Jimmy Decotis jumped out early in times here in 250SX West, but Adam Cianciarulo then took over the top of the board. In the final laps, RJ Hampshire logged a flyer and jumped to the top of the board, Cianciarulo was second, and Dylan Ferrandis moved into third.

Some riders are experimenting in the long rhythm lane, as the 450s have several options. Right now we just watched Cooper Webb go roll double-triple-triple-quad-single as he headed to the outside section of the stadium. It’s actually not as gnarly as it sounds because the transitions are forgiving, but the gaps are big. We’ve now watched Eli Tomac, Justin Brayton, Blake Baggett and now Marvin Musquin jump it. Joey Savatgy tried it twice but case the second triple both times. The Savatgy tried it a third time and tagged a tuff block and went down hard. They red flagged the practice, but then Savatgy was able to get back up slowly and get back on the bike, he rode back to the pits on the back of his bike with his mechanic Justin doing the riding.

Savatgy would later skip the final practice, but Kawasaki tells us he will ride out for opening ceremonies and decide then if he's able to race.

In the first session, which does not count for qualifying, Eli Tomac became the first rider under the 1 minute mark with a 59. Now Tomac is the first into the 58s. Soon Ken Roczen and Musquin jumped under the 59s, also. Justin Bogle, frisky again, was fourth-fastest.

Final Practice 

This 250SX West practice one looked like a darned moto from the start, with Dylan Ferrandis getting out in front of Adam Cianciarulo, and then the championship contenders then chased each other around for a few laps. Briefly, Michael Mosiman jumped ahead to the top of the charts, but then Ferrandis and AC took the 1-2 positions back, respectively. Then Adam took the top spot back. Ferrandis logged one last flyer, but came up just short. This is pretty much how the 250SX West practice sessions have looked all season, with Ferrandis and Cianciarulo battling for top honors, so it’s only fitting to see it end this way, also.

Justin Cooper was flying early in the final 250SX East practice. Marty Davalos got kicked in the whoops and then crashed in the next corner, but got back up without trouble. Then Davalos logged a quick time to get into second overall, with Chase Sexton on top just one tenth of a second ahead. Oldenburg, Cooper and Alex Martin came in next.

Blake Baggett was the first rider on track in this final session, but it was Eli Tomac who quickly went to the top of the board—Eli is definitely on it today. However, he had a quick tip over in a sand corner.

About halfway through the session Musquin took the top spot away from Tomac, so Tomac logged a heater lap and got it back. This put Musquin in second and Roczen third—Kenny has been quietly good in practice today. Zach Osborne and Cooper Webb were next.

Savatgy Out

Kawasaki has informed us that Joey Savatgy has called it a night after his crash from earlier today.

Heat Races

250SX West Heat: RJ Hampshire jetted off to the early lead ahead of Mosiman McAdoo and Cianciarulo. Cianciarulo applied major heat to McAdoo while Nichols and Ferrandis tried to catch him from behind. Finally Cianciarulo jumped a big quad heading out of the stadium, which McAdoo did not do, to set up a pass for third. Hampshire, up front, continued to pull away. Cianciarulo made up ground on Mosiman to press him for second, but ranout of time. Hampshire took the win, with Mosiman, Cianciarulo, Ferrandis, Nichols, McAdoo, Marchbanks, Blose, Decotis in the top nine, and Jerry Robin coming up just short.

250SX East Heat: Chase Sexton jumped out to the holeshot ahead of Kyle Peters, but Martin Davalos made quick work of Peters and started closing on Sexton for the lead. Davalos bobbled, though, and Sexton pulled away. Mitchell Oldenburg was fast in qualifying and this race, but suffered a terrible start and had to work his way into a qualifying position. Late in the race, Oldenburg went into the whoops at approximately 200 MPH and crashed spectacularly. He was able to get up, but was out of a transfer position.

Sexton took a solid win over Davalos, Peters, Cunningham, Hartranft, Cooper, Short, Bailey and Martin, with Falk just short.

450 Heat 1: Blake Baggett grabbed the holeshot but Zach Osborne was not messing around and took over the lead immediately. Baggett kept the heat on and kept challenging, as did Marvin Musquin, who then sliced inside of Baggett in the sand to take second. Musquin hounded Osborne hard for the last three laps, showing him a wheel in several spots, but ultimately chose to keep it clean. Osborne held on for a narrow victory.

Baggett was third. Next came Justin Brayton, Kyle Chisholm, Ben Lamay ,Ryan Breece, Henry Miller and Adam Enticknap. Joan Cros came up just short.

