Jason Anderson can finally celebrate.
A week after a crash and some broken spokes not only prevented him from clinching the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross Championship but also jeopardized a title mostly in his hands all season, Anderson lifted the 450 class trophy after cruising around comfortably in fifth-place during the final race of the season on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Little drama played out as Eli Tomac grabbed the holeshot and led the entire way fending off a sometimes feisty Marvin Musquin who came close to passing several times but ultimately settled on second and second for the season. Musquin, who won the prior two rounds, cut 30 points off Anderson's lead over the last three rounds in an unlikely final push for the Championship. He ultimately finished nine points from first the closest of anyone since Round 4 when Justin Barcia got to within nine points. Anderson took the Red Plate after Round 2 and never relinquished.
The run by Anderson, who won the 2015 250SX West class Championship, came during a season wrought with injuries including season ending crashes to Ken Roczen, Cole Seely and Josh Grant while Barcia missed nearly half the season and Musquin and Tomac went down early in the year losing too many points to overcome. All the while, Anderson, who won just four times but finished in the Top 4 14 times, proved once again, like his teammate Ryan Dungey from last year, consistency wins Championships.
Jason Anderson celebrates his 450 Class Supercross Championship
"I've been riding dirt bikes for so long, to win this championship between me and my team it's the most surreal moment of my life up to this point," Anderson said. "I was tested this year, that last weekend, it's been a long week and to top it off with this I am beyond words. I'm so happy."
Anderson needed just 10thplace in Las Vegas to secure the Championship - with a Musquin win - thus started sixth, moved up a spot and never really challenged Christian Craig for fourth. Instead, he played it safe and crossed the checkers nearly 40 seconds behind the lights-out Tomac who ended the season with the most wins (8) just like he did last year when he lost the Championship by five to Dungey in that epic finale. Anderson finished fourth overall last year and got his only win of the season in the final race thanks in part to Tomac's stop-and-go efforts as a last ditch effort to derail Dungey's eventual title. A year later Anderson celebrates a Championship.
Elsewhere, Blake Baggett took third for the second straight week and secured a career best fourth for the season breaking a points tie with Justin Brayton who finished 12th and rounded out the Top 5. Brayton who got his first career Supercross win this year, becoming the oldest to do so, had his best season since a fourth-place finish in 2012 losing third-place on the tie-breaker to Dungey.
Zach Osborne crossed the finish line in seventh but knows he is a repeat 250SX East Class Champion
In the second East meets West showdown of the year, defending 250SX East champion Zach Osborne made it back-to-back finishing seventh-place just like last year but without all the last lap dramatics. No take-outs necessary for Osborne who entered the final round with a solid 15 point lead and like Anderson cruised safely around the track without much heat from anyone.
Aaron Plessinger followed Osborne in eighth to the checkers securing his first 250SX West Champion. Plessinger saved a near get-off that likely would have given the Championship to Adam Cianciarulo who won. Plessinger held a 13 point lead heading into Las Vegas and won by two. Cianciarulo, won for the first time all season just like last year and lost the Championship by two points, just like last year when he rode in the East class.
Aaron Plessinger celebrates his 250SX West Class Championship
Jordon Smith took second and finished second for the year in the East while Shane McElrath, who led for nearly half the race dropped to third for his fifth podium of the year but secured third on the season for the West winning the tie-breaker over Joey Savatgy who finished fourth in Las Vegas. Jeremy Martin rounded out the Top 5 for Round 17 and ended his season in third for the East.
Riders get a two-week break before the 2018 Motocross season starts where Tomac and Osborne attempt to defend their titles in the 450 and 250 classes, respectively.
2018 Monster Energy Supercross Las Vegas Results
Las Vegas Supercross 450SX Class Results
450 Class
- Eli Tomac
- Marvin Musquin
- Blake Baggett
- Christian Craig
- Jason Anderson
- Benny Bloss
- Weston Peick
- Dean Wilson
- Justin Barcia
- Vince Friese
250SX Class East/West Regional Showdown
- Adam Cianciarulo
- Jordon Smith
- Shane McElrath
- Joey Savatgy
- Jeremy Martin
- Chase Sexton
- Zach Osborne
- Aaron Plessinger
- Brandon Hartranft
- Hayden Mellross
2018 Monster Energy Supercross Final Season Standings
450 Class
- Jason Anderson (356)- 2018 450 Class Supercross Champion
- Marvin Musquin (347)
- Eli Tomac (318)
- Blake Baggett (285)
- Justin Brayton (275)
- Weston Peick (251)
- Dean Wilson (208)
- Broc Tickle (184)
- Cooper Webb (181)
- Justin Barcia (177)
250SX East Class
- Zach Osborne (196) - 2018 250SX East Class Supercross Champion
- Jordon Smith (188)
- Jeremy Martin (175)
- Austin Forkner (137)
- Luke Renzland (118)
- Kyle Peters (112)
- Sean Cantrell (108)
- Brandon Hartranft (103)
- Anthony Rodriguez (75)
- John Short (58)
250SX West Class
- Aaron Plessinger (211) - 2018 250SX West Class Supercross Champion
- Adam Cianciarulo (209)
- Shane McElrath (139)
- Joey Savatgy (193)
- Chase Sexton (167) - 2018 Rookie of the Year
- Justin Hill (136)
- Kyle Chisholm (134)
- Mitchell Harrison (121)
- Christian Craig (106)
- Hayden Mellross (101)
