Ryan Nitzen | April 9, 2022
We are back racing after a weekend off and the Supercross series checks round 13 off the list here in St. Louis, Missouri. Tonight is the final round of the triple crown format and it means we are back with the east coast 250 riders. After three action packed races for both classes, it’s Marvin Musquin and RJ Hampshire coming out on top.
450SX Race One
Race one of the 450SX division started with the usual players up front. Chase Sexton grabbed the holeshot ahead of Marvin Musquin, with Eli Tomac back in sixth.
Sexton’s holeshot set the tone of the race. He led every lap of the first moto and did so with ease. Sexton set the fastest lap time by nearly half a second before taking the checkers.
Marvin Musquin held the second spot in race one. The sole KTM rider fended off Malcolm Stewart for the entire race one before locking down a podium position.
Malcolm Stewart came home third. After setting the fastest qualifying time earlier in the day, Stewart showed he has the speed to run up front. He continuously tried to pass Musquin but never got it done. On the final lap, Stewart and Tomac duked it out for the final podium spot but Stewart held tough.
Tomac took fourth ahead of Justin Barcia and Jason Anderson. Anderson fell during the race, tucking the front end, but got up and salvaged a sixth.
Chase Sexton won 450SX race one. Photos: Brown Dog Wilson
450SX Race Two
Marvin Musquin showed what he was made of in 450 race two. He got the holeshot over Vince Friese and Jason Anderson. Musquin led the duration of the race and took over the night’s overall points lead in the process.
Anderson quickly made his way to second place and looked to make a run on Musquin. The two stayed close to each other but Anderson never found a way around the KTM rider. Anderson crossed the line five and a half seconds back.
Chase Sexton came off a race one win and finished third in race two. He held close to the leaders but again never found a way forward or backward. He is in the running tonight with a first and a third.
Eli Tomac crossed the line fourth, off the podium again in race two. That’s two fourth’s to start the night for the points leader.
Malcolm Stewart started up front but crashed hard right before the over-under bridge. He spent some time on the ground but did get up and give it another go. After a few laps he pulled off and exited the track with a limp.
Marvin Musquin claimed race two.
450SX Race Three
The last race of the night for the 450s saw Eli Tomac finally rebound after a lackluster start to the night. The points leader grabbed the holeshot and led every lap of the final main. After finishing fourth in the first two races, the final win gives third overall to Tomac.
Musquin started second and rode a consistent final race. He closed in on Tomac late in the race but couldn’t get a pass to stick. None of that mattered though as Musquin’s two, one, two finishes earned him the overall for the night. This marks the first win for Musquin this season.
Chase Sexton rode another quiet race in race three. He battled with Stewart and Barcia for much of the early part of the race and secured the final podium spot after Anderson hit the deck. Sexton’s one, three, three finishes were good enough for second overall tonight.
Malcolm Stewart returned to action for race three despite a big crash in race two. He fought hard for sixth in the race but inconsistent three, 19, six finishes were only good enough for ninth overall.
Eli Tomac rebounded to win race three.
St Louis 450 Podium.
450SX Overall Results
| 1. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
2-1-2 |
| 2. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
1-3-3 |
| 3. |
Eli Tomac |
(Yam) |
4-4-1 |
| 4. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
6-2-5 |
| 5. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
5-5-4 |
| 6. |
Justin Brayton |
(Hon) |
7-7-7 |
| 7. |
Vince Friese |
(Hon) |
8-6-10 |
| 8. |
Brandon Hartranft |
(Suz) |
9-8-9 |
| 9. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Hus) |
3-19-6 |
| 10. |
Justin Bogle |
(Sux) |
17-9-8 |
250SX
250SX Race One
The first gate drop of the night kicked off with 250SX race one. RJ Hampshire grabbed the holeshot over Mitchell Oldenburg, while points leader Jett Lawrence started just inside the top ten.
Pierce Brown and Josh Varize tangled early in the race which put Brown out for the rest of the race.
Hampshire led most of the race but crashed spectacularly in the long rhythm section. He jumped off the side of the track and landed on a Tuff Block. Luckily he remounted in third but was able to pass back for second just before the finish.
Lawrence worked up to third by the half-way point in the race but wasn’t done yet. After Hampshire crashed Lawrence found himself in second. He made quick work of Oldenburg through the whoops and led the remaining few laps.
Oldenburg put in a great ride in race one. He sat solidly in the top three and even found himself in the after Hampshire’s incident. Lawrence and Hampshire got him right at the end but Oldenburg ended the race with a third.
Jett Lawrence took race one in 250SX.
Race Two
Race two started off with Hampshire up front again, Oldenburg second and Lawrence third. The top three riders battled it out for the first few laps before the race was red flagged due to a downed rider. Pierce Brown also had issues again with his bike’s electronics. He’s out for race two.
Hampshire pulled another holeshot at the restart with Oldenburg hot on his heels again. Lawrence’s start wasn’t as good as the first, he found himself back in about fifth. Hampshire held the lead through the first half of the race and put up a good fight as Lawrence clawed his way up.
