Monster Energy Supercross from Atlanta

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA — February 29, 2020

The Monster Energy Supercross Series visited Atlanta and the battle for the points lead among the 450SX riders continues to boil. The third week of 250SX East events has begun to shape up the leader board as the best young talent is rising to the top. It was an exciting weekend of racing heading into the much anticipated AMA Supercross visit to Daytona International Speedway this week.

250SX

After missing all of 2019 healing from a broken back, Jeremy Martin(6) returned to the 250SX East circuit to score a victory in his heat race. He outran Shane McElrath(12) the series points, leader tied with Sexton, to take the win.

In Heat #2 RJ Hampshire(24) and last year’s East champion Chase Sexton(1E) were back on the track together after last week’s physical encounter. Hampshire took the holeshot with Sexton close behind. Sexton worked his way past his rival and rode away. Hampshiredropped back into a battle for second with Jordan Smith(54) exchanging the position until Smith grabbed the spot for good on the final lap.

In the Main event, Hampshire again grabbed the holeshot while Sexton and McElrath swapped the second and third positions. Sexton eventually prevailed and set off to catch Hampshire. Approaching a corner, Sexton spotted an opening and rode past Hampshire giving him a little bump in the process.

Hampshire hit a tough block knocking it out of place and Martin crashed over the top of the same block resulting in a 19th place finish. With the win, Sexton wrestled the points lead away from McElrath and will carry the red plate into Daytona.

250SX Results Atlanta

(HS) Holeshot winner

250SX Points Standings

450SX

Ken Roczen(94) gave notice that he is not going to let Eli Tomac(3) ride away with the 450SX championship. Taking the holeshot and pulling away for an easy win in Heat #1. Tomac handled Heat #2 in a similar fashion. Setting up a head-to-head matchup for the Main Event. Defending 450SX champion, Cooper Webb(1) came back from a bad crash in the 2nd heat to place third and keep his hopes of catching Roczen and Tomac alive.

In the Main Event is was all Roczen as he earned the holeshot and rode away from the field. Tomac was mired back in the pack on the start and faced a tough fight to get back to the leaders. Tomac and Justin Barcia(51) traded bumps as they battled for position. then Tomac has a collision with Blake Baggett(4) that sends both riders off their bikes and into the red Georgia clay. The incident leaves Tomac in 14th place and it appears his hold on the red plate is going to slip away.

Webb also has a bad start and is mired in 10th place early in the moto. Barcia powers his way to a second-place finish behind Roczen. Both Webb and Tomac put on a late rally passing bikes right to the finish line where Webb takes the final podium spot with Tomac placing fourth.

Tomac’s hectic run to the checkered flag earned him enough points to retain the point leader’s red plate. But, he is tied with Roczen at 200 points for the season. Barcia sits in third with 177 and Cooper is fourth with 176. Both are going to need to string together some wins to get back in the championship chase. Tomac and Roczen head to Daytona to see which one will ride away with the points lead after the premier event of the season.

450SX Results Atlanta

450SX Points Standings