Cooksey, Straight To The Point: I’m Confused 11

The new season is playing out exactly like no one thought.

Preparing for the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series I was confident that either Ken Roczen, Eli Tomac, Jason Anderson or Marvin Musquin would have secured at least one win within the first two rounds. I probably would have wagered the shirt off my back if anyone was willing. I’ve been watching Supercross my entire life, and haven’t witnessed a series with this much parity since 1990. Usually, heading into round three we already have an idea of who the favorites are and the direction of the series, but this year I’m even more confused as we enter round three. Up is down and left is right...what is going on here?

Blake Baggett.

Blake Baggett did the unthinkable at Glendale and I’m not talking about winning. Blake passed Jason Anderson on the outside and stayed upright! Anderson has owned Blake the last few years, demonstrating his dominance every time they get close. Anderson mysteriously crosses lines and Blake is suddenly on the ground. They’ve grown up racing each other, but in 2017 Blake made some bold comments after winning the Colorado round of outdoor motocross and Anderson has made him pay for those comments, over and over. When Blake went around Anderson on the outside, if you look closely you can see the monkey being launched off Blake’s back.

Jason Anderson.

Jason Anderson was a big question mark heading into Glendale. His ride at Anaheim was not what we expect from a defending champion. Rumors were flying as to why his race went bad, I heard he was suffering from an offseason wrist injury, I heard his bike suffered an electrical issue and some ridiculous theories about his off-track lifestyle. After seeing his performance at Glendale, I am convinced he is recovering from some sort of injury or illness as his fitness isn’t where it was in 2018. Teams make mistakes when they are secretive or deceptive about what’s going on with a racer. In this day and age of instant information, we find the truth, hiding or lying about issues only piques our curiosity. Supercross teams need to change with the times, in the 1990s or early 2000s they could easily manipulate the information released. NEWS FLASH! You can’t fabricate a narrative anymore. Everyone has a platform and the truth always surfaces, the best option for addressing issues and problems is transparency.

Ken Roczen.

The only guy doing exactly what we expected is Ken Roczen. With two podium finishes, he now has the red plate. Ken looked to be headed toward his first win since 2017 until the race was red flagged so the Alpinestars Mobile Medical crew could attend to Malcolm Stewart. Early reports have Malcolm suffering a concussion and broken femur, while we never want to see anyone get hurt this one really affected the season. Malcolm is one of the most likeable riders in the paddock and looked like a contender prior to the injury. The sport needs more personalities like Malcolm, as he isn’t afraid to let his personality shine. I really hope the MCR team can find funding to bring him back and try this again in 2020.

Malcolm Stewart.

The Glendale track, much like Anaheim, was glorious! Multiple lines and 180-degree turns allowed for passing and in Anderson’s case block passing. Before you burn Anderson at the stake, I want you to look at Roczen’s line. Roczen was squaring up the corner and needed to be aware Anderson was there. It was an aggressive move, but not dirty! Had that not been the beloved Ken Roczen, his move would be a non-issue. Unfortunately, Roczen is the epitome of class and getting aggressive with him is like Kanye West ripping the mic from Taylor Swift. If Anderson did this to Vince Friese he would be cheered, I don’t have a problem with the move. This isn’t golf, and Supercross is not for the faint of heart.

Eli Tomac.

Typically, leaving Glendale we are talking about Eli Tomac and his alien-like speed, but last night he had one of those head-scratching moments where he slowed down for no apparent reason. Fortunately, for Eli it happened in the heat race. He slowed and looked at his rear wheel but there didn’t seem to be a problem. He did however manage a fourth-place finish in the main and is four points out of the series lead.

Heading into the first Triple Crown of 2019 I have no idea what to expect, so many riders have the speed to win. Can Cooper Webb have a good finish without the help of rain? Will we see another surprise winner? Everything feels different this year. Did the new Monster Energy Supercross logo cause a cosmic shift in power? Time will tell…

Follow me @chriscooksey61 on Instagram and Twitter and @Cookseymedia on Facebook.

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