SALT LAKE CITY, Utah: Jorge Prado earned the Heat 1 holeshot, but Chase Sexton took the position away on Lap 5 with two minutes on the clock.
In the second heat, Hunter Lawrence led from the gate drop to the checkered flag, while a crash for Ken Roczen relegated him to fourth.
Eli Tomac crashed on Lap 1 of Heat 2 and limped off course. He may has re-injured his hip.
Heat 1
Prado is one of the best starters in recent seasons. He grabbed the holeshot to lead Sexton early.
Justin Cooper settled into third.
Justin Hill maintained his qualification speed and rode fourth on Lap 3.
Dylan Ferrandis rounded out the top five.
Sexton kept Prado in sight with a margin of less than half a second.
One lap later, Sexton pounced and took the lead.
Once in the lead, Sexton stretched his advantage to more than two and a half seconds over Prado.
Cooper made a determined charge on Prado and showed him a wheel on the final lap, but could not complete the pass.
Fourth-place Hill and Ferrandis rounded out the top five.
Heat 2
Lawrence grabbed the holeshot over Justin Barcia, but tragedy struck Eli Tomac, who crashed hard in Turn 2.
Tomac was slow to rise and needed help to get off the course. He walked off under his own power, but was limping noticeably. He only recently returned from a hip injury suffered in Cleveland.
Roczen settled into third early, before taking second from Barcia on Lap 4.
With a minute on the clock, Roczen had Lawrence in sight, but he put his bike on the ground one lap later. That hurt Roczen’s gate selection. Roczen lost two spots with the crash, allowing Barcia and Malcolm Stewart past.
Cooper Webb rounded out the top five.
Last Chance Qualifier
Grant Harlan accrued some good karma by attending the St. Jude Charity golf tournament on Thursday. He won the LCQ.
Tristan Lane finished second.
Cade Clason made the feature in his final weekend as a full-time SuperMotocross racer.
Cole Thompson also advanced to the feature.
