
After 17 grueling rounds of fierce and dramatic competition the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross season came to a close on Saturday night in Las Vegas, in what proved to be a memorable night for Monster Energy. The Monster Army took the checkered flag with dominant victories in both the 450SX Class and 250SX East/West Showdown, and captured the 250SX West Region title to put a finishing touch on the night.
In the premier 450SX Class it was no surprise to see Eli Tomac in a class of his own. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider had consistently been the fastest rider in the division on a weekly basis, but an early shoulder injury and some heartbreaking moments ultimately took him out of title contention. Nevertheless, Tomac attacked each weekend with the same relentless determination and ended up grabbing a series-leading eight wins. His performance in Vegas was undoubtedly one of the most convincing, as he raced to the holeshot and carried on to a wire-to-wire win.
As one of the few combined regional races of the season, the 250SX East/West Showdown is always full of tension and it was no different this time around. With his hopes of a first-career title still within reach, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo came into the finale looking to make a statement, and he did just that. The Florida native successfully worked through the pack to seize control of the lead, and went on to win his second consecutive Las Vegas shootout. While Cianciarulo did everything he needed to do, his Monster Energy counterpart Aaron Plessinger responded by doing just enough. Despite a season-worst eighth-place finish, the Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star/Yamaha rider still emerged with his first professional title as West Region Champion.