Ken Roczen nets his first overall win of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season; Marvin Musquin sweeps 250s.
After starting the season with a debilitating back injury, RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ken Roczen stopped the flow of points that he was hemorrhaging to Ryan Dungy by taking his first overall win of the season at the 39th running of the UPMC Sports Medicine High Point National in Pennsylvania, today.
In a 450cc class that showcased some of the best racing yet this season, round five of the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship hosted an epic battle that featured defending series champion Roczen, Dungey and a few other key players in the 450cc class. However, the battle for the overall win ultimately came down to the second moto with Roczen prevailing to beat Dungey via 2-1 moto scores. In the 250cc class, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin led all but one lap of the day to secure his second overall win of the season with a 1-1 moto sweep and retake the class point lead from the defending class champion, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin.
450cc
Autotrader.com/Toyota/Yamaha’s Justin Barcia claimed his third Motosport.com Holeshot Award of the season in the opening 450c moto, but fast qualifier Christophe Pourcel was right on Barcia’s tail, and the two riders swapped the lead numerous times on the opening. In fact, as the field came around to start lap two, the top six riders were within 3 seconds of each other with Autotrader.com/Toyota/Yamaha’s Weston Peick, RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki teammates Broc Tickle and Roczen, and Red Bull KTM’s Dungey were all in the mix.
Dungey was able to get by three riders on the next lap, however, moving into a podium spot, and he caught both Pourcel and Barcia by the fourth lap. Roczen was also on the move, taking over second place halfway through the moto. Roczen would chase for the rest of the moto, but Dungey would not be caught as he claimed his third moto win of the year by 4 seconds. Roczen was second, and Pourcel held on for third, his best moto finish thus far.
Pourcel was gunning for an even better result in the second moto as he claimed the Motosport.com Holeshot Award, this time with Barcia in tow. Roczen and Dungey got better starts, and Roczen quickly took over the lead. Dungey moved into second place by the end of lap two, and from there the two ran close together for the rest of the race. Dungey closed the gap to less than a second at one point, but Roczen was able to open it back up to 3 seconds. By the end of the moto Roczen stretched the gap to 10-plus seconds, landing his first overall win of the season. It also signified the first Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship victory for RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing.
“I am so stoked to finally get an overall,” Roczen said. “The fans were incredible. The track was a little tricky so you had to stay on it. I love racing, and it’s good to go into an off weekend with a win and have the motivation to get even stronger. It’s a bummer we didn’t gain any points, but we’re taking it step by step right now. It’s a good step in the right direction.”
Behind the championship contenders, Pourcel, Barcia and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson battled for the final podium position. After Pourcel had a small bobble, Anderson got by the Frenchman and then quickly pursued Barcia, moving into third in the first half of the race and maintaining a comfortable distance in front of Barcia. Anderson went on to net his third overall podium finish of the season with a 4-3.
While he did stop Dungey from gaining more points, Roczen did not gain any ground on Dungey in the series standings because the points are awarded per moto and the two riders had identical results. Thus, Dungey maintains a 37-point lead heading into the first break of the season.
250cc
Musquin established himself early at High Point Raceway when he earned his first Bud Light Fastest Qualifier award of the year, and he kept right on trucking when the gate dropped for the first moto. The Frenchman grabbed the Motosport.com Holeshot Award over GEICO Honda’s RJ Hampshire and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo. GEICO Honda’s Christian Craig followed close in fourth. With no one in front of him, Musquin quickly pulled a big lead over the rest of the field. Meanwhile , Martin was caught mid-pack off the start and came through the first lap in 10th
Hampshire ran second and tried his best to hold off Cianciarulo, with the Kawasaki rider eventually taking over the spot on lap five. Hampshire then ran third for half the race until he made a mistake that allowed both CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha’s Alex Martin and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne to get by him.
Martin took most of the moto to make it into the top five, pulling in behind his brother Alex with the white flag waving, but Jeremy was ultimately unable to get by Alex and settled for fourth. Cianciarulo held onto second, while Alex Martin finished third.
