March 24, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Cianciarulo Moves Into Third in Championship With Runner-Up Finish in Indy

All of the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki riders came together for the first time this year for an East/West Showdown. Adam Cianciarulo battled through the pack to make it up to the runner-up spot, which pushed him into third in the Western Regional 250SX Championship. Austin Forkner made up a point in his Eastern Regional 250SX Championship effort after finishing sixth, while Joey Savatgy overcame a fall early in the race to make it up to 10th.

Adam Cianciarulo

Lucas Oil Stadium was host to the first of two East/West Showdown races and after six weeks off Cianciarulo was fired up to prove the time off was time well spent. The Floridian won his heat race and got a nice jump off the start to be one of the first into the sharp 180 degree turn. After the chaos of the first lap was complete, Cianciarulo was in eighth and quickly passing riders. He made it into fourth by the fifth lap and wasn't done, making a great last lap pass for second.

"Everyone was bringing up my string of crashes in practice and I just looked at it as something in the past," said Cianciarulo. "It's something I have to learn from and be able to put out of my mind as we go into the night race. I won the heat and pushed really hard in the main event to get that second place. I have a great team of people behind me, always helping me see failure - like the crashes - as something that can motivate me to do better. I can't wait to be back in a few weeks."

Austin Forkner

Unlike his teammates, Forkner has been lining up for a race every Saturday for the past month and a half. It showed with a win in his heat race and good outlook for the main event. Forkner didn't get the start he was looking for in ninth, and despite the stacked field was able to work his way forward and finish sixth.

"I didn't get the start I wanted to in the main and that hurt me getting to the front and challenging for the win," said Forkner. "The track was tough and there were a lot of fast guys out there in front of me. It wasn't where I wanted to finish, but it's time to get a few weeks off and come back fresh and ready to battle for some wins."

Joey Savatgy

Savatgy was showing steady speed all day and it translated into the night show with a fourth-place finish in his heat race. On the main event start, he was able to make it through the first turn pile up and come across the green flag opening lap in sixth. He was working his way forward when he went down, taking him some time to get up which pushed him back to 13th. Savatgy would be able to make it up to 10th and salvage as many points as possible with three rounds remaining.

"We weren't able to capitalize tonight like we had hoped but if I've learned anything from the past, the championship isn't over until the final lap of the last race," said Savatgy. "We get to lineup again in two weeks and I'm looking forward to getting another chance to be up at the front."

250SX Class Showdown Main Event Results - Indianapolis

1. Jeremy Martin (Honda)
2. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)
3. Luke Renzland (Yamaha)
4. Jordon Smith (KTM)
5. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)
6. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki)
7. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)
8. Kyle Peters (Suzuki)
9. Phil Nicoletti (Suzuki)
10. Joey Savatgy (Kawasaki)

250SX Class Western Region Points Standings

1. Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha, 151
2. Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki, 142
3. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki, 139
4. Shane McElrath, KTM, 127
5. Chase Sexton, Honda, 109
6. Christian Craig, Honda, 106
7. Justin Hill, Suzuki, 105
8. Kyle Chisholm, Yamaha, 95
9. Mitchell Harrison, Husqvarna, 84
10. Hayden Mellross, Husqvarna, 68

250SX Class Eastern Region Points Standings

1. Zach Osborne, Husqvarna, 131
2. Austin Forkner, Kawasaki, 124
3. Jordon Smith, KTM, 121
4. Jeremy Martin, Honda, 119
5. Luke Renzland, Yamaha, 92
6. Kyle Peters, Suzuki, 85
7. Sean Cantrell, KTM, 59
8. RJ Hampshire, Honda, 57
9. Brandon Hartranft, Yamaha, 57
10. Colt Nichols, Yamaha, 54

 

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March 17, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Forkner Endures Tough Race to Finish In The Top-Five

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner proved his resolve for chasing his first career championship inside The Dome at America's Center after overcoming a fall and a mishap with a lapper to finish fifth. He now sits eight points back with an interesting East/West Showdown next weekend in Indianapolis. Teammate Martin Davalos was quick throughout the day, but went down during the main event and was scored 22nd.

