Coop Is Ready

Cooper Webb | "This is EXACTLY what I was wanting..."

Legends and Heroes Honors Lars Larsson at Anaheim 2 Supercross

Swede off-road racer and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Lars Larsson will be recognized by Legends and Heroes at Supercross round two on January 27.

Legends and Heroes, along with our spokesman Broc Glover, is proud to announce that we will honor Lars Larsson at round two of the Anaheim Supercross on January 27, 2024.

Lars Larsson is a pioneering motocross and off-road racer from Sweden who helped introduce motocross racing to America in the late 1960s. He was a leading International Six Day Trials/Enduro (ISDT/ISDE) rider during the 1960s and 1970s. He earned multiple gold medals riding for the United States, Mexico and his native Sweden. Lars was also instrumental in setting up the original Husqvarna dealership network across America in the late 1960s, and he helped launch Torsten Hallman Original Racewear (THOR). 

Lars was born in on July 5, 1941 in Stockholm, Sweden. His first race was in 1959 in a Swedish enduro, riding a Husqvarna 175.

“The Husqvarna 175s were street bikes,” Lars recalled. “But we would convert them to off-road bikes by stripping them down and making them as light as possible. Lars had become a leading rider when the AMA instituted the Inter-AM motocross series. In 1971, he won four of the five Inter-AM 500cc non-national races on a special Husqvarna racer built with a titanium frame. His true forte became off-road racing. He was a leading national enduro rider through the 1970s and earned gold at the 1971 International Six Days Trials (later called the International Six Day Enduro) in Czechoslovakia riding for the U.S.A. Trophy squad.

By the late 1970s, Lars retired from racing professionally. During his career he was a factory rider for Husqvarna, Can-Am, Maico and Kawasaki. He continued to race on the amateur level and earned a World Vet Motocross Championship in 2001 at the age of 60. Now in 2024, Lars is 83 and still racing. He recently won the 80 class at the World Vet Motocross Championship at Glen Helen. Lars was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2002.

Marvin's Play Day

The first AMSOIL Swapmoto Race Series event of the year went off last weekend at Glen Helen Raceway, and we were stoked to see Marvin Musquin pull into the track to have some fun. We were even more excited when we saw the bike in the back of his truck: a KTM 250 SX two-stroke! Always the gentleman, MM elected to race without being scored, so that he didn’t take money out of a local pro racer’s pocket. We chatted him up in between motos…

RC and RV Podcast - San Diego

Supercross Round 3 recap with special guest Aaron Plessinger

Ricky Carmichael and Ryan Villopoto chat with the latest winner in the SuperMotocross World Championship Aaron Plessinger to talk about his first career Supercross win, the road to get to this point, the camaraderie amongst riders, his feeling on the bike, and his dance move. Our team also gets into the contact between Chase Sexton and Cooper Webb, the post-race altercation between Jett Lawrence and Jason Anderson, what happened to Ken Roczen, and RJ Hampshire's issues in the 250 class.

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Jason Anderson Breaks Silence – “Jett Will Never Be The King”

Following Jett Lawrence’s social media apology regarding the Saturday night incident with Jason Anderson, many believed it would be the conclusion. Brushed aside, everything resolved, correct? However, that’s not exactly the case this time. Today, Jason Anderson has provided a response, focusing not so much on the incident itself but rather on its aftermath, the handling of the situation, and his current perspective on the matter.

Jason Anderson – “Okay so first things first, my man Jett comes at me after he passes me and beat me. Barks in my face. I bark back. After the race you have his dad, honda guy came up and apologize. You have his agent call saying sorry saying he will put a post on Jetts page saying sorry. Employees txts me sorry. I didn’t take it personal like a shit happens deal. Like we are cool and it didn’t happen. Not a word from Jett himself. Instead unfollow and silence from the dude everyone is apologizing for. We live in a day where kids throw a fit and stand behind everyone for the media clean up crew. Guys don’t keep it real or take responsibility for themselves. I’ll take full credit that I’m a dickhead often but you bet your ass I’ll consistently be a dick head to you if I feel that way about you. The King won 72 races and kept it 100% real till this day. Jett will be amazing but he will never be The King. 71 to go.”

