Sunday, July 2, 2017

FIRST CAREER PODIUM FOR SUZUKI WORLD MXGP’S JASIKONIS

Courtesy of Team Suzuki Press Office

 Team Suzuki Press Office – July 2.

Arminas Jasikonis – 3-3 for 3rd
Kevin Strijbos – 27-DNS for 27th 


Arminas Jasikonis took third place overall in what was the Lithuanian rider’s first ever podium, and the first podium in 2017 for the Suzuki World MXGP team. In both motos he battled extremely hard aboard the Factory RM-Z450WS, in what were tough conditions, making the pass he needed with just a couple of laps left to complete an excellent weekend for the whole team. 

His third place finishes in both races continued his recent good form and with a couple of weeks off now, he has a chance to recharge his batteries before trying to go even better when the series resumes in the Czech Republic on the July 23rd. 
“It’s been a tough weekend, but to get a podium really makes it all worthwhile”, said Jasikonis. “In the first moto I started around fifth but I quickly moved forward, even passing Jeffrey Herlings as I moved into second. I was following Antonio Cairoli but in the middle of the race I knew that once he started to pull away, I had to let him go and concentrate on my efforts. Herlings passed me back at that stage and Max Nagl was staying a consistent gap behind me in fourth so I managed to finish in third place. It certainly wasn’t easy in the middle of the race but I made sure I could push at the end so as not to give any chances for Nagl to pass me, so I ended up third. 

“The second moto was really tough. I was again around fifth at the beginning after making a little mistake on an uphill. I ran most of the moto in fifth place, with Tim Gajser and Nagl in front of me and I knew that if Nagl stayed there I wouldn’t get the podium so I really put a big effort into this race. I had to finish in front of him and gave everything I had to make that happen. I made a really nice pass on Gajser and then a couple of laps later I got the pass on Nagl as well, doing what I needed to do for my first ever podium performance. I’d like to give a big thanks to the team, they have done such a great job to help me get here. Thanks to Paul my mechanic, thanks to Stefan and Harry Everts and everyone in the team who works so hard. I just hope this podium pays them back for all their effort. And thanks to my family and my girlfriend who always support me and believe in me, and all the fans who cheer me on. It means so much to get that support and I hope now that this is the start of even better things to come for me in the Suzuki World MXGP team.” 

General Manager Stefan Everts was absolutely delighted with the performance, and with a result that further confirms what a good decision it was to pick up the unknown Lithuanian rider as Ben Townley’s replacement 12 months ago. “It was a fantastic weekend, starting off yesterday when AJ won the qualification race”, said Everts. “Today he then confirmed his speed when it counted and got his first podium. I think it’s a really important step for him to finish third and should give him a lot of confidence and the belief of what he can do and how good he can be. Both motos were a tough battle, especially that second race where he had to regroup and put in a second charge to pass both Gajser and Nagl, before finishing it off like a champ. This podium feels more than a victory even, it is such a big achievement for him and the Suzuki World MXGP team. Last year no one even knew who Jasikonis was, and now one year later he’s on the podium. It’s unbelievable what the kid has done; he has put in the hard work, he has believed in the programme that we set up for him and now I think this is only the beginning for him.” 

Unfortunately teammate Strijbos wasn’t able to complete either moto today after sustaining a back injury that forced him to withdraw from race one after just a few laps. Everts gave an update on his situation, which was a big shame after an impressive eighth in qualification yesterday. “Kevin did really well in the qualifying race, in what was his first race back after the elbow injury, however today he suffered a back problem which made it just too painful to race. He first complained about it in practice and then in the race he twisted it again in the wave section and had to pull off the track. We’ll have a clearer idea of what exactly he has done in the next few days, after he has had some checks and then we can plan accordingly from those results. I hope it isn’t anything too serious though and he can get back on the bike within the week.”

It was a shame for Strijbos but the weekend belongs to Jasikonis and what will hopefully be the first of many podium performances under the Suzuki World awning. The championship now takes a few weeks off before the next round which is at the old-school Loket track in the Czech Republic on July 23rd.

MXGP Moto 1: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:13.457; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.280; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), +0:29.696; 4. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:35.385; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:43.826; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:46.739; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:48.261; 8. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:49.745; 9. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:50.982; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:01.698; 27. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), -15 lap(s).

