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Mar 27
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Monster Energy Rider Cameron McAdoo Earns a Podium Finish

By General Posts

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Rider Cameron McAdoo Earns a Podium Finish at Seattle SX

March 25, 2023 | Lumen Field | Seattle, Wash.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 26, 2023) – The Monster Energy® Supercross Championship traversed the United States to the reach the west coast for Round 12 from Seattle, Washington where Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo kept his closest rivals in check by securing another podium finish while Carson Mumford showed great potential en route to an eighth-place result in his season debut. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson overtook several of the world’s elite to claim fourth place and Adam Cianciarulo settled for eighth place after challenging the leaders early in the race.

A week of steady rain showers in the pacific northwest bore out fear of a notorious mud plagued Seattle SX, but the hard work of the DirtWurx track crew, and a bit of help from mother nature, ultimately delivered a well-manicured racecourse for the best supercross racers in the world to compete on. When the 250SX riders took the track, the speed and precision of Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Carson Mumford quickly drew attention. Making his debut for the 2023 season, Mumford asserted himself as a top contender by finding his rhythm and logging the fourth fastest lap (52.286) of the 250SX Class. Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo too rivaled near the top of the leaderboard throughout qualifying and logged the fifth fastest lap (52.309).

When the gate dropped for 250SX Heat 1, Mumford rocketed his KX™250 toward the first turn and secured the official holeshot before being edged out of the lead entering Turn 2. Mumford applied pressure to the leader for the opening lap before taking control of the lead position on Lap 2. The new addition to the Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team showed promise as he led the next several laps in commanding fashion until he eventually settled for a second-place finish.

In 250SX Heat 2, McAdoo made quick moves in the opening lap to pass his way into second position. By Lap 3, however, McAdoo found himself in a hotly contested battle with the current championship points leader. McAdoo thrilled the crowd as he raced hard and refused to surrender the position. On Lap 4, the two riders came together and both crashed in spectacular fashion. After swiftly remounting and pressing on to the finish, McAdoo salvaged a fourth-place result.

The Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of McAdoo and Mumford launched out of the gate in the 250SX Main Event and while McAdoo emerged from the first turn in fourth, Mumford was shuffled to outside the top-10. McAdoo moved his way into third place on the opening lap and set his sights toward the lead. Meanwhile, Mumford began a steady climb up the running order from 11th at the end of Lap 1. As the race progressed beyond the halfway mark, McAdoo overtook second and maintained pressure on the leader. The front three riders separated themselves from the rest of the class, but never split from one another by more than a few seconds. With only two laps remaining, a costly mistake from McAdoo caused him to relinquish second position and, although he challenged to take it back, he ultimately finished the race in third. All the while, the No.52 KX™250 of Mumford continued to log steady laps as he made clean passes to earn himself a respectable eighth place finish.

“As a racer you can never be too upset with a podium result but, I know I can be up there fighting for wins and I feel like we were just so close again this weekend. I had a strong Main Event battle with RJ and we kept Jett honest the whole race, but we were a small tick from really getting into the lead position. It’s a game of small gains right now and I’m not settling so the whole team will keep striving this week with the focus on taking the top step of the podium.” – Cameron McAdoo

“Overall, it was a positive first race for me with the Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team. I’ve dreamed of riding for this team since I was a kid, so there was a conscious effort for me to manage expectations throughout the day and to not try to go for too much too soon. That said, I was able to qualify fourth out of the B practice session and battled for the win in my heat race. I’m happy with where my speed was and how the bike handled on such a torn-up track. In the Main Event, I ended up riding pretty tight after mid-way, which is not ideal, but is a bit to be expected with all things considered. I focused on continuing to hit my marks and came through the checkered in eighth. The speed I had early was definitely promising and it was good to bring home a steady result inside the top-10 to get the ball rolling.” – Carson Mumford

The Monster Energy® Kawasaki duo of Cianciarulo and Anderson continued their recent tear through the morning qualifying sessions as both riders urgently mastered the rutted track. After studying the ideal lines with the team, Cianciarulo logged an impressive 51.191 lap time in the final session; the second fastest lap of the day. Anderson was only fractions of a second behind as his 51.621 lap time earned him third in qualification.

A mid-pack start in 450SX Heat 1 meant that Cianciarulo would have his work cut out for him in the short six-minute qualification race. The No.9 KX™450SR rider executed with tact and precision through the opening lap to overtake the competition in rapid succession. By the completion of the first full lap, Cianciarulo was already up to third position. The front four riders matched qualification pace as they remained in tight lockstep for the remainder of the race. When the checkered flag flew, Cianciarulo crossed the line in third.

In 450SX Heat 2, Anderson launched out to a strong start and was only narrowly edged out for the holsehot. Anderson challenged for the lead through the opening laps until he was on the receiving end of contact with another rider on Lap 4 and consequently crashed. After rushing back to his bike and regaining his pace, Anderson finished out the race in fifth place.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki riders raced out to another strong start in the 450SX Main Event with Cianciarulo running in fourth on the opening lap and Anderson pursuing in sixth. In an impressive display of speed, Cianciarulo surged forward into a multi-lap battle for third which would see him overtake the defending champion Eli Tomac and challenge Ken Roczen before a couple of minor miscues shuffled him back to fourth. Cianciarulo maintained a high pace to defend his fourth-place position, keeping the current championship leader at bay behind him until Lap 8. As Cianciarulo dropped back, Anderson charged forward to meet him on the track and the two Monster Energy Kawasaki riders rivaled over sixth and seventh for several laps in the middle of the race. Anderson prevailed in the battle and went on to track down two more positions for a fourth-place result at the checkered flag. Meanwhile, Cianciarulo settled into a consistent pace through to the finish for eighth place.

