races aboard the 2013 RM-Z450 in front of a packed-to-capacity crowd of 70,000.
Millsaps – who won his first-ever Main Event at Georgia Dome back in 2008 – was smooth in practice posting the fourth-fastest qualifying lap time, then looked very impressive in his heat race, grabbing a good start and pulled ahead to win by seven seconds in the eight-lap race. But, in the Main Event, he wasn’t as good out of the gate and made a little extra work for himself, yet he still fought back into third position, despite suffering with some cold symptoms and breathing problems all week.
Said Millsaps: “I’m feeling a little better this week, but I still have sinus problems and I don’t know what it is. It’s pretty bad and I’ve been taking stuff for it all day. It gets to the point where I can’t see very well and I’m definitely having trouble breathing. All-in-all the cold is gone but these symptoms are just lingering. I’m pretty over it and I’m not going to let it hold me back any more. James Stewart and Ryan Villopoto just rode a really good race and I didn’t get the best start. I was trying but was just making little mistakes everywhere. I was worried about them and Justin Barcia and I need to quit doing that and just worry about myself. But, I’m just pumped to be on the box again and go into St. Louis next weekend.”
Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki Team mate Blake Wharton had a tough start to the East Coast 250 Series in Dallas but was able to collect himself and finish a commendable second place. This week he had a more successful heat race finishing in third and qualifying easily. Wharton got a good start in the Main and spent the majority of the race riding by himself, finishing a solid fourth place position and holding third in the overall championship points.
Said Wharton: “In both my heat and the Main Event, I got pretty decent starts. This week was better because I didn’t have to go to the LCQ, but I didn’t do as good either. It was like a trade-off. The end result wasn’t as good but it was ok. I rode up front for a little while but I rode kind of tight. I’m glad I salvaged a fourth.”
Rockstar Energy Racing will head to the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis next weekend, where Millsaps will aim to continue his string of podium finishes and extend his points lead and where Wharton will set his sights on getting back on the podium and tightening up the championship chase.
Atlanta 450 Supercross Results (after 8 of 17 rounds): 1. James Stewart (Yoshimura Suzuki), 2. Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki), 3. Davi Millsaps (Rockstar Energy Suzuki), 4. Justin Barcia (Honda), 5. Trey Canard (Honda), 6. Ryan Dungey (KTM), 7. Eli Tomac (Honda), 8. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki), 9. Chad Reed (Honda), 10. Mike Alessi (Suzuki).
