The U.S. Bank Stadium was the scene for another Monster Energy AMA Supercross Kawasaki ‘double’ as Eli Tomac and Pro Circuit’s Joey Savatgy both jumped under the finish line flaming candles at round seven of seventeen last Saturday. Over 50,000 spectators entered the U.S. Bank Stadium and watched the 450SX riders negotiate one of the most difficult tracks of the season shortly after the 250SX East Region had launched with Savatgy’s first 25 pointer of the campaign.
Tomac’s ‘up-and-down’ 2017 term continued. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider had won Main Events in Phoenix and Oakland before crashing in Texas the week prior to arriving in Minneapolis and what was very much local turf for reigning champion and standings leader Ryan Dungey: the KTM rider only missing the podium once so far this season.
Tomac and Dungey duked out the victory after Cole Seely’s opening lap crash. Tomac set the pace with his title rival for close company until deep into the twenty minute chase. They started to thread through backmarkers and Tomac kept his composure while Dungey started to be threatened by teammate Marvin Musquin, who eventually sliced through to second spot. Tomac benefitted from the warring KTMs to win by seven seconds.
“The night could not have gone better,” said #3. “I qualified on pole again and earned two great starts in my heat and the main. I got into a grove and made my way to the front. Once I got there I just rode my own race, it was all about being smooth and consistent. Great win and valuable points, bring on Atlanta!”said #3. “
16 points splits Dungey – who has won only once this year – and Musquin with Tomac just 24 adrift and over half of the season remaining.
In the very first 250SX East race of the year Joey Savatgy mirrored the efforts of West-based teammate Justin Hill by making the opening thrust for the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki crew. #17’s fourth career win (taking Pro Circuit well-over 250 successes) came after a tight and entertaining tussle with Jordan Smith and Zach Osborne that saw the three riders applying pressure and circulating closely for the majority of the race distance. Osborne slipped down to third in his fight with Smith and Savatgy was free to continue Pro Circuit’s stranglehold on the division.
“We have had some time away from racing but all things considered we felt pretty good today,” said Savatgy. “I felt like we struggled a bit but we earned the win and I am focused on the championship this year. We gained a lot of momentum and now we just have to keep it rolling next weekend.”
250SX East continues with rounds in Atlanta, Toronto, Daytona, Indianapolis, Detroit, St Louis and New Jersey before the Shootout at Las Vegas. Supercross does not slow and moves to Atlanta’s immense Georgia Dome next weekend.
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