On Saturday, Jan. 19 Ken Roczen will look for his first win of the 2019 Supercross season as the series tackles Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. for the second time in three weeks. Roczen has been shut out of Victory Lane since January 2017.
Despite failing to win, Roczen has stood on the podium twice this season with a second in Anaheim I and a third last week in Glendale. This is the first time since his injury two years ago that Roczen has bolted on the red plate.
In the 250 class, Colt Nichols held onto his red plate after finishing second at Glendale and winning Anaheim I.
Riders faced muddy conditions in the first Anaheim race and it has been wet in Southern California this week as well, but the forecast is for clear conditions on Saturday.
Anaheim II will feature some serious elevation changes and decisions that need to be made about when to double or triple.
Fans are left to wonder which Jason Anderson will show up this week: the one that struggled to a 14th-place finish in the mud in Week 1 or the rider who challenged for the win at Glendale?
Anderson claimed his head was not in the right place for the season opener, saying he was “overwhelmed with everything,” at RacerX.com. “It was crazy. It was just a lot of stuff going on. Not only from obligations and stuff like that, but I had a horrible heat race and they wanted to do the ring presentation for the championship and it was just a lot. I was just not in the right head place to be racing, to be honest.”
Schedule:
Qualifying: 3-7 p.m. on NBC Sports, Gold
Race: 10 p.m. p.m. - 1 a.m. on NBCSN or stream live on NBC Sports Gold
Last Week:
Blake Baggett beat Justin Anderson and Ken Roczen in the 450 class.
Adam Cianciarulo beat Colt Nichols and Shane McElrath in the 250 class.
Last year:
Eli Tomac beat Cole Seely and Justin Anderson in the 450 class.
Joey Savatgy beat Shane McElrath and Christian Craig in the 250 class.
Winners
450s:
[1] Justin Barcia (Anaheim I)
[1] Blake Baggett (Glendale)
250s:
[1] Colt Nichols (Anaheim I)
[1] Adam Cianciarulo (Glendale)
Points Leaders
450s:
Ken Roczen (44)
Justin Barcia (43)
Eli Tomac (40)
Blake Baggett (37)
Dean Wilson (34)
250s:
Colt Nichols (49)
Adam Cianciarulo (44)
Shane McElrath (42)
Dylan Ferrandis (40)
RJ Hampshire (38)