2019 Ironman Motocross | Race Preview

2019 IRONMAN MOTOCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

2019 IRONMAN MOTOCROSS | TELEVISION BROADCAST DETAILS

This is it. For eleven weekends we’ve crisscrossed the country to follow the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and watched every lap of every moto from the side of the tracks. One title has already been awarded but there’s still another up for grabs, plus a ton of individual accomplishments for competitors in the field. Here’s what we’re looking for on Saturday.

ADAM & DYLAN’S LAST BATTLE

Here’s hoping what we’ve seen from Cianciarulo and Ferranids in 2019 is a glimpse at what’s to come in the near future. The two have endured their share of success and setbacks in the last few years and have hit their stride in the 250 class. Close racing, contrasting riding styles, and clean passes have put them 30-points apart with two races left in the summer. Let’s not even bring up Las Vegas, because the racing these last three months have made it seem like a lifetime ago. Instead, get ready to see two guys doing their very best with hopes of the ideal outcome. This is AC’s last chance to win a 250 title, while Ferrandis could join an elite class by being a double champion in a single season. We expect Ferrandis to get out front and push as hard as he can to score the maximum points possible (and to cap the year off with a statement), while Cianciarulo shows the calm control he’s developed in the recent part of his career.

It’s a damn shame the two will have to put their friendly rivalry on pause until 2021, when Ferrandis is expected to move to the 450 class.

BATTLE FOR SECOND IN THE STANDINGS

Since Tomac has the title, move your attention to the battle for second place. There are five points between Marvin Musquin and Ken Roczen for the prized runner-up rank (there is a big difference in bonus money between second and third in the results) and both would like to end the year with the upper hand. Who has the advantage? Musquin has the points right now, but he’s got a string of so-so starts to his credit. Roczen, meanwhile, can get out of the gate at the front of the pack yet has well-documented issues with energy due to an ongoing illness. Did Ken recover well from the heat of Budds Creek? Will Musquin break his bad habit? The weather is set to be Unadilla-perfect, so it’s on either of them.

TRACK CHANGES

Ironman is one of the newer tracks on the calendar, but there’s always the potential for progress and the new changes to the layout could make the Indiana circuit better than ever. The flow of the start has been changed, one of the massive uphill leaps has been removed, a new big jump has been dropped in, and the overall length has been reduced. Though we’ve only watched press day laps, it looked like there are more passing places and opportunities for riders to find an advantage/give up time with opposing lines. For once, there’s no forecast of big storms so the course won’t be soaked and muddy like it has been so many times in the past. Who does the dark Indiana dirt favor? Hard to say, because nearly every top rider has claimed the win here, which indicates an even playing field. Ferrandis/Musquin? Cianciarulo/Roczen? Cooper/Tomac? We wouldn’t be surprised by any combination.

GLIMPSE AT THE FUTURE

You ever notice how the later races of the year tend to have the most unpredictable results? That could be the case on Saturday, especially in the 250 class. Rider-team changes, guys moving out of the class, and experience will allow a number of guys (Hampshire, Mosiman, Marchbanks, McElrath, Hartranft, McAdoo, Martin for example) to take the next step to the top tier the division. A good finish at the last race of the year can give one confidence for the offseason ahead and they’ll come back even better in the new season. Which guy takes the step?

PRIVATEER POWER

We’ve really enjoyed charting the results of the top independent riders each weekend. Cunningham, Miller, Short, LaMay, and Locurcio have all mixed it up with top-10/15 finishes in the 450 class and each result earns them a little more notice within the paddock. Will this be enough to these guys full-time factory rides? Most likely no, which is unfortunate because they all deserve much more than they’re getting, but best believe they’ll be looked at when future opportunities for fill-in rides or factory parts come about.

2019 IRONMAN MOTOCROSS | 250 CLASS ENTRY LIST

12. Shane McElrath
23. Chase Sexton
26. Alex Martin
31. RJ Hampshire
32. Justin Cooper | The Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider is currently third in the point standings.
34. Dylan Ferrandis | The Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider is currently second in the point standings.
36. Michael Mosiman
39. Colt Nichols | The Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider 
44. Cameron McAdoo
45. Brandon Hartranft
52. Jordan Bailey
55. Kyle Peters
59. Nick Gaines
61. Garrett Marchbanks
66. Mitchell Oldenburg
67. Enzo Lopes
73. Martin Davalos
78. Ramyller Alves
83. Killian Auberson
91. Zack Williams
92. Adam Cianciarulo | The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider leads the championship standings.
110. Yusuke Watanabe | The CycleTrader/Rock River Yamaha rider is on the entry list after a hard practice crash at Budds Creek; despite being on the entry list it is unlikely he will race Ironman.
112. Thomas Covington
123. Mitchell Falk
136. Joshua Philbrick
139. Nathen LaPorte
151. Carter Gordon
154. Chase Felong
161. Justin Thompson
164. Matthew Klann
168. Cale Kuchnicki
186. Tyler Monks
194. Jerry Robin
196. Hunter Lawrence
204. Kyle Greeson
212. Tyler McCoy
223. Jamison DuClos
249. Bailey Kroone
259. Corbin Hayes
291. Zane Merrett
301. Jordan Jarvis
337. Vincent Luhovey
340. Blake Taylor
342. Colton Karl
346. Kevin Moranz
371. Dawson Ryker
374. Jo Shimoda
380. Nicholas Maret
407. Benjamin Nelko
425. Joshua Leininger
426. Kein Denzler
432. Salvatore Colangelo
435. Marcus Phelps
441. Scott Meshey
457. Conner Robinson
496. Jett Lawrence
509. Alexander Nagy
514. Anthony Roth
520. Dennis Ponton
539. Dylan Wright
546. Tylor Skodras
548. Bryn Steffan
583. Corey Ridel
622. Zac Maley
631. Brandon Dickson
657. Justin Wolf
667. Jesse Flock
668. Ryan Blanford
673. Landon Armbruster
691. James Justice
777. Tristan Titus
795. Aaron Leininger
815. Colton Eigenmann
824. Carter Stephenson
841. Jeff Walker
911. David Wilson
916. Jorge Rubalcava
931. Stephen Vuckson
936. Ty Masterpool
979. Phillip Maus
993. Austin Wagner

