-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Supercross & Motocross
SX: 1/3 Season Report Card
Brandon Short details the 'ABC's of the first third of the 2012 Monster Energy Supercross season.
(Photo: Hoppenworld.com)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Round 7 of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship from Dallas, TX will air LIVE on SPEED Saturday, February 18 at 8:30pm ET. #SXonSPEED
The first third of the Monster Energy Supercross season is now behind us, signifying the move East. With a solid six weeks of action behind us, it’s an opportune time to issue grades for the top riders in the series.
Please keep in mind, these are given within the context of the riders’ expectations coming into the '12 season.
The Champ: Ryan Villopoto - A
Winning a title is hard, but defending it typically proves even more challenging. Just ask James Stewart, Chad Reed, and Ryan Dungey. They’ve all reached the pinnacle of the sport, but fell short when it came to backing it up. In fact, no rider has successfully defended their crown since the days of Ricky Carmichael.
Villopoto is off to a strong start protecting his #1 plate, notching up three wins in six races while holding down the points lead. And with back-to-back wins to his name, he's got all the momentum right now, so it’s easy to give him such a good grade.
It hasn't been completely perfect -- Villopoto has been held back somewhat due to a pair of bad starts, but even in both of those instances he fought back exceptionally well. The ball is in his court, as expected, so we’ll see how he handles it going forward.
The Challengers:
Chad Reed - A
You can’t really ask for much more from Reed. He’s got a win to his credit and been a fixture on the podium. He came up just a lap short of a second win a week ago, but he’s playing the role of Mr. Consistency perfectly. Outside of a disappointing effort in Phoenix he hasn’t really had a weak race and looks more than ready to take this fight through to the finish.
Ryan Dungey - B
Dungey’s been super consistent as well, just like we expect. He’ll never be flashy, but he’ll always be there getting the job done. It's possible you didn't even notice that he led the points race for a couple weeks. He’s even got that elusive win out of the way already -- KTM's first ever in the premier class -- so now it’s just a matter of keeping it at the very front, which has also been his downfall.
In order to have any hope of pushing Villopoto and Reed, Dungey needs to make certain that his starts are dialed in every week. He has been forced to fight from behind too frequently this season and can’t continue to surrender three to five points at every round.
Overall, you’ve got to be impressed with how this new relationship with KTM has been working out. In terms of his results, it's essentially like nothing has changed, which should be considered a positive, especially this early.
The first third of the Monster Energy Supercross season is now behind us, signifying the move East. With a solid six weeks of action behind us, it’s an opportune time to issue grades for the top riders in the series.
Please keep in mind, these are given within the context of the riders’ expectations coming into the '12 season.
The Champ: Ryan Villopoto - A
Winning a title is hard, but defending it typically proves even more challenging. Just ask James Stewart, Chad Reed, and Ryan Dungey. They’ve all reached the pinnacle of the sport, but fell short when it came to backing it up. In fact, no rider has successfully defended their crown since the days of Ricky Carmichael.
Villopoto is off to a strong start protecting his #1 plate, notching up three wins in six races while holding down the points lead. And with back-to-back wins to his name, he's got all the momentum right now, so it’s easy to give him such a good grade.
It hasn't been completely perfect -- Villopoto has been held back somewhat due to a pair of bad starts, but even in both of those instances he fought back exceptionally well. The ball is in his court, as expected, so we’ll see how he handles it going forward.
The Challengers:
Chad Reed - A
You can’t really ask for much more from Reed. He’s got a win to his credit and been a fixture on the podium. He came up just a lap short of a second win a week ago, but he’s playing the role of Mr. Consistency perfectly. Outside of a disappointing effort in Phoenix he hasn’t really had a weak race and looks more than ready to take this fight through to the finish.
Ryan Dungey - B
Dungey’s been super consistent as well, just like we expect. He’ll never be flashy, but he’ll always be there getting the job done. It's possible you didn't even notice that he led the points race for a couple weeks. He’s even got that elusive win out of the way already -- KTM's first ever in the premier class -- so now it’s just a matter of keeping it at the very front, which has also been his downfall.
In order to have any hope of pushing Villopoto and Reed, Dungey needs to make certain that his starts are dialed in every week. He has been forced to fight from behind too frequently this season and can’t continue to surrender three to five points at every round.
Overall, you’ve got to be impressed with how this new relationship with KTM has been working out. In terms of his results, it's essentially like nothing has changed, which should be considered a positive, especially this early.
SX Seattle
LATEST HEADLINES: MOTO-RACING
-
VIDEO: MotoGP - Randy de Puniet Feature
Home track favorite Randy de Puniet talks about life as both a CRT… -
PHOTOS: MotoGP - Le Mans QP Gallery
Marc Marquez will start from pole for the second time in his short… -
VIDEO: MotoGP - QP Highlights & Lap Of Le Mans
SPEED takes you on a lap around the Bugatti Circuit and brings you… -
MOTOGP: Rossi Yet To Rediscover Former Magic
The legendary Valentino Rossi will start from the third row of the… -
MOTOGP: Dovi Puts Ducati On Front Row
Andrea Dovizioso qualified a heroic third best on the Ducati Desmosedici… -
MOTOGP: Le Mans QP Ticker (UPDATE 2)
Notes and quotes following Saturday's qualifying session for this… -
MOTOGP: Marquez Hoping For Dry Race
Can Marc Marquez follow up his second career MotoGP pole with a second… - More News
