In the first ever Tuesday night Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac rebounded from a disappointing opening round to seize the round two 450SX Class win in front of a restricted-capacity but screaming audience inside NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. 450SX Class rookie Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis landed his first premiere class podium in only his second attempt, and Muc-Off Honda’s Justin Brayton stepped onto the podium for this first time in three years at the SuperTuesday event. Red plate holder Justin Barcia had a tough night as he snapped his gear lever in the main and rode the whole race in first gear! And it was a hard night for Chaset Sexton who led the main then crashed out hard. And Adam Cianciarulo crashed out of second place, as did Zach Osborne who was chasing Tomac in the final stages of the race. The results were officially declared as provisional pending an inquiry into riders passing under waved flags, but this has now been dropped and the results officially stand, said the AMA. But it seems Ken Roczen and Jason Anderson were both penalised four points each for allegedly jumping on a Red Cross flag. Their race results remain, while their points earned were subtracted. Roczen was initially given the red plate but has now lost it after being docked four points – equivalent to and given ninth place – despite finishing fifth in the race and still being shown as fifth in the results. Roczen is now fifth in the updated championship but is still being shown as fifth in the race, but only scoring 14 points instead of 18 that fifth place would give you. Anderson was eighth but docked four points too. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class 17-year-old Jett Lawrence of Team Honda HRC took his first win going away in only his eighth Supercross start.

The 450SX Class Main Event was dramatic from the drop of the gate when class rookie Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton jumped out to an early lead. He was pressured hard and early by Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo but three minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Cianciarulo tucked his front end in the sand turn and fell from the top ten. Two laps later Sexton made a similar mistake that dramatically threw him forward on the track and out of the race with an injury. Defending champion Eli Tomac was in position to capitalize and took over the lead uncontested until the race clock ticked down to the five minute mark; at that point Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne, who grabbed his first Main Event win at the final round of 2020, began to reel in the Kawasaki rider. Tomac remained composed as Osborne trimmed the lead down to about one second, then pulled his Kawasaki back away to take his first win of 2021, an impressive rebound from his disappointing 13th place finish at round one.

Class rookie Dylan Ferrandis earned his first podium the hard way, by hanging it out lap after lap in the technical whoops section and clawing forward from outside the top ten. Despite pressure from Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen and 2019 Champ Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb, Justin Brayton held on for his first podium finish in three years.

The Eastern Regional 250SX Class win was taken by Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence, who grabbed his first Heat Race win earlier in the event. Lawrence grabbed the Main Event holeshot and steadily pulled a gap on the rest of the field, reaching fourteen seconds before he managed his lead during the final race minutes. His first win moved him up to third in the title points standings. Near the front early, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner came together when Forkner made an aggressive pass attempt. Forkner would remount for sixth, while Hampshire ended the night in ninth. The final two podium spots went to Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha teammates Colt Nichols and opening round winner Christian Craig. Houston holds a third round of the 17-round 2021 Monster Energy Supercross series on Saturday, January 23rd. With three first time Heat Race winners and a first time Main Event Winner at round two, the season is off to a dramatic and unpredictable start. Tickets are on sale for early rounds through the Arlington races in a limited capacity, pod-seating format, with tickets for the remaining rounds to go on sale in the coming weeks. For the full schedule, ticket availability updates, and airtimes on Peacock and NBCSN please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class Results1.

450 standings: (** NB… Do not agree with race results! **)

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results1. Jett Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda2. Colt Nichols, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha3. Christian Craig, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha4. Michael Mosiman, Menifee, Calif., GASGAS5. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki6. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Aledo, Tex., Honda8. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM9. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna10. Joshua Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Honda Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings1. Christian Craig, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (47)2. Colt Nichols, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha (44)3. Jett Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (43)4. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (40)5. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki (37)6. Michael Mosiman, Menifee, Calif., GASGAS (35)7. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (32)8. Mitchell Oldenburg, Aledo, Tex., Honda (31)9. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (29)10. Joshua Osby, Valparaiso, Ind., Honda (26)

GasGas Report

Fresh off a successful debut into the 2021 AMA Supercross Championship, the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team was back on the gas for round two in Houston, Texas on Tuesday. Proudly displaying the red numberplate aboard his MC 450F, Justin Barcia notched his second-straight heat race victory, matching teammate Michael Mosiman’s motivating career-first heat race win in the 250SX East division. Barcia concluded the night with an impressive top-10 performance in the Main Event despite racing through a broken shifter and being limited to first-gear only. For Mosiman, a season-best fourth served as a positive stepping stone into the 2021 championship. 

