2023 Glendale Supercross | Kickstart Recap & Gallery

We saw Carlos Rivera wedge something between the stand and frame during his rear suspension routine on Cooper Webb’s Red Bull KTM 450 SX-F…

The black block, complete with KTM’s logo and motto, lifted the back end of the bike just high enough off the ground so that the swing arm could hang free while the linkage was unbolted, and rear shock was removed. Potential PowerParts catalog must-have?

Pipes, shocks, and disc guards in the Red Bull KTM pit.

Our celebration for another year at it as independent media means the same for friends Ryan Fudger and Jeff Z (shown here), a hard-working duo that’s bounced back from Ride BMX to launch to manage the Our BMX online media house and manage the GT Bicycles team. If you’re about twenty-inch bikes, @bmx and ourbmx.com

BMX is back. Friday’s sessions at the Arizona event looked to be firing thanks to the big turnout of riders who were willing to drop in and hit the triple set.

D’Cor Visuals sent Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha and Monster Energy Kawasaki chrome-backed versions of their factory graphics for Glendale. Did you like the look under the lights and want to make your bike look the same? It’s an option for purchase when going through D’Cor’s online store.

Shocks, axles, bolts, and disc guards in the Team Honda HRC pit.

Some dudes are rocking Jordons, others are in the Ultraboosts, but AC’s all about Skechers.

Clutches, axles, and disc guards in the SmarTop/MotoConcepts/Honda pit.

Red Wings. Dean Wilson’s brought the ultra-wide GUTS Racing seat foam and ribbed cover over to the Fire Power Honda CRF450R.

Tristan Lane was back in action in Arizona, so we got to shoot the F1-themed kit on his American Recycling Center/Silverback Racing GASGAS machine. The inspiration? HAAS, the American-based team owned by businessman Gene Haas and managed by Guenther Steiner with drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg. The graphics, and all the others run this year by Lane, are available for all models on SKDA’s website.

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“Union said we get a fifteen…”

We always look forward to the slightly-cracked roof and abundant sunshine during the afternoon practice sessions in Arizona. Check the gallery at the bottom of the page for lots of shots from the golden hour.

Ken Roczen and Kyle Chisholm have returned to their pursuit for the perfect suspension setting for the RM-Z450. Roczen mentioned testing and changes on Friday in an interview with Vital MX, while Chisholm detailed the group’s work and intention to us on Saturday night for How Was Your Weekend.

Anthony Rodriguez will wrap up West Coast run of the SX season as planned, but on a CRF450R backed by SmarTop/MotoConcepts/Honda. We enjoyed a Friday chat with ARod about motorsports in South America, which is part of the Pre-Race News Break video you can find through the complete content link above. Rodriguez earned his spot in the night show with quick laps in the B Group qualifying sessions and went 21-16-18 for 20th overall. Was this his first 450 SX?

We caught a whiff of the burnt premix blend that Gared Steinke burns through his Husqvarna TC 250 during Timed Qualifying on Saturday afternoon and have to say it smelled like some top shelf stuff.

Wherever Eli Tomac was on Saturday, Cooper Webb was close behind. We captured the cat and mouse during Free Practice and put it in a RAW video that’s on our homepage, YouTube, and Instagram account. Mind games? Or basic race strategy? We’re interested to see how this plays out in the next few rounds.

Name tags. AirTrix went with the Coors Light font for Cooper’s name on the Bell Moto 10 Spherical…

And redid the NASCAR for Aaron and his Alpinestars Supertech M10.

apdesigns finished Adam Cianciarulo’s Fox Racing V3 RS with a modern AC.

No plate? No problem. Max Miller didn’t let some missing plastics stop him from styling.

Like we said in Seattle, it’s been a pleasure getting to know Grant Harlan and his dad over the last few weeks, a running conversation that continued this past weekend at the PHX airport. The two have found the balance between rider-mechanic/father-son and spend some of the time on the road getting in rounds of golf.

Quick check.

Whaddup, Lane?

After missing the Seattle SX for a weekend at the Australian Pro MX series with WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha in the 450 Class, Matt Moss returned to his spot on the BARX Suzuki squad in the 250 Class. Moss made it into the Triple Crown with a win in the LCQ, but had his night come to an early end after a face plant on the track.

The 450 LCQ is a mix of apparel brands, part suppliers, and hop-up shops. We can spot seven different gear companies, seven helmets, and four OEMS in this shot, but are certain there’s a few more back there.

Track conditions after Free Practice/Timed Qualifying/LCQs but before the night’s Triple Crown.

Frothing.

The number 24 on a Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing bike? Sounds like we can expect to see this for a little while longer.

What’ll happen with the FC 450s under the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing tent? Malcolm and Christian will spend most, if not the rest, of the year on the sidelines dealing with their injuries and the team will need someone on the factory bikes for the eleven rounds of Pro Motocross that are a little more than two months away. We could see Hampshire getting the bump up or even someone like Benny Bloss getting a call for the summer.

Cameron McAdoo’s absence pumped Mitchell Oldenburg into the opening ceremonies as part of the 250 Class, a first for the SmarTop/MotoConcepts/Honda rider. We ran to the stands to see Freckle go over the ladder and high-five the fans.

Nearing the point where jettson need’s personal security to get around at the races.

How many free riders does it take to fold an airbag? The Monster Energy FMX shows have been a welcome addition to the Pit Party and we’re hearing the quick expression session might be moved indoors and added to the night’s schedule of activities in 2024.

