2019 Southwick Motocross | Race Report
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Presented by Fasthouse
The sands of Southwick greeted the racers of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross tour today as the series rolled into MX338 for round six of the National Championship tour, and as expected, the action was as good as it’s been all summer long. In the 250 class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo returned to the top step of the podium after having his win streak stopped last weekend by his arch-rival Justin Cooper, earning the overall win with 1-2 scores. In the premier 450 division, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin earned his second win in a row with 1-2 scores, turning in a masterful performance in the opening moto that carried him to a massive margin of victory. In the final race of the day, there was no denying Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne of his first-ever 450 National moto win, as he took control of the lead on lap one and absolutely disappeared from the pack.
Leaving Massachusetts, Kawasaki riders Cianciarulo and Tomac continue to hold the red plates that signify the series points leader.
2019 Southwick Motocross | 250 Class Report & Results
Adam Cianciarulo and Justin Cooper were neck-and-neck for the first several turns at the start of the first moto of the day, but AC took firm control of the lead with an authoritative inside pass before the opening lap was complete. Once in front, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider was never headed as he raced to his first moto one win of the year. Cooper rode unchallenged for second and came home about seven seconds back, and comfortably ahead of his Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha teammate, Dylan Ferrandis. The Frenchman gated just inside the top 10 and sliced through the field with precision en route to the final podium spot. RJ Hampshire and Colt Nichols rounded out the top five, which Shane McElrath looked to have found his form as he came home sixth, just ahead of Cycle Trader Yamaha’s Brandon Hartranft.
Cianciarulo was fastest off the line in the second moto and was chased early on by Hartranft and TLD’s Cameron McAdoo, but Ferrandis gated inside the top five and made quick passes to work into second early on. Unlike moto one, AC didn’t check out and Ferrandis slowly but surely gained until he was on the Kawasaki rider’s rear fender. Ferrandis stalked the leader until the halfway point of the moto when he made his move and took over at the front of the pack. Knowing well that he had the overall win, it appeared as if Cianciarulo settled into second and allowed Ferrandis to pull out to a 10-second lead at the finish. For Cianciarulo, his 1-2 moto scores earned him his fifth National win in the six rounds run thus far in 2019. Ferrandis earned second on the day, his 3-1 edging Cooper’s 2-3. GEICO Honda’s Hampshire duplicated his moto one fourth-place finish and earned fourth overall, his best showing of the season thus far.
Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin led a wild charge through the first few turns with Eli Tomac, Zach Osborne and Ken Roczen all in close pursuit. Roczen was quite aggressive in the early going of the moto and moved past Osborne and Tomac top take control of second, but as the laps wore down the popular German lost his rhythm and dropped well back into the pack. With a clear track ahead of him, Musquin steadily distanced himself from the pack, looking smooth and in control at the front of the pack. Osborne controlled second through the middle of the moto, but a late-race charge by Tomac carried the series points leader past the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna racer. Supercross Champion Cooper Webb closed in on the leaders as the moto wore on, but fourth behind winner Musquin, Tomac, and Osborne would be as high as he would rise before the checkered flag. New JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki rider Freddie Noren rode great and crossed the finish line in fifth.
Webb shot off the line with the holeshot in the second moto, but a mistake in the third corner allowed Osborne to sneak past on his Dave Feeney-tuned FC 450. Once into the lead, Osborne took advantage of the clear track ahead of him and raced away with the first 450 moto win of his career. Osborne looked on complete control the entire moto and seemed to grow stronger as the laps wore down. At one point Osborne was in position to earn the overall win as Roczen again snaked through the field in the early going and held down second ahead of Musquin and Tomac. As he did in the first moto, though, Roczen appeared to lose energy and rhythm and dropped back into the pack again, leaving Musquin to finish second and earn his second consecutive National win with 1-2 scores. Tomac was third on the day with his 2-3. Webb again finished strong with fourth in the final race.
