The third round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross took place over the weekend, and for the second week in a row, the riders were treated to slick and treacherous track, thanks to an abundance of rain on race day. We tapped former pro, Jason Thomas, to break down the events that played out on a muddy racetrack.
Another muddy one, this time in San Diego. Compare the condition of the track, early on and at the end, to what the guys raced on last week in San Francisco.
All mud races are not created equal. San Diego was incredibly hard when the rains arrived and this was no accident. Dirt Wurx “sealed” the track to ensure moisture wouldn’t get deep into the soil and create the soggy and rutty conditions we saw in San Francisco. That doesn’t mean San Diego didn’t face its own unique challenges, though, as that sealing creates more of a slippery feeling than the softer mess at San Fran. Riders were still able to jump many of the jumps and “race” the track, versus simply hoping to complete laps. If forced to choose, San Diego was an easy yes versus the NorCal disaster.
The track crew didn’t tame the track as much this week as last. Do you think that helped with the racing, or did it have any bearing on the action either way?
I think that was just due to the forecast and conditions. The track absorbed nowhere near as much rain as San Fran did. With some riders still able to jump the triple and blitz the whoops, this was more of a tricky dynamic (especially the main events) than a true mud bog like the prior weekend. There’s no hard and fast rule, but if conditions truly deteriorate, there’s no upside to have a real supercross track.
As the night wore on it looked like the track seemed to dry out a bit and take actual form. That said, it was still gnarly, slick, and rutty. What’s it like trying to race and stay upright on a sketchy track, that’s still in shape enough to be raceable? How do you ride the line?
It’s tough but I liked that type of scenario. It slows the racing down and makes things far more technical. Mistakes are more costly and it becomes a thinking man’s race versus the all-out sprint we will see next week in Anaheim. I wouldn’t want it to be the norm, but I do like the variety it adds. Racing at this level should test every skillset and this was a unique ask.
Garrett Marchbanks was fantastic in San Diego. He led laps before taking second place and took his second consecutive podium. Should we be attributing this to the muddy conditions, or have you seen a difference in the way he’s riding this year?
He’s been a revelation, but this really started last summer. He regained a lot of confidence on the 450 and has brought that into 2024. I thought he was going to win that main event and I think he thought so, too. I do believe the mud helped him some but he’s a podium level threat on the dry as well. He has talent. Kudos to Garrett for turning his career around because I was getting a bit worried about the direction in 2022. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him on a factory bike in 2025.
RJ Hampshire was in a position to win this one, but instead ended up sixth after falling on the final lap while holding third. Was this simply an example of Hampshire pushing the limits of a dicey track, or was it just one of those things that happens?
He was going for it, no doubt, and that’s the risk he’s willing to take. The leaders were right in front of him and he was going for it. We can argue all day about whether it was a wise decision to risk a podium there, but we know RJ pushes the envelope. That’s who he is and asking him to change his ways now is probably foolhardy. He had to be kicking himself back at the truck, though, as he is now 13 points down to series points leader Jordon Smith. These short regional series’ don’t offer enough opportunity for critical mistakes, let alone in back-to-back weeks.
Speaking of riders who were in a position to win, we can add Levi Kitchen’s name to this list too. Unfortunately for Kitchen, he crashed his shot away. On the broadcast you mentioned Kitchen was “too excited, too early.” What could Kitchen have done to preserve his chance at winning in San Diego?
When you get to the front and are in what I refer to as a “plus position,” you don’t need to rush things. That plus position means he already got a good start and is away from the fray of traffic and danger. The hard yards are already done. It’s simply time to execute at that point. These guys do millions of laps at race pace and are robotically programmed to lock in and execute those laps. Crashing in that scenario is tough because that was purely on him. First turn crashes, mechanical troubles, etc, are difficult to avoid at times, but crashing on your own is something that needs to be avoided to win titles. It’s arguably the one aspect you have true control over in a myriad of scenarios.
Chase Sexton clearly held up Cooper Webb when Webb was lapping Sexton and putting together a run on Aaron Plessinger. Do you think there was more Sexton could have done to get out of the way, or was this a racing incident on a tough track?
