With MAVTV’s coverage of the first motos of each round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, motocross fans won’t miss a minute of the action.
If you’re unable to attend the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship series-opening Red Bull Glen Helen National at Glen Helen Raceway next Saturday, May 24, you can still catch live first-moto action on MAVTV, which will deliver live broadcasts of both the 250cc and 450cc class first motos for the entire 12-round Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
Despite the absence of defending Lucas Oil 450cc Pro Motocross Champion Ryan Villopoto, who is sitting out the series to heal injuries suffered during the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series, previous champions Ryan Dungey, James Stewart and Chad Reed should ensure that the series delivers on its reputation for intense competition throughout the summer. The former champions will do battle with a troop of hungry contenders, including Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac. Lead broadcaster Jason Weigandt commented that the pre-season edge may belong to the former champions.
“Villopoto has missed this championship before with injuries and each year Ryan Dungey has dominated,” Jason Weigandt, the lead broadcaster for the series said. “But there’s a lot of talent lined up that wasn’t there for most of Dungey’s championship seasons–a healthy James Stewart, Chad Reed and Trey Canard and young kids like Justin Barcia, Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac. With the champ out, this time it could be wide open. There are injuries, mistakes, bad luck over the course of a 12-round, 24-moto season. If Dungey, Stewart and Reed have any edge in the championship, it’s that they know how to take advantage of the situation.”
Stewart, who enjoyed a strong return to form in Supercross, winning five main events, won all 24 motos en route to earning the 2008 outdoor championship. He he has struggled with injuries in the past, but Weigandt said he believes that Stewart cannot be counted out.
“We’ve seen a different James Stewart in Supercross,” Weigandt said. “He’s getting his mojo back. He’s a new James Stewart.”
Reed, 32, suffered tough luck in Supercross when he had to pull out due to a crash that resulted in season-ending shoulder surgery in February. Prior to the injury, Reed, too, appeared to be back to his championship-winning form, posting two wins and two third-place finishes in the opening five events.
“When the odds are stacked against him, he always does better,” Weigandt said. “I don’t care if he’s 50, you can’t count him out.”
Still, Weigandt says that riders such as Canard, Barcia, Tomac and Roczen could break through to win the championship.
“Trey Canard has overcome injuries to bounce back strongly,” Weigandt said. “His fourth a year ago was evidence that he’s capable of winning it.”
Barcia was third behind Villopoto and Dungey in the 450cc Class championship a year ago. Tomac was the 250cc Class champion and Roczen was runner-up.
“Justin Barcia, that’s a lot of talent,” Weigandt said. “He was new to the 450’s last year and you’ve got to think he’ll get better. Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen are moving up into the 450 Class and they could do it if the circumstances are right.”
Canard is 23, Barcia 22, Tomac 21 and Roczen 20. At 24, Dungey is the oldest among the former champions.
“It’s clear the old guard hasn’t gone away and we’ve got kids moving up,” Weigandt said. “It’s a pretty good collision of the generations.”
With reigning 250cc National Champion Eli Tomac moving to the 450cc class, the 250cc title is completely up for grabs. In a field with real international flavor, top contenders for the title should include two-time former FIM MX2 World Champion Marvin Musquin of France and Dean Wilson of Scotland, in addition to Americans such as Blake Baggett of Grand Terrace, California. Both Wilson and Baggett are returning to the series after suffering injuries in 2013.
MAVTV has quickly become a major force in the broadcasting of motorsports on two and four wheels. The 2014 season will mark the inaugural season of MAVTV televising the opening moto of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. MAVTV President and Lucas Oil Executive Vice President Bob Patison said that the network is excited to add both first motos of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship to MAVTV’s lineup of programming.
“It’s world-class motocross and cuts to the core of our audience,” Patison said. “We’ll be working in conjunction with our television partners from the NBC Sports Group so that fans will not miss any of the mind-blowing action.”
For more information, including program listings. check out www.mavtv.com.
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