Commentary: 2019 Oakland Supercross Preview
Going into round 4 of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship Series at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum it is hard to get a sense of what’s going to happen next. The top 4 prohibitive favorites for the title—Ken Roczen, Eli Tomac, Marvin Musquin, and defending champion Jason Anderson—have yet to notch a win. It’s hard to imagine that continuing, but we’ve already had two first-time Main winners, and the third winner hadn’t been on the top step of the podium for six years!
- Leading the points, Ken Roczen is still looking for his first win since 2017. Even with the injuries, it’s stunning that Roczen (Team Honda HRC) has gone over two years without a win. He has two podiums this year, and had to feel like a win was stolen from him in Glendale. Last week’s 2-5-4 performance at the A2 Triple Crown kept him off the podium, yet Roczen expanded his lead in the series due to Barcia’s mishap. However, instead of Barcia behind him, Roczen now has to deal with an also-hungry Tomac right on his heels.
- If he can nab a win at Oakland, Eli Tomac will lead the series. Running just two points behind leader Roczen, Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) needs only to win to take the series lead. That is easier said than done, as Tomac has yet to win in 2019, and he has finished no better than P3 this year. Tomac looked great in Main 3 at A2, so he will be coming into Oakland with a small measure of momentum.
- Dealing with knee issues, Marvin Musquin is on a bit of a roll. Musquin (Red Bull KTM) has gone 8-5-2 in the first three rounds of the 2019 Monster Energy Championship Series. If past performance is indicative of future results, then Musquin might just be the first of the Big 4 to take a win this year. Musquin sits P5 in the standings, and trails Roczen by seven points—he won’t want to fall farther back.
- It’s hard times at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. After struggling early in the season and sitting P7 in the standings, Anderson is out for at least eight weeks. He broke his arm in two places in practice this week, and that required surgery. He joins teammate Zach Osborne (pre-season collarbone injury) on the disabled list. That means last year’s factory rider, Dean Wilson, will be carrying the Husqvarna banner. That’s okay—he was already ahead of Anderson in the standings.
- After a hard crash in Main 3 at A2, Justin Barcia is still touch-and-go. Barcia (Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing) bailed from high above the track and bruised his tailbone. The winner at A1, Barcia dropped from P2 to P4 in the standings at A2 due to the race-ending get off. If he wants to remain relevant in the championship race, Barcia will need to line up at Oakland.
- It’s good news/bad news for Cooper Webb. The good news is that Webb (Red Bull KTM) took his career-first win at Glendale. The bad news is that the winners of the first two rounds didn’t follow-up impressively. Barcia finished P6 in Glendale, while Glendale winner Baggett was a dismal P15. Obviously, Webb will be looking to break that streak.
- 2019’s rookie crop is not looking too good in the standings. Aaron Plessinger (Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing) is in P9, while Justin Hill (JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing) sits back in P14, with Joey Savatgy (Monster Energy Kawasaki) right behind him. On the upside, Plessinger and Savatagy finished 7-8 at A2.
- The weather is looking good in Oakland. As the evening program starts, the prediction is 55 degrees and just a three percent chance of rain.
- The track looks short, with a whoop section just before the 180-degree right-hander before the finish. There is also a sand section, a fairly long start straight, and a couple of 135-degree corners.
- NBCSN won’t be showing the race until Sunday. As disappointed as we are in the NBC Sports Gold subscription service, if you want to watch the Oakland race before 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, NBC Sports Gold is the only game in town. One nice part of the NBC Sports Gold package is Qualifying coverage, which starts at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday. Race coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET. Be sure to bookmark our 2019 Supercross Television Schedule.
Photography by Ryan Swanberg, et al.
2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Standings (after 3 of 17 rounds)
- Ken Roczen, 63 points
- Eli Tomac, 61
- Cooper Webb, 57 (1 win)
- Justin Barcia, 56 (1 win)
- Marvin Musquin, 56
- Dean Wilson, 52
- Jason Anderson, 46
- Blake Baggett, 45 (1 win)
- Aaron Plessinger, 45
- Cole Seely, 44
- Justin Brayton, 37
- Chad Reed, 33
- Vince Friese, 32
- Justin Hill, 30
- Joey Savatgy, 22
- Justin Bogle, 18
- Malcolm Stewart, 17
- Ben Lamay, 14
- Carlen Gardner, 11
- Tyler Bowers, 9
- Alex Ray, 9
- Kyle Chisholm, 8
- Angelo Pellegrini, 4
- Ronnie Stewart, 4
- Ryan Breece, 3
- Austin Politelli, 2
- +Cheyenne Harmon, 2