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Anderson wins Husqvarna its first AMA Supercross 450 title | News

It was a historic and monumental night for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson and team.

Having never captured a 450SX championship since the brand’s inception 115 years ago, the most prestigious title in the sport was theirs when the checkered flag flew on Saturday for the final round of the 2018 AMA Supercross Championship in Las Vegas. The premier class title marked Jason Anderson’s first in only his fourth season as a 450 rider. The 25-year-old grabbed the red plate at round two with a win and never looked back, outlasting the deeply stacked and talented field.

A successful collaboration between the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team and the Husqvarna Motorcycles engineers, gave birth to the FC 450 Rockstar Edition. Inspired by their dedication to perform at the highest level, this successful collaboration is the foundation that achieved the brand’s first-ever premier Supercross title. In a sport of absolutes that requires exceptional courage, meticulous preparation and unwavering determination, Jason Anderson and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team paved the way to this historic milestone. Our pioneering spirit, powered by the support of our partners, will continue to progress the sport through athlete and machine. With the mindset of always looking ahead, the pioneer seeks the next opportunity to elevate themselves.

With a monumental championship on the line, Anderson took on a conservative approach to the final round. Qualifying third, the newly-crowned 450SX Champion got off to a top-three start in his heat, where he settled into second early on. He maintained his second-place transfer position for the remainder of the heat race, shifting his focus toward the Main Event. Anderson got a top-ten start in the Main Event but he quickly established himself in the fifth-place position early on. He maintained a solid pace for the remainder of the 21-lap Main Event to finish fifth overall on the way to claim his first-ever 450SX title.

“Today was really stressful, but I feel like I handled it really well and came out with the championship,” Anderson said. “I’m so excited. We put our whole lives into this, we’ve been riding dirtbikes for so long and to win this championship, me and my team, it’s the most surreal moment of my life up to this point.”

Jason Anderson

Teammate Zach Osborne also made history as he successfully defended his title and claimed his second-consecutive 250SX East Championship aboard his Husqvarna FC 250. Osborne continued to outsmart the competition and displayed his razor-sharp agility as he experienced continued success and progression the entire season.

Osborne set the tone for the day as top qualifier in the 250SX East division, where he went on to capture a commanding heat race win. As the gate dropped for the 250SX E/W Showdown Main Event, Osborne had trouble getting off the line as he found himself nearly last at the start of the opening lap. Osborne immediately began climbing through the pack to reach a top-ten position by the end of lap one. With a championship mindset, Osborne maintained his seventh-place position to emerge as a two-time 250SX champion as the checkers flew.

“This year has been tough for me. I’ve had to fight every inch for this championship,” Osborne said. “Jordon and the rest of the guys rode really awesome this whole season and gave me a heck of a challenge. This was the hardest one so far, I would say, but it’s amazing to be a three-time champion.”

Las Vegas SX Results

450SX Main Event
1. Eli Tomac
2. Marvin Musquin
3. Blake Baggett
4. Christian Craig
5. Jason Anderson
6. Benny Bloss
7. Weston Peick
8. Dean Wilson
9. Justin Barcia
10. Vince Friese

450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Jason Anderson – 356 points
2. Marvin Musquin – 347 points
3. Eli Tomac – 318 points
4. Blake Baggett – 285 points
5. Justin Brayton – 275 points
6. Weston Peick – 251 points
7. Dean Wilson – 208 points
8. Broc Tickle – 184 points
9. Cooper Webb – 181 points
10. Justin Barcia – 177 points