Tom Vialle Earns Career-First Supercross Victory on Challenging Track
Daytona Beach, Fla., (March 3, 2024) Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence took an impressive win, his third of the season, at Round 8 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship inside the Daytona International Speedway. Daytime rain and the soft soil of the track built into the speedway Trioval made for one of the most challenging Daytona Supercross tracks ever.
In perfect celebration of the 50th anniversary season of AMA Supercross racing, the Daytona International Speedway is the only venue to host a Supercross race every season, uninterrupted, since the start of the series. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac scored a strong second place finish, ending his streak of five straight wins at the venue. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton led the pack at the start and finished up with a third-place finish in front of record-high attendance for Daytona Supercross. This marks four races in a row this season where record highs for attendance were set. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle earned his first Supercross victory in the United States.
“It felt great. I felt good all day, but like I said, we came here for business… I’m just happy to come out of here with a win. Now I only hope we can keep clicking them off. I improved on my mistakes from last weekend, so I’m pumped about that and I’m ready to go on to the next few… [This win] means the world. The first time coming here and already winning a Daytona, it’s awesome. It’s like a home race for me. I gotta thank the crowd, they’re wild.” – Jett Lawrence
“No, to be totally honest I didn’t look over at my pit board so I didn’t see anything, I didn’t feel anything, the motorcycle’s fine. There are treacherous conditions out there. For me, I’m on the clutch a lot and with the ruts that deep, obviously [those conditions] make the bike hot. But I powered through there. Thinking back to the race, [I’m] frustrated I didn’t do the quad; [that] cost me. So gotta take more risks next time. That’s that. So, yeah, second place.” [When asked more about not jumping the quad jump] “Yeah, that’s all what it came down to. And then I moved over to the right side and… the depth of the rut was a lot smaller, and [I’m] just bummed that I didn’t take that [line] earlier. But, ah, try to live and learn and go to the next one.” – Eli Tomac, when asked if he was aware of the smoke coming from his motorcycle during the second half of the race.
“It’s definitely a step in right direction. I’ve had a rough couple weeks with my hand being hurt… It was a good first couple laps. I was doing this section next to the tunnel jump pretty good. Then I started getting a little sketchy and stopped doing it, and I paid the price for it [with slower lap times]. So overall this is a building block, and we’ll go back to work this week. I finally got to ride this week with my [injured but healing] hand, and yeah, we’re not done yet. Just gotta keep building and keep moving forward.” – Chase Sexton
The Eastern Regional 250SX Class held its third round and Tom Vialle fought forward to earn his career-first Monster Energy AMA Supercross win. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo led early but a mistake sent him off track and into second place. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker rode strong on the challenging track to nab a third-place finish.
“It’s nice to grab that win. I had my first podium last weekend and first win today in Daytona. Track was tough. I actually feel good, I could have [ridden] like 30 minutes, I think. So, it’s pretty nice, bike was nice. I didn’t have a great start, but I passed a lot of guys and just feel so good. It’s amazing to win and I want to thank everyone – my team, everyone who works with me during the week, my trainer – really everyone who supports me; and all those fans, it’s amazing to ride here in Daytona, so thank you everyone.” – Tom Vialle
“Yeah, it was really about patience, and I think I did run out of a little bit of patience a couple times, and maybe [that] cost me that lead; but gosh, this was awesome. I love coming to Daytona… And just for the opportunity to be here and do what I love to do is awesome. I had a great time out there and we’re just going to keep plugging away…. This is a dream life that I get and I’m just so grateful for it. If you would’ve told Cameron McAdoo, even five years ago, that this would be his life, he would’ve laughed. So this is my dream, it’s coming true. I love what I get to do, and yeah, shout out to everyone, my family back home, my mom and dad, they didn’t get to make it out. Without them none of this is possible… I’m just grateful for the position I’m in and I’m excited to keep working at this.” – Cameron McAdoo, when asked if the Daytona race strategy was about patience.
“[I’m] stoked on that ride. Like you said, I got off to a pretty good start and me and Haiden were going at it for the first couple laps. He bobbled in the sand, got around him, and I was actually able to pull a gap on them, so that felt nice. I just kind of failed to hit my lines consistently, but yeah, [overall I’m] stoked on that ride here at Daytona.” – Seth Hammaker
The second Supercross Futures race of 2024 lined up the future stars of the sport. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Drew Adams fought hard for the win. Troy Lee Designs GASGAS’s Cole Davies challenged for the top spot and crossed the line in a very close second place. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Casey Cochran fought forward from a poor start to grab the final spot on the SX Futures podium at Daytona.
“My arms got pumped up, [and then] it’s hard to pull the clutch in. Yeah, I had a few mishaps, and I was worried for the last two laps there. But I just rode solid the whole time, got a good start this time and had a great race. You know, it’s awesome to get [a win] here at Daytona. A little bit of wet dirt, something different this year, and it was a great time. And thank you to all the fans, I love you guys!” – Drew Adams when asked if he was having clutch issues after stalling his bike a couple times.
During the Daytona race, the dates and venues for the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final were announced. After 28 rounds of Monster Energy AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross conclude, the top 20 riders in combined points for both series will be seeded into the post-season racing. Riders who finish in positions 21-30 will compete in an LCQ at each event to round out the 22-rider field. Before post-season racing begins the points will be reset, with each rider retaining points for one round of racing based on their seeded position. Two Playoff races and one Final, each with increasing points payouts, will determine a SuperMotocross World Champion in both the 450cc and 250cc classes. The dates and venues are:
Next Saturday the series takes the Supercross racing to a new venue, Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The event will pay points as Round 9 of both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship.
Every race is available live through the PeacockTV app, with several races also broadcast or streamed via NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. For fans watching from outside the US, live and on-demand coverage with both English and Spanish commentary can be had through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv).
Tickets are available now for each remaining Monster Energy AMA Supercross event. For points standings, highlight videos, rider power rankings, broadcast-team insights, and to purchase tickets for an upcoming round, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
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About Feld Motor Sports:
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.
About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
About the SuperMotocross World Championship:
The SuperMotocross World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the SuperMotocross World Championship combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 31-event series that culminates in a season-ending two round playoff and SuperMotocross World Championship Final. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.
About the American Motorcyclist Association:
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
