SX After-Party 2

Our favorite photos and quotes from a batch of the top finishers in both classes. That's a party.

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Eli Tomac - 1st

"Wow, what a crazy night. We got a good start tonight and were able to get going right away. Had a good battle with Ken (Roczen) tonight, then got a little excited and missed my rear brake and went over the berm there. Luckily, I was able to recover quickly and charge back to the front. My KX450 was straight-up ripping tonight, and we closed the points gap up to three points. I am feeling really good right now, and we are just going to carry this momentum into San Diego next weekend."

Eli Tomac.

Cooper Webb - 2nd

"I think I finally just raced ahead tonight. I think I've been just kind of conservative and not laying it out there like all these guys have been so today/tonight was a much better direction, and I fought hard the whole Main Event. I still need a little there at the beginning, but overall I'm pretty happy, and I feel like I'm in a good spot moving forward."

Cooper Webb.

Ken Roczen - 3rd

"Overall, I'm happy to be on the podium. I've felt pretty good in previous weeks, and today was different. I just felt a little slow in practice honestly and wasn't really vibing too well with the track. It took me a little longer than normal to get comfortable and get everything down. With that being the case, I'm happy to have finished on the podium because it could've been worse. I'm definitely bummed I gave up some valuable points, but to still come away with the points lead is good. It was great to lead more laps, but I wasn't the fastest tonight and made some big mistakes, especially toward the end, which were costly. It allowed Cooper [Webb] to close in; when you're behind someone like he was, you can kind of pick your lines and set something up for a pass, which is what he did. Obviously, I'm not too happy about that, but it's racing. I don't know what happened in the pass but somehow my foot got smashed or hung up, and it was a stinger, but I'm not too worried about it. We'll keep an eye on it, and if I need to, we'll get an X-ray to make sure everything is good. I'm looking at the big picture, and we've been on the podium a bunch and are still in a good position overall."

Ken Roczen.

Adam Cianciarulo - 4th

"For me tonight, we made great strides, and for only riding one time this week to see if my tailbone was good to go, I am pretty pumped with the result. I can't thank the whole Monster Energy Kawasaki team enough for giving me a setup tonight that allowed me to do what I did after being a little banged up. I am looking forward to some more recovery this week and to come out swinging next week in San Diego."

Adam Cianciarulo.

Jason Anderson - 5th

"My night was alright," Anderson said. "I think my heat race kind of messed up my gate pick, and then I was on the outside, so I wasn't really able to be in the battle right away, and once I got into fifth, I was in no-man's land, so I just rode it in for fifth. We'll move onto next weekend and hopefully put myself in a better situation."

Jason Anderson.

Justin Barcia - 6th

"We had an extremely solid week. We tested a lot on the bike. We had some work to do, but on Thursday, I felt like I was in a really comfortable position coming into Oakland. Throughout practice all day, we improved, and I felt the comfort kind of come, and that was a good feeling for me. I got off the start good in the Heat race, I was about third or fourth, and then someone ran into the side of me and kind of set me back a little bit. Then I had to charge up to third and was really close to second and first, but unfortunately, we had a mechanical issue on the last lap, so that sent us to the LCQ.

"The LCQ win was a good confidence boost going into the Main Event. The only tough thing was we were on the far outside gate and for the start this weekend, we needed to be on the inside. I kind of got pinched off and I knew I had my work cut out for me, but my body felt super good. My fitness was awesome. I charged hard throughout the whole Main Event. I came from outside the top 10 up to sixth and was closing in on the guys in front of me. All in all, Oakland for me was not the result I wanted but my riding was awesome. I felt really comfortable on a track that was difficult. I'm really looking forward to next weekend."

Justin Barcia.

Dean Wilson - 7th

"I think the whole day was a little bit rough, but I'm happy with how the Main Event went," Wilson said. "In the heat race, I had a problem and had to go to the LCQ, so it was a stressful day. But to get seventh, I'm really happy with that – I moved forward and pushed to the checkered flag, and that's exactly what I wanted to do. I've been working really hard to get back on my feet again, so it's nice to see that I'm getting back to battling up there again."

Dean Wilson.

Justin Hill - 8th

"This weekend was much better than the one before, that's for sure. I don't know what it is about Oakland, but I always feel good here. I don't know if it's the floor and the way that the track gets built, but I get here and feel like I can use my creativity and technical ability to finesse the track," Hill noted at the end of the night. "In the Main, we put it in the top-ten, and I got eighth place, but tonight I should have been top-five, for sure. I struggled with Zach early. I had a really good pace right off of the get-go and almost the way through the first half, but I struggled behind Zach, I stabbed at him a few times but didn't set up my passes correctly. I tightened up after that, made some critical mistakes, and Barcia and Wilson got by me. That was a bummer because I was in the top-five and six, then lost a couple, but still pushed and tried to get it done as well as I could on the night. I'm happy with my progress, and I feel like I am a better rider and man than I was a week ago. Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks we can put it down because these three races in a row are like my specialty races. I really like Oakland, San Diego, and Tampa. I'm excited to keep building in the direction that I am going."

