After 17 rounds it all came down to 10 points and the truth on Saturday night in Sam Boyd Stadium on the outskirts of Las Vegas. Heading into the curtain dropping round of the 2008 Monster AMA Supercross Championship, San Manuel Yamaha rider Chad Reed held a healthy 10-point lead over his one and only true title challenger, Kevin Windham, but baring an unforeseen mechanical disaster or mistake, for all intents and purposes, it looked like a sure thing for the Australian. When the 30-second card was walked off the start straight by a scantily clad girl, the Monster green-painted starting gate dropped into the Vegas grass and the pack raced down the straight and dove into the fast left hander that led down Monster Alley and down into the sold-out stadium. In the lead was Red Bull Honda's Davi Millsaps with fellow Honda rider Windham getting a good look at his red rear fender. In third was yet another Honda-backed athlete, Andrew Short. Reed was safely back in sixth — all he needed to have to win the title — but by the end of the opening lap Reed had already zapped both Tim Ferry and Nick Wey and was up to fourth. A few laps later, Millsaps made a miscue and fell down the leader board, while Short and Reed then motored into second and third, respectively. It was just a matter of time before Reed took Short and then set out after race leader Windham. With seven laps to go, Reed executed a deft blocking and tackling maneuver on Windham, took the lead and raced away to victory and the 2008 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series Champion. Second in Vegas and second over in the championship was Kevin Windham. Andrew Short finished off the Vegas podium with a third place rider, garnering enough point to finish a fine third in the championship. Yamaha ace Josh Hill placed fourth and Davi Millsaps was fifth.

The 38,000-seast Sam Boyd Stadium was also the site of the annual East West Shootout. With newly crowned champions Jason Lawrence (West) and Trey Canard (East) on the line, as well as perennial front-runners Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto and Austin Stroupe, the 15-lap main event had all the makings of a classic. When the final 250F supercross race of the 2008 season began, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto held sway with Dungey, Dan Reardon and Canard hounding him. Lawrence was mired back in sixth and never really seemed to get up to speed in the race. As the laps clicked off the race boiled down to a two man shootout between West Coast rider Dungey and easterner Villopoto. Villopoto led, but by lap number 13, Dungey was looking at the back of his jersey. Finally, on the white flag lap, Dungey made a move stick on Villopoto, and for the second straight year, claimed the Dave Coombs Senior East/West Shootout.