Max Anstie addresses the controversial Supercross red flag ruling in the Detroit finish

The AMA raised the red flag for Cameron McAdoo’s hard crash in the last few seconds of the 250SX East Main Event in Detroit. A restart was called for the second round of the 250SX East class, which meant that Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Max Anstie lost a lead of several seconds.

There was some disagreement about that choice, since Anstie would come in second place when the green flag was finally raised.

During a press meeting after the race, Anstie said, “I thought the rule was 90% and it was done.”

Max Anstie waits at the front of the 250SX race in Detroit while the red flag waves.

Feld Entertainment provided the picture.

The official rulebook for the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross just got changed, and the red flag rule will still be in effect in 2025.

There was a rule in 2023 and years before that said, “The race is stopped (with 3 laps completed by the leader and less than 90% of the total distance completed by the race leader…” This rule was Section 4.25b of the Race Rules and Procedures. The Main Event in the 250SX races lasts 15 minutes plus a lap. This means that when the timer ran out, the leader’s next lap would be the “white flag” lap. 90% was just a reference to the timer, so if the red flag was raised with 1:30 or less left on the clock, the race would be over and the final running order would be based on the rider’s last finished lap.

But in 2024, AMA changed the rule so that it said the clock had to be fully ended.

In the AMA Supercross Rules, Section 1.8.11 (Restarts and Red Flag Procedures), it now says, “The following procedures will apply when a race is stopped after the leader has completed three (3) laps but before the race clock expires:” It then goes on to explain how to reorganise the grid for the restart.

The 2025 Supercross Rulebook doesn’t state anything about 90% of a race being completed.

Rule 1.8.11.L states, “When a race is stopped after the leader completes three (3) laps but prior to time expiring on the race clock, the following procedures will apply:” pic.twitter.com/H5tkQYLVzN

— Justin Schuoler (@JSchuoler) February 15, 2025

Anstie kept his mind on the job at hand because he knew there was still work to be done.

“It was tough at that time because I was thinking, ‘I have two very good sprinters and strong guys behind me, in the form of R.J. Hampshire and Levi Kitchen,'” Anstie said. “I knew I only had two laps left, so I did all the safe lines.” After a couple of laps, I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to do anything crazy. I was just going to hit my marks and do the doubles without doing anything else. After the red flag, I told them, “Oh no, you need to send it again.” “Where should I go in the sand?” I asked the guys on the team over the radio. Like I said, I knew that was going to be a point, and I had only taken outside the whole main. It was my safe line. It wasn’t the fastest, but it was pretty worn out by the end.

He wasn’t able to get the result he wanted and was on track for before the red flag, but he was still happy that he was able to keep up with Kitchen and Hampshire and finish between them.

Here’s what happened to McAdoo late in the 250 main that caused the red flag.

There will be a staggered restart as time was still remaining on the race clock. #SMX #SupercrossLIVE pic.twitter.com/2OAfWLRXv9

— Supercross LIVE! (@SupercrossLIVE) February 15, 2025

“In a way, I’m glad I didn’t do anything stupid in the last few laps,” Anstie said. I still got a second, good point out of it. It was still a lot of fun at the end of the day. To be honest, I was just glad I could run that fast and feel good at it. It was good.

By nine points, Anstie still has the most points in the 250SX East Championship after two rounds. He will keep his red plate when the series goes to Daytona Beach in two weeks because he won in Tampa. The gate drop will happen live on Peacock at 7 p.m. ET.