Main image photo by Karl Bohn
Welcome to Racerhead, where we’re off and running on 2024. The Anaheim opener on Monster Energy AMA Supercross more than delivered, as a sold-out crowd and a massive TV/streaming audience saw the next half-century of the series begin. It wasn’t a huge surprise that Jett Lawrence won in his 450SX debut, but it was historic—he’s now the only rider in history to have won both his first-ever 450 MX and his first-ever 450SX (and at this moment he’s undefeated in both, 11-0 in 450 Pro Motocross and 1-0 in 450SX). Yes, there’s debate over whether he’s truly a “rookie” or not, given last summer and last fall’s SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) title run, as well as Marty Tripes’ victory in the pre-SX years (which I do count) or even Dutch transplant Pierre Karsmakers’ ’74 Daytona win (which I do not personally count as a rookie win), and Jimmy Ellis in ’75 (same), and so on and so forth… Let me just let Jason Weigandt explain it further down below in the video he and Donnie “RotoMoto” Southers cut on this very topic.
No matter where you come down on the whole rookie thing, Anaheim delivered all of the cool story lines one might expect. There was the huge crowd, the return of Eli Tomac, the debut of #1 Chase Sexton on a KTM, the revitalized efforts of former champs Cooper Webb and Jason Anderson, the quietly quick Aaron Plessinger and Dylan Ferrandis, the unexpected first-night disaster of not qualifying for both Hunter Lawrence and the Beta motorcycle in their own 450 debuts, the prerequisite drama involving Vince Friese and everyone else, and who would have thought the first “January Surprise” (after no big December Surprise) would be Ricky Carmichael scratching with intestinal blockage?
The 250 class went pretty much the way most thought it would with the veterans RJ Hampshire and Jordon Smith leading the way, but I thought both Levi Kitchen and Max Vohland looked great in their Kawasaki debuts, though their results didn’t necessarily show it, and it’s only fitting that that the first rider to qualify for a main event but not score a point would be Phil Nicoletti. No January surprises in this class yet (unless all of the talk about a certain 250SX East Region title contender being hurt turns out to be true). Good stuff!
All in all, it was a very entertaining season-opener—even the new start time was almost universally well-received and probably helped in the huge spike Peacock and USA Network had in viewership. It’s just a really good time to be a fan of this sport right now. For instance, the PulpMX stat guy Nick Taylor came up with a pretty revealing analysis of the Anaheim 1 Supercross premier class field. He decided to compare 2024 to all of the previous years of Monster Energy AMA Supercross to see if there has ever been a year where more champions were on one starting gate. This includes 450SX, both 250SX Regions, all Pro Motocross classes, and also all MXGP classes. And for good measure, there’s now SMX as well. Turns out 2024 had more championships on the 450 SX line than any in history. Check out the top years:
Premier Class AMA Supercross Total Championships on Starting Line
Year | Championships |
2024 | 47 |
2005 | 42 |
2006 | 42 |
2016 | 41 |
2017 | 41 |
2014 | 40 |
2023 | 39 |
1999 | 38 |
Of course, any year after 1985 would have more due to the addition of the 125/250 class. This 2024 season will go to 48 when Colt Nichols lines up, and just imagine if Marvin Musquin were still out there with his two MX2 world titles and his 250SX East Region title from 2015… That would be over 50!
Another measure was the fact that you have to go all the way down to 15th place Derek Drake to get to a rider in the 450SX results who did not have a championship to his credit. That’s one deep field!
And now it’s on to San Francisco, where not only will Monster Energy AMA Supercross be continuing, but Fox Racing will also be celebrating 50 years with some very cool things harkening back to Grand Prix Cycles, Geoff Fox’s original bike shop. Let’s hope that the weather works out and we see the Anaheim 1 momentum carry over… (Check out the full video in the video section later in this post).
#111 Returns (DC)
Three-time FIM Motocross World Champion Jorge Prado had a modestly successful debut aboard the #111 GasGas motorcycle. He seemed to improve with every lap as he became more comfortable, to the point where he was putting down some impressive laps. Wearing the #111 we're used to seeing on MXGP champions like Jean-Michel Bayle (1989), Stefan Everts ('92), Greg Albertyn ('95), and Grant Langston ('01), the Spaniard navigated this new world well. Going from the B practice—it was his first-ever AMA Supercross in either class—to 13th at the end made for a busy day with a lot of bright-side moments, including an excellent start in the main event.
