10 Things to Watch for: Los Angeles
Friday, January 20, 2012 | 1:10 PM
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PrintAuthors: Aaron Hansel and Chase Stallo
Hansen TimeWith a history of flaming out in the supercross class, many people were wondering whether or not the Dodge Motorsports/Hart and Huntington team made the right decision when they picked up Hansen for the 2012 season. With two tenth-place finishes so far, Hansen has performed right down the middle, which is pretty solid for the early season against very stiff competition. Both results have come after lousy starts, and if Hansen can get off the line better tomorrow night, his results should improve substantially.
Rejoining the Ranks
Last week Canard rejoined the racing ranks after breaking his collarbone in December. The result was a seventh place finish, which is certainly respectable, but not where a guy with Canard’s ability wants to be when healthy. When will Canard's confidence and health get back to the point where he can start fighting for race wins? We may find out this weekend in Los Angeles.
Can Wey Rebound?
The veteran has not started the season off with a bang, to say the least. Wey followed up his DNQ in Anaheim with a DNF in Phoenix when he was landed on by Jimmy Albertson. Regardless of his luck, Wey badly needs to earn a finish that starts with a number, not a letter. Can he rebound tomorrow night in Dodger Stadium?
Going for the W
We’ve seen Tomac set the fastest lap times two races in a row this year after bad starts have forced him to work his way through the pack. It’s obvious that Tomac has the speed to run at the front, but unless he can get his starts dialed in, he’s going to be fighting traffic while the frontrunners check out. Will Tomac get a good start and battle for the lead tomorrow night, or will he watch yet another victory evaporate as he battles through the pack?
Ryan Villopoto and Ryan Dungey already have race wins this year, but Chad Reed and James Stewart do not. Stewart is fact doesn't have a podium finish yet, and Reed also finished off the box in Phoenix. It's way to early to hit the panic button for either, but they'd also be thrilled to put a W on the board this weekend.
The Whoops
Contrary to what we have been hearing and seeing all week, it looks like we will be seeing whoops at Dodger Stadium this weekend. Check out a picture of the track below.
Contrary to what we have been hearing and seeing all week, it looks like we will be seeing whoops at Dodger Stadium this weekend. Check out a picture of the track below.
The Weather
It looks like we’re looking at a mudder this weekend in Los Angeles. According to weather.com there is a 70 percent chance of rain on Saturday, which could play right into the hands of mud specialist Kevin Windham. The bad weather could also bode well for Chad Reed, who won his first race in 2011 under dark skies in San Diego. Don’t be surprised if the murky conditions throw a wrench in the title plans of at least one contender this weekend.
Reverse the Curse
Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Martin Davalos has had a tough start to the 2012 season. After grabbing the early headlines at Anaheim by winning his heat race, he suffered a mechanical problem in the main leading to a nineteenth place finish. Troubles would continue in Phoenix. Once again he would jump out to the lead in his heat race, only this time he would wash out in a corner, leading to a spot in the LCQ. After dominating the LCQ, Davalos would suffer more bad luck in the main resulting in a twentieth place finish. Davalos has shown the speed to be a top five contender, but can he put it all together?
Can Davalos put the pieces of the puzzle together at L.A.?
Photo: Simon Cudby
A New Winner?
The opening two rounds of Monster Energy Supercross have produced a different winner in each class. The Ryans stole the show at Anaheim 1 and Phoenix, respectfully, while Cole Seely and Dean Wilson have taken wins in the Lites class. With bad weather on the horizon, and legitimate race winners stacked across the board, will L.A. produce yet another first time winner in 2012?
First Time for Everything
Current Lites points leader Tyla Rattray has yet to capture an SX win in his two brief seasons on the circuit, yet he will be wearing the red plate this weekend in L.A. As teammate Dean Wilson can attest to--Wilson did not win a outdoor race in 2011 until Unadilla, yet still took home the title--you don't have to win early, but you do need to win late. With a class full of potential race winners--Tomac, Wilson, Musquin, Osborne, Anderson, Wilson, Sipes, Davalos, etc--Rattray will need a race win before the season is over if he plans on taking home his first career SX title. Could L.A. be the weekend where Rattray strikes magic?
