FIM USGP Results
Saturday at Glen Helen Raceway was as good as it gets, with perfect weather and a tough, challenging track to showcase the international racing talent on hand.
With sunshine and cool breezes, the crowd was treated to a great day of the Monster Energy Grand Prix of the United States.
The first moto of the VMX class showed that American Doug Dubach is a crowd favorite, but Darryll King held the first gate pick after his phenomenal qualifying session earlier in the day.
After a thrilling start as they rounded Talladega, the bikes were in for a 20-minute moto plus two laps of intense racing and a classically tough Glen Helen track. By mid race, Dubach had a seven-second advantage, with the New Zealander King right behind him. King started catching Dubach, and was only 2.5 seconds behind with two laps left in the race. The battle was tight during the finishing laps, and King shortened the space between him and leader to three bike lengths. Just then Dubach pulled away slightly as King bobbled on the rough track. As the checkered flag waved, Doug Dubach took the Moto 1 win.
The VMX race was followed by the MX 2 qualifying race, and the racers were really putting in great lap times throughout the moto. Marvin Musquin, who holds the No. 1 plate, took the holeshot closely followed by German sensation Ken Roczen. Roczen on his No. 94 KTM eventually took over the lead, and Jeffrey Herlings, who had the fastest qualifying lap in practice, took over second. By the middle of the race, Roczen had a seven-second lead over the rest of the racers. When the two-lap board came out, Roczen was more than 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the racers, and Herlings was doing his best to keep the momentum going on the rough and rutted Grand Prix course. The two KTM racers finished in that order, as Musquin took third, the Brit Max Anstie took fourth, and Gautier Paulin of France rounded out the top five. Travis Baker, of Troy Lee Designs, was the top-placing American in ninth place. “Overall it was a good day,” Roczen said after the race. “It feels like a second home Grand Prix. I feel really good in America, and I’m strong, and I just need to ride a good race tomorrow. It’s going to be a fun day.”
In MX 1 qualifying, a surprising start had the Russian racer Bobryshev Evgeny riding the number 777 Honda to the front of the pack. Clement Desalle followed, trying his best to catch Evgeny. Meanwhile, Antonio Cairoli, the Italian superstar, didn’t get the best start but moved his way to 13th place during the beginning laps of the race. Desalle passed Evgeny on lap 3 to regain the lead and worked on pulling away, though the Russian rode well to keep his second-place position and Max Nagl, the German KTM racer, stuck in third. The race went on without change in the front, but Cairoli was working his way through the pack as the two-lap board neared. Just then, Nagl started to put pressure on Evgeny for second place, and on the last lap the two put on a heart-stopping show.
The checkered flag flew as Desalle took the win, Evgeny held onto second, Nagl finished third, France’s Steven Frossard (the current point leader) ended the race in fourth, and Rui Goncalves finished fifth. Cairoli finished in seventh place after an impressive charge from the back of the pack. Christian Craig, of the Troy Lee Designs team, finished 15th and was the highest-placing American.
2011 Glen Helen Raceway: VMX Moto 1 Results
1. Doug Dubach
2. Darryll King
3. Mats Nilsson
4. Ryan Hunt
5. Kevin Barda
6. Shawn Wynne
7. Alfredo Camps
8. Valdur Kahro
9. Lorry Jackson
10. Roger Jakobsson
2011 Glen Helen Raceway: MX 2 Qualifying Results
1. Ken Roczen
2. Jeffrey Herlings
3. Marvin Musquin
4. Max Anstie
5. Gautier Paulin
6. Tommy Searle
7. Jordi Tixier
8. Harri Kullas
9. Travis Baker
10. Joel Roelants
2011 Glen Helen Raceway: MX 1 Qualifying Results
1. Clement Desalle
2. Bobryshev Evgeny
3. Max Nagl
4. Steven Frossard
5. Rui Goncalves
6. David Philippaerts
7. Antonio Cairoli
8. Anthony Boissiere
9. Steve Ramon
10. Jonathan Barragan
