Ken Roczen and Cooper Webb became the first repeat winners at Anaheim II, while Chad Reed pays a harsh penalty for an on-track incident.
It took the Carey Hart and Ricky Carmichael-owned RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki team eight years to land its first Monster Energy AMA Supercross win, but it only took two weeks for the team to make a return trip to the top of the podium.
Last night at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki’s Ken Roczen returned to the scene of his first win with his new team and put a second one on the books. Roczen, who has finished no worse than second place so far, was able to distance himself from Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac early in the main event to claim his fourth career Monster Energy AMA Supercross win.
But the 450cc main event was beset by controversy after two-time AMA Supercross Champion Chad Reed was disqualified from the race for allegedly retaliating against Team Honda’s Trey Canard after the two tangled while battling for position.
In AMA 250cc West Supercross Series action, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb became the season’s first back-to-back winner when he came from behind and put an aggressive pass on series tough guy Tyler Bowers to claim his second career 250cc supercross win just one weekend after winning at round two in Phoenix. Bowers was second, followed by Red Bull KTM’s Justin Hill.
450cc Main
Jimmy Albertson barely outran BTO Sports KTM’s Andrew Short to claim the holeshot in the 20-lap 450cc main, but Short quickly took the lead in the first rhythm section while Albertson bobbled and went off the track, leaving Short to fend off Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Davi Millsaps, Roczen and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson.
Roczen wasted no time getting to the front, as he flew past Millsaps over the finish line jump to run second at the start of lap two and then overtook Short on the left-hander right in front of the mechanics area. The order changed behind Roczen just as quickly when Short came up, well, short over a jump and crashed hard, collecting Anderson in the process. Anderson was able to remount and continue, but Short was down and out of the race.
That put Millsaps into second and Reed third, with Dungey fourth in front of Team Honda’s Cole Seely. Dungey would get in-between Millsaps and Reed on lap four, and the KTM rider was able to cut inside Millsaps as they went through the tunnel of the over/under jump to take over second place.
Then the Honda boys got rolling, with GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac and Team Honda’s Trey Canard moving into fourth and fifth place respectively, behind Reed. Tomac used the split section to make pass Reed for third place on lap seven. Canard began to battle with Reed a lap later, and that’s when the controversy erupted.
Canard landed on the back of Reed over a jump, causing both riders to crash. Both of them were back under way quickly, but Reed was clearly angry with Canard, and he appeared to intentionally run Canard off the track and into the Tuff Blox, causing Canard to crash again, on the very next straightaway. Race officials then black-flagged Reed, citing aggressive retaliation as the reason for the disqualification.
The top five positions were set by the halfway point in the race, with Roczen 3.8 seconds ahead of Dungey, while Tomac ran third ahead of Toyota/JGR Yamaha’s Justin Barcia and RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki’s Broc Tickle. Seely, Anderson, Millsaps, Red Bull KTM’s Dean Wilson and Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Baggett completing the top 10.
“We get good starts when we need to,” Roczen said. “Man, it was a great main event. I felt awesome out there. I just kept it steady. Ryan [Dungey] was right behind me, so it was a great race.”
Dungey was encouraged by his runner-up finish.
“I think we are getting better every week,” Dungey said. “You hate to start out slow, but we keep building, one better, every weekend. I was really pushing for that win. I saw him in the distance, and I kind of closed that gap down about half way. That first lap was chaos, so I’m glad I got through that, made some good passes. It was good racetrack tonight. I gave it my all, and that’s all I could ask.”
Considering that Tomac had to transfer into the main event via a semi, he was pleased with his third-place run in the main.
“To get third here, and to not completely not wreck myself for points and for how the night was going, I’m somewhat satisfied.
Roczen’s second win of the season has given him a 12-point lead over Dungey, 72-60, in the series standings. Anderson is still third, with 51 points
250cc Main
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne was quickest off the gate to start the 15-lap main event, leading Anaheim I winner and Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull KTM rider Jessy Nelson and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Chris Alldredge, GEICO Honda’s Malcolm Stewart and Red Bull KTM’s Justin Hill. Nelson took the lead away from Osborne just past the finish line jump to start lap three.
Webb was stuck back in 12th-place, on the opening lap, but he began chewing his way through the field, and he was up to sixth place, 10.1 seconds behind Nelson by the time the race was five laps old.
Nelson had amassed a 5.6-second lead over Monster Energy Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyler Bowers and Hill, who had worked their way into second and third respectively, but that quickly became first and second when Nelson came up short on the over/under jump and crashed off the track on lap 7. Nelson would remount in sixth place.