Jett Apology

Difference of opinions?

Lawrence extends apology to Anderson after fiery exchange

450SX newcomer Jett Lawrence has extended an apology to former premier class champion Jason Anderson after the pair exchanged words post-race in San Diego, resulting in a fiery altercation that immediately sent social media into a frenzy.

Lawrence edged Anderson for fourth after a major battle for position, with 20-year-old rookie Lawrence venting his frustration toward the 2018 champion following the main event.

The Team Honda HRC rider moved to apologize on social media soon after the fact, however, Anderson is yet to respond on the matter. It’s unclear if the pair will be penalized.

“Tonight I let emotions get the better of me,” Lawrence posted. “I let myself down in the heat of the moment. I’ll learn from this and my apologies to [Jason], it was on me. I’ll pay your fine – [AMA Supercross] send me the invoice and per your request, free passes to the fan zone for the season. Sorry mate.”

After winning Anaheim 1 and then finishing ninth in San Francisco, current outdoor champion Lawrence sits third in the 2024 standings, one position – and seven points – clear of Anderson, who has a season-best finish of second to his credit from A1.

The Cowboy Plessinger Ropes San Diego!

Breakout 450SX victory to Plessinger in rain-affected San Diego

 Competition Post: Alex Gobert

Thrasher edges to first 250SX main event win of 2024 season.

Image: Octopi Media.

Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger has broken through for a first-career 450SX victory in San Diego, navigating the tricky conditions on a night that Nate Thrasher found himself back in the 250SX winner’s circle.

Plessinger was exceptional in rain-soaked conditions, winning his heat race and then going on to control the main event with an emotion-charged 2.188s win.

Behind him, Cooper Webb (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) did all he could to close the gap from as high as seven seconds, but a runner-up was a strong way to bounce back onto the podium, and joined by Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas).

Fourth was Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) after edging Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – the pair exchanging words post-race – while Dylan Ferrandis (Phoenix Racing Honda), Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC), Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM) after an early fall, Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) and Dean Wilson (Fire Power Honda) were the top 10.

Plessinger becomes the third red plate-holder of the year, a single point up on teammate Sexton, with Anaheim 1 winner Lawrence a further three points back.

Thrasher starred on his way to a first 250SX West win in the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross season, 1.203s up on early leader Garrett Marchbanks (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha).

After going 21-18 in the opening rounds, Thrasher turned his season around win an important result, while Marchbanks made it two podiums in a row. Completing the top three was red plate-holder Jordon Smith (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing).

Fourth was Jo Shimoda (Team Honda HRC) ahead of Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki), as late-faller RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Mitchell Oldenburg (MCR Honda), Ryder DiFrancesco (TLD Red Bull GasGas), Hunter Yoder (Partzilla PRMX Kawasaki) and Anthony Bourdon (BarX Suzuki) were sixth through 10th.

Smith now has an eight-point advantage over Kitchen in the standings, with Marchbanks now third leading into Anaheim 2’s first Triple Crown round of the season next weekend.

Prado to Anaheim 2

GasGas confirms Prado for Anaheim 2 Triple Crown weekend

 Competition Post: Alex Gobert

Staying for a fourth appearance in Supercross next weekend.

Image: Octopi Media.

MXGP world champion Jorge Prado will continue to gain experience in American Supercross for an additional round after confirming that he’s going to remain in California for Anaheim 2’s Triple Crown next weekend.

Prado, 23, is currently 10th in the 450SX standings after going 13-7-11 across the opening three rounds, including a heat race win in San Francisco.

However, the rain-affected conditions of round two and last night’s third round in San Diego have limited his proper Monster Energy Supercross Championship experience, prompting the Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing Team rider to extend his commitment to complete the month of January.

“I’m excited for three main events next weekend in the Triple Crown at A2 as I would like to at least be able to make one holeshot and enjoy that format of racing!” the highly-rated Spaniard revealed post-race. “Today was another good experience.

“It was again not too easy after getting a bad start in the main event… I think the jump out of the gate was okay, but I got a lot of wheel spin, which sent me backward and meant I was one of the last to the first corner.

