We’ve got two rounds to go in this seemingly never-ending march to the finish line of the AMA Supercross series and here are some random thoughts on some random topics as we all remember that it just seemed like a month ago that we were at Anaheim 1 and there were all these possibilities for the season.

When Ryan Villopoto clinches this 2013 Supercross title (probably this weekend in Salt Lake City) he’ll be only the fourth rider to win three straight titles after Bob Hannah, Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael. The Kawasaki rider already has four motocross titles and now he’ll have three supercross ones as well.

Anyone want to pick against him for this coming outdoors? Seven titles for Villopoto is getting into that rarified air of guys like McGrath, Ward and of course Carmichael (who’s got over double that at 15!). When he’s all done Ryan Villopoto should be way far up there in the pantheon of motocross greats but here’s the thing. He doesn’t care. I’ve been covering this sport for a while now and I’ve not met a rider that doesn’t know where he is on the all-time lists or cares less about his spot in the sport.

This isn’t a bad thing at all, it’s just that he didn’t grow up a motocross nerd like so many of us. He loves to race his dirt bike and win and as he says, when he’s done that’s for all of us guys to put him wherever. Don’t worry Ryan, we’ll all remember your career when you’re done. How can any of us ever forget what we’re seeing now?

Justin Barcia’s got two wins this season and with two rounds left, I think he might use the Seattle win to perhaps get one more out of these last two. All around Barcia there’s been constant worrying that he’s not doing what he should be doing – which is race for wins every week and titles as well. Well, to me those in Justin’s camp are looking at this thing wrong. It’s his rookie year and he’s learning, in 2014 I think it’s reasonable to expect to step up and contend but for now, a couple of wins is a great accomplishments.

Ryan Villopoto looks set to close out another Supercross title in Salt Lake City this weekend. Image: Simon Cudby.

Remember Carmichael’s rookie year? He crashed more than he stayed up and it took him until his third season before he figured things out. Ryan Villopoto? He got beat week in and week out by Chad Reed and James Stewart before winning two out of the last three in that 2009 season. Guys like Jeremy McGrath, James Stewart and Chad Reed – riders who won a lot in their rookie years are the exception, not the norm. Barcia’s got two wins, he’s fourth in the points and we all need to applaud this guy. Next year he’ll take that next step up in my opinion and be more consistent but right now, it’s time to learn.

The news came out today that Mike Alessi is taking the last two Supercross’ off to focus on the upcoming outdoors and so with the week off, this gives the 800 four full weeks for him to get ready. Let’s face it, Mike’s a way better outdoor rider than indoor and last season he was actually very good. So Mike (and of course the man behind this decision, his father Tony) is packing it in early and to this I say, why not?

Mike’s 13th in the series, he’s had four DNFs from crashes and coming off last year when he finished sixth in the points, this year has been a disaster. Mike’s team isn’t as heavily funded and as well stocked with employees so there’s a lot of work to do in a short amount of time here to get ready for this summer’s 12-round series.

It’ll be interesting to see if Mike can improve or at least maintain his speed from last summer, this summer. A lot deeper field of riders (add in Villopoto, Barcia, Canard and Dean Wilson to name just four) await Alessi this summer but he’s a gamer. The kid can ride outdoors and I’m interested to see what he can do.

When you scroll down the points standings for Supercross, the first name that you come to that most people don’t know anything about is privateer Weston Peick. The beefy linebacker-like guy (linebacker is a position in American football – look it up) has been pretty fast for two to three years now but is still looking for some help to get him to the races.

Mike Alessi will cut short his Supercross campaign by two weeks to focus on his outdoors effort. Image: Simon Cudby.

Weston’s not flashy but he’s fast and he’s ahead of many riders in the points that make way more money than him or have way better bikes. And the same thing happened last year. In fact the money is so tight for Weston that he doesn’t do the complete motocross series, he only hits up the ones that are close and in those one-off races here and there, he still puts in great finishes. Right now he’s riding for a privateer team that only gets his bike to the races in Team Teddy Parks and he’s not too pumped on what he feels is a lack of recognition by the other teams to sign him up.

It sucks that sometimes guys like Peick get branded a certain way and teams just overlook him. He’s not flashy, he doesn’t know a lot of the top guys on the teams and there have been a few incidents in the past that have made some managers wary of him. That’s the way these things go sometimes. All Peick can do is let his riding do the talking for him and right now, it’s getting harder and harder for those VIPs to ignore him.

The 2013 west series is pretty much over but it will be interesting to see what happens in 2014. The (probable) champion Ken Roczen will be out of the class as will the runner-up Eli Tomac. This leaves third place Cole Seely (who just re-upped with Troy Lee Designs for next season) and Rockstar Suzuki’s Jason Anderson who will be in the mix for the title along with Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s wunderkind Adam Cianciarulo who by all accounts is the real deal. Seely is the real deal but I think we’ll see some new race winners next year and for sure, a new first time champion.

I’m really looking forward to this coming outdoor season. Then again I’m almost always looking forward to the next series when the series I’m covering is winding down so there’s that. But seriously, look at the 450 MX class. You have Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto. Just those two going at it every weekend will be great. Then you have James Stewart, Chad Reed, Justin Barcia, Trey Canard, Mike Alessi, Dean Wilson, Davi Millsaps, Justin Brayton and Andrew Short.

I just named eleven riders off the top of my head who will be absolutely pissed if they were not inside the top five at every round. So who’s going to make it? I think RV and RD have a slight edge on everyone else but it’s slight and I’m pumped to see what’s going to happen come Hangtown.