“During the Main Event, the track was really tricky with a ton of deep ruts, but I felt like my KX™450SR still gave me the ability to push the pace. While a better start would have certainly improved my race, it wasn’t a bad night as we made good progress and I kept the fight going all the way to the checkered flag. I definitely want to be finishing on the podium and, ultimately, challenging for wins again so, I’m still focusing forward on making gains in supercross.” – Jason Anderson

“I felt comfortable during qualifying and was able to attack the track to put together the second fastest time. It was nice to show that pace again and rival at the top of the board. In the heat race, I was a little back from the start but worked my way into the top-three before the finish. In the Main Event, I started up front and managed to pass my way into the top-three again. The race felt similar to last weekend with all of the top guys contending for those first few positions, so it was encouraging to move my way forward through that group in the early stages. The end result is similar to what I’ve had recently, but there are a lot of positives to take away from the weekend.” – Adam Cianciarulo

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Mar 20
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A Breakthrough Top-Five Finish for Monster Energy rider Chris Blose

By General Posts

A Breakthrough Top-Five Finish for Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Chris Blose

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 19, 2023) – The Motown music echoed through snowy streets as Monster Energy® Supercross raced into the Motor City for Detroit SX, Round 10 of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship. In the 250SX Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Chris Blose led the Team Green® charge with his first top-five result of the season. In the 450SX Class, Adam Cianciarulo led laps early in the Main Event until mid-race adversity relegated him and his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Jason Anderson to eighth and ninth place at the checkered flag.

The opening laps of the first free practice session revealed that the Detroit SX track was set to give the top riders in the world all they could handle. The sharp whoop section and abundance of tight switchback turns proved further complicated by the unique terrain of deep ruts and a hard packed base layer. Blose was quick to assert his competence in the whoops as he mastered the most challenging section of the track and began to rival near the top of the leaderboard. In the final qualification session, Blose executed the track with precision and strung together several race simulated laps to log the seventh fastest lap time of the morning (53.393).

At the start of 250SX Heat 2, Blose emerged from the first turn in fifth with his sight set forward until an early-race mistake shuffled him back to eighth place. Blose regrouped by the end of Lap 2 and began to work his way up the running order. With superior whoop speed and consistent laps, the No.57 Kawasaki KX™250 rider overtook his rivals in rapid succession. Blose advanced through the field to challenge for fourth on the final lap before securing a fifth-place place result and earning a direct transfer to the Main Event.

When the gate dropped for the 250SX Main Event, Blose again launched out to a fifth-place start and quickly found his rhythm. With the championship points leaders ahead, Blose latched onto the pace of the front group and began to separate himself from the rest of the class. The veteran rider logged steady laps and was one of the few competitors continuing to blitz through the increasingly challenging whoop section in the late stages. With just four laps remaining, a near collision with a lapped rider forced Blose to get hard on his brakes and allowed former two-time MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle to close the distance between them. Blose proved his determination in the closing laps of the race as he fended off the world class pressure and earned his first top-five finish of the 2023 season in impressive fashion.

“The support of the Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team has been awesome as we’ve focused on building with each week of racing. I’ve improved my main event finish by one position at each of the last three races, so I’d say that process has been going really well. It was great to break into the top-five and show the hard work of this whole squad. Now, with a few weeks to prepare for Atlanta, we should be even more ready to challenge at the front of the pack.” – Chris Blose

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The Monster Energy® Kawasaki duo of Anderson and Cianciarulo took to the track with a clear purpose for the opening 450SX Free Practice as they quickly dialed in the course and began experimenting with alternate rhythms. As the qualification sessions progressed, both Kawasaki KX™450SR riders honed in on the ideal racing line and ramped up their intensity. Anderson, the second fastest qualifier of the morning (51.491), was edged out for pole position by less than a tenth of a second, and Cianciarulo followed close on his heels with the fourth fastest lap (51.927).

When the gate dropped for 450SX Heat 1, Anderson rocketed out to the holeshot and immediately extended a gap from the field by tripling through the opening section. Cianciarulo emerged from the first turn in ninth but thrilled the crowd as he made quick work of the competition and passed his way into third before the end of the second lap. While Cianciarulo continued his pursuit of second place, Anderson set sail out front to lead every lap of the race and secure a commanding heat race win; the 33rd 450SX Heat Win of his career. Cianciarulo’s charge through the pack earned him third at the finish.

The Kawasaki duo lined up for the 450SX Main Event with first gate pick for the No. 21 of Anderson. When the gate dropped, the KX™450SR was out to the early lead, but this time it was Cianciarulo at the tip of the spear. The No.9 Kawasaki rider commanded the start of the race with the championship contenders all hot on his trail. Anderson, racing ahead from an eighth-place start, was pushing the pack forward while Cianciarulo fought to defend his lead. The intensity of the front battle increased and Cianciarulo was shuffled to sixth on Lap 4. Cianciarulo and Anderson matched pace for several laps in sixth and seventh until Anderson crashed exiting the whoop section and dropped back to 10th. Meanwhile, Cianciarulo was pushing his way forward and inching back into contention for the top-five battle until he too made a mistake and crashed over the rutted step-on-step-off section. The Monster Energy® Kawasaki teammates both continued to charge to the finish and reclaimed positions late in the race for respective eighth and ninth place finishes at the checkered flag.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m a little frustrated about my fall in the Main Event, but there are so many positives to focus on from the day that I know we’re making progress. This dirt was tricky to find comfort on, but I had a solid run in qualifying this morning and backed it up with a good ride in the Heat Race. In the Main, I led some laps early and, once I settled in behind Kenny (Roczen), I was able to stay right there with those guys. Unfortunately, that one mistake cost me a few positions, but we’ll focus forward to Seattle and aim to tie it at all together.” – Adam Cianciarulo

