Green Flag: Anaheim One
The Christmas holidays are coming to an end and that probably also means that the winter season in the motocross world will be over in a few days. Because, we just have to admit that there has been little or no motocross news in recent days.
Or is it? Because tomorrow the Monster Energy AMA Supercross championship starts in Anaheim. The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is the most important off-road championship in the world, and perhaps also the toughest. For seventeen rounds, spread over eighteen weekends, the best supercross riders in the world battle each other in gigantic stadiums spread across the United States. The intensity of the AMA Supercross, at least in the Supercross class (450 cc), means that as a rider you hardly get any respite. The supercrossers are only given rest during the Easter weekend. In practice, this means that every Saturday between January 8 and April 18, there will be a battle for points for the Monster Energy AMA Supercross championship. Anyone who wants to claim a good ranking has every interest in staying healthy. In recent years we have seen a number of top players drop out with injuries. This gave a number of other drivers unexpected opportunities. Moreover, the run-up to the Supercross season was already taking its toll. Marvin Musquin injured his knee during the Bercy Supercross and will therefore miss his American debut. Reigning West Coast Lites champion Jake Weimer also injured himself during the preparation and Australian Jake Moss will replace him in the Monster Energy Kawasaki factory team from Phoenix.
Like every year, the build-up to the AMA Supercross Championship talking about “the most exciting season ever”. But is that really the case? With Ryan Dungey (Rockstar Makita Suzuki), James Stewart (San Manuel Yamaha), Chad Reed (Two Two Motorsports Honda) and Ryan Villopoto (Monster Energy Kawasaki), every Japanese brand has a favorite. It is striking that two of those favorites are not even in a real factory team, although James Stewart can of course count on top material from Yamaha. However, Chad Reed had to work hard last fall to set up his own team in less than four months. Reed has to make do with Honda CRF450s with a Pro Circuit kit. So no factory material, but Pro Circuit has been the reference in American motocross for years.
In addition to the four outspoken favorites, there are a number of outsiders who could provide a surprise. Trey Canard (Red Bull Honda) is probably the most important of those outsiders. Although we cannot ignore Andrew Short (Red Bull KTM), Jake Weimer (Monster Energy Kawasaki), Josh Grant (Red Bull Honda) and Good Old Kevin Windham (Geico Powersports Honda).
It is probably the riders above who will decide among themselves who can win an AMA Supercross this year. When we look over the list of teams, it is striking that no team has two outstanding players. That used to be different. Just think of the powerful American Honda team of the mid-80s with Ricky Johnson, David Bailey and Johnny O'Mara. Or that of the early 90s with Jean-Michel Bayle and Jeff Stanton. In 1999, Honda seemed like a top team with Mickaël Pichon, Sébastien Tortelli, Ezra Lusk and Kevin Windham.
A complete contrast to the current Red Bull Honda factory team, whose leader Trey Canard starts his first full SX season tomorrow. His teammate Josh Grant is a bit of the maverick of the American SX/MX, but won the opener in Anaheim two years ago. Then Grant was on a Yamaha from the Muscle Milk Toyota JGR team. This year, Grant would be driving for Red Bull Honda almost for free, at least that is what certain American sources claim. In addition to the battle for the championship, it will also be interesting to see how Cédric Soubeyras will fare. The Frenchman was offered a golden opportunity in mid-December by his compatriot Vuillemin. Vuillemin has Soubeyras complete six races of the Supercross Championship. Nothing special in itself, if it weren't for Soubeyras, which, just like in Europe, is on a two-stroke Yamaha YZ 250 will do. Will the Frenchman manage to qualify for the Final six times?
And the return of the factory Red Bull KTM to the Supercross championship will also be followed with more than normal interest on this side of the ocean. The question, however, is whether Andrew Short and Mike Alessi are made of the right stuff to challenge “The Big Four”? Short is undeniably a top player, but has very few victories. His teammate Mike Alessi has been living off the hype that was created around him for years when he made his debut with the Pros. The chance that Alessi will play a significant role in the Supercross championship this year seems rather small to us.
Yet tomorrow evening another KTM rider will be in the spotlight. Ken Roczen makes his long-awaited AMA Supercross debut at Angel Stadium. However, the Wunderkind will have to compete against a series of seasoned riders in the Lites. With guys like Justin Barcia, Blake Wharton, Wil Hahn (all Geico Honda), Dean Wilson, Brock Tickle, Josh Hansen and Blake Bagget (all Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki), Roczen will more than likely have his hands full. But, for Roczen, not everything depends on Anaheim I. The German will certainly ride the first six races of the West Coast Lites championship. If he were to still claim the title after those six races, Roczen might also ride the 7e in 8. e game of that West Coast Lites championship. These will take place on April 18 and 30 respectively. However, this does mean that Roczen has to go back and forth to Europe use the pendulum to ride the Dutch GP in Valkenswaard. After the Final of the Lites in Salt Lake City, he can also ride the East vs West Shoot-out in Las Vegas the following weekend.
In Roczen's wake, two more German riders traveled to California. For Philipp Klakow and Sebastian Buttner, qualifying for the evening program is a goal in itself.
The first races of the AMA Championship are a fun start to the year for motocross fans. Hopefully the rest of the year will be the same and, in addition to exciting world championships, we will also see fireworks at national and regional level.
Photo credits: Supercross.com
Also to read
Gallery: MXGP Portugal 2024 XXL from NiekFotografie
The riders and mechanics had a hard time in Agueda. This also applies to the photographers because the weather conditions were harsh! Yet our #NiekFotografie made this XXL gallery...Jorge Prado in Simon Laengenfelder over Agueda
The Grand Prix of Portugal will be remembered for a long time and may be one for the history books. The heavy rain that descended on Agueda made this 2024 edition a rush…Danee Gelissen on stage in Italy
During the second match of the Italian Women's Championship, Danee Gelissen was allowed to climb onto the podium. The Limburg rider finished second behind Kiara Fontanesi in both heats in Lovolo. The Ceres71 driver starts…VIDEO: Highlights MXGP Portugal 2024
After a two-week break, the FIM MXGP-MX2 World Championship continued in Portugal. The normally sunny south was treated to lots of water this weekend! Liam Everts made very…
Your reactions