Monster Energy Supercross will make its debut at University of Phoenix Stadium, following 17 seasons of racing inside downtown Phoenix’s Chase Field.
This is the third stadium to host Monster Energy Supercross’ annual visit to the Phoenix area. Tempe’s Sun Devil Stadium was the original venue, holding five races in ’86, ’87, ’91, ’97 and ’98.
University of Phoenix Stadium, home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, has hosted the Super Bowl, NCAA College Football National Championship, CONCACAF Gold Cup and Wrestlemania since opening in 2006.
The stadium features an innovative roll-in field that moves in and out of the stadium, allowing the natural-grass playing surface to grow under sunlight. As a result, this Saturday’s layout will take advantage of the ability to run the track outside the stadium.
450SX Class
2015 Podium: Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Ryan Dungey
The first 450SX Class race held in Phoenix was on May 10, 1986. Rick Johnson won on a Honda en route to capturing the championship.
Dungey gave KTM its first ever 450SX Class win in Phoenix in 2012.
Phoenix has been a popular city for first-time winners in recent years, with three riders claiming their inaugural victory over the last six seasons – Dungey (2010), Justin Barcia (2013) and Tomac (2015).
Jeremy McGrath won only once in Phoenix, the first race at Chase Field in 1999, in eight attempts.
The rider to win in Phoenix has gone on to win the 450SX Class title 13 times in 22 seasons. The last time it happened was 2014 with Ryan Villopoto.
Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart have the most Phoenix wins with four. Dungey and Ezra Lusk sit second with two wins apiece. They are the only four riders to earn multiple wins in the desert.
Carmichael won in 450SX Class at Phoenix on three different brands – Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. Stewart could do the same this weekend with Suzuki. He already has wins aboard a Kawasaki and Yamaha.
A rider has not won consecutive races in Phoenix since Stewart did so in ’08-’09. That was part of the only three-year winning streak in Phoenix history that started in 2007. He won four of five races from ’07-’11.
There have been five different winners over the past five seasons of racing in Phoenix. There have been a total of 14 different winners through 22 seasons in the desert.
All-Time Wins in Phoenix
Ricky Carmichael – 4
James Stewart – 4
Ryan Dungey – 2
Ezra Lusk – 2
All-Time Wins by Brand in Phoenix (Last Win)
Honda: 7 (2015)
Kawasaki: 7 (2014)
Yamaha: 4 (2011)
Suzuki: 3 (2010)
KTM: 1 (2012)
Riders to Win in Both Classes in Phoenix
Ryan Dungey
Jeff Emig
James Stewart
Eli Tomac
David Vuillemin
Kevin Windham
Brand Sweeps in Phoenix (450SX & 250SX)
1986: Honda – Rick Johnson & Willie Surratt
2003: Kawasaki – Ezra Lusk & James Stewart
2005: Suzuki – Ricky Carmichael & Broc Hepler
2007: Kawasaki – Ricky Carmichael & Christophe Pourcel
2013: Honda – Justin Barcia & Eli Tomac
First-Time Winners in Phoenix
2010: Ryan Dungey
2013: Justin Barcia
2015: Eli Tomac
Past Winners in Phoenix
1986: Rick Johnson, Honda
1987: Jeff Ward, Kawasaki
1991: Jean-Michel Bayle, Honda
1997: Jeff Emig, Kawasaki
1998: Ezra Lusk, Honda
1999: Jeremy McGrath, Yamaha
2000: David Vuillemin, Yamaha
2001: Ricky Carmichael, Kawasaki
2002: Ricky Carmichael, Honda
2003: Ezra Lusk, Kawasaki
2004: Kevin Windham, Honda
2005: Ricky Carmichael, Suzuki
2006: Ricky Carmichael, Suzuki
2007: James Stewart, Kawasaki
2008: James Stewart, Kawasaki
2009: James Stewart, Yamaha
2010: Ryan Dungey, Suzuki
2011: James Stewart, Yamaha
2012: Ryan Dungey, KTM
2013: Justin Barcia, Honda
2014: Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
2015: Eli Tomac, Honda
250SX Class
2015 Podium: Cooper Webb, Malcolm Stewart, Jessy Nelson
The first 250SX Class race held in Phoenix was on May 10, 1986. Willie Surratt won on a Honda.
Webb won the first race of his career in Phoenix last season. Since then he has won eight of his last 10 races.
Nathan Ramsey, James Stewart and Jake Weimer are the only riders to win multiple 250SX Class races in Phoenix. Webb can add his name to the list on Saturday.
The rider to win in Phoenix has gone on to win the Western Regional Championship the last two seasons and a total of nine times in 22 seasons.
In those 22 seasons, there have been 19 different 250SX Class winners in Phoenix.
Ramsey’s two wins in Phoenix came seven seasons apart from one another, in 1999 and 2006. His 1999 win was the first of his career, while 2006 was the second-to-last win of his career.
In 1986, Willie Surratt won in Phoenix but Donny Schmit won the regional championship. In 1987, Schmit won in Phoenix while Surratt won the championship.
Both Broc Hepler and Casey Lytle earned their one and only 250SX Class win in Phoenix.
All-Time Wins in Phoenix
Nathan Ramsey – 2
James Stewart – 2
Jake Weimer – 2
All-Time Wins by Brand in Phoenix (Last Win)
Kawasaki: 8 (2012)
Yamaha: 5 (2015)
Honda: 4 (2013)
Suzuki: 3 (2009)
KTM: 2 (2014)
First-Time Winners in Phoenix
1999: Nathan Ramsey
2000: Casey Lytle
2005: Broc Hepler
2007: Christophe Pourcel
2008: Jake Weimer
2015: Cooper Webb
Past Winners in Phoenix
1986: Willie Surratt, Honda
1987: Donny Schmit, Suzuki
1991: Jeff Emig, Yamaha
1997: Kevin Windham, Yamaha
1998: David Vuillemin, Yamaha
1999: Nathan Ramsey, Kawasaki
2000: Casey Lytle, Honda
2001: Ernesto Fonseca, Yamaha
2002: James Stewart, Kawasaki
2003: James Stewart, Kawasaki
2004: Ivan Tedesco, Kawasaki
2005: Broc Hepler, Suzuki
2006: Nathan Ramsey, KTM
2007: Christophe Pourcel, Kawasaki
2008: Jake Weimer, Honda
2009: Ryan Dungey, Suzuki
2010: Jake Weimer, Kawasaki
2011: Josh Hansen, Kawasaki
2012: Dean Wilson, Kawasaki
2013: Eli Tomac, Honda
2014: Jason Anderson, KTM
2015: Cooper Webb, Yamaha
