The day started out well with Ferrandis topping the timesheets in qualifying and Cooper right behind in second. When it came time to race, both rider’s starts made for a challenging night at the Dome at America’s Center.
The New Yorker dodged a couple of bullets in his Heat and was able to work his way to a third-place finish. It was another difficult start in the Main Event, but Cooper quickly advanced from seventh to fifth. He kept that forward momentum rolling and moved into second with five laps remaining. Although Cooper was hoping for another win, his efforts expanded his lead in the championship to five points.
Unfortunately for Ferrandis, he was unable to improve upon his fourth-place Heat finish in the Main Event. After the start, a racing incident in the rhythm lane had the defending 250SX West Champion on the ground. The Frenchman got back up but had to pull in to the mechanics area to repair crash damage to his bike, losing even more valuable time in the 15-minute-plus-two-lap race. Undeterred, he put forth a heroic effort to cover as much ground as possible and cross the line 12th to leave the second round fourth in the standings and 15 points behind his teammate.
The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team returns to the Angels Stadium of Anaheim, next Saturday, January 18, for Round 3 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in Anaheim, California.
