The big names finally got to ride the Anaheim track in preparation for tonight’s opening round. Absent from press day was Jack Brunnell who has picked up a ride for a local GasGas team out there. He’d gone out to ride the first four West Coast rounds and was going to just buy a bike. But a local team have invited him to fill in for an injured rider. The paperwork with the AMA wasn’t completed in time for press day, but he will ride tonight.

Other Brits in action include full-time AMA riders Max Anstie on the KTM and Dean Wilson on the factory Rockstar Husqvarna in the 450 class, as well as Dylan Woodcock on a 250. The 250 class is without Justin Cooper who broke his foot last week, and will be out for the whole series.

KTM’s defending champ Cooper Webb has the all-new KTM and a new training program, while Eli Tomac switched from Kawasaki to Yamaha while Ken Roczen stays on Honda but has not been too well in recent weeks. His team-mate Chase Sexton is looking good and could be a title threat.

Malcolm Stewart moves to Husqvarna, Aaron Plessinger to KTM and Jason Anderson to Kawasaki. His team-mate Adam Cianciarulo is nursing a shoulder injury but will be racing.