Davalos Earns Foxborough 250SX East Win

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Martin Davalos joins Jeremy Martin as a two-time East winner; Malcolm Stewart stretches points lead.

After the final Monster Energy AMA Supercross checkered flag of the season flies, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Martin Davalos may be left to ponder what might have been if he had not missed round three of in Toronto, Canada, because at round seven at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, Saturday, Davalos looked like a contender for the crown.

The Ecuadorian rider became just the second repeat winner of the season with a strong performance in the 15-lap 250SX East Supercross Series main event. And, unlike his win at the East season opener in Atlanta, Davalos showed his cred by coming from well down in the field to score the win.

KTM’s Dakota Alix grabbed the holeshot to start the race, but Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Shane McElrath while series points leader Malcolm Stewart tucked his GEICO Honda into third place. Alix’s run at the front was brief as McElrath took control in the next corner, just before the first triple. Alix was forced to double the jump, and he lost control of his machine and did a face plant just before turn three. Stewart then wasted no time in passing McElrath for the race lead as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyler Bowers ran third.

But Davalos was already on a tear as he ran just behind Bowers in the first run through the whoop section. The front four appeared to spread out early, with Stewart moving out to a 1.5-second lead. Davalos was all over the back of Bowers, and he skipped into third place through the whoops on lap three. Meanwhile, Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin and Aaron Plessinger ran fifth and sixth respectively, and Plessinger desperately needed to move forward if he hoped to keep pace with Stewart in the series standings. Martin moved past Bowers on lap five, but Plessinger appeared to be struggling to find his rhythm on the Foxborough track.

Davalos clearly had a good line through the whoops and he cut the fastest lap on the track on lap four as both he and McElrath began to close in on Stewart, who still held a 1.3-second advantage. Once Davalos ducked underneath McElrath for second place in the right-hander just after the finish line jump, the race was would get a lot more interesting.

Davalos took no time at all to catch Stewart, and he began to pressure the Honda man while McElrath was right with him and Martin closed up on the lead trio to make a four-rider battle for the lead. Once again, Davalos powered through the whoops and dove to the inside of Stewart on lap nine to take over the lead. Stewart’s run in second place wouldn’t last, as an aggressive Martin got past McElrath for third at the end of lap nine and then block-passed Stewart for second place just before the whoops on lap 10.

Martin then pressured Davalos with three laps to go, but Davalos was able to stretch his advantage to 3.7 seconds by the time the checkered flag fell.

“I had really good momentum—Atlanta was great for me, and Daytona, I felt like I rode good, but I just couldn’t go to Toronto,” Davalos said. “It was pretty disappointing, but you know what? My main goal, every race, is just to attack each race and not worry about anything else. I’m glad I’m safe. I’ve had a rough couple weeks.”

Martin admitted to making a few mistakes near the end of the race, allowing Davalos to get away.

“I’m pretty disappointed,” he said. “I feel like I had a win in me tonight. It was crazy. I mean, it was [Shane] McElrath, it was Martin [Davalos], it was Malcolm [Stewart—me and Malcolm made contact. It was just a bar-banging race, and I could hear the fans cheering the whole time. I really wish I would’ve came out on top. I really wanted a win. I was hungry for it.”

If Stewart didn’t appear to be as aggressive as he was earlier in the season, that’s because it’s all part of the plan to net the title by being smooth and consistent and focusing on the points and not race wins. That’s something his older brother, James Stewart, had great difficulty with throughout much of his career. Tonight, third place meant that Stewart extended his series points lead by another four points over Plessinger, who finished fifth in the main event.

“Overall, I can’t do nothin’ but think positive on this race,” Malcom Stewart said. “Martin [Davalos] was better than me, and so was [Jeremy] Martin. Those guys were going faster than me, so hat’s off to those guys. I didn’t ride my best, but, you know I don’t want to throw this championship away. It’s going to take nothing but keeping the bike on two wheels and moving forward. We’re going to fight all the way to the end.”

Stewart now leads Plessinger, 135-130, with two races remaining. Martin is now third, another nine points behind Plessinger as the series heads to Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, next weekend.

2016 Monster Energy AMA 250SX East Supercross Series
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
Results: April 23, 2016 (Round 7 of 9)

250SX East Main Event
1. Martin Davalos-Hus
2. Jeremy Martin-Yam
3. Malcolm Stewart-Hon
4. Shane Mcelrath-KTM
5. Aaron Plessinger-Yam
6. Tyler Bowers-Kaw
7. Gannon Audette-Kaw
8. Rj Hampshire-Hon
9. Anthony Rodriguez-Kaw
10. Luke Renzland-Yam
11. Justin Starling-Kaw
12. Henry Miller-Hon
13. Dakota Alix-KTM
14. Paul Coates-Hon
15. Daniel Herrlein-Hon
16. Vann Martin-Hon
17. Jimmy Albertson-Suz
18. Jacob Williamson-Kaw
19. Alexander Frye-KTM
20. Tyler Bereman-Kaw
21. Cody Church-Kaw
22. Darryn Durham-Yam

2016 Monster Energy AMA 250SX East Supercross Series Points Standings (after 7 of 9 rounds)
1. Malcolm Stewart-135/1 win
2. Aaron Plessinger-130/1 win
3. Jeremy Martin-121/2 wins
4. Martin Davalos-104/2 wins
5. Tyler Bowers-93
6. Shane McElrath-91
Gannon Audette-91
8. Rj Hampshire-90
9. Anthony Rodriguez-70
10. Justin Hill-63