2015 Hangtown Motocross Results
Two weeks following the conclusion of an exciting 2015 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship throttled into action.
This year’s 47th annual GoPro Hangtown Classic held near California’s Capital Sacramento began the 12-round season. Making statements in the 2015 MX season opener were GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac – who scored a 1-1 for the perfect win in the 450 Class – and Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin in the 250 Class.
2015 Hangtown Motocross Results & Recap, 450 Class
When Hangtown MX began, Tomac was unstoppable on his CR-F450, setting the fastest lap during practice. He carried this momentum into moto 1, quickly passing holeshot-winner and 2010 MX Champion Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey.
The KTM SX-F450 pilot, who earned his second Supercross title this year, was able to match Tomac’s speed, but not for long. Tomac eventually took the win by 20 seconds ahead of Dungey. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson beat Autotrader.com/Toyota/Yamaha’s Weston Peick for third.
In the second Moto, Tomac grabbed the holeshot, and immediately began pulling away from the field. Dungey quickly worked his way into second, but could not catch Tomac.
As Tomac pulled away, Autotrader.com/Toyota/Yamaha’s Justin Barcia battled his way into third and battled for the spot with defending 450 Class Champion Ken Roczen aboard his RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing machine.
But Roczen, who is suffering from a back injury and finished 19th in Moto1, started dwindling back, being passed by Peick. Roczen eventually finished fifth.
Tomac would earn the win by over 90 seconds ahead of Dungey for his best-ever race results. Peick eventually passed Barcia to earn third, which was the Yamaha pilots best MX finish.
“It’s kind of always a guessing game coming into here [since it’s the opening round]. I started off good in practice and was the top qualifier there. Then I had two great starts,” said Tomac.
“I was just connected on the bike and felt great all afternoon. I was at the point today where I was able to ride a comfortable pace and just kept doing my thing. This is normally one of the roughest tracks, but this year it was the best I’ve ever seen it. I actually thought I struggled the last couple years here, so this was a huge jump up.”
Tomac sits six points ahead of Dungey in the 450 Class standings. Anderson is third, 16 points back.
2015 Hangtown Motocross Results & Recap, 250 Class
The opening moto of the 250 Class saw GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle race to the Motosport.com Holeshot Award just ahead of Red Bull KTM’s Musquin and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, as well as Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb. Cianciarulo seized the opportunity to lead his first ever laps of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship competition, passing both Musquin and Bogle to take over the top spot. As Cianciarulo made his move forward, so did Webb, working his way past Bogle and Musquin as well to move into second and set the stage for a head-to-head battle with his longtime amateur rival, MX Sports says.
Cianciarulo maintained a small lead over the field, but his hopes for a win ended on Lap 6 when he crashed out of the lead and lost multiple positions. Webb took evasive action in getting around Cianciarulo, allowing Musquin to close in and ultimately make the pass for the lead. Once out front the Frenchman pulled away, leaving Webb to battle with his teammate Martin, who started sixth and moved into third after a long battle with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy. While Musquin cruised to the moto win, Webb and Martin battled throughout the moto with Martin getting the upper hand with two laps remaining. The three riders would finish in that order, MX Sports says.
As Moto 2 got underway, Martin put the No. 1 bike up front early by making an quick pass on GEICO Honda’s Matt Bisceglia, who earned the Motosport.com Holeshot Award, and never looked back. Bisceglia then fell into a battle with Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull/KTM’s Jessy Nelson. Musquin found himself in a hole early after starting eighth and was forced to fight his way through the field in order to keep his hopes of victory intact, MX Sports says.
After a fifth-place finish in Moto 1, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rookie Chris Alldredge continued his impressive afternoon, starting fifth and moving his way forward. He passed GEICO Honda’s Jordon Smith to take over fourth on Lap 1 and found himself in podium position on Lap 2 after a pass on Bisceglia. His move to the front was accompanied by a charge from Musquin, who passed Alldredge for third and then took over second from Nelson that same lap, passing six riders in just five laps.
Martin continued to pull away out front to take the win, while Musquin followed in second. Alldredge earned the best moto finish of his career in third, holding off a late charge from CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha’s Alex Martin. When the overall scores were tallied, Martin (2-1) and Musquin’s (1-2) identical moto scores left them knotted atop the points. By virtue of his second moto win, Martin earned the tiebreaker for the sixth victory of his career, MX Sports says.
“I didn’t get the start I wanted in the first moto and just tried to go on a mission and reel everyone in. I was actually surprised to find out I was second when the moto finished. I just felt I was so far back,” explained Martin. “We made a change heading into the second moto and it was a lot better. I got the start as well, which made things a lot easier and allowed me to run my own race.”
Musquin’s runner-up effort was his best at Hangtown in four attempts. Alldredge finished off a career-best day with his first pro podium in third overall (5-3). Martin and Musquin sit tied atop the 250 Class standings with 47 points apiece, while Alldredge is 11 points back in third, MX Sports says.
The 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship continues next Saturday, May 30, with the FMF Glen Helen National in San Bernardino, Calif.
2015 Hangtown Motocross Results, 450 Class (Moto Finish):
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (1-1)
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-2)
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (3-7)
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Yamaha (8-3)
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki (4-6)
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (6-8)
- Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki (7-9)
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna (5-12)
- Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Honda (10-10)
- Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha (9-14)
2015 Motocross 450 Class Championship Standings (after one of 12 rounds):
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 50
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 44
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna, 34
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Yamaha, 33
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 33
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 28
- Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki, 26
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna, 25
- Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Honda, 22
- Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha, 19
2015 Hangtown Motocross 250 Class (Moto Finish):
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (2-1)
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (1-2)
- Chris Alldredge, Powell Butte, Ore., Kawasaki (5-3)
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (6-4)
- Anthony Rodriguez, Venezuela, Yamaha (7-6)
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (10-8)
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Georgia, Kawasaki (4-15)
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (9-11)
- Matt Bisceglia, Tualatin, Ore., Honda (12-10)
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (3-37)
2015 250 Class Championship Standings:
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 47
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 47
- Chris Alldredge, Powell Butte, Ore., Kawasaki, 36
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 33
- Anthony Rodriguez, Venezuela, Yamaha, 29
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha, 24
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Georgia, Kawasaki, 24
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki, 22
- Matt Bisceglia, Tualatin, Ore., Honda, 20
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha, 20