2020 Supercross Season Review

Supercross completed its 2020 season with seven consecutive races in Salt Lake City over three weeks after a 12-week layoff. Despite the undesirable circumstances, with all seven races taking place behind closed doors, in a condensed period and at one location, the season completed without any massive setbacks. Races were thrilling and a 17-race season was completed.

Before the season, we went over the field and previewed the riders to set expectations of what was to come. It is a little later than expected but here is our chance to finally put a bow on the 2020 Supercross season.

1. Eli Tomac: #3 Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450 (384 points)
Victories: 7 (Anaheim II, Oakland, Tampa Bay, Arlington Daytona, Salt Lake I, Salt Lake III)
Podium Finishes: 12
What did I write: "This has to be the year Tomac wins the Supercross championship. The 2019 Supercross season was a little of a dud. He didn't have the explosiveness we have seen in previous years. Tomac got back to normal in the Motocross season and I think he has found the balance to win the Supercross title. I think he will be good for another six to nine victories on his way to his first Supercross championship."
How wrong was it: It was pretty on point with Tomac claiming the Supercross title. He went into the finale only needing a 19th place finish. After years of going in fighting from behind, this year, he went in with a massive margin for error. This was a year where Tomac didn't put a wheel wrong. This worst finish was seventh at the Anaheim season opener. From there, he didn't look out of place. He found his legs and won four of the first eight rounds. Atlanta should have been a terrible night for him but after a hiccups, he charged to fourth.

Tomac went into the Salt Lake City final leg of the season leading the championship by three points, but the layoff didn't throw him off his game. He won the first round back and followed it with podium finishes over the next five races, including another victory in the third Salt Lake City race, a race in sloppy conditions with a ferocious lap-after-lap battle against Cooper Webb. Tomac raced to win the title. Avoiding the disastrous early results allowed him to take a third or a second in these Salt Lake City races. He could settle for fifth in the finale, while Webb had his worst race of the Salt Lake series. After so many years of dominating but falling short, Tomac stood tall and did not waver in an unprecedented scenario.

2. Cooper Webb: #1 Red Bull KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition (359 points)
Victories: 4 (San Diego, Salt Lake II, Salt Lake IV, Salt Lake VI)
Podium Finishes: 13
What did I write: "Webb will be flying solo for the most part with KTM teammate Marvin Musquin ruled out for the 2020 Supercross season due to a knee injury. Webb took a shocking championship in 2019. I think he is going to win races but I do not think he will be able to replicate what he did last year. He should be in the top five of the championship."
How wrong was it: It wasn't an exact replication but Webb came close to defending his championship. Webb had three bad races all season, 12th at St. Louis, 12th at Arlington after a vicious fall onto concrete, and eighth in the Salt Lake finale after a fall at the start. Outside of those races, his worst finish was fourth. He was on the podium for eight of the final nine races of the season and he won three of those. He won every Wednesday race at Salt Lake City. Even if Webb didn't have those two 12th-place finishes, I think Tomac wins the championship, but those two results weigh heavy on Webb's season.

3. Ken Roczen: #94 Honda CRF450R (354 points)
Victories: 4 (St. Louis, Glendale, Atlanta, Salt Lake V)
Podium Finishes: 10
What did I write: "Roczen was constantly good in 2019 but never great and was second in the closest margin of victory in Supercross history at Arlington to Webb. I think Roczen wins a few races but I am not sure he can be a championship contender. There just seems to be that raw tenacity has been worn away through multiple grueling injuries. He will be in the top five of the championship."
How wrong was it: Roczen was a championship contender until Salt Lake City. He won two of the first four races and was looking strong. Roczen and Tomac were tied going into Daytona and both went toe-to-toe. Tomac won the race and Roczen was second, dropping three points back in the championship. However, Roczen was streaky in Salt Lake City. He was third in the first race back, but followed it with finishes of fifth, tenth and fifth before he won the fifth Salt Lake City race. The damage was done. Tomac and Webb didn't falter. Tomac took the title and Webb slipped ahead into second.

4. Jason Anderson: #21 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC450 (287 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 5
What did I write: "Anderson is back and I expect more consistency, which is what Anderson is known for. However, as was my concern heading into 2019, I am not sure that consistency will be enough to get him another championship. The grid is strong and it requires someone to go out and wrestle three or four victories that otherwise do not belong to that rider. I am not sure Anderson could do that. There may be one or two races that he pulls out but I think Anderson will have a tough battle with Osborne and both are shooting for somewhere between fourth and seventh in the championship."
How wrong was it: Anderson was consistent, as he always is, but he never had a dominating night and with Tomac, Webb and Roczen barely slipping up, it kept Anderson from having a race fall in his favor. Unfortunately, victory alluded Anderson in the final race of the season when his seat came off while up three-seconds on teammate Zach Osborne. Anderson lost time and dropped to second.  He had 12 top five finishes. That was expected and it got him a top five championship finish, but he needed another gear if he hoped to be a title contender.

