CRAIG VS. FRIESE & TRIPLE CROWN INSANITY // GLENDALE SUPERCROSS THE AFTERMATH

The fifth round of the Monster Energy Supercross was one to remember. In both classes, multiple turning points in each of the Mains had us biting our nails as the racing remained to be exciting all night long. We’ve talked about the dynamic of the Triple Crown format before and the high-intensity racing is typically the least preferred style of racing by the riders. With three times the amount of Main Events, the risk factor is also multiplied, leading to more dicey moves made by the racers and that’s exactly what we saw when the gate dropped for the night show. For the first time this season, Hunter Lawrence was the fastest amongst the 250 class for qualifying while Dylan Ferrandis qualified the fastest in the 450s coming into the night show.

Scroll down below to find out what happened after the riders qualified for the night show in MXA’s The Aftermath.

2022 GLENDALE SUPERCROSS | FULL COVERAGE

Photos by Brian Converse
Fun Facts by Ben Bridges
Words by Trevor Nelson

450 SX CLASS REVIEW // NEAR TRIPLE CROWN SWEEP BY ET3

Missed it by that much. After what seemed like a miracle for Star Yamaha, Eli Tomac swept not just one, but two holeshots in one night, leading two races all the way to the checkers. There is no doubt that Eli was the fastest rider on the track and would go 1-1-3, just missing out on the sweep in the third Main. The last time we saw Eli Tomac get a sweep would be in 2018, where he would smoke the rest of the field at the Monster Energy Cup.

• In 2015 Glendale, AZ, Tomac got his 1^st ever SX win.
• In 2022 Tomac got his 39^th win in Glendale, AZ.
• It was Yamaha’s 1^st win at Glendale since 2011.

This new version of Eli is apparently getting holeshots now, and making them look easy.

• Tomac now has 4 wins in Glendale, tying him with James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael.
• Tomac now has 4 Triple Crown wins.  That’s the most of any other racer.
• It was Yamaha’s 1^st Triple Crown SX win.

James Stewart was the last Yamaha rider to win back-to-back, when he won Rounds 14 & 15 in 2011.

• It was Yamaha’s 1^st Triple Crown SX win.

Speaking of the Stewarts, Malcolm Stewart grabbed second place, his best career finish in the 450 class. Go Malcolm!

• Malcolm Stewart takes 2^nd place, his best-ever career finish.
• For the 1^st time in his career, Stewart has 4 consecutive Top 5 finishes.
• Malcolm Stewart is 4^th in the points.

Chase Sexton is proving each round that he’s a serious contender for the title. After having a rough first Main Event, Chase rebounded going 11-3-1.

• Chase Sexton got 3^rd for his 3^rd consecutive podium.
• Sexton sits 2^nd in the points, 11 points behind Tomac.

Jason Anderson had a rollercoaster of a night. He got second place in both the first and the third race, but a disastrous case of being stuck on the tuff blocks would cost him any chances of getting a foot on the podium. Jason went 2-12-2.

• Jason Anderson got 4th and he sits 3^rd in the points.

SOARIN’ FLYING

250 SX CLASS REVIEW // HUNTER LAWRENCE GETS FIRST WIN OF 2022

Hunter Lawrence would play it safe and consistent all night long making sure that everyone else’s problems weren’t his own. Finishing 2-1-2, Hunter would go on to take his first overall of the season. Well done Hunter. 

• With his win, Hunter Lawrence is in 2^nd place, 8 points behind Craig.

CRAIG VS. FRIESE

“Alright bro, we’re just gonna go back to the rig and get some food. You want a burger? Yeah, let’s get you a burger.” – Jenson Hendler (probably)

After what would forecast a Triple Crown domination, Christian Craig finished over 14 seconds ahead of the field in the first race, but a hurdle coated in red would be the absolute last thing he wanted to see in the second race.

Christian was early off the gate in the second Main, leading the pack up until the sand section where everyone’s favorite holeshot denier Vince Friese would cross over the inside line in the sand, punting the Yamaha rider far from his bike. After crawling out of the network cabling nearly turning the stadium lights off, running up the sand berm, and over the tuff blocks, Christian Craig would get back on the saddle and ride ALL THE WAY TO FOURTH. Yeah, that’s right.

Christian later would win the third Main but the damage was done from the second Main, finishing second overall to Hunter Lawrence. Sure Christian may be leaps and bounds ahead of anyone sitting outside of fifth place, but remember there was supposed to be like 10 other guys competing against him on the West Coast?

• Points leader, Christian Craig, finished 2^nd overall and keeps the red plate.

Jo Shimoda would go 5-3-3 and finish third overall in the night after having a crash in the first Main Event. Nothing really crazy happened throughout the night for the number 30, just Jo doing Jo things. Jo also upgraded from the My Little Pony bandaids, bring them back!

• Jo Shimoda finished on the podium with a 3rd, and he is holding down 4^th in the points.

450 POINT STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 5 – RACE RESULTS

When you find out there are burgers back at the Star Yamaha rig. On a serious note, Eli Tomac is on a roll, who else expected this would happen five rounds in?

Chase remains second in the points after Round 5 and we commend his efforts. Last year, it almost seemed like Chase was magnetic to the track, R&D testing the Alpinestars lids. Now, Chase is riding smart, staying on two wheels, and only 11 points behind the points leader Eli Tomac. Did we also mention he’s only 22 years old? What?!

With all the team switches for 2022, Jason Anderson is proving that change can be good, riding like an animal on the Kawi sitting third in the points. 

250 POINT STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 5 – RACE RESULTS

We expect those number plates to stay red for a while if Christian keeps this up.

While the rest of the competition has been exploring how many flips a 250F can do on a Supercross track, Hunter has been focused on just riding, and just riding has paid off.

Michael Mosiman remains third in the points even after having a terrible day in Glendale. Michael crashed at the first turn in the first Main, riding up to tenth. Michael got second in the second Main but would hit the ground hard in the third Main finishing ninth overall. Thankfully his two previous podium finishes have set up a gap on Jo Shimoda who sits fourth in the points.

GLENDALE CAPTURED

Here are some of our favorite moments from the day in Glendale. Supercross may be fun from the TV but it’s a thousand times better in person. Captured by Brian Converse.

“What do you mean the burgers are vegan?????!!!”

2022 GLENDALE SUPERCROSS | FULL COVERAGE