Report: AMA Monster Energy Supercross: San Diego
By Team TMX on 17th Jan 16
Ryan Dungey takes first win of 2016 Monster Energy Supercross season in San Diego. Cooper Webb wins second straight Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event
In front of a crowd of 36,825 at Petco Park, Monster Energy AMA Supercross made its first of two visits to San Diego for the second race of the season on Saturday night.
Following a runner-up finish at the opening race a week ago, Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey returned to the top step of the podium for his first win of the year, taking over the points lead in the process.
In the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship, defending champion Cooper Webb earned his second consecutive Main Event win aboard his Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha with a come-from-behind effort.
The 20-lap 450SX Class Main Event started with Monster Energy/360fly/Chaparral/Yamaha Factory Racing's Chad Reed edging out BTO Sports/WPS/KTM's Justin Brayton for the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award, with Smartop MotoConcepts Racing's Vince Friese in tow. Dungey placed himself just outside the top three, but was soon sitting third after Reed got shuffled back to fourth.
Brayton and Friese battled for the lead on the opening lap, but on Lap 1 Dungey seized control of the Main Event and took over the top spot. Reed fought his way back into podium contention and was able to pass Brayton for second on Lap 2.
On the third lap, RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing's Ken Roczen threw his name into the mix, coming from a sixth-place start to grab third. However, Roczen crashed on the ensuing lap and dropped to 10th, allowing Brayton to once again run third briefly before giving way to Team Honda HRC's Cole Seely.
The top three stabilised for the majority of the race, with Dungey and Reed opening a sizable gap over the rest of the field. On Lap 15 the battle for third heated up between Seely and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Jason Anderson, last week's winner and entering points leader.
The two riders traded positions before Anderson took control of the spot on Lap 17 following a pass in which he and Seely made contact.
Reed kept Dungey honest throughout the entirety of the Main Event, but the defending champion took the win after leading all but one lap for his 23rd career 450SX Class win and his first ever victory in San Diego.
"It was a good night. I got off to decent start and as able to pick my way up to front," said Dungey. "Chad [Reed] was on my heels the whole time, so I couldn't make a big mistake, although I made a few little ones. It feels good to get the win and move back into the points lead. That's the plan [coming into the season] and it's working [so far]."
Reed finished in the runner-up spot for the 128th podium result of his career and his first since rejoining the Factory Yamaha effort for the 2016 season. It was his best result since winning in Atlanta last season, nine races ago.
Anderson was initially credited for third, but was later penalized by race officials for jumping during a red cross flag situation for a downed rider that requires riders to keep wheels on the ground. The two-position penalty dropped Anderson to fifth, ultimately giving third place to Seely.
"That was exciting the way it ended up [on the track]," said Anderson on the podium, prior to the penalty. "I had to dice it up with Cole [Seely] there at the end, but I'm happy to put the Husqvarna back on the podium. I was pretty far behind [off the start] and had to make some moves. It was a little chaotic out there, so I just need to do better and make things easier on myself next weekend."
With Anderson's penalty, Dungey's advantage in the 450SX Class standings sits at six points over the Husqvarna rider. Seely is third, seven points behind Dungey and one point behind Anderson for second.
The 15-lap Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event got underway with GEICO Honda's Jordon Smith emerging from the first turn to capture the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award.
As the field settled in, Smith's GEICO Honda teammate Jimmy DeCotis, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Zach Osborne battled for podium spots, while Webb was forced to battle from eighth. DeCotis soon crashed out of the top three, allowing Osborne to take over second and Savatgy third.
On Lap 5 Osborne got inside Smith after the whoops and took over the lead. At about the same time, Webb was completing the pass on Savatgy for third after a torrid run to the front. Just two laps later Webb moved into second with a pass on Smith and set his sights on Osborne out front.
The following lap, Savatgy moved back into a podium spot with a pass on Smith for third. Osborne kept Webb at bay for a few laps but on Lap 11 the reigning champion made the winning pass with an aggressive move. Once out front, Webb pulled away while Osborne would crash out of second on Lap 13, allowing both Savatgy and Smith to take over second and third, respectively.
Webb took his second win at Petco Park, and the eighth win of his career, ahead of Savtagy in second. Smith earned the first podium finish of his career in third.
"I got another bad start unfortunately, but it was awesome to come through pack like that," said Webb, who has won six straight Main Events dating back to last season. "I had great battle with all the top guys since they were up front. I hope all the fans enjoyed that battle. It was a great night. I'm glad to be back up here and I'm looking forward to the rest of the year."
Webb extended his early season points lead in the Western Regional 250SX Class Standings to 14 points over Smith. Savatgy and Osborne currently sit tied for third, 15 points out of the lead.
