Just three rounds left to determine a winner for the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series and, with how the points shaped after Round 9, it looks like a fight to the finish.
Riders resume racing on Saturday at the Unadilla National in New Berlin, NY. Dubbed the "Home of Horsepower" Unadilla opened in 1969 and is one of the oldest Motocross tracks in the nation. It's located in the rolling hills of central New York so riders need serious power to compete and get past one of the most iconic track sections on the circuit - Gravity Cavity.
Check out the animated track map:
With the 450 championship more or less in the hands of three riders, Weston Peick, a MotoSport-sponsored rider, is in a pack of five trying to reach the Top 5. Peick's 217 points put him in eighth-place but he's only nine points from James Stewart who is in fifth. Peick is just a point behind Andrew Short and Josh Grant but all three riders are likely to get passed this weekend by the blazing hot Eli Tomac who is in ninth-place with 212 points.
Weston Peick is just nine points from the Top 5
Expect Jimmy Albertson, also sponsored by MotoSport, to open the throttle on his KTM which has served him well since switching bikes in Round 5. Strong riding by Albertson in the remaining rounds should assure him of finishing the year inside the Top 20.
Round out the rest of the field, Red Bull KTM teammates Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey lead the field and have a real chance of going 1-2 to finish the season. The big question is who finishes where? Roczen in his rookie season is solidly impressive and leads Dungey by 14 points. Dungey swept Washougal two weeks ago and he's no stranger to winning at Unadilla having two wins under his belt. Roczen has seven Moto wins to Dungey's five on the year.
Jimmy Albertson can finish inside the Top 20
In a distant third, Trey Canard is still looking for a Moto win and trying to get back on the podium something he hasn't done since Round 4 thanks to Tomac. Canard's consistent riding however, gives him a strong hold on third-place and finishing in the Top 5 for the remainder of the season should guarantee his spot on the Championship podium. Don't expect Canard to ride quietly though as he's made some adjustments during the break and within points range of Dungey and Roczen.
Despite missing the first four rounds, Tomac is in ninth-place for points and has not been off the podium since he started in Round 5. He swept Spring Creek and any more sweeps can really shake up how Roczen and Dungey finish. Tomac is also within points range of Canard and can jump to fourth-place this weekend assuming he continues his stellar riding and if Brett Metcalfe runs into trouble.
Joey Savatgy looks to continue hot streak at Unadilla
In the 250 class, MotoSport rider Joey Savatgy who rides for the Rockstart Energy KTM team is looking for his third-straight Top 10 finish and his first Top 5 overall. Savatgy can easily finish the season in the Top 10 for points if he continues the dominate riding of the last few weeks. His teammate Jason Anderson endured an accident in Moto 1 at Washougal which forced him out of Moto 2 resulting in no points for the round. A mid-season surge offered hope he could reach the Championship podium but Anderson only has one Moto win this season and a better bet is to finish the season in the Top 5.
Jeremy Martin is closing the door to any other riders catching him for the Championship. His seven Moto wins is tops in the 250 class and he's got a strong 43 point lead over Cooper Webb. Martin doesn't need to win anymore Motos as long as he rides consistently and finishes in the Top 5 in the remaining rounds to close out the season.
Jason Anderson crashed out the last round but remains in the Top 10
Like the 1-2 chase in the 450 series, Webb and Blake Baggett have a fight for who lands in second and third. Webb has a slim 11 point lead and he took back second place in the last round from Baggett. However, Marvin Musquin who swept Washougal can play spoiler and take a final podium spot if he continues his win streak.
The first Moto for Motocross Round 10 at Unadilla starts at 1 p.m. (EST) Saturday. Buy tickets online or at Unadilla MX Park, 5986 State Hwy #8 in New Berlin, NY.
2014 Motocross Season Standings
450 Class Standings
- Ken Roczen (407)
- Ryan Dungey, (393)
- Trey Canard (330)
- Brett Metcalfe (256)
- James Stewart (226)
- Josh Grant (218)
- Andrew Short (218)
- Weston Peick (217) - MotoSport rider
- Eli Tomac (212)
- Chad Reed (156)
250 Class Standings
- Jeremy Martin (377)
- Cooper Webb (334)
- Blake Baggett (323)
- Marvin Musquin (291)
- Justin Bogle (274)
- Christophe Pourcel (274)
- Jason Anderson (236) - MotoSport rider
- Cole Seely (212)
- Jessy Nelson (185)
- Alex Martin (156)