RED BULL KTM CLAIMS 1-2 OVERALL AT ANAHEIM SX TRIPLE CROWN; WEBB BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST-CAREER 450SX WIN
(Press release)
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing Team had a breakthrough evening at Angel Stadium on
Saturday as riders Cooper Webb and Marvin Musquin secured first and
second-overall at the first 'Triple Crown' event of the 2019 AMA
Supercross Championship. The overall win proved to be a monumental
one for Webb, who collected his first-career 450SX victory with
steady 1-1-3 finishes across the three-Main Event format. Musquin
also had a season-best performance, finishing a close second with
3-2-2 scores.
Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM Factory
Racing's Shane McElrath put forth three solid rides in the 250SX
West division to claim his first victory of the season with 3-2-1
finishes.
450SX
It was Musquin who came into the
evening with the most momentum as the fastest qualifier and the
number one gate pick for the first 450SX Main Event. However, Webb
- who qualified sixth on the day - made it apparent from early on
that he would be the one to watch in Anaheim. In 450SX Main Event
1, Webb powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION into second off
the start and he battled for the lead position all race long. With
one lap to go, Webb made his move into the lead and rode to a
first-career 450SX victory in race one. He followed it up in Main
Event 2, capturing the holeshot and leading all 14 laps en route to
his second-straight victory. Lining up first for the final Main
Event of the night, Webb had a favorable chance to win the Triple
Crown overall and he kept his hopes alive with yet another great
start. Beginning in second, Webb battled through the first five
laps before encountering company from Musquin, who passed his way
into second on lap six. Webb maintained a comfortable pace to
secure third in Main Event 3, which was good enough to secure his
first-career 450SX victory.
Webb: "Last weekend I was tenth
and that wasn't what I wanted, so I had some redemption this week.
But to win is insane - to win two races and be on the podium in the
last one is incredible! I really have got to give it up to the
group at KTM, they took me under and they changed everything for
me. It's been a struggle the last two years, so those guys just
constantly pushing me to get back to where I was and reminding me
that I still got it. I can't believe it and I'll never forget this
day. I hope to keep it going, this is an incredible feeling. Man,
I'm speechless."
Meanwhile, Musquin was busy putting
forth his best ride of the season as well. In Main Event 1, Musquin
powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to a good start and he
maintained a top-four position for most of the race. With four laps
to go, Musquin made a strong pass through the whoops to overtake
third, where he ultimately secured the final podium position in
race one. In Main Event 2, Musquin got off to a third-place start
and quickly climbed his way into second by lap five. From there, he
chased down his teammate Webb, finishing only three seconds back in
second-place. In Main Event 3, Musquin grabbed a top-five start and
he moved into third on the opening lap. He kept the charge moving
as he overtook Webb for second-place on lap six, ultimately
finishing second in the final race and third overall for the
night.
Musquin: "It's not always been
my strongest point on the start but I've been very consistent
today. This week I only rode a little bit on Monday. I stayed in
California and we got a lot of rain, but obviously it helped on the
knee. I tried to work on it the whole week and I felt good getting
on the bike compared to last weekend, so it was important and
that's what I need - to feel good and not have any pain. It was
great racing tonight, I didn't win any motos but I got second
overall, I was consistent and I was able to battle for the lead and
for the podium."
250SX West
McElrath maintained a solid pace
throughout the evening, consistently placing his
KTM 250 SX-F atop the podium in each of the three Main Events.
Beginning with a third-place finish in Main Event 1, McElrath
continued to progress with each race and by the final race,
McElrath was able to battle his way to victory with a strong finish
to the night.
McElrath: "We've been learning
a lot throughout the season so far. I mean, we had a really good
off-season but you can't really do bike setup without going to the
races and that's my comfort - that's really what we've been
searching for. The last two weekends have been upsetting because of
the way I've been riding but we've just kept pushing - perseverance
produces hope, so this is good for us."
Canadian KTM Red Bull Thor Factory
Racing rider, Jess Pettis, finished just outside the top-ten
overall with 11-13-10 Main Event scores. With the unique Triple
Crown format, Pettis remained consistent throughout the night to
earn valuable points in the overall championship.
Next
Race:Oakland, California - January 26, 2019
Results 450SX Class -
Anaheim II 2019
1. Cooper Webb (USA), KTM, (1-1-3)
- Marvin Musquin (FRA), KTM,
(3-2-2)
- Eli Tomac (USA), Kawasaki,
(4-4-1)
Other KTM
- Blake Baggett (USA), KTM,
(21-10-12)
- Justin Bogle (USA), KTM,
(16-18-14)
Standings 450SX Class 2019
after 3 of 17 rounds
1. Roczen, 63
- Tomac, 61
3. Webb, 57
- Barcia, 56
- Musquin,
56
Other KTM
- Baggett,
45
- Bogle,
18Results 250SX West Class - Anaheim II 2019
1. Shane McElrath (USA), KTM, (3-2-1)
- Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Yamaha,
(2-1-3)
- Colt Nichols (USA), Yamaha,
(1-3-4)
Other KTM
11. Jess Pettis (CAN), KTM, (11-13-10)
- Sean Cantrell (USA), KTM,
(13-10-13)
- Jerry Robin (USA), KTM,
(18-17-21)
Standings 250SX West Class
2019 after 3 of 17 rounds
1. Nichols, 70
points
- McElrath,
68
- Ferrandis, 63
Other KTM
11. Pettis, 36
- Cantrell,
33
- Robin,
16