“My day started out strong with good times in qualifying and I knew my KX™450SR was in a good spot to be competitive on this track. I grabbed the holeshot in my Heat Race and led start to finish, so the goal was to carry that into the Main Event. I started a little further back in the top 10 and then, while trying to battle my way forward, I got close with Adam in the whoops and just lost it. After I got up from the crash everything was pretty tweaked, so I focused on making the most of it and salvaged what I could for a top-10.” – Jason Anderson

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Jul 04
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Jo Shimoda Makes History with First Pro Motocross Overall Win at RedBud

By General Posts

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda Makes History with First Pro Motocross Overall Win at RedBud

July 2, 2022 | RedBud MX | Buchanan, Mich.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (July 3, 2022) – The AMA Pro Motocross Championship headed north to Buchanan, Michigan for Round 5, ‘America’s National’ at the iconic RedBud MX. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda proved himself to be a fan favorite by animating the notoriously lively crowd with 1-3 moto scores en route to carving his name in the history books as the first Japanese rider to earn an AMA Pro Motocross overall win. Fellow Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker overcame second moto adversity for 11th overall (5-15), while Ryder DiFrancesco scored 14-12 for 13th overall in his Pro Motocross debut. In the 450 Class, Jason Anderson secured fourth overall (7-4) and Joey Savatgy finished sixth overall after a personal best third place in Moto 1 (3-9).

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team quickly set the tone for the day as all three riders charged through the opening qualification sessions. Shimoda was clearly in tune with both track and machine as he logged the fastest lap (2:03.742) of the 250 Class to claim his first pole qualification. Meanwhile, Hammaker ranked ninth with a 2:06.226 and DiFrancesco showed his readiness to compete with the Pro Motocross elite by qualifying 11th (2:06.297).

At the start of 250 Moto 1, the rising Team Green star DiFrancesco was narrowly edged out for the holeshot with both of his teammates close in flank. A push of the front end in Turn 2, however, placed DiFrancesco on the ground and shuffled him to the bottom of the running order; the young rider had his work cut out for him in the race ahead. Meanwhile, Shimoda and Hammaker established themselves inside the top five with decisive moves on the opening lap. Shimoda raised the intensity to a fever pitch as he swiftly became the driving force in a three-way battle for the lead position. The No.30 KX™250 rider kept his main championship rivals under heavy pressure for the lion’s share of the race until he finally took command of the top spot with six laps remaining. Shimoda held true to form by maintaining his pace through the finish to claim his first moto win with more than a 20-second margin over second place. Hammaker logged consistent laps to hold onto a fifth-place finish while DiFrancesco turned heads with an impressive race from 32nd on the opening lap to 14th at the checkered flag.

The second 250 Class moto hosted green at the front again when DiFrancesco grabbed his first Pro Motocross holeshot in just his second start. A quick pass by Hammaker in the opening section of Lap 1 allowed the No.47 rider to take control of the lead from DiFrancesco before he lost traction accelerating out of Turn 4 and crashed. Further back, Shimoda found himself in 25th at the end of the first lap after a non-optimal start was worsened by a collision with another rider. DiFrancesco persisted with his sights on the leaders as the rookie held his own in the top five for more than half the race. While DiFrancesco gained vital experience at the front of the field, the crowd’s attention turned to Shimoda who was racing his way back into overall contention. The roars of the crowd followed Shimoda around the track while he passed multiple riders per lap, using creative line selection and relentlessly carrying his momentum through the pack. Despite his early race adversity, Shimoda clawed his way up to a heroic third place position to secure his first career overall win and made his mark in the history books as the first Japanese rider to grace the top step of the AMA Pro Motocross podium. After visiting the mechanic’s area to regroup from his crash, Hammaker made his way to 15th to salvage 11th overall (5-15) on the day and DiFrancesco finished the race with a respectable 12th place finish for 13th overall (14-12).

“In the first moto, I started up front and had a fast pace going as I pressured the Lawrence brothers for the top-two positions. I was able to make a good pass into the lead and finished strong for the moto win. In Moto 2, my start wasn’t great and then I got caught up with some riders on the first lap which put me outside the top 20. I pushed hard the whole race to fight my way to third and earned my first overall victory. I had to race really hard in both motos, and it paid off for a great day.”
– Jo Shimoda

“I made it a little tougher on myself than I needed to today but, my starts are improving and I just need to clean up a few things. In Moto 1, I had a pretty steady race all the way through to come away with a fifth but, I was looking to better that and get into the podium battle in Moto 2. Unfortunately, I lost traction at the bottom of the hill and fell just after passing into the lead so, I had to race forward from the back of the pack. It’s frustrating of course but, I will keep putting myself up there in the mix and keep improving to iron out those small mistakes.”
– Seth Hammaker

