That's What He Said 2

The first Triple Crown at A2 provided plenty of quotable moments. Check 'em out.

450 Class

Eli Tomac (1st)

"My shoulder made huge improvements over this last week," said Tomac. "We came into this weekend looking to be consistent and I knew we'd be able to be competitive. To leave here with the win feels amazing. I can't thank the team enough for everything they have done and continuing to believe in me. I'm looking forward to keeping the ball rolling."

Cole Seely (2nd)

"It feels great to be back on the podium. Leading some laps in the first race definitely helped boost my confidence, but I was happier with the way I rode in the second main event. Eli [Tomac] was going fast so to be able stick with him and almost challenge for the lead before making that mistake was huge. I was definitely feeling a little pressure on the gate of the last race because I just needed that last bit to close the deal. I knew I was riding really well in the first two mains, but sadly my start in the third race got me. [Weston] Peick kind of came over on me down the start-straight, so I got shuffled back and came around the first turn in around 14th. It was hectic coming through the pack. I ran out of steam in the end and wish I could've pushed forward a little more and made a few more passes. It had the win in my grasp and was so close."

Jason Anderson (3rd)

"My practices were pretty mellow," said Anderson, "but the rest of the day was crazy. I had to make some chaotic moves in the back during the first Main Event, but I was able to battle my way to seventh. I was third to last in the second Main Event and was able to get to third, then was finally able to get a good start in the last Main Event and checked out to get the win."

Weston Peick (5th)

"The new Triple Crown format was definitely interesting. The pace was crazy fast in the first main of the night, with everyone basically sprinting to the finish. The night came down to getting good starts, and my Suzuki RM-Z450 was awesome. I wouldn't want the Triple Crown to be an every weekend deal, but it's something cool to throw into the mix every once in a while. In my opinion, the track was way too easy for everyone. So many guys were doing the same rhythms, and the track was really fast. They could have done a better job with the design in order to separate the riders out." 

"I felt good for most of the night. I was passed by Jason Anderson halfway through the second main event, but I fought hard to pass him back. Then I got around Justin Brayton, but shortly after that I tucked the front end in a tricky section of the track. I ended up smashing my bad hand, which caused it to go numb for the rest of the race. I wasn't able to make up any positions due to my hand, so I just rode the rest of the race in ninth. The plan right now is to ride one day this upcoming week and otherwise let my hand heal up."

Josh Grant (6th)

"Tonight was crazy," said Grant. "The three race format is definitely chaotic. I felt great all day today on my KX™450F and it showed. I actually had a lot of fun tonight and I'm happy with my results."

Ken Roczen (9th)

"Tonight was very interesting. It's Anaheim 2, which is obviously where I crashed and even though I tried not to think about it at all, it lingered subconsciously in the back of my mind. I didn't feel like myself at all out there. I was riding bad and couldn't seem to do anything about it. I went into the first main, got a bad start, felt terrible on the track and basically went backwards. That definitely wasn't the plan but the worst part was, I had two more to go [laughs]. Even though I didn't feel good, it was great to just finish it and get this one off the checklist. It was big night and obviously, it could've gone worse—as we saw here last year. We're walking away from here super healthy and looking forward to next weekend's race. All in all, it's a tough pill to swallow as a rider because I want to win or at least battle for the win. It for sure wasn't there today though. I want to move on, forget about tonight and start looking forward to the next one."Jason Anderson (3rd)

Malcolm Stewart (11th)

"Overall, the day was great! I had a lot of fun. The Triple Crown was very interesting. I knew that it would provide good racing, because nobody had done it before. I got 11th overall after the night was over. It was good for me to have more gate drops, so I could get used to the Suzuki RM-Z450 and raise my intensity level. I couldn't be happier with how I'm riding, given that Saturday night was only my fifth time riding the RM-Z450. We will keep moving forward and focus on making more improvements next week."

Jeremy Martin (12th)

"I struggled in practice the entire time so the whole GEICO Honda crew and I were working hard to make the right adjustments for the slippery West Coast style track conditions," said Martin. "I went down in the first main off the start and clipped a tough block in the first turn in the second main so I was stoked on the three-moto format to redeem myself with a 10th in the third moto. Really enjoyed my time on the 450 but I'm ready to get to work on what really matters, which is the 250."

