2021 Atlanta One Supercross | Race Report & Photo Gallery

INSTAGRAM | @swapmotolive
INSTAGRAM | @swapmotolivedotcom
INSTAGRAM | @fxrmoto

2021 ATLANTA ONE SUPERCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

The thirteenth round of the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Series had it all. Riders spent the day spinning laps around the massive track at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and despite heavy rains that rolled through the area in the morning that left the long layout a little wet, things turned around well in time for the Main Events. Here’s our recap and images from the 2021 Atlanta One Supercross, including notes and shots of a first-time winner in the 250 West Coast Region, the bar-to-bar action in the 450 Class, and the championship implications for the top-three in both divisions.

250 Heat One

As the first race at Atlanta Motor Speedway left the gate, Seth Hammaker was off to the early lead with Justin Cooper just behind, until Justin lost traction going up the face of the first double and went down, collecting Stilez Robertson. Robbie Wageman and Jalek Swoll then made the pass on Hammaker, placing Swoll in the lead. However, Jalek then slid out on the face of a triple and went down while leading, handing the lead over to Robbie Wageman. As they rolled through the whoops for the first time, Seth Hammaker creeped back into the lead. Meanwhile, Justin Cooper sat back in 15th place and had his work cut out for him. Seth Hammaker then went down while leading, giving the lead to Mitchell Harrison. However, Hammaker wasted no time and managed to regain the lead and pass Harrison just a few sections later. Out of no where, Justin Cooper caught and passed into second place after jumping most of the rythym sections and jumps that others weren’t. On the final lap, Justin neared Hammaker and the lead but ran out of time, as Seth Hammaker took the heat race win. 

250 Heat Two

As the remainder of the 250 field took to the slippery track in heat two, Cameron McAdoo was off to the early lead but Hunter Lawrence was right alongside and challenging. Hunter Lawrence leaped by McAdoo and into the lead, as McAdoo rolled a double. McAdoo and Lawrence raced bar to bar into the over-under, but McAdoo lost traction and landed sideways, throwing him down. Cameron managed to regain the race rather quickly and enter the track in fourth place. Chris Blose then moved into the second place position with Garrett Marchbanks in third. Coty Schock was making moves inside of the top-10 after going down in the first corner, as he passed Derek Drake for eighth place. Back up top, Marchbanks made the move on Blose for second place. Lopes, Robin, and Thury battled over fifth place late in the race, as Robin passed Thury for the spot but then Lopes made the move on both of them. As the checkered flag waved, Hunter Lawrence snagged the win in heat two. 

250 LCQ

As the 250 LCQ left the gate, Derek Drake was off to the early lead on his Bar-X Suzuki with Jace Owen just behind. Nate Thrasher and Pierce Brown battled over third, but Thrasher then jumped to the inside of Owen and into second place. Drake made a slight mistake through the second set of whoops while leading, allowing Thrasher to make the pass for the lead. Brown and Owen battled over third place for a few laps but Brown was ultimately able to snag the spot after a fast run through the sand. Ryan Sipes nearly went down after getting sloppy though the rollers but managed to hold onto it and remain in fifth. On the final lap, Sipes creeped by Owen through the whoops for the final transfer position. Nate Thrasher took the LCQ win and moved on to the main event. 

250 Main Event

As the gate dropped for the 250 Main Event, Cameron McAdoo and Nate Thrasher were bar-to-bar leaving the first corner, while Hunter Lawrence, Chris Blose, and others were down in the first turn. Nate Thrasher then secured the lead, as Marchbanks shuffled into second place. Cameron McAdoo passed Justin Cooper and and Harrison through the whoops. A few laps later, Cameron McAdoo went down after getting sideways in the whoops and drifting off-track, he rebounded quickly, but got shuffled back to sixth. Justin Cooper then entered the third place position, five seconds behind Marchbanks. Cameron McAdoo blitzed past Harrison through the whoops and picked up fourth place. Meanwhile, rookie Nate Thrasher continued to lead with a comfortable four second lead on Marchbanks. Back in the pack, Hunter Lawrence was making moves after his first turn crash, as he challenged Sipes for ninth place. Seth Hammaker got around Harrison for fifth place after hitting the brakes later and beating him to the inside. While running in second, Garrett Marchbanks went down in the whoops after swapping and then could not get his bike to start, costing him multiple positions. Nate Thrasher then sat in the lead with a twelve second lead on Justin Cooper. Nate Thrasher crossed the finish line and snagged his first career victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

