Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing has consistently been on the podium, and for the third time this season, both Colt Nichols and Dylan Ferrandis have been up on the podium together. After taking his first heat win this year, Ferrandis went on to finish second in the main event at Oakland. Nichols took a third-place finish and continues to lead the Championship.
Qualifying:
250 Practice 1 Group A:
Dylan Ferrandis: 1st, 53.358
Colt Nichols: 5th, 54.227
250 Practice 2 Group A:
Dylan Ferrandis: 1st, 52.795
Colt Nichols: 7th, 54.051
Overall Best Qualifying times:
Dylan Ferrandis has made a habit of qualifying in pole position. He was Oakland’s fastest 250 qualifier, with a lap time of 52.795. Colt Nichols’ best time of 54.051, placed him seventh overall.
Heat 2:
Ferrandis was second off the start and Nichols was fifth. The red plate holder, Nichols, cut to the chase and made two passes. Meanwhile, Ferrandis was working on a pass for the lead. The leader went down and Ferrandis was right there to take control of the race. He went on to win his first heat race of the season. Nichols took second.
Main Event:
Nichols took the holeshot but went wide in the second turn and dropped to third. He got on the gas and redeemed the second-place spot. Ferrandis started in eleventh. In the blink of an eye he had moved up five positions. Meanwhile Nichols was all over the leader. He came close to taking the lead a few times but some costly errors held him up. Ferrandis continued to work his way through the field. He found himself on the tail of his teammate, Nichols and made a pass. As the race ended, Ferrandis took the second-place podium spot and Nichols was third.
Nichols has led all four rounds this season and now leads the championship by three points. Ferrandis is fourth in the championship; just one point behind third.
There will be one more Western Regional round, Round 5, San Diego, before the start of the Eastern Regional Series, which will take place in Minneapolis, MN, on February 9, 2019.
Pictures by: @octopi.media