“I had a great start in the first moto but, a crash in the second corner put me way down the running order. I raced forward and made a bunch of passes to finish 14th. In Moto 2, I grabbed the holeshot which felt awesome, and I did my best to keep pace with the leaders for as long as I could. My goal for the day was to do exactly what I did for the first half of that second moto, I matched the speed of the guys at the front for as long as I could before getting tight and settling back a bit. I’m looking forward to Millville where I’ll try my best to stay up there even longer.”
– Ryder DiFrancesco

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The RedBud National featured the second reverse moto schedule of the season which meant a smoother track and higher speeds for the 450 Class qualifying sessions as they took to the course first. Never shying away from a high speeds, the Monster Energy Kawasaki duo of Anderson and Savatgy put the power of their KX™450SR machines on display by qualifying at the front in both timed sessions. When qualification concluded, Anderson had the second-fastest lap of the morning (2:03.505) and Savatgy was hot on his tail with the third-best lap time (2:03.698).

In 450 Class Moto 1, Savatgy was narrowly beaten out for the holeshot as he jockeyed for position with several of the top championship contenders. At the completion of Lap 1, Savatgy had taken a firm hold on second place with his pace in lockstep with the race leader. Unfortunately, Anderson was collected in a first turn crash and the No.21 KX™450SR rider crossed the green flag in 31st position. As the race progressed, Savatgy fortified his spot at the front by extending a gap over the riders behind and keeping in close tow of the rider out front. Unphased by the pressure of battling among several premier class champions while maintaining a smooth intensity to his speed, Savatgy held onto second place until Lap 14 when he was overtaken. A brief battle ensued when Savatgy launched himself back into second by skying out Larocco’s Leap but, he soon settled into third for the final laps of the moto. Savatgy crossed the checkered in third to secure his first 450 Class podium result and proved his recent progress with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team is affirming his place among the best in the world. Not to be overshadowed, Anderson thrilled fans as he charged through the field for the full 30-minute plus two lap race, passing over 25 riders, to secure eighth place at the finish.

The second 450 Class moto saw both Monster Energy Kawasaki KX™450SR riders emerge from Turn 1 inside the top-10. Anderson looked to fight toward a podium position as he moved forward from fifth on the opening lap to take control of fourth on Lap 4. A brief crash in the turn prior to the mechanic’s area, however, set the New Mexican back to eighth place and forced him to race his way up the running order again. A benefactor of Anderson’s crash, Savatgy moved into contention for the overall podium as he pressed forward to sixth by Lap 5. Savatgy continued to push himself forward until a swap through the sand turn after Larocco’s Leap caused him to crash and drop to ninth place on Lap 6. Anderson quickly found his form again as he maneuvered through the competition to reach fifth place by the checkered flag; his 7-5 moto scores earned him fourth overall. Savatgy finished out Moto 2 in ninth to earn sixth overall (3-9) and, more importantly, proved himself as a legitimate podium contender.

“Minor crashes in each moto cost me valuable time and positions early so, I felt like I was playing catch up all day. My speed was solid, and the bike felt great but, a couple of miscues are all it takes to put the podium out of reach. Overall, I made a lot of passes out there and managed to salvage a fourth overall so, we’ll just keep moving forward with the goal of getting another win here soon.”
– Jason Anderson

“It’s been almost four years since the last time I was on the podium and there have been plenty of highs and lows along the way. Finally getting myself back up on the box in the first moto felt amazing. Thank you to the Monster Energy Kawasaki team for this opportunity to be racing and improving each weekend. I was set back a bit overall by the crash in Moto 2 but, we took major steps in the right direction today and look forward to more progress ahead.”
– Joey Savatgy

Apr 19
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Victory in Atlanta for Monster Energy Kawasaki Rider Jason Anderson

By General Posts

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (April 17, 2022) – Round 14 of the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross Championship brought riders from across the country to Atlanta Motor Speedway for a unique racetrack in the infield of the iconic racing venue. Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson claimed his fourth win of the season with a commanding performance in the 450SX Main Event. Meanwhile, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda and Austin Forkner earned fourth place and seventh place respectively in the 250SX East/West Showdown.

Anderson and the rest of the Monster Energy Kawasaki team arrived to Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday morning to find the grounds flooded from overnight rainfall. As the rain continued through the morning hours, scheduling adjustments were made to preserve the track. The revised schedule granted the riders in each classification a single 13-minute timed qualifying session prior to the start of the racing program. Adding to the challenge of learning a track in such short time, the specially designed Atlanta circuit hosted one of the longest starts in Supercross history, multiple whoop sections and over twelve turns, altogether producing the longest lap times so far this season. Knowing his time on the track was limited, Anderson launched straight out to a high pace on lap one of the timed session. The No.21 KX™450SR rider battled at the top of the leader board for the entire session as he made the most of the slick conditions. When the session concluded, Anderson recorded the second fastest time of the morning with a 1:25.286.

At the start of the first 450SX Heat Race, Anderson emerged from the first turn in second position. With dryer track conditions and increased traction, Anderson quickly turned up the pace from his qualifying laps and took control of the lead before the end of Lap 1. The New Mexico native responded to pressure from the current points leader by improving his lap times as the race progressed. There was a brief exchange for the lead position on Lap 5 before a crowd animating pass while sliding around the inside of one of the track’s sweeping 180 turns moved Anderson back into the top spot. When the checkered flag flew, Anderson was over four seconds clear of the competition, claiming his fifth heat race win of the season.

