Eli “Two”mac: Eli Tomac became the 12th rider in 450SX Class history to earn two Championships when he clinched the 2022 title in his home state of Colorado with a fifth-place finish. Tomac battled through a massive scenery change, no podiums in the first two races, and a nagging knee injury that threatened his status going into the last few races to win the title. His sixth-place finish in the opener was the eighth-worst finish for the Champion of the 49-season long series. Note- His seventh-place finish in the 2020 Opener was the fifth-worse finish for the eventual champion.

Father Time: Tomac became the first father to win a 450SX Class title in 2020 and became the oldest to win a title this season at 29/5 (yrs./mos.). Jeremy McGrath held the title at 28/5 for 21 seasons before Tomac passed him. Pierre Karsmakers, the first Supercross Champion, was 27/10 and held that record until McGrath passed him 25 seasons later.

Anderson’s First Trilogy: Overshadowed by home-state hero Tomac clinching the title was Jason Anderson taking the checkers for his third win in-a-row (first three-race win streak of career). Anderson now has 13 wins moving him to 18th by himself on the all-time list. Anderson could tie Tomac in wins on the season if he wins the Salt Lake City finale (Wins- Tomac-7, Anderson- 6, Roczen/Musquin/Sexton- 1).

Misc. Notes: Malcolm Stewart: Another career high runner-up finish, his third of the season and of his 450SX Class career. Marvin Musquin: 50th career podium with a third-place finish. Mitchell Oldenburg: Ties career high ninth-place finish and second 450SX Class top-10 finish. Austin Politelli: Making his first start of 2022 he ties his career high 450SX Class finish with a 16th. Kawasaki: Earned their 175th 450SX Class victory thanks to Anderson, who is already seventh on the all-time Kawasaki win list with six.

History Lesson: The first 450SX Class race held in Salt Lake City was on April 28, 2001 in Rice-Eccles Stadium. Ricky Carmichael had clinched his first 450SX Class title the race before over Jeremy McGrath and would win the first Salt Lake City Supercross on a Kawasaki. He made it back-to-back in 2002 in Salt Lake, his only two wins in the city.

Solid SX Tradition In SLC: The series returned to Salt Lake City as the penultimate 450SX Class race from 2009-2013 and then again in 2017-2018. Salt Lake City hosted the last seven rounds of the 2020 Pandemic-altered season in one of the greatest sporting accomplishments during the height of the pandemic for any sport.

End of Season Test: Rice-Eccles Stadium has hosted the most penultimate rounds of 450SX Class racing with 12. In 2021 Salt Lake City was the penultimate round and was the finale for the second time. 2022 will be the third time SLC is the finale. Only five stadiums have hosted more than one 450SX Class finale (Anaheim, Los Angeles Memorial, Las Vegas, & the Rose Bowl).

Breaking it Down: Rice-Eccles Stadium History: 20 previous 450SX Class races, 2022 SLC will be #21. 12 times the penultimate round and three times the finale. Only 35% (7/20) has the winner of SLC gone onto win the title, including none of the previous six races.

Manufacturer Wins in Salt Lake City

• Kawasaki: 7 (2020)
• KTM: 7 (2021)
• Honda: 4 (2020)
• Yamaha: 1 (2003)
• Husqvarna: 1 (2020)

Top Winners in Salt Lake City

• 1) Cooper Webb: 4 (’20, ’20, ’20, ’21)
• 2) Ryan Villopoto: 3 (’09, ’11, ’13)
• 2) Eli Tomac: 3 (’17, ’21, ’21)
• 4) Ricky Carmichael: 2 (’01-’02)
• 4) Kevin Windham: 2 (’04 & ’10)
• 4) Marvin Musquin: 2 (’18 & ’21)

450SX Class: First Time Winners in Salt Lake City

• Zach Osborne: 2020

H-Law Still in the Hunt: After winning four of the last five Western Regional 250SX Class races and three-straight, including Denver, Hunter Lawrence has remained in-contention for the title going into the Salt Lake City Showdown finale. Red-plated Craig would clinch the title with a 14th or better, but Lawrence would win the title with a victory if Craig finished outside of the top-14 and/or if he gained 18-points on Craig.

Mosiman’s Solid Season: Michael Mosiman finished runner-up in Denver and looks to close out a top-three finish in the point-standings in the Salt Lake City Showdown. He now has nine podiums in 41 career 250SX Class starts and also earned his 20th top five and 30th top-10 finishes in Denver.