"An incredible experience but at the same time totally different from what I am used to. It’s a one-day, race-at-night format that made me feel uncomfortable. This is the starting point for the following races.
When you are faced with something new, it is difficult to focus on living in the present moment, due to the uncertainty of what my real possibilities will be. Starting with training, despite being in group B, I did ninth overall. The heat (race) was complicated but thanks to the result I got a direct pass to the main event. Very satisfied with my P.13 in what is possibly one of the years with the highest level in SX history."
Looking back in history, Bayle's first SX (Anaheim '89) ended on the first triple of the main event, when he landed on a hay bale, ending his night. Stefan Everts raced the first six rounds of the '92 season, with his ninth at the Houston Astrodome opener, as well as ninth at Daytona, as his best. In '95 the South African Albertyn didn't make it out of his heat race, crashing and separating his shoulder; his first SX main would be the third '95 round at Anaheim, where he finished 12th. And Langston, another South African, rode the 125 class in his first year in America and he finished 19th at the Anaheim opener. His first premier-race race came in 2003 at Anaheim where he finished 18th.
And if you're wondering about Sebastien Tortelli, he was #103 in 1998 when he won the Los Angeles opener at the Coliseum. That was his second premier-class SX, as Tortelli had finished seventh in '97 while riding the 250 class; he also rode two 125 rounds as a 16-year-old.
Speaking of Tortelli, he belongs on the list of early SX winners, as he won in just his second premier-class race. And so did Josh Grant, who won the Anaheim '09 opener but had also finished sixth the previous year in a cameo appearance in the big boys' class in Seattle.
How soon did some riders get 450 results after moving up (or over an ocean)?
In 1989, Damon Bradshaw raced the 250 at the Anaheim '89 opener but crashed out in qualifying. He then missed Round 2 in Seattle. One week later he finished third in San Diego behind Rick Johnson and Jeff Stanton. Then he dropped down to the 125 for the rest of the season, winning the 125 SX East Region. He moved up full-time to start 1990 and promptly won the first two rounds of the series.
So, in the modern era of AMA Supercross (let’s say from 1980 on) here’s how quickly these riders got their first premier-class AMA Supercross wins:
Jett Lawrence: 1 race
Sebastien Tortelli: 2 races
Josh Grant: 2 races
James Stewart: 3 races
Damon Bradshaw: 3 races
Chad Reed: 5 races
Ryan Dungey: 5 races
One other thing to keep an eye on that I mentioned before the season started: Honda has had four different riders in the past that took their first AMA Supercross win at Anaheim, then went on to win their first AMA Supercross title. Donnie Hansen (1982), David Bailey (1983), Johnny O’Mara (1984) and Jeremy McGrath (1993) all went from first-wins at Anaheim to their first titles that same year. Jett Lawrence has now completed the first part of this equation…
Pro Perspective (Jason Thomas)
One round down, way too many to go. For the riders, just getting through A1 is the ultimate goal. Some riders will excel, some will struggle, and some will just shoulder shrug their way down the 91 after the race. For a rider like Hunter Lawrence, things couldn't have gone much worse. Everything seemed to go against him all weekend long. He had a huge crash Friday and then a couple of more Saturday afternoon. He got cleaned out by Vince Friese in the heat race (not intentionally but still unwise by the #125). He then struggled badly in the LCQ and couldn't get Cade Clason in the last corner to sneak into the main event. It was an almost unbelievable cavalcade of struggle. He just couldn't find a way to turn the tide of momentum after Friday's get-off. So, what now?
I would enter San Francisco this weekend with a complete reset. Forget about what went wrong in Anaheim. Overanalyzing will only exacerbate the frustration. Nothing about Anaheim's debacle should carry into San Francisco. He's a much better rider than that. Concentrate on cleaning up the mistakes and remaining in situations with positive upside. That means qualifying well to get a good gate pick in the heat, getting through the first lap cleanly to get directly into the main event. Starting up front in the main event to avoid the fracas and setting solid laps to stay in touch with the leaders. All of those are doable and realistic goals for a rider of Hunter's caliber. I'm confident he will do just that, too. Sometimes there are valuable lessons to be learned from a challenging weekend. Other times, it's better to just press the reset button and move forward. This is one of those times where less is more. Don't overthink it, just do what you know how to do.
