Christophe Pourcel claimed his first overall win of the season at Unadilla. Photography by Mike Emery
Christophe Pourcel felt right at home on the fast, choppy and rutted Unadilla track to claim his first overall of the year and the first in the U.S. since 2010.
Pourcel was quick out off the gate in both motos. He led from start to finish in the first moto, though Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin made it close at the end. Pourcel saw his lead shrink to just a few seconds late in the race, but the Frenchman, on the Valli Yamaha, held on to take the win by less than a second over his fellow countryman Musquin.
Jeremy Martin won the second moto and is in a position to clinch the 250 title next week in Indiana. Photography by Mike Emery
In the second moto, Pourcel again grabbed the holeshot and opened up a comfortable lead right away, while his first-moto nemesis, Musquin, got stuck in the pack inside the top 10.
Pourcel, however, couldn’t make it a perfect day. Jeremy Martin, on the Yamahalube/Star Racing Yamaha, hunted him down, made the pass and ran off with the win. But a third in the first moto by Martin meant that Pourcel did not need to beat Martin to get the overall victory.
As it was, Pourcel claimed the overall victory with a 1-2, while Martin grabbed second overall via a 3-1.
However, it was a very productive day for Martin, since his teammate and the rider nearest to him in the 250 championship, Cooper Webb, suffered a mechanical DNF in the second moto, which means that Martin could clinch the title at the next round in Indiana.
For Webb, who finished seventh in the first moto, his second-moto DNF not only most likely put him out of the title hunt it also cost him second in the standings. Blake Baggett, who went 6-4 on the day for fifth overall, has now overtaken the Star Racing Yamaha rider for second in the championship but still trails Martin by more than 60 points with four motos left. Webb now trails Baggett by eight points.
Third overall on the day went to Musquin who couldn’t make up much ground in the second moto and had to settle with a 2-5.
GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle finished fourth overall with a 5-3, while fifth overall went to Baggett.
Chris Alldredge was impressive in his debut ride as a professional. Photography by Mike Emery
As for the former amateur racers RJ Hampshire (GEICO Honda), Chris Alldredge (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki) and Luke Renzland (Cycle Trader.com/Rock River Yamaha), they all had excellent starts to their new pro careers. Alldredge broke into the top-10 overall with 13-8 moto finishes, giving the Oregon-native eighth for the day.
Hampshire wound up 13th overall with 11-16 moto finishes, though he was running just outside the top five in the second moto when he went down in a rut.
And Luke Renzland ended up 17th overall with 18-15 moto finishes.
RJ Hampshire look good in his pro debut but crashed in the second moto. Photography by Mike Emery
2014 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Round 10
August 9, 2016
Unadilla National
New Berlin, New York
250 RESULTS
1. Christophe Pourcel (Yam) 1-2
2. Jeremy Martin (Yam) 3-1
3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 2-5
4. Justin Bogle (Hon) 5-3
5. Blake Baggett (Kaw) 6-4
6. Dean Wilson (Kaw) 4-6
7. Joey Savatgy (KTM) 9-9
8. Chris Alldredge (Kaw) 13-8
9. Alex Martin (Yam) 12-10
10. Shane McElrath (Hon) 19-13
