Cooper Webb scores first Lucas Oil 250cc Pro Motocross win of 2016 at Muddy Creek Raceway.
Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb is one tough customer.
Despite suffering a broken hand early in the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Webb raced through injury to maintain his position near the top of the 250cc standings, and he finally claimed his first overall win of 2016 at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville. Tennessee, Saturday. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy finished second overall, and Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Shane McElrath finished third overall.
Another Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider, Adam Cianciarulo, pulled the holeshot in the first 250cc moto with series points leader Savatgy running right with him. While Cianciarulo moved into the lead, GEICO Honda’s Jordon Smith shot past Savatgy for second place. Cianciarulo’s lead was short-lived however, as he low-sided in a right-hand corner and hit the dirt, handing the lead to Smith.
It wasn’t long before Savatgy began to pressure Smith for the lead, and Savatgy made the pass for the point on lap five, pulling away to win by over 9 seconds. Behind him, Webb would catch and pass Smith for second place after Cianciarulo crashed again on lap nine while holding that spot. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne also passed Smith on lap 12 to land third before the finish. Smith finished fourth. McElrath stole fifth from Jeremy Martin on the last lap.
McElrath came right back in Moto 2 and bagged the holeshot ahead of Cianciarulo and Savatgy, but Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Alex Martin wrestled the lead away from McElrath briefly before making a mistake and going off the track. McElrath slipped back into the lead.
While McElrath and Martin pulled clear, Smith, Arnaud Tonus, Austin Forkner, and Savatgy battled for third, a battle that turned sour for Savatgy when he crashed twice during the moto, ultimately dropping to seventh place and missing out on his chance to collect a fourth overall win in five rounds.
Up front, McElrath remained in control of the race, but Webb was flying after a disappointing eighth-place start. He moved into the top five by the fifth lap, only to drop back and then fight his way back again. Webb caught and passed Smith for third on lap 11, then got by Martin for second on lap 15. It took until the final lap, but also caught and passed Martin on the last lap for his first overall win of the season at the site of his first career overall win, which came in 2014. He also became the first 250cc class repeat winner since Muddy Creek began hosting Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship rounds.
“I’m just tired of losing,” he said. “These fans are awesome. I could hear them out there and it kept me going. This is what I consider to be a home race, so I’d rather win this race more than any other. I just cannot thank all these fans enough for their support.”
Despite finishing seventh in Moto 2, Savatgy was able to net second overall primarily on the strength of his first-moto win. McElrath had a career day at what is his home race, netting his first career Lucas Oil overall podium effort, third, via 5-2 moto finishes.
“The first moto was good. I got a good start and rode my own race,” Savatgy said. “I’m just very frustrated right now and disappointed in myself. I shouldn’t have made those
mistakes [in the second moto] and I lost a lot of energy just trying to keep my bike running. We still got second and have the red plate [as points leader], but we lost some valuable points today and need to bounce back next weekend.”
Savatgy still holds a 12-point lead over Webb in the series points standings while Jeremy Martin, who finished fifth overall at Muddy Creek, sits third, 32 points out of the lead.
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will reach the halfway point of the 2016 season next weekend with the RedBud National in Buchanan, Michigan. The sixth round of the championship will commence over Independence Day weekend on Saturday, July 2.
2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Red Bull Tennessee National
Muddy Creek Raceway
Blountville, Tennessee
Results: June 25, 2016 (Round 5 of 12)
250cc Overall
1. Cooper Webb, Newport, NC, Yamaha (2-1)
2. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, GA, Kawasaki (1-7)
3. Shane McElrath, Canton, NC, KTM (5-2)
4. Jordon Smith, Belmont, NC, Honda (4-6)
5. Jeremy Martin, Millville, MN, Yamaha (6-5)
6. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, VA, Husqvarna (3-10)
7. Austin Forkner, Richards, MO, Kawasaki (10-4)
8. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, FL, Honda (19-3)
9. Alex Martin, Millville, MN, Yamaha (9-9)
10. Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, Kawasaki (12-8)
2016 Lucas Oil 250cc Pro Motocross Championship Series Standings (after 5 of 12 rounds)
1. Joey Savatgy-205/3 overall wins/5 moto wins
2. Cooper Webb-193/1 overall win/2 moto wins
3. Jeremy Martin-173/2 moto wins
4. Alex Martin-158/1 overall win
5. Zach Osborne-152
6. Austin Forkner-138
7. Aaron Plessinger-131
8. RJ Hampshire-103
9. Jordon Smith-100
10. Shane McElrath-96
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