A pair of crashes by Mitchell Oldenburg on the opening lap of 250 Race One had Nathan Alexander ready for quick repairs in the mechanic’s area. The MotoConcepts rider-wrench duo lucked out, though, as the red flag gave them some much needed extra time to fix damage done the CRF250R and another gate drop.

We’ve seen a few red flags this year, from San Diego to Houston to Indianapolis, but Glendale was the first time that riders were taken to the gate and re-racked for a complete restart.

Why do mechanics keep a roll of duct tape on their toolbags? Tony Archer showed us how it can come in handy during the red flag restart when he went to work on Carson Mumford’s damaged Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki KX250.

There seemed to be no harsh words after the run-in between Mitchell Harrison and Maximus Vohland. Instead, the two talked out how they were going to get their bikes unstuck and continue with Race One. Vohland finished this gate drop in 18th and Harrison in 20th.

Tagger Designs and Rockstar Energy have stepped away from the all-black and yellow starred helmets. Dean Wilson’s custom painted FLY Racing Formula lid looked like it’d be better on display at an Easter car show than on the starting line of a moto.

CHROMAC

Track conditions going into 450 Race One during the night show.

How close were Chase Sexton and Ken Roczen at the finish line? 0.125 seconds, or about the difference of a front-wheel over the transponder loop.

We heard some jokes about Hunter Yoder running a big-bore during the afternoon in Arizona so we weren’t totally surprised to hear that the AMA subjected the Partzilla/PRMX rider’s bike to a random teardown after his run-in with Cole Thompson in Race Three. Despite the rumors, the official procedure revealed that was nothing out of spec.

How’d the pros look ripping this big, smooth berm with some fluff on top? Check out the line choices and techniques of the 250 West Coast Region.

Here’s Maximus Vohland…

RJ Hampshire

Levi Kitchen

Jett Lawrence

Pierce Brown

Enzo Lopes

Factory Parking

Keeping the back-up bike ready inside the stadium is one of the many tasks a rig driver is responsible for during a Saturday at the races.

New variation of the “Count the M Claw game.” This time we’re looking for all of the FLY Racing and WPS logos on or around RJ Hampshire and Jason Thomas.

If we didn’t see the Tomac-Sexton drag race in the whoops for ourselves, we probably wouldn’t have believed how it went from bar-to-bar battle over the rollers…

To a breakaway by Sexton in the span of forty feet. The Team Honda HRC rider held the throttle on through the last of the rockers, then pinned it when his bike reached the flat turn before the mechanic’s area and reaffirmed his lead in 450 Race Two.

Nailing the start of the option lane meant hitting the inside rut at the entry of the corner, getting the drive, and threeing into the long rhythm section. The front runners had the line down. Chase Sexton demonstrates.

Eli Tomac

Ken Roczen

Cooper Webb

Adam Cianciarulo

Dean Wilson

Another checkered flag for the Triple Crown season champion. Sexton’s win in Race Two set the stage for the finale, as he and Tomac were head-to-head for the overall.

Through the Supercross Futures and Pro Motocross Combine events, we’ve gotten to know the next generation of riders on and off the bike. One of those guys is Trevor Colip, a teenager from Indiana that spends time at CLUBMX and is backed by Babbit’s, Team Green, and Renen. Colip finished the Futures weekend with a twelfth-place result and will race the last two rounds in New Jersey and Salt Lake City.

Ryder DiFrancesco’s return to Futures was a chance for him to get gate drops ahead of his full summer on the Pro Motocross tour with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team. A thumb injury has kept the teenager prodigy from racing much in the last six-nine months, but he still hung near the top of the scoreboard and clicked off a runner-up finish. Ryder D seemed unsure if he’ll do the last two Futures races or turn his attention to Pro Motocross; we’d bet his next race is the first National at Fox Raceway.

Futures action with Dilon Blecha, Nate Freehill, Casey Benard, and more.

Another number one plate for the back window of JuJu’s pick-up.

We didn’t see what started the Yoder-Thompson incident, just them getting up off the ground after contact and Yoder’s ripped gear a few laps later as he circled the track. The damage to his pants made it nearly impossible for them to stay up while he hopped over the jump-laden track.

How important were the whoops to a rider’s lap? From the look of these images, it seemed like getting through the section better than your competition made it the one spot you could really build a gap, regardless of where you were in the running order. See Hunter Lawrence-Levi Kitchen for proof, plus…

RJ Hampshire-Enzo Lopes

Enzo Lopes-Pierce Brown

Pierce Brown-Max Vohland/Derek Kelley.

Battle scars on Cole Thompson’s rear fender

Another for Jettson, another new sponsor to showcase on the podium. In addition to Red Bull, his personal donut shop, Quad Lock, and all of the race team’s technical partners, the Team Honda HRC rider now has an endorsement deal with MVMT watches.

Worn-in.

It’s been great to see crowds at most of the rounds this year, a sign that the masses want to see some action, but the biggest thing we’ve noticed is how into the action everyone is, like how the entire lower bowl got to their feet during the opening laps of 450 Race Three and how they cheered on many of the riders, not just the lead pack. SX is in a good spot.

See the roost off the front tire? That’s a lot of trust in the front brake.

Eli Tomac’s win, the 51st Main Event of his career and seventh his season, gives the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider sole control of the red plate going into Atlanta. These past two years have been defining times for Tomac’s place in the record books and it’s a treat to see history get written every weekend by the multi-time champion and future Hall of Famer.

We’ve come a long, long way from ATL 2020.

Hardware. Onto Atlanta for round thirteen of an instant classic season.