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A mudder will favor K- Dub, but its always a crap shoot.
I am back in the USA..was in Thailand.. and I get to watch racing this weekend!!!!!!!!! I kind of don't care who wins. I just want to see a race. Well, actually hoping it goes RD, CR, KW.
Indeed McMoto...Life is like a mud race....You never know what your going to get...I know that was cheesy, but its true......Hopefully its not too muddy...although its fun to watch, it often causes issues out of anyones control....
What, that "whoop" section containing 5 bumps???...A little wheelie out of the turn a-La A1 whoops and your done or just jump in and bounce out......I am sure someone will chew my head off for this one, but is Hanny getting two 10th place finishes that impressive, considering quite a few of the 15th - 20th place guys DNF'd or crashed ....Many folks were saying he'd be 5th, 6th, 7th......I dunno...just asking....
Hope Canard can keep it on 2 wheels this weekend......that 3rd base line tamed him last year pretty good at Dodger Stadium, he got up then but with that collarbone hanging by a thread i would hate to see that type of crash again...
5 whoops is a whoop section like a scooter is a motorcycle: better than nothing and rhymes with hay.
I hope its not a mud race.
Agree on the whoops...... not much of an obstacle to say the least! When it rains, does do crazy things for the points and K dub is indeed an awesome mud rider!
As for Davalos- dude is just lost and has more excuses than Josh Hansens one night ho's....
As for Hansen himself two 10's is not bad but realy cant see him with a podium, or even a top five in his future which is probably just fine with him so long as pro racing is paying his bills so he can man whore himself around the World.... ohh what a life!
Oh and my picks if it's a mudder..... (1) Reed, (2) Windham, (3) Dungey (4) RV.
If somehwat dry (1) RV, (2) Stewart, (3) Reed, (4) Dungey
you all have no brains,1st-stewart,2nd dungey,3rd reed. Duh!
If it rains my money is on Dungey. Remember Southwich 2011 2nd moto during a blizard /huricane. Nobody smother than Dungey.
@ motobk,, Can't really consider Southwick a track that gets muddy..
If it rains it can really shake things up. RV does not do well in the mud, he has said so himself. Stewart, you never know. Some mud races he has done well, and others he hasnt. I remember him struggling really bad in the mud in Milleville, but doing pretty well in a mud race at Anaheim, so who knows. Reed does well, so does K-Dub and Dungey. But a few years back at Salt Lake I think, Dungey struggled bad on a wet and snowy track. Lets just hope it isnt a mud fest, a little rain doesnt hurt, but not a mud-fest, it ruins a race.
Mr. motocross........Stewart will not win this weekend!
In the photo, his left shoulder says "SHIT".
"It's way to early to hit the panic button for either, but they'd also be thrilled to put a W on the board this weekend."
Should be "way too early". C'mon RacerX, you're better than that
Yeah, Stewarts got the win.
One thing I have learned over the past year is we really cant predict who is going to win....Few years ago it was fairly safe to go with either Reed or JS7, prior to that it was Reed, RC or JS7 and before that it was Mc or RC.....Now, I think its even harder to predict....so rather than predict, I am going to say what I would "like to see" happen.....Podium finish for JS7, whether it be 1, 2 or 3 will be good to see.....RV will be on the podium and I think we may see K-Dub up as well, depending on the weather....or like many of us, I could be upset and something else could happen
SURE WISH IT WAS LIVE ON SPEED!!!!
Red44........only thing I disagree with is the RV mud thing, he hauls in the mud/ruts, he's from Washington state and no stranger to rain. If it rains my pick of the podium is RV, Reed then Windham. The rest of the spots will be a mash-up and unpredictable.
i know im not the weather man but i dont think rain is going to be a factor at all in tommorrow nights race....its pretty clear out right now and forecast is calling for rain from 6to7 am in the morning and with that they say gusty winds which usually blows out any remaining clouds anyway.......Damn no equalizer.......
