Everything’s bigger in Texas, right? That sentiment held true for Round 7 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, as it raced into AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. If you’ve never had a chance to visit the “House that Jerry Built,” I would highly recommend it, if nothing else than to see their larger-than-life video screen that is larger than most one-bedroom apartments – a spectacle of epic proportions. Round 7 was also the first round in the series where we got to see the Eastern Regional competitors for the first time. For the East Coast 250 riders, they have been (I’m) patiently waiting to return to racing since the end of the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Series in late August. While the 450 riders have settled into their stride, it was like A1 for the 250 East Coast competitors with first race jitters abound. It was an exciting and memorable night of racing from the first gate drop. Did you miss it? Here’s a look at the Top 5 most memorable and talked about moments from Round 7 of Monster Energy Supercross in Arlington, TX.
5. Colt Nichols Lands on the Podium
In early December, the Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha rider suffered a broken humerus – an injury that ended up with a much more extensive recovery process than initially expected. In addition to recovery for the broken humerus, Nichols had to manage practically a full shoulder rehab as well because of the location of the break. While the goal was always to be ready by the start of the East Coast rounds, up until race day it was still questionable if the #31 was even going to line up. Well, Nichols did line up, and showed up! He made incredibly smart racing decisions and decisive passes, moving up from his 9th place start throughout the Main Event that landed him a most impressive second place finish for his first race back, post injury.
4. 250 Main Event First Turn Pileup
The 250 riders were more than eager to get back to racing after a more than five-month break since the end of the 2017 Pro Motocross season. Pair their eagerness with the tricky S-shaped turn at the end of the start straight and you have an instant recipe for disaster. The gate dropped on the Main Event and the 22 250SX riders raced down the start straight aiming for the holeshot and a clear track. But much to their dismay, an epic domino pileup was in their future. Fastest qualifier and Heat Race winner Martin Davalos was one of the many catalysts for the carnage. By the time the last domino fell, nearly half of the field was involved in the pileup or at least hindered by the traffic. For those that escaped unscathed, they were given the advantage in the Main Event. The 15 minute + 1 lap Main Event was an exciting one, from gate drop to checkered flag.
3. Justin Barcia out for the Main Event
In 450 Heat Race 1, Justin Barcia was off to a great start, taking an easy lead on the first lap. But before he could even complete that first lap, disaster struck. For one reason or another, Barcia had to double the Monster Energy Triple where Tyler Bowers tripled it – Bowers landed on Barcia in what could have easily been a catastrophic incident. Luckily, neither rider was seriously injured. However, Barcia did end his day early with a broken metacarpal in his hand. No timetable has been given for his return, but we can all agree that this is an unfortunate bump in the road for the #51 who was well on his way to once again being a championship contender.
2. Jimmy Decotis Earns Career First Podium
Jimmy Decotis has been a staple name in racing for nearly a decade but hasn’t quite seen the success that matches his effort. But Jimmy D hasn’t let that stop him from chasing after the professional racing dream. “The Rippa” has spent more than the majority of his career on a Honda but switched brands before the 2018 Supercross season when the newly formed Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing 250SX team swooped him up. Even in the midst of battling through Lyme Disease, Decotis has remained steadfast in his pursuit for excellence. The cards aligned Saturday night in Arlington where after some incredible battles, Decotis found himself in 3rd place when he crossed the finish line. This would be his career first podium and a proud moment for everyone in the Decotis corner.
1. Eli Tomac Makes a Statement with a Commanding Victory in Arlington
Two weeks in a row, Oakland and San Diego, Eli found himself in a most undesirable position as he tried to zero in on the points leader, Jason Anderson. Of course, in order to even make a dent in his points deficit, he needed to at least finish the race, and ideally up front. Tomac showed up Saturday to make a big statement! From the moment the gate dropped, it was a no contest episode of the Eli Tomac show! Of all the riders in the 450 class, Tomac still leads the “Laps Led” category by a landslide, leading 55 of this season’s laps. In Arlington, Tomac rocketed out of the starting gate and took a commanding lead from gate drop to checkered flag. The incredibly short track (ironically built in the largest stadium) created the opportunity for immense amounts of lapped traffic that Tomac had to navigate through to secure his victory. He would lap up through 10th place and take the checkers after 25 laps of racing. Tomac still sits 70 points behind the #21 of Jason Anderson, but crazier things have happened, so don’t count out the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider just yet. Competition, especially in the 450 class, continues to heat up.
This weekend we head further east to the Sunshine State of Florida to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. As this is the home race for parent company, Feld Entertainment Inc., they are sure to pull out all the stops. Tune in Saturday to see the action unfold!