2016 Red Bull Straight Rhythm Results & Video Recap
For the third-straight year, one of the most unique Supercross races headed to The Fairplex (Auto Club Speedway) in Pomona, Calif.—the Red Bull Straight Rhythm. The SX course combines head-to-head, drag-racing style racing across 1/2 mile of rhythm section (74 jumps!) with no turns.
In the Open Class, one rider dominated without losing a single race—Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin. The KTM SX-F450 pilot dominated qualifying, and was challenged by four riders during race day. Musquin’s only fault was a bobble while racing against teammate Ryan Dungey, but he recovered to cement his undefeated status at the Red Bull Straight Rhythm (he won the Lites class in 2014, though didn’t race in 2015).
Musquin was joined on the overall Open Class podium by Ryan Dungey and Kawasaki’ Josh Hansen. With his win, Musquin put an end to Suzuki’s James Stewart’s two-year winning streak; Stewart didn’t compete at this year’s event due to injury.
“It’s so intense,” said Marvin Musquin. “It’s only 40 seconds but we are holding our breath and you can feel the rider right next to you, you can hear them. The crowd was really getting into it, it was so much fun. To win here today means a lot.”
In the Lites Class, it was another KTM rider, this time Troy Lee/Red Bull KTM’s Shane McElrath, who finished ahead of fellow KTM SX-F250 pilots Mitchell Oldenburg and Jordon Smith.
“It was fun to compete against my teammates today,” said Shane McElrath. “Fortunately I was able to come out on top. Hopefully this race is under the lights again next year and it will only get better from here.”
Though everyone cheered on the winners, two other riders made some serious noise—well, one, anyway. Josh Hill finished in fourth aboard the Alta Motors Redshift MX electric motorcycle, proven the bike is competitive. And during the Lites class, Ronni Mac piloted a 1998 Honda CR250R two-stroke, and qualified seventh. Though he put in all efforts, he didn’t make it past KTM’s Smith in the semi-finals.
2016 Red Bull Straight Rhythm Open Class Results:
1. Marvin Musquin, KTM
2. Ryan Dungey, KTM
3. Josh Hansen, Kawasaki
2016 Red Bull Straight Rhythm Lite Class Results:
1. Shane McElrath, KTM
2. Mitchell Oldenburg, KTM
3. Jordon Smith, KTM