Welcome to a new feature on Vital MX, something that will keep you informed when another race weekend beckons. In this 'Supercross Rundown' piece, on the Friday of each race week, we will take a look at all that has transpired over the last week, from news to updates and so much more. There are even snippets from press day to insert! Put simply, if you have been busy all week then this should ensure that you are up to speed.
Rider Injuries
Unfortunately, there is a lot to share here. Not all of this information is relevant to Anaheim 2 though: Two of the casualties were scheduled to race in 250SX East next weekend. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki lost both Seth Hammaker (wrist) and Jo Shimoda (collarbone) in practice this week. It has been a very tough period for Mitch Payton and now, unfortunately, he has no riders for the east coast. Another fill-in rider (in addition to Carson Mumford) could be on the horizon though, so stay tuned for confirmation on that.
The KTM Group has been luckless too, unfortunately, as Malcolm Stewart has joined Marvin Musquin over on the sidelines. '27' crashed in practice on Tuesday and it is thought that he is just beaten up – that is what those in the know commented at press day today and the official statement did not mention any broken bones. Musquin, on the other hand, is still dealing with bone bruising and ligament damage, so it may be a while before he is seen on the 450SX start line.
There is some positive news, as Levi Kitchen is on track and set to race. There were many concerned pundits when he was snapped in a sling on Saturday night, but that was a precaution as he hit his arm so hard that it felt worrisome for a while there. Expect Kitchen to operate as he usually does when gates drop tomorrow. Oh, in related news, Colby Copp will race this weekend as well. Copp was the cause of the red flag that was out in 250SX heat one, but he just hit his head and is just fine.
Anaheim 2 Press Day
Mother Nature has finally been kind to 2023 Monster Energy Supercross and, as a result of that, we had a true press day for the first this term! Hurrah! This was particularly stacked, because those who were initially down for San Diego got moved to Anaheim 2 in addition to the arranged line-up. Honda HRC, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing headlined the event. There was no Eli Tomac there though – he rode yesterday and was not interested in extra track time. Confidence is at an all-time high!
I had a chance to follow up on an item that puzzled me last week, that being that Dylan Ferrandis was quite bummed about his sixth place in San Diego. I thought it was a solid result that built on his fourth place from the first round, but that was not the case at all. Not only did he think he was slow, but he also felt the bike was not where he needed it to be. It turns out that he tested this week to make sure that he could turn the bike better, specifically in sharp turns, as that is where he felt that he left the most on the table.
Another tidbit that threw me for a loop was the fact that Chase Sexton rated his performance through two rounds at 6.5/10 and feels there is a lot of room for improvement. I am of the opinion that he has been great and there is not much to be concerned about – his lap times have been competitive and he could win in the correct circumstances. I'm shocked that he has judged himself so harshly, because I feel that it has been brilliant (results aside). What do I know?
Oh, another item that has made me very happy today. This is a true Monster Energy Supercross track – the layout has a lot to it. The start is very reminiscent of Seattle in 2019, then the dragon's back is brutal. I hope that the layout is not tamed down, because of 250SX Futures, as there should be separation, but there were some hard falls in their timed sessions. Maybe they take a look at it overnight? Weirdly, a lot of those guys found it tricky to time the finish. It was a shock that was the source of so many issues, but hey.
View replies to: Your Supercross Rundown | 2023 Anaheim 2
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