Lake Elsinore: 450 Moto 2 Report
Saturday, August 24, 2013 | 7:30 PM
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PrintJosh Grant nailed the holeshot and a spot on the podium in the first moto, but wasn’t able to line up for the second moto since he needed an IV following the first race. While Grant received attention from the Asterisk medical unit, his JGR Yamaha teammate, Justin Brayton, took the torch and got the holeshot in moto two. Unfortunately, Brayton’s run up front didn’t last as long as his teammate’s. His early lead was quickly eaten up by usual frontrunners Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey and Justin Barcia. The top three riders separated from the rest of the pack and their race remained stagnant for the majority of the moto. Ryan Villopoto closed his season with a clean sweep at Lake Elsinore and, as most of you know, will be missing the Motocross of Nations to go under the knife. However, the two 450 riders on Team USA—Dungey and Barcia—finished right behind Villopoto to round out the podium.
Though there wasn’t much action inside the top three, there was plenty to watch inside the top ten. Justin Brayton, Malcolm Stewart, Brett Metcalfe, Trey Canard, Andrew Short, Tyla Rattray and Jake Weimer rounded out the top-ten early in the race. The riders were in close proximity to one another, so it was only a matter of time before they started swapping positions. Canard and Stewart—who went over his bars in a brutal crash—had issues before they could really settle into a groove. Metcalfe initially dropped back behind Rattray and Short, but found his rhythm and passed Short back. That was enough to take Short’s momentum out from under him. The BTO Sports KTM rider ended up fading back to 12th.
There were a handful of riders that were able bear the heat to put in quite a charge for the season-ending moto. Jake Weimer started just inside the top ten and moved up to fourth, and even started to close in on Barcia towards the end. Both Mike Alessi and Weston Peick finished the first lap outside of the top ten, but were able to finish the last lap in fifth and seventh. Canard’s mishap sent him back to 27th momentarily, but the Honda Muscle Milk rider charged all the way up to tenth.
450 Moto 2 Results
1. Ryan Villopoto
2. Ryan Dungey
3. Justin Barcia
4. Jake Weimer
5. Mike Alessi
6. Tyla Rattray
7. Weston Peick
8. Brett Metcalfe
9. Justin Brayton
10. Trey Canard
11. Broc Tickle
12. Andrew Short
13. Ben LaMay
14. Ryan Sipes
15. Michael Byrne
16. Zack Freeberg
17. Nick Wey
18. Malcolm Stewart
19. Evgeny Mikhaylov
20. Derek Anderson
Click HERE for full 450 moto two results.
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RV leaving the series the same way he started it. Kicking everyone's a**. He was just on the gas, standing up, off the back and just pinning it. Fun to watch.
I am shocked Tickle got 11th.
13's in the books, COME ON A-1 !! :)
Great job RV. I love watching you ride. Actually I appreciate all the guys that can qualify for a national.
I hate to jump on this track thing again.......but dang, how miserable looking. We're there even 500 fans there? Maybe I just missed them. If Utah was a race on the moon, this one was on Uranus. Just take a second and imagine the progression-Southwick gone, steel city, glen Helen, Troy.......then budds, Unadilla, red bud, snd we get Utah, Elsinore, and the next three disappointing excuses for national tracks. I love this sport, and that is a real, frightening possibility. We need some honest talk about why these tracks are going away, why tracks like Elsinore and Utah are replacing them, and what can be done to stop this trend.
Metcalfe do enough for a ride in the States next year?
@ Rooster5
Call it a economically influenced paradigm shift, call it sh*t happens (AKA Utah) or call it anything you want ....
But if it is the future of your sport, you will need to adjust ....
an
Like Reed I lost interest shortly after the gate dropped in Utah. I couldn't bring myself to watch today.
It was great ... Snuck in. I've never seen a crowd that small at a national. Then drove right out ,no traffic. Good job DC. Sorry...MX sports!!
"this one was on Uranus" - Somewhere, Beavis and Butthead are giggling uncontrollably. Or perhaps some of the posters on here that emulate them.
Other than trees and a constant threat of flood, I'm not sure Troy was all the much different than Utah, but I agree that looking at the trend, the new tracks are not as nice as the ones they replaced. The track today reminded me a bit of watching the nationals from the short-travel days, but with fewer spectators.
