Cycle News Staff | March 6, 2021
2021 Daytona Supercross Results: The legendary Daytona International Speedway served as host to round nine of the Monster Energy Ama Supercross series. Eli Tomac’s number-three Monster Energy Kawasaki looked very “Intimidator-esque” as he led wire-to-wire en route to his fifth Daytona 450SX main event win.
Poor weather delayed the day program but played no factor in the night show action. This year’s Daytona layout was one of the most unique we’ve seen to date, with an over-under bridge and two treacherously deep sand sections.
Tomac Tops 2021 Daytona Supercross Results
Eli Tomac (center) celebrates his second win of the season alongside runner-up Cooper Webb and Aaron Plessinger. Photo: BrownDog Wilson
450SX
The 450 heavyweights were ready for battle when the gate dropped for the 450SX main event. Ken Roczen (Honda HRC) crossed the line first but was soon overtaken by Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM). Webb pushed his championship rival up near the Tuff Blocks which allowed Tomac to sneak underneath and take control of the race lead.
Aaron Plessinger (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) was fresh off a strong heat race performance and found himself up front again in the main.
The top five remained relatively unchanged as Tomac began strengthening his lead. Malcolm Stewart (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) and Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) held their own and battled inside the top five.
Roczen and Webb had a close game of cat and mouse for the majority of the race, but the number-94 suffered a costly mistake late in the race which put Webb just out of reach. Stewart briefly passed Roczen but would ultimately land in fifth at the checkers.
Tomac led wire to wire and clinched a record-tying fifth career win at Daytona. He now shares this record with Ricky Carmichael.
“All I can say is that Daytona is our house,” said Tomac. “I love it. I was so pumped on that start. It was crucial for us to get this win. I just love riding my dirt bike here and it shows. This was so big for us.”
In the final rhythm section, Webb put one last charge to pass Plessinger just before the line. Plessinger ended the night with a 450SX podium in between the two championship leaders. Webb’s second-place finish cuts into Roczen’s lead once more and brings it to just two points.
Roczen recovered from a handful of mistakes and finished just off the podium in fourth place.
Chase Sexton (Honda HRC) returned to action tonight and was in the mix at the start. The 450SX rookie would find himself in eighth at the checkers.
McAdoo Gets First Career win
Cameron McAdoo captured his first career 250SX main-event victory.
250SX West
Carnage plagued the 250SX class early in the day, but the main event went off without a hitch. Privateer Jordan Bailey nabbed the holeshot flanked by a hungry group of competitors. Rookie Stilez Robertson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) was in tow and quickly found himself passing Bailey for the lead. Points leader Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) suffered a terrible start and was buried in the pack well outside the top 10.
Robertson would lead the first lap and continued to push forward for the first half of the main event. Podium positions were traded back and forth with a number of riders cutting their teeth towards the front. Coty Schock (FXR/Chaparral Honda), Jalek Swoll (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Pierce Brown (TLD Red Bull GasGas) and Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) all swapped positions early on with McAdoo eventually finding himself in second place near the halfway mark.
Points leader Cooper was one of the fastest riders on track as he moved his way through the field. A costly mistake just before the sand section set him back again and allowed last year’s winner Garret Marchbanks (Club MX Yamaha) to catch a tow towards the front of the field. The round one podium finisher benefited from others’ mistakes and fought his way to fifth place on the night.
As the race neared the end, McAdoo had opened up a five-second lead ahead of Robertson and Brown. Cooper closed all the way to the back of Brown’s rear wheel but wasn’t close enough to seal the deal.
In a night of firsts for 250SX class, McAdoo took home his first career win, while Robertson and Brown both logged their first career podiums. McAdoo now leads the 250SX West points by four over Cooper.
“This is unreal,” said McAdoo. “That is what we worked for, and I have such a great group of people behind me. I have all the guys at Kawasaki and my whole family to thank. My mom is up in section 365 (of the Daytona front stretch seating). A shout out to her, because in 2016 she drove me here in a van. This is just awesome. We worked our butts off to get here, but this is just the beginning.”
