2013 Supercross | Phoenix | 250 SX Predictions

I’m super excited about this weekend because I have a chance to redeem myself for the faux pas last week.  I had to take a mulligan from my picks because I used the wrong lineup but I’m cooking with gas now.  I would have picked Tomac for first but I also picked Seely over Roczen so there’s still some work to be done.  I’m developing a game that is driving my research and after one season of this I’m taking this hobby to Vegas.  Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself, but you have to start somewhere.

So round 2 is less than 24 hours away and I’m ready to give this another try.  There are a lot of unfamiliar names if you’re a casual observer but let’s not underestimate the riders who are the future of this sport.  The competition is fierce and these riders were running as fast as the big bikes so look out for an action packed 250SX series; let’s get started.

250 SUPERCROSS CLASS

1. Eli Tomac – It’s going to be tough to separate Tomac from the #1 plate this year.  Roczen and Seely came close but the determination behind the Geico Honda will not be diminished.  Eli was fast last year at this track and I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t repeat those results.  He’ll get a decent start then drive to the front and take it all the way to the finish line; Tomac whips the finish line jump in 1st.

2. Cole Seely – Cole is riding fast and consistent and he showed us once again he is a legitimate top 3 rider.  The bikes look awesome and Seely is the top dog on the TLD Lucas Oil Honda team.  He’ll show us that consistency once again but this time he’ll hold off a charging Ken Roczen; look for Seely to occupy the #2 position.

3. Ken Roczen – Ken is finding his rhythm on a Supercross track and it won’t be long before we see #94 on the top podium spot.  He can run up front at any time but he’s had a tough time finding that extra gear when it counts.  He’s not afraid to take risks and if he reels you in he’ll charge until you make a mistake.  I don’t see any mishaps from Roczen but I don’t think he’ll have enough time to get around Seely; Roczen battles for a very respectable 3rd place finish.

4. Blake Baggett – Blake had a terrible finish last week but he’s still one of the fastest guys in the field.  His strength is definitely outdoors but he will find his pace indoors.  He suffered an arm injury last week and the extent of his injury is unclear.  He kept pace with the leaders but unfortunately was working from behind.  If he’s healthy, he’ll easily run in the top 5; watch for Baggett to take 4th.

5. Tyla Rattray – Tyla had a decent finish last week but he’s certainly capable of a podium spot.  He had a great race last year on this track and on the same bike.  He’s backed by perhaps the most successful team in Supercross and they will help him reach his full potential.  He can easily run in the top 3 but this weekend will only result in a 5th place finish.

6. Zach Osborne – The Englishman has made great strides since returning from MX2-GP.  He’s made an impression on the Geico Honda and that team is on a roll.  He’ll need a couple of rounds before competing for a top 3.  Zach is riding with confidence but 6th is as close as he gets in Phoenix 2013.

7. Jason Anderson – Jason and Zach battled it out last year in Phoenix but Anderson just didn’t have the speed to advance his position.  Anderson had a little redemption last week; I expect these two guys to go at it again but look for Zach to steal the position; Jason Anderson settles for the 7th spot this year.

8. Malcolm Stewart – Malcolm had some issues last year resulting in a terribly average season last year.  In round 1 he showed some promise.  He was keeping pace with the leaders and had a very respectable 5th place finish.  One race isn’t enough to prove to me that he is over his issues but he can certainly build on this.  His struggles continue but to a lesser extent; Malcolm comes in 8th this weekend.

9. Travis Baker – Travis was fairly consistent last year and I think he’s capable of a top 10 finish.  I’m not sure what happened last week but he started to fall off in lap 9 ending the night at 15th.  He’ll have a better night this weekend and I see him coming in 9th.

10. Jake Canada – Mike Alessi’s team mate had a bad night last week.  Unable to finish, he’ll need to make up some points.  He’ll battle with Anstie and maybe Jessy Nelson of the Troy Lee Designs team and should be fast enough to leave them behind.  He had a great showing at the Monster Energy Cup and after A1 he’ll come back ready to go; Jake rounds out the top 10 when Phoenix comes to a close.

Predicting the top 5 is somewhat easier than predicting 6-10 but that’s what makes this entertaining.  I’m considering shortening these posts because quite frankly it takes a lot of time and no one’s paying me for my thoughts.  I do enjoy this exercise plus it will help me develop a game I can be proud of.  I’ll take this season to test my methods but may take some time to develop it as an app.  In the mean time I hope you enjoy the commentary and analysis.

AR - The Roost'r