MXGP Moto 2: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:28.572; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:01.768; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), +0:38.744; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:44.893; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:46.220; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:48.694; 7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:54.499; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:56.119; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:00.122; 10. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:01.602.

MXGP Overall: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), 40 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 34 p.; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 34 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 28 p.; 7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 26 p.; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 26 p.; 9. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 24 p.; 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 22 p.; 27. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), 0 p.

MXGP Points Standings: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 478 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 387 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 383 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 382 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 310 p.; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 309 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 289 p.; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 267 p.; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 267 p.; 10. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 253 p.; 11. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 244 p.; 12. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 240 p.; 13. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), 227 p.; 18. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), 90 p. 



  Was this post helpful? Add yours to our service or subscribe to our feed above.
Posted by Unknown at 8:09 PM
0 comments

PASCAL RAUCHENECKER LEADS ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles
ENDUROGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HOTS UP IN GREVENA, GREECE
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team riders Pascal Rauchenecker, Mathias Bellino, Danny McCanney and Billy Bolt have battled their way through an extremely hot and dusty EnduroGP of Greece where Rauchenecker secured fourth and fifth place Enduro 2 class results. Competing in his second EnduroGP event since injuring his shoulder prior to the season opener, Mathias Bellino placed sixth on day two. 

Focused on returning to the Enduro 2 class podium, Pascal Rauchenecker made the perfect start to the GP of Greece by posting the fastest Enduro 2 class time during the Friday night super test. Finishing fourth on day one, Pascal placed 47 seconds behind eventual winner Josep Garcia despite a number of small but costly mistakes. On day two he performed consistently to finish fifth and maintain his fourth-place position in the Enduro 2 championship standings. 

Competing alongside Rauchenecker in the Enduro 2 class, Danny McCanney endured a challenging weekend in Greece finishing seventh on both days. Unable to find a good rhythm early on during the first day, on day two Danny put in some strong times on the extreme test including posting the second fastest time in his class on the final lap. 

Finishing eighth on day one and sixth on day two, Mathias Bellino continued his return to competition following injury earlier in the season. Successfully completing both days of the GP of Hungary, in Greece Mathias took a notable step forwards in terms of both his speed and fitness finishing just 40 seconds from the top step of the EnduroGP class podium on day two. 

Joining the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team for round five of the EnduroGP World Championship was extreme enduro rider Billy Bolt, who was drafted into the squad at the last minute to replace injured Frenchman Christophe Charlier. Competing in his first ever EnduroGP event, Billy gained valuable experience and placed 12th on day one and 13th on day two. 

Round six of the 2017 FIM EnduroGP World Championship takes place in Castelo Branco, Portugal on July 20-23. 

Pascal Rauchenecker: “The weekend started perfectly when I got the fastest time in the super test on Friday night. I was really looking forward to carrying that momentum into the first day. I struggled a little, had some crashes, but all-in-all it was a decent day and I was happy to finish fourth. Day two was good, I was fighting for the podium at the half way point. I crashed twice in the second lap, which was disappointing as it dropped me to fifth. I gave everything in the final enduro test but I wasn’t able to finish higher than fifth. But I’m pleased with that – two top five results is good. It wasn’t easy with the heat, but it’s been a good GP.” 

Mathias Bellino: “Coming back from injury half way through the season was never going to be easy, but I feel like I am slowly finding my speed and improving. Racing in the heat on day one was really difficult for me, I really suffered with that. I kept pushing because I know that is the only way I will improve. I really wanted to do a strong first lap on day two, because I knew that I didn’t have the fitness yet to push all of the day. The first motocross test was good, but I made a small mistake in the extreme test and crashed. In terms of results there’s nothing really positive yet, but I was fighting not too far from the podium and I am very happy about that.” 

Billy Bolt: “I’ve really enjoyed competing in my first EnduroGP event. I learned a lot, so it was a very beneficial as far as experiencing something new and learning from it. It was also really good training, both in terms of pushing myself to race as fast as I can, which we don't do so much in extreme enduro events, but also in terms of physical training. Competing here was never about trying to get a result, but it was interesting to experience just how different this style of racing really is, compared to extreme enduro. Being able to lift your speed for the special tests is a skill in itself. Also, riding at 100% for more than 10 minutes, like we had to do for the enduro test, was tough. Like I said, I’ve learned a lot. Riding the 350 was really cool, too. It’s been an enjoyable weekend.” 

