2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Spoiler Alert: 2012 AMA Motocross results from Lake Elsinore, Calif., listed below
The 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing concluded Saturday at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park in Southern California.
The inaugural round at the track brought yet another victory for the man who was crowned AMA MX 450 champion two rounds ago at Unadilla – Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey. And two others were crowned champions following Lake Elsinore MX – Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett in the 250 class, and Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Ashley Fiolek in the Women’s Motocross Championship.
In the 450 class, MotoConcepts Suzuki’s Mike Alessi took the holeshot, opening up an early lead. Dungey began in third, but quickly got pass the man in second, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray.
Dungey began closing in on Alessi, and made the pass on lap six. The KTM SX-F 450 rider then pulled away from the field, eventually winning by over 14 seconds. Joining Dungey on the moto 1 podium was Alessi and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Brock Tickle.
In the second moto, Alessi once again took the holeshot. Behind, Dungey again started in third, and battled with Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Christian Craig. Once Dungey got pass Craig, he chased down Alessi, making the pass on lap seven. The two battled for a bit, but Dungey would come out on top for a 1-1 sweep at Lake Elsinore. Joining him on the podium was once again Alessi and Tickle.
Dungey’s victory came on the heels of his eighth moto sweep of the season. He also equaled his win total from 2010, when he captured his first 450 Class title as a rookie. In just 36 career starts in the premier division, Dungey has captured 24 wins, leaving him three shy of second all time in the 450 Class, MX Sports reports.
Ryan Dungey (Red Bull KTM SX-F 450 Motocross) says: “It has been a great season. It was already an honor to earn the championship but it feels great to end the season on the best note possible by taking the win. I want to extend my sincerest thanks to my team for all of their hard work. I am looking forward to the start of a new season and working with Red Bull KTM for 2013.”
Alessi capped off his impressive 2012 season with his ninth podium finish of the summer in second (2-2) overall, while Tickle finished third (3-3).
Following a summer full of parity, four riders entered Lake Elsinore with a chance to claim the 250 Class title. GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia was one of those contenders, and he looked to make a statement by leading the early portion of the opening moto. However, Baggett wouldn’t be denied, putting the pressure on his rivals by racing to the front of the field and taking a convincing win, MX Sports says.
In Moto 2, Barcia once again put himself in position to win following a strong start, while Baggett needed to work his way forward from a mid-pack start. Once in the lead, Barcia quickly opened a multi-second gap over the field, which he would carry through to the finish. As he pulled away, Baggett went to work, clawing his way from 11th place to second in a matter of six laps. A quick fall forced Baggett to drop a couple spots, but he made up the lost ground and asserted himself in second place for the remainder of the moto, needing just a runner-up effort to secure the overall victory and the title, MX Sports says.
In the end Baggett, who mathematically needed to finish in 13th or better in the final moto, walked away with the championship, the 10th for his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team. The win was also Pro Circuit’s 100th Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship victory.
Blake Baggett (Monster Energy Kawasaki KX250F Motocross) says: “I came out swinging today. I knew I would either go to the front, or it would all go down the drain. The first moto was crazy battling with Justin (Barcia) and Eli (Tomac). In the second moto, I got a horrible start and I don’t even know, I couldn’t even see. I just needed to get to the front and finish as good as I could, so I did. I really wanted to make a push at the end just to show that I was still giving it all I had.”
Barcia finished second (3-1), while Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin grabbed the final spot on the podium in third (4-3). GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac, who entered the afternoon only 14 points behind Baggett, experienced misfortune in the final moto to finish seventh overall (2-14).
The final round of the eight-race Women’s Motocross Championship saw only 10 points separating the top three riders in the standings. However, it was a relative unknown who stole the spotlight as Italian rider Chiara Fontanesi dominated in a guest appearance aboard her Yamaha/Monster Energy machine. Fontanesi, the recently-crowned Women’s World Motocross Champion, swept the day’s motos, while Fiolek capitalized on a consistent finishes.
In the end, Fiolek surpassed Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki’s Jessica Patterson in the points to successfully defend her title, despite missing a round of competition earlier in the season due to injury. MotoConcepts Honda’s Mariana Balbi finished second overall (3-2), while Fiolek finished third (2-3).
2012 Lake Elsinore AMA Motocross 450 Class Results (Moto Finish):
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (1-1)
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (2-2)
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki (3-3)
Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (4-4)
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (5-9)
Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda (12-5)
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (7-10)
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda (8-13)
Ben LaMay, Wasilla, Alaska, Yamaha (10-12)
Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki (13-11)
2012 AMA Motocross 450 Class Championship Final Standings:
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 580
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki, 453
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 355
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 354
Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki, 349
Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki, 277
Justin Brayton, Ft. Dodge, Iowa, Honda, 247
Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki, 211
Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha, 176
Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki, 172
2012 Lake Elsinore AMA Motocross 250 Class Results (Moto Finish):
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (1-2)
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (3-1)
Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (4-3)
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda (5-4)
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., KTM (7-6)
Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM (6-7)
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (2-14)
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki (8-8)
Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (10-10)
Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda (9-13)
2012 AMA Motocross 250 Class Championship Final Standings:
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 519
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 499
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 487
Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 456
Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 406
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 316
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki, 265
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M, Suzuki, 238
Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 225
Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda, 193
2012 Lake Elsinore AMA Motocross WMX Class Results (Moto Finish):
Chiara Fontanesi, Parma, Italy, Yamaha (1-1)
Mariana Balbi, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Honda (3-2)
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda (2-3)
Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda (5-5)
Taylor Higgins, Mesquite, Texas, Honda (8-4)
Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM (6-6)
Alexah Pearson, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (9-7)
Lindsey Palmer, Conifer, Colo., Kawasaki (12-8)
Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda (11-9)
Hailey Larson, Mill Valley, Calif., Honda (10-10)
2012 AMA Motocross WMX Class Standings:
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine, Fla., Honda, 317
Tarah Gieger, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico., Honda, 302
Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 298
Mariana Balbi, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Honda, 269
Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM, 236
Sara Pettersson, Sweden, KTM, 223
Alexah Pearson, Sacramento, Calif., KTM, 175
Kasie Creson, Vallejo, Calif., Honda, 174
Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda, 170
Amanda Brown, Baltimore, Md., Honda, 142
