2015 AMA Supercross Anaheim 1 Race Results

Ken Roczen Wins Monster Energy Supercross Season Opener in Anaheim for Second Straight Season

[caption id="attachment_35371" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

The first race of the 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, took place on Saturday with a fifth consecutive sellout of 45,050 fans at Angel Stadium. The 450SX Class Main Event ultimately proved to be a showcase of dominance for RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John's Suzuki's Ken Roczen, who led every lap en route to his second straight win at the Anaheim opener. Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil KTM's Jessy Nelson broke through for his first victory in the first Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event of the season.

Smartop Motoconcepts Racing's Mike Alessi grabbed the early advantage in the 20-lap 450SX Class Main Event by racing to the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award with BTO Sports KTM's Andrew Short and Roczen in tow. Both riders wasted little time in moving past Alessi, with Short holding the top spot briefly before Roczen made what would be the winning pass on the opening lap.

While Roczen pulled away out front, some of his biggest contenders endured misfortune, most notably Monster Energy Kawasaki's Davi Millsaps and GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac, each of who fell twice in the Main Event. Short's hold on second was also short lived as rookie Jason Anderson moved into second aboard his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing machine on Lap 2 in his very first 450SX Class start. Eventually Team Honda's Trey Canard took third away from Short on Lap 9 and the top three remained the same for the final 11 laps.

The win was the third of Roczen's career, but it signified the first for his Ricky Carmichael and Carey Hart-owned team. It was Roczen's first start for the squad after moving away from Red Bull KTM in the off season.

[caption id="attachment_35359" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

"Everything has been awesome with the team and it's good to get first win out of the way, both for myself and for them," said Roczen. "There are a lot of good guys out there so I'll need to stay consistent [this season]. It's good to come out of here healthy and we'll just keep the ball rolling."

Furthering the theme of the 2015 season of #WhosNext, other championship contenders finished solidly inside the top 10, including Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey in fourth and Autotrader.com/Toyota/Yamaha's Justin Barcia in sixth. Two time champion Chad Reed finished 10th aboard his Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports machine.

With the win, Roczen holds a three-point lead over Anderson in the early 450SX Class standings, while Canard sits five points behind.

In the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event earlier in the evening, Nelson captured the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award ahead of GEICO Honda's Matt Bisceglia and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Zach Osborne. The advantage Nelson garnered with the holeshot proved to be all he needed as he went on to lead all 15 laps of the Main Event and secure the first victory of his career in his 16th career start.

[caption id="attachment_35365" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

"This is a great way to start season and hopefully there's more to come," said Nelson, who became the 97th different 250SX Class Main Event winner in history. "It was a great night and I can't complain. I think the team's switch to KTM has been huge and I think it's a big part of this. This [win] is just a big shock."

Behind Nelson, Osborne asserted himself into second and ultimately maintained the runner-up spot throughout the entirety of the Main Event. The battle for third, however, became a three-rider showdown in the early stages between Motosport.com Kawasaki's Josh Hansen, Red Bull KTM's Justin Hill and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Tyler Bowers. Hill was able to make the move past Hansen for the position on Lap 4 and Bowers followed suit a short time later. Hill appeared to have a comfortable margin over Bowers, but the reigning four-time AMSOIL Arenacross Champion closed the gap and eventually made the pass on Lap 10, carrying it through to the finish to claim the final spot on the podium.

Nelson sits three points ahead of Osborne in the Western Regional 250SX Class standings and five points ahead of Bowers.

Monster Energy Supercross continues next weekend with its second stop of the 17-race season from Phoenix. Chase Field will host the world's best riders on Saturday, January 10. Live broadcast coverage on FOX Sports 1 begins at 6:00 PST/9:00 p.m. EST.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLS9EW4D0HArkyWtgg6fPPQAtEvDc-rHmO&feature=player_embedded&v=Z4OnXGTo1dY

Source: Monster Energy Supercross

Ken Roczen, RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing Kick Off New Season in Style

[caption id="attachment_35383" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Team Suzuki[/caption]

Ken Roczen and RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing turned in a dominant performance in Saturday night's opening round of the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross season. Roczen parlayed his sizzling performance into a breakthrough, first-time 450SX win for the team co-owned by Freestyle Motocross pioneer Carey Hart and 15-time AMA National Champion Ricky Carmichael.