450 Heat One

The first 450 heat race was off and Marvin Musquin was off to a great jump but then went down in the first corner, giving the early lead to Justin Barcia. Eli Tomac settled into second after the first few corners, but Joey Savatgy and Martin Davalos both passed Tomac moments later. Davalos then tripled into the corner and into second place. A few sections later, Davalos went down off track, dropping him to sixth. Justin Barcia lost traction off the face of a lip and went down hard while leading, dropping him to 8th place. Joey Savatgy then moved into the lead with Tomac a couple seconds back and Malcolm Stewart behind him. Broc Tickle and Chase Sexton battled over fourth place, where Sexton was ultimately able to secure the spot. Eli Tomac then made the move on Savatgy for the lead after Joey had to roll the double after the finish. Sexton then got around Stewart for third place. Eli Tomac took the checkered flag first and snagged another heat race win. 

450 Heat Two

As 450 heat two left the gate, Ken Roczen was off to the early lead but got sloppy quick and barely hung onto it. Aaron Plessinger then moved into the lead with Ferrandis and Anstie just behind. Cooper Webb sat outside of the top-10 after a bad start but was making moves early. After just two laps, Webb had passed up to sixth place and had Ken Roczen in his sights. Roczen had his eyes focused ahead on Max Anstie and fourth place. Jason Anderson passed Ferrandis for second place and then charged towards Plessinger and the lead. On the final lap, Anderson caught and passed Plessinger through the whoops and was then able to triple out of the corner where Plessinger was not, giving him enough cushion to hold onto the lead and take the heat race win. 

450 LCQ

Freddie Noren was off to the early lead in the 450 LCQ, as Dean Wilson went down early after Miller and him got together. Wilson then went down again just a few sections later. Meanwhile, Noren continued to lead but Martin Davalos was just behind and pressuring. On the second lap, Davalos blitzed through the whoops and past Noren for the lead. On the final lap, Tyler Bowers made the pass on Moranz for third place. Martin Davalos took the win in the 450 LCQ. 

450 Main Event

As the 450 Main Event left the gate, Aaron Plessinger was off to the early lead just ahead of Cooper Webb, as Ken Roczen got hung-up in the first turn after a horrible jump. Max Anstie skied the first double when others didn’t, moving him up to fifth place. Eli Tomac and Joey Savatgy made the pass on Anstie in the first lap. Shortly after, Max Anstie went down hard with Vince Friese, ending his day. Up front, Aaron Plessinger had opened up a four second lead on Webb and the rest of the field. Meanwhile, Ken Roczen battled with Kyle Chisholm for ninth place. Chase Sexton began challenging Cooper Webb for second place, but Webb seemed to up the pace and break away just enough to keep Sexton behind him for the time being. However, just a few laps later, Chase Sexton was back on Webb’s rear wheel and pressuring for second. It took almost another entire lap, but Sexton was ultimately able to make the pass on Webb after blitzing through the second set of whoops. Aaron Plessinger leaned over a-bit too much and went down while leading, handing over three positions. Eli Tomac then made the pass on Cooper Webb after the whoops and took over second place. Eli Tomac then began to chase down Sexton and the lead. Malcolm Stewart and Jason Anderson then got around Aaron Plessinger for fourth and fifth place. Anderson then made the pass on Malcolm and moved into fourth place. Malcolm then dropped from sixth to ninth place. With two laps to go, Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac were within a second. Cade Clason hung-up Sexton while being lapped, forcing Chase to roll three crucial doubles, allowing Eli Tomac to jump into the lead. As the checkered flag waved, Eli Tomac took the win in Atlanta.