2016 Southwick Motocross Results
For the first time in three years, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship returned to one of the most recognizable and historic sand tracks in the United States – Southwick, located in Massachusetts.
It was an incredibly exciting day of racing, fitting for the return of such a legendary track. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac finally returned to his old form, breaking the eight-moto win streak of Suzuki’s Kenny Roczen. In the 250 class, Cooper Webb won another hard fought overall victory.
In the opening 450 moto, Geico Honda’s Justin Bogle grabbed the holeshot and took the early lead. The real battle was just beginning to start behind – Soaring Eagle Jimmy John’s RCH Suzuki rider Ken Roczen was ripping through the pack with Eli Tomac quickly in tow.
Roczen managed to make a pass stick on Bogle just past the 10-minute mark. Not long after that Eli Tomac made his way around his former teammate, Bogle. Roczen did his best employ his normal game plan to sprint away from the rest of the pack, but that didn’t work for him this weekend. Tomac was just too fast for the German – at the 15-minute mark Tomac overtook the lead, and he never looked back.
Twenty minutes into moto one, Eli Tomac had stretched his lead out 10 seconds, but there was another battle ensuing behind him between Justin Bogle and the Factory Red Bull KTM of Marvin Musquin. The Frenchman made quick work of Bogle, and stole third place.
Toyota Autotrader Weinerschnitzel NFab JGRMX Yamaha’s Justin Barcia made one of the most impressive charges of the day after a first turn crash. Barcia fought tooth and nail for every position, from the back of the pack he managed to pass his teammate Weston Peick late in the race for sixth place.
Tomac crossed the finish line 25 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, Roczen, who was followed by Marvin Musquin, Justin Bogle and Christophe Pourcel.
The second 450 Moto was just as exciting. When the gate dropped it looked like the 19 of Bogle was going pull another holeshot, but he was collected in a pileup, allowing Roczen and Rockstar Husqvarna’s Christophe Pourcel to fight for the lead. Roczen inherited the lead, and led the pack around the first turn.
Roczen again tried utilize his early sprint speed, this time he was able to hold off Tomac for a bit. The real action was going on right behind the two leaders; Justin Barcia was battling with the pair of crafty Frenchmen, Musquin and Pourcel. After Battling back and forth with Red Bull KTM of Musquin, BamBam let the Frenchmen have it as they exited a turn, leaving Marvin very unhappy.
The action kept coming at the halfway mark of Moto two. Barcia worked his way around the 377 of Pourcel for third, at almost the same time Tomac passed Roczen for the lead. Tomac and Roczen had again sprinted away from the rest of the field, halfway into the Moto they had a 30-second lead over Barcia.
Disaster almost struck for Tomac as he hit a slick spot on the track and tipped over, which caused him to relinquish the lead to Roczen, but that didn’t last long. Tomac bounced up almost as fast as he tipped over and caught Kenny again for the lead.
Eli wasn’t able to drop Kenny like he had in the first Moto; it was a dogfight all the way till the end for these two. On the last lap, it was less than a second between them, but ultimately Eli would prevail and go 1-1 on the day for the overall; breaking Ken Roczen’s streak. When they crossed the checkers it was Tomac, Roczen, Barcia, Peick and Pourcel. Here’s how the top five stacked up on the day: Tomac (1-1), Roczen (2-2), Barcia (6-3), Musquin (3-7), and Peick (7-4).
The opening 250 moto began with Troy Lee Designs GoPro Red Bull KTM of Shane McElrath ripping a great start, and running away with the holeshot, followed by reigning national 250 motocross champion Jeremy Martin, and his Rockstar Energy Star Racing Yamaha teammate Aaron Plessinger. The top three quickly broke away from the rest of the pack, and started their own battle.
Plessinger made his way around his teammate Jeremy Martin early on, but it wouldn’t be for long. As the two began to close up on McElrath, Martin snuck back by him for second place and really mount his charge for the lead. Just past the ten-minute mark Martin passed McElrath.
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Arnaud Tonus put on an impressive charge on the rough European like sand track to catch and pass Aaron Plessinger and McElrath for second just pass the halfway mark.
One of the most impressive rides of the day came from the current points leader Cooper Webb, who fought through the pack and passed all the way up into second to chase his Yamaha teammate Martin all the way to the finish line.
When the Moto was finished it was Jeremy Martin, Webb, Tonus, Forkner and Oldenburg in the top five.
After coming up just short in Moto one of the race, Webb ripped a great holeshot and pushed the pace early on. Behind him was Martin Davalos, McElrath, and rookie sensation Austin Forkner; there was a whole other battle brewing behind them.
Forkner wasted little tome making his move around McElrath for second, then he set his sights on the leader, Webb. Jeremy Martin caught onto McElrath ten minutes into the Moto. Not long after closing up on the lead pack Martin crashed and struggled to get back up.
Webb managed his lead very conservatively throughout the race like a true veteran. Austin Forkner also rode very impressively, holding off several charges for the second position over the course of the race. McElrath went down late in the race, giving the third position to the other Rockstar Energy Star Racing Yamaha rider Alex Martin; his younger brother finished fourth just behind him. Just behind the Martin brothers in fifth was their teammate Plessinger.
The 250 overall went to Webb (1-2), Jeremy Martin (1-4), Forkner (5-2), Alex Martin (7-3), and Aaron Plessinger (4-5).
2016 Southwick Motocross, 450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (1-1)
- Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki (2-2)
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (6-3)
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (3-7)
- Weston Peick, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha (7-4)
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna (5-5)
- Benny Bloss, Oak Grove, Mo., KTM (8-6)
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (10-8)
- Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, KTM (9-9)
- Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (11-11)
450 Class Championship Standings
- Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki – 337
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 290
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 201
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 181
- Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki – 171
- Christophe Pourcel, France, Husqvarna – 168
- Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 151
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda – 136
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 131
- Justin Brayton Fort Dodge, Iowa, KTM – 120
2016 Southwick Motocross, 250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (2-1)
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (1-4)
- Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (5-2)
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (7-3)
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (4-5)
- Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, Kawasaki (3-8)
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (8-7)
- Luke Renzland, Hewitt, N.J., Yamaha (12-9)
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (10-11)
- Martin Davalos, Ecuador, Husqvarna (16-6)
250 Class Championship Standings
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 290
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki – 253
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 252
- Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 232
- Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 217
- Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki – 202
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 186
- Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, Kawasaki – 138
- Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM – 132
- RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda – 132
- Mitchell Oldenburg, Alvord, Texas, KTM – 132