Spokane, Wash. (February 16, 2022) - Smartop | Bullfrog Spas | MotoConcepts | Honda made a final visit to Angel Stadium for the 2022 Anaheim Three Supercross, round six of the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Championship. The third race in the Southern California venue turned out to be the team’s best, as Justin Brayton and Mitchell Oldenburg had solid rides in the 450 Class while Vince Friese earned his first podium finish of the season in the 250 Class.
Finishing on the podium in the 250 West Coast region was one of Vince Friese’s ambitions for the 2022 season, a feat that was accomplished at Anaheim Three. A 59.970 lap during the afternoon practice session put him seventh overall in the Timed Qualifying results, but the rider improved considerably during the night’s races. Friese ran in the top-five for the entirety of 250 Heat Race Two, and although he had one minor setback in the short sprint, he ended it with a fourth-place finish. The 250 Main Event proved to be treacherous, as incidents claimed many in the field, but Friese avoided the issues through steady riding and was rewarded with a season-best second-place result. “Finally, we got it done. My nerves were high, and I was stiff as a board, but the race fell into my lap,” he noted of the night. “I’m so happy to get this done for the team. They put in so much work to make an awesome bike on short notice, one of the best on the track. Finally, we did it. Hopefully, the next time I start out on this bike, I can ride looser and without so much pressure, just because we got one here. I’m already looking forward to Seattle. We start on the 450 next week in Minneapolis, but when I get back on this bike, we’re going to have some fun.” Friese is now ranked fourth overall in the 250 West Coast region championship standings.
Justin Brayton went into the weekend intending to enjoy his last race at the venue. The jump-filled track favored the rider, and with a 58.453 lap time to his credit, he ended the Timed Qualifying session ranked 10th overall. Brayton got the holeshot, led early laps, and finished fourth in 450 Heat Race One, a solid showing that gave him a fair gate pick for the 450 Main Event. Consistency was crucial for Brayton’s result in the 450 Main Event, as he started in 11th place, battled with a handful of competitors through the 22-lap feature race, and crossed the finish line in 10th place. “It feels good to get a top-10 finish, especially after back-to-back weeks of late-race crashes,” he said of the race. “This track was a challenge, but things like long whoops and rhythm lanes favored my style. I really enjoyed racing in Anaheim for the last time; it’s such an important place for Supercross, and having my family and the team around made it a memorable day.” Brayton is now ranked 15th overall in the 450 Class championship standings.
Mitchell Oldenburg’s goal for Anaheim Three was simply to get through the day. The upcoming 250 East Coast region has always been the rider’s focus, but the chance to sharpen his skills one last time against the 450 Class was an opportunity he could not pass up. A 59.440 lap in the afternoon practice session put Oldenburg 17th overall in Timed Qualifying, while a hard-fought eight-place finish in 450 Heat Race One got him a spot in the 450 Main Event. Oldenburg ran as high as 15th in the feature race, but a crash on lap nine dropped him to the tail of the field and 19th in the final results. “We’re getting closer to the East Coast, and that’s where our efforts are for, so it was harder to focus on today knowing that next week is when the work starts. I got through it, but there was nothing special about today,” he shared. “I didn’t ride as good as I’m capable of, had a little tip-over in the Main Event, so I made some smarter choices and brought it home. Even though I got 20th place, a weight is off my shoulders because it’s time to really hammer down. One of the boxes for the year is checked, which was getting through all these first races healthy, in every Main Event, and with no LCQs needed. I’m excited and wish Minneapolis was tomorrow because I’m fired up and ready to go.” Oldenburg is currently ranked 16th in the 450 Class championship standings, a position that will change as the 250 East Coast region kicks off.
The 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Championship continues with the 2022 Minneapolis Supercross, taking place on February 19th.