"It's been a long time coming," commented an emotional Hart following the event. "We've been at this eight or nine years and honestly, it's very bittersweet. I have to give it all up to Mark Johnson, Kyle (Bentley) and the whole technical team. Ivan Tedesco did a ton of pre-season testing for us and that paid off in a big way. Ken put his head down and rode solid from the time the gate dropped. At the same time, Broc Tickle rode an amazing race. That was his first time back after breaking his back last year in Toronto and to get out of here with an eighth-place finish is an important accomplishment for him. I just could not be happier for my crew and all my guys."

Not surprisingly, Roczen, last year's opening round winner, was first- and second-fastest respectively, in both of Saturday afternoon's qualifying sessions. After the gate dropped on the 450SX Main Event, he dispatched of holeshot winner Mike Alessi and took over the lead from Andrew Short before completing the first of 20 laps, never looking back. Over the remaining 19 trips around Angel Stadium of Anaheim, the 20-year-old, German-born rider would stretch his lead to just over four seconds.

"Great weekend," explained Roczen. "It was our first race together so it was cool to actually get going. The night couldn't have gone any better. To come out with the win and obviously, the first for the team, I take a lot of pride in that. That makes me really happy and proud. It just shows how hard we have worked. We're going to keep going from here. There's more to come. It's just good to get this first one out of the way. Now, we'll go home and keep working."

[caption id="attachment_35384" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo: Team Suzuki[/caption]

Tickle was consistently inside the top 10 during 450SX qualifying and maintained that consistency throughout the night's program. After finishing ninth in his heat race, the Holly, Mich., rider had to race his way through the semi final. True to form, Tickle finished third in the evening's second 450SX semi, locking down a spot at the gate for the 450 Main. After getting a decent jump off the starting line, Tickle settled in and picked off spots one at a time, ultimately recording an impressive eighth-place showing.

"I'm somewhat frustrated, but as I sit back and think about it, the fact that I haven't raced in eight months helps keep it in perspective," said Tickle. "I'm actually pretty pumped about it. We're starting a lot like we did last season. We built on it every week and once we got out to the east coast and back to Dallas, we started stringing together some good finishes. I got a little tight toward the end of the race so I need to ride more and get some intensity during the week. I think that will help."

For his part, Carmichael was all smiles after the race. After spending the night in the television booth calling the race for FOX Sports 1, the five-time Monster Energy Supercross titlest was eager to get back to the pits and congratulate both of the team's riders.

"I'm really happy for the team, Ken, Broc and all the people who have made the sacrifices that it took to put RCH in this position," said Carmichael. "We're like the Bad News Bears sometimes but we've got great personnel, great riders and a great technical staff. It's really cool to see all the work and the plan come to fruition. Carey and I sat down three years ago and mapped out our plan but we weren't exactly sure it would all be possible. We set our goals very high. I'm really proud of the guys in the shop who bust their tails every week. That's who I'm most proud of."

[caption id="attachment_35377" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Team Suzuki[/caption]

"I'm really happy for Broc," Carmichael went on. "We all know he had a horrific crash last year and injuries that were almost career-ending. For him to bounce back from that and to come to Anaheim and finish eighth, I'm pretty darn happy for him."

Roczen's win proved to be a collective sigh of relief for the entire organization, especially Hart, the team's founder.

"It was the longest 18 minutes and change of my life," continued Hart. "I was watching the laps click off and every lap felt like hours. After about lap 12, I had a big grin on my face and was doing my happy dance. We came into A1 like it was just another race or another day at the test track. Everyone did their homework, stayed cool, calm and positive. This is a 17 race battle. This win wasn't a one shot pony, by any means. We've got 16 races to go. We're taking them one by one. We'll keep picking away and take the good with the bad."

The 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross tour rolls on next weekend when Roczen, Tickle and the rest of the RCH contingent visit Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. The second of 17 races on the 2015 Supercross schedule will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 Saturday, Jan. 10 beginning at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Source: RCH Racing

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/Lucas Oil/KTM Rider Jessy Nelson Wins Lites

[caption id="attachment_35370" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/Lucas Oil/KTM rider Jessy Nelson took a dominating win in front of the sold out crowd at the opening round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series in the 250SX West Championship while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Justin Hill took a 4th place result.