• Teammates Justin Barcia and Michael Mosiman deliver double heat race victories in the same night for GASGAS Factory Racing
• Michael Mosiman earns career-first 250SX heat race win – also a first for GASGAS Factory Racing and the MC 250F
• Justin Barcia continues to fight for early 450SX points lead

In Supercross racing, momentum is key and Barcia came into Tuesday’s race prepared to ride the wave as he lined up for round two at NRG Stadium. He clicked off another holeshot in 450SX Heat 2 and it was right away that he established himself as the man to beat on the opening lap. Riding nearly a flawless race, the round-one winner backed up his performance with a second-straight heat race win. In the Main Event, Barcia didn’t get a standout start and he was shuffled into a chaotic group of riders on the first lap. As he was trying to break away, he got crossed up and clipped a tuff block, which caused his shifter to break off and he was stuck in first gear for the rest of the 20-minute plus one-lap Main Event. With obvious modifications required for his riding style, Barcia did what he could to salvage the remainder of the race, ultimately finishing ninth.   

Barcia: “I didn’t get a very good jump in the Main Event and we were outside the top-five pushing each other and I just cross-rutted a little bit, clipped a tuff block and ended up breaking a shifter off. With my luck, it got stuck in first gear, so I did a lap and I was pretty nervous – I missed the triple. I tried the jumps in first gear but it was squirrelly when the dirt is sticky like that so I just salvaged what I could. I’m in it for the long-run so I just have to push through things like that when they happen. All-in-all, it’s not that bad of a spot, obviously would have liked to been out front tonight but it wasn’t my night.” 

In 250SX Heat 1, Mosiman got off to a second-place start and he pressured the race-leader early on. On lap four, he capitalized on a mistake by the leader and that’s when he made his way to the front. Focused on settling his first-career heat race win, Mosiman also raced his way to history for GASGAS Factory Racing as he claimed their first 250SX heat race win in Houston. In the Main Event, Mosiman grabbed a top-10 start and got to work charging through the pack. He remained within striking distance of the battles ahead and he picked riders off one-by-one until he sat just outside the podium battle heading into the final laps. He wasn’t able to make a dent in the podium battle but he finished strong to take home a fourth-place finish for the night.

Mosiman: “Getting a heat race win and a fourth on the night is a huge step in the right direction. I’m excited it’s my first heat race win! it feels good to come across the line first, so I’m hoping for a lot more of that shortly. When you’re riding good everything else just comes easy and is fun.” The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team will enjoy three full days off from racing before getting on the gas this Saturday, January 23, for the final round at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Husqvarna report

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team had all the ingredients for a successful night in Houston, where Round 2 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship took place inside NRG Stadium for the second time this week as part of its three-race stretch in the Lonestar state. In the 450SX class, Zach Osborne delivered an exceptional performance throughout the day but an unfortunate mistake at the end of the night cost him a well-deserved podium finish.

Teammate RJ Hampshire experienced a similar story, battling for the 250SX Main Event victory before a race incident with another rider took him out of contention midway through the race. Osborne came out swinging as he claimed the fastest time in the first 450SX qualifying session, carrying a third-overall into the night’s racing program. He kept the momentum rolling into 450SX Heat 2, where he settled into second early on. After applying pressure to the leader for a solid 10 laps, Osborne secured a close second-place.

As the gate dropped for the Main Event, Osborne found himself just outside the top-five and he quickly began a forward charge, overtaking the second-place position early on. He set his sights on chipping away at the lead gap but he pushed the front end and went down with two laps to go, ultimately finishing 10th in the Main Event. 

“Overall, it was a really positive day for me,” Osborne said. “I just felt really supreme all day and things were easy for me. I had a good heat race, felt really good gelling with the track, and in the Main Event the same thing. With two to go, I just pushed the front in a rut and there she went. It’s a big mistake that veterans like myself typically shouldn’t and wouldn’t make so it’s disappointing and frustrating but I’m healthy and safe and my bike is really on point right now so I’m happy to come back and give it another go on Saturday.” 

Anderson bested his Round 1 performance all-around, finishing inside the top-10 on Tuesday. In 450SX Heat 1, he had a great start rounding the corner inside the top-three but a first-turn crash forced a red flag restart. Anderson was able to get another great jump but he got caught up behind another rider and shuffled him just outside the top-five. Riding a consistent race, Anderson secured sixth. In the Main Event, he didn’t get the most favorable start as he rounded the opening lap in 15th. He passed his way into the top-10 early on and battled with a deep field of riders to advance his position. With two laps to go, he overtook eighth and he held on to secure that position through the checkers. “Practice probably didn’t look so good on paper but it went better and my heat race went better than last week, so those are definitely positives,” Anderson said. “In the Main Event, I kind of rode into eighth place and that’s what I ended up with tonight. It’s not the way we wanted to start but hopefully we’ll keep progressing and we’ll just keep going.” 

