Jess Pettis has something new to brag about – a top-10 finish against the best motocross racers in the world.
The 21-year-old Prince George rider, in his first race since signing a sponsorship deal with KTM Red Bull THOR Factory, finished 10th in the SX 250cc class Friday at the Monster Energy AMA Supercross event at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in California.
Pettis qualified eighth-quickest out of 40 riders and finished fourth in his heat race to advance to the 22-rider main event.
Colt Nichols of Muskogee, Okla., won the 250 main, completing 16 laps in 16 minutes 47.18 seconds. Dylan Ferrandis of Murieta, Calif., was second, 16.398 seconds behind Nichols, and Shane McElrath of Canton, N.C., was third, 20.268 behind. Pettis completed 15 laps.
Pettis will be back on his bike this Friday in Glendale, Ariz., for the second of 17 stops on the AMA circuit. He plans to also race in Anaheim, San Diego and Oakland over the next month before the supercross series switches to the eastern U.S.
Pettis is coming off his best year as a motocross rider. He qualified for main events in two of the four AMA Supercross races he entered, won the Rockstar Energy Canadian MX1 outdoor series and captured three of the four Canadian supercross events.
He’s expected to return to his home track at Blackwater Motocross Park when the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MX Tour returns to Prince George on June 8 for the second of eight events in 2019.
