Quad Lock Honda has work to do!

Round 1 of the AMA Supercross Championship was a rollercoaster of highs and lows for Joey Savatgy and Shane McElrath as they debuted for Quad Lock Honda on the 2025 CRF450R.

Savatgy’s day was progressing smoothly, steadily improving in qualifying until an unfortunate incident with a slower rider exiting the track recklessly brought him down. The crash resulted in a neck injury, forcing him to ride the night in discomfort.

“The crash in qualifying was frustrating. I’m not sure what the other rider was thinking, but he cut across the lane and off the track, taking me down with him. It twisted me up and hurt my neck, which definitely impacted my performance,” said Savatgy.

McElrath also faced challenges in his heat race when a rider ahead of him cross-rutted on the take-off of a jump. Despite the scare, and off-track excursion, he quickly regained his composure and rode hard, passing riders to secure an automatic qualifying spot.

“My heat race was intense. I almost went down twice, but I’m glad I managed to recover quickly, make up ground, and qualify directly to the main,” said McElrath.

In the final, McElrath secured a respectable 13th place, a solid foundation he believes can be built upon.

“It’s not great, but it’s not terrible either. The positive takeaway is that we have a solid base to work from. I felt more comfortable as the day progressed, and I believe we’re in a better position heading into the next round,” McElrath added.

Savatgy endured a tough night, crashing twice and colliding with another rider. His frustration was palpable, knowing he has the capability to compete within the top 10.

“I’m really frustrated. This isn’t where I should be. Crashing is never great, and I need to perform better. I’ll review footage and study what the guys ahead of me are doing. This is not the start I wanted,” said Savatgy.

Team Principal Martin Davalos kept his comments brief: “We can only improve from here. These aren’t the results we were aiming for, but I know where we belong, and we’ll stay focused on moving forward.”

Round 2 is set for this coming weekend in San Diego. For more information, visit www.supercrosslive.com.