Photo by: Garth Milan / Ryne Swanberg
Round three of the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship series and round one of the inaugural “Triple Crown” of Supercross three-race format is in the history books.
In the 450SX guys, Monster Energy / Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac (5-1-2) was back in action and the #3 used a consistent score to win his first round of 2018. Climbing up to the overall podium with Tomac at round three was Team HRC’s Cole Seely (1-2-7) in second and Rockstar Energy / Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson (7-3-1)–who actually extended his points lead to 11 points with a third overall on the night.
In the 250SX class, Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy (1-2-1) was on fire all night and left Anaheim with his first win of ’18 and a share of the red plate. Troy Lee Designs / KTM’s Shane McElrath (5-1-4) grabbed second overall and will share the red plate with Joey heading to round four. GEICO / Honda’s Christian Craig (2-3-5) occupied the third spot on the podium. Monster Energy / Star Racing / Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger (6-4-7) had the red plate heading into round three but a lackluster sixth overall performance dropped him to third in the points–two points back.
After the six main events were run inside Angel Stadium, we gathered some quotes from riders to get their thoughts on the 2018 Anaheim 2 SX.
Eli Tomac: (1st in 450) My shoulder made huge improvements over this last week. We came into this weekend looking to be consistent and I knew we’d be able to be competitive. To leave here with the win feels amazing. I can’t thank the team enough for everything they have done and continuing to believe in me. I’m looking forward to keeping the ball rolling.
Joey Savatgy: (1st in 250) If I were to use one word to describe tonight’s racing, it would be ‘hectic’. Consistency was definitely the name of the game tonight and I’m glad we were able to get three great starts and keep it on two wheels for all three main events tonight. I’m excited to go into Round 4 tied for the points lead.
Cole Seely: (2nd in 450) It feels great to be back on the podium. Leading some laps in the first race definitely helped boost my confidence, but I was happier with the way I rode in the second main event. Eli [Tomac] was going fast so to be able stick with him and almost challenge for the lead before making that mistake was huge. I was definitely feeling a little pressure on the gate of the last race because I just needed that last bit to close the deal. I knew I was riding really well in the first two mains, but sadly my start in the third race got me. [Weston] Peick kind of came over on me down the start-straight, so I got shuffled back and came around the first turn in around 14th. It was hectic coming through the pack. I ran out of steam in the end and wish I could’ve pushed forward a little more and made a few more passes. It had the win in my grasp and was so close.
Shane McElrath: (2nd in 250) I had a lot of fun out there. It was crazy with the different format and I had to fight for that last one (main event finish). This season has had a lot of injuries and I’m just thankful to be here and healthy. I didn’t realize right away that we got the red plate back, but I will do my best to hold on to that next weekend.
Jason Anderson: (3rd in 450) My practices were pretty mellow, but the rest of the day was crazy. I had to make some chaotic moves in the back during the first Main Event, but I was able to battle my way to seventh. I was third to last in the second Main Event and was able to get to third, then was finally able to get a good start in the last Main Event and checked out to get the win.
Christian Craig: (3rd in 250) I’m not happy. The past two weekends have been….5th, I’m not gonna complain about 5th, but with the offseason I had, I was just so confident coming into this season. To get 5th, I was pretty bummed. 3rd [tonight] is good. It’s something to build on. I want to be where Joey [Savatgy] is and winning. I still have a lot to go. I need to make something click here. “Yeah, I’m not happy,” said Craig. “I’m not going to complain about fifth [place finishes to start the season], but with the off-season that I had I was just so confident coming into this season and to get fifth I was pretty bummed. Third is good and something to build on, but obviously I want to be where Joey [Savatgy] is and winning. I still have a lot to go. I need to make something click here.We’re going to Glendale which I got my first win there. I’m excited. The class is wide open. Obviously, there’s a bunch of dudes that are flying right now. A lot of them obviously are on the podium. But you just never know. You literally have to bring it every Saturday night and just hang it out and hope for the best.
