This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of January 30, 2023

News and stories about powersports racing this week.

Chase Sexton Wins Triple Crown Thriller at Anaheim 2 Supercross – Levi Kitchen Grabs First Supercross Victory in 250SX Class

Anaheim, Calif., (January 28, 2023) Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton took the win at round four of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The first of three Triple Crown events in 2023 delivered night-long racing thrills with three Main Events in each class. Main Event finishing positions combine to earn event points toward the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship series.

Opening ceremonies of Round 4 of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season and the first Triple Crown event of the year. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, the 2018 Supercross Champion, earned the runner-up spot at the second race held at the Anaheim venue this year. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen nabbed the final spot on the podium and was the most consistent of the top racers. The Western Regional 250SX Class delivered a first-time winner when Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen earned the 250SX Class win in only his fifth Supercross race.

Chase Sexton grabbed the lead of 450SX Class Main Event 1 ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Ken Roczen, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis. Roczen was quickly into second place. Sexton and Roczen put a comfortable gap on the rest of the field early in the 12-minute plus one lap race. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac was in sixth at the start and moving forward. It took him five and a half minutes to reach then pass Cianciarulo; Tomac held the third place spot to the finish. There was an exciting battle around Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb through most of the first race. As he and Ferrandis caught and passed Cianciarulo, Jason Anderson reached the pack. On the final lap Anderson contacted Webb in the corner after the whoops. Webb went down and Anderson rode off to capture fifth place. Cianciarulo took sixth ahead of Webb in seventh.

In 450SX Class Main Event 2 Tomac and Webb bumped just out of the gate. Anderson took the holeshot ahead of Roczen, Cianciarulo, and Sexton. Sexton was the rider on the move but an early mistake dropped him from fourth to eighth. Three and a half minutes into the race the top three, Anderson, Roczen, and Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger were packed together and had pulled a gap on the rest of the field. Plessinger moved into second but Roczen immediately counter attacked and took back the spot. A half lap later Plessinger crashed and Tomac took over the third place spot and soon applied pressure on Roczen for second. Roczen held strong until he slid out exiting a turn, giving an easy pass for Tomac. The top three looked set until Cooper Webb reached Roczen’s rear fender. The Suzuki rider had his third intense battle of the race, successfully holding off Webb to the end. The finishing order was Anderson, Tomac, Roczen, and Webb. With one 450SX Class race to go, Tomac and Roczen were tied for the overall lead with five points. Anderson and Sexton each held six points. The event win was there for the taking to any of the four racers.

Jason Anderson grabbed the Main Event 3 holeshot ahead of Webb, Sexton, and Tomac. Roczen was in ninth at the holeshot stripe. Sexton was quickly into second place and the win for the night’s overall looked to be between Anderson and Sexton. Two and a half minutes into the race Tomac made a surge to get around Webb but a Tomac mistake in one of the track’s main rhythm sections allowed Webb to hold the position. Two laps later Tomac jumped off line and crashed hard in the same rhythm section. He remounted in fourteenth but was clearly not charging. Further up the track, Sexton and Anderson traded the lead back and forth with Sexton finally making a pass stick. Anderson would face Webb in the closing laps, surrendering the second place spot to the KTM rider after nearly crashing on the slick dirt. Sexton won the Main Event and took the overall victory for the night. It was Sexton’s first Triple Crown win and his second 450SX Class win.

Main Event 1 of the Western Regional 250SX Class kicked off the stadium event when Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire emerged from the first corner with the holeshot. Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Stilez Robertson, and Smartop MotoConcepts Racing Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg were right behind. Halfway through the opening lap of the 10-minute plus one lap race Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence was into third and pushing to catch Hampshire and Kitchen. Less than two minutes in Lawrence got around Kitchen. A battle for the lead was developing when Lawrence suddenly high-sided exiting a turn and was flicked off his bike. He remounted in eighth place and was able to pass his way back to third behind Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Pierce Brown. Title-contender Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo finished the first race in eighth, riding slightly off the pace after a tough crash in qualifying.

Main Event 2 in the 250SX Class was packed with drama. Right at the drop of the gate Lawrence moved over on Hampshire, putting the Main Event 1 winner into nearly dead last entering the first corner. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Phil Nicoletti grabbed the holeshot and put down a fast pace. Lawrence went down on the opening lap and Hampshire got caught up in the crash, losing back a few places he’d made early. Nicoletti lead Kitchen, Robertson and Red Bull KTM’s Max Vohland while Hampshire fought back from 16th and Lawrence from 22nd. Three minutes into the race Nicoletti held a 5.6 second lead. Then Hampshire went down hard when his hand came off the handlebars while blasting through the sand section. Hampshire was back up but riding slowly and he eventually pulled out of the race. Shortly after, Pierce Brown crashed in the whoops. He was slow to remount but re-joined the racing to finish thirteenth. With three minutes left on the race clock Lawrence had reached tenth place. With two laps to go Lawrence contacted McAdoo in a tight bowl turn. Lawrence bobbled and lost a position. At the checkers Robertson took the win followed by his teammate Levi Kitchen with Nicoletti in third. Lawrence crossed the line in sixth place. After two races the overall positions had Kitchen in the lead ahead of Robertson, with Oldenburg and Lawrence tied for third with one final race to determine the final order.

Jett Lawrence grabbed a big holeshot in Main Event 3 with Kitchen tucking into second place. Kitchen needed only to stay in second place to take his first Supercross victory. By the midpoint Lawrence still led and Kitchen remained in second with a comfortable gap on third place. Kitchen kept a steady pace and brought home second place in the race to earn the win at the Anaheim event. Lawrence earned second place points and Stilez Robertson took home third overall.

The racers line up again next Saturday night at round five at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Western Regional 250SX Class now takes a two-weekend break as Houston marks round one of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class. The Houston race pays points for that regional series as well as for the SuperMotocross World Championship 250 class.

