Image: Octopi Media.

Following an incident in the closing stages of Anaheim 2’s 250SX main event at Anaheim 2, Vince Friese has avoided major injury after being struck by Jo Shimoda – left with nowhere to go – in the whoops immediately following his crash.

Friese showed promising pace throughout the evening, coming close to winning his heat race before a late-race fall, later running in third during the main event until the crash in the whoops.

“The night definitely didn’t end the way I wanted it to,” Friese explained. “Some good stuff to take away from then night, I think my riding was better, still learning the little bike. I think my speed was better, obviously, my starts have been on.

“In the main event it felt like I was riding well, I didn’t quite have the pace to fight for a win with Christian [Craig] and Michael [Mosiman]. I felt like I at least kept them honest for a little bit and pushed the pace pretty good. There was going to be a good little battle for the podium – me, Hunter [Lawrence] and Jo, felt like I could of held on.

“It wasn’t meant to be, got a little sideways in the whoops, the whoops were tough all night, little crash no big deal, but popped my head up and had a front tyre in my face. I just bit my tongue really bad and really that’s the only major thing I got out of it – I’m a little bit sore this morning, but not nearly as bad as I thought driving home last night.”

The MotoConepts rider will have another chance to try and land on the podium this Saturday when the Monster Energy Supercross Championship resumes at Glendale. He’s now sixth in the standings after going 5-6-4 in the earlier rounds.