Marvin Musquin (13th)

Musquin: "Tonight was tough. The plan was to take it session by session today and that's what we did. We qualified 2nd fastest and made it through the first and second races so that was good. Starts were everything on this track but I didn't make the most of them or put myself in a place that made it easier, especially considering I'm battling a shoulder issue. And battling mid-pack only made things harder. By the third race I just didn't have it to hang in there for the entire race. Not going to lie, my shoulder is very sore but given Thursday I didn't even know if I would be able to race, I'm happy salvaging 10 points and will keep working on helping my shoulder heal this week to see where it's at by Phoenix."

Broc Tickle (16th)

"Overall tonight it was bad starts and putting myself in a bad position to get the laps in that I needed during the Main Events. Obviously with the schedule and the way it was formatted, it was kind of tough to work your way back from a bad start. So, I'm definitely going to work on starts this week – that's the main focus at this point.  It's not like I'm riding bad, you just have to put yourself in a good position. It will come, I work hard to be the best I can be and I'm confident that we'll get there. We'll build each and every week and get back on our feet, after this weekend it was a tough one to swallow."

Dean Wilson (18th)

"It was great to be back racing," said Wilson. "My shoulder was really hurting throughout the day. I made really great improvements to be back at the races, but I never had the strength to hold on. I managed to get 14th from a dead last start one race, but got hit in the first lap of another race and I wasn't able to finish. I was still out there, and I tried and that's all that matters at this point. I'm focused on getting my body healthy so I can get back up there and battle in the front."

250 Class

Joey Savatgy (1st)

"If I were to use one word to describe tonight's racing, it would be ‘hectic'," said Savatgy. "Consistency was definitely the name of the game tonight and I'm glad we were able to get three great starts and keep it on two wheels for all three main events tonight. I'm excited to go into Round 4 tied for the points lead."

"Starts were pretty critical with this format and we were able to get three really good ones," said Savatgy. "The win feels really good. It's been a long road to get back here and we've put in a lot of work. I've been in this position before (holding the red plate) and I just need to find a flow and focus on staying consistent."

Christian Craig (3rd)

"Yeah, I'm not happy," said Craig. "I'm not going to complain about fifth [place finishes to start the season], but with the off-season that I had I was just so confident coming into this season and to get fifth I was pretty bummed. Third is good and something to build on, but obviously I want to be where Joey [Savatgy] is and winning. I still have a lot to go. I need to make something click here.

"We're going to Glendale which I got my first win there," said Craig referencing next weekend's race, the site of his 2016 triumph. "I'm excited. The class is wide open. Obviously, there's a bunch of dudes that are flying right now. A lot of them obviously are on the podium. But you just never know. You literally have to bring it every Saturday night and just hang it out and hope for the best."

Adam Cianciarulo (4th)

"Today went well. "Obviously, it wasn't the results we wanted but I feel comfortable with my speed and I know I can win. I'm glad to leave here healthy after a crazy night of racing and keep building on each race."

"It was a rollercoaster day, but I'm glad I was able to put in three solid motos. I finally started feeling really good in that third moto and chipped away at the lead. I was so close to getting on the podium, which is great after having a rough practice session with the crash."

Hayden Mellross (7th)

"I had a great week of training leading into Anaheim 2 and was feeling awesome on the bike all day," Mellross said after the races. "I felt with 3 solid starts I could run up front with the top guys.  I'm extremely happy with 7th but I know I have more to offer."

Chase Sexton (8th)

"This was my first holeshot in probably two years," said Sexton. "I think I also had the most crashes today—I think I fell six times including practice! I thought it wasn't my night, but it's good to turn it around and lead some laps and get a third in that final main event. Honestly, since I was thinking it wasn't my night, when I got that start I just wanted to see how many laps I could lead, but after probably halfway I thought "Man, I have a legitimate shot to win this!" Then I made a mistake and hit a tough block, got a little tight, but it was fun to lead laps. I've never led laps in a pro race."