Craig Couldn’t Clinch: After a third-place showing in Denver and no wins since Anaheim III Craig has allowed Hunter Lawrence a chance in the finale. All Craig has to do is finish in the top-14, which he has done in 86% of his 250SX Class starts (49/57). Craig is 9/9 in podiums on the season also.

Misc. Notes: Jo Shimoda: Earned his 15th career top-five finish with a fourth. Robbie Wageman: Tied career high finish from the opener with an eighth-place finish. Brandon Ray: Career high 18th place finish in second career start. Jy Roberts: Made first career 250SX Class start (21st). Yamaha: Craig could clinch Yamaha’s fifth straight Western Regional title. Only Kawasaki (2003-2007, Western) has won five straight titles on a single coast.

History Lesson: The first 250SX Class race held in Salt Lake City was on April 28, 2001 and Ernesto Fonseca won on a Yamaha and clinch the Western Regional title.

Venue History: The 250SX Class has the same venue history in Salt Lake City as the 450SX Class.

Terrible Title %: The eventual 250SX Class Champion had only won 3/11 races in Salt Lake City before 2020: James Stewart (2003), Ivan Tedesco (2004), and Tomac (2012). In 2020 Chase Sexton three SLC’s and the title, but Dylan Ferrandis was able to win the Western title without winning any of the SLC rounds. Neither 2021 SLC rider won the title, leaving the Championship percentage at a paltry 35% (6/20) just like the 450SX Class.

East or West?: After exclusively being a Western Regional Round in the 11 seasons Salt Lake City has hosted a 250SX Class race the venue became an Eastern Regional round for SLC 1-3 of 2020. Then the West raced in SLC 4-5. The East raced SLC 6 before the East/West Showdown for the finale. In 2021, the East raced in SLC1 and the finale was a 250SX Class Showdown where both titles were determined. Back to one race in 2022 but it is a Showdown where the Western Regional title is still up for grabs.

Manufacturer Wins in Salt Lake City

• Kawasaki: 7 (2021)
• Honda: 7 (2021)
• Yamaha: 3 (2020)
• KTM: 2 (2018)
• Suzuki: 1 (2013)

Top Winners in Salt Lake City

• 1) Shane McElrath: 4 (’17-’18, ‘20)
• 2) Chase Sexton: 3 (’20, ’20, ‘20)
• 3) James Stewart: 2 (’02-’03)
• 3) Eli Tomac: 2 (’11-’12)
• 3) Austin Forkner: 2 (’20, ‘20)

First Time Winners in Salt Lake City

• Jason Anderson: 2013
• Jo Shimoda: 2021

450SX Class

• 2001: Ricky Carmichael, Kawasaki
• 2002: Ricky Carmichael, Honda
• 2003: Chad Reed, Yamaha
• 2004: Kevin Windham, Honda
• 2009: Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
• 2010: Kevin Windham, Honda
• 2011: Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
• 2012: Ryan Dungey, KTM
• 2013: Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
• 2017: Eli Tomac, Kawasaki
• 2018: Marvin Musquin, KTM
• 2020: Eli Tomac, Kawasaki
• 2020: Cooper Webb, KTM
• 2020: Eli Tomac, Kawasaki
• 2020: Cooper Webb, KTM
• 2020: Ken Roczen, Honda
• 2020: Cooper Webb, KTM
• 2020: Zach Osborne, Husqvarna
• 2021: Marvin Musquin, KTM
• 2021: Cooper Webb, KTM

250SX Class

• 2001: Stephane Roncada, Yamaha
• 2002: James Stewart, Kawasaki
• 2003: James Stewart, Kawasaki
• 2004: Ivan Tedesco, Kawasaki
• 2009: Trey Canard, Honda
• 2010: Josh Hansen, Kawasaki
• 2011: Eli Tomac, Honda
• 2012: Eli Tomac, Honda
• 2013: Jason Anderson, Suzuki
• 2017: Shane McElrath, KTM
• 2018: Shane McElrath, KTM
• 2020: Shane McElrath, Yamaha
• 2020: Shane McElrath, Yamaha
• 2020: Chase Sexton, Honda
• 2020: Austin Forkner, Kawasaki
• 2020: Austin Forkner, Kawasaki
• 2020: Chase Sexton, Honda
• 2020: Chase Sexton, Honda
• 2021: Jo Shimoda, Kawasaki
• 2021: Jett Lawrence, Honda