2014 AMA Supercross Anaheim 2 Race Results

Chad Reed Wins 40th Anniversary Monster Energy AMA Supercross Race At Angel Stadium

[caption id="attachment_30317" align="alignright" width="300"] Chad Reed became the third different rider in as many races to win a Monster Energy AMA Supercross race this season.[/caption]

Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed became the third different rider in as many races to win a Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race this season inside Angel Stadium in front of 40,682 fans. Saturday night's race was the "40th Anniversary Celebration Race" of Monster Energy Supercross. After finishing second at the first two races of the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship, Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Honda's Cole Seely won his first Main Event of the season.

Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey set the pace early by winning the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award to start the 450SX Class Main Event. Team Mafia Moto Crew Kawasaki's Nick Wey trailed Dungey through turn one in second place. On the opening lap, three-time defending Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ryan Villopoto put his Monster Energy Kawasaki into third place while Red Bull KTM's Ken Roczen pulled onto Villopoto's back wheel in fourth. Roczen then passed Villopoto to take over third place.

While leading on Lap 6, Dungey crashed and dropped to fifth place, giving the lead to Yoshimura Suzuki's James Stewart. Villopoto bounced back to pass Roczen for the number-two position and set his sights on Stewart. On Lap 14, Villopoto attempted to pass Stewart and crashed, losing several positions.

[caption id="attachment_30314" align="alignleft" width="300"] James Stewart led the race and fended off aggressive attacks from the competition before eventually finishing second.[/caption]

The crash by Villopoto allowed Roczen to move into second place and Reed to third place. The next lap, Reed passed Roczen for second and two laps later, he passed Stewart for the lead and eventual win. Stewart finished second and Roczen finished third.

"I had 41 of these [wins] before tonight, and they came a hell of a lot easier than this one," said Reed. "I am so proud and could not have done this without the hard work from my Discount Tire team. We all worked so hard in the off season, and it paid off in a big way tonight. I am so pumped."

"The track was tight tonight," said Stewart. "We had two veterans finish one and two tonight, so that was great. Overall, I am proud of my race tonight."

This was Reed's first win since January 21, 2012 in Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium and the 42nd of his career. It was also his first win in Anaheim since February 2, 2008 when he won all three races at the venue.

Roczen reclaimed the points lead with Villopoto trailing by a point. Reed moved into third place.

[caption id="attachment_30298" align="alignright" width="300"] In the main event, Dean Wilson was up front until he caught a tuff block and went down.[/caption]

Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha's Cooper Webb jumped out to the early lead with the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot Award in the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event with Seely and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Dean Wilson following in second and third, respectively. Seely snuck around Webb shortly after turn one. On Lap 3, Wilson crashed and re-entered the race in 15th place. Wilson's crash allowed Rockstar Energy Racing's Jason Anderson to move into third place.

Anderson passed Webb on Lap 8 to secure second place, 5.7 seconds behind Seely. Seely held on for the win, followed by Anderson and Webb. Tonight was the first career podium finish for Webb, who is a rookie this year.

"It was an awesome night for our team," said Seely. "We have done so much testing before and during the season and spent countless hours at the track, so it is nice to have the hard work pay off. I had some breathing room on the last lap, which was nice. We are going to keep the momentum going headed into next week."

The win was Seely's fourth of his career and he trails Anderson in season standings by three points.

Monster Energy Supercross heads to Oakland's O.co Coliseum next Saturday, January 25, for the fourth race of the 2014 season.

Source: Feld Motor Sports

Kawasaki and Chad Reed Celebrate a Victory at the 40th Anniversary of Monster Energy Supercross

[caption id="attachment_30316" align="alignright" width="300"] Chad Reed powered his KX450F to his 42nd career supercross win, and his first in nearly two years.[/caption]

Round 3 of Monster Energy Supercross returned to Angel Stadium in Anaheim to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the sport on Saturday. Two-time supercross champion and Kawasaki mounted Chad Reed powered his KX450F to his 42nd career supercross win, and his first in nearly two years. Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto worked his way into second place before a mistake dropped him to finish fifth. Jake Weimer charged to overcome a poor start and a late-race crash to finish 10th.

