TROY LEE DESIGNS/RED BULL/GASGAS FACTORY RACING CONCLUDES 2021 AMA SX SERIES IN UTAH.
BARCIA LOCKS IN FOURTH OVERALL IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE 450SX CHAMPIONSHIP.
The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team wrapped up their first-ever AMA Supercross Championship season tonight in Salt Lake City, Utah with all three of the team’s riders under the tent. In the 450SX class, Justin Barcia finished seventh in the Main Event, sealing the deal on fourth-place in the 2021 championship standings. It was a full house in the 250SX class as riders from both the East and West divisions were set to face off in the Main Event, thus lining up teammates Pierce Brown and Michael Mosiman together for the first time all season. It was Brown who came out ahead with a seventh-place finish, while Mosiman suffered a first-turn crash that proved difficult to come back from.
Barcia came into the final round looking for redemption after a rough encounter in Utah last weekend. He qualified ninth earlier in the day but he clicked up a few gears when it came time for the racing program. In the heat, Barcia charged his MC 450F off the line and right into the battle up front. Sitting at the tail-end of a four-rider train, he continued to push and keep himself within striking distance of the top-three guys, ultimately finishing fourth. In the
Main Event, Barcia didn’t get the start he was looking for as he found himself back in 12th on the first lap. He worked hard to break through the field early on, making his way up to ninth about seven laps in. Despite his sense of urgency, Barcia struggled to make passes stick in the first half of the race but he kept on pushing and ultimately picked up two more spots to finish seventh.
Barcia:“I felt good all day and was comfortable on the bike and the track, but finishing seventh wasn’t the way I wanted to end the season. All-in-all it was a solid year, I ended up fourth in the championship. Next year we’ll have some improvements to make but for the first Supercross season with the team, it was really enjoyable and fun and we have a lot more to show for next year, so we’ll keep on plugging along!”
The 250SX schedule showcased an interesting dynamic at the final round as each division had its own respective qualifying sessions and heat races, which then funneled into one combined LCQ and Main Event for the fastest 22 riders of the night. Pierce Brown, the 10th place qualifier in the 250SX West division, didn’t get the best start in his heat race as he began just inside the top-10 on lap one. He picked up the pace and charged his way up to sixth just before halfway and he finished strong in sixth.
For the Main Event, the competition level was at an all-time high with the fastest riders in the nation lining up for a shot at ultimate victory. Brown grabbed a seventh-place start and battled just outside the top-five aboard his MC 250F. Shuffling from sixth to seventh later in the race, Brown ultimately landed in seventh for the night.
Brown:“It was a quiet day for me. I didn’t get the start I needed for the Main Event and it showed in the results, I was just mid-pack the whole race. For the last round, I’m super stoked to get out healthy and ready to go for outdoors.” Representing the 250SX East division, Michael Mosiman came out swinging aboard his MC 250F to claim a second-place qualifying position earlier in the day. He carried that momentum into his heat race, where he got off to a great start and put himself into the lead right away on the opening lap. With a flawless performance, Mosiman led all 10 laps to secure his third heat race victory of the season.
In the Main Event, Mosiman unfortunately got caught up in a first-turn pileup and started the race outside the top 20. He did his best to claw through the pack but with the best of the best from both divisions, it was a tough battle. After 22 laps of fighting, Mosiman ultimately made his way up to 15th to cap off the 2021 season with a top-five finish in the 250SX East Championship despite missing two rounds due to injury.
Mosiman:“What a close to the 2021 Supercross season. It was going well but I had a pretty rough crash yesterday during press and I was a little stressed how I was going to ride today. Thankfully I had an awesome heat race but too bad it wasn’t the main because that’s when it all went wrong. I was in there up front in the turn and just got sandwiched and slingshot, which is a terrible feeling of hitting the ground and getting run over. But that’s part of it and we’ve got another series coming up, so chest up, we’ll start fresh and be in it.”
That concludes the 2021 AMA Supercross Championship, where the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team will look ahead to the second part of the season with the AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the end of the month.
Results – 2021 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 17
450SX – Main Event
1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 29 laps; 2. Marvin Musquin (KTM) +3.556; 3. Chase Sexton (Honda) +5.556…7.Justin Barcia (GASGAS) +16.036
250SX E/W Showdown – Main Event
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 22 laps; 2. Colt Nichols (Yamaha) +1.112; 3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) +5.608…7.Pierce Brown (GASGAS) +22.745; 15. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS)
2021 Championship Standings – Final
450SX
1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 388pts; 2.Ken Roczen (Honda) 353; 3. Eli Tomac (Kawasaki) 326; 4.Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 289
250SX East
1. Colt Nichols (Yamaha) 210pts; 2. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki) 181; 3. Jett Lawrence 177; …5. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 124
250SX West
1. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 194pts; 2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 181; 3. Cameron Mcadoo (Kawasaki) 177; …11. Chris Blose (GASGAS) 88; 12. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) 75
Text/Bild: GasGas