Cycle News Staff | April 24, 2021
2021 Salt Lake City 1 Supercross Rnd 16 Results: It ain’t over ‘til it’s over! And it’s not over yet. But both the 450SX and 250SX East classes are all but wrapped up with one round left to go. Despite finishing second to his Red Bull KTM teammate Marvin Musquin, Cooper Webb is poised to win his second Supercross crown, barring any unforeseen disasters between now and next Saturday night.
And Colt Nichols is also on the verge of capturing his first Supercross title in the 250SX East division with a third tonight after his only real rival in the championship bowed out after suffering a broken leg in qualifying.
Musquin Surprises At Salt Lake City Supercross 1
450SX
The big talking points in the 450SX class were those between title rivals Webb and Ken Roczen (Honda HRC). Webb’s 16-point lead meant he could lock up the title tonight with a win and with Roczen in seventh place or worse. A finish better than seventh would keep Roczen in the title hunt through the series finale.
Looking to keep the championship alive, Roczen executed on the start and grabbed the holeshot. Joey Savatgy (Rocky Mountain KTM) and Musquin followed in close pursuit with Webb and other heavy hitters in mid-field. Savatgy would go down on lap two and hand the position over to the number-25 rider, Musquin.
Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) was up front early tonight and held down third for a number of laps ahead of Malcolm Stewart (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) and Webb. Anderson dealt with pressure by Webb for a majority of the main event before finishing seventh. Anderson has been vocal in the past about his dislike of racing at altitude and we wonder if this played a factor in tonight’s race. Apparently, it did.
Heat race winner Tomac went down three minutes into the race. Last year’s champ never seemed to recover and would log a 10th on the night, ending his chances of retaining the number-one plate.
Roczen remained out in front, opening a 2.8-second lead at the 15-minute mark. He looked to be running away with the race and keeping his championship chances alive. The rest of the top five—Anderson, Stewart, and Webb—an identical laps, mirroring each other’s lines and times.
Webb eventually made his way around Anderson with Stewart in tow.
Just before the tough whoop section, Roczen tucked the front end and hit the hard-packed Utah floor. He fumbled to get up and handed the lead over to Musquin before remounting in fifth position.
Just a lap later, Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) made his way around Roczen, as well.
Webb closed up to the back of his teammate, Musquin, and follow in close proximity for the final five laps. Every time he looked to make a move, he would be denied. At the finish line, Musquin claimed his first victory since 2019, just 0.326 seconds ahead of Webb.
Stewart rounded out the podium tonight, the first of his 450SX career.
Roczen would come home in sixth place. He is mathematically still in the hunt but needs a miracle next weekend if he is to overtake Webb in the championship.
Justin Barcia (Red Bull TLD GasGas) had a night he’d rather forget with a heat race crash and a trip to the LCQ. He hit the deck again in the main event, once on the opening lap and , once again, in the latter portions of the race.
There was no movement among the top 10 in the 450SX championship standings. With one round left, Webb leads Roczen by 22 points with just 25 points left up for grabs at the final next week. Tomac is assured third in the championship, as is Barcia in fourth. The closest battle in the top 10 is the one for sixth between Anderson and Stewart. Anderson currently controls the position with Stewart just six points back. Savatgy has all but locked up 10th in the championship.
250SX East
Shimoda Gets First Win
The pressure was on for the 250SX East class as the title fight came down to the final two rounds here in Salt Lake City. Only eight points separated the two Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha riders, Colt Nichols and Christian Craig.
Big news came out of the 250 practice when Craig had a huge get-off and was ejected off the bike. He was helped off the track but would be on the gate for the heat races. He completed one lap but pulled off and called it a night. He revealed that he suffered a fractured fibula and an ankle sprain, his title shot blown.
With Craig out, Nichols only needed to beat Jo Shimoda (Pro Circuit Kawasaki) to wrap up the 250SX East Championship.
