2020 Salt Lake City Four Supercross | Race Preview

2020 SALT LAKE CITY FOUR SUPERCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

Are you dried off and warmed up after Sunday’s cold and rainy race? Oh yeah, of course, you are because you weren’t there. Well, it’s time for the next race day of the 2020 Monster Energy Supercross Series and Wednesday afternoon will be spent watching the 2020 Salt Lake City Four Supercross. This is the fourteenth round of the seventeen-race championship, which means we’re very quickly coming to the end of what will be an unforgettable time in our sport’s unique history. The on-track action has been nothing short of incredible in the 450 Class and it’s going to interesting to see how things play out over the next few weeks with three riders in pursuit of the title.

After three consecutive runs of 250 East Coast action, that region will hit the sidelines so that the 250 West Coast competitors can get through the remaining rounds in their schedule. It’s been a long, long time since Dylan Ferrandis, Justin Cooper, Austin Forkner, and the rest of the riders in the small-bore class had a gate drop (it was the San Diego Supercross, 120-plus days ago) so expect to see some excitement during their motos. 

TOMAC’S TITLE HUNT

He’s getting closer. Through three races, Eli Tomac has put more points between himself and Ken Roczen, while maintaining his gap over Cooper Webb, in the championship standings. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider has been the fastest on the track during the Main Events, something you can see in his pushes through the pack and that pair of feature wins. Confidence seems to be at an all-time high for ET3, as he’s not made any critical errors or allowed other riders to break his concentration when on track. This might just be the new, mature Tomac that Kawasaki said they had to create during the offseason.

Pay close attention to Tomac’s riding style right now. Fast, aggressive, and always moving forward, he seems to have the setup of his KX 450 perfectly to his liking and there doesn’t seem to be a weak point in any certain section. Some of the lines and rhythm combinations he’s doing are what sets him apart from the others.

WEBB’S LATE SEASON SURGE

Did you think Cooper Webb would be the biggest rival to Tomac in the closing rounds of the season? The Red Bull KTM rider knows keeping the number one plate on his bike is a big challenge right now, something that can only be done if he continues to beat Tomac, and he’s doing all he can to make that happen. Some trash talk on the starting line, excellent starts, aggressive passes, and willingness to huck the big jump combinations is what we all know Webb for best and he’s using all of his skills to steal checkered flags. Unfortunately, it might be too late in the year to win for him to win his way to the top spot, so Webb’s added pressure is certainly an attempt to break Tomac’s concentration and cause the Kawasaki rider to make a mistake.

PODIUM PLACE UP FOR GRABS

Ken Roczen, Zach Osborne, and Jason Anderson have all three found their way to the podium in these last three Main Events, but they’ve yet to do it multiple times. Roczen’s breathing difficulties at altitude have put a halt to the Team Honda HRC rider’s momentum and he was clearly out of sorts in the second half of the last two Main Events, something we never expected in Utah. Can he and his crew get a handle on their issue to stay near the front of the field or will these remaining races be about survival?

There’s something going on with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders. Osborne, Anderson, and Dean Wilson have all been at their best since we’ve arrived in Salt Lake City and you can always spot a white bike in the lead group. Osborne’s improvements come thanks to recent developments he made with the 450 and he’s now able to ride the bike like he did the old 250. Anderson has completely avoided any of the elevation issues that have bothered him in the past and Sunday’s podium performance showed he knows how to be in race shape without Aldon Baker looking over his shoulder. Dean Wilson’s single-lap speed in Qualifying has been impressive, so now it’s time to see him string that together for a Heat Race win and maybe a top-five in the Main Event.

Once you get that first win, the rest comes easy. That’s proving to be the case for Malcolm Stewart, a rider that got his first career 450 Heat Race win a week ago and has been in the mix through since we got to Utah. The SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts/Honda rider is by far the best guy in the whoops and he’s really developed the stamina and intensity necessary for success in the 450 Class. Keep a close eye on him in these last few rounds, because the Supercross-only program means he has only four races left to set the bar for 2021.