A Tale Two Tracks (DC)
Last Saturday night's Anaheim SX opener was all it was cracked up to be, for the most part. The place was packed, the racing was good and the track was exceptional and challenging. It also looked very familiar... Turns out the entire track, right down to its sand wash section, had also been built at the GOAT Farm above Tallahassee, Florida, by the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team for its riders to prep for 2024. As you can see in these side-by-side photos, they were practically identical, save for some jump configurations that were tweaked along the way, like the "Stew-able" rhythm section that Jett Lawrence put together on press day that was downright masterful.
Building tracks based on the blueprints is not something new. Feld Entertainment releases their very detailed track maps to the public weeks in advance, if not months. That allows fans interested in buying tickets to pick a spot in the grandstands where they might want to sit. I'm also sure that there's more than one Loretta Lynn's-inspired track out there among the amateur facilities. What was different about this one was the simple fact that whoever built the one in Tallahassee could very well have been the same architect/operator as the ones who build the race tracks, and that in turn may be pushing the envelope a bit too far here. But then again, Star Yamaha did not have their best opening night ever, as only Jordon Smith reached the box in the 250 SX class.
While this was pushing the line, there's no way for any team or practice track to perfectly copy a supercross track, as the Anaheim dirt has been around for a very long time, there's always the chance for unexpected poor weather, and no matter how many riders you have on a team, the sheer traffic and wear-and-tear cannot be replicated. But when it's so, so close, knowing exactly what you're up against, right down to the pitch of the jumps, has to help at least a little in early timed practice, right?
That Replica Track (Jason Weigandt)
Interesting topic from DC above, about teams building replica tracks. I spent a lot of time talking to Nick Wey on Friday at Anaheim about the concept of “flying at the test track” and if that really translates to the racing. Nick has been around this at all levels for a long time, and when you talk to guys like that, you hear things we don’t think about. For riders, the actual layout of the track doesn’t mean nearly as much as the transitions, angles, and overall steepness of the obstacles on a track. Nick says there’s often a big disconnect, in those areas, between a practice track and a race track, and that’s why someone who can struggle in December can be good in January, and vice-versa. A lot of it is, the race tracks aren’t as perfect as the practice tracks. So, a lot more guys can go fast at a practice track. When you get to a race track, which can often get jacked up by weather, lack of time to build, and mostly the general hammering it gets when 80-plus riders attack it all day, things separate. Also, riders, of course, would “prefer” to ride on a nice track, with nice smooth transitions. So, they’ll often tilt the practice tracks in that direction. Would you rather ride the perfect track or the jacked up track on a daily basis?
Nick feels like a few more teams and riders were using Dirt Wurx to build tracks this off-season, to at least try to get tracks that feel closer to the real deal. But it will still never be the exact same, unless you have Dirt Wurx there at the track every day to maintain it the exact same way they maintain a race track on race day.
Now, more specifically, let’s talk about Yamaha having an Anaheim replica track back in Florida. I talked to the team’s KYB suspension guru Ricki Gilmore about this, and he thought this wouldn’t actually help, because the race track is going to feel totally different, and if anything it’s going to frustrate a rider who expected to feel certain things—and won’t—once practice starts.
On Thursday, I talked to Justin Cooper about this.
“It wasn't that similar, like the stadium environment kind of threw it off,” said Cooper, who would finish eighth in the 450SX main event on the actual track. “But yeah, the obstacles were close but not perfect. Obviously, they were built in Florida like two months ago. So it's hard to absolutely replicate it, but it was pretty cool to see the similarities but, you know, [it was] really not that similar at the end of the day.”
I asked if they were actually jumping the exact same combinations back home.
