Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey earned his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, win of the season in front of 43,441 fans at Angel Stadium to cement his position as the 450SX Class points leader. Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Cooper Webb won his third Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event in five races to extended his points lead.
For the first time in his 450SX Class career, Team Yoshimura Suzuki rookie Blake Baggett earned the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award with Dungey in second place.
Dungey used a pass on the opening lap to get around Baggett and take over the lead, and on the same lap, Team Honda’s Cole Seely passed Baggett to take over the number-two position.
Team Honda’s Trey Canard, who won last week’s race in Oakland, moved into third place on Lap 2. While pressuring his teammate Seely for second, Canard crashed on Lap 10 and lost several spots, allowing RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Factory Suzuki’s Ken Roczen, who won the first two races in Anaheim this season, to take over third place and GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac to move into fourth place.
Dungey led 19 of the 20 laps in the Main Event to earn his 15th career victory and his first since Indianapolis last March, 12 races ago.
“The whole day was great,” said Dungey. “We went out there and got a good start, got into the lead and led all of the laps. That is all we can do. We’ve finished fourth, third, second, second and now first [this season], and that is a step forward. We will continue to take it race by race and give it everything we have.”
On the last lap, Tomac made a pass on Roczen to secure the third and final spot on the podium. Seely held on for a career-best second place finish. “Those guys were pressuring me toward the end of the race, but I was able to put my head down and hold them off,” said Seely.
Dungey extended his lead over Roczen in the championship to 11 points, while Tomac moved into a tie with Canard for third.
Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull/KTM’s Jessy Nelson, who won the opening race of the season in Anaheim, started the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event with the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award. Webb, who entered the night with two wins in his last three starts, followed Nelson in second place with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne in third place.
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyler Bowers, the four-time AMSOIL Arenacross Champion, moved into fifth place by the end of Lap 1, but on the following lap he crashed, re-entering in last place after stopping for adjustments in the mechanics area.
Webb passed Nelson for the lead on Lap 7 and rode to his third win of the season. Webb’s teammate and 250SX Class rookie Aaron Plessinger, who completed AMSOIL Arenacross’ Ricky Carmichael Road to Supercross last year, earned the first podium of his career with a third place effort.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better race,” said Webb. “I look forward to keeping the momentum up next weekend in San Diego.”
“I can’t believe I am up here [on the podium] tonight,” said Plessinger. “I am speechless. This is an accomplishment that I didn’t expect in my rookie season.”
Nelson moved into second place in season standings, up one position from last week, and sits 18 points behind Webb. Osborne, who finished fourth, moved into third, while Bowers dropped to fourth following his 15th-place finish. Bowers entered the night in second.
Monster Energy Supercross continues next weekend with its sixth stop of the 17-race season from Petco Park in San Diego. Live broadcast coverage on FOX Sports 1 begins at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 7.
450SX Class Results: Anaheim Race 3
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
- Cole Seely, Laguna Beach, Calif., Honda
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
- Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
- Trey Canard, Edmond, Okla., Honda
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki
- Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna
- Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha
450SX Class Season Standings
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 107
- Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki, 96
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 84
- Trey Canard, Edmond, Okla., Honda, 84
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna, 74
- Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha, 71
- Cole Seely, Laguna Beach, Calif., Honda, 67
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Kawasaki, 57
- Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 54
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 54
Western Regional 250SX Class Results: Anaheim Race 3
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha
- Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha
- Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Husqvarna
- Matt Bisceglia, Weatherford, Texas, Honda
- Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM
- Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha
- Cole Martinez, Rimrock, Ariz., Yamaha
Western Regional 250SX Class Season Standings
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha, 111
- Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM, 93
- Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Husqvarna, 87
- Tyler Bowers, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki, 84
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM, 78
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha, 74
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda, 68
- Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM, 64
- Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki, 61
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 59
KTM Junior Supercross Challenge
- Nate Freehill, El Dorado Hills, Calif., KTM
- Cody Smit, Hillsboro, Ore., KTM
- Jett Lessing, Eastvale, Calif., KTM
- Mason Davis, Snowhomish, Wash., KTM
- Bill Hodgson, Shingle Springs, Calif., KTM
- Hayden Maeda, Chino Hills, Calif., KTM
- Ryder Garcia, Sylmar, Calif., KTM
- Karson Kindelt, Loomis, Calif., KTM
- Luke Harris, San Marcos, Calif., KTM
- Zane Smith, West Hills, Calif., KTM
- Bridger Moore, Saint Catharine, Mo., KTM
- Carson Brooks, Henderson, Nev., KTM
- Chase Potter, Odessa, Texas, KTM
- Harlem Nelson, Barstow, Calif., KTM
- Seth Anderson, Riggold, Ga., KTM
