The next section heads outside of the stadium, a staple of the Las Vegas layout. It’s fast and furious out there and what I always remembered most was how quiet and dark it was out there. Most of the main event is complete focus and the outside world is a noisy blur but that ten or fifteen seconds was a totally different feeling. Instead of hearing the crowd and several other bikes within proximity (even if going opposite directions), you can really only hear your own bike. I can remember that distinctly and it makes Vegas unique.

Coming back into the stadium is usually a fast, basic straightaway. This year, though, there is a legit section that riders will have to respect. Riders will single that first jump but I can’t decide if they will step-on step-off or downside the tabletop. My gut tells me they will simply double through these because the sand will spread, making this a rutty mess. If a triple is possible, riders will go for it, but it’s hard to say how this section shapes up. Doubling into the corner will be critical, however, allowing riders to carry that momentum into the fast sand 180. If they single into that corner, riders will be unsettling the suspension before then burying the front wheel into the berm. All of this is assuming that the sand 180 actually stays, as riders have been very vocal with their displeasure in the past.

The finish line jump is up next and should be very basic other than the sand corner leading up to it. Upon landing, riders will accelerate into the first of back-to-back whoop sections. These two sections will be the most important sections (other than the start). Las Vegas whoops are notoriously tough. They get slippery and cupped out as the night evolves. We have seen huge crashes in Vegas whoops over the years and it’s absolutely attributable to the difficulty that the dirt presents. If they are built big, look for these two sections to determine who wins and loses. The first set is going to be interesting as riders will have a lot of speed from the finish line jump. Who will grab a gear and lift the front wheel? Conversely, who will grab the front brakes and give up valuable entry speed? This first set is all about confidence.

The second set comes just after a bowl berm, changing the dynamic a bit. Riders will need to build speed out of the corner in hopes of blitzing efficiently. A rider like Cooper Webb or Marvin Musquin, who like to jump whoops, will have a better chance in a section like this. To jump through, they wouldn’t be forced to scrub all of that speed that the first section of whoops would require. If they can manage the first set, the second set will be a tad less taxing.

Watch for the most proficient whoops riders (Tyler Bowers, Ken Roczen, Eli Tomac, Blake Baggett, etc.) to barrel down the inside of the first set of whoops and hope to block pass before the second set. A less confident rider may check up just a tiny bit entering that first set and open the door. Riders are acutely aware of this and will play offense/defense accordingly. With a very simple and fast layout otherwise, these two whoops sections will be make or break.

After the whoops, riders go under the bridge and cross the start diagonally. Next up is a 120-degree left that will force riders to roll through with momentum, hoping to clear the next supercross triple with no berm to pivot from. The 250 guys might struggle here, especially in the muddy times of the day and night (practice and the heat races). Finally, riders bend left and back onto lap two.

Questions I Want Answered

How will Webb approach this main event? My guess is he goes for the start and then just finds a safe pace, allowing riders to go by if needed, but never putting himself in a jam.

Who is fully engaged in this race and who is just hoping to get out safe and healthy for Hangtown?

Will we see drama in 250SX? Both titles are single digit point leads.

Can Zach Osborne back up his podium last week?

Do any of the 250 teams play games with their gate picks? (Strategically lining up against certain riders.)

With temps in the 90’s, will the track crew be able to keep any moisture in the dirt?

Who’s Hot?

Webb won his seventh race of the year and holds a huge lead heading into Saturday. He has done everything right this season. Congrats.

Chase Sexton executed a perfect game plan, capitalizing on Austin Forkner’s injury and taking over the red plate.

Wacko Zacho snagged his first ever podium, nearly winning the East Rutherford main event.

Justin Bogle’s finish last weekend doesn’t indicate the level he’s on right now. He is back, folks.

Mitchell Oldenburg’s runner up finish was puzzling for the team tactics side, but he rode incredibly well.

Who’s Not

Alex Martin starred in his own Troll Experience, holeshotted the main, and then everything fell apart.

Forkner gave it one hell of an effort but his knee injury was just too much to overcome. He will be the title favorite come the 2020 SX season.

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM can’t buy a break lately. Their riders have been fighting the injury bug all season, losing both of their title contenders mid-season.