Image: Octopi Media.

It was Eli Tomac who managed to escape the carnage that unfolded during the 450SX main event at Detroit’s 10th round of 2022 Monster Energy Supercross to claim victory and significantly extend his series lead, while Australian Jett Lawrence was victorious in the 250SX East category.

Justin Bogle (H.E.P Suzuki) claimed the hole-shot and early lead, however it lasted just a matter of laps as Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) took control of the race in the early stages.

Former champion Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing) pushed his bid for title contention, passing Barcia five minutes into the main event. At the halfway mark, Tomac managed to find his way past the Kawasaki pilot, and this is when the chaos ensued.

It started with defending champion Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) coming together in a rhythm lane – Webb misjudged the section, coming up short, leaving nowhere for Sexton to go other than landing on him. Sexton was assisted off the circuit, while Webb remarkably remounted and circulated the track for a number – albeit one-handed as he clearly nursed an injured left arm – before ultimately pulling.

Just as this unfolded, Anderson crashed all by himself at the base of the finish line jump, hitting the ground rather heavily. He also remounted and rode to the end of the next rhythm lane, before seemingly coming to a stop and falling off, ending his night prematurely.

Anderson wasn’t the final casualty – Monster Energy Star Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis also withdrew in the later stages of main, nursing what appeared to be an injured right arm.

With Tomac managing to dodge the chaos, he claimed a dominant victory ahead of fastest-qualifier Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) and Barcia, while the top five was completed by Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Justin Brayton (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda).

Position six through to 10 were taken out by Vince Friese (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda), Shane McElrath (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WPS KTM), Bogle, Brand Hartranft (H.E.P Suzuki) and Cade Clason (Honda). Tomac now has a staggering 42-point lead over Anderson and Stewart.

Image: Octopi Media.

Lawrence charged to the lead after passing Stilez Robertson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) – who secured the hole-shot – in the early stages of the 250SX East main event before remaining relatively untouched for the remainder of the encounter.

Pierce Brown (TLD Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing) held down second and actually tracked down Lawrence at one stage when the pair encountered lappers, however the points leader was able to gap the factory GasGas rider on his way to P1.

The encounter really intensified at the halfway mark, when Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) jumped onto the heels of Brown, eventually making the pass through the whoops. Brown didn’t allow McAdoo to ride away and remained within striking distance in the laps to come, ultimately finishing third behind number 48.

RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), who battled with teammate Robertson in the early stages, claimed fourth ahead of Jordon Smith (Fire Power Honda Racing), as the top 10 was rounded out by Mitchell Oldenburg (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda), Phil Nicoletti (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Racing Team), Robertson, Enzo Lopes (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Racing Team) and Joshua Varize (Husqvarna).

Lawrence now leads the championship by eight points over McAdoo as Monster Energy Supercross heads to Indianapolis on 19 March.