Supercross Houston Round 2 Goes to Eli Tomac

NRG Stadium, Houston, TX — January 19, 2021

Round 2 of the 2021 AMA Supercross season returns to NRG Stadium in Houston. Justin Barcia(51) is looking to back up his historic win on Saturday night. While Eli Tomac(1) wants to get his title defense on track after the disappointing 13th place finish he posted in Round 1.

250 SX

It did not take the 250 SX East riders long to mix it up in Heat 1 on their 2nd night of competition. Colt Nichols(64) launched out of the starting gate to take the holeshot. As Austin Forkner(38) was getting bumped off the track in the 1st turn, dropping his bike, resulting in starting the moto from the rear of the pack.

Forkner managed to work his way into the Top 9 to avoid the last chance qualifier, finishing 4th. Nichols could not keep the lead as Michael Mosiman(42) took the heat win.

In Heat 2, Jett Lawrence(18) grabbed the holeshot. Saturday’s 250 SX Main winner Christian Craig(29) settled into 2nd after taking an early run at the lead. Lawrence fought off the early challenge and slowly built his advantage, leading start to finish for his first AMA Supercross heat win.

250 SX Main Event

Jett Lawrence served notice that he is a rider to be reckoned with in the 250 SX East class this season. The 17-year old, in just his 8th AMA Supercross event, rode away from the field to capture his first win. Lawrence showed the aggressive riding form that generated so much buzz during 2020, coming back from his season-ending collarbone injury.

RJ Hampshire(24) and Forkner were battling for 2nd and 3rd when they collided halfway through the event. Forkner recovered to finish 6th, but Hampshire faded to 17th. Nichols finished 2nd and Saturday’s winner, Craig took the final podium position.

With his 3rd place finish, Craig maintained his points lead, Nichols is three points back in  2nd, and Lawrence moved into 3rd, one point back of Nichols.

250 SX East Main Event

250 SX East Points Standings

450 SX

Marvin Musquin(25), looking to prove his 3rd place finish Saturday was no fluke, fired off at the gate drop in the 450 SX class Heat 1. Unfortunately, a red flag took the advantage away after a big crash in Turn 1. On the restart, Chase Sexton(23) nosed out front and rode away from Musquin in 2nd.

Sexton, last year’s 250 SX East champion, earned his 1st 450 SX heat win. Dylan Ferrandis(14), the 250 SX West champion in 2020, passed Musquin for 2nd place to give the big bike rookies a 1-2 finish.

Heat 2 had Barcia showing the form that resulted in his victory in Round 1. Leading from the start, Barcia took the checkered flag unchallenged. Local rider, Broc Tickle(20), ran in the 3rd position early. But trouble caught up with the Holly, MI native and he finished out of the Top 9 and into the 450 SX last chance qualifier. Tomac finished 4th but did not ride with the dominance expected from the defending champion.

Tickle fought his way into the Main Event with a 3rd place finish in the 450 SX LCQ.

450 SX Main Event

Chase Sexton powered to the early lead at the drop of the gate in the 450 SX Main. Saturday’s winner, Justin Barcia(51), got squeezed among several riders on both of the opening turns and had to back out of the throttle to avoid collisions. He could never recover and only managed a 9th place finish. Adam Cianciarulo(9), off to a good start settled into 2nd. While defending champion Tomac ran 3rd.

Problems vexed the leaders starting with Cianciarulo, who dropped his bike in the sand section of the track, costing him a chance to post in the Top 10. Two laps later Sexton got twisted up in the same area and was thrown off the bike landing hard on his back. The 450 SX class rookie was unable to continue but walked off the track in obvious pain.

After inheriting the lead, Tomac did what a champion must do. He ran a solid, mistake-free race. Zach Osborne(16) closed to within a second of the leader until going down in the last minute of the timed portion of the moto. He finished 10th.

Ferrandis outlasted the rest of the field and took the 2nd spot. Justin Brayton(10), grabbed the 3rd spot. Broc Tickle, coming out of the LCQ finished a respectable 13th.

Barcia barely held on to the points lead with a two-race total of 40. Ferrandis took over 2nd with 39 points. Brayton and Musquin are tied for 3rd at 38. Ken Roczen(94) and Tomac fall in line, each a point behind, in 5th and 6th respectively.

450 SX Main Event

450 SX Points Standings