2020 AMA Supercross
Round 8 – Arlington, Texas
Report by Trevor Hedge – Images Hoppenworld
Monster Energy AMA Supercross ventured to Arlington, Texas for round eight of the series on the weekend which also marked the second round of the 250 East Championship.
On the schedule was another triple crown format for both classes with the 450 competitors battling out three main events raced over 12-minutes + one-lap, while 250 racers had a slightly easier time of it with their three bouts contested over 10-minutes + one-lap.
450 AMA SX
Before the triple-header mains even got underway there were some riders already licking their wounds. Adam Cianciarulo fell heavily in practice in an over-the-bars crash that was somewhat reminiscent that of the tumble that Jett Lawrence suffered earlier in the season. Unfortunately the outcome was also the same as Jett’s with Cianciarulo being ruled out of the event with a broken left collarbone.
Moto One
Jason Anderson started well but got all out of shape on the first jump which allowed Cooper Webb to storm to the front early on with Roczen also sneaking past Anderson to move up to second place as the opening 450 moto got underway.
Roczen then put a great pass on Webb, the KTM man was up for the fight but the German simply had more speed and started to walk away from Webb. Championship leader Eli Tomac was outside the top ten after yet another shocking start on the KX450F.
Roczen taking first blood with victory over Webb while Jason Anderson rounded out that first podium. Barcia fourth while the slow-starting Tomac had worked his way up to fifth place by the flag.
Moto Two
Blake Baggett scored the hole-shot but this time Eli Tomac was quick out of the blocks and was all over Baggett right from the off. It only took a few turns for Tomac to take the lead from Baggett.
Malcolm Stewart was in third place on that opening lap ahead of Justin Hill and Jason Anderson while opening Moto winner Ken Roczen was right down in tenth early on in this second bout.
Jason Anderson got the better of Baggett as the race progressed to move up to second place but at half-race distance Roczen was still languishing down in tenth place. Baggett then made a mistake and went down, losing a number of position and entering the final laps from all the way back in ninth place.
Cooper Webb was in fourth place and chasing Justin Hill before making a big mistake that saw him go over the bars and pancake right on to his lower back, not on the dirt, but landing flat on his back on the concrete alongside the track! He immediately grasped his lower back after what was a sickening impact. After receiving trackside assistance from the Alpinestars Medical Crew, Webb was transported to a local hospital where he awaits further evaluation but early indications are that there are no major fractures.
Tomac cruised to a clear victory. Despite backing off in the latter half of the race the #3 Kawasaki still took the chequered flag by more than three-seconds over Anderson with Hill rounding out the podium ahead of Zach Osborne. Roczen a disappointing seventh, behind Justin Barcia and Malcolm Stewart.
Moto Three
When the gates dropped for the final 450 Moto of the night it was Zach Osborne with the best clutch hand to get the jump ahead of Blake Baggett, Jason Anderson and Ken Roczen. A fall on the opening lap cost Justin Hill early.
Anderson moved past Baggett for second place on the second lap of the race while Tomac was recovering after a so-so start to sneak past Malcolm Stewart for fifth place. That top five were all fairly close across the opening laps of the race before Baggett went down in front of Tomac and lost a number of positions. Then there were four..
At half-race distance less than two-seconds covered that top quartet; Osborne still the leader from Anderson, Roczen third and Tomac fourth.
Anderson then got a great run through a series of jumps to sweep past Osborne. Tomac then put in a stunning lap to come from a few lengths behind Roczen to put a surprise move on the #94 Honda to move up to third place.
A lap later Tomac then moved past Osborne with ease, around four laps to go, Tomac’s next target Anderson…
A beautiful move by Tomac saw him go past Anderson, the Husky rider came back at him but Tomac had more speed up his sleeve and just pulled away to take his best supercross victory for some time, and the overall round win.
Roczen got Osborne, then made some attempts on Anderson before letting caution call the shots. The German very careful in this moto with his eye more on the championship points standings and not really up for any hard on-track fights that could bring him undone. Anderson though succumbed to the pressure late in the moto and went down in the whoops, allowing Roczen through for second place. Jason Anderson rounded out the podium ahead of Barcia while Osborne salvaged fifth.
450 Video Highlights
Round Up
Tomac now leads at the half-way point of the 17 round series by seven-points over Roczen.
450 AMA SX Results / Points
Source: MCNews.com.au