When the gates dropped for the main, it was Shimoda grabbing the holeshot and the early lead.
French rider Thomas Do found himself in second place and ran there for the first few laps.
Both Nichols and Jett Lawrence (Honda HRC) did not have the up-front starts they wanted. Instead, these two race winners were tasked with coming through the field.
Michael Mosiman (TLD Red Bull GasGas) made his way into second place and closed up to the back of Shimoda.
Shimoda led through the first half of the race and fended off multiple attacks by the charging Mosiman. The two exchanged block passes but Shimoda retained the lead through it all. During this battle, Lawrence found his way to the back of the leaders.
The lead riders faced lapped traffic and had to switch their lines up as the laps wore on. In the end, the leaders had lapped all the way up to sixth place.
Lawrence made his way around Mosiman and into second with just 3:30 left on the clock. It was then that Nichols closed in and passed the GasGas rider, too. Mosiman’s line choice forced him off the track at the triple jump, losing multiple positions.
With just a minute remaining, it was a three-rider battle for the race win.
Nichols got right on Lawrence, who was right on Shimoda.
At the checkers, Shimoda claimed his first-ever main event win and kept the series alive for another week. Lawrence took second and Nichols rounded out the podium in third.
Mosiman bounced back to finish fourth on the night.
Do had his career-best finish tonight in fifth place.
-Ryan Nitzen
2021 Salt Lake City 1 Supercross Rnd 16 Results
2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship
Round 16
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Salt Lake City, Utah
April 24, 2021
450SX Results (Top 10)
1. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
25 laps |
2. |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
00.326 |
3. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Yam) |
10.463 |
4. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
15.705 |
5. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
17.099 |
6. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
18.387 |
7. |
Jason Anderson |
(Hus) |
24.117 |
8. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(Yam) |
26.831 |
9. |
Dean Wilson |
(Hus) |
44.487 |
10. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
46.242 |
250SX West (Top 10)
1. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
19 Laps |
2. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
01.150 |
3. |
Colt Nichols |
(Yam) |
03.050 |
4. |
Michael Mosiman |
(GG) |
21.717 |
5. |
Thomas Do |
(KTM) |
52.011 |
6. |
Josh Varize |
(KTM) |
18 laps |
7. |
Logan Karnow |
(Kaw) |
12.251 |
8. |
Garan Stapleton |
(Hon) |
15.574 |
9. |
Hunter Schlosser |
(Yam) |
18.052 |
10. |
John Short |
(Suz) |
29.006 |
450SX Point Standings (After 16 of 17 rounds)
1. |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
362/7 wins |
2. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
340/4 wins |
3. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
312/3 wins |
4. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
273/1 win |
5. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(Yam) |
249 |
6. |
Jason Anderson |
(Hus) |
236 |
7. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Yam) |
230 |
8. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
218 |
9. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
208/1 win |
10. |
Joey Savatgy |
(KTM) |
190 |
250SX East Point Standings (After 7 of 8 rounds)
1. |
Colt Nichols |
(Yam) |
187/3 wins |
2. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
158/2 wins |
3. |
Christian Craig |
(Yam) |
138/1 win |
4. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
128/2 wins |
5. |
Michael Mosiman |
(GG) |
103 |
6. |
Josh Osby |
(Hon) |
97 |
7. |
Josh Varize |
(KTM) |
91 |
8. |
Thomas Do |
(KTM) |
81 |
9. |
Mitchell Oldenburg |
(Hon) |
74 |
10. |
Logan Karnow |
(Kaw) |
71 |
QUALIFYING
2021 Salt Lake City 1 Supercross Rnd 16 Results: It officially feels like the end is near with the penultimate round of the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series taking place today at Salt Lake City, Utah. Cooper Webb comes into Rice-Eccles Stadium with a solid lead in the premier 450SX class with a 16-point lead over Ken Roczen. Plus, Webb has the momentum right now after winning the last race at Atlanta 3, where he capitalized on a costly mistake by sure winner Roczen late in the race. Webb also qualified ahead of Roczen today, but the Red Bull KTM rider, Webb, did not top the leaderboard, instead, that spot is occupied by Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki), who has a special place in his heart for this venue.
