Three winners in four Rounds thus far in the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross season so it seems anything goes for Round 5, the third and final stop at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA.
Anyone in the Top 10 for points is a good bet for center podium however, as Ryan Dungey is proving, winning doesn't necessarily put you in the lead. Dungey has no wins but is the only rider to finish in the Top 5 in all four Rounds this year and he's leading Ken Roczen by four points in the standings.
What's more, only 20 points separate Jason Anderson in fifth-place from the top spot and the 2014 250SX West Class Champion is just six points from Trey Canard in third-place. Like last week, one great ride and a crash by another can shake up the standings even more.
Roczen is already the undisputed champ at the venue this year as he won the opener and A2. If he bounces back from his crash in Oakland for his third win of the season he can become just the third rider to take all three Anaheim dates in one season, Chad Reed and the FIM-banned James Stewart are the others. This is the 13th time Supercross scheduled three Rounds in Anaheim.
Canard's win in Oakland broke a nearly four-year win drought in Supercross and if the 2014 Motocross season is any indicator, once he got his first win there he went on to take three of the final four Nationals ending the series as winner of four of the final five Rounds. The Canard and Chad Reed show was short-lived when Reed got black-flagged at A2 for bumping Canard off the track after a collision. Canard left Reed in the dust on Lap 6 in Oakland without further incident. Reed though turned in his best finish of the season landing in third-place for his first podium of the season.
Can Jimmy Albertson find success at Anaheim again?
On the homefront, MotoSport rider Jimmy Albertson last saw success at A2 when he grabbed the holeshot and finished 16th. It was also his first and only Main of the season but on the bright side he's always been just short of getting out of the LCQ.
Fredrik Noren, who rides for the MotoSport.com/GPI/Honda Racing team made his first Main of the season in Oakland where he placed 17th. A test rider for Honda, Noren is expected to compete in the last two West Coast rounds and stay in California once the series heads east. Noren will remain with the MotoSport.com/GPI/Honda Racing team for Outdoors which is his strong suit.
"The first few rounds have been a little struggle, I haven't really been where I'd like to be," Noren said. "It's a really new learning experience for me. I haven't done much Supercross in the past."
Fredrik Noren looking to finish strong in final two Rounds of West Coast dates
Veteran Nick Wey also made the Main at A2 his first and only of the season. Mitchell Oldenburg and Adam Enticknap are both looking for their first Main of the season.
In the 250 West Class, much of the talk is around the on-going dual between Cooper Webb and Tyler Bowers. At A2, Webb grabbed the lead after cutting inside of Bowers on the last lap which pushed Bowers off the track and gave Webb the win. At Oakland, Bowers and Webb tangled resulting in Webb crashing but he got back up and eventually passed Bowers to grab second. Webb leads in points by eight over Bowers.
Josh Hansen is not content finishing in the Top 10
MotoSport rider Josh Hansen is in 10th place for points but is frustrated with his finishes. He has three Top 10 finishes with little room for error in the short season. Five Rounds remain in the West Class.
"I can't give up on myself," he said. "I think the old me, I feel, would, if things didn't go right I'd pull out but I'm in it. I'm in it to win it. If things can't be right, right now, they're going to be right."
Expect Tommy Hahn top step it up in the next two Rounds
Tommy Hahn who rides opposite Noren on the MotoSport.com/GPI/Honda Racing team, has made every Main including a Top 10 finish. His 16th place finish in Oakland dropped him out of the Top 10 in points in 12th place.
Team Manager Guy Cooper said the work is starting to pay off and the team is going to set their goals higher but he'd like to see a Top 5.
"We've got a few under our belt and things are going better," he said. "We're finding the little kinks and getting them worked out."
Doors to Anaheim 3 open at 12 p.m. (PST) Saturday when practice and qualifying start. The Main event begins at 6:30 p.m. (PST). Buy tickets online or at the box office, 2000 Gene Autry Way in Anaheim, CA.
2015 Monster Energy Supercross Season Standings
450SX Class Season Standings
- Ryan Dungey (82)
- Ken Roczen (78)
- Trey Canard (68)
- Eli Tomac (64)
- Jason Anderson (62)
- Justin Barcia (58)
- Cole Seely (45)
- Davi Millsaps (44)
- Andrew Short (44)
- Chad Reed (42)
250SX West Class Season Standings
- Cooper Webb (86)
- Tyler Bowers (78)
- Jessy Nelson (71)
- Zach Osborne (69)
- Justin Hill (65)
- Malcolm Stewart (64)
- Aaron Plessinger (54)
- Shane McElrath (49)
- Alex Martin (47)
- Josh Hansen (47) - MotoSport rider
