2016 Monster Energy Supercross: Anaheim #2
Round 3
Dungey back to back
Like every year, Monster Energy Supercross is part skill, part machine, and part attrition. James Stewart is not back racing following a crash at A1. Broc Tickle was hurt during the week and will be out for 6-8 weeks. Justin Barcia got hurt at the first race and will be out for some time. Last night Trey Canard had a troubling night and left with a banged-up hand and we hope that is all. Also Dean Wilson had a get off and did not finish out the night but we don’t know the extent of his injury. Let’s just say getting ready for SX and racing SX is one gnarly sport. This is not a total surprise, seems like the first month of the season we have a habit of seeing some of the top riders sidelined. The only good thing about this is privateers now have a chance to make the main event.
KTM’s Ryan Dungey is a machine—like an Energizer Bunny—the dude keeps going and going. Yes we dig the flash and riding style of Jason Anderson, the staying power of Chad Reed but you can never take anything away from Dungey. The dude just goes fast or just fast enough to be there when the time is right. Yes there are times when we wish Ken Roczen could put it all together for an entire night, but the chips don’t seem to be falling his way thus far. A guy like Eli Tomac, who was killing it outdoors before he cartwheeled himself to a van ride to the hospital, is fast aboard his new Kawasaki but does not look to be as in command of the bike like he was on the Honda. Maybe that is just my observation or he just needs a little more time to adjust to the new bike.
Needless to say, the defending champion from 2015 holding the number one plate is once again proving he is the one you have to beat week in and week out if you wish to dethrone the man.
In the 250 West Coast title hunt it looks like Cooper Webb is a click above the field and acts like it at times both on and off the track. He can start in the middle of the field and will just bulldog his way to the front in commanding fashion. His corner speed and how he attacks each jump and literally flicks the bike into landings. Right now he is going to be hard to beat and we hope to see just how far of a lead he could pull if he yanked a holeshot.
Racing resumes next Saturday night at Oakland’s Coliseum on Saturday, January 30.
450SX Class Results
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha
Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., KTM
Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
Jacob Weimer, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki
450SX Class Championship Standings
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 72
Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 59
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 57
Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 55
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 54
Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki – 51
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 36
Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., KTM – 35
Jake Weimer, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki – 33
Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 31
Western Regional 250SX Class Results
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha
Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Husqvarna
Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda
Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki
Jimmy DeCotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Honda
Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Suzuki
Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha
Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM
Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda
Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 75
Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Husqvarna – 57
Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 53
Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Honda – 51
Jimmy DeCotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda – 47
Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 43
Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda – 42
Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda – 36
Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM – 30
Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Suzuki – 28
Feld Race PR below:
ANAHEIM, Calif. (January 23, 2016) – In front of 42,943 fans tonight at Angel Stadium, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey won his second consecutive Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race of the season.Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb won his third consecutive Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event, extending his points lead to 18.
BTO Sports/WPS/KTM’s Davi Millsaps opened the 450SX Class Main Event with the SupercrossLIve.com Holeshot Award. Dungey followed in second with Monster Energy 360fly/Chaparral/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Chad Reed in third.
At the end of Lap 3, Dungey passed Millsaps and began to pull away. Reed passed Millsaps for second place on Lap 5. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac also passed Millsaps on the following lap for third place. On the last lap of the race, Tomac went down while applying pressure on Reed for second and gave the number-two position to RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ken Roczen.
Dugey’s win marked the 24th of his career and he extended his points lead to 13. For the second consecutive week Reed finished in the runner-up spot, and for the first time this year Roczen finished on the podium with a third place.
“I had to charge the first five laps,” said Dungey. “Chad [Reed] was on it tonight, and I know he wanted to get his ninth win here in Anaheim.”
Reed is now tied with Larry Ward for third on the all-time 450SX Class start list with 188.
“I keep telling myself that I should appreciate second-place finishes, but I am a competitor,” said Reed. “I wanted my ninth win in Anaheim tonight, but we will keep pushing.”
GEICO Honda’s Jimmy DeCotis won the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award to start the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event but was quickly passed when Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy pulled into the lead coming out of Turn 1. On the opening lap GEICO Honda’s Christian Craig, who won his Heat Race earlier in the evening, passed Savatgy for the lead. Webb, who won the previous two races this season, was fifth at the end of the opening lap.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne held down the number-three position as Webb worked his way into fourth place. The following lap, Webb advanced to third, and advanced into second place after Savtagy, who was riding in second place, crashed.
By the end of Lap 7, Webb moved within striking distance of Craig and a heated battled ensued. Craig and Webb traded places over the next several laps before Webb made a pass stick on Lap 10 and rode to victory. Shortly after Webb passed Craig, Osborne followed suit and moved into second place.
Webb became the first rider in history to win four straight races in Anaheim, dating back to last year.
“It was an awesome race,” said Webb. “Once we (Webb and Craig) started battling, it was a fun race. It felt like we traded places like 10 times. I struggled all day and made some changes coming into tonight’s Main Event, and it worked out.”
Osborne finished second and Craig finished third, the best finish of his career.
