10 Things to Watch For at Seattle
Friday, April 15, 2011 | 3:15 PM
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10. Wild, Wild, West: The West Lites returns with Josh Hansen holding a small lead of just three points over his teammate Broc Tickle, and Eli Tomac just nine points further back in third. But all three are coming off of injuries—Hansen broke his hand, Tickle his collarbone, and Tomac knocked himself out in a practice crash. In other words, this is a race just to get back to the track as much as a race on the track.
9. The Weather: Sorry Seattle fans, but we have to bring this up—especially after the forecast starting last Saturday called for eight-straight days of rain. But the Pacific Northwest faithful said the weather never stays the same for long up there, and indeed, now the forecast shows a few clouds, sun, and no rain on Saturday. If the track is in reasonable condition today, it will be okay tomorrow. Well, except for the ruts.
Hansen and the rest of the West Lites class returns this weekend.
Photo: Simon Cudby
8. Ruts: Seattle fans will also tell you that it doesn’t actually rain for this race every year—and indeed, the mud-race record at the open air Qwest Field is only about 50/50. However, even in a dry year, the track is still treacherous. Last year’s event featured all the aspects of a mudder except for the actual mud, with deep ruts snagging bikes and bringing out the very best in technical skills. Tickle and Kevin Windham thrived in these conditions. For anyone to do that this year, they’ll have to get into a different mindset, because a super-rutted Seattle track is unlike anything we’ve seen so far this year.
7. Must Wins for Stewart: This may be the first time in SX history that a rider ranked fourth in the series with three rounds remaining still has a decent shot at the championship. Stewart is down 16, but with the way the points have swung dramatically every weekend this year, 16 isn’t as big of a gap as it normally is. But Stewart has to do his part and win, win, win over the next three races. In some years, that wouldn’t seem like a tough request for Bubba. But this year? Who knows?
6. Can Ryan Morais Win? Three riders may be battling for the title, but spoilers are in the mix looking for race wins. Ken Roczen won’t be back on the tour until next weekend (he’s splitting time between Europe and the U.S.) but Cole Seely already has a win this season and could easily go get another one on Saturday night. Martin Davalos is always fast. And what about the class veteran, Ryan Morias? He started the year off injured and didn’t have his A game in January. He’s rested and ready for this one. Career win number 1?
Stewart is in a must-win situation.
Photo: Garth Milan
5. Reed in Turn One: Chad Reed must love the dirt in Seattle, because he’s gone down for a good look at it too many times throughout his career. First-turn crashes here in ’05, ’07 and ’09 effectively or mathematically eliminated him from title contention. If San Diego is the magic land for Reed, Seattle is the opposite. But he needs to pull through more than ever this time.
4. Week Off: --There is a week off after Seattle. This is normally seen as a much-needed reset, but the intensity of this title chase will surely make for a stressful weekend off, anyway. And outdoor testing needs to get done, which only makes things more nerve-wracking considering what happened to Trey Canard this week. After 15 straight races of “there’s always next week” to pick up spirits on a bad night, it won’t be the same after this one.
3. The Canard (or lack thereof) Factory: So Trey Canard is out—huge bummer for him, his team, his family and his fans. Hopefully we’ll see him back outdoors, but he’s no longer a factor in supercross. Or is he? Canard possessed the ability to get in the mix and steal points from anyone. Now that he’s not there, someone is going to benefit and someone is going to gain.
Tough break for Canard this week, who will be there to take advantage?
Photo: Garth Milan
2. The Drive: Ryan Dungey was a ridiculous 38 points down on the lead after Anaheim 2. He’s marched all the way back to just five down with three to go. Although he’s not saying it, it sure seems like Dungey has hatched a calculated plan to finish consistently while everyone else races for the moment and takes risks to win it all. And if that is his plan, he could make up more points this weekend. And he still won’t tell us if that’s his plan.
1. The Homeboy: Ryan Villopoto is always going to get a boost at his home race. And it worked when he won his first SX Class race in 2009. But this season, he’s going for the title and leading the series by a slim margin. Qwest Field is architecturally engineered to be the loudest open-air stadium in the NFL. RV needs a win, and if he gets it in front of the home fans, they will (figuratively) blow the roof off of the place.
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Lets go #7. IT AINT OVER!!
To bad we lost Trey ..but the races will be great ! Go Dungey
Ka-Chow!
"Someone is going to benefit and someone is going to gain."
English language fail.
stewart will be unstoppable this weekend, bank it.
if james wins out and chad gets seconds and poto gets 3rds, the points will end as follows
1. Villopoto 335
2. JS 334
3. Reed 333
you cant ask for a better ending to this season
Too bad for TC41......all the best for a speedy recovery!!!!!!! I will be interested to watch Stewie7 and his Yamaha. As stiff as he keeps his front end, it could be detrimental in a severly rutted track. The inability of his forks to compress will place a high premium on his strength, talent and natural ability for him to muscle his bike through these deep rutted turns.......CR22 and RD1 had best get holeshots, or at least in the top 2 or 3 as the man in the lead wiill be able to block all other comers, at least mid to late in the main.......
