2022 Daytona Supercross | Race Report & Results

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Monster Energy Supercross returned to Daytona International Speedway for its ninth race of the season, the 2022 Daytona Supercross. Racing on the infield of the famed facility is something that everyone on the starting line looked forward to, as the complex course designed by Daytona icon Ricky Carmichael and rough conditions of the mixed terrain put their skills to the test through every single lap. There was a lot at stake in both the 250 East Region and 450 Class Main Events, and when the checkered flag flew, two of the strongest riders in the field were there to claim it.

Jett Lawrence | 1st Place | 250 Class

After a drama-filled night of racing at last weekend’s race in Arlington, Daytona was quite a refreshing rebound for Jett Lawrence. The Honda HRC rider couldn’t have had a more perfect day at round nine of the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross series, as he left the track on top in each session of riding. 

Before we get to the racing, we have to discuss Jett’s domination in the 250 East Coast qualifying sessions. The points-leader managed to log the fastest lap-time in free practice, first qualifier, and second qualifier. Jett’s 1:11.947 was over a half-second faster than the next fastest time and a great start to his first-ever Daytona Supercross.

Jett had to fight for it in his heat race, as he came out of the first-turn a few positions out of the lead. During his ride into the lead, Jett had a close one with Mitchell Oldenburg after their lines came together in the sand, ultimately placing Oldenburg off of the track for a few yards. The younger Lawrence brother then began pressuring Stilez Robertson for the lead and ended up making the pass after a few attempts. Before grabbing the heat race win, Jett crossed the finish line thinking he received the checkered flag, when it was actually the white flag. Luckily, he had built up a large enough gap to remain in the lead after realizing his mistake.

As the riders left the gate in the 250 Main Event, it was looking like a near copy of the heat race we just discussed. However, Jett Lawrence made a quick pass at the end of the first rhythm section on Stilez Robertson and took the early lead. From that point on, Jett rode his own race while the battling took place behind him. After laying down fast-lap after fast-lap, Jett had built himself a 12-second cushion on second place and the rest of the field. And as the checkered flag waved, Jett Lawrence took the Main Event win at his first Daytona Supercross.

Stilez Robertson | 2nd Place | 250 Class

It was quite an impressive night in Daytona for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Stilez Robertson. The kid out of Bakersfield, CA has seen one of his best finishes at Daytona Supercross, but wrongfully entered this year’s race under-hyped after a rough off-season. 

The morning started off solid for Stilez, as he ended qualifying fifth on the leaderboards with a 1:12.724, not even a second slower than the fastest lap time. Though, Robertson’s real success on the night started in 250 Heat Two, where he grabbed an excellent start to take the holeshot and the early lead. When Jett came knocking on his door and challenged for the lead, Stilez fought back and held onto the lead for as long as he could. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider ultimately finished the heat race in second place. 

If we learned anything at round nine, it was that Stilez Robertson can get a start and that the guy goes good at Daytona. Yet again, Stilez snagged the holeshot in the 250 Main Event. And, although he didn’t hang onto the lead, the great start certainly placed him where he deserved to be. Stilez rode a quiet, but solid, race in second place, as he logged consistent fast-laps and was practically unchallenged for the position. When the checkered flag waved, Stilez Robertson grabbed another second place finish in Daytona.

Cameron McAdoo | 3rd Place | 250 Class

The 2022 Daytona Supercross proved to be a challenging night for Cameron McAdoo, however, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider did everything he could to leave the speedway on a positive note. After only qualifying sixth fastest and with a lap time well over a second off of the fastest lap, things were already off to a frustrating start for Cameron.

Fortunately, McAdoo grabbed a decent start in 250 Heat One and made an early pass on Jace Owen to enter third place. As Jordon Smith began pressuring RJ Hampshire for the lead, Cameron lurked behind the duo. And when RJ made a mistake, both Jordon and Cameron chose to strike. As Jordon entered the lead momentarily, McAdoo also made the pass on RJ and attempted to pass Smith by taking him wide. However, RJ took the furthest inside line and re-passed both. Cameron then had a slight bobble while pressuring RJ for the lead, allowing Smith to go back by and drop McAdoo to third, where he would finish the Heat Race.

