SX Power Rankings: Bulletproof consistency keeping Dungey on top
Thanks to his seventh consecutive podium finish, combined with the misfortune of Ken Roczen, Ryan Dungey enjoys his largest points lead in Monster Energy Supercross since his title-winning rookie season in 2010. Additionally, he remains the leader of the Power Rankings as a result of his seemingly bulletproof consistency.
Each week, The Power Rankings will recognize the movers and shakers in Monster Energy Supercross.
1. Ryan Dungey – Red Bull KTM
(Previously: 1 / No Change)
If it wasn’t real enough already, the commanding lead Dungey enjoys has sounded the alarm for his competitors. He is doing exactly what he needs to do each and every week and, in turn, is putting the pressure squarely on his rivals. I don’t foresee him slowing down any time soon, but this is supercross and as Roczen can attest, you never know what might happen.
2. Trey Canard – Team Honda HRC
(Previously: 3 / +1)
Given how well he’s done this year, I unfortunately think we’ll continue to look back on Canard’s incident with Reed in Anaheim. With the exception of that race, Canard has been as good as we expected, if not better. I think he has the ability to earn the most wins this season and, given the deficit he faces to Dungey in the points, he’s going to need that distinction if he has any hopes of battling for this championship.
3. Cole Seely – Team Honda HRC
(Previously: 5 / +2)
Seely is enjoying the best season of any rider not considered one of the title favorites in 2015. He’s no doubt endured some of those rookie ups and downs, but he’s learning from them and maturing every week. He’s been exceptionally underrated thus far, which allows him to fly under the radar and continue to lock in strong results. I’m not sure if a win is in the cards for Seely this season, but it’s also not that far fetched to consider it at this point.
4. Ken Roczen – RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Suzuki
(Previously: 2 / -2)
I think it’s safe to say that was Roczen’s single worst weekend in the premier class, maybe in his entire U.S. racing career. There was no doubt a black cloud following him all day and night, which is unfortunate considering he won in Atlanta last season and had to be feeling confident. It has felt like Roczen’s been playing a bit of catch up since his Oakland crash, but he’s never been the kind of rider to make those kinds of mistakes. I’m sure it’s an isolated incident, but it had a huge consequence. I’m very interested to see how Roczen bounces back.
5. Chad Reed – Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports
(Previously: 9 / +4)
Grabbing the holeshot and leading every lap of the main event is what you consider perfection in supercross, and Reed was just that. I don’t think anyone saw that performance coming, but it’s also very much like the veteran to see an opportunity and seize the moment. Reed has made an illustrious career out of being able to step up when it counts and it was personified last Saturday. This is when he usually begins to step up his game even more, so it’s not out of the question at all to think Reed can sweep Atlanta.
6. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
(Previously: 6 / No Change)
After a fast start was followed by a sporadic few weeks, Anderson seems to be settling back into his groove. I think his runner-up effort might have been a little too much to maintain early on and I think he overrode at times, which led to mistakes. Now he’s finding his rhythm and is building some momentum to hopefully enjoy another podium effort. Anderson has the speed, but he just needed some time to learn his race craft in the premier class.
7. Eli Tomac – GEICO Honda
(Previously: 4 / -3)
Tomac has been on the ground for three consecutive weeks now and I think the aftermath of his crash in Atlanta was a glimpse into the utter frustration he’s feeling right now, which could be very well why he carded a 20th-place finish. He was just over it. Tomac is arguably the fastest rider in the 450SX Class, but he’s making small mistakes that are really starting to add up. His ability to consistently come from behind his average starts and keep within striking distance of the front-runners says everything you need to know about his potential. It could be a good time for Tomac to clear his head and try to start fresh this weekend, just doing what he knows how to do. The results will come.
8. Blake Baggett – Team Yoshimura Suzuki
(Previously: 7 / -1)
I think Baggett has surprised some people with how comfortable he’s become on the big bike. Keep in mind, he had never logged a single lap of competition on a 450 until the Anaheim opener, and that’s a more difficult transition than it might seem. While he needs to work on his starts some more, Baggett’s speed and consistency throughout the main event is there.
9. Andrew Short – BTO Sports KTM
(Previously: 8 / -1)
I’m surprised we haven’t seen Short up front as much as we did in the early part of the season. He’s still as solid as ever, but his knack for holeshots appears to have subsided for the time being. We’ll see if he can get back into the mix on Saturday.
10. Broc Tickle – RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s Factory Suzuki
(Previously: 10 / No Change)
With Roczen’s nightmarish evening, Tickle stepped up to give the RCH squad exactly what it needed. He’s been on point since coming back from injury and he’s a sure bet to finish inside the top 10 each week.
Biggest Climb: Reed (+4)
Biggest Drop: Tomac (-3)
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