Features 6 Mar 2021

Racefeed: 2021 Supercross Rd9 Daytona

Direct updates from round ninth of the season at Daytona International Speedway.

Follow the ninth round of the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Championship with direct updates from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona through Racefeed.

Image: Octopi Media.

250SX West qualifying:
Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) has picked up where he left off in Orlando, leading both qualifying sessions to start the day. He finished the second session on top of the timesheets with a 1:08.913s lap, followed by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo with a 1:09.539s lap. Rounding out the top three in the afternoon sessions was Garrett Marchbanks (ClubMX Yamaha), completing a replica of the top three from the Orlando 2 main event. Fourth place went to Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) who clocked a 1:10.142s lap, as Hunter Lawrence took the final spot in the top five with a 1:10.486s. Jordan Bailey was the first rider in the 1:11s range in sixth, followed by Stilez Robertson with a 1:11.151s. Eighth went to Ty Masterpool (GasGas) who logged a 1:11.397s, while Jordon Smith returned to the track after a race-ending crash in Orlando to take ninth. The final spot in the top 10 went to Chris Blose (GasGas) with a 1:11.457. Ryan Sipes (TLD Red Bull GasGas) made his first appearance in supercross taking 11th and was followed by his teammate Pierce Brown in 12th. Alex Martin (Yamaha) also returned following his crash in Orlando to take 14th.

450SX qualifying:
Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen finished the afternoon on top of the leaderboards in the 450SX class with a 1:08.019s lap, ahead of Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) who clocked a 1:08.129s. The final spot in the top three went to Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) logging a 1:08.260s. Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) took fourth followed by his teammate Marvin Musquin who rounded out the top five with a 1:08.613s. Sixth went to Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) who’s returning from injury after six rounds off due to injury. Jason Anderson continued his run of solid form over the last few weeks, ending the session seventh with a 1:08.927s. The first rider in the 1:09s range was Aaron Plessinger (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) followed by teammate Malcolm Stewart with his 1:09.218s lap. Justin Barcia’s(TLD Red Bull GasGas) 1:09.223s lap gave him the final spot in the top 10.

250SX West heat one:
Jalek Swoll (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) grabbed the holeshot but Hammaker took over quickly with Brown and Joey Crown (ClubMX Yamaha) rounding out the top five. McAdoo recovered from a first corner incident by the end of the first lap to take the second spot. A battle then ensued for the third spot as Crown and Brown got by Swoll swapping positions a few times. McAdoo then capitalized on a great run through the finish line section to pass Hammaker for the lead with just under three minutes left in the race. Brown put a move on Crown to take over the three spot, Crown spun out trying to counter and dropped all the way back to the final transfer spot in ninth to battle with Blose. McAdoo stretched out to a five-second lead, eventually taking the win followed by Hammaker and Brown rounding out the top three. Fourth went to Bailey with Martin in fifth. Rookie Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) took sixth followed by Swoll, Coty Schock (Honda) and Blose rounding out the transfer spots. Crown will head to the LCQ after his incident earlier in the race.

250SX West heat two:
Lawrence jumped out to a great start, grabbing the holeshot just ahead of Smith. Just behind them was Mitchell Harrison in third. Sipes was attempting to get up the inside of Harrison, cutting down early on the corner and subsequently getting hit by Hardy Munoz (Yamaha). A crash between Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Jarrett Frye and Brayton Carroll (Yamaha) then caused a red flag. On the restart, it was Jordon smith first to the first corner but Lawrence quickly grabbed the lead and picked up right where he left off. Cooper was buried again off the start back in ninth place. Lawrence, smith Cedric Soubeyras (GasGas) and Harrison took the top five followed by Sipes after one lap. Sipes made the move into fourth and was quickly followed by Robertson who got into fifth. A charging cooper worked his way into sixth with just under three minutes to go. A battle ensued for third, with Spies all over Harrison and the duo of Robertson and Cooper all over him. Harrison’s bike cut off, ending his race, while Robertson and Cooper quickly got by Sipes. Meanwhile, out front Lawrence cruised to victory over Smith by just over six seconds. Third went to Robertson with Cooper and Sipes rounding out the top five. Marchbanks recovered from a rough start to take sixth while Soubeyras, Mumford and Frye rounded out the final transfer spots.

