The List: 10 Positives from Anaheim
Thursday, January 12, 2012 | 12:00 PM
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Everyone enters Monster Energy Supercross round one with high hopes, but not everyone has a great night. We uncovered ten riders that had to be happy when the night was over.
10. Zach Osborne: The Virginia native hasn't raced supercross in years, but he was third fastest in Lites qualifying and overcame a bad start to finish ninth in the main.
9. Billy Laninovich: Out of retirement completely, Billy gets a spot in the Lites main, as well.
8. Jackson Richardson: This kid is from Australia and qualified for Lites main in his first attempt. That’s pretty much all we know about the guy!
Mike Alessi was strong at the season opener in Anaheim.
Photo: Simon Cudby
7. Marvin Musquin: In the first timed AMA SX qualifying session of his career, the Marv attack recorded the fastest time. Pretty good way to start!
6. Mike Alessi: Mike had his usual good starts and seemed to stay in the hunt a little better than he did early last year.
5. Ivan Tedesco: Hot Sauce definitely showed some speed.4. Tyla Rattray: Admit it, if he wasn’t on a Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki, you wouldn’t have been talking about this guy at all. Outdoor specialist? Maybe not, because Tyla was in contention for wins in his heat and the main, and finished a solid second.
3. Cole Seely: This one really shouldn’t have come as a surprise, as the Lucas Oil/TLD Honda rider won two races last year and finished fourth in points. Nonetheless, when the gate dropped, most people were looking at guys like Eli Tomac, Wil Hahn and Dean Wilson for the W, not Seely. With this performance, however, the only future surprise will be if he doesn’t win any more races this year.
A late crash would cost Tedesco a top ten finish.
Photo: Simon Cudby
2. Ryan Dungey: He gets KTM’s first podium in AMA Supercross in his first shot at it. He was second at the Monster Energy Cup, too, but this was the real deal, and Dungey found himself in the same battles he used to be in on his Suzukis.
1. Ryan Villopoto: It was expected to be close. It wasn't. What more is there to say?
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I would add Reed to the list. Once again, it feels like people are looking past him. He looks plenty motivated to me. Also, his comment to Stewart at the press conference (I'm surprised they sat you next to me) was vintage Reed.
Dont quite understand #4. Tyla was well known way before he went to PC.
How can you say Alessi is a positive? The dude took out Tedesco and went backwards as usual!!!! That is NOT a positive.
totally agree Skratchy. Reed is a notorious slow starter. Reed will be fine aslong as he is able to continue getting good starts. He just seems to take his time comeing through the field when he gets bad starts. That being said he repeadetly said his bike was not setup for that type of track and not the type of track they trained for in the offseason. He also mentioned that the setup they did finally come up with was a "shot in the dark" so 2nd place is not too bad for a track that was not of anyone's likeing for that matter. Go Reedy
should have put reed on the list instead of alessi. he WiLL be there all season, alessi just goes backwards
Alessi stayed up front longer because the track was cheeseball,....and that is the point alot of folks who didt like the track are trying to make I think.....it takes longer to get around guys like alessi because the track was too easy and not technical...all these guys can hold each other off on a track like that...usually Alessi would be in 12th place after getting a holeshot by the 3rd lap....Lets see how he does at PHX
I was impressed with Shorty at A1....He simply looks more at home on the CRF450 and he was right where he left off from 2010....2011 was a throw-away for Shorty....
Reed a notorius slow starter? Based off last year sure... But he does quite well from the start of season to end in years past....2009 he and Bubba tangled and he still got 2nd i beleive......2010 he had bike issues and DNF...and last year he was slow at the start....but before 2009 he either won or was 2nd/3rd....thats not a slow starter really..
As for the Dunge, he MUST thank Rodger. We've seen the vids with Rodger working a lathe/mill to get the part he wants. For Rodger to have that much pull and get KTM to make a bike to HIS spec is what I call some serious muscle!
That would never happen with the big four Jap companies. They would need meeting upon meeting to set up the meeting to discuss a mid season model !
Seeing Josh Hill back in action was a positive... obviously getting caught up in that crash wasn't. Let's hope it wasn't anything too serious, and he's back in action soon!
Just now read the news about Josh's leg... bummer :(
"Dungey found himself in the same battles he used to be in on his Suzukis"...Yes but I never heard if RD hated the track. So was it the fact that RD was going good or the fact that Reed and JS were not?? Maybe we will find out this weekend if RD is going good.
