As the series makes its first stop outside of California, it also marks the first Triple Crown of the year. Personally, I love the Triple Crown format. You get to see the best guys battle it out all night, and every race matters. This week we saw Cooper Webb find his way on top in the premier class for the first time this season, while Haiden Deegan dominated the 250 class with a three-moto sweep.
The thing that makes Triple Crowns so unique is that you can win the overall without winning a race. That is exactly what Cooper Webb did. I do not see this as a knock against Webb, but more a huge step in the right direction. The first three races of the season were a string of bad luck; however, he put himself in the right position three times to secure the win. He looked back to form, cutting down low in the corners, and was extremely aggressive. The fire was back, and just like always, you cannot count out Cooper Webb.
In a format that rewards consistency, it’s no surprise that Hunter Lawrence found himself back on the podium in Houston. His mistake in race one cost him the night, but there is still a lot of positive to take away. He was in total control in race two, proving he can win. He admitted that shorter sprint races are not his specialty, so I think the results should be looked at as a positive. With the momentum Lawrence is building, I look for him to be a race winner in the next three rounds.
After a rough Anaheim 2, Ken Roczen bounced back and found himself in the fight for the win. He came out firing in race one, pulling a gap on the field and pretty much rode his race uncontested. In race two, Roczen got caught up in a battle with his teammate that really stopped him from moving forward. He recovered in race three, but in another famous Webb vs. Roczen battle, Webb came out on top. All in all, Roczen walks away with a podium, proving he is still in this fight.
Eli Tomac had a wild day in Houston. He was fastest in timed qualifying and seemed to look extremely comfortable on his Red Bull KTM. In race one, he battled forward from a bad start and put himself in a good position for the night. In race two, a rare mistake sent him over the bars, ending his chances at an overall podium. In race three, Tomac showed that he was okay from his crash and that he is still the man to beat right now. While the crash in race two could have been worse, Tomac avoided injury and was able to walk away with a fourth and still hold onto the red plate.
Houston delivered the full Chase Sexton experience. Race one displayed his speed, and while he did not have much for Roczen, a second in race one is just as good as a win. From there, the inconsistency and mental errors showed. In race two, he washed the front, dropping him back to ninth. In race three, Sexton flinched on the start, almost hitting the gate. While the result was fifth overall, Sexton cannot afford these costly mistakes. The field is arguably deeper than ever, and speed alone will not get the job done. The mistakes must stop.
In the 250 class, Haiden Deegan proved that he is the guy. I feel he has cleaned up some of the mistakes we’ve seen in previous years and is showing us he is ready to take the step to the premier class. Levi Kitchen finally made his way cleanly around the first turn and was able to get his first podium of the year. If I am being honest, I thought he would have had a little bit more for Deegan than he did. A second is a much-needed step in the right direction, but I would like to see what he could do up front in a traditional 15-minute main event. With a lackluster performance from Max Anstie and a crash from Mosiman, Deegan is finding his lead even bigger. The question is, will anyone stop the bleeding?
Houston delivered some of the best racing of the year so far. We had three different winners in the premier class and good battles all through the pack. While in the 250 class, Deegan’s dominance could be getting out of hand. I look forward to seeing how it all shakes out next week in Glendale.
