In Quotebook, a selection of riders detail how their races played out at the second round of the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Championship in Oakland.

Image: Octopi Media.

450SX

Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) – Seventh:
Tonight was a tough one, to say the least. I came down with a cold yesterday and fought through it the best we could today but definitely didn’t feel great at all. Practice went pretty good with third but I just tried to save as much as I could for the main event. I had a terrible start in the main and I made my way forward as best I could. It was definitely tough battling the sickness but I’m going to get healthy this week and go into San Diego with a fresh body and fresh slate. As far as the championship goes, we’re still in a good spot so we’ll see where it ends up.

Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) – Eighth:
In the heat race, I didn’t get a good start and unfortunately it didn’t work out. In the main event, I was on the outside gate and I actually had a better start but it was difficult in the first few laps mid-pack. I got a little bit better after four or five laps and I was trying to attack Cooper [Webb], but I started tightening up and I didn’t keep that momentum until the end. I know I need to do better, so we’ll work on some things this week.

Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) – Second:
The opening round was a little rough for me but I re-grouped and had a really good week with the team. We did some testing with the whole crew and spent some time at the track and man, did it turn things around. I’m stoked! This is my second podium ever in the 450 class and I can’t thank these guys enough. It’s my first year on this bike, so I’m stoked on Red Bull KTM and everybody out there. Thank you!

Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) – Third:
I was just riding my race and having fun out there. I got a little tight in the middle but I was able to regroup. I saw Eli coming so I knew I needed to put the hammer down and I really wanted those two in front of me but they rode awesome, AP [Aaron Plessinger] and Jason [Anderson]. I want to dedicate this race to Fed [Ryan Fedorow], he unfortunately passed away last week, so this is for him and I feel like he would be proud of me tonight. I can’t thank the whole team enough. We’re going to keep coming up here, it was fun tonight!

Dean Wilson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) – 10th:
Overall, tonight was better than the first round. I got a good start in the heat race but I rode tight out there. In the main event, I didn’t get a great start but I ended up getting 10th. It’s not what we want but only can keep striving to be better and fight with those guys to get to the next step I need to be.

Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) – Fifth:
I think the night was actually kind of quiet for me. I’m stoked on the way I’ve been riding but starts are holding me back a little bit. It’s part of racing and we can take what we’ve learned from here and move forward. We’re still in a really good position for points so I’m stoked on that and just the whole program I’ve been on, I’ve never had this much fun! It’s only the second race and I feel like I’ve been racing for so long. The whole vibe and happiness has been great, so I’m looking forward to another great week.

Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing) – Sixth:
I felt good all day. We had a really good lap time during practice, but we got a really bad start in the heat race and had to fight my way up to fifth. Then in the main event, I got a little better start, but it was still not very good. I had another big fight to come back to the front and gave everything I had to come back to sixth. I think I could’ve got a top-five finish, but I made a mistake and missed a big double on the track, so I lost a lot of time. I closed the gap to fifth and finished on their rear wheel, but it was not enough. We’ll take this, it’s better than last weekend for sure, but it’s not really where we want to be. Step-by-step, we need to move our way up each race.

Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing) – Fourth:
Overall, it was a good day with a really good qualifying result and a great heat race. It was a good track all day, and I enjoyed riding it and racing it. We worked on starts all week, and I was able to put myself in a good position in the heat race and got the win. I was feeling really good going into the main event. I was a little bit farther back on the start but made some good passes early on, and I was doing everything I could to push, but I couldn’t quite get to the podium spot. I made big improvements from the first round, and I know we’ll get there. It’s just a matter of fine-tuning at this point.

Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) – 13th:
Not really much to say about Oakland. I feel like the day already started off kind of weird and we weren’t really feeling that great on the track, but we did the best we could. Chase [Sexton] and I went down pretty dang hard in the last qualifying practice. I got really lucky that nothing worse happened, as Chase kind of used my head as a whoop! It all happened so quickly and it was ultimately just me going down and falling into the wrong spot. The heat race was decent; I got second there. Going into the night show I put everything aside and tried to stay calm. We got off to a decent start, but I was probably around fourth or fifth and just struggled in the whoops – we’re just not good enough in them and we have to get better. That was a spot that bit me again, and after that there really wasn’t that much I could do. I finished 13th, but I’m going to keep my head up and charge hard again next weekend.

Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) – Ninth:
Round two in Oakland started off good; the first couple of qualifying sessions were good and then everything kind of went downhill. Ken and I got together in the final session and both of us went down pretty hard. After that, I actually ended up winning my heat race but besides that I kind of just felt uncomfortable in the whoops and with the track in general. It was a tough day for me, but I’m hopeful for a better finish in San Diego. I’m excited to get back to work this week and get ready for next weekend.

Brandon Hartranft (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 16th:
In the main event I didn’t really have that strong of a start, but I fought hard through the whole race. I got into 16th and just tried to put in as many solid laps as I could, especially for how gnarly that track was. One of the sets of whoops – I’ve never seen a goat trail down the middle so deep! – I personally like it when the track’s beat like that. That’s when I feel like I ride my best. I’m working hard and the team’s working hard and I want to show more potential and better results.

Adam Enticknap (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – DNQ:
The dirt was super tacky, it was just absolute traction everywhere. In heat one I didn’t ride like I wanted to ride, but I learned the lines. In the LCQ, got a great jump out of the gate, it was awesome. I poked it in there coming into the first corner, then passed into third on the first lap. A few laps in another rider came across the track and just took me out, up over the hay-bales. I’m not really sure what was going on considering we were in third and fourth. That ended my night. I wish I could have that LCQ back. I’m looking forward to a great stadium and a great city next weekend.

250SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Third:
Now that I’ve been on the podium twice this year, I’m not satisfied with second or third. I want that win and we’ll be working hard for it. Last week I was able to minimize the mistakes, but I just had a few moments on Saturday that cost me some time. I’m really looking forward to going to San Diego. It has always looked like a cool stadium with a tighter, technical track.

Jo Shimoda (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Seventh:
There were a lot of positives that we had in Oakland, but I wasn’t able to get the result I know we are capable of. It’s frustrating, but at least I know there are things that can be adjusted. The start was awesome and I felt good. I just made a mistake that cost me a good result. We know what we can work on this week and we’ll be ready for San Diego.

Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) – Second:
Oakland wasn’t a bad night; we got second overall. Still, I’m definitely a bit frustrated. I had a few more laps than last weekend to work on Seth [Hammaker], and we had a good battle. He was riding really well in the beginning, so I had to keep just pushing through. My start wasn’t ideal, so we’re going to be working on that this week, but we’re fit and healthy. Next weekend we’re moving on to San Diego, so hopefully that will be a good race.

Michael Mosiman (TLD Red Bull GasGas) – Fourth:
It was so good to be back at my hometown race in Oakland representing NorCal, the fans were awesome! It was a fun weekend with the team and a lot of really good racing. I’m a little disappointed with the result but I’m focusing on the positive. I had great speed, my racecraft has significantly improved from years past and I think I am one of the best – if not the best – guy in the whoops and that feels good. If you don’t consider the finishes, it’s been fun to mix it up with the guys and I look forward to replicating some of that heat race magic in the main. It’s coming soon, I think everyone knows it and I look forward to the upcoming races.

Christian Craig (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) – First:
The day was solid. I qualified first and then backed it up in the heat race and then got off to a good start in the main. I was second-place, and then the guy in front of me stalled it, so I made the pass and just never looked back. It was a pretty basic win, but it was nice to score my first back-to-back win. I was coming off a good weekend at Anaheim 1 and then had a good week at the practice track. So I came in here with confidence and just rode like I did last week, and like I do at the practice track every week, which is basically just having fun, and it’s been showing in my riding lately. It’s great to start the season off like this. I have a great support group and people that push me every day to be where I am. I’m really looking forward to my hometown race in San Diego next weekend, so let’s keep it going.

Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) – 12th:
I rode well all day, I’ve just got to work on my starts. It was a solid fifth-place, but I feel like I should’ve been on the podium. I came from the back and got up to fourth but got a little tired. I’m ready to go back to work. I feel like the speed’s there to be second and try and sneak in a win on Christian; he’s riding so well. We’ve just got to get a start and put ourselves in a situation to win, and right now, we are not doing that. Let’s go back and have a good week of training and keep swinging next week.

Carson Mumford (BarX Suzuki) – 10th:
The day was a struggle for me. It was my first time racing in Oakland. I had a big crash in the first practice but was okay and ended up getting sixth in my heat race. In the main I was in eighth and crashed. I had to pull into the mechanics area to get my throttle fixed before going back out, so only caught back up to 14th.

Dilan Schwartz (BarX Suzuki) – 15th:
I had a first turn tip over in the heat. My bike was pretty mangled, so I had to go to the LCQ. I got a better start in the main and improved my result from A1 so I’m just going to keep improving each weekend.