Every race of the Monster Energy Supercross season and the SuperMotocross World Championship series streams live on Peacock with select races broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. For results, video highlights, features stories, and ticket sales to any of the upcoming rounds please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class Results

Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
Dylan Ferrandis, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
Joey Savatgy, Clermont, Fla., Kawasaki

450SX Class Championship Standings

Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (69)
Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (65)
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (65)
Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (58)
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (55)
Dylan Ferrandis, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (54)
Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (48)
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (45)
Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (43)
Colt Nichols, Murrieta, Calif., Honda (39)

Western Regional 250SX Class Results

Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha
Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda
Stilez Robertson, Bakersfield, Calif., Yamaha
Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda
Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM
Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki
Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM
Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS
Phillip Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., Yamaha
Dylan Walsh, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki

Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (75)
Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (59)
RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (58)
Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (54)
Stilez Robertson, Bakersfield, Calif., Yamaha (52)
Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (46)
Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha (44)
Phillip Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., Yamaha (44)
Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM (43)
Dylan Walsh, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki (37)

JUSTIN BARCIA TOUGHS OUT A TOP 10 FINISH AT ANAHEIM 2

The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team took on the first Triple Crown format of the season in front of a sold-out crowd
Justin Barcia advanced his finishing position in each successive main event
Pierce Brown gained five spots in the 250 West standings

450SX

Not all the action that happens at any given Supercross happens during the race night, and a crash during practice set Justin Barcia up for a challenging day at Anaheim 2. But Justin proved up to the task, improving his finishing position aboard his MC 450F Factory Edition in each successive main event, finishing eighth overall after the three mains.

Justin Barcia: “Wooo! A2 was a wild, wild day. I had a really good practice, running up in the top five for a while, but I had a little whiskey throttle incident. I had to bail off and damaged my tailbone pretty good, so it was difficult, but I got better and better as the night went on. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best gate picks and struggled a little, but in the last race, I rode really well. I’m looking forward to getting back on the podium in Texas. The boys did a good job with the bike, and I’m healthy…somewhat…so let’s go!”

250SX West
Continuing his rebound after a tough start to the season, Pierce Brown once again proved that he’s on the gas, qualifying fourth on his MC 250F Factory Edition. The first of the three main events in the Triple Crown format proved to be his highlight of the night, as he grabbed a solid second-place finish. Unfortunately, crashes and collisions in the final two races dropped his overall finish to eighth. Despite that, he still improved his ranking in the 250 West standings by five positions.

Pierce Brown: “The day started off on the right foot. Qualifying was good, and the first main event was great. I just had some bad luck in the second main event. I fell, then collided with another rider and fell again. It was on me. The night kind of went downhill from there. In the final race I had a good start but tangled with the same rider, which cost me a bunch of spots. I’m super-disappointed on the night because I felt like I was riding so well and I was finally riding like I know how to. But I’m just going to roll with the punches and get back to work and be ready when the 250 West resumes in Oakland.”

Next Event (Round 5): February 4, 2023 – NRG Stadium in Houston, TX

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S RJ HAMPSHIRE EXPERIENCES HIGHS AND LOWS AT ANAHEIM 2

As the AMA Supercross Championship returned to Anaheim, Calif. for the second time this season, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team was looking forward to some positive results, as RJ Hampshire continues to impress with his speed.

250SX

With a pair of second-place finishes already this season, Hampshire has shown he had the speed to be competitive at the top of the 250 West. That trend continued early in the night, as he scored the holeshot in the first main, and he held the lead until the finish aboard his FC 250. That put him in a great spot to make some headway in the title chase. Unfortunately, a crash in the second main put a damper on his results for the remainder of the night’s action. Despite the tough day, he still holds a spot in the top three of the championship standings.

“Man, what a brutal day. The track just had that feeling where it was a bit off. In the first main I started out good and got a holeshot and won,” Hampshire said. “Then the second main was chaos from the beginning. I think it was about the third or fourth lap I just lost my hand in the sand and I had a big one. Thanks to Dr. G we were able to tape my shoulder up and gave it all we had for that third main. It’s not ideal, but I think we’re still in it. It could have been much worse and we have a little break now, so we’ll be ready for Oakland in a couple of weeks.”

450SX

With Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Malcolm Stewart sidelined due to a practice crash last week, the team’s full attention was on Christian Craig and his FC 450 Rockstar Edition. While Craig’s still not where he wants to be with his riding, all three of his main event finishes at Anaheim 2 were inside the top 10, and topped his previous finishes this season.

“A2 started off better. I put in better times in qualifying,“ Craig said. “I’m just struggling a little bit mentally, just trying to get more comfortable. I’ll keep working on that and try to improve for Houston. All-around I’ll just try to take the positives from the night, know that I’m capable of more, and try to keep working toward my goals.”

Next Event (Round 5): February 4, 2023 – NRG Stadium in Houston, TX

Daxton Bennick Wins Supercross Futures Amateur Race at Anaheim Supercross

Anaheim, Calif., (January 29, 2023) Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick showed the form and composure of a seasoned Supercross pro on his way to a strong victory in the first round of the 250SX Futures Class of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. Angel Stadium of Anaheim was packed and loud for Round 4 of the pro season and the Supercross Futures race that took place midway through the night’s racing program. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Casey Cochran, who was competing in the B Group, earned second overall while teammate Talon Hawkins grabbed the holeshot and had an eventful race to garner the final podium position.

The Supercross Futures program was conceived to provide a stadium Supercross experience and path to the pros for the next generation of racers. Four rounds are held throughout the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season with the top five finishers qualifying for an AMA Amateur National Championship held in Salt Lake City, Utah during the final event of the full 17-round pro season.

When the gate dropped Talon Hawkins nabbed the holeshot in front of 17 other racers. He mis-timed the first rhythm section and Casey Cochran took over the lead spot with Hawkins and Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Cole Davies right behind. Davies’ wild ride through the whoops on the opening lap allowed Daxton Bennick and EBR Racing Yamaha’s Julien Beaumer to get around Davies. Beaumer landed hard on a following jump and his handlebar rotated in the clamps; he was forced to slow his pace.

