2014 High Point Motocross Results
As the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, headed to Mt. Morris, Pa., for the Medicine High Point National, only two riders were victorious – Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and Ken Roczen.
But this was about to change Saturday evening at the High Point National, round four in 2014 MX. Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart dominated High Point with a 1-1 performance, earning his 20th overall win in the 450MX Class.
Joining Stewart on the podium was the German Roczen and sam Muscle Milk Honda’s Trey Canard.
When the 20-lap moto 1 got underway, Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed took the Motorsport.com Holeshot award followed closely by Stewart, Canard and the KTM duo of Dungey and Roczen.
Reed led the opening lap, but Stewart passed on lap two, and was not challenged again. With the RM-Z450 out front, the battle began for the remaining podium positions.
Reed was able to hold off the others, but soon Canard passed the Australian. Next to pass Reed was Dungey and Roczen. Reed trailed off a bit, and Canard, Dungey and Roczen battled intensely.
With two laps to go, Roczen had secured himself in second as Dungey fought with Canard. But the Honda CRF450R pilot crashed, allowing Dungey to finish third. Canard would recover to finish fourth, with Reed in fifth.
In the second moto, Reed once again took the holeshot. But again, it was short lived. Stewart made the pass on the opening lap, and began a dominate run towards the checkered flag. Behind, Dungey, and Roczen passed Reed and attempted to chase down Stewart.
Canard and Dungey were able to keep up with Stewart for a few laps, but soon Stewart pulled away. This left another battle for second once again between Canard, Dungey and Roczen. While battling, Dunge lost the front end of his SX-F 450, and crashed. This allowed Canard to finish second, and Roczen to take third. Dungey would finish fourth, with Suzuki’s Weston Peick in fifth.
Stewart’s only win at High Point was his first overall victory since round nine last season.
“I was excited about coming this weekend because we made some good improvements on the bike,” said Stewart.” It’s been a while since we’ve had this speed and pace in reserve and I felt comfortable doing it. This track is one of the ones that I’ve had to overcome, but it was nice to get a win. It’s actually the first time I’ve gone 1-1 in a while, so we’ll go back and keep on working and go from here.”
Roczen took second overall with a 2-3 score, and his is the only rider to finish on the podium at the all rounds so far this season.
“I didn’t get a start both motos and that makes it tougher, but I felt like I was riding good,” said Roczen. “It’s about keeping it consistent. I think I’m going to work on some starts and in a couple weeks we’ll bounce back. I just need to get a jump and get up front. I think it will make it that much easier.”
Canard’s 4-2 finish allowed him to take third overall, followed by Dungey in fourth (3-4) and Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX’s Josh Grant in fifth (6-6).
Roczen extends his Motocross championship lead with 183 points after four of 12 rounds. He leads teammate Dungey by 16 points. With his win, Stewart moves into third, six points behind Dungey.
In the 250 Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett posted back-to-back victories by also sweeping the afternoon motos.
The 250 Class kicked off the afternoon with Valli Motorsports Yamaha’s Christophe Pourcel racing to the Motosport.com Holeshot Award, only to be quickly passed by GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle. Behind this duo, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin, Baggett, and Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin rounded out the top five, MX Sports says.
As Bogle began to open a gap, Martin made his move on Pourcel and set his sights on the lead. After a couple laps of battling, a surging Baggett caught both Bogle and Martin off guard to assume the lead on Lap 5. One out front, Baggett controlled the moto from there on out while Martin and Bogle continued their battle for second, MX Sports says.
Baggett crossed the finish nearly 11 seconds ahead of Martin in second, while Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb made an impressive climb from eighth on the opening lap to pass Bogle late and finish third, MX Sports says.
The final moto of the afternoon saw Pourcel sweep the Motosport.com Holeshot Awards, with the Frenchman able to maintain control of the race for the early stages over Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Justin Hill rounding out the top three. Not far behind Baggett was Bogle making his push to the front in fourth, while Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Cole Seely rounded out the top five. After a strong opening moto, the Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha tandem of Martin and Webb in eighth and 10th, respectively, MX Sports says.
Baggett took over second from Anderson early and sat in pursuit of Pourcel for three laps before eventually moving into first and beginning his march to victory. With Baggett pulling away, Pourcel and Anderson engaged in an exciting battle for second with Anderson ultimately getting the upper hand on the veteran. While the action settled up front, Martin and Webb fought their way forward, but were never a factor. Baggett wrapped up his dominant ride with a 16-second margin over Anderson in second, with Pourcel third. Bogle finished fourth and Hill fifth, while Martin and Webb worked their way into sixth and seventh, MX Sports says.
Baggett’s 1-1 outing was his first since RedBud on July 7, 2012, the same year he won the 250 Class title, MX Sports says.
“The starts don’t come easy out there and we’re still working on that,” said Baggett. “I feel that I should be up front. Those guys are riding great, but I’m going to do what I can to go after the championship.”
Martin’s resiliency helped him finish second overall (2-6) and he remains the only rider in the division to finish on the podium in each of the first four rounds. Anderson secured the best finish of his career in third (7-2), edging out Bogle (4-4) by virtue of the second moto tiebreaker. Pourcel rounded out the top five (6-3).
Martin maintains control of the 250 Class standings, holding a 29-point lead over Webb. Baggett closed in to within 36 points in third.
The 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will take its first break of the season next weekend and will resume on June 28 for the fifth round. Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tennessee, will serve as the host site of the Red Bull Tennessee National. Action begins at 1 p.m. ET.
2014 High Point Motocrross 450 Class (Moto Finish):
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki (1-1)
- Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM (2-3)
- Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (4-2)
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (3-4)
- Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (6-6)
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki (10-5)
- Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (7-8)
- Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki (5-10)
- Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki (9-7)
- Phil Nicoletti, Bethel, N.Y., Yamaha (8-12)
450 Class Championship Standings:
- Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM, 183
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 167
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 161
- Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 150
- Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki, 115
- Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 104
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki, 104
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 90
- Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 88
- Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM, 74
2014 High Point Motocross 250 Class (Moto Finish):
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (1-1)
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (2-6)
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., KTM (7-2)
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda (4-4)
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Yamaha (6-3)
- Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha (3-7)
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (5-8)
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki (9-5)
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (8-9)
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (10-10)
250 Class Championship Standings:
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 177
- Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha, 148
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 141
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Yamaha, 128
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda, 126
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., KTM, 117
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 111
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki, 93
- Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 91
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda, 87
