Eli Tomac takes the double in AMA450 MX Washougal
A course rolled out between tall conifers on a mountain in the town of Washougal, a village with barely 14.000 people. Yet that is the center of the motocross world once every year!
On this beautiful course it was in the first heat, who else but Justin Bogle who took the best start! This for his Suzuki teammate Justin Hill and Kawasaki teammates Josh Grant, who is riding his first race of the motocross season after injuries, and Eli Tomac.
Justin Bogle already held the lead in the first lap, something the Suzuki pilot had not yet achieved despite all his holeshots. While the Joe Gibbs Racing pilot did that, Eli Tomac moved up to third place.
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While Eli Tomac struggled to pass Justin Hill for second, Marvin Musquin joined the leading trio. Five minutes into the heat, Tomac passed Hill. After Hill it was Bogle's turn, who had already led for about three laps, but the Suzuki pilot had no answer to Tomac. After Tomac, Musquin also passed the Joe Gibbs Racing duo.
But Eli Tomac had already managed to build up a lead of about three seconds in that short time. A lead that quickly increased and ensured that Marvin Musquin focused on consolidating his second place. Meanwhile, behind them, Ken Roczen had also passed the Joe Gibbs Racing duo Justin Hill and Justin Bogle. However, the two leaders had already gone too far for the German, so he also quickly concentrated on holding on to third place. Justin Hill held on to fourth place well until the finish ahead of Justin Barcia. However, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate from Hill, Justin Bogle, completely failed and a small crash also helped him a bit. The Suzuki pilot eventually finished twelfth.
The second round started again like the first, with a holeshot from Justin Bogle! This time, however, Ken Roczen snatched the lead after just a few corners. Ken Roczen tried to take advantage of his good start and Eli Tomac's poor start.
While Justin Bogle had his usual drop in positions, Eli Tomac tried to do the opposite. The Kawasaki pilot tried to get to the front as quickly as possible. He did this with verve because after three laps the Monster Energy pilot was already squeaking into the top, a top five with; Ken Roczen, Justin Hill, Marvin Musquin, Justin Barcia and so on as well as Eli Tomac.
While Justin Hill fought like a devil in a bucket of holy water to hold off Marvin Musquin. Eli Tomac had a fight with an unwavering Justin Barcia. Both of these matches, in which both Marvin Musquin and Eli Tomac were held up, played perfectly into Ken Roczen's hands. Due to a crash by Justin Hill, Marvin Musquin found passage and Eli Tomac went down the mountain like a man possessed and also kept the inside to pass Justin Barcia. Only Eli Tomac was then able to start over again. The reigning champion and also leader in the championship had a stupid fall and Justin Barcia took advantage of this.
After all this attacking and attacking, the top five was quite shaken up. Ken Roczen was still the leader in the race with a few seconds lead over Marvin Musquin and the rest of the field such as Justin Barcia, Eli Tomac and Blake Baggett were already following just over ten seconds behind Marvin Musquin!
Yet Eli Tomac did not accept Ken Roczen's victory. Because once he passed Justin Barcia for the second time this race, the American set one qualifying time after another. Initially to catch up with Marvin Musquin. With five minutes left on the clock the time had come, he had grabbed Marvin Musquin by the bones, but now Eli Tomac had to get past him. The two fighters fighting for the title fought hard but fair. We had a nice duel that was settled on the rollers at the top of the circuit in favor of Eli Tomac.
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This second place was enough for the man from Colorado to win the day, but the Kawasaki pilot tasted blood and felt that there was more to it. He quickly closed the gap he had on Ken Roczen and with three laps to go he showed himself to the HRC Honda German. It was waiting for an attack and now Eli Tomac struck the famous Washougal Whoeptiedoes and then took a risky scrub jump over the finish. Ken Roczen had to acknowledge his superiority. The reigning champion, Eli Tomac completed the remaining two laps and finished first, just like in the first heat. This time for Ken Roczen, Marvin Musquin, Justin Barcia and Blake Baggett.
The day's victory logically went to Eli Tomac with two series victories. He was joined on the podium by Ken Roczen (3-2) and Marvin Musquin (2-3). It was another bad weekend for Marvin Musquin as the Frenchman once again saw his rival for the title gain eight points.
Another striking observation: Josh Grant, who returned from injury, finished a strong tenth in the first moto. However, he did not start again in the second heat. The reason for this not starting in the second round is unknown to us for the time being. We also saw both Justin Bogle and Justin Hill fail to finish in the second moto, both recording a DNF.
1. So Tomac
2. Marvin Musquin
3.Ken Roczen
4. Justin Hill
5. Justin Barcia
6. Blake Baggett
7. Benny Bloss
8. Cooper Webb
9. Phil Nicoletti
10. Josh Grant
11. Kyle Cunningham
12. Weston Peick
13. Justin Bogle
14. John Short
15.Tyler Bowers
16. Noah McConahy
17.Cody Cooper
18. Ben LaMay
19. Toshiki Tomita
20. Brandan Leith
450 day results Washougal
1. Eli Tomac (1-1)
2. Ken Roczen (3-2)
3. Marvin Musquin (2-3)
4. Justin Barcia (5-4)
5. Blake Baggett (6-5)
6. Cooper Webb (8-7)
7. Benny Bloss (7-10)
8. Weston Peick (12-6)
9. Kyle Cunningham (11-8)
10. Phil Nicoletti (9-12)
1. So Tomac
2.Ken Roczen
3. Marvin Musquin
4. Justin Barcia
5. Blake Baggett
6. Weston Peick
7. Cooper Webb
8. Kyle Cunningham
9.Tyler Bowers
10. Benny Bloss
11.Cody Cooper
12. Phil Nicoletti
13. Toshiki Tomita
14. Brandon Scharer
15. Noah McConahy
16. Ryan Surratt
17. Brandan Leith
18. John Short
19.Carson Brown
20. Austin Walton
450 Championship standings
1. Eli Tomac, 401
2. Marvin Musquin, 386
3.Ken Roczen, 330
4. Justin Barcia, 330
5. Blake Baggett, 301
6. Weston Peick, 247
7. Benny Bloss, 224
8. Phil Nicoletti, 217
9. Justin Hill, 132
10. Kyle Cunningham, 130
Text: Matthias Van Eeckhoven
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