Justin Hill had a great heat race earning a 3rd place jump off the line. He quickly moved past Alex Martin for 2nd on the opening lap. The next few laps he spent time reeling in the lead ride of Josh Hansen. With one lap remaining he was able to make an inside pass through a left-handed corner to take over the lead. He held the front position to the finish taking the first heat race win of the season.

He continued his streak of good starts in the main event where he got off the line to a top five start. Hill moved into 4th place on lap three and then passed Hansen for 3rd before the end of lap four. He continued to hold the podium position until the last few laps when he began to receive pressure from Tyler Bowers. Unfortunately, Bowers was able to make the pass on Hill pushing him back one spot to 4th. Hill held that position and finished the race in that place.

[caption id="attachment_35363" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Meanwhile, Jessy Nelson earned the holeshot out front and led every lap of the 15 lap main event to claim the win aboard his KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition motorcycle.

"It feels so great to get the win tonight," stated Nelson on the podium. "The team and I have put so much work into the program this year and I am so comfortable on this bike. I am excited to get this win at the opening round."

Next Round: January 10, 2015 - Phoenix, AZ

Source: KTM North America

Jason Anderson And Zach Osborne Take A Pair Of Podium Seconds At Anaheim One

[caption id="attachment_35381" align="alignright" width="199"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

The highly anticipated 2015 Supercross season kicked off on Saturday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Zach Osborne, Zach Bell and Jason Anderson had an exciting start to the season, with Osborne and Bell finishing second and 11th, respectively, in the 250 class, and 450 rookie Anderson finishing second in his 450 class debut.

Jason Anderson had an impressive showing at Angel Stadium. After transferring directly to the Main Event from his heat race, he pulled a top five start from the inside gate, and moved up to second where he finished and claimed his first 450 podium.

"The race was good," said Anderson. "I got a good start, held the pace and ended up with a podium so I'm stoked! I expected to have a good race, but what I accomplished was pretty crazy. You talk about finishing good, but actually doing it is pretty surreal."

After rebounding from a crash in his heat and winning the 250 Last Chance Qualifier, Osborne pulled a top three start in the 250 main and stayed consistent the rest of the race. His persistence paid off as he pushed to the very end and finished second.

[caption id="attachment_35369" align="alignleft" width="199"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

"I had really good speed in the heat race but unfortunately ended up breaking my thumb," said Osborne. "I won the LCQ and almost got the holeshot in the main and then rode to second. My bike was really good on the starts today and I think that's the key."

After making some exciting passes and finishing third in his heat race, Zach Bell finished 11th in the first 250 race of the season.

"Overall it was a good night," said Bell. "The heat race went well, as I worked my way up to third and I was really happy with that. If I can keep that momentum up I think I'll be ok the rest of the season."

Source: Husqvarna Motorcycles

Maturity And Heart Shine Through For Jason Anderson And Zach Osborne At Anaheim 1

[caption id="attachment_35382" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Every year recently in the weeks prior to Anaheim 1 all the talk is about the upcoming season being the best ever. While there has been some good racing previously, 2015 is really going to live up to the hype. There is no doubt going to be a changing of the guard, but it's going to be in the form of several contenders. Immediately after the first round, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing has proven that the legendary brand has returned to a quest for glory and there is now certainly a big 6 in the manufacturer category.

Technically this did not mark Jason Anderson's first 450 Supercross race as he raced at the end of last year in Sweden, as well as the MEC. However this was his first jab at the real deal, with all of his competitors eager for the first gate drop. Immediately in practice Jason was clearly one of the guys and fit right in. He looked at ease out there and that is in part because he is so comfortable on the bigger bikes. He qualified well and was set to head into the heat races with a good pick at the gate.

With the format change to include semis made last year, only 4 riders can transfer out of each heat. That's a tough feat in itself with the caliber of athletes trying to nab those spots. In similar fashion to Anderson's noteworthy pass on Cole Seely a year ago, in almost the same exact spot on the stadium floor, Jason aggressively moved passed Justin Barcia for the final qualifying position in the second to last corner. Showing that he is not scared to run with the big boys, including the one known as the most intrusive in the field.

JA almost collected the holeshot award in the main event but went a touch wide and lost a couple positions. He quickly moved into 2nd place however; right behind training partner Ken Roczen. Initially a gap formed between the two until Jason settled into his pace and at times even making up a little bit of ground on the leader. He showed maturity throughout the entire main event, never wavering en route to an extremely commendable 2nd place finish. Mr. Anderson is no doubt a force to be reckoned with all year.