Austin Forkner

Two-time winner Forkner has been able to rise above the pressure and win races in only his second season racing supercross. He was able to get a great jump on the start and powered through to the lead on the opening lap. Around halfway through the race as the lead riders got into lappers, the clear track was suddenly crowded and a small mistake from Forkner cost him a few positions as he went back to fifth. He quickly was making up time, but another lapper forced him to fall and stall the bike. Undeterred and knowing each position counted, Forkner pushed as much as he could to make it back into the top-five. With four rounds remaining and two East/West showdowns coming up, Forkner is confident he can make up the points lost in St. Louis.

"It was a frustrating night for sure, but it's one thing to dwell on what could have been and another to turn our focus to a great opportunity next weekend with the showdown," said Forkner. "I made mistakes and then I also was involved in mistakes not my own doing, but everyone has their bad days and I'm hoping this is the worst I will encounter as we keep pushing forward toward the end goal."

Martin Davalos

Davalos has had great luck in the past with rides in St. Louis and it was starting out to be a great night after taking second in his heat race. Like his teammate, he got out to a great start and settled into fourth early. As he was trying to push his way forward, Davalos went down and was forced to retire early, being credited 22nd. He will take the week to evaluate and see if he'll be able to line up on Saturday in Indianapolis.

250SX Class Main Event Results - St. Louis, Missouri

1. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)
2. Jeremy Martin (Honda)
3. Jordon Smith (KTM)
4. Kyle Peters (Suzuki)
5. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki)
6. Brandon Hartranft (Yamaha)
7. Luke Renzland (Yamaha)
8. Michael Mosiman (Husqvarna)
9. Sean Cantrell (KTM)
10. Thomas Ramette (Yamaha)

 

22. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki)

250SX Class Eastern Region Points Standings

1. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna), 115
2. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki), 107
3. Jordon Smith (KTM), 102
4. Jeremy Martin (Honda), 93
5. Luke Renzland (Yamaha), 71
6. Kyle Peters (Suzuki), 70
7. RJ Hampshire (Honda), 57
8. Sean Cantrell (KTM), 56
9. Colt Nichols (Yamaha), 54
10. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki), 53

 

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March 10, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Forkner Moves Into a Tie For The Points Lead

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner landed back on the podium for the third straight week and the result of his hard work pushed him into a tie for the points lead. Forkner will be running the red plate next weekend in St. Louis after a strong third-place showing. Martin Davalos tied his season-best finish of fifth and climbed up to eighth in the points standings.

Austin Forkner

On the heels of back-to-back wins, Forkner started the day as the top qualifier. He would finish third in his heat race, giving him a good gate pick to tackle the tough 180 degree first turn. The Kawasaki of Forkner was at the front when the riders cleared the turn and he tried to settle in for a demanding race. Forkner was running a solid race but unable to close the small gap to the leader, settling for third.

"I tried to run with those guys at the start and push really hard but I wasn't able to bridge the gap," said Forkner. "I got a little tight and had to settle back in to make sure I was hitting my lines because the track was pretty tough and changing a lot. My goal has been to be consistent and I've been able to do that the past few races, putting me in a good position with the points."

Martin Davalos

Davalos had a lot of great moments last weekend in Atlanta and tried to draw upon those moments as he took to the track in Daytona. He started the night off with a good showing in the heat race, finishing second. That helped him get a good start in the main event, starting the race off in seventh. Davalos worked hard to get up to the front-runners, making it as high as fourth place before eventually finishing fifth.

"It's been a tough opening four rounds so it's nice to be able to tie my best finish and overcome from an up and down weekend," said Davalos. "I'm ready to put myself on the podium and representing Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki at the front of the pack."

