Words from AEO Powersports – Imaged by Michael Lindsay/Vital MX
The AEO Powersports KTM team headed south for Round 2 of the Supercross season at Snapdragon Stadium, looking to build on the momentum from Anaheim. Under the lights in San Diego, both Carson Mumford and Avery Long showed solid speed throughout the day and fought hard through challenging race conditions, ultimately achieving the team’s primary goal of leaving the venue healthy and ready to race another weekend.
Qualifying
Carson Mumford: 10th – 54.664
Avery Long: 13th – 55.288
Carson Mumford
Carson lined up for Heat Race #1 and got off the gate just inside the top 10, crossing the line ninth on the opening lap. Wasting no time, he quickly went to work, making up positions early and moving into seventh by lap two. After giving up a couple spots in the middle of the race, Carson stayed composed and battled back to reclaim a position, ultimately finishing the heat in 8th and transferring directly to the Main Event.
In the Main Event, Carson got a mid-pack start and knew immediately he had work to do, as his speed easily put him in contention for a top-10 run. Unfortunately, while working through traffic, he got caught up in the pack and dropped back before suffering a crash in the whoops. What could have been a much worse situation ended with Carson landing on a tough block, rolling out of it, and remounting quickly.
He rejoined the race in 19th and put his head down, charging forward with determination. Carson made up six positions after the crash, showcasing his grit and fitness, and even clocked his fastest lap of the Main Event after the incident. He crossed the checkered flag in 14th, a result that didn’t reflect his true speed but highlighted his perseverance.
Avery Long
Avery took on Heat Race #2 and got a solid jump off the gate, coming around lap one in 10th place. He remained patient and calculated, steadily working through the field. By lap four, Avery had made up two positions, putting himself into a transfer spot and finishing the heat in 8th to earn a direct ticket to the Main Event.
In the Main Event, Avery launched off the gate with a decent start and crossed the line 10th on the opening lap. Like his teammate, he quickly found himself caught in the chaos of the pack and was shuffled back outside the top 10, sitting 13th by lap seven. Despite the setback, Avery refused to give up, continuing to push and move forward.
With five laps remaining, Avery charged his way into 11th, showing strong late-race pace. After an intense battle, he was passed on the final lap and crossed the line in 13th. While the result wasn’t what the team hoped for, his effort and resilience were evident throughout the race.
While San Diego didn’t deliver the results the team was aiming for, perspective played a major role. After experiencing a devastating round last year at Snapdragon Stadium with two rider injuries, the primary objective was to leave the venue healthy and ready to compete and that goal was accomplished.
Results
Avery Long
Race Result: 13th
Carson Mumford
Race Result: 14th
Next Stop: Round 3 – Anaheim 1
