| September 11, 2021
The Hangtown Motocross Classic played host to the season finale of the 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. In the 450MX class, Dylan Ferrandis, who had already locked up the title a week early, didn’t hold back and pulled off the overall victory after a stellar come-from-behind ride in the second moto. And, in the 250MX class, the championship was still up for grabs with Jett Lawrence leading Justin Cooper by 23 points. In the end, the 18-year-old Lawrence survived several crashes, some tense moments, and big-time pressure to wrap up the Championship, despite title rival Justin Cooper winning both motos.
With the championship already decided in the 450MX class, the rest of the podium was still up for grabs between Ken Roczen (Honda HRC) and Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki).
Roczen, Ferrandis, and Webb (Red Bull KTM) got off to great starts and led the pack early on in moto one. Roczen stayed upfront through the opening laps and set the pace with his fast opening laps.
Webb made a charge on lap two and got around Tomac for fourth before setting his sights on Christian Craig (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha).
Tomac followed suit and rode Webb’s wheel around Craig, too.
At the eight-minute mark, the Roczen-Ferrandis battle began to heat up at the same time as the one between Webb and Tomac. A short two minutes later, Ferrandis rode right up to Roczen’s rear wheel and looked to take over the lead.
Tomac made the move around Webb just after the finish line and proceeded to set the fastest lap of the race with a 2:14.5. On the next lap, Tomac hit the deck on the off-camber downhill and let Webb back around.
With 10 minutes remaining, Ferrandis finally broke Roczen’s lead and quickly sprinted away. His pace was much faster, about 2.5 seconds better per lap over Roczen. The running order remained the same for the final few minutes of the race and ended Ferrandis, Roczen, Webb, Tomac, and Craig.
In moto two, Webb harnessed his fast pace from moto one to grab a big holeshot in moto two. Craig also looked fast and passed Webb for the lead on the opening lap.
The real story was the carnage left behind in turn one. Ferrandis and Roczen tangled with a downed rider, leaving Roczen with an injured foot and Ferrandis nearly dead last. Roczen never hit the ground, but his foot got stuck in the other rider’s rear wheel which forced him to retire from the race in pain, which ultimately cost him second place in the championship.
Ferrandis’s bike got tangled up in another rider’s bike, forcing Ferrandis to stop and pull it free.
Craig, Webb, Max Anstie (H.E.P./Twisted Tea Suzuki), and Tomac made up the running order on lap one with Ferrandis crossing the line in 23rd place.
Webb made his way to the back of Craig and made the pass for the lead. Similar to moto one, Tomac followed suit and passed Craig for the second spot.
Halfway through the race Ferrandis moved all the way to eighth and was still marching forward through the field. Upfront Tomac, passed Webb for the lead with 12 minutes still on the clock.
At that point, Tomac had the overall victory in his grasps, but Ferrandis had other ideas.
The new champ, Ferrandis, need to finish third in the moto to nail the overall win and managed to make the passes late in the race to get it done. He didn’t even know he had taken the overall victory when he crossed the finish line with a 1-3.
Tomac finished out his career as a Kawasaki factory rider with a moto win. Although it hasn’t been officially announced, Tomac will be moving over to the Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha Team for 2022, which means Tomac and Ferrandis will be teammates next year. Tomac finished out the day second overall with a 4-1 and second in the championship, moving past Roczen who took a DNF in the moto. Tomac trailed Roczen by nine points coming into the race.
Webb, who went 3-2 on the day for third overall, finished out the championship in fourth, passing Honda’s Chase Sexton, who did not race today, nor did five other riders (Marvin Musquin, Joey Savatgy, Justin Barcia and Aaron Plessinger) who finished in the top 10 of the championship.
Craig’s 5-4 gave him fourth and Brandon Hartranft’s (H.E.P./Twisted Tea Suzuki) 7-6 gave him fifth.
All eyes were on the 250MX title, as Jett Lawrence led Justin Cooper by 23 points coming into the day’s racing. In moto one, Cooper, who revealed he had been racing with a broken thumb since his Washougal crash, took the holeshot over the Rockstar Husqvarna’s of RJ Hampshire and Josh Varize.
Austin Forkner (Pro Circuit Kawasaki) also started with this lead group and rode upfront before a mechanical failure took him out of the race.
Lawrence was buried deep in the pack after lap one. He suffered a poor start and then crashed early in the race after hitting a slick spot on the track. This dropped him further back outside of the top 20. A few laps later he hit the deck again, this time after tangling with another rider who had crashed right in front of him. Things were going Lawrence’s way and the points were swinging in Cooper’s favor.