Danny McCanney: “It’s been a frustrating GP for me. I didn't start the first day fast enough and then I was pushing myself hard to be faster before I'd found a good rhythm. I didn't feel comfortable until later in the day, which was too late to really improve my result. I felt good on the second day and put in some good times on the extreme test. There are some positives I can take away from the GP but certainly not the results I was hoping for.” 

Results – 2017 FIM Enduro World Championship, Round 5 

Day 1 

EnduroGP 
1. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 57:55.56; 2. Nathan Watson (KTM) 58:07.95; 3. Loïc Larrieu (Yamaha) 58:40.54; 4. Alex Salvini (Beta) 58:49.59; 5. Christophe Nambotin (KTM) 58:56.02…8. Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna) 59:47.21… 12. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:02:04.28; 13. Ramon Quer Molgo (Husqvarna) 1:02:29.54 

Enduro 2 
1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 58:08.51; 2. Jamie McCanney (Yamaha) 58:26.85; 3. Davide Guarneri (Honda) 58:29.82; 4. Pascal Rauchenecker (Husqvarna) 58:55.91; 5. Eero Remes (TM) 59:14.72; 6. Henric Stigell (Husqvarna) 59:23.15; 7. Danny McCanney (Husqvarna) 59:26.06… 11. Thomas Oldrati (Husqvarna) 1:00:06.29 

Day 2 

EnduroGP 
1. Nathan Watson (KTM) 56:54.99; 2. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 57:18.76; 3. Loïc Larrieu (Yamaha) 57:24.92; 4. Alex Salvini (Beta) 57:27.31; 5. Jaume Betriu (KTM) 57:30.48; 6. Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna) 57:35.87… 11. Ramon Quer Molgo (Husqvarna) 1:00:26.92… 13. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:01:16.24 

Enduro 2 
1. Jamie McCanney (Yamaha) 57:08.73; 2. Josep Garcia (KTM) 57:17.72; 3. Davide Guarneri (Honda) 57:32.57; 4. Eero Remes (TM) 57:45.44; 5. Pascal Rauchenecker (Husqvarna) 57:52.92… 7. Danny McCanney (Husqvarna) 58:02.10… 9. Henric Stigell (Husqvarna) 58:33.47… 11. Thomas Oldrati (Husqvarna) 58:55.82 

Championship Standings (After Round 5) 

EnduroGP 
1. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 214pts; 2. Loic Larrieu (Yamaha) 186; 3. Christophe Nambotin (KTM) 169; 4. Nathan Watson (KTM) 164; 5. Matthew Phillips (Sherco) 160… 11. Antti Hellsten (Husqvarna) 84; 12. Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) 77; 13. Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna) 53; 14. Ramon Quer Molgo (Husqvarna) 40; 15. Marko Tarkkala (Husqvarna) 38… 24. Mike Brown (Husqvarna) 14 

Enduro 2 
1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 223pts; 2. Jamie McCanney (Yamaha) 211; 3. Eero Remes (TM) 199; 4. Pascal Rauchenecker (Husqvarna) 170; 5. Daniel McCanney (Husqvarna) 139… 8. Henric Stigell (Husqvarna) 123; 9. Thomas Oldrati (Husqvarna) 119… 32. Oscar Balletti (Husqvarna) 4; 33. Damiano Lullo (Husqvarna) 3; 34. Mikael Miettinen (Husqvarna) 2 


 
Posted by Unknown at 7:58 PM
0 comments

MARVIN MUSQUIN BACK ON THE PODIUM AT REDBUD NATIONAL

Courtesy of KTM

BUCHANAN, Mich. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team’s Marvin Musquin regained his early season momentum by returning to the podium at the RedBud National, the sixth round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, with a strong 3-3 ride in front of packed house of passionate RedBud race fans. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/WPS/KTM Team's Blake Baggett overcame a first lap crash to finish fourth overall and remains firmly in the championship title hunt at the half way point of the series.

Marvin Musquin was second at the start of the first 450 moto and put on a charge. He held his ground during a four-rider battle in the third lap and continued to stay within striking distance of the leader. He made the pass for the lead in the fourth lap and rode hard. He moved back to second in the sixth lap but continued to push, staying within a few seconds of the leader. He battled for position with Blake Baggett with three minutes to go and would eventually come out in third where he finished. He was top-10 at the start of the second moto and came out of the first lap in sixth. He charged into the top-three after the halfway mark and continued to push. He put on a consistent ride and finished third. The 3-3 finish gave him third overall on the day, and he is currently fourth overall in 450 rider point standings.



