Season-best finish for Dean Wilson, Max Anstie continues title charge

The Fire Power Honda team continued their bid for the 250SX East title inside of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, over the weekend. Max Anstie joined Dean Wilson beneath the ‘red’ tent to tackle the seventh round of the 2023 AMA Supercross series and the second Triple Crown on the schedule.

Qualifying on Saturday provided Anstie with another opportunity to remind everyone just how capable he is aboard the CRF250R, as he posted the third-fastest time and secured additional momentum for the main events. Third was actually the result that he claimed in the very first main, thanks to a consistent ride, and he backed up that with a fourth in the second stint. It was the final race where he truly shined though – he was tangled in an unavoidable crash in turn one and remounted at the back of the pack. Not to be deterred, he put his head down and recovered to ninth to secure fifth overall in Texas. ’63’ is still sat in second in the championship classification and trails the series leader by just eleven measly points.

Dean Wilson provided the Fire Power Honda team with much to cheer about too, as he had his best day of the season. Wilson qualified in seventh, five tenths from pole position, and entered the night program with a spring in his step. Thirteenth in the first main was not a true reflection of his pace, as he was held up in a first turn fall, but he showed more of his potential in the races that followed, as he had a tenth in main two and finished the ninth with an eleventh. Eleventh was where he was ranked in the overall classification too – his best finish of the year! ’15’ is just five points from eleventh in the championship now as well, so further progress is on the horizon.

Gage Linville, a graduate from the Fire Power Honda amateur program, was also in attendance and missed out on a spot in the night program by the smallest of margins. Linville was twenty-fourth in timed qualifying and then classified in ninth in the last-chance qualifier.

Fire Power Honda will head down to Daytona International Speedway now, arguably the most famous stop on the AMA Supercross schedule, as the unique venue will host the eighth stop of the 2023 AMA Supercross series. Max Anstie will continue to chase the 250SX East title, something that would not be possible without support from the team’s loyal sponsors and supporters.

Max Anstie: “It was a busy night in Texas but, all things considered, I’m pleased to leave with a fifth. I know that we could have been on the box, had it not been for that crash in the final main event. It is unfortunate, as there was nothing that I could do, but I’m happy with how we recovered. I will keep making steps forward with my team and we will be ready when gates drop in Daytona!”

Dean Wilson: “There are a lot of positives to take from Arlington! I am pleased that we are seeing progress and I know that we will be in that top ten soon enough. Qualifying was really good again and it just shows how close the speed is in the 450SX class. Hopefully we can take another step in Daytona!”