The main thing to watch for will be Ryan Villopoto. He is firing on all cylinders and is the odds on favorite to take the win. It could be a very boring season if RV gets decent starts. But I hope Stewart rebounds and finishes second to Ryan Dungey! ;)
@Retardcross-- RV HIMSELF said he hates when people say he is a mud rider because he is from Washington. He said when he was in amatuers he never raced there or the mud because he was traveling. I think RV knows if he is a mud rider or not, and he himself said he isnt. And I cant think of a mud race that he has won. He hasnt even won an over all at Washougal, that I can remember. He run a rough track great, but he isnt a mud rider..
These message areas would have been pretty boring during the RC- era.
"I think RC will win"
"Gotta Agree"
Next subject?
It shows where the sport, and social media, is right now that people can argue about who is going to win, seemingly endlessly. God Bless America! and the Internet (void where prohibited).
Looks like steady rain in the morning, showers in the afternoon and clear at night. 1/4" of rain total. Not sure if that is enough to create a mudder. The true mudders occur when it is pouring right up to or during the races. Think they'll be able to keep the track covered and make it nice for the races.
I missed that interview I guess lol, if that's what he said then that's what he said and I'm eating my words. I just always associated him hauling on rutted tracks with the wet track thing the northwest riders typically see lots of. I can't think of any subpar performances in the mud off the top of my head for him right now either though?
Killomoto...........Have to agree with you for the first time I guess on what you said. Well except you didn't mention RD name on the box ;)
yup im gonna say it right here. since all the bubba lovers are on here. JAMES BUBBA STEWART WILL NOT BEAT RYAN VILLOPOTO OR RYAN DUNGEY in dodger stadium. and dont come at me adn say "but he beat dungey last year in LA last year was last year adn dungey is the same dungey that won the title in 2010. RV is the NEW FASTEST MAN ON THE PLANET
I laugh when hearing K-Dub is such a great mud rider when he won races just rolling around because he got lucky. Reed had him almost lapped at Daytona when his bike quit and RC was killing him in San Francisco when his bike would not start after a tip over. Windham did not win even in his prime so he surely won't win anything now. One of the big four will win rain or shine and thats if folks.
Cant wait to see how Stewart crashes this time, falls over? Washes the front end out? Or my personal favorite, taking a contender out with him. MC's record of 72 is safe!!!
Yes, I agree RV sucks in the mud and Washougal! Haha If you live in Wa and don't ride in the mud then you don't ride at all... It's wet here 10 months a year! Washougal is his home track and he hasn't won an overall. He does win a moto there every year he races and the championship. 1-2 or 2-1 still are the same points... What mud race did he suck at??? I can't think of any. Here is a brain stormer. If you were good in the mud would you tell everyone? The worse the odds are the better he performs.... The kid was born to win championships with or without the mud.
when stewart entered the class there was one red headed dude who could challenge him, now there are five+ guys and that reality is slapping him in the face pretty hard right now.
i think mcgrath's record is safe too
Those red-heads are tough..
Lets straighten something out. I never said RV sucks in the mud. I said that RV says he isnt a great mud rider. Thats all, I dont know of any mud races he sucked at, but I also cant think of any he has won either.. Maybe tonite, I hope so.
I'm going to say barring any catastrophe that RV runs away tonight like he did at the first round. Last weekend was not his error, when someone hits the deck 3 feet in front of you on the first lap there aren't many options. He just wants it more than everyone else and works too hard to not rebound from last week, you can see it in his riding and when he's getting up from dumping it. I'd like to see a battle for the win though if someone can hang with him. RV, RD, JW on the box tonight, going out on a limb.
BIG difference between The Wick and and tonight there chief, BIG.
BIG difference between The Wick and and tonight there chief, BIG.
No further conversations about mud required..
The rain stopped here pretty early this AM and now it is windy (which should dry the track out considerably).
Should be an even race as far as the track goes..
As for the prediction on a winner ? I can see RV and JS getting tangled and going off-track. ....which puts everyone else one place up.
Look for CR, RD, JW or JB on the podium.