The demanding sand of The Wick 338 provided one of the toughest tests of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship season as the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team fought through adversity during Round 6 at Southwick. Tony Cairoli showcased grit throughout the day.

Making his first-ever Pro Motocross appearance at Southwick aboard the Ducati, Cairoli delivered one of the day's standout rides in Moto 1. After getting caught in a pileup before the first turn, the nine-time World Champion restarted in 37th before putting together an incredible charge through the field. By the completion of the opening lap he had already climbed into 27th, eventually reaching 19th by the halfway point before continuing his march forward to finish an impressive 15th.

Cairoli looked poised for another strong result in Moto 2 after starting eighth and battling teammate Barcia during the opening laps. Unfortunately, an electrical issue ended his race after just two laps.

"It was a tough day, of course," Cairoli said. "I knew Southwick was going to be difficult with the bike in these conditions, and we still have some work to do. I felt confident that with my experience I could manage a top-10 pace, even if my fitness isn't where it once was. In the first moto I crashed early and came back from last to finish 15th, so I was happy with that. My second start was good, around eighth, and I was focused on my pace. I felt like I could stay there, but unfortunately we had an electrical problem after a couple of laps. It's disappointing, but we're here to continue developing the bike while enjoying the opportunity to race."

The Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team now shifts its focus to Round 7 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Spring Creek MX Park, where the team looks to build on the progress made during another challenging weekend of development.