Cycle News Staff | May 30, 2021
2021 Pala Pro Motocross Rnd 1 Results. The 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship got off to a somewhat surprising start with 450MX-class rookie Dylan Ferrandis coming away with the overall win at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, May 29. Even in his first race ever outdoors, the Monster Energy/Star Racing Yamaha Team rider captured the win in the opening moto and backed that up with a third place in the second moto, which secured the overall victory for the Frenchman.
It’s the first 450cc-class outdoor win for the blue crew since Justin Barcia won the final race of the year at the Ironman National in Indiana in 2018.
It was also the first time a 450cc-class rookie won in his first AMA National since Ryan Villopoto in 2009.
“It was a way different Pala race than last year, but it was a really good day for me,” Ferrandis said. “I didn’t wake up this morning thinking that I would win the overall. It’s an amazing result as a rookie in the 450 class to win the first moto and the overall. I’m also really happy to get that first 450 win for the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. I’m really hard on these guys, and I make them work many hours during the race and the whole week, so this one is really for them. The hard work has definitely paid off. I want to say a big thanks to all of the people around me. It’s an amazing feeling and a day that I will remember.
“It’s amazing,” he added. “I think I need to just win one to feel a little bit more comfortable being in that position (up front). In the second moto I was feeling great. We came through the field and passed some really strong guys. It’s crazy.”
The winner of the second moto was a bit of a surprise, as well. After saying he felt “disconnected” with motocross earlier in the week (having not raced outdoors since 2019) and confirming that statement somewhat with a sixth in the first moto, Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen came alive in the second moto. He got out in front early, survived an early attack by Aaron Plessinger and went on to win the moto with room to spare. The big swing from sixth to first netted the Honda rider second overall.
Plessinger made it two Star Racing Yamaha’s on the podium. His 4-2 gave the former 250MX Champion third overall.
Justin Barcia, on the TLD/Red Bull/GasGas, came from eighth in the first moto to nab third and followed that up with a sixth in the second moto for fourth overall.
Chase Sexton was one of the fastest riders on the track, but his overall result doesn’t show that. He did take second in the first moto, nearly nipping Ferrandis at the finish line in the first moto, but the Honda HRC rider went down just passed the first turn in the second moto, along with a number of other riders, ending his hopes for the overall win. He did, however, come from way back to take 10th in the moto and fifth overall.
There were other surprises, as well. Several riders who were expecting to do well and perhaps even challenge for the win, did not live up to their expectations. Supercross Champion Cooper Webb put himself in a great position when he took the lead in the first moto but slipped back to fifth by the finish. After starting sixth in the second moto, Webb slowly drifted back to 11th by the finish for eighth overall.
After topping qualifying, Adam Cianciarulo crashed—hard—while pulling away out in front in the first moto and took seventh. He never really looked the same the rest of the day. He started off in third in moto two but tipped over, drifted back and finished out the moto 11th.
Eli Tomac couldn’t do anything with bad starts and went 9-8 for ninth overall and defending champ Zach Osborne went 13-5 for 10th overall.
“Overall, it was an alright day,” Tomac said. “It wasn’t my best result, but we managed to put together two consistent motos and deal with the difficult track. I’m looking forward to Thunder Valley next week, especially since it’s my home track. We’ll take the week to get everything dialed and plan to be back on the top step where we belong.”
“My day definitely could have been better but I’m still healthy and looking to get more,” said Osborne. “The first moto was a little disappointing and not what we were looking for but I turned it around and I’m happy to leave in a better spot than I was when I got here. This is the first time I’ve done two motos in a day since I started riding again so we didn’t have any expectations and to get a top-five in the second moto was a step in the right direction.”
In the 250MX class, Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence and Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin traded moto wins with Lawrence going home with the first-place trophy by taking the second-moto victory.
“It’s definitely a good feeling. Winning is good,” said Lawrence who also won the previous Pala race last year. “It’s good because with all the hard work I’ve been putting in I can prove to everyone that I’m not just a kid with talent. I’ve been putting the work in and it’s starting to pay off. It’s awesome to get the red plate, but I need to keep it up for the next 22 motos.”
Martin’s teammate Justin Cooper went 5-3 for third overall, again putting two Star Racing Yamaha’s on the podium.
Michael Mosiman (TLD/Red Bull/GasGas) and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire rounded out the top five overall.
Lawrence’s older brother, Hunter, was sixth overall, followed by Garrett Marchbanks, Austin Forkner, Colt Nichols and Jo Shimoda.
Forkner and Shimoda’s teammate Cameron McAdoo suffered a knee injury in the second moto. According to the team’s manager Mitch Payton, the team suffered from falls at one time or another all day.
Max Vohland had an impressive debut in the outdoor Nationals, leading much of the first moto before eventually dropping out with a mechanical and finishing seventh in the second moto.
“Overall, today went really good,” Vohland said. “I got a holeshot in the first moto and ended up leading for 23 minutes, which was awesome. You learn a lot and gain a lot of confidence believing you can do it when you’re actually doing it! For my first National as a rookie, I think I performed really well today and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season now.” CN
2021 Fox Raceway Pala 1 Round 1 Video Highlights
2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Round 1
Fox Raceway
Pala, California
RESULTS: (May 29, 2021)
450MX Overall (Top 10)
1. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
1-3 |
2. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
6-1 |
3 |
Aaron Plessinger |
(Yam) |
4-2 |
4. |
Justin Barcia |
(Gas) |
3-6 |
5. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
2-10 |
6. |
Jason Anderson |
(Hus) |
10-4 |
7. |
Marvin Musquin |
(KTM) |
8-7 |
8. |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
5-11 |
9. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
9-8 |
10. |
Zach Osborne |
(Hus) |
13-5 |
250MX Overall (Top 10)
1. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
2-1 |
2. |
Jeremy Martin |
(Yam) |
1-2 |
3. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
5-3 |
4. |
Michael Mosiman |
(Gas) |
4-4 |
5. |
RJ Hampshire |
(Hus) |
3-9 |
6. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
6-5 |
7. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
8-6 |
8. |
Austin Forkner |
(Kaw) |
7-8 |
9. |
Colt Nichols |
(Yam) |
9-12 |
10. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
14-11 |
2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Schedule
Rnd 1 |
May 29, 2021 |
Fox Raceway National |
Pala, CA |
Rnd 2 |
June 5, 2021 |
Thunder Valley National |
Lakewood, CO |
Rnd 3 |
June 19, 2021 |
High Point National |
Mt. Morris, PA |
Rnd 4 |
June 26, 2021 |
Southwick National |
Southwick, MA |
Rnd 5 |
July 3, 2021 |
RedBud National |
Buchanan, MI |
Rnd 6 |
July 17, 2021 |
Spring Creek National |
Millville, MN |
Rnd 7 |
July 24, 2021 |
Washougal National |
Washougal, WA |
Rnd 8 |
Aug 14, 2021 |
Unadilla National |
New Berlin, NY |
Rnd 9 |
Aug 21, 2021 |
Budds Creek National |
Mechanicsville, MD |
Rnd 10 |
August 28, 2021 |
Ironman National |
Crawfordsville, IN |
Rnd 11 |
Sept 4, 2021 |
Pala National |
Pala, CA |
Rnd 12 |
Sept 11, 2021 |
Hangtown National |
Sacramento, CA |