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Justin Hill was consistently fast throughout the day and into the night program on the retro-theme course. Hill finished second behind his teammate in his heat race and went into the main event confident. His KX250F rocketed out of the gate and nearly had the holeshot before his back end stepped out, sending him to the ground. From last position, Hill charged forward to finish an impressive fifth. Teammate Dean Wilson battled for pole position in qualifying for the third consecutive week and dominated his heat race. In the main event, Wilson was up front until he caught a tuff block and went down. He remounted to charge back to seventh place. Darryn Durham suffered a crash in practice and was forced to sit the night out.

Back On Top
After Reed's ninth place finish for Reed in Phoenix, the 2004 and 2007 supercross champion was looking to return to the podium. He battled forward to take the last qualifying spot in his heat race and looked consistent. Reed jumped out to a top-10 start in the main event and progressively and quietly picked off riders until the last five laps. Reed began reeling in the leader and made a pass stick with three laps remaining to take his 42nd supercross victory.

"41 wins have come easy, but 42? That one was sweet," said Reed. "This was a long time coming and its so gratifying. I'm really proud of our team and the work we've done in the offseason. The Kawasaki is proven. Ryan has dominated on it and I'm happy to now win on the KX and hope to continue to grow."

[caption id="attachment_30309" align="alignleft" width="300"] Ryan Villopoto worked his way into second place before a mistake dropped him to finish fifth.[/caption]

Still Early
Villopoto returned to Anaheim with the red plates which signify the points leader. His heat race turned into a continuation of the main event from Phoenix as he battled with Justin Brayton, but settled for second place. The main event was looking to go his way and halfway through the 20-laps, the champ came in to pass for the lead. On his second attempt, slight contact resulted in Villopoto losing the front end. He remounted to finish fifth and sits one point out of the championship lead.

"Tonight was unfortunate," said Villopoto. "I felt we were in good position to get into the lead and get away. As I came up to make the pass, my front end just got pulled from under me and I didn't know what happened. Looking at the video, the leader's boot got stuck in my front wheel causing me to go down. We're still right there in points and there's lots of racing left."

Fighting Back
For Weimer, Hill, and Wilson it was a night of salvation. Weimer was pinched off rounding the first turn and had to come from 17th place on Lap 1 to finish a respectable 10th. While in the 250SX class, Hill had a similar story as his near holeshot quickly became last place as he lost control over the first jump. He charged through the entire 15-lap main event to post his first top-5 finish of the season in fifth. Wilson was in podium position early in the race before he crashed on his own. With his bike damaged, he pushed to collect as many points as possible and finished seventh.

"It's disappointing," said Hill. "I want to be up front and know I have the speed. I almost had the holeshot but lost control. I gave it everything I had to come through the pack and fifth was the best I could do. With a start I'm confident I could battle for a win."

[caption id="attachment_30307" align="alignright" width="300"] Chad Reed and Jake Weimer racing on the commemorative Anaheim track.[/caption]

Anaheim '01
In honor of the 40th Anniversary of Supercross, the track design on Saturday was the Anaheim track from 2001. The riders commented the rhythms were a little different than how the current tracks are laid out but it provided a great racetrack and exciting racing all night long. Back in 2001, Ricky Carmichael rode his Kawasaki KX250 to his first supercross championship and collected 13 straight wins.

Past Champions
Many of the past supercross champions were on hand in Anaheim for the 40th Anniversary. Past Kawasaki champions Jeff Ward, Jeff Emig, and Carmichael were on hand, as well as current competitors and past Kawasaki champions James Stewart and Villopoto. In the pits almost all of Kawasaki's championship winning KX race bikes were on display, including many of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Regional 250SX championship bikes and Kawasaki's first supercross championship bike from 1974.

Raider Nation
With three rounds completed, the series heads north to O.Co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., the home of the Oakland Raiders on Saturday, Jan. 25th. Villopoto is just one point behind the championship leader, as he and the rest of the Kawasaki riders will look to return to the podium.

Source: Kawasaki Racing

James Stewart & Yoshimura Suzuki 2nd At Anaheim

[caption id="attachment_30312" align="alignright" width="200"] James Stewart celebrated his first podium of the 2014 AMA/ FIM World Supercross season on Saturday night at Angel Stadium[/caption]

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's James Stewart celebrated his first podium of the 2014 AMA/ FIM World Supercross season on Saturday night at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Although Stewart still struggled with lingering illness, he pushed through-it and raced his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 to a well-earned second place at the second of three Anaheim rounds.

