Photo by: Doc Weedon

Track walk and free practice:

Check out MotoXAddicts’ live updates from the morning practice and qualifying sessions at track at round three of the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross season, round 1 of the inaugural “Triple Crown” event, and the Anaheim 2 SX.

The vibe at the stadium is far different from the season opener. The schedule is jam packed but the riders and teams seem taken back by the early start (special practice and qualifying schedule for A2). The whoops here are massive! During track walk teams, trainers, mechanics and riders all took a good long look. Jason Anderson has the “red plate pressure” tonight, but seems like he doesn’t care at all. Marvin Musquin on the other hand seemed more business like walking through the pits, he is going to try and ride. If Marvin can’t score some valuable points tonight his bid for the 2018 Championship May be over. Eli Tomac is in much the same situation as Marvin, but he is in a much larger hole.

Many of the guys who Are borderline Main event guys are more focused on qualifying than normal. If they don’t qualify in the top 18 they go to the LCQ. The LCQ races will be run before the night show. If these guys don’t get into main event they are out of the night show. There is a long section of whoops with a very high entrance speed. Going to be interesting seeing these guys send it. Lots of time to be made or lost here.

After free practice all three Factory riders dealing with shoulder injuries look like they will be racing. Musquin is very tentative, but stayed out the entire free practice. Tomac looks almost normal and Dean Wilson looked good until he tucked his front wheel. Dean was slow to get up, but put in a couple laps after the crash.

Adam Cianciarulo was fastest in first qualifying session. Photo by: Ryne Swanberg / Garth Milan

Morning qualifying sessions:

First timed qualifying session for the 250 riders was intense—not much rolling around. Guys know they need a fast time to advance directly into the night show and it produced some carnage. Justin Hoeft had a nasty spill at the end of the long whoop section and looks to be hurt. Bracken Hall also had a big crash and looks to have injured his right leg. Adam Cianciarulo looks very fast and smooth, but A1 winner Shane McElrath is solid. On a track like this—much like A1—the start is going to be uber important. Much like the first two weeks, Mitchell Oldenburg looks like a guy who can win. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have different winners in all three races tonight.

In the first 450 timed session, Eli Tomac showed no signs of a guy with lingering shoulder pain. Justin Barcia is filled with confidence, as he was throwing whips and the style he is famous for. Marvin Musquin is jumping through both whoop sections. It looks like the #25 won’t be skimming the whoops today or tonight. Justin Brayton is licking his chops with tonight’s format. I spoke to his mechanic Tony Berlutti earlier and got the feeling they think he could win tonight. I am not sure about the overall win, but he will definitely be mixing it up near the front. With the top 10 riders within a second, consistently and no mistakes will be the key tonight. Everybody is pretty much hitting the same rhythms tonight so not a lot of places to make up large amounts of time. It is a big disadvantage being in the B session today as the track is slowing down quickly. Almost the entire 450 B session will be in the LCQ.

Eli Tomac looks ready to go for tonight. Photo by: Ryne Swanberg / Garth Milan

The track was really slippery for the 250 B second timed session. I genuinely feel bad for these guys. With timed qualifying being so important these guys didn’t really get a fair shake. Tallon Lafountaine rode his ass off but just couldn’t get the traction needed to get in the show. All of the B timed section will be going to the LCQ. In the 250 A session Shane McElrath looked like a machine out there. He is clearly the favorite tonight.

As the 450 A session started the wind started gusting, but that didn’t stop Jason Anderson from asserting his alpha status. Anderson looks like a guy who believes this championship is his for the taking. So much for the “he is not working hard” rumors. Maybe training outside the Baker Factory has done him some good.

We hope to see Reedy up to speed later in the season. Photo by: Doc Weedon

Both Marvin Musquin and Eli Tomac look to be healthy enough to be contenders tonight. On a side note everybody has resorted to jumping the whoops. Poor Chad Reed will be in the LCQ as he could not log a lap in the top 18. Not only is he racing himself into shape, the airline lost his suspension. I later heard that the airline did locate his suspension, and Chad had it delivered to his hotel this morning.In time to have it back on for qualifying. The top 18 riders qualified directly into the night show are within 1.5 seconds of each other. The track is easy and pretty much everyone is jumping the same rhythms. Tyler Bowers and Alex Ray got the last 2 spots directly into the show.

250 and 450 LCQ’s:

What a shame the LCQ’s are not a part of the night show. These guys were racing like their lives depended on it. Justin Hoeft made it back from his big crash earlier to win the LCQ and put his IBcorp Yamaha YZ250F into the main event. Justin walked to the podium for an interview, but was turned away, maybe time concerns? They should have told him before he limped up there. In the 450 LCQ Chad Reed did exactly what he needed to do and led wire to wire. The real excitement was Ben Lamay as he stalked both Kyle Cunningham and Matt Bisceglia until the last lap where he stuffed Bisceglia for the last spot in the Main event

Shane McElrath seems to kill it inside Angel Stadium. Photo by: Simon Cudby

Check out the overall final timed qualifying & LCQ results below.

250SX Overall Combined Qualifying Results

Click Time Sheets to View in Slideshow

250SX Overall Combined Qualifying Results – Top 18 straight to “Triple Crown”

 

450SX Overall Combined Qualifying Results

Click Time Sheets to View in Slideshow

450SX Overall Combined Qualifying Results – Top 18 straight to “Triple Crown”
Justin Hoeft had a huge crash in practice but returned to win 250 LCQ later on. Photo by: Doc Weedon

250SX LCQ Results – Top 4 Qualify

Click Time Sheets to View in Slideshow

250SX LCQ Results – Top 4 qualify to “Triple Crown

 

450SX LCQ Results – Top 4 Qualify

Click Time Sheets to View in Slideshow

450SX LCQ Results – Top 4 qualify to “Triple Crown

More to come. Get all free practice times here >>>

Author