Wilson got off to a top-10 start in 450SX Heat 2 and he engaged in an intense battle for the final transfer position early on. With three laps to go, Wilson kicked it up a notch and made two more passes to ultimately secure sixth. In the Main Event, Wilson got off to another top-10 start and he battled with his teammate Anderson early on. He raced just outside the 10th-place battle all race long, ultimately finishing 11th in the Main Event.  

“Tonight, was a little bit better but 11th is not the result we are looking for,”Wilson said.“I just needed to start up front and get in that fight a little more but I was right there. I mean, I am surrounded by guys who are winning races so I feel like I am strong enough to be in the mix, I just need to put myself in that position every time. I am getting better and more comfortable, now I just need to believe in myself a little bit more and I’ll be there.”

250SX East

Hampshire, the fifth-place qualifier, secured a top-five start in 250SX Heat 2 and he quickly moved into fourth. Late in the race, Hampshire made a move into third where he secured a top-three transfer spot. In the Main Event, he put himself in a favorable position off the start where he mixed it up inside the top-three early on. While making a charge in second, Hampshire went high in a corner and another rider came into contact with him, sending both riders to the ground.  Hampshire, dropping back to 20th, worked hard to charge his way back through the field, ultimately finishing 17th. “It was another rough night, I started off with a pretty big practice crash and then did what I could to salvage the heat,” 

Hampshire said. “I got a good start in the main, the bike is awesome out of the gate, it was just an unfortunate situation with Forkner because I had the speed and was just clicking off my laps. I’ll give it a couple of days to recover and knock off a win here soon.”

Red Bull KTM report

Just three days after an exciting season opener in Houston, Texas, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team returned to action inside NRG Stadium on Tuesday for Round 2 of the 2021 AMA Supercross Championship. The racing was intense in the 450SX division as track conditions kept riders on their toes in addition to a stacked field of competition in the premier class. Cooper Webb had a slow start to the night but he finished strong just off the podium in fourth, while Marvin Musquin fought hard to salvage a sixth-place finish after going down in the Main Event.  Webb worked his way through the morning’s qualifying sessions, making small changes to his bike setup along the way. In 450SX Heat 2, he powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to a great jump off the line but he got cut off early on the opening lap, where he began in eighth. He quickly worked his way up to sixth, securing a decent transfer into the main. In the Main Event, Webb got off to an eighth-place start and climbed his way through the pack. With three laps to go, Webb put on a charge that would see him make the jump from sixth to ultimately finish fourth. Webb:“It was a bit of an up-and-down night. I was still trying to find a really good setting for me that I liked and I kind of struggled throughout the day. I didn’t have a great start in the main but at the end I really started going. I made some late passes, got a few gifts and ended up fourth. It’s not what we want but it’s still early in the points and we’ll rebound. There’s still room for improvement to get me more comfortable on the bike and with that I think this week we’ll be right there where we need to be.” In 450SX Heat 1, Musquin got off to an incredible start but the race was quickly re-started due to downed riders in the first turn. Upon the re-start, Musquin grabbed another solid start to position his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION into second on the opening lap. He battled inside the top-two for the first six laps but he found himself in third with about four laps to go, ultimately finishing third in the heat. In the Main Event, Musquin got off to a good start as he raced his way up to fourth by lap seven. He set his sights on the podium battle ahead and while making up solid ground, Musquin ended up washing the front end in the sand section and dropped back to 10th. He re-mounted and quickly put on a charge to ultimately climb up to a sixth-place finish in the Main Event. Musquin:“I got a great start in the Main Event, which was once again the key. I was right there and felt like I was going to have a good race but unfortunately, I crashed in the sand, it was really tricky. I got up and lost so many positions but I tried to fight back and make up the most points possible but there’s not much to say about sixth place. It’s tough but you have to stay on two wheels and stay up front.” In the 250SX Eastern division, rookie Maximus Vohland continues to make a positive transition into the pro ranks with another consistent top-10 finish. In 250SX Heat 2, Vohland grabbed a third-place start aboard the KTM 250 SX-F and he battled inside the top-three for most of the race. He got passed with four laps to go but he finished strong to secure a fourth-place transfer into the Main Event. In the main, Vohland put himself into a seventh-place start and he held his ground, swapping positions inside the top-10 for the remainder of the race. In the end, Vohland once again prevailed with consistent and promising performance to finish eighth in only his second professional race. Vohland:“The race tonight was pretty solid for me. We wanted to improve on starts from last Saturday and I was able to get a good start in the main, so that was great. Still have a couple more things we need to tweak but so far so good, we’ll just keep chugging along.”