The iron man himself, Ryan Sipes (TLD Red Bull GasGas), entered tonight’s race but was the victim of a hard hit in the heat race. He would transfer to the main after the heat race restart and logged a 21st position on the night. CN
-RYAN NITZEN
2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship
Round 9
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
March 6, 2021
450SX Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
18 laps |
| 2. |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
03.856 |
| 3. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(Yam) |
04.523 |
| 4. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
07.755 |
| 5. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Yam) |
10.538 |
| 6. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
21.635 |
| 7. |
Jason Anderson |
(Hus) |
25.646 |
| 8. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
32.783 |
| 9. |
Justin Bogle |
(KTM) |
36.097 |
| 10. |
Dean Wilson |
(Hus) |
41.335 |
250SX West (Top 10)
| 1. |
Cameron McAdoo |
(Kaw) |
14 laps |
| 2. |
Stilez Robertson |
(Hus) |
03.653 |
| 3. |
Pierce Brown |
(GG) |
05.139 |
| 4. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
06.043 |
| 5. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
14.693 |
| 6. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
20.328 |
| 7. |
Alex Martin |
(Yam) |
22.532 |
| 8. |
Jalek Swoll |
(Hus) |
23.740 |
| 9. |
Coty Schock |
(Hon) |
24.174 |
| 10. |
Jordon Smith |
(Kaw) |
35.926 |
2021 450SX Point Standings (After 9 of 17 rounds)
| 1. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
199/3 wins |
| 2. |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
197/3 wins |
| 3. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
175/2 wins |
| 4. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
153/1 win |
| 5. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Yam) |
143 |
| 6. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
135 |
| 7. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(Yam) |
134 |
| 8. |
Zach Osborne |
(Hus) |
123 |
| 9. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
121 |
| 10. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
120 |
2021 250SX West Point Standings (After 2 of 10 rounds)
| 1. |
Cameron McAdoo |
(Kaw) |
49/1 win |
| 2. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
45/1 win |
| 3. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
39 |
| 4. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
35 |
| 5. |
Jalek Swoll |
(Hus) |
34 |
| 6. |
Seth Hammaker |
(Kaw) |
29 |
| 7. |
Stilez Robertson |
(Hus) |
28 |
| 8. |
Coty Schock |
(Hon) |
25 |
| 9. |
Chris Blose |
(GG) |
23 |
| 10. |
Pierce Brown |
(GG) |
21 |
QUALIFYING
2021 Daytona Supercross Results: Qualifying for the 79th running of the Daytona Supercross is complete. Things started off a little iffy with the weather. Rain and lightning caused a delay in the program and a scheduling change, but when riders came out to complete the second of the two timed qualifiers, the track could not have been in better shape. Luckily, the rain held off so that the riders could get their final qualifying session completed in the dry, but the wet stuff could come back before all is said and done. After all, this is Florida where the weather can and often does change rapidly.
Ken Roczen Tops 2021 Daytona Supercross Qualifying
Ken Roczen was the top 450SX qualifier at the Daytona Supercross. He’s hoping to land his first Daytona victory. Photos: BrownDog Wilson
The Daytona Supercross marks the return of Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton who injured his shoulder at round two, but a few top riders are sitting this one out.
Adam Cianciarulo is sidelined with a broken collarbone and former Daytona winner Justin Brayton (ribs) is out with an injury suffered in training prior to Orlando 2. Also watching tonight will be Zach Osborne (back) who also suffered an injury in training.
Brayton tried riding this morning but decided he wasn’t ready yet.
Osborne also suffered his injury prior to Orlando 2. He injured his back but decided to sit Daytona out to give it a little more time to heal. Osborne says he’ll return when he’s “fully fit.”
In the 250SX West class, TLD/Red Bull/GasGas’ Pierce Brown is making his ’21 debut after injuring his knee late last year. Ryan Sipes (GasGas) is also making his first appearance of the year. He plans on racing flat track and GNCC during this year’s Daytona Bike Week.
