JUSTIN BARCIA TOUGHS OUT A TOP 10 FINISH AT ANAHEIM 2.
PIERCE BROWN FINISHES SECOND IN THE FIRST 250 MAIN.
The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team displayed some flashes of brilliance during the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship season’s second visit to Anaheim, California. This one was a Triple Crown format, with three increasingly tough main events for each class. That challenge proved to be a combo of tough, technical and treacherous for the squad.
450SX
Not all the action that happens at any given Supercross happens during the race night, and a crash during practice set Justin Barcia up for a challenging day at Anaheim 2. But Justin proved up to the task, improving his finishing position aboard his MC 450F Factory Edition in each successive main event, finishing eighth overall after the three mains.
Justin Barcia:„Wooo! A2 was a wild, wild day. I had a really good practice, running up in the top five for a while, but I had a little whiskey throttle incident. I had to bail off and damaged my tailbone pretty good, so it was difficult, but I got better and better as the night went on. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best gate picks and struggled a little, but in the last race, I rode really well. I’m looking forward to getting back on the podium in Texas. The boys did a good job with the bike, and I’m healthy…somewhat…so let’s go!”
250SX West
Continuing his rebound after a tough start to the season, Pierce Brown once again proved that he’s on the gas, qualifying fourth on his MC 250F Factory Edition. The first of the three main events in the Triple Crown format proved to be his highlight of the night, as he grabbed a solid second-place finish. Unfortunately, crashes and collisions in the final two races dropped his overall finish to eighth. Despite that, he still improved his ranking in the 250 West standings by five positions.
Pierce Brown:„The day started off on the right foot. Qualifying was good, and the first main event was great. I just had some bad luck in the second main event. I fell, then collided with another rider and fell again. It was on me. The night kind of went downhill from there. In the final race I had a good start but tangled with the same rider, which cost me a bunch of spots. I’m super-disappointed on the night because I felt like I was riding so well and I was finally riding like I know how to. But I’m just going to roll with the punches and get back to work and be ready when the 250 West resumes in Oakland.”
Next Event (Round 5): February 4, 2023 – NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
Results – 2023 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 4
250SX West – Main Event 1 Results
1. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 12 laps; 2. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) +01.038; 3. Jett Lawrence (Honda) +02.257… 16. Jerry Robin (GASGAS) +52.376; 22. Mitchell Harrison (GASGAS)
250SX West – Main Event 2 Results
1. Stilez Robertson (Yamaha) 11 laps; 2. Levi Kitchen (Yamaha) +02.222; 3. Phil Nicoletti (Yamaha) … 12. Jerry Robin (GASGAS) +32.498; 13. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) +35.141; 14. Mitchell Harrison (GASGAS) +38.385
250SX West – Main Event 3 Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 11 laps; 2. Levi Kitchen (Yamaha) +12.433; 3. Stilez Robertson (Yamaha) +20.786 … 8. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) +35.621; 11. Mitchell Harrison (GASGAS) +45.251; 16. Jerry Robin (GASGAS) +56.553
450SX – Main Event 1 Results
1. Chase Sexton (Honda) 14 laps; 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) +05.190; 3. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) +10.995 … 11. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) +31.215; … 20. Justin Starling (GASGAS)
450SX – Main Event 2 Results
1. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) 14 laps; 2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) +01.589; 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) +03.455 … 8. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) +20.672; 19. Justin Starling (GASGAS)
450SX – Main Event 3 Results
1. Chase Sexton (Honda) 14 laps; 2. Cooper Webb (KTM) +01.234; 3. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) +08.665 … 6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) +15.984; 16. Justin Starling (GASGAS)
Championship Standings – After Round 4
250SX West
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 75 points; 2. Cameron Mcadoo (Kawasaki) 59; 3. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 58 … 12. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) 33; 18. Jerry Robin (GASGAS) 12; 23. Mitchell Harrison (GASGAS) 7; 25. Geran Stapleton 5; 29. Dylan Woodcock (GASGAS) 3
450SX
1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 69 points; 2. Chase Sexton (Honda) 65; 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 65 … 6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 48; 20. Justin Starling (GASGAS) 11
Text/Bild: GasGas