Follow the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Championship with direct updates from round three of the season at Petco Park through Racefeed.

Image: Octopi Media.

250SX qualifying one:
As he did across the opening two rounds and in the earlier free practice session, points-leader Christian Craig (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) set the pace in the first 250SX qualifier, his 48.889s lap-time leading Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) by 0.834s. Lawrence and Michael Mosiman (TLD Red Bull GasGas) were the lone riders in the 49s, with Garrett Marchbanks (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) four and Jo Shimoda (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) filling the top five. Sixth came Derek Kelley (AEO Powersports KTM) from the B session, as Vince Friese (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda), Chris Blose (AJE Motorsport Motul GasGas), Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) and the returning Jalek Swoll (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) completed the top 10.

450SX qualifying one:
Last week’s winner Jason Anderson continued his form in the first timed session of the afternoon, the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider slotting into P1 at a 48.678s despite a minor tip-over in the middle stages of the practice. His benchmark came on lap nine to edge Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) by 0.106s, with Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) third, directly ahead of Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – quickest in free practice – and Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha). Times were tight at the top with the lead 10 riders all lapping within a second of each other, Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) sixth from Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha), Dean Wilson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) – a late faller in the whoops – and Justin Brayton (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda), who returns from covid-19, the top 10 of the session. New red plate-holder Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) slotted into 11th, ahead of defending champion Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) in 12th position.

250SX qualifying two:
Craig consistently improved in the second and final session this afternoon to record the eventual benchmark of 48.126s, however this time around Lawrence also gradually improved to within 0.376s by the end of the session. Mosiman was also closer to Craig this time around, the final rider within a second of P1 in qualifying, with Marchbanks and Shimoda filling the top five. Ever-present veteran Blose was once again solid in qualifying two, as he has been all day, edging factory duo Swoll and Thrasher. The top 10 was rounded out by Friese and Kelley, who again impressed via his time in the B session.

450SX qualifying two:
A final lap flier from Anderson saw him maintain his place atop the 450SX rankings in qualifying two this afternoon, dislodging Ferrandis in the final moments with a 47.896s lap-time. Behind him, Ferrandis was just 0.070s back in second, as Sexton was next best followed by Musquin, Stewart and Roczen all at 48.3s and within half a second of Anderson at the front. Seventh in the order was Cianciarulo – notably quickest in free practice earlier – and followed by Brayton on return, Tomac and Max Anstie (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM WPS), who in turn was ahead of teammate Shane McElrath. There was a who’s who of big-name riders further back, number one plate-holder Webb in 12th, Barcia with the red plate in 13th and last week podium-finisher Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) down in 14th position for the afternoon.

250SX heat one:
Gate-drop on round three and although it was Carson Mumford (BarX Suzuki) who led early, Lawrence soon worked his way to the front by lap three and sprinted away from there. His eventual winning margin was 2.233s ahead of Marchbanks, as Blose claimed third and Mumford wound up in fourth position. P5 was strong for Carson Brown (AEO Powersports KTM), followed by Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha), Kaeden Amerine (Team Tedder Monster Energy KTM), Kelley after he recovered from the mid-pack and Cole Thompson (Yamaha) was the final to transfer in ninth.

250SX heat two:
The trend continued for Craig into the night show as he controlled heat two, but not before having to make an assertive move on the fast-starting Friese. Once he did make it stick, Craig powered ahead to win by 1.212s over Mosiman, who recorded the fastest lap of the race, with Friese settling into P3. Shimoda was a few seconds further back in fourth, but comfortably ahead of Dilan Schwartz (BarX Suzuki), followed by Robbie Wageman (Team Solitaire Nuclear Blast Yamaha), Swoll, Dylan Walsh (Revo Seven Kawasaki) and Dylan Woodcock (Husqvarna) in the final transfer position.

