It’s hard to believe we’re already one quarter of the way through the 12-round 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and already there has been plenty of argy-bargy, dominance, surprises and a stack of riders who have both impressed and disappointed us. What better way to get to the meat of the matters than to collate some tough questions then do our best to answer them?

Image: Simon Cudby.

Q: There hasn’t been much said about our Aussie guys over there. Where do they stand?

A: Our guys are definitely in the mix. Brett Metcalfe, who was subbed onto the Monster Energy Kawasaki team for an injured Ryan Villopoto, is doing especially well. Metty is currently fifth overall, 21 points behind Muscle Milk Honda’s Trey Canard but has been regularly running up front, including a great showing at round two at Hangtown. TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed is currently seated in 10th in the 450 class, but is still working with a fresh shoulder injury. Top 10 finishes early in the championship should limit any serious points’ damage, but he’ll definitely be pushing the proverbial uphill if he wants to win the championship from here. Meanwhile, in the 250 class, Queensland privateer Jackson Richardson is currently placed 16th as he prepares to exit the series and return home. His best weekend was at Hangtown where he finished 21-9. What that doesn’t tell is how the kid was holding down eighth in the first moto before a crash at the end of the race put him well back.

Q: Does Roczen have Dungey’s measure?

A: For now, yes. It’s a tough call, but the German has led a huge number of laps compared to Dungey. Dunge ran Roczen down in an epic season opener at Glen Helen, but Roczen was on a whole new level the next week at Hangtown. At Thunder Valley, CO, on the weekend, Roczen again took the overall and Dungey placed third. Dungey is definitely going to have his work cut out for him if he wants to regularly have Roczen’s number.

Q: Hypothetically speaking, would Ryan Villopoto have beaten Dungey and Roczen this year?

A: Yes, there’s a very good chance that he would have, for sure. We know tracks change year to year, but comparing last year’s Hangtown and Thunder Valley fastest lap times to this year’s, RV would’ve been about two seconds a lap quicker at round two and half a second a lap quicker at round three. Like we said, the tracks – especially Hangtown – change their facilities up every year, but there’s a good chance RV would’ve had the KTMs chasing his roost.

Q: When is Dean Ferris due back behind the starting gate?

A: We haven’t heard any official announcement from Red Bull KTM, but there’s a reasonable chance that Deano will make his return either this weekend at High Point, PA, but barring absolute tragedy, he’ll definitely be back for round five at Muddy Creek, TN.

Q: Will Yamaha win the 250 title?

A: There’s a damn good chance. The blue brigade currently has all top three positions locked down with Jeremy Martin holding the red plate, rookie Cooper Webb in second and Frenchman Christophe Pourcel in third. Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett is nipping at the heels of this bunch though, just one point behind Pourcel.

Image: Simon Cudby.

Q: When will Chad Reed be back to full health?

A: It’ll be a process. Very rarely does a rider come back from a serious injury and find themselves fighting for race wins, and Reedy is no exception. After sustaining a serious shoulder injury during the supercross championship, Reed only received the green light to ride three weeks before Glen Helen. That means he’s well behind the eight-ball as far as training, conditioning and race pace goes, but one thing’s for certain: Australia’s GOAT will become stronger and more of a force to be reckoned with as each round passes.

Q: Who the hell is Jeremy Martin?

A: Possibly the next big thing in American motocross. The Minnesota native made his pro debut at Southwick in 2012 and last year was voted Rookie of the Year for his sixth overall result outdoors. The Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha rider amassed a tonne of amateur titles and rewards, including Loretta Lynn’s, Mini O’s and Ponca City titles, and in 2014, he has seriously ramped up his game. If people thought his Glen Helen result was a fluke, he made them eat their words the next weekend at Hangtown where he made it four moto wins on the trot. A 1-6 result at Thunder Valley saw him settle for third overall, but boy has he thrown down the challenge so far this season.

Q: Who are the big disappointments so far?

A: The most obvious anchor is Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin, who has struggled to keep pace with the 250 class front-runners after coming back from a knee injury. For a guy who was widely tipped to be a title threat, Moosecan is still gaining form and fitness as he sits in seventh position, already 60 points adrift of the top spot. In the 450 class, RCH Suzuki’s fill-in rider Ivan Tedesco is stuck between Nowheresville and Lappedtown as he finds himself in an unfamiliar 14th position after three rounds. Things can only improve from here.