In an industry first, FOX is broadcasting Round 16 of the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross season live on Saturday from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Not FOX Sports.
Not FOX Sports 1.
Not FOX Sports 2.
The normal FOX channel that has broadcast "The Simpsons" for more than 20 years and "American Idol" for twice that long, well, at least it feels that way sometimes.
Last year, more than 62,000 fans jammed into the home of the New York Jets and watched Ryan Villopoto win his fourth consecutive Championship in the first Supercross race ever held at the new stadium in the Meadowlands. This year is a bit different as Ryan Dungey already has the title locked up but there's still much racing left as well as the conclusion of the 250SX East Championship.
Don't expect Dungey to slow down any as he won the inaugural race at Levi's Stadium on Saturday in Santa Clara when he could have simply mailed it home or just taken the rest of the season off to prepare for Outdoors. Dungey has 14 straight podiums and a career-high seven wins this year.
"It doesn't stop here. I'd like to keep on climbing that ladder and be in it for the long haul," Dungey said. "Be that leader for the sport, hopefully."
All the focus now turns to who finishes second and third on the year which could be determined on Saturday. Eli Tomac has a 19 point lead over Cole Seely for second thanks to his fourth-straight podiums. Tomac needs to add six points on Saturday to secure second which he did in Santa Clara with a second-place finish and Seely's fifth. Seely has a bigger cushion over Chad Reed for third holding a 27 point advantage. If Reed can get his second win of the season and 46th 450SX class career win, he can help stave off final podium spots for the finale in Las Vegas.
This guy wants to retire?
In the MotoSport class, Nick Wey finished in the Top 10 for the first time in three years, dominated his Semi to qualify, and looks more like a rider on his way up rather than pondering retirement at year's end. Speaking of retirement, there's talk of Wey racing in Outdoors so if 2015 is his final year it may not be until the end of summer. Regardless, Wey has six straight Top 15 finishes and four straight Top 12 finishes. His results have him 16th in the standings 12 points behind Justin Barcia. Adam Enticknap is out with a broken wrist.
It should be interesting to see if Davi Millsaps gets a ride. After the stunning announcement last week that he and Kawasaki parted ways which put the rumor mill in full operations, Millsaps sat out Round 15 and missed a chance to pass the injured and out of competition Ken Roczen for 10th place. If Weston Peick can follow up his first career podium with another, Millsaps will drop to 12th if he doesn't race in New Jersey. Millsaps entered the year as a strong favorite to contend for the title after his Monster Energy Cup win in October showed him in racing form after a year and half away from the track. Though his results this year were respectable he only topped out as high as fifth-place, thrice.
The 250SX East Crown will be determined on Saturday with Marvin Musquin holding it. Musquin has five wins in seven rounds and two second-place finishes for the others. There's always the injury factor but Musquin has been so dominating from start to finish expect another holeshot and dominating ride to victory.
Stranger things have happened as the defending Champion Justin Bogle was in fourth-place last year after five rounds and the riders above him bowed out as the season progressed. Don't expect luck to play into Bogle's hands this year as he'll settle on runner-up status which he should hold on to with a 24-point advantage heading into Round 16 over Jeremy Martin in third. Finally, unless Martin misses the Main like he did at Indianapolis he takes third for the year and gives Joey Savatgy little chance to stand alongside Musquin on the final podium. Savtagy's fourth-place is secure with the 29 point advantage over fifth-place.
Kyle Peters is racing for a Top 5 finish on the season
Speaking of fifth, the race for the Top 5 could be the most exciting part of the 250 East race since RJ Hampshire, Anthony Rodriquez and James Decotis are all tied with 84 points. Even MotoSport rider Kyle Peters is in the mix being just eight points back in eighth-place. Hampshire is the only one of the four to step on the box this year.
Mitchell Oldenburg can get into the Top 10 with strong race and a little bit of luck
As for other MotoSport riders, Colt Nichols will not be trying to get into the Top 10 as he tore his ACL in practice for the St. Louis round and is out. Mitchell Oldenburg who impressed in a 450 class one-off finishing 14th in Houston, needs the best race of his season if he's to break into the Top 10 for the year.
Watch it all unfold live on regular rabbit ears, make that digital converter box, TV or in person at 12 p.m. (PST) on Saturday at MetLife Stadium. Buy tickets online or at the box office, 1 MetLife Stadium Drive in East Rutherford, NJ.
2015 Monster Energy Supercross Season Standings
450SX Class Season Standings
- Ryan Dungey (343) - 2015 Supercross Champion
- Eli Tomac (258)
- Cole Seely (239)
- Chad Reed (212)
- Trey Canard (204)
- Blake Baggett (190)
- Jason Anderson (188)
- Broc Tickle (168)
- Ken Roczen (164)
- Andrew Short (156)
250SX East Class Season Standings
- Marvin Musquin (169)
- Justin Bogle (149)
- Jeremy Martin (125)
- Joey Savatgy (113)
- RJ Hampshire (84)
- Anthony Rodriguez (84)
- Jimmy Decotis (84)
- Kyle Peters (76) - MotoSport rider
- Martin Davalos (63)
- Kyle Cunningham (60)
- Vince Friese (58)
- Colt Nichols (53) - MotoSport rider
- Luke Renzland (51)
- Mitchell Oldenburg (48) - MotoSport rider
- Jace Own (40)