“My opening laps weren’t great, and then I got confused with the blue flags and let the riders who I was battling with by me, which was a pity. It is what it is, I can improve with my opening lap intensity.”

Prado has been widely-tipped to be heading to the US full-time in 2025, currently in a hybrid deal between his Red Bull GasGas grand prix team and the Troy Lee Designs-operated AMA Supercross team alongside regular duo Justin Barcia and Ryder DiFrancesco.

A Little Supercross History

My Favorite Races by Davey Coombs

Changing gears, I was asked recently by our friends at NBC and Peacock to give them some suggestions of the best/most important SX races of the last 50 years to include in the big 50th celebration for Monster Energy Supercross. Since I wasn’t actually at last week’s race in San Fran, and as a result don’t have much insider knowledge to share here, I thought I would share my personal list of the greatest races over the last five decades. They are not in any particular order, and they are limited to the premier class—let me know how they compare to yours, and I didn’t include San Diego ’05 but after listening to the Re-Raceables Podcast, I probably should have!

-The 1986 Anaheim Supercross battle between David Bailey and Rick Johnson is arguably the greatest race ever, as a 70,000-seat sold-out stadium watched the new Honda teammates put on a show for the ages.

-In the first-ever Atlanta Supercross (1977) Bob Hannah passes Jim Pomeroy in the last corner at Fulton County Stadium to win his first SX and begin his reign as the first superstar of supercross, winning three straight titles on his Yamaha.

-Rick Johnson comes from dead last, after a first-turn crash, to win in the 1987 Los Angeles Coliseum race, taking Guy Cooper’s best shot at a win away in heart-breaking fashion.

-Doug Henry shocks the world by winning the 1997 Las Vegas SX aboard a four-stroke Yamaha prototype, ushering in a whole new era in the sport, as it was the first time a four-stroke had ever won in series history.

-Jeremy McGrath wins his first of 72 supercross races at the ’93 Anaheim SX aboard his Honda. One year later he will debut his signature nac-nac move and become the biggest star in the history of the sport.

-The 1990 Battle of Atlanta: Jeff Ward, Rick Johnson, Guy Cooper, and Johnny O’Mara all battle until the last lap in Atlanta, with Ward winning one of the all-time great races.

-Ricky Carmichael comes from behind and bests Jeremy McGrath at the third Anaheim SX of 2001, effectively ending Jeremy’s reign and beginning a new one himself.

-The 2005 “perfect storm” race at Anaheim—the only one in history where Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Chad Reed, James Stewart, and Travis Pastrana all lined up together—ends with a surprise as Kevin Windham masters the mud to win.

-Ryan Dungey survives a wild night in Las Vegas to win his fourth AMA Supercross title and then announces his retirement from the sport.

-Jeff Stanton wins the 1992 title in a surreal moment when Damon Bradshaw freezes in the final race of the series at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

-Jeff Emig ends Jeremy McGrath’s run at a perfect season when he holds McGrath off at the 14th round of the 1996 series at St. Louis, stopping McGrath winning streak at 13 in a row.

-Ricky Carmichael’s last SX race—the 2007 Orlando race—sees him lose in an epic last battle with James Stewart, the day after RC’s twins were born in a Tallahassee hospital, with Ricky arriving just before practice in a helicopter.

-The popular veteran Justin Brayton holds off Eli Tomac to win Daytona 2018—his one and only supercross victory of his career.

-In the closest championship fight in series history James Stewart wins the last round of 2006 at Las Vegas over Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed, with Carmichael clinching the title with two points to spare over both Stewart and Reed (and Stewart claimed the concurrent FIM title). It was confusing as hell with the dual AMA/FIM sanctioning situation but what a crazy season.

-Ryan Villopoto ends his AMA Supercross career by clinching a fourth straight title in 2014 and winning the last four races in a row (Houston, Seattle, East Rutherford and Las Vegas… Okay, maybe that’s not one race but it’s what I remember most about RV’s incredible career)

-And I might have finished with Jean-Michel Bayle’s incredible St. Petersburg race in 1992 when he went from fourth to first in barely two turns, but the fact that he was quitting so soon still bums out.

Jett's Press Day Crash

Tough press day for Jett but looks like he will be on the starting line tomorrow.