Monster Energy Supercross Round 1:
Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA
January 7, 2017
The 2017 season opener fittingly serves as the championship’s most prestigious race, with a storied history in Anaheim that dates back to 1976.
This will be the 69th race held inside Angel Stadium, which has hosted more supercross races than any venue and serves as the proverbial home of the sport. It has been the site of the opening round in 27 seasons.
Anaheim has now hosted a stop of the championship for 37 of the 43 seasons in history, including the last 19 straight. It’s also the only venue in the championship where all six competing manufacturers have won.
Sitting in the heart of Southern California, Angel Stadium is within an hour drive of the U.S. racing operations for all six competing manufacturers as well as the headquarters for title sponsor Monster Energy.
450SX Class Stats: Anaheim Season Opener
The first Anaheim season opener held for the 450SX Class was on January 31, 1981. Kent Howerton won on a Suzuki.
Of the 18 different Anaheim opener winners in history, seven were able to ultimately win the championship. Winning the opener has led to a title just nine times in 26 seasons (35%).
Despite three career World Championships to his credit, reigning back-to-back titleholder Ryan Dungey has never won the season opening race. Coincidentally, neither did five-time champion Ricky Carmichael.
Last season Jason Anderson became the eighth rider in history to earn his first career 450SX Class win at the Anaheim opener. He also gave Husqvarna its first 450SX Class victory.
Ken Roczen will look to join Chad Reed and James Stewart as the only three-time Anaheim opener winners. If successful, Roczen will have earned his victories aboard three different brands.
Yamaha has the most Anaheim opener wins of any brand with nine. That accounts for nearly half of the brand’s 20 all-time wins at Angel Stadium.
Anaheim Season Opener Wins by Brand (Last Win)
Yamaha: 9 (2010)
Honda: 7 (2005)
Kawasaki: 5 (2012)
Suzuki: 3 (2015)
Husqvarna: 1 (2016)
KTM: 1 (2014)
First-Time Winners at Anaheim Season Opener
1982: Donnie Hansen
1983: David Bailey
1984: Johnny O’Mara
1990: Damon Bradshaw
2003: Chad Reed
2009: Josh Grant
2014: Ken Roczen
2016: Jason Anderson
Anaheim Season Opener Wins
Chad Reed: 3
James Stewart: 3
David Bailey: 2
Jeremy McGrath: 2
Ken Roczen: 2
Ryan Villopoto: 2
Jason Anderson: 1
Damon Bradshaw: 1
Josh Grant: 1
Donnie Hansen: 1
Kent Howerton: 1
Rick Johnson: 1
Ezra Lusk: 1
Davi Millsaps: 1
Johnny O’Mara: 1
David Vuillemin: 1
Jeff Ward: 1
Kevin Windham: 1
250SX Class Stats: Anaheim Season Opener
The first Anaheim season opener held for the 250SX Class was on January 18, 1986. Tyson Vohland won on a Kawasaki for his one and only career victory.
The 2017 season opener will be the 61st time the 250SX Class has competed in Anaheim, the most of any stadium in supercross history. Angel Stadium has hosted the opening round 21 times.
The winner of the Anaheim season opener has gone on to win the Western Regional 250SX Class title just eight times in 21 seasons (39%).
A total of 18 different riders have won the Anaheim season opener, with just three riders earning multiple wins – Jeff Matiasevich (’87 & ’89), Travis Preston (’02-’03), and Jake Weimer (’09-’10).
A total of five riders have earned their first career victory by winning the Anaheim season opener, but it’s happened just once (Jessy Nelson in 2015) in the past 16 seasons.
In the 21 seasons that both the 250SX & 450SX classes have opened in Anaheim just one rider has been able to claim a win in each division – Ryan Villopoto.
Anaheim Season Opener Wins by Brand (Last Win)
Kawasaki: 9 (2011)
Honda: 5 (2013)
KTM: 3 (2015)
Yamaha: 3 (2016)
Suzuki: 1 (2008)
First-Time Winners at Anaheim Season Opener
1986: Tyson Vohland
1987: Jeff Matiasevich
1990: Michael Craig
1999: Casey Johnson
2015: Jessy Nelson
Anaheim Season Opener Wins
Jeff Matiasevich: 2
Travis Preston: 2
Jake Weimer: 2
Jason Anderson: 1
Michael Craig: 1
Ryan Dungey: 1
Ernesto Fonseca: 1
Josh Hansen: 1
Casey Johnson: 1
Jessy Nelson: 1
Nathan Ramsey: 1
Cole Seely: 1
Andrew Short: 1
Ivan Tedesco: 1
Eli Tomac: 1
Ryan Villopoto: 1
Tyson Vohland: 1
