800 Occidental Avenue South in Seattle, Washington — location of the 68,000 seat-football stadium known as Qwest Field — was the site of the finale of the 2008 AMA West Region Lites Supercross Series. Heading into the race, Team Yamaha of Troy rider Jason Lawrence held a six-point lead in the championship over bitter adversary Ryan Dungey of the Rockstar Makita Suzuki outfit.

“Winning the championship would be so good,” said Lawrence before the main event. “But it’s still only six points and I still have to go get a third if Dungey wins the race. Oh, and by the way, another little fact: I’ve never been off the podium at Seattle. So, I’m looking to keep that going!”

When the gate dropped to start Saturday night’s 15-lap main event, Dungey blitzed right into the lead, while Lawrence, fortunately, was able to swerve clear of a major yard sale-like crash in the second turn that took out half the pack. Unscathed and in fourth position, Lawrence methodically moved towards the front, taking control of second place on lap number five. And that’s where he would stay — nine seconds adrift of leader Dungey — to win his first AMA Number One Plate. Third at the finish was Team Yamaha’s Broc Hepler on the factory-backed YZ250F, and fourth, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Stroupe.

The Supercross class main event in Seattle was a wild affair. Only 13 points behind championship leader Chad Reed, Kevin Windham did his cause good by grabbing the holeshot on his Torco Racing Fuels Honda, while way back behind him, Reed hit the dirt and was 19th two laps into the race. Windham made a major mistake on lap number three when the skin of a trackside Tuff Block wound itself into the rear wheel of his Honda. By the time he removed the material and got going again, Windham had lost five places. While Honda’s Andrew Short led the race, Windham charged back to the front, while Reed, desperate to make up ground, did the same exact thing. With only two laps remaining, Windham went back into the lead, Honda teammates Short and Millsaps less than a second behind him. Reed kept coming, passing Millsaps and then Short, almost getting to Kevin Windham, the checkered flag coming out just in time to save Windham’s victory. Third place was claimed by Short, just ahead of Short, Tim Ferry and 450F first-timer Josh Grant.

With just one race left to be run — next Saturday night in Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas — Chad Reed enjoys a 10-point lead in the title fight over Windham.