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10. The Short Run: In the last two years, the opening round of the series has proven absolutely nothing about how the rest of the series would go. In 2009, Ryan Villopoto cleaned up at Glen Helen and was out for the season a week later. Justin Barcia was the shining new star of the 250 class. Last year Chad Reed and Eli Tomac won the overalls at Hangtown and never won another race all season. What the heck goes on at these openers?

9. Supercross Hangover: Only adding to the possible unpredictabilities of the day, your preseason 450 Class contenders—Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto, and Chad Reed—were all pushing off their outdoor focus as a supercross championship went down to the wire. Kevin Windham only got to start testing parts yesterday after being beaten up in his Vegas crash. Everyone will be chasing it this weekend.

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Fiolek hopes to get back the #1 plate from Jessica Patterson this year.
Photo: Simon Cudby

8. Ladies: Hangtown marks the opening round of the WMX tour as well, so it’s our first chance to see any of the top contenders in this class on the track. Patterson versus Fiolek again?

7. Dungey Keeps it Simple: If any one of those 450 riders has an advantage with the short lead time between indoors and out, it's Ryan Dungey, who is essentially riding the same machine he rode to the title last season. Hangtown was not a good race for him last year, but his team has lessons and notes they can draw on to make things better.

6. The Wildcard: Christophe Pourcel is back. We haven't seen him race in a while, but he's always been fast outdoors and says he likes riding a 450 much more than a 250. Where will he end up?

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Alessi is back on the 450 for the 2011 season.
Photo: Simon Cudby

5. Wide Open: When Dungey jumped up to the 450 in 2010, Pourcel remained on the 250; when Villopoto moved up for 2009, Dungey remained on the 250. Now both of last year's title contenders are gone—Pourcel and Trey Canard—leaving a wide-open 250 Class.

4. Orangemen: Lots of questions for Red Bull TM. Mike Alessi is back on a 450, Andrew Short is running the 350, and Marvin Musquin, the 2009 and 2010 MX2 Champ in the GPs, is racing American motocross for the first time. Lots to watch here—at least they're running the easiest-to-spot bikes in the field.

3. Rebuild Time: Supercross didn't go as planned for several riders, like Brett Metcalfe, Jake Weimer, Tommy Hahn, and Davi Millsaps, among others. This is a chance for redemption.

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Look who's back.
Photo: Simon Cudby

2. Doing It the Right Way: Chad Reed and Kevin Windham are only racing for one reason: because they want to. They both worked out deals to get themselves outdoors for another crack at wins and a championship. You have to love that kind of motivation.

1. The Great Outdoors: Doesn't matter what the story lines are this weekend—no matter who or what you're watching, you'll be seeing high speeds, sunshine, and the sounds and smells that come only from the great outdoors. Get ready!

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The Conversation

BillC wrote: 4:30pm May 20, 2011

!st think to watch for,..... RV KICKIN ASS!!!

BillC wrote: 4:31pm May 20, 2011

1st thing ...LOL

hey wrote: 4:44pm May 20, 2011

How about jason lawrence?

KIWImxer wrote: 4:49pm May 20, 2011

Just to let you know i'm not racing the Outdoors because I wasn't ready....hahaha. Must go, James is calling...

howdy wrote: 4:51pm May 20, 2011

Pourcel is back.. finally. I think hes going to beat everyone

Aoowwww!!! wrote: 4:56pm May 20, 2011

I can't wait!!!!! It's going to be an EPIC opener.

whatever wrote: 5:08pm May 20, 2011

The total unpredictability is awesome!!! It's great not knowing what to expect tomorrow!!

dono35 wrote: 5:12pm May 20, 2011

I am so excited, leaving work at 4pm headin to sacramento from Reno area to hit up Hangtown....... 31st yr going, trying to stay focused at work. Enjoy the racing everyone:)

Trend Killer wrote: 5:16pm May 20, 2011

I concur.... RV out front!!

Hawk wrote: 5:20pm May 20, 2011

Predictions.....

1. Alessi holeshots both motos
2. CP goes 3-4
3. RV goes 1-2
4. RD goes 2-1
5. CR goes 4-3

BillC wrote: 5:26pm May 20, 2011

HOWDY care to make a friendly bet on that??

oldlocalpro wrote: 5:41pm May 20, 2011

Yeah, whoo-hoo on Reed and Windham. It was a bummer when they skipped the outdoors a few years ago.

joemotocross589 wrote: 5:48pm May 20, 2011

Hey man, I've seen up in smoke 7345 times...."The great OUTDOORS! I'm hip....

Southern Man wrote: 5:57pm May 20, 2011

14!!! what a stud

Epic wrote: 6:12pm May 20, 2011

I really think Pourcel is gonna be a factor in this championship!!!

