Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/677616
SUPERCROSS ROUND 17 / MAY 7, 2016 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA / SAM BOYD STADIUM P78 MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES My Own Race: 37 JOEY SAVATGY 1 ST 250SX Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy saved one of his best per- formances of the year for the Las Vegas. The Californian tackled the muddy condi- tions like a seasoned pro and scored, for the most part, a wire-to-wire victory. But unfortunately for him it wasn't enough to catch Cooper Webb in the 250SX West Championship. "This is what it's all about," said Savatgy. "I work hard during the week and I work hard all year, to end the season like this is great. We were fast in the dry and we got it done in the wet. It hurts that we lost the title but in the same breath we made a statement and ended the year very strong. I'll be here next year battling for the title." 50 MALCOLM STEWART 3 RD 250SX "It's a big weight off my shoulders, finally!" said Malcolm Stewart of his night. "I felt like I started stressing a little bit right when it started raining. This is not a race that it should ever rain at! So of course I started freaking out, but I felt that I processed it very well. Almost got the holeshot in the heat race, then we went to the main event and got a very good start. I just put a solid 12 laps in. What was funny was I decided I wanted to get tired and get arm pump on the very last lap. It was all hit- ting me! Stopped breathing, panic-mode, over-jumping, under-jumping. I just kept it on two wheels and tried to do the best I could do and we got the championship. I jumped the finish line and I saw my brother [James Stewart]. He was so stoked! I was screaming in my helmet and I fell over! It's an amazing feeling and my whole entire family and the whole GEICO Honda crew; I definitely couldn't have done it without them. I'll say it again—half this championship goes to my brother because he talked me through the worst nights, he put me in this situation because he's won championships and he knows how to process it. It was my job to go out and do it, and I finally did it." 3 ELI TOMAC 3 RD 450SX Monster Energy Kawasaki's Eli Tomac had a busy main event. He started up front but fell and dropped to ninth. He went back to work again and finished out the race in third. "The conditions changed here in Las Vegas more than I've ever seen," said Tomac. "We started the day with a track that flowed really well and was in great condition. Then the rain started and we missed the second practice. The night show became an absolute mudder and one of the most challenging [supercross] races of my career. I'm fortunate to get out of here with a third and I'm really excited to leave the season with a few podiums and some momentum for next year." 61 GANNON AUDETTE 5 TH 250SX Gannon Audette stepped up to the plate again, finishing off the season with a strong fifth-place finish in the 250SX main. Audette proved to be a great midseason fill-in rider for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Team. "I qualified the best I have all season in Las Vegas," said Audette, "which gave me a good gate pick for the heat. I had a good start and transferred to the main with a seventh-place finish. The main event was messy as it was still pouring rain for the entire 12 laps. My goal was to keep it on two wheels and finish in the top five which is exactly what I did. I'm happy to finish off the year with another great fin- ish for the team." 53 TYLER BOWERS 7 TH 250SX "My day started out really well," said Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Tyler Bowers of his night. "I'm a bit of a mud rider so I was happy about the rain. In the heat I didn't get the start I wanted, but I made some good moves and ended up fourth. In the main I had inside gate, which had a great rut to the turn and then it all let go and I went right into the Tuff Blocks. I raced my way up to fourth until the whoops ended up biting back. I got back up and was able to make a few more passes before the checkers and brought it home for seventh."