Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returns from its lone off weekend of the 2015 season tomorrow night with its annual visit to Houston’s NRG Stadium. A pair of titles are up for grabs for 450SX Class points leader Ryan Dungey as well as Western Regional 250SX Class Championship leader Cooper Webb, as both riders carry comfortable advantages over their respective fields. With another strong outing, both riders could wrap up the 2015 crowns early.
PROGRAM ALERT
**FOX Sports 2 will air the Houston race live at 8 p.m. EDT/ 5 p.m. PDT
**Coverage from Houston will also be available on the authenticated FOX Sports GO app**
** Episode 6 of Monster Energy Supercross Behind the Dream Premieres Tomorrow on FOX Sports 1**
On Saturday, April 11, fans can Log on to www.SupercrossLive.comto watch Race Day Live presented by AMSOIL with Jim Holley and Andy Bowyer from 1:50 p.m. EDT/ 12:50 p.m. CDT/10:50 a.m. PDT/ to 5:30 p.m. EDT/ 4:30 p.m. CDT/3:30 p.m. PDT
450SX Class
Red Bull KTM
#5 Ryan Dungey
Current Championship Position: 1st
St. Louis Start: 1st
St. Louis Finish: 1st (+/-0)
2015 Average Finish: 1.8
At the previous race in St. Louis, Dungey was dominant en route to a career-high sixth win of the season. With an 80-point lead over his closest competitor, Dungey needs to finish third or better on Saturday to clinch his second 450SX Class title.
“The team has built an incredible bike this season,” said Dungey. “I was able to get off to a good start in St. Louis. I was then able to focus on my opening laps and then settle in and focus on the win. I am so happy with my KTM and everyone that has been behind me on the team.
GEICO Honda
#3 Eli Tomac
Current Championship Position: 2nd (-80 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: 7th
St. Louis Finish: 2nd (+5)
2015 Average Finish: 6.2
Tomac has been strong the past two races, earning a win and a runner-up finish, but will likely need to grab his third victory of 2015 in order to prevent Dungey from clinching on Saturday night.
Eli Tomac in St. Louis – Photo Credit: Kardy Photos
“It was nice to have a weekend off,” said Tomac. ” We were going for 13 weeks in a row, and that’s a long time. It was good time off. Everyone wanted a little bit of a recharge. I’ll be able to keep that momentum going. Not much is going to change, I don’t think, and I’m excited to take this GEICO Honda to Houston.”
Team Honda HRC
#41 Trey Canard
Current Championship Position: 3rd (-92 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: DNS
St. Louis Finish: DNS
2015 Average Finish: 4.3 (11 Main Events)
Canard is sidelined for the remainder of the 2015 season with a broken arm.
#14 Cole Seely
Current Championship Position: 4th (-98 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: 9th
St. Louis Finish: 4th (+5)
2015 Average Finish: 6.6
Seely is six points from surpassing his teammate for third in the 450SX Class standings and will be in search of the first premier class win of his career.
Cole Seely in St. Louis – Photo Credit: Kardy Photos
“St. Louis was tough,” said Seely. “I got off to a horrible start, so I just tried to be smart about line selection and pick my way through the guys. I got into fourth and felt like I was catching Jason [Anderson] but got a really bad side cramp when I had to avoid a lapper. I made a jerking motion to move out of the way and under my ribs cramped up right away, so I had to just try to maintain the pace I had and hope that Jason would make mistakes, which never happened. The last five laps were tough. I prefer a track that’s more technical, where you need to be precise in each section. I really want to be on the podium, but I’m happy with how far I was able to make it through the pack for fourth.”
Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports
#22 Chad Reed
Current Championship Position: 5th (-113 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: 12th
St. Louis Finish: 8th (+4)
2015 Average Finish: 7.7
Reed is currently in the midst of a six-race top-10 streak.
Yoshimura Suzuki
#4 Blake Baggett
Current Championship Position: Tied for 6th (-131 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: 11th
St. Louis Finish: 10th (+1)
2015 Average Finish: 8.5
Baggett has endured some ups and downs in recent weeks, but is ready to get back on the podium for the second time this season.
Blake Baggett last weekend in St. Louis – Photo Credit: Kardy Photos
“I came into St. Louis under the weather a little bit,” said Baggett. “I got 10th and I’ll take that. I left healthy and enjoyed a week off where we could do some outdoor testing. I’m getting ready for that and looking to regroup for the final rounds of the supercross season.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory racing
#21 Jason Anderson
Current Championship Position: Tied for 6th (-131 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: 3rd
St. Louis Finish: 3rd (+/-0)
2015 Average Finish: 8.8
Anderson was strong in St. Louis, earning his first podium finish since a second-place effort at the opening race.
“I think things are going in the right direction,” said Anderson. “It took 12 races too long, but we got a podium and I’m just pumped. All day was good, I was kind of not used to riding up front because it’s been a while since I’ve done it, but it felt good up there. I was riding really good and trying to change up my lines with the track conditions. I’m trying to make smart decisions out there and I think that helped me stay in the podium hunt. All in all I’m happy to put my Husqvarna up on the podium and really pumped for my team. That was something we needed going into the break.
RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki Factory Racing
#94 Ken Roczen
Current Championship Position: 8th (-140 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: DNS
St. Louis Finish: DNS
2015 Average Finish: 5.9 (9 Main Events)
Roczen was scheduled to make his return to action in Houston after an ankle injury sidelined him for the last four races, but an announcement from RCH Racing confirmed he’ll forego Houston with a hope of returning for one of the final three races.
