Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith returned to the top step of the podium and claimed the 250SX West Championship lead at yesterday’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross Round 2 in San Francisco, California. It was an emotional first victory with the team in the challenging, muddy conditions at Oracle Park.
With rain soaking the Bay Area leading up to the weekend and on race day, the teams and riders were met with challenging conditions and an abbreviated schedule that ultimately was only one session before the night show. After qualifying 10th, Smith got a great start in his heat race and finished second. He got an even better start in the main event, grabbing the holeshot and leading from start to finish to score his first win since Daytona Supercross in 2018. It was also Smith’s first victory with the team aboard the all-new YZ250F which was made even sweeter by conquering the muddy conditions and moving into the championship lead.
“It feels incredible to get this win. I’m going to soak this in for a couple of days, for sure. I felt like I was all alone out there for a little while. I came through the second or third lap, and I couldn’t really see anyone behind me. Then the halfway flag came out, and I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to do that again?’ It was a shortened race, but it felt longer. I was so pumped to get the win. Especially with it being a mudder, and with the situation that I feel like I’m in this year – being a title guy and needing to put myself in that position every week. So I think to be able to pull it off tonight and to make it work when I’m not the best in the mud, not as confident in the mud, was huge.”