Cochran led the field of young racers until, similar to Davies’ opening lap troubles, Cochran had a bobble in the whoops that allowed Hawkins to re-take the lead in the next rhythm lane. With 3:38 remaining on the race clock of the six-minute plus one lap race, Bennick made an inside move under Cochran to take second while just behind them Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan crashed trying to re-take fifth position from KTM USA’s Preston Boespflug. The mistake sent Deegan, a race-win favorite, back to ninth.

Bennick steadily reeled in Hawkins and with just over a minute left on the race clock, Bennick used a fast run through the whoops to get cleanly into the lead. On the final lap Hawkins ran into trouble, allowing Cochran to grab the runner up spot as Hawkins recovered to finish in third place.

The 250SX Futures Class races again in Arlington, Texas on February 25th, which will also be the second of three Triple Crown-format events for the professional racers. All Monster Energy AMA Supercross events are streamed live on Peacock with select events also broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. For the full schedule, results, video highlights, and ticket sales to any of the remaining Monster Energy AMA Supercross events, please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

SX Futures Class Results

1. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Yamaha

2. Casey Cochran, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna

3. Talon Hawkins, Temecula, Calif., Husqvarna

4. Cole Davies, Waitoki, NZ, Yamaha

5. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha

6. Preston Boespflug, Winchester, Calif., KTM

7. Gage Linville, Park Lake, Ga., Honda

8. Slade Varola, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki

9. Braden Spangle, Mead, Wash., Yamaha

10. Dylan Cunha, Modesto, Calif., Yamaha

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson Finishes Second at Anaheim 2 Triple Crown

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (January 29, 2023) – Round 4 of the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross Championship brought riders and teams back to Anaheim where Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson secured a 450SX Main Event win on his way to finishing second overall at the first Triple Crown event of the season with 5-1-3 Main Event finishes. Kawasaki teammate Adam Cianciarulo continued his string of impressive starts to finish ninth overall (6-11-8). In the 250SX Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo endured adversity to finish sixth overall (8-7-5).

The Monster Energy Kawasaki duo of Anderson and Cianciarulo rode into Angel Stadium ready to take on the first Triple Crown race of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season. The two KX™450SR riders elected for differing strategies in qualifying as the No.9 of Cianciarulo was quick to move towards the front of the group in search of a clear track. Meanwhile, his teammate Anderson patiently studied the forming lines from other riders and didn’t set out to record a best lap until later in the sessions. When the qualifying sessions concluded, Anderson placed Kawasaki on the leaderboard with the second-fastest lap (58.283) while Cianciarulo clocked in as ninth fastest (59.295).

The start of the first 450SX Main Event saw the No.9 of Cianciarulo reach the first turn in third with Anderson working his way into the top 10. On the third lap of the race, as Cianciarulo rode steadily in third, Anderson brought the crowd to a roar as he and two-time supercross champion Cooper Webb engaged in a multi-lap battle for sixth. As racing progressed, Cianciarulo moved down to fourth, holding on strong to a top-five position, until a small mistake on Lap 10 shuffled him back to seventh. With the Kawasaki duo running sixth and seventh as the race neared its end, Anderson and Cianciarulo continued racing forward to keep within striking distance of the riders ahead. On the final lap of the race, Anderson executed a valuable pass for fifth, which also allowed Cianciarulo to capitalize on the moment and earn Kawasaki a fifth and sixth-place result.

The second 450SX Main Event saw green up front again as Anderson claimed the holeshot and Cianciarulo followed close behind in second. The No.21 of Anderson utilized the clear track ahead and the power of his KX450SR to build a marginal lead during the opening lap. Similarly, to the first race, Cianciarulo stayed glued to the lead pack early but shuffled back to fifth by the end of Lap 2. The battle over second continued behind Anderson as he comfortably executed the long and technical rhythm section stretching down the third base side of the stadium with surgeon-like precision to continue building his lead. When the checkered flag flew, Anderson claimed the wire to wire 450SX Main Event 2 win with nearly a two second lead and sat in contention for the overall podium. Cianciarulo crossed the finish line in 11th, keeping him in the hunt for an overall top-10 finish.

The final 450SX Main Event of the night began as a near repeat of the second race as Anderson claimed his second holeshot of the night and Cianciarulo emerged from the first turn inside the top five. Anderson commanded the race with the early lead, setting the fastest laps of the race during the opening laps. While dealing with immense pressure from the rider in second, Anderson leapt all the way over the dragon’s back obstacle after the finish line for the first time in an effort to maintain his lead. Anderson engaged in a thrilling battle for the lead, answering each pass from the opponent with a pass of his own, ultimately shuffling back to second. As racing progressed, Cianciarulo was racing comfortably in eighth while the battles continued for Anderson, this time for the rights to second place. Anderson and Webb brought the crowd to their feet as they engaged in an intense race for second that favored Anderson until a small mistake in the back rhythm section moved the No.21 back to third. When the checkered flag flew, Anderson finished the race in third and Cianciarulo in eighth. The 5-1-3 finishes by Anderson earned him and Kawasaki their first 450SX podium of the season. Meanwhile, Cianciarulo’s 6-11-8 results earned him another strong top-10 finish for ninth overall.

“The first few races this season didn’t go as planned so there’s a sense of relief to get the first podium out of the way. I feel like the team and I are making great progress throughout the week, but for one reason or another, we weren’t getting it done on Saturday nights. We got it done tonight and it goes to show all that extra work on starts was worth it. It felt great getting to lead laps again and getting the win in the second main event. Tonight was a great night for us and I look forward to keeping the momentum rolling next weekend.”

