Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel Wins Daytona SX

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel powered his KX250F to victory this past weekend at Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Fla.), and in doing so in extended his ESX Lites point lead over Nico Izzi to 15 points, 97-82.

Having transferred to the main with a 2nd place finish in heat two behind his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Austin Stroupe, Pourcel got out well enough in the main to put himself in position to take over the lead early. But on the demanding and somewhat long-winded Daytona Speedway infield track, Pourcel was calculating and patient – taking the lead from Martin Davalos on lap 12 and holding the factory KTM rider off the last four laps to win his third (out of four) ESX main events of the season.

“Daytona is a great win for me and the Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team,” said Pourcel. “There is so much racing tradition here, I really enjoyed my weekend at Daytona International Speedway and look forward to racing again here.”

Stroupe, who was some two seconds behind Pourcel’s top time in the qualifying practice sessions, got things going with a banging heat race – one in which he topped 2nd place Pourcel by nearly six seconds. In the main a descent start had Stroupe up around the top five, but late in the first lap he looked to get a bit impatient and a miscalculation sent him airborne – without his bike – and off the track. Fortunately Stroupe landed on one of the thick foam block lane dividers (Tuff Block) and was quickly able to get up and back to his bike. But, unfortunately, the bike ended up being twisted to the point where is was unrideable.

“I’m pretty bummed because after my heat race win I really felt I had a good shot to win the main – which would have been my second win in a row and probably put me into 2nd place overall in the ESX points,” said Stroupe, who trailed 2nd place Izzi by five points heading into Daytona. “But an error on my part ended the night. All I can do now is look forward to New Orleans this weekend and, hopefully, score another win for the Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team.”

Though he only came away with three points from Daytona, Stroupe did hold on to 3rd place overall in the ESX standings and owns a three-point lead over Davalos (59-56).

This weekend Monster Energy Supercross will return to the New Orleans Superdome (March 14) for round 11 of Monster Energy Supercross.

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