Supercross
Musquin Stays Undefeated at Straight Rhythm
Get the full rundown on what happened at Red Bull Straight Rhythm 2017.
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Coming into the 2017 edition of Red Bull Straight Rhythm, Marvin Musquin had never lost a run down a straight rhythm track. Yes, you read that correctly, he’s won 100 percent of the times he’s lined up at the event. That said, the dark horses for the evening looked to be his teammate Broc Tickle and last year’s third place winner Josh Hansen. Returning Lites Class Champion Shane McElrath had a decent run in qualifying, making him a favorite, but it was Ryan Sipes on his Husky two-stroke who ended up fastest qualifying. The two-stroke class seemed to be a toss-up. Sipes was fastest in qualifying, Ryan Villopoto is Ryan Villopoto, therefore he couldn’t be counted out and Ronnie Mac has been claiming for weeks on social media that he won’t be denied. Let’s take a look at how it all shook out in Pomona.
Ken Roczen Two-Stroke Challenge
Gared Steinke scrubs past Mike Brown
© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
Quarterfinals
Ryan Sipes came into the night show as the fastest qualifier and he blasted through the quarterfinals untested as Tevin Tapia was forced to pull out due to bike problems. Ronnie Mac had the crowd on its feet with a win, but the real battle during this round was between the veteran Mike Brown and Gared Steinke. “Stank dog” won the first race, Brown took the second run, but in the end Steinke prevailed moving on to the semifinals.
- Ryan Sipes vs. Tevin Tapia | 2-0
- Ronnie Mac vs. Ryan Morais | 2-0
- Ryan Villopoto vs. Michael Sleeter | 2-0
- Gared Steinke vs. Mike Brown | 2-0
Ronnie Mac took down Ryan Sipes in the semifinal
© Christian Pondella/ Red Bull Content Pool
Semifinal
This round was full of unpredictable moments and likely wrecked everyone’s Ken Roczen Two-Stroke Shootout fantasy brackets. Ronnie Mac came out swinging and put Sipes on the ropes, winning the first race. Sipes was able to counter with a win, but in the end, Uncle Ronnie slayed the fastest qualifier of the day moving him on to the final. Ryan Villopoto faced off with the only rider in professional motocross who still actively races two strokes Gared Steinke and it turned out to be a battle. RV took the first one but it was Steinke who would not be denied, going on to take back to back wins over the most decorated rider in the field, making it a battle of the underdogs in the final.
- Ryan Villopoto vs. Gared Steinke | 2-1
- Ryan Sipes vs. Ronnie Mac | 2-1
Third place round
After qualifying the time sheets predicted that this would be our final match up, instead it was the race for third. The two traded races for the first two and in the elimination race it was Sipes' big send in the second rhythm section that launched him to the podium, leaving Villopoto in fourth.
- Ryan Sipes vs. Ryan Villopoto | 2-1
Steinke took the win in the two-stroke class
© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
Two-stroke final
The final no one could have predicted, with two of the biggest characters in the sport going head-to-head for ultimate bragging rights and $10,000. Mac jumped out to a great start, with Steinke closing it up through the second section. Moments later though, Mac delivered the second crash of the evening, as his foot came off the peg up the face of a jump sending him to the ground. He gathered himself up, got a quick ride with the medics back to the starting line and true to the Ronnie Mac way of life, he sent it down the track. The Mac held his own, but Stank Dog had one hand on the trophy going into it and was not to be denied taking home the trophy, the cash and the bragging rights.
- Ronnie Mac vs. Gared Steinke | 2-0
Lites class
Ronnie Mac and Ryan Morias
© Chris Tedesco / Red Bull Content Pool
Quarterfinals
The Lites class quarterfinals saw some interesting action. Josh Hill returned to the track in near-silence on his Alta Red Shift MX electric bike, lining up against TLD KTM’s Alex Martin. Martin came out victorious in that battle but Hill put in an impressive ride aboard the Alta. The real battle of this class was between the two young guns, Enzo Lopes and Sean Cantrell. Both riders have yet to line up in a professional supercross race in their young careers and they provided the closest race of the evening and the event’s only photo finish, separated by just one thousandth of a second, with Cantrell coming out on top.
