JGRMX Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps has taken his YZ450F to second place in the 2012 AMA Supercross series – also an FIM World Championship – after finishing as runner-up at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas for the final round of seventeen last Saturday.

The 24 year old rode to his fifth podium finish of the season ahead of Justin Brayton who was his nearest threat to the number two plate. The gap between the two racers stood at nine points upon the close of the seventeenth main event in Nevada in front of nearly 40,000 spectators.

After winning his Heat race Millsaps made a reasonable start in the Main and slotted into third position relatively early in the 20 lap chase. He focussed his sights on Jake Weimer and was able to move up to second place at mid-race distance, enjoyed a tussle for track space and then held on until the chequered flag. Millsaps has been one of the outstanding performers in the SX field in a season that has been mired with injuries and setbacks. The Floridian’s improving speed and confidence has been key in the team’s steady flow of decent results (top five positions in eight from the last ten rounds) and in the absence of James Stewart – winner of two races in 2012 – who ends the campaign with 7th in the standings.

“It was a great battle there between I-don’t-know how many of us…I had it pretty good through the whoops but it was a long fight for sure,” Millsaps said. “I was able to stay ahead and keep pushing. To get second in the points is a big step for me and the team. I’m pumped; this is the best season I’ve had since I’ve got on the 450. The Yamaha has been running great and I want to thank my whole team. It has been an up-and-down year for everyone on it but we did the best we could.”

The West and East Coast divisions of the Lites class also came to an end in Vegas and Yamaha were able to see Ryan Sipes finish 8th in the West race and claim 7th in the final points table. The Kentuckian took his motorcycle to victory in Seattle. On the East side Kyle Cunningham was the highest YZ250F runner with 6th in the main event and 8th in the championship.

The next big Supercross appointment will be the Monster Energy Cup – again at the Sam Boyd – on October 20th before the 2013 season (again pegged for seventeen races) begins in January.