Raceline KTM Thor’s Josh Osby has described the 2019 Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne as one of the hardest nights of his career after losing the SX2 title in the Australian Supercross Championship.

The American’s bid for the crown started to unravel in his heat race, where he was forced to recover from a heavy crash on the opening lap, only just managing a transfer spot through to the triple crown main event.

Entering the night with a four-point advantage, Osby’s woes continued across the three mains, claiming fifth in race one before being demoted to seventh in race two following a three-position penalty for jumping on yellow flags.

It was main event three that sealed his fate when contact with another rider cracked the oil filler cap of his KTM 250 SX-F, which later led to a crash in the closing stages of the encounter, where finished in 12th position for seventh overall.

“Tonight was one of the hardest nights of my career,” Osby admitted. “I put myself in good positions like I have all season, but unfortunately it just didn’t work out.

“It seemed like nothing went my way from the beginning of the heat race on and although we tried, it wasn’t meant to be this time around. I want to thank the entire team – we came so close and they gave me everything I needed to get the job done. But that’s racing and hopefully I’ll be back for redemption next year.”

Osby closed out the season with runner-up honours, as compatriot Chris Blose (Penrite Honda Racing) put in a flawless night to claim the title.

Former SX2 champion Jay Wilson regrets not having the same mentality he had for the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne as he did for the duration of the Australian Supercross Championship, which saw him reach the podium for the first time in his title defence at the season-finale.

The Yamalube Yamaha Racing contender admits he entered Marvel Stadium with a ‘nothing to lose’ approach, leading to a stellar third place result in front of 35,000 fans.

Wilson came close to podium success on a number of occasions throughout the five-round championship, although a selection of unfortunate circumstances saw him unable to challenge for the title in the end.

“Tonight my mentality was that I had nothing to lose,” said Wilson. “I was fifth coming into the final round and even if I had a shocker, it wouldn’t have done much for the overall result, so I just laid it all on the line and see what happened.

“I didn’t get great starts all night and that was my fault, my reaction time at the gate was terrible, but I managed to make some passes only to get near the front but run out of time. But, I feel pretty good with how I raced tonight and just wished I had of taken that mentality in from round one.

“The team did a great job as always and the bike was perfect. The Yamalube Yamaha Racing team put in a big effort and it was frustrating not to be able to get them on the podium until now in this series. Thanks to my mechanic, Mike Ward, his dedication and passion is unrivalled and while we didn’t get the championship back, we gave it a good shake.”

The Queenslander is now set to race the opening five rounds of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West Championship.

Geico Honda has announced multiple AMA supercross and motocross champion Ryan Dungey has become a part-owner of the powerhouse squad.

Dungey, a long-time Red Bull KTM Factory Racing athlete, will directly contribute to the operation of Honda’s satellite supercross and motocross team and its elite amateur motocross race effort, where he will provide invaluable mentoring and coaching for riders.

“After I stopped racing, there were a couple years of waiting for the right thing that made the most sense for me and my family,” Dungey commented. “This came along, and it’s a huge opportunity that checks all the right boxes.

“Factory Connection Racing is a premier team that has had a lot of success and has a great lineup of talented riders. I’ll be able to apply my experience and knowledge to the next generation and future generations of riders and, because I’m a part-owner, it’s something long-term that I can help to build and grow for the future.

“Between all that and being involved with the Honda organisation, there area lot of positives, and I’m excited to get to work.”

Factory Connection Racing owner Richard Zielfelder added: “We’re so pleased to have a champion of Ryan’s stature join our organisation. His racing record speaks for itself, but he has also always been known as a professional off the track as well.

“We’re very confident that his involvement with the team will help us to continue growing and improving, and we look forward to a successful future together.”

The Geico Honda squad fields youthful Australian duo Hunter and Jett Lawrence, along with Christian Craig, Chase Sexton, Jeremy Martin and Jo Shimoda.

Jason Anderson has downplayed his clash with Chad Reed (Penrite Racing Mountain Motorsports Honda) in the opening main event of the 2019 Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne, although he admitted a younger version of himself would’ve been fired up over the incident.

Early leader Anderson was taken down by home-favourite Reed during lap two of main event one, which saw the 35,000-strong inside Marvel Stadium erupt as the number 22 led the field in what was his final appearance in Australia as a full-time professional rider.

