Just two points separate defending class champion Jeremy Martin and challenger Marvin Musquin; title could go either way at Bud Light Ironman National in Indiana.
With Ryan Dungey clinching the Lucas Oil 450cc Pro Motocross Championship one round early, the pre-race chatter surrounding the season-ending Bud Light Ironman National is focused on the intense struggle for the Lucas Oil AMA 250cc National Motocross Championship.
The table has been set for the final two 250cc motos at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana, August 22, where either Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin will successfully defend the Lucas Oil 250cc Pro Motocross Championship crown he won in 2014 or Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin of France will take it away from him. It all comes down to Saturday.
With 11 of the 12 Lucas Oil rounds in the bank, Martin and Musquin have engaged in a title fight with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster as the series points lead has changed hands numerous times. They began the year tied in the series standings after the opening round of the season, the GoPro Hangtown Motocross Classic, in Sacramento, back in mid-May. In the 20 motos since then, neither man has been able to hold a clear advantage over the other. The points swings between Martin and Musquin has at times hit double digits while the two riders enjoyed championship-caliber results at one round, only to have to overcome potential title-wrecking adversity at the next–and sometimes these happened on the same day. The result of this seesaw battle is that Martin and Musquin come into Ironman Raceway separated by just two points.
Martin holds the points advantage, but perhaps more importantly, he also has the tiebreaker advantage should the two men finish the season level on points–a real possibility–after the Ironman National. Martin took care of that when he won the Zions Bank National in Tooele, Utah, last weekend, earning his fifth overall win of the season. Musquin has three overall wins, but he has the upper hand in moto wins, with 10, one more than Martin. Neither rider truly has the upper hand coming into the Indiana finale.
It isn’t the first time that the 250cc (formerly 125cc) class has hosted a thrilling season finish. In 2003, only seven points separated eventual AMA 125cc National Motocross Champion Grant Langston and Ryan Hughes. In 2000, Travis Pastrana and Stephane Roncada engaged in a similar back-and-forth title fight. Pastrana claimed the 125cc title by just two points after coming from behind in the standings to outscore Roncada at the season finale.
So here’s how it breaks down: A 1-1 effort by Musquin would allow him to take the title, no matter what Martin does, but if Musquin finishes second third or fourth, he would need Martin to finish at least one position behind him in both motos to claim the title. If both riders finish fifth or worse, Musquin would need Martin to finish at least two positions behind him in one of the two motos, and then not finish ahead of him in the other, to win the title.
On the other hand, Martin is hoping to become the first rider since Ryan Villopoto in 2007-2008 to win back-to-back 250cc titles. Martin enters Crawfordsville with the upper hand, but he has had a number of bad moto starts which have necessitated come-from-behind charges to mitigate a loss of points this season. Clean starts will be a key to his success.
And any rider on the starting gate could be a spoiler in Indiana, but one that many will be watching his Martin’s teammate, Cooper Webb, who showed that he is not above sacrificing his own chances for victory for the sake of his team when he slowed dramatically while leading the second moto in Utah, allowing Martin to make an easy pass and score a critical overall win to gain the tiebreaker advantage. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy could also be a rider who swings the title battle, especially since he is in a close points battle as well. Having claimed his first career win just two races ago, Savatgy currently sits third in the standings, just five points ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Emerging young lions such as RJ Hampshire and Jessy Nelson could also play a role in the outcome.
The Bud Light Ironman National gets underway this Saturday, August 22, beginning at 5:30 a.m. PT/8:30 a.m. ET with practice and qualifying. Opening ceremonies begin at at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET, immediately followed by racing at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. MAVTV will carry LIVE broadcast coverage of the first motos at 10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET. Tape-delayed coverage of the second motos will air on NBC Sports Network, beginning at 8:30 p.m. PT/11:30 p.m. ET. All the action from Ironman Raceway can also be seen as it happens via the online live-stream on ProMotocross.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app.
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