Before 2013, when was the last time an entire season passed without a rider wearing a three-digit number taking a race win? The highest numbered-riders in 2013 to win in either class in Monster Energy Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross were 250 Class contender Ken Roczen (#94) and 450 Class contender Justin Barcia (#51).
As you’ll see from the list below, wins by three-digit riders are actually pretty common. But with all of 2013 going by without one, and so many second-year riders changing their numbers—Justin Hill is now #35, Cooper Webb is changing to #37, Joey Savatgy #43, Adam Cianciarulo #46, Zach Bell #71, Shane McElrath #87, and Matt Bisceglia #96—it's unlikely to happen again in 2014. Even Zach Osborne is down to double digits, having chosen #16 for 2014, effectively handing #338 back to you-know-who, should he surface and race again.
Is it now all down to #800 Mike Alessi to get three digits in the winner’s circle? There are some fast privateers and incoming freshmen, but are any of them equipped to win a main event or outdoor national?
James Stewart’s #259 graced the front of his plate through the first four years of his pro career.
It’s a far cry from the 2003 AMA 125 National Motocross Championship, when nine of the eleven rounds were won by three-digit riders: #105 Ryan Hughes, #109 Craig Anderson, and seven-race winner #259 James Stewart. Ironically, the title went to #111 Grant Langston—who didn’t actually win a race! The only single-digit winner was Mike Brown, who wore #3 that season.
Here are all of the three-digits winners, from the year 2000 on, in Monster Energy Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross. Let us know if we missed anyone!
#100 Josh Hansen
#100 Mike Brown
#101 Ben Townley
#101 Ricky Carmichael
Ricky Carmichael wore #101 for the last round of the 2005 outdoors, which was at Glen Helen, to represent Team USA’s return to the Motocross of Nations the next week.
#103 Chad Reed
#104 Shae Bentley
That’s Derrick Shae Bentley in 2000, when he wore the #104 to battle with David Pingree for the West Region SX title.
Simon Cudby photo
#105 Ryan Hughes
#108 Dean Wilson
#111 Grant Langston
#118 Davi Millsaps
#121 Branden Jesseman
#151 Justin Barcia
#188 Davi Millsaps
Davi Millsaps is the only rider we know of that has won races with two different three-digit numbers: #188 and #118
#194 Ken Roczen
#199 Travis Pastrana
#243 Eli Tomac
#259 James Stewart
#377 Christophe Pourcel
#338 Jason Lawrence
Jason Lawrence won the Lites West Region while riding the #338 Yamaha of Troy YZ250F.
Andrew Fredrickson photo
#711 Tallon Vohland
#800 Mike Alessi
#956 Blake Wharton
#981 Austin Stroupe