Musquin: “My speed is getting better and my confidence is back. It was a much better weekend for me. It’s crazy how much you can lose with an injury like that, but I’m getting my strength back. It was a difficult time but I feel like I’m getting better. I put in some good laps during practice and was able to turn left again. My stomach was cramping up during the first moto, but it was better during the second moto. I couldn’t really get going in the second moto, though. I needed to get around those guys because Eli and Jason were going fast up front. I lost some time there. Overall it was a good day, and getting third is good for my confidence.”

Trey Canard got a decent start during the first 450 moto but then went down before the first turn. He remounted and forged ahead to make it to 13th where he finished. He was mid-pack at the start of the second moto and worked up to 10th by the second lap. He rode steady the entire race and finished 11th. The 13-11 finish gave him 12th overall on the day.

Canard: “I just kind of struggled today. The track was really tough and bumpy. It was pretty warm the second moto, but I think there were some good things to pull from. I had a first turn crash in the first moto and was last. I still made a good charge, so that was good. I hung on as long as I could in the second moto. All-in-all I’m just happy to be back racing and hopefully I can continue to get more comfortable.”

Next Round: Southwick National – July 8, 2017

450 CLASS OVERALL RESULTS

1. Eli Tomac, KAW (1-1)
2. Jason Anderson, HQV (4-2)
3. Marvin Musquin, KTM (3-3)
4. Blake Baggett, KTM (2-10)
5. Justin Barcia, SUZ (7-6)
6. Josh Grant, KAW (10-5)
7. Cole Seely, HON (6-9)
8. Justin Bogle, SUZ (9-7)
9. Dean Wilson, HQV (8-8)
10. Weston Peick, SUZ (14-4)

250 CLASS OVERALL RESULTS

1. Zach Osborne, HQV (2-1)
2. Alex Martin, KTM (3-3)
3. Jeremy Martin, HON (1-8)
4. Mitchell Harrison, YAM (7-2)
5. Dylan Ferrandis, YAM (5-4)
6. Aaron Plessinger, YAM (6-11)
7. Austin Forkner, KAW (4-14)
8. Shane McElrath, KTM (9-9)
9. Chase Sexton, HON (12-7)
10. Joey Savatgy, KAW (11-10)

450 CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1. Eli Tomac (241)
2. Blake Baggett (228)
3. Jason Anderson (216)
4. Marvin Musquin (201)
5. Justin Bogle (163)
6. Dean Wilson (163)
7. Broc Tickle (146)
8. Weston Peick (137)
9. Josh Grant (133)
10. Cole Seely (132)

250 CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1. Zach Osborne (254)
2. Alex Martin (216)
3. Jeremy Martin (209)
4. Aaron Plessinger (190)
5. Austin Forkner (184)
6. Adam Cianciarulo (168)
7. Joey Savatgy (165)
8. Dylan Ferrandis (152)
9. Mitchell Harrison (147)
10. Colt Nichols (144)




  Was this post helpful? Add yours to our service or subscribe to our feed above.
Posted by Unknown at 4:05 PM
0 comments