The outdoor schedule is what I'll be anticipating the most during the off-season. Tennessee had a few imperfections, but I like the idea of giving established tracks a crack at a national. I understand that there's a lot of good local tracks that don't have the infrastructure needed for a national, mostly enough parking, and decent access in and out of the facility. There's a lot more that goes into the decision, mostly the business side of it with MX Sports, but I'm not enough of an insider to claim to know how that affects things, but it obviously does.
California being a state run by liberals (and illegals) who suck the state dry and tax the people at insane rates, no wonder nobody showed up, they can't afford a gallon of gas, much less a ticket to watch the nationals.
@Osteo - I'm afraid you're right.
@MX Bob-I'm afraid you're right, too. There surly are reasons why these changes are taking place. And I'm sure the infrastructure problems, for both VIP/Team convenience and crowd logistics, are a huge consideration. Most cool local/regional tracks couldn't handle it. And who's going to "create" the next red bud? Nobody. The next creation is going to be the next Pala. I hope im wrong (I've heard some interesting rumors). And I know, the Uranus comment was a little silly. But I was really just trying to describe the other-worldly bleakness of the last two races. I'm not sure anyone could create a track that looks much worse on TV. I'm not sure that any amount of photo-shoped trees and grass would help Pala. Maybe Utah.
On a less pessimistic note-I hope we bring the MxDn trophy back, and I think we will. Either way I'm looking forward to it. Thanks to all the riders, teams, track owners and sponsors for a summer of great races and (mostly) live motocross.
Grant might have survived on a "real" outdoor track with some trees and shade, etc. Not on this piece of mulch. It was bad for sure, and looked like no one was there. Short-sighted greed is killing the outdoors.
@SpeedShitfer: Yeah. That's why 5 of the SX races are held there each year. Because nobody can afford it. lol
Sadly the promoters cost keep going up, and mx sports does nothing to help them. So places like MMM that supplement their income with car racing will be the national tracks of the future : (
@sphinctershifter-I am guessing nobody showed up due to a crappy track and 100 degree heat. I never see any issues at Hangtown and you know what state thats in.
Next year we need the Gatorade Furnace Creek National from Death Valley.
By the way was that gear Volcom's way of putting the screws to RV one last time before they get out of MX. G-A-Y!
@ texag
It is obvious to some that RV does not care how he looks (or anything else for that matter). He is only in it for the money.
@ Rooster5
You wrote: "I was really just trying to describe the other-worldly bleakness of the last two races. I'm not sure anyone could create a track that looks much worse on TV. I'm not sure that any amount of photo-shoped trees and grass would help Pala. Maybe Utah."
I agree with you expect for when you wrote: "I'm not sure that any amount of photo-shoped trees and grass would help Pala. Maybe Utah." NOTHING could ever help Utah.
read on, Im about to tell it like it is,with respect, i invite counter points !
all you guys have made some great points,(not that any of us know the real deal as to why great tracks are cut out, and , um, ''less then sweet ones"" are put on the tour) i personally am thinking that there are literally dozens of high quality national caliber tracks that can take all it needs to handle a national ,for whatever reason are ignored around our nation, in a series , that ZIG ZAGs the county, much like nascar ,that IS PAINFULLY stuck in the 70's (ie: affordable FUEL costs for travel expenses that bars NEW sponsors.TEAMS/Jobs/pro paid rides ect.... from ever make a run at the nationals) when they ""could""" Intelligently/WISELY ''circle'' the nation making a race every 600/800 hundred miles or so,would actually make it where many fans could make 2, if not 3 of them (READ more attendance/income per national), on, maybe slower, and safer tracks ringed with HIGHLY COMPETENT track workers/yellow flag guys, (did ya notice how inept the guy at malcoms crash was, standing BEHIND a blind jump, half hartedly waving the yellow flag,, do the million dollar invested sponsors know their moneys hinging on a guy thats only out there for a few hot dogs and a t-shirt ???) , that could keep our racers intact/healthy all year, rather then continually catering to the ol'e boy network and making of temp tracks that are, shamefully ugly to watch even to the casual fan,,,
im jus saying, these issues need to be addressed, and fixed, in order to
"re"progress our sport, , im not slamming mxsports, im a loyal fan/friend, and want to work with all of us to make it better, im jus saying things are at a point that we need to get busy to polish our sport ! rick chew in florida, of emsra.com (maybe not so wisely) says so !
