SAN DIEGO — Round six of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, was designated Military Appreciation Night to honor our servicemen and women.
With 41,573 packing Petco Park, the event delivered exciting moto combat on the track that significantly tightened up the 450SX class title points.
Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb attacked race leader Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo several times before finally positioning himself ahead of the rookie on lap 21 of the 25-lap 450SX class main event.
From that point, the defending champion motored to his first win of the season which jumped him into third place in the title points, only nine points out of the lead.
Cianciarulo held strong for second, while Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM’s Blake Baggett nabbed his first podium finish. Points leader Ken Roczen of Team Honda HRC recovered from a poor start to finish sixth, retaining the red plate, while second in points, Eli Tomac of the Monster Energy Kawasaki team, fought his way forward from even further back than Roczen to grab fourth on the night and narrow the title chase to only a single point.
The racing was just as tense in the Western Regional 250SX class.
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner nabbed the holeshot but before exiting turn two Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Michael Mosiman and Pennrite Honda’s Luke Clout went past. Forkner regained the lead on lap five, with Monster Energy/Star Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis slipping into second soon after.
The Yamaha rider lost time with a few failed pass attempts on Forkner, then with 1:23 on the clock Ferrandis dove under the Kawasaki rider in a 90-degree turn; the incident sent Forkner temporarily off the track and too far behind to mount a counter attack.
Ferrandis took the checkers and stretched out his championship points lead with Forkner and Monster Energy/Star Yamaha Racing’s Justin Cooper filling out the podium positions.