Marvin Musquin: (13th in 450) Tonight was tough. The plan was to take it session by session today and that’s what we did. We qualified 2nd fastest and made it through the first and second races so that was good. Starts were everything on this track but I didn’t make the most of them or put myself in a place that made it easier, especially considering I’m battling a shoulder issue. And battling mid-pack only made things harder. By the third race I just didn’t have it to hang in there for the entire race. Not going to lie, my shoulder is very sore but given Thursday I didn’t even know if I would be able to race, I’m happy salvaging 10 points and will keep working on helping my shoulder heal this week to see where it’s at by Phoenix.
Justin Brayton: (4th in 450) I think it [the “Triple Crown” format] was pretty intense. I listened to the guys on the podium talk about it, and I have to agree with them; I think doing it for all 17 rounds would be a little much. The risk for injury is triple, and the intensity is so high. To bring that for the whole year would be really tough. It’s cool to mix it up and I think it’s great for the fans. As a fan of the sport–if I wasn’t racing–I think it would be awesome to watch ’cause the very first race actually means a lot. Points are on the line. I think they’ve done it right this time with doing three of them. It kind of mixes it up for us and allows the fans to see us in a different way. I mean, the first main event was crazy. It was just all in. I heard a lot of people talking about how all of them were going to be a sprint. Really not true. The last one was just about 20 laps. The first one I would say… I don’t want to say it’s dangerous, but it’s borderline a little much.
Adam Cianciarulo: (4th in 250) Today went well. Obviously, it wasn’t the results we wanted but I feel comfortable with my speed and I know I can win. I’m glad to leave here healthy after a crazy night of racing and keep building on each race.
Ken Roczen: (9th in 450) Tonight was very interesting. It’s Anaheim 2, which is obviously where I crashed and even though I tried not to think about it at all, it lingered subconsciously in the back of my mind. I didn’t feel like myself at all out there. I was riding bad and couldn’t seem to do anything about it. I went into the first main, got a bad start, felt terrible on the track and basically went backwards. That definitely wasn’t the plan but the worst part was, I had two more to go [laughs]. Even though I didn’t feel good, it was great to just finish it and get this one off the checklist. It was big night and obviously, it could’ve gone worse–as we saw here last year. We’re walking away from here super healthy and looking forward to next weekend’s race. All in all, it’s a tough pill to swallow as a rider because I want to win or at least battle for the win. It for sure wasn’t there today though. I want to move on, forget about tonight and start looking forward to the next one.
Justin Hill: (10th in 250) Truth be told, I actually felt really good in comparison to Houston last weekend. I think I could have put in a really fast lap if I would have ‘gotten a lap in qualifying where the track wasn’t so hectic. The Triple Crown format made starts all the more crucial, but I was awful off the gate. This week I’m going to work on bringing more intensity, so that when I’m racing I feel better out of my comfort zone. I’m the type of rider who likes to feel dialled, which can be good or bad. The tracks haven’t been very tricky so far this series, so I need to bring some raw heat to the races. I was better this weekend and things are beginning to click. I don’t feel like I belong where I have been finishing, so I’m going to work on raw speed to get up in the mix. We’ll get it figured out.
Josh Grant: (6th in 450) Tonight was crazy. The three race format is definitely chaotic. I felt great all day today on my KX450 and it showed. I actually had a lot of fun tonight and I’m happy with my results.
Mitchell Harrison: (13th in 250) This was a new experience. I felt great in practice, but I was definitely tested all day. I felt like myself earlier in the day, and felt like my arm was feeling great again. I was in my element, but I had a really hard fall and it might have set me back a little bit. I still felt like I rode great, and a few things here and there will make me better next week.
 
Dean Wilson: (18th in 450) It was great to be back racing. My shoulder was really hurting throughout the day. I made really great improvements to be back at the races, but I never had the strength to hold on. I managed to get 14th from a dead last start one race, but got hit in the first lap of another race and I wasn’t able to finish. I was still out there, and I tried and that’s all that matters at this point. I’m focused on getting my body healthy so I can get back up there and battle in the front.
Chase Sexton: (8th in 250) It’s [the “Triple Crown” format] different, for sure. Like the guys said, it’s like Monster Cup for the 450’s. It was tough. It was pretty intense racing tonight. I think it was carnage for sure if you weren’t in the lead and in mid-pack. It was nice. I got two holeshots, but the intensity was gnarly. I had to kind of adjust to it. I’m new to everything here, so I think I got used to it a little more and made some progress, for sure.