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING CLAIMS FIRST AND SECOND AT REDBUD NATIONAL

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles
OSBORNE MAINTAINS LEAD IN 250 CHAMPIONSHIP
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team had an impressive day at the historic RedBud National, the sixth round and halfway point of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, held in Buchanan, Mich. on Saturday. Zach Osborne maintained his points lead in the 250 class by going 2-1 and earning another overall victory. The team earned two more top-10 finishes with Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson finishing second and ninth, respectively, in the 450 class. Fellow 450 rider Martin Davalos finished 14th.
Zach Osborne, the fastest 250 qualifier of the day, was second at the start of the first 250 race and started closing in on the leader by the second lap. He stayed determined and rode smooth the entire race and came within striking distance with two and a half laps to go. He put on a hard charge and stayed strong to finish second. He was top-10 at the start of the second moto and came out of the first lap in eighth. He was showing some speed and made it up to fifth by the third lap before going to work on fourth. He kept his head down and made a hard-fought pass for the position in the eighth lap before charging through the pack to overtake the lead and earn the victory. The 2-1 finish gave him the overall and maintains his lead in 250 rider point standings.
“Overall it was a great day,” said Osborne. “I qualified on the pole and went 2-1 for the overall so it’s a good day for the points and the overall grand scheme of things in the championship. I’m just going to keep plugging away and will try to rally to the title."
Jason Anderson was mid-pack at the start of the first 450 moto but crashed in a first turn pileup. He remounted outside the top 20 and charged up to ninth by the fourth lap. He was riding at a blistering pace and made three more passes before the halfway mark before putting in an amazing charge to finish fourth. He was second at the start of the second moto and immediately got involved in an epic battle in the top-three before conceding to third in the sixth lap. He made the pass for second after the leader went down after the halfway mark and kept the leader in sight. He rode hard and finished second. The 4-3 finish gave him second overall on the day. He is currently third in 450 rider point standings.
“I was able to come around and do pretty well,” said Anderson. “Although I was in a first turn pileup in the first moto, I worked really hard and came back to fourth. I was up front right away in the second moto and was swapping spots with riders. I tried to hold on as long as I could. I feel like I can still do better."
Dean Wilson was top-10 at the start of the first 450 moto and stayed consistent. He made the pass for ninth midway through the race and would eventually finish eighth. He was top-10 at the start of the second moto and came out of the first lap in eighth. He stayed consistent to finish eighth. The 8-8 finish gave him ninth overall on the day, and he is currently sixth in 450 rider point standings.
“I was eighth first moto and eighth second moto,” said Wilson, “which is pretty average for me. I just need to get a bit faster and work on a few things this week. I think I did ok considering I had food poisoning and spent most of the week resting. I’m happy to get another top-10, but feel like I can do better."
Martin Davalos was farther back in the pack at the start of the first 450 moto and made it up to 18th by lap four and continued to charge to finish 15th. He was mid-pack at the start of the second moto and started battling in 14th by the end of the first lap. He moved up to 11th by lap six before finishing 13th. The 15-13 finish gave him 14th overall on the day. He is currently 13th in 450 rider point standings.
“I love this track,” said Davalos. “It’s rough, though, because I struggled with my starts and made a lot of mistakes. I had some big crashes throughout the motos which is frustrating. I was hoping to build on the momentum from last weekend. I think I rush too much in the first couple laps, so I think I need to work on being more patient. I look forward to going to the sand next week at Southwick."
Teammate Michael Mosiman did not race due to an injury sustained at a previous race. He hopes to return to the series in the coming weeks.
The team will now make its way to the Southwick National, the seventh round of the series, held in Southwick, Mass. on July 8th. 
RedBud National Results
250 Class Overall Results1. Zach Osborne, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (2-1)2. Alex Martin, KTM (3-3)
3. Jeremy Martin, HON (1-8)
4. Mitchell Harrison, YAM (7-2)
5. Dylan Ferrandis, YAM (5-4)
6. Aaron Plessinger, YAM (6-11)
7. Austin Forkner, KAW (4-14)
8. Shane McElrath, KTM (9-9)
9. Chase Sexton, HON (12-7)
10. Joey Savatgy, KAW (11-10)
250 Class Rider Point Standings1. Zach Osborne, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (254)2. Aex Martin (216)
3. Jeremy Martin (209)
4. Aaron Plessinger (190)
5. Austin Forkner (184)
6. Adam Cianciarulo (168)
7. Joey Savatgy (165)
8. Dylan Ferrandis (152)
9. Mitchell Harrison (147)
10. Colt Nichols (144)
450 Class Overall Results1. Eli Tomac , KAW (1-1)
2. Jason Anderson, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (4-2)3. Marvin Musquin, KTM (3-3)
4. Blake Baggett, KTM (2-10)
5. Justin Barcia, SUZ (7-6)
6. Josh Grant, KAW (10-5)
7. Cole Seely, HON (6-9)
8. Justin Bogle, SUZ (9-7)
9. Dean Wilson, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (8-8)10. Weston Peick, SUZ (14-4)
…
14. Martin Davalos, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (15-13)
450 Class Rider Point Standings1. Eli Tomac (241)
2. Blake Baggett (228)
3. Jason Anderson, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (216)4. Marvin Musquin (201)
5. Justin Bogle (163)
6. Dean Wilson, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (163)7. Broc Tickle (146)
8. Weston Peick (137)
9. Josh Grant (133)
10. Cole Seely (132)
…
13. Martin Davalos, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (110)

