2017 Anaheim 1 Supercross 250SX Results |
Plessinger and Davalos On the Podium
Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Shane McElrath claimed victory in the first 250SX West main event of the 2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The North Carolina native grabbed a big holeshot and led the entire 15-lap race; he rode unchallenged to take the first win of his career.
“It’s so unreal,” said McElrath. “This is such a great feeling. I’ve been working really hard and this is the first time in a while where I’ve entered the season healthy. We’ll keep working hard and pushing each weekend to be up on the podium.”
Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger came around the first turn in fourth, but quickly made his way past Smartop/MotoConcepts/Honda’s Kyle Chisholm and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Martin Davalos. Plessinger settled into second place.
Although Plessinger made some ground on McElrath as the race wound down, but wasn’t quite close enough to challenge for the win. “The track was good,” Plessinger noted. “It was a kind of soft in practice, but it shaped up really good for the race. I rode my rookie year on the west coast, so it’s good to be back on the hard pack tracks. This was a good start to the season for me with good starts.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Martin Davalos gunned out of the gate coming around the first corner in second place. He was later passed by the hard-charging Plessinger and rounded out the podium in a distant third place. “I haven’t raced West Coast in a long time,” said Davalos. “I struggled a little bit today. I couldn’t find my happy medium. I definitely battled the track; it was pretty slick. We made a lot of changes throughout the day. I tried to get a good start and do my best, but the guys out front were better than me today. I need to do my homework this week and take it one race at a time.”
Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Mitchell Oldenburg got shuffled back on the start, but made several calculated passes to work his way up to fourth place and give the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM team two finishes in the top five for the night. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Justin Hill started mid-pack, but navigated his way to fifth place on the challenging Anaheim One course to round out the top five.
GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin, a favorite in the championship chase this year on a new team for 2017, never got on track after finishing the first lap in 12th place. He worked his way up to 8th by Lap 3, but stalled there. He eventually passed Chisholm Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Dan Reardon to finish sixth, almost 19 seconds off the lead.
Another pre-race favorite, rookie Austin Forkner of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, started in seventh, but wend down in the whoops on Lap 3. Remounting in 16th, he was able to charge through the field and finish eighth behind Reardon.“My first Monster Energy Supercross went pretty well,” said Forkner. “I crossed the line second in my heat which was good experience for me. In the main I didn’t get the start I wanted but was moving forward pretty quickly. A few laps in I was passed in the whoops and had to let off to avoid a collision, which put me in the dirt. I got up, got back in the race and worked my way forward. I threw down the fastest lap of the race and was right on pace with the leaders until the checkers, so all in all I’m pretty happy with my performance.”
GEICO Honda’s Jimmy Decotis, and Smartop/MotoConcepts/Honda’s Kyle Chisholm rounded out the top ten.
Photography by Feld Entertainment
2017 Anaheim 1 Supercross 250SX Results – Round 1
1. Shane McElrath – KTM 250SX-F
2. Aaron Plessinger – Yamaha YZ250F
3. Martin Davalos – Husqvarna FC250
4. Mitchell Oldenburg – KTM 250SX-F
5. Justin Hill – Kawasaki KX250F
6. Jeremy Martin – Honda CRF250R
7. Dan Reardon – Yamaha YZ250F
8. Austin Forkner – Kawasaki KX250F
9. Jimmy Decotis – Honda CRF250R
10. Kyle Chisholm – Honda CRF250R
11. Tyler Bowers – Yamaha YZ250F
12. Chase Marquier – Honda CRF250R
13. Bradley Taft – Yamaha YZ250F
14. Blake Lilly – KTM 250SX-F
15. Killian Auberson – KTM 250SX-F
16. Justin Starling – KTM 250SX-F
17. Phil Nicoletti – Suzuki RM-Z250
18. Cole Martinez – Yamaha YZ250F
19. Zac Commans – Kawasaki KX250F
20. AJ Catanzaro – Yamaha YZ250F
21. Hayden Mellross – Yamaha YZ250F
22. Jon Ames – Yamaha YZ250F
