Image: Octopi Media.

Consistency and the race two victory has resulted in Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence winning his first main event of the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross season at Glendale’s first of the Triple Crown rounds.

After getting out front early on the opening lap, Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Christian Craig sprinted off and eventually won the first 10-minute final of the night by 14.294s.

Behind him, top-qualifier Lawrence took some time to get by Vince Friese (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda) – riding a ‘wide’ bike as always – and took control of the runner-up position in the end, while the latter was able to hold on for third ahead of Garrett Marchbanks (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha).

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Shimoda had passed Friese into podium position the middle stages, before Friese countered, only for Shimoda to then go down and recover for fifth after edging Jalek Swoll (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna).

A solid effort saw Derek Kelley (AEO Powersports KTM) take seventh, from Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) as he also fell while challenging for a podium, Carson Brown (AEO Powersports KTM) and Michael Mosiman (TLD Red Bull GasGas) despite falling in the first turn.

Main event two of the 250s might have belonged to Lawrence, but the focus was on an incident between Friese and red plate-holder Craig on the opening lap that took both riders down in spectacular fashion.

Lawrence came under pressure late from Mosiman, but managed to hold on by 1.384s, ahead of Mosiman and Shimoda, while Craig remounted and charged his way back to position four. He made a pass on the final lap by Swoll, from Marchbanks, Thrasher, Robbie Wageman (Team Solitaire Nuclear Blast Yamaha), Brown and Friese.

The final main saw Craig get his redemption, again getting out front early to take a commanding win by 6.093s, but it wasn’t enough to deny Lawrence of the overall. The second race incident meant Craig had to settle for runner-up on the night, with Lawrence taking full advantage to claim his second-career 250SX win.

That final outing saw Shimoda third ahead of Friese and Thrasher the top five, with Marchbanks, Swoll, Brown, Kelley and Wageman next in line. Mosiman crashed out of fourth midway, only to get back aboard and finish in 15th.

Overall, Lawrence won by a single point over Craig – both maintaining their perfect podium results – and Shimoda scored his first top-three finish of the series. Entering Anaheim 3, Craig now holds a eight-point lead over Lawrence.

Image: Octopi Media.

Victory at Glendale’s opening Triple Crown of the year saw Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Eli Tomac make it two in a row to extend his advantage.

The start was dialled in the first of three 10-minute 450SX main events for Tomac and he was never headed from there, building a 2.240s advantage at the front of the field.

Tomac went on to win ahead of Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) and Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), who each overcome Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) into the podium placings, while Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) filled the top five.

Positions six through 10 included Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas), top qualifier Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) after he was well outside the top 10 at the beginning, number one plate-holder Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM), Dean Wilson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) and Shane McElrath (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM WPS).

In a lowly 11th position was Team Honda HRC rider Chase Sexton after going down twice, affecting his overall scores for the night in these early stages.

Making it two from two on the night to begin, Tomac asserted himself at the front by 4.058s this time out from Stewart, with Sexton rebounding and making his way to the podium in third.

Musquin went one better for P4, comfortably ahead of countryman Ferrandis, followed by Roczen, Barcia, Webb, Wilson and Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) in his best showing of the round so far. Anderson crashed with on five minutes remaining, was caught on the tuff-block for some time and ultimately finished in 12th place.

There was no clean-sweep tonight for Tomac as Sexton stepped up in the final 450SX main, going flag-to-flag and taking the checkers 2.539s ahead of the fast-finishing Anderson.

While Sexton maintained control at the front, Anderson climbed from as far back as ninth on lap one in another spirited effort, with Tomac claiming third in the race and the overall – his second in succession.

Stewart ran as high as second, only to drop to fourth in the end, but ahead of Webb, Barcia, Roczen, McElrath, Wilson and Plessinger. An early fall from Ferrandis damaged his bike, forcing him out altogether.

Overall, Tomac was the clear winner, topping the round podium over Stewart and Sexton, who salvaged another top three result despite his finish in the opening race. Tomac now leads by 11 points entering Anaheim 3 next Saturday.

Detailed results