The FIM World Supercross Championship resumed for its second round of 2023 and the first-ever WSX event in Abu Dhabi at Etihad Arena. Joey Savatgy emerged the WSX 450cc class winner and took over the WSX points lead on his Rick Ware Racing/Mobil 1 Kawasaki, surviving a night of ups and downs for everyone. Savatgy went 1-4-2 to snag the overall in the three-race format. Firepower Honda's Dean Wilson and MotoConcepts Vince Friese took second and third overall. Ken Roczen, the series' leader coming into the event, had troubles in qualifying and had to overcome a bad start in race 1, he got to Friese to try to take the lead on the last lap but crashed, and instead finished 14th. Roczen ended up 14-3-1 on the night fighting through the pack, and by finishing fourth overall, loses the points lead to Savatgy with one race remaining.
Savatgy now leads Roczen in points 127-122.
Friese was the center of the action all night though, nailing his usual good starts and making it extremely hard for anyone to make passes on him on the tight race track. There definitely appeared to be some tension throughout the night. Friese was penalized two positions for "dangerous racing" in the first race (he block passed Wilson hard for the lead, knocking Wilson down) and two more in the final race, when Savatgy block passed him off the track, and Friese rode down the side of the track and retook the position.
We'll have more coverage from the event throughout the weekend.
