OAKLAND, Calif. — Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson had an emotional return to the top of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross podium after 47 races without a victory for the 2018 series champion.
Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger grabbed his best 450SX class finish with a strong second-place result in front of a crowd of 42,918 that encircled the track inside RingCentral Coliseum. Repeating his third-place finish from the opening round, Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia took third on the night and captured the points lead after two rounds of the 17-round series.
In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Christian Craig followed up his opening round win with his first back-to-back Supercross victories.Â
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo grabbed the Holeshot and held the lead early ahead of a stacked field on the loose and fast Oakland track.
Still recovering from a pre-season shoulder injury, Cianciarulo stayed up front for the first four minutes of the 20-minute plus one lap race before eventually dropping back to finish 12th. It was teammate Jason Anderson, in only his second race on the Kawasaki, who took over the front spot and was never challenged for it. The victory was Anderson’s first win since his championship season in 2018.Â
Plessinger and Barcia both started outside the top five but charged forward. Just past the five-minute mark Plessinger took over second. Before the race’s midpoint Barcia advanced into third.
The two riders would stay close but never challenge one another for a position change. Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Eli Tomac, the 2020 champion, steadily recovered from a mid-pack start. He reached fourth place with just over nine minutes on the clock but was not able to close in to make an attack on Barcia for a podium spot.Â
Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb was following a second-place finish at the opening round but the defending champion was only able to fight up to seventh after a slow start.
Opening round winner Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen started well but got shuffled back outside of the top five. Three and a half minutes into the race the Honda rider got out of shape in the whoops and crashed hard into a berm. Roczen would remount slowly and eventually finish 13th.Â
In Western Regional 250SX class racing, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda nabbed the Holeshot with Christian Craig quickly on his rear fender and applying early pressure. Two minutes into the 15-minute plus one lap race, Shimoda stalled the bike and Craig slipped past. Two more minutes into the race Shimoda crashed hard in the whoops and dropped back to eventually finish in seventh.
Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence steadily moved through the pack to earn second place. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker took another 2022 podium finish with third.