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Image: Octopi Media.

250SX qualifying:
It was 250SX East championship leader Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) who continued to assert his authority in the category, topping the timesheets by lodging the fastest lap of 43.856s. TLD Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Peirce Brown was impressive with a 44.170s to slot himself behind Lawrence in second, while the top three was completed by Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) with a quick-time of 44.480s. Jordon Smith (Fire Power Honda Racing) and RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) were fourth and fifth fastest respectively, as the top 10 was rounded out by Enzo Lopes (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Racing Team), Mitchell Oldenburg (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda), Stilez Robertson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), Kyle Chisholm – who was on debut with Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing – and Jace Owen (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Racing Team).

450SX qualifying:
For the second-straight week, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart has gone fastest in 450SX qualifying, posting a blistering 43.568s time to top the timesheets. Chase Sexton – the sole Team Honda HRC 450SX contender following Ken Roczen’s indefinite withdrawal from the series – took his CRF450R to second with a time of 43.701s, while former champion Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing) was just a fraction behind in third, recording his quickest lap of 43.716s. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing duo Eli Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis were fourth and fifth respectively, followed by Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Dean Wilson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing) and Justin Brayton (Smartop Bullfrog Spas MCR Honda).

250SX heat one:
Kawasaki-mounted Joshua Cartwright stormed to the early lead in the opening 250SX East heat of the night, but it was Brown who emerged victorious. Lopes was put on a strong display in the early stages, passing Cartwright for the lead before relinquishing the position to Brown, however a tip-over later in the race followed by a mechanical failure forced him to record a DNF. Robertson ultimately finished runner-up ahead of Owen, as the top five was locked out by Cullin Park (Pheonix Honda Racing) and Cartwright. The top 10 was completed by John Short (Honda), Jeremy Hand (Honda), Marshal Weltin (Yamaha), Devin Simonson (Yamaha), and Smith.

250SX heat two:
Series-leader Lawrence couldn’t be stopped on his way to the 250SX East heat race two victory, passing Hampshire in the early stages before charging to a convincing win. Hampshire initially held down second, although a wild ride in the whoops halfway through the race saw him crash out of the position. McAdoo inherited second where he eventually finished in, followed by Oldenburg and Monster Energy Star Yamaha debutant Chisholm. Hampshire recovered for fifth ahead of Derek Drake (Suzuki), Joshua Varize (Husqvarna), Phil Nicoletti (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Racing Team), Hardy Munoz (Kawasaki), and Henry Miller (KTM).

450SX heat one:
The opening 450SX heat race proved to be an eventful encounter, with Tomac ultimately prevailing to secure victory. Sexton led a majority of the race, however came under attack from Tomac after making an error with two laps to go. He managed to build an advantage on the last lap, but it was all for nothing when he crashed heavily in the whoops. Remarkably, he quickly remounted to salvage P2 ahead of Musquin and Smartop Bullfrog Spas MotoConcepts Honda duo Brayton and Friese. Wilson recovered from an early fall for sixth, followed by Justin Starling (GasGas), Alex Ray (Honda), Kevin Moranz (KTM) and Brandon Hartranft (H.E.P. Suzuki), who also took a significant crash while running inside the top five.

450SX heat two:
Fastest qualifier Stewart put on a commanding display in the second 450SX heat race of the night, claiming a comfortable victory over Anderson and Webb – the pair engaged in a brief battle, where Anderson was able to secure an advantage and eventually cross the line in P2. Barcia worked his way to fourth ahead of H.E.P. Suzuki’s Justin Bogle, as the top 10 was completed by Ferrandis, Alex Martin (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Racing Team), Shane McElrath (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WPS KTM), Cade Clason (Honda), and Ryan Breece (Yamaha.

250SX LCQ:
It was a tame affair in the 250SX East LCQ, where Smith raced to a lonely victory. I started with Hicks (KTM) snatching the hole-shot and early lead before putting on a sensible performance to secure a spot in the main event in fourth, finishing behind Lopes and Miller. Honda-equipped Lance Kobusch missed out on the final transfer spot to finish in fifth.

450SX LCQ:
Hartranft rode a smooth race to secure victory and a transfer spot to the 450SX main event, marking the first LCQ win of his career. Ryan Breece (Yamaha) made a late-race charge to finish second over Logan Karnow (Kawasaki), while the final transfer spot was awarded to Justin Rodbell – the Kawasaki rider keeping Joan Cros (Kawasaki) – who initially held a transfer spot before being taken down by Kurnow – at bay in the dying stages to secure fourth.

250SX main event:
Lawrence charged to a commanding victory in the 250SX main event, passing Robertson – who secured the hole-shot – in the early stages before remaining relatively untouched for the remainder of the encounter. Brown held down second and actually tracked down Lawrence at one stage when the pair encountered lappers, however the points leader was able to gap the factory GasGas rider on his way to P1. The encounter really intensified at the halfway mark, when McAdoo jumped onto the heels of Brown, eventually making the pass through the whoops. Brown didn’t allow McAdoo to ride away and remained within striking distance in the laps to come, ultimately finishing third behind number 48. Hampshire, who battled with teammate Robertson in the early stages, claimed fourth ahead of Smith, as the top 10 was rounded out by Oldenburg, Nicoletti, Robertson, Lopes and Joshua Varize (Husqvarna). Lawrence now leads the championship by eight points over McAdoo.

450SX main event:
Points leader Tomac managed to escape the carnage that unfolded during the 450SX main event to claim victory and significantly extend his series lead after a race that saw a number of major contenders crash out. It was Bogle who claimed the hole-shot and early lead, however it last just a matter of laps as Barcia took control of the race in the early stages. Former champion Anderson pushed his bid for title contention, passing Barcia five minutes into the main event. At the halfway mark, Tomac managed to find his way past the Kawasaki pilot, and this is when the chaos ensued. It started with defending champion Webb and Sexton coming together in a rhythm lane – Webb misjudged the section, coming up short, leaving nowhere for Sexton to go other than landing on him. Sexton was assisted off the circuit, while Webb remarkably remounted and circulated the track for a number – albeit one handed as he clearly nursed an injured left arm – before ultimately pulling. Just as this unfolded, Anderson crashed all by himself at the base of the finish line jump, hitting the ground rather heavily. He also remounted and rode to the end of the next rhythm lane, before seemingly coming to a stop and falling off, ending his night prematurely. Anderson wasn’t the final casualty – Monster Energy Star Yamaha’s Ferrandis also withdrew in the later stages of main, nursing what appeared to be an injured right arm. With Tomac managing to dodge the chaos, he claimed a dominant victory ahead of fastest-qualifier Stewart and Barcia, while the top five was completed by Musquin and Brayton. Position six through to 10 were taken out by Friese, McElrath, Bogle, Hartranft and Clason. Tomac now has a staggering 42-point lead over Anderson and Stewart as the series heads to Indianapolis on 18 March.