Time for a correction: the oldest winner of a Monster Energy Supercross main event.
In the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross Souvenir Yearbook (which we produced for Feld Motor Sports), there is an info graph with all kinds of statistics and details involving the series, including the youngest winners ever (Marty Tripes in the premier class, James Stewart in the Regional class). There is also a listing of John Dowd as oldest rider every to win a "250SX Class" main event, which is true, but confusing. He was actually riding the 125 Class in Dallas in 1998, and that class is now known as the 250SX Class. So he is indeed the oldest-ever winner in that class.
But we didn't list the oldest winner of a premier-class event, which led a few people to think it was also Dowd, who in an incredible seven-day span in that 1998 season, won the Charlotte Supercross on a YZ250 (premier class) and then one week later won the Dallas SX (125 West Region) to set age marks in both classes.
However, his record in the premier class went away six years later when Mike LaRocco won the Indianapolis SX at age 33. That was not in the yearbook. LaRocco's record still stands, though it is now in serious jeopardy. Chad Reed's sensational win on Saturday night moved him into second on the all-time oldest winners list for Monster Energy Supercross' premier class. It looks like Reed would need to win one month and nine days after his 33rd birthday on March 15 to break LaRocco’s record, which puts the New Jersey and Las Vegas rounds in play, as well as any races in 2016.
So for the record, here’s The List of the oldest premier class SX winners of all time, including every rider who has won a race past the age of 27.
Mike LaRocco (2/21/1971) won his last SX at Indianapolis (3/20/2004): 33 years, 1 month, and 8 days
Chad Reed (3/15/1982) won Atlanta SX (2/21/2015): 32 years, 11 months, and 6 days
John Dowd (8/10/1965) won his last SX at Charlotte (4/18/1998): 32 years, 6 months, and 10 days
Kevin Windham (2/28/1978) last won (5/1/2010): 32 years, 2 months, and 13 days
Jeff Ward (6/22/1961) won the Oklahoma City SX (6/8/1991): 29 years, 11 months, and 17 days
Andrew Short (11/28/1982) won the Seattle SX (4/21/2012): 29 years, 4 months, and 24 days
Jeremy McGrath (11/19/1971) won the Anaheim SX (1/20/2001): 29 years, 2 months, and 1 day
Larry Ward (4/19/1970) won the Seattle SX (1/30/1999): 28 years, 9 months, 11 days
Bob Hannah (9/26/1956) last won Daytona SX (3/19/1985): 28 years, 5 months, and 21 days
James Stewart (12/21/1985) last won St. Louis SX (3/29/2014): 28 years, 3 months, and 8 days
Broc Glover (5/16/1960) won the Los Angeles SX (6/18/1988): 28 years, 1 month, and 12 days
Doug Dubach (6/30/1973) won the San Jose SX (6/15/1991): 27 years, 11 months, 15 days
Jim Weinert (8/14/1951) won the Daytona SX (3/10/1979): 27 years, 6 months, and 24 days
Ricky Carmichael (11/27/1979) won the St. Louis SX (3/3/2007): 27 years, 3 months, and 4 days
