Monster Energy Supercross will make its anticipated return to the Pacific Northwest for the first time in three seasons. The championship’s history in Seattle dates back 39 years, with a total of 43 races across two different stadiums.
In 1979 Seattle became the third city in supercross history to host doubleheaders, doing so until 1989. As a result, the old Kingdome was home to 33 races over the course of 22 seasons. That’s the fourth-most of any stadium in history.
Following a hiatus from ’00-’04, supercross returned to Seattle in 2005 at its current home of CenturyLink Field, which will host its 11th race this season and the 44th Seattle visit in the sport’s history.
CenturyLink Field became infamous in 2011 when a 1-to-2-magnitude earthquake was registered during celebration of a Seattle Seahawks touchdown in the playoffs. The venue also briefly held the Guinness World Record for noise at an outdoor venue.
450SX Class Stats: Seattle
2014 Podium:
- Ryan Villopoto
- Ryan Dungey
- Eli Tomac
The first 450SX Class race held in Seattle was on February 18, 1978. Jimmy Ellis earned his final career win riding a Honda, which was his lone win aboard a brand other than Can-Am.
Four-time champion and Seattle-area native Ryan Villopoto earned his first of 41 career 450SX Class wins at CenturyLink Field in 2009 in front of the hometown crowd.
Seattle-are native Larry Ward won just three supercross Main Events in his career, but he bookended those wins at his home race nine years apart in ’90 and ’99, including the final race inside the Kingdome.
Rick Johnson is the proverbial “King of Seattle,” winning seven races over six seasons of doubleheaders, including his first career win in ’84. He also posted a pair of doubleheader sweeps in ’87 and ’89, and won four straight races from ’86-’88.
Of all the active riders currently competing in the 450SX Class, only Justin Barcia has claimed victory in Seattle. Just five riders have won at CenturyLink Field in 10 seasons.
All-Time Wins by Brand in Seattle (Last Win)
Honda: 20 (2013)
Kawasaki: 9 (2014)
Yamaha: 9 (2011)
Suzuki: 5 (1999)
All-Time Wins in Seattle (Wins)
Rick Johnson (7)
Jeremy McGrath (4)
James Stewart (4)
Mike Bell (3)
Bob Hannah (3)
Ron Lechien (3)
Darrell Shultz (2)
Ryan Villopoto (2)
Jeff Ward (2)
Larry Ward (2)
Kevin Windham (2)
First-Time Winners in Seattle
1981: Darrell Shultz
1984: Rick Johnson
1984: Jeff Ward
1990: Larry Ward
2009: Ryan Villopoto
2012: Andrew Short
Brand Sweeps in Seattle (450SX & 250SX)
1987 Race 2: Honda – Rick Johnson & Kyle Lewis
1988 Race 2: Kawasaki – Ron Lechien & Jeff Matiasevich
1991: Honda – Jean-Michel Bayle & Jeremy McGrath
1994: Kawasaki – Mike Kiedrowski & Ryan Hughes
1997: Yamaha – Doug Henry & David Vuillemin
1998: Yamaha – Jeremy McGrath & David Vuillemin
2006: Kawasaki – James Stewart & Grant Langston
2007: Kawasaki – James Stewart & Ryan Villopoto
Riders to Win in Both Classes in Seattle
Jeremy McGrath
Ryan Villopoto
Kevin Windham
Past Winners in Seattle
1978: Jimmy Ellis; Honda
