2016 Hangtown Motocross Results | 450/250 MX Season Opener Recap

2016 Hangtown Motocross Results

After two hard fought moto’s in both the 250 and 450 classes, two stand-alone victors emerged at the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season opener at Hangtown – the 47th edition of the iconic race. Joe Savatgy and Ken Roczen both went 1-1 in their respective classes.

2016 Hangtown Motocross – 450 Class Recap

The light rain dissipated before the start of the first 450 Moto. When the gate dropped, HRC Honda’s Cole Seely and Trey Canard led the pack into the first turn. Canard was quickly shuffled back as RCH Suzuki Ken Roczen overtook second place. R0czen wasted no time making his way to the lead; he got around Seely and sprinted out to the front. The reigning Motocross champ, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, followed Roczen’s lead and made quick work of the rest of the pack and got into second place.

Seely was able to hold onto third for the better part of the race, until Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac finally caught and passed him. Tomac wasn’t able to maintain third for too long; Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Baggett managed to mount a late race charge that would give him third for the Moto.

Although Dungey was able to clock the fastest lap of the first Moto, it wasn’t enough to make up for Roczen’s several second lead. When the checker flew at the end of the Moto it was:  Roczen, Dungey, Baggett, and Tomac. Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart crashed in Moto one; he reportedly suffered a dislocated shoulder.

KTM SX-F450 pilot Dungey got the holeshot for the second Moto, and lead the pack for half of a lap before Roczen. Once again, Kenny wasted no time breaking away from the pack and opening up a lead. Dungey led JGR Weinerschnitzel Autotrader Yamaha’s Justin Barcia, Rockstar Energy Racing Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Grant and Eli Tomac for several laps.

At the half way mark Roczen had opened a six second gap on Dungey, who was followed by Anderson, Barcia, and Tomac. Late in the race, Tomac and Canard managed to pass Barcia, moving Tomac to fourth, Canard fifth, and Barcia sixth. At the end of the second Moto, the finishing order was: Roczen, Dungey, Anderson, and  Canard. Overall, Roczen secured a 1-1 for first; Dungey second with a 2-2, Eli Tomac  third with a 4-4. Blake Baggett crashed during the second Moto and sustained a broken collarbone.

“We’re in a way better position than we were last year [when I came in hurt]. That’s all behind us and now I can go out and can focus on my riding. I’m really happy with the bike,” said Roczen. “I’ve always done well at Hangtown, but today [the track] was really different. It [had notches] and was hard in certain spots. It’s nice to get the first [race] out of the way. I want to bring [my best effort] every single weekend. I played catch up last year [with the injury], so this season I have a chance to start fresh and build momentum. I’m glad I put myself in a good position, but it’s still a long year.”

2016 Hangtown Motocross – 250 Class Recap

In Moto 1 for the 250 class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy got out of the gate strong,  and never looked back. Early in Moto 1, Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin, Geico Honda’s Jordan Smith, and Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb, who were leading the rest of the pack, were trailing Savatgy.

Jordan Smith and Cooper Webb managed to work their way around Jeremy Martin after several laps. The trio of Savatgy, Smith, and Webb then began to break away from the rest of the pack. Late in the Moto, as rain began to fall, Jeremy Martin was able to mount a charge to over take Webb for third place. Savatgy began to build his lead from the half way mark, where he opened his lead to 4.5 seconds as he crossed the finished line. This was the order that they finished in after 30 minutes, plus two laps: Joey Savatgy, Jordan Smith, Jeremy Martin, Cooper Webb, and Geico Honda’s RJ Hampshire.

The second 250 Moto of the day started with a Cooper Webb pulling a holeshot, while a big first turn crash occurred behind him. The pile up claimed Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GoPro KTM’s Mitchell Oldenburg and several other riders’. Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GoPro KTM’s Jesse Nelson, who started up near the front, quickly caught and passed Webb on the opening lap, while  Savatgy was buried back in the pack. The race was red flagged before completion of the first lap due to another crash. The restart allowed Nelson to pull the holeshot; Savatgy, Hampshire, and Forkner followed him.

Webb wasn’t so lucky, he was shuffled back quickly off the start. A game of cat and mouse quickly ensued up front between Nelson and Savatgy. Late in the moto, Savatgy was able to catch and pass Nelson, consequently so were Star Racing Yamaha’s Alex Martin, Star Racing Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger, Rockstar Energy Racing Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne, and Cooper Webb; this was the order the top five finished the moto.

When they crossed the finish line Savatgy was able to secure a 1-1 for the overall, followed by Alex Martin for second with an 8-2, and Webb for third with a 4-5 to round out the podium. Amateur sensation, Austin Forkner, rode very well in the second moto, he held third place for a good part of the second moto, he ended up finishing seventh behind Nelson in moto two; and ended the day with an 11-7 for ninth overall. His fellow rookie, Tristan Charboneau, who scored a 6-14 on the day for eighth overall, bested him.

The 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads next weekend to Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, Cali., for round two of 12.

2016 Hangtown Motocross Results

450 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki (1-1)
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-2)
3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (4-4)
4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (6-3)
5. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (7-5)
6. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (5-10)
7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (10-6)
8. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (9-7)
9. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki (8-8)
10. Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha (11-9)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki – 50
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 44
3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 36
4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 35
5. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda – 30
6. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 27
7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 26
8. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 26
9. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Kawasaki – 26
10. Phil Nicoletti, Cohocton, N.Y., Yamaha – 22
11. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki – 22

250 Class (Moto Finish)

1. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (8-2)
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (4-5)
4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (9-3)
5. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (3-9)
6. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM (7-6)
7. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Honda (2-16)
8. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (13-7)
9. Tristan Charboneau, Tenino, Wash., Honda (6-14)
10. Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM (11-10)

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 50
2. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 35
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 34
4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 32
5. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 32
6. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., KTM – 29
7. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Honda – 27
8. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki – 22
9. Tristan Charboneau, Tenino, Wash., Honda – 22
10. Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM – 21

2016 Hangtown Motocross – Photo Gallery