Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
Words and Photos by Krystyn Slack
The 2018 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship Season kicked off with a bang Saturday, night in Anaheim in front of a sold out crowd at Angel Stadium. Multi-time Monster Energy Supercross champion, Ryan Dungey, retired after the 2017 season, Ken Roczen makes his long-awaited return to racing, and Chad Reed is the only former champion lining up on the gate this year. Anaheim 1 is always a highly anticipated event, but this year the stakes are even higher as the playing field has been left wide open. The first race of the season is one where anything can, and usually does happen and this year was no exception. Riders often say, “you can’t win a championship in Anaheim, but you can lose one”. Sure, the series is a long one, at 17 races long for the 450 riders, but a bad race at Anaheim could leave you crawling your way out of a points deficit for the rest of the season. Here’s a look at the Top 5 most talked about moments from the opening round of the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross season opener.
Red Bull TLD KTM rider Shane McElrath rode smooth and took home the first main event of the 2018 season.
5. Shane McElrath Captures his Second Anaheim 1 win in a row. Hard to believe that only a year ago, the #28 of Shane McElrath was seeking out his career-first Monster Energy Supercross win. While McElrath has seen success in the past, even finishing the 2015 250SX West championship in 2nd place in the points standings, the top step of the box had remained elusive until 2017. Last year, Shane went from first time winner to championship contender. But would he be able to carry his success over into the new season? Our answer came Saturday night as he took a commanding win in his heat race, followed by the first 250SX West Main Event win of 2018. For the second year in a row, Shane McElrath took the checkers at Anaheim 1 – a great confidence booster going into the season.
Since August of last year, Marvin Musquin has been a winning machine.
4. Marvin Musquin wins 450SX Main Event. It is evident that Marvin Musquin has been able to really dial in his program over the course of 2017. As another rider who went from first-time 450 winner (in both Supercross and Motocross) to championship contender during the Outdoor season, Musquin is ready to prove that he has what it takes to hold down the fort as the lead guy under the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing tent. Marvin had a near perfect offseason, winning the “Monster Million” at the Monster Energy Cup, Red Bull Straight Rhythm, King of Paris at Paris-Bercy Supercross, and Geneva Supercross as well. But many would argue that great off-season racing does not a champion make. However, no one can deny that seat time in actual racing conditions is anything but advantageous. At Anaheim 1, Marvin raced a smart race and waited for the moment to capitalize on the missteps of his peers in order to emerge victorious. For the first time in his 450SX career, Marvin Musquin will carry the red plates as we head into Houston this weekend for Round 2 of Monster Energy Supercross.
Justin Barcia came into Anaheim as an underdog. However, he appears to really like his new Yamaha and he rode well to finish on the podium.
3. Justin Barcia Earns First Podium Since Ironman 2016. Two-time former 250SX champion, Justin Barcia, had been off the podium since the final round of the Pro Motocross series in 2016. He has had his fair share of struggles and injuries over the past few years and that left him in a pretty desolate place. After parting ways with JGR at the end of the 2017 Pro Motocross Championship Series, Justin “Bam Bam” Barcia showed up to race the 2017 Monster Energy Cup on a privateer Honda deal that he had put together when he was left without a ride. In the face of the unknown whether or not Barcia would even line up in 2018, he was offered the opportunity to fill in for the injured Davi Millsaps on the Monster Enerngy/Knich/Yamaha Factory Racing team for the first six races of 2018. The fill in opportunity proved to be a good choice for Barcia as he kicked off the season with a Heat Race win followed by a 3rd place finish in the Main Event and certainly riding more confidently than in previous years. It’s great to see the style and flow out of Barcia that so many fans have come to love.
After grabbing the holeshot in the main event, Eli Tomac appeared to have the Anaheim win in the bag. However, with victory in sight, Tomac made a massive mistake and crashed.
2. Eli Tomac Pulls off Track After Main Event Crash. Coming into the 2018 season, most people pegged Eli Tomac as the early championship contender – especially after winning an unprecedented 9 races during Monster Energy Supercross in 2017. Tomac is undoubtedly the fastest rider in the field and really had the bike dialed after his first win of 2017 during round 4 of Supercross. He went on to win the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Series – the first of his 450 career. But the one thing that has plagued Tomac since moving up to the premier class are simple mistakes that end up costing him a ton of points. Tomac started off the evening with a wicked holeshot that launched himself into an easy lead. He led 7 laps before the bad luck train came rolling through the station and a crash resulted in a shoulder contusion, broken pants, and having to pull off the track and cut his night short. He’s clawed his way up from the bottom, and he’ll do it again, but definitely not an ideal start to the season for the #3.
Ken Roczen completed yet another chapter in his storybook comeback by finishing in a very strong fourth overall in the Anaheim main event.
1. Ken Roczen Makes his Return To Racing. The story at the forefront of the 2018 season is none other than Ken Roczen’s return to racing. After suffering a devastating injury almost 12 months ago, the time has finally come for the world to witness Roczen’s first gate drop post-injury. Questions loomed, “Would his arm be strong enough? Could he last an entire Main Event? Is he ready?” None of us know exactly how his body is feeling, we have been able to see the physical work he’s put in and it’s nothing to scoff at. But what we don’t see is his heart. I truly believe that if anyone were going to successfully return to racing after such a devastating injury, it would be Ken Roczen. Physical work, dedication, and talent aside, it’s his heart for racing and his mindset that will allow him his triumphant return. The world watched and wondered on Saturday night, but they didn’t have to wonder for long. Roczen laid down the fastest qualifying time, followed by a 3rd place finish in his heat, and a 4th place finish in the Main Event. When the gate dropped Saturday night, Ken Roczen immediately silenced the naysayers and proved that he never really left. His injury may have been a setback, but don’t call his return a comeback. He now sits 4th in points as we head into Round 2 in Houston.
