SLC7 Supercross Results and Coverage: Tomac Takes the Title

After six years in the 450SX class and many close calls, Eli Tomac is the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion. On a hot day in Salt Lake City, where the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team swept the podium, Tomac put in a cautious ride to finish in P5 and easily secure the title. Zach Osborne earned his first career 450SX Main Event win, followed by 2018 Supercross Champion Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson.

“This is just unbelievable,” Tomac said, “especially under all of the circumstances. I just look back at my entire lifetime of riding—the wins, the losses, and overcoming it all with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team. There was a point in time we didn’t know if we would be able to get back to racing, and here we are finishing business. I am so incredibly happy and proud we finally did it, it’s unbelievable.”

Going into the Sunday afternoon finale, Cooper Webb was the only rider who could snatch the title from Tomac. However, Webb would have to win SLC7 to have any chance to win the 2020 championship. Instead, Webb had troubles in the first corner, and only managed a P8 finish. However, that was good enough for Webb to hold his P2 position in the standings over Ken Roczen, who he trailed much of the Main Event.

Roczen got off to a mediocre P8 start after winning his Heat race, and never got on track. Roczen dropped to P10 on lap 2 when he was passed by Tomac and Malcolm Stewart. On lap 8 (of 25), Roczen passed Vince Friese for P9, then got by Justin Hill on lap 13, and a downed Benny Bloss on lap 18. That put Roczen in P7, where he stayed for the rest of the way.

Anderson looked set to win SLC7, as he had opened up a nearly five-second lead over Osborne by lap 20. However, Anderson’s seat fell off, raising his lap times about three seconds per lap. Osborne swooped in to motor by Anderson on lap 22, and Osborne won by over three seconds. Dean Wilson led the first six laps after securing the holeshot. However, Wilson was not able to hold off Anderson and Osborne. Wilson settled into a comfortable P3 slot, earning him his first career 450SX podium. Anderson’s P2 finish moved him into P4 in the final series standing, past Justin Barcia, who struggled in Salt Lake City.

Malcolm Stewart finished in P4, his best result of the year. However, it wasn’t enough for Stewart to hold off Osborne for P6 in the series standings. Osborne and Stewart were tied at 252 points, with Osborne’s win providing him with the tiebreaker.

Tomac did what he had to do. After getting a mid-pack start, he carefully picked his way through the field and finished in a safe P5 position. With Webb never in contention for the win, Tomac didn’t have to finish to win the title. Still, Tomac beat Webb and Roczen—his two primary protagonists—in the final race of the year, even though none of them challenged for the podium. It was a reversal of the rest of the season, which saw the triumvirate of Tomac, Webb, and Roczen take 35 of 51 possible podium positions.

Tomac ended the year with seven wins, more than any other rider, while Webb was on the podium most often—13 times. There were five different winners in 2020—Tomac, Webb, Roczen, Osborne, and Justin Barcia. Nine different riders made the podium this year, with Anderson, Wilson, Blake Baggett, and Adam Cianciarulo joining the winners in top-three positions.

SLC7 is also potentially the final race of two-time Supercross Champion Chad Reed. Reed’s top-ten finish was his best of the year. Reed does allow for the possibility of entering select Supercross races in 2021.

Photography courtesy of Feld Entertainment and Align Media

2020 Salt Lake City 7 Supercross Results, Rice-Eccles Stadium 

1. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)
2. Jason Anderson (Husqvarna)
3. Dean Wilson (Husqvarna)
4. Malcolm Stewart (Honda)
5. Eli Tomac (Kawasaki)
6. Broc Tickle (Suzuki)
7. Ken Roczen (Honda)
8. Cooper Webb (KTM)
9. Justin Hill (Honda)
10. Chad Reed (Honda)
11. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)
12. Justin Brayton (Honda)
13. Tyler Bowers (Kawasaki)
14. Benny Bloss (KTM)
15. Vince Friese (Honda)
16. Blake Baggett (KTM)
17. Martín Dávalos (KTM)
18. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha)
19. Freddie Norén (Suzuki)
20. Justin Barcia (Yamaha)
21. Alex Ray (Kawasaki)
22. Carlen Gardner (Honda) 

2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship Series Final Standings

1. Eli Tomac (Kawasaki), 384 points (7 wins; 12 podiums)
2. Cooper Webb (KTM), 359 (4 wins; 13 podiums)
3. Ken Roczen (Honda), 354 (4 wins; 10 podiums)
4. Jason Anderson (Husqvarna), 287 (5 podiums)
5. Justin Barcia (Yamaha), 272 (1 win; 3 podiums)
6. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna), 252 (1 win; 4 podiums)
7. Malcolm Stewart (Honda), 252
8. Dean Wilson (Husqvarna), 239 (1 podium)
9. Justin Brayton (Honda), 227
10. Justin Hill (Honda), 213
11. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha), 207
12. Blake Baggett (KTM), 200 (1 podium)
13. Martín Dávalos (KTM), 178
14. Vince Friese (Honda), 155
15. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki), 129 (2 podiums)
16. Chad Reed (Honda/KTM), 113
17. Benny Bloss (Yamaha/KTM), 108
18. Tyler Bowers (Kawasaki), 97
19. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha), 85
20. Broc Tickle (Suzuki), 59
21. Kyle Cunningham (Suzuki), 53
22. Ryan Breece (Suzuki), 37
23. Alex Ray (Kawasaki), 33
24. Justin Bogle (KTM), 24
25. Adam Enticknap (Suzuki), 21
26. Chris Blose (Honda), 18
27. Freddie Norén (Suzuki), 11
28. Daniel Herrlein (KTM), 8
29. Ryan Sipes (KTM), 7
30. James Weeks (Yamaha), 7
31. Carlen Gardner (Honda), 7
32. Henry Miller (KTM), 6
33. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki), 4
34. Ronnie Stewart (Husqvarna), 3
35. Jason Clermont (Kawasaki), 3
36. Cade Autenrieth (Honda), 3
37. Mason Kerr (Kawasaki), 2
38. Jerry Robin (Honda), 1
39. Josh Cartwright (Kawasaki), 1
40. Logan Karnow (Kawasaki), 1