 
Posted by Unknown at 11:20 AM
0 comments

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Results: Rockford Fosgate RedBud National

Courtesy of MX Sports
Tomac Captures Second Consecutive Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Victory at RedBud, Takes Over Points Lead
Osborne Extends Points Lead with Third 250 Class Win of Season


BUCHANAN, Mich. (July 1, 2017) - The 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, reached its halfway point with the Rockford Fosgate RedBud National, which continued its famed 4th of July tradition with riders adorned in red, white, and blue colors in honor of America's Independence Day at RedBud MX. Monster Energy Kawasaki's Eli Tomac put in a dominant performance in the sixth round of the championship, sweeping both motos for his third 450 Class victory of the season and regaining possession of the championship lead. In the 250 Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Zach Osborne claimed his third win of the season and his first since the second round.
As the gate dropped for the opening 450 Class moto, it was Team Honda HRC's Christian Craig who emerged with his third Motosport.com Holeshot of the season with RCH/Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing rider Justin Bogle and Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Marvin Musquin in tow. Musquin and RMATV/MC-WPS-KTM's Blake Baggett, who entered the weekend as the points leader, were bar-to-bar as they made the pass stick on Bogle for the second and third positions, respectively. Baggett got a good drive and dove to the inside of Musquin, however, a small bobble would allow the Frenchman to slip back by for control of third. Craig, Musquin, and Baggett controlled the top three spots at the completion of the opening lap.
While Craig continued to lead the star-studded field with his effortless riding style, Musquin and Baggett remained in a heated battle for the final podium positions. Tomac was on a mission and began to slice his way through traffic and close in on Baggett for third. The race for the lead began to intensify on Lap 3 as Musquin began to apply heavy pressure on Craig and eventually made the pass stick to take over the top spot. Tomac was relentless as he muscled his way past Baggett for third and then continued his way to the front with a pass on Craig for second. Tomac's move seemed to motivate Baggett as he followed him through by making the pass on Craig for third on the fourth lap.
Despite Musquin riding well out front, Tomac slowly started to diminish the gap and had his sights set on the KTM rider. As Tomac closed to within just a few bike lengths, Musquin started to protect his lines as an attempt to fend him off, however, Tomac proved to be too strong and overtook the race leader on Lap 5. Baggett started to find his speed and reel in Musquin on Lap 10 and eventually positioned himself into third with an aggressive pass on Lap 12 for second. 
As the race began winding down to its final laps, Tomac's lead began to shrink as Baggett closed to within a couple seconds. With just one lap remaining, Tomac held a one second advantage over Baggett, but he would set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap to hold on for his fifth moto win of the season. Baggett used a brilliant ride to finish second, just 1.4 seconds behind Tomac, while Musquin held on to third. 
Baggett launched out of the gate and powered his KTM down the sweeping left hand start straight to capture his first Motosport.com Holeshot of the year to start Moto 2, followed by Autotrader/Monster Energy/Suzuki/JGRMX rider Justin Barcia and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Jason Anderson. As the leaders approached the second turn, Barcia grabbed a handful of throttle and dove to the inside of Baggett to take the lead. Anderson went to the inside of Baggett coming down one of the tracks hills and the riders lines connected, causing contact that sent Baggett to the ground. When the field blitzed by the finish at the end of the opening lap it was Barcia, Anderson, and Tomac, while Baggett was shown in 35th place.
At the front of the field, Barcia and Anderson engaged in an intense battle, crossing lines and swapping positions in the bid for the lead. Barcia was able to keep his composure and hold onto the number one position. On Lap 4, the battle out front continued to get closer as Barcia, Anderson, and Tomac were separated by less than two seconds. Just one lap later, Tomac pulled alongside Anderson and successfully made the pass for second.
Barcia, a former winner at RedBud in 2015, rode impressively as Tomac began to nip at the Suzuki rider's heels. With Tomac stalking his every move, Barcia pulled out every defensive maneuver he had in an attempt to keep the first moto winner behind him. On Lap 7, Barcia lost traction and went down, allowing Tomac to take over the lead and moving Anderson and Peick into podium contention. Musquin began moving his way closer to the front and eventually made the move on Peick for third on Lap 10. 
When the checkered flag waved, Tomac used a dominant performance to win by 15.7 seconds for his sixth moto win of the season, and his third in a row. Anderson charged hard the entire race to finish second, followed by Musquin in third. Baggett put in a strong come-from-behind performance to finish 10th. 
The 1-1 effort by Tomac propelled him to his eighth career 450 Class win. Anderson's (4-2) was good enough for second overall on the day, while Musquin (3-3) completed the overall podium in third. Baggett finished just off the podium in fourth (2-10).