Can't wait to see!!!! Let's race!!!!

Joe Dirt wrote: 6:36pm May 20, 2011

The protect my points lead not take any chances cuz of my sx injury will not show up a Hangtown. The outside line destroyer will.

RD's fitness will put to rest the everyone was hurt last year BS.

Props to CR for doing the NATS

Dirts SWAG

Lock 1 - RV
Pick Em 2 - 3 RD - CR
Pick em 4- 5 24 - 800
Pick em 6- 10 29 - 14 - CP - Weimer - Ricky D
?????? Millsaps - Regal - Hahn

Dirt

bolobby wrote: 6:45pm May 20, 2011

So Pourcel likes to practice on a 450, but can he last 35 X 2 minutes on it at speed?

Dungy has more experience on it then RV. Dungy will win the title again.

RV will definately be impressive with 2nd for the title. The rest is anybody's guess.

Jake157 wrote: 6:55pm May 20, 2011

RV2 is gonna show his outdoor dominace and why nobody wants to compete with him in the nationals and take title this year with another close battle to the end with probablly 4 riders now instead of three.. and nobodys talkin lites... I wanna see Ryan Sipes bring home the lites title... Hes a great guy with a great personality and i wanna see him excel like i know and he knows he can =)

jonathan wrote: 7:01pm May 20, 2011

go ryan sipes.a good guy n he can do it..only kentucky rider to ever win a supercross main event

tgq25 wrote: 7:02pm May 20, 2011

bolobby......rv is as fit as rd rv will have his way with him

Metta wrote: 7:06pm May 20, 2011

Ready!

BO537 wrote: 7:53pm May 20, 2011

dont forget ricky deitrich!

Joe Dirt wrote: 7:56pm May 20, 2011

BO357got him someweher betwee 6 - 10 !

Dirt

Joe Dirt wrote: 8:04pm May 20, 2011

bolobby ! was thinking the same thing about CP ... Thats why i put hmi somewhere between 6 - 10. That injury thing was causing him to fade on a 250.........

RD will definitely make a run but when they racer on lites ........ lotta similarities with those two age, corner speed , time on 450"s Im thinking whatever advantage RV has in speed, if any, RD may make up in stamina.

Either way TGO !

Dirt
Pala374

JImboMX374 wrote: 8:10pm May 20, 2011

Seen up in smoke 7354 times ? I dont quite remember but I think I hit the bong 7354x last month ! Dude you got any ho-hos ?

Jimbo

bolobby wrote: 9:38pm May 20, 2011

tgq25. I don't think it will be decided on fitness. I think it will be who can focus for the longest, througout the season. I think they are about even on fitness. RV has a better style and is unbeatable when he's 'on', but i don't think that he will 'on' for enough races to beat RD's determination.

Carlsbad wrote: 10:10pm May 20, 2011

Somebody say Alessi!.........O.K. I guess I have to......

bubbajb wrote: 10:58pm May 20, 2011

Did everyone forget Cole Seely in the 250 class?

roost bottle wrote: 11:08pm May 20, 2011

WRONG AGAIN, Jason Weagel! The number one thing to watch for is J-Law rolling his rental car, biting the ear off one of his fans, intentionally jumping the start gate, severely roosting Erin and riding around with his butt cheeks hanging out (on purpose.)

When will you get it together, son?

roost bottle wrote: 11:13pm May 20, 2011

Another thing to watch for is Regal sitting in the stands, wearing a "Bubba Ruined My Career" t-shirt and throwing cans of Red Bull at passersby.

Red54M wrote: 2:03am May 21, 2011

J-Dirt you are close but it's like this:

RV2
RD1
CRTWOTWO
CP377
MA800
KW14
AS29
BM24
DM18
TH12

What about JS7, oh yeah, he's not ready.

Like I said a week ago, He'll soon be a top 10 guy at this rate.

BillC wrote: 7:50am May 21, 2011

Anyone who thinks RV is not in great shape, as good as or better than RD is crazy IMO.

ktmkid111 wrote: 8:05am May 21, 2011

Dungey will be shown again that last years titles where a fluke. Pourcel will be good, he has been working on a new diet to keep his stomach working properly, so should be better in the second motos then before. RV will be fast and fit, going to be top 3. I am thinking Alessi will be top 5, Short top 7.

trucker2 wrote: 1:43pm May 21, 2011

bubbajb,I think Seely is hurt,not for sure tho. Im just hoping the 450`s stay in it all year,as in no get off injuries taking em out. They go so fast outdoors,#377 stamina ? RV`s an animal needs to keep it on two wheels. RD has all of the above ..just hope they battle for the win each moto. Without `the fastest crasher on the planet' racing, means they don`t have to worry about being takin out by an outta control racer. Short does it on purpose.