2016 Toronto Supercross Preview | Tomac on the Charge

2016 Toronto Supercross Preview

The 2016 Monster Energy Supercross Championship heads to Canada for the first and only time this season. Ahead of SX at Roger Centre, the 2016 season has produced mixed results for Tomac and his first year with the same Kawasaki team that has won four consecutive 450SX Class titles with Ryan Villopoto. A major shoulder injury during last year’s outdoor season put Tomac a little behind in his preparations for Monster Energy Supercross.

As a result, it has taken some time for the new pairing between he and the Kawasaki KX450F to find its rhythm. Prior to his win in Daytona Beach SX last weekend, Tomac had just one podium result of third place in 2016. However, he was the rider to beat all day at the famed Daytona International Speedway, and managed to fend off some late pressure from defending Monster Energy Supercross Champion and current points leader Ryan Dungey to give Monster Energy Kawasaki its first win since the final race of the 2014 season.

Tomac was the breakout rider of the 2015 season, winning three races, and many expected him to be one of Dungey’s primary challengers for the title this year. His was the first rider in 2016 to led all 20 laps of a Supercross race.

“This is something we’ve been working towards all season,” said Tomac. “For being off the bike for as long I was, I think I was expecting too much of myself right away. Daytona is a race I’ve been looking forward to all year and it’s an event everyone wants to win. I was feeling great all day and it showed as I qualified first, won my [Heat Race] and capped it off with a Main Event win. I couldn’t be happier!”

The second place effort aboard his Red Bull KTM still allowed Dungey to extend his lead in the 450SX Class standings. It also signified his 25^th consecutive podium finish, tying him with Monster Energy/360fly/Chaparral/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Chad Reed for the longest streak in history. His 20^th straight finish of first or second also extended the record he currently owns.

“Daytona is always a nasty one,” commented Dungey. “But it’s good to be on the podium and pick up some valuable points in the overall championship.”

Dungey’s Red Bull KTM teammate Marvin Musquin continued his recent surge as one of the hottest riders in the championship, rounding out the podium in third just one week after he nearly won his first career 450SX Class Main Event. The French rookie has three podium finishes in his last six races.

In the 450SX Class standings, Dungey has jumped out to a 39-point lead over RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ken Roczen, who finished fifth in the Daytona. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson remains third, 50 points behind Dungey following a fourth-place effort last weekend.

The first two Main Events of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship have provided glimpses into how competitive this battle for the title should be. Through two races only one rider has finished on the podium in each Main Event, points leader and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Martin Davalos. In Daytona Davalos showed tremendous patience and it paid off with a third-place effort to complement his win two weeks ago in Atlanta.

The rider who stood atop the 250SX Class podium was Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin, who paced early race leader Malcolm Stewart on his GEICO Honda for 12 laps before making his move to lead the final three laps and take his third career win. Martin now has one win in each of the last three seasons.

“We worked a lot on bike setup and proper technique for supercross in the offseason because it’s a whole different animal from outdoors [motocross],” said Martin. “I like to bulldog it, and you can’t quite do that in supercross. We worked really hard this offseason and it’s all paying off. To get this win is a big thank you to my team.”

Following Martin in second was a hard-charging Justin Hill, who earned his first podium finish since joining Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM this season. Hill started sixth, but fought valiantly to give himself a shot at the win at the end.

“I felt really good all day, and think I could have had a chance for the win if I would have grabbed a better start,” said Hill. “It’s really awesome to feel this good and be right there in the championship battle.”

Davalos made a pass on Stewart on the final lap to steal third and secure his position atop the Eastern Regional Championship standings.

With back-to-back podium efforts Davalos holds a two-point lead over Martin in the standings. Stewart is third, five points back. Just nine points separate Davalos in first from Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger in fifth

The last time Monster Energy Supercross raced inside Rogers Centre was during the 2014 season. In the 450SX Class, Team Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s James Stewart enjoyed one of his most memorable rides with a come-from-behind victory in which he passed an incredible 10 riders after starting outside the top 10. In the 250SX Class, GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle earned the first win of his professional career en route to winning the Eastern Regional title.

Previous Supercross Race Results

Daytona International Speedway

450SX Class Results

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
3. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
5. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
6. Trey Canard, Edmond, Okla., Honda
7. Josh Grant, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki
8. Christophe Pourcel, San Antonio, Fla., Husqvarna
9. Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, S.C., KTM
10. Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda

450SX Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 213
2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki – 174
3. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 163
4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 154
5. Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 145
6. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 141
7. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 134
8. Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., KTM – 110
9. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 105
10. Jake Weimer, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki – 81

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results

1. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha
2. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
3. Martin Davalos, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
4. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda
5. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha
6. Arnaud Tonus, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Kawasaki
7. RJ Hampshire, Brooksville, Fla., Honda
8. Jesse Wentland, Elk River, Minn., Honda
9. Tyler Bowers, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki
10. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

1. Martin Davalos, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna – 45
2. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 43
3. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda – 40
4. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM – 38
5. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 36
6. RJ Hampshire, Brooksville, Fla., Honda – 29
7. Tyler Bowers, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki – 25
8. Benny Bloss, Oak Grove, Mo., Yamaha – 18
9. Arnaud Tonus, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Kawasaki – 17
10. Jimmy Albertson, Shawnee, Okla., Suzuki – 16
11. Dakota Alix, Jay, Vt., KTM – 16