The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team returned to racing at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, wrapping up an intense week of AMA Supercross racing in the Lonestar state. Justin Barcia once again made his mark in the 450SX class with a strong performance aboard the MC 450F at round 12, where he finished just off the podium in fourth.
With intensity levels at an all-time high in Arlington, Barcia kicked off the day with positive vibes. In the heat, he had a great drive off the start as he railed the outside line to secure the holeshot and early lead. He led the first half of the race before getting passed by the defending champion Eli Tomac. He tucked in behind Tomac to capture a second-place finish in the heat.
In the Main Event, Barcia got off to a good start as he powered the MC 450F into third on the opening lap. In an intense back-and-forth battle, he dropped to fourth early on but then powered his way back into the fight for third after taking advantage of a mistake by Tomac. He held onto a podium position for about four laps but a mistake allowed Tomac to reclaim the spot with a few laps to go. That didn’t stop Barcia from fighting all the way to the checkers, where he finished only two seconds from the podium in fourth.
Barcia: “This was one of the hardest fourth-place finishes I’ve ever gotten. I charged so hard and was so close to the podium, it was a little bit frustrating. It was definitely one of the more intense races I’ve ever had and with such an aggressive track, the top four of us were just on top of each other the whole race trying as hard as we could. All-in-all, it was a great race but I definitely wanted to be on the box. We’re going to be working hard going into Atlanta, wanting more – to be on the podium, up front and getting wins.”
Team rider Pierce Brown missed Saturday’s race after undergoing surgery to repair a thumb injury he sustained a week ago. Brown hopes to make a full recovery and return to racing within the next couple of weeks.
The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team will enjoy a break from racing as they prepare to ramp up for the last five rounds, beginning on Saturday, April 10 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Results – 2021 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 12
450SX – Main Event
1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 26 laps; 2. Ken Roczen (Honda) +1.351; 3. Eli Tomac (Kawasaki) +3.434; 4. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) +5.586
250SX West – Main Event
1. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 19 laps; 2. Cameron Mcadoo (Kawasaki) +03.538; 3. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki) +11.016… 7. Chris Blose (GASGAS) +32.154
Championship Standings – After Round 12
450SX
1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 275pts; 2. Ken Roczen (Honda) 260; 3. Eli Tomac (Kawasaki) 234; 4. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 214
250SX West
1. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 108pts; 2. Cameron Mcadoo (Kawasaki) 106; 3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 102… 20. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) 21