I am a RD1 fan, but know that RV2 will be hard to beat, and that RV2 will lose only if he beats himself, BUT, this has been a great, bizarre, unique supercross series and we all know that ANYTHING can happen!!!!!!!!!!!
Just as good as the indoors is.......I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE OUTDOORS, as it is true motocross and not the "built and designed" indoor stuff.
WoooooHoooooo, this is fun, and exciting, to watch.
Go Ryan Go, GREEN all the way.... To the top that is......................
ANYONE BUT REED!!!! ANYONE BUT REED!!! ANYONE BUT REED!!!
I think JS is Hurt the most by TC not being there because he needs bodies between him and the others. As for Reed, Rv and RD I can see it both ways, if you holeshot you wish TC was there but if you get a bad start your glad he is not there. I will be up till 2am to see this go down... The week off might kill me!!!
Honda has a golden opportunity to put Pourcel on a CR-F for these final three SX's and line him up for MX since Grant and now Canard are going to miss most / all of the outdoors.
Wonder if they can make it happen?
He could run "interference" for #22! How 'bout that ANYONE BUT REED!?!?!
I'm amazed the title run has gone this far w/o somebody dropping out and very bummed it had to be Canard, as if he hasn't been hurt enough.
Carlsbad From what they say TC won't miss to many nats. Also I think it would be a BAD move for Pourcel to jump into this now, Why risk getting hurt before the nats start?? Pourcel will be on a PC Kaw for the nats anyway I think.
313's post above peaked my interest so...here goes:
Fun with numbers...
If JS7 wins the last 3 (75 pts); RD1 takes second in the last 3 (66 pts) and RV2 get third in the last 3 (60 pts) the points will be:
RD1 - 336
RV2 - 335
JS7 - 334
If JS7 wins the last 3 (75 pts); CR22 takes second in the last 3 (66 pts) and RV2 get third in the last 3 (60 pts) the points will be:
RV2 - 335
JS7 - 334
CR22 - 333
So if RV2 can finish in 3rd place in the next three (and let Banzai7 have the wins) he can take the championship...
AS LONG AS... ...RD1 doesn't win and CR22 gets on the podium in second at least once...
What a season!
Of course there are a myriad of other scenarios...just some fun with numbers...
Pourcel will be on a PC Honda, not Kawi, for outdoors. Shame for the comp that Canard got hurt - the excitement of 5 guys capable of winning is great for the sport.
I think it's time for RV2 to take top spot again...
Ya ...for sure!
Honda needs to pickup Ryan Sipes for this weeks race. I think he would surprise us all.
THE LAST THREE RACES ARE GOING TO BE EPIC!!! I WOULD LOVE TO SEE REED TAKE THIS SERIES AND THE MOMENTUM IN TO THE OUTDOOR SERIES! I AGREE WITH @KIWImxer... POURCEL WILL BE ON A HONDA FOR OUTDOORS
no No NO! The real thing to watch for is if the San Manuel team will sandwich RV2 between JS7 and KR30 again to screw up his start.
Yes this season is just a barnburner I feel so bad for Trey, we know he wanted it also. Ok I have to stay up till 1am to find out the finish goody. Good luck to all of the guys racing and be safe. Realy being safe racing is an oxymoron lol. LETS RACE!
Yeah BillC, I just wanted Trey (and everybody else) to go un-injured for a full season (which nowadays is an impossibility / improbability) and be in the hunt for another title. You're right about Pourcel & SX, it's not long-term smart but, I want to see the guy on the track, any track. This is the first I'm hearing of Pourcel affiliated to anything so, I say, Kawie / Honda, whatever, get him out there!
@Carlsbad
True that!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If Stewie stays away from the yard sales, he will win again.
Reed all the way! Go 22!
The number one thing to watch:
LIVE ON SPEED CHANNEL
Yeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
go 22
i say CP377 on a PC backed Kawi to inspire there 450 program someday we can hope(he has deep loyalty to PC i would think after everyone bailed on his requests, PC/mitch stood behind him) and reed n canard on a factory honda.they should drop josh from a business point he is too up n down. very good rider just not there every weekend like a factory rider should be.if reed goes factory he will hire a rider or two to ride for his two two motorsport. that just a guess but it would be a cool scenerio.
thank God for speed live coverage!!!!! Reed wins in a rutted out track...
take heed
reed just needs a little more speed to keep the lead and do the deed
Now way Reed wins a race unless RD and JS both fall. Interesting how the fear of JS has gone since Reeds 'move' on him, and just wait till Bam Bam gets to the bigs....JS better be practicing starts cuz BAM BAM don't respect nobody :)
Bet some trick Honda bits start arriving on Chad's doorstep now that TC41 is out.
k dub is gonna take canards place in the top 5. he's been just off the pace the last few rounds but he's been fast at these events in years past. come on 14 get in the mix, i still believe!!!
has everybody counted out rv2.....you people are fools
cptintensity not to bash K-Dub but he is way off the pase and will only get top 3 if its muddy and guys have trouble IMO.
tgq25, NOT me. I picked RV back in October!!
ive been an rv fan since he was an amueter
LETS GO DUNGEY.......
It would be nice to see Barcia on Big Red
Let see the top 3 in points race without #7 over his head riding taking one of the top 3 out.. #7 can crash alone... Go Kdub...