The 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship season saw two more riders take their first wins of 2020 at round three inside Anaheim’s Angel Stadium in front of 43,106 fans. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac earned his first win of the year the hard way. After a bad start that had him round the first lap in tenth place, Tomac got into his groove early and started turning the fastest laps and picking off riders quickly. On the 8th of 24 laps Tomac cut under last weekend’s winner, Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen. Tomac pulled a comfortable lead on Roczen while riders behind the two battled for positions.
Defending champion Cooper Webb of the Red Bull KTM team emerged with the final podium position after battles with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates Jason Anderson and Zach Osborne as well as Adam Cianciarulo, Tomac’s teammate on the Monster Energy Kawasaki team. Webb’s final push almost got him second place, but Roczen held the position and took over the championship points lead due to a ninth place finish by previous points leader Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia.
The racing was intense in the Western Regional 250SX Class, with defending champion Dylan Ferrandis of the Monster Energy / Star Yamaha Racing team also fighting through the top riders to also claim his first win of the 2020 season, though it included an aggressive pass that took GEICO Honda’s Christian Craig out of the race; after review by race officials, Ferrandis was fined $3000 to be held pending the completion of a one year probation.
Most of the 250SX Main Event was led by 16-year-old rookie Jett Lawrence of the GEICO Honda team. At one point the rookie had more than a ten second lead, but a crash, and a series of mistakes allowed Ferrandis to pass. On the final sections of the final lap Lawrence mounted a last attack, but he pushed too hard in the whoops and crashed just one corner before the checkered flag.
Ferrandis’ Monster Energy / Star Yamaha Racing teammate Justin Cooper took second, and held onto the points lead, while Troy Lee Designs / Red Bull / KTM’s Brandon Hartranft followed up the previous weekend’s podium with another third place finish. Tomac and Ferrandis’ victories mark a different winner in each class, at each round, so far in 2020. The series heads to Glendale, Arizona next weekend for the first of the Triple Crown format events when racers compete in three Main Events for each class, with the combined best finishes awarding the event points.
450SX Class Results1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda3. Cooper Webb, Clermont, Fla., KTM4. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna6. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki7. Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda9. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha10. Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
450SX Class Championship Standings1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (66)2. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha (63)3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (61)4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna (57)5. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (56)6. Cooper Webb, Clermont, Fla., KTM (53)7. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (46)8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda (46)9. Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda (46)10. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (42)
Western Regional 250SX Class Results1. Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha2. Justin Cooper, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha3. Brandon Hartranft, Corona, Calif., KTM4. Michael Mosiman, Menifee, Calif., Husqvarna5. Alex Martin, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki6. Luke Clout, Hemet, Calif., Honda7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godly, Tex., Honda8. Jacob Hayes, Lodi, Calif., Husqvarna9. Jett Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda10. Killian Auberson, Winchester, Calif., KTM
Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings1. Justin Cooper, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha (72)2. Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha (60)3. Brandon Hartranft, Corona, Calif., KTM (58)4. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (50)5. Alex Martin, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (50)6. Jett Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (46)7. Jacob Hayes, Lodi, Calif., Husqvarna (44)8. Michael Mosiman, Menifee, Calif., Husqvarna (41)9. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godly, Tex., Honda (38)10. Luke Clout, Hemet, Calif., Honda (35)