Image: Octopi Media.

Points leader Eli Tomac rebounded from a violent crash during the Anaheim 2 Triple Crown to come out on top in Houston, holding off a race-long charge from Chase Sexton.

Tomac was first to the ultra-tight 180-degree opening corner inside NRG Stadium following the gate drop.

Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM), Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas), Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki), Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM), and Sexton (Team Honda HRC) were next on track as the first lap progressed.

Plessinger put early pressure on Tomac, with Anderson and Sexton emerging as the other primary contenders.

With 16m37s to go, Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) partly landed on the back of Ken Roczen’s Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki and was knocked unconscious as he violently hit the ground. The former 250SX regional champion stood under his own power and was helped toward a medical vehicle, seemingly uninjured but wearing a neck brace.

With 16 and a half minutes remaining, a staggered start saw the pre-existing battles start back up. Anderson quickly got by Plessinger for second on the first green-flag lap before Sexton passed the KTM rider for third a lap later. Sexton closed within a second of the lead with just over five minutes remaining, but his charge stalled as he settled for second.

Tomac closed out his third main event victory of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season, pulling ahead to a seven-point lead over Sexton in the 450SX standings as the series heads further east to Tampa, Florida.

Anderson and Plessinger held on for third and fourth while Webb completed the top five. Barcia ended the night in sixth, just ahead of Cooper, who put in a prolific late-race charge to earn seventh in his 450SX debut. Roczen, Joey Savatgy (Rick Ware Racing), and Cianciarulo recovered from minor mistakes in the closing minutes to comprise the remainder of the top 10.

Detailed results