In Monster Energy Supercross’ wild and crazy 250SX East Region Championship, consistency has become paramount. So while GEICO Honda’s Malcolm Stewart could have been disappointed after holding the lead but eventually only finishing third at Gillette Stadium, he instead found the positive. On a changing track, he avoided a big mistake and crash and also finished ahead of his nearest championship rival, extending his points lead from one to five with just two races remaining.
Stewart led the main event early and pulled out a small lead, and at that point it looked like he might take a victory. “I think everybody thought that. I thought it myself too,” he said. “Overall the day turned around for sure. It was real muddy in the morning and then obviously the change was amazing, for the heat race and how the race went. The track turned out dry. The heat race went good. Won that one and that was amazing. Then we went into the main event and I got the lead really quick. I started kind of pulling away a little bit. I think I started making a couple mistakes. The track got worse and worse and I think the mistakes, it was more of the track getting to me. I felt like you got to a point you couldn’t even take the same lines every time. Fifteen laps, I think you took fifteen different lines! I had to just ride, just ride my own speed. I made a few mistakes and I let [Jeremy] Martin and [Martin] Davalos get around me, but I settled down and got on the box with third.”
A week ago Stewart endured three crashes in the main event and a disappointing eighth place finish. He was happy to avoid that fate this time. “It was one of those races that you can’t do anything but think positive because the way last weekend was, crashing three times and almost losing the points lead… I could say a third is a considered a win with how last weekend went. There’s nothing but positive energy leaving from this. From here on out it’s all about staying on the box.”
Justin Bogle continues to show huge improvements in 450SX. At this point, finishes that would have looked great earlier in the season no longer leave him satisfied.
“Heat race was good, got through with a second in that,” said Bogle, who has four top tens in the last five races. “Great start in the main then I made a small mistake in the first rhythm and lost some spots. Felt like I had a solid main event, just was a bit off the pace, but still progressing and still working for where I believe I can be. Ended up sixth so definitely not a bad night but obviously always want more than that.”
RJ Hampshire’s 250SX East season has been hampered by terrible starts. The story remained the same in Massachusetts, where he got a bad jump out of the starting gate and approached turn one nearly last.
“Practice I felt good, heat race I felt good, main event I struggled again due to a terrible start,” said Hampshire. “I don’t know what it is, just seems like I can’t get off the gate in the main. I felt like I was riding well during the main, too, I was just so far back it seemed like I was in the middle of nowhere. Besides lappers, I didn’t see anyone for like 9-10 laps! Then I finally caught [Tyler] Bowers on lap 12 and could see the rest of the pack, then I cross rutted and went down, landed in the mud. We have two of these things left, I believe I can challenge the front with a start.”
The team heads to Met Life Stadium just outside of New York City for Saturday night racing on April 30.
GEICO Honda Results:
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Mass.
250SX
3. Malcolm Stewart
8. RJ Hampshire
450SX
6. Justin Bogle