Justin Hill (46).

 Blake Baggett - 9th

"This is a tough one tonight. My result doesn't show how quick I was tonight. I didn't get the start I needed in the main to run up front, as I was buried in the pack. We will keep moving forward and be ready to battle for a podium next weekend in San Diego." 

Blake Baggett.

Malcolm Stewart - 10th

"The track was tough and rutted. I knew the track was going to be pretty tough during the race, just because of how practice went. It was one of those tracks where you had to find a flow," Stewart explained after the feature race. "I didn't get the best start, and I got up to 10th place. I'm not bummed, because I could have given up a lot tonight with a bad crash. To come out with another top-ten finish is the goal. I just have to get my starts down and look forward to San Diego."

Malcolm Stewart.

Zach Osborne - 11th

"My starts were still good tonight, it was just a really frustrating finish after being in the top-five halfway through the Main Event," Osborne said. "I need to work on some things this week and come out swinging in San Diego. I feel like I had a really good shot at a good finish tonight, but I just kind of let it escape me there in the last half of the main."

Zach Osborne.

Aaron Plessinger -12th

"Oakland wasn't really an ideal night. I struggled all day trying to find comfort and it showed in the Main. I got off to a mid-pack start and got passed a couple times. I started making my way through the pack but made a mistake and a couple guys got by me. I tried to just push forward from that point on and ended up 12th. We're going to go back with the team and do some testing this week. We'll get ready for San Diego, and I'll try to redeem myself there."

Aaron Plessinger.

Justin Brayton - 13th

"Tonight was quite a bummer. I don't know exactly where I was on the first lap, maybe around ninth, and I just got hung up with another rider when he stalled his bike in an off-camber turn. Once he got going, my rear wheel had dug a hole in the up-ramp, and I was stuck. By the time I then got going, I was 22nd by a long way back. I made my way up to 13th, which was about all I could do. It's such a bummer because I feel like I'm riding really well at the moment, and we had a great week at the test track. The bike is amazing, and I'm really happy with the changes we've made and how it's working. These bad starts just won't cut it. These past two weeks, I've just been terrible on the starts, so I need to be better about that. I think if I can get some starts like I did in the beginning of the year, I can get into the top five. I'm super-motivated heading into San Diego. It's races like this that really motivate you to get back to work during the week."

Justin Brayton.

Vince Friese - 14th

"We all were packed in tight around the on-off section, got pinched in, and I grabbed too much of the brakes. I went back to pretty much last place," he detailed after the race. "I got back to 14th, which is not good. I had a push where I felt good and put in some good lap times, but the track was brutal. I made a few mistakes, and it wasn't a great night for me. Typically, the dirt in Oakland suits me, so I am bummed to leave here on that note. All we can do is focus on San Diego."

Vince Friese.

Kyle Cunningham - 17th

"I'd say the weekend was a bit better despite the end result," said Cunningham. "Put it in the main out of the heat was good for me. I felt good during the main event, but I crashed and lost some valuable positions. With that being said, we made some good changes to the bike during the week and a lot of positives came from it. I'm looking forward to San Diego and building off this past weekend's result."

Kyle Cunningham.

Adam Enticknap - DNQ

"Not making the main this past weekend was major disappointment," said Enticknap. "I need to get better starts in order to help myself be in a better position to make the mains. I'm right there, close to making it in. I want to get back to work Monday and make it happen in San Diego this Saturday."

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Dylan Ferrandis - 1st

"I'm pretty pumped about the way my day went here in Oakland. I finished first overall and took the red plate, which is awesome. It was such a good night for the team and myself, but we still have many races to go. So we're back to work again Monday and will work hard to be ready for the next round in San Diego."

Dylan Ferrandis.

Austin Forkner - 2nd

"Tonight, I felt pretty solid," said Forkner. "I was happy with my speed and fitness. I just happened to make a mistake right as I was getting caught, which cost me because everyone was so close in lap times. I'm happy with the race, but obviously wish I could have gotten the win."

Austin Forkner.

Justin Cooper - 3rd

"It was another tough night for me, but we were able to bounce back. I did what I had to do. I put in a lot of laps tonight, so I was pretty smoked in that Main. It was pretty hard to pass out there. I just took my time and focused on Alex (Martin). I'm just happy to get a good start and stay up when I hit Alex in that first turn. I have got to give it up to the whole team. We'll go back to work and try and get back on top." 

Justin Cooper.

Alex Martin - 4th

"All around better vibes this weekend in Oakland after a productive week of testing in North Carolina with the team," said Martin. "I was able to use that JGR Suzuki power and grab the main event holeshot. I led for a while before going back to third where I rode for the majority of the race before I got passed with a lap and a half to go, finishing fourth. Very bittersweet, but I'm happy with the progress that was made in just one short week with the team. I can't wait for San Diego!"

Alex Martin.