Do u have to say B.S crap come on Texag if R V is in just for the money he would,nt have showed up today u think he needed the purse money! If he was,nt a racer with as much heart as anyone where did the ass kickin come bet ur last dollar he,s done got the bonus ck
Was super stoked for Josh Grant in the first moto.He looked awesome.But,dont understand why he took an IV?Was he in that bad of shape after that moto that he had to?He didnt look like it in the post race interview.I honestly hope he gets his stuff together.He has the talent for sure.Hopefully his wife can get him to get the most serious he has ever been,or he will just be the same ol JG.Show some flashes here and there,and then hang out with some of his lame X games buddys,and do so so,again.He for sure has the talent,just hope he can obtain the focus.
I guess KTM world domination will just have to wait awhile. All the flappin about RV won't make it , "Stewie won't ever win again" guys got shut up again...HAHAHA...lol and that Yosh ZOOK got 25 large for HOLESHOTS and Havoc and ole #7 didn't even have to show...that is just cold blooded........a blow for smooth and steady and a big win for balls out , flat a*s massive speed and amazing skill. I truly do hope Dungeys bike is up to it come A1 because I think hes a winner and a phenominal rider. He will wail at MXDN.
The Viper has once again placed the green monster crew back on the top of the list of the best team in the land...! If this guy keeps it up, there truly will be a G.O.A.T 2.0, but this time on the green machine! Congrats to all of the racers for an awesome 2013, can't wait for the excitement of 2014!
Thank's for the great coverage for the pro class and Loretta's (that was feaking awesome, especially seeing the ranch first hand and standing on the grounds of the true mecca of amateur racing). DC, MX Sports, Fro, RC, K-Dub and Weege, you guys keep giving us awesome coverage of racing year in and yr out... hopefully sometime soon there will also be a place in the sport again for the WMX with more venues, maybe the man made tracks could help boost their side of racing, besides this is the best family sport on the planet, and when two wheeled racing is going on, fun and excitement is in the air, didn't matter, whether male or female, that much was experienced by all at Loretta's! Great Job fellas!
Man what a drag for Dungey if he would have not had that DNF he would have been within 31 points of RV. RV would have had 1 DNF in stead of Dungey and Dungey had finished a head of RV more often Dungey would have been champion..... Bottom line RV dominated the season again. Great SX and MX season looking forward to 2014
Zzzzzzzzz. wow there's four hours of my life ill never get back! From Glen Helen to the bottom of a fish bowl,at least put them on some under powered 2 strokes, that would put some excitement back in it.
i agree Fac-Phil !
I think that RV looks much smother going his speed than anyone else, incuding Dungey, at 1 - 3 seconds a lap slower. And I think he could go faster if someone else stepped it up. He seems to be able to put 4 seconds a lap on Dungey at will while he's building his lead.
I'm sad to see the direction that the tracks are taking. I realize it's about money. But in both Utah and Elsinore when you look at the background there mountains all around the facility in both places. It would be sooo much better to have the races in the mountains.
Contrats to RV and Tomac. Awesome ride by Grant and BB. I think that Dungey kind of gave up towards the end of the season. I think we are seeing one of the greats in Villopoto.
@mit12--You post makes absolutely no sense.. "and if Dungey had finished in front of RV more often Dungey would have been champion"... NO freaking kidding dude.. RV waxed Dungey more than a few times this year.. He finished over 20 seconds ahead of him a few times.. RV is faster, period.. Its why he is the Champ..
@Dungey's DNF was self-induced--he fell over before he stalled at Red Bud.. Something alot of guys fail to mention, I saw it I was there.. not a mechanical, he crashed and flooded the bike..
The way I see it in the Nations Rogers biggest job will be cleaning the RV poop off Dungey and Barcia but little Eli will be just fine. I have to put my money on Tony C. after seeing those 25 second beatings that could have been much more. RV is the second coming of the GOAT just not quite as good.
The G.O.A.T 2.0 is coming to a race track near you, they will call him the little Viper, the re-making of "new" most dominate racer on the planet... ET may phone home and may even battle for a hot second, but the Viper is more aggressive and has the added drive to kick it up a notch when it counts the most! Bring on 2014, it's going to be an epic season indeed!
@therealmofo,
It was ment to be that way. Having a little fun with the "what if crowd" those guys can sque the results into JS winning the championship with all the what if's.