In Quotebook, a selection of riders detail how their races played out in round 11 of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship at Seattle.

450SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – First:
That was a cool race tonight. The track was cool to race, and there were a lot of options out there. My strong point tonight was the whoops, obviously, so that was fun. It’s cool when there’s a section to make up a whole lot of time like that, and I was able to make some really neat passes. It was an important rebound to get back-tied in the points, so it was an awesome night for us.

Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – Fourth:
During the main event, the track was really tricky with a ton of deep ruts, but I felt like my KX450SR still gave me the ability to push the pace. While a better start would have certainly improved my race, it wasn’t a bad night as we made good progress and I kept the fight going all the way to the checkered flag. I definitely want to be finishing on the podium and, ultimately, challenge for wins again so, I’m still focusing forward on making gains in Supercross.

Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – Eighth:
I felt comfortable during qualifying and was able to attack the track to put together the second-fastest time. It was nice to show that pace again and rival at the top of the board. In the heat race, I was a little back from the start but worked my way into the top-three before the finish. In the main event, I started up front and managed to pass my way into the top-three again. The race felt similar to last weekend with all of the top guys contending for those first few positions, so it was encouraging to move my way forward through that group in the early stages. The end result is similar to what I’ve had recently, but there are a lot of positives to take away from the weekend.

Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) – Second:
I didn’t gel very well with the track in practice at all, struggled to find a flow, and knew that for the night show, it was time to step up. The heat race gave me a bit of a spark to know that we were in it, which was good to win that, and I knew the track was going to break down – that’s something that I excel at. It was definitely good to bounce back. This morning, if you were to tell me I was going to be on the podium I would have been quite happy, so to be able to fight like that to P2 and stay within the battle was awesome.

Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) – Seventh:
It was an okay day. Practice was tough, I’ve got a pretty good gash in my leg from last week that was hurting me pretty good, but I tried to push through it. The heat race was better, I had a good battle with Christian [Craig] in that to end up second. I had a bad start in the main event, and ended up moving into seventh about halfway, but after that, it was pretty quiet. I stayed on two wheels though and now we get a week off, so hopefully I can let my body heal and come back swinging for the upcoming Triple Crown!

Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) – Third:
I felt good and qualified fourth. In the heat race, I finished fourth. I didn’t get the greatest start but I rode really well. In the main event, it was the same. I didn’t get off to the best start, then had a lot of battles and charged all the way up to third. I closed in on second but didn’t have quite enough time. The bike was really good. I had a lot of fun and the team crushed it. We are on the gas and going forward, going for that win.

Christian Craig (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) – Ninth:
Seattle was all-around a pretty good day. I felt good on the bike in practice and in the heat race I got a holeshot and led from start to finish, so that felt good to get my first heat race win of the season. It also felt good to lead some laps. In the main event I got off to a pretty good start, but I got shuffled back a little bit early, and during the second lap I went for a ride in the whoops and ended up cross-rutting right at the end and ejecting off. I was able to get up quickly but was dead last by then. I put my head down and got into the top ten with a couple of laps to go. Then I passed for ninth in the last corner. I think that shows my riding is improving. I just need to stay off the ground in the main and we’ll be up front.

Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) – Fifth:
Not a great night. I almost holeshot and got into the lead super quick, but when I fell the bike was just mangled. I had a hard time moving up after that. It’s definitely a night I want to move on from. I just have to go to the next round and prove what I can do.

Ken Roczen (Progressive Ecstar Suzuki) – Sixth:
Today in Seattle was a tough one. From when I first went out, I struggled on the track, I wasn’t really flowing with it and wasn’t very comfortable. So coming down to the night show I had an all right heat race, but I actually had the most fun, and I think I rode the best, in the main; and that’s where it counts. In the beginning, I was able to kind of slice and dice a little bit with the front guys. Another rider and I went back and forth a couple of times for second place. I put up a good fight. Once the track got extremely gnarly, I stopped clearing some of the jumps and that’s where I lost the most time. Overall, I’m pumped that I was able to salvage a sixth place. Of course, we want to be on the box, but we also must take the good with the bad. We’re still fourth in the championship and I’m happy with how the team’s been working and we’re keeping our heads up.

Shane McElrath (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 16th:
All day during qualifying I struggled with the track. My starts have not been very good. I’d say the first half of the main event was good for me, I was charging pretty well and made some good passes. I’m really excited about how I feel on the bike right now, it’s the best I’ve felt, and I’m excited for a weekend off because the Triple Crown in Glendale is going to be great. My bike is working really well, the team is working really hard – and they have been all season – and I want to reward them.

Kyle Chisolm (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 18th:
We didn’t have any rain, which was good. The track was soft and rutty; it was a pretty tough track. I never got into a flow, a rhythm, and was never comfortable all day on the track. Just struggled a little bit to put everything together. I just didn’t have it today and need to ride better. Looking forward to the break to have a little time to work on some things, rest up a little bit, heal up, and try to come back to Glendale and be better.

250SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Sixth:
The beginning of my day was great and was the best I’ve had so far. I qualified third, which was good, and won the heat race, which was a first for me. Then in the main event, I had a really bad start, but then I got going pretty good and got up to fourth and started reeling in those guys up front. Then I got what we think was a rock stuck in my rear brake for probably six or seven laps or so. It was pretty obvious. I dropped like three seconds a lap after that happened. It’s pretty frustrating with how good the day was going before then, but I’ll take the positives and move on to Phoenix.

Stilez Robertson (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – DNF:
It was a pretty eventful night here in Seattle. I didn’t feel like myself all day until the main event. I started to find myself in the beginning laps of the main, but just a simple mistake turned into a pretty good get-off. I’m glad to be okay and ready for some redemption in Phoenix.

Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Third:
As a racer you can never be too upset with a podium result but, I know I can be up there fighting for wins and I feel like we were just so close again this weekend. I had a strong main event battle with RJ [Hampshire] and we kept Jett [Lawrence] honest the whole race, but we were a small tick from really getting into the lead position. It’s a game of small gains right now and I’m not settling, so the whole team will keep striving this week with the focus on taking the top step of the podium.

Carson Mumford (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Eighth:
Overall, it was a positive first race for me with the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team. I’ve dreamed of riding for this team since I was a kid, so there was a conscious effort for me to manage expectations throughout the day and not try to go for too much too soon. That said, I was able to qualify fourth out of the B practice session and battled for the win in my heat race. I’m happy with where my speed was and how the bike handled on such a torn-up track. In the main event, I ended up riding pretty tight after mid-way, which is not ideal, but is a bit to be expected all things considered. I focused on continuing to hit my marks and came through the checkered in eighth. The speed I had early was definitely promising and it was good to bring home a steady result inside the top 10 to get the ball rolling.

RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) – Second:
The day was pretty solid…well, the main event was solid. I qualified second but was quite a way back. The heat race did not go to plan at all. I got a terrible start and just kind of picked off riders to get the best kind of gate pick I could. In the main event, I got a really good start, and I had an awesome battle going. We went back and forth and closed the gap to the lead a little bit. Then I had two laps that cost me a shot to battle for the lead which was disappointing. But again, I don’t take these second-place finishes for granted.

Max Vohland (Red Bull KTM) – Fifth:
It was a good night in Seattle! I started off the heat race with a top-five, which I was happy with, but felt I could be better with a few changes ahead of the main event. We changed the bike set-up and I felt a lot better, started around 10th and made my way up to fifth in the end. It was a tough track tonight, so I’m happy with a top-five finish and am now looking forward to improving on that at the Triple Crown in Glendale.

Pierce Brown (TLD Red Bull GasGas) – Seventh:
Tough day. It started off great. Something about today, I was fired up. I was P1 in free practice, and decent in qualifying. Not the best. I won the heat race, and in the main event, I collided with a rider in the first corner and fell. But after the fall I was able to put some really good laps together. Not good enough to be where I want to be…I ended up P7. I’m not a seventh-place guy and I need to prove that I’m not. So we’re going to use the next weekend off to smooth some things out and focus on eliminating our weaknesses.

Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) – First:
The night didn’t start too well with that crash in the heat race. Thankfully, I was able to walk away from that okay and just have the bike be banged up. In the main, it was a bit of a struggle getting into the lead. In all fairness, it wasn’t my best riding. I couldn’t find my flow the whole race, and I wasn’t hitting my lines; I was making silly mistakes I shouldn’t have been making. Overall, I’m glad to come away with the win, and I’m looking forward to getting back at it in Arizona.

Dilan Schwartz (Progressive Ecstar Suzuki) – DNQ:
It was a bummer weekend in Seattle. I crashed in my heat race and had to race the LCQ. In that race, I crashed again going for a transfer position in the last corner on the last lap. I missed the main event. I’m looking forward to Glendale in two weeks.

Robbie Wageman (BarX Suzuki) – 11th:
It was awesome to be back at the races under the lights! Overall, I had a great night of racing in Seattle: good qualifying, good heat race, but unfortunately not the start I was looking for in the main event. But I battled my way through the pack to end with a P-11. I’m happy to come away healthy and safe with how brutal the track was!

Derek Drake (BarX Suzuki) – 13th:
Seattle was a struggle all day which unfortunately, landed me in the LCQ, but I made the best of it and got the win. Then I got a bad start in the main and managed a 13th. Not the best night, but not the worst. I’m looking forward to Glendale.

Brandon Scharer (BarX Suzuki) – DNQ:
The Seattle Supercross was a tough one for me. I put myself in a good position off the start in heat one, but unfortunately had a fall on the first lap. I fought hard to get going but finished 14th. In the LCQ my riding was subpar, to say the least – I struggled with my intensity on the track all day and it showed. I want to give it up to my mechanic and the team for all of the efforts they put in for me here.