#20 Broc Tickle
Current Championship Position: 9th (-150 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: 6th
St. Louis Finish: 9th (-3)
2015 Average Finish: 9.1 (12 Main Events)
Since returning from injury at the sixth race of the season in San Diego, Tickle has not finished outside the top 10. He is one of just two riders with that distinction.
“I went back home and regrouped during the break,” said Tickle. “I think it was good for me. I’ve been training like crazy during the week and it’s not working, so I went back home, worked on what we needed to get better and will come to Houston 100-percent ready.”
BTO Sports KTM
#29 Andrew Short
Current Championship Position: 10th (-159 behind leader)
St. Louis Start: 22nd
St. Louis Finish: 22nd (+/-0)
2015 Average Finish: 10.7
Short escaped serious injury following a big crash in the St. Louis Main Event, mere feet after capturing the SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award. The Houston stop is considered his hometown race.
“St. Louis was one of my better races. I was finally starting to feel better,” said Short. “I ended the night with two holeshots and a Heat Race win. Unfortunately I had a big get-off after the second holeshot [in the Main Event]. I am happy I’m starting to feel better on the track and I am looking forward to Houston.”
Western Regional 250SX Class
Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha
#17 Cooper Webb
Current Championship Position: 1st
San Diego Start: 2nd
San Diego Finish: 1st (+1)
2015 Average Finish: 2.2
Webb has won four of the last five Western Regional races and can clinch his first career title with a finish of third or better.
#157 Aaron Plessinger
Current Championship Position: 6th (-55 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 18th
San Diego Finish: 14th (+4)
2015 Average Finish: 7.8
Plessinger will be in search of his second career podium finish in Houston.
Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/KTM
#28 Jessy Nelson
Current Championship Position: 2nd (-30 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 13th
San Diego Finish: 8th (+5)
2015 Average Finish: 5.0
Nelson has three podium finishes in six races and hopes to earn his second career win on Saturday night.
#40 Shane McElrath
Current Championship Position: 5th (-50 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 4th
San Diego Finish: 2nd (+2)
2015 Average Finish: 7.2
McElrath earned a career best runner-up finish at the last Western Regional race in San Diego.
“The break was nice, but I’m really anxious to pick back up where we left off in San Diego (with a podium),” said McElrath. “We’ve been able to work really hard over the past two months and I can’t wait to get to Houston. I have family coming so it should be a great race!”
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
#911 Tyler Bowers
Current Championship Position: 3rd (-32 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 1st
San Diego Finish: 3rd (-2)
2015 Average Finish: 5.
Bowers has had three podium finishes in six races, but he would like nothing more than to give Pro Circuit its first win of the 2015 season.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
#16 Zach Osborne
Current Championship Position: 4th (-34 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 3rd
San Diego Finish: 6th (-3)
2015 Average Finish: 4.8
A broken thumb hindered Osborne’s during the first half of the Western Regional season, but now that he’s back at full health the South Carolina rider expects to battle for wins.
Red Bull KTM
#32 Justin Hill
Current Championship Position: 7th (-57 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 22nd
San Diego Finish: DNF
2015 Average Finish: 8.7
A DNF in San Diego wasn’t how Hill wanted to enter the break, but he’s back and ready to build on a season-best finish of third.
Motosport.com/Monster Energy Kawasaki
#100 Josh Hansen
Current Championship Position: 8th (-57 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 5th
San Diego Finish: 4th (+1)
2015 Average Finish: 8
Hansen earned a season-best fourth-place finish at the last race in San Diego.
CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha
#31 Alex Martin
Current Championship Position: 9th (-61 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 6th
San Diego Finish: 5th (+1)
2015 Average Finish: 8.8
Martin hopes to earn a second career podium finish before the season wraps up.
GEICO Honda
#34 Malcolm Stewart
Current Championship Position: 10th (-67 behind leader)
San Diego Start: 21st
San Diego Finish: 21st (+/-0)
2015 Average Finish: 11.3
Stewart has one win to his credit this season and believes he has another one in him.
“I feel great and I’m definitely eager to get back to racing,” said Stewart. “I had some time off to ride outdoors and enjoy a little bit of life, honestly. I had a chance to get away from the racing scene, which is the cool thing about riding in the west series – you actually get a break. Now it’s time to get back to riding. It’s that time again.”
Tickets are available at the NRG Stadium Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone at (800) 745-3000, or online at www.supercross.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Practice and qualifying begin at 12:30 p.m. and the Main Event starts at 6:30 p.m. Club Level seats are $50 Adult/Child; Field Level Sidelines $30 Adult/Child; Endzone (100 & 300 Level) $30 Adult/ $15 Child; Treadhead $15 Adult/Child. Fans can also get in to the Pits for FREE from 12:00-6 p.m. Race Day when they recycle a MONSTER Energy Can at the stadium’s pit entrance (valid only with event ticket).
Headlining the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross television package will be the first-ever live FOX network broadcast from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Saturday, April 25 at 3 p.m. E.T. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast 12 races live and FOX Sports 2 will broadcast 3 races live. Each race will include a next-day re-air on FOX Sports 1. In addition, the authenticated FOX Sports Go app will live stream each race.
As a precursor to the live television, don’t forget to catch all of the pre-race coverage with Supercross Race Day Live, which will stream on www.SupercrossLive.com from 12:50 – 4:30 p.m. local race time each Saturday during the season. Practice, qualifying, behind the scenes features, and key rider interviews will all be highlighted on the Supercross Race Day Live webcast.