Osborne was away first at the start of the second 250cc moto, with Musquin and GEICO Honda’s Matt Bisceglia running second and third respectively, ahead of Craig and Alex Martin. Jeremy Martin suffered another bad start finished the first lap in 19th place.
Musquin took advantage of a small mistake by Osborne at the start of lap two to take the lead. Osborne didn’t let Musquin pull away, however. Joey Savatgy, who came from sixth on the opening lap, managed to work his way into third on his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki.
Jeremy Martin made his way to the front much quicker this time around, and unlike the first moto was able to pass brother Alex after halfway. Once into fourth, he had more than a 10-second gap to Savatgy in third. He nearly made it to Savatgy, but Jeremy Martin ultimately finished 1.6 seconds behind in fourth. Martin salvaged third overall with a 4-4 moto result.
Musquin claimed his second 1-1 sweep of the season on his way to overall victory number two. Osborne finished just 6.6 seconds back of Musquin in second, which was good enough for second overall (5-2). Third overall went to the resilient Jeremy Martin with a 4-4 moto score.
“I have to win races and have great starts to try and win this championship,” Musquin said. “I had to pass really quick in that second moto because the track was a little rougher that Moto 1. The first moto I was able to get out front right away and have a clear and smooth track. It did get hot in that second moto and I tried to be smooth. As soon as I got a gap, I just tried to maintain it. It was a perfect day.”
Musquin’s second sweep of the season, along with Jeremy Martin’s two fourth-place finishes, propelled the Frenchman to the top of the 250 Class points standings. He will take an eight-point lead into Round 6 in two weeks. Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull/KTM’s Jessy Nelson (10-8) held onto third in the standings, while Cianciarulo (2-12), who had a rough second moto, managed to close the gap on Nelson in fourth.
The 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will take a one-weekend break but will return Saturday, June 27, with the GEICO Budds Creek National from Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland.
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
39th UPMC Sports Medicine High Point National
High Point Raceway
Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania
Results: June 13, 2015 (Round 5 of 12)
450cc Overall
1. Ken Roczen-Suz/2-1
2. Ryan Dungey-KTM/1-2
3. Jason Anderson-Hus/4-3
4. Christophe PourcelHus/3-5
5. Justin Barcia-Yam/5-4
6. Broc Tickle-Suz/6-8
7. Weston Peick/-Yam/11-6
8. Cole Seely-/Hon/7-10
9. Wil Hahn-Kaw/10-9
10. Fredrick Noren-Honda/8-12
Lucas Oil 450cc Pro Motocross Championship Point Standings (after 5 of 12 rounds)
1. Ryan Dungey-222
2. Ken Roczen-185
3. Jason Anderson-150
4. Justin Barcia-148
5. Blake Baggett-145
6. Broc Tickle-131
7. Weston Peick-129
8. Eli Tomac-125
9. Christophe Pourcel-115
10. Phil Nicoletti-106
250cc Overall
1. Marvin Musquin-KTM/1-1
2. Zach Osborne-Hus/5-2
3. Jeremy Martin-Yam/4-4
4. Alex Martin- Yam/3-5
5. Joey Savatgy-Kaw/6-3
6. Adam Cianciarulo-Kaw/2-12
7. Christian Craig-/Hon/8-7
8. Jessy Nelson-KTM/10-8
9. Aaron Plessinger-Yam/9-10
10. Shane McElrath-KTM/11-9
Lucas Oil 250cc Pro Motocross Championship Point Standings (after 5 of 12 rounds)
1. Marvin Musquin-219
2. Jeremy Martin-211
3. Jessy Nelson-146
4. Adam Cianciarulo-143
5. Joey Savatgy-135
6. Zach Osborne-129
7. Alex Martin-115
8. Shane McElrath-109
9. Aaron Plessinger-108
10. Matt Bisceglia-106
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