Race Report: KTM Sweeps the Anaheim 1 Supercross

KTM celebrates their two-class sweep at Anaheim 1 – Photo by: Simon Cudby

The 2014 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, got kicked off tonight, and the man with the bright red #1 plate picked up right were he left off in 2013. Ryan Villopoto ripped the first holeshot of the season, and the Monster Energy/Kawasaki pilot made it look easy for the first eight laps of the race. Unfortunately for the #1, there was another twelve laps and Ryan’s young rookie protege, Red Bull/KTM’s Ken Roczen, was keeping him honest just two seconds behind the returning three-time 450SX Champion. During the off-season, Roczen hired Villopoto’s trainer and moved into Villopoto’s training facility, and you could see the #94 was comfortable following the #1. Then, on lap 9, RV washed out his front end in a 180-degree turn and handed the lead to Roczen.

While RV picked up his bike and remounted in 5th, Kenny quickly sprinted away from Discount Tire Racing’s Chad Reed and began to click off mistake free laps at the front. While for a minute it looked like Reed may be able to stop the rookie from winning the opener, a few mistakes by Reedy let Roczen get away and also let Yoshimura/Suzuki’s James Stewart slip by him. From there, JS7 was on a full on sprint to catch the rookie, but after catching the #94, James threw it away with a spectacular crash in the whoops. James tried to remount, but the former two-time 450SX Champions bars were too bent to continue.

From there, it was all Ken Roczen. The German spent the final three laps sealing his fate as the 2014 Anaheim 1 SX winner, and he was sure enjoying every minute of it. Kenny has won an MX2 World Championship, a 250SX Regional Championship and many MXoNs, MXGP overalls and Nationals, but when you win a 450SX main event in front of 60,000 screaming stadium fans, it’s got to be an incredible feeling. He has definitely arrived in the premier SX class in America.

Behind Kenny, his teammate Red Bull/KTM Ryan Dungey made a late race pass on Reed to finish second. Just two short years ago, KTM had never won a 450SX main event, and on Saturday night, the Austrian manufacturer went 1-2.

Finishing just behind the orange machines with the last spot on the podium was Chad Reed. After finishing with just one podium in 2013 and having the worst outdoor season of his long career, that 3rd had to feel like a win. After the race, Chad sounded a little disappointed about having Roczen right in front of him and letting him get away, but deep down, I think he knows this podium was a great start to 2014. Anytime Reedy has started a season on the box, he’s had no problem finding it the rest of the season.

Grabbing the final two spots in the top five were Ryan Villopoto and Muscle Milk/Honda’s Justin Barcia. After remounting in fifth, RV looked content with starting his season there, but fortunately for the #1, Stewart’s crash gave him a 4th. In 2013, one crash turned into three crashes and a 16th place finish for the #1, so taking sixteen points away from round one was a solid start to possibly making history with his fourth-straight 450SX Championship.

While RV started up front and went backwards, Barcia’s main event was the exact opposite. The #51 started the main event outside the top 15 and fought forward for the twenty laps. All night Bam Bam had the speed—qualifying #1 in timed practice and winning his heat race—but without the start in this field, speed can only get you so far. In the end, Barcia rode a very mature and patient main event and left the opener with some solid Championship points.

If the 450SX main event wasn’t exciting enough for you, the 250SX main event came down to the final turn. Grabbing the holeshot and the early lead was Rockstar/KTM Jason Anderson. The New Mexico native looked good all day on his new ride, but on lap four, Troy Lee Designs/Honda’s Cole Seely said “you’re in my house.” The California and 2012 Anaheim 1 winner went to work early and, after working every inch of the circuit, made a pass stick on Anderson.

For the next ten laps, Seely and Anderson checked out on the field while never getting more than a couple seconds away from each other. When the white flag waved, the A1 win looked to be firmly in the grasp of Seely, but one lap quickly seemed like an eternity as lapped riders suddenly swarmed the leader. With Seely overwhelmed by the a huge pack of lappers and just two turns to go, Anderson saw his opening—albeit a very small opening—and pounced. The aggressive move turned into an aggressive slam, and the #17 came out the other side with the lead and the 2014 Anaheim 1 win. Yes, the pass was aggressive, but nobody went down and Seely said it best after the race: “If it was me, I would have done the same thing,” an awesome admission from a true competitor. So while Seely licked his wounds and collected his 22 points, Anderson celebrated his second-ever win at the biggest race of the year.

Behind the boxing match for the win, there was a barroom brawl for the final podium spot. With Anderson and Seely checked out up front, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson and GEICO/Honda’s Zach Osborne played tag for most of the main event. Early on, it was Troy Lee Designs/Honda’s Malcolm Stewart in 3rd, but Wilson and Osborne pushed the #34 back to fifth on lap four and, for the next ten laps, put on a block-passing clinic back and fourth for the fans. In the end, it was Osborne making a pass on lap fourteen and grabbing his first podium of 2014. Wilson would have to settle for a fourth, but with rumors swirling involving a crash and an injured wrist, we think he’s okay with the 18-point tally he left with.

Grabbing the last spot in the top five was the top 250SX rookie of the night: Star Racing/Yamalube/Yamaha’s Cooper Webb. Cooper was quick all night, and after a 10th place start, the #37 put his head down and charged forward to finish in 5th. Cooper was aided by some late race bad luck for Stewart—a rider crashed in front of Malcolm and crashed him back to 8th—but Cooper will take it. 2014 is a learning year for Webb in Supercross, but it’s always more fun to learn while finishing in the top five.

Next stop, Phoenix!

450SX Class Results

1. Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki
4. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
5. Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda
6. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha
7. Josh Grant, Corona, Calif., Yamaha
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
9. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
10. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki

450SX Class Season Standings

1. Ken Roczen, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 25
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 22
3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 20
4. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 18
5. Justin Barcia, Pinetta, Fla., Honda, 16
6. Justin Brayton, Cornelius, N.C., Yamaha, 15
7. Josh Grant, Corona, Calif., Yamaha, 14
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 13
9. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 12
10. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 11

250SX Class Results

1. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM
2. Cole Seely, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
3. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda
4. Dean Wilson, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Kawasaki
5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha
6. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki
7. Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Kawasaki
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda
9. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda
10. Austin Politelli, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha

250SX Class Season Standings

1. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., KTM, 25
2. Cole Seely, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 22
3. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Honda, 20
4. Dean Wilson, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Kawasaki, 18
5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha, 16
6. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki, 15
7. Darryn Durham, Butler, Pa., Kawasaki, 14
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda, 13
9. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 12
10. Austin Politelli, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha, 11