We’ve witnessed a whip effect of sorts to begin the season. Nobody truly has the momentum, but if Ryan Dungey comes out and wins again this Saturday night at Petco Park in San Diego, he can legitimately start thinking about the championship as the East Coast swing begins next week. Credit where credit is due—he looks better on the bike than he has his entire career. The machine under him is arguably the best in the field. Could Dungey experience a whip effect in his championship effort similar to Roczen, Tomac, and Canard? I wouldn’t count on it. But, ladies and gentlemen, this is why we run the races!

And, speaking about the races themselves, the last three tracks dating back to the under-over bridge that adorned the Anaheim 2 course have been fantastic. I love the creativity and diversity with the sand pits, split lanes, and long drag-strip straightaways. This weekend’s track has a little bit of Phoenix and Oakland sprinkled into the design. Being a baseball field, there’s the typical long lane down the third-base line, yet I like the slow-arching right-hander that is part of the start. It’s funny how the simplest parts of the track supply the most passing opportunities, but I can see a lot of position changing happening on that sweeper this weekend. 

As for the dirt, there has been more of a hard-packed clay base the past few trips to San Diego, but with this being a new field the soil should be fresher. Regardless of the composition, the Feld track crew heavily waters the track Friday night and all through Saturday morning, which makes the opening practice sessions rough but provides optimum conditions for the mains. Again, credit where credit is due. The tracks have fallen victim to scrutiny in recent seasons, but the effort to improve them is evident. Golf clap, for sure.

There will be a special vibe surrounding the weekend with the military and returning veterans being honored all throughout Saturday’s festivities. And, it’s no secret many of our soldiers are avid supercross fans.