Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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ROUND 2 / JANUARY 15, 2022 RINGCENTRAL COLISEUM / OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA P54 super-kicker of a Tuff-Block and looped out," said Anderson who admitted that he is still adapting to his new ride. "With the Kawi I really have days where I'm still trying to figure it out," Anderson said. "When I am riding this bike, I'm still learning it day in and day out, but to be honest I feel really comfortable on it." After finishing 10th at A1 after tangling with Barcia, Anderson now sits second in the overall point standings, just three back from the lead. Aaron Plessinger, who finished a quiet ninth the week before Oakland, also surprised the field with a second-place finish in only his second start with his new team. The newest Red Bull 450SX In Oakland, however, the night belonged to Jason Anderson. In only his second start with the Monster Energy Kawasaki Team, "El Hombre" took the lead from teammate Adam Cianciarulo after three laps and never looked back for his first win in 47 races. It was Atlanta 2018, the same year he won the title, that Anderson last stood on the top step of the podium. In Oakland, he led 18 of the 21 laps in the main event and looked like the Anderson of old. But he endured some bumps along the way. The number-21 took a big slam in the afternoon practice session but seemed unfazed come race time. "I hit the MYOWNRACE 21 JASON ANDERSON 1ST 450SX "It's been a long me since I've had a win, but I never stopped believing in myself," said Jason Anderson who needed just two races to nab his first win on the Kawasaki. "I always knew I could be back up here on the top step, I just needed to put it all together. The track was tricky tonight with how beat up it got, but I feel super com- fortable on [my bike] and that was a huge factor in ge ng across the finish first." 94 KEN ROCZEN 13TH 450SX "Not really much to say about Oakland," last week's winner Ken Roczen said. "I feel like the day already started off kind of weird and we weren't really feeling that great on the track, but we did the best we could. Chase [Sexton] and I went down pre y dang hard in the last qualifying prac ce. I got really lucky that nothing worse happened, as Chase kind of used my head as a whoop! It all happened so quickly and it was ul mately just me going down and falling into the wrong spot. Going into the night show I put everything aside and tried to stay calm. We got off to a decent start, but I was probably around fourth or fi h and just struggled in the whoops; we're just not good enough in them and we have to get be er. That was a spot that bit me again, and a er that there really wasn't that much I could do." SUPERCROSS I MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES Runner-up Aaron Plessinger rebounded nicely from his opening- round ninth.