Yes, he probably should have just stayed completely out of the race line. Sexton is in panic mode, trying to make up as many points as possible. He’s the points leader and defending champ, and is in a dire situation after his crashes. Still, he knew that AP7 had gone by and was likely being flagged by track workers and Webb’s mechanic as well to alert him of #2’s presence. If Sexton wasn’t on the same color motorcycle as the leader, it would be less controversial, but he was, and it is. The other aspect is that the track was incredibly one lined. That forced Sexton to deliberately get way out of the way instead of the subtle move that a dry track would allow.
It’s not often you see Eli Tomac getting lapped, but it happened in San Diego. But when Plessinger went around Tomac, Tomac upped his pace and locked onto Plessinger’s tail for a while. What’s Tomac’s thought process here?
Tomac was trying to make up as many points as possible, just like Sexton. I think he probably found a few better lines and also learned what Plessinger was doing to turn faster lap times. He learned the pace and stuck with it for a bit. That’s not atypical for this dynamic, we just don’t see it very often. That's because we rarely see someone of Tomac's caliber getting lapped! The trouble was that he was in between Plessinger and Webb, too. Webb was coming in hot and heavy and I don’t think he really appreciated Tomac’s increased pace. We would be wise to remember that both Tomac and Sexton have not been lapped very often in their careers, so expecting them to get it exactly right is likely foolish.
Jett Lawrence quietly had a great ride in the mud, coming from way back to secure fourth place. Did you see anything from him that caught your eye? Did this surprise you after he seemed to struggle in the mud last week?
He was riding incredibly well. I know he can ride the mud, that was not a question for me. The trouble is when you crash early and can’t grip the motorcycle (a la San Fran). His heat-race pace should put any, “he can’t ride mud,” assumptions to rest. This kid doesn’t have much in terms of weaknesses, other than simply being young and inexperienced in this class.
Lawrence was also involved in a bit of a yelling/shoving match with Jason Anderson after the main event. Any idea what this was about? Is it an unwise move for Lawrence to engage in confrontations like this with the veterans of the class?
As Jett was moving forward he got to the rear wheel of JA21 and couldn’t find a way around. Anderson is a veteran and knows where the passing zones are on a one-lined track like San Diego. So, knowing where the vulnerable areas were, he was resting and regrouping in the one-lined spots. Anderson lessening the intensity in the one-lined spots was infuriating for Jett, as he was focused on continuing his march forward. My guess is that Jett was yelling at Anderson to move (normal for this scenario), and that only fueled Anderson’s resolve to play games. As expected, that only angered Jett more and things spilled over after the race ended.
Personally, I think confronting Anderson and having a calm conversation is acceptable. Anderson would likely say, “Hey, pass me if you’re able to go so much faster,” when confronted. The trouble here is that it wasn’t calm. Jett lost his composure and was likely saying things that Anderson didn’t appreciate. Jett is a rookie in this class, regardless of how talented and successful a rookie he may be. Disrespecting former champions is not going to go well in this dynamic and I’m sure Jett knows that, as he’s calm and cool after having time to reflect.
The one thing Jett will want to avoid is a tit-for-tat situation with someone as capable as Anderson. Never pick a fight with a professional fighter, never play games with those who specialize in gamesmanship. That translates in real terms to this: don’t start trouble with Jason Anderson. It’s hard enough to win a title in the 450 class when everyone likes you. Creating foes out of the most aggressive names is not a wise path. I would almost guarantee Jett will work to mend fences.
Plessinger did it! We know he’s great in the mud, but he was really good at A1 too, which wasn’t a mud race. What did you like about Plessinger’s performance, and was there anything you noticed about his ride that set him apart from the rest of the field?
He’s coming into his own in this class. I think his confidence is at an all-time high and he believes he belongs at the front (he’s also mentioned this in interviews). He doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the pace or the moment. Believing is one of the biggest challenges that these elite riders face, especially when climbing the ladder to the top. Whether or not he can retain this red plate is up to him, but I believe he sees himself as this level of racer now. He, along with most, questioned that in year's past as the results weren’t coming. The 2024 season seems to be a page turned in the book of AP.
