Image: Supplied.

American Shane McElrath has clinched the 2022 World Supercross Championship (WSX) in SX2 after a breakout round victory with Rick Ware Racing in Melbourne.

McElrath entered the second and final round of the season with the red plate equipped with a Yamaha YZ250F, but didn’t win a race in the opener two weeks ago.

That changed tonight, however, with McElrath going 2-2-1 for the overall and – most importantly – clinching the world championship. It was a rewarding result for the RWR rider following a turbulent 450 campaign in the US this season across multiple teams.

Leading from start to finish, Max Anstie (Honda Genuine Fire Power Honda Racing) took a convincing win to open the finals in Melbourne. McElrath played it smart and didn’t put a foot wrong to land second, withstanding Jace Owen (FXR ClubMX Yamaha), who finished a close P3.

Title-contender Chris Blose (Bud Racing Kawasaki) took the chequered flag fourth, ahead of Phil Nicoletti (FXR ClubMX Yamaha) and Wilson Todd (Honda Genuine Fire Power Honda Racing).

MotoConcepts Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg recovered from an off-track excursion on lap one after the triple to finish seventh, as Carson Brown (GSM Yamaha), Lorenzo Camporese (Honda Nils Racing) and Maxime Desprey (GSM Yamaha) completed the top 10.

Notably, fastest qualifier Justin Bogle (MDK Motorsports KTM) washed the front, bringing Aaron Tanti (CDR Yamaha) down – the pair finishing 11th and 12th respectively. Kyle Chisholm (CDR Yamaha) and Cole Seely (MotoConcepts Honda) collided on the opening lap, both having to pit after the incident.

Home favorite Tanti took a popular home victory in the second final, besting the ever-consistent McElrath, who constantly applied the pressure. Anstie overcame Oldenburg for P3, with the number 48 taking the chequered flag fourth, Blose fifth. P6 was Matt Moss (Bud Racing Kawasaki), ahead of Brown, wildcard Nathan Crawford (KTM Racing Team), Dilan Schwartz (PMG Suzuki) and Henry Miller (Rick Ware Racing Yamaha).

Chisholm, Seely and Todd were involved in an opening corner crash, with the CDR rider remounting to finish P11, as Todd was 13th and Seely P18. Bogle also fell at the first turn but was unable to complete the outing and Owen was ruled out with a mechanical issue.

In the super final, McElrath claimed the SX2 world title in style, taking his first race win of the season in the final bout to secure another overall and the championship. Anstie kept the number 12 honest crossing the line less than a second from victory following a last lap push.

Tanti impressed once more to finish third, in front of Blose and Moss. Oldenburg had a moment on the opening lap as he approached the triple, recovering to P6 after losing considerable time, while positions seven to 10 were occupied by Todd, Desprey and Schwartz.

The round podium saw McElrath emerge victorious ahead of Anstie and Tanti, while in terms of the championship it was McElrath ahead of Anstie by nine points, with Blose holding onto a podium in P3.

Detailed results