Steve Cox | June 2, 2018
2018 Thunder Valley 250cc National MX Results: Three races into the 2018 AMA 250cc Pro Motocross Championship and it’s only getting more unpredictable. In the altitude of Lakewood, Colorado, the 250cc machines are pushed to their absolute limits, and in the end GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin came out on top.
In the first moto, it was Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamalube Yamaha’s Justin Cooper who grabbed the holeshot over fast qualifier Joey Savatgy (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki) and Osborne. Cooper and Osborne both took a quick trip off the track on the opening lap, but Cooper maintained the lead while Osborne dropped one spot to TLD/Red Bull KTM’s Jordon Smith.
Savatgy started putting the pressure on Cooper early in the moto and eventually made a brilliant pass down the inside of a corner after studying up on Cooper’s lines, and from there, it looked as if Savatgy would have the moto in-hand. However, with three laps to go, Savatgy’s bike quit on him. He scored a DNF and walked back to the pits, dejected.
Cooper inherited the lead back and then took his first moto win of his career over Jeremy Martin, his brother Alex Martin, and then Smith, who passed Osborne for fourth on the last lap. Osborne came in fifth with co-points-leader Aaron Plessinger hot on his heels. Then came Savatgy’s teammates Austin Forkner and Garrett Marchbanks, Smith’s teammate Shane McElrath, and Jeremy Martin’s teammate Chase Sexton.
2018 Thunder Valley 250cc National MX Results
It was off the start of the second moto where all hell broke loose. Starting from the far outside after his mechanical DNF in the first moto, Savatgy got a good jump and wanted to sweep across the first turn to take the lead, but the pack got there first, and Osborne got stood up on the inside and when his and Savatgy’s lines met, it was chaos. Savatgy, Osborne, AutoTrader/JGR Suzuki’s Justin Hill, and quite a few others got caught up in it. Hill didn’t hit the dirt, but Osborne and Savatgy did. Osborne, who had already aggravated his thumb injury in a practice crash during the morning sessions, got up favoring his shoulder, but got back on his bike about 3/4 of a lap behind. Osborne, in the end, caught up to 20th and garnered one very hard-earned point for his efforts. Savatgy, who was likely the fastest 250cc racer in Colorado today, fought his way up to 12th and ended up with a 34-12 for 17th overall.
2018 Thunder Valley 250cc National MX Results
Alex Martin got the holeshot and was under attack immediately from his brother Jeremy. Jeremy Martin eventually found his way by his brother and stretched out to a strong lead at the finish.
Glen Helen winner Plessinger got another bad start in the second moto and was just able to pass his way into fourth, around Smith, on the last lap.
Jeremy Martin took the overall win with a 2-1 over his brother Alex’s 3-2 for second and Cooper’s 1-8 for third overall. Fourth went to Forkner (7-3), then came Smith (4-5) and Plessinger (6-4).
Two-time 250cc champ Jeremy Martin now leads the points standings by 8 over Plessinger, with Alex Martin five more points behind him in third, and defending champ Osborne now sitting fourth, 24 points behind Martin out front.
2018 Thunder Valley 250cc National MX Results
2018 Thunder Valley 250cc National MX Results
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