AMASX: Round #7 Race Report – Arlington
Supercross Media Press Release:
RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ken Roczen captured his second Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, victory of the 2016 season in front of 57,755 fans at AT&T Stadium on Saturday. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb raced to his fourth win of the season, which helped him regain the championship point’s lead.
Roczen scored his first Holeshot Award of the season to start the 450SX Class Main Event, rounding the first turn just ahead of Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and Smartop MotoConcepts Racing’s Mike Alessi. On the opening lap Dungey made a pass for the lead, however, it would not last long as Roczen retaliated to steal the lead back on Lap 1.
Team Honda HRC’s Cole Seely moved into the third position on Lap 4, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson followed him into fourth place. At the halfway point, Anderson began closing the gap on Seely, eventually making the pass stick to take over the third position on Lap 15.
In the final stages of the race Dungey gained momentum and inched up onto the back wheel of the German rider. The two riders set a blistering pace, but Roczen would ride flawlessly, using lapped riders to his advantage to fend off multiple attacks by Dungey and claim his sixth career win.
“It felt great to grab the holeshot tonight, I think we have more wins than we do holeshots,” said Roczen. “Ryan [Dungey] was right on us the entire race, but we stayed tough and brought home the win.”
Dungey rode strong to finish second and Jason Anderson rounded out the podium in third place.
“At the end of the race we were pushing the pace,” said Dungey. “I made a pass for the lead, but Ken got me back exactly where I passed him. To leave with good points and finish second is something to be proud of.”
Dungey extended his 450SX Class podium streak to 23 races, dating back to last season, and now leads Roczen by 23 points in the championship. New Mexico’s Anderson sits in third place, 35 points out of the lead. It was Anderson’s first podium finish since he captured his first career win at the opening race of the season.
In the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event, GEICO Honda’s Christian Craig earned his second Holeshot Award of the year, leading Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne. Savatgy made a pass for the lead on the opening lap, but Craig struck back on Lap 1 to reclaim the lead. On the same lap misfortune struck Savatgy, who entered as the points leader, when he crashed in the whoops while running second, which allowed Webb to take over the position and Osborne to move into third.
Craig continued to put together impressive laps out front, but Webb, the defending champion, stayed within striking distance throughout the race. As the Main Event wore on, Webb began closing in on the lead. On Lap 11 he dove inside of Craig to make an aggressive pass and quickly pulled away.
Webb claimed the win less than two seconds ahead of Craig. Osborne finished third, marking his third podium finish of the season.
“I came out of the gate strong and tucked to the inside through the first turn,” said Webb. “Throughout the race I was slowly able to gain time on Christian [Craig], eventually making a pass stick to claim the win.”
“It’s a bit disappointing to finish second tonight,” said Craig, who now has five consecutive podium finishes. “Webb rode great, but after leading the first 11 laps I was really gunning for the win.”
Savatgy remounted after his crash in last, but fought his way back to a 10th-place finish. He dropped to second in the championship standings, trailing Webb by 11 points. Craig is 16 points out of the lead in third.
450SX Class Results:
Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
Christophe Pourcel, San Antonio, Fla., Husqvarna
Trey Canard, Edmond, Okla., Honda
Jake Weimer, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki
450SX Class Championship Standings:
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 166
Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki – 143
Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 131
Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 121
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 119
Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 112
Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 92
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 85
Justin Brayton, Mint Hill, N.C., KTM – 82
Jake Weimer, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki – 73
Western Regional 250SX Class Results:
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha
Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda
Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Husqvarna
Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha
Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM
Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha
Jimmy DeCotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
Chris Alldredge, Powell Butte, Ore., Kawasaki
Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda
Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki
Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings:
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 145
Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 134
Christian Craig, Corona, Calif., Honda – 129
Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 117
Zach Osborne, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Husqvarna – 110
Jimmy DeCotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda – 99
Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM – 97
Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda – 87
Kyle Cunningham, Willow Park, Texas, Suzuki – 69
Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Honda – 63
The 2016 Monster Energy Supercross season continues next weekend with the championship’s annual visit to Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on Saturday, February 27.
The entire 2016 Monster Energy Supercross Championship will air live on FOX Sports, including two races on the FOX broadcast channel. In addition, the authenticated FOX Sports Go app will live stream each race.
For more information: www.supercrosslive.com