– Jason Anderson

“All-in-all it was a good night for us as a team, I had three good starts tonight and got to mix it up front with the lead group once again. It’s promising to see that I can consistently start up front and hold my own with them for a good portion of the race. I’d say tonight was another successful night of steady improvement. I’m ready to get back to work this week and put on another good ride for the fans next weekend in Houston.”

– Adam Cianciarulo

With back-to-back podium finishes under his belt, McAdoo came into Anaheim carrying notable momentum and eyed his first win of the season. In classic McAdoo fashion, the Iowa native was one of the first to hit the track during timed qualifying as he set out to demonstrate his race-winning speed. The No.48 KX™250 rider looked poised for a pole position, setting the fifth fastest lap time in the session (59.708), until a crash in the whoops resulted in McAdoo being escorted to the on-site medical rig. Once cleared by the medics, McAdoo proved his toughness by participating in the second timed session and still qualifying for the night show as the seventh-fastest rider.

When the gate fell for 250SX Main Event 1, McAdoo emerged from the first turn racing inside the top 10. In the opening laps, McAdoo remained steadily in eighth position. Conserving his energy, he patiently waited for his opportunity to make a move and on Lap 5 McAdoo did just that by taking firm control of seventh place. A late-race push by the competition saw McAdoo do all he could to keep his opponents at bay ultimately finishing the race in eighth.

In 250SX Main Event 2, McAdoo executed an exceptional start, reaching the first turn in second place. Impressively matching the pace of the leader, McAdoo found himself in a battle with the leaders on the opening lap. As the battles ensued, the No.48 tipped over in a turn but quickly remounted his bike to remain inside the top 10. Matching the form he displayed in the first race; McAdoo slowly began advancing. The Iowa native lit up the crowd as he made his way up to seventh. Cheers roared once again as the hard-charging McAdoo moved to sixth late in the race. However, the impressive charge was halted as a last lap pass by the rider behind saw the No.48 finish the second Main in seventh.

In the final 250SX Main Event of the night, McAdoo launched out the gate to another top-10 start and finished the opening lap running in sixth. On Lap 2, McAdoo moved into fifth and quickly separated himself from his opponents. As the track continued to break down, McAdoo began settling into a rhythm and impressively took control of fourth place by Lap 5. A battle for fourth began as the time was winding down and ultimately resulted in McAdoo finishing the race with an impressive fifth place. The determination and consistency of McAdoo’s performance were strong enough to move the No.48 rider forward to second place in the championship points standings with an inspiring sixth-place result (8-7-5).

“I came into this round looking to compete for a win but having a big moment in practice forced us to take a different approach towards the race. I knew I was banged up but there was no doubt in my mind I was going to go racing. I toughened out those three main events tonight and managed to move forward in the championship standings. The break for us Western Regional riders comes at a perfect time as I plan to let my body rest and recover before we come back and continue to battle for the championship.”

– Cameron McAdoo

Ferrandis Takes Top-Five Finish at Anaheim 2

Eli Tomac holds onto the red plate, finishing sixth overall despite a crash in the third main event of the Triple Crown

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis finished fifth overall with a 4-6-5 result at the first Triple Crown of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Reigning 450SX Champion Eli Tomac ended the night sixth (3-2-13) despite a crash in the final race, scoring valuable points to stay on top of the points standings.

Ferrandis was sixth in qualifying and got the night show off to a good start with a fourth-place finish in the first main event of the three-race format. He found himself back in eighth after the first lap of race two but put his head down and crossed the line sixth. In the final main event, he was back in fourth after the gate drop but was shuffled to fifth after a mistake on the final lap. The Frenchman’s 4-6-5 score earned a top-five overall finish.

Tomac got the day off to a good start and qualified fourth. Although he didn’t get the start he was looking for in the first main event, he made his way to third before the halfway mark, where he would ultimately finish. The Coloradan put on an impressive charge in the second main event to take the runner-up spot and head into the final race with his eyes set on the overall victory. In the heat of battle with his championship rival, he landed on a tuff block and had a big crash. Tomac rejoined in 14th and was able to salvage a 13th-place finish to end the night sixth overall and leave Southern California with a four-point lead in the 450SX Championship.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads east to Houston, Texas, for the fourth round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the SuperMotocross World Series at the NRG Stadium on February 4.

Jeremy Coker
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
Overall, it was a really good day. It was a bummer what happened in the last race, but the guys rode well all day. These Triple Crowns aren’t easy. You have to put in three main events – three starts and put everything together. Eli was riding phenomenally. He just had to change his line in that last race and happened to land on a tuff block and had a really big crash. Luckily he was healthy and got up and salvaged some points. Although it wasn’t ideal, this was the perfect night for something like this to happen because it’s the Triple Crown, and we ended up getting sixth overall instead of 13th, and only lost two points. At the end of the day, he’s healthy, and we still have the points lead.

Dylan Ferrandis
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
I had a good first main event and had a very good start, so I was happy about that. I lacked a little bit of pace in the beginning but ended up fourth, which was very good for the first race. In the second moto, I was struggling a bit. It was very rough, and I couldn’t really find my flow and finished sixth. In the last race, I got a good start again and was fourth until the very last lap. There were yellow flags, and the thing on the side of the jump was blinking. I didn’t want to jump on the red cross flag, so I rolled it, and Roczen jumped over me and passed me, so I ended up fifth. Overall, I think it’s my best Triple Crown in the 450 class, and we keep moving forward. We made a big step in the right direction with the bike. We have a good bike to win races, so I can focus on myself for the next round.

Eli Tomac
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

We put ourselves in a good spot going into the third main and then obviously made a huge mistake. I went for a triple onto the tabletop and pulled a little bit to the outside when I went onto the ramp and jumped onto the tuff blocks. Honestly, my bike was just wiped away from me and I kind of folded over it. When I cartwheeled, thankfully my body landed on the tuff blocks again, so I came away unscathed. The bike was pretty beat up, but thankfully I was able to keep going and salvage that sixth overall. So, it was a bad scenario but also a good scenario because it was a Triple Crown, and the points damage wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. That’s the way I’m looking at it; to take it as a positive and learn from my mistake and come back next week.

