AMA Supercross Season Update – With seven races to go we look at the current state of play
Seven races remain on the 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, schedule and this weekend signifies the annual visit to the “Circle City” of Indianapolis as the world’s best riders prepare to do battle inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
The past week resulted in a dramatic shakeup in the 450SX Class Championship standings as Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey extended his points lead to 40 following this fourth win of the season, and his third win in the last four races.
Additionally, a late week announcement from Ken Roczen, winner of two of the first three races and former championship leader, will be out of action for the next three races while nursing an ankle injury suffered at the first visit to Atlanta. His absence essentially turns the championship battle into a head-to-head showdown between Dungey and Team Honda HRC’s Trey Canard.
450SX Class
- Red Bull KTM – #5 Ryan Dungey
- Current Championship Position: 1st
- Daytona Start: 3rd
- Daytona Finish: 1st (+2)
- 2015 Average Finish: 2.0
Dungey has won four races for the first time since the 2012 season and has a nine-race podium streak. He also won in Indianapolis last season.
“It feels good to get my first-ever Daytona win,” said Dungey. “The bigger picture is obviously focusing on the championship, but to get the win feels even better. We had to do a lot changes to the bike prior to that race since it is different than normal supercross racing and all of the changes were for the good. My bike worked great and I was happy to take the win.”
- Team Honda HRC – #41 Trey Canard
- Current Championship Position: 2nd (-40 behind leader)
- Daytona Start:Â 21st
- Daytona Finish: 6th (+15)
- 2015 Average Finish: 4.4
Canard started at the tail end of the field last weekend, but still managed to earn a sixth-place finish.
“It was a really good day and not such a great night,” said Canard. “I felt really comfortable on the bike all day, and it was good to get another pole. I was feeling strong heading into the Main Event, but I got caught up with Broc [Tickle] right off the start, and my front wheel was stuck on his foot peg in the first turn. I couldn’t get it off, and then I wanted to look at my wheel before I took off to make sure there weren’t any spokes broken. After that, I just tried to ride my race, but it was extremely tough. Everyone was going a different speed, so it was hard to make good passes, but I did the best I could and made it up to sixth. I’m really disappointed, but we’re going to keep working on things and hopefully come into next weekend strong.”
- #14 Cole Seely
- Current Championship Position: 7th (-86 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 5th
- Daytona Finish: 4th (+1)
- 2015 Average Finish: 7.7
Seely has two fourth-place finishes over the last three races. Lucas Oil Stadium was the site of his first career 450SX Class podium last season.
“I got off to a great start in the Main from the second spot to the outside,” said Seely. “The good starts seemed to be coming from wide, so I knew I had a fighting chance from way out there. I made my way into third and was battling with [Ryan] Dungey for second. We were bumping a little bit; I came to the inside and bumped him back but it ended up putting me on the ground. I got up, fought hard and made it back to fourth. It’s always hard when you have to pick your bike up in the middle of a race and get going again, as it takes a lot out of you, especially in Daytona. It was definitely one of the more tiring 20 laps I’ve ever done, so I’m happy with fourth for sure. It was good for me to get up there and battle with those guys for the lead-a good race, overall.”
- GEICO Honda #3 Eli Tomac
- Current Championship Position: 3rd (-65 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 8th
- Daytona Finish: 2nd (+6)
- 2015 Average Finish:Â 6.7
Tomac’s second straight runner-up finish moved him into third in the point standings. He earned his first career 450SX Class podium result at Indianapolis last season.
“We’re in a pretty good spot for our indoor supercross setup,” Tomac said. “We’ll try to get a win now instead of another second. One win was really cool and it was early in the year. I would like to get one now because everyone has settled in. I’d love to beat everyone when they’re at the top of their game. It was a bummer having those three rough weekends in a row before the last Atlanta race. To be back on the podium two weeks in a row is good.”
- RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing –Â #94 Ken Roczen
- Current Championship Position: 4th (-68 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: DNS
- Daytona Finish: DNS
- 2015 Average Finish: 5.9
Roczen will miss Indianapolis, Detroit and St. Louis due to injury. He plans to return in Houston.