450SX heat one:
After qualifying a lowly 12th this afternoon, a hole-shot in the heat race was all Webb needed to propel him to the front and that’s where he would remain, winning by 0.814s after being closely trailed by factory KTM teammate Musquin and Roczen. The three were within a second as the flag flew, with Brayton next best in P4, a full eight seconds clear of Ferrandis in fifth place. Twisted Tea Suzuki’s Justin Bogle, Wilson, Anstie and Hartranft were in battle for positions six through to nine, which resulted him them being the final four through and directly qualifying for the main event.

450SX heat two:
The momentum is on Anderson’s side after winning Oakland and qualifying quickest this afternoon, now collecting the heat race win in convincing fashion by 5.775s. Tomac was second after clawing his way by Barcia for the runner-up position, as Sexton, Stewart, McElrath, initial leader Alex Martin (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha), Mitchell Oldenburg (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda) and Plessinger – despite crashing in the first corner – all went through. A late move from Plessinger on Ryan Breece (Yamaha) saw him sneak into the top nine. It wasn’t a good outing for two of the guys currently facing injury, Joey Savatgy (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM WPS) caught up in the first turn incident with Plessinger and unable to return, while Cianciarulo also exited after being unable to complete qualifying earlier on today.

250SX LCQ:
With four positions on the line in the 250SX LCQ, it was Justin Rodbell (Team PRMX Partzilla Kawasaki) won controlled it to the end, joined by Ryan Surratt (Team Solitaire Nuclear Blast Yamaha), Devin Harriman (KTM) and Brandon Ray (Team PRMX Partzilla Kawasaki) into the main. A strong start from Hunter Schlosser (Yamaha) didn’t eventuate in a result, mistakes bumping him back down the order by race’s end.

450SX LCQ:
It was Kyle Chisholm (Yamaha) who brought it together in the premier class last-chance, crossing the finish comfortably ahead of Breece, with Josh Hill (Team Tedder Monster Energy KTM) and Fredrik Noren (KTM) also making it through. Neither Cianciarulo or Savatgy took to the track in the LCQ, marking an end to their night.

250SX main event:
The winning streak of Craig was broken in a thriller at Petco Park, with Mosiman holding on to fend off a determined Lawrence for position in a remarkable first main event victory. With the likes of Craig, Shimoda, Marchbanks and more down in the first corner, it quickly became evident that the opportunity was there to strike, but just how far could Craig climb back up the order? The answer was third. And it was another defining ride in his bid for the title – into the top 10 by halfway and picking off positions from there. His final pass into podium position came by Friese, known to be relentless in his challenge for position, let alone the podium, but Craig made it successful. Up front, Mosiman was under all kinds of pressure from Lawrence in the closing stages, until the latter went down in the whoops while trying to make a move amongst lapped riders with a minute and a half to run, remounting and then getting back onto the rear of Mosiman. He didn’t quite get there though, finishing in that order and split by only 1.361s as the checkers flew, with Craig over 20 seconds back in his gritty podium effort. Fourth was Friese, with Shimoda rebounding to fifth – also impressive – ahead of the fast-starting Mumford, Swoll on return, Thrasher after crashing out of podium position midway, Thompson and Brown. Marchbanks didn’t end up finishing following his involvement in the first turn incident, going out after 10 laps.

450SX main event:
Executing a flawless performance, Sexton wasn’t to be denied this time around at round three of the season, starting up-front, passing into the lead by lap four and he was never headed in going on to a 6.001s win. Behind him, heartbreak for Oakland winner Anderson, who had made his way into second – unlikely to challenge Sexton – from as far back as P8 at the conclusion of the first lap, only to experience a bike problem just past halfway that slowly dropped him back down to order to eventually finish in ninth position. That enabled the Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha duo to climb into podium positions, both Tomac and Ferrandis benefiting from improved starts this week with 2-3 results, keeping both Webb and Stewart at bay in the closing laps. Sixth was the result from Plessinger as he worked forward from outside the top 10, while Roczen ended up seventh after crashing out of podium contention, red plate-holder Barcia eighth after he also went down mid-race, Anderson P9 and initial leader Musquin completing the top 10 with his share of dramas in the final.