Steve Cox | June 3, 2017
2017 Thunder Valley 250 MX Results: Taking things to 6000 feet of elevation will put strain on any athlete, but especially in the 250cc class, it puts strains on the motorcycles, too. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s series points leader Zach Osborne came into the Thunder Valley MX National with a 21-point lead, and a cold.
The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team came into Thunder Valley following three mechanical DNFs at Glen Helen, and a chip on their shoulder. And PC team captain Joey Savatgy came in with something to prove.
When the gate dropped for moto one, TLD/Red Bull KTM’s Alex Martin snuck around the inside of turn one with the lead, snatching the holeshot away from his younger brother Jeremy on his GEICO Honda. Behind them came Osborne, Savatgy’s teammate Adam Cianciarulo, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Mitchell Harrison, Savatgy, Austin Forkner, Harrison’s teammate Colt Nichols, Alex Martin’s teammate Shane McElrath, and Nichols’ teammate Aaron Plessinger.
Moto-two winner from Glen Helen, Dylan Ferrandis got stuck in the gate at the start of the moto and rounded lap one in 20th.
Osborne crashed out of third only a few turns into the race when his front tire missed a rut, losing 17 spots, and was forced to work his way back forward from there.
2017 Thunder Valley 250 MX Results
Savatgy slowly worked his way forward through the front group until he sat second late in the race, but he was joined by teammate Forkner, who found his groove and blew by Jeremy Martin for third, then brought Jeremy Martin with him past Savatgy in second. And that’s how they finished, with Alex Martin taking his first moto win of the year over Forkner, Jeremy Martin, Savatgy and his teammate Adam Cianciarulo.
Three of the top-five finishers in moto one were Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasakis.
Behind Cianciarulo came Nichols, Plessinger (who had a late fall), Osborne, and Ferrandis.
Savatgy snatched the holeshot to start moto two, but about a quarter of a lap into the race, Plessinger snuck by to take the lead. Behind them came Harrison, Ferrandis, Jeremy Martin, Forkner, Alex Martin, Osborne, Cianciarulo and Cycle Trader/Rock River Yamaha’s Bradley Taft.
Savatgy stayed on Plessinger for the first few laps before Plessinger tossed it away on a blind-side of a rutted jump and then bailed off the track so as to avoid being hit. Flaggers did nothing to warn other racers there was a bike there, and quite a few racers bounced off of his downed YZ250F, including Savatgy on his way by for the lead.
Savatgy had pressure from Plessinger’s teammate Ferrandis for a while until Jeremy Martin forced his way by for second, and then Savatgy had to deal with Jeremy Martin all the way to the finish, which he did.
Savatgy took his first moto win of the season over Jeremy Martin, Forkner, Alex Martin, Osborne, Ferrandis, Savatgy’s teammate Justin Hill, Harrison, McElrath, and Osborne’s rookie teammate Michael Mosiman.
2017 Thunder Valley 250 MX Results
The 4-1 score was enough to clinch the overall for Savatgy, who tied on points with Alex Martin’s 1-4. Alex Martin was second overall, one point in front of brother Jeremy (3-2) and Forkner, who finished fourth overall with a 2-3 score. Osborne was fifth (8-5).
In the championship chase, Osborne still leads it, but the points cushion has been narrowed from 21 poitns to only 9 over Alex Martin, followed by Jeremy Martin 9 points further back. Savatgy is now fourth in the points standings, with Forkner right on his tail.
2017 Thunder Valley 250 MX Results
2017 Thunder Valley 250 MX Results
2017 Thunder Valley 250 MX Results
2017 Thunder Valley 250 MX Results
For more of the latest motocross and supercross news and information, click here.