Although Stewart wasn't 100 percent all day, he still qualified third-fastest in the premier 450 class. He went on to get a good start in his six-lap heat race and pulled into the lead right off the bat. Taking advantage of a clear track, Stewart pulled a gap and rode six perfect laps on his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 to claim his first heat race win of the season. In the 20-lap Main Event, Stewart again got a good start and slotted quickly into second place. He went on to lead the race and fend-off aggressive attacks from the competition before eventually finishing second.

James Stewart:
"In all honesty, I was just a tick-off all day. I was happy to win my heat race and I rode pretty good in the Main Event. I led for a little while and the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 was running great. But then a guy got by me with about three-or-four laps left. It's frustrating to lose like that but I'm happy to be on the podium for the first time this year. I'm still fighting this cold but I'm getting stronger. So right now, it's about limiting my mistakes, not throwing it away; and getting what I can get. I'm just looking forward to going to Oakland and making things happen."

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's next event is the fourth round of the 2014 AMA/ FIM World Supercross Championship on Saturday, January 25th, at O.Co Coliseum in Oakland, California.

Anaheim 2 Behind The Scenes Video Race Report


Source: Team Suzuki

Ken Roczen Regains Points Lead After Podium Finish At Anaheim 2

[caption id="attachment_30311" align="alignright" width="300"] Ken Roczen finished third in the 450SX class, reclaiming the red plate - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Ken Roczen earned his second podium finish of the season at the third round of the Monster Energy Supercross Series while his teammate Ryan Dungey salvaged a sixth place result after rebounding from a mid-race crash.

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Ken Roczen of Germany had a good night out in the third round of the Monster Energy Supercross Series to finish in third in the 450SX class to reclaim the red plate. Factory teammate Ryan Dungey fought back to salvage sixth place after rebounding from a mid-race crash.

Roczen had the top time in the early afternoon qualifiers and continued to show his good form to finish his heat second place for an easy transfer to the main. Dungey had a decent jump in his heat but got pushed out as the riders rounded the first corner. He then picked off riders to move into fourth to pick up the final transfer spot into the main.

Roczen and Dungey lined up together for the main but it was Dungey who grabbed the holeshot on his KTM 450 SX-F. Dungey led the first quarter of the race while a major battle evolved behind him between five top riders.

[caption id="attachment_30308" align="alignleft" width="300"] Ryan Dungey salvaged a sixth place result after rebounding from a mid-race crash - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Then Dungey fell in a corner just before the half way mark and lost the lead to James Stewart. Behind Stewart, Roczen, Ryan Villopoto and Chad Reed all battled for the second place position.

Roczen and Villopoto swapped positions three times with Roczen eventually gaining the spot. Then Reed slipped by Roczen and Stewart and went on to take the lead and the win. Stewart finished second while Roczen hung on to finish third. Dungey recovered from his crash to finish sixth.

Roczen's podium performance helped him regain the red plate as championship leader, which was also his after his win in his first 450SX class ride at Anaheim 1 to open the season. Dungey is tied for third just three points behind Roczen.

Next Round: January 25, 2014 - Oakland, CA

Source: KTM North America

Red Cross Controversy Strikes Rockstar Energy Racing Again

[caption id="attachment_30301" align="alignright" width="300"] Although finishing second, Jason Anderson was docked 2 positions, stripping him of the points lead and the red plate - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

There tends to be a gray area perception when it comes to rulings pertaining to the waving of red cross flags. One year ago, there was an instance where Davi Millsaps was actually passed on the flag and nothing was enforced. In that same race a penalty was administered to Ryan Villopoto, but was implemented on the red flag restart as opposed to the end of the race as one would expect. Millsaps lost points and was hampered by those results. Rockstar Energy Racing was once again involved with similar controversy this weekend during the second of three trips to Angels Stadium.

Jason Anderson has experienced a stellar start to the 2014 season, going undefeated in the first two rounds. Anaheim 2 started much the same way with Jason recording the fastest practice qualifying time and backing that up with a heat race win. His main event started with a little more adversity this week however.

Exiting turn one, Justin Hill went down entering the first rhythm section as his bike landed perpendicular to the track direction, blocking nearly half the lane. Anderson barely squeezed in between the bike and the tough blocks on the edge of the track. He then had to avoid Hill who was dodging bikes trying not to get run over. Finally after staying up after that, JA was forced to single the big turn double at the end of the straight.