250SX Class Main Event Results - Daytona Beach, Florida

1. Jordon Smith (KTM)
2. Jeremy Martin (Honda)
3. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki)
4. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)
5. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki)
6. Kyle Peters (Suzuki)
7. Sean Cantrell (KTM)
8. Brandon Hartranft (Yamaha)
9. Ramylier Alves (Yamaha)
10. Luke Renzland (Yamaha)

250SX Class Eastern Region Points Standings

1. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki), 89
2. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna), 89
3. Jordon Smith (KTM), 81
4. Jeremy Martin (Honda), 70
5. RJ Hampshire (Honda), 57
6. Luke Renzland (Yamaha), 55
7. Colt Nichols (Yamaha), 54
8. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki), 52
9. Kyle Peters (Suzuki), 51
10. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki), 49

 

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March 4, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Forkner Earns Back-To-Back Wins with Triple Crown Victory

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner made a last lap pass in the final main event race to win his first triple crown and take back-to-back wins at the first-ever supercross inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The win also kept the streak alive for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki as the only team with wins in the special format - Joey Savatgy won the first triple crown race in Anaheim. Forkner now sits just two points back of the championship leader. Teammate Martin Davalos had several shining moments including a win in the second main event. His 8-1-17 results scored Davalos eighth overall.

Austin Forkner

All eyes were on the young gun Forkner after taking his first-career victory last weekend in Tampa. The three-race format meant that starts would be critical and Forkner was able to lock down three good starts to put himself in contention. In Main Event 1, he got a decent start but was forced to push his way through the pack from sixth to finish fourth. He really took charge of the start in Main Event 2 when he got out front early and led nearly every lap before finishing second.

With the overall on the line, Main Event 3 was chaotic after Forkner got a mid-pack start but was quickly pushing his way to the front. He had time on his side with the final race being the longest. As he entered the final lap, Forkner sat second overall but a last-lap pass pushed him into a tie for the overall with Forkner winning the tie-breaker and taking the win.

"The format is really fast and it makes that final race pretty crazy," said Forkner. "We did know where we needed to be in that final race to end up on the podium or get a win, but I saw my mechanics' pit board with two laps to go and knew I needed to get by the rider in front of me. It's really cool to take the win and make up even more points. There is a lot of racing left and I think I'm really going to like Daytona."

Martin Davalos

Davalos had an up and down night with a lot of great moments. In Main Event 1, he was out front for the first several laps before going down. He quickly got up and still finished eighth. Main Event 2 was very solid for Davalos who charged from third to finish with the win. He put himself in contention for the win when he started second in Main Event 3, but went off the track after the whoops and it took some time to get going again. His 17th-place finish in the final race pushed him down to finish eighth. With all the chaos and Davalos' win in Main Event 2, he moved up to 10th in the overall points.

"Today was such a rollercoaster for me and I felt like I had the speed to win or at least be up on the podium," said Davalos. "The track was really tricky and I know I wasn't the only one who had issues throughout the night, but I need to try and execute because I want to win for the team."

250SX Class Main Event Results - Atlanta, Georgia

1. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki), 4-2-3
2. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna), 1-3-5
3. Jordon Smith (KTM), 3-4-6
4. RJ Hampshire (Honda), 7-5-4
5. Jeremy Martin (Honda), 6-10-1
6. Colt Nichols (Yamaha), 5-11-2
7. Kyle Peters (Suzuki), 11-7-7
8. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki), 8-1-17
9. Brandon Hartranft (Yamaha), 12-8-9
10. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki), 9-14-8

250SX Class Eastern Region Points Standings

1. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna), 70
2. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki), 68
3. RJ Hampshire (Honda), 57
4. Jordon Smith (KTM), 55
5. Colt Nichols (Yamaha), 54
6. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki), 47
7. Jeremy Martin (Honda), 47
8. Luke Renzland (Yamaha), 42
9. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 34
10. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki), 34

 

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February 25, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Forkner Wins And Moves Into Second Overall

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner rode to an impressive first-career victory in supercross' return to Raymond James Stadium, moving into second overall and just five points behind the leader. Teammate Martin Davalos bounced back from a tough season opener to finish fifth.

