Australia's Reed ninth as Nichols earns maiden 250SX West win.
Image: Supplied.
Justin Barcia (Monster Energy Yamaha) has ended his main event win drought that extends back to 2013 after clinching victory at Saturday night’s opening round of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross and FIM World Championship in Anaheim.
Privateer Dean Wilson (Husqvarna) led majority of the 20-minute encounter as he negotiated the rain-filled conditions with class, although with just five minutes left on the clock, the Husqvarna pilot ran into lapped traffic and relinquished the lead to Barcia.
Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen put in a consistent performance to kickstart his campaign with second, while Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) was able to overcome Wilson in the dying stages to lock down the final position on the podium.
Wilson eventually wound up fourth ahead of Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), as Australia’s Chad Reed (JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing) was ninth. Defending champion Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) endured a difficult opener, mustering up a 14th place result.
In the 250SX West main event, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Colt Nichols broke through for his maiden victory ahead of teammate Dylan Ferrandis, with Troy Lee Designs Red Bull KTM’s Shane McElrath closing out the top three. Fourth and fifth were completed by RJ Hampshire (Geico Honda) and Adam Cianciarulo (Pro Circuit Monster Energy Kawasaki).
Aussie contender Tomas Ravenhorst (Husqvarna) fell just short of making the main on debut in America, finishing 12th in his heat before recording an eighth in the LCQ. The AMA Supercross series will now head to Glendale this weekend for round two.
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