Desert bound we go! Glendale is one of the best rounds of the series. The February weather can’t be beat and the huge stadium floor gives opportunity for a great racetrack. This year also coincides with the Waste Management PGA Tour event and many industry personnel are making plans to join in on the craziness there as well. I love going to the races but I am especially looking forward to this particular weekend.
True to form, this track is massive. Spanning the entire length of the extended floor (State Farm Stadium has a huge opening at one end where bleachers would often be), there are long lanes and huge rhythms. The start is placed right in the middle of the track and not as long as we have seen here before. It bends into a long left hand 180 which should give plenty of room for maneuvering, the opposite of what we saw in Detroit.
The first rhythm section is going to be triple-central. Riders will pop up over the first tabletop complexity and then put together triple after triple as they head towards the open side of the stadium. There is an opportunity to quad into the corner at the end of the section but riders may choose to go 3-1 as it will be easier to slow down in this scenario.
A standard supercross triple greets the exit of the bowl berm and leads to a steep and slow step over tabletop. Riders will want to catch the downside perfectly and use it to accelerate into the next set of whoops. It’s also important to mention that a new policy has been put into place where we will only see 9-10 whoops on any SX track. The days of stadium length whoops seem to be gone for now.
A tight 180 is at the end of the whoops and leads to back-to-back sand sections. With them being short and relatively straight, I don’t anticipate any big drama in the sand but if it gets dragged into the before-and-after corners, maybe things get a little dicey.
Another whoops section begins immediately after the second sand section and with a tight bowl berm leading in, these could be jumpers. A line could be made for riders to use the inside line exiting the sand, then utilize that jumping line to go 3-3-3 through them. Watch for riders like Webb to try this at different times to work out the logistics.
A small double is up after the whoops and then immediately into the finish line jump. A netted bowl berm meets the landing of the finish line and redirects riders back along the sideline of the stadium.
A standard supercross triple starts off a very long rhythm section. Riders will land from the triple and have two basic choices. They can either triple-on the next tabletop or jump over it to the downside. That will change the remaining jumps into a 3-3 or 3-3-1. Both will be similar in speed but the 3-3-1 sets up better to protect the inside in the next 90.
A big double spans the entire start straight but has plenty of run leading to it so while it looks big, this is one of the easier obstacles riders will face.
A fast back-to-back chute of straightaways bend back over each other before leading into lap two.
The track is going to be the busiest we have seen this year and also has several tricky bends mid-rhythm. The downside of these bends is that it makes passing harder. If the lead rider sticks to the inside of the bend, he can box out any moves and dictate the pace. Watch for the two bowl berms near the first corner for aggressive passes as riders can cut across the inside and meet riders at the apex.
- Supercross
- QualifyingLiveFebruary 10 - 3:00 PM
- QualifyingLiveFebruary 10 - 3:00 PM
- Night ShowLiveFebruary 10 - 8:30 PM
- Night ShowLiveFebruary 10 - 8:30 PM
- Nigh Show (Re-air)February 12 - 1:00 AM
Who’s Hot
Jett Lawrence got back to doing what he does best. He grabbed the lead and never looked back.
Chase Sexton still needs to make a decisive pass on the #18, in my humble opinion, but he did regain the red plate in Detroit.
Cooper Webb’s fourth place finish might not jump off the page but his riding did. He’s ready to fight for this title.
Ken Roczen battled forward for a third place finish. He looks great. A good start could get him onto the top step.
(Yes, I know this is a look ahead column but these 250 East riders deserve mention)
Austin Forkner did everything right in Detroit. He avoided the drama, got the start, and rode flawlessly to win. It’s been a long road back for Forkner. He has a few weeks before the next race but he has to be smiling.
Max Anstie was calm, cool, and collected en route to a runner up opener. He can win races this year. The question is if he can avoid the catastrophic night that removes him from a title fight.
Dax Bennick landed on the podium in his debut SX. That’s all that needs to be said. Great job, kid.
Who’s Not
Eli Tomac looked to have some sort of problem and his results suffered badly. His team said nothing failed but his bike setup was off, and that led to arm pump. What a weird main event for the #3.
Justin Barcia has had a rough couple of weeks and I’m not quite sure why.
Bold Predictions
Cameron McAdoo signs on as a supporting cast member in Boogie Nights 2.
Eli Tomac wears a tool belt during the main event, enabling mid race shock adjustments.
Nathan Ramsey equips the Rockstar Husky 450’s with rabbit’s feet and several dreamcatchers.
Vince Friese arrives to Phoenix shirtless after being upstaged by the 250 first turn pile-up in Detroit.