"This is so awesome, the day could not have gone any better," said Tomac. "I didn't want to rush anything in the second moto as the pace was already pretty fast and gnarly. There was a lot of roost and tear offs being pulled, so I just wanted to do my best to be smart. I took my time and slowly chipped away at the lead and eventually opened up a gap. It feels good to have a clean race and grab another win."
Tomac's win returned him to the championship points lead for the first time since the season opener at Hangtown and already signifies the third change atop the 450 Class standings this season. Tomac now holds a 13-point advantage over Baggett, while Anderson continues to control third, 25-points out of the lead.
"Things have been going good, we're close, and I'm happy overall," said Anderson. "We still need to find a little bit more speed though. The carnage on the start in the first moto caught me and I was forced to come through the pack and deal with some of the slower riders. I was able to come through the pack pretty well and make the most of the situation that we were dealt."
In the first 250 Class moto, GEICO Honda rider Jeremy Martin emerged with his fourth Motosport.com Holeshot award of the season, followed by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner and Osborne. As Martin quickly set the pace at the front of the field, Osborne wasted no time making the move on Forkner for second, while Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM's Alex Martin was in hot pursuit and also found his way past Forkner to take control of third. At the completion of the opening lap, it was Jeremy Martin, Osborne, and Alex Martin who led the 40-rider field. 
Jeremy Martin and Osborne maintained a blistering pace out front, setting nearly identical lap times as they played cat-and-mouse on the small gap that separated them. On Lap 4, the lead trio of Martin, Osborne, and Alex Martin began to distance themselves from the rest of the field, each with their sights set on the number-one position. Jeremy Martin soon started to feel the pressure of Osborne, who was hot on the rear fender of the race leader and searching for a way around on Lap 6. Martin was able to answer Osborne's charge and emerge with a small cushion.
The smaller displacement 250 Class witnessed most riders struggling to launch the famous "LaRocco's Leap," but Jeremy Martin was one of the few riders able to consistently clear the massive uphill step up, which helped him keep Osborne at bay. On Lap 16, Martin and Osborne were the closest they had been to one another all race long, as Osborne used every inch of the track to find a passing spot. Shortly after latching onto the back of Martin's Honda, Osborne lost valuable time as he encountered lapped traffic. 
Martin maintained his gap during the final laps of the race to win his third moto of the season by 4.6 seconds over his championship rival Osborne. Alex Martin used an inspiring ride to keep the lead duo in sight the majority of the race and rounded out the podium in third, just 2.3 seconds behind Osborne. 
In Moto 2, Jeremy Martin repeated with his class-leading fifth Motosport.com Holeshot of the season by edging out his brother, Alex, and Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Mitchell Harrison. However, disaster struck Jeremy Martin as he washed the front tire entering turn one and handed the lead over to his brother. As the talented field of riders circulated the opening lap, Alex Martin led Harrison, and Cycle Trader/Rock River Yamaha's Luke Renzland, while Jeremy Martin had already clawed his way up to 21st after remounting nearly dead last.
Alex Martin instantly found himself being pressured by Harrison, who started to show a wheel in an attempt to take control of the lead. On Lap 1, Harrison was able to make the pass stick on Martin, and the crowd erupted in cheers for the Michigan-native out front. Harrison's lead would be short lived as Martin was quick to strike back and retake the position. Martin then put his head down and began to open a small cushion with Harrison and Renzland in second and third, respectively. Osborne, who started the race just inside of the top 10, was beginning to find hot lines as he overtook Renzland for third on Lap 8.
As Martin looked to breakthrough with his second moto win of the season, he made a costly mistake entering the sand rollers on Lap 10 and found himself on the ground, ultimately allowing Harrison to inherit the race lead. Martin lost just one spot and remounted in second, however, Osborne was within striking distance and quickly passed to move into the runner-up spot, shuffling Martin back to third. On Lap 13, Osborne was lurking behind Harrison and made a spectacular pass to take over the lead. The final stage of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto was an all-out battle as the top three of Osborne, Harrison, and Martin were within mere seconds of each other.
Osborne took the checkered flag less than one second ahead of Harrison for his fifth moto win of the season. Harrison put in a superb ride for the runner-up spot, capturing his first career moto podium, while Alex Martin landed on the final step of the podium in third, just 1.9 seconds behind race winner Osborne. 
The 2-1 moto scores guided Osborne to his fourth career victory and his third of the 2017 season. Alex Martin's consistency placed him second overall on the day (3-3), while Jeremy Martin (1-8) overcame adversity in the second moto to finish third overall.
"The crowd at RedBud is definitely next level," said Osborne. "The first moto I started just behind Jeremy [Martin], and we kind of went back and forth the whole moto. It sucked to lose it, but it was nice to at least be on the lead pace. It wasn't a huge deal as we still scored good points. I never jumped LaRocco's Leap all day and felt like I was able to make up for it in other sections of the track."