Austin Forkner

The second round of the Eastern Regional 250SX championship brought the racers to the West Coast of Florida for the first time in nearly 20 years. Forkner was able to race to his full potential after getting a start up front and passing for the lead just after the first lap completed. He pushed hard to keep his lead and was able to hold off advances on the final lap to claim his first victory. The win also propelled him to second in the standings, only five points back of the leader.

"I am so stoked to get the win," said Forkner. "I felt the pressure coming, but I tried to hit my marks and pull a gap. I thought we were both going down but I just hit the gas and kept it up. I'm so happy for the team and to get this first win under my belt."

Martin Davalos

Davalos worked all week to get healed up and ready to get back on the gate this weekend after a hard get off at the opening round. He started the night off right and won his heat race, putting him in a good position for the main event. On the start, Davalos got pushed out just enough to come around mid-pack, but made up time when a fallen rider slowed up some of the racers. He started picking off riders and worked his way from seventh to finish fifth.

"It was really good to be able to get back out there and race," said Davalos. "It was a tough week, but I was focused and knew I wanted to ride. I love racing in Florida and the track was really fun. It will be nice to build on this weekend."

250SX Class Eastern Regional Main Event Results

1. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki)
2. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha)
3. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)
4. RJ Hampshire (Honda)
5. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki)
6. Jordon Smith (KTM)
7. Luke Renzland (Yamaha)
8. Cameron Mcadoo (Honda)
9. Colt Nichols (Yamaha)
10. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki)

250SX Class Eastern Regional Points Standings

1. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna), 47
2. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki), 42
3. RJ Hampshire (Honda), 38
4. Colt Nichols (Yamaha), 37
5. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki), 34
6. Jordon Smith (KTM), 34
7. Luke Renzland (Yamaha), 30
8. Jeremy Martin (Honda), 29
9. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 28
10. Cameron Mcadoo (Honda), 25

 

13. Martin Davalos (Kawasaki), 19

 

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February 17, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Forkner Comes Through the Pack in Texas

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner started his sophomore supercross campaign with a heat race win and then came through the pack to earn seventh inside AT&T Stadium. Teammate Martin Davalos had a good day going for him as the top qualifier and heat race winner, but was hit hard from behind in the first turn of the main event and was unable to continue the race.

Austin Forkner

Forkner has overcome a lot on his road to Round 1, recovering from an off-season injury to be race-ready in time for the opening round. He quickly adapted to the track in his heat race and claimed the win. In the main event, Forkner avoided the first-turn carnage that collected his teammate, but went down later on the opening lap that pushed him back to 14th. He was on a mission to make up as many spots as possible crossing the line in seventh, just over one second behind sixth.

"The first lap was very chaotic with the riders going down in the first turn and everyone trying to settle in," said Forkner. "I made a mistake and went down, costing me some time. I was able to get in a groove and start picking off riders, but the front group was already pretty far ahead. I almost got the next two guys who connected on the final lap, but just missed out. We'll take what we've learned and come back strong next week."

Martin Davalos

Davalos put all eyes on him as the top qualifier on the day. He was able to translate that day speed to the night racing, winning his respective heat race to enter the main event with first gate pick. Davalos got a good jump off the line and was about to put his KX250F into the first turn when he was hit from behind and went down. The hard crash forced Davalos to retire from the race, turning his attention to Round 2 in Tampa, Florida, next weekend.

"It's a tough pill to swallow when you put in the work all day long and then get taken out on the start of the main event," said Davalos. "I've been in this position before and am not going to give up on my hopes for a championship. It just got a little more challenging. We'll see how I feel this week and will hopefully be back out on top next weekend."

