Image: Supplied.

Reigning world champion Jason Anderson has made it back-to-back Monster Energy AUS-X Open titles in Sydney, as countryman Justin Brayton clinched a third-straight Australian Supercross Championship SX1 crown.

Penrite Honda’s Brayton shot off to a thrilling start in SX1 main event one, as Gradie Featherstone (KSF Suzuki) fell victim to nasty crash down the opening straight.

After winning his heat, Australian international Chad Reed (Autotrader Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing) spun out on lap two, much to the crowd’s disbelief. Meanwhile, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Anderson laid down a hard pass on Brayton to gain P1.

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Lawson Bopping and Dylan Long made the same mistake as Reed a number of laps later on separate occasions, while Anderson went onto secure the win. Brayton wound up second followed by Dean Wilson (DPH Husqvarna), Dan Reardon (Yamaha) and Luke Clout (KTM Motocross Racing Team), with Reed rebounding for seventh.

It was Reardon and Clout who led the field from the get-go in SX1 main event two, although Clout’s tenure in top two lasted less than a lap when he crashed ahead of the finish line. Wilson grasped his opportunity to take the shortcut lane, ultimately moving by Reardon and into the lead.

Anderson did the same one lap later to move into second, at the same time Brayton went down. A thrilling battle between Wilson and Anderson unfolded out front, but Reardon used the shortcut lane and made it a three-rider ordeal. In the end it was Anderson from Reardon, Wilson, Reed and title hopeful Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Honda).

Anderson took a narrow hole-shot in the final affair with Wilson and Reed capitalising on a mistake from Reardon. A number of riders crashed in seperate incidents, including Clout, Bopping, Metcalfe and Featherstone.

Reed took the shortcut lane for a second time, which meant he would incur a five-position penalty despite crossing the line in P1, demoting him to sixth. Anderson was credited the win with a top five completed by Wilson, Reardon, Long and Brayton, who secured his third-consecutive SX1 number one plate.

Overall for the round it was Anderson untouched to repeat his result from one year ago, joined on the podium by Wilson and Reardon. In championship terms, Brayton’s fourth for the round was enough to be crowned, ahead of Metcalfe who was P6 tonight and Reardon.

Reed’s homecoming was an eventful one aboard the factory RM-Z450, ultimately claiming fifth overall following a mixed bag of results, but also leading Australia to victory over USA in the showdown feature race.

Detailed results