CHAMPIONSHIP
VOL. 55 ISSUE 18 MAY 8, 2018 P53
ANDERSON
CELEBRATE!
Jason Anderson wraps up
2018 Supercross title.
BY KIT PALMER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BROWNDOGWILSON
I
t didn't quite have the drama as
last year's Las Vegas final but
that's okay with Jason Ander-
son—he had enough of that last
weekend in Salt Lake City.
Anderson (Rockstar Energy
Husqvarna) wanted no drama
at the final round of the 2018
Monster Energy AMA Supercross
Series and he got his wish. All he
needed to do to wrap up his first-
ever 450SX Championship was
to place 11th or better in the main
event. Sounds easy, but after
what happened at SLC the week
before, when broken spokes and
subsequent wheel change put
him two laps down in the main
event resulting in a 17th-place
finish, nothing, he was reminded,
is guaranteed, not even an 11th.
However, in Las Vegas, Anderson
did everything right. He played
it safe and tip-toed through the
night, finishing second in his heat
race, gingerly avoiding trouble
through the all-important first turn
in the 450SX main, staying clear
of any of his closets rivals and rid-
ing steadily to a safe fifth place to
grab the 2018 number-one plate
that no one can ever take away
from him. Not now.
"It was tough," said a relieved
Anderson of the 2018 SX season.
"Seventeen races and I was lead-
ing it since round two. I'm pretty
mentally spent. I feel like I han-
dled it decently. Even after last
