Words and photos from Gizmo Racing Yamaha
The team traveled to Ford Field for Round 11 of the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Championship, and it proved to be a weekend of resilience, determination, and a breakthrough performance.
In the 250 class, CJ Benard delivered a standout ride and was unquestionably the highlight of the weekend. From the opening laps of qualifying, CJ demonstrated intensity and focus, securing a Top 20 qualifying position for the second consecutive round. While a few mistakes in the Heat Race kept him out of a transfer spot, CJ regrouped for the LCQ with purpose. He quickly put himself in a strong position after a 2nd place start, which allowed him to settle into his rhythm and confidently secure a transfer to the Main Event.
In the Main, CJ continued his impressive ride, working his way up to 16th position and maintaining a steady pace throughout much of the race. Late in the race, a costly mistake on the second-to-last lap resulted in a hard crash. However, showing tremendous grit and determination, CJ remounted and pushed through to the finish, losing just one position. His 17th-place result marks a career-best finish in only his sophomore season—an achievement that highlights his continued growth and potential.
In the 450 class, Freddie entered the weekend already dealing with the effects of a midweek practice crash, making it a challenging event from the outset. On a highly technical track with demanding whoops, he suffered another fall late in the second qualifying session, further aggravating his condition.
Despite the setback, Freddie showed determination by lining up for the Heat Race. Unfortunately, after just a few laps, the pain became too much, forcing him to withdraw and end his night early. He will undergo evaluation this week to ensure there are no serious injuries.
The team leaves Detroit encouraged by CJ’s performance and will now turn its focus toward our Racer’s recoveries and preparation for the next round in St. Louis, where the 250 East/West Showdown awaits.
Freddie Noren #63 – Freddie said, “Tough weekend for me, unfortunately I had a pretty bad practice crash at ClubMX on Tuesday and was hopefully to be racing this weekend but I just couldn’t hold on. Will take it day by day and hopefully I won’t be off the bike for to long!”
CJ Benard #775 – CJ said after the Event, “Good step in the right direction! I’m still not where I want to be but we’re getting there. I started off the day with P18 in qualifying and made a few mistakes in the Heat to just miss the transfer straight in. Good start in the LCQ and put her in the Main and just logged laps in the Main. I ended up going down pretty hard towards the end but got up and was able to get a 17th. Progress is good so let’s keep it going!”
