Three weeks have produced three different winners in the 450 and 250 classes in Monster Energy Supercross competition and with the absence of some big names on the top step of the podium, Oakland might well produce another unique victor.
That is especially likely in 450s, where two of the three winners in 2019 have scored their first career wins. Blake Baggett ascended to the top for the first time In Glendale, Ariz. Last week, Cooper Webb grabbed his first win in the second Anaheim race. Even Justin Barcia in Round 1 had only two previous wins to his credit.
Take last year’s champions Jason Anderson out of the mix after a practice crash early in the week left him with a broken arm, cracked rib and lengthy recovery, and it’s anyone’s race to win. Anderson will be out for an estimated eight weeks as he recuperates.
The course this week will be made up of mostly doubles including one on which the riders will get major air before slamming into a hairpin that leads the whoops, another 180 and the finish line.
Ken Roczen keeps the red plate for the second week, but he’s still looking for his first win since his injury. Last week, it appeared he was on his way to a great event when he led 13 of 14 laps in the first Main of the Triple Crown only to be passed by Webb on the final lap. In the second and third Mains, he finished fifth and fourth to get an overall finish of fourth.
Colt Nichols also hangs onto his red plate for another week. His overall finish of third last week was just enough for a two-point advantage over the Anaheim II winner Shane McElrath.
During the week, Barcia was evaluated for a bruised tailbone after he took a hard landing and was helped from the track in the third Main at Anaheim II. He is expected to ride at Oakland.
Schedule:
Qualifying: 4 p.m. on NBC Sports, Gold
Race: Live, 9 p.m. on NBC Sports, Gold (Replay: Jan. 27, 3 p.m. on NBCSN)
Last Week:
Cooper Webb beat Marvin Musquin and Eli Tomac in the 450 class.
Shane McElrath beat Dylan Ferrandis and Colt Nichols in the 250 class.
Last year:
Jason Anderson beat Ken Roczen and Blake Baggett in the 450 class.
Aaron Plessinger beat Joey Savatgy and Justin Hill in the 250 class.
Winners
450s:
[1] Justin Barcia (Anaheim I)
[1] Blake Baggett (Glendale)
[1] Cooper Webb (Anaheim II)
250s:
[1] Colt Nichols (Anaheim I)
[1] Adam Cianciarulo (Glendale)
[1] Shane McElrath (Anaheim II)
Points Leaders
450s:
Ken Roczen (63)
Eli Tomac (61)
Cooper Webb (57)
Justin Barcia (56)
Marvin Musquin (56)
250s:
Colt Nichols (70)
Shane McElrath (68)
Dylan Ferrandis (63)
Adam Cianciarulo (62)
RJ Hampshire (57)