“It’s a tough decision but we can’t afford not to take this seriously,” explained Roczen. “I had it looked at again this week and we all decided that the only way my ankle is going to heal properly is if I take some time off. There’s a weekend off in between St. Louis and Houston so this will actually give me a month to recover. I’m really bummed because Daytona was the first race I missed in a long time. It’ll be tough to be on the sidelines but, if I continue to ride and keep aggravating my ankle, it’s not going to get any better. Unfortunately, it is what it is. For the next three races, I’ll be resting and cheering for [teammate] Broc [Tickle].”
- #20 Broc Tickle
- Current Championship Position: 10th (-117 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 22nd
- Daytona Finish: 10th (+11)
- 2015 Average Finish: 9.4
Tickle will be the lead rider for RCH in Roczen’s absence, but since his teammate suffered his injury Tickle has led the way for the team with finishes of sixth, fourth and tenth the last three races.
“I’m pretty pumped with how everything is going,” said Tickle. “The last few races have been really good for us. I know the results don’t show it but I was really happy with Daytona. I had the fastest lap of the race and it’s been awhile since I could say that, so it’s a great thing to build off of. On top of that, I felt like my fitness level was really good, so that’s another positive.
“I’m looking forward to this week and getting back in the groove of racing indoors. I want a podium. I know I’ve been saying it but now I feel like everything is in place. I just need to put the puzzle together and prove to myself that I can do it. I’m going to keep working on the little things that make a big difference. Starts are key and working on that is going to help me the most. Obviously, we’re all bummed for Ken [Roczen]. He’s a huge part of what makes this team so successful. I know how it feels to have to sit out and not race. Believe me, it’s no fun. We’ll stay after it while he gets better and hopefully put a few podiums together.”
- Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports –Â #22 Chad Reed
- Current Championship Position: 5th (-84 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 7th
- Daytona Finish: 5th (+2)
- 2015 Average Finish: 7.9
Since winning in Atlanta, Reed has strung together a three-race streak of top-ten finishes.
- Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory racing –Â #21 Jason Anderson
- Current Championship Position: 6th (-84 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 12th
- Daytona Finish: 7th (+5)
- 2015 Average Finish: 7.3
Anderson’s streak of top-ten finishes continued and he is still one of just two riders to finish inside the top-ten at every race this season.
“I had two good practices and my Heat Race was good,” said Anderson. “Then in the Main I got into a little first turn pile-up type deal putting me outside of the top-15 before working my way back up to seventh. The track deteriorated gnarly the last few laps and I think my lines were not that good. As my lines stopped working because of the track getting rougher, I kept trying to make to take them. I just needed to switch things up as the race wore on. I believe my day went better than they have been; I just need to work from here and put all the pieces of the puzzle together.”
- Yoshimura Suzuki –Â #4 Blake Baggett
- Current Championship Position: 8th (-89 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 4th
- Daytona Finish: 3rd (+1)
- 2015 Average Finish: 7.8
Baggett earned the first podium finish of his career last weekend.
- BTO Sports KTM –Â #29 Andrew Short
- Current Championship Position: 9th (-115 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 1st
- Daytona Finish: 12th (-11)
- 2015 Average Finish: 10.2
Short led seven laps of the Main Event last weekend.
“I was just excited to be in Daytona after the extremely difficult travel,” said Short. “It looked like I would not make the race for the first time in my career due to travel, but coach Seiji was able to set up a flight and we arrived at 3:30am on race day. I got a few hours of sleep and struggled in practice but felt good on the bike. My Heat Race was awesome, grabbing the holeshot and being able to lead laps felt great. In the Main, I started strong with another holeshot and led early for about ten laps. After the halfway point though, the wheels came off the bus as everything from the last two weeks caught up to me. I’m looking forward to next week and ready to go into Indianapolis stronger.”
Eastern Regional 250SX Class
- Red Bull KTMÂ #25 Marvin Musquin
- Current Championship Position: 1st
- Daytona Start: 1st
- Daytona Finish: 1st (+/-0)
- 2015 Average Finish: 1.3
Musquin has one-three of the first four races and has been joined by his 450SX Class teammate Dungey every time. The two riders have identical results over the last month.