250SX Class Eastern Regional Main Event Results

1. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)
2. Colt Nichols (Yamaha)
3. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki)
4. RJ Hampshire (Honda)
5. Jeremy Martin (Honda)
6. Jordon Smith (KTM)
7. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki)
8. Brandon Hartnaft (Yamaha)
9. Sean Cantrell (KTM)
10. Luke Renzland (Yamaha)

250SX Class Eastern Regional Points Standings

1. Zach Osborne (Husqvarna), 26
2. Colt Nichols (Yamaha), 23
3. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki), 21
4. RJ Hampshire (Honda), 19
5. Jeremy Martin (Honda), 18
6. Jordon Smith (KTM), 17
7. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki), 16
8. Brandon Hartnaft (Yamaha), 15
9. Sean Cantrell (KTM), 14
10. Luke Renzland (Yamaha), 13

 

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February 11, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Cianciarulo Nearly Gets First Win in San Diego

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Adam Cianciarulo stood on the podium for the third time this season as he earned his best result during Round 6 at Petco Park. His runner-up finish moved Cianciarulo within one point of third place in the championship standings. Joey Savatgy also had a good showing in San Diego and sits just five points out of the Western Regional 250SX championship lead following a fourth-place finish.

Adam Cianciarulo

The day started off positive as Cianciarulo logged the second-fastest lap time in timed practice. When the night show started, Cianciarulo picked up his second heat race win, just ahead of his teammate. With that confidence going into the main event, Cianciarulo charged forward after a fourth-place start and quickly made it to second by the end of the first lap. He challenged Savatgy for the lead and took over on the second lap. In the final stages of the race, Cianciarulo went back and forth for the lead and eventually settled into second where he would finish.

"I am really happy to grab my best finish before the break," said Cianciarulo. "I rode a little tight for awhile and let Justin (Hill) slip away from me. It's going to be interesting coming back to an east/west shootout mid-season, but it's going to be good to get a little break now. I am going to enjoy being at home for a while."

Joey Savatgy

The day was an uphill battle for Savatgy, who was hit by his bike after going down in practice. Even with a sore wrist, he grabbed a second-place finish in his heat race and was determined to close the gap on the championship leader. For the second time this season, Savatgy grabbed the holeshot and led the first lap. A few riders were able to get by Savatgy, but he stayed close in fourth where he finished, despite not being 100 percent.

"Today was a rough one after going down in practice," said Savatgy. "With this being the last race for a while, we had to tough it out ang go after some points before the break. I wish I could have made it to the podium to help cut into the points even more, but all things considered it was an okay night."

250SX Class Western Regional Main Event Results

1. Justin Hill (Suzuki)
2. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)
3. Chase Sexton (Honda)
4. Joey Savatgy (Kawasaki)
5. Shane McElrath (KTM)
6. Christian Craig (Honda)
7. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)
8. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha)
9. Mitchell Harrison (Husqvarna)
10. Bradley Taft (Yamaha)

250SX Class Western Regional Points Standings

1. Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha, 134
2. Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki, 129
3. Shane McElrath, KTM, 117
4. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki, 116
5. Chase Sexton, Honda, 107
6. Christian Craig, Honda, 106
7. Justin Hill, Suzuki 105
8. Kyle Chisholm, Yamaha, 83
9. Mitchell Harrison, Husqvarna, 72
10. Hayden Mellross, Yamaha, 67

 

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February 4, 2018

Savatgy Keeps Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Podium Streak Alive In Oakland

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy collected his second runner-up finish of the season inside Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The ever-changing soft track conditions made for a challenging race, but Savatgy made moves to the front and finished second. Teammate Adam Cianciarulo had a rough first lap coming around in last, but he was able to get all the way up to seventh by the end of the race. Savatgy now sits second in the standings, just eight points down, while Cianciarulo is fourth.

Joey Savatgy

Savatgy had a good start to the evening with a solid heat race, but really turned it on in the main event. With a track that seemed to eat riders up and cause mistakes, Savatgy raced strong and consistent. He battled all the way until the end to take over second place with just two laps to go. Savatgy moved up into second in the championship standings as the Western Regional 250SX championship hit its halfway mark.

"At the beginning of the race I felt like I was riding a bit tight," said Savatgy. "By about halfway, I settled in and tried to hang with the rider in front of me and see what he was doing different. It helped me relax and then I was able to turn it on at the end. I had a great time. I just hope next time we are battling for the lead and the win."

