SALT LAKE CITY (April 22, 2017)Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Shane McElrath earned his third win of the season and was accompanied on the podium by teammate Mitchell Oldenburg in second, giving the team a memorable 1-2 result at the penultimate round of the Western Regional 250SX Class inside Rice-Eccles Stadium. The tight, technical track was a test for the riders and the KTM duo came out standing on the top two steps of the podium.
McElrath entered the night still nursing a hip injury, but he wasn’t going to let that take away his confidence going into the night. After a third-place finish in his heat, McElrath shot out to a great start in the main event where he settled in quickly into the runner-up spot. When the leader crashed out of the race, McElrath was right there to capitalize just before the halfway mark. For the remaining 13 laps, he stayed focused and kept his KTM on two wheels to finish the night with his third win of the season.

“Tonight seemed to be about staying up,” said McElrath. “It was one of those tracks that you couldn’t ride the line because it was so technical and precise. We work so hard and it’s just cool to see this (the 1-2 finish) happen. When I looked over at one point and saw Freckles (Oldenburg) in second, I was so pumped.”

Just one round after scoring a career-best third place in Seattle, Oldenburg topped that result with a second-place finish in Utah’s state capitol. In the main event, he got out of the gate well and came around the first lap in sixth. He steadily passed riders and settled into second on Lap 14, carrying that position all the way until the checkered flag where he was greeted by a thrilled and supportive McElarth.

“I can honestly say I wouldn’t be up here if it weren’t for Shane so being up on the podium together is unbelievable,” said Oldenburg. “I am so ecstatic to go 1-2. To back up my best finish from the last race is such a great feeling. I can’t wait until Vegas where we can try and do it again.”

The Western Regional 250SX riders will take a short break before returning for the final race of the season on May 6 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The Eastern Regional 250SX will be back in action with Jordon Smith looking to keep the win-streak alive with Alex Martin making his return from injury at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

McElrath and Oldenburg looked sharp on top of the podium wearing the GP Air Quest Navy and Orange Racewear, which was accompanied by the SE4 Pinstripe Orange Helmet. See all of the 2017 gear sets and the 2017 Moto Helmets online and at your local TLD retailer.

250SX Class Main Event Results

  1. Shane McElrath (KTM)
  2. Mitchell Oldenburg (KTM)
  3. Justin Hill (Kawasaki)
  4. Martin Davalos (Husqvarna)
  5. Jimmy Decotis (Honda)
  6. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki)
  7. Dan Reardon (Yamaha)
  8. Hayden Mellross (Yamaha)
  9. Kyle Chisholm (Honda
  10. Tyler Bowers (Yamaha)

250SX Class Points, After 8 of 9 Rounds

  1. Justin Hill (Kawasaki), 180
  2. Shane McElrath (KTM), 154
  3. Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha), 143
  4. Martin Davalos (Husqvarna), 142
  5. James Decotis (Honda), 122
  6. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki), 105
  7. Dan Reardon (Yamaha), 96
  8. Kyle Chisholm (Honda), 85
  9. Cole Martinez (Yamaha), 73
  10. Mitchell Oldenburg (KTM), 60
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About Troy Lee Designs:
For over 30 years, Troy Lee has been customizing helmets “For The World’s Fastest Racers.” TLD’s relentless commitment to creating products that exceed the cutting edge of style, design and quality, has earned them the reputation as an innovator in many different fields of racing. Troy Lee Designs has since expanded into a full force operation, offering a complete line of helmets, apparel and premium protection for off-road motorcycling and bicycling, sportswear and accessories, and operating the TLD supercross and motocross teams. Based in Corona, California, Troy Lee Designs has a global network of distributors.
About KTM:

“READY TO RACE” for KTM, these three words are far more than a simple slogan. They stand for the entire company philosophy of developing vehicles that can without any modifications comprehensively assert themselves in any race. Direct from the dealer onto the track and into the battle for victory. Designers, engineers and riders are bound by a clear common denominator: an unconditional passion for motorcycles. The whole KTM family is a living example of this worldwide. Countless offroad World and European championship titles plus brilliant victories in the world’s toughest races (International Six Days Enduro, Dakar Rally, Erzbergrodeo, and many more) all speak for themselves. And KTM Supermotos, Naked Bikes, Superbikes and the X-Bow all demonstrate what an “orange” lead means on asphalt.
Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.