5. Justin Barcia: #51 Monster Energy Yamaha YZ450F (272 points)
Victories: 1 (Anaheim I)
Podium Finishes: 3
What did I write: "It felt like Yamaha was going in the right direction last year but it still has some work to do. That Anaheim victory was not a true representation of where Yamaha is. Barcia can get a few top five finishes but not a boatload. He will mostly be racing between seventh and tenth."
How wrong was it: Barcia exceeded expectations. With a victory and runner-up in the first two races, it appeared Barcia had a chance to play spoiler. The results dropped off but he kept finishing in the top five. Like Roczen, the look layout significantly hurt Barcia. After finishing in the top five in eight of the first ten races, Barcia's best result in Salt Lake City was eighth.

6. Zach Osborne: #16 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC450 (252 points)
Victories: 1 (Salt Lake VII)
Podium Finishes: 4
What did I write: "I think Osborne could take the spot as top Husqvarna rider in the championship. He is coming off an encouraging Motocross season. A lot of people were excited for his move up to 450cc action prior to him missing the first few races due to injury. A victory would not be crazy, he nearly won in New Jersey last season, but I think his goal should be three to four podium finishes."
How wrong was it: Unfortunately, Osbourne missed two rounds due to injury ahead of Atlanta but he was back in time for Salt Lake City and he made the most of it. Osborne ended with top five finishes in every Salt Lake City race and though he won the final race, it might not have been the race he deserved the most. There were two strong shots at victory prior to that in Salt Lake City. Life balances itself out. Sometimes you lose a race you should have won but there will be times you win when you shouldn't. He is almost there. If he stays healthy, Osborne could see an incredible breakthrough in 2021.

7. Malcolm Stewart: #27 Smartop/Bullfrog Spas/Motoconcepts/Honda CRF450R (252 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 4th (Once)
What did I write: "I don't know! Stewart has never had a top five finish in his 450cc Supercross career. He has started 33 races dating back to 2017. I think that will change. Stewart is coming into this season with some momentum and I think there could be one race where he finishes fifth. That doesn't seem too crazy. If he does finish in the top ten of the championship it will be ninth or tenth."
How wrong was it: This was the quintessential best case scenario for Stewart this season. He completed many laps and the results got better as the year went along. He had finished in the top ten of the first ten races. He had a few slip ups in Salt Lake City, but he also had a pair of fifth-place finishes and closed the year with a fourth-place finish, his best of 2020. It is a shame he lost sixth on tiebreaker to Osborne, but this was the step up Stewart needed in his career.

8. Dean Wilson: #15 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna FC450 (239 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Wilson did well as a privateer rider before getting the factory call and Husqvarna is running three full-time riders. I think all three Husqvarna riders will be close to one another in the championship and all will be in the top ten of the championship if healthy. Wilson will be the third of those three."
How wrong was it: Pretty spot on. All three Husqvarna riders were in the top ten of the championship. Wilson was third of the three. The Husqvarna riders swept the podium in the finale and Wilson was third. Only twice was Wilson the top finisher in the team, and those were off nights for the team as a whole. You cannot knock 12 top ten finishes too much, but Wilson was rarely running with the big boys while Anderson and Osborne were consistently.

9. Justin Brayton: #10 Honda CRF450R (227 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 6th (Twice)
What did I write: "Brayton moves up to the factory team and I do not think he will be challenging to be the top Honda rider. I am not sure he will be in the top ten of the championship. The highest championship finish for him would be eighth but he could end up about 12th."
How wrong was it: Brayton was ninth in the championship, right where he was expected to finish.

10. Justin Hill: #46 Smartop/Bullfrog Spas/Motoconcepts/Honda CRF450R (213 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 5th (Once)
What did I write: "Not much. A few top ten finishes but Hill will be outside the top ten in the championship."
How wrong was it: Hill had nine top ten finishes, including six consecutive before the season went on hiatus after Daytona.

11. Aaron Plessinger: #7 Monster Energy Yamaha YZ450F (207 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 6th (Once)
What did I write: "When Plessinger's season ended last year he was eighth in the championship. I think he will be somewhere around there in the championship but I think there will be two or three races where he is at the front and fighting for a podium position."
How wrong was it: This was a tough year for Plessinger. Maybe there were four or five races that could have been better but there was not a race where he was a contender.

