Steve Cox | August 19, 2017
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results: When Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne returned to the United States to race a few years ago, after five years abroad, it’s likely he hoped and dreamed that he would eventually fulfill his destiny of becoming a champion, but if you asked anybody (maybe even Zach) about the odds of such a thing, they probably wouldn’t have been fantastic.
However, here we are. After overcoming just about everything a racer can overcome in a single series, Osborne rounds out his AMA season with a 250cc Eastern Regional Supercross Championship (following his first-ever 250cc SX wins) and now the 250cc National Motocross Championship (following his first-ever moto victories).
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results
Coming into the day of racing at Budds Creek, for round 11 of the 12-round Lucas Oil/AMA 250cc Motocross Championship, Osborne mathematically needed to score 37 points to clinch the title if GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin were to go out and win both motos. Osborne scored 38, but they didn’t come easy.
In the first moto, Osborne was taken out heading into turn one when Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis clipped TLD/Red Bull KTM’s Shane McElrath’s rear wheel and went down, causing Steven Clarke’s KTM to rebound up and slam Osborne in the back.
Osborne got up near the back of the pack and raced forward throughout the moto to finish a solid 8th at the line
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results
Out front, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo snatched the holeshot and put in some blazing laps to pull out a small gap, which grew with every passing lap over Martin and his teammate RJ Hampshire.
At the finish, Cianciarulo held over six seconds in hand to win his first-ever AMA National moto over Martin, Hampshire, TLD/Red Bull KTM’s Shame McElrath, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger, AutoTrader/JGR Suzuki’s Kyle Cunningham, Plessinger’s teammate Colt Nichols, Osborne, Martin’s teammate Chase Sexton (who was down in turn one with Osborne), and McElrath’s rookie teammate Sean Cantrell.
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results
Martin grabbed the holeshot to start moto two, but was quickly passed by McElrath through the rollers, who took over the lead while Osborne fought his way around Martin later on the opening lap. As the race neared halfway, Osborne used a great move to steal away McElrath’s line through the rollers and assume the lead, while McElrath seemed comfortable in second. It was around this time that Martin crashed out of third, handing the spot to moto-one winner Cianciarulo.
Over the ensuing laps, Cianciarulo came under pressure from Plessinger and his teammate Nichols and picked up the pace, already with the overall in-hand, but he went after McElrath, and made the move in the rollers for second with a handful of laps remaining.
At the line, it was Osborne, securing his first-ever AMA National Championship, followed by Cianciarulo, who secured his first-ever AMA National overall victory with his 1-2 moto scores (which was good for his team, which lost its only other healthy rider, Joey Savatgy, in a practice fall). Then came McElrath, Plessinger, Nichols, Martin, Hampshire, Plessinger’s rookie teammate Justin Cooper, and Sexton (who hit the gate at the start of the moto).
Osborne’s 8-1 was good for second overall (and the title), while McElrath ended the day third with a 4-3.
The series now heads to its final round in Indiana next Saturday before Osborne sets out to represent Team USA at the Motocross of Nations in England next month.
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results
2017 Budds Creek 250 MX Results
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