Mixed Results for GEICO Powersports Honda

MT. MORRIS, Pa.  -- It was a roller-coaster kind of day for the GEICO Powersports Honda team at the Rockstar Energy High Point National in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

Blake Wharton in the 250s and Brett Metcalfe in the 450s were the best finishers the team had on Saturday. Both riders finished third overall, but no one was able to put together two podium finishes on the day.

Wharton finished eighth in his first 30-minute moto and followed it up with a third in the second.

"I feel like I’m learning, and I’m constantly practicing my starts," Wharton said. "In the first moto here, I fell twice, so I was frustrated. Second moto, I got up there, and I felt like I rode good. Third overall is not too bad for a day like this."

Metcalfe rebounded from his torturous day in Texas to finish sixth in the first moto and third in the final moto.

"The first moto, I got a horrible start, and that was disappointing for me," Metcalfe said. "After last weekend, I felt like I was the holeshot guy, but the track had so much loose dirt that the roost was going everywhere, and it got in my goggles, so I was riding blind for a little while. I think I was 19th on the first lap and I just started picking off guys and I pushed as hard as I could and I got up to sixth.

"The second moto, I was able to sneak around the inside in the first corner, and I was able to make a few moves and get into a much better flow. I rode a lot easier and rode better and we ended up third, so it was good."

 

Metcalfe remains third in the overall season points.

Justin Barcia had the best individual finish as he won the first 250 moto. In that race, Christophe Pourcel got the hole shot, but Barcia took the lead by the 10-minute mark and never looked back. In the second moto, Barcia crossed the line 21st and finished eighth overall. He's eighth in the season points.

"I haven’t been having fun lately, but that first moto, I went out and got a good start and rode like I knew I could," he said. "I had a ton of fun, and it made all the difference in the world. But in the second moto, I got together with someone in the second turn and damaged my bike a little bit, so I wasn’t able to perform at my best.

"I’m kind of bummed, but I hope that next time I can put together two motos like the first one I had today."

Trey Canard finished seventh overall after a 14th in the first 250 moto and a fourth in the second.

"On a day like this, to come through some adversity is a positive thing," Canard said. "This week was tough for me because I’m a guy who cares a lot about what I do, and when I have a bad race, it lays heavy on me.

"But I felt like I really rode like myself that last moto, and that’s something I can build on and something I can believe in. I feel like my preparation this week will be good."

Rookie Eli Tomac finished 16th overall after finishes of 10th and 19th. Canard is fourth in the points and Tomac is fifth.

"It was a little bit of a struggle today," Tomac said. "I got two bad starts, and I’m not used to dealing with all of these guys going everywhere, diving in on me in every turn... I got stuck in the back of the pack."

 

Up next for the GEICO Powersports Honda team the event is on June 19 at Budds Creek, Md.