Adam Cianciarulo

The day was going great for Cianciarulo as he earned the fastest qualifying time and scored second in his heat race. Off the start he was pushed far inside and was forced to go inside the tough blocks, pushing him to the back of the pack. While making moves forward on the opening lap, he got caught up in a crash that happened right in front of him and went down. He remounted in last place, giving him the whole race to make up time. Cianciarulo never gave up and pushed until the end to finish seventh.

"After the start and going over the tough block I was trying to not get too flustered but I was forced to regroup after going down on the first lap," said Cianciarulo. "It's mentally tough knowing you have the speed to at least run up front, but not being able to be there and battle with those guys. There is still a lot of racing left so we'll get back at it this week and try and learn from the mistakes."

250SX Class Western Regional Main Event Results

1. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)
2. Joey Savatgy (Kawasaki)
3. Justin Hill (Suzuki)
4. Christian Craig (Honda)
5. Alex Martin (KTM)
6. Chase Sexton (Honda)
7. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)
8. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha)
9. Mitchell Harrison (Husqvarna)
10. Hayden Mellross (Yamaha)

250SX Class Western Regional Points Standings

1. Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha, 118
2. Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki, 110
3. Shane McElrath, KTM, 99
4. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki, 93
5. Christian Craig, Honda, 89
6. Chase Sexton, Honda, 86
7. Justin Hill, Suzuki 79
8. Kyle Chisholm, Yamaha, 68
9. Mitchell Oldenburg, Yamaha, 58
10. Mitchell Harrison, Husqvarna, 58

 

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January 28, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Cianciarulo Bounces Back Onto Podium in Glendale

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Adam Cianciarulo returned to the podium at Round 4 of the Monster Energy Supercross Series, bouncing back with a solid showing inside University of Phoenix Stadium. Slick conditions narrowly kept teammate Joey Savatgy off the podium, finishing fourth for the night. Savatgy sits third in the championship standings while Cianciarulo is fourth overall.

Adam Cianciarulo

Starting the day qualifying second, Cianciarulo continued to showcase his talent and speed on the tough West Coast soil. He qualified third and after starting the main event in sixth, put his head down and started picking off riders. By the sixth lap he was into fourth behind his teammate and was able to capitalize on a mistake from Savatgy to move into third, where he maintained until the checkered flag.

"The start is definitely important with the array of talent that is in the class right now and I didn't get one tonight," said Cianciarulo. "With everyone being so 'on' it's harder to come through the pack. It really ended up being a mistake that helped push me forward, but I know that I have what it takes to win. I just need to put myself in that position."

Joey Savatgy

Savatgy entered the night show with the top qualifying time during the afternoon sessions. He was showcasing that speed, but a mistake in the hard-packed whoops forced Savatgy to qualify through the LCQ - which he won. Savatgy was able to get an awesome jump from the outside and earn the holeshot. He stayed with the front-runners for several laps and was keeping pace in third, but a mistake in the final few laps pushed him back to fourth where he finished.

"I was really trying to play it smart and ride my own race," said Savatgy. "It helped me last week, but the slick track bit me a few times. I'm thankful to have been able to get up quickly and get fourth, but it's not where I want to be. I know anything can happen in this series so we'll keep working and bring our best to Oakland next weekend."

250SX Class Western Regional Main Event Results

1. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)
2. Shane McElrath (KTM)
3. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)
4. Joey Savatgy (Kawasaki)
5. Chase Sexton (Honda)
6. Bradley Taft (Yamaha)
7. Justin Hill (Suzuki)
8. Mitchell Harrison (Husqvarna)
9. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha)
10. Christian Craig (Honda)

250SX Class Western Regional Points Standings

1. Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha, 92
2. Shane McElrath, KTM, 91
3. Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki, 87
4. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki, 77
5. Christian Craig, Honda, 70
6. Chase Sexton, Honda, 69
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Yamaha, 58
8. Justin Hill, Suzuki, 58
9. Kyle Chisholm, Yamaha, 53
10. Bradley Taft, Yamaha, 51

 

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January 21, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Savatgy Wins and Moves Into Tie for Points Lead in Anaheim

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy earned his first win of the season during the first-ever triple crown format on Saturday night inside Angels Stadium. Savatgy's two main event wins and one second place finish gave him a comfortable lead over the runner-up. The win also pushed Savatgy into a tie for the points lead after three rounds. Teammate Cianciarulo narrowly missed the podium with his 4-5-2 score that resulted in fourth. Cianciarulo currently sits fifth in the points standings.

