Ryan Dungey’s ability to land on the podium every week makes him tough to beat. All Photos by: Hoppenworld

The 2017 Anaheim 2 Supercross and round three of the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, headed back to Anaheim, California’s Angel Stadium for the second and final time of the year. We all came expecting another head-to-head showdown between the 450SX points leader, HRC / Honda’s Ken Roczen, and Red Bull / KTM’s Ryan Dungey, but instead the moto gods decided to remind everyone just how brutal SX can be. With Dungey leading and Roczen coming from behind running third, the #94 was ejected from his Honda—and the series. While Dungey celebrated his first win of 2017, Roczen was at a local hospital and is now in recovery from a compound fracture to his left arm, a dislocated elbow and a dislocated wrist. All thoughts and prayers go out to Ken Roczen today, and we hope the defending 450MX AMA National MX Champion has a speedy recovery.

Roczen may have checked out of the series early, but prior to scaring everyone who was watching with his impression of Superman, the German recorded the fastest 450SX lap time (56.259) for the second and likely final time in 2017 SX. There has been a vast amount of rain over the last month in Southern California which made the track inconsistent, but somehow the top eight lap times were all within one second of each other.

Malcolm Stewart had top ten speed at A2, but his race fitness needs some time.
Malcolm Stewart had top ten speed at A2, but his race fitness needs some time.

Even closer, the second, third and fourth fastest times of the night were all within two-tenths of Kenny’s fastest lap. HRC / Honda’s Cole Seely (56.368), Red Bull / KTM’s Ryan Dungey (56.430) and Red Bull / KTM’s Marvin Musquin (56.493) were all on pace, and the rewards went to those with the least mistakes. Seely had the track position and the speed to bring home a second on Saturday night, but a late race stall gave second to Musquin and relegated the #14 to his first podium of 2017 with a third.

A perfect example of consistency winning the day was the battle between Monster Energy / Kawasaki’s Josh Grant and JGR / Suzuki’s Weston Peick. Josh (56.829) had the fifth fastest lap and Weston (57.651) had the eleventh fastest lap on the night, but Weston’s consistency lap after lap landed him in fifth on the night with Josh crossing the line in sixth. Speed is obviously important, but consistent laps on a track that was deteriorating like the Anaheim 2 circuit was, really carried the night.

Ken Roczen (94) was shadowing Cole Seely when he crashed out of the series.
Ken Roczen (94) was shadowing Cole Seely when he crashed out of the series.


450SX Main Event Lap Time Graph. Click the riders name in the graph to add and remove them from the graph.

Top 10 450SX Times Top 10 250SX Times
1. K. Roczen – 0:56.259
2. C. Seely – 0:56.368
3. R. Dungey – 0:56.430
4. M. Musquin – 0:56.493
5. J. Grant – 0:56.829
6. E. Tomac – 0:56.913
7. C. Reed – 0:57.158
8. C. Webb – 0:57.223
9. M. Stewart – 0:57.285
10. D. Millsaps – 0:57.529
1. J. Hill – 0:56.269
2. A. Plessinger – 0:57.091
3. S. Mcelrath – 0:57.344
4. J. Martin – 0:57.359
5. M. Davalos – 0:57.645
6. A. Forkner – 0:57.799
7. J. Decotis – 0:57.905
8. D. Reardon – 0:58.165
9. T. Bowers – 0:58.475
10. P. Nicoletti – 0:58.732

Full 2017 Anaheim 2 SX results here>>>

Justin hill scored his first win of 2017 and the fourth of his 250SX career.
Justin hill scored his first win of 2017 and the fourth of his 250SX career.

Just like in the 450SX class, the 250SX Western Regional Supercross Championship had only seen one winner over the first two rounds but found a new winner at round three. Troy Lee Designs / KTM’s Shane McElrath was looking to make it three in a row at round three. Unfortunately for the #38, Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki’s Justin Hill was not on board with that plan. The #46 went from third to first on the opening lap and methodically pulled away from Star Racing / Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger for the win. McElrath did not have the speed to keep his win streak alive at round three, but he did make it three podiums in a row—holding on to the red plate for at least one more weekend.

Justin Hill (56.269) not only ended McElrath’s win streak at A2, he also ended Plessinger’s fastest lap time streak by a large margin. Plessinger (57.091) has not scored a win in 2017, but before A2, he could at least hang his hat on being the fastest 250 rider at each of the first two main events. At A2, though, the #23 dropped to second fastest man in the main event, and with eight-tenths of a second separating himself and Hill, he is probably leaving Anaheim a little worried about Hill’s new level.

Shane McElrath (38) leads Aaron Plessinger by six points and Justin Hill by seven points heading into Glendale, Az. this weekend.
Shane McElrath (38) leads Aaron Plessinger by six points and Justin Hill by seven points heading into Glendale, Az. this weekend.

The third, fourth and fifth fastest 250SX laps belonged to McElrath (57.344), GEICO / Honda’s Jeremy Martin (57.359) and Rockstar / Husqvarna’s Martin Davalos (57.645), all of whom were blazing fast on the ultra technical Angel Stadium circuit but still more than a full second off of Hill’s fastest lap. Hill thrives on the very technical tracks, so you know everyone not named Hill is ecstatic knowing that the series is leaving the recent rain of SoCal and heading to the covered confines of Phoenix’s Sun Devil Stadium.


250SX Main Event Lap Time Graph. Click the riders name in the graph to add and remove them from the graph.

You can check out the top ten average 250 and 450 times from the 2017 Anaheim 2 SX below. Scroll down to see how the main events broke down lap-for-lap with MotoXAddicts’ lap-time comparison charts. Also, see how the top 3 250SX riders matched up against the top 3 450SX finishers lap-for-lap.


Click the riders name in the graph to add and remove them from the graph.

Updated 2017 250SX West and 450SX Championship Points>>>

Top 10 450SX Avg Lap-Times Top 10 250SX Avg Lap-Times
1. M. Musquin – 0:58.332
2. R. Dungey – 0:58.372
3. C. Seely – 0:58.770
4. W. Peick – 0:58.899
5. C. Reed – 0:58.945
6. C. Webb – 0:58.973
7. J. Grant – 0:59.008
8. D. Millsaps – 0:59.494
9. E. Tomac – 0:59.523
10. B. Baggett – 0:59.591
1. J. Hill – 0:58.006
2. A. Plessinger – 0:58.303
3. S. Mcelrath – 0:58.393
4. A. Forkner – 0:58.676
5. M. Davalos – 0:58.999
6. J. Martin – 0:59.144
7. J. Decotis – 0:59.201
8. D. Reardon – 0:59.546
9. P. Nicoletti – 0:59.880
10. T. Bowers – 0:59.970


250SX vs 450SX Main Event Lap Time Graph. Click the riders name in the graph to add and remove them from the graph.


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Author

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