Steve Cox | March 4, 2019
Atlanta Supercross 450SX Video Highlights
Atlanta Supercross 250SX East/West Video Highlights
When Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb won his first 450cc Supercross way back in January of this year, something clicked. Since then, he’s been at our near the front almost every week. Coming off a night a week earlier in Detroit, where Webb was clearly outclassed by Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac, the Atlanta Supercross results looked a lot more like what we’ve become accustomed to, with Webb taking his fifth win of the year and extending his points lead to 13 halfway through the series.
Atlanta 450 Results
Cooper Webb won his fifth 450cc main event of the season in Atlanta, extending his points lead to 13 at the halfway point of the series. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY
On the floor of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, there was a sand turn that spun about 270 degrees to the right before a tunnel jump that sent racers back over the entrance to the same turn, and that sand section proved to be pivotal all night. Whoever was in front would often cover anybody close behind them in sand, and this in particular made starts even more important than usual. When the gate dropped for the Atlanta 450 main event, it was none other than Webb taking the holeshot over teammate Marvin Musquin and Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM’s Blake Baggett, while Monster Energy Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger, Smartop/Motoconcepts/Bullfrog Spas Honda’s Justin Brayton, Honda’s Ken Roczen, Kawasaki privateer Tyler Bowers and the rest of the field giving chase. Last week’s winner, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac (who had qualified first during daytime qualifying) rounded the opening lap in 13th.
Webb barely held off his teammate Musquin for the first half of the race, but a huge mistake in the sand handed Baggett the runner-up spot, and he resumed the chase, but even though both Baggett and Musquin could get close to Webb throughout the 26-lap main event, they could never find a way by.
Atlanta 450 Results
Blake Baggett won his heat race and was close enough to challenge for the win, but he had to settle for second. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY
Webb took the win over Baggett and Musquin, while Roczen held on for a distant fourth place; a gift from Plessinger, who fell in the sand on lap 17 and handed the spot to Roczen. Plessinger still recovered for fifth place, which was his first-ever top-five finish in the 450cc class during this, his rookie 450cc season. Tomac finished about 3 and a half seconds behind Plessinger in sixth, followed by Brayton, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Dean Wilson, Tomac’s teammate Joey Savatgy, and Roczen’s teammate Cole Seely.
Coming off his 132nd podium finish of his career last week in Detroit, JGR/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Chad Reed was running well inside the top 10 when he went down late in the race and ended up 13th.
Webb now leads Roczen in the championship by 13 points, with Musquin another four points back, and Tomac sitting five more points behind Musquin in fourth, fully 22 points behind Webb.
Atlanta 250 East/West Shootout
Adam Cianciarulo proved the West Is Best, winning the first of two 250cc East/West Shootouts on the season. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY
In the much-anticipated 250cc East/West Shootout, the big question was, Could anybody stop Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner? Forkner, the 250cc East points leader, had won every single race he’d entered so far in 2019, including heat races, and won his heat in Atlanta as well, while his teammate and 250cc West points leader Adam Cianciarulo could barely manage third place in his heat. Forkner also grabbed the holeshot to start the main event, with fellow East racer, GEICO Honda’s Chase Sexton, hot on his heels. But Cianciarulo seemed patient as he worked his way forward from third place, eventually passing Sexton for second before going by his East-Coast teammate Forkner in the whoops to take the lead. A lap later, Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis went by Forkner in the same spot and the two sprinted away from the Best of the East.
Atlanta 250 East/West Shootout
Dylan Ferrandis finished second in the Shootout, giving the West guys a 1-2 on the night. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY
Cianciarulo took the win—the third East/West Shootout win of his career—ahead of Ferrandis and Forkner, the latter of whom lost his first race of 2019. Sexton was fourth over Ferrandis’s teammate Justin Cooper, TLD/Red Bull KTM’s Shane McElrath, Ferrandis’s teammate Colt Nichols, Cianciarulo’s teammate Martin Davalos, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Michael Mosiman and CycleTrader/Rock River Yamaha teammates Brandon Hartranft and Jacob Hayes.
With the combined points-paying race in the books, Forkner extended his points lead to 18 over Cooper in the East, while Cianciarulo now holds a 15-point lead over Ferrandis out West.
The series now heads to Daytona Beach, Florida, this coming Saturday night for round 10 of the championship, where the 450cc and the 250cc East will do battle on the infield of Daytona International Speedway.
Atlanta Supercross Results 2019
Atlanta Supercross Results 2019
Atlanta Supercross Results 2019
Atlanta Supercross Results 2019
Atlanta Supercross Results 2019
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