2016 Anaheim 1 Supercross – Qualifying Report

Dungey comes in as the defending 450SX Champ in ’16. Photo by: Simon Cudby

Believe it or not, it’s time for the 2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM SX World Championship series to get kicked off with the most anticipated Anaheim 1 in decades. The music has finally stopped in the Supercross industry’s crazy game of musical chairs known as Silly Season, and today it is time for one the deepest groups of talent the sport has ever seen to start it all at the big A.

There have been years in the past where the hype has far outdone the actual racing, but with Red Bull/KTM’s Ryan Dungey coming in with the #1, Yoshimura/Suzuki’s James Stewart returning from his sixteen-month suspension, Chad Reed switching back to Yamaha, RCH Racing/Suzuki’s Ken Roczen looking for redemption, HRC Racing’s Trey Canard coming in healthier than he’s been in years, Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac looking to put the #1 back on the green bike and HRC’s 2015 Rookie of the Year, Cole Seely, looking to improve on his incredible freshman year, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top. Add into the equation Rockstar/Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson, JGRMX/Yamaha’s Weston Peick and a 450SX rookie class that includes Rockstar/Husqvarna’s Christophe Pourcel, Red Bull/KTM’s Marvin Musquin and GEICO/Honda’s Justin Bogle, and we have possibly the largest semblance of talent ever.

In the 250SX Western Regional Championship, Star Racing/Yamaha’s Cooper Webb returns as the defending Champion of the class, and after his incredible offseason of racing on the 450, he has to put himself ahead of the field when looking down the line. Looking to knock his confidence down a few levels are returning veterans of the 250SX class like Troy Lee Designs/KTM’s Jessy Nelson, Rockstar/Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy, GEICO/Honda’s Christian Craig and a long list of riders looking to step up and challenge the #1 in 2016.

The 2016 Monster Energy Supercross series marks the forty-second year of Supercross racing, and this will be the twenty-sixth time that Anaheim Stadium will play host to the opener. Over the years, riders have learned that you can’t win the series at the opener, but you damn sure can give it away there. While fans think of Anaheim 1 as one of the most important races of the year, riders see it more as a good race to find out where they’re at in comparison to their competition–and a place to get some points on the board. Ricky Carmichael is the only man in the history of the sport that did not score a point at the opener and still went on to win the series, so that, in itself, is proof of the importance of getting some points on the board at A1. Still, solid points are more important than a win at Anaheim 1. Carmichael won five Championships, but never won Anaheim 1 as a part of any of those.

In qualifying today, it was Trey Canard setting the early pace in the 450SX class with a 1:00.999 in the first session of the day.  California was hit hard all week by rain, but the track looked perfect for the opening sessions. On the top five leaderboard with Canard in the first session were Eli Tomac (1:01.123), Ken Roczen (1:01.741), Chad Reed (1:01.795) and Ryan Dungey (1:02.051). With a huge list of contenders in 2016, it’s hard to say that any of those top five were a surprise, but seeing the old dog of the field, two-time 450SX Champion Reed, near the top is always a good sign. Another two-time 450SX Champion, James Stewart, was the sixth fastest in the opening session.

There were no big surprises in the first 450SX session, but in the final session the Crafty Frenchman, Christophe Pourcel, came alive with the fastest lap time in session two (1:01.073). The #377 has been away from Supercross action since winning back-to-back 250SX East Championships in 2009 and 2010 and has not lost a step. The former MX2 World Champ has always been one of the best at laying down a fast lap, and we will soon see if doing twenty laps will be a different story. We expect CP377 to be a top five contender any times he lines up. Tonight, Christophe’s fastest session two time was fast enough to give him the second overall fastest 450SX time on the night.

One of the only 450SX riders not going faster in session two was Canard, but he didn’t need to. The #41 set the fastest lap in session one and that lap time held up for the number one qualifying spot on the day. Trey was still in the top five in session two with a 1:01.553, but his 1:00.999 in session one was his poll position lap. With Trey’s speed tonight combined with how well he rode at the 2015 Monster Energy Cup, he has to be one of the favorites when the lights go out.

The second fastest lap in session two belonged to James Stewart. James was sixth fastest in the opening session (1:02.553) and his second session time of 1:01.092 moved him up to third overall in qualifying. We’re not sure what to expect from JS7 tonight, but nothing from a win to a DNF will surprise us from when it comes to the #7.

Rounding out the top five overall 450SX qualifiers were Eli Tomac and Ryan Dungey. Dungey and Tomac are on everyone’s preseason Championship favorites list, so there’s no surprise there. The sixth fastest qualifier was a surprise, though. Red Bull/KTM’s Dean Wilson had a rough start to his 450SX career in 2015, but he looks ready to go in 2016 with the sixth fastest lap (1:01.570) just ahead of Ken Roczen (1:01.741) in 7th. Kenny won Anaheim 1 in 2015, and we expect he will bring it when the show starts.

In the opening session of the 250SX qualifying, Webb came out and showed his alpha status immediately with a class-leading 1:02.817. Webb got to the top of the leaderboard early and was never knocked off. Joining Webb on the top five leaderboard were Joey Savatgy (1:03.275), Zach Osborne (1:04.178), GEICO/Honda’s Jordon Smith (1:04.379) and surprise, surprise Troy Lee Designs/KTM’s Mitchell Oldenburg (1:04.452) in fifth. Oldenburg was definitely the biggest surprise of the early session and may have quieted those that wondered about TLD extending his contract through ’16.

In the final 250SX qualifying sessions, the top three remained Webb (1:02.180), Osborne (1:02.707) and Savatgy (1:03.063) with Oldenburg (1:03.145) continuing to surprise while moving up from fifth to fourth. We’re sure everyone involved with Oldenburg’s offseason training camp is less surprised than we are, but even they have to be pumped to see him shining early. The only new face in the top five in session two was Christian Craig in fifth. Craig is back after a brief retirement and showing everyone why GEICO/Honda lured him out of retirement. The #38 is so fluid on a Supercross track and has the kind of style that just makes your eyes smile.