1979: Mike Bell; Yamaha
1979: Bob Hannah; Yamaha
1980: Mike Bell; Yamaha
1980: Mike Bell; Yamaha
1981: Darrell Shultz; Suzuki
1981: Darrell Shultz; Suzuki
1982: Donnie Hansen; Honda
1982: Mark Barnett; Suzuki
1983: Bob Hannah; Honda
1983: Bob Hannah; Honda
1984: Jeff Ward; Kawasaki
1984: Rick Johnson; Yamaha
1985: Ron Lechien, Honda
1985: Ron Lechien, Honda
1986: Jeff Ward; Kawasaki
1986: Rick Johnson; Honda
1987: Rick Johnson; Honda
1987: Rick Johnson; Honda
1988: Rick Johnson; Honda
1988: Ron Lechien; Kawasaki
1989: Rick Johnson; Honda
1989: Rick Johnson; Honda
1990: Larry Ward; Suzuki
1991: Jean-Michel Bayle; Honda
1992: Damon Bradshaw; Yamaha
1993: Jeremy McGrath; Honda
1994: Mike Kiedrowski; Kawasaki
1995: Jeremy McGrath; Honda
1996: Jeremy McGrath; Honda
1997: Doug Henry, Yamaha
1998: Jeremy McGrath; Yamaha
1999: Larry Ward; Suzuki
2005: James Stewart; Kawasaki
2006: James Stewart; Kawasaki
2007: James Stewart; Kawasaki
2008: Kevin Windham; Honda
2009: Ryan Villopoto; Kawasaki
2010: Kevin Windham; Honda
2011: James Stewart; Yamaha
2012: Andrew Short; Honda
2013: Justin Barcia; Honda
2014: Ryan Villopoto; Kawasaki
250SX Class Stats: Seattle
2014 Podium:
- Cole Seely
- Jason Anderson
- Justin Hill
The first 250SX Class race held in Seattle was part of a doubleheader on February 8, 1985. Bader Manneh claimed his one and only victory aboard a Kawasaki, in his first ever supercross start.
Nathan Ramsey’s two Seattle wins came consecutively, albeit six years apart. He won the final Kingdome race in 1999 and then won the inaugural CenturyLink Field race in 2005.
Despite having more Seattle victories than any other brand with 10, Kawasaki has not won in the Pacific Northwest since Ryan Villopoto took the checkered flag in his hometown in 2007.
All-Time Wins by Brand in Seattle (Last Win)
Kawasaki: 10 (2007)
Honda: 7 (2014)
Suzuki: 6 (2009)
Yamaha: 5 (2012)
KTM: 2 (2013)
All-Time Wins in Seattle (Wins)
Jeff Matiasevich (4)
Ryan Dungey (2)
Jeremy McGrath (2)
Nathan Ramsey (2)
Donnie Schmit (2)
Cole Seely (2)
David Vuillemin (2)
First-Time Winners in Seattle
1985: Bader Manneh
1993: Phil Lawrence
1997: David Vuillemin
2010: Broc Tickle
Past Winners in Seattle
1985: Bader Manneh; Kawasaki
1985: Mike Healey; Suzuki
1986: Willie Surratt; Honda
1986: Donnie Schmit; Kawasaki
1987: Donnie Schmit; Suzuki
1987: Kyle Lewis; Honda
1988: Jeff Matiasevich; Kawasaki
1988: Jeff Matiasevich; Kawasaki
1989: Jeff Matiasevich; Kawasaki
1989: Jeff Matiasevich; Kawasaki
1990: Ty Davis; Honda
1991: Jeremy McGrath; Honda
1992: Jeremy McGrath; Honda
1993: Phil Lawrence; Suzuki
1994: Ryan Hughes; Kawasaki
1995: Damon Huffman; Suzuki
1996: Kevin Windham; Yamaha
1997: David Vuillemin; Yamaha
1998: David Vuillemin; Yamaha
1999: Nathan Ramsey; Kawasaki
2005: Nathan Ramsey; KTM
2006: Grant Langston; Kawasaki
2007: Ryan Villopoto; Kawasaki
2008: Ryan Dungey; Suzuki
2009: Ryan Dungey; Suzuki
2010: Broc Tickle, Yamaha
2011: Cole Seely; Honda
2012: Ryan Sipes; Yamaha
2013: Ken Roczen; KTM
2014: Cole Seely; Honda