When the gate dropped for the 450SX Main Event, Anderson once again launched his KX™450SR out to the front of the pack. The podium positions were tightly contested for the opening laps as Anderson tactfully moved passed his main championship rivals. On Lap 3, Anderson gained control of the lead by capitalizing on a mistake from the competition. The Atlanta crowd soon erupted again as Anderson took advantage of the clear track in front of him to start jumping an impressive triple-quad rhythm section before the finish line. Continuing to jump the rhythm lap after lap, igniting the crowd consistently, Anderson steadily built a sizeable lead over the riders behind. By Lap 11, the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider was more than eight seconds ahead of the closest competitor. With a nearly perfect race from start to finish, Anderson crossed the checkered flag first, lighting the Monster Energy fire cannons and securing his fourth Monster Energy Supercross win of 2022.

Anderson’s impressive win in Atlanta moves him three points closer to the 450SX Championship points lead as he stands firmly in second place with three rounds remaining.

“It seemed like we might have a mudder this morning but, the dirt came around after the sun showed up around mid-day. By the time my Main Event started, the track was gnarly but, we’re in a great spot with the bike so I was able to keep pushing the pace through the tough conditions. Even though the whoops were cupped out and edgy, the bike was consistent and predictable, so I kept charging across them every lap. The whole team has put in a lot of effort to have the KX™450SR working as good as it is right now so hopefully we can enjoy a few more of these wins before the season ends.”
– Jason Anderson

Returning to the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship, Forkner joined his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki 250SX Western Regional teammate Shimoda in Atlanta for the first East/West Showdown of the year. In one of the first groups to take to the wet track, Forkner proved he hasn’t missed a beat by jumping right to the top of the 250SX East qualifying leaderboard. When his qualifying session concluded, the Missouri native had the second fastest lap time with a 1:28.808. In the 250SX West qualifying, Shimoda made himself acquainted with the track by exploring a variety of different lines and setting the sixth fastest lap time with a 1:30.773.

When the 250SX East Heat Race rounded the first turn, Forkner found himself ahead of only one rider as he narrowly avoided a first turn crash. The No.33 KX™250 rider made quick moves through the opening lap, however, passing his way into seventh by the end of Lap 1. Despite racing through traffic on the wet track, Forkner began setting the fastest laps of the race. Forkner passed at least one rider each lap while rapidly closing the distance between himself and the leader. When the white flag waved, Forkner was up to third in the running order but, the tenacious rider wasn’t settled. On the final lap, the fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway roared with cheers as Forkner made two daring passes to claim the 250SX East Heat win by a thrillingly slim margin and establish himself as a contender to win the 250SX East/West Showdown.

At the start of the 250SX West Heat race, Shimoda proved he had made gains with his starts by launching out to the early lead. Shimoda led the opening lap before a couple minor mistakes on Lap 2 forced him to relinquish the position and settle into third place. The Japanese-born rider matched pace with the riders ahead as a battle for the top five positions ensued for the better portion of the qualifying race. On the final lap, Shimoda lost one more position before finishing out the race in fourth place with a direct transfer to the 250SX East/West Showdown.

When the gate dropped for the 250SX East/West Showdown Main Event, the No.30 KX™250 rider Shimoda rocketed out to the holeshot and early lead while Forkner quickly made his way forward from sixth. After a few swift passes by Forkner, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo occupied two of the three podium positions for the opening laps with Shimoda setting the pace out front and amassing a roughly two second gap over the rest of the field. On Lap 3, Forkner lost a position after the split sand section and settled into fourth until he eventually dropped back to seventh due to a small crash in a rutted corner a few laps later. Meanwhile, Shimoda proved his grit by battling for podium contention and withstanding pressure from the respective championship challengers of each regional series through the first 10 laps of the race. Shimoda balanced intensity with finesse on the non-traditional supercross track to maintain control of third position in the running order until he was overtaken through the whoops while approaching the white flag. Shimoda challenged back for a final lap battle over the last podium position but ultimately crossed the finish in fourth place. Forkner regained his momentum late in the race and finished with a respectable seventh place result.

Shimoda’s fourth place finish in Atlanta marks his fourth top-five of the season and moves him to only two points shy of fourth in the 250SX Western Regional Championship points standings.

Forkner’s seventh place finish secures his third top-ten result of the season as the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki rider had an impressive return to the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship.

“This weekend my starts were really good in the heat and the Main Event so that is nice progress on something I’ve been working to improve. At the beginning of the main I felt strong and was comfortable out front with the lead but, I think my speed was a little bit off this weekend, so I ended up being passed by a few riders. I want to be back on the podium, so I wouldn’t say that I’m satisfied with fourth place but, there are positives to take away from this weekend and we will keep trying to be better.”
– Jo Shimoda

“I’ve been eager to get back to racing and definitely wanted to show that I’m a contender for wins this year. In the Heat Race, I was really happy with my riding. To come through the whole field and get a win with a last lap pass on last weekend’s overall winner was a good way to get back into the swing of things. I’ve only been back on the bike about a week now, so I was really happy with my race craft and I think I was on track to have another strong performance in the Main Event until I crashed while running in third. Overall, it was great to be racing again and I’m ready to fight for some wins before the championship ends.”
– Austin Forkner

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Mar 21
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Update: Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki at AMA Supercross Championship

By General Posts

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo Finishes Second in Indianapolis

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 20, 2022) – Round 11 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship brought the series to Indianapolis where a tight and technical track layout greeted the world’s finest supercross racers and resulted in an action-packed night that saw Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo secure his second consecutive runner-up finish of the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson bounced back from adversity to finish the race in sixth.