THE RETURN OF THE 250 WEST COAST REGION

Like we said above, it’s been over 120 days since riders in the 250 West Coast region parked their bikes. Can you remember the 2020 San Diego Supercross or all the other antics that took place in the first races of the calendar year? Or does it feel like a lifetime ago?

Defending champion Dylan Ferrandis will be the one to beat in the West Coast region. The Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider put himself in a hole early with poor starts and opening lap issues at A1 and STL, something he has more than made up for with multiple Main Event wins and a seven-point advantage in the standings. Has he found a solution for his slow launches out of the gate? Or will we watch the red plate rip through the pack? 

Don’t forget that Justin Cooper was the championship leader at the first part of the season, a massive accomplishment for a guy that has rather limited Supercross experience. A win at A1 and four podium appearances put the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider in contention for the title, but a hard practice crash and a ninth-place at Glendale took a toll on him. He’ll have to avoid any sort of issues in these three races to stay on his teammate.

Austin Forkner is just a few markers back of the boys on blue bikes and you know that’s just eating at the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider in every way possible. Two Main Event wins, two podium finishes. It’s been a great season so far for Forkner, as he’s shown some maturity and avoided the costly mistakes that crushed him in the past, yet it’s been overlooked by Cooper’s wins and the fury that the fans displayed towards Ferrandis. We cannot think of a time when Forkner was out of the spotlight like this, although it might be a very good thing for him. With no distractions and a crystal clear motivation (DESTROY ANYONE IN FRONT OF HIM TO WIN), he could rip off wins and really get into it with the Star Racing crew.

Although Brandon Hartranft, Alex Martin, and Luke Clout are out of contention for the title, they could still make it interesting. Hartranft has shown promise in his new role with Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM and is very eager to collect some more SX hardware while in Utah, Martin is pinned as JGR/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing’s best hope during these next few weeks, and Clout is set to show how much the added testing time with Penrite Honda in the US paid off. 

THE TRACK

The Dirt Wurx crew has been excellent in Utah and we all applaud their efforts up here in the open-air venue of Rice Eccles Stadium. They had one hell of a mess to clean up Sunday’s slop and very limited time to do so, but certain things were on their side, particularly the similar track designs for rounds thirteen and fourteen. Instead of dozing the entire circuit and starting fresh with an all-new layout, the track builders only had to reshape a handful of sections and switch the direction. The added moisture from the rain will certainly be a positive thing for the hard-packed dirt and we could see a very technical and challenging surface during tonight’s races. Will a flipped layout produce the same close battles and good racing as we saw on Sunday?

2020 SALT LAKE CITY FOUR SUPERCROSS | 250 WEST COAST REGION PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST

1. Dylan Ferrandis | The Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider leads the championship standings and will have the red plate at this race.
26. Alex Martin
28. Michael Mosiman
29. Cameron McAdoo
30. Brandon Hartranft
32. Justin Cooper
35. Hunter Lawrence | The GEICO Honda rider will make his Supercross debut on Wednesday.
40. Mitchell Oldenburg | The Penrite Honda rider suffered partial tears to ligaments in his knee just before the San Diego Supercross. He did not undergo surgery during the break, but focused on therapy and will finish out the SX season.
52. Austin Forkner
55. Martin Castelo
57. Derek Drake
60. Mitchell Falk
62. Christian Craig | The GEICO Honda rider will return to action after getting sidelined with a broken hand and missing two rounds.
72. Robbie Wageman
83. Jett Lawrence | The GEICO Honda rider will return to action after getting sidelined with a broken collarbone at Anaheim Two.
88. Logan Karnow | After running the first three races in Salt Lake City in the 450 Class, the Team PR-MX rider will drop back down to the 250 West Coast region.
90. Killian Auberson
95. Carson Brown
97. Chris Howell
101. Luke Clout
118. Cheyenne Harmon
138. David Pulley
141. Richard Taylor
154. Chase Felong
181. Wyatt Lyonsmith
193. Hunter Schlosser
204. Kyle Greeson
227. Derek Kelley
244. Mike Henderson
259. Corbin Hayes
284. Lorenzo Camporese
316. Dawson Newby
446. Blaine Silveira
538. Addison Emory
621. RJ Wageman
837. Bryson Gardner
914. Geran Stapleton

