In Quotebook, a selection of riders detail how their races played out in round 13 of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship at Atlanta.

450SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Fifth:
We had a tough battle from behind this weekend and struggled on the starts. Overall, it was decent, and we salvaged some points. I’m looking forward to a better ride in New Jersey.

Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – DNF:
I had a pretty crazy week coming into this one as my wife and I welcomed our little girl to the world on Friday morning. I was definitely running low on sleep and not feeling 100 percent myself coming into the day and, overall, it all just got the best of me. I’ll work to regroup this week with the team, and we aim to come back swinging at MetLife Stadium next weekend.

Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – Seventh:
This was another week with strong qualifying pace and solid starts, which are helping me to run with the front guys more and more each time. After my heat race crash, I gathered myself quickly and salvaged as much as I could. I’m still focused on giving my 100 percent every time I hit the track, so I carried that mentality into the main. Even though I was a bit scrapped up, I focused on hitting my marks while I battled with those guys and took what the track had to offer. The end result was another seventh place, and we’ll continue to focus on progressing through the end of this season.

Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) – Fourth:
Atlanta Motor Speedway was an up-and-down day. Qualifying went really well for me, which was fourth, and then I won my heat race with a good start – I felt great! In the main event, I just didn’t get a start, had to make some passes, and was a bit far from the lead group, so I didn’t ride my best. I was a bit disappointed with that performance. At the of the day, we’ll go back this week, get better, aim to get back on the podium, and try to win in these coming races.

Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) – Sixth:
Atlanta started out pretty good. We got the bike dialled in practice, but there was something off with the feeling of my clutch in the heat – I ended up crashing and not making it directly into the main event. I went to the LCQ, won that and had some fun with the extra laps, but that led to me having the outside gate for the start. I had a decent start anyway, charged forward, and pushed hard, so it was a good end to a not-so-great day!

Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) – Second:
Atlanta was a really good day. I’m stoked on the team and myself and my riding. I had the family here and it was awesome. I qualified P5 and had a good heat race. I was riding really well, battling with Jason [Anderson], and he went off the track. So, I took the heat race win by I believe you say, default. In the main event, I got off to a pretty good start, charged hard, and made some passes, Chase and Kenny were riding really well. I was able to get around Kenny. He pushed me hard the whole race. It was great. I wasn’t able to catch Chase, but I had a really good ride for second. I’m really looking forward to New York next week. It’s my hometown race.

Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) – First:
It felt like an outdoor race when I woke up this morning. I felt really tired today and kept waking up a little bit more for every session. I only did long motos this week, so I really feel like that work paid off. Around the 10-minute mark, I’m sure the TV broadcasters were waiting for something to happen. [laughs] I got through a huge mental barrier to get through that whole race on two wheels and ride solid. It was much needed.

Colt Nichols (Team Honda HRC) – Ninth:
I’m not sure if I was battling an illness or what, but I just didn’t have any energy to give in the main event. I just felt terrible all day, and I’m a little disappointed by that. I’m just happy to get out of here healthy and live to fight another weekend.

Ken Roczen (Progressive Ecstar Suzuki) – Third:
Today in Atlanta we had a really good day. I had fun on the track all day. We were solid. We had a strong heat race and great starts today. It was hot so we had to put out a big effort, and I got another podium for the team, which is awesome. We have four races to go so we’re going to carry that momentum into those races and get a couple more podiums.

Shane McElrath (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 12th:
I felt like I had some intensity from the beginning of the main today, and it really set me up later in the race, I was pushing a good pace. I had a good group of riders right in front of me – that next group that I need to start beating, they’re right in front of me. There’s a lot to be thankful for after this weekend. We’ve still got some work to do and we will get back to it this week.

Kyle Chisolm (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 14th:
In the main, I got pushed wide and didn’t come out of the first turn in a good position. I made some good passes then made a mistake in the whoops, hooked a left, and went off the track. All the guys I worked my way through went back past me, so I had to pass all of them again. Overall, the riding was good, the bike was good, but I need to fight more through that first turn and put myself in a better position to get in the top ten.

250SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) – First:
Day races are kind of weird; I’m not a big fan of them. It was hot today, but the track was so high-speed and open that we could get some airflow going. It was so one-lined that you really had to be on the guy in front of you and confident in any move you were going to make. It feels really good to be where we’re at right now; this sport is so tough and full of peaks and valleys. It’s good to enjoy these moments because we work so hard for them. Now on to East Rutherford. Hopefully, Jett and I can get out of there with a good battle and a 1-2 finish.

Jordon Smith (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Second:
Yeah, it was a good day and a really good bounce back from a rough weekend in Detroit, so I’m really happy to come away with second. I’m really excited about my riding today. I felt like it was some of my best of the year, and I felt really solid. The team did a good job. We made some changes to the bike, and they worked really well. The track was gnarly. It could get you in an instant, so you had to be very precise.

Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Third:
It was a good day. I had a good qualifying and was third in the first one and ended up sixth. In my heat race, I was leading until halfway, when I hit neutral off the on-off. So I threw that one away, but I was able to finish fourth. I had the eighth gate pick for the main event, and from there, I pulled the holeshot on the outside like I did in the heat race. My starts have been dialled, which I’m happy about because I’ve been working hard on those. The whoops were also dialled the whole race. It wasn’t crazy speed, but I was consistent every lap, which is what I’ve been looking for because I feel like you can lose time quickly if you’re not consistent. We’re just slowly getting better and better. It feels great to get another podium and surreal to be second in the points during my rookie season.

Chris Blose (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Seventh:
Jo [Shimoda] and I were both outside the top 10 early, so I knew I had my work cut out for me. Consistent laps and nailing the whoops were key as I made my way up into sixth until I misjudged a lapper coming into the final section and got held up. It was frustrating to lose a position so close to the end but, it was even more frustrating to have been back there to begin with. I’m really happy with how this KX250 works right now and we had a great week at the test track so I wish I could have better showcased that in the results. We’ll try again next week at the showdown in New Jersey.

Jo Shimoda (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Fourth:
I was toward the back off the start and that made my whole race very difficult. I was able to race well throughout and almost got up to the podium, but I ran out of time. This is still a good step in the right direction as I return to racing form and look forward to the remaining Supercross rounds. It’s good for me to be back out there battling with the top guys and I would really like to get a win before the end of the season.

Talon Hawkins (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) – Eighth:
Atlanta treated me well. I had my best finishes in both the heat and the main. I had a P3 for the heat, and I just came in with a positive attitude and ready to get on that gate again. I ended up getting a good start in the main and ended up with my best finish of the season with a P8. I’m super-stoked. Hopefully, this is the first of many top tens. This is a good building point for me, and I’m excited to get back to training on Monday.

Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM) – DNF:
Today started well for me in finishing second in the heat, which was a good result, but unfortunately, I fell on the first lap of the main event and I wasn’t able to continue. It was disappointing to have the afternoon end like that, so we will regroup and look forward to the showdown next weekend.

Marshall Weltin (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 11th:
It was a rough start to the day, I’m not proud of how my qualifying or my free practice went. But I turned it around in my heat and in the main, where I worked my way from 20th to 11th. The track was super tricky with the soft dirt, so I’m happy we’re out of here healthy and we’re going to continue to work toward improving next weekend.