Anaheim II SX: Tomac claims first win of the season

Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Eli Tomac grabbed his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross win of 2022 and extended the points lead that he held going into Round four.

Jason Anderson of the Monster Energy Kawasaki team led early and was close at the end but settled for the runner up spot at the checkers. 450SX Class sophomore Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton backed up his career first 450SX Class win with a podium finish at the series’ second visit to Anaheim.

Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen rocketed off the gate in the 450SX Class Main Event, exiting the first corner neck and neck with Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WPS KTM’s Shane McElrath. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart pushed into second place just 30 seconds into the race as behind him Anderson was on the move from fourth place and Tomac was pushing forward from a seventh place start. 

Anderson took second place from Stewart just three and a half minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race. He reeled in Roczen and made an aggressive move in the sand section where two lines came together. The riders collided in a spray of sand. Roczen’s bike flipped sideways off the track while Anderson managed to stay on two wheels. Anderson took over the lead but had Tomac charging hard to steal the top spot. Just before the race’s midpoint Anderson took a risky triple-triple rhythm line into an elevated berm and nearly high-sided off the track. The bobble allowed Tomac to cut under. From there he held the lead until the finish. Chase Sexton kept the two riders in sight but never closed enough to challenge Anderson for the second place spot. 

Your top ten 450SX Main Event:

1 3 Eli Tomac Cortez, CO Yamaha YZ450F 1 5 13 1 26
2 21 Jason Anderson Rio Rancho, NM Kawasaki KX450SR 12 4 3 2 23
3 23 Chase Sexton Clermont, FL Honda CRF450R WE 2 7 0 3 21
4 14 Dylan Ferrandis Tallahassee, FL Yamaha YZ450F 5 12 0 4 19
5 27 Malcolm Stewart Murrieta, CA Husqvarna FC 450 RE 9 2 0 5 18
6 25 Marvin Musquin Corona, CA KTM 450 SX-F FE 8 6 0 6 17
7 51 Justin Barcia Greenville, FL GASGAS MC 450F 6 15 0 7 16
8 1 Cooper Webb Newport, NC KTM 450 SX-F FE 11 10 0 8 15
9 15 Dean Wilson Murrieta, CA Husqvarna FC 450 RE 14 8 0 9 14
10 12 Shane McElrath Oakland, FL KTM 450 SX-F FE 10 3 0 10 13