Kitchen Scores Career-First Supercross Victory at Anaheim 2

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 250 team enjoyed a stellar night with a double podium in the 250SX West class, and a 250SX Futures win.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen stood on the top step of the podium at last night’s first Triple Crown of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season in Anaheim, California. It was a career-first for the young Washington rider who took the overall victory in the 250SX West class with a 4-2-2 score. Stilez Robertson also tasted victory, winning the second main event and joining his teammate on the podium with a third overall finish (6-1-3). In the 250SX Futures class, the young Daxton Bennick rode his YZ250F to victory, making for a stellar outing at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Teammate Haiden Deegan showed strength and fought his way back from a tip-over to salvage a top-five finish.

Kitchen qualified fifth to have a decent gate pick and then got a flying start in the first race of the three-main-event format but ultimately finished fourth. It was a war of attrition in the challenging conditions in race two, but Kitchen rode a smart race and made his way from fourth to the runner-up spot. Going into the final race of the night, he held a one-point lead and just needed to finish third overall to secure the win. Kitchen got another good start and slotted into the runner-up spot, maintaining the position to take the overall victory for a career-best result in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

Robertson also had a solid start to the day, qualifying sixth. He got a good start in the first main event but was shuffled back to sixth on that first lap, where he would finish. In the second main event, the Californian came out swinging and rode his YZ250F to victory, putting him in the runner-up spot heading into the final race. Robertson had a solid start in fourth and advanced to third, ending the night third overall and moving him into the top five of the 250SX West points standings.

The third round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the inaugural season of the SuperMotocross World Championship also marked the first round of the 250SX Futures. Both Deegan and Bennick enjoyed a good start to the day, qualifying second and third, respectively. In the main event, Bennick was third after the start and made his way to the front after the halfway mark. He continued to ride his own race and crossed the line with a 7.5-second lead. Deegan didn’t get the start he was looking for and was sixth, and then, unfortunately, had a tip over. Undettered, he put his head down and fought back to fifth by the end of the seven-lap race.

Next weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250SX East team makes their 2023 debut at Round 4 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and SuperMotocross World Championship, on Saturday, February 4, at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Jensen Hendler
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager
Overall, our day went very well. Levi Kitchen rode smart and went 4-2-2 to get the win, which is fantastic. I’ve been watching Levi since he was just a little kid riding at Washougal for fun, and then here we are – the top step of the podium. I’m extremely proud of him. He has worked very hard and deserves it. Stilez also had a good day. Although he didn’t ride the best in the first main and faded back a bit, we had a pep talk, and he went out in the second main and won it. He was third in the last race and ended up third overall. Leaving Anaheim with two guys on the podium was exciting. We’ll do some work during this West Coast break and, hopefully, do it again in Oakland.

We were excited to come here for this first 250SX Futures race to see if all our hard work paid off, and it has. Dax surprised us. He told me before the main he was going to win, and he did just that. I’m proud of him and excited to see what else he can accomplish. Unfortunately, Haiden got a terrible start and was trying to fight his way back to the front and ended up tipping over in the dragon’s back. It’s a super short race, so he did what he could and finished fifth. He’s leaving healthy, so we’re happy with that, and we’ll continue that journey and keep working. We’re excited about what the future holds for both programs. We’ll just keep working hard to keep winning.

Levi Kitchen
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
It was a good night. I just knew that I needed to get some good starts, and that’s what I did. I rode consistent laps and just tried to forget about what was going on behind me; a lot of guys were falling. It feels good to get this overall win, but it also feels a little weird because, in my book, I didn’t win a moto or anything today. I want to win and be the first guy to the checkers, but I’m stoked to bounce back after last weekend. We’re going to keep working during the break. I’m still hungry.

Stilez Robertson
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
The first main event was definitely not what we were looking for. Honestly, I did not ride well at all, but I talked to the team, and they pepped me up. I came out and won the second main event, which was really good for my confidence. In the third main, I didn’t get as good of a start as I should have, but I still ended up on the podium, which is a big turnaround for us. So, I think there are a lot of positives to take away from today, and it will be good to go into this break on a high. We’re going to get ready and come out swinging at Oakland.

FOURTH AT ANAHEIM 2 EDGES RED BULL KTM’S WEBB CLOSER IN 450SX STANDINGS

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb has moved to within four points of the lead in the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, after finishing fourth overall at Anaheim 2’s first Triple Crown event of the year. Teammate Aaron Plessinger finished a consistent seventh overall, as Maximus Vohland claimed fifth overall in the 250SX West division.

After setting the fifth-fastest qualifying time, Webb found himself mid-pack off the start of the first race of the night program. He smoothly worked his way through the pack into a top-five position, before colliding with another rider on the final lap and finishing seventh.

The second race saw Webb and another rider make contact down the start straight and he was pinched out of the leading group through the first turn. From there, he stormed his way through the field in one of his customary charges to fourth position, finishing just short of a third-place result.

Webb quickly jumped out of the gate for the final race of the night, settling into third, then capitalizing on his strong track position to claim the runner-up result and finish the round in fourth overall. Two-time 450SX champion Webb is currently third in the championship standings.

Cooper Webb: “It was an up and down night. In the first race I had a run-in with another rider and ended up on the ground with a banged-up hand, which is never great. After a fourth in the second race, I got a much better start in the last one, rode up front, and ended up second. There were some weird racing incidents tonight, but we’ll take fourth overall. I’m looking forward to heading back east and moving forward to Houston where I’ll try and get our first win of the season.”

Meanwhile, Plessinger and his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION put in a consistent evening of racing to leave with a seventh-place result. A 10th pick of the starting gate saw Plessinger in the thick of the action in the early stages of the first race, but some strategic passes saw him move his way up to eighth before the checkered flag.

