Smartop | Bullfrog Spas | MotoConcepts | Honda wrapped up a successful run on the Monster Energy Supercross Championship with solid results scored by Justin Brayton, Mitchell Oldenburg, and Vince Friese at the 2022 Salt Lake City Supercross. The Utah finale was a major weekend for MCR, as the team reached its objectives with all three riders and celebrated Brayton's remarkable career.
Vince Friese's return to the 250 Class for 2022 proved to be a positive decision, as the experienced rider helped develop the new motorcycle and honed his skills against the diverse competition in the 250 West Region. A 49.202 lap was the highlight of the afternoon practice sessions, as it put Friese eighth among the West Region and seventeen overall in the combined Timed Qualifying results. After the usual bar-banging in the 250 West Region Heat Race caused the rider to get shuffled back on the opening lap, he got up to speed, made passes, and ended the sprint in eighth place. A fair start in the 250 East-West Showdown put Friese in the very middle of the pack during the key moments of the moto, and the rider spent the first eight laps of the race fighting for a place in the top-ten, only to have a minor crash in the whoops hamper the effort. Frustrated but unfazed, Friese remounted the motorcycle, got back into a rhythm, and completed the race in 17th place. "To go down while battling for a top-10 is a shame because I was going for it," said Friese at the evening's end. "It was a costly crash, especially for the points, but I have to look at the big picture of the season, which is that the split plan MCR came up with worked and that I accomplished a lot of my goals. And I can't be mad about that." Friese ends the season ranked sixth overall in the 250 West Region championship standings and 20th in the 450 Class championship standings.
Mitchell Oldenburg's addition to MCR in 2022 was another positive step for the rider and team, and in Salt Lake City, the group showed they could reach their full potential together. A 47.667 lap in the final moments of the afternoon practice, a run that Oldenburg joked couldn't he replicate, put him at the top of the sheets for both the 250 East Region and the combined Timed Qualifying results. The rider continued to show speed in the 250 East Region Heat Race, as he aced the start, got the holeshot, led four laps, and finished in second place. Unfortunately, Oldenburg couldn't replicate his reaction or early pace in the 250 East-West Showdown, as he scored outside of the top-ten in the opening laps, pushed his way forward, and got caught up in teammate Friese's crash. Despite the setback, Oldenburg was able to finish the race in 13th place. "I was the fastest qualifier, something I was really surprised by, then led laps in the Heat Race. I blew the start in the Showdown, made some terrible decisions in the early laps, and went backwards. That got me caught up in Vince's incident, but I got up and charged to the checkered flag," Oldenburg explained of the season finale. "It sucked to end it like that, but I know that I did 16 rounds of racing and had an amazing year, so I'm really happy right now." Friese ends the season ranked fourth overall in the 250 East Region championship standings and 22nd in the 450 Class championship standings.
Justin Brayton completed his career as a full-time competitor in the Monster Energy Supercross Championship with a memorable weekend in Salt Lake City that included a special dinner with his family, friends, and MCR team on Friday night, and a top-ten finish in his final 450 Main Event on Saturday. Despite the celebrations, the rider approached the race like any other, evident in the 48.530 lap that put him eighth overall in Timed Qualifying for the 450 Class. Brayton held his own in 450 Heat Race One, as a good start, clean laps, and fast pace resulted in a fourth-place finish. Another good launch got Brayton ninth place in the stacked running order of the 450 Main Event, and as the 26-lap race unfolded, the rider forced his way forward and finished in seventh place. "My last race was awesome, and this was such a fun weekend. It started on Friday night at dinner with the team and our family," Brayton reflected in the pit area. "I ended up in seventh tonight, and as a 38-year-old with three kids, that's not too bad. I'm just so thankful for my career and what comes next." Brayton ends the season ranked ninth overall in the 450 Class championship.