2013 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
GEICO Honda rider Eli Tomac claimed his fourth victory of the season Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium, beating rival Ken Roczen (KTM) to the finish line to close to within 17 points in the championship standings.
It was a timely result for Tomac as the 250SX West tour heads into a nine-week break before resuming April 20 in Seattle. Teammate Zach Osborne had another strong showing, finishing seventh overall.
Eli Tomac (GEICO Honda CRF250R Supercross) says: “It’s always nice to get a win, no matter when it happens, but to get another one before a really long break like we’ve got coming up here is nice. We gained a few points on Roczen but still have a lot to do in the final three races of the season to defend our title.”
A two-time winner this year, Roczen has finished second to Tomac in all four of his victories. Tomac’s deficit in the points came after a rare DNF in Oakland.
Eli Tomac says: “I enjoyed myself tonight. I really liked this track. It was fun to ride. The only sketchy part was the whoops and I was getting lazy through there towards the end of the race but I saw that I had a big enough lead that I didn’t need to push it. Everything worked out well.”
Riding freely for the first time since injuring his shoulder in Phoenix, Osborne was quick throughout the day. His start in the main was the only bungle, and it cost him early in the 15-lap event. He is currently sixth overall in the points race.
Zach Osbourne (GEICO Honda CRF250R Supercross) says: “I felt strong all day and liked the way I was riding but once again the result wasn’t as good as I wanted. I’m going to use this break to regroup and work on my starts so I can finish out the last three races with some podium finishes. I also plan on working on some outdoor stuff.
“I’ll go back to the doctor and have my shoulder reexamined to make sure everything is right. I want to be 100 percent when we start racing again.”
The AMA Monster Energy Supercross series now shifts to the East with riders Wil Hahn, Zach Bell and Justin Bogle set to represent the GEICO Honda brand at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