Joey Savatgy

The new format had riders racing three separate main events, making starts critical. In each Main Event, Savatgy put his Kawasaki KX250F near the front of the pack. Main Event 1 was a wire-to-wire win for Savatgy, while he narrowly missed the win by only three seconds in Main Event 2. The final main event forced Savatgy be smart and wait for the right moment to pass, which came with four laps remaining. His 1-2-1 olympic scoring put him five points ahead of second place, making for a consistent and impressive victory.

"Starts were pretty critical with this format and we were able to get three really good ones," said Savatgy. "The win feels really good. It's been a long road to get back here and we've put in a lot of work. I've been in this position before (holding the red plate) and I just need to find a flow and focus on staying consistent."

Adam Cianciarulo

Cianciarulo had a good start to the day, qualifying second. Even with a crash in practice he lined up ready to collect a solid finish. Like his teammate, he got off to some great starts, including in Main Event 1. He ran with the front runners and finished fourth. In Main Event 2, Cianciarulo had to come through the pack and finished the race in fifth. The final and longest main event of the evening was Cianciarulo's best. Even after starting outside the top five, he charged to the front and finished the 12 minutes plus one lap race only 0.2 seconds behind Savatgy.

"It was a rollercoaster day, but I'm glad I was able to put in three solid motos," said Cianciarulo. "I finially started feeling really good in that third moto and chipped away at the lead. I was so close to getting on the podium, which is great after having a rough practice session with the crash."

250SX Class Western Regional Main Event Results

1. Joey Savatgy (Kawasaki), 1-2-1
2. Shane McElrath (KTM), 5-1-4
3. Christian Craig (Honda), 2-3-5
4. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki), 4-5-2
5. Mitchell Oldenburg (Yamaha), 3-6-6
6. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha), 6-4-7
7. Hayden Mellross (Yamaha), 7-10-8
8. Chase Sexton (Honda), 15-8-3
9. Phil Nicoletti (Suzuki), 8-7-11
10. Justin Hill (Suzuki), 11-9-9

250SX Class Western Regional Points Standings

1. Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki, 68
2. Shane McElrath, KTM, 68
3. Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha, 66
4. Christian Craig, Honda, 57
5. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki, 56
6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Yamaha, 52
7. Chase Sexton, Honda, 51
8. Justin Hill, Suzuki, 42
9. Kyle Chisholm, Yamaha, 39
10. Hayden Mellross, Yamaha, 34

 

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January 14, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Savatgy Earns First Podium Finish of the Season

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy overcame an ever-changing track inside NRG Stadium to earn his first podium of the season, finishing second in the Main Event. Round 2 started out well for teammate Adam Cianciarulo with the fastest qualifier and heat race win, but a few mistakes pushed him back to finish seventh in the Main Event.

Joey Savatgy

To start the night, Savatgy grabbed third in the Heat Race, giving him a solid gate pick for the Main Event. When the gate dropped, he shot his Kawasaki KX250F to the holeshot and led the field around the first lap. He held onto the lead for over half the race, but with a deteriorating track Savatgy raced on the safe side to collect valuable championship points - finishing second.

"I felt like I was riding fast to be comfortable on that track," said Savatgy. "I seemed to catch lappers at a bad spot not allowing me to catch first, but I didn't want to ride over my head in only the second round of the season. The track changed every lap so it was challenging to pick up time, so in the end I'm really happy to get second."

Adam Cianciarulo

Cianciarulo entered the second round with confidence as he came off a podium finish in Anaheim. He adapted to the track quickly, qualifying first and earning his first heat race win of the season. In the Main Event, Cianciarulo rocketed out to third on the start. Keeping the front runners close, Cianciarulo pushed hard and made a mistake right around the halfway mark. He got up very quick, only losing a few spots and made up the time with his quick speed. With two laps left, Cianciarulo made another small mistake and was forced to finish seventh in Houston.