Race two saw Plessinger leap into the top three out of the starting gate, before getting involved in a spirited battle for second. Unfortunately, a mistake saw him lose quick positions and he finished the race in seventh position. Another mid-pack start in the final race again saw Plessinger trying to move forward through the field, resulting in another seventh-place finish that had him end the night in P7 overall.

Aaron Plessinger: “Seventh overall isn’t horrible, but it isn’t what I wanted and I know I’m capable of a lot more. In the first race I fought my way back through the pack as far as I could after a bad start. I got a good start and was riding well in the second main event, but I washed my front wheel out while fighting for second. It’s a shame I hit the ground, as I was really happy with that performance to that point. In the final race I got run high in the first corners and got stuck behind some riders, which slowed me down. I know what we need to work on for next week and it’s going to be nice to get back home and work with the team who we spent all off-season with.”

In the 250SX West class, Vohland put in a determined performance aboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to finish the night with a solid fifth-place result overall. After qualifying ninth, Vohland found himself in the chasing pack early in the opening race, but made some crucial late passes to move his way into seventh before the race’s end.

A strong start in the second race saw Vohland well in contention. Early incidents promoted him into P2 and he began tracking down the leader, however, a small error saw him remount further down the order and he went on to finish the race in eighth place. Race three saw him charge to fourth position and he went on to finish the night in fifth overall once the points from the three main events were combined.

Maximus Vohland: “Tonight was a good rebound from last weekend for me. In the first race I got a mid-pack start and moved my way up to seventh. I got off to a good start in the second race, but made some mistakes that I felt could have cost me a really good shot at the win. In the final race, I almost got the holeshot and found my way into fourth, where I finished. I’m happy with the way I was riding all day, and now that we’re into a two-week break on the western region, I’m going to work hard to try and get on the box at my home race coming up.”

Next Race: February 4 – Houston, Texas

HERLINGS BECOMES LONGEST-SERVING RED BULL KTM RACER WITH FRESH MXGP CONTRACT FOR 2024 AND 2025

The enduring union between Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and multi FIM Motocross World Champion Jeffrey Herlings will continue beyond the 2023 MXGP campaign and stretch on another two years.

The 28-year-old inked another contract extension with the decorated factory crew after visiting the Motorsport headquarters in Munderfing, Austria last week.

Herlings initially signed for Red Bull KTM early in 2009 to make his FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship debut as a fifteen-year-old for the 2010 season. During a thirteen-year competitive period to-date the KTM stalwart has won 99 Grands Prix with both 250 and 450 SX-F machinery and gathered three MX2 titles (2012, 2013 and 2016) and two MXGP crowns (2018 and 2021), including one of the most dominant displays in MXGP history in ’18 and with a last-round-last-race success in ‘21 where three riders still had a chance of the #1 plate during the final laps of the event in Mantova, Italy.

Herlings, the most successful Dutch rider in the history of the sport, missed the entire 2022 MXGP schedule due to a pre-season injury but is now in the throes of training and testing preparation for the 2023 calendar that will begin on March 12th at Neuquen in Argentina. #84 will face his seventh term in the MXGP class and with the 450 SX-F.

The fresh renewal for 2024 and 2025 will take Herlings from the age of 14 to 30 in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing colors and elongate a memorable partnership to a total of seventeen years at the highest level.

Jeffrey Herlings: “We’ve been together for a long time and I believe I am now the longest-serving Red Bull KTM athlete as this will be my fifteenth year and from when I first signed in 2009. We now have another two years together and maybe more to come. It’s great. Me, Pit and Robert have been very close during this time and have a great connection and together with Valentina [Ragni, Team Coordinator] these have been the people around me since the beginning and for all those fifteen years. We’ve been working really good together and we all want the same goals. I’m happy and thankful to extend the contract again and it’s great after a dark period in 2022 that the team and the company still have trust in me. I didn’t want to move, I’m happy where I am, and I love the group.”

Tony Cairoli, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Of course I’m really happy that Jeffrey has re-signed with the brand and the team. He’s a big star for us and for the sport so it’s really nice that such a big talent stays in KTM. He will come into the season after a difficult year so we will have to build into 2023 but Jeffrey is such a big champion and will win again, like he did in the past. I don’t think any team could wish for a better rider and we’re pumped to continue.”

Robert Jonas, Head of Motorsports Offroad: “2022 was a hard season for Jeffrey and our team but we set our sights on this year and the future and it is fantastic to keep that #84 in Red Bull KTM colors for two more years. Jeffrey is one of the fastest riders and racers on the planet. He hasn’t always had the best luck but his desire to win and to set new landmarks seems the same as when he made such a strong impact in the team as a teenager. He will lead a young crew of guys for the next couple of seasons and his work ethic will be the ultimate example for them to learn. Jeffrey also has his own goals of course and with 99 GP wins, a strong KTM 450 SX-F and the thirst to be back at the top of MXGP, we hope 2023 and the next couple of years are going to be pretty special.”

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “Our journey with Jeffrey is epic. There have been many highs and some big lows and we have watched a passionate and determined young kid become one of the best riders we have ever seen in the sport. Jeffrey is Dutch but I’m sure there is another part of him that is ‘orange’ because he has been a KTM guy passing through two decades and from that very first GP in Bulgaria in 2010. There are still some chapters to write in our story together, and 2023 will be a ‘comeback’ season for him and for us in the MXGP class. I’m really happy we will push again all the way up to 2025.”

24MX ALESTREM : First victory for Wade Young and a 3rd place for Mario Roman!