450SX heat one:
Sexton looked to have the holeshot but goes to the outside in the second turn allowing Webb and a host of others to get by. When it shook out it was Webb, Barcia, Plessinger, Vince Friese (MotoConcepts Honda), and Broc Tickle (MotoConcepts Honda) in the top five. Plessinger began to apply pressure on Barcia who put an aggressive move on him early in the race. Barcia made a mistake allowing Plessinger to take over the two spot. Sexton worked his way through the pack and into fourth with three minutes to go, setting a solid pace. Ferrandis worked his way into the top nine after a tough start, while up front Plessinger set out on a terror after Webb, clocking the fastest lap of the race and closing up on Webb with a minute to go. Plessinger got close, but ultimately it was Webb taking the checkers just in front of him. Barcia took third with Sexton and Ferrandis in the top five. Friese was sizth with Tickle, Anstie and Savatgy rounding out the top nine.

450SX heat two:
Roczen grabbed the holeshot followed by Mitchell Oldenburg, Stewart, Brandon Hartranft, and Musquin, with Tomac just behind. Anderson went wide at the start and slid out in the grass off the start. Oldenburg hit the ground in the sand, with Stewart and Tomac sliding by to take second and third with three minutes to go. Just behind them was Benny Bloss (MotoConcepts Honda) in the fifth spot getting pressured by Justin Bogle (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM). Stewart maintained the pace of Roczen, keeping him within a second with a minute to go. Deeper in the pack, Anderson recovered and got himself into the top nine with two laps to go. Roczen cruised on to a win by just under five seconds over Stewart, with Tomac, Musquin, and Bogle taking the top five spots. Bloss held on for sixth followed by Davalos, Anderson, and Hartranft in the final transfer positions.

250SX West LCQ:
The start went to Crown followed by Ty Masterpool, Ryan Surratt (Kawasaki), and Munoz. Crown slipped out to a slight advantage as Munoz got into second and began to chase the leader. As the red flag came out, Munoz hit the side of the over-under bridge. As they got back underway it was Masterpool with the jump but Crown swept up the inside followed by Munoz, Harrison, and Jerry Robin (Husqvarna). Crown hit the ground hard on the second lap, bringing out the second red flag. The third restart saw Masterpool get another great start, this time going to the inside and taking the lead. Munoz was again in second with Colton Eigenmann (Yamaha) and Surratt in the transfer spots. Robin put the pressure on Surratt for the final transfer spots early as Harrison attempted to recover from a start that saw him enter the second lap in seventh. The battle raged as Surratt caught Eigenmann, with Robin and Harrison all over the back of them. Eigenmann hit the ground, collecting Robin and giving some breathing room to Surratt and Harrison. Robbie Wageman was just outside of the transfer spots with two to go in fifth, while at the front, Munoz put a pass on Masterpool for the lead. Munoz went on to take the win with Masterpool, Harrison, and Surratt all punching their tickets to the main event.

450SX LCQ:
Kevin Moranz (KTM) jumps out to the lead with Clason, Jeremy Smith (Kawasaki), and Oldenburg in the top four spots. Kyle Chisholm has a moment and drops out of the top five. Wilson recovers and gets into third after a rough start by the end of lap two. Clason took the lead from Moranz and Oldenburg slips by into second. Wilson has a moment and drops back to fourth after getting inside the top three. Wilson and Chisholm get by Moranz dropping him outside the top four and into the clutches of Bowers and Starling. The duo dropped Moranz and set out for Chisholm for the final transfer spot. Up front, Wilson and Oldenburg got by Clason, Oldenburg setting out to over a one-second lead with a lap left. Wilson closed the gap and made the pass through the whoops and he’d go on to take the win. Oldenburg grabbed second, with Clason and Chisholm taking the final transfer spots. Shane Mcelrath set the fastest lap of the race but unfortunately missed the main event.