Forkner’s mechanical handed the final podium spot over to Dilan Schwartz (BarX Suzuki) and Michael Mosiman (Red Bull TLD GasGas). These two duked it out before they both went down and got tangled up.
Cooper did everything he needed to do and fended off threats by Hampshire for nearly the entire moto and went on to take the win. Hampshire claimed second and Hunter Lawrence third.
Jett rallied for eighth and would need a seventh or better in the second moto to lock up the championship if Cooper was to win.
The Rockstar Husqvarna’s were upfront again in moto two, with Varize taking the holeshot over Cooper and Ty Masterpool (AEO GasGas).
Lawrence again suffered a poor start but came through inside the top 10, The Honda rider, Lawrence, dodged carnage for the opening few laps but eventually tagged Max Vohland’s rear wheel and fell, dropping him to 10th. Luckily for Lawrence, time was on his side.
Varize continued to lead over Cooper and Masterpool. Cooper passed for the lead around six minutes in and checked out from the rest of the field. At this point, Cooper technically had the points lead, but it was all up to Lawrence now.
Lawrence found his groove and cautiously moved his way up to seventh, the all-important position. From here, he began picking off more riders and worked his way to fourth before claiming Vohland late in the race.
This was Justin Cooper’s first 1-1 victory of the season, but it was too little too late, as Lawrence’s 8-3 netted him fifth overall and the 250MX Championship with six points to spare.
Jo Shimoda (Pro Circuit Kawasaki) went 4-2 for second on the day, ahead of RJ Hampshire’s 2-6 scores.
Vohland, this year’s 250MX Rookie of the Year, also rode a great day, going 5-4 for fourth overall.
Lawrence’s older brother, Hunter, finished out the championship in third, followed by Hampshire, Shimoda, and Jeremy Martin. CN
By Ryan Nitzen
2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Round 12 (Final)
Carson City Hangtown Motocross Classic
Prairie City OHV
Sacramento, California
RESULTS (September 11, 2021)
450MX Overall (Top 10)
1. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
1-3 |
2. |
Eli Tomac |
(Kaw) |
4-1 |
3 |
Cooper Webb |
(KTM) |
3-2 |
4. |
Christian Craig |
(Yam) |
5-4 |
5. |
Brandon Hartranft |
(Suz) |
7-6 |
6. |
Max Anstie |
(Suz) |
9-5 |
7. |
Ryan Surratt |
(Hus) |
8-8 |
8. |
Justin Bogle |
(KTM) |
10-7 |
9. |
Ken Roczen |
(Hon) |
2-DNF |
10. |
Robbie Wageman |
(Yam) |
12-9 |
450MX POINT STANDINGS (After 12 of 12 rounds)
1. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
531/6 wins |
2. |
Eli Tomac |
(Hon) |
458/2 wins |
3 |
Ken Roczen |
(Kaw) |
446/2 wins |
4. |
Cooper Webb |
(Hon) |
358/1 win |
5. |
Chase Sexton |
(KTM) |
342 |
6. |
Christian Craig |
(KTM) |
292 |
7. |
Marvin Musquin |
(GG) |
240 |
8. |
Joey Savatgy |
(KTM) |
240 |
9. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
239/1 win |
10. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(Yam) |
232 |
250MX Overall (Top 10)
1. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
1-1 |
2. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
4-2 |
3. |
RJ Hampshire |
(Hus) |
2-6 |
4. |
Max Vohland |
(KTM) |
5-4 |
5. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
8-3 |
6. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
3-9 |
7. |
Dilan Schwartz |
(Suz) |
10-7 |
8. |
Josh Varize |
(Hus) |
7-11 |
9. |
Levi Kitchen |
(Yam) |
6-12 |
10. |
Michael Mosiman |
(GG) |
11-8 |
250MX POINT STANDINGs (After 12 of 12 rounds)
1. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
497/4 wins |
2. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
491/2 wins |
3. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
381/1 win |
4. |
RJ Hampshire |
(Hus) |
364/1 wins |
5. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
340/3 wins |
6. |
Jeremy Martin |
(Yam) |
307 |
7. |
Austin Forkner |
(Kaw) |
256 |
8. |
Michael Mosiman |
(GG) |
252 |
9. |
Max Vohland |
(KTM) |
236 |
10. |
Dilan Schwartz |
(Hus) |
209 |