450 Heat 2: Cooper Webb got out front early in this one, with Cole Seely, Alex Ray and Justin Bogle there. Bogle got around Ray, as did Eli Tomac. Tomac was charging hard, getting around Bogle and then Seelu to take over second. Then he set after Webb. Tomac got to Webb’s rear wheel, but mistimed a rhythm section, clipped a jump and shot sideways. He was lucky to save it, but that allowed Webb to pull away. Tomac made several more huge mistakes, but kept charging super hard, allowing him to catch Webb for a second time. He then leaped to the inside in the sand and made the move on Webb for the lead. The crowd went crazy with that battle, and Tomac nearly crashed again in the whoops, but he held on and took the win.

Seely, Bogle, Roczen, Bowers, Hill, Politelli and Gardner. Alex Ray dropped through the pack after a few mistakes and ended up just short in tenth.

Both of these 450 heats were good, with Musquin challenging Osborne, and Tomac fighting past Webb. Could be some good stuff brewing for the main.

LCQs

Mitchell Falk grabbed the holeshot but Mitchel Oldenburg got by in the whoops—the same section of whoops where he crashed in the heat race. Steven Clarke and Justin Starling came through next, until Locurcio made the move on Clarke to take fourth.

The whoops got Oldenburg again. He crashed in the same exact spot where he went down in the heat. He was done and down for the count. Later, Chase Marquier put a big block pass on Clarke that put Clarke on the ground.

Lorcurcio made a pass on Falk for the lead, then Starling and Marquier held the final spots. Autenrieth was just short.

Scott Champion and Colton Aeck battled hard for the lead in the 450 LCQ, but Aeck went down. Alex Ray muscled past Tevin Tapia to take the next spot, with Charles LaFrancois moving into fourth after Aeck went down. Joan Cros, who was tenth in his heat, came up just short of the main once again in this LCQ.

250SX Showdown

Each year before the finale in Vegas, the outcome is teased with “anything can happen.” But tonight, it wasn’t a tease. Something unexpected actually did happen, and one man scored a title with a clutch ride that capitalized on his opportunity.

RJ Hampshire got the holeshot but Dylan Ferrandis blasted past ahead of Cameron McAdoo, then Chase Sexton and Adam Cianciarulo, who made a few clutch moves to get into fifth. The two points leaders then started to battle. Cianciarulo quickly passed Sexton, but Sexton got him back. On the next lap Cianciarulo passed Sexton after the whoops again, and this time he made it stick.

Ferrandis was aces under pressure, holding steady in the lead and putting pressure on Cianciarulo to stay perfect. Meanwhile McAdoo was putting in the best ride of his career, passing Hampshire for second and even closing on Ferrandis at one point. Cianciarulo then got Hampshire for third and was in a good spot, with Sexton in fifth, safe with the 250SX East Championship since Justin Cooper was just inside the top ten.

Cianciarulo had it under control in third, but in shocking, heart breaking fashion, he crashed in a rhythm lane with three minutes to go, his bars were bent, and just like that it was over. Cianciarulo kept circulating, but unable to ride hard with a twisted bike, he drifted back to 20^th. Ferrandis was in position to win a title against long odds!

Late in the race, Hampshire set back after his teammate McAdoo and reclaimed second, but McAdoo held on for third, his first career podium.

Ferrandis fist pumped over the finish, taking the race win and a shocking championship. Moments later, Sexton crossed in fourth to clinch the 250SX East Championship.

“I’m sorry it’s going to be tough for me to speak in English right now,” said the Frenchman Ferrandis, overcome with emotion. “When I saw P10, P20 on the board [for Cianciarulo’s position], I just thought ,“This can not be possible.” It was hard to contain the emotions. I’m so happy, you can’t believe how happy I am right now. It’s more than a dream come true right now!”

“This was always the dream,” said Sexton “That has to be the craziest race I’ve ever been in. It feels so good, I can’t even describe it right now.”

450SX Main Event

Tomac and Webb came battling out of the gate together, with Tomac maneuvering into the lead in the second turn. Musquin quickly got around Webb and made it to second, and tried to give chase to Tomac, but Tomac continue to stretch the lead. Behind them, Osborne battled with Roczen for fourth, and Roczen made the move in the whoops and then began to close on Webb for third. Roczen’s charge stalled, though, and Webb began to pull back away. Osborne even put some heat on Roczen again. Five minutes later, it flipped again, with Roczen closing back on Webb, and putting a little heat on for a podium.

Late in the race, there wasn’t much happening as everyone was solid in their positions. Seely made a last pass on Osborne, which was about it for passing.

Tomac held on, taking the win in dominant fashion—he was fast in practice, won his heat, and pulled clear of everyone for the main event win. Musquin was second, and Webb rode a clean, solid, safe race to finish third and log the 2019 Monster Energy Supercross Championship.

“It’s been an incredible journey," said Webb. "The change this year—I was a washed up, 10^th place guy. These guys took me in, transformed me. It was not expected at all. I can’t thank these guys enough, and to do it this way is unreal. Man, I never thought I would be a 450 Champion, that’s for sure.”