Monster Energy Kawasaki's Eli Tomac rode flawlessly to earn his fourth win of the season at the fourteenth round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
The fourteenth round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship was a major game changer for points leaders across the board as 54,703 fans in attendance at Nissan Stadium were brought to their feet as Kawasaki swept the podium in both classes at the inaugural visit to the state of Tennessee. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac rode flawlessly to earn his fourth win of the season while Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Martin Davalos also collected his first win of the 2019 Eastern Regional 250SX class season.
Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb snagged the holeshot in the 450SX Class Main Event and catapulted to the front while teammate Marvin Musquin caught up for a short-lived battle before entering a rut in the whoops crooked which shot him off the track, causing him to fall to the back of the pack. This mistake left Webb untouched in the lead and allowed Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy and Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen to slide into podium position. Savatgy then slid on the slick dirt which caused Roczen, the fastest 450SX Class Qualifier to get hooked in his rear wheel on the ground and crash over the berm onto the opposing section of track and into on-coming traffic; sending both Roczen and Savatgy out of podium positions and back to 21st and 22nd place respectively.
With more than half the race to go, Webb was passed by Tomac for the lead, where Tomac would stay for the remainder of the race. Team Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM WPS’ Blake Baggett followed in suit, battling Webb for the second-place step on the podium. Baggett advanced by passing Webb where he stayed for the remainder of the race. Last week’s third place finisher, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Dean Wilson, stayed consistent with a respectable fourth place just off the podium. Musquin was able to get up after his crash and finish sixth while Roczen finished in eighth. Tomac’s win in Nashville has earned him enough points to now be tied with Musquin in the overall standings with 288 points, 21 points behind leader, Cooper Webb. Tomac is the first rider since Ryan Dungey in February of 2013 to win the LCQ and the Main Event on the same night.
When asked about his journey through the heat race where he obtained a DNF due to mechanical problems, to winning the LCQ, to winning the Main Event, Tomac explained, “I’m kind of at a loss for words right now, really. Qualifying was not so good today. I was a little behind and not my normal self. Then, was leading the Heat Race and don’t know what happened and went to the LCQ and got through that. I had some fortune with those crashes [Musquin and Roczen], but overall felt good through the whole Main and that’s the most important thing. Thanks to everyone for sticking together”.
Cooper Webb explained the tribulations he faced throughout the day, stating, “It was a tough day, not going to lie. I struggled all day, to be honest… I am just happy to be up here to be honest. I was terrible in the whoops and that was this race track. I think as everyone can see I was a fish out of water in those things; I am going to get to work on that this week, it’s ridiculous. We are going to get better and just keep plugging away.”
450SX Class Results
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
2. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
4. Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna
6. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
7. Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda
8. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda
9. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM
10. Tyler Bowers, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Kawasaki
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (309)
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (288)
3. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM (288)
4. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (267)
5. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (238)
6. Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (220)
7. Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda (176)
8. Joey Savatgy, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki (174)
9. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha (154)
10. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Suzuki (151)