Cameron McAdoo - 14th

"It was really good to be back lining up for the team," said McAdoo. "Getting the heat race win felt awesome. I got a decent start in the main and was holding a top 10 but made a mistake and went down. The track was technical and still not being quite 100 percent cost me a little bit in the end. It was great to get out there and see where I was at because I just didn't know until I did it."

Cameron McAdoo.

Michael Mosiman - 22nd

"It was a tough night, to say the least," Mosiman said. "It was good to be in front of the hometown crowd, and I definitely felt their support and cheers around the track – this was a track I grew up coming to as a kid, and now to race here at a high level is awesome. I learned a lot racing with [Austin] Forkner in the heat race and I came into the main with some confidence and speed. Overall, I had a lot of positives tonight, but it was a rough go at it."

Michael Mosiman.

Team Personnel

Erik Kehoe - Team Honda HRC Manager

"Tonight had its highs and lows. Ken wasn't fully comfortable with the track all day, but even with that, he won his heat race and rode well in the main event. There are a few specific things that we need to refine on the bike for Ken, to make him even more comfortable, because there were a few sections that he struggled in, which is where he lost most of his time. But overall, we're very close. We lost some points in the championship; however, we were still on the podium and are in the lead, so that's positive. Justin's been struggling with his starts the past two weeks. It's hard to stay out of trouble when you're mid-pack; it's hectic, and you're more susceptible to situations that you don't want to be in, like what happened tonight. He's very happy with his bike, though, so we'll just keep working during the week and head to San Diego."

Jordan Troxell - Ken Roczen's mechanic

"Looking at the big picture, we can't be too bummed on tonight because we still got on the podium and have the points lead. But in the moment, I definitely wasn't pumped on how the race ended. It could've been worse, though. Ken led over half the race, so we're taking the positives and going to improve on some things for next weekend, to come back stronger."

Brent Duffe - Justin Brayton's Mechanic

"The main event result doesn't really show how well Justin was riding this weekend. We made a major change with the bike this week, and he had a lot more comfort and speed. We didn't make any changes to the bike throughout the day; he was really happy. It's unfortunate that we didn't get great starts and had a bad first lap in the main event, which made it hard to get a good result. We're definitely going in the right direction, though. We just need to work on the starts and getting in a better position early."

Tony Alessi - SmarTop | Bullfrog Spas | MotoConcepts | Honda

"It was a really good night for Justin Hill, and he won his Heat Race, the first of the season for the team. It was a good showing, and he turned that into an eighth-place finish in the Main Event, his first top-10 of the season," shared Team Manager Tony Alessi. "Malcolm was a little bit flat this weekend, possibly from overtraining or the Triple Crown last weekend. He still managed a top-10 finish, and that was good enough to move him up a position in the championship points. The next week will be easy for Malcolm and hopefully he has more in the tank for San Diego. Vince had a good start in the Main Event but stalled and had to come from the back of the pack. That ultimately wrecked his race and he finished 14th. Overall it was a great night for the team, a Heat Race win, a lot of publicity, and good finishes in the Main Event."

Jim Perry - Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

"Today in Oakland, it was a difficult and challenging day for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Team. Qualifying went well with both guys putting in some solid laps. In the Heat race, Justin had a mechanical that eliminated him from a qualifying position, but the team really came together like a fine oiled machine and got the engine changed in time for the LCQ. Justin started towards the front, quickly got into the lead, and won the LCQ.

"However, that put him on the outside gate pick in the Main Event and an outside position on the start was definitely a disadvantage and put us in the back. Justin rode strong all moto long. He came from outside the top 15 to finish sixth, and maybe with a couple more laps he would've been able to close in to round out the top five. He put in a great ride. It was a great team effort all around with the engine swap.

"Aaron was behind all day, but he got a good start in his Heat, which seemed to be a sign of good things to come, however, he would end up fourth. In the Main he started mid-pack with Justin and was never able to find the comfort to move forward. When we look back at the day it seemed like we could have challenged for a win but that was not the case. Justin was riding well and will head to SD with some momentum and fight for another win."

Wil Hahn - Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team Manager

"We overcame some adversity tonight in our heat race. Dylan got his second win of the year, which is great, and Justin rebounded on a tough night to land back on the podium. I'm really proud of our guys. We have great momentum going to San Diego and are looking to stand on top of the podium again."

Jeremy Albrecht - JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team Manager

"I was happy with the weekend," said Jeremy Albrecht, Team Manager. "Alex rode well all day, and his holeshot in the main was awesome. The team worked hard last week to help Alex improve in the whoops. I felt we made big improvements and barely missed the podium."

Dustin Pipes - H.E.P. Suzuki Team Manager

"Glad to finally get Kyle back on track," said Team Manager Dustin Pipes. "Both Kyle and Ryan made it straight to the main events. Not having them in the LCQ makes the evening a lot less stressful. Main event wise, both riders had crashes and some off-track bobbles that really put a damper on the night. Collectively, Suzuki and the team are putting their heads together to fix some of our set up issues. We made huge strides with Kyle last week and we are looking forward to making those same strides with Ryan going into San Diego. We are only going to get better from here."

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