SUPERCROSS
MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES, AN FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 7 / FEBRUARY 15, 2020
RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM / TAMPA, FLORIDA
P64
emy Martin, Sexton and rookie
Jo Shimoda. Although Martin
was quick to get around Smith
and move into second, McEl-
rath had already checked out.
McElrath led all 19 laps, while
Martin ended up losing one spot
to his teammate Sexton before
the checkered flag. The win
marks McElrath's third opening-
round win in the last four years,
and unfortunately, none of them
panned out into championships.
We want to change that his year.
"Everything's still fresh from
the off-season," said the former
KTM rider, McElrath. "We've
been working on it a lot, and
having a night like this, it shows.
We've made a lot of progress,
but at the same time, we've only
had three months of working on
things. I'm excited to get back
to it."
For Martin, a podium finish in
his first serious race back after
over 18 months of recovery from
a broken back suffered in 2018,
was like a win.
Martin held off former team-
mate RJ Hampshire (Rockstar
Energy Husqvarna) late in the
race, only for Hampshire to go
IIIMY OWN RACE:
made a plan on how to clean up these
errors and will be ready to get our
sprint on next week in Dallas for the
next Triple Crown event."
84 JO SHIMODA
10TH 250SX EAST
"My day went pre y good un l the
night show," said rookie Jo Shimoda.
"I was seventh and sixth for my med
prac ce sessions, but when the night
show started, I was riding so ght!
I s ll was able to get through some
sketchy moments, made some saves.
In the main event, I had a good start
running fi h for five laps, but I couldn't
find the best line through the sand
sec on, which made me slower each
lap. I went back to 12th with mistakes;
no crashes, just small mistakes. I got
be er at the end, I passed two guys to
get into 10th."
Defending champ Chase Sexton lost sight of McElrath early in the race.
