Last chance works well for Supercross racer from Texas

By Carlos Mendez

cmendez@star-telegram.com

ARLINGTON -- If he had a choice, Blake Wharton would not have wanted an extra race on the dirt at Cowboys Stadium.

Not when the extra race is the Last Chance Qualifier in an AMA Monster Energy Supercross event -- being in that race means either you don't have much of a bike, or something has already gone wrong.

For Wharton, it was that something had gone wrong -- he had crashed in his heat.

But the extra four laps proved beneficial for the Pilot Point rider. He picked up a second-place finish in the 250sx Lites Class race, the opener of the East Zone series schedule, a highlight in his career.

"It's definitely not the way you want to start it," he said. "But I had a good ride. It's going to be a good season. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."

Dean Wilson, a Glasgow, Scotland, native whose outdoor racing plans last year were nixed because of a lack of funding, returned to Supercross with a victory in the Lites race. He took the lead on the first lap and held it through the 15-lap race.

Will Hahn of Decatur finished third, making a move from fourth in the final third of the race.

Wharton was fourth in this race last year and third in 2011, so he's had good finishes at Cowboys Stadium. But this one was the best -- and yet, it left him wondering what might have happened had he not crashed in his heat.

"I made a mistake," Wharton said. "Hated that I had to be in the LCQ, but I made it out."

But getting into the main event was only half the battle. He still had to get his equipment ready in a short turnaround.

"It's frustrating when you don't have a lot of time. You have a plan in your head; when it doesn't work out, you have to keep on pushing," he said. "Actually, I got a little more track time. That helped me."

450sx race

Ryan Villopoto won for the third time this year in 450sx Supercross -- and the second time in two years in Arlington -- cutting into the lead of series leader Davi Millsaps, who finished second.

The finish by Villopoto, Millsaps and Ryan Dungey almost mirrored the season standings of Millsaps, Dungey, Villopoto. Millsaps is 21 points ahead of Dungey and 24 ahead of Villopoto as the series heads to Atlanta.

"It was definitely a good 20 laps," said Millsaps, who had a 27-point lead on Villopoto after winning last week in San Diego. "I haven't ridden all week from being sick. Ryan rode really well. You've got to give it to him."

Fan favorite James Stewart qualified for the final but could not compete because of a bad clutch.

"I feel bad most of all for you fans, who paid money to watch us race," he told the crowd.

Carlos Mendez, 817-390-7407

Twitter: @calexmendez

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