Image: Octopi Media.

Points leader Eli Tomac managed to escape the carnage that unfolded during the 450SX main event at Detroit’s 10th round of 2022 Monster Energy Supercross to claim victory and significantly extend his series lead in a race that saw a number of major contenders crash out.

It was Justin Bogle (H.E.P Suzuki) who claimed the hole-shot and early lead, however it last just a matter of laps as Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) took control of the race in the early stages.

Former champion Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing) pushed his bid for title contention, passing Barcia five minutes into the main event. At the halfway mark, Tomac managed to find his way past the Kawasaki pilot, and this is when the chaos ensued.

It started with defending champion Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) coming together in a rhythm lane – Webb misjudged the section, coming up short, leaving nowhere for Sexton to go other than landing on him. Sexton was assisted off the circuit, while Webb remarkably remounted and circulated the track for a number – albeit one-handed as he clearly nursed an injured left arm – before ultimately pulling.

Just as this unfolded, Anderson crashed all by himself at the base of the finish line jump, hitting the ground rather heavily. He also remounted and rode to the end of the next rhythm lane, before seemingly coming to a stop and falling off, ending his night prematurely.

Anderson wasn’t the final casualty – Monster Energy Star Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis also withdrew in the later stages of main, nursing what appeared to be an injured right arm.

With Tomac managing to dodge the chaos, he claimed a dominant victory ahead of fastest-qualifier Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) and Barcia, while the top five was completed by Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Justin Brayton (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda).

Position six through to 10 were taken out by Vince Friese (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda), Shane McElrath (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WPS KTM), Bogle, Brand Hartranft (H.E.P Suzuki) and Cade Clason (Honda).

Tomac now has a staggering 42-point lead over Anderson and Stewart as the series heads to Indianapolis on 19 March.