“Yeah, it was not the same, like there was some bigger rhythms we were able to do, but it also comes with like a more, I mean, it got toned down after a few weeks [of wear]. So, you know, all the transitions were a little bit easier and just stuff ended up being easier [as the practice tack wore down]. It was pretty gnarly as far as transitions at A1, so a lot of that stuff went out the window right away. But hey, we expected that. Race conditions are always different.”
I think it would be foolish to say having a replica track doesn’t help, but it sounds like it helps much less than you would expect. For the riders, it’s not about the layout, it’s about the angles of the obstacles, and that’s impossible to replicate on a daily basis.
Logan Karnow (DC)
Popular privateer Logan Karnow’s Saturday started well enough. He had a high-visibility corner of the pits right by the entrance that showed off the OnlyFans logo on the side of his van, and he seemed to have plenty of people stopping by to wish him well. I joked with him about the non-banning of his sponsor, and that the new wording in the rules was about specific channels and models that might cross the line, and he explained that his deal with OnlyFans specifically stated that he stay away from adult content as well, and how the company was trying to expand away from being known for just that, and try to get more into athlete channels, sports content, etc.
Unfortunately, later that night Logan got caught up in a chain reaction crash off the start in his heat race after Vince Friese sliced across the front of the pack from his outside gate position, taking down Karnow, Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence, and more. The damage done to Logan is on gruesome, as he posted the horrific video of his leg as he tried to get up and get untangled, only to see that his foot was pointed the wrong way. Just like Austin Forkner last year, his season was over before he made it to through the first turn. Needless to say, Karnow was not happy with Friese, and he let Vince have it on social media.
Later, Vince would tangle with Dean Wilson in the main event, knocking himself out with a shoulder injury and getting more grief afterwards on social media. Deano flipped him off as well, which will probably lead to a visit from the AMA. As for Friese, he’s definitely getting a visit from the AMA, whenever he’s able to line up again. Both of these incidents were avoidable; too many of these incidents involve Vince Friese…
MESQUITE MX (Matthes)
Busy week for me as always once the races start out, but I made time for myself and James Lissimore (Canada's NUMBER ONE photographer BTW) loaded up the YZ450F and headed up to Mesquite MX for a couple of reasons. One is I wanted to spin some laps, the Brough family that owns Mesquite are great people and prep it for me when I want to come out, and two, some Suzuki rider named Ken Roczen is up there this month. Ken's wife Courtney is from St. George, Utah, and they wanted to go visit some family. So, Gary Brough built a supercross track at Mesquite MX for Kenny and a few guys (like Preston Kilroy for one) to ride. Myself, I didn't do any laps on the SX track (despite Phil Nicoletti urging me in our group texts to please blitz the whoops) but Roczen did three sessions out there with his long-time practice bike guy Payton Stevenson timing him. It's a good track, pretty easy for a guy like Roczen but it's something for him to keep sharp on and change things up. I can tell you though, he's not doing well with the cold! We've had a cold snap up here and it's even worse in St George! It's always cool to stand trackside and watch someone like Roczen, maybe in the top-three in the world at riding a dirt bike, spin laps. It all looks so easy. I felt inspired and went out there on the MX track and didn't ride anything at all like Roczen ICYWW. Fun day to hang out with Kickstart Kenny and we'll see if he stays for the month or if the cold gets to him!
What are we looking at? pic.twitter.com/aRRS5JmGyh
— Steve Matthes (@pulpmx) January 11, 2024
Lawrence Factory Fan Zone (DC)
One of the things that had the paddock buzzing under the Big A was the new Lawrence Factory Fan Zone. The brothers have teamed up with Feld Entertainment to create a VIP package similar to what Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing did last year, only they’ve definitely taken it a notch or two up. The guests get a box full of swag, catered lunch, they can play foosball or pop-a-shot or video games, they have great seats inside the stadium, and yes, both Jett and Hunter stop over from time to time to visit, sign autographs, and just hang out with the VIPs. Dan Truman is in charge of the whole project and did a very good job in making the whole place seem festive and special. It comes with some sticker shock—$2,000 each for 20 VIPs for Saturday’s “Rev Up w/ the Lawrences” experience—but that’s pretty much what last year’s program with Star Racing cost as well. There’s also less-expensive Friday program called “Lounge with the Lawrences” that’s $750 per person and also comes with event tickets, swag, and more. If you’re interested in either, visit supercross.com.