The former AMA Supercross champion rebounded from the incident to finish seventh before scoring a pair of race wins in the final two outings for second overall, granting him the 2019 Monster Energy S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship.

“We’ve had our fair share,” Anderson lightheartedly stated at the post-race press conference. “But at the end of the day, I don’t really get too fired up. I’m sure younger me would’ve been fired up – we all get the bad end of the stick sometimes, and sometimes we’re on the other side of it.

“Like Chad [Reed] says, Ricky [Carmichael] retired at 26 and there’s a lot you learn – I’m 26 right now and I feel a lot has changed for me over the past year.

“Going from winning a championship and having injuries and stuff like that, I feel like for me – win or lose – getting a tyre tap like that, I just enjoy racing and I think that’s the part that has changed for me over the year.

“No matter what – win or lose – I’m just going to keep trying my butt off and enjoying it. Maybe if it was a couple of years ago I would’ve been fired up, but right now, I’m just enjoying it and having a good time.”

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider has already returned to America to continue his preparations for the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

Joey Savatgy has issued a statement on the practice crash that ruled him out of the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne over the weekend.

The American, who recently signed a deal with JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing, crashed heavily after clicking neutral on the face of a triple-on-off section.

Savatgy was immediately attended to by the Racesafe medical crew where he appeared to have lower-leg pain, and was later transported to a local hospital. Details on his condition at the venue remained vague for the duration of the night.

The number 17 has since come forward with a comment on social media, indicating he’s still unsure on the length of his recovery, while he continued to be tight-lipped on the diagnosis of his injury.

“It’s easy to ask why, but hard to accept and move on,” Savatgy commented. “Had a freak deal hitting neutral as I took off the face and the rest is history.

“[I] can’t thank the whole medic crew, J.H Leale, [and] Ellie Reed enough for taking care of me and getting me situated. Really bummed I wasn’t able to race, the boys from S-X Open Supercross crushed it. As for Team17 – we will be back, when I have an idea, so will you.”

Savatgy it doubtful to make A1’s season-opener, which is just over four weeks away, scheduled on 4 January.

American Chris Blose rates earning the SX2 title in the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship as a career highlight after securing the crown with runner-up honours at Saturday night’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne.

Entering the season-finale four points behind former leader Josh Osby (Raceline KTM Thor), Blose rode flawlessly throughout the night with a 2-1-4 scorecard for second overall.

The title, which marked a Penrite Honda Racing whitewash in the series as Justin Brayton earned his fourt-straight SX1 championship, comes as a great reward for the AMA Supercross regular following a trying start to the season.

“This rates up there probably in the top one,” Blose declared to MotoOnline.com.au. “I came over here in ’17 and I won the AUS-X Open, I was supposed to come last year to ride for Yarrive [Konsky] and I ended up getting hurt – this year we made it happen.

“It feels really good to get the championship, that was our overall goal all year. It kind of started out a little rough, but you know what, we made it happen.

“We fought at the last few races, and tonight was an awesome night – I went second behind my teammate Mitchell [Oldenburg] for the first main event, I took the joker lane in the second main event and ended up winning that.

“I knew where I was mathematically, and seeing [Josh] Osby and something happening to him, so I just let those guys have it – we won the war, not the battle. I played it smart in that last main event.”

Blose is understood to be piloting Honda machinery in next year’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

The experience of racing the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne on debut as a professional has proven to be vital for Jett Lawrence as he embarks on his rookie season in the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West Championship.

Lawrence, just 16 years of age, was impressive all throughout the night show inside Marvel Stadium, leading a number of laps and almost securing victory in the final encounter, ultimately recording a 4-3-2 scorecard for fourth overall.

The Geico Honda rider fell victim to two last corner manoeuvres which denied him of landing on the podium, although the popular teenager could only draw positives from the night.

“It was so good to kind of get all the nerves out before A1, so it’s helped a lot in my road to A1,” Lawrence explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “It was so fun, I had a blast. The boys were on it – there was some good racing, and I had a few sketchy moments – I barely kept it on two wheels, but I came out of it in one piece – I’m pretty pumped with that.

“My first pro race was pretty good, I think I went 4-3-2. I’m pretty happy with this. I wish I could’ve won the last one, but Mitchell Oldenburg got me in that last turn – I was bummed about that. If I won that, I would’ve been on the podium – it put me down a place, it was bummer and it is what it is.”

The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is scheduled to commence on 4 January at Anaheim.