Jason Anderson
"Race was good tonight, got a good start, settled into a pace and ended up with a podium so I'm stoked! I expected to hopefully have a good night and be in the battle, but what happened was crazy. I train with Kenny [Roczen] during the week but we didn't know where we were at with each other as far as racing. Going 1 and 2 we talk about it, but it actually happening is surreal."

 

[caption id="attachment_35369" align="alignright" width="199"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Zach Osborne has championship aspirations for 2015 and rightly so. While the field is also stacked in the 250 class, he is clearly one of the favorites and that was evident all day in qualifying, where he ended up securing the 3rd fastest time. In his heat race, a war broke out between several riders swapping positions immediately, vying for the lead. Things got a bit aggressive between Zach and Tyler Bowers and the result was not in Osborne's favor. Bowers came into him hard in the turn after the finish line sending Zach sprawling into the next lane. He was unable to recover and return to a qualifying position by the time the checkers waived and after further prognosis there was some bad news. Zach had sustained a fractured thumb. After a lot of tape, he decided to head down for the LCQ and just see how things would feel. Fighting through the pain, he won and went back to the team semi to recoup. Then his true heart really shined through in the main event. He managed a good start and you could just tell he was riding inspired. In the end, he too picked up a podium in 2nd place. Coming off the track and going down to one knee, his glove needed to be promptly cut off to relieve pressure. He repaid Bowers on the podium with a champagne blast to the face and they talked it out. Osborne's championship hopes remain intact.

Zach Osborne
"Tonight was good, I had good speed all day and felt really good on the bike. Everything was going well until the heat race when I had a run in with another rider and fractured my thumb. I gutted out the rest of the night. I wasn't even sure if I was going to line up for the LCQ and then I ended up winning it. I wasn't sure what I was going to do for the main and then I got 2nd. It was an awesome feeling to salvage what I did."

[caption id="attachment_35361" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Zach Bell has been under the radar a bit after a quiet 2014 season. However; he will be opening some eyes very soon. Bell was fast all day in qualifying and even faster when the gate dropped for his heat race. Starting outside the top ten he came out of nowhere. Dicing through the pack picking off rider after rider, incredibly he was suddenly into 3rd place where he finished. This drummed up some excitement for the main. Unfortunately he went down in the difficult sand section early in the race and was mired deep in the pack. It is apparent that Zach will be making his own run at podiums in the very near future.

Zach Bell
"The night didn't quite go as I planned. I felt fast all day in practice and I was excited for the night. I came through the pack and rode really well in my heat race. Then in the main I got a decent start but then went down in the sand. All in all I have something to build on and I'm heading into the second round healthy."

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Squad will now make the short jaunt to Phoenix for round 2. Anderson will look to repeat his success and prove to any critics that he's in this title hunt for the long haul. Osborne will take it easy during the week in an effort to let his injured thumb heal as much as possible. Bell will keep doing what he has been doing and aim for a much better finish in Arizona.

Source: Rockstar Energy

Trey Canard Celebrates Podium Finish For Honda

[caption id="attachment_35380" align="alignright" width="154"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Team Honda kicked off the 2015 AMA Supercross on a chilly evening at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, where they celebrated a solid podium finish by Trey Canard. The Oklahoman had an impressive showing, salvaging an eighth-place start in the main event by advancing to third place by the midway point. With a long season ahead of him, the 450-class veteran rode smart, maintaining the position to the end and confirming his status as a title contender.

Meanwhile, Cole Seely's first full race as an official member of Team Honda didn't go as planned, as bad luck and untimely falls held him to 14th place at night's end. Nevertheless, the Californian learned some positive lessons and looks forward to improving on the performance as the season advances.

The Focus: Uncommon Cold

Although Southern California is known for its warm weather, it's not unusual for Supercross races at Angel Stadium of Anaheim to take place in relatively chilly conditions. This year, the region was visited by cold weather during the week ahead of the race, and the nearby Inland Empire was even hit by snow just before the New Year. (Team Honda's test track was spared by the storm, but at any rate, no outings had been scheduled. "By that point, we were already finished with testing," Honda Team Manager Dan Betley said.)

