450 Class
Supercross Champion
Ashley:
It seems like every year has been Eli Tomac’s year to win the 450 Supercross Championship. But each year, at some point in the season, something goes wrong and Tomac has an injury or a poorly timed crash that digs himself into a hole and pushes that coveted championship out of his grasp. I’m sticking with it; this year is the year the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider puts in a full season and wins the title. However, my un-lockiest lock of the season is Adam Cianciarulo. Don’t sleep on the rookie.
Carol:
I think I am going to go out on a limb and say Zach Osborne will be the 450 SX Champion this year. He is the bulldog of the class and already is a proven winner, in the 250 SX class. I believe with all the riders that will be competing this year he stands a really good chance to add another championship to his list of accolades.
Thomas:
Ken Roczen! I believe Kenny will have kicked the illness he had in motocross and be back to his old winning ways in 2020. Kenny has the outright speed and the consistency to make a run at this Championship and I think this is the year he finally takes home the title.
Race Winners
Ashley:
The group of title contenders is a bit deep this year, so I think we’ll see a good number of race winners, including: Tomac, Ken Roczen, Jason Anderson, Cooper Webb, Zach Osborne, Blake Baggett, and Adam Cianciarulo. There’s always one dark horse that nabs a race win unexpectedly and I’m putting my money on Malcom Stewart this year to steal a win.
Carol:
I am going out on another limb here and predicting that Zach Osborne wins 4, Eli Tomac wins 4, Cooper Web wins 3, Jason Anderson wins 2, Adam Cianciarulo wins 2, and Aaron Plessinger wins 1 and possibly someone like Mookie winning one (fingers crossed!).
Thomas:
I think it’ll be mostly the usual suspects getting race wins in 2020. I believe you’ll see Tomac (6 wins), Roczen (4 wins), Webb (3 wins), Anderson (3 wins) take most race wins but don’t count out Zach Osborne, Malcom Stewart, or Adam Cianciarulo for a win as well.
450 Triple Crown Champion
Ashley:
I think we see Tomac take the Triple Crowns this year. If Tomac is going to win the championship, it isn’t going to be by taking 2nd or 3rd all season, it’ll be by dominating races like we’ve seen in the past. I wouldn’t be surprised though if Roczen or Webb won one of the Triple Crowns.
Carol:
I’m not really going out on any limb on this one, let’s just say Eli Tomac.
Thomas:
Eli Tomac. Tomac seems to fit perfectly into the mold of the person you want running these races. I think he takes 2 of the three overall wins, maybe even all of them in this 3-race series.
Breakout Riders
Ashley:
Adam Cianciarulo is going to have a great rookie season and prove he belongs in the 450 class. I also think we could see Malcolm Stewart have the best year of his career so far. After battling for the Monster Energy Cup win, he’s shown that this could be his year in Supercross.
Carol:
Adam – even though I think it may seem like a breakout year for Zach when he wins the title, Adam will have a very good 450 SX Rookie season.
Thomas:
Ken Roczen. A return to Championship form would be a breakout season for the German rider. I also like Zach Osborne to be a title contender this season, mostly with consistency and not with a ton of wins.
Rookie of the Year
Ashley:
AC will take RotY as well due to his breakout season.
Carol:
Adam Cianciarulo, no contest.
Thomas:
Adam Cianciarulo, for obvious reasons.
Bold Prediction
Ashley:
Defending Champion Cooper Webb doesn’t finish in the top 3 of the championship. Not at all a knock on Webb, I just think the competition is extremely fierce this year. I think we could see Tomac, Roczen, Anderson take the top three spots if all stay healthy.
Carol:
I think I’ve already made that prediction – Zach winning the Championship, but I would love to predict that might we see the return of Broc Tickle this season sometime.
Thomas:
Dean Wilson finishes in the top five in points. I think Deano stays healthy all year and beats out a few of the other factory riders in the standings. I would love to see Dean near the podium all year.
250 West – ***Predictions Based off Anaheim1 Provisional Entry List
250 West Supercross Champion
Ashley:
Austin Forkner will take this title. He was absolutely dominating his class last season before suffering the torn ACL. Barring another crazy accident, he’ll win by a landslide.
Carol:
Dylan Ferrandis. He is a solid, edgy rider, who I believe will be our first repeat West Champion since Cooper Webb won the 250 SX West title in 2015-2016’
Thomas:
Austin Forkner, if only because he was the Champion to be last year on the East Coast before the worst happened. Barring another injury, I think he’s the fastest 250 rider in the class. The defending Champion will keep him honest all year though.
Race Winners
Ashley:
I think Forkner will win the majority of the races, but we could see Justin Cooper and Dylan Ferrandis take a couple of wins each.
Carol:
I’m predicting that Ferrandis will win 4, Cameron McAdoo will win 3, Austin Forkner will win 2, and Justin Cooper will win 1..
Thomas:
I think Forkner (6 wins), Ferrandis (3 wins), and maybe someone else like a Cameron McAdoo or Justin Cooper steals a win.
Breakout Riders
Ashley:
I think Derek Drake and Jett Lawrence could have great seasons. Each are set up on a great team with a factory bike and could earn themselves a few top-five’s or even a podium or two by season’s end.
Carol:
Cameron McAdoo will have a really great season on that Kawi team, but I also think Derek Drake will finish the season just outside the top 5.
Thomas:
I like Cameron McAdoo to have a great season, He could steal a win, but I think he is going to be one of the most consistent guys in the class on the Pro Circuit Kawasaki team.
Rookie of the Year
Ashley:
I think Jett Lawrence takes this one. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jett battling for podiums several times throughout the season.
Carol:
Derek Drake
Thomas:
Jett Lawrence. I expect this rookie to podium early and often in the series.
Bold Prediction
Ashley:
Justin Cooper takes the championship fight all the way to the last round of the season – and he might just win it!
Carol:
I think Cameron McAdoo will finish 2nd in the series, giving that Honda team a little heartburn.
Thomas:
Austin Forkner sweeps every race of the series ad wins the title convincingly.
250 East – TO BE UPDATED BEFORE ROUND 7 IN TAMPA ON 2/15/2019
250 East Supercross Champion
Ashley:
Carol:
Thomas:
Race Winners
Ashley:
Carol:
Thomas:
Breakout Riders
Ashley:
Carol:
Thomas:
Rookie of the Year
Ashley:
Carol:
Thomas:
Bold Prediction
Ashley:
Carol:
Thomas:
Leave a Reply