[caption id="attachment_30302" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jason Anderson is now more fired up than ever and has always been very fast in Oakland where the next round will be held - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

He was mired in the back and had a lot of ground to make up on Cole Seely who was out front. He moved through the pack so quickly, it was almost as if there was no one there. Jason made his way all the way into 2nd place and the stage was set for another possible last lap dramatic pass. There just wasn't enough time this week though as Jason cut the distance in half but was unable completely close the gap. He was able to secure the 2nd spot on the podium though and remain the points leader. That was until of course the controversy struck.

According to officials Anderson had jumped on a red cross flag in the middle of the race. A ruling that was made on an opinion and still leaving questions over whether or not it was valid and perhaps even why he was the only one under scrutiny. Anderson was docked 2 positions, stripping him of the points lead and the red plate. The decision was final and there is nothing that can be done but to move on. Jason is now more fired up than ever and has always been very fast in Oakland where the next round will be held.

Jason Anderson:
"Today was alright, I salvaged a 2nd but received a penalty and was docked 2 positions. I felt like I still dodged a couple bullets tonight and I need to keep my momentum going. I want the championship at the end of the year."

[caption id="attachment_30305" align="alignright" width="300"] Ivan Tedesco is still continuing to improve and it is evident his speed is getting better - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Ivan Tedesco is still continuing to improve. His speed is getting better and that was evident Saturday night. One thing that was holding him back this time was his starts. Usually a very good rider off the line, that was just not the case at A2. He was forced to come through the pack every time he lined up. Even with that issue, he was still able to qualify out of the semi, thus avoiding the treacherous LCQ.

He again was near the back of the pack at the beginning of the main but he put his head down and moved forward. He was able to get as far up as 13th where he finished. Perhaps the challenges he faced will actually be something to build on. As mentioned in prior reports, race pace is much different than what can be focused on during the week.

Even harder is maintaining that while moving through the field and being forced to change lines and really focus on looking and planning ahead for every pass. Possibly easier said than done, Ivan just needs to put a few things together and he will be where he belongs. Tedesco is a veteran though and a hard worker, so the results will soon come as well.

Ivan Tedesco:
"Weekend was decent, track was really tricky and it took me a while to figure it out. I was still figuring it out even in the heat race and the semi. I made it through in the semi and then in the main I got a bad start once again. I was kind of struggling with my starts all day. I kind of had to fight for it. I battled through for a 13th which is not where I wanna be, but with the bad starts and stacked field it's kinda tough. I need to work on my starts this week and gain a little bit of speed to hopefully get into the top 10."

[caption id="attachment_30303" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cole Thompson appears to be improving, but he is still a young kid racing in a 450 class teeming with a cast of wiley characters - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Cole Thompson appears to be improving, but he is still a young kid racing in a 450 class teeming with a cast of wiley characters. It's a tough task to even qualify for a main event. Thompson still has only been on the bike for a very short time and just needs to stay positive, work hard during the week and learn from the multiple mentors surrounding him. He missed out on qualifying for the main event for the second week in a row.

Anderson is going to use the fire inside of him and aim to retrieve the red plate next week. Tedesco will work to find his way into the top ten in Oakland and similarly Thompson's goal will certainly be to put his KTM 350 into the main event.

Source: Rockstar Energy Racing

GEICO Honda Anaheim 2 Race Report

[caption id="attachment_30297" align="alignright" width="199"] Zach Osborne had high hopes for Anaheim 2 but had to settle for mid-pack results - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

GEICO Honda Supercross pros Zach Osborne and Wil Hahn had high hopes for Saturday's second tour stop at Angel Stadium, so the mid-pack results they posted before the near-capacity crowd didn't sit well with the popular Honda riders.

Riding in the 250SX West class, Osborne had a third straight run-in with nemesis Dean Wilson. This time the Scotsman was just ahead of Osborne when he wiped out on the edge of the track. Wilson's accident somehow flipped a Tuff Block directly into Osborne's line, and with no time to react Osborne went over the top of the foam-filled marking device and came off his bike.

Although he quickly remounted and rejoined the race, Osborne had lost enough distance to the leaders to knock himself out of contention. He rode out the race and finished eighth.

"It was a bad deal, but I shouldn't have been in that position to start with," Osborne said. "I had another bad start and I don't know why. I've done everything I know to do to get better. I guess I'll just keep working hard and stay with the program.