The trend continued on race day, with early-morning temperatures touching 39° F to match the city's historic low for the day. When not on the track, many riders stayed bundled up during the day program, and although the Celsius climbed as high as 63° at one point, it was back down to the mid-50s in time for the opening ceremonies and the mid-40s by the time the show was finished.

"We've actually been riding in the cold lately because of how chilly it's been, so we were prepared," said Cole Seely's mechanic, Rich Simmons, whose thoughts were echoed by his counterpart for Trey Canard. "Bike-wise, the temperature doesn't really affect us much," said Brent Presnell. "Really, we just try to keep the guys warm throughout the day. The biggest thing is actually traction. As the air gets colder during the course of the evening, moisture comes up and the track gets slicker, so they just have to watch out for that."

While many riders wore jackets on the aptly named warm-up lap, most reported that they didn't notice the cold while they were racing. "I actually enjoy riding in the cold weather," Seely said. "Maybe I'm a bit hot-blooded, because I struggle more when we get in the heat and humidity of the East Coast. I prefer the cold, dry California air."

Quotes

Trey Canard
"I'm happy, because other than the starts, the night went really well. I thought I rode well, and although I had to roll the triple once, I missed some carnage around me and had no big crashes or drama. Starts are key, because we're all going about the same speed. We'll work on that for next week, but I don't want to get lost or mess things up by doing too much different. I'm glad to get on the podium at the opener, and now I'll come back ready for next week."

Cole Seely
"Finishing 14th is a hard pill to swallow when you work as hard as the team and I do. I know it's a long season, and I'll have other races to prove myself, but it's tough when the first race doesn't go as planned. It was really just a string of bad luck; I felt like I was being followed by a black cloud all day. I'm just going to stick to it, keep doing what I'm doing and hope for better luck next weekend."

Yoshishige Nomura, HRC President
"Unfortunately, we weren't able to win the first race of the season today. However, free practice and qualifying were good and we ultimately ended up on the podium, in third. We also found that our bike's speed is very competitive, and those things give us encouragement. In fact, it has been a long time since the last AMA race with HRC involved, so this result is not bad. I think we will be able to continue this positive feeling for the next race as well. Please keep cheering for Team Honda and HRC!"

Dan Betley, Team Manager
"Today has been bittersweet for us. We showed good signs; our bikes look like they're working really well, we showed speed on the track, but overall as a team I don't think we delivered. We had some riding mistakes in the heat races and the main events that really hurt us. Trey rode really solid and got on the box, which was our goal, so he was able to succeed there and I'm happy about that. I believe we have a really good platform right now, so I don't want to get crazy and start reinventing things, because overall we showed improvement across the board compared to where we were last year. Ahead of next weekend, both Honda and the riders will sit down and decide where we can make improvements, and then we'll build on these finishes."

Brent Presnell, Mechanic (Trey Canard)
"It went really well. Trey's qualifying times were good, and the heat race was good. The bike's in a really good spot, so the team wasn't really searching for anything there. He had a terrible start, but he was really aggressive the first half of the race. Once he knew he was in a podium spot, he backed off a little bit because the track was getting slick. To leave A1 with a podium is great. I think this year in particular, it's really important to just stay on the podium, but what I liked the most is that Trey was disappointed with third place when he came in. That shows me the fire he has, and it's exciting to see."

Rich Simmons, Mechanic (Cole Seely)
"This result definitely isn't what we were looking for, but you can't dwell on it. There were some mistakes Cole made and then just some bad luck. He'll work on being more patient when he's in a qualifying spot, like he was in the semi. There are 16 more races, so we'll just learn from it and head to the next one."

Source: Honda Racing

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Tyler Bowers Kicks Off 2015 On The Podium

[caption id="attachment_35367" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

The opening round of the 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM Championship took place at the familiar Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Tyler Bowers led the way for Kawasaki with a heat race win and a third place finish in the 250SX main event. Josh Hansen rode up front on his KX250F to start the season with a top-10 finish. In the 450SX main event, Monster Energy Kawasaki's Davi Millsaps was making his way into a podium position when a few mistakes dropped him to the back of the pack where he finished 19th. Millsaps' teammate Wil Hahn was prepared to make his debut on his KX450F, but a crash in practice kept him from lining up on the gate.

Championship Form

[caption id="attachment_35366" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

Following four-consecutive AMA Arenacross championships, Bowers began his first full Supercross season since 2009. Bowers had an eventful day qualifying seventh, but getting a good start in his heat race and was not afraid to force his way into the lead to take the win. He did not get the start he wanted in the main event, but started working his way forward. On Lap 10 of 15 he moved into a podium position and continued to hunt down the leaders, crossing the finish line on their rear wheel.

