New team, new bike = old Jason Anderson?
After a career spent in the Rockstar Suzuki team that then became the factory Rockstar Husqvarna squad, Jason Anderson has found a new home on what is one of the most successful supercross teams in the pits, Monster Energy Kawasaki.
Anderson hasn’t won a race since he won the supercross title in 2018, although he has been close at times with bad starts and some crashes thwarting his opportunities last year. Regardless of the specific reasons, Anderson hasn’t got the wins he was surely expecting and hasn’t contended for a title since that title run despite still hovering around the top five and podium positions when he’s having a good day.
Now on Kawasaki, a team that wins races every year as well as regularly contending for titles and winning them with Tomac, Villopoto, Stewart and Carmichael, four of the best ever in the sport, the pressure is on Anderson (and Cianciarulo) to perform.
Adam Cianciarulo has never won a race in the premier division, and with Anderson having no win since 2018, Kawasaki are slightly on the back foot after losing their title contender Tomac. Saying that, both Anderson and the rapid Cianciarulo should be contending for wins this year and if neither win a race all year long, that will surely be a big disappointment for both riders and the team. Kawasaki have two elite riders, they just need to fulfil their potential.
With everything being new, Anderson might just get that extra freshness he has needed that could vault him back to being a race winner and title contender. He gives off a care-free and relaxed attitude off the track but by all accounts, Kawasaki are happy with Anderson’s effort on the track and his desire to be a contender and maximise his talent.
The clock is ticking but Anderson still has time. The bike and team are proven and Anderson knows how to win a title – can they both discover the old title-winning magic together?