Monster Energy® Kawasaki Rider Jason Anderson Finishes Fourth in the Final Triple Crown Race of the 2022 Season
. By Bikeland Staff
After a brief mid-season break, the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship returned to an action-packed Triple Crown race in St. Louis, Missouri, where Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson secured fourth overall in the premier class with 6-2-5 Main Event scores. In the 250SX Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Cameron McAdoo suffered a shoulder injury from a crash prior to the race and was unable to compete on Saturday.
The battle for second place in the 450SX Class championship points standing was tight coming into Round 13 of the season, as Anderson and his opponent in third were separated by just five points. In classic Anderson fashion, the No.21 practiced patience during the timed qualifying sessions, letting the flow of the track come to him before attempting a hot lap. When both qualifying sessions concluded, Anderson’s fastest lap time of 53.180 placed him third fastest in the 450SX Class heading into the night show.
When the gate dropped on 450SX Main Event 1, Anderson launched out to a top-10 start and asserted himself in the middle of the pack as he began his march towards the front. With early opportunities to advance through the field arising, Anderson utilized the power and handling of his Kawasaki KX™450SR to pick off his opponents and reach sixth place by the halfway mark. While applying heavy pressure to the rider in fifth, Anderson suffered a small tip over dropping down the running order and proceeded to race back up to finish the race in sixth.
At the start of the second 450SX Main Event, Anderson emerged from the first turn in third place and within two bike lengths of the leader. Hungry for another win, the No.21 wasted no time making the move into second place and mounting an early charge. The New Mexico native combined superior corner speed and creative line selection late in the race to keep the leader within reach and close the gap to less than two seconds. However, a slight miscue by Anderson halted his attack and despite his best efforts to make a late push for the lead the No.21 crossed the line to finish the race in second place.
The final 450SX Main Event of the night began with another excellent start by Anderson. Sitting in fourth place after the first turn, Anderson raced side by side with his rival in third for half a lap before taking over the position. The No.21 quickly caught up to the leaders and proved he had the pace to compete but as he began to apply pressure forward, Anderson tipped over after the whoop section and fell back to seventh. As racing progressed, Anderson began to close in on sixth place, and with a mixture of pure speed and crafty racing he made the pass for sixth. With fifth place now in sight, Anderson made one last valiant effort during the closing stages of the race and made the pass for fifth stick with less than two laps of racing left. When the checkered flag flew, the No.21 crossed the line to finish the race in fifth and secure fourth overall in the final Triple Crown race of the 2022 season.
Anderson’s impressive performance in St. Louis solidifies him in second in the 450SX Class championship points standings with a six-point advantage over third and 56 points behind the leader.
“This weekend was a bit odd for me. I found it difficult to get into a rhythm during the race and lock into my flow state. I still did my best in each main event and gave it everything I had, so I'm proud of that. We also made up some ground in the championship hunt and gained another point over third. There’s still plenty to race for going forward, so it’s back to work on Monday for the next weekend’s race.”
- Jason Anderson