Eli Tomac Up To Speed At Salt Lake City 1 Supercross Qualifying
It was here, less than a year ago that he wrapped up his first Supercross title. Tomac is mathematically still in contention but it appears the 2021 championship will come down to the last race here next week between Webb and Roczen.
Webb, who has multiple wins at this venue, was second quickest overall, followed by Joey Savatgy, Jason Anderson, and Malcolm Stewart. Roczen qualified seventh.
Chase Sexton qualified sixth but he retreated back to the pits during Q2 and did not return after suffering a hard get-off. His status for tonight is unknown at this time.
After a 10-week break, the 250SX East Championship picks back up with Monster Energy/ Star Racing Yamaha teammates resuming their close battle for the championship. Colt Nichols leads Christian Craig by just eight points with two rounds to go. Craig was the top qualifier today but suffered a crash in Q2 and was transported back to the pits with an apparent injury to his lower leg/ankle area. His status for tonight’s race is not known.
Michale Mosiman was number two in qualifying, followed by Jett Lawrence, Nichols, and Jo Shimoda.
The racers are getting used to a more “normal” (much shorter and tighter) track than they faced at the last three rounds in Atlanta. The SLC track doesn’t appear to be too technical and weather conditions are cool, which should provide for good traction for tonight’s racing.
2021 Salt Lake City 1 Supercross Rnd 16 Results
2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship
Round 16
Rice Eccles Stadium
Salt Lake City, Utah
April 24, 2021
Qualifying Results
450SX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
1. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
46.980 |
2. |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
47.058 |
3. |
Joey Savatgy |
(KTM) |
47.171 |
4. |
Jason Anderson |
(Hus) |
47.172 |
5. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Yam) |
47.262 |
6. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
47.282 |
7. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
47.284 |
8. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
47.350 |
9. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
47.457 |
10. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
47.642 |
250SX East Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
1. |
Christian Craig |
(Yam) |
47.564 |
2. |
Michael Mosiman |
(GG) |
47.750 |
3. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
47.906 |
4. |
Colt Nichols |
(Yam) |
47.954 |
5. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
48.332 |
6. |
Thomas Do |
(KTM) |
49.771 |
7. |
Josh Osby |
(Hon) |
50.608 |
8. |
Logan Karnow |
(Kaw) |
50.893 |
9. |
John Short |
(Suz) |
50.991 |
10. |
Josh Varize |
(KTM) |
51.086 |
Monster Energy Supercross/Telecast Schedule
Saturday, January 16 |
Houston (East) |
NBCSN |
6 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, January 19 |
Houston (East) |
NBCSN* |
10:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, January 23 |
Houston (East) |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. ET |
Saturday, January 30 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. ET |
Saturday, January 31 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBC** |
11 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, February 2 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBCSN* |
11 p.m. ET |
Saturday, February 6 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. ET |
Saturday, February 13 |
Orlando (East) |
NBCSN |
7:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, February 20 |
Orlando (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
Saturday, March 6 |
Daytona (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
Saturday, March 13 |
Arlington (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, March 16 |
Arlington (West) |
NBCSN* |
10:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, March 20 |
Arlington (West) |
NBCSN* |
10:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 10 |
Atlanta (West) |
NBC |
3 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 13 |
Atlanta (West) |
NBCSN* |
10 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 17 |
Atlanta (West) |
NBCSN* |
8:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 24 |
Salt Lake City (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
Saturday, May 1 |
Salt Lake City (East/West) |
NBCSN |
10 p.m. ET |
Sunday, May 2 |
Salt Lake City (East/West) |
NBC** |
1:30 p.m. ET |
*Same-day delay
**Taped coverage
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