Image: Octopi Media.

The 250MX return of Stilez Robertson at Unadilla saw mixed fortunes for the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider, landing a holeshot in the second moto before ultimately finishing 16th overall.

Robertson had been sidelined for an extended period after he underwent surgery on a broken leg sustained in early April during Glendale’s Triple Crown.

Upon return, the number 40 qualified 11th fastest to commence the ninth round of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, before a poor start and arm-pump limited him to an 11th place finish in moto one, just over five seconds shy of the top 10.

In moto two, Robertson grabbed the holeshot before the race was red-flagged shortly after following a crash by RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing). Unfortunately, the YZ250F rider had a tip-over during the opening lap of the restart and rejoined toward the back of the field, making his way to 18th by race-end.

“Yeah, it was the first one back,” explained Robertson. “In the first moto, I got a little bit of arm pump and just kind of struggled.  In the second one, I was feeling good. I pulled the holeshot on the first start and was leading, but then, unfortunately, there was a red flag.

“On the second start, I came out fifth or sixth and again was feeling good but just tucked the front. Another rider got stuck on top of me, so it took me a while to get up. I’m not really happy, but it’s the first race back, so we got that out of the way and are moving on to Budds Creek.”

With two Pro Motocross rounds remaining before the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) playoffs, Robertson is currently 41st in the 250SMX standings, and he will look to claw his way inside the top 30 throughout the remaining races to ensure he will be able to compete in the post-season.