Teenaged Team Yamaha factory rider Josh Hill has been knocking on the door all season long during in the 2008 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series. Having been dispatched to the 450 Motocross classification during the last third of the 2007 AMA National Motocross Championship — due to the teenager’s physical growth, not to mention his off-song motorcycle — Hill has come into his own in this year’s stadium motocross season, scoring two excellent runner-up finishes at both Anaheim II and Indianapolis. On Saturday night, March 15, 2008 before 40,982 fans inside the Metrodome in Minneapolis, young hill of Washington State kicked the door wide open, claiming his first career AMA Supercross victory. After watching another class rookie, Ryan Dungey Makita Rockstar Suzuki outfit, grab the holeshot and lead the first three laps, Hill punted the Minnesota native out of the way with a damn the torpedoes block pass. From there, Hill cleared out to win the race by precisely 5.397 seconds.

"Getting second was amazing a few races ago," smiled Hill from the podium. "I don’t know how to put it into words - this win. The season has had its ups and downs, but this is huge for me. Yamaha put faith in me, and I am grateful for that."

Dungey would hold onto second place until lap number seven when Chad Reed, riding for all he was worth due to an untimely sickness, which saw him sit out the second practice earlier in the day, went by like a freight chain. But it was all for naught as on lap number nine Reed bailed hard, the engine of is Team San Manuel Yamaha sputtering dead. Reed got going, but would only get back to seventh at the finish. From there, Dungey held steady to finish second, while Torco Racing Fuels Honda’s Kevin Windham claimed yet another podium finish, keeping his title hopes fully alive.

With five laps to go in the 16-roubd 2008 supercross series, Reed’s misfortune in Minnesota allowed Kevin Windham to take another large chunk out of Reed’s points lead, Windham now only 17 points adrift of Reed (Reed’s 237 points to Windham’s 220).

"This is a disappointing outcome after I was setting myself up to take the lead," lamented Reed after the race.

"I had to sit out the final practice and haven't felt well all weekend, so to be in the position to potentially win this race was very positive. “I felt as though I had enough to hang on and win this so seventh is little reward. It also hurts in terms of the championship, though I am lucky in a sense that Windham didn't take maximum points."

In the fourth round of the highly-competitive AMA East Region Supercross Series, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto finally shook off the bad luck that has been haunting him all season log to win is first main event of 2008. It wasn’t easy, though, as Villopoto has to make a thrilling last lap pass on Torco Racing Fuels Honda's Josh Grant — Grant leading the entire way and keep Villopoto’s lime green KX250F behind him — to get the job done. KTM’s Martin Davalos placed third overall, and Trey Canard — winner of the first three East Region rounds — recovered from a spooky practice crash earlier in the day to bounce back and finish a fine fourth in the main.

AMA Supercross Class Results

1. Josh Hill (Yam)
2. Ryan Dungey (Suz)
3. Kevin Windham (Hon)
4. Andrew Short (Hon)
5. Thomas Hahn (Kaw)
6. Davi Millsaps (Hon)
7. Chad Reed (Yam)
8. David Vuillemin (Suz)
9. Travis Preston (Kaw)
10. Nathan Ramsey (Yam)

Lites Class Results

1. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw)
2. Josh Grant (Hon)
3. Martin Davalos (KTM)
4. Trey Canard (Hon)
5. Ryan Sipes (KTM)
6. Tyler Bowers (Yam)
7. Ryan Morais (Yam)
8. Kyle Partridge (Hon)
9. Nico Izzi (Suz)
10. Billy Payne (Hon)