The final round of the FIM Motocross World Championship got underway at Glen Helen as the locals, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Josh Grant and Troy Lee Designs Lucas Oil Red Bull KTM’s Shane McElrath, won the qualifying heats.

It was a cracking start to the grand prix with MXGP class rookie Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb gunning out of the gate for the holeshot.

On his tail was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and fellow American and Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s wildcard Josh Grant.

Webb wowed everyone on his MXGP debut and did his best at holding off the veteran and Glen Helen local Grant. A couple of laps in and Grant carried more momentum up and over the step up, took the lead and checked out.

Simultaneously the former world champion Antonio Cairoli (Red Bull KTM) was getting grief from the newly-crowned world champion Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube’s Romain Febvre.

The two went bar-to-bar in a battle of pride but eventually it was Febvre who took the spot when he shut the door heading up the gnarliest hill on the track.

With no answer for Febvre and lack of racing, Cairoli eased off and was also passed by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson, who put some impressive passes on the likes of Hitachi Construction Machinery Revo KTM’s Shaun Simpson and Team HRC’s Gautier Paulin on his way to the front.

Meanwhile Febvre was all over Webb, which could be a teaser of what to expect next weekend in France for the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, with Webb riding in the Open class for Team USA and Febvre riding Open for Team France.

Febvre and Webb traded places a few times but at the chequers it was Webb who held on for second while Febvre had to settle for third. Anderson ended up finishing a lonely fourth while Cairoli came home in fifth ahead of Paulin and Simpson.

It was a mixed day for the Australian contingent, led by Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna MXGP regular Todd Waters in 16th, Kirk Gibbs (KTM Motocross Racing Team) 18th and Dean Ferris (Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna) 23rd.

Former world champion Ben Townley upon return to MXGP finished a strong 11th position, in preparation for his place on Team New Zealand next weekend. Countryman Cody Cooper rode his private Honda to 26th.

Troy Lee Designs Lucas Oil Red Bull KTM’s Shane McElrath was put in a stunner of a performance to win the MX2 grand prix qualifier. McElrath led every lap to go pole for tomorrow.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Thomas Covington, the winner of the most recent MX2 grand prix, pulled the holeshot, but dropped it on the opening lap and finished back in seventh.

By lap two Standing Construct Yamaha Yamalube’s Valentin Guillod burst onto the scene and took the lead before a mistake saw him hand the lead to McElrath.

McElrath was then able to run away while the title contenders Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass inherited second and stole the show with their wheel to wheel battle.

Initially it was Gajser who had the upper hand, but Jonass was clearly a man on a mission and zipped around the outside of the red plate holder as they came back down the hill.

Unfortunately for Jonass, his shot at a good qualifying spot went up in smoke, as did his bike when it seized with three laps left to run.

With two laps to go, Gajser had a lapse in concentration and fell, which allowed a charging Guillod to reclaim second place in time for the chequers.

Gajser held down third while Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Harri Kullas put in some good laps for fourth ahead of Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer.

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