MISSING FROM THE LIST

6. Jeremy Martin | GEICO Honda rider is still recovering from the vertebra burst fractures he suffered in the 2018 season; he is expected to return to competition in 2020.
24. Austin Forkner | Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider will miss the entire summer with torn ligaments in his knee.
28. Jordon Smith | The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM rider could no longer deal with the lingering tendonitis in his wrist from a crash in the Supercross season and will soon undergo surgery to correct the injury; Smith will miss the rest of the summer.
40. Sean Cantrell | The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM rider underwent surgery this week to repair an injury on his wrist and hand. He will miss Ironman.
64. Jimmy Decotis | Due to a recent restructure at the JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing team, Decotis will not be a part of the two-rider 250 team this summer.
156. Jacob Hayes | The CycleTrader/Rock River Yamaha rider is slated to miss the last two Nationals with a strained knee from Unadilla.
233. Derek Drake | The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM rider will miss Ironman due to an ankle injury.
372. Jalek Swoll | The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider will miss the last Nationals with a strained groin from Loretta Lynn’s.

2019 IRONMAN MOTOCROSS | 450 CLASS ENTRY LIST

1. Eli Tomac | The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider clinched his third straight 450 MX title at Budds Creek.
7. Aaron Plessinger
15. Dean Wilson
16. Zach Osborne
17. Joey Savatgy
19. Justin Bogle
21. Jason Anderson
25. Marvin Musquin | The Red Bull KTM rider is second in the championship standings.
29. Benny Bloss
37. Kyle Cunningham
41. Ben LaMay
43. Tyler Bowers
49. Henry Miller
51. Justin Barcia
56. Lorenzo Locurcio
60. Justin Starling
63. John Short
70. Josh Osby
80. Heath Harrison
90. Jeremy Hand
94. Ken Roczen | The Team Honda HRC rider is currently third in the championship standings.
100. Dirco Van der Westhuizen
101. Fredrik Noren
119. Issac Teasdale
125. Luke Neese
129. Ryan Diezic
144. Nicolas Rolando
214. Vann Martin
217. Cory Gilliam
235. Cory Gilliam
243. Hunter Braun
254. Cody Briner
257. Joey DeNeen
270. Jacob Runkles
279. Timothy Crosby
280. Cade Clason
281. Cory Carsten
285. Marshal Weltin
309. Jeremy Smith
319. Coty Schock
321. Bradley Lionnet
324. James Cooper
332. Dustin Winter
351. Eric Grondahl
354. Matthew Toth
359. Edward Morris
378. Samuel Wise
400. Nick Peterson
403. Keylan Meston
415. Brendan Grgurich
419 William Kwiecinski
444. Calen Tennant
447. Deven Raper
451. Klay Prager
510. Travis Prier
535. Kody Kamm
545. Cody Siler
553. Brent Rouse
566. Jacob Rose
577. Felix Lopez
591. Tanner Myers
595. Michael Kitzmiller
596. Carson Tickle
600. Connor Olson
647. Matthew Hubert
689. Tony Usko
694. Nicholas Inman
700. Justin Weeks
718. Toshiki Tomita
724. Jason McConnell
738. Kyle Hameister
750. Gavin Chinn
757. Tyler Gosnell
765. Zack Archer
788. Josh Heintz
810. Mason Eck
811. Christopher Williams
830. Jake Lowry
837. Bryson Gardner
847. DJ Christie
881. Jerry Lorenz
887. Thomas Coluzzi
891. Kyle Koosmann
893. Matthew Carpenter
903. Vincent Monteleone
920. Kody Lorenz
961. Mario Testa
991. Seth Nicolo
995. Christopher Prebula

MISSING FROM THE LIST

2. Cooper Webb | The Red Bull KTM rider will miss the final rounds of the summer with a knee injury.
4. Blake Baggett | The Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/WPS/KTM rider will miss the last race to recover from an ongoing illness.
14. Cole Seely | Team Honda HRC rider is sidelined for the remainder of the summer due to a torn labrum and broken shoulder socket, injuries that required surgery and a three-month recovery.
46. Justin Hill | JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing rider is out for the rest of the summer after suffering a recent shoulder injury and necessary surgery.
54. Dylan Merriam | The privateer is sidelined with a finger injury from a run-in with another rider at Washougal.
103. Dean Ferris | The Australian racer and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing team have parted ways.