It was a monumental day for Zach Osborne and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, who wrapped up their first-ever AMA 450MX Championship on Saturday at the season finale in Pala, California. Despite the challenges presented in 2020, Osborne persisted with poise and laser-sharp focus in his relentless pursuit of a career-first title in the premier class and his tenacity paid off as he concluded the season with the highest honors aboard his FC 450 Rockstar Edition.
With a 24-point lead heading into the weekend, Osborne managed his championship status throughout the course of the day putting forth conservative 5-7 moto finishes to claim sixth overall. In Moto 1, he shot off the line to secure the holeshot before settling into a top-three position early on. He battled up front with a hard-charging group of riders but he didn’t push the envelope, coming through with a solid top-five finish in the first moto. In Moto 2, Osborne grabbed a top-five start and once again managed the race to ultimately come away with a championship-winning seventh-place finish.
In only his second season in the 450 cc division, Osborne began generating momentum at the end of the AMA Supercross Championship where he closed out the season with a career-first 450SX win ahead of teammates Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson, who contributed to a notable 450 podium sweep for Husqvarna. From there, the 31-year-old Virginia native continued to grind through the most uncertain of times and he’s proven to be unstoppable ever since racing resumed in August.
Concluding the season with an impressive four overall wins, two of which were achieved by virtue of 1-1 sweeps, Osborne was able to command the red number plate from start to finish. As a two-time 250SX Eastern Regional Champion (2017 and ’18), as well as 2017 250MX Champion, Osborne has now successfully added another title to his arsenal as he looks to surmount all four major championships over the course of his career.
Zach Osborne: “I considered actually retiring in March after I broke my back and my wife gave me a pep talk and we decided against it, went to Salt Lake and that went well and it just carried into this outdoor season. I came out swinging and was able to take home a national championship which is something I never ever dreamed of doing, I felt it was way out of my league – so dream big is the moral of the story and don’t ever give up. Find people that believe in you even when you don’t and keep pressing on. It’s such a relief to win this today. What an incredible day. Thank you to everyone who has been behind me.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager, Steve Westfall: “We couldn’t be more proud of Zach and everything he’s accomplished this season despite the ups and downs we’ve been dealt in 2020. He has shown a tremendous amount of heart, determination and grit to get to where he is today. Congratulations to Zach, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team and everyone behind this program, there isn’t a more deserving group.”
Saturday’s Fox Raceway National concludes the 2020 race season for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team. Next up will be the 2021 AMA Supercross Championship in early 2021.
2020 450MX Championship Standings
- Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 355 points
- Adam Cianciarulo, 343 points
- Eli Tomac, 321 points