After seven rounds in the Eastern region, Monster Energy AMA Supercross trekked back to the West for round 14 of the series, where Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin scored his second 450cc main event win of the season while Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger scored his first 250SX West main event of the year at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington, Saturday night.
Furthermore, the dramatic run of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac toward the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series Championship reached critical mass when Tomac finally caught series points leader and defending champion Ryan Dungey in the standings, the two knotting in the top spot with 294 points each.
Dungey’s troubles in the Seattle main event began right off the start when he was caught up in a turn-one pileup with RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki’s Justin Bogle and Autotrader/Monster Energy/Suzuki’s Justin Barcia. Dungey remounted in last place but was able to make three passes to officially be credited with 19th place at the end of the first lap. Tomac fared a little better although he did not get the best start and was running 10th early.
RMATV/MC-WPS-KTM’s Davi Millsaps led the field on the first lap, but Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson and Musquin both got by to him to run one-two. Musquin then passed Anderson to lead lap one, and he took advantage of a clear track to negotiate the rutty, black track to stretch his advantage. With Anderson running second, Monster Energy/Yamalube/Chaparral/Yamaha Financial Services/Yamaha’s Cooper Webb moved past Millsaps into third.
Tomac began his charge toward the front of the field by moving from seventh to fourth on lap four. Tomac then pressured Webb for third, and their pace drew them closer to Anderson to make it a three-rider battle for third place. Tomac was able to pass Webb for third briefly, but Webb fought back and then stole second place away from Anderson on lap nine. Tomac also passed Anderson but then crashed and fell back to fourth just ahead of Millsaps.
Anderson soon began to make his way back to Webb’s rear tire, and on lap 16 Anderson dove to the inside of Webb coming out of a corner, forcing the rookie to alter his line slightly and make a mistake that caused Webb to crash. Meanwhile, Tomac came back from a six-second deficit and was able to pass the downed Webb to retake third place. Dungey had also been furiously passing his way toward the front of the field, and he also took advantage of Webb’s misfortune to take over fifth place.
Tomac finally passed Anderson for second place on lap 18, but Musquin was too far out front by then, and the Frenchman crossed the finish line to win the race by 4.7 seconds, claiming his first win since the 2017 Arlington Supercross.
“It means a lot to get this win,” Musquin said. “We’ve been working hard, and today was a good day. The track was really tough and technical, and you could easily make mistakes. I didn’t have the greatest start, so I don’t know how I pulled it off, but I got into the lead pretty quick and just tried to ride consistent.”
Tomac admitted that his race was chaotic, and although it stopped his win streak at five races, second place was still enough to gain a share of the series points lead even though Dungey soldiered all the way up to fourth place in the Seattle main event.
“I didn’t get the greatest start, but I ended up finding some rhythm combinations early on that were huge in getting me to the front,” Tomac said. “Once I got up to about Cooper [Webb] I hit a wall [in my performance speed]. Then I ended up making a mistake and went down. Luckily the bike was okay and I ultimately was able to get by Jason [Anderson]. It’s not something I expected after everything that happened.”
The 250SX West main event was red-flagged after Plessinger had already made his way into the lead, but that didn’t seem to bother the Yamaha rider, as he started fifth when the race got underway the second time. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Martin Davalos held the early lead, with GEICO Honda’s Jimmy Decotis and Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Shane McElrath running second and third respectively, ahead of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Justin Hill. As Davalos tried to get away, Decotis and McElrath battled for second, and that gave Hill the chance to join them. Hill was already in third place near the end of lap one, ad he quickly pressured Decotis for second place before it was over.
Plessinger was also on the move, however, and he also passed Decotis to claim third before lap one was complete. Plessinger then attacked Hill and found a way past the Kawasaki man on lap two. Plessinger’s pace was substantially quicker than the rest of the field as he had figured how to triple his way through one of CenturyLink Field’s treacherous rhythm sections, something no other rider was doing. That allowed him to easily catch and pass Davalos on lap three. Hill would also pass Davalos a take over second place early on lap four
Once out front, Plessinger pulled away to score an easy win. with 6.3 second in hand. Hill held on to finish in second place while Decotis tried unsuccessfully to fend off Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Mitchell Oldenburg, who came through to finish in third place.
“I got out front the first time and then they red flagged it,” Plessinger said. “I thought to myself ‘I can’t catch a break.’ But I did it again and put my Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha out front, and it was amazing. I haven’t won a race this year, and it feels great to finally get back on top of the box.”
Hill’s runner-up finish ended a four-race Monster Energy AMA 250SX West Supercross Series win streak, although he still holds the series points lead. Plessinger is still 18 points shy of Hill with two rounds left to run.
“I could have been better, but we had seven weeks off and I have a little rust on me,” said Hill said. “All things considered, I can’t really complain. I still have the points lead, and I’ve been on the podium in every race but one. I think I can learn a lot from this and be better [at the next race].”
The 2017 Monster Energy Supercross season will take a one-week break before returning to action on Saturday, April 22, at Salt Lake City, Utah’s Rice Eccles Stadium, marking the series’ first visit there since 2013. Live broadcast coverage can be seen on FS2, beginning at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series
CenturyLink Field
Seattle, Washington
Results: April 8, 2017 (Round 14 of 16)
450cc Main Event
1. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
3. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
4. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
5. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., KTM
6. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki
7. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM
8. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha
9. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha
10. Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
2017 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series Points Standings (after 14 of 16 rounds)
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 294/8 wins
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 294/2 wins
3. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM – 252/2 wins
4. Cole Seely, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Honda – 211
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna – 208
6. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 177
7. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., KTM – 176
8. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 158
9. Dean Wilson, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna – 147
10. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha – 143
250SX West Main Event
1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha
2. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki
3. Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM
4. Martin Davalos, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
5. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM
6. Jimmy Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
7. Hayden Mellross, Australia, Yamaha
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Honda
9. Cole Martinez, Rimrock, Ariz., Yamaha
10. Justin Hoeft, Castaic, Calif., Yamaha
2017 Monster Energy AMA 250SX West Supercross Series Points Standings (after 7 of 9 rounds)
1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki – 160/4 wins
2. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 142/1 win
3. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM – 129/2 wins
4. Martin Davalos, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna – 124
5. Jimmy Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda – 106
6. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki – 90
7. Dan Reardon, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha – 82
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Honda – 73
9. Cole Martinez, Rimrock, Ariz., Yamaha – 64
10. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda – 55
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