“When I was younger, winning Daytona in the U.S. was a dream of mine,” said Musquin. “To win there for the second time in my career makes me so happy. The track was so much fun and I’m having a good time battling for this championship. My fitness is good and I’m not tired after putting in a hard fifteen laps and that feels good.”
- Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha –Â #6 Jeremy Martin
- Current Championship Position: 2nd (-12 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 6th
- Daytona Finish: 3rd (+3)
- 2015 Average Finish: 2.5
Martin has not finished outside the top five in any Main Event this season.
“I really enjoyed being able to race Daytona and be in the atmosphere,” said Martin. “Was fastest in practice, second in my Heat Race. Got a bad start in the Main and was able to work my way through the pack and get close to [Justin] Bogle. Unfortunately, I made a few mistakes and wasn’t able to regroup and settled in for third overall.”
- #62 Anthony Rodriquez
- Current Championship Position: 7th (-50 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 9th
- Daytona Finish: 8th (+1)
- 2015 Average Finish: 9.3
Rodriguez has recorded three straight eighth-place finishes.
“Daytona, for the first time, was a pretty fun race,” said Rodriguez. “It was definitely different and difficult. In the Main Event I had problems with my goggles, so I had to take them off. It made it even rougher, but I managed to power through and finish the race in eighth place. Now I am standing seventh in the championship. I am looking forward to doing better this weekend. I am starting to get closer to the top five, if not in it, so I am happy with the way I am riding right now. I am working on it and trying to get better with it.”
- GEICO Honda –Â #1 Justin Bogle
- Current Championship Position: 3rd (-13 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 2nd
- Daytona Finish: 2nd (+/-0)
- 2015 Average Finish: 2.5
Bogle has finished on the podium in all four races this season.
“We’d love to get a win this weekend,” said Bogle. “Going back into the stadiums is kind of more my thing. I like it a lot better, so I’m looking forward to that. I did well there last year and the track was tough. Hopefully, it’s tough again this year. I’m going to go in there and try to get a win.”
- #80 RJ Hampshire
- Current Championship Position: 6th (-43 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 3rd
- Daytona Finish: 5th (-2)
- 2015 Average Finish: 7.5
Hampshire earned his first career Heat Race win last weekend.
“It’s not even about momentum, it’s that I’m getting healthier,” said Hampshire. “I kind of killed my confidence going into Dallas, but I’m getting it back each and every moto. I had a great week before Daytona, and I have a great trainer in Timmy Ferry behind me who does a lot for me. We never lost sight with what we wanted. For a rookie, I’m definitely happy with a top-five. Let’s build from here, and hopefully I’ll find myself on the podium before the end of the season.”
- Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki –Â #37 Joey Savatgy
- Current Championship Position:Â 4th (-25 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 8th
- Daytona Finish: 4h (+4)
- 2015 Average Finish: 4.0
Savatgy has a top-five finish in each race this season.
“The positive is I was able to move forward the whole race,” said Savatgy. “But I really need to get a start. I’m making it hard on myself and it’s frustrating because I know I can run with the leaders and be on the podium. On to next week.”
- Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing #47 Martin Davalos
- Current Championship Position: 5th (-41 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 7th
- Daytona Finish: 10th (-3)
- 2015 Average Finish: 7.3
Davalos is still in search of his first podium finish this season after nearly winning the title a year ago.
“Practice was not too bad but Daytona was a tough race. I just can’t find myself. It’s frustrating; that’s all I can say. My start wasn’t too bad, but I tightened up then dumped it in a corner. I just don’t feel like I have that fight in me. I’m struggling.”
- Smartop MotoConcepts Racing –Â #45 Vince Friese
- Current Championship Position: 8th (-51 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 21st
- Daytona Finish: 13th (+8)
- 2015 Average Finish: 9.5
- MotoSport.com/GPI/Honda –Â #55 Kyle Peters
- Current Championship Position: 9th (-55 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 5th
- Daytona Finish: 7th (-2)
- 2015 Average Finish: 10.3
- Riverside Harley Davidson/Trail Jesters/SOB MX –Â #49 James Decotis
- Current Championship Position: 10th (-58 behind leader)
- Daytona Start: 4th
- Daytona Finish: 6th (-2)
- 2015 Average Finish: 10.5
