Unadilla Kicks Off Three-Round Run to the Finish for 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship

Courtesy of MX Sports


Following its final break of the 2016 season, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is set for a captivating run to the finish. The final three weeks of the 12-round championship will kick off this Saturday, August 13, from one of the sport’s most iconic venues. Unadilla MX in New Berlin, New York, has been hosting the world’s most prestigious championship since its inception in 1972 and this weekend’s anticipated 31^st running of the Unadilla National will signify the next stop in RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing rider Ken Roczen’s quest for a second 450 Class title, while Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb seeks his first ever national crown in the 250 Class.

Broadcast Coverage of the Unadilla National:First Motos (250 & 450 Class) – LIVE on MAVTV at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ETTape Delayed Second Motos – August 21 at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports NetworkLIVE Coverage can also be streamed via ProMotocross.com and NBC Sports App.Unadilla Highlight Show – August 25 at 11 p.m. PT / 2 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Network 

 At the championship’s previous round from the picturesque Pacific Northwest in Washougal, Washington, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac continued his recent surge by capturing his second overall victory in the past three rounds. While the win for Tomac added to his building confidence at the most critical juncture in the season, it ultimately resulted in no change in the 450 Class standings thanks to a tie for the win with Roczen. As a result, 55 points sit between the longtime rivals with three rounds remaining.

Since breaking through for his first win of the season at Southwick one month ago Tomac has stepped up to become the only rider standing between Roczen and a second 450 Class title. He’s poised to add to his success this season and continue to take away from Roczen’s win share, but will face a steep challenge in trying to overcome a deficit that sits at more than two motos.

For Roczen his unparalleled consistency has put him in a position to race in the best interest of the championship. He’s yet to finish off the overall podium this season and while he does have the luxury of a healthy points lead, it would be no surprise to anyone to see him continue rack up wins and end any hopes Tomac has at catching him. The excitement of motocross surrounds its unpredictability and while Roczen can control his own destiny, with six motos remaining anything can still happen, which has been evident throughout the 2016 season. Neither Tomac nor Roczen have ever won a premier class race at Unadilla, but in the absence of defending champion and back-to-back winner Ryan Dungey a new rider will likely emerge to become the newest winner at the famed facility.
While Roczen and Tomac continue their battle atop the championship standings, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin will look to maintain his hold on third over Autotrader/Monster Energy/Yamaha’s Justin Barcia. Currently 39 points sit between the two and both have come on strong in recent weeks. Barcia’s return to his native New York could play into his favor this weekend, but the European style of the Unadilla layout could benefit Musquin, who has a 250 Class win to his credit.

Just over a month ago, the 250 Class title fight had a much different look than it currently has. Entering the halfway point of the season at RedBud over 4^th of July weekend Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy sat atop the standings with a 12-point lead over Webb, closely followed by his Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha teammates Jeremy and Alex Martin. Now, as the championship nears its conclusion, Webb has not only seized control of the standings, but has also opened up a 51-point lead.
A streak of three consecutive wins gave Webb the momentum and confidence to make a run for his first national title. Since his first win at Tennesee five rounds ago Webb has failed to finish on the podium in a moto just once. On the flip side, the results from his three main rivals over that stretch have been sporadic, allowing Webb to outscore each of them by at least 47 points. At the most recent outing of the season at Washougal, Webb endured through his worst outing since the third round, scoring just 35 points, yet still finished third overall despite that. The only championship contender to gain any ground on Webb at Washougal was Alex Martin, who walked away with his second win of the season.

Despite his recent success, Alex Martin faces the biggest deficit of the three riders chasing Webb, sitting 55 points out of the lead. While a total of just four points separate Jeremy Martin in second, Savatgy in third, and Alex Martin in fourth, all three still must overcome their deficit to Webb that has now grown to more than two motos. All four riders have at least one overall win to their credit this season, meaning the final three rounds of the season should be as entertaining as the nine rounds leading up to this point.

Event Schedule
Unadilla NationalRound 10: Lucas Oil Pro Motocross ChampionshipAugust 13, 2016 – New Berlin, New York
Race Day Schedule:
5:30 a.m. PT / 8:30 a.m. ET - Practice & Qualifying
9:30 p.m. PT / 12:30 p.m. ET - Opening Ceremonies
10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET - First Motos (250 Class & 450 Class)
12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET - Second Motos (250 Class & 450 Class)
Broadcast Schedule:
August 13 - 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET (LIVE) - MAVTV - First Motos (250 & 450 Class)August 21 - 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET - NBCSN - Second Motos (250 & 450 Class)
August 25 - 11:00 p.m. PT / 2:00 a.m. ET - NBC Sports Network - Highlight Show
**BOLD indicates live broadcast.***All times subject to change.
Previous Round Results 
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Peterson CAT Washougal National
Washougal MX Park – Washougal, Washington
July 23, 2016
Round 9 of 12
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (2-1)
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki (1-2)
3. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (3-3)
4. Weston Peick, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha (7-5)
5. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (10-4)
6. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (6-7)
7. Benny Bloss, Oak Grove, Mo., KTM (5-9)
8. Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha (4-11)
9. Dean Wilson, Scotland, KTM (8-10)
10. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Honda (15-8) 

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki – 434
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 379
3. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 283
4. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 244
5. Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna – 217
6. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 171
7. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM – 155
8. Justin Brayton Fort Dodge, Iowa, KTM – 152
9. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 151
10. Benny Bloss, Oak Grove, Mo., KTM – 151

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

1. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (1-2)
2. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (10-1)
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (3-6)
4. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (2-11)
5. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (8-4)
6. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (6-7)
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (9-5)
8. Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, Kawasaki (7-8)
9. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM (16-3)
10. Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM (11-9) 

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 372
2. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 321
3. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 319
4. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 317
5. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki – 257
6. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 253
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 245
8. Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, Kawasaki – 190
9. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 179
10. Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM – 169 

For information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and LIKE the Pro Motocross Facebook page and follow @ProMotocross on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and additional information on the latest Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship news. 
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
The 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 Live Extra.  Series partners include Lucas Oil (series title sponsor), Red Bull, GoPro, WPS, Fly Racing, GEICO Motorcycle, Kawasaki, Motorcycle Superstore, FRAM, KTM, Oakley, FMF, Deltran Battery Tender, Pirelli, Suzuki, Husqvarna, Pivot Works, Vertex, ProGrip, EBC Brakes, 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.