Lawrence made his way up to the backside of Hampshire and got the pass done just after the half-way point. Once in the lead, Lawrence never looked back. He leads the night with two wins.
Hampshire put on a hard charge at the end of the race and crashed while attempting to pass Lawrence in the final turn. Despite a fall, he still managed to finish second ahead of Oldenburg.
Lawrence came from the back to win race two.
Race Three
The final 250 race of the night saw RJ Hampshire get another holeshot. Enzo Lopes and Phil Nicoletti started just behind in podium territory.
Hampshire battled with Pierce Brown for the early half of race three. Brown briefly took the lead but washed the front end and hit the ground after a few laps. This put the lead back into Hampshire’s hands where he stayed for the rest of the main. His two, two, one scores earned him a first career main event win.
Lawrence had another poor start and collected himself with another rider just before the end of lap one. He got up in dead last and clawed up to fifth by the checkers. His one, one five finishes were only good enough for second on the night but with Cameron McAdoo out for the night, Lawrence extends his lead to 34 points in the championship.
Phil Nicoletti grabbed second in the final race ahead of Mitchell Oldenburg. This was the best finish of the night for Nicoletti, but his five, 10, two scores still gave him fifth overall.
Oldenburg on the other hand was right in the mix all night long. His three, three, four finishes earned him another long-awaited podium with third overall.
RJ Hampshire claimed the win in race three and earned the night’s overall.
250SX Podium.
250SX East Overall Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
RJ Hampshire |
(Hus) |
2-2-1 |
| 2. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hus) |
1-1-5 |
| 3. |
Mitchell Oldenburg |
(Hon) |
3-3-4 |
| 4. |
Kyle Chisholm |
(Yam) |
4-4-3 |
| 5. |
Phillip Nicoletti |
(Yam) |
5-10-2 |
| 6. |
Jordon Smith |
(Hon) |
6-5-11 |
| 7. |
Jace Owen |
(Yam) |
8-8-9 |
| 8. |
Joshua Varize |
(Hus) |
18-7-8 |
| 9. |
John Short |
(Hon) |
12-13-10 |
| 10. |
Ramyller Alves |
(KTM) |
10-11-15 |
Qualifying
Some big developments before racing even started are the absence of Cooper Webb and Cameron McAdoo. Webb took a fall during practice this week and has opted out of racing tonight. Mcadoo fell during press day and is also missing tonight’s action. That mean there are no riders lining up under the Pro Circuit Kawasaki tent as McAdoo, Forkner, and Reynolds are all out with injury.
Another big story from this week comes from the Rocky Mountain KTM Team. Rocky Mountain ATV MC has apparently pulled their title sponsorship from the team and the team has changed their Instagram from @Teamrmatvmc to @wearbbmx. Neither Max Anstie nor Shane McElrath are on the line tonight in STL.
450SX Qualifying
The track is actually getting slower throughout the day. Times from the first qualifying session stuck as the fastest of the day, normally riders put down their better times in the second qualifier.
Malcolm Stewart qualified first today, ahead of Marvin Musquin and Jason Anderson. The top four riders were all within 0.1 seconds of each other so the racing is sure to be close.
Malcolm Stewart set the tone in the 450s. Photos: BrownDog Wilson
Marvin Musquin clocked the second fastest time.
Jason Anderson was only 0.08 seconds off the top spot.
450SX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Malcolm Stewart |
(Hus) |
53.102 |
| 2. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
53.131 |
| 3. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
53.180 |
| 4. |
Eli Tomac |
(Yam) |
53.184 |
| 5. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
53.229 |
| 6. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
53.247 |
| 7. |
Justin Brayton |
(Hon) |
53.893 |
| 8. |
Justin Bogle |
(Suz) |
54.028 |
| 9. |
Vince Friese |
(Hon) |
54.101 |
| 10. |
Dean Wilson |
(Hus) |
54.404 |
250SX Qualifying
We’re back with the East Coast racers tonight after a few weeks off for these guys. RJ Hampshire put his Rockstar Husqvarna on pole position for tonight, ahead of Jett Lawrence and Kyle Chisholm. Mitchell Oldenburg and Pierce Brown rounded out the top five. Also have to give a big shoutout to privateer Michael Hicks who qualified sixth.
RJ Hampshire grabbed the top spot in qualifying.
Jett Lawrence was second.
Kyle Chisholm is racing 250SX East and qualified third.
250SX East Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
RJ Hampshire |
(Hus) |
53.630 |
| 2. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
53.996 |
| 3. |
Kyle Chisholm |
(Yam) |
54.104 |
| 4. |
Mitchell Oldenburg |
(Hon) |
54.384 |
| 5. |
Pierce Brown |
(GG) |
54.394 |
| 6. |
Michael Hicks |
(KTM) |
54.663 |
| 7. |
Jordan Smith |
(Hon) |
55.220 |
| 8. |
Jace Owen |
(Yam) |
55.237 |
| 9. |
Enzo Lopes |
(Yam) |
55.329 |
| 10. |
Joshua Varize |
(Hus) |
55.631 |
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