12. Blake Baggett: #4 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition (200 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 1
What did I write: "Baggett had another good season in Supercross but I am worried that he is not in shape for 2020. I think we see Baggett take a step back in the championship. He is not going to fall off the face of the planet unless he is not fit enough to complete a full season but he may be somewhere between seventh and tenth in the championship."
How wrong was it: I don't get this season for Baggett. There were races he was on and then when he was off he was off. He did have two retirements and took two last-place finishes, which helps drag you down a few championship positions, but he was too inconsistent. It was just an off-year and hopefully he turns it around.

Other Riders:
Adam Cianciarulo: #9 Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450 (15th, 129 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 2
What did I write: "If there is one rider that could surprise us all it is Cianciarulo. How much could we be surprised after his Monster Energy Cup victory? He has come in ready for 450cc action. It could be a case of expectation being set too high after his Monster Energy Cup results. I think there could a swarm of people that are disappointed in Cianciarulo because of the lofty expectations set. I am going to try and be calmer than others. I think a top five in the championship with one or two victories will be a great season for him. He is a championship sleeper."
How wrong was it: Cianciarulo had not one, but two injuries hampered his 2020 season. First it was a collarbone fracture ahead of Arlington. Then it was falling while in second in the first race back at Salt Lake City and having Webb, accidentally, run over his back, causing four acute vertebrae fractures. Prior to his injuries, Cianciarulo had two runner-up finishes and had seven top ten finishes from seven starts. We are going to have to wait until 2021 for what could be stellar.

Chad Reed: #22 Mountain Motorsports Honda CRF450R/KTM 450 SX-F (16th, 113 points)
Victories: 0
Podium Finishes: 0
Best Finish: 10th (Once)
What did I write: "I am sad to see the end of Reed's career but it is time. He has hung on as long as he could. We should be thankful he has stuck around for as long as he did. He is back to a privateer bike, which is where he started last year before Suzuki drafted him in because of a slew of injured riders. Reed was seventh in the championship when his season ended after Seattle. I think Reed will have a few top ten finishes and maybe there is one race he is fighting for a top five."
How wrong was it: This was not how Reed wanted to end his career, and it might not be the end. It sounds like Reed wants to do a proper farewell. It might not be a full season, but it could be one final round when crowds are back at the events. Reed did provide one of the more amusing stories in the latter stages of the season. Reed sold all his Honda equipment during the hiatus, thinking the season would not restart. When the restart was announced, Reed purchased a KTM to finish the season. At least he ended the season with a tenth-place finish.

Conclusion
Tomac deserved this title. No one had won more main events prior to a championship than Tomac at 34. Tomac is the first father to win a Supercross championship, which is startling, but a reminder Supercross is a young man's sport. Tomac is 27 years old. We are going to get a few more good years with Tomac, and he has stayed relatively healthy, but three years ago Ryan Dungey retired at 27 years old. Dungey did have four championships under his belt, including three-consecutive to end his career.

Then we had Reed, who is retiring at 38 years old. Reed obliterated the record books, and when you see Dungey and Ryan Villopoto have both been retired for multiple years and are 30 and 31 respectively, and Reed's foil Ricky Carmichael is two years old and last raced in 2007, and you think someone could be able to race for another decade. Tomac could be able to have a Reed-esque length career but we have a long way to go.

While concerned about age and changes, I look at Osborne and Cianciarulo and I think Supercross is in great hands. Doubling back to Tomac and Reed, both Osborne and Cianciarulo have already had their share of injuries. Webb is only 24, already a champion, and he has gotten over his troubles staying on the bike. Hopefully, both Osborne and Cianciarulo stay healthy. Supercross is set for another five to eight years.

With Salt Lake City behind us, we come off a success into an uncertainty and without much direction where to go. The Motocross is set to begin in a month at Crawfordsville, Indiana but only two rounds have official dates. The second round is scheduled for Jacksonville, Florida. Florida is seeing a record number of covid-19 cases on a near daily basis. The 2020 Motocross season will look different. It has to and it will continue to evolve over the summer. Motocross comes first and then we will have the 2021 Supercross season.

We are slowly stepping through time. Supercross completed its first test but the world remains chaotic and unstable. Unfortunately, the Salt Lake City series of races wasn't a Band-Aid to complete a season and now we can remove it and go back to living without a hemorrhage. The wound is as bad as when first addressed and getting worse.

Every sports entity faces a web of social distancing measures, covid-19 case increases, bans on public gatherings and the health of every person involved in the events. Plans are being made because there has to be a layout, but every plan is vulnerable to be tossed in a second. NASCAR is releasing its schedule on a month basis. The NBA has plans to return in July in Orlando but that could be canned, especially with Florida's problem. The NHL has a plan for the Stanley Cup playoffs in August but teams have players testing positive for the virus.

Supercross got through seven races in three weeks without an issue, but with the Motocross season planning to cross the country and host events with spectators, it is more likely to hit a snag and face difficult decisions about what is best for the series.