FOX Sports Monster Energy Supercross Host Sheheen Offers Anaheim Opener Post-Race Perspective
FOX Sports host Ralph Sheheen, who worked his first supercross race in March of 1989 at Tampa Stadium and is in his 10th season with FOX Sports, offers post-race analysis following the first race of the 17-race 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, from Anaheim. The entire season airs live on the FOX Sports family of networks, with this week’s race from Phoenix airing Saturday, Jan. 10 (9:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO:
FOX SPORTS: It was a relatively dominant win for second-year 450 rider Ken Roczen. He won the Anaheim opener as a rookie last year. What is it about his riding style that seems suited to the venue?
SHEHEEN: Since the track design is different each year, it’s hard to say why he excels at Angel Stadium. I would say he probably does well on the California dirt, which tends to be more hard-packed than in the East. More importantly, he seems to be able to take all of the pressure and bright lights of the season-opening race in Anaheim and instead of collapsing he excels in that situation – mentally tough.
FOX SPORTS: Depth of field — #WhosNext — is the focus of the season. Who has to be a little concerned after the opener and why?
SHEHEEN: Anybody who had a really bad night, like Eli Tomac, has to be a little frustrated after Anaheim. With the field so strong, you can have one mulligan … probably not two. I would hate to waste mine so early in the season. However, everybody is going to have a bad night somewhere in the next 16 races.
FOX SPORTS: Tough first race for guys like Davi Millsaps, Tomac and even Chad Reed. Who is most likely to recover and why?
SHEHEEN: Reed squeezed a top 10 out of Anaheim, so that isn’t too bad. Plus he is a two-time champ. He knows there is a very long way to go. I doubt he is sweating it right now.
FOX SPORTS: It was a great rookie run for Jason Anderson. Will he compete for the championship? Why or why not?
SHEHEEN: Jason Anderson rode great. The biggest reason why he could win this title is because he fully believes he is capable of winning it. He is not intimidated at all by stepping up to the big class. He will be tough this year.
FOX SPORTS: What are your thoughts on what the new Spidercam added to the Monster Energy Supercross production arsenal for the first time at Anaheim?
SHEHEEN: The investment Feld Motor Sports made in Spidercam is one of the best additions ever to our FOX Sports broadcasts of Monster Energy Supercross. It gives us a unique opportunity to put a camera in areas that we couldn’t go before to show how incredibly fast and talented these athletes are. We can get high above the track and see the different lines the riders are taking and we can go eye-level with them as they fly 70 feet over the triple jumps. It offers an amazing perspective of this remarkable form of motorsport.
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