The SuperMotocross World Championship returned to its traditional setup for Round 5 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where Eli Tomac and Jorge Prado claimed victories in their respective heats. Both riders demonstrated impressive speed and skill, setting the tone for an exciting event.
Jorge Prado Seizes Early Lead in Heat Two
Jorge Prado, fastest qualifier of the day, translated his speed into a strong start by taking the early lead in Heat Two. Among the contenders were Vince Friese and Joey Savatgy, who featured prominently in the top three positions during the race.
Friese experienced a setback when he stumbled on Lap 3, dropping to fifth place, which allowed Savatgy to move up to second and Jason Anderson to climb to fourth, with Ken Roczen close behind in fifth. However, Friese’s struggles continued as by Lap 6 he had fallen further to ninth, the final transfer position for direct advancement.
Prado maintained his lead throughout and secured the win, crossing the finish line less than two seconds ahead of Savatgy. This success marked Prado’s third heat victory of the current season and the fourth in his career. Anderson completed the podium in third, while Roczen and Chase Sexton took fourth and fifth places respectively.
Rounding out the top nine who earned direct entry into the main event were Aaron Plessinger, Malcolm Stewart, Dylan Ferrandis, and Friese.
Eli Tomac Controls Heat One from Start to Finish
Eli Tomac took the holeshot in Heat One, immediately pursued by Christian Craig, with Hunter Lawrence settling into third but struggling to pass Craig. Cooper Webb secured a steady fourth position as the heat progressed.
Lawrence eventually overtook Craig, disrupting the latter’s momentum and causing him to slip to fifth, while Justin Cooper moved into third ahead of Webb on Lap 5. As the heat neared its conclusion, Tomac held a commanding lead of 5.7 seconds over Lawrence and 6.7 seconds ahead of Cooper.
Tomac maintained his advantage to clinch the heat win, with Lawrence and Cooper finishing second and third, respectively. Webb and Craig rounded out the top five. The line-up also saw Garrett Marchbanks, Colt Nichols, Justin Hill, and Grant Harlan qualify directly for the feature race.
Final Qualifying Through the Last Chance Race
In the Last Chance Qualifier, Roman Pape initially captured the holeshot, but Mitchell Harrison soon overtook him for the lead. The race was marked by crashes, including Kevin Moranz on Lap 3 while battling for a transfer spot and Tristan Lane who fell short of advancing with a crash near the end.
Shane McElrath surged ahead on the final lap to claim the lead and the win in the LCQ. Joshua Cartwright and Freddie Noren, finishing fourth and fifth, secured their positions in the main feature as well.
The performances by Tomac and Prado during these heats underline their strong form in the championship, and their heat wins position them well as the series progresses. The results at Glendale are likely to impact strategies in the upcoming races, with several riders advancing confidently into the main events.