"After the crash I didn't ride well. I was tight and just let it get away from me. I didn't have a great week leading into this race - I only rode one time - so maybe that hurt me. I'll get back to the regular deal and just grit it out. That's what I need to do."

Although upset by the result, Osborne knows what he needs to do to get back on the podium.

"I have the speed," he said. "I just need to put myself in position to be there at the end. You can't start in eighth place or whatever and expect anything. The guys in this class are just too competitive. My starts will be better because they have to be. I feel like I have nothing to lose now, so I'll be going for it next week, for sure."

[caption id="attachment_30306" align="alignleft" width="300"] Wil Hahn rode out to a 12th-place finish - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Hahn also struggled at the start of his 450SX race but then made some slick passes to push towards the leaders. However, a quick spill at the midpoint of the race cost him all the ground he had made up and he rode out to a 12th-place finish.

"I think I made a lot of progress tonight speed-wise, and even though the results didn't show it, I feel like I fixed most of the little things I've been struggling with," Hahn said. "I had another mediocre start but made some good progress up through the pack, but I went over at one point and lost some spots.

"I need to ride like I did last year when I won the championship. I really need to go back to having fun. I'm putting pressure on myself that just doesn't need to be there. The sooner I get back to riding like myself, the results will come."

The Monster Energy Supercross tour moves to Oakland, Calif., next Saturday for the fourth race of the year.

Source: GEICO Honda

Dean Ferris Earns 11th At Anaheim 2

[caption id="attachment_30295" align="alignright" width="300"] Dean Ferris earned 11th overall after rebounding from a mid-race crash - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Dean Ferris earned 11th overall after rebounding from a mid-race crash at the third round of the Monster Energy West 250 Supercross Series held at Angel Stadium.

In the 250SX class, Red Bull KTM's Dean Ferris, in his rookie year with the team, rebounded after a mid-race crash to finish eleventh. The Australian moves up to ninth in the points standings for the West Coast Championship, in what is a fiercely competitive arena.

On his KTM 250 SX-F Ferris got a great jump in his heat race and was sitting in a qualifying position from the start. He made a few key passes to finish in fifth for a decent gate pick in the main event. He got out of the gate reasonably well in the main then cut to the inside of the first corner into third place before conceding some places in the next lap.

[caption id="attachment_30296" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dean Ferris moves up to ninth in the points standings for the West Coast Championship - Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

When the gate dropped for the main event, Ferris had an okay jump off the line and was able to cut to the inside of the first corner and move his bike to the 3rd place spot by the next rhythm section. Ferris held 3rd position for the majority of that lap before falling to 6th on lap two.

Ferris remained in 6th for the next few laps, but came unstuck when Malcolm Stewart crashed right in his line. Ferris could not maneuver away from Stewart and ended up crashing as well. He recovered quickly but lost multiple positions and made a valiant attempt to get back into the top ten, finally finishing one spot short.

"It's unfortunate that I crashed tonight", commented Ferris. "I was hoping to improve upon last week's performance but my crash set me back. Having a poor result just motivates you to try harder each week. I will work even harder this week to be inside the top ten at the next round in Oakland."

Next Round: Oakland, CA - January 25, 2014

Source: KTM North America

Anaheim 2 Overview And Point Standings

Overall Results - Supercross Class Race Time: 17:41.874

1. Ken Roczen - 60
   
2. Ryan Villopoto - 59
   
3. Chad Reed - 57
   
4. Ryan Dungey - 57
   
5. Justin Brayton - 55
   
6. James Stewart - 44
   
7. Justin Barcia - 42
   
8. Andrew Short - 38
   
9. Wil Hahn - 30
   
10. Broc Tickle - 26
    

1. Kawasaki - 70
   
2. KTM - 65
   
3. Yamaha - 55
   
4. Suzuki - 53
   
5. Honda - 42
   

1. Cole Seely - 69
   
2. Jason Anderson - 68
   
3. Cooper Webb - 53
   
4. Zach Osborne - 53
   
5. Dean Wilson - 50
   
6. Malcolm Stewart - 49
   
7. Justin Hill - 44
   
8. Jessy Nelson - 35
   
9. Dean Ferris - 31
   
10. Shane Mcelrath - 29
    

1. Honda - 69
   
2. KTM - 68
   
3. Yamaha - 53
   
4. Kawasaki - 52