Chase Sexton Tops Anaheim 2 Triple Crown Supercross

In a timely display of speed and race craft, Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton notched his first victory of the young AMA Supercross season, taking two 450SX race wins at the Anaheim 2 Triple Crown event, which awarded overall points based on results in three separate races. Sexton’s 1-5-1 performance—the second premier-class victory of his career—advanced the Illinois native from third to a tie for second in the title chase, just four points behind the leader. Meanwhile, Jett Lawrence weathered crashes en route to 3-6-1 250SX West finishes, and although the resulting second-overall result was his first non-win of the year, the young Australian actually extended his points lead significantly, from six to 16. Colt Nichols—who had scored holeshots in the season’s first two 450SX main events—experienced uncharacteristically poor getaways at Anaheim 2, and his 12-14-11 finishes netted 12th overall.

Sexton took the 450SX race 1 holeshot and led all 14 laps to score the win. Race 2 saw the CRF450RWE rider start fourth, only to fall on lap 3. He completed the next lap in eighth and climbed to fifth by lap 5, and that’s where he sat at the finish. Sexton started third in race 3 and immediately overtook Cooper Webb. After stalking Jason Anderson for four laps, he took over the lead and built a cushion to take a comfortable win.

After having led every 250SX West main-event lap through the first two events, Lawrence was forced to deal with traffic at Anaheim 2. Race 1 saw him start fourth and then crash from second on lap 4, remounting in time to finish the lap sixth. The CRF250R rider fought forward to third at the finish. Following an eighth-place race 2 start, Lawrence went down in lap 1 traffic and began a charge through the pack that ended with a sixth-place finish. Lawrence finally got a strong start in race 3, taking the holeshot and leading to the finish.

NOTES

On Friday, all three active Team Honda HRC riders—Chase Sexton, Colt Nichols and Jett Lawrence—participated in press day for Anaheim 2.
Honda IndyCar driver Marcus Ericsson attended Anaheim 2, and paid a visit to the Team Honda HRC pits, where he had an opportunity to meet Nichols and Lawrence. Ericsson, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, is a former Formula 1 driver who also won last year’s Indianapolis 500.
Team Honda HRC ran special liveries for Anaheim 2, with white Cycra plastic and purple and aqua Throttle Jockey graphics. The look, which had debuted during press day for the opener, is a nod to the CRF110F and CRF50F trail bikes that are available in the same colors. (Interestingly, Sexton’s previous 450SX win also came with white bodywork, at last year’s San Diego Military Appreciation event.)
Honda displayed a CRF110F and CRF50F in the team pits, along with the Baja 1000-winning CRF450X of SLR Honda.
Also for Anaheim 2, Lawrence had a special collaboration with street-fashion brand Anti Social Social Club, a project that saw the Australian wearing a special Alpinestars colorway for each of the evening’s three 250SX West races. Sexton also wore special Alpinestars gear, as his outfit featured a design that was a replica of a race suit worn by the late rally driver Ken Block.
Team Honda HRC was untouchable in daytime qualifying, with Sexton topping the 450SX class and Lawrence best in 250SX West. The duo were the only riders to dip into the 57-second lap-time zone.
Anaheim 2 was the year’s first 250SX Futures round, and a number of up-and-coming Red Riders competed, including Fire Power Honda’s Gage Linville, SLR Honda riders Parker Ross and Jaxon Pascal, and STR’s Nate Freehill. Linville was the top Honda finisher, in seventh.
The Anaheim 2 national anthem was performed by Buckethead, who is a friend of Sexton (both use the same trainer, Peter Park). The guitarist spent time with Chase in the Honda pits during the day and wore a Sexton jersey during his performance.
Team Honda HRC riders had the fastest lap times in five of six races at Anaheim 2. Sexton was quickest in 450SX races 1 and 3, and Lawrence topped the time sheets in all three 250SX West races.
SmarTop/MotoConcepts Racing Honda rider Mitchell Oldenburg rode to a commendable fourth-overall result in the 250SX West class.
Sexton and Lawrence both took part in the post-race press conference.
Anaheim 2 was Sexton’s second AMA Supercross premier-class win, his 13th podium and his 21^st top-five finish. Lawrence’s second-place overall 250SX result was his 17th podium.
Sexton’s win moved him into a title-chase tie for second with Cooper Webb, as both riders have 65 points, putting them within four of Eli Tomac’s 69. Lawrence’s second-place result actually significantly extended his 250SX West points lead, from six to 16.
Just like last year, Sexton’s first win of the season came three rounds in.
Next, AMA Supercross heads to Houston for the first East Region round of the year, February 4, which means Jett Lawrence will take a break while bother Hunter Lawrence makes his season debut aboard his CRF250R.

450SX Overall Results

Chase Sexton (Hon)
Jason Anderson (Kaw)
Ken Roczen (Suz)
Cooper Webb (KTM)
Dylan Ferrandis (Yam)
Eli Tomac (Yam)
Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
Justin Barcia (Gas)
Adam Cianciarulo (Kaw)
Joey Savatgy (Kaw)

—

Colt Nichols (Hon)
Dean Wilson (Hon)

450SX Championship Points (after 3 of 17 rounds)

Eli Tomac: 69
Chase Sexton: 65
Cooper Webb: 65
Ken Roczen: 58
Jason Anderson: 55
Dylan Ferrandis: 54
Justin Barcia: 48
Aaron Plessinger: 45
Adam Cianciarulo: 43
Colt Nichols: 39

—

Dean Wilson: 28

250SX West Overall Results

Levi Kitchen (Yam)
Jett Lawrence (Hon)
Stilez Robertson (Yam)
Mitchell Oldernberg (Hon)
Max Vohland (KTM)
Cameron McAdoo (Kaw)
Derek Kelly (KTM)
Pierce Brown (Gas)
Phil Nicoletti (Yam)
Dylan Walsh (Kaw)

—

Anthony Rodriguez (Hon)
Brandon Ray (Hon)

250SX West Region Championship Points (after 3 of 9 rounds)

Jett Lawrence: 75
Cameron McAdoo: 59
R.J. Hampshire: 58
Mitchell Oldenberg: 54
Stilez Robertson: 52
Enzo Lopes: 46
Levi Kitchen: 44
Phillip Nicoletti: 44
Derek Kelly: 43
Dylan Walsh: 37

—

Anthony Rodriquez: 28
Maxwell Sanford: 7
Wilson Todd: 6
Brandon Ray: 1

Suzuki’s Roczen Charges to Third at Anaheim 2 Supercross

Strong Starts and Consistent Pace Land Roczen on Podium in Unique Three-Race Format

BREA, CA, January 30, 2023 — Ken Roczen put his Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki RM-Z450 on the podium at round four of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The event was the first of three Triple Crown-format races that throw racers into three main events determining the event’s overall results.

