2/6/2022
Eli Tomac First Repeat Winner of 2022 at Supercross Triple Crown in Arizona
Hunter Lawrence Grabs 250SX Class Win to Tighten Points Chase
Glendale, Ariz., (February 6, 2022) Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha's Eli Tomac took the Monster Energy AMA Supercross overall win in front of 54,781 screaming fans inside State Farm Stadium at the first Triple Crown race of the season. The unique three-race format combines results to award single-event championship points. Tomac's victory made him the season's first repeat winner in an intensely close title battle. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Malcolm Stewart took home second place. It marked his first podium of 2022 and also his career-first Triple Crown podium finish. Team Honda HRC's Chase Sexton earned third overall in his first 450SX Class Triple Crown event thanks to a win in the final race. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Team Honda HRC's Hunter Lawrence took his first win of the season with consistent 2-1-2 finishes inside the first football stadium venue of 2022.
With his victory in Glendale, Eli Tomac has won five of the nine Monster Energy AMA Supercross Triple Crown events. Photo Credit: Feld Entertainment, Inc.
When the 450SX Class dropped the gate on the ninth-ever Triple Crown format race, Tomac shot out of the gate and holeshot the field in Race 1. From there he built over a three second lead that held to the checkers. Team Honda HRC's Ken Roczen held second early but had Monster Energy Kawasaki's Jason Anderson and Malcolm Stewart on his tail. Two minutes into the 12-minute plus one lap race, Stewart pushed past Anderson for third. Further back, round three winner Chase Sexton was in the mix but two tip overs relegated him to an eleventh place finish. With less than three minutes on the race clock Anderson, then back in third, pushed cleanly past Roczen. Stewart moved around the Honda rider soon after to wrap the top five in Race 1 as Tomac, Anderson, Stewart, Roczen, and Red Bull KTM's Marvin Musquin.
Eli Tomac repeated his holeshot in 450SX Class Race 2. The Yamaha rider led with Anderson, Red Bull KTM's Cooper Webb, Musquin, and Sexton on his rear fender. In the early laps Stewart took over third place while defending champion Webb dropped back steadily, eventually finishing in eighth. Tomac rode perfectly and quickly distanced himself from any pressure for the lead spot. Just before the race's midpoint Jason Anderson got slightly off-line on a launch and jumped off the track in a long rhythm section. He twisted his bike's levers and got it hung up on a Tuffblox. It dropped Anderson outside of the top ten. Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha's Dylan Ferrandis was the rider on the move late in the race, reaching fifth by the end, displacing Roczen to sixth. Anderson climbed back to twelfth by the finish.
In the final race of the night, Sexton rocketed out to the holeshot and quickly built a lead just out of reach of the battles behind him. Stewart sat second with Tomac in third, in position to take his fifth Triple Crown overall win if things held where they were. Anderson was the rider on the move early, pushing past other racers until he forced a three-rider battle for second place. With just over five minutes left on the clock Tomac pushed into second, but Anderson charged past both Stewart and Tomac to take over the spot and set his sights on Sexton, who was 4.2 seconds ahead on the track. Anderson wasn't able to track down the Honda rider, costing him a podium finish. It was Anderson's first Triple Crown event in which he did not leave with podium-position points.
Hunter Lawrence has been on every 250SX Class podium in 2022. Inside State Farm Stadium he grabbed his first top spot of the season. Photo Credit: Feld Entertainment, Inc.
The Western Regional 250SX Class racing was equally intense. Hunter Lawrence grabbed his first win of the year after landing on the podium at each prior round. He earned the top spot in Glendale through similar consistency with 2-1-2 finishes in each of the 10-minute plus one lap races. Points leader Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha's Christian Craig won races 1 and 3 nearly unchallenged from start to finish, but his second race was a wild one. After Craig took over the lead on the opening lap, Smartop Bullfrog Spas MotoConcepts Honda's Vince Friese collided with him in the sand section. The impact sent Craig sailing off the track and into the stadium's field barriers. Craig's charge to fourth in that race, salvaging an overall podium finish. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Jo Shimoda rounded out the night's top three with 5-3-3 finishes. It was Shimoda's first podium finish of the year.
The series heads back into California for Round 6 and Anaheim 3, the last round of the initial West Coast swing. It will also mark the final Western Regional 250SX Class series event before that class takes a five week break for the Eastern Regional 250SX Class series to kick off. Tickets are available for the most exciting racing on the planet as it continues its 17-round sweep across the United States. For information on upcoming venues, ticket purchases, and to get the airtimes of each event on Peacock, NBC, CNBC and USA Network, please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Malcolm Stewart, Eli Tomac, and Chase Sexton. Photo Credit: Feld Entertainment, Inc.
450SX Class Results
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
2. Malcolm Stewart, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
3. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
5. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda
6. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
7. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
8. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
9. Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
10. Shane McElrath, Oakland, Fla., KTM
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (111)
2. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (100)
3. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (96)
4. Malcolm Stewart, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna (93)
5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (89)
6. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (88)
7. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (80)
8. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM (80)
9. Dylan Ferrandis, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (75)
10. Aaron Plessinger, Leesburg, Fla., KTM (67)
250SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jo Shimoda, Hunter Lawrence, and Christian Craig. Photo Credit: Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Western Regional 250SX Class Results
1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda
2. Christian Craig, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha
3. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
4. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha
5. Vince Friese, Menifee, Calif., Honda
6. Jalek Swoll, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
7. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha
8. Carson Brown, Ravensdale, Wash., KTM
9. Michael Mosiman, Minneaola, Fla., GASGAS
10. Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha
Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
1. Christian Craig, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (122)
2. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (114)
3. Michael Mosiman, Minneaola, Fla., GASGAS (99)
4. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki (87)
5. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (79)
6. Vince Friese, Menifee, Calif., Honda (76)
7. Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha (64)
8. Carson Brown, Ravensdale, Wash., KTM (55)
9. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Suzuki (55)
10. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (54)
Photo/Video Assets:
2022 Glendale Photo Gallery
450SX Class Highlights
Western Regional 250SX Class Highlights
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Media Contacts:
Sean Brennen
Feld Entertainment, Inc. - Supercross Public Relations Manager
(703) 448-3664
sbrennen@feldinc.com
About Feld Entertainment, Inc.:
Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, and Jurassic World Live Tour. Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information.
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Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks and a million-dollar All-Star Race, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
About the American Motorcyclist Association:
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
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