David Millsaps of Murrieta wins supercross race in Anaheim

By Jim Peltz

Jan. 5, 2013 12 AM PT

David Millsaps of Murrieta passed Trey Canard on the final lap to win the season opener of the supercross series Saturday night at Angel Stadium.

It was Millsaps’ first victory in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series since the Suzuki rider won in San Diego in 2010. Supercross is the stadium version of off-road motorcycle racing, or motocross.

Canard finished second, a notable achievement after the Oklahoman suffered a back fracture nearly a year ago in the race at Dodger Stadium that prematurely ended his season.

Former champions Ryan Dungey and Chad Reed finished third and fourth, respectively, in front of a sold-out crowd of 45,050. Two-time champion James Stewart was eighth.

Millsaps led the first 16 laps until he was passed by Canard. But Millsaps regrouped and again took the lead as he and Canard nearly collided while making a tight turn.

“I found a good line and [Canard] made a mistake and I went for it,” Millsaps said. “It had been a long time since I had been out front.”

Ryan Villopoto, seeking his third consecutive series championship, had a dismal opening to the season. The Kawasaki rider fell to 13th in the 20-rider field after the first lap, crashed midway through the race and finished 16th.

In the supercross lites race Saturday, Eli Tomac of Durango, Colo., the series’ defending West champion, won the 15-lap main event on a Honda.