For the new fan, it's Round 1, for the casual fan it's Anaheim 1, for us freaks it's just A1. It’s the biggest event of our year and far overshadows the festive season.
Above – The Chad, 2003
Anaheim hasn’t always been the season opener and hasn’t always had multiple rounds. The first time Edison field, as it was then known, hosted round 1 was in 1981, the sport wasn’t even a decade old at the time. That 1981 event was won by “The Rhinestone Cowboy” Kent Howerton on a Suzuki. It was also Howerton’s maiden supercross victory.
Round 1 at Anaheim would also serve up maiden winners for the next three seasons with Donnie “Holeshot” Hansen in 1982, David “The Little Professor” Bailey in 1983, and Johnny O’Mara “The O Show” in 1984. Making that so far, 4 maiden winners at Anaheim openers. Both Hansen, Bailey, and O’Mara would go on to win the title in those same years, and all for Honda, starting a run of dominance in the sport that wouldn’t really end until the departure of “MC” Jeremy McGrath.
San Diego would host round 1 in 1985, but Anaheim returned in spectacular fashion in 1986 with what is not only known as a great Anaheim but one of the greatest supercross races ever. With David Bailey taking the top step from Ricky “The Bad Boy” Johnson. No surprise that Jeff Ward and Rick Johnson would share the 2 remaining Anaheim openers of the ’80s, Wardy in 1987 and RJ in 1989, 1988 saw Anaheim off the schedule.
Into the ’90s and the best was served up first, another maiden winner in Damon “The Beast from the East” Bradshaw. Do yourself a favor and watch the 1990 race where Damon pulled “The Holeshot from Hell” from the far outside. The 5th and for mine, the most impressive of this list, given he was only 17 years old and competing against a massively stacked field that season. Note – I know he won heaps of 125 races, we're talking big boy class here!
Above – Damon! 1990, it's hard to express what a big deal this was at the time.
Anaheim would get bumped to round 3 for the next 6 years with Orlando opening the season during that time. Followed by stadium renovations in 1997-98. Returning in 1999 with Ezra Lusk “Yogi” taking the win, MC would take the next 2 followed by “The Cobra” David Vuillemin in 2002.
2003 would see our 6th Maiden A1 winner, with Chad Reed “The Thunder from Down Under” bursting into his first full season in the premier class, defeating dominant reigning champion Ricky Carmichael in the process. Reedy would go on to win A1 two more times in 2004 and 2008, his championship years.
Kevin Windham won in 2005 then James Stewart would win in 2006, 2007, and 2010. In 2009 we would see another rider get his maiden premier class victory in Josh Grant, this was also a maiden victory for the Joe Gibbs Racing team, which makes 7 Anaheim maidens so far.
Above – A victorious JG33 in 2009, complete with a smoky bit of tuff block in his rear brake.
No surprise Ryan Villopoto took the trophy in 2011 and 2012, and Davi Millsaps won in 2013. Then in 2014 with the first of a record four A1 victories, Ken Roczen won his maiden premier class race, following up in 2015, 2017, and 2022. That’s now 8 Anaheim maidens and we're not done yet! Jason Anderson would do it also in 2016, that makes 9.
Can someone make it 10 this year? There are a few possibilities, Mookie was in the hunt for his first win last year and showed moments of ridiculous speed, I think he’s a chance with a good start. Christian Craig had a good 450 outdoor season and no doubt has some pace. A lot of doubt about Aaron Plessinger, but he has podiumed a 450 race before, and to be fair, last year that bike was a dud. Then there is my guy AC, what a story that would be….
Drop the gate!
Go Riding
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