Eli Tomac rides a surging wave of momentum into Round 11 of the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross series on Saturday in Indianapolis but history at Lucas Oil Stadium favors points leader Ryan Dungey where he'll try and stop the bleeding.
Tomac dominated the 450 class field last week at Daytona winning for the second straight week and back-to-back at the famed Florida racetrack. He's shaved 10 points off Dungey's lead in the last two weeks and is now just 17 points back with a firm hold on second-place, leading Cole Seely by 28. Dungey who started near the back at Daytona fought his way into the Top 5 and passed Seely for fourth-place just a few turns from the finish line.
Two points a Championship can make.
Eli Tomac has three wins in the last four rounds but usually struggles in Indianapolis
And, Dungey always fares well in Indiana. Tomac not so much. Dungey has three straight wins in the home of the Indianapolis Colts where another Dungy lines the stadium's Ring of Honor. Tomac finished ninth here last year and 11th the year before. His best result, a second-place in 2014 behind Dungey, of course.
Ryan Dungey keeps the red plate at Indianapolis for the eighth straight round
Dungey, the two-time defending Champion, appeared visibly agitated immediately after last week's race as he threw his goggles off and later said he and the team plan to change their strategy. Seven rounds remain and Dungey has yet to finish lower than fourth-place this season. But with Tomac rising, Dungey can no longer afford to simply protect his lead. Surely, he's got Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" on repeat this week.
Speaking of Seely, he battled hard against Dungey at Daytona - ultimately losing - but got fifth and passed Marvin Musquin for third in points. Seely has not finished lower than sixth-place this season and continues a career year through 10 rounds. Two weeks ago Musquin looked solid in second-place but after a bout with the flu in Toronto and a bad ride in Daytona featuring two crashes he's dropped to 51 points from the lead and now has Jason Anderson lurking just 20 points back.
Chad Reed (left) found consistency the last three rounds while Cole Seely (right) is consistently in the Top 6.
Elsewhere, Chad Reed rebounded nicely from two off rounds in Arlington and Minneapolis finishing seventh, fourth and sixth, the last three rounds, respectively. Reed is in seventh-place just three in front of Blake Baggett and five behind Davi Millsaps. No Jeremy Martin this weekend even after taking second and leading for 10 laps in his one-off 450 class ride. Martin resumes the 250SX West class in a few weeks where he's out of the Championship race.
Adam Cianciarulo is less than 10 points from the points lead in the 250SX East class
In the 250SX East class, Adam Cianciarulo is also rising winning for the first time in three years a week after stepping on the podium also for the first time in three years. The fan favorite who missed the last two seasons and likely lost the 2014 250SX East Championship because of injury is in third-place just nine points behind leader Zach Osborne. Cianciarulo won the Indianapolis round in 2014.
Osborne holds onto the red plate heading in to Indianapolis but only by six as his podium and winning streak ended at Daytona while Joey Savatgy returned to the box with a second-place finish. Eight riders have reached the podium this year and though Colt Nichols is no longer a threat after tearing his MCL and suffering a fractured tibia in a practice crash last week, Dylan Ferrandis, the former MXGP rider from France, tossed his hat into the ring with a career-first podium at Daytona.
Only 16 points separate fourth-place from first as the 250 East class approaches halfway to their season this weekend. So, grab your Supercross dice cup and see what happens.
Our Podium Picks for Indianapolis:
450 Class
- Ryan Dungey
- Cole Seely
- Eli Tomac
250SX East Class
- Zach Osborne
- Adam Cianciarulo
- Jordan Smith
Check out the track map for Round 11:
Practice and qualifying start at 12 p.m. (EST) with opening ceremonies at 6:30 p.m. and the Main Event at 7 p.m. (EST) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Buy tickets at the gate or online. Hey, what do you know the local FOX affiliate airs Supercross Round 11 - LIVE. Now everyone can watch.
2017 Supercross Season Standings
450 Class
- Ryan Dungey (214)
- Eli Tomac (197)
- Cole Seely (169)
- Marvin Musquin (163)
- Jason Anderson (143)
- Davi Millsaps (121)
- Chad Reed (116)
- Blake Baggett (113)
- Dean Wilson (105)
- Broc Tickle (103)
250SX East Class
- Zach Osborne (86)
- Joey Savatgy (80)
- Adam Cianciarulo (77)
- Jordon Smith (70)
- Dylan Ferrandis (54)
- Colt Nichols (49)
- Luke Renzland (43)
- Alex Martin (42)
- Kyle Peters (37)
- Christian Craig (36)