McAdoo, who currently sits second in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship points standings, entered the weekend action at Lucas Oil Stadium hoping to place more pressure on the current points leader and keep his championship fight alive. McAdoo started the day on the top of the leaderboard in the first 250SX qualifying session after recording a 44.786 lap time. In the final 250SX qualifying session, the Iowa-native utilized the power of his Kawasaki KX™250 to uncork a massive quad after the finish line jump and improve his overall time to 44.060 and qualify second overall heading into the night show.

McAdoo started the first 250SX heat race of the night by grabbing the holeshot and establishing himself at the front of the pack early. The No.48 KX250 rider used his experience to control the lead and develop a sizeable gap from the competition behind during the opening laps. From then on, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider rode a flawless race as he went on to collect his first heat race win of the 2022 supercross season.

At the start of the 250SX Main Event, McAdoo emerged from the first turn in second place and within striking distance of the leader. As the top two quickly broke away from the rest of the field, McAdoo used the opportunity to study his opponent’s line choice and plan his attack. The front two momentarily jockeyed for first place early in the race before the Kawasaki rider took full control of the lead with 11 minutes remaining. Halfway through the main event, the 250SX veteran used his cunning race skills to maneuver past lapped riders, however, he would surrender the lead after a few close calls racing through traffic. Despite his best effort to reclaim first place, McAdoo finished the race in second and maintains second overall in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship points standings.

McAdoo’s stellar performance in Indiana places the Iowa native just 11 points back from the lead in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship as the series prepares a return to the West Coast next weekend.

“Overall, we had another solid weekend. I was feeling really good in practice and enjoyed the track a lot all day. It felt nice getting my first heat race win of the season and battling for the main event lead. The track was super tight and developed deep ruts as the night went on, which I think was a benefit for me as I was able to use my experience on rough tracks to make the pass for the lead. Unfortunately, I missed my line going through the whoops one too many times while trying to cut through lapped traffic and got passed back. The good news is we still finished second and are in the title fight. Now it’s time to let the west coast guys race next weekend before we come out swinging in full force at St. Louis.”
– Cameron McAdoo

The 450SX qualifying action on Saturday morning saw Anderson start the day by recording the fastest lap time (44.842) in the first 450SX qualifying session.

Pleased with how his Kawasaki KX™450SR was performing, Anderson elected to make no bike changes before the second timed qualifying practice and instead focused on improving his line choices. At the end of timed qualifying, Anderson clocked an improved lap time of 43.124 to qualify second overall.

The beginning of 450SX Heat 1 saw Anderson launch out to a top-three start and use the impressive handling of his KX450SR to jump into second place by the second turn. With his sights set on the lead, Anderson used his impressive corner speed to move into first place with just two turns remaining before the end of Lap 1. The No.21 Kawasaki rider wasted no time gapping the competition as he proceeded to build a six-second lead on his way to winning the first 450SX heat race of the night.

When the gate dropped on the 450SX Main Event, Anderson again emerged from the first turn inside the top three. The excellent start allowed the No.21 Kawasaki rider to advance into second early in the race and keep the leader within reach. Facing serious pressure from behind, Anderson proved his resilience by refusing to surrender second place and ultimately shutting down every pass attempt made from the competition behind. With three 450SX wins under his belt this season, Anderson was in search of more and mounted a charge for the lead with 13 minutes remaining. The New Mexico native capitalized on a mistake from the leader in the whoop section and used his sly race craft to take control of first place momentarily before contact from the rider behind dropped Anderson to seventh place. With little time remaining in the race, Anderson continued to race forward and finished in sixth.

With another top-10 finish, Anderson maintains his second-place ranking in the 450SX championship points standing.

“I came into the weekend feeling ready to fight for a win and had a solid day going, especially after the heat race win and first gate pick. Come main event time, I had to do some serious defending early to stay in second and have a chance at the win. We lost some points this weekend but there’s still plenty of fight left in me. I’m here to win and that’s going to remain my main goal for the rest of the season.”
– Jason Anderson

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Mar 15
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AMA Supercross Championship: Cameron McAdoo Secures Fourth Consecutive Podium

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Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo Secures Fourth Consecutive Podium in Detroit

March 12, 2022 | Ford Field | Detroit, Michigan

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 13, 2022) – Round 10 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship brought the series to the famous Motor City of Detroit, Michigan, where Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo secured his fourth consecutive podium result with a second-place finish. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson was involved in an exciting battle for the lead before a late-race crash ended his race.

McAdoo entered Saturday’s morning qualifying session keen on closing in on the championship lead. From the first timed qualifying session, it was clear McAdoo had the pace to win as he used the power of his Kawasaki KX™250 to uncork a massive quad down the rhythm section and record the fastest lap of session one. At the end of the timed qualifying sessions, Team Green’s McAdoo recorded the third-fastest time overall with a 44.480.

In 250SX Heat 2, McAdoo started the race in seventh place. With his sights set forward, the No.48 quickly began planning his attack towards the front during the opening laps. McAdoo’s superior speed through the whoop section made all the difference in the short race as he was able to utilize this advantage to make his way up to second place before the end of the race.