Jeremy Martin (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha), however, is not riding. His shoulder is still mending from his crash two weeks ago at Orlando 2; however, his brother Alex has gotten the green light to race after suffering a concussion also at the previous race.
Ken Roczen (Honda HRC) is hoping to claim the first Daytona Supercross win of his career and he’s heading in the right direction in doing that. The ’21 Championship leader was the day’s top qualifier, followed by Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha), who looked superb on the “outdoorsy” Daytona track.
Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) is trying to get his fifth Daytona Supercross win which would tie him with all-time Daytona winner Ricky Carmichael, who again designed this year’s track which features a new under-over section. Tomac qualified third.
Daytona Supercross 250SX West Top Qualifier Justin Cooper
Justin Cooper topped 250SX West qualifying.
Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM), who won the last race at Orlando 2, qualified fourth, followed by his teammate Marvin Musquin, who also looked right at home on the technical and rutted track.
Sexton qualified sixth, followed by Jason Anderson, Malcolm Stewart, and Justin Barcia.
Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) was the top qualifier in the 250SX West class (round two). He was a full half-second quicker than the next-best rider Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki), and right behind McAdoo is last year’s 250SX winner Garrett Marchbanks on the ClubMX Yamaha.
Hunter Lawrence (Honda HRC) rounded out the top five
Sipes qualified 11th. CN
2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship
Round 9
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
March 6, 2021
450SX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
1:08.019 |
| 2. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
1:08.129 |
| 3. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
1:08.260 |
| 4. |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
1:08.540 |
| 5. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
1:08.613 |
| 6. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
1:08.808 |
| 7. |
Jason Anderson |
(Hus) |
1:08.927 |
| 8. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(Yam) |
1:09.003 |
| 9. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Yam) |
1:09.218 |
| 10. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
1:09.223 |
250SX West Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
1:08.913 |
| 2. |
Cameron McAdoo |
(Kaw) |
1:09.539 |
| 3. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
1:09.916 |
| 4. |
Seth Hammaker |
(Kaw) |
1:10.142 |
| 5. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1:10.486 |
| 6. |
Jordan Bailey |
(Yam) |
1:11.005 |
| 7. |
Stilez Robertson |
(Hus) |
1:11.151 |
| 8. |
Ty Masterpool |
(GG) |
1:11.397 |
| 9. |
Jordon Smith |
(Kaw) |
1:11.422 |
| 10. |
Chris Blose |
(GG) |
1:11.457 |
Monster Energy Supercross/Telecast Schedule
| Saturday, January 16 |
Houston (East) |
NBCSN |
6 p.m. ET |
| Tuesday, January 19 |
Houston (East) |
NBCSN* |
10:30 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, January 23 |
Houston (East) |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, January 30 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, January 31 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBC** |
11 p.m. ET |
| Tuesday, February 2 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBCSN* |
11 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, February 6 |
Indianapolis (East) |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, February 13 |
Orlando (East) |
NBCSN |
7:30 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, February 20 |
Orlando (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, March 6 |
Daytona (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, March 13 |
Arlington (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
| Tuesday, March 16 |
Arlington (West) |
NBCSN* |
10:30 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, March 20 |
Arlington (West) |
NBCSN* |
10:30 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, April 10 |
Atlanta (West) |
NBC |
3 p.m. ET |
| Tuesday, April 13 |
Atlanta (West) |
NBCSN* |
10 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, April 17 |
Atlanta (West) |
NBCSN* |
8:30 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, April 24 |
Salt Lake City (West) |
NBCSN |
7 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, May 1 |
Salt Lake City (East/West) |
NBCSN |
10 p.m. ET |
| Sunday, May 2 |
Salt Lake City (East/West) |
NBC** |
1:30 p.m. ET |
*Same-day delay
**Taped coverage
Click here for complete 2021 Daytona Supercross Rnd 9 Results.
