Photo by: Hoppenworld

The 2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, is now in full effect with the first four rounds in our rearview-mirrors. For round number five, the best Supercross riders on the planet loaded up and finally left California to head to the valley of the sun—Glendale, Arizona—to see if they can put an end to Red Bull/KTM’s Ryan Dungey‘s dominance in the 450SX class. In the 250SX class—despite Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy having the red plate—everyone will be trying to slow down Star Racing/Yamaha’s Copper Webb.

The Phoenix area has been hosting Supercross since 1986 when Ricky Johnson took the win, but this will be the first time we’ve ever seen Monster Energy Supercross inside the University of Phoenix Stadium—home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Over the first twenty-two races in the Phoenix area, Yoshimura/Suzuki’s James Stewart and the retired former multi-time 450SX Champion Ricky Carmichael are the winningest riders with four apiece, and with James missing today’s race, that record will remain unchanged for at least another year.

With a new venue, getting acclimated to the new dirt can be an obstacle to overcome, but with the dirt from Chase Field being trucked over to the University of Phoenix Stadium, that will not be an issue today. In the first 450SX qualifying session, Ryan Dungey absolutely demolished the Glendale, Arizona circuit with a blazing fast 1:01.668 lap time—a second faster than the man in second. Over the first six years of Dungey’s 450SX career, he seldom amazed us with his raw speed. Well, today he blew our collective minds in that first session.

Christophe continues to show his world class speed, but will he bring that speed after the lights go out is the big question. Photo by: Hoppenworld
Christophe continues to show his world class speed, but will he bring that speed after the lights go out is the big question. Photo by: Hoppenworld

The next three riders on the leaderboard in that first session were a second behind the #1 but all within a tenth of a second of each other. Ken Roczen (1:02.607), HRC Honda’s Eli Tomac (1:02.693) and Rockstar/Husqvarana’s Jason Anderson were all happy about seeing their numbers on the track leaderboard tower in third, fourth and fifth, but had to be scratching their heads when they saw the gap to Dungey on the first session time sheet. It’s one thing when you’re fighting to be as consistent as the defending Champ, finding another second is a whole other equation.

As far as surprises in the opening session, we have to go with the fifth (1:03.074) and sixth (1:03.087) fastest riders: BTO/KTM’s Justin Brayton and Rockstar/Husqvaran’s Christophe Pourcel. So far, Brayton has been outside the top ten in qualifying, but all year long when the #377 decides it’s time to get on the board, he puts his head down and finds that speed. Today, though, the Frenchman threw down, two heaters to end the opening session and after the first one, he was eighth and on the trademark final lap heater he moved up to sixth. Christophe looked up at the board and shook his head in surprise to end the first session.

Just like in session one, Ryan Dungey was untouchable in session two. He went right to the top of the leaderboard early in the session and just continued to one-up himself. By the end of the session, the #1 was down to a 1:01.331 and nobody would get close. For the third time in 2016, the defending 450SX Champion is the #1 qualifier in the 450SX class. The last two times he qualifies first, he parlayed that into main event wins.

After his 2nd last weekend in Oakland, the German will be looking for his first win of 2016 tonight in Glendale. Photo by: Hoppenworld
After his 2nd last weekend in Oakland, the German will be looking for his first win of 2016 tonight in Glendale. Photo by: Hoppenworld

Christophe Pourcel’s disappointment from session one did not dwell with him for long. When the final checkered flag waved on session two, Christophe was the second fastest qualifier (1:01.713) on the night for the third time over the first five rounds. His qualifying positions have not been worse than fourth, but his main event scorecard reads 18-13-12-14, so do not be too quick to throw the #377 in your fantasy line ups just yet.

The third (1:01.768), fourth (1:01.813) and fifth (1:02.119) fastest overall 450SX qualifying spots went to Anderson, Roczen and Tomac. All three have been consistently near the front in qualifying, but their inconsistent main event starts have given them inconsistent results. All three will need to get out in front of the #1 off the start if they want any shot at stopping his three-race win streak from becoming a four-race streak tonight.

450SX Overall Combined Qualifying – 2016 Glendale SX

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450SX Overall Combined Top 40 Qualifying Times – 2016 Glendale SX – Click to Enlarge

In the first 250SX qualifying sessions, Cooper Webb went right to work on reminding everyone that despite losing the red plate with a bike malfunction to Savatgy in Oakland, he is the Alpha male of this series. The #1 was on top of the board early by a hair, but to end the session, he put down a heater (1:03.492) that put him over a half a second ahead of Cycletrader/Yamaha’s Colt Nichols (1:04.042) in second. It was apparent that he felt the #1w looks better over red than black. There was one crazy moment from session 1. Near the end of the session, Webb got a little upset at Chris Alldredge and took them both down in a crazy sequence. You can watch video of that crash here.

Webb surrendered the red plate after his bike problems in Oakland caused a 21st place finish. Photo by: Lex Valasakos
Webb surrendered the red plate after his bike problems in Oakland caused a 21st place finish.

Colt Niichols, has finished qualifying in 8th, 7th, 6th and 5th over the first four rounds, and if that trend continues he’ll be fourth today, but after his second place main event last weekend, he clearly wants more. The Oklahoman grew up on that red Okie hard pack and Phoenix will provide the #69 with plenty of blue grooves if he’s homesick.

The biggest surprise of the first 250SX sessions was the #37. With the red plate on that Kawasaki, he is easy to spot out there, but for whatever reason, the Championship leader looked a little uncomfortable in today’s opening session. When the checkered flag waved, Joey had clocked just the seventh fastest lap (1:05.1)—quite a bit off the #1’s pace. We’ll see if that was on track circumstance or an issue of comfort after the final session.

In the final 250SX session of the day, Webb continued to show everyone the fast line around the circuit. In the first session, Webb was the only 250 under the 1:04 mark, and in the final session, he was the only one under the 1:03 mark. Webb put the #1 in the #1 qualifying spot with a 1:02.910, but in session two, Savatgy got it sorted out. The #37 moved up from seventh to second with a 1:03.335. There’s still a gap that needs to be closed by the time the lights go out, but if his confidence was rattled earlier, he quickly found over a second and a half in that last session.

Joey Savatgy wants to prove his Oakland win was more than just a gift. Photo by: Lex Valasakos
Joey Savatgy wants to prove his Oakland win was more than just a gift.

The third (1:03.642), fourth (1:03.809) and fifth (1:03.858) fastest overall qualifiers when it was all said and done provided no surprises. GEICO/Honda’s Christian Craig, Zach Osborne and Colt Nichols were all in the top five a week ago, just in a different order. All were a healthy distance from Webb’s fast lap but still close enough to carry some confidence into the night program.

There were not too many surprises in the final session, but since I kind of have to pick one, I will say Troy Lee Designs/KTM’s Mitchell Oldenburg. Over the first four rounds, the #42 has been inside the top five consistently, so his ninth place qualifying time (1:04.737) is a small surprise. He will still be looking to improve on his fourth in Oakland with a podium tonight.

250SX West Overall Combined Qualifying – 2016 Glendale SX

Click Time Sheets to View in Slideshow

250SX Overall Combined Top 40 Qualifying Times – 2016 Glendale SX – Click to Enlarge
Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.