A red warning light in the 250 East Main Event and a red cross flag in the 450 class caused both races to end under review by the American Motorcycle Association. No penalties were issued as a result of several riders jumping through the affected sections of the track.
In the 250 Main, Jo Shimoda had a substantial lead on Lap 5 of the race when a red light was illuminated on the short straight between the final turn and the finish line. Shimoda rolled through three jumps and lost the momentum he needed to jump the final obstacle. As a result, Pierce Brown took the lead and never relinquished it. This was Brown’s first win in the Supercross series.
On Monday, the AMA detailed its response in a press release.
"During the race, a warning light, also referred to as the single red lead in light, was displayed in accordance with standard race procedures. When the warning light is shown, riders are alerted of a future obstacle being shut down. However, the presence of the warning light alone does not prohibit riders from executing jumps unless accompanied by additional flag signals or directives indicating otherwise.
"After a thorough review by Race Direction, it has been confirmed that all 250 riders remained in compliance with the rules. Since the warning light was displayed and no supplementary signals were issued to restrict jumping, riders were permitted to maintain race pace and execute jumps through the section.
"As a result, no penalties have been assessed to any riders in the 250 class regarding this situation."
In a separate incident in the 450 class, a red cross flag was displayed at the finish line jump, but there were no additional flags leading up to or following that jump. The leader, Hunter Lawrence, rolled the jump while three racers, Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb, and Ken Roczen, jumped through the segment.
Lawrence had a large enough lead that he was not in jeopardy of being passed. Lawrence scored his first Supercross 450 victory.
"Following a comprehensive review, Race Direction determined there was no blatant violation of the red cross rule. (1.6.14, e.,6) Riders were already committed to the jump without a visible warning light to reasonably signal the restricted condition prior to takeoff.
"Given the absence of illuminated red lights and the lack of advanced visual indication before rider commitment, officials concluded that the circumstances did not warrant penalties.
"As a result, no penalties have been assessed to any riders in the 450 class regarding this situation."
Both races impacted Honda HRC. Shimoda's loss of the lead and three points for the position could well factor into the championship battle at the end of the season.
Lawrence's victory in the 450 division gained three points over second-place Tomac and the field, but with the three riders under review as his immediate challengers in the Supercross title fight, that might have been extended by another five points if a standard penalty had been applied.
Honda team manager Lars Lindstrom was emphatic about the need for the penalty.
Referencing the incident with Shimoda in Arlington's post-race media scrum, Lindstrom said he wanted the AMA to "just go by the rule book. I mean we've definitely been penalized for red cross flags more than any other team and I've always accepted that when the red light's flashing right before the finish line, Jo did the right thing and he rolled and then I feel like now is the time for them to stand by the rule book and do the right penalty, which is loss of a position for the position gained and then five championship points."
Lindstrom was equally adamant about the need for a penalty in the 450 division.
"I'm going to be going [to the AMA hauler] right after this, but that one is clear-cut," Lindstrom added. "I don't see there's any question on that one. So I mean, they're going to be losing some points on that one, and I don't think they gained any position, so I guess they won't get that. But that definitely helps us out. I mean I think it's five points, so I think a lead went from four points to nine points now, which is significant. So I got to check on that one, but I can't see that one being a question."
In the AMA's release, they responded that, "the AMA and its race officials remain committed to consistent rule enforcement, rider safety, and clear communication under all race conditions, and will carefully review our current lights procedure to ensure it continues to provide the highest level of safety and clarity for all participants. As a result of these scenarios, we've identified opportunities for improvement and have adjusted lighting operations and flagging procedures."