In the Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Main Event, KTM rider Hunter Sayles grabbed the holeshot over Babbitt's/GPF/Monster Energy Kawasaki/MMCR's Jacob Williamson and Cooper. Points leader Heath Harrison found himself outside the top 10 in 11th aboard his Motorsport/Quick Roofing/Super Charged Energy KTM.
As Williamson looked to chase down Sayles for the lead, he crashed after the Catapult jump, dropping two positions but quickly remounting in fourth. That allowed Cooper to take over second, while KTM rider Isaac Teasdale assumed control of third.
With his sights set on the lead, Cooper closed down on Sayles and made the winning pass on Lap 5, quickly opening a gap once out front. That left the battle for the remaining spots on the podium between Sayles, Teasdale, and Williamson. On Lap 9 Williamson began a climb back to the front following his misfortune, passing Teasdale for third. He gained even more ground on Lap 12 by making the pass for second over Sayles. Third place would change hands on the final lap when Teasdale took Sayles off the podium.
Cooper cruised to another Baltimore win, crossing the line 7.1 seconds ahead of Williamson, who recovered nicely from his early crash. Teasdale completed the podium in third. Harrison bounced back from his tough start to finish fifth.
The victory allowed Cooper to take over control of the Eastern Regional Championship, surpassing Harrison to establish a two-point lead. Williamson sits third, just six points out of the lead.
AMSOIL Arenacross continues next weekend with its fourth round of the 2017 season from Nashville, Tennessee's Bridgestone Arena. The action kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 28.
250AX Class Results - Main Event 1
1. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki
2. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda
3. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki
4. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki
5. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM
6. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki
7. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha
8. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda
9. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM
10. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM
250AX Class Results - Main Event 2
1. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki
2. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha
3. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki
4. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda
5. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda
6. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM
7. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki
8. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha
9. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM
10. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM
250AX Class Overall Results (Main Event Results)
1. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (2-4)
3. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha (7-2)
4. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki (6-3)
5. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (5-6)
6. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (4-7)
7. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda (8-5)
8. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki (3-15)
9. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (9-11)
10. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM (10-10)
RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results (Bonus Points)
1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda (2 poins)
2. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., Kawasaki (1 point)
3. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha (1 point)
4. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki (1 point)
5. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM (1 point)
6. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki (1 point)
7. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (1 point)
8. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM (1 point)
Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Results
1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha
2. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki
3. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM
4. Hunter Sayles, Merrill, Wis., KTM
5. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM
6. Brandon Gourley, Boonville, Ind., KTM
7. Jared Lesher, Ball Ground, Ga., KTM
8. Dylan Rouse, Florence, Ky., KTM
9. Kai Mukai, Hilo, Hawaii, Yamaha
10. Dylan Greer, Summerfield, Fla., Yamaha
250AX Class Championship Standings
1. Jace Owen, Matoon, Ill., Honda - 130 (6 Main Event Wins)
2. Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Kawasaki - 110 (2 Main Event Wins)
3. Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Florida, Yamaha - 107
4. Gared Steinke, Woodland, Calif., Kawasaki - 96
5. Ben Lamay, Forney, Texas, Honda - 83
6. Daniel Herrlein, Bethesda, Ohio, KTM - 80
7. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Yamaha - 79
8. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM - 69
9. Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki - 55
10. Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM - 52
Eastern Regional AX Lites Class Championship Standings
1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha - 60 (2 Main Event Wins)
2. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., KTM - 58 (2 Main Event Wins)
3. Jacob Williamson, Swartz Creek, Mich., Kawasaki - 54
4. Isaac Teasdale, Robbinsville, N.C., KTM - 41
5. Brandon Gourley, Boonville, Ind., KTM - 35
6. Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., Kawasaki - 30
7. Josiah Hempen, Argyle, Iowa, Yamaha - 21
8. Cody Williams, Barneveld, Wis., Kawasaki - 21
9. Carter Gordon, Matoon, Ill., Yamaha - 18
10. Dylan Greer, Summerfield, Fla., Yamaha - 15
Top Image: The defending AMSOIL Arenacross Champion took his first overall win of 2017.
Credit: ShiftOne Photography