In October 2011, history was made. A brand new exhibition called the Monster Energy Cup held its first race, comprised of a three race format and pitting the top professional Supercross riders in the world against each other for a shot at $1 million. The event also provided a unique look at amateur racers in the Amateur All-Star and Supermini classes, promoting the future of the sport.
Venues
Along with hosting each Supercross round from 1990 to 2019, Sam Boyd Stadium also hosted each edition of the Monster Energy Cup. The home of the UNLV Rebels college football team served as the backdrop for million dollar achievements and for amateur racers to make a name for themselves before heading to the pro ranks.
Iconic Moments
From a trio of millionaires to first looks at racers on their new machinery, the Monster Energy Cup had its fair share of wild moments.
2011: Hot Start
No one knew what to expect in the first ever Monster Energy Cup, but the final race of the 2011 calendar had a familiar result. Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto dominated the race, winning all three races to take home the million dollar grand prize. After winning his first 450 Supercross and 450 Motocross titles earlier in the year, Villopoto was lights out in Las Vegas. His primary rival Ryan Dungey was solid in his first race on a KTM, but no match for Villopoto. There was also wild racing all around the track, with Mike Alessi suffering a big crash and Kevin Windham getting a huge reaction for taking out Vince Friese.
2013: Huge Mistakes
The third edition of the Monster Energy Cup was defined by two costly gaffes that cost a pair of former champions a shot at winning. Ryan Villopoto started the night out front, but it was Ryan Dungey who initially scored the first race win aboard his Red Bull KTM. However, Dungey missed one of the key elements of every Monster Cup track: the joker lane. Dungey didn’t take his mandatory trip through the lane and would end up getting docked five spots, handing the win to Villopoto. The post race interaction between the two Ryans would become one of the most famous in the sport’s history, with a distraught Dungey putting his hand on his helmet in disbelief.
Oddly enough, Villopoto made the same mistake that handed him the win previously. Villopoto and James Stewart battled throughout the second race, with Stewart eventually taking the win. Villopoto missed the joker lane after failing to see the white flag. During the final race of the night, Stewart took the win again as Villopoto crashed out. Despite an eighth place in the first race, Stewart would win $100,000 and the overall with a 8-1-1 to Dungey’s 6-3-2.
2018: A Gift
After two great performances and race wins, Eli Tomac put himself in position to score the Monster Million in 2018. Just one year after Marvin Musquin became the second rider to accomplish the feat, Tomac was in prime position to win it all. Along with Tomac, a fan named Jesse Hebert was a part of the sweepstakes. A bad start hampered Tomac’s chances of winning, but Beast Mode began charging through the field. He climbed from seventh to second with one lap to go, catching teammate Joey Savatgy in the back section of the track. Realizing what was at stake, Savatgy let Tomac go to score the million dollar prize, with the crowd and Jesse cheering for every move. Tomac would be the third and final rider to win the million, and the second Kawasaki factory racer to do so.
This interactive table details the all-time leaders at the Monster Energy Cup. Who has the most starts, wins, podiums and points. Filter by class. On mobile, slide left to access more columns. To see all years of data, become a member of the We Went Fast Garage and help us continue (and expand) these unique views of the sport’s history.
This interactive table details the Monster Energy Cup winners history. Who won in what year and what round was this venue. Filter by class. On mobile, slide left to access more columns. To see all years of data, become a member of the We Went Fast Garage and help us continue (and expand) these unique views of the sport’s history.
