Rockstar Energy Racing KTM’s Jason Anderson finally flashed across the line with a moto win at Budds Creek, the first of the year—and career—for the new 250SX West Region Champion. His counterpart on the East Coast, GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle, has also been solid this summer, but is winless.
Consider that last summer, it took all of thirty-five minutes for one of the 250SX Regional Champions to win a moto, as West titlist Ken Roczen won the opening race of the season at Hangtown. In 2012, SX Champions Justin Barcia (East) and Eli Tomac (West) were winning races and battling for the title all summer.
Not every rider who succeeds indoors manages to bring that success outside, though. For this week’s The List, we found some standout names in small-bore supercross who couldn’t match that success outdoors.
Branden Jessemen/Shae Bentley: These guys were said to be faster outdoors than in, but couldn’t get healthy enough to show it. Their longest stretches between injuries and illness took place in supercross, when Bentley snagged the 2000 125 West Championship (which still gives Ping nightmares) and Jesseman won the 2003 125 East title. Bentley got sick right after he won his title, and Jesseman broke his arm right after winning his, so they never got to race outdoors at their peak.
Mickael Pichon: The Frenchman won both the 1995 and 1996 125 East SX Championships for Pro Circuit Kawasaki, and ran up front outdoors here and there, but never snagged the first place trophy at a 125 National. Two years later, he’d grab his only U.S. National win with the overall at Glen Helen, but that was in the 250 Class for Suzuki.
Nathan Ramsey: Nate Dawg landed the 1999 125 SX West Region title for Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Two years later, he was on the YZ250F for Yamaha of Troy and giving Travis Pastrana fits for the East crown. Years later, he was back in the class winning races for KTM. With fifteen career wins, Ramsey is second on the all-time 125 SX win list but never won a national.
