VOLUME 58 ISSUE 3 JANUARY 19, 2021 P51
IIIMY OWN RACE:
27 MALCOLM STEWART
5TH 450SX
"I'm not going to lie, I was a li le
nervous at the beginning of the day,"
Malcolm Stewart said. "A new team,
new bike, new year, it was just the
typical ji ers. We went to the main
event, and I finally got the ji ers out.
I didn't get the best start. I made a
few mistakes in the beginning and
got around some guys but just kind of
gapped myself. Third and fourth were
right there. I did everything I could to
try to get them. I was si ng in fi h
and I felt like I was just kind of riding
by myself in my own li le zone, but
I stayed charging. Adam Cianciarulo
was dangling the carrot in front of me
and it just kept me mo vated."
14 DYLAN FERRANDIS
6TH 450SX
"My first 450 race was really, really
difficult," admi ed Dylan Ferrandis. "It
was what I expected, though. When
you're on the gate with all the top guys
and champions, it's hard to find your
place. The first few prac ces were
really bad. I was struggling mentally to
get the rhythm, and also with the bike
a li le bit in race condi ons. I had a
so-so start in the main event, but I just
gave everything I had and it paid off.
I think seventh in my first 450 race is
good and for sure, a er having a small
winter season and a small injury also."
knee injury, so it was a positive start
for the 31-year-old Frenchman and
former 250MX World Champion
who is running out of time in his bid
to win his first Supercross title. (The
oldest rider ever to win their first
Supercross title is defending champ
Tomac who did it at the age of 28.)
In the 250SX East main, there
was a lot of talk about the youth
movement coming into the opening
round, but it was the veterans who
prevailed, most notably 29-year-
old Christian Craig. The Californian
finished well clear of 22-year-old
Austin Forkner, who might not really
qualify as a veteran but does have
a fair amount of experience ver-
sus some of the other riders in the
class. Colt Nichols, 26, rounded
out the podium.
Craig (Monster Energy/Star Rac-
ing Yamaha) got out in front early
and simply checked out, letting
everyone else fight over the scraps.
"Tonight, was a dream come true,"
Craig said. "It's something I've liter-
ally been daydreaming about during
my drive to the track or on my way to
the gym. This just shows that it pays
off. I knew it would. I believed in the
program that we have, in the bike
that we have, and that if I put in the
work, I believed in everything that
this would come true. I always be-
lieved in myself but not to the extent
that I do now. I'm just thankful for ev-
erything, all the ups and downs that
I've been through. It does feel good
to come out here and win and repay
the team for just believing in me."
Forkner (Monster Energy/Pro
Circuit Kawasaki) had to first make
some hard passes before securing
Barcia and Tomac
shook hands after their
battle in the 450SX
main. Roczen had his
chances to get rough
but kept it clean.
