Dramatic scenes in New Jersey as AMA Supercross readies for Vegas finale

04/05/2017 MX_Peter MX/SX, NEWS 0

There is little doubt that 2017 AMA Supercross has really delivered. After a charge that involved a total of nine victories and the reduction of a deficit in the championship from almost thirty points to seize control of the 450SX division, Eli Tomac now needs the intervention of fate to grasp the crown after an incident-packed penultimate meeting at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Wearing the red number plate for the second week in a row the signs were initially positive for the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider and most winningest racer this season. He shot to the front of the sixteenth Main Event from seventeen on the ’17 slate but unfortunately lost control while trying to rail high a corner and tumbled over the front of the bike. #3 was swamped by the pursuing pack and restarted well outside the top ten.


Another ‘moment’ arose when Tomac cased a jump in the rhythm section and stalled the Kawasaki, it cost the 23 year old another slot and he came across the finish line in eighth place; his join-second worst finish this campaign and allowing rival Ryan Dungey a nine point advantage with just Las Vegas and 25 left to win.

“At this point we’ve got nothing to lose,” said Tomac. “So we’ll go into Vegas looking to get another win. Anything can happen and all we can do is stay positive.”

There were surprises in the penultimate meeting of the 250SX East competition also as Zach Osborne flew back to an impressive fourth victory of the eight round series and benefitted from Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy’s mistake that saw the championship leader exit the track. Savatgy would finish third on the night but was later penalised by five positions for re-entering the course at a point where he gained a clear time advantage. The upshot is that Jordan Smith, Osborne and Savatgy are separated by just two points with the East/West shoot out to go next week.

I don’t give up and after barely losing last year, I won’t go down without a fight,” Joey said. “This week, we’ll keep our heads down and work hard to come to Las Vegas at our best.” Somewhat appropriately the last gamble of a long Supercross schedule that began in the first week of January will occur on the floor of the Sam Boyd Stadium in Nevada next weekend.