Eager to battle for podiums and race wins again, Forkner entered the penultimate round of the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship with a little extra motivation. When the first 250SX qualifying session began, Forkner made a strong statement by clocking in a 52.440 lap time, over two tenths quicker than the closest competitor. In the final 250SX qualifying practice of the day, Forkner proved his original time was no fluke and impressively dropped his lap time by almost two seconds to a 50.649 and secured the top overall qualifying position.
When the second 250SX Heat Race began, Forkner found himself caught up in a first turn pileup that dropped him outside the top-10. The No.33 KX™250 rider made quick moves through the field, passing at least one rider each lap. By the end of the six minutes, Forkner was up in third and quickly closing ground on the front two riders. In a last lap effort to move into second, Forkner attempted a pass in the corner following the whoop section, but he closed in so fast on the rider ahead that the second place rider cut to the inside and they both went down. Determined to avoid the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), Forkner quickly remounted his Kawasaki KX™250 race machine and crossed the line in fifth place.
As the 250SX Main Event began, Forkner found himself challenged with a start outside the top-10 but quickly made his way into seventh by the end of the opening lap. With the championship points leader hot on his tail, Forkner carved through the riders ahead with surgeon-like precision. Similar to his Heat Race performance, the No.33 raced forward with determination, nearly passing one rider each lap. On Lap 6, while still fending off pressure from the series’ points leader, Forkner moved into a podium position. As racing continued, Forkner capitalized on the mistakes of the riders ahead to advance into second. Having to simultaneously defend from his main rival while also charging through the pack, the Missouri-native was putting on an impressive race and moved into the lead as they entered the final stages of the Main Event. With just two laps left, Forkner again was forced to defend another attack from behind but used his veteran experience to remain in the lead and secure his first 250SX Main Event win of the 2022 Supercross season.
Forkner’s win in Gillette Stadium secured his second podium finish of the season and proved the 23-year-old is a serious threat to battle for wins in the 250SX Class.
Austin Forkner: “I had a little extra fire in me coming into Foxborough, especially after last weekend’s race. I felt my results didn’t show my true speed, so I came into this race super focused and ready to show everyone what I’m truly capable of. The day started off perfect with me sitting as the fastest qualifier. That was a big win for me mentally and got me fired up for the rest of the day. I definitely made things harder on myself with my Heat Race crashes, but I’m so proud for overcoming the day’s challenges and getting my first 250SX Main Event win of the season. Overall, it was an exciting night of racing for us and I’m ready to fight for another win when we head to Salt Lake City”.
Words: Kawasaki