Steve Cox | February 11, 2018
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results: When AutoTrader/JGR Suzuki’s Justin Hill finished way off the pace at round one of the 2018 Monster Energy 250cc Western Regional Supercross Championship at Anaheim 1, he said after the post-race press conference, “Don’t worry, I’ll win on this bike. It’s a good bike.” Five weeks later, he did.
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results
Justin Hill (1W) leads Adam Cianciarulo (92) just after he passed Cianciarulo. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE COX
Hill was fastest in qualifying, and won his heat race. In the main event, he started behind former Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammates Joey Savatgy and Adam Cianciarulo, and Cianciarulo went by Savatgy (who had injured his hand in practice) early, and began to pull away. But Hill soon got by Savatgy, too, then began to reel Cianciarulo back in.
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results
Rookie Chase Sexton came through for his second podium of the season. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE COX
Finally, after chasing Cianciarulo for about 10 laps, Hill made a pass stick. He and Cianciarulo went back and forth a few times before Hill could finally hold on to the lead, then he pulled away to take his first win of the series on his new Suzuki mount. Cianciarulo finished second, while GEICO Honda’s Chase Sexton came through for third in the end, just edging out Savatgy.
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results
Joey Savatgy (17) leads Justin Hill (1W) and Adam Cianciarulo (behind Hill) off the start. Cianciarulo took second from Hill in the next corner, but Hill eventually took the win. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE COX
Behind Savatgy came TLD/Red Bull KTM’s Shane McElrath, GEICO Honda’s Christain Craig, and then points leader Aaron Plessinger (Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha) who ran as high as fifth in the main event before a crash caused him to come through the pack from a little farther back for an eventual seventh place.
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results
Rough night for Aaron Plessinger in San Diego, but he still carries a 5-point lead in the championship chase. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE COX
Although Hill won the race, Savatgy’s performance had to feel like a win, too. Savatgy went down in the opening practice of the day and injured his hand when the flagger picked the bike off of him by the throttle grip, and the motorcycle took off across Savatgy’s body, which is how he injured his hand. He sat out the second practice, then rode a few laps in the third practice and was able to secure the eighth qualifying spot.
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results
Hill scored his first win on a Suzuki in San Diego. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE COX
Savatgy then qualified for the main event in his heat race, grabbed the holeshot in the main, and finished fourth. With Plessinger’s fall in the main, this meant that despite the injury, he gained points on Plessinger and now trails the Yamaha pilot by five points with four rounds left to run.
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results
2018 San Diego 250cc Supercross Results
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