All Tied Up
It’s no surprise to see Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb fighting over the title—they’ve done it multiple times before. That said, did anyone expect this thing to be as tight as it is?! With just six rounds of racing left, the two are literally tied for the championship lead, which means they’ll both be sporting red plates this weekend in Glendale. Who will leave Arizona with sole possession of the points lead? -Aaron Hansel
Slipping Away
Speaking of the championship fight, Chase Sexton really should be in it still. He’s been incredibly fast and has been in position to win a slew of races this season. Unfortunately, he’s also thrown away a lot of opportunities, and as a result, sits 22 points out of the lead in a championship that he could just as easily have been winning. He’s not out of it, but things are starting to look pretty grim. If Sexton wants to regain title relevance, he needs to get a win in Glendale, and hope Tomac and Webb finish a few spots back. -Hansel
Back on the Box
Justin Barcia has been very vocal lately regarding just how well he’s getting along with his motorcycle, and he’s got the results to back it up. In the last four races he’s been on the podium twice and his worst finish has been fourth. He was all over Webb in Seattle too, and had he had just one more lap, might have been able to zap him for second. Will Barcia’s hot streak continue in Glendale? -Hansel
Off the Bench
After not racing Monster Energy AMA Supercross since 2019, Cole Seely got the call from SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts Honda to come saddle up in Seattle. Seely's real focus is the FIM WSX Championship later in the year. After a long layoff from the AMA Series, nobody expected Seely to light the world on fire at his first race back, which was good because he didn’t. Seely visibly, and understandably, got tired in the 450SX main and finished 21st, just ahead of Cade Clason. He also told us at press day at Glendale that he was nervous all day, which only sapped him of more energy. Now that he’s got that first race out of the way, with an additional week to prepare, let’s see how Seely does in Glendale. -Hansel
R&R
Not every injury gets reported, and it’s pretty common for riders to be nursing small (and sometimes big) injuries. The weekly grind of racing and traveling is enough to wear riders down too. Well, they had a weekend off last week, which means riders who needed days to recuperate from ailments, or just get some much-needed rest, were able to get it. Will we see some rejuvenated riders jump forward several spots as a result? -Hansel
Top-10 Rider
It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Dean Wilson finish in the top 10. In fact, it might actually be more surprising if he finished a whole season without landing in the top 10, but so far, he has yet to make it happen in 2023. He’s been steadily improving all season, and has multiple 11th-place finishes, so you’ve got to think that top-10 is just around the corner. Who thinks he gets it done in Glendale? -Hansel
Up For Grabs
Unfortunately, Cameron McAdoo is out for Glendale due to a practice crash earlier this week. With him getting the final spot on the podium four out of five rounds now, (behind Jett Lawrence and RJ Hampshire), this hypothetically leaves third place wide open this weekend. Will we see a new face up on the box? Or will Levi Kitchen get back on the podium for the first time since his A2 win? -Sarah Whitmore
Back to the future
Supercross futures is back this weekend. Daxton Bennick and Casey Cochran have finished first and second respectively at the first two rounds this year. Will they make it a three-peat? Julien Beaumer caught the eyes of KTM at the first round and switched brands right before round two in Arlington. Now that he has some more time on the KTM will he be able to dethrone Bennick? And don’t forget Ryder DiFrancesco who is back in Supercross Futures again this weekend. -Whitmore
Flipping the Script
Glendale is another Triple Crown, and you can bet the talk will be about Jett Lawrence and how he cannot seem to put one of these rounds together. Despite that, it's not hard to think positively when it comes to Jett. Statistically speaking, he simply cannot be this good in the regular format without getting a win in a Triple Crown eventually. Do not be surprised to see him get his first this weekend. -Whitmore
Room For Error
It's true the Triple Crown format suits some riders better than others. While Lawrence seems to struggle his Honda HRC teammate Chase Sexton was able to get his first win of the season at the A2 round. The Triple Crown format is more forgiving for someone like Sexton who has made his fair share of mistakes in mains this year. Will he get another overall in Glendale? -Whitmore
