ARLINGTON, Texas: Championship contenders Hunter Lawrence and Ken Roczen won their heats and will have to two best gate picks heading into Round 7’s main event. Eli Tomac finished third in Heat 2 as he looks to make up the single point that will award him the red plate.
Heat 2
Lawrence got the jump early with Tomac in hot pursuit.
Joey Savatgy keeps his early-season momentum alive in third on Lap 1.
Cooper Webb slotted into fourth as he looks for a strong gate pick.
Aaron Plessinger was fifth on Lap 3.
Lawrence makes a small mistake and jumps off course, but retains the lead.
On Lap 5, the top three where mere bike-lengths apart.
Savatgy took second on Lap 7.
Lawrence won over Savatgy (second) and Tomac (third).
Webb and Plessinger held onto fourth and fifth respectively.
Chase Seton (sixth), Garrett Marchbanks (seventh) Justin Hill (eighth) and Mitchell Harrison (ninth) also advance directly into the feature.
Heat 1
Veterans Ken Roczen and Jason Anderson battled for the lead during the opening laps.
Christian Craig got a solid start and slotted into third for a couple of laps before Dylan Ferrandis took the position.
Malcolm Stewart rounded out the top five on Lap 4.
Stewart snatched fourth from Craig on Lap 5.
Roczen and Anderson rode bar-to-bar for most of the race with The No. 94 victorious.
Stewart moved up to third in the closing laps.
Fourth-place Ferrandis and Craig rounded out the top five.
Justin Cooper (sixth), Shane McElrath (seventh), Jordon Smith (eighth) and Vince Friese (ninth) also advance directly into the feature.
This is the first race back for Smith after shoulder surgery.
Last Chance Qualifier
Colt Nichols got a poor start, but he rode through the pack and took the lead in the second half of the Last Chance Qualifier.
Tristan Lane finished second.
Kevin Moranz was also forced to overcome a poor start to finish third.
Josh Cartwright made a dramatic pass over Zack Williams on the last lap to take the final transfer.