Hall of fame AMA racer Jeff Emig previews the 2015 Supercross season
FOX Sports analyst Jeff Emig is a 2004 inductee to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and a six-time member of the U.S. Motocross des Nations team, who enjoyed a career that included three AMA Motocross Championships, one AMA Supercross title, a 1999 victory at the U.S. Open and 37 national event wins.
With the 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season just around the corner – with the first race taking place on Jan. 3 at 10p ET on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO – Emig discusses the major talking points heading into the new season:
With defending Monster Energy Supercross champ Ryan Villopoto leaving the series and popular former champ James Stewart suspended for 2015, what do you expect the early "on-track" stories to be about?
EMIG: Depth of field. I feel like there is a tremendous amount of exceptionally talented racers suiting up for this year’s championship. Plus, they are all working with some of the best physical trainers in the world of sport. They know that with two of the most highly decorated champions the sport has ever seen out, it can be anyone’s title come round 17. We will be using the Hashtag #WhosNext all season long to follow the action.
Which riders are ready to make the step from strong racer to title contender in 2015 and why?
EMIG: Ken Roczen, Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, Davi Milsaps, Eli Tomac, Dean Wilson, Blake Baggett, Cole Seely, Justin Brayton … and that’s just a list of riders who haven’t already won the title. Chad Reed and Ryan Dungey are favorites, too. So, that’s 11, and we still have to wait and see how riders like Will Hahn and Broc Tickle perform after coming back from injury.
Who are the young riders in the sport to keep an eye on in 2015? Who could be a factor sooner than expected and why?
EMIG: I believe this year’s crop of rookies in the premier class is going to make an impact early. Dean Wilson, Jason Anderson, Cole Seely and Blake Baggett all have race wins on their resume. Only time will tell if we have the next Jeremy McGrath on the line or not.
Supercross enjoyed great year-to-year growth in younger TV audience numbers in 2014. What is it about SX that attracts that audience?
EMIG: Dirt bikes, great race action, crashes, professional athletes, music, pyro, killer pit parties Monster Girls … Did I miss anything?
Which active racer would you most like to race against and why?
EMIG: I’m not sure I would like to race any active racer. They are all so well prepared this year. I feel it would be very difficult to beat them in a 20-lap main event. That being said, I would like the opportunity for Ricky Carmichael and I to get out of the FOX Sports broadcast booth and go at it … just one more time.
Never miss a race next season, add all the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross races to your calendar! Tweet#SXonFOX to @FOXSports1 and then check your notifications. You can also click HERE to get all the 2015 races added directly to your calendar.