As the gate dropped in the 250 Main Event, Cameron McAdoo was faced with a bad start and sat in seventh place at the end of the first lap. The opening laps were not great from McAdoo, as he seemed to lack intensity while battling with Brown for sixth. However, Cameron latched onto Pierce Brown and ultimately found his grove as the race went on. The pair, joined by RJ Hampshire, battled their way to the top, passing Enzo Lopes and Phil Nicoletti. Hampshire and McAdoo then shared a great battle inside of the top-5, where Cameron came out on top. In the final laps, McAdoo closed in on Brown and after a great run through the whoops and then the chicane, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider found himself in third place. 

On the podium, Cameron McAdoo noted his off night and placed some blame on tweaking his knee earlier in the day. Following the interview, Cameron was seen limping because of that knee. That said, his third place finish on the night proved to be quite impressive.

Eli Tomac | 1st Place | 450 Class

With his well-documented success at Daytona and impressive opening in the 2022 series, it was hard to think that Eli Tomac wouldn’t grab the win at round nine. At the end of the night, Eli would make history and grab his sixth win at Daytona, but he didn’t do so the easy way.

The close qualifying times landed Eli in fifth place at the end of the morning and only a few hundredths off of the fastest lap time. The fifth place result in qualifying gave Eli third gate-pick in 450 Heat Two and after a decent start, Tomac found himself in fifth place. A few laps in, Eli made the pass on Musquin for fourth place and began his pursuit of Chase Sexton. However, Eli ran out of time, as he crossed the checkered flag just a few bike lengths short of Sexton and third place. 

As riders left the gate in the 450 Main Event, Eli was off to a solid start despite his late gate-pick and sat just behind Webb. However, Jason Anderson dove inside as they entered the second turn, bumping both Eli and Malcolm Stewart. Certainly frustrated from last week’s incident and now this, Malcolm throttled to the next corner and went inside of Jason, where the two made contact and went down. This allowed Eli to sneak by and into third place. The number-3 Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha then began his pursuit of Chase Sexton and third place, much like their heat race. As the track conditions worsened, Eli Tomac’s gritty style began to shine. Eli pulled alongside Sexton after the Honda HRC rider made a few mistakes and scrubbed into second place. Almost ten-minutes later, Eli was now on Cooper Webb’s rear fender and pressuring for the lead. With two laps to go, Shane McElrath got in Webb’s way and Eli Tomac throttled into the lead. The points-leader took the checkered flag first to grab his sixth win at Daytona. 

Cooper Webb | 2nd Place | 450 Class

Cooper Webb did everything in his power to execute a perfect day of racing at Daytona. Although he was just over a second off in qualifying, the Red Bull KTM rider came out swinging in 450 Heat One. Cooper rocketed out of the gate, grabbed the holeshot, and led each and every lap until taking the checkered flag and heat race win. 

The gate was down for the 450 Main Event and Cooper Webb was off to another great start. After grabbing the holeshot, Webb was unchallenged during his opening laps. Though, Chase Sexton mounted a charge as they neared the halfway mark, but Webb responded by upping his pace and building his cushion back up. The real challenge of the night didn’t come until late in the main event; Eli Tomac had picked at Webb’s lead and was now pressuring for the race win. At first, Cooper and Eli seemed to rubber-band each other, as Eli would get within a few bike lengths and then Cooper would put a few yards between them. 

Though, as the clock ticked closer and closer to zero, Eli became more and more impatient. With just three laps left, Eli was just behind the number-2 Red Bull KTM. As the pair exited the whoops, Shane McElrath held up Cooper while being lapped and nearly brought the reigning champion to a stop, allowing Eli to throttle into the lead. Just a few laps later, Cooper Webb crossed the checkered flag in second place. 

Chase Sexton | 3rd Place | 450 Class

It was a quiet, yet solid, day in Daytona for Chase Sexton. The Honda HRC rider started out the day seventh overall in qualifying; certainly not where he wanted to be, but the lap times were extremely close in the 450 class. 

From there, Chase Sexton went onto the night show and began his battles shared with Eli Tomac. The Honda HRC rider started just ahead of Eli in both the heat race and the main event, so the two did a-bit of riding together. As for 450 Heat Two, Sexton made an early pass on Marvin Musquin and finished in third place, crossing the finish line just ahead of Eli. 

Chase Sexton was off to a similar start in the 450 Main Event, but after Anderson and Stewart’s mishap in the third corner, Chase found himself in second place. A few laps in, the Honda HRC rider charged ahead towards Cooper Webb and the race lead, but found himself playing defense just minutes later when Eli Tomac had reeled him in. Sexton did his best to fend off Eli, but a few minor mistakes allowed Tomac to make the pass. After being passed, Sexton logged consistent laps and crossed the finish line in third place.