Anaheim II SX: Craig extends championship lead with main event win

Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Christian Craig extended his championship lead this saturday, at round four of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series in Anaheim.

It was an exciting Main Event in the Western Regional 250SX Class, with Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Christian Craig earning his third victory of the season after a race-long battle that kept the win uncertain until the end. 

Smartop Bullfrog Spas MotoConcepts Honda’s Vince Friese grabbed the holeshot as the previous round winner, Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Michael Mosiman, jockeyed with Christian Craig for the runner up position. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda got past Craig momentarily in the early going, but Craig regained third place as Mosiman took over the lead spot, all within the first minute and a half of the fifteen minute plus one lap race. 

Craig got past Friese a few laps later and started chipping away at the gap to Mosiman. Behind them, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence got around Shimoda and set his sights on Friese in third. Friese took a nasty crash in the whoops that allowed Lawrence past. While getting up Friese was hit by Shimoda, who also went down in the incident. Mosiman and Craig separated from the pack with less than one second separating them for several laps. With four and half minutes on the clock Craig made a clean move and took over the top spot. Mosiman retaliated immediately but did not get back around. One lap later Mosiman put on another pass attempt but it lost him time and put him just outside of striking distance. 

Your 250SX Main Event top ten:

1 28 Christian Craig Temecula, CA Yamaha YZ250F 1 4 7 1 26
2 29 Michael Mosiman Minneaola, FL GASGAS MC 250F 2 X 2 8 2 23
3 96 Hunter Lawrence Wesley Chapel, FL Honda CRF250R 5 6 0 3 21
4 49 Nate Thrasher Livingston, TN Yamaha YZ250F 3 9 0 4 19
5 31 Jalek Swoll Clermont, FL Husqvarna FC 250 6 5 0 5 18
6 910 Carson Brown Ravensdale, WA KTM 250 SX-F 10 7 0 6 17
7 30 Jo Shimoda Menifee, CA Kawasaki KX250 8 3 0 7 16
8 43 Carson Mumford Simi Valley, CA Suzuki RM-Z250 14 11 0 8 15
9 69 Robbie Wageman Newhall, CA Yamaha YZ250F 16 10 0 9 14
10 74 Derek Kelley Riverside, CA KTM 250 SX-F 19 15 0 10 13