The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series continued this past Saturday in the scenic Pacific Northwest for the 33rd annual Washougal National in Washougal, WA. Honda Red Riders went head-to-head with the rest of the field at round eight, and Team Honda Muscle Milk's Justin Barcia and Trey Canard both posted respectable finishes. It was an impressive showing by the Muscle Milk-backed GEICO Honda team, with three of four riders placing in the top 10. Eli Tomac dominated the 250 competition by sweeping both motos to clinch his third overall victory of the season, and close within one point of the championship lead.
450 Race
It was a challenging day for the Team Honda Muscle Milk duo of Justin Barcia and Trey Canard, who placed 10th and 12th overall for the day. In moto one, Barcia jumped to a top-five start and quickly moved in behind the leader. He upheld second place until going down in a corner, which sent him back to fourth where he finished. Canard got a less-than-desirable start and was forced to work his way from 36th to 12th within the 30-minute-plus-two-lap race. In the second moto, Canard and Barcia both started outside the top 20 and made impressive come-from-behind performances, working their way up to 11th and 17th.
"It was a disappointing day," stated Barcia. "I got a good start in the first moto and was running second but tipped over in a corner and finished fourth. I had more trouble in the second moto and finished 17th, so I got 10th for the day. The last two races haven't gone as great as I want, so it is really frustrating because I know I can run up front. The track was really tricky. The dirt was slick and the shadows from the trees made it hard to see a lot of the track. "
250 Race
Muscle Milk-backed GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac seemed very comfortable aboard his CRF250R as he attacked the slick Washington soil in route to his 1-1 finishes. Tomac launched off the line to a second-place start in moto one, but wasted no time putting himself in the lead. Once out front, he rode unchallenged throughout the entire 30-minute-plus-two-lap race to win by an impressive margin of more than 20 seconds. Tomac was able to replicate that performance in moto two, generating a comfortable lead in the early portion of the race. He lead wire-to-wire all the way to the checkered for his seventh moto win this season. Tomac gained six points in the championship chase, leaving him a mere one point behind the leader with four rounds remaining.
"I finally got the 1-1," Tomac said. "I flat-out decided it had to happen, and I just needed to go out there and do it. This track is notorious for being one lane, so I worked hard to get out front early to get a good sprint in with an open track. Four races, eight motos left, and we're one point behind. Things are looking good for sure. It's going to be a crazy finish."
Teammate Justin Bogle posted his best finish of the outdoor season with 4-6 scores for an overall fourth-place result. In moto one, Bogle launched off the line to grab his first Motorcycle-Superstore.com holeshot award. Once Tomac passed him, Bogle ran second for a majority of the race until a heated battle broke out and he lost a few spots, ultimately finishing fourth. Bogle nailed down another good start in the second race and rode solid to finish sixth.
"This was the strongest race I've had all year," said Bogle. "I also had the best starts I've had all season. I was riding in second most of the first moto until Roczen and Musquin caught me in the end. I'm happy that I'm improving each race, and I am definitely more confident in my riding."
Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda's Zach Osborne struggled in the first race, finishing 14th, but rebounded in the second moto and was able to push his way to a podium finish of third. His scores were enough to wrap up sixth overall for the day. The final GEICO Honda rider, Wil Hahn, had a trying day, but was able to clinch one more point toward the $15,000 Motorcycle-Superstore.com final prize. Hahn finished 12th overall with his 10-13 finishes.
"I really like this track and I had a lot of fun, especially in the second moto when I was riding up front," Osborne said. "It's really apparent what I need to work on and I only have four races left, so I need to make it happen. I have to eliminate the arm pump I'm getting early in the day and put myself in a position to be on the overall podium. My speed and fitness are good, so I just need to overcome this arm-pump deal."
The Focus: Motorsports Hillsboro
This past Friday, Hillsboro Motorsports in Hillsboro, WA, played host to the third dealer appearance the Honda Red Riders have attended since the start of the outdoor motocross season. Hundreds of people showed up for the event that included a barbecue, games, and even a chance to win a brand-new CRF50R. Team Honda Muscle Milk's Trey Canard was on hand, along with GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac, Wil Hahn, Justin Bogle, Zach Osborne, Troy Lee Design/Lucas Oil/Honda's Cole Seely, and Malcolm Stewart to meet their fans.
450 Class Overall Results
1. Ryan Villopoto 2-1
2. Ryan Dungey 1-2
3. James Stewart 2-2
4. Jake Weimer 10-4
5. Mike Alessi 7-6
6. Andrew Short 6-9
7. Josh Grant 5-10
8. Chad Reed (Honda) 9-7
9. Broc Tickle 13-5
10. Justin Barcia (Honda) 4-17
450 Class Championship Points (after 8 of 12 rounds)
1. Ryan Villopoto 380
2. Ryan Dungey 338
3. Justin Barcia 271
4. James Stewart 224
5. Trey Canard 219
6. Mike Alessi 199
7. Andrew Short 164
8. Jake Weimer 160
9. Broc Tickle 159
10. Josh Grant 158
250 Class Overall Results
1. Eli Tomac (Honda) 1-1
2. Ken Roczen 2-2
3. Marvin Musquin 3-4
4. Justin Bogle (Honda) 4-6
5. Justin Hill 5-7
6. Zach Osborne (Honda) 14-3
7. Jason Anderson 11-5
8. Martin Davalos 7-9
9. Cole Seely (Honda) 9-10
10. Adam Cianciarulo 6-16
250 Class Championship Points (after 8 of 12 rounds)
1. Ken Roczen 356
2. Eli Tomac 355
3. Marvin Musquin 298
4. Blake Baggett 260
5. Zach Osborne 239
6. Jason Anderson 202
7. Justin Bogle 178
8. Kyle Cunningham 177
9. Jeremy Martin 171
10. Cooper Webb 159