Killomoto I don't know about Short. He did just as well last year at round 1. In 2010 he was running 3rd thru 5th and i don't see that happening this year.
yah i just meant Reed was slow to come through the pack. He's not like a carmichael who can't stand to have anyone in front of him for more then a few seconds. He's too calculated sometimes and this causes him to lose time if one of the bigs gets out front first....just seems like it takes him a few laps to get into rythem again but by then the others are gone. thats why i think he will be fine if he can continue to get good starts........anyway love this sport!
just hope Reed doesn't wait till his Home track (san diego) to get his first win this year !...........well by his record there you would think that was his home track !
Good point Bill C.... I dont think Reed or Stewart were 100% for whatever reason....Dungey looked to be pushing it a little when battling with James as he was coming up short and making little mistakes.... If James was able to easily pass Dungey in the Heat race and in the main, all while not being "james"....then Phoenix will hopefully answer those questions.....All I saw was RV and Reed up front and RV disafukinpear within two laps....Dungey was back in 3rd and James was doing what he could to get to 4th....I said it before, I think James made more passes than anyone else on the track.....It was hard to pass for sure, every rider said so, but James still managed....catching 1, 5 and 22 when they are +10 from the 2nd lap isnt easy
the new sheriff leaned back layed his fully loaded big A8s pistol on the table and took a nap.........RV1 G O N E........
The BAD THINGS LIST. ie; ridiculous new pit access route having to exit the stadium completely(theres 20-25 minutes), then be cow-herded in and forced to take a 1/2 mile route through the parking lot(another 15 minute wait, then force fed forced through vendors row so tightly you could barely walk without bumping into someone. **But you media/credential guys get to bypass those routes and the crowded entrances/exits we "regular folks" have to endure. Scanning and re-scanning of tickets (even for the pits), stupid pit pass takers (should just be part of your ticket intead of them having to collect wasted paper and wasting time). Stadium sells beer at $13 bucks a pop(maybe understandable for the "Tread Head" sections crowd) to limit the consumption. The lame ass introduction ceremonies. When is SX going to become professional in it's opening presentation. The people "in the know" of the sport can't stand all this over the top BS. I haven't met anyone that likes it. Even people I've introduced to the sport say it's so lame, but they like the racing. Let's separate this show from the "Monster Truck" show and Freestyle shows. Less fireworks and explosions....we're not 10 years old (at least most of us). And the guy that introduces the "Top Riders".....do I even need to comment. DMXS guys should do the floor announcing. They would add some humor and insight since they know all these guys.
My fingers are tired from all this typing...getting "ARM PUMP".
mxpilot514. I learned a couple years ago to watch A1 on tv then go to San Diego and then maybe hit up what used to be A3. Now is A2. San Diego just seems a bit more kicked back. And you dont have to worry so much about getting a fat ticket in the parking lot for having a freakin beer or two.
That being said.. Have fun at A2. You'll be back. Ahahahah...
I don't know if Reed was a surprise or not. It was for me, but that's because I always underestimate him. The guy has guts, speed and smarts. I expect that he will be in it to win it this year, waiting for RV to make some mistakes. JBS was the biggest surprise to me, because he showed up NOT ready to race 20 hard laps. He's always been fit in the past, but now that he's getting older (hah!) - he may actually have to work at it. In any case, seeing him fight the bike after lap 8 was surprising to me. I've never seen him do that before A1. Should be a great race this week.
@mxpilot: hey, did you see B-Val's #90, crazy mom go off on the ticket takers at A1??? The nutcase went Brazilnut all over the place. People were turning heads and staring! It was wild! Nothing new for her.
Reed getting a podium is a surprise? Really?
@tzmm it's Roger not Rodger.I misspell stuff all the time but no one should never ever missspell Roger DeCoster's name.Just saying!
Alessi stayed in the mix "little bit longer" than last year but Tedesco showed "SERIOUS SPEED"
WHAT?
Alessi chased down Tedesco and passed him.
brayton and weimer were goin good.... i told all yall going in that rv1 was going to be walkin around the pits like the body guard from the movie the bodie guard..... kawasaki invested into villapoto and dropped stewart,,, four motos tedesco did show some speed for sure,,, nick weys and tommy hahns dog fight in the lcq!!! epic!!