Squad mates Shane McElrath and Kyle Chisholm earned points throughout the night on their Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance RM-Z450s; with Dilan Schwartz using the event to move up in the championship points on his Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance RM-Z250.

Brandon Sharer joined the BarX Suzuki team and delivered strong points on his first ride aboard his RM-Z250. Robbie Wageman put in fast laps throughout the night on his BarX Suzuki RM-Z250.

Ken Roczen (94) has improved his result in each race this season with the Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki team.

Ken Roczen earned a third-place finish at Anaheim 2 with impressive rides in each of the three 12-minute plus one-lap main events. Roczen battled up front and is in top form and comfortable on the Suzuki RM-Z450.

“Going into the first main event I think I had third gate pick, so that made for a really good start position,” said Roczen. “I almost grabbed a holeshot, but I was right there in second place. I had a good battle for the lead the whole way. I had a big gap to third so I kind of settled in for a second. Going into the second main event, I locked elbows with somebody at the start, but I was able to sneak around the inside for another solid start. I was riding well in second and was battling, but then I made a mistake before the finish and slid out. Luckily, I didn’t crash. I ended up third.”

“Heading into the last main event, we had a one-point separation for first between four riders. I botched the start in the last main, and I had to work my way up. After that, I pretty much was battling for fourth the whole time. I made that pass happen on the last lap. I thought I needed to make that pass to earn the podium, but I really didn’t. Still, I ended up making it happen and I finished that main in fourth and ended up on the podium overall. It’s the first podium for me in 2023 as well as the team’s first podium this season. That just shows you that hard work really pays off. It was great to see all the improvements that we’ve made and are making steps in the right direction, going 5-4-3 [so far in the 2023 races]. I’m really curious and excited to see what the future holds for us.”

Shane McElrath (12) delivered three solid rides on his Twisted Tea Suzuki RM-Z450 at the first Triple Crown supercross event of 2023.

Twisted Tea Suzuki’s Shane McElrath used consistency to bring home good points at the Anaheim 2 supercross aboard his Suzuki RM-Z450 race bike.

“The track was pretty tough tonight. Half of it was super-fast, half of it was really technical and rutted,” reported McElrath. “I’m getting better at riding different conditions. I’m getting more comfortable in race conditions. We have a lot to look forward to and we’re ready for a good week of progress; we’ve got some big things lined up and we’re moving forward.”

Kyle Chisholm (11) moved up two positions in the season’s overall standings with his performance at Anaheim 2.

Kyle Chisholm put his Twisted Tea Suzuki RM-Z450 into the top fifteen in the final main event of the night.

“The first main was terrible for me,” reported Chisholm. “In the third turn, a rider went down in front of me, and our bikes got stuck together. I was so far back by the time I got going, it was kind of a bummer. In the second main I didn’t ride that well, but it was better though. Then we made a few bike changes with the suspension and in the last main, I was even better. I got a little better each main, improving every time.”

Dilan Schwartz (85) also moved up two spots in the season point standings in the 250 West division.

Dilan Schwartz fought to two top-fifteen finishes in the competitive 250 West class. The 250 West division takes two weekends off until the series returns on February 18th for the postponed Oakland, CA supercross.

“This first Triple Crown didn’t go the way we wanted,” said Schwartz. “I did not feel that well, so I did my best. We’re learning a lot and figuring out what we need to improve, and I’m happy with that. We’re going to keep moving forward and building each weekend.”

Brandon Scharer (410) adapted well to the BarX Suzuki and the 250 class after getting the call to join the team for round four.

Fill-in rider, Brandon Scharer was comfortable on the BarX Suzuki RM-Z250 despite moving over from the 450 class and having limited time on the team bike.

“I got the call Thursday and things went into motion from there,” Scharer reported. “I was able to ride the bike for a short time on Friday and was ready to go for the weekend. Getting back on the Suzuki felt like home, and my results showed that. I learned a lot in my first Triple Crown of my career, and I’m excited to improve as the season moves forward.”

Robbie Wageman (59) didn’t fare well in the Triple Crown qualification format, despite strong qualifying times.

Robbie Wageman showed good speed on the track, but unfortunately fell in the whoops in the LCQ with a transfer position in sight.

“The weekend went really well. Ken Roczen put his bike on the podium,” said Larry Brooks, Team Manager for the Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance team. “He finished third overall, very close to finishing second. Dilan Schwartz riding the 250 struggled with some minor health issues, so I think it’ll get better for him. Shane McElrath and Kyle Chisholm finished sixteenth and seventeenth in the 450 class. It was a good night. We need to continue to make improvements and keep working.”

“I’m so pumped about the whole BarX Suzuki team,” said BarX Suzuki Team Manager Buddy Antunez. “Everyone put in the work to get Brandon comfortable so he could put his Suzuki in the main event. Robbie was giving his all and unfortunately had a crash in his qualifying race.”

The Monster Energy AMA Supercross season heads east for round five at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The event kicks off the 250 East class and marks Marshal Weltin’s first supercross aboard the Twisted Tea Suzuki RM-Z250.

For more team news, and the latest from the Supercross season and SMX World Championship series, please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com.

Photos by BrownDogWilson Photography

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