250SX West main event:
Off the line, it was Robertson, Martin, Schock, Lawrence, and Hammaker in the top five. Cooper and Marchbanks hit the ground in the opening lap and were dead last at the start of the race.  McAdoo worked his way into the top five quickly after a decent start saw him down near tenth, just as Lawrence fell in the sand, dropping him down the order to eighth. As Cooper made his way into the top 10 with 12 minutes to go, he had a moment nearly crashing a dropping down the order to 13th. At the halfway point, Robertson stretched out a two-second lead as McAdoo made his way into second. Swoll and Brown battled for fifth with seven minutes to go, as Marchbanks and Cooper began to work their way toward them. Swoll went off track missing the triple and dropping him to eighth. McAdoo closed in and got by Robertson with just under five minutes to go, as Schock continued to maintain a podium position in third. Brown and Marchbanks overtook Martin for the final two spots in the top five, the duo setting their sights on Schock. Brown made the pass quick and took off while Cooper closed in on Schock and Marchbanks. As the clock dropped under two minutes, Marchbanks and Cooper got around Schock. Cooper got around Marchabnks and quickly closed on the back of Brown with just two laps to go, setting up a battle for the final podium position on the final lap. McAdoo would go on to grab the first victory of his career with Robertson in second taking his first podium. Brown would hang on to take the final spot on the podium with Cooper and Marchbanks salvaging points in fourth and fifth. Lawrence recovered well after his crash to take sixth, with Martin dropping back from the top five into seventh on the night. Swoll managed to keep it in the top 10 after his incident, taking eighth while Schock ended the night with a career-best in ninth after running much of the race inside the top three. Smith finished in 10th with his teammate Hammaker just behind in 11th.

450SX main event:
Getting the holeshot was Roczen but Webb drifted wide and blocked the line, letting Tomac through to lead the first lap. Plessinger slid into third with SExton Stewart, Musquin, and Roczen in the top seven spots. Tomac set sail, getting out to a two-second lead early on. Roczen began making moves and got around Stewart and Musquin in the same lap. He continued his work later in the lap, getting around his teammate Sexton for fourth. Out front, Plessinger began pressuring Webb and sent it through the whoops and over the jump that followed to get side by side with 15 minutes left. Webb got back around, but Plessinger snuck by on the inside in the sand, making the pass stick. He went on to stretch out a two-second gap over Webb in the next two laps, sitting just three seconds behind Tomac in for the lead. Barcia worked his way through following a rough start into seventh passed Sexton, Anderson making his way past a straightaway later. As the race entered the second half, Tomac maintained just shy of a three-second gap over Plessinger, while Roczen caught Webb and attempted a pass up the inside. The pass doesn’t stick and Webb just edges a slight advantage in the next few sections. Stewart closed on Roczen as the two battled inching within a second of the duo. Roczen again began asking questions of Webb, switching up lines, looking for a way around. With five minutes left, Roczen made a mistake in a rhythm section, allowing Stewart to get past and Musquin to close up on the back of him. With two minutes to go, Tomac led by just over five seconds over Plessinger, with Webb four seconds arrears in third. Roczen made a pass on Stewart with a minute and 30 seconds to go and set out after Webb. Musquin’s night took a terrible turn, the Red Bull KTM rider ending up in the mechanic’s area and dropping down the leaderboard. With a lap to go, Roczen closed up on Webb, but out front, it was Tomac taking a wire to wire victory. As he crossed the line, Webb found his way around Plessinger for second place, leaving Roczen to take fourth. Fifth went to Stewart, as Barcia recovered to take sixth. Anderson took seventh with Sexton’s return to the series ending in eighth. Ninth went to Bogle for his best finish of the season. Rounding out the top 10 was Wilson, a great finish after making the main event through the LCQ. Tickle, unfortunately, crashed out, no update on any injuries there. Musquin’s had a top 10 in his grasp but ended the night in 21st.

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