The start of the second 250 moto at Hangtown last weekend.

By Kyoshi Becker

PRE-GLEN HELEN ROUND-UP

Some say to never judge a season by the opening race. The phrase held true for the 2016 Supercross season. Often the second race is where we start to see patterns form. Glen Helen is one of the most iconic tracks on the circuit. Added in 1993, Glen Helen would eventually be built with some of the most memorable features, including Mount St. Helens and the steeply banked Talladega right-hand first turn. It also is the only National track that had Roger DeCoster as a promoter at.

Hangtown left us with a lot of questions. Will Eli Tomac come back strong after a paltry 4-4 finish? Can Joey Savatgy maintain his lead? Where is the Jeremy Martin of 2015? What of James Stewart? However, some things about Hangtown were quite predictable. Ryan Dungey is comfortable at a fast pace, but rode conservatively. His consistency is well known. Ken Roczen was able to ride by Dungey with ease in the second moto to go 1-1 and win the overall.

In the 250 class Alex Martin surprised everyone when he passed his brother Jeremy Martin. Alex might have passed Joey Savatgy if there was more time on the clock. Cooper Webb rode very well for having aninjured wrist. He came out ahead of defending champion and teammate Jeremy Martin. While it was great to see Jessy Nelson back on the starting gate, his endurance couldn’t match most of the Star Racing Yamaha team or Pro Circuit’s Joey Savatgy. He was still able to finish sixth in points.

The 2016 Glen Helen track layout map—give or take a few added features.

BASIC STATS

1. The 2016 series is 8.3% complete.
2. Glen Helen is one of the most familiar tracks in the circuit. It is a the weekly practice track of all west coast-based AMA Pros. Plus, the factories rent it on a weekly basis to test not only their race bikes, but also next year’s production bikes. The layout includes hundreds of acres of trails for offroad races, a Lucas Oil Offroad Truck track, two Supercross tracks, an Endurocross practice track and two full-size motocross tracks (the National track and the REM track).
3. Mount St. Helens is a steep 33% grade and rises 200 feet above the base.
4. The first year a National was held at Glen Helen was 1993. The race winner was determined with only one moto. It was a test of a possible change to a one-moto format, but because it was a billion degrees at Glen Helen that year no rider would have wanted to go out for a second moto. The one-moto idea was shelved after that experiment, but still pops up on the radar on occasion.
5. Glen Helen was not on the schedule from 2010 to 2013. During those four years the Southern California races were held at Pala for two years and Lake Elsinore for the other two.

Ken Roczen started the season with a bang. 

450 CLASS NOTES

1. Ricky Carmichael has the most wins at Glen Helen, with five in the 450 class and three more in the 250 (then the 125) class.
2. Ryan Dungey has only won at Glen Helen once. In 2014 he passed his teammate Ken Roczen in the last lap of the second moto to take the overall.
3. James Stewart was the last rider to repeat an overall win at Glen Helen. He won in both 2006 and 2008.
4. Jeremy McGrath only has had one win at Glen Helen. Only James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael have multiple wins at Glen Helen.
5. Sebastien Tortelli is the only rider to win in the 450 class at Glen Helen and never win an AMA championship in his career. He won on a Honda in 1999. Honda swept the podium that year.
6. Ryan Villopoto had his first 450 career start at Glen Helen in 2009 and won both motos.

Glen Helen’s “Talladega” first turn is big, wide, steep and fast. It also has a reputation for being safe because no one needs to brake at the entrance.

FASTEST 450 MAIN EVENT LAP TIMES

• Hangtown Moto 1 – Ryan Dungey – 2:00.475
• Hangtown Moto 2 – Ken Roczen – 2:02.776

Visually the hills define the Glen Helen National track, but for the riders the roughness is all they talk about. One lap can encompass everything from loam to sand to square-edge bumps to ruts to mud.

TOP FIVE 450 POINTS

• Ken Roczen – 50 Points
• Ryan Dungey – 44 Points
• Eli Tomac – 36 Points
• Jason Anderson – 35 Points
• Trey Canard – 30 Points

Joey Savatgy was able to win his first National moto at Hangtown.

250 CLASS NOTES

1. As in the 450 class, only James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael have multiple wins in the 250 class at Glen Helen.
2. Mike Alessi finished second overall in every Glen Helen National, except his first in 2005. That was the year he cleaned out Ivan Tedesco in order to try and win the National title.
3. Ryan Dungey was the first rider ever to win on a Suzuki in the 250 class at Glen Helen. He did the deed in 2009.
4. Kawasaki has more wins in the 250 class than all of other brands combined.
5. Kawasaki also is the only brand to sweep the podium in the 250 class. They did so in 1997, 2006 and 2008.

Glen Helen’s Triple Step-Up is back! Here Josh Grant does a test run during track construction. That is a fully grown 50-foot tree below him to his left.

FASTEST 250 MAIN EVENT LAP TIMES

• Hangtown Moto 1 – Cooper Webb – 2:01.669
• Hangtown Moto 2 – Zach Osborne – 2:02.473

TOP FIVE 250 POINTS

• Joey Savatgy – 50 Points
• Alex Martin – 35 Points
• Cooper Webb – 34 Points
• Jeremy Martin – 32 Points
• Aaron Plessinger – 32 Points

James Stewart injured his shoulder in the first moto at Hangtown and is already 50 point behind Ken Roczen in the Championship chase.

INJURIES

450 Class

James Stewart –  Injured shoulder at Hangtown. Team is monitoring his condition day to day. He will possibly race Glen Helen, but dislocations often take time to heal.
Blake Baggett – Broken collarbone at Hangtown. While he had surgery Monday, there is no word on when he will be back.
Dean Wilson – No word on when he will return in the National season.

250 Class

Chris Alldredge  –  Still recovering from a pelvis injury he suffered in Las Vegas.