Phil Nicoletti (9th)

"The first two races went well for me. I was up where I belong, and I can make improvements on that. The final race was tough, because I couldn't find a hole through the first turn. My starts were off all night long. I found myself in a bit of a slump in the third race and couldn't pass a couple of riders that were right ahead of me. I did enjoy the format, though. It was nice to get away from the traditional format for a change. The track was one of the more mellow layouts that I've ever ridden. Maybe they did that because of all the laps put in between the two classes. My ribs still hurt, as does my shoulder blade. I'll probably ride twice this week, because it's hard to show up to a Supercross race without having put in any laps during the week."

Justin Hill (10th)

"Truth be told, I actually felt really good in comparison to Houston last weekend. I think I could have put in a really fast lap if I would have gotten a lap in qualifying where the track wasn't so hectic. The Triple Crown format made starts all the more crucial, but I was awful off the gate."

"This week I'm going to work on bringing more intensity, so that when I'm racing I feel better out of my comfort zone. I'm the type of rider who likes to feel dialed, which can be good or bad. The tracks haven't been very tricky so far this series, so I need to bring some raw heat to the races. I was better this weekend and things are beginning to click. I don't feel like I belong where I have been finishing, so I'm going to work on raw speed to get up in the mix. We'll get it figured out. 

Kyle Chisholm (11th)

"The format was cool and overall it was a solid consistent night for me and the team," said Chisholm. "We ran up near the front all day and we were definitely in the mix with the factory teams. I was stoked to get the start in that final main, but also disappointed to finish just outside the top 10 overall. I know what I need to work on for the future and looking forward to getting back out there."

Mitchell Harrison (13th)

"This was a new experience," said Harrison. "I felt great in practice, but I was definitely tested all day. I felt like myself earlier in the day, and felt like my arm was feeling great again. I was in my element, but I had a really hard fall and it might have set me back a little bit. I still felt like I rode great, and a few things here and there will make me better next week."


Race Team Staff

Jeremy Albrecht

"Weston [Peick] is riding awesome this year. Even with the crash he still got fifth. Weston has been super consistent. It's cool that Phil [Nicoletti] is improving. Malcolm [Stewart] is getting better each week. We'll get things figured out with Justin [Hill]. The Suzuki RM-Z250 is a good motorcycle, and we made lots of changes before Anaheim 2. Justin needs to get more time on the new settings and put himself in better positions once the gate drops."

"I liked the Triple Crown format, because it's something different. I do think it would be better if they paid points for every race, rather than just the overall. I noticed that there was a lot of down time before the racing started, and then the evening went by fast. I would say that there was enough time between main events, and it seemed like there was a lot more racing. It's nice that Feld Motor Sports did something different."

Erik Kehoe (Honda HRC Team Manager)

"It was a really solid night for Cole. I was glad to see him get great starts in those first two races. Unfortunately, in the last one, the start is what got him. He still rode incredibly hard and came through the pack as quick as he could but it really set him back. I think the sprint-style format of the first two races played into Cole's favor, he was strong and aggressive, but it really came down mainly to the starts. He's continuously improving each week so I anticipate him being on the podium much more this season. I think Ken's starts had a lot to do with his struggles tonight. When he was in back, it was really hectic and there was a lot of banging going on, so I think that may have shook his confidence a little. The way the track was, there wasn't a big difference in lap times so you really had to get a start to be up there. I was glad to see him bounce back with fourth in the last race, so that was a good way to end it."

Rich Simmons (Cole Seely's Mechanic)

I thought Cole's performance was good all day. He was riding awesome and looked strong. Overall it was a big improvement and we just need to bring that to each race. The track was so basic; you shouldn't get a bad start, but if you do, there's nothing to separate everyone. Everyone is going the same speed and taking the same lines so passing was pretty hard. Cole did make some great passes in both the second and third race, but it was follow-the-leader for the most part."

Oscar Wirdeman (Ken Roczen's Mechanic)

"It was just one of those days when we didn't get dealt the right cards and are happy it's over. Ken started off the night with two bad starts, and the track was so one-lined, everyone was going the same speed, making it hard to pass. He wasn't himself for a lot of the day though; he rode tight and a little tentative. As much as he tried not to, I'm sure he had last year on his mind. I didn't want to come back here, so I can only imagine how he was feeling. I think it would be hard not to let it be a factor, especially with everyone else making it such a big deal."







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