Welcome to Millville, Minnesota home of round seven of the 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships. The series is heading into the home stretch with an exciting 250 Class and a 450 Class where we’re seeing almost-perfection each and every week.
The track is in great condition despite the rains from yesterday and the Spring Creek facility is one of the riders favorites. The weather promises to be hot and humid but probably not as heavy as last week in RedBud.
In the 250’s we have Blake Baggett of the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team who has rattled off two wins in a row and has almost a one moto lead on GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia. Baggett’s returned from a little Florida work vacation where he trained and rode with Tyla Rattray and Jake Weimer. His main competitors like Barcia, GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac and Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen have got to try and stop the momentum of the BB Gun here today.
In the 450 Class, it’s Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey first and foremost who has a big lead in the class and the Minnesota native figures to put the hurt on everyone else today. Dungey’s on an eight-moto winning streak and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon. Behind Ryan the second place spot has been difficult to claim for any one rider. In fact, of the six rounds we’ve had so far, four different riders have scored a second place overall and no one besides Dungey (when he battled with James Stewart at the first two rounds) has been able to do it more than once. MotoConcepts' Mike Alessi, Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer, Honda’s Justin Brayton and Pro Circuit’s Broc Tickle have all claimed the runner up spot at one race this year and Alessi holds second in the points.
And in the 450 practice today, it was predictably Dungey who logged the fastest time but there was some challenge from Alessi who was able to stay in the same second as Dungey. Third overall was BTOSports.com/BBMX’s Jimmy Albertson in a strong ride for the privateer and fourth was last week’s runner-up Brayton. Fifth place was Broc Tickle. In staying on the same second as Dungey, Alessi has shown that perhaps he can indeed race with the #5 KTM. We shall see.
Returning to the series from injury is Honda Muscle Milk’s Tommy Hahn who was injured after the first round at Hangtown and is finally ready to race. He recorded the 12th fastest time today. And coming back for the GEICO Honda team after knee surgery is Justin Bogle.
In the 250 Class it was the current MX2 World Champion Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen with the best time and he narrowly edged out Eli Tomac with times that were quicker than those put in by Dungey. Roczen’s teammate Marvin Musquin (who’s been very fast lately) was next and then it was Rockstar Suzuki’s Jason Anderson and Justin Barcia after that. That is your top five in the combined 250 qualifying.
It’s shaping up to be a great day here at Millville with all four motos on live TV and if you can’t watch those, follow Racer X on Twitter @racerxonline
250 Qualifying Results
1 70 Ken Roczen KTM 250 SX-F 2:08.150
2 17 Eli Tomac Honda CRF250R 2:08.345
3 38 Marvin Musquin KTM 250 SX-F 2:09.027
4 44 Jason Anderson Suzuki RMZ250F 2:09.173
5 20 Justin Barcia Honda CRF250R 2:09.268
6 12 Blake Baggett Kawasaki KX 250F 2:09.709
7 58 William Hahn Honda CRF250R 2:10.350
8 49 Justin Bogle Honda CRF250R 2:10.765
9 30 Alex Martin Honda CRF250R 2:12.214
10 956 Blake Wharton Suzuki RMZ250F 2:12.232
450 Qualifying Results
1 5 Ryan Dungey KTM 450 SX-F 2:08.293
2 800 Mike Alessi Suzuki RMZ 450 2:08.942
3 48 Jimmy Albertson Suzuki RMZ 450 2:09.606
4 10 Justin Brayton Honda CRF450R 2:09.728
5 25 Broc Tickle Kawasaki KX 450F 2:09.820
6 28 Tyla Rattray Kawasaki KX 450F 2:09.880
7 11 Kyle Chisholm Kawasaki KX 450F 2:09.975
8 29 Andrew Short Honda CRF450R 2:10.175
9 21 Jacob Weimer Kawasaki KX 450F 2:10.247
10 60 Mathew Lemoine Kawasaki KX 450F 2:10.572
