2015 Glen Helen Motocross Results
Last week, the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship – sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing – got underway with the Hangtown Classic near California’s Capital of Sacramento.
During that season opener, which was the 47th running of the Hangtown Classic, GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac began the season in the best possible way – with a 1-1 sweep at round one of 12.
Tomac, the 2013 250 Motocross Champion, was a favorite heading into this past weekend’s round two at Glen Helen in Southern California, but the Colorado native had never competed professionally at the track, causing some skepticism.
But this skepticism was quickly laid to rest when Tomac earned his second-consecutive 1-1 sweep for a perfect 100 points in two rounds. Joining him on the overall podium was Autotrader.com/Toyota/Yamaha’s Justin Barcia (2-4) and Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey (6-2), respectively.
When Glen Helen MX began, the reigning Motocross Champion, RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing rider Ken Roczen, earned the Bud Light Fastest Qualifier. But he would suffer a first-lap crash, having to settle for eighth.
Barcia claimed the Motorsport.com Holeshot Award ahead of teammate Phil Nicoletti, who passed Barcia for the lead. Behind, Dungey and Tomac were charging towards the front. On lap three, Dungey took the lead, followed closely by Tomac.
These two leaders pulled away from the field, and on lap seven Dungey suffered a stalled bike, giving Tomac the lead. The Honda CRF450R pilot remained unchallenged for the remaining laps.
Barcia would finish second, and Nicoletti third, which was his best-ever moto result. As for Dungey, he crossed the finish line in sixth ahead of Yamaha’s Weston Peick in fifth and Kawasaki’s Chad Reed in fourth.
In the seocnd Moto, Tomac capitalized on his winning momentum by earning the holeshot ahead of Dungey. The 2015 Monster Energy Supercross Champion Dungey attempted to keep up the pace, but couldn’t.
Tomac would eventually take the checkered flag by over 23 seconds ahead of Dungey. Roczen recovered from his Moto1 error, and finished third ahead of Barcia.
“I’m really comfortable right now. I’ve never been in this position before [feeling comfortable] this early in the season where I feel like I’m one with the bike,” Tomac said after earning the win during his first professional start at Glen Helen.
“The motorcycle is just really easy to ride right now. I’ve improved my starts a whole lot and that’s been huge for me. I battled with Ryan [Dungey] there for a while in the first moto and he stalled his bike, which made it a little easier [to make the pass and win]. In Moto 2, I just ripped the holeshot and had fun.”
Following the race, Dungey also responded: “Third place isn’t necessarily something to be bummed at, it’s a respectable spot. But we want to win. That’s what we’re here for.
“The bike wanted to shut off in the first moto and it kept getting worse and worse before it eventually did. In the second moto we just wanted to focus on a good finish, so I got a good start and just followed Eli. We made up some ground from last week and we’ll keep working at it.”
Tomac now holds a 19-point lead over Dungey, and a 36-point lead over Peick, who earned fifth overall at Glen Helen MX.
Check out the video above for 2015 Glen Helen Motocross Results Highlights.
2015 Glen Helen Motocross Results, 250 Class:
In the 250 Class, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin took advantage of an off day by co-points leader Jeremy Martin to take sole possession of the championship lead following a perfect 1-1 effort and his first overall win of the season.
Martin claimed the Bud Light Fastest Qualifier, but his day took an unfortunate turn after that. Before the first moto began, Martin and his Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha team were scrambling to get his bike started. The team was able to fix the issue right before the gate dropped on the field and Martin entered the race a handful of seconds after the moto got underway. Out front, Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull/KTM’s Jessy Nelson earned the Motosport.com Holeshot Award and maintained the lead over Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin for the first six laps, MX Sports says.
Musquin gradually chipped away at the deficit to Nelson and made the pass for the lead on Lap 6. Once at the point, Musquin consistently pulled away from his competitors. That left the battle for second amongst three riders in Nelson, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy and Red Bull KTM’s Justin Hill. On Lap 11, Hill passed Savatgy for third after a long fight for the position. On the ensuing lap, Hill’s charge forward continued with a pass on Nelson, who would later drop another spot to Savatgy. Musquin took the win, while Hill followed with a career-best moto finish in second and Savatgy third. After starting at the tail end of the field, Martin battled his way to an impressive fifth-place finish, MX Sports says.
In Moto 2, Musquin seized control from the start by grabbing the Motosport.com Holeshot Award ahead of Nelson and CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha’s Alex Martin. Jeremy Martin also got an improved start over the first moto and was in the lead group as they exited the first corner, but contact with another rider sent him to the ground and to the back of the field again, MX Sports says.
The top three jockeyed for position on the opening lap and Alex Martin emerged with the lead to pace the field on Lap 1, with Nelson second and Musquin third. The following lap, Musquin got back around both riders to reclaim the lead and never look back. With Musquin pulling away, Martin continued to assert himself in second while Nelson engaged in a battle for third with his teammate Shane McElrath. Musquin took the win 6.612 seconds over Martin, who enjoyed a career-best moto finish in second, while McElrath earned a career best moto finish of his own in third after a last-lap pass on Nelson. Jeremy Martin again was impressive in his climb through the field, finishing sixth, MX Sports says.
Musquin’s 1-1 effort gave him the win he missed out on via a tiebreaker last weekend as well as sole possession of the championship lead. Hill earned his first career overall podium in second (2-5), while Nelson tied the best finish of his career in third (4-4). It marked the first time in history that the KTM brand swept the overall podium, MX Sports says.
“I always like racing at Glen Helen,” said Musquin. “I remember coming here for the first time for the [FIM] USGP and won both motos. It’s great to do it again in the U.S. [AMA] Championship. The track was great and I really enjoyed it out there. The first moto was a great battle with Jessy [Nelson], and I finally was able to get the lead and win the moto. In the second moto I got a great start but made a little mistake early, but I recovered and got back out front. That allowed me to ride my own race.”
Musquin opened a 19-point lead over Jeremy Martin, who finished seventh (5-6), in the 250 Class standings. A fifth-place finish (11-2) allowed Alex Martin to move into third, 32 points back.
The 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship continues next Saturday, May 30, with the True Value Thunder Valley National from Lakewood, Colorado.
2015 Glen Helen Motocross Results, 450 Class (Moto Finish):
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (1-1)
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (2-4)
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (6-2)
- Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, (8-3)
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Yamaha (5-6)
- Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki (4-8)
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki (7-7)
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna (9-10)
- Cole Seely, Laguna Beach, Calif., Honda (14-9)
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (38-5)
2015 Motocross 450 Class Championship Standings:
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 100
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 81
- Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Yamaha, 64
- Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 61
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha, 58
- Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, 51
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna, 50
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna, 48
- Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 46
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 43
2015 Glen Helen Motocross 250 Class (Moto Finish):
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (1-1)
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore. KTM (2-5)
- Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM (4-4)
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (3-7)
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (11-2)
- Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM (9-3)
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (5-6)
- Matt Bisceglia, Tualatin, Ore., Honda (6-11)
- Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda (7-12)
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (12-10)
2015 Motcross 250 Class Championship Standings:
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 97
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 78
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 65
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Georgia, Kawasaki, 58
- Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore. KTM, 52
- Chris Alldredge, Powell Butte, Ore., Kawasaki, 49
- Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM, 46
- Matt Bisceglia, Tualatin, Ore., Honda, 45
- Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM, 44
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki, 42