ST. LOUIS (March 2) – The firsts keep on coming for GEICO Honda rider Wil Hahn.
Last week, Hahn scored his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East victory in Atlanta. On Saturday night at Edward Jones Dome, Hahn got his “second first” – a second consecutive victory and the spot atop the 250 points standings for the first time in his career.
“The red plate, it feels good,” said Hahn, who will sport the red-background No. 19 on his bike at Daytona next weekend. “I can’t wait to see it on my bike.”
Hahn was again dominant, leading all 15 laps in St. Louis. He’s now led 30 main event laps in a row in scoring back-to-back wins.
“It means the world to me,” Hahn said. “Going from none to two is a good feeling. Just to have some momentum on my side is also a good feeling. For me, I just need to keep consistent and keep getting the starts I’m getting and just ride a smart race.”
Fellow GEICO Honda riders Eli Tomac and Zach Bell weren’t as fortunate. Their nights mirrored each other despite racing in different divisions. Both riders went down on the same spot on the track in their respective heats while racing up front, but then both won their Last Chance Qualifier to advance to the main event.
Tomac, who battled a stomach bug earlier in the week, struggled with his energy and finished 13th in the 450SX main, while Bell rallied from a poor start to finish ninth in the 250 main event.
Hahn, however, had no such issues, though he can still see room for improvement after a stirring duel with Dean Wilson.
“I’m a little but bummed on the beginning of the race,” said Hahn, who leads Wilson by one point in the championship standings. “I feel like id I’d been smarter at the beginning and rode like I had the rest of the night, I might have gapped it out and not had that pressure later in the race (from Wilson).”
With three laps remaining, Wilson closed on Hahn and actually passed him at one point. But Hahn was able to fight Wilson off and pull away.
“He passed me after the finish line at one point,” Hahn said. “I just tried to remain calm. I braked and cut back underneath him. I just tried to stay calm tonight, and I think that paid off. I relied on my fitness to keep me moving forward.”
Tomac, racing his second 450 race, is known for his fitness, but a stomach bug struck him earlier this week and zapped his energy. Tomac again showed speed, but a fall in his heat forced him to the Last Chance Qualifier, where Tomac scored a relatively easy win. But the main was another story.
“I’ve had speed the first two rounds,” Tomac said. “This week, I just struggled with in the main, energy-wise. I was sick earlier this week. I don’t want to make excuses, but things like that can definitely catch up to you. I just had no energy for the main.”
Tomac continues to learn aboard the more powerful 450 bike, admitting to an error in his heat race.
“I was trying to go for a pass and went inside sand slid out in the sand,” Tomac said. “A little mistake, trying to make a pass too early.”
Bell encountered problems in the same turn in his heat race and was able to transfer via the LCQ.
“I started off very good, got the holeshot,” the rookie Bell said of his heat race. “(Blake) Wharton passed me, and I was riding behind him until the last lap, and I accidentally stalled the bike. I couldn’t get it fired up to get in the position to get qualified.
“Went to the LCQ and got the holeshot again. I won that moto and had to start on the very outside for the main and didn’t get a very good jump. I went to dead last. I wasn’t able to hit the triple, so I was sitting way back. I worked my way up to ninth and did it easy and steady. I just want to build off of that.”
Hahn, of course, wants to keep his momentum going, too. The GEICO Honda riders will get that chance in next weekend’s race at famed Daytona International Speedway.
“I’ve got to keep capitalizing on my starts,” Hahn said, “and keep my head down.”