At the start of the 250SX Main Event, McAdoo found himself caught up in the middle of the pack as he navigated through the first rhythm section inside the top-10. Eager to make his way up the field, McAdoo used his creative line choice to move past the competition and run in third before the start of Lap 3. By the halfway mark, the Team Green™ rider was following close behind second place and again utilized his impressive speed through the whoop section to make the pass. After moving into second, McAdoo fended off immediate pressure from the rider behind and proceeded to build a comfortable gap between him and third in the following laps. The Iowa native continued his charge forward but limited time forced McAdoo to settle for a second-place finish.

McAdoo’s impressive charge through the field on his No.48 KX™250 secured a fourth consecutive podium finish of the 2022 season maintaining second place in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship points standings.

“This is my first time racing here in Detroit and I’m happy with how the day went. We started on a strong note after finishing the first timed qualifying session with the fastest lap time and backed that up with a strong showing in my heat race. I really want to be battling for wins and know I have the speed to do so, I just need to work on getting better starts so I can be in the mix from early on. Overall, I’m proud of how I rode and am thankful I have such a strong team supporting me.”
– Cameron McAdoo

Coming into the day with the expectation of testing different bike setups, Anderson started his morning by closely examining the layout in Ford Field during riders’ track walk. Anderson and the team discussed the day’s game plan before qualifying, anticipating how the track would change throughout the day due to the unique Detroit dirt which was tackier than in years past. In the later stages of qualifying, Anderson consistently recorded lap times near the top of the timesheet before recording a 43.716 lap time for third-fastest heading into the night show.

The beginning of 450SX Heat 2 saw Anderson utilize the impressive handling of his KX™450SR to trade positions with the front runners during the opening laps. Combining fast laps with consistent whoop speed, the No.21 Kawasaki rider ran comfortably in second before the start of Lap 4. In the later stages of the race, Anderson found himself having to adapt to the track’s rapidly deteriorating surface but, like a true veteran, managed the situation with ease and finished the short qualification race in second.

The beginning of the 450SX Main Event saw Anderson off to another strong main event start and trading positions back and forth at the front of the pack before taking firm control over second place by the end of Lap 4. The No.21 KX450SR rider utilized his whoop speed to take the lead two laps later. As the race unfolded behind him, Anderson was running comfortably out front and in control of the race. Near the halfway mark, the New Mexico native began feeling immense pressure from behind but refused to hand over the position easily. Despite his best efforts, the rider behind was able to take over the lead with 10 minutes left in the race. Never one to give up, Anderson stuck close behind the leader’s wheel, studying his line choices and mounting charges to regain the lead. Unfortunately, while making a charge for the lead, Anderson suffered a late-race crash that ended his night early.

Anderson retains second place in the championship points standings with seven rounds of racing left to go.

“I was feeling really good today from the start of the first practice. Probably the best I’ve felt racing in Detroit, and I think my performance throughout the night showed I had what it took to win tonight. Unfortunately, I pushed a little too hard while challenging for the lead and had a crash that ended my race early. It’s unlucky, but these things happen. I’m just glad I feel fine right now and am planning on giving it my all in Indianapolis next weekend.”
– Jason Anderson

Mar 02
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Eli Tomac Charges to Fourth in Atlanta

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Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 1, 2020) – Round 9 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship made its way to Atlanta, Georgia, where Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac overcame a difficult main event, putting together a strong ride to come from behind to finish fourth and hold onto the red-plate.

Eli Tomac scored his first pole position of the season by setting a blistering time of 50.294 seconds marking the eighth time in nine races a Kawasaki rider has earned the pole position in the 450SX class.

As the gate dropped on the second heat race of the night it was the No. 3 KX™450 rocketing out the gate, grabbing the holeshot and checking out from the competition. Tomac crossed the finish line with an impressive nine-second lead to take the heat race win.

In the 450SX Main Event Tomac found himself buried off the start with his work cut out for him. As he began charging forward making his way up to seventh place, his progress was quickly halted when he and another rider came together, sending Tomac back to 15th place. Tomac began his charge forward, but a small mistake caused his bike to stall, a quick press of the electric start button on the handlebar minimized the damage and from there Tomac put together an amazing performance, riding from behind to narrowly miss the podium with a fourth-place finish. Tomac heads to Daytona tied in the lead for the 450SX championship point standings with Ken Roczen.

This weekend’s race in Atlanta marked the first time in Monster Energy Supercross history that a race would be held on leap day.

“The main event didn’t go as planned, but the good news is we live to fight another day and line back up next weekend at one of my favorite tracks, Daytona. There are still positives to take away from today; we were fastest qualifier, won our heat race, and we never gave up in the main event, and battled hard all the way to the very end to salvage as many points as possible. We are going to put this race behind us and be ready to rock next week in Daytona!” – Eli Tomac

This weekend marked Round 3 of the 250SX East Coast Championship, where Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Jordon Smith bounced back to score a top-5 finish and teammate Garrett Marchbanks not far behind in seventh.

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki powerhouse combo kicked off the day by Marchbanks qualifying in fourth and Smith in sixth.

The second 250SX heat race saw the No. 54 machine of Smith once again rocket his KX™250 out of the gate, and immediately challenging for the top position. Meanwhile, teammate Marchbanks found himself buried off the start and found himself in twelfth place at the end Lap 1. Marchbanks having his work cut out for him, began slicing and dicing his way past the competition on the tight and narrow track and was able to climb up to fifth place. Smith continued to jockey for position the entire race, and with two laps to go he pulled the trigger on making a pass stick for second place.

