Cooper Webb has stolen the momentum as the series heads east. Feature photo by: Simon Cudby
The 2020 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship headed south on Interstate 5 from Oakland, California down to San Diego for round number six and the 2020 San Diego SX. While the 450SX class was starting to look like the Eli Tomac – Ken Roczen show, it was Red Bull / KTM’s Cooper Webb that seized the momentum in the 450 class with his first win of ’20. In the 250SX class, it was Monster Energy / Star Racing / Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis that ripped off his third win of ’20 to take control of the 250SX West heading into their six-week break from the action.
In the 450 class, Webb was joined on the podium by (2nd) Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo and (3rd) Rocky Mountain ATV/MC / KTM’s Blake Baggett—who recorded his first podium of the season. HRC / Honda’s Roczen retained the red plate heading to Tampa by a slim one-point margin over Tomac.
In the 250SX class, Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner (2nd) and Monster Energy / Star Racing / Yamaha Justin Cooper (3rd) occupied the other two spots on the podium with the red plate holder, Ferrandis, standing in the middle. Ferrandis carries a seven-point lead in the Western Regional 250SX Championship heading into their break.
After the racing was over, we gathered numerous quotes from the riders in the pits and around the web talking about how their sixth Supercross of 2020.
Cooper Webb: (1st in 450SX) “I got into the lead early and then Adam [Cianciarulo] made a good aggressive move on the inside and I just kind of let him go. The track, I knew it was going to be hard to pass and I knew it was going to be a long Main Event so I was just kind of riding in there. I tried to make a pass a few laps earlier but we played cat and mouse which allowed Blake [Baggett] to catch up and I didn’t want to do that. It feels good late in the race to get that pass and the win tonight.”
Dylan Ferrandis: (1st in 250SX) “I’m really happy. I felt good all day and got the fastest lap. It was another nice race with a big fight for the win. I’m glad I took it and am going into the break with the red plate and more points. Last year, I didn’t have this advantage leaving San Diego, so that’s really good. I’m in a good situation.”
Adam Cianciarulo: (2nd in 450SX) “I’ve been waiting and working for this my entire career, to ride in the premier class and get on the big stage. I’m still learning, still improving every day, and I feel like I rode really well tonight. I led nearly every lap of the race but unfortunately got passed at the end so I’m a little disappointed I couldn’t hold Cooper [Webb] off just a little longer. Honestly, I’m just excited to be up front with such a talented group of guys and prove I can compete”
Auston Forkner: (2nd in 250SX) “I had a pretty good day. I rode well starting from qualifying, won the heat race, led most of the main and grabbed another second. It’s not exactly where we want to be, but I’ll take another podium. We’ve got a six-week break, so we’ll go back, get to work and come back swinging.””
Justin Cooper: (3rd in 250SX) “It was a good day overall, but I was a little bit off the pace. I felt like I got it together for the Heat race. I was riding well, but I bent my shifter about halfway through. It was kind of scary for me because I was going in and out of gears, and I didn’t want to mess up and get hurt. I lost Dylan there and had to take second. In the Main, I was right behind him, but lost the pace a little bit, and they got away. We were close, but we will keep working. I’m really looking to get out front in one of these Main Events and see what I can do.”
Blake Baggettstrong>: (3rd in 450SX) “The track was deteriorating fast and getting slicker every lap. The holes in the whoops were getting worse. I felt like I had some spots where I was catching those guys [Cooper Webb and Adam Cianciarulo] a little bit and they were getting into a cat and mouse [battle] a little bit which was probably slowing the pace and helping me reel them in a little but. But then when I would make a mistake, they would gap right back out. It was one of those nights where I felt I left a little bit out there in some areas, but at the same time, I’ve been pretty far away from having a podium. I’m super stoked to be up here and going to keep working on it.”
Eli Tomac: (in 450SX) “Well, I was challenged tonight after having to fight my way towards the front in the main. I didn’t have the best start, but we’ll get back to work with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team this week and hope to improve for Tampa next weekend. I do feel I rode well tonight and I’m proud we were able to make up quite a few positions to finish fourth on the night.”
Justin Barcia: (5th in 450SX) “We struggled a little bit in practice, but overcame that. I finally felt like I rode like myself in the Heat race, but in the Main Event, I didn’t get the greatest of starts. I charged really hard the first few laps and diced it up in there. We ended up fifth, which was a really solid ride coming back from 15th. I felt like I rode well, the bike felt good so I’m definitely proud of the ride. The goal this week is to keep working on the riding stuff and shoot for getting another win here soon. We will keep moving forward. I’m definitely looking forward to Tampa.””
Michael Mosiman: (4th in 250SX) “We made some suspension changes this week and we didn’t get a chance to try it with our base. Like go back to base and try and back to back, because it was kind of a short weekend. In the first two practices, I kind of struggled, and then we went back to base for the third and it was, it was much better. I started really getting some flow in the whoops and just back to a comfortable feel. Even, believe it or not, all my starts, the other setting was like significantly worse. You know how important that is. I got a good start and the main and had a pretty solid heat. I think it’s just getting those stars and being up there. I think the speed is there.
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Ken Roczen: (6th in 450SX) “The night started off really well. I crushed it in the heat race and had an awesome start. Ultimately in the main, I got an okay-but-not-great jump and just got sandwiched in the first turn and again in the second turn, losing four more positions. It made for a tough race. I also got stuck behind [Justin] Barcia and just wasn’t riding well. Then [Eli] Tomac got me and from there on out, I was just going backwards. I lost touch with the front guys and wasn’t that good. Unfortunately, as much as we don’t like it, we all have those races and we did some damage control. It’s obviously not where we want to be but we’re heading to the East Coast still with the points lead, so that’s a positive. It’s still a long season ahead.”
Luke Clout: (6th in 250SX) “I ended the night with a 6th and we moved to 7th overall in the championship! Awesome first 6 rounds. Thank you to everyone involved in getting me here!”
Justin Brayton: (7th in 450) “Today was pretty good. It was about standard for this season so far, but I do think my starts were better. They were good in the heat race and in qualifying; I just kind of messed up the main-event start and was a little wide. I was next to the box, which is normally good, but I think this time it was too wide. I feel like I executed the start good but just got pushed out. Overall I rode pretty well. Once again, I had to pass some good guys and it’s really hard to come through the pack, so I only made it up to seventh. I just need to put myself in a better position in the beginning and I know I can run up front and get a better result.”
Aaron Plssinger: (10th in 450SX) “San Diego was a big step in the right direction. I was kind of struggling in practice, but then we got the bike working really good in the final session. We went out for the Heat race and rode pretty well, ended up fifth. Then I got a great start in the Main Event. I was riding right with Cooper Webb and made a little mistake and went down right before the whoops. That cost me, but it’s good to get up there and run with those boys. Now I know I can do it. I’m looking forward to this week, we’re going to get back to Tallahassee and go do some more work to get ready for Tampa. I’m excited for it and looking for more up front rides like that”
Alex Martin: (10th in 250SX) “San Diego was very up and down. I had some positive moments in practice, but I also had some pretty big crashes. The main event was going decently as we were near the top=five, but towards the end a lapper cross-jumped me, taking me out. I was able to salvage a top-ten. I’m looking to take advantage of this six-week break then capitalize on the last four rounds.
Cameron McAdoo: (22nd in 250SX) “Things like tonight just happen sometimes in racing; it’s out of anyone’s control and you just have to roll with the punches. That said we had a solid heat race and it was cool to represent the U.S. Navy on the track with my sister in the stands. We’ll continue to work during the break, will be excited to get back to racing in a few weeks.”