Meanwhile, Webb was clicking off fast laps, and he passed Osborne for third place on lap eight. It was clear that he was fast enough to catch the leaders, and he did just that, challenging Hill for second place with six laps to go, taking over second place before the whoops. It all came down the final lap, as Webb reeled-in Bowers and punted him into the Tuff Blox in the right-hand corner at home plate. Bowers went down, but he was able to remount and finish in second place, with Hill third.
“I kept going for those last couple laps,” Webb said. “I was like, ‘Man, five laps. We can rest tomorrow.’ I knew that was going to have to be my spot if I was close enough. I’m pretty sure that was the fastest I’ve ever hit whoops before. It’s cool. He [Bowers], and I train together, and it’s cool that we can race each other like that and still be cool off the track. It was a killer ride for both of us, but I’m just pumped.”
Bowers didn’t seem to be bothered by Webb’s tactics.
“I would’ve done the same thing, except I probably wouldn’t have been as nice,” Bowers said. “It was a good race, and the bottom line that once I got into lead, I just rode, like, horrible. I was rippin’, I got into the lead and I rode like a little girl. I made a lot of mistakes. Bottom line is he shouldn’t have been that close to me, and it was my own fault.”
Hill, who has been battling illness, was happy to make his first podium visit of the season.
“It has been a little bit of a tough go-round for me,” Hill said. “I’m excited to bounce back and have this podium to build on. I definitely wanted to win that race. I always want to win, and I have a hunger for that win, and I’m pretty bummed I couldn’t come away with it. We did what we could tonight.”
Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series
Angel Stadium
Anaheim, California
Results: January 17, 2015 (Round 3 of 17)
1. Ken Roczen-Suz
2. Ryan Dungey-KTM
3. Eli Tomac-Hon
4. Justin Barcia-Yam
5. Broc Tickle-Suz
6. Cole Seely-Hon
7. Jason Anderson-Hus
8. Dean Wilson-KTM
9. Davi Millsaps-Kaw
10. Blake Baggett-Suz
11. Trey Canard-Hon
12. Brett Metcalfe-Suz
13. Kyle Chisholm-KTM
14. Nick Wey-Kaw
15. Ben Lamay-Yam
16. Jimmy Albertson-Yam
17. Jake Weimer-Kaw
18. Cade Clason-Hon
19. Mike Alessi-Suz
20. Josh Grant-Kaw
21. Andrew Short-KTM
22. Chad Reed-Kaw
Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series Point Standings (After 3 of 17 rounds)
1. Ken Roczen-72/2 wins
2. Ryan Dungey-60
3. Jason Anderson-51
4. Eli Tomac-46/1 win
5. Trey Canard-43
Justin Barcia-43
7. Broc Tickle-38
8. Weston Peick-32
9. Andrew Short-31
10. Davi Millsaps-30
11. Cole Seely-29
12. Blake Baggett-29
13. Jake Weimer-26
14. Dean Wlson-23
15. Chad Reed-22
16. Brett Metcalfe-18
17. Mike Alessi-17
18. Justin Brayton-14
19. Kyle Chisholm-8
20. Nick Wey-7
250cc Main
1. Cooper Webb-Yam
2. Tyler Bowers-Kaw
3. Justin Hill-KTM
4. Zach Osborne-Hus
5. Malcolm Stewart-Hon
6. Jessy Nelson-Hon
7. Josh Hansen-Kaw
8. Alex Martin-Yam
9. Tommy Hahn-Hon
10. Shane Mcelrath-KTM
11. Jackson Richardson-Hon
12. Zack Freeberg-Yam
13. Aaron Plessinger-Yam
14. Astin Politelli-Yam
15. Landen Powell-KTM
16. Michael Leib-Hon
17. Cole Martinez-Yam
18. Scott Champion-Yam
19. Zach Bell-Hus
20. Johnny Jelderda-Hon
21. Ryan Breece-Yam
22. Chris Alldredge-Kaw
AMA 250cc West Supercross Series Point Standings (After 3 of 8 rounds)
1. Cooper Webb-64/2 wins
2. Jessy Nelson-60/1 win
3. Tyler Bowers-60
4. Zach Osborne-54
5. Justin Hill-53
6. Aaron Pleesinger-40
7. Malcolm Stewart-39
Shane Mcelrath-30
9. Josh Hansen-34
10. Tommy Hahn-30
11. Alex Martin-27
12. Michael Leib-25
13. Zach Bell-24
14. Matt Bisceglia-18
15. Scott Champion-17
16. Zack Freeberg-15
17. Jackson Richardson-13
18. Cole Martinez-12
Austin Politelli-12
20. Landen Powell
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