For the second consecutive week, Osborne further extended his championship points lead, which now sits at 38-points over Alex Martin. Osborne comfortably holds onto the red plate with more than a full moto lead to spare. Jeremy Martin's third overall was good enough to maintain third in the standings, just seven points behind his brother.
"I love coming here to RedBud, it's definitely one of my favorite events of the year and I always enjoy racing here," said Alex Martin. "The first moto we were all so close and evenly matched that it made it extremely tough. The second moto was a bit of a bummer as I had the lead when I crashed. I think I had a good chance for the overall win today if I could have limited that one mistake."
The 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will return to action next Saturday, July 8, for the seventh round of the season at The Wick 338 in Southwick, Massachusetts. First motos of the Red Bull Southwick National can be seen live on MAVTV at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. The second 450 Class moto will air live on NBC at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET, while the second 250 Class moto will air via tape delay on NBC Sports Network at 9:30 p.m. PT / 12:30 a.m. ET. 
Results
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Rockford Fosgate RedBud National
RedBud MX - Buchanan, Michigan
July 1, 2017
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
  1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (1-1)
  2. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (4-2)
  3. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (3-3)
  4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (2-10)
  5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Suzuki (7-6)
  6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki (10-5)
  7. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., (6-9)
  8. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Suzuki (9-7)
  9. Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna (8-8)
  10. Weston Peick, Menifee, Calif., Suzuki (14-4) 
450 Class Championship Standings
  1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki - 241
  2. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM - 228
  3. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna - 216
  4. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM - 201
  5. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Suzuki - 163
  6. Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna - 163
  7. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki - 146
  8. Weston Peick, Menifee, Calif., Suzuki - 137
  9. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki - 133
  10. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda - 132
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
  1. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (2-1)
  2. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM (3-3)
  3. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (1-8)
  4. Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha (7-2)
  5. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (5-4)
  6. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (6-11)
  7. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (4-14)
  8. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM (9-9)
  9. Chase Sexton, La Moille, IL., Honda (12-7)
  10. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (11-10)
250 Class Championship Standings
  1. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna - 254
  2. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM - 216
  3. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda - 209
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha - 190
  5. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki - 184
  6. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki - 168
  7. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki - 165
  8. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha - 152
  9. Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Yamaha - 147
  10. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha - 144
For information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.comand be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross ChampionshipThe Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, features the world's fastest outdoor motocross racers, racing aboard the best bikes each factory offers, on the roughest, toughest tracks in the world. The 12-rounds series begins at Hangtown in May and ends at Indiana's Ironman Raceway in August. It includes stops at the premier motocross racing facilities in America, with events in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, New York and Indiana. The pro riders race on Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is managed by MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road power sports event production. The series is televised on NBC, NBCSN and MAVTV and streamed live on NBC Sports Gold Series partners include Lucas Oil (series title sponsor), Red Bull, WPS, Fly Racing, GEICO Motorcycle, MotoSport.com, Garmin, 100%, KTM, FMF, Deltran Battery Tender, Pirelli, Suzuki, Husqvarna, Pivot Works, Vertex, Alpinestars, KMC Wheels, MotionPro, VP Racing Fuels, Acerbis and Racer X.  More information can be found at www.ProMotocross.com. 




  Was this post helpful? Add yours to our service or subscribe to our feed above.
Posted by Unknown at 11:00 AM
0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)