As the gate dropped for the 250SX Main Event, both Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki riders ripped out of the gate aboard their KX250 motorcycles in the top-5 where they would both spend the vast majority of the race battling for position. Marchbanks eventually would make a pass on his teammate Smith and began going after third place, however a mistake would send Marchbanks off course causing him to reaggravate an old injury. Marchbanks did everything he could to ride through the pain finishing in seventh place. Teammate Smith rode smart and consistent crossing the finish line in fourth place.

Marchbanks currently sits fourth in the 250SX East Championship point standings with Smith close behind in fifth place.

Feb 23
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Eli Tomac Lasso’s the Competition in Texas to win his Fourth Monster Energy Supercross Race of the Season

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Monster Energy® Kawasaki Rider Eli Tomac Lasso’s the Competition in Texas to win his Fourth Monster Energy Supercross Race of the Season
February 22, 2020 | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, TX.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (February 23, 2020) – Round 8 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship made its way to the Lone Star state, where Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac captured his fourth 450SX win of the season, further extending his championship points lead.

Rookie Adam Cianciarulo and his teammate Eli Tomac looked to once again top the charts of qualifying for the eighth week in a row, however, his day would be cut short after crashing during the first practice. Cianciarulo suffered a broken collarbone from the incident and was forced to sit out for the night.

As the gate dropped on the first race of the three-race Triple Crown format, Tomac found himself buried outside of the top-10 at the end of lap one. Tomac, using the power of his KX™450 motorcycle put his head down and spent the next 12 minutes charging past his competitors and worked his way into fifth place. This championship-caliber push would ultimately pay dividends later in the evening.

450SX Main Event 2 saw the No. 3 of Tomac sneak inside the competition at the end of the first corner and he went on to lead every lap of the second race. His 5-1 finishes going into the third and final moto put Tomac just one point back of the overall lead.

Similarly, to the second Main Event race, Tomac snuck inside once again, however, he was not able to capitalize in the opening corners and would cross the line in sixth on the first lap. With the Olympic style scoring to the Triple Crown format, every position ahead of Tomac would ultimately determine the fate of his overall result. Tomac was not going to be denied on the evening and spent the next several laps tirelessly clicking off competitors one by one and on lap 13 he was able to make a pass for the lead stick. Tomac’s 5-1-1 finishes was the lowest total score off all competitors, earning him the evenings overall win.

This marks Tomac’s second 450SX win in Arlington and his 31st career win. Tomac has now won four of the eight races this season, and further extends his championship points lead to seven markers over second place.

“We showed that we could fight and overcome adversity tonight. To be completely honest, I just got a bad start and struggled to find any rhythm in the first main event. Once I got into fifth place I kind of just got tight and couldn’t go forward after that. But I was able to quickly regroup with the team, and in the next two main events, we had a much better gate pick each time and were able to control the races from there. I am just happy to be leaving here healthy. We raced something like 50 laps tonight and as you saw, the track took out a lot of key dudes. I am glad we’re through it and looking forward to Atlanta next weekend.” – Eli Tomac

This weekend marked Round 2 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross series for the 250SX East Coast Championship, where Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki riders Garrett Marchbanks and Jordon Smith would partake in their first Triple Crown event of the season. It was Marchbanks consistency that would pay off with a top-5 finish for the second week in a row.

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo kicked off the day by Marchbanks qualifying in fourth and Smith in eighth.

The 250SX Main Event 1 saw the No. 54 machine of Smith rocket his KX™250 out of the gate and secure the holeshot. Smith would spend nearly the entire moto jockeying for a podium position, however, a competitors’ aggressive move late in the race sent Smith off course and he would finish in fourth place. Marchbanks had his work cut out for him as he found himself well outside the top-10 off the start of the race, but not to be outdone, Marchbanks charged all the way up to salvage a sixth-place finish.

As the gate dropped for the 250SX Main Event 2, it was once again Smith who nearly nabbed the holeshot but he got bumped by a competitor which shuffled him back to the back of the pack in the second turn. Smith worked his way up through the field but contact with another rider knocked him off his bike and he finished the race in 20th. Similarly, to the first main event, Marchbanks charged through the pack and just narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish.

Consistency was the key to Marchbanks’ success on the night, as he would finish the final moto in fifth place, giving him scores of 6-4-5 which earned him fifth overall. Marchbanks currently sits in fifth place position in the 250SX East Championship Point Standings. Smith crosses the finish line in 14th and finished the evening in 13th place overall sitting seventh place in the point standings.

Feb 14
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Monster Energy Kawasaki: Tampa SX Preview

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The First of Many

In 2018, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Austin Forkner earned his first career 250SX win at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Brand Sweep

After a 19 year hiatus of racing in Tampa, Florida racing resumed in 2018 at Raymond James Stadium where Kawasaki riders swept both classes with Eli Tomac winning the 450SX class and Austin Forkner won the 250SX class. It is also the only time that any manufacturer brand has swept the Tampa Supercross race.

Jeff Ward – 1987

In 1987, Jeff Ward won the inaugural supercross race in Tampa, Florida in the 250cc class with fellow Kawasaki rider, Ron Lechien, finishing in second place.

Jordon Smith – #54
“I am really excited to get back behind the gate this weekend. It has been a long time since I’ve lined up, but I absolutely love my new Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki KX250. I feel like I am gelling really well with the team and we’ve been putting in a lot of work this offseason. I am ready to let it show!”

Garrett Marchbanks – #36
“We learned a lot last year and it was great to earn the Rookie of the Year title, but we are looking for a lot more this year. I am excited to show all of the hard work I have been putting in.”