- Ryan Sipes vs. Colton Aeck | 2-0
- Enzo Lopes vs. Sean Cantrell | 2-0
- Shane McElrath vs. Ronnie Mac | 2-0
- Alex Martin vs. Josh Hill | 2-0
Semifinals
Cantrell had some epic scrubs throughout the night
© Christian Pondella / Red Bull Content Pool
Both match ups in this round came down to the wire. In the battle of Two-stroke versus four-stroke, Cantrell and Sipes traded races for the first two. Supercross rookie Cantrell took the win, making his way to the final. Martin and McElrath also traded wins, taking it to the elimination race. With a mistake in the second rhythm section, Alex Martin dropped back giving the round to last year’s champion McElrath.
- Ryan Sipes vs. Sean Cantrell | 2-0
- Shane McElrath vs Alex Martin | 2-0
Third place race
Cantrell and Lopes
© Chris Tedesco/Red Bull Content Pool
Martin lined up against the two-stroke of Sipes for the final spot on the podium and it was anyone’s race going into it. This one was all Martin though, as he hit his marks through two straight runs, landing himself on the final spot of the podium.
- Alex Martin vs Ryan Sipes | 2-0
Final
The rookie Cantrell lined up alongside McElrath as the biggest underdog to make a final, at the 5 seed. As the gate fell on the first run, McElrath ripped the holeshot and snagged the win with Cantrell not far off. Round 2 was a different story — Cantrell laid it all on the table, launching the best scrubs of the event escaping elimination and taking it to a third race. The two got out of the gate side by side and were neck and neck through the first section. Cantrell missed the quad, handing the lead to McElrath. Down but not out, Cantrell sent it with what would be the largest scrub of the night closing the gap slightly, but not enough to take the win, giving McElrath his second straight Red Bull Straight Rhythm victory in the Lites class.
Marvin Musquin
© Christian Pondella / Red Bull Content Pool
Open class
Quarterfinals
If the semifinal round of the Open class proved one thing, it was that Musquin was here for one thing, to win. He laid down two of the quickest runs of the day, knocking out Offroad specialist Colton Haaker early. Chisholm and Bowers took it to three rounds, with Chiz taking the top spot, while Tickle and Hansen both went undefeated through the round.
- Marvin Musquin vs. Colton Haaker | 2-0
- Tyler Bowers vs. Kyle Chisholm | 2-1
- Broc Tickle vs. Alex Ray | 2-0
- Josh Hansen vs. Thomas Ramette | 2-0
Josh Hansen
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Semifinals
Musquin again took to the track with a vengeance, this time laying down the fastest lap of the day while keeping his undefeated streak alive with a 2-0 over Chisholm. Hansen and Tickle proved to be a battle, but in the end it was Hansen taking the win, putting him in position to take his best Straight Rhythm finish regardless of the finals outcome.
- Mavin Musquin vs. Kyle Chisholm | 2-0
- Josh Hansen vs. Broc Tickle | 2-0
Josh Hansen and Marvin Musquin
© Chris Tedesco / Red Bull Content Pool
Third place
Chisholm put down some solid runs and landed in the final against Red Bull KTM’s newest rider Tickle. Chiz put up an impressive fight but in the end it was tickle taking home the win, securing the final spot on the podium.
- Broc Tickle vs. Kyle Chisholm | 2-0
Final
The 2017 Red Bull Straight Rhythm Champs
© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
With Hansen already a lock for his best Straight Rhythm finish ever, it was time to lay it on the line against the man who is arguably the best ride the Straight Rhythm rider the event has seen. Hanny kept him honest through the first half of race one, proving he might actually have the speed to take a win over Marv if the cards played out right. As the dust settled, Musquin would remain undefeated and take home the win for Red Bull KTM.
- Josh Hansen vs. Marvin Musquin | 2-0
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