"I'm very happy with my team and finish tonight," said Bowers. "I think we made a statement tonight that I am here to win the championship and a podium finish is a great start. The wins will come, and I know I have the best team behind me and our Kawasaki KX250F is the best bike on the gate."

Over Before It Started

[caption id="attachment_35364" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

Hahn was prepared to make his debut with Monster Energy Kawasaki on Saturday and ready to begin his sophomore year in the 450SX class. Unfortunately Hahn suffered a devastating crash during qualifying practice and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Coincidentally, Hahn had a season ending injury last year where he injured his arm and back and Saturday's crash re-injured the same two areas, forcing Wil to sit out the duration of the Supercross season. Hahn is in good spirits, despite the injury and is expected to make a full recovery.

Nowhere To Go But Up

[caption id="attachment_35372" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

After missing the entire 2014 race season due to injury, Millsaps was excited to be at Angel Stadium. He took his time getting into the groove and got comfortable on the track during timed qualifying practice. He got a great start in his heat race and grabbed the early lead. Millsaps was setting the pace until a mistake in the sand section dropped him to third at the finish. With a good gate pick he got a mid-pack start in the main event, but quickly made his way into the top-five. Millsaps was sitting in a good position with plenty of laps left until a small mistake put him off the track. He remounted but made another mistake that put him at the back of the field. From there he chipped away to make up as much ground as he could and was credited 19th at the checkered flag.

"It's not what we wanted," said Millsaps. "But we finished and there's nowhere to go but up from here. The opening laps of the main were the best I've felt on the bike and I can't wait to race a full main event feeling that way."

Expectations

[caption id="attachment_35362" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

Hansen had high expectation going into Anaheim 1 and got out front early in his heat race. He finished second in his heat and took that momentum into the main event. He ran in a podium position early until coming together with another rider and finished in ninth place. While Bowers and Hansen made their return to Supercross, Chris Alldredge was making his debut. Alldredge posted the 15th fastest time in practice, but misfortune found him in his heat race and the LCQ, ending his night prematurely.

Top Honors

[caption id="attachment_35376" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

Chad Reed on his Discount Tire/TwoTwo Motorsports KX450F was the top Kawasaki all day in Anaheim. Reed had a fairly quiet day as he qualified ninth and finished fourth in his heat race. As he lined up for the main event, he was ready to bring up the intensity but got shuffled back around the first turn. He moved forward throughout the 20 laps and finished 10th.

Rings and Things

[caption id="attachment_35358" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

In addition to their usual position standing on the podium after races, Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto and Bowers were both honored on the podium and presented with their four-time championship rings in Supercross and Arenacross, respectively. Mitch Payton was also honored with the Mickey Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award.

After the Dust Settles

[caption id="attachment_35360" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Kawasaki Racing[/caption]

With the hype and excitement of the season opener out of the way, Monster Energy Supercross moves on to Phoenix at Chase Field this Saturday. Millsaps will be looking to return to the podium as Alldredge looks to take the spot on the gate that he belongs.

Source: Kawasaki Racing

Ryan Dungey Finishes 4th At Anaheim 1 Supercross Season Opener

[caption id="attachment_35378" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Ryan Dungey earned 4th overall at the opening round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series, an FIM World Championship held at Angels Stadium in front of a packed crowd.

Ryan Dungey started the day off well with a 5th place start in his 450SX class heat race. He quickly passed Mike Alessi for 4th place. Two laps later he moved past Justin Barcia to take 3rd place where he finished the race for a transfer spot in the main event.

His Red Bull KTM teammate, Dean Wilson, did not have as strong of a finish in his heat race and had to move on to the semi. He missed a transfer spot in the semi race as well and went to the LCQ. In the LCQ, he nailed the holeshot and led all laps to take an easy win and secure a spot in the main event.

[caption id="attachment_35373" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo: Simon Cudby[/caption]

When the gate dropped for the main event, BTO Sports KTM rider Andrew Short, earned the holeshot. Dungey was sitting in 6th place while Wilson was 17th. Dungey stayed close to the top five and passed into 5th on the first lap. With a few laps to go, Dungey began to challenge Short for the 4th place position and was able to secure the spot. Once in 4th, he maintained his pace and held that spot to the finish. Wilson struggled at this event and ended up 15th at the end of the race.

