2021 Houston Three Supercross | Race Report & Results

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CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE RACE COVERAGE OF THE 2021 HOUSTON THREE SUPERCROSS

The 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Series completed the season-opening races at NRG Stadium with the 2021 Houston Three Supercross. Was the trio of events, with a rotation of riders on the podium and multiple Main Event winners, a sample of what we’re set to see through the long, challenging championship? Or will it ultimately come down to the usual winners and title contenders? Both of the Houston finale feature races were excellent from start to finish, especially after issues that changed the final outcomes.

JUSTIN BARCIA
450 MAIN EVENT FINISH | 4TH PLACE
450 HEAT RACE TWO FINISH | 2ND PLACE

Incoming championship leader Justin Barcia had an eventful night. The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing rider was on his way to a win in 450 Heat Race Two until a collision with lapped rider Alex Ray put him on the ground, but he quickly remounted and finished in second place.

The Main Event wasn’t much easier. Barcia broke free from the mid-pack positions in the early laps of the race, posted some of the quickest laps of anyone on the track, worked his way up to fourth place, and even reeled in the lead trio. A crash in the sand cost him a shot at the podium and allowed Eli Tomac to go by, but Barcia managed to catch and pass the defending champion a lap later, then rode home to a fourth-place finish.

Barcia has lost the red plate but is down only one point to new leader Roczen.

ADAM CIANCIARULO
450 MAIN EVENT FINISH | 3RD PLACE
450 HEAT RACE TWO FINISH | 1ST PLACE

Adam Cianciarulo was solid at Houston Three. Third-fastest in Timed Qualifying and winner of 450 Heat Race Two, the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider went into the Main Event as a podium contender and possible winner.

A great start put Cianciarulo into the lead group, and after a shot at Cooper Webb fell short, he settled into third place. The top riders circled the track within seconds of each other through the opening half, but the gap grew as the pace quickened, and Cianciarulo lost sight of Roczen and Webb. AC was mostly alone during the final laps of the race, and he cruised to a third-place finish, his first podium of the season.

“It feels good to get a solid result. It’s been an up and down first couple races, but overall, today was the best that I’ve rode so far,” he said on the podium. “I think the track being more technical played into my strengths. It was a good race. I got a good start was, behind Cooper and Ken. It’s funny, they’re two totally different riders. Cooper is really good at getting better as the race goes on, Ken is really good at the beginning. So it was like an accordion and I was doing my best to follow Cooper. Those guys were riding great, I just didn’t have anything for them at the end. For me, it was a nice and steady day, I don’t feel like I ever rode over my head or pushed too hard, so we’ll take this and move on to Indy.”

DEAN WILSON
450 MAIN EVENT FINISH | 4TH PLACE
450 HEAT RACE TWO FINISH | 6TH PLACE

Dean Wilson’s last-lap incident with Ken Roczen was a massive twist to the night’s race. In a battle of his own as the leaders closed in, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider did not immediately yield to the blue flags and unintentionally held up Roczen. A close moment between Wilson and Roczen over the wall jump on the final lap threw Roczen off-rhythm through the section, and Wilson’s use of the inside line in the next turn helped Webb make a move for the lead.

Wilson acknowledged a furious Roczen as he rode out of the stadium and reportedly told Roczen that he didn’t know it was him. DW has posted a statement on his Instagram, saying, “I fully own this. I never knew it was the leaders behind me. Kenny I’m sorry and sincerely apologize. I ruined your race and I wish I could take it back… I hate that I was that guy in the way and ruined a win and a race. I should have been more aware of how was behind me, I just going locked in on the guys ahead.”

KEN ROCZEN
450 MAIN EVENT FINISH | 2ND PLACE
450 HEAT RACE ONE FINISH | 1ST PLACE

Ken Roczen’s patience was put to the test in Houston. The Team Honda HRC rider was being penalized for jumping through a section where medical flags were displayed on Tuesday but bounced back by being the second-fastest rider in Saturday’s Timed Qualifying, winning 450 Heat Race One on Saturday night.

Roczen wasted no time during the early laps of the Main Event. After two pass attempts on Cooper Webb, he took control of the race, then clicked off a series of quick and consistent laps on the smooth Texas track. KR encountered the first lapped riders at the 12-minute-mark of the race but got through the group much quicker than Webb and stretched out a three-second gap on his rival.

Things started to come undone during the closing minutes of the moto, as Roczen made a handful of small mistakes, dangled his leg off the bike, and drifted towards the outside lines on the technical track. This series of issues allowed Webb to reel in the leader, and as they took the white flag, the duo was split by less than a second.

Roczen spent more than a lap behind Dean Wilson, a disruption that caused him to make more mistakes and resort to inferior lines. After nearly hitting Wilson’s back tire as they crested the wall jump, Roczen jumped through the following rhythm without his feet on the pegs and missed one of the inside ruts in the next turn. This mistake allowed Webb to block Roczen’s exit, a decisive pass that changed the outcome.

Although Roczen was furious and had a word with Wilson before the rider exited the stadium, he regained his composure on the podium by saying, “Part of me wants to punch a hole in a wall, but I’ve been practicing my patience, so I’m going to keep it cool. It was a bummer last lap, he was ahead of my for three-quarters of it. I was screaming and yelling, and he told me he couldn’t hear me. It was a solid race so far, I was able to make a pass happen, and unfortunately, finished second. It is very, very frustrating, but I’m going to keep it cool.”

Now ahead by one point to Webb and Barcia in the standings, Roczen will have the red plate for the upcoming Indianapolis race.

COOPER WEBB
450 MAIN EVENT FINISH | 1ST PLACE
450 HEAT RACE ONE FINISH | 3RD PLACE

A stunning, traffic-assisted last-lap pass got Cooper Webb his first Main Event win of the season and pushed him higher up the championship standings. The Red Bull KTM rider rarely made mistakes on the track, was ranked sixth overall in Timed Qualifying, posted a third-place result in 450 Heat Race One, and looked better on the bike than he had at the previous two rounds.

Webb rocketed out of the gate and claimed the holeshot, but could not answer Ken Roczen’s repeated attacks in the opening laps and slid back to second place. Adam Cianciarulo tried similar moves immediately after, but Webb kept the orange bike locked in the inside lines and held onto the position. Although the lead trio stayed within five seconds of each other through the first half of the race, there were no other pass attempts during the ten minutes.

Webb followed the same route around the track for much of the race, and by rarely straying from the lower lines in corners or worn-in ruts, took massive chunks from Roczen’s advantage in the final six minutes of the race. He managed to cut a full second from the leader over two laps, then another half-second as they entered lapped traffic.

Roczen’s run-in with Dean Wilson and mistake gave Webb a perfect passing opportunity. As the leader rounded the berm, Webb darted to the inside of the corner, went all the way across the lane, blocked Roczen’s exit, and seized the spot. Webb used every inside line during the final lap, which stopped any moves Roczen may have had, and crossed the finish line 0.468-seconds ahead.

“It was a close race the whole time. Kenny really rode well; he rode a really solid race with no mistakes. The track was tricky and easy to override or get impatient,” said Webb on the podium. “The lappers there at the end were a bummer, I thought we were going to have a really good battle, and obviously, we did, but the lappers were really tough tonight,” he said. “Kenny rode really solid and wasn’t making it easy, but I pounced at that last lap.”

He also mentioned the constant setup changes to the 450 SX-F and credited the Red Bull KTM team for the win, saying he told them to do whatever they thought would be best and that he’d figure it out as he went.

Webb is now second overall in the championship standings and down one point to Roczen.