Christian Craig keeps taking steps toward a career-first win in Monster Energy Supercross. After his first podium finish last week at Anaheim, California, the GEICO Honda rider came out even stronger on Saturday night in Oakland, California, grabbing the holeshot and leading the fastest 250SX class riders for several laps before a brief fall cost him the number-one spot. He fought back valiantly to salvage another podium with a third-place finish.
“I thought tonight was my night to win,” said Craig. “Worked on my starts last week and was confident on those. I pulled the holeshot in the heat race, but Cooper [Webb] was just on another level there, he got around me. In the main event I knew I had to get a good start and just try to run away with it. I ended up pulling the holeshot there, my first holeshot in a main event, ever, so I was pretty happy with that. Just focused on myself and tried to pull away as fast as possible, and on lap five I threw it away in a corner all by myself. That was it. Went back to sixth, fought my way back up. After holeshotting, I thought I could finally do it. Unfortunately, mistake on my part, but I learned. I know I can win now, it’s all just a matter of putting it together.”
Craig fell when he lost traction with his front tire in a tight, 180-degree corner. A similar crash also cost teammate Jordon Smith. Smith was fighting a sore shoulder coming into the race, and then crashed again in practice. He fought through all of tha pain to battle inside top five during the first half of the main event. When Craig crashed, Smith took over fourth, but then he too lost traction and crashed in one of the 180-degree turns. He ended up dropping back to 13th, and then picked off a few riders to take 11th at the finish.
“Day was pretty tough for me, I had a crash at the practice track during the week and had an AC separation in my shoulder,” said Smith. “Unfortunately a mistake by me in the main event cost me a pretty good finish. Just rehab the shoulder and get ready for next weekend.”
Jimmy Decotis had a quiet night, taking a ninth-place finish.
“I struggled a little bit in practice and the heat, really struggled in the main event. Just couldn’t get in a flow,” said Decotis, who was in the top five last weekend. “So I’m going to regroup and get ready for next weekend, that’s really all I can do now. Go punish myself in the gym this week, make up for it and get ready for next weekend.”
Team 450SX rider Justin Bogle missed the event while recovering from injuries suffered earlier in the season, but, is expected to make his return in San Diego on February 13th.
GEICO Honda Results
Oakland Supercross
250SX
3. Christian Craig
9. Jimmy Decotis
11. Jordon Smith