"I would have liked to be on the podium tonight," stated Dungey. "I am happy to be in the top five. It is definitely not the worst place to start the year but I have some work to do to improve my position for the next race."

Next Round: January 10, 2015 - Phoenix, AZ

Source: KTM North America

Blake Baggett Strong In 450 Anaheim SX Debut

[caption id="attachment_35375" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo: Team Suzuki[/caption]

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's Blake Baggett got stronger as the Main Event progressed in Saturday evening's season-opening round of the 2015 AMA/ FIM World Supercross Series at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Although Baggett got off to a slow start, he rallied and steadily passed a half-dozen riders on his way to scoring a respectable 12th-place finish in his premier class debut aboard his No. 4 Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450.

"My first 450 Main event went good," said Baggett, who placed second among the high-profile 2015 rookie class that also included Jason Anderson, Cole Seely and Dean Wilson. "I didn't get the greatest start, but I just poked away and learned a lot from it. I'm definitely happy with my finish tonight and I'm just going to build on that from here on in. I've got to give it up to the whole Yoshimura Suzuki team for having my back and we'll just keep clawing our way up until we reach the podium."

[caption id="attachment_35374" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo: Team Suzuki[/caption]

Baggett's goal in the highly-anticipated Anaheim season opener was to simply get through his first 450 Supercross weekend with as little drama as possible and he met that goal, riding clean and steady all night. He ran 12th in timed qualifying, just 1.6 seconds off the fastest time of the session.

"Practice went pretty good," Baggett explained. "I was just getting my feet wet on the new bike and getting a little bit more comfortable on it. The Anaheim track is definitely different from the test tracks. Each session we learned a little bit more and made some settings changes. It got pretty cold by the time the Main Event came around and my main goal was to keep it steady."

Baggett made a conservative start and ran 18th on the first lap before finding his rhythm and moving forward the rest of the race to end up 12th, just behind a torrid battle between veterans Chad Reed and Jake Weimer.

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's next event is the second round of the 2015 AMA/ FIM World Supercross Championship this coming Saturday, January 10th, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

Source: Team Suzuki

Anaheim 1 Overview And Point Standings

2015 AMA Supercross Anaheim 1 Image Gallery

Overall Results - Supercross Class

Rider Point Standings - Supercross Class

Statistics

• Race Time: 18:39.706
  
• Margin of Victory: 04.199
  
• Winner's Avg. Laptime: 55.985
  
• 2nd Place Avg. Laptime: 56.195
  
• Best Qualifier: #3 - Eli Tomac
  
• Holeshot: #800 - Mike Alessi
  

1. Ken Roczen - 25
   
2. Jason Anderson - 22
   
3. Trey Canard - 20
   
4. Ryan Dungey - 18
   
5. Andrew Short - 16
   
6. Justin Barcia - 15
   
7. Weston Peick - 14
   
8. Broc Tickle - 13
   
9. Mike Alessi - 12
   
10. Chad Reed - 11
    

Manufacturer Point Standings - Supercross Class

1. Suzuki - 25
   
2. Husqvarna - 22
   
3. Honda - 20
   
4. KTM - 18
   
5. Yamaha - 15
   
6. Kawasaki - 11
   

Overall Results - Supercross Lites West Class

Rider Point Standings - Supercross Lites West Class

Statistics

• Race Time: 14:02.690
  
• Margin of Victory: 06.450
  
• Winner's Avg. Laptime: 56.179
  
• 2nd Place Avg. Laptime: 56.609
  
• Best Qualifier: #911 - Tyler Bowers
  
• Holeshot: #28 - Jessy Nelson
  

1. Jessy Nelson - 25
   
2. Zach Osborne - 22
   
3. Tyler Bowers - 20
   
4. Justin Hill - 18
   
5. Aaron Plessinger - 16
   
6. Shane Mcelrath - 15
   
7. Cooper Webb - 14
   
8. Alex Martin - 13
   
9. Joshua Hansen - 12
   
10. Michael Leib - 11
    

Manufacturer Point Standings - Supercross Lites Class

1. KTM - 25
   
2. Husqvarna - 22
   
3. Kawasaki - 20
   
4. Yamaha - 16
   
5. Honda - 11