The best Anaheim 1 ever ?

Edited copy courtesy of Denny Hartwig for Feld Motor Sports.

SUPERCROSS CLASS

The pre-season buzz is already calling the upcoming season the most anticipated championship of all time. With past two-time champions Chad Reed, riding for his own TwoTwo Motorsports, and San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart flanking Dungey, a long lineup of young challengers and experienced veterans are looking for their first taste of global recognition.

Perhaps no rider is more motivated than Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto. The three-time AMA National Champion captured the most wins in 2010 during a season-long battle with Ryan Dungey that ended prematurely with a frightening crash in St. Louis. After being forced to sit off a bike for nearly five months, Villopoto is determined to take care of what he considers to be unfinished business against a foe he is all too familiar with.

Also looking to bounce back from their own personal misfortunes from last season are both Chad Reed and James Stewart. Two of the most dominant riders of the past decade are the stalwarts who ushered in the present generation of riders and neither came close to accomplishing what they set out to do last season after stepping away from the championship before the third and fourth rounds, respectively. For both riders, 2011 marks the first season in which they are not seen as the top contenders for the championship. Pundits are giving Dungey and Villopoto considerably more attention with a hope of a resumption of their exciting rivalry and both of the "elder statesmen” of the sport will be look to prove them wrong.

Beyond the foursome of championship-proven talent is a crop of fast young talent eager to make their own dreams come true. Led by former Supercross Lites champion Trey Canard, who will be making his Supercross class debut for Team Honda just one year after a memorable guest appearance in the class, this group contains another class rookie in Brett Metcalfe, who joins Dungey at Rockstar/Makita Suzuki, as well as former race winners Josh Grant, at Team Honda, and Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR's Davi Millsaps.

While Grant and Millsaps head the movers and shakers in new places for 2011, longtime veteran and perennial front-runner Andrew Short makes the move to Red Bull KTM, forming an alliance with ace team manager Roger DeCoster, who tutored Dungey to his championship form at Suzuki. Additional riders who have found new homes this season are Ivan Tedesco at Dodge/Hart & Huntington Kawasaki, Tommy Hahn at MotoConcepts Yamaha, Michael Byrne at BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki, Nick Wey at Valli Motorsports Yamaha, and Dan Reardon at the new JDR Motorsports/Motorex KTM.

 As a whole, the 2011 lineup in the Supercross class is from top to bottom one of the most diversely talented groups of riders in the history of the sport whether its age or past success. Rounding out the roster is GEICO Powersports Honda's Kevin Windham, who at 32 years of age entering his 18th year of professional competition is still in search of his first world championship, in addition to Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGR's Justin Brayton, MotoConcepts Yamaha's Kyle Chisholm, Dodge/Hart & Huntington Kawasaki's Chris Blose and Red Bull KTM's Mike Alessi. Additionally, a trio of riders are ready to enter their rookie seasons in hopes of being wild cards in the championship in San Manuel Yamaha's Kyle Regal, Valli Motorsports Yamaha's Austin Stroupe, and MotoConcepts Yamaha's Vince Friese.

SUPERCROSS LITES

Despite the graduation of AMA Supercross Lites class champions from the last three years – Christophe Pourcel, Jake Weimer, and Trey Canard – Monster Energy Supercross will welcome the return of several highly-talented competitors in addition to introducing a potent lineup of newcomers, four of which boasting impressive international credentials. In fact, a pair of new names will go into the history books as Western and Eastern Regional title holders once the season comes to an end on May 7 in Las Vegas.

Leading the way as title favorites for the upcoming season are Lites class veterans Broc Tickle and Wil Hahn. Each rider is making the move to one of the powerhouse programs in the division with Tickle joining the legendary Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and Hahn becoming the newest member of GEICO Honda. Additionally, fellow front-runners and former race winners Blake Baggett, Justin Barcia, Josh Hansen and Blake Wharton along with sophomore sensation Dean Wilson will be sure to throw their names in the mix.

Adding to the incredible depth of the Lites class is the debut of four international stars. While South African Tyla Rattray has competed stateside since the 2009 season, the former World Champion will race in Monster Energy Supercross for the first time in 2011 for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki. Joining him is fellow South African Gareth Swanepoel, who becomes a full-time member of the DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha team, as well as a pair of highly-touted up and comers racing out of the new Red Bull KTM stable in reigning two-time World Champion Marvin Musquin, of France, and 16-year-old phenom Ken Roczen, of Germany.

With the implementation of an all-out AMA Supercross Lites class shootout at the season finale in Las Vegas, both the Western and Eastern Regional Championships will come down to the wire on the final night of competition with nine races apiece throughout the winter and spring. Moreover, the world's best AMA Supercross Lites rider will be determined in a head-to-head showdown between the top riders from each class to close out the evening. The 2011 AMA Supercross Lites class will be unlike ever before !

 

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Feld Motor Sports® announced today that Dianna Dahlgren of Los Angeles, Calif., will fulfill the role of Miss Supercross throughout the 17-race season.

Dahlgren, a long-time supporter of the sport, has been a recognisable face on the Monster Energy Supercross scene for several years. Dahlgren has served as a Monster Energy girl at supercross races as well as a 30-second board girl who signals the launch of each heat, qualifier, and main event. Being crowned Miss Supercross has been a long-time aspiration of Dahlgren's.

Dianna Dahlgren makes her Miss Supercross debut this Saturday, January 8 for the opening race of the 2011 Monster Energy Supercross season.

Dahlgren will serve as the face of Monster Energy Supercross at 17 races of the 2011 season, representing the sport through a variety of promotional opportunities, as well as standing atop the podium alongside the world's fastest riders at the conclusion of each race. Dahlgren's duties will also include reporting from the pits with race and rider updates.

Photo Credit: Hoppenworld.com