OUT WITH INJURIES OR ISSUES

45. Jacob Hayes | The Gas Monkey Energy/AJE Motorsports rider is out due to a broken femur suffered in a practice crash.

106. Jay Wilson | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Australian rider did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

108. Aaron Tanti | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Australian rider did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

170. Michael Leib | Despite scoring points in the championship, the California rider did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

929. Taiki Koga | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Japanese rider did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season. He has healed up from the laceration he suffered in a practice crash at the San Diego Supercross and is back on the motorcycle.

952. Ludovic Macler | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Italian rider did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

2020 SALT LAKE CITY FOUR SUPERCROSS | 450 CLASS PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST

1. Cooper Webb
3. Eli Tomac | The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider leads the championship standings and will have the red plate at this race.
4. Blake Baggett
7. Aaron Plessinger
10. Justin Brayton 
11. Kyle Chisholm
15. Dean Wilson
16. Zach Osborne
20. Broc Tickle | The JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing rider is dealing with a fractured bone in his throttle hand after a crash at the Salt Lake City One Supercross.
21. Jason Anderson
22. Chad Reed
27. Malcolm Stewart
31. Fredrik Noren
34. Tyler Bowers
37. Martin Davalos
44. Kyle Cunningham
46. Justin Hill
50. Benny Bloss
51. Justin Barcia
56. Justin Starling | After running the 250 East Coast region in the first three races, the Gas Monkey/AJE Motorsports rider will jump to the 450 Class for the next two events.
61. Alex Ray | The SGB/Maxxis/Babbitt’s/Kawasaki rider suffered a hematoma on his knee in a crash at the 2020 Salt Lake City Three Supercross but will race on Wednesday.
64. Vince Friese 
69. Carlen Gardner
71. Ryan Breece
86. Josh Cartwright
94. Ken Roczen | The Team Honda HRC rider has struggled with asthma issues while at altitude, something he says he will work to overcome. 
114. Nick Schmidt
211. Tevin Tapia
280. Cade Clason
282. Theodore Pauli
447. Deven Raper
501. Scotty Wennerstrom
509. Alex Nagy
597. Mason Kerr
651. Jake Hogan
722. Adam Enticknap
824. Carter Stephenson
976. Josh Greco
951. Curren Thurman | After running the 250 East Coast region in the first three races, the Team All-South rider will jump to the 450 Class for the next two events.
996. Preston Taylor

OUT WITH INJURIES OR ISSUES

9. Adam Cianciarulo | The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider has decided to withdraw from the remaining races following a wreck at the Salt Lake City One Supercross that resulted in back injuries.

17. Joey Savatgy | The JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing rider has opted out of the Supercross season after recently recovering from a badly broken ankle. He intends to use the extra time as a chance to prepare for the Nationals this summer.

19. Justin Bogle | The Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/WPS/KTM rider will miss the remainder of 2020 due to the concussion he suffered at the Glendale Supercross.

25. Marvin Musquin | The Red Bull KTM rider is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered in the offseason and is yet to get back on the bike. 

42. Ben LaMay | After sitting out the first part of the season, LaMay was tapped for a fill-in ride by FXR/Chaparral/Honda but missed Atlanta due to a thumb injury. The Texas racer did not score points in 450 SX and opted not to make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

48. Henry Miller | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Minnesota racer did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

65. James Weeks | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Florida racer did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

82. Cade Autenrieth | Despite scoring points in the championship, the California racer did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

91. Ryan Sipes | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Kentucky racer did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season. He will instead continue his do-all race program with Moto Fite Klub’s flat track event.

393. Daniel Herrlein | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Ohio racer did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

606. Ronnie Stewart | Despite scoring points in the championship, the Maine racer did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.

817. Jason Clermont | Despite scoring points in the championship, the French racer did not make the trip to Utah for the final races of the season.