"I know the track was really tough, but it stings a little bit when I was feeling good all day," said Cianciarulo. "It was a big learning experience forme as I adapt more to the hard-packed race tracks that change so much over the course of 15 minutes. I know I can bounce back next weekend in Anaheim so I'm looking forward to it."

250SX Class Western Regional Main Event Results

1. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)
2. Joey Savatgy (Kawasaki)
3. Chase Sexton (Honda)
4. Shane McElrath (KTM)
5. Christian Craig (Honda)
6. Mitchell Olenburg (Yamaha)
7. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)
8. Bradley Taft (Yamaha)
9. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha)
10. Justin Hill (Suzuki)

250SX Class Western Regional Points Standings

1. Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha, 49
2. Shane McElrath, KTM, 45
3. Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki, 42
4. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki, 37
5. Chase Sexton, Honda, 36
6. Christian Craig, Honda, 36
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Yamaha, 34
8. Justin Hill, Suzuki, 29
9. Bradley Taft, Yamaha, 27
10. Kyle Chisholm,Yamaha, 27

 

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January 7, 2018

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Cianciarulo and Savatgy Impress With Opening Round Rides

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team started the 2018 season at Angel Stadium with two of its veterans behind the gate, resulting in a third-place podium finish for Adam Cianciarulo and a fourth-place for Joey Savatgy. With all the nerves of the opening round behind them, the duo found themseves just five and seven points off the championship leader, respectively.

Adam Cianciarulo

Cianciarulo had been campaigning to ride the west coast for some time and he proved he was up to the task with a great overall day at Round 1. The Floridian adapted quickly to the slick dirt and demanding track, qualifying second during timed practice. In his heat race, Cianciarulo showed some aggressive riding as he passed for second on the final lap.

In the main event, Cianciarulo was shuffled outside the top five on the start and was forced to push through the pack. With the track being slick and often one-lined, it took a little longer than he hoped to make it past riders, but was able to get into third by the fifth of 18 laps. He held on despite the deteriorating track and earned third - his fifth podium in 16 supercross starts.

"Tonight we got off to a good start and it's nice to get some good points," said Cianciarulo. "I can't be overly stoked on third because I know I'm capable of more, but I was pretty nervous being a part of the very first race of the season for the first time and all the nerves that come with that. I think we are in a good spot for the rest of the season."

Joey Savatgy

Savatgy's last Western Regional campaign was in 2015 where he finished runner-up in the championship. He was more than ready to put in a consistent finish at the opening round. It started with a third-place qualifying position, and like his teammate finished second in his heat. Savatgy had a bit of work to do in the main event after starting eighth, but didn't let that stop him from pushing to the front. Just after halfway, Savatgy passed for fourth where he would end the night.

"Anaheim is one of those races where you feel especially good when you leave healthy and with a solid result," said Savatgy. "With all that could go wrong at an opening race like an injury or bad finish, I felt like we put in a good ride overall and have things we can use to build off of for next weekend. We'll go home and put in the work to come back even stronger in Houston."

250SX Class Western Regional Main Event Results

1. Shane McElrath (KTM)
2. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)
3. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)
4. Joey Savatgy (Kawasaki)
5. Christian Craig (Honda)
6. Mitchell Olenburg (Yamaha)
7. Justin Hill (Suzuki)
8. Chase Sexton (Honda)
9. Justin Cooper (Yamaha)
10. Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha)

250SX Class Western Regional Points Standings

1. Shane McElrath, KTM, 26
2. Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha, 23
3. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki, 21
4. Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki, 19
5. Christian Craig, Honda, 18
6. Mitchell Olenburg, Yamaha, 17
7. Justin Hill, Suzuki, 16
8. Chase Sexton, Honda, 15
9. Justin Cooper, Yamaha, 14
10. Kyle Chisholm,Yamaha, 13