Chad Reed: (14th in 450) Round 3 of Supercross is a wrap, and every weekend the team makes improvements. New team and bike, broken ankle just a few months ago, but we are here grinding away week by week. It’s a long season and we will be here till the end. Huge thanks to everyone on the team for their hard work each weekend. If I’m honest, I wasn’t happy about being in the LCQ. It is what it is, I’m just not at 100%. Truthfully, I think that might help me more than it hurts me. I need track time. We made a few larger changes that you wouldn’t want to do in the main event that counts for points.
Weston Peick: (5th in 450) The new Triple Crown format was definitely interesting. The pace was crazy fast in the first Main of the night, with everyone basically sprinting to the finish. The night came down to getting good starts, and my Suzuki RM-Z450 was awesome. I wouldn’t want the Triple Crown to be an every weekend deal, but it’s something cool to throw into the mix every once in a while. In my opinion, the track was way too easy for everyone. So many guys were doing the same rhythms, and the track was really fast. They could have done a better job with the design in order to separate the riders out. I felt good for most of the night. I was passed by Jason Anderson halfway through the second Main Event, but I fought hard to pass him back. Then I got around Justin Brayton, but shortly after that I tucked the front end in a tricky section of the track. I ended up smashing my bad hand, which caused it to go numb for the rest of the race. I wasn’t able to make up any positions due to my hand, so I just rode the rest of the race in ninth. The plan right now is to ride one day this upcoming week and otherwise let my hand heal up.
Kyle Chisholm: (11th in 250) The format was cool and overall it was a solid consistent night for me and the team. We ran up near the front all day and we were definitely in the mix with the factory teams. I was stoked to get the start in that final main, but also disappointed to finish just outside the top 10 overall. I kn
Malcolm Stewart: (11th in 450) Overall, the day was great! I had a lot of fun. The Triple Crown was very interesting. I knew that it would provide good racing, because nobody had done it before. I got 11th overall after the night was over. It was good for me to have more gate drops, so I could get used to the Suzuki RM-Z450 and raise my intensity level. I couldn’t be happier with how I’m riding, given that Saturday night was only my fifth time riding the RM-Z450. We will keep moving forward and focus on making more improvements next week
Phil Nicoletti: (9th in 250) The first two races went well for me. I was up where I belong, and I can make improvements on that. The final race was tough, because I couldn’t find a hole through the first turn. My starts were off all night long. I found myself in a bit of a slump in the third race and couldn’t pass a couple of riders that were right ahead of me. I did enjoy the format, though. It was nice to get away from the traditional format for a change. The track was one of the more mellow layouts that I’ve ever ridden. Maybe they did that because of all the laps put in between the two classes. My ribs still hurt, as does my shoulder blade. I’ll probably ride twice this week, because it’s hard to show-up to a Supercross race without having put in any laps during the week.
Jeremy Martin: (12th in 450) I struggled in practice the entire time so the whole GEICO Honda crew and I were working hard to make the right adjustments for the slippery West Coast style track conditions. I went down in the first main off the start and clipped a tough block in the first turn in the second main so I was stoked on the three-moto format to redeem myself with a 10th in the third moto. Really enjoyed my time on the 450 but I’m ready to get to work on what really matters, which is the 250.
Hayden Mellross: (7th in 250) I had a great week of training leading into Anaheim 2 and was feeling awesome on the bike all day. I felt with 3 solid starts I could run up front with the top guys. I’m extremely happy with 7th but I know I have more to offer.
Broc Tickle: (16th in 450) Overall tonight it was bad starts and putting myself in a bad position to get the laps in that I needed during the Main Events. Obviously with the schedule and the way it was formatted, it was kind of tough to work your way back from a bad start. So, I’m definitely going to work on starts this week – that’s the main focus at this point. It’s not like I’m riding bad, you just have to put yourself in a good position. It will come, I work hard to be the best I can be and I’m confident that we’ll get there. We’ll build each and every week and get back on our feet, after this weekend it was a tough one to swallow.
