Supercross rider gets first win, learns friend died on way to a race

Published Mar. 27, 2017 12:01 p.m. ET

Samuel Reiman

Jordon Smith’s victory celebration was cut short Saturday night.

The KTM rider has just taken his first ever 250SX Eastern Regional Main Event win with a last-lap pass on Joey Savatgy.

“It was an unbelievable day,” said Smith as he jumped off the motorcycle. “I had to go to the LCQ and I won that. [In the main], I got a great start from the outside. I had to make a few passes and the track was really tough, which was causing people to make mistakes. I'm so thankful for so many people. It's an amazing feeling [to win] and I can't wait to share it with everyone.”

Unfortunately, once the cameras were turned off, Smith learned that one of his best friends and his friend’s father had passed away on the way to a race.

Smith shared a photo of them to Instagram, stating that while he was “at a complete loss for words,” he “definitely had a couple [of] angels helping get that win tonight.”

Smith now heads to St. Louis with the rest of the 250SX East riders for Saturday night’s Supercross, but still he is sharing fond memories of the time spent with his friend on Instagram:

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