And I can tell you that after seeing how this all came together you will probably see similar programs with other top riders and teams in the very near future…
WPMX Supercross Party (DC)
We've been hearing more and more about SX viewing parties being held around the world as the current state of Monster Energy Supercross is really grabbing some attention now. Back in my old stomping grounds of Western PA MX and AMA District 5 a bunch of friends got together last Saturday night for the Anaheim opener. (Believe me, starting the races two hours earlier really helps when you're an East Coaster...) According to longtime racer and enthusiast George Sosnick they all met up at the Club 80s Bar & Grill near Trafford, not far from Pittsburgh, for viewing party/bike show. Club 80s belongs to another longtime regular at the races, Kirk Rogers, and they opened the floor to some of the best retro collectible/still rideable race bikes for the evening. Looks like it turned into a fun little party!
Keep Media Guys On Dirt Bikes (Keefer)
"Hey Keefer, how do I get a job in the industry?" is a question I get A LOT! However, sometimes when you do get that job within the industry it actually means that your riding days are few and far between because you don't have nearly as much time to ride. The MX media industry is not a 9-5 job, it’s normally a seven-days-a-week type deal. You're always doing something for the next article, video, report, press release, etc…
So, when I get to see some of our own Racer X staff riding dirt bikes, it makes me happy! This week I had to go to Glen Helen Raceway to test a couple bikes and do some videos and since the supercross is here on the West Coast, that means that I get to see our East Coast guys for a bit. Mitch Kendra is responsible for a lot of what you see here on our website, and he loves to ride, but doesn't get the time to do that as much as he would like. Instead of being snowed in near Morgantown like he could be in January, Mitch and Kellen Brauer got the chance to come out and test some dirt bikes with me on Tuesday. Mitch has never been to California, let alone ride Glen Helen, so it was cool to see his face when he got to ride the hills of HELEN! Mitch joined me for an upcoming FC 350 Garage Build and I am proud to say he could be a 350 convert soon! Not only did Mitch and Kellen come out, but other media men like Gypsy Tales’ Jase Macalpine, Vital MX's Michael Lindsay and Darkside (AKA Jamie Guida) were out riding too. I am a big proponent of getting out to ride more as it's great for everyone's mental health. Just because you have a job in the MX industry doesn't mean it's not stressful or hard, just like your normal blue collar 9-5'er. Days like these are few and far between so seeing some of these guys riding is awesome to me!
P.S., look for an update from Mitch next week when he returns home to Pennsylvania.
Jeff Ellenberger Needs Our Help (DC)
One of the nicest guys you will ever meet at the races is Jeff Ellenberger. He's a longtime racer and lifetime enthusiast from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He raced Loretta Lynn's a bunch of times between 1988 (25th in 250 C Stock) through 2008 (30th in Senior +40), with a high-water marker of 20th in the Junior +25 class in 1994). When he wasn't racing he worked for over 30 years at Pleasure Valley Raceway, which is Jeff Cernic's track. Unfortunately, Ellenberger is now battling a cruel form of cancer known as Nasopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. According to Cernic, "It is a very rare form of cancer. Since August he has had 38 rounds of chemotherapy and 195 rounds of radiation. The Radiation has burnt his throat so he is unable to eat and they had to put in a feeding tube... For anyone that knows Jeff, when in need, he's always the first to come help no matter if your car needing repair or your furnace was out in your house, no matter what time of day, he was there to help! No questions asked."
Now Jeff Ellenberger needs our help. Because he's been unable to work for some time now he and his family are struggling financially. Cernic and friends have set up a Go Fund Me account to assist this fellow rider in his time of need. Please give this link a visit and help out if you can—every little bit counts.
LCQ CHALLENGE IS BACK! (Matthes)
We're running it back again! The Yamaha LCQ Challenge race will once again take place Friday afternoon in Denver, and we'll give a bunch of money away again. This thing has really grown over the years and thanks to Yamaha for donating a 2024 YZ450F to give away as well as the other companies that stepped up to donate prizes. We're gonna switch things up a bit this year with the race format so stay tuned for that but one thing that's the same is 100 percent of the money will go to the privateers who qualify for the race.
