Tight Squeeze
Last week there was a lot of talk regarding just how tight the points in the 450SX class were. Well, somehow, they got even tighter over the weekend, and championship leader, Chase Sexton, leads Jett Lawrence by a single point. Lawrence, in turn, has a single point advantage over Aaron Plessinger in third! Cooper Webb’s right in there too, just four points back of Plessinger. With the top four so closely jammed together in the points, it’s anyone’s guess who will leave Glendale with the red plate. -Aaron Hansel
The Bounce Back
Eli Tomac had an interesting night in Detroit. After being fast early in the 450SX main event and holding third for the first six laps, Tomac’s pace slowed considerably, and he started losing spots at an alarming rate. When it was all said and done, he’d slid all the way back to 10th, which isn’t something we often see from Tomac. Will he bounce back in Glendale, or will he deal with more confusing problems? -Hansel
Back on Top
After not finding much success in two rounds of mud and a Triple Crown format, Jett Lawrence regained the form he had at the season opener, leading every single lap, and finishing by a comfortable margin over Sexton. After his hiccups at the prior rounds, Detroit served as a stark reminder for the competition of just how dangerous Lawrence is, especially when he gets a holeshot. Who thinks he’ll go back-to-back in Glendale? -Hansel
Hot Streak
We’re not talking about the weather in Glendale here, it's supposed to be chilly this year, we’re referencing Ken Roczen’s finishes there. Since the series started going to Glendale back in 2016, Roczen has been excellent there. He’s won there twice, taken third twice, and the worst he’s finished in Glendale is fifth (2023 and 2022). Is Roczen, on the heels of a third place in Detroit, ready to back on top of the box in Arizona? -Hansel
All Tied Up
When the 250SX West series last raced at Anaheim 2, it was Levi Kitchen who took the win. And thanks Jordon Smith having a rough time in the Triple Crown and finishing fifth, it also put Kitchen in a tie for the points lead with Smith. Coincidentally, they’ve each got a single win so far this season. We’ll see who edges the other out to take sole possession of the red plate in Glendale. -Hansel
Back in the Game
With an eight-point deficit to the points leaders, RJ Hampshire’s championship situation is still in pretty good shape, although he’d no doubt like to forget his sixth and ninth place finishes at rounds two and three. A win this weekend would help with that, and it’d also allow him to get in a little closer and crowd the leaders. We’ll have to wait to see what happens, but you know Hampshire is going to give it 110 percent no matter what. Will it result in his second win of the season? -Hansel
Course Correction
No podiums and a DNF. Not exactly the map Jo Shimoda would have drawn out for the first four rounds of 2024, but nevertheless, that’s what he’s currently looking at. He’s already 30 points out of the lead in a short series, so a championship is all but impossible at this point. He can still get wins though, and if he does, it’ll go a long way in taking the sting out of what’s been, so far, a disappointing season for the Honda HRC rider. -Hansel
Consistency Is Key
So far Chase Sexton has been the most consistent rider in 2024, landing on the podium at three out of five rounds, while the most anyone else has is two. If Chase can stay consistent and eliminate the mistakes of years past, the rest of the class may be in trouble as he gets more and more comfortable on the KTM. -Sarah Whitmore
Rookie Rivalry
Julien Beaumer put in a great supercross debut at Anaheim 1 with a sixth-place finish, though he hasn’t been able to match his ride in the mud. However, fellow rookie in the East Region, Daxton Bennick just scored a podium at his first ever supercross. Bennick and Beaumer battled in the Supercross Futures class last year, so will this be added motivation for Juju to get on the box in his rookie season as well? -Whitmore
Layout
The track map for Glendale looks completely unique, with two whoop sections and two small sand sections. The added space should allow for lap times longer than the 45 seconds we were seeing in Detroit. Not to mention with the hard packed slick Arizona dirt, it may be the first race of the year without massive ruts. Different conditions could mean a different winner? -Whitmore