Last year we raised over 120K for these dudes and the premise is that fifth place on back in the 450SX class get assigned points and we keep track of all the finishes in the LCQ all year long. 17 of those racers plus some wild cards get to race in Denver.
Thanks to the guys at Feld Motor Sports for letting me do this, Harv Whipple for helping organize it as well. We're going to have a great time!
If you want a chance to win a YZ450F or other cool prizes, here's the link to buy a ticket and help privateers! It's a win/win!
Visit PulpMX.com for more information.
Vintage Vault
FULL MOTO. A Finish For The Ages! Steel City 2011 450 Moto 1 battle with Villopoto and Dungey
Back in 2011, "The Ryans" (Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto) were in the middle of an all-time title showdown along with Chad Reed for the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. With two rounds to go, it really could go either way between Dungey and Villopoto and the duo provided us with an all-time classic battle for the win in the first moto at Steel City. After a close fight, Dungey had the upper hand coming to the checkered flag, but Villopoto had other plans. Relive the full moto from 2011 Steel City 450 Moto 1 right now!
The Failed Experiment
Ryan Holliday is the team manager Team Green Kawasaki. Team Green Kawasaki is the most prestigious amateur support program within the sport of amateur motocross racing. Throughout the decades, Team Green has been responsible for the success of athletes such as Ryan Villopoto, Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, James "Bubba" Stewart, Jeff Emig, David Bailey, and more.
In today's episode, we dive into Holliday's background: growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, wanting to be a photojournalist while working at Racer X in the early 2000s, to how that transitioned into working for the AMA and eventually joining Team Green Kawasaki. This is a must listen. Holliday shares some wonderful stories about working alongside Mitch Payton, having his eye on the Lawrence brothers, not being able to sign Levi Kitchen several years earlier, and much more.
You can also check us out on Patreon for a bonus episode breaking down the ALL IN episode I shot with Holliday.
And finally, if you're a fan of Women's Motocross, here's some good news: The Women's Professional Motocross Championship is making a comeback in 2024. This just went live late this afternoon, and we will have more next week, but check out the full press release:
Women’s Pro Motocross (WMX) Championship Returns with Eight Round Series for 2024
Hey, Watch It!
So is Jett’s first 450 SX win really the first-ever 450 SX win? Weege tries to lay it all out here:
@logankarnow: WARNING.. Graphic content🔞 I don’t think your leg is supposed to bend like that..
Dirt Shark w/ All-Access @ Anaheim SX opener:
Ever wonder how exactly Fox Racing got started? How about the iconic Fox head logo? Check out this cool video of Geoff Fox discussing the origins of the gear brand that has probably won more Monster Energy Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championships than any other brand--and to think it started with "Super Trick Shit!"
GoPro: Carson Brown vs Ken Roczen Side by Side on 2006 RM125s
"WEBB IS ABLE TO WIN WITHOUT GOING FAST!" ANAHEIM 1 SX REWIND / Bubba's World w/ James Stewart
PC Kawasaki Test Session ft. Kitchen, Vohland, Hammaker, Forkner | Racer X Films
The Daniel Blair Show is here for 2024: - EP 01
Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week
“Just Undo It: Tiger Woods, Nike announce end of 27-year partnership"—ESPN.com
"Russian singer who wore sock over his penis is arrested trying to flee country"
Vladimir Putin is cracking down on the showbiz elite.—Politico.eu
"Jett Lawrence: Love Him, Or Hate Him?"—MXLarge.com
"Canadian police warn that posting videos of alleged package thieves could be ‘violation' of their privacy"—Fox News
"Chinese Chess Player Stripped of His World Title After Taking A Growler (Shit) In A Luxury Hotel's Bathtub"—Barstool Sports
“Florida school book bans hit dictionaries”—Axios.com
Ahead of the Buffalo Bills hosting Mitch Kendra’s Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL playoffs this weekend: "Bills ask fans to help shovel out the stadium for $20 an hour"—WGRZ
Random Notes
For the latest from Canada, check out DMX Frid’EH Update #2.
Thanks for reading Racerhead. See you at the races!